OHIO SIXTY-FIFTH INFANTRY (Three Years)

Sixty-fifth Infantry. Col., Charles G. Harker; Lieut.Cols., Daniel French, Alexander Cassil, Horatio N. Whitbeck, Orlow Smith; Majs., James Olds, Samuel C. Brown. This regiment was organized in the state at large, from Oct. 3 to Dec. 14, 1861, to serve for three years. On the expiration of its term of service the original members (except veterans) were mustered out and the organization, composed of veterans and recruits, was retained in service until Nov. 30, 1865, when it was mustered out in accordance with orders from the war department. The following is a list of battles, in which this regiment bore an honorable part, as given in the Official Army Register: Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Stone's river, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Missionary ridge, Rocky Face ridge, Resaca, Adairsville, New Hope Church, Kennesaw mountain, Big Shanty, Peachtree creek, siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. It was not very actively engaged at Shiloh, and lost but 2 men wounded, but during the siege of Corinth it was under fire almost hourly. In the engagement at Stone's river it lost 2 officers killed and 8 wounded (one mortally), 38 men killed, 106 wounded, 19 missing and 3 deserted in the face of the enemy. The regiment was under fire throughout the entire engagement. In the engagement at Chickamauga it lost 3 officers killed and 5 wounded, 13 men killed, 60 wounded and 24 missing; in the battle of Missionary ridge it had 1 killed and 14 wounded; at Resaca it lost 2 killed and 26 wounded, in a skirmish near Kennesaw mountain, 2 men wounded; in a charge on Kennesaw it lost 3 killed and 7 wounded; at Peachtree creek it lost 4 men wounded and 1 missing; at Atlanta, July 22, 1 killed and 1 wounded; in the battle of Spring Hill it lost 5 killed, 22 wounded and 14 missing; and at Franklin, 1 killed, 22 wounded and 21 missing. Source: The Union Army, vol. 2 Stone's River after battle report: Report of Maj. Horatio N. Whitbeck, Sixty-fifth Ohio Infantry. IN CAMP, NEAR MURFREESBOROUGH, TENN., January 6, 1863 SIR: The Sixty-fifth Ohio Volunteers, under command of Lieut.-Col. Cassil, left is bivouac, near Duck Creek, on Monday morning, December 29, 1862. In the advance its position was on the left wing of the front line of the brigade. Two companies were deployed as skirmishers, who very soon encountered a strong cavalry picket of the enemy. This force contested our advance at times sharply, but disappeared near Stone's River. When within a couple of miles of the same river, several shells were thrown at us from cannon, which soon retired. In this skirmishing we sustained no loss, but several of the enemy's saddles were seen to have been emptied and the horses straggling. We reached the heights on the north side of the river about 3 p.m. where we lay in line till after sundown. Orders were received to advance upon Murfreesborough that night. I was in command of the companies of skirmishers, and immediately threw them across the river, and commenced the ascent of the opposite heights. Passing the skirt of woods, we encountered the enemy's skirmishers strongly posted to the front on the crest of the hill, and on my left behind a rail fence. A galling fire brought our line to a halt, but we soon cleared the hill, and, advancing over the crest, we found ourselves within 30 paces of a regiment of rebels, who, in their confusion, were rallying with great difficulty. I at once retired the line to the woods, where we remained till the whole brigade had recrossed, when we were quietly withdrawn. Sergeant Snider, acting orderly, was wounded in the face, which was the only injury our regiment suffered. The regiment itself crossed the stream in good order, under fire of the rebel skirmishers, and remained in line behind the skirt of woods till it recrossed with these brigade. Tuesday we lay in bivouac near the river, and went on picket at night. In accordance with Col. Harker's order, we were ready to move at daybreak, with 60 rounds of cartridges to a man. We received marching orders about 8 a.m. and moved at once forward. The enemy's sharpshooters and a battery on the opposite hill began a fierce fire of ball and shell upon us as we returned up the heights. When on the summit, a shell exploded in the ranks of Company B, killing 1 and wounding 2. We double-quicked, under a storm of shell, after the brigade, which was some distance ahead, moving to the support of the right wing. When the brigade was formed to advance through the open field to the right of Gen. Van Cleve's division, our