Thomas H. Dunham
Encyclopedia
Thomas Harrison Dunham, Jr. (July 30, 1840 – October 1, 1925) was a volunteer soldier in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
who rose from the rank of private
to colonel
and in 1867 was awarded the honorary grade of brevet
brigadier general
, to rank from March 13, 1865.
and ropemaking, primarily in Boston and Plymouth, Massachusetts. Before the Civil War, Dunham worked as a shipping clerk in Boston.
of infantry
in Boston. Although he first enlisted as a private, Dunham was almost immediately promoted to corporal
on May 8, 1861. In June 1861, his company became Company F of the 11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
. The regiment
departed for Washington, D.C.
on June 29, 1861.
Arriving at Washington on July 3, the 11th Massachusetts became part of the First Brigade, Third Division of Brigadier General
Irvin McDowell's
army. On July 21, 1861, the 11th Massachusetts took part in the First Battle of Bull Run
, the first major land battle of the Civil War. During the engagement, which resulted in the full retreat of the Union army, the 11th Massachusetts suffered relatively minor casualties and primarily acted in support of Rickett's
artillery battery
. During Bull Run, Dunham was given a Battlefield promotion
to sergeant
.
Dunham spent the winter of 1861–1862 encamped with the 11th Massachusetts near Washington while the Union army trained and prepared for the Peninsular Campaign. At the start of the campaign, the regiment was engaged in the Battle of Williamsburg
on May 5, 1862, taking serious casualties. For their conduct during the battle, the Governor John Andrew
of Massachusetts
awarded the unit a new regimental battle flag. During the remainder of the Peninsular campaign, the 11th Massachusetts was primarily engaged in picket
duty. They played a minor role in the Seven Days Battles
being engaged in the Battles of Savage's Station
and Malvern Hill
.
After the failure of the Peninsular Campaign, the 11th Massachusetts next saw combat during the Second Battle of Bull Run
on August 28, 1862. As part of Brigadier General
Cuvier Grover's brigade (Second Brigade, Third Division of the III Corps), the 11th Massachusetts led its brigade in a charge on the entrenched position of the Confederates
along an unfinished railroad bed. After fierce hand to hand combat, the charge of Grover's brigade broke through the enemy position. As Colonel
William E. Blaisdell
, commanding officer of the 11th Massachusetts, wrote, "The enemy broke in confusion and ran, numbers throwing away their muskets." Historians, including John J. Hennessy, have claimed that the breakthrough of Grover's brigade might have resulted in a Union victory if the breach had been exploited and reinforced. However, Union reinforcements did not arrive, Grover's brigade were surrounded and forced to retreat back over the unfinished railroad, suffering severe casualties. 40 percent of the 11th Massachusetts were killed, wounded, or captured. During this action, Dunham was again promoted, this time to first sergeant.
The 11th Massachusetts was present for but did not take part in the Battle of Fredericksburg
. After this battle, the regiment went into winter camp with the rest of the Army of the Potomac
in the vicinity of Falmouth, Virginia
. While in winter camp, Dunham was promoted to sergeant major on February 5, 1863 and then, on the next day, he received a commission
as a second lieutenant. Dunham's regiment was heavily engaged during the Battle of Chancellorsville
on May 2, 1863. At Chancellorsville, Dunham was seriously wounded. He recovered and was promoted to first lieutenant. Dunham was again seriously wounded during the Battle of the Wilderness
on May 6, 1864.
Dunham was promoted to captain and the command of Company F of the 11th Massachusetts in June 1864, however, due to the severity of his wound, he was forced to accept an administrative position as assistant adjutant general of the Third Brigade, Second Division of the II Corps. In this capacity he played a key role in assisting Col. Thomas Alfred Smyth
who commanded the brigade.
In October 1864, Dunham returned to his former regiment and was promoted to the command of the 11th Massachusetts. After more than three years of duty, the unit was but a small fraction of its original size and therefore Dunham was not immediately promoted to colonel (as most regimental commanders were). In January 1865, he was promoted to major
. He was recognized for his service during the Siege of Petersburg
with a promotion to colonel
. Dunham mustered out of the army on July 14, 1865 after more than four years of service. On March 29, 1867, President
Andrew Johnson
nominated Dunham for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
brigadier general
, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on April 5, 1867.
official in Boston. He married Helen A. Griffin and they had six children.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
who rose from the rank of private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
and in 1867 was awarded the honorary grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, to rank from March 13, 1865.
Early career
Dunham was the son of Thomas Harrison Dunham, Sr. and Eliza West Dunham. His father was an entrepreneur in cotton textiles manufacturingTextile manufacturing
Textile manufacturing is a major industry. It is based in the conversion of three types of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. These are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre, so is treated in depth...
and ropemaking, primarily in Boston and Plymouth, Massachusetts. Before the Civil War, Dunham worked as a shipping clerk in Boston.
Civil War service
Soon after the start of the Civil War, Dunham assisted with the recruitment of a companyCompany (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of infantry
Infantry in the American Civil War
The Infantry in the American Civil War comprised foot-soldiers who fought primarily with small arms, and they carried the brunt of the fighting on battlefields across the United States. As the Civil War progressed, battlefield tactics soon changed in response to the new form of warfare being waged...
in Boston. Although he first enlisted as a private, Dunham was almost immediately promoted to corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
on May 8, 1861. In June 1861, his company became Company F of the 11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 11th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. Organized in Boston in May 1861, the 11th Massachusetts was made up mostly of men from Boston, but also from Charlestown and Dorchester...
