The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 45

Author: Warner, Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017

USA > Ohio > Tuscarawas County > The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio > Part 45

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ments were there brigaded. The Fifty-second then joined in the pursuit o: Bragg's army. The enemy made a stand at Perryville and a collision en sued. Capt. Morrow, in a private letter, said of this engagement:

" The Fifty-second Ohio had the honor of opening the fight at 4:05 A. M. and our artillery fired the last gun of the battle at 7:23 P. M. In the morn ing, we drove the rebels back about one and one half miles. About 4 P. M., two rebel brigades, commanded by Gen. Hardee, attempted to outflank us and take our battery. Our company and Company I were deployed as skirmishers We advanced in front of the regiment into the woods and had our men posted when the bugle sounded the alarm to fall back. Our regiment was then placed in a position to support our battery, the Second Illinois, and we were ordered to lie down flat behind the guns. The rebels, about 5,000 strong, were then ad- vancing upon us, and a prettier sight I never saw. They advanced in a per- fect line, as steady as veterans, while our artillery was firing into them from the right and left with the utmost rapidity and mowing them down like grass. The shot and shell from the enemy's guns went over us as thick and fast as hail, whizzing and buzzing and striking the ground a short distance below us. When they had advanced within 300 yards of us, they opened up their mus- ketry. After the two regiments in front of ours, the Thirty-sixth Illinois and the Second Missouri, had fired about thirty minutes and ran out of ammuni- tion, they fell back and we were ordered up. After we had fired some time, the rebels began to fall back, and we and the Second Missouri commenced ad- vancing with a bayonet charge."

The pursuit was resumed the next morning, and the exposure and hard- ships endured caused many to fall along the route. On reaching the vicinity of Nashville, the Fifty-second was detailed, December 10, on garrison duty at Nashville, remaining till March 7, 1863. It was not immediately engaged at Stone River, but while that battle raged the left wing of the Fifty-second was detailed to escort an ammunition train to the front. Seven miles from Nash- ville, the train was attacked by rebel cavalry, who were handsomely repulsed The regiment remained in and about Nashville till June, when it performed garrison duty for a time at Murfreesboro; then returned to Nashville. August 20, 1863, the march was commenced from Nashville. Columbia was reached on the 25th, and Lynnville on the 30th. The regiment entered Athens, Ala. September 2, and went into camp at Chattanooga on the 12th. It was now in the presence of the enemy. It was not actively engaged on the 19th, being in the reserve. On Sunday, the 20th, its position in the morning was at the extreme left. The brigade to which the Fifty-second was attached was, later in the day, ordered into position about two miles to the right of McAfee's. A heavy fire was opened upon it, without inflicting much loss, however. The regiment was one of the last to leave the field that night. The next day its position was on the right of Rossville Gap, going south, and it was under fire from 2 o'clock in the afternoon until night.

On the 29th of September, the Fifty-second and another regiment were ordered to report to Gen. Hooker in Lookout Valley. It was stationed in two

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of the gaps at the base of the mountain, and was exposed to the constant fire of the enemy. November 6, it returned to Chickamauga Creek and was at- tached to the Third Brigade, Second Division, Fourteenth Army Corps. No- vember 25, it assisted in carrying Mission Ridge by storm, and pursued the flying rebels the following day, driving them from their stand at Shepherd's Run in the evening. On the 29th of November, the regiment and its brigade started on a forced march for East Tennessee to relieve Gen. Burnside, but learning that Longtreet had raised the siege, it returned by a long and weari- some march. It went into camp near McAfee's Church December 26; went on a reconnoissance to Ringgold January 28, 1864, returning the next day; moved to Chickamauga Station February 14, and on the 23d returned to Ring- gold to witness, on the next day, the flanking and taking of Tunnel Hill. At dusk of that day, the regiment bivouacked in front of Buzzard's Runst, four miles from Dalton, Ga. On the 25th, it moved to the support of a battery, which had been freshly opened on the enemy's works, and lay in range of the rebel sharpshooters until the night of the 26th, when the entire corps fell back to Ringgold. The Fifty-second returned to McAfee's Church on the 27th, and March 6 encamped at Lee and Gordon's Mills, remaining until May, 1864.

