Correspondence to the Governor and Adjutant General of Ohio
June 26 - September 26, 1861.
June 26, 1861
John Mangold, First Sergeant, Company K, 9th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Philippi, Virginia. Letter stating that at an election held by Company K of the 9th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, B. Edliff Thanson [Edlief B. Thoessen] was unanimously chosen as Captain. Bears statement of Robert L. McCook, Colonel, 9th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry certifying that the foregoing was a correct copy of the record of said election.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 54]
July 20, 1861
F[rancis] B. Pond, Lieutenant Colonel, 17th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), William S. Rosecrans, Brigadier General, United States Army, and Lyman J. Jackson, Captain, Company E, 17th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service). Letter recommending that William Edwards be granted the power and authority to raise a company of infantry in Ohio for three years' service. Rosecrans states that he had seen Edwards under "various circumstances". Jackson states that Edwards was a member of his company and would do full justice to any military position he might receive.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 129]
July 31, 1861
Isaiah B. McDonald, Acting Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters, 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation - West Virginia, Camp Cheat Mountain Pass. Special Order Number 3. Announcement of the promotion of Sergeant John B. McRoberts to Second Lieutenant and the appointment of W[ilbur] H. Sage as Adjutant in the 3rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) by order of Brigadier General J[oseph] J[ones] Reynolds, subject to the approval of Governor William Dennison.
1p. [Series 147-7: 200]
August 5, 1861
C.P. Buckingham, Adjutant General of Ohio, Headquarters, Ohio Militia, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To James H. Miller. Letter notifying Miller of his appointment as 1st Lieutenant, Battery C, 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery; and ordering Miller to report to Captain W[illiam] E. Standart.
1p. [Series 147-7: 22]
August 6, 1861
James Lesley, Jr, Chief Clerk, War Department, Washington D.C. To Colonel Lewis Zahm, Monroevile, Huron County, Ohio. Letter stating that Zahm's regiment of cavalry would be accepted for three years' service or during the War provided he was ready for marching orders in thirty days, with the distinct understanding that the War Department would revoke the commissions of all officers found incompetent; instructing Zahm to promptly advise Adjutant General [Lorenzo] Thomas in Washington of the date on which his men would be ready for mustering; and stating that an officer would be detailed for that purpose.
1p. [Series 147-7: 11]
August 9, 1861
J[ohn] M. Connell, Colonel, 17th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio. To [Adjutant] General [C.P. Buckingham]. Letter regarding the organization of the 17th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and stating that he was moving quickly since only a few weeks remained for drill and discipline before the busy operations of the fall campaign required all men to be in the field.
4 pp. [Series 147-7: 45]
August 9, 1861
Thomas Turner, Mt. Gilead, Morrow County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that two other men from Morrow County had been granted permission to raise companies in Cardington and Chesterville respectively, that three companies could not be raised in Morrow County, that attempting to raise three companies would prohibit raising any company, that he had been assured no other orders would be issued for companies from Morrow County until he raised his company, that he wanted Buckingham to stop the other men trying to raise companies in Morrow County, and that he could raise a company if the field was left open.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 77]
August 11, 1861
J[essie] J. Appler, Colonel, 53rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as Colonel of the 53rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and stating that he would have a regiment in a few days, and that Quartermaster [Joseph W.] Fulton would be at headquarters immediately for camp equipage.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 223]
August 13, 1861
Hirmin [Herman] G. Depuy, Colonel, Headquarters, 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, near Oakland, Maryland. To Assistant Adjutant General E[dward] D[avis] Townsend, USA. Letter stating that he lost the muster roll of regimental officers of the 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) dated May 4, 1861, that the roll was missing when his regiment returned from the march in pursuit of the rebels on their retreat from Laurel Hill, that all efforts to find the roll had proved fruitless, that he had notified the Adjutant General of the loss, and that the Adjutant General had informed him that a copy could not be provided since all the muster rolls of Ohio regiments which served for three months were missing or had been mislaid; and requesting a duplicate copy of the muster roll on file in Townsend's office. Bears a note dated August 19, 1861, from E.D. Townsend referring Deputy's letter to the Adjutant General, and a note dated August 21, 1861, from George D. Ruggles stating that the original roll in this case was forwarded to Governor William Dennison at his request to muster out the three months' men.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 14]
August 13, 1861
A.O. Mitchell, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he was acquainted with Thomas Gwynne and had an excellent opportunity to notice his military abilities during the past three months, that he could speak in the best of terms as to Gwynne's capacity to fill the position being sought, that Gwynne's appointment would be a well deserved compliment and give satisfaction to many of his friends, and that Gwynne would fill any position with credit to himself and honor to his State.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 182]
