Correspondence to the Governor and Adjutant General of Ohio,
September 4, 1861-November 1, 1861.
September 4, 1861
Charles M. Hughes, Lima, Allen County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of Captain in the 81st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 85]
September 4, 1861
John L. Hughes, Lima, Allen County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of 1st Lieutenant in the 81st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 86]
September 14, 1861
John C. Tallman, Cashier, Belmont Branch State Bank, Bridgeport, Belmont County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the bearer, Henry Topping, had been authorized by Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham to recruit Company B of the 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that Topping had met with all kinds of difficulties, mainly growing out of the fact that all the returned three months' volunteers considered themselves not only competent, but entitled to appointments as Brigadier Generals, Colonels, Captains, etc., that Topping was his son-in-law and by profession a civil engineer, that Topping had been employed under Mr. Linton, the chief engineer of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad Company, during its construction up until the general monetary crash of 1857, that Topping had studied law and for the past year had been practicing in Belmont County, that Topping was a good scribe, a good businessman, and could furnish good testimonials of his engineering qualifications, that Topping had a small family (a wife and two children) to look after and care for, and that Topping was exceedingly anxious to get into the service; asking if Topping could be employed in some position useful to the State and country so as not to sacrifice too much at home; and stating that Topping was reliable in every particular and could be trusted with confidence in any position he might be thought competent to fill.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 182]
September 28, 1861
W. Bashaw, Harrisburgh, Franklin County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter requesting a commission and roll; and stating that he would do all in his power to raise good men, and that he would work as long as Dennison was Governor if it would help the cause.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 220]
September 28, 1861
J.S. Davis, Secretary, A. Greenlee, and W.R. Sapp, [Military Committee of Knox County], Mt. Vernon, Knox County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that a majority of the Military Committee of Knox County were absent and as members thereof, they earnestly recommended the appointment of S.A. Larason as a 2nd Lieutenant to recruit a company in Knox County for the 43rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that from their acquaintance with Larason they were satisfied he was a very competent person to recruit a company and command the same, that they were further satisfied from representations made to them that Larason would be able within a very short time to raise a company, that they pledged to render Larason every assistance within their power, and that Larason was a man of good moral character and strictly temperate in his habits.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 110]
October 2, 1861
Frederick Law Olmsted, General Secretary, Sanitary Commission, Treasury Building, Washington, D.C. To Governor William Dennison. Letter calling Dennison's attention to General Order Number 81, Section II; and stating that to render the order effective, it would be necessary for suitable trustees to be nominated for the men of each regiment, that the men should be encouraged by proper explanations and assurances to make use of the privileges which would thus be afforded them, that it was hoped and most respectfully suggested that Dennison would take such action as to accomplish this most desirable purpose with reference to the volunteers from the State of Ohio, that it was obviously so much better that the money should be disbursed among the honest people of Ohio rather than among the camp followers or the liquor dealers of the enemy's country, and that from estimates based on a trial with a single company selected at random, it appeared that each regiment might be easily induced to return to the State one hundred thousand dollars per annum.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 194]
October 3, 1861
George R. Morton, Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that his eldest son, Howard H., now of age, had been like himself for some time unemployed, that his son was very anxious to enter the army and wanted a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in one of the regiments authorized to be raised by [John] Sherman, that his son wanted to be assigned to recruiting duty in some county within the Congressional District other than Erie County, that his son would do no discredit to his commission, that what his son lacked in military schooling, his mind and attainments would speedily remedy, that he presumed Dennison had seen his son while he was engaged in Mr. Klippart's office in 1858-1859, that he was making his application to Dennison rather than Sherman because of the altered relations between himself and Sherman, and that he presumed Dennison's action in the matter would not be displeasing to Sherman since Sherman wished to raise his brigade as early as possible.
