USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > Past and present of Wyandot County, Ohio; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievemen, Vol. I > Part 19
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Company D (at a later period)-Captains, David J. Cul- bertson, commission revoked; Samuel S. Pettit, resigned, April 28, 1864.
First lieutenant-Samuel Bachtell, promoted to captain April 7, 1863 ; resigned as first lieutenant September 1, 1864; Charles J. Rodig, killed September 16, 1864.
* Resigned May 4, 1862.
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Sergeants-Ambrose Norton, John Sheehy, E. H. Stevens, Daniel Williams.
Corporals-William H. Worley, J. C. Rasey, Daniel Van Gundy.
Privates-Charles Baldwin, J. A. Brewer, Henry Camp- bell, W. P. Carr, M. B. Conger, Oscar Davis, Edward Davis, L. D. Harkum, Nelson Ellis, J. M. Ewing, James M. Ewing, M. V. Ewing, J. A. Inglehart, Frederick Hensel, John W. Hensel, J. E. Hesser, James Keller, Newton Kennedy, Orvill Kerr, A. B. Keys, George Kirby, Henry C. Nagel, A. Laut- zenheiser, William Mahon, E. Lambright, Henry Schooner, Marvin Lumbard, Ed Kightlinger, Adam Risby, John Os- borne, A. E. Miller, James Van Gundy, Leonard Hartle, T. R. Walker, Peter Worley, Royal Sherman.
Company G-Musician, T. A. Van Gundy.
Privates-Conrad Bope, William Cummings, Jacob Grun- ditsch, J. C. Kitchen, William Spencer.
Company H-Private, Thomas J. Finnell.
Company I-Privates, Alexander Ash, A. J. Hazen, Wil- liam Ash, R. M. Druckemiller, J. L. Gilliland, Andrew Larick, Stephen Murphy, Hugh Rinehart, G. W. Rockwell.
Company K-Privates, Samuel Yencer, Gabriel Hardin.
Of companies not reported-Joseph Henderson, C. E. Liv- enspire, Richard Loder, E. S. B. Spencer, J. R. Jurey, Jessup Yencer, J. A. Simmons, Frank Simpson, William Spoon, Charles Hoffman, Peter Hoffman, William Holden, E. P. Emerson, William Emptage.
FORTY-NINTH OHIO INFANTRY
The Forty-ninth Ohio Infantry was recruited in the coun- ties of Crawford, Hancock, Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot during the summer of 1861. The latter county was repre- sented in all of its companies, but more largely in Company D than any other. The regimental rendezvous was established at Camp Noble, near Tiffin, Ohio, where an organization was completed on the 5th of September. Five days later, the regi- ment left its rendezvous and arrived at Camp Dennison, Cin- cinnati, on the 11th of that month, where it received arms and equipments. On the 20th of September, it embarked on the cars for Western Virginia. After waiting an hour or so, this order was countermanded, and the regiment directed to
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report to Gen. Robert Anderson, at Louisville, Kentucky, where it arrived on the 21st of September, thus gaining the proud distinction of being the first Union regiment to occupy Kentucky soil, other than Gen. Rousseau's small command of loyal Kentuckians, which, organized on the Indiana side of the river at the falls of the Ohio, had marched through Louis- ville three days before, and taken position at Muldraugh's Hill, thus foiling the rebel, Buckner, in his plan to seize and occupy Louisville.
