Union County, SD Biographies.....Woods, Edward D. January 23, 1837 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 13, 2022, 5:39 pm

Source: MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF Turner, Lincoln, Union and Clay Counties, South Dakota. (1897)
Author: Geo. Ogle & Co.

EDWARD D. WOODS, one of the survivors of that great army of brave men who responded
to the call for volunteers to uphold the flag and honor of their country in the late
war of the rebellion, is now engaged in the pursuit of agriculture in section 19,
Elk Point township, Union county. He is a native of Richland county, Ill., and was
born January 23, 1837, a son of Andrew and Nancy (Benson) Woods, natives of Bracken
county, Ky. Andrew Woods was an agriculturist by occupation, and in 1835 came to
Illinois, where he tilled the soil for ten years in connection with his trade of
bridge building. In 1846 he located in Spencer county, Ind., near Rockport, where he
engaged in farming until 1868, when he moved to Dakota territory. In early life he
affiilated with the Whigs, and subsequently was a Republican. His demise occurred on
his farm in Union county in 1878, and his wife died in 1880. They were the parents
of six children, five of whom are now living, viz.: John J., Edward D., Mary E.,
Andrew H. and Zachariah B.

Edward attended school until he was thirteen years of age, and then assisted in the
work on the home farm till July 16, 1S61, when he enlisted at Rockport, Ind., in
company K, Twenty-fifth regiment, Indiana infantry, as private. When he enlisted the
company was in camp at Evansville, Vanderburgh Co., Ind., where they remained for
six weeks in training, drilling eight hours per day. From camp they went to St.
Louis, where they spent five weeks, and then to Jefferson City, Mo., where they
remained three weeks more. The regiment then received orders to reinforce Gen.
Mulligan, but when within sixty miles they heard of his surrender, and went into
camp at Sedalia, Mo., for two weeks. From Sedalia the regiment went to various
places - Springfield, where they only remained one day, and then returned 200 miles
to Otterville, Mo., and then to Warrensburgh, where they captured 1,300 rebels, whom
they escorted to St. Louis. They stayed in the latter place until 1862, and then
marched to Cairo, Ill., Ft. Henry, Tenn., and later to Ft. Donelson, where the
regiment was engaged in battle for three days. They next participated in the battle
of Shiloh, and then went to La Grange, Tenn., where they remained thirty days on
scout duty. From La Grange they marched to Memphis, then to Boliver, Tenn., and five
weeks later participated in the battle of Hatchie, Tenn. In this battle our subject
was wounded in the foot, which laid him up in the hospital for forty days. From this
time on the regiment did guard duty on railroads and scouting at various places –
Boliver and La Grange, Tenn.; Davis Mills, Miss.; La Mar Station, Memphis on provost
duty, and then back again to La Grange. From La Grange the regiment went to Memphis,
Vicksburgh, Miss., and then participated in the Meridian raid, after which they
marched to Canton, Miss. This was in 1864, and after re-enlisting, his term of
service having expired, our subject secured a veteran’s furlough of thirty days and
went home. At the expiration of his leave of absence he rejoined his regiment at
Nashville, Tenn., and went to Decatur, Ala., where they built forts and did scout
duty for three months, after which they decamped for Atlanta, Ga. The regiment next
went to Resaca, Ga., and in an engagement near there Mr. Woods was wounded in the
right arm by a minie ball. This unfortunate occurrence and the incidents which
followed are best told in Mr. Wood’s own words. He says: “I was wounded in the right
arm in an engagement at Snake Creek Gap, Ga., October 15, 1864. The examining
surgeons pronounced me disabled and sent me back to Resaca. I was there placed under
the care of Dr. Buell, surgeon of the Eighteenth Ohio infantry, and he performed a
resection in my arm the following day. For several successive days I failed rapidly,
and soon became entirely helpless. On the morning of the 24th I had a hemorrhage of
one of the small arteries, but Dr. Buell soon succeeded in stopping it. On the 28th
my nurse, Tillman Willard, discovered gangrene in the wound. The doctor, on account
of lack of proper medicine, was unable to check the disease, and by the 3rd of
November it had grown so much worse that he said my arm must be amputated in order
to save my life. After performing the operation he was ordered to his brigade. I,
with fourteen other wounded soldiers, was then transferred to Chattanooga. I shall
never forget what I suffered on that journey. It seemed to me that I died a thousand
deaths. We were compelled to ride in a box car, and were very much crowded. The
train had not been in motion fifteen minutes before I had another hemorrhage. A
young physician on board came to my assistance, thereby saving my life, for had it
not been for him in all probability I should have bled to death.

“ We reached Chattanooga on the morning of November 8, and were admitted into ward
3, section 5, of hospital No. 1. Dr. McGrath, on examining my wound, discovered that
gangrene had attacked the stump. He then began burning it with bromide. I had
another hemorrhage November 11, and the doctor placed me under the influence of
chloroform, and took up the artery. He continued the burning process for eight days
longer, and at the expiration of that time the disease was eradicated. I had a
hemorrhage of the main artery November 17, and had to undergo the same treatment as
before. On February 15, I was transferred from Chattanooga to Nashville, and upon
application a furlough was granted to me by Dr. Nofsinger, dated March 3, 1865,
ordering me to report to the nearest medical director for disposition of my case.
After remaining at home for thirty days, I reported to hospital No. 1, Evansville,
Ind. By the 20th of April my wound was entirely healed, and I received my discharge
papers May 12 following.”

Mr. Woods enlisted as a private, and in the latter part of 1863 was promoted to the
rank of corporal. During the last year of service he acted as first duty sergeant
and as such was discharged. His captain makes the following statement upon his
discriptive roll: “Was in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth,
Miss.; was severely wounded in the battle of Matamoras, Tenn., October 5, 1862; was
in the siege of Atlanta, Ga., was severely wounded in the battle of Snake Creek Gap,
Ga., October 15,	1864; and has not been able for service since. Conduct in battle,
good.”

After his discharge, Mr. Woods traveled on the road selling books, and in 1867 came
to Dakota territory and settled in township 91, Union county, where he took a
homestead, and lived 011 it for eighteen years. He subsequently sold out and bought
his present location. He has forty acres under cultivation, and his land is improved
with a fine home. He is extensively engaged in grape culture, and the growing of
various other fruits, farming and stock raising.

Mr. Woods was united in marriage in 1868 to Miss Harriet L. Butts, a native of
Massachusetts, and a daughter of David and Susan (Champlin) Butts, natives of
Canterbury and Norwich, Conn., respectively. The former by trade was a carpenter,
and later in life followed farming. In Rock Falls, Iowa, where he located when he
came west, he was county commissioner for two years, and held other public offices.
Both he and his wife were members of the Congregational church in which he was a
deacon. Mr. Butts died at Rock Falls, and his wife in Norwich, Conn. They were the
parents of six children, Mrs. Woods being the only one surviving. Mr. and Mrs. Woods
have a family of seven children, viz.: Mary E., Rebecca J., Benson H., Ida L.,
George A., Lotta C., and Edward F. Mr. Woods is an ardent silver Republican in
politics, and a member of the Stephen A. Hulbert post No. 9, G. A. R., at Elk
Point.

The reader will be pleased to notice a portrait of Mr. Woods on another page of this
volume.


Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/union/photos/bios/woods404gbs.jpg

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sd/union/bios/woods404gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/sdfiles/

File size: 8.5 Kb