At Dalton, the opening struggle of the Atlanta campaign, it took a marked position, and at Resaca, May 14, performed a prominent part, making a suc- cessful charge, but at a sad cost of life. At Kenesaw Mountain, Col. McCook received his death wound in the ineffectual assault made on the enemy's works. Through all the movements up to Atlanta, the Fifty-second was busily en- gaged, and maintained its reputation for discipline, courage and endurance. From Atlanta, it moved with Sherman to Savannah, and, thence, with small loss, through Georgia and the Carolinas northward. It participated in the grand review at Washington; was mustered out there June 3, 1865, and was soon after discharged at Columbus, Ohio.

Of this company, William K. Armstrong, Thomas J. Berkshire, James Beard, Francis Grace and Jonathan Sills were killed at Kenesaw Mountain. June 27, 1864; Thomas McKee was killed at Resaca May 17, 1864, and Rob- ert Farrow at Bentonville March 19, 1865.

The following died of wounds received in action: Joseph Sheckle, at Big Shanty, Ga., June 30, 1864; James Boyd, at Nashville, August 7, 1864; John Daugherty, February 13, 1864, at. Chattanooga; John Reardon, July 4, 1864, at Chattanooga.

Obadiah Conwell, Levi Conwell and Elisha Wright were killed in a rail- road accident near Nashville August 5, 1863.

The following died of disease: Charles Bender, at Nashville, December 18, 1862; Silas S. Clark, at Louisville, Ky., October 25, 1863; Thomas Chambers, at Nashville, November 18, 1862; Tillman Clark, at Nashville, No. vember 16, 1864; Joseph S. Evans, at Nashville, December 26, 1862; Jacob Lambertz, at Nashville, December 12, 1862; Andrew J. Minnis, at Murfrees- boro, July 12, 1863; John Milligan, at Danville, Ky., November 12, 1862;

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Albert Sheets, at McAfee's Church, March 8, 1864; Robert Wineman, at Nash ville, November, 1862; Luther Weaver, at Nashville, November 16, 1864.

The Eightieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized at Camp Meigs near Dover, during the winter of 1861-62. Its earliest recruits wer enlisted in October, 1861. Companies A and D were from Carroll County F, G and H from Coshocton; I from Guernsey, and B, C, E and K from Tus carawas.

The regimental officers who were from this county were:

M. H. Bartilson, commissioned Lieutenant Colonel December 23, 1861 promoted Colonel February 14, 1863; died August 11, 1863.

Henry C. Robinson, commissioned Major May 11, 1865; promoted Lien tenant Colonel June 16, 1865.

Charles H. Matthews, commissioned Major October 4, 1862; resigned Jan. uary 15, 1863.

Ezekiel Buell, commissioned Surgeon February 9, 1862; mustered out. The officers of Company B were as follows:

Charles H. Matthews, mustered in as Second Lieutenant; appointed Cap- tain November 26, 1861; promoted Major, but resigned as Captain January 15, 1863.

Charles F. Davis, mustered in as private; appointed First Leiutenant No. vember 26, 1861; resigned September 2, 1862.

Lewis K. Bedwell, appointed Second Lieutenant November 26, 1861; re- signed January 11, 1862.

Oliver C. Powleson, promoted Second Lieutenant January 11, 1862; First Lieutenant, October 4, 1862; Captain, September 8, 1864.

James Carnes, promoted Captain Company B from First Lieutenant Company F December 31, 1862; honorably discharged September 21, 1864. Robert G. Hill, promoted Captain Company B from First Lieutenant Company H October 12, 1864; resigned January 3, 1865.

Milton B. Cutler, promoted Captain Company B from Lieutenant Com. pany C February 10, 1865.

