Correspondence to the Governor and Adjutant General of Ohio,
May 27, 1861-October 11, 1861.
May 27, 1861
C.C. Felton, President, Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts. To James B. Walker. Letter stating that he was directed by the Corporation of Harvard College to extend their sincere thanks for Walker's efficient aid in giving military instruction to the undergraduates, and that the thorough drill which they had received from Walker and other gentlemen, who had rendered the service with such disinterested kindness, would not only prove an excellent exercise but would qualify them to respond to their country's call should they be summoned to the field.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 44]
August 20, 1861
J[ohn] C. Fremont, Major General Commanding, Saint Louis, Missouri. To ? Copy of letter stating that Craft J. Wright was appointed Colonel of the 13th Missouri Volunteers, that Wright's commission was to date from August 3, 1861, that Wright was empowered immediately to proceed to muster in and organize said regiment and was charged with the responsibility of seeing to it that the various officers in said command were efficient and satisfactory, appointing such officers as might be efficient, that Wright was authorized at once to obtain the necessary arms, equipment, camp equipage, and subsistence to prepare said command for the field, that the officers in the different departments would facilitate the operations of Wright and those detailed by him, and that when the companies were not full or in case of deficiency of companies, any enlisted men not assigned might at once be transferred to said regiment to make the full complement.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 188]
August 23, 1861
W[illiam] S. Smith, Colonel, 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Flatwoods, Virginia. To Governor William Dennison. Letter requesting the appointment of Reason R. Henderson as 1st Lieutenant in Smith's regiment; and stating that Henderson was commissioned as such in the three months' service and acted as the Adjutant of Smith's regiment serving with zeal and fidelity.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 131]
August 24, 1861
George S. Hartsuff, Assistant Adjutant General, Headquarters, Clarksburg, Virginia. Copy of Special Order Number 81 stating that since Captain Ferdinand Gunckel, 12th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, had tendered the resignation of his commission for important private reasons and the resignation was approved by his Colonel, the same was accepted to take effect immediately, and that Gunckel was honorably discharged from the service. By order of General [William S.] Rosecrans.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 38]
September 2, 1861
R[alph] S. Hart, Attorney and Counselor at Law, St. Louis, Missouri. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the bearer, Captain Charles W. Anderson, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was seeking an opportunity to serve the U.S. in the Ohio lines, that Anderson held the appointment of Captain in a regiment about to be raised at St. Louis, that this situation did not suit Anderson so well as the position he sought, that Anderson was vouched for by Captain Charles Ewing, son of Thomas Ewing of Ohio, as one of the bravest of the brave and as loyal and true, that Anderson had considerable military experience since the beginning of the troubles in Missouri, that Anderson was commissioned as Captain in Ohio by Governor [William] Medill and held his commission there, and that Anderson had given military matters his attention for many years; requesting Dennison to send men; and stating that they needed fifty thousand more troops than they had, that he had called on Colonel [Craft J.] Wright that day and Wright was well, that he had seen Colonel [John] Groesbeck on August 31 and that Groesbeck was a little under the weather, that Missouri was in a great uproar, and that the Union men in St. Louis were all resolute and hopeful.
3 pp. [Series 147-11: 196]
September 2, 1861
James H.M. Montgomery, Camp Morrow, Scioto County. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he had formed a company for three years' service, and that it was necessary for him to resign his commission as Captain in the 1st Regiment, Ohio Militia of the Reserve.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 70]
September 5, 1861
John R. Craig, Acting Adjutant, Camp Weston, Lewis County, Virginia. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter enclosing Captain Froelich's commission; stating that a letter had been left out of Froelich's name; requesting that the mistake be corrected; and enclosing twenty certificates of qualifications.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 134]
September 7, 1861
R.S. Roberts, West Liberty, Logan County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter enclosing the report of Colonel [William S.] Smith of the 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry which noted that 9 men had been delivered as per agreement with Roberts; and stating that this delivery was very acceptably received as the regiment wanted recruiting very much, that he had 14 more men who were anxious to join the same regiment, that he could increase the number to 25 if he could get the proper authority, that he wanted to get his men arms and equipage at Columbus, that there were some doubts about marching through the enemy's country without arms, that he could give the best of recommendations for an appointment as recruiting officer with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, and that his recruits were intended for Company I, 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 220]
September 11, 1861
