History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 19

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 626

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FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

Immediately after the battle of Bull Run, a num- ber of the citizens of Cleveland, Ohio, set about rais- ing a regiment, and the result of their labors was the Forty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which Captain William B. Hazen. Eighth United States Infantry, was appointed colonel. The camp of rendezvous was established near Cleveland. By the first of September, a large number of men were in camp, and the work of instruction bad commenced. An officers' school was instituted, and the strictest disci- pline enforced, and, by the time the regiment was mustered as complete, on the 31st of October, 1861, the officers and men understood their duties well, and were quite proficient in drill. On November 6. the regiment moved, by rail. to Camp Dennison, where it was supplied with arms. These consisted of the Greenwood rifle, a weapon nearly useless, and soon discarded by the government. After a week at Camp Dennison, the regiment proceeded to Gallipolis, tak- ing steamer from Cincinnati.

A few raiding excursions, from this point into Vir- ginia, was the only relief from daily drills, and in the latter part of the month, the regiment was ordered to Louisville, and reported to General Buell. then organ- izing the army of Ohio. The Forty-first became a part of the Fifteenth brigade, Nelson's division, and, during the winter, remained at Camp Wickliffe, Ken- tucky. Here, the Forty-first was made the nucleus of a new brigade, (the Nineteenth), to which were assigned the Forty-sixth and Forty-seventh Indiana,

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

and the Sixth Kentucky, commanded by Colonel Hazen.

On the 14th of February, 1862, Nelson's division marched fo West Point, which was reached after a severe march of three days. Here, the two Indiana regiments were sent to Grant. Nelson embarked on transports for the Tennessee river, and arrived at Nashville on the 24th of February. 1862. About the middle of March, the regiment moved with the army to Savannah, on the Tennessee river, arriving within two miles of that point, the Saturday preceding the battle of Pittsburg Landing. Heavy firing was heard on the morning of the 6th of April, and, at one o'clock, p. m., after being supplied with rations and ammunition, the regiment moved for Pittsburg Land- ing, one company, (G), being left to guard the camp and garrison equipage. At five o'clock, the troops arrived opposite the battle-field, and Hazen's brigade was the second to cross the river. The regiment lay, that night, on the tield. in the driving rain, among the dead and wounded. and, at day-light, moved for- ward in its first engagement.

The Forty-first was on the right of Nelson's division, and, when the rebels were discovered to be advane- ing, Hazen's brigade was ordered to charge. The Forty-first was placed in the front line, and advanced steadily, through a dense thicket of undergrowth, and, emerging in the more open ground, was saluted with a murderous fire. The line still advanced, checked the approaching rebels, drove them back beyond their fortifications, and captured their guns. Three officers and three men. who, at different times, carried the colors in the charge, were shot down, either killed or wounded, and, of the three hundred and seventy- three who entered the engagement, one hundred and forty-one were either killed or wounded, and this, too, in the space of half an hour.

The night after the battle, Hazen's brigade, as an outlying force, ocenpied the Tan Bark road, upon the left of the army. The regiment occupied a miserable camp on the field of battle, surrounded by the half buried bodies of men and horses, until the army moved on Corinth. The regiment suffered very much from exposure, during the march, and in the opera- tions immediately following. The Forty-first was with Buell's army, on its march to Louisville, mov- ing, day after day, over dirty roads, with short rations and water scarce, until, nearly exhausted, ragged and dirty, it entered Louisville, on the West Point road, and encamped, for a three days' rest. On the 20 of October, the regiment marched against Bragg. At the battle of Perryville. its duties were, principally. skirmishing.

About October 20, the brigade commenced ils re- turn to Nashville.

December 26, the Forty-first, with the army, moved on Murfreesboro. At midnight, on the 30th. the regiment took position in the first line, facing Cowan's house, and from this time, until the cessation of hos- tilities, was actively engaged. Of the four hundred

and ten officers and men of the Forty-first, the largest number it ever took into battle, one hundred and twelve were killed or wounded.

Jannary, 10, 1863, the regiment moved to Reedy- ville, where it remained, in comparative quiet, until the 24th of the following June, when the command moved to Tullahoma; but, that place being evacuated before they reached it, the troops returned to Man- chester, and went into camp.

