Civil War CDV Union Colonel Joseph Thoburn 1st West Virginia Infantry KIA
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:24983528 | Modified Item: No |
| Conflict: Civil War (1861-65) | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
Condition as seen. "Joseph Thoburn (April 29, 1825 – October 19, 1864) was an Irish-born American officer and brigade commander in the Union Army during the American Civil War. An accomplished physician and soldier from the state of West Virginia, he was killed in action in the Shenandoah Valley at the Battle of Cedar Creek.
Contents1 Early life and career2 Civil War service3 Death and legacy4 See also5 References6 Notes7 External linksEarly life and careerJ...oseph Thoburn was the son of Matthew and Jane Lyle (Crawford) Thoburn. He was born in 1825, in County Antrim in northern Ireland. That autumn, his father emigrated to Canada. In 1826, the family moved south to the United States and settled on a farm near St. Clairsville, Ohio, in rural Belmont County.[1] He was educated at the local school, and developed a love for books at an early age. As a young man, he taught school for several years before becoming a medical student, studying under Dr. Ephraim Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio. He subsequently attended Starling Medical College in Columbus, Ohio. He relocated in 1849 to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, where he briefly partnered in a medical practice before resigning to accept an appointment in Columbus at the Ohio Lunatic Asylum as an assistant to the chief physician.[1]
Because of political influences, he was displaced in 1853 and moved to Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), where he formed a private medical practice that flourished in the late 1850s.[2] He married Catherine "Kate" Ann Mitchell December 13, 1853, in Martins Ferry, Ohio. The couple would have three children, a son and two daughters.[3]
Civil War serviceAfter the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in April 1861, the following month Thoburn enlisted as the surgeon of the 1st Virginia Infantry, a three-months regiment under Col. Benjamin F. Kelley. He accompanied his regiment in the Battle of Philippi, where his patients included a wounded Colonel Kelley.
In August 1861, the regiment was mustered out of service. Most of the men reenlisted in the reorganized 1st Virginia Infantry, a three-years regiment. With Kelley still out with his wound, Thoburn was commissioned as the colonel of the regiment. He led the command in numerous small battles and engagements in what became West Virginia and also in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862 and 1863. The following year, he assumed command of a division in the VIII Corps and fought in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the army of Philip Sheridan.
During the Battle of Opequon or Third Winchester, as the XIX Corps was reorganizing its lines, Thoburn's division came up from reserve and took position at the edge of a woods. Sheridan soon arrived and directed Thoburn to move forward as soon as the other division of the Eighth Corps was ready. About 3 p.m. "a mighty battle yell, " from the other side of Red Bud Run announced the arrival of those troops. The Union lines advanced, and, as one participant recalled, "For thirty minutes the battle that ensued was perfectly terrific, but then the forces in our front gave way, and in an instant we were over their works, and after them with yells and shouts of victory."[4]
Death and legacyOn October 19, 1864, Joseph Thoburn was killed in action during the Battle of Cedar Creek, a Union victory. His corps commander, Maj. Gen. George Crook, reported, "I am pained to report the death of Col. Joseph Thoburn, commanding First Division, and Capt. Philip G. Bier, assistant adjutant-general on my staff. Both fell mortally wounded while rallying the men. Brave, efficient, and ever conspicuous for their gallantry on the field of battle, in them the country sustained a loss not easily repaired."[5]
A biographer later wrote, "Dr. Thoburn was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men, as a man full of kindness and benevolence, and of undoubted bravery and patriotism. As a physician, he possessed very clever attainments, with a high sense of professional honor."[2]
Thoburn's body was taken to Wheeling for a large public funeral. It was taken with a military escort to Mt. Wood Cemetery with a public procession including city officers, council, medical faculty, military escort and many citizens.[2] His widow died in 1886 and was buried beside him."Vol. I, pages 580-581. Brant & Fuller, 1890.
Joseph Thoburn was the son of Matthew and Jane Thoburn, and was born in 1825, in county Antrim, Ireland. In the fall of the same year his father emigrated to Canada, and settled the next year on a farm in Belmont county, near St. Clairsville, Ohio. Joseph's advantages for an education were here very limited, being only such as might be acquired in the county log school-house of that neighborhood, but his desire for books and learning was early developed, and his industry fitted him at an early age to embark in the business of teaching school, to acquire the means of prosecting more advanced and expensive studies. After teaching for several years, he entered the office of Dr. Ephraim Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio, as a medical student, and subsequently attended medical lectures, at Starling Medical college, Columbus, Ohio. In 1849 he located at Brownsville, Penn., where he formed a partnership, which was dissolved by his appointment, in 1850, as an assistant to Dr. Aul, of the Ohio Lunatic asylum. Being displaced by political influence in 1853, he then moved to Wheeling, and continued his practice until May, 1861, when he was commissioned as surgeon of the First Virginia regiment, under Col. B. F. Kelley, in the three months' service. He accompanied his regiment, and was in the battle of Phillipi, attending Col. Kelley, who was wounded in that engagement. In August, 1861, under a reorganization of the First Virginia regiment, he was commissioned colonel, and led his regiment in the numerous battles fought in the valley of Virginia, until he was killed in the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, being in his fortieth year. Dr. Thoburn was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men, as a man full of kindness and benevolence, and of undoubted bravery and patriotism. As a physician, he possessed very clever attainments, with a high sense of professional honor. His body was brought to this city, and followed to Mt. Wood cemetery by a public procession, composed of our city officers, council, medical faculty, military escort, and a large concourse of citizens.
Contents1 Early life and career2 Civil War service3 Death and legacy4 See also5 References6 Notes7 External linksEarly life and careerJ...oseph Thoburn was the son of Matthew and Jane Lyle (Crawford) Thoburn. He was born in 1825, in County Antrim in northern Ireland. That autumn, his father emigrated to Canada. In 1826, the family moved south to the United States and settled on a farm near St. Clairsville, Ohio, in rural Belmont County.[1] He was educated at the local school, and developed a love for books at an early age. As a young man, he taught school for several years before becoming a medical student, studying under Dr. Ephraim Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio. He subsequently attended Starling Medical College in Columbus, Ohio. He relocated in 1849 to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, where he briefly partnered in a medical practice before resigning to accept an appointment in Columbus at the Ohio Lunatic Asylum as an assistant to the chief physician.[1]
Because of political influences, he was displaced in 1853 and moved to Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), where he formed a private medical practice that flourished in the late 1850s.[2] He married Catherine "Kate" Ann Mitchell December 13, 1853, in Martins Ferry, Ohio. The couple would have three children, a son and two daughters.[3]
Civil War serviceAfter the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in April 1861, the following month Thoburn enlisted as the surgeon of the 1st Virginia Infantry, a three-months regiment under Col. Benjamin F. Kelley. He accompanied his regiment in the Battle of Philippi, where his patients included a wounded Colonel Kelley.
In August 1861, the regiment was mustered out of service. Most of the men reenlisted in the reorganized 1st Virginia Infantry, a three-years regiment. With Kelley still out with his wound, Thoburn was commissioned as the colonel of the regiment. He led the command in numerous small battles and engagements in what became West Virginia and also in the Shenandoah Valley in 1862 and 1863. The following year, he assumed command of a division in the VIII Corps and fought in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the army of Philip Sheridan.
During the Battle of Opequon or Third Winchester, as the XIX Corps was reorganizing its lines, Thoburn's division came up from reserve and took position at the edge of a woods. Sheridan soon arrived and directed Thoburn to move forward as soon as the other division of the Eighth Corps was ready. About 3 p.m. "a mighty battle yell, " from the other side of Red Bud Run announced the arrival of those troops. The Union lines advanced, and, as one participant recalled, "For thirty minutes the battle that ensued was perfectly terrific, but then the forces in our front gave way, and in an instant we were over their works, and after them with yells and shouts of victory."[4]
Death and legacyOn October 19, 1864, Joseph Thoburn was killed in action during the Battle of Cedar Creek, a Union victory. His corps commander, Maj. Gen. George Crook, reported, "I am pained to report the death of Col. Joseph Thoburn, commanding First Division, and Capt. Philip G. Bier, assistant adjutant-general on my staff. Both fell mortally wounded while rallying the men. Brave, efficient, and ever conspicuous for their gallantry on the field of battle, in them the country sustained a loss not easily repaired."[5]
A biographer later wrote, "Dr. Thoburn was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men, as a man full of kindness and benevolence, and of undoubted bravery and patriotism. As a physician, he possessed very clever attainments, with a high sense of professional honor."[2]
Thoburn's body was taken to Wheeling for a large public funeral. It was taken with a military escort to Mt. Wood Cemetery with a public procession including city officers, council, medical faculty, military escort and many citizens.[2] His widow died in 1886 and was buried beside him."Vol. I, pages 580-581. Brant & Fuller, 1890.
Joseph Thoburn was the son of Matthew and Jane Thoburn, and was born in 1825, in county Antrim, Ireland. In the fall of the same year his father emigrated to Canada, and settled the next year on a farm in Belmont county, near St. Clairsville, Ohio. Joseph's advantages for an education were here very limited, being only such as might be acquired in the county log school-house of that neighborhood, but his desire for books and learning was early developed, and his industry fitted him at an early age to embark in the business of teaching school, to acquire the means of prosecting more advanced and expensive studies. After teaching for several years, he entered the office of Dr. Ephraim Gaston, of Morristown, Ohio, as a medical student, and subsequently attended medical lectures, at Starling Medical college, Columbus, Ohio. In 1849 he located at Brownsville, Penn., where he formed a partnership, which was dissolved by his appointment, in 1850, as an assistant to Dr. Aul, of the Ohio Lunatic asylum. Being displaced by political influence in 1853, he then moved to Wheeling, and continued his practice until May, 1861, when he was commissioned as surgeon of the First Virginia regiment, under Col. B. F. Kelley, in the three months' service. He accompanied his regiment, and was in the battle of Phillipi, attending Col. Kelley, who was wounded in that engagement. In August, 1861, under a reorganization of the First Virginia regiment, he was commissioned colonel, and led his regiment in the numerous battles fought in the valley of Virginia, until he was killed in the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19, 1864, being in his fortieth year. Dr. Thoburn was greatly beloved by his brother officers and men, as a man full of kindness and benevolence, and of undoubted bravery and patriotism. As a physician, he possessed very clever attainments, with a high sense of professional honor. His body was brought to this city, and followed to Mt. Wood cemetery by a public procession, composed of our city officers, council, medical faculty, military escort, and a large concourse of citizens.
