History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 47

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 47

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on the Virginia & Tennessee

Railroad. It participated in the battle of Princeton on the 17th and 18th of May, losing several men, and having Lieuts. Peck and Peters wounded, and Capt. O. P. Evans taken prisoner. In August, 1862, Gen. Cox was or- dered to join Gen. McClellan, when there were but six regiments left to guard the Kanawha Valley. The Thirty-fourth and Thirty-seventh

were attacked at Fayetteville, on the morning of September 10, by a rebel force 10,000 strong, under Gen. Loring. By the aid of breastworks previously constructed, and a few pieces of ar- tillery, they were enabled to hold the place un- til midnight, when they evacuated it. The Thirty-fourth fought for a part of the time in an open field against odds, and necessarily lost heavily. Of six companies engaged (the other four being absent on a scout) the loss was 130, or fully one-third engaged. One-half of the offi- cers were either killed or wounded. Cutting their way out, they fell back to the Kanawha River, made a stand at Cotton Mountain the next day, and at Charleston on the 12th, where a severe engagement took place. From this point the National forces fell back to Point Pleasant, leaving the entire valley in the hands of the enemy. Gen. Cox returned, in October, with his command, and the valley was regained.

Nothing of moment occurred from this time until in May, 1863, when the regiment was sup- plied with horses, and became "Mounted Rifles." An expedition, on the 13th of July, consisting of the Thirty-fourth, two companies of the First, and seven companies of the Second Virginia Cavalry, under command of Col. Toland, made a descent on the Virginia & Ten- nessee Railroad, and had a severe engagement at Wytheville, in which they were victorious, but lost heavily. Among the killed of the Thirty-fourth was Col. Toland. With his dying breath, he requested his horse and sword to be sent his mother. The brigade left Camp Piatt with nearly one thousand men, marched six hundred and fifty-two miles in eleven days, traversing some of the highest mountains in Western Virginia. Over two hundred and fifty horses were captured, together with three hun- dred and sixty prisoners, two pieces of artillery, and a large amount of commissary stores. Upon the fall of Col. Toland, the command de- volved on Lient. Col. Franklin, who attempted

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a retrograde movement, but found it difficult to perform from the great numbers of the enemy in the vicinity. For several days the command was moving aimlessly in the mountains, desti- tute of food for themselves or horses, and con- tinuously harassed by the rebel cavalry. The command finally reached Wytheville considera- bly worn out and exhausted. Several short expeditions under Gen. Duffie, who had as- sumed command of the Kanawha cavalry, closed the year's campaign.

About two-thirds of the Thirty-fourth re-en- listed as veterans in January, 1864. Another expedition in May, against the Virginia & Ten- nessee Railroad, was inaugurated, in which the Thirty-fourth participated, but without any se- vere loss. It left Meadow Bluffs, where it had been some time stationed, to join Gen. Hunter in the Shenandoah Valley, and at Panther Gap Mountain had a slight skirmish. On the 5th of June, it reached Goshen, where another slight skirmish took place with a body of the enemy's cavalry. Staunton was reached on the 8th of June, where the regiment joined Gen. Hunter in his disastrous raid to Lynchburg. The com- mand passed through Brownsburg, Lexington, Buckhannon, and, crossing the Blue Ridge at the Peaks of Otter, reached the town of Lib- erty on the 16th, where another skirmish oc- curred. The attack was made on Lynchburg in the afternoon of the 18th, and was partially suc- cessful, but a re-enforcement of twenty thou- sand men from Richmond, under the rebel Gen. Early, so strengthened the town, that the national forces found it advisable to fall back. The Thirty-fourth suffered severely. The re- treat commenced at dark on the evening of the 19th, the rear being heavily pressed by the enemy. A second skirmish took place at Lib- erty. At Salem, Gen. Hunter lost most of his artillery, but the mounted portion of the Thir- ty-fourth, being a few miles in the rear, hurried to the scene of action, and, under Lieut. Col. Shaw, succeeded in recapturing it. The retreat

