Correspondence to the Governor and Adjutant General of Ohio
June 17-September 7, 1861.
June 17, 1861
Lorin Andrews, Colonel, 4th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, et. al., Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General H.B. Carrington. Letter introducing W.W. Nixon of Kenton, Ohio, who was visiting Columbus with the aim of obtaining authority to raise a company of volunteers for the war; recommending Nixon to the favorable consideration of the State authorities; and "unhesitatingly" assuring Carrington that Nixon's appointment would be judicious and highly satisfactory to the eight signees.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 43]
June 17, 1861
J[ames] S. Robinson, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Friend [W.W.] Nixon. Letter enclosing the recommendation dated June 17, 1861(see 207-6: 43); and stating that Laurone (?) had said he would do all he could to obtain Nixon a position, that he was sending this letter to Kenton by young Morrow who promised to deliver it upon arrival, that they had received their belts, cartridge boxes, canteens, etc., and that they would undoubtedly be off in a week.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 41]
June 27, 1861
H.B. Carrington, Adjutant General, Headquarters, Ohio Militia and Volunteer Militia, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To Hugh Lee, La Rue, Marion County, Ohio. Letter stating that Mr. Copeland's application on Lee's behalf had been filed and recorded, and that it was impossible at present to accept a company for immediate service since Ohio's regiments were full; suggesting that Lee and his men organize, if possible, as Militia of the Reserve; and stating that instructions could be obtained from the Adjutant General's Office. Written by J.M. Kendrick, Military Secretary.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 208]
August 2, 1861
M.E. Cully, Newark, Licking County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that there were two companies in Granville, one in St. Louisville, one in Utica, one in Elizabethtown, and one in Kirkersville; and requesting that he be informed if orders were issued for those companies.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 141]
August 3, 1861
T.G. Boyd, Washington, Fayette County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter asking if there was a regiment of rifle sharpshooters forming in Ohio, and to whom he should apply for permission to raise a company of that character; and stating that Fayette County would not wait for the draft.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 22]
August 4, [1861]
George A. Barber, Detroit, Michigan. To R. Mauri (?). Letter asking if there was any law prohibiting his acceptance should he raise a company; and stating that Governor Austin Blair had not accepted companies or regiments from Michigan for some time because the militia law of Michigan required that companies keep up their organization at their own expense, that the President [Abraham Lincoln] or Secretary of War [Simon Cameron] subsequently authorized Colonel Stockton and Colonel Brodhead of Michigan to raise independent regiments and had ordered even skeleton regiments to Washington, that if the law was strictly enforced in every instance, Lincoln would not have had the right to suspend the writ of habeas corpus or increase the regular army, that he did not think it was right to refuse him authority to raise a company because he had not lived in Ohio for ten years so long as the Union was in danger, brave officers such as General [Nathaniel] Lyon were being killed, and Union forces of a few hundred were attacking thousands in Virginia because there were not enough men, that the military spirit which was now high might not always continue, that the war was not yet over, and that it was Mauri's duty as a patriot to do justice in this case and not injustice.
