USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 58
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After the fall of Atlanta the regiment was at- tached, in the reorganization, to the Seventeenth corps, and joined in the pursuit of Hood; but re- turning to Atlanta joined Sherman in his "march to the sea."
The last battle of the Forty-third was at River's Ridge on Sherman's march through the Carolinas, where the gallant Swayne lost a leg. A charge was made by the regiment on a battery which com- manded the bridge and the causeway approaching it. Down the narrow causeway the regiment rushed amid a storm of shot and shell, compelling the enemy to withdraw the battery and uncover the crossing.
The regiment participated in the grand review at Washington and was mustered out of service July 13, 1865.
THE SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
Two and a half companies from Knox county appear in the Sixty-fifth Ohio regiment, the organ- ization of which began at Camp Buckingham, Mansfield, Ohio, in the latter part of the summer of 1861. Early in October of that year Mr. Alex. ander Cassil, of Mount Vernon, was commissioned to raise a company for this regiment. Mr. N. L. Williams was also actively engaged in recruiting, and together they, with others, raised two compa- nies, which subsequently became companies A and F. These companies were largely recruited in the eastern part of the county ; Captain Cassil's, espe-
cially, being raised mostly in the vicinity of Mil- wood. These companies joined the regiment at Camp Buckingham; Captain Cassil's joining Octo- ber 23, 1861, before it was filled to the required number. They were filled up during the months of October, November, and December, 1861. In October, 1862, a draft was ordered, and forty-four more men from Knox were assigned to this regi- ment.
Following are the muster rolls of these compa- nies :
Muster roll of company A. Sixty-fifth Ohio regi- ment mustered into the service December 6, 1861:
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Captain Alexander Cassil, October 10, I861.
First Lieutenant Albert Ellis, October 5, ..
Second Lieutenant Jacob Hammond, October 5
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
First Sergeant Oscar D. Welker, October 5, 1861.
Sergeant Franklin Pealer, October 10
Sergeant John Bady, October 10,
Sergeant Thomas McElroy, October 23, ..
Sergeant Stephen Craig, October 10, ..
Corporal Solomon Hedgington, October 19,
Corporal William Hibbits, October 5. ..
Corporal Freeman Snow, October 5,
Corporal Alexander Atchison, October 14,
Corporal Milton S. Sweed, October 10, ..
Corporal Leander Kelley, October 23,
Corporal Amos Baker, October 5,
Corporal Amos Humbert, October 10,
Drummer Nathaniel Critchfield, October 23,
Fifer Joseph Critchfield, October 5,
PRIVATES. 1861. Beaman, Norman, October 23,
Beltz, John T., October 16,
Banbury, Solomon, October 18,
Burris, John, October 17.
Burris, George. December 6, ..
Buchanan, Smith, October 23,
Barron, James, November 2,
Cake, Howard, October 10,
Colwell, Daniel, October 17, ..
Cassil, Columbus D., 28,
Ellis, Lyman, October 5,
Farrer, Wilkinson, October 12,
Frizzle, Allen, October 19,
Frost, Otho, October 17,
Frost, Levi, November 1,
Greer, Peter, October 19
Greenlun, Thomas, November 19, ..
Greenlun, Marion, October 14,
Greenlun, Wesley, October 14,
Haw, Andrew, October 8,
Hoar, Thomas. October 10,
Hartgrove, Henry, October 23,
Hartesty, John, October 23, ..
.315
Corporal Joseph S. Covert, October 5, 1861.
Corporal George W. McFadden, October 14,
Corporal William A. Bell, October 8,
Corporal David Randolph, October 5,
Corporal James McMonigal, October 6,
Corporal Riley Clark, October 14,
Drummer Samuel McNulty, October 19,
..
PRIVATES.
Ashbaugh, Andrew, November 11, 1861.
Beitel, Herman L., October 5 ..
Boner, Isaiah, October 17,
Bunting, William, November 9, Brophy, John, October 10,
Byers, Jacob, October 19,
Borden, Andrew, October 25,
Brent, Edward W., December 14,
Buckmaster, Samuel, November 30,
Crosky, Michael, October 18,
Carnahan, Gasper, October 14,
Carnahan, William, November 4, ..