August 17, 1861
Owen P. Ransom, Colonel, 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of Colonel, 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 6]
August 17, 1861
Henry A. Webb, Headquarters, Ohio Militia, Adjutant General's Office, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as 1st Lieutenant, 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 37]
August 25, 1861
George G. Miner, Camp Wade, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as Major of the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 38]
August 26, 1861
A[braham] Sanders Piatt, Colonel, 34th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Lucas, Batavia Township, Clermont County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that all appointments made in the companies of his regiment were accepted except for that of James Williams as 1st Lieutenant; and recommending Henry C. Hatfield in Williams' place.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 40]
August 28, 1861
E[phraim] R. Eckley, Gauley [Bridge], western Virginia. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter requesting the muster rolls of the companies of the 26th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and particularly that of Company H, and that the muster rolls be sent immediately since the pay master was due to arrive soon; stating that they were surrounded by the enemy on all sides except from below, that they could hold their position, but did not have a sufficient force to hold the Kanawha Valley, that their artillery consisted of four six-pounders along the river, that they were threatened by Henry Alexander Wise's Legion to the east and John Buchanan Floyd's Army of the Kanawha to the north, that these Confederate units had sixteen artillery pieces between them, and that they would maintain their position until starved out; asking what had become of the Quartermaster's Department in Ohio; and stating that they had no drums, fifes, or bugles, no colors, no ambulances, and only light clothing, that they had applied again and again and still were not supplied, and that if their needs were not attended to soon, an attempt would be made to expose the situation.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 87]
August 28, 1861
Nathan R. Thomson, Camp Benton, Missouri. To Governor William Dennison. Letter resigning his position as 2nd Lieutenant of Company I, 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry due to sickness in his family; and stating that his brother had a paralytic stroke and was disabled, that he had left the operation of his business to his brother when he entered service, and that his brother was now entirely unfit to attend to the business. Bears note signed by D[avid] C. Benjamin, Captain, Company I, 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Fletcher Hypes, 1st Lieutenant, Company I, 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, recommending the acceptance of Thomson's resignation in view of the circumstances.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 131]
August 29, 1861
Reuben Hitchcock, Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter introducing his friend and neighbor, Samuel W. Phelps, who was visiting Columbus for the purpose of obtaining authority either for himself alone or for himself and C.C. Smith of Painesville to raise a company of artillery; and stating that Phelps possessed the qualities of an efficient, skillful and faithful officer, that although Phelps did not have the advantage of a military education or of actual service, he had for several years held a commission in an organized artillery company, that Smith was a civil engineer with considerable experience who would make a first rate company officer of any grade, that it was an opportune time to raise volunteers in the area because of the deep concern people had over the reverse at Cross Lanes, western Virginia.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 141]
August 29, 1861
J[ohn] S. Snook, Antwerp, Paulding County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that John Crosson, his 2nd Lieutenant in Company G, 14th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), had been elected 1st Lieutenant of a company in the 38th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry which was organizing at Defiance, that Crosson should not receive a commission, that Crosson had secretly encouraged and incited a spirit of insubordination in the ranks of the 14th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), and that for this and other reasons, he considered Crosson unfit for the service.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 23]
August 29, 1861
J[ohn] M. Woodbridge, 1st Lieutenant and Quartermaster, 36th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Putnam, Marietta, Washington County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter containing copies of correspondence regarding the resignation of his commission; and stating that he forwarded the resignation through his immediate commander to the officer commanding the department, who granted an honorable discharge.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 19]
August 30, 1861
