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Alexander T. Sackett (1820-1865)

Alexander T. Sackett, son of Dr. David Filer Sackett and Martha Milliken, was born 1820 in Wayne Co., IN.  He was married 20 Feb 1845 in Muncie, IN. to Cornelia Clark Gilbert.  Unfortunately, we know more about his service in the Civil War and his death than we do about the rest of his life.

Charles Weygant; "The Sacketts of America", Pages 358-359
"3962.  Alexander Sackett, 1820-1864, son of (1535) Dr., David F. and Martha Milliken Sackett, was married Feb. 20, 1845,  to Cornelia Clark Gilbert, daughter of William Gilbert and his wife Anna Delamater.  Mr. Sackett was a Union veteran of the Cival War.  He enlisted in 8th Iowa Cavalry, which was attached to the 15th Army Corps.  After participating with credit in several engagements he was captured by the Confederates in McCook's raid at Newman, Georgia and suffered confinement in several prisons.  At length, in 1864, he was exchanged, and broken in health started north on the steamer General Lyon, which was lost with all on board between Fortress Monroe and Wilmington.  In 1869 his widow married Hampton Olney, who died in 1883.  In 1905 she was residing with her son, James A. Sackett, on a farm they own jointly near Dudley, Ill."(sic) [Dudley, Wapello Co., IA]

Accounts of the movements of the 8th Iowa Cavalry and the 4th Kentucky Infantry leading up to the raid at Newman, GA., and the capture of a large number of men, can be found at:

THE 4TH KENTUCKY INFANTRY:
"After being furloughed at Louisville, the unit rendezvoused at Camp Nelson in early
March of 1864, reorganizing as a mounted regiment, returning to the war via
Nashville, Tn. and on to Snake Creek Gap, Ga., skirmishing at Lafayette on June 24.

In July, the unit left Snake Creek Gap and joined McCook's Cavalry Division at the
Chattahoochie River. It engaged in battle at Mason's Church, Lovejoy's, Shakerag
and at Newman, Ga., where a large portion of regiment was captured. The
remainder of the regiment returned to Nashville to refit ..."

"They remained in Camp about Two Weeks - on the North Bank of the Chattahoui River
in Front of the Rebel Lines and in Sight of Atlanta, When some Time towards the
last of July - then our Regt with 3 others under Genl Ed McCook were Sent on an
Expidition South in the Rear of the Rebel Lines to Cut thier Communications with
ther Source of Supplies and Reinforcements ..."
"...  if Now they had turned back all would have been well - the had
done all and more they had set out to do and the Line of Retreat was Yet Open -
but No - Fate had Orderd it to otherwise, they Kept on one more day - and then it
was to Late. A Large Rebbel Force was after Them - they now tried another Rout
to try and cut thier way out But on the 30th of July were brought to Bay and Stop
and Fight. This took place at Newman Ga. 4 Miles South of it and about 60 Miles
South of Atlanta on the Plantation of an Old Retired Presbetarian Minister by Name
of Cook. ..."
"... The Unhorsed Boys took to the Brush and tried to Escape that Way -
but only a very few reached Camp - the Rest were Captured and for Months after
Sufferd All the Maryterdome of that Hell on Earth, Andersonville and quite a
Number Died  ..." - My Civil War Before, During and After; by Josiah Conzett

The accounts of the loss of the Steamer General Lyon would suggest that Alexander T. Sackett had been in Florence Stockade or Salaisbury Prison prior to his parole;

"Passenger List of the Steamer General Lyon  when the ship burned to the waterline off Cape Hatteras, NC on or about 31 March 1865.  (not to be mistaken as the U.S.S. General Lyon)

Her passengers consisted of discharged soldiers, paroled prisoners of war (most of whom were from the Florence Stockade, SC & Salisbury Prison, NC) and refugees; including about thirty women and twenty-five small children. ..."

• 1) A document from The Adjutant General's Office, dated 23 April 1867 states that he was "reported a paroled prisioner of war lost on board Steamer General Lyon March 31st 1865".
• 2)  In Cornelia Sackett's petition for a pension dated 12 Aug 1865, she states; "That she is the widow of Alexander Sackett who was "on board the Steamer "Gen. Lyon" when said Steamer was lost at sea."
• 3)  In the document titled; Declaration of Minor Children for Pensions, dated 21 Jan 1870,  it is stated that "Alexander Sackett died by being lost on the US Steamer Gen'l Lyon on the 1st day of April in the year 1865 being lost as above stated in the line of his duty as a soldier near Cape Hatteras, N.C."

Accounts of the loss of the Steamer General Lyon can be found at

                       Transcribed by Bernard Yeatts
The New York Times - Monday, April 3, 1865; Vol. XIV No. 4220 Page 5

                        DREADFUL FIRE AT SEA.
                       FIVE HUNDRED LIVES LOST

  The U. S. Transport Steamer General Lyon Burned Off Cape Hatteras.
        Invalid Troops, Refugees, and Women and Children on Board.

The steamer Gen. Sedgwick, which arrived at this port at noon yesterday,
brought as passengers twenty-nine persons saved from the wreck of the
transport steamer Gen. Lyon, which took fire off Cape Hatteras on the
morning of Friday last, and was totally destroyed. The Gen. Lyon had on
board from five hundred and fifty to six hundred souls. The twenty-nine
who arrived here yesterday are believed to be all that was saved.

It appears from the statements of these men that the Gen. Lyon, a screw
steamer which had formerly been used as a blockade-runner, sailed from
Wilmington for Fortress Monroe, on the morning of Wednesday last, with
nearly six hundred persons on board, including the crew.

Her passengers consisted of discharged and paroled soldiers, escaped
prisoners and refugees, among whom were about thirty women and
twenty-five small children. Two negroes were also among the refugees. The
weather was fair on leaving Wilmington, but the steamer put into the port
of Smithfield for the night and resumed her voyage on the following
morning. Soon after leaving Smithfield the wind, which was blowing from
the southwest, increased in violence, and the vessel, which was a very
slow one, made but little progress. At ten o'clock on Friday morning she
was off Cape Hatteras, the wind having increased to a hurricane and the
sea running very high. It is believed that the vessel was about sixty
miles from land when an alarm of fire was given, and in a few minutes
afterward the flames broke out at the rear of the pilot-house and nearly
in the centre of the vessel. Several of the crew were in the rigging, and
there were very few persons on deck at the time, many of the passengers
being confined to their berths by sickness. The first mate, James Gibbs,
and the other officers of the vessel immediately got the fire pumps to
work with which, and the requisite quantity of hose, the vessel was well
provided. But the flames steadily gained headway, and although the pumps
were worked with unflinching perseverance, the fire soon spread over the
centre portion of the deck, driving the crew and those who were assisting
them to the stern and bow of the vessel. The hatches had been closed in
consequence of the decks being so constantly under water, but those
below, alarmed by the smoke which was spreading through he cabins, rushed
on deck only to be driven back by the flames. The frightful shrieks of
the women and children, and their piteous supplications for help were
drowned by the roaring of the storm. Several of the paroled soldiers were
sick and confined to their berths. Some of them managed to crawl on deck,
and clung there until washed overboard by the waves. In about half an
hour after the fire broke out, the engines partially stopped, and the
vessel immediately swung round with her broadside to the wind, and the
flames then spreading across the deck.

It had now became quite evident that the ship could not be saved. The
first officer acted with great courage, and only abandoned the vessel
when all hopes of saving her were gone. The fire-pumps wee still kept at
work, and the flames were fought back with great determination. Many of
those below were doubtless already suffocated. The shrieks and moans of
the dying came up to those on deck, but they could do nothing to help
them. Just at this time a steamer, which proved to be the United States
transport Gen. Sedgwick, Capt. Starkey, and a small schooner, hove in
sight. But neither of them could render any assistance, owing to the
violence of the storm and the fact that the burning steamer had drifted
in toward the breakers. The flames were now spreading with fearful
rapidity. The boats were launched, although there appeared to be little
hope of their living in such a sea. Into the first boat ten men lowered
themselves, including the Captain of the General Lyon. It is affirmed by
several of those who escaped that the Captain had lost all control of
himself, and was evidently crazed with fear. Hardly had this boat been
loosed from the vessel's side than she drifted under her stern, was
struck by the screw, and almost instantly went down. Irah Lewis, a
private in the Eighty-ninth New-York Regiment, who was in the boat at the
time, states that he saw the Captain sink. Lewis and two others alone
escaped. A second boat was launched, and in this twenty-seven persons,
including the First Mate, John Haydon, lowered themselves and succeeded
in reaching the General Sedgwick, which was about a mile and a half
distant. As the boat touched the steamer's side a wave dashed her
violently against it, and she filled and went down. Of the twenty-seven
persons in the boat, seven only were saved. Among these were the Mate,
James Gibbs, Barney Losey, of the Fifth Virginia Regiment, and John
Fitzgerald, of the Fifty-sixth Illinois. In the meantime a number of the
men had thrown themselves overboard, trusting to a spar for support. One
man, Isaiah C. Colby, of the Fifth Ohio Cavalry, after working at the
fire pumps until he was almost exhausted, seized one of the doors of the
galley and sprang overboard. He was in the water three hours before he
was picked up. Others were also in the water for several hours, and many,
doubtless, sank before assistance could be rendered. It is supposed that
the schooner did not succeed in rescuing any of them. So far as known,
the following are the only persons saved out of a total of from 550 to
600: ...

---------------------------

ARNOLD, James - Private, Co. F, 15th IA Infantry - Paroled Prisoner - 1, 3, 5, 7
BELKNAP, Fernando - Private, Co. D, 17th IA Infantry - Paroled Prisoner - Mustered out 25 July 1865 at Louisville, KY - 1, 3, 5, 7
CAVOY or CALVORY, J. - 3rd IA Cavalry - Paroled Prisoner - 1, 3, 5
DAVIS, A. - IA - Paroled Prisoner - 1, 5 - May be same as Davis, R.
DAVIS, R. - 11th IA - Paroled Prisoner - 3 - May be same as Davis, A.
DOWNING, J. C. - 24th IA - Paroled Prisoner - 1, 3, 5
McDOWELL, C. - 8th IA Cavalry - Paroled Prisoner - 3 - Possibly John C. McDole.
MORRIS, Calvin P. - Sergeant, Co. D, 17th IA Infantry - Paroled Prisoner - 1, 3, 5, 7
MURRAY, Perry G. - Sergeant, Co. I, 39th IA Infantry - Paroled Prisoner - Perished approx. 28 March 1865 - 1, 3 as B. Gunway, 5, 7
RHODES, Joseph - Private, Co. C, 3d IA Cavalry - Paroled Prisoner - 3, 5, 7
SACKETT, Alexander T. - Private, Co. B, 8th IA Cavalry - Paroled Prisoner - 1, 3, 5, [6*], 7
*Pension file for his minor children

Sources
   1.National Archives
   2.New York Times, April 3d, 1865 & Military Disasters
   3.New York Times, April 14th, 1865
   4.Times of London, April 27th, 1865
   5.New York Times, January 19th, 1866
   6.Pension File / National Archives
   7.Regimental Information
The numbers that follow the names represent the above sources where their name was found.