Your best source of information would be in his service record file which can be purchased through the service noted in the red enclosed box at the top of this page.
Also, this set of letters may be of help: VanLente, Johannes. The Civil War Letters of Johannes VanLente. [Ed. by Janice VanLente Catlin], Okemos, MI: Yankee Girl Pubs, 1992. 173 p.
Following is all I can find. He was most likely one of the six of a party left at Lenoir's Station to destroy ammunition and recorded as still missing.
My ggrandfather was with Longstreet's army during these engagements.
George Martin
George M. Goodenough
Residence Davison MI; 20 years old.
Enlisted on 8/9/1862 at Davison, MI as a Private.
On 9/11/1862 he mustered into "K" Co. MI 23rd Infantry
He died of disease as POW on 3/25/1864 at Andersonville, GA
He was listed as:
* POW 11/16/1863 Lenoir, TN
Other Information:
Buried: Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville, GA
Gravesite: 145
Roll of Honor Information:
Date of Death listed as 3/25/1864.
He was buried at:
Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville, GA (Grave #145)
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65
- Roll of Honor: Names of Soldiers Who Died in Defense of the Union
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MICHIGAN
Twenty-Third Infantry.
(Three Years)
The Twenty-third was recruited in the Sixth congressional
district, and was rendezvoused at Saginaw. It was mustered
into service Sept. 13, 1862, with an enrollment of 983 officers
and men.
The field, staff and line officers at organization were as
follows:
Colonel, Marshall W. Chapin, Detroit. Lieutenant Colonel,
Gilbert E. Pratt, Detroit. Major, Benjamin F. Fisher, East
Saginaw. Surgeon, Louis W. Fasquelle, St. Johns. Assistant
Surgeon, Gilbert H. Blaker, Houghton. Second Assistant
Surgeon, Gilbert Bogart, Jr., Flint. Adjutant, Campbell
Montgomery, Detroit. Quartermaster, Charles D. Little, Saginaw
City. Chaplain, James S. Smart, Flint.
A. Captain, Oliver L. Spaulding, St. Johns. First
Lieutenant, William Sickles, St. Johns. Second Lieutenant,
James Travis, St. Johns.
B. Captain, Henry Woodruff, East Saginaw. First
Lieutenant, Fayette Smith, Bridgeport. Second Lieutenant,
William A. Lewis, East Saginaw.
C. Captain, Charles E. McAllister, Flint. First
Lieutenant, George W. Buckingham, Flint. Second Lieutenant,
William C. Stewart, Flint.
D. Captain, Benjamin W. Huston, Vassar. First
Lieutenant, John Hamilton, Watrousville. Second Lieutenant,
John G. Riggs, Millington.
E. Captain, Henry C. Norville, Saginaw City. First
Lieutenant, John Earl, Harrisville. Second Lieutenant, Lester
E. Cross, Saginaw City.
F. Captain, Henry S. Raymond, Bay City. First
Lieutenant, Eben R. Ayers, Port Austin. Second Lieutenant,
John S. McKinney, Portsmouth.
G. Captain, Henry Walbridge, St. Johns. First
Lieutenant, Stephen J. Wright, St. Johns. Second Lieutenant,
Alonzo O. Hunt, St. Johns.
H. Captain, John Carland, Caledonia. First Lieutenant,
Benjamin F. Briscoe, Caledonia. Second Lieutenant, Marvin
Miller, Corunna.
I. Captain, Carlos D. Sheldon, Houghton. First
Lieutenant, Graham Pope, Houghton. Second Lieutenant, William
H. Patterson, Houghton.
K. Captain, Damon Stewart, Flint. First Lieutenant,
Samuel C. Randall, Flint. Second Lieutenant, John Rea, Flint.
The regiment left Saginaw the 18th of September, and
proceeded to Kentucky, where it was assigned to the army
commanded by General Rosecrans.