Tents were struck on the 15th of August, and the command moved toward Chattanooga. The morning of the 19th of September found the regiment again on the bank of the Chickamauga. near Gordon's Mills. Abont nine o'clock. a. m., the battle com- menced, and, at one o'clock, p. m., Palmer's division, (in which the Forty-first was), went into the fight, attacking in echelon by brigades, Hazen's brigade being the first echelon. The regiment advanced rapidly, over an open field, to a strip of woods. After holding the position two hours, and, during the time. losing a hundred men, the regiment was withdrawn. They were immediately moved to the assistance of General VanCleve. They were continually under fire, and, at last, the brigade was formed in eplumns, by regiments, and advancing. one after the other, de- livered its volley into the dense masses of the rebels, who reeled and fell back. This was the last fighting on Chickamanga. The next day was spent on Mission Ridge, and, the following night, the regiment retired to Chattanooga.

In the re-organization of the army, Hazen's brigade was composed of the First, Forty-first, and Ninety- third Ohio, Fifth Kentucky and Sixth Indiana, and was assigned to the fourth army corps, Major-general Gordon Granger, commanding.

At three o'clock in the morning of October 27. fifty-two pontoons, bearing Hazen's brigade, pushed out silently from Chattanooga, and floated down the river. In half an hour's time, the leading pontoons were passing in front of the enemy's pickets on the bank, a hundred feet above. The conversation of the rebels could be distinctly heard, but their attention was not once directed to the twelve hundred silent enemies floating past, within pistol shot. Just as the first pontoon arrived opposite its landing, it was dis- covered; but the landing was effected, the pickets driven in, and the hill gained. When the morning haze cleared away, the rebels on Lookout saw the hills beneath them, commanding two roads to Bridgeport, covered with blue-coats. in a position from which they could not be driven, with a pontoon bridge to connect them with Chattanooga, almost completed.

At noon, on The 23d of November, the brigade was ordered to fall in. for a reconnoissance. The brigade advanced briskly, driving the enemy's skirmishers into a dense undergrowth. on a small ridge. between Chattanooga and Mission Ridge. The line followed, and received a heavy tire. Nothing could be seen; but it was too hot a tire fo bear quietly. Colonel Wiley ordered the regiment to charge, and orders from

JHISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

Hazen, at the same time, directed the taking of the line on the hill. The Forty-first delivered a volley. trusting to fortune for its effect, then dashed forward through the thicket, through the balls, up to, and into the rebel works, capturing the colors of the Twenty-eighth Alabamba regiment. In this, its severest, engagemement, the Forty-first was asso- ciated with the Ninety-third Ohio, which shared fully the danger and honor of the tight. The position was held without trouble, and was known as Orchard Knob. Soon after the fight, Generals Grant, Thomas and others passed along the new line, when Thomas. looking at the ground withm fifty paces of the rebel works, where the fight had been fiercest, and, where lay the horses of Colonel Willey and Lieutenant-colo- nel Kimberley, called for the officers of the regiment, and said to Colonel Willey: "Cohmel, I want you to express to your men my thanks for their splendid conduet this afternoon. It was a gallant thing, Colo- nel-a very gallant thing." That, from General Thomas, was better than an hour's speech from any other man.

On the 25th, Hazen's brigade moved across the val- ley from Orchard Knob to Mission Ridge, under a heavy artillery fire; and, at the foot of the ridge, a. dash was made and the enemies' works captured. The troops were here exposed to canister and musketry, and to remain was impossible: so they advanced np the steep hill, swept by an entilading fire of artillery; up they went, and when near the top, the tire of the Forty-first was directed to the batteries on the right. The rebels retired, and, with a cheer, the line occupied the works on the ridge. A squad of the Forty-first seized a battery almost before the rebels were away from it, turned it to the right, and discharged it directly along the summit of the ridge, where the enemy in front of Newton's division still stubbornly held out; and, as the shells went skimming along in front of and among them, the rebels turned and iled. Eighteen captured pieces of artillery graced General Hazen's headquarters that night, of which the Forty- first and Ninty-third could fairly claim six as their trophies, while the former also captured a battle-tlag. The losses were severe. One hundred and fifteen of the Forty-first, most of them in the fight. of the 23d had fallen.

