Gideon M. HOLLINGSWORTH

Battle of Wilson’s Creek, Kurz and Allison lithograph c. 1893, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.

Battle of Wilson's Creek Mural at the Missouri State Capitol by N. C. Wyeth
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wilsons-cropped-better.jpg

One hundred and fifty years ago, on August 10, 1861 the first major Civil War battle of the western United States was fought about 10 miles southwest of Springfield, Missouri; it was the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The Confederate Army referred to it as the Battle of Oak Hills. The battle was considered a Confederate victory. The Union Commander, General Nathaniel Lyon was killed during the battle; he was the first Union General to be killed in the Civil War.

General Nathaniel Lyon
From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nathaniel_lyon_small.jpg

Approximately 535 Union and Confederate soldiers died in the battle. One of the casualties of the battle was a young soldier named Gideon M. Hollingsworth. He was mortally wounded in the lungs in the fighting on “Bloody Hill.” He was taken to the Missouri State Guard Hospital in Springfield where, according to the Hospital Register, he died on August 18, 1861.

Gideon was a private in the Missouri State Guard; his unit was Company A of the Extra Battalion of the 4th Division of the MSG. A report from Colonel R. H. Miller, listing the killed and wounded from Clay county at the battle on the 10th of August, was published in the Liberty Tribune on August 23, 1861; “G Holiingsworth, mortally, Clay co.” was among the casualties of the battle. In the same article was the following statement from Colonel John T. Hughes, commander of the 4th Division Infantry Regiment:

“I have never before witnessed such a heart-rending scene – State, Federal and confederate troops in one red ruin blent on the field; - enemies in life, in death friends, relieving each other’s agonies and sufferings.”

A week later, on August 30th, the Tribune carried a death notice, although the newspaper mistakenly identified Gideon as “George.”



Gideon was born January 23, 1840 in Todd County, Kentucky. His father was Samuel Gordon Hollingsworth and his mother was Susan Mimms. His family had moved to Clay County, Missouri from Todd County, Kentucky in 1853. In 1860 the family lived in Washington Township, Clay County, Missouri. Along with his father Samuel, stepmother Mary and his siblings Josephine, Jeptha, Leander, Lucy and James F., Gideon’s cousins Mary, Leland, Edward and Emma were living with the family. These were the children of Samuel’s brother Leander F. Hollingsworth.

1860 US Census, Washington Township, Clay County, MO.

Gideon had an interesting family connection; he was a third cousin, once removed, to the famous outlaw Jesse James who also lived in Clay County, Missouri. David Mimms was Gideon’s great-great-Grandfather and was also Jesse James’ great-great-great-Grandfather. Jesse and Frank James are listed on the 1860 census living with their mother Zarilda and stepfather, Reuben Samuel in the same township as the Hollingsworth family.

Although there are no military records to confirm Frank James’ Civil War enlistment, it’s believed that he was a member of the Missouri State Guard and fought at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Gideon’s half brother, born in 1860, was named James Franklin Hollingsworth. Gideon had an uncle named Benjamin Franklin Hollingsworth but it’s also possible that “James Franklin,” or “Franklin James” Hollingsworth, he was listed both ways on different censuses, was named after Frank James. The outlaw's full name was Alexander Franklin James.

Headstone photo from FindAGrave

Gideon is buried in a very small, two–headstone, cemetery located near Lawson, Missouri. His headstone is decorated with a weeping willow tree. The inscription on his headstone reads:

"GIDEON M. HOLLINGSWORTH BORN JAN. 23, 1840 DIED AUG. 15, 1861"

His death was recorded as August 18th in the Missouri State Guard Hospital Register, 1861, which contradicts the death date engraved on his headstone, August 15th. The second headstone in the cemetery is Gid’s younger brother, Jeptha who died eight months later on April 15th, 1862.

The small Hollingsworth graveyard sits in the middle of a corn field, next to a golf course, on land that was probably originally owned by Samuel Hollingsworth. In September, 1863 a Sheriff’s Sale notice in the Liberty Tribune listed property belonging to Samuel which was to be auctioned off. The property was located in Clay County in Sections 1, 11, and 14 of Township 53, Range 30. In 1877 S. G. Hollingsworth is listed in an atlas as owning some land in Ray County right next to Lawson, Missouri, Township 53, Range 29; this section is about a mile from Gideon’s cemetery. By 1897, the land in Ray County is owned by someone else.

A local chapter of the Son of Union Veterans of the Civil War has been working for several few years at clearing overgrown trees from the cemetery and replacing the fence around the cemetery. This cemetery is located about 8 miles from the James Family farm.

Today the Battlefield at Wilson’s Creek is preserved by the National Park Service. Unlike some more famous eastern US Civil War battlefields, that are now be buried under fast food joints and grocery stores, Wilson’s Creek hasn’t changed that much. This year a 150th anniversary reenactment was held at Wilson's Creek with approximately 3,500 re-enactors and 25,000 spectators attending the event.



MORE INFORMATION & LINKS:
Son of Union Veterans of the Civil War Cemetery Restoration Project:
http://members.tripod.com/westport64/hollingsworth_map.htm

Find A Grave Memorial for Gideon M. HOLLINGSWORTH:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=hollingsworth&GSfn=gideon&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=16892385&df=all&

MISSOURI State Archives Soldiers Records; War of 1812- WWI:
http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/soldiers/

Gid Hollingsworth’s Card:
http://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Military/s00732/s00732_3185.pdf

Missouri History Museum, Missouri State Guard Hospital Register database:
http://genealogy.mohistory.org/genealogy/names/63

Wilsons Creek National Battlefield, Missouri:
http://www.nps.gov/wicr/index.htm
http://www.wilsonscreek.com/Default.aspx

150th Anniversary Reenactment information, articles and photos:
http://mocivilwar150.com/event/35
http://www.wilsonscreek150.com/
http://www.kspr.com/news/kspr-battle-of-wilsons-creek-reenactment-20110815,0,2345651.special
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/13/3075171/civil-war-battle-is-on-again-for.html
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110816/NEWS01/108160359/Re-enactment-pleases-organizers?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Special%20Reports|s

Ray County, Missouri Section Comparisons:
http://ray.mogenweb.org/maps/sections1/album1/T53R29/T53R29S06/index.html

Historic Map Works:
http://www.historicmapworks.com/
Township 53N, Range 29W, Ray County Missouri 1877
http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/483485/Township+53+N++Range+29+W/Ray+County+1877/Missouri/