11th Regiment Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 20, 1861. Ordered to the Kanawha Valley, W. Va., July 7, 1861. Attached to Cox's Kanawha Brigade, West Virginia, to September, 1861. Benham's Brigade, District of the Kanawha, West Virginia, to October, 1861. 1st Brisade, District of the Kanawha, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division West Virginia, Dept. of the Mountains, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division, District of West Virginia, Dept. of the Ohio, to February, 1863. Crook's Brigade, Baird's Division, Army of Kentucky, Dept. of the Cumberland, to June, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to October, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.--Action at Hawk's Nest, W. Va., August 20, 1861. Near Piggott's Mills, Big Run, August 25. Operations in the Kanawha Valley and New River Reglen October 19-November 16. Gauley Bridge November 10. Blake's Farm, Cotton Mountain, November 10-11. Moved to Point Pleasant December 11, and duty there till April 16, 1862. Operations in the Kanawha Valley April to August. Moved to Washington, D.C., August 18-24. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 25-September 2. Bull Run Bridge August 27. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Frederick City, Md., September 12. Battle of South Mountain September 14. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Moved to Hagerstown, Md., October 8, thence to Clarksburg and Summerville, W. Va., and duty at Summerville till January 24, 1863. Expedition to Cold Knob Mountain November 24-30, 1862. Lewis Mill on Sinking Creek November 26. Ordered to Nashville, Tenn., January 24, 1863, thence to Carthage February 22, and duty there till June. Near Carthage March 8 (2 Cos.). Scout to Rome March 24-25. Reconnoissance to McMinnville April 13. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24-26. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Catlett's Gap, Pigeon Mountain, September 15-18. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Rossville Gap September 21. Siege of Chattanooga September 24-November 23. Reopening Tennessee River October 26-29. Brown's Ferry October 27. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Orchard Knob November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. Demonstration on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27, 1864. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Veterans absent on furlough March and April. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May to September. Demonstrations on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Detached for duty as garrison at Resaca May 16 to June 10. Non-Veterans relieved for muster out June 10 and ordered to Cincinnati, Ohio. Mustered out June 21, 1864. Veterans and Recruits organizod as a Battalion and attached to 92nd Ohio Infantry till January, 1865, participating in operations about Marietta, Ga., and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2, 1864. Pine Hill June 11-14. Lost Mountain June 15-17. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Smyrna Camp Ground July 4. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Peach Tree Creek July 19-20. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Utoy Creek August 5-7. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Operations against Hood in North Georgia and North Alabama September 29-November 3. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Fayetteville, N. C., March 11. Battle of Bentonville March 19-21. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14, Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D.C., via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 20. Grand Review May 24. Mustered out June 11, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 4 Officers and 50 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 98 Enlisted men by disease. Total 152.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1500-1

Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith to Elizabeth Budd Smith, June 10, 1862

HEADQUARTERS 54TH REGT. O. V. INF.,

CAMP CHEWALLA, MISS., June 10, 1862.

MY DEAR WIFE:

We have marched some fifteen miles beyond Corinth, and in a few moments shall proceed on our march to Grand Junction, some twenty miles from here and on the route to Memphis. I remained in occupation of Corinth three days, and was succeeded by General Halleck, who now occupies the quarters I left. The papers have scandalously falsified, as they usually do, the movements of Sherman's Division. A man in John Groesbeck's regiment claims the rather barren honor of flying the first flag over Corinth, when the fact is that mine, which was the first by two hours and forty minutes to enter the town, had been floating for that length of time. The town was under guard by my troops, and Major Fisher was acting as Provost Marshal (a post from which he was only the day before yesterday relieved) at the time the troops who claimed the credit entered. So much for newspapers, which are a tissue of falsehood and misrepresentations. These things I know you care nothing about, and indeed I would hardly take the trouble to explain except to avoid the absurdity which would attach to my former letters, if you believe the newspapers.

