USA > Ohio > Itinerary of the Seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, 1861-1864, with roster, portraits and biographies > Part 3
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About midnight we reached a little town strung out along the main road, called Jane Lew, which was illumi- nated with many tallow candles, and looked cheerful and inviting.
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
At early dawn, after what seemed an almost endless all- night march, we were yet some distance from Weston, when orders were given to lengthen step, which caused some to drop out of ranks, completely exhausted. How- ever, as the goal must be reached, our officers still urged us on, and finally gave the order to double quick. At this many more fell out by the wayside, while others, who could not keep up with their heavy load, threw off their knapsacks, struck out at a lively trot, determined to be "in at the death," and held on valiantly until the town was reached.
Upon entering the town about 5 A. M. on June 30, (a lovely Sunday morning) the regiment divided, and deploy- ing through the streets had possession before the citizens knew of our presence.
The Union people gave us breakfast, and when the baggage arrived "Camp Tyler" was established across the river, the west fork of the Monongahela.
CHAPTER VI.
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
"WESTON, VA., July 4, 1861.
"Leaving Grafton on Friday last, at about 8 A. M., we came on the North Western Virginia R. R. to Clarksburg, and there encamped. Saturday afternoon Colonel Tyler drew the regiment up in the form of a square, and ad- dressed us in substance as follows :
" 'Soldiers of the Seventh Regiment-You are now in the midst of the enemy's country, surrounded by secessionists, and it becomes us to be on the alert against their move- ments. Your conduct as soldiers, from the time of your arrival at Camp Dennison, has been made known to the commander-in-chief, and in return for your uniform pa- triotism and prompt obedience, he has assigned to you, in preference to any other regiment, the important position you at present occupy.
"'In all your actions, act as gentlemen, and show to the people in whose presence you are that the Ohio boys as gentlemen and soldiers are one. I am, by your choice, to lead you. I am but a machine in your hands. Gentlemen. it is in your power to go on to complete victory or complete defeat. If you see fit to place confidence in me, obey my commands, and follow me where I may lead, I shall feel proud of the command of the Seventh Regiment. The country in which we are situated, I am probably better ac- quainted with than any other man in the world-and with my knowledge of the country, and your obedience to com- mands, we can accomplish everything. Will you follow where I will lead? [Universal Yes! Yes! Yes! Hurrah for Colonel Tyler !] Soldiers-we have received marching orders. To-morrow morning by 3 o'clock we wish to reach a certain point; be ready; obey orders implicitly. and all will be well.'
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
"The point which the Colonel wished to reach, I ascer- tained privately, was Weston-a town 23 miles south of us, over the hills, and there he wished to capture fifteen of the most noted secessionists and take possession of a secession bank. At 4 P. M. on Saturday we packed up our traps, and with our knapsacks on our backs, haversacks slung at our sides with one day's rations, belts around our waist with cartridge-box containing twenty rounds of cartridges, cap- box, bayonet and scabbard, revolver and knife, and musket on the shoulder, we started at quick time from Clarksburg.
"The latter part of the march, with such a load to carry, was very fatiguing; and when within one mile and a half from the town the order was given for double quick, many of the men were so fatigued that they fell out of the ranks-others threw away their knapsacks. Perhaps there were one hundred in all who from fatigue did not march into town with the regiment. Entering and surrounding the town, taking possession of the bank, was done in good order, in a short time, without any opposition whatever.
"I had almost forgotten to mention that when within a quarter of a mile of the town, a man was seen running up the hillside to the left of us. He was supposed to be a spy, and accordingly was called on to halt! Failing to do so, he was fired on, but at such a distance without effect. He was seen to fall, however, and hide in the bushes. Several of the boys ran up, but it was the good luck of one of Com- pany D's boys to capture him, more frightened than hurt. William L. Wurts, of our company, captured the first of the secessionists taken by the Seventh Regiment in Vir- ginia. Good for him! Several of our boys arrested rebels in the town. Captain Dyer arrested a great many. Lieu- tenants Weed and Williams each got one or two. Ser- geant French took three, one of whom was armed with a '76 musket. Your correspondent had the pleasure of ar- resting three secesh-one of whom purported to be a Meth- odist minister, who has one son in the rebel army and another acting as scout.
