Cuyahoga County, Ohio - Second and Sixth Cavalry, Etc, 1870

Second and Sixth Cavalry, Etc

A Western Reserve Regiment - Camp Wade and Camp Dennison - In the Far West - A Fight with Quantrell - Chasing Rebels and Indians - In the Indian Territory - Men detailed for a Battery - Service under Gen. Blunt - The Victory of Prairie Grove - Returning to Ohio - Fighting in Kentucky - Capturing Morgan - Through to East Tennessee - Numerous Conflicts - Re-enlisting - Ordered East - Over the Rapidan - Under Sheridan - Hanover Court House and Ashland - Ream Station, etc. - On the Shenandoah - Capturing a Regiment - Battle after Battle - Winter Quarters - The Last Raid of the War - Large Captures - Back to Missouri - Mustered out - Members from Cuyahoga County - Soldiers of the Third Cavalry - Organization of the Sixth Cavalry - Sent to Virginia - First Fight at Strasburg - Cross Keys and Cedar Mountain - Hard Service on the Rappahannock - A Brilliant Dash - | he Battle of Kelly's Ford - Splendid Charge of Co. A - Fighting with Stuart - Gettysburg - A Large Capture - Numerous Conflicts in Virginia - Re-enlistment - Hard Fighting Again - Inside the Lines of Richmond - On the Weldon Railroad - Battles of Hatcher's Run - Five Forks - Appomatox - Subsequent Services - Mustered out - Officers and Soldiers from Cuyahoga County. ;

Second Cavalry

THE Second Ohio Cavalry - the first regiment of that arm of the service raised in the northern part of the State - was recruited in the summer of 1861 under the supervision of Hon. B. F. Wade and Hon. John Hutchins, to whom the War,Department gave special authority for that purpose. Cuyahoga county furnished three hundred and fifteen members; Companies B and K being principally from this county, while smaller quotas entered all the other companies. The regimental complement was almost entirely drawn from the Western Reserve, and contained a large proportion of men of intelligetice and social prominence. The Second was mustered into the three-years service at Camp Wade, near Cleveland, where it was uniformed, mounted and partly drilled. Late in November it was moved to Camp Dennison, where it remained until the receipt of marching orders early in January, 1862.

It then moved to Platte City, Mo., and during the ensuing three weeks was employed in scouting along the Missouri border, as a portion of Doubleday's brigade. In February, the brigade proceeded to Fort Scott, Kansas, and while en rowte was assailed in the streets of Independence, Mo., by an equal force, under the afterwards celebrated and infamous Quantrell, who was routed in fifteen minutes. In this, its first fight, the regiment bore itself with marked gallantry, having four men killed and wounded.

From March till June, the Second, with headquarters at Fort Scott, was engaged in chasing guerrillas and skirmishing with hostile Indians. Late in June the brigade marched into the Indian Territory, and took part in the capture of Fort Gibson.

In August, after the return to Fort Scott, one hundred and fifty men and two officers were detailed from the regiment to man a light battery. Six months afterwards the detail was changed to a transfer, by which the Twenty-fifth Ohio battery was created.

In September, 1862, the battery and the mounted portion of the regiment (for two-thirds of the horses had been worn out by the hard service), entered upon an active campaign under General Blunt, in Missouri and Arkansas; fighting gallantly at Carthage, Newtonia, Cow Hill, Wolf Creek, White River, and especially at the closing victory of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on the 12th day of December.

In November an order had been issued transferring the Second to the East, and in that month the dismounted portion proceeded to Camp Chase, whither the mounted men followed in December. There the regiment remained until April, 1863, when, being consolidated into eight companies, fully mounted and equipped, it left for Lexington, Ky., where it was restored to its original strength by the addition of four companies originally raised for the Eighth Cavalry.

During May and June the Second fought twice at Steubenville, twice at Monticello, and once at Columbia, Ky., besides which four companies formed part of a force which made an important raid into East Tennessee, under Gen. Saunders. In July, as a part of Kautz's brigade, the Second joined in the pursuit of Morgan, and after his capture nearly the entire regiment was furloughed by Gen. Burnside in recognition of its meritorious services.