The weather is becoming pretty warm, though the nights continue cool, indeed I may say cold, for two or three blankets are comfortable, and there are no mosquitoes. We do not suffer so much from the wood ticks and jiggers as farther back. I am told that our march will lie through a high and tolerably fertile country, a matter to be much desired. Since our occupancy of Tennessee, all supplies have been scarce, the country people very poor and bereft of everything in the way of eatables. I hardly know what keeps them from starvation. . . . We think the back of the rebellion is broken in the Southwest, but we keep up a constant vigilance, for the foe is insidious. Beauregard's army must have been a good deal demoralized before the evacuation of Corinth, if we may believe the accounts of deserters and prisoners.

I suppose our destination is Memphis. They may make a stand against us on the way. We are looking anxiously for action from McClellan. Our army is the great centre, his the left, and the forces in Arkansas the right wing, and we ought to move forward together. We shall be victorious, we shall conquer, but we shall never subjugate this people. My opinions in this behalf, so often expressed, and more than a year ago, have never changed. They are a people very little understood at the North; their bitter hostility to the North will never change, certainly not with this generation; they have learned to fear us and to hate.

SOURCE: Walter George Smith, Life and letters of Thomas Kilby Smith, p. 214-5

Major General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Meade, April 12, 1863

FALMOUTH, VA., April 12, 1863.

I feel very sad when I think of young Dehon and Hamilton Kuhn, both so full of life and promising so much; to be cut off in the way they were, is truly mournful, and I feel sometimes as if I was individually responsible, and in some measure the cause of the misfortune of their friends.

I have had another hard day's work. No sooner had the President left, than a Major General Follarde, of the Swiss army, comes down here, with orders to Hooker to show him every attention, and as he does not speak English, and I have some pretensions to speaking French, Hooker turned him over to me, and I have, to-day, been taking him all through my camps and showing him my command. He seems like all foreign officers of rank, intelligent and educated. He expressed himself delighted and wonder-struck with all he saw, and says our troops will compare favorably with the best troops in Europe, and he has seen them all. If he goes back to Philadelphia, I will give him a letter to you, for I think he will interest you.

I note what you say of General Hooker. I think he will outlive that scandal, for it most certainly is a scandal. Whatever may have been his habits in former times, since I have been associated with him in the army I can bear testimony of the utter falsehood of the charge of drunkenness.

I spoke to the President when here about Franklin, and endeavored to convince him that the whole affair turned on a misapprehension, Burnside thinking he was saying and ordering one thing and Franklin understanding another. I know that Franklin did not, nor did any of those around him, believe or understand that Burnside intended our attack for the main attack, which Burnside now avers was always his intention.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 365-6

General Robert E. Lee to James A. Seddon, February 8, 1865

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA,

February 8, 1865.

HON. JAS. A. SEDDON,

Sec. of War, Richmond, Va.

SIR: All the disposable force of the right wing of the army has been operating against the enemy beyond Hatcher's Run since Sunday. Yesterday, the most inclement day of the winter, they had to be retained in line of battle, having been in the same condition the two previous days and nights. I regret to be obliged to state that under these circumstances, heightened by assaults and fire of the enemy, some of the men had been without meat for three days, and all were suffering from reduced rations and scant clothing, exposed to battle, cold, hail, and sleet. I have directed Colonel Cole, chief commissary, who reports that he has not a pound of meat at his disposal, to visit Richmond and see if nothing can be done. If some change is not made and the Commissary Department reorganized, I apprehend dire results. The physical strength of the men, if their courage survives, must fail under this treatment. Our cavalry has to be dispersed for want of forage. Fitz Lee's and Lomax's divisions are scattered because supplies cannot be transported where their services are required. I had to bring Wm. H. F. Lee's division forty miles Sunday night to get him in position. Taking these facts in connection with the paucity of our numbers, you must not be surprised if calamity befalls us. According to reports of prisoners, we were opposed on Hatcher's Run by the Second and Fifth Corps, part of the Ninth, one division of the Sixth, Gregg's division (Third Brigade of cavalry). It was also reported that the Twenty-third Corps (Schofield's) reached City Point on the 5th, and that it was present. But this is not confirmed by other reports. At last accounts it was stated to be on the Potomac, delayed by ice. A scout near Alexandria reports it is to march on Gordonsville, General Baker on Kinston. I think it more probable it will join Grant here.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

Respectfully sent to the President for perusal. Please return it.

JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE,

Secretary of War.

[Indorsement.]

This is too sad to be patiently considered, and cannot have occurred without criminal neglect or gross incapacity. Let supplies be had by purchase or borrowing or other possible mode. J. D.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 352

Diary of Salmon P. Chase: Tuesday, July 22d, 1862

This morning, I called on the President with a letter received some time since from Col. Key, in which he stated that he had reason to believe that if Genl. McClellan found he could not otherwise sustain himself in Virginia, he would declare the liberation of the slaves; and that the President would not dare to interfere with the Order. I urged upon the President the importance of an immediate change in the command of the Army of the Potomac, representing the necessity of having a General in that command who would cordially and efficiently cooperate with the movements of Pope and others; and urging a change before the arrival of Genl. Halleck, in view of the extreme delicacy of his position in this respect, Genl. McClellan being his senior Major-General. I said that I did not regard Genl. McClellan as loyal to the Administration, although I did not question his general loyalty to the country.

I also urged Genl. McClellan's removal upon financial grounds. I told him that, if such a change in the command was made as would insure action to the army and give it power in the ratio of its strength, and if such measures were adopted in respect to slavery as would inspire the country with confidence that no measure would be left untried which promised a speedy and successful result, I would insure that, within ten days, the Bonds of the U. S. — except the 5-20s. — would be so far above par that conversions into the latter stock would take place rapidly and furnish the necessary means for carrying on the Government. If this was not done, it seemed to me impossible to meet necessary expenses. Already there were 10,000,000 of unpaid requisitions, and this amount must constantly increase.

The President came to no conclusion, but said he would confer with Gen. Halleck on all these matters. I left him, promising to return to Cabinet, when the subject of the Orders discussed yesterday would be resumed.

Went to Cabinet at the appointed hour. It was unanimously agreed that the Order in respect to Colonization should be dropped; and the others were adopted unanimously, except that I wished North Carolina included among the States named in the first order.

The question of arming slaves was then brought up and I advocated it warmly. The President was unwilling to adopt this measure, but proposed to issue a proclamation, on the basis of the Confiscation Bill, calling upon the States to return to their allegiance — warning the rebels the provisions of the Act would have full force at the expiration of sixty days — adding, on his own part, a declaration of his intention to renew, at the next session of Congress, his recommendation of compensation to States adopting the gradual abolishment of slavery — and proclaiming the emancipation of all slaves within States remaining in insurrection on the first of January, 1863.

I said that I should give to such a measure my cordial support; but I should prefer that no new expression on the subject of compensation should be made, and I thought that the measure of Emancipation could be much better and more quietly accomplished by allowing Generals to organize and arm the slaves (thus avoiding depredation and massacre on the one hand, and support to the insurrection on the other) and by directing the Commanders of Departments to proclaim emancipation within their Districts as soon as practicable; but I regarded this as so much better than inaction on the subject, that I should give it my entire support.

The President determined to publish the first three Orders forthwith, and to leave the other for some further consideration. The impression left upon my mind by the whole discussion was, that while the President thought that the organization, equipment and arming of negroes, like other soldiers, would be productive of more evil than good, he was not willing that Commanders should, at their discretion, arm, for purely defensive purposes, slaves coming within their lines.

Mr. Stanton brought forward a proposition to draft 50,000 men. Mr. Seward proposed that the number should be 100,000. The President directed that, whatever number were drafted, should be a part of the 3,000,000 already called for. No decision was reached, however.

SOURCE: Robert B. Warden, An Account of the Private Life and Public Services of Salmon Portland Chase, p. 440; Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol. 2, p. 47-9.

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, June 9, 1863

The weather away down south in Dixie is getting quite warm. The soldiers are all in good health and fine spirits. Times are quite lively, with good news from all directions around Vicksburg. Our mortar boats are throwing shells into town day and night.¹

__________

¹ We were all confident that Pemberton would soon be compelled to surrender Vicksburg, for we had him completely surrounded. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 120-1

Abraham Lincoln to Major-General George B. McClellan, July 5, 1862 – 9 a.m.

Washington, July 5,1862 – 9 a.m.

