09/15/2024
Cpt. Andrew Barton Emery, Company G, 1st Ohio Cavalry. Mortally wounded in a skirmish near Russellville, Alabama.
The Skirmish at Russellville, Alabama:
In late June of 1862 the Union Army, specifically the 1st Ohio Cavalry, occupied Tuscumbia, Alabama. Their headquarters was in the old Franklin House, a large Hotel at 5th and Water St. This was also where their hospital was located. On June 30, 1862 Capt. Andrew Barton Emery, in charge of Company G, was already camped in a lightly wooded area along the old Jackson Military Road about 3 miles north of Russellville, Alabama. On that evening under orders from Col. Minor Milliken, Co. B from Frankfort, Alabama, joined with Co. G, making a combined force of 70 Cavalry, with Capt. Emery in command. On the morning of July 3, 1862, Capt. Emery had deployed pickets along the road both north, and south of camp, and along a road entering the rear of the camp. At 3:30am a group of about 25 confederate cavalry attacked the picket north of the camp. After the initial volley, the pickets returned to camp to sound the alarm. Capt. Emery already had the men in line and fired at a force located on the main road. Soon the Ohioans found themselves surrounded on all sides, by a force that would turn out to be about 193 Confederate Cavalry, the order was given to dismount, lines were set, and a fight of about an hour and a half ensued. During, this battle Capt. Emery was wounded. Lt. Leonard Erwin then took charge, and finished the fighting until a retreat was possible. Capt. Emery was initially left on the field for dead, but upon the return of the Union troops later that day, was found to be wounded and was taken to Tuscumbia to the regimental hospital. According to the report of Col. Milliken on July 9, Capt. Emery was in his hospital in a very low state, but improved. According to the 1890 Veteran’s Schedule he died on July 11, 1862 from a gunshot wound to the right side of the head. In 1898 W.L. Curry wrote Four Years in the Saddle, a history of the 1st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Cavalry in which he had this to say about Capt. Emery. "Captain Emery was an efficient, brave officer, and his loss so early in the war was a severe blow to his company and the regiment as well."
