December 1, 1861
J[oshua] V. Robinson, Jr., Major, 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Jenkins, near Louisville, Kentucky. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that they were encamped upon a "miserable" piece of ground, wet and muddy to a degree, that Colonel [Joshua W.] Sill was at Miles Greenwood's Foundry in Cincinnati inspecting cannon, that Sill was very anxious to join his regiment and ought by all means to be with it, and that Sill said that a Lieutenant Birch, who was with him, was competent to do the duty and one man could easily attend to it; requesting certain appointments; stating that the companies of Captain Minshall and Captain Horton were not and never had been full, and that each of these companies was now very far short from sickness and other causes; asking if Dennison could do something to fill these companies; and stating that the clothing to be issued to their men on December 2 was excellent, that their sick list for December 1 showed one hundred and eight men in the camp, besides those at home and in hospitals, that one of their Captains had the measles and was lying on his (Robinson's) bed, that he was fearful the measles would spread, that he did not see how it could be avoided, that there was an unpleasant feeling between Generals [William] Nelson and [Ormsby M.] Mitchel, about what he did not know, that the Paymaster refused to pay regimental officers except from the date of their departure from Camp Morrow, and that all the pay he should receive under the Paymaster's decision would not pay the interest on what he had borrowed to equip himself.
2 pp. [Series 147-18: 200]
December 1, 1861
Thomas Kilby Smith, Colonel, 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General Rodney Mason. Letter stating that he had cheering news from the country and every reason to hope for the completion of the organization of the 54th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; asking if he was at liberty to fill the blanks lacking Mason's signature for others who he might indicate as persons proper to recruit; and stating that there were several persons who would be useful to him whose names he could not include in the list sent, and to whom he wished to issue orders.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 104]
December 1, 1861
William H. Trimble, Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter enclosing the authority granted to Mr. Livingston for cancellation; stating that he rode to Livingston's place, 30 miles through the snow storm on November 25, that he made speeches and did all he could to aid Livingston, but found his people more disposed to wage war upon the 60th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (one year's service) than to aid it, that Livingston had either been deceived or deceived himself and consequently deceived his commander, that he therefore lifted Livingston's authority, that there was no disposition to aid with the recruiting of the 60th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (one year's service) in any of the assigned counties, except Fayette County, that in Brown County and Clermont County, the whole effort was to build up Cockerel's and Collins' regiment, that in Clinton County the whole effort was to aid the Xenia regiment, that he would make 5, possibly 7, companies in Highland County with some few volunteers from other counties, that he would have a full company from Fayette County, that he could not fix his mind upon the point to strike for the other two companies, that there were 5 companies forming in Highland County for other regiments and but for that, he could have made his entire regiment in Highland County by such incessant and continuous labor as he had been driven to, that he was very much annoyed to find that Mr. Ellis had obtained the renewal of his recruiting order, but he was at fault, that he was so much engaged that he did not feel sufficiently the importance of notifying Buckingham of his estimate of Ellis' unworthiness, that Ellis was a light, airy, foolish, and deceptive young man whose deceptiveness was manifest in everything, that he wanted Ellis deprived of his recruiting authority, that as much as he wanted men, he was not willing to have Ellis as a member of his regiment, that he had as yet used only one of the blank recruiting orders for assistant recruiting officers, that he was so hemmed in as to territory and so interfered with by recruiters for other regiments that he could not make any definite statement as to the time of the completion of his regiment, that if it was in Buckingham's power or that of Governor Dennison in any way to help him, he had no doubt they would do it, but he did not see how they could, that if any man in Ohio deserved help, he did, that he had been riding and speaking every day of late and had to do the same in the coming week, that he was aware there were doubts whether he could take his band, consisting of 14 men, even though they were mustered in before the order from the War Department was made public, and that it would be rather severe to have to pay these men himself; and requesting a half dozen copies of General Order 62.
