History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 76

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 76

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On May roth there was more fighting at New River Bridge, artillery being mostly used. The enemy were driven and the bridge destroyed. At Pepper's Ferry a slow and tedious cross- ing was made with one small ferry boat, the rain pouring down all night and thoroughly drenching the men. Skirmishing occurred on the way to Blacksburg, the regiment having two men wounded and losing four by cap- ture. Salt Pond Mountain was crossed on the 12th, the 23d acting as train guard. Owing to heavy rains the roads were in wretched condition and the command was hampered by large numbers of "contrabands," who with their women and children, were accompanying it in all sorts of conveyances, which, becoming stuck in the mud, tended further to impede the operations of the force. Camp was reached on the 13th, with all the men greatly ex- hausted and in a state of semi-starvation.

At Staunton, June 8th the 23d joined Gen.

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Hunter's command. The first term of serv- ice expiring on the IIth, those not re-enlisting as veterans were sent home. The depot, rail- road, and other public works likely to be use- ful to the enemy were destroyed. On the Ioth a march of 23 miles was made to Browns- town and the enemy driven. Lexington was reached on the IIth, where some artillery fighting took place. The Confederates burn- ing the bridge, White's brigade effected a crossing about two miles above the town, when the enemy retired. General Hunter's column came up just as the town was captured, and by his orders the Military Academy, Washing- ton College and Governor Letcher's residence were burned, an order the execution of which was distasteful to nearly every officer and man of the command, and was protested against by Generals Crook and Averill.

Starting on the 14th the 23d marched by way of Buckhannon to within two miles of Lynchburg, driving the enemy along the Vir- ginia and Tennessee Railroad and capturing four pieces of artillery. While encamped close to the enemy a slight skirmish took place with Gordon's brigade, but was stopped by the forces mutually withdrawing a little far- ther from each other.

Early on the 18th A. M. Crook's command was ordered on a flanking expedition to the right, but, owing to news that the enemy had received heavy reinfocements and was pre- paring to attack the center of our lines, it marched rapidly back to the exposed point, where the attack was repulsed with trifling loss. After dark a retreat was commenced toward Liberty, the men marching two days and nights without sleep and with scarcely anything to eat. On reaching Liberty shortly after dark on the 19th some fighting occurred, and at ten A. M. of the 20th Buford's Gap was reached. A night march was then made to overtake the command in advance, Salem be- ing reached at 9 A. M. While passing through this town Hunter had been attacked by the enemy's cavalry and a large part of his artil- lery captured. At the same time Crook was attacked in front and rear, but pushed through without loss. At ten P. M. North Mountain was reached, where the command halted and the men were given a few hours' sleep. The

diary of one of the officers contains the fol- lowing in regard to the rest of this march:

"At four A. M. next morning (22d) left in the advance, the first time since the retreat commenced. By a mistake a march of eight miles was made for nothing. Thus we toiled on, suffering intensely with exhaustion, want of food, clothing, etc. On the 27th a supply train was met on Big Sewell Mountain. Men all crazy. Stopped and ate; marched and ate; camped about dark, and ate all night. Marched 180 miles in the last nine days, fight- ing nearly all the time, and with very little to eat."

The column reached Charleston July Ist and remained there refitting until the 10th, when Gen. Crook's command having been or- dered east to meet Early, who had invaded Pennsylvania and Maryland, the 23d set out for Martinsburg, which was reached on the 14th. On the 18th they marched to Cables- town, ten miles beyond Harper's Ferry, driv- ing in the enemy's pickets. Still under the immediate command of Gen. Hunter, Gen. Crook being at Snicker's Gap, Hayes's brigade (including the 23d) was sent, without cavalry and with scarcely any artillery, to attack Early's army of 20,000 or more in flank, and with no other force on this side of the Shenan- doah and no possibility of communicating. The enemy, who lay on the opposite side of the river at Snicker's Ferry, had already beaten the First Division, with the whole Sixth Corps to back them. After some heavy skirmishing, the 23d, with the 36th Ohio, were surrounded by two divisions of the enemy's cavalry, but cut their way out and on the 22d of July joined General Crook at Winchester. In the battle of Winchester, which occurred on the 24th, and in which the National forces were defeated, the 23d Ohio lost 153 men, ten of whom were commissioned officers. At Mar- tinsburg next day, General Crook repelled a charge of the enemy's cavalry, capturing a number of prisoners. He then took position near the ford at Williamsburg, on the south bank of the Potomac.

