The Seventh Regiment: A Record

MAJOR GEORGE L. WOOD.
NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY JAMES MILLER, (SUCCESSOR TO C. S. FRANCIS & CO.,) 522 BROADWAY. 1865.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865,
By JAMES MILLER,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York.
The following pages were written for the purpose of making a permanent record of the facts within the author's knowledge relating to the Seventh Ohio Regiment. The work was undertaken with the belief that the doings and sufferings of the regiment were of sufficient magnitude and importance to entitle it to a separate record. It has been extremely difficult to obtain facts, on account of so large a portion of the members still being in the service. The book is, therefore, written principally from memory. If it serves to perpetuate in the minds of the public the hardships, as well as long and faithful service, of this gallant regiment, then the object of the author is accomplished.
Warren, May, 1865 .
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.