1st Ohio Light Artillery - 3 Months Service
in the American Civil War
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Online Books
1st Ohio Light Artillery Soldier Roster - Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1866, Volume 1, by Ohio Roster Commission (Wm. McKinley, Jr., Governor, Samuel M. Taylor, Sec'y of State and James C. Howe, Adjutant-General), 1893 Regimental History First Light Artillery. — (Three Months' Service.) Col., James Barnett; Lieut.-Col., Stephen B. Sturges; Maj., Clark S. Gates. Six days after the fall of Fort Sumter this organization was ordered to Columbus. The news spread through the city of Cleveland (four of the batteries were from that city, the other two being from Brooklyn and Geneva) and on the following Monday the regiment left Cleveland for Columbus, at which place it was ordered to Marietta via Loveland. Marietta was reached next morning when it went into camp on the fair ground, placing the guns in position to guard the city against any invasion by the enemy. The artillery was reinforced by the arrival of the 14th Ohio infantry on May 24, and the 18th on the next day, the 14th being armed and equipped. On May 29, batteries D and F left Marietta by boat for Parkersburg, W. Va., with orders to report to Col. Steedman of the 14th. They moved rapidly along the line of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, repairing bridges destroyed by the enemy, so that by the 31st they had arrived at Clarksburg, 80 miles east of Parkersburg. The Confederates retreated from Clarksburg to Philippi ; the two batteries moved to Webster, and after a tedious night march arrived before Philippi at 4 a. m., making short work of the Confederate force, which fled in dismay, leaving large quantities of supplies and war materials behind. This was the first light artillery fired by the national forces in the war. In this engagement only a few men were wounded. On May 30 the four companies at Camp Putnam moved by boat to Benwood, then proceeded to Grafton, and from there marched to Philippi, arriving too late to take part in that engagement. During June the headquarters of the regiment was at Philippi. The companies, however, were scattered, some with their guns doing duty as bridge guards. On July 6, orders were received to advance early the following day, occupy Belington and menace the enemy who was holding a strong position at Laurel hill. At daylight the skirmishers struck the Confederate pickets near Belington. The artillery was ordered to the front and shelled the enemy's outposts with demoralizing effect. On the 12th the Confederates retreated from Belington and Laurel hill, being pursued by the Union forces to Carrick's ford, where the 1st artillery opened fire on the enemy, holding a position on a high bank on the opposite side of the river, with excellent effect. The enemy fled once more in dismay, the Confederate general, Robert S. Garnett, being killed in this battle. A fine rifled piece was captured and presented to the artillery, and this trophy is now in the public square in the city of Cleveland. Its term of service having expired, the regiment moved back to Belington and remained there until ordered to Columbus to be mustered out, this occurring at Camp Chase, July 27, 1861. Footnotes: Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 2 |
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