Corberant, Francis, November 4,
Collins, Augustus November 5, ..
Corroman, Alex M., November 2,
Durler, Fredrick, October 10,
Douglass John, October 28,
..
Day, William, October 15, Ewalt, John, October 26,
Foster, Arlington, October 31,
Funk, Jethro, November 14, Fogle, Henry, October 23,
Gwin, Noah C., November 2,
..
Goodrich, Loyd, October 12,
Goodrich, Louis, November 14,
Garret, John, November 18,
Hudnot, John, November 6,
..
Hile, John, November 4,
Huffman, Henry, October 11, ..
Hupp, Harvey, October 22, ..
Johnson, George, October 12,
Jennings, Charles, November 27,
..
Krow, George W., October 16,
..
Kidd, John C., October 19,
Lucas, Robert O., October 26,
Low, George W., October 15,
Lynch, Hiram, October 10,
Miller, Hiram D., October 12,
McCormick, Ebenezer, October 19, ..
Moore, William A., October 28,
McCune, James W, October 28, ..
..
McBride, Michael, October 30,
McCarty, Josephus, October 8,
McConky, George, October 25,
..
Miers, George, October 30, Miers, Azro, October 31, ..
Montacue, Benjamin, November 12, ..
Neiswander, James, October 8,
Peters, John W., October 22,
Peters, Daniel M., November 9,
Pyers, David, November 2,
Pierce, William, November 27,
..
Zimmerman, Daniel October 5. ..
Zimmerman, Jacob, October 5,
Zimmerman, David, October 10,
Muster-roll of company F, Sixty-fifth Ohio regi- ment, mustered into the service November 30, 1861:
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
Captain, R. M. Voorhes, October 18, I861.
First Lieutenant, N. L. Williams, October 7, ..
Second Lieutenant, Jasper P. Brady, October 23,
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.
First Sergeant Andrew J. Stiffler, October 14, 1861. Sergeant Leander R. Houghland, October 5. = Sergeant Philip P. McCune, October 15, Sergeant George Hoxworth, October 10, ..
Sergeant James W. Simpson, October 17,
Corporal John J. Albertson, October 28,
Corporal Francis H. Kleine, October 28,
4 4
McGugin, John, October 23, Mavis William, October 11,
Mavis, Linas, October 19,
Marsh, Hollis S., November 18, Miller, William McM., October 5, Mars, James, October 27,
Miers, Joseph, November 2,
Mathery, Simeon, November 26.
Pasco, Charles H., October 5, Rummel, John, October 10,
Reghtmire, Charles H., October 5, Stratton, John, November 8, Shaw, William B., October 10, Shellenbarger, James J., October 17,
Stull, Martin V., October 18, Stillinger, George, October 8, Stout, Joseph, October 29, Spindler, David, October 10, Stratton, Albert, November 20, Stratton, Frances, October 20, Tweed, Robert A., October 5, Turbet, John, October 21, Wright, Lewis A., October 11,
Wirick, James L., October 11, Wright, Darius J, October 23, Wolford, George, October 16, Witt, Henry, October 8, Welker, Clayburn, October 8, Young, Jacob, October 23,
..
Young, Michael, November 2,
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Henwood, Samuel C., November 5, 1861. Hedington, Nathan, October 19, Johnston, Orange, October 5, Johnston, Lloyd, October 28, -
Jordon, George, October 21, Lahman, Augustus, October 10, ..
Larrabee, Enos, October 19, Lybarger, Jacob, October 8, Lybarger, Jasper R., October 19, Lybarger, Alonzo C., October 10, Lyllie, Ransom, October 8, McElroy, David, November 2, ..
McGugin, William, October 18, ..