4 pp. [Series 147-18: 176]
[December? 1?, 1861]
E.B. Woodbury, J.D. Ensign, and Abner Kellogg, County Military Committee, Ashtabula County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter requesting that Edwin R. Williams of Ashtabula be appointed to assist Lieutenant M.H. Haskell in the 6th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 101]
December 2, 1861
John W. Beekman, Camp Buckingham, Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that he was induced to join Sherman's Brigade, for the purpose of assisting Edwin L. Austin in recruiting his company at Plymouth, with a promise that if he did not receive an appointment in the Brigade he should receive a discharge, that as he had no position in the Brigade, he asked that Dennison grant him a discharge from the service, that he was a lawyer by profession with a lucrative practice, that he had a family consisting of a wife and 4 children who were dependent on his exertions for support, and that Colonel John Sherman promised him a discharge, but left for Washington, D.C. a few hours before he arrived at Camp Buckingham.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 127]
December 2, 1861
R[alph] P. Buckland, Colonel, 72nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Croghan, Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that D.M. Harkness, Quartermaster, 72nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, had a letter from Captain J[ohn] H. Dickerson, U.S. Quartermaster at Cincinnati, ordering that nothing be issued except on requisition made upon Colonel Swords, U.S. Assistant Quartermaster General at Louisville, Kentucky, that when Harkness was in Cincinnati, he had the 72nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry put on the list for overcoats, that he wished to know whether that would be sufficient to obtain the overcoats and, if not, what steps must be taken to obtain them, that they were in a cold climate and their men were suffering for want of overcoats, and that the 72nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was filling up rapidly and would be full by December 15.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 197]
December 2, 1861
George H. Christian, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he had a good training in cavalry tactics, both sword and horse, from one who served many years in that service, that he was 23 years of age, that with his energy, he could get 30 men in as many days, that he left his situation with a large salary to recruit from motives of duty, and that he would volunteer as a Private if unable to obtain a position better suited to his education and training.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 123]
[December 2?, 1861]
J.C. Dunley. To? Letter stating that the Warren County Military Committee recommended John Hitesman and John G. Crane as assistant recruiting officers to Felix S. Welton, recruiting officer for the 74th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Warren County.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 232]
December 2, 1861
John Foster, Corporal, [14th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry], Camp Near Lebanon, Kentucky. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter asking if any report was ever made to the Adjutant General's Office regarding the death of his son, William Foster, who served in the 14th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service); and stating that his son died in Clarksburgh, Virginia on June 7, 1861, that his son was twenty years, ten months of age at the time of death, and that, according to the physicians, his son died of congestion of the lungs.
3 pp. [Series 147-18: 171]
December 2, 1861
Samuel M. Gillis, Bremen, Fairfield County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he was unemployed; requesting an appointment as a teamster or any other appointment which would pay as well; stating that he was an efficient workman, and that he wanted a position where there was not too much foot exercise; and providing references.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 163]
December 2, 1861
Oliver D. Greene, Assistant Adjutant General, Louisville, Kentucky. To Assistant Adjutant General of Ohio R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that Captain [John B.] Franklin's resignation from the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry had not been received or acted upon at that office, and should it come, Mason's request would be acceded to.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 133]
December 2, 1861
J.M. Kellum, Batavia, Clermont County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that in Clermont County, they were in the midst of a "death struggle" to raise a company for the 75th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that the company would fill the regiment and they now had forty men secured, and that it seemed almost impossible to push matters further without Dennison's aid; recommending David Morris for a recruiting commission; and stating that Morris could raise some ten men, and that when Morris' recruiting was accomplished, he would go into the ranks.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 133]
December 2, 1861
Isaac Larimer, Bremen, Fairfield County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that while engaged in his official duties as route agent on the C N & Z (Columbus, Newark & Zanesville) Railroad, he received the appointment of 2nd Lieutenant in the Ohio volunteer service, that by accepting the same, he forfeited his former appointment which paid $66 per month, that he worked as faithfully as any recruiting officer in Ohio, but failed in getting up a company in 20 days, that he had the promise of 65 men who would go with him if he could raise a full company, and that he prevailed in getting 9 men to join Captain Barker's company and 6 men to join Captain Pownstone's company; and asking if he was entitled to pay for his time and to have the money refunded which he spent while in the service.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 135]
December 2, 1861
