Stark County, Ohio - Chapter 5 (2 of 2 so headed), 1881 (part 2 of 2)

In the One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment, Companies B, E and F were almost or quite wholly from Stark County, and, in addition to this, about thirty men of Company K were from Massillon, some twenty of Company I from near Alliance, and a few from the county in Company D, making a total of al;)out four companies from ''Molly Stark." These comjianies were officered as follows: Company B, Lewis F. Hake, Captain; John S. Orr, First Lieutenant; William Pence, Second Lieutenant. Company E, .Joseph S. Harter, Captain; J. G. Mohler, First. Lieiitenant; G. M. Hershev, Second Lieutenant. Company F, Alfred J. Ware, Captain; H. C. Ellison, First Lieutenant; H. C. March, Second Lieutenant. Company K, William Ramsey, Captain: A. W. Thompson, Fii-st Lieutenant; J. N. Campbell, of Stark County, Second Lieutenant. The regiment was organized at Camp Massillon in August, 18(]2, and was mustered into the service September 18, 1862, by Capt. A. E. Drake, of the Second United States Infantry. The regimental officers were: Jackson A. Lucy, Colonel; Thomas C. Boone, Lieutenant Colonel ; Isaac H. Fitch, Major; H. B. Johnson, Surgeon. The regiment was at first 98") strong, received during its term of service over three hundred recruits, and at muster-out numbered 630 officers and men. About the 1st of October, 1862, the regiment was ordered to report to Gen. Wright at Cincinnati, where it arrived on the 4th. Five days later, it was separated in two divisions of five companies each, one under the command of Lieut. Col. Boone, proceed- ing to Cainpj Chase, Columbus, to do guard duty, and the other, under Col. Lucy, remaining at Cincinnati, to act as provost guard. The two divisions exchanged commanders in November, IHii'I, Col. Lucy going to Maysville. Ky., and Lieut. Col. Boone remaining at Cincinnati. Col. Lucy, with five companies of the regiment, was ordered from Maysville to Covington in December, 1 8(52, where the troops did provost-duty until October, 1808, when they were relieved and ordered to report ro Gen. Rosecrans at Chattanooga. Reaching Murfreesboro, it was joined by the other division, and was ordered to report t« the postcommander for duty. A portion of the regiment was at once mounted, and sent after rebel guerrillas, infesting the country between Nashville and Tullahoma. In Jime, 18(54, that portion of the regiment not moimted was posted in block-houses on the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, to prevent the track from being destroyed by the guerrillas. In August, one of the block-houses luider the protection of S(>rgt. Flohr, of Company B, w;is captured by rebel forces under Gen. Wheeler. Another one, commanded by Lieut. Orr of the same company, was attacked at the same time, but the rebels were handsomely repulsed. Lieut. Oit lost three men killed and seven wounded, out of the detachment of forty men. Soon after this. Company K (mounted) siuprised and captiu-ed a squad of guerrillas, losing Sergt. Richmond killed and three men W(junded. Portions of Cum- })anies C, F and G were aftenvard captm-ed by rebel forces luider Forrest. One of the blockhouses was assaulted and surroimded l\v rebels, and for fifteen days the garrison dared not venture outside. Another command(>d by Lieut. Harter was assaulted by th(> enemy with three j)ieces of rified artillery, and, from y o'clock in the morning until dark, a continuous fire was kept up, occasioning a loss of two killed and five wounded. Under cover of the night, the gaiTison withdi'ew to Nashville. -One battalion of the regiment with other troops garrisoned Murfreesboro, when that place was attacked by Gen. Buford. After five houi's of hard fighting, Gen. Rt)usseau repulsed the reb(>ls with heavy loss. The membei-s of Companies B. C, F and G, eighty in nmnber, who had been captured in the block-houses already referred to, and who had been paroled and placed on board the illfated steamer Sultana bound for the North, were killed and wounded by a terrible explosion on board the boat. The regiment jierformed other guard duty in Tennessee until the 23d of June, 18(55, when it was mustered out of service by Capt. W. 8. Wilson, A. C. M., receiving its final discharge and pay at Cleveland July 7, 1865.

