Unknown County AZ Archives Biographies.....Dodd, Henry Wood 1839 - 1886
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 8, 2005, 5:13 am

Author: McFarland & Poole

p. 608-609

  HENRY WOOD DODD (deceased). This gentleman, well known by Arizonans of the old
days, was possessed of more than the average intelligence and was one of the
bravest of the brave. His life began in Toledo, Ohio, February 7, 1839, and he
was fourth in order of birth of six children of General E. S. Dodd. The general
died when Wood was but six years old and when the latter was sixteen he entered
the Bank of Toledo as a clerk, remaining there until the breaking out of the
rebellion. He could not resist his natural instincts, hence he resigned his
position in the bank and enlisted in the First Ohio Light Artillery. Young Dodd
had not served long before his natural bravery attracted the attention of his
superior officers; in fact, it was so conspicuous that his name was sent to the
Secretary of War, who ordered young Dodd to report himself at Washington. After
a short talk with Stanton he was presented with a commission and ordered to
report for duty as aide-de-camp on the staff of General Kilpatrick. This sort of
service was not to young Dodd's liking, so by order of the Secretary of War
(Stanton) he was detailed in the department of the Provost Marshal and rendered
valuable service in the secret branch until the close of the war. He scouted in
this capacity for Burnside, Hooker, Meade and Grant, and amid dozens of exciting
adventures and hair-breadth escapes, always managed to avoid permanent capture.
Upon two occasions, however, he actually fell into the hands of the enemy. They
were but temporary captures. On the first occasion he was taken prisoner by
Henry Gilmore. He had undertaken to carry dispatches from Sigel to Grant in the
Wilderness, but after having about half traversed a very difficult road he was
suddenly accosted by a party of Confederates. His wits alone saved him. He
played deserter, was taken before Gilmore, and ordered by him to report to
Breckenridge, obtain a parole and go home. In the meantime he had managed to
destroy his dispatches. This was particularly fortunate, for soon after his
capture he was stripped, his clothing examined and most of it appropriated. He
did not report to Breckenridge, however, but taking advantage of nightfall
started to swim the north fork of the Shenandoah. While thus engaged he was
hailed by four Confederates, who fired at him three or four times without
effect. Reaching the other side, he made his way to City Point, joined Grant and
conveyed to him the verbal part of his instructions. The second time he was made
a prisoner he was placed upon a mule, and, although closely watched, was not
tied. His captors were taking him to the rear, as they thought, but before they
knew it came upon the Union pickets. It was quite dark then, and in the stampede
that resulted he slipped off his mule and escaped. From City Point he made quite
a number of trips inside the enemy's lines. The secret service had a regular
depot there. This was at the house of an old lady who used to go to Richmond and
obtain the news from parties she and they were sworn not to divulge. One night
while a party of these daring fellows, Dodd among them, were seated in the old
lady's kitchen eating corn dodgers and milk, there was a rap at the door. In
answer to their permission to enter in walked a Confederate in full uniform,
with pistol and carbine. He had lost his way, and not recognizing his customers,
asked about it and the time of day. This he was told, and was then invited to
dinner, an invitation the unsuspicious fellow accepted. During the meal it
leaked out that he was a messenger with important dispatches. When Dodd and his
party were ready to go they told the new comer that he would better come along
across the river with them. "Are you 'uns Yanks?" asked the surprised
Confederate, "Yot bet," was the reply. They took him with his bag of mail, and
it turned out to be a very important capture. At the close of the war Mr. Dodd
was employed for a long time on secret police duty in Washington, Richmond,
Fredericksburg, Charlottsville, etc., and had not a little to do with many of
the more forcible measures of reconstruction that were sometimes resorted to.
Mr. Dodd was the man who captured Dick Turner, and for years had the order
giving him the authority to do so. He also had valuable orders and passes signed
by General Kilpatrick. On the 12th of July, 1869, Mr. Dodd, with two others, and
accompanied by a party of Coyotore Apaches, pulled out of the Pueblo de Zuni on
an unsuccessful search for the fabulous gold placers of Dr. Thorn. They were
camped for two weeks on Salt River, a little above the present site of Phoenix,
and after that each went his separate way. Mr. Dodd remained in Arizona and
engaged in prospecting, trading and serving the Government as guide and scout
until 1886, when he was thrown from his horse and sustained injuries from which
he shortly afterward died.


Additional Comments:
From:

A Historical and Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona
Published by
McFarland & Poole, Chicago, 1896

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