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 7
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Most Respectfully, A. W. EBRIGHT, Lieut. Col. 126th Ohio Vols.
On the tenth of August a forward movement was begun by the army. The Regiment with its Corps marched fifteen miles, passing Charlestown. On the eleventh of August, marched fifteen miles, and halted at night at the Opequan creek. On the twelfth of August marched fifteen miles, passing through New- town and Middletown, and camped at night near Cedar creek. On the thirteenth crossed Cedar creek, and marched to the front of Early's works on Fisher Hill. At night, the Regiment with its Corps was withdrawn to the north side of Cedar creek, where it remained three days. The enemy was in front and brisk skir- mishing was kept up. On the sixteenth of August, in conse- quence of Early being reinforced, a retrograde movement was commenced at evening. The Regiment marched all night, passing Newtown, Middletown and Kernstown, and stopped at Winchester in the morning. The men stacked arms and lay down to rest; made fourteen miles; those long, weary night marches will never be forgotten by the soldier. On the seven-
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teenth of August continued the march ten miles, and camped for the night at Opequan creek. Enemy in pursuit and had a fight with our cavalry in the rear. Heavy musketry and can- nonading. On the eighteenth the march was continued for eighteen miles, passing Berryville; camped at ten o'clock at night at Charlestown. Every soldier can call to mind the sublime ap- pearance that is presented, as the army is bivouacked for the night, by the thousands of camp fires that sparkled like stars on hillside, valley and plain. The Regiment remained at Charles- town till the twenty-first of August.
BATTLE AT CHARLESTOWN.
On the twenty-first, the Sixth Corps was attacked by the en- emy. A very sharp and severe skirmish continued throughout the day, accompanied by heavy artillery firing. The One Hun- dred and Twenty-Sixth Regiment took part in this action. On the night of the twenty-first, the Regiment with the army fell back to Halltown, where it took a strong position on Bolivar Heights in front of Harper's Ferry.
SKIRMISH AT HALLTOWN.
On the twenty-second, twenty-third and twenty-fifth days of August, severe skirmishing occurred on the picket line, in which the Regiment did its share of duty.
On the twenty-sixth of August, Col. J. Warren Keifer, of the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Vols., assumed command of the Second Brigade. Previously, it had been in command of Col. Smith, except at short intervals. Col. Smith returned to the command of Regiment, which he retained except a short absence, till the close of the war. Col. Smith was a model of an appear- ing officer. He was as brave in battle as he was faultless in military bearing. Why he was relieved of the command of the Second Brigade is best known to those in authority over him. His weakness for strong drink, and especially at times when
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strict sobriety was imperative, was very unfortunate. But for this failing, he could have risen to a high rank in the army.
COL. EBRIGHT'S OFFICIAL REPORT FROM MAY FOURTH TILL AUGUST TWENTY-SEVENTH.
HEADQUARTERS 126TH REGIMENT, O. V. I., 2ND BRIG., 2 3RD DIV., 6TH A. C., AUGUST 27TH, 1864. S
LIEUT. JNO. A. GUMP, A. A. A. G .:
Headquarters 2nd Brig., 3rd Div., 6th A. C.
Lieutenant :- In obedience to instructions, I have respectfully to submit the following report of the part taken by this Regi- ment in the present campaign, from May fourth, 1864, to July ninth, 1864.
I. On the third day of May, 1864, the Regiment numbering twenty-three commissioned officers and five hundred and fifty- five enlisted men present for duty, then lying in winter quarters at Brandy Station, Virginia, was ordered to be in readiness to move at daylight on the following morning. At the appointed time I moved with the Brigade in the direction of the Rapidan river, which stream we reached and crossed without opposition, at four o'clock P. M., and encamped for the night a short dis- tance from the southern bank.
During the afternoon of the succeeding day, we marched into the Wilderness, meeting the enemy about dark on the extreme right of the line and engaging him until after nightfall. My Regiment being in the second line of battle, suffered but a loss of two men wounded. We lay on our arms during the entire night, often disturbed by volleys fired from the skirmish line- The following morning, I was ordered into the front line of battle. At daylight skirmishing was commenced and constantly kept up. At nine o'clock A. M., we charged upon the enemy's breastworks, the Brigade in two lines of battle. Although we failed to drive the enemy, we were not repulsed, but stubbornly held all the ground charged over until late in the evening, and
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until a line of breastworks had been prepared for us by the rear line, to which we fell back as soon as completed. In this charge myself and Acting Adjutant Thos. J. Hyatt had our horses killed under us. Although this was the first engagement of the campaign, failure to drive the enemy could not be attributed to lack of courage of either officers or men, all, with a very few exceptions, behaving with much gallantry.
