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Captain James R Slayton, Co.F 13th Michigan Infantry

5/6/2015

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Picture
Captain James R. Slayton
Commanding Co. F, 13th Michigan Infantry

Great Grandfather of Mark E Slayton


Letter from an otherwise unidentified member of the 13th by the name of Orville to the Editor of the Jackson Citizen. Headquarters, 13th Michigan V.V. I. Lookout Mountain, Tenn. June 14, 1864 Editor Citizen: Not seeing anything in any of the Michigan papers the 13th Infantry, I venture a few remarks, which, I hope, may interest its friends at home. On the 18th day of January last, the skeleton of the heroic old 13th, then consisting of about 165 brave fellows, re-enlisted as veterans, at Chattanooga, Tennessee, and early in February returned to Michigan, as a nucleus around which the present organiza­tion was formed. The regiment left Jackson on the 26th day of March last, with 885 enlisted men, and arrived, by rail and boat, at Nashville, April 4th, without accident. Here the mettle of the recruits was to be tried; for, after waiting for three days, and failing to obtain transportation to Chatta­nooga, order came for us to march to that place, a distance of 165 miles, which was accomplished in less than 13 days, arriving on this the "Alps of Tennessee," on the 20th day of April, where the regiment has since remained, and being attached to the first Engi­neer Brigade, are mostly on duty, as engineers and mechanics. [skip] A squad from this regiment, under the energetic direction of Capt. James R Slayton, of your city, have erected at Chatta­nooga a mammoth Railroad Depot, one of the most extensive structures for army supplies in this department. Your city may well be proud of such and officer as Captain Slayton. This young and gallant soldier was chiefly instrumental in raising, organizing and put­ting into the field one of the best companies of the old 13th, in which he was mustered as 2nd Lieut. He was highly complimented by his superior officers for his bravery at Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga and Chattanooga, and was appointed Captain of his Com­pany (F) on the 2nd day of February, 1863. As a token of the esteem in which he was held by the brave boys of his command, he was presented by them a splendid sword, sash and belt. In February last he returned to Michigan with his veteran company, reduced to a squad of only 13 men, and with his characteristic energy, recruited his company to over 120 men, and returned here, where his enter­prising business habits and abilities were called into requisition in erecting the monster Government Depot above mentioned. The admirable military and business qualifications of the young Captain (not yet 26 years of age) did not escape the keen eyed guardians of Uncle Sam's interest at that important point, and Captain Slayton at once found in his hat a commission, direct from old Abe, as Captain in the 1st Regiment of U.S. Engineers, as an officer of the regular service, and is now assigned to duty as Acting Major of the 1st Battalion of his regiment. I had almost forgotten to say he was made the recipient by his new company in the 13th, while at Nashville, of a second magnificent sword, sash and belt. Should you deem the above worthy of publication; I will give you another sketch anon, but will be more brief. Yours, &c., Orville



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September 04th, 2014

9/4/2014

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PicturePhoto Courtesy of Deirdre Windsor

 
The banner pictured at right is the original banner of the Massachusetts MOLLUS Commandery that dates to around 1900. This banner, made of silk has suffered major deterioration over the years. Unfortunately it had also been damaged by inappropriate attempts at preservation. Deirdre Windsor of Windsor Conservation has painstakingly undertaken the task of restoring the banner to its original glory.  Restoration is now complete and the banner will be on display at the 2014 MOLLUS National Congress.





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August 24th, 2014

8/24/2014

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Directions from the Sheraton Hotel to the Wayside Inn

8/8/2014

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March 28th, 2014

3/28/2014

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Please use this comment section to post information, ask questions or answer questions that pertain to the Massachusetts MOLLUS as well as the upcoming National Congress that we will be hosting in October, 2014.
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March 28th, 2014

3/28/2014

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He Took the Surrender of Richmond from the Mayor

As host of the MOLLUS 2014 National Congress, the Massachusetts Commandery will publish a program book entitled Our Forebears and Massachusetts in the Civil War. The book will consist in part of profiles celebrating the ancestors of current MA MOLLUS Companions who served as officers in the Union forces. Many of them had very colorful experiences. Here is one.

Maj. Atherton H. Stevens, Jr. 
A Cambridge native and member of the National Lancers before the War, Atherton Stevens was in 1861 elected Lieutenant in the 1st Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry. Elements of the 1st joined the blockade and siege of Charleston following the disastrous mid-1863 assaults on Fort Wagner by Union forces. In 1864, Maj. Stevens and his Independent Battalion of cavalry raided the countryside in support of the expedition into Florida that culminated in the Battle of Olustee, the bloodiest of the War for the Union Army so far as percentage of casualties to participants was concerned. The campaign, nonetheless, captured a number of islands to which slaves had escaped from the mainland to freedom (Some of these men soon formed a ‘colored’ Union Army infantry unit.) Stevens, now attached to the 4th MA Cavalry, was in the field at the siege of Petersburg, and in August 1864, still heading his independent Battalion (10th Army Corps) he participated in the Battle of Deep Run. In September, recently designated Provost Marshal of the Corps, he was moved “before Richmond,” where he led raids to capture prisoners and supplies. Late in 1864, Stevens was assigned to a colored infantry corps, and on April 3, 1864, under orders, he and elements of the 4th led two companies to the very gates of Richmond. On the way in, he met the mayor of Richmond, fleeing the burning city with a number of his officials, who formally surrendered the Confederate capital. Then, according to Century Magazine (1880), major Stevens galloped to the state house at the head of a small detachment, climbed to the roof, pulled down the Confederate and Virginia flags and replaced them with two 4th Cavalry guidons (soon replacing them with a U.S flag. The Confederate flag was torn into pieces as souvenirs for his men, and he took the Virginia flag home, where it remained in his family until it was ceremonially returned, in 1927, to Virginia Governor Harry Byrd.
MA MOLLUS Companion (and Commander) Frederick A. Stevens, Jr., LTC USA (Ret), is a great-grandson of Maj. Atherton H. Stevens, Jr.




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