Col. James Lockhart Scudder

[rickvox79]

Hey everyone, I just stumbled across a relative (probably cousin) and I'm trying to find out more information on him. I was googling some information on my 6th great-grandfather Nathaniel Scudder and ran across a website from for the Historical Belmont District Preservation in Shelbyville, Tennessee. They had a section on their site for the "The Colonel James Lockhart Scudder Estate" ( http://www.belmonthistoric.org/the-scudder-estate ) and I noticed on the left they mentioned James Lockhart Scudder was the great-grandson of Nathaniel Scudder so it appears we are related.

It has a section in the article that says "At the outbreak of the Civil War, J. L. Scudder formed the "Scudder Rifles" unit in Wartrace and fought on the Confederate side of the war. At some point, he changed sides and fought for the Union, maybe because of his families rich New England History. He returned home with the rank of Colonel. Following the war he returned to his law practice." I wanted to see if anyone could track down more information on him. I thought it was interesting that he switched sides but never really saw anything in the article that mentioned which regiment he was a Colonel of on either side other than mentioned "Scudder Rifles" on the Confederate side.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Hey everyone, I just stumbled across a relative (probably cousin) and I'm trying to find out more information on him. I was googling some information on my 6th great-grandfather Nathaniel Scudder and ran across a website from for the Historical Belmont District Preservation in Shelbyville, Tennessee. They had a section on their site for the "The Colonel James Lockhart Scudder Estate" ( http://www.belmonthistoric.org/the-scudder-estate ) and I noticed on the left they mentioned James Lockhart Scudder was the great-grandson of Nathaniel Scudder so it appears we are related.

It has a section in the article that says "At the outbreak of the Civil War, J. L. Scudder formed the "Scudder Rifles" unit in Wartrace and fought on the Confederate side of the war. At some point, he changed sides and fought for the Union, maybe because of his families rich New England History. He returned home with the rank of Colonel. Following the war he returned to his law practice." I wanted to see if anyone could track down more information on him. I thought it was interesting that he switched sides but never really saw anything in the article that mentioned which regiment he was a Colonel of on either side other than mentioned "Scudder Rifles" on the Confederate side.

• Scudder Rifles (Captain W. C. Blanton) - many men from Bedford County was part of the 41st Tennessee Infantry
• Could J.L. have failed to be reelected Captain of a company he had recruited ?

Found a Union private Jacob Scudder Co.G 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry. He enlisted on Feb.23, 1864 and mustered on March 21, 1864. Could be a wild spelling of his name and I'm missing him ? Nothing like Scudder listed with the 41st.

TENNESSEE
(1-YEAR)
First Mounted Infantry. -- Lieut.-Col., Abraham E. Garrett;
Maj., Francis M. McKee.

This regiment was organized by Lieut.-Col. Garrett in the
early part of 1864, although a portion of the companies were
not completed until the end of the year. The regiment served
principally in the northeastern part of Middle Tennessee,
where it had frequent and severe encounters with guerrillas.

It was mustered out by companies, at different dates, from
Dec. 13, 1864, to July 22, 1865, by reason of expiration of
term of service.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 388

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...Sst=45&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=82269815&df=all&

 

[rickvox79]

• Scudder Rifles (Captain W. C. Blanton) - many men from Bedford County was part of the 41st Tennessee Infantry
• Could J.L. have failed to be reelected Captain of a company he had recruited ?

Found a Union private Jacob Scudder Co.G 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry. He enlisted on Feb.23, 1864 and mustered on March 21, 1864. Could be a wild spelling of his name and I'm missing him ? Nothing like Scudder listed with the 41st.

TENNESSEE
(1-YEAR)
First Mounted Infantry. -- Lieut.-Col., Abraham E. Garrett;
Maj., Francis M. McKee.

This regiment was organized by Lieut.-Col. Garrett in the
early part of 1864, although a portion of the companies were
not completed until the end of the year. The regiment served
principally in the northeastern part of Middle Tennessee,
where it had frequent and severe encounters with guerrillas.

It was mustered out by companies, at different dates, from
Dec. 13, 1864, to July 22, 1865, by reason of expiration of
term of service.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 388

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...Sst=45&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=82269815&df=all&

Thanks for the info. I wonder if he was a Colonel on the Union side? What is the precedence for someone switching sides like that? I know of states being split and men choosing sides but haven't heard of many joining one side and then joining the other later. I know Tennessee had a lot of people split on their loyalties to either the Confederacy or the Union.

 

[TerryB]

Found under Confederate Misc, 2 cards. 1st says he was appointed as an officer (captain) by Gov Harris in the PA of Tenn, no date (but has to be before Tenn joined the CSA). 2nd card says he was an enrolling officer in Co I, 18th Tenn Inf during 1863 until Jan 1864. No cards filed under that unit by his name.

 

[TerryB]

Thanks for the info. I wonder if he was a Colonel on the Union side? What is the precedence for someone switching sides like that? I know of states being split and men choosing sides but haven't heard of many joining one side and then joining the other later. I know Tennessee had a lot of people split on their loyalties to either the Confederacy or the Union.

Many Tennesseans switched sides, even before 1864. The Tenn POWs were also allowed to take the oath to the US and return home if they swore not to rejoin the CS army.

