History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 37

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers > Part 37

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

Richmond, killed at Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864; George Saur, wounded at Gettysburg; Martin .A. Shrenk, promoted to ordnance sergeant; Eli Stanley, discharged; Emanuel Smith, wounded at Antietanı and discharged; John Teel, wounded in Wilderness; Charles Taylor wounded at Fredericksburgh and dis- charged; William A. Wilson, wounded at Gettys- burg; Louis Zimmerman, wounded at Antietam and clischanged; Simon Louis, discharged; Andrew J. Beith; Myron Watts, wounded at Chancellorsville . and died; George Meyers, wounded at Winchester and discharged; Joseph Gullant, died at Grafton, Virginia, August 27, 1861; George Douglass, died at Grafton, Virginia, August 31, 1861; David A. Lemon, killed at Mine Run, November 27, 1863; John Fisher, wounded at Antietam; C. Shoemaker, died in Ander- sonville prison.

COMPANY G.

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Captain William E. Haynes, promoted to lieu- tenant-colonel Tenth Regiment Ohio cavalry.

First Lieutenant Edward F. Dickinson, promoted to captain, and served as regimental quartermaster,

Second Lieutenant Creighton Thompson, wouud- ed at Antietam, and resigned.

NON-COMMISSONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant Harrison Hoffman.

Sergeant Morris Morrison, died December 9, 1862, at Cumberland, Maryland.

Sergeant Daniel Miller, wounded at Winchester and the Wilderness.

Sergeant Philip Tracy, wounded at Gettysburg, and died July 6, 1863.

Sergeant Cyrus P. Taylor, wounded at Antietam. Corporal Charles W. Arlin.

Corporal John A. Bevington, wounded at Win- chester and Gettysburg.

Corporal Virgil J. Crowel, wounded at Antietam.

Corporal Manville Moore, wounded at Gettysburg, and died at Baltimore.

Corporal William Luckey.

Corporal Samuel S. Thirwictor.

Corporal Rodolphus Dickinson, wounded at Antie- tam.

Corporal James Hagarty, wounded at Gettysburg. Bugler Edward Sheetinzer.

PRIVATES.

Henry Hone, Charles H. Culp, Charles G. Ald- rich, Lewis S. Baker, Nicholas Frunkhouser, Wilbur G. Finch, Peter Grover, John Ghense, Michael Gas- sin; Charles Baker, George J. Bixler, John D. Brady, Charles F. Clark, Albert Fayo, Alvin R. Gossard, Anthony George, Peter J. Hershey, John J. Haynes, James Lordand, David Nighswander, John W. Stone, discharged for disability; David Biddle, died Febru- ary 13, 1863 ; Christian Binkley, Peter Bohler. wounded at Fredericksburg: Orville B. Cole, killed

at Antietam; Bartholomew Conner, George W. Cros- ley, Richard Clark, Tobias M. Edwards, killed at Winchester; Nathaniel G. Foster, wounded at Get- tysburg; John Guither, wounded at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg; John Gazin; John M. Hite, wound- ed at Antietam and discharged; Henry Hernan; Eugene A. Hodges, wounded at Gettysburg; Thos. M. Heffner, Petcr Heidelman, Adam Innes, Jason J. Jack, John W. James; Professor James, wounded at Antietam; William Jacobs, wounded at Fredericks- burg; Matthias Knobble, killed at Fredericksburg; John Keran, killed at Antietam; John M. Roch; Samuel Kepfer, killed at Spottsylvania; Henry Kaettz, John Keefer; Jacob Saemstell, died March 12, 1862, at Cumberland, Maryland; Daniel Sarg, Cornelius Mulachi; Philip Michael, wounded at An- tietam and discharged; Samuel Metzker, died at Cumberland, Maryland; Homer Millious, wounded at Gettysburg; James McKeefer, died in Anderson- ville prison; Anthony Moier, wounded at Antietam and discharged; Austin J. Moore, died at Falmouth, Virginia, April 17, 1863; John Miller, Henry Nahliz, Joseph Orr, Henry Pulaski; John G. Peters, pro- moted to sergeant, and killed at Gettysburg July 3, 1863; George Reinhard, wounded at Antietam and Gettysburg; Francis M. Rivets, wounded at Gettys- burg; Patrick Roch, wounded at Antietam; William Shuher; Jefferson Taylor, died at Grafton, Virginia, September 6, 1861; John M. Vail, Isadore Wentling; Lewis Winegardner, died at Fortress Monroe; Hiram Wing, wounded at Gettysburg and Antietam; John A. Williams, died at Fremont, Ohio, in November, 1862; John Walker, Morris Yates; Absalom Zeducer, wounded at Spottsylvania; Milton Miers, James M. Johnson; Myron Watts, wounded at Chancellorsville; Samuel Nafc.

