Identifying Kentucky Civil War Soldier, Train Defender

Searching for the identity of an unnamed Kentucky Civil War soldier in a cherished family album led to surprising results. A handsome Union Army Captain looks out from the 1860s-era photo album passed down from Nina Rich Tomlin in Northern Kentucky. The soldier was not identified, but the back of the photograph reported that nationally renowned photographer William Southgate Porter had taken it in his studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, most likely in early 1862. (1)

A very faint inscription in an unusual artistic script on the first page of the photo album reads, “Mrs. Eliza Fisk, recorded by A. H. McCloud.”

A search on Ancestry.com revealed many Fisks in Kentucky, and several were named Eliza or Elizabeth. The 1860 U.S. Census for Falmouth, Pendleton County, Kentucky lists Eliza Fish in the household of W. R. Fish, a “master tobacconist”. Also in the household was 21-year-old Austin McCloud, a “tobacconist.” He was most likely an apprentice to Mr. Fisk. (Mistaking Fisk for Fish was an error when the record was scanned from print to digital.) (2)

Finding A. McCloud in the household with Eliza Fisk confirms that the beautiful 1860s photo album belonged to her. Additional research showed that Eliza’s husband was William Robert Fisk, who was born in Kentucky in 1824; Eliza was born in Kentucky in 1821. They married in 1848. (3)

Maureen Taylor, “The Photo Detective,” asserts “the first person in an old photo album is generally the most important individual to the owner of the album” (4) This suggests that the soldier in the front of Eliza’s album is her husband, William Robert Fisk. FindAGrave.com lists a Cpt William R. Fisk, with the correct birth and death dates, buried in the Wilmington Baptist Church cemetery in Fiskburg, Kenton County, Kentucky (near William Robert and Eliza’s farm). (5)

Civil War Comes to Northern Kentucky

In 1860, Kentucky had a Confederate sympathizing Governor, Beriah Magoffin, and a divided, but generally Union-biased, legislature, which led Kentucky to declare itself “neutral.” In early 1861, both Union and Confederate troops had entered Kentucky. President Lincoln called for troops on April 15, 1861, which only deepened the political conflict in Kentucky. In June 1861, a special election was held and unionists obtained a two-thirds majority in both houses of the Kentucky Legislature. They passed a resolution ordering only the Confederate forces out of the commonwealth, thereby ending Kentucky’s neutral stance. Union Regiments entered Kentucky from Ohio and other northern states and many regiments were formed in Kentucky.(6)

William Robert Fisk volunteered for the Union Infantry at Falmouth, Kentucky, on 13 October 1861. On 6 November 1861, Governor Magoffin commissioned him as a Captain in the union army. He was given command of Company C in the 18^th Kentucky Infantry Regiment, which was organized at large and mustered in at Culbertson Station on February 8, 1862. (7)

At first, the 18^th Regiment guarded the Kentucky Central Railroad between Covington and Lexington. This was critical duty as it and the L&N (Louisville and Nashville) railroads had been supplying the Confederacy. When Kentucky officially became a Union-supporting state, the railroads began transporting personnel and providing critical supplies for the Union forces. Ohio regiments were passing through Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky, Louisville and Lexington. A Cincinnati newspaper reported the destruction of a Kentucky Central Railroad bridge by Confederate General John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry.  (8)

The 18^th Regiment headquarters was at Falmouth, Kentucky, until April 16, 1862, and then at Lexington, Kentucky, until August 20, 1862. William Fisk’s Company C, moved through central Kentucky with the rest of the 18^th Regiment, They had affairs in Owen County, June 20-23, followed by operations in central Kentucky against  General Morgan’s troops July 4 through 28. (7) On July 17-18, Union soldiers and Home Guards were outnumbered four-to-one at Cynthiana along the Kentucky Central Railroad. The Union lost that battle. (9)

Prisoner of War

The 18^th Regiment moved on to another engagement at Paris, Kentucky, northeast of Lexington, on July 19. Then they moved south to Mt. Sterling on July 29. The 18^th Kentucky Regiment, including Fisk and Company C moved to Richmond, Kentucky, about 30 miles south of Lexington, on August 20. They fought in the Battle of Richmond August 29-30. The Confederates resoundingly won that battle and captured about 4,000 Union soldiers, including most of the18^th Regiment and Captain Fisk. (8) (9) (10)

