USA > Ohio > Washington County > Marietta > History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 95
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The Second Virginia Cavalry was recruit- ed entirely from the border counties of Ohio. Commencing at Monroe all the counties were represented by one or more companies, ending with Lawrence County. Company F was the Washington County organization. Recruit- ing for it began in August, 1861, under the management of Capt. Arthur D. Eells, and by September the company was in camp at Parkersburg, West Virginia, where the reg- inrent was mustered into service November 8th. The fall and early winter of 1861 were spent in drill on foot and sword exercise at Parkersburg. West Virginia. In January the regiment was moved to Guyandotte, West Virginia, where they received their horses and completed their drill mounted. The first en- gagement of the regiment was with Gen. Humphrey Marshall January 6, 1862, on Point Creek, Kentucky. The Union forces were under command of General (afterward President ) Garfield. The first loss of Wash-
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ington County in battle in the war was Albert W. Leonard, shot in the forehead while in a charge on Jennie's Creek, January 7, 1862. His body lies in Mound Cemetery at Marietta. On the 28th of April, Company F left Guyan- clotte with the half of the regiment under Col. William M. Bolles, and marched up the Big Kanawha and over the Sewell Mountains and joined the forces of Colonel Elliott of the For- ty-seventh Ohio Infantry at Meadow Bluff. Virginia. The summer of 1862 was spent in raiding and scouting the counties of Raleigh, Wyoming, Fayette. Greenbrier, Union and Nicholas. These trips brought on many skrim- ishes and some battles, that of Lewisburg, May 23rd, being quite severe. Company F was with Colonel Paxton, who left Camp Piatt November 24, 1862, and surprised the Rebel general, Jenkins, at Sinking Creek, Virginia, capturing 117 prisoners, Ho horses, and 250 stand of arms. This was one of the most se- vere marches made during the war, both as regards cold and hard riding. The troops were in the saddle for seventy consecutive hours, on the latter part of their trip; and on their arrival at Summerville, West Virginia, numbers had to be lifted out of their saddle. they were so badly frozen. The winter of 1862-63 was spent at Camp Piatt on the Big Kanawha. With the spring of 1863 scouting began carly. July 18th the company was in the severe fight at Wytheville, where both col- onels were lost. Colonel Toland, of the Thirty- fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in command of the expedition, was shot dead, and Col. W. H. Powell, of the Second Virginia Cavalry. wounded so badly as to be left and taken pris- oner. In this battle 125 prisoners were taken and 75 Rebels were killed: Union loss, 78 killed, wounded and missing. the houses in Wytheville having been used as places of con- cealment from which to pick off the Union soldiers, even the women of the town taking part in the fight. The town was totally de- stroved.
The regiment was also in engagements at Lewisburg, May 3rd. November 7th, and De- cember 12, 1863.
The winter of 1863-64 was spent at Charleston, West Virginia, and it was at this place that the regiment was brought up to its high standard of drill. The regiment started March 16, 1864, on a scout through Hurri- cane Bridge, Guyandotte, Trout's Hill and Wayne Court House. The weather was very cold on this trip.
