(As of February of 2024, I believe that Private Charles Bennett died in the Soldiers Home in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois and as he is not listed as having been buried in Sunset Cemetery on the Soldiers Home grounds, I believe that his mortal remains were returned to Tazewell County, Illinois, where they were laid to rest next to his wife of almost 40 years in the Danforth Cemetery.)

Private CHARLES BENNETT, Co. C, 86th Illinois & Co. K, 34th Illinois

Charles Bennett was born on __________ __, 18__ (c. 1824), most likely in New York State. At the time he volunteered, he apparently claimed, or it was misread, that he was born in Allegany County, Indiana. Charles Bennett came to Illinois sometime before 1856, where he settled in Tazewell County, Illinois. Illinois Statewide Marriage Index has Charles Bennett married to Mrs. Mary C. Presley on December 22, 1856 in Tazewell County, IL.

Mary Ellen (Smith) Presley was born c. 1817, possibly in Illinois. She was married to David Presly on January 5, 1837 in Hendricks County, Indiana. David may have been born in South Carolina, most likely about 1810/11. David and Mary are soon found in Kentucky, where several children are born to them. Shortly before the 1850 census was taken, David and Mary brought their family to Illinois, where they settled in Tazewell County.

The 1850 census of Tazewell County has the following on David, Mary and their family;

David Presly, 60, Farmer, SC

[Ancestry.com reads the census as 60 years; however, I'm not sure but what it may be 40.]

Mary, 33, Ills

John Wells, 13, KY

Sarah, 9, KY

Betsy Ann, 5, KY

Alexander, 6/12, KY

Jane Boggs, 8, SC

David Presley must have died in Tazewell County in the early 1850's. Carol notes here that, "The only family record I could find that had a birth date has 1811 as the birth year for David Presley. I should have checked Dillon and Delavan townships for a possible burial for him."

Charles Bennett and Mary were married in 1856. At the time of the 1860 Census, Charles and his wife, Mary Ellen (Smith) Presly Bennett are found in Dillon Township, Tazewell Co., Illinois.

Charles Bennett, age 37, farmer, born NY

Mary Ellen Bennett, age 39, born IL

John Bennett, age 12, born KY

Betsy A. Bennett, age 12, born KY

Alex Bennett, age 10, born KY

Note that Charles is listed as being born in New York State. The three children, John, Betsy Ann and Alex Bennett are actually Presleys, Mary Ellen's children that are listed in the 1850 census.

By 1864, Charles and Mary Ellen are believed to have moved into Hopedale Township in Tazewell County, Illinois. He is listed as a Farmer.

On October 3, 1864, Charles Bennett and Elias Sparrow, both residents of Hopedale Township, along with Samuel A. Johns, of Dillon Township in Tazewell County, went to Springfield, Illinois where they volunteered to serve for 1 year as a Recruits to help fill up the badly depleted ranks of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which had just participated in and been badly mauled in what was known as the Atlanta Campaign.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT

Name BENNETT, CHARLES

Rank PVT Company C Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics

Residence HOPEDALE, TAZEWELL CO, IL Age 40 Height 5' 10 Hair BROWN

Eyes GRAY Complexion FLORID Marital Status N/A Occupation FARMER

Nativity ALLEGANY CO, IN

Service Record

Joined When OCT 3, 1864 Joined Where SPRINGFIELD, IL

Joined By Whom CPT KEYS Period 1 YR

Muster In OCT 3, 1864 Muster In Where SPRINGFIELD, IL

Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A

Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A

Remarks TRANS TO CO K 34 ILL INF MAY 18, 1865

The 86th had originally been organized in August of 1862 and the men mustered into service on August 27, 1862. Since leaving Illinois they had participated in more than a dozen battles and skirmishes including the Battles of Perryville, Kentucky; Chickamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia; Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia; Peach Tree Creek, Georgia and Jonesboro, Georgia, just to name a few. When they had marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, located in Peoria, Illinois, near present day Glen Oak Park, the 86th was made up of more than 930 men from Central Illinois. Now the 86th was recuperating near Florence, Alabama and numbered less than 500 men.

Later in October, the 86th was sent to Chattanooga for a few more days of rest and it was probably there that Privates Charles Bennett, Elias Sparrow and Samuel A. Johns joined the 86th. Privates Bennett, Sparrow, and Johns were assigned to Co. C of the 86th Illinois, which at that time was commanded by Captain William G. McDonald. Company C had been raised back in August of 1862 by Joseph Thomas, who was the first Captain of Co. C, and John Batchelder from the Chillicothe, Illinois area of Peoria County and the townships north and west of Chillicothe. Elias Sparrow' brother-in-law, James K. McDonald, who was married to Elias' oldest sister, had volunteered and served in this company for five months back in August of 1862 before being sent home sick in January of 1863. They had left Peoria with 88 men and now numbered less than 45 men fit for duty at any time.

About the 1st of November, the 86th, which was part of McCooks Brigade, 2nd Division, of the 14th Army Corps headed back toward Atlanta, arriving there in the 15th. At midnight, November 16, 1864, the 2nd Division headed south out of Atlanta as part of General William Tecumseh Sherman's Army in what was to become known as the famous "March to the Sea."

