HAMMOND CLARK MUZZY

Hammond Clark Muzzy was born March 29, 1834 at Oxford, Massachusetts and died December 27, 1906 at Lawrence, Kansas.

In 1854 the Kansas Nebraska Act created the Kansas Territory, forming a new state for the Union. The Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company was formed, later known as the New England Emigrant Aid Company. The purpose of the company was to fill the territory with free inhabitants to vote the territory non-slavery. Hammond signed on with the Fourth Party of Emigrants and was listed as a farmer. They left Boston on Tuesday, October 17, 1854. After a lot of hassle and unexpected expenses in Chicago, St Louis and Kansas City, Hammond arrived in Lawrence approximately . November 4, 1854. He found about fifty huts, some log, some sod, and most with grass roofs. By November 29, 1854, Hammond had settled on land up stream from Lawrence at the mouth of the Grasshopper River, now the Delaware River. On April 24, 1862 the First Kansas Battery Light Artillery of the Kansas Volunteers was formed at Fort Leavenworth for the War of the Rebellion. The Battery manned six ten-pound parrott rifled guns of three-inch caliber; six caissons; a portable forge; a, battery wagon for carpentry and harness work; a water wagon containing several water barrels; twelve Army wagons; six mule teams each; six wagons for commissary stores, camp and garrison equipment; and six were loaded with ammunition. Also, one mule team pair pulled an ambulance wagon.

The Battery arrived in Lawrence on June 4, 1862. On June 7, 1862, Hammond took the oath of service from Orderly Sergeant John B. Cook and was assigned as a teamster to one of the mule-drawn wagons. The Battery broke camp that day and made its way to LeRoy on the Neosho River. There they joined the Osage Indian Forces. By July 3, 1862, the Battery was combined with four other companies. The First Confederate troops were taken at Locust Grove.

By August 14 the unit made a forced march from Fort Scott in an attempt to surprise Colonel Coffee at Lone Jack, Missouri. The mission was unsuccessful and the unit returned to Fort Scott, covering about 150 miles round trip in 84 hours. This was the unit's severest physical test during its existence.

On August 24, 1862, the First Battery became part of the 2nd Brigade of the Army of the Frontier and moved to Sarcoxie, Jasper County, Missouri, having minor roles in the battles of Newtonia and Cane Hill. At Prairie Grove they loaded the cannon with canister - a tin can charged with 85 round lead balls, one ounce each. Firing point-blank into a column of men standing shoulder to shoulder and seven ranks deep. It was estimated that 1,000 Confederate men were killed and 2,000 wounded that day.

The Battery engaged in a brief battle at Van Burer and returned to Lawrence, Kansas early in 1863. In May of 1863 they returned to Fort Leavenworth, then South to Rolla, Missouri. Here word was received of the death by pneumonia of their Captain, Norman B. Allen in St Louis. Lieutenant Marcus D. Terry was made Captain and the Battery moved by train to St Louis, Missouri on July 9, 1863 and was there the remainder of 1863 and 1864. The Battery moved to Waverly, Missouri, Johnsonville, Missouri and about November 29, 1864 the Battery moved to Nashville. On October 1, 1864 Hammond was promoted to Corporal.

Hammond was mustered out of service on June 6, 1865 at Chattanooga, Tennessee after a severe bout of bronchitis. He married Sarah Helen Haile at Waverly, Missouri and later moved back to Lawrence, being employed at various jobs until his death on December 27, 1906 at the age of 72 years.

TESTIMONY FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE 1856

Hammond’s children were:

Mary, born October 8, 1866

William, born February 9, 1868

Fannie, born January 19, 1871

Robert, born November 17, 1872

Charley, born January 23, 1875

Harry, born June 27, 1876

Carl, born June 16, 1882

*Frank, born September 20, 1884

Grace, born November 18, 1888

*Children of Frank R. Muzzy:

Willard Max, 1923, US Army WWII Europe, Retired Master Sergeant USAF

Marion Frank, 1925 US Army WWII Pacific and Korea

Robert Lewis, 1931

Jean Wright Muzzy, 1932

Bruce Hammond, 1934, Kansas National Guard, US Army Vietnam, Retired Major USA