John C. Tidball
John Caldwell Tidball was a career United States Army artillery officer who served in the United States Horse Artillery Brigade in the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. After the war, he served as the Commander of the Department of Alaska, the military governor of the region.
Early life and antebellum career
Tidball was born near Wheeling, Virginia, in Ohio County, Virginia, to parents: James Squires Tidball and Maria Caldwell. He grew up on a farm in eastern Ohio. He graduated eleventh of thirty-eight cadets in the United States Military Academy Class of 1848, and entered the United States Army as a brevet second lieutenant in Battery E, 3rd U.S. Artillery. He was commissioned second lieutenant on February 14, 1849, when he was transferred to Battery M, 2nd U.S. Artillery. Promoted to first lieutenant on March 31, 1853, he transferred again to Battery B, 2nd U.S. Artillery. He served in the Third Seminole War fought against the indigenous Seminole tribe, and accompanied an exploring expedition to California in 1853-1854. In 1859 he was sent on the Army's expedition to Harper's Ferry, Virginia, to suppress John Brown's raid.Civil War
Tidball served all through the Civil War, receiving five brevet commissions for gallant and meritorious conduct on the field, and being complimented personally by President Abraham Lincoln for his work at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he was in command of the Second Brigade Horse Artillery under Major General Alfred Pleasonton. He served in most of the major campaigns in the Eastern Theater, from the First Battle of Bull Run through the Siege of Petersburg.At the outbreak of hostilities, he ranked as a first lieutenant and section chief in Captain William F. Barry's Battery A, 2nd U.S. Artillery. After Barry's promotion, on May 14, 1861, Tidball was promoted to captain and became the company commander. Tidball served with his "flying" battery as part of the famed U.S. Horse Artillery Brigade from its inception in 1861 until June 1863. In 1862, he was credited with introducing the custom of sounding "Taps" to conclude a military funeral.
With slow advancement in the ranks of the Regular Army , Tidball sought higher responsibilities elsewhere, by accepting a commission in the U.S. Volunteers. He was appointed colonel of the 4th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment, August 28, 1863. He commanded Brigade 4 of the Defenses South of the Potomac XXII Corps, September 2, 1863-November 5, 1863, transferring to the command of Brigade 3, November 5, 1863, to March 26, 1864.
Tidball commanded the artillery of the II Corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Overland Campaign, including the Battle of the Wilderness, April 1864-July 6, 1864. He was commandant of cadets at West Point from July 10, 1864, to September 22, 1864. He then returned to the field, leading the artillery of the IX Corps from October 8, 1864, until April 24, 1865, in the Appomattox Campaign and April 24, 1865-June 30, 1865, in the Department of Washington. He then resumed command of Brigade 3, of the Defenses South of the Potomac XXII Corps. Tidball was mustered out of the volunteers on September 26, 1865.
On December 12, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Tidball for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from August 1, 1864, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on February 20, 1865.
On July 17, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Tidball for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general in the regular United States Army, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on July 23, 1866.
On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Tidball for appointment to the grade of brevet major general of volunteers, to rank from April 2, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.
Wartime evaluations
To the frustration of all professionals within the Artillery branch, promotions were notoriously slow in comparison with the Infantry and Cavalry branches. Tidball commanded a brigade of horse artillery as a captain, fought in most of the major battles and campaigns of the war, and was frequently cited for efficiency, reliability and military professionalism. He was frequently discussed among the high command as a candidate well-deserving of promotion. But as was typical of his branch, he was just as frequently passed over. The following are some of the opinions expressed about him from his commanders, subordinate officers, and even some of his men, as found within Eugene Tidball's 2002 biography :John Haskell Calef, wrote of his first impressions as a second lieutenant, serving under Tidball in Battery A, 2nd U.S. Artillery:
Joining his battery in December 1862, as a second lieutenant, I was led to believe by some of my brother subalterns that our captain was very exacting, of choleric temperament and much of a martinet. His personal appearance at the time was strikingly martial, especially when mounted. Above the average height, his dark piercing eyes with a far-off thoughtful expression, handsome regular features, dark-brown wavy hair, beard and mustache, and in the prime of manhood, he reminded me of a picture I once saw, of the "Knight in Search of the Holy Grail." In due time I discovered that if duty was well performed, service with him was most agreeable. Behind the austere, rather reticent and dignified exterior, there existed a love of humor and an affability that only required circumstances to develop… He would at times emerge from his dignified reserve and entertain us youngsters, as we sat around the blaze of winter quarters, with interesting stories of the army "befo’ de wah."
