Henry Rathbone's Combat Experience?

[JeffBrooks]

Henry Rathbone, who was in the theater box with President Lincoln when John Wilkes Booth shot him, had served as a captain of the 12th U.S. Infantry, a regiment which fought from Gaine's Mill to Petersburg. Does anyone have any information as to his actual combat experience?

 

[George Thomas]

There was a brief overview of his service in the book "Worst Seat in the House" by Caleb Stephens, but it was pretty superficial, probably not what you are looking for. I recall it said he at the Middle Bridge during the battle of Antietam.
What a fascinating story. I still look for his house when I walk by Lafayette Park in DC.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Try browsing some of the newspapers from April 15th to say, April 20th? I definitely remember seeing something- papers were 24/7 lincoln murder news for awhile. There were the usual ' bios ' on Rathbone and Harris- and I think I remember seeing more when the later tragedy happened.

 

[JeffBrooks]

His life was a great tragedy. Indeed, everyone sitting in that box that night ended very badly. The NPS doesn't let anyone actually enter the box, but even if they did, I don't think I would want to step inside it. A sinister place.

 

[Biscoitos]

Henry Rathbone, who was in the theater box with President Lincoln when John Wilkes Booth shot him, had served as a captain of the 12th U.S. Infantry, a regiment which fought from Gaine's Mill to Petersburg. Does anyone have any information as to his actual combat experience?

Rathbone studied law at Union College and briefly worked in a law partnership in Albany before entering the Union Army at the start of Civil War.[6] During the war, Rathbone served as Captain in the 12th Infantry Regiment and was at the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Fredericksburg.[7] By the war's end, he had attained the rank of major.

From Wikipedia

 

[Biscoitos]

Source http://behind.aotw.org/2007/06/26/witness-to-murder-henry-r-rathbone/


Henry had been born in Albany, New York to wealthy businessman and one-time Mayor (1838-41) Jared L. Rathbone. Sometime after Jared's death, his widow Pauline married State Supreme Court Justice Ira Harris, and Harris' daughter Clara (1834-1883) became Henry's step-sister.

Henry graduated from his step-father's alma mater Union College, Schenectady, in 1857, and the University Law School, Albany, then briefly practiced in Albany. He'd also held office in the State Militia before the War. In 1861 Judge Harris — friend to the new President — was himself elected US Senator from New York.

Clearly Henry was a privileged and well established young man.



At the outbreak of the Civil War he was given a commission as Captain in the 12th US Infantry, I'd guess partly because of his militia experience, but I should think mostly due to his political connections. He was on recruiting duty for the first year, raising a company for the Regiment in New York until March 1862. He joined his unit at Yorktown, on the Peninsula Campaign, presumably in command of a Company.

He was at Antietam as "acting field officer" (Major-like?) and in command of Company C of the Regiment's First Battalion (see Captain Blunt's report). The Battalion saw some light action on the west bank [map] of the Antietam across the Middle Bridge on September 17th.

Captain Rathbone remained with his unit to Fredericksburg in December, but from February 1863 to March 1864 he was away from the front on "special duty" at Washington City on the staff of the Military Governor. He then got an assignment to General Burnside's staff in the field as Aide-de-Camp and Commissary of Musters for the IX Army Corps. He saw action with that Corps at the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor and on to the siege of Petersburg.

After the Crater debacle, and for the rest of the War, he was on headquarters duty in Washington in the Disbursing branch under the Provost Marshal. He was promoted Major of US Volunteers in March 1865.