Charles A.R. Dimon
Encyclopedia
Charles Augustus Ropes Dimon (April 27, 1841 – May 5, 1902) was a volunteer soldier in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. Beginning his service as a private in the 8th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Dimon rose through the ranks to become a colonel of a U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was awarded the honorary grade of brevet
brigadier general
United States Volunteers
, by appointment of President
Andrew Johnson
on January 13, 1866 to rank from March 13, 1865, and confirmation by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 1866. His success was due in part to the sponsorship of Major General
Benjamin F. Butler
.
In August 1864, Dimon was placed in command of a experimental regiment
, the 1st United States Volunteer Infantry Regiment, consisting of "galvanized Yankees
." These consisted of former Confederate
soldiers who were prisoners-of-war
. In exchange for their volunteer service, the prisoners were pardoned. Due to their uncertain loyalty, however, the U.S. Volunteer regiments composed of ex-Confederates were primarily sent to the American West to combat Native Americans
. Dimon therefore spent much of 1864 and 1865 in command of Fort Rice
near present-day Bismark, North Dakota.
After the war, Dimon became manager of the U.S. Cartridge Company in Lowell, Massachusetts
and, in 1901, became mayor of Lowell.
to James and Amelia Dimon, Charles Dimon was educated at Fairfield Academy and relocated as a young man to Salem, Massachusetts
, finding employment as a bookkeeper
. When the Civil War commenced, Dimon, age 19, enlisted with the 8th Massachusetts Infantry on April 17, 1861.
initial call for volunteer troops following the fall of Fort Sumter
. The unit enlisted for a period of 90 days. Dimon served as a private in Company J of the 8th Massachusetts, which was a Zouave company commanded by Captain Arthur F. Devereux
. Upon their arrival in Maryland, Company J was assigned to the frigate USS Constitution
in Annapolis, Maryland
to safeguard the iconic vessel as she was transported to New York. For the remainder of their service, the 8th Massachusetts was employed in repairing and guarding railroad lines in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland. Dimon returned to Massachusetts with the rest of the regiment and was mustered out on August 1, 1861.
, the largest city in the Confederacy
. The regiment left Massachusetts on January 2, 1862, arrived off the Louisiana coast in mid February, and played a minor role in the Siege of New Orleans in April and May 1862.
Early in his service with the 30th Massachusetts, Dimon caught the attention of Maj. Gen. Butler who was impressed with the young man's energy and enthusiasm. Through Butler's influence, Dimon was commissioned 1st lieutenant on February 20, 1862 and given the position of regimental adjutant
—an administrative role assisting Colonel
Nathan Dudley
, the commanding officer of the regiment.
Serving with the 30th Massachusetts, Dimon played a role in the regiment's efforts, in July 1862, to dig a canal opposite Vicksburg, Mississippi
(the major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River
). The aim was to redirect the river and circumvent Vicksburg, thus opening the Mississippi to the Union. The effort was unsuccessful, however, and the 30th's brigade marched to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
at the end of July. On August 5, 1862, Dimon and the 30th Massachusetts saw their first heavy combat during the Battle of Baton Rouge
as the Confederates unsuccessfully attempted to recapture the state capital.
, a unit of Louisiana unionists
and former Confederate prisoners-of-war was formed. Again, through Butler's sponsorship, Dimon was promoted to major
and assigned to the 2nd Louisiana as third-in-command, serving under Col. Charles Jackson Paine
. The 2nd Louisiana saw action during the Battle of Plains Store
, and the Siege of Port Hudson
in the spring and summer of 1863. After the second assault on Port Hudson in June 1863, Maj. Dimon fell ill and was discharged due to disability on June 22, 1863.
with headquarters at Fortress Monroe. Instead of placing Dimon on his staff, Butler appointed him as major of an experimental regiment, the 1st United States Volunteer Infantry, then being formed under Butler's supervision. The regiment, organized at the prisoner-of-war camp at Point Lookout, Maryland, would consist entirely of Confederate prisoners willing to fight for the Union in exchange for their freedom. Eventually, six such regiments would be formed. Dimon's new commission was effective March 18, 1864. Dimon was promoted to lieutenant colonel
on April 2, 1864 and, on August 7, 1864, was promoted to colonel and command of 1st United States Volunteers at age 23.
