USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 23
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Case, Nathaniel
Botsford, Eli (sergeant-major)
Crawford, James
Armstrong, James
Craven, Robert
Atkinson, William C.
Crouse, Jacob M.
Brainard, John F.
Bower, Wilson
Coy, Josiah P. Correston, Alexander
Bair, Jacob
Duck, Daniel
Boyd, William
Diviney, William R.
Bowers, Abraham
Dye. James R.
Beach, Elijah
Emerson, R. D.
Blakely, Albin
Edmonds, A. C.
Baits, David F.
Fleckenger, Jacob
Cooper, P. M.
Freeman, James A.
Craigg, John
Fritts, Uriah
Carpenter, Isaac
Fishburn, Howard
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Flannagan, John O. Fritts, Samuel Frizinger, George Geyer, Henry
Powers, Almon H.
Ryan, Jacob
Rambaugh, J. B.
Richard, George
Galvin, Barney
Rice, Frederick
Goliff, Andrew
Reighley, Geo., Jr.
Grove, William
Stanley, Wilson M.
Harris, Terry
Stall, Jacob
Hawk, Michael H.
Sheldon, Jiles
Hess, Jesse
Strunk, William
Honn, John
Stoffer, William H.
Hemperley, M. H.
Stanley, Homer
Jenkins, George
Sample, John
Joliff, Abraham
Snyder, Michael
Lloyd, John
Stavig, Abram
Lowry, Robert B.
Shoeters, Oswald
Lowry, James A.
Taylor, Thomas
Merrick, John
Tweeig, J. E.
Moses, William
Wickey, Daniel
McCullom, Cyrus J.
Wood, Charles B.
Marsh, Joseph Plumer, J. C.
Wachtel, George
Yergen, John
WAYNE COUNTY AND THE CIVIL WAR.
Wayne county, in common with all Ohio counties, did her part in put- ting down the rebellion of the people of the Southern states from 1861 to 1865. Patriotism was instilled into the people of this county by reason of the early settlers having been of the good old Revolutionary stock. It is not the province of this work to go into the causes of the Civil war, but to give some account of the men sent forth to subdue the rebellion. The part Wayne county enacted in this war was prompt and conspicuous, she having fur- nished from 1861 to 1865 over three thousand two hundred volunteers, not including a considerable conscript force. The volunteers were distributed among the various regiments, as follows : One company of the Fourth Regi- ment : one of the Sixteenth Regiment. in the three months', and five in the three years' service ; one in the Forty-first Regiment : five in the One Hun- dred and Twentieth Regiment; three in the One Hundred and Second Regi-
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
ment ; one company in the One Hundred and Seventh Regiment; three com- panies in the One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment of National Guards, and a detachment of thirty men in the Eighty-fifth Ohio Regiment. These were all infantry organizations. Wayne county also furnished one company for the Ninth Chio Cavalry, small detachments for several artillery com- panies, besides many fragmentary enlistments in the different infantry organ- izations.
Fort Sumter was fired upon April 12, 1861, and that demonstration culminated in the great civil strife that had been fomenting for many years, really over the question of slavery. Wooster shared in the patriotic excite- ment of the period and recruiting commenced at once.
The first public meeting of the citizens in Wooster was held at the old court house, on the evening of April 16th, when a wildly-patriotic crowd assembled. Hon. William Given was chosen chairman and James McMillen acted as secretary. Patriotic speeches were made by Judge Given, Eugene Pardee, William M. Orr and several others. Recruiting had been going on previously, however, and fifty men had enlisted through the efforts of James McMillen, Jacob Shultz and R. B. Spink, the company-the first raised in Wayne county-being filled up that evening at the mass meeting just men- tioned.
NAMES OF THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS.
There is always much interest attached to the names of the men who first, in the true and sublime spirit of loyalty, respond to the call of their country, hence the list of this pioneer company is here appended :
Arnold, J. W.
Brighton, William
Armstrong, George
Baumgardner, William H.
Anderson, Francis M.
Brown, Hubbard
Armstrong, John
Bucher, W. H.
