April 1864 Promotions

In April, 1864, just prior to the start of the Atlanta Campaign, the 61^st underwent a reorganization as five companies received new commanders.  These were the first promotions in the unit in more than a year and the largest change in its officer corps since the fall of 1862.  Those promoted on April 29, 1864 were:

• Peter Duffey was promoted from First Lieutenant, Co. I to Captain of Co. B, replacing James Reynolds who had been killed at Gettysburg on July 3, 1863.
• John Elbert was promoted from First Lieutenant, Co. E to Captain of Co. C, replacing David Crouse who had resigned on October 9, 1862.
• Anthony Grodzicki was promoted from First Lieutenant, Co. F to Captain of Co. E, which had been without a captain since John Fallis resigned on January 25, 1863.
• Jacob F. Mader, Jr. was promoted from First Lieutenant, Co. B to Captain of Co. F, replacing David Beckett who had been promoted to Major on September 23, 1862.
• Robert Patterson was promoted from Adjutant to Captain of Co. G, in place of William McGroarty who had been killed October 28, 1863 at Lookout Valley, Tennessee.

At the same time, promotions were also made to first lieutenant:

• Charles Tinkler to Co. K
• John Bell to Co. D
• Lewis Rankin to Co. B
• William Frampton to Co. I
• William Smith to Co. H
• Joseph Mell to Co. F
• John Arbuckle to Co. B
• Theodore Palmer to Adjutant

It’s not known why the promotions weren’t made earlier.  However, perhaps since at the end of April, 1864 the 61^st was returning to the front from its veteran furlough with new recruits, the Ohio Adjutant General’s Office recognized the need to make the promotions to assist with the transition.  It would be these officers, as well as the other captains and lieutenants in the regiment, that the 61^st would rely on as it would lose its three senior commanders (Colonel Stephen McGroarty, Lieutenant Colonel William H. H. Bown and Major David Beckett) during the Atlanta Campaign.

Tags: 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 61st OVI, Atlanta Campaign