During their first months of service, the 1st U.S. Volunteers saw combat in the vicinity of Elizabeth City, North Carolina
in the summer of 1864. However, Lt. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant
, then in command of the Union army, decided that prisoner-of-war units should not be employed against their former comrades writing, "it is not right to expose them where, to be taken prisoners, they might surely suffer as deserters." Therefore, in August 1864, just as Dimon assumed command of the regiment, the 1st U.S. Volunteers were transferred to Fort Rice
in the Dakota Territory
. After travel by rail from New York and steamship up the Missouri River
, the regiment marched the final 250 miles, reaching Fort Rice on October 17, 1864. As commander of the post, Dimon was instructed to complete the construction of the fort, aid settlers, and manage relations with Native Americans in the region.
After enduring a frigid winter, the 1st U.S. Volunteers were further troubled in the spring of 1865 by deteriorating relations with the Sioux
people. These included the Yanktonai and Lakota people who perceived Fort Rice as a dangerous encroachment on their homeland and led repeated raids against it. Dimon, who had no experience in Native American relations, nonetheless was successful in fostering a positive relationship with the Yanktonai Chief Two Bears and, together, they began to build a growing alliance with the Yanktonai people. The positive relations were fleeting, however, as the arrival of additional troops in Dakota triggered a large attack on Fort Rice by the Sioux on July 28, 1865. The 1st U.S. Volunteers were successful in driving off the attack and the garrison survived that summer, according to historian Michele Butts, largely due to Dimon's "endless drills and strict discipline."
As commandant of Fort Rice, Dimon took a hardline approach to restricting illegal trade with the Native Americans, ordering the seizure of steamboats coming up the Missouri River and refusing to allow traders to pass without appropriate licenses from the army. He also tried to combat corruption on the part of the Office of Indian Affairs whose local officials frequently misappropriated funds. These practices made Dimon unpopular with civilians in the region and created political difficulties for his superior officer, Brig. Gen. Alfred Sully
, who frequently ordered Dimon to change his practices.
Discouraged by these difficulties, Dimon requested a medical leave during September 1865. In his absence, the morale of the 1st U.S. Volunteers deteriorated when they learned that, despite the war's end, they would not be mustered out. Dimon returned to Fort Rice in October 1865 to find that many desertions had taken place and discipline was all but non-existent. News soon arrived, however, that the regiment would be mustered out after all and Dimon led what remained of the 1st U.S. Volunteers back to Fort Leavenworth
. The regiment, including Dimon, was mustered out on November 27, 1865.
On January 13, 1866, President
Andrew Johnson
nominated Dimon for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.
and secured major government contracts to produce small arms ammunition. Butler hired Dimon to manage the company in the mid 1870s and, under Dimon's direction, the company grew. By the 1880s it had a work force of approximately 250 and had expanded its operations to include the production of the "Lowell Battery Gun," a weapon similar to the Gatling gun
.
Towards the end of his life, Dimon engaged in a political career, becoming the 37th mayor of Lowell in 1901. He died while holding that office in 1902 of throat cancer.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Beginning his service as a private in the 8th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Dimon rose through the ranks to become a colonel of a U.S. Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was awarded the honorary grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U. S. Vol., or U.S.V.Starting as early as 1861 these regiments were often referred to as the "volunteer army" of the United States but not officially named that until 1898.During the nineteenth century this was the United States federal...
, by appointment of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
on January 13, 1866 to rank from March 13, 1865, and confirmation by the U.S. Senate on March 12, 1866. His success was due in part to the sponsorship of Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
Benjamin F. Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
.
In August 1864, Dimon was placed in command of a experimental regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
, the 1st United States Volunteer Infantry Regiment, consisting of "galvanized Yankees
Galvanized Yankees
Galvanized Yankees was a term from the American Civil War used to refer to former Confederate prisoners of war who had sworn allegiance to the Union. Due to doubts about their ultimate loyalty, Galvanized Yankees were generally assigned to garrison forts far from the Civil War battlefields or in...
." These consisted of former Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
soldiers who were prisoners-of-war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. In exchange for their volunteer service, the prisoners were pardoned. Due to their uncertain loyalty, however, the U.S. Volunteer regiments composed of ex-Confederates were primarily sent to the American West to combat Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. Dimon therefore spent much of 1864 and 1865 in command of Fort Rice
Fort Rice
Fort Rice was a frontier military fort in the 19th century in what was then Dakota Territory and what is now North Dakota....
near present-day Bismark, North Dakota.
After the war, Dimon became manager of the U.S. Cartridge Company in Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
and, in 1901, became mayor of Lowell.
