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1st Ohio Light Artillery (3 months)
Online Books
1st Ohio
Light Artillery Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the
State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 1, by Ohio
Roster Commission (Wm. McKinley, Jr., Governor, Samuel M. Taylor, Sec'y of
State and James C. Howe, Adjutant-General), 1893
View Entire Book
Regimental History |
First Light Artillery. — (Three Months' Service.) Col.,
James Barnett; Lieut.-Col., Stephen B. Sturges; Maj., Clark S. Gates.
Six days after the fall of Fort Sumter this organization was ordered to
Columbus. The news spread through the city of Cleveland (four of the
batteries were from that city, the other two being from Brooklyn and
Geneva) and on the following Monday the regiment left Cleveland for
Columbus, at which place it was ordered to Marietta via Loveland.
Marietta was reached next morning when it went into camp on the fair
ground, placing the guns in position to guard the city against any
invasion by the enemy. The artillery was reinforced by the arrival of
the 14th Ohio infantry on May 24, and the 18th on the next day, the 14th
being armed and equipped. On May 29, batteries D and F left Marietta by
boat for Parkersburg, W. Va., with orders to report to Col. Steedman of
the 14th. They moved rapidly along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad, repairing bridges destroyed by the enemy, so that by the 31st
they had arrived at Clarksburg, 80 miles east of Parkersburg. The
Confederates retreated from Clarksburg to Philippi ; the two batteries
moved to Webster, and after a tedious night march arrived before
Philippi at 4 a. m., making short work of the Confederate force, which
fled in dismay, leaving large quantities of supplies and war materials
behind. This was the first light artillery fired by the national forces
in the war. In this engagement only a few men were wounded. On May 30
the four companies at Camp Putnam moved by boat to Benwood, then
proceeded to Grafton, and from there marched to Philippi, arriving too
late to take part in that engagement. During June the headquarters of
the regiment was at Philippi. The companies, however, were scattered,
some with their guns doing duty as bridge guards. On July 6, orders were
received to advance early the following day, occupy Belington and menace
the enemy who was holding a strong position at Laurel hill. At daylight
the skirmishers struck the Confederate pickets near Belington. The
artillery was ordered to the front and shelled the enemy's outposts with
demoralizing effect. On the 12th the Confederates retreated from
Belington and Laurel hill, being pursued by the Union forces to
Carrick's ford, where the 1st artillery opened fire on the enemy,
holding a position on a high bank on the opposite side of the river,
with excellent effect. The enemy fled once more in dismay, the
Confederate general, Robert S. Garnett, being killed in this battle. A
fine rifled piece was captured and presented to the artillery, and this
trophy is now in the public square in the city of Cleveland. Its term of
service having expired, the regiment moved back to Belington and
remained there until ordered to Columbus to be mustered out, this
occurring at Camp Chase, July 27, 1861.
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Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 2
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