Union Civil War Enlistments from Ipava (Fulton ... - Illinois Ancestors

Edward McKenna, St. Joseph Cemetery,
New Almelo (Norton) Kansas. Courtesy of Mike McKenna.
Written about Edward McKenna by his grandson, about 1979: My grandfather, Edward
McKenna, was born April 4, 1845, near the town of Glaslough County Monaghan,
Ireland. If you have seen a picture of Castle Leslie, that is near. His mother died, and he
was brought to this country by an Aunt. His mother was Katherine Brannigan and his
father was Peter McKenna. He was nine years old when he came to this country. It took
six weeks in a sailing vessel. Seven years later, he joined Company H Illinois
Volunteers. When Company H lost so many men, it was consolidated with Company A
of the same regiment. After the Civil War, he was sent to Vera Cruz, Mexico, with his
regiment. The men and their mules were shipped on the same boat from New Orleans to
Vera Cruz. During a severe storm, the officers decided that the men would be safer
without the mules. The mules were pushed off the side of the boat. Granddad said that
the mules swam after the boat and some of the stronger for nearly a half day.
Maximillian was finally removed from the throne of Mexico. Granddad had spent most of
the time at Vera Cruz and Matamoras. Later, I saw the Cathedral and the town square on
which it was built. It looked just like Grandfather had said even to the scars of the fire
that had burned part of it 37 years before. When his term of enlistment was over, he was
sent back to New Orleans and mustered out. Besides his pay of $8 a month, he was given
his 56 caliber Spencer rifle and the mule he rode. He returned to Illinois, met, courted
and married Mary Tunney in Manitou, Illinois, on Feb. 4, 1872. To this union were born
four sons. Hugh, died in infancy; then Lawrence in 1874; Peter Henry in 1875 and John
in 1879. Hugh, Lawrence and Peter Henry were born in Illinois, and John on Section 16,
Kingman County, Kansas. The union lasted more than 50 years and was broken upon
January 4, 1926 when Edward died. Mary died at age 92. Used with permission of Mike
McKenna.
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