After resting scarcely long enough to bury the dead, the regiment moved with its corps for Knoxville. Supplies had been searce, and, before the march was half accomplished, two-thirds of the men were walk- ing over the frozen ground bare-footed; but with their feet wrapped up in sheep-skins and cow-hides they journeyed on, and finally reached Clinch Mountain, Iwenty miles above Knoxville. Here the regiment re-enlisted, one hundred and eighty out of one hun- dred and eighty-eight. becoming veterans, and on the 5th of January, 1864, started for Chattanooga, and reached Cleveland, Ohio, on the 20 of February.

With nearly a hundred recruits, the regiment joined its division, in East. Tennessee, on the 26th of March,

and was placed in a battalion with the First Ohio, Lieutenant-colonel Kimberly commanding. At Rocky Face Ridge the battalion was complimented for its steadiness under a galling fire, and at Resaca it gained a crest within seventy-five yards of the enemies' main line, and effectually prevented the use of his artillery. At. Dallas, on May 26, the Forty-first lost one hun- dred and eighty men out of two hundred and sixty. During subsequent movements the regiment was en- gaged at. Peach Tree ereck, before Atlanta, in the movement against Hood, in December, where it did noble work; it participated in the pursuit of blood, and finally rested at Huntsville, Alabama.

In June, 1865, the corps embarked at Nashville for Texas. Near Cairo the sicamer collided with a gun- boat, and sunk in a few minutes, with all the regi- mental and company papers and most of the personal property of the officers and men. Fortunately no lives were lost. In Texas the regiment was stationed near San Antonio until November, when it was ordered to be mustered out. It reached Columbus, Ohio, abont the middle of the month, and was discharged on the 26th of November, 1865, after four years and one month's service.

FORTY-SECOND REGIMENT OHIO INFANTRY.

The Forty-Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio. Companies A, B, C, and D, were mastered into the service September 25, 1861; company E, October 30; company F, November 12; and companies G, 11, 1, and K, November 26, at which time the organization was completed.

On the 14th of December, orders were received to take the field, and on the following day it moved by railroad to Cincinnati, and thence by steamer up the Ohio river to Catlettsburg. Kentneky, where it arrived the morning of December 17. The regiment, to- gether with the Fourteenth Kentucky Infantry and MeLaughlin's squadron of Ohio Cavalry, proceeded to Green Creek. Another advance was made December 31, and on the night of Jannary 7. 1862, the whole command encamped within three miles of Paintville. The next morning five companies, under command of Lientenant-colonel Sheldon took possession of the village. On the evening of the same day Colonel Garfield took the Forty-second and two companies of the Fourteenth Kentneky, and advanced against. Mar- shall's fortified position, about three miles south of Paintville village. Arriving at about nine o'clock, p. m. they found the works evacuated, and everything valuable either carried away or destroyed; marching all night, they reached Paintville a little after day- light.

About noon on the 9th, Colonel Garfield, with eleven hundred infantry from the Forty-second Ohio, and other regiments, and about six hundred cavalry started in pursuit of Marshall, and about nine o'clock in the evening the advance was fired upon by Marshall's pickets, on the summit of Abbott's Hill. Garfield

ILISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIITO.

took possession of the hill, bivouacked for the night and the next morning continued the pursuit, overtaking the enemy at the forks of Middle Creek, three miles southwest of Prestonburg. Marshall's force consisted of about three thousand five hundred men, infantry and cavalry, with three pieces of artillery. Major Pardee, with four hundred men, was sent across Mid- elle ('reek to attack Marshall directly in front, and Lieutenant-colonel Monroe (Twenty-second Kentucky) was directed to attack on Marshall's right flank. The fight at once opened with considerable spirit, and Pardee and Monroe became hotly engaged with a force four times as large as their own. They held their ground with great obstinacy and bravery until re- inforcements reached the field, when the enemy commeneed to falt back. The National forces slept upon their arms, and at carly dawn a reconnoissance disclosed the fact that Marshatt had burned his stores and fled, leaving a portion of his dead upon the field. From this date, for a considerable time, the regiment was engaged in several expeditions against guerrillas.

