History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 37

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ception on its arrival at Louisville. Two boats lashed together, conveying the regi- ment, approached the wharf at Louisville, while the regimental band was playing National airs. Its arrival was a surprise to military headquarters, and as the regiment debarked, the people received them with great enthusiasm. As they marched from the landing, the citizens formed in the rear and marched with them through the principal streets to the headquarters of General Anderson. The General appeared on the balcony of the hotel, and welcomed the regiment in a short address. To this address General Gibson responded, and tradition says that his response was full of that soul- stirring, heart-warming eloquence in behalf of the Union cause for which he is so celebrated wherever he speaks on the great theme of Union and liberty.

A magnificent dinner for the regiment was given at the Louisville hotel by the citizens, and the men of the regiment were magnificently entertained. In the evening of the same day the regiment started from Louisville by railroad for Lebanon junction, to report to General W. T. Sherman, then at that point. The next morning it crossed the Rolling Fork, wading the river, and marched to Elizabethtown and went into camp at Muldsdraugh's Hill. Here the regiment re- mained until the 10th of October, when it moved to Nolan Creek, and went into Camp Nevin.

The Forty-ninth regiment was soon after assigned to the Sixth Brigade under com- mand of General R. W. Johnson, of the Second Division of the Army of Ohio. On the 10th of December, 1861, the Second Division moved to Mumfordsville, on the Green River, and drove the rebels to the opposite side of the river, and established Camp Wood. On the 17th of December the National pickets from the Thirty-second Indiana Infantry, on the south side of

Green River, were attacked by Hinman's Arkansas Brigade and Terry's Texas Ran- gers. In sending troops to the relief of the pickets, the Forty-ninth Ohio was the first to cross the river, followed by the Thirty-ninth Indiana. The enemy was met and repulsed, Colonel Terry, one of the rebel commanders, being killed.

The regiment remained at Camp Wood perfecting itself in discipline and drill until the lath of February, 1862, when it left the camp for Bowling Green, Kentucky. It marched thence towards £ Nashville, Tennessee, which place it reached on the 3d of March, 1862, and established there Camp Andrew Johnson. From this camp it moved on the 16th of March with Buell's army, to join General Grant's forces at Pittsburg Landing, and arrived there on the 6th of April. Here Colonel Gibson took command of the brigade, leaving the Forty-ninth regiment under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel A. M. Blackman. The regiment went into the fight at 11 o'clock in the morning, occupying the left of the brigade, and next to Crittenden's division. This position was maintained under a terrible fire from the enemy until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when, with the enemy in full retreat, the regiment stacked arms and lay down to rest. In this battle the regiment twice successfully performed the hazardous feat of changing front under fire.

The Forty-ninth then moved towards Corinth. The other portions of the army had some severe fighting at Bredges's Creek, and at other points on the way, and entered Corinth with the army on the 30th of May, 1862. From Corinth it was sent in pursuit of the enemy, passing through Jericho, Iuka, and other points to Tuscumbia, Alabama, and Florence, crossing the river at Florence. Thence it marched to Battle Creek, Tennessee. At this time

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Bragg's army was found to be threatening Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, and the Forty-ninth was put in pursuit of him. On the march from Battle Creek, Tennessee, the Union forces were urged forward with all the speed the men could endure, and they suffered terribly from exhaustion, intense heat of the weather and from want of water and rations. These sufferings were, however, born with fortitude by the men, and the apprehension that their own Ohio might be invaded by rebels nerved them to most extraordinary endurance and hard marches. The regiment reached Louisville on the 29th of September, where, after a few clays rest, the march in pursuit of the enemy was resumed. Moving out on the Frankfort turnpike, through Shelbyville, driving the enemy before them, Frankfort was reached on the 5th of October in time to disperse the rebel troops gathered there to guard the inauguration of Captain Dick Hawes as rebel Governor of Kentucky. The march was resumed on the morning of the 7th of October, under orders to join the main army, the junction being made the day following the battle of Perryville. During the whole of the march from Louisville to Perryville, there was daily skirmishing. At Lawrence and Dog Walk brisk engagements were fought, in each of which the Forty-ninth Ohio was conspicuously engaged, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Levi Drake. Pursuing the enemy to Crab Orchard the regiment, with its brigade and division, marched to Bowling Green. Thence it marched toward Nashville, and on the 5th of November was with the advance that raised the siege of that city. The regiment then went into camp at Mill Creek, where it remained until the 26th day of December. On the 26th of December, 1862, General Rosecrans then, in

