Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Collin Marshall

2nd Lieutenant, Company H, 39th Iowa Infantry

The Son of Miles & Martha (Jones) Marshall (both natives of Guilford County, NC), he was born October 17, 1826, Wayne County, Indiana.

He was 35 years old and resided in Redfield, Dallas County, Iowa when he enlisted as First Sergeant in Company H of the 39th Iowa Infantry on August 7, 1862. He was mustered in to Federal Service on August 22, 1862 and promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on March 6, 1863.

On the evening of July 4, 1863 “a few of the boys [of the 39th Iowa Infantry] concluded to have a little dance, and some went to sweeping the earth, while others went after the girls. Of the latter were Lieut’s. Marshal and Blodgett, who were on the road for a couple of fair damsels, when out stepped about a dozen [Confederate] guerrillas, and called to them to halt.” The lieutenants’ “horses wheeled, the rebels fired, and Lt. Marshal fell dead, pierced by four bullets.” Lt.Blodgett escaped and brought the news to camp. Before the men of the 39th could arrive at the scene of the incident the Rebels had already taken the leiutenant’s boots, money and revolver.

He is buried in Wiscotta Cemetery in Union Township, Dallas Co, Ia

Sources: Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System; Letter from T. A. Trent, published in The Union Sentinel, 25 July 1863; Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion, Volume 5, p. 1009; Gedcom file of Shirley West on http://www.rootsweb.com/;

See Other Blog Entries:
Letter from T. A. Trent – July 25, 1863

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