Perry County in War.

Our county need not be ashamed of her war record. In every war in which our country has been engaged, except the Revolution, Perry county has furnished her quota. Beneath her sod rests men who were partici- pants in that first great struggle of ours in which we secured our independence. Quite a number of the first settlers in the county were Revolutionary soldiers. Christian Binckley, of whom mention has already been made, came from Maryland, where he had rendered important service to his country. Wrn. Dusenberry, the first settler in Madison town- ship, served in the army under Washington. Daniel Devore, buried in a little cemetery east of Corning, was also a member of the Continental army. There are quite a number of others especially in the north of the county. During the War of 1812, Perry county, as such did not exist. The men who enlisted from here were ac- credited to Fairfield. It is not known how many sol- diers were in that war from Perry county, but a few are known. They were John Fowler, the first settler of Pike township; John Lidey, of Reading and Henry Hazelton, of Saltlick. When the Mexican War broke out, our citizens were not long in answering the call of President Polk for volunteers. Two companies were organized in this county under Captains Noles and Filler. These companies were taken to the scene of the war but they were never in a pitched battle. They did some fight- ing with the guerilla troops only. There is one sur- 125

vivor of this War in Perry County, Mr. Joel Spohn, of Reading. When the news of the fall of Fort Sumter came to New Lexington, Lyrnan J. Jackson, who was then Prosecuting Attorney, resigned his office, and at once began to raise a company. In a few days a sufficient number had enlisted and they were mustered in as Company E of the 17th O. V. I. They were under Gen. McClellan and did service in West Virginia. They were what is known as the "Hundred Day" men. When President Lincoln called for volunteers for three years, Major John W. Free, at once raised a company in the southern townships. It took but a few days until his men were ready to go to Camp Chase, where they were mustered in as Company A of the 31st Ohio. A few weeks later Col. W. H. Free, a brother of the Major, had raised another company in Pike, Salt- lick, Monroe and Clayton townships. His company be- came Company D of the 31st. In the meantime, Capt. Jackson's term of enlist- ment had expired. He at once began to raise another company, which became Company G of the 31st. The Thirty-first Regiment did valiant service at Stone River, fought with stubborn resistance at Chick- amauga, swept over Mission Ridge, was with Sher- man at Atlanta, and with him marched to the sea. Capt. John F. Fowler of New Lexington, raised a company which reported at Camp Chase and entered as Company D, 30th O. V. I. This regiment was under fire at the second Bull Run contest. The Perry county company was in the hottest of the fight at South Mountain, took an honorable part at Antietam, was present at the investment of Vicksburg, participated 126

in the battle of Mission Ridge, went with Sherman to the sea, was a part of the attacking force that stormed Ft. McAllister, and then when the war was over, marched in Grand Review in the Capital City. The Sixty-second regiment was full of Perry Coun- tians. There were three full companies from this county and two other companies were composed mostly of Perry men. This regiment saw service under Gen. Rosecrans at the first battle of Winchester. It took part in the bloody assault at Fort Wagner. It assisted at the siege at Petersburg. Many of its men fell at Deep Bottom and some saw the final conflict under Grant at Appomattox. Company H of the Ninetieth Regiment was re- cruited in this county by Col. N. F. Hitchcock. This regiment lost heavily at Stone River under Rosecrans. It was with Thomas at Nashville when he was taking care of Hood, that Sherman's campaign might be a success. The One Hundred and Fourteenth Regiment con- tained two companies from Perry county. Company G was composed mostly of men from Mondaycreek and Jackson townships. Company I, was recruited in the northern townships. This regiment was present at the fall of Vicksburg and did service in Arkansas and Texas. It suffered considerably with disease, caused by the unhealthful climate. In the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth, Company K was composed of men from Thorn, Hopewell and Madison townships. This regi- ment saw some service. It was a part of the army of the Potomac and took part in the battle of the Wil- derness, Spottsylvania and Cold Harbor. It was with Sheridan at Winchester and saw the gallant Perry Countian ride on the field at Cedar Creek. They lay 127

before Richmond and went with Sherman to receive the surrender of Johnson. Quite a number of men from our county belonged to the Seventeenth Regiment, after it re-organized for the three years' service. There was in the aggregate about one company, enlisted by Captains Stinchcomb and Ricketts. This regiment participated in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga and Mission Ridge. It was in the Atlanta campaign and subsequently went with Sherman to the sea. Company K of the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth was enlisted in our county. It was under the command of Burnside and did active service in Tennessee, par- ticularly at Cumberland Gap. The Legislature of Ohio in 1863 passed an act for the organization of the Ohio National Guard. Six full companies were organized in Perry county. They be- came a part of the One Hundred and Sixtieth, O. N. G. It did work in the Shenandoah valley, guarding supply trains and keeping down the guerillas. They had one skirmish with the celebrated Mosby Com- mand. Perry county did her full duty in the Great Civil Conflict. From General Sheridan down to the hum- blest private, she deserves her share of the honors. Her sons fought along side of the best and bravest. They poured out their blood upon the fields of con- flict. They suffered from disease in hospitals and far worse did they suffer in prison pens. All honor to the men whom Perry county sent forth when her country called. In the Spanish-American War several Perry county boys saw active service in Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines. One company was enlisted in this county. 128

Captain T. D. Binckley at the head of Company A, Seventh O. V. I., spent the summer of 1898 at Camp Alger, Va., and Camp Mead, Pa., waiting for the call to go to the front. The war closed too soon and the boys came home to pursue the ways of peace. 129

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