Coshocton County, Ohio - War of the Rebellion - Continued (1 of 2 so headed), 1881

War of the Rebellion - Continued

The Ninety-Seventli - Rosters of Companies H and I - Review by John M. Compton - Historical Record of the Regiment - Correspondence and Reminiscences.

THE Ninety-seventh was recruited in the counties of Muskingum, Morgan, Guernsey and Coshocton. Coshocton claims Companies H and I, whose muster rolls at enlistment were as follows:

^ohn M. Compton, Esq., a resident citizen and practicing attorney of Coshocton, was a member of Company H of the Ninety-seventh Ohio, and was chosen color bearer of the brigade to which the Ninety-seventh belonged for the last eighteen months of the war. Mr. Compton gives a very interesting sketch of the incidents more directly aflfecting the Coshocton companies as follows :

The companies suflered from sickness, superinduced by the march of the regiment after- Bragg's retreating army in 1862. There being a drouth in Kentucky that year, and no water on. the line of march but the poorest kind, Coshocton's two companies though full when mustered in at Zanesville, Ohio, when they arrived in Nashville with Buell's army were reduced about 6nethird. Clinton Gardner, of Company I, was one of the first ten men who crossed the Tennessee river at Chattanooga on an old scow under command of the now Secretary of State of Ohio, Colonel Milton Barnes, then lieutenant-colonel of the Ninety-seventh. The Companies H and I had been engaged in a skirmish for some hours before the ten men crossed on the scow. At Mission Ridge Companies H and I were in the hottest of the fight, losing six killed and a large number wounded. In East Tennessee, these companies lived for sonae time on foraged cornbread and hog meat captured in expeditions made by Ihem to the mountains of East Tennessee. June 22, 186^^ Companies H and I were with the regiment in the charge on Kenesaw Mountain ; they charged almost up to the works of the enemy, but werecompelled to lie down, the fire from the rebel works being very heavy; while thus prostrate, a.- great number were killed or wounded by therebel sharpshooters; of one hundred and fifty three men who went out on this charge, onehundred and twelve were either killed or wounded.

Instances of personal bravery in these two companies are numerous. Nate Price, of Company H, was severely stunned by a spent cannon ball,- which struck the breeching of the gun and demoralized it. On Recovering from the shock Pricepicked up a dead man's musket, went up to thetop of the Ridge and fought it out. This incident occurred at Mission Ridge. In the samebattle Daniel Fortune, of Company I, was severely stunned by a solid shot passing close to his head. After recovering he followed the example, of Nate Price, of Company H. Kit Hall, also 'of Company H, succeeded in bringing down the rebel color bearer, who was on the top of the Ridge and seemed to defy the Union marksmen.

The Ninety-seventh was recruited in the counties of Muskingum, Morgan, Guernsey and Coshocton, durin^he months of July and August, 1862. It was mustered into the service at Camp Zanesville on the 1st and 2d of September;, moved from Zanesville by cars on the 7th for Covington Heights, opposite Cincinnati; and on the morning of the 8th, took position near Fort

September 20, the regiment embarked on the steamer Emma Duncan, arrived at Louisville on the evening of the 22d, and was immediately hrigaded with General Buell's army, then in pursuit of Bragg's rebel forces. It moved out of army, on the 2d of October. On the 4th the rearguard of the enemy was met at Bardstown, and XI brisk skirmish- ensued, in which the enemy was driven in the direction of Perryville, Kentucky. On the morning of the 8th, the day on which the battle of Perryville was fought, the Ninety-seventh was with the main part of Buell's army, within ten miles of that place. At the of the battle, the regiment, with its brigade and division, was ordered up to the ibattle field, where it held in check and drove back the rebel forces in an attempt to turn our right. On the 9th, the rebels having evacuated Terryville, the regiment joined in the pursuit, and continued it up to Wild Cat, Kentucky. On the 22d, the pursuit was abandoned, and the national army commenced its movement toward Nashville, arriving on the 21st of November, and going into camp three miles from the city, on the Murfreesboro railroad.

On the reorganization of the army by its new General William S. Eosecrans, the Ninety-seventh Ohio was retained in General Crittenden's corps, which formed the left wing of the Army of the Cumberland. ' While lying near Nashville, perfecting its drill and preparing to move on the rebel forces under Bragg, the regiment was frequently engaged in skirmishes with the enemy.

December 26, Rosecrans' forces commenced the movement on Murfresboro; and on the 27th the Ninety-seventh met and engaged the enemy's outposts at Lavergne, fifteen miles from Nashville. Moving ort with the army, the regiment was not engaged until the morning of the 31st. General McCook's right wing having been badly placed, and thus driven back on the Nashville turnpike, the left, under General Crittenden, withstood the shock and repulsed every assault of the exultant enemy, and at 9 o'clock at night occupied itsoriginal line. At 3 o'clock on the morning of January 1, the national lines were reformed, the Ninety-seventh Ohio taking a position on the left of General T. J. Wood's division, the left wing of the regiment resting on Stone river. It remained in this position without engagement during the whole of the next day. On the afternoon of the 3d of January Breckinri^dge's rebel corps made an attack on Van Cleve's division (which had crossed the river), and drove it back. At this point the Ninety-seventh Ohio became engaged, and aided in repulsing the enemy's determined assault, crossing Stone river and following him up closely to his original line.

In this battle the Ninety-seventh lost twentyfive men killed and wounded. It went into camp on the Las Casas turnpike, and remained there (excepting when on occasional skirmish duty), until the 25th of June, when the movement on Tullahoma commenced. Marching with Crittenden's corps, the Ninety-seventh was not engaged. On the 20th of August, the regiment took position on Waldron's ridge, within five miles and in sight, of Chattanooga.

On the 9th of September at 9 A. m., the Ninetyseventh crossed the Tennessee river, drove the enemy's sharpshooters from Chattanooga, and entered the place three hours before the main army. For this gallant act General Rosecrans assigned the regiment and brigade to garrison the. post. For this reason the Ninety-seventh was not engaged in the battle of Chickamauga,

In the reorganization of the Army of the Cumberland, under Major-General George H. Thomas the Ninety-seventh Ohio was assigned to Sheridan's (second) Division of the Fourth Army Corps.

In the battle of Mission Ridge the Ninety-seventh lost one hundred and fifty-six officers and men killed and wounded. Following the retreating enemy to Pigeon Mountain, the Ninety-seventh, in company with the Fortieth Indiana, encountered his rear guard in position, and drove him in the direction of Campbell's Station, and across Chickamauga creek.

During the night of the 25th of November the command was moved up to Chickamauga creek but did not again encounter the enemy. On the 26th the regiment with its division moved back to Chattanooga.

eral Granger's command to the relief of General Burnside, then besieged in Knoxville by General Longstreet's rebel corps. On this march the men suffered intensely, being thinly clothed, and without tents or transportation. On the arrival of the regiment at Knoxville seventy of the men were reported as without shoes or stockings.

While in Knoxville, the Ninety-seventh occupied the East Tennessee University as quarters- About the 15th of December the enemy was again reported as moving on Knoxville. The Ninetyseventh, with the Fourth Army Corps, was ordered to proceed to Strawberry Plains and Blain's Cross Roads, where it assisted in driving back the rebels under Longstreet. It remained at Blain's Cross Roads, on the Holston river, from the 15th of December until the 16th of January, 1864, subsisting off the already impoverished country, without tents, in midwinter, and suffering from intense cold and lack of rations.

On the 16th of January the regiment (with the army) crossed the Holston river, and on the 17th arrived at Dandridge, on the French Broad river, - where a brisk skirmish was had with the enemy. On the 18th the fight was renewed, and on the night of the same day General Sheridan, then in command at Dandridge, ordered the national forces to fall back to Strawberry Plains.

On the 19th of January, 1864, the Ninetyseventh moved (with Sheridan's division) by easy marches to London, Tennessee, arriving at that place on the Ist of February. It remained at London until the 4th of March, and then (under orders) moved to Charleston, on the Hiawassee river, where it guarded the railroad bridge across that river until the 25th of April. On that day it joined the main army at Cleveland, Tennessee, and on the 3d of May entered (with Sherman's army) on the Atlanta campaign.

On the 7th of May the enemy's outposts were ,met near Red Clay, and on the 8th the regiment Went into position on Rocky Face Ridge. On the 11th- of May the Ninety-seventh participated (with Barker's brigade) in an unsuccessful charge on 4he ridge, with slight loss. At Resaca the regiment was under constant fire for tw^o days, (the 14th and 15th of May) ; and at Adairsville, on the 17th, it had a sharp fight, losing twenty men in the space of less than fifteen minutes.

At Dallas the regiment was under constant fire from the 25th of May up to the 6th of June. The enemy then fell back to Kenesaw Mountain. On the 17th of June the regiment made a charge on the enemy's position, and, with the assistance of the Twenty-eighth Kentucky, drove his outposts into his second line of works.

On the 22d of June, the Ninety-seventh was ordered to drive in the rebel outposts. Of 153 men sent forward to perform this duty, 112 were either killed or wounded in the space of thirty minutes. Major J. W. Moore, Captain W. S. Rosemond and Lieutenant J. T. Gossage, in command on the skirmish line, were seriously wounded, two of them so severely as to be disabled from further military service.

Suddenly, on the 22d, the enemy, who were restive under the unremitting pressure of the Union forces, rallied and attacked General Hooker. The ground was quite open, and the enemy easily drove in the skirmish lines. An advanced regiment, the Ninety-seventh, was then purposely thrown forward as a temporary check to the assailants. The point of attack was a wooded ridge, occupied by WiUiams' division and Whittaker's division of the Army of the Ohio. The rebels made repeated attempts to drive these divisions, but were met with such rapid and deadly volleys, accompanied by an enfilading fire from the batteries, that they finally retired, leaving the dead and wounded in the hands of the Union troops. This action is known as the battle of Kulp's House.

On the 27th of June, the second division, including the Ninety-seventh, made another charge on Kenesaw Mountain, and were badly repulsed. In this disastrous affair the regiment lost thirtyfive men killed and wounded. On the 4th of July the enemy evacuated Kenesaw Mountain, and fell back toward the Chattahoochie river. At Smyrna Church, on the evening of the same day, the eflemy was found strongly posted behind works, and attacked so vigorously by the national forces that he was compelled to fall back the same night to the Chattahoochie river. On the 6th of July, the regiment.arrived at the Chattahoochie river, and went into camp on its banks ; and on the 9th, marched up to Rossville and destroyed the factories at that place. On the 13th, it crossed the Chattahoochie river, being the first national troops to appear on the south side of that stream.

On the niorning of the 20th it crossed Peachtree creek and drove in the outposts of the enemy. A line of battle was immediately formed, the ;]Srinety-seventh occupying the extreme left. At this point the rebel Geiieral Hood made his first dash against the national forces. The Ninety- .-seventh, occupying as it did the extreme left, received the' first onset of the enemy. The shock was terrible; but during seven determined charges made against it, this little band of less than three hundred men stood firm. So pleased General Howard (commanding the corps) and General Newton (commanding the division to which the Ninety-seventh belonged) that they isought out that regiment, and personally thanked the men for their bravery in standing up against the dreadful shock of the rebel charges on. the left. In addition. General Newton issued an order exempting the regiment from all further picket and fatigue duty during the campaign. 'The Ninety-seventh Ohio participated in the action at Jonesboro, and assisted in driving the enemy back to Lovejoy's Station. On the 2d of ^Septernber the national army entered Atlanta, and the troops went into camp around that city, with the promise from General Sherman of a month's rest. On the 25th of _ September the Ninety-seventh (with the second division of the Fourth Army Corps) was sent by rail to Chattanooga, and on the 30th relieved the pioneer brigade on Lookout Mountain, in order that the "brigade might go to the assistance of the national forces at Tullahoma, then menanced by Forrest's rebel cavalry.

