A history of the Eleventh regiment, (Ohio volunteer infantry,) containing the military record of each officer and enlisted man of the command -a list of deaths-an account of the veterans-incidents of the field and camp-names of the three months' volunteers, etc., etc, Part 3

Author: Horton, Joshua H; Teverbaugh, Solomon, joint author
Publication date: 1866
Publisher: Dayton, W. J. Shuey
Number of Pages: 578


USA > Ohio > A history of the Eleventh regiment, (Ohio volunteer infantry,) containing the military record of each officer and enlisted man of the command -a list of deaths-an account of the veterans-incidents of the field and camp-names of the three months' volunteers, etc., etc > Part 3


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It was peculiarly distasteful to the writer to be obliged to move just at this time. Chaplain DuBois had extended us an invitation to dine with him that day, as his servant had been extremely fortunate in a recent foraging expedi- tion. A pair of fine, fat chickens, with all the other "delicacies of the season," were in process of preparation, but "circumstances," in the shape of several thousand rebels, compelled us to forego the anticipated pleasure of a


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quiet meal in the company of our worthy Chaplain. " Misery likes company," and we have the consolation of knowing that about the whole Regiment was similarly dis- appointed on that day.


The next day, Monday, the 19th, was improved in barricading the road, and running a line of breastworks along the brow of the hill on the Gauley side of the Creek. The enemy were seen on a hill a mile or two to the right during the entire day, but they made no attack. The next morning a detail, consisting of Martin Shieler, J. Hamer Smith, Valentine Schultz, James Roach and -


, under Corporal Samuel Butler, all from Company B, were sent. by a blundering order from the officer of the day, out the road towards Mountain Cove, and while yet in sight of the camp, were fired on by the advance guard of a rebel batallion marching to attack our command. James Roach was killed, and Schultz and Shieler captured, the other three men succeeding in getting back unharmed.


Roach was the first man of the Eleventh killed by the rebels, and he might have escaped, but he could not resist the temptation to stop and fire at the enemy, who were very near, and in so doing lost his life.


The rebels turned off the road to the left, and advanced through a thicket of laurel. Firing soon began, but as both parties were pretty well protected no damage was done, although a brisk fire was kept up for an hour, when the rebels retreated.


During the progress of this "bushwhacking" fight, Col. Frizell walked out into an open field on our left and challenged the rebels to come out and give us a fair fight ! The only response he received was a cursing from the rebel commander, who was hidden behind a tree, and a volley of musketry. The Colonel returned to his command, borrowed


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an "Enfield" from one of his men, and watching an oppor- tunity, soon had the satisfaction of repaying, with interest, the cowardly answer to his challenge.


A road along a ridge on our left that we could not guard, being discovered, by which the enemy could get in our rear, it was resolved to fall back to Hawk's Nest. About two o'clock the rebels were discovered to be advancing in force on our new position. Their skirmish line extended across a large corn field, followed closely by cavalry and infantry. Companies A and HI, under command of Major Coleman, were posted along the fence in the edge of the woods, Com- pany C behind a breastwork in the road, the balance of the Regiment being some half mile to the rear making barri- cades across the road. There were two "Snake Hunters"* with our advance party who commenced to fire before the enemy had got as close as Major Coleman desired, and the position of our men was thus disclosed. After two volleys the rebels were thrown into confusion, and made most a precipitate retreat. One rebel was badly wounded and left at "Hamilton's," where he received attention from our Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Gill. t


About this time Patrick Callahan, of Company C, was very seriously wounded in the left arm by the accidental discharge of a musket, requiring amputation of the arm near the left shoulder. This difficult operation was performed by Dr. Gill, in the most successful manner. Callahan recovered rapidly, and remained with the Regi- ment until the next spring.


But little of general interest transpired until Sunday, the 25th, when being again posted at Big Creek, we were


* The name given by Capt. Baggs to his company of West Virginians, whe acted as Scouts, Spies, &c., for the Union troops.


t See record of Field and Staff.


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attacked by the rebels, in their usual bushwhacking style, and Charles Allen, of Company A, was killed. Tired of this style of fighting, Col. Frizell ordered a charge, when the rebels retreated pell mell, strewing the road with guns, pistols, knives, and everything that would encumber their flight. Following the flying enemy for a mile or more, something near a wagon load of trophies were picked up by our men, many of which are still in possession of friends or members of the Regiment.


