USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. I > Part 22
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"One hundred men wanted for the Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. Four hundred and two dollars bounty paid to all old recruits, and three hun- dred and two dollars to new recruits.
"December 1, 1863.
"WALTER L. BURR,
Recruiting Officer."
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The following year the demands were pressing and the reward was in- creased as shown below :
"Every able-bodied man who will come forward and volunteer for one year and be credited to the first ward of Mt. Vernon, on or before the 25th day of August, will receive five hundred dollars in cash for one year's service."
But still the war was raging. Knox county had paid out by contribu- tions toward the support of the "war widow" and children the sum of $8,835. In 1863 the county commissioners set apart $11,339, and the fol- lowing year ( 1864) did the same. In 1865 the amount of $12,000 was set apart for a like use. Then thousands were paid by free donations.
During the last year of the war large sums-anything a man would have the face to ask for to go as a substitute-were given by those possessed of wealth and sometimes not much courage and patriotism! This helped on the "bounty-jumping" business and men would enlist under bounty, de- sert and go to some distant point and gain another bounty.
In that wonderful call of 1864 for five hundred thousand more men, Knox county's quota was five hundred and eighty-nine men-after all the brave sons she had sent to the front before. These were for one, two and three year terms. The general government paid from one to three hundred dollars for such men and the county and private individuals had the balance to provide for.
It should be said that all townships finally in 1863 had to submit to a draft, except Berlin, Milford, Morgan, Morris and Union.
LADIES' AID AND SANITARY COMMISSION SOCIETIES.
Not alone did the men of Knox county do well their part in sending the best men of the county to the battle fields, and pay large sums to keep the home affairs running, but the wives, sisters and daughters worked he- roically, and sacrificed as much as did their fathers and brothers. All praise to the noble-hearted ladies of Knox county ; long should their good deeds be remembered.
Soon after the breaking out of the war, the need of sanitary and hospital supplies began to be felt, and this demand increased with every bat- tle and every new regiment sent to the scene of conflict.
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Ladies' aid societies sprang up all over the Northland. Knox county was early in the ranks of this charitable work for the soldiers. Early in 1861 such a society was formed in Mt. Vernon, with Mrs. J. E. Wood- bridge as its president. This was followed by one in nearly every township within the county. These co-operated one with the other and the goods and supplies were all shipped from the county seat. . The list given herewith will give some idea of what was sent to make life and army difficulties easier for those who were suffering in hospital and on the long, weary marches in defense of the flag, the same being articles which one society furnished: Pleasant township, as shown in the president's report, Christ- mas day, 1863: Shirts, ninety-one: drawers, sixty-five pairs ; pocket hand- kerchiefs, one hundred thirty-eight; pillow slips, forty-two; sheets, six; towels, thirty-five; socks, nine pairs ; mittens, two pairs; compresses, thirty- five ; bandages, fifty-nine rolls ; papers and magazines, five bundles; hops, one pound ; fifty-three pads; fans, thirteen; neckties, two; three boxes, two rolls and one sack of lint ; thirty-two pounds crackers : dry toast, six pounds; pickles, ten dozen; vinegar, four quarts; jugs canned fruit and pickles, eighteen ; apples, four and one-half bushels; seven quarts dried peaches ; elderberries, twenty-three quarts; dried cherries, fourteen quarts; sweet corn, seven quarts, dried; potatoes, thirteen bushels ; onions, three bushels ; beets, two bushels ; cabbage, one bushel. The total estimated value of this one township's offering for the relief of sick soldiers was $225.31.
The closing paragraph of Mrs. J. E. Woodbridge, president of the Knox County Soldiers' Aid Society, dated December 1, 1864, shows the spirit of womanly, Christian patriotism that obtained here. It is as follows : "They have faithfully performed arduous labors, but with willing hands. They also, like most of the gallant soldiers, enlisted for 'three years or the war,' and as their three years of faithful service has but lately expired, they will not be mustered out, but have re-enlisted, without draft, substitute, or bounty. They have become veterans in the good sense of the cause, and ask no further bounty than an approving conscience and the continued aid and generosity of the community in furnishing funds and material to the society, that it may be enabled to do good in a good cause."
EARLY CIVIL WAR INCIDENTS.
