Grapes and Catawba Wine on the Ohio: The 96th Ohio Defends Cincinnati

    The 96th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was raised in central Ohio during the month of August 1862, mustering in at Camp Delaware, Ohio. Right after mustering in, and in response to the Federal defeat at Richmond, Kentucky and subsequent threat to Cincinnati, the 96th Ohio was sent to Cincinnati via rail, arriving in the city on the evening of September 1, 1862. It was one of the first regiments to arrive and that same night crossed the Ohio River to take up defensive positions in Covington, Kentucky. Rumors were rampant that General Edmund Kirby Smith's legions were poised to swoop in and take Cincinnati, and the city was in something of a panic. Governor David Tod declared martial law in the counties along the Ohio and called out the "Squirrel Hunters" to help defend the state. 

    Among those green troops defending Cincinnati was Hospital Steward Heman Warren Allen of the 96th Ohio. The Delaware, Ohio resident took up a regular weekly correspondence with the Delaware Gazette newspaper to keep the home folks posted on events at the front. The much-expected battle for Cincinnati never materialized, and Allen's missives described the quiet times of army camp life touched with the feeling of disappointment that the regiment didn't get to cross swords with the Confederates. Unfortunately, Allen wouldn't survive the war, succumbing to typhoid pneumonia on February 12, 1863 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Squirrel Hunters and newly enlisted troops like the 96th Ohio constituted the bulk of the defenses of Cincinnati in the hectic early days of September 1862. Despite their utter lack of training, the men were enthusiastic and felt that they would give the Rebels a rough time, but the threatened attack on Cincinnati never materialized and the danger passed quickly. 


Delaware Gazette (Ohio), September 12, 1862, pg. 2

Covington, Kentucky

September 8, 1862

          Grant me a corner in your columns to say to those of your readers (who may not already know it) that Hermit’s Home is vacant and its ancient possessor is hereabouts, ready and willing to chronicle for them a little of the doings of the 96th Ohio in which so many are interested.  As will be seen from the heading, we are still here, have been away from home a week and nary a fight yet! To be sure, we are busy and plenty of promise of action shortly but yet the boys wait, and I am happy to say with a cool eagerness that promises well. We have been called out by way of trial and it was indeed flattering to see how readily and cheerfully the boys fell in line and started off.

          Since our arrival on Monday last, we have been mostly on picket duty in various directions and the boys acquitted themselves handsomely. Company A did a good job by way of demolishing a whiskey hole near Fort Mitchel, cleaning it thoroughly of liquors and breaking up the bar which had a Confederate flag on one end and an American flag on the other. The members of the companies enjoy out of town work well. The people here are very kind to Union soldiers, feeding all regiments that pass through. The headquarters of the 96th Ohio are at the courthouse, a large brick building and quite commodious. Colonel Guthrie’s headquarters are also here as well as the Provost Marshal’s. It would not of course be proper to say anything of the troops here unless it be merely that both cities are swarming and yet they come. Certainly, if there be a battle near here it will be no child’s play.

          Among the curiosities here is the pontoon bridge across the Ohio River from Walnut Street to Greenup Street on this side. To one who has never seen them, the building of one seems queer though on crossing there is no sense of insecurity. An enterprising local could have dished an item yesterday on seeing a part of it taken up; the idea of the Rebels crossing the river could have been dilated on, especially had he not seen the changes of the steamers above and below.

          The Delaware County boys are generally in good health and both Captains Weiser’s and Kimbal’s men are improving in soldierly appearance. The health of the regiment is good considering the changes of location and our men are mostly treated in quarters as we have as yet no hospital of our own but depend on the goodwill of Dr. Thomas of the regular hospital. The latter by the way is excellently arranged, but we are in hopes not to be dependent long. Our own surgeons are of course to be preferred to others and as our tents, ambulances, etc., are on the way, we shall be ready in that point of view.

Fort Mitchel in September 1862

A pleasing or at least interesting time we had Saturday at parade as the long roll was beat, bells rung, and our boys prepared for a fight in earnest. It was easily to be seen that they were in earnest, as sick men were out at roll call and made a march they could not have done otherwise. It is said some of the officers of the regiment were not in the secret and were as much excited as the men; certainly our neighbors over the river were not, for they came pouring down to Front Street in full force. All were out here and both Kentucky and Ohio boys were ready. After a mile or two of marching, all returned, dusty and sweaty but not otherwise worse.

