Journal History of the Twenty-Ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865 / Its Victories and its Reverses. And the campaigns and battles of Winchester, Port Republic, Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the campaign of the Carolinas, in which it bore an honorable part

by J. Hamp SeCheverell

CHAPTER XXI.

The Carolina Campaign—Washington—Grand Review—The New Flag—Westward, and Home again.

On the 27th day of January, after the order to march was issued, the Twenty-ninth broke camp and marched at 8 A. M., in rear of the Sixty-sixth Ohio regiment; halted at 2 P. M. and encamped for the night (marched twelve miles). 28th instant, marched at 7 A. M. in rear of the Sixty-sixth Ohio regiment and brigade train; at 7 P. M. camped for the night (marched ten miles). 29th instant, marched at 6:30 A. M., Twenty-ninth in rear of Sixty-sixth Ohio, and passed through Springfield; halted at 2 P. M. and camped for the night. 30th instant, in camp; three companies of the Twenty-ninth regiment went on picket. 31st instant, in camp.

February 1st. The Twenty-ninth regiment inspected by General Ario Pardee at 9 A. M. 2d instant, the ordinary camp and picket duty was the order of the day. The 3d instant, ordered to march at 6 P. M.; the order was countermanded, and we went into camp for the night. 4th, marched at 6 A. M., the Twenty-ninth in advance of the brigade; crossed the Savannah river at Sisters’ Ferry at 10 A. M., marched five miles and camped for the night; Twenty-ninth detailed for picket. 5th, relieved at 2 P. M., marched in rear of brigade, and at 9:30 P. M., went into camp for the night (marched six miles). 6th, marched at 7 A. M., halted at 11:30 for dinner, fell in at 12 M., halted at 5 P. M. and camped for the night (marched fifteen miles). 7th, marched at 7 A. M.; at 6:30 P. M. went into camp for the night. 8th instant, marched at 6 A. M., halted at 11:30 for dinner; in seven minutes fell in and marched five miles, halted at 3:15 and camped for the night near Buford Bridge. 9th, marched at 6 A. M., Twenty-ninth in advance of brigade and with ordnance train; marched eighteen miles, and at 5 P. M. camped for the night near Blackville, South Carolina. 10th, marched at 7 A. M., halted near Blackville, and at 2 P. M. crossed the Edisto river, and at 10 P. M. camped for the night (marched eight miles). 11th instant in camp. 12th marched at 6 A. M., arrived at the North Edisto river this afternoon (a distance of ten miles), engaged in a skirmish in which the Fifth Ohio had one man killed and three wounded. Company G of the Twenty-ninth had one man killed, Jack Rape. Went into camp for the night. 13th, marched at 6 A. M., crossed the North Edisto and skirmished with the enemy. Halted and remained until 9 P. M., when the regiment fell in, marched four and one-half miles and halted for the night. The Twenty-ninth went on picket. Tuesday, 14th, marched at 8 A. M. some six miles and halted. Our regiment went on picket as usual. 15th instant, marched at 7 A. M. in rear of brigade, skirmishing; marched ten miles; went into camp at Lexington at 3 P. M.; at 5 o’clock moved to the left of the Sixty-sixth Ohio. Thursday, 16th, marched at 8 A. M. one mile to the rear and went on picket; at 9:30 fell in and marched six miles as rear guard to the Twentieth army corps; halted and went into camp at 4 P. M. 17th, marched at 9 A. M. 18th, marched at 6:30 A. M., crossed the Seluda river at 1:30 P. M., halted for dinner; at 2:15 fell in and marched four miles; halted at 5 P. M. and camped for the night. Sunday in camp until 3:30 P. M. when “fall in” was sounded by the bugler. The Twenty-ninth fell in and took the advance of brigade, marched four miles, and at 11:30 P. M. halted for the night near Bush river. The Twenty-ninth was again fortunate and went on picket. 20th, marched at 1 P. M. in rear of brigade and at 7 P. M. went into camp for the night (marched six miles, crossing Broad river near Frost’s Mill). 21st instant, marched at 6 A. M. and entered Winnsboro at 11:30 A. M. Five companies of the Twenty-ninth detailed for picket. The other companies camped for the night. 22d, left Winnsboro at 3:45 P. M., marched six miles and camped for the night. 23d, marched at 6:30 A. M., six miles, halted at 10:20 A. M. an hour for dinner; at 11:30 fell in and marched forward, crossed the Catawba river and went into camp at midnight. Friday, 24, marched at 9:30 (we were the division train guard), halted at 1 P. M. for dinner; at 2 P. M. fell in and marched five miles; at 4:30 halted and camped for the night; rainy. Saturday, 25th, rainy; remained in camp. Sunday, 26th, marched at 7 A. M., with Twenty-ninth Ohio in advance of brigade; halted at 3 P. M. and camped for the night (marched ten miles). 27th, marched one and one-half miles, crossed Hanging Rock creek and went into camp. 28th, marched at 6:30 A. M., Twenty-ninth in rear of brigade (marched eight miles), and went into camp at 1 P. M. Mustered for pay for January and February.