Col. Boone, at Cincinnati, had charge of all prisoners, militarj' and political, and of forwarding troops to their respective regiments. He was in command there when the civil and military authorities were brought in conflict. The Colonel refused to obey the writ of habeas corpus issued by Judge Paddock, of Hamilton County, for the delivery of certain deserters to thecivil authorities: whereupon a wan-ant for the arrest of the Colonel was issued, but could not be executed, on account of the guard which cpnstantly surrounded the person of the commanding ofiicer. In July, 18(38, Col. Boone called out his battalion to assist in the pursuit of John Morgan, and, in October of the same year, the regiment proceeded to the front, and was assigned to the Foiu-th Division, Twentieth Anny Coqis. Although this regiment was thoroughly reliable and welldi-illed, it was not pennitted to be massed on the field at any time.

The One Huncked and Sixty-second Regiment, with the exce])tiou of one comjiany from Brown County, was wholly from Stark Coiuity. The regimental officei-s were: Ephraim Ball, Colonel; James E. Dougherty, Lieutenant Colonel; Benjamin A. Whiteleather, Major. Many of the men were wealthy or in good circmnstances. The regiment was mustered into the 1(M(-day service in Ma\-, 18(54, at Camj) Chase, when Companies A, C, F and K were assigned duty at Tod Ban-acks, near Cohuubus, and the remaining comi)anies at Camp Chase, where they remain(>(l until they were ordered into Kentucky to assist in repelling John Morgan. The regiment arrived at Covington the day after Morgan's defeat at Cynthiana. Several companies were placed on duty here, and the remainder of the regiment sent down the river to Carrolton. wliieh was threatened by Moses Webster's men. Two companies on horses scoured the country, but Webster was "conspicuous for his absence." After a few days, the companies returned to Covington, and perfonned post-duty. After performing some other service, the regiment, on the 4th of September, 1864, was mustered out of the service at Camp Chase.

The One Hundred and Seventy-eighth Regiment had one company (I) or thereabouts from Stark, under the command of W. A. Miller, Cajitain. The men were recruited for one year's service in the fall of 1864. The regiment was organized by Lieut. Col. A. C. Johnson, at Camp Chase, on the 29th of September, and was immediately ordered to report to Gen. Thomas. Nashville, Tenn. It did guard duty here two weeks, and was then sent to Tullahoma, where Lieut. Poland, of Company B, while scoiiting with a detachment of men near Manchester, captured John Seal, a noted guerrilla and miu'derer, and executed him without the formalities of a courtmartial. During the winter of 1864, the regiment was transferred to Murfreesboro. Col. Johnson was appointed Chief of Artillery, and, during the movement, superintended the transfer of artillery and ordnance; and, while Miirfreesboro was besieged by Gen. Hood, the Colonel was Chief of Ai-tillery on Gen. Rousseau's staff. Frequent sorties were made in force from the fort for foraging purposes, under the command of Gen. Milrcy, with severe fighting. The regiment under Col. Joab Stafibrd was closely engaged, on one occasion losing both of its color bearers. In the fight at Wilkerson's Pike, it was with the force under Gen. Milroy, when two fine twelve-pounder Na])oleons and 200 prisoners were cajitured. After Hood was defeated at Nashville, the regiment was 'brigaded in the Third Brigade. First Division, Twenty-third AiTiiy Cor]is. and ordered to North Carolina. It landed at Moorehead City, and, a few days later. ]iartici{)ated in a smart, skirmish with the enemy under Gen. Johnston, at Wise's Fork. It joined Gen. Shennan at Goldsboro, and moved with him to Raleigh, and, after Johnsti_)n's surrender, was ordered to Charlotte, N. C. where it performed gaiTison-dnty until

The One Hundi-ed and Eighty-fourth Regiment was recruited to sei-ve for one year, and had one company (B) under the command of Capt. Joseph Allen, from Stark County. It was organized on the 21st of February, 1865, and was ordered tc Nashville. Tenn., where it remained a short time doing garrison-duty. It finally moved to Chattanooga, thence to Bridgeport, Ala., which point was reached about the 21st of March, and was engaged in ])rotecting an important railroad bridge over the Tennessee River. It also guarded the track between J3ridge])ort and Chattanooga, a distance of about thirty miles. Wliile performing this duty, detachments of the regiment stationed in block-liouses and forts along the road had frequent encounters with the rebel guerrillas and squads of rebel cavalry. On the 25th of July, it was ordered to Edgefield for gaiTison-duty, remaining here until it was mustered oiit of service on the 20th of September, 1865. It was paid and discharged at Camji Chase, September 27, 1865. The regiment was a capable one, being largely composed of men who had seen active service in other regiments. Its bravery was not tested on the field of battle.

