History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794, Part 65

Author: Everhart, J. F; Graham, A. A., Columbus, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: [Columbus, O.] : F.J. Everhart & Co.
Number of Pages: 600

USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794 > Part 65

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September 8th, the Sixteenth Ohio and its brigade were ordered to Manchester, Ky., for supplies. On the 19th, this force was joined by the remainder of the National troops from the Gap. The supplies having been almost completely ex- hausted, General Morgan ordered a retreat toward the Ohio River. This retreat was op- posed by the enemy, who harrassed the National forces by frequent attacks, and by placing ob- structions in the roads, up to Grayson, Kentucky, within twenty-five miles of the Ohio river. The sufferings of the men on this march were very severe, having nothing to eat for several days, excepting ears of corn, gathered from the fields as they passed. To quench their thirst. the men were compelled to drink water collected in stagnant pools. On the third of October, the command arrived at Greenupsburg, Kentucky, on the Ohio river, utterly worn out, ragged, shoeless, and covered with the accumulated dust of sixteen day's march. Resting until the 21st of October, at Portland, Ohio, the regiment moved to Charleston, Virginia, on the Kanawha river. On the 10th of November, it marched under orders, to Point Pleasant, Virginia, and there embarked on steamers, for Memphis. Tennessee, arriving on the 27th, of the same month. December 20th, it moved with Sher- inan's command on transports, to the rear of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and participated, on the 29th, in the disastrous assault on Chickesaw- Bayou. In this affair, the Sixteenth suffered terribly, losing three hundred and eleven officers and men killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. After the assault, the command of the regiment devolved on Captain E. W. Botsford.

On April 6th, 1863, the regiment joined Gen- eral Grant's expedition to the rear of Vicksburg.

It was engaged at Thompson's Hill, on the Ist of May, and lost nine men, killed and wounded. It was engaged at Champion Hills, on Boher's Creek, on the 16th of May, and on the 17th, at Black River Bridge. May 19th, it took a prom- inent part in the disastrous assault on the Rebel works in the rear of Vicksburg. In these several engagements, the regiment lost seventy in killed and wounded. It remained in the rear of Vicks- burg until its fall, July 4th, 1863, and July 6th, was ordered to Jackson, Mississippi, where it participated in the siege, and capture, of that place. Numerous other engagements of varying success, all attended with hardship, and fre- quently with loss, were participated in by the Sixteenth. They reached Columbus, O., Octo- ber 14th, and were paid and discharged from the service, the last day of that month, 1863.

The total number of deaths from all causes, in the regiment, was two hundred and fifty one. On surgeon's certificate of disability, one hun- dred and eighty-six were discharged, and thirty- eight were transferred to the Veteran Reserve corps, fifteen of whom were directly from the regiment. Before leaving Morganza, the re- cruits, ninety in number, were transferred to the One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio, to serve out the expiration of its term of enlistment. The number of officers and men mustered out at the expiration of its term of service, was four hundred and seventy-seven, all that was left of one thousand one hundred and ninety-one, the total of the original organization and recruits.

SIXTY-SECOND O. V. I .- This regiment, or- ganized at Camp Goddard, near Zanesville, in November. 1861. On the 17th of January, 1862. the Governor ordered it to report to General Rosecrans, then commanding in Western Vir- ginia. On the 30th of the following June, it was sent on board transports, and sailed for Fortress Monroe, thence to Harrison's Landing, and to the front on picket duty. On August 16th, it moved in the famous retreat down the Peninsula to Yorktown. and Fortress Mon- roe, and from thence to Suffolk, and subse- quently made a reconnoissance to Black Water : but we cannot attempt to recite all its move- ments, only naming a few of the most promin- ent. In the assault on Fort Wagner. it lost 150 men, killed and wounded ; it took part in the siege of Charleston, which lasted from the 10th of July, to the 31st of October. The regiment re-enlisted in January, 1864, as veterans, and was allowed the usual 30 days' furlough. March' 3d, it rendezvoused at Washington City and was immediately sent to the front. near Petersburg. Virginia, and from this time on. the Sixty-second participated in the contest that raged about the lines of the rebel capital.

