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The following article was transcribed from
the 7 July 1870 issue of Stillwater
Valley Gazette (Covington, Ohio). Exact transcription.
Submitted by Ken Clark, San Antonio TX
standbyone@sprintmail.com
The 110th, Ohio.
The reunion of the 110th Ohio will come off at Piqua, to-day; ---and
we trust the boys, veterans they are, may have a fine time.
This gallant regiment was raised in Miami, Darke, Clark and Greene
counties, the first Colonel being J. Warren Keifer, and W.N. Foster,
Lt. Colonel. During much of their time of service, Col K. commanded
a brigade, leaving the regiment in charge of Col. Foster, of course.
The regiment went into Camp Piqua about the 1st day of September
1862, and organized. Mustered into the U.S. Service October 3, 1862.
Left Camp Piqua, October 19, and went into camp at Parkersburg, W.
Va. After a stay of only two weeks, the regiment proceeded via B.&O.
R.R. to Clarksburg, and remained there two weeks;--then to New
Creek, and encamped there about two weeks. From New Creek the
regiment marched to Moorfield, via Burlington and Petersburg. The
regiment was divided at Moorfield, and the different portions were
marched in different directions. The main portion reached
Winchester, January 1, 1863, and was assigned to the 8th Army Corps.
In June, the regiment was first under fire, and engaged a portion of
Lee's army at Kernstown. Being overpowered by numbers, it cut its
was through, and marched to Harper's Ferry. In July, the regiment
was assigned to the 3rd Army Corps, and marched in pursuit of Lee's
army, skirmishing on the way, reaching Fox's Ford, on the
Rappahannock, in August. After varied fortunes, it took part in the
battle of Locust Grove, in November, 1863, losing five killed and
twenty wounded.
In March, 1864, the 110th became part of the 6th Army Corps, and
took part in the battle of the Wilderness, In May, losing 19 killed,
88 wounded and 11 missing. Afterwards it was engaged in forays, and
lost 5 killed and 34 wounded at Coal Harbor. In Maryland, at
Monocracy, it was in hot engagement, losing 4 killed, 74 wounded, 2
captured and 50 missing. After a short rest at Baltimore, the
regiment again went into active operations in Virginia. On the 29th
of August, it completely routed the army at Bolivar Heights. In the
battle of Winchester, in September, it among the first to occupy the
Heights; and captured artillery and prisoners at Fisher's Hill. In
fact, to the end of the war, this regiment was distinguished for
bravery, energy and usefulness. At the presentation of captured
flags, to General Mead, having captured more flags than any other
regiment in the 6th Corps, it was selected as a guard of honor to
escort them to the General Headquarters. During its term of service,
the regiment was in twenty-one engagements, and sustained the loss
of seven hundred and ninety-five men, in killed, wounded and
missing. It was mustered out at Washington City, June 25, 1865, and
discharged at Columbus, Ohio. Company G of the 110th was raised, to
a great extent, in Newberry and Newton townships, by Capt. J.C.
Ullery, of Covington, C.M. Gross and George W. Miller, Lieutenants.
There will probably be a good turnout at Piqua, of the veterans; and
we are glad to see from the programme in their papers, that the
hospitable people of our neighbor city are prepared to give them a
hearty reception.
"The brave old soldier, ne'er despise,
nor count him as a s'ranger;
Remember! he's the country's guard,
In the day and hour of danger!"
The 110th OVI fought along side the 126th OVI in the 2nd Brigade,
Third Division, Sixth Corps.
In the spring of 1864 we started on the campaign of that year about
the 4th of May. In going into the Wilderness I crossed with the
pioneers over a pontoon bridge over the Rapidan River at Germanna
ford. The river was swollen from the heavy rains and the road was
cut deep with mud, and the Horses and Mules could not draw the heavy
loaded wagons up the opposite bank or bluffs. Our officers got a
long rope for two to pull at, and a hook at one end of the rope to
hook in the ring of the wagon tongue and help the Mules pull a wagon
train 15 miles long over the River and up the bank. We commenced at
about sundown to help. We would pull the wagon up to the top of the
bank, unhook the rope, go down through the mud and ____ hook on
another and pull that up through the mud and so on all night until
sun up. The next morning, the last one got over the river. Here at
this job I sweat and got wet and chilled and got Rheumatism which I
am now receiving a Pension for $24 per month. We had not been out
long to get hardened to the hardships of the campaign. It was too
sudden a change from our winter quarters in the log huts at Culpeper
or Brandy Station, Virginia, in the spring of 1864.
We broke winter quarters in the month of April and crossed the
Rapidan River over onto the Wilderness. There we found the
Confederate Army commanded by Genl. Robert E. Lee. We crossed at the
different fords across the river and attacked them in the Wilderness
close to the old Chancelorsville House. We had a desparate battle
with them [the afternoon of May 5]. We pushed them into and through
the Wilderness. At night we slept with our guns in our hand where we
stopped to lay down to try to sleep and meditate over the
transaction of the day. We could not sleep well, the country being
so desolate and God forsaken, that we hoped we would not get killed
in such God forsaken country, and the Whippoorwills made the woods
ring with their song. It seemed so desolate that we wished we could
get out of this spot of the country. None of us wished to die here.
The thought of dieing stared us in the face as the bullets flew
thick around here, but we pushed ahead until we could see something
like an open spot ahead of us. We thought we were nearly through the
woods of the Wilderness. All at once we struck the confederate's
earth works. They gave us such a deadly volley [that] our brigade
commanded by General [Truman] Seymour (1824-1891) retreated to the
rear and Gen'l Seymour seen he could not get away from them. He
surrendered me and himself and his staff. All did not retreat with
the rest. I stood there and looked on, and watched my chance to get
away. Directly the confederates turned their backs toward me and
talked to the Gen'l and his staff officers. Then I took to the rear
a few lively steps and disappeared in the brush, and took the trail
of my old Brigade, and it was on a flank movement towards their
Capitol.
We tried to beat them to Spotsylvania, C.H., a fortified place
nearer Richmond, their capitol.
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