Carr, J. H.
Arnold, Levi Barrett, John F.
Cline, William
Black, James
Carey, George W.
Bodine, Joseph D.
Cassidy, D. S.
Black, Anthony A.
Cole, Thomas
Bess, David
Chapman, Alfred
Brandt, J. C.
Cline, George
Black, D. Y.
Cutter, Henry
Brinkerhoff, D. O.
Cook. H. H.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Dice, Thomas Dyarmon, Orlando Duck, John W. Dice, J. H.
Dyherman, Nathan
Lake, Joseph J. Lyon, John F.
Egbert, Joseph
McClure, A. S.
Everly, Evan
McClure, W. H.
Eberly, William
McClarran, J. W.
Eberman, William G.
McMillen, James
France, Marion
Mutscheler, George
Foggleson, Corodon
McGlennen, William
Flack, David
McElhenie, Robert
Fitch, John
Miller, Frank
Francis, George C.
Mohn, D.
Fishburn, Howard
Musser, George
Gordan, Samuel
McClure, C. W.
Groff, John Graybill, L.
McClarren, Thomas
Gray, Cyrus
McLaren, H. O.
Gray, Alexander
McKelvy, Edward
Headrich, Henry
Pratt, Joseph D.
Hite, George
Pollinger, David S.
Hefflinger, Sylvester
Pritchard, H. C.
Hoag, Ezra M.
Patterson, I. U.
Held, Harmon
Patterson, George
Hoke, John
Reamer, S.
Hansom, William H.
Shultz, Jacob
Jeffries, Lemuel
Spink, R. B.
Jahla, John
Sanford, J. B.
Johnson, John E.
Sands, W. W.
Kennedy, Robert
Scoby, L. H.
Keehn, Frank
Swearinger, J. S. Springer. John
Kramer, Benjamin
Swickey, Henry
Kope, James Lawrence, William Jewis. Clifford
Stewart. George
Smedley. Edwin
Sowers, George
(15)
Lightcap, W. M. Lehman, L. S. Long, Charles W.
Kope, Aaron
Moffatt, James
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Segner, Robert
Urban, William
Smith, Matt H.
Vanata, Peter O.
Shreve, Hiempsel
Wain, John
Singer, William
Wilson, Jacob
Syser, Harmon
Warner, T. C.
Ulrich, William H.
They immediately organized by electing James McMillen, captain; Jacob Shultz, first lieutenant, and R. B. Spink, second lieutenant.
THE FOURTH OHIO REGIMENT.
On Monday, April 21, 1861, the first company left Wooster for Colum- bus. Excitement ran high. Flags floated from nearly all buildings, and upwards of ten thousand people lined the streets from the court house to the station, and at the depot speeches were made on behalf of the citizens of the place by Judge Given, Doctor Firestone, William M. Orr, Eugene Pardee, Benjamin Eason and others, and on the part of the volunteers by Capt. James McMillen, A. S. McClure and Levi Graybill. The company started for Columbus amid the tears and acclamations of the multitude.
Arriving at Columbus, the company was, on April 25th, incorporated with the Fourth Ohio Regiment of infantry, becoming Company E. The field officers of the regiment were: Colonel, Lorin Andrews; lieutenant- colonel, James Cantwell ; major, James H. Goodman. The ranks were filled by two companies from Marion, two from Delaware, two from Mt. Vernon, two from Kenton, one from Canton and one from Wooster.
April 29th the regiment moved to Camp Dennison, and on May 4th was mustered into the three-months service by Capt. Gordon Granger, U. S. A. A few days later President Lincoln's call for three-years men was made public, whereupon the majority of the members of Company E and the regi- ment re-enlisted for that period, and were mustered in for three years, dating from June 5. 1861.
The regiment left Camp Dennison June 20, 1861, for West Virginia, where it participated in the campaign against Rich Mountain, under Gen. George B. McClellan. It was then ordered to New Creek, Maryland. Au- gust 9th it marched to Camp Pendleton, on the summit of the Alleghany mountains, where they encamped and fortified.
In the middle of September Lieutenant-Colonel Cantwell, with six com- panies of the regiment, among which was Company E, made an attack on the
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Confederates at Romney, Virginia, driving them from the town in great disorder and with severe loss. They were, however, reinforced in a few hours, and on the 4th the Union forces were compelled, in considerable hurry, to evacuate the place and retreat to Fort Pendleton. John F. Barrett, of Wooster, was severely wounded in this engagement, being the first Wayne county soldier shot in the Civil war; William Cline, of Wooster, was also wounded in the same engagement.
October 26th, the same year, the Fourth Regiment, with other troops under command of General Kelley, again advanced on Romney, took the town after a short engagement, with a loss of fourteen killed and wounded, the Confederates suffering a number of killed and all their baggage, two pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners captured.
Romney was evacuated on the 10th of January, and the regiment trans- ferred to Patterson's creek, on the north branch of the Potomac, and thence in February to Paw-Paw tunnel on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, there, under General Lander, participating in the capture of Bloomery Gap, with a large number of Confederates and stores. Lander shortly after dying at Paw-Paw, Gen. James Shields took command of the division and marched on Martinsburg, which the Confederates evacuated, after destroying a large amount of railroad and other property. March 1Ith Shields' command moved on Winchester, and on the 23d and 24th engaged Stonewall Jackson in his retreat up the Shenandoah valley. May 24th the regiment marched, via Luray, Front Royal, Chester Gap, Warrenton, Catlett's Station, to join Mc- Dowell's troops at Fredericksburg. On the 23d the regiment, with others of Shields' division, was ordered back to the valley, via Manassas Junction. It reached Front Royal on the 30th, drove the enemy from the place, released a regiment of Union soldiers they had taken, captured a large quantity of ammunition and supplies and a number of prisoners. On June 3d it moved toward Luray, and on the 7th a forced march was made by the brigade to Port Republic, reaching there in time to check the enemy and cover the re- treat of a portion of Shields' division, under General Carroll.
After marching and counter-marching in the valley, the regiment was, on the 4th, ordered to Alexandria, where it embarked to join Mcclellan's army, then supposed to be operating against Richmond. It arrived on the last day of the Seven Days' fight, and was immediately under fire, losing sev- eral men. On the evacuation of the Peninsula by the national forces, August 16, 1862, the regiment returned to Alexandria. Capt. James McMillen was accidentally. drowned at Alexandria during the embarkation of the regiment
228
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
for the Peninsula. Its next important service was at the battle of Fredericks- burg, December 13, 1862, where the regiment, as well as Company E, suf- fered heavily. Lieut. William Brighton of this company was killed in this engagement. May 3d the regiment participated in the fearful battle of Chan- cellorsville, again suffering heavy loss. Its next great battle was Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the Ist, 2d and 3d of July, 1863, where its losses were also very heavy. On the 4th it was one of the three regiments that drove the enemy from Cemetery Hill, after they had driven a part of the Eleventh Corps from the field and gained possession of our two batteries. Generals Hancock, Howard, Gibbon and other prominent generals witnessed this charge and gave it the highest praise.
Shortly after this terrible battle the Fourth Regiment was ordered to New York city to assist in quelling a spirit of insubordination which had manifested itself there. The Fourth was soon ordered to Alexandria and went into winter quarters at Stevensburg on the Ist of December, 1863. It then participated in General Grant's campaigns and battles. Towards the close of the war, the ranks thinned by the bullets of the enemy and by disease, the company was mustered out of service, having traveled in its campaigns an aggregate of four thousand two hundred and fifty miles, and at all times maintained the highest reputation for discipline, soldierly behavior and good conduct on the battlefield. Hence it will be observed that the pioneer com- pany of men who went forth as green, undrilled volunteers from Wayne county, proved in every instance worthy the name and fame of American soldiery.
SIXTEENTH REGIMENT OHIO INFANTRY.
As there are still living in Wayne county many descendants of the men who wore the loyal blue as members of the gallant Sixteenth Regiment, a short description of the various campaigns of this command will be given. The second company from Wooster was organized the latter part of April, 1861. Recruiting for it commenced on the 20th, and by the 25th the com- pany was full, when the following officers were elected: Captain, George W. Bailey ; first lieutenant, Aquila Wiley; second lieutenant, Cushman Cun- ningham. It joined the Sixteenth Regiment at Columbus, Ohio, April 28th. There it drilled and remained in camp at Camp Jackson several weeks, then went to West Virginia, and took part in the battle of Phillippi, one of the first engagements of the war. The Wooster company, under command of Captain Wiley (Captain Bailey having been promoted to major), was sta-
229
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
tioned at Grafton, West Virginia, and at Oakland, Maryland, during the resi- due of three months' service. On the expiration of its term of enlistment the company was mustered out and returned home.
The Sixteenth Ohio Regiment, for three years' service, was organized at Camp Tiffin, near Wooster, October 2, 1861. The regimental camp was located in Quimby Grove, a short distance northwest of the present site of Wooster University. Five companies for this regiment were recruited in Wayne county, commanded respectively by Eli W. Botsford, Hamilton Riche- son, Samuel Smith, George U. Harn and A. S. McClure. The field officers were: Colonel, John F. DeCourcey ; lieutenant-colonel, George W. Bailey ; major, Philip Keshner.
The regiment moved to Camp Dennison November 27, 1861, and re- mained there until December 19th, when it was ordered to Lexington, Ken- tucky. From that point it proceeded to join General Thomas' forces, then operating against Zollicoffer's command in southern Kentucky. After toil- some marches through mud and rain the regiment arrived at Somerset just in time to miss the battle of Mill Springs. The regiment remained near Som- erset throughout January, 1862, when it was directed to Cumberland Ford, reaching there February 12th. Troops were assembling at the ford, under the command of Gen. George W. Morgan, to dislodge the Confederate forces occupying Cumberland Gap, a few miles distant. In March and April several reconnoisances were made in the vicinity of the gap, during which sharp skirmishings took place with the enemy. The Sixteenth lost several men, killed and wounded, during these engagements. In June Morgan's forces, composed of Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee troops, succeeded in crossing the Cumberland mountains by Powell's Gap, thus effecting a lodge- ment in rear of Cumberland Gap and necessitating its evacuation by the Con- federates, who retreated to Knoxville, Tennessee, and the Union forces occu- pied the abandoned stronghold without further resistance.
At Tazewell, Tennessee, the regiment encountered Kirby Smith's army, in motion to invade Kentucky. A sharp engagement ensued in which the Sixteenth Regiment was overwhelmed by numbers and forced to retreat to the Gap, with a severe loss in killed, wounded and captured. At Cumberland Gap the situation was now indeed serious. They were surrounded on all sides and their supplies cut off. General Morgan determined to abandon the Gap and retreat to the Ohio river. After a toilsome march of sixteen days through a rough mountain region, the command reached the Ohio at Greens- burg, Kentucky, October 3, 1862.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
The regiment was next ordered to Charleston, West Virginia, and from thence to Memphis, Tennessee, to join General Sherman's command, then being organized for the capture of Vicksburg. In December Sherman's forces moved down the Mississippi in transports, arriving at the mouth of the Yazoo on Christmas day. The troops proceeded up the Yazoo several miles, when they were disembarked and prepared to assault Vicksburg on the Chickasaw Bluff side. On December 28th the enemy was driven out of his line of rifle- pits in front of the bluffs, and on the 29th of December Morgan's division was ordered to assault them. The position of the Confederates was impregnable and the assault was very disastrous. The Sixteenth lost very heavily. Capt. G. U. Harn was killed; Captain Van Dorn wounded and captured; Captain Ross wounded; Captain McClure wounded and captured; Lieut. P. M. Smith wounded and captured: Lieutenant Heckert wounded and captured; Lieu- tenant-Colonel Kershner wounded and captured ; Lieutenant Voorhes wounded and captured; Captain Mills and Cunningham and Lieutenant Buchanan cap- tured. The regiment lost in this engagement three hundred and eleven offi- cers and men killed, wounded and captured.
