Mathias Elliot

Company F, 20th Ohio Infantry

Great-great-grand-uncle of Owen Stiles, PCC

Mathias Elliott was born in 1838 in Shelby County, Ohio to William A. Elliott and Mahala Smith. On April 7, 1864, while on home on leave after siege of Vicksburg, he married Lucinda Swim.

Mathias enlisted as a private in Company F, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry commanded by Major General Mortimer D. Leggett. He was promoted to Corporal in September 1861. He was awarded a Medal of Gold for actions at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Raymond and Vickburg. In intense action at the Battle of Atlanta Mathias saw the color bearer of the 78th Regiment killed and before the colors could touch the ground recovered them until he too was mortally wounded. His brother Robert Elliott, seeing Mathias fall, snatched the colors fighting gallantly until he fell. Mathias was captured in the Battle of Atlanta and was taken to Andersonville where he succumbed to his wounds. He is buried at Andersonville National Cemetery.

Besides his brother Robert Elliott who died in battle, another brother Joseph also served in the same company.