From the 26th of July to the 14th of August the time was spent in marches and counter- marches, on the latter date Duvall's brigade having an encounter with a Rebel force and

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finally capturing some prisoners and cattle. Afterwards came movements up and down the Valley advancing and retreating, with plenty of fighting. At Front Royal Sheridan's cavalry captured 260 of the enemy.

An attack was made by the enemy at Hall- town, August 23d. In the evening Hayes's Brigade, the 23d and 36th Ohio, with part of the 5th West Virginia, sallied out and drove in the enemy's skirmish line, capturing a lot of prisoners from Kershaw's Division, the brilliancy of the charge causing much astonish- ment among the Rebels, who inquired "Who the hell are 'uns?" In another sortie on the 23d six officers and 100 prisoners were taken.

The next engagement took place at Berry- ville, Sept. 3d, the 23d being sent out on picket. Here there was desperate fighting, the most of it after dark. At ten o'clock both parties retired. In this affair the regiment lost two good officers in Captains Austin and Gillis.

The battle of Opequan was fought on the 19th. General Crook's command was in re- serve but was soon called upon to make a flank attack on the right. Hayes's Brigade had the extreme left of the infantry. After crossing some difficult ground the division was halted and formed, with Hayes's Brigade in front and the 2d (Johnson's ) in the rear. The brig- ade advanced rapidly, driving the enemy's cav- alry. The Union cavalry at the same time ad- vanced out of the woods on the right. On reaching a slight elevation the enemy's infan- try line came into view, off diagonally to the left front and he opened a brisk artillery fire. After passing through some thick underbrush a deep slough was reached, 40 or 50 yards wide and waist deep, with soft mud at the bot- tom, the surface being covered with a thick bed of moss. This obstacle seemed impassible but Colonel Hayes, after a moment's pause, jumped in with his horse and struggled through, the first man over; the men of the 23d plunged in after him, and crossed under a heavy fire, some of them being drowned or suffocated in the slime. Pausing only long enough on the other side to reform the line, the regiment dashed on driving the enemy, Sheridan's cavalry, having passed around the slough, kept up on the right, capturing a large number of prisoners. Colonel Duvall, the di- vision commander, being wounded, Colonel

Hayes succeeded to the command, and throughout displayed the most daring bravery and skill.

No reinforcements appearing and the en- emy's fire becoming every moment more mur- derous, Lieutenant McBride of the 23d was ordered forward with a small party to kill the enemy's artillery horses. Some Saxony rifles of long range and 71-caliber, are taken and sev- eral horses drop. A panic seizes the artillery and they commence limbering up. The infantry also takes the alarm and begin leaving the trenches, soon the whole line rises and run for the breastworks in confusion, our cavalry pur- suing and taking prisoners by regiments. Eight battle flags are captured, the Rebel ar- tillery stops firing and falls back and the battle is at an end. About the same time the 6th Corps emerged from the woods in the rear. The result was a complete and decisive victory. The regiment captured about 200 men, the ar- tillery being captured by the combined force.

On September 24, 1864, occurred the battle of North Mountain, which was more in the nature of a brilliant charge than a battle. On Crook's command gaining their rear the enemy fled in utter rout abandoning many guns. The regiment lost only two men. Nothing more of importance occurred until the battle of Cedar Creek.

In this battle the 19th and 6th Corps oc- cupied positions nearly parallel with the enemy's front. General Crook's First Divi- sion (Thoburn's) occupied works about a mile further to the front and on the left of the main line, the works from their right flank rearward being guarded only by the 9th Vir- ginia regiment, from the Second Division. Crook's Second Division (Duvall's, com- manded by Hayes), or a portion of it, occu- pied a camp about a mile and a quarter in rear of the First Division and in rear of the Man- chester Pike. An independent brigade (Kitch- ing's )occupied a camp to the left and rear of that. The enemy's attacking column crossed the North Fork of the Shenandoah from the left of Fisher's Hill, passed down near the base of the Massanutten Mountain, beyond the picket line, and recrossed the river at Buxton's Ford, well to the rear of Crook's command. From there they passed again to the front, just outside the National lines, through the

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darkness and fog, forming a line of battle ex- tending from Thoburn's right to a point about opposite Middletown, beyond the extreme left. The nearest force of National cavalry on the left was at Front Royal, eight miles distant.

