USA > Ohio > Concise history of the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry : from the date of organization to the end of the rebellion ; with a complete roster of each company, from date of muster ; battles and skirmishes participated in, lists of the killed, wounded and missing, and other incidents of the camp and field > Part 6
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BATTLE AT BERMUDA HUNDRED.
The Regiment was sent to the front, where it came under the artillery fire of the enemy. On the morning of the eighteenth the Regiment was sent out to reconnoiter, and was exposed to a heavy fire. On the nineteenth of June at three P. M., the Reg- iment with its Division was relieved, and leaving the army at Bermuda Hundred, it crossed the Appomattox and rejoined the Sixth Corps in front of Petersburg. On the twentieth of June it was under a heavy artillery fire, no casualty.
BATTLE OF THE WELDON RAILROAD.
The Potomac Army was in front of Petersburg, with the right resting on the Appomattox, and its left extending across and some distance beyond the Norfolk railroad. Between it and
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Petersburg interposed the Rebel army under Gen. Lee. Grant failing in taking Petersburg by direct assault, resolved to extend his line to the left and sieze the Weldon railroad. Accordingly, the Sixth and Second Corps were moved on the night of the twenty-first of June, to the left and massed near the Williams House. On the morning of the twenty-second, both Corps ad- vanced about half a mile, when they encountered Gen. A. P. Hill's Corps of the enemy near the Jerusalem Plank Road. Under concealment of the dense woods, Hill managed to noise- lessly flank and surprise the Second Corps, capturing a large number of prisoners. This disaster necessitated both Corps to fall back at two P. M., to the position occupied in the morning. Meade came up at this time, and just at sunset he ordered both Corps to advance and retake what they had lost. Hill, unsup- ported, precipitately retreated, carrying away with him about twenty.five hundred prisoners. An advance of one and one half miles was made, regaining nearly all the ground lost, when the lines halted, threw up works and rested for the night. On the morning of the twenty-third, the Sixth and Second Corps again advanced with much opposition and succeeded in gaining the Weldon railroad and destroying a portion of it, when they were suddenly attacked by Hill's Corps and driven back on the main line. Thus ended in failure this attempt to seize the Weldon railroad, and all that was accomplished was the extension of the Union line to the left at a cost of about five thousand men. The Union loss was, killed six hundred and four, wounded two thou- sand four hundred and ninety-four, and missing two thousand two hundred and seventeen. The One Hundred and Twenty- Sixth Regiment took an active part in the battle. On the twenty-first of June it moved with its Corps to the left and formed in line of battle, and entrenched near the Williams House. On the morning of the twenty-second, it advanced one half mile when skirmishing ensued. The lines were then halted and entrenched. At three o'clock the Regiment with its Brigade fell back to its position in the morning. At seven P. M. the
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Regiment with its Corps made a charge on the enemy, causing him to retreat very suddenly. An advance of two miles was made, before which, the enemy still fled precipitately, when the lines were halted and entrenched. On the twenty-third, the Regiment was with its Corps in the advance and attempted to sieze and destroy the Weldon railroad. Being unable to hold its advanced position against the attack of the enemy, it fell back that evening at half past eight P. M. to the position occupied on the evening of the twenty-first, near the Williams House. The works were now strengthened and the troops rested for the first time on the campaign. On the twenty-ninth of June, the Sixth Corps was sent out to cut and destroy the Weldon railroad. The Regiment marched with its Corps by the Jerusalem Plank Road, striking the railroad at Ream's Station, when it formed a line and entrenched. On the thirtieth, about ten miles of the Weldon railroad were destroyed and the depot burned. At six P. M., the Corps returned by the Jerusalem Plank Road, to a point near the Williams House, where it arrived the same night. On the second of July the Regiment went into the entrenchments.
Lossing, in his history of the civil war, says: "It has been said that there was a great disparity in numbers between the forces of Grant and Lee during the campaign, from the passage of Rapidan river to the surrender at Appomattox C. H. Ac- cording to the official records, this does not appear. Grant be- gan the campaign with ninety-eight thousand and nineteen effective nien, and Lee with seventy-two thousand two hundred and seventy-eight effective men. The latter had such advantages of position, breastworks, and a friendly country, with shorter lines of supplies, that his real force was greater than Grant's. When Lee reached Petersburg, owing to recruits from the South and elsewhere, he had more men with him than at the beginning of the campaign."