command of the Army of the Cumberland, commenced his movement on Murfreesboro. The Forty-ninth moved out of Nashville, on Nelsonville turnpike, with the right wing, under Major General McCook, and after constant skirmishing found itself in line of battle on the extreme right of the Union army before Murfreesboro, on the evening of the 30th of December, 1862. At six o'clock the next morning Kirk's brigade was furiously assaulted by the enemy, and giving way was pressed back on the Forty-ninth, which at once became engaged, and was in its turn borne back by overwhelming numbers to the Nashville turnpike, a distance of a mile and a half from the point of encounter. In this resistance to the rebel forces the Forty-ninth sustained an incessant conflict of nine hours' duration.

The following morning the regiment was sent to reconnoiter on the right and rear of the main army. Returning from this duty, it rejoined its brigade, and that day was more or less engaged, operating on the extreme right of the army, in connection with Stanley's cavalry. On Friday, January 2, it occupied a position in reserve to the centre until late in the afternoon, when, upon the repulse of Van Cleve's division on the left, it was ordered, with its brigade, to retrieve the fortunes of the day on that part of the field. It joined in a magnificent bayonet charge, which resulted in recovering the lost ground, and a severe defeat of the enemy.

The Forty-ninth went into this battle with the entire field and staff officers present. At its close it was under command of junior Captain S. F. Gray. The capture of General Willich placed Colonel Gibson, of the Forty- ninth, in command of the brigade. Lieutenant Colonel Drake was killed while bravely cheering on his men. Major Porter was wounded, and all the senior captains present were either

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killed or wounded. It should be noted here that, before this battle, Captain J. R. Bartlett had been promoted to the office of major, and was not in the immediate command of Company F, but served during the fight.

For a time after this battle the Forty-ninth was engaged in various foraging expeditions, wherein it had frequent encounters with the enemy, and lost a number of men.

From Murfreesboro, the regiment marched, on the 24th of June, 1863, and found the enemy strongly posted at Liberty Gap, to dispute the further advance of the Union forces. The Forty-ninth was attached to the First brigade, which was at once formed in line of battle, and, after some hard fighting, the Forty-ninth assaulted the enemy's works on a high hill, advanced upon him, scaled the heights in the face of severe fire, and drove the enemy from that position, and compelled him to fall back upon another equally strong position about a mile in the rear.

On the following day the National forces attacked the enemy again in the new po- sition. The Forty-ninth was brought into action about 3 o'clock p. m., after other troops had been engaged several hours. The regiment was selected to attack the enemy's centre, which rested in a valley, while the flanks rested upon the hill, on both sides. Here the Forty-ninth adopted a new method of attack, which had then lately been introduced, by the formation of four ranks, and to advance while firing. This method of attack proved efficient in this case, and the enemy's centre was soon .broken, and the position occupied by the Union army. Without further fighting, the brigade, with the Forth-ninth, reached Tullahoma July 1, and the regiment then went into camp. At the bloody battle of Chickamauga

the Forty-ninth did great service, and dis- played the fighting qualities of veterans. It made a charge on the right of the enemy, drove him out of a dense wood, and captured two pieces of artillery.

The next day the Forty-ninth was con- stantly engaged in various parts of the field, and accomplished a brilliant exploit in connection with Goodspeed's Battery, the Fifteenth Ohio, and other troops, which, it is claimed, saved Thomas' Corps from being swept from the field.

