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CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY-THE REVOLUTION-SECOND WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN-MEXICAN WAR-THE

REBELLION

THE history of Morrow County in the wars in which the country has been involved is of a character that her people may ever refer to with pride and satisfaction. Many of her early settlers not only the descendants of Revolutionary soldiers but some were Revolutionary soldiers themselves. Referring to the latter, we copy the owing from the Sentinel of July 2, 1863: We had the pleasure of a call on Friday morning of last week from Mr, John Baker, a resident this county, who is now one hundred and three years old. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and volunteered April 10, 1777, serving during the remainder of the war. He belonged the "Maryland Blues," under Col. Hammond Gen. Ridgely. He knew Gen. Washington and was present at his funeral. Mr. Baker was also a soldier of the war of 1812, and was stationed at Fort McHenry, etc." Just what number among the early settlers were Revolutionary soldiers, we have no means of knowing. But coming to the country as early as 1808-10, a little more than a quarter of a century after the close of the Revolution, it is altogether probable that they included quite a number of the patriots of the war for independence. So far, we have obtained the names of the following Revolutionary soldiers, but whether these are all, we are unable to say: John Stilly, Jacob Foust, William Munson, Ebenezer Wood, Alexander Dixon, Sr., John Baker, Reuben Martin, Alexander Kin-man, Eben Holt, Lodwick Hardenbrook, William Lockhart.

The impoverished Government for which they had fought long and faithfully had no other means of rewarding its soldiers, than to pay them in Western lands, and thus many of them found homes in Ohio, the lands of which territory was then coming into market. Many others, however, were poor, and had not the means of reaching their Western homes, and were forced to sell them for whatever they could get for them, thereby deriving but little benefit from what was intended by the Government to be a munificent bounty. But these facts are all matters of history, and do not really belong to the history of Morrow County. They are only mentioned as illustrative of the germ of patriotism planted in the citizens of the county which has grown and flourished with the advancing years.

In the Indian wars of the frontier, and the war of 1812, the territory now embraced in Morrow County comprised but a handful of settlers, but these came forward with a hearty good will. They took down the old flint-lock fowling pieces used by their fathers at Trenton, Brandywine, Monmouth, Saratoga and Yorktown, and whether contending with the well-trained legions of KinGeorge, in the open fields, according to the rules of civilized warfare, or fighting the red man in his own way-popping away at each other from behind trees and rocks, their valor was the same ; their bravery of a quality worthy of being transmitted to their descendants. A company was raised. in the north part of Delaware which contained several men from what is now Morrow County, but at that time embraced in Delaware County. It is impossible to obtain the names of all who served in the war of 1812 from this section, after the lapse of so many years. Among them we may mention, however, the names of William Williams, John Baker, William Blair, John Stilly, Jacob Shur, Alexander Walker, Charles Russell, Jacob Conklin, Jonathan Lewis, Benjamin Olds, James Trindle, John Foust,

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Abraham Foust, Elisha Barry, Lawrence Lamb, John Shauck, Samuel Scribner, Joseph Kingman, I William Rush and Isaac Laning.

As a matter of some interest to our modern soldiers, we give the following abstract from the Quartermaster's Department during the war of 1812: Rations-One and a quarter pounds of beef, three-quarters of a pound of pork, thirteen ounces of bread or flour, one gill of whisky. At the rate of two quarts of salt, four quarts of vinegar, four pounds of soap and one and three-quarter pounds of candles to every 100 rations. And from the Paymaster's Department-Colonel, $75 per month, five rations and $12 for forage; Major, $50 per month, and three rations; Captain, $40 and three rations; First Lieutenant, $30 and two rations; Second Lieutenant, $20 and two rations; Ensign, $20 and two rations ; Sergeant I Major, $9 ; Quartermaster Sergeant, $9 ; other Sergeants, $8; Corporals, $7; Musicians, $6 and Privates, $6 per month.

As Morrow, County was, as yet, not only unheard of, but unthought of, and the territory composing it populated only by a few families, it is scarcely to the point to enter into a history of the war of 1812 in all its details. With the following extract from a chronicle of the time, we will pass on to matters and events of more recent occurrence: "Defeats, disaster and disgrace marked its opening scenes ; but the latter events of the contest were a series of splendid achievements. Croghan's gallant defense of Fort Stephenson ; Perry's victory upon Lake Erie ; the total defeat, by Harrison, of the allied British and savages, under Proctor and Tecumseh, on the Thames, and the great closing triumph of Jackson, at New Orleans, reflected the most brilliant luster on the American arms. In every vicissitude of this contest, the conduct of Ohio was eminently patriotic and honorable. When the necessities of the National Government compelled Congress to resort to a direct, tax, Ohio, for successive years, cheerfully assumed and promptly paid her quota out of her State treasury. Her sons volunteered with alacrity their services in the field; and no troops more patiently endured hardship or performed better, service. Hardly a battle was fought in the North. west in which some of these brave citizen soldiers did not seal their devotion to their country with their blood." And what is true, and to the honor, of the State at large, is equally true of the soldiers of this particular section.

The country was no more disturbed by "wars and rumors of "wars," after the close of the troubles of 1812, until the Mexican war came up. If war with "blood-red tresses deepening in the sun," and " death-shot glowing in his fiery hands" raged and maddened to and fro in climes beyond the great deep, the thunder of his goings came to us but as the "dying cadence of the voice of a distant cloud, whose lightings could harm us not." There were occasionally little outbursts with the Indians on the distant frontiers, but nothing calculated to disturb or alarm this portion of the country.

The circumstances which led to the war with Mexico resulted from the admission of Texas as a State into the American Union. The "Lone Star State" had been a province of Mexico, but had seceded (as in after years she and ten of her sisters attempted to secede from the Federal Government, but without success), and for years its citizens had been carrying on a guerrilla warfare with the mother country. This warfare had been attended with varying results, -sometimes the one, and sometimes the other, being successful. But, in 1836, a battle was fought at San Jacinto, at which Santa Anna, then Dictator of Mexico, was captured, and his whole army either killed or made prisoners. Santa Anna was held in strict confinement, and finally induced to sign a treaty acknowledging the independence of Texas. But, in violation of the treaty and every principle of honor, the Republic of Mexico treated Texas and the Texans just as she had previously done. From this time on, petitions were frequently presented to the United States praying admission into the Union. But Mexico, through sheer spite, en-

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deavored to prevent the admission of Texas by constantly declaring that her reception would be regarded as a sufficient cause for a declaration of thinking, perhaps, that this would serve to intimidate the United States. In the Presidential Vass of 1844, between Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and James K. Polk, of Tennessee, the annexation of Texas was one of the leading questions before the people, and Mr. Polk, whose party favored the admission of Texas, being elected, was taken as a public declaration on the subject. After this, Congress had no hesitancy in granting the petition of Texas, and, on the 1st of March, 1845, formally received her into the sister of States. Mexico at once, in her indignation, broke off all diplomatic relations with the United States, calling home her Minister immediately, which was a clear declaration of war ,and war soon followed. Congress passed an act authorizing the President to accept the services of 50,000 volunteers (which were at once to be raised), and appropriating $10,000,000 for the prosecution of the war.

In the President's call for 50,000 men, Ohio was required to furnish three regiments. With her characteristic patriotism, she filled her quota in a few weeks Upon the organization of the three regiments, at Cincinnati, the place of rendezvous, there were almost troops enough left to form another regiment. These were furnished transportation to their homes at the expense of the Government. The regiments, as organized, were officered as followed; First Regiment-A. M. Mitchell, Cincinnati, Colonel; John B. Weller, of Butler County, Lieutenant Colonel ; T. L. Hamer, of Brown County, Major. Second Regiment-G. W. Morgan, of Knox County, Colonel; William Irvin, of Fairfield, Lieutenant Colonel; William Hall, of Athens, Major. Third Regiment-S. R. Curtis, of Wayne County, Colonel; G. W. McCook, of, Jefferson, Lieutenant Colonel, and J. S. Love, of Morgan, Major.

Morrow County was still unborn, yet the section now embraced in it showed the martial spirit displayed by its citizens in the war of 1812, and many enlisted in the first call for troops. We have been unable to obtain the names of all who took part in the war from the present territory of Morrow. Among the gallant band, however, we have the names of Capt. Jesse Meredith, a soldier of the late rebellion as well as of the Mexican war; Didymus Benson, William T. George, Jesse B. Herrod; A. H. Brown, Lieutenant Colonel of the Ninety-sixth Regiment during the late war; David Morton, Thomas Turner, James Runyon. Quite a number of others were from this section, but their names cannot be recalled.

In the war of the rebellion, which commenced in the spring of 1861, the old men of Morrow County were not wanting in council, nor her young and middle-aged men in true martial spirit. With a firm, unswerving faith in the righteousness of the Union cause, her citizens, without distinction in age or sex, or party predilections, were imbued with a determination to conquer, or die rather than survive defeat. this kind of martial spirit that bore the Union cause through defeat as well as victory; and whenever the oft-repeated news was brought home of depleted ranks, it was this spirit that hurried on fresh legions to fill up the broken regiments. Morrow County valor is attested on every street of her cities, towns and villages, throughout her fertile lands, and last, but not least, within the silent "cities of her dead." It is within the "pale cemeteries of the sheeted dead," that, with each recurring anniversary, surviving friends gather together, and moisten with their tears, the graves of slumbering heroes, and, with loving hands, lay immortelles upon the green hillocks above them. This is eminently proper. The custom of strewing floral mementoes on the graves of departed friends is time-honored and ancient. It is of Oriental origin, and we read that

"In Eastern lands they talk in flowers,

And tell in garlands their loves and cares,"

and that each little velvet petal that spreads itself to the light contains a mystical language more

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powerful and sympathetic in its nature than tongue can express. In ancient times, the people were as careful in guarding the memory of their dead, of embalming their virtues and erasing their errors, as they were mindful of their liberties. This sweet privilege, through the long roll of years that have passed, has fallen a blessed boon to our people, and they have felt it a duty to recall the virtues and the heroic deeds of noble sons, who endured the stern discipline of the camp, and dared the storm of battle for a cause in which their hearts and natures were enlisted. Coincident with the subject upon which we write, the people of the county have assembled to-day (May 31) in their metropolis, for the purpose of bedecking the graves of their beloved dead with spring's sweetest flowers. And while this affectionate tribute is paid to those who sleep beside their ancestors in the village churchyard, it is but meet that those should be remembered who rest in neglected -ravd, far from home and loved ones. Their memory is immortal; and beautiful as a crown of gold, the rays of the sunset lay upon the hill-tops where they repose after their battles. Many went out to fight for the Union, with only the benediction of a mother's tears and prayers, and came not back to that mother's arms. They sleep in the swamps of the Chickahominy, on the banks of the Rapidan, at Fredericksburg, Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and in the Wilderness. But they should be remembered as they slumber there in glorified rest.

"Winds of summer, oh! whisper low

Over the graves where the daisies grow,

Blossoming flowers and songs of bees,.

Sweet ferns tossed in the summer breeze

Floating shadows and golden lights,

Dewy mornings and radiant nights

All the bright and beautiful things

That gracious and bountiful summer brings,

Fairest and sweetest that earth can bestow,

Brighten the graves where the daisies grow."

When the first alarm was sounded of the coming war, and President Lincoln called for 75,000 men to defend the cause of the Union., the call received a hearty response from Morrow County.' From that time until the finishing-stroke was given to rebellion at Appomattox, April 19, 1865, the patriotic little county was ever ready to do her whole duty. But few counties of the same population equaled her in patriotism. Although the draft was three times forced upon her, it was each time for so small a number that her people scarcely felt the humiliation of having been exposed to conscription. From those who carried muskets and bore the brunt of the fight, to those who wore shoulder-straps, every duty was faithfully and uncomplainingly performed. In the pages which follow, we shall attempt to do full justice to all whose valor sent them forth to maintain the Union.

