WEST VIRGINIA
ADJUTANT GENERALS' PAPERS

Union Regiments
1861-1865
Ar382

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10th West Virginia Infantry
(Field and Staff, Companies A - K, Unassigned/Recruits)
Box 17, Folder 4

Transcription

Dear Sir
I recd. a letter this morning from Lieut Curran informing me that Capt. Murrin has protested against the promotion of Sergeant Major Ambrose on the grounds that he is incompetent and that he is a drunkard. You are certainly aware of the fact that I am as much opposed to the promotion of men of unsuitable character as any man can be and I am particularly opposed to promoting men of intemperate habits.

Sergeant Major Ambrose was formerly in the habit of spreeing occasionally but so far as I know and believe he has reformed.

I made him Sergeant Major of the regt. about sixteen months since and he has discharged the duties of that station in a very satisfactory manner all that time. I have never known of his being drunk but once since he ocupied that position. He is a real worker + a good tactician and has done much to aid me in bringing the regt. into its present state of efficiency.

Standing in the direct line of promotion I have felt it due to him and have for a long time had a promise from him that he will abstain from intoxicating drinks as a condition of his promotion. I have faith to believe he will scrupulously observe this promise if promoted. That the captains objection is not so much on this ground as from personal dislike is clear from the fact that the man he proposes; viz Sergeant Garrett is I am informed by Adjt Boughner a man of intemperate habits tho. he manages to keep it somewhat secret yet it must be known to the Captain.

Whilst I am willing to give all reasonable consideration to the views and wishes of company commanders in the appointment of Lieutenants yet I consider it my prerogative according to law to appoint. I am willing to risk the appointment of Major Ambrose and have given you a candid statement of his character which I hope will be satisfactory. I will conclude by asking you to commission him at once.

Very Respectfully
Your Obdt. Servt.
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th W. Va.

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Cumberland Jany 22d 1864
Col T. M. Harris
10th Infantry
Recommends Sergt Maj Ambrose for promotion
Commission issd

Harpers Ferry
Aug 23rd 1864
F P Pierpoint

Dear Sir,
Yours of July 22nd reached me this evening for which as affording evidence of the interest you take in my regt. I thank you. I believe there have been no details made from regts. for recruiting purposes had it been otherwise however it would now be too late for me to do anything. I am not satisfied with my position in the army of West Va. and think I have good cause for dissatisfaction. I am commanding my regt. in the 1st division commanded by Col. Thoburn whilst there are two Colonels junior to me commanding Brigades in the same division and Col Duval who is my junior commands the 2nd division.

Not only so but last week when Gen. Sheridan had retired before Early to Berryville and a fight was expected Col. Thoburn had my regt detailed to guard a subsistence train and sent to the rear. Then again after I had guarded the train three days and returned with it to the Command finding it about to go out to meet the enemy and sending an application to be relieved from the train that I might go forward with the command Col. Thoburn said he had not the power to relieve me although. he had detailed me or rather it was done by his order and I was again sent to the rear where I still remain. You will see that motives of ambition thus impel men who are in a position to use power for their own promotion to shut up the door to honorable competition; which is not correct in principle neither is it good policy in any profession.

I have had no ambition but to do my duty so as to deserve promotion and have the satisfaction to day that I have acquitted myself in every engagement in which I have participated now seven in number. So as to receive the Commendation of my immediate commander who witnessed my conduct. I had a good opinion of Cols Thoburn and Duvall and still have of the latter. The former I regard as a good officer but take exceptions to him personally on account of the treatment referred to. I should have been willing to aid in their promotion but feel that I ought to have the place in the service that is due to my rank as I have devoted every energy of body and mind to the cause in which we are engaged not only since I have been in the service as an officer but for eight months before I gave all my time and four hundred dollars of my means to the cause. I am the oldest man amongst the Va. Cols. in Gen Crooks command and the oldest officer except Thoburn. I feel that the position assigned me is a reflection on my capacity and qualifications that does not do me justice.

I have felt that if Gen Crook thinks me not qualified to fill the position to which my rank entitles me he should recommend me for dismissal from the service but if I am competent then I should have my proper place. Please show this letter to the Governor.

Very Truly
Your friend
T. M. Harris

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Harpers Ferry Aug 23rd/64
T. M. Harris
10th Infy
Letter of Defense

Summit Point
Jefferson Co. W. Va.
Sept 14th 1864
Gov. A. I. Boreman

Dear Sir
According to date of enlistment and company organization Co. B. of my regt. will be mustered out of the service on the 7th day of Dec next and Co. A. sometime during the same month. This will put me out of the service at that date unless a sufficient number of drafted men and recruits can be assigned to these companies to keep up the Company organizations with the veteran volunteers. It will require about one hundred men to keep up these companies and I would be under obligation to you if you could have that number assigned to me for the purpose of keeping up my regt.

