William Howard Castle (1840 - 1917)

Born May 1840 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Frances E. (Pratt) Castle — married 7 Mar 1871 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1917 at age 77 in Geneva, Ashtabula, Ohio, United States

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Biography

William Castle was born in Appalachia, in Ohio.

William Castle was an Ohioan.

Private William Castle served in the United States Civil War.
Enlisted: August 12, 1862
Mustered out: January 10, 1865
Side: USA
Regiment(s): Cos. K, A, E, 105th Regiment Ohio Infantry

William H. Castle was born in 1841 in Geneva, Ashtabula Co., Ohio.

Books

The Story of a Thousand by Albion Winegar Tourgée, pages 325-330, Appendices, published by S. McGerald & Son, 1896

William H. Castle enlisted into the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry on August 12, 1862 at age 22 and was made 1st Sergeant of Company K at muster in. He was promoted to 2d Lieutenant of Company A on February 20, 1863 and, later on February 18, 1864 to 1st Lieutenant of Company E, where he served until being dismissed on January 10, 1865 as a deserter.

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Here is his biography from The Story of a Thousand:

William H. Castle was born in Geneva, O., May 1841. His parents were from Connecticut, but removed to Ashtabula county, about 1830. His father was a skillful mechanic; carried on a foundry, machine and saw-mill business and built the first steam engine successfully operated in that county. The son grew up in the shop, attended the district school and Kingsville Academy. He enlisted in the 105th as a private; but was made 1st Sergeant; promoted to 2d and 1st Lieutenant, and finally dismissed for desertion, while he had in his pocket an absence of leave from the Department Commander.

After the war, Lieutenant Castle was for a time a clerk, in one of the Departments in Washington; studied at the Columbian Law School, graduating in 1869. The mechanical bent was too strong, however, and he went back to his business as a machinist; engaged in manufacturing for a time and is now, (1895) in charge of the metal work at Columbian Novelty co., of Northeast Pennsylvania.

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Here is the story of the questionable dismissal as written by Tourgée:

One incident of this march illustrates in a curious was the haps of war. On the 29th of September, Lieutenant Wm. H. Castle, then in command of Company E, received a leave of absence for thirty days, from the Headquarters of the Army of the Cumberland. On the next day the general order announcing the movement of the enemy to the rear, was issued by General Sherman, command the Military Division of the Mississippi. Among other things this order revoked all furloughs of enlisted men still within limits of the army, and “suspended” all leaves of absence which had been granted to officers still with their commands. Lieutenant Castle had just received his leave of absence and was still with his command. Throughout the whole march, his comrades joked him about his leave of absence; asked him how he was enjoying himself, how the weather was at home; and addressed to him all the good-natured raillery which an unlucky man is the recipient of when his ill-luck happens to have a ludicrous phase.

On the return march, the Thousand halted for some days at Kingston, Georgia; went into camp, were paid off and there was every indication that they would remain there for some time. Other officers who held leaves of absence similar in character to that Lieutenant Castle had , regarding the “suspension” as at an end, went to the rear. Castle was young, had little experience of the world to begin with, and small inclination to take life seriously. He had risen from the ranks in Company K; was a good-natured fellow, always ready for duty; had never been absent from his command except three days during his term of service, and had only once been under arrest. That once was for not preventing his men from filling their haversacks with ears of corn from an over-turned wagon in a train they were guarding during the starvation days of the Siege of Chattanooga. He was a trim, handsome fellow, and, his boyish appearance with some lack of firmness, were against him as disciplinarian. Colonel Perkins, who had been absent on leave, rejoined while the regiment was encamped at Kingston.

On the evening of the day the regiment was paid off, Lieutenant Castle went to the colonel’s tent to inform him that he intended to take advantage of his leave of absence, now almost a month old. Finding several officers there, he waited till they should go, before mentioning the matter, lest he should awaken their raillery. Presently, one of them had asked him, jocosely, how he enjoyed his “leave of absence.” “That is all right,” answered the Lieutenant, “I am going home on it, now that we have driven Hood off the lines and the cars are running again.” A shout of laughter greeted this announcement. He was told his leave was out of date; that he had lost his chance and would have to begin over again. “Well,” he replied,”I am going to try it anyhow.” Major Edwards said he would be “a fool if he did not.”

An engine was standing on a siding near the camp with steam up. After leaving the Colonel’s tent, he went and asked the engineer when the train would pull out? “I am expecting orders every minute,” was the reply. Castle hurried off to his quarters; packed up his traps; turned everything over to First Sergeant George D. Elder, and hurried down to the train. Only box cars were run on these military railroads, below Chattanooga, at least. Into one of these he hustled; wrapped himself in his blanket and was soon asleep. Morning came and the train was still on the siding. Several officers of the regiment came down and joked with him about his “leave of absence,” having stopped the train. About ten o’clock it started. Two days afterwards he reported to the headquarters of the Department of the Cumberland to which the Thousand belonged, in Nashville; presented his leave of absence to the proper staff officer, and had it dated and countersigned, stating the time at which he must report for duty. This was the usual procedure. Furloughs and leaves of absence were granted by the department commander; not by the general commanding the Military Division. So Lieutenant Castle went home on a leave of absence regularly granted and regularly endorsed by the only officer having right to grant such leave. A few days after reaching home he was taken sick; he forwarded a surgeon’s certificate to department headquarters, and his leave was extended twenty days. At the end of that time, he reported for duty and was ordered to meet his regiment in Savannah.

