Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 318-320; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Aaron Lingenfelter. All the loyal Americans will agree
that the old soldiers who sacrificed home comforts, endured hardships,
and braved dangers during the days of the Nation's peril, are deserving
of remembrance. The historian cannot detail the lives spent on the
tented field, but he can mention the chief events by which the gallant
soldier secured victory, too often, alas, at the price of manly vigor
and missing limbs. Were there no other reasons than his army life, we
should be glad to present to our readers an outline of the history of
Aaron Lingenfelter, a worthy farmer of Banner Township, living on
section 19.
Mr. Lingenfelter was born in Blair County, Pa., November 8,
1841, being a son of Jacob and Sarah (Claar) Lingenfelter. The parents
removed to this county in the spring or 1848, locating on section 18,
Buckheart Township, where our subject grew to his twentieth year,
spending his days in the manner usual to farmers' sons, and studying in
the district school. On August 9, 1861, he responded to his country's
call, and enlisted in Company A., Fifth-fifth Illinois Infantry, Capt.
Presson and Col. Stewart being his commanding officers. The regiment
formed a part of the Seventh Division of the Army of the Tennessee
until November, when the Fifteenth Army Corps was organized, and it was
incorporated therein. It took part in thirty-two battles, and was under
fire one hundred and twenty-five days.
The first engagement in which our subject participated was
Shiloh, where the battle was opened by the Fifty-fifth, Sunday morning,
April 6, 1862, on the extreme right. The regimental loss in killed,
wounded, and missing, was two hundred and seventy-eight men. The next
contest was Russell House, in June, followed by the siege of Corinth,
lasting twenty days, after which a march was made to Memphis, and camp
life enjoyed while the reorganization was taking place. We next find
the Fifty-fifth moving down the Mississippi and taking part in the
battle of Chickasaw Bayou, whence it was compelled to withdraw after a
four-days engagement, during which Capt. Shleich was killed.
Going up the Arkansas, Ft. Heinman was captured after a contest
of two days, January 10 and 11, 1863, and the regiment then took
transports to Milliken's Bend, in front of Vicksburg. On April 27, the
boys went to Haines Bluff to draw the attention of the confederate
forces while Gen. Grant crossed at Grand Gulf, sixty-five miles below
the city. On May 15 they followed at the same crossing, and fought in
the battle of Champion Hill, then went on to take part in the siege of
Jackson, Miss., returning to participate in the siege of Vicksburg.
After the fall of that city, the corps went to the relief of Gen.
Thomas at Chattanooga, crossing the Tennessee on pontoons, and floating
down stream at midnight. The battle was fought, then Burnside
re-inforced at Knoxville, and Larkinsville, Ala., visited, when the
term for which Mr. Lingenfelter had enlisted expired.
In April, 1864, Mr. Lingenfelter re-enlisted for three years or
during the war. He received a furlough of thirty days, and visited his
father and friends in the North, rejoining his comrades at Kenesaw
Mountain, June 20. Up to this time he had escaped injury, and had been
present at every roll-call, except when on furlough. At Kenesaw, June
27, he received two wounds, one in the leg and one in the side, but as
they were only flesh wounds, he remained with his company. July 22, he
had his left forefinger shot off while the company was retaking a
battery, and the gallant captain, J. M. Augustin, lost his life.
Mr. Lingenfelter subsequently took part in all the engagements
on the march to the sea, beginning in November, 1864. At Statesboro,
Ga., he was one of five men sent on a foraging expedition, and was
captured by the confederates. When Andersonville stared him in the face
he made his escape to the Union lines, being shot at by the guard, the
ball hitting a handkerchief in his pocket, and making twenty-two holes
in it.
After the capture of Savannah the regiment marched north through
the Carolinas, and on March 21, 1865, Mr. Lingenfelter received the
gunshot wound that disabled him for life. He was shot through the right
shoulder, by reason of which the right arm is now four inches shorter
than the left. The wound prevented our subject from any further active
participation in army service, and after remaining in different
hospitals until July 22, he was discharged, when his time lacked but
eighteen days of four years. Mr. Lingenfelter never drank a drop of
liquor until after he was wounded. He draws a pension of $36 per month.
Mr. Lingenfelter returned to this county July 29, and resumed
the arts of peace, hampered in his efforts by his crippled condition,
but full of energy, determination and grit. He has been able to live
comfortably, to school his children well, to improve his place, and
better than all else, has gained the confidence and esteem of those
about him. He owns eighty acres of fine land, that in the quality and
quantity per acre of its crops will compare favorably with any in the
vicinity. Mr. Lingenfelter always votes the Republican ticket.
He has been School Director three years, and discharges his duty
in a satisfactory manner. The family worship in the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
In charge of the household economy of the Lingenfelter estate is
a capable and loving woman, formerly known as Miss Charity Hedge. She
became the wife of our subject, March 17, 1870, and is the mother of
three children: Lizzie C., born September 22, 1872; Ernest, November
24, 1874; and Minerva M., September 19, 1881.