In the flurry of Hood's dash on Sherman's rear, the Ninety-seventh was kept for some time almost continually on the move up and down the railroads. On the 19th of October the regiment again joined Sherman's army at Alpine, Georgia, .and, after moving to Will's Valley and Stevenson, it took cars for Athens, Alabama. It arrived at "Pulaski, Tennessee, on the 6th of November, and there until the 17th. At this time Hood's rebel army was advancing on Columbia, "ihoping to beat the national forces into Nashville.

up in advance of the enemy to Columbia, and his advance was driven from the vicinity of the place. On the 29th of November, Columbia was evacuated by the national forces, and, after blowing up the fort at that place, they marched in the direction of Franklin, Tennessee. The sebond . division of the Fourth Army Corps encountered the enemy at Spring Hill at 3 o'clock p. m., on the 29th day of November, and fought him until dark. In the night the remainder of the nar tional force- came up from the vicinity of Columbia, and the march was resumed and continued to the town of Franklin. The second division of the Fourth Army Corps covered the rear in this march, and was almost continually skirmishing with the enemy. This march was made arduous in the extreme, the enemy giving no chance for rest.

In the battle of Nashville, the Ninety-seventh was with the second division of the Fourth Army Corps on the left center, and took part in the first assault on the rebel lines, driving the enemy in great confusion.

On the 16th of December the enemy was found' strongly posted on the Bedford hills. He was again attacked and driven, the Ninety-seventh participating in the charge. The pursuit was continVied, with some fighting, and the Ninetyseventh (with the Fourth Army Corps), reached Huntsville, Alabama, on the 3d of January, 1865.

It remained at Huntsville in quarters, until the 28th day of March, when the entire corps moved to Bull's Gap, in East Tennessee, and commenced rebuilding the East Tennessee and Virginia railroad, with a view of advancing on Richmond, Virginia, by the way of Lynchburgh.

Receiving information of the fall of Richmond and the surrender of the rebel armies. General Thomas moved his forces back to Nashville, arring in that city on the 2d of May.

On the 12th of June, 1865, the Ninety-seventlj was mustered out of service at Nashville, and was immediately sent home to Columbus, where it was paid off and discharged,, on the 15th day of June, 1865.

During the campaign of the Ninety-seventh, it was under fire over two hundred days, and took an active part in the battles of Perryville, Lavergne, Stone River, Chattanooga, Mission

Eidge, Charleston (Tennessee), Eocky Face, Eesaca, Dallas, Adairsville, Kenesaw MounUin, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro', Lovejoy's Station, Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. It lost in these battles one hundred and thirteen officers and men killed and five hundred and sixty wounded.

The following correspondence was sent from the front, when the Ninety-seventh was at the different places from which the letters were dated. They were published in.the Age as follows :

On Sunday morning, August 16, 1863, the Ninety-seventh, then in the second brigade, fell in at the sound of the bugle, and soon found itself chmbing the rugged heights of the mountain. Ere it gained the summit, the rain began to descend in torrents, which continued until «very thread of clothing was saturated. As the sun reached the meridian however the storm ceased, the regiment halted and the men dined. The afternoon and night was consumed in pushing the wagons and artillery up the mountain. Imagine, if you can, everything as dark as Egyptian night; a road ascending at about fortyfive degrees; mud many inches deep; six jaded mules hitched to a heavy government wagon, and a squad of tired, muddy men at the wheels, at midnight, and you have a poor pen-picture of what the Coshocton men of the Ninety-seventh are doing in front of Chattanooga.

Flag- Presentation

Soldiers of the Ninety-seventh, we are commissioned by the ladies of Coshocton to present you the accompanying flag. It is the old flag / which for many a weary month you have followed so faithfully and defended so well. We present it, that when you look upon it you may think of the hands from which it came, and know "that you are not forgotten at home.

Be assured that from the trenches of Covington Heights to the mountain passes of the Cumberland, our hearts have followed you. We have not forgotten how, when you had been barely Thustered into the service, you hurried to bear your part with the defenders of Cincinnati; how you suffered and endured in the terrible march to Perry ville; how, unprovided with tents or knapsacks, you exposed yourselves, without a murmur, to the storms of approaching winter; how, at Stone Eiver, you helped to win the day that has given immortal glory to the army of the Cumberland.

