October 12, 1861
E. Buckingham, Canton, Stark County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham (cousin). Letter introducing James M. Jay of Canton, who wanted a commission to raise a company for the war, that Jay had charge of the Canton Zouaves for some time and had proven himself to be an excellent drill officer, that they had few young men better qualified than Jay to take charge of a military company, that added to his military knowledge, Jay was correct in his habits, energetic and persevering, that it would be some ten days or two weeks before the Military Committee in Stark County would be organized and in working order, and Jay did not want to wait so long, and that Jay had the recommendation of the members of the Congressional [District Military] Committee, and would have no difficulty in obtaining recommendations from any of their best and most reliable citizens.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 43]
October 12, 1861
C.M. Dengler, Wauseon, Fulton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham, and Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that he had just returned from a recruiting excursion through Henry County, that on October 11, he mailed a letter at Napoleon and enclosed a copy of a certificate signed by many prominent citizens, that he met several persons who knew of his influence among the foreign inhabitants and his most limited circumstances, that these persons were "shameless" enough to offer him so much money per head to get their thirty men, that he considered these persons not worthy to get trusted with the office of the last Corporal in the reserve of an army, that he found a few men who ridiculed the efforts of those who would shed their blood at any time for the sake of their Union's integrity, that he found a great many men who freely stated that they would not enter service when not forced, that he knew of a whole township in Fulton County which could easily deliver 25 young and properly formed men and not one seemed inclined to fight, that he was sorry to say that drafting would become unavoidable in his section of the State, that he assisted on the stump, and privately, every honest recruiting officer, that in Missouri and Kentucky, there were more than one hundred soldiers who became soldiers convinced by him of what a great duty it was to fight for liberty and free institutions, that he had not enlisted a company since the commencement of the struggle, that because he was not an "office or penny hunter", he was poor, that he had assisted everyone who he considered able and honest, that he was a graduated German physician and every honest man in Putnam County, Defiance County, Paulding County, Henry County, and Fulton County would and must certify that he was a good physician, that there were those who longed to see him appointed as Surgeon in the 68th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that Colonel W[illiam] Mungen wanted him in the 57th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he would fight and preferred to do so as an officer on the staff or in the ranks of a regiment, while willing to do Surgeon's duty when necessary on the battlefield in addition to his other duties, that he did not go on September 6 to be examined as Surgeon and did not hasten to go now to Columbus to be examined as an officer, that he could not afford to meet the expenses and his purse was exhausted "below zero", that he had expended more than $100 during the last two months for the sake of those who were recruiting, that he did not like to accept reward for his troubles, that he did not like now to use the law against those who were indebted to him for doctor business, that he must leave it to the War Department to enable him pecuniarily to join the 57th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Findlay, the 68th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Napoleon, or any other regiment as recruiting officer, or to appear at Columbus, that there were but a few genuine patriots in his section of the country who did more for the army than he did according to the circumstances, that he had not an "atom" of fear about military or medical examinations, that the previous evening, he came home with the last pair of "defeated" boots in his possession and he longed to use up a couple of pairs more as a true patriot, and that although it was not bitter for him to expend time and money and any other thing for the sake of the community and the integrity of the United States, it was most bitter seeing suffer a beloved family.
4 pp. [Series 147-13: 101]
October 12, 1861
Henry N. Free, Straitsville, Perry County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that Buckingham had a letter of recommendation from Colonel M[oses] B. Walker for him to get an order to raise a company of volunteers to serve during the war, that he had two brothers serving as Captains in the 31st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he felt satisfied he could get a company raised by November 10, as 20 or more men had already promised to go, that since seeding was over and work was mostly done, men wanted to volunteer, and that he was anxious to be at work in the cause of his country.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 32]
October 12, 1861
James P. Fyffe, Colonel, 59th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Kenton, Kentucky. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that Captain William Hawkins of New Richmond, Clermont County, Ohio was raising a company for his regiment under a permit furnished by the Adjutant General's office, that Hawkins reported 79 men, that he had ordered Hawkins into camp on October 15, that he had seen that new arrangements were made by commissioning a 2nd Lieutenant who acted as a recruiting officer, that he hoped Hawkins would not be interfered with and, if necessary, that Hawkins might be so commissioned immediately, that Hawkins was a good officer, that he had ordered Reverend Joseph Blackburn of Aberdeen into camp on October 14, that Blackburn had about 100 men and would be in camp with a full company unless Colonel Cockerill's interference effected him, that if the two companies mentioned came to him, he would be able to dispense with Lieutenant Kibler of Highland County recruiting for his regiment, that in his field report, only those thought to be reliable on the roll were counted, that the names on the rolls were from 88 up to 125, that many stayed at home to attend the election, that all were ordered into camp on October 14 and a mustering officer was sent for, and that he would report again at that time.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 162]
October 12, 1861
Frank T. Gilmore, Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of 1st Lieutenant in the 22nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 3]
October 12, 1861
J[esse] Hildebrand, Colonel, 77th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Tupper, near Marietta, Washington County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter recommending the bearer, William West, as a suitable gentleman and well qualified for the position of Lieutenant and Quartermaster in the 77th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in place of James B. Hovey who was appointed but declined to serve in that capacity.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 1]
