OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

A Part of Genealogy Express
 

Welcome to
HOCKING COUNTY, OHIO
History & Genealogy

 

HISTORY OF HOCKING COUNTY, OHIO

Source: 
History of Hocking Valley, Ohio -
Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co.
1883

CHAPTER XXXII.
WAR HISTORY of HOCKING COUNTY -
The GLORIOUS RECORD of the GALLANT SONS of HOCKING.

Pgs. 862 - 883

     The following full, impartial and succinct war history of Hocking County is from the pen of Captain William M. Bowen.  It is a graphic recital of the patriotism, courage and endurance of Hocking's noble sons, a record that dates almost from her organization, and in every demand of the country for strong hearts and willing hands and deeds of noble daring the sons of Hocking were never found wanting.  The record is a noble one.

THEY WERE BORN SO.

     The first settlers of the county of Hocking were a fearless, hardy, honorable race of men.  Coming from the East and South, the sons of Revolutionary sires and heroes of the War of 1812, they begat a generation brave and ever ready to respond to the call of their common country.  Inbued with a patriotism that was even heroic, from the first day the county was organized as such the inhabitants thereof were regarded and proved themselves to be truly patriotic.  The tocsin of war never sounded to call a liberty-loving people together but that the response from "Little Hocking" was loud, long and hearty.

MICHIGAN AND OHIO BOUNDARY WAR.

     The county, organized as it was in the year 1818, formed from territory ceded by the counties of Ross, Fairfield and Athens, had by the census of 1820 a population of 2,130 souls; in 1830 the population by the Federal census had increased to 4,008, and in

[Pg. 862]


Wm. M. Bowen

[Pg. 863]
1840 to 9,741.  In the year 1832 to Hon. Robert Lucas was elected Governor of Ohio and re-elected in 1834.  It was during the administration of Governor Lucas that a dispute between the State of Ohio and the Territorial Government of Michigan arose as regarded the southern boundary of the latter, the Territorial Government claiming a meridianal that would run from five to eight miles south of Lake Erie, encroaching on lands of the Connecticut Company, a land grant from the General Government at Washington, Governor Lucas, in endeavoring to protect citizens of Ohio living north of the disputed line, was defied and the citizens thereof declared outlaws by the Government of Michigan.  The rulers of each sovereignty flew to arms, calling for volunteers to defend their respective rights and sustain the dignity of each as guaranteed them by the General Government.
     At a general muster held in Logan in September, 1835, a call for volunteers was made for the above purpose, and a response came promptly by more than a score of the horny-handed yeomanry shouldering their trusty rifles and declaring their readiness to start instanter; but before hostilities actually commenced agents from the city of Washington arrived on the ground, the dispute was amicably settled and the collected troops sent home.

"LITTLE HOCKING" IN THE MEXICAN WAR.

[Pg. 865]
original company but four are now living, to-wit; General Tom Worthington, Captain Wilford Stiers, Grafton Eckart and Samuel Stivison.

WHAT OHIO DID.

     During the war of the Rebellion the State of Ohio furnished 230 regiments of soldiers, besides twenty-six independent batteries of artillery, five or six independent companies of cavalry, several compannies of sharp-shooters, a good portion of five regiments credited to Virginia, two credited to Kentucky, two transferred to the United States colored troops, innumerable squirrel-hunters and thousands of emergency men.  Hocking County, as one of the smaller of the eighty-eight complete county organizations of this great State, responded to the respective calls of the General Government promptly, and during the continuance of this unpleasantness furnished the following companies, parts of companies an detachments.  The second call of the President on Ohio for twenty-three regiments found two companies of volunteers in camp on the fair grounds near Lancaster, in the adjoining county of Fairfield; they at once formed the nucleus of the Seventeenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for the three months’ service.  In a very short time a company of ninety-one men, rank and file, under command of Captain Charles A. Barker, arrived from Hocking County, officered as follows: Captain, Charles A. Barker; First Lieutenant, Samuel H. Baker; Second Lieutenant, Charles H. Rippey; Orderly, Charles L, Jennings; Sergeants, Daniel Nunemaker, David Angle and Joseph Fox.

THE MARCHES OF THE GALLANT SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.

     The regiment being promptly filled an organization was effected by electing the following field officers: Colonel, John M. Connell; Lieutenant-Colonel, Francis B. Pond; Major, Clement F. Steel; Surgeon, John G. S. Kile; Assistant Surgeon, T. G. Cleveland.  In ranking, the company from Hocking was called Company D.
     On the 20th of April, 1861, the regiment took the cars at Zanesville for Bellaire, and arriving, found at Benwood, on the Ohio opposite Bellaire, a large fleet of boats waiting to receive troops.  On the twenty-third, all the troops and baggage being aboard, the fleet steamed down the river to Marietta, stopped over Sunday and on Monday started for Parkersburg, and in a few hours were on Virginia soil.  The Seventeenth was brigaded with the Ninth

[Pg. 866]
and Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, General W. S. Rosecrans commanding the brigade.  Its first duty was to guard trains to Clarksburg, Va., and return. Companies A and B were detailed as guard to General McClellan.  It soon becoming evident that the hills of Jackson County, Va., were full of guerrillas, carrying on their nefarious
warfare, Company D, Captain Barker, and Company F, Captain Stinchecomb, proceeded down to Ripley Landing, and across the country to Ripley, the county seat of Jackson County, with orders to operate against the aforesaid guerrillas wherever found in that locality.  The two Wises, father and son, were then commanding
Confederate troops in that section of the State, and had given out how they would “annihilate the Yankees on sight,” but, signally failing in their precarious undertaking, retired from that vicinity.  A part of the Seventeenth Regiment remained at Ravenswood and did garrison duty until the 10th of July, when they were ordered to join their regiment at Buckhannon, Upshur Co., Va. On the 14th of July five companies, under command of Colonel Connell, marched from Petroleum, via Glenwood, at which place they were, on the 4th day of July, surrounded by about 1,500 rebels, but beat them back until reinforcements arrived under command of the late General Lytle.  The regiment, after consolidating at Buckhannon, partook, with other troops, in occupying and fortifying Sutton.  On the 3d of August, the regiment, having then overserved their time, started home, arriving on the 13th day of August in Zanesville, O., and were mustered out on the 15th.

