Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter 27: Seneca County in the War of the Rebellion, 1880

Chapter 27: Seneca County in the War of the Rebellion

THIS is not the place to look for a relation of events that preceded the war of the rebellion, nor for the immediate cause. No opinions shall be expressed on its political aspect; nothing shall be said on the manner in which it was conducted. It is enough to say here, that when Fort Sampler was fired upon, people were filled with awe. and a sadness inexplicable, pervaded the minds of all thinking, patriotic men. Old Seneca stood by Abraham Lincoln, and more than one thousand five hundred men left the charms and endearments of home and bore their breasts to the storm of war.

Nearly .ill the above were second lieutenants and promoted. Colonel (iibson commanded a brigade, bv virtue of his rank, during about two-thirds of his term of service.

This regiment went into < amp at Norwalk, ( )h:o, on the 171)1 d.iv oi ((-toiler. 1^61. where it was kept, wasting tune, until |anuar\ 251)1, iSoj. when it was ordered to liratton and New Creek, Virginia. At (1 ration the regiment sultered severely troni me.iseU. At one time over tour hundred men were on the sick list. The regiment took part in the following battles. vi/: Mcl>o\\ell. or Ulue 1'astnre Mountain. Cross Ke\s, Slaughter Mountain, Hull Run. The regiment arrived at Chaiicellon ille on the ,;cth o| |anuar\. 1X0^, \\l:ere it took position in the sec ond brigade. The battle opened about t"ive o'clock in the after noon, the rebels in strong foree upon the ri-jht. The nation. il troops were preparing supper, and no stouts had been sent out. hem e the attack w.is a surprise. Tlie first regiment on the extreme ri^lit had three h'indred and fit'ty ^uiis stacked, and upon the first tire from the rebels, this re_inient fell upon the second, and they not beini; able to stand the lire, fell back aUo. The remainder of the brigade aUo retreated to the lett. Regiment alter regiment was compelled to fall back. including the 55th. The retreat became general, and was only checked by the darkness of the ni^ht. In this en^a_;ement the 551)1 lost one hundred and three men killed, wounded and missing.

This regiment was also present at ( iettvsburg, where it lost about fifty men. and at Chattanooga. ( )n the i si of lanuary, 1X04, the re.u:- ment re-enlisted with three hundred and ninety men, and re-assembled - MI the j.'d of l''ebruary. It then participated in all the battles of the _:cth corps. At the battle of Resaca it lost ninety men. May 151)1. It was at I>alhis. Cassville. New HopeChurcli, Marietta and Kenesaw. It was at Atlanta, and at Smith's Farm. The regiment was mustered out at I .o'lisvi'ile, Kentucky, on the iith ot |ulv. I'uriiiL; its service this regiment enrolled one thousand three hundred and titty men. of whom seven hundred and tilty were either killed or wounded in battle. Ki^hl oftii ers were killed or died of wounds.

Krie. Huron, Seneca. Crawford and U'yandot were formed into .1 military district, in which this regiment was or_;ani/ed. It was mils tered into the service .it Monroeville. on tlu- ?oth of August, iS'u. while the writer was busily cn_;a_;ed re< ruitm.; the i - }d regiment, and the ic 1st oinipyin.: Camp Monroc\ ulie at tlu- time, was compelled to sub sist tlie troop> on the lair grounds near '1'illin.

< >n the 4th of Se|)temlier tin- regiment wa- hurried o\er the < Muo to Covin^ton. Kentucky, to assist in dispelling the threatened raid o! Kirlu Smith. The regiment was attached to Robert H. Mitchell's division. It was in the battle at l'crr\ \ li'ie, on < >( tober Nth. ami before the\ had time to learn the manual, but they bore up bravely. It waalso at Lancaster, Kentucky, and at Nashville. At Knob dap fight the\ captured two brnn/e field pi ece>, one ol which had on the word " Shiloli.' Tlie regiment beha\edlike old veterans, and deserved ^reat praise.

The loist wa> the t"ir>t regiment to arrive at the battle held of Stone River, and became at once en^ra^ed with the enemy's out po>t». It was in the hottest ot the fiijhl. < han_:inu position six time^ during the da\ . The lamented Colonel Stem and Woodier were both killed on the front line on the ri^ht of the army, leading on their men to deedof daring. The regiment remained in the fi^ht to the clo>e ol the battle. lo>inu -e\ en ofticer^ and two hundred and twelve men killed o: wounded. All thi- work ot bra\'er\ wa^ executeil in le» than tour month^ iroin the time the l»oys left their larm^ and workshop- to or ^ani/e 'lie regiment. They were at Liberty (lap. Chattanooga. Chi< k amau:;a. where it re took the national battery from the enemy, lu'htinu o\-er the L,run- witli clubbed mu-ket-. It wa- at ( 'atoo-^a Springs aiiii i;u//ard'> Roost.