The Brigade was now no longer the extreme right of the line. Gen. Shaler's Brigade, of the First Division, Sixth Army Corps, having been ordered to the right to protect the flank. In this position we rested until just before nightfall, when our skirmish line was suddenly driven in, and our position outflanked on the right, thus subjecting my Regiment to a severe fire both front and rear. We held our position, however, until Gen. Shaler's Brigade, forming the extreme right, had given way, allowing the enemy to get in our rear, and thereby subjecting us to danger of capture, when we fell back by company, successively, as the enemy closed in upon us.
By this time the enemy, as well as ourselves, had been thrown into confusion, and darkness having set in, friend could not be distinguished from foe. The enemy, who had captured a number of prisoners, was driven back by our partially rallied lines, but was not pursued. In this day's fighting my Regiment lost one officer and twenty-two enlisted men killed, seven officers and one hundred and twenty-nine enlisted men wounded, and three officers and sixty-seven enlisted men missing. Three officers and fifteen enlisted men died of wounds received in this battle.
II. Having rested on our arms during the night, after the battle of the sixth of May until after midnight, we moved silently by the left flank, along the line of breastworks to a point near the Wilderness Tavern. Soon after daylight we were at- tacked, but the enemy was driven off by a battery near us. In this position we remained until half past eight o'clock P. M., when we marched in the direction of Spottsylvania C. H. The
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march during the night was extremely tedious and slow, the men often dropping to sleep in the road. After a march rendered very severe by excessive heat and dust, we found the enemy in the evening in a strong position, and made preparations to storm his works. After having been formed, apparently for that pur- pose, we lay quietly until after dark, then moved forward and approached as near the enemy's works as possible, without bringing on an engagement. In this position we remained during the night. Early on the following morning skirmishing com- menced and was continued during the day without intermission. Soon after daylight we constructed a line of works and lay be_ hind them during the day, nothing occurring in our front but continued and heavy skirmishing. In the evening, four compa- nies of my Regiment were detailed to support the skirmish line in an advance upon the enemy. By straggling shots and this heavy skirmish, my Regiment sustained a loss of one officer and two enlisted men killed, and six enlisted men wounded. During the succeeding day, the tenth, we lay behind our works, momen- tarily expecting an attack; desperate fighting occurred a few hundred yards from our right, the enemy evidently attempting to break our lines at that point.
On the eleventh one company was sent out on the skirmish line. My Regiment lay this day near its former position, having moved but a short distance to the left. This afternoon it rained very heavily, continuing nearly all night. On the morning of the twelfth of May, artillery firing between the enemy's batteries and ours was very severe. About nine A. M. we marched to the left, where heavy fighting was in progress. The Division having been formed in position about noon, my Regiment was detached from the Division and sent to support Brig. Gen. Wheaton's Brigade, of the Second Division, Sixth Army Corps. Here I marched over several lines of battle to the front line, and within about one hundred yards of the enemy's works, when we engaged him until fifty rounds of ammunition were expended, and until every fourth man had been killed or wounded, then retiring to
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the rear in good order. This I consider the most severe engage- ment in which my Regiment participated during the present campaign. Early in this engagement, I was struck by a musket ball in the head, which glancing, inflicted no serious injury. I was, however, knocked down and rendered unfit for duty during the remainder of the day. My Regiment, in this day's battle, lost sixteen enlisted men killed, and one officer and fifty-three enlisted men wounded. Nine enlisted men died of wounds re- ceived in this battle. The entire Regiment was not engaged at this place, part having been left on the skirmish line in front of our former position. May thirteenth, the enemy having been driven from his works by yesterday's fighting, we were ordered on a reconnoisance, and soon found the enemy in force. In the evening we moved back to a position near the battle ground of the twelfth, and rested during the night, under orders to move with the Corps at daylight. In the morning of the fourteenth, we moved in the direction of the Richmond and Fredericksburg turnpike, crossing the river Ny in line of battle in the evening, and securing a position and entrenching during the night.