NEW ORGANIZATION.

     The officers of the regiment immediately set to work to reorganize the Seventeenth for the three years' service, and in September, 1861, we find the regiment as reorganized, in Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, O., still with one company (Company D), from Hocking County, under the following organization:  Captain, Charles H. Rippey; First Lieutenant, Gilrath M. Webb; Second Lieutenant, Henry C. Dewar; Orderly, Joseph W. Fox SErgeants, Wm. H. Baker, Isaac Coakley, Francis A. Sanderson, Jonathan Sterling; eight corporals and eighty-seven privates.  The regimental organization was: Colonel, John M. Connell; Lieutenant, Marshall F. Moore; Major, Durbin Ward; Surgeon, Washington L. Schenck; Assistant Surgeon, E. Sinnett.

[Pg. 867]

A SERIES OF MARCHES.

     In October, 1861, the regiment under orders reported at Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County, Ky., for duty.  From there it moved to Wild Cat, where, with Colonel Garrard for the First Kentucky, they whipped the rebels after a severe fight, the Seventeenth having seven men wounded.  The regiment was then brigaded with the Thirty-first and Thirty-eighth Ohio, General Albin Schoepf commanding.  The regiment participated in the battle of Mill Springs on the 19th of January, 1862, where the rebel General Zollicoffer was killed, and the rebel army put to rout; was one of the first regiments to enter the enemy's fortifications next day, the enemy badly demoralized having evacuated the works during the night, leaving twelve cannons and caissons, with horses harnessed and hitched up, 1,500 horses corraled along the bank of the Cumberland River, a number of large siege guns, thousands of shot-guns, bowie knives, military stores, Quartermaster's stores, etc., etc., behind.  From here the regiment marched to Louisville, Ky., and took boat for Nashville, Tenn., arriving there on the 3d day of March, 1862; thence across the country to Shiloh with the grand army, commanded by General Buell, but did not arrive in time to participate in the "Pittsburg Landing" fight, but took a hand in the siege of Corinth; marched to Boonville, Miss.; to Tuscumbia, Ala.; from this place marched with General Buell's army back Louisville, Ky., and was at the battle of Perryville.  From Danville, and Lebanon, the army commenced its backward march, and the Seventeenth participated in the battle of Stone River.  On the night of the 29th of December, their brigade marched from Nolinsville to the Murfreesboro Pike, had a skirmish with Wheeler's Cavalry at LaVergne, recaptured all the mules Wheeler had taken from our train, and saved some 200 wagons form being burned.  The regiment with its brigade went into battle line of the Stone River field at one o'clock, Dec. 31, charged the rebel General Hanson's brigade, drove them in confusion, killing their General, and some 150, rank and file; the loss of the Seventeenth Regiment was twenty wounded.  In July, 1863, at Hoover's Gap, the Seventeenth, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Durbins Ward in connection with the Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, charged the Seventeenth Tennessee rebel regiment, and a rebel brigade, strongly posted in a belt of woods, although the Seventeenth being exposed in making a charge to a flanking fire from

[Pg. 868]
a rebel brigade and battery, yet the troops pushed steadily on, drove the Seventeenth Tennessee and occupied their position.  The charge was executed with such coolness as to draw the particular attention General Thomas.  At the battle of Chickamauga the regiment was on the extreme right of the center, attached to the corps commanded by General Thomas.  When General Wood's division was withdrawn from the line, the Seventeenth was exposed to a galling fire from front and right flank, causing it to lose heavily and fall back; some 300 yards from where they had been driven they halted, gave three cheers, sounded the rally for the Seventeenth Ohio, gathered some 200 men together, and charged back on the enemy, but to little purpose, as the rebels outnumbered them ten to one.  Falling back again, now numbering but about 100 strong to a given point, they there remained and fought through that memorable day.  The loss of the Seventeenth in this battle, killed, wounded and missing, was over 200.  This was the severest engagement the regiment ever participated in.  Lieutenant-Colonel Ward, commanding, fell about the middle of the forenoon badly wounded.
     During the siege of Chattanooga, the Seventeenth engaged in several severe skirmishes, and at Brown's Ferry was, along with its brigade, honorably mentioned.  At Mission Ridge it charged, captured a rebel battery, and turned the guns on the retreating enemy.  On the 22d of January, 1864, having veteranized, the regiment started home on thirty days' furlough.  On the 7th of March it returned to the field, bringing with them some 400 recruits, the regiment then soon started on the Atlanta campaign.  They took part in heavy skirmishing at Rocky Face Ridge, and bore its full share of the battle of Resaca, its losses being quite heavy.  Skirmishing partaking of the nature of battles continued almost daily.  At New Hope, Pumpkin Vine Creek and various other places, the Seventeenth was actively engaged.  At Kennesaw Mountain the regiment suffered greatly from heat, many men being carried off the field from sun-stroke.  They were engaged at the battle of Peach Tree Creek, July 20, 1864, moving with General Jeff C. Davis’s corps to the rear of Atlanta; the Seventeenth was among the claimants as having first struck the railroad, and on the next day was in at the assault on Jonesboro.  The Seventeenth followed Sherman “down to the sea” through the Carolinas; took part in the battle of Bentonville, passed in review before the President at Washington, and was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., in

 

 

[Pg. 869]
July, 1865.  The Seventeenth was in service almost from the beginning of the war, and Company D from the Hocking Hills kept recruited up, and followed the fortunes of war under its gallant commanders.
     The records of wounded that convelesced not being on file in the archives of the State, we can give but those that were killed, and died during the war.

