Columbiana County, Ohio - Chapter 21: Militia Militant, 1879 (part 2 of 2)

The regiment occupied an important position in the main line in front of Nashville. Here the men were again confronted by intensely cold, disagreeable weather, and in consequence suffered severely. On the 15th of December the regiment lost three men, wounded in a skirmish. On the 16th it was engaged in a charge with its brigade, capturing the works of the enemy, with eight pieces of artillery and a number of prisoners, not losing a man. Resting on the enemy's works that night, the regiment moved the next morning in pursuit of the enemy, made a short halt at Columbia, and reached Clifton, Tenn., Jan. 6, 1865. It remained in camp at this point until the 16th of January, when it embarked on the steamer "Swallow," and, landing at Cincinnati, took the cars, January 22d, for Washington

City. Many pleasing reminiscences of this trip through Ohio might be recalled if space in this brief history would permit such a digression from the stern facts of a bloody record. After an absence of two years and a half from their native State, away from the refined associations of friends, it cannot be wondered at that at the sight of their noble State - very appropriately appellated by them " God's Country" - and of the noble and patriotic people, they should burst forth in shouts of joy.

Arriving at Washington City, it was from thence carried by the steamer " Star of the South" to Fort Fisher, at which place it landed Feb. 9, 18G5. It took an active part in the operations which compelled the evacuation of Fort Anderson, Feb. 18, 18G5. In the skirmishing at Fort Anderson the regiment lost one killed and several wounded. The regiment was engaged in the assault upon the rebel works at Old Town Creek, Feb. 20, 1865, which involved the capture of Wilmington, February 22d. The loss of the regiment in the charge upon the enemy at Old Town Creek was two killed and twenty wounded.

On the 22d of February the regiment, with its brigade, entered the city of Wilmington. On the capture of Wilmington, the colonel of the 104th Regiment was appointed to command the post of Wilmington, the lieutenant-colonel was appointed as provost-marshal of the city, and the regiment as provost-guard, and so continued to serve until the 23d Army Corps marched towards Goldsboro'. The regiment then marched to Kingston to the support of Gen. Cox, who was threatened by overpowering numbers. On March 20th the regiment left Kingston, and arrived at Goldsboro' the next day. It remained here until the 11th of April, when it started for Raleigh, N. C., arriving at the latter place April 15th. A grand review of the troops was had at Raleigh, and the regiment received some high compliments from Gen. Sherman and others for its efficiency of drill and the soldierly bearing of its men. On May 1 , 18G5, the regiment was ordered to proceed next day to Greensboro', N. C., to receive and guard property turned over by the army of Gen. Joe Johnson, and remained stationed there until June 17, 18G5, when it was mustered out of service and ordered to report to Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, Ohio, for final pay and discharge. It arrived at Cleveland on the 24th day of June, and was paid off June 27th and discharged. Companies C, F, G, and K were with the regiment in all its marches, and participated in all its battles and skirmishes from Fort Mitchel to Old Town Creek. They all made a noble record in the service, and their losses by death from casualty and disease were: Company C, 21 ; Company F, 22; Company G, 15; and Company K, 12.

One Hundred And Fifteenth Regiment

This regiment was organized at Camp Massillon, Ohio, in August, 1862, and was mustered into the United States service Sept. 18, 18G2, by Captain A. E. Drake, of the 2d United States Infantry.

* Company A, subsequently called the "Liverpool Tigers," was raised by Capt. II. R. Hill, and was composed exclusively of citizens of East Liverpool.

I ; and two in Summit County, - C and G. The regiment was ordered first to Camp Dennison, Ohio, to drill and receive camp-equipage preparatory to moving to the front. After remaining at that place one week, it reported, under orders, to Maj.-Gen. Wright at Cincinnati, Oct. 4, 1862. The tents of the regiment were pitched near Covington, Ky. At that place it received its full quota of teams, consisting chiefly of raw and rebellious mules. In familiarizing these animals with their collars it seemed for a time more than probable that the first blood of the regiment would be shed ; but the soldiers were equal to the emergency, and came off victors and unscathed. After about two weeks the teams, under orders, were turned over to the quartermaster. The regiment was divided, five companies, under Col. J. A. Lucy, being ordered to report to the postcommandant at Cincinnati for provost-guard duty, and the other five companies, under Lieut.-Col. T. C. Boone, to report for guard duty at Camp Chase, Columbus.

