Mahlon’s Life Before the War by Eric

Mahlon Cochran was a small farmer from Middletown. (Mr. Petersen) Today known as Mahomet. Mahlon would use tools that are more basic then what we use now. (Jones) For example, he would use a steel plow and either a strong horse or ox to till the ground. Where as today we use tractors and machines to till the ground. Also planters were made out of wood with holes in them, and they would be stuck in the ground and grain would run out of them and into the ground. (Jones) Today, we use tractors with large motorized planters hooked onto the back of them. Life was hard for this young farmer I never found information on if he had a family or not. Sense he didn't have a wife or kids then all the work on the farm was left up to him, and whatever hired helpers if he had any. On August 19^th, 1863 towards the end of the war, Mahlon was mustered in as a recruit in the 16^th Calvary. (www.illinoiscivilwar.org) Plows like the one below was used to till the land for planting. Mahlon probably used a plow like the one below.

The Weapons in the War

The Springfield rifle was the main weapon of all the union troops. (Jones) Mahlon Cochran was a recruit of the 16^th Calvary. (www.illinoiscivilwar.org) Each person in his Calvary would carry a long sword at their side, and maybe a Springfield rifle. (Jones) As a part of the requirements to be in the Calvary is that, you would have to provide you are own horse. Mahlon did provide his own horse, but the horse did not last long after the war. He died of an unknown disease soon after the war. The bullets used in the Civil War are much larger then the ones today. When the bullets hit somebody the bullets would shatter the bones.(Jones) The only way doctors knew how to save the person was to amputate the limb.(Jones) The bullets below are replicas of the ones used in the rifles during the Civil War.(Jones)

Life in the Calvary

Life in the Calvary was very rough because the only way you could stay in the Calvary is if you took good care of your horse (Mr. Petersen.) Most of a soldier's free time was spent feeding, grooming, and all together taking great care of the horse (Mr. Petersen.) Mahlon was taken prisoner during the time that he served in the Calvary. Being taken prisoner is as bad or worse then being shot and having limbs amputated. Thousands of men were taken prisoners of war 10 out of the 24 men from company L of the 16^th Calvary were taken prisoner (Behrens Pg. 293.) Mahlon was one of those that were captured in the war (Behrens Pg. 295) Life in the camp was very rough many men died from malnutrition, or not being fed enough at all. Once one of the prisoners gets sick even from a minor disease, it’s doubtful that they will recover. Mahlon survived through all the diseases, and malnutrition to be mustered out on July 1^st, 1865 (Behrens Pg. 295) The date of his death was not available.

Bibliography

Illinois in the Civil War. 1999, Infoban Outfitters, 5/9/00. www.illinoiscivilwar.org

Shotguns Home of the American Civil War, "Shotgun's," January 1^st 1997, 5/5/00. www.civilwarhome.com

Jones, Trevor. Early American Museum. Mahomet Illinois