USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 24
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Chickasaw .- Dr. Henry G. Rawers.
Coldwater .- Drs. Charles W. Mackenbach, Christopher F. Bolman and P. F. Weamer.
Maria Stein .- Dr. A. J. Willke.
Mercer .- Dr. William Nuding.
Montezuma .- Dr. L. T. Arthur.
Neptune .- Dr. R. P. Langel.
St. Henry .- Drs. J. A. Schirack and J. J. Mory.
Wabash .- Dr. M. B. Fishbaugh.
THE MERCER COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY .
Was organized February 10, 1903, with the following members: Drs. H. J. Cordier, J. P. Symons, M. B. Fishbaugh, P. W. Fishbaugh, P. F. Weamer, Joseph N. Hetzler, S. R. Wilson, Joseph Sager, L. D. Brumm, G. J. C. Win- termute, W. C. Stubbs, David H. Richardson and R. P. Langel. At this meeting a committee, consisting of Drs., P. F. Weamer, H. J. Cordier and R. P. Langel, were appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws for the society. The committee reported on March Ioth and the society adopted the constitution and by-laws. The following officers were elected: Dr. G. J. C. Wintermute, president ; Dr. Christopher F. Bolman, vice-president ; Dr. David
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H. Richardson, secretary; Dr. J. E. Hattery, treasurer ; and Drs. Joseph Sager, P. F. Weamer, and S. R. Wilson, censors. The following are the officers for 1907: Dr. Joseph Sager, president; Dr. Frank E. Ayers, vice- president ; Dr. W. C. Stubbs, secretary ; and Dr. David H. Richardson, treas- urer. The society has 17 members in good standing.
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CHAPTER XII
MILITARY RECORD OF MERCER COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR
17TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
This regiment originated in a company of 32 men, raised under the militia laws of the State, at Lancaster, Ohio, by Joseph A. Stafford. Four days after the attack on Fort Sumter, Captain Stafford had his company filled. They were assigned as Company A, First Reg., Ohio Vol Inf.
Sergeants Nichols and Geisy and Private Stinchcomb were detailed to recruit another company, in Fairfield County. By the 20th of April, 185 men had been recruited, and on the 27th two companies, instead of one, were organized, Sergeant Geisy being elected captain of one, and Private Stinch- comb of the other. The second call of the President for troops found these two companies in camp at Lancaster, Ohio. They were then made the nucleus of the 17th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., for the three months' service. A few days later, Captain Acton, of Madison County, Captain Haynes, of the same county, Capt. Lyman Jackson, of Perry, Capt. C. A. Baker, of Hocking, Capt. F. F. Pond, of Morgan, Captain Stone, of Mercer, Captain Thrall, of Lick- ing, and Captain Tallman, of Belmont, each reported with a company, and organized a regiment by electing field officers.
On the 20th of April, the 17th Regiment left Zanesville for Bellaire. Embarking at Benwood (across the river), they reached Marietta on Sunday afternoon, and the next day started for Parkersburg, (West) Virginia. The regiment was then brigaded with the Ninth and Fourth Ohio, General Rose- crans being brigade commander. Its first duty was to guard trains at Clarks- burg, (West) Virginia. Company F was sent to guard two trains of pro- visions to Clarksburg and return. Companies A and B were detailed as guard to General McClellan. Companies I, F, G and K were sent down the river on an expedition, under Major Steele, with sealed orders, not to be opened until Blennerhassett's Island was passed. One company was put off
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at Larue, and the others proceeded to Ripley Landing, and crossed over to Ripley, the seat of Jackson County, (West) Virginia. Both detachments were to operate against guerrillas. The two Wises-father and son-were oper- ating in that section, and boasted that they would "annihilate the Yankees on sight," but took good care to avoid these same Yankees. O. Jennings Wise had attempted "cleaning out" the two companies of the 17th near Ravens- wood, but had failed ingloriously. The elder Wise, enraged that his son did not bring with him the two companies of Yankees, swore that he would bring them himself. A young lady, of near Charleston, was advised by a mulatto boy of Wise's intentions, and on the evening of July Ist started on horseback for Ravenswood, by way of by-roads and cow-paths. At daybreak she notified Captain Stinchcomb of the danger, and before Wise reached Ravenswood a courier arrived at Parkersburg, and reinforcements were on the march from Larue ( West) Virginia, and Hockingport and Gallipolis, Ohio. On learning of this, Governor Wise retired to Ripley in great haste.