The first regiment that drew anything like an organized body of men from Morrow County was the Third Ohio Infantry, which, as its number indicates, was among the first Ohio regiments in the field. It was recruited originally for the threemonths service under President Lincoln's first call for troops in April, 1861, but before the term had fully expired, nearly the entire regiment had re-enlisted for three years. Of the original officers of the Third, John Beatty, of Cardington, was elected Lieutenant Colonel. The following sketch of this distinguished soldier is by Whitelaw Reid: "Early in April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in a company raised in his own town. Of this company had was unanimously elected Captain, and on the 19th of the month, he reported his men for duty to the Adjutant General of the State. Eight days later, he was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Third Ohio Infantry, of which his company was a part. It was originally a three-months regiment; but on the 12th of Jun ; previous to taking the field, it reorganized for the three years' service the field officers remaining the same. On the 23d of June, the regiment was sent to West Virginia, and during a summer and fall campaign in the wild and mountainous region at Middle Fork, at Rich Mountain, at Cheat Mountain and at Elkwater, it illustrated its own excellence, and the skill and bravery of its officers.

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"Transferred to Kentucky in November, the regiment had the good fortune to be assigned to the old Third Division of the Army of the Ohio, commanded by Gen. O. M. Mitchell. While at Bacon Creek, Ky., Lieut. Col. Beatty was promoted to the colonelcy of his regiment, and in that capacity he accompanied Gen. Mitchell through his campaign in' Southern Kentucky, Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama. In the fight at Bridgeport, and in the operations about Decatur and Point Rock, Col. Beatty took a conspicuous and useful part. Selected by Gen. Mitchell as Provost Marshal of Huntsville, he discharged the delicate and difficult duties of that office with fidelity and tact.

"Returning to Louisville with Gen. Buell in September, 1862, he joined in the pursuit of Bragg through Kentucky, and on the 8th of October fought at the head of his regiment in the battle of Perryville. Here he first attracted general attention. Holding the extreme right of Gen. Rousseau's division, his regiment was assailed, both in front and flank, by an overwhelming force; and though in an hour's time one-third of his men were killed and wounded, Col. Beatty refused to yield an inch of ground until relieved by Col. Pope, with the Fifteenth Kentucky.

"On the. 26th of December, Col. Beatty assumed command of the old Seventeenth Brigade, which had been formed previously, with such leaders as Lytle and Dumont. On Wednesday, the 31st of December, at Murfreesboro, this brigade, forming the third part of Rousseau's division, assisted in checking the onset of Hardee. Col. Beatty had two horses shot under him, but he came out uninjured. On Saturday night, Jan. 3, 1863, he was ordered to attack the enemy's works lying near Murfreesboro turnpike. Placing himself at the head of his brigade, had charged over the rebel works, and carried them at the point of the bayonet. On the 12th of March, 1863, Col. Beatty was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers, to rank from the 26th of November, 1862.

"Being assigned to the first brigade of Negley's division, he participated in the Tullahoma campaign, and after the rebels had been driven out of that stronghold, he led the column which pursued them, skirmishing successfully with their rear-guard, until he gained the lofty plateau of the Cumberlands. In the Chattanooga campaign, Gen. Beatty had the honor of being the first to lead his command to the summit of Lookout Mountain. The rebels, after a feeble resistance at Johnson's Creek, retired rapidly before him. In the masterly retreat from Duo, Gap, which elicited warm commendation, both from Gen. Rosecrans and Gen. Thomas, Gen. Beatty was assigned by Gen. Negley to the responsible and difficult duty of protecting and bringing away a large wagontrain in the face of an immense force of rebels. Not a single wagon fell into the enemy's hands.

"In the battle of Chickamauga, it was Gen. Beatty's fortune to commence the fighting, both on the 19th and 20th of September-the first day upon the extreme right, and the second upon the extreme left of the line. Assailed early on the morning of the 19th, he handsomely repulsed the enemy after a fight of three hours duration, and held his ground until ordered to the center of the line, late in the afternoon. On Sunday morning he reported to Gen. Thomas with his command, and was placed on the extreme left along the La Fayette road, with orders to hold it at all hazards. Hour after hour, with his comparatively feeble force, he maintained his position against the masses of the foe which swayed around him. He was re-enforced at last by Col. T. R. Stanley with his brigade, and in conjunction they charged and drove the rebels half a mile, capturing a large part of Gen. Adams' Louisiana Brigade, with its leader at its head. Later in the day, Gen. Beatty was among the heroes who held the last position against the combined efforts of the rebel army. Again, on the 21st, while in position near Rossville, a heavy reconnoitering column attacked Gen. Beatty's brigade, but it was driven back with considerable loss.

In the re-organization of the army, Gen.

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Beatty was assigned to the Second Brigade of Davis' division, and during the operations which resulted in the expulsion of the rebels from Mission Ridge and Lookout Mountain, his command held the left of the line. Though not actively engaged at that time, it joined with great vigor in pursuit of the retreating foe. On the 20th of November, Gen. Beatty, in conjunction with Col. Daniel McCook, overtook the rebel Gen. Maury at Graysville, and, after a sharp conflict, entirely defeated him.

"On the 1st of December, Gen. Davis' division commenced its march toward Knoxville for the relief of Gen. Burnside, not returning to its camp at Chattanooga until the 18th of the same month. Gen. Beatty participated in this march, sharing fully the fatigues and hardships of the humblest private soldier in the command. On the 13th of January, 1864, he tendered his resignation for reasons of a private nature.

"Gen. Beatty was never absent during his entire term of service, from any command to which he was assigned, while that command was actively engaged. He was thoroughly impressed with the duties and responsibilities of his position, and his soldierly reputation was stainless. In fact, so marked were his honesty and open-hearted integrity, that his name became a synonym for these qualites among his men; and when they wished to express their unquestioning trust in any one, they said he was 'honest as John Beatty.' Gen. Beatty remarked to Gen. Thomas, after he had tendered his resignation that he hoped there would be no misunderstanding of the motives which induced him to resign. Gen. Thomas replied, 'General, we know you too well to suspect your motives in anything.' In the camp, in the bivouac, or upon the field of battle, it is said that he never laid down or even closed his eyes in sleep, without first reading a passage in the Bible and commending himself, his soldiers and his country to God in earnest prayer. An orderly whose business took him around to various places said that Gen. Beatty's were the only headquarters which he visited where he never heard an oath Mirth and amusement were by no means unknown at these headquarters; but gaming and intemperance were utter strangers, and on no pretense could Gen. Beatty be induced to consent to the sale of liquors within his command.

"His power of endurance was wonderful. When occasion demanded, he could perform the longest and most fatiguing marches without any complaint, and seemingly without suffering the slightest inconvenience for want of sleep. Changes of temperature were nothing to him, and snow, rain and sleet were equally unable to affect his equanimity. 'Whatever was the soldier's bed, that also was is couch; and whatever was the soldier's fare, he also partook of it. A soldier' once said, If we were compelled to cat the bark of trees, I believe Gen. Beatty would find it delicious food.' The evening before leaving Chattanooga, he received a communication from the commanders of the several regiments in his brigade, tendering their sincere thanks for his kindness and general bearing toward all, and expressing their high appreciation of his valuable services. Indeed, it did Dot often happen that the resignation of an officer excited more universal regret than did that of Gen,. Beatty."

We deem no apology necessary for this lengthy sketch of a patriot and a soldier. Long a citizen of Morrow County, he was well known among the people, and cherished and respected as an upright and honorable man. Higher praise would appear fulsome and extravagant.

Company I, of this regiment-the Third Ohio Infantry (Beatty's)-was raised in and around Cardington, by John Beatty, in the very beginning of the war. When the requisite number of men were obtained, they were taken to Columbus by Beatty, who, as we have seen, was elected Lieutenant Colonel. Upon the organization of the regiment, the following officers were elected in Company I, viz.: H. E. Cunard, Captain; James St. John, First Lieutenant; J. D. Moore, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Cunard was killed at the bat-

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tle of Perryville, Ky., October 8, 1862. Lieut. St. John had been detached on staff duty, leaving the command of Company I to Second Lieut. J. G. Blue, who had been promoted to the position the death of Second Lieut. Moore in September, 1861. The company lost severely in this battle, going in with sixty-seven men and coming out with fortyseven. Lieut. Blue was afterward promoted to First Lieutenant, and then to Captain, which position he retained until his term of service had expired, though a large portion of it was spent in Libby Prison. Edwin Reed became Second Lieutenant on the promotion of Capt. Blue, and died in prison at Charleston, S. C., with yellow fever.

The Third Regiment was organized at Camp Jackson, near Columbus, April 21, 1861. Upon the election of officers, by ballot, according to the old militia law, Isaac Morrow was elected Colonel; John Beatty, Lieutenant Colonel, and J. W. Kiefer, Major. On the 27th of April, it was mustered into the United States service, and the most rigid drill at once commenced, to prepare it for the field. Near the last of May, it was supplied with arms of a very poor character. Before orders for the field arrived, a considerable portion of the three months' term had expired; but upon the three years' call, the regiment almost unanimously reenlisted for that period, re-electing their old officers. On the 20th of June, it was uniformed and supplied with better arms, and ordered to Virginia, I arriving at Grafton on the 23d, where it at once reported to "Ten. McClellan. On the 25th of June at Clarksburg, whence it had moved from Grafton the regiment was brigaded with the Fourth and Ninth Ohio and Loomis Michigan Battery, Brig. Gen. Schleich commanding. From Clarksburg, the Third advanced with the army, and on the 5th of July, while lying at Buckingham, Va., a scouting party of fifty men, under Capt. Lawson, was sent out by Gen. Schleich to reconnoiter the by road leading to the rebel position at Rich Mountain. Cautiously the little band proceeded, when, approaching Middle Fork bridge, they discovered that it was occupied by the enemy. An unsuccessful effort was made to dislodge them, in which one man was killed and five wounded. This was the first man in the Third Ohio killed in battle. At the battle of Rich Mountain it was in the division which was to advance on the enemy's works, but as the fight occurred in the rear of the fortifications, it was not engaged.

On the 4th of August, the regiment marched to Elkwater Creek. and, in company with the Fifteenth Indiana and Loomis' Battery, commenced a series of fortifications across the valley. These fortifications were attacked, September 11, by the rebels, under Gen. Lee. The Third Ohio, with the Fifteenth and Seventh Indiana and a portion of Loomis' Battery, contested the advance of the rebels in several sharp skirmishes. In one of these, Col. John A. Washington, one of Gen. Lee's staff officers, of Mount Vernon, Va., was killed. In all the subsequent movements of that period, resulting in the repulse of the rebel army and its retirement to Mingo Flats, the Third Ohio took an active part.

In November, the regiment proceeded to Cincinnati, and from there to Louisville, Ky and went into camp four miles from the city. At this place (Camp Jenkins), the Army of the Ohio was formed, and the Third Ohio assigned to the Third Division, in command of Gen. Mitchell. On the 7th of December, the regiment and its division marched to Elizabethtown, Ky., and went into winter quarters at Bacon Creek, or Camp Jefferson as it was called. It remained here until the 22d of February, 1862, when it proceeded over roads tramped into mire by the passage of artillery trains, to Bowling Green, where it arrived just in time to have a bird's-eye view of the rear guard of the rebel army, as it pulled out for Nashville. The Third reached the banks of the Tennessee River, opposite Nashville, some twelve hours in advance of the troops under Gen. Nelson, From Nashville the regiment marched southward with Gen. 'Mitchell's column-the famous Third Division-and took an active part in all the stirring

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events of that brilliant campaign, including the capture of Murfreesboro and the occupation of Shelbyville and Fayetteville, Tenn. It also took part in the descent on Huntsville, and closely pursued the enemy through Tuscumbia to Iuka. In the battle of Bridgeport it acquitted itself with credit. After these achievements, a considerable time passed inactively, during which the regiment remained at Huntsville.

