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CHAPTER XVIII.

WAR OF THE REBELLION—CONTINUED.

Battle of Stone River—Emancipation—Secret Political Organizations —Battle of Chancellorsville— Lee's Army Invades the North—Battle of Gettysburgh—Capture of Vicksburgh—The Morgan Raid— Battles of Chickamauga and Mission Ridge—The Brough Campaign—The Veterans Reenlist—Death of Colonel Jesse Hildebrand—Beginning of Governor Brough's Administration—New Militia Law—Conference of the War Governors—Call of Governor Brough for Thirty Thousand Ohio National Guards—Departure of the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Ohio National Guard--General Steele’s Arkansas Expedition--Battle of Marks Mills and Capture of the Seventy-seventh Regiment—Raid of Hunter, Crook and Averrill—The Great Flank Movements of Grant and Sherman—The Atlanta Campaign—Sherman's Movements to the Right—March to the Sea—March Through the Carolinas—Battles of Averysborough and Bentonville—General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley—Battles of Opequan, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek—Battle of Nashville—Army of the Potomac— Battles of the Wilderness—Petersburgh—Sheridan's Raid—Wilson's Great Raid—Grant's Movements to the Left—Evacuation of Richmond—Surrender of Lee at Appomattox—Great Rejoicing—Assassination of President Lincoln—The Soldier Becomes a Citizen Again.

THE year 1863—the great battle year of the war—was ushered in by two important events: the memorable battle of Stone River and the emancipation proclamation striking the shackles from three millions of slaves. Washington county had not been strongly for the abolition of slavery, but the fierce logic of war had convinced the most conservative that the time had come and they heartily approved the action of Abraham Lincoln when he issued the emancipation edict to take effect January 1, 1863, and the grand Union party of Ohio, which swept everything before it in the great political contest of the year, endorsed the conduct of the war by a hundred thousand majority for John Brough. The partisan feeling that characterized this campaign was something fearful to contemplate, the party of the Union could brook no resistance, and there was a strong tendency to brand as traitors all who were not in its ranks, when in fact many good and true men of the opposition were devoted to their country and to the preservation of the Union; but some of the opposition were not for the Union or the war, and were so outspoken and active in their course

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that they were arrested in their course as was their leader C. L Vallandigham, but not like him arrested, tried, convicted and sent south.

On the thirty-first of March the citizens of Marietta, Harmar and vicinity formed what was known as the Union league, with the object of binding together all loyal men of all trades and professions, in a common union to maintain the power, glory and integrity of the Nation, to spare no endeavor to maintain unimpaired the National unity, both in principle and territorial boundary, and to vote for no man for office whose loyalty is questionable or who is not willing to support the principles set forth in the foregoing declaration. The officers elected were George M. Woodbridge, president; H. H. Brown, vice-president; S. S. Porter, secretary; W. F. Curtis, treasurer; M. H. Needham, J. H. Best, Daniel Y. Hill, John M. Hook, W. S. Ward, Thomas F. Jones, Beman Gates, Lewis Lenhart, B. F. Pixley, W. W. Hutchinson, George E. Stratton, and William H. Smith, executive committee. The formation of this society was doubtless prompted by the formation of lodges of Knights of the Golden Circle and Sons of Liberty in the county by the opposition.

On the first of May occurred the great battle of Chancellorsville in which Huntington's, De Beck's and Pierpont’s batteries were engaged, and when J. F. Hunting- ton's battery H, First Ohio light artillery, made a gallant stand against great odds holding the enemy in check until deserted by the supporting infantry. For his conduct in this battle Captain, Huntington was promoted to chief of artillery of his division.

In the same action Colonel Rufus R. Dawes, an old Washington county boy, bore a conspicuous part, in carrying out Fighting Joe Hooker's plans for crossing the Rappahannock prior to the battle. A surgeon of the Sixth Wisconsin, which regiment Lieutenant Colonel Dawes then commanded, was an eye-witness to the achievement. He says:

The steep bank on the opposite side was lined with rifle pits from which our troops on this side tried in vain for several hours to dislodge the enemy. It was impossible to lay the pontoon bridges on which to cross the corps until the rifle pits were cleared, and to throw troops across in boats for this purpose was a necessary condition of success. It was regarded by all as a most desperate and perilous undertaking, and none but troops of tried valor could be relied on.

The Sixth Wisconsin was one of the two regiments (Twenty-fourth Michigan was the other) which had the honor of being the "forlorn hope" selected to cross the river and carry the heights beyond. When the order was given to " fall in " not a man faltered or hesitated a moment, though fully conscious of the danger he was to meet. I shook hands with Lieutenant Colonel Dawes, as I honestly believed for the last time, and said " God bless and protect you." Our troops double quicked down the slope on this side, sprang into the boats, and pushed out boldly across the river under a perfect storm of bullets. The river, which is about one hundred and fifty yards wide at this point, was soon passed, and one brave men sprang ashore, dashed up the hill, capturing the rebs in the rifte pits, and in less than twenty minutes from the time the order to march was given on this side, our regiment was formed in line of battle on the top of the opposite shores. Lieutenant Colonel Dawes stood up in the boats while crossing, and assisted in pushing his boat along, and seized the colors to rally the regiment as soon as a landing was effected. I rejoiced greatly when I saw the rebels on the opposite side " skedaddling " in fine disorder. It seemed a miracle no more were hurt.

Early in June the threatening movements of the enemy under Lee alarmed the cabinet at Washington, and the President issued a call for one hundred thousand six months' men to be raised in the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Lee had divided his army into three grand divisions, cut loose from the base, and it was reported that one of these divisions was intended for the invasion of West Virginia and Ohio, another to strike the western part of Pennsylvania, and the third to invade Maryland. Under this call Ohio was to have furnished thirty thousand men, but the call for six months was soon found to be very injudicious, and two thousand was the total number from Ohio, of which none were from Washington county. Lee's movements were witnessed with great alarm, but it was soon evident that he was not expecting to divide his forces but bent on taking Philadelphia and New York, and carrying the war into the north.

The Rebel invasion culminated at Gettysburgh, where he was met by General Meade with the army of the Potomac, and the greatest battle of the war and the one most momentous in the results involved, was fought. Washington county was represented by Buell's Pierpoint battery, Huntington battery and DeBeck's battery under command of Captain J. F. Huntington. They fought nobly and stood to their guns as only veterans can. Who can describe the battle, who will ever adequately chronicle the deeds of heroism there enacted? It will never be done. Lines of battle five miles long, Round Top, Cemetery Hill, Culp's Hill, Wolf Hill, Power's Hill, Benner's Hill, all the scenes of charge and countercharge, and all in one great battle. Let us take a bit out of this great master-piece, this crowd of heroic achievements and let it stand for all the rest: "Agate" then the nom de plume of Whitelaw Reid, correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, wrote:

Let me give one phase of the fight—fit type of many more. Some Massachusetts batteries—Bigelow's Captain Phillip's, and Captain McGilory, of Maine—were planted on the extreme left, advanced, now well down to the Emmitsburgh road, with infantry in their front—the first division, I think, of Sickles' corps. A little after five, a fierce rebel charge drove back the infantry and menaced the batteries. Orders are sent Bigelow on the extreme left, to hold his position at every hazard short of sheer annihilation, till a couple more batteries can be brought to his support. Reserving his fire a little, then with depressed guns opening with double charges of grape and canister, he smites and shatters, but cannot break the ad lancing line. His grape and canister are exhausted, and still, closing grandly up over their slain, on they came. He falls back on spherical case, and pours this in at the shortest range. On, still onward, comes the artillery defying line, and still he holds his position. They are within six paces of the guns—he fires again, once more, and he blows devoted soldiers from his very muzzles. And, still mindful of that solemn order, he holds his place, they spring upon his carriages, and shoot down his horses And then, his Yankee artillerists still about him, he seizes the guns by hand, and from the very front of that line drags two of them otf. The caissons are further back— five out of the six are saved. That single company, in that half hour's fight, lost thirty-three of its men, including every sergeant it had. The captain himself was wounded. Yet it was the first time it was ever under fire! I give it simply as a type. So they fought along that firey line!