Owing to General Sheridan's absence in Washington, the command devolved upon Ma- jor-general Wright, commanding the 6th Corps. Discovering a weak point on the left, a ford across the North Fork of the Shenan- doah, accessible from the Massanutten Moun- tain, General Crook applied for a division of cavalry to cover this ford and picket the front of the mountain. His request was granted, but for some reason the cavalry had not yet been placed there on the nights of the 18th and 19th, though a report was made that it was there. Taking advantage of this oversight on the part of the Federals, nearly the whole flank- ing force of the enemy crossed at this ford, under cover of the darkness and fog, their line, when the attack opened, extending from the front of Crook's First Division all the way around to a point about opposite Middletown. Here they waited for the signal, which was to be a feint on the right of the line. To meet this attack General Crook had about 4,000 men. When the attack came, at 4:30 a. m., the enemy had it all their own way. Crook's com- mand, overpowered, were driven from their advanced position and formed on the left of the 19th Corps, the left also being hotly en- gaged. The right of the line was not engaged for some time after. A desperate and success- ful stand was made by the shattered lines of Crook's command to save the headquarters train of the army, in which many brave men lost their lives, among them Colonel Thoburn, Captain Bier and Lieut. Colonel Hall, of the 13th Virginia. Colonel Hayes had his horse shot under him, but escaped with his life. The line then slowly fell back, the enemy seeming content with shelling us.

While things were at this pass, suddenly a great shout went up as General Sheridan, riding a magnificent black horse, dashed up at full speed and, dismounting, engaged in a short but rapid conversation with General Crook. In a moment the members of the staff are fly- ing off in different directions. After awhile Col. Forsyth comes down in front and shouts to the General: "The 19th Corps is closed up,

sir." General Sheridan jumps on his horse and calling out, "We're going to have a good time on them now, boys," rides up the line. The men took their posts, the line moved for- ward, and ere long, as all the world knows, the enemy was fleeing in utter rout and con- fusion.

On Oct. 7th the regiment was detailed as rear guard to Martinsburg, marching by way of Winchester, where some of the enemy's cavalry were said to be. On this march the men voted for the Presidential election, but seven anti-war votes being cast, principally among the teamsters. November 13th it re- turned to Winchester, guarding a supply train of 700 wagons. It was engaged in drill and camp routine duties until the middle of Decem- ber, when it was transferred from the extreme left to the extreme right of the line. About December 20th Hayes's Brigade was ordered to Stephen's Depot, remaining there until the 29th when it went into camp at Martinsburg. On January 1, 1865, it embarked for Cumber- land. Colonel Hayes was promoted to a brig- adier generalship and Lieut-Colonel Comly to Colonel. The regiment reached Grafton Jan- uary 12th, where it lay till the 18th, without tents and insufficient bedding, the weather be- ing very cold. From the 19th to March Ist it lay at Cumberland engaged in drill and camp routine. Soon the news arrived of the col- lapse of the Southern Confederacy and the boys anticipated an early return home. It was not, however, until the latter part of July that the wished-for order came, and on the 26th they were mustered out at Cumberland, and took cars for Camp Taylor, where the men were paid and discharged.

The 34th Infantry, O. V. I., contained one company-Company E-which was from Crawford county. This company was organ- ized with the following officers: J. W. Shaw, captain; F. B. Helwig, first lieutenant, and W. H. Carpenter, second lieutenant. Captain Shaw was promoted to major, Oct. 10, 1862 : to lieutenant colonel, July 18, 1863, and was killed July 24, 1864 at the battle of Winches- ter. First Lieutenant Helwig was promoted to captain, July 17, 1862 and mustered out with the regiment. Second Lieutenant Car- penter was discharged, Aug. 1, 1863. Isaac P. Grover was promoted to second lieutenant,

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Dec. 3, 1862 ; to first lieutenant, March 2, 1864, and to captain, Sept. 30, 1864. Isaiah C. Lind- sey was promoted to second lieutenant March 16, 1864 and mustered out as such. N. P. Marvell was promoted to second lieutenant Sept. 30, 1864, to first lieutenant Nov. 26, 1864 and mustered out April 4, 1865.

