History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 20

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 458

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HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

fell back with the army to Nashville, and participated in the battles at that place, December 15 and 16, 1864, and followed the defeated enemy to Columbia, Ten- nessee. The Fiftieth was consolidated with the Ninety-ninth Ohio Infantry. The consolidated regiment constituted the Fiftieth. At the time of the consoli- dation the Fiftieth numbered only about one hundred men. In August, 1862, it contained an aggregate of nine hundred and sixty-four men. The Fiftieth moved to Clifton, Tennessee, and thence via Cincinnati and Washington to Fort Fisher, North Carolina. June 26, 1865, it was mustered out at Salisbury, North Caro- lina, and July 17, 1865, it was paid and disbanded at Camp Dennison, Ohio.

SIXTIETH OHIO INFANTRY.

Early in the year 1864 about twenty-five young men of Austinburg and vicinity enlisted with Lieutenant Charles E. Austin, and were attached to the Sixtieth Ohio Infantry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. N. McElroy. Upon the completion of six companies it was sent to the field, reporting to General Burnside, at Alexandria, Virginia, and was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Ninth Army Corps. The Sixtieth joined the Army of the Po- tomac on the Rapidan, and took part in the battles of the Wilderness, Spott- sylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Siege of Petersburg, and in the actions about Richmond. On the 9th of May, 1864, the battalion led the advance of a column of two divisions of the Ninth Army Corps in the attack at Mary's Bridge, Ny river, and was specially distinguished in orders by the general commanding for the gallantry with which it crossed the stream and carried the positions of the enemy. The mnster-rolls in the office of the adjutant-general of Ohio show the casualties in this battalion to be five hun- dred and five, with but seventeen missing. Two-thirds of those who enlisted with Lieutenant Austin were killed, died of hardship and disease, or were wounded. The entire loss from disease and on the battle-field in Company C was forty men, showing the most terrible mortality of any Ohio company in the service during the same short period of time. The Sixtieth was mustered out of the service July 25, 1865.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH OHIO INFANTRY.

This regiment composed of citizens of Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga, Trumbull, and Mahoning counties. Companies G and K and a part of Company I were from Ashtabula County. The regiment was mustered into service on the 20th and 21st of August, 1862, at Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, Ohio. The last company was mustered in at ten o'clock on the morning of August 21, and in one hour the reg- iment, one thousand and thirteen strong, was on the march, being the first regi- ment to leave the State under the President's call for troops of Angust 4, 1862. Having been armed and equipped, the regiment left for Lexington, Kentucky, where it was assigned to the brigade commanded by Colonel Charles Anderson. General Kirby Smith, in command of the Confederate army, was advancing from Cumberland Gap, and the regiment had every prospect of an immediate engage- ment. On the 30th of August the regiment advanced towards Richmond, Ken- tucky, for the purpose of reinforcing General Nelson, but the battle had been fought and lost, and hasty preparations were made for departure to Louisville. Colonel Hall, of the One Hundred and Fifth, was in command of the rear-guard. The weather was intensely warm, and there had been a drought in the country marched over. The column was pushed forward in great haste, and many fell from sunstroke, apparently dead. The regiment faithfully performed its dnty as rear-guard, and acted as a support to a section of artillery totally unprovided with ammunition. At Louisville, the regiment was assigned to Brigadier-Gencral Ter- rill's brigade, of Brigadier-General Jackson's division. Leaving Lonisville, the regiment marched to Perryville, where it was engaged in the battle of October 8, 1862. On the afternoon of that day the battle commenced at the point where the One Hundred and Fifth was stationed. The regiment moved rapidly forward and formed at the base of a ridge, where it awaited orders. The One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Regiment and Parsons' Battery had been assigned a po- sition to the front and left, where they became engaged, and the One Hundred and Fifth was ordered to their support. The regiment passed to the rear of the battery, for the purpose of forming on its left. Before reaching its position it received a volley from a Confederate regiment, and at once halted and opened fire. Another Confederate regiment rose out of the tall grass that completely concealed it and fired another volley. Parsons' Battery had been posted without any support near it, and within fifty yards of the concealed line of Confederate infantry. Most of the guns had been silenced, many of its men killed and wounded, and half of its horses shot down. At the first volley from the One Hundred and Fifth the Confederate lines, three or four deep, moved forward, firing as they advanced, and swept the ridge where the regiment and battery stood. The Confederate batteries were posted in rear of their infantry, which did terrible cxecution. General Terrill ordered Major Perkins, of the One Hundred and Fifth, to have the men fix bayonets and try to save the battery. Fresh troops of the enemy sprang up and the line falt-

