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JOHN
MARTIN VAN BUREN MERRIFIELD
"....When
the war of the rebellion was inaugurated,
he became impressed with a desire to take
an active and leading part. He was
21 years of age when he was enrolled from
Wheeling, West Virginia, October 20, 1861,
as a private in Company H, 1st West Virginia
Volunteer Infantry, and soon made corporal.
In
the winter of 1861-1862, he was ill in hospital
at Cumberland, Maryland, four weeks with
fever. In 1862, he was again treated
in hospital at Strausburg one week with
bronchitis. May 19, 1862, he was honorably
discharged at Catlett Station, Virginia,
on account of physical disability.
When
able, he re-enlisted September 3, 1864,
at Wheeling, West Virginia, in Compnay D,
17th West Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
In November, 1864, he was detailed to act
as scout and also as provost marshal. He
was actively engaged in the battles of Winchester,
Strausburg, Blue Gap and several skirmishes.
He was granted his final honorable discharge
June 12, 1865, at Wheeling, West Virginia.
He
had two brothers in action, RICHARD
and ZEDEKIAH, the former [Richard]
was captured and died in Libby* prison.
His wife's brother, Asel served in West
Virginia Volunteer Infantry; his grandfather,
RICHARD MERRIFIELD, served in the
Continental Army during the Revolutionary
War.
Our
subject's son, RICHARD E., enlisted in the
standing army in 1889 and served one year.
Our subject is a member of G.A.R. (Grand
Old Army of the Republic) at Logansport,
West Virginia, and his address is Brink,
West Virginia, near which place he is successfully
engaged in farming."
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ZEDEKIAH
ALVY MERRIFIELD
"...When
the war broke out his heart was with the
Northern cause and he entered the Federal
service December, 1861, at Romney, West
Virginia when only sixteen years of age.
He entered the ranks of Company H, 1st West
Virginia Volunteer Infantry.
In
the spring of 1862, he was confined in hospital
at Cumberland, Maryland, three weeks, suffering
with rheumatism. In the summer of
1862 he was treated in hospital at Strausburg
two months with rheumatism and heart trouble.
He was honorably discharged at Williamsport,
Maryland, December, 1862, on surgeon's certificate
of disability, having taken part in the
battle of Winchester and several skirmishes.
He
had two brothers in service, RICHARD,
served in Coompany H, 1st West Virginia
Volunteer Infantry and JOHN, the
former [Richard] was taken prisoner
and died in Andersonville* prison.
His wife's brother Lewis served in 6th West
Virginia Volunteer Infantry and died in
hospital at Grafton, West Virginia of fever
contracted in service.
Mrs.
Merrifield is a descendant of the famous
Indian fighter, Louis Wetzel. Mr.
Merrifield follows farming as an avocation
and his address is Brink, West Virginia."
*
Note: Author Hardesty cites a different
prison where Richard Merrifield died in
Zedekiah's biography from that in John Martin
Van Buren Merrifield's biography.
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