John W. Summers, appointed First Leiutenant September 2, 1862; pro. moted Captain Company G April 29, 1864.

John Wilson, promoted First Lieutenant Company B from Second Lieu. tenant Company D May 9, 1864; honorably discharged September 21, 1864.

James C. Scott, appointed Second Lieutenant December 31, 1862; pro- moted First Lieutenant Company I May 9, 1864.

James B. Wilson, appointed Second Lieutenant September 4, 1865; mus. tered out with company as Sergeant.

The officers of Company C were:

John J. Robinson, Sr., appointed Captain December 9, 1861; resigned April 27, 1863.

George W. Ecker, First Lieutenant December 9, 1861; resigned March 21, 1862.

John J. Robinson, Jr., appointed Second Lieutenant December 9, 1861: promoted First Lieutenant June 26, 1862; killed in a-tion October 4, 1862.

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William J. Eckley, promoted Captain Company C August 21, 1863; hon- orably discharged September 21, 1864.

Thomas W. Collier, promoted from First Lieutenant Company A to Cap- tain of Company C October 12, 1864.

James E. Philpot, appointed First Lieutenant March 21, 1862; resigned July 12, 1863.

William Hay, promoted First Lientenant Company C from Second Lieu- tenant Company G July 10, 1863, resigned July 30, 1864.

George Maw, enrolled as Sergeant, Company C promoted Second Lieuten- ant April 9, 1863; First Lieutenant September 8, 1864; mustered out.

Othello M. Everett, appointed First Lieutenant February 10, 1865.

John Isnogle, appointed First Lieutenant April 20, 1865; mustered out with regiment.

John Beatty, appointed Second Lieutenant July 31, 1862; promoted First Lieutenant Company K March 18, 1863.

David A. Mulvane, appointed Second Lieutenant September 4, 1865; mus- tered out as Sergeant.

Daniel Korn, assigned Company C as Captain November 22, 1863; re; signed July 30, 1864.

Christian Deis, promoted from Second Lieutenant E to First Lieuten- ant C October 24, 1864; promoted Captain May 20, 1865; mustered out with regiment.

Ebenezer H. McCall, private; promoted First Lientenant Company C May 23, 1865: appointed Regimental Adjutant July 1, 1865.

Solomon Murphy, promoted First Lieutenant Company C from Sergeant Company A July 3, 1865.

The officers of Company E were:

Emerson Goodrich, appointed Captain December 22, 1861; resigned March 8, 1863.

John Orme, appointed First Lieutenant December 22, 1861; discharged May 31, 1862.

Daniel G. Hildt, appointed Second Lieutenant December 23, 1861; pro- moted First Lieutenant May 24, 1862; promoted Captain July 12, 1863; mus- tered out December 22, 1864.

John T. Bidwell, assigned to Company E as Second Lieutenant May 5, 1863, from Company I.

Daniel Korn, promoted to Company E as Captain, from First Lieutenant Company K; assigned to Company C.

Thomas L. Patton, appointed Second Lieutenant September 22, 1862; re- signed February 22, 1863.

Nicholas R. Tedball, appointed Second Lieutenant March 27, 1863; re- signed July 27, 1863.

Christian Deis, appointed Second Lieutenant August 25, 1863; promoted First Lieutenant Company H.

Company K was officered as follows:

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John H. Gardner, appointed Captain January 11, 1862; resigned Febru- ary 7, 1862.

Daniel Korn, appointed First Lieutenant January 11, 1862; promoted Captain March 8, 1863.

1 Henry C. Robinson, appointed Second Lieutenant January 11, 1862; pro- moted First Lieutenant October 4, 1862; promoted Captain September 8, 1864; Major May 11, 1865; Lieutenant Colonel June 16, 1865; mustered out with regiment as Major.

Thomas C. Morris, appointed Captain March 12, 1862; promoted to Major January 28, 1865; Lieutenant Colonel May 11, 1865; Colonel June 16, 1865; mustered out with regiment as Lieutenant Colonel.