May Ist the regiment was attached to Gen- eral Averill's division, and with him was in the raid to Wytheville on the Virginia & Ten- nessee Railroad. The route lay through Brownstown, Logan Court House, Wyoming, Tug Fork of Sandy and Jeffersonville. The Rebels were met at Cove Gap, a few miles this side of Wytheville, under Gen. John Morgan, and a very severe battle was fought. General Averill complimented the regiment in general orders, saying : "The general commanding (lesires to express his high appreciation of the steady and skillful evolutions of the Second- Virginia Cavalry under Colonel Powell upon the field of battle. It was a dress parade that continued without disorder under a heavy fire for over four hours." Company F was with the regiment and participated in all of the en- gagements on the Hunter road to Lynchburg, Virginia ; was also with it in the Shenandoah Valley, being in the fight at Bunker Hill, Stevenson's depot, Winchester, Newton, Kearnstown. Fisher Hill, Mount Jackson, Cross Keys, Port Republic, Brown's Gap. Lu- ray, Harrisonville, Weirs Cave. Opequan, Martinsburg, Williamsport. Hagerstown, Chambersburg. Pennsylvania; St. Thomas, Pennsylvania : Moorfield, Virginia, and many other places. The winter of 1864-65 was spent in the Shenandoah Valley, but when in 1865 General Sheridan went up the valley to Waynesborough and on over to the White House, Virginia, Company F was along doing fine service. This company hekl the key to the hill at Dinwiddie Court House, Virginia ; was in the charge at Five Forks. Ford's Sta- tion, Deep Creek, Namozin Church, Jetters- ville, and in the first charge at Sailor's Creek; also in the desperate engagement at Appomat- tox Court House, and on the morning of the
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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,
9th of April took part in the final charge on the flank of Lee's army, which would have re- sulted in the surrender of General Lee to Gen- eral Custer but for the arrival of General Grant on the ground. After the surrender, the company marched to Petersburg, where it remained with the regiment until the 23rd of April, when it moved to intercept Johnson's army in North Carolina, but was ordered back at Halifax Court House. From there the company marched to Richmond, Virginia, thence to Washington City. In the grand re- view, Company F led the cavalry column in review. On the 17th of June the regiment was ordered to Texas via Louisville, Ken- tucky, but was stopped at Wheeling and mus- tered out, Jtine 20, 1865.
Company F lost the first and last man killed in battle from Washington County.
The neighborhoods that furnished the most men to this company were, first, Coal Run : second, Plymouth : third, Moss Run; fourth, Marietta.
Company F. Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry.
REGIMENTAL OFFICERS.
(Three years' service).
Colonel Timothy R. Stanley, mustered August 6, 1861, mustered out November Q. 1804: Colonel Charles H. Grosvenor. April 8. 1865. provost marshal; Lieu- tenant Colonel Josiah Given August 17, 1861, appointed Colonel Seventy-fourth Regiment ; Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. Grosvenor. March 16, 1863, promoted to colonel; Lieutenant Colonel John M. Benedict, April 8, 1865. mustered out with regiment; Major Charles H. Grosvenor, July 30, 1861, promoted to lieutenant colo- ndl: Major J. M. Welch, March 16, 1863. mustered out November 0, 1864; Major John M. Benedict, February I. 1865, promoted to lieutenant colonel; Major Robert B. Chappell, April 8, 1865, mustered out with regiment ; Surgeon William P. Johnson, September 24. 1861, mus- tered out November 9, 1864: Surgeon Horace P. Kay. February 20, 1865, mustered out with regiment ; Assistant Surgeon William W. Mills, September 24. 1861. resigned February 28, 1864: Assistant Surgeon Charles H. French. January 1. 1863. mustered out No- vember 9. 1864: Assistant Surgeon Arthur C. Newell, May 2, 1865, mustered out October 9, 1865: Assistant Surgeon S. A. Baxter, May 29, 1865, mustered out Oc- tober 9, 1865: Chaplain John Dillon, September 16, 1861. mustered out November 9, 1864.
OFFICERS OF COMPANY F.
Captain John J. Jumper, mustered September 8, 1861, resigned October 1. 1803; First Lieutenant Robert R. Danford, September 8, 1861, resigned January 17. 1862: First Lieutenant William B. Williams, February 3. 1862, resigned February 8. 1863; First Lieutenant Charles M. Grubb, April 14, 1863, mustered out Novem- ber 9. 1864; First Lieutenant David J. Searight, July 12, 1864, mustered out November 9, 1864; First Lieuten- ant John G. G. Carter. March 29, 1865, transferred to adjutant Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Septem- ber I, 1865: Second Lieutenant William B. Williams, September 8, 1861, promoted to first lieutenant; Second Lieutenant Charles M. Grubb, March 15, 1862, promoted to first lieutenant : Second Lieutenant David J. Searight, April 14, 1863, promoted to first lieutenant; Second Lieutenant John G. G. Carter, December 21, 1864, pro- moted to first lieutenant ; Second Lieutenant James W. Slater, May 31, 1865, mustered out with regiment.
