Showing posts with label 178th OH INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 178th OH INF. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 219. — Report of Col. Joab A. Stafford, One hundred and seventy-eighth Ohio Infantry, of operations December 7, 1864.

No. 219.

Report of Col. Joab A. Stafford, One hundred and seventy-eighth Ohio Infantry,
of operations December 7, 1864.

HDQRS. 178TH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY,        
Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 18, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the part taken by this regiment in the engagement of the 7th instant.

In the formation of the lines for the attack, the One hundred and seventy-eighth was placed on the left of the second line. In this manner the line advanced until the front line became hotly engaged. By order of General Milroy I moved to the left and front, for the purpose of attacking the enemy on his flank. This attack was successful and the enemy was routed. The regiment was halted in a piece of woods to the left of the Wilkinson pike, a considerable distance from the main line, but shortly after joined the main line by moving by the right flank. The regiment soon after moved back inside of the fortress.

The loss in the regiment was the [three?] privates wounded.

The officers and men all behaved nobly; they deserve the highest encomiums for their gallant conduct.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant.

J. A. STAFFORD,        
Colonel, Commanding 178th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Lieut. J. H. PINNEY,
        Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., First Brigade, First Division.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 628

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864-January 23, 1865: No. 206 — Report of Col. Edward Anderson, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Twentieth Army Corps, of operations December 7, 1864.

No. 206

Report of Col. Edward Anderson, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade, Fourth Division, Twentieth Army Corps, of operations December 7, 1864.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FOURTH DIV., 20TH ARMY CORPS,        
Murfreesborough, Tenn., December 8, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that the brigade under my command was ordered to march on the reconnaissance of yesterday under Maj. Gen. R. H. Milroy.

This brigade consists of the One hundred and seventy-seventh and One hundred and seventy eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, Fourth and Fifth Tennessee Cavalry, and Thirteenth New York Independent Battery. En route for the field of action I was informed that the Thirteenth New York Battery was attached to the First Brigade, in the rear of which I was ordered to march. The Fourth and Fifth Tennessee Cavalry Regiments, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Clift, were ordered to report to Col. G. M. L. Johnson, Thirteenth Indiana Cavalry, commanding cavalry. Thus I had under my immediate command troops as follows, viz.: Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, Lieut. Col. Alfred Reed commanding, numbering 16 officers and 352 men (368); One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Col. A. T. Wilcox commanding, numbering 18 officers and 496 men (514); One hundred and seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Col. J. A. Stafford commanding, numbering 17 officers and 427 men (444); making a total of 51 officers and 1,275 men--1,326 men.

At Overall's Creek, where the enemy opened an artillery fire upon us, I was ordered to form my brigade in the rear of the First Brigade, and in undertaking to do so I found the One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was on the right of my command and now for the first time brought under fire, exposed to a terrible succession of shots from the enemy's battery. The officers of the regiment and my own staff officers joined in an endeavor to keep them in column, but knowing that the whole future of the regiment probably depended on preventing their breaking to the rear, I ordered Colonel Wilcox to have them lie down. Through all the artillery duel that ensued they remained in that position, of course so remote from the enemy, in their position as reserves, that they could do nothing but endure. I was glad, in occupying a position where I could watch the regiment, to notice that none appeared to flinch under this heavy fire and in a position more exposed than often comes to a regiment. After the battery had ceased firing I was ordered to march my brigade by the right flank till the right of the column should rest on the Wilkinson pike; there I again formed line of battle and undertook to march to the support of the First Brigade, which was engaging the enemy in the front. Owing to the extreme roughness of the ground, rocks, jagged and detached, being covered at intervals by brush and logs, I was forced to march very slowly, and for a distance by right of companies, to the front. When we had nearly approached the position I was ordered to occupy in rear of the First Brigade, and at about 200 yards distance, I was ordered to throw the One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry to the right, forming its line perpendicular to the line already formed, in order to prevent a flanking movement on the part of the enemy, who were evidently intending to get into our rear. This regiment threw out two companies to deploy along its front as skirmishers. Sharp firing along the line showed that the general had not been mistaken in supposing it necessary to protect the right flank. Major-General Milroy took the One hundred and seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and, marching it left in front, led it to the extreme left and conducted it personally into battle. Of the action of this regiment I am unable to speak thereafter, but have no question as to its gallantry, as the almost reckless daring of the general cannot be other than infectious. The Twelfth Indiana Cavalry was pushed forward on the right of the pike over a cotton-field, where it lay under a hot musketry fire till it was ordered forward into the woods as the enemy retired. At this juncture I ordered forward the One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the firing having ceased on the right flank. I formed it in line parallel to the lines in front, and received orders to hold it there while the Twelfth Indiana Cavalry was ordered to the extreme front, though too late to participate in actual conflict there, the enemy having retired. On our return to the fortress the Twelfth Indiana Cavalry brought up the rear.

The casualties in my command were happily few, as it was held almost entirely in reserve. I take pleasure in testifying to the bravery of these troops, nearly all brought in this engagement for the first time under the enemy's fire, and here, in a position most trying to any soldier, obliged to take the enemy's shots and unable to enjoy either the satisfaction or the excitement of returning their fire. No one, however, would be surprised that troops would stand gallantly under fire, as they could all the time see the general they loved in the fore front of battle, where the bullets were flying most thickly. These troops would follow General Milroy wherever he might lead. Where nearly every officer was brave it would be useless to attempt allusion to individual instances. My confidence in officers and men is unbounded.

I report the following casualties in the three regiments under my immediate command and the other troops that report through me: Twelfth Indiana Cavalry, killed, 1 private; wounded, 1 officer (Captain Sherwood, Company E, severely in the leg), 10 privates. One hundred and seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, wounded, 4 privates. One hundred and seventy eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, wounded, 2 privates. Fifth Tennessee Cavalry (Col. W. J. Clift), wounded, 2 privates. Thirteenth New York Battery (Capt. Henry Bundy), wounded, 4 privates. Total, killed, 1 private; wounded, 1 officer and 22 enlisted men.

I have the honor to respectfully submit the foregoing.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
EDWARD ANDERSON,        
Colonel, Commanding Second Brigade.
Maj. JOHN O. CRAVENS,
        Assistant Adjutant-General.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 610-1

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

178th Ohio Infantry

Organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, and mustered in September 26, 1864. Left State for Nashville, Tenn., October 8. Attached to Defences Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, Dept. of the Cumberland, to January, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, and Dept. of North Carolina, to June, 1865.

SERVICE. – Duty at Nashville, Tenn., till October 22, 1864. and at Tullahoma, Tenn., till November 30. Moved to Murfreesboro, Tenn., November 30-December 2. Siege of Murfreesboro December 5-12. Wilkinson's Cross Roads, near Murfreesboro, "The Cedars," December 7. Wilkinson's Pike, near Murfreesboro, December 13-14. Ordered to Clifton, Tenn., and duty there till January 16, 1865. Movement to Washington, D.C., January 16-29, and to Fort Fisher, N. C., February 21-23; to Morehead City February 24, thence to New Berne February 25. Campaign of the Carolinas March 1-April 26. Advance on Kinston and Goldsboro March 6-21. Battle of Wise's Forks March 8-10. Occupation of Kinston March 14. Occupation of Goldsboro March 21. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. Duty at Raleigh and Charlotte, N. C., till June. Mustered out June 29, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 2 Enlisted men killed and 66 Enlisted men by disease. Total 68.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1554