The 7th Ohio and the Battle for Port Republic

     The 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry had by the beginning of June 1862 become one of the most well-traveled regiments in Virginia. As part of General James Shields' division, the Roosters had fought at the First Battle of Kernstown on March 23rd and since had marched all over the Shenandoah and Luray Valleys, and even on to Fredericksburg where on May 23rd they were reviewed by President Lincoln. Stonewall Jackson's late May offensive sent the 7th marching again to the Shenandoah aiming to cut off Jackson's exit from the valley. The resulting Battle of Port Republic fought on Monday morning June 9, 1862 remained a point of pride for the regiment, even if the battle was a defeat. The regiment went into action with 327 men and lost a dozen killed, 63 wounded, and 10 missing; it was a soldier's battle best told by the soldiers themselves. 

    I present below accounts from six members of the 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry who tell the story of Port Republic as they saw it: 


The rooster became the emblem of the 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and adorns their regimental monument at Antietam and Gettysburg. During the war, soldiers wore this emblem on their caps or upon the jackets with pride. Led by the popular Lieutenant Colonel William R. Creighton at Port Republic, the 7th Ohio performed some of their best fighting of the war. 


We started from Columbia Bridge on Saturday the 7th instant for the purpose, as we were told, of cooperating with the forces in the Shenandoah Valley against the Rebels a short distance above Harrisonburg. It was reported that Jackson had moved his train out of the valley and was crossing the river at the bridge a little way south and east of Harrisonburg. We could hear cannonading for several days and knew that Fremont was pressing them hard in the Shenandoah Valley, and of course we were stimulated to make an effort to cut off Jackson’s retreat and capture his train.

          On Saturday we marched to within a short distance of Conrad’s store and encamped for the night. On Sunday morning before 5 o’clock we were again on the move and after two hours’ march we stopped and cooked breakfast. We then started on toward Port Republic where the Rebel train was supposed to be. We arrived near the bridge at about 4 o’clock on Sunday afternoon. The Fourth Brigade under the command of Colonel Samuel S. Carroll arrived at the bridge early in the day and had a sharp skirmish with the Rebels near the bridge. Before the Third Brigade came up, the Fourth had fallen back about five miles.

          The Third Brigade under Brigadier General Erastus B. Tyler moved forward toward the bridge and halted within 1-1/2 miles of it from which position we could see the enemy on the opposite side of the river. It was difficult to ascertain what the force was, but we could distinctly see some artillery, cavalry, and infantry. After resting an hour or two, we moved forward through the woods towards the bridge, but before we had advanced far, we were ordered back. We marched back about half a mile and encamped for the night in a thick clump of woods.
~ Second Lieutenant James P. Brisbine, Co. E

 

Captain George L. Wood of Co. D was severely wounded in the leg during the latter stages of the Battle of Port Republic and would be discharged for his wounds later that year. 

          Early on the morning of June 9th, the enemy was seen to debouch into the plain in our front when our artillery under Captains Clark, Robinson, and Huntingdon opened a heavy fire upon him. This force moved into the woods on our left and passing up a spur of the Blue Ridge, three themselves rapidly forward with a view of turning that wing of the army. Two companies of skirmishers and two regiments of infantry were sent into the woods to counteract this movement. The skirmishers having become warmly engaged, two more regiments were sent forward to their support. The enemy now abandoned his intention and coming out of the woods, swept across the field to our right uniting with a column which was advancing to attack.

          During this time, the 7th Ohio was supporting a section of Huntingdon’s battery. This new movement was directed against the position occupied by it. When arriving within range of the guns, the enemy charged. The regiment reserved its fire until the Rebel column approached within easy range when, by order of Lieutenant Colonel Creighton, the regiment which had been hitherto concealed by the tall spires of wheat, rose to its feet and delivered its fire. This shower of lead made a fearful gap in the lines of the advancing column. It staggered and finally halted. The 7th now plunged into the midst of the foe when an awful scene of carnage followed. After a short struggle, the enemy was pressed back followed by the exultant victors. When the enemy had been pressed back for half a mile, the column halted, reformed, and then fell back to its old position.

~ Captain George L. Wood, Co. D

 

          A heavy force attacking our left where the 66th Ohio was supporting Clark’s battery after a hard combat captured the guns. The 5th and 7th were ordered to retake the guns. Moving by the left flank under a heavy fire to the rear of the position, we dashed up the hills and over the guns, dispersing the Rebels who went down the hill pell-mell. We turned the artillery upon them, but they took refuge behind a hall.