The first contribution of Knox county to the war of the Rebellion was two companies, A and B, of the Fourth Ohio Regiment of infantry. Only those who lived in those days can realize what the excitement was here. The sound of drum and fife was heard daily on the streets of Mt.
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Vernon about the public square and the young life of the country sprang to arms as quickly as did older ones. The first man to place his name upon that honored roll of heroes that went from Knox county was Israel Underwood. Sixty-three others' followed quickly, and in less than twenty- four hours after the first call for troops flashed over the wires sixty-four men were ready to march to the imperiled national capital. Mr. Under- wood, who had virtually raised the company, generously turned them over to Lorin Andrews, the president of Kenyon College, who had told the governor three months before the firing upon Fort Sumter that if war came he would go. So it was that Mr. Andrews was made captain in place of Underwood. Underwood, however, through Captain Andrews' influence, was made quartermaster of the Fourth Ohio. Andrews was at once ap- pointed colonel of his regiment by the governor. Then James C. Irvine became captain of Company A. the first raised in Knox county. The company repaired to Camp Jackson, at Columbus, and there united with other companies in making up the Fourth Regiment. In reorganization, Leonard W. Carpenter was made captain of Company A.
At the same time another company was being raised at Mt. Vernon by Henry B. Banning, who later became brigadier-general, and the two com- panies were ready to depart for Columbus at the same time. It will be observed all was accomplished in short time, because the men were formed into companies and went to Columbus in time to be made a part of the Fourth Regiment, which was organized April 25, 1861, only thirteen days after Fort Sumter was fired upon.
While it is not practicable to give a roster of the men who went into the Union ranks from Knox county, as the list would be too lengthy, and for other reasons, yet it will be the aim of the writer to give some import- ant facts regarding the various commands here organized, by whom and the dates of most of them.
Companies A and B of the Fourth Regiment, two full companies. were organized at Columbus April 25, 1861. Their history is noted above.
Upon the return of the Fourth Regiment in June, 1864, the news- paper at Columbus had the following to say :
"This old and gallant regiment, or rather what is left of it, arrived in this city Saturday night under command of Col. L. W. Carpenter. It has done good and noble service for the country. In the battles in which this regiment was engaged prior to General Grant taking command of the army, it had dwindled down to four hundred men. They were in Grant's cam- paign in 1864 and went in with three hundred men, and came out with just ninety-one, and a part of these wounded."
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The flag of this regiment was turned over to Governor Brough by Captain George F. Laird and the following inscription was placed upon it : "Romney. Blue's Gap, Front Royal, Harrison's Landing, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Bristoe, Mine Run, Norton's Ford, The Wilder- ness, Spottsylvania, Po River, North Anna River, Prospect Hill and Cold Harbor." Indeed a proud record to have participated in all of these terrific engagements, the hardest fought of the war.
THE TWENTIETH OHIO REGIMENT.
Upon the reorganization of this regiment in October, 1861, three com- panies went from Knox county, A, E and G. The first named was made up largely from about Chesterville and Fredericktown, and Dr. Elisha Hiatt was made captain. The company numbered one hundred and thirteen men.
George Rogers, of Mt. Vernon, and John N. Cassell, of Frederick- town, each raised a company, A and G, of about one hundred men each. These men all served in the awful trenches in front of Vicksburg. It was also at the fall of Atlanta. Many of its number from this county suffered in the prison pens of Anderson and Charleston, some making their escape, while others died awful deaths.
THE THIRTIETH REGIMENT.
The third company recruited in Knox county was that raised by Emory Muenscher of Mt. Vernon. It consisted of sixty men who reported at Camp Chase in July and became Company A, of the Thirtieth Regiment. They were soon sent to Virginia and saw much hard service. It was at Mission Ridge and marched with Sherman on his famous "March to the Sea." It had traveled over thirteen thousand miles and was finally permit- ted to participate in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C.
THE THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
Company C of this regiment was recruited in Mt. Vernon in July, 1861, and James Blackstone Banning was elected its captain. It participated in the West Virginia campaigns and after hard fighting at many points, finally had to surrender at Harper's Ferry, parolled and sent to Chicago, from which place they, without orders, came home for a time, but later were or- dered to Cleveland. In January, 1863, the regiment was exchanged and
(15)
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sent to the front, being attached to the Seventeenth Corps. It was in the Vicksburg campaign, re-enlisted in 1864 and was with Sherman in his march to the sea-board; was at the surrender of Johnston and at the Grand Review at Washington, May. 1865.
