History of the 85th Illinois Volunteers
Illinois Volunteer Infantry
by
Henry J. Aten

Biographies - M

     CORPORAL ISAAC MANN, aged thirty years, enlisted from Fulton county, and was chosen corporal at the organization of the company. He served with his company to the close of the war and was mustered out with the regiment. He returned to Fulton county and was a farmer near Sepo, Ill., when he died about September 1, 1900. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 363)

     GEORGE F. MARANVILLE, aged thirty-one when he enlisted August 4, 1862, served to the close of the war, and was mustered out with the regiment. Returning to his former home he resumed farming, and was drowned in the river near Havana, Ill., in about 1876. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     HIRAM MASON was born in McLean county, Illinois, in 1841, and enlisted as a farmer from Tazewell county. His health failed in the Kentucky campaign, and he died at Louisville, Ky., December 23, 1862. Is buried at No. 1222 in the national cemetery at Cave Hill, near Louisville, Ky. (Company A, Chapter 27, page 355)

     JOSEPH A. MAYES was born in Logan county, Kentucky, in 1834, was married and enlisted as a farmer from Pekin, Ill. He served with his company to the close of the war, but was absent (sick in the hospital at Alexandria, Va.) when the regiment was mustered out. He was honorably discharged later, and now resides at Naron, Pratt county, Kansas. (Company A, Chapter 27, page 356)

     CORPORAL ALONZO McCAIN was born in Peoria County, Illinois, in 1841, and was a farmer when he enlisted from Spring Lake.  He was chosen corporal at the organization of the company, and served with the company until captured at the battle of Peach Tree creek, Georgia, July 19, 1864.  He was held in various rebel prisons until the close of the war, and was honorably discharged July 22, 1865.  He died near Havana, Ill., June 24, 1890. (Company A, Chapter 27, page 347-348)

     CORPORAL ANDREW McCLARIN, aged twenty-eight, born in Plainfield, Union county, New Jersey, removed to Illinois, was single and a farmer when he enlisted from Mason county. He was promoted corporal and served with his company until severely wounded at the battle of Peach Tree creek, Georgia, July 19, 1864. He fell into the hands of the enemy and died at a rebel prison August 4, 1864. (Company C, Chapter 29, page 381)

     CAPTAIN WILLIAM McCLELLAND, aged thirty-eight, born in Jefferson county, Ohio, but for many years had been residing on a farm near Astoria, Ill. He was active in recruiting the company, and at its organization was elected captain. He commanded the company through the Kentucky campaign, and at the battle of Perryville, Ky., his actions proved that he was not lacking in courage. But the hardships of the campaign which ended at Nashville, Tenn., undermined his health, and he resigned his commission on December 21, 1862. He returned to his farm near Astoria, Ill., where he died November 24, 1889, his death resulting from injuries received from falling down stairs. (Company G, Chapter 33, page 434)

     JOHN M. McCONNAHAY, aged twenty-two when he enlisted August 12, 1862, served with his company to the close of the war, and was mustered out with the regiment. He was an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Quincy, Ill., when killed by the street cars on January 28, 1892. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     JAMES McKALIP—Muster out roll gives nothing about this soldier, except that he was discharged for disability February 8, 18G3. This is an error. He died at Nashville, Tenn., and his remains are buried at No. 295 in the national cemetery near that city. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 374)

     WILLIAM McLAFFLIN deserted at Peoria, Ill. (Company A, Chapter 27, page 359)

     SERGEANT WILLIAM McLAUGHLIN was born in New York City, January 11, 1842, and removed with his parents to Illinois in 1857. He enlisted as a private from Mason county, and was promoted sergeant in September, 1863. He served in all the campaigns in which the regiment had a part, and was captured at the battle of Peach Tree creek, Georgia, July 19, 1864, but was exchanged and returned to duty some two months later. He was mustered out with the regiment and returned to Mason county where he located on a farm near Manito, where he still resides. He has served his community both as school director and trustee. [William's father was Thomas McLaughlin. William married Nancy Ide on 1/13/1870 and their children were Charles, Clara, Vina, Cora, William, Elizabeth and Ella. William is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Manito, Ill.: contributed by Becky Hoerr]  (Company A, Chapter 27, page 347)