The Twenty-third was at Bowling Green, Ky., also at
Carthage, Glasgow and Thompkinsville during the winter, and in
July, 1863, started on a long march after the confederate
General John Morgan, and during this campaign was at
Louisville, Ky., Jeffersonville, Ind., Cincinnati, Portsmouth
and Chillicothe, Ohio, and then returned to Paris, Ky. It was
assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Twentieth
Corps Army of the Ohio, and started, in August, on the East
Tennessee campaign, and arrived at Knoxville Sept. 15. After a
march through East Tennessee, the regiment returned to
Knoxville, and was stationed at Loudon to intercept General
Longstreet's advance. It came in contact with the
confederates, who were marching upon Knoxville, and heavy
skirmishing commenced at once. The enemy attacked vigorously,
and the Union lines were slowly driven back, making an
obstinate defense of every foot of ground yielded.
At Campbell's Station, a few miles west of Knoxville, a
battle was fought with Longstreet's forces, in which the
Twenty-third lost heavily in killed and wounded. The weather
was cold and rainy, the roads almost impassable on account of
deep mud, and the troops were but poorly supplied with rations,
and great suffering was caused by a lack of tents, clothing,
boots and shoes. The Twenty-third acted as rear guard while
the corps was retiring upon Knoxville, and received special
commendation for its efficient work under the most trying
circumstances. . . . . . . .
Source: Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65
................
O.R.-- SERIES I--VOLUME XXXI/1 [S# 54] pp. 388-90
NOVEMBER 4-DECEMBER 23, 1863.--The Knoxville (Tennessee) Campaign.
No. 32. --Report of Maj. William W. Wheeler, Twenty-third Michigan Infantry.
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-THIRD MICHIGAN INFANTRY,
Knoxville, Tenn., November 30, 1863.
SIR: I have the honor to report that while the Twenty-third Michigan Infantry Volunteers (a part of the Second Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, Army of the Ohio) was in camp opposite Loudon, Tenn. (after the evacuation of that place by our forces on the 28th October, ultimo), by order of Brig. Gen. Julius White, commanding said Second Division, I was directed, near midnight of the 13th and 14th instant, to proceed with the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers and one section of Henshaw's (independent Illinois) battery toward Huff's Ferry (which is opposite the lower fortification at Loudon)for the purpose of verifying the information received of the passage of a portion of the enemy's forces on a pontoon bridge thrown across the river at that point.
About 2 o'clock on the morning of the 14th instant, I arrived with the forces above mentioned at a point distant about 1 mile from Huff's Ferry, having marched about 5 miles on the route, when I received an order from Brigadier-General White addressed to me, ordering me to return immediately to camp with the forces under my command. On reaching camp, in compliance with this order, I received instructions from your headquarters to send all baggage and transportation of the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers to the rear toward Lenoir's and to march my regiment as escort of the division and brigade trains.
As directed, the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers marched to Lenoir's, a distance of nearly 5 miles. At 12 m. of that day (Saturday, the 14th instant) I received orders from you to march my regiment (the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers) toward Loudon, in rear of the other troops forming the Second Brigade aforesaid. Passing the site of our camp left that morning, the Twenty-third Michigan, with the brigade column, had reached a point distant about 2 miles from Huff's Ferry, when I received an order from Brigadier-General White to march the regiment in support of Captain Sims' (Twenty-fourth Indiana) battery, with which I proceeded in advance about half a mile, taking a position there assigned, and remained there during the night. Two sections of Henshaw's (independent Illinois) battery in the meanwhile came up and took position at the same point. At 5 a.m. Sunday,-the 15th instant, I received orders from General White to proceed to the rear as rapidly as possible with the two batteries above mentioned.
For more than twenty-four hours the rain had fallen in torrents, and the roads, difficult at the best, were almost impassable for carriages. I therefore distributed the men of my command along the traces attached to the carriages, and by dint of the most arduous toil succeeded in reaching Lenoir's about 11 a.m., a distance of 9 miles. Here my command was again assigned to the support of the Twenty-fourth Indiana Battery, which was placed on a height commanding the river road from Loudon.
