| Warren County Local
History by Dallas Bogan |
| Contributor: |
Dallas Bogan on 3 August 2004 |
Source: |
original article by Dallas Bogan |
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Return to Index to see a list of other articles by Dallas Bogan |
Companies A, B, E and H were organized in Warren County along with companies
from Hamilton and Clinton Counties. Clermont County organized a company of sharpshooters,
which joined the regiment later. Recruiting started July 22, 1862, and by the
first of September all companies had reached Camp Dennison and were mustered
in.
Marching through Kentucky was an experience for the Regiment. The Seventy-Ninth
became acquainted with the perils of war, having sufferings not realized at
home. At one point the Rebels were killing animals and throwing their carcasses
into the water pools and thus destroying their chances for drinking water. It
was either drink from these pools or suffer the consequences. Measles also became
prevalent and caused many deaths. Having marched to Gallatin, Tenn., the Seventy-Ninth
was greatly reduced in number because of sickness and suffering the hardships
of the five hundred and fifty mile trek. The regiment had at time of muster
in a total of 919 men and on May 2, 1864, this number was accumulated at approximately
six hundred men that were able to function for the cause of the Union.
Taken from Reid's, Ohio in the War:
"On the 2nd day of May the armies in Lookout Valley moved from their encampments
on the enemy, concentrated in force at Dalton, Georgia. The Seventy-Ninth was
not engaged in the demonstrations at Buzzard's Roost and Dug gap, being in the
reserve line, but after passing through Snake Creek Gap, on the 13th and 14th,
near Resaca, it skirmished with the enemy, with considerable loss in killed
and wounded. On the 18th day of May the Seventy-Ninth was one of five regiments
that were ordered to assault a strong position held by the enemy on the road
leading from Dalton to Resaca. Artillery and infantry defended the position.
The assaulting party was composed of about twenty-five hundred men, under W.T.
Ward. It approached within four hundred yards of the enemy's position
under cover of a dense forest of pine. At a given signal the troops rushed forward,
amid a storm of grape, canister, and musket-balls, and, after hard fighting,
carried the works, with a loss to the enemy of a number of prisoners, four pieces
of artillery, and fifteen hundred stand of small arms. This was the introduction
of the regiment to hand-to-hand fight with the foe; and the dead and wounded
that lay thick before the face of the enemy's works, on the parapet and within,
indicated as landmarks where the regiment had struggled for victory. The loss
in this engagement fell most severely on the enlisted men. There were no officers
killed, but five were wounded. The enemy retreated during the night, and was
found the following day at "Gravelly Plateaux," from which it was
driven back early on Cassville. Here it made a more stubborn resistance, and
again the Seventy-Ninth was engaged, but with small loss. At Dallas, on the
25th of May, the enemy was brought to bay, and the whole Twentieth Corps was
hurled again and again against the lines, until sixteen hundred men were lost
by the Corps. On the 27th of May an advance was ordered, and the Seventy-Ninth
was one of the first to march. The movement was a success, but cost the regiment
many lives. On the 28th the enemy open on the position of the regiment with
artillery. On the same night an attack was made along the whole line, but was
repulsed."
"At Peachtree Creek the Seventy-Ninth was in the front line, being the
second regiment engaged. From three o'clock until seven o'clock the battle raged
terribly, and the regiment lost one-half its men. The enemy made assault after
assault, but was each time repulsed. The regiment had seven color-bearers killed
and wounded. At the commencement of the battle it had but four or five officers,
and several companies were commanded by non-commissioned officers. After this
battle, and until after the capture of Atlanta, where the regiment received
recruits, it was only a regiment in name not in numbers. The labor in the trenches
and on the skirmish line, the attempted surprise by day and by night, the charge
and the counter charge, go to make up the history of the siege of Atlanta. The
regiment commenced the campaign with six hundred men, and at its close had one
hundred and eighty-two. Fifteen recruits were received during the campaign,
of whom seven were lost, thus making the loss in about one hundred days four
hundred and twenty-five men. Of this number many were slightly wounded, and
rejoined the regiment; so that with the recruits received on the 15th day of
November, when General Sherman commenced his march to the sea, it numbered about
four hundred men. The Seventy-Ninth was never engaged during the march to the
sea except as details for foraging, in which it lost two men. It took part in
the siege of Savannah, on the Springfield Road. Here no loss was sustained."
"In the march through South Carolina, the Seventy-Ninth took part in the
affairs of Langtonville and Columbia. The loss was small, not exceeding thirty
men killed, wounded, and prisoners. In North Carolina the regiment, at the battle
of Averysburg, took an active part, assaulting and carrying that part of the
enemy's lines where its artillery was posted. It captured three pieces of artillery,
one hundred stands of small arms, and thirty-one prisoners. In this charge the
regiment received many encomiums. The loss in killed and wounded was severe,
being one-fourth of its men engaged. At Bentonville, on the 19th day of March,
1865, the regiment performed its part in contributing to the final overthrow
of General Johnston's forces. This was the last action in which it was engaged.
After sixteen days it reported to Goldsboro, and thence marched to Raleigh.
About the first day of May, it turned homeward by way of Richmond, and was mustered
out at Washington, June 9, 1865."
The 79th Regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, from August 20 to October
21, 1862, to serve three years. It was mustered out of service June 9, 1865,
in accordance with orders from the War Department. Regiment lost during service
54 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 officer and 91 enlisted men
by disease. Total 146.
The list of battles and dates are:
RESACA, GA............................May 13-16, 1864
DALLAS, GA............................May 25 to June 4, 1864.
KENESAW MOUNTAIN, GA..................June 9-30, 1864.
PEACH TREE CREEK, GA..................July 20, 1864.
ATLANTA, GA.(Seige of)................July 28 to September 2, 1864.
COLUMBIA, S.C.........................February 16-17, 1865.
AVERYSBORO, N.C.......................March 16, 1865.
BENTONVILLE, N.C......................March 19-21, 1865.
This page created 3 August 2004 and last updated
3 April, 2010
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