Brisk fight with the Johnnies: The 100th Ohio at Limestone Station

Tucked in the far northeastern corner of Tennessee along the East Tennessee and Virginia railroad is a monument to the Battle of Limestone Station, a small scale engagement that took place on September 8, 1863 between about 300 men of the 100th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and roughly 1,000 Confederates led by General Alfred E. Jackson. Located at the intersection of David Crockett Road and Old State Route 34, Maumee resident and historian Tony Valentine sponsored this marker back in 2000 in remembrance of the 100th Ohio and his ancestor who fought in its ranks.
Unknown soldier of the 100th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

 Today's post features an account from Private Jacob Fewloss of Co. C of the 100th that explains what happened at Telford and then Limestone Station on September 8, 1863. Fewloss was among the more than 250 men from the regiment captured during this engagement. Fewloss' account was originally published in the March 4, 1897 issue of the National Tribune.

Colonel Patrick Slevin
100th Ohio Infantry

    On September 5, 1863 while at provost duty in Knoxville, Colonel Patrick Slevin of the 100th Ohio received orders to put all of his available men on the cars and send them to Jonesboro, a distance of 95 miles in the enemy’s country to reinforce a body of mounted infantry that had left Knoxville that morning at 6 o’clock and were ordered to Jonesboro to hold General Jackson and his men in check while General Burnside was taking Cumberland Gap. They had to march a distance of 100 miles while we went on the cars. At noon there were about 300 men, a portion of almost every company in the regiment, with one day’s rations, canteen, one blanket, and 120 rounds of ammunition on our persons. Lieutenant Colonel Edwin L. Hayes of the 100th is in command while Colonel Slevin and the rest of the regiment were left in Knoxville.

    We passed through Greenville before night, stopping a short time to get information. What news the Colonel got I cannot tell, but the inhabitants were very friendly. At Limestone River were two blockhouses, one of each side of the track. The Colonel left 25 men to hold them and moved on again very cautiously a distance of five miles. Here we found a burning bridge. [This was a place known as Telford Station.]It was then about midnight. We stopped, put out pickets and scouts, and waited until morning. I stood picket one half mile north of the railroad where the road forked, placing a picket on each road and leaving a reserve at the forks of the road under the command of Lieutenant [Dennison S.] Hughes of Co. I. We were not disturbed until daylight. Then the Rebels attacked us with an overwhelming force and drove us back to the reserve. Orders came for us to fall back to the main body.

This period map of northeastern Tennessee shows Limestone Station as being a few miles southwest of Jonesborough which is located at the center of the map. The thick red borders at the top and right of the map indicate the respective borders of Kentucky and North Carolina. 

    We met Sergeant [DeLayvon] Streeter of Co. E with his company near the railroad, skirmishing with a body of Rebels who had taken shelter in a cornfield. We were ordered to fall in with them and drove the Rebels through the corn to find nearly 2,000 Johnnies and a battery of four brass guns in line of battle in a field just beyond. The rest of our men were having a brisk fight with the Johnnies east of the bridge and south of the railroad. By this time a squad of Rebels had got behind us. We then had orders to fall back to save our train, which we did in good order, taking killed and wounded with us. The Johnnies were in the act of tearing up the track, but we drove them off, left a few of them on the ground and after replacing the rails, we retreated with a strong guard around the train. 
Lieutenant Douglass O. Kelley, Co. B
Captured at Limestone

    We then fell back to Limestone Station, reaching there at 11 a.m. The Colonel telegraphed to Knoxville for orders, sending the train back with the killed and wounded and to bring reinforcements. The General in command sent a dispatch to hold the blockhouses at all hazards until 3 o’clock and that reinforcements would be there. We were eating dinner when the Johnnies came up again, opening on us with the battery and doing us but little harm we were so thin in the ranks. We stood our ground till 4:30 p.m. against odds of at least seven to one. Our ammunition gave out and we, being surrounded, it left us no alternative but to cut our way through or surrender. A council of war was called. The white flag was raised. We were ordered to fall in line and stack arms, which we felt very reluctant to do. 

    The Johnnies, seeing the white flag, came upon us from all sides, yelling like demons till within two rods of our line. One of their horde shot down one of our boys dead in his tracks without any excuse whatsoever. I do not know the exact number of killed and wounded on either side; suffice it to say, according to the report given by General Alfred E. Jackson himself, their loss must have been six or seven to our one. I think our loss could not have been more than 25-30. There were some 270 taken prisoners.

