Benjamin Piatt Runkle
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Benjamin Piatt Runkle, (September 3, 1836 – June 28, 1916) was one of the original seven founders of Sigma Chi fraternity, as well as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Runkle was born in West Liberty, Ohio. In Sigma Chi he is remembered most for his pugnaciousness; he threw his DKE badge on the table in disgust in the pivotal meeting between the founders of Sigma Chi and Whitelaw Reid. He stood up to Reid and said, "I didn't join this fraternity to be any one's tool. And that, sir, is my answer!" (Years after this heated meeting with Reid, Runkle said that had the situation been explained to him further and had Reid approached the situation in a more respectful way, there probably would have been a more reasonable resolution and, in effect, no Sigma Chi fraternity.) It is also said that he once was temporarily suspended from school for fighting in chapel with a Beta Theta Pi brother who publicly sneered at his badge.
After college, Runkle volunteered for a militia company during the Civil War, which became a part of the 13th Ohio Infantry. After his initial term of enlistment had expired, he was brevetted colonel of the 45th Ohio Infantry. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Shiloh, and a glowing obituary was written by Whitelaw Reid, who had seen his wounds at Shiloh. Runkle not only survived but outlived Reid, and in turn praised him in an obituary.
By the time he retired from military service, Runkle was a brevetted colonel, and it was then that he was ordained as an Episcopal priest. He was the only founder to become Grand Consul, serving as the seventh from 1895-1897.
He died on the fraternity's sixty-first birthday. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 1, Grave 240, in Virginia.
The Washington Alumni Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity holds an annual memorial service commemorating Runkle's life on the first Saturday following Labor Day Weekend.
[edit] Career
Commissioned captain, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, April 22, 1861, he fought at Carnifex Ferry and was promoted to major November 8, 1861. He was wounded at Shiloh and then brevetted colonel of the 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 19, 1862, serving in Kentucky.
In June 1863 he served on the Ohio governor's staff, and later commanded a brigade in Kentucky and Tennessee. He was mustered out July 21, 1864 and brevetted lieutenant colonel, Veteran Reserve Corps, August 22, 1864. He was on duty with the Memphis Freedman's Bureau for the remainder of the war and a brevet brigadier general, and major general, for the United States Volunteers.
He retired in 1870, was cashiered 3 years later, reinstated in 1877, and restored in 1877 "to be borne as never having been legally separated from the army (decision of the Supreme Court, May 27, 1887)."
Captain, 13th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, April 22, 1861, major, November 8, 1861, brevetted colonel, 45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 19, 1862, honorably mustered out, July 21, 1864. Brevetted lieutenant colonel, Veteran Reserve Corps, August 22, 1864. Brevetted colonel, brigadier general and major general of Volunteers, November 9, 1865, for "meritorious services." Mustered out October 5, 1866. Served as major, 45th United States Infantry, July 28, 1866. Brevetted lieutenant colonel, United States Army, March 2, 1867 for "gallant and meritorious services at Shiloh" (wounded and left for dead on field), and brevetted colonel, United States Army, March 2, 1867 for same during the war.
He was editor of the Urbana, Ohio, Union, 1873-75 and was ordained a deacon, Protestant Episcopal Church, October 1882. Church work, 1879-1884. Resigned diaconate, 1884. Professor of military science, Kenyon College, 1879-81, Miami University, 1899-1901, Peekskill Military Academy, 1902-04, New Jersey Military Academy, 1904-05, Germantown, Ohio, Military Institute, 1905-09. Assigned to duty with the Ohio National Guard, 1909.
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