OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List Issue 298 *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 298 Today's Topics: #1 civil war letter pages 11 and 12- ["Tammie and Keith" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <026601c0316f$304f2d00$1157f440@default> Subject: civil war letter pages 11 and 12- all I have Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit 11. We marched through Fredericksburg, Va. where Gen. Burnside's army fought the battle of Fredericksburg, Dec.12th, '62. The Union army was defeated, losing about 12,000 men and had to re-cross the Rappahannock River on the 14th, we arrived near Washington, D.C. Went into camp near the Potomac River. Polished our brass cannon, etc. and got ready for the Grand Review. Wahsington was packed with people from all parts of the U. S. A. to see the two great armies reviewed. YES, GREAT ARMIES. The Army of the Potomac, that is, some of them, had fought from Bull Run, July 21st, '61, to Lee's surrender at Appommatox Courthouse, April 19th, '65. Four long years of war. Sherman's army, some of them, had served under Gen. Lyon, who was killed at the battle of Wilson's Creek, Mo. Aug.10th, '61, then under Gen. Grant at the battle of Belmont, Mo. Nov. 7th, '61 to the battle of Chattanooga, Tenn. and Missionary Ridge, Nov. 23rd&24th, '63, then General Grant took command of the Army of the Potomac and Gen. Sherman took command of the Western troops until after the Grand Review. No two armies, backed and helped by our brave navy, (as fine and brave a navy as ever went to sea,)also greatly helped and supported by the loyal men, women, and children. They had served our UNITED STATES. The Army of the Potomac was reviewed May 23rd, '65. Sherman's on the 24th. I shall never forget the grand sight. The great mass of people, and as we passed the reviewing stand, President Johnson, Generals Grant, Sherman, and many others were there. The weather was perfect, everything moved to perfection, and yet, there was a great disappointment in the Review We missed our much loved President Abraham Lincoln, "The Saviour of Our Country." The 15th Ohio Battery was in the review. Our Captain, James Bur-dic, rode ahead of the battery. Behind him, the Flag, on the left of the Flad, 1st Sergeant, on the right, Bugler (P. K.), everything about the battery was o.k., and we made a good show. A few days after the review, we took our 4 brass 12 lb and two 20 lb Parott guns, horses, etc. to the United Arsenal and turned them over to 12. the Government. Went back to camp. Several days afterwards, we got into, not Pullman, but BOX cars, and started for home. Went through, or rather, as we were going through Zanesville, Ohio, we were all looking for Gen. Leg-gett, who was for awhile, our Division Commander, who lived there for awhile after the war. Some were on top of one of the cars, our Captain, James Burdick, was there, We were crossing a bridge over the river, their backs faced the bridge. A rod running from side to side of the bridge struck our Captain in the back of the neck. He fell down between two cars, then between two ties, down into deep water. had he fallen about ten feet farther, he would have struck rocks, which might have killed him. He began to swim. The train stopped. There was a flourmill beside the track. The millworkers were at the windows, looking at, and cheering us, but when they saw the Captian fall, some of them jumped into the river from where they were, others ran out on the bridge and dropped down into the river, and swam for him. He said, "Thank you, boys, but I can swim. Kindly gather my papers. They did so, and swam along side of him, in case he should get the cramps or weaken. All landed safely. Such cheering! The Captain and all of us thanked them for their kindness. The Captain seemed to have a charmed life. He served in the war against Mexico, and more than three years in the Civil War. He lived to be about 84. he was a fine and good looking soldier, we thought a great deal of him. The train reached Columbus, Ohio, and on the 20th of June '65, turned over it's battle-stained Flag to the State authorities, were paid off, and mustered out, ONCE MORE FREE MEN. I failed to mention, that while on our way to join Gen. Grant's army at Pittsburg Landing, we were fired into by some rebels. Our boat landed on the other side of the river, charged ON A CORNCRIB. Moved wagons, and some other stuff from the bow of the boat and planted 2 of our 6 lb brass cannon there, the boat pulled out, started for the place from where we were fired into. THEN for the first time, some of the boysof the 15th That currently is all I have of the letter and outline until I get in touch with my cousin. Hopefully it touched you like it did me. Once again I state I typed everything word for word and letter for letter exactly how it was in the letter from Mr. Paul Kamerer. Also, from what I have right now on hand from the Civil War Research Database from ancestry.com: Edward SPEAR, Served Ohio, Enlisted 20 August 1861 and 1st Lieut, age 31 James BURDICK,Served Ohio, Enlisted 26 November 1861 as 1st Lieut. , age 35 Edwin F. REEVE, Served Ohio, Enlisted 01 January 1862, as 2nd Lieut, age 32 Charles N. MOORE, Served Ohio, Enlisted 12 December 1861 as Qtr Master Serg, age 27 Stiles E. STURGES, Served Ohio, Enlisted 02 January 1862 as Corporal, age 35 Barnett PENNELL (my gg grandfather), Served Ohio, Enlisted 09 January 1862 as Private, age 21 Jesse DAY, Served Ohio, Enlisted 26 February 1864, Private, age 44 (a little note I believe Jesse to be father of George E. DAY, Served Ohio, enlisted 26 February 1864, Private age 18) George GESNER, Served Ohio, Enlisted 11 December 1861, as Private, age 21 Have a Blessed Day, God Bless, Tammie -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V00 Issue #298 *******************************************