Alfred Pleasonton, commander of the Cavalry Corps at Gettysburg, mentioned Tidball and James M. Robertson, each commanding a brigade of horse artillery batteries, in his battle report:
are now performing the duties of general officers with only the rank of captain, and I most urgently recommend that they be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. The Artillery arm requires organization in the higher grades. There are no general officers who by their service are so much entitled to this distinction as Captains Robertson and Tidball.
One of Tidball's mentors, Henry Jackson Hunt, added the following to Pleasanton's recommendation:
They have seen their juniors passed over their heads, and have been compelled to serve when they were entitled by their experience to command.
Upon the vacancy within the 4th New York Heavy Artillery, his other career champion, William F. Barry, wrote:
The Regiment very much needs a Colonel who is not only a good soldier, but who possesses sufficient artillery information and experience to instruct and handle the Regiment properly in this special service. I believe these qualifications can only be found combined in some suitable officer of the Regular Artillery of the Army of the United States. Should the vacancy which I now anticipate really occur, I respectfully present Captain John Tidball of the 2d Regt. U.S. Artillery as an officer in all respects admirably suited for the position… I am confident that will soon become… a credit to the State and models of their kind.
Upon his arrival to the 4th New York, Private James Hildreth was not happy, writing home that:
Hildreth later changed his tune, writing home again that:
The colonel is as mean now as he was good when he first took command. Everyone hates him from the highest officer to the lowest private. He is the meanest man I ever see.
Colonel Tidball is very strict, but uses us better than Hall used to. He has always spoke pleasant to me and he makes the officers stand around more than he does the men, they fear him more.
Postbellum career
After being mustered out of the volunteers, Tidball reverted to his Regular Army grade of captain. He was promoted to major, February 5, 1867. He was in active service until his retirement on January 25, 1889. He was the 3rd Commander of the Department of Alaska, and lived there for six years. He was Commandant of Cadets at West Point in 1864, and was Commandant at the Artillery School at Fort Monroe in Virginia, reorganizing artillery instruction and raising its standards during his tenure. He was promoted to colonel and served as aide-de-camp to General William T. Sherman during the latter's tenure as general-in-chief of the U.S. Army, January 1, 1881-February 8, 1884. He was transferred to the 1st Regiment of Artillery, November 10, 1882, the 3rd U.S. Artillery, January 25, 1884, and the 1st Regiment of Artillery again, March 22, 1885.When Tidball retired, he was regarded as the Army's premier artillerist. His 1880 instruction book, Manual Of Heavy Artillery Service, served for decades as the army's guidebook to artillery strategy and operations. Tidball was appointed brigadier general on the retired list, April 23, 1904.
Personal life
John C. Tidball married twice. His first wife, Mary Hunt Davis, was the daughter of Lieutenant Jackman Davis, USMA Class of 1814. The two were married May 27, 1853, and had three children together: Virginia, John Satterlee, and Walton Caldwell. Mary died of complications after Walton's birth, in 1857.His second wife, Mary Langdon "Mamie" Dana, was the daughter of Major General Napoleon J. T. Dana. General Dana, only three years older than Tidball, first opposed the match, given the 20 years difference in age and life experience, but eventually consented, due to Tidball's excellent reputation and the couple's obvious affection. John and Mamie were married March 19, 1870, and built a family of their own: Sue Dana, Alfred Dana, Nora Langdon, and twins Mabel and William.
He died on May 15, 1906, at the age of 81 in his residence in Montclair, New Jersey, and was buried in the post cemetery at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.