The arduous nature of the campaign, the exceed- ingly disagreeable weather, and the want of supplies, were disastrous to the health of the troops, and some eighty-five of the Forty-second died of disease. On June 18, this regiment led the advance, and was the first to plant the starry ensign on the stronghold of Cumberland Gap. When the regiment left the Gap it numbered seven hundred and fifty men, and while on the march there were issued to it two hundred and seventy-five pounds of flour, four hundred pounds of bacon, and two rations of fresh pork: the rest of the food consisted of corn grated down on tin plates and cooked upon them. The distance marched was two hundred and fifty miles. The weather was very dry and the men suffered for water. They were without shoes, and their clothing was ragged and filthy. The Forty-second lost but one man from all canses, and it was the only regiment that brought through its knap- sacks and blankets. These proved of great service, as the men were compelled to camp at Portland, Jackson county, Ohio, two weeks before clothing, camp and garrison equipage could be furnished them. While at Portland the regiment received one hundred and three recruits, and at Memphis, whither it arrived on November 28, sixty-five more. It had from time to time received a few, so that the whole number reached two hundred or more, and the regiment coutd turn out on parade nearly nine hundred men. Here the division was re-organized, and denominated the Ninth division, Thirteenth army corps.

On the 20th of December the Forty-second, with other troops, under General W. T. Sherman, em- barked at Memphis, and proceeding down the river, landed at Johnston's plantation on the Yazoo, The Forty-second led the advance against the defences of Vicksburg on the 24th of December, and skirmished with the enemy until dark. The next morning the regiment resumed the attack, and by a charge, which was made with great spirit, succeeded in gaining pos-

session of the woods, driving the Rebels into their works. About nine o'clock, a. m., on the 29th, a charge was made, the Forty-second being on the extreme right of the assaulting column. The storm of shot and shell was terrific, but the regiment main- tained its organization and came off the field in good order. An important victory followed, in January, 1863, being the assault upon and capture of Fort Hindman, Arkansas. In this the regiment led the advance. The spoils were seven thousand prisoners, all the guns and small arms, and a large quantity of stores. At Port Gibson the regiment had hot work, and sustained a heavier loss than any regiment in the corps. After the surrender of Vicksburg the regi- ment marched to Jackson and participated in the reduction of that place, and then returned to Vicks- burg, where it remained until ordered to the Depart- ment of the Gulf. Companies A, B, C, and D, were mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, September 30, 1864. The remaining six companies were ordered to Duvall's Bluff, Arkansas. Companies E and F were mustered out November 25, and the other four com- panies, December 3, 1864. One hundred and one men remained, whose term of service had not expired, and they were organized into a company and assigned to the Ninety-sixth Ohio.

FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT OHIO INFANTRY.

This regiment was organized at Camp Andrews, Mount Vernon, Ohio, February 2, 1862, and left its rendezvous for the front on the 2tst of the same month. On the 26th of February, it reported to Brigadier-General John Pope, commanding the dis- triet of Mississippi, and was at once assigned to the Ohio brigade, composed of the 'Twenty-seventh, Thirty- ninth, Forty-third and Sixty-third regiments, first division, army of the Mississippi.

It was but a few days before the regiment was introduced to active service, for in March, 1862, it was under fire at New Madrid, Missouri; and in all the operations against that post, it bore a prominent part, especially in its final bombardment and capture on the 13th and 14th of March. The loss of the regiment in killed and wounded was quite severe.

In the movements against Island No. 10, and the crossing of the Mississippi river in the face of the enemy. the Forty-third bore a conspicuous part, as it did also in the subsequent capture of the forces of General MeCall, at Tiptonville, Tennessee. The next movement was against Fort Pillow. In all the opera- tions of that campaign, the Forty-third bore its part. The actions of the 8th, 9th and 20th of May, may be particularly mentioned. At Corinth, the Forty-third was posted immediately on the left of Battery Robi- nett, and the Sixty-third on the right of the battery; and it is said these two regiments did more to save the day than any other organization engaged. The grand assault of the rebels was made at daylight on the 4th of October. They opened on Battery Robinett with artillery at about three hundred yards, and at

HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.

10 o'clock a. m., led by Colonel Rogers, of the Second Texas, moved forward to the assault. The Forty- third and Sixty-third Ohio stood firmly at their posts. and succeeded in staggering the assaulting column, and in hurling it back, at a time when our lines were broken and our troops were seen flying from every other part of the field. The opposing forces were but a few feet apart, and fought almost hand to hand. and men went down on both sides in great numbers. Colonel Smith fell mortally wounded at the first onset. while gallantly discharging his duty. Adjutant Heyl and Captain Spangler were killed at about the same moment. Captain S. F. Timmons and Lientenant S. MeClaren, A. L. Howe and II. L. Prophet received honorable wounds. The casualties among the men were very severe. In a few minutes of fighting, over one-fourth of those engaged of the Forty-third were either killed or wounded. Colonel Smith died eight days after the battle. The next movement of the Forty-third was with Grant's army, at Oxford, Miss. In the campaign against Forrest, in West Tennessee, in the winter of 1862-63, and in General Dodge's raid in North Alabama, in April. 1863, the Forty- third was with General Sherman when he made his memorable march from Memphis to the relief of the army of the Cumberland.

