Hello Joanne and glad to hear from a descendant of McVicker. I live about 25 miles from Eufaula, Alabama however I'm not home often. If McVicker was in the hospital post September 1864 in Georgia or Alabama he likely would have fallen under Doctor Stout's jurisdiction. Dr. Stout kept great records however when he died well after the War his collection was broken up and sold to various people and institutions. The University in Texas at Austin has some as well as Emory University in Georgia. Since you live near Kennesaw I would call them and see what they have as an example patient records etc. I've been there and looked at the Stout collection and the only thing that stuck with me was how large it was. When Sherman was approaching Atlanta the main hospital in Oxford, Georgia was moved to Cuthbert, Georgia as well as some of their patients. Numerous hospitals in Atlanta were also relocated in places like Eufaula, Alabama. This is not to suggest that all hospitals in Georgia relocated for example the Ocmulgee hospital in Macon stayed. Cuthbert, Georgia had three Confederate hospitals, 1) Lumpkin 2) Hill 3) Hood Fort Gaines, Georgia also had a hospital as well as Eufaula, Alabama. I've researched Company K a good bit and people such as Hugh Simmons has a web page devoted to Company K named the Jackson Greys if I'm not mistaken.

I've been to Huntsville, Alabama to look at the railroad depot and visited their museum where Company K was held as prisoners for about two weeks. They were reported to have been on the 3rd floor however after looking at the size of the room they may have also occupied the 2nd and well as 1st floor. I found it hard to believe that 100 men could stay in that small of a space on the 3rd floor. According to legend some of the prisoners left their names craved within the walls of their temporary prison. There are a few names however they are of the 1864 time period and after. Lieutenant Kidd did manage to get away with a handful of soldiers from Company K and made it back to Virginia to report to the 9th Louisiana, Infantry Regiment. After reporting to the Colonel of the 9th Louisiana Lt. Kidd was thanked for his actions. A few days later Lt. Kidd would resign his commission. The remaining soldiers who made their escape with Lt. Kidd joined various 9th Louisiana Companies in Virginia which surprised me a little. To read period newspaper of the story of the capture of Huntsville, Alabama visit Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery - SCVOhio McVicker would have left Huntsville, Alabama and forwarded to Nashville, Tennessee and then to Louisville, Kentucky and then to Camp Chase. He was really taken to Portland, Kentucky had held for a few days. What is great about Portland is that the building he was imprisoned at is still around today and is being refurbished.

There is a lot of speculation to how Company K was really captured. Union officer Simonson fired a cannon in the early hours of April 11, 1862 to warn a train to stay put as an advanced party of Mitchell's command came into town. That cannon shot would have been heard by Company K in my opinion. We remember from the history of Andrew's Raid that Andrew's had delayed the raid by one day because of rain. Atlanta and Huntsville are not that far from each other especially weather wise. I suspect that Company K was sleeping in and around their cars to seek shelter from the weather. While many of the soldiers in Company K were recruits like Private Oliver D. McVicker others were veterans such as Lt. Kidd. Lieutenant Kidd must have acted quickly to make his escape while others may have been wondering what the fuss was all about as they were well behind enemy lines. There are also stories of Company K not having rifles for their company as they were to be issued once they arrived in Virginia. I have not been able to either confirm or deny that story as of yet although I would suspect the veteran soldiers probably had their rifles among them. And if Company K did have their rifles with them they probably would have been kept in a separate place in the cars, after all no need to have them out so far behind enemy lines. All this of course is pure conjecture on my part and there are many people who have more knowledge on this subject than I do.

We can work backwards a bit. Oliver Duncan McVicker enlisted at Vernon, Louisiana located in Jackson Parish on March 1, 1862 and your correct about his being related to Robert D. McVicker who enlisted at the same place and date. Both Oliver and Robert would share the same fate at Huntsville, Alabama. They were paroled on or about August 25. 1862 at Camp Chase, Ohio and formally exchanged on November 10, 1862 at Vicksburg, Mississippi per the Dix-Hill Cartel agreement and probably aboard the vessel "John H. Done" when being transported to Vicksburg. The decision was made in Mississippi that since the 9th Louisiana was still in Virginia that Company K would be inducted into the 12th Regiment, Louisiana Infantry and their Company was changed from Company K to 2nd Company M 12th Regiment, Louisiana Infantry. There always seems to be a battle that is decisive in any war for a town or territory. For Vicksburg, Mississippi it was Baker's Creek. Oliver was wounded at Baker's Creek, Mississippi also known to the Union as Champion's Hill on May 16, 1863 and Robert was reported as missing in action. Both however would be paroled at Vicksburg, Mississippi when General Pemberton surrendered the city on July 4, 1863 to General Grant.

Your correct again in stating the Oliver died on September 14, 1864 at hospital #2 in Eufaula, Alabama. I still believe at that time it would have been under Doctor Stout's blanket. I have always been meaning to find out more about the Confederate hospitals in Eufaula. The Union did not occupy the town during the War but of course did soon after. The prospect of finding his grave is not promising but I'll see what I can do. As a general rule the hospitals were not to far from the railroad lines. The Early County Georgia newspaper for one (not too far from Eufaula) can still be read just as people did during the War years at the library in Blakely, Georgia. They may shed some light into the hospitals existence. Right now though I'm in California and can't be of much use to you. Don't be a stranger to this site as there are dozens of people here who have a vast amount of knowledge. Again always a pleasure meeting a descendant of old Company K 9th Regiment, Louisiana Infantry. One of the more interesting companies during the WBTS in my opinion.