James B Diehl
Before the war
He was 21 years old when he was enlisted (12, 21 [38 in 1880]). He was born in Pennsylvania (21).
He was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when he was enlisted (12).
During the war
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 7 October 1861 (1, 9, 11, 12, 18). He was enlisted at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (12). He was mustered in as a first lieutenant, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Dye (11, 12). He served as a first lieutenant in company D (1). On an undated recruiting poster, he is listed as company D's first lieutenant (13).
On 29 June 1862, he, along with the other commissioned officers in the regiment (except Colonel Gregory), signed a statement denying accusations that they were on the verge of open mutiny, that the regiment had been reduced to 400 men, and that Colonel Gregory was too lenient to Confederates and too harsh to men in the regiment (17).
Brigadier General Tyler detailed him as aide-de-camp on 4 November 1862 (4, 5, 6). He was still detailed there on 7 February 1863 (10), 28 August 1863 (4), 14 November 1863 (5), and 7 March 1864 (6).
While serving as Brigadier General Tyler's Aide during the Battle of Fredericksburg, he conveyed to Colonel Gregory (commanding the 91st PA) and to Lieutenant-Colonel Rowe (commanding the 126th PA) orders to retreat across the river. When Colonel Gregory did not want to leave until his detached company E returned, he assured Colonel Gregory that the order had been conveyed to Captain Lentz. Unfortunately, he was wrong.(22)
He was commissioned captain on 16 December 1863, but he refused the commission (12).
On 4 July 1864, he was the only commissioned officer in company D, which had 37 enlisted men present for duty, and a total of 74 enlisted men (7).
He was discharged on 24 July 1864 on surgeon's certificate of disability, by special order 186, War Department, 25 July 1864 (1, 2 [resigned], 7 [25 Jul], 9 [25 Jul], 12 [24 Jul], 15 [25 Jul]). He was still aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Tyler when he resigned (8).
After the war
He was an original member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (16).
In 1880, he was living on 1735 Lambert Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (21). He was a clerk (21). He was living with his wife Mary, and his daughters Geneve and Mabel (21).
On 13 November 1886 [?], he applied successfully from Washington DC for a pension (14).
Sources
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster.)
3 Thomas F Walter. 'Personal recollections and experiences of an obscure soldier'. Grand Army Scout and Soldiers' Mail volume 3 number 45 page 2. [Possible reference]
4 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 28 August 1863
5 letter, Gregory to Marvin, 14 November 1863
6 letter, Sinex to Marvin, 7 March 1864
7 letter, Sellers to [unnamed] Captain, 4 July 1864
8 special order 184, HQ Middle Department, Eighth Army Corps, Baltimore, 25 July 1864 (James B Diehl)
9 regimental descriptive book (James B Diehl)
10 consolidated morning report, 7 February 1863
11 company D, list of commissioned officers (James B Diehl)
12 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 30 July 2004 (James B Diehl)
13 recruiting poster, company D, Colonel Gregory's regiment (Jas B Diehl)
14 pension index, by name (James B Diehl)
15 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 1 August 1864 (J B Diehl)
16 "Original Companions of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States" (James B Diehl)
17 'Ninety-first Pennsylvania Regiment'. Philadelphia Inquirer, 11 July 1862, page 2 (James B Diehl)
18 'Camp Chase at Gray's Ferry' Philadelphia Inquirer 19 October 1861 page 8 (- Drihl)
19 'Camp Chase', Philadelphia Inquirer 30 November 1861 (JB Diehl)
20 'Departure of Col. Gregory's regiment', Philadelphia Inquirer 22 January 1862 page 2 (JB Diehl)
21 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 629, microfilm series T9, film 1188, page 254 C= 27 handwritten (James B Diehl)
22 court-martial record, trial of James B Bonsall, 3 January 1863, and trial of D B Baker, 3 January 1863, National Archives, Record Group 153 (Judge Advocate General, Army), file KK691; and court-martial record, trial of James B Bonsall, 12 January 1863, and trial of D B Baker, 12 January 1863, National Archives, Record Group 153 (Judge Advocate General, Army), file KK664 (Lieutenant Diehl)
[I did not find an entry for him in the Ancestry index to the 1890 veteran's census (searched May 2007)]
1880 census
[1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 629, microfilm series T9, film 1188, page 254 C= 27 handwritten]| line | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 |
| street name | Lambert Street | |||
| house number | 1735 | |||
| dwelling visit # | 195 | |||
| family visit # | 214 | |||
| name | Diehl, James B | - Mary G [?] | - Geneve B | - Mabel [?] |
| color | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F | F |
| age | 38 | 36 | 12 | 9 |
| month born if born in year | ||||
| relationship | wife | daughter | daughter | |
| single | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | ||
| widowed/divorced | ||||
| married during year | clerk | keeping house | at school | at school |
| occupation | ||||
| months unemployed | ||||
| currently ill? | ||||
| blind | ||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||
| idiotic | ||||
| insane | ||||
| disabled | ||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | ||
| can't read | ||||
| can't write | ||||
| birthplace | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| father's birthplace | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| mother's birthplace | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
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revised 24 Feb 08
contact Harry Ide at hide1@unl.edu with comments or questions