In the latter part of August, 1862, Gen. Bragg, it will be remembered, made a bold dash for Louisville, Ky., and the Third Ohio, on the 23d of that month, with other troops, left Huntsville and joined in the race between Buell and Brag,,. The march to Louisville was one of great severity. The weather was warm, the roads dusty, and many of the water-courses dried up. What water there was to be had was often very filthy and loathsome. Almost every day the rebels were in striking distance, and the army eager for battle, but no stand was made. At Green River, the army waited almost within sound of the battle in which Wilder and his gallant little band were allowed to be overpowered. Thus the northward march continued through clouds of dust and a country almost without water, until, on the morning of September 25, the Third Ohio again entered the city of Louisville. After a few days of rest, the national troops again resumed their movements. The first encounter of any importance with Bragg's forces was at Perryville, Ky., in which battle the Third bore an honorable part. It was in Col. Lytle's brigade, and, in the beginning of the action, took its position in an open field on the right of the Perryville road, protected only by a rail fence. The rebel attack was fierce and deadly, but notwithstanding their exposure, it stood its ground and returned volley for volley, until more than one-third of its number had fallen, dead or wounded. In the opening of the battle, Color Sergt. William V. McCoubrie stood a little in advance of the color guard, bearing the regimental standard proudly aloft. His exposed and marked position instantly brought upon him a fierce fire from the enemy, and the gallant fellow was killed. Five others shared the same fate, until the sixth rushed forward and caught the colors ere they touched the ground. This last hero was a beardless boy of seventeen, named David C. Walker, of Company C, who successfully carried the flag through the remainder of the action, and was rewarded for his bravery by being made Color Sergeant on the battle field by Col. Beatty. Before the close of the battle the regiment was ordered to withdraw to the second line, which command it executed in good order, though sorely pressed by the enemy. It remained in its last position until night put an end to the unequal contest. While in line, Gen. Rousseau rode up to the regiment and thanked it in the name of the army for its gallant conduct. He said, "You stood in that withering fire like men of iron." Its valor is fully attested in its loss in the battle, which was 215 officers and men killed and wounded. Among the officers killed were Capt. McDougall of Company A; Capt. H. E. Cunard, of Company I Lieut. James St. John, of Company I, aid-de-camp to Col. Lytle, and Lieut. Starr, of Company K.

In the further and fruitless pursuit of Bragg's army to and beyond Crab Orchard, Ky., the Third Ohio joined. Then, ill-clad and dispirited, the regiment and army turned their weary steps westward, and once more marched along the same beaten roads to Nashville, Tenn., where they arrived on the 30th of November, and the Third Ohio went into camp on the south side of the city. In the mean time, Gen. Rosecrans had completely re-organized his army, and had placed the regiment in the Reserve Division, Gen. Rousseau commanding. It remained quietly in camp until the advance on Murfreesboro, and in the bloody battle of Stone River which followed, the brigade to which the Third Ohio belonged was commanded by Col. Beatty, while the regiment itself was commanded by Lieut. Col. Lawson. The Third occupied a position upon the right center, and became engaged early in the day. As the right wing of the army was forced back, the center,

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which was partially engaged, changed front to accommodate itself to the changes made on the right. Maneuvering among the thick cedars in the face of a vigilant enemy was difficult, but the regiment preserved its line until, upon reaching the edge of an open cotton-field, the whole tide of battle seemed to roll down from the right and launch itself upon the center. It then began to give ground, stubbornly, delivering its fire steadily and effectively, though receiving two volleys for one. At last orders came to fall back upon the new line which had been formed under cover of the artillery. In its new position, the regiment was exposed to a galling fire and lost heavily. It was not actively engaged again during the day, but in the afternoon was exposed to a heavy fire of artillery. Early in the second day's battle, it was posted on the extreme left, and employed in guarding a crossing of Stone River. The first day and night of the new year (1863) it spent at this ford. On Friday morning it was relieved, and returned to the center, just in time to receive a share of the heavy cannonade opened by the rebels on that day. On the morning of January 3, it took a position in the front, where it skirmished briskly during the forenoon, and in the afternoon the regiment was withdrawn to make preparations , with others, to charge the woods in front of the Nationals' center, from which the rebel sharpshooters kept up a galling fire. The charge was made at dark, and proved to be the last struggle on the well-fought field of Stone River, as during the night the rebel army retreated toward Shelbyville and Tullahoma.

Another long rest now occurred, which brings the record of the regiment up to April, 1863, the beginning of a sad chapter in its history. The Third, with the Fifty-first and Seventy-third Indiana, Eightieth Illinois Infantry regiments, and two companies of the First Alabama Cavalry, was dispatched under command of the Colonel of the Fifty-first Indiana, on a raid into Northern Georgia, with the intention of destroying the iron works near Rome. On the 8th of April, the Third Ohio left Murfreesboro for this purpose, and proceeded to Nashville, thence by water down the Cumberland to Palmyra, Tenn.; here a part of the expedition landed and ravaged the country between there and Fort Henry. The remainder of the expedition went by water, and at Fort Henry joined the command, and together proceeded to Eastport, Miss. After scouring the country some time, it was, on the 30th of April, overtaken at Sand Mountain and attacked by Gen. Roddy with a large force of cavalry. The rebels, after a severe fight of several hours, retreated. The conduct of the Third in this battle was gallant in the extreme. It captured a battery of twelvepounders, with a large amount of ammunition. Soon after, the command was overtaken and attacked by Gen. Forrest, the Third Ohio, being in the rear, was the first. to partake of the rebel General's compliments. A severe fight ensued, which the regiment was compelled to maintain for a time against heavy odds. The fight lasted until dark, when, under cover of darkness, the Nationals again took the road, in the attempt to escape. But the little band seemed doomed. After succeeding in destroying the Rome Mountain Iron Works, they again took up the line of march, and in crossing the Catoosa River at a deep ford, their ammunition became wet and rendered almost useless, leaving them in a bad condition for battle. The rebels were closing around them, and the morning of May 3 dawned upon the brigade with a gloomy outlook. Gen. Forrest and his cavalry appeared in their front and rear, and the rebel General at once sent in a demand for surrender. Owing to the condition of their ammunition, there was no other alternative but to accede to the demand, and the men of the gallant Third Ohio found themselves prisoners of war. It was at once marched to Rome, and then to Atlanta, and after remaining there a few days, were sent via Knoxville to Richmond, Va., where it remained until the 15th of May, at which time the men were paroled, but the officers of the regiment were incarcerated in Libby Prison. The regiment was transferred to Camp Chase, Ohio, there to

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await exchange. It remained in Ohio till August 1, 1863, and took part in the pursuit and capture of the rebel Gen. Morgan, during his raid through this State.

August 1, 1863, the Third received orders to report to Gen. Granger at Nashville, Tenn., for duty, and, upon reaching that place, was again armed and equipped, and ordered to rejoin its old brigade, under command of Gen. John Beatty, then on duty at Stevenson, Ala. The regiment, inspired with joy at the prospect of again being associated with their old companions in arms, marched at once, but arrived at Stevenson too late to join their command, as it had already crossed the Tennessee, and moved to a point beyond Chattanooga. Reporting at Stevenson, it was temporarily attached to the reserve corps, and with it proceeded to Bridgeport, where it guarded pontoons and escorted trains to Chattanooga until after the battle of Chickamauga, when the south-side road to Chattanooga was abandoned. They then went to Battle Creek, thence against Wheeler's cavalry raid, to Anderson Gap, Tenn., thence down Sequatchie Valley to Looney's Creek, where it remained some time, repairing, the roads and facilitating the passage of trains to Chattanooga.

The Third Ohio being still without its officers, it was marched to Kelly's Ferry, on the Tennessee River, November 18, 1863, where it remained until after the battle of Mission Rid Ridge. It then proceeded to Chattanooga, where it did garrison duty until the 9th of June, 1864, when it received orders to report at Camp Dennison, Ohio, its term of service having expired. The officers being retained in prison for such a great length of time. no effort was made at the proper time to re-enlist the regiment as veterans, and hence, at the end of three years, they were mustered out of service. A majority of them, however, after a visit to their homes, enlisted in other regiments and performed gallant duty till the close of the war.

The Fifteenth Ohio Infantry was the next regiment in which Morrow County was represented by an organized body of men. Company C, the color company of the regiment, was from this county, and was organized with the following officers: Hiram Miller, Captain; J. M. Dunn, a brother of Judge Dunn, of Mount Gilead, First Lieutenant; John G. Byrd, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Miller was from Mansfield, and resigned in July, 1862. Lieut. Dunn was promoted to the captaincy in his stead, and resigned April 1, 1863. Lieut. Byrd was promoted to First Lieutenant in place of Dunn, and upon his resignation was promoted to Captain. He was a brave officer, and was wounded several times, and finally mustered out on account of disability. T. C. Davis succeeded him as Captain. He was from Blooming Grove, and went up from Sergeant in the regular line of promotion, and was mustered out with the regiment. Franklin Armstrong was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and to First Lieutenant, March. 29, 1865, and as such mustered out with the regiment. Alexander Moore was also promoted to Second and then First Lieutenant, and D. C. Thurston was promoted to Second Lieutenant just before the mustering out of the regiment. The regiment to which this company belonged was originally organized for three months. During this period of its service it was engaged mostly in West Virginia, then the active field of operation, where it performed much arduous duty.

Upon the call of President Lincoln for 300,000 men for three years' service, the members of the Fifteenth, with no abatement of their patriotism through their service of three months, almost unanimously re-enlisted. It was re-organized at Camp Bartley, near Mansfield, with M. R. Dickey, Colonel, and, on the 26th of September, 1861, proceeded to Camp Dennison. Being armed and equipped, on the 4th of October, the regiment left for Lexington, Ky., where it remained in camp until the 12th, when it was transported by rail to Louisville, and thence to Camp Nevin, near Nolin Station, Ky. Here it was assigned to the Sixth Brigade (Gen. R. W. Johnson), Second Division (commanded by Gen. A. McCook" of the Army of the Ohio, then commanded by Gen.

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Sherman, and afterward by Gen. Buell. The Fifteenth remained at Camp Nevin until the 9th of December, when it proceeded south, and on the following day, occupied Munfordsville. While lying at Munfordsville, an incident occurred illustrative of the discipline of army life. Gen. Alexander McCook, who commanded the division to which the Fifteenth belonged, went out in person one dark night to see if his pickets were all at their posts. He made quite a circuit, crossed Green River, came around and endeavored to cross back, and, when about the middle of the river, was halted by a picket (George C. Earley, of Company C, Fifteenth Regiment). The General, to try the picket, commenced a parley, but 'hearing the click of his gun, he was forced to dismount in the middle of the stream and give the countersign. The General, in telling it afterward, said he did not think when he heard the click of the man's gun that it would be healthy to prolong the parley. On the 27th, the command marched for Nashville, Tenn., where it arrived on the 2d of March, 1862. Here the troops rested until the 16th, when the march to Savannah commenced, which point was reached on the 6th of April. In the battle of Pittsburg Landing, which followed, the Fifteenth was engaged from 8 o'clock A. M. until 4 P. M., during which time it lost six men -killed and sixty-two wounded-one of the killed belonged to Company C.

The division of which the Fifteenth was a part formed the reserve of the army during the operations against Corinth until the 27th of May, when it was ordered to the front, and from that time until the 30th, when the town was occupied by 1 the national forces, was continually engaged in skirmishing. June 10, it proceeded to Battle Creek, Tenn.

While at Battle Creek, Col. Dickey, of the Fifteenth, who was in command of a brigade, called them out one night and marched several hours to fight-thunder. Distant thunder reverberating through the mountains had much the sound of heavy cannonading, and was mistaken by the gallant Colonel for artillery firing. They remained at this point doing camp duty until August 20, when Gen. McCook's command, including the Fifteenth, moved to Altamont, on the Cumberland Mountains, in which direction the invading army of Bragg was marching. From Altamont, the command, at least onefourth of it barefoot, marched, via Manchester and Crab Orchard, to Louisville, Ky., arriving on the 25th of September. October 1, it marched to Shelbyville, then to Lawrenceburg, where a skirmish was had with the enemy, and, on the following day, another skirmish at a little place called "Dog Walk," in both of which the Fifteenth participated -The division then marched to Perryville, where it arrived a few days after the battle of Chaplin Hills, and there joined the main army and marched in pursuit of Bragg as far as Crab Orchard. After remaining here a few days, the division marched for Nashville, where it arrived on the 7th of November, 1862. While here, the army was re-organized and thoroughly drilled, and on the 26th of December, advanced on Murfreesboro In the battle of Stone River, the Fifteenth was 'hotly engaged, as its loss will show, being eighteen killed and eighty-nine wounded. Company C went into the battle, as we were informed by a member of it, with 101 men, and on the following day, it had but 16 to answer at roll-call, and some of them were slightly wounded. Of Company C, John Messmore, T. A. Jolly and M. A. Byrd were among the killed. The latter was a brother of Capt. Byrd. Mr. S. U. Earley relates the following incident of this battle: He was carrying a wounded officer of an Indiana regiment off the field, when he was struck in the calf of the leg and brought to his knee. The wounded officer begged him to leave him and save himself, but Earley told him he was not yet hurt bad enough for that, and, after recovering himself, moved on with his charge, and was soon wounded again in the be thigh, and for a time disabled, but finally got to the hospital with the wounded officer.