In the meantime, a curious by-play had been enacted in the camp of the Thousand. Colonel Perkins learned next morning that Lieutenant Castle was in the train bound North, and the adjutant reported him “absent without leave — left between two days.” The report was intended to mean no doubt, that the lieutenant was absent without leave of the commanding officer of the regiment, quite forgetful of the fact that he had the express leave of General Thomas, in his pocket. Col. Perkins when he signed the report has probably forgotten Castle’s statement of the night before, or did not consider it a sufficient notification of his purpose to use the leave of absence, which had furnished matter for jest for a month. He was not with the regiment when it was received and probably knew nothing of its real character. At all events, the morning report erroneously stated that Lieutenant Castle was absent without leave.

It was a very serious error. Colonel Gleason commanding the brigade, called this report to the attention of General Baird, commanding the division, who thereupon ordered that Lieutenant Castle be reported “as a deserter.” This was done, and for the first time, probably, in the history of any war, a man having leave of absence from the general commanding a department, was recommended for dismissal as a deserter. When Castle reached Savannah after the expiration of his leave, he was ordered in arrest and soon afterwards dishonorably dismissed as a deserter.

This is the story as told by Lieutenant Castle thirty years afterwards; confirmed by papers still in his possession, and also, as to its details, by more than thirty members of the regiment who were conversant of the facts in whole or in part. It happened just at the close of the war when the country was too much engaged with momentous affairs to have room to right the wrongs of a poor lieutenant. Almost every officer in the regiment petitioned for a reversal of this judgement — a judgement rendered without trial or hearing, and without allowing the accused even a copy of the charges preferred against him. But the authorities were too busy winding up the multitudinous affairs of a great war when it reached Washington to pay any heed to such a petition. So the years went by and a faithful officer still bears the stigma of having been a deserter.

Worse than that, during all that time, this officer, now a deserving citizen, has been unable to obtain from the War Department, even a copy of the charges against him! Over and over again, he has applied for it, and over and over again, he has been refused.

This country is a free country, so we boast, but no worse tyranny could be found in autocratic Russia than the action of the War Department in this matter. The writer laid a full statement of the case before the present Secretary of War, (1894-5), pointing out to him the injustice of condemning a man unheard and then refusing him even a copy of the charge against him. It was to no purpose. The only statement ever vouchsafed , in regard to the matter, was that “Lieutenant Castle was recommended to be dismissed on account of desertion, by Colonel Perkins, Colonel Gleason and General Baird.” It is not believed that Colonel Perkins recommended such dismissal. If he did, it must have been without knowledge of the facts. Such ignorance is not unreasonable considering the fact that he would have had only hearsay knowledge of a matter that happened during his absence from the regiment, and many have judged from the jesting allusions to it, that there was something irregular about the leave of absence itself.

However this may be, the curious fact is presented of an officer being dismissed the service without trial, without being permitted to see a copy of the charges against him, and branded as a deserter when every moment of his absence was actually covered by a leave of absence from his department commander. In the publication of this incident, in periodical form, some blame was laid upon Major Edwards. That officer promptly wrote: “If I was the cause of any injustice to Lieutenant Castle, no effort of mine shall be lacking to put the matter right.” Upon further examination, it was found that Colonel Perkins had returned to the regiment two weeks r three days before th incident happened, so that no responsibility attaches to Major Edwards for the unjust report made of his perfectly legal absence.

It is proper, also to say that the papers in the War Department were shown to Lieut. Castle in 1866, but he was not given a copy, nor allowed to make one. Through the influence of Major Edwards, Senator Cushman K. Davis of Minnesota has taken the matter up and it is probable that some time in the future this curious and unintended wrong will be righted.

Historical Catalogue of the Officers and Graduates of the Columbian University, Washington, D. C., 1821-1891, Aluni Association, 1891

Alumni of the Law School.

“Mr. Cockrell, from the Committee on Military Affairs, Submitted the Following Report. (To Accompany H. R. 4670), U. S. Government Printing Office, 1899

Items of note in this document are:

1. Letter to the governor of Ohio signed by Major C. G. Edwards and 18 other officers of the 105th supporting Castle dated June 8, 1865.
2. Affidavit of Surgeon I. I. Edson extending Castle’s leave due to sickness.
3. Affidavit of Colonel George Tod Perkins exonerating Castle.
4. The recommendation of the committee to pass the bill.