Being requested, on behalf of Company I, Ninety-seventh Eegiment, O V. I., to acknowledge the receipt of a beautiful flag, which has been presented to the regiment by the patriotic ladies of Coshocton, on behalf of the members of Company I, I will say, we will stand by this flag. We marched the day the flag was received, and already it has taken part in leading our boys where victory should perch o'er its folds. Our flag now floats within sight of the fortifications of the rebels at Chattanooga.

The following news from Missionary Eidge, giving the names of a number of Coshocton boys that were killed or wounded in front of Chattanooga, was published in the Age, of date December 10, 1863 :

Lieutenant James McClure, Company I, Ninety-seventh O. V. I., has rerurned home from Chattanooga on a short leave of absence. Lieutenant McClure is severely wounded in the left hand^ He reports the following casualties in Companjf I.

Killed, Joseph Lacey, shot through the heart; Peter Eeay, in the right eye; Jacob Leech, through the head. Wounded, Captain Martin Weiser, Lieutenant James McClure, Sergeant George Jack, Sergeant Joseph Cooper, Sergeant William Harrison, Corporal George Starkey, Joseph Thornsley, Jack Watson, William Coy, J. W. Wright, Chris. Hootinger, Benjamin Howell, Thomas McClain, William McElveney, William Musgrove, Wilham J. Boyd and Thomas Hamilton.

In addition to the above, the following list of killed and wounded, from Coshocton county, belonging to the Ninety-seventh, was pubhshed in the Age, of date July 9, 1864 :

By letters from Captain C. C. Nichols, Captain Weisser and others, we have received the following list of killed and wounded in Companies H and I, of the Ninety-seventh O. V. I, from May 9 to July 1 :

Editor Age: - Notwithstanding you have official reports of all engagements, I can not refrain from giving you a short sketch of a skirmish on the picket in which our Coshocton boys took a prominent part, and lost heavily.

On the morning of the 22d of June, the Ninetyseventh was^ent out to the picket reserve, and four companies (two of them H and I), were immediately sent out to the picket line, under command of Major J. Wat. Moore. Nothing of special interest occurred until 4 P. m., when Major Moore received orders to advance his line, which being done, the enemy soon opened fire upon us. A most desperate and determined struggle ensued, when finding our brave fellows were encountering far superior numbers, reinforcements were called for and sent, until 200 were engaged on the picket line, out of which 101 were killed or wounded. Major Moore being wounded, the command devolved upon Captain C. C. Nichols, of Coshocton, who demeaned himself with credit and gallantry. When darkness came with its friendly curtain, pioneers immediately proceeded to intrench and dig rifle pits, to screen the pickets from the cross fire to wjiich they had been subjected. At 2 A. m., the following morning, we were relieved, leaving the lines to be held without very great danger.

The part that the Ninety-seventh took in the engagements from Jonesboro to Atlanta is set forth in a letter to the Age, bearing date September 5, 1864, portions of which we give as follows: "On the 30th ultimo the Fourth (to which the Ninety-seventh belonged) and Twentythird Corps struck the Macon line some five miles beyond Eastport Junction, and commenced skirmishing briskly with the enemy on the right, driving them across Flint river towards Jonesboro. While the other corps were thus engaged, the Army of the Tennessee and the Fourth Corps were vigorously pressing the enemy on the right and left. At the break of day when Sherman found the enemy had retreated, he put his whole army in motion and followed in hot pursuit." During all tliis march the Ninety-seventh was at the front until the army went into Atlanta and camp.

. Allow us through the Age to say : the members of Company I, being highly impressed with the gallant, brave and noble manner in wliich Captain M. Weiser has commanded his company (I) through the several engagements in which it has participated, as well as the gentlemanly and generous course he has at all times pursued, have presented him with a sword and belts with sash a,t a cost of one hundred and fifty dollars as a token of our appreciation of his meritorious conduct. Respectfully,