2012 Marshall Hope Award For Most Outstanding Department Newsletter

Preserving the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic and our ancestors who fought to save the Union 1861-65.

Ohio SUVCW COMING EVENTS Jan. 12 - Dept.

Mid - Winter Meeting, Columbus

June 8 - Dept.

Encampment, Columbus

THE BUCKEYE BUGLE

Volume 7, Issue 5

November 2012

Department of Ohio - Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Leadership-Followership 2

Xenia Orphan's Home 2

Hear The Silent Speak II 3

Pike Co. Graves Restored 3

Lawnfield Reenactment 4

Fayette Co. Last Vet 4

Belmont Co. Last Vet 4

ASUVCW Testimonial 5

Buffington Island 5

Memorial Cannon Project 5

Allatoona Pass Monument 6

Political Correctness 6

Graves Registration 7

CW Books to Read 7

CW150 Themes 7

Battle of Perryville 8

Battle of Perryville X

Non-stop personal market-

ing and selling are key to

attracting and retaining Sons

of Union Veterans of the

Civil War members. All the

technology you can dream of

will not bring in new Brothers

or hold on to existing ones.

Active recruiting will.

Marketing of the SUVCW

requires the physical effort of

people in individual Camps.

It takes all the Brothers in a

Camp, not just the Junior

Vice Commander, to recruit.

Potential candidates for

membership include members

of other fraternal, history, and

service organizations. They

have a sense of community

and ritual and very likely may

be descendents of Civil War

veterans. Such people are an

easy sell because they are

"joiners." Simply approach

and ask them about their Civil

War ancestors. When they tell

you about one or more CW

relatives, "set the hook."

Another great place to reach

potential members are local

Civil War Round Tables.

Many SUVCW Brothers are

members of such groups.

Have them talk about your

Camp and sell it to other

Round Table members. Also,

don't overlook family. Most

Brothers in the Sons have

brothers, sons, grandsons,

nephews and other relatives

who might share interest in

Non-stop marketing, selling "secret weapons" for camp recruiting By Br. Tim Graham, Department Junior Vice Commander

Civil War history. Sign them up

now. Maybe even pay their dues

for now and into the immediate

future. If they are not interested at

first, when it happens, they will

already be Camp Brothers.

Selling means talking to people.

Show enthusiasm for the SUVCW

and your Camp whenever and

wherever the opportunity arises.

Promote our organization at any

event remotely Civil War related.

Is there a Brother in your camp

who is in sales and marketing? If

so, put him in charge of your

marketing or get him to train other

Brothers that have the "gift of gab"

on how to sell our group.

A good place to do selling is at a

table with a promotional display.

National is developing a standard

table display package on a compact

disk that can be used by camps and

adapted with your own local

information. General SUVCW

information is provided. You copy

the words and pictures you like,

supplement them with your own,

and paste all on display boards.

Does your Camp have a canvas

canopy and a Camp banner? Set

them up at Civil War reenactments

and community events. Invite

people to come in out of the sun or

rain. When they are "captured,"

make your SUVCW pitch.

A SUVCW "pitch" gets their

attention and interest. It also gets

them thinking about what they can

do if they join. Keep your pitch

simple. For example, “The SUV

marks and documents graves of

Civil War veterans, main-

tains monuments in their

honor, and remembers their

history.” Once you have a

prospect's attention, tell them

how to join. Go into detail

about what your Camp does

locally, and at the Depart-

ment and National levels.

Explain how their active

participation in the camp will

help with future projects. __________________________________________________________

Tell prospects what

your camp does locally __________________________________________________________

Invite them to your next

meeting. Give them a copy of

The Buckeye Bugle to read

and point out articles in it

concerning your camp and

projects by other camps.

Fundraising is also good to

do at events. After all, there

is an expense to selling.

Keeping Brothers once

they join is also part of

marketing. When a brother

joins, find out what their

interests and skills are. Give

them a job. This creates a

vested interest in your camp

and our organization. Cultiv-

ate personal relationships

among all members. Make

new members welcome. Talk

up The Order among

everyone with interests

similar to yours. Do projects.

Have fun. Committed

Brothers who are an active

part of your camp will

remain on camp rolls.

The Grand Army of the Republic

established the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors'

Orphans' Home in Xenia to provide a place to

live for children who had lost their father in

the American Civil War. For more than a

century, the home provided a home and a

lifestyle for orphans of veterans.

During his second inaugural address in

1864, President Abraham Lincoln challenged

Americans to bind up the wounds of conflict.

Among ways to do so, he urged, was to meet

the post-war needs of veterans, and their

widows and orphans. Plans soon began for

construction of "asylums" as long-term

sanctuaries for disabled soldiers and the

survivors of men killed in combat.

Although Ohio's first federally-funded and

operated post-war home for disabled veterans

opened in Dayton in 1867, money set aside

by the U.S. Government to build orphanages

was spent elsewhere. The veterans them-

selves took charge of establishing sanctuaries

for orphans of soldiers who died from disease

or wounds during the War and afterward.

In 1869, members of the Grand Army of

the Republic throughout Ohio generously

shouldered the challenge and established the

Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home

(OSSOH) in Xenia. Initially, only the sons

and daughters of Civil War soldiers killed in

action or who died from combat wounds or

disabilities were eligible. This later expanded

to embrace children of all U.S. Civil War

veterans and still later offspring of veterans

of any war unable to care for their children.

The facility grew from a rented home with

two children in 1869 to a residential complex

housing 900 boys and girls in 1901.

were divided into groups of thirty-five, and

lodged in cottages under the care of a

"mother." The home conducted church

services, established an accredited school,

provided education in several trades,

included a library, and supplied on-site

medical services. The list of trades taught

included tin and blacksmithing; wood

carving; knitting; dress making; tailoring;

farm, florist, and garden work; butchering

and slaughtering; and telegraphy. The

children also enjoyed extra-curricular

activities such as choir, orchestra, concert

band, military band, drum corps, and

athletics. The home's students even put out

their own newspaper, the Home Weekly.

Children were discharged from the home

upon reaching the age of 16.

In 1978, the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors'

Orphans' Home was renamed the Ohio

Veterans' Children's Home. Support of its

students was a special project of Sherman

Camp 93 and other groups such as the

Officers' Wives Club at Wright-Patterson

AFB. In 1997, the Home ceased operation.

More than 13,500 children had been cared

for and educated there during its 100 plus

years of service.

In 1997, Ohio conveyed the OSSOH

property to Greene County. In 1999,

Legacy Ministries International bought the

property to serve as its Xenia and national

campus. About 10 Christian organizations

now use the site. Many of the original

OSSOH buildings are still in use. Modern

structures added to the complex include a

radio station, retreat center, athletic fields,

and a conference facility.

Chaplain George W. Collier, former

chaplain of Logan County's 34th Ohio

Volunteer Infantry (Zouave) Regiment

and in1870 Chaplain in Chief of the Grand

Army of the Republic, was first to suggest to

fellow veterans the idea of the GAR

establishing an asylum for orphans in Ohio.

Prominent veterans and community leaders

involved with establishing the school

included Lewis B. Gunckel of Dayton - - a

man who had earlier helped establish the

"National Asylum for Disabled Veteran

Soldiers-Central Branch" there - - John C.

Lee, Ohio's lieutenant governor, and Mrs.

Lucy Hayes, wife of Ohio Governor

Rutheford B. Hayes, former commander of

the 23rd OVI and future U.S. president. GAR veterans raised funds for the OSSOH

by visiting churches, schools, private

organizations, and Posts throughout the state.

The home the veterans envisioned and

sponsored was a self-contained community

with a farm, dairy barn, hospital, central

power and heating plant, gymnasium,

banquet hall, chapel, and separate residence

halls for boys and girls. The home operated

on the "family plan" by which the children

Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home lives long, prospers, is reborn

Both leaders and followers determine SUVCW Camp's success By Fred Lynch, Department Commander

Leadership is influencing others.

Followership is seeking or accepting

that influence. Followership is the

mirror image of leadership.

Camp leaders cannot lead unless they

have followers who follow. Both functions

require training and practice to succeed.

Organizational success results more often

from good followership than good

leadership. Actions of followers determine

the success of a leader.

Qualities of Followership Tell the truth. Followers who tell the

truth and leaders who listen, are an

unbeatable combination.

Encourage and accept new ideas.

People who speak or act demonstrate

both leadership and followership.

Use power wisely. Followers have

power. Leaders only think they have

power. Followership is like a build-

ing's basement: although unseen, it supports.

Hold SUVCW Camp, Department, and

National leaders accountable. Leaders

come and go but followers usually stay

long term.

Understand that both respect and dis-

respect are earned. Respect is needed in

order to effect change. Disrespect among

Brothers can condemn a great idea or a

good project to oblivion.

Strive to be a role model. Role models are

people who influence other people.

Recognize that what works once may not

work in another time and place.

Characteristics of Followership Followership supports positive

interaction with leaders. Negative

interactions among leaders and

followers usually cause problems

and yield little good.

Good followers are good supporters.

Share knowledge and help make the

commander and the Camp successful.

Respected followers speak their views at

meetings, but disagree in private. They

also refrain from telling leaders what they

think the boss wants to hear.

Followership includes doing what needs to

be done when it needs to be done. Take

initiative and don't let problems go

unsolved. Good leaders spot problems,

good followers fix them.

Followers should recognize they have

biases. Biases impact every decision made

and can turn good ideas into bad ones.

Followership means being open to new

ideas. Support ideas of others. Provide

constructive criticism not obstructions.

Keep leaders informed. Followers need to

provide facts and relevant information to

decision-makers. Knowing needed

information is a key to making decisions

that are in the organization's best interests. Never stop trying to accomplish good.

Ohio Orphans' Home's main street.

The Buckeye Bugle page 2

of

Sherman Camp Signature Event salutes too long silent Dayton veterans By Br. Fred Lynch, Sherman Camp 93, Dayton

More than 250 visitors listened intently Oct. 7 as

Sherman Camp Brothers gave voice to several of

Dayton's little known veterans of the American

Civil War during Hear the Silent Speak II, a

SUVCW Signature Event. The event, co-

sponsored with the Lincoln Society of Dayton,

was part of Discover Woodland Days at Dayton's

historical Woodland Cemetery. About 600 Civil

War veterans are buried at Woodland. Four "too

long silent" from their ranks were "given voice" by

Camp 93 Brothers.

PCC Fred Lynch welcomed visitors and repre-

sented Lieut. Howard Forrer, hero of the July 1864

Battle of Decatur, Ga. Brother Al Howey shared

knowledge concerning Colonel Hiram Strong,

gallant commander of Dayton's 93rd OVI killed at

Chickamauga. Brother Brent Davidson spoke

concerning the life-long efforts helping veterans of

Chaplain William Earnshaw who established the

Stones River National Cemetery, was chaplain of

Dayton's National Soldiers Home 1867-1885, and

was National Commander-in-Chief of the GAR

1879-80. Br. Mark Conrad represented Corporal

Alex Fair, and all soldiers who fought and won

the Civil War. Fair was in the 1st OVI and also

served in the 2nd Pioneer Battalion as a combat

engineer building roads and carrying a rifle. As

Conrad explained, Fair also was the brother of

Private George Washington Fair, 93rd Ohio

Volunteer Infantry, the post-war model for the

statue atop Dayton's Civil War monument

downtown and also "The Sentinel" statue at the

Dayton's Dept.-

Chillicothe Camp restores "lost" Pike Co. cemetery, dedicates memorial By Br. Don Martin, Enderlin Camp 73, Chillicothe

Veterans Affairs hospital. Lincoln Society

friend and President Lincoln re-enactor Bob

Koogler read the Emancipation Proclamation

and explained the document's importance.

Br. Al Howey performed concerts of 19th

century "top hits" on a Civil War-era cornet.

Barbara Lynch conducted a guided tour to

graves of 14 heroes and two traitors. The

graves visited included both Major General

Robert Schenck who commanded the rear

guard at First Bull Run and his brother Rear

Admiral James Schenk who commanded

ships in the Federal Blockade Fleet. Also

visited were burial sites of war correspondent

Charles Bickham, and Private Henry

Kissenger who raised funds to build Dayton's

Civil War veterans' monument.

The event opened with a wreath laying

ceremony by President and Mrs. Lincoln re-

enactors Bob and Sarah Koogler and

Sherman Camp Commander Del Steiner in

Woodland's Civil War Section. Br. Lynch

placed GAR flag holders upon graves of

many of Woodland's Civil War veterans.

Cemetery where 73rd OVI soldiers are

buried before Brothers restored it. Memorial team L-R back: Don Martin, John Huffman, Brack Montgomery,

David Medert, Henry Shaw.

L-R front: Ed Montgomery, Jim Houston, and Rick Mitten.

"Lieutenant Forrer" welcomes visitors at right R - L "Corporal Fair," "Colonel Strong," "Chaplain

Earnshaw," and "President & Mrs. Lincoln" stand ready to help community neighbors

"Hear the Silent Speak."

The Buckeye Bugle page 3

Volunteer Infantry. The following soldiers

died at Clarksburg, W. Va.: Company A, Ross

County - William C. Pierce; Co. B, Pike

County - John H. Double, George Haynes,

David R Lee, David D. Mitten, Joseph T

Shade; Co. C, Ross County- Joshua C. Ross;

Co. D, Ross County - Frank H. Watkins, John

W Cottrell, Robert T. McDaniels, Henry

Martin, Thomas Swift; Co. E, Pickaway

County - Andrew Corcoran, Peter Gallagher,

John May; Co. F, Washington County - David

Fish; Co. G, Highland County - Thomas J.

Robinson; Co. H, Athens and Highland

Counties - William P. Cottrell, Henry C.

Creamer, William F. Fetherling; Co. I,

Clermont and Highland Counties - Benjamin

Love, Andrew J. Williams; and, Co. K, Athens

County - Enoch Mansfield, Andrew Williams.

the risk of wounds or death, but few men enlisted

with the realization that they were twice as likely

to die of disease. The Union Army of 2.6 million,

soldiers lost about 110,000 men to battle deaths

and about 250,000 to disease. In his book Call of Conscience, Call of Duty:

Pike County Ohio In The Civil War, Blain

Beekman relates: “A soldier from Pike County

actually had a three times greater chance of dying

from disease. Of the 1,226 Pike Countians known

to have fought in the war, 107 died of illness,

while 35 deaths were combat related. An

additional 92 soldiers were discharged due to

disabilities for illness as opposed to 30 disability

discharges for wounds. Twenty-nine other

soldiers were hospitalized for illness or injury.

One soldier in five was sufficiently ill to require,

at the least, hospitalization. Company B found

one-third of its troops in the hospital. The

remainder worried they would soon catch the

measles. This old cemetery would most likely

have been forgotten if not for the efforts of Ed

Montgomery and his son Brack. Ed, a Vietnam

Veteran, remembered how upset his Father had

been when the Cemetery was vandalized. He

never forgot the site and wanted to remember his

fellow veterans. Brack as a Boy Scout in 1991

completed a project which entailed building a

fence around the site of the old cemetery. The

remains of two broken military headstones were

discovered which contained the names of David

Mitten and John Double, both members of the

73rd OVI, Company B. Two years ago Brack

enlisted the help of Camp 73. Enderlin Camp is

named after Medal of Honor recipient Richard

Enderlin who served in Co. B of the73rd Ohio

On Oct. 6 Sergeant Richard Enderlin Camp 73,

Chillicothe, held memorial services in a field off

Frazier Road in Pebble Township at a location that

was once a cemetery. The farm owned by Ed

Montgomery included a cemetery that had its

headstones vandalized and stolen 60 years ago.

Military headstones for Privates John H. Double

and David D. Mitten of the 73rd Ohio Volunteer

Infantry were replaced and a plaque remembering

the 24 soldiers who died of “measles and camp

fever” was dedicated. Rick Mitten, a descendant

of David Mitten was in attendance.

The 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized

and mustered in on December 30, 1861, under

Colonel Orland Smith at Camp Logan in Chilli-

cothe. Company B of this Regiment was comprised

largely of Pike County men. The Regiment moved

to Clarks-burg, West Virginia, in February, 1862.

There, an epidemic of measles and “camp fever”

ravaged the camp and killed twenty-four soldiers

of the 73rd between Feb. 20 and April 8, 1862.

Civil War soldiers understood that battle brings

The Buckeye Bugle page 4

Belmont Co. Last Veteran William Groves receives Fearing Camp honors By Br. Dan Hinton, Fearing Camp 2, Marietta

Casey 92 honors Corporal Elon Thorton, Fayette County's Last Veteran By Br. Robert Grim, Casey Camp 92, Washington Court House

Radabaugh delivered the invocation. Past SUV

Cmdr.-in-Chief Robert Grim, SVR Commanding

General, was master of ceremonies.

A memorial address dedicating Cpl. Thornton's

SUVCW Last Veteran plaque was given by Past

National CinC Don Darby. The plaque was

unveiled by descendants of Cpl. Thornton with

assistance from Ohio Civil War Governor

Dennison living historian and Past Dept. Cmdr.

Robert Davis.

Floral wreaths were placed by Casey Camp

Commander Robert Troup, Ohio Department

Cmdr. Fred Lynch, and National Deputy

Commander of the SVR Henry Shaw Jr.,

Washington Court House City Manager Joe

Denen placed a wreath on behalf of the Grand

Army of the Republic.

Company C, 20th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

(SVR) commanded by First. Lieut. Shane

Milburn fired a 21-gun musket salute. Taps was

played by Steve Castrow and Larry Bishop,

members of the Fayette County Honor Guard.

Corporal Elon Thornton served in Co. C, 90th

OVI and later Co. D, 168th OVI. Following the

Civil War, he became a very successful Fayette

Henry Casey Camp 92 on Sept. 29 conducted a

ceremony in Washington Cemetery at the gravesite

of Corporal Elon Thornton recognizing him as the

last Union Civil War veteran of Fayette Co. More

than 50 people, including six descendants of Cpl.

Thornton, attended.

Casey Camp Commander Richard Troup welco-

med guests. Colors were posted by members of the

Sons of Veterans Reserve. Brother William

Co. farmer. He died May 15, 1941 about

one month short of his 97th birthday.

Participating in the plaque dedication

were his great grandson Charlie Andrews

and his great granddaughter Diane

Thornton, as well as grand nieces Mildred

Carson and Beverly Smith Deatley, and

grandnephew George Smith and great-

grandnephew Larry Carson.

Special thanks were extended to Disabled

American Veterans Chapter 89 for

providing funds to pay for the plaque and to

cemetery superintendent Rankin Kirkpatrick

and his staff for setting the plaque in the

ground at the grave site.

When William Wirt Groves died, he was the last

Civil War veteran in Belmont County. On Oct. 13,

more than 100 people attended Gen. Benjamin D.

Fearing Camp 2's ceremony dedicating a granite

plaque honoring Private Groves. Private Groves

served in Company B, 126th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

He was born Aug. 19, 1843 and joined the unit Aug.

13, 1862 at age 19. He was wounded May 6, 1864

during the Wilderness Campaign. He mustered out at

Washington, D.C. June 25,1865 after seeing action in

the Shenandoah Valley, Petersburg, and elsewhere. He

died on Dec. 28, 1941 at the age of 98 and was buried

in Kirkwood Township’s Salem Cemetery near

Hendrysburgh.

During an interview by his granddaughter, Helen

Murphy Nelson, years before his death, Groves stated,

"I didn't rejoice in that war even though it was

sanctioned by the government. They (the Southern-

ers) were nice people - - just as nice as the Yankees.

There was one difference. They were raised on one

side of the fence and the Yankees on the other."

Descendents of William Groves and several local

High School history students participated in the

traditional SUVCW ceremony. Department Senior

Vice-Commander Jonathan Davis represented the

Department of Ohio. Fearing Camp Commander Dan

Hinton led the ceremonies. Attending and firing the

rifle salute were: Camp Junior Vice Commander Rick

Griffiths, Chaplain Andy Francis, plus Brothers Norm

Pape, Jacob Hinton, Paul Warren, and Charles Miller.

Camp Jr. Vice Commander Rick Griffiths spear-

headed efforts to locate the grave of Private Groves

and to confirm his status as the county's last CW

veteran.

Fearing Camp Brothers, family,

and neighbors honor Belmont

Co. Last Veteran Private

William Groves, 126th OVI.

SUVCW and family representatives after

Last Veteran ceremony for Corporal Elon

Thorton, 90th and 168th OVI.

Lawnfield Signature Event showcases 42nd OVI flag, re-enactment By Br. Pete Hritsko, Garfield Camp, Cleveland

days before he was assassinated.

The Camp Chase Fifes and Drums performed

at the event. One highlight was a flag dedication

ceremony in which Mrs. Kathy Smith, widow of

PCC William Smith, their children, and Garfield

Camp families presented a replica 42nd OVI flag

to the Garfield home and museum. The flag was

received by Pres. Garfield’s great, great

grandson, James Garfield. Re-enactors of the 7th

and 8th OVI provided drill, firing, and battle

demon-strations. Camp 142 Brothers answered

questions concerning the SUVCW and Civil War

soldier and sailor life. Park Guide Scott Longert

estimated 1,700 people attended the weekend

event with 800 touring the Garfield Museum.

(L-R): Robert Waffler, Tim Graham, Jim

Garfield-G-G-Grandson of President Garfield,

SVC Tim Daley, Bob Howe, Burdell Waffler, CC

Pete Hritsko and Mrs. Kathy Smith, widow of

late PCC William Smith with replica 42nd OVI

flag presented at Signature Event.

Cleveland's James A. Garfield Camp 142,

ASUVCW Eliza Garfield Camp 142, Sons of

Veterans Reserve's Ohio Naval Brigade, and the

National Park Service jointly hosted a Civil War

Encampment July 14-15 at Lawnfield, the

President Garfield National Historic Site in

Mentor. This was the second year for the

SUVCW Signature Event.

James Garfield served as an Union Army

Officer 1861-1863 commanding the 42nd Ohio

Volunteer Infantry. He saved part of the Union

forces at the Battle of Chickamauga. In 1863 as

a major general, he left the Army to serve the

first of nine terms in Congress. He was elected

president of the U.S. in 1881 and served 200

To honor U.S. flag:

SUVCW members, Military retirees, and veterans are authori-zed to render the hand salute during the hoisting, lowering, or passing of the U.S. flag.

The hand-salute is also appropriate for veterans and Broth-ers during playing of the National Anthem and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States.

Battle of Buffington Island remembered, Union soldiers honored By Dan Hinton - Department Buffington Island Memorial Committee Representative

The Buckeye Bugle

L-R: Dept. Cmdr Fred Lynch with

2012-13 ASUVCW National President

Jane Graham

The annual commemoration ceremony

honoring the men who fought the Battle of

Buffington Island was held at the

Buffington Island State Memorial Park near

Portland July 21. Sponsored by the Ohio

Department Sons of Union Veterans of the

Civil War, the ceremony was co-hosted by

Cadot-Blessing Camp 126 of Gallipolis and

Gen. Benjamin D. Fearing Camp 2 in

Marietta.

The engagement at Buffington Island was

fought on July 19, 1863 and was the only

significant battle fought on Ohio soil during

the Civil War. Confederate General John

Hunt Morgan and approximately 2,000

Rebel cavalrymen penetrated north across

the Ohio River into Indiana and Ohio in

early July.

The battle along the Ohio River in Meigs

County, Ohio decimated the Confederate

forces and led to the defeat and eventual

capture of Morgan himself at West Point

July 26, 1863. All branches of the Union

military (Navy gunboats, artillery, infantry,

and cavalry) participated in the battle July

19th as did two future presidents of the

United States - - Garfield and McKinley.

fore too sacred to turn into scrap.

Ohio Department Order No. 2 sent to camp

commanders Nov. 20, 2012 launched an initiative

chaired by Br. Shawn Cox of Casey Camp 92 to

document the existence of all GAR Civil War

Memorial Cannons in Ohio that are located in

private and public cemeteries and other public

places. They are war memorials to Civil War

veterans that are to be protected from desecration,

abuse, deterioration, illegal sale, or use other than

to honor veterans.

All memorial cannons are still U.S. Government

property on loan to Grand Army of the Republic

Posts. Although the GAR Posts are gone, the

SUVCW is legal heir to GAR property that was

Department launches effort to safeguard GAR memorial cannons

effort In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt ordered

state and federal departments to "scrap monu-

ments, cannons and other ornamental metal that

was not absolutely indispensable" in support of

World War II needs. On September 28, 1942, the

National Military Home in Dayton announced

twenty-two tons of cannons and field pieces were

going to be scrapped. Dayton's Earnshaw Camp of

the Sons of Union Veterans voted on whether their

eight cannons should join the growing stack of

scrap for the war effort. Members voted unani-

mously not to remove the cannons from where they

were on public display "until the country is

invaded." Although pressured, Brothers defended

the cannons as war veterans memorials and there-

Organization representatives at the 2012 Buffington Island Ceremony

were Ohio Dept. Sr. Vice Cmdr. Jonathan Davis; Cadot-Blessing

Camp Brothers CC Jim Oiler, Chaplain Henry Meyers, Roger

Caldwell, David Carter, Mike Harbour, Dale Lamphier, Bill

McCreedy; General Benjamin D. Fearing Camp 2 Brothers CC Dan

Hinton, PCC Marvin Miracle, Chaplain Andy Francis, Norm Pape,

Charlie Miller, Bruce Fox; William Dennison Camp 1 PDC Bob

Davis and Camp 1 Auxiliary Sandy Prosak; Henry Casey Camp 92

Shawn Cox; Frost Camp 108 Auxiliary Judy Morgan, Betty Cohan

and Earl Cohan; Ohio Department Ladies Auxiliary May Frost; Maj.

Daniel McCook Circle, Ladies of the GAR Jean Hilton; United

Daughters of the Confederacy Jeanne Wray; Buffington Island

Battlefield Preservation Foundation Ed and Carrie Sharp; and, Ohio

Historical Society Karen Hassel, George Kane, and Dave Mowery.

page 5

Ohio Auxiliary SUVCW "Grand Lady" honored as group's National President

Sister Jane Graham, long time outstanding

member and leader within the Auxiliary to the

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in Ohio,

was honored Oct. 13 during a luncheon at the

Alliance Women's Club in Alliance. She is the

ASUVCW's new National President.

A room full of dignitaries and friends attended

the testimonial to honor the "Grand Lady" for her

many efforts and achievements en route to the top

national leadership position. "Sister Jane" joined

the organization in 1973. Mistress of Ceremonies

and keynote speaker for the gathering was

ASUVCW Past National President and current

Department of Ohio President Nancy Greenwalt

Hinton who spoke concerning the new National

President's projects, contributions, interests,

unceasing service, and family.

Among SUVCW representatives at the event

were Commander-in-Chief Perley Mellor, Sr

Vice CinC Ken Freshley, Department

Commander Fred Lynch, and Dept. Jr. Vice

Cmdr. Tim Graham. Many Other SUVCW

Brothers were present including Past

Department Commanders Gordon Bury II,

Tom Graham, and James Hinton.

ASUVCW National staff present included

Vice Pres. Diane Mellor and Chief of Staff

Ramona Greenwalt. Many letters of praise and

commendation honoring President Graham

were shared as part of the ceremony.

remaining as of 1956.

Sadly, from time to time, private collectors and

buyers convince local government and cemetery

officials to sell GAR memorial cannons. Whether

they know so or not, local officials and cemetery

staff do not have a legal right to sell memorials

honoring U.S. military veterans. No one does.

The cannons are memorials to veterans and

legally protected by federal and state laws from

sale, disposal as scrap metal, or desecration.

The SUVCW has a duty to protect all GAR

Civil War memorial statues, monuments, and

cannons and to defend and safeguard them as war

memorials honoring veterans. Helping Brothers

know where they are is a major step forward.

Sons of Union Veterans

of the Civil War

Department of Ohio

The Buckeye Bugle is an

unofficial newsletter published

periodically to inform and educate

members of the SUVCW -

Department of Ohio.

Photos in this issue courtesy of J.

Davis, D. Steiner, B. Lynch, public

sources, and private collections.

Items for possible publication

should be sent by email to:

SUVOhioEditor@gmail.com

Fred Lynch, Editor

SUVCW honors Fifth Ohio Cavalry soldiers who fought at Allatoona Pass By Br. Jonathan Davis, Dennison Camp 1, Columbus

"Hold the Fort, "Going Dutch" victims of 21st century political correctness

The Buckeye Bugle page 6

October 5, 148 years since the Oct.

5, 1864 Battle of Allatoona Pass, Ga.,

SUVCW Brothers, ladies, and

American Civil War history lovers

gathered to dedicate a monument

honoring the brave men of the 5th

Ohio Volunteer Cavalry who fought

there in 1864. The ceremony was

sponsored by the SUVCW Department

of Georgia's Elias Moon Camp 2,

Snellville, Ga., Daughters of Union

Veterans of the Civil Amanda Stokes

Detached Tent of Alpharetta, Ga., and

the State of Georgia. The monument is

located in the Allatoona Battlefield

Monument Park, part of Red Top

Mountain State Park. Daniel Hill, Red

Top Mountain State Park Manager,

and Gary Wehner, originator of the

Monument Park Project, delivered

speeches and accepted the monument.

Ohio Department Sr. Vice Cmdr.

Jonathan Davis and a delegation of

Ohio DUVCW ladies placed wreaths

upon the monument during the cere-

mony. Wreaths were also presented by

Moon Camp Commander Mark Hale,

and Stokes Tent First Vice President.

Maribeth Brannen and Secretary

Sharon Sowders. The Ohio monument

honors troopers of the Fifth Ohio

Cavalry stationed at the Allatoona Pass

Eastern redoubt who gallantly repulsed

an attack by the CSA 39th Mississippi

Infantry.

The battle - - part of the Franklin-

Nashville Campaign - - began when

Major General Samuel French's

Confederate division attacked the

small Union garrison of Brigadier

General John Corse protecting the

railroad cut known as Allatoona Pass

and the nearby Union supply depot.

More than one million pounds of

hardtack were among rations stored at

the depot. Although the Confederates

made repeated attacks against the

fortifications and nearly overtook the

Star Fort, the Union troops repulsed

the attackers. Of the 5,301 men who

fought at the battle, 706 Union and 897

Confederate soldiers were killed,

wounded, or missing - - one of the

highest casualty rates in the Civil War.

The Union defenders had been

slowly driven into a small Star

Fort upon the crest of the hill.

Many had fallen, and the fight

seemed hopeless. At this moment

an officer caught sight of a white

signal flag, far away across the

valley, fifteen miles distant, on

the top of top of Kennesaw

Mountain. The signal was answ-

ered and soon the message

was waved from mountain to

mountain: “Hold the fort; I am

coming. W. T. Sherman.”

Cheers went up, every man

renewed his dedication to the

fight under a murderous fire,

which killed or wounded more

than half the men in the fort.

Gen. Corse was wounded,

losing a cheekbone and one

ear. Colonel Tourtelotte took

command, though himself

badly wounded. They held the

fort for three hours until the

advance guard of Sherman’s

army came up, and Rebel

General French was obliged to

retreat. The "hold the fort"

message was in reality a ruse.

However, the hymn by Philip

P. Bliss, Hold the Fort, at

http://library.timelesstruths.or

g/music/Hold_the_Fort/hifi/

was inspired by the battle and

General Sherman’s message.

Today, few, if any Civil

War battle sites contain as

many original landmarks,

earthworks, and undisturbed

physical features as can be

seen at Allatoona Battlefield.

Allatoona Pass in 1864.

According to the Free Dictionary by

Farlex at

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/hol

d+the+fort "hold the fort" means: "to

take care of a place while someone

who is usually there is gone, such as

one's home." For example, "I'm going

next door to visit Mrs. Jones. You stay

here and hold the fort."

Traditionally, the phrase "hold the

fort" signals trust to care for someone

or something. There are two compe-

ting claims for its origin. The first is

that during the Battle of Allatoona in

the Civil War, General William

Sherman ordered Union forces to 'hold

the fort' and wait for relief. General

Sherman denied he said this, although

the myth persisted. The second and

most likely source of the quotation is

from a hymn entitled Hold the Fort by

Chicago evangelist Philip P. Bliss who

lived and wrote his hymns and tunes

during the War of the Rebellion.

Facts and history notwithstanding,

today's political correctness has

claimed the phrase as a victim. To say

"hold the fort" has now been deemed

offensive to Native Americans, that is

at least in the view of U.S. State

Department Chief Diversity Officer

John Robinson in an Oct. 2012 article

he wrote in State Magazine in that was

sent to U.S. State Department

personnel and others and distributed

worldwide. Read about it at:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012

/08/30/state-department-hold-down-

fort-other-common-phrases-could-be-

offensive/

Robinson believes, wrongly, that

"hold the fort" derives from frontier

settlers defending homesteads and

seeking refuge from raging Native

American's in the 19th century.

According to Robinson, "The Ameri-

can phrase is now negative and racist."

He claims, "'To hold down the fort'

originally meant to watch and

protect against the vicious Native

American intruders. In the terri-

tories of the West, Army soldiers

or settlers saw the 'fort' as their

refuge from their perceived

'enemy,' the stereotypical 'savage '

Native American tribes.'"

Robinson also advises American

diplomats another unacceptable

phrase in common use is, "Going

Dutch." Rather than a way to split

a restaurant bill, the top diversity

officer in the U.S. State Depart-

ment views the phrase as a

"negative stereotype portraying

the Dutch as cheap."

"Balderdash" is a 19th century

term meaning NONSENSE accor-

ding to the Merriam-Webster

Dictionary. Used in a sentence:

"Much advice from experts is

balderdash best ignored by

intelligent people."

Ohio monument (Top) and monument circle (B).

program.:

Ohio Historical Society suggests 2013 CW150 themes The Ohio Historical Society Civil War Sesquicentennial Advisory Committee selected "Ohio's Impact on the War" as their

theme for 2013. The group encourages SUVCW and other organizations to use these themes when they plan their own Civil

War activities for next year.

So You Think You Know Antietam? Stories Behind America’s Bloodiest Day

by James & Suzanne Gindlesperger

John F. Blair Publishers ISBN-13: 978-0-89587-579-2

$19.95 Paperback

The Antietam battlefield near Sharpsburg, Md. is

where on Sept. 17, 1862 occurred the bloodiest

day in American combat history with over

23,000 casualties on both sides. Annually

thousands of tourists go to Antietam who know

little concerning what took place at sites of

interest as they visit the battlefield.

Within Antietam National Battlefield Park are

about 100 statues and memorials. Where they are

located plus information concerning them are the

content of So You Think You Know Antietam?.

The 224 page book contains almost 300 pictures,

maps, GPS location coordinates, and abundant

tidbits of knowledge concerning the battlefield's

monuments. This is a good companion book for

CW150 visitors to Antietam Battlefield.

In Sherman's Path by Jeffrey F. Spieles

Royal Fireworks Press

ISBN-10: 0898248590

$9.95 Paperback

The novel is historical fiction for youth 11-14,

not research for historians. It's a good tool for

history teachers and parents. The author's

objective is to stimulate interest in Civil War

history among middle school youth and to

provide them knowledge in an interesting way.

Of special merit, there's a companion teacher's

manual available.

The main character of the book is Henry, a

teenager who joins the Rebel Army, gets scared

when he "sees the elephant" at the battle of

Allatoona Pass, and deserts. He later works for a

scallywag, loots vacant plantations, and

eventually helps a slave family move along

freedom's road. Henry makes many decisions

that a real youth might have faced in 1864 while

Sherman 's Bummers were marching through

Georgia.

Redemption - The Last Battle of the Civil War

by Nicholas Lemann

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

ISBN: 0374248559

$24 Hardbound

U.S. Government support of the nation's

liberated, emancipated, and enfranchised

former slaves in Southern States faded in

1875. In 1877, Ohioan and Republican

Rutherford B. Hayes secured support for

his presidency by agreeing to remove from

the South the last federal troops assigned to

enforce Reconstruction programs there.

The book documents how Mississippi’s

Reconstruction governor and Civil War

hero Adelbert Ames sought to make his

state an exception to what was happening

elsewhere in the South. He failed. Pitched

battles and harassment of former slaves and

their families followed. Historians

interested in post-Civil War life in the

South will find this book educational.

The Buckeye Bugle page 7

SUV graves registration website valuable public service Courtesy of SUVCW national graves registration website http://www.suvcwdb.org/home/about.php

The SUVCW National Graves

Registration Project was established

in 1996. Since then, hundreds of

dedicated people from within and

without the SUVCW have devoted

thousands of hours of their time and

energy visiting cemeteries,

recording, verifying, researching and

entering the final resting places of

Civil War veterans. From the

beginning, one thing was missing:

the means for the SUVCW and

general public to search and view

the results on the Internet. As the

number of apparent duplication of

effort and registrations grew, it was

also apparent the general wasting

of people's time was at an

unacceptable level. Knowledge

of what was completed and what

needed additional investigation

wasn't available.

The National Graves Registra-

tion Database is now available to

all. The database was activated

February 22, 2005. This makes

all original registrations available

for viewing by the general

public, as well as allowing for

new registrations to be entered

through an online program.

New graves registrations may

be entered through the "submitter"

area. Updated or additional

information concerning previously

submitted registrations should

continue to be submitted to the

National Graves Registration

Officer.

Submissions by people without

computer access or who prefer not

to use a computer will be accepted

through regular mail. Also, email

submittals may be sent Dept. GRO

Kent Dorr.

More information is available at:

suvcw.org/ftp/GraveRegistrationB

rochure.pdf

Registered grave of

Private David Peters, 1st Ohio Cavalry

Ebenezer M.E. Cemetery Franklin, Ohio

Books help SUVCW Brothers, youth gain Civil War knowledge to share

January - Emancipation

February - Ohio Generals

March - Medal of Honor

April - The Costs of War

May - Ohio Civil War Road Trips

June - United States Colored Troops

July - Ohioans in Battle

August - Ohio's Regiments and Militia

September - Political Leadership

October - Immigrants in the Civil War

November - Why They Fought

December - Supplying the Military

On the evening of October 7, 1862, with battle looming, three Union commanders discussed the dangers of battle. Brig.

Gen. William R. Terrill and Col. George P. Webster commanded brigades in Brig. Gen. James S. Jackson’s division. The

three men determined that if soldiers would look at the doctrine of

probabilities they would realize how slight was the chance of any

particular person being killed and would never be frightened of battle.

Mathematically speaking, they were pretty safe. The following day, the

soldiers of the Union Army of the Ohio and the Confederate Army of

Mississippi would test probability as they clashed outside of Perryville,

Kentucky.

The state had been coveted by both sides since the war began. It

was a slave state that was closely tied geographically to the North. In

addition to its location, its waterways could also prove vital to both sides.

The northern border of Kentucky lies along a long stretch of the Ohio

River and the state’s western end borders the Mississippi. In addition, the

Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers run through Kentucky and into the heart of the South. In the fall of 1861 President Lincoln,

Kentucky born, wrote “I think to lose Kentucky is nearly to lose the whole game.” While the state hadn’t seceded, there was a

great deal of Confederate sympathies. In the summer of 1862, Col. John Hunt Morgan carried out a raid through the state,

receiving much support along the way. He reported that the state was ripe for the taking and it would bring volunteers into the

Southern ranks.

Convinced by Maj. Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg agreed to invade Kentucky. What was

to originally be a joint effort changed when Smith took off on his own with his army. Bragg decided his best move was to

follow and help Smith in trying to take the state. In Tennessee, Union Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell learned of the

Confederate movement into Kentucky. Determined to protect Louisville and Cincinnati, Buell pulled his army out of

Nashville and moved north. It was a race to see who could get to Louisville first. Smith struck the first blow, capturing

Richmond and Lexington, gaining a hold on the center of the state. At that point Bragg had to choose between joining

Smith and going on to Louisville and a fight with Buell’s army. He decided to connect with Smith, allowing Buell to reach

Louisville. Having reached his target first, Buell could concentrate on the enemy. His men marched east out of Louisville

towards the enemy. Part of Bragg’s army, under Maj. Gen. William J. Hardee, took a position west of the small town of

Perryville. Part of the reason for this was water. The area had been under a drought for months. Both men and horses

needed water and there wasn’t much around. West of Perryville the Confederates discovered water in Doctor’s Creek.

On the 7th of October, Union forces encountered the Rebel force and drove them back. Discovering the water, the Northern

troops pushed hard to hold the position and the water.

Both commanders at this time were operating under incorrect assumptions of the enemy’s position and intent. Bragg had

a small force at Perryville and was concentrating north of there near Versailles, where he thought the Union army was

massing. Buell believed the entire Confederate army was facing him at Perryville. Bragg’s subordinate General Hardee,

who had written a text on military tactics that was used by both sides, implored Bragg to consolidate his forces. He needed

to send all of his men to either Perryville or Versailles. Either way was all right, so long as he wasn’t splitting his force.

Bragg decided to go to Perryville to take care of what he thought was a small Union force so he could then pull those troops

north to Versailles. The initial Confederate assault came under a crossfire of artillery that tore great holes in the ranks. The

Southerners, however, were able to hold on and mount another charge. They hit the Yankee line hard and drove them back.

The fighting raged as the Union troops struggled to stop the onslaught.

During this time, General Buell was unaware his army was engaged in a major battle. Due to an acoustic shadow, though

he was but a few miles from the fighting, the Union commander could not hear the sounds of battle. Had he known, he

could have engaged Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Crittenden’s corps that sat idle. In the day’s fighting, the mathematics of battle

were thrown out the window. If they believed what they said the night before, Generals Jackson and Terrill and Colonel

Webster fought the battle without fear for they knew that statistically they stood little chance of being harmed. It was not to

be. By the time the fighting ended, all three were dead.

When night fell, a number of Union officers urged Buell to make another attack by moonlight. The commanding general

decided to wait until morning. He still believed he faced Bragg’s entire army. Meanwhile, Bragg finally realized he had faced

all of Buell’s men and that he was lucky to have come through it as well as he did. After consulting with his generals, Bragg

decided to withdraw that night to consolidate his men. After a day of hard fighting that resulted in roughly 7,500 casualties,

neither side gained a real advantage. In the long run, it proved to be advantageous to the North. It was the “High Water Mark”

for the Confederates in the west. Never again would they pose such a threat to the Federal forces. The failure at Perryville

prevented the South from taking Kentucky, continuing north to threaten and possibly attack Ohio, and adding a new state and

its manpower to the Confederacy.

The Buckeye Bugle

page 5

The Buckeye Bugle

Civil War Sesquicentennial Feature - Patriotic Instruction

The Battle of Perryville by Andy Turner - Reprinted by permission, Gatehouse Press - http://www.gatehouse-press.com

page 8 The Buckeye Bugle