Georgia Heritage Coalition - The Life of Confederate Captain Jeremiah Dashiell

Dennis Brooke lives in Randolph County Georgia and Franklin County Ohio when he's not on the road doing research on the War Between the States. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran eligible for SCV membership and has numerous ancestors who were in the Union army including one physician.

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The Life of Confederate Captain Jeremiah Dashiell – Commentary by Dennis Brooke

Many times while doing research on topics such as the body snatchers some side stories take on a life of their own. Such is the case of Captain Dashiell and his story.

I offer this true and untold story for your consideration.

Jeremiah Yellot Dashiell was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1804 and by all accounts had a good education. He helped to start the medical school in Louisville, Kentucky and among other things was a doctor. He also was a friend to Andrew Jackson and supported him in the election of 1828 and 1832.

Mr. Dashiell had moved to Louisiana in the late 1830's and lived in New Orleans. When President James K. Polk and Andrew Jackson himself decided to visit the old New Orleans battlefield in 1845, Jeremiah was asked to accompany the distinguished guests to the site.

During the Mexican War President Polk appointed Jeremiah Dashiell to paymaster of the Army. Perhaps it was a novel idea to be paid by a doctor, at least he could have an opportunity to see most of the troops at close range.

When America again went to War with the Seminole Indians for the third and final time it was again Major Dashiell who would pay the United States troops in Florida. If the soldiers thought they had hard duty, Major Dashiell could tell them a story or two.

One hot and humid summer day in 1857, at a south Florida fort site named Fort Capron, Major Dashiell set out to pay the troops. Fort Capron was located near present day Fort Pierce, Florida. The Major came by ship and wanted to pay the troops post haste as he was behind on his schedule. As his smaller vessel or dinghy was placed into the breaking waves he was warned NOT to go but to wait for calmer waters. Knowing that moral might be compromised Dashiell took the $23,000 in gold coins and his pistol and set out for the fort.

A few minutes later Major Dashiell’s money and his personal items were heading toward the ocean's floor. The money was never recovered and the Major had some serious trouble.

Perhaps because of his service record or close ties with political figures he was given another payroll. This time outside of Jacksonville, Florida, his payroll was stolen in the middle of the night. Losing two payrolls within a few months ended most military careers and Major Dashiell was no exception. He was asked to leave the Army.

Jeremiah Dashiell went to San Antonio, Texas to live and when the War broke out well....lets say he got another chance to become a paymaster, this time for the Confederacy. Doctor Dashiell was given the rank of Captain and served the Confederacy well as a paymaster. According to one Complied Military Service Record he paid the 33rd Tennessee one day in 1862. Nothing too odd about that except that one of the soldiers whom he paid was John W. Lester. Private Lester’s body would be one of those stolen at the Camp Chase Cemetery!

Colonel Dashiell would survive the War and live out his remaining days in San Antonio, Texas and die in 1888. Today Jermeiah Dashiell's house is on the list of historical landmarks in San Antonio, Texas.

On another hot and humid summer day at Fort Pierce, Florida in 1963, two boys were snorkeling in the lagoon. Suddenly, the two young boys had found a few of the gold coins belonging to Dashiell’s payroll. Their story made the paper and caught the attention of the State. Carl Clausen was asked to investigate the incident.

Mr. Clausen traced the money back to the sub-treasury of Charleston, South Carolina and told the boys to ante up or else. The boys turned over all $23,000 of the gold coins plus a few silver ones and Jeremiah Dashiell’s pistol. Major Dashiell's entire payroll had been recovered with the exception of a few cents. Today, Major Dashiell’s pistol can be seen at the St. Lucie County Historical Society Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Whether or NOT the boys would later counter-claim and get some of their coins back is unknown. Carl J. Clausen, however, would go on to become a thorn to the famous Treasure Hunter Mel Fisher in the years to come. I know, for I would become one of Fisher's treasure divers myself.

A longtime researcher, Dennis Brooke splits his time between Randolph County Georgia and Franklin County Ohio when he's not on the road researching the War Between the States. His email is: dennis_brooke2001@yahoo.com.