Notes
Note N1798
Index
Died as a soldier. See general note.
Notes
Note N1799
Index
Occupation listed as Prentice Printer. Residence 362.
Notes
Note N1800
Index
Historical Wayne County Indiana 1884 p712&735 Vol 1. Luther Leebrick served in Company C of the 8th Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Died as a soldier. Courtesy of Carolyn Autry, Indiana Historical Society, 315 W Ohio, Indianapolis, In 46202.
Military records obtained from the National Archives show he was a part of Co D, 8th Regiment, Indiana Infantry. He was enlisted on August 1, 1861 by Captain Wysong in Dublin, Indiana. He gave his birthplace as Wayne, Indiana, age as 18 years, height as 5'4", complexion as dark, eyes as grey, hair as dark and occupation as printer. His term of enlistment was 3 years.
He was assigned to a company on September 5, 1861 in Indianapolis, where his term was changed to "the war". He is listed as "present" at every company muster roll until July and August 1863. For that roll, the remark is that he deceased July 29, 1863 from disease at Vicksburg, Miss. History shows that earlier that month, General Grant led the Union troops to a pivotal victory over the Confederacy at Vicksburg. Possibly, Luther had a part in that action. There is no indication that Luther was ever a prisoner at Andersonville (Ga) as family tradition says.
"Indiana Military History Journal", Indiana Historical Society, 7(1)pp12-22 (January 1982), entitled "Diary of a Dublin Boy", edited by Miriam Z. Langsam, Carolyn Autry, Michael Jump etal. Is the diary of Samuel P. Herrington who also enlisted in Co D, 8th Indiana Infantry from the time the unit was formed until it's close. The second paragraph goes as follows: "Little has been written about the history of the 8th Indiana infantry, and few letters--none from Herrington's Company D--exits, a fact which makes Herrington's journal especially valuable as a document of social and military history. We do know that the 8th Indiana regiment organized at Indianapolis from 20 August 1861 and mustered 5 September 1864. Soldiers of the 8th served first in Major General John C. Fremont's advance on Springfield, Missouri, from 22 September to 15 October 1861. They later saw action at Pea Ridge, Bentonville, Leetown, and Elkhorn Tavern, Arkansas (6-8 March 1962); at Hill's Plantation, Cache River, Round Hill, and Bayou de View, Arkansas (7 July 1862); and at Port Gibson, Thompson's Hill, Anderson's Hill and Magnolia Hills, Mississippi (1 May 1863). The 8th participated in the unsuccessful assault on Vicksburg (19-22 May 1863) followed by the long siege that ended with the city's surrender on 4 July 1863; these soldiers fought in the siege of Jackson, Mississippi (10-16 July 1863), in the campaign in western Louisiana, operations in Teche County, Louisiana (3 October-30 November 1863), and in the capture of Ft. Esperanza, Texas (27-30 November, 1863). They were also engaged in Sheridan's campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia (7 August-28 November 1864). On 28 August 1865 the regiment was mustered out--having lost seven officers and eighty-four enlisted men in battle and five officers and 166 enlisted men to disease."
"Report of the Adjutant General, Indiana, 1861-1865" Volume ?? page 114-116
gives a list of the enlisted men of Company "D" of the 8th Regiment Infantry of the Indiana Volunteers, and includes the following information:
Name: Luther E Leebrich
Residence: Wayne Co.
Date of Muster, 1861: September 5
Remarks: Died at Vicksburg, July 29 '63.
Courtesy of Carolyn Autry, Indiana Historical Society, 315 W Ohio, Indianapolis
A search of the 27 volumes of "Roll of Honor: Alphabetical index to places of interment of deceased Union soldiers....Roll of Honor: Names of soldiers who died in defense of the American Union" revealed not entry for Luther Leebrick. Perhaps he is one of the many unknowns soldiers buried at Vicksburg.
The following account of Luther Leebrick's last month of life comes from the diary of Samuel P, Herrington of Co D, 8th Indiana Infantry. Samuel was the medical corpsman for the company. SUNDAY JULY 5, 1863 -- "We were all ready this morning for our tamp to Jackson and root out the Rebs that are out there and we can do it but this was the hottest day we have had and quite a number of the boys fell out of ranks. Luther Seebrick they think was Sun struck and is real sick and some others are out.....Manford Custer, Will McMahan and Seebrick can't go any farther...." MONDAY JULY 6, 1863 -- "We lay on the hill in the woods until after noon then started out on our march, went about 6 miles and campt in a field. It rained in the night very hard commenced in the evening but hard after Taps. Those three boys was sent back to the Hospital..." The unit was then involved in the assault on Jackson, and then a mission to tear up some of the railroad tracks. Later in July the unit moved back toward Vicksburg. FRIDAY JULY 22, 1863 -- "Everything is torn upside down in our tent every thing taken out of my Knapsack don't know how the balance of the Co will find things. Luther E Seebrick is sick yet but our old tent is standing just as we left it the boys here are glad to see us back..." TUESDAY JULY 26, 1863 -- "This is a nice day. We signed the Pay roll last night will draw pay in a few days. Luther Seebrick is real sick and i don't think he will live. He wants to go home but can't, too sick. I was up through the Court House to day up in the Balcony. Only one of the posts was splintered and it was almost half torn away but can be replaced and be all right again....." Orders then came down to permit three soldiers from the unit to have a 30 day leave to go back home. Samuel was one of the lucky ones. On the day of the drawing, WEDNESDAY JULY 27th Samuel writes.."Luther Seebrick is sick. I tried to take him along with us but Adams objected to it. The Dr. said he could not stand the trip but as soon as was well enough would send him home. He has been sick since the 5th of July..." THURSDAY JULY 28th -- "We have a nice camp here on the banks of the Miss River in the shade of some trees. Poor Luther. I offered to let him have my furlough but the Dr. said it would not do for him to start out. We received our Furloughs this afternoon. I have a shot gun double barrel has been a find one captured near Champions Hill it is silver plated have it all wrapped up with my Blanket unstocked..." With that, Samuel and his two lucky buddies headed back to Dublin, Ind. They arrived there on WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3rd, 1863 -- "... arrived at Dublin at 9 o'clock. There was several at the Depot we know Jack and I. Frank Leebrick was there . He went to town ahead of us and gave the names to Brother and Mother that I had arrived in the city. I had so many old friends thought I never would get home but did finally and all was well...".
History of Wayne County Indiana gives military company as company C.