THIE FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT.
Company K of the Forty-third Regiment was largely recruited in the south and eastern portions of Knox county. As this regiment camped at Mt. Vernon during the winter of 1861-2 for three months or more, the camp was called "Camp Andrews," after Colonel Andrews of this county. It was organized in 1862 and its colonel was J. L. Kirby Smith, a nephew of rebel General Kirby Smith. He was wounded at Corinth and died Oc- tober 12, 1862. As late as 1881 a letter was written by Lieutenant E. L. Lybarger, an officer in that regiment, which will show how they were ap- preciated at Mt. Vernon during their winter stay here :
"Everything was done by the citizens to make the soldiers comfortable, contented and happy. The camp was daily in receipt of some token of the people's good will in the shape of luxuries and sweetmeats of all kinds: while the sick in the hospital were as well cared for and as kindly treated by the patriotic ladies as if they had been at home with their mothers, wives and sisters "
After being at Island Number Ten and many Mississippi points, the regiment was sent to accompany Sherman on a victorious march, and the first battle in which they took part there was at Resaca, where they lost heavily. Their last engagement was at River's Ridge on the March to the Sea. They. too, were permitted to view that wonderful military pageant. the Grand Review at Washington, in 1865.
THE SIXTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
Two and a half companies from Knox county appeared in the make- up of the Sixty-fifth Regiment from Ohio. Early in October. 1861, Alex- ander Cassil, of Mt. Vernon, was commissioned to raise a company for this regiment. N. L. Williams was also engaged at raising another company. These became Companies A and F. The men went largely from the eastern portion of this county. In the draft of October, 1861, forty-four men of Knox county were drafted and assigned to this regiment. The Sixty-fifth became a part of Sherman's brigade and was mustered into service in De- cember 1861. In March. 1862, this regiment, under Gen. James A. Gar-
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field, marched by way of Columbia to Savannah. It was at Shiloh, but not in the engagement. It fought at Corinth and at Stone River. All the commissioned officers were either killed or disabled. The loss was fearful. Sergeant C. Henwood bravely took command and led it through the bat- tle, for which act he was commissioned lieutenant by Gov. Tod. Alexander Cassil, who went out as captain of A, rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in his regiment. The regiment was at Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta. It was paid off and discharged at Camp Chase, January 2, 1866.
THE NINETY-SIXTH REGIMENT.
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When Lincoln called for more troops in 1862, four companies were immediately sent from Knox county. The first two went into the Ninety- sixth Ohio Regiment, the others into the One Hundred and Twenty-first. Joseph W. Vance, an active loyal supporter of the government, was com- missioned to raise a regiment in the eighth congressional district. This be- came the Ninety-sixth Regiment. Companies A and B, from Mt. Vernon, were placed at the head. Vance was commissioned as its colonel; Lieuten- ant-Colonel A. H. Brown, an old Mexican soldier, and Maj. Charles H. Mc- Elroy, formerly captain of a company of the Fourth Ohio, were field officers. Company B had for its leader Captain Joseph Leonard. The two joined the Ninety-sixth Ohio and made the regiment number a thousand and fourteen men, rank and file It was sent "down the river" with Gen. W. T. Sherman, landing at Miliken's Bend and were caught in the thickest of the fight at Grand Coteau where they had many killed and wounded, including those from Knox county. Later they went with Banks on his Red River (Texas) expedition and there saw no easy soldier life. At Sabine Cross Roads the gallant Colonel Vance lost his life. Captain Coulter was taken a prisoner and died in great agony.
The regiment marched 1,680 miles; was transported by boat 7,686 miles, and by rail 517 miles, making a total of 9,886 miles.
A TOUCHING LETTER.