The reception of the Forty-ninth in Louisville was cordial in the extreme. It was not known outside of military head- quarters that the regiment was on its way from Ohio. Hence, as the two boats transporting the command, lashed together, neared the wharf (the regimental band performing national airs) and as the regiment landed, the people of the city- wrought up to a high state of excitement by the stirring events of the two or three days immediately preceding-received it with enthusiasm, formed in its rear and marched with it through the principal streets to the head-quarters of General Anderson. The hero of Sumter appeared on the balcony of the hotel and welcomed the regiment in a short address, to which Colonel Gibson responded in his happiest vein. These ceremonies over, the people of Louisville turned out en masse, improvised a magnificent dinner at the Louisville hotel, and the men of the regiment had a hilarious time, while the officers dined with General Anderson. In the evening the regiment proceeded by rail to Shepardsville, and thence to the Rolling Fork, where it joined Gen. William T. Sherman's command -the "Louisville Legion," and detachments of other troops under the command of the chivalrous Col. Lovell H. Rousseau. The next morning (September 23), in company with Rous- seau, the regiment moved forward, wading the Rolling Fork waistdeep, drove a small body of rebel troops from Elizabeth- town, and then, supperless, bivouacked for the night. On the 11th of October, it moved to Nolin creek, and established Camp Nevin, and in December following was here assigned to the Sixth brigade (composed of the Fifteenth Ohio, Col. Moses R. Dickey ; Forty-ninth Ohio, Col. William H. Gibson ; Thirty- second Indiana, Col. August Willich; and Thirty-ninth Indi- ana, Col. Thomas J. Harrison) in command of Gen. Richard W. Johnson; Second Division, Gen. A. McD. McCook in com- mand, Army of the Ohio.
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On the 14th of February, 1862, the regiment, with its bri- gade and division, advanced toward Bowling Green. After some delay in crossing the river, it marched in the direction of Nashville, reaching that city on the 3d of March. On the 16th of the same month, it marched with Buell's army to join Grant's forces at Pittsburg Landing, arriving there in the evening of the first day's battle-April 6. It participated in the engagement of the 7th of April, and contributed its full share of work in driving the enemy from the field. There- after, as part of Buell's army, the Forty-ninth engaged in all the battles, marches, reverses, etc., which characterized Buell's command during the spring, summer and early autumn of 1862. Subsequently it fought with Rosecrans at Stone River, Liberty Gap and Chickamauga; under Thomas at Mis- souri Ridge, and with Sherman during the Atlanta campaign.
When General Rosecrans, then in command of the Army of the Cumberland, commenced his movement on Murfrees- boro on the 26th of December, 1862, the Forty-ninth moved out of Nashville on the Nolinsville turnpike with the right wing under General McCook, and after constant skirmishing found itself in line of battle on the extreme right of the Union army before Murfreesboro on the evening of the 30th. At 6 o'clock the next morning, Kirk's brigade, to the left and front, was furiously assailed, and, giving way, was thrown back on the Forty-ninth, which at once became engaged and was borne back by overwhelming numbers a mile and a half to the Nashville turnpike, which it reached after an incessant conflict of nine hours. On the following morning, the regi- ment was sent to reconnoiter on the right and rear of the main army. Rejoining its brigade, it operated during the remain- der of the day on the extreme right of the army, in connection with Stanley's cavalry. On Friday, January 2, 1863, it was held in reserve until late in the afternoon, when, upon the re- pulse of Van Cleve's division on the left, it was ordered, with its brigade, to retrieve the fortunes of the day in that part of the field. It joined in a magnificent bayonet charge, which re- sulted in recovering the lost ground and a severe defeat to the enemy.
At Chickamauga, the Forty-ninth held a position in the morning of the first day, on the extreme right of the Union forces, forming part of Gen. Richard W. Johnson's division. Before being engaged, however, the division was shifted to
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the extreme left of the army and joined Thomas' corps. At 2 o'clock P. M., the regiment became engaged with the enemy's right, posted in a dense woods. A charge was made, the enemy driven, and two guns captured by the Forty-ninth. This charge occurred between 3 and 4 o'clock P. M. At dusk, the enemy having been re-enforced, made a charge. The enemy gained a point directly in front of the brigade, deliv- ered a withering volley, and with their accustomed yell rushed forward with the bayonet. Although on the alert, the Union forces were staggered and gave some ground. They quickly rallied, however, and repulsed the rebels. During the second day at Chickamauga the regiment was constantly engaged in various parts of the field, and with the Fifteenth Ohio and Goodspeed's battery, accomplished a brilliant exploit. The enemy had broken through the Union left and were exultingly charging for the center, when the Forty-ninth faced to the rear and poured into the enemy a withering fire. From the other side of the circle, Goodspeed's battery and the Fifteenth Ohio poured a destructive, unceasing fire, and the rebels were checked and sent back flying to their main body. The brigade of which the Fifteenth and Forty-ninth Ohio formed part, was the last to leave the field of Chickamauga. It halted at Rossville one day, and the following night retired to Chat- tanooga.
