Showing posts with label Elyria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elyria. Show all posts

Friday, November 18, 2011

22 - 30 Sept 1863

Sept 22 - We have hints of leaving fair days and lovely moon light nights.  A.m. went to auction sale of stock but could not get rid of my unsuitable horse.  The horse question troubles me much of late.  Put it away.  To Missouri hospital and was able to speak on divine things to three men.

Sept 23 - Warmer - still see indications of a projected movement of the regiment.  [John R.] Wilson of Company D quite sick at hospital.  Felt somewhat depressed and homesick in the p.m.  My school of six or eight contrabands three times a week and Sunday a.m. is quite interesting.  Evening rumors of a reverse to Gen Rosencrans.  Doubt it.

Sept 24 -Last night at 11 orders came to be ready to move.  Got up and packed up.  Nothing further today.  Hear a raid was anticipated on M & O Rail Road*.  Saw Col Swayne.  Recovering.  Rosencrans repulsed, not defeated.  Heavy loss on both sides.  Some Ohio officers killed.  P.m. to Missouri hospital.

Sept 25 - Cloudy and cool.  Have to cater for our mess now and instruct Jim some in cooking.  Gen John Geiger here and on request made a union speech to the assembled brigade.  Real good but stained by introduction of 3 oaths and a convivial allusion to whiskey - a pity.  Soldiers have too much such influence already.

Sept 26 - Fine day.  Mind unsettled but got it confined so as to study my sermon.  Lovely moonlight nights.  Over at 32nd hospital much thinned out.  Health is better.  Heard of auction of horses and got aroused on that question.  Hear our whole corps (16th) to leave here for Rosencrans.  Jim succeeded in pies.  Sent trunk to Elyria by Lieutenant Kilby.

Sept 27 - Sunday.  Feel much fatigued especially in mind.  The regiment has been occupied somewhat with preparations for a contemplated move.  Other regiments have moved in and bivouac near us.  Has benefited in prayer meeting.  Fond thoughts of our dear little boy.

Sept 28 - My cold in the head and anxiety about selling my horse gave me quite a dull head ache.  A.m. was at horse business but accomplished nothing.  P.m. pretty quite.  Eve felt better.  Our sick all [?] down town but we hear now we are not to go.  Fine letters from Ella and Oren.

Sept 29 - When having little else to interest me I am apt to over eat and think too much of eating.  My appetite is [?] controlled than formerly.  Cloudy and hazy and mild, oh how dusty.  Strange regiments from below are about us.  Took the drinking and swearing pledge through three companies.  Quite encouraged.  Tea with Capt. H[errick].

Sept 30 - It has rained almost incessantly from before daylight.  Much needed.  [2nd] Lieutenant [Henry J]McFadden [from D company] quite sick.  Went down town in the rain to have my horse sold but no auction hardly.  Conclude not to waste any more time on her now.  Presented quarterly report.  Read much in p.m. and evening.

* The Mobile and Ohio Rail Road was chartered Jan / Feb 1848 to go between Mobile, Alabama and Cairo, Illinois.  On September 13, 1940, it was merged with the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad to form the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

23 - 31 July 1863

July 23 - Eve at Pres[byterian] prayer meeting.  Levitt Hayden killed at Gettysburg.  Tonight home.

July 24 - Have a note for $800.00 with interest from Pa for deed for lot in Chittenden place.

July 25 - Have been writing a sermon this week on "Kingdom that cannot be moved".  Baby has whooping cough.  He caught it in Columbus.  Ella has sore mouth again.

July 26 - Preached at our dear little church a.m. and communion p.m.  Sunday school was done and prayer meeting stopped.  They need a rector.  Eve spoke at Bible society.

July 27 - Mr. Morgan* wishes bargain.  Thinks the mare will be always lame.  I tell him I will do what is right.

July 28 - A pleasant ride.  Fixing canned fruit for me to take.

July 29 - As usual.  Henry gone East.  Mr. Gordon* gone.  Left his word to consult my wife if dissatisfied.  She will offer him $50 for the mare $10 damages for loss of sale to others perhaps.

July 30 - Took my farewell in p.m.  Took [?] for once.  Reached Columbus at 11 p.m.  Dear Ella I hate to leave you.

July 31 - Packed a trunk with numerous things for self and others.  Saw Gov. Tod to get Oren's[?] promotion but he gave me no hope.  Left at 11 a.m. and left Columbus at 5.

A pleasant month.  Recovered from illness.  His mercies are new every day.  Duty calls me away.  May duty let me live at home soon "and go no more out".

Dewitt Howard* gone to 103rd regiment with Sutter.

* John D. Morgan b.1802 in Connecticut.  His wife's name was Anna.  They moved to Elyria in the 1850s

* Jeremiah Gordon b. abt 1810 in England.  His wife's name was Jane.  They moved to Elyria in the 1840s

*  The younger brother of Richard's wife Ella.  He was born in Delaware in 1836.