After a sanguinary struggle of two months, both armies were willing to have a little repose, and there was a lull in the active operations of the campaign, except what pertained to entrenching.
CHAPTER VI.
Withdrawn from Petersburg-By Steamship to Baltimore-By Rail to Monocaey- Battle of Monocacy-Retreat to Ellicott's Mills-By Rail to Baltimore, thenee to Washington-In Pursuit of Early's Army-Battle at Snicker's Ferry-Return to Washington.
Finding the pressure of his antagonist very great, Gen. Lee sought an opportunity to relieve the siege of Richmond and Petersburg, by diverting Grant's troops away to some other point. This opportunity presented itself when Gen. Hunter fled from before Lynchburg into western Virginia, with an exhausted and broken army, and this left the Shenandoah Valley guarded by only a moderate force under Sigel, at Martinsburg. Lee di- rected Gen. Early in command of twenty thousand troops, in the upper part of the Valley, to sweep rapidly down the Valley, in- vade Maryland and threaten the National Capital, which was now practically uncovered by placing the Potomac Army on the south side of the James river. The Sixth Corps was now ordered to Baltimore to meet the invaders.
On the morning of the sixth of July, the Regiment with its Division marched to City Point, fifteen miles, and embarked on the Transport "City of Albany," and proceeded to Baltimore, where it arrived on the morning of the seventh. The remaining two Divisions of the Sixth Corps were also sent to Washington. Both these cities were now threatened by Early's army, number- ing about twenty thousand men. On the morning of the eighth, the Regiment with its Division took the cars and moved to Monocacy Junction, arriving at three o'clock P. M. of the eighth.
BATTLE OF MONOCACY.
Early on the morning of the ninth of July, Gen. Wallace made dispositions for battle. Gen. Ricketts' Division held the
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left, covering the Washington Pike, where the main attack was expected. Gen. Tyler's forces, mostly one hundred day men and homeguards held the right, covering the Baltimore Pike and the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Col. Brown, in command of the One Hundred and Forty-Ninth O. N. G., and one hundred mounted infantry held a stone bridge across the Monocacy, on the Baltimore Pike, and was Gen. Wallace's chief protection of his right flank. Clendennin and his cavalry watched the fords on the left. The Monocacy river covered the entire front of the position. Skirmishers were sent out across the river some dis- tance in advance of the bridges. Captain Alexander's Battery of six three inch guns was divided and three guns were sent to Ricketts and three guns to Gen. Tyler. At the block house, near the railway was a rude earthwork and a twenty-four pound howitzer. Such was the disposition of Wallace's little force of about fifty-five hundred men to resist the attack of an army of twenty thousand men with fifty-two pieces of artillery. At eight o'clock in the morning, Early's army advanced from Frederick. Planting his Napoleon guns, sixteen in number, behind his skir- mish line as he advanced, Early opened battle at nine o'clock. The contest rapidly grew warmer and more general as he drew nearer, and Col. Brown soon found it difficult to hold his position at the stone bridge. At the same time, a large body of the Con- federates moving by the right, out of range of Ricketts' guns, forced the passage of the Monocacy about a mile to the left of Ricketts, and at ten o'clock moved upon him in battle order. Ricketts changed front to the left to meet this attack, his right resting on the river, but in so doing he exposed his line to an en- filading fire from Early's guns across the river. So great was the Rebel front that Ricketts' Division had to be formed in one line, leaving it without reserves. Two of Tyler's guns and every man that could be spared were now sent to Ricketts. The en- emy's first line advanced and made a furious charge on Ricketts, but was quickly thrown back. The second line then charged, and after a more protracted struggle was also repulsed and fled
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to the woods in confusion. Wallace maintained his position as long as possible, expecting the arrival at one o'clock, of three fresh regiments of Ricketts' Division which were yet behind. His desire was to test the strength of the enemy and keep him at bay as long as possible. One o'clock came and no tidings of the three expected regiments. An hour and one half later the Rebels issued from the woods in two strong columns, to make another charge on Ricketts. It was now time to get away, and Gen. Ricketts was ordered to retire over to the Baltimore Pike, which he did at four o'clock. In the meantime Tyler had gal- lantly been fighting the foe on the right, and Col. Brown yet held the stone bridge, which Gen. Wallace said must be held at all hazards, until Gen. Ricketts' troops would cross over to the Baltimore Pike. Tyler now sent Brown all his reserves, and with the utmost exertions, the stone bridge was held until Rick- etts' column was safe, when at five o'clock, Brown was compelled to abandon the bridge and retreat down the Baltimore Pike. Tyler's remaining forces, half enveloped by the swarming foe, was compelled to follow, the General and his staff barely escap- ing capture. The defeated Union troops retreated by the Balti- more Pike and at a distance of twelve miles from the scene of strife, the whole army bivouacked for the night. Early's army was too badly smitten to make any further pursuit, and rested on the battle field that night. Thus ended the battle of Monoc- acy. The National loss was, ninety-eight killed, five hundred and seventy-nine wounded, and seven hundred taken prisoners. The One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment was with its Division (Ricketts') through the entire action, and took an active part, losing very heavily. Its loss in this battle was, three enlisted men killed and three officers and forty enlisted men wounded, and twenty-eight enlisted men missing. Seven enlisted men died of wounds received in this battle.
