(L cv"' 'V/- "^ "^ '<'■. -^^ ^' ,'i«^l °o ^^ / ■^bV* .°'^,. " '\ ■'^^^' ^°X ■-^^v> ;,:. "'^. ;^^/ . % „ %^^ . ■»> « " ' • ^^ c^ /i - •o i-V .H <=,. ;.<>-^^ *-* A* i'-% ■^0/ /X ^m?' .^"- aV-^,. ■ '^ ^o/'i'rt-r-' ^c ^ '^^ ^ . ^. *'-'^* .V > %.^ •^^.- tii>^m= <^/,'o ^5^. .^ .\ ^ t- ^ " The 3d was a trying day for us, and at 2 o'clock, 1,785 officers and men of this Division had to meet the army of Van Dorn and Price at the White House. The thunder of our artillery and the rattle of our musketry bespoke a contest seldom equaled in stubbornness on both sides. Once we repulsed them with leaden hail, once with the bayonet, and once and last with pure obstinacy, and victory perched upon our banners. " Worn and exhausted, but never tired of doing duty, the Division was again attacked on the 4th, and again our victorious flag waved over the heaps of rebel slain, result- ing in casualties to us of 1,004, capturing 1,046 prisoners, and ten stands of the enemies' colors." :^ 'J^ -^^ ^ * ^ -^ The loss of the 81st Ohio in this battle was as follows : COMPANY B., CAPTAIN J. W. TITUS COMMANDING. Killed. — First Sergeant, John Johnson ; Cor2)oral Abraham Fulmer ; Privates William Rankins, Gr. H. Ad- gate, John Armour. Wounded. — First Lieut. James II. Corns ; Sergeant Gid- eon Ditto ; Corporals Hiram Eobbins, F. Downs, F. M. Hartshorn ; Privates John Linton, Christian Lehman, George Truesdale, W. D. Cunningham, M. Eichards, B. Franklin, Thomas Shaw Isaac Lehman, W. F. Maltbie, Isaac McGrady, Wm. Woley. COMPANY C, FIRST LIEUT. W. H. CHAMBERLIN COMMANDING. Killed. — None. Wounded. — Sergeants W. H. Scroggs, Charles Depoy, Wm. W. Merrill ; Privates Calvin P. McClelland, James W. Cowman, Albert Kinnamon. Wounded and missing. Private Amos Swartz, (never since heard from.) EIGHTY-FIRST OHIO INFANTRY VOL. 33 COMPANY D., CAPTAIN P. A. TYLER COMMANDING. Killed. — Corporal Henry Hardly ; Privates Caleb Fo gle, John F. Eose. Wounded. — Sergeant W. D. Tyler , Privates Hugh L. Carlisle, John V. Bushong, Charles S. Keys, William Da- vis, M. W. Kimmel. COMPANY E., FIRST LIEUT. JOHN L. HUGHES COMMANDING. Killed. — None. Wounded. — Corporal Philip Hoot; Privates William Grant, James W. Bailey, James F. M'Ginnis, George Keith, Lewis Swearingen, Alvero Curtis. COMPANY F., CAPTAIN OZRO J. DODDS COMMANDING. Killed. — Corporal Abner McCall ; Privates Daniel H. Brown, L. P. Gifford. Wounded.— Sergeant David McCall, mortally ; Corporal Ira Hartwell ; Privates George Easter, John Ford, Marcus Newland, George Crowl, John Hayslip, W. H. McCandless, MISSI^G. — John P. Porter, S. Corwin. Total, 11 killed, 44 wounded, 3 missing. When the 81st Ohio advanced on Saturday morning, the 4th, to meet the foe. Sergeant David McCall, its color bearer, was the first to fall. He was mortally wounded by a musket ball in the abdomen. At Pittsburg Landing, although unable for duty, rising from a sick bed, he, un- scathed, bravely carried our flag through those two terri- ble days. As soon, however, as the excitement of that conflict was over, he was taken seriously sick, and was sent ISTorth, where he lay for a long time while his life was despaired of But he finally recovered, and returned to his regiment but a short time before this battle. He was a brave man, and fell while bearing his flag forward. Long will his memory live in the hearts of his comrades. 2 34 HISTORY OF THE CHAPTEE III. PURSUIT OF PRICE AND GARRISON DUTY. As General Eosecrans intimated, the whole army moved in pursuit on Sunday Morning — McPherson's Brigade, which had arrived the previous day, just after the battle, taking the advance. The 81st Ohio was so near the last of the column that it was delayed greatly, and at four P. M., it was hardly four miles from Corinth. At this point , an order was received detaching it, and sending it to hold a bridge on Bridge Creek, southwest of Corinth, where it was reported a force of rebel cavalry was about to cross. The march of nearly six miles was made in forced time, and many members of the regiment can remember its se- verity. The weather was dry and unusually warm, the roads were very dusty, and water was not to be obtained. Never, perhaps, did the boys so gladly greet a stream as they did Bridge Creek on reaching it that evening. No rebels, however, were found in that vicinity, and the com- mand rested undisturbed. That evening a little guerrilla force made an attack on the camp of our division below Corinth, which was then occupied only by convalescents and non-combatants. The scene was described as intensely ludicrous, as the flight of the frightened contrabands, and others, to Corinth was in progress. However, a few of the abler bodied soldiers formed, and with a little show of resistance, drove the invaders off, killing several of them. One who was killed w^as well known to many of our sol- diers, lived but a mile or two away, had often been in camp, and had his oath of allegiance to the