WILLIAM A. CHOATE G. A. R. POST No. 66
Was chartered May 14, 1881, and named in memory of William A. Choate, captain of Company B 38th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, promoted lieutenant-colonel. When General Rosecrans organized his Legion of Honor, was selected commander of the brigade. Was fatally wounded at Jonesboro, Georgia, in a charge, September 1, 1864, and died a few days later.
Charter members — L. G. Randall, A. S. Condit, Abner Yeager, W. B. Powell, H. H. Fast, F. M. Bascom, A. H. Mackey, J. P. Watson, E. B. Magill, H. McHenry, R. M. Cloud, Fred. Yocke, E. W. Dawson, H. E. Cary, James Shea, Charles Newton, C. E. Reynolds, John Siford, J. J. Beilharz, Otto Honeck, M. J. Marvin, Joseph Grim, L. Y. Richards, Geo. H. Reeder, L. Drummond, E. James.
Officers, 1881-2 — P. C., L. G. Randall; S. V. C., O. Honeck; J. V. C., L. Y. Richards; Q. M., H. E. Cary; Adjt., C. E. Reynolds; Surg., J. M. Shoemaker; O. D., J. P. Watson; O. G., H. H. Fast; Chaplain, R. M. Cloud; S. M., A. S. Condit; Q. M. S., Geo. H. Reeder.
Officers, 1883 — P. C., L. G. Randall; S. V. C., R. M. Cloud; J. V. C., M. Neff; Q. M., H. E. Cary; Adjt., C. E. Reynolds; Surg., H. McHenry; Chaplain, E. James; O. D., E. C. Dodd; O. G.. L. Drummond; S. M.. A. S. Condit; Q. M. S., Geo. H. Reeder.
Officers, 1884 – P. C., C. E. Reynolds; S. V. C., B. F. Pontius; J. V. C., H. F. Meyerholtz; Adjt., E. C. Dodd; Q. M., H. E. Cary; Surg., H. McHenry; Chaplain, R. M. Cloud; O. D., John Ritter; O. G., H. Lazenby; S. M., A. B. Magill; Q. M. S., A. S. Condit.
Officers, 1885 — P. C., C. E. Reynolds; S. V. C., B. F. Pontius; J. V. C., D. M. Jones; Adjt., E. C. Dodd; Q. M., H. E. Cary; Surg., John Bloomfield; Chaplain, B. F. Palmer; O. D., Joseph Grim; O. G., Joseph Goachee; S. M., J . B. Hague; Q. M. S., A. S. Condit.
The following is the muster of members, giving assignment in service and date of muster into Post:
Adams, F. M., private, co. D, 15th Ind. V. I.; Oct 7, 1831.
Bascom, F. M., private, co. D, 38th O. V. I.; May, 1881.
Balsley, Warren.
Brownell W. H; March 3, 1882.
Beilharz, J. J., corp., co. B, 195th O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Babcock, J. B., private, co. B, 38th O. V. I.
Bull, August, private; Oct. 21, 1881.
Battenfield, John, private, co. D, 14th O. V. I.; Feb. 3, 1882.
Brooks, Wm., private, co. B, 15th O. V. I.; Mar. 3, 1882.
Barnhart, Andrew, private, co. B, 38th O. V. I.; Dec. 1, 1882.
Burrows, Thomas, private, co. A, 68th O. V. I.; Nov. 16, 1883.
Bloomfield, John, private, co D, 68th O. V. I.; June 27, 1884.
Brown, Sam. E., private, co. K, 65th N. Y. V. I.; Mar. 6, 1885.
Cary, H. E., lieut., co. G, 163d O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Cloud, R. M., private, co. D, 12th Ind. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Condit, A. S., private, co. K, 185th O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Cunningham, John, private, co. I, 43d O. V. I.; July 1, 1881.
Drummond, Levi, May, 1881.
Dawson, Ed. H., May 14, 1881.
Dunbar, John, private, co. A, 68th O. V. I.; Dec. 2, 1881.
Duval, Daniel, private, co. G, 38th O. V. I.; June 8, 1881.
Dodd, E. C., private, co. B, 184th O. V. I.; July 21, 1881.
