Alpha E. MARSHALL

Notes:

!MILITARY-DEATH: 5 September 1899, Enlisted, 44th Volunteers (Infantry),
U.S. Army; No DOB listed, age given as 22 yrs, 3 mos; Killed in combat near
burial site (listed) on 31 Aug., 1900; Copy of his military records from U.S.
National Archives in posession of Gordon Marshall.
!CEMETARY-DEATH-BURIAL: 5 September 1900; Buried Grave #1, U.S. Military
Cemetary; 1 mile South of Carmine, Bohol Is., Rep. of Philippines.
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.
_________________________________________________________

Alpha E. Marshall, C Company, 44th Volunteer Infantry, Philippine Insurrection. Born in June, 1877 near Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois. We know from the his army physical description that he had a 3/4 inch scar on his left upper lip and a couple on his thumbs. He was healthy and probably not a bad looking young man. He was 5' 5½" tall and weighted 122 lbs. He had a 35 inch chest, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair, and good teeth.

On September 5, 1899 Alpha was sworn into the U.S. Army (Vol.) by 1st Lt. Mattheas Crowley, 5th Infantry, USA in Springfield, Illinois. He was 22 years, 3 months old. From Springfield he was shipped to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas with other "new boots" and assigned to Training Company #3 on September 8. Monthly Muster Roll call cards were kept on each man, noting pay, sick call days, and any punishment meted out for infractions. His records indicate that Pvt. Marshall never needed punishment and he was on sick call only once from January 19 until January 21, 1900 for injuries "incurred in the line of duty."

By March, 1900, C Company, 44th Regiment, U.S. Volunteers Infantry, along with Pvt. Marshall was stationed at Tagbilaran, Bohlo Island, Philippines. By March 26 he was part of a detachment sent to Jagna, Bohlo Island under the command of Lt. Levack.

On August 31, 1900 Pvt. Marshall and others in "Charlie" Company were on patrol south of a village called Carmen, Bohlo. The enemy jumped them "in strength" and the fight was fast and nasty. The natives were not armed or equipped as well as the boys of the 44th, but they were fighting on home ground with poisoned darts covered with cobra venom, some old muzzle-loaders of Spanish make, a few stolen modern cartridge rifles, and the ever present, almost ubiquitous "bolo" which even babies seemed to carry in the Philippines.

Five days later on September 5, 1900, a detail sent out from the base, found the battle field. Pvt. Marshall was found along with the rest of the dead, both American and Philippine. His wounds were grievous, as a bolo of the Cebuan type is as deadly as a Scotts Claighmore or a cavalry saber was at Gettysburg. He died the instant he was struck. The detail recorded the names and buried the dead.

Pvt. Alpha E. Marshall, Company C, 44th Volunteer Infantry USA was buried in grave number 1 at a place approximately one mile south of Carmen, Bohlo Island, Republic of the Philippines, 25 yards west of a road that runs south from Carmen. No medals were issued, no taps played, or flag draped coffins displayed. Just a note with his personal effects was sent to his brother, Richard W. Marshall in Taylorville, Illinois in May, 1901.

The last entry in his military record is one that anyone would be proud to have on our tomb stone. "Character Excellent, Services Honest and True."

Notes:

!MARRIAGE-BOND: Stokes Co. NC; Nancy Caroline Marshall, 11 September 1858,
William O. Marshall, Bondsman. Married 12 September 1858 by N.B. Gibson. J.P.
First name may have been Fountain, after his father, but he always went by
Josephus.
!CEMETARY-DEATH-BURIAL: Mound Chapel Cemetary, Lot 70, No's 1 & 2 Johnson Twp.,
Christian Co. IL. Next to wife Nancy C. Marshall RIN NO. 59. Grave marker gives
DOB and DOD but is to badly weathered to photograph well.
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.

Josephus married Nancy Caroline MARSHALL on 12 Sep 1858 in Stokes County, North Carolina. Nancy (daughter of Richard MARSHALL, Jr. and Sibetha (Sibba) SULLIVAN) was born on 19 Jul 1843 in Stokes County, North Carolina; died on 8 Apr 1880 in Johnson, Christian County, Illinois; was buried on 11 Apr 1880 in Johnson, Christian County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.

Notes:

!Marshall 0117, p. 1; Marshall 0118B, p. 7
!A GEDCON file from Gordon Marshall.
!Marshall 0144, p. 17 - This source has his birth year as 1799.
!Marshall 0244 - Gives birth and death years. (1801 - 1827)
!Marshall 0341 - Gives different birth and death years. (1802 - 1874) - From Gordon Marshall) This one seems more likely according to the birth dates of his children.

Fountain married Anna CLARK on 23 Nov 1822 in Sauratown, Stokes County, North Carolina. Anna (daughter of Samuel CLARK and Nancy REDDICK) was born in 1802 in Sauratown, Stokes County, North Carolina; died in Oct 1850 in Sauratown, Stokes County, North Carolina; was buried in Oct 1850 in Sauratown, Stokes County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!Marshall 0117, p. 1, Marshall 0118B, p. 7
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.
!Marshall 0244 - Gives birth year.

Notes:

!Marshall 0117, p. 1
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.

Richard married Sibetha (Sibba) SULLIVAN on 29 Jul 1828 in Stokes County, North Carolina. Sibetha was born about 1810 in Stokes County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!Marshall 0117, p. 1 - Her last name is uncertain.
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.

Notes:

!Marshall 0117, p. 1; Marshall 0118B, p. 5
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.

Richard married Mary (Polly) FOUNTAIN in 1796 in Stokes County, North Carolina. Mary (daughter of Stephen FOUNTAIN and Jane ROPER) was born about 1782 in Surry County, North Carolina; died about 1820 in Stokes County, North Carolina; was buried in Stokes County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!Marshall 0117, p. 1
!A GEDCOM file from Gordon Marshall.
!Marshall 0144, p. 1 - This source gives her marriage date as 1799.

Notes:

!From Gordon Marshall - Additional data files he sent along with the GEDCOM
file.

Samuel married Nancy REDDICK. Nancy was born in 1777; died in 1845. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

!From Gordon Marshall - Additional data files he sent along with the GEDCOM
file.