Charles W. Temple Page 1

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Charles W. Temple

22nd US Infantry

Biography

Charles W. Temple - photograph taken when he was about 20-25 years old
( circa 1858-1863 )

FAMILY MEMOIR
Regarding Charles Wood Temple
or "Great Uncle Charlie"
by
his Great Grand-Nephew Carl R. Byron

Charles W. Temple was born March 7,1838; one of eight children; seven which survived into adulthood.
He was a younger brother of my great grandfather, Albert H. Temple, who was born in 1832 and died in 1920.

For some reason lost in the mists of time Charlie joined the Confederate army in July 1861.
Records conflict on his service; his gravestone states he was in the "1st Mississippi Brigade" while his published obituary (1908)
says he was with the "1st Louisiana Regiment."

His obituary claims he was a bachelor, however family records indicate that Charles W. Temple married a Miss. Ella Vache' in 1870.
She either passed away or they separated/ divorced rather quickly; for in 1875 Charles W. Temple enlisted in the US Army.
In 1897-98 Charlie, presumably while on Army leave, helped his brother, Albert Temple, build a family homestead
in the small Western Massachusetts town of Colrain. Albert had moved there in 1865 after having had his store in Falls Church, VA; burned out
or ransacked by forces of each side during the Civil War. Charlie's nephew; Roscoe W. Temple, Albert's son and a young man of about 20
helped as well. Roscoe was my grandfather and lived the remainder of his life in the home he helped build;
dying of old age there on November 6,1960.
Only one of the homestead's four upstairs bedrooms—Charlie's—had "Southern," or "hard" pine flooring, the others were plain soft pine boards.
He paid extra. [The lumber and other materials to construct the nine-room two-story house cost just under $5,000.
Of course the average laborer wage was $l-2.00/day].
Unfortunately, shortly after Charlie retired in 1904 he developed cancer of the throat or esophagus;
likely due to 40+ years of cigar smoking and drinking. He spent his last months more and more confined to his bedroom
before being taken to the local hospital where he passed away in 1908.

I was raised in the Old Homestead during the 1950's and first half of the 1960's.
I inherited the property in late 1973 and returned to it in 1974.
The house had been wired for electricity circa 1911, so needless to say it was in need of updating.
In the midst of that process in 1975 or 76 I lifted up a plank at the top of the attic stairs;
intending to toss electrical cable down between the stringers to start (re)-wiring the upstairs bedrooms.
To my utter amazement the bay between the two stringers was completely filled with turn-of-the-20th Century whiskey bottles
(corks, no screw tops) for almost three feet! There were 30-to-40 pint or fifth bottles; perhaps more.
Then it dawned on me. Charlie's brother—my Great Grandfather—was "Deacon" Temple.
He'd been a Deacon of the Colrain Congregational Church for decades and most proud of it.
And, Great Grandmother was a Charter Member of the Congregational Church's Women's Christian Temperance Union
(the signed circa-1880 charter is also in the "family trunk.").
Dumping his empty whiskey bottles under the attic floor rather than face his brother's disapproval
and sister-in-law's Righteous Wrath was most likely the "lesser of the evils" for Charlie—particularly as the constant pain from his cancer increased.

When in the Philippines circa 1900 Charles Temple wrote several letters home about that far-distant land.
When he returned to Colrain in 1904-or-05 he brought with him two pieces of highly embroidered and decorated cloth.
According to the family story, these two pieces were the ends of an altar cloth which he rescued from a bombed out church in Manila.
My mother, as a 6 grade schoolteacher, dutifully brought the cloths to class every year for over 30-years as she taught her students—
including me circa 1960 [it was a small town]—about the Spanish-American War.
I stumbled onto these cloths around 1990 and decided to take them to the fabric department of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
to see if I could learn anything more about them. When I returned to the museum to pick them up the archivist was clearly nervous.
Finally I said, "OK, What's the story?" He hesitantly responded, "I know your family history says these decorated cloths are Altar Cloths.
However, I'm rather embarrassed to inform you that the cut, design, and decoration of this material clearly indicate
they are part of a Flamingo Dancer's DRESS!!!!