In the battle of Mission Ridge the Forty- ninth shone with conspicuous gallantry, and was amongst the first to plant its colors on the summit of the ridge. It next moved with Granger's Corps to the relief of Burnside's forces at Knoxville. This march was of the most severely trying nature upon the troops. The weather was intensely cold, and snow was on the ground. The men were almost naked, and without shoes, and the rations were exhausted. Like the march from Valley Forge in the Revolutionary War, the army could be tracked by the bloody foot marks of the indomitable patriots who went out to save the Union. And yet these brave men did not complain, but were eager to be led against the foes of their country who were also the foes of liberty. At Strawberry Plain they heard that Burnside had repulsed Longstreet, and as he was no longer in need of relief the National troops returned to Chattanooga. At the heel of all this suffering, the men of the Forty-ninth were called upon the re-enlist for the war. To this call a prompt response was given in the affirmative. The regiment returned to Ohio to enjoy its veteran furlough of thirty days. At Tiffin, its place of organization, the regiment was received with every possible manifestation of respect and honor. Judge John K. Hord, now of the Cleveland Bar, but formerly a citizen of Tiffin,

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welcomed the brave men in an eloquent speech in their praise, which was responded to by Colonel Gibson and other officers of the regiment.

Thirty days, oh! how brief to the soldier who returns after three years absence, to see his father, mother, wife, children and friends, and meantime hear the plaudits, and enjoy the feastings and manifestations of honor from a grateful people, for whom he has encountered danger and toiled and suffered. Still true to country, with the instinctive patriotism of the Union soldier, the Forty-ninth in due time reported at the headquarters of the Fourth Army Corps at Cleveland, Tennessee.

At this time the National forces were concentrating and reorganizing at Cleveland, Tennessee, and making all things ready for the campaign against Atlanta, Georgia. Here the Forty-ninth was incorporated into the Fourth Army Corps, and the history of that corps is the history of the Forty-ninth regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment participated in the engagements at Dalton, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie River, and Atlanta, suffering severely in the loss of men killed and wounded in all these battles. The regiment pushed on with the army beyond Atlanta, and participated in the battles at Jonesborough, and at Lovejoy's Station, and after abandoning the pursuit of the enemy, returned to camp at Atlanta. The Forty-ninth from

this time was assigned with the Army of the Cumberland to the command of General Thomas who was left to look after the rebel forces under General Hood, who was moving toward Nashville.

In the movements of Thomas' forces the Forty-ninth Ohio, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Strong, fully sustained its reputation for bravery and military skill, and bore a prominent part in many

skirmishes and displayed great courage and efficiency in the battles of Franklin and Nashville. The battle of Nashville occurred in December, 1864, and on the 15th and 16th of that month the regiment made several brilliant charges and suffered severely in killed and wounded.

After this battle and after returning from the pursuit of Hood's army, the regiment went into camp at Huntsville, Alabama, where it remained until the middle of March, 1865. It then moved by rail into East Tennessee and went into camp at Greenville. On its return from the expedition to Nashville the regiment was, on the 16th of June, 1864, taken by transports to Texas, by way of New Orleans. Reaching Texas in July, the regiment landed at Victoria, and moved to the interior as far as San Antonio, passing by way of Green Lake and Gonzales. After suffering great hardships in this ser- vice for four months the regiment returned to Victoria, where it was mustered out of service on the 30th day of November, 1865.