In November, 1862, the battalion at Columbus was ordered to Maysville, Ky., under command of Col. Lucy, Lieut.-Col. Boone taking charge of the battalion at Cincinnati. The latter performed provost and general guard duty at Cincinnati for more than a year, during which period he was sorely annoyed by the interference of the civil authorities with the soldiers and others in his charge. These consisted of prisoners, military and political, and of convalescent soldiers and deserters, whom it was the commanding officer's duty to forward to their respective regiments. It was during this period that Gen. Burnside issued Orders Nos. 38 and 113, the latter requiring all writs of habeas corpus issued by State authorities to be respectfully disrespected. The orders caused considerable excitement among the community, and resulted in bringing the civil and military authorities into conflict. For carrying out these orders - refusing to deliver up certain deserters on a writ of habeas corpus - a warrant for the arrest of Col. Boone was issued by Judge Paddock, probate judge of Hamilton Co., Ohio; but the warrant could not be executed because of the guard which constantly surrounded his person.

In July, 1863, Col. Boone called out his battalion for five or six days, on the Harrison Pike, to render assistance to the cavalry in pursuit of John Morgan, then on his unfortunate raid through Ohio.

In December, 1862, the battalion at Maysville was ordered to Covington, Ky., for guard and patrol duty. Company II was mounted and did good service in the country about Covington, giving special attention to bushwhackers and guerrillas.

In October, 1863, the regiment was relieved, and ordered to report to Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans, at Chattanooga, Tenn. Reaching Murfreesboro', it was ordered to report to the post-commander for duty. Part of the regiment was at once mounted and sent out against the rebel guerrillas then infesting the country between Nashville and Tullahoma.

In 1864 that part of the regiment not mounted was stationed on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, in block-houses, to prevent the guerrillas from destroying it. August, 1864, block-house No. 4, in command of Sergt. Flohr, of Company B, was captured by the forces of the rebel Gen. Wheeler. Block-house No. 5 was attacked at the same time, but the rebels were handsomely repulsed by Lieut. John S. Orr, the commandant, and his gallant squad of thirty men, with the loss of three killed and seven wounded. For .this brave defense Lieut. Orr was highly complimented in an order issued by Brig.-Gen. H. P. Van Cleeve.

The rebel Gen. Wheeler attacked the Union lines on the railroad between Nashville and Duck River, and at Lavergne, Tenn. At Lavergne the regiment had one hundred men in a small fort, in which were mounted one six- and one twelve-pounder. The rebel cavalry outnumbered the Union forces three to one, and on the evening of August 31st made three furious charges, but were each time repulsed with serious loss. The firmness and bravery of the regiment on this occasion saved the line of railroad and much property at the fort.

Shortly afterwards, Company K (mounted) surprised and captured a squad of guerrillas, and lost Sergt. Richmond, killed, and three men wounded.

The garrisons of block-houses Nos. 5 and 6 were, by order of Gen. Thomas, withdrawn to Murfreesboro'. Block-house No. 7 was assaulted and surrounded by the rebels, and for fifteen days the garrison dared not venture outside. The garrison of block-house No. 2, under command of Lieut. Harter, was assaulted Dec. 19, 1864, by the enemy with three pieces of rifled artillery, and a continuous fire kept up from nine o'clock in the morning until dark. Two of the garrison were killed and three wounded. Under cover of the night the garrison withdrew, and reached Nashville in safety.

