History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 40

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In two hours after the men had surfeited on the good things, all but forty or fifty had left town for their homes in the country. The remaining ones took sup per at the hall, and about thirty were present at breakfast on Monday morning. There were three hundred and fifteen men who re-enlisted. About one hundred were left behind who had not reenlisted, and were, of course, not entitled to the veteran furlough. No accident occurred to mar the joys of the occasion, and no impropriety was manifested during the day.

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As the men marched along their way from the depot to the front of the hall, between lines of cheering citizens, they appeared grave, silent, and almost sad. In fact, they were travel-worn, weary, and hungry. Their march was not a holiday parade; they moved steadily and slowly along, without noise or demonstration of emotion whatever. As they took position in front of the hall, and listened to the words of welcome, some countenances in the ranks were momentarily lighted by an expression of satisfaction. There was a total absence of everything gay, or gaudy, or frivolous about them. But behind those bronzed faces could be seen the deep determination of brave, patriotic men, who had tasted war and knew its perils, and were still determined to endure more for the flag and the Union. Beneath the soiled and battered caps on their heads there were brains sufficient to organize and conduct the affairs of a State; underneath the ragged blouses were big, brave, noble hearts, ready to dare and to do for their country. And, although the external appearance of the men as they stood plainly indicated that they were in want of the bath, the barber, and the tailor to fit them for parlor entertainments in the lives they had lea in the homes they had left for the tented field, there were thousands present who knew that each man was a precious jewel, whether placed in the storm of battle for his country, or in the discharge of civic duties in social or political life. "God bless the boys," was the heartfelt utter- ance of thousands on that day.

No doubt equal merit should be awarded to hundreds of thousands of our volunteers from other localities, but as we are writing the history of Sandusky county, of course it is our special duty to mention our own soldiers.

AGAIN TO THE FRONT.

On the 5th of April, 1864, the regiment reassembled at Fremont and moved to Cleveland, Ohio. During the furlough considerable recruiting was done, and the regiment returned to the front with nearly five hundred men. It next moved, April 8th, to Cairo, by railroad, and arrived there on the 10th of the same month; and while there, awaiting river transportation, it was ordered to Paducah, Kentucky, to assist in the defence of that place against Forrest, whose forces made a slight attack on the place, which was repulsed. It re- mained at Paducah until the 22d of April, 1864, when it embarked for Memphis, and arrived there the next day. The regiment here remained quietly in camp, drilling the new recruits, until the 30th of April, when it joined an expedition under General Sturgis, against Forrest. They moved by rail nearly to Wolf River, thirty-eight miles from Memphis, and from there marched to Bolivar, arriving just in time to see the place evacuated. From there the regiment marched with the expedition southward, toward Ripley, Mississippi, but finding no enemy, turned back, and on the 9th of May reached Memphis. The regiment formed part of an expedition which started June 1, 1864, against Forrest. The forces sent on this expedition consisted of twelve regiments of infantry and a division of cavalry. The force encountered Forrest's men at Brice's Cross Roads, Mississippi, and the cavalry began skirmishing. The enemy was in a well chosen position at and behind Tishomingo Creek. The infantry was brought up on the double-quick for several miles, and at once went into action. No attempt was made to establish a line, and the regiments were hurled against the enemy one at a time, and thus each regiment was subjected to great odds, and was badly cut up. To make matters worse, an attempt

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was made to advance the wagon train across the creek, directly under the enemy's fire. This attempt brought great confusion; a retreat was ordered, and the retreat became a panic. A portion of the train was destroyed, and the remainder fell into the hands of the enemy, and the National troops were left without ammunition and without rations. No attempt was made to cover the rear or to secure an orderly retreat. It was a regular stampede, and on the same day of the fight the expedition fell back twenty-three miles, to Ripley. Here an attempt was made to reorganize, but to no purpose: The Seventy- second was the last to retreat from the fight at Guntown or Tishomingo Creek, and the last to reach Ripley. Whitelaw Reid's History of Ohio in the War, says the officer in command of the expedition surrounded himself with cavalry and started for Memphis, leaving the infantry, as he expressively said, "to go to the devil." Why any historian could suppress the name of the wretch who would so imprudently lead-no, not lead, but order-his men to certain destruction, and coward-like ride away and leave them to their fate, seems to be an emphatic omission. The name of the miserable mismanager of this expedition was General Sturgis, and his name should always be connected with that terrible disaster, to shut out all chance for inference that some worthy man who was there might be charged with the slaughter and terrible imprisonment of the brave men who were there sacrificed. In this expedition General Buckland took no part, but was at the time post commander in Memphis, and faithfully doing duty as such, while the immediate command of the Seventy-second devolved on Lieutenant- Colonel Charles G. Eaton, a brave man and noble commander.