3 pp. [Series 147-15: 191]
October 3, 1861
E.J. Stephan, Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he had been recruiting for the 37th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Camp Brown in Cleveland, that he received his commission from Captain [Louis Von] Blessing, Company B, 37th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry with the promise of a 2nd Lieutenancy if he succeeded in getting 25 men, that he sent 43 men to said regiment, that he was told there were 10 men lacking to fill up the company, that he went to Clyde and sent 7 additional men, that when he returned, he was very politely told the company was full and he was not wanted as they had elected their officers during his absence, that the men had inquired where he was as they knew he would run for Lieutenant, and were told that he had left in despair, that he paid every man's fare to Cleveland and hotel bill, and that his railroad expenses had been $63.75 to say nothing of hotel bills; requesting that the railroad expenses be refunded or that he be sent money to get to Chicago; and stating that he had served in the 14th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service).
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 209]
October 4, 1861
Jonathan G. Sackett, Ottawa, Putnam County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter requesting authority to raise and organize a Home Guard rifle company or infantry company to be subject and ready at all times to a call to go into service, and that he had considerable experience in military exercise; and providing references.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 190]
October 5, 1861
F.N. Colwell, 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, New Creek, Virginia. To Governor William Dennison. Letter written at the request of several officers; stating that their field officers were all sick and back in Ohio, that they had heard that Colonel [Herman G.] De Puy and Lieutenant Colonel [Charles A.] Park intended to resign, that if this was the case, they wanted Lieutenant Herman Ruess, their Quartermaster, appointed to one or the other of the positions, that Ruess' abilities as an officer were unquestioned and if they were allowed the privilege of selecting again, Ruess would be elected almost unanimously, that Ruess was always cool, collected, and energetic, that Ruess' knowledge of what properly belonged to active service would they thought carry them safely through the present campaign, that the absence of all field officers at a time when their services were most needed was openly condemned by nearly all the regiment, that De Puy's abilities to command had never been questioned, but his recovery was very uncertain, that Park had frequently said he should resign and might have already done so, that their boys had a little pride left and thought that Ohio men should command them instead of a Virginian, and that Major Swearingen of the 3rd Virginia Regiment was at present in command of their boys; asking if there were not men in Ohio who could as well fill the offices and command the regiment; and stating that if they were to be commanded by Virginians, they should be allowed to change their name to the 8th Virginia Regiment, that jealousy among officers and quarrels daily among the men had nearly demoralized their entire force, that they were indeed in a deplorable condition, and that should their present officers resign, they wanted others appointed as soon as possible, and hoped Dennison would remember Herman Ruess.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 185]
October 7, 1861
J.A. Johnston, Sergeant, Company D, 9th Regiment, New York State Militia, 2nd Brigade, Major General Banks' Division, Headquarters, near Darnestown, Maryland. To Brigadier General O[rmsby] M. Mitchel. Letter stating that he wanted to be transferred from his regiment to the Western Department with a view of getting a commission.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 16]
October 8, 1861
George H. Davenport, et. al., Woodsfield, Monroe County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter signed by eight individuals; stating that they were informed that two vacancies existed in the 25th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; requesting the appointment of Nathaniel J. Manning, Sergeant Major of said regiment, to fill one of the vacancies; and stating that Manning won the position he now occupied by his industry and merit as a soldier, that Manning was from Monroe County, that Monroe County had sent nearly a regiment and had but one field officer, and that they thought this alone should give Manning preference.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 18]
October 9, 1861
Peter A. Laubie, Camp Ford, near Alliance, Stark County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of 1st Lieutenant in Company D of the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 93]
October 10, 1861
James M. Nash, Camp Ford, near Alliance, Stark County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of Captain of Company B, 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 91]
October 10, 1861
W[illiam] R. Thrall, Surgeon, 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Kansas City, Missouri. To Captain Erasmus Gest. Letter stating that on their late march from Utica to Kansas City, their tents were thrown away by order of General [Samuel Davis] Sturgis to enable them to expedite their march toward Lexington, that they had never been re-supplied with tents, that the men were also without overcoats, that their thin blankets and blouses were a poor protection in that latitude at that season, that their sick list had been very considerably augmented since the commencement of the present wet and cold season, that the men stood on guard nights and almost invariably suffered from the consequences within twenty-four hours, that Missouri suffered as much from "miasmatic" diseases as any other State, and that while exposure was asked of their men, they certainly deserved all the precautions which could be afforded them in the way of protection from cold and wet; requesting that Gest lay the matter before Governor William Dennison; and stating that to march the Ohio troops now in Missouri in their present situation would, in his opinion, be hazardous to life and health to say nothing of comfort.
