Military History of Ohio - Jackson Co. edition

THE TWENTY-SEVENTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

In December they made a raid to Blue Creek, surprising and capturing 1,300 Confederates recruited for Price's army. The captives had not been armed, but were loaded with meats and provisions of all kinds, which were eagerly appropriated by the members of the Twenty-Seventh. The prisoners were turned over to the proper authorities at Sedalia. In February, 1862, they were part of Pope's expedition down the Mississippi, and shared in the capture of New Madrid and Island No. 10. Went down the river expecting to capture Fort Pillow, but were recalled to re-inforce Halleck in his effort to besiege one side of Corinth. At this time the army was visited by a celebrated lady singer, whose sweet voice thrilled the boys as, formed in a hollow square, they listened to the singing of several patriotic songs.

After the evacuation of Corinth they were at Camp Clear Creek till the latter part of July, then were tramped to and fro from Iuka to Corinth, which marches had to the men of the ranks no reason, till on one of these trips back to Iuka, this time under Rosecrans, they found it occupied by Price's troops, and the battle of Iuka was fought, the Twenty-Seventh under fire but not actively engaged. Two weeks later they reached the scene of the deadly conflict at Corinth, arriving at the close of the first day's fight, but received next day special praise from Rosecrans for work done as part of the "Ohio Brigade." In this affair the Twenty-Seventh lost sixty men. Two hundred recruits were added to the regiment shortly after Corinth battle. A part of the Ohio Brigade, it joined Grant's army at Grand Junction, and moved with it as far south as Oxford, Mississippi. It was ordered back with the brigade to check Forrest's advance, and engaged with him at Parkers Cross Roads, followed him to the Tennessee, and then performed a march back to Corinth that was a feat of heroic endurance, through ice one day and mud the next, without proper food, without tents, rubber blankets or ambulances. One-fifth of the men of the regiment were barefoot when they reached Corinth.

The next move forward was eastward under General Dodge, through Iuka, and the Tuscumbia valley, driving the enemy at Bear Creek and Town Creek. At the latter place the Ohio Brigade was ordered to Memphis, where garrison duty was performed till October, 1863. Then, via Corinth, Iuka, Pulaski, to Prospect, where the men of the regiment were building fortifications and bridges till they veteranized. After returning to the front the Ohio Brigade captured Decatur, and while stationed there was discontinued. The Twenty-Seventh then became a part of the First Brigade (Colonel Fuller commanding), Fourth Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, and so brigaded took part in the Atlanta campaign. In that campaign it lost sixteen officers and two hundred and one men (only six of whom were returned "missing"), a loss of more than half its men present for duty at the opening of the campaign. It took part in the March to the Sea and the campaign of the Carolinas, was reviewed at Washington, mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, and discharged at Camp Dennison. See previous history of Sherman's campaigns. [note: this is in the first part of the book, which was not transcribed]

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