Wednesday, March 1st, marched at 1 P. M., and at 9 P. M. halted and went into camp for the night near Big Clinch creek (marched twelve miles). 2d, marched at 8 A. M.; at 12 M. halting for dinner. In the afternoon moved one-eighth of a mile and camped for the night. 3d, marched at 6:30 A. M.; moved with wagon train; reached Chesterfield at 11:30 P. M. and went into camp for the night (marched thirteen miles). March 4th, moved at 7 A. M., Twenty-ninth in advance of brigade; halted at 4 P. M. and camped for the night (marched nine miles). 5th, remain in camp all day; detailed Charles Galpin, company C, and J. Bennett Powers, company E, as escort at Twentieth corps headquarters. 6th, marched at 8:30 A. M.; Twenty-ninth in rear of brigade; reached Cheraw at 1:15 P. M.; halted for dinner, and at 4 fell in and crossed the river, marched four miles and camped for the night (marched sixteen miles). 7th, marched at 7 A. M.; halted at 2:30 P. M.; went into camp for the night; marched on the Fayetteville road (fourteen miles). 8th, marched at 11:30 A. M.; halted at 1:30 for dinner; at 4:30 fell in, and at 10:15 P. M. halted and camped for the night (marched eight miles). 9th, marched at 6:30 A. M., and at 2 P. M., halted for dinner; at 3 fell in, and at 6 halted and went into camp for the night (marched thirteen miles). 10th, marched at 3:30 P. M.; Twenty-ninth in advance of brigade; marched four miles and camped for the night. 11th, marched at 6:30 A. M.; Twenty-ninth in rear of brigade; halted at 7:30 P. M. for supper, and at 10:30 fell in and marched until 2:20 A. M.; went into camp for the night (marched thirteen miles). 12th, marched at 8 A. M.; reached Fayetteville at 4 P. M., and camped for the night (marched thirteen miles). 13th, marched at 2:30 P. M.; passed through Fayetteville and camped for the night. 14th, marched at 4:30 A. M.; crossed Cape Fear river; marched two miles; halted for breakfast, and remained in camp for the day. 15th, marched at 12 M., eight miles, and at 11 P. M. camped for the night. 16th, marched at 9 A. M., Twenty-ninth in advance of brigade, and at 7 P. M. halted; Twenty-ninth were fortunate enough to remain a detail for picket (marched seven miles). 17th, on picket. 18th, marched at 7 A. M., Twenty-ninth in rear of brigade; halted at 7 P. M., and went into camp for the night (marched eight miles). 19th, marched at 11 A. M., with division train (marched eleven miles); halted at 6:30, and camped at 9:30 P. M.; packed up and marched with train on Goldsboro road; joined First and Third divisions of the Twentieth army corps; marched all night, and in the morning arrived at the battlefield of Bentonville. 20th, in camp all day with constant artillery firing during the day. 21st, in camp and the artillery is steadily firing. 22d, marched at 8 A. M., Twenty-ninth Ohio in advance of brigade; halted at 12 M. for dinner; at 1 P. M. fell in and marched on the Goldsboro road; halted at 12 M. at night, and went into camp (marched fifteen miles). 23d, marched at 6 A. M., Twenty-ninth Ohio in rear of division train; halted at 11:30 for dinner; at 12:30 P. M. fell in, crossed the Neuse river (marched twelve miles), and went into camp for the night. Corporal Exceen, company A, was wounded by a rebel while on picket. 24th, marched at 7 A. M. and entered Goldsboro, North Carolina, at 12 M.; passed through town and went into camp; at 4:30 P. M. orders were received detailing the Twenty-ninth Ohio to guard a wagon train for the Second division; reached the point of destination at 7 P. M., near the Wilmington railroad, and camped for the night (marched eight miles). 25th, marched at 8 A. M., and arrived at Goldsboro at 12 M. (noon); passed through town about two miles and went into camp.