The two companies garrisoned Ravenswood until July 10, after which they reported at Buckhannon, (West) Virginia. The other five companies, under Colonel Connell, left the railroad at Petroleum, and marched to Buck- hannon, where, on the 4th of July, they were surrounded by 1,500 Rebels, but by reinforcement of the Ioth Ohio, under Colonel Lytle, were able to hold the position. The regiment afterward occupied and fortified Sutton, (West) Virginia. On August 3, 1861, the regiment, already having served over time, started for home; arrived at Zanesville, Ohio, August 13th; and two days later was mustered out of service.
Efforts were at once made to reorganize the regiment, for the three years' service, and on the 30th of August it assembled at Camp Dennison, named in honor of Ohio's war Governor. Through the efforts of Lieutenant Roop, one of the Mercer County's best soldiers, we are enabled to give the muster- roll of Company I, of this regiment. This company was probably composed of as large men as any company in the service. Of the 90 men, rank and file, 36 were six feet and upward in height, while the average weight through- out the company was 1611/2 pounds. Fifty-one of the men were violinists, and the captain was a minister of the Gospel. This company enjoys the dis- tinction of being the first body of men to enter the service from Mercer County.
Muster-roll of Company I, 17th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., mustered into service April 17, 1861 : Captain, William D. Stone; Ist lieutenant, Preston R. Galloway; 2nd lieutenant, David J. Roop; sergeants-Alexander A. Knapp, John Swain, James W. Carlin and John Prescott; corporals-Jesse S. Clum, Frank Ely, Theodore P. TouVelle and Flavius M. Black; musicians-Elijah Colton and Wilson S. Lipps; privates-Gideon Boben-
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myer, Martin Bobenmyer, David A. Butcher, John W. Butcher, William Boyle, Levi Cavender, William H. Clark, William F. Davidson, Philip Dear- worth, Isaac B. Deiter, Charles Dilworth, Marion Dunwoody, John A. Dye, William Edmiston, James Ellis, Joshua Ellis, William H. Fair, Sylvester W. Faulkner, John Ferrell, Abraham Foster, Aaron Franklin, Jasper Frank- lin, Jeremiah Franklin, John W. Franklin, George Frazier, Henry Frazier, Joseph George, William Gilbert, Jonathan H. Herron, Isaac Hodge, John C. Hoover, Isaac Isenhart, James Jackson, Miles Kintz, George Lipps, Henry Lipps, George W. Loughridge, Samuel Leseney, William Mann, Levi Matchet, James McDaniel, Samuel A. McMurray, Thomas Meeks, Henry C. Mongar, Murphy Martin, Nathaniel Myers, Abraham Nesbit, Samuel A. Nickerson, Elijah Oaks, James Overly, Charles A. Paine, Theodore Parker, Mathias Pope, Theodore R. Porter, Finley Pritchard, William Ransbottom, John T. Ratliff, Lemuel M. Reeves, Robert Ruling, Nathaniel Rulon, George Sanborn, Morron H. Scott, Jacob Sheppy, Daniel Shipley, James Sneeds, Nelson Snyder, Zattu Z. Steel, George H. Stowell, James A. Spillman, Judiah W. Throp, Charles L. Toner, William H. Topping, Lorenzo D. Van- kirk, Absalom Wallingsford, Calvin Welcher, John W. Williams and Benja- min F. Williams.
40TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
This regiment was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, and left that camp for East Kentucky December 11, 1861. It proceeded by rail to Paris, Ken- tucky, then marched to Paintville, where it formed a junction with the regi- ment of Colonel Garfield, then moving up the Sandy.
