Restored to the Army
WASHINGTON, June 29.----An orer was issued from the war department yesterday, restory to the army, Maj. Benjamin P. Runkle, retired, who was dropped from the army rolls upon the judgment of the court of claims. This judgment was reversed by the surpeme court, He will be borne upon the rols as never having been legally separated from the army.
--From the Marion Daily Star, Marion, Ohio, June 29, 1887 issue, front page.--------------------------------------------------
The following is from "Runkle at Shiloh by the old Eta Rho Historical Committee."
Benjamin Piatt Runkle at the Battle of Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862Assuming Major Runkle, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, stayed with his command he would have been encamped near Savannah, Tennessee (east bank approximately 10 miles down river, but north, from the battlefield) when the Confederates first attacked on April 6, 1862. The 13th Ohio Infantry being part of Buell's Army of the Ohio (17,918) that was marching from Nashville to join with Grant's Army of the Tennessee (44,699) for an attack on the railroad junction at Corinth, Mississippi. In preparation for the Union attack Grant had encamped his Army up river (south) at Pittsburgh Landing on the west bank (Corinth side). It was here that he was surprised by a preemptive attack by General Albert S. Johnston's Confederate Army of the Mississippi (47,721). There has been much debate concerning Grant's choice of Pittsburgh Landing near Shiloh Church as a camp.
It must have been while in camp near Savannah that Runkle first learned of the battle raging just up river (south). Despite not having any orders General Crittenden, commanding the Fourteenth Brigade (Runkle's), gave orders for his command to begin rapidly marching in relief of Grant. Crittenden's command being to the front of the columns of General McCook and General Wood who had already received orders to advance with all haste to Pittsburgh Landing.
As Crittenden's readied his command for the march, orders did finally arrive for him to bring his command instead by boat to Pittsburgh Landing, all but his cavalry being able to load onto boats for the trip up river. These boats, steamers and bardges, finally reaching Pittsburgh Landing about 9 o'clock p.m. This was well after the conclusion of the day's fighting, except for the Union gunboats periodically firing harassing shots into the Confederate camps (the overrun captured Union camps of the night before). None the less, the troops with Runkle still had great difficulty disembarking. General Crittenden later wrote:
"The bank of the river at the landing was covered with from 6,000 to 10,000 entirely demoralized [Union] soldiery. I was so disgusted, that I asked General Buell to permit me to land a regiment and drive them away. I did not wish my troops to come in contact with them. We landed, however, forcing our way through this mob, and stood to our arms all night on the road, half a mile from the landing, at the place designated by General Buell."
That night a hard rain fell. Many soldiers slept standing against their arms. At 5 o'clock a.m. Crittenden's command was finally ordered to move into the middle of the Union line. A position they held all day except during advance. Not long afterward the Confederates renewed their savage attacks, but each time they were nobly repulsed. Then at a critical moment the Fourteenth Brigade (Runkle's) charged into a thick shower of musketry though a dense thicket. They Succeeded in capturing three pieced of artillery on the far edge of Dave's Wheatfield, "viz. two 6-pounders and one 12-pounder howitzer belonging to the Washington Batter [New Orleans, La]."
An account of this engagement (as well as the complete Battle of Shiloh) can best be found in Shiloh: Bloody April, by Wiley Sword.
"Here [, the open cotton field in front of the Washington artillery,] the Confederate gunners were suddenly confronted by several onrushing Federal regiments. The gunners stood their post, but Hodgson [, the Confederate artillery commander,] recognized the imminent danger and ordered his cannon to retire. Yet the Federals came on so rapidly that the guns could not be limbered in time to escape. Within ten minutes of their hand-to-hand encounter in the thicket the 2nd Kentucky dashed among three of Hodgson's guns, overrunning the battery. Among the other Federal regiment present were the 6th Kentucky of Hazen's brigade and the 13th Ohio of Crittenden's command. All claimed capture of the three guns on the right of Hodgson's position--two 6-pounder guns and a 12-pounder howitzer.
