USA > Ohio > Union County > Jerome > History of Jerome Township, Union County, Ohio > Part 10
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The balance of the term of service of the regiment was employed in guard duty. At the expiration of the term of service the regiment was ordered to Delaware, Ohio, and was discharged September 25th, 1862. The loss by death was two. Immediately after discharge many members of the regiment reënlisted in long-term organizations.
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S5TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. THREE MONTHS' SERVICE.
The companies recruited for this regiment in the summer of 1862, rendezvoused at Camp Chase, Ohio, were mustered in under Colonel Charles W. Allison, an attorney of high character of Bellefontaine. A large number of rebel prisoners were confined at Camp Chase and the services of the regiment were required to guard these prisoners.
Colonel Allison was assigned to the command of the post and the regiment was retained on garrison duty during the summer. The duties were very arduous and Colonel Allison proved to be a competent commander. He was anxious to go to the front, but was retained on duty by request of the Governor, as it was important to have vigilant and competent officers in command of the camp and prison.
Some of the companies were sent as escorts to prisoners at different times but did not have any active service in the field. But one soldier of Jerome Township served in this regiment.
The regiment was mustered in June 10th, 1862, and was mustered out September 23rd, 1862. The loss by death was ten.
86TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. SIX MONTHS' SERVICE.
The Eighty-sixth Regiment for the six months' service was organized at Cleveland, Ohio, in the summer of 1863, and was mustered in under Colonel Wilson C. Lemert, who had served as a Major in the 86th O. V. I. three months' service, and a number of other officers of the same regiment also served in this new organization.
A company of this regiment was recruited in Union County by Captain James W. Fields, and was assigned as Company B when the regiment was organized and mustered into the U. S. service at Camp Chase in July, 1863.
Fifteen Jerome Township soldiers served in this company, two of whom, James A. Curry and William Wise, died in the service.
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The rebel General, John Morgan, was then making a raid through Ohio and the regiment took an active part in pursuit of Morgan and rendered most excellent service under the com- mand of Colonell Shackleford, making hard marches on foot and at other times a part of the command impressing horses. They were continuously making efforts to intercept detach- ments of the enemy, who were making rapid marches to make their escape across the Ohio River, and were present at the surrender of Morgan's command at Salineville, Ohio.
After the pursuit of Morgan's forces, the regiment re- turned to Camp Todd, Columbus, Ohio, for a few days, and about the first of August was ordered to Camp Nelson, Ken- tucky, and having joined the forces under Colonel D. E. Courcy, marched to Cumberland Gap, arriving about the first of September.
General Burnsides arrived a few days later on the op- posite side of the Gap, thus investing the Confederate forces. The 86th was stationed on the Harlem Road and formed a line of battle ready for action, and a section of Captain Henry M. Neil's Ohio Battery was stationed on the left. The command of Colonel De Courcy was composed of the 86th Ohio, 129th Ohio, the 9th and 11th East Tennessee Cavalry, and Captain Neil's 22nd Ohio Battery. A peremptory demand was then made for an unconditional surrender of the Confederate forces under General Frazier, who at once accepted the terms without firing a shot. The 86th Ohio was then accorded the honor of marching into the Fort, hauling down the rebel flag, and rais- ing the Stars and Stripes. General Frazier surrendered nearly 3,000 men, 5,000 stands of small arms, thirteen pieces of ar- tillery, with commissary and quartermaster stores.
Company B of the 86th was detailed to assist in guarding the prisoners to Lexington, Ky., and then returned to the Gap and remained on duty until the term of service expired. James A. Curry took sick on this march and died at Crab Orchard, Kentucky, October 2nd. As forage was very scarce, many expeditions were sent out to gather grain and other supplies. and they had many skirmishes with the rebel cavalry.
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This regiment saw a great deal of hard service, beginning with the campaign after Gen. John Morgan in July, 1863. Then the winter campaign at Cumberland Gap, participating in the siege and marching back and forth from the Gap to Lex- ington and Camp Nelson, they were continuously on the move in all kinds of weather. Many regiments that had a much longer service did not experience the severe campaigning that this regiment did, even in six months, as it was rushed to the front as soon as mustered into the service.
The regiment left the Gap for home January 16th and was mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio, February 10th, 1864, after a very strenuous, active service of six months. The loss by death was thirty-eight.
88TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
A battalion of four companies of this regiment was organ- ized at Camp Chase, Ohio, under Major Peter Zinn in the summer of 1862, but the regiment was not fully recruited and mustered in until July, 1863, under Colonel George W. Neff.
Ten soldiers of Jerome Township served in this regiment. William Fulk and George F. McIntyre died in the service.
A large number of rebel prisoners were confined at Camp Chase and the regiment was assigned to duty guarding the prisoners. This duty was very strenuous and the men were kept on duty continuously. Before the regiment was fully re- cruited a battalion of the regiment was ordered to Cincinnati, in September, 1862, to assist in repelling the invasion of the rebel army under command of Kirby Smith. It crossed the Ohio River into Kentucky and was in line of battle some days under command of General Lew Wallace. Manning the for- tifications around Covington, they were very highly compli- mented for their efficient service in front of the enemy by the commanding officer.
As soon as the regiment was mustered Colonel Neff, who had served as Lieutenant Colonel of the Second Kentucky Infantry and had considerable experience in the field, inaugu-
SAMUEL H. RI EHLEN 1s. O. V. (.
JAMES B. DORT Minute Man.
GEORGE RUEBLEV 96ch 0. V. I.
SAMUEL B. BEARD 9 th o. V. i.
WILLIAM H. WILLIAMS 96th O. V. I.
JOHN P. WILLIAMS 95th O. V. I.
DAVID WILLIAMS ISth U. S. I.
WILLIAM BANCROFT -10th O. V. I.
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rated the strictest discipline and the regiment under his com- mand became one of the best drilled regiments that had been been organized in the state.
Both officers and men were anxious to go to the front and a few companies were sent to West Virginia and to Maryland for a short time on duty, but were soon ordered back, as Gen- eral Morgan and his bold riders were making a raid through Ohio in July, 1863.
A part of the regiment was ordered to Camp Dennison and, under Colonel Neff, was deployed ready to resist an attack from Morgan's forces. Trees were felled across the roads leading to Camp Dennison and the obstructions were such that Morgan's column made a detour and did not attack the Post.
After the passing and capture of a large part of Morgan's forces, the regiment was again ordered to Camp Chase and was on duty there until October. Colonel Neff made applica- tion to go to the front again, and finally the regiment was or- dered to Cincinnati for provost duty. Camp Chase was then garrisoned by a detachment of convalescents and the Veteran Reserve Corps. The men of these detachments being absent from their regular commands, being dissatisfied and discipline lax, there was great danger that prisoners would escape. By request of the commanding officer, the 88th was ordered back to Camp Chase, much to the disgust of both officers and men. The regiment remained on duty at Camp Chase until mustered out July 3rd, 1865.
This regiment was composed of good material, was well drilled, and had the opportunity been given, it would have ren- dered good service on the firing line. The loss during the serv- ice of the regiment was eighty by death.
94TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
The 94th Regiment was organized at Piqua, Ohio, in the summer of 1862, and was mustered into the service August 24th, under Colonel Joseph W. Frizell. Captain Andrew Gowan of Jerome Township served in Company H of this
9
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regiment and was in the service continuously from August 7th, 1862, to June 5th, 1865, participating in all of its battles. The regiment was immediately ordered to Kentucky before it was armed and fully equipped, and with no experience in discipline or drill. Proceeding by rail to Lexington, on their arrival they found many stragglers from the battlefield of Richmond passing through the town.
The regiment was ordered to Yates Ford on the Kentucky River. This was the first march of the new regiment and on arriving at the Ford about dusk the regiment had their first war experience in a skirmish with the pickets of the enemy, losing two men killed and several wounded. The next morn- ing a large force of rebels advanced on the regiment by shell- ing the woods with a battery.
The regiment, under orders, fell back slowly to Lexington and on to Louisville with the army. The dusty roads and scarcity of water caused many of the men to become com- pletely exhausted, as they had been marching night and day since arriving at Lexington, August 31st, the day after the fight at Richmond, Kentucky.
This was the introduction of the regiment to the many campaigns and battles in which they were destined to partici- pate, and is referred to by members of the regiment as one of their hardest campaigns.
The regiment remained at Louisville until October 1st. Their next service was in the battle of Perrysville, in which they were actively engaged. They served in the Army of the Cumberland, participating in many decisive battles, including Stone River, Chickamauga, and all the battles around Chat- tanooga. They served in General Sherman's army on the Atlanta campaign in the summer of 1864, and marched to the sea.
Marching from Savannah through the Carolinas, they par- ticipated in the battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 19th, 1865, then marched to Washington and was in the Grand Review.
The regiment participated in nineteen battles, the loss by death was one hundred and ninety-nine, and it was mustered
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out at Washington, D. C., June 6th, 1865. The regiment was on the firing line in all the battles of the Army of the Cum- berland, and was one of the fighting regiments of that splen- did army.
95TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
The 95th Regiment was organized at Urbana, Ohio, and mustered into the service at Camp Chase, August 19th, 1862, under Colonel Wm. L. McMillen. Eleven Jerome Township soldiers served in this regiment and Samuel B. Beard died in the service.
The regiment was immediately ordered to Kentucky, be- fore it had any opportunity to drill, and within ten days after muster it participated in the battle of Richmond, Ky., August 30th, 1862. The regiment arrived at Lexington by rail, and was ordered toward Richmond on a forced march to meet and repel General Kirby Smith's Veteran Confederate army, largely outnumbering the Union forces. On the morning of August 30th the rebels advanced in strong force and the 95th was soon engaged in heavy skirmishing.
A detachment of the 95th under the Lieutenant Colonel contested the advance stubbornly after the Union Army was driven from the field until they were surrounded and upward of one hundred, with the commanding officer, taken prisoners. The other companies of the regiment having fallen back, an- other effort was made to stem the tide of the heavy Confed- erate force, but they were soon driven back and about six hundred were taken prisoners, eight men were killed and forty-seven wounded.
The prisoners were paroled and were allowed to make their way back toward the Ohio River as best they could. The 95th was the only Ohio regiment in this battle, and while it was very disastrous to the Union forces, it may well be doubted if even Veterans, under the conditions, could have held the field against such an overwhelming number. While it was a discouraging introduction in their baptism of fire,
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as soon as the regiment was exchanged strict discipline and drill were inaugurated and during the war it made a record which is recognized as one among the best in Ohio organiza- tions.
In May, 1863, they were again ordered to the field and served through the Vicksburg campaign in the spring and summer. The regiment participated in the campaign on Big Black River, the capture of Jackson, Miss., and in the charge against the rebel fortifications at Vicksburg, May 22nd. After the surrender of Vicksburg they were continuously scouting, raiding and destroying railroads during the summer months, and went into winter quarters at Memphis in the fall. The regiment had been attached to the Fifteenth Corps up to this time, but during the winter was attached to the Six- teenth Corps. In June, 1864, the regiment participated in the disastrous campaign against Tupelo, Miss., under com- mand of General Sturgis, and in the battle of Guntown, Jan- uary 10th, lost heavily in men and officers.
They were in the second campaign against Tupelo under General A. J. Smith, in July, in which the rebels under Gen- eral Forrest were defeated. After Sherman had started on his march to the sea the regiment, with the forces under Gen- eral A. J. Smith, were ordered to Nashville, Tenn. In the battle of Nashville, fought December 15th and 16th, under command of General George H. Thomas, the regiment was hotly engaged both days, storming the rebel breastworks, cap- turing artillery and many prisoners, but losing heavily. The regiment was then ordered to New Orleans and served under General Canby until the close of the war.
The regiment participated in sixteen battles, many skir- mishes, and, as shown by the official records, the losses in killed, died of wounds and disease, were two hundred and seventy-six. The regiment was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, August 14th, 1865.
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96TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
This regiment was organized at Delaware, Ohio, in the summer of 1862. It was recruited in the counties of Dela- ware, Knox, Logan, Morrow, and Marion. Company K was recruited in Union County and twenty-three soldiers of Jerome Township served in this company, seven of whom died in the service.
The regiment was mustered into the service August 19th, 1862, under Colonel Joseph W. Vance, who was killed in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, La., April 8th, 1864. After the death of Colonel Vance, Lieutenant Colonel Albert H. Brown commanded the regiment with distinguished ability until the close of the war. Dr. David H. Henderson of Marysville, Ohio, was surgeon of the regiment. Of the 115 soldiers who served in Company K of the regiment from Union County, 43 were killed or died of wounds or disease, ten were wounded, and six were made prisoners of war. Thomas L. Evans, who served in this company and was pro- moted to a Captaincy, taught a select school in the little brown schoolhouse still standing on the corner of the square at New California, after the close of the war.
On the 1st of September, 1862, the regiment left Camp Delaware, by way of Columbus, for Cincinnati, and, arriving in that city the same evening, crossed the Ohio River and quartered in the streets of Covington for the night. They remained there a week, sleeping at night in the streets, and were fed by the loyal citizens of that place.
On the 8th of October the regiment, in the brigade of General Burbridge, A. J. Smith commanding the Division of the Thirteenth Corps, marched to Falmouth, thence to Cyn- thiana, Paris, Lexington, and Nicholasville. At the latter place they remained in camp two or three weeks, then marched to Louisville, where they remained in the mud along the Ohio River for a few days; then embarked for Memphis, Tenn., on the 19th of November, where they were encamped for about a month. While there they were reviewed by General
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Sherman and ordered to embark on the steamer Hiawatha and proceed down the river with the forces under his com- mand, the objective point being Vicksburg, Miss.
The whole regiment and its outfit of wagons, teams, etc., together with the Seventeenth Ohio Battery with its guns, horses and mules, were packed on this small craft. Nearly every member of the battery was sick with the measles. The horses and mules were placed on deck, their heads tied on either side, forming between them a narrow aisle. Only par- tial rations of hard bread and roasted coffee could be had, the only resort being flour and green coffee, which required cooking and roasting. It may have been a necessity, but cer- tainly it was a bitter fatality.
The only facility for cooking was a small stove on the after deck, to reach which it was necessary to run the gauntlet of two hundred pairs of treacherous heels and the filth of such a stable. First, the coffee and the meat were cooked and eaten with hard bread, but the supply of the latter was soon exhausted and the men were forced to mix flour with water and bake it on the same stove. With the best effort possible it was often 2 o'clock before all had their breakfast of the half-cooked material. As if this were not all that flesh and blood could endure, cold rain continually drenched all who were not under cover, and for want of room many were forced to remain on the hurricane deck, famished with hunger and tortured with sleeplessness.
All day and all night the little stove was used by men preparing the unhealthy rations which, while they staved off starvation, were not slow, in connection with other causes, in developing diseases that were equally fatal to those who were packed close in the ill-ventilated and overcrowded apartments. Surgeon Henderson, with his assistants, labored incessantly to check disease and relieve the sufferings of the men, but typhoid, measles and erysipelas were masters, everything seemingly rendering them aid. Death reaped a frightful harvest.
On its way the regiment disembarked at Milliken's Bend
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on the 20th and made a forced march to Dallas Station, La., on the Vicksburg, S. & T. Railroad, a distance of twenty- eight miles over a narrow road cut through a dense cypress forest, over stretches of corduroy and thick intervening mud of the low marshes, burning depots and warehouses, destroy- ing a large amount of railroad property, tearing up the track for miles, returning the following day in a pelting storm of cold rain, having marched fifty-six miles in less than forty hours.
The regiment was taken on down the river to the Yazoo (the River of Death), and up that river to Johnson's Land- ing ; there disembarked and marched to Chickasaw Bluffs and participated in the first attack on Vicksburg, where the Union forces were defeated. Then proceeding to Arkansas Post, they took an active part in the assault upon the works, cap- turing 7,000 prisoners, losing ten killed and twenty-six wounded. After this engagement it at once accompanied the army under Grant in the flank movement to the rear of Vicks- burg and took part in the siege until the surrender, July 4th, 1863. Then it marched on to Jackson, taking part in the siege until its evacuation on the 17th of July ; thence back to Vicks- burg, and from there by steamer to Carrollton, La. It was next engaged in what was called the Teche campaign, and participated in the battle of Grand Coteau on the 3rd of No- vember. This was a desperate fight against overwhelming numbers, the regiment losing 110 men killed, wounded and missing.
In December the regiment was ordered to Texas, where it operated against Dick Taylor's forces until March, 1864, then returned to Brashear City, La., entered upon the Red River campaign under General Banks. On the 8th of April they were engaged in the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, losing fifty-six men killed, wounded and missing.
