Private ALEXANDER BENNETT, Co. B, 86th Illinois

Alexander Bennett was born on ___________ __, 18__ (c. 1843/44) at ___________, Illinois. He may be the son of Mahlon Bennett and Cyntha A. (___________ ) Bennett

Mahlon Bennett was born c. 1821/22 in Illinois. He was married to Cynthia Ann Barnes and had at least 6 children. Mahlon passed away on 14 Jun 1865 in Putnam, Putnam, Illinois and his mortal remains were laid in the Putnam Cemetery in Putnam, Putnam County, Illinois.

They had children;
1. Alexander Bennett, born c. 1844 in Illinois

2. George Bennett, born c. 1845/46 in Illinois. George may have died before 1860 as he is not found in that census.

3. Perry Bennett, born born c. 1847/48 in Illinois

4. Mary L. or A. Bennett

5. Nancy M. Bennett

6. Joseph Henry Bennett,

7. James F. Bennett, born

At the time of the 1850 census, Mahlon Bennett and his family are found in Pike county, part of, Pike, Illinois;
Mayland Bennett M 28 Illinois
Cynthia A Bennett F 24 Illinois
Alexander Bennett M 5 Illinois
George Bennett M 4 Illinois
Charles Perry M 2 Illinois
Nancy Perry F 60 Virginia
Aminta Parish F 38 Ohio
Mayland Parish M 10 Illinois

At the time of the 1860 census, the Bennett familu is found in Snachwine Township in Putnam County, Illinois;
Mahlon Bennett M 38 Illinois
Cyntha A Bennett F 36 Illinois
Alexander Bennett M 16 Illinois
Perry Bennett M 12 Illinois
Mary L Bennett F 9 Illinois
Nancy M Bennett F 6 Illinois
Joseph H Bennett M 4 Illinois

At the time of the 1870 census, Cynthia Bennett and her children are found in ____________ County, Illinois;
Cynthia Bennett F 44 Illinois
Mary A Bennett F 19 Illinois
Nancy M Bennett F 16 Illinois
Henry J Bennett M 14 Illinois
James F Bennett M 10 Illinois
George W Farley M 24 Illinois

Cynthia Bennett's tombstone says she was born on ___________ __, 1826 and died on ____________ __, 1904 and her mortal remains were laid in the Putnam Cemetery in Putnam, Putnam County, Illinois.

Now to continue with the biography of Alexander Bennett;
On August 12, 1862, Alexander Bennett volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in the Henry, Illinois area of Marshall County, by a man by the name of Elias C. Brearly. At the time he volunteered he listed Whitefield Township in Marshall County as his residence.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name BENNETT, ALEXANDER
Rank PVT Company B Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence WHITEFIELD, MARSHALL CO, IL Age 18 Height 5' 6 3/4 Hair BLACK
Eyes BLACK Complexion DARK Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity IL

Service Record
Joined When AUG 12, 1862 Joined Where MARSHALL CO, IL
Joined By Whom CPT BREASLEY Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A
Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A
Remarks CAPTURED AT CHICKAMAUGA SEP 19, 1863 DIED IN ANDERSONVILLE GA NO OFFICIAL NOTICE