Freeman Davis, promoted Captain from First Lientenant Company A June 16, 1865; mustered out with regiment.

John Beatty, promoted First Lieutenant from Second Lieutenant Com- pany C April 9, 1863; honorably discharged, January 7, 1865.

James E. Graham, appointed Second Lieutenant December 31, 1862; pro- moted First Lieutenant of another company April 29, 1864.

Daniel Suiter, appointed Second Lieutenant September 4, 1865; mustered out as Sergeant.

Cyrus W. Borton, promoted First Lieutenant (vice Cutler, promoted) March 30, 1865; Captain June 19, 1865.

Jesse H. Cateral, promoted First Lieutenant June 19, 1865.

The regiment left Camp' Meigs February 17, 1862, with 919 men on its muster rolls. It marched ten miles to Uhrichsville and from there went by rail to Columbus. It stopped at Camp Chase during a heavy rain storm, and this exposure caused much sickness. The regiment was suddenly sent by rail to Cincinnati; thence down the Ohio by steamboat to Cairo, Ill. It reached Paducah, Ky., March 8, 1862, in the enemy's country, without arms and without ammunition. It was engaged in heavy fatigue duty, loading and unloading steamboat stores, and April 19 received its equipments. April 24, the regiment left" Paducah and went to Hamburg, Tenn. Here companies C, E and I, under command of Maj. Lanning, were detailed as a guard and to unload supplies; they rejoined the regiment in August. The regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Seventeenth Corps, Army of the Tennessee. May 9, the Eightieth were first under fire, at Farmington, Miss, where it had been ordered to support a Missouri battery. It was now on the front, and scarcely a day passed that the regiment was not called into line of battle. After the evacuation of Corinth, it pursued the enemy as far as Booneville, Miss .; then returned to Corinth. Owing to exposure and hard- ship, many men were lost by death, among them George Early and Jeremiah Burress, of Company B. The regiment remained in Camp Sullivan, near Jacinto, until September 8.

It participated in the battle of Juka September 19. The Eightieth was marched into the action on the double quick, under a :heavy fire, early in the engagement; took an active part in it and did not leave the field till 2:30

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o'clock during the following night. Lieut. Col. Bartilson had his horse killed under him and was himself severely wounded in the thigh; Adjutant Philpot was wounded in the arm, and the total loss to the Eightieth in kilied and wounded that day was forty-five.

After this engagement, the regiment went into camp at Jacinto, until it marched toward Corinth, October 3. It manceuvered all day, and toward eve- ning made a dash on the rebel lines, just across the Mobile & Ohio Railroad. At that time it was under a heavy fire of musketry from the front, and was ordered back. At daylight on the following day, it was in line of battle, took a prominent part in that terrible engagement and lost about eighty in killed and wounded. Maj. Lanning fell on the field of battle. Of Company B, Lieut. Powleson and others were wounded and Abel Fuller killed. Lieut. Robinson of Company C was killed while bravely leading his men to retake a battery which had been lost. In Company E, Isaac Coltrap was killed and John Messer mortally wounded. The number of wounded in all the compa- nies was large. Lieut. Col. Bartilson, though still suffering severely from his wound, on learning of Maj. Lanning's death, mounted his horse and com- manded the regiment through the remainder of the battle.

