Col. E. Colyer (Biography)

[genealogynut]

Taken from History of the State of Kansas, by William G. Cutler

COL. E. COLYER, farmer, P.O. Union Center, was born in Albion, Ill., in 1832, and was raised on a farm until 1857, when he started on a western tour, reaching Omaha, Neb., in May of the same year; thence to Burt County and took a claim on the Missouri River, and built the first saw mill in the county; remained there until June 1859, when he took a trip down the river to St. Joseph, Mo., in a skiff, from St. Joseph he returned to his old home in Illinois, and engaged in farming, remaining there until May 1861, when the rebellion awoke his patriotic spirit, and he entered the army.  He enlisted as a private in the Eighteenth Regiment Illinois Infantry, Col. Lawlers, May 4, 1861; was transferred to the Thirty-eighth Illinois, September following, as Second Lieutenant, was at the battle of Frederickstown; Was with Gen Steele from Pilot Knob to Jacksonport, Ark.  He was transferred to Pope's Division of the Army of the Mississippi; participated in the siege of Corinth, Miss., then was in the campaign from White Mountain to Nashville; was in Carlin's Brigade, which suffered such terrible loss at the battle of Murfreesboro.  In June 1863, he took part in the Middle Tennessee campaign and next in the battle of Chickamauga, where he received a slight wound in the wrist from a charge of grape, recapturing a battery, on the 20th day of September, he was knocked down by the bursting of a shell at his face which has permanently injured his hearing, at this time he was promoted to First Lieutenant.  He was at the seige of Chattanooga and the battle of Lookout Mountain; his regiment was veteranized, February 29, 1864, when he was elected Major and went home on a furlough, rejoined his command in May, near Resaca, Ga. From there he participated in the campaign around Atlanta to the close at the battle of Jonesboro; he was for twenty-six days and nights under continuous fire from the enemy; from thence he marched to Pulaski, Tenn; was in the battles of Franklin and Nashville; was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel; then in the chase after Hood to Huntsville, Ala., where he received his commission as Colonel of the Thirty-eighth; from that point they marched to the Strawberry Plains, East Tenn., over the great Smokey range up the French Broad River to Asheville, N. C., where he fought the Rebel Gen. Vance, on the 8th and 9th of April 1865.  He was soon after district commander, having two adjutants at different headquarters, besides being President of a military commission to try civilians, and a member of a court martial to try Col. Barry for selling cotton. Col Colyer was mustered out in April 1866.  He then settled in Carthage, Mo., and engaged in the drug business, which he carried on four years, and then migrated to Kansas, locating on Section 32, Township 29, Range 10, Howard County, and in company with his brother put up a mill on the Elk River.  He followed this business until 1876; since then he has devoted his whole attention to farming.  In May 1864; he was married to Miss Eliza Newport, of Albion, Ill. They have six children--Edward E. Frederick W. Lena E., Mary F., Frank E., and Annie B.  The Colonel and his wife are members of the Christian Church.