Part 4

The enemy massed his forces upon the right wing in the latter part of the day. The 11th Corps gave way, and the Union troops were forced back to the west end of the field. The rapid firing of the massed artillery during the night, made the whole line in front a sheet of living flame. It was one of the grandest sights that the eye has opportunity to witness. Early the following morning, the battle was vigorously renewed. At 8:30 A. M. the Seventh was ordered into the rifle pits at the east end of the field. The enemy took possession of the west end, and planted batteries, so as to give the Union forces a terrible cross fire from three directions. After an hour it was ordered to its old position at the south-east corner of the field. At 11 A. M. the Seventh was ordered to charge the enemy, who were driving several regiments before them. After a short fight in the brush, the enemy fell back. It was then discovered that the rest of the Union forces had been withdrawn, leaving this Ohio brigade to fight alone with the rebels, and to cover the retreat. The Seventh was the last engaged, and was obliged to retire across the open field that was swept by the enemy's artillery. The brigade took up a fortified position near the river, and held it until the 6th of May. In the battle, John Gardner was wounded and left uncared for, ten days, on the field, in the hands of the enemy. Cole, Wise, and J. S. Kellogg, were also wounded, but were able to retreat.

[Sidenote: Battle of Gettysburg.]

The sequel proved that Lee's object from this time was, to push into Pennsylvania. The Union forces were compelled to follow. They reached Gettysburg on the 1st of July, 1863. The route of the Seventh was _via_. Aquia Landing, Edward's Ferry, Frederick, and Littletown. Tedious in the extreme was the march a portion of the way. The weather was excessively warm; so that on the route from Dumfries to Fairfax, in one day, nineteen men in one division, died by the road side from heat and exhaustion. Who can tell the amount of suffering among the survivors? Battles have produced only a fractional portion of the horrors and sufferings of this war.

On the 1st of July, the Seventh took position on the left of the Federal lines, without fighting. In the morning of the 2d, it was moved to the right wing, where there was a little musketry in the afternoon. At 6 P. M., it reinforced the left wing, which, by a furious assault, had been forced back. There being danger on the right wing, the regiment was again moved to its support, at 1 A. M. of the 3d. Musketry was kept up during the whole day. At 6 A. M., the Seventh took the rifle pits. The severest portion of the battle occurred in the afternoon of the 3d. The enemy threw his whole force against the center and was thoroughly punished. The cannonading was terrific, perhaps equal to any of the whole war. The slight loss in the Seventh was due to their fortifications. In Co. C, the wounded were Henry Fairchild, John Burns, John Finneran and Joseph McCurren; the latter, mortally.

Once more were the faces of the two grand armies turned towards Richmond. The battles of Geary's brigade in the northern portion of the Confederacy were ended. Its journey before meeting the enemy again, face to face, in deadly conflict, was long enough to reach around a small-sized world. The windings and turnings of it are almost untraceable. In this short sketch, there is only space to mark out the route without giving the multitude of interesting particulars connected with it.

The brigade passed through Smoketown, Fairplay, (there forming line of battle,) Sharpsburg, Harper's Ferry, proceeded up the Loudon Valley to Ashby's Gap, marched through Manassas Gap, Rectorsville, Markham, White Plains, Thoroughfare Gap, Greenwich, Manassas, Catlett Station, and, crossing the Rappahannock below Culpepper, it encamped on the banks of the Rapidan, in view of the enemy, on the opposite side.

But not long were they to tarry there. The four Ohio regiments were soon sent to New York, as was supposed, to enforce the draft. Moving by rail to Alexandria, and, after being paid for two months, taking the ocean steamer, Baltic, they reached New York Harbor about the middle of August, and encamped on Governor's Island, at the southern extremity of the city.

The draft having passed among the lower classes without a pat-riot, they again weighed anchor on the same steamer, about the 1st of September, and, by the same route, reached their former camp on the Rapidan, very near the middle of the month.

Hooker's Corps was immediately ordered to Tennessee. This corps consisted of the 11th and 12th consolidated, and was numbered the 20th.

Its route was through Washington, Baltimore, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, to Wauhatchie Valley.

[Sidenote: Battle of Lookout Mountain.]