October 12, 1861
John Howard, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that he had seen by Governor William Dennison's proclamation that they were requested to purchase blankets at reasonable rates, and that he did not understand the proclamation; asking if they were to pay for what they purchased or were they to get blankets on the credit of the State; stating that they should be able to make up a thousand pair for the 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry from donations on October 13, that he could buy about one thousand pair at Dayton, that those weighing 3 1/2 pounds could be had for $2,25 and $2.50 a pair, while those weighing 6 pounds could be had for $3.50 a pair, that if Dennison wanted them to purchase the blankets for the State, to be paid for by the State, they would do so, that if not, they would wait until they saw how the money was to be raised, that their citizens would furnish the 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and that they had an efficient commission to call on the people on October 13, and some blankets had already been sent in; and requesting that Mason let him know by telegraph if he should buy the other blankets and how.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 26]
October 12, 1861
Bassett Langdon, Camp Corwin, Montgomery County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter introducing his friend, Captain E.F. Jewett, who was at Camp Corwin with a fragment of a company which he wanted to fill up speedily; and stating that Jewett was appointed by Colonel McCook some weeks since, but without any neglect of his own had met with unusual difficulties in recruiting, that they were very anxious to have Jewett go with them and to be ready to take the field soon, and that should it be consistent with Dennison's duty and convenience to give Jewett men enough to fill his company, the favor would be gratefully remembered.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 28]
October 12, 1861
A. Sankey Latty, Paulding, Paulding County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he had notified Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham that he would, for the present, accept the appointment as a member of the committee for his Congressional District; recommending that since his district contained a great deal of territory, Dennison should appoint A.M. Pratt of Bryan, Williams County to the committee; and stating that Pratt had organized more war meetings and made more war speeches than any man he knew, and that Pratt had rendered a great deal of help and was a Union Democrat.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 7]
October 12, 1861
John McDonald, member of Military Committee of Clermont County, New Richmond, Clermont County, Ohio. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter recommending Charles H. Payne of New Richmond as a proper and competent person to hold a Lieutenant's commission for recruiting; and stating that Payne was a man of good intellectual qualifications and had some experience in warfare, having been in the three months' service, and that Payne was an unconditional Union man and anxious to serve his country during the "unnatural" rebellion. Bears the endorsement of Peter Sullivan.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 57]
October 12, 1861
H. McKinney, Secretary of Summit County Military Committee, Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the Military Committee for Summit County held its first meeting on October 12, that although the applications of several candidates were before the committee, only the application of A.J. Fulkerson of Akron was recommended, that the committee believed that any additional appointments for Summit County would prove prejudicial at present to the best interests of the service, that they had already experienced the evil effects of too many recruiting officers, with each one striving to prejudice men against the others, that Fulkerson could raise a company in Summit County within fifteen days, that Fulkerson had served as acting Captain in the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) and stood high, that among the applications before the committee were several desiring the appointment of Quartermaster, that the [Congressional] District Committee seemed to construe the clause in Buckingham's order that all candidates for commissions must come with the recommendation of the Military Committee for their respective county to mean and apply to all officers commissioned, no matter what their duties nor by whom appointed, that the County [Military] Committee, on the other hand, construed the clause to mean and apply only to 2nd Lieutenants who would, when commissioned, recruit in the county, etc., that Quartermasters were appointed by the Colonels of regiments and the [County Military] Committee had taken no action in this class of cases, and that the [County Military] Committee wanted to know what power it had to stop persons other than those appointed for the purpose from recruiting, in the event they should continue to recruit.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 30]
October 12, 1861
W[illiam] Mungen, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding, 57th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Vance, Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that he could not make any regular field report that day, that he would try to shape one up on October 13 if possible and daily thereafter, that everything was in "chaos", that no camp or garrison equipments had arrived and the men were beginning to think they would not come, that there were three companies and part of a fourth in camp, that there were three more companies in Hancock County, one company nearly full in Putnam County, one company in Lucas County, one company in Sandusky County, one company in Allen County, one company in Auglaize County and Shelby County, and one or two companies in Mercer County, that he could not call these companies in on account of not being able to accommodate them, that he had 30 days from September 14 to recruit his regiment, and that he would have had the regiment full if camp and garrison equipments could have been obtained; and requesting an extension of time.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 10]
October 12, 1861
Joseph H. Riley, James H. Smith, and B.F. Martin, Chairman, District [Military] Committee, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter stating that they were satisfied from the statements made to them by Lieutenant Webster that the cause of enlistment would be promoted by issuing to him, as a sample, a long range or Enfield rifle, since many objected to volunteering without first knowing the kind of arms they would be furnished with.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 16]
October 12, 1861
George D. Ruggles, Assistant Adjutant General, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D.C. To the Governor of Ohio. Letter stating that 2nd Lieutenant Nathan R. Thomson of the 39th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry had resigned effective October 7.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 116]