The rebels now poured on Phillips' battery, and it, too, was forced to drag off the pieces by hand, when the horses were shot down. From a new position, it opened again; and at last the two reenforcing batteries came up on the gallop. An enfilading fire swept the rebel line : Sickles gallant infantry charged, the rebel line swept back on a refluent tide—we regained the lost ground, and every gun just lost in this splendid fight.

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Buell's battery was in the thickest of the fight and fired over twelve hundred rounds. De Beck's battery lost two pieces. Huntington's battery was forced to retire for fresh ammunition. Let Captain Huntington tell the story himself:—* "Started from Taneytown with my brigade, at 4 a. M., second inst., reached Gettysburgh at 2 P. M., and about four o'clock was ordered to relieve some of the First corps, who were in the battle the day before. Position of our army peculiar, the line forming a triangle with the apex towards the enemy, whose line was in front around ours, we having the advantage of being able to throw troops across, while the enemy had to go around. The salient part of our line was an elevated piece of ground just on the edge of town, on which was a beautiful cemetery, and here, at the centre, my batteries were posted—a position fine for artillery, yet quite exposed, being swept by rebel batteries in front and on our left flank. Shelling was going on vigorously, when we took position, and we replied with great vigor. Meanwhile the tremendous attack was made on our left. Had this been successful every battery on the hill must have been taken, as our only line of retreat was by the Baltimore pike, directly in our rear. At one time when our left was forced back by a tremendous charge of the enemy, I thought "the jig was up" with us, but fresh troops were just brought up, and the enemy fell suddenly back. Just before dark, another column attacked our batteries on the hill, which were supported by part of the Eleventh corps, who, as their custom is, gave way, and part of Captain Ricketts' battery of my brigade, in the extreme front, was actually taken. General Carroll, with his brigade, of old Shields' fire-eaters, came up just in the nick of time. Carroll sung out, 'Where is Huntington? 'Here I am, general,' I said. 'I am sent here' he continued, `to support something or some one—where is the enemy?' I showed him their advancing line, and he commanded, 'Forward! double quick march!' And in they went, turned the advancing rebels, and saved the batteries. It was sharp while it lasted. Ricketts' battery lost seventeen killed and wounded and fiveprisoners in that charge." We quote further:

The night was spent in preparing for the struggle of the next day (July 3rd). At 4 A. M., Friday, the enemy attacked the right of our line. From that to eleven the musketry never slackened for a single moment. Such a sustained fire I never heard before, and to look at the place it was terrible. The rebels charged up a hill against log breast-works, lined with our splendid infantry. I was on the ground afterwards. It was a sickening sight. In one place I traced the line of an entire company, shot dead where they stood, with the captain at his post. Here General Ewell's adjutant general was killed, while trying to rally his men.

After this fight there was a lull, but about a P. M., while a knot of officers were lying down near my battery to avoid the sharpshooters, who were constantly firing at us, all at once there came a most terrible storm of iron. They had been quietly placing their batteries in position, and opened at a signal. The howling of the shells, the deadly hiss of the solid Wentworth, and the crash of the twelve-pound spherical case, was awful beyond description. Most of the fire came from the left, and my battery was then faced to the front; we had to change the position of the guns under that fire. For the first time the men of battery H hesitated to obey my orders; but they were almost exhausted by fatigue and intense heat, and it was only for a moment that they forgot their duty. We soon had our guns around, and opened one section

* Letter to Mrs. Huntington July 6th.

to the left, another to the front, and the third I could not work for the want of men abre to stand on their feet. Captain Wallace Hill's battery (Pierpoint) behaved most nobly. I never saw guns served better than theirs, until they fired their last round. I ordered them to leave the field, and replaced them with Captain Edgell's (New Hampshire) battery. Meanwhile, my own was about exhausted, and, feeling the importance of maintaining the fire at this point, I started to the reserve headquarters, with Orderly Fred Regnir, to run the gauntlet of the enemy's batteries for a mile, every shot that came over our batteries striking in our track—no pleasure trip to be sure—but we got through. Could obtain no relief, as every battery was already engaged. Starting back, I met my battery coming out, its ammunition exhausted, and one piece dismounted by solid shot. Under cover of this fire the enemy made their last charge on our left, suffered awfully, and were utterly routed—their last effort.

General Grant, after a series of battles and brilliant maneuvers around Vicksburgh, had penned up the rebel General Pemberton, and by July 4th had compelled him to surrender. The fourth of July, 1863, was a glad day for the National cause. "To whom shall we Grant the Meade of praise?" was telegraphed throughout the country; but Grant's star was in the ascendant. Meade's victory was grand, but his tactics were defensive, while Grant's were aggressive. These victories occasioned general rejoicing. The friends of the Union throughout the north now saw the beginning of the end. The gloom that had overshadowed the past year was dissipated, and the name of Grant was thenceforth to be the watchword to victory and the omen of success.

THE MORGAN RAID.

It was in July of 1863 that John Morgan made his raid through southern Ohio, passing through Washington county, an account of which follows.

John Morgan, with his bold troopers, had, up to July, 1863, made numerous raids and forays across the mountains of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee into the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. These forays were a source of alarm to the Unionist, and exultation to the secessionist. He generally captured all the good horses within his reach, provoked a vigorous pursuit, and although he uniformly had to get out much faster than he came in, he generally accomplished all that he set out to.

Encouraged by his successes he planned a grand raid to the northward, which should give the northern people a taste of war as well as the sunny south. General Bragg, however, ordered Morgan not to go beyond the State of Kentucky. Bragg was then confronted by General Rosecrans, at Stone River, and the object sought to be accomplished was to strike the communications and rear of the Union army, and divert the flanking columns of Rosecrans from annoying Bragg, the supposition being that a strong force sent to the rear would engage the attention of a large part of the Union cavalry, and the sequel proved this to be true.

Collecting a body of cavalry, numbering about two thousand five hundred men, with two twenty-pound Parrot rifle cannon and four other guns of lighter metal, he was ready for the enterprise. Basil Duke, the "brains of John Morgan," was second in command, with Colonels Cluke, Dick Morgan, and others of lesser note commanding regiments.

He crossed the Cumberland at Burkesville, Kentucky,

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July 3, 1863, and, marching rapidly north, drove or evaded all the Union forces that disputed his progress, and on the eighth arrived on the banks of the Ohio at Bradenburgh, Kentucky. He gave out as he went that he should attack Louisville. He captured two steamers, the J. J. McCoombs and Alice Dean, and disregarding his instructions, crossed the Ohio, burned the steamers, and disappeared among the hills of Indiana.