Co. C was left at Wartrace, Tenn., to scout for annoying rebel cavalry. It proved an excellent hunting ground, but a poor one for finding. The four Ohio regiments that had so long shared each other's fortunes, were sent to Bridgeport, Alabama. Early in November, they joined the army of Gen. Grant, to assist in the capture of the strong hold upon Lookout Mountain. The sides of the peak are very steep and full of gorges. The order was given Nov. 24, 1863, to ascend its rocky sides. It seemed impossible. But those veterans did not hesitate to make the necessary effort. Gen. Hooker sent troops to entertain the enemy in front, while others passed up the north and east sides, to capture his camp.

The Seventh was not brought under fire until it arrived at the front of the mountain, and even then, nature turned in to be its ally. The guns of the enemy could not be depressed sufficiently to do much harm, and their greatest efficiency was secured by shooting off the tops of the trees to fall upon the heads of the men. Moving farther on, they were exposed to a severe musketry fire. Here M. C. Stone was severely wounded and taken from the field. A heavy fog soon ended the firing. Night came on, and the fog disappeared. The full moon gave to the Seventh, while doing picket duty, a scene that was truly grand. The summit of the mountain is 2700 feet above the river. The regiment was up two thirds this distance. The camps of both armies were visible, and an enrapturing view for many miles around could be taken. The eclipse of the moon, almost total, seemed to indicate the displeasure of the Almighty at such scenes as the evening shades had just closed in upon.

[Sidenote: Mission Ridge and Ringgold.]

At early dawn the enemy nowhere appeared, and the Stars and Stripes were planted proudly upon the highest pinnacle. The Union Army pursued down the mountain, across the plain of Chattanooga, and up the sides of Mission Ridge, to meet only a slight resistance. The enemy fled, hotly pursued through the day, which was crowned with the capture of 2000 prisoners. The troops were never more jubilant. Cheers and songs echoed from hill to hill. Onward, still onward, was the pursuit, until November 27, when the enemy strongly posted himself on Taylor's Ridge, just beyond Ringgold, to prevent the Union forces from passing through Thompson's Gap. Geary's brigade was ordered to storm the heights. It formed in two columns on the rail road one half a mile north of the Gap. The Seventh occupied the right of the rear column. Steadily up they went. The advance halted at the steep declivity to return the enemy's fire. The rear column passed over it, and entered a gorge that was directly in front. The unshrinking Creighton shouted, "Boys, we are ordered to take that hill. I want to see you walk right up it." And up they went in the face of a merciless fire in front, on right, and left.

Soon Lieut. Col. Crane fell, a sacrifice on the altar, and in less than an hour, Col. Creighton followed him to the spirit world. Only one commissioned officer of the Seventh was left uninjured. There was nothing for the small remnant to do, but to fall back to the foot of the hill. It was a sad affair for the regiment. Its glory seemed to have departed. Of the twenty men in Co. C, who entered the action, six were killed and eight, wounded. The killed were Lieut. I. C. Jones, J. L. Fish, C. E. Wall, D. P. Wood, C. F. King, and Thomas Sweet. The wounded were John Gardner, (mortally,) J. W. Raymond, H. D. Claghorn, John Phillips, J. Cleverton, Wm. H. Pelton, W. O. Barns, and M. H. Sheldon.

The army remained at Ringgold until December 1. It then fell back twenty miles to go into winter quarters, at Chattanooga.

Immediately after the battle at Ringgold, Orderly Andrews took command of Co. C, and held it until its final discharge at Cleveland.

Efforts were made at this camp to induce the men to re-enlist. A fine speech of Gen. Geary's was insufficient to cause the boys to forget their abuse and hard usage, which had so prejudiced their minds that they could not see it to be their duty to do further service. Besides, the General had not, by any means, made himself their favorite; and therefore, his protestations that, "to lose the Seventh would be to lose the seventh star of the Pleiades," and that "they were dear to him as the apple of his eye," only served to disgust them.

[Sidenote: Bridgeport.]

On the 4th of January, 1864, his brigade was sent to Bridgeport to spend the rest of the winter.

It took the steamer Chickamauga, April 12, and sailed 110 miles down the Tennessee, to a point fifteen miles beyond Huntsville, having two or three skirmishes on the way, and capturing a few prisoners. After three days it returned to its camp.