At 3 a.m., Monday, the 16th instant, I received an order from your headquarters to destroy my regimental wagons, and to proceed toward Knoxville, in escort of Henshaw's (Illinois) battery. The Twenty-third Michigan Volunteer Infantry arrived en route at Campbell's Station, a distance of 9 miles, about 11 o'clock that morning. About noon the regiment was, by your direction, formed in line of battle behind a small branch (or creek) in a meadow to the left of the highway as one approaches Knoxville, and on the right of the Thirteenth Kentucky Infantry Volunteers Shortly after, as the rear guard of the army came in, I was ordered by you to take up a new position about 200 yards toward the enemy, just in advance of-a barn. A brigade of the Ninth Corps occupied the position between the right of my regiment and the woods which skirted the open fields to our right, and which were distant about 60 perches. I had previously thrown forward Captain Buckingham's company (A) as skirmishers, who had orders from you to retire without engaging the enemy.
About 1.30 p.m. the enemy advanced a line of skirmishers on our front. Captain Buckingham's company (A) retired in accordance with your instructions, leaving only the skirmishers of the Thirteenth Kentucky on the front of the right wing of your brigade. At this juncture my regiment occupied the right center of our front, and was so placed that the right wing was on a slope looking toward the front and the woods before mentioned on our right, while the left wing occupied the crest and slope descending from our front. Directly afterward the skirmishers of the Thirteenth Kentucky Volunteers came in, leaving my regiment exposed to a galling fire from the enemy's skirmishers on our front and on our right, which was replied to with considerable effect by Captain Raymond's company (F), which I had posted in the barn above mentioned. Having received orders from you to hold this position at all hazards, I remained there with my regiment about two hours, suffering a loss of 6 enlisted men killed, I officer slightly wounded, and of enlisted men 2 mortally, 13 seriously, and 9 slightly wounded. At the end of that time, perceiving the enemy making preparations to throw a light battery into position on our front, at a distance of about 700 yards (which I was unable to prevent), I sent an orderly to the rear to find you or some officer of your staff, in order that I might apprise you of the necessity of my forming a new line about 40 yards to the rear of my position, which could be sheltered by the crest of a ridge on the exposed front of which the regiment was then posted. Presently Lieutenant Montgomery, your acting assistant adjutant-general, came up. I explained the exigency to him, posted the markers and colors on the new line, and had just given orders for the new formation when the enemy opened his battery with a fire of spherical case, canister, and grape with great precision, but fortunately with little effect beyond dislodging Captain Raymond's company (F)from the barn already mentioned.
About half an hour after the formation of this new line I received orders from you through Captain Gallup, brigade inspector on your staff, to march in retreat. This, therefore, I proceeded to do, unmasking our batteries, and exposed to the near and severe fire of the enemy's artillery crossing the highway leading toward Knoxville, and continuing beyond the range of the enemy's batteries, with no further loss and without confusion or trepidation in the ranks of the regiment. We remained in this new position until nightfall, when the regiment took position in column of the brigade which formed the rear guard of the army, and about 7 p.m. proceeded toward Knoxville, which place we reached about 4 a.m., Tuesday, the 17th instant, having been under arms without rest four nights and three days with the slightest allowance of food, exposed to most inclement weather, and much of the time on fatiguing march in presence of the enemy.
On Tuesday morning, 17th instant, the regiment was assigned a position on Temperance Hill, Knoxville, and since that time has furnished heavy details for grand guard and fatigue parties, besides fortifying its own and adjacent front, but has not engaged the enemy.
Six enlisted men of this regiment, of a party left at Lenoir's Station to destroy ammunition, are still missing, and are supposed to have been killed or taken prisoners by the enemy. The list of casualties, therefore, of the past month in our engagements with the enemy is as follows: Six enlisted men killed, 1 officer and 24 enlisted men wounded, and 6 enlisted men missing. Total killed, wounded, and missing, 37.