About the first of September, 1865, the Sixty- second was consolidated with the Sixty-seventh Ohio, and thereafter lost its identity, the number of the Sixty-seventh being retained.

SIXTY-SEVENTH O. V. I .- This regiment con- solidated with the Forty-fifth, both being but part- ly organized previously. It left Columbus. Janu-

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

ary 19th, 1862, for Western Virginia, under Gen- eral Lander, to reinforce Tyler's brigade, in do- ing which it passed over an open field, three- quarters of a mile wide, exposed to the enemy's fire. They executed the movement on the double quick, and came into action in splendid order. The enthusiasm, inspired by such patriotic zeal, cannot be described, and only the soldier may feel it. They counted the hardships endured marching up and down the valley, over the mountains and back again, from the Potomac to Harrisonburg, from Front Royal to Fredericks- burg, thence to Manassas, to Port Republic, Alexandria, etc., as nothing, if crowned with the reward of subduing the enemies of the country. The regiment, after the expiration of this term of service, re-enlisted, and, after a short furlough, returned to the field, reaching Ber- muda Hundred, Virginia, under General But- ler, May 6th, 1864. On the 29th, of the same month, a portion of our lines having fallen into the hands of the rebels, the Sixty-seventh, with other regiments, received orders to re-cap- ture them, which they did by a charge; the regiment lost sixty-nine officers and men, killed and wounded. The rebel General, W. H. S. Walker, was wounded and captured, his sword passing into the hands of our Colonel Voris, as a trophy. On the 16th of August, four com- panies of the Sixty-seventh charged the rifle pits of the enemy at Deep River, and at the first volley, lost one-third of their men, but before the rebels could reload, the rifle pits were in our possession. During October, following, the regiment was in four engagements, and lost over one hundred men. During the spring, summer and fall of 1864, the Sixty-seventh confronted the enemy, at all times within range of their guns, and it is creditably .reported, that during the year it was under fire two hundred times.

SEVENTY-EIGHTHI O. V. I .- This regiment was raised under special authority from Gover- nor Dennison, issued to M. D. Leggett. of Zanesville. The first man was enlisted October 30, 1861, and the organization completed Janu- ary .11, 1862 ; they embarked immediately for Fort Donelson. About the 10th of March, it moved with the National forces to Crump's Land- ing ; thence to Adamsville, to guard an exposed flank of the army, at Pittsburgh Landing, and, with its brigade, marched to the battle-field, reach- ing Pittsbugh Landing at 8 P. M., in company with General Lew Wallace's division. Besides this fight, it shared in the movement on Corinth. on the evacuation of which the regiment march- ed with General Wallace's division to Bethel ; thence to Jackson, Tennessee ; on the 17th, 18th and 19th of May, the investment of Vicksburg was completed. On the 22nd of the same month, the Seventy-eighth participated in the general charge on the enemy's works, with slight loss. About the 25th of May, it was joined to a force sent up Yazoo River, under General Frank P. Blair, to look after a rebel force reported to be moving to the relief of Vicksburg, under the rebel General, Joseph E. Johnston ; but he hav-

ing changed his line of march to a point further south, toward Jackson. the command returned to Vicksburg, and the Seventy-eighth resumed its position before the city, and, June 22d, was sent to prevent the rebels under Johnston from cross- ing the Black River, at Bovina, and remained at that place until after the surrender of Vicksburg. July 21st, it participated in the attack on, and capture of Bald Knob, a position commanding the city of Atlanta ; which city was captured by the National forces, after shelling it; in this ac tion, the Seventy-eighth suffered severely. The position was considered so important by the rebel commander, that, in his anxiety to re-take it, he, the next day, threw his whole army on the left flank of the National lines, and a terrible battle ensued, costing us the life of the brave McPherson. The Seventy-eighth lost 203, offi- cers and men, killed and wounded.