Government of the United States in his pocket at the time he was shot. The 81st remained two or three days on Bridge Creek, and then was ordered into its old camp. To those who EIGHTY- FIRST OHIO INFANTRY VOLS. 35 have been suddenly called away from a comfortable camp, such as ours was there, and who have spent a week in bat- tle and marching, not to mention partial fasting and loss of sleep, it may well be supposed that the prospect of re- turn and rest was cheering. But the soldier has no right to indulge in the illusions of hope. Scarcely had the men consigned themselves to the first hour's sleep in their tents, until orders came to march immediately. By ten o'clock the march was begun, and all that weary night the poor soldiers trudged along without rest. At daylight the reg- iment reached its destination, which was a position on the Tuscumbia River, near Chewalla. It was considered nec- essary to guard that point. Just after reaching our posi- tion that morning, and stationing guards, the wearied men threw themselves on the ground and fell into a deep slumber. Most of them were shortly afterward aroused by the appearance of about three hundred rebels under flag of truce. The following extract from a letter written at that time tells of this event : "I had just entered the dominions of the sleepy god, when a guard, out of breath, touched me on the shoulder and said that there were some men that looked like rebels trying to cross the river, but they had no guns. On re- pairing to the place I found a white flag flying, and dis- covered that the party, numbering over three hundred, constituted a foroe which Van Dorn had sent back, re- questing permission to bury their dead. They had reached Chewalla on Sunday, where they were detained by Gen- eral Rosecrans until Thursday, when they were sent be- yond our lines, with an apology for having detained them so long, and an assurance that their dead were already de- cently interred. " The rebel army having burned the bridge at this place, they were detained an hour or two in making a passable ford by which they could get their three wagons across. This interval was industriously improved by our soldiers in the exchange of news, sentiment, canteens and money. It was a novel sight to see the soldiers of opposite armies 36 HISTORY OP THE mingling together peaceably — the men who, but a few days before, had met in deadly array on the field of bat- tle. But there was no hatred between them. Principles, and not men, are our enemies. I talked with a number of these rebels, mostly on the subject of the Corinth bat- tle. They accorded to us, universall3^, great bravery, while they were all confident that they would have suc- ceeded if Yan Dorn had not been their commander. There was no limit to their disgust against him. Colonel Berry, of the 35th Mississippi, was in command of the party. He is said to be a Missourian, from Pike or Hancock county. A chaplain, Rev. G. W. Rogers, from Liberty, Boone county, Mo.; bore their flag for them. •' The conduct of the men was faultless, but their ap- pearance was far from prepossessing. Our private soldiers are dressed far better than their colonels. I saw two of their men wearing shirts made of damask which had evi- dentty done duty, at sometime, as window curtains. Hats and caps of all shapes, sizes and colors, made them appear as widely different as possible. The only thing which they had in common was dirt. So far as this could do it, they were uniformed. When they had effected a crossing, and hadre-packed their three days' rations, which General Rosecrans had issued to them, in consideration of having delayed them, they took their way toward their Southern camp-fires, first bidding us a kind and friendly farewell ' till we met again.' May it ever be our fortune to meet foes as brave and as honorable !" The regiment remained nearly a week in this sylvan solitude, with no kind of disturbance. The neighboring farms were laid under contribution by the soldiers, and yielded abundant supplies of sweet potatoes, pork, turkeys, &c. When the pursuit of the flying army was stopped, our regiment was ordered back to Corinth, and went into a new camp within half a mile of the town. Thus ended what was then one of the most complete victories of the' war. Van Dorn, having chosen his own time, place, man- ner of attack, and number of troops, not only failed in his assault, but was so sorely pressed on his retreat that he barely escaped with a pitiful remnant of his army. EIGHTY FIRST OHIO INFANTRY VOLS. 37 Thus was the character of Western troops again shown to be worthy of honor, and their invincibility was established. The remainder of this month of October, and the fol- lowing November, was spent by the Slst in garrison. While Grant's main army was moving down through cen- tral Mississippi, this post was held by the troops under General G. M. Dodge, who succeeded General Davies. The duty