Knox County, Ohio - Chapter 34: War of the Rebellion - Continued, 1881

Chapter 34: War of the Rebellion - Continued

recruiting a company. He succeeded in raising about sixty men and left Mt. Vernon about the last of July for Camp Chase, Columbus. His was the third company recruited in Knox county for the three years' service, and became company A, of the Thirtieth regiment. Mr. Muenscher was commissioned first lieutenant of this company August 15, 1861; was promoted to captain June 28, 1862, and to lieutenant colonel of the regiment January 6, 1865. He, however, declined to accept this last promotion and was musteréd out as captain.

Captain Muenscher having been appointed adjutant of the regiment in the beginning of his service, his name does not appear on the following musterroll of this company.

Commissioned Officers

The Thirtieth Ohio regiment was organized at Camp Chase August 28, 1861, and on the thirtieth was ordered to the field in Virginia. During the fall it was engaged mostly in guard duty in separate detachments at various places, and was not re-united until December 25th, when it held its first dress parade. It was again scattered during the winter, doing guard duty and working on fortifications.

A portion of the regiment was engaged in the battle of Centerville under General Pope in the latter part of August, 1862, and the regiment was re-united on the thirty-first of that month. On the ninth of September it engaged the enemy at Frederick city, being placed on the skirmish line; but its first hard fight was at South Mountain, where it lost eighteen men killed and forty-eight wounded. Two days later it was engaged in the great battle of Antietam, where it was compelled to fall back under the weight of General A. P. Hill's division and lost heavily; its loss being two commissioned offices killed and two wounded, and eight men killed and thirty-seven wounded. Its colors were torn in fourteen places by the enemy's balls, and two of the color bearers shot dead on the field.

During the winter of 1862-3, it was transferred to the Western department, and placed in the Second brigade, Second division, Fifteenth corps. In the spring of 1863, it participated in General Grant's movement to the rear of Vicksburgh, and on the twenty-fifth of May participated in a demonstration in favor of an assault made on the left. In three hours the regiment fired forty-five thousand rounds of cartridges. On the twenty-second of May it led the assault on the works in General Sherman's front. The flag of the regiment was planted on the rebel works and guarded there until night enabled the troops to retire. The three leading companies of the Fifteenth suffered severely, losing forty-seven men killed and wounded. It was engaged during the siege of Vicksburgh, losing during that time, one commissioned officer killed and six wounded; and six men killed and fortyeight wounded.

On the twenty-fourth of November, 1863, it was in front of Mission Ridge; and the next day, with a detachment of the Fourth Virginia, assaulted and carried the outer line of the enemy's works. Later in the day the Thirtieth and Thirty-seventh Ohio made two unsuccessful assaults on the works at Tunnel Hill; the Thirtieth losing thirty-nine men killed and wounded.

On the ninth of May the regiment reassembled at Columbus, and on the tenth started south, arriving at Kingston, Georgia, May zoth. On the twentythird it was on the march with Sherman's army, moving through Dallas and Acworth to Kenesaw Mountain, where it was engaged on the twentysixth, losing thirty-five men killed and wounded. In the severe battle before Atlanta on the twentythird of July, it lost twenty-seven men killed, wounded and prisoners; and in the battle of the twenty-eighth it was heavily engaged, losing thirty men killed and wounded. The enemy abandoned a stand of colors under the fire of the regiment, and one hundred and five dead rebels were picked up in its immediate front.

The regiment was transferred to the First brigade on the fifth of August, and on the twentyninth those who were not veterans were mustered out by reason of expiration of term of service.

On the night of the thirtieth of August the regiment went on picket within one mile of Jonesboro; and the next day the rebels attacked the line of the First brigade, but were repulsed. In this engagement the regiment lost thirty-five killed and wounded. On the second of September the rebels evacuated Jonesboro, and the regiment pursued to Lovejoy station. It marched with Sher- man to the sea, and was in the assault on Fort McAllister under Hazen, and engaged there in a hand to hand conflict with the enemy. It was especially mentioned byGeneral Hazen in his report.

The regiment accompanied Sherman's army through the Carolinas, and was sharply engaged with the enemy at Shilling's Bridge and Harper's Farm. Moving with the army it participated in the grand review at Washington, May 24th. It was mustered out and discharged at Columbus, Ohio, August 22, 1865, having, as a regiment, travelled during the war a distance of thirteen thousand two hundred miles.

The Thirty-Second Regiment

Company C, Thirty-second Ohio volunteer infantry was recruited in July, 1861, in Mt. Vernon, the officers elected being Captain James Blackstone Banning, First Lieutenant Anthony B. Raymond, and Second Lieutenant Charles B. Church. Captain Banning conducted his company to Mansfield, Ohio, August roth, where it went into Camp Buckingham, and became a part of Colonel Thomas H. Ford's regiment (the Thirty-second) then forming at that place.

