Jimmie.... I agree that it must be the same individual. I wondered what happened to Chaplain Reeder M. Fish. I will see what I had on him.

Chaplains were officers and were appointed by Colonels' of regiments. As officers they had to provide their own horse, etc. Lane's Brigade had several men appointed as chaplains including Homer H. Moore, Chaplain, 3rd Kansas; Hugh Fisher, 5th Kansas; and Reeder M. Fish; 4th Kansas. Their rank was specifically termed "chaplain" and many regiments did not have one.

Fisher, a Methodist, wrote Gun and Gospel and H. H. Moore remained with his mentor, Colonel James Montgomery, as chaplain of the 34th U.S.C.T. (2nd South Carolina Colored).

Some were "fighting" chaplains and it is not surprising that Fish used his experiences to gain a commission in another Kansas regiment. It sounds like Fish was abolitionist in his leanings, although the 15th Kansas (which my great-grandfather's brother, Culvin F. Tracy, was in) was better known as a "red-leg" regiment.

Thanks,
Howard Mann