Knox, Andrew, October 28,
316
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Rinehart, Abraham, November 2, Ray, Charles N., November 6,
Rinehart, Preston, N., November 14, Rowley, Jerome R., November 21, Speelman, George J., October 8, Sowash, John, October 8, Sprague, Benjamin F., October 8, Simpkerson, George G., October 31, Snyder, Simon, November 2,
Steele, Charles, November 2, Shreve, William N., November 6,
Shirts, Samuel E., October 29, Shafer, Joseph, October 8, Snyder, David C., October 9, Swackhammer, George, November 3,
Tuttle, Joel, October 17,
Voorhies, C. E., October 15,
Wollard, Joseph, October 19,
Woods, Hugh, October 22,
Waegley, William N., November I,
Boner, Andrew J., October 23,
Close, Joseph, October 12, Speakman, James, October 19,
Anthony, William, October 22,
Page, William Warner, October 19,
Packer, George, October 22,
Packer, James, October 22,
Keefer, Frederick, October 28,
Drafted men called into service; assigned to the Sixty-fifth Ohio volunteer infantry, and mustered into the service November 11, 1862:
PRIVATES.
Adams, Allison, Barret, Thomas, Burnett, Thomas S., Brown, George M., Bushfield, George E ..
October 10, 1662.
Bedell, Warren, Bricker, William, Cain, Robert, Cain, James B., Coleman, John, Clark, Allen, =
=
=
=
Clutter, Walden, Clark, Thomas, Culbertson, Milo,
=
€1
Connell, John, Day, Jehiel F., Doup, George,
Dickerson, Barrick,
..
Everett, William S., Headington, Clark,
=
..
Hinkle, Henry, Huber, David, Hess, Abraham, Iden, Mahlon,
..
..
Kald, Joseph S., Kirkpatrick, S. C., Kost, Delonn, McElroy, James,
=
1861.
Myers, Joseph,
October 10, 1862.
Parmenter, George, Park, Madison,
Pinkley, John, Roof, Perry,
=
Rockwell, Daniel B.,
Ransom, Robert B.,
-
Shaffer, Matthias,, =
Simpkins, Selah,
Smith, Levi,
..
Taylor, Hugh A.,
=
..
Thompson, David,
Vian, Elijah,
Witherow, William J.,
Weller, Henry,
Farmer, Van Buren,
=
The Sixty-fifth became a part of the "Sherman brigade " and was mustered into the service, Dec- ember Ist, 1861. On the eighteenth of the same month it moved to Louisville by way of Cincinnati, where it remained a week and then marched to Camp Morton, four miles east of Bardstown, where it arrived on the thirtieth of December. It was brigaded with the Sixty-fourth Ohio, Fifty-first Indiana and Ninth Kentucky. Colonel Harker of the Sixty-fifth commanded the brigade and Gen- eral Wood the division.
January 13, 1862, the brigade broke camp and passing through Bardstown, Springfield, Lebanon, Haysville, Danville, and Stanford, Kentucky, ar- rived at Hall's Gap on the twenty-fourth. The regiment was ordered to Corduroy roads, the country being swampy. The labor was severe and miasma engendered disease to such a degree that many of the men died. February 7th the regi- ment marched to Lebanon and on the twelfth embarked on the cars for Green river. It arrived at Camp Woods, near Mumfordsville, on the thir- teenth, where it remained until the twenty-third when it crossed Green river on the railroad bridge, and passing Bowling Green, Franklin, Tyree Springs and Goodlettsville, arrived at Nashville, . March 13th, and went into camp two and a half miles southeast of the city.
On the twenty-ninth of March, with General Garfield in command, the brigade marched by way of Columbia to Savannah, where it arrived on the sixth of April, and on the morning of the seventh it moved on steamer to Pittsburgh Land- ing. At 4 P. M. it was on the battlefield, but did not become actively engaged; however it lost two
. .
=
. 317
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
men wounded. It participated in the movements against Corinth, and during the siege was under fire almost hourly. After the evacuation of Corinth and during the remainder of the summer and fall it was engaged in marching and countermarching to various places.
In the reorganization of the army at Nashville under General Rosecrans the regiment remained in its old brigade, Colonel Harker commanding.