"The people of the town were taken by surprise, not
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ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
knowing at first whether we were Union men or secession- ists; but finding out what we were, for the most part they were overjoyed to see us. The buttery and larder were emptied of their contents for the benefit of the soldiers; each, apparently, vied with the other to see who should feed the most of us. One lady, a Mrs. Osborne, provided break- fast for sixty-four hungry soldiers, and almost that num- ber for dinner and supper. Another lady, a Mrs. Dins- more, satisfied the craving appetites of dozens of hungry soldiers. Numbers of others, whose names I do not know, feasted the boys liberally. Ever since we came here the Union loving folks of Weston have proven their generosity and patriotism by their conduct to the soldiers.
"On Tuesday last the men folks went out and got a pole on which to raise a flag made by the ladies. A great crowd gathered at the flag raising, and some speech-making being desired, Lieut A. J. Williams was called on to act as the orator of the day-and in a very appropriate impromptu speech, regarding our country, nationality, and glorious banner, showed himself just the man for the occasion. The glowing words fell from his lips hot with patriotic de- votion ; and when he spoke of the insults offered to our nation's flag-that flag which for ninety years has floated proudly in our land-and how we had come here to protect that flag, and maintain the rights of Union people, peace- ably if we could, forcibly if we must-it seemed as if a weird-like incantation had been thrown over the crowd, such death-like silence prevailed. After the speech, a young lady .- Miss Dinsmore,-stepped forward, and handsomely drew the Stars and Stripes to their position, amid the cheers of the assembled multitude. The Stars and Stripes, long may they wave in the village of Weston.
"To-day is the Fourth. What memories it brings up. To-day the good folks of this town are going to give the Seventh a Fourth of July dinner. Ain't that good? Hur- rah for the people of Weston!
"Already I have written too much, but two items of in-
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
terest more and I close. We took possession of a secession printing-office, and our boys are printing a paper there to-day, called The Ohio Seventh. The bank we have pos- session of here contains as near as I can ascertain, $125,000-a pretty good haul to start on, ain't it? Just one word more. All communications to the Seventh Regi- ment should be directed as follows-Company-Seventh O. V., Grafton, N. W. Virginia. Pardon length-still for the war,
"W. D. SHEPHERD."
WHO MADE THE FLAG AT WESTON?
"DES MOINES, IOWA, February 19, 1906. "DR. WILSON,
"Washington, D. C.
"I will tell you about the flag making. I think it was made at Mrs. Joe Osborn's, who kept the jail. A home where all of that kind of work was done. I think Rebecca and Maggie Densmore, two loyal sisters, and the two Moore sisters, Susan and Nannie, helped make the flag. There were five of us raised the flag, those four girls and myself. Not that it took all of us, but we wanted the honor of raising that flag, for it was the flag that we all loved. It was hoisted just opposite the Bailey Hotel on the corner. We were all dressed in patriotic collars and aprons.
"I will always remember the Seventh Ohio boys. The Sunday morning they came into Weston we gave seven of them a good warm breakfast. Mother could have fed more if they had come. It seemed as though they had breakfast all over the town that morning.
"Respectfully, "MRS. J. S. WILKINSON,
"Formerly Sallie McBride, of Weston. Lewis County, West Va."
45
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
"WESTON, VA., July 11, 1861.
"Friend Merrill: The 4th was a joyful day at Camp Tyler. I told you the ladies of Weston were going to give the Seventh Ohio boys a dinner, and they did. Chick- ens,-weren't they good ?- pies, cakes, biscuit, bread, but- ter, and everything else that was eatable, almost. In the afternoon the regiment paraded through the streets, and assisted in raising a large and beautiful flag, made by the good folks here. On the morning of the Fourth, Colonel Tyler received a dispatch from a small village 18 miles from here, to the effect that small parties of secessionists were committing outrages and depredations on the Union- ists in that section. Immediately he sent six men from each company, under the command of Captain Dyer, to the assistance of the Union men. On arriving at Bennett's Mills, however, he found the parties scattered to the moun- tains.
"The evening of the 5th, at about 8 o'clock, the Colonel came to our tents, and asked the lieutenants if their com- pany was ready to march. 'Certainly, Colonel, always ready,' was the prompt reply. go and join your captain.'