The Second re-assembled in August at Stanford, Ky., and moved with the army to East Tennessee. In the engagement at Loudon Bridge and in the forced marches to Cumberland Gap and Knoxville the regiment bore an active part, and in the battle of Blue Springs it was especially conspicuous. It participated in the defense of Knoxville and in the subsequent pursuit of the enemy; fighting Longstreet's cavalry at Morristown on the 2d of December, sustaining on the 4th the advance of a brigade which fought eighteen regiments for two hours at Russellville, and being at the front five hours at the battle of Bean Station on the 5th.

At Mossy Creek, on the Ist of January, 1864, four hundred and seventy men answered roll-call, and of that number all but fifty re-enlisted: as veterans. After they had enjoyed their veteran furlough they proceeded, with a hundred and thirty recruits, to the East. At Camp Stoneman, near Washington, the regiment was mounted, armed and equipped, and on the 1st of May left camp (eight hundred strong) for Warrenton Junction. It crossed the Rapidan with the Ninth Corps, engaged Rosser's cavalry on the 7th, and during the battle of the Wilderness was stationed on picket or engaged in skirmishing.

The Second was permanently attached to Sheridan's Cavalry Corps late in May, and on the 31st crossed the Pamunkey.. In the subsequent fight at Hanover Court House the regiment occupied the center of the brigade, and sustained the heaviest part of the charge that resulted in the capture of the hill and the court house. The following day the Second engaged the enemy under Fitzhugh Lee at Ashland, but was forced Until the 17th of June, when the James river was crossed, the regiment was picketing and skirmishing on the right of the army, and later in the month it fought at Nottaway Court House, Stony Creek and Ream Station; losing at the latter place

Ordered to the Shenandoah valley, the regiment reached Winchester on the 17th of August, and from that time to the 26th was engaged in the conflicts which followed Early's attack upon Winchester. It assisted in driving the enemy from Berryville on the 30th of August, charged with its brigade at. Winchester on the 13th of September (capturing an entire regiment of infantry), fought stubbornly at the battle of Opequan, marched and skirmished in the Luray valley until the 25th of September, engaged with valor in the conflicts at Waynesboro and Bridgewater, and afterwards took part in a sharp fight against Rosser, who was badly defeated. On the 19th of October it*took part in the battle of Cedar Creek, and on the 12th of November assisted in Custer's victory over Rosser, with whom it was again engaged at Lacey's Springs on the 20th of December.

From the 28th of December, 1864, until the 27th of February, 1865, the regiment was in camp near Winchester. It then started with Sheridan on the last raid of the war. On the 25th of March it assisted Custer in the capture of the remnant of Early's army at Waynesboro, and took by its own prowess six hundred and fifty prisoners, three hundred and fifty stand of small arms, and a large number of horses, mules, wagons, etc. For this performance the Second was complimented by Gen. Custer on the field. It was in the advance of the column when Charlotteville was entered, and from the 27th of March to the surrender of Lee performed such service that it turned oyer to the provost marshal eighteen pieces of artillery, one hundred and eighty horses, seventy army wagons, nine hundred prisoners, and a large number of small arms. After the collapse of the rebellion the Second spent a few months in Missouri, and was mustered out on the Ist of Septemnber, 1865.

Company

11, 1865. Martin J. Kinnamon, enl. Oct. 5, 1862. Mustered out with the Co. William Leggett, enl. Feb. 27. 1864. Mustered out with the Co. Ralph Miller, enl. March 15, 1864. Mustered out with the Co. Leander McGill, en]. Feb. 27, 1864. Mustered out with the Co. William H. Pidgeon, + nl. Feb. 27, 1864. Mustered out with the Co. John W. Reed, enl. Nov. 3. 1862. Mustered out with the Co.

