OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

 

Welcome to
Preble County, Ohio
Genealogy & History

CHAPTER XIII.

PREBLE IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION

20TH OHIO INFANTRY	93RD OHIO INFANTRY
22ND OHIO INFANTRY	112TH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
35TH OHIO INFANTRY	191ST OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
39TH OHIO INFANTRY	5TH INDEPENDENT CO. OF SHARP-SHOOTERS
47TH OHIO INFANTRY	5TH INDEPENDENT CO SHARP SHOOTERS
50TH OHIO INFANTRY	156TH OHIO NATIONAL GUARD
54TH OHIO INFANTRY	2ND OHIO VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
69TH OHIO INFANTRY	5TH OHIO CAVALRY
73RD OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY	1ST REGIMENT OHIO HEAVY ARTILLERY
75TH OHIO INFANTRY	2ND REGIMENT OHIO HEAVY ARTILLERY
81ST OHIO INFANTRY	8TH OHIO BATTERY
81ST OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY	5TH REGIMENT U. S. COLORED TROOPS
86TH OHIO INFANTRY	27TH REGIMENT U. S. COLORED TROOPS
87TH OHIO INFANTRY	THE SQUIRREL HUNTERS

FIFTH OHIO CAVALRY

    The work of raising this regiment was begun early in August, 1861, under the direction of Major General Fremont.  The first name, "Second Ohio Cavalry," was changed to "Fifth" by Governor Dennison, upon the removal of General Fremont.  From the first of November to the February following, the regiment remained at Camp Dennison, engaged in preparation for active service.  on the twenty-sixth of this month, marching orders arrived for Paducah, Kentucky.  Although poorly equipped, the orders were joyfully obeyed, and, after reporting to Brigadier General W. T. Sherman at Paducah, it proceeded to Fort Henry, thence to Danville, and it proceeded to Fort Henry, thence to Danville, and finally up the river to Savannah.  Previous to the battle of Pittsburgh Landing, the battalion was on numerous scouts, and had several skirmishes with the rebels in the vicinity of Purdy.  Early on the morning of the sixth, while the men were preparing breakfast, the rebels began a storm of attack.  The cavalry were soon the aim of the enemy's artillery, yet not a man of this raw cavalry regiment, in this the first fight - and that fight Pittsburgh Landing - failed to stand his ground. In fact, the behavior of officers and men throughout this closely-fought and trying battle was highly commended by Generals Grant and Sherman.  The Fifth advanced with the army in the slow siege of Corinth.  The first and second battalions brought on the battle of Metamora.  They fought bravely, capturing many prisoners.  The third battle was with General Rosecrans at Corinth, and the command again behaved well.  A part of it checked the advance of Van Dorn's ten thousand in the battle of Davis' Mill.  The conduct of this heroic handful of men shone so brilliantly, in contrast with the shameful surrender of Holly Springs, that it caused General Grant to recount their valor in general order, requesting the whole army to follow their example, and ordering that the "Fifth Ohio Cavalry inscribe on its colors, in addition to "Pittsburgh Landing, " the name "Davis' Mill."  On the twenty-first of March, the regiment moved from Germantown to Memphis, and again picketed that city.  While here, numerous expeditions were made southward against the enemy's cavalry, by which the regiment sustained some heavy losses in killed, wounded, and prisoners.  The corruption at Memphis was indescribable, and the men, in spite of discipline, would find ways of reaching the city.  At length orders came, and the command moved toward Camp Davis, Mississippi, where it was joined by the Third battalion, under Major Smith, which had been detached for more than a year.  While this battalion was acting independently, it was engaged in forty-seven skirmishes and actions.  It captured more than three hundred prisoners, and as many horses and mules.  It marched over fifteen hundred miles.  In all, the number of killed and captured did not exceed twenty-five.  Resting but one day after the union of the three battalions, the work of the regiment was entered upon - the protection of Corinth.  In anticipation of spending the winter at Camp Davis, a complete camp had been built, when from Major General W. T. Sherman came the order "March at daylight (October 17, 1863) toward Chattanooga."  There was skirmishing on the twentieth at Cherokee station; the twenty-second, twenty-third and twenty-fourth were likewise employed.  Arriving at Chattanooga, a part remained there and at Mission Ridge, guarding trains, while a part served upon the field, and followed the retreating rebels as far as Ringgold.  After this time this command is heard of at Knoxville and other important points, bearing no small part in the service of suffering and enduring as well as acting.  During the spring of 1864, the regiment effected a veteran organization.  July 13th, it reached Cartersville, and remained the rest of the summer, protecting the railroad from the incessant attacks of the rebel cavalry.  On the seventh of November, it was transferred to General Kilpatrick's cavalry division.  Here the work of concentration had been going on for some days; but so short was the time allowed that hundreds of men were necessarily organized into a dismounted brigade.  The First Ohio squadron, Captain Dalzell, was here attached to the Fifth.  The cavalry arrived at Atlanta, November 14th, and the following morning commenced the "March to the Sea."  The Fifth was in all the operations of the command, many of them arduous and dangerous, until after the fall of Savannah, when it was placed near King's Bridge.  On the twenty-eighth of January, 1865, the command, for the first time, trod the "Sacred Soil" of chivalric South Carolina.  On the eighth of February, the Third brigade, of which the Fifth was now a part, completely routed General Hagan's brigade of six regiments, capturing five battle-flags and a number of prisoners..  After further marching and skirmishing for more than a month, it was temporarily stampeded with its brigade, March 10th, in a night attack, by three divisions of the rebels under Wade Hampton, losing seventy-three killed, wounded and missing.  It was in the final actions of Sherman's army at Averysborough and Bentonville, and was the first regiment to enter Raleigh, and restore the National flag to the dome of the capitol.  After the close of the war, it occupied western North Carolina, preserving the peace in the turbulent districts, until October 30 1865, when the glorious career of the gallant, Fifth ended, and its members resumed their places as citizens of the commonwealth.

FIELD AND STAFF.

Major Phineas R. Minor
Major Joseph Smith
Veterinary Sergeant John G. Colvin

COMPANY E.

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

Captain Joseph C. Smith
First Lieutenant Caleb Marker
Second Lieutenant Lewis C. Swerer

    NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

First Sergeant Robert F. Alexander
Quartermaster Sergeant William S. Harraman
Sergeant John N. Parmerlee
Sergeant Silas M. Brawley
Sergeant John Wilkins
Sergeant Alexander C. Ford
Corporal Leander M. Brawley
Corporal Uriah Vandeweer
Corporal Samuel Swerer
Corporal Adalbert Hazeltine
Corporal Robert Clark
Corporal Calvin Brumbaugh
Corporal Archibald Bell
Corporal Robert M. Wollerd
Bugler Adam Wirts
Bugler, David A. Eliassen
Farrier Alexander Keggy
Farrier David Hart
Saddler Charles Braffett
Wagoner Josiah D. Phillips

PRIVATES.

COMPANY F.

COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Captain Phineas R. Miner
First Lieutenant Charles B. Cooper
Second Lieutenant John D. Truitt

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

First Sergeant Robert W. Morgan
Quartermaster Sergeant David Culver
Sergeant John W. Slayton
Sergeant John W. Christman, sr.
Sergeant William A. Snyder
Sergeant Isaac N. Shelby
Corporal Charles Harbach
Corporal William Shearman
Corporal John H. Lonk
Corporal Isaac Masony
Corporal Eli Minor
Corporal Andy M. Weller
Corporal Robert Steel
Corporal Ferdinand Rice
Bugler James Long
Bugler Frank McFarland
Farrier John G. Colner
Farrier Samuel Cuert
Saddler John H. Bruse
Wagoner Ephraim F. Barnes

PRIVATES.