1'lie Atlanta i amp.u^n kept th;- poor regiment almost under constant lire. The were at Lranklin aUo. and at Nashville, and were finally mutered o;;t of service at llunts\ille. Alabama, lunc i?. iSn;.

It > -aid that at 1 ranklin. iu-1 at ni_;ht!all. this regiment was ordere<: to re-take an an^le ot the works held b\ the enem\ . uh:rli it did wit!1, tlie ba\onet.and he'nl the position until ei^ht o'clock I'. M.. notwith s'.,ui'l:r._ liie rebel- were almo-t within bayonet reach, during all that time.

Most a'l Ljreat men have their peculiarities, and Mr. Robert!'.. Int,rer -nil of Illinois, who lias made the Christian world in America say many unpleasant things (.<f him. because he doesn't want any hell, is in the habit, when driving a nail where a strong point comes in. ot saying: "Honor bright: now. be honest." In the little >pace that sliall be devoted to a short record of the i iy\ ( >. Y. 1 . I would say. in due deference to tho>e who have written or spoken of this regiment without --uyin^ a word a^ to ho\y it was raised, "honor bright.'' gentlemen. When you undertake to tell the truth, tell the whole truth. When Mr. Whitelaw Reid got up his "Ohio in the War." he did not know, perhai'- how the regiment wa- raised, or care but little about the ; \bor it took to raise it, and the injustice that was done to somebody when he said, on page <>2<), vol. ii.: "This regiment was organi/ed at <;imp Monroeville,"

Having taken a very active part in raising this regiment, and having been assisted and sustained in my work by the military committee ot every county in this i then - congressional district, and other 14001! men and women irom both political parties, and having succeeded in a mo-t wonderful degree, 1 have no apology to oifer when I -peak my leei .ngs on this subject in my own plain way. I la\ ing stated !a< ts a- ' he\ occurred, the reader is left to himself in lorming com lu-ion-.

It was the i _'th of August, i Si.j. when, at the solicitation of the military committee ot Seneca county, mv good old in end. Robert ('- . I'enningtoii. and the writer went to ('oluiubu- to c outer with (iovernor 1 '->«' on the propriety of raising another regiment in this district, and to procure his order to that effect. \Ve presented to him the fact that -senec a county was still in arrear in her quota ol troops some ODD men. that the draft which was then fast approaching would mo-t likely take -ome of our citi/eus who could not well go, and that if a regiment- waordered to be raised under the leadership ot the writer, the committeeentertained strong hopes of raising men enough to avoid the draft.

The governor said: "(ientlemen. I appreciate your situation, and I have no doubt that all you tell me is true, but I have no authority at this late hour before the dratt to order the recruiting ol a new regiment. The recruiting must stop and preparations made to enli>n e : Indraft." Mr. I'enninglon undertook to tell the governor who the writer was and what the tcclings and hopes ot the people were if he were appointed colonel of a new regiment, etc-, (iovernor Tod said main -'uttering things about his friendship lor, and long acquaintance with, '.he writer, etc.. and finally -aid: --(ientlemen, you _;o home and, write to Sec retary ol WarSlaunton, telling him r.ist what \o:i told me. and et your c oiigre--man write.- or telegraph al-o to that effec t. 1 will m\ -cif do -'i to night, and urge the order, and a- -oon a- I can obtain '.. A : ,1 telegra j >h \ > ill."

» Mi the nighi of the i.|th of August, i.Soj, about midn my door brought me to m\ feel to let the military c-ommitl . ount\ into the house, ('aptain |ohn 1. Steiner h.ad an order from ( fO\'ernor !<>d, autliori/ing the raisin^ ot the i j ^d regimen:, and gave the different printing oftires in Tiffin and put them to work printing large handbills and posters, calling upon the people to stop all other work and help in recruiting the regiment, etc. Meetings were held and addressed in various places throughout the district, and companies that had a partial organization were speedily filled up: new ones organized and filled, so that on the evening of the yth day from the time of receiving the order, the writer was enabled to telegraph to Covernor Tod. that the regiment was full, awaiting his orders. \Ve had then the minimum number, and when we finally gathered at Monroeville. we had 1,063 men, and as good men as "ever drew a rammer." During two weeks the writer slept in no bed nor changed clothes until the regiment was full. It required labor and money to accomplish the work. The recruiting service was exhausted and the high premiums had been paid to fill up old regiments, and it looked simply like an impossibility to raise a thousand men under these circumstances without premium or bounty. Vet it succeeded. The loafers and drones of society had all been enlisted. The men that made up the i^d were gentlemen, who left their farms, stores, workshops and factories, and every other path of industry, and joined the regiment without a promise oi bounty, and from no other motive than that of a patriotic determination to help preserve the I'nion and the integrity of these states.

