USA > Ohio > Itinerary of the Seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, 1861-1864, with roster, portraits and biographies > Part 16
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The advance of the Union troops was supported by numerous batteries well posted in commanding positions, but inferior to that of the enemy, who appeared to be stronger in that arm of the service. Jones's division was driven back and the Union troops had partially occupied Sharpsburg, when they were confronted by a heavy rein- forcement consisting of six brigades under Gen. A. P. Hill, who had marched from Harper's Ferry, arriving at noon at Sharpsburg. The Union troops were forced to retire, but remained in position on the west side of Antietam Creek until the Confederates crossed into Virginia on the morn- ing of the 19th.
The losses of the Union troops in this battle were 12,400 men. Those of the Confederates, as reported by Longstreet in his Memoirs, were 13,687. The losses in the Twelfth Corps were 1,746, the Seventh O. V. I. losing nearly one- half of the number taken into action .*
September 18, the Twelfth Corps remained on the battle- field in line of battle, with arms stacked.
September 19, marched over the battlefield toward Har- per's Ferry, reaching Sandy Hook, Maryland, about 3 P. M. September 20, after marching all night.
September 22, occupied Loudoun Heights, Va., and went into camp.
"HDQRS. FIRST BRIG. SECOND DIV. BANKS'S ARMY CORPS, "LOUDOUN HEIGHTS, VA., Sept. 25, 1862.
"SIR : I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the First Brigade, Second Division, in the battle of Antietam, on the 17th September. 1862. The bri-
*See Casualty List, p. 640.
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gade was composed of the Twenty-eighth Pa. Vols., Maj. Ario Pardee, commanding; Fifth Ohio Vols., Maj. John Collins, commanding; Seventh Ohio Vols., Maj. O. J. Crane, commanding, and the Sixty-sixth Ohio Vols., Lieut .- Col. Eugene Powell, commanding. The brigade under com- mand of Lieut .- Col. H. Tyndale, Twenty-eighth Pa. Vols., was formed at 5.30 A. M. in column of divisions, right in front. It was then marched in column about one mile to a point of woods, where the enemy were in force and had engaged our right, holding them in check. At this point the order came to deploy column into line of battle, which was promptly executed. We then advanced a short dis- tance into the woods, where the enemy were formed under cover of a fence. The action then commenced. After ex- changing a few shots the engagement became general, which continued for an hour and a half of severe fighting with great slaughter to the enemy, when the enemy gave way in confusion and disorder before the furious onset of our troops. We pursued them rapidly, capturing many prison- ers, and strewing the ground with their dead and wounded. After pressing them closely for a distance of one-half mile, we were obliged to slacken our fire, as our ammunition had given out, when, receiving a supply, we changed our line by the right flank and marched to an elevation, where we awaited the advance of the enemy, who was advancing in column of regiments.
"We then received orders to fall back under cover of the hill, and awaited the advance of the enemy. When within a short range, our troops were quickly thrown forward to the top of the hill, where we poured into their advancing columns volley after volley. So terrific was the fire of our men that the enemy fell like grass before the mower; so deadly was the fire that the enemy retired in great disorder, they not being able to rally their retreating forces.
"We charged them in a heavy piece of woods, driving them out of it, capturing a large number of prisoners (among them was a lieutenant-colonel and a lieutenant), and made terrible havoc in their ranks, covering the ground
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with their slain, many of them officers. We gained the woods, and held our position for two hours. We were then ordered to retire and be relieved by other troops, under com- mand of General Smith.
"It is impossible at this time to speak of individual bravery, but I can say, without flattery, that all, both officers and men of the different regiments of the brigade, nobly stood by their colors, and did their duty well on that event- ful day. Lieut .- Col. Tyndale, while nobly doing his duty, was severely wounded.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant, "ORRIN J. CRANE, "Major, Commanding Brigade. "Brig .- Gen. GREENE,
"Commanding Second Division."
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CHAPTER XXIV.
ON LOUDOUN AND BOLIVAR HEIGHTS AND THE FIGHT AT DUMFRIES.
While encamped upon Loudoun Heights near Harper's Ferry, the Seventh Ohio, whose ranks by reason of its al- most continuous active service in the field since leaving Camp Dennison, and the casualties of battle, had become very much depleted, was materially strengthened on the 9th of October by the arrival of Lieut. William D. Shepherd in charge of 150 recruits, besides a number of the regiment who were returning from hospitals where they had been on account of wounds received at the battles of Kernstown, Port Republic, and Cedar Mountain.