I will merely remind you of the fact that I suffered the loss of all my personal property in the commencement of our troubles at the hands of our own troops they being incited to this during my absence from home to attend a sister in Ritchie County during a spell of sickness by the rebels of Glenville representing to the Federal troops that the property belonged to a secessionist and that he was in the rebel army.

This caused the destruction and pillage of my office and house with all my stock of drugs, instruments, books, shop and household furniture, clothing etc. to the amt of a thousand dollars. I then gave to the govt. and the cause eight months of time and labor and spent four hundred dollars recruiting my regt. So I may say without disparagement to others that I have probably stronger claims to the consideration of the State and govt authorities than any one in the West Va service. So far as I am acquainted. I trust I went into the service from patriotic motives and that I have faithfully performed the duties of my position and I can truly say that my patriotism has not abated one jot but that I am just as anxious as I ever was for the success of the govt in vindicating its authority and for the overthrow of treason and rebellion and just as anxious to contribute by my labors and efforts to its success. I wish to remain in the service until the success of the cause is secured beyond a _ _ and if you can do anything to aid me in this you will lay me under lasting obligation. I think if any regimental organizations have to join _ _ officers are going to vote for McClellan. I do not ask for promotion, as I consider that it will be a greater honor to have the reputation of having been a good Colonel. than an indifferent or bad Brigadier general. All I ask is that my regimental organization be preserved if possible.

Please write to me on the subject.

Very Respectfully
Your friend
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th W. Va. Vo.l

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Summit Point WVa Sept 14th/64
T. M. Harris Col
10th W Va Vol Infty
In reference to the keeping of the organization of his Regt

Cedar Creek Oct. 24th 1864
Gov. A. I. Boreman

Dear Sir
I wrote to you some time since the conversation with Col. Thoburn in relation to the case of Lt. Col. Bukey whose promotion was understood to have been delayed in consequence of his failures in duty at the battle near Winchester, on the 19th Sept. I confined myself in the consideration before to be simply a statement of facts and did not then feel at liberty to wage his promotion.

Col. Thoburn's views were adverse to it. As Col. Thoburn's successor to the command of the Division I feel bound to say that Lt. Col. Bukey in the late battle of the 19th inst has completely redeemed his character, and I now have no hesitation in saying deserves promotion. He behaved with the most coolness and good judgment under the most hopeless (?) circumstances and when the 1st & 3rd Brigades were driven from their works being confronted and flanked by two division of the enemy and when many commands were flying in confusion from the field the Lt. Col. brot the 10th off in comparative good order and took the first eligible position for resistance. _ he attacked to win stood until all were falling back before the suspension of forces of the enemy and in this way continued to fall back from one position to another until we had finally reached a front where it was possible to reform our lines; here I found time with a larger part of his command together than any other regimental commander of the brigade. His conduct during the whole of that trying day was excellent and I feel that it is simply an act of justice he was in_ of all the facts to now argue his promotion. I would however suggest that it only date from the 15th of Oct as I think it was justly withheld on account of his conduct at Winchester. I do not believe however that his being found drunk on that occasion was the result of a habit as it was the only time I ever saw him intoxicated. I am sure he has not touched whiskey since and have his promise that he will not again as long as he is connected with the U. S. Army. He _ _ _ Hill _ think as not fully vindicates his character a military point of view.

You will no doubt have heard aspersions of the army of W. Va. in regard to the late battle of _ when all _ _ of us caused us to retire in confusion. Five thousand of this same command drove the whole rebel force of 10,000 in the same manner at Grishers Hill _ _ will use this in the _ _

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Oct 24th 1864
10th
Col T. M. Harris
Recommends the promotion of LT Col Bukey

Head Quarters 1st Div.
Army W. Va. Nov. 21st 1864

Gen.
Yours of 15th Inst. Came to hand a day or two since.

I am surprised to learn that no copy of the muster in rolls of the 10th Regt. were ever sent to your office.

There were none of my companies properly mustered in earlier than March 12th 1862 and from that to the 17th I had four companies mustered in and was mustered in myself as Lieut Col Commdg Battallion.

The Regimental organization was not completed however until about the last of May or 1st of June 62.

Companies A & B and parts of other companies were organized in the fall of 1861 but it had been decided at the War Deptmt that they can only be mustered out from the date of their muster in. I made a statement of all the facts of the date of the enlistment, organization, service and muster in of these companies and asked for a special order authorizing the muster out of the men from the date of their enlistment but was answered that they could only be mustered at the end of three years reckoning out from the date of their muster in.

