A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 32

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 32

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Col. George Bartlett Bailey

was born June 29, 1821, at Bridgewater, the first county seat of Brown County, Ohio, on Straight Creek, about four miles east of Georgetown, the present coun- ty seat of Brown County. His father, George Bartlett Bailey, was form Penn- sylvania, and a physician by profession. He removed to Georgetown, Ohio, in the year 1823, and there began the practice of medicine and continued it at the same place until his death, in 1867. He acquired a great reputation in his profession and was known as an eminent physician in all the counties near his own.

The subject of our sketch attended school in Georgetown in his child- hood and boyhood, and later on studied under a private tutor. In 1837 he re- ceived the appointment of Cadet at the United States Military Academy, at West Point, accepted it and was admitted there. In 1838, becoming satisfied that the life of a regular army officer would not be suitable to his taste, he re- signed and returned to his father's home at Georgetown. He was succeeded at West Point by Ulysses S. Grant.

After his return to Georgetown he studied medicine with his father and attended medical lectures at Jefferson College, Philadelphia, where he received his degree of M. D. in 1844. He practiced medicine for a short time with his father. and then removed to Aberdeen, Olio, where he began and continued the practice of his profession, until his removal to Portsmouth, Ohio.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

While a resident of Aberdeen, he married Miss Margaret Davidson of that place. Seven children were born of this marriage, six of whom died in in- fancy or childhood, and but one, a daughter, grew to maturity. She is now Mrs. Charles Scheiscz, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

While Doctor Bailey had, in leaving West Point, abandoned the idea of military life as a profession, yet he always had considerable taste for some of its features, and while in Aberdeen organized a Militia Company there and called it the "Aberdeen Rangers." He removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1857, and continued the practice of his profession. He also engaged in the drug business in the building formerly occupied by the First National Bank. In 1860 he organized the "Kinney Light Guards," a State Militia Company.

When the first gun was fired on Fort Sumpter, April 12, 1861, he sought to organize the "Kinney Light Guards" into a company to respond to the call for 75,000 for ninety days. Thirty-five members of the Kinney Light Guards went into a company organized at Portsmouth, Ohio, under this call, which af- terwards became Company G., 1st Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Doctor Bailey was commissioned as Captain of this company, which was enrolled on April 16, 1861. With this company he participated in the engagement at Vien- na, Va., June 17, 1861, and the battle of Bull Run July 21, 1861. The time of the company expired July 31, 1861, and it was then mustered out.

Captain Bailey returned to Portsmouth. He was still determined to serve his country and accepted the appointment of Major of the Ninth Virginia In- fantry, which was to be recruited at Guyandotte, Va. Captain Bailey accepted his appointment and went to Guyandotte to recruit and organize this regiment. While engaged in this work, the position of Lieutenant-Colonel of the same regi- ment fell vacant and it was tendered to Major Bailey, who accepted it, but was never mustered.

On November 10, 1861, Lieutenant-Colonel Bailey had with him three hundred men of his regiment at Guyandotte.

The Rebel General Jenkins made a raid on the place with twelve hun- dred cavalry on the night of November 10, 1861. In the fight Colonel Bailey was on the bridge over Guyandotte river, and in the darkness was shot or struck and fell into the water below, where his body was found the next morn- ing. His remains were taken to Aberdeen, Ohio, where he was interred with military honors.

He was among the first of the citizens of Portsmouth, Ohio, to give his life for his country, and when the G. A. R. Post, at Portsmouth, Ohio, was or- ganized in 1881, it was named in his honor. He was a kind husband and fath- er, a quiet and unobstrusive citizen and a man of fine sensibilities. His widow was granted a pension as of his rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, by a special act of Congress, but has long since joined her husband on the other shore.

Those who knew Colonel Bailey, say that the language of Marc An- thony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar might be well applied to him.

"His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him

That Nature might stand up and say to all the world,

This was a man."

Lieutenant-Colonel William Henry Eifort

was a son of Sebastian Eifort, Esq., and Rachel Jackson Eifort, of Hunnewell, Kentucky. He was born at Jackson Furnace, Jackson County, Ohio, December 26, 1842. He was brought up in Scioto County, Ohio, where his father was en- gaged in the manufacture of iron. In his thirteenth year, his father moved to Carter County, Kentucky, where he built Boone Furnace. Here his son Henry was engaged as clerk and storekeeper, with the exception of the time spent in school. In the Spring of 1859, he came to Marietta, and entered the Prepara- tory Department. He was distinguished there for a peculiarly bold and generous spirit, impulsive and frank in a degree. At the breaking out of the war, he found himself in a state which assumed the attitude of neutrality, but he was too straight-forward and too spirited a youth to be beguiled into any imagin- ary path between loyalty and disloyalty. He promptly espoused the cause of the government, and with two or three friends of like spirit, attempted to raise volunteers for the Union Army. It was a perilous undertaking; they found that "neutrality" meant war upon all who should dare to rally men to the

LIEUTENANT COLONEL WM. H. EIFORT. [PAGE 248.]

MAJOR J. V. ROBINSON. [PAGE 249.]

CAPT. JOHN COOK. [PAGE 250.]

CAPT. THOMAS HAYES. [PAGE 251.]

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THE CIVIL WAR.

old flag on the soil of Kentucky. Their lives were threatened, and they were targets for the rifle and revolver as they rode through the country. But Eifort was one of those bold spirits who seem insensible to fear. Danger only roused him to his best. He and his friend raised a Company, which, on its organiza- tion, chose him First Lieutenant, his friend Thomas being made Captain. At this time Lieutenant Eifort was but eighteen years of age. The company could not camp on neutral soil, but crossed to Indiana to Camp Joe Holt, where they were mustered into the United States service, July 18, 1861. Enlisting first as Infantry, they were invited to change their organization, which they did, forming a company of the Second Kentucky Cavalry. The Regiment was un- der Sherman in his first campaign in Kentucky, in the Fall of 1861, and served in the Army of the Cumberland through the war. It fought many battles, and almost numberless skirmishes. Everywhere Eifort was conspicuous for his courage, continually getting in advance of his men when there was an enemy in front. He attempted exploits which were almost unheard of even in cavalry charges; not from vanity or ambition, nor as the result of stimulants, being strictly temperate in his habits. He never seemed to appreciate his own personal danger, but fixing his eye on the end to be reached, forgot himself till success was assured. An instance of thiscourage occurred just before the battle of Shiloh, in the Spring of 1862. He with a detachment of thirty men was sent for- ward on the pike near Franklin, Tennessee, when the rebels in their retreat were burning bridges behind them. Coming in sight of a bridge which they had just fired and fled from, Eifort spurred on ahead of his men, blind to danger or impossibility, plunged into the smoke and flames with his thirty men after him, crossed it as by a miracle, and suddenly appeared among the astonished rebel pickets, whom he made prisoners. In a few moments after crossing, the bridge was a mass of fire. Eifort rose steadily through the grades of promotion, being made Captain, April 26, 1862; Major, December 14, 1863; and Lieutenant- Colonel, June 22, 1864, when he was but twenty-two years old. His extreme dar- ing cost him his life. This occurred in a skirmish at Triune, a small village between Murfreesboro and Franklin, Tenn., September 4, 1864. In this engage- ment his zeal and daring led him many yards in advance of his men, when he was mortally wounded, living a few hours, and sending home a message that "he had died as a soldier ought", that "he was the first man in, and the last man out of the charge." His body is buried at Portsmouth, Ohio, by the side of his grand- father, who was for fifteen years a commissioned officer in the French and German wars of Napoleon

Major Joshua Vanzandt Robinson, Jr.

was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, February 18, 1820 He was the second son of Joshua Vanzandt Robinson, Sr. His mother's maiden name was Hannah Cooper. Two or three years later, his parents removed to Portsmouth, Ohio. There, young Robinson attended the public schools, until he was twelve years of age. At that time. his father, took him with his older brother, Lucien Newton, to Marietta College, where he remained until his graduation, eight years later. When he returned from college, he chose Law as a profession, and entered the office of Hon. William V. Peck, as a student. After his admission to the bar, Mr. Peck retained him as a junior partner. He gave promise of becoming a fine lawyer in time, but a serious failure in health occurred in his third year in the office work, and his physician recommended an open air life, as necessary to his restoration. His father owned a steamboat, the Resort, which plied be- tween Portsmouth and the up-river towns, and he was given the post of Master. This he held for two years, until his health was completely restored. Our sub- ject was married to Malvina M. Scott, October 17, 1843. They had four children: Louis Allen, died January 22, 1848; Estelle, died January 8, 1876; Joshua Van- zandt, died October, 1874; Malvina, died May 17, 1851. His wife died January 1, 1851. He married Martha Riggs March 10, 1853. He had two children by this marriage: Allen, who died September 4, 1855 and Genevieve Hamilton, who is still living with her mother in Florida. After Robinson was restored to health, his father offered to make him a partner in the firm of J. V. Robinson & Sons, which he accepted. The firm consisted of J. V. Robinson, Sr., L. N. Robinson, J. V. Robinson, Jr., and L C. Robinson. J. V. Robinson, Jr. was given the work of business traveler and remained in the firm until his death in 1862. In the