THE TWENTY-FIFTH OHIO VOLUNTEER IN- FANTRY.

Sandusky contributed a company, or nearly a company, to the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was organized at Camp Chase in June, 1861, and contained men from various localities in all quarters of the State. On the 29th day of July, 1861, it went into service in West Virginia, and was stationed along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, from Oakland to the Ohio River. While there the regi- ment paid attention to bushwhackers which infested the vicinity and broke up several gangs of them, to the great. relief of the forces, as well as the loyal inhabitants. The regiment went through a long course

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

of suffering and arduous service. It was in the battles of Cheat Mountain, Green- briar, Camp Baldwin, Monterey; the en- gagements and marches in the Shenandoah Valley ; in General Pope's campaign along the Rappahannock, in the second battle of Bull Run, at Gettysburg, and a great many battles, and many trying marches.

It re-enlisted on the 15th of January, 1864, and started for home, on veteran furlough, reaching Camp Chase on the 5th of March, 1864. While there, many re- cruits were added to the regiment, and were organized, and called Company B.

On the 16th of February, 1864, the reg- imental flags, which had passed through twenty battles, and under which eighteen color-bearers had been killed or wounded, were presented to Governor Brough, to be placed in the archives of the State, and the regiment received a beautiful new stand of colors.

It served well in the Carolinas, and, in fact, all through the war; and on the 18th of June, 1866, when it held its last parade at Columbus, Ohio, surrendered again its sec- ond set of colors to Governor Cox, and was then mustered out, and discharged, having been in active service over five years.

The following are the men of Sandusky county who enlisted in the Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and who are en- titled to a share of its glory, and the thanks of the country :

COMPANY E. COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Captain Moses H. Crowell, resigned. Captain Michael Murray. First Lieutenant Hezekiah Thomas. Second Lieutenant George W. Iden.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Sergeant Peter Molyett. Sergeant Samuel Hoffman. Sergeant Henry Barnup. Sergeant Christian Joseph. Corporal Henry Overmeyer. Corporal Frederick Gilyer

Corporal John Wise. Corporal Edward J. Teeple.

Corporal Richard Kenny. Corporal Daniel Potter. Corporal Frederick Holderman.

Corporal Byron Hutchins. Wagoner Joseph Hess.

Musician Bryan Carrigan.

Musician Andrew J. Lake. PRIVATES.

Obediah A. Bidgely, Gephard Rush, P. Duffey' Thomas J. Overman, Joseph Vallance, Samuel Black, George W. Algyer, John Bigley, James Bacon, - Frederick T. Bigler, James W. Barnes, Charles Cim- merer, Elbridge Comstock, Frederick Cannell, Charles Caul, George W. Clelland, Thomas C. Coalwell, Samuel H .. Deselms, Andrew J. Davis, George Dagan, Samuel Edgar, John Everingham, Isaiah Eastick, George C. Edgerton, Josiah Fought, Sam- uel Frantz, August Frech, John“ Ferrell, Monta Heath," Harvey N. Hall, Thomas C. Hemminger, William S. Hutton, Thomas Howell, John Q. Hutch-" ins, Frederick Halderman, Oliver P. Hershev, Vir- gil Jacobs, John Jell, George Kessler, John Knap- penberger, Jesse Little, John Leary, John Lose, Lawson Marsh, Joseph Mitchell, William Meuser, Linnus Marsh, Darius.[Minnier, William Mackey, John Morris, Lewis Moore, Michael Mulgrove, Blando L. Mills, Harrison I. Meyers, Peter Miller, Isaac Nye, Hiram Odell, Hiram Ostrander, Richard D. Phelps, Alexander Pemberton, John E. Rearick, Joseph Riddle, Lewis Robber, Frederick Shultz, William R. Stump, Abednego Stephens, Norton G. Skinner, Joel Spohn, Levi S. Stewart, Henry Smuch, Florian Smith, Alexander Scott, Benjamin Staley, Charles Slaughterbeck, Edward Teeple, Christopher Thayer, John Tweedle, Decatur Whiting, George D. Wormwood, Joseph C. Wright, Lewis Zeigler, Volney A. Dubel.