regiment was placed on the left of the front line, with the Fifty-first Regt. Indiana Volunteers on our right and the Seventy-third Regt. Indiana Volunteers to our rear. Company I, Capt. Christophel, was deployed to the front as skirmishers, but, having suffered severely, was, in a short time, relieved by Company H, Lieut. Brown. When near the skirt of timber protruding from the main forest, we marched by the right flank to support the Sixth Ohio Battery. We were again moved toward the enemy and placed behind a rise of ground. We suddenly found them in line at a short distance, and immediately commenced firing. The enemy, though in brigade front, three columns deep, staggered, concealed himself as far as possible, and did not venture to advance under our fire. Meanwhile, Gen. Van Cleve's division giving way, the line of the enemy on our left advancing completely outflanked us, and we were suffering under a raking cross-fire. We held the position for about thirty minutes, and fell back, in accordance with orders; formed behind the Seventy-third Regt. Indiana Volunteers, and moved by the flank to oppose the advancing right of the enemy. We took our position behind a rail fence, and again held the enemy in check for about twenty minutes. At length, being nearly cut off by the on the right, we retired behind the line of battle, resting in the wood near the pike. We had suffered severely; out of 16 officers with the regiment, 2 had been killed and 8 wounded. Second Lieut. Van Kirk, commanding Company A, fell in the advance; Capt. Christophel, of Company I some time in the retreat. Both were doing their duty unflinchingly and manfully. Lieut.-Col. Cassil having been disabled by the fall of his horse at the second stand of the regiment, I then took command. We rejoined our division at night near the position we left. On Thursday, January 1, we lay in front, in support and to the right of the Sixth Ohio Battery, during the furious cannonading, and were annoyed by sharpshooters during the whole day. We picketed at night. Our skirmishers covered the front on Friday. The regiment lay in a little clump of wood, in support of the battery, and exposed to the most terrific shelling during the morning. In the afternoon our skirmishers, in conjunction with those of the brigade cleared the wood in front of rebel skirmishers and sharpshooters; were in turn shelled out, and again took possession and held it. Near night, and the close of the engagement on the left we moved over the river, threw up a defense of rails to the front, and remained there through the rain till morning. We were retired till Saturday night, when we again picketed the left front. About 2 a.m. Sunday we were marched back to our present bivouac. The following is the list of the casualties of the regiment: Lieut.-Col. Cassil, severe sprain by the fall of his horse; Maj. Whitbeck, slightly wounded in the neck; Adjutant Massey, severely in leg and slightly in face and hip; Capt.'s Jacob Christophel, killed, and Voorhees, through the side; First Lieut. Gardner, through side; Second Lieut.'s Van Kirk, killed; Markel through hip; Brown, in the shoulder, and Pealer, through thigh, and Acting Second Lieut. Rook, in thigh. Of 382 enlisted men in the engagements during the week, 34 were killed, 100 wounded, and 38 missing; total 172. Of the missing, some are known to be prisoners, others are serving in hospitals, and a few stragglers are still coming up. I will not particularize when all, officers and men, conducted themselves so coolly and fought so determinedly against such desperate odds; nor need I mention their patience under such privations and exposures in midwinter. HORATIO N. WHITBECK, Maj., Cmdg. Sixty-fifth Regt. Ohio Volunteers. Capt. COULTER, Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Third Brigade. Source: Official Records CHAP. XXXII.] THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN. PAGE 515-29 [Series I. Vol. 20. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 29.] Chickamagua after battle report: Report of Capt. Thomas Powell, Sixty-fifth Ohio Infantry. HDQRS. SIXTY-FIFTH REGT. OHIO VOLUNTEERS, Chattanooga, Tenn., September 26, 1863. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following as a report of the movements and actions in which the Sixty-fifth Regt. Ohio Volunteers has been engaged since leaving Shellmound, Tenn.: At noon, September 5, 1863, the regiment received orders to march. Moved out on the Chattanooga road, and about 12 m., September 6, bivouacked within 7 miles of Chattanooga, in the Lookout Valley. At 10 p. m., on that date, the regiment fell back 2 miles and took position on a ridge to the west of the Trenton and Chattanooga Railroad, where it remained till 8 o'clock next morning, when it was moved off the ridge, and was stationed on the right of the road in the rear of the Third Kentucky Volunteers, with its left resting near the road. At 10 a. m. on the 7th the regiment was ordered down the valley on a reconnaissance, taking nothing along but guns, accouterments, and canteens. After advancing 1 1/2 miles, three companies (B, F, and G), under Maj. Brown, were sent forward as skirmishers, and the regiment moved forward on the center. The skirmish companies from this regiment had the right of the line, and drove the enemy till they crossed the creek at the foot of Lookout Mountain, when the enemy opened on them with one or two pieces of artillery. The regiment was formed into line about three-quarters of a mile from the creek, advancing on the right of the One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio, with its right resting on Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. When within about one-half mile of the creek, the regiment crossed the railroad and formed in the woods on the right and to the rear of the One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio, when the enemy commenced shelling. After lying under their fire for about fifteen minutes, in which 1 man from Company F of this regiment was killed by the explosion of a shell, we were ordered to retire. The regiment fell back until out of range of the enemy's shells, where it was formed across the road, and when the skirmishers came up marched back to camp, which was reached about 7 p. m. The next day, September 8, lay in bivouac, and on the 9th, marched into Chattanooga, going into camp about 3 o'clock, a mile to the southwest of town. Moved out the next morning at 9 o'clock, and camped about 3 p. m. within 8 miles of Ringgold, Ga., near the Chickamauga. On the 11th, marched back to Rossville, and moved out on the La Fayette road about 1 1/2 miles, where the regiment formed on the left of the Third Kentucky Volunteers and opposite side of the road. The left and three companies (G, C, and D), under Maj. Brown, were sent to the front as skirmishers, their right resting on the road. Afterward Companies A and E were sent forward to strengthen the right of the skirmish line under Lieut.-Col. Bullitt, Third Kentucky Volunteers. The regiment arrived at Lee and Gordon's Mills at 4 p. m., skirmishing all the way, and camping on the left bank of the Chickamauga Creek. From the 12th to the 18th, we remained at Lee and Gordon's Mills, strengthening our position by breastworks, and awaiting an attack by the enemy, our pickets skirmishing with them as they would make their appearance. On the afternoon of the 19th, about 2 o'clock, we were ordered to move to the left, which we did, following the Third Kentucky Volunteers and marching on the double-quick till meeting and engaging the enemy. The regiment was engaged most of the time till sundown. During the engagement on Saturday we took about 70 prisoners, among them a major. Lieut.-Col. Whitbeck having been wounded, Maj. Brown succeeded him in command. The regiment remained in front during the night until 3 a. m. of the 20th, when we moved to the left and rear to breakfast and draw rations, again moving to the front at 8 a. m., and taking part in the engagement up to 10 o'clock, when, being flanked by the enemy, we moved by the right flank and took position on the right of the Third Kentucky Volunteers, our right resting on the hill. We held our position the regiment on our right (who occupied the extreme summit of the hill) broke in confusion, thus enabling the enemy to take possession of the hill. Our right being thus flanked, we suffered a severe fire from the enemy, and were forced to fall back. While occupying the position on the hill, Maj. Brown was wounded, the command falling on me, the senior captain having been reported to me as being wounded. The regiment fell back to the rear of the log-house, where it rallied, and I was ordered by Col. Harker, our brigade commander, to take position on the summit of the hill to the right of the log-house. Capt. Tannehill took command of a number of men who had become separated from their companies, and took position at the left of the house. The regiment, though having lost many of its best officers, and its ranks having been thinned by the loss of over one-third of its men, still held its position and did so far an hour and a half, when were joined by Lieut.