From March 25th to April 9th we were doing the usual duty in and around camp and on picket. On the 10th inst. marched at 6 A. M., moved up the river and went in camp for the night at 11 o’clock. 11th, marched at 6 A. M., reached Smithfield at 3 P. M., camped for the night. 12th, received the news of the surrender of General R. E. Lee and his army at 8 A. M. and marched at 9 A. M.; halted at 6:30 P. M. and camped for the night (marched seventeen miles). 13th, marched at 5:30 A. M., Twenty-ninth Ohio in advance; passed through Raleigh, North Carolina, and at 2:30 P. M. halted and went into camp (marched fifteen miles). Remained in camp until the 25th. On the 20th reviewed by General John W. Geary, and on the 22d the Twentieth army corps was reviewed by General W. T. Sherman. Sunday, 23d, inspection. 25th, marched at 9 A. M., Twenty-ninth Ohio in rear of brigade; halted for dinner, and at 3 P. M. fell in and marched fifteen miles; halted at 8 P. M. and camped for the night. 26th and 27th, in camp. 28th, returned to our old camp near Raleigh, North Carolina. 29th, in camp. 30th, marched at 7 A. M.; passed through Raleigh, and at 6 P. M. halted and camped for the night (marched fifteen miles).

May 1st, marched at 5 A. M.; at 12 M. halted for dinner; at 1 P. M. fell in, crossed Tar river, and at 6 P. M. camped for the night (marched twenty-three miles). 2d, marched at 5 A. M.; halted at 11:45 for dinner; at 1 P. M. fell in, marched twenty miles, and at 5 P. M. camped for the night (Twenty-ninth Ohio in advance of brigade). 3d, marched at 4:30 A. M.; marched to the State line of Virginia, a distance of eleven miles, and camped for the night. 4th, marched at 6 A. M.; crossed the Roanoke river; at 2 P. M. halted for dinner; at 5 fell in and moved forward; halted at 6:30, and camped for the night (marched twenty miles). 5th, marched at 5:30 A. M.; at 2:15 P. M. halted for dinner; marched at 4; halted at 6:30 and camped for the night (marched twenty miles). 6th, marched at 5 A. M.; halted at 10:45 for dinner; fell in at 1 P. M.; passed Black and White station on the south side railroad, and at 6:30 P. M. camped for the night (marched eleven miles). 7th, marched at 6 A. M.; at 11:45 halted for dinner; fell in at 1:30 P. M., and crossed the Appomattox river; at 6:15 camped for the night, Twenty-ninth Ohio in advance of brigade (marched twenty miles). 8th, marched at 6 A. M.; passed Clover Hill coal mines; halted at 12 M. for dinner; at 1 P. M. fell in and marched to Falling creek, and at 7 P. M. camped for the night, Twenty-ninth Ohio in rear of brigade (marched twenty miles). 9th, moved our camp two miles. 10th, in camp all day. 11th, marched at 10 A. M.; passed through Manchester and Richmond in the afternoon, and at 5:30 camped near Brook’s creek for the night (marched twelve miles). 12th, marched, at 6 A. M., on Brooks pike; halted at 10 A. M. for dinner; at 12 M. fell in and marched to Ashland, and at 6:30 camped for the night (marched 12 miles). 13th, marched at 5:30 A. M.; crossed the South Anna; halted at 11:30 for dinner; at 1 P. M. fell in, crossed the Little river, and at 3:30 went into camp (marched sixteen miles). Sunday, 14th, marched at 5 A. M., Twenty-ninth Ohio in advance of brigade; crossed the North Anna river, and at 12 M. halted for dinner; fell in at 2 P. M.; marched on the Spottsylvania Court House road; halted at 5:30 and camped (marched eighteen miles). 15th, marched at 5 A. M., Twenty-ninth Ohio in rear of brigade and division train; halted at 11:45 for dinner; fell in; passed through Chancellorsville, crossed the Rappahannock and at 10 P. M. camped for the night (marched twenty miles). 16th, marched at 4:30 A. M.; halted at 12 M. for dinner; at 1:30 P. M. fell in and marched on the road that leads to Warrenton junction via Hartwood church, and camped for the night (marched eighteen miles). 17th, marched at 5 A. M., reached Brentsville at 2 P. M., a distance of twelve miles, and camped for the night. 18th, marched at 6 A. M.; halted at 12 M. for dinner; fell in at 2:30 P. M., marched until 9 P. M., and camped for the night; William Lutz, company H, injured by the falling of a tree (marched fifteen miles). 19th, marched at 6 A. M.; halted at 12 M. for dinner; at 1:30 fell in, moved forward; at 6:30 P. M. reached Clouds Mills, Twenty-Ninth Ohio in advance of brigade (marched fifteen miles). 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, and 24th, in camp.