E[rastus] B. Tyler, Colonel, 7th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Gawley [Gauley], Virginia. To Benjamin Turner, Huron, Erie County, Ohio. Letter stating that the battle at Cross Lanes took place on the morning of August 26, and that it was not unexpected, that if they were to go through it again with a full knowledge of the enemy's forces and plan of attack, they would not be much better prepared to meet them, that the rebel force consisted of 3,000 infantry, 400 cavalry, and 10 pieces of artillery, that only 3 pieces of rebel artillery were brought into action, that he had parts of 9 companies of his regiment, or about 700 men, that the engagement lasted about three quarters of an hour, with an admitted rebel loss of 251 killed and wounded, that he lost 15 killed and 50 wounded, that 80 rebels from the regiment that engaged Companies E, G, and I were carried off lifeless from the field like "slaugtered swine", that Company E from Huron, Ohio had done wonders with their Enfield rifles, drawing from the rebels the expression that they fought more like devils than like men, that they were fearful that Lieutenant Wilcox, Sergeant Ketchum and some twenty others, including Turner's son, were prisoners, that he saw them with the Lieutenant at their head safely off the field, but he thought they afterward ran into rebel scouts, that Turner had spoken of raising recruits at Huron, Ohio to fill up Company E , that if Turner could raise thirty able bodied men, he would be doing the regiment a great favor, and that they must have more men or sacrifice what they had left ; asking if the citizens of Huron, Ohio would take the matter in hand and raise the men for Company E quickly; requesting that Turner notify him by telegraph via Gallipolis, Ohio to the Kanawha Valley if the men could be raised; and stating that as soon as the men were raised, he would send an officer for them or papers which would transport them without trouble.
2 pp. [Series 147-11: 60]
September 16, 1861
T[imothy] R. Stanley, Colonel, 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Wool, Athens, Athens County, Ohio. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter stating that the Rev. John Dillon, a regularly ordained minister of the Gospel from the Ohio Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having been properly recommended to him by the field and company commanding officers, was hereby appointed Chaplain of the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and enclosing Dillon's appointment as Chaplain.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 145]
September 18, 1861
George D. Ruggles, Assistant Adjutant General, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D.C. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the resignations of 2nd Lieutenant A.J. Williams, 7th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Surgeon Henry Kirk Cushing, 7th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 2nd Lieutenant H.H. Sage, 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and 2nd Lieutenant, Jno. W. LaRue, 11th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry had been accepted to take effect on September 6, 1861.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 2]
September 23, 1861
George Crook, Colonel, 36th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Summerville, [western Virginia]. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that his regiment was greatly in need of certain blank books and forms which were indispensable for bringing the regiment out of chaos, and that the regiment needed clothing and descriptive books for each company, blank monthly returns, muster and pay rolls, receipt books for clothing, quarterly returns for clothing, etc.; requesting that the books and forms be sent to him immediately via Charleston, western Virginia, and that Buckingham forward anything which might come for him at Columbus to Summerville; and stating that the regiment was in excellent spirits and health, that he had just received a letter from John Carwardine, an ex-British officer who had made application to Buckingham for a commission in a regiment from Ohio, that should Buckingham appoint Carwardine, he was fully satisfied Buckingham would "regret" it, that Carwardine was not only a graduate of the finest English military establishment, but was a polished gentleman and one who had traveled all over the world, understood human nature well, and would make a capital commander of a volunteer regiment, that if the 43rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry did not yet have a Colonel, he was satisfied that [Lieutenant] Colonel [James M.] Comly would be pleased with Carwardine, that the country was infested with a set of "cowardly villains" who ambushed the roads and shot his men when unprotected, and that he had sent Captain [Hiram F.] DeVol [Duval] and Captain [William H.S.] Adney's companies after them.
2 pp. [Series 147-11: 50]
September 23, 1861
George H. Guild, 1st Lieutenant, Company K, 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Cross Lanes, Virginia. To Governor William Dennison. Letter asking if it was possible to obtain a transfer from his present department to some regiment of Ohio currently in the Department of the West or into some regiment going to that department.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 222]
September 23, 1861
William Hogue, et. al., Somerton, Belmont County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter signed by thirteen individuals; stating that they were acquainted with Elijah Hogue and knew him to be an honorable and upright man of unblemished character and excellent business habits; and recommending Hogue as a person eminently suited for the duties of recruiting officer. Bears a recommendation of Hogue dated September 30, 1861, written by B.S. Cowen of St. Clairsville.
