Biography of

Edward J. McCune, Co G

Edward J. McCune was born in Athens County, Ohio in 1839. In the fall of 1861, Edward was 22 years old and making a living as a farmer. At the time of his enlistment in the 18th Ohio Volunteers, he is described as being 5' 10 1/2" with hazel eyes and brown hair. His complexion was described as dark. On the 20th of October, 1861, Edward volunteered for service and was mustered into the Federal Service on the 24th of October, 1861 at Camp Dennison, Ohio. His cousin, George Butt entered the service at the same time.

Moving into Kentucky with the Regiment, Edward was on board the steamship, "Jacob Strader". The voyage down the Ohio River was described as uneventful, except for the practical jokes the soldiers were constantly playing upon each other. Surviving the winter sicknesses of Camp Haycraft outside Bacon Creek, Edward was with the Regiment throughout the early spring campaign. Unfortunately, Edward was one of the men who was captured at Athens, Alabama when Col. Scott and the 1st Louisiana Cavalry forced the Regiment to make a hasty retreat from that place. After spending time as an unintended guest of the Confederate government, he was released in the summer of 1862 and was allowed to come back to Ohio. Rejoining his unit in Tennessee in January of 1863, he missed the fight at Stones River.

When the Union Army was once again on the march in June of 1863, Edward was with them and remained until early September. At the Battle of Chickamauga, Edward McCune was wounded in the left leg but managed to retreat with the rest of Rosecrans' army toward Rossville and eventually back to Chattanooga. It is not known as to the cause of his death, but having his wound become septic and gangrenous was the most likely reason. In any event, almost a month after the Battle of Chickamauga, he died and was buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery at Chattanooga Tennessee. His grave plot number is reported to be #1208 in Section C.