My name is Jim Logan, e-mail: [email protected] Vets Name: John Perkins, Co. C, 31st Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteers. Later served in Co. H, same regiment. Regiment commanded by Captain Ira D. Burdick. First Sargeant-F.W. Hyatt, 1st Lieutenant Hewitt. Mustered in: 22 Sep 1862, transferred to Co. H on 17 Jan 1863 Date of birth: 17 Jun 1842 Date of Death: 10 Sep 1919 Spouse: Susan Webster, 16 Aug 1845-10 Sep 1884 2nd Spouse: Mary Ann Richards Arthur, 24 Apr 1845-5 Feb 1927 According to original pension documents examined at The National Archives, John contracted diarrhea from drinking out of the Mississippi in April of 1863 while the 31st was encamped in Columbus, Kentucky. While standing guard on 1 Jan 1864 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. in extreme cold, he "contracted a severe cold from exposure which settled in his right eye." He was hospitalized at Regimental, then the Post Hospital in Savannah, Georgia, then at David's Island and again at the Post Hospital in Milwaukee where he was discharged. By the time he was 23 John could not see out of his right eye-it reportedly drooped closed for minutes at a time-and he suffered from dysentery for the remainder of his life-unable to work for long periods because of manual labor aggravating dysentery. His widow applied for-and received a pension. Phillip Perkins, Co. H, 31st Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers (His younger brother John eventually transferred to the same company.) Captain E.K. Buttrick was reportedly the C.O. of Company H. Mustered in: 19 Aug 1862 Mustered Out: 1864 Date of birth: 5 Nov 1838 Date of death: 5 Mar 1909 Spouse: Alice Cox-died in 1921 after remarrying Phillip's oldest brother William on 9 Jan 1913. According to original documents examined at The National Archives, Capt. Ira Burdick wrote that Phillip became ill due to exposure while standing guard while at Camp Randall in Madison, Wis. Whatever the problem, it was lung related and following his hospitalization in Madison, he was sent home on furlough. He returned to the regiment, but again became ill at Racine, Wis. in the spring of 1863. He was ill for about a month in Madison before being sent to the front in where he became very ill in Columbus, Kentucky where he was again hospitalized. He was hospitalized also in New Albany, Indiana. He remained sick off and on until being discharged following yet another hospitalization in Murfreesboro, Tenn. in 1864. He was reportedly discharged due to lung disease and "attacks of hard breathing." I have more info. for anyone interested...