Colonel Stephen G. Hicks

Col. Hicks is my 2nd cousin 4 times removed, and his wife Eliza R. Maxey is my 1st cousin 4 times removed. They married October 22, 1829, in Jefferson County, Illinois. Stephen's maternal grandmother was a Maxey, and he and Eliza were distant cousins through that connection.

The Appendix to the book William Newby -- The Soldier's Return, pages 266-289, details the contribution of Col. Stephen G. Hicks to the war effort.

Stephen G. Hicks was Captain of Company H of Col. Forman's regiment in the Blackhawk war in 1832. He was Colonel of the 40th regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War.
Facts and Folks, A History of Jefferson County, Illinois, Jefferson County Historical Society, Mt. Vernon, Illinois, 1978. Taylor Publishing, Dallas, TX (p. 490)
The Maxeys of Virginia -- A genealogical History of the Descendants of Edward and Susannah Maxey, by Edythe Maxey Clark, Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1980. (Dallas Public Library) (page 683)

This picture of S. G. Hicks in uniform is from page 151 of "History of Jefferson County".
History of Jefferson County Illinois, by William Henry Perrin. Copyright 1883.

 

Stephen G. Hicks, Colonel, 10 Aug 1861 - 24 Jul 1865, 40th Reg. IL Infantry.
Official Army Register of the Volunteer Force of the U. S. Army for the years 1861 - 1865, Part VI, Indiana - Illinois, Adjutant General’s Office, August 31, 1865. This book lists every regiment of Cavalry and Infantry from Indiana and Illinois, showing the officers as well as those enlisted men who received the Medal of Honor. Total of 9 volumes in the set, covering all of the states which raised volunteer regiments. Available in the Genealogy Section of the Dallas Public Library.

“...Stephen G. Hicks, who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Mexican War, served in the State Legislature with Lincoln and Douglas, and was Colonel of the Fortieth Illinois Infantry. At the battle of Shiloh he was severely wounded and remained with the regiiment until the close of the war. His death occurred in 1867.”
Portrait and Biographical Record of Clinton, Washington, Marion, and Jefferson Counties, Illinois: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the Counties, published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago.

“Early in 1846 war was declared against Mexico and Illinois furnished four regiments. Jefferson county contributed two full companies. The first, Company H, was part of the third regiment, Col. Ferris Foreman, of Vandalia, commanding; Col. Stephen G. Hicks was captain and Lewis F. Casey and William A. Thomas (Bob's father), lieutenants. The company left Mount Vernon on June 18, 1846, marched to Alton and from there em-barked to Mexico. They saw hard service, were at Vera Cruz, Cerro Gordo and other small battles. The action of this and other Illinois companies at Cerro Gordo caused General Twiggs, then in command, to exclaim: "Well, I never saw such fellows as you Illinois men are -- with others, it is "go," but with you it is “come on”. After the capture of Jalapa, the term of Company H expired and the men came home in 1847. The second company was enrolled at Mount Vernon, June 3, 1847, under the second call. The company had in it, also, some of the best men of the county and was officered by Captain James Bowman; Eli D. Anderson (the writer's landlord at the Mount Vernon Inn, to whom he was a "bound" boy) and Willis Holder, lieutenants. This company suffered heavily from disease, and among the number, Lieutenant Anderson died at Vera Cruz. The company went to Alton, but did not set sail for Mexico until August 13th. After reaching Mexico, they were on duty until the close of the war, but were not engaged in big battles as was the first company. The company was A, of the Second Regiment, by Colonel Collins and S. G. Hicks, lieutenant-colonel. When this war came up, eight thousand Illinoisans offered themselves, but only thirty-eight hundred could be accepted. The fields of Beuna Vista, Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo will carry the glory of our Illinois soldiers long after the causes that led to the war have been forgotten. We may state that many considered the "cause" of the war an insufficient "excuse" for war. It brought us the great state of Texas, but increased our slave territory.”

“THE FORTIETH REGIMENT was soon organized, principally from Wayne, Hamilton and Franklin counties, but with enough Jefferson county boys to fill some of the most important offices. Col. S. G. Hicks was made its colonel, John W. Baugh its adjutant, Albion F. Taylor its quartermaster, and S. H. Watson one of its captains, but he was soon placed on the commander's staff. Also several privates from the county helped the Fortieth to be one of the very best regiments in the service. At the battle of Shiloh, while leading the Fortieth in the thickest of the fight Colonel Hicks was wounded and fell from his horse, but he pointed for the regiment to sweep on and he crawled to water, half mile away, and washed his wounds with his own hands. After he recovered, General Sherman put Colonel Hicks in command of Paducah, Kentucky. The rebel General Forrest sent in a demand for the unconditional surrender of the place and Colonel Hicks sent him word he would have to "come and take it." They came and the battle was fierce, while it lasted. The rebel had about twelve hundred killed and wounded, while Hick's force, being protected by the fort, lost only seventeen killed, and a number wounded. Hicks died in 1869, Mrs. Albion Taylor being his surviving child. The Fortieth with forty other Illinois regiments, marched with Sherman to the sea and home again and made an unexcelled record for duty and bravery.”
Wall's History of Jefferson County, John A. Wall, 1909, Illinois. According to Jan 29, 1910, issue of Mt. Vernon Register News, on Apr. 19, 1909, Wall's "History of Jefferson Co." became available.

Read another description of this episode at https://www.facebook.com/ShilohNMP/posts/col-stephen-hicks-the-man-who-said-no-to-general-forrestcolonel-stephen-g-hicks-/795417743881547/