USA > Ohio > History of the three months' and three years' service from April 16th, 1861, to June 22d, 1864, of the Fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the war for the Union > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
42
FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
shrapnel, which cut the bushes quite near our men, and started the Major's horse into a lively prance, to the amusement of the boys and enjoyment of the rider, who was quite certain that some of the missiles had wounded "Charley" and made him caper. The Home Guards pushed across the river, hoping to avenge themselves on the dastardly cowards who had during the past several weeks so atrociously wronged them but were now fleeing for life. The cavalry followed for several miles and captured wagons and horses.
Dinner was just ready at the tavern and "old rye" on tap, and considerable of both was soon secured. "Boys, that whisky is poison," said Major Godman. "We know it is," was the instant reply. Every nook and corner of the town having been thoroughly searched for "Secesh" and "Secesh. goods," the expedition started for camp with corn, wagons, horses, contra- bands and several prisoners. The latter reported that their commander, as soon as the first shot had been fired, rushed out of the church, exclaiming, "They have got a cannon! Somebody will get hurt !" and soon left town and river behind. We had two wounded : J. C. Mckenzie, of Company A, and a citizen who had gone along to see the fun. It was certain that several of the enemy had been killed and wounded. Some two miles from town on the homeward journey, while the boys were sam- pling the blackberries, some one spied under the brier-tangle two curious looking objects, which proved, on close inspection, to be kegs half-filled with stout and aged apple-jack, which was also sampled, and a requisition for a number of canteens full of the wonder immediately made. In spite of this "ready relief" every man reached Greenland before dark, and camp at five the next evening, some in high "spirits," with wondrous stories of "the battle of Petersburg."
On the 8th two men started a rumor and said that a large force of rebels was cutting its way across the mountains in order to attack us in the rear. There was considerable stir in camp. Captain Banning, with Companies B and E, went ten miles from camp to Blackwater and Horseshoe, but found no enemy. After helping themselves to blackberries and forage they returned, and had the satisfaction of seeing the men who had created the sensation for the fun of it lodged in the guard house, which made an end of publishing canards.
1
43
DEATH OF COLONEL ANDREWS.
DEATH OF COLONEL ANDREWS AT HIS HOME IN GAMBIER, OHIO.
On Thursday, September 29th, the flag upon the tall staff on the highest point of the Fort was at half-mast, in honor of our now much lamented Colonel Lorin Andrews. He had been for some time prostrated with fever, and had died at his home on the day previous, surrounded by his family and other loved ones. They felt his loss hardly more keenly than did his men, who had from the first respected, then honored and loved him. He was what this world so seldom sees, an ideal man, affectionate, self-sacrificing, noble, pure, honorable, upright, faithful, intelli- gent and God-fearing. Our loss was great, but it was to Educa- tion, Church, State and Country a greater loss. He lacked naught that makes men heroes, and could have shone in the councils of the Nation, and honored its highest positions.
He had infused into the regiment a spirit of self-respect and desire for excellence that comes from diligence, application and self-denial, and brings about solid worth to one, whether he is citizen or soldier. His strictness of discipline never in the least manifested any disposition to tyrannize. In all his efforts, it is but just in this connection to say, that he was most heartily seconded by all his subordinates. With him were buried many and great possibilities. His memory is ever precious.
CHAPTER VI.
EXPEDITION TO ROMNEY, VIRGINIA, IN COMMAND OF LIEU- TENANT COLONEL CANTWELL-OUR MARCH TO NEW CREEK-ARE JOINED BY THE EIGHTH OHIO AND TWO WEST VIRGINIA COMPANIES -SKIRMISH IN MECHAN- ICSBURG GAP-BATTLE OF ROMNEY-RETURN TO PEN- DLETON, MARYLAND.
Past successes and a desire to do more for the country than to dig trenches where no enemy would ever be likely to come, found all willing to start out in the rain at three in the morning on Sunday, September 22d, and move rapidly forward over the mountain range, seldom halting, until New Creek (Keyser) was reached at 5 P. M., where, after the thirty-two mile march, we were heartily greeted by the Eighth Ohio, our future brigade comrades. The next morning, Monday, September 23d, five hundred of the Eighth Ohio in command of Colonel Parke, Captain Dayton's company of the First West Virginia, and Captain Hagan's com- pany of the Third West Virginia, joined our regiment, and made our force about one thousand strong. Ringgold's Cavalry in command of Captain Keyes, led the advance, the entire force being in charge of the brave, cool and collected Lieutenant Colonel Cantwell of our regiment; marched southeast, passed Knobly range, crossed Cabin and Patterson Creeks, took dinner near Sheets' Mill, resumed the march in one hour, drove in the Confederate pickets two miles from Mechanicsburg Gap, where the pike passes through the transverse fissure of the Mill Creek Range, having marched fourteen miles ; skirmishers were advanced more rapidly from our regiment, but night came on before we could force our way through the Gap, which was guarded by four companies of rebel cavalry.