ered, wavered, and fell back to its former position. The enemy succeeded in taking the battery, and the contending lines were almost within pistol-shot of each other. The guns of the battery were turned npon the Federal lines, but the men were unwil- ling to retreat. At length General Terrill, seeing that further resistance was hope- less, gave the order to fall back. They reformed in the rear of a battery, supporting it until night closed the contest. The regiment went into battle cight hundred strong, losing forty-two men killed and two hundred and twelve wounded. On the 20th of March, 1863, the One Hundred and Fifth was engaged with General John Morgan's command at Milton, Tennessee, where the chieftain received a severe chastise- ment. It participated in the Tullahoma campaign, and followed in pursuit of Bragg's army southward, crossing the Tennessee river and Lookout mountain, and next engaged the enemy at Chickamauga, September 19 and 20, 1863. On Sunday. September 20, a gap was made in the lines, caused by the withdrawal of General Wood's division, which the enemy took advantage of. General Bran- nan's troops were outflanked, and fell back in confusion. General Reynolds, sce- ing that his flank would be exposed, ordered Major Perkins to change front with his regiment, and charge the Confederates as they advanced. At a word the reg- iment started forward, with deafening cheers, upon the enemy. The first line of the enemy was thrown back npon the second, npon reaching which, the regiment opened upon it in gallant style. Major Perkins soon saw that his left flank was exposed, and he was obliged to withdraw. The onset of the enemy was checked, and time given General Reynolds to secure his flanks and prevent disaster to the army. At this battle the One Hundred and Fifth lost seventy-five men in killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. At Chattanooga the One Hundred and Fifth was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. It participated in the battle of Mission Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863, in the Atlanta campaign, in the pursuit of Hood to Gaylesville, Alabama, and in the inarch down to the sca, and in the marches through the Carolinas. The reg- iment was inustered out at Washington, June 3, 1865, and disbanded at Cleve- land, Ohio. Of the one thousand and thirteen men who left Cleveland in 1862 only four hundred and twenty-seven were mustered out in 1865.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH OHIO INFANTRY.

This regiment was mustered into service October 6, 1862, with eight full com- panies, and was mainly recruited from the Reserve. Companies B and K were partially recruited in Ashtabula County. The regiment went to the front imme- diately after its organization, and entered upon a campaign of as hard service as fell to the lot of any regiment in the army. The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth was in the advance at the occupation of Franklin, Tennessee, and aided in defeat- ing the enemy in the second and third contests for the possession of the place. The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth fought with distinguished gallantry at Chicka- mauga, September 20, and at Mission Ridge, November 25, 1863. It soon joined in a march to Knoxville, to aid in the relief of General Burnside's forces. De- cember 17, 1863, it fought at Dandridge with a heavy force of the enemy's cav- alry. In an assault upon Rocky Face Ridge the loss of the regiment was heavy in killed and wounded. May 14, 1864, it fought at Resaca. At Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth was engaged in a terrific assault upon the Confederate works, when it lost heavily. It had advanced to the abatis, and a few of the men had penetrated it, when the column in support wavered. General Harker, the division commander, fell mortally wounded ; the column gave way, and fell back steadily. After the fall of Atlanta the One Hun- dred and Twenty-fifth was one of the regiments sent back against Hood. In the battle of Franklin it won high honor. It was one of the first to reach the works at the onset. The Federal line had been broken in the centre, and two batteries of four guns each had been captured. At this moment Colonel Opdyke, of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth, commanding the remaining brigade of Wagner's division, which had been held in reserve inside the works, led his men on, recov- ered the lost batteries, and captured four hundred prisoners. The gap was closed, but the enemy was not disheartened : four distinct attacks were made, and each time was hurled back with heavy loss. It is sufficient to say that after the battle was over General Thomas rode up and said, " Colonel Opdyke, your brigade saved the day at Franklin, and saved Nashville." The One Hundred and Twenty-fifth was on the skirmish line at the battle of Nashville, and advanced with the line upon the enemy's works. It joined in the pursuit of Hood's army to Hunts- ville, Alabama. In June, 1865, it moved to New Orleans, and thence to Texas, and was there mustcred out of service on the 25th of September. October 17, 1865, it was disbanded at Camp Chase, Ohio.

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SEVENTH OHIO INFANTRY.