3 pp. [Series 147-6: 166]
August 4, 1861
Mormon (?), Glandorf, Putnam County, Ohio. To Dr. M.J. Bowland, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. Letter stating that they would comply with Bowland's request and could muster in by the middle or end of the coming week if Bowland procured the order, that they had sixty-eight men and would have no trouble getting the maximum number immediately upon Bowland's return, that Herman Frey wanted Bowland to bring the copy of Schiller which they spoke about, and that he wanted Bowland to procure him an inexpensive pocket case.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 206]
August 4, 1861
L. Smith, Lebanon, Warren County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that F.S. Lilly, a veteran with ten years in the U.S. regular army, an excellent drill officer, and a resident of Springsborough, wanted a Captain's commission to raise a company of infantry for the war; recommending Lilly; and stating that they were all awake to the country's call.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 209]
August 4, 1861
W.H. Stewart, et. al., Bloomingburgh, Fayette County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the six undersigned citizens of Bloomingburgh were acquainted with J.M.McCoy, that McCoy was a young man of good moral character and that they believed him to be eminently qualified to command a company in any department Dennison might place him, and that McCoy could secure a greater number of volunteers for immediate service than any man in the community; and providing references.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 141]
August 12, 1861
W.A. Choate, Camp Trimble, Defiance, Defiance County, Ohio. To William T. Bascom, Private Secretary. Letter enclosing the election roll of his company; stating that he was sure they were the first full company in camp and therefore entitled to the position of Company A; asking that such a position be assigned to his company; requesting that arms and uniforms be sent at once or the proper orders issued for them; stating that he was in haste to get his company equipped for the drill, that he hoped to attend the Union State Convention, and that the leaders of the Democrats in Defiance County seemed determined to keep up the straight party organization in order to secure the county offices for themselves; asking when his pay commenced; and stating that he had gone to much expense and devoted all of his time to the company.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 51]
August 22, 1861
R.M. Corwine, Headquarters, Western Department, St. Louis, Missouri. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry had arrived safely and was reviewed by General [John C.] Fremont, that the regiment attracted much attention and was loudly applauded by those who saw it, that the regiment was the best appointed and best looking of the regiments which had reached St. Louis, that Ohio received all the honors and her Governor only compliments, that this did not fail to fill him and all Ohioans with unspeakable pleasure, and that the Groesbeck Regiment was also highly complimented; suggesting that Ohio ought to have a vigilant man at St. Louis to receive and look after the comfort of her troops; and stating that Indiana had such a representative, that General Fremont had expressed the wish that all other states should have one, that Charles T. Sherman had business which called him to St. Louis and would probably undertake being Ohio's representative if Dennison conferred such an appointment upon him, that Sherman would do the State and the soldiers ample justice, and that he would address Dennison as to the Porshner Regiment and other matters which needed attention.
2 pp. [Series 147-6: 65]
August 23, 1861
J.B. Daniels, Captain. To Adjutant General. Letter stating that they had held an election by order of the Brigadier General on July 30, that they received orders to assist in guarding the railroad from battalion headquarters on August 6, and had been on the railroad almost three weeks, that some of the boys thought they would not get paid for their work since their orders had not come from the Adjutant General, and that they had not received their commissions; requesting that the commissions be sent and for confirmation of their orders; and stating that they had 43 men in the company, and that their headquarters were at Big Run Station.
2 pp. [Series 147-6: 153]
August 24, 1861
T.D. Edwards, Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. To R.W. Taylor, Columbus, Ohio. Letter stating that he had received Taylor's letter dated August 21, enclosing notice from the Adjutant General of his appointment as Major in the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he was enclosing his acceptance of the appointment, that observation had convinced him of the importance of the post of Major, that he accepted the position with many misgivings, that he was aware his performance would affect others beside himself, that this knowledge would be a great incentive to excel, and that he would endeavor to fill the position in such a manner that Taylor would never have cause to regret having been his patron.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 45]
August 24, 1861
John Groesbeck, Colonel, 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Benton [Missouri]. To Governor William Dennison. Letter enclosing a list of officers of the 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; calling Dennison's attention to the fact that Adjutant Charles T. Sedam was mustered in Company H as 1st Lieutenant and that Quartermaster Harlan A. Edwards was mustered as 2nd Lieutenant of Company H; and stating that this was done to conform to the instructions of the Mustering Officer, that Sedam was battalion and drill master in the Frankfort Military Institute and was 27 years of age, that in case of a "disastrous casualty" taking off the field officers, it would greatly protect the regiment if Sedam could have a Captain's commission with the rank of senior Captain, that Samuel H. Rulon and John V. Drake had received notification of their appointments, that as far as it reflected credit to Dennison, he was glad of the regiment's good reputation, but that the regiment had more than it deserved, that they had tried the Greenwood rifle, that Major General [John C.] Fremont had paid them a visit on August 23, that he had informed Fremont that it was his intention to select 10 men from each company and organize them into a band of sharpshooters to be called upon in emergencies, that Fremont had expressed a readiness to put the second raised sight on their guns whenever they could call on him to do so, that he had requested a second shipment of ammunition including 70,000 Greenwood and 30,000 Enfield cartridges and a proportionate number of caps, that Captain Christopher A. Morgan of Company D had been promoted and was currently on General [John] Pope's staff, and that Willard P. Stoms, Daniel Weber, and John B. Ryan would rise in rank subject to the acceptance of Morgan's resignation as Captain of Company D.
