Chapter I: Preface

This preface to the history of the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry is written at the request of the accomplished author of the book; but without having read it, seen it, or heard its contents. I have, however, such confidence in the ability, honesty, candor, good judgment, and good taste of my old friend and "companion in arms," that, for myself, I take his work on trust, and in cheerful faith commend it to others.

But was there a demand for another book on the war? Or were the doings and sufferings of one regiment, among the thousands engaged in the war, of such interest as to demand a separate history? These are questions the author doubtless weighed carefully before he began to write; and his answer to them is his book. I agree with him. This nation has a deep, and will have a lasting, interest in the war. We have been making history of unrivalled, perhaps of unequalled, importance to the world during the past four years. We ourselves cannot comprehend the magnitude of the work we have been doing, or, rather, that God has been doing through us. The successful revolts of the Netherlanders against the tyranny of Philip II.--of the Puritans against the tyranny of Charles I.--of the republicans against the tyranny of George III., dwindle to insignificance (important as they were) in comparison with the successful revolt of the loyal, Union-loving, freedom-loving citizens of this Republic against the tyranny of treason and slavery. It was a great fight for a great cause, and God has given us a great victory. There was not a nation on earth that was not interested in the conflict. Ay, it concerned our common humanity. All this will be seen more clearly and felt more deeply twenty, fifty, a hundred years hence than now. But to transmit and perpetuate the fruits of this victory we must have records of the war--many records, made from many different points of view, and of many kinds, great and small. The history of this war is not yet written, perhaps cannot be successfully written for many years yet. And that it may one day be written as it should be, every regiment that has a story to tell should tell it. These regimental histories will be invaluable to the Bancroft who, fifty years hence, shall write the history of this war. The world is only beginning to understand the true character and vocation of history--_to make the past live in the present_; not in great pageants, not in processions of kings, princes, and mighty conquerors, but _in the common every-day speech and deeds of the people_. When Merle d'Aubigné would write the History of the Reformation, he wrote to Guizot for counsel. Guizot encouraged him, and counselled him to proceed, but added, "_Give us facts, incidents, details._" This counsel chimed with the purpose and genius of d'Aubigné, and the result was a history that, though it discusses doctrines and themes commonly held to be dry and uninteresting, has for old and young, and men of all classes, all the charm of romance. In this, his "facts, incidents, details," equally with his fascinating style, lies the charm of the histories of Macaulay. But that historians may write such histories--that the historian of this war may write such a history, the "facts, incidents, details" must be on record. There is a demand, therefore, for another book, for many other books, on the war.

In addition to this, every regiment of the grand Army of the Union in this war has its own history, of peculiar interest to its own especial friends. And I have faith in what Dr. O. W. Holmes once said: "I would not give a fig for a man every one of whose geese were not better than any other man's swans." To us of the old Seventh "all our geese were swans." Whether others believed in us or not, we had faith in ourselves and in one another; we were a mutual admiration society of a thousand and odd men. And the fact is, that, for some reason, but what I cannot say, the Seventh Regiment, from the day it was mustered into service to the day it was mustered out, was always the pride and pet of Ohio, of Northern Ohio especially. In this respect it never had a rival. True, it was a well-disciplined, gallant, fighting regiment; but so were many others. True, it had brave and accomplished officers; but so had many others. True, it had in the ranks men of refinement, education, and high social position; but so had many others. I am at a loss to account for it, but the fact nevertheless was as I have stated it; and as its deeds corresponded with its renown, _its_ doings, of all others, demand a permanent record. And, if I am not mistaken, the reader of the following pages who shall follow the Seventh from the day it was mustered into service, in Cleveland, in 1861, to the day the pitiful remnant of it, after tramping and fighting over almost half the Union, were mustered out of service, in Cleveland, in 1864, will find in them ample compensation for his time.

F. T. B.

CHICAGO, ILL., _May, 1865_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE FALL OF SUMTER.--CIVIL WAR BEGUN.--PREPARATIONS BY THE SOUTH. --NOBILITY. 13

CHAPTER II.

THE PRESIDENT'S CALL FOR TROOPS.--ORGANIZATION OF THE SEVENTH.-- ITS DEPARTURE FOR CAMP DENNISON.--ITS REORGANIZATION AND DEPARTURE FOR THE FIELD. 19

CHAPTER III.

THE PURSUIT OF GENERAL WISE.--TYLER ORDERED TO MENACE GAULEY BRIDGE AND THREATEN WISE'S COMMUNICATIONS. 30

CHAPTER IV.

THE SKIRMISH AT CROSS LANES.--GALLANT CONDUCT AND FINAL ESCAPE OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 43

CHAPTER V.

REFLECTIONS ON THE SKIRMISH AT CROSS LANES.--BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERRY. 56

CHAPTER VI.

CHARLESTON AND THE KANAWHA VALLEY.--A DOUBLE MURDER.--COLONEL TYLER ASSUMES COMMAND OF THE POST. 63

CHAPTER VII.

FLOYD ESTABLISHES BATTERIES ON COTTON HILL.--DRIVEN OFF BY THE FORCES OF GENERAL COX.--BENHAM'S FAILURE TO INTERCEPT HIS RETREAT.--HIS PURSUIT.--SKIRMISH AT MCCOY'S MILLS.--HIS FINAL ESCAPE. 70

CHAPTER VIII.

REFLECTIONS ON THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY. 77

CHAPTER IX.

THE SEVENTH ORDERED TO THE EAST.--EXPEDITION TO BLUE'S GAP.-- KIRMISH ON THE BLOOMING PIKE. 83

CHAPTER X.

GALLANTRY OF LIEUTENANT O'BRIEN.--DEATH OF GENERAL LANDER.--THE SEVENTH ESCORT HIS REMAINS.--THE OCCUPATION OF WINCHESTER. 89

CHAPTER XI.

THE RECONNOISSANCE TO STRASBURG.--BATTLE OF WINCHESTER.--UTTER DEFEAT AND ROUT OF JACKSON'S ARMY. 94

CHAPTER XII.

GENERAL SHIELDS' ANXIETY FOR LAURELS.--SUMMING UP OF THE BATTLE. --LOSSES IN THE SEVENTH. 104

CHAPTER XIII.

PURSUIT OF JACKSON UP THE VALLEY.--MARCH TO FREDERICKSBURG, AND RETURN TO FRONT ROYAL. 109

CHAPTER XIV.

THE MARCH ON WAYNESBORO.--TWO BRIGADES ENCOUNTER JACKSON AT PORT REPUBLIC, AND AFTER FIVE HOURS' FIGHTING ARE COMPELLED TO FALL BACK. 114

CHAPTER XV.

BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.--GALLANTRY OF THE REGIMENT, AND TERRIBLE LOSS. 123

CHAPTER XVI.

THE REGIMENT GOES INTO CAMP AT ALEXANDRIA, BUT IS SOON ORDERED TO THE FRONT.--BATTLE OF ANTIETAM. 134

CHAPTER XVII.

THE MARCH TO DUMFRIES.--SKIRMISH WITH HAMPTON'S CAVALRY, IN WHICH THEY ARE BADLY DEFEATED BY A MUCH INFERIOR FORCE. 142

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE REGIMENT ORDERED TO THE FRONT.--BATTLE OF CHANCELLORSVILLE. 150

CHAPTER XIX.

ACCOMPANIES THE GRAND ARMY INTO PENNSYLVANIA.--BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. 156

CHAPTER XX.

AFTER REACHING THE RAPIDAN IT GOES TO GOVERNOR'S ISLAND.-- AFTER ITS RETURN IT ACCOMPANIES HOOKER'S CORPS TO THE WESTERN DEPARTMENT. 160

CHAPTER XXI.

THE SEVENTH JOINS GRANT'S ARMY.--THE BATTLES OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, MISSION RIDGE, AND RINGGOLD. 164