Non-Commissioned Officers

Alberson, Byram, July 20, 1861. Ashton, Joseph, of Barnehard, Hugh D., us Bushfield, Josiah C., se Boyd, John C., ys Barber, George, is Boone, Elry, Bigbee, Wilson, He Beach, William, ee Cutter, William, us Critchfield, James H., = Critchfield, Samuel C., we

Briefly, this regiment participated in the West Virginia campaign, and was in the battles of Greenbrier, Alleghany, Monterey, McDowell, Cross Keys, Franklin, Maryland Heights, and Harper's Ferry. The regiment was surrendered at the latter place by Colonel Miles, parolled and sent to Chicago, Illinois. After remaining there without pay several months, nearly all the men took ' French" leave and came home. Remaining at home about three months they were ordered to rendezvous at Cleveland, where they nearly all reported, were paid, and received a twenty days' furlough.

Jannary 1, 1863, the regiment was exchanged and sent to the front, being attached to the Seventeenth corps. It was in the Vicksburgh campaign ; re-enlisted in 1864, and was with Sherman in all his marches through Georgia and the Carolinas; was at the surrender of Johnston and in the grand review at Washington in May, 1865.

On the fifteenth of September, 1861, the regiment left Camp Dennison for West Virginia. As was the case with most, if not all, of the first regiments from Ohio, they were poorly equipped, and armed with the almost useless old smooth-bore musket of by-gone days. The regiment was moved by railroad, and arrived at Grafton September 18, and marched the next day for Beverly, West Virginia, where it arrived on the twenty-second.

At this point Colonel Ford reported for orders to Brigadier General Reynolds, then commanding the district of Cheat Mountain, with headquarters at Huttonsville, and was assigned to the command then stationed on Cheat Mountain summit, with Colonel Nathan Kimball, of the Fourteenth Indiana volunteers, commanding the post.

The Thirty-second had been hurried to the field without discipline of any kind, in fact, it was hardly organized. Here, upon the rugged heights of Cheat Mountain, amid the wild scenery of the Alleghanies, the regiment received its first lesson in the art of war. Onthe third of October, 1861, the Thirty-second, under orders, made a forward movement and led the advance of the army against Greenbrier, Virginia, through the mountains and pines of that region by midnight. The regiment remained at Greenbrier during the fall of 1861, engaged in watching the movements of the enemy, then commanded by the afterward renowned rebel, General R. E. Lee.

On the thirteenth of December, part of the Thirty-second, under command of Captain Hamilton, accompanied General Milroy in his advance on Camp Alleghany. In his report Genif H a eral Milroy complimented the regiment very highly on its gallantry and good conduct in its charge into the camp of the enemy. The loss of the regiment inthis affair was four killed and fourteen wounded, some severely. On its return from this expedition, it wasfordered to Beverly, where it remained the rest of that severe winter. The time was profitably spent in still further disciplining and organizing the regiment, which made necessary some changes in the roster. The followingnamed officers retired, and their places were filled by promotion from the ranks: Captain J. A. Lacy, company A; W. M. Stanley, company K, and J. Dyer, of Company I; Chaplain Nickerson; First Lieutenants C. C. Brandt, J. W. McLaughlin, Albert J. Spaulding, and C. C. Nichols; Second Lieutenants John Vanmeter, H. H. Fickel, B. F. Guck, R. F. Jackson (adjutant), George F. Jack, W. H. H. Caseand D. Stambaugh. Surgeon John N. Mowry also retired and was succeeded by Dr. James G. Buchanan, of Wellsville, Ohio.

Still retained in General Milroy's command, the regiment took the advance of the expedition under that officer, which resulted n the capture of Camp Alleghany, Huntsville, Monterey and McDowell. About the first of May, a further advance was made to near Buffalo Gap, seven miles from Staunton, Va. The enemy was met at this point, and after some severe fighting the National forces fell back to the main army, camped at Mc- Dowell, in the Bull Pasture valley, where Generals Schenck and Milroy had united their forces, numbering about seven thousand men. j

The rebel general, Stonewall Jackson, advanced against the National force on the eighth day of May, and was met on the side of Bull Pasture mountain. A severe battle ensued, which lasted from two Pp. M. until dark, with varied success on each side. The National forces fell back to Franklin, West Vir-

_ginia, closely followed by the rebel army. In this battle, the Thirty-second lost six killed and fifty-three wounded, some mortally. It was the last regiment to leave the field. Lieutenant C. Fugate, of company E, a young officer of fine promise, was among the mortally wounded; hedied at Franklin five days after the battle.

On the twelfth day of May, Major General Fremont, commanding the mountain department, effected a junction with Generals Schenck and Milroy, bringing with him about twelve thousand men. Before this junction, however, the rebel General Jackson had retired from the National front. The combined National forces lay at Franklin inactive until the twentyfifth day of May, when they were ordered to the support of General Banks, then operating in the Shenandoah valley against the rebel army under Jackson. While the army was in camp at Franklin, the Thirty-second was transferred from Milroy's to Schenck's brigade, composed of the Thirty-second, Fifty-fifth, Seventy-third, Seventy-fifth and Eighty-second, Ohio volunteer infantry.

In Fremont's pursuit of Jackson up the Shenandoah valley, the Thirty-second bore its part and participated in the battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic, on the eighth and ninth days of June, 1862. The regiment returned to Strausburgh about the last of June, was transferred to Piatt's brigade, and moved to Winchester, Virginia, July 5, 1862. It remained at Winchester doing garrison duty until the first of September, the day the place was evacuated by General White, when 'the regiment moved with the brigade to Harper's Ferry, and assisted in the defence of that place. After making a hard fight and losing one hundred and fifty of its number, the regiment, with the whole command, was surrendered by the commanding officer of the post to the enemy as prisoners of war. The history of this unaccountable affair is yet to be written. The Thirty-second was parolled and sent to Annapolis, Maryland, whence it was transferred to Chicago, Illinois.