The 34th was organized at Camp Lucas, Clermont county, Ohio in July and August, 1861 and on Sept. Ist moved to Camp Denni- son. As at that early period of the war much license prevailed with respect to uniforms, it adopted a light blue Zouave dress, and in com- pliment to their colonel, Abraham S. Piatt, the name of "Piatt Zouaves" was adopted. In September the regiment started for Camp En- yart, on the Kanawha river, W. Va., where it arrived on the 20th. On the 25th it fought its first battle near Chapmanville, whipping a Virginia regiment and badly wounding its colonel. Its own loss was one killed and eight wounded. During the remaining of the au- tumn and winter the regiment was engaged chiefly in guarding the rear of General Rose- cran's army and in scouting expeditions after the enemy's guerillas. In March, 1862 it joined General Cox's forces at Gauley Bridge and on the 17th and 18th of May, participated in the battle of Princeton, losing several men.

General Cox being ordered to join General McClellan, in August, 1862, six regiments were left to guard the Kanawha Valley. The 34th and 37th held the outpost at Fayetteville, where they were attacked, Sept. 10th, by General Lor- ing, with 10,000 men. By the aid of breast- works, the position was held till midnight, when the place was evacuated. During the attack the 34th repeatedly charged on the enemy. The losses of the six companies en- gaged (the others being on scouting duty) amounted to 130 men. One-half of the offi- cers were either killed or wounded. Falling back under a heavy fire, the National forces made a stand at Cotton Mountain the next day, and at Charleston on the 12th, where a severe engagement took place. From this point a further retrograde movement was made to Mt. Pleasant. In October, on the return of Gen- eral Cox, with his command, another advance was made and the valley regained. During Mav the regiment was furnished with horses and transferred into "Mounted Rifles."

In July, 1863 the 34th participated in a dem- onstration against Wytheville, on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, under command of Colonel Toland. A desperate fight ensued, but about dark the National forces succeeded in capturing the enemy's artillery, when they fled in all directions. The 34th lost four killed, including Colonel Toland, 13 wounded and 33 missing. The brigade left Camp Piatt with nearly 1000 men, marched 652 miles in eleven days, through a very mountainous country, and captured over 250 horses, 360 prisoners, two pieces of artillery and a large amount of stores ; destroyed between 3000 and 5000 stand of arms, an important bridge, and partially burned one of the wealthiest cities in Virginia.

The command devolving on Lieut. Colonel Franklin, he commenced a retrograde move- ment, which was effected with difficulty, the roads being blockaded by a Confederate force under General McCausland. The year's cam- paign was completed by several expeditions to Lewisburg and vicinity, General Duffie, of the Kanawha Cavalry, commanding.

In January, 1864 about two-thirds of the regiment re-enlisted as veterans, and in the lat- ter part of April the regiment was divided into two detachments. The mounted portion was to operate with the cavalry, under General Averhill; the dismounted, with the 36th O. V. I., in General Crook's division of infantry. On the Ist of May, 1864 a second expedition left Charleston for the destruction of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. On the 9th the cav- alry were repulsed at Wytheville by General Morgan and fell back with considerable loss. The infantry under Crook, however, defeated the enemy the same day at Cloyd Mountain, capturing Dublin Depot in the evening. An- other victory was gained the next day and the railroad bridge over New River destroyed. From this point the command returned to Meadow Bluffs, whence they started to join General Hunter at Staunton, in the Shenan- doah Valley, having a skirmish at Panther Gap Mountain. Reaching Goshen, on the Central Virginia Railroad on June 5th, another skirm- ish took place with some of the enemy's cav- alry at Cow Pasture River. The day after the Rebels were driven out of Buffalo Gap by General Hayes's Brigade.

Staunton was reached June 8th, and on the

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9th, General Hunter, now reinforced by Gen- erals Crook, Averill and Duffie, left this point going by way of Brownsville to Lexington, which was reached on the IIth. Some shots were exchanged with the enemy at Buckhan- non on the 14th, and then the force crossed the Blue Ridge, the town of Liberty being reached on the 16th, where another skirmish occurred. From this point General Crook's command, with which the, dismounted members of the 34th were serving, was sent on a flanking ex- pedition across the James river, for the pur- pose of attacking Lynchburg. The attack was made on the 18th and was partially successful, but the enemy being re-inforced that night by 20,000 men under Early, further operations against that city were impossible. The next morning the opposing armies engaged in a' fierce cannonade, and in the afternoon an en- gagement took place in which the 34th suf- fered severely. At dark on the 19th the Na- tional forces began a retreat, being closely pur- sued by the enemy, another skirmish occurring at Liberty. At Salem, on the 21st, Hunter's artillery was attacked in a narrow defile by a large force of the enemy, who made a sudden descent from the hills, and the guns were cap- tured. The mounted portion of the 34th, be- ing a few miles in the rear, dashed up to the rescue, dismounted, and, under command of Lieut. Colonel Shaw, after a sharp fight, drove off the enemy and recaptured the guns. After enduring great hardships on the retreat, the command reached Charleston on July Ist, where the men were enabled to obtain a much needed rest. About this time the 34th was dis- mounted, the horses being turned over to the cavalry. On the Ioth of July the 34th em- barked on transports for Parkersburg, thence moving by rail to Martinsburg, in the Shen- andoah Valley, where they arrived on the 14th.