October 12, 1861
F.C. Searl, Chairman, et. al., Scioto County Military Committee, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter signed by members of the Scioto County Military Committee; certifying that George Wilhelm was a man of good moral character, and of such attainments as would fit him for the command of a company in the field; stating that they believed Wilhelm could recruit a company in Scioto County; pledging to aid Wilhelm in so doing; and recommending that Wilhelm be appointed 2nd Lieutenant for that purpose.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 62]
October 12, 1861
George B. Senter, Chairman, and W.H. Hayward, Secretary, [District Military Committee], Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the Military Committee for the 1st District of Cuyahoga County of the 19th Congressional District, at a full meeting held in Cleveland on October 12, unanimously voted to recommend George L. Childs of Cleveland as being well qualified to discharge the duties of 2nd Lieutenant, that the committee requested Childs' appointment, and that the request was made with the expectation that Childs would recruit not less than 30 men. Written on letterhead of Quartermaster General's Department, Headquarters, Camp Taylor, Cleveland, Ohio.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 53]
October 12, 1861
John Sherman, Office of the Union Line Express Co., Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter recommending Edwin S. Ferguson of Uhrichsville as a Recruiting Lieutenant for Sherman's Battery.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 69]
October 12, 1861
John Sherman, Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that the limit as to the number of Recruiting Lieutenants had embarrassed him a great deal, that he had supposed that one would be allowed for each 30 recruits, that upon that supposition, he had recommended a great many that he would not otherwise have recommended, and that he now meant to revoke, by voluntary arrangement, several appointments that had been made, hoping that Mason would allow him to fill their places by those whom he found to be better able to succeed; requesting a few of Mason's printed directions for enlisting and organizing volunteer forces in Ohio and a full set of regimental books and blanks; and stating that he was sending a copy of Delafield's report.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 49]
October 12, 1861
Thomas Kilby Smith, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding, 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that unattached recruits named John Crossan, Jasper Constable, Leander L. Cussich, Jason Randall, Erastus Barker, John Carnahan, Newton Miller, Geaorge Leazure, and Franklin Titus had deserted from his command, were arrested, and were now under guard; relating the circumstances of their desertion and arrest; and stating that since this was a test case, he wanted immediate instructions as to what order would be made for custody of the deserters, that for good and sufficient reasons, it was important for the deserters to be transferred from Camp Dennison to some other post, that the deserters were unattached recruits who had been awaiting the filling up of their company, that the deserters had drawn subsistence, camp equipage, supplies, and clothing from the Quartermasters of the 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 34th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with some drawing as long as six weeks and all as long as four weeks without being mustered, that he had been informed that the deserters were from families of wealthy and influential citizens, that he therefore wanted to have the rules of the service more strictly enforced in their case than would be necessary in the case of ordinary or uneducated Privates who might err through ignorance, and that a copy of his letter was sent to Brigadier General [Ormsby M.] Mitchel.
3 pp. [Series 147-13: 13]
October 12, 1861
R.J. Spelman, Glandorf, Putnam County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he could enlist a company, or at least a fraction of a company, in his part of Putnam County and that he possessed attainments capable of commanding a company in the field; requesting an appointment as 2nd Lieutenant; and stating that he had eight years experience as a civil officer in Ireland and that he was pretty well acquainted with military tactics, that Glandorf would be one of the best recruiting stations in Putnam County, that Glandorf had not yet sent its ratio of recruits according to the population therein, that if recruits were placed under pay from the day of enlistment, he believed it would not require many weeks labor to muster a full company in the area, that he held the offices of Coroner and School Examiner in Putnam County and could produce references from the most respectable citizens of Putnam County and surrounding counties as to his integrity and good moral character, that there had been no local military committee appointed for his part of Putnam County, and that to his knowledge, a county military committee had not yet been appointed for Putnam County.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 99]
October 12, 1861
Rde. Steigner, Jr., Secretary, Athens County Military Committee, Athens, Athens County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that Joseph Jewett, Albert Parsons, William P. Kessinger, Henry T. Brown, and Rde. Steigner, Jr., having been appointed as the military committee for Athens County, met on October 12 and organized by electing Joseph Jewett as Chairman and Rde. Steigner, Jr. as Secretary, that it was estimated that Athens County, with a population of 21,327, had already furnished over 1,300 men for the war, that as a consequence, recruiting in the area had become difficult work, that the committee still hoped that from two to four additional companies might be secured by well directed and energetic work, that to secure these men for the Ohio regiments, there were some difficulties in the way of recruiting which must be removed, that Colonel R.A. Constable of Athens County, although holding his commission from the Governor of Virginia [Francis Harrison Pierpont], asserted that he had authority from Governor William Dennison to recruit five companies, that the committee wanted to know if such authority was revoked by the new system, that a majority of the committee thought such authority should be revoked as an act of justice to the State of Ohio and the Ohio regiments forming in the area, that Constable had a large number of persons carrying on a "desultory" and "irregular" recruiting in Athens County, that if it was desirable to secure the recruits for the Ohio regiments, Constable's recruiting should be stopped, that the existence of their committee might as well be dispensed with as it could be of no benefit while the present irregularity and confusion prevailed, and that the committee wanted to know if the permits granted by Columbus were revoked by the new system; requesting a copy of General Order Number 69 of the War Department; and asking how unauthorized recruiting was to be stopped.
