The history of Company C, Seventh Regiment, O.V.I Part 2

The monotony of the stay was somewhat relieved by the generosity of a gentleman who presented Co. C with a library of valuable books that had been damaged by the flood a few days previous. When the regiment moved for the East, a large box of these books, under disguise, accompanied it, which any officer of the commissary department was at liberty to suppose filled with cooking utensils.

[Sidenote: Ned.]

When Gen. Wise scoured the Kanawa Valley for men, he took with him Edward Morrison, a useful well-trained servant belonging to a gentleman of the city of Charleston. Ned, being of a different school of politics from the General, did not fancy the service, and, when in the midst of the Alleghany mountains, he made his escape. He arrived at last, at Charleston, and supposing the Emanc.i.p.ation Proclamation would soon be issued, he begged the protection of Col. Tyler. The Colonel thought he would risk the principles of Co. C, and accordingly, turned him over to them contraband, for secretion. After lying in their quarters two weeks, he was hired to act as their cook, which business he gladly entered. He faithfully served them more than a year, after which he came to Oberlin to be educated. But an attachment which has more than once turned a student from his interest, allured him to the vicinity of Gallipolis, Ohio, where he immediately wrote to Lieutenant Lincoln that he was to be married in ten days.

In the latter part of October, Gen. Floyd had established himself on Cotton Hill, thus being enabled to sh.e.l.l the camp of the Union Army at Gauley Bridge, and to threaten its communications. Gen. Benham was ordered to march around to the rear to induce him to desist from so rash operations. Two or three regiments hesitated to perform the dangerous movement. Finally he said, "Give me the Seventh and the Tenth Ohio and I can drive the rebels to" ----, a place beyond the confines of this lower world. This circ.u.mstance healed the old wound in the Tenth, which had been made at Camp Dennison when the Seventh was called out to suppress a riot among them.

On the 4th of November the Seventh set sail for Loop Creek, seven miles below Gauley Bridge. It marched up the Creek on the 6th, wading it seventeen times, and encamped on Taylor's Farm, within two miles of Floyd's Camp. The severe frost of that night did much mischief in the wet socks of the soldiers while sleeping in the open air. It was amusing, in the latter part of the night, to see the men racing about camp at more than double-quick to prevent their feet from freezing. The heavy rains rendered it impossible to convey bread to the army, and famine stared them in the face. When, at last, a few sacks of hard bread were brought through, and the very crumbs counted out to secure fair division, those crumbs were more delicious than the most costly preparations of food on royal tables.

[Sidenote: Pursuit of Floyd.]

After six days the regiment moved on a few miles farther to the rear of the rebel camp, pa.s.sing over a high mountain in zigzag lines of single rank, which gave the appearance of "Bonaparte crossing the Alps." While this part of the army was sleeping, in the early part of the night of the 12th, Gen. Floyd quietly pa.s.sed by on the Fayetteville pike, not more than four miles distant. As soon as he had securely accomplished this feat for himself, and defeat for Gen. Rosecrans, all the Union forces were put in pursuit. It was continued until the close of the following day, with no decided result but a skirmish, in which Col.

Croghan of the Second Georgia Cavalry, was killed, with a few of his men, and a few prisoners were taken.

Being without blankets and bread, the soldiers gladly heard the sonorous voice of Adjutant DeForest, just after the terrific thunder shower at midnight, commanding them to "fall in," to return. They were then far out in the State towards Raleigh. Floyd has never since been seen in Western Virginia. The next thing heard of him was his stealing away from Fort Donelson.

It was at the close of the next day that the Seventh had a feast. Having marched back four miles past Fayetteville, the men found an abundant supper of boiled pigs, prepared by the blanket guards. After so many days of semi-fasting, this tender meat gave a relish which cannot be appreciated by those who are accustomed to sit at loaded tables. That night, too, was refreshing after two sleepless ones, though the heavens did let fall a sheet of snow four inches deep upon the shelterless men.

The 17th of November saw the Seventh Ohio again in its quarters at Charleston. The men found that a canvas tent was a palace.