After the capture of Murfreesboro, the regiment

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was occupied in drilling, foraging and skirmishing until the 24th of July, 1863, when the advance was commenced on Tullahoma and Shelbyville, which places were occupied by the National forces after the dislodgement of the enemy. Liberty Gap was carried by the Second Division, and the Fifteenth took a very prominent part, losing one officer and seven men killed, and twenty three wounded. Its division was stationed at Tullahoma till the 16th of August, when it was ordered to Bellefonte, Ala., and proceeded via Winchester and Salem, arriving at its destination on the 22d. In September, it proceeded to the vicinity of Lookout Mountain, where it maneuvered until the 19th, when it marched to the battle-field of Chickamauga, a distance of thirteen miles, and went into the engagement immediately upon its arrival. Company C had one man killed before the regiment got fairly into line of battle. In this battle the Fifteenth lost one officer and nine men killed, two officers and sixty men wounded, and forty men missing. At the siege of Chattanooga, the gallant Fifteenth bore its full share in the arduous labors and privations, and participated in the battle of Mission Ridge, capturing a number of prisoners and some artillery. In this battle, R. L. Wren, of Mount Gilead, Company C, Abner Ward, color bearer, were wounded, and Smith Walker, of Company C, was killed. On the last of November, the regiment, having been transferred to the First Brigade, Third Division of the Fourth Army Corps, marched to the relief of Knoxville, where it arrived on the 8th of December, and on the 20th, moved by way of Flat Creek to Strawberry Plains.

The greater portion of the regiment re-enlisted in January, 1864, and was sent home on veteran furlough, arriving at Columbus with three hundred and fifty veterans on the 10th of February. By, the time its furlough had expired, it had filled its ranks to upward of nine hundred mein, and upon the 14th of March, left Camp Chase for Nashville, where it arrived on the 22d, and was at once ordered to Chattanooga. On the 8th of April, it moved to Cleveland, and on the 20th to McDonald's Station, where it remained until the opening of the spring campaign. On the 3d of May, it marched to Tunnel Hill, and with Sherman's army was engaged in skirmishing with the enemy until the 13th, when the rebels withdrew and the national forces took possession of Dalton. In the pursuit of the enemy, and in the battles of Resaca and Dallas which followed, the Fifteenth bore an honorable part. In the latter engagement, its loss was nineteen men killed, three officers and sixty-one men wounded, and nineteen missing, who were supposed to be either killed or badly wounded. The color guard, with the exception of one corporal, was either killed or wounded, but the colors were safely brought off by the surviving member of the guard, Corp. David Hart, of Company I. On the 5th of June, the army moved to Acworth, and on the 10th advanced toward Kenesaw Mountain. During a sharp skirmish on the 14th, the Fifteenth lost one man, an officer killed, and five men wounded, all belonging to Company A. The following incident shows the pluck and presence of mind some men will display in moments of peril: "After the rebels had withdrawn, a party of three or four men from the Fifteenth advanced to reconnoiter, and picking up a couple of stragglers, they were sent back in charge of Peter Cupp, a private of Company H, who, in returning to his post unexpectedly, came upon a rebel outpost which had been left by accident in the hasty retreat of the enemy. Cupp announced the withdrawal of their army to them, and ordered them to stack arms and surrender. His order was at once complied with, and one Captain, one Lieutenant and sixteen men of the First Georgia Volunteers were marched into our lines by Private Cupp."

From this the advance was made steadily each day, until the National army closed around the rebel works at Atlanta. Here the division to which the Fifteenth belonged skirmished with the enemy until Hood's raid, when it marched via Marietta and Rome to the relief of Resaca, on the

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3d of October. It moved to Columbia and then toward Franklin, but did not participate in that battle, being assigned to the duty of covering the withdrawal of the forces and the retreat to Nashville: At Nashville, the Fifteenth formed the extreme left of the army, and when the order came for the left to move forward, the regiment advanced rapidly, capturing a fine battery of four brass guns and some thirty prisoners. The regiment participated in the skirmishing during the month of December, and in the early part of January, 1865, went into camp at Bird Springs, where it remained until the 15th of March, when it was ordered to move into East Tennessee. It arrived at Greenville on the 5th of April, and on the 22d returned to Nashville, arriving on the 1st of May. It remained here in camp until the 16th of June, when it was ordered to Texas. It proceeded to New Orleans, and on the 5th of July, shipped for Texas, arriving at Indianola on the 9th, and, disembarking, marched the same evening to Green Lake, a distance of twenty miles, in order to obtain a plentiful supply of fresh water. After remaining here until the 10th of August, it proceeded to San Antonio, a distance of 150 miles. Among the disadvantages to which it was exposed, were an insufficiency of water, poor rations and inadequate transportation. These difficulties combined rendered this one of the hardest marches the regiment endured in its whole term of service. It remained at San Antonio on post duty until the 21st of November, when it was mustered out of the service. It arrived at Columbus, Ohio, on the 25th of December, where it received its final discharge from the United States service.

To sum up in a few words, the Fifteenth was among the first regiments mustered into the service, and among the last to be mustered out. It was in the service as an organized body some four years and eight months, and few regiments present a better record upon battle-fields and marches than the gallant old Fifteenth.

The Twentieth Infantry-also drew a company of men from Morrow County during the late rebellion. Company A was from this county, and organized with the following commissioned officers Elisha Hyatt, Captain; William Rogers, First Lieutenant; and L. M. Ayers, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Hyatt resigned in February, 1862, and was succeeded by Lieut. Rogers who resigned April 26, 1862. Ayers was promoted to First Lieutenant, and, upon the resignation of Rogers, was promoted to Captain, which position he held when mustered out with the regiment. Peter J. Weatherby was made Second Lieutenant after the promotion of Ayers, and went up by regular promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, and as such was mustered out with the regiment. After the promotion of Weatherby, W. W. McCracken was elected Second Lieutenant. He was wounded at the battle of Champion Hills (and still carries a part of the ball), and was honorably discharged August 19, 1863. The company was officered as follows, when mustered out: J. E. McCracken, Captain ; C. W. McCracken, First Lieutenant; and Second Lieutenant. In addition to the sketch of the regiment which follows, some casualties of the company are here noted: At the battle of Raymond, Miss., Ephraim Harris was killed, and a brother, Daniel Harris, was killed at the battle of Champion Hills. Daniel B. James was killed in one of the fights around Atlanta, and R. M. Fogle in one of Sherman's fights on his march to the sea.

The Twentieth was organized under the first call for troops, and enlisted for three months. During this period of its service, its history was scarcely of sufficient importance to require mention here. It was re-organized for the three-years service at Camp King, near Covington, Ky., on the 21st of October, 1861. Col. Whittlesey, its first commander, was a graduate of West Point, and while superintending the defenses of Cincinnati, which were commenced just back of Covington, he, together with Lieut. Col. Force, infused such a spirit of enthusiasm into the members of this regiment, as to cause them to almost

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unanimously re-enlist for three years, after the expiration of their three-months term.

During the winter of 1861-62, the Twentieth Regiment was employed on guard duty in and around Covington and Newport. On the 11th of February, 1862, with the exception of Company K, the entire regiment embarked for the Cumberland River, and arrived at Fort Donelson on the 14th, and was under fire for a short time on the 15th. It was marched to the extreme right of the army, where it was placed in reserves, and compelled to stand a severe test in seeing crowds of strangers falling back from the front, and listening to their exaggerated reports of defeat and disaster. But notwithstanding these discouragements it passed through this, its first battle, with credit to every man. After the surrender of Fort Donelson, the Twentieth was sent North in charge of prisoners, and thus became considerably scattered. By the middle of March, however, seven companies had been brought together. These went on the expedition to Yellow Creek on the steamer Continental. In April, while on inspection in camp at Adamsville, the Twentieth heard the booming of cannon at Pittsburg Landing, and at 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the 6th left for that point. Upon reaching the field, they went into position on the right of the army, and spent a comfortless night standing in the rain. It participated in the next day's battle with a heavy loss, and is justly entitled to a share in the glory of the victory. During the advance on Corinth, the Twentieth remained on duty at Pittsburg Landing, in which time sickness and death waged a heavy war upon it, and it was accustomed to appear on parade with scarcely one hundred men in its ranks.

After the fall of Corinth, the regiment moved to Purdy, and, there joining its division, marched to Bolivar, where it was left as part of the garrison on the 6th of June, 1862. On the 30th of August, the rebel Gen. Armstrong, with fifteen regiments, was held in check all day by the Twentieth Ohio, a portion of the Seventy-eighth Ohio, and two companies of the Second Illinois Cavalry. Late in the afternoon, two companies, G and K of the Twentieth, were captured by a cavalry charge, but not until they had emptied many a saddle in repulsing two previous charges. On the 20th of September, the regiment assisted in driving Gen. Price from Iuka, and in the engagement between Hurlburt and Price at the crossing of the Hatchie, near Matamora, Tenn., it arrived on the field at 4 o'clock P. M., with a wagon-train loaded with supplies, having marched twenty-eight miles since 10 o'clock the previous evening. The supplies were immediately turned over, and the regiment marched in pursuit of the rebels the same night.

The Twentieth marched southward on the 28th of November, as a part of the Second Brigade of Logan's division, and on the 4th of December, entered Oxford, Miss. It advanced as far as Water Valley, Miss., and on the capture of Holly Springs, it returned northward, halting for a few days at Abbeville, where on Christmas and New Year's Days, the men regaled themselves on dinners of parched corn. By slow marches it reached Memphis on the 28th of January, 1863, where it received an addition to its force of 200 recruits and drafted men. February 22, it moved down the Mississippi River to Lake Providence, and a few weeks later marched to the relief of Porter's fleet, at the time blockaded in Steele's Bayou, and after spending a few days in the Louisiana swamps returned to its camp. It proceeded to Milliken's Bend, where it arrived on the 18th of April, and marched to Hard Times Landing, and crossing the Mississippi, it pursued the retreating rebels to Hawkinson's Ferry on the Big Black.