In the defence of Harper's Ferry, the regiment lost some gallant officers and brave men. Captain S. R. Breese, company H, who succeeded Captain Baxter, was killed by a musket ball, Captain M. W. Worden lost a leg, Lieutenant A. G. Hostetter was severely wounded in the foot, and Lieutenant E. B. Adams, of company F, lost a hand. Colonel Ford was placed under arrest and sent to Washington for trial by a military commission, on the charge of having neglected his duty in the defence of Maryland Heights. This trial resulted in his dismissal from the service November 8, 1862, by order of the War Department.*

At Chicago the regiment became almost completely demoralized. It had not been paid for eight months, and many of the men took ''I'rench leave" and went home to look after their families. Captain B. I*. Potts was sent to Columbus to ask overnor Tod to procure an order from the War Department, transferring the regiment to Camp Taylor, near Cleveland. This application was successful, and the Thirty-second, or all that was left of it - thirty-five men, arrived at Camp Taylor December 1, 1862.

On the second of December, Captain B. F. Potts was appointed by Governor Tod, lieutenant colonel of the regiment, and that energetiv officer went immediately to work ''reconstructing' the command. Within ten days, order prevailed, and eight hundred men had reported for duty. This happy result was not attained, however, without decisive action in the case of several officers, who were charged with inciting disaffection and revolt among the men. Secretary Stanton, of the War office, ordered their instant dismissal, which was consummated on the twenty-third of December, 1862. The men were paid in full, and, on the twelfth of January, 1863, declared to be exchanged. On the eighteenth, orders were received to proceed to Memphis, Tennessee. In re-organizing the regiment, Lieu-

Bentley, lieutenant colonel; Captain A. M. Crumbacker, major ; Assistant Surgeon Brundige, surgeon, and Lieutenant. George Sinclair, captain. The regiment left Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, January 2oth; reached Memphis on the twenty-fifth of January, 1863, and was assigned to Logan's division, Seventeenth army corps. At the battle of Champion Hills the Thirty-second made a bayonet charge and captured the First Mississippi rebel battery - men, guns and horses - with a loss of twenty-four men. For this gallant achievement, the captured battery was turned over to the regiment and manned by Company F during the entire siege of Vicksburgh. The total loss of the regiment during the campaign and siege of Vicksburgh was two hundred and twenty-five, rank and file. It participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills; was in the extreme front of Logan's division when Vicksburgh surrendered, and was assigned to post duty under General Logan.

*The evidence afterward adduced proved almost conclusively the correctness of Colonel Ford's position, and that he was not, as he always asserted, in any way to blame for the day's disaster. That he was made a "'scapegoat" to shield the blunders of a superior officer was pretty well established, and he was afterward re-instated by President Lincoln. He did not, however, accept the position, but retired from the service.

expedition to Monroe, Louisana, and McPherson's expedition to Brownville, Mississippi, inOctober of the same year. It was also with Sherman in February, 1864, at Meridian, and lost twenty-two men at Baker's Creek, Mississippi, February 5, 1864, in which eugagement Captain W. A. McAllister was severely wounded while gallantly leading the advance.

Colonel Potts had been assigned to the command of the Second brigade, Third division, Seventeenth army corps, in the autumn of 1863, and was thereafter but seldom in command of the regiment. In December and January, 1863-64, more than three-fourths of the regiment re-enlisted as veterans, and on the fourth of March, 1864, it was furloughed home. It rejoined the army at Cairo, Illinois, on the twenty-first of April, with its ranks largely augmented by recruits. The only change made while at home was the addition of Dr. T. P. Bond, of Champaign county, as assistant surgeon. On the twentyseventh of April, the regiment embarked at Cairo with its division and corps, on transports, landing at Clifton. Irom there it marched to Ackworth, Georgia, where it joined Gen-» eral Sherman on thetenth of June, 1864. The Thirty-second was identified with the movements of the Seventeenth army corps in Sherman's advance against Atlanta; participated in the assault on Kennesaw mountain, June 27, 1864 and Nickajack Creek, near Howett's Ferry, on the Chattahoochie river, July 10, 1864; also in the battles of July, 20, 22 and 28, before Atlanta, and lost more than half its number in killed and wounded. In the affair of the twenty-second of July, Adjutant A. G. Philipps, of Mansfield, Ohio, was killed while encouraging the men, and Captains Huber and Potts were severely wounded. The regiment was commanded, in those battles, by Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Hibbetts, Colonel Potts being in command of the First (On the twelfth of January, 1865, Colonel Potts was promoted to the rank of brigadier general, on the special recommendation of General Sherman for gallantry before Atlanta, July 22, 1864.)

After the fall of Atlanta, the Thirty-second moved with the army in pursuit of Hood, after which it rejoined General Sherman and accompanied him on his march to the sea.

