Thursday, June 21, 2012

Discord among the regimental officers of the 81st Indiana

Huge discord among the officers of the 81st Indiana is displayed by the following Regimental Officers Bios:

COL WILLIAM W. CALDWELL

Col Commanding Regt at muster-in. From Clark County. Commanded 32nd Bgde Oct 2/62. Accused "some incompetent officers" of attempting to break him down for reporting them for examination before an examining board. Enemy of Maj Woodbury. Dismissed from the service by order of the President Jul 30/63 for "uttering disloyal sentiments."

LT-COL JOHN TIMBERLAKE

Lt-Col at muster-in. Farmer from Mauckport, Harrison County with substantial property. Age 45. Born in Maryland. Wounded left arm at Stones River. Resigned Jan 17/63. Was later Provost in Southern Indiana. Assisted in commanding a militia contingent that OPPOSED GEN JOHN HUNT MORGAN at the Battle of Corydon during Morgan's Indiana-Ohio Raid. JOHN DILLEHAY and the 6th Ky Cav (CSA) were with Morgan. Timberlake was shot and killed at church services in Mauckport, Harrison County, during a violent altercation involving his wife and other family members and several southern sympathizers. The altercation had begun between two women according to the New Albany Daily Ledger.

LT-COL HORATIO WOODBURY

Maj at muster-in. Attorney from Crawford County. Age 31. Born in Maine. Appointed Lt-Col Jan 28/63 replacing Timberlake. Resigned Apr 30/63 alleging "much ill-feeling , discord, and strife which cannot be harmonized while all the present officers remain in the Regiment." Col Caldwell "cheerfully forwarded" Woodbury's letter of resignation. Brig-Gen T. T. Crittenden, Brigade Commander, endorsed Woodbury as "by far the best officer in the Regiment."

CAPT NEVILLE B. BOONE

Capt CO E at muster-in. Age 27. Recorder from Harrison County. Commanded Regt Jul 30/63. Relieved of command early the first day at Chickamauga for incompetence by Col William P. Carlin, Bgde Commander. Resigned Oct 12/63. "General dissatisfaction", "prejudice" against him, and "lack of confidence" in his abilities.

LT-COL WILLIAM C. WHEELER

Capt CO C at muster-in. United Bretheren Minister from Orleans, Orange County. Age 37. Captured at Stones River. Confined at Richmond, Va. Exchanged Apr 6/63. Received special mention for conduct in battle at Chickamauga. Appointed Lt-Col Oct 21/63 to replace Woodbury. Reported for appropriating rations for his regiment without authorization while guarding a supply train from Kingston, Ga to the front June 7/64. Resigned Nov 14/64. Wife dying of consumption. Two children had also died and his property was going to waste.

MAJ EDWARD GUSTAVE MATHEY (Depicted on the Home Page)

2nd Lt CO E at muster-in. Age 24. 1st Lt Mar 20/63. Capt Nov 8/63. Maj Sep 12/64. Commanded Regiment at Franklin and Nashville. Courtmartialed for disloyalty, contemptuous, disrespectful language against the President of the United States, and holding correspondence with the enemy. He campaigned vocally for McClellan against Lincoln in the presidential campaign of 1864, even voicing his feelings to a group of Confederate Officers while under a flag of truce. He was later reprimanded and returned to his unit. Capt Anderson was promoted to Lt-Col over Mathey causing a command crisis in the regiment. Two weeks before the regiment mustered out Mathey sent Capt Graham to retrieve a flag allegedly secretly carried off by Lt-Col Wheeler when Wheeler left the regiment. Capt Graham was apparently able to retrieve the flag and return it to the regiment with the aid of the New Albany Daily Ledger and the coercive Power of the Press. Promoted (to Brevet Lt-Col Jun 28/65 after muster-out), along with several other officers in the regiment, as belated thanks for his service, including leading the regiment through two decisive battles. According to the New Albany Daily Ledger, Mathey was the first man on the Rebel works at the Battle of Nashville, and his regiment was the first regiment that took the Rebel works.

LT-COL OLIVER P. ANDERSON

Mustered into CO K as an enlisted man. Age 28. Engineer from Troy, Perry County. 1860 Census lists him as a Day Laborer living in a Boarding House. 1st Sgt Sept 5/62. Wounded in the foot and captured at Stones River. Paroled on the field Jan 2/63. 1st Lt Apr 15/63. Capt Co K Aug 2/63. Lt-Col replacing Wheeler Jan 19/65. Many officers objected to Anderson being promoted over Mathey. They requested an inquiry, believing that Anderson had sent a letter to Gov Morton (Oliver P. of Indiana) accusing Mathey of disloyalty. Wheeler had filed charges against Mathey with Anderson's support.

MAJ LEONIDAS STOUT

Capt CO A at muster-in. From New Albany, Floyd County. Age 35. Had served in the 13th Ind Cavalry. Maj Jan 18/63 replacing Woodbury. Resigned Apr 29/63 because of disability. Chronic dysentery since the Perryville march. Later led a militia contingent that OPPOSED MORGAN'S RAIDERS at the Battle of Corydon.

MAJ WILLIAM J. RICHARDS

Appointed 2nd Lt CO H. From Lexington, Scott County. Age 22. Born in North Carolina. Had served in 38th Ind Infantry as a private Sep 18/61 to Nov 19/62. 1st Lt Jan 18/63. Capt Co H Mar 20/63. Maj Oct 21/63. Duty as Inspector General. Commanded Provost Guard at Chickamauga. Served as Recruiter. Resigned Jul 2/64. Father had property in North Carolina seized by the Rebels. Mother was near death. Two brothers were also in the army. His 3-year term was nearly over and he had not been paid for 6 months.

1ST LT WILLIAM H. TIMBERLAKE

1st Lt at muster. Insurance Agent from Corydon, Harrison County. Age 26. Born Oxford, Maine. Lawyer. Regimental Adjutant Aug 30/62. Resigned Apr 29/63 "for the good of the service." Could not get along with Col Caldwell.

1ST LT AUGUSTUS JOCELYN (RAMBLER)

Pvt CO E at muster. Printer from New Albany, Floyd County; worked for the New Albany Daily Ledger. Was probably the member of the regiment who sent letters consisting of articles and accounts based on personal knowledge and experience home for publishing in the Ledger under the pseudonym--RAMBLER. RAMBLER and other Ledger letters and articles are an outstanding source for information regarding activities and events connected with the officers and men of the Regiment. The Regimental Adjutant was in a position to have knowledge of all incoming and outgoing correspondence and orders and was generally at the right hand of the commander. Age 40. Born New Haven, Conn. Sgt-Maj Jan 15/63. 1st Lt and Adjutant vice Timberlake Oct 20/63. His two sons were in the service and his wife was home with five children and a 70-year-old Mother-in-law. Resigned Jun 9/64 because of troubles and hardships at home.

1ST LT JOHN L. GALLAGHER (RAMBLER II?)

Corp CO B at muster-in. Age 24. Car builder. Born New York City. Sgt Nov 13/62. CAPTURED AT NOLENSVILLE, Tenn Dec31/62 while guarding a supply train from Nashville to Murfreesboro before the Battle of Stones River. JOHN DILLEHAY and the 6TH KY CAVALRY were involved in operations against Gen Rosecrans supply trains at this time. Paroled prior to Mar 7/63. 1st Lt/Adjutant vice Jocelyn Jul 6/64. Possibly functioned as RAMBLER's successor for a period. Resigned Jan 28/65. Supported Anderson against Mathey.



No comments:

Post a Comment