'Well,' said he, 'get ready to At 10 o'clock P. M. we left Weston for an 18-mile march through a mountainous coun- try. I was sent ahead with an advance guard, and from some information given us by a man at whose house we halted to get a drink, we were not to be surprised if we should be fired into from the hillsides before we got through. Carefully, silently, and with measured tread we wound our way over the hills, down into deep, dark ra- vines, and gullies so dark-(Lieutenant Williams said it was as dark as a black nigger hunting for a black cat in a dark cellar) that we could not see one yard in advance of us. Scarcely a word was spoken the entire night, and then only in suppressed whispers. Forward we went; bay- onets fixed, and at a charge; fingers on the triggers, ready to fire; but not a soul appeared nor a sound heard. I tell you, friend Merrill, it was rather ticklish marching, and we were not very sorry when daylight appeared.
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
"At 6 A. M. of the 6th inst. we reached Camp Dyer (so called in honor of our captain), and soon after the Captain came in with some prisoners, having been out scouting the night previous. Several secessionists were taken, who, on taking the oath of allegiance, were allowed to go. Scout- ing parties went out by day and night, and usually brought in one or more prisoners. Lieutenant Weed, with a party. brought in eight at one time. Last Sunday night I went out with a party and brought in five, and two awful long rifles.
"Monday morning a dispatch was sent to Captain Dyer to return immediately to Weston. In just one hour from the time the dispatch came, everything was packed up, and we were on the road. Part of the time. the heat was in- tense, and several of our boys fell from the ranks, unable to stand the march and heat. A heavy thunder storm provi- dentially arose, and the rain came down in torrents, wetting us, almost instantly, to the skin-but so cooling and refresh- ing that the rest of the march was made with considerable ease.
"At 7 o'clock in the evening we again entered Weston. and found that the regiment had gone to Glenville, expect- ing to have a fight there.
"I forgot to mention that a scouting party from the Seventh went out the other night and seized fifteen men and eight horses.
"In my last I wrote that the amount of money taken pos- session of at the bank here was about $75,000. Colonel Tyler sent away of the amount taken $27,000 in specie, the principal part of the balance being in paper and not worth anything.
"From actual observation I am convinced that a great majority of the secessionists in this section are so from policy more than principle. For instance, Bennett, the auditor of this State, is a strong secessionist. He owns a large tract of land around here, and numbers of people are living on his land-have lived there for years-it is their home; the alternative is to leave their homes or be seces-
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ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
sionists; policy says, stay,-therefore, they are seces- sionists.
"Our prospects for a fight are good, and we hope soon to have one. . Direct to us now at Clarksburg, Virginia. Excuse haste-all well.
"W. D. SHEPHERD."
WHY THE SEVENTH WAS SENT TO WESTON.
In June, 1861, there was deposited in the bank at Wes- ton, Virginia, State funds to the credit of the insane asy- lum, the sum of $30,000 in gold, and during the excitement of the days of secession and beginning of hostilities this money seemed to have been overlooked by the authorities at Richmond. While the secessionists at Weston were hoping that this gold would be saved to the Confederacy, the loyal men there took steps to prevent it.
A secret meeting was held and one of their sturdiest members, Joshua C. Wilkinson, was selected to start that night on foot for Wheeling, to lay the matter before the Governor. Wilkinson stepped off 25 miles to Clarksburg, caught an early train to Wheeling, and at an early hour the next day had an audience with the Governor, who was equal to the emergency. Getting in touch with the au- thorities at Washington, he urged that at least a regiment of infantry be at once sent to Weston, with the result that the Seventh Ohio Infantry was at once ordered from Camp Dennison and reached the town in time to get the gold.
NOTE .- This information was furnished by Comrade Daniel Ford of the Thirteenth West Virginia Infantry, then a boy living near Weston.
"THE OHIO SEVENTH."
At a meeting of the lieutenants of the Seventh Ohio Regiment the following officers were chosen to publish a Union paper at Weston :
Proprietor, Lieutenant A. C. Burgess, Co. A.
Leading Editor, Lieutenant J. N. Cross. Co. C.
Assistant Editor, Lieutenant A. J. Williams, Co. D.
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Publishers, J. F. Harmon and E. F. Grabill, Co. C.
The office of the Weston Herald was taken possession of and the first copy of the Ohio Seventh was issued on July 4, 1861, from a defunct secession newspaper office with material left in great confusion.
It was announced that the Ohio Seventh would be issued as long as the regiment remained at Camp Tyler, and that it was hoped copies would be issued in Richmond, Charles- ton, and New Orleans, and always from defunct secession newspaper offices. This little sheet was cordially greeted by soldiers and citizens and greatly enjoyed by all who saw it.