General Judah, commanding the Union cavalry in Kentucky, began at once a vigorous pursuit. Colonel Garrard, of the Seventh Ohio cavalry, in command of a brigade composed of the Seventh and Second Ohio cavalry, Forty-fifth Ohio mounted infantry, Law's howitzer battery, and the First Kentucky cavalry, started the same day Morgan crossed the Cumberland, where Garrard had been watching him, and was joined, at Bardstown, Kentucky, by General Hobson with Shackelford's brigade, consisting of the Third, Eighth, Ninth, and Twelfth Kentucky cavalry, and two pieces of artillery. Hobson assumed command, and the whole force hurried on after the raider.

Morgan, after getting safely across into Indiana, gave out, seemingly as in confidence, to prisoners, that he was moving on Indianapolis, but immediately afterwards bore off to the eastward; crossed the Ohio line, and was soon in the neighborhood of Cincinnati. Upon nearing that city he gave out that he expected to attack Hamilton, but instead passed by so close to the great city that part of his command, embarrassed by the darkness and the labyrinth of streets in the suburbs, came near losing their way. This was the night of July 13th.

General Burnside was in command in Cincinnati and General Judah was there also hurrying up with fresh cavalry.

Ohio was soon thoroughly aroused. Governor Tod, July 12th, issued a proclamation calling out the militia of all the southern and southwestern counties.

Morgan, no doubt, endeavored to enhance the prevailing alarm, hoping to make his escape more certain amid the general uproar before any definite or concerted action could be taken to intercept him. Onward he went eastward, his men plundering everybody without fear or favor, through the counties of Warren, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Pike, Jackson, and Meigs, while detachments from the main body made detours through other counties, and the whole body bringing up at Portland, near Buffington's Island, on the evening of the eighteenth, and would doubtless have crossed at once but for the threatening appearance of an earthwork then and there appearing.

Morgan had run the gauntlet of the militia through the State, with Hobson but a few hours in the rear, eager to bring the raider to bay after the long pursuit. Tired, jaded and harassed, and withal heavily loaded with booty, the rebels rested at the river, expecting in the morning to make a short job of the earthwork and cross to the Virginia shore.

Let us now turn to the scene of operations in Washington county, and see what was being done there to capture the bold raider.

Governor Tod, in his proclamation, had ordered "all the militia companies in Washington, Monroe, Noble, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Hocking, and Athens, to report forthwith to Colonel William R. Putnam at Camp Marietta, who was to organize them into battalions or regiments and appoint temporary officers therefor." Immediately following the proclamation came a telegram from Governor Tod to Colonel Putnam, stating that three thousand militia had been ordered to Marietta. At this date there were one hundred and seventy-five six months' men in camp, including company A, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry. Governor Tod telegraphed on the fourteenth that Morgan had crossed the Little Miami, and was probably making for some ford near Marietta. Colonel Putnam at once began to act— first, to prevent Morgan crossing the Ohio; second, to keep him west of the Muskingum; and, third, to shut his forces between the Ohio river and Marietta & Cincinnati railroad if possible. He therefore set about guarding the fords as the first part of the programme. On the fourteenth there were four hundred and fifty-seven men in camp, but no arms had arrived, although a thousand stand had been promised by the governor. At this time Captain D. L. Wood, of the Eighteenth United States infantry, was stationed at Marietta, and Lieutenant J. W. Conine, aide-de-camp to General Cox, was in immediate command of the six months' men at Camp Marietta. On July loth the following order was issued :

HEADQUARTERS, CAMP MARIETTA, 0., July 15, 1863.

Special Order No. 1.

The following companies now at camp are hereby detached under command of Captain D. L. Wood, Eighteenth United States infantry, and will put themselves in readiness to march:

Marietta artillery company, Lieutenant Nye commanding.

Volunteer mounted company, Captain Bloomfield commanding.

Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, Captain Stedman commanding.

Captain J. P. Putnam's company, Captain Putnam commanding.

Post Quartermaster Croxton will provide transportation and forage for five (5) days for fifty (50) horses. Post Commissary R. B. Treat will turn over to Charles Jones (who will act as quartermaster of the detachment), twelve hundred and fifty (1250) rations.

Surgeon S. D. Hart will be acting surgeon.

By order of Wm. R. PUTNAM,

Colonel Commanding.

Captain Woods intructions were as follows:

You are hereby ordered to assume command of the troops detached by special order No. 1 of this date, and proceed with them to the ford below Parkersburgh, where you wnll make such disposition as you deem fit and proper to prevent the rebel forces now in the State from crossing at that place. 

WM. R. PUTNAM,

Colonel Commanding.

But now an unforseen difficulty arose. Lieutenant Cornine refused to allow the United States troops in Camp Marietta to be moved without orders from a higher source. Governor Tod was telegraphed, and all that day spent in waiting for an answer. The answer came finally ordering Lieutenant Cornine to obey all orders from Colonel Putnam, and Captain Wood started early on the morning of the sixteenth. The expedition numbered about three hundred men. The cannon were two iron pieces that had been used in Marietta and Harmar for firing salutes, and the arms for the infantry and cavalry were such as could be hastily gathered in the city and Camp

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Marietta. Captain Wood reached Blennerhasset island the same day, and began entrenching, informing Colonel Putnam by telegraph of the fact. Captain Wood had stopped short of the point intended to be covered by the movement. At this time four thousand two hundred and fifty-nine men reported for duty, and Captain R. B. Wilson, of Meigs county, was ordered to proceed to Mason City, West Virginia, with his company and that of Captain George G. Woodward armed as infantry, to prevent Morgan crossing at that point. On the same day (seventeenth) the following order was sent to Captain Wood, at Blennerhasset island:

The shoal at the foot of Blennerhasset island is deemed impracticable on account of quicksand. The ford you were to guard is at the foot of Buffington's island. You will therefore take your forces to that point. Use the tlats and steamer Logan in conjunction with Captain Wilson, in transporting your forces, sending baggage overland, if necessary. Delay Captain Wilson as little as possible.

Lieutenant Conine will report to you with reenforcements as soon as they can be arrned.

By this arrangement Captain Wood and his little force reached Buffington at 7 P. m. of the seventeenth, and at once began to intrench, throwing out pickets and preparing for such defence as his limited means afforded. Captain Wilson proceeded to Mason City.

In the meantime Captain Henry Best, on July 13th, with his own company and those of Captains Stone, Dana, Pugh, and Rutherford, had been ordered to proceed on the steamer Buck to Blennerhasset island and open the channel so that the gunboats could pass, and on the way down remove all boats of every description to the Virginia shore, which order was faithfully carried out. Captain Wilson arrived at Mason City at 11 P. M. of the seventeenth, and hearing that the rebels had appeared about five miles back of Middleport, he crossed the river and advanced promptly but cautiously through the darkness and took up a position three miles to the rear of that place. Here Morgan's men, or a part of them, advanced, captured a scouting party of Captain Wilson's force, pushed on to within a quarter of a mile of Wilson, when they were fired on, and delayed until noon of the eighteenth, when the Twenty-third Ohio infantry came up, and an attack was immediately made by the two commands on the rebels, resulting in their retreat. On the nineteenth, Captain Wilson was ordered up to Bowman's run, seven miles up the Ohio from Middleport, where he made such dispositions of his men as to capture seventy-seven men and officers, and eighty horses. Captain Wilson took his prisoners to Pomeroy, when he was ordered six miles below to guard another ford, and arrived just in time to prevent a body of Morgan's men from crossing, and turned them back on their pursuers, who captured them.