     SECOND LIEUTENANT JOHN A. MALLORY enlisted as a private from Havana at the age of thirty-two years, and was elected second lieutenant at the organization of the company. He served in that capacity through the Kentucky campaign, and resigned his commission at Nashville, Tenn., January 24, 1863, and returned home. He died November 25, 1893. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 362)

     SERGEANT WILLIAM MALONEY was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, in 1832, and was a married farmer when he enlisted as a private from Manito, Ill. He was promoted to be sergeant and served through the war, being honorably discharged May 22, 1865. A report from the pension office states that he died September 17, 1890. His widow, Martha A. Maloney, resides at Manito, Ill. (Company A, Chapter 27, page 347)

     WILLIAM A. MENCE, age 21, born in Boonville, Warwick county, Indiana, farmer; enlisted from Petersburg, Ill. Died October 23, 1862, probably at Harrodburgh, Ky., as he is buried at No. 307 in the national cemetery at Danville, Ky. (Company E, Chapter 31, page 416)

     MICHAEL E. MILLER enlisted at the age of thirty-two on August 15, 1862, served with his company to the close of the war and was mustered out with the regiment. He died in Springfield, Ill., August 24, 1897. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     FIRST SERGEANT JOHN K. MILNER was born in Highland county, Ohio, in 1837, and was unmarried and a clerk when he enlisted from Manito, in Mason county. At the organization of the company he was chosen third sergeant and later he was promoted to first sergeant. He was commissioned second lieutenant on March 25, 1863, but the company was below the minimum and he was never mustered. He continued as first sergeant, participating in all the battles in which the regiment had a part until the battle of Peach Tree creek, Georgia, where he received a gun shot wound, fell into the hands of the enemy, and died a few days later at Macon, Ga. (Company A, Chapter 27, page 346)

     JOHN MINNER was born in Walhonding, Coshocton county, Ohio, June 4 ,1842; removed with his parents to Illinois in 1846, and was farming in Fulton County when he enlisted as a recruit from Summum, February 8, 1864.  He was slightly wounded in the fighting near the Sandtown road, in the campaign against Atlanta, Ga., and is marked absent without leave at the muster out of the regiment.  He removed to Montana in 1886, is engaged in farming and stock raising near Rockvale, in Carbon county, Montana. (Company I, Chapter 35, page 478)

     ALVERO C. MINTONYE was born in Dearborn, Wayne County, Michigan, October 25, 1836, and removed with his parents to Illinois in 1850. He served with his company [Company B] to the close of the war and was mustered out with the regiment. He was slightly wounded at the battle of Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 27, 1864, but not disabled for duty. He removed to Iowa after he was mustered out; is tinner by trade, and resides at Garden Grove, Decatur county. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     SERGEANT WILLIAM H. MITCHELL was born in Salem, Washington county, Indiana, September 18, 1838, removed to Illinois in 1859, and was married and a farmer when he enlisted from Mason county. He was promoted sergeant, served with his company to the close of the war, and was mustered out with the regiment. Returning to Mason county he engaged in farming until 1890, when he removed to Chicago and engaged in the real estate and insurance business. He resides at No. 54 Princeton avenue, Chicago, Ill. (Company C, Chapter 29, page 378)