On the first of August the regiment, with the Thirteenth Corps, embarked for Dauphine Island, in the rear of Fort Gaines, and were the first troops to land in the rear of that fort and participated in the siege until the surrender on the
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Sth, with 1,000 prisoners. On the 1st of September the regi- ment returned to Louisiana, and in November proceeded to the mouth of White River, in Arkansas. The regiment was so reduced in numbers by continued losses that a consolidation became necessary, which was effected by special order on the 18th of November, making a battalion of five companies called the Ninety-sixth Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel A. H. Brown commanding.
Company B of Knox, E of Marion, and K of Union were consolidated, making Company C, commanded by Captain Evans. The battalion continued to operate in Arkansas until February, 1865, whence it removed to the rear of Fort Span- ish, the key of Mobile, Ala., participating in the siege of that fort, which resulted in its capture on the 8th of April.
A few minutes after the surrender the regiment was marching to the assistance of General Steele, who had for some days been investing Fort Blakely, fifteen miles north of Spanish Fort. Upon the arrival of General Granger's corps on the field General Steele's troops stormed the fort. captur- ing 5,000 prisoners. This is said to be the last battle of the war. The battalion then proceeded to Stark's Landing on the 11th, and took passage on the morning of the 12th in com- pany with a fleet of gunboats across the bay for the city of Mobile. A landing of the infantry was effected below the rebel stronghold and marched toward it, the gunboats sending shells of warning that we were upon them. The reason of no response soon appeared in the form of a white flag. After the surrender of Mobile the battalion joined an expedition to Nannahubbah Bluff, on the Tombigbee River, and also Mc- Intosh Bluffs.
The last volley fired by the Ninety-sixth was on the 12th day of April, at Whistler Station, seven miles above Mobile, in a lively skirmish with Dick Taylor's retreating forces. The regiment returned to Mobile on the 9th of May, where it remained until mustered out, July 7th, 1865, excepting forty men whose term of service had not expired and who were transferred to the Seventy-seventh Battalion, Ohio Veteran
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Volunteer Infantry, and served as a detachment in that bat- talion until March, 1866.
The Ninety-sixth, from the time of entering the field until the close of the war, was on continuously active and, most of the time, hard service. The regiment marched 1,683 miles, and was transported by boat 7,686 miles and by railroad 517 miles, making a total of 9,886 miles. The regiment partici- pated in twelve battles, a score of minor fights, and the last shots fired by the regiment were on April 12th, 1865, three days after the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox. As shown by the official records, the losses, killed, died of wounds and disease, were three hundred and thirty-nine.
110TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. THREE YEARS' SERVICE.
The 110th was organized at Piqua, Ohio, in the late sum- mer of 1862, and was mustered into the service October 3rd under Colonel J. Warren Kiefer. But one Jerome Township soldier served in this regiment, so far as can be ascertained.
Soon after the regiment was mustered into service it was ordered to Virginia, first going to Parkersburg and then to Clarksburg and on to New Creek, where it arrived November 26th, and was kept on drilling and fortifying until about the middle of December. In January, 1863, the regiment was or- dered to Winchester and was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division, Eighth Army Corps, where it was employed in scouting and reconnoitering during the winter months.
The regiment was under fire for the first time June 13th at Kernstown, meeting the advance of Lee's army, and after contesting the ground stubbornly on the 13th and 14th they were compelled to fall back before a large force of the enemy and retreated to Harper's Ferry. In July the regiment was ordered to Frederick City, Maryland, via Washington, and then to New York and back to the Potomac and Rappahan- nock in November, having frequent skirmishes during the fall months, capturing many prisoners, and remained in winter quarters at Brandy Station.
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In the spring of 1864 the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Sixth Army Corps, and went into line for the Wilderness campaign. On the 5th of May they were heavily engaged, losing 19 killed, 88 wounded and 11 missing. In the assault at Coal Harbor, June 3rd, the loss in the regiment was five killed and thirty-four wounded. It participated in the battle of Monocacy and in this engage- ment the casualties were upward of seventy. The regiment was continuously on the move during July and August, skir- mishing and guarding trains. In the battle of Winchester, October 19th, the regiment was on the front line and did heroic service in checking the advance of the rebels when the Eighth and Nineteenth Corps were driven back. During the late fall and winter the regiment was in winter quarters on the Weldon Railroad.
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