Col. Joseph W. Vance, who had been a ruling elder in the Old School Presbyterian church at Mt. Vernon, in a letter home to his wife, gives the key-note of true American patriotism, mingled with the duty of a real Christian soldier. It was not long before he was killed in battle. The letter was dated February, 1863, in sight of Vicksburg. It reads :
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"You really distress me by urging me to resign, and if you properly understood the matter, you could not think of it. Would you have me dis- grace myself by tendering my resignation in the face of the enemy? No, my wife I would rather die in these hated swamps than do so. I know and fully appreciate the interest you and my aged mother, my children and all my friends take in me, but all this was very fully considered by me be- fore I took the field in defense of my country and its constitution. The sac- rifice, I felt. was a great one, yet, I felt that it was my duty to make it, and I feel so yet. And if the Great Ruler of the universe intends that my life shall be sacrificed in the great struggle between freedom and despotism, then so it will be. In his hand I am willing to leave the issue. If I fall he will be God of the fatherless and widow, and a way will surely be provided for you. Then ask me, my wife, no more to resign. God Almighty will take care of you and me, and until the last foe to freedom and free institutions shall succumb or bite the dust I shall not sheathe my sword."
This was the type of manhood that put down the Rebellion. Peace to his ashes now reposing in the Mt. Vernon cemetery.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIRST REGIMENT.
In the summer of 1862 President Lincoln called twice for more men to increase his army of volunteers, and they were forthcoming. War had come to be a settled fact and the life of this nation was hanging as if in a balance. Under these calls Knox county at once sent to the front four companies of her younger men, those of Captain Mitchell, Captain Leonard. Captain Stephens and Captain Yager. The two first named were completed first and entered the Ninety-sixth Regiment: those making up the latter companies were a part of the gallant One Hundred and Twenty-first. These were more than full companies, four hundred and sixty-three men in all. They came from townships in Knox county as here noted: Jackson, two: Union, six- teen : Brown, ten; Harrison, one; Morgan, nineteen ; College, twenty ; Pike, fourteen : Morris, fourteen : Miller, five; Liberty, twenty-six; Middlebury, sixteen ; Butler, three : Jefferson, twelve; Howard, four; Clay, twenty-four; Pleasant, twelve; Monroe, nineteen; Berlin, twenty-four: Clinton, twenty ; Milford. eighteen; Wayne, forty-three; Hilliar, forty-eight; Mt. Vernon (city), eighty-one. Nearly all farmers. yet they rose to manly soldiers soon. Capt. John Yager sacrificed his life in the thunder of the conflict at Kenesaw Mountain, after having been promoted to major. It is true that at the battle of Perryville, some of these mere saplings of boys, used to the plow and nothing more. seeing the fine guns in the enemies' hands and ob-
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serving their own trifling muskets, threw them down and fled the field, but later went back and cared for the dead and wounded, and later still made the watchword, "Wipe out Perryville," and made excellent fighting soldiers on many a well-fought battlefield. Colonel Banning was soon in command of this regiment by appointment of the war department.
In May, 1864, this regiment moved along with General Sherman to the sea and was in that memorable campaign in front of Atlanta.
Colonel Banning's report said: "We started with four hundred and twenty-nine officers and privates. Four officers were killed and eight wounded ; twenty-two men were killed upon the field, and two hundred and five wounded ; one captured."
The chaplain of the regiment wrote as follows concerning the regi- mental flag: "The patriotic ladies of the district presented us with a beauti- ful flag when we left Ohio. Two years have passed, and a remnant of that flag remains. This flag was the first one planted at the mouth of Buzzard's Roost gap, shared in the victory at Resaca, and was the first one planted on the rebel works at Rome, Georgia. It floated defiantly in the face of the foe at Dallas and Kenesaw. It was the first to cross the Chattahoochie; it was planted the first on Peachtree creek, whose waters had run crimson the day before with the blood of our braves. In all the engagements before Atlanta this flag bore a conspicuous part. It was the first planted on the Montgom- ery railroad. At the battle of Jonesborough it was the first to cross the enemy's works, and was planted upon Sweets, captured a rebel battery ; and here its gallant defenders resisted two desperate charges of the enemy to retake their guns. Through fire and blood this flag has been carried, and although tattered and torn by the bullets of the enemy, it has never been disgraced."
THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT.