During the fifteenth and sixteenth, our position was unchanged. About sunset on the seventeenth, we received an order to put ourselves in readiness to move at once. At dark we moved out and marched very slow, but continually during the night, arriv- ing at a point near the battle ground of the twelfth soon after daylight the following morning. Soon after getting in position, the enemy opened on us with shot and shell, killing and wound- ing several in the Brigade, but fortunately for my Regiment, it suffered no loss. Having lain under artillery fire some hours, we returned to yesterday's position without an engagement. On the nineteenth, we moved forward as far as possible without bringing on an engagement, and entrenched. The advance was about two miles.
But little skirmishing occurred during the day. May twen- tieth, skirmishing was very brisk. About noon on the twenty- first, we moved to the right and a few hundred yards to the rear
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into a new line of works, parallel to those we left, just being completed. A short time before sunset a sharp skirmish took place, in which the enemy drove our skirmish line into the line of works we had recently abandoned. At ten P. M., we left the works and marched to Guinea Station.
III. The march from Spottsylvania C.H. to the North Anna river was not attended with any fighting, the Regiment with the Brigade acting as guard to the trains. In this capacity, we moved with the trains until the evening of the twenty-fifth, when leaving them we crossed the North Anna and took a position be- hind a line of works.
On the morning of the twenty-sixth, we crossed the works and marched forward across the Central railroad, but immediately countermarched to the works again. During the night it rained very heavily. At dusk in the evening we re-crossed the North Anna, marched with much difficulty over roads rendered almost impassible with mud and water, arriving at Chesterfield Station at about twelve M. At six o'clock on the following morning, we took up the line of march in the direction of the Pamunky, halting within a few miles of the river, and remained in position during the night. At twelve M. on the twenty-eighth, we crossed the Pamunky on pontoons and threw up breastworks on high ground, two miles from the southern bank. At three P. M. on Sunday the twenty-ninth, we were ordered under arms, to be in readiness to support Gen. Russell's Division in a reconnoissance ; lay during the night in the works. Moved at daylight on the thirtieth, in a northwestern direction, striking the Hanover C. H. and Richmond road at the "Seventeen Mile Post," following this road one and one half miles, the Regiment moved with the Corps to the Tolopotamy and formed in line of battle on the north side of that stream; remained in position in sight of the enemy until twelve M. on the thirty-first, when we moved across the stream to the front; the Brigade was here formed in two lines of battle, my Regiment in the front line. Two of my companies were on the skirmish line. At one time during the afternoon the enemy
REUBEN LAMPTON, CAPT. CO. K. 126TH REGT. D.V. I.
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drove the skirmish line back upon the line of battle, but ad- vanced no further. In this skirmish I had one man wounded. In the evening, the remaining eight companies of my Regiment were detailed for picket duty. Soon after dark, one hundred of my picket detail returned and rested near the rear line of battle.
IV. At one o'clock A. M. June first, leaving the picket out, we commenced the march for Cold Harbor-having reached a point near the enemy, after a march rendered doubly severe by heat and dust. At half past ten A. M. we rested a short time, and commenced work on a line of works. Before they were completed, however, (our pickets having arrived in the mean- time much exhausted and hungry) the Brigade was moved to the left and formed in four lines of battle, preparatory to charg- ing the enemy's works. My Regiment, in this charge, was placed on the right of the rear line. Gen. Smith's troops having ar- rived and all preparations having been completed, we advanced with a yell upon the enemy, driving him in confusion from his works and capturing many prisoners. Although, having been placed in the rear line, immediately on crossing the enemy's works, by mistake I found myself in the front, which position I held during the night. In this charge I had but one officer and nine enlisted men wounded, and two enlisted men missing. One of the enlisted men died of wounds received in this battle.
Having reconstructed the enemy's works for our own pro- tection, my Regiment remained in them until evening, then moved to the rear. I had two men wounded this day. From the third to the eleventh, the Regiment took its regular turn in going to the front, without any unusual occurrence. On the sixth I had one officer killed, shot through the head by a Rebel sharpshooter.
About two A. M. on the eleventh, I moved with the Brigade to the rear, halting at daylight and remaining in the rear during the day. At nightfall we moved to that part of the front line occupied by the Second Army Corps, relieving the troops there. The Brigade was here formed in two lines of battle, my Regi-
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ment in front. Our front line was in this place between fifty and seventy-five yards from the enemy. In this position we lay until ten P. M. of the twelfth, when leaving one hundred and fifty men of my Regiment in the works, we commenced the move- ment in the direction of Charles City C. H.