THE RECORD OF THE SLAIN.

     The following are the killed and those that died from wounds and disease of Company D, the Hocking County company of the Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as recorded:
     Samuel R. Tilton, Corporal, killed, Chickamauga;
     Amos Richards private, killed, Chickamauga;
     John Red, private, killed, Mission Ridge;
     Elias V. Ramey, private, killed July 9, 1864, near Chattanooga;
     Francis W. Sanderson, Sergeant, killed July 9, 1864, near Chattanooga.

DIED.

     Jacob George, February, 1862, disease;
     Washington Lehman, May 4, 1862, disease.
     Marvel Mills, Feb. 24, 1862, disease;
     Peter Frick, Oct. 19, 1863, wounds;
     Littlejohn Westlake, July 4, 1864, disease, Chattanooga;
     Levi Burgoon, Apr. 10, 1864, disease, Ringgold, Ga.;
     John Call, June 1, 1864, wounds, Big Shanty;
     Peter Kepler, Mar. 18, 1864, disease, Chattanooga;
     Elisha E. Standiford, Aug. 9, 1864, wounds.

THE GLORIOUS RECORD OF THE THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT.

     July 21, 1861, the Union and rebel forces met on the battle-field for the first time and communities north of Mason and Dixson's line were startled next day to hear clicking over the wires the account of a disastrous defeat, assuming the proportions of a shameful rout of the Union forces.  Then followed, July 22, 1861 the President's call for 500,000 three-years' volunteers, and in two weeks' time Hocking County responded to the call; 113 men marched into Camp Chase the first week in August from this county under command of Captain W. M. Bowen, and on the 9th day of August, 1861, a maximum company, 103 men rank and file, were mustered in the United States service for three years and assigned as Company B to the Thirty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the company organization being:

[Pg. 870]
     Captain, William M. Bowen;
     First Lieutenant, John L. Williams;
     Second Lieutenant, James K. Rochester;
     Orderly, Albert M. Aplin;
     Sergeants, Jonathan A. Gibbons, Samuel Feighley, Wesley S. Tucker, John J. Martin,
eight corporals and eighty seven privates.

REGIMENTAL ORGANIZATION.

     Colonel, Moses B. Walker;
     Lieutenant-Colonel, Cyrus Grant;
     Major, SAmuel L. Leffingwell;
     Surgeon, John R. Arter;
     Assistant-Surgeon, J. L. Mount;
     Chaplain, L. F. Drake.

ORDERED TO TRAVEL.

     The Thirty-first Regiment received marching orders Sept. 27, 1861, and reported to Brigadier-General O. M. Mitchell, at Cincinnati, Ohio, Companies A and B having been detached some time previous for extra duty at Gallipolis and up the Kanawha Valley, joined the regiment at Cincinnati.  Leaving Cincinnati the regiment crossed over the Ohio River into Kentucky, passing through Kenton, Pendleton, Harrison, Bourbon, Fayette and Jessamine counties, arriving at Camp Dick Robinson, Garrard County, Oct. 2, 1861.  Here a regular course of company and regimental drill began, which rendered the regiment so efficient in after service.  Dec. 12, 1861, the regiment moved to Somerset, Ky., partook in several reconnoisances, and on the 19th day of Ky., partook in several reconnoisance, and on the 19th day of January, 1862, it marched to the assistance of General Thomas at the battle of Mill Springs.  After the battle the regiment was assigned to the First Brigade, First Division, Army of the Ohio.  The regiment, with Hewitt's Kentucky Battery, was ordered to pursue the retreating rebels.  They crossed the Cumberland River on flat boats at Waitsboro, Pulaski Co., Ky., passed up the Cumberland River Hills, a day's march, and were then ordered back, the campaign plans having been changed.  They then took up their line of march through Kentucky by way of Danville and Lebanon to Louisville; there they embarked on the steamer Magnolia for Nashville, Tenn.  The regiment with Buell's army, marched across Tennessee for Pittsburg Landing, but did not arrive in time to participate in the battle of Shiloh.  From thence it advanced with the army toward Corinth, and during the march engaged in frequently skirmishing with the rebels, and in the siege was marched toward Iuka, had quite an engagement, took pos-