The regiment, with the Sixty-eightlı Ohio, held a line near Bald Knob : the rebels made such a determined attack, that the battle became a desperate hand to hand conflict, each side showing great valor. Of thirteen flag and color bearers, of the Seventy-eighth Ohio, all were killed or wounded. A rebel was about to cap- ture the regimental flag, when Captain John Orr, of Company H, seized a short sword from the ground, and almost completely decapitated him. For this heroic act, the Captain received a gold medal from the Board of Honor, of the army of the Tennessee. The Seventy-eighth participated in the subsequent movements of the army of the Tennessee, till the fall of Atlanta. After the taking of Savannah, and the march through the Carolinas, up to the surrender of Johnston's rebel army, the regiment accom- panied the National forces through Richmond, Virginia, to Washington City. and participated in the grand review.

THE NINETY-SEVENTH O. V. I .- This regi- ment was recruited in the counties of Muskin- gum. Morgan, Guernsey, and Coshocton, dur- ing. the months of July and August, 1862. It was mustered into service at Camp Zanesville, on the Ist and 2d of September, by Captain C. C. Goddard, of the Seventeenth Infantry, U. S. A., and on the 7thi of that month, received march- ing orders, obeying which, it reached Covington Heights, Kentucky, on the 8th, where it was as- signed to the command of General Lewis Wal- lace, in opposing the supposed advance of Gen- eral Kirby Smith's forces, on Cincinnati. The regimental staff was composed of the following officers : Colonel, John Q. Lane; Lieutenant Colonel, Milton Barnes ; Major, James W. Moore ; Second Major, George S. Davis ; Sur- geon, Thomas W. Gordon ; Assistant Surgeons, J. T. Edwards, T. A. Stewart : Chaplain, Wil- liam McFarland.

This regiment, on the 20th of September, 1862, proceeded from Covington to Louisville, Kentucky, and on the first of October, joined in the pursuit of the rebel, General Bragg, through Kentucky and Tennessee. They were under fire first at Perryville, but did not engage in

Residence of B. A. BLANDY, Esq., Two Miles East of Zanesville, on the National Road. For sale by Spangler & Finley, Zanesville,

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.

the battle; they were in several skirmishes on the march from Perryville to Nashville, in which they acquitted themselves like soldiers. They subsequently formed a part of General Crittenden's noble corps, in the advance on Murfreesboro, Tennessee, December, 1862, where they had four killed and fifteen wounded. They remained at Murfreesboro until June, 1863, doing garrison and scouting duty. June 24th, it joined the advance on Tullahoma, Tennes- see, via Manchester, and finding that the enemy had abandoned that place, proceeded to Pelham, and on arriving within two miles of the town, had a lively skirmish with the enemy's cavalry. in which the Ninety-seventh lost one man. They remained at Pelham until the 16th of August, 1863, when they crossed a range of the Cumber- land mountains, and entered Chattanooga, Ten- nessee, September the 9th, following, and to this regiment is due the honor of raising the Ameri- can flag (their regimental colors) over this rebel stronghold. On the 23d of November, 1873, the regiment was ordered in front of Mission Ridge, and hotly engaged the enemy. On the 25th of that month, they lost twenty privates killed, nine commissioned officers, and one hundred and fif- teen privates wounded. November 28th, the regiment was with the Fourth Army Corps, on the march to Knoxville, Tennessee, to the relief of General Burnside, where they arrived on the 6th of December, and remained until the 13, and were ordered to Blaine's Cross Roads, where they remained until January 14, 1864, and were ordered to Drawbridge, arriving there on the 17th ; they returned to Knoxville, and left that place on the 23d of that month, for Louden, Tennessee, where they remained until March 2, 1864, and proceeded to Charleston, Tennessee, and soon after joined General Sher- man's army, near Cleveland, Tennessee, (this army was composed of the "Army of the Cum- berland," Tennessee, and Ohio troops) early in May, 1864, and was engaged in all of the mem- orable battles of that campaign, culminating in the capture of Atlanta, Georgia, in which this regiment suffered heavy losses in killed and wounded. After taking Atlanta, General Sherman marched the larger part of his army to the Sea, but left the Fourth Corps, and small detachments, among which was the Ninety-seventh, to con- front the entire rebel Army, then commanded hy General Ilood. The Union forces were forc- ed back from the Tennessee River to Nashville, fighting en route ahnost night and day. The most fearful engagement the regiment ever had. was at Franklin, Tennessee, on the 30th of No- vember, 1864, where it lost many in killed and wounded, although the enemy was punished se- verely. Our forces arrived at Nashville, De- cember 1, 1864, and remained until December 14th or 15th, when they attacked the enemy, and made a complete rout of them : after which the regiment went into camp near Huntsville, and remained until early the following spring, when it was transported to Knoxville, Tennessee, and commenced the march toward Richmond, and