This company was made up of men from Beverly and Newport, Washington County, and Windsor and Ringgold, Morgan County, and was organized early in September, 1861, at Camp Putnam, Marietta, Ohio. John J. Jumper was elected captain.
About the middle of the month, Company F joined the regiment at Camp Wood, Athens, Ohio, and the regimental organization was completed at Camp Dennison, November 4, 1861.
From Camp Dennison the regiment went to Louisville, Kentucky, arriving November 7th and remaining there about a month, and marching from there to Bacon Creek, where they remained about two months and drilled. Arrived at Green River February 7, 1862, and on the next day started for Bowling Green, which place was occupied on the tenth. Re- mained there until the 23rd. After the fall of Fort Donelson, they proceeded to Nash- ville, Tennessee, a distance of 62 miles, in three days. At Nashville the regiment en- camped until March 18th, suffering many pri- vations and hardships, when they started for Huntsville, Alabama, arriving April 11th. Thence they went to Tuscumbia, Alabama, thence to Athens, Alabama, and deployed along the railroad.
May Ist they were attacked by Scott's Re- bel cavalry and driven back towards Hunts- ville, Company F going as far as Madison
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station, where, falling in with a part of the
the foot of the mountain near that place, in Thirty-third Ohio, they halted and remained. , the evening. On the 14th they passed up and On May 3rd Company F and a detail from over the mountain. Just at sunset they the Thirty-third Ohio and Twenty-second : reached the summit, and began the descent by Kentucky acted as guard to a train that was a very difficult route, reaching the valley about gathering up cotton that had been used in 8 P. M., without serious accident. fortifying at places between Huntsville and AAthens, returning to the station at night, where they remained until the 9th, when they moved to Athens.
On the 21st Company F, with four other companies, guarded a supply train to Hunts- ville, returning the next day, and remaining at Athens until the 30th, when they started for Fayetteville, arriving next day, and where they remained until June 23rd, when they marched to Huntsville. All these movements were made under the command of Gen. O. M. Mitchell, who had been sent southward by Gen. Don Carlos Buell. commanding the army of the Ohio, to annoy the enemy and keep him busy while other and more important move- ments were being consummated.
The regiment at this time was brigaded with the Nineteenth and Twenty-fourth Illi- nois and the Thirty-seventh Indiana, under the command of Colonel Turchin. At one place during these movements, Tuscumbia, Colonel Turchin, with but a small force, in- cluding the Eighteenth Regiment, held the town, which was surrounded by a greatly su- perior force of Rebels. In order to keep up the appearance of a large force, however, he had the names of officers from a dozen regi- ments entered upon the hotel register of the town, whose regiments were supposed to be in camp, but in reality he had not more than 600 men, all told. No citizens were allowed to leave the town. Soon General Buell or- dered all the territory west of Decatur evacu- ated, and the regiment went to Athens, Ala- bama.
At Battle Creek they found the enemy in force across the stream, and shelled them, but received no response. July Ist, Company F. with C and B. was on detached duty, but soon rejoined the regiment. July 13th the regi- ment started for Tullahoma, and camped at
July 15th they marched from Decherd for Caledonia, where the regiment remained until July 24th, when they started for Tullahoma, arriving there the day following, when Com- pany F was thrown out as a picket guard around the town. August 8th they left Tulla- homa for Duck River, and from there went to Manchester. September 3rd the regiment arrived at Murfreesborough, and September 8th arrived at Nashville, and remained there until December 10th, when the regiment went clown the Franklin pike about four miles, and encamped until the 26th, when a general ad- vance was ordered, which was continued until December 30th, when they went into the great battle of Stone River which continued for three days with terrible carnage, in which the gallant Eighteenth did noble service.
In June, 1863. the regiment was with the force that crossed Lookout Mountain into Mc- Lamore Cove, and confronted Bragg at Dug Gap, September urth, and the Eighteenth, with the balance of the brigade, held the enemy in check.
At Chickamauga the regimeut did not par- ticipate in the first day's battle, but on Sun- day, September 20th, was in the thickest of the engagement, making several brilliant charges.