The duty of our Regiment was to picket the road from Devil's Elbow as far out as possible, but the demonstrations made by the rebels being vigorous and persistent, Col. Frizell concentrated his forces at the "Elbow," and requested the General to send him reinforcements. Two companies of the Twenty-Sixth Ohio, then stationed at Tompkins' Farm, were ordered to act under Col. F.'s orders, and, at Capt. Lane's request, Company K was sent out.


During the night of September 2d, Wise advanced and stationed his troops just across a ravine in front of our line. One of our picket stations was so situated that the rebels had got between it and the Regiment before the men could escape, and Alex. Gammack and John Helmer, of Company A, laid inside the rebel lines until near morning, when they succeeded in getting away, having crawled a long distance through the thickets along side the road.


Wise opened with his artillery on Tuesday morning, the 3d of September, and continued throwing shell and canister all day without doing the least damage. During the morning a piece of artillery sent out to Col. Frizell arrived, and after firing a few shots, a premature discharge of the gun sent the swab whizzing over among the enemy, which, as we afterwards ascertained, frightened them badly,


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as they thought we were throwing chain shot! This dis- charge took off an arm of the "rammer," and a thumb of the "thumber," after which Col. Frizell ordered the gun to the rear, as he found it defective and more dangerous to his men than to the rebels.


After a day or two, Wise left our front and retreated towards Lewisburg. Being relieved by the Twenty-Sixth Ohio, the 8th of September found our Regiment again in camp at Gauley Bridge, after a month's campaign, princi- pally "on our own hook."


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CHAPTER VII.


About the first of August, 1861, Wise was superceded by John B. Floyd, who having received reinforcements, thought it possible to drive Cox from Gauley, and it was the advance guard of the rebel army that we encountered at the foot of Sewell Mountain on the 15th.


With the main portion of his command Floyd passed down the "Sunday Road," with the intention of attacking Gauley from the north, leaving a smaller force under Wise to operate on the Lewisburg road, and to keep the way open for a retreat.


During the time our Regiment was operating up New River, we were frequently visited by the lamented Lieut. Alexander, (then a private in Co. B, but acting as Volun- teer Aid to Gen. Cox), and through him reports were sent to the General concerning the state of affairs in our front. From actual view, and from reports brought to him by citizens who had proven their loyalty, Col. Frizell knew the rebels were in large force, and was satisfied that their objective point was Gauley Bridge. Strangely, however, it seemed that the General did not place that reliance on these reports that he should, but gave more credence to the state- ments of an officer from another regiment, who claimed to have climed Gauley Mountains during a dark and stormy night, by the light of pine torches, and from his elevated


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.. position counted all the rebels between Gauley Bridge and Sewell Mountain!


The Seventh Ohio, which had been stationed at Summer- ville, retreated towards Gauley on the approach of Floyd, but were ordered back on the assurance of the celebrated scouting officer referred to, that there were no rebels in the vicinity. Arriving at Cross Lanes the Seventh was surprised and utterly routed, with a large loss in killed and wounded. Floyd then moved south, and on the afternoon of the 10th of September, was attacked by Rosecrans at Carnifex Ferry. Secing himself outnumbered, Floyd retreated during the night via the "Sunday Road," and being joined by Wise, continued the retreat to Meadow Bluff. Lee took command of the rebels in West Virginia about this time, and the troops he brought from other points joined to those under Floyd swelled the rebel army at Big Sewell Mountain to near 25,000 men.


On the 13th, Gen. Cox moved out from Gauley to join in the pursuit of Floyd-Rosecrans taking immediate command of all the troops. The Eleventh was in line at 3 o'clock A. M., and had the Brigade moved at that time many prisoners could have been taken before night. As it was, day light found us only crossing the river, and then we arrived at Mountain Cove just on the heels of the rebel rear guard, and captured a Lieutenant and thirteen men. So slovenly was the movement conducted that we did not reach Sewell Mountain until the tenth day out from Gauley. Throughout the march the Eleventh had the advance, but were continually held back by orders from the rear.