continued, and on the 1st of July, the exhausted, ragged and starved troops reached Charleston, and were permitted to rest. The constant skirmishing, the starved bodies and blistered feet of those who took part in it, made " Hun- ter's retreat from Lynchburg " an event long to be remembered. While lying at Charleston, the regiment was dismounted, and its horses and equipments turned over to the cavalry. On the 10th of July, it embarked for Parkers- burg. The regiment was now in the Shenan- doah Valley. On the 20th of July a fight oc- curred near Winchester, in which the Thirty- fourth lost ten men killed and twenty wounded. Four days later occurred the fourth battle of Winchester, in which Gen. Early, taking advan- tage of the absence of the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps, overwhelmed Gen. Crook ; the latter, however, effected a retreat with the loss of only a few wagons. In this battle, Gen. Duval's Brigade (of which the Thirty-fourth was a part) had the honor of bringing up the rear, and the Thirty-fourth suffered severely, losing their commander, Lieut. Col. Shaw, a cool and de- termined soldier and officer. Capt. G. W. Mc- Kay was severely wounded, and died at Sandy Hook, Md., where he was taken by his com- rades. The command of the regiment now de- volved on Capt. West, who sustained well his reputation as a brave and gallant officer.

Several months were now spent in skirmish- ing, marching and counter-marching, and, on the 1st of September, the Thirty-fourth again occupied Charleston, where the regimental offi- cers were busily engaged in making up the nec- essary papers for the discharge of the non-vet- erans, who, on the morning of the 3d of Sep- tember, proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, in charge of Capt. West. The Thirty-fourth, during the few months previous to this, had been receiving new recruits, and now numbered between four and five hundred men, present and absent, be- sides the non-veterans. The regiment marched to Summit Point, where it lay in camp until the

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

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19th of September, the day on which occurred Sheridan's famous battle of Winchester, it be- ing the third time the regiment had fought over nearly the same ground. It suffered terribly that day, the color-guard having no less than six men, in quick succession, killed and wound- ed while carrying the flag. It was finally brought through safely by George Rynals, of Company A. On the 22d occurred the battle of Fisher's Hill. The loss of the Thirty-fourth in these two engagements was sixty-one killed. It participated in the battle of Middletown, where. it behaved with its accustomed bravery. Its loss was two killed, twelve wounded and eight- een prisoners, among the latter Lieut. Col. Fur- ney, who escaped at Mount Jackson a few days thereafter and rejoined his command. On the 11th of January, 1865, the Thirty-fourth and a part of the Eighth Cavalry were attacked at Beverley by the rebel Gen. Rosser. So secret was the attack that nearly the entire force was captured, though many afterward escaped. The survivors fell back to Philippi, and from there were ordered to Cumberland, Md., where they were consolidated with the Thirty-sixth Ohio. This union dates from February 22, 1865, in which the old Thirty-fourth lost its identity, the new organization being known as the Thirty- sixth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

The Forty-ninth Infantry contained a com- pany of Crawford County men, viz .. Company B. It was organized with the following com- missioned officers : Amos Keller, Captain ; A. H. Keller, First Lieutenant ; and J. N. Biddle, Second Lieutenant. Capt. and Lient. Keller were killed in the battle of Stone River. The Bucyrus Journal says ; "February 15, 1863, the funeral of Capt. Amos Keller and Lieut. A. H. Keller took place in Bucyrus, the largest ever in the town. They were of Company B. of the Forty-ninth Regiment. Both were born in the same month, ten years apart, and both sleep in the same grave in Oakwood Cemetery. Both were wounded at Stone River, December

31, 1862. Amos lived thirty-six hours, and A. H. lived until January 25, 1863."

This regiment was organized at Tiffin, under special authority from the Secretary of War. It moved to Camp Dennison on the 10th of Sep- tember, 1861, received its equipments on the 21st, and proceeded to Louisville, Ky., where it arrived next day, and reported to Gen. Robert Anderson, who had just assumed command at that place. It was the first organized regiment to enter Kentucky. Its reception was cordial in the extreme. A magnificent dinner was given them at the Louisville Hotel, and the members of the regiment had a good time generally. In the evening, it took the cars for Lebanon Junc- tion, with orders to report to Gen. Sherman, in command at that point. The next morning, it crossed Rolling Fork and marched to Elizabeth- town, and went into Camp Nevin. When the Second Division of the Army of Ohio was or- ganized later, the Forty-ninth was assigned to the Sixth Brigade, Gen. R. W. Johnson com- manding. From the 17th of December to the 14th of February. 1862, the regiment lay in camp, perfecting drill and discipline. It left camp for Nashville, where it arrived on the 3d of March, and established Camp Andrew John- son. On the 16th, it moved with Buell's army to join Grant's forces at Pittsburg Landing, where it arrived on the morning of the 6th of April, and went into battle with its brigade. During the battle, it twice performed the haz- ardous movement of changing front under fire. In the succeeding operations against Cor- inth, the Forty-ninth took part, having a sharp fight at Bridge's Creek, and at other points on the way, entering Corinth on the 30th of May .. It participated in the great race of Bragg and Buell to Louisville, Ky., arriving at the latter place on the 29th of September. Resting but a few days, it resumed the march in pursuit of the enemy. Though not in the battle of Perry- ville, yet it was engaged in skirmishing all the way from Louisville to Crab Orchard. It

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HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.

marched from Crab Orchard to Bowling Green, and then to Nashville. On the 26th of Decem- ber, Gen. Rosecrans, then commanding the Army of the Cumberland, commenced his movement against Murfreesboro. In these operations the Forty-ninth took an active part and suffered se- verely. When the great battle opened. the en- tire field and staff of the Forty-ninth were pres- ent ; at its close, the regiment was in command of the Junior Captain. S. F. Gray. It was in this battle that Capt. and Lient. Keller, of Com- pany B, were wounded, from which both after- ward died. By the capture of Gen. Willich, Col. Gibson, of the Forty-ninth, succeeded to the command of the brigade ; Lieut. Col. Drake was killed while bravely cheering on his men ; Maj. Porter was wounded, and all the Senior Captains either killed or wounded. June 24, 1863, the regiment moved from Murfreesboro and had a severe engagement at Liberty Gap, where it lost several men. July 1, it reached Tullahoma and went into camp. The Forty- ninth. in the battle of Chickamauga, under com- mand of Maj. Gray, did some hard fighting and suffered severe loss. In the second day's fight, it is claimed that the Forty-ninth. in connection with Goodspeed's battery, the Fifteenth Ohio and other troops. saved Thomas' Corps from being utterly swept from the field. When the National forces withdrew at night, the Forty- ninth, with its brigade, was the last to retire. On the 24th of November, it took part in the fight at Mission Ridge, and was among the first to plant its colors upon the summit. Soon after this, it moved with Granger's corps to the re- lief of Burnside, at Knoxville. This was one of the hardest campaigns of the war. and, in the midst of it, the gallant Forty-ninth, almost to a man, re-enlisted, and then came home to Ohio on a furlough, where it was received with great honor.

The regiment, at the expiration of its fur- lough, reported at the headquarters of the Fourth Corps at Cleveland, Tenn., where the

National forces were then concentrating and re-organizing for the Atlanta campaign. In this arduous campaign, the history of the regi- ment was that of the Fourth Army Corps. It took part in the engagements of Dalton, Re- saca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoo- chie River and Atlanta, exhibiting in every emergency its qualities of courage and disci- pline, and suffering severely in the loss of men killed and wounded. When the army was di- vided and Sherman commenced his march to the Sea, the Forty-ninth remained with the Army of the Cumberland, under Gen. Thomas, and participated in all the skirmishes, and the bat- tles of Franklin and Nashville. Before Nash- ville, on the 15th and 16th of December, 1864, it took part in several brilliant charges made by the Fourth Army Corps, and suffered severely in killed and wounded. After the pursuit of Hood's army ceased, it returned and went into camp at Huntsville, Ala., and remained there until the middle of March, 1865. On the 15th of June, it was sent to Texas. Four months it endured the hard service of that section, and was mustered out of the service at Victoria on the 30th of November, 1865.

The following statistics will show something of the hard service of the Forty-ninth: "The whole number of names upon its rolls is one thousand five hundred and fifty-two ; eight of- ficers were killed in battle, and twenty wounded, six mortally. Of the privates, one hundred and twenty-seven were killed in battle, seventy-one were mortally wounded, one hundred and sixty- five died from hardships or disease, and seven perished in rebel prisons at Andersonville and Danville. Six hundred and sixteen were dis- charged on account of wounds or other disabil- ity. Five survive with the loss of an arm, and two with the loss of a leg. The men of the reg- iment suffered nine hundred and forty-two gun- shot wounds.

The Sixty-fourth Infantry comes next in the calendar, and drew from Crawford County Com-

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pany H, and furnished, also, recruits to Company K. Company H was organized with E. B. Finley, Captain ; William Starr, of Crestline, First Lien- tenant, and Pinkney Lewis, Second Lieutenant. Of other commissioned officers of either Com- pany H, or Company K, we have been unable to learn anything definite or of special impor- tance.

This regiment was organized at Mansfield, November 9, 1861, and was a part of what was known as the "Sherman Brigade." About the middle of December, it moved to Cincinnati, thence to Lonisville, Ky. December 26, it pro- ceeded to Bardstown, Ky., and was there bri- gaded, after which it moved to Hall's Gap. After the battle of Mill Springs, it was ordered to Bowling Green, where it joined the national forces, and then proceeded to Nashville, Tenn. It remained at Nashville but a few days, when it was ordered to Pittsburg Landing, but did not arrive on the battle-field until 11 o'clock of the 7th of April, and then the brunt of the great battle was over. One Company of the regiment, however (Company A, Capt. McIl- vaine) succeeded in getting into action.

The Sixty-fourth participated in the siege of Corinth, and afterward was sent to Iuka, Tus- cumbia, Decatur, Huntsville and Stevenson, Here it erected Fort Harker, in honor of its brave Brigade Commander. About the 1st of August, 1862, it moved with its brigade to Nashville, and from there with the national forces pushed on after Gen. Bragg to Lonis- ville. The regiment remained at Louisville about ten days, when it marched toward Perry- ville, and had the mortification of witnessing that battle without permission to help their hard-pressed comrades. Following the enemy beyond Wild Cat, the national forces then re- turned, and proceeded to Nashville, and went into camp three miles from the city. The next battle in which the Sixty-fourth participated was that of Stone River. In this battle, it did some hard fighting, and of about three hun-

dred engaged, it lost seventy-five killed and wounded. At Murfreesboro and the fighting and skirmishing incident thereto the Sixty-fourth bore its part. In the battle of Chickamauga (19th and 20th of September) it lost in killed wounded and missing over one hundred men. Falling back to Chattanooga, it was mostly em- ployed on picket dnty until the movement of the national forces, under Hooker. It took part in the battle of Mission Ridge, and lost Capt. King, killed, and several men. In Jan- uary, 1864, about three-fourths of the regiment re-enlisted, and was sent home on furlough for thirty days. They were warmly received at Mansfield, and given a grand supper. At the expiration of its furlough, the regiment left for the front, arriving at Chattanooga on the 1st of April. The movements commenced now against Atlanta, and at the battle of Rocky Face Ridge, Col. Alexander McIlvaine then in command of the Sixty-fourth, and Lieut. Thomas H. Ehlers, with nineteen men were killed and sixty-five were wounded. At Resaca, on the 14th of June, the regiment lost several men killed and wounded, and on the 18th, at Muddy Creek, it again participated, but with slight loss. Dur- ing the whole campaign, it was almost con- stantly engaged in skirmishing, and, at the bat- tle of Peach-Tree Creek, on the 20th of July, Among its loss, was Sergt. Marion Trage, of Company H., who was shot through the head. From the date its brigade and division moved in front of Atlanta, until the 26th of August, the Sixty-fourth was almost hourly under fire. At Jonesboro, on the 3d of September, and at Lovejoy Station, on the 6th, it was engaged with but slight loss.

After the fall of Atlanta, it went into camp there, until dispatched with the Fourth Army Corps in pursuit of Hood to Chattanooga ; while there, it received four hundred new re- crnits from Ohio. It now went on a recon- naissance in pursuit of Hood to Alpine, Ga., after which it returned to Chattanooga. At the

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battle of Spring Hill, the regiment was engaged, but its loss was slight. From that place, it proeceded to Frankiin, and took part in that battle, with a very severe loss, in killed, wounded and missing. This was the last struggle in this part of the country. The Sixty-fourth was sent to New Orleans, in June, where it remained three months, and was then sent to Victoria, Tex. Here, it performed garrison dnty until December 3, 1865, when it was mustered out of the service and sent home.

The Eighty-sixth Infantry also drew a con- pany from this county, together with some of its field officers, of whom W. C. Lemert was Major, and afterward, when the regiment was re-organized, was its Colonel. Company K was officered as follows : E. C. Moderwell, Captain ; Samnel Smalley, First Lieutenant, and Horace Potter, Second Lieutenant ; J. M. McCracken was Orderly Sergeant ; J. B. Scroggs, Sergeant Major ; B. F. Lauck, Quartermaster's Sergeant, and H. V. Potter, Regimental Postmaster.

The Eighty-sixth was a three months' regi- ment, raised under the President's call for seventy-five thousand men, in May, 1862. There were two organizations, numbered as the Eighty-sixth Infantry, the one for three months ; the other for twenty-four months. The first, or three months' regiment, left Camp Chase for Western Virginia, on the 16th of June, 1862, and operated in that section of the country during its term of service. It was engaged mostly at Clarksburg and Parkersburg, in skirmishing with prowling bands of rebels, and in garrison duty. After its three months had expired, it returned to Camp Delaware, where it was paid off and discharged.

The rebels, however, still manifesting a pur- pose to invade the northern border States, some of the old officers conceived the idea of re-or- ganizing the Eighty-sixth for six months. Maj. Lemert, of Bucyrus, received permission from Gov. Tod, and completed the organization of the regiment at Camp Cleveland, becoming

its Colonel. About the time the regiment was completely organized, the rebel Gen. Morgan was making his raid through Indiana and Ohio, and by orders of Gov. Tod, the Eighty-sixth was ordered to join in his pursuit, and, accord- ingly, it participated in that short bnt intensely lively campaign. After the capture of Mor- gan, the regiment returned to Camp Tod, and on the 8th of August, 1863, was ordered to Camp Nelson, Kentucky, there to join in an expedition against Cumberland Gap. After the capture of the Gap, the Eighty-sixth re- mained as a part of the garrison. until its term of service expired. On the 16th of January, 1864, it started for home, arriving at Cleveland on the 26th, and on the 10th of February, it was mustered out of the United States service.

The One Hundred and First Infantry con- tained two companies from Crawford County, viz., Companies C and E. The first was or- ganized with the following officers : B. B. Me- Donald, Captain ; Isaac Anderson, First Licu- tenant, and J. B. Biddle, Second Lieutenant. Capt. McDonald was promoted to Major Decem- ber 26, 1863, and to Lieutenant Colonel Feb- ruary 18, 1864, in which position he was mus- tered out with the regiment. Lieut. Anderson resigned January 2, 1863, on account of disa- bility ; Second Lieut. Biddle was killed Decem- ber 31, 1862. W. N. Beer was promoted from Sergeant Major to First Lieutenant on the 2d of January, 1863, and to Captain March 19, 1864, and, as such, mustered out with the regi- ment. J. M. Roberts was promoted to Second Lieutenant for bravery at the battle of Murfrees- boro. December, 31, 1862 ; to First Lieutenant March 19, 1864, and to Captain February 10, 1865, and was transferred to Company K.

