My Genealogy Hound

D. MONROE DICKINSON, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Sabina; born in Pike Co., Ill., Oct. 29, 1842 (he is the son of Eliada and Lois Dickinson, whose biography appears among the sketches of Empire Township, in another part of this work); after attending the common schools until 15 years of age, he entered the German and English College at Quincy, which he attended two terms, and upon the 8th of August, 1862, he enlisted in the 99th Regt. of I. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union; he served in the campaign of Missouri until the spring of 1863; he was then forwarded to the attack upon Vicksburg, joining the army at Milliken’s Bend, and was then continually engaged in fighting, until the surrender of Vicksburg upon the 4th of July following; among the battles in which he was engaged upon that campaign were Grand Gulf, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, Black River, and was in the memorable charge on the 22d of May, upon the rebel breastworks at Vicksburg, where the gallant 99th engaged with 300 strong, and of which 150 were killed and many more wounded; he remained with the army at Vicksburg until its surrender, after which he was engaged in Mississippi, including the second battle of Jackson, where, after a two weeks siege, the Union army was victorious; returning to Vicksburg; he was transferred to the Gulf department, and after assisting in the, capture of Fort Esperanza, was sent to Mobile Bay, and assisted in the capture of Fort Games, Fort Morgan, Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, when the 99th had the honor of being the first regiment to march into Mobile; he was then sent to Shreveport, La., and Baton Rouge, where he was mustered out of service in August, 1865. Mr. Dickinson served in the Union army upwards of three years; he was wounded at the battle of Magnolia, but refused to go to the hospital; at the battle of Black River, a ball passed through his coat and vest; at the second battle of Jackson, a piece of shell passed through his hat; after receiving his discharge in August, 1865, he returned to West Township, McLean Co., and the fall of 1866 purchased 280 acres in West Township, which he afterward exchanged for his present place of 240 acres, where he now lives, His marriage with Maria I. Williams was celebrated Feb. 28, 1867; she was born in Boone Co., Ind., Jan. 21, 1850; they have three children by this union — Clara Lois, born Jan, 10, 1868; Melvina, Sept. 19, 1870, and Eliada, Aug. 9, 1873.