On December 7, 1864, the rebel Gen. Buford made a vigorous charge on Murfreesboro', but, after a few hours' fighting, was driven back with heavy loss. Gen. Rousseau ordered Col. Boone to take charge of the 3d Michigan, with his own regiment, and " repulse and drive the rebels out of town." On the 10th of December, Gen. Hood overpowered the national forces at Lavergne by superiority of numbers, and caused block-houses Nos. 1, 3, and 4 to surrender, with a battalion of the 115th Regiment, numbering one hundred and forty men. Most of these were on their way to Columbus/under parole, on board the ill-fated steamer " Sultana," when it exploded on the Mississippi River, near Memphis, April 27, 1865. Eighty men, belonging to Companies B, C, F, and G, besides Capts. D. N. Lowry and John Eadie and Lieut. J. C. Ely, lost their lives.

The regiment performed garrison duty at Murfreesboro' and guard duty on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad, from Nashville to Tullahoma, until the 23d of June, 1865, when it was mustered out of service by Capt. W. S. Wilson, A.C.M. It received its final discharge and pay at Cleveland, Ohio, July 7, 1865. The regiment, during the latter part of its service, was in the 4th Division, 20th Army Corps, under Maj.-Gen. Rousseau, division commander.

The 115th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry did varied duty, was well disciplined, and endured most of the privations and hardships of an active army-life, except hard and forced marches.

The strength of the regiment when organized was nine hundred and eighty-five, and it subsequently received three hundred recruits. At muster-out it numbered six hundred and thirty officers and men, all told.

One Hundred And Twenty-Fifth Regiment

This regiment was recruited in the fall of 1862, and was organized by Col. Emerson Opdycke, of Trumbull Co., Ohio. By the 6th of October eight full companies had reported, and were on that day mustered into the United States service.

The regiment left camp Jan. 3, 1863, and then numbered six hundred and fifty-seven men, Companies I and K not having joined the ranks. Reaching Cincinnati, the regiment embarked for Louisville, Ky., and encamped beyond the city, where it prepared for field-service.

It participated in the fights at Franklin in February, March, and April, and moved to Murfreesboro', June 21st, and towards Hillsboro' on the 24th, over wretched roads and in the rain. September 1st it moved towards Chattanooga, and skirmished with the enemy at the base of Lookout Mountain. It participated in the movements and skirmishes near Lee & Gordon's Mills and those antecedent to the battle of Chickamauga. In this battle the regiment engaged actively and exhibited great bravery, and were largely instrumental in winning victory for the national arms in that serious contest, which lasted, with varying success, from the 18th until the 20th of September.

It was also engaged in the battle of the 25th of November, at Chattanooga, and on the 28th started to the relief of Gen. Burnside's forces at Knoxville, Tenn., and participated in the affair at Dandridge, in which it lost, of officers, Adjt. Smith, killed ; Lieut. Clark, of Company H, wounded ; and of privates, four killed and seven wounded. Lieut. Smith was fatally shot in the head with a musket-ball.

The regiment was engaged in the battles, May 7 to May 12, 1861, at Dalton, Ga., losing four killed and eighteen wounded, and also fought bravely at Resaca on the 14th. It was also in the succeeding engagements at Lost Mountain and Kenesaw Mountain, where it executed a magnificent charge, though not well supported, losing Lieuts. Dilly and Burnham, killed, and Capt. Moses, wounded.

After the fall of Atlanta, the 125th was, with others, sent back against Hood, then menacing Nashville. In the battle of Franklin it won high honor. Gen. Thomas, respecting its part in the battle, said, " Col. Opdycke, your brigade saved the army at Franklin, and saved Nashville." The regiment captured eight prisoners and two battle-flags.

Part of the regiment was on the skirmish-line in the battle of Nashville, and, under Lieut. Hulse, did good execution. At seven o'clock A.M. the regiment advanced with the line upon the enemy's works, and after a sharp fight carried them. The enemy was pursued, and night closed the conflict. The next day, the 16th, the 125th was again in motion at an early hour, and the fight resumed. At four p.m. the regiment charged, with the division, upon tlie works which the enemy had hastily constructed, and, breaking the line, caused the rebel army to fly in contusion. Lieut.-Col. Bruff was in command of the regiment at this time. The pursuit of the enemy was continued with great vigor until the command reached Huntsville, Ala., on the Gth of January, 1865, where it went into winter-quarters.

No other field-duty of note was performed by the regiment during the war. Returning to Ohio, it was discharged, Oct. 17, 1865, at Camp Chase.

