Ah, on whom shall I focus this answer. Not my multiple ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, as they are far enough back that reliable records are hard to come by. I've already mentioned two of my great-grandfathers who fought in the civil war under the post of "Lucky" as they didn't get killed.
I haven't told about my grandfather developing a tracking device for anti-aircraft guns during WWI, which was stolen by the government when he applied for a patent, as I have only his word for it. He was a math professor, and during WWII, he had his best students (pretty much all girls) working computing missile range tables. His son, my uncle, worked on the atomic bomb, and met his wife-to-be at Oak Ridge, Tenn., where she ran the cyclotron. However, I've used my grandfather before in a number of these answers, and my uncle is not an ancestor. So...I have someone new!
I have learned about my father's side of the family much more recently then my mother's side of the family. My mother told stories about her childhood and ancestors, my father didn't. Even when asked. Just said he couldn't remember anything, other than that we might be descended from some Scottish or Irish king, way back when.
I have learned some family history from my father's brother, and his family. My cousin recently e-mailed me a copy of my great grandfather, Wellington Kinne Eggleston's, diary from when he was in the Civil War. (Good timing!) As this arrived quite recently, and I haven't had time to really read it yet, I will probably take most of the week (and maybe longer) to complete this post. Also, W.K.'s profile page needs a lot of work, yet. But that is what this challenge is about: taking the time to find out about our ancestors, and making their profiles presentable.
Wellington Kinne Eggleston with son Charles, around 1870.
Wellington Kinne Eggleston (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Eggleston-417 ) enlisted in the army Feb. 5th, 1864, towards the end of the Civil War. He was in the 1st Iowa Cavalry, Company G. He was in some skirmishes, then in the battle of Camden, Arkansas. Here is an excerpt from his diary:
'April 11th
'The battling started again and continued. The howitzers were brought into action, shelling the grove where the Rebels have taken refuge. “Six pound howitzers, unless more effective than any I have seen, are nothing but a nuisance; as I positively believe I can shoot farther and much more accurately with my carbine, and the ammunition for a single discharge of a howitzer of this size (if I mistake not) costs $10.00 or $15.00.”
'April 12th
'The whole front advanced. It was quite inspiring to view from the top of the bluff, the long lines of infantry and cavalry, three miles wide.
'April 15, 1864
'The Rebels were driven through the town of Camden, Ark. “The secesh families had meat cooked for their boys, when they would fall back into town; but we rushed them through the streets in such case that they had no time to dispose of it; and we saved the ladies the trouble of forwarding it. The Rebs got aboard a boat, in waiting for them, and pushed out before we could come up. I had the honor to be one of the first in town, and the next day General Carr sent his thanks to our battalion for ‘bravery evinced in leading the advance into Camden, facing the danger and driving the enemy from every position taken.’ I may write what transpired from that time, but for now,
'Farewell,
'Wellie'
He wound up after the war on the reconstruction brigade in Texas. He mustered out in Austin, Texas, in 1866.