On the tenth of December, 1864, the Thirty-second was in the advance of the army, and contributed its share towards driving the enemy into his works at Savannah. In this expedition, the Savannah & Charleston railroad was cut, thus destroying the enemy's communications with Charleston. On the twentyfirst of December, the regiment entered Savannah with the army, and went into camp near Fort Thunderbolt. After the review by General Sherman of the whole army, the Seventeenth army corps went by transport to Beaufort, South Carolina; thence to Pocatoligo station, on the Savannah & Charleston railroad.

army through the Carolinas, and, with the Thirteenth Iowa, was the first regiment to enter Columbia. (Colonel Hibbetts, with a mounted detachment of the regiment, entered and captured Fayettville, North Carolina, March 10, 1865, after a severe fight with Wade Hampton's Cavalry.)

On the twentieth and twenty-first of March, it was engaged with the enemy at Bentonville, North Carolina, where, on the twenty-first, Captain D. R. Potts, aid-de-camp of General B. F. Potts, was killed while gallantly leading the skirmish line of the brigade, in an assault on the enemy's works.

The regiment came out of the woods to see their friends at Goldsboro, moved with the army to Raleigh, North Carolina, and was present at the surrender of Johnson's army, May 1,

1865. It marched with the army through Richmond, Virginia, to Washington 'city, where it participated in the grand review before President Johnson and his cabinet.

The regiment remained in camp near Washington: until June 8, 1865, when it took the cars for Louisville. It lay there until July 2oth, when it was mustered out of the service and proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, at which place the men received their final discharge July 26, 186s.

During the stay of the Thirty-second in Washington, Lieutenant Colonel Hibbetts was commissioned colonel, vice B. F. Potts, promoted; Captain S. Guthrie was made lieutenant colonel and Captain Isaac B. Post, of company C promoted to major, zvce Crumbacker, resigned. .

The Thirty-second entered the field September 15, 1861, nine hundred and fifty strong, and during the war received more than one thousand six hundred recruits. Only five hundred and sixty-five remained at its muster-out. It is believed that the regiment lost and recruited more than any other from Ohio.

When company C came home to enjoy its veteran furlough, James H. Critchfield, Edwin H. Sprague and Isaac Cole, members of the company, brought with them at considerable trouble and expense two fifteen-inch mortar shells. These shells

The Forty-Third Regiment

Vicksburgh, during the siege of that place. They were buried about four feet under ground, and were dug up by the men; each weighing, when loaded, two hundred and thirty pounds. They were placed upon two posts set in the ground for that purpose on the public square in Mount Vernon, in front of the Kremlin buildings, where they were a '"'seven days wonder." These shells are now (1881) in possession of Colonel Rogers, and serve as tops for his gate posts, at his residence on Gambier street - former residence of George B. Potwin. THE FORTY-THIRD REGIMENT,

Company K of the Forty-third regiment was recruited mostly in the eastern and southern parts of Knox county. As the Forty-third was encamped at Mount Vernon two or three months during the winter of 1861-2, other companies besides company K received recruits from this county. The camp was named Camp Andrews, in honor of Colonel Lorin Andrews of the Fourth Ohio; and the regiment was organized at this camp February 7, 1862. Lieutenant Colonel Wager Swayne was very active in recruiting the regiment. .J. L. Kirby Smith, a nephew of the rebel General Kirby Smith, was made colonel. He was wounded at Corinth, and died October 12, 1862.

The following extracts from a letter written in February, 1881, by Lieutenant E. L. Lybarger, an officer in the Forty-third, will give an idea of the part taken by Knox county in the formation of this regiment:

Joseph Cochran of Fredericktown, Lieutenant Ed. Dunbar of Mount Vernon, and Captain William Walker of Milwood, were the only persons in Knox county commissioned by the governor to recruit companies for the Forty-third. Captain Walker recruited sixty-nine men, or rather had credit for that number; I recruited not less than fifteen, while other enlisted men assisted in the work of filling acompany. Lieutenant Dunbar, as nearly as I can recollect, had between fifteen and twenty men. Mr. Cochran assisted in a general way to fill the regiment, expecting to be major. All efforts failing to fill the regiment up to the minimum number, in time, two companies from the camp of rendezvous at Lancaster were transferred to the Forty-third, and the regiment was immediately organized by the consolidation of those companies that up to this time had not a sufficient number to enable them to organize. This being the condition of Captain Walker's company, he had the choice of separating his men and distributing a portion among other companies, thus gaining the first and second lieutenantcies, or of keeping them together and being himself made captain. He left this matter to be decided by the men, and with one accord they refused to be separated, preferred to lose the lieutenantcies and make him captain of the company. 'This was done and the company was afterward known as Company K, and was also known as the Knox county company, though filled up to the required number by Stark county men.

Those recruited by Dunbar and Cochran, were, I believe, distributed between companies C and F. There were not, all told, to exceed one hundred men from Knox county in the Fortythird at its organization. I think ninety is nearer the number. There, were, perhaps, between fifteen and twenty more men recruited and assigned to the regiment during the war, from Knox.

William Walker became captain of Company K ; E. Dunbar second lieutenant of company F, and Joseph Cochran quartermaster of the regiment. I was promoted to second lieutenant, April 28, 1863; first lieutenant in 1864, and received a captain's commission in 1865, which I did not accept, having been appointed quartermaster of the regiment, which position I retained to the close of the war.

