Infantry Marine Service?

[RoadDog]

While doing some research on Fort Fisher (my battle), I came across mention of a Dewitt C. Hotchkiss of the 112th New York who had served aboard the USS Monitor as a member of the Infantry Marine Service and had been recommnded for a Medal of Honor which he never received.

Has anyone ever heard of the Infantry Marine Service?

 

[IronBrigade'63]

Hmmm, I am not familiar with the Infantry Marine Service as a branch of the Federal military, as a matter of fact. I know the Marine Corps was, of course in operation, but am not familiar with this specific arm of the service.

Is it possible that this nomer merely is merely used to refer to those members of the Army that worked in conjuntion with the Navy during landing operations? I did a bit of looking and found, on the NCPS website, the 112th New York listed as having been a part of Brigadier General Adelbert Ame's 2nd Division, XXIV Corps, which operated against Fort Fisher in the advance on Willmington from December 24, 1864-February 22, 1865.

I did not, however find reference to the USS Monitor in the listing of the ships of the Federal Flotilla. Might I ask where you got your information so I might investigate more thoroughly?

Regards,
-IronBrigade'63

 

[johan_steele]

There were several calls throughout the war for volunteers to act as Marines. I'd never heard of it except in conjunction with the Mississipppi River squadrons. Men were detached from Infantry units to specific ships to act as Marines on detached duty. I've seen a muster roll or two where there is note of men detached to specific vessals.

So it's possible for a call for Marines to have been made prior to the Fort Fisher fight.

 

[5fish]

Here an article referring to 12 men nominated for Medals of Honor at Ft. Fisher and did not receive them....Hotchkiss is listed..

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20100516/COL03/305169991

Here some family history on Hotchkiss....read the last lines of the page..

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nychauta/CEMETERY/JLuc_cem.htm

The 112th had one official Medal of Honor winner..

http://www.112thnyvi.com/page3.html

 

[5fish]

I found the story behind those 10 men that missed out on the Medal of Honor.....It sounds like Hotchkiss deserves the medal I wonder why he was overlooked a second time ...a link..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Anderson_(Medal_of_Honor)

Here is a book on the 112th NY and it states Hotchkiss was always with his regiment....I read through the Ft Fisher section and Hotchkiss name never came up..

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pv...6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=Dewitt Hotchkiss&f=false

I do not understand why there is a reference of Hotchkiss being assigned to the USS Monitor because 112th was in the middle of the Ft Fisher action...

 

[5fish]

I found another description of the event and Hotchkiss is not mention and the men who got the medal were form the 142nd NY infantry. It mention only 12 men went forward.....Hotchkiss is form the 112th NY infantry.... It seems the fog of war has gotten in the way of Hotchkiss reward..

I will paste it in...

Some two thousand sailors and Marines stormed the fort along the ocean side of the peninsula attacking probably the strongest portion of the fort. They failed to reach their objective; many of them fell before reaching the palisade fence which stretched from the river to the ocean.

Seven men from the U.S.S. Minnesota, as well as three men from the U.S.S. Wabash, one each from the U.S.S. Seneca and the U.S.S. Susquehanna had the honor bestowed upon them for their gallantry during the naval assault along the ocean side of the fort. In all, the Navy honored fifty-five sailors and six U.S. Marines for their actions at both battles of Fort Fisher.

As for the Army, there were eight more medals given to the bravest of the brave. Volunteers were picked and armed with only axes, were sent out to widen any holes blown by the heavy shelling to the palisade fence. It fell to the lot of the 142nd New York (Lt. Walling's regiment) to send a dozen men forward. Of these, eight were shot and killed; the four survivors (Zachariah C. Neahr, Bruce Anderson, Alaric B. Chapin, George Merrill) were awarded the Medal of Honor. William H. Freeman, of the 169th N.Y. received his medal after he rushed "to carry the brigade flag after the bearer was wounded." Also noted for exceptional gallantry were Colonel Galusha Pennypacker (of the 97th Pennsylvania), Brigadier General Newton Martin Curtis and First Lieutenant John Wainwright (also of the 97th Pa.); all of these men were wounded. It is interesting to note an advertisement of the 97th Pa. Which read:

Some more interesting facts about these men and the Medal of Honor: At least one of them (Bruce Anderson of the 142nd N.Y.) appears to have been an African-American (see website: http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/history/aa_history.htm-“African-American Medal of Honor Recipients") while another, George Merrill (also of the 142nd), had his certificate and medal stolen after his descendants allowed a company to redo and "update" the display which hung in the local town hall.

Galusha Pennypacker died in October 1916, from "complications from the wound he received at Fort Fisher."

Colonel John Wainwright, who died in 1915, is buried in Arlington National cemetery. He enlisted as a Private on 18 April 1861 and was commissioned 10 January 1862. By August 1864 (while a First Lieutenant) he was placed in command of his company and would remain in command until after the battles at Fort Fisher.

There were at least two (perhaps as many as five) recipients awarded the Medal of Honor twice during the Civil War: John Conner, USN was awarded the distinction twice. Thomas W. Custer, brother of George A. Custer was also awarded twice. Custer's awards came at the end of the war, at Namozine Church (3 April 1865) and Saylor's Creek (6 April 1865). Both awards were granted when he captured Confederate regimental flags.

Here is the link to the page...

http://www.cfcwrt.com/moh.html

 

[Henry]

Sailors as Land Warriors

A lot of the precedent for tactics during Mr. Lincoln's war came from the major actions preceeding it by a few years, the Crimean Conflict. Though the use of sailors on land as an attacking force dates back through history, it was during the Crimean conflict that the endeavor became organized in British and French usage against Russian strong points as Naval Brigades. As with much of the equipment used by Lincoln's navy , the tactics proven at Bomarsund, Sevastapol and Kinburn were woven into the attack plans of the Federal forces.

 

[Ellsworth avenger]

Thought i'd aknowledge my handfull of ancesters who were members of the 169Th N.Y.Heavy Art. Regiment, being the 169th was prominent in this battle. A huge regiment in numbers my relatives were; Great Great Great Grandfather Nathan Evans 44 enlisted Kingsbury Aug. 1862,mustered as private Com. D 10/6/62,discharged for disability at hospital 8/4/63. Milo Evans,enlisted 8/11/62 Fort Edward mustered as private 9/25/62 discharged 5/23/65 Mount Pleasant Hospital Wash. D.C., William Davis,whose diary i'm in possesion of,enlisted Fort Edward 8/22/62,mustered private 9/25/62,promoted corporal May 1st 1865; mustered out with company 7/19/65 at Releigh N.C., and Moses Severance whose Great Grandfather and Great Uncle were Rogers rangers of some fame Age 23 yrs. Enlisted 9/13/62 Kingsbury N.Y. to serve three years,mustered private 10/6/62, Deserted,12/7/62 at Camp Abercombie Va.

 

[1SGDan]

Has anyone ever heard of the Infantry Marine Service?

The Mississippi Marine Brigade was an attempt at such a duty.