WARREN COUNTY IN THE WAR.
X.
A COMPLETE LIST OF THE OFFICERS AND PRIVATES OF COMPANY F, 12th O.V.I., AS ORGANIZED FOR THE THREE YEARS’ SERVICE.
Some weeks ago the Gazette published a list of the members of Company F, 12th O. V. I., as furnished it by Mr. George W. Carey. But this was only for the hundred days’ service. As was told in the sixth number of “Warren County in the War,” after its arrival at Camp Dennison, the whole regiment was mustered in for three years. This three year list of the companies is not the same as the original hundred days’ men and it is with great pleasure that we are now able to give the complete three year list of Company F. For this we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. E. K. Snook, of South Lebanon. Mr. Snook was a member of the company and has preserved the roll. It is probably the only one now attainable, and we give it in full.
OFFICERS.
Captain, Rigdon Williams.
First Lieutenant, A. J. Roosa.
Second Lieutenant, D. W. Pauly.
Third Lieutenant, J. W. Ross.
First Sergeant, T. J. Atkinson.
Second Sergeant, R. B. Wilson.
Third Sergeant, F. M. Baker.
Fourth Sergeant, A. G. Gooch.
Fifth Sergeant, F. L. Farnshell.
First Corporal, J. Carder.
Second Corporal, M. B. Graham.
Third Corporal, E. O. Wilson.
Fourth Corporal, I. J. Clevenger.
Fifth Corporal, J. H. Smith.
Sixth Corporal, J. M. Snook.
Seventh Corporal, J. W. Boyce.
Eighth Corporal, Lee Coffeen.
The recruits of 1862 and ’63 were:
J. Snook, jr., J.
Fitzgerald, J. Finn, J.
Compton, T. Norris,
D. Collins, F.
M. Lyons, ___ St. John,
___ Ishman.
The regiment was mustered into United States Service on the 19th of June,
1861, by Lieutenant R. V. W. Howard, U.S.A., at Camp
Dennison.
A QUEER COMBINATION – TESTAMENTS AND LINIMENT – WHAT COMPANY F RECEIVED WHEN THEY STARTED FOR THE WAR.
At the time of the breaking out of the war the celebrated Coffeen’s
Chinese liniment was being manufactured at Lebanon. This was one of the
first of patent medicines and it was universally distributed all over
the country. The old factory still stands at the old homestead on the
Cincinnati pike just inside of the corporation.
When Company F of the 12th was about to leave for Columbus they met and
were drawn up in line on Broadway and as was told in Mr.
Carey’s article, all the soldiers were presented with testaments,
the gift of the citizens of Lebanon.
Old Mr. Coffeen then appeared on the scene. He wanted
to do something for the boys. His sons were members of the company and
it made him feel warmly toward all. He did not know of anything that would
be better to five than his infallible remedy and so, after the solemn
scene of the testament presentation, he walked along the line of soldiers
and gravely presented to each one a bottle of his liniment. It was well
meant and may have done good but testaments and liniment made a rather
incongruous mixture. But all the Company F still remember the old man’s
act and they still refer to it among their stories of battle and skirmish.
THE OLD SANITARY COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH LEBANON PIKE – RECOLLECTIONS OF A FORMER ASSISTANT IN THE WORK.
A gentleman formerly living on the South Lebanon pike hands in the following
recollections of war days along that road:
“In the district of country lying between Lebanon and South Lebanon
there were many loyal hearts in war times. If a war meeting was to be
held at either of the two towns that whole section turned out to attend.
They were generous in their donations, and finally, as was done all over
the country, organized committees to make up boxes to send to the soldiers.
These used to be called ‘Sanitary Committees,’ or at lest
that is what the committee of our district was called. It consisted of
Joseph Jameson, who
at that time occupied the farm where D. H. Sergeant now
lives, Mrs. T. G. Dunham and Mrs. James White.
“This was the committee. They were the superintendents and one
of the favorite contributions to the soldiers was sauer kraut. The committee
would appoint a place of meeting and every one for several miles around
would be in attendance. There are many persons living now who look back
with pleasure when they met at the various farms along the old pike to
make sauer kraut for the boys at the front.”
Apple, mince, pumpkin and squash pies, great loaves of home made bread,
apples, potatoes and almost every thing good that a Warren County farm
can produce, made up the boxes, which were forwarded to the front and
there is no doubt but that they were appreciated by the soldier boys.
Even now, an old soldier, if interrogated on the matter, will brighten
up and tell how they used to look for boxes from home. There were a pleasure
to both senders and receivers.
Arne H Trelvik
20 December 2011