25th, moved forward to Washington, District of Columbia, where it attended the grand review, the grandest spectacle the world has ever seen, and thence to Bladensburg, where it received the new colors, which the following matter, furnished by comrade G. W. Holloway, will sufficiently explain.

The new flag for the Twenty-ninth regiment, contributed by the citizens of Summit and Ashtabula counties, was accompanied by the following letter from Colonels Buckley and Fitch. The receipt of the new flag is gracefully acknowledged by the letter of Mr. G. W. Holloway, appended thereto, which letter was accompanied by the old flag, which had been borne by this gallant regiment in so many bloody battles.

Akron, May, 1865.

Col. Jonas Schoonover. Dear Sir:—We have the honor and pleasure of forwarding to the gallant old Twenty-ninth another national flag, the gift of its old friends in Ashtabula and Summit counties. This is the third national flag given the regiment from the same source. It is certainly a strong proof that its friends still believe it to be one of the bravest of the brave of the many noble regiments Ohio has given to fight this great battle. If the regiment had no other proof than its old and tattered flags, that alone would show that it had been in the thickest of the fight, ever ready to breast the fury of the battle storm; but its history tells us that it has borne an honorable part in nearly a score of the hardest fought battles of the war. Citizen soldiers, take this flag and bear it aloft wherever duty calls, and your friends will take your past record as a guarantee that it will never be dishonored by the Twenty-ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry. Colonel, please remember us to the dear old Twenty-ninth, and accept for yourself our best wishes.

Lewis P. Buckley,
William T. Fitch,

Old Cols. of the Twenty-ninth Ohio.

Headquarters Twenty-ninth Ohio,	⎫
Bladensburg, Maryland, June 5, 1865.	⎭

Colonels Buckley and Fitch, and S. A. Lane, Esq.:

Gentlemen:—In the name of the officers and men of the Twenty-ninth Ohio veteran volunteer infantry, I herewith acknowledge the receipt of the beautiful flag presented the regiment, and in return I present to you the old one, which it has been our proud honor to carry victoriously over many hard-fought battlefields. That dear “old flag” which has been our companion through years of fearful war and carnage, and which symbolizes our glorious nationality, tells its own story. We return it to you, but not so beautiful in form and color as when presented to us eighteen months ago. But whilst its external beauty has been defaced, yet the great life-giving principles of which it is the exponent, are all the more deeply enshrined in the hearts of its defenders, and Liberty receives through this standard another bright and shining star to her beautiful constellation. Take it, then, and place it among the archives of the nation, that it may be preserved as a sacred memorial, and handed down to latest posterity as a glorious legacy and standard that was borne, as by angel hands, in opposition to oppression and rebellion. Be assured that it is with a renewed national pride that we look upon this beautiful flag presented to the Twenty-ninth Ohio, by the patriotic and loyal citizens of Summit and Ashtabula counties. The past history of almost four years in war, speaks for our conduct as soldiers and patriots for the future. We promise never to desert this flag, nor will we permit traitors or rebels to wrest it from our hands. We will always be willing and ready to unfurl it in defense of the principles of our glorious, free Republic. Truly our country’s faith has learned a new interpretation of her standard. The white typifies the purity of purpose which belongs to her true ruler; the red points to the crimson tide in which life flows forth a willing offering; the blue reminds her of her home in heaven, to which all the good are gathered; the stars in her banner tell of light in darkness, and she shall learn to range them in a new and beautiful order, as the constellation of the cross. It is that flag which has solved most conclusively the long disputed problem of a free republican form of government. It was that flag which was so bravely and triumphantly carried through the ordeal of war by our Revolutionary sires, and encircled them with a halo of glory that shall be handed down untarnished to millions of unborn freemen. It was that flag which, under God, enabled our forefathers to gain our glorious independence, and here, in this beautiful land of lakes and rivers, rear a temple of liberty which stands first among the nations of the earth, the envy and admiration of all. It is the flag which we have learned to love and to defend, and which we cherish in our hearts as the guardian angel of our country.