Henry Aker, enl. Oct. 9, 1862. Mustered out with the Co. Sept. 11, 1865. George Hurst, enl. March 11, 1864, Mustered out with the Co, Joseph L. Jackson, enl. March 7, 1865. Mustered out with the Co. Cassius C. Kenney, enl. Feb. 28, 1865. Mustered out with the Co. George A. Manning, en]. March 21, 1864, Mustered out with the Co. Heber Swan, enl. March 6, 1865. Mustered out with the Co.

The Sixth Ohio Cavalry was organized in October, 1861, for three years service, and, like the Second, was mainly recruited from the Western Reserve; being the second regiment in Wade and Hutchins Cavalry Brigade. There were two hundred and sixty-six members from this county, principally in Companies C, F, I, K and M.° It assisted in guarding rebel prisoners at Cam) Chase, until May, 1862, when it joined Fremont in the Shenandoah valley.

At Strasburg the regiment had its first fight, in which one officer and six men were wounded. It moved down the valley, skirmishing continually, and on the 7th of June had several men killed and wounded at the battle of Cross Keys. Slight engagements at Luray Court House and Cedar Mountain were followed by a severe ordeal, when for fourteen days the regiment was under fire, while contesting, under Pope, the passage of the Rappahannock by Stonewall Jackson. It performed effective service at the second battle of Bull Run, retreated with the army to Alexandria, and after a brief season of rest, took part in a sharp fight at Warrenton. this oceasion sixty of its men made a brillant dash into Fredericksburg, capturing a rebel mail and numerous prisoners.

The winter of 1862-63 was passed in guarding the Rappahannock. In March, 1863, the regiment joined Tlooker, and soon made a gallant record at the battle of Kelly's Ford, where it had two officers and thirteen men killed and wounded. During Lee's movement toward Pennsylvania the Sixth was frequently in action, and at the battle of Aldie, on the 17th of June, Captain Northway, of Company A, at the head of thirty men, led a charge, which for dash and bravery was unsurpassed during the war.

The Sixth participated in the battles of Middleburg and Upperville, took part in all the engagements with Stuart, followed Lee into Pennsylvania, and fought gallantly at the battle of Gettysburg. 1t was especially active in the pursuit of Lee, and at Falling Waters assisted in the capture of fifteen hundred of the Confederate rear-guard, After camping for a time at Thoroughfare Gap, the Sixth joimed Meade in his advance to the Rapidan, and was in the fights at Culpepper Court House, Rapidan Station, Sulphur Springs, Auburn Mills and Bristoe Station. Late in November the regiment joined the forward movement which terminated with the battle of Mine Run. It then went into winter quarters at Warrenton, where it was constantly engaged in picket duty and in driving off Mosby's raiders.

In January, 1864, about two hundred of the regiment re-enlisted as veterans, and during the spring it received a large number of recruits. On the 3d of May it joined Sheridan, and, as his rear guard, had many a hot fight with Stuart's cavalry, at whose hands the Sixth lost in one day upwards of thirty in killed and wounded. The regiment won renown at the battles of Yellow Tavern, Owen Church, Cold Harbor and Bottom Bridge, and also in a sharp engagement with Stuart's cavalry inside the defenses of Richmond.

On the 7th of June the Sixth started with Sheridan on a raid, and, after two days' hard fighting at Trevellian Station, returned in charge of four hundred prisoners. Crossing the James with Grant it spent a few days in camp, and then, recrossing that stream, took an active part in the fight for the possession of the Weldon railroad. Fighting, skirmishing and picketing until the 27th of October were followed on that day by a severe engagement at Hatcher's Run, in which the Sixth suffered heavy loss.

Going into winter quarters soon after, it remained quiet, except a severe fight on the 9th of December, until the 3d of February, 1865, when it inaugurated the new campaign with another fight at Hatcher's Run and followed it in the spring with the bloody conflict of Dinwiddie Court House and the battle of Five Forks. During the pursuit of Lee the Sixth was warmly engaged at Sailor's Creek and Farmville,

After escorting General Grant from Appomattox to Burksyille station, marching through Virginia to North Carolina and doing duty in detachments in the Virginia counties composing the ''Sub-District of the Appomattox," the regiment was ordered to Cleveland and was there mustered out of the service in August, 1865.