Thus these citizen soldiers, who at home often were scoffed at for playing soldier in time of peace, by their timely military training, were ready to, and did almost at a day’s notice respond to the call of their country and served it well. The artillery piece captured at Carrick’s Ford was brought to Columbus and turned over to the state, but Colonel Barnett wished to take it to Cleveland. Said Quartermaster General Wood, who then had charge of the arms of the state, to Colonel Barnett: “I think no objection will be raised if you take the gun to Cleveland; your men captured it and I guess you can find a way to hold it.” The piece may now be seen on the Public Square, in its way a monument to the valor and heroism of the old artillerymen of Cleveland.
With this elaborate and protracted welcome home, which would appear to have been most satisfactory to all concerned, in both its fullness and its cordiality, closes the honorable record of the Cleveland Artillery in the “three months’ service.” Henceforward we follow the fortunes of the First Regiment Ohio Light Artillery, through its four years of brilliant service in the field.
INDEPENDENT COMPANIES.
But the seed sown by the old gun squad and the First Cleveland Light Artillery had not yet exhausted its strength. It continued to take root, expand and blossom. Privates Joseph C. Shields and Frank Wilson, of Captain Rice’s battery, after their three months’ service in the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Artillery, imbued as they had become with a military spirit, and with patriotic impulse, soon organized an independent artillery battery, which was mustered into service Sept. 10, 1862. It numbered 164 men, had six guns, and was called the Nineteenth Independent Battery, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery. Captain Shields became commander, who at the end of two years resigned, when Mr. Wilson, who had been first lieutenant of the company, became its captain. The battery was in the siege of Knoxville, in the East Tennessee campaign, in the siege of Atlanta, Ga., and at other places of interest, historic in the great struggle. The men were mustered out June 27, 1865, at the close of the war.
In this battery was Quartermaster Sergeant Pardon B. Smith, who afterwards became sheriff of Cuyahoga County, and now each year meets with the “old association,” gladdening the occasion with spirit and song.
There was another man who belonged to this battery—Lieutenant James W. Grimshaw—who may properly be mentioned in this connection. When Fort Sumter fell there was great excitement in Cleveland, as there was all over the country. Crowds gathered in the streets and public places in large numbers. At one of these assemblies on the Public Square in Cleveland, a man was imprudent enough to call out “Hurrah for the South!” Mr. Grimshaw, standing near, immediately shouted, “I say hurrah for the Union flag!” Soon bitter words passed between the two men and a rough and tumble followed in which the rebel sympathizers got much the worst of the fight. Thus the civil war began in Cleveland! Lieutenant Grimshaw returned from the war, was elected to the city council and died some years since, greatly respected. Another of those who received a military schooling in the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, under Colonel Barnett, was Corporal Louis Smithnight. Like Captains Shields and Wilson, the three months he had been in the war incited him to further military service. He organized and became captain of the Twentieth Battery, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, which went into service Oct. 29, 1862, for a term of three years. The battery was in the siege at Atlanta, Ga., and in the battles of Dalton and Chickamauga in that state, and in the battles at Liberty Gap, Franklin and Nashville, in Tennessee.
BARNETT’S BIG REGIMENT.
Early in the war the governor of Ohio decided to place in the field a full regiment of artillery. The chief centers of population in the state readily responded to the call and twelve companies were soon organized, numbering in all more than 1,800 men, commanding seventy-two guns. The command of this large force, a fair-sized army in itself, was sought by several men of military distinction. Quartermaster General Wood of the governor’s staff, who for so many years had been associated with Colonel Barnett in the old Cleveland Artillery, strongly recommended the colonel for the position. Sept. 3, 1861, Governor Dennison gave him his commission. But not only was Colonel Barnett of Cleveland’s old gun squad made colonel of this new regiment, called the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery, but three of his associates in this early school of artillery training were given commissions of command next to him.
Captain W. H. Hayward was made lieutenant colonel, while Walter E. Lawrence and Seymour Race became majors. To have four of the chief officers of this regiment all from Cleveland and all of the old Cleveland artillery, indeed, was high honor. But these men who had cherished fond hopes of leading their regiments to the front were destined to be disappointed. An order came from Washington directing the several batteries to report, some at one point and some at another, where their services were deemed most needed. Thus the companies were separated and the chief field officers were shorn of active command.
Colonel Barnett, however, was called to a higher position. He was made chief of artillery on the staff of General W. S. Rosecrans, one of the best fighting generals in the Union army; was with him in battle and all the fortunes of war. Lieutenant Colonel Hayward was made chief of artillery in the third army corps, third division of the Army of the Potomac, under General Daniel Sickles, where he did valiant service until worn out by hard work, April 1, 1863, under advice of army physicians he was compelled to resign. Later, however, recovering something of his health, he was made colonel of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Major Lawrence became a colonel, served with distinction and died in the service. Major W. F. Goodspeed, now a resident of Columbus, O., who meets with the “old artillery association” each year, was one of the best of the many good fighting men who belonged to General Barnett’s regiment. He was mustered into the service as a private, became a lieutenant, then a captain and came out at the end of the war a major.