The division to which the Twentieth belonged having, in the organization of the Seventeenth Army Corps, been attached to that body, deployed in its front, on the 12th of May, as the corps approached Raymond, Miss., and, while resting with arms stacked, was fired upon from a thicket beyond a little stream. It immediately formed and advanced across the creek, using the steep bank as a breastwork. The struggle, though short, was a

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severe one, especially so to the Twentieth, as the regiments on the right withdrew their lines a little distance to the rear, thus lea leaving the flank of the Twentieth exposed to a raking cross fire. Every man stood firm until the line again advanced and the rebels gave way. In this engagement the Twentieth lost twelve men killed and fifty-two wounded. Private Canavan, of Company E, was promoted to Sergeant for skillfully managing his 'company when all the officers and sergeants were struck down. Capt. Wilson was decorated with the Seventeenth Army Corps Medal of Honor, in silver, for gallantly assembling his skirmishers under the very muzzles of the enemy's guns in the first charge Lieut. Weatherby, of Company A, being on the extreme right of the skirmish line with his company, and being cut off from his regiment, assembled his company and reported to the Colonel of the nearest regiment, the Eighty-First Illinois. and fought as a part of that regiment till the end of the battle; when, as the company marched to join its regiment, the Eighty-First acknowledged its gallantry by giving three hearty cheers for the "Twentieth Ohio boys." The regiment, after this fight, moved on through Clinton, Jackson, Bottom Depot, to Champion Hills, where it bore an honorable part. It was pushed forward to a Strong position in a ravine, under such a fire that it was dangerous for a staff officer to approach with orders. Though the regiments on each flank were pushed back as the enemy moved up in mass, the Twentieth held its ground without wavering till its ammunition was exhausted, when it fixed bayonets and prepared to maintain its position, but the Sixty-fifth Ohio came to its assistance from the reserve, and the enemy was driven back. Crossing Big Black, the Twentieth reached the rear of Vicksburg and acted as support to the assaulting party on the 21st of May. The regiment did its portion of the work in the saps, and mines, and trenches, until the 29th, when, with the brigade, it withdrew from the line, and accompanied an expedition to the Yazoo Valley. It returned again to Vicksburg on the 4th of June and was held in reserve. On the 26th, it, with the Second Brigade, withdrew to Tiffin, near Black River, to watch Johnston's movements. After the fall of Vicksburg, it camped at Bovine Station, on the Mississippi Southern Railroad, but shortly after was ordered to join Sherman's army, besieging Jackson. It finally, on the 30th of July, returned to Vicksburg and encamped in the outskirts of the city. Its operations, for some months, were confined to skirmishing in and around Vicksburg. In February, 1864, it crossed Big Black and joined the celebrated Meridian expedition. After several weeks of marching, with a good deal of skirmishing and some hard fighting, the regiment returned to Vicksburg as part of a convoy of seven hundred wagons, where it arrived on the 4th of March.

In January preceding, about two-thirds of the Twentieth re-enlisted, and soon after the Meridian expedition it went home on veteran furlough. After spending thirty days at home it rendezvoused at Camp Dennison on the 1st of May, and proceeded to Cairo, Ill., and from there to Clifton, Tenn. From this point it marched to join Gen. Sherman on the 9th of June, after a tramp of two hundred and fifty miles from Clifton, and, on the 23d, joined its brigade near Kenesaw Mountain. It engaged in the battle at this place, where it acquitted itself with its accustomed bravery. On the 16th of July, it crossed the Chattahoochie, and on the 20th reached the rebel works before Atlanta. Here it did its hardest fighting of the war, perhaps. Daring the hottest part of the battle, their cartridges becoming scarce, Companies A, F and D risked their lives, and obtained, in- the very face of the enemy, five cases of ammunition, which were piled near regimental headquarters; but even this supply was insufficient, and the ammunition of the dead and wounded was distributed among the living. Finally, orders came to withdraw from the works and form a new line, and the Twentieth slowly retired, the men now and then turning to throw their last cartridge at the enemy. In this engagement the regiment lost forty-four killed,

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fifty-six wounded and fifty-four missing. Many of the officers and men distinguished themselves in this battle.

The Twentieth left Atlanta with Sherman's army on the 15th of November for Savannah, and on the 19th of December it was detached from the brigade, and sent to the Ogeechee, near King Bridge, where it engaged in building wharves on which to land supplies for the army. This was stopped by the surrender of Savannah, and the regiment joined the brigade December 24, on the outskirts of the city. On the 6th of January, 1865, the regiment proceeded to Beaufort, S. C., crossed Port Royal Ferry, and advanced until the enemy was found entrenched beyond a rice swamp. The Twentieth deployed as skirmishers, and soon captured the enemy's works. In all of the fighting of Sherman's army in North and South Carolina, the regiment bore its part. On the 15th of April, it moved on to Raleigh. After the surrender of Gen. Johnston, an event that caused the most unbounded joy, the regiment on the 1st of May left Raleigh, marching via Richmond to Washington. It was in the grand review, May 24, was then sent to Louisville, Ky., and, July 18, back to Columbus, where it was paid off and mustered out of service.

The Twenty-sixth Infantry is the next regiment in which this county was represented. Company E was recruited in and around Mount Gilead, while Company C, though known as a Delaware County company, yet contained quite a number of men from Morrow County, particularly from Westfield Township. The first Captain of Company C was Jesse Meredith, a resident of Westfield, and an old soldier of the Mexican War. The First Lieutenant was E. A. Hicks, and William Clark Second Lieutenant. Lieut. Hicks was promoted to Captain and resigned. Capt. Meredith resigned in August, 1862, and Second Lieut. Clark promoted to Captain, and December 9, 1864, to Lieutenant Colonel.

Company E organized with the following officers: Sylvester M. Hewett, Captain; Henry C. Brumback, First Lieutenant; and James E. God man, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Hewett was promoted to Major of the Thirty-second Regiment in September, 1861, and was honorably discharged in 1863. James K. Ewart was promoted to the captaincy after the resignation of Hewett, and resigned December 2, 1862. Lieut. Brumback resigned December 27, 1861. Second Lieut. Godman was promoted to First Lieutenant upon the resignation of Brumback, and in April, 1862, resigned on account of ill health, and shortly after died. The company was without a regularly elected Captain from the resignation of Capt. Ewart until the regiment veteranized, when Walden Kelley became Captain, and was mustered out at the close of the war as its commanding officer.

The Twenty-sixth was organized at Camp Chase, in July, 1861, and as soon as its numbers were complete, it was ordered to the Upper Kanawha Valley, where its first active service was performed. The regiment remained in that vicinity until the next January, occupying the most of its time in scouting duty. In the movement of Gen. Rosecrans on Sewell Mountain, the Twenty-sixth led the advance, and afterward brought up the rear in the retreat from that place. In the early part of 1862, it was transferred from the Department of West Virginia to the Department of the Ohio, afterward the Department of the Cumberland. It was brigaded with the Fifteenth, Seventeenth and Fiftieth Indiana Regiments, under command of Col. M. S. Haskell (afterward Brigadier General), and placed in Gen. Wood's Division, of which it constituted a part until October, 1863.

After the capture of Fort Donelson, the Twenty-sixth Regiment formed a part of the column of advance on Nashville, and shared in the forced marches, hardships and privations of Gen. Buell's army in its advance to Pittsburg Landing to relieve Gen. Grant. In the movement from Shiloh, through the swamps of Northern Mississippi upon Corinth, the Twenty-sixth occupied the front line, and was among the first to enter the

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place. The last of August, 1862, the regiment, together with the Seventeenth and Fifty-eighth Indiana, about fourteen hundred strong, commanded by Col. Fyffe, had a slight engagement near McMinnville, Tenn., with Forrest's brigade of cavalry. In the memorable forced marches of Buell and Bragg from the Tennessee to the Ohio, and thence toward Cumberland Gap, in the fall of 1862, the Twenty-sixth performed its whole duty. In the battle of Perryville it suffered severely. Company E had one man killed and several wounded; among the latter. were John Derr, of Mount Gilead, and William Johnson and Henry Clifton.

Gen. Rosecrans commenced his advance on the 26th of December against Murfreesboro, and in the engagement which followed, the Twenty-sixth, under Major Squires, supported in part by the Fifty eighth Indiana, made a gallant and successful charge, storming and driving from a strong position in the village of Lavergne a far larger force of the enemy, that for hours had held the left wing of the army at bay, and seriously impeded the execution of the movements in progress. In this skirmish, Company E lost seven men killed and wounded. At the battle of Stone River, the regiment was one of several which stood firm against the charge of the rebels on the 26th, when three-fourths of the National forces on the right had given away and were in full retreat. Although for hours the columns of the enemy were hurled against it, yet it stood its ground firm as a rock. It was this regiment which "formed the apex of that little convex line of battle that all Bragg's victorious army could not break or bend." In this sanguinary engagement, it lost , one third of its number in killed and wounded.

About the 1st of January, 1863, Col. Young returned to duty, and took command of the regiment, and retained it until his resignation. In the advance on Tullahoma and Shelbyville, the Twenty-sixth bore an honorable part. At Chattanooga, in December, 1863, it led the advance of Crittenden's corps (which first entered the place), Col. Young leading the regiment in skirmish line over the northern bluff of Lookout Mountain. At Chickamauga, it was in the thickest and bloodiest of the fight, where it acquitted itself with honor, losing nearly three-fifths of its force engaged. Company E went into the fight with thirty-eight men, and came out with nine who were able to answer at roll-call. Col. Youny's horse and equipments were badly cut up with bullets. Capt. Ewing, Acting Major, had his horse killed under him, himself wounded and captured. Capt. Ross, Lieuts. Williams, Burbridge and Ruby were killed; and Capts. Hamilton and Potter and Lieuts. Platt, Hoge, Morrow and Shotwell wounded. Company H lost all its officers, and twenty-one out of twenty- 1 four men engaged. At the storming of Mission Ridge, the gallant Twenty-sixth fully maintained its good reputation. It occupied nearly the center of the front line of assault, and was then called upon to sustain the concentrated fire of the rebel circular line of forty cannon and thousands of muskets. Says a war report of the time: " 'The assault was made in the face of a terrible fire, and the column worked its way slowly and painfully, yet steadily and unfalteringly, up the long and rugged slope of that blazing, smoking, jarring blood-drenched and death-laden mountain, fighting its way step by step, every minute becoming weaker by the exhaustive outlay of strength in so prolonged a struggle, and thinner by the murderous fire of the foe from above, until, with less than half the command, with the entire color guard disabled, the Colonel, bearing his own colors, spurred his foaming and bleeding horse over the enemy's works, and they threw down their arms, abandoned their guns, and gave themselves to precipitate flight." In this engagement, the Twenty-sixth captured about fifty prisoners and two cannons. Later in the day, it, with the Fifteenth Indiana, under command of Col. Young, captured a six-gun battery the enemy were endeavoring to carry off in their retreat, and flanked and dislodged a large body of the enemy, who, with two heavy guns, were attempting to hold in check the National

276 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

forces until their train could be withdrawn. In this battle, the regiment lost about one-fourth of its strength in killed and wounded. It was now reduced from 1,000 men to less than 200, but with this handful they moved with the Fourth Corps to the siege of Knoxville. None but those who participated know the hardships of that campaign. They marched barefoot over frozen ground, and camped without shelter in midwinter, and were half dressed and half fed. Yet, under all these discouraging circumstances, in January, 1864, the regiment (or what was left of it) re-enlisted almost to a man. It was the first regiment in the Fourth Army Corps to re-enlist, and the first to arrive home on veteran furlough.

On its return to the field, it was with Sherman in his campaign against Atlanta also, at Resaca Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro and all the minor engagements of that vigorous campaign. It participated in the battle of Franklin, the last great battle of the war, and in this hard fight maintained fully its reputation for bravery and fighting qualities. It took part in the Texas campaign, and in the long and toilsome march across the country, from Port Lavaca to San Antonio, suffered intensely from the extreme beat and from thirst. But this was the close of its long term of service. On the 21st of October, 1865, it was mustered out of the service at Victoria, and immediately sent home to Camp Chase, and paid off and discharged.

The Forty-third Infantry contained a large number of men from Morrow County. Besides quite a scattering in other companies, B was wholly from this count . Its original officers were James Marshman, Captain Samuel McClarin, First Lieutenant, and H. S. Prophet, Second Lieutenant. Marshman resigned, September 3, 1862, on account of disability; Lieut. McClarin was wounded and resigned same date, and Lieut. Prophet was transferred to another company, of which he afterward became Captain. Moses R. Shalter (First Lieutenant) was promoted to Captain after the resignation of Marshman, and in that position served out his three years. After the regiment veteranized, he held the captaincy until the expiration of his enlistment, although he did not veteranize. When Shalter was made First Lieutenant, George W. Purcell was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and then to First, and declined promotion to Captain. When he became First Lieutenant, Jonathan McClarin was promoted to Second, and afterward to First Lieutenant. After the regiment veteranized, J. 0. MeDonald became Second Lieutenant, and in January, 1865, was promoted to Captain, and as such was mustered out with the regiment at the close of the war. George W. Purcell was First and A. L. Pendergast Second Lieutenant at the muster-out.

