The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-07
OLD RECORDS REVELATION
TO GENERAL ORAN PERRY
War Papers of Gov. Morton Show
that His Superiors Requested
Promotion Over Their Heads.
TO COLONEL
Private and Officer Joined in Re-
quest, Which Placed Indianapo-
lis Man in Unique Position.

While delving into war records. yellow
with age. Adjutant General John r. Ward
last week made a discovery which has
caused much surprise among military men.
Over four decades ago, General Oran
Perry was an adjutant in the Sixty-ninth
Indiana Volunteer Infantry and was the
most capable as well as the most youth
full officer in the regiment. He was pro-
NOTED by orders of Governor o. p. Morton
to the lieutenant colonelcy. and until Cen
eral Wards discovery. did not know that
this promotion was at the request of his
superior officers.
The letters TO Governor Morton. request
ing this promotion, are now in General
Perrys possession.
They show his position to be unique in
the United States military annals.
He had served with the Sixteenth Indiana
from April 10, 1861, to May 16 1862, as pri-
vate and sergeant major, and was pro-
NOTED to adjutant of the Sixty-ninth In
diana, then forming at Camp Wayne, Rich
mOnd.
The colonel. lieutenant colonel and major
of the new regiment, having seen no serv-
ice whatever, the organization, drill and
discipline of the regiment devolved on Ad-
jutant Perry.
About the middle of August and with an
experience of only six weeks in camp, the
regiment was ordered to Kentucky, the
colonel remaining at home.
a day or two before the battle of Rich
mond, KY, an Ohio colonel was detailed
to command but on the morning of the
fight he disappeared and was not seen
again until the next day.
ADJUTANT IN COMMAND.
On account of his inexperience the lieu
tenant colonel turned over the command
to the adjutant and under his direction
was made the famous march from the right
to repel an attack on the left across a
third of mile of open fields. under gall
ing fire of infantry and artillery, and which
was so lavishy headlned and praised by
the newspapers of that day.
The result Of the day was a loss to the
regiment Of about 20 per cent. Of its
strength in killed and wounded, the lieu
tenant colonel, major and adjutant among
the latter, and the capture of the rest.
The regiment was exchanged and as
sembled again at Richmond. The colonel
resigned, and headed by the lieutenant
colonel. Job Stout large majority of the
officers and nearly all OF the enlisted men
joined in a petition to Governor Morton
to promote Adjutant Perry to the colonelcy.
This failed only because the Governor had
already rendered the position to Major I.
w. Bennett. of the Twenty-sixth, who &C
On Jan. 81, 1868. Lieutenant Colonel Stout
resigned. and again the officers petitioned
for the advancement of the adjutant to the
grade of lieutenant colonel. In this they
were ably seconded by Colonel Bennett,
who from Youngs Point, La, under date
of Feb. 10, wrote Adjutant General Noble.
from the steamer Gaty, as follows:
OFFICER is PRAISED
Perry is decidedly the best man and is
one of the best military men 1 ever saw.
He did more than any one else to organize
and discipline the regiment. He is the
unanimous choice of the officers and men
save two"
In letter TO Governor Morton of the
same date. he says: II recommend to fill
the vacancy Adjutant Oran Perry. I need
not recount TO you my reasons-I wrote
you a petition signed by all the officers
then on duty. Perry is the best man !
have and one of the best military men in
the army.
His services to me at Chickasaw Bluffs
and Arkansas Post were invaluable, in fact
all had. You told me you would promote
him-then give him to me where can use
him."
1t is fair to say that Adjutant Perry had
no knowledge of the petitions at the time
they were circulated and until the dis
covery of the papers in the adjutant gen.
erals office, he knew nothing of the petit
tions of the enlisted men.