Thomas H. Bintliff was born in Halifax on 19th January 1828, the son of Gershom.
In 1841/1842, he emigrated with the rest of the family to central New York State, America.
On 4th October 1852, he married Mary Lewis [1823-1920] at the Church of the Reconciliation in Utica.
Children:
The family followed Thomas's brother James west, and by 1860 were living at British Hollow, Green County, so-called because of a large concentration of English settling there. Thomas worked for a time as a clerk.
On 11th September 1861, he was appointed preacher of the Beetown Circuit, Platteville District, West Wisconsin Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In his new appointment, the family moved Beetown, Grant County.
In the summer of 1862, during the American Civil War, there was a call for new regiments. On 12th August 1862, Thomas announced his intention to raise a company of infantry, and published a notice in the Grant County Herakl:
ATTENTION COMPANY – The subscriber having a commission from Gov. Salomon, is recruiting a company for the 20th Regt. Sober and Religious men preferred to any other. This company goes into camp at Madison on the 25th of this month.If you want to be drafted stay at home. If you have a desire to aid your country now is your chance.
REV. THOMAS BINTLIFF.
Beetown, Aug. 11, 1862.
He held the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
On 18th September 1862, Thomas dispatched a letter to the Grant County Herald:
I do not claim the honor of being your regular correspondent; in that light I do not address you, but as you have undoubtedly learned Journalists are in some measure the servant of the people and as we are the people, we presume to send you a word or two in relation to the Bully 20th Wis. We see by file of the Herald that the 20th are off to Washington; not so, at 6 a.m. on the 30th of August, we left Madison and after short stays at Benton Barracks, St Louis, Mo., Rolla, camp three miles west of Rolla, back to Rolla; we finally found ourselves in Brigade with the 19th and 20th Iowa 99th and 94th Ill. Infantry two Regiments Calvary and we are to unite at Lebanon twenty-eight miles south-west of here with the artillery intended for our brigade. We are commanded by Brig. Gen. F. H. Herron of Dubuque of Pea Ridge fame. We arrived here at 12 pm. today and found for the first time since we left Rolla, level ground enough for the whole brigade to encamp upon. At dress parade this evening we had an opportunity to compare ourselves with the other regiments here, and we are not egotistical when we say that our State has need to be proud of the 20th regiment and the regiment glad that the fortunes of war has provided them so excellent a set of officers of Bertine Pinkney for Col. Henry Bertram, Lt. Colonel, Major Starr and Adjutant H. V. Morris all soldiers. Our company I, the Hope Guards, have collected and sent to you money enough to furnish us the Herald, if you needed any evidence that we are a credit to the general intelligence of our country, you have it in the above fact. No, friend Cover, no sensible man having his home in Grant can live or will live anywhere at home or away therefrom without his fireside companion; your excellent Herald – may its shadow never grow less
On the day this letter was written, Mary gave birth to her fifth child, William Campbell Bintliff.
On 5th October, in what was perhaps his last letter home, Thomas advised Mary on the naming of his youngest son whom he would never meet.
The regiment engaged the rebels at Prairie Grove on the morning of 7th December 1862.
The struggle was intense according to one of Bintliff's company:
Our men charged, fell back, and charged again repeatedly, lost our colors and captured them again.
D. B. Arthur, a member of Company I and friend of Thomas, described the battle in his diary:
Well Mary, I have been in a severe hand to hand fight old soldiers say as severe as any fight that has been fought during the war thank God I am not scrached (sic) we expect to go at it again in the morning and I feel that God is with me Bintliff [i.e., 1st Lieutenant Thomas Bintliff] fell [7th December 1862]
Arthur's diary also mentions that they buried Thomas on 10th December, raised money ($83.75 in May, $85.00 in June 1863) from the company to send to his widow, and that he corresponded with Mary Bintliff throughout the war.
Thomas was killed during the initial charge of the rebel battery. Captain William Horlocker of Company I provided the details:
I have the honor to say to you that he was a brave man, and fell on the battlefield while gallantly leading the charge of Company I, with the balance of the 20th, which was so nobly done in that terrific battle. His first wound was received in the right shoulder while he was lying down with the rest, receiving the fire of the rebels. Presently the order was given to fall back, at which moment he received another shot in the back of the head, which killed him instantly. The enemy then rushed forward to that point, stripping him of everything he had about him, his sword, belt, revolver, cap, shoes and everything he had in his pockets were taken.Lt. Bintliff was a noble officer and very highly esteemed by his fellow officers, and all who knew him. Agreeable in his bearing, correct in his duties, and never complaining of our hardships, but always at his post, ready for his duty. He was universally lamented by all, and was in fact one of the very best officers in the Regiment.
His remains were conveyed to Fayetteville, Arkansas..His name will long be cherished as a noble friend, an able soldier and a Christian man
His body was later removed to Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
One of Reverend Bintliff's comrades was a regular correspondent of the Wisconsin State Journal and eulogized him in a letter written to the paper on 9th December:
The loss of Lieut. Bintliff, to his company and to the regiment, is irreparable. He was an excellent officer, and everything that he did was done correctly. He was a genial companion, and many a happy hour have I spent in his society, listening to his interesting conversation. He was greatly beloved by all who knew him. He died as he lived, a noble specimen of what I consider the highest type of manhood – a Christian soldier
Memories of Thomas would remain bright in his hometown for years. Twenty-two years after Prairie Grove. D. B. Arthur would still fondly remember his dearest friend and described Thomas as
a brave Christian soldier, loved by everyone
This & associated entries use material contributed by Heath Bintliff & Bob Glancy
Page Ref: MMB682
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