From this time until the expiration of their term of service the regiment was on engineer- ing duty, and on October 20, 1864, was or- dered to Camp Chase, to be mustered out. and on November 9th it was mustered out. Nearly 100 men re-enlisted as veterans, and with those whose time had not expired numbered 225 men.
Upon re-enlisting. the First. Second, Eight- venth, Twenty-fourth and Thirty-fifth Ohio regiments were consolidated under the name of the Eighteenth Ohio, commanded by Lieut. Col. C. H. Grosvenor. The regiment took
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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,
part in the battle of Nashville, December 6, 1864, losing four officers out of seven, and 75 men in killed and wounded, out of less than 200.
The regiment was engaged from this time to the end of the war in garrison duty. In July, 1865, the regiment was stationed at Att- gusta, Georgia, and Colonel (now general) Grosvenor was assigned to duty as provost marshal general of the department, where they remained until October 9th, when they were ordered to Columbus, Ohio, to be mus- tered out, and were there honorably dis- charged October 22, 1865.
Companies A. F. and G. Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteers.
REGIMENTAL OFFICERS.
Colonel George Crook, mustered .September 12, 1861, appointed brigadier general September 7, 1862; Colonel Melvin Clarke, September 7. 1862, killed at An- tietam September 17. 1862: Colonel Ebenezer B. An- drews. September 17, 1862, resigned April 9, 1863 ; Colo- nel William G. Jones, April 13. 1863. killed September 10. 1263, at Chickamauga; Colonel Hiram F. Devol, September 19, 1863. appointed brevet brigadier general July 20. 1865: Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Clarke, July 30. 1861, promoted to colonel September 16. 1862; Lieutenant Colonel E. B. Andrews. September 7, 1862, promoted to colonel September 17. 1862; Lieutenant Colonel Hiram F. Devol. September 17, 1862, promoted to colonel: Lieutenant Colonel William H. G. Adney, May o. 1864. mustered out : Lieutenant Colonel William S. Wilson, March 8. 1865, mustered out with regiment ; Maior E. B. Andrews, July 28, 1861, promoted to lieu- tenant colonel September 16. 1862: Major Hiram F. Devo !. September 7. 1862, promoted to lieutenant colo- nel: Major William H. G. Adney. September 17. 1862, promoted to lieutenant colonel: Major Jewett Palmer, Jr .. May Q. 1864, resigned November 29, 1864; Major William S Wilson, December 30, 1864. mustered out ; Major Benjamin J. Ricker, Jr., February 3. 1865, trans- ferred from Thirty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry : Surgeon Robert N. Barr. August 22, 1861, resigned Feb- ruary 26. 1862; Surgeon J. II. Whitford. March 8. 1862. mustered out with regiment : Assistant Surgeon J. H. Whitford. August 23, 1861, promoted to surgeon : As- sistan+ Surgeon Colin Mackenzie, March 8. 1862, re- signe.1 May 10. 1863: Assistant Surgeon John Dicker- son, July 4, 1862, promoted to surgeon of new regiment ; Assistant Surgeon James P. Welch, July 24. 1862, re- signed September 18, 1864: Assistant Surgeon B. F. Holcomb, March 14, 1865, mustered out with regiment ; Assistant Surgeon A. M. Beers, June 26, 1865. did not accept : Chaplain George V. Fry. August, 1861, resigned January 31, 1862; Chaplain J. G. Blair, July 25, 1864,
mustered out : Chaplain G. W. Collier, August 30, 1861, mustered out : Chaplain William S. Taylor, February I 1862, resigned April 30. 1802: Quartermaster First Lieutenant Levi Barber, August 31. 1861, resigned No- vember 29. 1862; Quartermaster Captain Thomas M. Turner. December 30, 1864. declined promotion, pro- moted to captain December 1, 1862, from first lieutenant mustered out with regiment as regimental quarter- master : Quartermaster First Lientenant John M. Wood- bridge. July 31, 1861. resigned: Chief Musician Eben- czer Cory. August. 1861. mustered out at expiration of three years: Chief Musician John Tenney. September, 1864. mustered out with regiment.
COMPANY OFFICERS.
