Establishing Jeremiah Delos Bulman's Civil War Service

I have viewed this document for much of my life and have wondered what lay behind it. In the previous post, you can see a medal that Jeremiah wore for the family photograph. I remember it on his son's tunic. In fact, in earlier posts you can see that he wore it after his father's death. I have always wondered what the medal meant. Did he earn it in battle or was it a commemorative medal of the "Grand Army of the Republic"?

In this post, I would like to begin exploring this question. However, it is likely that we may leave this post with more questions than we began. For instance, just what exactly is this document? I had always thought that Jeremiah D. Bulman had entered service on July 29, 1863 and had been mustered out on August 4, 1865. In fact, he joined Company C of the 24th Wisconsin Infantry on 4 August 1862 according to the Roster of Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Volume II (here) which was "compiled by authority of the Legislature, under the direction of Jeremiah M. Rusk, Governor, and Chandler P. Chapman, Adjutant General" and published in 1886 by the Democrat Printing Company of Madison, Wisconsin. The Roster of Company "C" begins on page 262 and lists Carl Von Baumbach as the Commanding Officer holding a captaincy when the company formed in 13 August 1862. By December 24, 1862, he was a Major. He was a Major when he took field command of the 24th Wisconsin Infanty during the battle of Chickamagua (Tennessee) in which the Regiment took heavy losses on 20 September 1863.

I'll follow the campaigns of Company C, both political and military, in later posts. Today, I am interested in establishing if Jeremiah was at Chickamagua. His son was there thirty-five years later as he transited to Puerto Rico. By the way, the muster roll in 1886 lists him as Jerry Bullman residing in New Berlin. The remarks section indicates that he was "Absent sick at M.O. of Regt." From what I can find out so far, it was mustered out on 10 June 1865 at Nashville, Tennessee.

Interestingly, in the Index volume (Wisconsin Volunteers, War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Compiled under the direction of the Adjutants General during the years 1895-1899 and published for the state by Democrat Printing Company in Madison, Wisconsin in 1914) page 129 lists a Erwin C. Bulman (Private, Co. C, 38th Infanty) and page 130 lists a Grisel Bulman (Private, Co. G, 36th Infantry), Henry Bulman (Corporal Co. A, 28th Infantry), Jerry D. Bulman (Private Co. C, 24th Infantry) and Nathaniel Bulman (Private, Co. A., 28th Infantry). Henry, Nathaniel and Jerry are brothers. Erwin and Grisel are also brothers and the sons of Jeremiah's cousin Henry. More on this later.

Now, back on page 129 of the alphabetical listing is a Jerimias Bullman who was a Corporal in 2nd Battery [Light Artillery]. Back to Volume I of the roster. There is listed a Jerimia Bullman who enlisted September 16 1861 and who attained the rank of Corporal before being discharged December 18, 1861. At this point, I need to bring to light another family document. It is on the right. There we have Jerimias Bullman as being a former Corporal in 2nd Battery of Wisconsin Light Artillery. He was enrolled on 16 September 1861 in Milwaukee. However, he was mustered for a three year term of duty on 1 October 1861 in Racine, Wisconsin. He was dischared on 18 December 1861 in Racine at the age of 26. This certificate of service was based on records in the Adjutant General's office and signed by the Assistant AG on 8 July 1901. Or, about the time that the Jeremiah Delos Bulman family photograph was being taken.

Why the discharge?

On the 1890 Veterans' Schedules for the Census, a Jerrymiah D. Bolman is listed for Supervisor District 5, Enumeration District 139. This is page 2 of Roll 116 for Washington, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He is listed as a Corporal of Bat (2) Wisconsin LA [Light Artillery] who had served from 16 September 1861 until 19 December 1861, or for 4 months and 3 days according to the Schedule. An annotation at the bottom of the page indicates that his post-office was in Altoona and that he incurred the disability of "Lungs".

Just when you think the mystery is ending, you look at the next entry listed for the same house and you find Jerry Bolman, Private, Co. C, 24 Wisconsin Infantry, enlisted 4 August 1862 and discharged 22 June 1865 after having served 2 years, 10 months and 18 days. There is no disability listed. However, his is discharged almost two weeks after the Regiment itself is mustered out. Was he in hospital at the time?

In fairness, I should add that on page 1 of SD 3, ED 43 for Charlestown, Calumet, Wisconsin, June 1890, Grisel Bulman is listed as having attained the rank of Sergeant in Co. G, 36 Wis Inf after having enlisted on January 1863. He was discharge in June 1865 having suffered a "gun shot wound" during his service. More on this later.

What do we make of the Union Defenders Certificate?

Well, I mistook a splotched "2" for a "5". Perhaps we have also mistaken the certificate for something more than a morale boosting exercise. I would like to find out why it is signed by a Captain C. Bumbaugh and Lieutenant W. Hartong. I have already indicated that Carl Von Baumbach was a Major by 29 July 1863 and the Roster for the Wisconsin Volunteers indicates that Charles Hartung was a 2nd Lieutenant on August 21, 1862 and promoted to Captain on February 3, 1863. Were these ranks not "gazetted"?

In my very brief reading about Company C, 24th Wisconsin Infantry, I have already discovered some interesting items to follow up. For instance, the father of General Douglas MacArthur, Arthur MacArthur (Junior), was very young Adjutant for 24 Wisconsin Infantry who rose to the rank of Colonel by the time he was 21. In 1890, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions taken during the battle of Missionary Ridge a several weeks after the Union defeat at Chickamagua. Supposedly, he rallied the troops waving the regimental flag and shouting "On Wisconsin". He, thereby, helped to rout the Confederate troops. Yet, I have read somewhere that two soldiers from Company C claim that distinction. Was Jeremiah Delos Bulman there? Did he see, hear and respond?

Additionally, there were other issues surrounding Major Von Baumbach.

By the way, Douglas MacArthur was also awarded the Medal of Honour. I should also mention two more items of interest. First, and this is significant for your present artistic endeavours, General Arthur MacArthur was the Commander of the Third Philippine Expedition and led the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, VIII Corps against the Spanish Army at the Battle of Manila in 1898 while Frederick Albert Bulman was in Puerto Rico. Less than six months later he led the 2nd Division against the Filipino Army at the second Battle of Manila. He was the Military Governor of the Philippines for one year in 1900. There is a picture of him on the left. Here is his grave and a short biography. Born in 1845, he died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1912 after spending most of his life serving in the Army in most of its conflicts up until his retirement in 1909.

Here is an excellent site about the Civil War with access to many resources. I am waiting for a copy of this book to read more about 24th Wisconsin Infantry and Company C.