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

summer of 1861, when President Lincoln issued the call for the first three hun- dred thousand soldiers, Robinson united with Oscar F. Moore in raising a reg- iment in Scioto County. Realizing their own ignorance of military tactics and wishing to place a well prepared regiment in the field, they asked Lieutenant Sill of Chillicothe to accept the office of Colonel, which he did. They drew lots for the two remaining field offices. O. F. Moore drew the lucky straw, and the Majorship went to Robinson, who was mustered in August 1, 1861. This regi- ment was mustered in as the 33rd, O. V. I., and was the first regiment raised in that part of Ohio. Unfortunately for active work it was united to Gen. Buell's command and the 33rd with others was compelled to lie for months on the no- toriously malarious Green River, Kentucky, awaiting transportation. The men of the regiment became ill of malaria fever -- all but two hundred and fifty men at one time, being in the hospitals-Major Robinson among the number. He was impatient and unwilling to take sufficient time to recover. He applied to the Brigade Surgeon stationed at Louisville, for an order to go to the front, as the army had been ordered to move toward Murfreesboro, but the Surgeon re- fused him on the score of want of strength, and instead, he was given charge of the convalescent camp at Elizabeth, Kentucky. Drilling was almost impossible on account of the heavy and continuous rains, but he with the Lieutenant, did all that could be done to get his half-sick men ready for the field again. He contracted a heavy cold from exposure to rain and returned home February 26, 1862, where he died March 23, 1862. He was brave and generous; a warm friend, kind husband and father, and his country lost a patriotic citizen, when he died. He was a warm Republican. He had been sent as a delegate from his district to the National Convention, which nominated President Lincoln for his first term and he served on the committee of the party in his District in that Campaign. He did active work in politics in every canvass. As a business man, he was prompt and diligent and in every respect, honorable.

Captain John Cook

was born Sept. 13, 1811, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He was the oldest son of Hugh Cook. In 1822, he fell in the Public Well one Sunday, and dropped about forty feet, but was rescued uninjured. His business in Portsmouth was shipping produce to New Orleans; and one winter he shipped as high as one-hundred flat boats of flour, whiskey, and country produce to New Orleans. He made the last run in seventeen days, which was the quickest run ever known by flat boats. He was elected Sheriff of Scioto County on the Democratic ticket in 1843. The vote stood: John H. Thornton, 880, John Cook, 920. He was the only Democrat elected at that time, and his election was a surprise to everbody. He was a candidate for re-election in 1844, but was defeated. The vote stood Isaac H. Wheeler, 1,384, Cook, 1,147. He was a candidate for Treasurer on the Demo- cratic ticket in 1851, and was elected. His opponent on the Whig ticket was George H. Gharky. The vote stood: John Cook, 1,238 and George H. Gharky, 973, Cook's majority 365. At the same election, John R.

Turner beat George W. Flanders as Clerk by one vote; Turner, 1,034, Flanders, 1,033. At the same election O. F. Moore on the Whig ticket, defeated Francis Cleveland on the Democratic ticket, for State Senator. At this election, W. A. Hutchins on the Whig ticket for Representative defeated Judge Joseph Moore on the Demo- cratic ticket. Hutchins, 1,348, Joseph Moore, 928. Mr. Cook was the Democratic candidate for Treasurer in 1853. and had two opponents, Hurd and John Mc- Dowell. The vote stood: John Cook, 1,586, Hurd, 712, John McDowell, 114. Mr. Cook's popularity may be judged from that vote. He was re-elected Sheriff of Scioto County in October, 1856 on the Democratic ticket by the following vote: John Cook, 1,616, George W Crawford, 1,571. John Cook learned the carpenter's trade, and traveled on the Mississippi River as ship carpenter. He was built for strength, and weighed 190 pounds. He was all muscle, and could pick up a barrel of flour by the edges. There was never a more popular man lived in the county; and when the Civil War broke out he organized Company "K" of the 56th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and went out as its Captain on November 9, 1861. He was with the Regiment right along until May 16, 1863, when he was wounded in the ankle in the charge at Champion Hill, and his leg was ampu- tated immediately. He lived until May 22, 1863, when he died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. A braver man never lived, a true friend, liberal

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and warm hearted. He was married first to Miss Lydia Critzer. They had two daughters. His first wife died, and he married Sarah McCoy, daughter of Cor- nelius McCoy. By this marriage they had two daughters and a son.