By July seventeenth a thousand stand of arms arrived, and Colonel Putnam ordered Lieutenant J. IV. Conine, with a detachment consisting of the companies of Captains Knowles, Moore, Jaynes, Brown, Seaman, Dyar, Jenkins, Comity, and Davenport, to proceed on board the steamer Eagle and reinforce Captain Wood, and report to that officer for orders. The Eagle got fast aground on a bar, and Conine disembarked, marched his

men to the mouth of the Little Hocking, and bivouacked, deciding to act independent of Captain Wood. At this time there were reported for duty seven thousand and sixty-four men, with scarcely any arms in camp, but in order to utilize these men as far as practicable they were provided with spades, axes, and picks, and sent to the proper places to fell trees and obstruct the lines of retreat along the supposed route of Morgan.

Hon. William P. Cutler on the eighteenth was ordered to obstruct the roads between the line of the Marietta & Cincinnati railroad and the Ohio river. He had in his command the railroad employes, Captain Holmes' company, and that of Captain Grewell; and at Cutler's Station and Big run he was joined with three more companies under Captains Waugh, Maxwell, and Dee. With these forces, Mr. Cutler says, in his report: "We succeeded in accomplishing the object in a thorough manner from Big Hocking (including all roads leading into the ravines of that stream), as far east as the road leading from Vincent to the Ohio river by way of Daniel Shaw's, in Dunham township."

On the seventeenth General Burnside telegraphed Colonel Putnam that if Morgan was driven from the ford at Buffington; he would probably strike for Marietta, the roads therefore were to be well obstructed, the flooring of the bridge across the Muskingum torn up, and rifle pits so constructed as to command the crossing. General Cox who was with General Burnside at Cincinnati, telegraphed that if the roads were so obstructed as to prevent Morgan dodging north between Athens and Marietta, there was force enough following to crush or capture him. Three companies under John Newton were sent up the Muskingum to remove all boats to the cast side of the stream, and three more under command of Captain Levi Barber were sent to blockade the roads between Coolville and Little Hoking. Meantime, mounted scouts were sent out from Mr. Cutler's camp, and from all points practicable, and the best information possible obtained as to the enemy's movements. Several companies were stationed at the Marietta bridge, and such arrangements made that the drawbridge could be turned at a moment's notice. In addition to the rifle pits a barricade of bales of hay was made commanding the bridge and the ford below. On the night of July 17th Colonel B. P. Runkle's forces arrived at Scott's landing three miles below Marietta.

Let us now return to Morgan's command whom we left on the evening of the eighteenth, near Buffington's Island.

Basil Duke, in his "History of Morgan's Cavalry," says:

July 18th, at 3 A. M., we moved on. By this time the militia had turned their attention seriously to felling trees, and impeding our progress in every conceivable way. Advanced guard was forced to carry axes to cut away frequent blockade. 1n passing on the eighteenth hear Pomeroy, there was one continual fight, but not wholly with militia, for some regular troops now appeared. We had to run a terrible gauntlet for nearly five miles, through a ravine, on the gallop. . . . We reached Portland (Buffnngton) about 8 P. M., and the night was one of solid darkness. General Morgan consulted one or two of his officers upon the propriety of at once attacking an earthwork, thrown up to guard the ford. From al! the information he could

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gather, this work was manned with about three hundred infantry— regular troops, and two heavy guns were mounted in it. Our arrivat at this place after dark had involved us in a dilemma. If we did not cross the river that night, there was every chance of our being attacked on the next day by heavy odds—by infantry sent after us from Kentucky, and by gunboats at the ford, which we could not drive off, as we bad not more than three cartridges apiece for our artillery. General Morgan fully appreciated these reasons for getting across the river that night, as did those with whom he advised, but there were also very strong reasons against attacking the work at night; and without the capture of the work which commanded the ford, it would be impossible to cross. Attacks in the dark are always hazardous experiments, in this case doubly so as we knew nothing of the ground and could not procure guides. Our choice of the direction in which to move to the attack would have been purely guesswork. The defenders of the work had only to lie still and fire with artillery and musketry directly to their front, but the assailants would have had a line to preserve, and to exercise great care lest they shourd fall foul of each other, in the obscurity. . . He determined, therefore, to take the work at early dawn, and hoped to effect a crossing rapidly before the enemy arrived.

Captain D. L Wood in his report. to Colonel Putnam says: "On the morning of the eighteenth I made a line of entrenchments covering the approach to the ford, sent out cavalry scouts and ascertained that the enemy were advancing on me in force. I had all my stores removed to the boat (steamer Starlight) and ordered it to be ready to move. At half past seven o'clock the enemy appeared in force in front of my works, at which time my forces were in line to receive them as best I could. At twelve o'clock, having received an order from General Scammon to retire, I did so. Being hardly pressed by the enemy, I was obliged to abandon my artillery."

Lieutenant C. B. Lewis, of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, was officer of the day; posted pickets at different points around the ford to watch for the approach of the rebels, and while out on the picket line was taken prisoner by the rebels the night before the battle.

BATTLE OF BUFFINGTON'S ISLAND.

The valley in which Morgan encamped on the night of July 28th was about eight hundred yards wide at the lower end and gradually narrowed above until the hills approached near to the river at the upper end. The river road coming from Pomeroy was upon the bank of the river. About midway of the valley a road winds into the valley to the river. The rebels had encamped on the night of the eighteenth (Saturday night) in the corn fields at the end of a private lane running parallel to the read on which General Judah was approaching from the direction of Pomeroy. A dense fog covered all the bottom lands. General Hobson had with his command followed Morgan for two weeks, and on the night of the eighteenth went into camp to rest both horses and men. Colonel Garrard, of the Seventh Ohio cavalry, remonstrated with Hobson for delaying the march at the critical point of the pursuit, but Hobson decided to halt. Colonel Garrard then asked permission to continue the pursuit that night, and in reply was informed that he might take his regiment and "go to hell."* So Garrard kept on in pursuit. General Judah pressing forward during the night with his command was, with his staff

* From one of the Seventh cavalry.

including Major Daniel McCook, early in the morning of the nineteenth, in the advance, and when within a short distance of the ford, there being a dense fog, came unexpectedly upon the rebel cavalry, who received them with a volley and pursued, killing Major McCook, wounding several and taking some prisoners together with one piece of artillery. General Judah now hurried his forces forward, and the fog suddenly lifting disclosed the enemy in the valley before them. While Judah was bringing his forces into action, Lieutenant O'Neil, of the Fifth Indiana cavalry, appeared on another road with but fifty men and charged two different regiments so desperately that they were broke and left the captured gun, also their prisoners. Meanwhile Colonel Garrard with the Second and Seventh Ohio cavalry came in by the road about the middle of the valley and charged them in flank and rear. Captain Fitch with the gunboat Moose now attacked from the river, playing on them with his twenty-four pound Dahlgreen guns. With Judah up, Hobson up and the gunboats up, the situation of Morgan became not only interesting but desperate.

Judah and Hobson, from different points, soon opened on the rebel ranks with shell, and, according to Basil Duke's account, the air was fairly filled with pieces of shell, compelling the enemy to retreat. Duke was in command of the line designed to cover the retreat, with instructions to make the best fight he could, and but for being attacked in the flank, would have given General Judah a more stubborn resistance than they did. General Duke attempted to retreat in good order, but soon a regular stampede took place, many made a rush for the ford, others ran from point to point over this field, taking a new direction at the chance explosion of a shell near by. The most of the rebels, however, still clung to the booty stolen on the march.

