Adams County History & Genealogy



Adams County, Ohio Military History



Civil War: Seventh Ohio Volunteer Cavalry


This regiment was recruited from the counties in the southwestern part of the state and was known as the "River Regiment". It was mustered into service from 12 Sep-08 Nov 1862 at Columbus, Camp Ripley, Athens, Pomeroy and Gallipolis OH, to serve three years. At the time of its organization it numbered 1,204 men and at the time of muster out 840 men. It was mustered out at Nashville TN 04 Jul 1865, and was paid and discharged at Camp Dennison OH.

The regimental field officers were: Israel Garrard, colonel; George G. Minor, lieutenant colonel, Janie, McIntire, major; Isaac Train, surgeon, and Theodore F. Allen, adjutant.

Adams County contributed Company F to this regiment. This company was recruited at Bentonville by Allen G. Brownfield, who was made captain of the company. Joseph H. Copeland and Oliver H. Eylar were first and second lieutenants respectively. The non-commissioned officers were: Win. E. Jennings. orderly; Samuel Dryden, quartermasters sergeant; Samuel B. Truitt, commissary sergeant Thomas J. Robbins, James Froman, Jenkins Davis, Robert McNeil and Argus McCall, sergeants.

The corporals were: Reuben O. Cropper. Henry Stableton, John H. Starrett, John A. McCall, Andrew J. Phillips, James L. Park, George D. Cox and William D. Rees.

The survivors of the Seventh OVC residing in Adams County are all members of Company F. They are: William H. Vane, first sergeant and promoted to second lieutenant, assigned to Company E; James Froman, Samuel B. Truitt, promoted to Reg. Com. Sergeant; Robert C. McNeil, Enoch McCall, Reuben O. Cropper, Benjamin K. Swearingen, Charles Bowman, William Hooper, Stephen R. Bradford, John C. Wright, Moses Burttingham, John Clinger, William H. Rhinehart, Thomas Swearingen, Peter F. Darnell, Richard M. J. Doggett, Charles Edgington, Albert Urton, Alexander Fleming, Samuel Grimes, Wilson M. Grooms, Elijah Hill, John F. Howell, John P. Levi, John A. McCall, Sylvester Moore, William H. Park, John J. Kirts, John W. Hughes.

Those of Company F who lost their lives in service are: James M. Campbell, James Palmer, Argus McCall, John B. Smith, Ferdinand Redinger, John A. Ross, Samuel Searse, Thomas Jackson, Albert Jarvis, Edward Cunningham, John H. Starrett and William R. Duzan, the two latter losing their lives on the ill-fated Sultana.

The engagements that the Seventh Regiment took active part in were: Dutton Hill KY 30 Mar 1863; Cumberland Gap TN 09 Sep 1863; Blue Springs TN 10 Oct 1863; Franklin TN 30 Nov 1864; Nashville TN 15-16 Dec 1864; Plantersville AL 01 Apr 1865; Selma AL 02 Apr 1865; Cynthiana KY 11 Jun 1864; Buffington's Island OH 19 Jul 1863.

The hardest fought battle ever participated in was Franklin TN. At Rogersville TN, the regiment met its most serious losses by capture. The captured men suffered greatly in Libby and Andersonville prisons. One of the most deplorable events which occurred during the service of this regiment was the explosion of the steamer Sultana 27 Apr 1865 on the Mississippi River near Memphis TN Several members of this regiment had been paroled at Vicksburg and were on their way home when the explosion occurred in the night and several hundred men lost their lives.

Major General Upton in General Order No. 21, issued at Edgefield TN in 1865, highly compliments this regiment for its bravery and eminent service rendered in the last campaign of the war, reciting the conduct of the division of which the seventh was a part, he says:

In thirty days you have traveled 600 miles, crossing six rivers, met and defeated the enemy at Montevalle AL, capturing 100 prisoners; routed Forrest, Buford and Rhoddy in their chosen position at Ebenezer, capturing two guns and 300 prisoners; carried the works in your front at Selma, capturing thirteen guns and 1,100 prisoners, five battle flags, and finally crowned your success by a night assault on the enemy's entrenchments at Columbus GA, where you captured 1,500 prisoners, twenty-four guns, eight battle flags with vast ammunitions of war; 21 Apr, you arrived at Macon GA, having captured on your march 300 prisoners, thirty-nine pieces of artillery and thirteen battle flags. Whether mounted with the saber or dismounted with carbines, the brave men of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Iowa; First and Seventh Ohio and Tenth Missouri triumphed in every conflict.


From A HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO
from its earliest settlement to the present time including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the county's growth and containing numerous engravings and illustrations
Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers [1900, West Union OH]