Spouses
Birth Date15 Feb 1827
Birth PlaceLexington County, South Carolina
Death Date20 Oct 1903 Age: 76
Death PlaceItawamba County, Mississippi
Burial PlaceHardens Chapel Cemetery, Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi
Misc. Notes
Hiram Fikes was born February 15, 1827 in Lexington County, South Carolina, a son of John and Eaves Fikes.
A farmer by occupation. He enlisted a year after the opening of the American Civil War, on April 10, 1862, in the 4th Alabama Volunteer Militia (Byrd's Regiment), Captain John Moore's Company. The 4th Alabama Militia was a 90-day unit. He was sick-in-quarters 6/25/62 and had no further record with the unit. He appears later on the rolls of Co. H, 40th Alabama having enlisted (or having been "enrolled") in Perry Co., Alabama (that is where he resided at the opening of the war) in March 1863. There is some confusion as to how the regiment was employed around the time of his service; one part detailed for service in Georgia, while the other part was in Vicksburg. Hiram was in the Vicksburg detachment for it is there that he was captured by the 15th Corps and was paroled on 7/9/63. Returning to service, once again, he was with the 40th Alabama again when he was captured at Big Shanty, Ga. on 6/15/64. This time he was sent to Rock Island, Illinois by way of Louisville, Ky. In four months, he was released on oath, having signed-on with Co. I, 3rd United States Volunteers.
On his enlistment record with the 3rd U.S.V., Fikes was listed as having blue eyes, dark hair, light complexion, and being 5'6". He was mustered-in on October 31, 1864, and, interestingly (but not uncommon for Galvanized Yankees), was credited as a recruit to Elk, Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The 3rd USV remained at Rock Island for sometime before being sent out to the Dakota Territory in 1865. While there, it appears, at least from his service records, that his service went without incident. In May 1865, he was listed as on daily duty as the company cook. He was detached at the Sweet Water detachment on June 4. He was mustered-out at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on November 29, 1865 (although he did have a stoppage of pay for damaging the property of another member). He headed back to Mississippi and there, rejoined his wife Polly and their children. He applied for a pension for his service as a Union soldier on August 18, 1892 (application #1126.495) under "Law J" and received one (certificate #1069.626).
He died on October 20, 1903 in Fulton, Itawamba County, Mississippi and was buried in the Harden Chapel Cemetery. His wife applied for a widow's pension (app. #797.144) on December 31, 1903, and received one (cert. #744.318). She died on February 20, 1925.
Marr Date4 Dec 1851
Marr PlacePerry County, Alabama