no image
Privacy Level: Open (White)

William F. Robinson (1848 - aft. 1910)

William F. Robinson
Born in Pulaski, Missouri, United Statesmap
Son of and [mother unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died after after age 61 in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Brenda Gravitt private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 4 Nov 2014
This page has been accessed 302 times.

Biography

Pvt William Robinson served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: June 26, 1862
Mustered out: unknown
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Company B, 1st Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry


Company B, 1st Regiment Arkansas Cavalry (Union), US Civil War

ROBINSON, WILLIAM F. , Private Enlisted 26 Jun 1862 Pulaski Co, MO - Age 18 [1]



He served with the Union in the civil war and apparently saved the lives of Buck Elmore and Milton Brown.


Silas Turnbo Story

PROTECTING THE LIVES OF TWO PAROLED SOLDIERS By Silas C. Turnbo "There were some desperate fellows in the Civil War. These ruffians killed indiscriminately unarmed men of the opposite side whenever they had the chance. These characters belonged to both armies and it was a shame to the honor of the regular armies of both north and south that these barbarians were tolerated in their wicked work. In some cases the commanders were not to blame for they could not help it and the cruel offender went unpunished. Mr. William Robinson, a member of the First Arkansas Cavalry on the union side gave the writer this account. "I remember shortly after the battle of Prairie Grove that the company I belonged to and another company of the regiment were sent from Fayetteville to Springfield, Missouri, for supplies or in other words, a train of wagons was sent and we were ordered to go along with it as an escort to guard the wagons to prevent them falling Into the hands of the confederates. I was well acquainted with a number of men who had enlisted In the southern army who had formerly lived in Pulaski County, Missouri, where I was born and partly raised. These men were my friends. Though we were divided in sentiments. They went south and I went north as the saying was then, yet I loved these men for they were good neighbors and the war did not spoil our friendship. True I thought they did wrong in defending some principles that the southern people held to, but I suppose they thought I did wrong in enlisting for the defense of the stars and stripes. I have never regretted in taking sides with the union and I do not suppose that a true confederate soldier was ever sorry that he contended for the sunny south. I am sorry to say that there were a few rough men in our regiment that had no mercy on confederate prisoners, if they had an opportunity to display their cowardice without being exposed. A few days after the Battle of Prairie Grove a number of the confederate soldiers who lived in Missouri that were captured by our men in the fight at Prairie Grove were paroled to return to their respective homes. The federal authorities deemed it prudent to do this for they thought that after these men had returned home they would reconsider what they had done in taking up arms against the union and join the federal army and make as good soldiers on the government side as they had been for the southern confederacy and so they were paroled and sent on their way home to obey the laws in force where they lived. On our return back from Springfield with the wagon train of supplies we met several of these paroled soldiers on their way home and I also noticed that when we met these men and they had passed on some few of our most desperate and wicked men of our command would drop back and after they were gone we could hear the distant report of guns and it was not long before it leaked out that these men were murdering paroled confederates and that a few officers encouraged the dirty and brutal work of shooting these unarmed and defenseless men, Some of the men including some of the officers protested against this barbarity but It done but little good. Finally we met two paroled men who were my neighbors in Pulaski County their names of which were Buck Elmore and Milton Brown. I recognized them but I did not get to speak to them and if they recognized me they did not let it be known. My brother Ezekiel Robinson was a member of the same company I was and we were riding side by side when the two southern men passed us. As soon as they had gone on by us I told my brother who they were for he failed to recognize them. I told him that we must not let them wicked men kill them and he agreed to help me interfere in their behalf. In a few minutes more we saw these same murderers drop back and we knew their purpose at once. I and my brother waited long enough until they rode just beyond our view and we followed them and urging our horses into a fast gallop as we overtaken them just as they had caught up with the two southern men who were traveling the main road and not making any efforts to shun us by turning to one side and following bypaths. The two southern boys were surprised at seeing four cavalry men dash up behind them and followed by two others and were horrified to find that the first four men were preparing to shoot them down, but we interfered and informed them if they shot them boys they would suffer for it and more than that if they killed them they would have to kill us too if they got in their shots first, they cursed terrible oaths for our interference but we told them that they could do their worst if they got in their work first. We told them we intended to protect them that they were on parole and none but cowards would take advantage of them. At this they called us traitors and all other mean epithets were hurled at us that they could think of,, finding that they dare not hurt the two men in our presence they reined their horses around and rode back toward the command. It was now that the two Southerners recognized I and my brother and thanked us very courteously for our timely interference in saving their lives. We had no time for further talk for we were compelled to leave them and galloped back and soon overtook the four men that wanted to kill them.They were sulky but we kept an eye on them for we were afraid they might go back and kill the two men yet but they did not. Some years after the great struggle had ended and what was left of us had settled down to citizenship again I met these same two men once more and after a cordial greeting of each other they informed me that they quit the main road after we left them and went through the woods and prairies and followed trails all the way to their homes in Pulaski County."

Sources

  1. Gerdes Civil War Page, Arkansas Units, http://www.couchgenweb.com/civilwar/1stcav-b.html
  • Civil war story also found on profile of Ezekiel James Robinson as told by Ezekiel's brother William. Military records shows William F. and Ezekiel J. Robinson served in Company B, 1st Regiment Arkansas Cavalry (Union). Both enlisted June 1862.
  • Find a Grave, database and images, Find A Grave: Memorial #10256948 for William F Robinson (9 Feb 1848–5 Feb 1910), Find a Grave Memorial no. 10256948, citing Park Grove Cemetery, Broken Arrow, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, USA ; Maintained by Selma Hamlin (contributor 47149915) .
  • "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDZJ-D41 : 4 April 2020), William Robertson in household of Rhody Mcmannus, Pulaski county, Pulaski, Missouri, United States; citing family 281, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).




Is William your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message the profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of William's ancestors' DNA have taken a DNA test. Have you taken a test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.


Comments: 1

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
I've got a Private William Robinson from the Union (54th Massachusetts) with no family connections yet. Any chance this is the same man? The soldiers of the 54th were black or mixed race if that helps.
posted by K Raymoure

Connections to Super Bowl halftime show performers: William is 21 degrees from Prince Nelson, 21 degrees from Dan Aykroyd, 15 degrees from Garth Brooks, 28 degrees from Chubby Checker, 24 degrees from Ella Fitzgerald, 19 degrees from Dusty Hill, 32 degrees from Whitney Houston, 20 degrees from Mick Jagger, 17 degrees from Paul McCartney, 19 degrees from Tom Petty, 18 degrees from Chris Stapleton and 23 degrees from Shania Twain on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.

R  >  Robinson  >  William F. Robinson

Categories: 1st Regiment, Arkansas Cavalry (Union), United States Civil War