These recruits had enlisted just after the news of the snug fighting and heavy losses at Cedar Mountain had reached northern Ohio, for the distinct purpose of joining the Seventh to fill its ranks and strengthen its battle line, and it can be most truthfully stated that the subsequent service of that organization amply proved that a better class of young men than the recruits who came to us at Loudoun Heights could not have been found. Above the average in educa- tion and intelligence, apt in drill and in learning the duties of a soldier, they readily adapted themselves to their sur- roundings; were brave, gallant, and true, and in fact measured up to the highest standard of American volun- teers.
General Mansfield having been killed at the battle of Antietam, Gen. A. S. Williams commanded the Twelfth Corps until October 20, when Maj .- Gen. Henry W. Slocum assumed command. General Slocum was a graduate of West Point who resigned as early as 1857 to follow civil pursuits, but when the call for troops was made early in 1861 he tendered his services, and on May 21 became colo- nel of the Twenty-seventh New York Infantry. With his
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regiment he participated in the battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, where he was severely wounded. He was pro- moted to brigadier-general to date August 9, 1861, and when able for duty was given command of a brigade in Franklin's division of the Army of the Potomac.
He went to the Peninsula, where after participating in the battles there he was, on the 4th of July, 1862, promoted to major-general and given command of a division in Gen- eral Franklin's corps. On September 14, 1862, with his division, he captured Crampton's Gap in the Catoctin Range, and on the 17th took an active part in the battle of Antietam. He was modest, quiet, and unassuming, yet always measured up to the best standard and was greatly beloved by his men.
On October 21, at 2.30 o'clock A. M., the Second Division of the Twelfth Corps, under the command of Gen. John W. Geary, who had returned to duty and been given command of a division, moved up Loudoun Valley some fifteen miles to Lovetsville, where a number of prisoners were taken, the command returning to camp the next day. On the 30th the Second Division moved camp to Bolivar Heights, across the Shenandoah River, where it was more comfortably sit- uated. On the 31st Colonel Creighton rejoined his regi- ment, having been absent since August 9, on account of a severe wound received at Cedar Mountain.
During the month of November the Second Division almost daily performed herculean guard duty some miles out toward Charlestown, where General Geary had a corps of pioneers cutting all the timber in sight to give clear range to his artillery. On October I President Lincoln visited General Mcclellan's army, remaining some days, during which he rode over the battlefield of South Mountain and Antietam, and also reviewed the troops. Upon his return to Washington, President Lincoln issued an order on Octo- ber 7 directing General McClellan to cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy, but he did not begin to comply with this order until the 26th, and did not get his army across until November 3d, which reluctantly compelled his
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removal from the command of the Army of the Potomac, and as it subsequently proved, from further military duty during that war. The order relieving Maj .- Gen. George B. McClellan from his position as the commanding general of the Army of the Potomac was dated November 5, 1862, and was received by him on the 7th, while at Rectortown on the Manassas Gap Railroad. He was relieved by Maj .- Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside.
On December 2 General Geary, under orders from Gen- eral Slocum, moved with his division on a scout, which has been very ably handled by Sergeant M. M. Andrews of Company C, as follows :
"RECONNAISSANCE TO WINCHESTER.
"Our stay at Harper's Ferry, from September 20th to December 10th, 1862, was characterized by the most severe guard duty in the experience of the regiment, and much of the romance of war. Our picket lines extended several miles through the rough mountains about and toward Win- chester in the Valley, which was occupied by the enemy. From our first camp on the rocky side of Loudoun Heights we looked down upon a splendid panorama of varied scenery-the beautiful Potomac and the dashing Shenan- doah rivers, joining their waters at the village of Harper's Ferry with its quaint buildings and the U. S. Arsenal in ruins, and everywhere camps of infantry, artillery and cav- alry; while beyond, as far as the vision could reach, were picturesque forest and mountain. Almost daily the great military balloon "Constitution" floated over the white tents below us.
"The last of October Geary's division moved down and camped on Bolivar Heights, relieving Sumner's corps, and for a month, with other troops, was busy strengthening the defenses of our position. Heavy details of choppers slashed down the trees in our front, our brigade acting as pioneer guard between them and the enemy.
