Don’t throw dice on Patrick’s watch
New York-born Marsena Rudolph Patrick (USMA 1835) spent 15 years in the Army, fighting against Mexico and in the Seminole campaigns, resigning to head to the private sector after reaching the rank of captain in 1850. When the Civil War came, he was quickly made New York state militia’s inspector general and by 1862 was a brigadier of volunteers from the Empire State.
After seeing service at Antietam, Joe Hooker made him a sort of spymaster general, as head of the Bureau of Military Information, and was later head of the provost marshal forces in NoVA, leaving the service again as a Maj. Gen (Volunteers), in June 1865.
Culpeper, Va.: Provost Marshal General Marsena R. Patrick (center) and staff, Sept. 1863 by Brady photographer Timothy O’Sullivan, LOC LC-B8171-7075
Patrick did not abide fools and his punishments were legion. The below drawing by Alfred R. Waud in October 1863, now in the Library of Congress, shows men of the 96th New York playing endless games of dice, Patrick’s detail for those caught gambling.
LC-DIG-ppmsca-21212 (digital file from original item) LC-USZC4-4185 (color film copy transparency) LC-USZCN4-278 (color film copy neg.) LC-USZ62-14781 (b&w film copy neg.) LC-USZ62-6977 (b&w film copy neg.)
