Military History of Ohio - Jackson Co. edition

THE THIRTY-SIXTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

In August, 1861, this regiment was organized at Camp Putnam, Marietta. Six companies were sent into Western Virginia to check guerrilla depredations, and the other four companies followed later. The regiment was armed with Enfield rifles, and stationed at Summerville, Nicholas county, until May, 1862. During the winter much sickness prevailed, and over fifty deaths occurred from typhus fever and pneumonia. In Crook's brigade then took part in expedition from Lewisburg to White Sulphur Springs, Covington and Jackson River Depot. Returned to Lewisburg, and was attacked there, May 23d, by 3,000 rebels under General Heth. Repulsed the enemy, the Thirty-Sixth losing seven killed, forty-four wounded, five captured on picket. Some of the citizens of Lewisburg shot our wounded men as they were dragging themselves from the field to the hospital. Further service was in various parts of West Virginia till ordered in August to the Army of the Potomac. The Thirty-Sixth was in reserve during second Bull Run battle, but actively engaged at South Mountain and Antietam. (See precious [previous?] record.) Returning to West Virginia, it was after a short stay at Charleston, sent to join Rosecrans' forces at Nashville, Tennessee. By him was ordered to Carthage, up the Cumberland river. Early in June, moved on the Tullahoma campaign, and was engaged at Hoovers Gap, Chickamauga, Browns Ferry and Missionary Ridge were added to its battle roll before the close of 1863, as already noted on previous page. In February, 1864, the majority of the regiment veteraned, receiving veteran furlough March 10th. The regiment took the field again at Charleston, West Virginia. Cloyd Mountain battle and the Lynchburg expedition was the first service of the veteran organization. When Sheridan took command of the Army of the Shenandoah, the Thirty-Sixth was one of the regiments that moved up and down the valley in his great movements there. Halltown, Berryville, Opequan, Fishers Hill, Cedar Creek were its principal battles on this campaign. Late in December it was sent to Cumberland, Maryland, and there consolidated with the Thirty-Fourth Ohio Infantry. From April to June, 1865, its service was in Virginia. June 27, 1865, it was mustered out at Cumberland, Maryland. Disbanded at Columbus August 1st.

Officers of Thirty-Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry from Jackson county: Captains- W. H. Dunham, L. M. Stephenson, Wm. A. Waldon, Benj. F. Stearns, John D. Mitchell, Jacob Reasoner. First Lieutenants- James W. Delay, David Montgomery, Fred. S. Wallace. Second Lieutenants- Milton Brown, William J. Montgomery.

THE FIFTY-THIRD OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

The enrollment of this regiment began in September, 1861, Jackson the place of rendezvous, and was completed in January, 1862. In February it was reported to General Sherman at Paducah, Kentucky, and assigned to the Third Brigade of his division. Moved on transports to Savannah, Tennessee, debarked there to help destroy the Memphis & Charleston Railroad near Iuka, Mississippi, then went on to Pittsburg Landing. Shiloh was its first battlefield. After the siege of Corinth, moved via Moscow and Lafayette to Memphis. Was on duty a time at Fort Pickering, then closed the year with a "tour of Mississippi," which constant rain, bad roads, swollen streams and a hostile people made lively. In 1863 stationed at La Grange, Tennessee, till March, building a fort. Scoured the country around Moscow till the opening of Grant's Vicksburg campaign, then took part in that. October 1st, embarked on transports at Vicksburg for Memphis, marched across the country to the Tennessee, crossed the river at Eastport, and by way of Florence, Alabama, moved on Trenton, Georgia, and expelled the enemy there. Back again into Tennessee in time for the Chattanooga battles. Veteraned at Scottsboro, Alabama, January 1, 1864. Returned from veteran furlough to take part in the Atlanta campaign, the March to the Sea, the campaign of the Carolinas, all fully detailed on previous pages. After Johnston's surrender marched through Richmond to Washington. After the Grand Review moved by rail to Parkersburg, West Virginia, thence on steamer "Sherman" to Louisville. In June ordered to Little Rock, Arkansas. Steamed down the Ohio and the Mississippi, up Whites river to Duvalls Bluff, then by rail to Little Rock, which was reached July 4th. There the men were mustered out August 11, 1865. The battle roll of the Fifty-Third included Shiloh, Monterey, actions before Corinth, Black River, those of siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Little Kenesaw, Ruffs Mills, Nickajack Creek, before Atlanta, Ezra Chapel, Jonesboro, Fort McAllister, Savannah, North Edisto, Columbia (S. C.), Bentonville, Raleigh. Against a loss of 60 killed end 264 wounded is set down only 14 missing. One of the regiments that can claim the motto of the "Old Guards," "We die, but never surrender!"

THE FIFTY-SIXTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

All through the closing months of 1861 the recruits for this regiment were gathering in the camp at Portsmouth, Scioto county. Sickness made the camp a dreary place, over 250 cases of measles being reported at one time. February 10, 1862, orders were received to report at Paducah, Kentucky. There the Fifty-Sixth was put in Wood's brigade, Lew. Wallace's division. Camped at Crumps Landing, on the Tennessee, sickness continued to deplete its ranks, over sixty sick being sent back to hospital at Paducah at one time. It was a part of that force of Wallace's that through misunderstanding of orders failed to reach Shiloh battle ground. Took part in advance on Corinth, then marched over one hundred miles through the enemy's country to Memphis. July 24th embarked for Helena, Arkansas. Spent the fall and winter fortifying there. In 1863 shared in Grant's Vicksburg campaign; Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Baker Creek among its battles, as already recorded. Pursued Joe Johnston to Jackson, then returned to Vicksburg, and embarked for Natchez. Thence moved to New Orleans and in the Department of the Gulf, on Bank's Teche expedition. In December again in New Orleans, and in January, 1864, sent across I,ake Ponchatrain to build fortifications at Madisonville. The Red River expedition followed, and it was not until after that was entered on that the veterans of the Fifty-Sixth received the furlough they were entitled to. They had re-enlisted while at Madisonville. It was like running a gauntlet through hell to get down the Red River, but the boys of the Fifty-Sixth were willing to do that in order to see Ohio again. Going down the river on the "John Warner," the boat was disabled and fifty lives lost in one attack. May 22d the veterans sailed from New Orleans for New York, on the "Cahaba," and thence went to Columbus, Ohio, by rail. On return to service, the regiment was stationed at New Orleans. In November, 1864, the non-veterans were mustered out, but the veterans and recruits remained on guard duty at New Orleans until April, 1866.

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