was the ordinary garrison duty. Guerrillas and small parties of the enemy's cavalry hovered about us, making it a matter of interest and of a little danger to venture out of our lines. The railroads being unable to furnish a sufficient amount of forage for the animals of the army at Corinth, the troops were kept continually on for- age expeditions, until there was not any corn of any con- sequence within a space of twenty-five miles in diameter about Corinth. Contrabands kept coming in in numerous bands. I re- member seeing one day a squad of twenty, who had come from about Guntown — about forty miles distant. I asked them if they knew that Massa Lincoln was going to make them all free next New Year's. They had not heard the news of the Emancipation proclamation, but they did know that freedom could be obtained at Corinth. Says one of them : " Massa tole us dat you all Yankees at Cor- inth would make we 'uns work on de big forts tell we died, an' den give us some beef on a cracker, an' throw in a hole alive an' bury us !" " Wh}?- did you come here, then ?" '' Oh, we knowed massa lied /" On the evening of October 19th, the five new companies arrived, which had been organized in Ohio, as the result of the labors of the recruiting party consisting of Lieu- tenants Adams and Henry^ and .Sergeants Darling, John- son and Pittman, sent North in July. It will be remem- bered that the old troops of the regiment had been organ- 38 • HISTORY OF THE ized previously into five companies. These recruits filled up the vacancy, and made the 81st at last a full regiment. These five companies were lettered A, G, H, I and K. Company A was organized in Allen county, Ohio, by Gap- tain Hill, Lieut. Van Pelt and Lieut. Shaffer ; Company G also in Allen and Putnam counties, by Captain Over- myer, Lieut. Sprague and Lieutenant Ferguson ; Com- pany H was organized in Adams and Scioto counties, by Lieut. Henry, Lieut. Guthrie and Lieut. Roney, and Lieut. Henry Avas made Captain ; Company I was organized in Greenfield, Ohio, from Koss, Highland and Fayette coun- ties, by Captain Gibson, Lieut. Robinson and Lieut. Craw- ford, and Company K at Gallon, Crawford county, Ohio, by Captain Matthias, Lieut. Lane and Lieut. Hoover. The success of this recruiting party was beyond the most san- guine expectations. The 81st was now one of the largest regiments in the service, and the excellent quality of the men and officers composing this new accession 2:)romised well for the future. The reception of these recruits was made a formal mat- ter. They slept all night at the depot, having arrived late. In the morning the old troops were formed and started toward Corinth with drums beating and colors flying. When they had proceeded far enough they were halted, formed in line in open order and faced inward. The new recruits now approached, marching by the right flank, and led by Colonel Morton. As soon as the head of the column entered between the lines of the old troops they saluted their new brethren by a "present arms." When the new companies had passed entirely through, they were formed as the old troops had been, and the latter passed through their lines, in turn receiving a salute. When this was done, the Avhole regiment formed on the color line, and stacked arms. Then there was a looking for friends, for nearly every member of the old companies had EIGHTY-FIRST OHIO INFANTRY VOLS. 39 some friend or relative in the new arrival. The same day some eighty recruits, in addition to the five full compa- nies, were equally divided between the five old companies. The regiment was now fully organized, and the companies assigned their places in line as follows, which position was ever after adhered to. Beginning at the right, was Com- pany B, next Company A, Company F, Company H, Com- pany E, Company G, Company D, Company K, Company I, and on the left Company C. Thus not only old and new troops were judiciously intermingled, but also companies from the same localities were, as far as possible, placed in proximity. The next few weeks -were spent in most assid- uous company and battalion drill, the latter under direc- tion of Lieutenant-Colonel Adams. The recruits learned rapidly, and very soon it would have puzzled a stranger to distinguish them by their movements from the older soldiers. On the Ist of ]!