J[ohn] C. Lee, Colonel, 55th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp McClellan, Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that to fill the post of Adjutant in the 55th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry made vacant by the promotion of [Daniel] DeWolf, he was requesting the appointment of Frank W. Martin of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and that Martin was a 1st Lieutenant in the 15th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service). Bears a note of concurrence signed by D[aniel] F. DeWolf, Major, 55th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 223]
December 2, 1861
W.R. Lloyd, Lieutenant Colonel Commanding, Camp Hutchins, Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter recommending the consolidation of the recruits enlisted by Lieutenants Wyatt and Shepard by transferring those recruited by Shepard to Wyatt; and stating that Wyatt and Shepard had been reported in camp.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 232]
December 2, 1861
N[athaniel] C. McLean, Colonel, 75th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that John Stanard and E[dmund] C. Hill, now Privates in the regiment, wanted a recruiting permit in order that they might, upon obtaining the proper number of recruits, have commissions, that he would be glad to have Stanard and Hill appointed as recruiting officers for the regiment, and that he considered them qualified to fill the positions. Bears a note signed by Robert Hedger, President, B.P. Baker, and Joseph J. Dobmeyer, Secretary, Military Committee of the 3rd Subdistrict of Hamilton County, recommending Stanard and Hill as recruiting officers for the 75th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
2 pp. [Series 147-18: 123]
December 2, 1861
Robert McMaster, Camp Logan, Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter requesting Buckingham's advice concerning selection of their company officers; and stating that they had not elected their officers yet, and those concerned said the men had no right to elect their officers by the ballot, that other companies had done so and they should have the same right, that if J.V. Patton was appointed their Captain, 40 of them would seek transfer to other companies, that they the Privates did not volunteer under Patton, that they had a man to be Captain who was well drilled, punctual in ranks, and on the level with them out of ranks, that this individual had seen service and was promoted, and that he thought the regulations said they could elect their officers.
2 pp. [Series 147-18: 160]
December 2, 1861
Turenne Meyer, Captain, Company I, 64th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Canton, Stark County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter complaining of the conduct of Lieutenant James Jay; stating that Jay had re-enlisted two men who signed his roll, and that he felt highly outraged by Jay's conduct which was in utter defiance of the articles of war; asking that Buckingham issue an order to Jay to deliver the two men in question; and stating that Jay deserved a court-martial and to be cashiered.
2 pp. [Series 147-18: 186]
December 2, 1861
O[scar] F. Moore, Lieutenant Colonel, 33rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Jenkins, near Louisville, Kentucky. To Governor William Dennison. Letter regarding some vacancies in the regiment; and stating that there were two incomplete companies in the regiment, that these companies had been in active service and were well drilled and capable of good duty in the field, that each of these companies required 30 men to complete their organization and unless recruits were sent to them by the authorities of the State, they would remain incomplete, that Kentucky offered such inducements that Ohio regiments could not compete in recruiting, that the officers could not get leave of absence to go home and recruit, and that the situation was really a sad one.
3 pp. [Series 147-18: 201]
December 2, 1861
Lorenzo D. Myers, Quartermaster, 64th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Buckingham, Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that Colonel [John] Sherman told him that he did not think he could give Mr. Beekman any position, but if Beekman asked for a discharge from the service he would give it to him, that because of the press of business attendant upon his departure for Washington, D.C. and the absence of Beekman from the city, Sherman was unable to keep his promise, that Beekman was one of their oldest and best citizens, a lawyer by profession, and his merits warranted a far better position than that of a Private in the ranks, and that Beekman was simply asking for a discharge from the service.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 126]
December 2, 1861
E[ugene] A. Osborn, Lieutenant, 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter asking if Captain J.B. Burrows had been authorized to recruit another battery in that part of the State.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 157]
December 2, 1861
S.S. Osborn, Chairman, [County] Military Committee, Painesville, Lake County, Ohio. To the Adjutant General of Ohio. Letter stating that Captain J.B. Burroughs of an independent battery attached to the 2nd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry claimed to have an order to increase his battery to 12 guns and was recruiting in Lake County and adjoining counties, that it had been suggested that Burroughs had no such orders, and that if this was the case, Burroughs' operations ought to be stopped as they seriously embarrassed regular recruiting.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 154]
December 2, 1861
J.E. Riggs, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Assistant Adjutant General R[odney] Mason. Letter stating that from the Columbus correspondence in their city papers, he had learned that there was a prospect of the formation of a battalion at Sandusky for guard duty over the prisoners of war quartered there, and that a Major would be appointed by the Governor to command said battalion; and applying for the position.
