Charles and Harrison Soule

Charles Soule was born in 1845 in Michigan, the son of Benjamin (1810-1876) and Alzina or Alvina (1816-1868).

His parents were both born in New York and possibly married there. In any case, the family moved to Michigan probably from New York sometime before 1835, and by 1850 Charles was attending school with four of his older siblings (including older brother Harrison who would also enlist in the Third Michigan infantry) and living with his family on a farm in Keene, Ionia County. By 1860 his family had moved to a farm in Algoma, Kent County. Near by lived Highland Warner and his mother. Highland too would serve in the Third Michigan. And next door to Highland lived the Hamblin brothers, three of whom would serve in the Third Michigan during the war – and who would all die during the war. On the other side of the Hamblins lived Henry Magoon and his parents; Henry too would serve in the Old Third.

In any case, Charles was 16 years old and probably living in Algoma when he enlisted in Company C on May 13, 1861, along with his older brother Harrison. Charles was taken prisoner on November 30, 1863, at Mine Run, Virginia, and sent to Andersonville, Georgia. James McElroy, who had also been a prisoner at Andersonville, wrote after the war that Charles, who was “a chum of mine,” was in the Second squad of the First detachment within the prison organization. Charles was reportedly “doing well” by late 1864, but was soon struck down by dysentery, and admitted to the prison hospital on March 24, 1865, with chronic diarrhea. He was exchanged on March 26, and admitted to McPherson hospital in Vicksburg, Mississippi, from Camp Parole, on April 7, suffering from dysentery.

Charles died in the hospital on April 20, 1865, and was buried in Vicksburg National Cemetery: section I, grave 7429. (His three brothers James, Warren and Harrison all died during the war, as did two sisters, Martha and Olive. One brother, Wilbur, survived.)

No pension seems to be available.

His father was living in Lyons, Ionia County in 1870.

Harrison Soule was born in 1842 in Michigan, the son of Benjamin (1810-1876) and Alzina or Alvina (1816-1868).

His parents were both born in New York and possibly married there. In any case, the family moved to Michigan probably from New York sometime before 1835, and by 1850 Harrison was attending school with four of his siblings (including a younger brother Charles who would also enlist in the Third Michigan infantry) and living with his family on a farm in Keene, Ionia County. By 1860 his family had moved to a farm in Algoma, Kent County. Near by lived Highland Warner and his mother. Highland too would serve in the Third Michigan. And next door to Highland lived the Hamblin brothers, three of whom would serve in the Third Michigan during the war – and who would all die during the war. On the other side of the Hamblins lived Henry Magoon and his parents; Henry too would serve in the Old Third.

Harrison was 19 years old and probably living in Algoma when he enlisted in Company C on May 13, 1861, along with his younger brother Charles.

Harrison died of typhoid fever on May 29, 1862 at Annapolis, Maryland. According to Eli Hamblin, another member of the Third Michgian and who was from Algoma before the war, on June 15, 1862 he wrote to his own family in algoma.

Harrison Soule was sick a long time. He was taken sick at Fortress Monroe with the dysentery but kept along with us until we got to Yorktown some twenty miles from Fortress Monroe and stayed with us there until we left there but when we got to Yorktown he was very sick with the dysentery and I think he had some fever too but when we left Yorktown he was some better so that he started with us from there and came to Cumberland Landing some forty miles form Yorktown. I think he had not ought to of left Yorktown. If he had been left there until he was well and tough he would have been well now but he was one of that kind of boys that if he could get one foot before the other he would. Harrison was a good soldier. There was no hang back to him. I do not know what was the disease that he died with; he was sent back to Annapolis in Maryland form Cumberland Landing so that I did not hear from him until I heard he was dead. I believe he died the twenty-ninth of May.

Harrison was buried the same day in the Episcopal cemetery no. 9, Annapolis, Maryland, and is presently listed as interred in the National Cemetery, section G, grave no. 157 (official no. 71). (His brothers James, Warren and Charles all died during the war, as did two sisters, Martha and Olive. One brother, Wilbur, survived.)

No pension seems to be available.

His father was living in Lyons, Ionia County in 1870.