![]() Richard Napoleon Batchelder Major General, United States Army |
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Born
at Lake Village, New Hampshire, July 27, 1832, he entered the Volunteer
Service for the Civil War in 1861 and rose through the ranks to Brigadier
General on March 13, 1865.
After the Civil War, he remained in the Regular Army and became Brigadier General, United States Army, and Quartermster General, June 26, 1890. He remained unmarried. First Lieutenant, 1st New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, May2, 1861 and mustered out from that unit on August 9,,1861. Then was appointed Captain, Assistant Quartermaster of Volunteers, August 3, 1861 to June 8, 1865; Lieutenant Colonel, Quartermaster, August 1, 1864-September 5, 1865; Captain, Quartermaster Corps, United States Army, February 16, 1865 and was breveted Brigadier General for war service. Awarded the on May 20, 1895 for gallantry in action against Mosby's guerrillas between Catlett's and Fairfax Stations, Virginia, on October 13-15, 1863. He retired from the Army on July 27, 1896. He died on January 4,1901 and was buried in
Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster, 2d Corps. Place and date: Between Catlett and Fairfax Stations, Virginia, 13-15 October 1863. Entered service at: Manchester, New Hampshire. Born: 27 July 1832, Meredith, New Hampshire. Date of issue: 20 May 1895. Citation: Being ordered to move his trains
by a continuous day-and-night march, and without the usual military escort,
armed his teamsters and personally commanded them, successfully fighting
against heavy odds and bringing his trains through without the loss of
a wagon.
Brigadier General Richard N. Batchelder
Medal of Honor recipient Richard Napoleon Batchelder
was born in New Hampshire on July 7, 1832. At the beginning of the
Civil War he was appointed as 1st Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster
for the 1st New Hampshire Infantry on May 2, 1861. He then was appointed
Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster 2d Corps, Army of the Potomac (January 1863-June 1864) and participated in the battles of Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. While serving in this position he distinguished himself during actions against Confederate raiders between Catlett and Fairfax, Virginia, October 13-15, 1863. He moved his supply wagon trains by continuous day-and-night marches without the customary escorts. He armed his teamsters and fought off repeated attacks from Mosby's Rangers, bringing them through without loss of a single wagon. In 1895 he was awarded the Medal of Honor for these actions. He became Acting Chief Quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac (June - August 1964). Promoted to Colonel he assumed duties as Quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac until it was mustered out in June 1865, during this time he was involved in the siege of Petersburg and capitulation of Confederate forces at Appamattox. Promotions: He received brevet ranks of Lieutenant Colonel to Brigadier General in the Volunteers and Colonel of the Regular Army for faithful and meritorious services during the War. He reverted to the regular Army rank of Captain
assumed the positions of Assistant Quartermaster U.S. Army at the end of
the war. He served as Chief Quartermaster of the Military Division
of the Atlantic in Philadelphia (February-October 1865); Chief Quartermaster
Department of Kentucky (October 1865-January 1867); he was promoted to
Major on January 18, 1867 and assumed duties as Chief Quartermaster
Depot of Jeffersonville, Indiana (January 1867-January 1868).
He moved to New Orleans as the Depot Quartermaster (January-September 1868).
General Batchelder served as Chief Quartermaster , 5th District, Jackson,
Mississippi (1868-70); Assistant
He was appointed as Brigadier General and Quartermaster General on June 26, 1890 serving until July 27, 1896 when he retired. The Quartermaster Branch Insignia was designed at the direction of General Batchelder. General Batchelder was inducted into the Quartermaster
Hall of Fame in 1990.
![]() Photo Courtesy of the United States Army
![]() Courtesy of Ron Williams
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Updated: 24 September 2000 Updated: 18 August 2001 Updated: 14 March 2003 Updated: 15 January 2006 |
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