Colonel Stem was ordered to report with his regiment (the ioist> at Monroeville. and for want of a place to rendezvous, the companies of the 123(1, from Seneca and Wyandot, were quartered on the old fair grounds, and John Remele, who had a butcher shop, and Dr. Crawford, who owned a bakery, subsisted the men in good style. The citi/ens furnished quilts, blankets and comforts and camp life commenced in good order.

Captain F. K. Shawhan filled up his company in Tiffin first, and then we recruited Captain /immer's company, made up of Cermans. A board shanty was built on the southwest corner of the court house vard and a justice of the peace kept there to administer the oath to the men as fast as they enlisted. The hotels and saloons were kept open all night and the fifers and drummers marched up and down the street until nearly morning. Many ot the men were sworn in after midnight.

It was about midnight when a heavy rap was hoard at the door of our lent: a Mr. Urown opening the door, a man slipped in and showed him a pa] >er and ret ired.

Mr. llrown then came to me and told me tluit this man had the appointment of colonel of the- regiment and his name was Wilson. Mr. Wilson used to edit a little Republican paper at I pper Sandusky. On the next morning, taking the earlv train for Tiffin and arriving there earlv. the writer received a dispatch about 9 o'clock A. M. trom Covernor Tod. in these words: " Mr. \\ ilson is appointed colonel of the ij^d. \\"ill you accept the lieutenant-colonelcy.

It will interest the reader but very little to know the reason why the office was not accepted, but my answer to the governor is still preserved among the archives of the executive office in Columbus, and it simply says that the kind oifer could not be accepted for the respect I boar to the regiment and to his excellency, etc.

Another wrong perpetrated by somebody, worked in this form, vi/: I'pon our urgent solicitation the Right Rev. Bishop Rappe. of ('loveland, consented to lot my highly esteemed and kind friend, the Rev. Father I.. Molin. go with the regiment as its chaplain. This tact became known very rapidly, and one speech from Father Molin, in Sandusky City, was sufficient to fill up Captain Rigg's company. Father Molin made every necessary arrangement to go with us. and when Colonel Wilson took charge ot the regiment, at Monrooville, Father Molin was left out also with the writer.

I rejoice at the tact, and to this day it is a verv great consolation to me to know, that Colonel Wilson took good care of the boys and they became attached to him gradually, but the manner in which he received the appointment is no credit to him nor to those who helped to bring it about. A tew words more on the subject and the reader can form an opinion ot his own.

-re found a little intelligent baboon hanging and a willing too] to help: and while lloalt suc- - -- '-ded in dissuading ( lovernof Tod from giving the colonelcy to the writer, the other tollow made it count by helping a relative. < 'no thing w:ll ii"! lie denied by ambody. and that is this: that \\hilo the writer labored hird and, faithfully to raise the regiment, and spent his money

The regiment was mustered into the service October idth, i^'ij. ami imui'-di itely ordered on the inanh to Virginia. This -.line < >. \\ . I >ro A ii above spoken ot 1 .. 11. I Irown . \\pho had been let; . n i h ir_te oi store- a! Petersburg, on the e\\u nation oi the ]i!.ne b\ th'- regiment, put h:- stores m one ot the t hur< he- ot the town, set lire to it, and burned both church and store-. lie was captured by the rebel-, but wa- par> iled the next day.

History Ok Sknf.Ca Oh'Nty

11. KiiT^s. iif Sandu-ky. and formerly a '1'iffmitc. died in Charleston, Smith Carolina. September is'h. iNO.;. Captain \\ . II. Homier died at Columbia. Soulh Carolina. The privates were exchanged in a few UK >n:h-. .111 1 1 sent to Annapolis. Maryland, and Camp Chase. * )hio. The regimen; was finally collected together at Martinsburg. Krom Cedar Civek i; !iio\eil under Seigel up the valley. At a sharp fight at New Market. May 151!!. it lost twenty-nine killed and wounded.

The regiment was under (ieneral Hunter at 1'ort Republic, where, after a short but severe fight, the rebels were whipped and 2.000 prisoners raptured. They were also at I ,ynehburg. from whence they made their llight to Salem. The men suffered very severely on this retreat for want of provisions: some died of starvation. They were also at Snicker's Kerry, where a number of the men were killed. ( >n the 22(1 of July they had another tight with the rebels at Winchester, where the i2}d were driven away, and they retreated across the 1'oiomac into Mainland, at Wi!liam>port. At I>err\ viile they lost twenty-five men killed, wounded and captured. They were a^ain at \\ inchester, where the rebels were routed. Here t'ne regiment lost five otticers and about ii;;\ men. At Strasburg they lost six men. Inder the command of (ieneral Sheridan, after his ride, thev dro\'e the rebeU at Cedar Creek and a>^i->ted in clearing the Shennandoah valley of the rebels. At Hatcher's Run their loss was quite severe. The whole regiment was raptured by the rebel Howe Cuaids. near High Bridge. They were ( arried along to Appomattox C. II.. where the rebel army surrendered -'> ('.eivrai Crant. and the prisoners were thus released.