Captain Thomas Hayes

was born in Ireland in 1839, the youngest of eight children. He attended the schools of Ireland and came to the United States with his parents when he was fourteen years of age. The family located near Delaware, Ohio, where he worked on a farm for three years, attending school in the evenings and in the winter. He then came to Portsmouth and engaged in contracting with Philip Kelley, who married one of his sisters. When the War broke out, he was preparing to enter College at St. Louis. His patriotism and sense of duty overcame the desire for an education, and he decided to enlist and did so in Company "A", 30th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was then being organized by Capt. Wm. W. Reilley, who had been a soldier in the Mexican War. Capt. Thos. Hayes was one of the very first to enlist and to use his influence to induce others. The company left Portsmouth on Capt. A. W. Williamson's steam canal packet and went to Col- umbus to Camp Chase. It was mustered in on the 14th of August, 1861 and, at the organization, young Hayes was made First Lieutenant. The regiment was sent at once to West Virginia, and its first battle was Carnifax Ferry, Sept. 10, 1861. Young Hayes was made Captain, March 17, 1762, and on September 14. and 17, 1862 at the bloody battles of South Mountain and Antietam, he led his company to victory and proved his valor on the hotly contested fields.

In the winter following he and his men were working to construct a canal across Young's Point not far from Vicksburg. In these arduous labors Capt. Hayes showed his genial disposition and kind consideration for the men under his care. Spring came and with it new plans for the capture of Vicksburg. We do not repeat the details up to the 19th of May, but several assaults were made on the works in front of Vicksburg prior to the 22nd. On the 22nd of May, 1863, a general attack was planned to be simultaneous, and, by one grand effort, possibly succeed. Ten o'clock was the hour named. The 30th Ohio was placed in the head of a ravine near where the "Graveyard Road" passes into the City, and across which a strong earth works was built, with a deep ditch, heavy abatis and all conceivable obstructions were placed in the most scientific manner. A storming party of fifty men, with scaling ladders, planks and other helps were to be used in making an entrance. Following these, the Thirtieth Ohio was to advance in column down the road with Company A in the lead. A few mo- ments before the attack, General Ewing came up and informed the Captain and those about him that they had just ten minutes to pray.

Captain Hayes turning to his men, encouraged every one to do his duty and if successful in entering the city, that no soldier of his company should do an act unbecoming a gentleman. These were about his last words, for a signal was soon given, the terrible onslaught commenced and Captain Hayes fell pierced with several balls. The storming party finding it impossible to get through the abatis, and over the ditch, the road became blockaded, no further advance could be made, the troops fell back as best they could from the enfi- lading and flank fires which were fast decimating the ranks, as more than one- third of the company were killed in the attack.

The death of Captain Hayes was sincerely mourned. He was genial in his disposition, kind as a commander, a true gentleman and christian, loyal and brave. He had endeared himself to all. He fell at his post with his face to the emeny, and a grateful, country attests his worth, by annually decorating the mound at Greenlawn where he so peacefully sleeps.

"Rest Soldier, rest, thy race is run, Thy welcome plaudit is well done;

Peaceful sleep the true and brave, We'll crown with flowers the Soldier's grave."

Captain Samuel A. Currie

was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1841. He was educated in the Portsmouth schools, and assisted his father, Thomas S. Currie in business until he entered the service. He was a very popular young man, and raised a Company in the

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

summer of 1861, which afterwards became Company A, of the thirty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered in as Captain of the Company, August 5, 1861, and died April 16, 1862, at Shelbyville, Tennessee. He was as popular in his Company as he was at his home. His remains were brought home. He was given a public funeral, befitting a soldier, and was buried in Greenlawn.

