JeffFromSyracuse
Sergeant
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2020
- Location
- Philly Suburbs
I've always had it on my to do list to do a comprehensive study of alcohol in the Civil War. James McPherson had a line in "Cause and Comrades" about how Civil War soldiers didn't drink that much, but every campaign history has an anecdote about passing soldiers finding hidden whiskey and getting absolutely hammered before their officers or the Provost Guard can regain control. So I've always wondered.
As part of this interest, I've started compiling a list of high ranking officers I've come across who were arrested, cashiered, accused, or suspected of being drunk (or addicted to pain killers) while on duty. Please let me know if you can think of anyone else!
Opiates
Henry Eustis, USA (Resigned 6/26/64 for Health Reasons - Rhea suggests Opiate addiction)
JB Hood, CSA (Suspected of having a Laudanum addiction to deal with his wounds from Gettysburg and Chickamagua)
Alcohol
US Grant, USA (Reputation of drunkenness followed him during the war - modern scholarship suggests unfairly)
William Harrow, USA (Briefly resigned for accusations of drunkenness at 1st Kernstown, sobriety in question after Gettysburg)
Thomas Rowley, USA (Accused of being drunk during Seminary Ridge fight at Gettysburg, later Court Martialed)
JH Hobart Ward, USA (Sacked by Hancock for accusations of drunkenness at Wilderness)
Dixon Miles, USA (Claims he was very drunk while in command during Jackson's attack on Harpers Ferry, September 1862)
Alexander Hays, USA (Claims he was drunk during botched attack at Morton's Ford, Winter 1864)
George Crittenden, CSA (Arrested for Drunkenness, April 1, 1862, later resigned rank)
Benjamin Cheatham, CSA (Claims he was drinking heavily at Stones River)
Roy Stone, USA (Horse fell on him at Wilderness, observers claimed he was drunk)
Thomas Meagher, USA (Rumored to have been drunk after falling off his horse at Antietam)
James Ledlie, USA (Accused of drinking liquor in a bunker while his men attacked The Crater)
Edward Ferraro, USA (Accused of drinking liquor in a bunker during Crater attack)
William Carroll, CSA (Arrested March 31, 1862 for being drunk on duty in Iuka)
Alfred Iverson, CSA (Rumors of being drunk during disastrous charge at Gettysburg on July 1, probably not true)
JM Jones, CSA (Drinker at West Point, Freeman conjectured drunkenness later in war)
David Stanley, USA (Roberston suggests drunkenness during Summer of 1863 Chattanooga Campaign)
Preston Smith, CSA (Roberston suggests drunkenness during Summer of 1863 Chattanooga Campaign)
Paul Frank (Colonel), USA (Cashiered for Drunkenness at Spotsylvania, Mentions of Drunkenness at Wilderness too)
Gershom Mott, USA (Rumors of drunkenness at Spotsylvania, but I can't remember the source right now)
Ambrose Wright, USA (Rhea suggests rumors of drunkenness at Spotsylvania - Known drinker, but no evidence of impairment)
John Dunovant, CSA (Cashiered for drunkenness, November 8 1862, but reinstated July 1863)
William French, USA (Claims of drunkenness at Mine Run, known drinker)
Thomas Singletary (Colonel), CSA (Relieved at Mine Run for drunkenness while commanding Kirkland's Brigade)
Nathan Evans, CSA (Famous drinker, accused of being drunk at Kinston, NC)
Joseph Finegan, CSA (Rhea speculation based on Cold Harbor actions on June 3)
As part of this interest, I've started compiling a list of high ranking officers I've come across who were arrested, cashiered, accused, or suspected of being drunk (or addicted to pain killers) while on duty. Please let me know if you can think of anyone else!
Opiates
Henry Eustis, USA (Resigned 6/26/64 for Health Reasons - Rhea suggests Opiate addiction)
JB Hood, CSA (Suspected of having a Laudanum addiction to deal with his wounds from Gettysburg and Chickamagua)
Alcohol
US Grant, USA (Reputation of drunkenness followed him during the war - modern scholarship suggests unfairly)
William Harrow, USA (Briefly resigned for accusations of drunkenness at 1st Kernstown, sobriety in question after Gettysburg)
Thomas Rowley, USA (Accused of being drunk during Seminary Ridge fight at Gettysburg, later Court Martialed)
JH Hobart Ward, USA (Sacked by Hancock for accusations of drunkenness at Wilderness)
Dixon Miles, USA (Claims he was very drunk while in command during Jackson's attack on Harpers Ferry, September 1862)
Alexander Hays, USA (Claims he was drunk during botched attack at Morton's Ford, Winter 1864)
George Crittenden, CSA (Arrested for Drunkenness, April 1, 1862, later resigned rank)
Benjamin Cheatham, CSA (Claims he was drinking heavily at Stones River)
Roy Stone, USA (Horse fell on him at Wilderness, observers claimed he was drunk)
Thomas Meagher, USA (Rumored to have been drunk after falling off his horse at Antietam)
James Ledlie, USA (Accused of drinking liquor in a bunker while his men attacked The Crater)
Edward Ferraro, USA (Accused of drinking liquor in a bunker during Crater attack)
William Carroll, CSA (Arrested March 31, 1862 for being drunk on duty in Iuka)
Alfred Iverson, CSA (Rumors of being drunk during disastrous charge at Gettysburg on July 1, probably not true)
JM Jones, CSA (Drinker at West Point, Freeman conjectured drunkenness later in war)
David Stanley, USA (Roberston suggests drunkenness during Summer of 1863 Chattanooga Campaign)
Preston Smith, CSA (Roberston suggests drunkenness during Summer of 1863 Chattanooga Campaign)
Paul Frank (Colonel), USA (Cashiered for Drunkenness at Spotsylvania, Mentions of Drunkenness at Wilderness too)
Gershom Mott, USA (Rumors of drunkenness at Spotsylvania, but I can't remember the source right now)
Ambrose Wright, USA (Rhea suggests rumors of drunkenness at Spotsylvania - Known drinker, but no evidence of impairment)
John Dunovant, CSA (Cashiered for drunkenness, November 8 1862, but reinstated July 1863)
William French, USA (Claims of drunkenness at Mine Run, known drinker)
Thomas Singletary (Colonel), CSA (Relieved at Mine Run for drunkenness while commanding Kirkland's Brigade)
Nathan Evans, CSA (Famous drinker, accused of being drunk at Kinston, NC)
Joseph Finegan, CSA (Rhea speculation based on Cold Harbor actions on June 3)