May that same God who has given so many brave hearts to defend it, continue to preserve it, and may it give light and liberty to millions who are yet groaning under tyranny and oppression. But we would not pass by unnoticed the many noble brave men who offered themselves a willing sacrifice upon our country’s altar in defense of that national banner. The voices of our fallen comrades are borne to us in solemn silence by every breeze that fans our brow. The South is billowed with the graves where sleep the patriot martyrs of constitutional liberty, until the resurrection morn. We hold them dear to our hearts, for may it never be forgotten that their deeds of valor facilitated the consummation of the glorious results which have just been achieved. Though they be dead, they yet speak, and will continue to speak to the end of all time, and dear to each patriot heart will ever be the memory of those who died in defense of the Union.

“There are many

Patriots have toiled in their country’s cause,

Bled nobly, and their deeds, as they deserve,

Receive proud recompense. We give in charge

Their names to the sweet lyre. The historic muse

Proud of her charge, marches with it down

To latest time: and sculpture, in her turn,

Gives bond, in stone and ever-during brass,

To guard and immortalize her trust.”

At Bladensburg we went into camp, and remained until June 10. Marched to Washington at 8 P. M., and embarked on the cars of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and steamed away homeward, bound to Parkersburg by way of Grafton, West Virginia, thence by boat to Louisville, Kentucky; moved five miles into the country, where we remained until the 13th day of July, when we were mustered out. Repairing to Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, Ohio, we were paid off and formally discharged from the service on the 22d and 23d days of July, 1865.

We have now followed the regiment through nearly four years of the most arduous service which ever fell to the lot of any organization of this character, marching and fighting through most of the States in rebellion, its pathway marked by the graves of our comrades who fell. In the interim, hundreds of the brave 1540 who were upon its rolls, pass under the charge of the worse than fiends of hell, who presided at Libby, Belle Isle, Andersonville, and other courts of death, by courtesy called rebel prisons, where, after being robbed of all they possessed, and even stripped of necessary clothing, they were subjected to a systematic course of starvation (and that, too, under the immediate supervision of that foul blot upon humanity, Jeff Davis) until their brave spirits went out to the God who gave them. In the army of the East, with the army of the West, with Sherman in the glorious march to the sea, and the brilliant campaign of the Carolinas—where there was danger and death—shone the “white star” of the Twenty-ninth. The skirmish line and the advance became so nearly the normal condition of the regiment that assignment to positions less dangerous elicited exclamations of surprise from the “boys.”

At length the last ditch, so frequently referred to by the braggart rebels, was reached—chivalrous Jeff Davis in hoc and crinoline begged that mercy be shown to “woman and children.” The bubble secessia burst, and the command, now reduced to a mere handful, turn sadly northward, its columns “gaping from the havoc of shot and shell, and the disease of the camp, and prison pen, its colors ragged and torn, but proud and defiant as ever—one grand ovation to the living, a sad wailing requiem for the dead,” and “good byes” are said in the beautiful Forest city, as each departed for their homes to assume the peaceful avocations of four years before.

Gradually they have drifted away—some to a quiet nook in the country church yard, and others to the east, west, and south, until now they may be found in nearly every State and Territory in this vast Union. Annually they come together in re-union at some convenient point in Puritan Western Reserve, and

“Fight their battles o’er again.”

Each year a committee is appointed whose duty it is to draft resolutions of condolence to the memory of the comrades whose “final statements” have been called for since the last meeting, and this committee always have something to do. Each yearly roll call is shorter than its predecessor, and it does not require a long look into the future to find only the roll—no one to call it, and none to answer to their names if called.

Absent “comrades, gone before us

In the ‘great review’ to pass—

Never more to earthly chieftain

Dipping colors as ye pass—

Heaven accord ye gentle judgment

As before the throne ye pass.”

While almost within gun shot of the site of the canvass covered field of 1861, busily engaged in well nigh vain endeavors to retain his grip upon the “ragged edge” of a somewhat precarious existence, and but a few laps in advance of the grim gentleman with the hour glass and scythe, abides

The Drummer Boy(?) of Company B.