A service card for William F. M. Wallick from the National Archives.
By the summer of 1862 the 13th Indiana had moved to Fortress Monroe, located at the mouth of the James River, and they begin to advance into Virginia. A special roll call was conducted on August 18, 1862, and William F. was found to be absent without leave (AWOL). He was placed under arrest and detailed to Alexandria, VA, by order of General McClellan. No explanation is given for this temporary assignment but it could have been a disciplinary matter due to his being AWOL. William F. did not returned to duty with the 13th Indiana until October 1st. (It is interesting that cousin Henry M. Wallick was also charged with being AWOL, however, he was able to successfully defend himself and was eventually exonerated). The records state that William F. was, again, placed under arrest in February and April of 1863. It is not clear if these arrests were connected to the AWOL incident of August, 1862 or whether they were new charges. War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies includes a report by Colonel Foster (commander of the 13th Indiana Regiment) that mentions William F. Wallick by name in regards to a patrol and skirmish he took part in on April 16, 1863, near Suffolk VA. There is only praise for all the soldiers in this report. But one week later, on April 25, it is recorded that William F. was, again, placed under arrest.
Being charged AWOL is a serious offense with the army. But if there were numerous other breeches of military regulations or discipline (indicated by his arrest record), it is no wonder he was court-martialed and finally dismissed from service on June 15, 1863.
If his story ended here this would be a sad account of a young man's military career cut short by court-martial and dismissal. But William F. believed himself wronged in the events that led to his dismissal and the military justice system eventually did restore William's rank and honor, albeit sometime after the war. William F. may have perhaps lacked self-discipline, but he was no quitter. He will serve with two more regiments before his military career has ended.
William F. M. Wallick with the 13th Indiana Volunteer Infantry
1861
MAY 1 The 13th Indiana is organized in Indianapolis, IN, for one year's service
JUN 19 The 13th Indiana is reorganized for three years Federal service.
APR 17 Occupation of Mt. Jackson After the Battle of 1st Kernstown the Union forces pursue the Confederate up the Shenandoah alley. There are small skirmishes throughout the chase. William F. and the 13th Indiana move to Mt. Jackson, which is 45 miles south of Winchester, VA.
APR 26 1st Arrest William F. is placed under arrest by order of his commanding officer, Colonel Robert S. Foster. Unfortunately, this is the first of four recorded arrests for William F. Wallick.
MAY 12-21 March to Fredericksburg, VA The Union high command is trying to balance the need for troops in the Shenandoah Valley and its ability to support General McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. William F. is on his way to support General McClellan but suddenly must return to the Shenandoah Valley because of a threat made by Stonewall Jackson.
MAY 25-30 March to Front Royal The 13th Indiana is marched back to Front Royal in response to General Jackson’s continued harassment in the Shenandoah Valley. There is an engagement at Front Royal, but William F. and his regiment do not return soon enough to be involved. Distant cousin Michael Wallick, of the 27th Indiana, is wounded and captured at Buckton Station in action related to this engagement.
JUN 9 Battle of Port Republic The regiment helps cover the retreat of the Union forces in this last battle of Jackson's Shenandoah Valley Campaign. They are not engaged during the battle.
JUN 29 – JUL 2 13th Indiana is moved to the
JUL 3 – AUG 16 Posting at
AUG 17-30 Moved to Fortress
AUG 18 A special roll call is taken and William F. is found to be absent without leave (AWOL).
SEP 1-30 2nd Arrest William F. is again placed under arrest, this time by Lt. Colonel Dobbs. He is then detailed (temporarily assigned) to Alexandra, VA. by order of General McClellan. It is unknown for what purpose he is detailed or if it is a consequence of him being AWOL August 18th.
OCT 3 Reconnaissance to
DEC 12 Movement toward the Blackwater River at Zuni Ford, VA.
1863
JAN 8-10 Expedition and skirmishing at
JAN 30 Action at Deserted House The 13th Indiana has a small skirmish at a deserted house north of McClenna’s Station.
FEB 3rd Arrest William F. is placed under arrest by Lt. Colonel Dobbs and this time it states he is to be court-martialed. As in previous incidents, the nature of the arrest is not recorded in his compiled service record. A thorough reading of William's obituary reveals that he had a drinking problem which lead to illness and an early death. It is the author's opinion that perhaps William's multiple arrests could have been alcohol related.