The March to the Sea culminated in the capture of Savannah, Georgia, which was taken as an early Christmas present for President Abraham Lincoln. In the late winter of 1865, the men of the 14th Army Corps participated in the Carolina Campaign of General Sherman. The men of the 86th were heavily engaged with Confederate troops in the Battles of Averasboro, North Carolina and Bentonville, North Carolina, the late which forced the surrender of the army of Confederate General Johnston to that of General Sherman. After the war came to a close, the men of the 86th marched on to Washington City (now D.C.) where they marched down Pennsylvania Avenue on the 2nd day of the Grand Review, May 24, 1865 with the Army of General Sherman.

Just days before, about May 18, 1865, it had been decided that the late war recruits like Privates Bennett, Sparrow and Johns, would be transferred to another unit for some further service, while what remained of the original volunteers would be mustered out of service and sent home. The 34th Illinois, which was also part of General Sherman's Army and which also had taken part in many of the battles that the 86th had fought in was selected as the unit to which the late war recruits would be transferred to. A rendezvous was set up for June 2, 1865 between the two regiments during which the recruits would be transferred.

At the rendezvous it was recorded that five men from Co. C were transferred to Co. K of the 34th Illinois.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT

Name BENNETT, CHARLES

Rank PVT Company K Unit 34 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics

Residence HOPEDALE, TAZEWELL CO, IL Age 40 Height 5' 10 Hair BROWN

Eyes GRAY Complexion FLORID Marital Status N/A Occupation FARMER

Nativity IN

Service Record

Joined When OCT 31, 1864 Joined Where SPRINGFIELD, IL

Joined By Whom CPT KEYS Period 1 YR

Muster In OCT 31, 1864 Muster In Where SPRINGFIELD, IL

Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out JUL 12, 1865

Muster Out Where LOUISVILLE, KY Muster Out By Whom CPT PAPST

Remarks TRANS FROM 86 ILL INF JUN 2, 1865

The survivors from the original volunteers of the 86th were mustered out of the service on June 6, 1865 in Washington. Shortly after that they were put on a train, sent to Chicago, where they received their final pay and discharge and by the end of June of 1865, they were home with their family and friends. The Recruits who transferred to the 34th served another 5 weeks. The 34th was sent to Louisville, Kentucky, where they were discharged on July 12, 1865 and they, too, were sent home. By the end of July of 1865, even the late war recruits were back home working their way back into their civilian lives.

At the time of the 1870 census, Charles and Mary Ellen are found in Hopedale, Tazewell Co., Illinois.

Charles Bennet, age 43, born Ohio, farmer

Mary E. Bennet, age 43, born IL

The next person in the Charles Bennett household is Alexander Presley, age 20, almost certainly the Alex Bennett listed in the 1860 census and the son of Mary Ellen Presley from her first marriage. As there are no additional children showing here in the 1870 census, it is believed that Charles and Mary Ellen had no children together.

At the time of the 1880 Federal Census, Charles and Mary Ellen are found back in Dillon Township, Tazewell Co., Illinois.

Charles Bennett, age 56, farmer, born NY

Mary E. Bennett, age 59, born IL

Theodore Chew, age 18

Charles and Mary are in Family Unit 72/72. Immediately above them, in family unit 71/71, is Alexander Prestley. Undoubtedly, this is the same Alexander as above, but now with his own family, and near his mother.

On December 29, 1889, Private Charles Bennett was granted an Invalid Pension. Mary Ellen Bennett, wife of Charles Bennet died on January 21, 1895 and her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Tullamore (formerly known as Danforth) cemetery in Section 24 of Dillon Township. She is listed as being born on January 5, 1820. This cemetery is listed as the Danforth Cemetery on Find A Grave.

Nothing more is known about Private Charles Bennett at this time, but if he died in the 1890's, he may very well be buried next to Mary Ellen (Smith) Presley Bennett in the Danforth Cemetery.

In January of 2012, it was found that Charles Bennett was a resident of the Soldiers & Sailors Home in Illinois in Quincy, Illinois. He was admitted on November 6, 1896. Could he be buried in the Sunset Cemetery in Quincy? In July of 2012, Carol Dorward sent me the following email. "While trying to find William Bennett, I stumbled on Charles Bennett of Tazewell County. According to the Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Home Residents on the Illinois State Archives page, Bennett was admitted on November 6, 1896 and then again on November 14, 1899. He is shown as having served in both the 86 IL Infantry and the 34 IL Infantry." So now we know he probably didn't die until the 1900's.

However, I have not been able to find Charles in the 1900 census.

Dave Thomas, who is working on a book on McCook's Brigade, came up with a date of death for Charles Bennett of February 8, 1903 in the Soldiers Home in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois.

by Baxter B. Fite III and Carol Dorward, of Washington, Illinois

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Bennett family, who might be able to add to the biography of Charles Bennett and the Bennett family. Baxter also would enjoy getting copies of any pictures that may still exist of Charles Bennett, especially any showing him in uniform from his time in the service, for his Find A Grave site and for the local Historical Societies.)