Richland Co., Ohio

 
 

Military Information

 
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1st. Ohio Volunteer Infantry - Co. I

source:  Richland Shield & Banner:  19 September 1891, Vol. LXXIV, No. 17


The roll of the first company that enlisted from this section of the country during the civil war, co. I., 1st. O.V.I., will be of unusual interest from the fact that it still exists and a great many men whose names were upon it afterward distinguished themselves.  The following is the roster, as copied from the records in the Adjutant General's office, through the courtesy of Gen. Dill.

Wm. McLaughlin, Captain  -- Alex. McIlvaine, 1st. Lieut.

Thos. E. Douglass, 2nd. Lieut. -- Samuel A. McFarland, 3rd. Lieut. -- Jos. S. Hedges, 1st. Serg.

R.H. Bentley Wm. Casebeer T.G. Bristor Andrew Cromer
Wm. C. Baker Erastus P. Coates J.H. Boyden Eli Crouse
Geo. Bradley Jos. DeLong Wm. W. Beckley John Duffner
Alban Blyley Calvin Day J.H. Buttorff Lewis Ercle
Aaron Cropp J.N. Fitger Oliver Crouse Michael Felger
Solomon Cromer J.M. Fox A.B. Casebeer Lot Fickes
Geo. Cropp Brainard Fish Jno. G. Cohen W.M. Finney
Henry Cromer Wm. Gilkison Orlin Chapman Chas. Gilkison
J.B. Corts Geo. W. Grubb Wm. Gilkison, Jr. Robt. McComb
Joseph Hayne Benjamin Morgan Isaac Harbaugh J.E. Norman
John Hunt L.M. Rex Wm. Holden Geo. Rohn
I.E. Hoffer Patton Ronk John Harmon James Roberts
Henry Harmon H. Shellenberger John Holland John Shellenberger
E. Hostack S.R. Saulsbury J. Jesson Chas. Shroder
John Kelso J.D. Shull John Kern John Smith
Robert Knight Jacob Shagelski Jacob Littler John Shagelski
Jerome Lamberton Geo. Swigart John Mout_ner J.K. Snavely
Stewart Miller Harrison Sims W.A. McQuown Chas. Sceidel
Wm. McAtee J.W. Scott Hiram McGinnis Hugh Thompson
Jas. D. McBride John Tinney J.E. Morris B.F. Iyler
A. Moorehead J.R. Wright Wm. Maxwell G. Wolf
John Maile S.M. Wolff N. Wise Wm. Weigle
Henry Witrow N.V. _altendorf S.H. Young P.W. Youngblood
J.Y. Cantwell - - -

Amongst those members of the company who afterward received honors for meritorious conduct, promotion following, maybe mentioned those following.  A great deal of this is from memory by one of the members of the company and if there are any errors they are unintentional.

Capt. Wm. McLaughlin afterward became commander of McLaughlin Squadron in the Sherman Brigade, with the rank of major.

First Lieut. Alex. McIlvaine, after the 1st. O.V.I., was disbanded, recruited a company was elected captain and assigned to the 64th. Ohio.  He was commanding the provost guard under Gen. Thomas for a considerable length of time.  He was killed at Rocky Face Ridge.

Second Lieut. T.E. Douglass recruited a company, was elected captain and was assigned to the 15th. Ohio.  He remained with the army of the Cumberland until the battle of Stone River, where he was wounded, necessitating his absence from his company for a considerable time.  He is at present residing on Park Avenue West.

Private Robert H. Bentley re-enlisted in the 32nd. Ohio and for meritorious conduct on the field of battle he was promoted to Lieut. Col. of the regiment.  He was afterward assigned to the 12th. cavalry, where he commanded the regiment and was brevetted brigadier general.  The history of his famous war horse, which was buried with military honors several years ago, is well known to SHIELD readers.

Sergeant Samuel L. Coulter afterward became Lieut. Colonel of the 64th. Ohio.  After the battle of Franklin he received mention for meritorious service.

Private Erastus Coates was afterward a Captain in McLaughlin Squadron.

Private Brainard Fisher rose to the rank of a captain in the 3rd. Cavalry.

Private Stewart Miller was a sergeant in the 6th. Independent battery.

James D. McBride, a private, afterward became a Lieut. Colonel of a colored regiment and was brevetted a brigadier general.  It is said that Secretary of War Stanton conferred the last, named honor upon him because he expressed a desire to whip Gen. Sol. Meredith.

Private Henry Shellenberger afterward went into the 32d. O.V.I., as a commissioned officer.

One of the most interesting careers of all was that of Chas. Sceidel, a German miller, who enlisted in Co. I., as a private.  After he had been in the service a few days it was learned that he had served 7 years in the Prussian army.  At the battle of Bull Run he was given charge of a piece of artillery.  He recruited a company which was assigned to the 3d. cavalry and was promoted several times, being discharged with the rank of colonel.  He settled in Kentucky in the milling business immediately after the war.  Private G. Wolf afterward became a second lieutenant in the 102d. O.V.I. and Corporal S.M. Wolff became lieutenant colonel of the 64th.  He died several years ago an is buried in the Mansfield Cemetery.


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