The Third Independent Battery, known as Williams' Battery, and consisting of about thirty men with one gun, was orgsmized raider the old militia law before the commencement of the war. Wlien the guns of Sumter spoke, Capt. William S. Williams, of Canton, who had gone to Michigan, i-eturned to Canton, and was aiithorized to enlist volunteers for the artillery service, and his old "gun squad" as a body placed their names upon the roll. Daniel Lanker was First Lieutenant of the squad. The services of the battery were tendered the Governor, who accepted, and the boys were ordered to report at Cohunbus dining the latter part of .Jiuie, 1861. Here they were luiited with Capt. Cotter with . about thirty men with one gun, all to be under the command of Capt. Cotter, who outranked Capt. Williams by seniority of commission. The two old guns were exchanged for new six-pound rifled guns; and the battery was iirdereil to CTallijKjlis, whure it remained two weeks, tliilling and pieparini^ for the field. It was then ordereti h]) the Great Kanawha, and attached to Gen. Cox's division in Western Yiri^inia. It ])articipatwl in the tii;ht at Scarey Creek, shelling Gen. Wise's forces from their works, and losiuj^ one man mortally wtmnded. The battery had a lively skirmish at (Charleston, and captured one ^^un. Some two months later, it participated in the lif^ht at Hawk's Ne.st, where one of the Canton boys lost an arm. The battery then moved back to Kanawha Falls, and soon afterward, its tenn of enlistment (three months) haviri}^ expired. Gen. Cox reqiw^sted the lioys to remain until they were relieved, which they accordinjrly did. In November, the}' were ordered to Columbus, where they were mustered out and sent home. Capt. Williams returned to Canton to recruit for the three years' artillery service. He secui'ed about eiirhty men an.d F. J. Myers, of Canton, and W. J. Monii;, of Minerva, about as mauv more - in all 101 - and, in Febniary, 1802, the company w-as ordered to Camj) Denison, where the followinu; officers were elected: William S. Williams, Captain; \V. J. Mong. Senior First Lieutenant: F. J. Myer.s, Junior First Lieutenant: W. G. Watson, Senior Second Lieutenant; Thomas J. Blackman. Junior Second Lieutenant. Here the battery was provided with four six-])ound rifled lironze guns, and two six-])ouiid smooth-bore lironze guns, together with all necessary accouterments, horses, etc. In March, the battery was ordered to Benton Barracks, St. Louis. Mo., where it remained until about the 1st of April, when it was conveyed to Pittsburg Landing, arriving there Sunday night at the close of the fu'st day's battle. As the boats iipproached the place, thousands of wounded, frightened and desperate men lined the river bank. Some had concealed themselves at the extreme edge of the bank, clinging to roots or anything that would sup]>ort them. Here it is said originated the army ex]iression "grab a root." The sight was sickening. Scores of surgeons were busily engaged amputating limbs that were ])iled in heaps on the bank. Strong men grew white as death at the dreadful scene. Capt. Williams inquired for the coimuanding (Tt>neral. but no one seemed to know where he was. The Ca])tain ])ressed one of the su()erior officci-s for orders, and the latter at last im])atiently exclaimed: "Oh just go out here anywhere: it's no trouble to ttnd g<H)d shooting." Accordingly the guns were taken ashore, and everything got in readiness for the conflict of the morrow. The day dawned, and the battery assisted in driving th(> rebels back ill full retreat. Soon aft(>rward, the b;itteiy assisted in the siege and ca]iture of Corinth and at the battle of luka. It moved with Gen. Grant in the first advance toward Mcksbui-g; but fell back when the base of su])i)lies was cut by Forrest. At Memj)his the bovs received new clothing, etc. About the 1st of February, 180:-5. the Third Battery moved with Gen. Grant to Grand Gulf, below 'S'ickslmrg. Some time before this Capt. Williams, for gallant and meritorious service, was made.