Captain H. F. Devol, mustered August 1, 1861, promoted to major September 7. 1862: Captain Thomas W. Moore. August 24, 1861, resigned March 5. 1862; Captain Jewett Palmer, Jr .. August 24, 1861, promoted to major : Captain Reuben L. Nye, March 3. 1862, mus- tered out with regiment : Captain Joseph Kelly, March 5. 1862. mustered out with regiment; Captain James Stanley, June 6, 1862, honorably discharged November 25, 1864: Captain Augustus T. Ward. December 30, 1864, mistered out with regiment; Captain James Gage Barker. September 7, 1862. mustered out November 4, 1864: Captain James C. Selby. October 3, 1862, died of wounds September 1.1. 1864; Captain Wallace S. Stan- ley. December 30, 1864. mustered out with regiment ; Captain James Haddow, December 30, 1864, mustered out with regiment : Captain Miles A. Stacy. December 30. 1864. resigned as first lieutenant December 1. 1864: Captain Jesse Morrow. December 30, 1864. mitstered ouit with regiment; First Lieutenant James Gage Bar- ker. August 13. 1861, promoted to captain ; First Lieu- tenant Joseph Kelly. August 24. 1861, promoted to captain : First Lieutenant James Stanley, August 24, 1861, promoted to captain; First Lieutenant James C. Selby, March 5, 1862, promoted to captain : First Lieu- tenant A. F. Tiffany, September 17, 1862, resigned No- vember 18. 1863: First Lieutenant O. J. Wood, Novem- ber 20, 1862, resigned August 27. 1863; First Lieutenant Jesse Morrow, February 22, 1863, promoted to captain ; First Lieutenant Miles A. Stacy. January 17, 1863. pro- moted to captain ; First Lieutenant Augustus T. Ward, April 21. 1864. promoted to captain; First Lieutenant James Haddow, May 9, 1864. promoted to captain; First Lieutenant Samuel S. Grosvenor, December 30, 1864. honorably discharged as second lieutenant ; First Lieutenant George W. Putnam. December 30. 1864, honorably discharged as second lieutenant; First Lieu- tenant S W. Harvey. December 30, 1864, mustered out with regiment: First Lieutenant John A. Palmer. Sep- tember 1. 1862, resigned June 18. 1863: Second Lieu- tenant James C. Selby, August 13. 1861, promoted to first lieutenant : Second Lieutenant A. F. Tiffany. August 24, 1861, promoted to first lieutenant: Second Lieutenant Ernst Lindner. August 24, 1861, resigned June 28, 1862; Second Lieutenant Reuben L. Nye, July 30, 1861, pro- moted to captain March 3. 1862: Second Lieutenant John A. Palmer, March 5, 1862, promoted to fir-t lieu- tenant : Second Lientenant O. J. Wood, February 5. 1862, promoted to first lieutenant : Second Lieutenant Miles A. Stacy. June 28, 1862. promoted to first lieuten-
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ant. Second Lieutenant Wallace S. Stanley. June 28. 1862, promoted to first lieutenant ; Second Lieutenant Augustus T. Ward, September 17, 1862, promoted to first lieutenant ; Second Lieutenant Jesse Morrow, July 28, 1862, promoted to first lieutenant : Second Lieuten- ant James Haddow, September 17, 1862, promoted to first lieutenant ; Second Lieutenant Samuel L. Gros- venor, October 24, 1863, promoted to first lieutenant ; Second Lientenant George W. Putnam, October 24, 1862. promoted to first heutenant : Second Lieutenant Ransom C. Wyatt, March 8, 1865. mustered out at expiration of service: Second Lieutenant Benjamin Bragg, March 8, 1865; mustered out with regiment ; Second Lieutenant Samuel W. Harvey, April 21, 1864. promoted to first lieutenant.
