According to Civil War Muster Roll records, Oren Taylor enlisted as a Private in Captain Hubbard's Co. 7th Regiment Indiana Cavalry on August 27, 1863 in Indianapolis, Indiana for a 3 year period. He was mustered in for service in Indianapolis on September 11, 1863. He is listed as being 18 years old, but was actually only 16 years old according to the date on his tombstone in Dygert Cemetery. Two different birth locations are given in his military records, Pennsylvania, the other Mercer Co. Ohio. He is listed as being 5 ft. 8 3/4 in., complexion light, with grey eyes and brown hair. Occupation is listed as a farmer. Hubbard's company would be later called Co. K. At his enrollment he was paid $25.00 plus a $2.00 premieum. Oren is listed as present in company Muster Rolls until March-April 1864 when he is listed absent, sick in Hospital at Memphis, Tennessee. Also noted is $20.00 dollars is to be retained from his pay for the loss of his revolver. In a Hospital Muster Roll of Gayoso U.S.A. General Hospital Memphis, Tn. dated July-August 1864, Oren is listed as Deserted from Furlough August 11, 1864. From September 1865 until September October 1865 he is listed as being present. On the September-October muster roll it indicates he had a stoppage of $2.49 dollars for Transportation, also the same in November-December 1864 this time for $8.73 Dollars and also in January-February 1865 for $8.73 dollars for Transportation. On December 15, 1864 he is promoted to Corporal in Co. K 7th Indiana Cavalry. On April 20, 1865 he is reduced from Corporal to Private. In both muster rolls, May-June 1865 and July-August 1865 he is listed as having a Government due of $1.27 Dollars for Ordnance. On September 19, 1865 Oren is transferred to Co. E of the 7th Indiana Cavalry. November-December 1865 he is listed a Absent on Expedition. Pvt. Oren Taylor is mustered out on February 18, 1866 in Austin Texas. On August 6, 1870, Oren J. Taylor filed for a pension for his service #159166. On December 1, 1888, Oren's widow, Amanda M. Olmstead filed for a widower's pension in Michigan #384855, and on June 21, 1890, in Kansas, Ella M. Gary filed for a minor's pension for her father's service #426970.
*7th Indiana Cavalry service record--Expedition to Paris, Tenn., December 14-23, 1863. Action at Huntington, Tenn., December 27. Expedition from Union City to Trenton January 22-24, 1864. Bolivar February 6 (Detachment). Smith's Expedition to Okolona, Miss., February 11-26. West Point February 20-21. Okolona February 21-22. Ivey's Hill February 22. Hudsonville February 25. Regiment complimented by Generals Smith and Grierson for soldierly bearing and conduct during the Expedition. Near Raleigh, Tenn., April 3. Wolf River April 8. Near Raleigh April 9 (Detachment). Cypress Swamp April 10. Sturgis's Expedition to Ripley, Miss., April 30-May 9. Sturgis' Expedition to Guntown, Miss., June 1-13. Ripley June 7. Brice's Cross Roads (or Tishamingo Creek), near Guntown, June 10. Ripley June 11. White's Station June 20 and 26. Byhalia Road, near Colliersville, July 2. Action at Port Gibson, Miss., July 17. Grand Gulf July 19. Tallahatchie River August 7-9. Hurricane Creek August 9-13-14 and 19. Oxford August 9 and 11. Lamar August 14. Colliersville August 28. White Station October 4. Near Memphis October 4 (1 Company). Memphis, Tenn., October 20 and 24. Nonconah Creek October 29 (Co. "F"). March through Arkansas and Missouri in pursuit of Price September-November. Action at Little Blue, Mo., October 21. Independence October 22. Big Blue and State Line October 22. Westport October 23. Mine Creek, Marias des Cygnes, October 25. At the Marmiton, or Battle of Charlot, October 25. Grierson's Expedition from Memphis to destroy Mobile & Ohio R.R. December 21, 1864, to January 15, 1865. Capture of Verona December 25, 1864. Egypt Station December 28. Lexington January 2, 1865. Duty at Memphis and along Memphis & Charleston R.R. till June, 1865. Expedition from Memphis to Marion, Ark., January 19-22 (Detachment). Expedition from Memphis into Northern Mississippi March 3-11, 1865. Moved to Alexandria, La., June 6-16. Consolidated to 6 Companies July 21. March to Hempstead, Texas, August 5-26. Duty there and at Austin, Texas, till February, 1866. Mustered out at Austin, Texas, February 18, 1866.
Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 47 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officer and 243 Enlisted men by disease. Total 294.
*Source: A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion by Frederick H. Dyer.
This regiment was also known as the 119th Indiana Infantry.