The victors now closed in on them and captured bementween seven and eight hundred, including Basil Duke, Colonel Dick Morgan, Colonels Smith, Ward and Hoffman. All their artillery, wagons, etc., were captured. About twelve hundred men, under Morgan, escaped, and, pressing on up the river, tried to cross at Belleville, but were headed off by the gunboat Moose. A few got across, and some were killed in the river. The bulk of the raiders, however, turned away from the river and disappeared among the hills. It is a remarkable fact that two out of the six or seven guns captured were twenty- pound parrots, which Morgan had dragged over his extended line of march, and had he not run out of ammunition, would doubtless have given the gunboats as well as his other pursuers a more desperate battle than he did. The Union loss was five killed and twenty-five wounded. Rebel loss, twenty killed, wounded not known.

In regard to the conduct of Captain Wood, the Rebellion Record has the following:*

Captain Wood, of the Eighteenth regulars, while stationed at Marietta as mustering officer, was induced to take command of two companies of volunteers, and proceeded to Buffington bar on Saturday. He found the steamer Starlight aground, with only two men aboard, and loaded with three thousand barrels of flour. He immediately un-

* Frank Moore's Rebellion Record, Volume VII, page 267.

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 163

loaded the vessel, raised steam and manned the boat, from the captain to the deck hand, with his men, and run her out of the range of Morganls guns, which, before he could get away, had arrived on the bank. Before leaving with his little band of true gallants, he rolled his two heavy pieces of artillery over into a ravine, so that the enemy could neither take nor use them. After the fight, Captain Wood reported to Genera! Judah for duty with the boat, and was highly complimented by the general and placed in charge of several hundred of the prisoners to bring to Cincinnati. Had the boat not been seized by Captain Wood when it was, Morgan would have had it and crossed the river with it, for the gunboats did not arrive till Sunday morning, while Morgan was there the night before. So ret Marietta be proud of her gentlemen soldiers who were not too proud to carry coal or do any work which would hinder the enemies of the Union and help her defenders.

Captain Wood and his command returned to Camp Marietta from Cincinnati, July 25th.

When Major McCook was shot, the country lost a noble patriot, who had sent his distinguished sons to the war and only remained at home himself on account of the infirmities of age. • The horse he rode remained in the hands of the enemy. There is an interesting incident related in regard to the horse, "Old Joe," as he was called, which we give as we heard it:

When Captain Arthur D. Eells, H Seventh Ohio volunteer cavalry, on the failure of his health, left the army at Somerset, Kentucky, he sold his horse "Joe" to Major John Delman, at that time paymaster, who took the home to Cincinnati. Very soon after this John Morgan made his raid through Indiana and Ohio.

When Morgan and his troops were passing near Cincinnati, a force of volunteers gathered to pursue him. Old Major McCook went to Dalman's stable and took the horse Joe, and, with the others, followed Morgan, overtaking him, as we have seen, at Buffington. As soon as Major McCook fell, the horse galloped over the field at will. Soon the Seventh Ohio cavalry attacked the rebels on the flank and rear, and the horse, doubtless recognizing familiar voices in the direction of the gallant Seventh, galloped through the tumult and confusion of the battle to the position of the Seventh cavalry and took his wonted place in the line, much to the edification of the boys, who shouted, "Look ! there comes Captain Eells' horse, Old Joe."

So ended the battle of Buffington's Island, in which there were more men killed than some of the famous battles in Mexico.

About three hundred and fifty rebels succeeded in getting across at the different fords, and between one and two hundred were taken prisoners after becoming detached from the main body. Morgan himself was half way across at the upper Buffington ford, when he saw that a large part of his command were so hard pressed that they would not be able to escape, and he turned back and continued his flight north, but doubled on his track and again attempted to cross near Blennerhasset's island, but was foiled in this and compelled to make a detour to get out of the trap set for him by Colonel Putnam. In order to do this he marched outside the lines of Mr. Cutler and Lieutenant Conine and the other forces sent out to obstruct and hold the roads leading to the river. He was, however, followed by Shackelford, and also by a force of militia sent forward by Colonel Runkle, under command of Colonel Hill. These moved by boat up the Muskingum, and landed at McConnelsville, July 23d, just as Morgan crossed at Eaglesport seven miles above. Colonel Hill took an unfrequented road over the hills and succeeded in flanking Morgan, and getting his artillery into position, opened on the rebels and threw them into confusion. They dropped their guns, booty, and everything that would impede progress and fled, followed by Hill as long as his artillery could get positions from which to shell them, keeping up the pursuit until about four P. M., when General Shackelford's cavalry came up and relieved the militia, now very much exhausted, whom Colonel Hill ordered back to the Muskingum.

Thus harassed the remnant of the raiders pursued their toilsome march. General Brooks, who had taken up his headquarters at Wellsville, Ohio, finding that there was a strong probability of Morgan crossing the Cleveland & Pittsburgh railroad at Salineville, sent Colonel Gallagher, with a regiment of six months' men, to a point about two miles from that place, and had them posted advantageously near the supposed place of crossing. Major Way, with the Ninth Michigan cavalry, was also moving up to the same point. In a short time the expected rebels made their appearance, coming around a bend in the road. On catching sight of the infantry they halted and turned their horses' heads in another direction. Before they could get out of the trap Major Way, with two hundred men of the Ninth Michigan cavalry, dashed among them and commenced cutting right and left. The rebels made but a brief resistance, when they broke in titter confusion. The scene that followed was almost ludicrous, and could only be matched by the previous stampede at Buffington's Island. Men dismounted, threw down their arms and begged for quarter, whilst others galloped around wildly in search of a place of escape and were "brought to time" by a pistol shot or saber stroke.

Morgan himself was riding in a carriage drawn by two white horses. Major Way saw him, and galloping up, reached for him. Morgan jumped out at the other side of the carriage, leaped over a fence, seized a horse, and galloped off as fast as horse flesh, spurred by frightened heels, could carry him. About two hundred succeeded in escaping with him. In the buggy thus hastily evacuated by Morgan were found his rations, consisting of a loaf of bread, some hard-boiled eggs, and a bottle of whiskey.*

The number of rebels killed in this engagement was five or six; number wounded not stated; prisoners, about two hundred, together with horses and arms. A few Union cavalry men were wounded.

About two o'clock P. M. of the same day the forces in pursuit of Morgan closed in around him in the vicinity of West Point, between New Lisbon and Wellsville. The rebels were finally compelled to take refuge on a bluff, and finding escape impossible, they surrendered to Colonel Shackelford and the militia, who now started on a general hunt for straggling rebels, brought in numbers of them, found concealed in the woods, all of whom were sent to Columbus.

A rebel account states that Morgan on this raid captured six thousand prisoners, all of whom were parolled, destroyed thirty-four important bridges, and the railroad tracks in sixty places, that they lost twenty-eight commissioned officers killed, thirty-four wounded, and two hun-

* Correspondence Cleveland Herald July 27, 1863.

164 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

dred and fifty men killed, wounded and captured; that by Federal accounts, they killed more than two hundred, wounded at least three hundred and fifty, and captured as above mentioned, six thousand; that the damage to railroads, steamboats and bridges, added to the destruction of public stores and depots, cannot fall short of ten million dollars; that they captured three pieces of artillery, and one twenty-four pounder at Lebanon, which they destroyed, one Parrot three-inch gun at Brandenburgh, and a twelve-pounder at Portland; that the Copperheads and Butternuts were always in the front opposing them; that occasionally they would meet a pure "Southron," generally a person banished from the border states.

The above mentioned account was written by one of the raiders who escaped at Buffington, and as far as it relates to the Union loss, is not trustworthy, being an over-estimate, but as far as relates to the destruction of property is doubtless not up to the mark.