^ovember, the regiment was ordered to remove to a position within the inner defenses of Corinth, It w^as placed on a part of the old battle-field, and pre- pared for a winter's stay. Winter quarters were con- structed by raising the tents a few feet from the ground, making a closed wall under them of timber, and building a chimnej^, with old-fashioned fire-place to warm them. An engineer force, consisting mostly of contrabands, was set to work soon after the battle of Corinth, and the result was that Corinth soon became literally a walled city. The excellent earth-works did not, of course, form an unbroken circle, but the town was enclosed by them, while on every promineiit point of ground a well-con- structed fort commanded the approaches. The eharacter- i.stics of the w^orks were neatness and strength. They were made under the superintendence of Captains Prime and Cossak, U. S. Topographical Engineers. The want of water was so seriously felt, that the au- thorities determined to obtain it by making wells. This 40 HISTOKY OF THE required a peculiar process. Three negroes, a mule, a few pullies with their ropes and tackle, and the simple auger could sink a well in a short time. The soil was so free from sand and gravel that it could be bored as easily as so much wood. An auger of three inches in diameter was first used, and afterward one of eight or nine inches, which is the final diameter of the well, exclusive of tubing. The mule, harnessed to a huge clevis-like j)iece of timber, which enclosed its body, and was fastened over its head at the end of a horizontal lever, raised the auger by walk- ing around in a little circle, and thus winding the rope to which the auger was suspended, around an upright cylin- der. When it was necessary to unwind, the driver gave the command " halt !" and the mule would stop ; " turn !" and the mule would turn in his tracks, the clevis being made so as to turn where it connected with the lever. The auger was sunk into the earth by the men, the mule only serving to draw it up. When the boring was com- pleted, often at a depth of one hundred feet, a tubing of plank was put down to keep the wall from crumbling in. The water was drawn by long cylindrical buckets, open at the top and having a valve at the bottom opening upward. As it sank into the water the valve opened and it was filled ; of course when it was drawn up the valve would shut down and keep it full. Almost every regiment had one of these wells bored for its accommodation — all done by the same mule and negroes who had enjoyed the mo- noj^oly of well-boring about Corinth for a number of years. To show how the dull days and long nights of winter were made subservient to the enjoyment of our troops while in garrison, in that unprepossessing little town of Corinth, I introduce here an account of some of the amuse- ments, written at the time. It is with a feeling akin to local pride that I announce that the festive season for the city of Corinth has actually EIGHTY- FIRST OHIO INFANTRY VOLS. 41 opened. To say nothing of numerous private balls, held and attended by the indefatigable dancing descendents of Ham the enterprise of some of the leading inhabitants has culminated in a full-blown theater— manned and equipped (pardon the nauti-military expression, stocked is, I believe, the professional term,) wholly by Aome talent. Last night the military, and other denizens of Corinth, were treated to the opening performance of the Hospital Troupe The actors were all high privates, mostly from those detailed on duty at the post hospital. The proceeds of the entertainment go for the benefit of the sick. The theater, used recently as a vegetable market, is a long, low frame house, filled with plain, hard benches, well adapted . to a " change of front," for they have no backs to inter- fere. A real stage is constructed, with foot-lights and cur- tain, and the flanks display an excellent imitation of pri- vate boxes. The orchestra, which, by the way, was the redeeming portion of the entertainment, was made up of amateurs from the various regiments, Ohio furnishing the lion's share. The accomplished leader is a civilian from Ohio, who also excels in the kindredart of photography— the which he pursues in the army for his own advantage, and his customers' accommodation. Order was enforced m last night's entertainment by the presence of a corporal's . guard with guns and fixed bayonets. It was a novel en- tertainment—so completely military. Even the songs, and the "heavy" piece of the evening— " The Eough Dia- mond "—introduced the soldier and the war in every con- ceivable manner. The negro came in, of course, on such an occasion. Portions of the performance were encored, and the audience dispersed with a rather favorable feeling toward the efforts of the amateur performers. Not only do theatrical tendencies give warning of the approach of the gay season, but matrimonial inclinations also confirm the fact. The charms of a Mississippi belle— 42 HISTORY OF THE a sweet secesher — so entrapped a son of Erin, an artillerist, that lie to-day became the happy husband of his lady love. A soldier-parson tied the knot, and Avas immedi- ately engaged to perform the same kind of service for an- other military couple this week. The gayety shadowed forth by the foregoing, is by no means restricted to the white population. The contra- bands, of w^hom there is a large number, are encamped together ; of course this throws them into " society " a great deal, and the inevitable result is the