This regiment was organized at Cleveland, Ohio, during the month of October, 1864, for one year's service. Two companies of this regiment were from Ashta- bula County. It proceeded to Nashville, Tennessee, under orders to report to Gen-

HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

eral Thomas. The day after its arrival at Nashville it was ordered to Tullahoma, and constituted a part of its garrison, under command of General Milroy. It orenpied the town until the Confederate army under General Hood advanced northward, when the garrison at Tullahoma was ordered to Murfreesboro', where the One Hundred and Seventy-seventh arrived after a severe march of three days. December 5 the Confederates appeared before Murfreesboro', and skirmish- ing occurred almost every day nutil Hood's defeat at Nashville. December 7 a portion of Milroy's command, including the One Hundred and Seventy-seventh, made a reconnaissance for the purpose of learning the strength of the enemy, who were found in considerable force, strongly posted behind a hastily-constructed work of logs and dirt. Milroy's command assaulted the works, drove the enemy back, and captured two pieces of artillery and over two hundred prisoners. A few days later, while on a foraging expedition, the One Hundred and Seventy- seventh was in a skirmish, in which it lost eleven men wounded, two of thein mortally. After Hood was driven from Tennessee, the One Hundred and Seventy- seventh was ordered to Clifton, and joined the Twenty-third Army Corps. In January, 1865, the Twenty-third Corps was ordered to North Carolina, via the Tennessee and Ohio rivers to Cincinnati, where it took the cars for Washington. The One Hundred and Seventy-seventh embarked at Annapolis, and, after a stormy passage, arrived at Fort Fisher, February 7. The regiment was engaged in two attacks upon the enemy's works, from Cape Fear river to the coast, and afterwards crossed the river and participated in the flank movement which com- pelled the enemy to evacuate Fort Anderson. The One Hundred and Seventy- seventh was next engaged at Twin Creek, where it took one stand of colors and many prisoners. It remained at Wilmington for a short time, and then joined General Cox at Kinston, and proceeded to Goldsboro', where it joined Sherman's ariny. After the surrender of Johnson's army, the One Hundred and Seventy- seventh was sent to Greensboro'. Its muster-out rolls were prepared, and it pro- ceeded to Cleveland, Ohio, where it was paid and discharged July 7, 1865.

FIRST REGIMENT OHIO LIGIIT ARTILLERY.

l'uder the Ohio militia law of 1860, an organization was formed called the First Regiment of Light Artillery, and consisted of six companies, having one gun to each company, under command of Colonel James Barnett. This organi- zation was ready, if necessary, to take the field. Five days after the fall of Sumter the following telegramu was received :

" COLUMBUS, April 20, 1861. " COLONEL JAMES BARNETT, Cleveland, Ohio :

" Report your six pieces, caissons and full battery, including the Geneva com- pany, at Columbus, forthwith. Monday, if possible. You can hire horses for the guns here, or at your point of service. Bring harness and everything else. Twenty men to caeli gun. You retain colonel's rank. By order.

" HI. B. CARRINGTON, Adjutant-General."

The command reported at Columbus on Monday night, April 22, and was immediately sent forward to Marietta, and the guns placed in position to cover the place from an anticipated attaek from the opposite shore of Virginia. In July. 1861. this regiment was ordered to Columbus, Ohio, where it was paid and disbanded.

I'nder orders from the War Department this regiment, with twelve light bat- teries, was mustered into the service of the United States for three years, to date from Sept. 3, 1861, and, as each battery was filled and equipped, it was sent to the field. The record of the long and faithful service of the First Ohio Light Artillery occupies many pages in Ohio's history, and nothing surpasses the fame of Cotter's, Standart's, Kemmy's, Edgerton's, Huntingdon's, Hyman's, and Heck- man's batteries.

Company F (three months) .- The first men sent to the field from Ashtabula County were those who composed the Geneva Artillery, under command of Captain Dennis Kenney, Jr. This company had been organized two years before the war began, as a part of the militia of Ohio. They had drilled regularly, were well equipped, and furnished with one of the brass pieces that were then the admiration of the whole State.

