Defenders of the Union [pp. 434-462]

DEFENDERS OF THE UNION.
Honey Springs, Weber Falls, Dayton,
Snia Hill, April 24 and May 3I, i864,
Pleasant Hill, May 28 and July 25, I864,
Little Blue, October 21, 1864, Camden
Point, Fredericksburg, Canadian River,
Independence, Big Blue River, Marais des
Cygnes, Little Osage, Newtonia, Point
of Rocks, Fort Larned, and Cow Creek.
Comrade Ruddick was honorably mustered out of the army in November,
I865, after more than three years' service and when hardly fifteen years of age,
being probably the youngest soldier of
the late war. He then entered college,
but again joined the army when the Indian outbreak occurred in I866. This
time he enlisted in Company K, Seventh
United States Cavalry, from which he
was transferred to the Second Cavalry at
Fort Riley, Kansas, becoming a member
of the noncommissioned staff in which
he remained until May I4, I874, receiving an honorable discharge at Fort Landers, Wyoming. He then came to San
Francisco and engaged in commercial pursuits. In i886 he was elected County
Clerk on the Republican ticket by a large
majority, and during his incumbency of
office gave official employment to a large
number of ex-soldiers of the Rebellion
who had served in the Union Army.
Since i887 he has been a member of the
Veterans' Home Association, and is now
a director of the Home. As a member of
General George G. Meade Post of San
Francisco no comrade is more popular or
more active in Grand Army affairs.
William A. Cowan, who is a charter
member of George H. Thomas Post, entered the service in October, i86i, when
nineteen years old, as a private of Company D, Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His first service was in the Kentucky campaign which terminated with
the capture of Nashville. His regiment,
being a part of General Nelson's division,
marched through almost impassable
swamps from Savannah, Tennessee, to a
point opposite Pittsburg Landing, and
was the first division of Buell's army to
get into action and relieve the severe
pressure against Grant at Shiloh. During the battle on Monday, young Cowan's regiment made several desperate
charges, successfully driving the Rebels
from positions of vantage, and earning
from General Nelson high praise. After
Shiloh he was in the campaign from Tuscumbia to Battle Creek and thence in the
race against Bragg to Louisville. With
his regiment he was at Stone's River,
being in the right wing of the Army of
the Cumberland which received the terrible charge of Bragg's forces on Wednesday, December 3I, 1862. After this
battle he was taken sick and sent to the
hospital, from which he was discharged
for physical disability by order of the
War Department.
Returning to his home in Ohio, he remained until he had recovered his health,
and then, in June, 1864, he joined Company F, iioth Ohio Volunteer Infantry,
again as a private for three years. This
regiment was assigned to the Army of
the Potomac, and with it participated in
nearly all the engagements terminating
with the surrender of Lee at Appomatox,
April 9, i865. In June following Comrade Cowan was honorably mustered
out with his regiment. He has been a
resident of California since June, I874,
is a practical engineer and mine owner,
and now a resident of San Francisco.
Comrade Frank Miller, of Sumner Post,
Number 3, Sacramento, was born in Milwaukee,Wisconsin, January 19, 1843. He
comes from good old Revolutionary stock,
his grandfather on the maternal side,
David Robinson, having served in the
Connecticut line during the War for Independence.
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