While tarrying at this place, Mr. Winsor did a driving business at tuning the pianos and melodeons of the young ladies, who had not been thus favored since the beginning of the war--for all the Yankees had been driven away.

With the expulsion of Floyd, the campaign of Western Virginia was ended.

The Union army was divided. One part was retained under the command of Gen. c.o.x; another was sent to Kentucky, while the Seventh Ohio was sent to Romney to join a limb of the Army of the Potomac.

[Sidenote: Departure from Charleston.]

Bidding adieu to Gen. c.o.x, on the 10th of December, 1861, the regiment took the two steamers, Ft. Wayne and Stephen Decatur. Pushing down the Kanawa, and up the Ohio, pa.s.sing the famous Isle of Blennerha.s.sett early the next morning, it arrived at Parkersburg at noon of the following day. On it went, by the B. & O. R. R. to Green Spring Run, a houseless town sixteen miles east of Romney. Here the men were supplied with new Sibley tents, which were great balloon-like palaces to the soldier.

After a hard day's march, on the 16th of December, the regiment joined the force of Gen. Lander at Romney. The garrison of 8000 men was under the immediate command of Colonel Dunning, of the 5th Ohio.

The peculiar position of Romney, and its relation to Winchester, where a large force under Gen. Jackson, was encamped, made an unusual amount of severe picket duty necessary; and to add to the necessary amount, the foolish notion of inexperienced officers was then in vogue, of sending a dozen infantry-men six or seven miles from camp, where they could neither prevent their own capture nor communicate with the camp in case of a surprise.

Many a cold, tedious, winter night was spent on these distant picket posts. On the road towards Winchester, there was one that was particularly dangerous to the unfortunate vidette. The enemy had a small force stationed at Ballou's Gap, seventeen miles distant, from which he was in the habit of sending out bushwhackers to annoy our pickets. Early in the morning of January 6, Colonel Dunning led to this place a detachment consisting of the 4th, 5th, and 7th, Ohio, 14th Indiana, and 1st Virginia, with a few cavalry companies. This force surprised the rebels at day-break, killed ten or a dozen, took nine horses and two steel rifled cannon, captured fourteen prisoners, and returned to camp at 4 P. M., making a march of thirty-four miles on the snow, in fifteen hours. This lively raid, with the burning of a good number of buildings on the route, was a brilliant punishment, which proved an effectual remedy.

Christmas was observed according to the common practice of feasting on pies, cakes, fowls and other luxuries that had been preserved for that occasion. Mess No. 5 digressed from the usual custom, by having an oyster supper, prepared by unusual hands. The other messes fully sustained their culinary reputation, and thought themselves not far behind their enviable comrades of No. 5. That was not, by any means, an unhappy day, in spite of the protestation that one important element of society was lacking. And yet, very few will ever hope that circ.u.mstances will render it necessary for them to spend another Christmas in like manner.

[Sidenote: Romney.]

It appears that, for three months, Stonewall Jackson had meditated an attack upon Romney, with the reasonable hope of capturing the whole garrison. Gen. Lander had so well antic.i.p.ated his movement as to evacuate the town during the night before the very morning on which the rebel General had expected to pounce upon his prey. At 10 P. M. of January 10, 1862, the Union force moved from the town with its baggage and stores, and marching via Springfield and Frankfort, arrived at 4 P.

M. of the 11th at Patterson's Creek, on the B. & O. R. R., a few miles from c.u.mberland, Md. The site for the camp was the worst possible in all that country. The snow lay on the ground and was filled with water that had fallen during the day. The ground itself was a swamp. These three circ.u.mstances, combined, had prepared a soft bed for the weary, hungry, foot-sore soldier.

The sea of mud, stirred and kneaded by 8000 soldiers, was altogether indescribable, for only a comparatively small portion was on the top in sight.

[Sidenote: Patterson's Creek.]

It is said that there was a time when the highway in Chicago might be traced by the hats of the teamsters. At Patterson's Creek the ears of the mules might well serve the same purpose.

Every body seemed to curse the mud, and n.o.body to take its part. But it deserved great praise for the gentle manner in which it received the forms of the commissioned officers, when they were unable to sit upon their nags. Not one of them was known to be severely injured by a fall during the stay at that camp. Here, Prof. Ellis visited the company a few days, sharing the lot of the private soldier. To accommodate him at night, it was no difficult matter to piece out a blanket of ordinary length, and a long place made by the uneven stretching of the largest sized circular tent, was readily found. His own testimony may give to the reader a hint with regard to the degree of demoralization to which these men had pa.s.sed after nearly a year of military deprivations:

"When their ranks had been thinned by capture and death, and they had pa.s.sed through all the corrupting tendencies and temptations of their new life for nearly a year, I saw them in their tents in the heart of Virginia, and nightly from the six tents went up the voice of song and prayer as they bowed themselves around their family altars."

His visit was truly a pleasant one for Company C, and having proved his genuine interest in them, he bade them adieu, feeling, undoubtedly, a deep regret that he was not privileged to share their fortunes through the whole service.

[Sidenote: Bivouac on the Levels.]

Not long, however, were the troops allowed to remain quiet, when a man of so much life as Gen. Lander possessed, was at their head. On the 5th of February they moved down the railroad to French's Store, and from that point marched through the long night in a tedious, plodding manner, over mountains and through streams, towards a point on the road between Romney and Winchester, to intercept the rebels at the former place. By noon of the next day the men, excessively wearied, found it even a pleasure to throw themselves down upon the snow in the freezing rain, to rest their exhausted forms. It was a fruitless raid. The foe had fled; and at 3 P. M., with joy the men heard the order "About, face!" It was a sweet rest that was enjoyed during that night after they halted on the banks of the Little Cacapon. What added to it, were two stacks of wheat, which were very soon converted into beds. The command moved back early in the following morning to a high table land of the adjacent mountain, where it remained seven days without tents or cooking utensils, and with only one blanket to each man. Strong winds prevailed through these days, which were the coldest of the whole winter. The snow was two thirds of a foot deep where the men made their brush beds, and they had no protection from the weather but loose brush sheds. The log fires in front of these sheds soon consumed ten acres of thick pine forest. One Irish ditching spade was the only cooking utensil which Co. C was able to secure, and even with that it was a tedious process to get a breakfast for fifty men.

Those were comparatively pleasant days, and the men learned to vie with the brute in enduring exposures and hardships.

From this place the division moved, February 13, to a point two miles south of Paw Paw Station, one part going into camp and the other to Bloomery Gap, under the leadership of Gen. Lander, to surprise a small force of rebels under Col. Baldwin. The expedition was a brilliant success. The Colonel with eighteen commissioned officers and fifty privates, was captured.

[Sidenote: March to Winchester.]

The contagion of "Quiet on the Potomac" prevailed at Paw Paw until the 1st of March. The division, consisting of fifteen regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and four or five batteries, was put in motion towards Winchester, but the sad death of Gen. Lander caused a return to camp on the next day. On the 3d, all the troops turned out to pay military honors to the departed hero, the Seventh Ohio being detailed to escort his remains to the cars.

Gen. Shields succeeded him, and led the division up and down the Shenandoah Valley until it became a terror to the enemy and was thought almost invincible.

Pa.s.sing down the railroad to Martinsburg, and taking the stone pike, it reached a point four miles north of Winchester, on the 12th of March.

The rebels had evacuated during the previous day, and there was no work to be done until the reconnaissance to Strasburg was made on the 20th.

An artillery skirmish took place without loss, and the troops made a hasty return during the drizzling rain of the 21st.

The hasty retreat over the sharp stones, through the rain, and with only one halt in twenty-two miles, made that another of the severe marches which multiplied on that fated division. One poor fellow of the 110th Pa. was so fatigued that he stepped into the corner of the fence to end his military career forever. The next morning only about 100 of this regiment could report for duty.

[Sidenote: Battle of Winchester.]

On Sat.u.r.day afternoon, March 22, Ashby's Cavalry--the advance of Jackson's army--made an attack on the town. The troops were called out to repel it. All soon became quiet, and the next morning they returned to their quarters. After an hour the booming of the cannon beyond Winchester, gave the reason for the order to "fall in," which proved the last summons to military duty for many a man of the Seventh Ohio.