Gen. Wallace, in his official report, says: "The men of the Third Division ( Ricketts') were not whipped, but retired reluc- tantly, under my orders. They bore the brunt of the battle
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with a coolness and steadiness which I venture has not been ex- celled in any battle of the war. Too much credit cannot be given to Gen. Ricketts for his skill and courage."
The Regiment retreated with its Division by the Baltimore Pike, to Ellicott's Mills, a distance of forty-five miles, where it arrived at noon on the tenth. The men were foot sore and tired out with the long march. At evening on the eleventh, the Reg- iment with its Division took the cars and went to Baltimore, where it arrived next morning, and went into camp in Druid Hill Park. On the fourteenth, the Division took the cars and moved to Washington. On the fifteenth, marched through Washington and Georgetown, and halted at noon at Tenallytown. In the afternoon continued the march for a distance of fifteen miles, and halted at night at Orfox Cross Roads. On the six- teenth marched a distance of twenty-five miles and waded the Potomac river at Edwards Ferry, the water waist deep; a mile further on waded Goose creek, and bivouacked at ten o'clock at night. On the seventeenth continued the march, the day was very warm and the men straggled badly; passed through Lees- burg, near which the Regiment with its Division rejoined its Corps, which was now in pursuit of Early's retreating army. On the eighteenth continued the march for fifteen miles, through Snicker's Gap to Snicker's Ferry of the Shenandoah river.
BATTLE OF SNICKER'S FERRY.
On the eighteenth of July, Gen. Early was overtaken at Snicker's Ferry by Gen. Wright, in command of the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps and a portion of Crook's army. Early had . taken a position to dispute the passage of the river. A sharp artillery fight with some skirmishing took place, which ended at dark. The passage of the stream was made by Crook's horse- men, when Breckenridge turned upon them and drove them back with considerable loss. On the night of the nineteenth, Early's army retreated in the direction of Berryville. The One Hun- dred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment with its Corps was formed in
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line of battle in support of this engagement, being exposed to the artillery fire and skirmish fire from the enemy. On the morning of the twentieth, the Regiment with its Corps crossed the river and pursued the enemy to Berryville. As it was thought Early was retreating up the valley towards Lynchburg or Richmond, orders from Gen. Grant were received at this place, for the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps to hasten by water to Petersburg, before the invaders of Maryland should rejoin Lee. The Regiment with its Corps took the back track, marched all night, recrossing the Shenandoah at Snicker's Ferry, passing Snicker's Gap and Hamilton, it halted at eight o'clock next morning for breakfast. On the twenty-first marched twenty-five miles, crossed Goose creek and halted for the night. On the twenty-second of July continued the march all day, through Greensville, and halted at night at Lewinsville, made fifteen miles. On the twenty-third of July marched twelve miles, crossed the Potomac river at the Chain Bridge and went into camp at Tenallytown. At this place, events to be narrated in the two succeeding chapters, caused the order for the Sixth and Nine- teenth Corps to return to Petersburg, to be at once counter- manded.
CHAPTER VII.
Proceed via Harper's Ferry to Halltown-Fall back to vicinity of Frederick-As- signed to Army of the Shenandoah-Advance to Halltown-Forward movement to Cedar Creek -Fall back to Halltown-Skirmish at Charlestown, Halltown and Smithfield.