October 30, 1862, Capt. Morris arrived with about 100 new recruits. The regiment then marched with Grant's army through Central Mississippi. On the march, the Eightieth, in company with Sullivan's brigade, took part in a reconnaissance from Davis' Mills to Coldwater. Gen. Sullivan, in pressing forward, went into Holly Springs, Miss., surprised the rebels and took a num- ber of prisoners. In returning, a forced march of twenty-two miles was made, for some distance in plain view of a heavy rebel force, which, for some reason, failed to attack. The march to Vicksburg was resumed, but soon after, owing to the destruction of National stores by the rebels, the movement was aban- doned. The Eightieth remained in camp at Forest Hill until about the middle of February, when it encamped in the suburbs of Memphis. March 1, 1863, the regiment embarked on the steamer "Ed Walsh," and was taken to Woodruff's Landing. From this point it was scon ordered back to Helena, and a few days later went into Quimby's division on the Yazoo Pass expedition, one of the wildest the regiment participated in. Returning to Helena, it almost im- mediately marched to Milliken's Bend. It there disembarked and marched around through Richmond, La., and crossed the Missisippi at Bruinsburg, with Grant's forces, May 1, 1863. The battle of Port Gibson was fought that day, but the Eightieth did not reach it in time to participate. It marched, however, in line of battle and skirmished with the enemy almost the whole way to Little Black River. May 12, the regiment participated in the battle of Raymond, but lost no men.

Two days later, the battle of Jackson was commenced. On the 13th, Quim- "by's division, in which the Eightieth was, took the advance. The line con- Risted of the Eightieth in the center, the Tenth Missouri on the right, the Seventeenth Iowa on the left, and the Eighteenth Wisconsin in the reserve. The enemy was posted in a strong position four miles from Jackson, at the

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end of a large field. While the troops were forming, a heavy shower of rain came up, and the shells of the rebel cannon were flying thick and fast. The brigade had half a mile to charge through a field and break down a high picket fence before it could get at the enemy. But the men went bravely for- ward, though many fell as they advanced. The Confederate troops poured a deadly volley into the brigade, but still it pressed on, and the battle of Jackson was won. After the charge was ended, the gallant Gen. McPherson rode up. and, lifting his hat, exclaimed, " God Almighty bless the Eightieth Ohio!" The loss of the regiment is variously estimated at from fifty-two to ninety.

At Champion Hills, May 16, the Eightieth occupied the rear as train guard, and did not actively participate in the battle. The next morning it was detailed to guard 1,500 rebel prisoners and take them to Memphis. This duty performed, it returned to Vicksburg, and took part in the entire siege and capture ot that rebel stronghold. A month later, the regiment went to Helena to re-enforce Gen. Steele, who was moving on Little Rock. But be- fore it reached Gen. Steele, information was received of the repulse at Chick- amauga, and it was immediately ordered to Memphis, there to join Gen. Sherman's forces in their march to Chattanooga, a distance of nearly 400 miles. It reached the bank of the Tennessee River, opposite the mouth of Chickamauga Creek, and the regiment, with other troops, crossed in pontoon boats soon after midnight of November 22. By daylight, strong earth works were thrown up to cover the men until the pontoon bridge was laid over the river. On the evening of the 23d, the regiment with its division marched out and took the east end of Mission Ridge. That night the regiment was on the skirmish line for seven hours without relief. Next day the regiment in enter- ing the battle was compelled to pass round a point of rocks covered by three rebel batteries and was exposed to a mest terrific artillery fire Singular to relate, not a man was hit. It entered the fight just east of the tunnel, was hotly engaged until nearly nightfall, and lost in killed, wounded and missing nearly 100 men. Capt. John Kinney and Lieut F. M. Ross were killed Lieut. F. Robinson was wounded ard captured, and Lieut. George Maw was captured. After the battle, the regiment pursued the rebels to Graysvlle, Ga, and then returned to its old camp near Chattanooga; thence it went to Bridge- port and there was transferred from the Seventeenth to the Fifteenth Corps. January 6, 1864, found the regiment at Huntsville, Ala. Soon after this, most of the members re-enlisted as veterans. After wintering near Huntsville, it started, April 1, to enjoy its thirty-day furlough at home.