Yet the rough terrain and the heavy Confederate fire had taken a heavy toll among the attackers. Their ranks were broken and scattered as they crossed the open field. One of Hazen's [Union] men remembered seeing the fugitive [Confederate] enemy rallying behind a new line of battle, where "officers were riding up and down the line, waving swords and shouting... 'I turned and looked about me--and found myself almost alone' stammered the man. 'The onward movement has spent its force.'
Indeed, the Confederates were hastily regrouping. Colonel B.L. Hodge of Louisiana, having taken charge of a reserve detachment, the Crescent (Louisiana) Infantry, observed that Hodgson's guns were in trouble, and boldly led his Louisianans forward in a swift counterattack... The Crescent regiment dashed into a heavy fire and made for the enemy held cannon.
To the scattered remnant of Hazen's, Bruce's and Crittenden's infantry it must have seemed as if everything was going wrong. Some of William Sooy Smith's troops [Runkle's 14th Brigade] that had crossed in the rear of Hazen's men mistakenly fired into their ranks, causing 'great Consternation,' From the southern edge of the field another Confederate battery was playing on Hazen's troops, enfilading their line. Before the Louisiana infantry could close with the Federal troops, Hazen observed that what remained of his command 'went back as fast as it could go.'
A few men paused to ram mud down Hodgson's guns, there being no other means to spike the cannon; then all went back in utter disorder."
The Confederate counterattack succeeded in temporarily recovering the captured artillery and pushing the Union forces back to almost their original position. The 13th Ohio reporting that of the four regiment officers wounded at Shiloh all happened during the advance or repulse from the Washington Battery. Whitelaw Reid wrote:
"In the great advance, they came upon the enemy with a battery in position and well supported. Smith dashed his Brigade [13th Ohio Infantry, et al] forward; there was a sharp, close work with musketry, and the rebels fled, leaving us three pieces -- a twelve- pound howitzer and two brass six-pounders. But they cost the gallant Thirteenth Ohio dear. Major Benjamin Piatt Runkle fell, mortally wounded. Softly may he sleep and green grow the laurels over his honored grave. None worthier wear them living."
Whitelaw Reid had to leave the battlefield early to get his report back to his newspaper and did not know that Runkle had survived. Runkle's official file reports that he was wounded in the tongue and chest. Not long afterwards the Union Army succeeded in pushing the Confederates back again. This time causing the Confederates to withdraw back to Corinth. Runkle was evacuated to a hospital down river in Illinois.
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Benjamin Piatt Runkle, born in West Liberty, Ohio, was 18 years old at the time of the founding of Sigma Chi. It was Runkle who pulled off his DKE badge and threw it on the table in the important dinner meeting in February, 1855, putting into forceful words the thoughts of Bell, Caldwell, Cooper, Jordan and Scobey. It was this type and quality of spirit which he instilled in Sigma Chi throughout his life.
Runkle joined with Lockwood in designing the White Cross. They had determined to come up with something different from the shield and diamond typed common at the time. In later years, Runkle explained, "Its selection grew from an admiration of its meaning." He was inspired with the battle for Rome. He believed Constantine was a heroic character, and he convinced the other Founders to pattern Sigma Chi symbolism after the vision of Constantine. Runkle's spirit and idealism in college once led to his temporary suspension from the University for fighting in chapel with a member of Beta Theta Pi who had publicly sneered at his badge.
He had the most noteworthy military career of any of the Founders. At the outbreak of Civil War he volunteered with a militia company and was a Colonel by the end of the war. He was seriously wounded in the battle of Shiloh and left for dead on the battlefield, leading his former Deke rival Whitelaw Reid to pen a glowing tribute to Runkle in a dispatch to his newspaper. The reports of Runkle's battlefield death turned out to be erroneous and ironically, Runkle outlived Reid.
After a long military career, where he was eventually promoted to Major General, Runkle was ordained as an Episcopal Priest. He was the only one of the Founders to become Grand Consul, serving as the Seventh Grand Consul from 1895-1897.
He spent the last years of his life in Ohio, where he died on the Fraternity's 61st birthday in 1916. He is buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., where in 1923 Sigma Chi erected the first of the Founders' memorial monuments at his grave.
Restored to the Army
WASHINGTON, June 29.----An orer was issued from the war department yesterday, restory to the army, Maj. Benjamin P. Runkle, retired, who was dropped from the army rolls upon the judgment of the court of claims. This judgment was reversed by the surpeme court, He will be borne upon the rols as never having been legally separated from the army.
--From the Marion Daily Star, Marion, Ohio, June 29, 1887 issue, front page.--------------------------------------------------
The following is from "Runkle at Shiloh by the old Eta Rho Historical Committee."
Benjamin Piatt Runkle at the Battle of Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862Assuming Major Runkle, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, stayed with his command he would have been encamped near Savannah, Tennessee (east bank approximately 10 miles down river, but north, from the battlefield) when the Confederates first attacked on April 6, 1862. The 13th Ohio Infantry being part of Buell's Army of the Ohio (17,918) that was marching from Nashville to join with Grant's Army of the Tennessee (44,699) for an attack on the railroad junction at Corinth, Mississippi. In preparation for the Union attack Grant had encamped his Army up river (south) at Pittsburgh Landing on the west bank (Corinth side). It was here that he was surprised by a preemptive attack by General Albert S. Johnston's Confederate Army of the Mississippi (47,721). There has been much debate concerning Grant's choice of Pittsburgh Landing near Shiloh Church as a camp.
It must have been while in camp near Savannah that Runkle first learned of the battle raging just up river (south). Despite not having any orders General Crittenden, commanding the Fourteenth Brigade (Runkle's), gave orders for his command to begin rapidly marching in relief of Grant. Crittenden's command being to the front of the columns of General McCook and General Wood who had already received orders to advance with all haste to Pittsburgh Landing.
As Crittenden's readied his command for the march, orders did finally arrive for him to bring his command instead by boat to Pittsburgh Landing, all but his cavalry being able to load onto boats for the trip up river. These boats, steamers and bardges, finally reaching Pittsburgh Landing about 9 o'clock p.m. This was well after the conclusion of the day's fighting, except for the Union gunboats periodically firing harassing shots into the Confederate camps (the overrun captured Union camps of the night before). None the less, the troops with Runkle still had great difficulty disembarking. General Crittenden later wrote:
"The bank of the river at the landing was covered with from 6,000 to 10,000 entirely demoralized [Union] soldiery. I was so disgusted, that I asked General Buell to permit me to land a regiment and drive them away. I did not wish my troops to come in contact with them. We landed, however, forcing our way through this mob, and stood to our arms all night on the road, half a mile from the landing, at the place designated by General Buell."
That night a hard rain fell. Many soldiers slept standing against their arms. At 5 o'clock a.m. Crittenden's command was finally ordered to move into the middle of the Union line. A position they held all day except during advance. Not long afterward the Confederates renewed their savage attacks, but each time they were nobly repulsed. Then at a critical moment the Fourteenth Brigade (Runkle's) charged into a thick shower of musketry though a dense thicket. They Succeeded in capturing three pieced of artillery on the far edge of Dave's Wheatfield, "viz. two 6-pounders and one 12-pounder howitzer belonging to the Washington Batter [New Orleans, La]."
An account of this engagement (as well as the complete Battle of Shiloh) can best be found in Shiloh: Bloody April, by Wiley Sword.
"Here [, the open cotton field in front of the Washington artillery,] the Confederate gunners were suddenly confronted by several onrushing Federal regiments. The gunners stood their post, but Hodgson [, the Confederate artillery commander,] recognized the imminent danger and ordered his cannon to retire. Yet the Federals came on so rapidly that the guns could not be limbered in time to escape. Within ten minutes of their hand-to-hand encounter in the thicket the 2nd Kentucky dashed among three of Hodgson's guns, overrunning the battery. Among the other Federal regiment present were the 6th Kentucky of Hazen's brigade and the 13th Ohio of Crittenden's command. All claimed capture of the three guns on the right of Hodgson's position--two 6-pounder guns and a 12-pounder howitzer.