"On December 2. General Geary, under orders from the commanding general, began a reconnaissance toward Win-
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chester, for the purpose of locating the enemy and to ascer- tain his strength in the Valley. Our force consisted of about 3,000 picked men, 12 pieces of artillery from the dif- ferent batteries of the division, and 50 mounts from the Maryland cavalry. With well-filled cartridge-boxes and haversacks the column started at 6.30 A. M. The boys were in fine spirits, with the prospect of active service, and swung along in the crisp, frosty air of the early morning, with joke and song.
"Approaching Charlestown (where John Brown was tried and hung) our advance had a sharp skirmish with the rebel cavalry, resulting in the wounding of four or five of their men and several horses killed. They fell back beyond Charlestown, where we arrived at 8.30 A. M.
"As our fellows entered the one street of the village some one struck up 'John Brown's Body,' and the rousing song was taken up with a volume of sound by the whole column. In front of the court-house we halted, and, stacking arms for a brief rest, every one was curious to inspect the court- room where the old hero was tried, and the field near by, where he was executed.
"Taking up the line of march on the Berryville Pike, we soon encountered more rebel cavalry, who retreated before our advance to near the hamlet of Berryville, where we discovered the enemy in some force on a hill. Knap's boys dropped a few shells amongst them, when they with- drew toward Winchester. Our advance took possession of the hill, and General Geary at once disposed his force in order of battle.
"The Seventh Ohio, with two pieces of Knap's battery, took the lead, and our squadron of cavalry was sent for- ward in advance. The writer, who was in command of Company C, was directed to deploy the company as skir- mishers to the right of the road and advance through the field to the woods beyond, from which rifle shots were con- ing. Just as this movement began our cavalry squad was seen galloping back, followed by a large force of rebel horsemen -- the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry-on a furious
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charge against our front. Knap's guns swung into posi- tion in the road and received the rebs with grape; and the regiment poured into their ranks a volley of musketry. This broke their impetuous charge and turned them back in great confusion. They left on the field 4 men mortally wounded, who died soon after, and about 20 horses killed and disabled. Company C advanced into the woods, where we came up against a line of the enemy's skirmishers, and drove them steadily before us.
"When the firing had ceased, an incident of personal in- terest occurred which is perhaps worth mention. The writer saw a Confederate soldier raise his gun to fire at one of the company, but he got the first shot and winged the reb, who ran back, holding his arm. Advancing at once to the spot, the writer found the reb's rifle and knapsack by the tree which had partially protected him. The fresh blood on his knapsack told the story of his sudden decision to part with it.
"About dusk our troops bivouacked in line of battle behind temporary barricades of fallen trees. The next morning, December 3, the march was resumed toward Win- chester. Crossing Opequon Creek we came upon a camp recently vacated by the rebel Gen. A. P. Hill's corps. The whole force was brought up and bivouacked that night on the rebel camp-ground.
"Early Thursday morning we proceeded cautiously to Winchester. General Geary sent Dr. Ball, medical director of the division, under a flag of truce, into the town to de- mand its surrender. The commanding officer replied that no resistance would be made; but, learning that there ex- isted in the place an epidemic of smallpox, General Geary decided not to go in.
"Gathering up a lot of prisoners, 1IS in all, and recap- turing some of our own men who had been taken prisoners, our column took up the line of march at about 3 P. M. on the Martinsburg turn-pike toward Harper's Ferry. Camped that night about six miles from Winchester, and next day, December 4, proceeded via Bunker Hill and
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Smithfield on our return march. The night of the 5th of December, we bivouacked in a snowstorm, without shelter, or adequate covering to protect us from the severe cold, but got some rest ; and next day arrived at Bolivar in excellent condition, having made the entire scout without a single casualty on the Union side."
M. M. ANDREWS.
On December 10 the Twelfth Corps marched away to Hillsboro, Leesburg, Fairfax Court House and Station. across the Occoquan, reaching Dumfries Court House on the 18th, where the Fifth, Seventh, and Sixty-sixth Ohio Infantry and a section of McGilvery's Sixth Maine Battery, under command of Colonel Charles Candy, were left to guard and help keep open a line of communication in the rear of the Army of the Potomac then mainly stationed about Falmouth on the Rappahannock. Between excessive picket duty in many directions and all sorts of rumors with reference to possible attack from J. E. B. Stuart's raiders by day, and Mosby's Guerrillas by night, the little garrison at Dumfries had a strenuous time until the 27th, when something occurred of which Comrade Condit of Company C has written as follows :
"THE DUMFRIES 'SCRAP.'
