Alexander Whitlock

My great-great-grandfather Alexander Whitlock was born in 1840 in Fall Branch, Tenn. In 1850 he and his family traveled by covered wagon to Morgan County, Ill. His father, Johnson J. Whitlock, bought a small farm near the town of Waverly where the family tilled the soil. In 1861 Alexander enlisted in the 14th Illinois Infantry (Volunteer). Unfortunately he became ill and was medically discharged some months later. It should be noted that many of the enlistees of both sides of the Civil War became sick after joining--the isolated life they lived on farms did not allow any sort of exposure to common illness, so these young men basically did not have a strong immune system with which to ward off sickness.

When Alexander regained his health he reenlisted in the Union Army, this time with the 101st Illinois Infantry (Volunteer). He served until spring 1863, participating in the campaign to capture Vicksburg, Miss. Alexander again became ill and was medically discharged a second and final time. He returned home to Waverly and married the girl next door--a 14-year old by the name of Mary Catherine Bowyer.

Mary's father, James E. Bowyer, served in the same company in the 101st as Alexander did. Both apparently served on the ram, Lafayette. James was killed at the Battle of Dallas, Georgia (also called New Hope Church) on May 25, 1864. This battle was part of the offensive to sieze Atlanta and the South. James was buried on site. Interestingly, his company commander, William Seymour, was my great-great grandfather Robert Seymour's brother. I know this because in James' official war record it shows Seymour's signature on the death certificate.

More on Alexander later.