Representing: Union
5th OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 5/9/61 Camp Harrison, Cincinnati, OH
Mustered In: 4/29-5/9/61 Camp Harrison, Cincinnati, OH
Mustered Out: 9/5/61 To Date 8/21/61 Camp Dennison, Cincinnati, OH
71st OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 9/61 - 1/62 Camp David Todd, Troy, OH & Paducah, KY
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail.
Mustered Out: 11/30/65 San Antonio, TX
146th OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Organized: 5/9-12/64 Camp Dennison, Cincinnati, OH
Mustered In: Inf. Not Avail.
Mustered Out: 7/7/64 Camp Dennison, Cincinnati OH
REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (5th)
Recruited primarily amongst you men living in the vicinity of Cincinnati, OH, the 5th, a three month regiment, never took the field. While encamped at Camp Dennison, and before it was equipped, a call for 300,000 three year troops was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. The regiment immediately responded to this call with nearly the entire membership signifying their willingness to reenter the service for the longer period of enlistment. Those who chose not to opt for the longer enlistment served their three months and were mustered out.
REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (71st)
This three year "western theater" regiment saw its first combat at the April 6-7/62 battle of Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing, TN. It lost 130 men killed and wounded. It was then ordered on the Cumberland River to hold the posts of Ft. Donelson and Clarksville. On 8/18/62 the detachment stationed at the latter location was overwhelmed by Confederate forces and obliged to surrender. After those captured were exchanged, four companies of the 7lst engaged and completely defeated Col. Thomas G. Woodward's Confederate forces at Ft. Donelson.
In the early part of the 1864 campaign the 71st moved south engaging in skirmishes during which officers and enlisted men behaved gallantly. It then took an active and effective part in the Battle of Nashville, TN December 15-16, 1864 displaying great bravery while losing one third of their number in killed and wounded.
Shortly after Nashville the regiment was ordered to Texas where it spent the following summer. Final muster was on 11/30/65 in Texas.
Regimental losses: 3 officers killed or mortally wounded; 5 officers died of disease, accidents, etc.; 66 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded; 132 enlisted men died of disease, accidents, etc.
REGIMENTAL HISTORY: (146th)
In May, 1864 Union forces under Gen. U.S. Grant began moving southward through Virginia on its Overland Campaign. The drive would result in the investment of Petersburg and, in April, 1865, the surrender of Confed. Gen. R.E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, VA. Thus, for all practical purposes ended four years of bloody American Civil War.
As the Overland Campaign began, all available troops were pulled from garrison duty and manning various defensive works and added to the field armies. To fill this rear echelon void a number of "short term" regiments were raised. The 146th, a 100 day "eastern theater" unit was one such "behind-the-lines" regiment. It was composed of the 31st Ohio National Guard from Warren County, the 35th Battalion from Clarke County and the 24th Battalion from Lawrence County.
On 5/17/64 companies "A" and "H" were assigned to guard Confederate prisoners held at Camp Chase Columbus, OH. At the same time the remainder of the regiment departed Ohio for Charleston, West Virginia. From there it proceeded to Fayetteville where it performed garrison duty. On 8/27/64 the entire unit was ordered to Camp Piatt, W. Virginia (loc) for transport back to Ohio for final muster.
Regimental losses: 0 officers killed or mortally wounded; 0 officers died of disease, accidents, etc.; 0 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded; 8 enlisted men died of disease, accidents, etc.
SOLDIER: (5th)
Residence: Info. Not Avail. Age: 22.9 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 4/20/61 Cincinnati, OH Rank: Sgt.
Mustered In: 5/8/61
Mustered Out: 8/21/61
Discharged: 8/21/61
Highest Rank: Sgt.
SOLDIER: (71st)
Residence: Inf. Not Avail. Age: 23.2 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 9/11/61 Cincinnati, OH Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 9/11/61 Cincinnati, OH
Cashiered/Dismissed: 8/29/62
Highest Rank: Captain
SOLDIER:
Residence: Clarke Co., OH Age: 25.9 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 5/2/64 Springfield, OH Rank: Major
Mustered Out: 9/7/64
Highest Rank: Major
PERSONAL/FAMILY:
Thomas W. Bown was born 7/9/38 in Columbus, OH to Thomas (b. 1809, England - . Noted in 1850 as being a painter and guilder and in 1860 a looking glass manufacturer) and Rachel E. (b.1816 MD) Bown. Available information indicates he was the second oldest of at least nine Bown children: William H. (b. 1836 OH), Thomas W. (b. 1838 OH), Alfred (b. 1839 OH), Rachel A. (b. 1842 OH), Stephen (b. 1844 OH), Samuel (b. 1846 OH), John R. (b. 1850 OH), Franklin (b. 1853 OH) and George (b. 1855 OH). No information is available pertaining to Thomas' childhood, formative or teenaged years.