-Col. Bullitt with two companies of the Third Kentucky, who, at my request, took command and held the enemy in check till ordered by Col. Harker to fall back to the rear of the log-house. Here the regiment was formed, having been joined by Capt. Tannehill and the men under his command. We were at this time supplied with cartridges to make up 40 rounds to the man. After a rest of about thirty minutes, I was ordered to take position on the left of the Sixty-fourth Ohio. The engagement then being renewed we fired by volley, alternately, with the One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio, until the enemy were repulsed, when I was ordered to take position on the right of the log-house, still occupying position in the line on the left of the Sixty-fourth Ohio. This position was occupied till after dark, or about 7 p. m., when, with the rest of the brigade, we fell back to Rossville, and camped for the night. The next morning, the 21st, the regiment moved out and took position on the Missionary Ridge, to the left of the road, the Sixty-fifth forming the second line, in rear of the Sixty-fourth, until ordered to report to Col. Buell, commanding First Brigade, where the Sixty-fifth was formed in the rear as reserve. After lying in this position for two hours, we were ordered to report to our brigade, and were formed on the right of the One hundred and twenty-fifth Ohio. At 7.30 p. m. we moved to the front, relieving the Sixty-fourth Ohio, which was occupying breastworks of rails, our left resting in the woods and connecting with the One hundred Illinois. We left the works at 11 p. m., and arrived near Chattanooga at 2 a. m. on the 22d, where we bivouacked till about 7 o'clock, when we were moved to this position and have been engaged since in throwing up fortifications and strengthening the fort. Lieut.-Col. Bullit, of the Third Kentucky Volunteers, took command of the regiment, by order of Col. Harker, on the 23d instant. During the engagements on the 19th and 20th, the following-named officers of the regiment were killed and wounded: Maj. Samuel C. Brown, wounded on the 20th, from the effects of which he died on the 21st; First Lieut. Nelson Smith, killed instantly; Second Lieut. S. C. Henwood, killed. Wounded: Lieut. Col. H. N., Whitebeck, First Lieut. Asa A. Gardner, First Lieut. Wilbur F. Hinman, First Lieut. Joel P. Brown, and Second Lieut. Otho M. Shipley. Casualties among the enlisted men were as follows: Killed, 12; wounded, 65; missing, 18. Total killed, wounded and missing, officers and men, 103. The foregoing report can be but very incomplete from the fact that the position in which I was placed was of such a character that many things transpired that escaped my notice. Where all did so well (inasmuch as the Sixty-fifth never gave back before the enemy until ordered by its commanding officer, neither was it ordered to take any position that it failed to plant its colors there) it may seem out of place to mention individual cases, yet there are those who acted with that coolness and bravery under the most trying circumstances, that to especially mention them cannot detract from the merit due others. First among this number is our lamented Maj. Brown, who, with so much coolness and bravery, demonstrated every characteristic of the true hero, realizing the magnitude of the cause in which he was engaged. From the commencement of the engagement up to the time he fell, he was ever found where the danger was greatest, and by his noble daring imbued every heart in the regiment with a determination to conquer. Among the non-commissioned officers, Sergt. Maj. S. G. Pope deserves special credit for the manner in which he labored to keep the men together, and the promptness with which he conveyed orders to the line officers, during the entire engagement. First Sergt. Samuel P. Snider commanded Company D on the 20th and bravely led his men, whom he was encouraging by precept and example to stand by the flag at the time he fell. Sergeant Harlam, the color bearer, bravely faced the storm of bullets that greeted him on every side, and, even after being severely wounded, stood at his post till ordered to the rear. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, &c., THOMAS POWELL, Capt. Sixty-fifth Regt. Ohio Volunteer infantry. Maj. S. L. COULTER, Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Third Brigade.

Source: Official Records PAGE 703-50 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., N. ALA., AND N. GA. [CHAP. XLII. [Series I. Vol. 30. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 50.]

Ohio 65th Volunteer Infantry (Union)

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