Soon after dark the first platoon of company C was sent for- ward to the left of the Gap, in the hazy moonlight, deployed up the mountain side, and was at once fired upon, as it moved
45
FIVE REBEL TROOPERS IN LUCK.
through tall grass and clover, by some of our own men stationed behind some buildings; the platoon fell back under cover, formed in line, emerged from behind a stone building, started four abreast to join the column, when from across a garden fence came two shots, followed by a volley from an entire company of the Eighth Ohio, some three rods distant; the platoon once more made for the rear of the stone house, now in quick time. Fortunately no one was hurt, and no one to blame. They were a mad, yet jolly set; mad because our own men, when they had been told again and again that friends were advanc- ing, were determined to keep up their firing; laughing at the tall running and prodigious leaping over stone wall and picket fence. One vowed that he had " bounced a rod;" another had "burst his pants;" another, striking his knee against a stone, felt for his leg, being certain that it had been shot off; another vowed that he had leaped at one bound a fence three feet high. Afterward the men returned to their company, one by one, as best they could.
Early the next morning, Tuesday, September 24th, five of the rebel cavalry came up the road within a few rods of Company C, the advance, who cocked their rifles, took aim, but a voice rang out "Don't shoot, they are our men !" Angry men, who knew it was the enemy, obeyed orders, and the horsemen taking the hint, wheeled and were off at breakneck speed. The boys determined, if another such chance presented itself, to be deaf and not able to hear orders.
At an early hour the Eighth Ohio and Ringgold Cavalry, in command of Colonel Parke, attacked Hanging Rock Pass, three miles to the west of us, drove the enemy, and returned by midnight.
In the forenoon Companies A and I, a few volunteers from other companies of the Fourth, and Dayton's Company of Vir- ginians, skirmished along the side and top of the mountain, on both sides of the Gap, while our regiment followed Sergeant Reynolds and his cannon through the Gap; the remaining forces that had not gone with Parke were in supporting distance, and also kept a lookout for any attack in our rear. Several shots were exchanged along the sides of the Gap. The skirmishers s oon came in sight of Romney, and for a short time watched the
46
FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
maneuverings of the enemy, when the entire force fell back to Mechanicsburg at the entrance of the Gap, where another night 'was passed. Our rations were giving out, and rapid work must now be done or a retreat made without having accom- plished our object.
Early, therefore, on Wednesday, September 25th, the Fourth advanced, followed by the entire command. In a few moments shots were fired from the top of the mountain on the left, and Willie Breyfogle, the youngest man in the regiment-save, pos- sibly, O. Lewis-was severely wounded in the left foot. A volley was fired at the ledges from whence the smoke proceeded. Sergeant Anderson, with a platoon of Company C, moved rapidly up the slope and flanked the enemy, who gave us now no further trouble until the force had advanced to the eastern entrance. We then followed the road to the left some sixty rods, with bluffs of the South Branch of the Potomac immediately on the right for several rods about one hundred and fifty feet high. Back of this bluff, and nearer the town, the enemy was getting into position on Cemetery Hill. Our column continued to advance, and had now the very steep, precipitous bluff to the left and the river on the right, giving no opportunity for cover and little chance for action, as the rebels were behind earthworks. In a few moments they let drive at us ; our column halted and returned the fire; many stray shots continued to come into our midst, when came the order "Forward!" It was forward, on the double-quick, the infantry and artillery over the bridge and the cavalry through the river, then both onward up the slope toward the town. Away went the Confederates, too, and were soon out of hearing or sight, our cavalry after them through and beyond town toward Church Hill and Winchester. Before nine o'clock most of our forces were in or near the town. At about eleven the cavalry observed the gathering of forces from the direction of Winchester, Frenchburg, Church Hill and Hanging Rock Pass, with a disposition to mass at Cemetery Hill, whence they could make us great trouble by firing into our flank in case we returned by the same route we came, and we might easily be cut off by a force which now outnumbered us two to one ; a force that had also seven companies of cavalry composed of men brought up in this very region of mountains paths that led directly to our rear, and of which we had no knowledge.
