Illinois Civil War Mauster and Descriptive
Rolls Database:
Bartleson, Frederick A. - Cpt -
Co B -
20 IL US INF
Residence, Joliet, Will Co, IL; Join,
13Jun1861; Age, 27; Born, OH
Height, 5' 8"; Hair, brown; Eyes, blue;
Complexion, fair; Married; Lawyer
Promoted to Major 15Feb1862
Promoted from Captain Co "B"
15Feb1862.
Mustered out for promotion to Colonel 100 IL Vols
Killed in action near Kenesaw Mountain,
GA
23Jun1864
Headstone Reading, Oakwood Cemetery, Joliet, IL, Section 7:
Born: 10 November 1833,
Cincinnati, Ohio
Died: 28 June 1864, Battle of
Kennesaw Mountain
Spouse: Catherine Murray
Published Obituaries:
The Joliet
Signal
Newspaper, Tuesday, July 12, 1864)
It
becomes our [unreadable] duty
to record the death of another of
our esteemed
citizen and brave officer, Col. F.A. Bartleson, of the 100th
Illinois
regiment is no more. He was killed near Marietta,
Georgia on the
afternoon
of the 23d of June. An advance was
ordered and the Colonel had command of the front skirmish line, and
while
leading his column in plain view of the enemy, was pierced through the
body by
a rebel bullet and fell from his horse and was taken up and carried
from the
field’s lifeless corpse.
The remains of Col.
Bartleson was
received in this city on the 1st inst., and conveyed to
Young’s Hall
by the Knight Templars, of which ancient Order he was a devoted member
and on
the following day it was borne thence to his late residence on Broadway.
The funeral took place on Sunday
the 31, at 2 P.M. The body was conveyed to the Congregational
Church by Knight Templars, where a most eloquent, appropriate and
affecting
eulogy was delivered by the Rev. John Kidd, pastor of the church.
At the
conclusion of the ceremonies at the church, an imposing procession,
consisting
of the different Orders of Free Masons of Joliet, Lockport,
Wilmington Channahon and other towns of the county, the city
authorities, the
fire companies of the city, the Fenian Brothers, and citizens, was
formed on Ottawa street. On
a given signal, the vast cortege, accompanied by the Joliet Cornet
Band,
commenced its slow and solemn march to Oakwood
Cemetery a mile and a
half East of
the city.
On arriving
at the grave, the solemn Masonic obsequies over the dead were
performed, and
the body was lowered to its last resting place, no more to be disturbed
by the
roar of artillery or the tread of belligerent columns, when the immense
multitude that has assembled to pay respect to the deceased departed in
silence
for their homes.
Thus has
passed away a citizen and soldier, endeared and honored.
We shall
not attempt to give a biography of Col. Bartleson.
We cannot do his memory justice in the brief
space we have to spare. But we must
allude to some of the prominent events of his life.
Colonel
Bartleson was one of the first to give up the enjoyments and
comforts
of home
when the war broke out to enter the service of his country. Through his influence and eloquence the first
company in Will county for the war was raised, and he was chosen its
Captain. With his company he participated
in the battles of Fredericktown and Donelson,
and for his
gallantry in the latter
desperate
conflict was promoted to the position of Major of the glorious old 20th. In the battle of Pittsburg Landing he lost an
arm, but returned to the service immediately on his recovery from his
wound
–though maimed he could not be induced to leave the army.
When the 100th regiment was
raised, two years ago, he was unanimously chosen its Colonel. He participated in all the bloody engagement
of the army corps to which his regiment was attached until the battle
of
Chicamauga, where he was captured while making a brilliant charge on
one of the
enemy’s batteries. He was sent to Libby
Prison where he was kept in close confinement eight months, suffering
severe
privations. In March last he was paroled,
and our citizens recollect the enthusiastic reception given him on his
return
to our city. He remained here but a
short time when his exchange was affected, and to the great joy of his
regiment, he took command of it again. But
he had been at the post of duty but a few weeks when his
valuable
and eventful life was cut short.
Well may
the citizens of Joliet
mourn the
loss of one so noble and brave as Col. Bartleson proved himself to be
Courteous
and honorable, he won the respect and confidence of all who knew him. Gentle as a lamb and as brave as a lion, he
captivated the feelings and inspired his
soldiers with
more than human courage. Truly, his death, at this critical juncture of
affairs, is a national calamity.
It is
painful indeed to contemplate the events of this cruel war. Boundless as the calamities it has entailed
upon the nation, it has not failed to clothe every city, town and
hamlet in the
land with habiliments of mourning. And
the dead of Joliet have
been
numbered by scores and hundreds. First
the gentle Erwin fell a victim, and then quickly followed the brave
Grover, and
the gallant Matteson, and the youthful patriotic Randall, and the
unflinching Worthingham, and
hundreds whom we could name, as sacrifices
on the altar
of their country. And lastly the name of
the heroic Bartleson has been added to the list.