The National tribune., 1883-05-03
The seventh Ohio at summervilre.
To the Editor NATIONAL tribune:

10 the Editor NATIONAL Tribune.
In THE TRIBUNE of March % 81 Private" asks:
Who was to blame for the surprise of the Seventh
Ohio infantry at Summerville, West Virginia." i
have sufficient reason to know something of the
matter and cannot this day recall it without
laugh. We had been soldiers about four months
and had been the pioneer regiment from CfarlSs-
burg to Carnifax Ferry, on the Gauley River. In
truth, the Seventh a sort of independent fly
ing column. We had come to think that it was q
waste of time and money for any other body of
troops than own darling invincibIe regiment
the Seventh Ohio, to exert themselves in quencli-
ing the rebellion. We had had our own way
pretty much, without serious opposition and We're
Just waiting for somebody to tread coat TAIL
And so it was until the morning OF the 10th OF
August, 1861, when John b. Floyd put his foot
that tail and tore the garment completely Off We
then began to realize that there were other people
in the world than OF the Seventh. 1t was dear
though valuable lesson to the regiment and we
were never caught mapping again. Our colonel
Il. Il. Tyler was directly, and General j. ID. Cox
indirectly responsible for the surprise and disaster
at Cross Lanes The regiment was TO prevent
Floyd and Wise from crossing the Gauey River at
Carnifax Ferry, and we could have held it in the
face of the 5000 Johnnes coming that way, but
General Cox at Gauey bridge, twenty EIGHT miles
down the river, grew nervous and doubtful be-
cause of the uncertain tenor of Colonel Tyers dis
patches. and ordered the regiment twenty miles
down the river, or to where Twenty-mile Creek
empties into the Gauiey, and within eight miles of
Gauley bridge. This was done the 18th OF
August On the odd General Cox realizing the
great mistake he had made in uncovering the
ferry, ordered us back insanter We started about
noon Saturday, and at the crossing OF Peters
Creek (six miles from Cross Lanes met a
few Confederate eavalrymen. We left our baggage
there with company L as guard and moved on
without difficulty to Cross lanes arriving
there about dark of the 18th. Shortly after dark
my company (iI). being the left thanking company,
was ordered 10 go about mile towards the
river to see what might be there We found nothing
and returned. though the captain of company of
rebels afterwards told me that he moved his COM
pany OFT of our path, being curious to what we
would do and being not nj all DESTROYS of in
the dark On our return about II d. m. we stacked
laid rif ae,1
slept the sleep OF the just with nary picket fear
of the morrow. OF course, being the left. we
were farthest from the ferry-distant say three
mies--anei the companies We're scattered here and
there for al least mile, and, because of the timber
and crooked road, we could see other portion
| OF the regiment, except company I, which was
nearest us. So we rested comfortably that night,
and Floyd within a mile and half of with
4500 infantry $50 cavalry and eight pieces OF art
eTy on the qti ere all that time expecting
attack from us, with 673 men, before daylight.
! About break of day We're on The look out for
breakfast, with but little thought of an enemy.
thill we were all engaged IN the same occupation
with of corn stick and piece ofmeat
another, roasting them over fires-wilen
called to by the sound of rapid musk try
| firing over where company j was breakfasting, on
| the extreme right We dropped our sticks and got
into line mighty quick; but, Gbefore could face
to the right. got il from Mississippi regiment
within twenty yards of US, in the woods Ibelieve
if the beggars had held their fire they would have
! arrived at our stacks about az soon Well to
| cut long story short. they killed and wounded
/ about twenty OF our men and took lGi more under
special care and protection for long months
and was unit of the 1o4 There my friend $ Pri-
vatc,' you have the story of the Seventh Ohio vol
unteer infantry at Cross Lanes, or Sommeryile, as
you style it. But desire to say that the regiment
had IFS revenge for that day and made record
second to none in the armies of the Republic. /
/ think the proudest moment of my life one
morning at Salisbury, when Confederate infantry
! captain woke me in my prison-bed to tell me OF
| the bravery and good work of my regiment ut the
first Winchester fight in March. 1862. lie took me
! by the hand because was Seventh Ohio man.
Our roll OF honor with the of over 400 dead
| and disabled, tells the story. GEO. c. KETCHUM,
| First Sergeant, company L, Seventh o. V. l.
| MAoINAC ISLAND, NiIcH.