2 pp. [Series 147-6: 156]
August 24, 1861
James McCleery, Camp Wood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as 2nd Lieutenant in the Ohio Volunteers.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 72]
August 24, 1861
James W. Stinchcomb, Captain, Company F, 17th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he had received no blank discharges, and that his boys were anxious to receive their discharges; and requesting that blank discharges be forwarded immediately.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 16]
August 26, 1861
Benjamin Turner, Huron, Erie County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the news of the capture of Captain J.W. Sprague, etc., was true; seeking a business connection with the army in western Virginia; and stating that he wanted to know the whereabouts of Sprague and the other captured men, that he could not think of leaving the prisoners to their fate without making an effort to find them, and that he could do many things which would be acceptable in the present crisis.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 66]
August 27, 1861
O. Bennet, Major Commanding, Headquarters, Camp Putnam, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that upon instructions from Buckingham, he had ordered two companies from Marietta, one company from Harmer and one company from Belpre out for duty on the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, that said companies responded willingly and promptly to the call and consented to the duty given them to perform, that since being on duty, the companies had made requisitions for necessary clothing to keep them comfortable, that he had refused to sign the requisitions under orders from Buckingham, that for want of clothing, the men had become dissatisfied, that some of the men left their posts with impunity and without consent contending that they were under no obligation to serve the State for a longer time than they individually saw fit, that the companies of Captains Shaw and Daniels were newly organized and had not received commissions, that four or five of the "would be known ones" of Captain Daniels' company contended that they were not properly organized and would not be acknowledged by the State authorities, that he had informed said individuals that the company would be properly and legally acknowledged and the officers commissioned, that he had instructed Captain Daniels to arrest as deserters any and all of his company who absented themselves from duty without consent, that Wallace Bennet was appointed Battalion Commissary on June 23, and that said appointment was approved by Governor William Dennison, Henry B. Carrington, and Buckingham, that Wallace Bennet had been faithfully performing his duty and now wanted his commission, and that Harry M. Smith had been appointed Post Adjutant and if confirmed, would be pleased to receive his commission; asking if those companies which he ordered out and accepted could consider themselves legally organized, if the officers would receive commissions, if he had authority to order a company under his command to hold an election for the purpose of electing a Lieutenant, and if all companies of the Reserve Militia ordered out and placed on duty within the State were subject to the articles of war; and stating that the consolidated reports of troops guarding the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad had been delayed on account of having to return the morning reports of Captain Daniels' company for correction.
