Biographical Sketch of Col. Samuel Henry Melcher, Greene County, MO

>From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western
Historical Company, 1883.

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Col. Samuel Henry Melcher, M. D., son of Woodbury Melcher, Esq., and a
grandson of Capt. Samuel B. French, was born in Gilmanton, N. H., Octo-
ber 30, 1828.  Was educated at Gilford and Gilmanton academies; gradu-
ated at medical department, Dartmouth College, 1850.  Practiced first 
in Grafton county, N. H.; then in Boston, Mass., until 1859, when he
traveled South and through Texas; and at the close of that year, sett-
led in Potosi, Washington County, Missouri.  On the breaking out of the
war, he offered his services at once to Gen. Lyon, at St. Louis arsenal;
and was mustered in as assistant surgeon 5th Regt. Mo. Vols. (three 
months), May 7, 1861. Was with his regiment at the battles of Carthage,
July 5, 1861; Dug Spring, August 2, 1861; Wilson's Creek, August 10,
1861, where he was the last officer on the field after the forces fell
back, and brought off the body of Gen. Lyon and delivered it to Gen.
Schofield the same night, as narrated on other pages of this volume. By
order of Gen. Schofield, he remained a prisoner in the hands of the 
Confederates, to take care of the Union wounded.  Was in Springfield
when the "Fremont Body Guard" made their terrific charge, and attended
the wounded on both sides; was furnished with wagons by Gen. Sigel,
and moved the wounded in all that region to Rolla, thence by rail to
St. Louis, arriving November 24, 1861, thus ending his first campaign.
He was commissioned brigade surgeon December 4, 1861, reporting to Gen.
Schofield; and during the spring and summer of 1862, was in charge of
the Hickory Street Hospital, and Gratiot Street Hospital for rebel
prisoners, and U. S. Marine General Hospital at the same time.  By re-
quest of Governor Gamble, he received temporary leave of absence to 
organize the Thirty-second Regiment E. M. M.; was commissioned colonel,
and commanded the regiment six weeks; during which time he dispersed
the guerilla bands in Washington and adjoining counties, captured sev-
eral rebel mails, and large quantities of arms, horses, and medical
stores.  October, 1862, he returned to his proper duty as medical dir-
ector of the "Army of the Frontier."  January 8, 1863, he was engaged 
in the battle of Springfield, Mo., against the forces of Marmaduke,
turning out 400 hospital convalescents, thereby saving millions of pro-
perty, the winter supplies for Gen Schofield's army.  About this time,
he performed a celebrated operation on the shoulder joint of Gen. E. B.
Brown, saving his life, and giving him a good arm.  April, 1863, the 
army being reorganized, he was assigned to duty in charge of the hosp-
ital at Ironton, Mo.  May 24, 1863, he was commissioned lieutenant
colonel 6th Cavalry Mo. S. M., and assigned to duty as assistant insp-
ector general of the department of the Missouri, and served in this
capacity until Price's raid in 1864, when he was ordered to the field
as aid-de-camp to Gen. Pleasanton, commanding the cavalry; and, in his
report of the destruction of Price's army, Gen. Pleasanton mentions 
Col. Melcher for "gallantry and fidelity."  Col. Melcher's last service
in the army was in command of the post of Jefferson City, Mo., where he
was active in forwarding troops to Gen. Thomas, at Nashville, Tenn.
Much debilitated from hard service, he resigned December 24, 1864.
After the war, he resided four years and a half in Tennessee, and was
in the Freedman's Bureau.  May, 1870, he was appointed Surgeon U. S.
Marine Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.  February, 1871, he was appointed by
the Governor of Missouri a manager of the State Lunatic Asylum.  In 
1873, he moved to Chicago, where he now resides.

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