By the consolidation of the original Twentieth and Twenty- first army corps in October, 1863, into the organization known during the remainder of the war as the Fourth Army Corps, the brigade* of which the Forty-ninth Ohio formed part, was transferred to the Third Division of the Fourth Corps. As part of the last mentioned command, the regiment fought on many other fields and always maintained the high reputation, its gallant members had attained from the beginning of their service. At Mission Ridge, it was one of the first to plant its colors on the summit of that mountain. Immediately after this success, the regiment moved with Granger's corps to the relief of Burnside's forces at Knoxville. This campaign was one of the most severe that the regiment had ever been called upon to endure. The weather was intensely cold, with snow on the ground, the men almost naked and without shoes, and the rations exhausted. The march of the relieving army over the mountains of East Tennessee was literally marked by
* First Brigade, Second Division, Twentieth Army Corps.
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bloody foot prints. Yet the soldiers of the West did not grum- ble, but were ever eager to be led against the foe. In the midst of this campaign, the men of the Forty-ninth, in common with those of all other regiments, were called upon to re-enlist for another term of three years; a majority of them responded favorably to the summons, and at the conclusion of the march proceeded homeward on veteran furlough.
In the Atlanta campaign the regiment participated in the battles at Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Moun- tain, Chattahoochie River, and the series of engagements around Atlanta. Also in the movements that resulted in the battles at Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station. When Sherman began his march to the sea, the regiment and corps went back with General Thomas to attend to the rebel Hood in Tennes- see. The subsequent movements of the regiment are told in the sketch relating to its companion regiment, the Fifteenth Ohio Infantry. It proceeded to Texas in June and landed at Victoria early in July, 1865. After remaining at San Antonio for some weeks, it returned to Victoria where it was mustered out of service on the 30th day of November, 1865.
The whole number of names borne upon the rolls of the regiment is fifteen hundred and and fifty-two. Eight officers were killed in battle, and twenty wounded (six mortally). Of the enlisted men, one hundred and twenty-seven were killed in battle, seventy-one were mortally wounded, one hundred and sixty-five died from disease, seven others died in rebel prison pens, and six hundred and sixteen were discharged on account of wounds or disability.
Among the Wyandot county men who served in this regi- ment, were the following:
Company A-Captain, Daniel Hartsough.
First lieutenant-John K. Gibson, died of wounds.
Sergeants-John James, Cyrus De Witt.
Corporals-J. Bartison, D. H. Grindle, J. S. Grindle, Henry Stevens.
Privates-A. Willever, Allen Wilkins, C. K. Nye, Jerome Nye, James Thompson, George W. Platt, L. Lambert, M. B. Hare, W. B. Leeper, William C. Gear, John Greek, Jacob Moyer, John I. Grindle, Dory Jackman, P. Grubb, S. T. Biles, Alfred De Witt, Salamas Bowlby, Solomon Bachar.
Company B-Second lieutenant, Sheldon P. Hare. Corporal-James Burk.
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Privates-Theodore Gibson, C. C. Conaghan, J. L. Bliss, H. H. Anderson, Job Baker, D. A. Bennett, A. F. Conaghan, A. P. Havens, Samuel Mays, David Mays, George Wagner, George Pancoast.
Company C-Captain, John Green.
Sergeant-John Reiger.
Privates-John G. Markley, S. Bland, Sylvester Bowlby.
Company D-Captains, James Ewing, George W. Culver, George W. Pool.
First lieutenants-M. Cowgill, J Mosier.
Sergeants-Samuel Bretz, Silas Barnhiser, W. R. Bliss, D. L. Kentfield, Charles Hoyt, Robert Gregg, James W. Ingle.
Corporals-Joseph Battenfield, N. D. Bunn, S. S. Laird, Robert Cavit, Enos Goodman.
Drummers-W. H. Shuler, Jacob Funk.