Morgan and his officers were confined in the penitentiary, from which prison Morgan and six others made their escape November 27, 1863, by cutting through the stone floors of three cells with knives carried off from the prison table, till they reached the air chamber below and tunneling thence under the prison walls into the outer yard, and climbing the surrounding prison wall by the aid of ropes made from their bed clothes. An investigation into the cause of the escape showed that the usual routine of sweeping the cells was omitted in the case of those occupied by the rebels, and they were thus enabled to cover up and conceal their work. The omission to sweep was at the suggestion of one of the directors of the penitentiary.

Morgan reached his hiding-place beyond the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee in safety, and afterwards led several bands of raiders into the Blue Grass, in one of which he was killed in a skirmish, while" endeavoring to escape from a house in a little village in East Tennessee.

THE MILITIA.

Under order to organize the force assembled at Camp Marietta during the Morgan raid, Colonel Putnam appointed on his own staff:

Josiah H. Jenkins, assistant adjutant general; P. B. Putnam, quartermaster; George 0. Hildreth, post hospital surgeon; James Little, post hospital surgeon; F. D. Howell, post hospital surgeon; B. F. Culver, post hospital assistant surgeon; John W. White post hospital assistant surgeon; Michael Edwards, post hospital assistant surgeon; Joseph M. C. Moorhead, examining surgeon; William Beebe, examining surgeon; William Ackley, examining surgeon; besides a corps of clerks and assistants.

ATHENS COUNTY MILITIA.

A. D. Jaynes, colonel; E. L. DeWitt, colonel; Jared Moris, adjutant. Names of Company commandants—Charles Mathenry, E. D. Harper, reported July 14th; Charles Goodspeed, Elias Grewell, Edward Wheeler, C. Cooper, F. L. Junrod, C. Winget, I. C Shotts, A. D. Jaynes, H. Nouns, and Daniel Fulton, reported July 16th; Charles Stout and James M. Holmes, reported July 17th; S. H. Smith, E. Stalder and E. P. Pickett, reported July 18th.

Highest number men from Athens county, one thousand eighty-two; total number companies, seventeen.

MEIGS COUNTY MILITIA.

Nathaniel M. McLaughlin, colonel; William B. Skrevner, major.

Names of Company Commandants—I. H. Rutherford, L. E. Campbell, John Barrot, G. G. Woodward and R. B. Wilson, reported July 16th; John F. Martin, Minor Reed and S. Riggs, reported July 17th. Total nmber companies, nine; highest number men reported, seven hundred and six.

MONROE COUNTY MILITIA.

Joseph Kelley, colonel.

Company Commandants—R. T. Berber, S. C. Kelley, Henry Scott, J. M. Evans, reported July 17th; J, L. Watson, S. F. Ellsworth, G. W. Bennett, C. M. Stewart, J. M. Jones, J. A. Fleischman, C. B. Way, H. R. Mason, Joshua Way, I. Daugherty, Max Albert, A. C. McElroy and Elias Hoppmann, reported July 18th; Peter Dover, George Ring and J. Roemer, reported July loth; John Mallory, J. J. Hurd, James Adams, J. F. Culverhouse and J. Rupp, reported July 21st; W. Truax, July 22d; and M. Thoenen, John Bellman and John Monroe, July 24th.

Total number companies, twenty-nine; highest number men reported one thousand three hundred and sixty-seven.

NOBLE COUNTY MILITIA.

William P. Sprague, colonel; William H. Frazier, adjutant.

Company Commandants—Pearson Mordeck, James A. Morrison, B. B. Taylor, Asa Barton, and John Hesson, reported July 15th; D. L. Weems, July 16th; J. Rickley, Louis Headly, Lorenzo Powell, Israel Harris, July 17th; Dudley Evans, Enoch Wilkinson, William Fowler, J. M. Walters, James Gibson, William L. Parks, William Ogle, C. Clymer, David McGary, Robert Bary, and Robert Hayne, July 18th. J. F. Briggs, George E. Geddes, July loth.

Number of companies, twenty-three; highest of men reported on any one day, two thousand one hundred and twelve.

PERRY COUNTY MILITIA.

W. Cook, colonel; S. F. Muzzy, colonel; A. W. Poundston, adjutant.

Company Commandants—D. W. Marsh, John S. Nixon, Obediah Lorimer, J. Mackin, and W. H. Spencer, reported July 17th; John Dike, A. T. Sharp, J. Clark, James C. Ritchey, James R. Fulton, and W. L. Harbough, July 18^th.

Number of companies, eleven; highest number of men reported, eight hundred and fifty-six.

HOCKING COUNTY MILITIA.

David Little, colonel.

Company Commandants—Samuel Creighton, Abraham McLain, John 0. Kennedy, D. Little, and John Oaks, reported July 18th.

Number of companies, five; highest number of men reported, three hundred and forty-four.

MORGAN COUNTY MILITIA.

John C. Ellston, jr., colonel; William B. Loomis, adjutant; Frederick W. Wood, colonel; Bearly Davis, adjutant.

Company Commandants—J. H. Roland, reported July 14th; A. J. Harte, J. McVay, H. R. Seaman, Sidney Newton and Thomas Hammond, reported July 15; J. D. Lashley, George Hedges and William Balding reported July 16th; J. L. Pierrot, S. S. Jenkins, William Miller, James B. Tannehill, John Henderson, H. R. Hughes, E. G. Caulson, H. B. White, Charles McCarthy, John Preston, reported July 17th; H. C. Harvey, P. D. Danford, John Rollison, William McIntire, G. B. Fowler, F. G. Phillips and Thomas Vicroy, reported July 18th; D. D. Scott and John Fouraker, reported July 19th.

Total number companies, twenty-eight; highest number of men reported, two thousand three hundred and sixty-two.

WASHINGTON COUNTY MILITIA.

J. Mills, Kendrick, colonel commanding; Thomas W. Moore,* colonel First regiment; Joseph B. Kinkead,* colonel First regiment; Thomas Day, colonel First regiment; Edwin Cood, colonel Second regiment; Joseph Dyar, colonel Third regiment; 0. P. Scott, colonel Fourth regiment.

Company Commandants—Augustus Dyer, and A. T. Nye, jr., reported July 14th; S. S. Knowles, J. W. Tripp, John Hoist, jr., K. Krauss, Elijah Locker, John W. Conley, Henry Kelley, David P. Pugh, P. L. Cole, J. H. Brown, W. L. Baldwin, and J. L. W. Newton, reported July 15th; D. Y. Hill, E. M. Howland, Loring E. Stone, J. P. Sanford, Charles A. Cook, George Davenport, John Magee, Charles H. Cook, R. P. Delley, B. Racer, H. M. Brown, M. Ryan, J. W. Brabham, J. M. Warren, E D. Smith, and Thomas W. Moore, reported July 16th; Oscar Liackey, J. A. Brown, Jacob Hagar, G. R. Goddard. Washington Wilson, G. B. Turner, July 17th; J. P. Kinkead, Charles Luckens, C. H. Goddard, John E. Smallwood, John Dretchell,

* Relieved to command men on detached duty.

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J. F. Deshler, and S. P. Willis, July 18th; William Smith, J. D. Gates, July 19th, J. C. Campbell, and Israel N. Dye, July 20th.

Total number of companies, forty-seven; highest number of men reported, two thousand and thirty-nine.

