Residence Danville, Illinois
Enlisted: 9/1/1861 as a Private
Mustered Into: Company E - 35th Illinois Infantry -
     12/19/1861
Mustered Out: 1/2/1865

Franklin Kyger was one of those who flocked to the colors in the first months of the war. He was mustered into the regiment on September 1, 1861. He left his wife, Mary Jane, behind at Grape Creek and marched off with the regiment. They had just been married two years when the war came. Grape Creek was a thriving community in 1860. With its grain and saw mills on the Little Vermillion River and the Blue Bird Mine to provide employment the village was growing as the war started. The Kyger family was prominent. Franklin's uncle was a prominent lawyer and the family owned the successful mill complex where Grape Creek emptied into the river.

Like many of the Illinois Regiments the 35th saw its first action in the Missouri Campaign in the spring of 1862. It was part of the force shadowing Sterling Price south after the battle of Wilson's Creek and was in the thick of the fighting at Elkhorn Tavern in the Battle of Pea Ridge. Col. G.A Smith was wounded so badly in the head and arm he was unable to rejoin the Regiment and command devolved on Colonel Chandler. After the fight Chandler took temporary command of the Brigade whil Major McIlwain led the 35th.

In May the 35th was assigned to General Jefferson C. Davis' Division and served under him until the end of the war. After boarding the steamer Sunshine at Cape Giradeau the 35th arrived at Hamburg Landing, Tennessee on May 25th to join the circle that Grant was drawing around Corinth, Mississippi. When Johnson's rebels abandoned the important crossroads on May 30th the Regiment spent June and July pursuing the Confederates. In August they guarded bridges and confiscated contraband cotton. There was a new threat looming in Central Tennessee. Braxton Bragg was advancing toward Kentucky. Davis was sent to reinforce Don Carlos Buell's Army of Kentucky at Murfreesboro, Tennessee on August 21st. The Division reported on September 1st. They had marched 175 miles in 12 days.

Buell withdrew towards Louisville to stay between Bragg and the Ohio River ports. After marching and counter marching through September the collision came at Perrysville, Kentucky on October 8th 1862. The 35th was at the edge of the fight, engaged in some skirmishing and suffered no loss. The Union success came on another part of the field. Buell did not pursue Bragg as he withdrew into East Tennessee. Instead he went into winter quarters at Nashville. His dithering cost Buell his command. He was replaced by General William S. Rosencrans.

Rosencrans was mindful that inaction had resulted in Buell's dismissal and resolved not to repeat that mistake. The Army was again reorganized as the Army of The Cumberland. Davis' Division was one of three comprising the Right Wing commanded by General McCook. On December 26th the Army left Nashville to hit Bragg at Murfreesboro. They smashed into Bragg at Stone's River. The 35th was in the forefront when Bragg opened the battle with an overwhelming assault on the Union right. The Right Wing's line was shoved back, swinging like a barn door on the hinge of its anchor with George Thomas Center. The losses were heavy. When Bragg withdrew on January 3, 1863 the regiment was down to 18 Officers and 281 enlisted men to March to Chattanooga.

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