Huggins, Henry

Henry Huggins

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Company H, 89th Illinois Infantry

Place of Birth:

England

Date of Birth:

1833

Place of Death:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Date of Death:

December 31, 1862

Place of Burial:

Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Cemetery Name:

Stones River National Cemetery

Henry Huggins was born in England in 1833. In his adulthood, he lived in Fox, Kendall County, Illinois and worked as a farmer. At the age of 29, he enlisted in the Union Army on August 9, 1862, in Yorkville, Illinois. He later mustered in with Company H of the 89th Illinois Infantry on August 25, 1862, in Chicago, Illinois as a private. The Illinois Descriptive Muster Rolls list him as being 5’4” with sandy hair, gray eyes, and a light complexion. Information about Henry Huggins can also be found under the last name “Higgins.” 

After its organization, the 89th Illinois moved to Kentucky where they fought at the battle of Perryville. Shortly after Perryville, they were sent to have duty in Nashville, Tennessee. They remained in Nashville until December 26th, when they received orders to march south to Murfreesboro, Tennessee by way of Nolensville. 

They arrived in Murfreesboro on December 30th and held a position on the southern end of Gresham Lane. They settled in for the night, knowing that a battle was looming. At 6am, Confederates began their attack, and the 89th Illinois became the Union’s first line of defense. They quickly became disoriented due to the attack, and their brigadier general, Willich, was captured within the first hours of battle. 

Confederate troops began to create a J-shaped maneuver to attempt to collapse the Union’s right flank. As they continued to execute this plan, the scattered remains of the 89th Illinois Infantry retreated north towards Asbury Lane. At 2:30pm, they reformed a positioned defending the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad and remained there until nightfall. Private Huggins lost his life on December 31, 1862, at the battle of Stones River. He was among the 121 enlisted men killed and/or mortally wounded in battle during the 89th Illinois’ full service. 

Henry Huggins is laid to rest in the Stones River National Cemetery in plot K-4296. His last name is incorrectly labeled on his headstone. This is one of the many discrepancies that can be found in the national cemetery.  

Tags: stones river national battlefield, stones river national cemetery, american civil war