Captain Orlenzo MorehouseOrlenzo Morehouse

Name: Orlenzo Morehouse
Company: H
Veteran; enlisted January 22, 1862; First Lieutenant January 22, 1862
Birth
  • Date: 1835
  • Place: Blenheim, New York
 Mustered In
  • Date: January 22, 1862
  • Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Age: about 25-26
  • Residence prior to military service: Blenheim, New York; Redwing, Minnesota (1856); Pine Island, Goodhue County, Minnesota (1860)
  • Vocation prior to military service: Speculator (1860)
Death
  • Date:
  • Place:
  • Burial: Pine Island Cemetery, Goodhue County, Minnesota, Section A
 Mustered Out
  • Date: September 6, 1865
  • Rank: Captain
  • Age: about 30

Orlenzo Morehouse Biography and Civil War NarrativeOrlenzo Morehouse

Orlenzo Morehouse was born to John Banks and Rebecca (Church) Morehouse in Blenheim, New York, in 1835. Prior to the Civil War, Orlenzo Morehouse was a 2nd Sergeant in the Pine Island Rifles, a militia organization of Pine Island, Goodhue County, Minnesota. In 1856, Orlenzo was in Red Wing, Minnesota. He claimed land in Section 26 of Pine Island Township in May 1856. At the time of the 1860 U.S. census he resided at a hotel at Pine Island; his occupation was described as "Speculator." On July 13, 1860 O. Morehouse was appointed Pine Island assessor when William Krapp (elected April 3, 1860) resigned.

On January 22, 1862, Orlenzo Morehouse joined Company H of the 5th Minnesota Regiment and was made First Lieutenant. With Orlenzo Morehouse as its Lieutenant, Company H was moved south to the Civil War. They reported to General John Pope near Corinth, Mississippi, and were attached to the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division of the Army of Mississippi. They immediately participated in the Siege of Corinth (May 26-30, 1862), including the Battle of Farmington (May 28). Subsequent engagements included the Battle of Iuka, Mississippi (September 19, 1852), the Battle of Corinth, Mississippi (October 4, 1962), Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign (November 1862-January 1863), and the Siege of Vicsburg, Mississippi (May 18-July 4, 1863).

After Captain Otis S. Clark resigned on July 7, 1863, Lieutenant Morehouse was promoted to Captain of Company H. Captain Morehouse led Company H in the Red River Campaign (March 10-May 22, 1864), the Battle of Nashville, Tennessee (December 15-16, 1864), and the Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely near Mobile, Alabama (March 26-April 8, 1865).

 On January 15, 1865, Morehouse and 20 men were involved in an incident near Eastport, Mississippi. Major John C. Becht described the incident in an official report dated January 16, 1865, to Major J. Hough, Asstistant Adjutant General, Detachment Army of the Tennessee:
Orleanzo Morehouse, ca. 1875
On the 15th instant [January 1865] I ordered a foraging party, consisting of twenty men, in charge of Capt. Orlenzo Morehouse, Company H, with three wagons, to go to the vicinity of a mill about three miles from the camp of the brigade, for the purpose of procuring lumber to build shelters for the line officers of the regiment, and procured the approval of a pass for the party by Colonel [Lucius F.] Hubbard. Captain Morehouse reports that he proceeded to said mill, and being unable to find lumber there, and being informed by a woman residing near the mill that he could find lumber a mile beyond, at an old camp-meeting ground, he proceeded on the road, sending two mounted men in advance to reconnoiter. After proceeding about three-quarters of a mile, the men he had sent forward being out of sight, he sent another man forward, mounted, to see where the others had gone, who, after going about sixty rods, discovered a body of mounted men approaching on the road, about forty in number, who wore blue overcoats, and whom he supposed to be Federal cavalry; but upon their approach he discovered that some of the force were not dressed in Federal uniform, whereupon he immediately wheeled his horse and hastily returned to inform Captain Morehouse of their approach. They closely pursued him, and just as he was communicating the intelligence to the captain they rushed upon them, firing a volley upon them. At this time. Captain Morehouse states that he was on his horse, in front of the wagons, the guard being in the wagons. He ordered the men to fall in line, but they jumped from the wagons and scattered into the woods, and he was unable to rally them, and the enemy being upon them, he made his escape as best he could, being satisfied that he could make no defense. The guard were in the wagons and wholly unprepared to repel the attack, and Captain Morehoase was directed by me to obtain the lumber this side of the creek near the mill, in going beyond which he exceeded my instructions. The reason of my not sending a larger guard was that like parties had frequently been sent to the same vicinity, both from my own and other regiments, for the purpose of getting lumber, and no danger was apprehended. Of the party sent out, Captain Morehouse and seven men escaped and returned to camp; twelve men are supposed to have been captured, together with three six-mule teams and four horses.

Captain Orlenzo Morehouse was discharged with his regiment on September 6, 1865. He married Miss Marion F. Parker, daughter of Charles and Catharine Parker. Marion was born May 1844 in Ohio. Orlenzo and Marion had a daughter, Georgia, born about 1869. By the time of the 1880 census, Marion and Georgia lived with Marion's parents in Pine Island, Goodhue County, Mimnesota; Orlenzo had apparently died. He was buried in Section A of Pine Island Cemetery, Goodhue County, Minnesota.

On February 24, 1892, Marion remarried. Her new husband was George Hayward, born September 23, 1835, in Dorchestershire, England. He had been married twice before, his first two wives having both died. George had farmed in Pine Island township, but in 1889 he retired and moved into the village of Pine Island. Marion and Orlenzo's daughter Georgia married a Mr. Irish and about 1909 was living in Wapalo (Wapato?), Washington.

Marion F. (Parker Morehouse) Hayward died February 23, 1914, in Goodhue County, Minnesota. She was buried next to Orlenzo Morehouse in Section A of Pine Island Cemetery. George Hayward died July 22, 1917, and was also buried in Section A of Pine Island Cemetery.



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