Battle of Lookout Mountain.
Co. C was left at Wartrace, Tenn., to scout for annoying rebel cavalry. It proved an excellent hunting ground, but a poor one for finding. The four Ohio regiments that had so long shared each other's fortunes, were sent to Bridgeport, Alabama. Early in November, they joined the army of Gen. Grant, to assist in the capture of the strong hold upon Lookout Mountain. The sides of the peak are very steep and full of gorges. The order was given Nov. 24, 1863, to ascend its rocky sides. It seemed impossible. But those veterans did not hesitate to make the necessary effort. Gen. Hooker sent troops to entertain the enemy in front, while others passed up the north and east sides, to capture his camp.
The Seventh was not brought under fire until it arrived at the front of the mountain, and even then, nature turned in to be its ally. The guns of the enemy could not be depressed sufficiently to do much harm, and their greatest efficiency was secured by shooting off the tops of the trees to fall upon the heads of the men. Moving farther on, they were exposed to a severe musketry fire. Here M. C. Stone was severely wounded and taken from the field. A heavy fog soon ended the firing. Night came on, and the fog disappeared. The full moon gave to the Seventh, while doing picket duty, a scene that was truly grand. The summit of the mountain is 2700 feet above the river. The regiment was up two thirds this distance. The camps of both armies were visible, and an enrapturing view for many miles around could be taken. The eclipse of the moon, almost total, seemed to indicate the displeasure of the Almighty at such scenes as the evening shades had just closed in upon.
Mission Ridge and Ringgold.
At early dawn the enemy nowhere appeared, and the Stars and Stripes were planted proudly upon the highest pinnacle. The Union Army pursued down the mountain, across the plain of Chattanooga, and up the sides of Mission Ridge, to meet only a slight resistance. The enemy fled, hotly pursued through the day, which was crowned with the capture of 2000 prisoners. The troops were never more jubilant. Cheers and songs echoed from hill to hill. Onward, still onward, was the pursuit, until November 27, when the enemy strongly posted himself on Taylor's Ridge, just beyond Ringgold, to prevent the Union forces from passing through Thompson's Gap. Geary's brigade was ordered to storm the heights. It formed in two columns on the rail road one half a mile north of the Gap. The Seventh occupied the right of the rear column. Steadily up they went. The advance halted at the steep declivity to return the enemy's fire. The rear column passed over it, and entered a gorge that was directly in front. The unshrinking Creighton shouted, "Boys, we are ordered to take that hill. I want to see you walk right up it." And up they went in the face of a merciless fire in front, on right, and left.
Soon Lieut. Col. Crane fell, a sacrifice on the altar, and in less than an hour, Col. Creighton followed him to the spirit world. Only one commissioned officer of the Seventh was left uninjured. There was nothing for the small remnant to do, but to fall back to the foot of the hill. It was a sad affair for the regiment. Its glory seemed to have departed. Of the twenty men in Co. C, who entered the action, six were killed and eight, wounded. The killed were Lieut. I. C. Jones, J. L. Fish, C. E. Wall, D. P. Wood, C. F. King, and Thomas Sweet. The wounded were John Gardner, (mortally,) J. W. Raymond, H. D. Claghorn, John Phillips, J. Cleverton, Wm. H. Pelton, W. O. Barns, and M. H. Sheldon.
The army remained at Ringgold until December 1. It then fell back twenty miles to go into winter quarters, at Chattanooga.
Immediately after the battle at Ringgold, Orderly Andrews took command of Co. C, and held it until its final discharge at Cleveland.
Efforts were made at this camp to induce the men to re-enlist. A fine speech of Gen. Geary's was insufficient to cause the boys to forget their abuse and hard usage, which had so prejudiced their minds that they could not see it to be their duty to do further service. Besides, the General had not, by any means, made himself their favorite; and therefore, his protestations that, "to lose the Seventh would be to lose the seventh star of the Pleiades," and that "they were dear to him as the apple of his eye," only served to disgust them.
Bridgeport.