2 pp. [Series 147-13: 76]
October 12, 1861
J.G. Stevens, Chairman, H. McKinney, and George W. McNeil. To ? Letter signed by members of the military committee for Summit County, Ohio; recommending A.J. Fulkerson as a suitable person for a commission as 2nd Lieutenant; and stating that Fulkerson was a man of good moral character and of such experience and attainments as would fit him to command a company in the field, that they believed Fulkerson could recruit a company in Summit County, and that they pledged themselves to aid in so doing. Bears the endorsement of L.V. Bierce.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 66]
October 12, 1861
Henry West, Chairman, [Military Committee for the Northern Division of Belmont County]. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that at a meeting of the Military Committee for the Northern Division of Belmont County held at St. Clairsville on October 12, it was unanimously recommended that Samuel B. Taylor be appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant of infantry, that Taylor was a man of good moral character and of such attainments as would fit him for the command of a company in the field, that Taylor could recruit a company in Belmont County, and that the committee pledged to aid Taylor in doing so. Attested to by D.D.T. Cowen, Secretary.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 108]
October 12, 1861
Jno. L. Winner, Chairman, W.M. Wilson, Secretary, Greenville, Darke County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the Military Committee of Darke County recommended Eli J. Hickox as a very suitable person to be appointed a recruiting officer, that Hickox was a man of good moral habits and character, that Hickox served through the Mexican War and as an officer in the volunteer peace establishment, that Hickox was well qualified to command a company, both in respect to force of character as well as military experience, that Hickox had received a commission to recruit a company for possible assignment to the 40th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but was taken sick, that Hickox was now entirely convalescent and would be able to go to work at once, and that Hickox had a strong and vigorous constitution and was rapidly recovering.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 67]
October 12, 1861
Jno. L. Winner, Chairman, W.M. Wilson, Secretary, Greenville, Darke County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the Military Committee of Darke County had unanimously agreed upon Andrew Hoover as a proper person eminently fit to recruit a company, that Hoover was a man of strict moral habits and character, that Hoover was a German by birth, but could readily speak English, that it was Hoover's intention, with the aid of two other efficient Germans, to recruit an exclusively German company, that Hoover had a very fair military experience and, at the proper time, would be well qualified to take command of the company as Captain, and that Hoover wanted to get to work at once and desired to join a German regiment.
1 p. [Series 147-13: 67]
October 12, 1861
Crafts J. Wright, Colonel, 13th Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, Benton Barracks, [St. Louis, Missouri]. To "My Dear Sir". Letter stating that he knew well the demands on the addressee, but did not think any of them should be felt as a stronger claim than from Missouri, that if the East, with all her millions, could not take care of Virginia, then they may as well give up, that all had hitherto been exhausted for this one State, that in Missouri, almost nothing had been done, and much must be done, that troops were far from the source of all supplies and the number of troops who had the advantage of discipline in drill was very small, that three-fourths of all troops were no better than men from the streets and arms were placed in hands only after, or as the troops left, that he knew of 4,000 troops so armed and sent off from Benton Barracks, that he had as yet managed to avoid being sent away in the hope of getting the rifled Austrian musket, that most arms given out hitherto were unfit for use, and that Governor [Hamilton Rowan] Gamble sent for him on October 11 and wanted to commission his men as Missouri troops; suggesting that commissions be sent to all the field officers so as to date them from the time appointed and to the company officers, and that the unit not be denied as an Ohio regiment; and stating that they could fill the regiment after being designated as an Ohio unit, that Ohio troops should be gathered together in a brigade, that they had poor Missouri generals, and that he was acting in concert with Brigadier General [Samuel Ryan] Curtis.
4 pp. [Series 147-13: 85]