 

[TerryB]

In April 1863, he sells the CS Army at Shelbyville, 12 pounds of soft soap for $79.80. The card lists him as a Southern Citizen. I get the impression he saw little, if any active duty in the CSA, and probably switched sides in 1864, once the CS army was out of Middle Tennessee.

 

[East Tennessee Roots]

Thanks for the info. I wonder if he was a Colonel on the Union side? What is the precedence for someone switching sides like that? I know of states being split and men choosing sides but haven't heard of many joining one side and then joining the other later. I know Tennessee had a lot of people split on their loyalties to either the Confederacy or the Union.

That happened more so here in the eastern end of the State, especially after paroled troops from Vicksburg returned home, and before they were exchanged the area came under Union control. The father of my maternal great-grandmother, enlisted at Knoxville in 1862 in the 3rd Maryland Light Artillery. He served through the Vicksburg siege. Once back in east Tennessee, he failed to report to parole camp. On July 4, 1864, he joined the Union 3rd Tennessee Mounted Infantry. He later drew a pension for his service. I've got several "Tennessee switch-hitters" in my family tree.

 

[Drew]

I did a quick and dirty look at the NPS database. No James Scudder recorded in CSA, a couple Union but privates from NY and the like. TerryB's sale voucher is dated April 23, 1863 at Shelbyville, so Scudder was home at that time.

From what I've seen so far, I'm going to guess J. L. Scudder helped raise the company named for him but didn't serve in the ACW. The link in the OP indicates he was a line officer during the Mexican War but lost an eye in that fight. He was also pushing 40 when the war came. At that age with one eye, it makes some sense he would have sat it out. We also know the title "Colonel" was bestowed as an honorary one so that may be part of it.

OTOH, his previous army experience would have been very valuable in some capacity. A bit more digging is probably in order to get to the bottom of it.

 

[TerryB]

I did a quick and dirty look at the NPS database. No James Scudder recorded in CSA, a couple Union but privates from NY and the like. TerryB's sale voucher is dated April 23, 1863 at Shelbyville, so Scudder was home at that time.

From what I've seen so far, I'm going to guess J. L. Scudder helped raise the company named for him but didn't serve in the ACW. The link in the OP indicates he was a line officer during the Mexican War but lost an eye in that fight. He was also pushing 40 when the war came. At that age with one eye, it makes some sense he would have sat it out. We also know the title "Colonel" was bestowed as an honorary one so that may be part of it.

OTOH, his previous army experience would have been very valuable in some capacity. A bit more digging is probably in order to get to the bottom of it.

I agree. I think he probably had a company named after him b/c he paid for all or most of their kit and arms. The card showing he might have been an enrolling officer for the 18th Tenn in 1863 is speculation on the part of clerks who copied the records. They put a question mark along with their notes. There was no full card, just the notes.
I have an indirect ancestor named Capt. Samuel Pointer from Williamson County who only served as an enrolling officer during the war and was home the whole time.

I suspect Scudder was given the honorary title of colonel after the war as a token of respect.

 

[rickvox79]

Thanks for the info and thoughts everyone. Starting to make some sense now. Only day 1 of research so I'm sure there will be more to find as I keep digging.

 

[DixieRifles]

Maybe he was a Colonel before the war?
Is this the same person? There is a Tennessee connection.

 

[Drew]

I got several hits when I looked that showed J.L. Scudder was a Mexican War veteran. Enlisted and promoted to Liet. This card confirms it!

 

[DixieRifles]

He was wounded, maybe twice. Also a note about being in a hospital in Monterrey---Mexico, I guess.
That made me wonder if this was him----meaning if he was wounded and disabled, then he could not have served in the ACW.

 

[rickvox79]

He was wounded, maybe twice. Also a note about being in a hospital in Monterrey---Mexico, I guess.
That made me wonder if this was him----meaning if he was wounded and disabled, then he could not have served in the ACW.

That sounds like him. Looking at the bio on the Belmont page it says "According to West Point records, James applied for admission to the United States Military Academy in 1843, but no records of admission have been located. At the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, James enlisted and attained the rank of First Lieutenant in 1846, in which he served with Company K, 1st Volunteer Regiment of Tennessee, and he lost an eye in battle." So sounds like you guys are right, probably an honorary title in regards to his Civil War service.

 

[golfotter]

Just so happens that Colonel James Lockhart Scudder was my great, great grandfather. We knew him as "One Eye", I inherited his portrait from my mother Mae Bright Scudder Otway. It was over the fireplace in the Shelbyville Tenn home of my grandfather Phillip Johnston Scudder Jr. I do not have the story on why the portrait was cut back from it's original size. I think my mother's sister did this to hang in modern homes.

 

[lupaglupa]

Just so happens that Colonel James Lockhart Scudder was my great, great grandfather. We knew him as "One Eye", I inherited his portrait from my mother Mae Bright Scudder Otway. It was over the fireplace in the Shelbyville Tenn home of my grandfather Phillip Johnston Scudder Jr. I do not have the story on why the portrait was cut back from it's original size. I think my mother's sister did this to hang in modern homes.



View attachment 399613

What a wonderful heirloom to have.