Jacksonville Daily Journal, dated Oct. 28, 1911
DEATH SUMMONS AN OLD SOLDIER
P. S. Brisendine, for Nearly Half a Century a Resident of Murrayville Passes Away - Was Member of 101st Illinois Infantry.
P. S. Brisendine, a veteran of the Civil War and a long time resident of Murrayville, died Friday night at 9 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. W. Warcup, five miles east of Winchester, at the age of 79 years. For some time Mr. Brisendine had not been in good health and for the past few days had been far from a well man. Within the last few hours of life his condition became serious and death was not altogether unexpected.
In a great many ways Mr. Brisendine was a wonderful man. He was of a quiet and retiring disposition yet with all could enjoy a good joke as well as anyone. Little did he dream that the hills and valleys of North Carolina, where he roamed as a boy would find him in later years carrying a musket in defense of his country. For three years Mr. Brisendine, a braver soldier never went to battle. He believed in every principle of the cause of the north and never shirked his duty in any instance. After his return from the war he still maintained that same integrity for the right and how well the word "honesty" applied to his character. He was also a man of strong convictions religiously. For years he was superintendent of the Sunday school of the old Methodist church that stood at the Bethel cemetery near Murrayville and when the present edifice was built at Murrayville he also remained superintendent. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, No. 432, of Murrayville and of Walton Post G.A.R. of Murrayville.
Mr. Brisendine was born in North Carolina, Nov. 25, 1832, and came to Illinois with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Abner Brisendine when a young man and settled at Little York. Since 1866 he had been a resident of Murrayville. He was married twice, his first wife being Miss Carpenter of Franklin. This marriage took place Nov. 25, 1852, and to this union six children were born, William, Louis and Belle having died. Those living are Mrs. C. W. Kitner of Murrayville and Mrs. C. B. Warcup of Larimore, North Dakota. Mrs. Brisendine died Feb. 7, 1872. On August 17, 1872, he married Miss Melinda Jane Massey of Franklin and to this union four children were born, Mrs. Minnie Warcup of near Winchester, where Mr. Brisendine had been making his home for the past year and Manona Brisendine of Jacksonville. Two children preceded in death, Edith and Ora. The wife died in June, 1901.
When the civil war broke out Mr. Brisendine enlisted in Company H, 101 Illinois Infantry, at Franklin, Ill. This was the same infantry that R. L. Wyatt of Murrayville joined and for nearly the entire time these two men fought side by side. The company first camped at Jacksonville and then proceeded to Cairo. From here they went to Union City, Tenn., and thence to Bridgeport, Ala. Here Mr. Brisendine joined the forces under General Rosencrans and they stayed in Bridgeport until 1863. It was from this point that he came under the command of General Sherman and participated in the famous "March to the Sea." After they had reached Savannah the company went to Goldsboro, N.C., and later to Rawlings. It was while the company was at Rawlings that news of Lee's surrender was heard and so Mr. Brisendine's company was ordered to Washington where it participated in the Grand Review, which was one of the greatest events of its kind in history.
Mr. Brisendine, during his military career, was a member of one of the four companies that were dispatched from Holly Springs, Miss., to Vicksburg. The companies were put on gunboats and sent to the assistance of that important post. The taking of this fort was considered by many as being one of the turning points of the Civil War. Among the battles Mr. Brisendine participated in were those at Resaca, Ga., Dallas, Ga., New Hope Church, Ga., Peach Tree Creek, Ga. The last engagement was the stubborn fought contest at Bentenville, N.C. Mr. Brisendine has related some wonderful stories of war times and told them in such a manner as to interest and instruct.
Funeral arrangements will be announced late.