Being militia, they were regarded as State troops, and in that capacity, in April. 1861, they were ordered to report to Marietta, to protect the frontier at that point. This company was organized into the command of Colonel James Barnett. While the company was at Marietta, an order was received late at night from General MeClellan directing two companies of artillery to proceed to Parkersburg, Virginia, and join the column of Colonel Steedman. Precedence was given by seniority of companies, and two companies from another part of the State were ordered to prepare for active service. Company meetings were held, and it was decided that the organizations were for the defense of the State, and the companies ordered into danger declined to entertain the propositions, and

returned the order with objections to Colonel Barnett. General MeClellan tele- graphed again more urgently for the prompt movement of the artillery against the Confederates then concentrating near Grafton and Philippi. Colonel Bar- nett concluded to try " special order" again upon a company with " rural" ante- eedents in connection with one of the most splendid " make up" from the city, and in twelve hours after receiving the order Companies D and F were fifteen miles away. The company left Camp Putnam May 30, by steamboat, for Parkers- burg, and the next morning took the train for Grafton, moving slowly for fear of accidents. Arriving at Clarksburg, the companies were ordered to clear their pieces for action. The guns were on a flat car in front of the engine, shotted, and ready to repel any attack that might be made. From Webster the command, uniting with the Fourteenth Ohio and Seventh Indiana Regiments, were ordered to inarch across the country and capture a Confederate camup at Philippi. The march commenced at eleveu o'clock at night, continuing for twelve miles in a drenehing rain, through an enemy's country, and at daybreak on the morning of the 3d of June, 1861, the attack was commenced upon the enemy, which was returned by them for a few moments, when they turned and fled. Thus was opened the campaign in Western Virginia. This artillery company remained in the service for three months, and on the 28th day of July, 1861, at Columbus. it was mustered into the service of the United States, aud on the same day mus- tered out and disbanded. The attack upon the Confederate eamp at Philippi was made by this company, and the first shotted gun, after the attack at Fort Sumter, fired in the war was the old brass piece from Geneva, Ashtabula County.

Battery ( was organized by Captain Dennis Kenney, Jr. It was mustered into the three years' service at Camp Dennison, Ohio, September 9, 1861, with one hundred and sixty men. The battery was with the very first troops that crossed into Kentucky, where it was organized into a division, composed of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana troops, under command of General George H. Thomas, at Camp Dick Robinson. It joined an expedition under General Albin Schoepf, for the purpose of relieving East Tennessee, and performed effective service at the battle of Mill Spring, Kentucky. It came up with Thomas' division too late to engage in the battle of Shiloh, but performed hard service in the advance on Corinth. October 13, 1863, Battery C was placed in the Fourteenth Corps. At Rolling Fork, Kentucky, December 31, 1862, in an engagement with Morgan's men, it lost Lieutenant Henry W. Paulus. At Chickamauga it fought all day Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, under the immediate direction of General Thomas. On at least two occasions of that most memorable and im- portant battle the battery received verbal compliments from that offieer. With Thomas it was in the last struggle of Sunday evening, which resulted in sending the enemy back into that terrible valley of death, where lay not less than thirty thousand dead and wounded American soldiers. In this action it lost thirteen men killed and wounded, thirty horses, and one gun, dismounted. After the battle of Mission Ridge the battery re-enlisted, and was furloughed for thirty days. At the organization of the army for the Atlanta campaign the battery was assigned to General Hooker's Twentieth Corps. Captain Gary was assigned to duty as chief of artillery of General Butterfield's Third Divisiou. The command of the battery then devolved upon Lieutenant Stevens, a fine artillery officer from Geneva. The battery participated in the battles of Resaea, Cassville, New Hope Church, Peach-Tree Creek, and Siege of Atlanta. In the summer's campaign the battery lost twenty men in killed and wounded, and iu the campaigns through the Carolinas it fought at Averysville and Bentonville. It was the fortune of this battery to have lost but one gun,-seldom ever to have been engaged in a retreat. It was always with the active troops in the field, and had the honor of being the only Ohio battery that completed the entire march from the Ohio river to the Potomac. It marched through Richmond to Washington, participated in the great review, and was disbanded June 15, 1865, at Cleveland, Ohio.

SECOND OHIO INDEPENDENT BATTERY.

This battery was organized by Captain Thomas J. Carlin, of Conneaut, and was mustered iuto the service at Camp Chase, Ohio, on the 6th of August, 1861, and left that camp on the 15th of the same month, under orders to report to Major- General Fremont, at St. Louis, Missouri. On the 8th it was dispatched by rail for the relief of Colonel Mulligan, at Lexington, Missouri, but disembarked at Jefferson City. Colonel Mulligan having surrendered, it received orders to marel to Springfield, but halted at Tipton, where it was reviewed with General Fre- mont's forces by Secretary of War Cameron and Adjutant-General Lorenzo Thomas. Springfield was reached on the 1st of November, but Price's army had fled, and the campaign ended for the winter. The battery remained at Rolla until the 24th of February, 1862, when it marched against Price's Confederate army, and was engaged in the battle of Pea Ridge, on the 6th and 7th of March, where it was closely engaged, and lost one man killed and twelve wounded. The