A thousand thanks for the relief your two dispatches, of 12 and 1 p.m. yesterday,* gave me. Be assured the heroism and skill of yourself and officers and men is, and forever will be, appreciated.

If you can hold your present position we shall hive the enemy yet.

A. LINCOLN.

Maj. Gen. GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

Commanding Army of Potomac.

__________

* For that of 1 p.m., see “Corespondence, etc,” part III.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 11, Part 1 (Serial No. 12), p. 72

10th Ohio Infantry – 3 Months

Organized at Camp Harrison near Cincinnati, Ohio, and mustered in May 7, 1861. Moved to Camp Dennison, Ohio, May 12, and duty there till June 3. Reorganized for three years' service June 3, 1861. Three months' men mustered out August 21, 1861.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1500

10th Ohio Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 3, 1861. Left State for West Virginia June 24, and duty at Grafton, Clarksburg and Buckhannon till August. Attached to 2nd Brigade, Army of Occupation, W. Va., to September: 1861. Benham's Brigade, Kanawha Division, West Virginia, to October, 1861. 1st Brigade, Kanawha Division West Virginia, to November, 1861. 17th Brigade, Army Ohio, to December, 1861. 17th Brigade, 3rd Division, Army Ohio, to September, 1862. 17th Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Corps, Army Ohio, to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Center 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Army Corps, January, 1863. Headquarters Provost Guard, Dept. of the Cumberland, to May 1864.

SERVICE.--West Virginia Campaign July to September, 1861. Battle of Carnifex Ferry September 10. Operations in the Kanawha Valley and New River Region October 19-November 24. Pursuit of Floyd November 10-15. Gauley Bridge November 10. Cotton Mountain November 10-11. Moved to Louisville, Ky., November 24-December 2, thence to Elizabethtown, and to Bacon Creek December 26. Duty there till February, 1862. Movement to Bowling Green, Ky., February 10-15. Occupation of Bowling Green February 15-22. Advance on Nashville, Tenn., February 22-March 2. Advance on Murfreesboro March 17-19. Occupation of Shelbyville, Fayetteville, and advance on Huntsville Ala., March 28-April 11. Capture of Huntsville April 11. Advance on Decatur April 11-14. Action at West Bridge near Bridgeport April 29. Duty at Huntsville till August. March to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 27-September 26. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-15. Battle of Perryville October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., October 16-November 7. Provost duty at Headquarters of Gen. Rosecrans, Commanding Army of the Cumberland, till December, 1863, and at Headquarters, Gen. Thomas Commanding, Army and Dept. of the Cumberland, till May, 1864. Advance on Murfreesboro, Tenn., December 26-30, 1862. Battle of Stone's River December 30-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Stewart's Creek January 1. Duty at Murfreesboro till June. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 7. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga September 24-November 23. Battles of Chattanooga November 23-25. Mission Ridge November 24-25. Reconnoissance of Dalton, Ga., February 22-27, 1864. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1-27. Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Ordered to rear for muster out May 27. Mustered out June 3, 1864, expiration of term. Seventyfive Enlisted men unassigned, Army of the Cumberland, till September, then assigned to 18th Ohio Battalion Infantry.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 86 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 77 Enlisted men by disease. Total 168.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1500

Colonel Thomas Kilby Smith to Elizabeth Budd Smith, June 9, 1862

HEADQUARTERS 54TH REGT. O. V. INF.,

CAMP CHEWALLA, MISS., June 9, 1862.

We are now encamped near a small town called Chewalla, about fifteen miles south of Corinth and near the State line that divides Tennessee from Missouri. But I have just received marching orders for five o'clock to-morrow morning, and as yet do not know our destination. Memphis and Fort Pillow are taken; their army must be scattered; we know it was a good deal demoralized; where they will make a stand is the merest matter of conjecture.

The heat begins to make itself felt, though the nights continue cool. I have had tolerably good health, nothing to worry about. I believe I stand the campaign better than the average of the men and officers.