On the twenty-sixth of December the brigade moved on the Nashville Pike, in Crittenden's corps, fighting its way into Lavergne, across Stewart's Creek and up to Stone river. On the night of the twenty-ninth the brigade crossed Stone river under orders, the men wading in water to their arm-pits in the face of a murderous fire. The opposite bank was gained and a line formed, but the sup- ports failed to come up, and the brigade was ordered to retire, which it did in good order. Crittenden's corps lay on its arms all night and dur- ing the whole of the next day; it was waiting for McCook to move on the right. Early on the morning of the thirty-first McCook's corps was driven back, and Harker's brigade was ordered to its sup- port. The brigade met a storm of bullets and a solid column of exultant rebels. For eight hours the brigade was heavily engaged and at last succeeded in checking the rebel army. All the commissioned officers of company A were either killed or wounded, and Sergeant Culbertson Henwood bravely took command and led it through the bat- tle. He was promoted to second lieutenant by Governor Tod. The regiment was under fire dur- ing the entire engagement, and lost heavily.
The following letter from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Cassil, now a resident of Mt. Vernon, written shortly after the battle, speaks for itself. Captain Cassil, of company A, was promoted to lieutenant colonel August 8, 1862, and commanded the regiment at the battle of Stone river.
HEADQUARTERS 65TH O. V. I., NEAR MURFREESBOROUGH, TENNESSEE, January 9, 1863.
W. C. COOPER, EsQ .- Dear Sir: The great battle of Mur- freesborough (Stone River) has been fought; the roar of the can- non has ceased for the present; the smoke of the battlefield has partially cleared away; the dead have been buried; the wounded are being cared for as well as circumstances will permit, and I am sufficiently recovered from my injuries received on the mem- orable thirty-first of December, 1862, to sit up for a short time,
and propose to occupy that time in writing you a brief note. My injuries were received by my horse being shot under me, and the ground being rough and rocky, he fell on me, bruising me badly, but not seriously or dangerously I also received a slight wound in the hand from a bullet. But my wounds are nothing when compared with many, very many others.
It is not my purpose to try to give a history of the battle; I will leave that for those whose business it is; nor is it my pur- pose to enter into detail concerning the part that the Sixty-fifth regiment took in the engagement; an official report will be made of this. Neither is it my intention to pass a eulogy on the brave dead and wounded of our regiment, or to speak glowingly of the deeds of the survivors; a glance at our casualties, a con- templation of our decimated ranks, speaks more eloquently of their worth, of their bravery, of their daring, of their self-sacri- ficing devotion to their country's honor, than anything I could say. One thing permit me to say: that so long as life endures or memory lasts, I will remember with pride that I had the honor to command so noble a band of patriots in this great struggle as were and are to be found in the Sixty-fifth regiment. But my purpose is to ask you, through the columns of the Re- publican, to give to the relatives, friends and neighbors of com- pany A a correct report of the casualties in said company, which I had the honor of bringing into the service, and com- manding as their captain for one year.
The Sixty-fifth regiment went into the fight with fifteen com- missioned officers, and about four hundred men present. Our loss is two commissioned officers and thirty-two non-commis- sioned officers and privates killed; nine commissioned officers and one hundred and two non-commisssioned officers and pri- vates wounded, and about thirty privates missing.
The casualties of company A are as follows:
Killed. - Sergeant William Hibbets; privates William Buchan- nan and Milan Hammell.
Wounded, and since died .- Corporal Daniel Colwell and pri- vate Jacob Young.
Wounded, and still living .- Second Lieutenant Franklin Pealer, thigh broken; corporals M. S. Tweed, in the hip; Amos Humbert, in the arm, severely; Augustus Laham, breast, sever- ly; Peter Greer, breast, severely; James Mears, leg and arm, severely; privates Loyd Johnson, hand, slightly; Lines Mavis, shoulder, slightly; Joel Wymer, shoulder, severely; Jacob Ly- barger, arm and shoulder, severely; Jasper R. Lybarger, leg, severely; James Shellenberger, foot, severely; Hollis L. Marsh, leg, severely.
Missing .- Privates James L. Wyrick, Allen Frizzle, Andrew How and James McElroy.
