Benjamin Piatt Runkle

Benjamin Piatt Runkle, (September 3, 1836 – June 28, 1916) was one of the original seven founders of Sigma Chi fraternity, as well as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

brother who publicly sneered at his badge.

After college, Runkle volunteered for a militia company during the Civil War, which became a part of the 13th Ohio Infantry. After his initial term of enlistment had expired, he was brevetted colonel of the 45th Ohio Infantry. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Shiloh, and a glowing obituary was written by Whitelaw Reid, who had seen his wounds at Shiloh. Runkle not only survived but outlived Reid, and in turn praised him in an obituary.

During the Civil War, fellow Sigma Chi founder James Parks Caldwell, a Confederate soldier, was captured by Northern troops. Runkle, a general, offered Caldwell his freedom under the condition that he renounce the Confederacy. Caldwell, true to principle, refused this offer but Runkle secretly had Caldwell released under false pretenses. Caldwell would never find out, not even on his deathbed, of Ben Runkle's fraternal favor.

By the time he retired from military service, Runkle was a brevetted colonel, and it was then that he was ordained as an Episcopal priest. He was the only founder to become Grand Consul, serving as the seventh from 1895-1897.

He died on the fraternity's sixty-first birthday. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 1, Grave 240, in Virginia.

The Washington Alumni Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity holds an annual memorial service commemorating Runkle's life on the first Saturday following Labor Day Weekend.

Career

Commissioned captain, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, April 22, 1861, he fought at Carnifex Ferry and was promoted to major November 8, 1861. He was wounded at Shiloh and then brevetted colonel of the 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 19, 1862, serving in Kentucky.

In June 1863 he served on the Ohio governor's staff, and later commanded a brigade in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was mustered out July 21, 1864 and brevetted lieutenant colonel, Veteran Reserve Corps, August 22, 1864. He was on duty with the Memphis Freedman's Bureau for the remainder of the war and a brevet brigadier general, and major general, for the United States Volunteers.

He retired in 1870, was cashiered 3 years later, reinstated in 1877, and restored in 1877 "to be borne as never having been legally separated from the army (decision of the Supreme Court, May 27, 1887)."

Captain, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, April 22, 1861, major, November 8, 1861, brevetted colonel, 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 19, 1862, honorably mustered out, July 21, 1864. Brevetted lieutenant colonel, Veteran Reserve Corps, August 22, 1864. Brevetted colonel, brigadier general and major general of Volunteers, November 9, 1865, for "meritorious services." Mustered out October 5, 1866. Served as major, 45th United States Infantry, July 28, 1866. Brevetted lieutenant colonel, United States Army, March 2, 1867 for "gallant and meritorious services at Shiloh" (wounded and left for dead on field), and brevetted colonel, United States Army, March 2, 1867 for same during the war.

He was editor of the Urbana, Ohio, Union, 1873-75 and was ordained a deacon, Protestant Episcopal Church, October 1882. Church work, 1879-1884. Resigned diaconate, 1884. Professor of military science, Kenyon College, 1879-81, Miami University, 1899-1901, Peekskill Military Academy, 1902-04, New Jersey Military Academy, 1904-05, Germantown, Ohio, Military Institute, 1905-09. Assigned to duty with the Ohio National Guard, 1909.

External links

* [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bprunkle.htm Arlington National Cemetery]
*findagrave|12982