had arrived near Greenville, Tennessee, when General Lee surrendered, and its march was stopped. The regiment was then taken to Nash- ville, by rail, and mustered out of service, about the middle of June, 1865. * *: * * * * *

I certify that the foregoing account is substan- tially correct, although many important details might be added if the exact dates could be given, but no record of these is now to be had.

[Signed, ] J. T. GORSUCH.

Mr. Gorsuch was promoted from Second Lieu- tenant to First, March 11th, 1863, and promoted to Captain, May 6th, 1863, and was mustered out with his regiment. He, like many others of the Ninety-seventh, wears his honors modestly, yet cherishes the institutions of our country, and the sovereign right of the American citizen to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. on any, and every part of American soil, as the heritage received from our patriot fathers, and which he fought to perpetuate. Such men have no compromise to make with traitors, but will again bear arms in defence of our glorious Union, if necessity demands it. And to such men the Nation owes an actual debt of gratitude. * * * * *

NINTH O. V. C .- On the 3d of October, 1862, Governor Tod received instructions from the President to raise three regiments of cavalry. to be known as the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth O. V. C. A short time previous to this, Captain W. D. Hamilton, of the Thirty-second O. V. I., then stationed at Winchester, Va., had heen ordered from the field to recruit another company of that regiment ; he had fifty men for that purpose, when the regiment, with a number of others. was captured by "Stonewall" Jackson, Septem- ber 15th, 1862. Captain Hamilton reported for instructions to the Governor, who assigned him the duty of organizing a cavalry command, to be known as the Ninth O. V. C. The men recruited for the captured regiment, formed the nucleus. and the remainder was raised in the eastern portion of the State. They rendezvoused at Zanesville. On the first of December, three companies were transferred to complete the Tenth O. V. C., then organizing at Cleveland. The four remaining companies were designated the First Battalion of the Ninth O. V. C., and were ordered to Camp Dennison, and afterwards. (April 23d, ) to report for field duty, at Lexing- ton, Kentucky. It was then ordered to Clay county, to drive out a rebel force and protect the country. The battalion, consisting of 300 effective men, moved forward. driving the enemy from the mountainous regions, and established its camp at Manchester. It remained in this ro- gion, having frequent skirmishes with the enemy. until the 15th of June, when an expedition was planned to penetrate into East Tennessee, to as- certain the true condition of the inhabitants, and to destroy some extensive factories belonging to Knoxville. The whole force consisted of about 2,000 mounted men, in which were 200 of the Battalion. On the night of the 16th of June.

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this force crossed the Cumberland river at Williamsburg, and moved toward Big Creek Gap, a rebel stronghold, commanding one of the entrances into East Tennessee, between Cumberland Gap and Knoxville. The main road to this point crossed a spur of the Cumber- land Mountains, at Pine Mountain Gap, a strong pass, which was held by the enemy. By a strategic movement, the rebels were surprised and nearly all captured, without firing a gun. Next morning the command moved toward Big Creek Gap, and when within about twelve miles, the Battalion being in advance, the enemy . was encountered, and skirmishing kept up until they were driven within their works at the Gap. The enemy evacuated, and without opposition, the command accomplished its designs.

