FOUND: A Father-Son Photo with Lt. Col. John H. Duchman

CDV of Lt. Col. John H. Duchman and Lt. Jacob S. Duchman (presumed)
Photo by Harmany & Eberman, Lancaster (vws collection) 

In honor of Father's Day, I'm happy to share a photograph of a father-son pair who served in the same theater of war. It also happens to be the first image -- at least that I can recollect -- showing the officer second-in-command of the 79th Pennsylvania for the first year of the war, Lt. Col. John H. Duchman.

CDV Verso

While the image isn't identified, Lt. Col. Duchman is an obvious conclusion for the older man with oak leaves on his shoulder straps (denoting a lieutenant colonel) is in this early-war photograph taken in the Lancaster studio of Harmany & Eberman. Born in 1796, he also has the distinction of veteran status for the War of 1812(!). He would raise Company B of the 79th Pennsylvania and get elected as lieutenant colonel at the age of 65. The identity of the other soldier is then almost surely his son, Jacob S. Duchman, who served as a second lieutenant in Company K, 77th Pennsylvania.

Lt. Col. Duchman resigned after the arduous race back to Louisville just before the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862, where the 79th Pennsylvania fought gallantly and sustained heavy casualties. Rumors in Lancaster disparaging Duchman's character apparently circulated after Perryville, but the newspapers quickly sprung to his defense -- and his advanced age should have been more than enough of an excuse.

The younger Duchman took a more circuitous route with his Civil War service. The Bates PA card file lists him as an early enlistee in his father's original company before promotion, Company B, 79th Pennsylvania. He apparently took an opportunity to jump for a position as an officer in what become a Company K, 77th Pennsylvania (which was originally supposed to be the tenth Lancaster company of the 79th Pennsylvania). His resigned on May 1, 1862, which would have been a few weeks after the 77th Pennsylvania played a supporting role in the Battle of Shiloh. The card file indicates that he then reenlisted as a private in Company K, 77th Pennsylvania, in which he served through the end of the war and beyond as the 77th Pennsylvania served in the Department of Texas. It would be interesting to see if any newspaper records or soldiers' letters provide context to the decision to resign and reenlist.

At least two other father-son combinations exist within the set of Lancaster soldiers serving in the Western Theater: Oscar M. Johnston and Charles M. Johnston of Company F, 9th PA Cavalry, and Henry M. and Joshua W. Geiter of the 79th Pennsylvania. Both are worthy of their own stories. I believe that Oscar M. Johnston got involved with some company controversies in 1862 that resulted in disciplinary action. Joshua Geiter was killed in action at Chickamauga, and his father would write to the Intelligencer under the pen name "Ajax" in 1864 and 1865. These are just pairs that I have run into in research. It's likely that there are several more.

Here's the biography of John H. Duchman from the 1872 collection of Lancaster biographies by Alexander Harris:

DUCHMAN, Col. John H., was a prominent citizen of
Lancaster city for many years. He was, by occupation, in
his younger years, a hatter, and carried on this business for
years. He kept for a number of years the Leopard hotel,
in East King street. Early in life he became captivated
with military glory and volunteered in the war of 1812-14.
He served as first Lieutenant of the old Lancaster Fencibles,
then under command of Capt. John K. Findley, which was
famed for its admirable discipline, and which was disbanded
about the breaking out of the Mexican war. Some years
after this Col. Duchman raised a new company, also named
the Fencibles, of which he was elected Captain. It was this
company which escorted James Buchanan to Washington in
March, 1857, at the time he was inaugurated President of
the United States. This company remained in existence up
to the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861. and became
Company F of the 1st Pennsylvania regiment. Owing to
ill health, Capt. Duchman was unable to march with his
company, and 1st Lieutenant Emlen Franklin succeeded to
the command. For some years he was clerk in the Lancaster
bank. During James Buchanan's administration he held a
position in the custom house in Philadelphia. Shortly after
the breaking out of the rebellion he raised a company for
the 79th Regiment, P. "V. of which he was chosen Lieutenant
Colonel.

On account of advanced age and the rigors of the field, he
was compelled to retire from active service after having
served about one year. He died October 8th, 1866, in the
70th year of his age.

'In Hot Pursuit': The March to Perryville

Buell's Army in Pursuit of Bragg (HW 10/25/1862)

After what amounted to a long weekend in Louisville that ranked among "the most agreeable and pleasant times" we have experienced since our departure from home," the 79th Pennsylvania was back to active campaigning.  Reveille sounded at 4am on October 1, 1862, as the Lancaster County Regiment drew three days' rations and joined Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell's Army of the Ohio to set out on the offensive.  The army marched out of the city on three roads and aimed to converge forty miles south of Louisville at Bardstown, Kentucky. 

The countryside through which Alexander McCook's First Corps passed started off lush and welcoming.  Abandoned picket posts constructed by Confederate cavalrymen out of fences dotted the roadside every few miles.  Farmer and diarist Corp. William T. Clark of Company B praised it as "fine grazing country," but questioned how they harvested corn.  At the town of Taylorsville, the citizens cooked "everything they had for us," despite resources like salt and eggs being very scarce.

On October 5, the regiment bade farewell to Lieut. Col. John H. Duchman, who deemed one more campaign too much for him to handle.  Duchman, whose son was also an officer in Co. K, 77th Pennsylvania, had a valid excuse; after all, he was years old and a bona fide veteran of the War of 1812.