In conclusion, sir, I am gratified to add my testimony of the gallant conduct of the officers of the line and of the enlisted men of the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteers, and of the untiring zeal and efficiency of the regimental and medical staff, during the engagement at Campbell's Station, which was the first in which it has been its fortune to take a part, and of the wonderful fortitude which has sustained them in all these trying circumstances without a murmur and without a doubt.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. W. WHEELER,
Major, Comdg. Twenty-third Michigan Infantry Volunteers.
Col. M. W. CHAPIN,
Comdg. Second Brig., Second Div., 23d Army Corps.
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Confederate Reports
11 16 1863 [Monday]
Yanky forces retreating towards Knoxville. Longstreet, in close pursuit, has captured a number of prisoners and waggons. (Blair, 62nd Tn-87)
HEADQUARTERS LONGSTREET'S CORPS,
En Route, November 16, 1863 10.30 a.m.
Major-General WHEELER,
Commanding Cavalry :
GENERAL: I am just in receipt of your communication of the 14th instant reporting your operations.
We arrived near Lenoir's Station late yesterday afternoon and found the enemy there. While operating to intercept their farther retreat, it fell dark and suspended further operations for the night.
The enemy took the right-hand road from Huff's Ferry; we the other, or road to Campbell's Station, and struck them at Lenoir's. They left last night, and are now retreating precipitately with the head of our column just on their rear. They must soon be brought up. In the flight of the enemy some prisoners, 100 wagons (some in a damaged condition), and many medical stores have fallen into our hands.
In reference to your own movements the lieutenant-general commanding directs me to say that if you think your operations can be prosecuted with success and advantage on your present line, you had best continue on it, doing all the damage you can to the enemy and operating effectually on his flank. If, however, you, with your means of information, deem that you could accomplish more with us, you had better move across and join us. Your action should be decided by the information you receive and the prospect of accomplishing most. I hope to hear soon from you. We shall probably be beyond Concord to-night.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
G. M. SORREL,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Assistant Adjutant-General. OR 31/3,702/3)
11 18 1863 [Wednesday]
HEADQUARTERS,
Four Miles from Knoxville, November 18, 1863.
General B. BRAGG:
Your note of the 14th is received. I am very much occupied at present with our affairs with the enemy. I will furnish the copy you desire as soon as I have a little time, provided the paper has not been misplaced.
May I ask that you will send me I or 2 telegraph operators. We have driven the enemy into his fortifications around Knoxville and he now confines himself closely to the town, the only road from it that is not guarded being the road across the river by his pontoon bridge.
We have captured 100 wagons, many of them injured by cutting the spokes and some partially burned; 400 or 500 prisoners have been taken; four or five stand of colors, and a considerable amount of ammunition and other property and baggage. We got greatly the advantage of the enemy in our moves after crossing the river, but were an hour or two too late on one day in reaching him, and he retreated hastily during the night. The next day we failed to get to our points by about fifteen minutes, so that he got his position behind the point where I had proposed to intercept him--Campbell's Station. Then, after getting his position, we were unable to make our plan and arrangements for attack, but he escaped and got into another position a little before night. It was then too late to make other plans and arrangements, night coming on.
General Leadbetter promised to send up engineer companies to rebuild the railroad bridge at Loudon. May I ask that you will hove this attended to for us as soon as possible, as I have no means myself of having the bridge rebuilt.
We have been occupied to-day in driving the enemy from his advance line of defenses, only succeeding a little before night. Though we had no general battle, we have been skirmishing every day since we crossed the river and have sustained considerable loss. Various rumors here state that the enemy expects relief from the army at Chattanooga.
I remain, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. LONGSTREET,
Lieutenant-General, Commanding. (OR 31/3, 707)
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See also:
http://www.michiganinthewar.org/infantry/23compa.htm
http://www.mosocco.com/michigan.html