Privates-William Updegraff, John Updegraff, Edward Marble, Martin Marble, Jesse Rifner, Henry Lowmaster, C. Morgan, B. Jewel, T. B. Hawkins, Henry Kestner, Nathan Karr, David Hitchew, Fred W. Hine, George W. Greer, Otis S. Goodman, Anthony Kestner, J. B. Fox, Alfred Hitchew, David Cramer, John Bope, Jac Allion, Jr., Francis Beck, W. S. Karr, B. F. Bunn, Frank Babcock, James Barnhiser, S. W. Barnhiser, Samuel Burk, Fleming Ewing, Isaac Burk, Jacob Everhart, S. A. Durboraw, J. Enerson, Jesse De Long, W. W. Greer, H. L. Freet, William Hitchew, Lewis Corfman, William Rice, William Burk, P. Tracy, James Nye, Jesse Paulin, Levi Pennington, William Fruit, James Fruit, J. Young, Isaac Fruit, G. W. Mullholand, F. Roberson, Perry Rice, Sylvester Pontius, I. M. Winters, J. B. Weber, Charles Wigley, Jerome Williams, Benjamin Whetsel, Allen Smalley, John Rock, C. Shireman, E. S. Willson.
Company E-Private, David Goodman.
Company G-Captain, Samuel M. Harper.
Sergeants-J. S. Gibson, Walton Weber, F. J. Weber, Lewis Miller.
Corporals-John Caldwell, P. C. Kitchen.
Wagoner-J. C. Kitchen.
Privates-John Solley, John Ingerson, F. M. Babcock, Seymour Culver, B. F. Culver, M. G. Clapsaddle, J. R. Inger- son, J. R. Lowry, Abner Willson, W. B. Kitchen, Ross Inger- son.
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Company F-First lieutenant, J. F. Harper. Company H-First lieutenant, James J. Zint.
Company I-Second lieutenant, William F. Gibbs. Corporal-W. J. Loudermilch.
Privates-J. S. Thompson, E. C. Warner, John Stump, D. D. Armstrong, D. D. Cole, J. A. Bell, Joseph A. Liles, Thomas Petty, J. A. Petty.
Company K-Privates, David Jacob, Rezin De Bolt, H. Bland, H. L. Eyestone, H. Badger, George De Bolt, Silas De Bolt, William Cummings, A. J. Miller, H. P. Jaqueth, D. R. Martin, Henry Jacoby, O. Lannon, G. P. Ogge, C. Whitten.
Attached to companies not known-G. W. Sherwood, Wil- liam Johnson, Ezra Phelps, sergeant; Frank Johnson, James Stoner, W. M. Thompson, Seth Kear, Willson Long, William Cowgill, Jackson Carter, Martin Heistand, Jackson Anderson, Conrad Bope, William Boyer, William Emerson, Bradford Dunn, George Inman, John Anderson, R. Baun, Joseph Barn- hiser.
FIFTY-FIFTH OHIO INFANTRY
This regiment was organized at Norwalk, Ohio, about the middle of October, 1861. On the 25th of January, 1862, it left Norwalk for Western Virginia, and soon after its arrival on the field of action was attached to General Schenck's bri- gade. It participated in many minor movements against the redoubtable rebel leader-"Stonewall" Jackson-during the early part of that year, with varying success. When the "Army of Virginia" was organized in June, the Fifty-fifth was brigaded with the Twenty-fifth, Seventy-third and Seventy-fifth Ohio regiments, and attached to General Schenck's division.
On the 7th of July, the corps of which the regiment formed ' part, began a march to Sperryville, Virginia. After a few days' rest at that point, it again marched forward, and on the 1st of September, had passed through the various marches, skirmishes and battles, which marked General Pope's brief but disastrous campaign. A reorganization of the army now took place, and in the many changes made, the Fifty-fifth was assigned to the Eleventh Army Corps. Subsequently, in the fall and winter of 1862, it engaged in the movement under Burnside, which was abruptly terminated by heavy rains and bad roads.
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In the Chancellorsville campaign under Hooker, in May, 1863, the regiment lost heavily. It (with the entire Eleventh corps), was driven in confusion from the field, and sustained a loss of 153 men killed, wounded and missing. About the middle of May, 1863, it was attached to the Second brigade of the Second division and remained in the same brigade during the remainder of its term of service. At Gettysburg, the regi- ment lost in killed and wounded, about fifty men.
