PRESENTATION CIVIL WAR HENRY RIFLE,

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.44 caliber, 24` octagonal barrel, serial number 4876. 900 yard rear barrel sight, barrel marked Henry`s Patent Oct. 15, 1860, Manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company, New Haven, Ct. Walnut buttstock with swivel on the left side. Brass plaque on the right side of stock with inscription Nick Denton to Kit Goodbrake. Except for the 1,700 examples purchased directly by the Ordinance Department, the Henry was a private purchase weapon as is the case with this presentation that probably dates to around September, 1864. No personal account of when Henry #4876 changed hands could be found, but we derive from anecdotal information that Dr. Christopher Goodbrake and Sergeant Samuel Denton were already acquainted and certainly became partners during their three years of service in the 20th Illinois. Lieutenant Denton, later promoted for heroism before Atlanta, purchased the Henry for Surgeon Goodbrake expressly as a sentiment for saving his life. Forty-four-year-old Christopher Goodbrake was a German immigrant residing in Clinton, Illinois when he was appointed surgeon of the 20th Illinois in May 1861. His scant surviving wartime correspondence found online suggests that he closely associated with the Â“Clinton boysÂ” having accepted Â“a handsome flagÂ” made by the ladies of Clinton on behalf of Company E before they left home to complete organization at Joliet. In short order the regiment moved to Missouri seeing action at Belmont before joining Grant for the arduous winter campaign against Fort Henry and Donelson. At Â“bloody ShilohÂ” Dr. Goodbrake served as acting brigade surgeon of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division. Afterwards was commended by Colonel C.C. Marsh, 20th Illinois, the acting brigade commander, for his Â“eminent servicesÂ” and Â“unceasing laborsÂ” in treating the hundreds of wounded suffered by the brigade during the close run fight. Later that summer the doctor was again mentioned in dispatches by Colonel M.K. Lawyer, 18th Illinois, for his Â“untiring attention to the woundedÂ” during a series of sharp skirmishes along the Mississippi Central Railroad in August and September. Goodbrake had clearly demonstrated his adherence to the Hippocratic Oath combined with an extraordinary sense of duty. Shortly afterwards, he was advanced to the staff post of Chief Surgeon, Third Division, 17th Army Corps serving in turn under the energetic Illinois politician turned soldier Â“BlackjackÂ” Logan, Mortimer Leggett and Charles R. Woods. Subsequently, Dr. Goodbrake Â“was with his division in more than a score of hard-fought battles besides skirmishes without numberÂ” practicing his grisly trade during the siege of Vicksburg and the exhausting Atlanta campaign. After nearly three and a half years on duty perhaps the cumulative carnage had taken its toll. Dr. Goodbrake resigned his commission on September 17, 1864, but not before saving the life of a young hero named Nick Denton. A native Irishman, Samuel Denton was a student residing in Clinton when he enlisted as a private in Company E., 20th Illinois in June 1861. Denton endured the privations of hard marching and emerged unscathed during the numerous episodes of close fighting sustained by the men of the 20th Illinois and was promoted to sergeant in January 1864. During the Meridian expedition in February 1864 Denton was slightly wounded and briefly captured by a Rebel cavalryman but managed to escape with his former captor in tow when friendly cavalry nearby made a sudden break. The plucky Irishman then re-enlisted as a veteran and returned to the front in time to make cadence for Atlanta with a grimly determined Army of Tennessee numbering nearly 70,000 poised to contest every step. Detailed as a sharpshooter at Big Sandy, Georgia on June 15, 1864, Sergeant Denton was Â“wounded in the right handÂ” and attended to by the familiar Dr. Goodbrake at the division hospital. On a hot, sun drenched July 22, 1864 General Hardee launched a corps size attack against the right flank of the Federal line shaped like a Â“7Â” with the apex missing. The Union left had fortuitously been manned by the 16th Corps during the previous night with part of the unconnected 17th Corps on their right. The massive two-prong assault was supposed to be synchronized with General Cheatham hitting the Union far rightÂ—the bottom of the Â“7Â”Â—held by LoganÂ’s 15th Corps and the front of the 17th Corps strung along the center. The daylong battle nearly broke the Federal line causing over 3,700 in killed, wounded and missing. By nightfall Hardee had had enough and withdrew after taking casualties estimated as high as 10,000. In the accounting afterwards Sergeant Samuel Denton was one of twelve men cited for supreme bravery in General Frank P. BlairÂ’s report and Â“awarded a medal of honor of the 17th Corps,Â” in an act that nearly cost Denton his life were it not for Dr. Goodbrake. The citation from the O.R.Â’s reads: Â“General Order No. 13. Hdqrs.17th Army Corps, In the Field, Ga., August 28, 1864. XII. Sergt. Samuel Denton, E. Company 20th Illinois Infantry Volunteers, was awarded a gold medal of honor for having saved his regimental colors during the battle of July 22, 1864. When the regiment was hard pressed by overpowering numbers, in the confusion of changing front the color bearer was shot down and the colors left on the ground. As soon as sergeant Denton perceived it he rushed forward, seized the colors, and bore them triumphantly back to the regiment. He was immediately afterward severely wounded. Each medal awarded by this order will bear the inscription Â‘Atlanta, July 22,Â’ and will be presented to the officers and men in front of their commands by their division commanders. By command of Maj. Gen. F.P. Blair.Â” Absent National Archive Records we know only that Sergeant DentonÂ’s wound was described as Â“severeÂ” and while recovering in the hospital under Dr. GoodbrakeÂ’s care he received a battlefield promotion to 1st lieutenant to date from August 6, 1864. It is interesting to note a recollection from Dr. GoodbrakeÂ’s lengthy March 20, 1891 obituary as it bears directly on the Henry rifle presentation, to whit: Â“The doctor was a skillful marksman with the rifle, and it is told of him by his old comrades that often during the siege of Vicksburg he would take a rifle and go out on the advance line and do a little shooting to keep his hand in practice.Â” The appreciative Samuel Denton, now healing, must have witnessed his savior at target practice on more than one occasion and while lying in hospital came upon the idea of the Henry as a worthy memento. Henry #4876 made in 1864 must have been simply inscribed and presented to Dr. Goodbrake before he parted company with Samuel Denton and left for home in late September. Lieutenant Denton recovered and mustered out in July 1865. He lived another 63 years and died in Ohio on January 20, 1928. Surgeon Goodbrake was 84 when he passed away in March 1891. He was laid to rest in Clinton Woodlawn Cemetery following a funeral ceremony conducted by his longtime GAR comrades. A great piece of Illinois Civil War history. read more

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