An election for chaplain of our regiment the other day resulted in the choice of Reverend Ketchum of Bellefontaine. He is highly spoken of by those who know him as the man for the place. We had plenty of religious exercises, however, having preaching or prayer meetings in nearly every company every few evenings and the men seem to enjoy them much. Captain Coulter of Co. E preached in the courthouse on Sunday morning.

Of our movements for the future I will not venture a guess. Certainly it is enough for us to know that General Lew Wallace wishes us here and we have full confidence that his plans are best for us. The present amount of force will soon complete fortifications which will make us equal to a very large force of Rebels. There is no chance to dodge this work and one of the most pleasant sights of the week was the marching of a body of Negroes to do a portion of it; none the less so that some of them were dandified enough.

The citizens of Cincinnati went at constructing fortifications with a will.


Delaware Gazette (Ohio), September 26, 1862, pg. 1

Hills near the Ohio River, Covington, Kentucky

September 14, 1862

          A stroll this beautiful evening down to our own Ohio River where we could see this country of hills balanced by a strip of bottom land brought up a remembrance of oxbows and other nice patches at home. I will only say that we have any amount of views here which would delight an artist’s eye, not the least pleasing of which is the view up the river from the knoll south of us with a gunboat just down out of sight and a steamboat in the distance.

We are pleasantly located within a half mile of the river close to Air Home House about four miles from Newport. The regiment occupies a fine grassy hill and if our tents were here the situation could hardly be bettered; in place of them, however, quarters of pole, blankets, trees, etc., form a very good substitute even for these cool nights. We occupy as hospital a two-story brick dwelling just south of the regiment with an orchard between, the principal fruit of which is Russet apples. Without a doubt the owner had nothing better to do winter evenings than to eat them, but we, being in constant expectation of being soon elsewhere, cannot exactly coincide in the taste. The worms seem to have no opposition in their way for webs are common and at least half of the fruit is already worm-cored. This afternoon brought us our first lady visitor, a striking contrast to our visits at Delaware, but this one has not forgotten our wants for she brought us a basket of fine grapes and a bottle of Catawba wine. The ladies who visited us so regular will be interested in knowing that besides this, the week has also brought us a call from two members of the Sanitary Commission.

Catawba wine and grapes; Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton once famously said that "the champagne and oysters on the Potomac must be stopped." No doubt the flint-eyed Ohioan would have taken a dim view of "Catawba wine and grapes on the Ohio" had he learned of it.

As I write, the sound of preaching comes wafting from camp and tell of religious exercises at the close of the Sabbath. It is indeed a worthy closing of the day which I am glad to say has not been altogether forgotten, as the subduing of the camp bustle plainly indicated. Last night and often through the day came the voice of the sacred song, calm and clear as it did when we were with you and bringing up home thoughts to all who could think them over. Many are the words of endearing remembrance this day penned by the brave ones here, from our worthy chief to the humblest private, all telling in their different ways of the ties yet closely binding.

"It is said over the river that Ohio troops can always be told nowadays by being the poorest as far as clothing and equipment are concerned; a fact, if shoddy makes facts, which should be remedied." ~ Hospital Steward H. Warren Allen, 96th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

We have been ready for over two days for a move and expected on Friday to be certainly going. Tonight, the camp rumor places our going within two days and the move an advance; time will tell you whether the surmise is a correct one. We have been rather expecting the butternuts here but have so far been disappointed. Quite a number of the 121st Ohio boys visited our camp today having had a big hunt before they found it. From the roundabout way they took (by Fort Mitchell and Camp King the story goes), they must have seen full half the force on this side of the river at this point before they reached us. I guess they went away satisfied.

The pontoon bridge connecting downtown Cincinnati with Covington was the army's lifeline on the Kentucky side. "Among the curiosities here is the pontoon bridge across the Ohio River from Walnut Street to Greenup Street on this side," Allen remembered. "To one who has never seen them, the building of one seems queer though on crossing there is no sense of insecurity." 

