The Battle of Ezra Church and Women Soldiers

Part of the Atlanta campaign, the Battle of Ezra Church was a nasty affair fought on July 28th, 1864.  And I was excited to learn recently that a previously undocumented woman soldier fought in it.

The Battle of Peach Tree Creek: "They Fought Like Very Devils"

The Union soldier who uttered those words was referring to Brigadier General Winfield Scott Featherston's Mississippi Brigade of Major General William W. Loring's division, Lieutenant General Alexander P. Stewart's corps, at the Battle of Peach Tree Creek fought on this day in 1864.

Women Soldiers of the Atlanta Campaign

Click (HERE) for a virtual tour of the Atlanta Campaign locations connected with women soldiers.  And then scroll down to see other pictures I posted of other areas in Tennessee and Georgia that are significant to their history.

 And if you missed out on a similar album I posted to my page last year dealing with women soldiers of the Red River Campaign, click (HERE) for those.

I post photos to my accompanying woman soldier Facebook page because Blogger is not conducive for such.  Therefore, if you enjoy my research, you may want to check out and "like" my Facebook page so you won't miss out.

Until next formation...rest.

"A Campaign Incident"

(Library of Congress)

Henry Clinton "Clint" Parkhurst was born December 9th, 1844, in LeClaire, Iowa, which, incidentally, was Buffalo Bill Cody's hometown.  He began writing poetry at a young age and,  before the war, worked as a printer.  Once hostilities broke out, Parkhurst heeded Iowa's call and on February 12th, 1862, enlisted in Company C of the 16th Iowa Infantry.  He was 17 years old, 5'6" with blue eyes and blonde hair.

Parkhurst saw action in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Georgia with the 16th.  During the Atlanta campaign, he was taken prisoner and sent to Andersonville, Millen, and Florence.  Parkhurst survived the horrors of prison camp life  and was discharged on June 8th, 1865.

(Post war photo; Library of Congress)

 He returned to Iowa where he became a reporter for various newspapers.  He also worked on his memoirs, and published Songs of a Man Who Failed, a collection of his poems, in 1921.

 Parkhurst died on November 16th, 1933, at the Soldier's Home in Marshalltown, Iowa.