FELIX G. EAKINS, son of John and Sally (King) Eakins, was born in Henderson
County on the tenth day of April, 1829. He was raised on a farm, and for
twenty years worked with unflinching zeal for the parental head. At the end
of that time, the young man, embued with a noble ambition, backed by a solid
education, determined to stare the world in the face and fight life's
battles "on his own hook." To this end, therefore, he emigrated to the Lone
Star State, and there engaged in surveying, having secured a deputy ship in
Robertson Land District, which embraced at that time all of the State of
Texas lying on the Trinity River. He remained there until the year 1851, when
he returned to his home and was married to Miss Matilda D Weaver, daughter of
Ltttleberry and Eliza Weaver, then living in the town of Henderson. He
returned the same year to Texas, and followed his chosen profession,
surveying, until 1853, when he again returned to Kentucky. He began farming,
coupling with it surveying, serving as deputy to D N Walden and Robert S
Eastin, both, men of whom during his deputy ship were County Surveyors,
elected and qualified. This he continued up to and including a part of the
year 1862. The hounds of war had been turned loose, the 'tocsin had sounded
its solemn to-arm, and, being a southerner to the manor born, he felt it his
duty to go. So in the month of August of that year Mr. Eakins was sworn in as
a Confederate soldier, and was elected as First Lieutenant of Company G.
Tenth Regiment, Kentucky Cavalry. He soon, therefore, participated gallantly
in engagements had at Madisonville, Owensboro and Union Town.
In October, 1862 he was wounded in a skirmish at West Franklin, Indiana; was
captured, and confined in a hospital at Henderson until April, 1863. He was
then sent to Johnson's Island, Lake Erie, where he was exchanged in City
Point, Virginia, and from there went by way of Richmond and Lynchburg, on a
Chattanooga, Tennessee, from thence via Tullahoma and McMinnville to Salt
Lick, Bend, on to Cumberland River, where he rejoined his regiment. His
regiment was a part of the Second Brigade, attached to Morgan's forces, and
was commanded by Colonel Adam R. Johnson. There was no "rest for the weary,"
for no sooner had he rejoined his regiment than the bugle called each man to
his saddle. Kentucky was invaded, via Glasgow and Columbia, and at the latter
place a considerable skirmish was had with the old veteran, Colonel Frank
Woodford, in which Wooflord was worsted. Morgan pushed ahead in the direction
of Green River, to a point known as Green River bridge, and arrived there on
the fourth day of July, 1863. This place was guarded by one thousand veteran
Union soldiers, a strong stockade and two line of breastworks, under the
command of Colonel Moore; a flag of truce from Morgan was sent to Moore
demanding a surrender, but this Moore declined, declined, giving as his
reason, that it was a day too dear to the heart of his countrymen- and to
entertain such a demand at that time, would be to turn back completely upon
his country. "Call some other day, gentlemen, and I will be pleased to talk
to you," was his reply. This, then, was the signal for a bloody assault, and
a bloody one it was. The Second Brigade of which our subject was a soldier,
was ordered to charge; the charge was made, and the Unionist were driven from
their line of entrenchments back into the stockade. Here they made a
determined stand, and owing to the rough and rugged surroundings, obstacles
and all else than seventy-five men. The Confederates when withdrew, and
crossed Green River about one and a half miles below the bridge. The command
then passed on to Lebanon, where it encountered General Manson and about
three hundred Federals, who gave battle from sunrise in the morning until
three o'clock in the afternoon, fighting from houses and whatever else could
be found in the way of protection, but finally Mason surrendered. From
Lebanon Morgan passed through the State, striking the Ohio River at
Brandenburg, Mead County. Here two steamers were captured and the troops
transported across the Ohio River onto Indiana soil. This crossing was
effective July, 8th, 1963, Company G. being the last company out over, and
this after midnight. This was Morgan's celebrated raid through Indiana and
Ohio. After crossing the Ohio and all things in readiness, the line of march
was taken up at daylight, the Second or Johnson's Brigade bringing up the
rear of the command, and Company G. bringing up the rear of the brigade.
Between three and four o'clock that afternoon the command came in sight of
Corydon, Indiana, a small place defended by some four thousand militia and
soldiers, protected by rifle pits and hurriedly made breast works. Company G
of the Tenth Kentucky, Lieutenant Eakins, was ordered from the rear to make
the attack, which that did in fine style, beating the enemy in about fifteen
minutes. From there Moran passed unmolested through the State, and entered
the State of Ohio at a point called Harrison. Cincinnati was given the go by,
only a short distance to the right. That night the command rode one hundred
miles on to Vernon, where there was had a skirmish with General Manson.
Morgan drew off, and proceeded on until the evening of July 26th, until the
Ohio River was reached at Cheshire, where He hopped to cross into Virginia.
Here an attack was made by General Shackelford, in command of a large force
of Federals, whom the Confederates fought until about dark. Being entirely
out of ammunition, and not hearing from the Commanding General, who had left
some time before or another expedition, the little band to which Lieutenant
Rakins was then attached, sent in a flag of truce, proposing to surrender.
Seven hundred and twenty men surrendered, and were taken by boat to
Cincinnati, where they were kept in prison for three or four days. One
hundred and eighteen officers, including. Lieutenant Eakins remained upon
the Island until August, when he was sent with the others to the Western
Penitentiary, Alleghany City, Pa., where he remained until March 1864, when
he with the others was sent to Point Lookout Maryland, where he remained
until July, when he was sent to the State of Delaware and New Jersey. August
1st., 1864, Lieutenant Eakins with six hundred others was taken from Fort
Delaware and sent to Morris Island, in front of Charleston, South Carolina,
and placed in a stockade between Fort Waggoner and Battery Gregg., under the
cover of the Federal guns. The stockade in which he was confined contained
just one acre of ground. He and his co-prisoners remained there under the
fire of the Confederate, guns for forty days; fortunately none if the shells
struck inside the inclosure. While none of the prisoners were wounded by
friendly guns, some of them were struck from the guns of the guards, which
was composed of a Massachusetts Negro regiment. Lieutenant Eakins and his
friends were given a dainty diet; for instance, one "hardtack-a cracker
about two inches square, half inch thick, one ounce of meat, not of the best,
and a half pint of bean soup twice a day. He remained at this place forty
days and was then sent down to Fort Pulaski, on one of the Tyber Islands, in
the Savanah River, with no change of rations until January 1st., 1865, at
which time he was given ten ounces of unsifted meal once a day. On that he
lived from the first of January to February 1st., at which time there came an
order for his immediate exchange with the others, and for them to be put on
full army rations. On the fifth of March, he was taken on board a vessel and
sent to Norfolk, Virginia. From that place, and for some unaccountable
reason, he was sent again to Fort Delaware. Lieutenant Eakins and his
comrades were nothing more than skeletons, during their incarceration in
Federal prisons, although the story goes, Uncle Sam fed well his enemies as
he did his friends. Lieutenant Eakins was at Fort Delaware at the time of the
surrender and was held a prisoner until June, 1865, when he and four hundred
and twenty-five others were released after haven taken an iron-clad oath. He
arrived home on the seventeenth day of June, 1865, since which time he has
rested in the bosom of a happy family, following farming and surveying for a
livelihood.
History of Henderson County, Kentucky by Sterling 1997