On January 10, 1862, the regiment took part in the action with Humphrey Marshall at Middle Creek, and then went into camp at Paintville, where it suffered greatly from sickness. It then moved to Piketon, in Febru- ary, where, connected with a Kentucky regiment, it formed an outpost until June 13th, when it moved to Prestonburg. About a month later this place was abandoned, and the 40th Ohio went to Louisa, but on September 13th moved to the mouth of the Sandy, and a few days later was ordered to Gallipolis, Ohio. In October it moved to Guyandotte, (West) Virginia, and on the 14th of November received orders to return to Eastern Kentucky. It started for Nashville, February 20, 1863, and on arrival was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Reserve Corps, then at Franklin, which point was reached in March, in time to join the forced march in pursuit of Van Dorn. On April 10th, while the 40th Ohio was on picket near Franklin, Van Dorn attacked the line with a strong force, but suffered a severe repulse by this regiment alone. In June the regiment moved to Triune, and on the
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23rd of the month the Reserve Corps moved forward, forming the right of Rosecrans' army in its advance on Shelbyville, Wartrace and Tullahoma. The regiment was then stationed at the two latter places until September 7th, when the corps pushed forward to assist in the movement at Chattanooga. The regiment participated in the battle of Chickamauga, where it lost heavily; and falling back to Chattanooga, encamped at Moccasin Point, near Lookout, but finally went into winter quarters at Shellmound, Tennessee, where four companies re-enlisted.
On the 24th of November the regiment participated in the battle of Lookout Mountain, and won great distinction. It then returned to Shell- mound. In January, 1864, it was again in motion, and on the 6th of Feb- ruary went into camp near Cleveland, Tennessee. On the 22nd it reconnoitered Dalton, and returned to camp on the 28th. On May 2nd it entered upon the Atlanta campaign, and was under fire almost all the time after reaching Dalton. At Pilot Knob, Georgia, Companies A, B, C and D were mustered out, on the 7th of October. The other companies remained with the Fourth Corps in the pursuit of Hood and the retreat before Pulaski.
At Nashville, Tennessee, in December, those who did not veteranize were mustered out, while those who remained were consolidated with the 5Ist Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf.
After the consolidation of this regiment with the 5Ist Ohio, the com- bined regiment was transported with the Fourth Army Corps to New Orleans, and thence to Texas, where it performed guard duty at Victoria for several months. It was finally mustered out of service, December 3, 1865, at Camp Chase, Ohio, from which place the men returned to their homes.
The following is the muster-roll of Company K, 40th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., which was recruited at Fort Recovery in the fall of 1861 and mustered into the service at Camp Chase, Ohio: Captain, Alexander A. Knapp; Ist lieutenant, David J. Roop; 2nd lieutenant, Byron B. Allen; sergeants- Charles L. Toner, William H. Topping, George W. Williams, Obed H. Beardslee and Benjamin F. Williams; corporals-John P. Dearworth, Daniel Leseney, James B. McDonald, David J. Galeanor, Thomas McAfee, John E. Meyers, David Miller and Henry Hoyd; musicians-Joel S. Hoyt and Francis M. Crouch; teamster, David J. Beardslee; privates-Martin Butler, Jacob Bingham, Hiram L. Clum, Elijah Colton, Charles Carmack, Ephraim Carmack, Andrew J. Casebeer, George W. Coon, David Crouch, Thomas Collins, George Clark, Nathan W. Cole, Thomas H. Denney, William Denney, Jasper Denney, James R. Dye, John A. Dye, Frank Ely, Frederick Ely, Will -. iam H. Fought, Aaron Franklin, George W. Franklin, Jasper E. Franklin, John Granger, Patrick Gaggen, John C. Gray, William Harry, James Hed- rick, Michael Houck, Elijah H. Hunter, Christian Hempsmire, Michael
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Kester, George Kester, David Kester, John Kennard, Samuel Leseney, Joseph Lipps, George Lipps, Nathaniel Myers, James H. McDonald, John E. Mc- Daniel, Alfred McFeely, John McGee, James Z. Mott, Hezekiah Root, Henry Stickleman, Andrew J. Stickleman, James Stretchberry, Robert Stretchberry, Irvin I. Smith, Washington Smith, James Smith, Adam Shatto, John Shatto, John Sutherland, Francis Steel, Marion Scott, Oscar Snyder, George Top- ping, John W. Williams, Benoni Wells, William Wells, Daniel Waldron, Jonathan Woodring, John Butcher, Joseph Arbaugh, Asberry Schwartz, William T. McDonald, John L. Constable, Solomon J. Collins, John Winters, Joseph H. Fox and Thomas Snyder.