On the twenty-sixth of July, the Sixth Corps was ordered to the Shenandoah valley instead of Petersburg. The Regiment with its Corps marched that day ten miles, and halted at Rockville for the night. On the twenty-seventh of July marched fifteen miles and halted at night at Hyattstown. On the twenty-eighth of July continued the march through Urbana, across the Monocacy river and through Frederick City, and bivouacked for the night at Jefferson. On the twenty-ninth of July at daylight, con- tinued the march through Petersville, Knoxville, and Sandy Hook, and crossed the Potomac river at Harper's Ferry on pon- toon bridges, and halted at Halltown; went over a distance of twenty-five miles. On the thirtieth of July ordered back to Frederick, as the enemy was supposed to be again invading Mary- land. The Regiment with its Corps took the back track, over same route as it marched on the twenty-ninth, and halted at Frederick on the evening of the thirty-first. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, burned by the Rebels same day.
Gen. Phil. Sheridan was now put in command of all the troops in the vicinity of Frederick, afterward known as the Army of the Shenandoah, which was composed of the Sixth, Eighth and Nineteenth Corps, and the Cavalry Divisions of Averill and Merritt. The entire army was ordered at once to the Shenandoah valley. On the third of August the Regiment marched six
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miles and forded the Monocacy at Buckeyetown, where it en- eamped two days. On the evening of the fifth of August, the Regiment marched to Monocacy Junction, where it took the cars and went to Harper's Ferry. On the sixth of August it marched to Halltown and encamped.
LETTER FROM THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH OHIO REGIMENT.
Editors of the Lancaster Gazette:
I had the pleasure of receiving a day or two ago, a very in- teresting letter from my friend Lieut. Col. A. W. Ebright, who has borne an honorable and useful part in the movements and battles of the grand Army of the Potomac, during the present campaign. I have allowed several friends to read this letter, and their invariable expression has agreed with my own opinion, that the letter of Col. Ebright well deserves to be given to the public. When it comes to his knowledge that I have taken this liberty with his esteemed letter, which was hurriedly written by him, and was designed only for my own eye, I trust he will think of the host of warm friends he has left behind him in this community, and of the great pleasure the publication of the letter will afford to them, and that in this way he will at least excuse, it , he cannot fully justify the course I have taken. J. D. M.
The following letter, written by Col. Ebright, is a comprehen- sive account of the campaign since May fourth up to the present time, and is therefore now introduced :
HEADQUARTERS 126TH REGIMENT O. V. I. 2ND BRIG. 3RD DIV. 6TH A. C., CAMP AT HALLTOWN, VA., AUGUST 8TH, 1864. MR. J. D. MARTIN :
My Old Friend :- It has been some time since I have heard from any of my friends at home, except my family, I concluded to let you know of the whereabouts of the One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Ohio Regiment, which has a small representation from Fairfield, and to give you a short history, perhaps, of our
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doings since this campaign opened-hoping it would not be un- interesting to you. We crossed the Rapidan on the fourth of May, with twenty-one officers and five hundred and fifty-five men, and on the fifth we came across the Rebels in the Wilder- ness, and skirmished with them until after dark, and on the morning of the sixth of May, our Brigade, forming the extreme right of our army, our whole line was ordered to charge the en- emy's works in our immediate front, and at five o'clock A. M., we fixed bayonets and went in on the double quick and a most terrible yell. I led my regiment in person, but we did not go far before the Rebels opened on us with a terrible fire of mus- ketry and shell. We found their works too strong for us to carry, and the entire line came to a halt, and all fell back except my Regiment. We held our ground until we received orders from our Brigade Commander to fall back. I had a fine horse killed under me in the charge. He was shot three times before he fell. We fell back in the front ranks, and I could not get my saddle off, without one hundred chances to one of losing my life, for I think he had fifty bullets in him before I could take off the bridle. I did not like to lose my saddle, as it had been broken last fall by a twelve pound cannon shot, and I wanted to bring it home.
About twelve o'clock M., we fell back one hundred yards and threw up breastworks, and a Brigade from the First Division was sent out on our right to protect our flanks, and about six P. M. the Rebs made a charge on our right flank, driving in this Brigade, and the first thing we knew they broke and run, and let the "Johnnies" in our rear, when there was nothing left for us to do but get out as fast as possible or be gobbled up. We preferred to get out but not without considerable loss. We rallied a new line a short distance in the rear, and drove the enemy off the field-but we moved to the left about six miles that night. Our loss during the entire day was one hundred and thirty men and twelve officers killed, wounded and missing. Our next move was toward Spottsylvania C. H., where we had to
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fight night and day, not being one hour that we were not under fire.