Lieutenant Henry Mcintyre

was the oldest son of Daniel and Mary Mclntyre. He was born on the 27th day of August, 1841, in the city of Portsmouth. He received a common school edu- cation in the Portsmouth schools, and fitted himself for clerical work, for which he had talent. When the general call to Arms came in '61, after the defeat of "Bull Run", young Mclntyre was the first to enlist. He joined the Company being raised by Captain W. W. Rielley, which afterwards became Company A, of the 30th O. V. I. When the Company was organized at Camp Chase, he was made First Sergeant, and promoted to Second Lieutenant, Sept. 27, 1826. He proved himself capable and energetic, and was made First Lieutenant and Ad- jutant, April 27, 1863. He served in the Army of W. Va., under General Cox, un- til the defeat of General Mcclellan in the Peninsula, and when the Kanawha Division was called to the Army of the Potomac, where the great battles of "South Mountain" and "Antietam" were fought, in which Lieutenant McIntyre was conspicuous for his bravery. After this campaign closed, his Division was returned to W. Va., and later it was transferred to the South, and joined the 15th Army Corps under General Sherman. In the terrible assaults on Vicksburg on May 19, and 22, 1863, Lieutenant Mclntyre was mentioned in the official re- ports for gallantry by his Commanding General. The Army of the Tennessee was afterwards sent to the relief of Chattanooga, and took part in the battle of Missionary Ridge. In the following spring, his regiment followed General Sherman on the way to Atlanta taking part in most of the skirmishes and bat- tles, until at the storming of Kenesaw Mountain on the 27th day of June, he re- ceived a mortal wound through his chest and one arm which terminated fatally on the 5th of July, 1864. He bore his sufferings like a hero. He was a true patriot and knew no fear in the face of the enemy. He was buried at Altoona Pass, Ga.

Lieutenant Thomas Kipp Coles,

the eldest son of Capt. Samuel Coles of Hanging Rock, Ohio, was born Dec. 25, 1844, near Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, where he spent the first ten years of his life. He enlisted as a privte in Company "H", 91st Regiment, O. V. 1., August 22, 1862. He was made a Sergeant of that Company, and was promot- ed to Second Lieutenant Feb. 19, 1863. He was transferred to Company "G", July 6, 1864, and was transferred to Company "C", First Lieutenant, Oct. 12, 1864. He was killed Nov. 18, 1864 in the battle of Myerstown, Virginia, before his mus- ter as First Lieutenant. This is his Official Record in the Civil War. He went through the severe campaign with the Army of "West Virginia", under Gen. Crook. He was at the battle of Cloyd Mountain, and in the desperate charge near Lynchburg in which Col. Turley fell dangerously wounded, bravely fighting at the head of his Regiment. He went through the severe battles and shared in the glorious victories under Gen. Sheridan in the Valley of Virginia, from the 19th of September to the 19th of October, everywhere in the thickest

Amid all these perils of the fight, the "bravest of the brave."

and dangers, and through some six or seven

battles

passed

un-

scratched.

A short

time before his death

he volunteered and was

selected to join a Company of scouts under Capt. Blazer to fight against Mosby and his gang of guerillas and outlaws, who were constantly interrupting our lines of communication, and committing unheard of cruelities upon peace- able Union citizens and Union soldiers who fell into their hands. He met his death by a rebel bullet, which entered his left side and came out under his right shoulder. He also received another wound in the neck after he fell, and lived but a few minutes after he was shot. His body was buried by some Union family who lived near by, and who were personally acquainted with him and had seen him fall. By the aid of Rev. Joseph, Chaplain of the 5th Virginia In- fantry, and Col. Charles Kingsbury, A. A. G., under Gen. Sheridan, the body was

CAPT. SAMUEL A. CURRIE. [PAGE 251.]

LIEUTENANT HENRY MCINTYRE. [PAGE 252.]

LIEUTENANT THOMAS KIP COLES. [PAGE 252.]

LIEUTENANT THOMAS W. TERRY. [PAGE 253.]

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THE CIVIL WAR.

recovered and afterwards embalmed, and restored to his friends where it re- ceived a Christian burial. The funeral took place on the 30th of November 1864, from the Presbyterian Church at Hanging Rock, Ohio. The day was one of those sweetly sad autumn days, clear, but mild and hazy, so entirely in har- mony with the occasion. A large concourse of sympathizing friends attended his funeral, among whom were several soldiers and officers of the Civil War. Brig. Gen. Powell, commander of one of the divisions of cavalry under General Sher- idan, was present. Lieutenant Coles was borne to his grave by his companions in arms, with some of whom he had fought on many a bloody field, and under the starry flag which he so dearly loved, and which he laid down his young life to defend. Afterwards his body was disinterred and re-interred in the family lot in Greenlawn cemetery in Portsmouth, where it was left to its fi- nal resting place.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 32

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612