Tuesday, January 5

8th Ohio Infantry... part 2

As promised some much better pictures - click as usual for a much bigger view - I'm particularly happy with a couple of these, two of which show the regiment paraded with their fellow regiment (14th Indiana) in the Gibraltar Brigade...



I did a little more digging after my previous post as I wanted to know a little more about Carroll and found this here...

Depuy was the previous Colonel who Carroll took over from - one of the joys of the web is that you can get such a good insight into the sate of one of your regiments.. it's not something I've enjoyed quite as much for my other, earlier, periods... enjoy!

"October 29, 1861
H[erman] G. Depuy, Colonel, 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Camp Keys, Romney, [Virginia]. To Governor William Dennison. Letter stating that being conscientious in all he did on behalf of the great struggle for constitutional freedom in their disputed country, he felt it his duty to address a few lines to Dennison regarding the regiment which he had the honor to command, that about August 1, while in command of the post at Pendleton, Maryland, his horse bolted and crushed him under a low shed, that this resulted in a serious injury to his spine and side causing partial paralysis of his whole right side, particularly his right leg, that he was entirely helpless without a staff, that he would have hopes of a final recovery if he did not have almost daily symptoms of a second stroke, that in view of his helplessness and the probability of a still worse condition hastened by the exposures of the field, he had come to the conclusion that it was his duty to resign as Colonel of the 8th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, that in doing so, he did not lose sight of the interests of his command and would therefore state that drunkenness among officers had caused him more trouble than all other vices combined, that in view of this fact, he felt it his duty to recommend Captain Frances W. Butterfield of Company C as a suitable person to fill his place, that Butterfield was temperate to totally abstinent, well drilled, thorough, and full of ardor, that Dennison would never regret Butterfield's appointment, that he learned

from good authority that the regiment had requested Lieutenant Colonel [Charles A.] Park and Major [Franklin] Sawyer to resign in view of inefficiency and intemperance, that he would earnestly recommend Adjutant Joseph R. Swigert for Lieutenant Colonel and Wilbur F. Pearce for Major, that both men were temperate and in every way qualified, that if the regiment took a vote, Swigert and Pearce would be elected, that he believed they were the only persons whose appointment would give satisfaction, that he regretted the long separation from his command and still more regretted the necessity that now compelled him to resign a position which he so much desired to fill, that when he entered the service of his country, he entered it with an honest intention to serve it faithfully to the end of the great struggle, that if he regained his health, he would surely be in the field, that infirmity alone could prevent it, that only in the hands of Swigert and Pearce was his regiment safe for future usefulness, that he had watched the progress of intemperance while prostrated upon a bed of suffering, that while he was in immediate command, intemperance was confined to a few officers, that after he left, intemperance spread until drunkenness was actually the order of the day, that since his return, by the aid of

Butterfield, Swigert, and Pearce, he had succeeded in suppressing the "ruinous evil" and soberness, quietness, and duty were seen to be prevailing, that the total demoralization of his command grew out of the intemperance of his field officers and consequent inattention to the interest of the regiment while he was sick and absent, that Butterfield acted as Major in the Romney battle and his coolness during the terrible raking fire of the enemy's battery was remarkable, that Swigert was mounted near him, where shot and shell fell like hail, and exhibited unsurpassed bravery, that the same could be said of Pearce, and that his resignation would take place on November 9, 1861."

...anyone for a beer??

5 comments:

  1. Very nice looking figures and well presented.

    Just thinking about rules - have you considered the "Black Powder" set? Whilst covering a diverse series of wars from 1700-1880 they do offer a free flowing, easy to follow rule set very much in the Old School tradition. Not cheap though.

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  2. I guess my main concern would be that the reviews have not been universally good (though I've learned enough through "the search for the perfect ACW rule set" to know that one man's meat is another man's poison!).

    The other concern was the time span the rules covered - almost 300 years is a long old stretch, and I wanted something that gave a more specific feeling for the period...

    Then there was the cost.... :o))

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  3. hey... being Spanish I see with surprise the 'Gibraltar' brigade...
    Beautiful figures and atmospher!
    Best regards
    Rafa

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  4. Lovely troops, as always, sir. And an interesting look at this commander's views on alcohol. I wonder what he would have thought of Grant?


    -- Jeff

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  5. Nice looking stuff! I had a relative in the 29th OVI and in November, I got to stand on Culps Hill where he fought.

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