James M Dennis (1839 - aft. 1871)

Born 1839 in Knox, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Frederica Schumacher — married 3 Mar 1871 in Pine Bluff, Jefferson, Arkansas, United States

Died after 1871 after age 32 in Pine Bluff, Jefferson, Arkansas, United States

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Biography

Corporal and Quartermaster Sergeant James Dennis served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: July 30, 1861
Mustered out: September 27, 1864
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Co B, 2nd Regiment, Iowa Cavalry

Captain James Dennis served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: July 15, 1864
Mustered out: February 25, 1866
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Co M, 4th Regiment, United States Colored Heavy Artillery

James was born in 1839. He is the son of Isaac Dennis and Mary Woodward.

On 31 August 1862, James M Dennis enlisted and was mustered in to Company B, 2nd Iowa Cavalry as a Corporal. His brother, William W. Dennis, mustered in the same day as a Private in the same company. They served together until both reenlisting in 1864.

Company B was mainly composed of men from the Marshall County area in Iowa. After promoting all the way from Corporal to Quartermaster Sergeant, James reenlisted on 1 March 1864 and was commissioned as an officer as Captain of M Company, 4th US Colored Troops Heavy Artillery on 10 May 1864.

Captain Dennis wrote in a letter to his command that "I was present at the taking of Newmarket, evacuation of Island No. 10, through entire siege of Corinth, participating in several extensive raids and important engagements, and after the evacuation of the palace, was in most of the cavalry expeditions of consequence in Northern Mississippi and Western Tennessee till the spring of 1864 when I was detailed to recruit for a colored regiment at Memphis Tennessee and after recruiting a company was appointed to my present position (Captain.)"

The 4th USCT Heavy Artillery served garrison duty in Columbus, Kentucky from 1864, and in 1865 were transferred to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, until they were discharged in 1866.

James Dennis was discharged on 25 February 1866 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, He was enumerated as a lawyer in the 1870 census, and on 5 March 1871, married Frederica C Schumacher. Tragically, Frederica died 6 months later by 11 October 1871.

James's date of death is unknown. It is likely that he died after 1871 and before 1880, probably in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Sources

• *"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXQF-LW9 : 21 December 2020), James M Dennis in household of Isaac Dennis, Jackson Township, Knox, Ohio, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8L7-JZ2 : 18 February 2021), James Dennis in entry for Isaac Dennis, 1860.

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCW-RL5 : 28 May 2021), J M Dennis, 1870.