There were no other officers from Knox county in the regiment except, perhaps Sergeant Lindsey, who was promoted toa lieutenantcy and assigned to company F. Captain William Walker, being in a dying condition, resigned at Farmington, Mississippi, in the spring of 1862, and died at Milwood shortly after reaching home.

Of the original sixty-nine men of Captain Walker's company, but seventeen were mustered out with the regiment in 1865; battles, disease and discharges account for the others.

I must say that the patriotic spirit manifested, and the generosity shown to the Forty-third by the citizens of Mount Vernon, by all parties and both sexes, while the regiment was quartered at carop Andrews, are worthy of all praise. Everything was done by the citizens to make the soldiers comfortable, contented and happy. The camp was daily in receipt of some token of the people's good will in the shape of luxuries and sweet-meats of all kinds; while the sick in the hospital were as well cared for and as kindly treated by the patriotic ladies as if they had been at home with their mothers, wives and sisters.

Arnold, Richard, December 25, 1861. Armstrong, John M., December 4, we Boyle, Ephraim D., November, 30, a Colville, Joseph A., November 30 vs Dunbar, Edward L., November 23, as Knoles, Joseph L., December 24, s Kelley, Mathias, December 11, a Robert, Amos, December 2, om Bunyan, William H., November 27, a Black, Horatio B., November 23, es Shane, Francis L., November 22, os Wing, James L., November 28, st

The regiment left Mount Vernon for the front February 21, 1862, and reported to Brigadier General John Pope, commanding the district of Mississippi on the twenty-sixth of February, and was

; immediately assigned to the Ohio brigade, composed of the Twenty-seventh, Thirty-ninth, Fortythird and Sixty-third regiments, First division, army of the Mississippi.

introduced to active service, for in March, 1862, it was under fire at New Madrid, Missouri, and in all the operations against that post it bore a prominent part, especially in its final bombardment and capture on the thirteenth and fourteenth of March. The loss of the regiment in killed and wounded was quite severe.

It was in the movements against Island 10, and with the forces of General McCall in the capture of Tiptonville, Tennessee; it was also at the battle of Iuka, September 13, 1862. In all the operations of the army of the Mississippi around Corinth the Forty-third bore its part. Adjutant C. C. Hoyl and Van Buren Shrimplin, both of Knox county, were killed here. In the battle of the fourth of October, the Forty-third and Sixty-third Ohio claim to have done more to save the day than any other 'organizations. These regiments were posted, the Sixty-third immediately on the right, and the Fortythird immediately on the left of Battery Robinett, and between that battery and Battery Williams, and were entirely without works or protection of any sort. The grand assault was made by the rebels at daylight on the fourth. They opened on Battery Robinett with artillery at about three hundred yards, and at 10 A. M., led by Colonel Rogers of the Second Texas, moved forward to the assault. The Forty-third and Sixty-third Ohio stood firmly at their posts, and: succeeded in staggering the assaulting column, and hurling it back, at a time when the National lines were broken, and troops appeared to be flying from every other part of the field. 'The opposing forces were but few feet apart and fought almost hand-to-hand, and men went down on both sides in great numbers. The casualties among the men were very severe. In a few minutes of fighting over one-fourth of those engaged of the Forty-third were cither killed or wounded. The loss in the Sixty-third was nearly half of those engaged.

During 1863, the regiment was engaged, mostly in Tennessee in scouting, skirmishing, marching from place to place, and doing guard duty. In December of that year the regiment almost unanimously re-enlisted as veterans, and came home on furlough.

Upon the expiration of the furlough, they returned to the front in a body, and their first skirmish was at the taking from the rebels of Decatur, Alabama, which they occupied until the opening of Sherman's campaign against Atlanta.

While at Decatur the Ohio brigade was discontinued and a new brigade made, composed of the Forty-third and Sixty-third Ohio, Twenty-fifth Wisconsin, and Thirty-fifth New Jersey regiments, and placed under command of Colonel John W. Sprague, of the Sixty-third Ohio, and designated as the Second brigade, Fourth division, Sixteenth army corps.

The first battle in which the Forty-third was engaged in Sherman's victorious march, was at Re saca, where its loss was quite severe. The next day after the battle the regiment was engaged in skirmishing, and the same evening (May 14th) Sprague's brigade was sent to the support of General Logan, who was to make an assault on the position commanding the bridge across the Oostenaula. The assault was made about sunset, and it was found necessary to send Sprague's brigade in order to hold the ground gained by Logan.

The brigade moved forward in fine style and not only occupied the ground from whence their comrades were about being driven, but pushed the National lines up still further to the front and held the position thus gained until the night of May 15th, against repeated attempts to dislodge them.. All that day was spent in heavy skirmishing with the enemy. The members of the Forty-third, as was their custom, took the advance in this mode of fighting, and it was made a day memorable in the annals of the regiment. The rebel skirmish line was literally annihilated, and the dead found the next morning where they had fallen, the rebels having retired during the night.

At Dallas the regiment took an important part in the advance on the enemy's position near Big Shanty, and soon thereafter were engaged in the siege of Kenesaw, with its deadly skirmishing, grand cannonading, and the disastrous repulse of the National forces on the twenty-ninth of June.

