The organization of this regiment was commenced at Camp Chase in August, 1862. Seven companies were recruited there. The regiment was ordered to Zanesville, and afterward to Camp Dennison, a company being added at each place. December 27, it was ordered to Louisville, Ky., where danger was expected from the Morgan raid. The order was altogether unexpected, as the organization was incomplete, but in two hours after its reception, the regiment was on its way, finely equipped. For some time after its arrival at Louisville, it encamped within the limits of the city, and received warm praise for it; orderly conduct and soldierly bearing. In Jannary, 1863, it moved to Mauldraugh's Hill, about thirty miles from Louisville, on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. The following month, it returned to Louisville and embarked for Nashville. The trip occupied an unusual length of time, and by the overcrowding of transports the regiment sustained serious injury through the dissemination of disease. On arriving at Nashville, many of the officers and men were sent to the hospital, where they suffered greatly from malignant fevers.
The regiment moved to Franklin, having been assigned to Gen. C. C. Gilbert's division; participated in several expeditions against the enemy, and worked almost incessantly upon an extensive line of fortifications. The command formed the right wing of the Army of the Cumberland, and, joining other divisions at Triune, entered upon the Tullahoma campaign, but was not in an engagement. Remaining at Shelbyville until the partial reorganization of the army, it participated in the Chattanooga campaign as a part of the reserve corps. After a wearisome and trying march over the mountains, the One Hundred and Thirteenth bore a distinguished part in the sanguinary battle of Chickamauga, being brought into action on the afternoon of the second day, at the most critical point and moment. It was a bloody baptism for the regiment, as its loss was 138 officers and men out of 382. It fell back to Chattanooga with the army, and endured all the trials and privations of the siege. The division, which had been designated as the Second, of the Fourteenth Corps, was detached from its corps at the battle of Mission Ridge, and formed a part of Gen. Sherman's force. It formed the reserve line, and was not actively engaged; but in the subsequent pursuit of the enemy, it fought with some loss at Stuart's Creek.
The regiment moved to the relief of Knoxville, and endured all the sufferings and trials of the campaign. The men marched without sufficient clothing, without blankets or overcoats, and many of them without shoes, and, after Longstreet was forced to retire—weary, ragged and footsore—they returned to Chattanooga, arriving December 21, 1863. After a short rest, the regiment was ordered to McAfee's Church, eight miles south, to erect winter quarters. While thus engaged, it was sent on advance outpost duty, on New Year's Eve, 1863, and, being without shelter, suffered severely during that intensely cold night. During the winter, several of the officers were absent on recruiting service, and as a result of their labors, Company K was formed, and the regimental organization was completed. The monotony of the winter's campaign was broken by an occasional reconnoissance, and at last the regiment moved on the Atlanta campaign, May 7, 1864.
The One Hundred and Thirteenth was at Buzzard's Gap, Resaca, and moved down the valley of the Coosa upon Rome; thence to Dallas and New Hope Church, and on to Kenesaw Mountain. In the battle of Kenesaw, the regiment formed the first line of assault, and consequently lost heavily, the casualties being ten officers and 153 men. In the numerous engagements around Atlanta, the regiment was not actively concerned, except at Peach Tree Creek, though it was always present, and nearly always exposed to the fire of the sharpshooters. According to the diary of an officer, during 107 days of the campaign, the regiment was under fire eighty-nine days. After the fall of Atlanta, the regiment was sent to Chattanooga, thence to Huntsville and Tuscumbia, Ala., and then back to Chattanooga. It again marched southward, with greatly reduced ranks, over the battle-fields of the Atlanta campaign, and joined Sherman in his march to the sea. With the exception of an engagement between four companies of the regiment and a detachment of the enemy, in which the rebels were severely handled, the march of the One Hundred and Thirteenth was unbroken until it reached the defenses of Savannah. During the siege, rations were very scarce, and the canebrakes were the only forage for the stock. After the evacuation of the city, the regiment camped at Sister's Ferry, on the Savannah River, and there remained for several days in mud and water. A crossing was at length effected, and the One Hundred and Thirteenth was on South Carolina soil. The regiment shared in all the labors of the campaign in the Carolinas, and was severely engaged at Bentonville, fighting hand-to-hand, and, during the heaviest of the battle, leaping the breastworks to repel the assaults from either direction. This was the last battle of the One Hundred and Thirteenth. After the surrender of Johnston, it moved, via Richmond, Va., to Washington, D. C, and participated in the grand review. It then proceeded to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out July 6, 1865, and was soon after discharged at Columbus, Ohio.
