Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-09-23

i
than one among all the many that
fought for the maintenance Of :hc
Union. What other regiment has fur
nished two Presidents of the United
! states, for instance? None. Tie
| Twenty-third Ohio is the only regiment
That can make that boast. and it can
add, as well, IA justice OF the Supreme
! bench.
The two Presidents developed from
the Twentythird Ohio were. of course,
| rutherford Il. Hayes and the present
occupant of the White House, William
Mckinley. The justice of the Supreme
bench was Stanley Matthew'S OF these
three, Hayes and Matthews were col.
onels of the regiment and rose to high
er commands. Mckinley, going as a
mere boy, was promoted to captaincy
for meritorious service, served in that
rank at the end of the war and was
then made major by brevet.
Besides these three figures another OF
national Importance in the Twenty.
third was Gen. w. S. Rosecrans. also a
colonel of the regiment and later on
one or the foremost fighters in the
Northern army. And besides there
were numerous lesser luminaries, who,
though their positions did not bring
them steadily before the public eye,
still performed deeds of courage and
daring that have made their names as
household words in the State from
which they entered the service. In
terest in the regiment is revived by the
recent reunion held ut Fremont Ohio.
About 900 survivors of the regiment
which from first to last had 2.O3J en-
listed men-were present mt the re-
union.
Aside from contributing two chief
| executives to the country and several
valiant soldiers to the Union army. the
Twentythird was remarkable. 1t was
the first of the Ohio regiments TO enlist
for three years service in the war. The
others had enlisted on the first call and
for the three months period only. Hav-
Ing so many fighters in its ranks. it saw
fighting from first to last and was glad
of II. since there was fighting to be
done. RoSecranS was the first colonel
OF the regiment. Hayes was the first
major and Mckinney the last. +. T..
Scammon, who as an instructor 1T
West Point had Grant, I.Ongstrcet and
| numerous other prominent fighters on
both sides Of the war as his pupils. sue
| ceeded Rosecrans as colonel. Robert T.
Kennedy and Walter c. Lyon. both
| aftprward Lieutenant Governors .f
Ohio. were minor officers.
The regiment saw really more than
It's share of active service during the
war. 1t went ut once to the front and
on the way "Old Rosy" as he was
called. was promoted from colonel to
brisadicr general. Scammon then be.
came The colonel and the regiment was
| ordered into West Virginia. where from
Ciarksburg it kept up hunt against
the guerrillas who roamed that coun-
| try. The first real service under steady
| fire. though. was at CarnifeX Ferry.
where n lot of sharp diminishing forced
The 'Confederates to abandon their posi-
lion. Under command of Lieut.. Col
Hayes in May, 1862. the regiment
moved to Princeton. which was quick
ly evacuated by the Confederates. AZ
ter leaving Princeton the regiment
moved to Flat Top during the early
summer. From there they FASTENED on
| to join Mcclellan in Washington. With
Mcclellan the Twenty-third helped to
drive the Confederates from Frederick
City and then went to South Mountain
| and Antietam. The Ohio fighters did
| gallant service there and Scammon
was made a brigadier general. Hayes
succeeded him us colonel Of the regi-
ment.
In 1868 the Twentythird was sent
ont against Morgan's raiders, who were
devastating Ohio, and after hard
chase met and captured him at Pom
eroy. In April, "a, the regiment re-
turned to Charleston and engaged ac-
lively in the series Of battles that fol-
lowed there. For n time the troops
were engaged in destroying the Vir-
ginia and Tennessee Railroad, and IN
| May fought in the battle OF ClOyd
| Mountain. On June IL the regiment
| was in at the capture Of Lexington, but
| July "a suffered defeat. For a month
after that there was fighting and Skin
mishing up and down the SHENANDOAH
Valley, till at Halltown, Aug. %, the
Twenty-thirl captured a regiment OF
South Carolina troops. On Sept. 3 a
| fierce engagement took place at Berry.
Vile. On Sept. 10 was the battle OF
| Opequam. Cedar Greek was. the last
important engagement in which the
regiment took part. The men returned
to Camp Cumberland in the early
spring of '65, and in July returned to
their Ohio homes. Since the war they
have scattered almost to the four cor
ners. The regiment has members all
over this wide country, occupying emil