A CIVIL WAR SURGEON COURT-MARTIALED FOR HELPING HIS TROOPS

By: Joseph DeGiovanni

A Presentation For:

The Fourth Annual Meeting

of the Westernport Heritage Society, Westernport, Maryland

November 10, 2009

PAGE

I. INTRODUCTION 2

II. CIVIL WAR HISTORY 2

III. 74TH

REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS 5

IV. CIVIL WAR MEDICAL CONDITIONS 6

V. A CIVIL WAR SURGEON 8

VI. DR. PILLICHODY & FAMILY - POST WAR YEARS 9

VII. GENEALOGY 10

I. 11

II. 12

APPENDIX:

F. PILLICHODY, LETTERS 12-14

ARMY of the POTOMAC, STRUCTURE/STAFF 15

USA & CSA ARMY STRUCTURE COMPARED 16

GETTYSBURG MONUMENT, 74TH

REGIMENT 17

GETTYSBURG MONUMENT, 1ST

BRIG/3RD

D/11TH

C. 18

II. CIVIL WAR HISTORY

III. 74th REGIMENT, PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS

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V. A CIVIL WAR SURGEON

Franz (Francois or Francis) Pillichody was born in Germany 1820, obtained

medical and surgical training in France during the mid 1840’s, married Louisa

Staub in 1849, immigrated to the United States, March 1851 and set up a medical

practice on the South Side of Pittsburgh later in 1851. Dr. Pillichody joined the

35th

Regiment, PA Volunteers in Pittsburgh at

Fort Wilkins and mustered into the 35th

Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers in

Washington D.C., September 30, 1861 with rank

of Doctor. When the 35th

regiment became the

74th

regiment, his rank changed to Surgeon in

January, 1862, and on December 12, 1862,

became Surgeon in Chief, 3rd

Div., 11th

Corp.,

Army of the Potomac.

During operations in Northern Virginia in

January, 1863, Dr. Pillichody performed 20

amputations in one night. His wounded troops

were in such dire straights, that in order to

obtain morphine for them, he broke into the

medical dispensary because he could not locate the quartermaster. Because the

quartermaster was the only soldier authorized to dispense medicine, Dr. Pillichody

was Court Martialed for violating Army Regulations. He continued his service

during Court Martial proceedings which were conducted between January and

June, 1863, between his superior officers and the Army Legal and Medical staffs in

Washington. He was exonerated of all charges in July, 1863.

Dr. Pillichody was promoted to Major-Surgeon, September 1863. Due to illness as

a result of exposure during the winter of 1863-64, Major-Surgeon Pillichody was

unable to fulfill all of his duties, and on January 28-30, 1864, he was examined and

deemed unfit for continued service. He submitted a formal request for resignation

from active duty and his resignation was accepted by special order No. 42, Army

Department South, Hilton Head S.C., February 4, 1864. Dr. Pillichody returned to

his medical practice in Pittsburgh and was officially mustered out of the service

August 29, 1865, in Clarksburg, West Virginia. A chronology of his life is

summarized in Table II.

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TABLE I. 74th

Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Tours of Duty

DATE LOCATION DUTY

9/30/61 – 2/28/1862 Washington & vicinity Defend Capitol

3/10 – 24 Fairfax, VA Operations/Skirmish

4/6 – 5/11 Petersburg, WV Operations/Skirmish

May-June Shenandoah Valley Operations/Skirmish

6/8 Cross Keys Operations/Skirmish

7/7 – 8/8 Sperryville Operations/Skirmish

8/16 – 9/2 Pope’s Campaign, Northern VA Battle

8/22 Hazel Run Operations/Skirmish

8/29 Groveton Operations/Skirmish

8/30 Bull Run Battle

Sept – Nov Washington Defend Capitol

11/1 – 19 Centreville Operations/Skirmish

12/9 – 16 Fredericksburg Operations/Skirmish

1/20/1863 “Mud march” Operations/Skirmish

Feb – April 27 Stafford, VA Operations/Skirmish

4/27 – 5/6 Chancellorsville Campaign Battle

6/13 – 7/24 Gettysburg Battle

7/5 – 7/24 Pursuit of Lee Operations/Skirmish

8/7 – 8/14 Folly Is., SC Operations/Skirmish

Thru Aug, 1864 Charleston, SC Operations/Skirmish

5/21–22, 6/30-7/2 James Island Demonstrations

8/17 Washington Defend Capitol

Thru Sept Forts Ethan Allen & Marcy Operations/Skirmish

Thru Mar 1865 West Virginia Guarding B&O Rail

4/8 – 7/31 Beverly, Clarksburg, Parkersburg, WV Guarding B&O Rail

8/29/1865 Clarksburg, WV Mustered Out

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Table II. CHRONOLOGY OF DOCUMENTATION

DATE PRINCIPAL(S) EVENT

1820 Francois Pillichody Birth, Germany

1840 - 1850 Francois Pillichody Military & medical training, practice

10/1/1849 Dr. Francois Pillichody &

Louisa Staub

Marriage, Basil Switzerland

3/27/1851 Dr. & Mrs. Pillichody Re-marriage, NY, immigration laws

1851 Dr. & Mrs. Pillichody Moved to Pgh, set up medical practice

4/12/1861 USA & CSA Attack on Ft. Sumpter, start of war

1861 Abraham Lincoln Request for 75,000 troops from USA

9/14/1861 Dr. Francois Pillichody Reported to Camp Wilkins, 35th

Pa. Vols.