The only safety to the infantry from

death or rebel prison lay in reaching Memphis, and to do this the men on foot must outmarch the rebel cavalry. Incredible as it may seem, nine officers and one hundred and forty men of the Seventy- second, reached Germantown on the morning of the 12th; thus marching at the close of a battle without a morsel of food, one hundred miles in forty-one hours. Eleven officers and two hundred and thirty-seven men of the Seventy-second were killed, wounded, or captured. The greater portion were captured, and of these very few returned to the regiment. Many of those who reached Germantown were broken down completely, and on reaching Memphis, where the regiment was transported by rail, many of the men were utterly helpless and could neither walk nor stand.

On the 15th day of June, 1864, five days after the sad affair, Captain Leroy Moore, of Company F, wrote from Meridian, Mississippi, to the Fremont journal, as follows:

MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI, June 15, 1864.

MR. KEELER, SIR :- The following is a list of prisoners from the Seventy-second regiment Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, now at this place. We arrived here this (Wednesday) morning, June 15. The greater number of these men were taken on the 11th and. 12th of June. Quite a number have undoubtedly been since taken, and perhaps some have been killed and wounded, but I have no account of any but the above named. The health of the men is good and they are in excellent spirits, but are very hard up for clothing about one-half being without shoes, and a less number without blankets or coats.

Knowing the anxiety which our friends feel for our welfare, I have concluded to send this to you for publication.

Very respectfully,

LEROY MOORE,

Captain Company F, Seventy-second Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry.

A more complete list was furnished a few days later by Captain J. M. Lemmon, which is published below:

On the 18th of June, 1864, Lieutenant Colonel C. G. Eaton, who commanded

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the Seventy-second regiment in this ex- pedition, made the following report to his superior officer. Of course military dis- cipline would not allow him to criticize General Sturgis' conduct, but the facts stated in the report are sufficient for the purpose. HEADQUARTERS SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT, OHIO VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, June 18, 1864. LIEUTENANT O. H. ABLE, Acting Assistant Adjutant- General First Brigade, First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps:

SIR :- In compliance with special order NO. 39, headquarters First Brigade, First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, dated Memphis, Tennessee, May 31st, 1864, this regiment, as part of the infantry force com- manded by Colonel W. L. McMillen, reported at the Memphis & Charleston depot, at 6 o'clock A. M., June 1st, 1864. From the depot we were transported by rail to a point about three miles east of Colliers-Ville, from whence we proceeded, by slow and easy marches, to our camp on the side-hill, about four miles north of the Hatchie bottom, where we arrived the evening of June 9. The march of the command of which the Seventy-second Ohio formed a part, from Colliersville to this camp, was slow, on account of rainy weather, muddy roads, and being encumbered with a train of some two hundred and fifty wagons. At 6 A. M., June 10, we moved from this camp, marching at a good pace for about nine miles, when I was notified by Captain Buckland, of Colonel McMillen's staff, that the cavalry command was engaged with the enemy in front, and that it would be necessary for me to hurry up my regiment. Accordingly, I moved my regiment at a very rapid pace, some three miles, to the battlefield, where we arrived between z and 3 r. M. The day being extremely hot and sultry, quite a number of my men fell out before we arrived there, being overcome with heat and fatigue. Upon arriving at the battlefield, by order of Colonel W. L. McMillen, commanding infantry division, the Seventy-second regiment was stationed on the left of the line, to support Miller's battery-which was immediately on its right-and cover the road to the rear. The battery was stationed on a hill in front of a log house, the right of the Seventy- second resting near the battery, and the regiment extending to the left nearly to the foot of the hill. In front of the Seventy-second, about two hundred and fifty yards, was another hill, on top of which were stationed n. few rebels, concealed by bushes and a rail fence. The space between the Seventy-second and the rebel line was an open field, giving us a good opportunity to see any advance on the part of the enemy. I had five companies deploy as skirmishers to the front, and to the right. They

kept up a little skirmishing with the enemy for about an hour and a half, when Colonel Wilkins, commanding brigade, ordered me to withdraw my regiment from the position on the left of the line, and to form it in line, so that the left would rest about one hundred yards to the right of Miller's battery. Colonel Wilkins informed me that the object of this movement was to protect the cavalry while they should retreat across the bridge to the rear. Accordingly, I withdrew my regiment, with the exception of the five companies which had previously been deployed as skirmishers, but had not arrived at the position where I was ordered to establish my regiment, before the five companies deployed as skirmishers were heavily engaged with the skirmishers of the enemy. I suggested to Colonel Wilkins the propriety of moving my regiment back to its former position, for the reason that, if the enemy should drive back my five skirmish companies, it would enable him to pass up the road to our rear, thereby cutting us off from retreat in case of disaster, and also enable him to destroy the large train of ammunition and commissary stores. Colonel Wilkins, seeing how much damage the enemy could do by forcing back the left of our line, consented to my returning to my first position.