HISTORY OF ASHTABULA COUNTY, OHIO.

battery lost oue caisson, but in turn captured one from the enemy, and though closely pressed drew from off the field all of its pieces in safety. The battery marched with General Curtis' command through Arkansas to Helena, on the Mississippi river, where it lay until January 23, 1863, when it accompanied an expedition to Duvall's Bluff. The battery was taken by transports to the mouth of the Yazoo river, where it joined Grant's army in the rear of Vicksburg. It took part in the battles of Black River Bridge, Raymond, and Champion Hills, and was on duty until the surrender of Vicksburg, when it was ordered to report to General Banks at New Orleans, and accompanied the disastrous expedition up Red river. February 23, 1864, the battery re-enlisted, and was reorganized. It was then ordered to Ship Island, Mississippi, to guard Confederate prisoners, and remained there on that duty until July, 1865, when it was ordered to Co- lumbus, Ohio. In the ranks of the Second Battery were two hundred and nine- teen men, of whom forty-two were killed in battle or died from disease. It was mustered out July 21, 1865, after near four years' service.

FOURTEENTH OHIO INDEPENDENT BATTERY.

This battery was mustered into the service at Cleveland, Ohio, September 20, 1861, by Lieutenant J. W. P. Neil, Eighteenth United States Infantry. It was mainly recruited in the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull, Lake, and Geauga, under authority from the Secretary of War, empowering Hon. B. F. Wade and Hon. John Hutchins to raise a regiment of cavalry and a battery of artillery. In its ranks were two hundred and forty-nine men and ten commissioned officers. The battery reported for service at Camp Dennison, on the 1st of January, 1862, and on the 5th of February left that camp, destined for Kansas. It was ordered by General Halleck to remain in St. Louis for orders, and on the 13th of February left for the theatre of war in Tennessec. At Paducah it was attached to the command of General Hurlbut. On the 7th of March it embarked with the army up the Tennessee river, and disembarked at Pittsburg Landing, and was transferred to General McClernand's division. On the 9th of April, 1862, the battery par- ticipated in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, losing four men killed and twenty- six wounded, also fifty horses killed and wounded, and all their guns were left on the field, but werc recovered on the following day without damage. The battery participated in the advance on Corinth, and also performed garrison duty at Jackson, Tennessee, until June 2, 1863, and afterwards remained in camp at Lynnville, Tennessee, until March, 1864. The battery participated in the battle of Resaca, Georgia, where it expended three hundred and forty-two rounds of ammunition, without casualties on its side. At Dallas, Georgia, it was engaged in shelling the enemy's works from the 28th until the 30th day of May, and took an active part in repelling the attack of the enemy upon the Federal lines on the evening of the 28th. On the evening of the 19th of May the battery took a position before Kenesaw mountain, and was constantly under fire from that date to the 2d of July, losing two men wounded. On the 3d of July it participated in the engage- ment of Ruff's Mills. A section of the battery was detached with General Stoneman's Cavalry, where it performed good service, silencing the enemy's bat- teries on two occasions at river crossings. At the siege of Atlanta the battery was located within thirteen hundred yards of the enemy's heavy guns, behind casemated works. Eight men of the battery were wounded, two horses killed, and four wounded during these twenty-eight days of almost continuous firing. The battery marched northward with the army in pursuit of the Confederate General Hood, and reached Gaylesville, Alabama, on the 21st of October, where orders were received to report at Nashville, Tennessee, where it was assigned to the Seventh Cavalry Division. A new supply of horses and harness was drawn, and the battery was constituted horse artillery. It participated in the battle of Nashville, December 15, 1864, and in the pursuit of Hood's demoralized army. From Eastport, Mississippi, the battery was sent to New Orleans, and from thence to Mobile, Alabama, landing near Spanish Fort, and occupying a position upon the left of the Federal line. The battery was assigned to the Second Brigade of the Cavalry Division of Mississippi, and marched to Greenville and Montgomery, Alabama. The battery remained at Columbus, Mississippi, until the 27th of July, when it was ordered to Cairo, Illinois, to be mustered out, and from thence it was sent to Camp Dennison, where it was discharged August 17, 1865.

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History of Ashtabula County, Ohio, Part 20

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers Number of Pages: 458

Author: Williams, W. W. (William W.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 458