Yet the rough terrain and the heavy Confederate fire had taken a heavy toll among the attackers. Their ranks were broken and scattered as they crossed the open field. One of Hazen's [Union] men remembered seeing the fugitive [Confederate] enemy rallying behind a new line of battle, where "officers were riding up and down the line, waving swords and shouting... 'I turned and looked about me--and found myself almost alone' stammered the man. 'The onward movement has spent its force.'
Indeed, the Confederates were hastily regrouping. Colonel B.L. Hodge of Louisiana, having taken charge of a reserve detachment, the Crescent (Louisiana) Infantry, observed that Hodgson's guns were in trouble, and boldly led his Louisianans forward in a swift counterattack... The Crescent regiment dashed into a heavy fire and made for the enemy held cannon.
To the scattered remnant of Hazen's, Bruce's and Crittenden's infantry it must have seemed as if everything was going wrong. Some of William Sooy Smith's troops [Runkle's 14th Brigade] that had crossed in the rear of Hazen's men mistakenly fired into their ranks, causing 'great Consternation,' From the southern edge of the field another Confederate battery was playing on Hazen's troops, enfilading their line. Before the Louisiana infantry could close with the Federal troops, Hazen observed that what remained of his command 'went back as fast as it could go.'
A few men paused to ram mud down Hodgson's guns, there being no other means to spike the cannon; then all went back in utter disorder."
The Confederate counterattack succeeded in temporarily recovering the captured artillery and pushing the Union forces back to almost their original position. The 13th Ohio reporting that of the four regiment officers wounded at Shiloh all happened during the advance or repulse from the Washington Battery. Whitelaw Reid wrote:
"In the great advance, they came upon the enemy with a battery in position and well supported. Smith dashed his Brigade [13th Ohio Infantry, et al] forward; there was a sharp, close work with musketry, and the rebels fled, leaving us three pieces -- a twelve- pound howitzer and two brass six-pounders. But they cost the gallant Thirteenth Ohio dear. Major Benjamin Piatt Runkle fell, mortally wounded. Softly may he sleep and green grow the laurels over his honored grave. None worthier wear them living."
Whitelaw Reid had to leave the battlefield early to get his report back to his newspaper and did not know that Runkle had survived. Runkle's official file reports that he was wounded in the tongue and chest. Not long afterwards the Union Army succeeded in pushing the Confederates back again. This time causing the Confederates to withdraw back to Corinth. Runkle was evacuated to a hospital down river in Illinois.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benjamin Piatt Runkle, born in West Liberty, Ohio, was 18 years old at the time of the founding of Sigma Chi. It was Runkle who pulled off his DKE badge and threw it on the table in the important dinner meeting in February, 1855, putting into forceful words the thoughts of Bell, Caldwell, Cooper, Jordan and Scobey. It was this type and quality of spirit which he instilled in Sigma Chi throughout his life.
Runkle joined with Lockwood in designing the White Cross. They had determined to come up with something different from the shield and diamond typed common at the time. In later years, Runkle explained, "Its selection grew from an admiration of its meaning." He was inspired with the battle for Rome. He believed Constantine was a heroic character, and he convinced the other Founders to pattern Sigma Chi symbolism after the vision of Constantine. Runkle's spirit and idealism in college once led to his temporary suspension from the University for fighting in chapel with a member of Beta Theta Pi who had publicly sneered at his badge.
He had the most noteworthy military career of any of the Founders. At the outbreak of Civil War he volunteered with a militia company and was a Colonel by the end of the war. He was seriously wounded in the battle of Shiloh and left for dead on the battlefield, leading his former Deke rival Whitelaw Reid to pen a glowing tribute to Runkle in a dispatch to his newspaper. The reports of Runkle's battlefield death turned out to be erroneous and ironically, Runkle outlived Reid.
After a long military career, where he was eventually promoted to Major General, Runkle was ordained as an Episcopal Priest. He was the only one of the Founders to become Grand Consul, serving as the Seventh Grand Consul from 1895-1897.
He spent the last years of his life in Ohio, where he died on the Fraternity's 61st birthday in 1916. He is buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., where in 1923 Sigma Chi erected the first of the Founders' memorial monuments at his grave.