In the autumn of 1862, this company was organized at London, and, on the 10th of October, mustered into the One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment at Camp Chase. The muster roll is as follows:
During the autumn of 1862, this company was organized at Mount Sterling, and recruited from Madison, Fayette and Pickaway Counties. We cannot undertake to designate the men from each county, but give the full list, copied from the muster-in and musterout rolls. It was mustered into the One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, at Camp Chase, on the 18th of October, 1862, and contains the following roster:
It will not be inappropriate to here give the names of the commissioned officers in the different companies who were promoted, as well as those of the non commissioned officers and privates who became officers of the same: Capt. William H. Squires, of the Twenty-sixth, was promoted to Major December 7, 1862, and to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel April 2, 1864. First Lieut. James R. Hume, promoted on Gen. Hascall's staff. Second Lieut. James R. Warner, promoted to First Lieutenant April 26, 1862, and to Captain December 2, 1862. Sergt. Francis M. Williams, promoted to Second Lieutenant April 26, 1862, and to First Lieutenant December 2, 1862. Sergt. David D. Brooks, promoted first to Second Lieutenant, and then to First Lieutenant, February 10, 1865; Sergt. Erastus Guy, promoted to Second Lieutenant February 19, 1863; to First Lieutenant April 2, 1864, and to Captain April 9, 1864.
Peter W. Taylor was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Fortieth upon its organization, but, after about one year's service, a difficulty arose between him and Col. Cranor, and he returned to London. Capt. William Jones, promoted to Major February 5, 1863, and to Lieutenant Colonel February 25, 1863. Capt. Thomas Acton, promoted to Major February 5, 1863. Capt. James Watson, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel March 19, 1864. First Lieut, Orlando C. Bowles, promoted to Captain February 5, 1863. First Lieut. D. L. De Land, promoted to Captain February 5, 1863. Second Lieut. James C. Peck, promoted to First Lieutenant February 5, 1863. First Lieut. Charles Converse, promoted to Captain March 9, 1864. Sergt. Ezra Tullis, promoted to Second Lieutenaut February 5, 1863, and declined First Lieutenant's commission March 19, 1864. Sergt. Charles R. Cover, promoted to Second Lieutenant August 30, 1862, and to First Lieutenant March 19, 1864. Sergt. Richard Cowling, promoted to Second Lieutenant August 1, 1863, and to First Lieutenant May 9, 1864.
First Lieut. Isaac N. Davidson, of the Ninety-fifth, promoted to Captain December 9, 1864. Sergt. Isaac G. Peetrey, promoted to Second Lieutenant January 15, 1863, and to First Lieutenant December 9, 1864. First Lieut. Thomas S. Pennington, promoted to Captain January 15, 1863. Sergt. Thomas F. Timmons, promoted to Second Lieutenant January 15, 1863.
Maj. Darius B. Warner, of the One Hundred and Thirteenth, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel April 29, 1863, and to Colonel February 23, 1865. Capt. Toland Jones, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel February 23, 1865, and to Colonel June 8, 1865. Second Lieut. Otway Watson, promoted to First Lieutenant January 13, 1863; to Captain, May 16, 1863; to Major, June 8, 1865, and to Lieutenant Colonel on the same date. Sergt. Aquilla Toland, promoted to Second Lieutenant January 14, 1863, and to First Lieutenant April 29, 1863. Sergt. James Coultas, pomoted to Second Lieutenant June 14, 1863, and to First Lieutenant August 19, 1864. Sergt. Timothy Haley, promoted to Second Lieutenant October 12, 1864, and to First Lieutenant February 10, 1865. Sergt. Jesse W. Dungan, promoted to Second Lieutenant November 5, 1863, and to First Lieutenant June 14, 1864. First Lieut Alvin L. Messmore, promoted to Captain January 28, 1863. Second Lieut. Julius C. Bostwick, promoted to First Lieutenant January 28, 1863. Sergt. Hiram C. Tipton, promoted to Second Lieutenant January 28, 1863. Sergt. Joseph Parker, promoted to Second Lieutenant June 14, 1863. Sergt. Edward Grouse, promoted to Second Lieutenant November 5, 1863, and to First Lieutenant July 25, 1864. Sergt. William R. Hanewalt, promoted to Second Lieutenant March 25, 1863.
The rallying of the "Squirrel Hunters" in the autumn of 1862 was a striking instance illustrating the readiness with which the citizens of Ohio sprang to the defense of the flag. We are unable to give the names of those from Madison County who participated, but we are assured her sons were not behind those of any other portion of the State in responding to the call made at that time.
During the memorable raid of the rebel Gen. John Morgan through Ohio in the summer of 1863, which eventually resulted in his capture in Columbiana County, the citizens of Madison turned out en masse to repel the invasion. The business houses were closed, hay left uncured in the fields, ripe wheat unharvested, and all went to Camp Chase in the quickest time possible. There was a general outpouring of the militia, which was organized into a regiment, with Col. P. W. Taylor in command, A. E. Wilson as Adjutant, and Jacob Peetrey, as Quartermaster. Though this proved a bloodless campaign, yet those who went out in defense of their homes are entitled to credit for their ready response to the call. They exhibited the same spirit of patriotism as their brothers, who were battling against the armed hosts of treason far away upon Southern soil, and doubtless, had the opportunity offered, would have been found equally as brave and self-sacriticing in behalf of the nation they all loved and had sworn to uphold. After their return to the county, the militia was organized into two regiments, and the following officers elected: First Regiment-Colonel, P. W. Taylor: Lieutenant Colonel, Jesse M. Linson; Major, John Holton. Second Regiment-Colonel, W. R. Fickey; Lieutenant Colonel, G. W. Darety; Major, John W. Morris. This permanent organization was effected in August, 1863, and placed the county on a defensive footing.