There is no use, however, to attempt to disguise the fact that a summer campaign in the South must be terribly fatal to our troops. Not that the Northern men are not just as capable as the Southerners, indeed more so, to endure the vicissitudes, but no troops can stand it. We must use fortitude, and do the best we can, — I leave the result with God, in whom I have firm reliance. I am always sustained by thoughts of you and of your prayers in my behalf. I long, oh! how ardently, to see you, but I must not think of it. God only knows what is in the future for us. I could not leave my post; I would not be permitted to do so however strong my desire. I must press on to the bitter end.

You want to know something about me, but I hardly know what to write about. I am sitting in a tent in the midst of dense woods, but near the side of a dusty road, over which regiments are marching, and all towards the South. My soldiers are all about cooking rations, and making other preparations for the march to-morrow. To-morrow night I may probably sleep on the ground, with a saddle blanket, because our transportation train will not be with the regiment, and there is no other way to carry my tent or cot. This will be no inconvenience to me, for I have very often done so, and that in the rain, with nothing but an India-rubber cape over me. I sleep sound with the bridle of my horse in my hand, and am refreshed at daylight. We carry canteens of water and food in haversacks, hard crackers, and salt pork.

We are always on the lookout for the enemy, flankers and skirmishers, and advance guards. Men are prevented from straggling. We march on steadily, halting for a few moments every hour. When we camp, pickets and sentinels are posted, and they who are not on guard sleep sound. Men sleep the soundest in the presence of danger. I have known them to go to sleep on the battlefield. Indeed, I have never known sweeter sleep or more delightful dreams than I have had behind the breastworks of fortifications which we momentarily expected would be stormed, and amid the incessant booming of cannon, bursting of shells, and rattling of musketry.

SOURCE: Walter George Smith, Life and letters of Thomas Kilby Smith, p. 212-3

Major General George G. Meade to Margaretta Sergeant Meade, April 11, 1863

CAMP NEAR FALMOUTH, April 11, 1863.

The President has now reviewed the whole army, and expresses himself highly delighted with all he has seen. Since our review, I have attended the other reviews and have been making myself (or at least trying so to do) very agreeable to Mrs. Lincoln, who seems an amiable sort of personage. In view also of the vacant brigadiership in the regular army, I have ventured to tell the President one or two stories, and I think I have made decided progress in his affections. By-the-by, talking of this vacancy, I have been very much gratified at the congratulations I have received from several distinguished general officers on the prominence that has been given my name in connection with this appointment. The other day, Major General Stoneman came up to me and said he was very glad to hear I was so much talked of in connection with this vacancy; that he hoped I would get it, and that he believed the voice of the army would be in my favor. Coming as this does from those who are cognizant of my services, some of whom are themselves candidates, I cannot but regard it as most complimentary and gratifying, and I am sure it will please you. Stoneman also told me that, hearing I had a boy in the Lancers, he had sent for him and introduced him to Mrs. Stoneman. Stoneman also spoke very handsomely of the Lancers, and said he intended they should have full chance to show what they were made of.

SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George Gordon Meade, Vol. 1, p. 364-5

General Robert E. Lee to General Samuel Cooper, February 4, 1865

HEADQUARTERS, PETERSBURG, February 4, 1865.

GEN. S. COOPER,

A. and I. General, Richmond, Va.

GENERAL: I received your telegram of the 1st inst. announcing my confirmation by the Senate as general-in-chief of the armies of the Confederate States. I am indebted alone to the kindness of his Excellency the President for my nomination to this high and arduous office, and I wish I had the ability to fill it to advantage. As I have received no instructions as to my duties, I do not know what he desires me to undertake.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. E. LEE,

General.

SOURCE: John William Jones, Life and Letters of Robert Edward Lee: Soldier and Man, p. 351

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, June 8, 1863

The Third Brigade received their knapsacks this morning. The boys are at work building sheds of the canebrake which is so plentiful in this part of the State. Fighting is still kept up and reinforcements are arriving every day. Vicksburg must and shall fall this time!

