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There is no biography of
Major Hottel in the National Archives service
records. Below is my biography of the man
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Jarred M. Hottel
(frequently "Hottle") was born in about 1828. All
Confederate records show him as being 32 years old in 1861 and from Texas.
The 1859 Cherokee County (120 miles due east of Waco) tax records
show Hottel the owner of one horse, no land and no slaves. The 1860 census
shows a J. Hottle, 35 years old with wife and one 10-year old son living in
Lynchburg, Tex., 20 miles east of Houston, on the line of the Texas
& New Orleans RR. His occupation is Engineer and all his family
was born in Virginia. The name is added at the bottom of the last
page for the Lynchburg Post Office and is short of any but the most
basic information (as though it was added later, without talking to
the family involved). Since all these "facts" are in
general agreement with the known information, I believe this to be
the future Major.
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Hottel joined Terry's
Texas Rangers as a Sergeant, in Houston (having traveled 35 miles to
get there) in September1861. His unit became Company K of the 8th
Texas Cavalry Regiment. The regiment was assigned to Bowling Green,
Ky., arriving in early October.
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In late October, 1861, he was
detailed to the Quartermaster's department as Forage Master. In
January of 1862, he was detailed on Rail Road duty at Bowling Green.
By October of 1862, he was employed in the Commissary Department. He
became the Brigade Assistant Commissary and was promoted to Captain
on May 28, 1863 and was promoted to Brigade Quartermaster September
18, 1863. His date of commission as Major was October 28, 1863, with
a date of rank of September 18, 1863.
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According to Commissary General
Northrop, while at Bowling Green, Hottel ran locomotives and
repaired them. Northrop also claims he superintended the railroads,
controlling transportation for Gen. Johnston's army and was
generally successful. Northrop says Hottel was reporting to both
Northrop and Col. Wadley (for railroad matters).
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Hottel liked to maintain
face-to-face relations with the people he was doing business with.
From July, 1863 through April, 1864, we have his travel claims for
five months, which is 21 weeks. During that time, he made 21 round
trips from his base (Mobile or Atlanta) and important locations. The
trips took him to Mobile, Montgomery, Morton, Meridian, Atlanta,
Augusta, Macon, and Dalton (and he must certainly have spent time in
important places along the way, such as West Point while going from
Atlanta to Montgomery).
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Hottel died of disease on
September 10, 1865 in Rose Hill, Tex., 30 miles north of Houston.
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| October 31, 1862 |
Pay record, showing assignment to RR duties at
Bowling Green in January, 1862
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| November 4, 1862 |
Received expense money for special messenger
shipping sugar
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| December 17, 1862 |
Paid for duty as special agent over sugar
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| January 28, 1863 |
Completes 86 days as special messenger for sugar
shipment
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| February 10, 1863 |
Wadley asks Secretary of War for Hottel to
expedite government traffic from Columbia to Richmond
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| February 13, 1863 |
Wadley was told to use him as Wadley saw fit
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| March 28, 1863 |
Reports on transportation of Commissary goods
and recommends an improvement
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| April 1, 1863 |
Pays for special agent for Government sugar and
molasses
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| April 9, 1863 |
Asks about transportation for contributions
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| May 2, 1863 |
Northrop requests Secretary of War appoint
Hottel a Commissary Captain
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| May 30, 1863 |
An application from
his is forwarded by Commissary General to QM General
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| June 4, 1863 |
Sims requests Hottel
be paid mileage
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| June 8, 1863 |
Reports on a RR's
use of its rolling stock for others when Government food sits
waiting transportation
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| June 10, 1863 |
Sims asks for
assistance for his agent in securing rolling stock; Hottel is named
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| June 12, 1863 |
Secretary of War
asks why Maj. Pierce has ordered Hottel away from Raleigh
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| June 13, 1863 |
Mileage confirmed
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| June 18, 1863 |
Sims instructs him
to supply cars for Bragg and asks when Hottel will get to Richmond
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| Told to go by
Knoxville and discuss corn requirements
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| June 22, 1863 |
Secretary of War
sends a letter of Hottel's to QM General regarding transportation of
food at Raleigh
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| June 24, 1863 |
Hottel's authority
to remove rolling stock is defined
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| July 20, 1863 |
Sims and Hottel to
meet in Montgomery
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| July 30, 1863 |
While in Mobile,
arranges for support in moving rolling stock
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| July 31, 1863 |
Pays conductor for
one month's services
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| August 1, 1863 |
Was issued a skiff
and a chain cable
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| Paid for services
and hands moving rolling stock
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| August 6, 1863 |
Is told by Sims to
visit the site, figure the requirements, then telegraph Sims how
many cars and engines can be saved
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| August 11, 1863 |
Instructed to meet
Sims in Atlanta
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| August 24, 1863 |
Informs Sims that
the RR companies will superintend the work force necessary to do the
construction required to retrieve
the rolling stock in Mississippi
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| August 27, 1863 |
Quartermaster
General asks negroes be impressed to help Hottel get the RR
connection in Montgomery completed
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| September 9, 1863 |
Hottel paid for
expenses in August
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| September 14, 1863 |
Montgomery
connection will be completed next week. Asks disposition of Memphis
& Ohio RR rolling stock
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| September
18, 1863 |
Requested that
Hottel not deliver engines in law suit
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| Request promotion to
Major
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| Told to have Jones at
the meeting
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| September 30, 1863 |
His travel retrieving
rolling stock
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| October 3, 1863 |
Seven slaves ordered
for his use for ten days
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| October 13, 1863 |
Request for Hottel
to issue a locomotive
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| October 29, 1863 |
Reports to Sims that
he has not got the engines from Selma
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| November 2, 1863 |
Reported as a QM,
but not bonded
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| November 22, 1863 |
Ordered to Atlanta
to take over Major Peters duties
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| December 2, 1863 |
Beauregard asks Gov.