The "Forty-third Infantry was organized at Mount Vernon, on the 2d of February, 1862, and on the 21st left for the front, in command of Col. J. L. Kirby Smith, a nephew of the Confederate General, Kirby Smith. On the 26th, it reported to Gen. John Pope, commanding the District of Mississippi, and was consigned to the Ohio brigade, composed of the Twenty-seventh, Thirty-ninth, Forty third and Sixty-third Regiments, First Division: Army of the Mississippi. It was not long until the regiment had a taste of the duties before it, as it took part in the affair of New Madrid, Mo., and was also at Island No. 10, as well as in the subsequent capture of the forces of Gen. McCall at Tiptonville, Tenn. Its next movement was against Fort Pillow, but this was abandoned that the troops might take part in the operations against Corinth. In all of these engagements, the Forty-third bore an active part. In the battle of the 4th of October it particularly distinguished itself, and, together with the Sixty-third Ohio, did more, it is claimed, to save the day than any troops engaged. Company B, of the Forty-third, lost Creighton Orr and Bradford Auld, killed.

As a testimonial to the bravery of the Fortythird and its brigade we make the following extract from an address by Gen. Fuller, at a re-union of the Ohio Brigade held at Columbus in 1878: "That thrill of ecstacy which victory brings was

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here intensified by an act of the commanding General. Rosecrans had lost his temper when the troops attacked by Price had temporarily given way, and had hardly time to become appeased by their subsequent good conduct. Still nursing his wrath, and having seen that Van Dorn had met with a different reception at the hands of this brigade, he was disposed to extol the men who fought near Robinet, at the expense of those who had fallen back. So, riding to the crest we occupied, and pointing to the right, he said: 'I have just come from a part of the field where some of our troops retreated like old women; but now I know, not only from what I heard and what I saw from a distance, but also from these piles of dead along your front, that I am in the presence of brave men! so brave that I take my bat off in your presence, and thank you, in our country's name, for your great valor ! ' No soldier who heard these words will be likely to forget them, nor the appearance of Rosecrans as he addressed us, bat in hand."

The following description of this battle is given in a war chronicle of the time: "The Sixty-third Regiment was posted on the right, and the Forty third on the left of Battery Robinet, and between that battery and Battery Williams, and were entirely without works or protection of any sort. In descriptions of this battle, other regiments have been assigned to this ground, but the above named occupied and held it during the battle. The grand assault by the rebels was made at daylight on the 4th. They opened upon Battery Robinett with artillery at three hundred yards, and at 10 o'clock A. M., led by Col. Rogers, of the Second Texas, moved forward to the assault. The Forty-third and Sixty-third Regiments stood firmly at their posts, and succeeded in staggering the assaulting column, and in hurling it back, at a time when our lines were broken and our troops were seen flying from every other part of the field. The opposing forces were but a few feet apart, and fought almost hand to hand, and men went down on both sides in great numbers. Col. Smith fell mortally wounded at the first onset, while gallantly discharging his duty. Adjt. Heyl and Capt. Spangler were killed about the same moment. Capt. S F Timmons and Lieuts. S. McClarin, A. L. Howe and H. S. Prophet received honorable wounds. The casualties among the men were very severe. In a few moments of fighting, over one fourth of those engaged of the Forty-third were either killed or wounded. Col. Smith died of his wounds on the 12th of October, eight days after the battle. He was a young soldier of great promise, and mourned by every man in his regiment." The regiment next participated in the movement of Grant. against Oxford, Miss., and in the campaign against Forrest in West Tennessee also in the raid of Gen. Dodge in North Alabama. in April, 1863, From this time until October, the Forty-third was stationed at different points on the railroads of West Tennessee, and at Memphis, assisting to keep open the communications of Gen. Grant's army, then operating against Vicksburg When Gen. Sherman made his memorable march from Memphis, for the relief of the Army of the Cumberland, the Forty-third accompanied him, in Gen. Dodge's column.

The regiment almost unanimously re-enlisted as veterans in December, 1863, and went home on a furlough of thirty days, in company with the other regiments of the Ohio Brigade. At the expiration of their furloughs, the brigade returned to the field in a body. Immediately after its return, its commander, Col. Fuller, was directed to cross the Tennessee River, and capture the town of Decatur, Ala., then held by the rebels, under Gen. Roddy. This was accomplished, after a slight skirmish, in which the Forty-third participated. While lying at Decatur, the old Ohio Brigade was discontinued, and a new brigade was formed, consisting of the Forty-third and Sixty-third Ohio, Twenty-fifth Wisconsin and Thirty-fifth New Jersey Regiments, which was placed under the command of Col. J. W. Sprague, of the Sixty third Ohio, and designated as the Second Brigade, Fourth Division of the Sixteenth Army C

278 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

On the 3d of May, 1864, the command to which the Forty-third belonged reached Chattanooga, and in the advance of the Army of the Tennessee in the Atlanta campaign it took the front, and on the 8th was in line of battle before Resaca. In the battle which followed on the 13th, the regiment fought bravely and suffered a severe loss, in which Company B had Nathan Thornberg killed. During most of the time, it occupied a "front seat " in the line of battle. On the next day, the brigade to which it belonged was sent forward. to support Gen. Logan, who had taken a position commanding the bridge across the Coosa River. The position thus gained was held a( against repeated efforts on the part of the enemy to dislodge them. "All that day (the 15th) was spent in heavy skirmishing with the enemy. The members of the Forty-third, as was their custom, took the advance in this mode of fighting, and it was made a day memorable in the annals of the regiment. The rebel skirmish line was literally annihilated, and the dead found next morning lying where they had fallen, the rebels having left during the night. Of the Forty-third, Companies A, Lieut. O. M Davis, and H, Capt. A. L. Howe, were the first to enter the enemy's works."* The regiment bore an important part at Dallas, and in the advance on the enemy near Big Shanty, Company D participated in a most brilliant charge of skirmishers, capturing a strong barricade from the Twenty-ninth Tennessee and numerous prisoners. Following closely upon this, came the severe battle of Kenesaw Mountain, in which the Forty-third maintained well its reputation for bravery.

In the general movements of its corps, the regiment took an active part until the advance on Decatur, when it was detached to hold the bridge across the Chattahoochie, at the former place, until the army transportation then loading at Marietta should cross the river. On the 22d of July, Col. Swayne in command of the Forty-third Ohio and the Ninth Illinois Mounted Infantry, started for Decatur, twenty miles distant, with a train of some

* Reid

fifteen hundred wagons. Approaching the town, it was discovered that a battle was in progress, and Capt. Williams, who had been sent forward early in the day with two companies, hurried his detachment forward until he learned that Col. Sprague, after a most gallant resistance against overwhelming numbers, had been compelled to retreat. This detachment was then placed in position in order to protect the train while it was filing off in the rear of the National army. In the mean time, Col. Swayne arrived with the remainder of the Forty-third on the double-quick, and a section of artillery. At this time, the train was menaced by Iversen's division of rebel cavalry which had been assigned the duty of capturing it, while two other divisions under Wheeler were to capture Sprague and his three small regiments in Decatur. Through the audacity of Col. Sprague and the fearless spirit of his men, combined with the promptitude of Col. Swayne, not a single wagon of the train was lost. During the remainder of the Atlanta campaign, the Forty-third shared in the glories and trials of the Sixteenth Army Corps, and on the 7th of August earned the thanks of Gen. Ransom, the division commander, by its splendid fighting.

After the fall of Atlanta, the Forty-third did little fighting till Sherman started on his "march to the sea." In the operations around Savannah, it performed its share of the duty. In January, 1865, the regiment moved to Beaufort, and directly afterward on Pocotaligo on the Charleston & Savannah Railroad, where it remained until the march commenced through the Carolinas. On the 2d of February, the Seventeenth Army Corps marched from Pocotaligo, and in due time confronted the enemy posted at River Bridge. At this place, Col. Swayne, while making preparations to charge the enemy, lost a leg by a shell. He had been with the regiment from its organization, and was a brave and gallant officer. He was brevetted Major General afterward for his meritorious services. In all these fights and skirmishes the Forty-third fully maintained its reputation. After the close of the war, which occurred soon

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after, the regiment went to Washington, participated in the grand review, and was then sent to Louisville, Ky., with the Army of the Tennessee. From there it went to Ohio, and on the 13th of July, 1865, was paid off and mustered out of the service.

The Sixty-fifth Infantry is the next regiment claiming a representation from Morrow County. Company D was recruited in this county by James Olds, and organized with the following officers: James Olds, Captain; J. C. Baxter, First Lieutenant: and D. H. Rowland, Second Lieutenant. Before the regiment left for the field, Capt. Olds was promoted to Major, and Lieut. J. C. Baxter was elected Captain of Company D. ; D. H. Rowland, First Lieutenant, and J. T. Hyatt, Second Lieutenant. Maj. Olds resigned from ill health October 7, 1862. Capt. Baxter resigned February 26, 1862; Lieut. Rowland resigned June 16, 1862. Lieut. Hyatt died before leaving camp. Upon his death, A. A. Gardner was made Second Lieutenant; promoted to First Lieutenant, October 7, 1862, and to Captain, October 14, 1863, and as such was mustered out with the regiment. J. S. Talmadge became Second Lieutenant February 1, 1863, was promoted to First Lieutenant, June 14, 1864, and afterward resigned. This was the only full company made up and mustered into the Sherman Brigade. The recruiting for the brigade was done mostly by lieutenants, who would take a squad of men to camp and consolidate it with two or three other squads, thus forming a company. Maj. Olds recruited Company D during a term of court; tried law cases all day, and recruited at night after the adjournment of court.

The Sixty-fifth was organized at Camp Buckingham, near Mansfield, on the 3d of October, 1861, and was one of the regiments included in the brigade raised by Hon. John Sherman. It was mustered into the United States service on the 1st of December. It left Mansfield for active duty on the 18th, and proceeded to Louisville, Ky., and thence to Camp Merton, near Bardstown, Ky., arriving at that place on the 30th of December. It was assigned to a brigade composed of it and the Sixty-fourth Ohio, Fifty-first Indiana and Ninth Kentucky. Col. Harker, of the Sixty-fifth, commanded the brigade, and Gen. Wood, the division. The brigade took up the line of march January 13, 1862, passing through Bardstown, Springfield, Lebanon, Haysville, Danville and Stanford, Ky., arrived at Hall's Gap, on the 24th of the same mouth. On the 7th of February, it proceeded to Lebanon, and on the 12th, embarked on the cars for Green River, and on the 13th of March, arrived at Nashville, where it went into camp. This march was long and toilsome, as in many places the rebels had destroyed bridges and turnpikes, and otherwise damaged the route.

The brigade, of which the Sixty-fifth was a part, left on the 29th of March, in command of Gen. Garfield, and marched by way of Columbia to Savannah, arriving on the 6th of April, and on the 7th, moved by steamer to Pittsburg Landing. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon it arrived on the field, but was not actively engaged. It participated in the movements against Corinth, and during the siege was almost hourly under fire. After the evacuation, it marched to Bridgeport, Ala., where it was engaged in guarding the Tennessee River until the 29th of August, when it marched northward in pursuit of Bragg's army, and, with its brigade, arrived at Louisville on the 24th of September. After resting here for a week, it moved to the vicinity of Perryville, and thence to Nashville.

In the reorganization of the army at Nashville, under Gen. Rosecrans, the Sixty-fifth remained in its old brigade, with Col. Harker in command, the brigade forming a part of Crittenden's corps. On the 26th of December, it proceeded via the Nashville pike to Lavergne, fighting its way as it went. On the 29th it crossed Stone River under orders, the men wading in water to their armpits in the face of a murderous fire, and upon gaining the opposite bank, a line was formed, but support failed to come up, and it was ordered to retire,

282 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

which was accomplished in good order. Crittenden's corps lay on its arms all night, and during the whole of next day; it was waiting for McCook to move on the right. McCook's corps was driven back early in the morning of the 31st, and Harker's brigade was ordered to its support, meeting a perfect storm of bullets and a solid column of exultant rebels. For eight hours, the brigade was closely engaged, and finally succeeded in checking the rebel army, but at a terrible price. The Sixty-fifth alone lost two officers killed and eight wounded, and thirty-eight men killed, one hundred and six wounded and nineteen missing ; three deserted in the face of the enemy. All the commissioned officers of Company A were either killed or wounded; but Sergt.. Culbertson Henwood bravely took command of the company, and led it through the battle, for which act he was shortly after promoted to Second Lieutenant by Gov. Tod. The regiment was under fire throughout the entire engagement.

