Cuyahoga County, Ohio - Chapter 18: Eighth, Fourteenth and Seventeenth Infantry, 1870

Chapter 18: Eighth, Fourteenth and Seventeenth Infantry

Company B, of the Kighth - Organized for Three Months - Re-organized for Three Years - In West Virginia - Loss from Sickness - Rommey and Hanging Rock - Blooming Gap, Cedar Creek and Strasburg - Battle of Winchester - Numerous Skirmishes - South Mountain and Antictam - F edericksburg - Chancullorsville - Gettysburg - Heavy Luss - Skirmishes at Bristow Station, Mine Kun, ete., in 1464 - The Battle of Martin's Ford - The Battle of the Wilderness - Cold Harbor and Petersburg - Mustered Out - Members from Cuyahoga County - Fourteenth [ofantry - Meutivn of its Services - Its Members from this County - Seventeenth Infantry - Mention of its Services - Members from this County - The Colonel of the Twentieth.

Eigutil Infantry

Tue connection of the Highth with Cuyahoga is confined to Company B, having eighty men, and one or two of Compthy D. These were enlisted originally for the three-months service, in response to the President's first call for troops in April, 1861. In June following all of the companies, exeept Company I, were re-cnlisted for three years. On July 9, 1861, the regiment left Camp Dennison, and arrived on the 12th at West Union, Va. For several weeks it was stationed among the mountains, and along the Baltimore and Qhio railroad, where the men suffered severely from fever. At '""Maggotty Hollow" over three hundred were in the hospital, and thirty-five deaths resulted in a short time.

On September 24th, the Eighth engaged in the battle of Romney. At Hanging Rock it was under fire, and lost several in killed and wounded. On October 24th, for a second time at Romney, and soon afterwards at Blue's Gap. On February 14, 1862, it was engaged at Bloomey Gap; on March 18th at Cedar Creek, and on the 19th at Strasburg as skirmishers. The regiment was deployed. as skirmishers before and after the battle of Winchester. The killed and wounded during this battle was more than one-fourth of its number.

During March and April the regiment skirmished at Woodstock, Mount Jackson, Edinburg and New Market. In May, from Rectortown it skirmished a distance of eighteen miles. At Chickahominy Swamps it was again engaged; losing seven wounded.

At Antietam, while engaged, the Eighth and the Fourteenth Indiana were obliged to change front, which was done with great steadiness, saving the brigade from rout.

The regiment moved with its corps to Bolivar Heights, and on October 1st, to Leesburg. From there to Falmouth, skirmishing at Hulltown, Snicker Gap and United States Ford. At Fredericksburg the Eighth was in the right wing. In passing up Hanover street, it lost twenty-eight, and at the close of the battle the loss was thirty-four killed and wounded. The regiment was under constant fire for nearly four days at Chancellorsville, losing only two killed and eleven wounded. At Gettysburg, July 2d, the regiment captured and held a well defended knoll; three times repulsed the attacks of superior numbers, and captured three stands of colors. Its loss was one hundred and two killed and wounded. The regiment engaged in several skirmishes prior to August 15, 1863, when it was sent to New York to quell the riots. Returning to the field, it was engaged at Auburn and Bristow, October 14th, having two wounded. . On November 27th, 28th and 29th, the regiment acted as skirmishers at Robinson's Cross Roads, Locust Grove and Mine Run, losing several men. At the battle of Morton's Ford, February 6, 1864, several officers and men were wounded.

At the Wilderness the Eighth was engaged on May 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th, losing in all over sixty killed and wounded. It also engaged in numerous skirmishes from Spotsylvania to Petersburg; took and held a fort at North Anna, and fought at Cold Harbor and Petersburg.

Company

James K. O'Reilly, enr. as First Sergeant April 18, 1861; promoted to First Lieutenant September 23, 1862, and to Captain March 3, 1864. Mustered out with the regiment July 13, 1864.

Thomas F. Galway, enr. as Sergeant April 18, 1861; promoted to Second Lieutenant September 7, 1862, and to First Lieutenant January 20, 1863, Mustered out with the regiment,

John Garvey, enl. June 5, 1861; transferred to and commissioned in 'th Virginie Volunteers. Killed at Antietam, Maryland, September 17, 1862.

John Hawley, enl. October 31, 1864; transferred to 4th Ohio Battalion, Company B., June 24, 1864. Discharged at end of term, November 28, 1864.

Fourteenth Infantry

The members of this regiment from Cuyahog: county, nine in number, were enlisted in 1864 in Cos. A, I and K. As members of the Fourteenth they engaged with the regiment in the battle at Jonesboro, pursued Ifood's troops on their advance into Tennessee, joined Sherman's forces at Atlanta, and. participated in the '* March to the Sea," and through the Carolinas to Goldsboro' and Raleigh.

David Loper, enl. December 15, 1863. Promoted to Corporal May 1, 1864, and to Sergeant November 20, 1864. Mustered out with the regiment July 11, 1865,

The members from Cuyahoga county in the Seventeenth were ten in number, nine of whom were enlisted in Co. E in 1864, and saw but very little service that could be called severe. hey followed Sherman through the Carolinas, passed in review before the President at Washington, and were mustered out at Louisville in July, 1865.

Twentieth Infantry

Charles Whittlesey, 'appointed Assistant Quarter Master General of Ohio, April 15, 1861; Chief Military Engineer of State of Ohio, July 4, 1861; Colonel Twentieth Infantry August 19, 1861; Chief Engineer Military Department of Ohio September 23, 1861. Resigned April 19, 1862.