74th Illinois Infantry

Native of New Jersey and brother of Wortman Compton. Samuel migrated to Winnebago Co., IL in the 1850's. Husband and father of two young children he joined the 74th Illinois Infantry on August 9, 1862. He was killed in action at the battle of Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863. While ascending the ridge, Samuel took the regimental flag from a wounded comrade and pressed on. Within a rod of the crest, he was shot through the body, dying almost instantly. He is buried at the Chattanooga National Cemetery section D, site 12740. Scource: Society of the Seventy-Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry: Reunion Proceedings and History of the Regiment, pages 25 & 127. Published 1903 W.P. Lamb, Book and Job Printer. Department of Veternas Affairs Nationwide Gravesite Locator.

Brother of Samuel Compton, of the same company. Wortman served under Sherman during the Atlanta campaign. Following the fall of Atlanta he was under command of Thomas and fought in the battles of Franklin and Nashville. In the charge at Kenesaw Mountain his gun was broken in his hand and was slighly wounded by splinters. At another time, while the command were sleeping on the ground without shelter, a horse broke loose and ran over him giving him a severe scalp wound. Source: Biography of Wortman Compton, Portrait & Biographical Records Winnebago & Boone Cos., IL Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1892, pages 1157-1158.

Enlisted as a Private on 7 August 1862. Mustered out on 26 May 1865.

James Smith served from 1861-1865 out of Rockford, Illinois with the 74th. His unit saw action across much of Tennessee and into Georgia under General George Thomas. He was originally from NY, and returned to NY after 1870. If anyone has a relationship to James I'd love to hear from you.

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Enlisted as a Corporal on Sept 4 1862 and mustered out as a musician on June 10, 1865. From US Civil war Soldier Records and profiles. Also listed in the ILGENWEB Project

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Marcus and his twin brother Marius joined the 74th in Rockford, Illinois on September 4, 1862. He mustered out June 10, 1865. One known duty was to write reports for Col. Jason Marsh. Ironically, one of these reports, of the Battle of Stones River, was published in the Rockford register and Marcus had to list his brother's death. On the Family Parmelee website, it is listed that letters from Marcus were auctioned off in 2005 (ebay). If anyone has any information regarding these letters, I would appreciate hearing from you. One of the letters is written to my G-G-grandparents (Charles & Maria Parmele)and another to my G-G-G grandparents (Alexander & Sarah Parmele). Thanks

Marius W Parmele enlisted at Rockford, Illinois on September 4, 1862 with his twin brother Marcus. He was killed in action on December 31, 1862 at Stones River, Tennessee. An account of his death was printed in the Rockford Register as part of a letter written by Col. Marsh to his wife: '...Among those killed [unreadable] Parmele and privately wounded the Capt. [unreadable] . Marius was truly a brave boy enduring up to the fight in the hottest of the battle [unreadable] and if was not [unreadable] after the [unreadable] retreat, he got separated from his company and a shell struck and burst over him killing him [unreadable] by the force of the concussion as no wound could be found on him…' Marius was a brother to my G-G-grandfather, Charles O. Parmele.