47
ATTACK UPON ROMNEY. .
The object of the expedition-to find out the disposition and strength of the enemy, "scrape his acquaintance," and to try the mettle of our men-being now fully accomplished, and our provisions having given out, the order was given to retreat. Several union men were released, other loyal citizens encour- aged by our boldness and the manifest cowardice of the enemy who so soon left his works when he had a larrger force. A flag was captured by Company B, the press and other material of the " Intelligencer," which had given aid and comfort to the rebels, were confiscated. Shortly before noon our entire force right-about-faced, recrossed the bridge and nearly all had re- entered the Gap, when a squad of horsemen opened fire from Cemetery Hill upon our rear, which immediately halted and returned a well-directed fire. The gunners, too, did royal ser- vice. Many of the enemy reeled from their horses, while most of them dashed hurriedly out of sight, and their firing ceased. Our column now moved through the Gap, and was ascending a rise of ground and had mostly passed around a strip of woods, when the enemy opened upon our rear with cannon, their shot coming far short, but near at hand their cavalry sent their balls into our midst, doing some execution. In a few moments our men were behind the woods and out of range, but not until there was another attack, which so raised the ire of Captain Weaver, that with eyes snapping, and squirting the tobacco juice, he called out in imperative tones : "Hardin County heroes, about face and kill four hundred of the -- - of -. " After this the rebels followed us at a safe distance, not getting near enough to be fired at, yet serving the good purpose of keeping our men from straggling.
No one of the regiment was killed during the expedition ; the following were wounded:
B Company-J. M. Cline, William O. Van Voorhes and Henry Graff.
C Company-John Parks and William D. Breyfogle.
D Company-John Brum.
E Company-John F. Barrett and W. C. Cline.
F Company-W. Ferguson.
G Company-F. Beck, W. Noel and J. M. Nichols.
I Company-W. C. Howard.
48
FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
There is no report of the "Storming of Romney" from the standpoint of the Unionists in the "Records of the Rebellion," but the Confederates occupy fourteen pages explanatory and recommendatory of themselves as having gained a remarkable victory ; how they drove us out of town, scooped up prisoners, killed and wounded between seventy and eighty of us and made us run all the way to New Creek, and would have captured our entire force had not night set in so soon. They further state that we were in the town until eleven o'clock; that they followed close upon our heels with seven companies of cavalry, several regiments of infantry and cannon, who fired into each other by mistake several times and into us often, harassing us until within two miles of New Creek, when night prevented further pursuit. Now, darkness on the 25th of September closes in at about half-past six o'clock, which would make our alleged stampede at the rate of two and one-half miles per hour. Why did not their cavalry charge upon us again and again on the very farms where many of them had been brought up, and force us to battle? they knew every acre of ground, cross-road and by-path. This was certainly the biggest set of liars and cowards we met during our term of service. "Stonewall Jackson" some months afterward reported them to the Confederate authorities at Rich- mond as "demoralized," and dispensed with the services of many because he could place no confidence in them; so some of them were sent to Tennessee.
On the morning of the 26th we boarded the cars, reached Oakland toward night and immediately started for Fort Pendle- ton, the latter half of the march being through mud, rain and intense darkness until we entered our now very desirable quar- ters at midnight, footsore and weary. Three days of chilly rain followed. Many of the men were soon prostrated with rheuma- tism, camp-fever and other maladies. Snow began to make its appearance on the tops of the rugged mountains east and south of the camp. The usual round of duties-picket, regimental and cattle guard-were resumed and camp-life became more monotonous and debilitating than ever.
1
CHAPTER VII.
COLONEL MASON ASSUMES COMMAND OF REGIMENT-SEC- OND "ROMNEY RACE" - CAMP KELLEY AT ROMNEY -EXPEDITION TO BLUE'S GAP, JANUARY 7TH, 1862.
John S. Mason, of Ohio, graduate of West Point, Second Lieutenant Third Artillery July Ist, 1847; First Lieutenant September 7th, 1850; Regimental Quartermaster June 27th, 1854, to June Ist, 1858; then Captain Eleventh United States Regular Infantry and appointed Colonel of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry October 3d, 1861, took command of our regiment on the 16th of October, and immediately made his presence felt by his General Order No I, which was the quintes- sence of Army Regulations, and at once convinced officers and men that our new commander was " business."