During the autumn of 1862, drafting, hiring substitutes and volun- teering under the two calls made a total demand for six hundred thousand more men. One company in Knox county was raised mostly in the vicinity of Martinsburg, by Capt. S. R. Parks. About a half company was raised in the county. A squad under Lieutenant Barnes formed part of Company G. Finally the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Regiment was organized; Emer- son Opodyke was made colonel and H. B. Banning lieutenant-colonel. Cap- tain Parks' company became Company F. It saw its hardest fighting at Chickamauga. So brave and fearless was this command that General Woods christened it the "Tiger Regiment of Ohio." Its next fight was at Mission-
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ary Ridge in November, 1863, where its loss was great. On the Atlanta campaign General Howard sent word for the best regiment on the field to dislodge the enemy at Rocky Face Ridge, and the One Hundred and Twenty- fifth was sent. At Lost Mountain it again won laurels, sweeping across a deep stream, and carrying the enemy before them like a whirlwind. At Kenesaw again they were in the hardest of the fight and there lost gallant General Harker. Its last battle was at Nashville. It was mustered out at Camp Chase, October 17, 1865.
SECOND OIIIO HEAVY ARTILLERY.
During the summer of 1863 the Union forces had captured many strong- holds and batteries of heavy artillery, and it became needful that our side recruit for the fortification and holding of such batteries. These heavy artillery regiments must have twenty-four hundred men each. Ohio raised two of the number. The companies numbered about two hundred each. One of these was partly recruited in Mt. Vernon, where forty men entered Bat- tery I, Second Ohio Heavy Artillery, under Capt. Thomas A. Stevenson. This mustered in September, 1863, at Covington, Kentucky. It did much good service and returned in August, 1865.
THE EIGHTEENTH UNITED STATES REGULARS.
Forty men were recruited in Knox county, in 1861, under Lieutenant Ogden of the United States Army (regulars), at a station at Mt. Vernon. The same were attached to the Eighteenth United States Regulars at Co- lumbus that fall, and did fully their share during the war. It took part in most all the heavy battles. Several Knox county boys lost their lives in this command and Lieutenant Freeman fell into Libby prison, also at Macon, Columbia and Charleston, but finally escaped.
OTHER SOLDIERS FROM KNOX.
Besides the above men who went from Knox county, must not be over- looked numerous squads who went in as many commands in different parts of the army. Capt. Charles H. Coe, of Centerburg, raised a squad of sharp- shooters. Others went in the Third Ohio Regiment of cavalry. These were later transferred to many different regiments. A squad of thirty-odd men were recruited in the fall of 1861, and taken into the Eighty-second Regi- ment by Lloyd Lippet, of Mt. Vernon.
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ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SECOND OHIO HOME GUARDS.
Another branch of the military must not be missed notice, and that is what was known as the "Home Guards," later the "National Guards." Just before Lee was driven back from Pennsylvania, at that terrible strife at Gettysburg, in the summer of 1863, many of the Northern states were threat- ened with an invasion from the rebel armies. To checkmate this warfare, the governor of this state, with others, ordered that home guards of militia should be organized and drill for emergency, while the main army was doing its harder fighting South. Ohio's quota of the one hundred thousand men thus asked for was thirty thousand. This was prompted by a dispatch from General Burnside, and was speedily acted upon and all able-bodied men in the several townships in Knox county responded at a lively rate. Their own homes and families were in danger, as it was believed. The above named regiment was among the others raised in Ohio. The first company recruited and organized at Mt. Vernon was in July, 1863, by William C. Cooper, who was elected captain, and later colonel of his regiment. But as General Lee was routed from the North at Gettysburg, these men did not have to fight then, but later-in 1864-when Lincoln was determined to end the war by raising a larger army than ever, these men were requested to join the regular forces as National Guards. They were in no way obligated to leave Ohio soil, but many responded manfully. They left plows in the field, goods on the counter and tools on the bench and cheerfully filled up the missing links for "Men Wanted." These men were enlisted for one hundred days. They were sent to Washington and there strengthened the fortifications at Ft. Lyons ; then on to Cold Harbor to care for the dead and dying. They per- formed many brave, hard things, as good soldiers and were finally mus- tered out at Columbus, Ohio, at the end of their enlisted time, one hundred days. The regiment was made up of about eight hundred men, of whom fifty-odd lost their young lives.
THE "SQUIRREL HUNTERS."
This was a unique company of about eighty men, who in the autumn of 1862 were on the alert, expecting an invasion of old Kirby Smith, the rebel general, who it was believed was attempting to gain entrance to Ohio soil, through the aid of rebel sympathizers here ( for be it known that even all men in Ohio were not loyal in those dark days), and they banded themselves to see that he did not make this invasion. The people at Cincinnati were greatly alarmed over the Southern army crossing the Ohio river. Of the
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