From a private letter written while we laid at Camp Lookout, on the forward movement, we are permitted to make the following extract :


I think we will be permitted to go into winter quarters as soon as the rebels are driven out of Western Virginia, and from present indications that will not be long. Floyd and Wise have been put to flight, and to-day we


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learn that Lee has been forced to retreat fromn Cheat Mountain. Our work last month has made soldiers of us, and we are now always ready to move at very short notice. From our last camp we were ordered to march in twenty minutes, and in ten minutes our Adjutant had the line formed ready to move. We need more men in our little com- mand, but as it is. we have done as much work as any regiment in Virginia, had more skirmishes, killel more rels, and received less newspaper praise than any other regiment in Virginia. We are now called . Frizell's Gipsies, as we are here, there and everywhere, and when the rebs think they have us, we aint there. They have tried to surround us three or four times, but as we generally know as much of what they are about as they do themselves, they are rather unfortunate in their efforts. Mrs. Tompkins (wife of a rebel Colonel who has a beautiful place near Gauley) says she never heard of such a set of soldiers as the Gipsey Eleventh, as we know all the roads, paths, houses, people, &c., have been over all their big hills, can sleep in logs, behind stumps, in rain or shine, can make the biggest show with the fewest men, and the biggest fight on record !


On the 25th of September our Regiment was sent on a reconnoissance to the right of the rebel camp on Big Sewell. Moving over a succession of steep hills, through the rank and tangled undergrowth of a dense forest, we had almost got into the rebel intrenchments before discovering our position. Companies A and F were deployed in advance, and the men fired on the rebel pickets whenever they could be seen through the bushes. Louis Brossy and James Mahan, of Company A, getting separated from their com- rades, unintentionally walked into the rebel camp and were made prisoners.


On the return from this expedition we passed through the bed of an ancient river, apparently having been about such a stream as the Great Miami. Coursing down the side of a steep hill through the forest, this strip of moss-covered rocks presented a sight to at once excite the awe and wonder of the spectator. At another point some fifty miles distant, on the opposite side of New River, a similar scene is presented-the dried-up bed of a large river on the side of a precipitous mountain! May it not be that in ages long ago a noble river was broken through by a volcanic


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upheaval, thus forming the seam through which weird New River now courses its way ?


While lying at Sewell Mountain Major Slemmer, of Ft. Piekens notoriety, was assigned to Gen. Resecrans' Staff as Inspector General of the Department. On Sunday, 29th of September, it came the turn of our Regiment to go through an inspection by Major S. We expected to find him an OFFICER and a GENTLEMAN, but were disappointed. Allowing nothing for long marches and severe duty in rain and mud, without changes of clothing nor opportunities for washing, this officer treated the men as if they were dogs, and evidently considered volunteer officers but little better. We bear no malice toward Major S., but his unwarranted abuse of better men than himself, although they were but privates in a volunteer regiment, ought not to be passed over in silence.


CHAPTER VIII.


October 5th, an order to strike tents after "taps" and "back out" from our position on Sewell was received. We were ready to move at 10 o'clock, but as the Eleventh, as usual, was to take its place in line nearest the enemy, we did not get off till near morning of the 6th.


Just after our wagons were packed Gen. Rosecrans came down to our camp, and hearing Col. Frizell using some very emphatic language, rode up and inquired the trouble.


"I have the ague, General, and don't feel like lying around in the mud all night," answered the Colonel.


"Oh, a little quinine and whisky will set you all right," replied "Rosey."


"I have plenty of quinine, but how do you expect a man to get whisky in this God-forsaken country," asked Frizell.


" Well, Colonel, just get a tin cup, put your quinine in it, and I will furnish the whisky," answered the General, taking a small "pocket pistol" from the breast of his coat.


The Colonel got the cup, shook over it a paper that he took from his vest pocket (the paper was the last "special order" received), and after pouring out a good strong dose from the General's flask, drank it off, thanked the General for his kindness, and assured him that the medicine would undoubtedly prove beneficial!


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Through mud almost knee deep, the troops wended their way down Sewell's rugged side, halting every few rods till some broken down wagon was turned over out of the way and set on fire. The trains were all in front, and it seemed that the greater the effort to hasten them along the slower they went. Riding frantically back and forth among the horses and wagons, ordering mess chests and officers' bag- gage thrown out, fires- built under wagons stalled in the mud, the General (Rosecrans) acted in a very strange and unaccountable manner. Among the property uselessly destroyed were the mess chests belonging to several of the company officers, containing all their provisions, and many valuable official books, papers, &c., and it was only by accident that the box containing the Regimental Books was saved. After arriving at Gauley Bridge an order was received from HEAD-QUARTERS to "send in all the morning reports" (it having been impossible to make them out while on the march), together with other reports equally impossi- ble to furnish correctly .. Here was a fine state of affairs! Rosecrans had destroyed many of the books and papers belonging to the Regiment, and all that could be done was to guess at the matter. Adjutant Horton worked hard a full week in assisting the Orderly Sergeants to straighten up their company reports, and then the officers of our Regiment were censured for being remiss in the discharge of duty !