4 pp. [Series 147-11: 31]
September 25, 1861
Joseph Cable, Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that it was the general opinion locally that an excellent company of cavalry could be raised at Van Wert; requesting that authority to raise such a company be given to the bearer, Major Caleb Roberts; and stating that Roberts was a lawyer and had been prosecutor for Van Wert County.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 149]
September 25, 1861
Joseph Cable, Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that Caleb Roberts of Van Wert wanted to raise a company of cavalry; requesting that Mason aid Roberts in procuring authority; and stating that Roberts would leave the books and law office for the sword and the camp.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 149]
September 25, 1861
S.E. Giffen, Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that Thomas Stone was Captain of a company in Colonel [Ferdinand] VanDerveer's regiment currently in camp at Hamilton, that Stone felt by some means he had been wronged in the organization of the regiment, that Stone had been in camp at Hamilton with some 85 or 90 men ready and waiting to be sworn in to service at least one week before any other company was on the ground, and that Stone claimed his company ought to have been Company A; asking if this could yet be done; and stating that all Stone or his friends asked was that simple justice be done.
2 pp. [Series 147-11: 155]
September 25, 1861
William Wallace, Major, 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the bearer, Lieutenant James W. Clarke, had served with him as 1st Lieutenant of Company B, 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), and that he could bear cheerful testimony to Clarke's excellent qualifications as an officer and to Clarke's coolness and courage in danger; and recommending Clarke as a suitable officer to recruit a company of infantry. Bears endorsement from I[saac].M. Kirby, Captain, 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 64]
September 25, 1861
S.B. Yeoman, Captain, Company A, 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as Captain in the 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 157]
September 27, 1861
John W. Ellis, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter introducing his brother, Charles B. Ellis, who had some military experience and was anxious to make himself useful to his country; and stating that testimonials as to his brother's character and capacity were some weeks ago placed before Dennison by L. Hommedieu.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 144]
September 27, 1861
J[ames] A. Farden, Headquarters, 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as Major in the 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 158]
September 27, 1861
Charles B. Goddard, Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he had written to the Adjutant General and Colonel Wright, the Assistant Quartermaster General, recommending Edward Stanbery Convers for the appointment of Quartermaster in one of the regiments being raised, that in his letter to Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham, he had limited the application to the 3rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry supposing that some law or regulation had been introduced which would require Lieutenant Allen to elect whether to remain in the line or staff and that Allen would prefer the line, and that he desired to correct the error.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 159]
September 27, 1861
R.J. Morrison(?), Washington, D.C. To Governor William Dennison. Letter recommending F.W. Martin of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, who was desirous of rendering service to his country in a military capacity; and stating that Martin had served a three months' tour in western Virginia as Lieutenant of a company in Colonel G.W. Andrews' regiment, that he knew Martin well and could bear testimony to his ability and worth, that Martin was educated and had practical experience as a civil engineer, that Martin's business qualifications would be valuable in almost any position, that Martin was active, energetic, and persevering, that Martin would give a good report of himself if Dennison assigned him to duty, and that such men as Martin were needed in the service.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 34]
September 27, 1861
L[orenzo] Thomas, Adjutant General of the United States, War Department, Washington, D.C. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter stating that he was instructed by the Secretary of War to prepare statistics connected with the organization of forces; and requesting returns regarding the number of men uniformed and equipped for active service in Ohio under the three months' enrollment, the number of men uniformed and equipped for the war, the date of transportation of each of said regiments, the number of regiments now organizing and certain to be completed, the number of horses and mules supplied, the number of wagons and ambulances, the number of sets of harness, the amount of camp equipage, the number of muskets, rifles, swords, and ordnance, and the number of rations supplied and on hand for which the General Government was chargeable.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 74]
September 28, 1861
J[acob] Ammen, Colonel, 24th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cheat Mountain Summit, Virginia. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that about August 17, 1861, he forwarded to Dennison the resignation of the Rev. William G.W. Lewis, Chaplain of the 24th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and that Lewis left at that time due to bad health and was currently in Cincinnati, Ohio; requesting that Dennison accept Lewis' resignation to take effect on August 17, 1861, as Lewis' health would not permit him to return to the mountainous region where the regiment was presently stationed; stating that they had been without the benefit of clergy since Lewis' departure and would have to remain so until Lewis' resignation was accepted; reporting on other resignations from the 24th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and recommendations of the field officers to fill the vacancies; and stating that recommendations for promotion were made after "trying" the men and satisfying themselves that the most worthy and the most efficient had been recommended, that experience had satisfied them that many of their company officers were unfit for the places they occupied, could not or would not learn even the drill, never thought of the higher duties of an officer, and were an injury to the discipline and efficiency of the regiment, that they recommended those who they knew to be the best and most reliable officers without regard to seniority, that in visiting the guard after midnight one evening, he found the officer of the day, [James R.] Inskeep, asleep and that this was no recommendation for promotion, that [Andrew J.] Garrison was officer of the Picket Guard the night when two thousand of the enemy passed within one hundred and fifty yards of his headquarters and that this was certainly no proof of Garrison's vigilance as he was not aware of the enemy's presence, that Robert F. Wheeler had rendered important services as a scout, had made maps of the ground, ascertained the position and numbers of the enemy, was intelligent and enterprising, and would make a good 2nd Lieutenant, and that David Thomas would make a good 2nd Lieutenant, but should be transferred from Company D which was made up of Thomas' neighbors and acquaintances.