As soon as my regiment arrived at the first position, a heavy line of the enemy's skirmishers, which extended quite a distance beyond the left of my skirmish line, was seen advancing across the open field. I formed my command so as to give my men a good range of that part of the enemy's line of skirmishers which extended beyond the left of my line of skirmishers. A few volleys fired by my command caused the enemy to withdraw. Just at this moment I discovered that the whole infantry command, with the exception of my regiment, was retreating. In a very few minutes, Colonel McMillen, in person, ordered me to hold my position until all of the other regiments should have crossed a creek and swamp to our rear, to the end that they might have time to form a new line of battle about half a mile in the rear. By the time the last regiment had crossed, the enemy was advancing from the right, left, and front of my position, and it was almost by chance that my regiment escaped being captured. After crossing the creek and swamp, Colonel McMillen ordered me to march my regiment along with the train, keeping the right hand side of the road, This I did until I arrived at a house on a ridge about half a mile to the rear of the battlefield, where General Grierson suggested that I should station my regiment behind a rail fence, to protect the train until it should all have passed this point. This suggestion I con- sidered a good one, and immediately formed my regiment in line on the right hand side of the road, where I remained until the last wagon passed. Again I moved my command to the rear, keeping the right hand side of the road, as directed. We had gone

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but a few rods when the teamsters near the middle of the train began to destroy their wagons by setting them on fire, thus blockading the road so that all the wagons in the rear of those destroyed had to be abandoned. Seeing that no new line of battle was established, and that all the rest of the command were continuing to retreat, and receiving no order from my superiors in command, I continued to march to the rear, until I arrived on the hill on the north side of the Hatchie bottoms, where I ordered my regiment to halt, intending to allow the men a rest of about an hour, as they were getting very much fatigued, having marched about eight miles from the battlefield without rest. The regiment had hardly halted when an aide to General Sturgis, in the name of the General, ordered me to keep up the retreat still further to the rear.

In obedience to these orders I again moved my command to the rear until I arrived on the ground where my regiment had bivouacked the night previous. My men, overcome by fatigue, having marched some twelve miles from the battlefield, without rest, I ordered a halt intending to remain until I should receive orders from some of my superiors in command. About half an hour afterward Colonel Warren's brigade of cavalry came up and the commanding officer ordered to move my command to Ripley. I enquired by what authority he gave me such orders. He replied, "By order of General Sturgis." Again I moved my command to the rear, and came up with General Sturgis and Colonel McMillen at a bridge crossing a creek about six miles south of Ripley. Colonel McMillen ordered me to continue the retreat to Ripley, which I did, arriving there at 5 o'clock the following morning having in twenty-three hours, marched a distance of thirty-eight miles, and engaged the enemy two hours. At a little before 7 o'clock Colonel McMillen sent an aid (Lieutenant Livings), ordering me as the senior officer of the brigade then present, to immediately move the brigade on the Salem road following the cavalry, with instructions to have the armed men organized so as to be available at a moment's warning. Only three regiments were in motion before Colonel D. C. Thomas, Ninety-third Indiana infantry, came up and assumed command. After marching about two miles Captain Fernald, of Colonel McMillen's staff, ordered me to keep well closed up on the cavalry, which was the last order I received that day from any of my superior officers.

About eight miles from Ripley the enemy tired into the centre of the regiment from the left hand side of the road, which caused a slight delay of the left companies, thereby forming quite a gap between the fourth and fifth companies. The cavalry in advance began to march at such a rapid pace that it became utterly impossible for infantry to keep closed up with them-but the organization of my regiment was still kept up, keeping as close to the cavalry in

front as possible. After marching about two miles further, the Fourth Missouri cavalry, which was acting as. rear guard to the whole command, suddenly made a rush to the front, riding through the ranks of my regiment, causing the men to scatter in all directions to avoid being ridden over; at the same time the enemy made an attack on the rear. My men, being wholly out of ammunition, and seeing that it was absolutely necessary to rid themselves of all encumbrances in order to avoid being captured, broke their guns and destroyed their accoutrements by cutting them in pieces. They then pressed rapidly forward, with the intention of keeping up with the cavalry and saving themselves if possible; but the majority of them being overcome by the excessive heat of the day and the long and rapid march, were compelled to leave the road and seek safety in the woods. However, one hundred and forty-three of my command kept pace with the cavalry, and arrived at Colliersville about 8 o'clock the following morning, having marched a distance of nearly ninety miles in forty-eight hours. After resting part of the. day at Colliersville, these men became so stiffened as to require assistance to enable them to walk, some of them, too foot-sore to stand upon their feet, crawled upon their hands and knees to the cars.