[Pg. 871]
session of the town, and on the 26th marched for Tuscumbia; arrived there the 28th; there the regiment engaged in expeditions against rebel troops that were being organized in that vicinity.  From Tuscumbia the regiment marched to Huntsville, Ala., by way of Decatur, crossing the river on a small ferry boat constructed, manned and run by the men of Company K.  The Thirty-first Regiment was noted for the number of mechanics of every calling in their ranks, at all times being able to perform any kind of duty that might devolve upon them.  A detachment of twenty-eight men having been left at Trinity on guard duty, information was received here that they had been attacked by a rebel force of two or three hundred rebels.  The rebels were repulsed, but one half of the detachment were killed or wounded.
     The regiment moved with the army to Dechard, Tenn., thence with Buell's army in the campaign against Bragg in Kentucky, marching through Murfreesboro and Nashville to Louisville.  The regiment was actively engaged at the battle of Perryville, and after the fight moved with the army south again to Tennessee.  Word coming that the rebels were pillaging the train at LaVergne, the Thirty-first, with two other regiments, marched rapidly back, engaged the enemy and drove them off, killing, wounding and capturing quite a number of them.  At the battle of Stone River the regiment was actively engaged and acquitted itself nobly.  In the Hoover's Gap fight, in connection with the Seventeenth Ohio, they carried a position defended by two rebel brigades; again at the battle of Chickamauga the noble old Thirty-first was in both days, suffered severely, and covered itself with additional glory.  Its next engagement was Brown's Ferry, then Mission Ridge, where the Thirty-first was among the foremost regiments to plant the flag of victory over the enemy's works, and where the gallant Lieutenant James K. Rochester fell.  About this time the regiment veteranized, receiving a furlough for thirty days.  When they returned to the field they took with them 374 new recruits, increasing the regiment's effective strength to over 800 men.  The army then marched on the Atlanta campaign.  On the 14th day of May, 1864, the regiment engaged in an assault on the enemy's lines in front of Resaca, and suffered terribly; it was in all the engagements of the campaign except the battle of Jonesboro.
     The Thirty-first moved with Sherman's army "down to the sea," leaving Atlanta, Nov. 16; it passed through Decatur and Monticello to Milledgeville, Ga., where they destroyed an arsenal with

[Pg. 872]
a considerable amount of arms and ammunition; pushing on they reached Savannah on the 12th day of December, 1864.  On the 20th day of February, 1865, with the army, the Thirty-first moved on the campaign of the Carolinas, thence on to Washington City, participating in the grand review.  The regiment was then transferred to Louisville, Ky., and mustered out July 20, 1865.

THE GALLANT DEAD.

     The Thirty-first Ohio held an honorable position from its first start in the noted corps, General Thomas's Fourteenth, and was never driven from the field, only retired when ordered and then fighting if necessary.  The following is a list of the killed in battle and those dying during the war of Company B:
     Captain James A. Cahill (third Captain), June 23, 1864, at Kennesaw Mountain;
     First Lieuteant, James K. Rochester, Nov. 25, 1863, at Mission Ridge;
     Sergeant Daniel H,. Woodard,
     Private Wm. H. Smock,
     Private John L. Snider, Sept. 21, 1863, at Chickamauga;
    
Private Gotleib F. Dishley, Nov. 24, 1864, at Milledgeville, Ga.;
     Private John F. Knapp, Sept 21, 1863, at Chickamauga.

DIED.

     Thomas Barnes, Andersonville Prison;
     Lorenzo D. Skiver, October, Chickamauga, wounds;
     Jacob Cookley, Oct. 12, 1862, Nashville, Tenn.;
     George W. Davis, Jan. 3, 1862,
     Henry S. Hutchins, Feb. 11, 1862, Somerset, Ky.;
     James Hammon, Oct. 8, 1862, Nashville, Tenn.;
     Stephen A. Kennard, unknown;
     William Legget, unknown, Mississippi;
     Samuel D. Mills, Mar. 14, 1862, Lebanon, Ky.;
     James Root, Logan, O.;
     Robert Saunderson, Dec. 13, 1861, Camp Dick Robinson;
     Nicholas Sharshall, date unknown;
     Wm. H. McBroom, Aug. 8, 1864, wounds;
     George Call, July 30, 1864, Kingston, Ga.;
     Henry J. Hedrick, Apr. 6, 1864, Nashville, Tenn.;
     Robert Oldfield, Apr. 6, 1864, Tullahoma;
     Nathan S. Payne, Aug. 19, 1864, Lookout Mountain, wounds;
     Wm. B. Rouse, July 17, 1864, Nashville, Tenn., wounds;
     Andrew J. Shell, Sept. 4, 1864, Nashville, Tenn.;
     Jonathan Smith, July 4, 1865, Division Hospital;
     James T. Nelson, July 12, 1865, Nashville, Tenn.

[Pg. 873]

THE GRAND OLD FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.

     As the struggle between the Union forces and rebels continued there were camps of instruction established, recruiting head-quarters everywhere, the sound of bugle and tap of drum were to be heard at all hours.  More troops still wanted was the cry, and once more Hocking County responded by sending Companies F, H and K to the front in the Fifty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry organization, January, 1862.
     Company F. - Captain, John Bunz; First Lieutenant, Wilford Stiers; Second Lieutenant, Frederick Tensher; Orderly, Samuel Kepler; Sergeants, Thomas Taylor, Peter Leonard, Henry Harmony, Jacob Wooly; eight Corporals and seventy-three privates, in all eighty-nine men, rank and file.
     Company H. - Captain, Ezra P. Jackson; First Lieutenant, Christopher Kinser; Second Lieutenant, William H. Huls; Orderly, Thaddeus H. Ream; Sergeants, Elias L. Doddson, John Hanson, Oliver Coonrod, George Barclay; eight Corporals and seventy-five privates, in all ninety one men, rank and file.
     Company K. - Captain, Charles A. Barker; First Lieutenant, Wm. S. Friesner; Second Lieutenant, Leander E. Hodge; Orderly Daniel Nunemaker; Sergeants, Emile E. Parrish, Benoni B. Sloper, David Haimlton, William Nail; eight Corporals and seventy-five privates, in all ninety one men, rank and file.
     Company K. - Captain Charles A. Barker; First Lieutenant, Wm. S. Friesner; Second Lieutenant, Leander E. Hodge; Orderly, Daniel Nunemaker; Sergeants, Emile E. Parrish, Benoni B. Sloper, David Hamilton, William Nail; eight Corporals and seventy privates, in all eighty-six men, rank and file.
     The regimental organization was as follows:
     Colonel, Val. Bausenwein; Lieutenant-Colonel, Ferdinand F. Rempel; Major, Peter Dister; Surgeon, Rainer Shalern; assistant Surgeon, Eugene Ringler.