September 15, 1862

          From all directions comes the drum’s warning call, and not to be behind our camp neighbors, ours too comes over the hill and proves we are still on this side of the Ohio, reports to the contrary notwithstanding. The fires begin to blaze up in all directions, though our neighbors of the regulars lead off in both this and the call. Their drill is eagerly watched by our boys who, by the by, have been exercised lately by some Kentucky troops who have seen service. Company F, though they failed to receive their expected place in the regiment, do not fail to come to time on duty, while Company G claims to have done no discredit to their friends at home. I think Delaware County will find her braves in the 96th are as worthy of the title as any in other regiments; certainly, we are egotistical enough to believe it.

Private Jacob P. Cratt, Co. C
Died of disease in February 1863

Delaware Gazette (Ohio), October 3, 1862, pg. 1

 Four miles northeast from Newport, Kentucky

September 22, 1862

          The closing of another week and the beginning of a new one finds us still near Beechwood Battery, close to Fort Washington on the hills of the Ohio; in fact, just where we were at my last. The week just closed has brought its excitements and changes and among the latter which concerns the regiment is the appointment of our worthy Colonel [Joseph W. Vance] to the place of acting brigadier while Green Clay Smith commands the division. A new regiment, the 23rd Wisconsin, joined us this week and are a noble set of fellows as far as physical appearance is concerned and are well-equipped. By the by, it is said over the river that Ohio troops can always be told nowadays by being the poorest as far as clothing and equipment are concerned; a fact, if shoddy makes facts, which should be remedied.

          At present our brigade consists of the 50th, 79th, and 96th Ohio regiments along with the 23rd Wisconsin and about 900 infantry of the 13th and 18th U.S. regiments, also Fort Washington, a new work about completed, and other batteries. Lieutenant Colonel [Albert H.] Brown commands the regiment now and though we should not wish to lose our colonel, yet with Brown and McElry we should be better off than our neighbors. In addition to the promotion of Colonel Vance, we have had to give up our assistant surgeon Dr. Hess who goes to take charge of the Regulars.

Lt. Col. Albert H. Brown, 96th OVI
Previous service in 4th OVI and in 
Mexican War

          One of the most interesting sights of camp is the arrival and distribution of mail. I had thought the eagerness of college students was hardly to be surpassed, but that of soldiers to hear from home exceeds it. You see it in the anxious watching as the letters are called over and handed out, in the joy of the fortunate ones who receive and the misfortunes of those who have hone, also in the listening to the items of correspondents from the neighborhood of home. Nor is the scene much less interesting as the hour comes round for the starting away, when from all parts of the camp you see men coming with unsealed letters in their hand increasing their pace, closing and even folding them on the way so as to be sure and have them go. I know the ones at home are most anxious to hear from the boys for I have seen the anxiety, but could they see the eager watching here they would not forget that they too had a part to play and would cease their often-heard complaints that no letters prove they don’t care. Could they see how and when the soldier writes for their eyes, realizing that it becomes hard work to write merely of the monotony of camp life.

But this is not all that goes to make up camp life which is more or less interesting to a novice and among the funny phases comes in the music of teams and teamsters. About cock crow and sometimes before the concert of sweet sounds commences from the whole line, coming up the glee of some four score mules. Some of your readers know how it goes and those who do not need a better musicians than myself to explain the different cadences, tones, rhythm, and harmony of our early singers and late warblers. One of the best things to the unpracticed ear that they get off is solos down at the blacksmith’s office which for clearness of tone and pitch certainly exceed any prima donna’s.

I think it was stated before that our camp was on a hill, the quarters extending down the slopes on each side. These cool evenings when fires are comfortable to men out of doors, it presents the appearance of a small city with lights in regular succession or more it is said like a large camp meeting. From the south where our hospital is situated, the view is especially fine and a walk the other day proved the other side of the hill to be equally beautiful and both look home-like and cheerful. When we received all our tents (about 80 have been received in the past week), the day view will also be pleasing though I doubt if it equals that given by the fire and starlight now.


Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Arming the Buckeyes: Longarms of the Ohio Infantry Regiments

Image
     A common question that comes up in conversation about Civil War Buckeye regiments is "What were they armed with?" We are fortunate in that the state of Ohio kept good records of how the regiments were armed when they went into service, this being especially true for those regiments which went into service in 1861 and 1862. The state adjutant general's reports for 1861 and 1862 have been heavily drawn upon to construct this article, as well as consultation with Phil Spaugy who has done extensive research on how Ohio's troops were armed during the war.      Buckeyes carried a fairly wide variety of weapons into the field, and the below article breaks this down into weapons of both domestic manufacture and imported arms. The early days of the war found the state of Ohio practically bereft of longarms; as an example, when the 1st and 2nd Ohio Volunteer Militia left the state in late April 1861, they left unarmed, being armed at Lancaster, Pennsylvania on their way to
Read more

Bullets for the Union: Manufacturing Small Arms Ammunition During the Civil War

Image
       Civil War bullets are perhaps the most common item collected from the era; the two armies expended bullets by the millions during the four years’ conflict and spent or deformed bullets of all shapes and sizes have made fascinating and affordable collectibles since the guns went silent in 1865.       I recently acquired a display piece featuring 35 different types of small arms ammunition used during the Civil War, including everything from a small .28 caliber ball up to a .69 caliber three-ring Minie and it triggered some questions: how did the Federal army obtain its small arms ammunition during the war? Where did the lead come from to make the bullets, and where and how was the ammunition manufactured? This post seeks to answer those questions. A typical .58 caliber 3-ring Minie bullet   “Whenever the blasts of war blow in the ears of men who trade in the implements of destruction, they are apt to experience more joy than the true warrior, for then comes the harvest of gain.
Read more

Dressing the Rebels: How to Dye Butternut Jeans Cloth

Image
     In the early days of the Civil War,  the Southern states found themselves with an abundance of cotton but a shortage of cloth with which to make army uniforms. The trade in cloth prior to the war had largely been to send raw cotton or wool north to New England (or Great Britain) where it was converted into usable cloth; but now that trade was broken and the Southern states were thrown upon their own resources in their efforts to properly clothe the Confederate army.  This collection of Confederate enlisted men's frock coats and shell jackets gives some indication of the variety of shades of butternut worn during the war. All of them are shades of yellow brown, some heavier on the yellow and some heavier on the brown. The blue used around the collar or as rank insignia indicates that the soldier was in the infantry. Surviving Confederate uniforms are considered rather rare and command quite a healthy price in the collecting market. For an in-depth study of how Confederate jacke
Read more

The Wizard of Oz and the Civil War

Image
T he 1939 film The Wizard of Oz has delighted viewers for 85 years and ranks as a personal favorite, especially during the Halloween season. While watching it with the family the other night, I wondered if there were any connections between the film and the Civil War. Not surprisingly, the answer is yes and those connections touch both the blue and the gray.           Interestingly both “witches” in the film not only had Civil War ancestors but had connections with Civil War soldiers from Ohio. Margaret Hamilton, the “Wicked Witch of the West,” was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 9, 1902, to attorney Walter Jones Hamilton and his wife Mary Jane Adams; Margaret’s grandfather was Judge Edwin Timothy Hamilton. Judge Hamilton had served as a private in Co. D of the 84 th Ohio Infantry during the summer of 1862. The 84 th Ohio, a three months’ regiment, served nearly the whole of its service attached to the Railroad District in western Maryland, performing provost duty at Cumberlan
Read more

The Vaunted Enfield Rifle Musket

Image
     The English-made Model 1853 .577 caliber Enfield Rifle Musket was widely regarded as the best infantry arm in the world at the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861. Favorable international press describing its efficiency in the Crimean War and in suppressing the Indian rebellion led to the widespread desire of American infantrymen (both Federal and Confederate) to be armed with these accurate and well-made arms. The lock plate of this well-worn P1853 Enfield rifle musket produced in 1862 shows the typical markings of a British-made weapon that made it through the Federal blockade.  ( Army of Tennessee Relics ) Enfield-pattern weapons were imported into the states by the tens and hundreds of thousands during the war years; one estimate stated that the Federal government purchased 500,000 while the Confederates purchased another 400,000. The Confederate government dispatched Captain Caleb Huse to Europe in April 1861 to purchase weapons and Huse focused on securing all the Enfi
Read more

In front of Atlanta with the 68th Ohio

Image
  The arrow corps badge of the 17th Army Corps was worn by many members of the 68th Ohio in the latter days of the war.       Private Edward A. Bigelow of Co. F of the 68th Ohio Volunteer Infantry wrote this brief account of the Battle of Atlanta just two days afterwards to his father back home in Henry County, Ohio. The regiment formed a part of Colonel Robert K. Scott's three regiment all-Ohio brigade consisting of the 20th, 68th, and 78th regiments, being designated the Second Brigade of the Third Division of Frank Blair's 17th Army Corps. Bigelow's letter originally appeared in the Napoleon Press newspaper and was copied in the Toledo Daily Commercial which was providential as no known copies exist today of the wartime Napoleon Press.  
Read more

Charging Battery Robinett: An Alabama Soldier Recalls the Vicious Fighting at Corinth

Image
W riting 30 years after the Battle of Corinth, James A. McKinstry of the 42 nd Alabama recalled his experiences storming Battery Robinett with Colonel William P. Rogers of the 2 nd Texas and expressed guilt that it was perhaps his action that brought about the colonel’s demise. “On seeing a line of Federals approaching, and before giving the situation a thought, I immediately raised my gun and fired full into the breast of a Federal sergeant, who was in front of the column, and only a short distance from us.  'Twas then that Captain George Foster shouted, "Cease firing, men! cease firing!" and waved his handkerchief, then I realized the true situation. 'Twas too late! That fatal volley had been turned on our little band from the muzzles of 1,500 muskets. I was still standing just as I was when I fired my last shot, and within a few feet of Colonel Rogers, when a Minie ball went crashing through my left hip and turned me half round; another went tearing through my
Read more

Federal Arms in the Stones River Campaign

Image
  T he following list, constructed after many years of research, lists unit by unit which type of weapons were carried by the Army of the Cumberland during the Stones River campaign. A number of sources were consulted including state ordnance reports, Federal quarterly ordnance reports (thank you Research Arsenal ), Ken Baumann’s Arming the Suckers, regimental histories and memoirs, captured ordnance reports, and consultation with knowledgeable experts in the field of firearms. Some of this information has been shared on the blog before in “ Rosy’s Heavy Metal: Artillery of the Army of the Cumberland ” or “ Shoulder Arms: How Sheridan’s and Davis’s Divisions Were Armed at Stones River ” but this is the first time the army as a whole has been presented. The overall conclusion I drew from looking at this data is that the Army of the Cumberland in December 1862 was an organization in the midst of transformation as far as arms. Many of the regiments still retained their original issue
Read more

Cook & Brother of New Orleans

Image
    The lockplate of a New Orleans-made Cook & Brother Enfield rifle produced in 1862 shows the fine craftsmanship that became the hallmark of the maker throughout the Civil War. Note the stars and bars flag at left, an emblem used on C&B's production throughout the war and the Cook & Brother, N.O. 1862 markings. Earlier production weapons at New Orleans had the flag located just above the maker's name while later weapons produced in Athens, Georgia would have a modified flag and Athens on the plate followed by the serial number.        In the spring of 1861, two English-born businessmen, Ferdinand and Francis Cook of New Orleans, perceived the need for the South to have its own domestic production of firearms and  set out to prove "that rifles could made here as well as in Yankee land or in Europe." The brothers  elected to produce copies of the British Model 1853 .577 caliber Enfield rifle as this was considered the benchmark longarm at the outset of the
Read more

Revisiting Snodgrass Hill: Memories of a 21st Ohio Officer

Image
Captain Isaac Cusac, Co. G, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry proudly displaying his rank as captain in an image likely dating from early 1863. One of his shoulder straps was shot off in the final stages of the 21st Ohio's fight atop Snodgrass Hill on September 20, 1863. Cusac brought it back to Chickamauga 50 years later.  I n September 1913, 83-year-old Isaac Cusac, a retired Presbyterian minister from the little town of McComb, Ohio, returned to Chattanooga to attend the national G.A.R. encampment. The former captain of the 21 st Ohio returned to Snodgrass Hill on the old Chickamauga battlefield on the 50 th anniversary of the battle carrying with him a precious relic of his wartime experiences. “He carried with him there an epaulet that was shot from his shoulder at the battle,” it was reported. “The bullet clipped off the epaulet and then struck him on the left hand, injuring two fingers.”           The flood of memories as he walked the grounds must have been overwhelming. The f
Read more