M[arcus] P. Bestow, Company A, 26th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Gauley, western Virginia. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter requesting an interpretation of the last clause of Section 10 of the new army regulation passed by Congress in July, which stated that vacancies for company officers were to be filled by an election held by the company; stating that since his appointment and the appointments of two or three others in the regiment were not in accordance with the regulation, there was question as to whether they would be able to draw their pay from the United States, that Colonel [Edward P.] Fyffe and himself were of the opinion that the regiment was not in the hands of the United States until it left Ohio and that Governor William Dennison had a right to appoint officers during the interim, and that the order issued by the War Department of Ohio established the rule of succession for filling all vacancies whereas the new law of Congress made elections necessary; and seeking Buckingham's advice since there were vacancies in the regiment which needed to be filled.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 52]
August 30, 1861
Robert L. McCook, Colonel, 9th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Bulltown, western Virginia. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he was forwarding the certificate of election of one of his Captains per Dennison's request.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 55]
August 31, 1861
John J. Glidden, Attorney at Law, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that fourteen returned volunteers of Company G, 22nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) had solicited him to ascertain why they had not been paid, that he had investigated the matter, that on or around July 1, Captain [George] Wilhelm sent [Richard M.] Taylor, a Private in the company, home for the purpose of recruiting men for three years' service, that Taylor enlisted fourteen men and reported them to Wilhelm at the headquarters of Colonel [William E.] Gilmore in Virginia, that these men immediately entered into service as enrolled soldiers, that under the system they had in Virginia, whether legally authorized or not, the Quartermaster took their names and furnished them clothing, arms and subsistences as part of Wilhelm's company, that the names of these men appeared upon Wilhelm's roll, that these men did full duty as regular soldiers supposing themselves to have been regularly mustered into U.S. service, that when the pay master came to pay off the company, the names of these men did not appear on the muster rolls, that they therefore received no pay for their services, that Wilhelm informed him that a statement of the facts was given to the pay master and entered upon the muster out rolls to be filed in Buckingham's office, and that he was also informed that the pay of the fourteen men would be computed from the day of their enlistment on or about July 1, and thus they would ultimately receive pay for the services they had already rendered in Virginia; asking if the fourteen men would receive the pay so justly due them or if the case necessitated a special allowance for their benefit; and stating that most of these men had families dependent upon their labor for daily subsistence and the matter of pay to them became one of vital importance outside of the real justice of their claim, that no one who had served as he had done for three months in the capacity of a common soldier would doubt their being fully entitled to the meager wages the government allowed, that the negligence of an officer should not be sufficient excuse for denying what was due those noble patriots who sprang forward at the first call of their country, offering their lives upon its consecrated altar, that he felt confident that some arrangement would be made by their "generous" government for the pay of such men, that the sum was insignificant to the government but an important item to the individuals involved, that the men spoken of were at home on furlough and ready and anxious to return as soon as they received their pay, and that once paid, these men could place their families beyond the reach of immediate want when deprived of the advantage of their labor.
3 pp. [Series 147-7: 111]
September 2, 1861
J[acob] Ammen, Colonel, 24th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cheat Mountain Summit, western Virginia. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that an election was held by Company K, 24th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry to fill the vacancy created by the promotion of Captain J[osiah] Given, that the poll books were returned to him properly certified by the judges and clerk of election, that 1st Lieutenant James R. Inskeep was elected Captain of said company, and that 1st Sergeant Andrew J. Garrison was elected 1st Lieutenant to fill the vacancy created by the election of Inskeep as Captain; requesting commissions for Inskeep and Garrison; and stating that the regiment was in good health and spirits, that the regiment was within twelve miles of a large force of the enemy and anxious to be closer, and that there might be an opportunity when more was known of numbers and position.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 97]
September 2, 1861
F.W. Anderson, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter requesting authority to raise a company for immediate service.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 66]
September 2, 1861
Charles Brewer, New Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General Rodney Mason. Letter accepting his appointment as Lieutenant, 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and stating that he would report to Colonel [Samuel] Beatty at Camp Ford, Alliance, Ohio forthwith.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 33]
September 2, 1861
