**************************************************************************** File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project Copyright 2008, all rights reserved. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format without the written consent of the author at http://fulton.ilgenweb.net. **************************************************************************** Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890 **************************************************************************** The Biography of Aaron LINGENFELTER Pages 318-320, transcribed in full by Danni Hopkins [Surnames: AUGUSTIN, CLAAR, GRANT, HEDGE, LINGENFELTER, PRESSON, SHLEICH, STEWART, THOMAS] AARON LINGENFELTER. All the loyal Americans will agree that the old soldiers who sacrificed home comforts, endured hardships, and braved dangers during the days of the Nation's peril, are deserving of remembrance. The historian cannot detail the lives spent on the tented field, but he can mention the chief events by which the gallant soldier secured victory, too often, alas, at the price of manly vigor and missing limbs. Were there no other reasons than his army life, we should be glad to present to our readers an outline of the history of Aaron Lingenfelter, a worthy farmer of Banner Township, living on section 19. Mr. Lingenfelter was born in Blair County, Pa., November 8, 1841, being a son of Jacob and Sarah (Claar) Lingenfelter. The parents removed to this county in the spring or 1848, locating on section 18, Buckheart Township, where our subject grew to his twentieth year, spending his days in the manner usual to farmers' sons, and studying in the district school. On August 9, 1861, he responded to his country's call, and enlisted in Company A., Fifth-fifth Illinois Infantry, Capt. Presson and Col. Stewart being his commanding officers. The regiment formed a part of the Seventh Division of the Army of the Tennessee until November, when the Fifteenth Army Corps was organized, and it was incorporated therein. It took part in thirty-two battles, and was under fire one hundred and twenty-five days. The first engagement in which our subject participated was Shiloh, where the battle was opened by the Fifty-fifth, Sunday morning, April 6, 1862, on the extreme right. The regimental loss in killed, wounded, and missing, was two hundred and seventy-eight men. The next contest was Russell House, in June, followed by the siege of Corinth, lasting twenty days, after which a march was made to Memphis, and camp life enjoyed while the reorganization was taking place. We next find the Fifty-fifth moving down the Mississippi and taking part in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, whence it was compelled to withdraw after a four-days engagement, during which Capt. Shleich was killed. Going up the Arkansas, Ft. Heinman was captured after a contest of two days, January 10 and 11, 1863, and the regiment then took transports to Milliken's Bend, in front of Vicksburg. On April 27, the boys went to Haines Bluff to draw the attention of the confederate forces while Gen. Grant crossed at Grand Gulf, sixty-five miles below the city. On May 15 they followed at the same crossing, and fought in the battle of Champion Hill, then went on to take part in the siege of Jackson, Miss., returning to participate in the siege of Vicksburg. After the fall of that city, the corps went to the relief of Gen. Thomas at Chattanooga, crossing the Tennessee on pontoons, and floating down stream at midnight. The battle was fought, then Burnside re-inforced at Knoxville, and Larkinsville, Ala., visited, when the term for which Mr. Lingenfelter had enlisted expired. In April, 1864, Mr. Lingerfelter re-enlisted for three years or during the war. He received a furlough of thirty days, and visited his father and friends in the North, rejoining his comrades at Kenesaw Mountain, June 20. Up to this time he had escaped injury, and had been present at every roll-call, except when on furlough. At Kenesaw, June 27, he received two wounds, one in the leg and one in the side, but as they were only flesh wounds, he remained with his company. July 22, he had his left forefinger shot off while the company was retaking a battery, and the gallant captain, J. M. Augustin, lost his life. Mr. Kingenfelter subsequently took part in all the engagements on the march to the sea, beginning in November, 1864. At Statesboro, Ga., he was one of five men sent on a foraging expedition, and was captured by the confederates. When Andersonville stared him in the face he made his escape to the Union lines, being shat at by the guard, the ball hitting a handkerchief in his pocket, and making twenty-two holes in it. After the capture of Savannah the regiment marched north through the Carolinas, and on March 21, 1865, Mr. Lingenfelter received the gunshot wound that disabled him for life. He was shot through the right shoulder, by reason of which the right arm is now four inches shorter than the left. The wound prevented our subject from any further active participation in army service, and after remaining in different hospitals until July 22, he was discharged, when his time lacked but eighteen days of four years. Mr. Lingenfelter never drank a drop of liquor until after he was wounded. He draws a pension of $36 per month. Mr. Lingenfelter returned to this county July 29, and resumed the arts of peace, hampered in his efforts by his crippled condition, but full of energy, determination and grit. He has been able to live comfortably, to school his children well, to improve his place, and better than all else, has gained the confidence and esteem of those about him. He owns eighty acres of fine land, that in the quality and quantity per acre of its crops will compare favorably with any in the vicinity. Mr. Lingenfelter always votes the Republican ticket. He has been School Director three years, and discharges his duty in a satisfactory manner. The family worship in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In charge of the household economy of the Lingenfelter estate is a capable and loving woman, formerly known as Miss Charity Hedge. She became the wife of our subject, March 17, 1870, and is the mother of three children: Lizzie C., born September 22, 1872; Ernest, November 24, 1874; and Minerva M., September 19, 1881.