Thomas B. Reeder

A 20 year old laborer on his father's farm in Bowling Green in Clay County, he enlisted and mustered as Corporal, Company I, 19th Indiana Infantry on 29 July 1861.

He was wounded in the chest in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was wounded again, at Gettysburg, PA in July 1863 and was discharged for wounds on 7 May 1864. He enrolled again, on 20 February 1865 and was commissioned Captain, Company B, 149th Indiana Infantry on 25 February. He was promoted to Major of the regiment on 1 May 1865 and mustered out with them on 27 September 1865 at Nashville, TN.

By 1870 he had his own farm in Prairie Township, Henry County, IN. The Antietam bullet remained in his chest until he finally had surgery to remove it in 1904. He was living in Benton Harbor, MI by the time of his death the following year at about age 75.

His service from the Adjutant General,1 who says he was wounded on South Mountain rather than Antietam in 1862. Thanks to Phil Harris for the pointer to Reeder and to the Elwood (IN) Call Leader of 8 June 1904, source of the story about his surgery. Personal details from his death notice in the Call-Leader of 18 November 1905 and the US Census of 1860 and 1870. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Ruth Mellett (1844-1920) in December 1865 and they had 5 children. Two of his four sons fought in the Spanish-American War and one was killed there.

1840 in IN

11/17/1905; Benton Harbor, MI; burial in Crystal Springs Cemetery, Benton Harbor, MI