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Theodore Ayrault Dodge
(Nathaniel Shatswell, Rev. Joshua, Jonathan, George, George, Capt. John, William) |
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Dodge, Theodore Ayrault, soldier and author, was born in Pittsfield, Mass., May 28, 1842, the son of Nathaniel Shatswell and Emily (Pomeroy) Dodge and the grandson of the Rev. Joshua and Mary (Shatswell) Dodge. He was fifth in descent from Gen. Seth Pomeroy of the French and Indian wars and of Bunker Hill fame and eighth in descent from William Dodge, who immigrated to Salem, Massachusetts in 1629. His middle name comes from Dr. Pierre Ayrault, the physician of the Newport colony of Huguenot immigrants. His father was a commissioner to the World Fair, London, England, in 1851. Theodore was president of the Papyrus club in Boston, and author under the pen-name "John Carver, Esq." He was educated abroad, studying four years in Berlin in the military family of Major-General von Froreich of the Prussian army, later at Heidelberg, and finally at the University of London where he took his A.B. degree. He returned to the United States in 1861 and enlisted in the Union army. He was commissioned 1st lieutenant, 101st N.Y. volunteers, Feb. 13, 1862, and served with the army of the Potomac through all its campaigns up to Gettysburg, where he lost his right leg, having been thrice before wounded. He was appointed captain of volunteers, May 25, 1863, and promoted major of volunteers, Aug. 17, 1864. He was brevetted colonel of volunteers, Dec. 2, 1865, for gallantry during the war, and brevetted lieutenant-colonel in the regular service, March 2, 1867, for loss of right leg from wound in line of duty. After the close of the war he was ordered to duty in the war department and served as chief of bureau. He was commissioned captain in the 44th infantry May 28, 1866, and served as chief of bureau until April 28, 1870, when he was retired. While in Washington, he pursued a law course in the Columbian university and was given the degree of LL.D. in 1866. After his retirement, he removed to Boston where he entered business, also devoting much time to literary work. He was married to Jane Marshall, daughter of Robert Elkin Neil, and grandniece of Chief-Justice Marshall. She died in 1881 and in 1892 he was married to Clara Isabel, daughter of Albion Bowden, a lady who for years assisted him in preparing his books. He was elected president of the Papyrus club of Boston, was a member of the Massachusetts historical society, and of numerous clubs and learned societies. He delivered a course of lectures on "Great Captains" before the Lowell Institute in Boston, and also lectured at Harvard university. His published writings include: The Campaign of Chancellorsville (1881); A Bird's-Eye View of the Civil War (1883: rev. ed., 1897); Patroclus and Penelope: a Chat in the Saddle (1885); Great Captains (1889); and in 1899 was engaged on a series of twelve volumes, comprising a history of the art of war, of which eight were issued: Alexander, Hannibal, Csar Gustavus Adolphus, Frederick and Napoleon (1890, et seq.) Theodore had five children by his first wife Jane Marshall Neil. They were: Robert Elkin Neil DODGE; Emily Pomeroy Dodge; Theodora Ayrault Dodge , Jr.; Theodore Marshall Dodge; and Jane Marshall Dodge. We do not believe that he had any children by his 2nd wife. He died on the 25th of October, 1909. |