3 pp. [Series 147-6: 63]
August 27, 1861
Seth A. Bushnell, Camp Wood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as Captain in the Ohio Volunteers.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 71]
August 27, 1861
W.S. Chamberlain, Camp Wood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he had accepted his appointment as 1st Lieutenant in the 41st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, had reported to Lieutenant Colonel Wiseman commanding at Camp Wood, and had been mustered into service by Lieutenant Neal.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 7]
August 27, 1861
William A. Choate, Enlisting Officer, Defiance, Defiance County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter enclosing the election roll of the company he had been enlisting under an order from Buckingham dated August 12; stating that his company was the first one filled and the first in camp which made it Company A; requesting uniforms and arms at once; and stating that he would enlist 110 men so as to be full after being called.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 62]
August 27, [1861]
Joseph Day, Collamer, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he wanted to do his Country a favor; asking permission to raise an artillery company in Collamer and the neighboring township; requesting that the company be called the Collamer Light Artillery; and stating that he thought he could raise a whole company.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 21]
August 27, 1861
Emerson Opdycke, Camp Wood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting an appointment as 1st Lieutenant, Ohio Volunteers, U.S. Army.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 73]
August 27, 1861
A[braham] Sanders Piatt, Colonel, 34th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Lucas, Clermont County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter enclosing a certificate from a family physician, who wanted a member of the 34th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry discharged on account of his age being twenty and the illness of his mother caused by his enlistment.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 74]
August 27, 1861
L.C. Thayer, Quartermaster, 2nd Reserve Corps, Ohio Volunteer Militia, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter enclosing a requisition for blank books, stationery, etc.; and stating that he did not know if these things were furnished by the State or federal government, that he was addressing his request to Dennison because of the kind treatment received when in Columbus, that he was sure Dennison could get the requisition to the proper office, that it was important to get the blanks at once, and that he needed proper vouchers to insure his safety as Quartermaster since the regiment was forming rapidly.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 69]
August 27, [1861]
W.K. Upham, Canton, Stark County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter enclosing a sketch of Captain Manderson's speech of Saturday evening; requesting that Manderson be sent an order to raise a company for the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and stating that their men were all paid off and everything was satisfactory.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 4]
August 28, 1861
E.B. Andrews, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he had just learned that his friend and neighbor, T.C.H. Smith, had been talked of as a suitable person to be the Lieutenant Colonel of Colonel Ransom's cavalry company being formed at Cincinnati, that in his opinion, Smith was a very suitable man for such a position, that Smith was a graduate of Harvard, that Smith was a man of nerve and pluck who could endure hardness, that Smith was a gentleman and would make a popular officer, that Smith was far superior to most of the men he had seen in similar positions, and that Smith's loyalty and patriotism were not diminished for being a Democrat.
2 pp. [Series 147-6: 33]
August 28, 1861
J.S. Carpenter, Headquarters, 30th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. To Colonel Hugh Ewing. Letter stating that for health reasons, he was compelled to leave the service; and tendering his resignation as 1st Lieutenant of Company C, 30th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 14]
August 28, 1861
William W. Munn, Camp Wood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter accepting an appointment as 1st Lieutenant of a company assigned to the 41st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 18]
August 28, 1861
J[oshua] W. Sill, Colonel, 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Morrow, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter introducing Sergeant Richard Long of Colonel Fyffe's regiment currently on furlough; and stating that Long wanted to get up a company for the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he had no doubt Long would prove a very efficient Captain, and that Long was deserving of promotion to a Captaincy even if circumstances prevented him from raising a company.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 99]
August 28, 1861
J[oshua] W. Sill, Colonel, 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Morrow, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter thanking Dennison for the numerous and repeated favors shown himself and the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; stating that they commenced under favorable auspices, being offered more than twenty companies, that most proposed organizations fell through owing to the great number of military aspirants whose labors were at cross purposes, that the Lieutenant Colonel and Major were both excellent appointments, that the people of Portsmouth had been rather "frigid" and even talked of undermining his regiment by starting up a rival organization, that the core of the opposition consisted of three months' men who had vied for the positions of flank or center companies and were refused because other companies had gotten an earlier start, that the mustering officer had sworn in about 400 men, and that his regiment could be filled in a week if they could admit men individually; asking what objection Dennison had to taking men individually and enlisting them; and stating that men could be qualified by a Justice of the Peace, that as soon as they reached the company strength of 83, he could order an election and enroll the company in the regiment, that by this method, they could get the three months' men in very rapidly and defeat the efforts of those unfavorably disposed toward them, and that [Lieutenant] Colonel [Oscar F.] Moore and Major [Joshua V.] Robinson agreed with him on the subject and believed the regiment could thus be brought into the field in a much shorter time.
