History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 105

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490

USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 105

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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

should not expect to meet any considerable force at Dover, but. perhaps, 7.000 or 8.000 at Clarksville, where they are fortifying. If they succeed in getting out of Bowling Green, which, I believe they will try to do as soon as they see us advancing. unless their force and armament are increased, of course the number at Clarksville may be expected to be greater.

The demonstration on Columbus and the Missis- sippi should. at least, be on such a scale that it can be converted into a real attack if they detach any- thing : better still, if it can attack in any event.

You must be patient if you find my letter vague and unsatisfactory. I have had to satisfy a deputation acting under a joint resolution of the legislature, that it was hardly necessary or expedient at this time to appoint a certain person "provost marshal, with all proper power, and giving to him such mil tary force as he may deem essential for a prompt and proper en- forcement and execution of the laws. and a suppression of all lawless and marauding excursions into northeast- ern Kentucky." I believe I succeeded pretty well, and perhaps after that I ought not to have attempted a coherent letter. Your own judgment will satisfy its deficiencies. Please have Rosecrans take care of his revolted subjects along the Big Sandy. We are estab- lished at Munfordsville. Truly yours. D. C. FUELL. (To) MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN.

Commanding United States Army.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, January 3, 1862.

GENERAL :- I received your dispatch, and. with more delay than I meant, proceed to the subject of it in com- pliance with your request, and, I may add, also at the wish of the President.

I do not underrate the difficulties in Missouri, and I think it is not extravagant to say that the great power of the rebellion in the west is arrayed on a front the planks of which are Columbus and Bowling Green, and the center about where the railroad between these points crosses the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. Including Nashville and the fortified points below, it is, I have no doubt, within bounds to estimate their force on that line at 80,000 men; including a column about Somerset, Kentucky, in the rear of their right flank. it is more.

Of this force. 10,000 may be set down as at Bowling Green : 20,000 at Columbus, though you doubtless have more information on that point than I have; and 20,000 at the center. Considering the railroad facilities which enable the enemy to concentrate in a few hours on any single point of this front, you will at once see the im- portance of a combined attack on its center and flanks, or at least of demonstrations which may be converted into real attacks, and fully occupy the enemy on the whole front. It is probable that you may have given the subject, as far as Columbus and the center are con- cerned, more attention than I have. With reference to the former. at least, I can say no more than the general suggestion already expressed, that it should be fully occupied.

The attack upon the center should he made by two gunhoat expeditions, with, I should say, twenty thou- sand men on the two rivers. They should, of course,

be organized with reference to the depth of the water in the rivers; and whether they should be of equal or unequal strength, would depend upon that and other considerations. and can hardly be determined until the moment of departure. The mode of attack must depend upon the strength of the enemy at the several points and the features of the localities. It will be of the first importance to break the railroad communication, and, if possible, that should be done by columns mov- ing rapidly to the bridges over the Cumberland and the Tennessee. The former, probably, would not be reached as first, being some 31 miles above the first principal battery that I know of at Dover. The other is 18 miles above Fort Henry-the first I know of on the Ten- nessee. If the expedition should not be strong enough to do the work alone, they should establish themselves firmly at the nearest possible point, and remain at least until they ascertain that re-enforcements from my columns or some other source would not reach them. By uniting they could establish themselves permanently under the protection of the gunboats.

I say this much rather to lay the subject before you, than to propose any definite plan for your side. Whatever is done should he done speedily. within a few days. The work will become more difficult every day. Please let me hear from you at once.

Very truly, yours,

D. C. BUELL. Brigadier General Commanding.

(To) GENERAL H. W. HALLECK,

Commanding Department of the Missouri.

The events happened in this order : The gunboats under Commodore Foote, supported by a land force under General Grant, captured Fort Henry, February 6th ; Grant and the navy, with the reenforcements which Buell had sent, appeared before Fort Donelson February 12th and 14th; Buell's force appeared before Bow- ling Green, commenced crossing and demon- strating towards Nashville, February 14th, Johnston, having on his approach burnt the bridges and retired to Nashville. Fort Don- elson surrendered to Grant February 16th, and on the approach of Buell, Johnston burnt the bridges over the Cumberland, and retired south from Nashville, which Buell occupied Febru- ary 25.