The Tuscarawas County men were met at Lockport and escorted to New Philadelphia by a torch-light procession, headed by the band. Judge Mell- vaine welcomed them in an appropriate address, and the veterans then par- took of a sumptuous supper at the Exchange Hotel. They had left New Phil- adelphia with 930 men, and returned with 327, although they had received about 200 recruits; 254 enlisted as veterans. At the expiration of its furlough, the Eightieth returned to Larkinsville, Ala., where it performed guard duty on the line of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. In June, 1864, it went from

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Huntsville to Charleston, Ga., a long and tedious march. From there it went to Kington, Altoona and Resaca, successively, to the latter to relieve the Tenth Missouri.

While at Resaca, Gen. Hood made his dash to the rear of Sherman's army. On the 12th of October, 28,000 rebels appeared before Resaca and Gen. Hood demanded its surrender in the following terms:

COMMANDING OFFICER U. S. FORCES, Resaca, Ga.

I demand the immediate and unconditional surrender of the post and garrison under your command. If these terms are acceded to, all white officers and soldiers will be paroled in a few days. If the place is carried by assault, no prisoners will be taken. Most respectfully, your obedient servant, J. B. HOOD, General.

Col. Weaver, of the Seventeenth Iowa, in command, replied:

GEN. J. B. HOOD:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of to-day, and must say I am somewhat surprised at the concluding paragraph to the effect that 'If the place is carried by assault, no prisoners will be taken.' In my opinion I am able to hold this post. If you want it, come and take it.

I am, General, very respectfully,

CLARK R. WEAVER, Commanding Officer.

The enemy immediately opened on the garrison with artillery and musketry from the entire line. The National force numbered barely 613 officers and men, but by displaying numerous flags and placing the entire force on the picket line, the rebels were made to believe that it consisted of at least 10,000 men, and that it would cost too great loss of life to risk an assault. After an- noying the little garrison for two days, the enemy withdrew and swept up the railroad toward Chattanooga, destroying the road as they marched.

From Resaca, the Eightieth marched back to Atlanta and joined in Sher- man's memorable "march to the sea." After the capture of Savannah, it was quartered near that city, where it remained in camp until January 19, 1865. It was then, with its division, ordered to Pocotaligo, and from that point made its way through to Goldsboro, participating on the way in a brisk shirmish with the enemy at Salkahatchie River, where it is said "the regiment dashed like a storm from the clouds upon Wheeling's cavalry, chasing and dispersing them." March 19, at Cox's bridge over the Neuse River, the regiment per- formed an important and successful flank movement. under Col. Morris, to prevent the rebels from burning the bridge. For this service the regiment was complimented by Gen. Logan. The Eightieth then marched to Benton- ville, arriving in time to participate in | the closing scenes of that battle, the last in the war. It then marched to Goldsboro, [was refitted, and proceeded to Raleigh, N. C. On this march it held the advance of the whole army the day it crossed the Neuse River. It had been ordered to make a forced march to an important bridge over that river, and, if possible prevent the rebels from destroying it. In four hours' time, it made seventeen miles, and as it came in sight of the bridge several rebel wagons were in the act of crossing it. When the regiment reached it, one end of the bridge was on fire, but was easily ex-

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tinguished. The Eightieth reached Raleigh on the day it was first occupied by Federal troops. After the surrender of Johnston, the Eightieth marched with the National forces through Richmond to Washington City, and there participated in the grand review. A few days later, it was taken by rail and river to Louisville, Ky., and thence to Little Rock, Ark., where for some months it performed guard and garrison duty. This closed its military ca- reer. It was mustered out of service at Little Rock August 15, 1865, and was discharged at Columbus, Ohio, August 25, 1865.

George W. Pepper, in " Sherman's Campaigns," speaks thus of the regi- ment: "The Eightieth is as brave a regiment as ever left the Buckeye State; it has rendered efficient service in nearly all the rebellious States. Its marches have been constant, its camps innumerable; its dead are scattered everywhere. May the flowers of the Sunny South bloom over their honored graves! This decimated regiment has added new and glorious laurels to the somber annals of this bloody war."

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The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Part 45

Author: Warner, Beers & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1017

Author: Warner, Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1017