16 - 22 July 1863

July 16 - Got some new pants and vest and some books contributed by John Andrews for the camp library for our regiment.

July 17 - As usual Pa and I get pretty warm in discussing political affairs so I shall stop it.  I am an unconditional Union man.  He favors the peace Democrats.

July 18 - Trying to get baby's photograph.  P.m. rode to Gahana with Lieut. Connell* of the 43rd.  Eve at Col Swayne's.  Gen. Brayman* walked home with Ella and I with ma.

July 19 - A pleasant Sunday at Trinity a.m. and eve.  Spoke at Pres[byterian] Sunday School concert in the afternoon.  Capt. Henry Chittenden* at Camp Chase*.  Morgans of Ky in the state.

July 20 - We left for Elyria at 11 a.m. I have got my leave extended not being quite strong and well.  Arrived at 3 in the rain.  Ella had bad headache.

July 21 - Saw folks in town.  Happy place.  Pleasant here.  Saw our sweet old home.  Ella has more sore mouth.

July 22 - John Morgan* captured near Salineville [Columbiana County, Ohio].  Pay my debts and visit some.  Sell Topsy for $60.00 to Mr. Gordon.

* Zachariah A. Connell, a 1st Lieutenant in F company, 43rd OVI.  He enlisted as a private on 3 Oct 1861, was appointed 1st Sergeant 1 Jan 1862, Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant 17 July 1862, and 1st Lieutenant 3 Sep 1862.  He was discharged 28 Aug 1863.
*Brigadier General Mason Brayman (23 May 1813 - 27 Feb 1895).  Became 7th Governor of the Idaho Territory, serving from 1876 to 1880.  Pictured below

* Henry Treat Chittenden, Richard's younger brother, born 18 Dec 1836.  He died 30 May 1909.
* Camp Chase was a Union training and staging camp as well as a prisoner of war camp on the west side of Columbus, OH.  There is a cemetary there where 2,260 Confederate soldiers are buried.  The cemetary is located at 2900 Sullivant Ave.
* Confederate General John Hunt Morgan (1 June 1825 - 4 Sep 1864) pictured below

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

1862

Received appointment as chaplain of 43rd Ohio reg. Nov 21, 1862. Made preparations. My wife to stay at Mother Howard's. Left Elyria with painful partings, December 12th. Left Columbus after papers arranged and mustering in, December 18. Mrs. Benham accompanied me. On reaching Cairo [Illinois] found a rebel raid had broken the R[ail] Road line southward, so had nothing to do but wait for an opportunity to go through at Columbus Ky, and Cairo near three weeks. Tried to be useful some among soldiers. Sick a few days in Columbus Ky. Recovered some.

Below is a story from the August 27, 1862 Elyria Independent Democrat telling of the circumstances surrounding Richards departure for the war, as well as other men from Elyria.

The text reads:
THE CINCINNATI SCARE - On receipt of the call of the Governor for volunteers to defend Cincinnati, the whole country seemed desirous of turning out.  Twenty-nine from this place "armed to the teeth," among whom were two of the pastors of our churches, Messrs. CHITTENDEN, and LEONARD.  Not being able to get transportation via Columbus, they went to Sandusky City, and from thence over the Mad River Railroad -- Nearly a hundred from Oberlin and the neighboring townships, went the same route, while some seventy, who gathered at LaGrange, got only as far as Columbus, when they were turned back by order of the Governor.
Had all gone who desired to, from various parts of the State, a pork famine would have been created in Porkopolis within a week.  It was gratifying, however, to see a disposition to rally, when our soil was threatened with invasion, and it is fair to presume that most of the men were earnestly desirous of serving their country, while some, doubtless, considered this a cheap way to ventilate their patriotism without incurring much risk.
The scare was greater the farther one departed from Cincinnati, but the rally of troops will have a good effect, even though they return without "drawing a bead" on a rebel.  We know the pluck of those who went from here, and have borrowwed no trouble about the safety of Cincinnati since their arrival there.  We shall be on hand to welcome their return, and hope every man will answer "all sound" when the roll is called.
LATER - Six of the volunteers have returned, and the rest have been accepted for one month's service.  Our patriotic parsons are among those who remained, determined to serve their country more acceptably than in the mere pleasure ride to Cincinnati.

The Elyria Independent Democrat was "published every Wednesday in Baldwins new block, directly opposite the Beebe house."  George G. Washburn was the publisher and proprietor.

introduction

This is the Civil War diary of Richard Lucius Chittenden, chaplain of the 43rd Ohio regiment.  Below is a picture of Richard.

He was also the rector of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio at the time. I am transcribing the diary as copied by his daughter Mary Chittenden Parks (b. 2 March 1866 in Elyria, Ohio), while she was living in Paradise, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the years 1905-1907. Some of Mary's handwriting is hard to decipher and I do not have the original diary to compare with, so there may be words that I cannot decipher...sorry about that! I have no idea where the original diary is, or if it is even extant. The handwritten copy from which I am working is the property of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church in Elyria, Ohio.