2 pp. [Series 147-18: 136]
December 2, 1861
James Sanders, Daily & Dollar Weekly Times, Office, 62 West Third Street, between Walnut and Vine, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter enclosing a recommendation (see November 25, 1861 - Benjamin Eggleston, et. al.); and stating that it was useless to attempt to recruit a company there at present, and that if, in consolidating portions of companies, there should be a position as Captain or 1st Lieutenant of infantry it would be thankfully accepted.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 147]
December 2, 1861
William H. Trimble, Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that Mr. Ellis had been a "pest" all week to Lieutenant Colonel [Noah H.] Hixon in his effort at recruiting in the southeastern part of Highland County, that he understood Ellis was writing to Dennison and various other persons that the 60th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (one year's service) could never be formed and also abusing him very liberally, that it was not surprising Ellis should abuse him since he told Ellis in plain terms of his dishonorable conduct deceiving honest men through misrepresentations, that Ellis had travelled over the portion of Brown County where Mr. Livingston was attempting to recruit for the 60th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (one year's service) and did all he could to prevent men from joining the regiment, that Ellis even passed himself off by different names, and that in a word, Ellis was a "contemptible little puppy" and he intended to dismiss him from camp in the morning; asking that Dennison excuse him for saying so much about such an "insignificant" person; and stating that his Lieutenant Colonel and Major told him that over 500 men were sworn in and that he was correct in his calculation of 8 companies, that where the other 2 companies were to come from they could not imagine, that he wished for the sake of his 500 men that he could have overcoats, that nothing but an order from Dennison would enable him to get the overcoats from Captain [John H.] Dickerson, that it was a fine set of boys who were at the battle of [First] Manassas with the 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (three months' service) and some of them preferred muskets to bugles on that occasion, that these boys wanted to go with him and he was anxious to have them, that they were mustered in before he knew of any order from the Secretary of War, that he was excessively annoyed at the delay in filling his regiment and was working constantly and energetically to achieve success, but had no help from the people or county committees, that he had met with an unusual degree of opposition, and that if Dennison could make any suggestion which would aid him, he would be only too happy to receive and act upon it.
4 pp. [Series 147-18: 176]
December 2, 1861
W[illiam] B. Woods, Lieutenant Colonel, 76th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Headquarters, Camp Sherman, Newark, Licking County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that Edwin Runnels of McKean Township, Licking County, Ohio had furnished two sons for the army, that both sons enlisted with their father's consent, that one of them, J.R. Runnels, died about three weeks before in Missouri, that the other, Ormand Runnels, was a Corporal in Company B, 76th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was under age, that the father was a large farmer and a man of means and business who found his health failing, that for said reason, the father desired Ormand discharged from the service, that the father brought as a substitute an able bodied man, a three months' volunteer, who was in every way qualified to discharge the duties of a soldier, that the father wanted his son discharged on condition that the substitute offered was sworn into the service, and that he hoped Buckingham might find it consistent with the good of the service to grant the father's request.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 137]
December 3, 1861
J[essie] J. Appler, Colonel Commanding, 53rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Diamond, Jackson, Jackson County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that they had not yet received the appointments for Captain [Samuel W.] Baird's and Captain [Henry C.] Messenger's company officers, and that the elections were fairly conducted and strictly in accordance with orders and instructions from Buckingham's office.
2 pp. [Series 147-18: 194]
December 3, 1861
W[illiam] Dennison. To Assistant Adjutant General [Rodney] Mason. Letter stating that it was necessary for the Quartermasters of the 64th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and the 65th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry to be appointed immediately; and requesting that the appointments be made out dated December 2.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 124]
December 3, 1861
T.M. Gray, Lieutenant, 73rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio. To Adjutant General C.P. Buckingham. Letter stating that he had enlisted one man since his last report, making a total of 31, and that he had been and was now subsisting his men at the hotels locally at 30 cents per day as they were enlisted; asking on behalf of the men if Buckingham would transfer them from the 60th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry (one year's service) to the 73rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and stating that there were quite a number of men in the companies of Captain [Robert] Harry and Captain [Milton] Cogle (Cowgill) who wanted to be transferred to the 73rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry and were only awaiting Buckingham's orders.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 194]
December 3, 1861
C.E. Gregg, London, Madison County, Ohio. To Governor William Dennison. Letter requesting an order for a company of cavalry; stating that a number of his men would prefer to furnish their own horses, that they wanted horses they could drepend on, and that their object would be to get the best stock; and providing references.
