It will be
remembered that the military organization of the county,
as well as elsewhere in the State, had become unpopular,
and the parades of the "Cornstalk Militia" were
contemned and abandoned, that all the paraphernalia of
war which the State had distributed, was, at least in
our county, otherwise appropriated. And although the
insufficiency of the militia law was apparent, little
attention had been given to it until 1856 or 1857, after
which at every session of the legislature an amendatory
law was passed; the last was that of Mar. 31, 1864, the
principal features of which were the organization of the
active militia of the State as a "national guard."
Under this law four companies were recruited on the
west side of the river:
In Malta Township, Company B, Robert Lutton,
captain; Samuel Price, first lieutenant; F. A.
Daniels, second lieutenant.
In Penn Township, Company G, Eli G. Coulson,
captain; James Lewis, first lieutenant; George
Matson, second lieutenant.
In Marion Township, Company (afterward K), Asa
Vincent, captain John Galbreath, first
lieutenant; William J. Weller, second lieutenant.
In York township Company ____, George W. Deaver,
captain.
On the 11th of August, 1863, the four companies met,
organized the 43d battalion, and elected George S.
Corner, Lieutenant-colonel.
On the 23d of april, 1864, the adjutant-general, R.
B. Cowan called the regiment and battalion into
service with orders to rendezvous at such place as the
commanding officer might designate on the second of May,
and to re-
Page 211 -
port by telegraph by 4 o’clock p. m. Accordingly
Colonel Corner ordered the four companies
to meet in Malta at the time designated, and on
Wednesday, May 4th, the battalion left for Camp Chase.
In the mustering of the battalion into the regiment the
number of men rejected reduced the battalion to three
companies, and Captain Denver's company
was disbanded and the accepted men distributed to other
companies, retaining him as first lieutenant. The
companies were then mustered into the regiment, as B, G
and K, with a battalion of four companies from
Tuscarawas, three from Noble and one from Hancock, as
the 161st regiment O. V. I., with Colonel, O. P.
Taylor, of Tuscarawas; Lieutenant-Colonel, George
S. Corner, Morgan; Adjutant, W. A. Bovey,
Tuscarawas; Quartermaster, M. McDaniel, Morgan.
Immediately after the organization on the 9th of May,
the regiment was ordered to Cumberland, Md., where it
arrived on the 12th and remained until the 28th, when it
was ordered to Martinsburgh, Va.
On the 4th of June five companies, A, B, D, F and H,
with other troops under Colonel Corner,
were ordered to support a heavy supply train for
General Hunter, supposed to be near Staunton, Va.
The route was up the Shenandoah Valley, but General
Hunter was not overtaken until the 11th at
Lexington. The escort went with Hunter’s
army nearly to Lynchburg, when it was ordered back to
Martinsburgh with the train, then consisting of over one
hundred wagons and ambulances with many sick and
wounded, one hundred and fifty prisoners, and a number
of contrabands. The escort left Hunter’s
army on the 17th and over hostile hills and rough roads
a distance of 500 miles, reached Beverly on the 28th;
after a rest of two days arrived at Webster on the 30th;
thence by rail to Martinsburgh, and on the 2d of July
marched out to Hainesville and rejoined the regiment at
8 p.m. But the stay was brief, the troops being
ordered immediately back to Martinsburgh, where they
arrived about daylight, and after remaining in line of
battle until 11 a.m., commenced falling back through
Shepardstown and Sharpsburgh to Maryland Heights.
Skirmishing commenced on the morning of the 6th and
continued for two days, in which the brigade, with the
regiment, took an active part, and afterward took
position in Stone Fort and assisted in the defense of
the Heights until the rebels were driven from the
Shenandoah Valley.
On the 25th of August the regiment was ordered to Ohio,
and on the 2d day of September was mustered out of the
service.
The battalion was never afterward mustered.
Captain Button, of Company B, 161,
relates the following incident which took place while
the company was in the Shenandoah Valley. He says:
“I was officer of the night and, in company with
Sergeant Stubbs, started out to inspect the
picket posts. The moon was shining brightly and we
found two of the posts readily. We had not gone
far before we discovered what we supposed was another
post. Just at this time the moon became slightly
obscured by a cloud and Sergeant Stubbs,
who was slightly in advance, thinking it to be the post
we were looking for, walked up to them. The moon
came from
Page 212 -
under the cloud and 1 saw that Stubbs was
surrounded by a squad dressed in gray. I
immediately sprang back and was called upon to halt.
Click went the locks of their muskets but for some
inexplicable cause their guns missed tire. Had
they not done so I should have been literally blown to
pieces. I lost no time in getting back, but
Sergeant Stubbs was a prisoner from that Saturday
night until the next Tuesday, when he was paroled and
caught up with the command.
COMPANY B, 161ST O. V.
I.
This company was organized by Captain Robert Lutton,
and was mustered into the service at Camp Chase, May 9,
1864. The company was mustered out Sept. 2, 1864,
unless otherwise specified.
OFFICERS. |
Captain, Robert
Lutton. |
First Lieutenant,
Samuel Price |
Second Lieutenant,
Fenton, L. Daniels, |
Orderly Sergeant,
Frank B. Manly. |
Second Sergeant,
Solomon S. Beckwith. |
Third Sergeant,
Henson Spurrier. |
Fourth Sergeant,
Perly J. Stanbery. |
Fifth Sergeant,
Isaac Stubbs. |
Corporal,
John Baily. |
Corporal,
Jacob Golden |
Corporal,
William H. Weitzell. |
Corporal,
Joel Walker. |
Corporal,
David C. Ray. |
Corporal,
Benjamin Severance. |
Corporal,
Jesse W. Bumgardner. |
Corporal,
Joseph Lent. |
Musician,
John R. Kirby. |
Musician,
William Stubbs. |
PRIVATES.
|
Anderson, Jesse. |
Cowan, John |
Berry, Reese W. |
Corner, William J. |
Bricker, James H. |
Clements, John R. |
Browning, Samuel, |
Cornelius, Alfred G. |
Benjamin, James, |
Cope, Jacob, |
Bailey, James D., |
Corner, Watson L., |
Beckwith Laban, |
Doudna, Henry, |
Berry, Joseph T., |
Dolson, Charles H., |
Cook, Payton. |
Davidson, Mannassa. |
Dunlap, William, |
Pierpoint, Amos, |
Ellis, Benjamin A., |
Patterson, John D., |
Fox, Jacob, |
Price, George, |
Hotchkiss, Amos, |
Risen, Thomas, |
Hickerson, Thronton, |
Reid, George W., |
Hatchkiss, Henry, |
Sands, Miles, |
Harrison, John W., |
Scott, Andrew, |
Humphrey, Benjamine, |
Smith, Daniel J., |
Hambleton, Benj. K., |
Smith, William R., |
Henry, John, |
Scovell, William C., |
James, Henry 'C., |
Smith, Francis, M. |
Massey, John, |
Timns, James, |
Martin, Isaac, |
Townsend, Geo. O. |
Martin, Jonathan, |
Taylor, George, |
McGrew, Finley B., |
Tims, Henry C., |
McCoas, Jesse, |
Updike, Richard H.
L., |
Marion, Daniel, |
Wilds, Samuel, |
Newman, David J., |
Whitaker, Lyman, |
Osborn, George, |
Wiseman, Patrick H. |
Pettitt, James, |
Weston, William, |
Palmer, William P., |
Walker, John G., |
Palmer, Joseph T., |
Wetherell, Edwin, |
Pennel, Abram. |
|
|
The following were sick at muster out:
Bailey, John, |
Scott, Andrew, |
Clements, John R., |
Timns, Henry C. |
Massey, John |
|
|
PROMOTIONS. |
|
Moses MacDaniel, |
pro. to regt. quarter-master, May 9, 1864. |
James M. Rusk, |
pro. to quarter-master sergt. May 9, 1864,
by special order. |
DIED. |
|
John J. Briggs, |
at general hospital at Annapolis, Md., July
19, 1864. |
Joel Walker, |
date not given. |
COMPANY G, 161ST O. V. I.
This company was enrolled at Malta May 2, 1864, and
mustered out of the service Sept. 2, 1864, unless
otherwise stated.
OFFICERS. |
Captain, Eli G.
Coulson. |
|
First Lieutenant,
James J. Lewis. |
|
Second Lieutenant,
George M. Matson. |
|
First Sergeant,
Dennis M. Bingham. |
|
Sergeant, John M.
Hitchcock. |
|
Sergeant, William
H. Scott. |
|
Sergeant, William
L. Wade. |
|
Page 213 -
Sergeant, John T.
L. Naylor. |
|
Corporal, Alexander
Bailey. |
|
Corporal, Lewis
Tompkins. |
|
Corporal, George
Thompson. |
|
Corporal, Jonathan
Naylor. |
|
Corporal, Jerome D.
Hann. |
|
Corporal, David P.
Hann. |
|
Corporal, George W.
Cain. |
|
Corporal, John
Hooper, |
|
Musician, Allen
Coulson. |
|
Musician, David T.
Moore. |
|
PRIVATES.
|
Archer, Samuel. |
Moody, John F. |
Bain, Addison, |
McInturf, Daniel. |
Baigman, Mathias. |
Mendenhall, Benj. F. |
Barkhurst, Charles V. |
Moody, James, |
Bingham, Ezra, |
Morgan, Daniel, |
Carver, Edward, |
Mercer, Daniel, |
Cook, William, |
Mallet, John, |
Chaney, William, |
Matson, Alvertus H., |
Calvert, Stewart, |
Newsom, William, |
Crooks, Jacob, |
Naylor, George W., |
Doane, Robert S., |
Oliver, Thomas, |
Deaver, William P., |
Perry, Harvey, |
Ellis, Eli, |
Pletcher, Israel, |
Ewing, William V., |
Phrush, David, |
Hoops, Caleb C., |
Rose, Caleb H., |
Hooper, George, |
Roberts, Wash. V. D., |
Harris, Reason J., |
Russel, Marion, |
Henry, William, |
Rusco, Warren, |
Harkins, Levi, |
Simpson, Luther B., |
Hann, James W., |
Sidwell, Plummer, |
Harvy, Andrew S. |
Shepard, William, |
Helmick, C. Amos, |
Thompson, Eli, |
Jennings, Enos E., |
Thompson, Joshua R., |
Justice, James R., |
Thompson, William G., |
Jones, Jacob, Jr., |
Woodward, Cydnor B., |
Kinsey, William, |
Winner, David, |
Kelley, John, |
Walraam, George, |
Lightner, John, |
Williams, Martin, |
Lindsey, Thomas P., |
Young, William A., |
Lamasters, George W., |
Wood, James, |
McVey, David, |
Youngblue, Jesse. |
DIED. |
Bingman, Ezra, died
in hospital at Cumberland, Md., July
21, 1864. |
|
|
COMPANY K, 161ST O. V.
I.
Company K, 161st O. V. I., was mustered into the service
at Camp Chase, Ohio, May 2, 1864, and was mustered out
at the same place Sept. 2, 1864.
OFFICERS. |
|
Captain, Asa
Vincent. |
|
First Lieutenant,
John Galbreath. |
|
Second Lieutenant,
William J. Weller. |
|
Orderly Sergeant,
Elijah G. Lees. |
|
Second Sergeant,
Otho Elliott. |
|
Third Sergeant, W.
A. Rogers. |
|
Fourth Sergeant,
Deter G. Leroy, |
|
Fifth Sergeant,
Robert C. McMichael. |
|
Corporal, Andrew
Ralston. |
|
Corporal, Elijah
Williams. |
|
Corporal, Lewis
Andrews. |
|
Corporal, Ebenezer
E. Law. |
|
Corporal, John R.
Tibles. |
|
Corporal, William
Johnson, |
|
Corporal, Wallace
R. Woodyard. |
|
Corporal, Isaac L.
Simmers. |
|
|
Braderick, William, |
Moody, J. W., |
Brown, William, |
Moody, Eli W. |
Beasly, Sargenat. |
Moody, Francis M. |
Beatty, Aclison. |
Moody, James W. |
Bates, Abner. |
Miller, Hiel D. |
Clark, George E. |
Newton, Joseph. |
Cope, Nathan P. |
Nott, Oscar B. |
Doan, Joseph. |
Osten, James. |
Danford, Robert R. |
Phillips, Francis M. |
Daugherty, James T. |
Posey, Harrison. |
Daugherty, William H. |
Pletcher, Hiram. |
Daugherty, Thomas. |
Pletcher, Wesley A. |
Daugherty, Harrison. |
Pletcher, Michael. |
Elliott, Isaac. |
Pletcher, Chester. |
Fell, William. |
Pletcher, William W. |
Falconer, John. |
Ralston, John. |
Gardner, Joseph. |
Randal, John. |
Gray, Samuel C. |
Steffy, Hiram. |
Gray, Edgar W. |
Steffy, Samuel. |
Hammond, Mordecai. |
Steffy, John. |
Hale, William, |
Smith, Francis M., |
Hutton, Jesse, |
Simmers, George W. |
Hazen, George A. |
Simmers, Jacob. |
Hivenor, Joseph. |
Strahl, Isaac. |
Harrison, W. Joy. |
Stanberry, Jacob M. |
Law, John. |
Southard, Erastus M. |
Lewis, Walter J. |
Tryon, Ephraim. |
Lunsford, Benjamin. |
Tryon, William E. |
Lewis, George J. |
Tryon, Theodore S. |
Law, John W. |
Wagner, John. |
Lazarus, William. |
Wade, Thomas N. |
Longstreth, Thomas. |
Wolf, Morris D. |
Mathews, John E. |
Weller, Joseph A. |
Mathews, Charles W. |
Woodard, Carry J. |
Mosier, Moses. |
|
DIED. |
|
Williams, Elijah, |
at Cumberland, Md., July 5, 1864. |
Page 214 -
Daugherty, William, |
Camp Chase, Ohio, Sept. 5, 1864. |
Daugherty, Harrison, |
at Camp Distribution, Va., Aug. 14, 1864. |
|