growth of the tender passion in the hearts of the young men and maidens there assembled. The chaplain who presides over this dusky encampment, had a call to-day to join the hands of two w^hose hearts were already one. Finding, how^ever, that there are many under his care, who have been living as man and wife according to the slave custom, but who have never been formally or legally married, he determined to make next Sabbath a grand conjugal day, atwdiichtime he proposes to unite in the holy bands of wedlock all those who have heretofore been informally married. It will be the wedding day of their recollection. EIGHTY-FIRST OHIO INEANTRY VOLS. 43 CHAPTER lY. WINTER AT CORINTH. About the middle of December, 1862, Colonel Mersey's Brigade, consisting then of the 81st Ohio, and 12th Illi- nois Infantry, and Battery I, 1st Mo. light artillery, re- ceived marching orders, and moved southward. At this time Gen. Grant was far down in central Mississippi ; so far that, with no Union force on the Mobile and Ohio R. R farther south than Corinth, the rebels had- an admira- ble means in that railroad of throwing troops in his rear, and of effectually cutting his communications. To ascer- tain if such movement was in progress, and to arrest it if BO, General Dodge sent Colonel Mersey's brigade upon this somewhat extended reconnoisance. The troops started with five days rations, but as the country was full of pro- visions for man and beast, there was no telling from this fact how long the expedition would be gone. No tents were taken, and the troops, especially the recruits of the 81st Ohio had their first experience in marching and bivouacking. The weather was mostly propitious, and the roads in excellent order. Passing through Rienzi, the Brigade deflected a little to the right, and passed through Blackland. At this place, which was reached the second or third day, a few shots were exchanged with a small party of bushwhackers, or straggling soldiers, and a num- ber of them were captured. With this exception. Colonel Mersey met with no opposition. He passed through Gun- town and reached Saltillo in a drenching rain. Encamp- ing here, a portion of the command went on to Tupelo, anil captured several officers who were too drunk to leave when the place was evacuated by the few troops who had 44 HISTORY OF THE garrisoned it. Finding no enemy, and no appearance of any, and having communicated with a force of cavalry sent from General Grant's main army, Colonel Mersey turned the head of his column homeward, this time taking a road several miles eastward of that on which he had come. Not a shot was exchanged on the return, and the expedition would have been considered fruitless if it had not brought in such large quantities of cotton, mules, horses and contrabands.. When at Jacinto, on the return, orders were received from Corinth to hurry to that place. Early the next day the troops were in motion, and so eager were they that by twelve o'clock the brigade marched into Corinth in triumph, their bands playing as blithely, and the men as steady in their step as if returning from the drill-ground. Thus ended what was afterward desig- nated by the regiment as their seven days' march. Corinth was not found to be quite so desirable a place, on the return of the regiment, as many, while wearied by their marching, had supposed it to be. General Dodge, with almost all the garrison, had gone northward to repel Forrest in his attack on the railroad over which we re- ceived our supplies. The great Holly Springs disaster had occurred on the 20th of December, and General Grant was obliged to give up his land approach to Yicksburg and re- turn to Memphis. Forrest, with a very strong mounted force had crossed the Tennessee River, in the vicinity of Clifton, and had made serious attacks on the line of railroad which supplied Corinth. In this condition of aifairs, the little garrison at Corinth was suddenly made an outpost, far removed from the main army. Its means of commu- nication being broken, the entire garrison was, on the 22d of December, placed on half rations. This continued for about three weeks, though it occasioned less suffering than many would suppose. Foraging parties were sent out as far as it was safe to venture, and obtained food for the an- EIGHTY-FIRST OHIO INFANTRY VOLS. 45 imals as well as limited supplies for the men. One very annoying feature of the position was that the most extrav- agant rumors of events reached us. A letter written there January 4th, 1863, gives the following account of the bliss of ignorance enjoyed by the troops at that time : " TJp to the present writing, the latest news we have re- ceived through the newspapers is to the date of December 17th Bu?d^o not think that we have been miserable on account of the failure of the accustomed late papers to reach us We have had no scarcity of news^ Scarcely had communication been destroyed until we had «^