9/30/1861 Dr. Francois Pillichody Mustered in, Washington, D.C.

Jan-Feb,

1862

Dr. Francois Pillichody 74th

Reg. Pa. Vols., Army of the Potomac

12/18/1862 Dr. Francois Pillichody Promoted to Major-Surgeon in Chief, 3rd

Div. 11th

Corps, Army of the Potomac

Jan, 1863 Dr. Francois Pillichody Operations in Northern Virginia, performed

20 amputations in one night

Jan-Jun, 1863 Dr. Francois Pillichody &

Army staff

Court martialed for overriding quarter -

master to obtain morphine for wounded

troops

Jun-July,

1863

Dr. Francois Pillichody Court martial exonerated by Army Staff

1/28/1864 Dr. Francois Pillichody Declared medically unfit for duty

1/30/1864 Dr. Francois Pillichody Requested superiors for early discharge

2/4/1864 Dr. Francois Pillichody Honorable discharge from active duty

8/29/1865 Dr. Francois Pillichody Mustered out of service, Clarksburg, W, Va

4/27/1870 Laura Pillichody Birth, youngest of four children born to

Francois and Louisa Pillichody

7/4/1874 Dr. Francois Pillichody Death from emphysema/pneumonia

4/18/1876 Louisa Pillichody, widow Request for copy of original marriage cert.

3/7/1878 Louisa Pillichody, widow Application for Declaration for Original

Military Pension

7/23/1890 Louisa Pillichody, widow Declaration for widow’s pension, Act of

June 27, 1890

9/15/1892 Louisa Pillichody, widow Pension granted, $8.00/month

Army of the Potomac

Corps - averaged about 10,000 men.

Division - usually numbered between 3,000 and 6,000 men each.

Brigade - numbered about 1,000 to 2,000 men each.

Regiment - Each brigade contained four or more regiments. Unlike the

Confederate Army, the Union Army put regiments in brigades without regard

to their state of origin. Thus, it was common for a Pennsylvania regiment to

serve in a brigade with two or three other regiments from different states.

Company - Each Regiment contained anywhere from five to ten

companies. A company generally contained about 200 men.

At the regimental level, Field and Staff officers would consist of the

following:

Colonel - One. Lt. Colonel - usually two.

Major - one or more.

Adjutants - at least one.

Quartermaster - one or two. Surgeon - one or more.

Asst. Surgeon - two or more.

Chaplain - at least one.

Sgt. Major - One

Quarter Master - One. Commissary Sergeant - generally only one.

Hospital Steward - generally only one.

Musician - As many as a dozen or more.

Typical company structure:

Captain

1st Lieutenant 1st Sergeant

Sergeant - three or more.

Corporal - ten or more

Private - the vast majority of the men in the ranks are Privates when they

enter service and privates when muster out.

ARMY OF THE POTOMAC ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA

74th Penna. Infantry German Regiment 1st Brig. 3rd Div. 11th Corps July 1st fought here from 2 p.m. until the Corps fell back. July 2nd and 3rd in line with Division in front of Cemetery.

Recruited at Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Mustered in September 14, 1861.

Re-enlisted January 1864. Mustered out August 29, 1865.

Present at Gettysburg 381.

Killed Officers 2 Men 8

Wounded " 4 " 36 Captured or missing " 2 " 58

Total " 8 " 102

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1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac

Located on Howard Avenue.

From the marker:

Army of the Potomac Eleventh Corps Third Division

First Brigade Brig. Gen. Alex Schimmelfennig

Col. George Von Amsberg 82d Illinois 45th 157th New York

61st Ohio 74th Pennsylvania Infantry

July 1. Arrived 1 P. M. and advanced to connect with the right of First Corps on Oak Hill but was met by heavy artillery and musketry fire and after being engaged between two and three hours and pressed closely upon the front and flank by superior numbers the Brigade was compelled to retire with the Corps at 4 P. M. through the town to Cemetery Hill. The streets and alleys of the town became congested with the mass of infantry and artillery and many were captured. The Brigade formed and took position on Cemetery Hill between the First and Second Divisions of the corps.

July 2. At 4 P. M. the Brigade was subjected to a heavy artillery fire converging on Cemetery Hill. At dark a sudden attack was made on the right and the Brigade was sent to the support of Brig. Gen. A. Ames and returned after midnight except the 74th Penna. which remained under the command of Brig. Gen. Ames.

July 3. Skirmishing not engaged.

Casualties Killed 8 Officers 50 Men Wounded 20 Officers 276 Men Captured or Missing 28 Officers 425 Men Total 807

I. INTRODUCTION