Of the men of Knox county who were enlisted by Lieutenant N. L. Williams, the following were wounded: Privates William Day, in the shoulder; Joseph Shaffer, in the ankle.
Casualties among the drafted men from Knox county, as far as I could learn are: S. C. Kirkpatrick, wounded in the leg, slightly; George Brown, in leg, slightly; William Errett and Thomas Clark, missing.
All I might say in praise of those brave men would not restore to bereaved friends their dead, nor alleviate the sufferings of the wounded, nor add additional laurels to the brow of the living; but the least that I can say is, that those who fell, fell bravely and manfully, battling for the right.
The wounded are patient, yes, ever cheerful, under their mis- fortunes, and those who escaped uninjured are in good spirits and ready to again meet the enemies of our common country in
318
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
deadly conflict, until treason is put down, and every man learns to acknowledge the supremacy of the constitution and the laws. ALEX. CASSIL, Lt. Col. 65th Regt. O. V. I.
The following interesting items, regarding com- pany A, are from a private correspondence. The writer says, regarding the siege of Corinth :
From April 8th to June Ist it was one continuous battle, the history of which has never been written, nor will it ever be. Captain Cassil was the first in the regiment to receive a gun- shot wound. As usual he was acting in the capacity of field of- ficer, and was ordered out with six companies to relieve another regiment on picket duty. After posting his men he made his way cautiously to the picket line with a Springfield rifle in his hand. Picket firing was popular, and the besieged and besieg- ers were continually popping away at each other. The cap- tain was anxious for a shot, and secreted himself behind some bushes to watch for a chance. There was an open field in front, with a fence hidden by bushes on the opposite side of it. The captain shortly made a discovery and fired after deliberate aim, at the same instant that the rebel, at whom his shot was aimed, fired upon him. Captain Cassil was slightly wounded. Much sickness prevailed in the army during this siege, and two of company A, C. D. Cassil and Robert Tweed, died. Wil- liam Shaw and Jacob Zimmerman subsequently died from disease contracted here.
Prior to December, 1862, some changes occurred among the officers of company A. Captain Cassil had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel; Lieuten- ants Ellis and Hammond had resigned; Sergeant Walker had been promoted to second and then to first lieutenant, and sergeant B. F. Pealer had been promoted to second lieutenant. Thus organized, the advance on Murfreesborough began, with com- pany A on the skirmish line. The operations of the regiment in this battle have been given.
After the battle the regiment remained at Mur- freesborough until June 7, 1863, when it moved to the vicinity of Chattanooga, and on the seventh of September skirmished with the enemy, losing one man. During the first day of the battle of Chickamauga the regiment was held in reserve at Lee & Gordon's mills until five o'clock in the afternoon, when it became briskly engaged. It moved to the left centre and lay on its arms all night. At 10 A. M. the next day it advanced about a mile, but was driven back to a ridge on which it re-formed. Fighting continued all day with alter- nate success and reverse. On the night of the second the army fell back to Mission Ridge, and from there to Chattanooga. In this engagement the regiment lost three officers killed and five wounded, and thirteen men killed, sixty wounded,
and twenty-four missing. During the siege at Chattanooga supplies became exceedingly scarce, and men and animals suffered greatly. The regi- ment participated in the battle of Mission Ridge with a loss of one officer wounded, and one man killed, and thirteen wounded.
In the Atlanta campaign the Sixty-fifth was under fire almost constantly. At . Lookout Moun- tain it lost three men wounded and one missing. At Resaca it lost one officer wounded, one man killed, and four wounded. At Marietta it lost one officer killed, one man killed, and ten wounded. In a skirmish near Kennesaw it lost two men wounded, and in the charge on Kenesaw it lost one officer killed, one wounded, and two men killed, and six wounded. In this charge Brigadier-Gen- eral Harker, formerly colonel of the Sixty-fifth, was killed.