When I left Ripley in the morning my command had three hundred and twenty guns, and averaged about eight rounds of ammunition to the man. Eleven officers and two hundred and thirty-five enlisted men have not yet returned to Memphis. They are most of them undoubtedly prisoners of war in the hands of the enemy. Of the officers and men under my command, I have just reasons for feeling proud. Not an officer or man did I see who failed to do his whole duty, and none of them surely are responsible for any part of the disaster.

C. G. EATON,

Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Seventy-second regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

On the 19th of June, 1864, Captain J. Mack Lemmon sent the following letter, which was published in the Fremont journal of the following week:

MEMPHIS, TENN., June 19, 1864.

EDITOR JOURNAL: Enclosed I send you a complete list of names of missing officers and men of the Seventy-second Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, in the retreat from Guntown, June 10 and 11, 1864. It is hoped-though hardly possible-that some may yet come in. Prisoners who made their escape from the rebels report that our men were well treated when they fell into rebel hands. The loss of the expedition will amount to very nearly two thousand killed, wounded, and missing; besides, we have lost one hundred and eighty wagons, sixteen pieces of artil-

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lery, about thirty ambulances, and two thousand animals. Major General A. J. Smith has been placed in command of the active forces here, and we may now look for better results.

Respectfully, J. MACK LEMMON,

Captain Seventy-second Ohio Infantry.

The following is a list of the officers and men of the Seventy-second Ohio, who were missing:

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Captain Andrew Nupher, commanding Company D. Captain Leroy Moore, commanding Company F. Captain Charles L. Dirlam, commanding Company K. First Lieutenant John B. Gillmore, Company F. First Lieutenant Lorenzo Dick, commanding Company H.

Second Lieutenant Edward McMahon, Company F. Second Lieutenant Zelotus Perrin, Company K.

Second Lieutenant Jay Winters, Company B.

Second Lieutenant Morris Rees, Company D. Second Lieutenant David Van Doren, Company G. Second Lieutenant Josiah Fairbanks, Company I.

NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF.

Hospital Steward G. A. Gessner. Principal Musician James Drinkwater.

COMPANY A.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant S. K. Dwight.

Sergeant H. N. Lay,

Sergeant J. N. Wadams.

Sergeant W. Woolverton.

Sergeant C. N. Davis.

Corporal W. G. Miller.

Corporal A. L. Bush.

Corporal A. Bradbury.

Corporal Charles Boyd.

Corporal S. Chadwick.

Musician William Fega.

PRIVATES.

A. Almond, T. Babcock, F. Babcock, G. Burkett, Andrew German, Jacob Helsel, Augustus Harris, Z. Hutchinson, William Hinton, Jesse Hemp, Frank Lay, A. Murry, L. McCarty, N. B. Mason, Henry Miller, Valentine Ott, Morris Pilgrim, Noble Perrin, Almon Rodgers, E. Rorebach, William Ross, A. Simmerson, W. Sturtivant, L. Wentworth, Eli Whitaker, John Whitaker.

COMPANY B. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant W. Millious. Sergeant W. F. McEntyre.

Sergeant John Collins. Corporal Christ Bower. Corporal G. W. Camp.

PRIVATES.

J. F. Adams, D. Bruner, C. H. Bennett, H. Bischoff, M. Cowell, John Dardis, F. M. Engler, A. T. Fisher, T. H. Fisher, J. F. Faust, Peter Gurst, F. Hollager, Thomas Hearly, P. Mulrain, B. E. McIntyre, S. P. Obermier, H. Overmyer, A. Polley, Sol Stage, H. B. Whitaker, M. Rubels.

COMPANY C. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Corporal A. Brackley.

Corporal Jacob Huffman.

Corporal Jeremiah Heath.

Corporal Hiram Edgar.

Corporal J. P. Heritage.

PRIVATES.