1 p. [Series 147-18: 203]
December 3, 1861
C[harles] H. Grosvenor, Major, 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Elizabethtown, Kentucky. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was encamped at Elizabethtown amid the rigors of winter seldom excelled even in Ohio, that even the oldest inhabitant had not seen its like there before, that possibly the great influx of Ohio troops into Kentucky may have had something to do with this importation of northern customs, that he was writing chiefly to call Dennison's attention again to the gross injustice being done by the War Department at Washington to both men and officers of the volunteer forces in the matter of pay, that this matter came not to them by any actual experience as no Paymaster had called on them yet, but they gained their knowledge from the "shabby" treatment received by others, that the order contemplated paying the men only from the time they were mustered into the U.S. service, and that the several proclamations from the Adjutant General of Ohio, and which they read and used as inducement to procure volunteers, specifically promised pay from enlistment; asking if the Government, in view of all that Ohio had done, would leave her executive to bear the brunt of this unfair and unjust change of the rule in regard to pay; stating that members of the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry were nearly all men who had something to do at home, and left their families, many of them without food for the winter, and that these men went into camp relying upon the generous support of the Government and that the Government would keep its pledges; asking how these men could be held responsible for the fact that the regiments, or even the companies, were not filled up; stating that these men obeyed the commands of Adjutant General Buckingham conveyed to them by their officers for weeks and sometimes months, in the meantime fitting themselves for service, that officers of the regular army now decided in violation of the statute of the Country, in violation of their own orders, and in violation of common sense that these men should not be paid, that the same authority gave the 18th U.S. Infantry Sibly tents and stores, while the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry were forced to sleep like swine in tents unfit to harbor good swine, that the regulars paid Colonel [Henry B.] Carrington and his host of staff officers from the dates of their appointments, and furnished Carrington with two dollars a head for recruits, that Colonel [Timothy R.] Stanley and his officers were forced to pay their own money and expenses, and the regulars defrauded them of their promised pay by an "absurd" construction of a plain statute, that he was glad the 18th U.S. Infantry was coming to Kentucky and hoped these regulars could stand side by side with the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry to determine who better deserved the name of true soldiers, that the men of the volunteer regiments had sufficient intelligence to know that they were deeply wronged and defrauded, that if the wrongs done to the volunteers were not addressed, they would fight out the war on no pay if need be, but "woe to the paltry demagogues at home" who had practiced this deception upon them, that the heartfelt curses of 500,000 men was not a trivial thing, that the men did not censure the Governor of Ohio, on the contrary they appreciated his untiring efforts and energy on their behalf, and that the individuals who had done this were known, and unless redress was speedily made, they were doomed; enclosing a copy of a letter of Colonel [George W.] Hazzard, 37th Indiana Volunteers [see Series 147-18: 189]; and stating that he expended $150 to assist in recruiting the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that he paid his own expenses, equipped himself, and served faithfully from August 6 to November 10 without pay, that this mattered not to him because if God continued to smile on the 18th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry he would win what pay was no equivalent for and what regulars could not give or take away, but their men did not all feel as he did, that at the time Captain [Henry R.] Miller and company made the attack on him at Camp Dennison, his friends signed and gave him the enclosed paper [see Series 147-18: 188], that he sent the paper to indicate the real feeling existing in the regiment, and that this Captain Miller was the gentleman who headed the mutiny at Camp Wool. Bears a P.S. stating that this letter was written upon consultation with Colonel [Timothy R.] Stanley who had read it, and that the people of Athens County sent some boxes of donations for the relief of Ohio troops; asking why Athens County men did not get a portion; and stating that they had 300 men from Athens with a three pound blanket each.
4 pp. [Series 147-18: 190]