The following marriage notices were announced :
"In Cleveland, May 2, 1861, Lieut .- Col. W. R. Creigh- ton of the Seventh Ohio Infantry and Miss Elenor N. Quirk, both of Cleveland. The Colonel's wife spent sev- eral days at Camp Dennison before the regiment left. It was hard to tell who had the most friends, the Colonel or his bride. Long live the Colonel with his bride-the bride- in-chief of the Seventh.
"In Lyme, Huron County, Ohio, June 12, 1861, Lieut. A. T. Wilcox of Company E to Julia L. Morehouse. God bless you, Wilcox.
"In Streetsboro, Ohio, June 12, 1861, Lieut. A. H. Day of Company F to Miss Tillie E. Shurtleff. We will take the cake after the war.
"In Mentor, Ohio, June 9, 1861, E. S. Sackett of Com- pany C to Miss Nellie L. Webster. Sackett invites the Seventh to the infair, after the war .*
"In Oberlin, Ohio, April 22, 1861, E. B. Hayes of Com- pany C to Miss Julina Barter. Success, Hayes, with war and wife."
THE FIRST MILITARY FUNERAL.
While at Weston there was an epidemic of measles and a member of the Seventh Regiment died. The troops fell
*Sackett died March 20. 1862, from wounds received in battle at Win- chester, Va., March 23, 1862, and never saw wife or home again.
£
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ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
in under arms, and led by our instrumental band marched to the hospital. An ambulance served as a hearse. When all was ready the band led off, playing the saddest of all tunes, "The Dead March." With arms reversed and at slow time the solemn cortege moved to the cemetery, where the body was placed in the open grave. The chaplain's ad- dress, tender and sympathetic, drew tears from many eyes ; then with an earnest prayer, not forgetting the dead sol- dier's loved ones far away in the Northern home who should never look upon his face again, the firing squad took position-three sharp volleys, and all was over.
The command "Attention !" was given; the band struck up "The Girl I Left Behind Me," and the command re- turned to camp to awake to the realization of the fact, not before considered, that although enlisting to do battle for their country, they might die of a simple distemper like measles, and never, as in this case, see an enemy.
4
CHAPTER VII.
GOING TO GLENVILLE, BULLTOWN, SUTTON, AND SUMMER- VILLE.
On July 7, 1861, Companies B and H were ordered to march to Glenville, 28 miles distant, to the relief of Union troops stationed there, and Comrade M. M. Andrews states :
"The next morning the regiment broke camp at Wes- ton and marched 18 miles toward Glenville and went into bivouac. but hearing that the companies which had pre- ceded us the day before needed help, Colonel Tyler directed Company C to push on that night. We marched most of the night through darkness and mud, reaching Glenville in the early morning, and occupied a large residence from which the rebel owners had departed. In the afternoon the regiment came up and we all camped in a vacant lot near the village, where we stayed fifteen days. It was there that Corporal Adams of Company C was shot by a bushwhacker."
Comrade Adams has written of this affair as follows:
"On Sunday morning the 21st of July, 1861, I was sent out in command of a squad of men to picket and guard a ford across the Little Kanawha about two miles down the river from Glenville, W. Va., with instructions to relieve and send in the old guard. On arriving at the place described we found no picket present. There was no mistaking the place-so I left the men and went to a house near by to make inquiry as to the reason of the absence of the guard. The people told me that the picket post was about forty rods beyond at the next house (which was not in sight because of a bend in the road which followed the crooks in the river ).