The following order, issued on this occa- sion, is not so interesting for the announce- ment of the mere fact of occupation, as for the policy which it avowed in the prosecution of the war:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE OHIO,

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, February 26, 1862. General Order No. 13a]

The General Commanding congratulates his troops

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that it has been their privilege to restore the national banner to the capital of Tennessee. He believes that thousands of hearts in every part of the State will swell with joy to see that honored tlag reinstated in a posi- tion from which it was removed in the excitement and folly of an evil hour: that the voice of her own people will soon proclaim its welcome. and that their man- hood and patriotism will protect and perpetuate it.

The general does not dem it necessary, though the occasion is a fit one, to remind his troop- of the rule of conduct they have hitherto observed and are still to pursue. We are in arms, not for the purpose of invading the rights of our fellow countrymen any- where. but to maintain the integrity of the Union, and protect the constitution under which its people have been prosperous and happy. We cannot. therefore, look with indifference on any conduct which is designed to give aid and comfort to those who are endeavoring to defeat these objects: but the action to be taken in such cases rests with certain authorized persons, and is not to be assumed by individual officers or soldiers. Peaceable citizens are not to be molested in their per- sons or property. Any wrongs to either are to be promptly corrected and the offenders brought to pun- ishment. To this end all persons are desired to make complaint to the immediate commander of officers of soldiers so offending. and if justice he not done prompt- ly, then to the next commander, and so on until the wrong is redressed. If the necessities of the public service should require the use of private property for public purposes, fair compensation is to be allowed. No such appropriation of private property is to be made except by the authority of the highest commander pres- ent. and any other officer or soldier who shall presume to exercise such privilege shall be brought to trial. Soldiers are forbidden to enter the residences or grounds of citizens on any plea without authority.

No arrests are to be made without the authority of the commanding general, except in case of actual offense against authority of the government; and in all such cases the fact and circumstances will immediate- ly be reported in writing to headquarters through the intermediate commanders.

The general reminds his officers that the most frequent depredations are those which are committed by worthless characters who straggle from the ranks on the plea of being unable to march: and where the inability really exists, it will be found in most instances that the soldier has overloaded himself with useless and unauthorized articles. The orders already published must be enforced.

The condition and behavior of a corps are sure indications of the efficiency and fitness of its officers. If any regiment shall be found to disregard that pro- priety of conduct which belongs to soldiers as well as citizens, they must not expect to occupy posts of honor. but may rest assured that they will be placed in posi- tions where they cannot hring shame on their com- rades and the cause they are engaged in. Th . govern- ment supplies with liberality all the wants of the sol- dier. The occasional deprivations and hard-hips inci- dent to rapid marches must be horne with pat ence and fortitude. Any officer who neglects to provide properly

for his troops, or separate- himself from them to seek his own comfort, will be held to a rigid accountability. By command of General Buell.

JAMES B. FRY, A. A. G., Chief of Staff.

The Confederate forces concentrated south of the Tennessee River, under the command of Albert Sidney Johnston, after the evacua- tion of Nashville, and Buell's command, for military operations, was, on the 12th of March, merged into that of Halleck. After sending a division under Gen. O. M. Mitchel to occupy north Alabama, organizing a division under Gen. G. W. Morgan to operate from Kentucky against Cumberland Gap, and leaving a suit- able force at Nashville and other places on his lines of communication, Buell marched in the latter part of March with five divisions- about 37,000 men-to form a junction with the forces of Halleck on the Tennessee River. He arrived at Savannah, the place appointed for the junction, with' his leading division the evening before the battle of Shiloh, or Pittsburgh Landing. When the battle opened the following morning, he ordered forward the division ( Nelson's), already arrived, sent in- structions to the rear divisions to press on by forced march, and in person went to the river on a steamer to the field of battle. The head of his column, under Nelson, arrived in time to repel an attack which the Confederates made immediately at the landing, to which the troops of Grant had been driven back at the close of the first day. Three of his divisions came up that night, a fourth the following day, and" at daylight on the 7th the enemy was attacked and by four o'clock in the evening driven from the field. Gen. Lew Wallace's fresh division, and such other fragments of Grant's army as retained any organization from the disas- ter of the previous day, took part in the battle of the 7th. The Confederates fell back to Corinth, which they fortified, and from which they were forced to retire May 30th by the combined armies under Halleck. The Army of the Ohio, under Buell, occupied the center in this advance.

After the retreat of the Confederates from

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Corinth, Buell with his army was again de- tailed to operate against East Tennessee. He moved into North Alabama with four divisions (25,000 men ), making ( June 31st ) his head- quarters temporarily at fluntsville, while re- pairing the railroads to his base of supplies at Louisville, 300 miles distant. His remaining division, under General Thomas, arrived July 3Ist. The movement from the first was de- layed by the orders of Halleck, requiring him to repair and guard the Memphis & Charleston Railroad east of Corinth.

In the meantime the Confederate forces in East Tennessee were re-enforced by Gen- eral Bragg, with the bulk of the Corinth army. making an aggregate force of not less than 60,000 men, which by the 28th of July was available for prompt concentration at Chatta- nooga or elsewhere in East Tennessee. Its superior cavalry force operated with great ef- fect upon the long lines of the Union Army. breaking up the railroads and cutting off its supplies.

The effort to defeat these partisan opera- tions by combining light infantry with the to- tally insufficient Union cavalry, and by local guards, was unsuccessful, and on the roth of August the Confederate cavalry under For- rest and Morgan, effectually severed the line of supplies of the Union Army by an extensive destruction of the railroad north of Nashville.

About the same time the whole Confeder- ate force in East Tennessee assumed the offen- sive. General Kirby Smith, starting from Knoxville, passed the mountains to the left of Cumberland Gap, which the division under Gen. G. W. Morgan had occupied and fortified in time.

Upon hearing of Smith's movement, Buell dispatched .General Nelson with a few experi- enced officers and two batteries of artillery to organize such troops as could be got together in 'Kentucky to repel Smith's invasion. Smith encountered Nelson's force, composed of raw troops, at Richmond, defeated it ( August 30tl ), and advanced into Central Kentucky, threatening Louisville and Cincinnati.

Simultaneously with Smith's advance,

Bragg crossed the Tennessee River at and near Chattanooga with the bulk of his army, threatening Middle Tennessee and Nashville. The Union Army, which occupied various points for repairing the roads and with a view to the forward movement for which it had been preparing, was immediately put in readiness for concentration.

McCook, with his own and Crittenden's divisions, was ordered from the mouth of Bat- tle Creek, up the Sequatchie Valley to watch and oppose the enemy's advance, and. when pressed, to fall back for concentration on the road to McMinnville. He advanced a short distance and returned, supposing that the ene- my had already anticipated him on the Mc- Minnville road. This supposition proved to be incorrect, and it threw the army out of posi- tion for efficient observation, gave an erron- eous impression of the rate of the enemy's pro- gress, and kept the army a week about Mc- Minnville awaiting his approach, of which at the end of that time there was yet no intelli- gence. The army was now reduced to 10 days' supplies, and assuming Nashville to be the en- emy's first objective point, it was necessary to put the army in a position which would en- able it best to oppose that design and at the sanie time reopen its communication with Lou- isville. Orders were therefore given on the 30th of August for concentrating at Murfrees- borough on the 5th of September. Pending this movement the head of Bragg's column crossed the mountain and appeared at Sparta on the 2nd of September, and instead of turn- ing towards Nashville, moved toward the Cumberland River, which it crossed at Carth- age and Gainsborough. This change in the anticipated route of the enemy caused the movement of the Union Army upon Nashville and the sending of a division for the protec- tion of Bowling Green, where some supplies had been gathered; and on learning that the bulk of the Confederate army was marching in the same direction, Buell started with the Army of the Ohio in pursuit, after leaving a suitable force to hold Nashville, which he had previously commenced to fortify. The enemy

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halted involuntarily at Glasgow, but contin- ued his march to Mumfordsville, where a Fed- eral force of about 4,000 men, with artillery, strongly fortified, but heedlessly exposed to such a danger by the authority at Louisville, not then under Buell's command, surrendered to Bragg on the 17th without resistance. There ! was skirmishing between the two armies and ! preparations for battle at Mumfordsville, but on the 21st the Confederate Army, followed closely by the Union Army, moved towards Louisville until near Elizabethtown, when it turned off toward Bardstown. That deflec- tion indicated a speedy junetion of Bragg and Kirby Smith, and perhaps an attack on Louis- ville, where a force of raw troops was gather- ing. Instead, therefore, of turning off to continue the pursuit. Buell marched directly on to Louisville, where his rear division ar- rived on the night of the 29th.

The new regiments were immediately in- corporated into the old organizations, and on the Ist of October the army moved against the enemy, who then occupied Bardstown and Frankfort. The news of this advance brought to a hurried conclusion the ceremonies of in- augurating a State governor at Frankfort. in which Bragg was at the moment engaged. Sharp skirmishing occurred in both lines, the Confederates retiring for concentration until the Bardstown column reached Perryville. where, October 8th, a severe but indecisive battle, lasting until night, was fought between portions of the two armies. The Union Army moved forward at six o'clock next morning to renew the battle, but the Confederates had withdrawn. There was further concentration on both sides and mandenvring for battle, but on the 12th Bragg commenced to retreat on Cumberland Gap. He was followed, and his rear guard engaged at various points as far as London, when seeing no prospect of furth- er advantage, Buell, October 17th, discontin- ued the pursuit, and directed his army by way of Glasgow and Bowling Green upon Mur- freesborough, in anticipation of Bragg's move- ment against Middle Tennessee and Nashville. Pending this movement, October 30th, the

army being then in the vicinity of Glasgow and Bowling Green, he turned over the com- mand to General Rosecrans, in obedience to news from Washington. Previously. Sep- tember 29th, while at Louisville, he had been ordered to relinquish the command to General Thomas, but the order was countermanded at the request of Thomas and others.

He was thanked by the department for the service rendered, but there immediately arose some disagreement between him and the de- partment as to the plan of further operations. He, however, adhered to his views, and con- tinned the movement which he had announced and, as stated, surrendered his command pend- ing its execution.

In November a court of inquiry was or- dered to investigate his operations during the summer and fall. The court was in session more than five months, and much oral and doc- umentary evidence was taken: but the pro- eeedings were never published, and when called for some years afterwards by Congress, the voluminous record was found to have disap- peared from the archives of the War Depart- ment. Twice after the inquiry General Buell was offered commands under his juniors, Sherman and Canby, but declined. He was then mustered out of the volunteer service May 23, 1864, and on the Ist of June resigned his commission in the regular army. In 1865 he took part in coal and iron interests in Ken- tucky.

In this sketch nothing has been, attempted but a brief outline of the more prominent facts, omitting many important details, and all dis- cussion of the actual or relative value of Gen- eral Buell's services as a commander during the Rebellion. The faet is not to be ignored that perhaps no higher officer in the war was the subject of so much party criticism as he during the last six months of his command. Though in his own mind repelling the injus- tice of this criticism, he has not seen proper to make much public protest against it, and it does not come within the scope of this skech to analyze faets for the purpose of pointing out how much of the harsh judgment was be-

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stowed without discernment or justice, how much was due to a state of the public mind, which, it must be confessed, was often dis- posed to regard passionate or at least practical partisanship, as an element of patriotic duty, and how much to the machinations of hostile

It does

ambitions and personal resentment.

not appear that the War Department shared fully in the disapprobation to which a portion of the public press gave loud expression, but it yielded to a popular clamor, or rather to the dictation of political and personal influences which first shaped the popular prejudice, and then derived strength and reward from its sup- port. It may, however, be proper to say in the direction of impartial criticism, that in review- ing the operations of the army under General Buell in the summer and fall of 1862, and comparing them with similar operations of other dates and other commanders on the same and other fields, it is impossible not to be im- pressed by the contrast in the popular feeling with reference to the different periods. These contrasts indicate, perhaps, a more politic con- formity of the later commanders, to the popu- lar idea of the war, and fortunately, also to a more patient appreciation by the popular judg- ment of the obstacles to be overcome.

