| Solomon Timmons | 46th Ohio Voluntary Infantry |
| by Lauren Tibjash |
Solomon Timmons was born in the year 1838 and enlisted in the Civil War when he was 23 years old.[i] He enlisted on October 16, 1861 as a part of the Regimental Band of the 46thOhio Volunteer Infantry.[ii] Timmons enlisted for a period of 3 years in the Civil War. However, he spent only two years with his company until he was mustered out, along with the rest of the band on August 27, 1862 at Memphis Tenn.[iii] The leader of the 46th OVI’s Regimental Band was Frederick A. Baker. Though his time in the war was cut short, Timmons was a part of the battle of Shiloh, which took place from April 6-7, 1862 and the advance on and siege of Corinth, Mississippi that took place on April 30, 1862.[iv] At the end of the war, the 46th OVI had lost “10 officers, 124 enlisted men and 7 officers and 149 enlisted men were killed by disease to make a total of 290 men that lost their lives”.[v]
Timmons is a prime example of a typical Union infantryman. He remained very elusive during research; therefore there is little information about his life. His name, along the way has been spelled incorrectly. On the Otterbein College War Plaque it is Solomon Timmons but in the Roster of Ohio Soldiers, located at the Westerville Public Library his name is under Solomon Simmons.[vi] The fact that his named has been changed is a normal mistake that happens when digging this far back into history. Regardless of his name, Timmons is a prime example of a normal Union band member.
[i] Roster of Ohio Soldiers 1861-1866 War of Rebellion Infantry Regiments 37-53. Werner Printing and Manufacturing Company, 1887.
[ii] Roster of Soldiers, 37-53.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Civil War Archives, http://www.civilwararchives.com/Unreghst/unohinf4.htm (accessed November 19, 2008).
[vi] Roster of Soldiers, 37-53.