21-year-old Lemuel Dobbs, from Marionville, Pennsylvania, enlisted on May 15, 1861 in the 11th Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteers. He served in that unit as a Private, Corporal, and Color Guard. He was wounded and captured at Gaines Mill, Virginia in June 1862, but was released in a prisoner exchange two months later. At the battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, Dobbs fought at Little Round Top, the engagement that saved the day for the Union Army.

On November 15, 1863, Dobbs was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 19th Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops. He mustered into the regiment on December 21, 1863 at Camp Stanton. During the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg on July 30, 1864, Dobbs was shot in the chest, and taken prisoner. He tunneled out of the Confederate prison at Columbia, South Carolina on November 21, 1864 and made his way to the Union Army lines at Knoxville, Tennessee 41 days later on January 1, 1865.

Dobbs returned to his regiment and went with it to Texas, where it was disbanded in January 1867. After mustering out, Dobbs and his wife lived in Brownsville and other places in Texas until 1882 when they moved to Kansas. Dobbs was active in the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic for several years.

Dobbs’ pension file contains the following deposition:

On 5th day of August 1862 while being marched from Richmond, Va. to Aikens Landing, Va. to be exchanged (I being a prisoner) I was sun struck. About 4th of Sept. 62 while marching from Washington I was again overcome with the heat and also had diarrhea and was taken up by an ambulance and carried to Harewood General Hospital, Washington, D.C. During my convalescence I was detailed for hospital duty not being able for field duty and remained there until April 63 when I rejoined my Regiment where I did light duty, mostly keeping company books. One day in May or June 1863 while loading wood in the cars I was again prostrated by the heat and was taken to Regtl Hospital and treated for 3 days by Dr. De Biennville. Was not required to carry my gun or knapsack on marches thereafter. After the battle of Gettysburg while marching after Lee's army, I was again overcome by the heat and was in temporary hospital 2 days. In Dec. 63 I was promoted to 2nd Lt. U.S.C.T. and 30th July 64 at Petersburg, Va. received a gunshot wound in breast and was taken from field a prisoner. On Nov 21st I escaped by tunneling. Afterwards while on duty in Texas had ague and cholera. Claim on sun stroke and genl disability was finally mustered out as 1st Lt. U.S.C.T. Jany 15, 67. Sick at the time under surgeon Spoher at Brownsville. Since leaving the Service, I have resided at Brownsville and Turkey Creek Tex and Kans.