The following item regarding this gallant officer is from the Cincinnati Gazette, published about the time the battle was fought:
When Harker perceived that his column had halted, and that the men were lying under the crest of a ridge, he rode forward and asked Colonel Bradley (Fortieth Indiana), who commanded one wing of the brigade, if he did not think it best to venture another charge. Colonel Bradley replied that he believed the men's energies had already been tested to the utmost. "At least," said Harker, "we may try what can be done ;" saying which he galloped up to his men, took off his hat, waved it and called upon them to follow him. Animated by the voice of their beloved leader the soldiers sprang to their feet and rushed after him to the crest of the hill. Alas! the first volley from the rebel works disabled every man near the general, and the heroic Har- ker himself reeled and fell from his saddle. A bullet had shat- . tered his arm, entered his side and passed through his body. There were those who loved him and who, in spite of death and danger, bore him from the field. A few hours after, he breathed his last, dying as he lived, a soldier, a patriot and a Christian.
Thus fell one of the brightest ornaments of the service; one of the most loved and valued officers. Since the beginning of the war Ohio has laid no costlier sacrifice upon the alter of our country's freedom than the life of General Charles G. Harker.
Knox county was well represented at this terrible battle and many a gallant life went out. Captain N. L. Williams was also killed here while leading his men to the assault on the enemy's works. He was among the first to leap the works, and at the head of his column fell mortally wounded, being struck in the head by a musket ball. He was one of the best of officers, ever ready and faithful in the discharge of his duties. At a subsequent meeting of the officers of the Sixty-fifth appropriate resolu-
. 319
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
tions were adopted, expressive of their sentiments regarding the death of Captain Williams.
Following the battle of Kennesaw came that at Peachtree Creek, where the regiment lost four men wounded and one missing; and at Atlanta on the twenty-second of July, it lost one man killed and one wounded. The regiment participated in the flanking movement to Jonesboro'; and from there advanced to Lovejoy. After the evacuation of At- lanta it fell back to that place and went into camp. Here it remained about three weeks and then moved in pursuit of Hood.
On the twenty-ninth of November the regiment participated in the battle of Springfield, losing two officers wounded (one of whom was captured), and five men killed, twenty wounded and fourteen miss- ing. On the thirtieth of November it was engaged in the battle of Franklin, with a loss of one man killed, twenty-two wounded and twenty-one miss- ing. The non-veterans were discharged on the third of October, 1864, leaving the regiment with an aggregate of one hundred and thirty men. The regiment was engaged in the battle of Nashville and pursuit of the rebel army across the Tennessee, after which it went into camp at Nashville, where it remained until June, 1865, when it went to New Orleans and into Texas. It performed garrison duty at San Antonio until December, 1865, when it was ordered to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, where it was mustered out, paid off and discharged January 2, 1866.
CHAPTER XXXV.
WAR OF THE REBELLION-CONTINUED.
COMPANIES A AND B, NINETY-SIXTH REGIMENT-ORGANI- ZATION-FIELD OFFICERS-MUSTER ROLLS-OUTLINE HIS- TORY OF THE REGIMENT WHILE IN SERVICE-COLONEL J. W. VANCE-MUSTER OUT.
U TPON the call of the President for troops in the summer of 1862, four companies were imme- diately raised in Knox county. The two first com- pleted went into the Ninety-sixth Ohio, and the other two into the One Hundred and Twenty-first.
Joseph W. Vance, a young and promising lawyer
of Mt. Vernon, who had been loyal and active in all that was being done to sustain the Government, was commissioned to form a regiment in the Eighth Congressional district. This regiment ren- dezvoused at Camp Delaware, became the Ninety- sixth, and the two companies from Mt. Vernon were, through the influence probably of Colonel Vance, assigned positions at the head of the regi- ment, and became companies A and B.
The field and line officers of this regiment were largely composed of those who had seen service in other regiments. Colonel Vance was without military knowledge, but courageous and able ; Lieu- tenant Colonel A. H. Brown had seen service in Mexico, and had also been a captain in the Fourth Ohio, both in the three months' and three years' service. The major, Charles H. McElroy, had been a captain in the Twentieth Ohio.
The officers of company A upon its first organ- ization were Captain William Mitchell, First Lieu- tenant William Young, Second Lieutenant George H. Terry. Captain Mitchell had been for several years superintendent and manager of the public schools of Mt. Vernon.
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