By October 6, the ground over which the column marched became more and more barren with that part of Kentucky suffering a historic drought.  Camping outside of Chaplin, Clark and a fellow non-commissioned officer tracked a dry creekbed for a mile before they found water, which was in a pool.

On the morning of October 8, the regiment found itself just inside of ten miles from where fighting was breaking out.  The arrived on near the battlefield around noon, stacked arms, and rested.  Shortly after that, the regiment advanced in a line of battle until close enough to see the Confederates.  The men laid down, rose up, waited for fragmented Union soldiers to pass through, and fired.

The march to Perryville, covering roughly 80 miles.
(Based on diary entries of William T. Clark)

References

• Letter of Hospital Steward John B. Chamberlain in the October 13, 1862, Daily Inquirer <link>
• Diary of William T. Clark
• Noe, Grand Havoc, 98-99.

'A Severe Winter Before Us': 'Ipse Dixit' Writes from Camp Nevin

From Hardtack and Coffee

Happy Thanksgiving!  I don't have any Lancaster-related or 79th Pennsylvania-related content for this holiday, so I'll defer to other related blogs' posts and promise to have more about Christmas 1861:
"Thanksgiving 1861 -- Proclamations" on the Gratz Historical Society Civil War Blog
"Thanksgiving 1861 in Washington and the Camps Across the Potomac" on All Not So Quiet Along the Potomac

I do have a letter, though, from the 79th Pennsylvania with food-related content written on this day in 1861.  The following letter appeared in the December 7, 1861, edition of the Lancaster Inquirer.  My hunch is that the correspondent, "Ipse Dixit," was Hospital Steward John B. Chamberlain, based on the content of an earlier letter and the fact that he later wrote to the Inquirer in 1862 under the alias, "Occasional."

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Camp Nevin, Nov. 24, 1861

Mr. Editor:--It is some time since my [word unclear] literary contributions of adventures, by sea and land, of a "bold soger boy," adorned the columns of the Inquirer.  But since I last wrote, circumstances intervened that have prevented me from writing.  Nothing of special interest has transpired in the Lancaster County Regiment.  From the interesting "Mount Guard," to the lonely picket stations; when night has settled down, and a cold rain or snow freezes the romance of war, and shakes the picturesque out of the soldier's wings of fancy, the men have all become hardened and inured.

We have been under marching orders for some time--hourly anticipating a tramp for the sunny southern clime, the stronghold of secess's.  This desire for a southern tramp is rendered still greater by the extremely fresh weather we have endured the past few days.  Old Boreas blows a perfect gale from the West and North.   This morning the the light feathery flakes of snow commenced to fall; covering the earth with one immense white mantle. It does seem as if we are to have a severe winter before us; but thanks to the careful attention of our energetic Colonel and Quartermaster, the men are all well clothed.

We have just learned that the grumblers and growlers have written home that their rations are not regularly served, and not in accordance with the "Rules and Regulations of War."  Now, this is simply untrue.  There was necessarily some irregularity when we arrived at Camp Nevin, owing to defective transportation from Louisville; but in a few days this was remedied; and now no one can complain.

The 79th has been peculiarly fortunate in the selection of its Surgeon, Dr. Wm. M. Wright, of Pittsburg.  A more careful, efficient physician I have never seen.  A few days after his arrival at camp, he held a large bake oven erected, in order to serve out fresh, wholesome bread to the men every day, instead of the army flour hitherto supplied, and the usual quantity of hard biscuits.

I give below the rations supplied to every 100 men: 15 pounds of sugar; 8 lbs roasted coffee; 10 lbs rice homony, or 8 qts. beans; 137.5 lbs fresh bread or 100 lbs hard bread; 125 lbs fresh meat, 100 lbs bacon; vinagar 1 gal.; salt 2 qts.; adamantine candles 1lb; potatoes once or twice a week, according as they are issued by the Brigade Commissary.  Fresh bread is issued every three days out of five--two days, the hard is furnished.  Fresh meat is furnished the same as the bread.  The Regimental requisition is generally made out for five days.  Now who can say after this, that Hambright's or any other regiment is not supplied with the best.

Your readers would be astonished at the immense number of soldiers pouring daily into the dark and bloody ground of "Old Kaintuck."  It requires all the ability of General Buell, seconded by an able corps of assistants, to properly dispose of them.  It would seem as if the War Department has become fully alive to the importance of Kentucky as a strategic military position, and is determined to attack the South in its most vulnerable points.  When we do move it will be with a force of from 150,000 to 200,000 men; and we betide any senseless dolt, either Zollicoffer or Buckner, who attempts to impede our onward march.

Your paper is a most welcome visitor to our camp.  Everybody wants to have it first; and inducements are held out, and persuasive eloquence used, that would turn the heart of the greatest pettifogging lawyer in Lancaster.  I was much pleased to see, by The Inquirer, the presentation of a handsome sword to our old friend Lieut. Jacob S. Duchman, by his fellow members of the Union Fire Company.  It was a compliment well bestowed, alike creditable to the donors and recipient.  The Big "U" boys never appear to tire of well doing.  Not satisfied with sending nearly all her active members into the tented field to fight for that other "Union" we all love so well, the remaining few still manifest their appreciation of a good member, a fine officer, and their patriotism by the bestowal of this appropriate testimonial.

As soon as I can get you a copy I will remit you a list of General Neagley's staff, and also the staff of the three regiments forming his brigade.  Yours truly,

Ipse Dixit

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