On the following 24th day of September, the Eleventh and Twelfth army corps took cars at Manassas Junction, Virginia, and moved over the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and through Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville to Bridgeport, Alabama, arriving on the 30th. The Eleventh corps moved to Chattanooga on the 22d of November. In the battle of Mission Ridge, the corps formed line to the left and front of Fort Hood, and moving forward rapidly, drove the rebel line beyond the East Tennessee railroad. Immediately after the termination of the Union victories in the vicinity of Chattanooga, the regiment entered on the Knoxville cam- paign, and returned again to Lookout Valley on the 17th of December. This campaign was made over mountain ranges, amid the frosts and snows of winter, many men shoeless, and all without tents or blankets. On the 1st of January, 1864, 319 men of the Fifty-fifth re-enlisted. They started for Ohio on the 10th, and arrived at Norwalk on the 20th; on the 22d of February, the regiment reassembled at Cleveland, and on the 4th of March it was again encamped in Lookout Valley, Georgia. About this time the Eleventh and Twelfth army corps were consolidated, and denominated the Twentieth corps (General Hooker in command), and the regiment was attached to the Third brigade of the Third division.
During the Atlanta campaign, the regiment participated in all the movements, battles, etc., in which the Twentieth corps was engaged. At Resaca, on the 15th of May, it lost more than ninety men killed, wounded and missing. It was also engaged at Cassville, Dallas, New Hope Church, Kenesaw Mountain, and in the series of engagements around the city of Atlanta. It left Lookout Valley May 2, 1864, with about four hundred men, and during the campaign of four months' duration had lost over two hundred.
On the 15th of November, the regiment and corps began the march, with Sherman's armies, from Atlanta to the sea.
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It entered Savannah on the 21st of December. On the 29th of January, 1865, the command got fairly started from Savan- nah on the march northward through the Carolinas. No inci- dent worthy of particular notice occurred until the 16th of March, when at the battle of Averysboro, or Smith's Farm, North Carolina, the Fifty-fifth lost thirty-six men killed and wounded. The regiment was again engaged at Bentonville, North Carolina, on the 19th of March, and lost two killed, twenty-four wounded, and seven men missing. With Sher- man's forces, it finally reached Washington, D. C., and paraded in the grand review May 24.
Upon the disbanding of the Twentieth Corps, the Ohio regiments belonging to it were organized into a Provisional Brigade, and assigned to the Fourteenth Corps. They pro- ceeded to Louisville, Kentucky, starting on the 10th of June, where, on the 11th of July, the Fifty-fifth was mustered out of service. It was paid and discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, on the 19th of July.
Following are the names of officers and men from Wyan- dot county, who served in this regiment :
Field and staff-Major Rudolphus Robbins, killed at Resaca, Georgia, May 15, 1864; commissioned second lieu- tenant January 20, 1862; captain, December 20, 1862; major, May 25, 1863.
Adjutant-Frank W. Martin, commissioned June 22, 1862; promoted to captain April 22, 1863; resigned June 6, 1863.
Company A-Captain Robert W. Pool, resigned August 29, 1864.
Company B-Private, Joseph Earp.
Company C-Captain Henry Miller, resigned September 28, 1864.
Privates-Philip Brewer, W. A. Gibson, George Hawk, William Thomas.
Company D-Private, W. H. Brewer.
Company F-This company, when first organized, was composed of the following members :
Captain-David S. Brown, resigned March 6, 1863.
First Lieutenant-Jacob Thomas, resigned July 17, 1862. Second Lieutenant-Leander M. Craun.
Sergeants-Charles D. Robbins, promoted to captain, re- signed March 29, 1864; John S. Shaner, William H. Ashbrook,
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Butler Case (who subsequently became first lieutenant, and resigned as such April 10, 1864), and J. Hallabaugh.
Corporals-J. R. Burkhart, J. Rumbaugh, William Rook, David Green, J. B. Gatchell, Martin Thomas, William J. Craun and Jacob Gatchell.
Drummer-Urias Swank.
Teamster-P. Mclaughlin.