When Brearly had about 100 volunteers, he led the Marshall County company into Peoria where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. On August 27, 1862, Brearly and 88 of his volunteers were mustered into service as Co. B of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Brearly was elected by the men of Co. B to be their Captain.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th Illinois marched out the gates of Camp Lyon, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, and boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt, Jeffersonville, Indiana. Three weeks later, the men of the 85th & 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade, in pursuit of Confederate troops. On Oct. 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more to come. After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederate troops withdrew from Kentucky and the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee where they would go into winter camp.
During the next year, Private Alexander Bennett served faithfully in Co. B as the men of the 86th served in Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. Also during this time Captain Brearly was forced to resign for health reasons and the men of Co. B elected Sergeant James P. Worrell to be their new Captain.
Late in the summer of 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade participated in the opening movements of what became known as the Chattanooga, Tennessee Campaign, an effort to take Chattanooga away from the Confederate stronghold. On September 18th, 19th and 20th of 1863, the men of McCook's Brigade participated in the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, the first major Battle around Chattanooga.
Following is part of the report given by Lt. Col. David W. Magee after the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia about the activities of the 86th on September 18th & 19th, 1863, the opening days of the battle.
"On the evening of the 18th of September, we marched with the brigade [then encamped at Rossville, Ga.] on the old La Fayette road to the point where it intersects or crosses the Ringgold road, which road we then followed for perhaps 1 mile. I was then ordered into position on the extreme right of the brigade, in a thick woods, with an open field on my front. Immediately after getting into position I deployed two companies as skirmishers, covering my front and right flank, commanded as follows: Company I, Capt. A. L. Fahnestock, and Company B, Capt. J. P. Worrell.
We remained in this position, sleeping on our arms, until about 12 or 1 o'clock, at which time we were aroused by quite a sharp fire opening on our right, which proved to be skirmishing between the independent scouts belonging to our brigade and some rebel cavalry. Nothing further occurred
to break the stillness of the morning. About half an hour before daylight I received an order to move my regiment by the left flank and take up a new position on the left of Capt. Barnett's battery [I, Second Illinois], then posted on the north side of the road leading to Reed's Mill. We remained in our new position but a short time, when a brisk fire was opened by my skirmishers. These two companies did splendid work, Capt. Worrell having advanced his left about one-fourth of a mile, or until his line was parallel with Capt. Fahnestock's, who covered the right flank during the night. You will readily understand by the description of our movement that my skirmishers were not withdrawn when the regiment moved to its new position on the north of the road leading to Reed's Mill. The firing now became quite severe, the rebels advancing in line of battle.
About this time I detailed 2 men from each company, which detail I placed under command of First Lieut. William D. Faulkner, Company D, to procure water from a spring immediately outside of our line of skirmishers. He proceeded on this perilous duty and succeeded in reaching the spring and filling a few canteens with water, but did it under a galling fire from the rebel line, then advancing upon our skirmishers, who stood like a wall of fire between the enemy and our front. The water party were soon compelled to fall back, which they did in good order, as the rebels opened artillery upon them, compelling them to seek shelter in the woods; not, however, until they had paid them to seek shelter in the woods; not, however, until they had paid their compliments to them in the shape of a few well-directed fires from their Enfield rifles. Lieut. Faulkner succeeded in joining the regiment again with all his command except Andrew W. Peters, a private in Company H, who continued too long in the good work, and allowed the rebels to approach him so close as to capture him, and is now a prisoner in their hands. The firing now became severe and continuous, the rebels having advanced their second line. This compelled our skirmishers to fall back and take a new position.
The advance of the rebels had now become so formidable and rapid that, before our skirmishers were well aware of it, they had turned our right and threatened to cut them off entirely from the regiment. But becoming aware of their perilous position, they jumped from tree to tree, retreating the while, until Capt. Fahnestock [who held the right] got his company within reach of the rear of our column, which was then moving by the flank [by order of
Gen. Steedman] toward the old La Fayette road. Capt. Worrell, however, was not so fortunate, his left being so far advanced, and acting under an order to "hold his position until he heard Barnett's battery open on the enemy," remained too long, and when forced to retreat, found his right covered by the enemy in force. This compelled him to move rapidly to the rear and left, but he was so nearly surrounded by the enemy that he lost 4 men: Sergeant Kingsley, M. V. Birdine, private, wounded and taken prisoners; Lewis L. Lehman and Alexander Bennett, privates, missing [condition not known]. Capt. Worrell succeeded in joining the regiment with the remainder of his company.
The conduct of Capt.'s Fahnestock and Worrell, with their companies, on this occasion, I am proud to say, was that of brave and true soldiers, and worthy of the great cause for which we are battling.
The regiment then moved with the brigade to Rossville, where we were again drawn up in position to support Capt. Barnett's battery [I, Second Illinois], which had taken position on the mountain on the left of the gap leading south from Rossville, where we remained during the night of the 19th."
After their capture, Sergeant Kingsley, and Private Bennett, Berdine and Lehman are believed to have been initially sent to and held at a prison in the Atlanta area. Private Martin V. Berdine died there and today his earthly remains lie in the Marietta National Cemetery.
In February of 1864, the infamous prison camp at Andersonville, officially known as Camp Sumter, was opened at Andersonville, Georgia. Sergeant Kingsley and Privates Bennett and Lehman are believed to have been sent there shortly after that. By August of 1864, Andersonville Prison housed more than 30,000 captured Union soldiers, far more than the camp was capable of sustaining. Burial details were busy all the time.
Private Alexander Bennett became very sick from the poor diet and living conditions and officially died of Diarrhea on August 10, 1864. Today the body of Private Alexander Bennett lies in grave #5242 in the Andersonville National Cemetery.

by Baxter B. Fite III