On the morning of July 22d Colonel Swayne, in command of the Forty-third Ohio and Ninth Illinois mounted infantry, started for Decatur, twenty miles distant, with a train of some fifteen hundred wagons.

ion, assigned to the duty of taking it, while Wheeler with two other divisions were to capture Sprague and his small command in Decatur. Through the audacity of Colonel Sprague, combined with the fearlessness and discipline of his command, although repulsed in a severe fight, not a wagon was lost. Thus was averted a calamity that must have been fatal to the National army at that time. On entering the town the next day it was found that the enemy had lost over six hundred men in the fight of the day previous, fully two-thirds of the National force in action. During the remainder of the Atlanta campaign, the Forty-third shared the trials and glories of the Sixteenth corps; and on the fourth and seventh of August, particularly, in advancing the National lines, won the thanks of Ransom, the division commander, by splendid and steady fighting.

After the fall of Atlanta the regiment was attached, in the reorganization, to the Seventeenth corps, and joined in the pursuit of Hood; but returning to Atlanta joined Sherman in his "march to the sea."

The last battle of the Forty-third was at River's Ridge on Sherman's march through the Carolinas, where the gallant Swayne lost a leg. A charge was made by the regiment on a battery which commanded the bridge and the causeway approaching it. Down the narrow causeway the regiment rushed amid a storm of shot and shell, compelling the enemy to withdraw the battery and uncover the crossing.

The Sixty-Fifth Regiment

Two and a half Companies from Knox county appear in the Sixty-fifth Ohio regiment, the organization of which began at Camp Buckingham, Mansfield, Ohio, in the latter part of the summer of 1861. Early in October of that year Mr. Alex. ander Cassil, of Mount Vernon, was commissioned to raise a company for this regiment. Mr. N. L. Williams was also actively engaged in recruiting, and together they, with others, raised two companies, which subsequently became companies A and F. These companies were largely recruited in the eastern part of the county; Captain Cassil's, especially, being raised mostly in the vicinity of Milwood. These companies joined the regiment at Camp Buckingham; Captain Cassil's joining October 23, 1861, before it was filled to the required number. They were filled up during the months of October, November, and December, 1861. In October, 1862, a draft was ordered, and forty-four more men from Knox were assigned to this regiment.

PRIVATES. Beaman, Norman, October 23, 1861. Beltz, John T., October 16, as Banbury, Solomon, October 18, " Burris, John, October 17. 516 Burris, George. December 6, ae Buchanan, Smith, October 23, we Barron, James, November 2, oe Cake, Howard, October 10, tg Colwell, Daniel, October 17, es Cassil, Columbus D., 28, ae Ellis, Lyman, October 5, " Farrer, Wilkinson, October 12, - Frizzle, Allen, October 19, "s Frost, Otho, October 17, ae Frost, Levi, November 1, a Greer, Peter, October 49 we Greenlun, Thomas, November 19, '*" Greenlun, Marion, October 14, ve Greenlun, Wesley, October 14, as Haw, Andrew, October 8, . as Hoar, Thomas. October 10, ae Hartgrove, Henry, October 23, Hartesty, John, Octobet 23, "a

Cain, Robert, es & Cain, James B., a as Coleman, John, fe we Clark, Allen, es Clutter, Walden, a ¥ Clark, Thomas, o isi Culbertson, Milo, a ay Connell, John, a +4 Day, Jehiel F., ss "e Doup, George, = e Dickerson, Barrick, es e Everett, William S., a a Headington, Clark, fe a Hinkle, Henry, as se Huber, David, se - Hess, Abraham, ms Be Iden, Mahlon, se ae Kald, JosephS., ee cf Kirkpatrick, S. C., we 4 Kost, Delonn, a Ms McElroy, James, as od

Myers, Joseph, October 10, 1862. Parmenter, George, ae oD Park, Madison, Uc ee Pinkley, John, u eo Roof, Perry, us a Rockwell, Daniel B., i. a6 Ransom, Robert B., cs ue Shaffer, Matthias,, Cy ss Simpkins, Selah, a Me Smith, Levi, ut ic Taylor, Hugh A., os i Thompson, David, ay os Vian, Elijah, Li SS Witherow, William J., us Weller, Henry, a ue Farmer, Van Buren, << ss

The Sixty-fifth became a part of the "Sherman brigade" and was mustered into the service, December rst, 1861. On the eighteenth of the same month it moved to Louisville by way of Cincinnati, where it remained a week and then marched to Camp Morton, four miles east of Bardstown, where it arrived on the thirtieth of December. It was brigaded with the Sixty-fourth Ohio, Fifty-first Indiana and Ninth Kentucky. Colonel Harker of the Sixty-fifth commanded the brigade and General Wood the division.

January 13, 1862, the brigade broke camp and passing through Bardstown, Springfield, Lebanon, Haysville, Danville, and Stanford, Kentucky, arrived at Hall's Gap on the twenty-fourth. The regiment was ordered to Corduroy roads, the country being swampy. The labor was severe and miasma engendered disease to such a degree that many of the men died. February 7th the regiment marched to Lebanon and on the twelfth embarked on the cars for Green river. It arrived at Camp Woods, near Mumfordsville, on the thirteenth, where it remained until the twenty-third when it crossed Green river on the railroad bridge, and passing Bowling Green, Franklin, Tyree Springs and Goodlettsville, arrived at Nashville, March 13th, and went into camp two and a half miles southeast of the city.