The almost romantic story of the capture of Capt. McDonald and a number of his com- rades and the Captain's escape from Libby Prison is well-known to the people of Crawford County. He was captured September 20, 1863, during the Chattanooga campaign, and re-

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mained in that "Black Hole of Calcutta," Libby Prison, until the spring of 1864, when he, with a few fellow-officers, escaped by tun- neling underneath the prison-walls. There is in possession of his family, a large photograph of Libby Prison, in which his own quarters, while a prisoner within its somber walls, is marked. His daughters in Bucyrus have care- fully preserved, as a relic, the chisel which he used in tunneling out of prison. It is a relic they highly prize as the instrument which assisted their father, a gallant officer, to liberty.

Company E was organized with the follow- ing commissioned officers : William C. Par- sons, Captain ; Lyman Parcher, First Lieuten- ant, and Robert D. Lord, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Parsons died November 15, 1862; Lieut. Parcher was promoted to Captain, November 15, 1862; and resigned February 26, 1863. Second Lieut. Lord was promoted to First Lieutenant, November 15, 1862; to Captain, February 26, 1863, and was honorably dis- charged August 12, 1863. Samuel S. Blowers was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and re- signed January 9, 1864. Of other promotions and commissioned officers in Company E, we have been unable to learn anything definite.

The One Hundred and First was one of that series of patriotic regiments raised in the dark days of 1862, when the national cause seemed to be drifting into final defeat. It was organ- ized and mustered into the service at Monroe- ville, on the 30th day of August, 1862. On the 4th of September, it was hurried off to Cincinnati, though scarcely ready for field-serv- ice, and thence to Covington, to assist in repel- ling a threatened attack of Gen. Kirby Smith. September 24, it proceeded to Louisville, Ky., and was incorporated into Gen. Buell's army, then lying at that place, after its forced march after Gen. Bragg. It was placed in the brigade commanded by Gen. Carlin, and in the division of Gen. Robert B. Mitchell. October 1, it marched with the national forces in pursuit of

Gen. Bragg, and took part in the battle of Per- ryville, on the 8th of October. This was the initial battle of the One Hundred and First, and it bore itself bravely during the entire en- gagement, meriting and receiving the praises of both its brigade and division commanders, and losing several men. It followed in pursuit of the Rebels, and, at Lancaster, Ky., had a pretty severe skirmish with their rear-guard. Its march was continued through Crab Orchard, Danville, Lebanon and Bowling Green, and thence to Nashville, Tenn. At Nashville, Gen. Jeff C. Davis took command of the division, and on the 26th of December it marched with the army of the Cumberland, under Gen. Rose- crans. On the same evening, a force of the enemy was met by the Second Brigade, of Gen. Davis' division, of which the One Hundred and First was a part, and a severe skirmish took place. During the engagement, the One Hun- dred and First carried the crest of a hill under a heavy fire, and captured two bronze field- pieces. The regiment, being a new one, be- haved like veterans, particularly signalizing itself. One of the guns captured had on it the word "Shiloh," and belonged to Georgia troops. On the 30th of December, the brigade to which the One Hundred and First belonged, was the first to arrive on the battle-field of Stone River. It engaged the enemy's outposts that evening, and drove them in with quite a severe skirmish. The regiment lay down on its arms at night, to dream of home, and many to sleep their last. With its brigade it stood firm, and was the first troops to receive the shock of battle, which came at daylight on the memorable 31st of December. During the en- tire fight, the One Hundred and First continued in the hottest, taking up six different positions and stubbornly maintaining them during the day. Col. Stern and Lieut. Col. Wooster were both killed on the front line of the army, and both died leading on their men to deeds of daring. The regiment continued in the front

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 47

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034