Private Joseph Wendling, Co. K, 100th Ohio
Captured at Limestone and died while prisoner of war


    In the afternoon, just before our surrender, while we were falling back to the blockhouse, we missed the color bearer and Corporal Henry Williams of Co. C. We supposed they had been shot, but learned afterward they had hid in the brush by the river till the Rebs had passed them. The color bearer took off his shirt, cut the flag from the staff, wrapped it around his body, put on his shirt, and remained there until dark. Then the two made their way out and got back to Knoxville safe. We were marched under guard to Jonesboro that night a distance of ten miles; we were kept in the courthouse till the next morning when we were put aboard a train of cattle cars and given free passage to Southern hotels- the notorious Libby Prison and Belle Isle. 

Lieutenant Colonel Edwin L. Hayes, 100th Ohio Infantry
Captured at Limestone


100th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Casualties sustained at Limestone Station, Tennessee
September 8, 1863
As reported by the state roster of Ohio; this list may be incomplete

Field & Staff
Lieutenant Colonel Edwin L. Hayes, captured

Co. A, Captured at Limestone

Company A
Captain Leonard B. Blinn, captured
First Lieutenant Thomas Mawer, captured
First Sergeant Hiram Charles, captured
Sergeant John Cornwell, captured
Sergeant Charles Abbott, wounded
Corporal Byron C. Baldwin, captured
Corporal Andrew J. Brownsberger, wounded and died of wounds September 26, 1863
Corporal John W. Brownsberger, captured
Corporal Edward Coyn, captured, died as POW April 1, 1864
Corporal David Gundy, captured
Private James I. Barton, captured and died as POW December 3, 1863
Private Jeremiah Bowers, captured
Private William H. Bowers, captured and died as POW March 13, 1865
Private Isaac N. Brown, captured
Private Franklin Charles, captured
Private Charles Clough, captured
Private Daniel J. Colvin, captured and died as POW November 4, 1863
Private John F. Elliott, captured
Private John Erwin, captured
Private Charles Fowler, captured and died as POW September 22, 1864
Private William H. Heinlein, captured
Private Robert Householder, captured
Private Benjamin Johnson, captured and died while POW June 8, 1864
Private George W. Keller, captured
Private Joseph Klopfenstein, captured
Private Lewis McCrory, captured
Private John Muir, captured and died while POW June 8, 1864
Private Andrew J. Muri, captured
Private Henry Pierce, captured and died while POW July 18, 1864
Private Elisha Prescott, captured and died April 24, 1864
Private John L. Prescott, captured
Private Conrad Ross, captured and died while POW February 15, 1864
Private Edward Shepard, captured and died while POW April 1, 1864
Private William T. Shepler, captured
Private Samuel Shroyer, captured
Private Asher Simmons, captured and died while POW November 4, 1863
Private Conrad Smith, captured and died while POW May 18, 1864
Private Philip B. Wallace, captured
Private Edgar T. Williams, captured
 
Private Thomas Hartshorn, Co. A

Company B
Captain Henry D. Taylor, captured
First Lieutenant George D. Forsythe, captured and died while POW April 13, 1864
Second Lieutenant Douglass O. Kelley, captured
First Sergeant Absalom Yager, captured
Sergeant Gideon W. Hollopeter, captured
Sergeant Philo H. Holly, captured and died while POW September 14, 1864
Corporal Samuel R. Elerton, captured and died while POW March 8, 1864
Corporal Lorain Emery, captured
Corporal David O. Howard, captured and died while POW November 9, 1863
Corporal Francis M. McKinnis, captured
Corporal Henry Shaffner, captured
Corporal Frederick Stockton, captured
Corporal Milton Atkinson, killed in action
Musician Joseph Grimm, captured
Private Montcalm Armstrong, captured
Private Nicholas Barnhart, captured
Private Adam Councelman, captured and died while POW October 26, 1863
Private Godfried Councelman, captured
Private Joseph C. Domer, captured and died while POW October 7, 1863
Private Joseph M. Domer, captured
Private Joshua Domer, captured
Private John J. Faulkingher, killed in action
Private Henry Friday, captured and died while POW December 29, 1863
Private Frederick Gherkin, captured and died while POW April 1, 1864
Private Lewis Hitt, captured
Private Lawrence Kaufman, captured and died while POW March 13, 1864
Private August Maier, captured and died while POW December 20, 1863
Private Martin V. Marsh, captured
Private William H.H. Morehead, captured
Private William Meyrice, captured
Private Joseph T. Redman, captured and died while POW February 22, 1864
Private John Rickerd, captured
Private Garrett Saulsbury, captured and died while POW December 8, 1863
Private Isaac P. Shook, captured
Private Joseph Shull, captured
Private James Simmons, captured
Private John Siford, captured
Private Samuel Steinacker, captured
Private Henry Snyder, captured
Private Henry Stephens, captured and died while POW March 31, 1864
Private James Taylor, captured
Private George Vogle, captured
Private John M. Zuber, captured and died while POW July 12, 1864

Company C
Captain Benjamin F. Ewers, captured and died while POW November 27, 1864
First Sergeant Turner M. Wynn, captured and died while POW November 27, 1864
Sergeant George E. Barkdoll, captured
Sergeant Solomon L.D. Staner, captured and died March 17, 1864
Sergeant Watson Webb, captured
Sergeant John W. Kinnaman, captured
Corporal Charles R. Betts, captured
Corporal Joseph Ely, captured
Corporal George Mondy, captured
Corporal Stewart L. Shorthill, captured
Corporal Cyrus Smith, captured
Corporal Horatio Towney, captured
Corporal Daniel W. Will, captured
Musician William E. Staugh, captured
Private Adam Amsbaugh, captured
Private Charles Badger, captured
Private Webster H. Bailey, captured
Private William L. Bailey, captured and died while POW November 7, 1863
Private Ambrose D. Baldwin, captured and died while POW February 29, 1864
Private Jacob Bohner, captured
Private George Bohstater, captured
Private John Bohstater, captured
Private William J. Connell, captured
Private Samuel Crawford, captured
Private John J. Dilworth, captured and died while POW March 6, 1864
Private Charles Downs, captured and died while POW October 21, 1863
Private Jacob Fewloss, captured
Private Aaron Folk, captured and died while POW March 1, 1864
Private Abner L. Gish, captured and died while POW April 16, 1865
Private Samuel Greek, captured and died while POW April 23, 1864
Private George W. Hart, captured
Private Henry Hershner, captured
Private John T. Huyck, captured
Private Eli Johnson, captured
Private John Lightfoot, captured
Private John C. McCarty, captured
Private Hiram Miller, captured
Private Samuel B. Miller, captured
Private Ross S. Moss, captured
Private Solomon Raub, captured and died while POW December 29, 1863
Private Franklin S. Richards, captured and died while POW March 15, 1864
Private Heslip W. Shaffer, captured
Private Benjamin S. Smith, captured
Private Jonas W. Smith, captured and died while POW November 15, 1863
Private Levi M. Spangler, captured
Private Jackson Talley, captured
Private Samuel Traxler, captured and died while POW October 5, 1864
Private John P. Webb, captured and died while POW February 10, 1864
Private Samuel Wineland, captured
Private Washington Wirrick, captured
Private Henry M. Woodworth, captured
 
100th Ohio regimental colors

Company D
Private Samuel Himes, captured and died while POW February 20, 1864
Private Wilson S. Hufford, captured
Private Samuel Kyle, captured
Private Jacob Schmidt, captured and died while POW December 23, 1863

Company E
Captain William W. Hunt, captured
Sergeant William N. Stugard, captured
Corporal James D. Knights, captured
Corporal Levi Lenardson, captured
Corporal Louis N. Poierier, captured
Private Henry Alberts, captured
Private Miles Aldrich, captured and died while POW June 24, 1864
Private Henry Bernoar, captured and died while POW June 17, 1864
Private Henry Berry, captured
Private Ira Beverly, captured
Private James Brennan, captured
Private John Cathbert, captured
Private Daniel Clark, captured
Private William Day, captured and died while POW April 12, 1864
Private Conrad Folmer, captured
Private William James, captured
Private Charles Lafountain, captured
Private Willis Lane, missing
Private Milo R. Metcalf, captured and died whiel POW March 19, 1864
Private Daniel Navarre, captured
Private Alonzo Sabins, captured and died while POW May 11, 1864
Private George W. Seymore, captured
Private Henry Sterk, captured
Private DeLayvan R. Streeter, captured
Private Truman M. Tyler, captured and died while POW October 15, 1863

Company F
Captain Francis M. Shoemaker, captured
Second Lieutenant Orson G. Ballou, captured and died while POW February 6, 1864
Sergeant Alfred R. Hill, captured
Private Valentine Hahn, captured and died while POW January 13, 1864
Private Robert Mills, captured and died while POW March 21, 1864
Private Samuel Spade, captured and died while POW February 16, 1864
Private George S. Wible, captured

Private Andrew Weis, Co. G

Company G
None

Company H
Second Lieutenant John J. Hine, captured
Sergeant William Weir, captured
Corporal Alvin F. Mallory, captured
Corporal Harrison E. Randall, captured
Corporal James Stutesman, captured
Corporal George N. Vrooman, captured
Musician Robert M. Foster, captured and died while POW April 2, 1864
Private James W. Baxter, captured
Private Campbell Bayes, captured
Private David Booream, captured
Private Davis Dodge, captured and died April 17, 1864
Private John B. DuMaresq, captured and died while POW November 18, 1863
Private Simeon Elliott, captured and died while POW March 2, 1864
Private William Fausey, captured and died March 24, 1864
Private George S. Miller, captured
Private Mordecai Gorsuch, captured and died while POW February 28, 1864
Private George H. Herrick, captured and died April 2, 1864
Private James Hodges, captured
Private David T. McLaughlin, captured
Private Martin Markley, captured
Private Orlan W. Masters, killed in action
Private Matthias Miller, captured
Private Philip Moore, captured
Private Ezra M. Ostrander, captured and died while POW June 20, 1864
Private John F. Raker, captured
Private John H. Reece, captured
Private Robert P. Smith, captured
Private John Stair, captured
Private Daniel Stanbarger, captured
Private Jasper C. Thomas, wounded and died of wounds February 14, 1864
Private Horace G. Wilcox, captured and died while POW March 4, 1864

Company I
None

Private Abraham Hoofnagle, Co. K, 100th Ohio Infantry
Captured at Limestone Station and survived imprisonment only to perish in the explosion of the Sultana April 27, 1865

Company K
Captain Joshua H. Green, captured
First Lieutenant Zeno T. Brush, captured
Second Lieutenant James H. Fowler, captured
First Sergeant William Furguson, captured
Sergeant Hiram D. Hines, captured
Corporal Horatio Allen, captured
Corporal Charles Bennett, captured
Corporal John C. Elliott, captured
Corporal William H. Havice, captured
Corporal Edward Heath, captured
Corporal Daniel S. Munger, captured and died April 19, 1864
Corporal Henry B. Nichols, captured
Corporal Frank W. Russell, captured and died while POW January 24, 1864
Corporal John W. Stone, captured
Musician William Young, captured
Private Cornelius Abbott, captured and died while POW February 14, 1864
Private Henry Adams, captured
Private George Ames, captured and died while POW May 15, 1864
Private Bliss Baker, captured and died while POW December 29, 1863
Private Samuel Binkley, captured
Private Daniel Carnicomb, captured
Private Peter Carnicomb, captured
Private John Donmire, captured
Private James Dymond, captured
Private John A. Ernsperger, captured
Private John Fowler, captured
Private William Gambee, killed in action
Private Charles F. Heseman, captured
Private Abraham Hoofnagle, captured
Private Christian Hoofnagle, captured
Private Eliphalet R. Jackson, captured
Private Charles Jones, captured
Private Rudolphus Kepfer, killed in action
Private Barney Kline, captured
Private Ruben G. Klose, captured
Private Joseph A. Loveland, captured and died while POW September 1, 1864
Private Philip Lutes, captured and died while POW November 1, 1863
Private Thomas McCreery, captured
Private John McKillips, captured and died while POW February 20, 1864
Private Thomas McKillips, captured
Priavte William Maurer, captured
Private Judge L. Metcalf, captured
Private William Midcap, killed in action
Private Orin Mott, captured and died while POW March 5, 1864
Private Sylvester Peasly, captured
Private George Pearson, captured
Private Joseph Pearson, captured
Private Alexander Reigart, captured and died while POW March 7, 1864
Private Simon G. Richards, captured and died while POW December 1, 1863
Private John F. Schwartz, captured
Private James Scremger, captured
Private Joseph Sharp, captured
Private John A. Shively, captured
Private Benjamin W. Smith, captured
Private Henry P. Smith, captured
Private John M. Steward, captured and died while POW February 26, 1864
Private Reuben D. Stine, captured
Private Michael Stull, captured and died while POW March 18, 1864
Private Joseph Wendling, captured and died while POW May 29, 1864
Private Sheldon Westover, captured
Private Samuel Whitehead, captured
Private William Wright, captured

 
100th Ohio National colors presented by the citizens of Toledo in early 1865. The battle honor for Limestone Station is the first for the regiment, and is barely perceptible on the second white stripe from the top. The honors for Town Creek and Wilmington, North Carolina are in a different style than the earlier honors and were added in the spring of 1865. 



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