Brown to impress 900 to report to Hottel to repair western Georgia
RRs
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| December 6, 1863 |
Arrives in Atlanta
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| December 8, 1863 |
If Major Peters
remains in Atlanta, can Hottel go see his family
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| December 9, 1863 |
Reports an idle
locomotive to Sims
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| December 10, 1863 |
Listed as one of
three officers available to supervise RR transportation to Hardee
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| December 15, 1863 |
Quartermaster
General tells Hottel to take charge of transportation and push the
roads to see that the wants of the Army are supplied
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| January 13, 1864 |
Quartermaster
General states that Hottel accomplishes all that can be done
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| January 21, 1864 |
Quartermaster
General defends Hottel's assignment to Atlanta
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| January 1 - February
1, 1864 |
On constant travel
in mid-South
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| February 6, 1864 |
Receives instruction
from Sims to aid in shipping of corn and fodder
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| February 10, 1864 |
Hottel reports that
bountiful supplies are going to Army of Tennessee
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| Report of cars being
returned to Western & Atlantic RR
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| Requested to ship
slate to Macon
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| February 11, 1864 |
Moving cars from
Mississippi through Mobile
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| February 14, 1864 |
G. A. Cuyler ordered
to report resolution of Columbus problems to Hottel
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| February
22, 1864 |
In Montgomery;
Goodwin telegraphs from Atlanta
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| Orders man to look
for cars for Richmond & Danville/Piedmont RR
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| February 23, 1864 |
Requests use of a
barge to move rolling stock at Mobile
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| February 29, 1864 |
Rolling stock he got
across Mobile Bay is reported at new companies
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| Arrangements for
shipping slate
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| His location and
actions questioned
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| March 2, 1864 |
Directs chains be
sent by Express Car for movement of cars across Mobile Bay
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| March 15, 1864 |
Recommends Capt.
Firzzell for RR Bureau in Atlanta and Hottel to Montgomery
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| March 24, 1864 |
Requests a detail
for Western & Atlantic RR
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| March 30, 1864 |
Is informed of rule
suspending passenger trains when Government freight waits to be
carried
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| March 31, 1864 |
Quartermaster
General questions status of transportation to Army of Tennessee
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| April 4, 1864 |
Reports to Sims on
corn availability and car construction
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| April 7, 1864 |
Responded to Col.
Burton's requests; encloses letter from Sims
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| April 20, 1864 |
Requests one man
over another
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| Quoted as being able
to furnish cars for Macon Armory slate whenever requested
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| April 29, 1864 |
Reports heavy losses
on Western & Atlantic RR trains
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| April ?, 1864 |
His vouchers for
transporting rolling stock from Tensas to Pollard
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| May 17, 1864 |
His services
requested, but refused
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| June 21, 1864 |
Sims reports to QMG
on disposition to be made of Hottel
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| June 28, 1864 |
Secretary of Navy
approves of him going to Raleigh to get engine for Montgomery & West
Point RR
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| July 8, 1864 |
QMG informs him that
2 engines are available and to get them
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| July x, 1864 |
Repaired the
Montgomery & West Point RR
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| August 1, 1864 |
Reports his actions
clearing Atlanta and repairing the Montgomery & West Point RR
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| August 26, 1864 |
Reports on repairs
to Montgomery & West Point RR
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| October 15, 1864 |
Maj. Smith reports
Hottel assisted getting daily cars for commissary shipments
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| October 22, 1864 |
Accompanies Major
Smith and Col. Sims from Columbus to Montgomery. Was credited as
being in charge of RR transportation from Augusta to Montgomery
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| December 9, 1864 |
Order issued by him
questioned by Conscription Bureau
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| December 18, 1864 |
Hottel and Major
Meriwether were repairing Georgia RRs under different orders
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| December 20, 1864 |
Recommends Nalle be
appointed RR Bureau Bonded Agent
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| December 28, 1864 |
Quartermaster
General informs General Beauregard of Hottel's orders in repairing
the Georgia RRs
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| January 3, 1865 |
Newspaper reports a
visit by Hottel and the status of the RR repairs
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| January 16, 1865 |
Nalle appointed
Bonded Agent and assigned to Hottel at Columbus, Ga.
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| January 20, 1865 |
Sims instructs him
regarding slave exemptions
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| January 28, 1865 |
General Beauregard
request Capt. Hottel to finish Milledgeville RR
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| January 30, 1865 |
Ordered to inspect
cars made by Raoul and certify them
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| February 1, 1865 |
Ordered by Sims to
get locomotives from the west side of the Pearl River and repair
them
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| February 6, 1865 |
Hottel's speed of RR
repair is noted
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| March 4, 1865 |
Beauregard informed
that Hottel's repair force has been sent to work east of Atlanta
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| March 7, 1865 |
Newspaper credits
Hottel's indomitable energy with connecting Atlanta to West Point
after Sherman's destruction
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| March 27, 1865 |
Reported that his
force had been disbanded, instead of working on other RR repairs
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| March x, 1865 |
Ordered to take
control of Montgomery & West Point RR as far as necessary to ensure
government gets all the cars it needs
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