Below is a picture of St. Andrew's in 1850.

The first entry in the diary is dated 1862 and is an introductory paragraph. The diary actually begins 1 Jan 1863. The final entry is June 13 1865.

Richard enlisted on 14 Nov 1862, and was a part of the Field and Staff Officers of the 43rd Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry which mustered in from 31 Aug 1861 to 29 Jan 1862 at Camp Andrews, Mount Vernon, Ohio.  They were mustered out on 13 July 1865 at Louisville, Kentucky by Captain William H. Carr of the 10th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

Richard was born on 10 July 1830.  He was born in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, the eldest son of Asahel Chittenden (born May 1797 in Waterbury, Connecticut - died March 1880 in Columbus, OH) and Harriet Herpin Treat (born 1810 in Connecticut - died June 1872 in Columbus, OH) who were married in March 1829.  They moved west to Columbus Ohio in 1829.

Richard graduated with honors from Kenyon College in 1849.

In the Bishop's address at the 37th Annual convention of the Diocese of Ohio, meeting at Grace Church, Sandusky 27-30 Sept 1854 Richard was mentioned as a candidate for holy orders.

The General Catalog of Kenyon College 1826-1899 lists Richard as a non-graduate of the Theological department for 1857.

In 1857 Richard was in Chicago, Illinois serving as an assistant at Trinity Church, where he was ordained by the Rt. Rev. Henry John Whitehouse, Bishop of Illinois on Wednesday, 11 Nov 1857.
Below is a picture of Bishop Whitehouse, second Bishop of the Diocese of Illinois.


At the 21st annual convention of the Diocese of Illinois, meeting at St. Paul's Church, Springfield 15-17 Sept 1858 Richard is listed as the rector of Zion Church (now called Grace Church), Freeport.  He became rector of Zion Episcopal Church on 9 May 1858.  Their original 1852 building was destroyed by a tornado on 18 July 1861, a year after Richard left to return to Ohio.  In his convention address Bishop Whitehouse mentioned Richard's ordination in Chicago, and in another report he is listed as a candidate for ordination.  St. Andrew's first rector, the Rev. Anson Clark, is listed as the rector of Emmanual Church, Rockford, Illinois in the convention report.

Richard married Ella Rebecca Howard of Elyria on 18 Sept, 1861.   She was born in June 1838 in Washington DC, the daugher of Sebra (Sebring) and Ellen Howard.  The family had moved to Elyria by 1850 and attended the Methodist Church.  Ella's father was a contractor according to the 1859 Elyria city directory.  The family home was on the West side of Cedar street North of Broad street.  Ella's father died on 19 March 1862.  The Chittenden home was at the corner of Middle Avenue and 3rd street, the site of the present church building. 

Ella was received into the Episcopal Church by Assisting Bishop Gregory T. Bedell.  Richard and Ella were married by Bishop Charles Pettit McIlvaine at St. Andrew's, one of the few couples at the time who were actually married in the church builing as most couples were married in the rectory or their own home.  One of the witnesses was Wagar Swayne, the man who would soon be one of Richard's fellow officers in the 43rd OVI.  He must have been a personal friend of Richard to be a witness at his wedding.  They both grew up in Columbus, although Richard was four years his senior.

At the time of the 1850 census Richard was living in Ward 2 of Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio and was a student.

At the 1860 census Richard was renting rooms from the Norton family in Elyria and had taken up the post as Rector at St. Andrew's.  Oddly there is no Norton family listed in the 1859 Elyria city directory.  Perhaps the Norton's moved to Elyria just before Richard did.

At the 1870 census he was living in Elyria, Lorain Co., Ohio. His mother-in-law, Ellen Howard (born c.1810 in Maryland) and Ella's sister Emma C was living with them (Mr. Howard had died in March 1862).  They had one daughter, Mary Campbell Chittenden (Parks), born 2 March 1866.  Their son Lucius Howard Chittenden who had been born in 1863 died on 3 Feb 1865.

At the 1880 census they were in East Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Two more daughters had been born, Harriett E (Witmer) in 1871 and Grace M (Taylor) in 1875. Ella's sister Emma C Howard (b. 1849/50) was still living with the family as well as her mother's sister Caroline Howard (b. 1815).

By 1895 Richard was the rector of three small parishes in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; All Saints, Paradise, Grace Church, Nickel Mines and Christ Church, Leacock.  All three seem to be extinct now, but their cemeteries still exist.

Richard died 15 Nov 1913 in Paradise, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania and is buried in All Saint's Episcopal Cemetery.  Ella died in 1920 and is buried beside her husband.



Below are the colors of the 49th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry
National Colors of the 49th O.V.V.I.