At the Eighth Annual Reunion of the 113th O. V. I. held at Columbus, O., August 11th, 1881, the plan of a regimental history was discussed. It was determined to have a history written and published, and the author was assigned to that duty. The labor has been one of no small magnitude, and I now present it to my comrades and the public with the hope that when its defects and merits are duly estimated, there will be a balance in my favor.

THANKS.

The data from which this work is compiled consists mainly of the author's record of every-day affairs taken on the spot. But to my messmate, ISAAC GREEN, Company E; P. H. WHITEHEAD, Company B; LOYAL H CLOUSE, Company F, and Captain George McCreA, for notes and records of value, I desire to make public acknowledgment.

JOHN P. SLEMMONS, Clerk in the office of the Adjutant General of Ohio, deserves our thanks for many courtesies extended to Miss MAMIE A. WHITE, who so ably performed her duties in copying the original Muster-Out Rolls and other papers.

RICHWOOD, OHIO, 1884.

F. M. MCADAMS.

PREFACE.

There are yet living hundreds of brave men who served in the One Hundred and Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who share with the writer a desire to have their names and deeds preserved in history. This humble effort has been undertaken more as a labor of love than of pecuniary profit, and if these pages shall rescue from the oblivion that usually attends the rank and file of armies, their names and their heroism, and be the means of perpetuating to future generations that proud place in the annals of the army to which my comrades are entitled, I shall feel amply rewarded for my labors.

This is not a history of the war; not a review of campaigns and sieges, but a record of duties, deeds and trials of the man who bore the musket and made victory for the country and fame for his commander. And, if it is found to be a work in which the common soldier is the hero, the apology offered is merely an explanation that the material on hand was of that kind which dealt principally with the enlisted men.

I have found it a source of constantly increasing regret, that in the beginning of my career as a soldier, I did not foresee the demand for these pages, and that I would be chosen to compile the same for publication. In that case I might have made greater and more diligent efforts to collect and preserve facts and make a record of incidents which are now forever lost. It need not seem strange to my comrade readers, if in this record of three long years of service in camp and field, there should occur many omissions of important and interesting events. It would have required more than human skill to have kept a faithful, faultless account of all incidents, accidents and adventures occurring in all parts of a command in which more

than a thousand men were the actors. My aim has been to present such general incidents of every-day soldier life as have escaped the pen of the more competent historian, and such as will prove of most interest to men with whom I shared the life of a common soldier, leaving to others the weightier matters of the great civil war.

From Camp Chase, 1862, to Tod Barracks, 1865, by way of the mountains, the rivers and the sea, there lies a multitude of daring deeds by daring men worthy of a place in history.

It is hoped that this record will be a source of gratification to many a parent, sister, brother or child of those of our number who went forth with us but who returned not to tell the story of their services ; while to those of us who shared in it and still live, it will serve to keep in memory the duties, names and services of ourselves and our comrades till we shall be commanded to "fall in" to cross the great pontoon which spans the dark river, separating us from the land of rest and eternal peace; and at the last grand roll call may we all answer-" here."

F. M. M.

EVERY-DAY SOLDIER LIFE,

OR

A HISTORY OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEENTH OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.

AUGUST, 1862.

15. Enlisted at Urbana, Ohio, for three years, or during the war. Joseph Swisher and Harrison Walburn enlisted at the same time. We returned to our homes, and began to put our affairs in condition to be off for Camp Chase in a few days.

28. Boarded a train at Urbana, bound for Columbus. On the train I met for the first time those who are to share with me the uncertain life that lies before us. They are from the farms and workshops of the western part of Champaign county. A few are men of mature age, many are youthful, and all seem in good spirits and anxious for adventure. I can see on the cheeks of more than one of them the effects of their first battle, that of tearing themselves from home and its endearments to choose the life of a soldier.

In two hours our train lands us at Columbus. Disembarking, we made a half successful effort to form in two ranks. It was not done gracefully. Some of the men, recognizing no authority in those who were attempting to form us into column, took up a line of march of their own; the more tractable ones under command of John F. Riker, then moved up High street to the Capitol grounds, where we rested for a time. At 5 P. M. we started for Camp Chase, a distance of four miles, which place we reached without incident.

Several companies of recruits intended for the regiment are already here; on inquiry I learn that they came from Madison, Licking and Franklin counties.

Our arrival at dark made it difficult to procure comfortable quarters. Without tents, and with only a blanket and heaven's canopy for

a covering, and a split stick of wood for a pillow, I spent one weary hour after another in an unsuccessful effort to sleep. Would have had better success had it not been for a number of our men who devoted the greater part of the night to noisy revelry.

66

From Reminiscences of the Camp and Field," written by me several years later, I quote:

"Night was spreading her dark mantle over earth when we reached camp, weary, hungry, dusty, thirsty, footsore and not a little out of tune besides, The experiences of the first day and night in the service I recall with peculiar feelings. We had changed the life of a civilian for that of a soldier; had given up the domestic endearments of home life, and had already marked a day in a new era.

***

A proper regard for the truth compels me to say that this was not a shady, secluded grove, with fountains of living waters and falling cataracts; on the contrary, it is a farm of several hundred acres, flat, unshaded and nearly destitute of grass. Here and there are numerous buildings in which are the several offices of the camp, besides others which are used as store houses for clothing, commissary supplies, ordnance, &c."

29. Morning came, and we spend the day looking about, strolling over the camp, killing time and making acquaintances in our own and other companies. When night came, we gathered into little groups and discussed the various events of the day. With new blankets and better accommodations we spent the night comfortably. The Ohio State Journal speaks of the arrival of our company as follows:

"Captain Riker, of Champaign county, arrived here last evening with ninety men. This is the oldest looking company we have seen. We noticed several gray-haired men. This is all right, and there is more of deliberate valor and bravery to be expected from men of riper years. The company joins the 113th regiment."

30. We made the acquaintance of Dr. J. R. Black, who, I learn, is to be our surgeon. He is from Newark. We were critically examined by him, and all accepted but one lad, Joseph Loudenback, who takes it philosophically, and starts for home.

This evening, when all was hushed in the stillness that succeeds "taps," the voice of song accompanied by a guitar, broke the silence. The matchless sweetness of the singer's voice, the deftness with which he touched his instrument, together with the strange surroundings, made the effect irresistible, as he sang―