After a long laugh I told the archivist to relax, I wasn't upset, in fact, I thought it was absolutely wonderful.
If Charlie was having a good enough time with a flamingo dancer in Manila at age 60
to end up with a couple of pieces from her dress, GOD BLESS HIM!!
My aunt, then in her 80's agreed. However we both knew that my mother would have been another story......

Sincerely,
Carl R. Byron

Below is a scan of the original newspaper article, as it appeared in the Greenfield Recorder in 1905,
announcing the retirement of Charles W. Temple.
Following the article is a typed transcription of its contents.

A VETERAN OF MANY WARS.
____________________________

A FRANKLIN COUNTY SOLDIER.
Served in Confederate Army, Fought Indians for "Uncle Sam" and Went to the Philippines—Ashfield and the Automobile
From Our Special Correspondent.
GREENFIELD, Saturday, June 17.

Charles W. Temple, a soldier of many wars, who is now at the home of his nephew, Clarence L. Brigham, at Elm Grove,
is a brother of the well-known in-spirational speaker, Mrs. Helen Temple Brigham, and of Dea A. H. Temple of Colrain.
At the age of 67 Mr Temple has laid aside the sword which he wielded for many years for the weapons of peace,
and looks forward to spending his days in Colrain. He enjoys the distinction of having fought on the losing side during the civil war,
and after that conflict had been brought to an end by the surrender of Lee to Grant, of donning the United States uniform
and serving his country in various regiments and climes until he was mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, October 18, 1904.
Born at Manchester, Vt., the son of Jabez Temple, who died at Elm Grove, Mr Temple enlisted in the 1st Louisiana regiment in July, 1861,
under Charles Dreux, the first confederate officer to be killed in the war. In the second battle of Bull Run,
Mr Temple's horse was shot under him, and his foot injured by the horse falling on it.
While pinioned down by the weight of. the animal, which he could not move, he heard some one call "Say, Johnny, can't you roll over here?"
It proved to be a Yankee officer whose knee cap had been shattered. As neither could move far enough
to join forces for making themselves as comfortable as possible, they were relieved to see a soldier approaching.
Mr Temple appealed to the newcomer for aid in rolling the horse off his leg, and the "Johnny" , wounded as he was in one hand,
managed to" "bring a rail and release his injured comrade in arms. The Yankee officer and Mr Temple then managed to get together
and make themselves more comfortable than they had been. Their good Samaritan, George by name, helped them, brought water,
covered them with a blanket, and brought some brush for shade.
The "Yank" happened to be Capt Gregory of the 20th New York, who died that night.
Before leaving, George kept looking wistfully at the wounded officer; went away a short distance,
and then returned as though drawn by some hidden, invisible force. Capt Gregory surmised what was in George's mind
when he asked to see his watch, a silver timepiece of slight value, but valuable in the sight of the rebel.
Finally he took the watch, after asking the owner what time it was, went away a short distance with it in his hand, came back,
handed it to Capt Gregory, took it again and walked slowly off, as though his mind were made up to keep it.
But George's inward monitor was ticking away like the watch, and he was uneasy in mind.
At last he came back and said: "Here, 'Yank,' take your d——d old watch, I wouldn't be tempted so again for $1000."
Mr Temple was picked up after a day or two by Virginia farmers, who lived where the Hackleys resided,
and he is acquainted with people Hugh Hackley of this town knows.