V. During the march from Cold Harbor to the James river, no occurrence of an unusual nature took place. The Sixth Army Corps was the last to reach the James river, being in rear of the army. On the thirteenth we crossed the Chickahominy at a point near Jones' Bridge. Our picket detail joined us to- day at noon. On the morning of the fifteenth, my Regiment received one hundred and fourteen drafted men and substitutes. With this accession to my strength, I moved with the Corps on the sixteenth, to a point near the river, and assisted in construct- ing a strong line of works facing to the rear, and with each flank resting on the banks of the river. In the evening we moved to the river, and embarking on steam "Transport," reached Ber- muda Hundred at eleven P. M. At this place the Corps lay in or near the works until Sunday the nineteenth, when, having been relieved by the Eighteenth Army Corps, we moved across the Appomattox in direction of Petersburg. At ten P. M. on the twenty-first, having reached the extreme left of the line in front of Petersburg, we took position. After marching a short distance in line of battle, we took position again, the men con- structing slight defenses without the aid of entrenching tools. On the twenty-second we completed a strong line of works, but at eleven A. M. moved out of them to the front, the Brigade in two lines of battle, my Regiment in the front line. Having built breastworks of rails we lay behind them until evening, when we about-faced and moved back to our original works. Considerable skirmishing had occurred in our front during the afternoon ; this day I had one man accidentally and mortally wounded, while lying in rear of the rail breastworks.
In the evening we moved forward again in two lines, and charging through the woods with a yell, captured a line of works
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from the enemy, from which he fled, offering but little resistance. During the night and succeeding day, we held. a position in the woods, having built new works, until evening, when we retired to our original works on the line first formed. In this position our line remained unchanged till noon of the twenty-ninth, when the Corps marched to the left to operate on the Petersburg & Weldon railroad. Having destroyed a considerable portion of the railroad, in which my Regiment took no part, we returned again to our original works, without meeting the enemy in battle, arriving July second.
On the sixth of July, the Division was ordered to Baltimore, Maryland, at which city we arrived on the morning of the eighth, per steam Transport, and at once took the train for Mo- nocacy Junction, on which point the enemy was reported moving. My Regiment arrived at Monocacy Bridge in the evening and camped near it during the night. On the morning of the ninth the forces there, under Major Gen. Wallace, were formed into line of battle, my Regiment stationed near the turnpike bridge. At noon this bridge was burned, and at two P. M. my Regiment was double-quicked to the left to support the line there that was being severely pressed by the enemy. The Regiment advanced beyond our line of battle, driving the enemy behind the crest of a hill, and having been engaged about one hour, was ordered to fall back. The enemy followed us some miles, annoying us with shot and shell. My loss in this engagement was, three enlisted men killed, three officers and forty enlisted men wounded, twenty-eight enlisted men missing, and twenty-nine enlisted men known to be prisoners. Seven enlisted men died of wounds re- ceived in this battle. In all the engagements of the campaign, the officers and men, with a few exceptions, behaved most gal- lantly ; to mention all who have merited remark, would extend this report beyond reasonable limit.
Among the many who deserve special mention are First Lieut. Thos. J. Hyatt, Acting Adjutant, and Sergeant Major James W. Moffatt, for their bravery and gallant conduct on the field of
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battle, both of whom have since been promoted. Also, First Sergeant John M. Russell, Company D, killed; Private Alvin V. Brashear, Company C, killed, and here I cannot refrain from special mention of the gallant color bearers of this Regiment, Corporal D. W. Welch, Company C, killed; Sergeant J. J. Bricker, Company H, captured, and Sergeant Abram Colgrove, Company K, wounded, while gallantly standing by their colors in line of battle.
Corporal James Love, Company H, at the battle of Monocacy, seeing the color bearer of another regiment fall, seized the colors and waved them defiantly two or three times, but was shot down seriously wounded, and has since died.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. W. EBRIGHT,
Lieut. Colonel Commanding Regiment.
At Halltown, the Shenandoah Army was reinforced by Grover's Division of the Nineteenth Corps, and Wilson's Division of cav- alry. The army was now composed of the Sixth Corps (Wright's), Ninteenth Corps (Emory's), and the Eighth Corps (Crook's), and Torbert's Cavalry Corps, composed of the Divi- sions of Averill, Merritt and Wilson. The army being strength- ened, Gen. Sheridan at once began a forward movement. On the twenty-eighth of August, the Regiment with its Corps advanced to Charlestown.