Privates-John H. Andrews, Samuel Adams, Anson Brewer, George W. Boyd, Amos Bowsher, John Byers, Moses Brown, J. W. Betz, John Burkhart, Samuel Cannon, Henry Casper, William B. Craven, R. W. Coots, E. P. Cole, William, Clark, William Cupp, Henry Cowley, Noah Doll, Clark Edgington, William F. Edwards, Samson B. Flinchbaugh, Taylor Filson, Abraham Fulk, Abraham Freese, L. Fulmer, William Harley, J. Harley, Henry Hoppwood, John Henry, S. Hackenberger, George Hallabaugh, J. A. Kittle, James Kine, David Koble, John Lambright, C. Long, William C. Law, Wesley Lane, Isaac Lambright, William Likins, Wil- liam P. Mahon, George W. Michael, Benjamin Myers, John R. Myers, Levi Martin, J. McBee, J. McPherson, J. Malon, John O'Brien, Dorris Pike, Jeremiah Pisel, John Pierce, J. Robertson, Albert Roberts, Leander Riesenberger, Henry Ream, Andrew Robenalt, David Raymond, Israel Spoon, Adam J. Shaner, I. Smith, J. Saul, J. G. Sharp, J. Shuster, Michael Spout, Jacob Sprout, William Stoffulmyer, M. Tress, William C. Thomas, J. H. Vail, Hugh M. Van Wagoner, Wil- liam H. Waters, S. Waggoner. Subsequently the following additional names appeared upon the rolls: Jacob Spoon, Thomas Corbin, Washington Michaels, A. J. Shannon, Fred- rick Sipher, J. W. Sulliger and Anson Edgington.
Company K-First Lieut., J. F. Rieser ; Sergts., Benjamin Welsh, H. W. Kramer; Corps., George Rice, Isaac Dippy, Christian Wise, W. H. Cole, Hugh Guthrie.
Privates, John Brand, M. C. Crass, - Nuss, Fred Alt- hauser, Joseph Hoover, H. J. Compton, W. H. Edgington, Hiram Gantz, Jacob Grunditsch, Levi Kotterman, Christian Gottier, Oscar Midlam, Curtis Hoff, George Harman, Jacob Yeager, William Winich, Edward McFarland, Henry Little, Aaron McCoy, George Lott, Peter Marquart, H. Huffman, Henry Carr, Jacob Shuler, Henry Vaughn, John Webb, George Wisenbarger, Henry Yeager, John Keller, Adam Wiswasser.
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Company H-Sergt., W. B. Conger; Corp., G. W. Ragon; Privates, Adam Beer, James H. Cram, C. Linn, Samuel Stom, Z. W. Ahlefeld, J. G. Armstrong.
Company not reported-Capts., Augustus M. Wormley, Jesse Bowsher; First Lieut., Pliny E. Watson; Second Lieut., James K. Agnew; Privates, John Emerson, Patrick Laugh- rey, G. W. Price, R. Rolson, Isaac Price.
EIGHTY-FIRST OHIO INFANTRY
The command first known as "Morton's Independent Rifle Regiment," but soon afterward designated the Eighty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was recruited to the number of eight companies in the summer of 1861. The fourth Company (D), Captain Peter A. Tyler in command, was composed almost entirely of Wyandot County men. Benton Barracks, near St. Louis, Missouri, was the rendezvous in which the regiment entered upon its first military duties.
The regiment marched out of Benton Barracks September 24, 1861, and from that time until about March 1, 1862, was employed on the Northern Missouri railroad, and its vicin- ity, in keeping the region free from bands of cowardly, yet murderous and destructive Missouri guerrillas. It was then ordered to report at St. Louis. It was armed with short Enfield rifles, was embarked on board the steamer Meteor, and about midnight of the 17th of March it disembarked at Pitts- burg Landing. A few days later, the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade (Col. McArthur in command) Sec- ond Division (Gen. C. F. Smith) of the Army of the Ten- nessee, then commanded by Gen. U. S. Grant.
During the battle of Pittsburg Landing, which was fought on Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th days of April, 1862, the Eighty-first behaved most gallantly. Its members were ever ready to confront the enemy, many rebels fell lifeless before the furious and unceasing fire of their Enfields, and during the second day, in a wild and impetuous charge, the regiment captured many prisoners and a full battery of ar- tillery. Until the early part of the following October, the regiment performed the various duties assigned it in West Tennessee and Northern Mississippi; but, after the evacua- tion of Corinth by the rebels, its actions were unimportant. However, in the battle of Corinth, fought October 3 and 4,
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