The Departure from Camp Giddings--At the Front--Death of
Lander--Advance up the Valley--Winchester.
Christmas morning, 1861, dawned clear, with the earth bountifully
covered with snow, and soon the busy preparations for this the first
march were apparent everywhere. Knapsacks were packed, tents were
struck, and the camp equipage snugly put into shape for transportation
to Ashtabula, and at 10 o’clock the drums beat off. Then the regiment
filed out of the enclosure, bidding a fond good-bye, many for the
last time, to the old camp, up through the town, where everybody was
waiting to wish the “boys” God speed. “Head of column left,” and
the Twenty-ninth regiment was en-route for Ashtabula and the front,
followed by the prayers of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and
sweethearts, that its every effort might be crowned with success, and
that, if heaven so willed, all might return safely to the arms of loved
ones, “when the cruel war was over.” How beautiful they looked in
their new uniform, and how gaily the bayonets glistened in the bright
sunlight as each man kept step to the music.
Arriving at Ashtabula, the regiment took cars, and was soon whirling
rapidly towards Columbus, where it arrived the following day.
On disembarking from the cars, a march of four miles on the National
pike to the west brought the regiment to Camp Chase, where it was
assigned to barracks, and the sweets (?) of soldier life began to
be more perceptible. While lying here, the regiment attended the
inauguration of David Tod as Governor of Ohio, and perfected itself in
the school of the soldier. On the 26th day of January, 1862, the long
roll again sounded; the Twenty-ninth regiment fell in, and marched to
the depot, a distance of four miles. It took cars, and steamed away
for Dixie, passing through Newark and Zanesville, and across the Ohio
river at Bellair, thence via the Baltimore & Ohio railroad through the
mountains of West Virginia to a point some six miles below Cumberland,
Maryland, where it made its first camp in Dixie. There it was assigned
to the left flank of the Third brigade (the Seventh Ohio volunteer
infantry occupying the right), Colonel E. B. Tyler commanding, and
here it may be well to state that from this time until the Seventh
regiment was discharged the service (July 8, 1864), the two regiments
occupied the same position, engaged in the same battles, and endured
an equal amount of the hard service incident to the several campaigns.
The Twenty-ninth remained in active service for nearly a year after
the discharge of its well-bred friends of the Seventh and until the
collapse of the Rebellion. This for the benefit of those who imagine
that only one regiment was recruited in Northern Ohio.
On February 5, 1862, a general movement was ordered to entrap the
forces of Stonewall Jackson, then occupying Romney. The Twenty-ninth
and its brigade took cars to French’s store, and marched some twenty
miles to a point between Romney and Winchester to intercept the retreat
of the rebels. The attempt was futile, however, as those whom the
federals sought had flown ere the designated point was reached. This
march was a terrible one, and told heavily on the men, many of whom
succumbed to disease incident to exposure to the intense cold, the
fording of streams whose icy waters were often waist deep, and the
general hardships, were sent to hospital at Cumberland, and never
returned to duty. Returning the following day, the regiment bivouacked
at a point some eight miles from the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, known
as Pine Levels or the Heights of Hampshire. Here it remained some ten
days exposed to the intense cold, without tents, few blankets, on
short rations, and no cooking utensils. Rude brush enclosures were
constructed, which served the same purpose as Artemus Ward’s window
sash, sort of “tangle the cold” or “keep out the coarsest.” It was by
the greatest effort that the men were kept from freezing. This sort
of thing seemed a pretty tough introduction to the “Sunny South,” but
hardships of this kind became the normal experience of the Twenty-ninth
regiment, and the sunny spots which occasionally intervened were duly
appreciated.
The next move was to the eastward to Paw Paw station on the Baltimore
& Ohio railroad, near which the Twenty-ninth and its brigade went
into camp. February 22d, Washington’s birthday, was duly observed. A
general review was indulged in. The streets were prettily trimmed with
evergreens; and arches, and other pretty devices were numerous. The
Twenty-ninth were domiciled in small and nearly worn out wall tents.
On Saturday, March 1st, as the shades of evening were falling, the
Twenty-ninth and its command marched with two days’ rations, in the
direction of Winchester, Virginia, the object being the capture of
that important point. After an all night’s march the command halted,
and, in a blinding snow storm, waited for further orders. At 5 o’clock
P. M. a counter-march was ordered, and at about midnight the old camp
at Paw Paw was reached. The object of this move was to attend the
remains of brave General Lander to the cars, which was accomplished
on the following day. All the troops in the vicinity were present. At
9 o’clock on the morning of Saturday, March 8th, the command struck
tents and marched to the railroad; at night took cars and moved in
the direction of Martinsburg, en route for Winchester. Some two or
three days were occupied in reaching the former place, as extreme
caution was necessary. A burned bridge at Back creek stopped further
steam locomotion, and on the 11th the command moved forward through
Martinsburg, encamping some two miles out on the Winchester road. Here
General James Shields, of some celebrity in the Mexican war, assumed
command of the division, and the One Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania
infantry volunteers was added to the brigade. The following morning the
column continued the forward movement, under orders to join General
Banks, in his attack on Winchester. The rebels retreated, and Shields’
division went into camp to the north of Winchester, some four miles out
on the Martinsburg pike.
When the rebels first occupied Virginia General Johnston (commanding
the extreme left of Beauregard’s army) took possession of Winchester.
Troops from here destroyed the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and constantly
harrassed our forces in the direction of Harper’s Ferry and Cumberland.
It was of great importance that the Union arms gain and hold possession
of this point, hence the concentration of Federal troops in this
vicinity.
Skirmishing with the enemy was a daily occurrence, and, on the morning
of March 20th, a reconnoissance in force was made up the valley to
Strasburg. General Shields, with the Twenty-ninth and its brigade,
numbering some six thousand men, moved direct to that point, while
Colonel Mason’s brigade advanced on the Front Royal road. At Cedar
creek a lively artillery duel transpired, during which the rebels
succeeded in burning the bridge. The following morning the entire
command fell back to its camp below Winchester. This was a march which
tested the men’s power of endurance to its utmost. The rain fell
lightly but continuously during the day. For rations the men had barely
one cracker each, and yet they made the entire distance--twenty-two
miles--in seven hours, halting only a few minutes about noon.