Besides these, there were volunteers under command of S. Mason, Major Bloomfield, J. W. Brabham, D. Y. Hill, one hundred and ninety-eight men, and six months' men in camp at this time numbering two hundred and fifty. In addition to the companies already enumerated, six others from counties outside the first military district came in with six hundred and thirty-four men. The daily aggregate of forces reported at Camp Marietta during the Morgan raid was as follows: On July 13th, the day after the Governor's proclamation, there were in camp one hundred and seventy-five men—the militia had not yet started; July 14th, 457; fifteenth, 1,732; sixteenth, 4,259; seventeenth, 7,064; eighteenth, 11,782; nineteenth, 12,082; twentieth (owing to an order from the governor to send the militia home), 6,434; twenty-first, 5,826; twenty-second, 3,939; twenty-third, 2,721 ; twenty-fourth, 3,372; twenty-fifth, 2,466; twenty-sixth, 2,389; twenty- seventh, 2,384; twenty-eighth, 449; twenty-ninth, 284; all the militia disappearing again.

AGGREGATE FROM COUNTIES.

On July 19th there were reported at Camp Putnam, either as on duty or in camp, militia and other soldiers, as follows:

The results of the operations planned at Camp Marietta were to compel Morgan to snake an extended detour to the northward, thereby saving a large tract of country from devastation. Another and more important result was the preventing of his escape across the river, at Buffington. There is no doubt but that the timely arrival of Captain Wood at Buffington, and the construction of the earthwork mentioned, prevented Morgan from crossing with his entire command the night before the battle. The statement of General Basil Duke heretofore referred to fully corroborates this fact. Captain Wood left the fortification under orders from General Scammon, of the Kanawha department, a superior officer, and he left none too soon. Six hours later and the rebels would have attacked him, overpowered his small force, captured the steamer and ferried their troops across before either Judah or Hobson, or the gunboats, could have prevented it.

There are few men that could have handled so large a body of men so well, under such circumstances, as Colonel Putnam did these who came so suddenly upon his hands. They came by the thousands, wholly unarmed, unequipped and unorganized. His action in this situation was admirable, preserving his usual fine equanimity through it all; and superintending the details of the whole camp, he still had time enough to plan for the capture and detention of Morgan. Down the Ohio, out on the line of the Marietta & Cincinnati railroad as far as the Big Hocking, up the Muskingum, up Duck creek, up Little Muskingum as far as Woodsfield, and up the Ohio, everywhere his regiments and companies were prepared to repel and delay the invaders. While we say this of the commandant of Camp Marietta, we must not forget that grand array of militia, twelve thousand strong, who sprang to the defence of their invaded State, many of them leaving their crops unharvested in the fields, and often compelled to march by their own fields that needed their attention, and doing it without a word of complaint; many leaving their stores, their shops, and employments that required hourly attention, to engage in an uncertain enterprise, the danger of which at the time seemed threatening and hazardous.

It was fully demonstrated by Morgan's raid that no freebooting foray, no matter how well planned or how well carried out, could succeed on Northern soil, and this raid was the last of the kind ever attempted.

On September 19th and loth occurred the battle of Chickamauga, in which the following regiments having Washington county men in them were engaged: The Ninety-second, Thirty-sixth, and Eighteenth infantry, and First Ohio cavalry. They fought nobly to save the day in this most desperate battle, losing heavily—the Ninety- second seven killed, seventy-eight wounded, including Colonel D. B. Fearing, and twenty missing; the Thirty- sixth twelve killed, including Colonel Jones, sixty-five wounded, and eighteen missing.

The First Ohio cavalry, in this battle, were ordered to charge, through some mistake, and had started toward the enemy's line, some three hundred in number, with sabers drawn; it would have been a second Balaklava, where the famous "six hundred" composing the Light brigade, made such a hopeless charge, but for a timely countermand of the order.

The famous charge at Chickamauga, made by Turchin's brigade, in which were the Thirty-sixth and Ninety- second regiments, should not be passed without adequate mention. A correspondent of the Cincinnati Commercial says:

After resisting several heavy charges the brigade changed direction by filing to the left, into the woods skirting the road on that side, and were halted and brought to a front, leaving the brigade in columns by companies, forming two lines of battle, the Eleventh Ohio and Eighteenth Kentucky in front, and the Ninety-second and Thirty-sixth in the rear. Hardly had this been completed when a rebel battery opened a perfect storm of shell and grape-shot into our ranks. This was entirely unexpected to us. It seems a whole division of the enemy had passed entirely around our left, and, coming up in our rear, expected to capture the entire left wing of our army.

Just at the moment the rebels opened General Thomas rode up:

"Whose brigade is this ?"

"Genera! Turchin's," was promptly answered.

"General, can your brigade break through those lines?"

"Yes, I guess so, if any brigade can."

"Very well, do it at once."

General Turchin had been commanding our brigade but a short time, but long enough to gain the confidence of his men. Rising in his stirrups he gave the command—"About face—forward, double-quick— charge bayonets—mar-c-h!" With a yell, the volume of which was de-

166 - HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO.

creased not a whit by the fact that the men fully realized that everything depended on the success of this movement, they did charge.

The enemy were drawn up in three lines in an open field, and as we emerged from the woods delivered a volley that tore thrugh our ranks, but failed to check the onward course of our men, who returned the fire, charged bayonets, and dashed into them before they could reload.

The rebels broke in the wildest confusion, while cheer upon cheer from our brave boys added swiftness to their flight. A running fight now ensued which baffles description. The smoke arising from the discharge of so many guns, and the thick clouds of dust completely obscured both rebel and federal, while the hoarse commands of the officers,. endeavoring to keep their men in line, the lurid flash of artillery, and the bursting ot shell and rattling of grapeshot, which the rebels continued to pour into our ranks, at short range, from three points, made up a picture as nearly resembling Pandemonium as any one need wish to see.

On this charge our brigade captured about six hundred prisoners and four pieces of cannon, but were so closery pushed that we had to abandon the cannon, and half of our prisoners escaped in the confusion, but three hundred were marched along and sent safely through to Chattanooga that night.

Officers of the reserve, who had a fair view of the whole charge, describe it as the grandest spectacle imaginable.

Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Putnam, jr., who took command of the Ninety-second after Colonel Benjamin D. Fearing was wounded, says in his report of the battle:

The smallness of the loss was due to the very skillful management of Colonel Fearing, and his coolness and bravery while under fire and in command.

Major Golden assisted me in every possible manner, and did himself credit. Captains Grosvenor and Whittlesey are especially deserving of notice for bravery and coolness, and for the manner in which their companies were managed. After Colonel Fearing was wounded Captann Grosvenor took command of the left wing, Major Golden going to the right. I feel under obligations to Adjutant George B. Turner, whose assistance was invaluable to me, and whose coolness and forethought were manifested on every occasion. He is deserving of especial notice and commendation. Surgeon J. D. Cotton was with us whenever it was possible for him to reach us, and reft nothing undone for the comfort of the wounded. Quartermaster Priestly showed himself to be a brave man, and was on the field attending to the wants of the men.