The next Sabbath, October 13th, the Regiment arrived at Gauley Bridge, and went into camp just north of "Scrabble Creek." A letter written by a member of the Regiment on the 16th, from which we extract the follow- ing, gives a very fair account of our condition at that time:


After several days of toilsome marching we arrived at this place on Sun- day last. That morning we broke camp at Mountain Cove, and upon 3


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arriving at Tompkins' Farm, were ordered by Gen. Rosecrans to continue our march to Gauley. We were all glad to do so, as we have more room here, plenty of good water, and are some miles nearer civilization.


We have not a Field Officer with us, both Frizell and Coleman being home sick. Our Regiment numbers 717 altogether, but there are only 2 Captains, 9 Lieutenants, and 281 non-commissioned officers and privates reported for duty to-day. * # The Seventh Ohio, which has been stationed at this post since the defeat at Cross Lanes, is leaving this morning for Charleston. # $ It seems more like "old times" just now than at any time since we left Ohio. We have regular guard mounting, drills, dress parade, &c., daily, and if our officers and men were all together and well, we would be getting along finely. We have been soldiering nearly six months, but have not yet seen the officer called "Paymaster." We hear of him occasionly, and hope he is enjoying himself.


On the 28th of October, Col. de Villiers arrived at Gauley Bridge, and was formally received by the Regiment the next day. Some eight or ten days previously Gen. Cox had issued a general order announcing the Colonel's escape from Richmond,-and, after many "hair breadth 'scapes" and wonderful adventures,-safe arrival at Washington. Major Coleman had returned but a few days before, and, as eminently proper under the circumstances, paraded the command and gave the Colonel the reception due to his rank.


Whether all the stories told by the Colonel concerning his escape from Richmond are true or not, is of very little moment at this time, but for a while at least he was con- sidered by many as a hero of surprising courage and endurance. Throwing two men at the same time into the river, cutting the throat of another whom he met in a corn field, swimming the Potomac four times, and many other incidents of a like nature, were adventures of rare occur- rence at that period, and he who had successfully performed such feats could not easily escape being lionized, especially when extraordinary pains were taken to give the greatest possible publicity to the most minute particulars of the grand affair !


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Assuming command at a time when many of our men were considerably worn down by the hardships of their first campaign; many of the officers sick and absent; winter approaching, and surrounded by other peculiarly depress- ing influences, many of the men were just in that frame of mind to swallow with avidity the specious promises made by the Colonel of immediate discharge for all who desired it; promotions for those whom he chose to elevate, and the removal of the Regiment to Ohio for the winter. Col. de V. may have been entirely honest in presuming that he had the power to effect all these things, but those men who were examined by Dr. Perkins, and sent home with the assurance that proper discharges would speedily reach them, were soon undeceived when the matter came before higher authority.


Lieutenant-Colonel Frizell arrived from home about this time, and soon perceiving that he could be of no benefit to the Regiment under the then existing state of affairs, obtained leave to go to Charleston, where he remained till he learned that the rebels were "showing fight" at Gauley, when he returned to his post, but did not arrive in time to participate in the "movement" on "Cotton Hill."


CHAPTER IX.


The OFFICERS of our Regiment will certainly not forget the preparation of the rolls for our first payment, nor the kindness and patience of Major B. R. COWAN, Chief Pay- master of the Department, in giving instructions and unraveling the many knotty points attending the perform- ance of such work for the first time. With patience and perseverance, however, all was ready in good time, and on Friday morning, November 1st, Major Reese had his strong box opened in the Sutler's tent. Just as he began to hand out the first "greenbacks" that had been seen by us, zhur-r-r-r, bang ! came a shell from Cotton Hill, striking in the quarters of Company H. Another followed, burying itself in the ground close to Capt. Duncan's tent, where Company B was gathered for the purpose of signing the pay-rolls. At intervals of only a few moments our Regi- ment shared with the ferry across Gauley this sort of attention from the rebels during the entire day.