2 pp. [Series 147-15: 24]
October 11, 1861
E.G. Forshee, [Hilliards, Franklin County, Ohio]. To General. Letter enclosing Colonel [J.L. Kirby] Smith's note of consent for him to raise a company for the 43rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and requesting an order.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 197]
October 11, 1861
John W. Fuller, Colonel Commanding, 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Kansas City, Missouri. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that Philip B. Cloon, who acted as Adjutant when with the regiment, had tendered his resignation, and that 2nd Lieutenant Daniel Blaize of Company A, who was unfit for duty and who the Surgeon said would not be able to serve for months, had also tendered his resignation; requesting that the vacancy created by Cloon's resignation be filled by the appointment of James H. Boggis of Toledo, Ohio; and stating that Boggis had a Lieutenant's commission to recruit for the 67th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but was ready and willing to join the 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he wanted Boggis as Adjutant when he was first appointed to command the regiment, but the Governor had appointed the two extra Lieutenants before he left Virginia, and that except for one day, he had been without an Adjutant ever since they left St. Louis.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 3]
October 11, 1861
Henry G. Kennett, Lieutenant Colonel, 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Cram, Kansas City, Missouri. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that a vacancy had occurred in Company A of the 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry by the resignation of Lieutenant [Daniel] Blaze; requesting the appointment of William M. Wilson of Cincinnati; and stating that Wilson was a young man of military bearing and some experience.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 22]
October 11, 1861
Z. Swift Spaulding, Major, 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Cram, Kansas City, Missouri. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that a vacancy had been created in Company A of the 27th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry by the resignation of 2nd Lieutenant Daniel Blaize; requesting the appointment of William M. Wilson to the place; and stating that he could personally attest to Wilson's fitness for the post.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 22]
October 11, 1861
Howard C. Woodrow, 1st Lieutenant, 17th U.S. Infantry, Recruiting Office, Lewiston, Maine. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that having been appointed 1st Lieutenant in the regular army, he was resigning his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 25]
October 12, 1861
B. Burns, President, and R.C. Smith, Secretary, [Military Committee of Richland County], Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that the Military Committee of Richland County unanimously recommended Jacob Christofel as a suitable person to receive the appointment of Lieutenant, that Christofel 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 they believed Christofel could recruit a company of Germans in Richland County and pledged the aid of the committee, and that Christofel was a German by birth, but spoke English with ease and fluency.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 138]
October 12, 1861
J.L. Kirby Smith, Colonel, 43rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Chase, Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that Dr. E.G. Forshee of Hilliard Station had his consent to raise a company for the 43rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 197]
October 12, 1861
Thomas Stackpole, Camp Ford, Alliance, Stark County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of Captain of Company D, 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 2]
October 14, 1861
Urwin Bean, Camp Ford, [Alliance, Stark County, Ohio]. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting the appointment of Captain in the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 93]
October 14, 1861
J[oseph] W. Burke, Major Commanding, 10th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 1st Brigade, Army of Occupation, Western Virginia, Camp McNeill. To Governor William Dennison. Letter recommending appointments to fill vacancies in the regiment.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 68]
October 14, 1861
J.R. Cockerill, District Committee, and three members of the Adams County Military Committee, West Union, Adams County, Ohio. To ? Letter certifying that William B. Brown was a man of good moral character and of such attainments as would fit him for the command of a company in the field; and stating that they believed Brown could recruit a company in Adams County and Brown County, that they pledged to aid Brown in so doing, and that said company would be recruited for the 70th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 87]
October 14, 1861
Lewis R. Fix, Camp Ford, [Alliance, Stark County, Ohio]. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as 2nd Lieutenant in the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 90]
October 14, 1861
G[reenleaf] C. Norton, Assistant Surgeon, 46th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Decatur, Brown County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter accepting the appointment of Assistant Surgeon in the 46th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 11]
October 14, 1861