"In point of magnitude the Dumfries fight was a robust skirmish, not to dignify it as one of the smaller conflicts of the war. We who were wounded, and our friends, prefer to think of that engagement as a battle rather than a skirm- ish. Our first fight is always spoken of as the 'battle of Cross Lanes,' and although attended by far more disastrous results to the regiment, it lasted scarcely 30 minutes, while the conflict at Dumfries, with three times the Union troops engaged, raged almost continuously from 12.30 P. M. until dark.
"But let us go back a little. The great battle of Antietam had been fought on the 17th of September, 1862. Follow- ing up the advantage gained, our army slowly felt its way
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down the river to Harper's Ferry, and the Seventh Regi- ment, after wading both the Potomac and the Shenandoah rivers, went into camp on Loudoun Heights for a 'breath- ing spell.' From this and the surrounding heights our army was reviewed by President Lincoln, and the holler this writer gave him as he passed along the line he feels sure is still reverberating somewhere around Maryland Heights. Here the Potomac army took its final leave of 'Little Mac,'-its old commander-a most unwelcome parting to most of us. If there had been giants in those days I am sure the regiment would have detailed a large squad of them as water-carriers on Loudoun Heights. Carrying water up that mountainside was really one of the hardships of the war. Some favoring providence coming our way, after a few weeks, permitted us to change our base to Bolivar Heights, where we later prepared and went into winter quarters. From this height the writer was elevated from the ranks to that of a corporal-a bit of military history not likely to add greatly to the renown of this mountain top which Miles and Jackson had just previously made famous.
"Early December snows had begun to fall upon our cabins, and now, alas! our cozy winter quarters must be abandoned. Lee had fallen back and the greater part of our army was nearing the Rappahannock hard by Freder- icksburg, and on December 10 we too were ordered for- ward. It was a cross-country marchi to the south with little or no halting until we reached the village of Dumfries on Quantico Creek near where it puts into the Potomac. Here the 'Ohio Brigade,' consisting of the Fifthi, Seventh and Sixth-sixth Regiments, was detached and went into camp on the 18th of December. To this force must be added a section of the Sixth Maine Battery and a company of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, altogether a miniature army con- stituting a part of the reserve to and rear protection for Burnside's command which was about to strike Lee at Fredericksburg.
"Dumfries was one of those sleepy old towns that one would hardly undertake to wake up with a cannon, though
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Gen. Wade Hampton did make the effort on the 12th inst. previous to our arrival. Happening that way with some- thing over 500 of his cavalry and a field battery, he opened on the town just at daybreak. After firing a couple of can- non shot he made a dash into the village, capturing the 50 odd Union troops that garrisoned the place, together with 24 wagons loaded with sutler's supplies; but this incident must have passed from the memory of the then remaining villagers after a day or two, for I can not recall its mention at the time, nor did I know of the circumstance until 44 years afterward. But this raid of the 12th of December seems to have had its influence. The sutler's goods cap- tured had found a responsive welcome on the part of the Confederates, whose stomachs were rarely surprised with such delicate 'liquids' and 'solids' as our sutler used to hand out to us at seven-story prices. The holidays were now upon Confederate and Unionist alike, and the said 'liquids' and 'solids' of sutler and army supplies may have had more to do with this Confederate move on Dumfries than we sus- pected at the time.