BATTLE OF SMITHFIELD.
On the twenty-ninth of August, two Divisions of the enemy's Infantry and a small cavalry force attacked Merritt's Cavalry Divison at the Smithfield bridge. After a very hard fight the Cavalry were driven back through Smithfield, towards Charles- town. Gen. Ricketts' Division was then sent to reinforce the Cavalry, and after severe fighting, drove the enemy through Smithfield and over the Opequan. The Regiment took part with its Division in this action, after which it returned to camp near
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Charlestown. On the second of September, the Regiment was joined by fifty-five more drafted men. On the third of Septem- ber, the Regiment with the Sixth Corps moved to Clifton farm and fortified. The Regiment lay on the Clifton farm for fifteen days, during which skirmishes and cannonading in front with the cavalry were frequent.
About the middle of September, Gen. Grant visited Gen. Sheridan, in order that he might better understand the situation. "I met him at Charlestown," says the Lieutenant General, "and he pointed out so distinctly how each army lay, what he could do the moment he was authorized, and expressed so much confi- dence of success, that I saw there were but two words of in- struction necessary-Go in." Sheridan at once obeyed the com- mand, and those two short words were soon fraught with stirring events in the Shenandoah valley.
CHAPTER VIII.
Battle of Opequan-Battle of Flint Hill-Battle of Fisher Hill-Pursuit of the en- emy to Mt. Crawford-Return to Cedar Creek-Battle of Cedar Creek-Skirmish at Kerntown.
BATTLE OF OPEQUAN.
At three o'clock on the morning of the nineteenth of Septem- ber, the Shenandoah Army, now lying in front of Berryville, were put under arms and advanced on the Berryville Pike, to- wards the Opequan Ford, Wilson's Cavalry being in advance, followed by the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps. The Eighth Corps, stationed at Summit Point, moved at the same time toward Ope- quan Ford, where it also crossed. Wilson's Cavalry crossed the Opequan at daybreak, and charged swiftly through a mountain gorge, and clearing all opponents, reached a position about two miles from Winchester, closely followed by the three Infantry Corps. At this place the troops were now formed in line of battle about nine o'clock, under a heavy artillery fire, the Sixth Corps flanked by Wilson's Cavalry, held the left, and the Nine- teenth Corps the right ; this flank being protected by Merritt's Cavalry. The Eighth Corps was held as a reserve. Skirmishers were thrown out and heavy skirmishing ensued. At ten o'clock the attack was made by the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, in very handsome style. The line moved forward in the face of a terri- ble storm of shells, and met with a desperate resistance on the part of the enemy. After the deadly contest had been raging some time, the enemy made a counter charge and hurled two of his most powerful Divisions against the right of the Sixth Corps, held by Ricketts, and the left of the Nineteenth Corps, held by Grover. During the advance, an interval was made between these two Divisions, giving the enemy the advantage in the at-
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tack. After a most gallant resistance, Grover's Division and three Regiments on the right of Ricketts' Division, were compelled to give way and fall back in disorder. The retreating troops were quickly rallied and turned upon their pursuers. Grover ordered two guns to a position in the gap, and these opened on the assailants who were pressing forward to seize them. At the same time a Brigade of Russell's Division of the Sixth Corps, vigorously attacked the flank of the enemy's attacking column. These poured upon the Confederates a shower of musketry that caused them to recoil and sent them flying back to their lines. The Eighth Corps, which had until now been held in reserve, was put in on the right of the Nineteenth Corps. Averill's Cavalry Division, which had closely followed the enemy from Bunker Hill, on the Martinsburg Pike, had formed a junction with Merritt on the right. These two powerful Cavalry Divi- sions now enveloped Winchester on the east and north. Firing was kept up along the lines until four o'clock, when a general advance took place along the entire Union line. The enemy gave way before the impetuosity of the attack, and was driven to a fortified position in front of Winchester. By five o'clock he was also driven from this position, and his confused and broken columns were "whirling through Winchester" in full retreat. They left behind them two thousand five hundred of their comrades as prisoners, with nine battle flags and five pieces of artillery. The Union loss in the battle was, six hundred and fifty-three killed, three thousand seven hundred and nineteen wounded, and six hundred and eighteen missing. Gen. D. A. Russell was among the slain. He was commander of the First Division of the Sixth Corps. The Confederate loss in killed and wounded was about three thousand, including Maj. Gen. Rodes killed.
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