Inspired by the roar of Artillery, proudly did the regiment tread through the streets of Winchester, keeping step to the singing of "John Brown's body." Jackson's men were drawn up in line in his chosen position at Kernstown, four miles distant. On double quick the Seventh Ohio and Seventh Indiana hastened to the support of Clark's and Robinson's batteries at the right of the Winchester pike. At 3 P. M.

Colonel Tyler drew up his brigade and asked the men to go with him to take the enemy's battery on his left. The men responded "yes," and set off around to the right in ma.s.sed column of divisions to execute the order. In fine, cool style, the 7th Ohio, 7th Indiana, 1st Virginia, 29th Ohio, and 11th Pennsylvania, moved through the long, open field, then, wheeling to the left, through the thick woods, to meet the enemy, also in ma.s.sed column, behind a stone wall, at the southern extremity of the grove. The thundering of musketry and artillery, the hail storm of bullets that continued for an hour and a half, cannot be described.

In the beginning of the musketry, Col. Tyler ordered the Seventh Ohio to deploy to the left, an order which could not then be executed, and which threw the whole column into confusion. That was the end of order until the close of the action. The success was due to the bravery of the men and their dogged determination not to yield. Col. Creighton found himself unable to command, and very wisely seized a musket to do the work of a private soldier. Each had his own base of operations, and used his own skill and strength to suit his convenience. Both officer and private seemed to do their part well. The prospect of success was, for a long time, in a doubtful balance. The numbers of the enemy in front of this brigade were probably triple its number.

Why these men were kept so long fighting in suspense without reinforcement, no private can tell; but, at last, just as the darkness was setting in, another brigade was brought up to the left, which put the enemy to a disorderly rout.

In the course of the action, Day, d.i.c.kson, and Worcester, to secure good shots, made their way around nearly to the rear of the enemy, who were thus between two fires. Here Worcester received his mortal wound.

Lieutenant Junkins, of Jackson's Staff, losing his way, Sergeant Day and an Indiana Corporal beckoned to him to come hitherward. Obeying the advice, he was captured by them, and delivered up as their trophy of the battle. Orderly Danforth was killed in the first volley, and was immediately carried back to the rear. His was a beautiful corpse as it lay the next day in full uniform on the leaves of the grove, his own heart's blood staining those delicate, lady-like features. E. G. Sackett received a ball through the arm, but, nothing daunted, he eagerly rushed forward, and another pa.s.sed through his lungs. He died on the following morning. F. M. Palmer was shot through the neck, while getting over the fence on the left. He lived two weeks. Coburn also received a mortal wound, and lived six days. Walworth, Winsor, and Warner, were each wounded in the arm, so as to unfit them for further military duty.

Gardner, D. Kingsbury and Stephen Kellogg, received flesh wounds.

The wounded were removed to Winchester during the night. The next morning the enemy gave a few artillery salutes, as an invitation to pursue, which was accepted by the Union troops. The pursuit was continued to Strasburg, where the division encamped several days.

The next business was to drive the enemy up the valley. The division reached Harrisonburg and vicinity on the 3d of May, having arrived at Edenburg, April 1, and at New Market, April 17.

After two days the troops fell back to Sparta, and formed in line of battle. As the enemy nowhere appeared, the privates supposed it was done for a General drill.

[Sidenote: March to Fredericksburg.]

An order from the War Department indicated that Shields' division must leave the Valley, to join McDowell's forces at Fredericksburg. A general inspection was held on the 10th of May, to ascertain who were not able to march a week. These were sent to Strasburg, among whom were Corporal Cochran and J. S. Kellogg. The sequel did not prove them to be beyond danger and hardship even there.

The division was set in motion at 8 P. M., May 12, and advancing by the Sperryville pike, through the gap in the Ma.s.sanutten Range, it pa.s.sed through Front Royal, Thoroughfare Gap, Gaines' Cross Roads, Warrenton, Catlett Station, and reached Fredericksburg, May 22, having made a march of 132 miles in nine days. Many stirring street scenes occurred between the "band box soldiers" of the Army of the Potomac and the weather-beaten, mud-stained, ragged cadets of Shield's Western troops.