120th OHIO REGIMENT
OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY

Source: History of Ashland Co., OH, Publ. 1880
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)   

     Company F rendezvoused at Camp Mansfield, and was mustered into the United States service on the seventeenth  of October, 1862, for three years.
     It is impossible to gather from the original rolls of the organization, the mortality that attended company C, which was undoubtedly very large.    

COMPANY F.

     The mortality list for company F is as follows:

     Company F was mustered into the united States service at Camp Mansfield, October 14, 1862, and on the twenty-fifth departed by rail for Covington, Kentucky, where it arrived on the twenty-sixth.  The meanderings of the Twelfth will exhibit the history of its companies.

THE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTIETH REGIMENT.

     At the organization of the One Hundred and Twentieth, Lieutenant Willard Slocum acted as adjutant, and was promoted to major February 18, 1863, and lieutenant  colonel September 8, 1863, and brevetted after the close of the war.  Captain John McKinley was promoted to major September 8, 1863, and transferred to the One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, when he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and mustered out.
     The One Hundred and Twentieth reported to General Wright at Cincinnati, on the twenty-fifth of October, 1862, for duty, and crossed to Covington, Kentucky.  In November it was ordered to Memphis, Tennessee, where it entered the brigade of General George W. Morgan, and moved to the mouth of the Yazoo river, and thence to Johnson's landing to attack the fortifications defending Vicksburgh.  The attack commenced on the twenty-sixth, the One Hundred and Twentieth participating.  It was actively engaged during the siege, and suffered severely in consequence of Malaria and exposure.  The regiment was ordered to Arkansas Post in January, 1863.  When Fort Hindman had been surrounded, the One Hundred and Twentieth made a direct charge upon the works - the enemy displayed a white flag and surrendered - the One Hundred and Twentieth having the honor of first entering the fort, as Sergeant Robert Wallace scaled the parapet and planted the colors, for which he was promoted to first lieutenant.  The regiment returned to Young's Point, where it suffered severely from malarious fever for nearly two months, more than half the privates being on the sick list.  In consequent of delays, several of the officers resigned.  Early in the spring of 1863 the regiment was ordered to different points along the Mississippi, and finally to Fort Gibson, which was captured, the One Hundred and Twentieth losing one-eighth of its men in the battle.  Jackson and Raymond were next captured, and the regiment remained at the latter place until May, 1863.  The One Hundred and Twentieth returned to the rear of Vicksburgh and participated in the siege.  In July it was ordered on another expedition to Jackson, and, during its investment, Colonel Spigel was severely wounded, and the regiment considerably cut up by the artillery of the enemy.  It returned to the Black River bridge in July, and went into camp at Vicksburgh.  In September the regiment passed down the Mississippi and returned to Plaquemine, one hundred and ten miles above New Orleans, where it remained until March, 1864, when in joined the expedition under General N. P. Banks to invade Arkansas.  At Red River Bend, near Snaggy Point, the "City Belle," on which the regiment was crossing the river, was suddenly attacked by about five thousand Confederates concealed behind the levee, who poured a murderous fire into the boat.  It was soon disabled by the artillery of the enemy and floated to the opposite side of the river, where it displayed a white flag and surrendered.  Colonel Sigel fell, and Captains Elias Fraunfelter, Rummel, and Miller, and two hundred privates fell into the hands of the Confederates, and were marched off to Camp Ford, near Tyler, Texas, where they remained in a miserable prison about one year.  Those who escaped formed a battalion of three companies under Lieutenant Colonel Slocum, and, after a march of twenty-three hours, arrived safely at Alexandria and joined the forces of General Banks.  In May General Banks began his retreat.  The regiment returned to Morganza, Louisiana, and remained until September, and moved up White river to St. Charles, Arkansas, and thence to Duvall's bluff.  In November the One Hundred and Twentieth and One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio were consolidated, Lieutenant Colonel Kelley, of the One Hundred and Fourteenth, becoming colonel, and Major McKinley, of the One Hundred and Twentieth, lieutenant colonel of the new regiment.  Lieutenant Colonel Slocum was honorably discharged, his position being rendered supernumerary by the consolidation of the regiments.  This ended the career of the One Hundred and Twentieth regiment.  It was organized in 1862 with nine hundred and forty-nine men, and, in 1864, received one hundred and fifty recruits, making ten hundred and ninety-nine men.  At its discharge it contained only four hundred and forty men, showing a loss of six hundred and fifty-nine men during the service.  The toil and suffering of this regiment were borne throughout with unshrinking fortitude.  Like the Eighty-second, the One Hundred and Twentieth returned scarred and worn veterans, to the firesides of their friends.
 

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