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 120

9th Ohio Infantry – 3 Months

Organized at Camp Harrison near Cincinnati, Ohio, April 22, 1861. Moved to Camp Dennison, Ohio, and duty there till May 27. Reorganized at Camp Dennison for three years May 27 to June 13, 1861, the first three-years Regiment from the State. Three months' men mustered out August 4, 1861.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1500

9th Ohio Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, May 27 to June 13, 1861. Ordered to West Virginia June 16. Attached to 3rd Brigade, Army of Occupation, W. Va., to August, 1861. 2nd Brigade, Kanawha Division West Virginia, to November, 1861. 3rd Brigade, Army Ohio, to December, 1861. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Army Ohio, to September, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Center 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to October, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to May, 1864.

SERVICE. – West Virginia Campaign July 6-17, 1861. Battle of Rich Mountain July 10. Capture of Beverly July 12. Duty at New Creek till August 27. At New River till November 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., November 24-December 2, thence to Lebanon, Ky., and duty there till January, 1862. Advance to Camp Hamilton January 1-17. Battle of Mill Springs January 19-20. March to Louisville, Ky., thence moved to Nashville, Tenn, via Ohio and Cumberland Rivers February 10-March 2. March to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., March 20-April 7. (Presented by ladles of Louisville with a National flag for gallantry at Mill Springs.) Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Ordered to Tuscumbia, Ala., June 22, and duty there till July 27. Moved to Decherd, Tenn., July 27, thence march to Louisville, Ky., in pursuit of Bragg August 21-September 26. Pursuit of Hood into Kentucky October 1-15. Battle of Perryville, Ky., October 8. March to Nashville, Tenn., via Bowling Green, Lancaster, Danville and Lebanon October 16-November 7. Duty at South Tunnel opening communications with Nashville November 8 26. Guard fords of the Cumberland till January 14. 1863. Duty at Nashville, Tenn., January 15-March 6. Expedition toward Columbia March 6-14. Moved to Triune and duty there till June. Franklin June 4-5. Middle Tennessee or Tullahoma Campaign June 23-July 27. Occupation of Middle Tennessee till August 16. Passage of the Cumberland Mountains and Tennessee River and Chickamauga (Ga.) Campaign August 16-September 22. Battle of Chickamauga, Ga., September 19-21. Siege of Chattanooga, Tenn., September 24-November 23. Reopening Tennessee River October 26-29. Brown's Ferry October 27, Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Battles of Orchard Knob November 23. Mission Ridge November 24-25. Demonstration on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27, 1864. Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25. Reconnoissance from Ringgold toward Tunnel Hill April 29. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May 1-25. Demonstration on Rocky Faced Ridge May 8-11. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Advance on Dallas May 18-25. Left front May 25. Mustered out at Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 7, 1864, expiration of term.

Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 85 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 60 Enlisted men by disease. Total 153.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1500

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, June 7, 1863

The rebels made an attack on our forces at Duck's Point, Louisiana, where, it is reported, two negro regiments met the attack and captured two hundred prisoners and five pieces of artillery. Who says that the negro will not fight? I say he will fight! Arm the negroes and let them fight for their liberty! There are some Northern troops with them at Duck's Point, and together they make a strong garrison.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 120

8th Ohio Infantry – 3 Months

Organized at Cleveland, Ohio, April 18-May 4, 1861. Moved to Camp Dennison, Ohio, and duty there till June 22. Reorganized for three years June 22, 1861. Three-months men mustered out July 24, 1861.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1499

8th Ohio Infantry – 3 Years

Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 22, 1861, and duty there till July 8. Moved to Grafton, W. Va., July 8. At West Union, Preston County, till July 13. Pursuit of Garnett's forces July 13-18. Guard duty on Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to September. Attached to Hill's Brigade, Army of Occupation, West Virginia, to August, 1861. 3rd Brigade, Army of Occupation, to January, 1862. Landers' Division, Army Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, Shields' 2nd Division, Banks' 5th Army Corps, and Dept. of the Shenandoah, to May, 1862. Kimball's Independent Brigade, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to July, 1862. Kimball's Independent Brigade, 2nd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to March, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Army Corps, to June, 1864.