The following members of Company K veteranized, being mustered into the veteran organization at Shellmound, Georgia, on February 2, 1864: Charles Carmack, Andrew J. Casebeer, George Clark, John P. Dearworth, William Denney, James R. Dye, Frederick Ely, Jasper E. Franklin, David J. Galeanor, Elisha H. Hunter, Joseph Lipps, George Lipps, Samuel Leseney, John E. McDaniel, Alfred McFeely, James Z. Mott, Hezekiah Root, Adam Shatto, Marion Scott, Francis Steel, Oscar Snyder, James Stretchberry, Charles L. Toner, George W. Topping, John W. Williams, George W. Will- iams, Benjamin F. Williams, Benoni Wells and Jonathan Woodring.
7IST REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
This regiment was largely recruited in Miami, Mercer and Auglaize counties by B. S. Kyle and G. W. Andrews. The organization was com- pleted about the first of February, 1862. Rodney Mason was appointed colonel by Governor Dennison.
Early in February the regiment reported to General Sherman at Paducah, Kentucky. About the 25th of February General Sherman determined to make a reconnoissance toward Columbus, and took half of the 71st Ohio and half of the 55th Illinois, and with a large Mississippi steamer passed down to Cairo and was joined by two mortar-boats and three gunboats. The Rebels were found evacuating Columbus, and the 7Ist hastened to occupy the sum- mit overlooking the river and town. After three days the regiment returned to Paducah to join the general advance up the Tennessee. In this movement they were the first troops to reach Pittsburg Landing. The regiment was brigaded with the 54th Ohio and the 55th Illinois, and was commanded by Colonel Stewart.
At seven o'clock on the morning of April 6, 1862, when Colonel Mason was giving instructions to line officers, an orderly rode up with a written notice that the center of the line had been attacked. In less than five minutes the regiment was in line of battle, and Colonel Stewart dashed up to consult Colonel
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Mason as to disposition of troops. General Sherman had located the brigade on the extreme left, and was himself near the right and center, two miles off when the battle began. Colonel Mason suggested that the line be at once formed and that the brigade be moved to the left where the enemy was apparently concentrating. This suggestion was carried into effect without any artillery assistance. The 55th Illinois was placed on the left, the 54th Ohio on the center, and the 7Ist Ohio on the right of the line. A heavy cannonade was opened on the line, and Colonel Mason ordered the regiment to retire 300 yards, where it was slightly sheltered by an elevation. The enemy soon approached with two batteries. The attack was terrible, but the regiment held its ground stubbornly, grandly. About 2 o'clock in the after- noon, with the other regiments the 7Ist Ohio retired, but in the severest rally displayed such gallantry as to merit the commendation of the superior officers. On Monday the regiment was again actively engaged and behaved with daring and courage. In the battle 130 men were either killed or wounded.
On the 16th of April the regiment was ordered to hold the posts of Fort Donelson and Clarksville. On August 18th Colonel Mason, with less than 200 effective men, was asked to surrender Clarksville by Woodward at the head of a force four times as great as that of Mason. The surrender was a necessity. A few days later the line officers were dismissed from the serv- ice and Colonel Mason was cashiered. When the facts became more fully known, the War Department revoked the order and the officers were all honorably discharged.
After the troops were exchanged, four companies on the 25th of August, 1862, met and defeated Woodward's force at Fort Donelson. The regiment then joined the forces of General Lowe, and went into winter quarters at Fort Henry.
On the 3rd of February, 1863, the regiment went on an expedition to Fort Donelson, but the enemy retreated. During the latter part of the year the regiment was stationed along the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, with headquarters at Gallatin.
Early in 1864 it moved South, and behaved with great gallantry in sev- eral skirmishes. It next took part in the battle of Nashville and displayed splendid courage. Shortly afterwards it was ordered to Texas, where through the summer of 1865 the officers and men did their duty, and thought it harder than on the field of battle. It was finally discharged at Camp Chase, in January, 1866. After the death of one officer in the first battle and the subsequent dismissal of the others, the rank and file proved themselves made of sterner stuff than that demanding dismissal, and attested their courage on several bloody fields.