On the night of the 13th of April, an Alabama regiment surrounded a barn in which the men were sleeping, shot two of the sentinels, and, after a short struggle, succeeded in capturing Captain Hetzler, Second Lieutenant Knapp, and thirty-nine men. The remainder of the company escaped and reported ait head-quarters, near the shoals, where they arrived the next evening. The remaining three companies were pushed for- ward with all speed, but failed to rescue the prisoners. The non-commissioned officers and men were sent to Andersonville prison. Eight months after the capture, a report from Orderly Sergeant Kennedy, showed that twenty-five of the number had died ; Captain Hetzler and Lieu- tenant Knapp were sent to Columbia, South Carolina. Lieutenant Knapp, after two unsuc- cessful efforts to escape, in which he was re-taken by the aid of blood-hounds, finally succeeded in reaching Knoxville, Tennessee, after traveling three weeks, principally at night, securing food and assistance from negroes. At one time he heard the hounds on his trail, and again would have been captured, but for the generous assist- ance of a negro", who, after giving him something to eat, said : "Now, bress de Lord, Massa Yank, you jist trust me, and we'll fool dem dogs. You trot along fust, den I'll come too, steppin in yo tracks. Go 'bout half a mile, den you come to some watah ; you take right thru dat, den I'll on 'tother way. See, dem dogs is used ter huntin' niggers, day knows de smell, an likes ter follow de black man's foot." "But," said the Lieutenant, surprised at this singular offer, "the dogs will catch you, and probably tear you in pieces." "Oh, Massa," said he, "let dis nigger 'lone fur dat, I'se fooled dem dogs afore, fur de Yanks ; and bress de Lord. I'll try it agin. Now trot along Massa, fur I hear dem dogs a cummin'!" Shortly after crossing the pond. the Lieutenant heard the hounds howling in the direction taken by the negro, and he was no longer disturbed by them. He afterward joined the regiment at Savannah. Georgia, in January, 1865. Capt. Hetzler re- mained a prisoner until near the close of the war, when he was exchanged.

When it became known that the rebels re- ceived large supplies over the Atlanta & West

Point Railroad, it was desirable to destroy it. Of the 2500 men chosen to do this, 700 were from the Ninth Cavalry. The command started as secretly as possible, desiring to strike the road anywhere between the extreme point guarded by General Johnston's troops, and Montgomery, Alabama.

It left Decatur on the Ioth of July. For three days the command moved unmolested, except by bushwhackers. In the evening of the third day, the command reached the Coosa River, and found a force of the enemy preparing to dispute its pas- sage. A contest ensued, in which the enemy suf- fered severely. On the evening of July 17th, the command reached the village of Sochapolka, on the railroad, thirty miles east of Montgomery, and about two hundred miles south of Decatur. It was almost exhausted, yet went immediately to work to destroy the road. For a few days the com- mand was engaged in this work, and was at- tacked several times, in the rear and front, by the enemy. The expedition traveled, on an average, twenty hours per day, and effectually destroyed twenty-five miles of an important railroad, one hundred miles beyond the rebel lines, and sus- tained comparatively small loss. The Ninth Cav- alry lost twenty-six men, mostly captured while foraging. Having accomplished its purpose, it started in a northeasterly direction, and reached General Sherman's lines, near Marietta, on July 22d.

Wonderful presence of mind and courage : Four hundred and fifty men of the regiment, who had been dismounted while with Colonel Garrard, were ordered to Nashville, to procure horses. On the night of the 2d of September, while the train containing the men was passing Big Shanty. Georgia, it was thrown from the track, and six cars were demolished. The enemy, concealed beside the track, opened fire on the wreck. The fire was returned, and the cowards fled. One man was killed, and three wounded by the accident, and two killed and five wounded by the enemy's fire. Failing to procure horses at Nashville, the regiment proceeded to Louisville, where it ob- tained them, and returned to Nashville, en route for the front. .