Another effort was made by Gen. Slocum and all the Corps authorities, to persuade the men to enter the veteran service; but they said, "We know the promises of men in authority, and how much care is exercised for the comfort of those under them. We love the society of our friends at home as well as the multitudes of young men who have never spent a day in the service. We will take our turn with them." These thoughts biased the men so that, again, they could not feel it their duty to re-enlist, and when the glad hour of their release came, they returned to their homes with clear consciences.

[Sidenote: Rocky-Faced Ridge and Resaca.]

The proper time for their discharge drew near, and the men claimed their right to the promise made them in Camp Dennison, but that promise was utterly disregarded by the government. When Gen. Sherman was ready to enter upon the Atlanta Campaign, the Seventh was ordered to join his forces. Leaving Bridgeport on the 3d of May, it passed by Lookout Mountain, around seven miles to the right of Ringgold, over Taylor's Ridge at Gordon Springs, and came up to Rocky-Faced Ridge on the 8th of May, 1864. A line of battle was immediately formed by Hooker's Corps, to drive the enemy from the Ridge. Geary's brigade moved up. When it had nearly reached the summit, the General halted the Seventh and detailed it for his body guard, in consideration of its hard service and severe losses. The rest of the force skirmished from 3 P. M. until night, losing 200 men in killed and wounded.

The enemy retreated, and next made a stand at Resaca, Ga., May 14. The Seventh was posted in the rear of the center of the grand line of battle. The next day it was moved with its division to the left wing, in time to save the 4th A. C., which was not able to stand. In the afternoon the Union troops advanced in a dozen lines of battle. In the heat of action, as the front line gave way, it fell back to the rear. The Seventh was thus brought in front at 5 P. M., but neither side thought it best to advance across the open field that lay between the two hostile forces. Thus night ended the engagement, without loss to the Seventh.

[Sidenote: Battle of Dallas.]

The enemy withdrew in the night, and was pursued ten days, to New Hope Church, in the vicinity of Dallas, Ga.

The battle opened in front of Hooker's Corps, May 25.

The Seventh was put forward to skirmish. In the latter part of the day it was relieved and set at building breastworks. After sunset, the brigade was ordered to "fix bayonets and give the enemy the cold steel." Both Hooker and Geary urged the men forward, on the ground that the enemy had no ammunition. While Gen. Geary was making this pretext, the rebels demonstrated the truth of it by sending a shell among the men, and another under the General's horse. The former burst in the crowded ranks, killing two, and wounding twelve men. The General vanished, and no more was seen of him during the night.

The men did not hesitate from fear, but several good reasons were the cause of the hesitation. Their time had expired. They had already done more than their share of charging. They would have been cut to pieces by the rear regiments, and if they had failed, they would have received no more thanks than they did at Ringgold.

During eight days of the battle, the Seventh fought behind breastworks, and learned the worth of protection.

[Sidenote: Final Discharge.]

The 11th of June was the glad day of their relief, to turn their faces towards those homes which had occupied so much of their thoughts for more than three years. Co. C was marched out into a little grove which was to witness the sad parting of the veterans from those whose term of service had not yet expired. Many tears were shed, as they shook each other's hands, one party turning to battle, then imminent, the other, to hasten to the embrace of friends.

The former portion of the company was transferred to Co. B of the 5th O. V. I., and had the honor of sharing in General Sherman's brilliant campaign of successes, through Georgia and South Carolina. They were discharged, June 20, 1865, after having the satisfaction of seeing the war ended.

The veterans of the company proceeded by rail to Nashville, thence by steamer down the Cumberland, up the Ohio to Cincinnati, and arrived at Cleveland, June 26, 1864.

The journey homeward was prosperous with one sad exception. Before the company left Georgia, Sergeant O. C. Trembley had written to his mother that she need have no fears for him--his fighting was through, and he would soon be home. He was one of the most joyous at the prospect before him of soon being with his friends. Faithfully and well had he served in every battle of the regiment but one, and had, fortunately, never been wounded. When the steamer was forty miles below Cincinnati, going to the rear of the boat on the lower deck, he slipped into the river and was drowned. His body was found on the third day by a fisherman; was brought to Cleveland by his friend Hiram Parsons; and, by eight of Company C, was thence escorted to his home in North Fairfield, Ohio.

There is not space to describe the splendid ovation, given to the Seventh, with the Fifth Ohio, by the citizens of Cincinnati; and the members are ashamed to have mention made of the meager reception at Cleveland, on the Fourth of July.