Very Respectfully
Your obdt. servt.
T. M. Harris
Col 10th W. Va. Vol.
Comdg Div.
F P Pierpoint
A. G. W. Va.

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Hd Qrs 1st Division
Army of West Va.
Nov 21st, 1864
Harris Thos. M.
Col 10th W. Va. Infy
Commdg
Respecting muster out of the 10th W. Va. Infy Regt.

Head Quarters 1st Infty Divis.
Army W. Va. Nov. 29th 1864
Gov. A. I. Boreman,

Dear Sir,
On yesterday I endorsed a paper from the officers of the 10th W. Va. Vols. requesting that Capt. T. D. Murrin be commissioned Major of the regiment.

I endorsed my approval because it appeared to be an expression of the choice of the officers. Upon visiting the regiment to day I find that the paper was gotten up by such means and representations as led several officers to sign it under the impression that the Senior Capt. of the regiment Capt. Morgan A. Darnall would not under any circumstances accept the promotion and that learning this is not the case they are dissatisfied at having been induced to sign the paper considering that they have been taken in.

Capt Darnall is not one the ranking Captain but by far the best qualified officer in the regiment in every sense of the word to fill the position and I feel sure that whenever all the companies have the full complement of officers to which they are entitled and the matter is fairly submitted to all the officers of the line in the regt. he would be elected by a decided majority. If however it should turn out upon a fair trial that Capt Murrin should be their choice I would then give it my endorsement, as he is a man of fair qualifications.

It will be a sufficient answer to this paper of Capt Murrin's that there is no vacancy as the regiment is now nearly one hundred below the minimum number and has two field officers.

Capt. Murrin's paper was no doubt gotten up in anticipation of a vacancy by my promotion which I regard as only a possible contingency: and should a vacancy thus occur you will no doubt hear from the friends of Capt. Darnall in such a way as to leave you in no doubt as to your duty.

I have written this because my endorsement was secured to Capt. Murrin's paper by the representation of his friends that Capt. Darnall would not under any circumstances accept the position and having learned that this is not the case but that he was simply unwilling to submit his name at the time and under the circumstances then existing I wish to withdraw my said endorsement.

Very Respectfully
Your Friend
T. M. Harris Col. 10th W. Va.
Comdg 1st Div
A. W. Va.

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Hd. Qrs. 1st Infy Division
Dept W. Va.
No 29th 1864
Harris T. M.
Col Comdg.
Withdraws his recommendation for promotion of Capt Murrin to Major of the 10th W Va Infy Regt

Head Quarters 1st Infty Div.
Army W. Va. Dec. 13th 1864

Gen.
I this day mail to your address the rolls of the various companies of the 10th giving the name of every officer and man who have been connected with it in its Company organizations. I will get the Adjt. to send up a roll of the Field and Staff tomorrow. Cant you prevail on the Gov. to visit the troops of W Va in this army? It would have a fine effect on his popularity. I will endeavor to get the Adjt to prepare a Short history of the doings of the regt. embracing its campaigns engagements etc as soon as possible.

Very Respectfully
Your obdt servt
T. M. Harris
Brevet Brig. Gen.

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Head Qrs 1st Infy Div.
Army West Va Dec 13th 1864
Harris T. M.
Brevet Brig Genl.
Has forwarded Returns of 10th Infy.

Head Quarters 1st Div Army of West Va
Camp 24 Army Corps Army of the James
December 31st 1864
Governor A. I. Boreman

Dear Sir
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 10th inst. which came to hand today.

The beautiful flag referred to which the Legislature of West Virginia authorized you to present to the regiment which I had the honor to command, came to hand very soon after the date of the letter which had been so tardy in reaching me, and was proudly received, both by my regiment and myself, as an evidence of the State's appreciation of our humble but earnest efforts to do her service, and to serve our common country.

Please accept the thanks of myself and my command for the kind and flattering terms in which it has pleased you to tender to us this precious gift, and although at present separated from my noble regiment, I feel no hesitation in promising you in its behalf that this beautiful emblem of our nationality, as it is also of our past achievements in the cause of human liberty, and will be of our future greatness, will be safe from dishonor in the keeping of the brave and patriotic men to whose hands it has been confided.

Heartily uniting with you in the desire expressed by you for a speedy vindication of the authority and rights of our government and the establishment of a peace based on a sure and lasting foundation,

I am very respectfully
Your Obdt Servant
T. M. Harris
Col. 10th W. Va. Vols and
Brevt Brig General

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Hd. Qrs. 1st Div. A. of W. Va.
Dec 31st 1861
Harris T. M.
Brevet Brig Genl.
Acknowledges receipt of Flag for 10th W. Va. Infantry

10th WV Infantry