Durbin, Rodney C., Dec. 7, 1883.
Day, Charles A., private, co. H, 132d O. V. I; Feb. 15, 1884.
Ditmer, F., private, co. C, — O. V. C.; June 27, 1884.
Daum, George, 1st lieut., co. D, 124th O. V. I.; Mar. 6, 1885.
Fast, H. H., ord. sergt., co. I, 68th O. V. I.; May, 1881.
Finney, J. H., corp., co. D, 1st Pa. Res.; May 5, 1882.
Fortney, A., private, co. A. 8th O. V. I.; Dec. 16, 1881.
Finnegan, James, private, co. G, 124th O. V. I.; Dec. 5, 1881.
Grim, Joseph, musician, co. B, 100th O. V. I.; May, 1881.
Gessner, John, corp., co. K, 119th N. Y. V. I.; May 20, 1881.
Graw, Geo. K., private, co. F, 195th Pa. V. I.; July 1, 1881.
Goachee, A. H., private, co. F, 23d Ind. V. I.; Oct. 5, 1888.
Goachee, Joseph, private, co. C, 124th O. V. I.; Oct. 5, 1883.
Goon, Moses, private, co. D, 68th O. V. I.; Dec. 21, 1883.
Gosman, Hiram, private, co.. D, 68th O. V. I.; June 27, 1884.
Gunn, J. H., private, co. F, 68th O. V. I.; Nov. 7, 1884.
Honeck, Otto, private, 68th O. V. I.
Haag, S. C.
High, J. N. private, co. D, 68th O. V. I.; June 3, 1881.
Hartman, R. W., private, co. F, 68th O. V. I.; June 2, 1882.
Harding, J., private, 2d Mich bat.; Apr. 7, 1882.
Howard, Henry, private, co. E, 17th O. V. I.; June 5, 1883.
Homan, Saml., sergt; co. F, 14th O. V. I., Nov. 7, 1884.
Hague, James B., private, co. F, 68th O. V. I.; Dec. 19, 1884.
Haly, James G., lieut., 68th O. V. I.; Feb. 6. 1885.
James, E., private, co. A, 14th O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Johnson, W. C., private, Co. I, 68th O. V. I.; July 1, 1881.
Jones, D. M.
Konzen, Henry, corp., co. G, 124th O. V. I.; July 1, 1881.
Kryder, George, private, co. I, 3d O. V. C.; Apr. 7, 1882.
Koch, Charles, private, co. K, 57th O. V. I.; May 20, 1882.
Kirk, E. sergt., co. G. 10th O. V. C.; June 2, 1882.
Lautzenheiser, A., private, co. I, 4th O. V. C.; Mar. 6, 1885.
Lazenby, Henry, private. Co. D, 14th O. V. I.; May, 1881.
Marvin, M. J.; May, 1881.
Magill, E. B., May, 1881.
Meyerholtz, H. T., private, co. F, 68th O. V. I.; July 1, 1881.
McHenry, H., regt. surg., Gen. Wood’s div.; May 14, 1881.
Mackey, H. H.; May 14, 1881.
Newton, Charles, private, co. I, 14th O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Neff, Michael, sergt., co. G, 10th O. V. C., June 2, 1882.
Powell, H. B.; May 14. 1881.
Potter, E. L. , May 20, 1881.
Pontius, B. F., private, co. B, 164th O. V. I.; Feb. 3, 1882.
Palmer, B. F., corp., co. C, 9th O. V. C.; Sept. 5, 1884.
Patterson, Isaac, private, 23d Ind. Bat.; Nov. 7, 1884.
Randall, L. G., Q. M., 68th O. V. I.
Richards, L. Y., capt., 68th O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Reynolds, C. E., Q. M. sergt., 68th O. V. I.; May 14, 1881.
Reeder, G. H.; May 14, 1881.
Ritter, John D., private, co. B, 184th O. V. I.; Dec. 13, 1882.
Reger, Philip, private, co. G, 124th O. V. I.; June 27 , 1884.
Redman, Samuel, private, co. B, 100th O. V. I.; March 6, 1885.
Shoemaker, J. M., surg., 1st Ill. L. A.
