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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY KENTUCKY
by charles m. meacham 1930
Shortly after Wiley Futrell, also in the late war under Col. Suggs of the Fiftieth Tennessee; James Thomas, Fifer; Alfred Boyd, Quartermaster, George Boyd, his son; Reuben Nance, Commissary; Owen McGinness, Gilliam M. Ezell, Alfred Martin, Robert and Frank Husk, Ezekiel Beard, George Orr, Griffin Lackman and Archie Bowie made application and were accepted in Company E, Fourth Kentucky Infantry, then being organized at Hickman, Ky. The officers of this company were George Cook, Captain; John Snyder, First Lieutenant; Edward Barbour, Second Lieutenant; Benjamin Egan, Third Lieutenant.

Six others, Edward Spiceland, Linn Bell, Alfred Sumner, Harrison Frizzell, John Ward and John Farleigh, arriving shortly afterward and finding the company full, engaged as wagoners, and in this capacity accompanied Gen. Taylor on his campaign into the interior of Mexico.

The organization of Capt. Cook's company being complete in October, 1847, it embarked with Company C, of Caldwell County, on board a steamer and proceeded to join Col. John S. Williams, Fourth Regiment of Kentucky Infantry at New Orleans. The officers of the Fourth were John S. Williams, Colonel; William Preston, Lieutenant-Colonel; and William T. Ward, Major. From New Orleans without delay, the regiment was embarked on a fast-sailing ship for Vera Cruz, where on their arrival they were assigned to duty in the brigade under Gen. William 0. Butler. Gen. Butler began his march to the City of Mexico in November, but before they could reach that point it had surrendered to the forces under Gen. Scott. With the fall of the city the war closed, and after a few days the troops were disbanded and returned home.

Though not in any engagement the company lost heavily from measles, dysentery and other "camp" diseases. Griffin Laekman died and was buried at Jalapa, Alfred Martin and Ezekiel Beard died on their return to Vera Cruz, George Orr died and was buried at the head of Wolf Island

Names of soldiers in the Mexican War have been secured. Hugh Nelson’s grandson, Hugh Nelson, still has the gun his ancestor carried in the war. Thomas Green Henry, father of Col. Jouett Henry, was another. Also Thomas Randolph and William Vaughan. Others, from Christian and Trigg Counties, who enlisted under Capt. George B. Cook, whose company was accepted, at Smithland, were Wiley Futrell, James Thomas, Alfred Boyd, George Boddie, Reuben Nance, Owen McGinness, Gilliam M. Ezell, Alfred Martin, Robert and Frank Husk, Ezekiel Beard, George Orr, Griffin Lackman, Archie Bowie, Lieut. John Snyder, Lieut. Edward Barbour, and Lieut. Ben Egan. Martin, Beard, Orr, Lackman and Robert Husk died in Mexico of disease.

George Orr died and was buried at the head of Wolf Island,