"When I got back to the men they had already taken off
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GOING TO GLENVILLE AND SUMMERVILLE
their blankets and made themselves ready to stay, and as the distance was so short I went on alone to notify the old picket of our presence. Just beyond the bend in the road there was a ledge of rocks with brush and trees growing up to its edge running along the road and three or four rods distant from the center of the road. At the highest part of the ledge was a large boulder. Suddenly, without the least warning, while utterly unconscious of danger, I re- ceived a shot from a rifle which struck me just to the right of the spine and passed through a space of about five inches. It was aimed at my heart and had missed killing me be- cause the rebel had miscalculated my forward movement. I suppose a half an inch farther ahead and it would have killed me, as it would then have passed through the spine. On recovering from the partial fall I looked and saw the smoke coming from over the boulder, and raised my gun and was about to fire, but the thought struck me that as I saw no one, I should hit no one, and it would leave me with an empty gun at the mercy of the rebel, so I reserved my fire until such time as I would have something to aim at. In an interview shortly after with Colonel Creighton, I told him the particulars as above, and he commended me for my coolness in reserving my fire. I have always been proud of getting the commendation and approval of such a man as Colonel Creighton. And I have always been proud of being the first man wounded by a rebel in the glorious old Seventh Ohio, which afterward suffered so heavily in wounded and killed. I sent one of the men to camp with the news. The whole regiment came out, but failed to dis- cover the rebel, after diligent search. The next morning I was sent by ambulance to Weston. At the same time the regiment left Glenville, going by the place where I was wounded, and I have been told that Captain Shurtleff had his horse killed on that occasion, while passing that place. It (my wounding) proved a final parting with many a dear friend, for before I recovered, "Cross Lanes" battle had taken place, where Company C lost 35 men killed, wounded, and prisoners."
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SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
Corporal T. E. W. Adams of Company C therefore bears the honorable distinction of having been the first man in the regiment to shed his blood in defense of his country.
Captain Dyer with his scouting party to Walkersville, reached Weston the afternoon of July 8, when all the rest of the regiment, excepting Company A, had gone to rein- force the troops at Glenville.
While at Glenville. Colonel Tyler, wishing to open com- munication with Gen. J. D. Cox, supposed to be operating in the Big Kanawha Valley below Charleston, requested Chaplain Brown of the Seventh to attempt this most hazardous journey.
After brief preparation this courageous and well-beloved little man, about noon on Thursday, July 18. 1861, bade his comrades good-by and departed. The following is his own account of the affair :
From Cleveland Herald, July 27th, 1861.
"From the Chaplain of the Seventh,
"Mouth of Pocotalico ( Poco), "17 Miles below Charleston.
"Monday, July 22, 1861.
"You see I am still here, though in the note I sent you yesterday I told you I should leave in the afternoon. I am here by advice of General Cox, who thinks I will reach the Seventh about as soon by remaining with him as by return- ing the way I came, and by a much shorter route. I was reluctant to see it in this light. But as the object which brought me here has been secured, and my only reason for returning was to relieve the anxiety of Colonel Tyler and others for my safety. I thought it best to take the advice and remain, and especially as from dispatches received by General Cox from General McClellan a few hours before by way of Point Pleasant, to which place they had been tele- graphed, I learned that Colonel Tyler was, or very soon would be, on the move south to join us here, by way of Sutton and Summerville. Take your map of Virginia and you will see that with the Seventh on the move south-east,
£
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GOING TO GLENVILLE AND SUMMERVILLE
to join it by the way I came would make me travel nearly one hundred and fifty miles, and that by waiting and going across, I can join it in forty or fifty miles, reaching it per- haps as soon as by starting north at once. For this reason, and because of the dangers to which I would needlessly ex- pose myself by returning. I have remained.
"Of course the trip I took did not lie immediately in the line of my prescribed duties. But in this world a man must do many things, if he will live well, not immediately pre- scribed to him in his profession. Colonel Tyler was very anxious to get into communication with General Cox, from whom none of us in the North had heard anything for weeks, because of the secession belt between us, and our movements depended much on his. I was present in the council when it was determined to send some one to try to open communication. I did not offer my services, nor say a word. I heard the officers talking among themselves that it would be difficult and dangerous, that whoever went must disguise his connection with the army, and that he must seem to have business elsewhere in the neighborhood of Charleston, etc., etc. All of them wished to go. But the Colonel told them he could not well spare any of them. He then turned to me and asked if I would and could go. I told him I could and would, provided nothing was de- manded of me inconsistent with my character as a Chris- tian-that I could not say that I had business at Gauley Bridge nor elsewhere, etc., but that if the manner of it were left to me, I thought I could go safely through. I saw that he wished me to go, and that he was willing to trust to my own skill. So it was settled. As soon as possible-in two hours-I had all my things packed ready to be carried along with the regiment in case it moved during my ab- sence, was metamorphosed into a quiet-looking citizen, and was on horseback ready to start. The officers and Dr. Cushing were all very kind, and were around me in a crowd when I started, Dr. Cushing going with me a mile or two. A Union man of the neighborhood went with me some dis- tance to see me well off. My course lay for forty miles
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