On the twelfth my Regiment was called on to support the Second Division at that awful fight and place called the Slaugh- ter-pen. We were marched up within one hundred yards of the Rebel breastworks, in open field, in fair view of the Rebels, with no cover whatever, except a few pine trees about six or eight inches in diameter. In less than one hour and a half I lost eighty-two men killed and wounded. We stayed on the ground until our men were entirely out of ammunition, and many of the boys rolled over their dead comrades and emptied their car- tridge boxes to renew our supplies. There I received a slight wound on the side of my head, and several balls through my coat. To give you some idea of the storm of bullets on that day, I will say that where our Regiment fought, trees six and eight inches over were entirely shot down with bullets in a great number of instances.
After being struck I was carried off the field, but was taken to the hospital where I had my head dressed, and was able to rejoin my Regiment next morning. By this time my Regiment became quite small, the number lost up to the time being nearly three hundred men and thirteen officers.
I will give an idea of the appearance of this Slaughter-pen next day, as we took their works on the twelfth. At night, after a terrible slaughter on both sides, behind the Rebel works men lay in piles in all kinds of shapes from two to five men deep, and a great many of them yet living, and the blood in the ditch behind their works was nearly shoe mouth deep. I fear you won't be- lieve this story, but I have rolled two and three dead men off a wounded Rebel to get him out. Thousands and thousands lay there on a few acres of ground. From there we made several flank movements towards the James river, and on the first day of June, after a very hard march, we were ordered to charge the Rebel works at Cold Harbor. My Regiment was on the fourth line when we started on the charge, but my colors were the first
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that crossed the first line of works, under a most terrible fire. Here our Division captured six hundred prisoners and carried two lines of Rebel works. It was this day's work that called forth Gen. Meade's congratulatory order to our Division. In this charge we only lost fifteen men killed and wounded. We lay at this place twelve days building breastworks and digging ditches, fairly burrowing in the ground. We dare not show our heads for fear of being shot down.
On the third day of June the Rebels charged our works, but were repulsed three times. Our loss was not very large in any of these charges, being behind breastworks. On the twelfth of June we made another flank movement towards the James river, and on the sixteenth of June I received one hundred and sixty conscripts and substitutes. Nearly all my substitutes deserted shortly after, but we continued on until we came before Peters- burg, and was moved to the left of our entire army, about four miles south of Petersburg, where the Rebels commenced skir- mishing pretty heavy. We were again ordered to fix bayonets and see where they lived. Again I felt it my duty to lead this charge, as I feared my new men would not stand this pressure, but we went in with a yell. The Rebels fired a few rounds and fled. We pursued them about one and a half miles and halted after dark, with hardly any loss, but two of our men being wounded. We halted and went to building breastworks, where we remained until the thirtieth of June, when the Sixth Corps was ordered to the left some miles, to relieve Gen. Wilson's cav- alry, who was surrounded and could not get out, and had lost all his guns. We marched beyond Ream's Station, drove off the Rebels, re-captured two of Wilson's guns, tore up and destroyed about eight miles of the Weldon railroad, and returned to our old camp on the third of July. On the sixth we were ordered to City Point to embark for Baltimore, where we arrived on the ninth, and from there we were run out to Monocacy Junction. Only about three thousand of our Division was engaged there against twenty thousand Rebels, but Gen. Wallace saw proper
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to fight our small force there in order to find out the strength of the enemy, and we got licked very badly, but we have the sat- isfaction of knowing that we killed and wounded more Rebels than we lost altogether. Our men behaved well, and as they fell back they fought every inch of the way. My loss was one hundred and eight men and two officers killed, wounded and missing. In this fight my conscripts fought well. Since then . we have marched and countermarched, and have done nothing yet. I can't tell what we will do before we get the Rebels out of this valley. My Regiment now numbers seven officers and two hundred and ten men present for duty.
I am well and hearty, and hope you are. We have just re- ceived orders to march again. You will excuse this uninterest- ing letter; if I had time I might improve it, but hoping to hear from you soon, I remain yours,
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