Siince William H.,Castle received his pension in 1890, it’s clear this bill and the Senate counterpart was successful.

The Report of the 30th Annual Reunion of the 105th Regiment O. V. I., 5-6 Oct 1905, page 10

… Comrade Castle was called up and said he learned a long time ago to obey orders. Said he usually sat on the back seat. His misfortune this time came from taking a front seat - that he was no talker you all know. Said he was going to stay tomorrow and get all out of this reunion possible. There is a feeling we all have for one another that cannot be described; a friendship formed during the march, the camp, the skirmish line and the battlefield that will last as long as we do. …

Newspapers

“Cleveland Daily Leader”, (Cleveland, Ohio), 15 Apr 1863, page 2

Ohio Military Promotions …

One Hundred and Fifth Infantry — … Sergeant William H. Castle to be Second Lieutenant, vice Busband, resigned; ..

<Note: No one named Busband served in the 105th. The predecessor was Patten Himtod who was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, Company C.>

“Western Reserve Chronicle”, (Warren, Ohio), 24 Feb 1864, page 3

Promotions in the 105th Regt.

In the list of recent promotions in Ohio Volunteer Regiments, we observe the following in the 105th: ...; 2d Lieut. W. H. Castle, 1st Lieut.; ...

“Cleveland Daily Leader”, (Cleveland, Ohio), 18 Jan 1865, page 4

WOUNDED, DISCHARGED AND RESIGNED — … First Lieutenant William H. Castle, 105th, dishonorably dismissed; …

Patents

• Patent US76712 Windlass Water Elevator, granted 14 Apr 1868
• Patent US163759A Clothes pounder - “The Eaton Democrat”, (Eaton, Ohio), 24 Jun 1875, page 1
• Patent US204713 Improvement in towel-racks, granted 11 Jun 1878
• US209957 Improvements in Clothes Forks, granted 19 Nov 1878]
• Patent US277229A Carpet Sweeper, granted 8 May 1883
• Car coupler - “Richwood Gazette”, (Richwood, Ohio), 12 Jul 1883, page 1
• Patent US304799 Carpet Sweeper, granted 9 Sep 1884
• Patent US346641 Carpet Sweeper, granted 3 Aug 1886
• Patent US366722A Head Rest, with E. C. Hart, granted 19 Jul 1887
• Patent US391118 Animal Trap, granted 16 Oct 1888
• Patent US507417A Animal Trap, granted 24 Oct 1893
• US512242A Car coupler, with George W. Cole, granted 2 Jan 1894
• Patent US601611A Bicycle, granted 29 Mar 1898
• Patent US604187A Bicycle, 1/2 assigned to THE GENEVA CYCLE COMPANY, OF GENEVA, OHIO, granted 17 May 1898
• Patent US624296A Handle Bar for Bicycles - granted 2 May 1899
• Patent US843517A Railway tie - “The News-Herald, (Hillsboro, Ohio), 14 Feb 1907, page 3
• Patent US873294A Railway tie - granted 16 Mar 1909
• Patent US915072A Railway tie - granted 10 Dec 1907
• Patent US955761A - Rail fastener - “The Daily Times”, (New Philadelphia, Ohio), 23 Apr 1910, page 4

Sources

"United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXSP-Y35 : Fri Oct 06 17:09:08 UTC 2023), Entry for Horace L Castle and Elizabeth Castle, 1850.

"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCG5-KD8 : Fri Oct 06 23:32:06 UTC 2023), Entry for H P Castle and Parmelia Castle, 1860.

"United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSMR-GP8 : 4 December 2014), William H. Castle, First Lieutenant, Company KAE, 105th Regiment, Ohio Infantry, Union; citing NARA microfilm publication M552 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 17; FHL microfilm 882,230.

"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6V6-5P3 : Thu Oct 05 00:33:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Herman P Castle and Sarah A Castle, 1870.

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XD4M-L2N : 29 September 2021), William H. Castle and Frances E. Pratt, 1871.

"United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ14-7WW : Fri Oct 06 11:08:36 UTC 2023), Entry for Wm. H. Castle and Fannie Castle, 1880.

"United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD53-9KZ : 13 March 2018), William H Castle, 1890.

"United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K835-KV4 : 11 March 2018), William H Castle, 1890; citing NARA microfilm publication M123 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 338,233.

"New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JX9W-WM9 : 2 March 2021), William H. Castle, 1894. Cabin, ship Paris, from Southampton.

"United States Census, 1910", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ML8K-FQ9 : Tue Oct 03 22:12:42 UTC 2023), Entry for Wm H Castle and Francis Castle, 1910.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141112206/william-howard-castle: accessed 16 May 2023), memorial page for William Howard Castle (May 1840–23 Nov 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 141112206, citing Evergreen Cemetery, Geneva, Ashtabula County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Gregory Square (contributor 47457179).