The whole number of names on the rolls of the regiment was fifteen hundred and fifty-two. Nineteen were born in Europe, seven hundred and sixty in Ohio, of whom four hundred and forty were from Seneca county. Eight officers were killed in battle, and twenty wounded (six of them mortally). Of the privates, one hundred and twenty- seven were killed in battle, seventy-one were mortally wounded, one hundred and sixty- five died from hardships or disease, and seven perished in rebel prisons at Andersonville and Danville. Six hundred and sixteen were discharged on account of wounds or other disability, five survived with the loss of an arm, and two with the loss of a leg. The killed and mortally wounded of the enlisted men were as one to seven and four-fifths, and the entire deaths as one to

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five and one-sixth. The men of the regiment suffered nine hundred and forty-two gunshot wounds. During two-thirds of his term of service, Colonel Gibson commanded a brigade by virtue of his rank.

Although the Forty-ninth Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer infantry, engaged in the war for the suppression of the Southern Rebellion, was organized in the adjoining county of Seneca, and drew largely and chiefly from the patriotic and able-bodied citizens of that county, Sandusky county, in her exuberance of patriotism, contributed-a company to the regiment, consisting of some of her best and bravest men. The -history of Company F cannot be fully and fairly written without giving an account of its organization, marches, battles, victories, achievements, sufferings and losses of the regiment, of which it formed an important part.

We would here acknowledge that for many of the facts regarding this regiment we are indebted to Colonel J. R. Bartlett, also to Ohio in the War, by Whitelaw Reid, as well as from records kindly submitted for inspection by the Adjutant-General of Ohio.

INCIDENTS AND PERSONAL MENTION.

The following incident, which occurred in the battle of Shiloh, in front of the Forty- ninth regiment, illustrates the appreciation which true soldiers entertain for bravery and desperate daring, when displayed by an enemy. The Forty-ninth made a dashing and sudden charge on the enemy in front of it, and drove them with great precipitation from their position. So sudden was the onset and the retreat, that the rebels forgot their colors, leaving them standing on the ground from which they retired. A storm of bullets were flying after the retreating foe, when the ene- my discovered their forsaken flag, then but a little way in advance of the Forty-ninth. Suddenly a rebel on a white horse was seen

to leave the ranks, coming at full speed back to the flag. As soon as the men of the Forty- ninth realized the object of the desperate attempt to rescue the flag, struck by the bravery and daring of the act, and recognizing his qualities as a soldier devoted to his colors, they instinctively ceased firing and spared the life of the brave fellow while he took the flag and carried it back to his command, without harm. Had they not ceased firing as they did, the man would have been cut to pieces by their volleys.

ORGANIZATION OF COMPANY F.

Captain Joseph R. Bartlett began re- cruiting, or rather enlisting men for Com- pany F, in July, 1861. After obtaining about forty men recruiting became dull and it seemed impossible to obtain a full company in any reasonable time. Charles A. Norton had assisted actively so far in procuring men, and expected to be first lieutenant of the company. Meantime Timothy H. Wilcox had enlisted about forty men to form a company of Home Guards, who were willing to join Captain Bartlett's company, and go into the service, on condition that Mr. Wilcox should have the position of first lieutenant. Mr. Norton generously gave way to Mr. Wilcox, and the men enlisted by the latter entered, and this, with little further effort, soon completed the company, and it went to Camp Noble, near Tiffin, Seneca county, for equipment and drill.

The generosity of Mr. Norton soon met with reward in his appointment to the office of adjutant of the regiment, in which capacity he proved a good soldier and efficient officer during the service.

About the middle of November, 1862, Captain Bartlett's soldierly qualities at- tracted the attention of General I. W. Sill, who appointed him Inspector-General of the Second Division of the Army of the Cumberland, of which General Sill

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was then in command. In December, 1862, General Sill was assigned to another command, and on leaving the division addressed to Inspector Bartlett the following complimentary and friendly letter:

CAMP ON MILL CREEK, December 10, 1862. Captain Bartlett, Acting Division Inspector, Division Aid-de-Camp:

SIR: In parting with you I beg to express my thanks for the zeal and fidelity with which you have performed your duties, and to assure you that if associated in future it will be a source of much gratification, as it is now a source of regret, that I am obliged to separate from you. Whatever be your course hereafter, I doubt not it will be creditable in the highest degree, and I tender you my best wishes for your success and promotion. Very respectfully, your friend,