\cting Chief of Artillery of Gen. Logan's Division, the ajipointment being confiiTaed in August. This gave him rank equivalent to Brigadier Generalship. After this he was the intimate friend and associate of corps, division and brigade commanders, and was considered by these officers as Bonaparte considered Marshals Murat or Ney. He was held in res(>rv<' until the crisis of the battle, and then his powerful brigade of artillery was tlu'own to the most difficult ])osilion, and never failed to command the admiration and congratulations of sujierior officei's by the consternation it cast in the ranks of the enemy. Ca]>t. W'illiams received the highest coimnission possible in the artillery service. The batteiy partici i;ated in the artillery fight at Raymond, Jackson and C'hami)ioii Hills. At the latter [dace, it went into an advance position on the gallop, within about seven hundred yards of a heavy rebel battery, which did not i)erceive his approach. Capt. Williams noticed that his men were nen'ously impatient, and to cool down their tenijieratiire quietly issued his orders betwe<'n (he pufl's of his pi])e, which he skn\ly light<>d with a sun-glass. \Vlien this was accomplished, the men had been told to throw their shells into the rebel battery - everj- shot to be cast under an apj^le-tree in the center of the enemv's batterv. At the word every gun Ijelched forth its missiles of death, repeating the volley again and again with dreadful results. Nothing of the rebel battery escaped, save a limber and two horses, all else, except a few prisoners, being torn to pieces by the shells. The six guns captured here were tiu'ued over to Com])auy F, of the Thirty-second Regiment, which aftenvard became the Twenty-sixth Ohio Batteiy, and which contained aboiit fifteen men from Stark C'ounty. At this battle, Ca})t. Williams with four batteries formed a V to check the rapid advance of seven regiments of rebels. Canister from the twenty-four guns was thrown into the advancing ranks, which retreated in disorder. A fence which was standing directly in the v^ay of this destructive volley went down as though stricken by a tornado. The battery entered Vicksburg on the 4th of July, and soon afterward moved with Sherman against Meridian, participating in the tights at Cliutcjn, Jackson and Meridian, losing several men killed and wounded. It returned to Vicksburg, where it remained until the spring of 1804, when it was ordered out to participate in the Atlanta campaign. It was supplied with new twenty-jiound Parrott guns at Vicksburg. It moved first to Cairo, thence up the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers, , and finally marched across the country to Huntsville, Ala., thence to Rome, Ga., joining Cren. Sherman's army at Big Shanty. At this time, it was in the Seventeenth Cor2)s, then commanded by Gen. Frank Blair, and o)ierated with it at Kenesaw Mountain and Nicojack Creek. On the 22d of July, at Leggett's Bald Knob, it was engaged from 11 o'clock A. M. until sundown. This was one of the hottest engagements it was in during the war. The battery was attacked from all sides, and often the men fought hand to hand. Capt. Williams lost one of his gnns; and hero it was that, as stated by one of the Generals | at a late re-union: ''Capt. Williams cried like a child." In fifteen minutes the gun was re- taken. Those were the kind of men belong- [ ing to the Third Battery, and those were the kind that quelled the rebellion. The battery was sup])lied with new guns at Atlanta, and moved back to Nashville with Gen. Thomas, but before this it took part in the fights at

Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station. After the battle of Nashville, it was transferred to Fort Donelson, where it remained some three months, and was then ordered to Camp Taylor, Cleveland, and mustered out of the service August 1, ISC)."), and the brave boys remaining returned to their homes. The battery lost some fifty men during its service. Capt. Williams was presented with a fine goldmounted saber, belt and sash by the members of his company; and, while at Vicksljurg, was presented with a miniature Parrott gun cast from rebel projectiles by the members of his battery, in one of the foundries at Vicksburg. Caj)! Williams is at present Vic(^ President of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, a fine and merited compliment to a brave man.

This closes the brief and imperfect sketches of the regiments containing a considerable number of Stark County men. Two weeks of continuous labor have been spent to improve the sketches as given by Whitelaw Reid, and to furnish additional matter of interest to the citizens of the county. History at best is but a partial narration of 2)articulars, and this will answer as an apology for whatever imperfections are found in these pages. This cha])ter cannot be properly closed without reference to the great reunion held in the city of Canton on the 1st of September, 1880. It was determined the year before to hold the next meeting of the Grand Army of the Repxtblic at Canton, and from that time onward preparations on a gigantic scale were begun and executed by select committees appointed for the pm-pose. Mi'. C. Aultman was selected as President; Joseph Biechele and Jacob Miller, Vice Presidents, and an extensive bureau of committees was ajjpointed for the ensuing year. During the winter of 1879-80, through the agency of a loan and bureau association, about $2,500 were realized. Other means were em])loyed, and, at last, when the great day came, some six or eight thousand dollars had been accumtilated. The citizens of tlu> county decided to give a grand free dinner at the fair grounds, and, to meet the occasion, over twenty-five thousand feet of lumber were itsed in constructing tables, seats, etc., and that portion of the grounds inclosed by the track was almost wholly taken up by those tables. The day dawned bright and clear, and the citizens were aroused by the roll of (hnmis and the report of caniKJu. The business portion of the city and a large uimiber of ])rivate residences were one gi'and ] profusion of evergreen boughs, flags and decorations. Almost the whole county turned out for the occasion, and it is said 40,000 strangei-s were in the city. The following distinguished persons were present: Presi- <lent and AIi's. Hayes. Gen. Garfield. Gov. Foster, E.\-Gov. Bishop, Gens. Shenuan, Hazen, Deveus, Crook, CaiToll, Kennedy, Gibson. Heckenlooper, Meyer, Poe, Leggett, Barnett. Robinson. Beattv, Yoris. Manderson, Wiley. Com. Wells," Col. Corbin. Hon. .Stanley Matthews, Webb Hayes, Hon. Amos Townsend, Maj. Goodspeed, Col. Dewstoe and several others. During the forenoon the procession was fonned as follows:

Dallon Band. Forty-first Kegiment [60 men] . Fifth RegimenI [colored. 1.5men[. Leelonia Band. One Hundred and Fifteenth Kegiment [:^00nicii[. Dover Drum Corps. Si.xth Oliio Battery [« nien|. Massilloii Drum Cor])s. One Hundred ami Fourlli Kciimenl ['^'VO men]. Allianci- Band. Riehville Band. Sherman's Brigade [".250 men]. Canton City Band. Alh'^lianv Veteran "Corps [T.") men[. Veteran Fife Corps. Massillon City Band. Beaver Falls Drum Corps. Beaver Falls Veterans |liO men), Cniontown Band. Akron City Band. One Hundred anil Second Kegiment [several men]. The wareasrle '-Old .Vbe." Steele Cadets, of Woosler. East biverpool Band. East Liverpool Veleraiis [100 men|. Members of the Eleventh Penn.sylvania Cavalry, Twentveiglith, Fourth and Eleventh Pennsylvania bifantry. Citizens in Carriages.

This sjilendid procession was over an hour in passing a given jioint, and on its march was accompanied \>\ tiiousands of the citizens. At the fair grounds the vast ;issemi)lage partook of the diniKU' prepared. Each township had a sep^a-ate table, ornamented with a large maltese cross at its center, upon which was the name of the township. Fivi> stetim engines wei"e used in forcing the water from twentyone pumps, the water to be used for C(X)king purposes. About foiu- humh'ed waitei-s ministered to the wants of the public, and the distinguished persons were distributed around among the townships, so that none of the latter would be left out in the cold, as it were. Mayor Yalleley delivered the welcoming speech, and Gen. Kennedy rej)lied on behalf of the visitors. Then the great men of the ntitiou were brought forward, one by one, and introduced, and were greeted by the vast asscnublage with loud acclamations and thundering che<>rs. Si)eeches were delivered by the following jiersons in about the order given: President Hayes, Gt>n. Garfield, Gen. Xv. T. Slun-man. Hon. Stanley Matthews, Gen.

Wiley, Ex-Gov. Bishop, Maj. McKinley, Gov. Foster, Gen. Voris. Gen. Devens, Geu. Crook, Senator Sullivan and others. At night, on the square in Canton, 1500 worth of fireworks, in charge of an experienced man from New York, were exhibited to 25,000 people. The crowd jiresent during the day was the largest ever in Canton. Although the costs were veiy great, vet, so great had been the effort, that the citizens found they had left about $1,000, which has since been subscribed to the monument fund. It may be said, in conclusion, that the citizens, generally, celebrate Decoration Day in a fitting manner. Some distinguished sjieaker is obtained, who reviews the achievements of the honored dead, and demonstrate that their death was not in vain.

The silent mounds of sod are lovingly decked with sweet blossoms, and over the i)recioii8 dust of the dead heroes waves the liright banner they died to sustain. Let us not forget them, but jjlace their names, like jewels in memory's golden urn, to be treasured iu everlasting remembrance. It is sad, though glorious, to think of the noble lives sacrificed on the bloody altar of secession: but we forgive it all, and accept the advice of the sweet singer: