OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

A Part of Genealogy Express

 

Welcome to
Pike County, Ohio
History & Genealogy

 

Source:
History of Lower Scioto Valley, Ohio
Together with Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious, Civil,
Military, and Political History, Portraits of Prominent Persons, and
Biographies of Representative Citizens.
 Published: Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1884

CONTENT CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING
PERTAINING
to
PIKE COUNTY, OHIO

CHAPTER XXXVI.
PIKE COUNTY ACTORS IN THE GREAT CIVIL WAR.
by Colonel Thomas W. Higgins
pg. 722 - 734

- The Signal Given at Sumter - The County Calls Again - The Seventy-third Ohio
- The Sixty-third Infantry - What Ohio did for the Union

THE SIGNAL GIVEN AT SUMTER.

     At the first call of the President for volunteers, and immediately after the firing upon Fort Sumter by the rebels, to wit, on the 17th day of April, 1861, six young men of Pike County enrolled themselves as volunteers in Company G, First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  Their names were John R. T. Barnes, John Vulmer, Frank Lauman, Joseph Hinson, Abisha Downing and Asa Couch.  Of these Barnes was killed at Vienna, near the city of Washington, in the reconnaissance made by General Schenck, and Vulmer and Lauman were wounded, the former losing his right arm.  Shortly after the term of their enlistment had expired, Joseph Hinson enlisted in the Thirty-third Ohio Infantry and from the rank of Captain, rose to that of Colonel of the regiment.  He was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, losing his right arm.  He was noted for gallantry in action, and when mustered out of the army at the close of the war was respected and beloved by those in his command.  Abisha Downing enlisted in Company D, Seventy-third Ohio Infantry, and was mustered as Second Lieutenant of the company Nov. 4, 1861.  He served from that time on until the close of the war, having in the meantime been commissioned a Major of the regiment.  His record as a soldier is without a blemish.  Young Barnes was the first of the Pike County volunteers to offer up his life on the altar of his country, and in his honor the post of the Grand Army of the Republic organized at Waverly is named Barnes Post.  It is fitting that the names of these six young men should be preserved in the history of the county as the first to respond to the call of their country when its overthrow was threatened by an armed rebellion.

THE COUNTRY CALLS AGAIN.

     In the early part of June, 1861, when it became apparent that the 75,000 men first called for by President Lincoln would not be sufficient to put down the rebellion, and after an additional call had been made for volunteers, seven young men of Waverly enlisted in Company B, Sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, commonly known as the "Guthrie Grays," a regiment organized at Cincinnati, Ohio.  The names of these young men were: John Helfenbine, Philip B. Helfenbine, Benjamin Lewis, James Warren, Anson Clapper, John  Boerst and David Schreiber.  The Sixth Regiment was first ordered into West Virginia where, under General McClelland and afterward under General Rosecrans, it took part in the battles of Carrick's Ford, Cheat Mountain, Beverly, etc.  Late in November of 1861 the Sixth Regiment was ordered to Louisville, Ky., and at once became a part of the Army of the Ohio, and was assigned to the Fifteenth Brigade of the Fourth Division, commanded by Brigadier William Nelson.  The part taken by this reg-

[Page 723]
iment in the marches and battles which preceeded the fall of Atlanta reflects great credit upon its officers and men.
     Of the seven young men of Pike County who formed a part of Company B of that regiment, it may be said that each honorably discharged his duty and contributed by his soldierly conduct to the high character and standing that the regiment maintained for the three years that it was an active service; nor did these seven young patriots escape the casualties of war.  John Boerst was killed at the battle of Stone River, and in the same battle Jas. Warren, Anson Clapper, David Schreiber and John Helfenbine were severely wounded, both Warren and Clapper subsequently dying of their wounds.  Philip B. Helfenbine was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, and Benjamin Lewis was taken prisoner and was kept a prisoner at Richmond, Va., for seventeen months.  Brief as this history is of the military career of these seven young men, yet the reader cannot fail to admire the patriotism that led them at that early period of the war to leave their homes to volunteer in a regiment, so remote from where they lived, and in which all were strangers to them.  They deserve to be enrolled among the true patriots of the war and to have their names preserved in the history of their county.
     At the October election in 1861 the voters of Pike County were to decide the question as to whether the county seat should be removed to Waverly or not.  This local question was of absorbing interest to the people and the canvass was an exciting one, and notwithstanding the fact that a civil war had broken out, yet many young men decided to remain at home until after the election before volunteering into the army to maintain the Union.  Immediately after the October election T. W. Higgins, who had taken a prominent part in the canvass for removal, obtained a recruiting commission to raise a company for the Seventy-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and notwithstanding the fact that his was the thirteenth commission issued to different persons to raise companies for the same regiment, he was the second officer to fill his company, and to be mustered into said regiment.  The regiment was to rendezvous at Chillicothe, Ohio.  Mr. Higgins was appointed a Second Lieutenant Oct. 13, 1861, and was promoted to Captain, Company B, Nov. 20, of the same year.  This company was mostly recruited in Pike County, and when organized George Lauman was elected First Lieutenant, and Henry Hinson Second Lieutenant.  It remained with the regiment to the close of the war, having veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.  The following are the names of its officers from the commencement to the close of the service, with the dates of promotion, etc.:
     T. W. Higgins, appointed Second Lieutenant, Oct. 13, 1861; promoted to Captain of Company B, Nov. 20, 1861; promoted to Major, June 27, 1864; commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel, July 10, 1864, not mustered; appointed Lieutenant-Colonel by brevet, with rank dating March 13, 1865; served full term.
     George Lauman, appointed First Lieutenant, Dec. 18, 1861; resigned Mar. 8, 1862.
     Henry Hinson, appointed Second Lieutenant Nov. 20, 1861; promoted to First Lieutenant, May 22, 1862; promoted to Captain, Mar. 1, 1864; resigned on account of wounds Oct. 20, 1864.
     John H. Martin, enlisted Oct. 15, 1861; appointed First Lieutenant, May 20, 1864; promoted to Captain, June 22, 1865; served full term.
     Joshua A. Davis, enlisted Oct. 15, 1861; appointed Second Lieutenant, May 12, 1862; promoted to First Lieutenant, Mar. 1, 1864; discharged on account of wounds received in battle of New Hope Church, Ga.
     Part of another company (D) of same regiment was recruited in Pike County.  Of this

[Page 724]
company the following named persons were mustered as officers:
     James Q. Barnes, enlisted November, 1861; appointed First Lieutenant, Dec. 30, 1861; promoted to Captain, Sept. 22, 1862; mustered out Dec. 29, 1864, by reason of expiration of term of service.
     Abisha Downing, appointed Second Lieutenant, Dec. 30, 1861; promoted to First Lieutenant, Dec. 30, 1861; promoted to First Lieutenant, Sept. 22, 1862; promoted to Captain, Mar. 29, 1864; commissioned as Mayor, July 18, 1865, not mustered; served full term.
     Prestey T. Talbott, enlisted Oct. 15, 1861; appointed Captain, Apr. 18, 1864; resigned June 25, 1865.
     Joseph P. Talbott, enlisted Oct. 15, 1861; appointed Second Lieutenant, Jan. 1, 1863; promoted to First Lieutenant, Mar. 30, 1864; resigned June 18, 1864.
     The following is a list of those belonging to Company B, of the Seventy-third Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who were killed in battle, died of their wounds, or of disease:
     First Sergeant Charles Shepherd, killed in battle at second Bull Run;
     Sergeant Benjamin Morrison, killed in battle at Second Bull Run;
     Sergeant Johnson Pryor, killed in battle at Gettysburg;
     Sergeant Thos. F. Rice, died of wounds at Gettysburg;
     Corporal Wm. E. Haines, killed in battle at Gettysburg;
     Corporal James H. Smith, killed in battle of Second Bull Run;
     Corporal Samuel Turner, killed in battle of Gettysburg;
     William R. Call, died of wounds received at Gettysburg;
     John Couch, died at Aquia Creek, Jan. 1863;
     John H. Donhee, died at Clarksburg, Va., Mar., 1862;
     George Haines, died at Clarksburg, Va., 1862;
     Daniel Kirkendall, died of wounds at Chattanooga;
     David R. Lee, died at Clarksburg, Va., 1862;
     William Labor, killed in battle of Cross Keys, Va., 1862;
     David D. Milton, died at Clarksburg, Va., 1862;
     William May, killed in battle at Peach-Tree Creek;
     Isaiah McCandles, died at Weston, Va., 1862;
     George Dixon, died of wounds received at Gettsburg;
     Jeremiah Price, died at home, 1865;
     Joseph T. Shade, died at Clarksburg, Va., 1862;
     Absalom Hisey, killed in battle of Kenesaw Mountain;
     William Linton, died at Washington, D. C., 1863;
     William McLuens, killed in battle at Gettsyburg;
     James H. McCoy, died at Chattanooga, 1864;
     David M. Junkins, died at Nashville, 1864.

