My Genealogy Hound

Sergeant Edward Hunt, of Fort Smith, Ark., was born in Frankenhausen, Fierstenthum, Schwarzburg, Rudolstadt, Germany, and is the son of John Gustave and Dora (Forderer) Hunt. John G. Hunt was born in the same place as his son, and died in 1858. Dora Hunt came to America about 1862, and died in Philadelphia in 1882. Her ten children also came to America. Edward Hunt came to this country in 1849, and followed the occupation of a shoemaker at Philadelphia, St. Louis, New York and Chicago. At the breaking out of the late Civil War he was keeping a saloon in St. Louis, also a shoe-store, but left these with his brother and joined the three months’ service, Second Missouri Infantry, under Col. Bornstein, and was at the battles of Camp Jackson, Boonville and Wilson’s Creek. He was mustered out of the three months’ service August 31, 1861, after serving four months and eight days. September 1, 1861, he re-enlisted in the Twelfth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Company C, under the command of Col. Osterhause, and was promoted by him to the rank of sergeant. Mr. Hunt was first sent by Col. Osterhause to Chicago on recruiting service. He was successful, and returned to his regiment at Warsaw, Mo., November 8, 1861, and arrived in Springfield, Mo., November 20, of the same year. Here their general, Fremont, was superseded by Gen. Hunter, and shortly after they were ordered back to Rolla, Mo. February 2, 1862, they left Rolla, and went back to Springfield on the 13th of February, when the snow was from one to three feet deep on the ground. The Confederates had gone into winter quarters at this place, but were driven out by Union soldiers, and on the following day the latter pursued the enemy, and reached the rear guards of Gen. Price’s army near Keysville, and here a slight skirmish occurred. On the 17th of February they traveled through Arkansas, and on the 20th of that month they entered Camp Halleck, where they remained until March 2. March 6 they moved through Bentonville, which was only six miles distant, and the regiment which Mr. Hunt was in had the rear guard that day. By some means the enemy separated them from the main body, but by hard fighting they again regained it. On the following day three charges were made on the army, and they fought all day at Pea Ridge, or Elkhorn Tavern. The next day some hard fighting was done, but the Union army was victorious and captured many prisoners. They made many long, toilsome marches, and one day traveled thirty miles without water. They marched to Helena, Ark., and suffered greatly with hunger on the way. Afterward Mr. Hunt was sent to St. Louis on a commission, and there he remained until November 25. He then joined his regiment, which he found opposite Helena. From December 27 to December 31 the Union army besieged Vicksburg, but were not successful, and the army took boats and went up the Arkansas River to Arkansas Post, and the 11th of January the captured the post with about 6,000 prisoners. They left here the 15th of that month, after destroying the fort. January 15 they went to Bird’s Point, opposite Vicksburg, and here the soldiers lived on bad water, a few miserable crackers and sow-belly. February 17 Mr. Hunt’s regiment, with the Seventeenth Missouri Infantry, went back to Helena, but here Mr. Hunt was taken sick with rheumatism and swamp fever, and was left at the Adams Hospital. He left the same April 4 and went to Convalescent Camp, two miles below Memphis, but April 12 he joined his regiment at Young’s Point. They left there soon, and marched through Louisiana. May 13 they had a battle, and captured a number of prisoners and a herd of sheep, the latter causing them to rejoice exceedingly. May 15 they captured Jackson, Miss. Flour sold here as high as $120 a barrel, potatoes at $30 a bushel, eggs $1.50 a dozen, and coffee could not be purchased. May 22 their brigade made a charge on Vicksburg, and here Mr. Hunt was knocked down by a cannon ball, the hearing of his left ear destroyed, and blood ran from his ears, nose and mouth. After this he was no longer in active duty, as the shock caused epileptic fits. September 5, 1863, he was declared unfit for duty, and was transferred to the invalid corps, and served out his time as guard to prisoners at Rock Island, Ill. November 1, 1864, he received an honorable discharge, and went back to St. Louis, where he was once more a citizen. February 9, 1865, he went down to Helena, and was sutler of the Thirty-fifth Missouri Infantry. Later Mr. Hunt took charge of the sutler’s outfit of the Fifty-seventh Infantry, and went with the regiment from place to place until finally they came to Fort Smith. Mr. Hunt engaged in merchandising at this place in 1865, and here he has remained ever since. He was married in April of 1866 to Miss Amelia Griner, and eight children were born to this union: Lillie, Ella, Dora, Minnie, Anna, Edward, Herman and Irene. Mr. Hunt served as alderman in Fort Smith three years, and filled the position of treasurer of that city for two years. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Hunt accumulated a great deal of real estate in and out of the city; is the owner of a fine block of twelve lots, 30 feet square, and in the heart of the city, corner of Sixth and Maple Streets. At the time he was alderman the city expenses were $5,000 a year, and now they are $50,000. Lots which were sold at that time for $150 to $200, are now selling for $1,000 each, size 50x140 to the alley. The last discovery of natural gas will make the city the size of Kansas City in five years.