Ohio Agents

[ClintI]

In his diary, my 2x great grandfather refers going to the Ohio Agent(s) when he is working at the hospital in Louisville, KY for tobacco, paper, envelopes, and a shirt. Is this one of the sutlers that followed regiments selling sundry items to soldiers? I've not found anything specific as to the name "Ohio Agent(s)" however.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

I suspect it was an agent of one of the charitable organizations, such as the Western Sanitary Commission.

 

[ClintI]

Does anyone know about these charitable organizations?

 

[James Brenner]

Take a look at Whitelaw Reid's, Ohio in the War: Her Statesmen, Generals, and Soldiers. (Cincinnati: Moore, Wilstach, and Baldwin, 1868). Volume 1 has a chapter devoted to relief agencies. The book is available on archive.org. Also, in 2006, Blue Acorn Press reprinted Myron Loop's, The Long Road Home, Ten Thousand Miles through the Confederacy with the 68th Ohio.

 

[Lampasas Bill]

My Story of the War by Mary Livermore deals with the Western Sanitary Commission. I makes really interesting reading.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

A free online copy of Livermore's book:

My story of the war : a woman's narrative of four years personal experience as a nurse in the Union Army, and in relief work at home, in hospitals, camps, and at the front, during the War of the Rebellion .. : Livermore, Mary Ashton Rice, 1820-1905 :

31

archive.org

 

[ClintI]

In my first post on Sept 5 I asked if anyone can shed light on "the Ohio Agent(s)" my 2x great grandfather wrote about in his diary. Some suggestions were made which I appreciate. However, in a later entry he writes that he went to the Ohio Agents for assistance in getting his descriptive roll a few days after receiving his detail. So now I think it has to be someone related to the army, who would have access in getting this record for him. He writes of going into town to see this agent. Any more light on this?

 

[Don Dixon]

The Ohio state government established a system of state agents at various locations to assist its volunteer soldiers. This was completely separate from the operation of charitable organizations like the Sanitary Commission. For further information look at the Quartermaster General's report in the 1863 report of the Ohio governor to the legislature. Some other states took similar actions.

Regards,
Don Dixon

 

[ClintI]

Don, thank you. I believe that is the explanation. It makes the most sense given that my 2x great grandfather used the term
"Ohio agent". So helpful!