Sometime during the next several weeks, William Robert Fisk was exchanged with other Union officers for Confederate officers. Captain Fisk wrote a letter from Camp Chase, Ohio, to Adjt. General Thomas in Washington D.C. to tender his resignation on September 18, 1862. Fisk appears on a muster roll for Company H, Second Regiment, Paroled Forces, at Camp Chase. (7)

Camp Chase was created near Columbus, Ohio, in 1861, for Union army training and recruitment. Camp Chase also served as a prison for Confederate troops and civilians who were Confederate sympathizers. By 1863, there were 8,000 prisoners at Camp Chase. Conditions were harsh, and hundreds died of smallpox in the winter of 1863-64. (11)

No surprise then, that Fisk would be eager to get away. He cited general poor health and lameness in his left leg as reasons for his desire to resign his commission. His letter was accompanied by a handwritten letter from Camp Chase surgeon Alex McBride. The doctor states that Fisk had been “laboring under general disability caused by fever, and also lameness of the left leg caused by the same fever. “ The doctor stated that he believed Fisk would not be able to resume his duties in less than six months. (7)

The final record in Fisk’s military service file states he was given 20 days leave of absence and his resignation was accepted by General Wallace, October 21, 1862. (7) Captain Fisk returned home to Eliza and his farm in Kenton County, Kentucky. He applied for a military pension 30 years later on 15 July 1892. (12)

What Happened to Eliza’s Photo Album?

William Robert and Eliza Fisk had no children, but he adopted his nephew and namesake William Robert Tomlin (son of Jeremiah Tomlin and Lora Alice Boone of Pendleton County, Kentucky), and named him his sole heir in his will.  (13). William Robert Tomlin and his wife Olive V. Rich lived on a farm at Piner in Kenton County, Kentucky. They also had no children, but raised her niece Nina Rich and left half their estate to her. (14) This explains why William Robert Tomlin came into possession of Eliza’s photo album and Nina Rich became the next owner of the book, even though she was not related to William or Eliza Fisk.

The lessons for family historians are:

1. Always identify people and date photographs.
2. Adopt a broader definition of “family,” to find relationships not revealed by direct lineage. You may discover some wonderful hidden stories.

Citations for Identifying Unknown Kentucky Soldier, Union Train Defender

1. William S. Porter in U.S. City Directories, 1821 – 1989 on Ancestry.com
2. 1860 U.S. Census, Falmouth, Pendleton, Kentucky, roll: M653_392; page: 431, Family History Library Film: 803392, viewed at Ancestry.com.
3. 1900 U.S. Census, Davidson, Kenton, Kentucky, Page: 3, Enumeration District: 0129, FHL microfilm: 1240535, viewed at Ancestry.com.
4. Maureen Taylor, “A Revolutionary Trio, Eleazer Blake (podcast) at the website, The Photo Detective, https://maureentaylor.com/a-revolutionary-trio/
5. S. Find a Grave Index, Cpt. W. R. Fisk, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182683643, viewed on Ancestry.com.
6. “Beriah Magoffin,” Wikipedia article, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriah_Magoffin
7. S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865, National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the AGO, 1780s-1917; Record Group #: 94; Series Number: M397; Roll #: 0311, viewed on Ancestry.com
8. John Boh, “Local Civil War Supply Lines,” Bulletin of the Kenton County Historical Society (September/October 2012), 6-7
9. “Union Kentucky Volunteers, 18^th Regiments, Kentucky Infantry”, Civil War, Battle Unit Details, on the National Park Service website https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UKY 0018RI
10. “Battle of Richmond, Ky., August 29-30, 1862, on the website American Battlefield Trust at hppts://www/battlefields.org/maps/battle-richmond-august-29-30-1862
11. “Camp Chase,” Ohio History Connection, Ohio History Central website, ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Camp_Chase
12. The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Record Group Title: Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 1773 – 2007; Record Group Number: 15; Series Title: S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934; Series Number: T288
13. Kenton County, Kentucky, Clerk of the County Court, Probate, Kenton County Will Books Vol. 11-12, 1895-1915, Record for William Robert Fisk, 497-498.
14. Kenton County, Kentucky, Clerk of the County Court, Probate, Will Book No. 3 from 9-27-1936 to 5-23-1962, Record for William Robert Tomlin, 26 July 1948, 193.