On 4/20/61, four days after Rebel forces fired on Ft. Sumter in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina 5' 6 3/4", fair complexioned, dark eyed Thomas enlisted in the U.S. Army. It is of interest to note that throughout his military tenure his surname was more than once written as Brown with the "r" subsequently crossed out.
Sgt. Bown's initial introduction to the army proved to be rocky. The unit which he joined, the 5th Ohio infantry, was originated as a three month regiment. However, shortly after formation the call went out for three year, rather than three month enlistments. While many men chose to display their patriotism by accepting the longer enlistment, Thomas Bown refused. As a result he was placed on furlough as of June 25th and mustered out on 8/21/61.
Despite his faltering start, Thomas did not remain away from the military for long as on 9/1161 he again enlisted, this time for three years. Perhaps the enlistment was prompted by the promise of an officer's commission made by a relative. This is said because the original enlistment was in Captain Bown's company, 52nd Ohio Infantry which subsequently became company "K" of the 71st Ohio infantry and, when an "original vacancy" necessitating a captaincy came open on 1/28/62, Thomas was given the appointment with his commission retroactively dated back to 9/11/61.
Other than a period of illness during April, 1862, all seemed to be well with Thomas' new-found rank. Then, on August 18th the "wheels came off the wagon."Although exact details are currently not available, it appears that while stationed at Clarksville, TN the 71st found itself confronted by a Rebel force which the officers considered far too superior to confront. As such, Captain Bown was amongst the regiment's officers who signed a paper or card which was submitted to the regimental commander recommending surrender of the town which was done. Following the surrender Captain Bown's company was designated Co."K", 2nd regiment (of) paroled prisoners until duly exchanged. After the exchange it again became co. "K" 71stth Ohio Infantry.
The surrender proved to be the undoing of Captain Bown and fellow officers. On 8/29/62, he and others who had recommended surrender were cashiered and dismissed from the service By Order of the President of the United States.
Exactly where Thomas resided and what he did for the next year and one half is not documented. However, at some point in early 1864 he moved to Clarke County within Ohio.
Despite his difficulties with the military, Thomas was not through with his army tenure. In May, 1864 he once again entered the service; this time as a major. On this occasion he successfully completed his "behind the lines" tour of duty and was mustered out of service. The only item of note during this period is that beginning on 7/29 he was granted a twenty day leave of absence to travel to Atlanta, GA to see his (unnamed) brother who had been severely wounded in Battle. Thus ended Thomas Bown's stellar, but shaky military career.
As with many former Civil War soldiers, exactly where Thomas went or what he did after leaving the military is not known. He next surfaces in 1869 when he moved to Marion, Marion County, Kansas. The following year's census for the community of Center noted he, serving as a county clerk and brother, Samuel, a farmer, were residing with the family of a local farmer/probate judge.
On 10/4/74 in Marion County Thomas married to a woman identified only as Celesta (b. ca. 1852 MO). The union would produce six children: Nellie Frances (b. 8/76 KS), Stephen/Steven Edison (b. 1877 or '79 KS), Gertrude B or E.. (b. 10/30/80 KS), Morton (b. 3/1883), Walter (b. 10/13/85) and Alta May (b. 10/1889).
In 1880 Thomas's occupation was listed as being a real estate agent. A decade later, in August, 1890 when he applied for a U.S. Government pension based on ailments/illnesses which he traced back to his days of Civil War soldiering, he wrote that he was wholly unable to perform manual labor due to chronic catarrh (nose and throat infection), hay asthma and frequent spells of nervousness which, at times left him completely incapacitated. That the request was granted is obvious by the fact that, at death, he was receiving a princely $50 per month stipend. The 1900 Kansas census indicated anew that he was a real estate agent.
At some point between the birth of Alta in 1889 and 1898 Celesta died. Her passing was in Marion County, Kansas. After her passing, Thomas remained there, a widower, employed variously as a real estate agent or city official/farmer well into the 1920s when he apparently moved from Kansas to the community of Bow/Edison in Skagit County, Washington to reside with his married daughter, Nellie, and family. It was there he died on 11/13/24 at 86.4 years of age. According to his obituary, the old soldier had a history of heart trouble and was enfeebled, but his sudden death from heart failure was "not expected." Thomas was survived by three daughters, Nellie of Bow, WA, Alta May of Monroe, WA and Gertrude of California; son Walter (no place of residence given) and one brother, Frank of Missouri. Burial was in Everett, Snohomish County, Washington's Evergreen Cemetery.
Buried at Evergreen Cemetery Everett
Row: 35
Site: 556
Keith Amodt
Woodinville, WA
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