William Linn Tidball

Captain William Linn Tidball (December 15, 1820 – January 29, 1893) was an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War. Following the conclusion of that conflict and the subsequent transformation of Virginia into the First Military District, Tidball was the first of several rotating officers appointed to supervise the military government of Albemarle County during Reconstruction. He was originally born as William Duane Tidball, having changed his middle name as an adult.

Biography

Early life

Tidball was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 15, 1820. From the age of six, he was raised in the city of Mansfield, Ohio.

Throughout the 1840's, Tidball wrote for his father's newspaper (the Shield & Banner), serving also as its editor. During the Mexican–American War, he served as a lieutenant in the Third Ohio Regiment. Upon returning home, he studied law and moved first to Cincinnati and then to New York City in 1853, practicing law there. By 1854, Tidball had also written several popular adult novels.

Civil War and time in Charlottesville

In the immediate days following the outbreak of the Civil War, Tidball helped raise the 59th New York Infantry. He enrolled as that unit's first Colonel on April 20, 1861, being commissioned to serve a term of three years. On October 23 of that year, he was officially mustered in as a Colonel. Tidball commanded the regiment at the Battle of Antietam in 1862. He was discharged on January 8, 1863 but re-enrolled on August 1 of that year, being mustered in as a Lieutenant Colonel.

In April of 1865, Tidball was appointed a Captain in the Veteran Reserve Corps and was stationed in Charlottesville with the title of "Military Commissioner of Albemarle County," overseeing the military government of the area. He was generally well-liked by the majority of the region's inhabitants due to his relatively-moderate command. He also saw duty in the Freedmen's Bureau, directing the establishment of several schools for the area's Black residents. In one of his reports to the bureau, Tidball stated,

"One of the Sabbath Schools in Charlottesville is conducted by A. P. Abell, cashier of the National Bank. Another by Mr. E. Calvin Williams, a student at the University. Mr. Abell has 200 scholars and could increase it to 500 had he books enough. Books suitable for these schools should be furnished these Gentlemen who are doing a most praise- worthy work."

Tidball was ordered to Mississippi in July of 1867, being succeeded in his position in Charlottesville by Lieutenant A. F. Higgs of the 16th United States Infantry.

Later life and death

Tidball served as Judge Advocate at Vicksburg until he was mustered out of the service in 1868. He then returned to New York City and continued his law practice. Tidball died in the city on January 29, 1893. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Family and marriage

Tidball was the son of Joseph Tidball and Eliza Kirkpatrick (Linn) Tidball. He had eight brothers named Joseph Lorenzo Tidball, James Theodore Tidball, Thomas Theodore Tidball, Alonzo Hampton Tidball, John Glascow Tidball, Oscar Augustus Tidball, Zan Linn Tidball and Lawrence Parsena Tidball. Tidball also had two sisters named Sarah Margaret (Tidball) Meredith and Minerva Elizabeth Glascow Tidball.

Tidball was married to Martha Kissam. Their wedding took place in Washington, D.C. around December of 1861.