Richard Napoleon Batchelder

Richard N. Batchelder was born to Nathan and Peace Batchelder on July 27, 1832, in Laconia, New Hampshire.Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|0-8047-3641-3}}. p. 120. His father was a state representative, and his mother was the daughter of a prominent pastor."The Batchelder Family." New England Family History ... N.Y. City: H.C. Quimby, 1907. Print. Richard attended the county school system of Manchester. During early adulthood he endeavored in many ventures, one of which was business.

At the start of the American Civil War he quit private enterprise and enlisted in the Union Army in May 1861.{{Cite web |title=BG Richard N. Batchelder |url=https://www.quartermasterfoundation.org/hall-of-fame-member/bg-richard-n-batchelder/ |access-date=17 June 2024 |website=Army Quartermaster Foundation}} Upon joining the Army, he was commissioned as a first lieutenant, and took duty as regimental quartermaster for the 1st New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to the rank of captain in August 1861, and became a Divisional Quartermaster in March 1862. He eventually promoted to lieutenant colonel and chief quartermaster of II Corps in January 1863.

During one of his missions in October 1863, the corps' supply units were bombarded by the enemy, and because of his leadership, his unit was able to successfully accomplish the mission without any loss of supplies. This feat would later earn him the Medal of Honor, and he was promoted to colonel with the title of Chief Quartermaster of the Army of the Potomac the next year. Batchelder was mustered out of the volunteer service on June 8, 1865, and was transferred to the Regular Army, reverting to the rank of captain.Eicher, 2001, p. 740.

On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Batchelder for appointment to the rank of brevet brigadier general of Volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866. On February 23, 1869, President Andrew Johnson nominated Batchelder for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general, U.S. Army (Regular Army), to rank from April 9, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 3, 1869.Eicher, 2001, p. 732.

File:USA - Quartermaster Corps Branch Insignia.png

After the Civil War, Batchelder then served at various commands across the country under the quartermaster branch for 25 years before he was promoted to brigadier general on June 26, 1890. With this promotion he was appointed as the 18th Quartermaster General of the United States Army. As Quartermaster General of the Army he was also in charge of the creation of the emblem used to identify the Quartermaster Corps. He retired from the Army on July 27, 1896.Heitman's Register and Dictionary of the United States Army, 1789–1903. Vol. 1, p. 198.

General Batchelder was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Sons of the Revolution and the Society of Colonial Wars.

File:US-MOH-1862.png

Rank and Organization: Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster, 2d Corps.
Place and Date: Between Catlett and Fairfax Stations, Virginia, 13–15 October 1863.
Entered Service At: Manchester, New Hampshire.
Born: 27 July 1832, Meredith, New Hampshire.
Date of Issue: 20 May 1895.

"The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to LIEUTENANT COLONEL & CHIEF QUARTERMASTER RICHARD NAPOLEON BATCHELDER

UNITED STATES ARMY For service as set forth in the following CITATION:

Being ordered to move his trains by a continuous day-and-night march, and without the usual military escort, armed his teamsters and personally commanded them, successfully fighting against heavy odds and bringing his trains through without the loss of a wagon.[http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1862_cwa/batchelder_rich.html "Richard Batchelder, Medal of Honor." Home Of Heroes Home Page. accessed 18 Feb 2011].

File:Medal of Honor recipient gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia in 2020 - 18.jpg

Richard N. Batchelder retired from the U.S. Army on July 27, 1896.Eicher, 2001, p. 121. He died in Washington, D.C., on January 4, 1901, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgpiYXRjaGVsZGVyEgdyaWNoYXJk/ |title=Burial Detail: Batchelder, Richard N. (Section 2, Grave 998) |work= ANC Explorer|publisher=Arlington National Cemetery |id=(Official website)}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.qmfound.com/BG_Richard_Batchelder.htm "Brigadier General Richard N. Batchelder – Quartermaster General 1890–1896." Army Quartermaster Foundation, Inc. 19 Nov. 2000. Web. 18 Feb. 2011.]
• Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. {{ISBN|0-8047-3641-3}}.
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141104222351/http://www.qmfound.com/moh.html#Lieutenant Colonel Richard N. Batchelder (Civil War) "Medal of Honor Winners." Army Quartermaster Foundation, Inc. Web. 14 Feb. 2011.]
• [http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1862_cwa/batchelder_rich.html "Richard Batchelder, Medal of Honor." Home Of Heroes Home Page. Web. 18 Feb. 2011.]

• {{cite web|url=http://arlingtoncemetery.net/rnbatche.htm|title=Richard Napoleon Batchelder|date=2 March 2024 |publisher=at ArlingtonCemetery.net|id=(Unofficial website)}}

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Category:1832 births

Category:1901 deaths

Category:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients

Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery

Category:People of New Hampshire in the American Civil War

Category:Quartermasters General of the United States Army

Category:Union army officers

Category:United States Army generals

Category:American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor