History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 85

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 85

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

UNION LEAGUE.

On the 3Ist of March the citizens of Marietta, Harmar and vicinity formed what was known as the Union League, with the object of binding together all loyal men of all trades and professions, in a common union to maintain the power, glory and integrity of the nation, to spare no endeavor to maintain unimpaired the national unity, both in prin- ciple and territorial boundary, and to vote for no man for office whose loyalty was ques- tionable or who was not willing to support the principles set forth in the foregoing de- claration. The officers elected were George M. Woodbridge, president: H. H. Brown,

vice-president : S. S. Porter, secretary; W. F. Curtis, treasurer ; ML ;. H. Needham, J. II. Best, Daniel Y. Hill, John M: Hook, W. S. Ward, Thomas F. Jones, Beman Gates, Lewis Len- hart, B. F. Pixley, W. W. Hutchinson, George E. Stratton, and William H. Smith, executive committee. The formation of this society" was doubtless prompted by the formation of lodges of Knights of the Golden Circle and Sons of Liberty in the county by the opposi- tion.

CHANCELLORSVILLE.

On the Ist of May occurred the great bat- tle of Chancellorsville in which Huntington's,. De Beck's and the Pierpont batteries were el- gaged, and when J. F. Huntington's battery H. First Ohio Light Artillery, made a gallant stand against great odds, holding the enemy in check until deserted by the supporting in- fantry. For his conduct in this battle, Captain Huntington was promoted to chief of artillery of his division.

In the same action Col. Rufus R. Dawes, an old Washington County boy, bore a con- spicuous pait, in carrying out "Fighting Joe" Hooker's plans for crossing the Rappahannock prior to the battle. A surgeon of the Sixth Wisconsin, which regiment Lieutenant-Colonel Dawes then commanded, was an eye-witness to the achievement. He says :

The steep bark on the opposite side was lined with rifle-pits from which our troops on this side tried in vain for several hours to dislodge the enemy. It was impossible to lay the pontoon bridges on which to cross the corps until the rifle-pits were cleared, and to throw troops across in boats for this purpose was a neces- sary condition of success.

It was regarded by all as a most desperate and perilous undertaking, and none but troops of tried valor could be relied on.

The Sixth Wisconsin was one of the two regiments ( Twenty-fourth Michigan was the other) which had the honor of being the "forlorn hope" selected to cross the river and carry the heights beyond. When the order was given to "fall in" not a man faltered or hesitated a moment, though fully conscious of the danger he was to meet. I shook hands with Lieutenant- Colonel Dawes, as I hone-tly believed for the last time. and said "God bless and protect you." Our troops double-quicked down the slope on this side, sprang into the boats, and pushed out boldly across the river under a perfect storm of bullets. The river, which is.

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

about one hundred and fifty yards wide at this point, was soon passed and our brave men sprang ashore, dashed up the hill, capturing the rebs in the rifle-pits, and in less than twenty minutes from the time the order to march was given on this side, our regiment was formed in line of battle on the top of the opposite shores. Lieutenant-Colonel Dawes stood up in the boats while crossing, and assisted in pushing his boat along and seized the colors to rally the regiment as soon as a landing was effected. I rejoiced greatly when I saw the rebels on the opposite side "skedaddling" in fine disorder. It seemed a miracle no more were hurt.

Early in June the threatening movements .of the enemy under Lee alarmed the cabinet in Washington, and the President issued a call for 100,000 six-months' men to be raised in the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Lee had divided his army into three grand divisions, cut loose from his base, and it was reported that one of these division was intended for the invasion of West Virginia and Ohio, another to strike the western part of Pennsylvania, and the third to invade Maryland. Under this call Ohio was to have furnished 30,000 men, but the call for six months was soon found to be very injudicious, and 2,000 was the total number from Ohio, of which none were from Wash- ington County. Lee's movements were wit- nessed with great alarm, but it was soon evi- dent that he was not expecting to divide his forces but bent on taking Philadelphia and New York, and carrying the war into the North.

GETTYSBURG.

The Rebel invasion culminated at Gettys- burg, where he was met by General Meade with the Army of the Potomac, and the great- est battle of the war and the one most mno- mentous in the results involved, was fought. Washington County was represented by Buell's Pierpont Battery, Huntington's Battery and De Beck's Battery under command of Capt. J. F. Huntington. They fought nobly and stood to their guns as only veterans can. Who can describe the battle, who will ever adequately chronicle the deeds of heroism there enacted ? It will never be done. Lines of battle five miles long. Round Top. Cemetery Hill. Culp's Hill, Wolf Hill, Power's Hill, Benner's Hill,

all the scenes of charge and countercharge, and all in one great battle. Let us take a bit out of this great master-piece, this crowd of heroic achievements and let it stand for all the rest : "Agate" then the nom de plume of Whitelaw Reid, correspondent of the Cincin- nati Gasette, wrote :

Let me give one phase of the fight-fit type of many more. Some Massachusetts batteries-Bigelow's Captain Phillips' and Captain McGilory's, of Maine- were planted on the extreme left, advanced. now well down to the Emmitsburg road, with infantry in their front -- the first division, I think, of Sickles' corps. A little after five. a fierce Rebel charge drove back the infantry and menaced the batteries. Orders are sent Bigelow on the extreme left, to hold his position at every hazard short of sheer annihilation, till a couple more batteries can be brought to his support. Reserv- ing his fire a little, then with depressed guns opening with double charges of grape and canister, he smites and shatters, but cannot break the advancing line. His grape and canister are exhausted. and still, closing grandly up over their slain, on they come. He falls back on spherical case, and pours this in at the shortest range. On, still onward, comes the artillery-defying line, and still he holds his position. They are within six paces of the guns-he fires again. once more, and he blows devoted soldiers from his very muzzles. And, still mindful of that solemn order, he holds his place, they spring upon his carriages, and shoot down his horses! And then, his Yankee artillerists still about him, he seizes the guns by hand, and from the very front of that line drags two of them off. The caissons are further back-five out of the six are saved. That single company, in that half hour's fight, lost 33 of its men, including every sergeant it had. The captain himself was wounded. Yet it was the first time it was ever under fire! I give it simply as a type. So they fought along that fiery line!

The Rebels now poured on Phillips' Battery, and it, too, was forced to drag off the pieces by hand, when the horses were shot down. From a new position, it opened again : and at last the two reenforcing batteries came up on the gallop. An enfilading fire swept the Rebel line : Sickles' gallant infantry charged. the Rebel line swept baek on a refluent tide -- we regained the lost ground, and every gun just lost in this splendid fight.

Buell's Battery was in the thickest of the battle and fired over 1.200 rounds. De Beck's Battery lost two pieces. Huntington's Bat- tery was forced to retire for fresh ammuni- tion. Let Captain Huntington tell the story himself: "Started from Taneytown with my brigade, at 4 a. m., second inst., reached Gettysburg at 2 p. m., and about four o'clock was ordered to relieve some of the First Corps, ! who were in the battle the day before. Posi-

592

HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,

tion of our army peculiar, the line forming a triangle with the apex towards the enemy. whose line was in front around ours, we hav- ing the advantage of being able to throw troops across, while the enemy had to go around. The salient part of our line was an elevated piece of ground just on the edge of town, on which was a beautiful cemetery, and here, at the center, my batteries were posted-a posi- tion fine for artillery, yet quite exposed, being swept by Rebel batteries in front and on our left flank. Shelling was going on vigorously, when we took position, and we replied with great vigor. Meanwhile the tremendous at- tack was made on our left. Had this been suc- cessful, every battery on the hill must have been taken, as our only line of retreat was by the Baltimore pike, directly in our rear. At one time when our left was forced back by a tremendous charge of the enemy, I thought 'the jig was up' with us, but fresh troops were just brought up, and the enemy fell suddenly back. Just, before dark, an- other column attacked our batteries on the hill, which were supported by part of the Eleventh Corps, who, as their custom is, gave way, and part of Captain Ricketts' Battery of my brig- ade, in the extreme front was actually taken. General Carroll, with his brigade, of old Shield's fire-eaters, came up just in the nick of time. Carroll sung out, 'Where is Hun- tington?' 'Here I am. General,' said I. I am sent here' he continued, 'to support some- thing or some one-where is the enemy?' I showed him their advancing line, and he com- manded, 'Forward! double quick march!' And in they went. turned the advancing Rebels and saved the batteries. It was sharp while it lasted. Ricketts' Battery lost 17 killed and wounded and five prisoners in that charge." We quote further :

The night was spent in preparing for the struggle of the next day ( July 3rd). At 4 A. M., Friday, the enemy attacked the right of our line. From that to eleven the musketry never slackened for a single mo- ment. Such a sustained fire I never heard before, and to look at the place it was terrible. The Rebels charged up a hill against log breastworks, lined with our splendid infantry. I was on the ground afterwards. It was a sickening sight. In one place I traced the

line of an entire company, shot dead where they stood, with the captain at his post. Here General Ewell's adjutant general was killed, while trying to rally his men.

After this fight there was a lull, but about 2 P. M., while a knot of officers were lying down near my bat- tery to avoid the sharpshooters, who were constantly firing at us, all at once there came a most terrible storm of iron. They had been quietly placing their batteries in position, and opened at a signal. The howling of the shells. the deadly hiss of the solid Wentworth, and the crash of the 12-pound spherical case, was awful beyond description. Most of the fire came from the left, and my battery was then faced to the front; we had to change the position of the guns under that fire. For the first time the men of Battery H hesitated to obey my orders; but they were almost exhausted by fatigue and intense heat, and it was only for a moment that they forgot their duty. We soon had our guns around, and opened one section to the left, another to the front, and the third I could not work for the want of men able to stan.l on their feet. Capt. Wallace Hill's Bat- tery ( Pierpont ) behaved most nobly. I never saw guns served better than theirs, until they fired their last round. I ordered them to leave the field, and re- placed them with Captain Edgell's ( New Hampshire) hattery. Meanwhile, my own was about exhausted, and. feeling the importance of maintaining the fire at this point. I started to the reserve headquarters, with Orderly Fred Regnier, to run the gauntlet of the enemy's batteries for a mile, every shot that came over our batteries striking in our track-no pleasure trip to be sure-but we got through. Could obtain no re- lief. as every battery was already engaged. Starting back, I met my battery coming out, its ammunition ex- hausted, and one piece disifiounted by solid shot. Under cover of this fire, the enemy made their last charge on our left, suffered awfully, and were utterly routed-their last effort.

VICKSBURG.

General Grant, after a series of battles and brilliant manceuvres around Vicksburg, had penned up the Rebel general Pemberton, and by July 4th had compelled him to surrender. The Fourth of July, 1863, was a glad day for the national cause. "To whom shall we Grant the Meade of praise?" was telegraphed throughout the country ; but Grant's star was in the ascendant. Meade's victory was grand, but his tactics were defensive, while Grant's were aggressive. These victories occasioned general rejoicing. The friends of the Union throughout the North now saw the beginning of the end. The gloom that had overshadowed the past year was dissipated, and the name of Grant was thenceforth to be the watchword to victory and the omen of success.

593

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

THE MORGAN RAID.

It was in July of 1863 that John Morgan made his raid through Southern Ohio, pass- ing through Washington County, an account of which follows.

John Morgan, with his bold troopers, had, up to July, 1863. mnde numerous raids and forays across the mountains of Eastern Ken- tucky and Tennessee into the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. These forays were a source of alarm to the Unionist, and exulta- tion to the Secessionist. He generally cap- tured all of the good horses within his reach, provoked a vigorous pursuit, and although he uniformly had to get out much faster than he came in, he generally accomplished all that he intended.

Encouraged by his successes, he planned a grand raid to the northward, which should give the Northern people a taste of war as well as the "Sunny South." General Bragg, how- ever, ordered Morgan not to go beyond the State of Kentucky. Bragg was then confront- ed by General Rosecrans, at Stone River, and the object sought to be accomplished was to strike the communications and rear of the Union Army, and divert the flanking column of Rosecrans from annoying Bragg, the sup- position being that a strong force sent to the rear would engage the attention of a large part of the Union cavalry, and the sequel proved this to be true.

Collecting a body of cavalry, numbering about 2,500 men, with two 20-pound Parrott rifle cannon and four other guns of smaller calibre, he was ready for the enterprise. Basil Duke, the "brains of John Morgan," was second in command, with Colonels Cluke, Dick Morgan, and others of lesser note commanding regiments.

Hle crossed the Cumberland at Burkesville. Kentucky, July 3, 1863. and, marching rapidly north, drove or evaded all the Union forces that disputed his progress, and on the 8th ar- rived on the banks of the Ohio at Bradenburg, Kentucky. He gave out as he went that he should attack Louisville. He captured two

steamers, the "J. J. McCoombs" and "Alice Dean," and, disregarding his instructions. crossed the Ohio, burned the steamers, and disappeared among the hills of Indiana.

General Judah, commanding the Union cavalry in Kentucky, began at once a vigorous pursuit. Colonel Garrard, of the Seventh Ohio Cavalry, in command of a brigade com- posed of the Seventh and Second Ohio Cavalry, Forty-fifth Ohio Mounted Infantry, Law's Howitzer Battery, and the First Kentucky Cavalry, started the same day Morgan crossed the Cumberland, where Garrard had been watching him, and was joined, at Bardstown. Kentucky, by General Hobson, with Shackel- ford's brigade, consisting of the Third, Eighth, Ninth, and Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, and two pieces of artillery. Hobson assumed com- mand, and the whole force hurried on after the raider.

Morgan, after getting safely across into Indiana, gave out, seemingly as in confidence, to prisoners, that he was moving on Indiana- polis, but immediately afterwards bore off to the eastward, crossed the Ohio line, and was soon in the neighborhood of Cincinnati. Upon nearing that city, he gave out that he expected to attack Hamilton, but instead passed by so close to the great city that part of his com- mand, embarrassed by the darkness and the labyrinth of streets in the suburbs, came near losing their way. This was the night of July 13th.

General Burnside was in command in Cin- cinnati and General Judah was there also hurrying up with fresh cavalry.

Ohio was soon thoroughly aroused. Gov- ernor Tod, July 12th, issued a proclamation calling out the militia of all the Southern and Southwestern counties.

Morgan, no doubt, endeavored to enhance the prevailing alarm, honing to make his es- cape more certain amid the general uproar be- fore any definite or concerted action could be taken to intercept him. . Onward he went east- ward, his men plundering everybody without fear or favor, through the counties of Warren. Clermont, Brown. Adams, Pike, Jackson, and

594

HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY.

Neigs, while detachments from the main body made detours through other counties, and the whole body bringing up at Portland, near Buf- fington's Island, on the evening of the 18th, and would doubtless have crossed at once but for the threatening appearance of an earth- work then and there appearing.

Morgan had run the gauntlet of the mili- tia through the State, with Hobson but a few hours in the rear, eager to bring the raider to bay after the long pursuit. Tired, jaded and harrassed, and withal heavily loaded with booty, the Rebels rested at the river, expect- ing in the morning to make a short job of the earthwork and cross to the Virginia shore.

Let us now return to the scene of opera- tions in Washington County, and see what was being done there to capture the bold raider.

Governor Tod, in his proclamation, had ordered "all the militia companies in Wash- ington, Monroe, Noble, Meigs, Morgan, Per- ry, Hocking, and Athens, to report forthwith to Colonel William R. Putnam at Camp Mari- etta, who was to organize them into battalions or regiments and appoint temporary officers therefor." Immediately following the proc- lamation came a telegram from Governor Tod to Colonel Putnam, stating that 3,000 militia had been ordered to Marietta. At this date there were 175 six-months' men in camp, including Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Governor Tod tel- egraphed on the fourteenth that Morgan had crossed the Little Miami, and was probably making for some ford near Marietta. Col- onel Putnam at once began to act-first, to prevent Morgan crossing the Ohio; second, to keep him west of the Muskingum ; and, third, to shut his forces between the Ohio River and Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad if possible. He, therefore, set about guarding the fords as the first part of the program. On the 14th there were 457 men in camp, but no arms had arrived. although a thousand stand had been promised by the Governor. At this time, Capt. D. L. Wood, of the Eighteenth United States Infantry, was stationed at Marietta, and Lieut. J. W. Conine, aid-de-camp to Gen-

eral Cox, was in immediate command of the six-months' men at Camp Marietta. On July loth the following order was issued :

HEADQUARTERS, CAMP MARIETTA, O., July 15, 1863. Special Order No. I.

The following companies now at camp are hereby detached under command of Captain D. L. Wood, Eighteenth United States Infantry, and will put them- selves in readiness to march :

Marietta Artillery company, Lieutenant Nye com- manding.

Volunteer mounted company, Captain Bloomfield commanding.

Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Captain Stedman command- ing.

Captain J. P. Putnam's company, Captain Putnam commanding.

Post Quartermaster Croxton will provide trans- portation and forage for five (5) days for fifty (50) horses. Post Commissary R. B. Treat will turn over to Charles Jones ( who will act as quartermaster of the detachment ), twelve hundred and fifty ( 1250) rations. Surgeon S. D. Hart will be acting surgeon.

By order of WM. R. PUTNAM, Colonel Commanding.

Captain Wood's instructions were as fol- lows :

You are hereby ordered to assume command of the troops detached by special order No. I of this date, and proceed with them to the ford below Parkersburg, where you will make stich disposition as you deem fit and proper to prevent the rebel forces now in the State from crossing at that place.

WM. R. PUTNAM, Colonel Commanding.

But now an unforeseen difficulty arose. Lieutenant Conine refused to allow the United States troops in Camp Marietta to be moved without orders from a higher source. Gov- ernor Tod was telegraphed, and all that day spent in waiting for an answer. The answer came finally ordering Lieutenant Conine to obey all orders from Colonel Putnam, and Captain Wood started early on the morning of the 16th. The expedition numbered about 300 men. The cannon were two iron pieces that had been used in Marietta and Harmar for firing salutes, and the arms for the infan- try and cavalry were such as could be hastily gathered in the city and Camp Marietta. Cap- tain Wood reached Blennerhassett's Island the same day, and began entrenching, informing

595

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

Colonel Putnam by telegraph of the fact. Capt. Wood had stopped short of the point intended to be covered by the movement. At this time 4.259 men reported for duty, and Capt. R. B. Wilson, of Meigs County, was ordered to pro- ceed to Mason City, West Virginia, with his company and that of Capt. George G. Wood- ward armed as infantry, to prevent Morgan crossing at that point. On the same day (17th) the following order was sent to Cap- tain Wood, at Blennerhassett's Island :

The shoal at the foot of Blennerhassett's Island is deemed impracticable on account of quicksand. The ford you were to guard is at the foot of Buffington's Island. You will therefore take your forces to that point. Use the flats and steamer Logan in conjunction with Captain Wilson, in transporting your forces, send- ing baggage overland, if necessary. Delay Captain Wilson as little as possible.

Lieutenant Conine will report to you with re-en- forcements as soon as they can be armed.

By this arrangement Captain Wood and his little force reached Buffington at 7 P. M. of the 17th, and at once began to intrench, throwing out pickets and preparing for such defense as his limited means afforded. Cap- tain Wilson proceeded to Mason City.

In the meantime Capt. Henry Best, on July 13th, with his own company and those of Cap- tains Stone, Dana, Pugh, and Rutherford, had been ordered to proceed on the steamer "Buck" to Blennerhassett's Island and open the chan- nel so that the gunboats could pass, and on the way down remove all boats of every descrip- tion to the Virginia shore. which order was faithfully carried out. Captain Wilson ar- rived at Mason City at II P. M. of the 17th. and hearing that the Rebels had appeared about five miles back of Middleport he crossed the river and advanced promptly but cautiously through the darkness and took up a position three miles to the rear of that place. Here Morgan's men, or a part of them, advanced, captured a scouting party of Captain Wilson's force, pushed on to within a quarter of a mile of Wilson, when they were fired on, and de- layed until noon of the 18th, when the Twenty- third Ohio Infantry came up, and an attack

was immediately made by the two commands on the Rebels, resulting in their retreat. On the roth, Captain Wilson was ordered up to Bowman's Run, seven miles up the Ohio from Middleport, where he made such dispositions of his men as to capture 77 men and officers. and So horses. Captain Wilson took his pris- oners to Pomeroy, when he was ordered six miles below to guard another ford, and arrived just in time to prevent a body of Morgan's men from crossing, and turned them back on their pursuers, who captured them.

By July 17th a thousand stand of arms arrived, and Colonel Putnam ordered Lient. J. W. Conine, with a detachment consisting of the companies of Captains Knowles, Moore, Jaynes, Brown, Seaman, Dyar, Jenkins, Com- ley, and Davenport, to proceed on board the steamer "Eagle" and reinforce Captain Wood, and report to that officer for orders. The "Eagle" got fast aground on a bar, and Co- nine disembarked. marched his men to the mouth of the Little Hocking, and bivouacked. deciding to act independent of Captain Wood. At this time there were reported for duty 7.064 men, with scarcely any arms in camp, but in order to utilize these men as far as practicable they were provided with spades, axes, and picks, and sent to the proper places to fell trees and obstruct the lines of retreat along the sup- posed route of Morgan.

Hon. William P. Cutler on the 18th was ordered to obstruct the roads between the line of the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad and the Ohio River. He had in his command the rail- road employes, Captain Holmes' company, and that of Captain Grewell ; and at Cutler's station and Big Run he was joined with three more companies under Captains Waugh, Maxwell and Dee. With these forces, Mr. Cutler says, in his report : "We succeeded in accomplish- ing the object in a thorough manner from Big Hocking (including all roads leading into the ravines of that stream), as far east as the road leading from Vincent to the Ohio River by way of Daniel Shaw's, in Dunham township."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 85

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