The following are the names of the little band that returned to be mustered out of the service, July 6, 1864: M. M. Andrews, J. F. Harmon, S. M. Cole, J. E. Avery, N. L. Badger, J. M. Burns, H. B. Fry, A. M. Halbert, E. T. Hayes, I. A. Noble, H. Parsons, Thos. Spriggs, T. J. Wallace, D. A. Ward, Oliver Wise, and Wm. Woodmansee.

THE RECORD.

GILES WALDO SHURTLEFF,

A member of the Oberlin Theological Seminary, and Tutor in Oberlin College; commanded the Company, as Captain, until the battle of Cross Lanes, August 26, 1861, when he was captured and taken to Richmond, as prisoner of war; spent eleven months and twenty-two days in Southern prisons, at Richmond, Salisbury, and Charleston; paroled August 18, 1862, and exchanged September 30, 1862; by order of General Burnside, at Pleasant Valley, Va., Oct, 11, 1862, detached as Assistant Inspector General of the 9th Army Corps, on the Staff of General Wilcox. While in this service, he was engaged in the severe battle at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862; resigned, and was discharged from the military service, March 18, 1863.

He was commissioned as Lieut. Colonel of the 5th U. S. C. T., July 29, 1864, which regiment he commanded most of the remainder of his service. With them he was engaged in the series of battles from June 15 to June 19, before Petersburg; in the battle at the blowing up of the mines, July 30, 1864; in the trenches under fire, daily, before Petersburg from June 15 to August 10, 1864, and in the charge upon New Market, Va., Sept. 29, 1864, for gallantry in which battle he was promoted to Colonel. In this severe engagement, he lost nearly one half his men.

He also took part in Gen. Butler's attempt to capture Ft. Fisher, at Wilmington, N. C., his regiment being the only colored troops that landed; wounded in the hand and through the thigh in the battle of New Market. Nominated by the Secretary of War as Brevet Brigadier General, and confirmed by the Senate, March 15, 1865; resigned on the ground that the war had closed, and honorably discharged, June 25, 1865; married, and now doing duty as Adjunct Professor of the Greek and Latin languages in Oberlin College.

JUDSON N. CROSS,

A Freshman in Oberlin College; commissioned as First Lieutenant of Company C, April 29, 1861; wounded severely by gun shot in left arm, and taken prisoner of war in the battle of Cross Lanes; rescued by the army of Gen. Rosecrans in the battle of Carnifex Ferry, Sept. 11, 1861, when he was removed to Cincinnati for recovery. He was promoted to Captain of Co. K, 7th O. V. I., Nov. 25, 1861, and was detailed as recruiting officer in Ohio, until Feb. 9, 1863, when he resigned, and was honorably discharged at Dumfries, Va. June 13, 1863, he was appointed 1st Lieutenant in the 5th Invalid Corps, and was promoted to Captain, October 28, 1863. In this service he was stationed at Cleveland; afterwards at St. Louis, Mo.; thence, went to Indianapolis, Ind.

In December, 1863, he was placed in command of the Post at Madison, Ind., remaining until April, 1864, when he was made Acting Assistant Adjutant General of the District of Indiana. In the following June, received the appointment of Assistant Provost Marshal of the District of Washington, on the Staff of the Military Governor. In November, was appointed Provost Marshal of Georgetown, D. C., and soon after, Special Mustering Officer, to muster the Prisoners of War returned from Andersonville, Ga.; resigned, and honorably discharged, March 16, 1865; married, and pursuing the profession of the law.

EPHRAIM H. BAKER,

An Alumnus of Oberlin College, and Theological student; commissioned as Second Lieutenant of Co. C, Apr. 29, 1861; took command after the battle of Cross Lanes; was promoted to First Lieutenant, November 26, 1861; led the Company through the battle of Winchester; resigned, and was discharged on account of disability, July 25, 1862; now married, and engaged in preaching the Gospel, at Marseilles, Ill.

ORLANDO PARK BROCKWAY,

A Junior in Oberlin College; served with the Company as First Sergeant until about the 20th of Aug., 1861, when he was sent to the hospital because of sickness, and afterwards to Ohio. In his absence he was reduced to the ranks by some inexplicable order of Col. Tyler's, October 25, 1861; transferred to Battery I, 1st Ohio Artillery, at Charleston, Va., Dec. 1, 1861. While on a foraging expedition, near Luray, Va., in the Summer of 1862, he was captured; taken to Lynchburg, and thence to Belle Isle, where, after much suffering, he was paroled. In the Autumn, he was exchanged and discharged. He was commissioned as Captain in the 5th U. S. C. T., in August, 1863; engaged in the series of battles before Petersburg, from June 15 to 19; and killed in the trenches, July 19, 1864.

EDMUND R. STILES,

An Alumnus of Oberlin College, and member of the Theological Seminary; Second Sergeant: captured at Cross Lanes, and spent nine months with the rebels at Richmond, New Orleans, and Salisbury; paroled and exchanged; discharged, July 8, 1862; now married, and is preaching the Gospel.

WILLIAM WATTS PARMENTER,

A Senior in Oberlin College; served with the company as Third Sergeant, until the battle of Cross Lanes, when he was captured and taken to Richmond; afterwards, transferred to Parish Prison, New Orleans, where he died with Typhoid Fever, Nov. 4, 1861.

HOBART G. ORTON,

A Freshman in Oberlin College; Fourth Sergeant; engaged in the battle of Cross Lanes, where a severe gun shot broke his thigh bone about an inch below the socket joint. Standing behind a tree, firing as rapidly as possible, under his own command, he was discovered by a rebel Captain, who ordered his whole company to fire upon him. The tree was girdled with the bullets, and one took effect in the thigh of the Sergeant. He was left on the field, in the hands of the enemy, and was recaptured by our troops, Sept. 11, 1861. Thence he was removed to St. John's Hospital, Cincinnati, where he suffered severely for a year, and was discharged, Nov. 20, 1862. He is now married and practicing law.

ELIAS W. MOREY,

A Sophomore in Oberlin College; Fifth Sergeant; wounded slightly in the head, and taken prisoner in the battle of Cross Lanes; spent nine months in the hands of the enemy, at Richmond, New Orleans, and Salisbury; paroled and exchanged; returned to duty, March 22, 1863; engaged in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg; discharged, Nov. 10, 1863, to accept a First Lieutenancy in the 9th Regiment U. S. C. T.; promoted to Captain, and made Provost Marshal of the 20th A. C.; now in the service.

J. FRANCIS HARMON,

Corporal; served constantly with the regiment, during the whole term of enlistment; promoted to Sergeant, in the Company, Nov. 20, 1861, and to Quarter-Master Sergeant of the regiment, April 1, 1862; engaged in the battle of Cross Lanes; discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, July 6, 1864; married, and is now Postmaster at Oberlin, O.

THERON E. W. ADAMS,

A Freshman in Oberlin College; Corporal; wounded by a guerilla, while on picket duty, near Glenville, Va., July 21, 1861. The ball entered his side and followed a rib around nearly to the spine. He has the honor of shedding the first blood in the Seventh Ohio Regiment, by the hand of an enemy; engaged in the battle of Winchester; honorably discharged on account of disability, June 29, 1862; graduated in Oberlin College in the Class of '64; married, and farming in Michigan.

CHARLES P. BOWLER,

A Junior in Oberlin College; Corporal; served constantly with the Company until his death; promoted to Sergeant; participated in the battles of Cross Lanes, Winchester, Port Republic, and Cedar Mountain, where he received a gun shot through the heart. He fell upon his back, dying instantly with a convulsive struggle.

STEPHEN M. COLE,

Corporal; slightly wounded in the thigh, and taken prisoner in the retreat two or three days after the battle of Cross Lanes; spent nine months in the hands of the enemy at Richmond, New Orleans, and Salisbury, after which he was paroled and exchanged; returned to duty, March 22, 1863, at Dumfries; participated in the battles of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville, where he was wounded in the shoulder by a shell; detailed as Clerk at Head Quarters of 1st Brigade 2d Division, 12th A. C., Feb. 25, 1864; discharged July 6, 1864; married, and farming in Gibralter, Mich.

ARTHUR CURTIS DANFORTH,

A Sophomore in Oberlin College; served as Corporal until Nov. 20, 1861, when he was promoted to First Sergeant, at Charleston, Va.; escaped unhurt from the battle of Cross Lanes, and was instantly killed in the battle of Winchester, by a bullet passing through his chest, and another through his neck. His body was brought to Oberlin for burial.

EDWARD WAKEMAN GOODSELL,