Company A .- Sergeants-George A. Platt and William Beauchamp;
-
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corporal, J. W. Bennett ; privates -- C. W: Bodkin, H. Beaghler, G. A. Blocher, Martin H. Fowler, William Houser, M. F. Hunter, A. P. Lehman, A. J. Leininger, G. W. Loughridge, Adam Mohl, Lewis Platt, J. J. Phillips, Will- iam Preston (died August 20, 1864, at Tullahoma, Tennessee), J. W. Rey- nolds, B. Robbins, Josiah Shipman, John Sprague, Joshua W. Sprague, Philip Smith, J. S. Swartz, Jasper Temple, John Tilton, George TouVelle and Lewis York.
Company C .- Private, Thomas Mitchell.
Company D .- 2nd lieutenant, Levi L. Dysert ; privates-W. W. Cross, H. A. W. Collins, Jacob Fast, A. O. French, Bernard Gaven, G. Koeppler, A. Keyser, A. Lammire, H. C. Hankins, J. W. Smith, G. W. Wooden, Joel M. Whitley, J. B. Wolf and G. W. Wolf.
Company G .- Private, William Borger.
Company H .- Captain, Gideon Le Blond; Ist lieutenant, Joseph N. Hetzler; 2nd lieutenant, Alexander Gable; privates-William A. Addy, Frederick Amrine (died June 8, 1862), George Andrews, Daniel Andrews, George Ashbaugh, John Apgar, Sebastian Boetson, Abraham Beatle (died at Shiloh), Joseph Bartle, Martin Bubmire, George A. Blocher, Fred. Bryan, Jacob Cron, William Campbell, Frederick Clatte, John Cron, Clemons Cole, Daniel Coffman, Samuel Circle, Emil P. Doblerman (died April 16, 1862), James Epperson, William Ellis (transferred to Company A), John A. Erhart (died January 26, 1862), George W. Freshour, George Frederick, Milton Franklin, Isaac Felver, John W. Franklin, Frank Fortman, Jesse Freeman, H. M. Franklin, Moses Felver, Henry Gohamire, John Gaul, Israel Hull, Jackson Hedges, Henry L. Johnston, John Jones, Stanton Judkins, J. G. Juell, Charles Jones, Daniel Keller, Jacob Keller, Miles Kintz, C. E. Le Blond, Robert Laramore, James Laramore (died May 6, 1862), A. H. Lacey, Lafayette LeBlond, Vitus Lime, Henry C. Mack, Samuel Miland, John Miller, William M. Morrison, Lewis H. McLeod, Elisha Martz, Berry Miller, (died April 7, 1862), Allen McKee (died May 5, 1862), James Mercer, Thomas Meeks, Michael Miller, Joseph C. McIntire, Isaac Nelson, John A. Nutt, Nicholas Obringer, John Purdy (died June 15, 1862), John Roberts (died March 25, 1862), S. Runkles, Aug. Rhoman (died May 6, 1862), N. P. Stretchberry, Wesley Simmons, Peter Seibert, George Schwable, Philip Stachler, William Shively (died), Mathias Stachler, David Stoner, Frank Slusser, Charles Stueve, Bernard Studer, Martin Stuckee (transferred to Company A), A. J. Slotterback, Thomas B. Spry, John Sunday, Job Thorp, William Tester, Henry Taylor, John Trump (died May II, 1862), Paul Wehrkamp, Frank Walker, W. S. Wilson, David Widener, William C. Wil- son, and W. H. Winterood.
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118TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
This regiment, eight companies strong, was sent to Cincinnati in Septem- ber, 1862, as that city was then threatened by Gen. Kirby Smith. The ninth company was here formed, and the regiment mustered into the service. In late September it moved, under Gen. A. J. Smith, toward Lexington, Ken- tucky, but at Cynthiana was detached to guard the railroad. Patrol and guard duty were performed and Rebel recruiting largely prevented. On August 8, 1863, it went via Lexington and Louisville, to Lebanon, Ken- tucky, and on the 20th set out for East Tennessee. On November 10th Kingston was reached, and a few days later the Rebels cut the communication between that point and Knoxville. Picket duty became arduous, in order to prevent a surprise from Wheeler's cavalry.
