rob63
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2012
- Location
- PA, but still a Hoosier
I recently won these 2 documents at an auction. The first is a commission promoting Charles Reese to the rank of Captain in the 20th Indiana Regiment. It is signed by the then Governor of Indiana, Oliver Morton. It is pretty fragile and has some edges missing but is clearly readable. I had no idea who Captain Reese was when I bid on these, but I have since discovered that his service was pretty interesting.
Captain Reese joined the regiment when it was organized in 1861 as a 1st Lieutenant and participated in many of the most famous battles in the East. He was promoted to Captain in 1862 as a result of the large number of officers the regiment had lost in previous battles. He left the service after losing his right eye at the battle of Gettysburg.
The document is also signed on the reverse by a Major Robinson (Brev. Brig. Gen.) attesting to Captain Reese's fitness to serve as a Captain.
I found a copy of his obituary on findagrave.com
Notice that it tells an interesting little tidbit of how the bullet fell out of his head over 20 years after the battle!
Here is the history of the regiment: (Source - civilwarindiana.com)
20th REGIMENT INFANTRY.
Organized at Lafayette, Ind., and mustered in July 22, 1861. Left State for Baltimore, Md., August 2. Stationed at Cockeysville, Md., guarding Northern Central R. R. to Pennsylvania line till September. Expedition to Hatteras Inlet, N. C., September 24-27. At fortifications North end of Hatteras bank till November. Action at Chickamacomico October 4. Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va., November 9, and duty there till March, 1862. Attached to Fortress Monroe, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1862. Robinson's Brigade, Dept. of Virginia, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.--Engagement at Newport News, Va., between Ram "Merrimac" and United States Ships "Cumberland" and "Congress" and the "Monitor" March 8-9, 1862. Occupation of Norfolk and Portsmouth May 10. Joined Army of the Potomac on the Peninsula June 8. Charles City Cross Roads June 19. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Oak Grove ("The Orchards") June 25; White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30; Jordan's Ford June 30; Malvern Hill July 1 and July 5. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Pope's Campaign in Virginia August 28-September 2. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30; Chantilly September 1. Duty at Arlington Heights till October. At Poolesville till October 29. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign ("Mud March") January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth till April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. (Captured 23rd Georgia.) Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Wapping Heights, Va., July 23. Detached at New York City during draft disturbances August-September. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly's Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne's Farm November 27. Regiment veteranize January 1, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Po River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient ("Bloody Angle") May 12. Harris Farm (or Fredericksburg) Road May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunken May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon R. R., June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration on North side of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 28-29. Demonstration on North side of the James at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Ream's Station August 25. The Chimneys September 10. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Yellow House October 2-5. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkins' House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Vaughan Road, near Hatcher's Run, March 29. Crow's House March 31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. Farmville April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12. Grand Review May 23. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 14-21 and duty there till July 12. Mustered out July 12, and discharged at Indianapolis, Ind.
Regiment lost during service 15 Officers and 186 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 113 Enlisted men by disease. Total 314.
Captain Reese joined the regiment when it was organized in 1861 as a 1st Lieutenant and participated in many of the most famous battles in the East. He was promoted to Captain in 1862 as a result of the large number of officers the regiment had lost in previous battles. He left the service after losing his right eye at the battle of Gettysburg.
The document is also signed on the reverse by a Major Robinson (Brev. Brig. Gen.) attesting to Captain Reese's fitness to serve as a Captain.
I found a copy of his obituary on findagrave.com
Notice that it tells an interesting little tidbit of how the bullet fell out of his head over 20 years after the battle!
Here is the history of the regiment: (Source - civilwarindiana.com)
20th REGIMENT INFANTRY.
Organized at Lafayette, Ind., and mustered in July 22, 1861. Left State for Baltimore, Md., August 2. Stationed at Cockeysville, Md., guarding Northern Central R. R. to Pennsylvania line till September. Expedition to Hatteras Inlet, N. C., September 24-27. At fortifications North end of Hatteras bank till November. Action at Chickamacomico October 4. Ordered to Fortress Monroe, Va., November 9, and duty there till March, 1862. Attached to Fortress Monroe, Va., Dept. of Virginia, to May, 1862. Robinson's Brigade, Dept. of Virginia, to June, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to August, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.--Engagement at Newport News, Va., between Ram "Merrimac" and United States Ships "Cumberland" and "Congress" and the "Monitor" March 8-9, 1862. Occupation of Norfolk and Portsmouth May 10. Joined Army of the Potomac on the Peninsula June 8. Charles City Cross Roads June 19. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Battles of Oak Grove ("The Orchards") June 25; White Oak Swamp and Glendale June 30; Jordan's Ford June 30; Malvern Hill July 1 and July 5. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Pope's Campaign in Virginia August 28-September 2. Battles of Groveton August 29; Bull Run August 30; Chantilly September 1. Duty at Arlington Heights till October. At Poolesville till October 29. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 29-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign ("Mud March") January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth till April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. (Captured 23rd Georgia.) Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Wapping Heights, Va., July 23. Detached at New York City during draft disturbances August-September. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Kelly's Ford November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Payne's Farm November 27. Regiment veteranize January 1, 1864. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Po River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient ("Bloody Angle") May 12. Harris Farm (or Fredericksburg) Road May 19. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunken May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon R. R., June 22-23, 1864. Demonstration on North side of the James July 27-29. Deep Bottom July 28-29. Demonstration on North side of the James at Deep Bottom August 13-20. Strawberry Plains August 14-18. Ream's Station August 25. The Chimneys September 10. Poplar Springs Church September 29-October 2. Yellow House October 2-5. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills, Hatcher's Run, February 5-7, 1865. Watkins' House March 25. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Vaughan Road, near Hatcher's Run, March 29. Crow's House March 31. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Sailor's Creek April 6. Farmville April 7. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12. Grand Review May 23. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June 14-21 and duty there till July 12. Mustered out July 12, and discharged at Indianapolis, Ind.
Regiment lost during service 15 Officers and 186 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 113 Enlisted men by disease. Total 314.
Bringing the