2 pp. [Series 147-6: 61]
[August 28?, 1861]
W.D. DeRush, Captain, and J.T. King, 1st Lieutenant, Greenville, Darke County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that they proposed to raise a company of 80 men in 2 or 3 weeks provided they were commissioned to do so.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 18]
August 28, 1861
George N. Dickinson, Fife Major, 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), Richfield, Summit County, Ohio. To Captain Cotter. Letter stating that he had been acquainted with Captain A. Goldwood for many years and knew him to be of good moral character and a scholar, and that Goldwood was Captain of the Richfield Greys and had managed the company to the satisfaction of all the members and the township's residents; recommending Goldwood as a persevering young man in anything he undertook; and stating that Goldwood had moral courage enough for any emergency which might come up.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 21]
August 28, 1861
Thomas H. Ford, Colonel Commanding, Headquarters, 32nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Buckingham, Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he had more men on his hands than he knew what to do with; requesting the privilege of recruiting twelve instead of ten companies for his regiment; and stating that he had five companies mustered in and would be full to running over within the week, that he knew Dennison would blame him for this condition of things, that he had taken counsel with his field officers and they advised him to continue recruiting, and that with Dennison's approval, they would recruit a brigade forthwith.
3 pp. [Series 147-6: 56]
August 28, 1861
John Hutchins for Wade & Hutchins, Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter requesting the appointment of Dr. J[oseph] T. Smith of Warren as Assistant Surgeon of the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; and stating that Smith had been examined, and that they would name a Surgeon when the proper name occured.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 13]
August 28, 1861
A[lbert] Langworthy, Captain, Company A, 49th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting an appointment as Captain of Company A, 49th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 12]
August 28, 1861
G.G. Minor, Major Commanding, Camp Wade, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Statement certifying that blank requisitions of all kinds, blank books for the Quartermaster's office, stationery for staff and company officers, blank muster rolls, blank pay rolls, and blank pay warrants or officers' accounts were absolutely necessary since the regiment was forming rapidly and a significant amount of property was being issued for the comfort and subsistence of the men; and stating that for the good of the service, it was proper that equipage and stores be issued on proper requisitions and regularly receipted for.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 75]
August 28, 1861
William W. Munn, Camp Wood, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter accepting an appointment as 1st Lieutenant of a company assigned to the 41st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 18]
August 28, 1861
J[oshua] W. Sill, Colonel, 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Morrow, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter introducing Sergeant Richard Long of Colonel Fyffe's regiment currently on furlough; and stating that Long wanted to get up a company for the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he had no doubt Long would prove a very efficient Captain, and that Long was deserving of promotion to a Captaincy even if circumstances prevented him from raising a company.
1 p. [Series 147-6: 99]
August 28, 1861
J[oshua] W. Sill, Colonel, 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Morrow, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter thanking Dennison for the numerous and repeated favors shown himself and the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; stating that they commenced under favorable auspices, being offered more than twenty companies, that most proposed organizations fell through owing to the great number of military aspirants whose labors were at cross purposes, that the Lieutenant Colonel and Major were both excellent appointments, that the people of Portsmouth had been rather "frigid" and even talked of undermining his regiment by starting up a rival organization, that the core of the opposition consisted of three months' men who had vied for the positions of flank or center companies and were refused because other companies had gotten an earlier start, that the mustering officer had sworn in about 400 men, and that his regiment could be filled in a week if they could admit men individually; asking what objection Dennison had to taking men individually and enlisting them; and stating that men could be qualified by a Justice of the Peace, that as soon as they reached the company strength of 83, he could order an election and enroll the company in the regiment, that by this method, they could get the three months' men in very rapidly and defeat the efforts of those unfavorably disposed toward them, and that [Lieutenant] Colonel [Oscar F.] Moore and Major [Joshua V.] Robinson agreed with him on the subject and believed the regiment could thus be brought into the field in a much shorter time.
2 pp. [Series 147-6: 61]