PHILLIPS, Edward 1845-1933

PHILLIPS, SPRAGUE

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 6/22/2011 at 12:52:08

Edward Phillips 1845-1933

#1
OSAGE VETERAN WAS 19 YEAR OLD FIGHTER IN U.S. ARMY
Osage – Ed Phillips at the age of 84 is as spry as a man of 60 and every summer can be seen working in his garden, tilling it as faithfully as he did when he was a boy in northern Wisconsin.

He was born March 3, 1845, in Onondago County, New York. Seventy-seven years ago he came to the pine woods of northern Wisconsin near Sheboygan, and he and his father and three brothers worked hard to clear the land for a farm.

JOINS UNION ARMY
On April 7, 1864, he and his three brothers, Edward, James Henry and Chauncey enlisted in Company E. of the Wisconsin volunteers. Chauncey died in a hospital in Mobile, Alabama and was buried there. Mr. Phillips served at Petersburg, Weldon and Hatchet Run. He was at Petersburg when the rebel fort was undermined by Union men of the 48th Pa. regiment of which the late Robert McLean of Osage was in command and the fort was blown up.

Mr. Phillips, then only a young man of 19 years was ordered with his company to charge the fort and that day 4,000 of his comrades lost their lives.
What was left of the regiment had to retreat before the fierce onslaught of the rebel forces. The Union commander told his men to lay down flat and Mr. Phillips said that if he had obeyed that order he would not be here to tell the story. Instead he dropped on his knees and just as he did a bullet sped under him and grazed his right hand.

IS MUSTERED OUT
He was mustered out July 26 at Delaney Houn four miles from Washington. Mr. Phillips ws a participant in the grand review held in Washington in June 1865.

When Mr. Phillips was 25 he was married to Miss Emma Sprague at LeRoy, Dodge County, Wisconsin. They came to Mitchell County 52 years ago, March 1 and lived on a farm near Little Cedar. Seven years ago last August they moved to Osage. Mrs. Phillips died January 29, 1926.

From Biography in Mason City Globe Gazette, Wednesday October 30, 1929

#2
Osage Cemetery, Osage, Mitchell, Iowa
Edward Phillips…..death/burial January 12, 1933
Emma Sprague Phillips….death/burial January 31, 1926