and honoring her son
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in January 1864:
PRESENTATION OF A BATTLE-FLAG. – The members of the 11th Regiment, Illinois Infantry, have recently presented their old battle-flag to Mrs. Rachel Nevius, of Lodi, in this county, mother of the late Colonel Nevius, formerly commanding that Regiment. The flag has been gallantly borne through many hard fought battles, and is the same one under which Col. Nevius fell, on the 22d of last May, while leading his men in a desperate assault against the rebel works at Vicksburg.
You can read a good account of Garrett Nevius’ life at the Interlaken Historical Society. As a young man of 21 years, he moved to Rockford, Illinois in 1859. Nevius helped form a Rockford Zouave unit after having met and been inspired by Elmer Ellsworth. In 1860 he formed and led the Rockford Wide-Awakes to campaign for the election of Abraham Lincoln. After the war started he took his Zouave unit to Springfield and joined the 11th Regiment. Nevius changed his name to Nevins because he thought it would be less Dutch-sounding. He was wounded in the hand at Shiloh but kept fighting. He was at some point promoted to Colonel. As part of General McPherson’s corps at Vicksburg he led his men on May 22nd. Nevins was killed during the assault on the 3rd Louisiana redan.
He was buried in Lake View Cemetery, Interlaken, New York. You can see his grave column here. A good map of the May 22nd fight at the National Park Service shows Ransom (probably the 11th’s Brigade commander) near the 3rd Louisiana redan.
The 11th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was originally a three-month unit that ended up serving for the war’s duration. Wikipedia says Garrett Nevins was killed on April 23, 1863.