On the twenty-ninth of March, with General Garfield in command, the brigade marched by way of Columbia to Savannah, where it arrived on the sixth of April, and on the morning of the seventh it moved on steamer to Pittsburgh Landing. At 4 P. M. it was on the battlefield, but did not become actively engaged; however it lost two men wounded. It participated in the movements against Corinth, and during the siege was under fire almost hourly. After the evacuation of Corinth and during the remainder of the summer and fall it was engaged in marching and countermarching to various places.

On the twenty-sixth of December the brigade moved on the Nashville Pike, in Crittenden's corps, fighting its way into Lavefgne, across Stewart's Creek and up to Stone river. On the night of the twenty-ninth the brigade crossed Stone river under orders, the men wading in water to their arm-pits in the face of a murderous fire. The opposite bank was gained and a line formed, but the supports failed to come up, and the brigade was ordered to retire, which it did in good order. Crittenden's corps lay on its arms all night and during the whole of the next day; it was waiting for McCook to move on the right. Early on the morning of the thirty-first McCook'scorps was driven back, and Harker's brigade was ordered to its support. The brigade met a storm of bullets and a solid column of exultant rebels. For eight hours the in checking the rebel army. All the commissioned officers of company A were either killed or wounded, and Sergeant Culbertson Henwood bravely took command and led it through the battle. He was promoted to second lieutenant by Governor Tod. The regiment was under fire during the entire engagement, and lost heavily.

The following letter from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Cassil, now a resident of Mt. Vernon, written shortly after the battle, speaks for itself. Captain Cassil, of company A, was promoted to lieutenant colonel August 8, 1862, and commanded the regiment at the battle of Stone river.

Near Murfreesborough, Tennessee

W.C. CoopER, Esg. - Dear Sir: The great battle of Murfreesborough (Stone River) has been fought; the roar of the cannon has ceased for the present; the smoke of the battlefield has partially cleared away; the dead have been buried; the wounded are being cared for as well as circumstances will permit, and I am sufficiently recovered from my injuries received on the memorable thirty-first of December, 1862, to sit up for a short time, and propose to occupy that time in writing you a brief note. My injuries were received by my horse being shot under me, and the ground being rough and rocky, he fell on me, bruising me badly, but not seriously or dangerously _ I also received a slight wound in the hand from a bullet. But my wounds are nothing when compared with many, very many others.

It is not my purpose to try to give a history of the battle; I will leave that for those whose business it is; nor is it my purpose to enter into detail concerning the part that the Sixty-fifth regiment took in the engagement; an official report will be made of this. Neither is it my intention to pass a eulogy on the brave dead and wounded of our regiment, or to speak glowingly of the deeds of the survivors; a glance at our casualties, a contemplation of our decimated ranks, speaks more eloquently of their worth, of their bravery, of their daring, of their self-sacrificing devotion to their country's honor, than anything I could say. One thing permit me to say: that so long as life endures or memory lasts, I will remember with pride that I had the honor to command so noble a band of patriots in this great struggle as were and are to be found in the Sixty-fifth regiment. But my purpose is to ask you, through the columns of the Republican, to give to the relatives, friends and neighbors of company A a correct report of the casualties in said company, which I had the honor of bringing into the service, and commanding as their captain for one year.

The Sixty-fifth regiment went into the fight with fifteen commissioned officers, and about four hundred men present. Our loss is two commissioned officers and thirty-two non-commissioned officers and privates killed; nine commissioned officers and one hundred and two non-commisssioned officers and privates wounded, and about thity privates missing.

Wounded, and still living - Second Lieutenant Franklin Pealer, thigh broken; corporals M. S. Tweed, in the hip; Amos Humbert, in the arm, severely; Atgustus Laham, breast, severly; Peter Greer, breast, severely; James Mears, leg and arm, severely; privates Loyd Johnson, hand, slightly; Lines Mavis shoulder, slightly; Joel Wymer, shoulder, severely; Jacob Lybarger, arm and shoulder, severely; Jasper R. Lybarger, leg, severely; James Shellenberger, foot, severely; Hollis L. Marsh, leg, severely.

Of the men of Knox county who were enlisted by Lieutenant N. L. Williams, the following were wounded: Privates William Day, in the shoulder; Joseph Shaffer, in the ankle.

Casualties among the drafted men from Knox county, as far as I could learn are: S. C. Kirkpatrick, wounded in the leg, slightly; George Brown, in leg, slightly; William Errett and Thomas Clark, missing.

All I might say in praise of those brave men would not restore to bereaved friends their dead, nor alleviate the sufferings of the wounded, nor add additional laurels to the brow of the living; but the least that I can say is, that those who fell, fell bravely and manfully, battling for the right.