Col. de Villiers mounted his horse at the first fire, rode off in the direction of the General's quarters, and did not make his appearance again till night. Major Reese, supposing that a party might be sent across the river to attack the battery, stopped payment, and asked permission to accompany any such expedition; but in a short time all became quiet, and as no harm was done by the shells which


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dropped into the camp, very little attention was paid to the matter, and by eight o'clock in the evening the Regiment was paid off.


The next day the rebels resumed their long-range firing. At every explosion from their cannon they were greeted with yells of derision from our boys, and by gestures more expressive than elegant. During the night succeeding the second day's "bombardment," Col. de V. moved his per- sonal effects to a house situated on "Scrabble Creek," out of range of the fire, and marched the Regiment behind the bluff's of that classic stream. The regimental guards were relieved at daylight, with the exception of I. N. Minshall, on duty at the Quarter-master's store tent, who was over- looked, and remained at his post during the whole day. No order was given to return to camp, but late in the after- noon one after another of the boys began "moving," and by sundown all were again in their quarters.


For three days longer the rebels amused themselves by firing into our camp. On the night of the 7th, a detach- ment from our Regiment crossed the river and ascended the hill, but too late to secure the rebels' cannon, which had been withdrawn but a short time. A line of pickets was kept up along the foot of Cotton Hill until the 10th, when the Regiment crossed the river and advanced to the top of the hill. Considerable skirmishing was done during the day, in which John Wroe, of Company A, and Robert Batchelor, of B, were killed; R. W. Pool, of C, Louis Gallagher and John Wolverton, of D, J. B. Stewart and John Gatz, of A, were captured by the rebels. Wolverton was mortally wounded and died at Fayetteville. Sergeant George Cart, of D, got "mixed up" with the rebels, but made his escape after some rather thrilling exploits. *


"See company records for full details.


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After dislodging the enemy from his position on Cotton Hill, the Eleventh (about one hundred and fifty strong) returned to camp after turning the pursuit over to General Benham's Brigade, which Rosecrans, after nine day's effort, succeeded in getting across the river at Loup Creek.


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It is claimed that Gen. Rosecrans knew all about Floyd's movement on the west side of New River, from Meadow Bluff to Fayetteville and Cotton Hill, while it was in prog- ress, and that he desired the rebels to go just where they did. Gen. Benham was severely censured for allowing Floyd to escape after the pursuit was commenced. But why Benham was detained under the immediate eyesight of Rosecrans for a whole week, and then sent some ten miles out of the way, has never been properly explained. Perhaps all was done in strict accordance with the "red tape" process of the "circumlocution office," but any pri- vate of the Eleventh Regiment could have found the enemy in one-tenth the time, and with a proper force could have effected as much, if not more, in one day than was done in ten. Every man who has been a soldier knows that about the most trying thing that can be experienced in warfare is to be obliged to receive the enemy's fire and not have the privilege of returning it. This was the experience of the Eleventh for six days, and we do not feel like letting the matter pass as if we were entirely satisfied with all that was. done in reference thereto by those in authority.


Floyd retreated by the way of Raleigh, crossing New River at Pack's Ferry, to Lewisburg, and for the first time in seven months all was "quiet on the Kanawha." A long dull winter was before our troops, and now all turned their attention to the subject of winter quarters.


CHAPTER X.


We had received the assurance from Gen. Rosecrans that as soon as circumstances would allow, the Eleventh should be located for the winter at some point where facilities for "recruiting the numbers and health" of the Regiment could be obtained. On the 2d of December, the order to "proceed to Point Pleasant" was issued, and obeyed immediately, as all were anxious to get out of the "mire and clay" at Gauley. A march of six miles, through mud knee deep, to the steamboat landing, was necessary, the "head of navi- gation" being then at Loup Creek. After the train had got well on the way, it was ascertained that the tents and stoves had been left, and these articles were carried by the men from Gauley to the landing; and then, to add still more to the pleasure of the trip, the discovery was made that our tents and stoves were in the wagons all right, and those that the boys had carried belonged to the Second Kentucky Regiment, stationed at the Falls! We do not know whether or not the Kentucky boys ever recovered their "houses," but if they did they had to "fish" for them in the mud at Loup Creek.




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