THE FORTY-NINTH REGIMENT, OHIO VOL- UNTEER INFANTRY.

This regiment, which did such conspic- uous service in the war for the suppression of the Rebellion, was organized at Tiffin, in the county of Seneca. It left Camp Noble, near Tiffin, on the roth of Septem- ber, 1861, for Camp Dennison, where it received its equipments on the 21st of the same month, and moved for Louisville, Kentucky. The next day it reported to Brigadier General Robert Anderson, then in command at that place, and was the first organized Union regiment to enter Kentucky, where it met a most cordial re-

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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 regi- ment 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 Eliza- bethtown and went into camp at Mulds- draugh's Hill. Here the regiment re- mained until the Ioth 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 roth 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-sec- ond 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 14th of February, 1862, when it left the camp for Bowling Green, Ken- tucky. It marched thence towards Nash- ville, 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 II o'clock in the morning, occupying the left of the brigade, and next to Crittenden's division. This posi- tion 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 regi- ment 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 Tus- cumbia, Alabama, and Florence, crossing the river at Florence. Thence it marched to Battle Creek, Tennessee. At this time

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HISTORY OF SANDUSKY COUNTY.

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 ter- ribly 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 Louis- ville on the 29th of September, where, after a few days 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 inaugu- ration 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 en- gagements 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 Bowl- ing Green. Thence it marched toward Nashville, and on the 5th of Novem- ber 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 Decem- ber, 1862, General Rosecrans then, in

command of the Army of the Cumber- land, commenced his movement on Mur- freesboro. The Forty-ninth moved out of Nashville, on Nelsonville turnpike, with the right wing, under Major General Mc- Cook, 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 con- nection with Stanley's cavalry. On Fri- day, January 2, it occupied a position in reserve to the centre until late in the af- ternoon, 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 pres- ent. At its close it was under command of junior Captain S. F. Gray. The cap- ture 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 dur- ing the fight.

For a time after this battle the Forty- ninth was engaged in various foraging ex- · peditions, wherein it had frequent en- counters with the enemy, and lost a num- ber of men.

From Murfreesboro, the regiment marched, on the 24th of June, 1863, and found the enemy strongly posted at Lib- erty 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 com- pelled 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 I, 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 en- emy, 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 gal- lantry, 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 try- ing 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 Long- street, 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 pos- sible manifestation of respect and honor. Judge John K. Hord, now of the Cleve- land Bar, but formerly a citizen of Tiffin,

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

Thirty days, oh! how brief to the soldier who returns after three years' ab- sence, to see his father, mother, wife, chil- dren 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 Cleve- land, Tennessee, and making all things ready for the campaign against Atlanta, Georgia. Here the Forty-ninth was incor- porated into the Fourth Army Corps, and the history of that corps is the history of the Forty-ninth regiment Ohio Volunteer In- fantry. 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 Gen- eral 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 Or- leans. Reaching Texas in July, the regi- ment 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 regi- ment suffered nine hundred and forty-two gunshot wounds. During two-thirds of his term of service, Colonel Gibson com- manded 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, contrib- uted a company to the regiment, consist- ing 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, bat- tles, 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 sub- mitted 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 ap- preciation which true soldiers entertain for bravery and desperate daring, when dis- played 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 fly- ing 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 sol- dier devoted to his colors, they instinctive- ly 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.

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History of Sandusky County, Ohio : with portraits and biographies of prominent citizens and pioneers, Part 37

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams Number of Pages: 1040

Author: Everett, Homer, 1813-1887
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : H.Z. Williams
Number of Pages: 1040