The wounded are patient, yes, ever cheerful, under their misfortunes, and those who escaped uninjured are in good spirits and ready to again meet the enemies of our common country in deadly conflict, until treason is put down, and every man learns to acknowledge the supremacy of the constitution and the laws. ALEX. CAssIL, Lt. Col. 65th Regt. O. V. I. The following interesting items, regarding company A, are from a private correspondence. The writer says, regarding the siege of Corinth:

From April 8th to June rst it was one continuous battle, the history of which has never been written, nor will ft ever be. Captain Cassil was the first in the regiment to receive a gunshot wound. As usual he was acting in the capacity of field offiger, and was ordered out with six companies to relieve another regiment on picket duty. After posting his men he made his way cautiously to the picket line with a Springfield rifle in his hand. Picket firing was popular, and the besieged and besiegers were continually popping away at each other. The captain was anxious for a shot, and secreted himself behind some bushes to watch for a chance. There was an open field in front, with a tence hidden by bushes on the opposite side of it. The captain shortly made a discovery and fired after deliberate aim, at the same instant that the rebel, at whom his shot was aimed, fired upon him. Captain Cassil was slightly wounded. Much sickness prevailed in the army during this siege, and two of company A, C. D. Cassil and Robert Tweed, died. William Shaw and Jacob Zimmerman subsequently died from disease contracted here.

Prior to December, 1862, some changes occurred among the officers of company A. Captain Cassil had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel; Lieutenants Ellis and Hammond had resigned; Sergeant Walker had been promoted to second and then to first lieutenant, and sergeant B. F. Pealer had been promoted to second lieutenant. Thus organized, the advance on Murfreesborough began, with company A onthe skirmish line. The operations of the regiment in this battle have been given.

After the battle the regiment remained at Murfreesborough until June 7, 1863, when it moved to the vicinity of Chattanooga, and on the seventh of September skirmished with the enemy, losing one man. During the first day of the battle of Chickamauga the regiment was held in reserve at Lee & Gordon's mills until five o'clock in the afternoon, when it became briskly engaged. It moved to the left centre and lay on its arms all night. At 1o A. M. the next day it advanced about a mile, but was driven back to a ridge on which it re-formed. Fighting continued all day with alternate success and reverse. On the night of the second the army fe!l back to Mission Ridge, and from there to Chattanooga. In this engagement the regiment lost three officers killed and five wounded, and thirteen men killed, sixty wounded, and twenty-four missing. During the siege at Chattanooga supplies became exceedingly scarce, and men and animals suffered greatly. The regiment participated in the battle of Mission Ridge with a loss of one officer wounded, and one man killed, and thirteen wounded.

In the Atlanta campaign the Sixty-fifth was under fire almost constantly. At Lookout Mountain jt lost three men wounded and one missing. At Resaca it lost one officer wounded, one man killed, and four wounded. At Marietta it lost one officer killed, one man killed, and ten wounded. In a skirmish near Kennesaw it lost two men wounded, and in the charge on Kenesaw it lost one officer killed, one wounded, and two men killed, and six wounded. In this charge Brigadier-General Harker, formerly colonel of the Sixty-fifth, was killed.

When Harker perceived that his column had halted, and that the men were lying under the crest of a ridge, he rode forward and asked Colonel Bradley (Fortieth Indiana), who commanded one wing of the brigade, if he did not think it best to venture another charge. Colonel Bradley replied that he believed the men's energies had already been tested to the utmost. ~''At least,"' said Harker, ''we may try what can be done;" saying which he galloped up to his men, took off his hat, waved it and called upon them to foilow him. Animated by the voice of their beloved leader the soldiers sprang to their feet and rushed after him to the crest of the hill. Alas! the first volley from the rebel works disabled every man near thé general, and the heroic Harker himself reeled and fell from his saddle. A bullet had shattered his arm, entered his side and passed through his body. There were those who loved him and who, in spite of death and danger, bore him from the field. A few hours after, he breathed his last, dying as he lived, a soldier, a patriot and a Christian.

Thus fell one of the brightest ornaments of the service; one of the most loved and valued officers. Since the beginning of the war Ohio has laid no costlier sacrifice upon the alter of our country's freedom than the life of General Charles G. Harker.

Knox county was well represented at this terrible battle and many a gallant life went out. Captain N. L. Williams was also killed here while leading his men to the assault on the enemy's works. He was among the first to leap the works, and at the head of his column fell mortally wounded, being struck in the head by a musket ball. He was one of the best of officers, ever ready and faithful in the discharge of his duties. At a subsequent meeting of the officers of the Sixty-fifth appropriate resolu-

Following the battle of Kennesaw came that at Peachtree Creek, where the regiment lost four men wounded and one missing; and at Atlanta on the twenty-second of July, it lost one man killed and one wounded. The regiment participated in the flanking movement to Jonesboro'; and from there advanced to Lovejoy. After the evacuation of Atlanta it fell back to that place and went into camp. Here it remained about three weeks and then moved in pursuit of Hood.

On the twenty-ninth of November the regiment participated in the battle of Springfield, losing two officers wounded (one of whom was captured), and five men killed, twenty wounded and fourteen missing. On the thirtieth of November it was engaged" in the battle of Franklin, with a loss of one man killed, twenty-two wounded and twenty-one missing. The non-veterans were discharged on the third of October, 1864, leaving the regiment with - an aggregate of one hundred and thirty men. The regiment was engaged in the battle of Nashville and pursuit of the rebel army across the Tennessee, after which it went into camp at Nashville, where it remained until June, 1865, when it went to New Orleans and into Texas. It performed garrison duty at San Antonio until December, 1865, when it was ordered to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, where it was mustered out, paid off and discharged January 2, 1866.