Siford, John, May 14, 1881.
Shilt, John, private, co. D, 124th O. V. I., Dec. 2, 1881.
Stout, James P., corp., co. D, 14th O. V. I.; Jan. 6, 1882.
Shook, Isaac P., private, co. B, 100th O. V. I.; private, co. A, 183d O., July 6, 1883.
Shasteen, James A., private, co. G, 163d O. V. I.; Oct. 5, 1883.
Sweet, Charles R., private, co. A, 68th O. V. I.; Feb. 6, 1885.
Taylor, J. W.
Tyler, A. H., private, co. I, 68th O. V. I.; Dec. 1, 1882.
Tressler, A. J., private, co. F, 14th O. V. I.; Jan. 5, 1883.
Turk, W. E., drummer, co. F, 68th O. V. I.; Apr. 4, 1884.
Vanhyning, Julius, private, co. A, 68th O. V. I.; Apr. 24, 1884.
Watson, J. P., May 14, 1881.
Westerman, Jacob, private, co. G, 14th O. V. I.; June 17, 1881.
Wright, Silas.
Willard, S. D., private, co. A, 68th O. V. I.; Aug. 5, 1881.
Wistenhausen, C. H., private, co. E, 58th O. V. 1. ; Dec. 5, 1884.
Yocke, Fred.; May, 1881.
Andrew Tressler died May 7, [missing]
William Alden CHOATE was second in a family of three children, one son and two daughters. His parents, Thomas and Louisa Choate, were natives of the State of Maine, but removed to Ohio early in the present century, and eventually located at Tiffin, where the subject of our sketch was born Nov. 28, 1831. He was educated at Oberlin, Ohio, and also graduated at the Commercial College of Detroit. In the Spring of 1848 he settled in Napoleon , and read law in the office of the late Edward Sheffield, subsequently graduating in the law school at Cleveland. He was always a strong and consistent member of the Republican party. His popularity was such that, though his party were in the minority, in the Fall of 1857 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Henry County, in which position he creditably served for four years. Mr. Choate was among the first to respond to President Lincoln’s call for men in the war of 1861. He was elected captain of Co. H, 38th Regt., O. V. I., and from that moment until his death the history of the regiment is his history. The 38th regiment was enlisted in the months of July and August, 1861, in the counties which at that time constituted the Tenth Congressional District of Ohio. Company B was almost entirely enlisted in Henry County. The regiment entered the service in August, 1861, and was assigned to duty in the Army of the Ohio under General Thomas. The 38th regiment took part in the battle of Stone River and Missionary Ridge. At Chickamauga it had charge of all the wagon trains, and won distinction by bringing them hack to Chattanooga in safety. The regiment was held, with the corps under Thomas, in reserve, at Shiloh and Perryville. The 38th regiment was the first in the Army of the Cumberland that re-enlisted. Colonel Phelps, who had command of the regiment was killed at Chattanooga, and Choate, who had been promoted to lieutenant colonel, took command May 3, 1863. After the re-enlistment of the regiment it participated in most of the battles fought under General Sherman, and accompanied him on his “March to the Sea.” On the 11th day of September, 1864, a regiment of regulars had been repulsed in an effort to break the rebel lines below Atlanta. An order came for the brigade of which the 38th formed a part (the brigade was under the command of Colonel Choate, who had been promoted to the full rank of colonel) to make the charge in which the regulars had failed. The field was won, but the cost was fearful. Many valuable lives were lost, among them was the gallant colonel, who was shot through the left breast while endeavoring to save the colors of his regiment after three soldiers had already lost their lives in the attempt. Thus ended the life of one of the noblest of soldiers. (Written by Mrs. R. M. Choate, post-office, Napoleon. Residence, Napoleon.)
Mrs. R. M. CHOATE, widow of the lamented Col. Choate, was born in Henry County, and married in the same county in 1856. She has two daughters and one son, Ella May, born May 1, 1857, Thomas A., born Aug. 20, 1859, and Addie, born Dec. 20, 1861. Mrs. Choate’s parents were James and Elizabeth Magill, of Pennsylvania. They settled in Henry County in 1834, where Mr. Magill died in 1861.