Early life
Born in Fairfield, ConnecticutFairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
to James and Amelia Dimon, Charles Dimon was educated at Fairfield Academy and relocated as a young man to Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, finding employment as a bookkeeper
Bookkeeping
Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions. Transactions include sales, purchases, income, receipts and payments by an individual or organization. Bookkeeping is usually performed by a bookkeeper. Bookkeeping should not be confused with accounting. The accounting process is usually...
. When the Civil War commenced, Dimon, age 19, enlisted with the 8th Massachusetts Infantry on April 17, 1861.
8th Massachusetts
The 8th Massachusetts was one of the first regiments to respond to President Lincoln'sAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
initial call for volunteer troops following the fall of Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
. The unit enlisted for a period of 90 days. Dimon served as a private in Company J of the 8th Massachusetts, which was a Zouave company commanded by Captain Arthur F. Devereux
Arthur F. Devereux
Arthur Forrester Devereux was a captain in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia prior to the Civil War and a colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War. He is notable for his expertise and proficiency in the instruction of military drill...
. Upon their arrival in Maryland, Company J was assigned to the frigate USS Constitution
USS Constitution
USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America, she is the world's oldest floating commissioned naval vessel...
in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
to safeguard the iconic vessel as she was transported to New York. For the remainder of their service, the 8th Massachusetts was employed in repairing and guarding railroad lines in the vicinity of Baltimore, Maryland. Dimon returned to Massachusetts with the rest of the regiment and was mustered out on August 1, 1861.
30th Massachusetts
In the fall of 1861, Dimon assisted in the recruitment of a new regiment which would become the 30th Massachusetts Infantry. The regiment was one of several being raised by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler for his planned expedition to take New Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, the largest city in the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. The regiment left Massachusetts on January 2, 1862, arrived off the Louisiana coast in mid February, and played a minor role in the Siege of New Orleans in April and May 1862.
Early in his service with the 30th Massachusetts, Dimon caught the attention of Maj. Gen. Butler who was impressed with the young man's energy and enthusiasm. Through Butler's influence, Dimon was commissioned 1st lieutenant on February 20, 1862 and given the position of regimental adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
—an administrative role assisting Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Nathan Dudley
Nathan Dudley
Nathan Augustus Monroe Dudley was a soldier who served as a Colonel of Volunteers and sometimes as an acting Brigadier General of Volunteers for the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Early military career:...
, the commanding officer of the regiment.
Serving with the 30th Massachusetts, Dimon played a role in the regiment's efforts, in July 1862, to dig a canal opposite Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Vicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
(the major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
). The aim was to redirect the river and circumvent Vicksburg, thus opening the Mississippi to the Union. The effort was unsuccessful, however, and the 30th's brigade marched to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
at the end of July. On August 5, 1862, Dimon and the 30th Massachusetts saw their first heavy combat during the Battle of Baton Rouge
Battle of Baton Rouge (1862)
The Battle of Baton Rouge was a ground and naval battle in the American Civil War fought in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, on August 5, 1862. The Union victory halted Confederate attempts to recapture the capital city of Louisiana.-Background:...
as the Confederates unsuccessfully attempted to recapture the state capital.
2nd Louisiana
In September 1862, the 2nd Louisiana Infantry2nd Louisiana Regiment Infantry (Union)
The 2nd Louisiana Regiment Infantry was a unit in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment served in the Union Army XIX Corps in Louisiana throughout the war.-Service:...
, a unit of Louisiana unionists
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
and former Confederate prisoners-of-war was formed. Again, through Butler's sponsorship, Dimon was promoted to major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
and assigned to the 2nd Louisiana as third-in-command, serving under Col. Charles Jackson Paine
Charles Jackson Paine
Charles Jackson Paine was an American railroad executive, soldier, and yachtsman who was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
. The 2nd Louisiana saw action during the Battle of Plains Store
Battle of Plains Store
The Battle of Plains Store or the Battle of Springfield Road was fought May 21, 1863, in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, during the campaign to capture Port Hudson in the American Civil War. The Union victory closed the last Confederate escape route from Port Hudson.-Background:The 1st...
, and the Siege of Port Hudson
Siege of Port Hudson
The Siege of Port Hudson occurred from May 22 to July 9, 1863, when Union Army troops assaulted and then surrounded the Mississippi River town of Port Hudson, Louisiana, during the American Civil War....
in the spring and summer of 1863. After the second assault on Port Hudson in June 1863, Maj. Dimon fell ill and was discharged due to disability on June 22, 1863.
1st United States Volunteers
After his recovery, in early 1864, Dimon sought a position on the staff of Maj. Gen. Butler, who was then in command of the Department of Virginia and North CarolinaDepartment of Virginia and North Carolina
The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States during the Civil War. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departments: the Department of Virginia and the Department of...
with headquarters at Fortress Monroe. Instead of placing Dimon on his staff, Butler appointed him as major of an experimental regiment, the 1st United States Volunteer Infantry, then being formed under Butler's supervision. The regiment, organized at the prisoner-of-war camp at Point Lookout, Maryland, would consist entirely of Confederate prisoners willing to fight for the Union in exchange for their freedom. Eventually, six such regiments would be formed. Dimon's new commission was effective March 18, 1864. Dimon was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
on April 2, 1864 and, on August 7, 1864, was promoted to colonel and command of 1st United States Volunteers at age 23.
During their first months of service, the 1st U.S. Volunteers saw combat in the vicinity of Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County and Camden County in the State of North Carolina. With a population of 18,683 at the 2010 census, Elizabeth City is the county seat of Pasquotank County....
in the summer of 1864. However, Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, then in command of the Union army, decided that prisoner-of-war units should not be employed against their former comrades writing, "it is not right to expose them where, to be taken prisoners, they might surely suffer as deserters." Therefore, in August 1864, just as Dimon assumed command of the regiment, the 1st U.S. Volunteers were transferred to Fort Rice
Fort Rice
Fort Rice was a frontier military fort in the 19th century in what was then Dakota Territory and what is now North Dakota....
in the Dakota Territory
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of North and South Dakota.The Dakota Territory consisted of...
. After travel by rail from New York and steamship up the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, the regiment marched the final 250 miles, reaching Fort Rice on October 17, 1864. As commander of the post, Dimon was instructed to complete the construction of the fort, aid settlers, and manage relations with Native Americans in the region.
After enduring a frigid winter, the 1st U.S. Volunteers were further troubled in the spring of 1865 by deteriorating relations with the Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
people. These included the Yanktonai and Lakota people who perceived Fort Rice as a dangerous encroachment on their homeland and led repeated raids against it. Dimon, who had no experience in Native American relations, nonetheless was successful in fostering a positive relationship with the Yanktonai Chief Two Bears and, together, they began to build a growing alliance with the Yanktonai people. The positive relations were fleeting, however, as the arrival of additional troops in Dakota triggered a large attack on Fort Rice by the Sioux on July 28, 1865. The 1st U.S. Volunteers were successful in driving off the attack and the garrison survived that summer, according to historian Michele Butts, largely due to Dimon's "endless drills and strict discipline."
As commandant of Fort Rice, Dimon took a hardline approach to restricting illegal trade with the Native Americans, ordering the seizure of steamboats coming up the Missouri River and refusing to allow traders to pass without appropriate licenses from the army. He also tried to combat corruption on the part of the Office of Indian Affairs whose local officials frequently misappropriated funds. These practices made Dimon unpopular with civilians in the region and created political difficulties for his superior officer, Brig. Gen. Alfred Sully
Alfred Sully
Alfred Sully , was a military officer during the American Civil War and during the Indian Wars on the frontier. He was also a noted painter.-Biography:...
, who frequently ordered Dimon to change his practices.
Discouraged by these difficulties, Dimon requested a medical leave during September 1865. In his absence, the morale of the 1st U.S. Volunteers deteriorated when they learned that, despite the war's end, they would not be mustered out. Dimon returned to Fort Rice in October 1865 to find that many desertions had taken place and discipline was all but non-existent. News soon arrived, however, that the regiment would be mustered out after all and Dimon led what remained of the 1st U.S. Volunteers back to Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
. The regiment, including Dimon, was mustered out on November 27, 1865.
On January 13, 1866, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Dimon for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866.
Post-war life
Dimon's most notable position in civilian life was once again achieved through his connection to Benjamin Butler. In 1869, Butler founded the U.S. Cartridge Company in Lowell, MassachusettsLowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
and secured major government contracts to produce small arms ammunition. Butler hired Dimon to manage the company in the mid 1870s and, under Dimon's direction, the company grew. By the 1880s it had a work force of approximately 250 and had expanded its operations to include the production of the "Lowell Battery Gun," a weapon similar to the Gatling gun
Gatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
.
Towards the end of his life, Dimon engaged in a political career, becoming the 37th mayor of Lowell in 1901. He died while holding that office in 1902 of throat cancer.
See also
- List of Massachusetts generals in the American Civil War
- Massachusetts in the American Civil War