GRAVE 2097 AT CAMP CHASE READS- JAMES LYKENS CO. A 12 KY. CAV. CSA
GRAVE 2097 should be Private James Lykins Company A 12th Kentucky Cavarly USA Although the surname can be spelled different ways ie Lykens/Lykins/Likens/Likins there was only one that had Compiled Military Service Records in Company A 12th Kentucky Cavarly. And he was Private James Likens Company A 12th Kentucky Cavarly (Union) Furthermore his death date corresponds exactly with that of the Camp Chase death records. He is not listed in the Confederate dead list at Camp Chase which again makes a compelling argument for James Likens being a United States soldier in my opinion. Private James Likens joined Company A 12th Kentucky Cavarly (Union) on August 12, 1862 at Woodbury, Kentucky at age 34 (born about 1828) (Woodbury, Kentucky is located in Butler County Kentucky) James Likens is listed as living in Butler, County Kentucky in the 1850 United States census with his wife Anna and (maiden name Cole born August 31, 1825 and died December 29, 1903) their newborn child Chesterfield Likens. James Likens birth year was listed as about 1829 and he was listed as being born in Kentucky and could read and write. According to the United States census of 1860 his name is spelled James Lykins and he was living in district #2 in Warren County Kentucky near Bowling Green, Kentucky. He was listed as being a farmer and living with his wife Anna and their now three children, Chesterfield, John, and James. Their second child John Lykins (age 3) was listed as being born in Illinois, suggesting that the family may had moved to Illinois for a short period of time. However on John Mathew Lykins death certificate he was listed as being born in Butler. He was born on August 6, 1857 and died on September 18, 1933. Furthermore it lists his father James Lykins as being born in Butler County Kentucky and his mother being born in Warren County Kentucky. (See find a grave memorial #69047373 for a photo of his grave) On December 6, 1930 the oldest child Reverend Chesterfield (spelled Lykins) died in Woodbury, Kentucky. On his death certificate he was listed as being born on October 1, 1849 and his mother was Annie Cole and his father James Lykins both being born in Warren County Kentucky. It would appear that the family moved back and forth from Warren County Kentucky to Butler County Kentucky. Both Annie Cole Lykins (see find a grave memorial #19784222 for a photo of her grave) and her oldest son Chesterfield (see find a grave memorial #19784205 for a photo of grave) are now buried at the Cook Cemetery in Woodbury,(Butler County) Kentucky. As stated Private James Lykins enlisted in Company A 12th Kentucky Cavarly (Union) on August 12, 1862 at Woodbury, Kentucky. However the 12th Kentucky Cavalry (Union) was organized at Caseyville and Owensboro, Kentucky and mustered in on November 17, 1862. Although the 12th Kentucky Cavalry had not been officially mustered into service some of its member found themselves in a skirmish at Sutherland Farm, Kentucky, near Owensboro on September 19, 1862. The day before the 12th Kentucky Cavalry (Union) had been involved in a skirmish at Owensboro, Kentucky. The former skirmish at Sutherland Farms was considered the larger of the two and the 12th Kentucky Cavalry reported losing six soldiers. The 12th Kentucky Cavalry reported as engaging rebels from Adam Johnson's guerrilla band at Sutherland Farm, Kentucky. According to Private James Lykins (Likens) Compiled Military Service Records he was paroled at Owensboro, Kentucky of September 20, 1862 and sent to Louisville, Kentucky as a prisoner waiting to be exchanged. From Louisville, Kentucky he was sent to either Camp Lew Wallace (Camp Lew Wallace was a Union parole camp on what is now part of the Ohio State University and the camp closed its doors in January of 1863 and all paroled prisoners were sent to Camp Chase) or Camp Chase both located near Columbus, Ohio. He would become a prisoner within his own army until properly exchanged as a prisoner of war. The Union prisoners at Camp Chase were generally looked down upon by their Union guards. At this stage of the War for the Union if a soldier did not want to fight he could be captured and sent back North and wait to be exchanged and then wait for his enlistment to expire and then go home. (This was not true however for the Confederates as they enlisted for the duration of the War) Private James Lykins Company A 12th Kentucky Cavalry (Union) was admitted to the Camp Chase general hospital on December 25, 1862 and died of small-pox on January 9, 1863. Private James Lykins Company A 12th Kentucky Cavalry (Union) was buried in grave #60 at the Southeast City Cemetery by Brotherlin & Halms (contracted government undertakers) The Southeast City Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio had been used for both Confederate and Union soldiers until mid summer of 1863. On August 1, 1863 the Camp Chase Cemetery was created and the dead Confederates were buried there. In May of 1869 Captain Irving of the United States Quartermasters Department re-interred 50 Confederates from the Southeast Cemetery into the Camp Chase Cemetery and today those soldiers can be found in Row 41. In July of 1863 the trustees at the privately owned Green Lawn Cemetery donated land for the dead Union soldiers and officers. In January of 1864 bodies of Union soldiers were re-interred to Green Lawn Cemetery from the Southeast Cemetery however, those dying of a contagious disease (such as small-pox) were left behind at the Southeast Cemetery until 1869. Why Private James Lykins a United States Soldier was buried in a Confederate Cemetery remains a mystery. Private James Lykins now has a Confederate tombstone over his grave #2097 at the Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery. (There was overwhelming evidence in my opinion as to the correct spelling of Lykins due to family death certificates etc)
JAMES LYKINS OWNED NO SLAVES according to the census of 1860 slave schedule.