Corporal Mathias Orr
Mathias Orr, Company D, 70th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Ninth plate tintype.
Sick Man's Odyssey
Mathias Orr, a 25 year old native of Hamilton County, Ohio, enlisted in Company D, 70th Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Cincinnati on September 10, 1861. The following Spring he took part in the horrific clash of armies at Pittsburg Landing on April 6 and 7. On July 28, 1862, a little more than three months after the battle of Shiloh, Orr was promoted to corporal but that lofty rank did not prevent him from being assigned to extra duty sawing boards in October.
It would appear that Orr was not destined for greatness. Sometime in the Spring of 1863 his health began to fail and, according to his company commander, Captain Charles Johnson, "...he continued to grow worse and weaker until he was unfit for active service in the field."
Orr was admitted to Washington General Hospital, at Memphis, Tennessee on June 9, 1863 where he was treated for gonorrhoea. Some records show that he was returned to duty on June 19, but other records indicate that he had only been transferred to the Post Hospital, Provisional Encampment, Fort Pickering near Memphis. Between June 19 and July 5 he was treated for intermittent fever; between July 5 and July 10 for inflammation of the liver; July 17 to 29 for chronic rheumatism; and from August 12 to 16, 1863 for intermittent fever again.
In September 1863 Corporal Orr was listed on a roll of officers and enlisted men of the regiment who were unfit for active field service but fit for duty in the Invalid Corps. The nature of his disability was cited as "chronic inflammation of liver (10 months)." His character while in the hospital was listed as "good," and additional remarks reported him to be "a good and brave soldier."
Mathias Orr was sent back to his home State where he entered the West End General Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 17, 1863 suffering from anaemia. On December 5, 1863 he was transferred to the General Hospital at Camp Dennison, Ohio for treatment of spinal irritation. On December 21, 1863, after nearly a year of ill health, Corporal Orr was transferred to the Invalid Corps. It was an unfortunate choice for a name because the initials were the same as those used by the quartermaster's corps to brand rejected materiel as "Inspected - Condemned." Many of the disabled veterans resented the implications that the initials had for them. A few months later, the corps of disabled veterans had its name changed to the Veteran Reserve Corps.
For the next nine months Corporal Orr served in Company F, 17th Regiment VRC, primarily performing hospital duty in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was discharged from the army at the expiration of his three year enlistment on September 16, 1864 still suffering from chronic diarrhea and derangement of the liver.
Corporal Mathias Orr
Mathias Orr, Company D, 70th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Ninth plate tintype.
Sick Man's Odyssey
Mathias Orr, a 25 year old native of Hamilton County, Ohio, enlisted in Company D, 70th Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Cincinnati on September 10, 1861. The following Spring he took part in the horrific clash of armies at Pittsburg Landing on April 6 and 7. On July 28, 1862, a little more than three months after the battle of Shiloh, Orr was promoted to corporal but that lofty rank did not prevent him from being assigned to extra duty sawing boards in October.
It would appear that Orr was not destined for greatness. Sometime in the Spring of 1863 his health began to fail and, according to his company commander, Captain Charles Johnson, "...he continued to grow worse and weaker until he was unfit for active service in the field."
Orr was admitted to Washington General Hospital, at Memphis, Tennessee on June 9, 1863 where he was treated for gonorrhoea. Some records show that he was returned to duty on June 19, but other records indicate that he had only been transferred to the Post Hospital, Provisional Encampment, Fort Pickering near Memphis. Between June 19 and July 5 he was treated for intermittent fever; between July 5 and July 10 for inflammation of the liver; July 17 to 29 for chronic rheumatism; and from August 12 to 16, 1863 for intermittent fever again.
In September 1863 Corporal Orr was listed on a roll of officers and enlisted men of the regiment who were unfit for active field service but fit for duty in the Invalid Corps. The nature of his disability was cited as "chronic inflammation of liver (10 months)." His character while in the hospital was listed as "good," and additional remarks reported him to be "a good and brave soldier."
Mathias Orr was sent back to his home State where he entered the West End General Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 17, 1863 suffering from anaemia. On December 5, 1863 he was transferred to the General Hospital at Camp Dennison, Ohio for treatment of spinal irritation. On December 21, 1863, after nearly a year of ill health, Corporal Orr was transferred to the Invalid Corps. It was an unfortunate choice for a name because the initials were the same as those used by the quartermaster's corps to brand rejected materiel as "Inspected - Condemned." Many of the disabled veterans resented the implications that the initials had for them. A few months later, the corps of disabled veterans had its name changed to the Veteran Reserve Corps.
For the next nine months Corporal Orr served in Company F, 17th Regiment VRC, primarily performing hospital duty in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was discharged from the army at the expiration of his three year enlistment on September 16, 1864 still suffering from chronic diarrhea and derangement of the liver.