2 pp. [Series 147-11: 18]
September 28, 1861
W.M. Dickson, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter calling Dennison's attention to the application on behalf of William M. Gwynne of Cincinnati for the position of 1st Lieutenant in one of the Ohio companies; and stating that Gwynne was currently a Private in Company A, 6th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the Guthrie Gray Regiment, and was one of the first to enlist, that he was not personally acquainted with Gwynne, but was reliably informed that Gwynne was a young man with a good college education, good habits, and a special aptitude for military matters, that Gwynne was a nephew of John D. Minor of the large grocer firm of Minor & Andrews, and that Gwynne belonged to one of the old Cincinnati families. Bears the endorsements of several individuals.
2 pp. [Series 147-11: 77]
September 28, 1861
John S. Mathews, Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he currently held the office of Assistant Commissary with the rank of 1st Lieutenant in the Ohio Volunteer Militia, that in consequence of being advised by the Commissary General that it was the intent to soon close said department and that officers would be relieved instead of calling them into service, he was induced to resign his office, that he was not under arrest or delinquent, and that he had delivered all books and other property of the State in his possession to the officer authorized to receive them; and requesting a discharge.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 3]
September 28, 1861
Taylor W. Moore, Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment as Major of the 22nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 154]
September 28, 1861
Shelton Sturges, Camp Summit, Cheat Mountain Pass, Virginia. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that since they were expecting the Paymaster soon, he wanted something official to show the Paymaster the date of acceptance of his company, and that there was a letter of acceptance from Adjutant General [Henry B.] Carrington on file in the Adjutant General's office; requesting an official document to show the Paymaster; and stating that they were experiencing very severe weather which would tell on the troops shortly, that fourteen horses died from exposure the previous evening, that he had given his quarters to his company and stayed with his Lieutenant the previous evening, that it was one of the most severe nights he ever experienced, that the wind blew furiously, throwing trees and branches among the tents, demolishing tents and driving the inmates out into the storms, that it rained all night and the rivers were impassable except at the bridges, that their Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel had been unceasing in their efforts to make Camp Summit, Cheat Mountain Pass impregnable, that if there was a vacancy in the regiment[24th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry], he hoped he would not be forgotten, that if there were no vacancies among the field officers in his regiment, he would rather remain where he was, that their Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel were both Democrats and he did not know how they felt towards him, that Lieutenant [Thomas M.] McClure and Sergeant Robert [F.] Wheeler had earned promotion and would be remembered by Colonel [Jacob] Ammen whenever a vacancy occurred, and that he thought they had the best Surgeon in the army.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 58]
September 29, 1861
Andrew J. Konkle, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment as Captain of a battery in the 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 154]
September 30, 1861
John A. Bingham, Cadiz, Harrison County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the bearer, M.O. Junkin of Steubenville, was a worthy citizen of Jefferson County, had a good training in military affairs, was a true man, and would make a faithful and successful officer, and that Junkin wanted a commission as Captain of a volunter company.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 123]
September 30, 1861
J.G. Cummins, Union, Montgomery County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that Mason's letter of September 24 was received through S[amuel] Shellabarger, and that since Mason was not authorized to engage any additional cavalry, Shellabarger thought they had better recruit an infantry company; requesting a commission as 1st Lieutenant; asking how many men they must have before they could go to camp; and stating that he and Walter Crook had some 25 men with the promise of 15 or 20 more, and that Walter Crook was the brother of Colonel George Crook.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 20]
September 30, 1861
C[harles] Doubleday, Colonel, 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Headquarters, Camp Wade, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that a question had arisen with reference to one of the companies in the regiment under his command, that some thirty members of Company A had belonged to the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service), that these men were mustered into service in the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry before they were paid for their three months' service, that when these men were paid, they received a discharge from U.S. service on account of the term of enlistment having expired, and that these men had been advised that said discharge relieved them from service in the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry; and asking if such construction could be put upon said discharge.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 1]
September 30, 1861
F.J. Fitzwilliam, Camp Morrow, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of 1st Lieutenant in the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-11: 147]