J. C. Beery, John L. Cook, Emanuel Smith, John Whitcome, Daniel Shoe, Ed Chapman, J. Hutchinson, Lewis Edgar, W. C. Tearn, David Henline, John P. King, R. Kelvington, M. Lattig, S. Overmyer, Fred Smith, Henry Martin, H. E. Hassenplug, Owen Hudnell, Jacob Bunket, George Lowe.

COMPANY D. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant John Carbaugh.

Sergeant Perry Chance.

Sergeant William Duke.

Corporal George Albert.

Corporal Solomon Cook.

Corporal Franklin Grove.

Corporal Elijah Neible.

Musician J. Sherwood.

PRIVATES.

Henry Basor, Joseph Beam, Orson Bower, M. Cuthbertson, H. Ewing, James Findley, George Grove, James Hales, Jacob Ludwig, J. McDaniel, Charles Piper, John Purcell, John Reese, Conrad Sheller, Fred Visher, John Walter.

COMPANY E. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant L. A. Jackson.

Sergeant J. P. Elderkin.

Sergeant Jacob Snyder.

Sergeant D. J. Hagarty.

Sergeant Jacob Baker.

Corporal Fred Stattler.

Corporal William Furry.

Corporal M. S. Haines.

Corporal R. W. Medkirk.

Corporal George Eslibe.

PRIVATES.

B. C. Beach, J. Gullenbeck, C. J. McGurnsey, Henry Innus, Martin Lochner, Hetiry Potter, M.

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Stateler, A. Shoemaker, William Stewart, A. J Zink.

COMPANY F. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant E. B. Moore.

Sergeant T. N. Russell.

Corporal I. A. Entsminger.

Corporal A. Brunthaver.

PRIVATES.

Andrew Barto, A. R. Ballard, Chris Beck, William Craft, Ira Crane, H. W. Chamberlain, J. S. Duerler, J. M. Gillmore, George Hawk, Louis Hawk, John Johnson, Thomas Jackson, William H. Kirk, Hiram Neff, James Nesbit, Sardis Patterson, Chaun Reynolds, William Repp, Orrin Russell, Henry Shook, Jerry Scanlon,, Martin Saner, William Scrimeger, T. Whittington.

COMPANY G.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant Joseph L. Turner. Corporal John Warner. Corporal Charles Kramb.

Musician C. Engle.

PRIVATES.

S. Blackman, W. S. Crain, F. Eslewooder, W. H. French, E. Frankenburg, Charles Harley, A. Mulchey, Philip Moses, John Mowery, W. H. McEnally, William Seitt, Platt Soper, C. Thompson, DeWitt C. Vance.

COMPANY H.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant Charles Hobert. Sergeant J. S. Welch. Corporal Christ Molter. Corporal G. Everhardt. Corporal Fred Bimmick.

Musician J. H. Rose.

PRIVATES.

Morris Aubrey, C. Benedict, Jacob Fessler, William Frank, Fred Frank, Chris Gardner, Martin Killian, Theobald Kirsch, Louis Muth, John Michael, Michael Nice, Joseph Orth, Andrew Spaeth, Henry Stoll, Marcus Wolf, Fred Wermer, Michael Weaver.

COMPANY I. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant Chaun Walters.

Sergeant Lewis Monroe.

PRIVATES.

Dan Brienman, Charles Caldwell, William Eckert, Thomas Flinn, D. A. Goodrich, H. K. Hurlbut, A. Hoilman, P. C. Miller, Perry Walters, Michael Walters.

COMPANY K.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant H. B. Turrill.

Sergeant J. W. Prickett.

Sergeant W. Baumgartner.

Sergeant L. Albershardt.

Sergeant Michael Burns.

Sergeant George W. Cox.

Sergeant Thomas Cavanaugh.

Sergeant William Chrisman.

Sergeant Pat Donoughe.

Sergeant Patrick Handley.

PRIVATES.

A. E. Inloes, Philip King, Henry McCabe, John Ollendick, Elijah Purdy, Joseph Service, J. A. Woerner, R. WEbster, E. Williamson.

Enlisted men missing 237

Officers missing 11

Total 248

These communications present a sad view of the terrible consequence of a military blunder in the officer-Sturgis-in command of the expedition. The indignation of the returned men was such that General Sturgis found it prudent to keep out of sight and out of reach of their fury. And, although more than seventeen years have elapsed since this terrible scene was enacted, such is the indignation of the surviving men of the Seventy-second, that any insurance policy on General Sturgis' life would be collectable soon after any of them should find him in the county.

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History of Sandusky County Ohio with Illustrations 1882, Part 40

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