Under the call of President Lincoln, July 22, 1861, for 500,000 men, Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Clarke was authorized to organize a regiment at Camp Putnam, Marietta, Ohio. He at once set about it, and hearing that a company was being formed at Lowell for the Thirty- ninth Ohio-Colonel Groesbeck- he met that company on its organization, August Ist, and made known his purpose, asking that the com- pany report at Camp Putnam to form a nucleus for his regiment. He solicited the forming of companies in this and other counties, and the following reported and were mustered in: August 13th, Company A : August 14th, Com- pany B; August 14th, Company C; AAugust 22nd, Company D: August 22nd, Company E; August 24th, Company F: August 24th, Com- pany G: August 24th, Company H: August 24th, Company I: August 31st. Company K.
Nearly the maximum number being mus- tered in, the regiment was armed with the old United States muskets, and uniformed. Not having a colonel, the line officers had a well- grounded notion that only a regular army of- equal to the ambition of its members. This wish being favorably regarded by the field of- ficers and the governor, efforts were made to secure one through the Secretary of War.
In this condition the regiment was ordered. August 30. 1861, to the field, taking trans- ports at Marietta for Parkersburg. Six com- panies, A, B. F. G. IL and I. under command of Maj. E. B. Andrews, were there met by Maj. A. J. Slemmer-at that time of General Rosecrans' staff-under the charge of Major Slemmer were transported by cars to Walker 38
1
station-a few miles out. From that point marched over the mountains. Company .1 had one man killed that day by the accidental discharge of a musket-Private Steward, from Pinchville.
Arrived at Elizabeth after dark, foot-sore and weary. The object of this forced march was to clear the country of bands of guerrillas.
The next morning the advance was fired on by a squad of these fellows from a hill fronting the turn of the road. One of the men was wounded in the shoulder. A com- pany was thrown forward as skirmishers and soon dislodged them. Camped at Reedy that night. The next day marched for Spencer. the county seat of Roane County. The place. was surrounded by guerrillas and three of its loyal citizens had been killed by them. On the approach of the regiment they tled. The people were found in a truly pitiable condi- tion-nothing but cornmeal to subsist on. Ra- tions having given out the men were in much the same plight for two days. Scouts brought in a little beef. but salt there was none. This kind of diet was new, and on the whole it seemed as if the regiment was being roughly initiated. The supply train that three days later followed was surrounded at Reedy. . A night march of two companies relieved and brought it forward. Guerrillas seemed to be upon all the hills and frequently their signals could be heard. Like the foxes, they knew the woods and were never seen at their houses during the day, so it seemed impossible to catch them. This was a new kind of warfare for the regular major, and when the regiment moved away-being relieved by another com- mand-he ordered flanking parties as skir- mishers in advance of the columnm.
The day before leaving Spencer it was thought best to unload the muskets. A tar- get at fifty yards was placed and the men in turn tried their skill. The small men at every discharge would be either upset or faced about. The recoil of those old muskets with their heavy charge of powder, ball and three buck- shot was about as fatal at the rear as in front. The target was not hit. Loud was the cursing
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HISTORY OF MARIETTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTY,
of the men. They saw their guns were useless, which accounted for their never bringing down a single bushwhacker, despite their many chances. The march lay through Arnolds- burg, Bulltown, Sutton to Summerville, Nicho- las County. Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke, with the other four companies, C, D, E and K, soon joined the regiment, and in a few days Col. George Crook, who had been appointed to com- mand it, arrived to the great joy of the men.
At this period was laid the solid founda- tion which gave to the regiment confidence in the future, and secured for it a place second to none in the service. Colonel Crook insti- tuted a perfect system of drill and a school in which officers were drilled, and recitations regularly held ; and the officers drilled the men. A large drill house was erected that all could use at the same time. Leather stocks-called by the men "dog collars"-were worn under the chin to set the men up. The old muskets were exchanged for new Enfield rifles. The entire regiment was quartered in the houses of people who left at the approach of the Union Army. This crowding in houses, change of diet-this seasoning process-caused sickness, typhoid fever, pneumonia and measles. This was a sad era. Fifty deaths was the fearful record. Expeditions were frequently sent out to hunt guerrillas and to forage mainly for cat- tle-all quite successful. There was some lively skirmishing with the bushwhackers; but two men were seriously wounded. Early in the winter one company ( A ) was sent to Cross Lanes, eight miles distant, to hold that post and guard a ford over the Gauley River.
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