Richard Patten DeHart

Richard Patten DeHart was born January 1, 1832, in Mason, Warren County, Ohio and moved to Indiana in 1855. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1858, and served as prosecuting attorney of the 11th circuit from 1858 to 1860. He was elected to the Indiana State Senate in 1861; however, his term was completed by John Davis. DeHart enlisted for service in the Civil War and served as adjutant of the 46th Indiana Infantry. The 46th participated in the attack on New Madrid, fought at Island No. 10, was engaged at Memphis on June 6, 1862, and later that month at St. Charles. On October 18, 1862, DeHart was promoted to major of the 99th Indiana Infantry and would later be promoted to lieutenant colonel. He took part in the Tallahatchie campaign and, upon returning, the 99th was placed on duty on the Memphis and Charleston railroad at Lagrange and Moscow, Tennessee. DeHart and the 99th remained there during the winter months, then took part in the siege of Vicksburg, marched with Sherman to Jackson, Mississippi, and engaged in battle at Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge. In March 1864, DeHart was promoted to colonel of the 128th Indiana Infantry. Colonel DeHart and the 128th became part of the Atlanta campaign; DeHart was wounded early in the campaign and was succeeded in command by Lieutenant Colonel Jasper Packard. In the fall of 1864, he served on a military treason commission and was brevetted brigadier general for faithful and meritorious services on March 13, 1865. DeHart was honorably discharged from the service April 28, 1865. He served as prosecuting attorney for the 19th circuit from 1885 to 1886 and as Tippecanoe County circuit judge from 1901 to 1914. DeHart donated land for the establishment of the state Soldiers’ Home in Lafayette and, in 1909, authored Past and Present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana. He died June 12, 1918, in Lafayette and was buried there in Springvale Cemetery.

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