ITS BAPTISM OF FIRE.

     Who has not heard of the gallant Fifty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry that received its baptism of fire on the hotly contested field in front of Fort Donelson, Tenn.?
     The Fifty-eighth was placed under orders and reported for duty at Cincinnati, Ohio, Feb. 11, 1862, and embarking on the steamers Tigress and Dictator the regiment left the same day for Fort Donelson, arriving there on the morning of the 13th of February, 1862.  Disembarking and taking a hasty meal the regiment was formed and pushed forward, impelled by the sounds of the conflict reverberating through the woods.  Taking a circuitous route, in order to get in proper position, the regiment traveled twelve miles.

[Pg. 874]
over rough hills and unmade roads, and went in camp late in the evening in sight of the fort.  The regiment was here assigned to Thayer's brigade, of General Lew Wallace's division.  The next morning the men were awakened from their slumbers to find everything covered with snow, yet nothing deterred them; immediately after partaking of a hasty breakfast they formed in line of battle ready for the fray.  We can do no better right here than to give "Reid's" description, as is found in his history of "Ohio in the War" of their advance movement:
     "The Colonel (V. Bausenwein) being ill, the second officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Ferd. Rempel took command.  This officer led the regiment at once toward the enemy.  After moving a short distance a furious attack was made by the enemy, but the shock was met with coolness, and ended in the rebels being hurled back into their intrenchments.  This ended the active work of the day, although the regiment remained in line of battle until late in the evening, when it returned to camp.  Early in the morning of the 16th the regiment was marched to the center of the line where it remained until the announcement of the surrender of the fort.  The Fifty-eighth was immediately marched into the fort, and Lieutenant-Colonel Rempel, with his own hands, hauled down the first rebel flag the members of the regiment had ever gazed upon."

SOME MORE HOT WORK.

     The regiment left Fort Donelson March 7, and went into camp at Crump's Landing, on the Tennessee River.  The regiment participated in the fight at Pittsburg Landing, and was under fire until four o'clock, P. M., Apr. 7, 1862.  Its losses in this battle were nine killed and forty-three wounded.  From here the regiment with the army moved on toward Corinth, took part in the siege; from here they were ordered to Memphis, Tenn., thence to Helena, Ark.  During the stay of the regiment at this point it engaged in several reconnoisances down the Mississippi on transports, in one of these capturing a rebel steamer, 5,000 stand of arms and two pieces of artillery; also met and defeated the Thirty-first Louisiana Regiment, capturing forty of their number and all their camp eqipage.  From Helena they went up the Yazoo on steamers, acting as sharp-shooters.  At Haines's Bluff, Aug. 20, they captured three heavy siege guns, two brass field pieces, one thirty-pound Parrott gun, and a large amount of ord-

[Pg. 875]
nance stores.  They skirmished with the enemy at Greenville, Miss., fought them at Bolivar Landing and again returned to Helena on the 27th day of August.
     From Helena, Oct. 6, the regiment embarked for St. Genevieve, Mo.; arriving there they marched to Pilot Knob, but returned to St. Genevieve in November, and embarked for Camp Steel, State of Mississippi; thence in December to Johnston's Landing, Yazoo River.  Dec. 27 the regiment took part in a heavy skirmish, losing several men, and on the next day they were ordered to charge the enemy's works, the Fifty-eighth being the first regiment in the works.  Not being able to hold what they had so nobly gained the troops were ordered to fall back, which was done.  The regiment lost heavily both in officers and men in this fight.  In January, 1863, the regiment embarked on transports for Arkansas Post, where it arrived Jan. 9, and took part in the capture of the place; from thence to Young's Point, La., and there into camp.  The fifty eighth at this time received orders to serve as marines on board the iron clads of the Mississippi flotilla, and was distributed by companies to the different steamers.
     On the 16th of April the iron clads and transports ran the gauntlet of the Vicksburg batteries, losing but one man belonging to the Fifty-eighth.  On the 29th of April the battle of Grand Gulf was fought, the Fifty-eighth participating and losing heavily.  In September the Fifty-eighth was ordered to join the land forces at Vicksburg.  The regiment remained at Vicksburg until Dec. 24, 1864, when it was ordered to report at Columbus, Ohio, for discharge and muster out.

ITS WORK AND ITS TERRIBLE LOSS.

     The Fifty-eighth Regiment saw work from the day they were ordered to the front, passed through almost all kinds of disaster and hardships that at this day would appall the strongest heart, yet they faltered not, but always did their duty as true soldiers and patriots.
     The following is the list of the killed and those that died during the war in Companys F, H and K, Hocking County soldiers.

COMPANY F - KILLED.

     John W. Coffin, private;
     Joseph Wiseiver, private, Dec. 29, 1862, Chickasaw Bayou;
     Henry Harning, Sergeant, Henry Bashen, Sergeant, Jacob Wooly, Sergeant, Riley Suttels, private, April 29, 1863, Grand Gulf.

[Pg. 876]

DIED.