I. W. SILL, Brigadier-General.

General R. W. Johnson then took command of the division, and continued Captain Bartlett in the same position on his staff that he had held under General Sill, and, until after the battle of Liberty Gap, he acted as chief of staff and Adjutant-General of the division, in addition to the duties of Inspector-General. Captain Bartlett has numerous testimonials of faithful service, and also recommendations for promotion. Amongst these are found commendations and recommendations from Colonel Keufler, commanding Third Brigade, Third Division, Fourth Army Corps; Major-General D. S. Stanley, commanding Fourth Army Corps; Major-General O. O. Howard, formerly com- mander of the same corps; Brigadier-General Thomas J. Wood, commander Third Division, same corps; also Colonel William H. Gibson, afterwards Brigadier-General commanding First Brigade, Third Division.

COMPANY F.

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Captain Joseph R. Bartlett. First Lieutenant Morris E. Tyler. Second Lieutenant Timothy Wilcox.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant John J. Kessler.

Sergeant Israel C. Totten. Sergeant Charles W. England.

Sergeant Levi Laughlin. Sergeant Myron Sweet. Corporal James Maxwell.

Corporal Edward Haff. Corporal Eli Lewman.

Corporal William H. H. Wadsworth.

Corporal David J. Wilson.

Corporal William Whittaker. Corporal John W. Heason.

Corporal Josiah Terry.

Drummer James Michael.

Fifer Thomas P. Folton.

PRIVATES.

(All of Fremont.)

Isaac N. Anderson, David Armstrong, James M Dennison, John Wesley Ash, Lewis Baker, Austin O. Bolton, Gustavus Boesh, David H. Barber, George H. Bearss, Thomas Bovill, Charles S. Bon, James N. Campbell, Eli Chaney, Thomas Clarke, George Davis, Albert Dodge, Jonathan Durfee, Wilson S. Flaugher, LaQuino Fletcher, Benjamin S. Frank, John Frees. Richard Gallagher, George W. Gurst, Charles E. Haskins, Joseph Huntsinger, George W. Heberling, Oscar June, Daniel Jackson, Edward D. Kintz, Cyrus C. Laughlin, Henry O. Marsh, John D. Maine, Henry Markwalter, George Mears, Wesley Miller, Lewis Michael, John L. McAfee, Daniel McSorley, John W. Maxwell, John A. Nash, CharlesA Norton, Jasper Palmer, John Charles Parrish, George H. Phillip, Joshua Powell, James Ragan, James Ramsey, Jeremiah Reed, Phillip Reiling, Moses Rogers, Josiah Rollins, Josiah T. Russell, William B. Richards, George Skinner, Josiah Stocking, Charles Stull, Daniel Sweet, Albert Sweet, Joel G. Sbiats, Jeremiah Smith, John H. Stoner, George J. Ferry, Luther White, George W. Yencer, William J. Yencer.

THE FIFTY-FIFTH REGIMENT OF OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

This regiment went into camp at Norwalk, Ohio, on the 17th of October, 1861. On the 25th of January, 1862, it left Norwalk for Grafton, West Virginia, and after a short stay there it moved to New Creek. It moved by hard marches thence through Romney to Moorefield, where it participated in some skirmishing. It was raised chiefly by the exertions of Colonel John C. Lee, who afterwards became Lieutenant Governor of Ohio. Colonel Lee resigned May 8, 1863, and the command of the regiment devolved on Lieutenant Colo-

