b. 06/05/1844 St Mary, Marion County, Kentucky. d. 30/11/1892 Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 01/09/1864 Jonesboro, Georgia.
Henry B Mattingly MOH
Henry Benedict Mattingly was born on 6 May 1844 in St. Mary in Marion County, Kentucky, the son of Ignatius and Eliza Jane (Madden) Mattingly. At the early age of eighteen years old, Henry joined the newly formed 10th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry in Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky, under Col. John M. Harlan’s command. (Col. Harlan, after his resignation from the Union Army in March 1863, became a Supreme Court Justice. He died in 1911.) In November 1861, the 10th Kentucky was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division of the Army of Ohio. The 10th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry participated in many battles and skirmishes. On 25 December 1862, the 2nd Brigade moved from Gallatin County under the command of Colonel John M. Harlan in pursuit of General John H. Morgan, to protect the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. General John H. Morgan was overtaken on 29 December 1862 at the Rolling Fork, and his command was dangerously wounded there.
The Regiment saw action in the Battle of Mill springs, Battle of Perryville, Battle of Chickamauga, Hoover’s Gap, Fairfield, Tullahoma, Compton’s Creek, Orchard Knob, Missionary Ridge, Peach tree Creek, Chattahoochie River, Vining Station and the famous Battle of Jonesborough (modern name Jonesboro). The Battle of Jonesborough was fought from 31 August 1864 to 1 September 1864 during the Atlanta Campaign in the Civil War. According to historians of the American Civil War, the Battle of Jonesborough was the final Battle of the Atlanta Campaign, as well as for the 10th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. General Ulysses S. Grant once told General William T. Sherman that the mission was “inflicting all the damage you can against their war resources.”
The capture of Atlanta by the Union was instrumental in securing the re-election of President Abraham Lincoln in the fall. Historians indicate that the failure of the Union Army to take Atlanta would have led to President Abraham Lincoln losing the election. These mighty armies fought a brutal, cruel and decisive battle which ended the Atlanta Campaign and led General William Tecumseh Sherman to the infamous March to the Sea. The 10th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, after three long years and many successful accomplishments mustered out of service on 6 December 1864 at Louisville, Kentucky. The 10th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry flag and regimental colors were lost and have not been found.
During the Battle of Jonesborough, General William T. Sherman’s Army fought against a number of very strong infantry units, including the 6th & 7th Arkansas, military units that served in the Confederate Army from 1861 to surrender in 1865. This particular unit became one of the finest units of the Confederate Army of Tennessee and was well known throughout the Western Theatre. During the war the 6th & 7th Arkansas were sent to Cave City, Kentucky for a period of time. On 8 October 1862 the 6th & 7th Arkansas fought in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky. After the Confederate defeat at Perryville, it fell back to Tennessee with the rest of the Army. During this time the 6th & 7th Arkansas Infantry Regiment combined forces due in part to the high losses suffered during the war by both units. The 6th & 7th Arkansas fought in all major battles of the Army of Tennessee (Perryville, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga). Their flag was modified, due in part to the consolidation of both units, with the same fighting spirit and sentimental value. After they combined forces the new flag was captured during the Battle of Jonesborough.
The flag was captured by Private Henry B. Mattingly, 10th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, on 1 September 1864 (145 years ago). The 6th & 7th Arkansas Infantry’s last battle was at Bentonville, North Carolina, 16 March 1865.
After being honourably discharged from the Union Army on 6 December 1864 in Louisville, Kentucky, Pvt. Mattingly returned to Marion County, Kentucky, and purchased property in Raywick, Kentucky. It was during that time that he met Ms. Amanda Tucker, from Saint Mary, Lebanon, Kentucky. On 8 April 1867 Mattingly married Miss Amanda Tucker of Saint Mary in Marion County, Kentucky. Amanda was born on 21 June 1844, the daughter of Elizabeth (Brady) and William Tucker. About 5 September 1869, their first son Phillip Mattingly was born. (Phillip had four children, and died on 19 July 1934 in Louisville, Kentucky. His daughter Viola Mattingly died on 20 December 2007 in Mount Washington, Kentucky.)
Around 1872 Henry B. and his wife moved to Pitts Point (on what is now Fort Knox), a village in the Western part of Bullitt County, Kentucky. The village contained two hotels, two generals store, one baker, one dentist, four physicians and one surveyor. During that time he farmed and worked as a tanner in the town. In 1880, Henry and Amanda moved the family to Shepherdsville, Bullitt County, Kentucky, where he was employed by G. W. Simmons. He farmed and tended the toll house near the town. Mr. Mattingly was well known for his fiddle (violin) playing and for winning many Saturday night fiddle contests at Paroquet Springs, a famous resort in those days, north of Salt River in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. (The springs first were called Parakeet Lick. The name was originated from many colourful birds around the area.) Mr. Mattingly was also well known around the area for his shooting ability at the local shooting places; often, prizes were given for him not to shoot.
After the war Mr. Mattingly suffered from rheumatism, deafness, impaired eye-sight, and piles. As a consequence of the medical problems his health was rapidly worsening, as many soldiers experience after years of service in the armed forces. On 16 July 1890, at the age of forty nine, he filed for military pension. On his sworn declaration, he stated that he was disabled from earning a support by manual labour and that he was unable to work at all and was under a physician’s care. Eventually, after various applications and more than one sworn statement, his application for pension was finally approved. However, Mr. Mattingly died on 3 November 1893, failing to enjoy his pension. He was buried at Pitts Point (on now Fort Knox property) in Bullitt County, Kentucky. In 1966, Mr. Henry B. Mattingly’s remains, upon his children’s request, were moved from Pitts Point (on Fort Knox property) and placed next to his wife Amanda, at the Lebanon Junction Cemetery in Lebanon Junction, Kentucky.
MOH CITATION:
Capture of flags of 6th and 7th Arkansas Infantry (C.S.A.).
BURIAL LOCATION: LEBANON JUNCTION CEMETERY, LEBANON JUNCTION, KENTUCKY.
near flagpole.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY.