"It was 12 o'clock noon. December 27th, 1862, when Orderly Sergeant Andrews of Company C and this writer threw down a dressed Confederate sheep in front of Joe's kitchen. (Joe was our private colored cook.) We had killed and dressed this sheep about a mile from camp, tied . its legs together, through which we ran a pole, and then hustled it into camp on our shoulders. We had killed the sheep partly in 'self-defense' and partly because we did not have the wealth to put up for a 'sutler's layout' on New Year's Day. By the time we had gotten our breath and given Joe his orders about a fry for dinner. a cannon ball came shricking over our heads; then another and another passed over the camp close enough to be hair-lifting. Plainly it was time to 'get busy.' Our supply of fresh mut- ton was a forgotten incident. Everybody was yelling 'fall in!' and soon the three regiments and battery were on the move to meet the enemy who, as yet, had not disclosed him- self to our vision. Our camp lay on the north side of the
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village. Immediately on the south side of the town was a worn-out open field of considerable proportions. This field on its far side to us was skirted with a thicket of second- growth pine timber, through which was deployed this Con- federate force who had not only 'called' for us who were in the ranks, but were there to demand any delicacies Uncle Sam and the sutlers had that would be suitable for holiday consumption. The reader is already familiar with the Union troops under command of Col. Charles Candy, the ranking officer of the Post-a command numbering ten to twelve hundred soldiers able for duty. But who were these Con- federates in front of us? Burnside had been driven back at Fredericksburg, in more or less confusion, only two or three days before, and this released a part of J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry for a raid in the rear of our main army. Confederate history establishes the fact that this particular force confronting us at Dumfries was made up of select de- tachments from the cavalry brigades of Fitz Hugh and W. H. F. Lee, with Wade Hampton's division not far away on a side mission-all under the personal command of General Stuart himself, who admits he had about 1800 men with him besides 4 pieces of artillery. There is a question whether Wade Hampton with his command of 870 men were actually present and engaged our forces. Colonel Creighton of the Seventh had been detailed that morning as the general officer of the day, and thus the picket forces along the outer defenses fell to his command, while the com- mand of the regiment itself devolved upon Major Crane. who moved forward with the Seventh in splendid order and with marked coolness under a galling fire of grape and solid shot as we crossed the old field and met the enemy's skir- mishers (dismounted), driving them in and holding the thicket of pines-a position they stubbornly resisted, for now it was our cover and protection as well as theirs.
"At this point, and just as I was congratulating myself that we were to have this thick woods for protection, I re- ceived a severe gun-shot wound in the left thigh, and so I must turn to the official reports covering the balance of the
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engagement. Quoting from Colonel Creighton's official re port of the battle: 'We now changed position by the righ flank to the crest of a hill on our right, and soon order were received to fall back to the support of the Fifth O. V I., which was supporting the battery in the open field.
* * After remaining in this position about an hour we were ordered to support our left with part of the regi ment, moving the right wing about 200 yards to the right With the right wing we opened fire by volley on the enemy who were opposing the left center of the main force and quickly silenced them. We then received orders to throw out heavy pickets to the front and bivouac for the night. This refers, of course, only to the movement of the Seventh The Colonel seems to have been too modest to make any mention of the part he bore in this fight as commander o the picket forces. Colonel Candy, commanding, in hi official report says : 'About 3 P. M. the enemy moved to the right, where they were met by the Sixty-sixth Ohio and part of the Twelfth Illinois Cavalry. Enemy made re peated charges upon this force only to be repulsed. During this part of the engagement Colonel Creighton of the Sev enth Ohio, general officer of the day, and Lieutenant Clark of the Sixty-sixth, officer in charge of the pickets, displayed great coolness and bravery in discharge of their duties. While, of course, no official mention would be made of ou brave Colonel's enthusiastic reception of the enemy, at this time, as he repeatedly rode forward in the open, calling a the top of his voice. 'Come on, you devils! Come on!'
"The Fifth Ohio, assigned to the support of the battery seems not to have suffered equally with the other two regi ments. During the engagement the battery itself fired 18: rounds and came off the field without loss of a man of horse. During the night the Confederates withdrew fron the field, and if not roundly defeated they were completely foiled in their plans for our capture and the much-coveted army and sutlers' supplies.
"The Seventh went into the engagement with 312 mer and returned to camp with 293. The casualties-omitting
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the 'missing'-were as follows: Sylvester Carter, private Company B, wounded in head; John Gordon, private Con- pany B, taken prisoner; Andrew Atloff, private, Company B, taken prisoner; E. M. Condit, corporal, Company C, wounded in left thigh; Philip Grigsby, private, Company C, left ankle crushed; Thomas Roff, private, Company D, wounded in left leg by grape-shot; Wm. P. Root, private, Company D, wounded in shoulder ; Wm. H. Kibbe, private, Company F, wounded in breast; Wm. M. Perry, private, Company F, wounded in ankle; Austin Bull, corporal, Company G, killed; Stephen Willock, corporal, Company I. wounded in ankle. Eight others are reported 'missing,' presumably taken prisoners, or may have suffered a worse fate.
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