GEN. H. F. DEVOL .- AAmong the regiments in the late Rebellion to which Washington County contributed her "bravest and best." the gallant Thirty-sixth stands prominent. The history of this regiment is sketched at another place in this volume, but an outline of the life of its worthy colonel will be of interest, both to his military friends and the public.

H. F. Devol, the youngest son of Stephen Devol, Jr., was born in Waterford township, August 6, 1831. His boyhood was spent in the country school and on his father's farm. At the age of 16. a courageous spirit, and a desire for more extended educational advan- tages led him to seek independence from pa- rental dictation. He then attended Beverly Academy for a short time, and two years later made his first trip south in the produce trade. From this time till the opening of the Rebel-

lion, Mr. Devol devoted his summers to farm- ing and his winters to flatboating and trade.

He married, May 15, 1856, Adelaide A. Dyer, of Muskingum township, by whom he had two children-Hattie A., and Carroll, who is a graduate of Pennsylvania Military Institute, and was, in 1879, appointed by Pres- ident Hayes lieutenant in the regular army. Mrs. Devol died July 10, 1860.

In the winter of 1860 Mr. Devol witnessed the first overt acts of the important drama in which he became an actor. Being South with a cargo of produce he experienced some of the inconveniences of that disturbed period. The spirit of secession was aroused, and Northern merchants became objects of hatred. Their boats were not permitted to land at many places, while at others obstructions were thrown in the way of sales and collections. Mr. Devol, however, did not suffer serious financial loss, but his experience aroused him to action on returning home. He had been a witness of secession. It was in store for him to take a part in the bloodiest acts of the trag- edy then opening, and eventually to stand in the line of triumphant soldiery with a full share of military glory.

When the first call for volunteers for the three years' service was made, Mr. Devol set to work to enlisting a company, from Water- ford, Adams and Muskingum townships. It was the intention to enroll this company in the Thirty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, then being formed at Cincinnati. Mr. Devol had acted without a commission and without di- rection, and borne all the expenses out of his own pocket. When the company met at Low- ell for organization, Col. Melvin Clarke ap- peared with a commission to organize a new regiment, and informed Captain Devol that Colonel Groesbeck's regiment ( Thirty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry) was full. Captain Devol enlisted his men in the new regiment, and when the quota was full they were prop- erly enrolled as "Company A."

The company was reported August 1, 1861, and Mr. Devol was commissioned cap- tain August 13th. From the time

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of being mustered in until peace

illuminated their blood-stained bayonets, the Thirty-sixth was in active. effi- cient and dangerous service, and during all that period, Mr. Devol was with his men- with them both in camp and battlefield. He was promoted to the rank of major. Septem- ber 7. 1862; to lieutenant-colonel September 16, 1862, and to the colonelcy. for valuable and valiant conduct on the field of Chicka- mauga, October 13, 1862. In this battle Col- onel Devol took a conspicuous and important part. When the battle opened Colonel Jones was in command of the regiment and General Turchin of the brigade. In the afternoon the brigade was thrown in front of the enemy's center. At a critical moment the advance line was driven back and Turchin's brigade, con- sisting of the Thirty-sixth and Ninety-sec- ond Ohio and Fourteenth Kentucky, was brought in face of a hot fire. To retreat would be disastrous. Brave boys were falling fast. and Lieutenant-Colonel Devol, impatient for an order, grasped the situation, assumed com- mand, and ordered a charge. A moment later positions were changed. The Rebel ranks were broken and the brave brigade, encour- aged by the bold movement of their temporary commander, followed close in pursuit for a distance of more than 300 yards, when a re- treat was ordered. They passed back through the gap in the enemy's line which this bold charge had brought to a halt, and given the Union troops time to reorganize on that day. Colonel Devol proved his soldierly instincts. Colonel Jones had been mortally wounded. and the brigade commander was not at his post. It was left for a lieutenant-colonel to give the command which materially affected the fortunes of that celebrated battle. General Thomas and General Reynolds heartily com- plimented his soldierly conduct.

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History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 105

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1490

Author: Andrews, Martin Register, 1842-; Hathaway, Seymour J
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1490