The next great battle in which Washington county figured was Mission Ridge. Rosecrans had planned. to carry the enemy's position on the ridge and on Lookout Mountain, and when Grant relieved him everything was ready to his hand. Bragg, with his rebel legions forty thousand strong, held high Lookout and Mission Ridge fully fortified and bristling with cannon; but Sherman, with the army of the Mississippi, had reenforced Grant, and now everything, by November 23rd, was ready. Sherman, by a detour, had quietly taken .position to the northeast unknown to the enemy, and was now ready to cross the Tennessee river and attack the northern fortifications on the ridge. Hooker had crossed the Tennessee by a pontoon bridge at Bridgeport, southwest of Chattanooga, and was ready to storm Lookout Mountain. Meanwhile "Pap" Thomas, with the army that had fought its way from Stone River to the Chattanooga, moved out from the centre. Let an eye witness relate the story:*

The day was bright and beautiful; the rays of the sun, reflected from ten thousand bayonets, dazzled the beholder's eyes; the men were dressed as if for holiday; proud steeds, bearing gallant riders, galloped along the lines; every eminence about the city was crowded with spectators; and for the first time in my experience I saw soldiers of the Union march to battle to the beat of the spirit-drum. This was indeed the "pomp and circumstance" of war; and it is no wonder that the rebels

* W. S. Furay, correspondent Cincinnati Gazette.

whom we afterward captured declared they did not think we were going to make an attack upon them, but had our troops out for a review or dress parade. On the eventful day of which I write, I saw an exultant and lofty pride, a high and patriotic hope, a firm and deep resolve expressed in the countenance of each soldier as I had never seen them expressed before, and no one could doubt, as he looked upon them, that they would go that day wherever they were bidden, even should they be compelled to pass through surges of vindictive fire.

Thomas' men moved out swiftly, drove in the enemy's pickets, and captured his first line, known as Orchard Ridge, where they intrenched. The next day, the twenty-fourth, Hooker attacked Lookout, and fought his celebrated "battle among the clouds," driving the rebels from their position; and Sherman, having constructed a pontoon bridge across the Tennessee, above, had attacked and carried the north end of Mission Ridge. Accordingly, on November 25th, everything was ready for the final grand assault on the stronghold of the enemy on Mission Ridge. The rebel General Bragg, trusting to the natural strength of his position, had sent off part of his command, under Longstreet, to capture Burnside at Knoxville, and from his eyrie on the ridge surveyed with complacency the preparations of his foe for the attack. At last Grant was ready, and at the preconcerted signal of six guns, fired at intervals of two seconds, the assault began all along the line, up the steep side of the mountain. Soon the grand roll of musketry, and a line of smoke encircling the mountain, told that they had started the enemy from his lair. A long line of blue, broken into triangles, with their points toward the crest of the mountain (fifteen of them), and at each apex a stand of colors marks the centre of the regiment. Upward they rush. Anon, a standard goes down, which means that the entire color guard have been shot.

Mr. Furay continues: ,

And still the Union troops pressed on, scaling unwaveringly the sides of Mission Ridge; the blood of their comrades renders their footsteps slippery; the toil of the ascent almost takes away their breath; the rebel musketry and artillery mow down their thinned ranks—but still they press on! Not once do they even seem to waver. The color-bearers press ahead, and plant their frags far in advance of the troops; and at last—O, moment of supreme triumph ! —they reach the crest and rush like an avalanche upon the astonished foe. Whole regiments throw down their arms and surrender; the rebel artillerists are bayonetted by their guns; and the cannon which had a moment before been thundering on the Union ranks, are now turned about, pouring death into the midst of the mass of miserable fugitives who are rushing down the eastern slope of the ridge. *

Lieutenant Colonel H. F. Devol, commanding the Thirty-sixth regiment in this battle, in his official report, says:

My regiment was assigned to the centre of the first line, the Eleventh Ohio volunteer infantry on my right, and the Ninety-second Ohio volunteer infantry on the left. Two companies. B and H, were thrown forward as skirmishers. Remaining there until three o'clock, we moved forward a short distance, halted, deployed, and immediately again moved in line of battle through a skirt of woods. As soon as we reached the open ground the enemy opened on us with artillery from the top of Missionary Ridge. We were then ordered to double-quick, which we did, passing the second line of the enemy's breast-works, which were occupied by General Beatty's brigade; reached the base of the ridge, where also were some troops under cover. We rushed up the ridge as fast as possible, under a terrible enfilading fire from both right, left, and front. Near the top, and about six rods from the enemy's breastworks, we passed over (I think) the Ninth Kentucky volunteer infantry. Reaching the breast-works, where the enemy lay, a terrible, almost hand-to-hand fight ensued. Stubbornly did the enemy

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, OHIO - 167

contest the works. There we took a number of prisoners, which I passed to the rear without a guard. Those of the enemy who escaped made a second stand on the crest, from four to six rods beyond; but they were at once killed, captured, or routed. On our left was a heavy force of the enemy’s infantry, and two pieces of artillery. The infantry kept up a constant fire. The artillery fired two rounds, when we made a charge on it and captured the two pieces, but not until they had succeeded in getting them some distance down the eastern slope of the ridge to the rear. They were unlimbered and immediately hauled back to the top of the ridge by the men, and placed in position. The taking of the artillery was done, mainly, under the superintendence of Sergeant Adney, of company B, and Sergeant Holliday, of company H. Some men from the Eleventh and Ninety-second Ohio volunteer infantry assisted in hauling the guns back. . . . . . Captain J. C. Selby, company K, was wounded in the right arm (which has since been amputated) near a log cabin, to the left of where we went up the ridge. First Lieutenant 0. J. Wood, company B, when in command of the company, was seriously wounded, the ball passing through from left to right side and through the right lung. Second Lieutenant J. W. Hanlin, company H, was slightly wounded in the leg.

It would be in vain for me to try to express how nobly and with what daring both officers and men conducted themselves, in this their fifth great battle. Never as yet have they fallen back under fire in the face of the enemy. In this all seemed eager to felt, and under the leadership of their general, felt confident of success. I would particularize, did I not have to mention the whole.

The Thirty-sixth lost nine killed, sixty-five wounded and five missing, and the Ninety-second, twelve killed and forty-two wounded. Among the former killed were Captain W. Beale Whittlesey and Adjutant George B. Turner, both promising young officers, from Marietta, a fuller account of whose lives will be found further on. Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Putnam, jr., received a severe wound in the ankle. Mission Ridge was the most peculiar battle of the war. No other presented such natural obstacles to be overcome at such high altitudes. Bragg had forty thousand men, and Grant, seventy five thousand, but the advantages of position in Bragg's favor fully made up for the disparity of numbers. Grant went to Chattanooga on crutches to relieve Rosecrans, but now his fame travelled on the wings of the wind. To Vicksburgh, through a fortunate turn of affairs, he had added Mission Ridge, and the country went wild with enthusiasm for Grant. He was made lieutenant general, and Sherman taking command of the army at Chattanooga, soon began his march on Atlanta.

The year 1863 closed without any further great battles, and the Union armies generally went into winter quarters. Nearly all of the three years' men reenlisted as veterans, showing their devotion to country and the flag, and their great interest in carrying the conflict to a successful close.

The regiments having companies from Washington county, who reenlisted, furnished veterans as follows: Eighteenth regiment, sixty-two; Thirty-sixth regiment, three hundred and sixty-four; Thirty-ninth regiment, five hundred and thirty-four; Sixty-third regiment, four hundred and fifty-five; Seventy-seventh regiment, three hundred and four; First cavalry, two hundred and eighty- five; Second West Virginia cavalry, three hundred and thirty-three; First light artillery, five hundred and fifteen, and also Pierpont battery, eighty. The Thirty-ninth Ohio furnished more veterans than any other regiment from Ohio, and Washington county more veterans than any other county in the State, except Hamilton.

Upon the return of the veterans from the front on thirty days' furlough, they were met with a continuous ovation. The citizens of Washington county greeted them with gratitude and respect.

The roll of dead officers and soldiers for the year 1863 includes many good names, none, however, more lamented than Colonel Jesse Hildebrand, a fuller notice of whom will be found in another part of this work.