Skip to main content

Soldiers Give Eyewitness Testimony about Christopher Tinkler's Head Injury During the Battle of Gettysburg

Soldiers Give Eyewitness Testimony about Christopher Tinkler's Head Injury During the Battle of Gettysburg

My ancestor Christopher Tinkler served in the 107th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Company D in the Union Army during the Civil War. In April 2001, I obtained a copy of his pension file from the National Archives Records Administration in Washington, D.C., File No. WC-488-382. Here is a transcription of affidavits submitted by his fellow soldiers prepared in support of Christopher's pension application:

The State of Ohio )

Stark County        ) ss

        On this 6th day of October AD 1874 before me the undersigned authority within and for said County personally came Harrison Failor and William H. Steiner, both of Pike Township Stark County Ohio, both well known to me as credible persons, entitled to full faith and credit, and who being duly sworn say:

         That they are both well acquainted with Christopher Tinkler, who was a member of Company AD @ in the 107th Regiment of Ohio Vols; That they were both members of said Company and Regiment during the late war, and they were during that time the intimate associates of said Tinkler. That they were both present with their said Company at Stafford Court House in VA when the said Christopher Tinkler, then present with his said Co and the line of his duty became sick with a severe attack of Diarrhoea, which greatly frustrated him; that they were his comrades at that time and assisted him in his said sickness, and they know that he was attacked by said sickness while in said service and while in the line of his duty and without fault on his part.

         That he was first attacked with said sickness about the 25 day of December 1860 while lying at said Stafford Court House.  That while encamped at that place and about the time and before he was taken sick the weather was very cold and they had only shelter tents to protect themselves from the inclement weather, and while thus exposed the said Tinkler fell sick as aforesaid. That while the Regiment remained at said Stafford Court House, said Tinkler lay sick in his tent and received treatment at the hands of the Regimental Surgeon. That no Hospital accommodations were provided, and when the Regiment marched which was about the 25 of January 1863 they left the Sick at said place and among them the said Christopher Tinkler. 

         That about a month or six weeks after the 25 of January 1863 said Tinkler returned to his command but was not well, in fact was in very feeble health on account of a constant Diarrhoea with which he was afflicted and he so continued with his command but in the some ill health until about the first of May when the affiant William H. Steiner says his Knowledge ceases, as he was at that time taken prisoner, and further he cannot say.

         The affiant Harrison Failor says that he continued with his said company and has personal Knowledge of the fact that said Tinkler continued in the same ill health and constantly afflicted with said Diarrhoea until the Battle of Gettysburgh, when on the first day of July 1863 the said Christopher Tinkler while in action and in line of duty was wounded on the left side of the head by the fragment of a shell. That he was in the ranks in the Company as was said Tinkler and he knows that said Tinkler and he knows that said Tinkler was ...illegible... There wounded in his presence in manner as above set forth. He says that said Tinkler was sent to the Hospital and never afterwards returned to said Company. 

         Affiants both say that they have no interest direct or indirect in the prosecution of a claim by said Tinkler for pension.

/s/ William H. Steiner

/s/ Harrison Failor

         Not reported absent. AG (spelling?)

        Also at same time came Peter Koller of Pike Township Stark County Ohio, a person well known to me as respectable and entitled to full faith and credit who being by me duly sworn says:

        That he was a member of Co AD @ 107th Regt O.V. Infantry during the late war: that he was well acquainted with Christopher Tinkler who was a member of the Company Regiment. That he was present with his said Company at the Battle of Gettysburgh when the said Christopher Tinkler, who was also present with his said Company, and in line of duty, was wounded on the left side of the head by the fragment of a shell. That said Tinkler was so severely wounded that he was taken from the field and placed in Hospital and never returned to his command.  He says he knows all the above facts by personal Knowledge and that has no interest in the claim of said Tinkler for Pension.

 /s/ Peter Koller

        Sworn to before me and sub...illegible... in my presence by said Wm H. Steiner, Harrison Failor and Peter Koller, respectively this 6 day of October AD 1874. And I certify I have no interest direct or indirect in the above described claim for pension.

 OFFICIAL SEAL

/s/ James J. Clark

Notary Public

Stark County Ohio

Labels:
Location: Stark County, OH, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mystery Mail from World War I Soldier

Mystery Mail from World War I Soldier The above postcard or carte postale is the oldest item in my grandmother's postcard collection.  A W. W. Allen sent the card via soldier mail from Paris, France, to Mrs. Frank Bryant of Los Angeles, California.  The front depicts an early 20th century street scene at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  The message says, "Paris 4/13 [April 13th] - I'm having a short vacation and a wonderful time.  W. Allen."  Mrs. Bryant (nee Mary Ellen Ingersoll, 1862-1936), originally from Bloomington, Illinois, relocated to Los Angeles with her family in the early 1910s.  She was my grandmother's grandmother.  Mr. Allen is not a known relative.  So who could he be?  Perhaps he was a neighbor or a family friend.  There could be another connection.  There is a later postcard postmarked November 25, 1930, from Alice Allen of South Bend, Indiana, to Mrs. Bryant which starts wit...
1 comment
Read more

John Burwell Family

I found a pair of Burwell sisters in the DAR [Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage Books] that I believe are my great-great-grandfather John W. Burwell's sisters. From Volume 14, p. 122 (for the year 1896): Miss Nettie B. Burwell ID No. 13326 Born in Illinois Descendant of John Burwell, of New Jersey. Daughter of Moses T. Burwell and Isabella Goodfellow, his wife. Granddaughter of John Burwell and Missouri Thorp, his wife. Gr.-granddaughter of Jonathan Burwell and Mary Comer, his wife. Gr.-gr.-granddaughter of John Burwell and ___ Lyons, his wife. John Burwell turned out in Capt. Stephen Baldwin's company, Col. Sylvanus Seely's regiment of Morris county militia, 1780, at Connecticut Farms, N.J. He died 1825. Mrs. Mary Alice Burwell Burns ID No. 13327 Born in Illinois. Wife of Luther Burns. Descendant of John Burwell. Daughter of Moses T. Burwell and Isabella Goodfellow, his wife. See No 13326. I believe that these women are John W.'s sisters for several reasons:...
Post a Comment
Read more

Burwell House Hotel in Gibson City, Illinois (circa 1890)

GRAND OPENING OF THE BURWELL HOUSE A home thrown open to the "Boys," and the traveling public of which Gibson may justly feel proud.    A host of invited guests from home and abroad partake of a banquet at 6 p.m. this evening prepared by J. R. Lott and wife the genial host and hostess. Who will always be found pleasant people. For some months, attention of our home people and visitors from abroad has been directed to the fine brick hotel being erected by Mr. M. T. Burwell, a well-known banker, real estate broker, and wealthy citizen.    The hotel building is 26 x 160 feet, two stories high, and basement, built very completely with every convenience usual to a first class hotel, the whole structure costing about $15,000.    To-day this hotel is opened to the public by Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Lott who formerly kept the St. Nicholas in this city, and who enjoy a wide reputation for keeping a first class hotel, and a hearty patronage in the past, together with...
Post a Comment
Read more