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nel Charles Gambee, of Bellevue. Colonel Gambee was killed at the battle of Resaca, on the 15th of May, 1864. On the 1st of January, 1864, three hundred and nineteen of the men of the Fifty-fifth had re-enlisted and returned to Ohio, arriving at Norwalk on the 10th of the same month. On the 4th of March, 1864, it was again encamped in Lookout Valley. It marched through Atlanta with the Twentieth Army Corps, toward the sea coast, and entered Savannah, Georgia, on the 21st of December and camped near that city. After much hard service and suffering, having passed through Goldsboro and Raleigh, on the 30th of April, 1865, it commenced its march to Washington, reaching Richmond on the 11th of May, and on the 18th camped in the vicinity of Alexandria. On the 24th of May, 1865, it crossed the long bridge and participated in the grand review and went into camp near Washington. On the 11th of July, 1865, the Fifty-fifth was mustered out of service, was paid off at Cleveland, Ohio, and discharged on the 19th day of July, 1865.

The fighting qualities of this regiment are displayed in a brief statement. During its term of service it enrolled one thousand three hundred and fifty men, and of these about seven hundred and fifty were either killed or wounded in battle.

A number of good men for this regiment were recruited in Sandusky county in the vicinity of Bellevue. The memoranda furnished the writer gives the names of men of certain companies of the regiment, but does not designate those of Sandusky county from those enlisted from other counties. We therefore give the list as furnished, as the time allowed the writer to finish his work will not permit of further search or investigation into the places of enlistment.

COMPANY A. COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Captain Charles B. Gambee.

First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Eldridge.

Second Lieutenant William H. Long.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant Henry H. Moore.

Sergeant John E. Kunkel.

Sergeant Charles M. Smith.

Sergeant Albert J. Demick.

Sergeant William H. Harringer.

Corporal Lyman Ford.

Corporal Martin O. Smith. Corporal John Stevens.

Corporal John Ryan.

Corporal James W. Saunders. Corporal George H.

Stillson.

Corporal Sidney F. Sinclair.

Corporal Oren J. Stark. Musician Daniel Herring.

Musician George W. Goodell, Wagoner William H. Cryder.

PRIVATES.

Horace B. Adams, Horace A. Bartlett, Nelson Barber, Philip Beckley, Thomas Beckley, Stephen Beckley, James Boughton, Lewis S. Bergstrener, Joseph Ball, James Carrer, John Chenrock, Howard M. Coleman, Albert Chapman, Albert P. Curry William Charrill, Nelson Crockett, Elliot A. Cobb, Alonzo Corser, Henry R. Carrer, Levi Close, Miles Duesler, John J. Duesler, Francis Davis, George G. Deitrich, Uriah M. Eckhart, Martin J. Ford, Benjamin F. Fulkerson, Arthur Franklin, John Grubb William H. Goodson, Francis Gale, Henry Gale, John Gleason, Henry Gerring, George H. Gale, Charles Gale, Charles Haler, Henry J. Hayward Henry Hanney, Theopholis P. Howard, William Hartman, Samuel Henney, William J. Hanson, William Hyde, Dexter R. Jones, Rollin Jacoy, Henry C. James, Thomas A. Kunkel, Jesse Kline, William E. Miller, John Moyer, Charles Mathis, Mandus Mohr, Aretas Miller, James G. Millen, David McCormick, James C. Moon, George W Orning, John Peightle, Silas P. Riley, Elias Smith, William Stegman, Samuel Smith, Elias Stephens, Dewalt J. Swander, James Slinker, Jonas Shoemaker, William E. Sheffield, James Sowards, William Sowards, Ashael P. Smith, Ross C. Treamain, Amaziah Thorp, George W. Todd, Charles H. Welch, Eli C. Wright, George O. Winters, Jefferson Wright, Moses P. Wilt, Russell S. Williams. Benjamin Zimmerman, Martin Kinney, Samuel Hoofnagle, Francis A. Pixlev, Moses H. Smith, James H. Bitting, Sylvester Hevelone, Martin Lauden- schlager, William M. Giles, James J. Null, Milton Crockett, Edward Farnsworth, John Norris, Robert Otis, John Ryan.

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 37

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