H[iram] G. Depuy, Colonel Commanding, 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Grafton, western Virginia. To Governor William Dennison. Letter referring to his earlier letter notifying Dennison of the loss of the muster roll of regimental officers, 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service); and stating that he sent F.N. Colwell to Columbus to get a copy of the muster roll on file in the Adjutant General's office, that Colwell came back and reported that the copy in question could not be found, that he had since written to 3rd Assistant Adjutant General [Edward Davis] Townsend at Washington requesting a copy of the muster roll sent to the Adjutant General, USA, that Townsend replied that the roll was sent to Columbus at Dennison's request to pay off the three months' officers, i.e. Freeman E. Franklin and Henry F. Wilson, that the balance of the officers had as yet not been paid, that these officers were with him in the three years' service, and that if Dennison sent them the muster roll or a certified copy, it would enable them to draw their pay whenever pay day came. Back of letter bears notes from Deputy to Dennison reminding Dennison of his promise to aid Deputy and the regiment in every way possible; stating that they had received no pay as yet; asking Dennison if he could hurry up the pay master a little, and if he would please attend to the muster roll; and stating that he had nearly $700 resting on the roll, and that he was forwarding the letter [Series 147-7: 14] sent to Townsend.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 8]
September 2, 1861
James O. Miles, Orderly Sergeant, Company I, 16th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), Bellville, Richland County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter asking why Company I, 16th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), which had just been paid off at Bellville, only received pay up to August 18, while other companies of other regiments had been paid up to the day of their discharge, and why the 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) was allowed one month's subsistence while his company was not allowed one day's subsistence; stating that the regulations allowed each man nine dollars per month subsistence at contract prices, that as Orderly Sergeant, all rations received by the company while in Virginia and Maryland passed through his hands to the men, that he knew the amount of rations the company received from the government owing to the manner in which the Quartermaster and Subsistence Departments were conducted, that these departments were run by "incompetent" men, that he could safely say that the company did not receive over one half of what the regulations allowed, that this fact could be established by referring to the requisitions held by the Commissary against the company, that since the company's dismissal on furlough up to the present time, the men had subsisted themselves entirely, that a number of the men who had no families and lived some distance from Bellville had been paying their board in town for the last month since they were compelled to remain until paid off and discharged, that he thought there was something wrong in this, that this kind of treatment had dampened the ardour and patriotism of the men, that out of ninety men, Buckingham might have had fifty men re-enlist by acting justly toward them, that no effort made by Captain [Miller] Moody would induce five men in the company to enlist again unless they had justice done them, and that he thought it would benefit the service and prevent additional disgrace being heaped upon the State of Ohio if these wrongs the soldiers complained of were righted.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 56]
September 2, 1861
James H. Miller, 1st Lieutenant, 3rd Battery, Ohio Artillery, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter declining the appointment as 1st Lieutenant in the 3rd Battery, Ohio Artillery.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 24]
September 2, 1861
William L. Perkins, Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter introducing Samuel W. Phelps, a native and resident of Painesville, with whom he had been acquainted since childhood; and stating that Phelps felt it his duty to serve his country in the field, that Phelps wanted orders for raising a company of artillery, that Phelps was a gentleman and esteemed citizen who was true to the Constitution and Union, that Lake County did not yet have her full proportional number in the field, and that they wanted men of Phelps' popularity to place Lake County as at least an equal with the most loyal part of the State.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 142]
September 2, 1861
B[enjamin] F. Shaffer, et. al., Camp Pendleton, Oakland, Maryland. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter signed by sixty-eight members of Company B, 4th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; stating that they were willing to do their duty as soldiers and serve their country as long as the rebels were in arms against them; requesting that Buckingham remove Captain H[enry] B. Banning from his position because he was totally unqualified to perform the duty which rested upon him; stating that Banning was totally unqualified to drill his company and had lost the confidence of his men by his negligence and dishonesty, that Banning had taken no interest in looking after the welfare of his men, and that their 1st Lieutenant had gone home on furlough and was never expected to return; requesting that 2nd Lieutenant A[braham] W. Lippett be promoted to Captain; and stating that they could place their confidence in Lippett, and that they knew by what Lippett had done, that he was capable to fill the office.
2 pp. [Series 147-7: 5]
September 2, 1861
William Stoms, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he had received a letter from his son, Willard P. Stoms, Captain of Company D, 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, stationed at St. Louis, that his son wanted his commission, that his son wanted Dennison to know that Captain [C.A.] Morgan had been appointed and accepted a position on General [John] Pope's staff, that his son wanted the commissions of Daniel Weber as 1st Lieutenant and John B. Ryan as 2nd Lieutenant sent, and that his son's company had been complimented as the best drilled in the regiment.
1 p. [Series 147-7: 164]