Thursday, August 8, 2013

Charles Edward Grigsby and Annie Elizabeth Ailstock Grigsby

Mom said " All our people were confederates in the Civil War"

Sorry Mom, you were wrong.. I've been doing this genealogy thing for a few years now and one of my favorite people is, Charles Edward Grigsby.

Charles Edward Grigsby (1847 - 1934)
is your 2nd great grandfather
daughter of Charles Edward Grigsby
daughter of Ellen F Grigsby
daughter of Bessie Jane Ellis
You are the son of Anna Lourie Gilbert -


Charles E Grigsby served on the USS Springfield
Springfield Eighteen states have a town, city, township, or an incorporated area named Springfield. (StwGbt.: t. 146; l. 134'9"; b. 26'11"; dph. 4'4"; dr. 4'; a. 6 24-pdr. how.) The first /Springfield-/a stern wheel river steamer built at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1862-was purchased by the Navy at that city on 20 November 1862; and was commissioned at Cairo, Ill., on 12 January 1863, Lt. Henry A. Glassford in command. The light draft gunboat operated on the Ohio, Tennessee, and Cumberland Rivers escorting transports and protecting Army lines of communication and supply, from time to time engaging guerilla forces on the river banks. On 3 April 1863, /Springfield /accompanied gunboats /Lexington, Brilliant, Robb, /and /Silver //Lake /on an expedition up the Tennessee to destroy Palmyra in retaliation for the attack by a Confederate battery there the day before which damaged Union gunboat St. /Clair /and Army transports /Eclipse /and /Luminary./ Pehaps /Springfield's /most exciting service came in July when she joined a number of other gunboats in chasing a large Confederate force led by General John Hunt Morgan. The daring Southern raider crossed the Ohio River on 8 July, entered Indiana, and commenced a wild ride east. While Union home guards pursued him, the Union gunboats moved up the river and prevented him from recrossing to safety in the South. Finally, after a 10-day chase over some 500 miles, the pursuers caught up with the raiders and forced them to attempt to cross at Buffington Island. Federal steamers /Moose /and /Alleghany Belle /repeatedly frustrated Morgan's efforts to move his troops south of the river. Pressed from both directions, most of the raiders surrendered. Morgan and a few followers managed to retreat into the hills and rode on for another week through theNorth before they were surrounded and captured near New Lisbon, Ohio. Almost a year of routine convoy and patrol service went by before /Springfield /could report any more excitement. On 3 June 1864, as the tinclad was descending the Cumberland, she came upon a band of guerrillas attempting to ford the river at Shelly Island. The gunboat opened fire on the Confederates who fled on foot leaving behind four horses, a few pounds of horseshoe nails, and a “contraband” blacksmith whom they had impressed “to shoe rebel horses.” /Springfield /served on upper rivers through the end of the Civil War. On 29 April 1865, she was ordered down to Mound City, Ill., where she was decommissioned on 30 June. The steamer was sold at public auction there on 17 August 1865 to R. G. Jameson. Re-documented as /Jennie D. /on 1 April 1866.

Charles suffered a Knee injury during the war and ended up in Bath County Virginia after the War...Where he was one of Two US veterans applying for a pension.. Bet that was rough...US veteran in formerly confederate Virginia..In 1869 Charles married Great Great Grandma Annie Elizabeth Ailstock...

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