- Joined
- May 8, 2015
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
One of the watches I own was presented to Colonel George W. Gallup by the officers and men of his regiment, the 14th KY Volunteer Infantry, a mounted unit. The watch is shown here, with some information about Colonel Gallup, who was promoted to Brigadier post-war:
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/po...14th-ky-mounted-infantry.130869/#post-1465235
In researching Colonel Gallup, I was delighted to find that the Filson Historical Library in Louisville, KY has a collection of his war time letters to his wife Rebecca, as well as a partial diary of his movements. One particular letter, dated June 23, 1864, relates the events through which Gallup and his regiment had just lived the day before, during the Battle of Kolb's Farm, in Cobb Cy., GA near Marietta. It contains a curious reference:
“My Dear Wife,
Today has been a hard one for the 14th KY. At 12 o’clock I was ordered to advance my regiment to envelop the enemy’s line of battle. I marched one mile to the front and captured the enemy’s picket line, 45 in number, when General Clayborn [Cleburne – he actually faced Stevenson] attacked me with his brigades and after a stubborn fight we retreated ½ a mile, fighting as we went. Then I found cover under the crest of a ridge and held the enemy until our artillery came up. Killed 104 and wounded 250, took 45 prisoners, and I lost, out of 700 men, 77 killed and wounded, a large loss. The boys are brave. General Hooker, Thomas, McPherson and Sherman complimented this regiment and say it is the best in the 23rd Corps.
I am worn and weary, have not eaten anything since yesterday morning and I cannot write much. Lieut. Osborn, son of Walter, was killed. Lieut. Burgess, arm shot off. Capt. Gardner wounded. Ensign Jordan Oty killed. … Love to all. – Your Husband.”
I have highlighted and italicized the curious passage. Was the rank of "ensign" ever used in the Federal infantry??? If not, could there have been any conceivable reason why a person with such a rank would have been attached to his unit? Or perhaps, the word "ensign" was incorrectly transcribed from the hand written letter.
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/po...14th-ky-mounted-infantry.130869/#post-1465235
In researching Colonel Gallup, I was delighted to find that the Filson Historical Library in Louisville, KY has a collection of his war time letters to his wife Rebecca, as well as a partial diary of his movements. One particular letter, dated June 23, 1864, relates the events through which Gallup and his regiment had just lived the day before, during the Battle of Kolb's Farm, in Cobb Cy., GA near Marietta. It contains a curious reference:
“My Dear Wife,
Today has been a hard one for the 14th KY. At 12 o’clock I was ordered to advance my regiment to envelop the enemy’s line of battle. I marched one mile to the front and captured the enemy’s picket line, 45 in number, when General Clayborn [Cleburne – he actually faced Stevenson] attacked me with his brigades and after a stubborn fight we retreated ½ a mile, fighting as we went. Then I found cover under the crest of a ridge and held the enemy until our artillery came up. Killed 104 and wounded 250, took 45 prisoners, and I lost, out of 700 men, 77 killed and wounded, a large loss. The boys are brave. General Hooker, Thomas, McPherson and Sherman complimented this regiment and say it is the best in the 23rd Corps.
I am worn and weary, have not eaten anything since yesterday morning and I cannot write much. Lieut. Osborn, son of Walter, was killed. Lieut. Burgess, arm shot off. Capt. Gardner wounded. Ensign Jordan Oty killed. … Love to all. – Your Husband.”
I have highlighted and italicized the curious passage. Was the rank of "ensign" ever used in the Federal infantry??? If not, could there have been any conceivable reason why a person with such a rank would have been attached to his unit? Or perhaps, the word "ensign" was incorrectly transcribed from the hand written letter.
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