APR 11 Siege of Suffolk, VA, Begins The Union Army has occupied Suffolk, VA, for some time now and has established a strong defensive ring of earthworks and forts around the town. William F. and the 13th Indiana are in the middle of an arc on the south side of
APR 13 Advance on Edenton,
APR 16 There are only three references to anyone named "Wallick" in the mammoth government archive, War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (1880-1901). This publication has 128 books in 70 volumes with 138,579 pages. One report concerns "Libby William" upon his return to headquarters at Fortress Monroe, just five days after his escape from Libby Prison. Another is the reporting of Henry M. Wallick being killed in action at the Battle of Chester Station. And the third is William F. Wallick being mentioned by his commanding officer, Col. Robert S. Foster, in regards to a skirmish on April 16, 1863. It is a two-page report that gives an accounting of four days activities and included in the report is this statement; "On Thursday, April 16, a party of skirmishers, under Lieutenants Wallick and Conron, of the Thirteenth Indiana, were sent out. They exchanged a few shots with the enemy, but found them too strong to make any advance." The next day Lt. Conron goes out on patrol without William and he gets involved in a "sharp engagement", where he is mortally wounded and dies a few days later.
APR 25 4th Arrest William F. is placed under arrest again by Lt. Colonel Dobbs.
MAY 4 Siege of Suffolk Raised Confederate General George E. Pickett’s division has been the Rebel force opposing William F. Wallick and the Federals on the south side of the
MAY 9 William's commanding officer, Colonel Robert S. Foster, writes a report about the patrol William F. helped lead against the Rebels on April 16th. In the report the Colonel makes no criticism of anyone and has only praise for all soldiers' involved However, six days after this report is written, William F. is court-martialed and dismissed from the service.
JUN 15 William is Court-martialed “Dismissed [from] the service of the United States with a forfeiture of all pay and allowances by order of general court-martial, June 15, 1863.” With these words William F. Wallick is drummed out of the 13th Indiana Volunteer Infantry in disgrace. He returns home to Peru, IN.
William F. Wallick and the 109th Indiana Infantry
(The Indiana Minute Men)
1863
JUL 10 - 17 William F. has come home after being dismissed from the 13th Indiana and is immediately called back into his country's service because of a cavalry raid in southern Indiana by Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. Five Wallick soldier from Peru serve in the 109th Indiana Infantry from July 10-17, 1863. These "One Week Wallick Warriors" include William F, his father Christopher and three of his uncles, Jeremiah, Wesley and 59-year-old Benjamin. William is a 2nd Lieutenant in this regiment and it is unknown why he is given this rank, since three weeks prior he had been dismissed from service. The raiders make a quick but destructive exit from Indiana and move into southern Ohio, where the alarm soon passes for the Hoosiers. After only seven days in Federal service the 109th is disbanded. For more information and a map tracing General Morgan's raiders, see the "One Week Wallick Warriors" webpage.
William F. Wallick in the 151st Indiana Volunteer Infantry
and
Why William H. Wallick is an alias for William F. Wallick
William H. Wallick enlists as a private on February 5, 1864 and in ten weeks makes a meteoric jump in rank to sergeant-major in one promotion. Who is this Super Soldier from Peru, IN, who can make giant leaps of rank in a single bound?
Genealogical evidence records no such person as William H. Wallick living in Peru, Indiana, before, during, or after the Civil War. The only two Wallicks named William from Peru were "Libby Prison" William, 51st Indiana Regiment, and William F. Wallick of the 13th Indiana. Both were born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, moved to Peru, Indiana, when they were boys and grew up to become carpenters. One major difference between the two was that "Libby Prison" William, as far as we know, had no middle initial and was over eight years senior to William F. According to the enlistment papers for William H. Wallick, he also was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, lived in Peru Indiana, became a carpenter and was twenty-four years old, exactly the same age as William F. "Libby" William would have been thirty-two years old in February of 1865.
Given these facts, there seems to be no question to the real identity of William H. Wallick. William H. must have been William F.M. Wallick with an alias middle inital. The evidence seems conclusive, except for one thing. The records of internments at the Reyburn Cemetery, where "Libby" William and William F. are both buried, lists "Libby" William as being in the 51st and 151st Indiana Regiments. However, this author believes that to be an error in the records of the cemetery for these reasons:
1. "Libby" William had been a captain and company commander in the 51st Indiana Infantry. It is doubtful that he would go and re-enlist as a private in a new regiment, knowing the status and privileges he would forfeit as an enlisted man. If "Libby" William wanted to stay in the army, he had the opportunity to re-enlist with the 51st regiment as a veteran and an officer. He did not.
2. "Libby" William had been married for ten years, had a 4 year-old daughter and knew he was extremely lucky to have survived in and escape from Libby Prison. As bad as conditions were in Libby (which was an officers only prison), he knew the enlisted men just down the river on Belle Island had it much worse. William H. entered as a private.
3. We have a diary of "Libby" William, written in his own hand, and we have enlistment papers filled out and signed by William H. Wallick. The handwriting of the two Williams is quite different. William H. could not possibly be "Libby' William.
This volunteer enlistment application was completed and signed by William H Wallick. In no way does it resemble the handwriting in "Libby" William's diary. For a comparison of the two handwritings see William Wallick's diary on his webpage.
4. It seems more plausible that William F. might be the one to re-enlist since he left the army twenty months earlier under dishonorable conditions; perhaps he wanted to redeem himself. Accepting the rank of second lieutenant in the 109th, just weeks after being dismissed, shows a willingness to still serve his country and command men. His cousin, John W. Wallick, also from Peru, enlisted in the 151st at the same time as William F., and perhaps the prospect of serving together was a motivating factor in his re-enlistment.
5. When William H. enlisted in the 151st, he had to sign a statement swearing that he had never been court-martialed or dismissed from service. Maybe William F. thought it best to use an alias middle inital to help keep his army records slightly different.
This statement, filled out and signed by William H. Wallick, declares that the new recruit had never been court-martialed or dismissed before his term expired. If William H. is indeed an alias for William F, he lied on this form in order to re-enlist.
6. The strongest argument for William H. being William F. is that they have the same place of birth (Tuscarawas County, Ohio), the same residence (Peru, IN), the same occupation (carpenter) and are exactly the same age in all the offical records for both regiments. There is no historical evidence of a third William Wallick, who is of military age and living in Peru, IN, in the 1860s. It is difficult to believe that there is an "undiscovered" William Wallick with exactly the same age, hometown, background and experiences as William F.
7. It is likely the copyist of the cemetery records made the error. It is not known exactly when the internment records were copied, but it was definately sometime after 1943, which was years after the deaths of both Williams and their immediate family members.
One of the great curiosities about William H. Wallick's service is his leap from private to sergeant-major. This was not an incremental rise but he actually catapulted from the lowest rank to the highest non-commissioned rank after serving only three months in his regiment. This suggests a person with special circumstances and past military experience and William F. had both. Perhaps he was able to explain to his commanding officer that he had been unjustly court-martialed while in the 13th Indiana. If William F. was able to distinguish himself as a soldier in the 151st, maybe his commanding officer took the unusual step of jumping him from private to sergeant-major. This promotion is just one of many oddities in William F. Wallick's record.
William F. Wallick (alias William H. Wallick)
with the 151st Indiana Infantry
1865
FEB 2 William F. Wallick enlists as William H. Wallick at La Porte, IN. He has joined with cousin John Wesley Wallick, who is a private in Company D. William begins as a private in Company C but makes an astonishing leap in rank to sergeant-major ten weeks later. He receives 1/3 of his $100 dollar bounty upon enlistment.
MAR 3 William H. and the 151st Indiana Infantry are mustered into Federal service.
MAR 6 The 151st Regiment leaves for Nashville, TN.
MAR 14 – JUN 14 William H. has duty at Tullahoma, TN. guarding Union supplies and railroads. Tullahoma is an important railroad terminal in the mid-South.
MAY 15 William H. is promoted by Special Order #13, Regimental Headquarters, from private to sergeant-major.
JUN 15 – SEP 19 The regiment moves back to Nashville, TN, and has garrison duty there until they are mustered-out on September 19, 1865. William H. travels to Indianapolis, then returns home to Peru.
Epilogue- William F. (alias William H.) returns home after the war and marries Elizabeth Hagee on June 28, 1868. They stay in Peru, IN, and have two children, Maude, born the spring of 1870, and Pearle, born the summer of 1872. Unfortunately, William F. will not see this daughters grow past childhood, for he dies on January 16, 1873, just 12 days shy of his thirty-second birthday. The account of William F. Wallick's service in the Civil War is extremely complex and leaves many unanswered questions for the reader. From his obituary, he appears to have been a very complicated man both as a soldier and as a civilian. It is difficult to know what the long-term effects of his military service had on him. He may have struggled with issues of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for years. There certainly was no diagnosis, let alone treatment for the disorder 150 years ago. And from his obituary he apparently had problems with alcohol. But through his tangled story we can still see a patriot to the Union's cause and be grateful to him for his sacrifice and service when our nation confronted its greatest crisis.
This index card is evidence that William F. M. Wallick was offically restored the rank of 1st Lieutenant on February 24, 1897. The circumstances related to this retroactive promotion are unknown.
Obituary for William F.M. Wallick
William F.M. Wallick is buried in the Reyburn Cemetery, Peru, IN.
Comrades-in-Arms
Father
Christopher 109th IN
Uncles
Benjamin Jr. 109th IN
Wesley 138th IN
Cousins
William 51st IN
Charles F. 87th IN
John W 138th & 151st IN
Benjamin 162nd OH
Jeremiah 109th IN
Song- Lorena
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