The regiment proceeded to Chattanooga, en route for Atlanta, and became identified with the cavalry division of General Sherman's army to the coast-sharing its victories and hardships. The services of the cavalry being no longer nec- essary, the Ninth was ordered home, and on the 2d of August, 1865, turned over its colors and property to the State, and was mustered out.

TENTH O. V. C .- This regiment was author- ized and commissioned by Governor Tod ; organ- ized at Camp Taylor, in October, 1862, and or- dered to the front at Murfreesboro. Subsequent- ly, at the battle of Chickamauga, one company, commanded by Lieutenant (afterwards Captain) Haynie, acted as escort to General Granger, the main portion of the regiment being ordered to guard communications in the rear. Atter the bat- tle, the Tenth was ordered up the Sequatchie Val- ley. to guard the country against guerillas, under

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Champ Ferguson, a noted rebel bandit of that lo- cality. While occupying this valley, performing the duties allotted to it, a portion of the regiment was detailed to accompany a detachment of the Fifteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, on a scout into East Tennessee, under command of Captain Pal- mer, of the last named regiment. During this time (about three months), they were almost daily engaged with the enemy attached to the rebel Gen. Longstreet's command. At one time they engag- ed and defeated a force of three hundred Indians, and two hundred North Carolinians, led by Gov- ernor Vance, of North Carolina, whom they cap- tured, together with one hundred men, and his wagon train, ere they could ascend the mountain, at the base of which they were attacked. This scout effectually rid that part of the State from banditti, of every kind.

The great "March to the Sea" was inaugurated -and proved a serious work for the cavalry, as well as other forces. The Tenth was more fre- quently engaged than the other regiments, be- cause it had a fashion of using the sword oftener than the gun.

"They flee before our fierce attack ! They fall ! They spread in broken surges. Now, comrades, bear our wounded back, And leave the foeman to his dirges."

These lines are an epitome of their career, now familiar as household words at many a fireside.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SECOND O. V. I. -This regiment was recruited in the counties of Muskingum, Morgan, Coshocton and Guernsey. Companies A, B, D, E, and H, were mustered into the United States service at Camp Zanesville, on the 30th of September, 1862 ; Company C, the 3d ; G, 5th ; and F. the 6th of October ; I and K, and the Field and Staff, October the 8th. The regiment left Zanesville on the steamers Powell and Patton, for Parkersburg, Virginia, and be- came a part of the Second Brigade, Milroy's Di- vision, which was ordered on an expedition up the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac. and, in a blinding snow storm, the regiment be- gan its first march. June 13th, 1863, Companies A and F met the advance of J. E. B. Stewart's raid, on the Strasburg road, and, after a brisk skirmish, retired to Winchester. The next day, the entire regiment was engaged, and at night, with other troops, forced a way through the rebel lines, and marched to Harper's Ferry. The reg- iment Jost several officers and men captured, some of whom were not exchanged until April, 1865. It spent one night on Bolivar Heights, and upon the evacuation of Maryland Heights, it accom- panied the heavy guns and public stores to Georgetown, D. C. It moved through Washing- ton City, and thence, by rail, to Frederick, where it was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Third Army Corps. The brigade then marched against Lee, crossed the Potomac, pass- ed Loudon Heights by the road around their northern base, marched southward along the east- ern slope of the Blue Ridge, passed through Man-

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History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794, Part 65

Author: Everhart, J. F; Graham, A. A., Columbus, Ohio, pub Publication date: 1882 Publisher: [Columbus, O.] : F.J. Everhart & Co. Number of Pages: 600

Author: Everhart, J. F; Graham, A. A., Columbus, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: [Columbus, O.] : F.J. Everhart & Co.
Number of Pages: 600