In December, 1863, the regiment almost unani- mously re-enlisted as veterans, and went home on a furlough of thirty days. Returning, the regiment assisted at the capture of Decatur. Alabama, and lay at this point until the opening of General Sherman's campaign against Atlanta. On the Ist of May, 1864. the command began the march for Chattanooga. On the 13th. it was engaged in the advance on Resaca. and suffered severely. At Dallas, the Forty-third took an important part; and in the advance on the enemy's position near Big Shanty, Company D, of the regiment, participated in a most brilliant charge of skirmishers, capturing a strong barricade from the Twenty-ninth Tennessee, and numerous prisoners. Immediately thereafter came the siege of Kenesaw, with its deadly skirmishing, its grand cannonading, and the disastrous repulse of the national forces on the 29th of June.

The Forty-third participated in the general move- ments of the corps until the advance of the army on Decatur, when it was detached to hold the bridge across the Chattahoochie. This was successfully ac- complished, and during the remainder of the Atlanta campaign, the Forty-third shared the trials and glories of the sixteenth Army Corps; and on the 4th and 7th of August, particularly, in advancing the national lines, won the thanks of Ransom, the division commander, In splendid and steady fighting. After the fall of Atlanta, the Forty-third enjoyed General Sherman's "full month's rest." Ater this, the regiment partici- pated in the chase after Ilood, as far as Resaca, and then hurried back to join Sherman in his great *march to the sea," Of this campaign, the history of one regiment is the history of all. It was a daily succes-

sion of easy marches, with little interruption, with plenty of forage for both man and best. and full of pleasant adventure, Savannah was reached and be- sjeged. In this the Forty-third performed its full share of duty.

In January, 1865, the regiment moved to Beaufort, and directly afterward upon Pocotaligo, where it lay until the beginning of Sherman's march through the Carolinas. On the 2d of February. the Seventeenth Corps crossed Whippy swamp, and were soon con- fronting the enemy, who were strongly posted at River's Bridge. Here Colonel Swayne lost a leg by a shell. The regiment lost in him a brave and compe- tent leader, who had been with it from its organiza- tion, and who had always shown the utmost devotion to its interests. The next day, the regiment received a baptism of fire, in a charge on a battery which commanded the bridge and the causeway approaching it. Down this narrow causeway the regiment rushed amid a storm of shot and shell, compelling the rebels to withdraw the battery and uncover the crossing. The war closing, the regiment went to Washington. and took part in the grand review: returning to Ohio, it was mustered out of service on the 13th of July. 1865.

FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

Recruiting for this regiment began in the latter part of the summer of 1861, the place of rendezvous being Camp Dennison, where the regiment was organ- ized and drilled during the fall of 1861. The regiment went into the field on the 13th of February, 1862. with an aggregate of eight hundred and fifty men. It reached Paducah, Kentucky, February 20, and was assigned to a brigade in the division commanded by General Sherman. On the 6th of April, the regiment engaged in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, its position being on the extreme left of the army; but. on the second day, it was assigned a new position near the center of the line,

In the two days' fighting, the regiment sustained a loss of one hundred and ninety-eight men killed. wounded and missing. The regiment was next en- gaged upon the movement upon Corinth, and, upon the evacuation of that point, was among the first organized bodies to enter the town, and afterward performed provost duty there. During the summer, the regiment was engaged in several short expeditions. It was engaged in the assault on Chickasaw Bayon, December 28 and 29, with a loss of twenty killed and wounded. January 1. 1863, the regiment ascended the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers, and engaged in the assault and capture of Arkansas Post. On the 6th of May, the regiment began its march to the rear of Vicksburg, by way of Grand Gulf, and was engaged in the battles of Champion Hills and Big Black Bridge. It was engaged in a general assault on the enemy's works, in the rear of Vicksburg, on the 19th and 22d of June, losing in the two engagements forty-seven

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History of Lorain County, Ohio, Part 19

Author: Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 626

Author:
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 626