FAQ: U.S. Civil War Military Service
(Excerpted 1/16/01 from the Gallaudet University Deaf Biographies Index database developed by Thomas R. Harrington, Gallaudet University Library)
Barnard, John Gross
May 19, 1815-May 14, 1882 American Soldier, military officer, author Had inherited deafness, leaving him hard of hearing. Born in Sheffield, Massachusetts; graduated U.S. Military Academy, 1833; served in the Army Corps of Engineers during the Mexican-American War (rank of Major) and in the Civil War (Major-General). Wrote many books on military engineering and military history. Reference: Dictionary of American biography, vol.1, p.626-627.
Berkeley, William Meade
July 4, 1838-June 2, 1900 American Teacher, soldier, military Born deaf; graduated from the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind. Served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, being wounded in action. Worked at the Staunton (VA) Spectator newspaper both before and after the Civil War. Teacher at the Virginia School, 1872-1900. Reference: Notable deaf persons, p.195-196; CAID proceedings, 16th, p.310-11.
Blount, John
fl. 1865 American Soldier, military, teacher Graduated from the Kentucky School for the Deaf. Served in the Union Army (state militia) during the Civil War, then became a teacher at the Kentucky School. His son was William Jacobs Blount ( q.v. ). Reference: Digest of the deaf, Nov. 1939, p.24.
Chamberlain, William Martin
July 13, 1832-Feb. 4, 1895 American Soldier, military, newspaper editor, teacher Born in South Reading, Massachusetts; deafened by measles at either 5 or 8; student at the American School from ages 10 to 14. At various times, was a sailor, carpenter, shoemaker, printer, newspaper editor, and teacher (the latter from 1875, at the Central New York School, Rome). Also managed to fake hearing and talk his way into the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, but his deafness was discovered during combat and he was discharged. Reference: Notable deaf persons, p.11-12; Gallaudet encyclopedia, vol.2 p.171; The frat, vol.35 no.4, Nov. 1937, p.3.
Chamberlayne, Hartwell Macon
Feb. 5, 1836-March 29, 1905 American Teacher, soldier Born deaf in Richmond, VA; teacher at the Virginia School; served without injury in the Confederate Army in the infantry, cavalry, and artillery; died at Staunton, VA. At the Battle of Newmarket, he ran into James Jennings (q.v.), an opposing Union soldier and prisoner-of-war who was also deaf. References: Notable deaf persons, p.37-38; The frat, Feb. 1938; CAID proceedings, 17th, p.176-177.
English, Henry Clay
Oct. 5, 1838-Jan. 9, 1889 American Teacher, soldier, military Born in Pike County, MO and deafened at an early age. Attended the Missouri Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb and the Illinois School for the deaf, completing the latter in 1860. Appointed a teacher in the Louisiana State School for the deaf until the school was forced to close its doors in 1862 because of the U.S. Civil War. He enlisted in the Confederate army and served through the end of the war. When the Louisiana School reopened in 1866, he resumed teaching there until moving to teach at the Missouri Institution. He remained there until his death. Reference: CAID proceedings, 12th, p.336-337.
Fischer, G.E.
July 16, 1838-? American Businessman, sailor, military Late-deafened. Born on his father's ship at sea; went to sea himself at age 10 as a cabin boy, rising to first mate of a clipper ship. When the Civil War broke out, joined the Union Navy. Lost his hearing in 1863 from "ship fever" and reassigned to shore duty until the end of the war. Took a position as steward and diver on his brother-in-law's ship postwar until 1879, when an accident damaged his health. Eventually moved to Omaha, NE and opened a wholesaling business. Married Angeline Ashby Fuller ( q.v.) Reference: Representative deaf persons [first edition].
George, James Goodloe
Sept. 8, 1825-May 2, 1876 American Editor, teacher, soldier, military Deafened at age 6 by scarlet fever; held various positions, including printer, teacher (at the Missouri and Kentucky Schools), editor, and bookkeeper. Was an enlisted private in the Unionist home guards during the U.S. Civil War; died at Danville, KY. References: Notable deaf persons, p.25-27; Gallaudet encyclopedia, vol.2 p.171; The frat, Aug. 1938, p.3; American annals of the deaf, vol.21 no.3, July 1876, p.195.
Jennings, James
fl. 1864 American Soldier, military Although deaf, served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. When he was captured at the Battle of Newmarket (Va.), he met Hartwell M. Chamberlayne, a deaf Confederate soldier whom he had known in New York City before the war. Reference: The frat, Feb. 1939, p.3.
King, Robert Heber
March 12, 1840-? American Soldier?, military, insurance agent Born at Lexington, KY and attended the Kentucky Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, graduating in 1859. Served in the Army during and after the American Civil War, but it is not clear whether he actually served as a soldier or only in a civilian support position. He served several generals and other high-ranking officers until 1871, when he was furloughed due to cuts in the size of the Army. After a short time in business, he went into the insurance business, in which he was very successful. Also served as a notary public and as a director of the Kentucky School. Married Belle Beard. References: Representative deaf persons [first edition], p.78-79; Peeps into the deaf world, p.184-185; Benefits of education to the deaf, p.13; Representative deaf persons [second edition], p.93-95.
M'Farland, James H.
July 7, 1829-Dec. 12, 1901 American Soldier, military Born deaf at Louisville, MO; student at the Illinois and Missouri Schools for the deaf, 1857 to sometime in the 1860s. During the American Civil War, was a dispatch carrier for the Confederate army; post-war, held various jobs. Reference: CAID proceedings, 16th, p.325.
Oppenheimer, Benedict
fl. 1865 American Soldier Not only deaf from childhood scarlet fever, but one of the very few Southern Jewish soldiers to join the Confederate Army during the U.S. Civil War, joining in Tennessee. After the war, he used to tell stories in sign language or pencil and paper about how his military company always picked him to fire the cannon because he was already deaf anyway. Reference: The Jewish Confederates.
Simpson, William
1842?-? American Soldier, military, farmer Lost his hearing gradually beginning in childhood; retained enough hearing to fool the military examiners and join the Union Army at the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War. After the war, inherited the family farm, making his two deaf brothers, Delos A. and James A., work on the same basis as the hired hands. Reference: Notable deaf persons, p.153.
Yeager, John H.
fl. 1865 American Soldier, military Graduate of the Kentucky School for the Deaf. Served in the Union Army (state militia) during the American Civil War. Reference: Digest of the deaf, Nov. 1939, p.24.
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Prepared by Tom Harrington
Reference and Instruction Librarian
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