     Sergeant Samuel Kepler, April, 1862, near Shiloh, wounds;
     Private Kennedy Linn, June 22, 1862, Logan, Ohio, disease;
     Private Jacob Burgoon, Dec. 17, 1863, Vicksburg, disease;
     William Chapman, Apr. 13, 1862, Crump's Landing, disease;
     Private Michael Conkle, Nov. 22, 1862, disease, Vicksburg;
     Private George Cupp, Dec. 8, 1862, disease, St. Louis;
     Private Thomas Dillon, July 30, 1862, disease, Logan, O.;
     Private Samuel Cheshire, June 15, 1862, disease, Union Station, Tenn.;
     Private Elijah Grimes, April 26, 1862, wounds,
     William Krentz, May 21, 1862, wounds, Pittsburg Landing;
     Henry Kulp, Nov. 24, 1862, disease,
     William Kitchen, Nov. 19, 1862, disease,
     Alex McDonald, Feb. 22, 1863, disease, Steamer Red Rover;
     Robert Redman Oct. 28, 1862, disease, Logan, O.;
     John Statger, Aug. 12, 1863, disease, Vicksburg;
     James Taylor, May 11, 1862, disease, Camp Donelson;
     George Taylor, July 3, 1862, disease, Logan, O.;
     Thomas Whtcraft, Apr. 2, 1862, disease;
     Isaac Whitcraft, Nov. 25, 1862, disease, St. Louis, Mo.;
     Luman Warner, May 5, 1862, wounds, Pittsburg Landing.

COMPANY H - KILLED.

     Captain Christopher Kinser,
    
Sergeant Elias L. Dodd,
    
Corporal Amos L. Borden,
     Private George W. Moss,
    
Private Samuel Sleiner, Dec. 29, 1862, Fort Morgan;
     Private Absalom Leffler,  Gottleib Stinger, William Stringer, Apr. 29, 1863, Grand Gulf;
     John Mowry, Christ Kinser, Jr., John Hawkin, blew up with Steamer Sultana.

DIED.

     George Agner, Feb. 13, 1863, disease, Paducah, Ky;
     Robert Burgoon, no record, 1863, disease, home, Ohio;
     Joseph A. Fartig, Apr. 29, 1863, wounds, Grand Gulf;
     Daniel A. Gordon, November, 1862, disease, St. Louis;
     Joseph Geiser, May 8, 1862, disease, Shiloh;
     Charles Hansen, Dec. 29, 1862, wounds, Fort Morgan;
     Samuel Klinger, July 21, 1862, disease, Memphis;
     John Kregg, no Record, 1862, disease, Sugar Grove, O.;
     Isaiah F. Norris, July 7, 1862, disease, Monterey, Tenn.;

[Pg. 877]
     John H. Peterson, Nov. 16, 1864, disease, Vicksburg;
     Asa E. Scoville, ____, 1862, disease, hospital;
     Charles Strocke, June 12, 1862, disease, Memphis;
     Thomas B. Smith, Feb. 26, 1864, disease,
     William Seibert, Aug. 27, 1864, disease, Vicksburg;
     Joseph White, Apr. 16, 1862, wounds,
     Jeremiah Westenburger, May 12, 1862, wounds, Shiloh;
     Wm. J. Wooden, May 5, 1863, disease, St. Louis.

COMPANY K - KILLED.

     Private Leonard Bond, Apr. 7, 1862, Pittsburg Landing.

DIED.

     Sergeant David Hamilton, May 13, 1862,
     Corporal Joseph W. Parish, April 9, 1862,
     Private Abraham H. Shirk, May 4, 1862,
     Private Baltzler Zeigler, Aug. 22, 1862,
     Abram Lecrone, Apr. 23, 1862, disease, no place named;
     Samuel Brown, June 16, 1862, disease, Bolivar;
     Private John S. Bryan, May 9, 1862, disease, Pittsburg Landing;
     Private Bennoni Blosser, Dec. 16, 1864, disease, Vicksburg;
     Private Isaac Cane, Oct. 20, 1862,
     Private Jacob Cofflan, Oct. 14, 1862, disease, St. Louis;
     Private John Gilpin, Feb. 2, 1863, wounds, Memphis;
     Private Fred Helber, May 21, 1862, disease, Pittsburg Landing;
     Private Caleb F. Heisen, Mar. 16, 1863, disease, U. S. gunboat;
     Private Robert A. Jones, Mar. 22, disease, Evansville;
     Private Jacob McFadden, May 10, 1864, disease, Vicksburg;
     Private Frank Red, Oct. 24, 1862, disease, St. Lousi;
     Private Aaron Roby, Feb. 10, 1863, disease, Helena;
     Private G. W. Sanderson, Apr. 26, 1862, disease, Pittsburg Landing;
     Private John L. Shultz, no date, disease, home;
     Private David Stroble, Oct. 23, 1862, disease, St. Louis;
     Private William Stallen, no report of date or place;
     Private Fred Stallen, May 13, 1863, disease, Memphis;
     Private John Woltz, Oct. 26, 1862, disease, St. Louis.

THE BRAVE SIXTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

 

[Pg. 878]
Chaplain, Benjamin St. James Fry; ninety-three men, rank and file.
     The history of the Sixty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry is but a repetition of heroisms, bravery, and battles.
     The regiment moved from Marietta, Feb. 18, 1862, and reported at Paducah, Ky.; thence at New Madrid, via Commerce, Mo., and reported to Major-General John Pope, and took part in the reconnoissance March 3, being brought under fire for the first time.
     The New Madrid they were brigaded with the Twenty-seventh, Thirty-ninth and Forty-third Ohio regiments, under command of Brigadier-General David S. Stanley, and was known as the Ohio Brigade.  The sixty-third partook in all the movements resulting in the surrender of Island No. 10; afterward joined Halleck's engagement at Farmington, sustaining severe loss; was in the reserved at the battle of Iuka, and engaged in the battle of Corinth, again losing heavily.  The regiment left Corinth and joined Grant in Mississippi, near Grand Junction, thence march to Oxford, to Jackson, Tenn., and at Parker's Cross Roads engaged in battle; repulsed the enemy and returned to Corinth, Jan. 9, 1863, going into winter quarters.  In May it marched to Memphis, and did garrison duty with the brigade.  From Memphis it marched to Eastport on to Elk River.
     The regiment veteranized in January, 1864, and returned North on a thirty-days' furlough.  Recruited, returned South and reported to General Dodge at Decatur Junction, Ala.; marched from Decatur via Huntsville to Woodville; thence to Chattanooga; thence though Rossville across Mission Ridge and Chickamauga Creek to Snake Creek Gap; took part in the battle of Resaca, afterward at Dallas, losing heavily again, and thence to Jonesboro, participating in the engagement at that place.  The regiment moved  with the grand army across and through the Southern Confederacy to the sea.  From Savannah the regiment embarked for Beanford, S. C.; thence north through Bentonville and Goldsboro to Petersburg, and marched through Richmond on to Washington, passing in review with the grand army before the President and General Grant moved west, and on the 17th and 18th days of July, at Camp Dennison, Ohio, were paid off and discharged.