On the 22d of October, General Kelley, commanding, received the following order : " Proceed with your command to Romney, and assume command of the Department of Harper's Ferry and Cumberland until the arrival of Brigadier General Lander. Winfield Scott." This seems to have been the last order General Scott issued.
The Fourth did its part in complying with this order, by leav- ing camp at six in the morning, and marching over the moun- tains, twenty-eight miles, to near New Creek, on Friday, October 25th, where it was joined by other troops the next morning, and at six marched at the head of the column, in the following order : Ringgold Cavalry, Captain Keyes; Fourth Ohio, in command of Colonel Mason; Seventh West Virginia and one company each of the Third and Fourth West Virginia Infantry; Eighth Ohio, two guns of the Fourth Ohio Battery, Sergeant Nixon's six- pounder and McGee's Cavalry. At noon the column halted at Patterson Creek for half an hour, took dinner, then moved rapidly forward, the left-flank company of the Fourth Ohio
50
FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
being sent in advance as skirmishers. Some two miles from Mechanicsburg Gap Pass, and before proceeding more than half a mile, they were fired upon by rebel artillery to which our battery at once replied and drove the enemy. The entire force now moved forward, entered the Gap, passed through, followed the road some distance to the left, and was fired at as soon as the advance companies came in sight and range of Cemetery Hill, where could be seen artillery, mounted and dismounted cavalry, behind the entrenchments. An artillery duel now began and was continued for an hour, when the order "Forward, double-quick !" was given, and the entire column quickly obeyed, charged under flying shell and whizzing bullet along the. road, ยท over the bridge-the cavalry through the river-then onward both charged up the slope toward the town, while the Confeder- ates limbered their guns, and the infantry, many of whom flung their muskets, together with the cavalry made for the hills in quick time. Our cavalry, supported by the infantry, moved rapidly through and to the east of the town, captured their guns, wagon-train and a number of prisoners, as well as stores in town. Thus ended "Romney Race No. 2." "If the buggers would only stop and fight," ejaculated a disgusted private. Soon after this Stonewall Jackson preferred charges against the commander of the Confederate forces, who was ordered to report at Rich- mond, and his command was sent to Tennessee. Our loss, all told of the entire command, was one killed and twenty wounded. In the regiment, J. Meredith and J. Sines of Company F, S. Black of G, and H. Meily of K, were wounded.
General Kelley reported to General Scott as follows: "The officers and men of my command all displayed great cool- ness and courage under fire. It seems almost a miracle that . our loss should be so small, considering that we had to advance across a causeway and over a bridge in the face of the enemy's entrenchments." In a few days came from Washington the fol- lowing: "Your late movement upon, and signal victory at Romney, do you great honor in the opinion of the President and General Scott."
It is quite certain that to Colonel Mason, seconded most heartily by all his officers and men, belonged considerable of the above praise, as they were in the advance. Colonel Cantwell, who had resigned several days before the expedition, and accom-
51
QUARTERED AT ROMNEY.
panied the boys on this charge, now returned home. The wagons at once brought up the camp equipage, and the camp was located at the western entrance of the town, and soon camp life with its drills once more went forward. Captain Brown acted as Provost Marshal and his company as Provost Guards. The camp was named "Keyes," in honor of the Captain of the Ringgold Caval- ry, who had twice displayed dash, daring and courage. How the boys used to cheer the Ringgolds as they sailed into the Johnnies. In a few days Sibley tents, five to a company, took the place of the old wall-tents. Eighteen men could sleep in one of these at a time, by lying "spoon-fashion." The officers continued to occupy wall-tents.
Within a week there were quartered at Romney the Fourth, Fifth, Seventh and Eighth Ohio, First West Virginia, Fourteenth Indiana, Daum's and Howe's Batteries, Ringgold and Washing- ton Cavalry. Out of this number six to eight hundred went on picket daily, from two to six miles, the greater part of them toward Winchester, whence an attack was expected under Jack- son, who was at this time busy collecting a large force, with which he intended to crush us at one blow.