     The names of those of Company D, that were killed in battle, and those who died of wounds or of disease, are as follows:

     Corporal John Durham, died of wounds received at Second Bull Run;
     Corporal Frank H. Watkins, died at Clarksburg, Va., 1862;
     Corporal Abner Taylor, killed in battle of Resaca;
     William Ackerman, killed accidentally at Gettysburg,
     William Cochenorer, died at Petersburg, Va., in 1862;
     Joseph Chesser
, died at Falmouth, Va., in 1863;
     John W. Cattrell, died at Clarksburg, Va., in 1862;
     Francis W. Crabtree, drowned while sailing near Cape Hatteras;
     Frederick Kunthe, killed in battle of Resaca;
     John McKee, killed in battle of Second Bull Run;
     Henry J. Martin, died at Clarksburg, Va., in 1862;
     Albert Moots, died at Lookout Valley, Tenn., in 1863;
     Isaac Martin, died at Falmouth, Va.;
     John Swift, killed in battle at Lookout Valley, Tenn., in 1863;
     Thomas Swift, died at Clarksburg, Va., in 1862;
     Dennis Drake, killed in battle at Lookout Valley, Tenn.;
     Isaac Miller, killed in battle of Lookout Valley, in 1863;
     James H. Russell, died of wounds received at Kenesaw Mountain;
     Samuel R. Bishop, died at home, in 1864;
     Robert H. Grubb, killed in battle at New Hope Church;
     William Nichols, died of wounds in July, 1864;
     James R. Rinehart, died at Chattanooga, Tenn.

     Some of those whose names are here written, in both Companies B and D, were not residents of Pike County but most were.
     The officers of the Seventy-third Regiment

[Page 725]
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, when first organized, were: 
     Colonel, Orland Smith;
    
Lieutenant-Colonel, Jacob Hyer;
     Major, Richard Long
    
Adjutant, Frederick C. Smith;
    
Surgeon, Jonas P. Safford;
    
Quartermaster, William D. Wesson.
     Jan. 24, 1862, the regiment was ordered to report to General Rosecrans (then commanding the department of West Virginia), and proceeded immediately to New Creek, W. Va.  It marched from there to Romney, and, returning, again marched to Moorefield with the Fifty-fifth Ohio Infantry, where, after a slight skirmish, it entered the town.  Returning immediately to New Creek, the regiment was ordered back to Clarksburg on the 18th of February, and arrived there on the 19th.  Measles had broken out in the regiment and in two weeks time 300 men were sick in hospital and one or more died almost every day.  The records of death was given above will show the reader how fatal this disease was to Companies B and D; and the deaths in the other companies were in about the same proportion.
     From Clarksburg the regiment, on the 20th of March, 1862, moved to Weston, and after a three weeks' encampment commenced its march across the mountains by way of Buchanan, Beverly, Huttonsville and Cheat Mountain, 120 miles, to Monterey, where the Seventy-third lost several men who had been sent on a foraging party, having been surprised by rebel cavalry near Williamsville. 
     May 8, the regiment participated in the battle of McDowell, General Milroy commanding the Union forces, about 4,000 strong, and being reinforced during the battle with General Schenck's command of about 2,000.  It was soon learned that Stonewall Jackson had united his forces with those of General Johnson, and our army retreated upon Franklin, arriving there May 10, being closely pursued by the rebel forces.  On the 13th of May General Freemont with an army of about 10,000 men marched into Franklin, and the enemy learning of this fact immediately withdrew toward the valley of the Shenandoah.  The forces at Franklin were organized into an army under the command of General Fremont and was called the Army of the Mountain.  The Seventy-third Regiment was now for the first time brigaded, being placed in the brigade commanded by General Schenck.  May 25 the Army of the Mountain, under command of General Fremont, left Franklin for the Shenandoah Valley, where, June 1, it again encountered Stonewall Jackson's forces, on their return up the valley, after having suddenly fallen upon General Banks at Strasburg and driven him back through Winchester to Harper's Ferry.  Sharp skirmishing between the two armies was engaged in, but Jackson continued to move up the valley and Fremont followed him, engaging his rear guard from time to time until his arrival at Cross Keys, where Jackson made a stand and where a determined and sanguinary battle was not decisive, but on the morning of the 9th it was discovered that Jackson had retreated through Port Republic.
     In this engagement the Seventy-third Regiment lost eight men in killed and wounded.  It was here that William Labor, of Company B, was killed while on the skirmish line.  General Fremont decided not to follow Jackson, and immediately moved his army back to Strasburg, where it remained a few days and then retired of Middletown.  While here General Fremont was superseded by General Sigel, and the Army of the Mountain became the First Corps of the Army of Virginia.  The Seventy-third Regiment was placed in a division commanded by General Schenck and in a brigade commanded by Colonel N. C. McLean, of the Seventy-fifty Ohio.  The brigade was composed of the Fifty-fifth, Seventy-third, Seventy-fifth and Twenty-fifth Ohio regiments.
     On the 7th of July the First Corps of the Army of Virginia left Middletown and moved through Front Royal, and along the

[Page 726]
main stream of the Shenandoah and up the valley of Luray, and then after a few days' rest crossed the Blue Ridge and encamped at Sperryville, at the foot of the mountain, where it remained for nearly a month.  On the 16th of July the Seventy-third with a force of cavalry and a section of artillery was sent on the reconnoisance to Madison Court-House, in which a few prisoners were taken.  While at Sperryville, General Pope arrived and assumed command of the Army of Virginia.  On the 8th of August the army broke camp and moved forward to join the forces of General Banks, then encamped at Culpeper, and who was being threatened by Stonewall Jackson who was crossing the Rapidan near Orange Court-House.  The Seventy-third marched all night and arrived at Culpeper at noon on the 9th.  On arrival heavy and continuous wars of musketry and artillery could be distinctly heard in the direction of Cedar Mountain where General Banks was engaging the enemy.  The smoke from the batteries and bursting shells was plainly visible to those at Culpeper.  At sunset the brigade is moved forward, passing on toward Cedar Mountain, meeting many ambulances loaded with wounded men, and groups of men walking, and wounded men on foot and on horseback, passing to the rear, and all telling of a bloody battle.  The brigade moves on four miles and turns into a field and forms of line of battle and the men rest on their arms.  Night comes and there is a lull in the sound of artillery and musketry, with occasional outbreaks that indicate a continuous struggle for the mastery.  A little after midnight the brigade is roused up and moved to the front, passing many stragglers and parks of ambulances and artillery and reserves of cavalry and infantry, when it again files into a field with only pickets in front and the men lay down to await the coming day and, as was thought by all, a coming death struggle, but no engagement took place that day nor on the next, as the enemy had fallen back.  Two days later Sigel's Corps moved forward to the Rapidan on the Orange Court-House road, and remained there about a week, when it having been reported that Jackson was moving down the right bank of the Rapidan, with intent of getting between the city of Washington and the Army of Virginia, orders were given to fall back, and Sigel's Corps moved slowly back through Culpeper to the Warrenton and White Sulpher Springs.  The next morning Schenck's division was moved up to Freedmans Ford.  At this ford a lively artillery engagement was kept up during most of the day, while McLean's brigade was massed near the ford.  From here the whole corps moved rapidly toward White Sulphur Springs.  The enemy had possession of the ford at the Springs, and had thrown a considerable force across and was fighting for a foothold on the north side of artillery in this engagement, and with it the regiment stood picket during the night, half a mile out on the flank of the corps, and in the morning the whole corps swept around the Springs and occupied the hills for a mile up the river, at which place a spirited artillery engagement was kept up for two hours.  At about noon the corps moved up to the village and ford of Waterloo, where the artillery again continued their duel.  On the next evening the corps moved to Warrenton.  On the next morning, Aug. 26, the corps moved out on the Alexandria pike, passed through New Baltimore and Buckland, and arrived during the afternoon in the vicinity of Gainesville, where the enemy again appeared in front.  The advance of Sigels corps found the enemy at Gainesville, and fell back until the column came up.  Here there was some artillery fighting, and it was afterward learned that Jackson, with his whole army, was there, moving through Gainesville, on

[Page 727]

 

[Page 728]

 

[Page 729]

 

[Page 730]

 

[Page 731]

 

[Page 732]

 

THE SIXTY-THIRD INFANTRY

was organized by the consolidation of two battalions of recruits known as the Twenty-second and Sixty-third Infantry, which was effected in January, 1862.  It moved from Marietta Feb. 18, proceeding to Paducah, Ky., and thence to Commerce, Mo., to join the Army of the Mississippi, under General Pope and participated in all the operations against New Madrid and Island No. 10.  Next it fought under Halleck in the siege of Corinth, sustaining severe loss in the engagement at Farmington.  In the battle of Oct. 3, at Corinth, the Sixty-third lost forty-eight per cent, of officers and men, in killed and wounded.  In November it joined Grant in Mississippi, and moved first to Jackson, Tenn., then to Bolivar, Tenn., and on the 31st of December fought Forrest at Parker's Cross Roads.  After this victory the regiment went into winter quarters at Corinth.
     Apr. 20, 1863, it moved beyond Tuscumbia, Ala., and then returned to Corinth.  From May to October it was on garrison duty at Memphis, and then it joined Sherman, marching to Eastport, and thence to Prospect, Tenn.  Here it re-enlisted as a veteran regiment and proceeded home on its furlough.  In February, 1864, it took the field again in Alabama, assisting in the capture of Decatur.  Thence it proceeded to Chattanooga, Rossville and

[Page 733]

 

 

WHAT OHIO DID FOR THE UNION.

 

 

 

[Page 734]
the final campaign against Richmond they stood in undaunted courage and endurance, until the closing of the final scene under the historic apple-tree.
     Their bones can be found upon every battlefield, either lost or won.  A people thus rallying en masse to the call of duty gives an undying pledge of their patriotism, and that this Union of States, as long as she can rally a man, shall never be severed.  Thus Ohio stands foremost in the sisterhood of States in all that manhood, honor and patriotism claims, and is as ready now as then to meet the enemies of our country, either domestic or foreign, and "welcome them with bloody hands to hospital graves."
     Aug. 16, 1862. - "Resolved, That the commissioners of Pike County do hereby guarantee to every able-bodied man who has or shall volunteer in the United States service under the last two calls for volunteers in any company or part of company raised in Pike County, the sum of $25 to be paid upon the acceptance of said volunteer into the service of the United States."
     Feb. 20, 1864, a bounty of $100 was given to volunteers who would enlist for the war, the auditor being authorized to draw a warrant in favor of each soldier who volunteered as a bounty by the county on or before Mar. 7, 1853.
     The county renewed the offer extending the time to Apr. 1, 1864.  The townships also contributed a quota to the general fund, or a part of them, as follows:  Jackson, $550; Union, $280; Seal, $642; Pebble, $180.

 

NOTES:
 

 

CLICK HERE to Return to
PIKE COUNTY, 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