J.W. Childs

Federal (USV)

Colonel

Jonathan W Childs

(1833 - ?)

Home State: Michigan

Command Billet: Commanding Regiment

Branch of Service: Infantry

Unit: 4th Michigan Infantry

Before Antietam

From Ypsilanti, he was appointed Major at the formation of the 4th Michigan Infantry in June 1861 at age 28. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 25 September, and to Colonel on 1 July 1862.1

On the Campaign

He commanded the Regiment in the Army Reserve at Antietam on 17 September, and in their brief action at Shepherdstown on the 19th and 20th, where they crossed the Potomac and captured (3-4?) guns of the Confederate rearguard under Gen Pendleton.

The rest of the War

He resigned his commission, and was honorably discharged 25 November 1862.1 He may have travelled to near Ft Myers, Florida, by May 1864, and may have resided there after the War.2

References & notes

The photograph above is part of one posted on the 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment website.3

Birth

1833 in MI

Death

Date not known

Notes

1 Bertera, Martin Nino, The Old 4th Michigan Infantry, Published c. 1999, first accessed 18 May 2006, <http://4thmichiganinfantry.com/>, Source page: /PenisonPages/C/Childs.html [AotW citation 506]

2 Hints of Childs' presence in Florida are found in correspondence from him to a Federal military officer at Ft. Myers in May 1864, and in a US Senate bill introduced for his "relief" in 1873 by Senator Conover of Florida. [AotW citation 507]

3 Original photo is a carte de visite at the State Archives of Michigan, Lansing.
Prince, David, 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Published 2001, first accessed 18 May 2006, <http://www.4thmichigan.com/>, Source page: /photographs.htm [AotW citation 508]

« Search for another Person