Oren filed for a pension service on August 1, 1870, as a resident of York Township, Steuben Co. Indiana. His occupation is listed as coopering (barrelmaker) when he is able. In the pension he claims he was disabled in January 1866, while serving with the 7th Indiana Cavalry Co. E. He states, " from severe hardships and exposures to which he was subjected and from overexertion while on a march from Austin to Sherman, Texas became overheated and took violent cold which settled upon his lungs resulting in permanent disease of the same which continued up to the time of his discharge and still continues by reason of which he is broken down in health and constitution and unable to perform manual labor" Witnesses to his claim are listed as Peter Buck and W.H. Eldridge. He signs his names as Orren Taylor. On December 28, 1870 his disabled claim is sent to the pension office for review. On January 4, 1870 the Adjutant General's office reports that there is no muster roll record on file for January 1866. It states that a muster roll dated February 18, 1866 reports Oren present and that he mustered out with company on that date with no evidence of disability. A Adjutant General's office report of June 6, 1884 states that the nature of Oren's sickness in March and April 1864 and the extent of his furlough in September 1864 is not stated. No hospital records, returns of companies K and E non medical leaves on file. Military records indicate that Oren was 5'8" weight 155, eyes grey, hair bown, complexion light. Oren wrote a letter himself elaborating in which he said that he was in the hospital run by the 2nd Iowa Cavalry (as the doctors for his company were elsewhere) for about 2 weeks in late January/early February, 1866. The doctor gave him a bottle of Allen's lung balsam and told him that it would be better if he would get exercise and told him to walk around camp and report to him every night. No records were present to indicate Oren's whereabouts in Jan/Feb 1866. Oren was listed as being present when his company mustered out (2-18-1866) with no evidence of disability. Oren was able to find the doctor (Jesse Burgess) who attested to treating him, but when the pension office looked into the matter they determined that Dr. Burgess had mustered out 9-19-1865 and there was nothing to indicate that he was in the service in January, 1866. In addition, there were no hospital records or monthly reports for either the 7th IN or 2nd IA Cavalry units in Jan/Feb 1866. Furthermore, Oren stated that William Woodward and William H. Eldridge could vouch for him, but the Adjutant General's office could not find men with these names on the rolls of the company. This is strange since both these men were in Company K and/or Company E.
In April, 1871, Oren was examined by a doctor who found that he had bronchitis and "expectorates freely, has hypertrophy of the heart. His pulse is 120 while at rest. Very little exercise runs it up higher. He can do nothing but light and slow work. Not to work at all."
On December 16, 1871 Oren (age 24) died of a lung ailment, possibly consumption (TB). He was buried in Dygert cemetery.
Oren's claim was still being processed in 1884 when the pension office requested a full military history. The strangest thing in this case is a letter purportedly written and signed by Orren on 4-23-1886 (about 14 years after his death) asking about his claim. The handwriting does not exactly match earlier samples. The pension board never appeared to have finally ruled on the case. Amanda and Ella filed claims for the pension, which they eventually abandoned. I think the doubts of the pension board (no documentation of disability at discharge and no record of the doctor serving during the time when Oren was ostensibly hospitalized) resulted in the later claims being insupportable.
According to a claim of Ella M. Gary, daughter of Oren, Cornelius P. Taylor states that he was present at the death of Oren J. Taylor, and that he died in Hillsdale County, Michigan on or about the 16th day of december 1871 of Lung Disease that he contracted while he was in the army. This statement by C.P. Taylor, bother of Oren was made December 9, 1890 in Hillsdale Co. Michigan.
Interestingly another person, William H. Woodward of Flint, Michigan, had a two different reasons how and why Oren was injuried and eventually died. On January 6, 1894, in the pension claim made by Oren's daughter, Ella Taylor, William states the following. I was with Orin Taylor thru the war. He was sick in the hospital with the lung trouble, I can't give the dates I was very young and can't remember like the older ones. He never was well after he went to the hospital, but got able to do duty. But kept failing till he at last joined the army above. PS What is rang with my case very respectfully, William H. Woodward. On March 2, 1895 from Montgomery, Michigan, William H. Woodward made the following statement in Ella's claim for Oren Taylor's pension. " I was always aquainted with Orin Taylor he first complained after the tree fell on him at Columbus, Kentucky, and always complained till he died. There was 7 years before he died. He could not do anything, he was in misery all the time complaining all the time of the (jam)? he received by the tree falling on him. it killed two that was in bed with him and came near killing Orin Taylor. I know this by sight for I was there and seen it." Very Respectfully, William H. Woodward. On November 4, 1895 William H. Woodward of Montgomery, Hillsdale Co. Michigan made additional statements in the claim. He states that Orin and he lived in the same place for one year after he was discharged. Woodward states the "A tree burnt down and fell on him about January 1864, came near killing him and he complained till he died. The tree fell on him at Columbus, Kentucky and he failed rite along till he died. I think he died with the Consumthing."