The next service of this regiment was at Arkansas Post, in which as- sault it lost several men. It then returned to Young's Point, on the Missis- sippi river, and from there it moved to Milliken's Bend, where it encamped until the 6th of April. 1863. The regiment then participated in Grant's campaign against Vicksburg, in the battle of Champion Hills, Thompson's Hill, Black River Bridge, and the assault on the encroachments of Vicksburg in May, 1863, losing seventy men in each of these engagements.
After the capture of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, the regiment joined the forces of General Sherman in his expedition against Jackson, Mississippi. In the assault at this place Captain Richeson was wounded and several of the Wayne county men killed. Returning to Vicksburg, the regiment was sent into camp, but was soon ordered to New Orleans to join General Washburn's expedition to Texas. The regiment disembarked at DeCrows Point, and moved from thence to Indianola, and on to New Orleans April 12, 1864. From New Orleans it was ordered to Alexandria, on the Red river, to rein- force Banks' command, which was then retreating from before the forces of Dick Taylor. On arriving at Alexandria the Sixteenth was immediately placed at the front and participated in several engagements. Returning to Alexandria. it was detached to help construct a dam in Red river to facilitate the escape of the iron-clad fleet. From here Banks retreated to Morganza Bend, on the Mississippi, the Sixteenth forming a part of the rear guard in
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
this disorderly retreat. On reaching Morganza Bend the regiment went into camp, from where it was ordered to Columbus, Ohio, for muster out, return- ing there, and was discharged October 31. 1864.
The Sixteenth Regiment was one of the best disciplined regiments in the Union army. Its colonel, John F. DeCourcy, was a professional soldier, having served many years in the British army. The command was noted for its fine, manly, military bearing.
FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT OHIO INFANTRY.
Company C, of the Forty-First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. was recruited in Wayne county in August and September, 1861. Its officers were : Aquila Wiley, captain; F. E. Pancoast, first lieutenant, and Rufus B. Hardy, second lieutenant. In the early part of September the company was ordered to Cleveland. where it was mustered into the Forty-first Regiment on the 19th of September. The field officers of this regiment were: Colonel, William B. Hazen ; lieutenant-colonel, John J. Wizeman ; major, George S. Mygatt. On November 6th the regiment was ordered to Camp Dennison, and from thence to Gallipolis, and from that point to Louisville, where it became a part of the Army of the Ohio, under command of General Buell. During the winter the regiment was encamped at Camp Wickliffe. In April, 1862, it took part in the great battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing). It lost in the first day's fight, one hundred and forty-one officers and men killed and wounded. Cap- tain Wiley was severely wounded in this famous battle; also Lieutenant Pan- coast. who subsequently died from the effects of his wounds.
After much hard campaigning in Alabama and Tennessee during the summer of 1862. the Forty-first Regiment joined the retreat of Buell to Louisville, and shortly after reaching there engaged in the battle of Murfrees- boro, where it lost one hundred and twelve men killed and wounded.
In January, 1863, the regiment moved to Readyville, about twelve miles from Murfreesboro, where it remained until the 24th of June. During the months of July and August the Forty-First Regiment was kept in motion and in September, 1863, participated in the battle of Chickamauga, in which en- gagement it greatly distinguished itself. The next important battle in which it participated was Mission Ridge, fought November 23d and 25th. Here one hundred and fifteen men of the Forty-first fell. Colonel Wiley lost a leg while gallantly leading the charge. General Thomas, on the field, compli- mented this regiment highly for its splendid conduct. After this battle they marched to Knoxville, and there re-enlisted as veterans; and when the men had enjoyed the veteran furlough, the regiment, with one hundred recruits.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
rejoined its division in eastern Tennessee, being placed in a battalion with the First Ohio Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Kimberly commanding.
