The National tribune., 1901-07-11
s.rvice in Co c. 122d Ohio.


S,rvice in Co C. 122d Ohio.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I wa.
among the youngest to enlist in the war OF
the rebellion. | was born June 22, 1915
in Iowa Territory, one year before its ad
mission as n State, in what is now DeS
Moines County. l was, a member of Co
c. 122d Ohio. | enlisted August 20, 1862
at McCOnnelsville, Ohio, under Capt. G.
j. Henderson. of Morgan Co., Ohio tC
serve three years or during the war. unless
sooner treated with an over dose of grape
and canister My regiment was located
at Winchester Va, the Winter of 1862
the I'D Ohio being part of the com
mand of Gen. Milroy. After we were
driven out of Winchester, Va, June 10
1858, we were transferred to the Third
Corps, commanded by Gen. Meade. and
finally to the Sixth Corps, commanded by
the brave and daring Gen. Sedgwick.
After Sedgwick's death at SpottSylyania
the Sixth Corps was commanded by Gen
| Wright, Third Division by Gen. Ricketts,
Second Brigade by Gen. Keifcr, until the
end of the war. While in the Sixth Corps
we were brigaded with the 10th Ohio,
126th Ohio, 9Th Md, SIth Pa, 13Sth Pa,
amount of hard marching and reconnOiter-
ing in and around about the Blue Ridge
and North Mountains, also up and down
| the valleys of the Potomac. Shenandoah.
and at Winchester, Staunton ROmncy,
Luray to City Point, Bermuda Hundred,
Rapidan River, and through the Wilder
/ ness from commencement to finish.
There were nine of us near neighbor
boys that all held up our hands at the
same time and were all sworn in to the
service under the same oath; all members
of the same company: Lieut.. |. $. Paul
Sergt A. W. Bell Ebb Bell, l.. y.
Carr Ellis Carr, A. b. Sears, J. r.
Brisco, Ebb Robinson, and myself. Five
of our squad of nine are not yet mustered
out. Lieut.. Paul served 22 months in the
different prisons of the South, and yet
survives; j. Il. Brisco served nine months
in Andersonville, but sucuumbed to the
inhuman treatment of the Confederacy;
a. Il. Sears served nine months with
Frisco in Andersonville, but was ex-
changed and sent home and died on loyal
soil; l.. n. Carr was also taken prisoner
with Brisco and Sears. all mt Cold
Harbor, Va. He served nine months in
Andcrsonville, and yet survives. | was
taken prisoner at Winchester, Va, June
10, 1868. | registered while at Richmond
at the Hotel Libby for some days, then
we were transferred to the never-to-be-
forgotten hot sands of Belle Isle.
l participated in the battles of Win
chester, Va, June 13, IA and -, 1868;
Locust Grove, Nov. 81, 1863; Mine Run,
Nov. 2S, 1863; Wilderness. May ) to II,
1861; SpOttsylvania, May II to 81, 1861;
Gaines's Mill. May 80 and II. 1864; Cold
HarbOr, June / to II, 1864; Bermuda
Hundred. June 10. 1864; Petersburg June
% and %, 1864; Monocacy, Md, July o,
1864; Charlestown. Va. Aug. u. 1864:
Smithtield, Aug. %, 1861; Winchester,
Va, Sept. 10, 1864 Flint Hill. Sept u,
1864; Fishers Hill, Sept. 2e, 1864; Cedar
Creek Tor Sheridan's ride, Oct. 10, 1864:
NJ
Weldon Railroad, June q, and Aug. IS,
1871; Smokers Gap, July H. 1864;
Opequan, Sept. 10, 1864; Sirge of Peters
burg, Va, June II. 1864. to April .. 1865;
Sailors Creek, April &, 1865, and surrender
at Appomattox, April ., 1860. AS Sailors
Creek was the last battle If the Army of
the Potomac, and | hcIeve claimed to be
the last battle of the rebellion, / don't
think | would be out of place in relating
an incident that occurred to Capt. Power,
of my company, and myself. Shortly De
fore engaged at the battle of Sailors
Creek, we We're advancing over what
seemed to have been once n cleared field.
but at that time grown up with bushes, the
surface being broken with deep bushy
ravincs. One very deep ravine in parti-
cular, some 80 yards long was denseIy
surrounded with thorn bushes and briars
not less than 10 feet wide on either side.
On account of this we We're compelled to
open column and pass around each way.
Capt. Power passed around the upper end
and | the lower After | had crossed the
ravine and was about to ascend the op-
pOsIte side, my attention was attracted to
the rafting of dirt and leaves. | quickly
stepped back into the ravine STONED
down so as to be able to look up under
the dense bushes as far as possible, and
to my surprise saw 80 rebs that had drop
ped out of their columns as they had
passed III advance of us Il short time be-
fore. Their idea was to surrender, or if
to escape. When / discovered
them | called to Capt. Power and told
him that this hole was full of rebs. He
came back. j pointed my gun at the rebs
and asked them to come out without
arms. They willingly did so. While the
Captain formed them in line l gathered up
their guns and stacked them. AZ | was
carrying out the last load of guns my ear
caught the sound of dirt rolling down
from behind very large log, or tree, that
had fallen from the upper end of the
ravinc against the bank. | looked under
the log and there, extending below the
log some six inches, | discovered the scab-
bard Of a sword. l took hold of the scab-
bard, gave it n sudden jerk. and down
came a rebel Major. He laughed and re- |
marked that was the first time he ever
crawfished. He unbuckled his belt and
handed me his sword. | still have his |
{. 5. belt. This made 81 prisoners in ali !
TO the credit Of Capt. Powers and myself. |
About the time we were ready to start |
with our prisoners up rode a young vel |
officer and demanded to know |
where my command was l told him lust |
over the hill there at the front. He drew |
his sword and told me TO go to my COM
mand, and he would take care Of the /
prisoners. | told him that would be kind |
Of him, but as never had shirked duty,
could not afford to commence now, and |
cooking my old Enfield | told him that | |
would just give him one minute TO leave
for his command. He hesitated a moment,
then rode away. Our Division Provo
soon came up, and we turned our prisoners
over to them and hurried to the front, ar
irving i'll time to assist the boys in the last
scuilie of the war.
was with my regiment for three years
except when n prisoner. In all my service
never was struck with missiles but
twice, both wounds being slight.-R. p.
Mccoy, Paulding, o.
Senator Proctor Saves Moose.
Senator Proctor returned last week
from salmon fishing on the ST Jobn,c