Since John L. Sehon has
no biography in the National Archives, below is my biography of the
man.
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John Sehon was born in 1832 in
Virginia to Edward and Caroline Sehon. In 1854, the elder Sehon, now
Doctor Sehon, was made the Secretary of the Missionary Board of the
Southern Missionary Episcopal Church and moved to Nashville from
Louisville. He was very active in church and community activities,
being mentioned in the newspaper numerous times before the war.
After Nashville had fallen, he was one of a group of ministers
chastised by the Union Governor (future President Johnson) for not
being loyal enough and spreading dissention among their
congregations. All refused to take the loyalty oath and were
place in the penitentiary. Dr. Sehon was released in October, 1862
without taking the oath. In February, 1863, he and his family
arrived in Atlanta to join son John. He was reported to have been a
chaplain in the Confederate Army, but I have found no records to
support that. In 1865, he went to Washington to get pardons for
himself and son John.
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John attended Shelby College
1852-53 and the University of Virginia in 1854-55. He was first
mentioned in the Nashville newspaper in 1858 as part of Ferguson
& Sehon. Ferguson died the next year and Sehon partnered with
(A. G.?) Merritt. In May, 1861, Sehon was appointed Assistant
Quartermaster of the Tennessee Army by the Governor and eventually
transferred to Confederate service in the same Department, though
suffering a reduction in rank from Major to Captain.
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John worked in Nashville until
the city was evacuated. He moved to Atlanta, continuing service in
transportation. He was appointed and confirmed Confederate Attorney
for Middle District of Tennessee, but never took the office because
of loss of the area by the army. Once appointed, he resigned his
army commission, though he remained in his position until relieved
several months later. For the rest of the war, he used his slaves to
make a living, providing fire wood and sand bags to Atlanta.
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Around the fall of Atlanta, he
moved to Augusta. There, in August, 1864, his wife, Annie died; Dr.
Sehon performed the funeral. They had had two children, both born in
Georgia. One of the children, John L., became the 11th mayor of San
Diego in 1912.
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In 1867, John and Dr. Sehon were defendants
in a case in Tennessee. They lost and had to sell eight lots in
Nashville to settle the judgment. John died in Louisville in 1871
and the Doctor died there in 1876.
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September 18, 1861 |
Commissioned Captain in the Confederate Army
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November 18, 1861 |
Submits his bond to QM General
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January 18, 1862 |
Recommended for promotion to Major
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February, 1862 |
Worked transportation issues in Nashville
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February 16, 1862 |
Assumes position of senior Quartermaster at
Nashville when his superior leaves the city sick
|
March 15, 1862 |
Asks to be assigned Post QM at Atlanta
|
April 24, 1862 |
Reports from Atlanta on efforts to get vouchers
for stores from Nashville
|
June 25, 1862 |
Submits accounts
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October 10, 1862 |
Asks to be assigned as Transportation Officer in
Atlanta, since his Attorney position has been lost
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November, 1862 |
Served as Transportation Officer in Atlanta
NA,
RRB 10-17A-62 |
NA,
RRB 11-8-62 |
NA, AA 11-10-62 |
NA, AA
11-12A-62 |
NA,
RRB 11-15-62 |
NA, QMR
11-24A-62 |
NA, QMR
11-24B-62 |
NA, QMR
12-19A-62 |
NA,
RRB 12-31G-62 |
NA,
RRB 1-3-63 |
NA, MA 1-7A-63 |
NA,
RRB 1-13-63 |
NA, QMR
1-16C-63 |
NA,
RRB 1-23-63 |
NA, QMR
1-27E-63 |
NA,
RRB 2-17-63 |
NA, QM 2-19-63 |
NA, QMR
2-24A-63 |
NA, QMR
2-24B-63 |
NA, QMR 2-27-63 |
NA, QM 3-2C-63 |
NA,
RRB 3-3-63 |
NA,
RRB 3-10-63 |
NA,
RRB 3-18-63 |
NA, AA 4-8-63 |
NA, AA 4-15-63 |
NA, AA 4-17-63 |
NA, AA 7-5-63 |
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March 2,1863 |
Ordered to audit 4 Georgia RRs
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March 13, 1863 |
Attempts to forecast transportation needs from
Atlanta
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April 1, 1863 |
Reports results of Beauregard's IG.
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April 2,
1863 |
Reports RRs in Georgia and will audit all of
them
|
Will forward his bond next week
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April 17, 1863 |
Resigns his commission as Major and QM
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April 18, 1863 |
Asks instruction on shipping Bibles
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April 20, 1863 |
QMG asks Sehon who is auditing RRs
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April 22, 1863 |
QMG informs Sehon of rates to use and how to
value losses
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April 23, 1863 |
Promoted to Major, with date of rank November 1,
1862
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May 22, 1863 |
Lists which QM is auditing which Georgia
railroad
|
June 6, 1863 |
Reports him employees and asks for permission to
increase their pay
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June 10, 1863 |
Requested by Mallet to return the Central (of
Georgia) RR train immediately
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June 15, 1863 |
Explained the use of cars at Atlanta
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June 18, 1863 |
Sims has instructed Major Sehon as requested
regarding rates
|
June 26, 1863 |
Mallet wrote for cars to get cut stone at Stone
Mountain
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July 2, 1863 |
Asks who to turn public property over to
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July 3, 1863 |
Is reported to be sending cars to Stone Mountain
for Macon's needs
|
July 8, 1863 |
His relief ordered
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July 9, 1863 |
Resignation became effective
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July 10, 1863 |
Relief for Major Sehon ordered
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August 3, 1863 |
Mallet asked for cars to deliver slate and cut
stone to Macon
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Starting August, 1863 |
Sold fire wood and sand bags to the Government
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August 17, 1863 |
Was requested by Mallet to get cars for slate
shipment to Macon
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August 18, 1863 |
Tries to get back pay authorized
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August 20, 1863 |
Capt. Frizzell has relieved Sehon
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August 22, 1863 |
Gets his resignation date corrected
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July 24, 1864 |
Asks for Special Pardon
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