SERVICE. – Action at Worthington, W. Va., September 2, 1861. Hanging Rock, Romney, September 23. Romney September 23-25. Mill Creek Mills, Romney, October 26. Duty at Romney till January, 1862. Expedition to Blue's Gap January 6-7. Blue's Gap January 7. Evacuation of Romney January 10. Bloomery Gap February 9 and 13. Duty at Paw Paw Tunnel till March 7. Advance on Winchester, Va., March 7-15. Strasburg March 19. Battle of Kernstown March 22. Winchester March 23. Cedar Creek March 25. Woodstock April 1. Edenburg April 2. Mt. Jackson April 16. March to Fredericksburg, Va., May 12-21, and return to Front Royal May 25-30. Front Royal May 30. Expedition to Luray June 3-7. Port Republic Bridge June 8. Port Republic June 9. Moved to Alexandria, thence to Harrison's Landing June 29-30. Haxall's, Herring Creek, Harrison's Landing, July 3-4. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. Cover Pope's retreat from Bull Run to Fairfax Court House September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. Moved to Harper's Ferry September 22, and duty there till October 30. Reconnaissance to Leesburg October 1-2. March to Falmouth October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. At Falmouth, Va., till April 27, 1863. "Mud March" January 20-24. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. On detached duty at New York during draft disturbances August 15-September 16. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Auburn and Bristoe October 14. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Robertson's Tavern, or Locust Grove, November 27. Mine Run November 28-30. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 5-7, 1864. Morton's Ford February 6-7. Rapidan Campaign May 3-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Pa River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21; "Bloody Angle" May 12; North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 8-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16-25. Jerusalem Plank Road, Weldon Railroad, June 22-23. Left trenches June 24. Veterans and Recruits formed into two Companies and transferred to 4th Ohio Infantry Battalion  June 25, 1864. Regiment mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio, July 13, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 8 Officers and 124 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 72 Enlisted men by disease. Total 205.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1499-1500

Major General George B. McClellan to Brigadier-General Lorenzo Thomas, July 1, 1862

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Haxall's -Plantation, July 1, 1862.

Brig. Gen. LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army:

GENERAL: My whole army is here, with all its guns and material. The battle of yesterday was very severe, but the enemy was repulsed and severely punished. After dark the troops retired to this position. My men are completely exhausted, and I dread the result if we are attacked to-day by fresh troops. If possible I shall retire to-night to Harrison's Bar, where the gunboats can render more aid in covering our position. Permit me to urge that not an hour should be lost in sending me fresh troops. More gunboats are much needed.

I hope that the enemy was so severely handled yesterday as to render him careful in his movements to-day. I now pray for time. My men have proved themselves the equals of any troops in the world, but they are worn-out. Our losses have been very great. I doubt whether more severe battles have ever been fought. We have failed to win only because overpowered by superior numbers.

Very truly, yours,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 11, Part 3 (Serial No. 14), p. 282

Major General George B. McClellan to Brigadier-General Lorenzo Thomas, July 1, 1862 – 2:45 a.m.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

Turkey Island, July 1, 1862 – 2.45 a.m.

Brig. Gen. LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U.S. Army:

GENERAL: Another desperate combat to-day. Our troops repulsed the enemy. I was sending orders to renew the combat to-morrow, fearing the consequences of farther retreat in the exhausted condition of the troops and being as willing to stake the last chance of battle in that position as any other under the circumstances, when I learned that the right had fallen back after dark and that the center was following.

I have taken steps to adopt a new line, the left resting on Turkey Island, and thence along a ridge parallel to James River as far as I have the force to hold it. Rodgers will do all that can be done to cover my flanks. I will probably be obliged to change this line in a few days, when I have rested the men, for one lower down, and extending from the Chickahominy to the James.

If it is the intention of the Government to re-enforce me largely it should be done promptly and in mass. I need 50,000 more men, and with them I will retrieve our fortunes. More would be well, but that number sent at once will, I think, enable me to assume the offensive. I cannot too strongly urge the necessity of prompt action in this matter. Even a few thousand fresh men within the next twenty-four or forty-eight hours will do much toward relieving and encouraging this wearied army, which has been engaged in constant combat for the last five or six days.

I must apologize for the probable incoherency of this letter. I am exhausted by want of sleep and constant anxiety for many days.

Very respectfully, yours,

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 11, Part 3 (Serial No. 14), p. 281