The regiment then participated in nearly all of the battles of Sherman in his campaign against Atlanta-Rocky Face Ridge, Dallas, Piney Top Moun- tain, Peach Tree Creek, etc. In this campaign the regiment lost one hundred and fifty-eight men, the regiment dwindling down to a mere skeleton of only ninety-nine men.
On the occupation of Atlanta by the Union forces the Forty-first Regi- ment was sent in pursuit of Hood, and participated in Thomas' victory over that Confederate general in front of Nashville. In June, 1865, the regiment was ordered to Texas, where it was stationed near San Antonio until Novem- ber, and then ordered mustered out. It reached Columbus, Ohio, about the middle of the month, and was finally discharged on the 26th of November, 1865, after four years and one month's service.
Company C, of this regiment, was a splendid company of men, of high reputation in all respects, and perhaps saw more hard service than any other company raised in Wayne county.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH REGIMENT.
There were four full companies and a part of the fifth company of this splendid regiment raised in Wooster and Wayne county. Joseph H. Down- ing, George P. Emrich, Benjamin Eason and William G. Myers were elected captains of their respective companies. The field officers were : Colonel. Daniel French ; lieutenant-colonel, Marcus M. Spiegel : major, John W. Beek- man. The five Wayne county companies were recruited in August, 1862. and rendezvoused at Camp Mansfield August 29th. October 17th it was mus- tered into service, and on the 25th of the month moved to Covington, Ken- tucky, from which point it departed, November 24th, for Memphis, Tennessee. reaching there December 7th. Here the regiment was assigned to Colonel Sheldon's brigade, of Morgan's division, being a part of the Army of the Tennessee, under command of Gen. W. T. Sherman, and destined to operate against Vicksburg.
December 20th the regiment moved on transports down the Mississippi river, thence up the Yazoo, where it disembarked at Johnson's Landing and participated in the assault against Vicksburg. After the repulse of the na- tional forces from Vicksburg, the regiment embarked on transports and ac- companied the expedition against Arkansas Post, which resulted successfully.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
From Arkansas Post the regiment returned to Young's Point, and went into camp. Here it was decimated by disease, measles, typhus and malarial fever working havoc in its ranks. At one time over half the regiment was reported on sick list. The officers became discouraged and resigned in large numbers, which contributed to the despondency of the private soldiers.
In April, the regiment took part in General Grant's campaign against Vicksburg, engaging in the battles of Champion Hill. Thompson's Hill, the Black River, and in the charges on Vicksburg, May 22, 1863. It behaved gallantly in all of these actions. After the final fall of Vicksburg the regi- ment joined Sherman's army in his famous expedition against Jackson, hold- ing the right of the column in its advance. In the operation against Jack- son, Lieutenant Totten was mortally wounded, and Colonel Spiegel and Lieu- tenant Spear were severely wounded.
The regiment returned to Vicksburg July 20, 1863, and on the 8th of August embarked for New Orleans to join Banks' expedition in western Louisiana. It took part in the campaign in the valley of the Teche, and was then sent to Plaquemine, a small town on the Mississippi river, where it re- mained until March, 1864, being then ordered to Baton Rouge.
May Ist the regiment was ordered to join Banks, then operating in the direction of Shreveport. The regiment embarked on the transport "City Belle." for Alexandria, and when passing up Red river it was ambuscaded at Snaggy Point by five thousand rebel soldiers concealed behind the levee. A murderous artillery and infantry fire was opened on the crowded boat, and the deck was soon slippery with blood. After a short but ineffectual struggle, against overwhelming odds, the regiment was compelled to display the white flag. During the conflict the "City Belle" drifted to the opposite side of the river, where quite a number of the One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment escaped. Colonel Spiegel, Surgeon Stanton, Assistant Surgeon Gill, Captains J. R. Rummell, Miller, Fraunfelder and Jones, Lieutenants Applegate. Baer and Roach and two hundred men fell into the hands of the rebels, besides the bodies of the killed. Colonel Spiegel was mortally wounded and died the next day. He was one of the noblest and the "bravest of the brave." The prisoners were at once marched off to Camp Ford, near Tyler, Texas, where they were confined until the close of the war.
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