After the battle of Stone River, the Sixty-fifth remained at Murfreesboro until June 7, 1863, when it moved to the vicinity of Chattanooga. During the first day of the battle of Chickamauga, it was held in reserve at Lee & Gordon's mills until 5 o'clock in the afternoon, when it became briskly engaged in the fight. It moved to the left center, and lay on its arms all night. The next morning at 10 o'clock, it advanced about a mile, but was driven back to a ridge, on which it re-formed; fighting continued all day with alternate success and reverse. On the 20th, the entire army fell back to Mission Ridge, and from there to Chattanooga. In this engagement, the regiment lost three officers killed and five wounded, and thirteen men killed, sixty wounded and twenty-four missing. The Sixty-fifth participated in the battle of Mission Ridge, with a loss of one officer wounded, one man killed and thirteen wounded. It was under fire almost constantly during the Atlanta campaign. At Lookout Mountain it lost three men wounded and one missing at Resaca, one officer wounded, two men killed and twenty-five wounded; at Dallas, one officer wounded, one man killed and four wounded; a Marietta, one officer killed, one man killed, and ten wounded; in a skirmish near Kenesaw, two men wounded, and in a charge on Kenesaw, one officer killed, one wounded, and two men killed and six wounded. In this charge, Brig Gen (formerly Colonel) Harker, of the Sixty-fifth, was killed.

After the fall of Atlanta, the regiment went into camp there, and, after a short rest, was sent in pursuit of Hood, after which it was ordered to Chattanooga, where it was engaged in guarding the railroad near the Tennessee River. On the 29th of November, 1864, it participated in the battle of Springfield, and on the 30th was engaged in the battle of Franklin, with a loss of one man killed, twenty-two wounded and twenty-one missing. A part of the regiment had re-enlisted in the beginning of the year, and the term of service of the remainder having now expired, they were discharged, leaving the regiment with an aggregate of but about one hundred and thirty men. The regiment was engaged in the battle of Nashville, and in pursuit of the rebel army across the Tennessee, after which it returned to Nashville and went into camp.

In June, 1865, the regiment proceeded to New Orleans, where it remained a few weeks, and was then ordered to Texas. It performed garrison duty at San Antonio until December, when it was ordered home, and on the 2d of January, 1866, it was paid off and discharged at Camp Chase.

The Eighty-first Infantry was represented by a company from this county, viz., Company H, which was recruited mostly in Chester and Franklin Townships, and went out with R. B. Kinsell, Captain; E. A. James, First Lieutenant, and Caleb Ayres, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Kinsell resigned August 15, 1862. Lieuts. James and Ayres also resigned.

This is one of the regiments that was commenced under an order from the War Department for the command of Gen. Fremont. But by some

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mismanagement it was not sent to his army, an finally became the Eighty-First Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Upon the completion of its organization it was sent to Missouri. It operated in Missouri until the 1st of March, 1862, when it was ordered to St. Louis, where it was armed with Enfield rifles, and sent at once to Pittsburg Landing Upon its arrival it was assigned to the. Second Brigade, Second Division of the Army of the Tennessee-the brigade commanded by McArthur, and the division by Gen. C. F. Smith. It participated in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, with considerable loss in killed and wounded, among whom was Capt. Armstrong. Its next active work was at Corinth, and in the pursuit of the enemy, and the return of the troops, the regiment suffered severely from the extreme heat. After this, Companies H and G were consolidated with other companies, thus reducing the regiment to five minimum companies. On the 19th of October, five new companies arrived from Ohio which, added to the Eighty-First, increased it to a full regiment. The reception of these recruits was made a formal matter, and is thus described : "The recruits slept at the depot, having arrived late. The next morning, the old troops were formed and marched toward the depot, with drums beating and colors flying. When they had proceeded far enough, they halted, formed in line in open order, and faced inward. The recruits approached by the right flank, and when the head of the column entered the lines the old troops came to a 'present arms.' When the new troops passed through, they were formed in the same manner, and the old troops passed through their lines, receiving the same salute. When this was done, the regiment formed on the color-line and stacked arms." The winter and spring of 1863 was spent in scouting and skirmishing, in which the regiment performed arduous service, though it was not engaged in any severe battles.

In January, 1864, the old troops of the Eighty-first mostly re-enlisted and went home on furlough. Upon the expiration of their furlough, the regiment concentrated at Pulaski, Tenn., on the 26th of April, and on the 29^th moved for Chattanooga. On the 5th of May, it entered on the Atlanta campaign, and at the battle of Resaca, though in line, did not participate in the battle. It was engaged in the battle of Rome Cross Roads on the 16th, with some loss. At Kenesaw, as at Resaca, it was in line, but was not called into action. On the 22d of July, it participated in the battle of Atlanta, where it displayed a determined bravery surpassed by no regiment during the war.

In September, the Eighty-first was ordered to Rome, and assigned to the Fourth Division of the Fifteenth Corps. Soon after its arrival it set out for Atlanta, and, on the 16th of November, continued the march toward Savannah. It bore its full share of privations in the campaign "to the sea." It passed in review, at Goldsboro, before Sherman, Schofield and Logan. After the surrender of Johnston, the regiment started on its homeward march. It reached Washington City on the 20th of May, and on the 24th passed in review. Early in June, it started for Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out on the 13th of July, and on the 21st was paid off at Camp Denison, Ohio, and honorably discharged.

The Eighty-fifth Infantry was recruited for the three-months service, but never, we believe, reached the dignity of a regiment, but was mustered into the service as a battalion (four companies), and was on duty mostly at Camp. Chase. One of the four companies was raised in this county, and was organized with the following officers: Thomas S. Bunker, Captain; Silas Holt. First Lieutenant, and L. W. Nichols, Second Lieutenant. The regiment was organized in June, 1862, and mustered into the United States service at Camp Chase, and placed on duty there, as a guard of the large number of rebel prisoners confined there at the time. At the end of its term of service, it was mustered out and discharged.

The Ninety-sixth Infantry drew the larger part Of two companies from this county, viz., Com

284 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

panies C and D. The former organized with the following officers: Levi Reichelderfer, Captain; T. C. Shunk, First Lieutenant; and D. A. Stark, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Reichelderfer resigned March 26, 1863. Lieut. Shunk died March 27, 1863; Lieut. Stark, appointed Adjutant June 26, 1863, and afterward resigned. Sergt. John W. Godman promoted to First Lieutenant, and transferred to Company E. Sergt. Charles O. Oldfield promoted to Second Lieutenant Jan. 26, 1863, and mustered out in July. Company D went into the service with W. M. Dwyer, Captain; J. B. Williams, First Lieutenant, and Thomas Litzenburg, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Dwyer resigned Jan. 28, 1863. Lieut. Williams was promoted to Captain Jan. 25, 1863, and resigned March 4, 1864. Lieut. Litzenburg resigned March 22, 1863. Sergt. J. M. Goodman promoted to First Lieutenant Jan. 26, 1863, and to Captain March 4, 1864; resigned Nov. 18, 1864. Albert H. Brown, of Sparta, was Lieutenant Colonel, and led the regiment in nearly every battle it was engaged in. George N. Clark, of Morrow County National Bank, Adjutant of regiment, resigned January 26, 1863.

The Ninety-sixth was organized at Camp Delaware, on the 29th of August, 1862, and was made up principally from the Eighth Congressional District. The following sketch of the movements of this regiment was written by Maj. Charles H. McElroy, of Delaware, who went out as its Major, and may be relied upon as substantially correct:

"A camp was established for this regiment on the Fuller farm, one and a half miles south of the city, known as Camp Delaware ; the ground occupied lying between the Columbus road and the river. On the 1st day of September, 1862, the Ninety-sixth left camp, 1,014 strong for Cincinnati, and, on the evening of the same day of its arrival, crossed over the river and went into camp at Covington, Ky. From that time until the close of the war, it was on continuously active, and most of the time bard, service. In the fall of 1862, the regiment, in the brigade of Gen. Burbridge and under command of Gen. A. J. Smith, marched from Covington to Falmouth, thence to Cynthiana, to Paris, Lexington, Nicholasville ; through Versailles, Frankfort, Shelbyville to Louisville; leaving Covington on the 8th of October and going into camp at Louisville, on the 15th. From Louisville, it proceeded to Memphis, and on the 27th of December, with the forces under command of Gen. Sherman, left for 'down the river' to Chickasaw Bayou. From there it went to Fort Hindman, or Arkansas Post, where it was in the left win-, under command of Gen. Morgan.

"After the battle of Arkansas Post, the regiment was at the siege of Vicksburg, where it formed a part of the Nineteenth Army Corps. Then followed the battle of Grand Coteau, La., a desperate struggle against fearful odds. After this, the regiment was sent into Texas on an expedition of short duration. Returning to Brashear City, La., it entered upon the famous Red River campaign under Gen. Banks. The battles of Sabine Cross Roads (where Col. Vance was killed), Peach Orchard Grove and Pleasant Hill followed. The regiment had, by continued losses, become so reduced in numbers that a consolidation became necessary, and was effected under a general order from Maj. Gen. Reynolds, commanding the Department of the Gulf. At the request of the officers and as a special honor to the regiment, it was consolidated into the Ninetysixth Battalion, and Dot with any other regiment. This was the only instance in that department of any such favor being accorded. Soon after this, the regiment (now the Ninety-sixth Battalion) was ordered down the river and to Mobile, and was engaged in the capture of Forts Gaines, Morgan, Blakely and Spanish Fort, resulting finally in the capture of Mobile. The division was under the command of Col. Landrum, of the Nineteenth Kentucky, and formed a part of the Thirteenth Corps under Gen Granger.

" The Ninety-sixth was mustered out of the service at Mobile, and on the 29th of July, 1865

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arrived at Camp Chase, Ohio, where they were paid off and honorably discharged. During its service, the regiment marched 1,683 miles, traveled by rail 517 miles, and by water 7,686 miles, making a total of 9,886 miles, exclusive of many short expeditions in which it took part."

The One Hundred and Twenty-first Infantry was organized at Camp Delaware, in September, 1862, and was composed of material from Knox, Union, Logan, Delaware, Hardin and Morrow Counties. The Colonel, William P. Reid, was a prominent lawyer of Delaware; the Lieutenant Colonel, W. Smith Irwin, a citizen of Mount Gilead, and the Major, R. R. Henderson (now of Delaware), was, we believe, from Union County. Company E was raised in the county, and organized with the following commissioned officers: David Lloyd, Captain ; Jacob M. Banning First Lieutenant; Elisha B. Cook, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Lloyd was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, from the effects of which he died. Lieut. Banning was promoted to Captain on the death of Capt. Lloyd, then to Major, and then to Lieutenant Colonel, which position he held at the muster out of the regiment. Second Lieut. Cook was promoted to First Lieutenant April .5, 1863, and resigned September 17, 1863. James A. Moore became Second Lieutenant April 5, 1863, and was promoted to First Lieutenant April 12, 1864, and to Captain January 6, 1865, and as such mustered out at the close of the war. George Shaffer was promoted to First Lieutenant April 20, 1865, and afterward killed by guerrillas. Daniel J. Mathews was promoted to First Lieutenant, but mustered out as Sergeant.