THE NOBLE DEAD.

     The list of killed and those dying while in service belonging to Company H (Hocking County Company), Sixty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as found on record (the records of many

[Pg. 879]
companies, detachments, etc., seem to be quite incomplete, but it is all that can be had from the Adjutant-General's office of the State of Ohio):

KILLED.

     Private Weston Ray, Private George Milligan, July 24, 1864, Decatur.

DIED.

     Samuel S. Alexander, Mar. 23, 1864, disease, Decatur;
     Wesley Biggins, Dec. 16, 1864, disease, Hospital near Savannah;
     Wm. T. Duffie, Mar. 11, 1864, disease, Hospital Decatur Junction;
     Shadrack O'Connor, Aug. 5, 1864, disease, Hospital Marietta;
     Solomon Spilter, Aug. 9, 1864, wounds, Decatur;
     John Frost, Aug. 26, 1864, wounds, Decatur;
     Henry Zeigler, July, 1865, drowned in the Ohio River near Madison.

THE GLORIOUS SEVENTY-FIFTH.

     Hocking County seat to the front Company H, Seventy-fifty Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, officered as follows:  Captain, Thomas M. D. Pilcher;  First Lieutenant, Abram W. Thomas; Second Lieutenant, James W. Whaley; Orderly, Richard L. Sullivan; Sergeants, Allen T. Garretson, David A. Miller, Benj. E. Cave, Conrad Brian; eight Corporals and eighty-five privates, in all 101 men, rank and file.
     The regimental organization was as follows:  Colonel, Nat. C. McLean; Lieutenant-Colonel, R. A. Constable; Major, Robert Reily; Surgeon, Samuel Hart; Assistant Surgeon, Charles L. Wilson; Chaplain, John W. Weakley.
     This regiment first saw service in the mountains of West Virginia under General Milroy, joining the brigade at Huttonsville at the foot of Cheat Mountain, thence over the Cheat and Allegheny mountains, toward Staunton, Va., sustained the brunt of the enemy's attack at Montery C. H., clearing the rebels out in two hours' fighting, thus establishing the character of the regiment for pluck and staying qualities.  From here the army crossed over the Shenandoah Mountains, and at Buffalo Gap was met by the rebel General Stonewall Jackson with a large force and compelled to fall back over the mountains to McDowell.  May 8, 1862, Jackson appeared in force on the highland overlooking the Union camp with a much superior force.  Milroy brought about the battle by advancing the Seventy-fifth and Twenty-fifth Ohio Infantry.  The fight lasted from three o'clock, P. M. until dark, the Union forces holding their ground.  When under cover of night

[Pg. 880]
Milroy retreated in the direction of Franklin.  In this battle the Seventy-fifth added new laurels to its already hard-earned good name.  From Franklin, under command of General Fremont, crossed the Shenandoah at Strasburg, on to Cross Keys, where a battle was fought June 10, 1862, the Seventy-fifth being in reserve.

THROUGH THE VALLEY OF DEATH.

     The next affair was at Cedar Mountain, Va., and at Freeman's Ford, where it lost heavily; then at Groveton, near the old Bull Run battle-field, Aug. 28, 1862, where the regiment lost twenty-one men killed and ninety-one wounded,, the killed and wounded falling into the hands of the enemy; from thence back to Washington city.  It was present at the battle of Fredericksburg, then Chancellorsville, here losing 150 men killed and wounded; again at Gettysburg, where out of 292 enlisted men 63 were killed and 106 wounded; from here down South, at the siege of Forts Wagner and Gregg; thence to Faly Island, where the regiment remained until the 22d of February, 1864.  It then went to Jacksonville, Fla., and shortly thereafter mounted and called the Seventy-fifth mounted Infantry, and operated along the Indian River.  Returning to Jacksonville, on the 17th of August fought the enemy at Gainesville, Fla., tried to cut their way through a superior force of the enemy, but only partially succeeded, losing in the affair fourteen men killed and two commissioned officers, about thirty men wounded and sixty men and twelve officers taken prisoners, nearly all of whom were held by the enemy until the spring of 1865.

THE CLOSING ACT.

     In August, 1865, the regiment was mustered out.  We cannot give the names and number of men killed and died during the war of Company H, from the fact that they have not been kept district and separate on the regimental books.  We have, however, from Lieutenant David A. Miller, the following killed of his knowledge, while with the army; he being severely wounded was retired after the battle of Gettysburg:
     Private Simon Pierson, Private W. Isler, Apr. 12, 1862, at Monterey Court-House; Private George Parker, Aug. 28, 1862, second Bull Run fight.  Also from another comrade: Private Elias Thompson August, 1864, Gainesville, Fla.; Privates William Phillips, David Alexander, ___ Reddick, George Murphy May, 1863, Chancellorsville.  Private Charles Kruger, died Florence Prison; Privates Felix McBride, John Armstrong, killed, May, 1863, Chancellorsville; Private Sol. Jones, Aug. 8, second Bull Run.