     COLONEL ROBERT S. MOORE was born in Green county, Kentucky, March 19, 1827. When he was ten years of age his parents removed to Illinois and settled on a farm in Sangamon (now Menard) county, where he worked on the farm until the breaking out of the Mexican war. He enlisted as a private in Company F, Fourth regiment, Illinois infantry, and participated in the battle of Cerro Gordo and in the siege of Vera Cruz. At the peace with Mexico he returned to Illinois, located his land warrant in Mason county and engaged in farming. While thus engaged he founded the town of Spring Lake. In 1854 he married Miss Isabella Trent, removed to Havana and engaged in buying and shipping grain, while still paying attention to his farm.
     At the beginning of the War of the Rebellion he promptly offered his service to his country, recruited a company and entered the service as captain of Company E, Twenty-seventh regiment, Illinois infantry. He was engaged at the battles of Belmont and Farmington, and at the siege of Corinth he was wounded. While at home on leave of absence on account of his wound he was authorized by Governor Yates to raise a regiment under the first call for troops in 1862, and upon its organization he was commissioned colonel of the Eighty-fifth.
     Of commanding appearance, he possessed an admirable voice, while his soldierly instinct and military experience enabled him to fit the regiment for effective service in a remarkably short time. With his regiment he opened the battle of Perryville, Ky., and at the close of the fighting he was complimented for his skill and courage by his superior officers. At the battle of Stone River he was injured in the hip by a vicious horse, an injury from which he never wholly recovered. He remained in command of the regiment until the following June, when he resigned for disability. No officer ever enjoyed more fully the confidence of his men, and few so fully merited it. He returned to Havana and resumed the grain business until 1879, when he removed to Colorado and engaged in farming and mining. His address is Littleton, Colo.(Chapter 26, pages 332-333)

     DAVID MORRIS was born in Manchester, Adams county, Ohio, August 15, 1836, and removed to Illinois in 1854. He served with his company to the close of the war, and was mustered out with the regiment. He now resides at No. 203 Lower Hamilton street, Peoria, Ill.  (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     SECOND LIEUTENANT DE LAFAYETTE MUSSELMAN, son of George Musselman and Sarah A. Saffer, was born in a log cabin, in Fulton county, Ill., April 21, 1842. He can justly claim to come from patriotic stock, as his father enlisted in Company E, Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry at the breaking out of the rebellion, and served his full term of three years. The subject of this sketch attended the Fulton Seminary at Lewistown, Ill., during the winters of 1859 and 1860, enlisted from Woodland, and was chosen first sergeant at the organization of the company. He was promoted second lieutenant November 12, 1862, and served under that commission to the end of the war.
     He was slightly wounded in the assault on Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, June 27, 1864, but remained on duty, assumed command of the company, and continued in command until after the fall of Atlanta, when he received a twenty days' furlough to visit home. He left the company at Athens, Ala., and on the day he arrived at Chattanooga on his return, communications between that point and Sherman's army were destroyed. He was then assigned to duty as assistant adjutant general on the staff of Colonel Dilworth, who was assigned to command the post at Cleveland, Tenn. He served in that position until the following spring, when he rejoined the company at Goldsboro, N. C., and resumed command. He participated in all the battles in which the regiment was engaged, commanded the company from Goldsboro to Washington, and was mustered out with the regiment.
     He returned to Illinois at the close of his service, attended business college at Chicago, and taught one year in that city. In 1867, he went to Quincy, Ill., where he taught in the Bryant & Stratton Business College and the Quincy English and German College. In 1870, he purchased an interest in the Gem City Business College of Quincy, and a few years later became the sole owner. Under his careful, energetic management, this has become one of the most successful business colleges in America, numbering 800 to 900 students annually, thirty-four states and territories being represented among its students. (Company G, Chapter 33, page 435-436)

     ENOCH MUSTARD, aged twenty-one at enlistment, served with his company until he died on the march to the sea, near Ebenezer creek, Georgia, December 8, 1864. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     LUCIUS MUSTARD, aged twenty-one at enlistment, served with his company to the close of the war, and was mustered out with the regiment. He returned to Fulton county, Illinois, where he died in about 1875. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 371)

     SECOND LIEUTENANT GEORGE MYERS enlisted from Havana at the age of thirty-six years, and was chosen sergeant at the organization of the company. He was promoted second lieutenant January 24, 1863, and served with his company until January 24, 1864, when he resigned and returned home. When last heard from he was living in Florida. (Company B, Chapter 28, page 362)

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