Azor Howitt Nickerson

He enrolled in Company I, 8th Ohio Infantry as 2nd Lieutenant at age 23 on 30 August 1861. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on 29 April 1862.

He was wounded by a gunshot through his shoulder in action at the Sunken Lane at Antietam on 17 September 1862. He was honored by brevet to Major for his actions on 17 September 1862 at Antietam (and later at Gettysburg).

He was promoted to Captain on 20 January 1863 after the death of Captain Allen. He was wounded in action at Gettysburg, PA on 3 July 1863, resigned his commission on 20 November 1863, and was appointed Captain in the Veteran Reserve Corps (VRC) the same day. He mustered out of the VRC on 19 April 1866.

He went into Regular Army service, being appointed First Lieutenant, 14th US Infantry to date from 23 February 1866. He transferred to the 23rd Infantry in September, and was Regimental Adjutant from 23 May 1867 - 8 July 1868. He was appointed Captain on that date. He was promoted to Major, and Assistant Adjutant General of 15 June 1878. He had extensive service in the West as aide de camp to Brigadier General George Crook and was Assistant Adjutant General of the Army in Washington, DC. He retired 28 June 1882.

He sent his 2nd wife abroad and attempted to divorce her while she was gone to marry her dressmaker, but she returned and sued to stop him (1883). The case eventually reached the US Supreme Court. He did eventually get the divorce, but the Army found his behavior in the matter unbecoming, and he was forced to resign in November 1883 - giving up his retirement.

He published Reminiscences of Antietam in Blue and Gray magazine in October 1893 (via GoogleBooks) and in 1894.

Service information from the State of Ohio1 and Heitman2. Personal details from family genealogists. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

10/23/1837; Litchfield, OH

02/08/1910; in VA; burial in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA