INTRODUCTION.
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The campaigns of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, if written at all, should have been written nearer the close of the war, while the stirring scenes and events of those years of daring, duty and glory were vivid in the mind of the writer. The "Campaigns" should have been written by one that had intended to write them from the first, and had made such due and proper preparation during the time the same were going forward as would enable him to collect the necessary data for a correct and valuable history of the men, the companies and the regiment as an entirety. The "Campaigns" should have been written by one that had as full knowledge of the entire regiment as the author of these imperfect sketches had of the company he commanded during the service. Some of these campaigns were written for the purpose of preserving the events therein narrated, and by solicitation were delivered before the "permanent organization" of the regiment at its annual reunions, held from time to time, in the vicinity where the regiment was organized. Some, by mere chance, were published in the soldier papers of the country, and copied into others; but not until very recently did their author contemplate putting them into their present form, and only after a very strong desire had been expressed by the regiment, at one of its reunions, that some attempt should be made to preserve the deeds of the heroic men, living and dead, that composed one of the truest and best regiments that ever marched beneath the colors of the republic, did the author determine to undertake the work that is now consummated.
It is the opinion of the author, in putting this book into the hands of those who did so much to make the history it seeks to perpetuate, that the most striking thing about it is its imperfections, its inaccuracies. And this, to a certain extent, needs be so, as the events it commemorates were written, almost altogether, from memory, and that after more than twenty-five years after the facts narrated took place; and many a time, while recalling those marches, battles and sufferings of those brave men that struggled "to keep the flag in the sky during all those dark years," it occurred to the authorcould he only have the memory of each of the survivors of that grand body of men, how much more complete, accurate and interesting his work would be to them for the perusal of whom it is intended. And again, the experiences of a modest, but quite busy, professional career, for many years, has taught the author that the same event is never seen by all alike, never remembered by all alike, and could not be written by all alike, though all were equally desirous to tell nothing but the truth.
In these "Campaigns" there has been no desire to gloss over the mistakes and imperfections of the actors of the greatest drama that was ever enacted in the world's history; but in the criticism of them the author has had continually in mind the fact that, generally, all was done with the best endeavor, with a purpose and patriotism that has not a parallel in history. And sometimes it seems to be better to note a few faults, that the work may seem real, not fabulous; that we write of men, not of angels.
It was the original purpose to present engravings from portraits of the field and staff, the original captains of the companies and some others, but too much time had run to carry out, entirely, this design. We could not publish engravings of each member of the regiment, though we are aware that nearly all are worthy of such honor, and we thought to be content with publishing engravings of the representative men of the regiment, but in this we have succeeded only in part.
The "Roster and Roll of Honor" attached to the "Campaigns" is the one published by the direction and authority of the State of Ohio. It is far from being perfect, but the best that could be furnished, under all the circumstances, and is worth a great deal more to each member of the regiment in the form presented herein, than it is as published by the authority of the state.
And now we say, go, thou little imperfect production, into the hands and homes of those with whom we served, suffered, and still love. If this poor souvenir of so good a service, and so many and great sacrifices, revives the memories and stirs those brave hearts to whose services no pen and no tongue can do justice, our desires are accomplished.
G. W. Lewis ,
Major 124th Regiment, O. V. I.
Medina, O., February 17, 1894.
SURGEON DEWITT C. PATTERSON.
The Campaigns of the 124th Regiment,
OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
FROM CLEVELAND, OHIO, TO MANCHESTER, TENN.
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The One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was born of the great impulse of patriotism that swept over the country in the latter part of the summer of 1862, occasioned by the necessity for the "300,000 more" to put down the slaveholder's rebellion. The greater part of the regiment volunteered without the aid of a recruiting officer. Company A was raised in Cuyahoga county, and the patriotic and earnest William Wilson, afterwards its captain, seconded by that most enthusiastic of men, Cleveland Van Dorn, afterwards captain of Company D, were the leading spirits around which the brave men, that afterwards were mustered into the service of the United States as Co. A, 124th O. V. I., gathered, and became in fact what they were by letter, the first of the regiment. Company A was organized with the intention of becoming a part of the 103d O. V. I., but on going into camp, Captain Wilson found that regiment already full, and finally determined to join his fortunes, and that of his noble men, with those of the 124th O. V. I., to which regiment Oliver H. Payne had been commissioned as lieutenant colonel, and James Pickands, formerly of the 1st O. V. I., as major.
Company B was organized, almost exclusively, from the young men of the western townships of Medina county. Spencer township furnished the greater number, some forty enlisting from that township in one day, August 12th. Litchfield township furnished a goodly number, while Homer, Harrisville, Chatham, La Fayette helped to swell the ranks, while a few came from Wayne, some from Lorain, and later the youngest member, John M. Bowman, was consigned by his patriotic mother, residing in Cleveland, to the care of Company B. This company, or rather body of men, was sent into Camp Cleveland by order of the Military Committee of Medina county, composed of Judge Samuel Humphreville, John B. Young, Esq., and Mr. John Rounds. This body of men, by the intercessions of the committee with Governor Todd, was suffered to elect its commissioned officers, and, as the result, George W. Lewis was chosen captain, John Raidaie, first lieutenant, and Charles M. Stedman, second lieutenant. When this company came to be mustered into the service of the United States, it had so many men that a number of them had to be mustered in other companies, and were afterwards transferred back to the company in which they had enlisted. This was also the experience of Company A.