. The regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
departed for Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
on June 29, 1861.
Arriving at Washington on July 3, the 11th Massachusetts became part of the First Brigade, Third Division of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Irvin McDowell's
Irvin McDowell
Irvin McDowell was a career American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War.-Early life:...
army. On July 21, 1861, the 11th Massachusetts took part in the First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
, the first major land battle of the Civil War. During the engagement, which resulted in the full retreat of the Union army, the 11th Massachusetts suffered relatively minor casualties and primarily acted in support of Rickett's
R. Bruce Ricketts
Robert Bruce Ricketts distinguished himself as an artillery officer in the American Civil War. He is best known for his battery’s defense against a Confederate attack on Cemetery Hill on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early life:...
artillery battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
. During Bull Run, Dunham was given a Battlefield promotion
Battlefield promotion
A battlefield promotion is an advancement in military rank that occurs while deployed in combat. A standard field promotion is advancement from current rank to the next higher rank; a 'jump-step' promotion is advancement from current rank to a rank above the next highest.-United States:A...
to sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
.
Dunham spent the winter of 1861–1862 encamped with the 11th Massachusetts near Washington while the Union army trained and prepared for the Peninsular Campaign. At the start of the campaign, the regiment was engaged in the Battle of Williamsburg
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War...
on May 5, 1862, taking serious casualties. For their conduct during the battle, the Governor John Andrew
John Albion Andrew
John Albion Andrew was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts between 1861 and 1866 during the American Civil War. He was a guiding force behind the creation of some of the first U.S. Army units of black men—including the famed 54th Massachusetts Infantry.-Early...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
awarded the unit a new regimental battle flag. During the remainder of the Peninsular campaign, the 11th Massachusetts was primarily engaged in picket
Picket (military)
In military terminology, a picket refers to soldiers or troops placed on a line forward of a position to warn against an enemy advance. It can also refer to any unit performing a similar function...
duty. They played a minor role in the Seven Days Battles
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
being engaged in the Battles of Savage's Station
Battle of Savage's Station
The Battle of Savage's Station took place on June 29, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as fourth of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. The main body of the Union Army of the Potomac began a general withdrawal toward the James River. Confederate Brig. Gen. John B. Magruder pursued...
and Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
.
After the failure of the Peninsular Campaign, the 11th Massachusetts next saw combat during the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
on August 28, 1862. As part of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
Cuvier Grover's brigade (Second Brigade, Third Division of the III Corps), the 11th Massachusetts led its brigade in a charge on the entrenched position of the Confederates
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
along an unfinished railroad bed. After fierce hand to hand combat, the charge of Grover's brigade broke through the enemy position. As Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
William E. Blaisdell
William E. Blaisdell
William E. Blaisdell was an enlisted man in the Regular Army of the United States prior to and during the Mexican-American War. After Mexican War, he returned to civilian life as an inspector in the Boston Customs House...
, commanding officer of the 11th Massachusetts, wrote, "The enemy broke in confusion and ran, numbers throwing away their muskets." Historians, including John J. Hennessy, have claimed that the breakthrough of Grover's brigade might have resulted in a Union victory if the breach had been exploited and reinforced. However, Union reinforcements did not arrive, Grover's brigade were surrounded and forced to retreat back over the unfinished railroad, suffering severe casualties. 40 percent of the 11th Massachusetts were killed, wounded, or captured. During this action, Dunham was again promoted, this time to first sergeant.
The 11th Massachusetts was present for but did not take part in the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
. After this battle, the regiment went into winter camp with the rest of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
in the vicinity of Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth, Virginia
Falmouth is an unincorporated community in Stafford County, Virginia, United States. Situated on the north bank of the Rappahannock River at the falls, the community is north of and opposite the city of Fredericksburg. Recognized by the U.S...
. While in winter camp, Dunham was promoted to sergeant major on February 5, 1863 and then, on the next day, he received a commission
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
as a second lieutenant. Dunham's regiment was heavily engaged during the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
on May 2, 1863. At Chancellorsville, Dunham was seriously wounded. He recovered and was promoted to first lieutenant. Dunham was again seriously wounded during the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
on May 6, 1864.
Dunham was promoted to captain and the command of Company F of the 11th Massachusetts in June 1864, however, due to the severity of his wound, he was forced to accept an administrative position as assistant adjutant general of the Third Brigade, Second Division of the II Corps. In this capacity he played a key role in assisting Col. Thomas Alfred Smyth
Thomas Alfred Smyth
Thomas Alfred Smyth was a major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was the last Union general killed in the war.-Early life:...
who commanded the brigade.
In October 1864, Dunham returned to his former regiment and was promoted to the command of the 11th Massachusetts. After more than three years of duty, the unit was but a small fraction of its original size and therefore Dunham was not immediately promoted to colonel (as most regimental commanders were). In January 1865, he was promoted to major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
. He was recognized for his service during the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
with a promotion to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
. Dunham mustered out of the army on July 14, 1865 after more than four years of service. On March 29, 1867, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Dunham for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on April 5, 1867.
Post-war
After the war, Dunham worked as a United States CustomsUnited States Customs Service
Until March 2003, the United States Customs Service was an agency of the U.S. federal government that collected import tariffs and performed other selected border security duties.Before it was rolled into form part of the U.S...
official in Boston. He married Helen A. Griffin and they had six children.
See also
- List of Massachusetts generals in the American Civil War
- Massachusetts in the American Civil War