Above is Confederate money which was among the possessions of Charles Temple

Above are Confederate postage stamps which were among the possessions of Charles Temple

Following the fortunes of the confederacy
Mr Temple had interesting experiences, and while on the staff of Gen D. H. Hill, chief of the signal corps,
came into contact with many of the leading rebel generals like Jackson, Longstreet, Gordon, Magruder, and others.
He was for a time on the staff of Gen A. P. Hill, who was killed at the capture of Petersburg.
In the crucial battle of Gettysburg he was on the staff of Gen Carnot Posey, in Anderson's division.
In 1875 Mr Temple joined the 8th cavalry under Col Gregg in Arizona. For 10 years he fought Indians under various generals,
including Reno and Miles. While on the plains he met many well-known men, like Frederick Remington and Charles King.
Mr Temple has many recollections of Gen Charles Devens, under whom he served in Texas.
In 1899 he went to the Philippines with the 22d regiment, and re-enlisted after the expiration of his first enlistment.
When he retired he was first sergeant. His ancestors have been fighting men for generations,
and his brother, “Deacon” A.H. Temple has the queen's arm that their great-grandfather carried at the battle of Bunker Hill.
On the weapon are the initials of a British soldier from whom it was captured.
Now Mr Temple is passing the time peacefully in the happy valley at Elm Grove, and spends part of his time painting in oils.
He has gathered many curios in his travels. He is erect and soldierly in his bearing, and physically pretty well preserved.

**********************

Editor's note:

It is not known exactly when Charles Temple became a part of the 22nd Infantry.
Mementos in his possession regarding the 22nd Infantry are dated 1896 and 1898.
It is known that he served with the 22nd in the Philippines during their first deployment there, in 1899.
His grave reads: "Mississippi Brigade, CSA; 8th & 22nd Infy Reg, 1876-1904."
The dates "1876-1904" (which should read 1875-1904) show his time with the US Army,
joining the Army with the 8th Cavalry Regiment.
The inscription on his grave marker seems to indicate that when he was mustered out of US service
in 1904, he was still serving with the 22nd.

His service in the Confederate States Army is of historical significance.
He joined the CSA in July 1861, as part of LT Colonel Charles Dreux's 1st Battalion Louisiana Volunteers.
Commonly known as Dreux's Battalion, this organization consisted of the first volunteer companies to respond to Louisiana's call for troops
and was said to be made up of New Orleans finest gentlemen. In June, 1861, five Louisiana companies stationed at Pensacola, Florida,
were mustered into service for twelve months as the 1st Battalion, Louisiana Volunteers, with a sixth company added in July.
Charles D. Dreux was elected lieutenant-colonel of the battalion and served until he was killed in a skirmish on July 5, 1861.
Colonel Dreux was the first Louisianan and the first Confederate field officer killed in the war.

Serving as he did on several Generals Staffs of the Confederate Army must have given Charles Temple
an extraordinary vantage point of participation in the Civil War.
The "Mississippi Brigade" inscribed on his grave is probably a reference to his service
on the General Staff of Brigadier General Carnot Posey at the battle of Gettysburg.
Posey led a Brigade of four Mississippi Regiments from November of 1862 until he was wounded
in October of 1863, dying from infection of the wound a month later.

Joining the 8th US Cavalry Regiment in 1875, Charles Temple saw constant duty on the western plains.
The 8th was actively engaged in escorting wagon trains of settlers moving westward,
and in trying to control various native American tribes and bands in Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico,
and Texas between 1867 and 1888. In 1888 the regiment was ordered to march more than 2,600 miles
to its new regimental headquarters located at Fort Meade, South Dakota and station at Fort Keogh, Montana.
This was, up to that time, the longest march ever taken by a US cavalry regiment.

During the same time frame Companies of the 22nd Infantry were stationed in Texas, New Mexico
and Montana, and during this time Charles Temple and the 8th Cavalry would have quite likely
been serving in the same area, if not the same posts as the 22nd.

Studio portrait of Charles W. Temple taken circa 1875.
He is wearing a US Army issue black campaign hat and medium blue overcoat.
Photo probably taken while he was a member of the 8th US Cavalry.

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