|
Post by George Armstrong Custer on Aug 15, 2006 15:35:09 GMT -6
Does anyone know anything of the military service of the father of the Baltimore-born artist Dewitt Clinton Peters (1865-1948)?
I believe that the father bore the same name, that he was an army surgeon who achieved the rank of at least Lt. Col., and that he served at some point in the Indian Wars. He was also awarded a medal with the initials 'MC' on it. Apart from that, I've nothing - anyone have any info or suggestions?
Ciao, GAC
|
|
|
Post by Tricia on Aug 15, 2006 18:55:24 GMT -6
I know this is hopelessly old fashioned, GAC, but have you checked your library's Art Index? It was an old standby in graduate school ...
|
|
|
Post by markland on Aug 16, 2006 0:12:26 GMT -6
Does anyone know anything of the military service of the father of the Baltimore-born artist Dewitt Clinton Peters (1865-1948)? I believe that the father bore the same name, that he was an army surgeon who achieved the rank of at least Lt. Col., and that he served at some point in the Indian Wars. He was also awarded a medal with the initials 'MC' on it. Apart from that, I've nothing - anyone have any info or suggestions? Ciao, GAC Heitman's Register lists the following: "Asst surg 15 Aug 1854; resd 1 Oct 1856; asst surg 23 June 1860; maj surg 28 July 1866; retd 1 Dec 1875; bvt maj and lt col 13 Mar 1865 for fai and mer ser dur the war; died 22 Apr 1876." I just copied the "Casualties" lists for the Army Register 1848-1877 tonight...I will look in the 1877 Register to see if there is anymore information. Billy
|
|
|
Post by George Armstrong Custer on Aug 16, 2006 17:49:53 GMT -6
Many thanks, Billy, that info is much appreciated - as will anything else you may come up with on Peters. Interesting that he cashed his chips in just two months prior to this forum's primary subject! Any idea what the medal inscribed 'MC' might be for - ie, Civil War or Indian Wars, or maybe just meritorious or long service?
Regards, George
|
|
|
Post by harpskiddie on Aug 19, 2006 11:14:42 GMT -6
I note the promotion to Major to date from 28 July 1866, which is when the four new cavalry regiments 7-8-9-10 were authorized and officered on paper. It would appear that Major Surgean Peters was assigned to one of them, which would, if true, mean that he most certainly saw service on the plains, or in the southwest, during the period of the Indian Wars.
I would not have the sources to check which regiment he might have been assigned to or where he may have served - it was just the date of 28 July that caught my eye.
|
|
|
Post by markland on Aug 19, 2006 11:40:40 GMT -6
HK, I don't think surgeons were assigned to regiments, only to posts or for special duties such as the Yellowstone Expedition, etc. However, perhaps the same act which created the 4 new cavalry regiments and 26 new infantry regiments also added surgeons to the Medical corps? The very fact that it makes sense doesn't mean that it made sense to either Congress or the Army! Let me dig into my books, I may have something stashed away which would explain it. Billy
|
|
|
Post by markland on Aug 19, 2006 11:58:44 GMT -6
I think I found it...
From Mary C. Gillett's The Army Medical Department, 1865-1917, p. 12.
"Congress continued at this time to classify all other Army physicians as either surgeons, who were ranked as majors, or assistant surgeons, who were lieutenants or captains. The legislature kept at 60 the number who could hold the rank of major and limited the number of assistant surgeons to 150. The total of 217 regular medical officers in the department, while inadequate given the number of posts that needed coverage, was an increase of 28 over the number of regulars in the Army at the end of the Civil War."
Note, in addition to the surgeons and assistant surgeons (210), there were also the Surgeon General, the Assistant Surgeon General, the Chief Medical Purveyor and four assistant purveyors.
Also relevant is this, p. 12-13: "The commanding officer of each military department determined how many physicians were needed at each post and until 1892, when this responsibility was given to the secretary of war, gave them their assignments."
From p. 13: "By 1868 the Medical Department was expected to cover 289 garrisons, and many detachments also needed medical attendance, among them those sent to watch over the polls in the South at election time. To meet the challenge imposed by this requirement, Barnes [Surgeon General] supplemented a small but elite corps of medical officers with contract physicians (also referred to as acting assistant surgeons) as needed."
Billy
|
|
|
Post by rch on Aug 19, 2006 12:09:00 GMT -6
The Army in general was reorganized and increased effective 28 Jul 1866. The Medical Department went from 1 Surgeon-General, 36 Surgeons, and 100 Asst Surgs. to 1 Brig Gen, 1Col, 5 Lt. Cols, 60 Majs, and 150 Lts. Asst Surgs with three years of service in the Regular Army or Volunteers were eligible to be promoted to Capt.
Unlike the volunteer regiments of the Civil War who seem to have brought their mediical officers with them, the asst surgeons of the Regular Army were assigned by the Medical Dept and medical officers at higher headquarters. They were not permanently assigned to regiments or part of the table of organization of Regular Army regiments.
rch
|
|
|
Post by rch on Aug 19, 2006 12:19:18 GMT -6
GAC
The medal could be one that was associated with one of the various Veterans organizations that grew up following the Civil War.
rch
|
|
|
Post by elisabeth on Aug 19, 2006 23:31:55 GMT -6
Could MC stand for Medical Corps?
|
|
|
Post by Diane Merkel on Dec 29, 2014 17:34:43 GMT -6
I always enjoy resurrecting old threads. Unfortunately, two English friends who posted here have disappeared from these boards since 2006, and two of our North American friends have passed away since then. It's nice to read their comments as a remembrance at this time of year.
A website visitor has significant information about Dewitt Clinton Peters that he is willing to share if there is interest. Feel free to contact Stan Graiewski at bookstorecbhma@charter.net.
Diane
|
|
cpg
New Member
Posts: 1
|
Post by cpg on Mar 10, 2016 22:03:27 GMT -6
Hello everyone, Yes Dewitt was in the Indian wars as well and befriended the terrible Indians. He also was best friends with Kit Carsen and wrote his biography which has been republished. I am very interested in the history you have brought to this page. Anything more I can learn about him. We know he was at Gettysburg and was captured by the confederate army and later traded. Still there is no mention of him in the Gettysburg museum. He had two sons. Theodore and Dewitt.
|
|
|
Post by fred on Mar 10, 2016 23:02:03 GMT -6
CPG,
Welcome to the boards. I hope you continue to enjoy them and I hope you contribute.
Best wishes, Fred.
|
|
pcgio
New Member
Posts: 1
|
Post by pcgio on Mar 3, 2017 12:35:46 GMT -6
Hello... if anyone out there is still interested in Lt. Col. DeWitt Clinton Peters, Asst. Surgeon USA I'm the one to ask... He was my great great grandfather and I have lots of information about him... Reading the thread I can correct one statement made above. He was NOT at Gettysburg. He was captured at San Antonio, Texas and paroled. He was later exchanged for a Confederate officer held at Ft. Warren in Boston Harbor. He went on to be surgeon in charge of the 1500 bed Jarvis US General Hospital in Baltimore MD. He and his wife Emily (then 7-mos pregnant with my great grandfather) were in attendance at Ford's Theater the night of Lincoln's assassination. After the war he went back west to take charge of the hospital at Ft. Union, New Mexico... north of Santa Fe and situated on the Santa Fe Trail. He is buried in Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. He was survived by two sons. A daughter died in early infancy.
|
|