On July 20, while General Crook, with his main force and the 6th and 19th Corps, was pressing Early back on Winchester, General Duvall's Brigade (including the 34th) at- tempted to occupy the place in advance of the Confederates. Only 1200 strong, they met the enemy two miles from Winchester and com- pletely routed them, capturing their artillery and killing and wounding all their brigade commanders. The 34th lost 10 killed and 20 wounded. Four days later the fourth battle

of Winchester took place, in which General Crook, being weakened by the absence of the 6th and 19th Corps, was obliged to retreat, losing only a few wagons. The losses of the 34th in this battle were severe and included Lieut. Colonel Shaw. Capt. G. W. Mckay also received a mortal wound. The command then devolved on Captain S. R. S. West, a brave and gallant officer. On the 25th another stand was made at Martinsburg, the 34th be- ing the last regiment to leave the field. From the 25th of July to the IIth of August the reg- iment was occupied chiefly in marching and countermarching, there being heavy skirmish- ing on the IIth with Early, who was falling back on Fisher's Hill. Between the 12th and 17th more skirmishing occurred at Cedar Creek. The regiment then fell back through Winchester to Berryville, and on the 20th of August was at Charleston, with the enemy close in its rear. Expecting an attack, breast- works were thrown up, but none occurring, an- other retrograde movement took place to Hall- town. Some skirmishing occurred up to the 27th when the enemy withdrew to the upper Potomac. On the next day the regiment again occupied Charleston. Here the non-veterans were discharged and on Sept. 3d proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, in charge of Captain West. During the few months previous to this the 34th had been largely strengthened by new re- cruits, and now numbered between 400 and 500 men, present and absent.

On the evening of the day on which the non-veterans left the regiment participated in the battle of Berryville. The enemy fell back to Winchester and Bunker Hill. The 34th marched to Summit Point, where they lay en- camped until Sheridan's victorious battle of Winchester. On that day it lost no less than six color bearers in quick succession. The flag was finally brought through safe by George Rynals, of Company A. At Fisher's Hill, on the 22d, the enemy were successfully flanked, and fled, losing his artillery. In the last two engagements the 34th lost 61 killed.

The demoralized enemy was followed to Harrisburg, where the National forces lay un- til the 6th of October. In the meanwhile the cavalry was desolating the Valley, in accord- ance with General Sheridan's order. The work of devastation being now completed, the Na-

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tional army fell back to Cedar Creek, while the enemy resumed his old position at Fisher's Hill. On the 19th General Early made his desperate attempt to regain his lost laurels, and had almost succeeded, when the opportune ar- rival of General Sheridan, so celebrated in song and story, turned the tables, and ended in the utter rout of the Confederates. The brunt of the morning's surprise and attack fell on the left flank, composed of General Crook's Corps, which, with the 19th Corps occupying the center of the line, was badly shattered. The 6th Corps on the right had time to fall back in good order. The troops were rallied near Middletown, from whence the final and successful advance was made.

On the evening before the battle, the regi- ment was on picket duty, under command of Lieut. Colonel Furney. Before dawn the next morning, when the surprise occurred, the Col- onel and 18 of his men, were taken prisoners. He, however, escaped at Mt. Jackson and re- joined his command a few days later. The loss of the 34th in this affair was two killed, 12 wounded and 18 prisoners. From this time until the latter part of December, 1864 the regiment lay near Kernstown, when it marched to Opequan Crossing, and thence to Martinsburg. On the evening of December 22d, while enroute by rail to Webster, a collision occurred, whereby two men of the regiment were killed and fourteen wounded.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 76

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302