William Rakestraw, Camp Ford, near Alliance, Stark County, Ohio. To ? Letter accepting the appointment of Captain in the 19th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 92]
October 14, 1861
W.R. Smith, District Committee, and three members of the County Military Committee, Hillsborough, Highland County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter recommending the bearer, John M. Arthur, as a young man of sober habits and good moral character; and stating that Arthur wanted to raise a company in Highland County, that they believed Arthur was a suitable person to entrust with a commission, and that Arthur proposed to raise an artillery company.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 171]
October 15, 1861
M[ortimer] D. Leggett, Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that Captain Charles C. Gilbert had already refused the tender of commissions as Colonel from Iowa and from [John C.] Fremont in anticipation of the formation of a regiment locally, that he hoped Gilbert might receive a commission as soon as practicable as he wanted Gilbert to commence instructing the officers and men just as soon as they began to convene them in camp, that a list of recruiting officers would be furnished just as soon as the county [military] committees acted, that Messrs. Dunn and Wing, who had been recruiting for the 80th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, were anxious to be transferred to the 78th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that as Dunn and Wing had recruited nearly all of their men in the immediate vicinity and would get the rest of them locally, he thought there would be no unfairness in giving them to the 78th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, especially as he believed it was the unanimous desire of all the officers and men as far as recruited, that Dunn and Wing had about 40 men, that Wing could fill his company quickly if he could assure the men they would form part of the 78th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and that Wing had excellent men and would recruit none other, and he wanted them; asking if it would be necessary for recruiting officers to go to Columbus in person to get their commissions, or if it would do as well for him to send their names with the proper recommendation of military committees and have the commissions forwarded by mail; and stating that they wanted Captain Charles C. Gilbert for Colonel, M[ortimer] D. Leggett for Lieutenant Colonel, and D[avid] F. Carnahan for Major.
3 pp. [Series 147-15: 15]
October 16, 1861
D[avid] Cunningham, Captain, Company B, 30th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Ewing. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that since there were several vacancies to be filled among the Lieutenants of the 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, he took great pleasure in recommending Thomas L. Carnahan, one of the Sergeants of his company, as a suitable person to receive the appointment of 2nd Lieutenant of Company H, 13th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that Carnahan was from the same town and county that Company H was from, that Carnahan was a gentleman of fine literary and military education, and that as to morals, no man stood higher in that respect than Carnahan.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 20]
October 16, 1861
O[rmsby] M. Mitchel, Headquarters, Department of the Ohio, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that it was a shame that the writer of the enclosed letter remained a Private, and that the writer was the son of Colonel John Johnston of Piqua, and in his ardor had enlisted in the ranks leaving a salary of $2,000 a year; and asking if Dennison could do anything for Johnston's son.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 16]
October 16, 1861
Peter J. Sullivan, Colonel, 48th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter certifying that Peter Brown had been duly elected 1st Lieutenant and Theodrick L. Fields 2nd Lieutenant of Company C in the 48th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and that they were fit for the positions to which they had been elected; and requesting that appointments and commissions be issued to them accordingly.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 91]
October 16, 1861
H. B[lair] Wilson, Lieutenant Colonel, 44th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he was well acquainted with Harlan P. Christie and knew him to be a gentleman of good character, that Christie served in the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) and was promoted from the ranks to a Lieutenancy, that Christie was well informed in military matters, that he would be glad to hear of Christie receiving such appointment as he was fitted to fill, that he was satisfied that Christie was well posted in the school of the soldier, the school of the company, and the regimental drill, that Christie was instrumental in recruiting a company in Hardin County for the 44th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (afterwards transferred to the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry), and that Christie had at all times manifested much energy and interest in facilitating recruiting in that region of Ohio.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 59]
October 17, 1861
Robert H. Cochran, Camp Nevin, Kentucky. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter accepting his appointment as 1st Lieutenant of Company K, 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-15: 89]