The victories at Knoxville and Chattanooga relieved the Kingston gar- rison, and on December 9th the regiment reached Nashville, and from there went to Blain's Cross Roads, and finally to Mossy Creek, to support Elliott's cavalry. On the 29th, the Rebel cavalry under Martin and Armstrong as- saulted General Elliott, at Panther's Creek, whereupon he fell back to Mossy Creek. As the cavalry approached, the regiment took position in the edge of a piece of woods, when the Rebel force moved directly upon them. When the enemy approached within a hundred yards, the regiment opened a rapid fire, which was kept up about two hours, when it charged the Rebels and drove them over the crest of a hill. In this action the 118th Ohio lost about 40, killed and wounded. It was handled with great skill by Lieutenant-Colo- nel Young, and was commanded by General Elliott.
While in East Tennessee, the regiment suffered great privations, and sub- sisted about six months on half and quarter rations. They had neither sugar nor coffee for four months. Clothing was also short, but with all this the troops never murmured, but were even cheerful.
The regiment was engaged in marching and counter-marching until the campaign of 1864. One march of 100 miles, to Charleston, was made in five days. On May 4, 1864, the regiment encamped at the State line. Here all baggage was sent to the rear. On the 7th the regiment moved upon Dalton, and from there advanced upon Resaca. On the afternoon of the 14th, it par- ticipated in a charge on the enemy's works, and lost 116 men, in less than 10 minutes, out of 300 men actually engaged. On the 15th the engagement was renewed, but that night Johnston retired to Cassville, which he abandoned, on the approach of the Federal forces. After a few days' rest, the regiment went into the desperate battles of Dallas and Pumpkin-Vine Creek, and bore a gallant and honorable part. It was afterwards engaged at Kenesaw Mount- ain, at the Chattahoochie, at Utoy Creek, and in the final movements about
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Atlanta. In these operations, about 75 men were lost. During 121 consecu- tive days, the regiment was within hearing of hostile firing every day except one. During 60 consecutive days, it was under fire 60 different times, and during one week there probably was not a period of five minutes during which the whistling of a ball or the scream of a shell could not be heard.
After the fall of Atlanta, the regiment fell back to Decatur, where, after a short rest, it joined in the pursuit of Hood, as far as Gaylesville, Alabama. On the 23rd of November, it went to Johnstonville, Tennessee, and then to Columbia, to join the army confronting Hood, finally reaching Franklin, on the 30th. The brigade was drawn up in single line, its right resting on the Williamsburg pike, and its left at the Locust Grove, this regiment being second from the right. The enemy struck the line to the left of this regiment. The shock was terrific, but the line stood firm, and poured a terrible fire into the Confederate column. The troops fought desperately, the men using bayonets, and the officers side-arms, over the very breastworks. By daylight the 118th Ohio was across the river, and falling back on Nashville, where it was again engaged. After the battle of Nashville, it participated in the pur- suit of the Rebels, as far as Columbia, and then went to Clifton.
From there it proceeded to North Carolina, and on January 16, 1865, it embarked for Cincinnati on the steamer "J. D. Baldwin," and from Cin- cinnati proceeded to Washington City, which was reached January 27, 1865. On February IIth, it embarked on a steamer at Alexandria, landed at Smith- ville, at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, moved immediately on Fort An- derson, captured it and was the first regiment to plant its colors on the walls. On February 20th, it engaged in a sharp action at Town Creek, in which 300 prisoners and two pieces of artillery were captured, and then entered Wil- mington on the 22nd. On the 6th of March, it moved to Kingston, then to Goldsboro, and joined Sherman's army on the 23rd of March. It then/ camped at Mosely Hall until April 9th, when it participated in the final opera- tions against Johnston. It then camped near Raleigh until May 3rd, when it moved to Greensboro and then to Salisbury, where it remained until June 24th when it was mustered out of the service. The regiment arrived at Cleve- land, Ohio, June 2nd, was welcomed by Chief-Justice Chase, participated in a Fourth of July celebration, and was finally discharged on the 9th of July, 1865, having first gone into camp at Lima, Ohio, in August, 1862.
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