Company I was soon detailed to act as Provost Guard. October 29th forty-four recruits joined the regiment. On the 5th of Novem- ber the Ringgold Cavalry, Kelley Lancers and fifty-two of Com- pany C, went to Blue's Gap and drove out some three hundred militia. Within a month a number of men were sick; sixty-two in the hospital in the town, and seventy-eight absent, sick. Of these a number died. Our Regimental Surgeon, H. H. McAbee, was appointed Medical Director of the Department, with over five hundred sick in his care. Cold weather had set in about the first of December, and several inches of snow was upon the ground in the valleys during the latter part of the month, and it was several feet deep on the mountains. . Frequently pick- ets were not relieved during an entire night, and then there was the long march home, considerable part of the way through deep snows. This, added to other hardships, caused much sickness. There was also frequent battalion drill. Whisky with quinine was issued every other day, with the intention of overcoming any malarious troubles that might have been con- tracted; but many of the men refused to accept these rations,
52
FOURTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
and threw them on the ground or gave them to some "thirsty" comrade, so that the practice was in a few days discontinued. The soldiers were not the drunken offscourings of the earth as some of the stay-at-homes, who were more nice than wise, had claimed. Most of our men were of the country's best citizens.
There were frequent foraging expeditions which supplied horses and mules with hay, oats and corn, and occasionally some extras for the tables of such as obtained enough money for their services to enable them to buy. Once, indeed, a cer- tain foraging expedition did not return, but were compelled to turn over their wagons and mules to some Secesh Home Guards and report at Richmond. Lieutenant J. S. Jones, with a squad of men, went in pursuit, found where the wag- ons had tipped their hay and fodder, also the blind-paths along which they were afterward taken. This path the squad followed until it was lost on the top of the mountain under two feet of snow. On the return horsemen could be seen half a mile away, charging from the hillside and rapidly disappearing. This expedition found, as did also one under Captain Crawford on the Ist, and Captain Carpenter on the 3d of December, that blind roads and paths were numerous in these mountain regions and all leading directly to Romney, or into some road that ran direct to the town, so that it is passing strange that the rebels did not make us more trouble.
On the 15th of December S. S. Carroll was appointed Colonel of the Eighth Ohio.
On the 5th of January, 1862, Colonel Dunning of the Fifth Ohio, received orders from General Kelley at Cumberland to make an expedition to Hanging Rock Pass, or Blue's Gap, fifteen miles southeast of Romney, in the Short Mountain, on the road to Winchester, in order to divert the attention of Jackson, who was at this time making a raid upon Hancock and other points upon the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
In compliance with orders, six companies were taken from each of the following regiments: Fourth, Fifth, Seventh and Eighth Ohio, Fourteenth Indiana, First West Virginia, one Sec- tion of Baker's Parrott guns, Daum's Battery, the Ringgold, Washington, and three companies of the First West Virginia Cavalry, the entire force not exceeding two thousand men. At a little past midnight the troops left their blankets and comfort-
53
SURPRISE AT BLUE'S GAP.
able quarters, made a forced march through pitch darkness and several inches of snow and ice, with the wind at a gale, over Big, Stony and Briery Mountains. On the latter, at break of day, the Ringgolds captured one prisoner at the outer picket-post and soon came in sight of the bridge over the Great Cacapon, which the retreating enemy tried to burn, but was prevented by the sure work of the Parrott guns and the charge of the Fifth, Fourth and Eighth Ohio, on the double-quick, down the hill, over the bridge toward the breast-works, after the Confederates who were rapidly vanishing toward the farther end of Blue's Gap. Some had just begun breakfast, others were waking out of sleep. All were seized with consternation. Rallying as best they could, they began firing upon our advance. The Fifth rushed up the steep sides of the mile-long pass on the left, while Colonel Carroll charged into the Gap at the head of the Eighth, and Colonel Mason with the Fourth scaled the right, the rest of the troops moving up as a support.
The rebels got their cannon into position, but could not get sufficient elevation to reach the flankers, who were close upon them, causing them to flee to safe hiding places in the mountains, and but few were overtaken. Two guns, caissons, ten horses, ammunition wagons, and valuable papers which disclosed Jack- son's movements, were captured. Our troops right-about-faced, recrossed the bridge, took breakfast and moved homeward. Fire was set to rebel Colonel Blue's house, barn and mill, and most of the houses within eight miles of the Gap, because they had harbored a set of guerillas that waylaid union men and soldiers. The Confederacy complained of this act "of vandal- ism " perpetrated on cowardly guerillas.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.