[Pg. 881

NEARING THE END - THE GALLANT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIRST.

    Under the call by the President, Apr. 22, 1864, for 100 days' men, Hocking County formed the Fifty-seventh Battalion, Ohio National Guards, Volunteer Infantry, consisting of six companies, but by a consolidation with the Thirty-third Regiment, O. N. G., Volunteer Infantry, numbering eight companies, they formed what was known as the One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, numbering eight companies, they formed what was known as the One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, N. G., reducing the Fifty-seventh Battalion to four companies and the Thirty-third to six companies, making a regiment of ten companies numbering 846 men, rank and file.
     The One Hundred and Fifty-first was mastered into service May 13, 1864.  The regiment left Camp Chase for Washington City May 14, and arrived there on the 21st, where it reported for duty to General Augur, and was assigned to the Second Brigade, General Haskin's Division, Twenty-second Army Corps.  The brigade was afterward with the First Brigade of General Hardin's division, in which it continues during its term of service.  The regiment was stationed in forts defending the city of Washington, and during the operations of the rebels on the 11th and 12th of July a large part of these troops were under file.
     The picket lines were kept up by details from the One Hundred and Fifty-first.  On the 17th of August the regiment concentrated at Fort Simmons, and from this place they moved by way of Baltimore to Camp Chase, at Columbus, Ohio, arriving on the 23d, and was mustered out.  The Hocking boys lost but one man, William Collins, who  died in hospital at Washington.
     The regimental organization of the One Hundred and Fifty-first was as follows:
     Colonel John M. C. Marble;
     Lieutenant-Colonel, Richard S. Hughes;
     Major, John L. Williams;
    
Surgeon, William H. Harper;
     Assistant Surgeon, Augustus G. Halloway.
    
The companies from Hocking County were G, H, I, K, and officered as follows:
     Company G. - Captain, Uriah Guess; First Lieutenant, Manchester H. Duval; Second Lieutenant, George G. Moore.
    
Company H. - Captain, John Oaks; First Lieutenant, James Johnson; Second Lieutenant, Joshua Chilcote.
    
Company I. - Captain, Joseph Chaney; First Lieutenant, G. W. Wiggins; Second Lieutenant, E. B. Clowe.
    
Company K. - Captain, G. M. Webb;  First Lieutenant, Anthony B. Walker; Second Lieutenant, Edward P. Strong.

[Pg. 882]

"LITTLE HOCKING" DID HER DUTY.

     Hocking County not only furnished the foregoing organizations for service during the war, but was constantly sending men forward to replenish the ranks as battles and disease reduced the strength of the army.  She also furnished troops in squads of from five to twenty-five men for the Ninetieth, the Sixty-first, the Sixty-second, the forty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the Eighteenth Regulars, the Fifth and Sixth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, two Wet Virginia organizations, the navy and other departments of the army.  From the ranks were furnished Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels, Majors, Captains and all minor officers.
     The Morgan raiders, as they passed through the south corner of our county, were promptly followed by our citizen soldiery and prevented from taking the back track when they had reached the Muskingum River, not, however, without the loss of life.  Henry Kelley, a citizen of Logan, was killed at Eagleport on the Muskingum while reconnoitering the enemy's position.
     Although recruiting was constantly going on, yet in September, 1864, an exhibit of the number of men in the service failed to show up enough to exempt Hocking entirely from the draft.

RECORD IN BLACK AND WHITE:

     The following is the table furnished by the Marshal:

TOWNSHIPS IN THE
SERVICE
AT
HOME
TOTAL
ENROLL'T
NO. TO BE
DRAFTED.
Falls 317 440 757 12
Green 137 135 271 3
Ward 120 114 234 1
Starr 157 178 335 6
Washington 78 156 234 32
Benton 117 143 260 21
Salt Creek 77 84 171 15
Perry 99 163 262 30
Laurel 81 149 230 26
Good Hope 74 111 195 7
Marion 101 202 303 38
     Total 1,358 1,875 3,252 191

[Pg. 883]

     The number here shown to be in the service is undoubtedly incorrect, owing to the impossibility to get at the true inwardness of those who had actually enlisted and that should have been credited to the county; yet the number of men claimed was gracefully accepted, and nearly all the townships filled their quota by paying increased local bounties, as was the practice all over the State.  The various enactments of the Ohio Legislature, providing for the levying of taxes for the relief of soldiers' families, passed 1862, '63 and '64, were observed, taxes collected and distributed according to law without cost.  The ladies of the county formed relief and aid societies with an earnest purpose to do whatsoever a woman's hands might find to do in furtherance of our country's cause; and after the war was ended, the last shot fired, and those that survived the ravages of war returned to their homes they were proudly welcomed, feasted and honored; and with a promise to ever revere and cherish the memory of the martyrs, those who died that their country might live, the heroes resumed their places in society, beat their swords into plowshares, and peace and plenty once more reigned, and our community of States became as one nation again.

END OF CHAPTER.

< CLICK HERE to RETURN to TABLE OF CONTENTS >

NOTES:

 



 
CLICK HERE to Return to
HOCKING CO., OHIO
INDEX PAGE
CLICK HERE to Return to
OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
INDEX PAGE
FREE GENEALOGY RESEARCH is My MISSION
GENEALOGY EXPRESS
This Webpage has been created by Sharon Wick exclusively for Genealogy Express  ©2008
Submitters retain all copyrights