The One Hundred and Twenty-first was organized, as we have said, at Camp Delaware, the old camp of' the Ni nety-sixth. From a published history of the regiment during its term of service, we make the following extract : "On the 10^th of September, the regiment, 985 strong, left for Cincinnati, where it was put on guard duty for a few days, but, on the 15th, crossed the river and went into camp at Covington, Ky. From there it moved to Louisville and was assigned to Col. Webster's brigade, Jackson's division and McCook's corps. Without an hour's drilling, it marched with Buell's arm in pursuit of Bragg. In this condition, it participated in the battle of Perryville, in which Capt. Odor, of Company K was killed. After the battle, the One Hundred and Twenty-first was detailed to bury the dead and remained in Kentucky on guard duty until January, 1863, when it proceeded to Nashville, and then to Franklin, Tenn., where it was en gaged protecting the right flank of Gen. Rosecrans army, then lying at Murfreesboro When the army moved forward from Stone River, the One Hundred and Twenty-first moved with it and was attached to the Reserve Corps, under Gen. Granger. At Triune they had a slight skirmish with the rebels under Gen. Forrest. The next engagement in which the regiment took part (and its first severe one) was the battle of Chickamauga, where it lost heavily. It made a gallant charge to save the only road to Chattanooga, and, in the charge, encountered the Twenty-second Alabama Rebel Infantry, capturing its colors and a majority of its men. The loss sustained by the One Hundred and Twenty-first was Lieuts. Stewart, Fleming and Porter, killed ; Capts. David Lloyd (of Company E) and A. B. Robinson, and Lieuts. Marshall, Stephens, '.Moore, Mather, Patrick, Bryant and Mitchell, wounded - privates killed, fourteen, and seventy wounded. For its bravery in this engagement, the regiment was highly complimented by Gen. Granger. After the battle, it fell. back with the army behind the intrenchments at Chattanooga, where it remained until after the battles of Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge, in both of which it took a prominent part.

"After these battles, it returned to its old camp at Rossville, and remained there until 1864, when it moved with the army on the Atlanta campaign, participating in the battles of Buzzard Roost, Resaca, and, as a part of Gen. Jeff. C. Davis' division, was at the capture of Rome, Ga. It was at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, in which it

286 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

participated with its accustomed bravery. It made a lodgment under the enemy's works and held it, thereby securing possession of the National dead and wounded; but dearly did they pay for their bravery. Among the commissioned officers killed were Maj. Yeager, Capts. Lloyd and Clason, and Lieut. Patrick; and eight officers wounded. At Chattahoochie River, on the 9th of July, it lost, in a skirmish at the railroad bridge, five men killed and four wounded. At Atlanta and Jonesboro it performed its usual hot work, where it lost several men killed and wounded. About the 29th of September, the regiment was sent back to Chattanooga, where it was attached to an expedition against Forrest's cavalry, then raiding on the railroad some distance away. The expedition followed the rebel cavalry and drove it across the Tennessee River into Alabama, then returned and joined in the chase of Hood. The One Hundred and Twenty-first joined Sherman at Rome, Ga., and marched with his army to the sea. After the fall of Savannah, the regiment, then commanded by Lieut. Col. A. B. Robinson, went on the expedition into the Carolinas, and took an active part in the battle of Bentonville, where it lost six men killed and twenty wounded ; among the latter were Capts. Charles P. Claris and M. E. Willoughby. Capt. Claris afterward died from the effects of the wounds received in this battle."

On the 1st of May, 1865, the war virtually over, the One Hundred and Twenty-first joined the march of the National forces through Richmond to Washington, where it took part in the grand review, after which it was mustered out and sent home, and, on the 12th of June, was paid off and discharged. at Columbus.

The One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Infantry contained two companies from this county. Company A was recruited mostly by William G. Beatty, of Cardington. He was elected its Captain , but upon the organization of the regiment was promoted to Major. First Lieut. Henry Rigby was promoted to Captain, in place of Capt. Beatty, and resigned 'May 19, 1865. Second Lieut. J. B. White was promoted to First Lieutenant, December 30,1864, and was discharged for disability May 18, 1865. First Sergt. William F. Wallace was promoted to Second Lieutenant, December 30, 1864, and as such was mustered out with regiment. Company K, was recruited in and about Mount Gilead, and was organized with the following commissioned officers: Henry McPeak, Captain; B. B. McGowen, First Lieutenant , and T. J. Weatherby, Second Lieutenant. These officers held their positions without change, until mustered out, except receiving brevet promotions for meritorious services.

The One Hundred and Seventy-fourth was raised under the call for one year's service, an organized at Camp Chase, on September 21, 1864. It was composed chiefly of men who had seen service in other regiments, had been discharged, and, tiring of the monotony of home life, re-enlisted. On the 23d of September, the regiment left for Nashville, with orders to report to Gen. Sherman, then commanding the Department of the Mississippi It reached Nashville on the 26th, and was ordered to Murfreesboro, which point was threatened with a raid from the cavalry of Gen. Forrest. On the 27th of October, it left Murfreesboro, with orders to report to the commanding officer at Decatur, Ala. From Decatur it proceeded to the mouth of the Elk River, leaving four companies as a garrison for Athens. In a few days, it returned to Decatur, and, on the 26th of November, it was again sent to Murfreesboro. It remained at Murfreesboro during the siege, and participated in the battle of Overall's Creek, where it behaved with great gallantry, and was complimented by Gen. Rousseau, personally, for its bravery. Its loss was six men killed, two officers and thirty-eight men wounded. It took part in the battle of the Cedars, on the 7th of December, where it fully maintained its fighting reputation. In a gallant charge during the fight, it captured two cannon, a stand of colors and a large number of prisoners. Its loss was severe among its killed was Maj. Reid, who was shot

HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY 287

through the head while urging his men on to the charge. The regiment participated in all the fighting around Murfreesboro, and after the siege was assigned to the Twenty-third Army Corps, which it joined at Columbia, Tenn.

In January,. 1865, the regiment was ordered to. Washington City, where it arrived on the 20th. It remained here until the 21 st of February, when it was ordered to North Carolina. Here it was attached to the column commanded by Gen. Cox, and took part in the battles of Five Forks and of Kingston, in both of which it acquitted itself with its accustomed bravery. This was the last battle in which the regiment was engaged, as the war soon after closed. It was mustered out of the service June 28, at Charlotte, N. C., and at once left for home, arriving at Columbus on the 5th of July, where it was paid off, and received its final discharge.

The One hundred and Eighty-seventh Infantry, for the one year's service, was represented by a company from Morrow County, viz., Company G, which was officered as follows: John C. Baxter, Captain; Warner Hayden, First Lieutenant, and B. G. Merrill, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Baxter and Lieut. Hayden were mustered out with their regiment in January, 1866 ; Lieut. Merrill resigned June 10. 1865.

This regiment was among the last full regiments raised in Ohio, and was mustered into the service, as we have said, for one Year. It was organized March 1, 1865, and two days later left Columbus for Nashville. It was ordered to Dalton, Ga., on its arrival at Nashville, where it went into camp, and for some two months was subjected to drill and discipline. The One Hundred and Eighty seventh marched from Dalton to Kingston, and there received the paroles of about two thousand rebel soldiers, who presented themselves at that place, claiming to belong to the surrendered armies of Johnston and Lee. Returning to Dalton, the regiment again went into camp for some thirty days, and then proceeded to Macon. It performed provost duty here until the 1st of January, 1866, when it was sent home, and on the 23d of January, 1866, was paid off and honorably discharged.

The Fifty-sixth Battalion of the Ohio National Guard was called out in the spring of 1864, and went into the field officered as follows: W. Smith Irwin, Lieutenant Colonel, commanding; James McFarland, Major; W. M. Dwyer, Regimental Quartermaster; A. R. Boggs, Adjutant; William Reed, Assistant Surgeon, and B. B. McGowan, Sergeant Major. Company A, First Lieutenant, Owen Tuttle, commanding; Second Lieutenant, -------- Jones, with aggregate force of eighty three men; Company B, First Lieutenant, Moses Shauck, commanding; Second Lieut Marshman; aggregate force, seventy-five men Company C, Captain, William Mitchell; Second Lieutenant, O. L. French; aggregate force, seventy-three men ; Company D, Captain, John C. Baxter; First Lieutenant, Thomas Litzenburg; Second Lieutenant, Warner Hayden; aggregate force, eighty-three men ; Company E, Captain, Zachariah Meredith; First Lieutenant, James McCracken; Second Lieutenant, J. M. Moore; aggregate force, eighty-four men. Total force of battalion, 388 men. The services of the battalion while in the field were arduous, though it participated in no battles, but was occupied in guard duty mostly in and around Washington City.

In the foregoing pages we have drawn, to some extent, on " Ohio in the War," a work published by Whitelaw Reid. But as it is said to contain many errors we have taken the pains to consult members of the different regiments in which Morrow County was represented, compare notes with them, and endeavor to correct inaccuracies 'so far as possible, and doubt not but the sketches of the different regiments given are, in the main substantially correct.

Just how many men Morrow County furnished the Union army during the late war cannot be definitely stated, as quite a number, perhaps, enlisted from other counties, where they were credited, as was the case to a greater or less extent in all the States. A tabulated statement of

288 - HISTORY OF MORROW COUNTY.

the soldiers in the field at that time was published June 5, 1862, showing the quota of this county to be as follows: Canaan Township, 39; Cardington Township, 65 ; Westfield Township, 78; Peru, Township, 25 - Lincoln Township, 43; Gilead Township, 114; Washington Township, 29; North Bloomfield Township, 26; Congress Township, 28; Harmony Township, 31 ; Bennington Township, 36; South Bloomfield Township, 40.; Chester Tow-ship, 78 - Franklin Township, 34; Perry Township, 25; Troy Township, 9; total, 700.

As we stated in the beginning of this chapter, the county was three times drafted. Each time, however, the number to be thus selected was small, as enlistments were so patriotically made that it left but small quotas to be drawn from the wheel of fortune." The first draft took place on the 1st of October, 1862, under the supervision of Commissioner A. K. Dunn, and was as follows, by townships: Canaan, 26; Cardington, 3; Westfield, ____; Peru, 19; Lincoln, 10 Gilead, 13; Washington. 17; Harmony, 13; North Bloomfield, 9; Bennington,___; South Bloomfield, _____Chester, 10 ; Franklin, 40 ; Congress, 38 ; Perry, 26; Troy, S. The next draft was May 19,1864, for 146 men, distributed as follows: South Bloomfield, 6 , North Bloomfield, 13 Bennington, 21 Chester, 12 ; Perry, 9 ; Congress, 15 ; Troy, 8 Franklin, 24; Peru, IS; Westfield, 20. And again October 12, 1864, for a small number of men, from a few townships that had not filled up their last calls, viz.: Washington, 6 ; Gilead, 4; Perry, 38 , Congress, 26, Troy, 32; Peru, 6, and North Bloomfield, 18.

To write a full history of the participation of a single county in the late war, hundreds of incidents might be gathered and woven into it that would prove highly interesting to all classes of readers. A work such as this, a general history of the county, can devote but little space to incidents, but must confine itself to facts. One incident, however, is given, which illustrates the valor and patriotism of Morrow County soldiers. The incident above alluded to went the rounds of the press at the time, and we give it as it appeared in the Cleveland Herald: "Henry McPeak, of Morrow County, had been in the service nearly two years, when, in the summer of 1863, he was discharged on account of disability. Returning home, he was elected Captain of Company A, Fifty-sixth Battalion of the Ohio National Guard. Having recovered his health, and getting tired of Home Guard soldiering, he went to Columbus, obtained a leave of absence from his company for three years, and enlisted in Battery E, First Ohio Light Artillery, as a private. Some time in the spring of 1864, when the National Guard was called into the field, Mr. McPeak made application to the Secretary of War for a furlough of one hundred days to take command of his company, which was granted." He took command of his company which was in the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Infantry (one-year service), instead of the Fifty. sixth Battallion of National Guards, and performed good service while the regiment was in the field.

About the close of the war, a movement was made, which, we are sorry to say, so far has proved a failure-that is, to erect a monument to the memory of the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the defense of the Union. The county papers have an account of a meeting held on the 24th of April, 1865, for the purpose of organizing a " Soldiers' Monumental Association of "Morrow County." Officers were elected, by-laws and a constitution adopted, but it stopped there, and ,:till remains a work of the future. While there are many of the soldier-dead resting in the village graveyards, where the affection of surviving friends has reared above them marble slabs, yet there are still many who sleep far away, upon the fields where they fell. They rest, their warfare over, without "stone or lettered monument " to tell the passer-by that in that little mound sleeps a soldier of the Union. It is but justice to them that a monument should be erected to their mem cry. Doubtless the movement will be renewed at a fitting time and carried forward to completion It certainly should be.