Regimental Commander for the Union Side in the American Civil War

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Arthur Harper Grimshaw was the youngest son of William Grimshaw, the noted historical author, and his first wife, Harriet Elizabeth Milligan. During the American Civil War, Arthur apparently raised "his own" regiment for the Union side in Delaware and commanded it through the course of the war. 

Webpage Credit

Photos of A.H. Grimshaw with Officers

Obituary Records

Documentation of Civil War Service in the Official Record

Photo and Signature

Delaware Civil War Society Background Information

Arthur Harper's Last Will and Testament

References

Thanks to Hilary Tulloch for providing family history records that include obituaries for Arthur Grimshaw.

The photo in Figure 1 was found on the internet on the "Bits of Blue and Gray: an American Civil War Notebook" website. The website address is as follows:

http://www.bitsofblueandgray.com/DE4th.htm

Credit was given on the webpage as follows: "Photo used with permission of the Historical Society of Delaware."

Figure 1. Field and Staff Officers of the Fourth Delaware Regiment Infantry Volunteers, with Col. A.H. Grimshaw in center. The identities of the seven officers are given below the photo.

Standing, left to right: Adj. Lt. - William H. Cloward; Lt. Col. Charles E. LaMotte; Surgeon - Major D.S. Hopkins

Seated, left to right: Major Moses B. Gist; Commander - Col. Arthur H. Grimshaw; Quarter Master - Lt. John J. Toner; Surgeon - Lt. Linton Smith

This website also includes a portrait photo of Col. Arthur Grimshaw, which is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Portrait photo of Col. Arthur Grimshaw from the "Bits of Blue and Grey" website.

According to Hilary Tulloch's records, Arthur was "a lecturer prior to the war in the Hannah More Academy for young ladies, established by his sisters, the Misses Charlotte and Isabella Grimshaw, at the corner of Eighth and West Streets, in Philadelphia, in 1853." Arthur married Elizabeth A. Bailey on April 10, 1850, but they left no descendants. Hilary's records also include two obituaries for Arthur, which are shown below (citations have not yet been identified). 

DEATH OF COLONEL GRIMSHAW.

COMMANDER OF THE FOURTH DELAWARE REGIMENT DIED YESTERDAY.

Colonel Arthur Harper Grimshaw, M.D., died at his residence, 827 Washington Street, this city, at 4.30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. He had been sick for several months with a complication of diseases, and was under the care of Doctors Louis P. Bush, John P. Wales and Evan C. Shortlidge. Only the members of his family were with him at the time of his death.

Colonel A.H. Grimshaw was born in Philadelphia, January 16, 1824. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania of the class of 1845. After his graduation he became assistant resident physician of the Philadelphia Dispensary and physician to the Friends' Orphan Asylum for Colored Children, and also served as resident physician of the Philadelphia almshouse.

He came to Delaware in 1847 and began the practice of medicine at DuPont's banks. In January, 1849, he removed to this city and entered at once on a large and successful practice of his profession, in which he continued - afterward adding to it a drug business on Market street above Sixth - until 1861 when he was appointed postmaster of this city by President Abraham Lincoln. He was removed from that office in 1865 by President Johnson.

On June 7, 1862, he was commissioned colonel of volunteers, and appointed mustering officer to recruit the Fourth Regiment Delaware Volunteer Infantry for service in the war of the rebellion. The history of this regiment under Colonel Grimshaw's command is well known as that of one of the most gallant regiments in the Army of the Potomac. It was noted for the devotion of the commander to the interest and care of his men and their willing and daring services under his leadership. One of the first movements of the regiment was to Gloucester Point, Va., in the latter part of 1862, where it remained in camp for several months. One of the first efforts of Colonel Grimshaw was to put a stop to the killing of men on the picket line by the resident rebels of that vicinity. This practice was a dishonorable method of warfare disapproved by the colonel, and to stop it he gathered all the horses in the regiment and with a mounted guard visited all the farmhouses in the vicinity of the camp and told the people that if one of his men was killed on the picket line he would burn every building near the encampment. It is a notable fact that he stopped the shooting of pickets on his line and did not lose a man in that way. He not only cared for his men in this way, but saw to it that they did not want for food and clothing when it was possible to avoid it, and they knew without asking that he was always doing all that could be done to provide for them. He was also generous with his money and his purse was always open to the demands of his friends. He ranked high as a good and brave soldier. His abilities were soon recognized and he was made a brigade commander, serving in that position during the most of his term of service. His command took a chief part in the battle of Chapel House, Va., and distinguished itself at the battle of Cold Harbor. It was also in the attack on Petersburg, Va., and many others of importance. In the attack on Petersburg Colonel Grimshaw was wounded twice. He was wounded in the shoulder by a piece of a shell, and was shot through the right arm by a rifle ball.

In civil life Colonel Grimshaw served three terms as a member of City Council; was a member of the Board of Public Education for nearly twenty years and was at one time president of the board. He succeeded the Hon. Judge Hall as superintendent of common schools of New Wales county, and was a member of the Board of Health.

He was always deeply interested in educational matters and was lecturer in the Hannah More Academy for young ladies, established by his sisters, the Misses Charlotte and Isabella Grimshaw, at the corner of Eighth and West Streets, in this city, in 1853. He was also interested in the forming of a working-men's institute in this city at the close of the war, and lectured before it on many interesting topics.

He was a natural educator. His father was the author of a number of school books, among which was a history of the United States. A number of his books were at one time in use in the schools of New Castle county. Colonel Grimshaw was the author of two prize essays - one on the 'Use of Tobacco', and the other on 'Juvenile Delinquencies', which were widely read. He also re-wrote and published the history of the United States, originally written by his father.

As a physician he had few superiors. In the practice of his profession he was brave and unselfish. He was as untiring in the care of his patients as he was loyal in the service of his country. He was in this regard the friend of the poor as he was the friend of his comrades-in-arms. His gratuitous services as a physician will long be remembered by those who were fortunate enough to share his care and feel his kindly ministrations.

Colonel Grimshaw was a member of the Delaware Medical Society, of the Historical Society of Delaware and of the Grand Army of the Republic. Of the latter he was the first department commander. He was a member of Grant Post.

He leaves no family. His wife was the daughter of Joseph T. Bailey of this city. She died about seven years ago. The date of his funeral has not been fixed, and will not be until his brother William A. Grimshaw of Pittsfield, Ill., either has been heard from or arrives in this city. It will probably be on Wednesday.

A meeting of the Fourth Delaware Association has been called at the parlour of DuPont Post, No.2, G.A.R. for 8 o'clock this evening, to make arrangements for attending the funeral.

Dr A.H. GRIMSHAW, who died yesterday afternoon, was one of those men whose habitual frankness and bluntness of manner serve as spice for a gentle and loving nature within. If the truth was known it would probably be found that in almost all such cases of outward roughness and inward kindness the outward manner was originally due to constitutional timidity and tenderness. Such men assume a fierce manner in order to reassure themselves; and finally it becomes habitual. Dr Grimshaw's real nature was disclosed by his great kindness to the poor, whom he served freely and well, by the fact that he made friends and retained them to the end, and by his love for children. It was always evident, at the reunions of the old Fourth Delaware, of which he was colonel, that his men were unaffectedly fond of him and proud of him. Dr Grimshaw's life was useful. He served his country well and his community well. He was a clear man, honorable, just and sympathetic, and those who knew him will long remember his grim frankness and gentle heart.

Arthur's service in the Civil War is documented in no fewer than 47 places in the official records¹ of the war. The dates of these events, and their locations in the records, are shown below. A future update of this webpage will include a summary of each event.