~Private John C. Lindsey, Co. G

 

Lieutenant Colonel William R. Creighton led the 7th Ohio at Port Republic. He would be killed in action November 27, 1863 during the Battle of Ringgold Gap, Georgia. 

          The enemy now made an attempt to turn our left flank. I gave the order “Forward by the left flank” We were obliged to cross an open field exposed to a galling fire from a large body of the enemy posted in an orchard and behind rail fences. The men behaved under the fire like veterans. I gained a good position and protected by the brow of a hill, returned their fire with good effect. The enemy gave way on our left and I now advanced upon them. The 5th Ohio at the same time advanced on our left. I now received orders to assist in driving them from the orchard and brick house where they had taken up position and then organize for a systematic retreat. We did so, driving them before us nearly half a mile. I then gave the order, “by the left flank” and brought the regiment off the field in good order and through the whole retreat they behaved in a soldier-like manner.”

~ Lieutenant Colonel William R. Creighton

 

          Our regimental colors changed hands three times during the engagement. The color bearer fell in the early part of the fight wounded in the thigh. The next who took it was shot dead, but the next [Lieutenant Leicester King of Co. I] bore it triumphantly through the remainder of the engagement and brought it out all right with the exception of 14 additional bullet holes which with the 28 received at Winchester makes 42. The 7th Ohio was in the thickest of the fight from the beginning to the end and was exposed to a continuous shower of bombs, grape, canister, and musket balls, and many of our poor fellows met the enemy for the last time; yet we have the satisfaction of knowing that we many of the enemy were shuffled off to their mortal end.

~ Private David G. Stein, Co. A

 

The torn and shot riddled regimental colors of the 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry today are in the possession of the Ohio History Connection in Columbus. Two color bearers were struck down at Port Republic before they were taken up by Second Lieutenant Leicester King of Co. I carried them through the rest of the battle. The colors sustained 14 bullet holes at Port Republic. 

          I was in my bare feet. We saw one of Clark’s guns stuck fast something over 200 feet from where they had been in action. The Rebels had a battery in action not far from where Clark’s had been. The wheels of Clark’s gun were in the mud up to the hubs, the ground just there being swampy. There were but two horses to the gun and the driver was on one doing his best to get the team to pull the piece out, but they could not do it when my comrade and I went to give our help. The driver was the only artilleryman with the gun as the rest had all left. The Johnnies were so excited that they threw over canister and shells over our heads. I was in my bare feet and the comrade who helped me was shot in the mouth, through one cheek and out the other. I had hold of the right-hand wheel and lifted till I could see stars with the blood running out of my feet and legs. Each time my comrade at the left-hand wheel lifted, blood would issue from both of his cheeks like soap bubbles.

~ H.H. Rhodes, Co. G

 

          After falling back some miles, we met the balance of the command under General Shields who assumed the direction of the forces. The command halted for the night 18 miles from the battlefield and on the third day reached the vicinity of Luray where it went into camp. The importance of this engagement has been underrated. Great and beneficial results would have followed a victory; as it was, a great disaster succeeded. The impetuous Jackson having thus prevented McDowell’s forces from uniting with the grand army, dashed down in front of Richmond and hurling his army against the right wing of McClellan, gave the Federal army its first check which finally resulted in its overthrow. This failure to intercept Jackson was due to General Shields’ disobedience of orders. His entire division should have been on the ground on Sunday or none of it; and on its arrival, it should have burned the bridge, then the capture of Jackson would have been rendered probably, but as events occurred, it was impossible. A part of the division not being in supporting distance rendered the burning of the bridge a necessity; but Shields regarded it differently. His order to save the bridge was the extreme of folly. To make himself a name, he came near sacrificing his command.

~Captain George L. Wood, Co. E

 

 

Sources:

Letter from Second Lieutenant James P. Brisbine, Co. E, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Western Reserve Chronicle (Ohio), June 25, 1862, pg. 2

Wood, George L. The Seventh Regiment: A Record. New York: James Miller, 1865

Report of Lieutenant Colonel William R. Creighton, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Cleveland Morning Leader (Ohio), June 24, 1862, pg. 2

Letter from Private David G. Stein, Co. A, 7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Ohio Patriot (Ohio), July 4, 1862, pg. 2

“Account of the Battle of Port Republic,” National Tribune, February 13, 1890, pg. 3

“The Battle of Port Republic,” John C. Lindsey, National Tribune, June 18, 1903, pg. 3

 

 

 

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