A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 1017-1018
Oliver P. Boyd, of Franklin Township, Hendricks County, Ind., has the honor of having the longest record in the Civil War of any soldier from Hendricks County. He was born August 31, 1842, in a part of Morgan County, Ind., now included in Hendricks County. He is the son of William T. and Elizabeth (Bonell) Boyd, to whom were born, beside himself: Geraldine, Josephine, Leander D., Mahlon, Catherine and Luther. Mr. Boyd was a farmer of Hendricks County. Oliver P., our subject, received a common school education and had begun to learn the trade of a blacksmith in Stilesville, and was but eighteen years of age when he enlisted at Indianapolis and was enrolled, April 21, 1861, as a private in Company H, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, under Gen. Lew Wallace, in his famous zouave regiment, for three months, and served until honorably discharged, August 7, 1861, by reason of expiration of service. He was in the battle of Romney, Va. He returned home and on December 1, 1861, re-enlisted at Gosport, Ind., to serve three years or during the war, in Company B, Fifty-ninth Indiana Infantry, and was honorably discharged, as corporal, from the service of the United States, the thirty-first day of December, 1863, at Huntsville, Ala., on account of re-enlistment as a veteran volunteer in the same organization, for three years or during the war; at this time was made sergeant, and had charge of Gens. McPherson's and Howard's headquarter guards from May until commissioned second lieutenant. He was honorably discharged at Hilton Head, S.C., on March 9, 1865, and on this date was commissioned second lieutenant of Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment, United States Colored Infantry, his colonel being Charles H. Howard, brother of Gen. O.O. Howard. In May, 1865, he was promoted to first lieutenant, and served until honorably discharged at Charleston, S.C., October 10, 1866. After close of the war was stationed at Beaufort, Sullivan's Island, Charleston, S.C., Gillisonville, S.C., and Summerville, guarding government property, and in charge of the Freedmen's Bureau. Lieut. Boyd commanded his company, in the absence of the captain, for the entire period of service, with the exception of one month. He served his country faithfully as a soldier for the long period of five years, three months and ten days. This is probably the longest service of any volunteer from Hendricks County, the entire service being passed in the field, and Lieut. Boyd was never sick in the hospital a day, but was always on duty, and has carried a musket in all the southern states except Florida and Texas.
Mr. Boyd was in the battles of New Madrid, siege of Corinth, battle of Corinth, under Rosecrans, at Raymond and Jackson, Miss., Champion Hills, siege and battle at Vicksburg, May 22, Missionary Ridge and in many severe skirmishes. During the latter part of his service he was stationed at Beaufort, Gillisonville, S.C., and on Morris Island, and also served about four months at Charleston, S.C., on a military commission under Gen. John L. Gardner, of the regular army, as president, and had charge of the Charleston jail for two months. Lieut. Boyd was always an active soldier and in all the battles, skirmishes, marches and campaigns of his regiment. He was in many hard marches, the most severe on the men being from Milliken's Bend to the rear of Vicksburg, from May 1, to the battle of Vicksburg, fighting several battles and marching night and day nearly all the time, and under arms continuously. Lieut. Boyd considers the second battle of Corinth the hardest battle in which he fought, and Vicksburg next, where many of his comrades fell around him. His comrade on his right was shot dead; his comrade on his left was shot through the hand, and the next man to him, on the left, was shot in the mouth. The sergeant behind Lieut. Boyd was shot dead, but he escaped without a scratch. After the war he returned to Hendricks County and resumed his business of a blacksmith and carriage maker, settling at Amo. Lieut. Boyd married Catherine, daughter of John W. and Barbara (Elrod) Gentry, and to them has been born one son, Claude G. Boyd, now attending high school at Delphi, Ind. Lieut. Boyd remained at Amo twenty years and was engaged in business, but is now farming on the Gentry homestead. He is a member of Enoch Alexander post No. 265, G.A.R., at Stilesville, and was one of the founders of the post, in which he has held the office of commander. Politically he is a Republican, and has been assessor of Clay Township. He was a member of Larabee lodge of Stilesville, No. 131, F. & A.M., but is now non-affiliating. Lieut. Boyd was distinctively an American soldier and one of the gallant young men who entered the war to put down the rebellion, and continued to re-enlist until there was no further use for his services, and his war record is his best eulogy.