The One Hundred And Forty-Third Regiment

This regiment was formed by consolidating the 18th Battalion Ohio National Guards, of Columbiana County, with the 69th Battalion Ohio National Guard, of Cohocton County. It was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, on the 13th of May, and on the 15th left for Washington City. On arrival it was assigned to Haskins' division, 22d Army Corps, and was placed on garrison duty in Forts Slemmer, Totten, Slocum, and Stevens, north of the Potomac. On the 8th of June the regiment embarked for White House, Va., but, without debarking, it was ordered to Bermuda H undred. It was assigned to the 10th Army Corps, and was placed in the intrenchments at City Point, where it remained until ordered to Fort Pocahontas. It was relieved from duty at Fort Pocahontas, August 29th, and proceeded to Camp Chase, where it arrived on the 5th of September, and was mustered out of service on the 12th *

Company 1 of this regiment, under Capt. William Brunt, Jr., and Lieuts. John M. Taylor and George Morley, was from Liverpool. The regiment was organized under the governor's "call for one hundred days' service.

Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry

This body of cavalry was recruited in September and October, 1863, rendezvoused at Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, and was mustered into service at that place, November 24th. A part of the regiment was assigned to guard duty on Johnson's Island during the ensuing winter. The regiment, having been mounted, armed, and equipped at Camp Dennison, moved to Louisville, and thence to Lexington and Mt. Sterling. The latter part of May the regiment, as a part of Gen. Burbridgc's command, started upon the " first Saltville raid," and was engaged in the pursuit of Morgan, who had entered Kentucky. The command arrived at Mt. Sterling, after a fatiguing march, on the 9th of June, 1864. Here the 12th gallantly engaged the rebels, and received the commendation of its commander. It again encountered Morgan at Cynthiana, utterly routed his forces, and for three days continued to pursue them.

July 30th, Company A attacked a party of guerrillas near Lebanon, Ky., whom they routed with loss. Nearly all the time the regiment's headquarters wore at Richmond, Ky., until September 20th, when, again under Gen. Burbridge, it started on a second expedition to Saltville. At that place the regiment was engaged in a half-day's fight, during which, in order to silence a battery posted upon an elevation, it charged up the hill and took the rebel works. After this the regiment had headquarters at Lexington,

The regiment was subsequently ordered to Crab Orchard to join another Saltville expedition. It proceeded from Crab Orchard November 22d, in a snow-storm, via Cumberland Gap, to Bean's Station, and on the night of its arrival made a successful reconnoissance to Rogersville. Under Sherman, at Bristol, Abington, and Marion, the regiment did its share of service, as it did also while supporting Gen. Gillam in his pursuit of Vaughn. Subsequently, at Marion, where Stoneman defeated Breckenridge in a forty hours' engagement, " all of the 12th, bearing sabres, participated in a grand charge, driving back the enemy's cavalry. The regiment behaved gallantly throughout the fight, and received the praises of Gens. Stoneman and Burbridge."

After the capture of Saltville, December 21st, headquarters were again established at Richmond, the raid resulting in the destruction of one hundred and fifty miles of railroad and works and stores valuable to the enemy.

Having been thoroughly armed, equipped, and mounted, about the middle of February the regiment proceeded to Nashville, by way of Louisville, where it arrived on the Gth of March. The next movement was to Murfreesboro', and thence to Knoxville, where the 12th joined a raiding expedition under Gen. Stoneman.

They penetrated North Carolina, and by an angular movement struck the Lynchburg and East Tennessee Railroad at Christiansburg, Va. They destroyed this road, cut the Danville and Charlotte Railroad at Greensboro', N. C., and, having drawn the garrison from Salisbury, moved south, destroying other railroad communications. They aided in the capture of Jefferson Davis, and of Gens. Bragg and Wheeler and their escorts, and finally reached Bridgeport, Ala., having been sixty-seven days in the saddle. They then proceeded to Lenoir, East Tenn., and on September 1st to Pulaski, and afterwards to Nashville, where they were mustered out Nov. 14, 1865.