Originally published in the Perrysburg Journal May 25, 1864 p.2
Fort McHenry, near Baltimore, Md.
May 16, 1864.
Today, for the first time since leaving Perrysburg, I have what may be considered a fair opportunity for writing--I shall therefore endeavor to give the readers of the Journal a brief account of the campaign of the 64th Battalion National Guards up to the present time..
We arrived at Camp Chase Saturday afternoon 7th inst. From that time until Wednesday nothing occurred, save the usual routine of camp life, the eating of army rations interspersed with seasons of drill, forming the principal labor required of us. Immediately after dinner on Wednesday 11th inst. the Battalion was mustered into U.S. service for one hundred days as part of the 144th O.N.G. Wednesday evening we received orders to be prepared to march at 5 o'clock the next morning with three days rations in haversacks. However, at 6 A.M. Thursday before the regiment left camp-marched to the Columbus arsenal, where we received arms-thence to Tod Barracks where those who felt disposed devoured a portion of the contents of their haversacks. At 3:30 P.M. we marched to the depot of the Central Ohio Railroad, and at 5 o'clock were under way for Pittsburg..
The greater portion of the regiment was placed in ordinary freight and cattle cars with benches for seats. During the first two or three hours, the greatest hilarity prevailed but soon after dark the floors of the cars, as well as the benches, were covered with sleeping Guards for the duties of the day had been such that nearly every one was in a condition to "sleep anywhere." .
During the night about two thirds of the train became detached and was left behind-the balance proceeding 10 or 12 miles before the accident was discovered. Fortunately no train was following immediately after ours or there might have resulted a disaster to the regiment more fearful than the ravages of war..
At 6 o'clock Friday morning we are at Bellair on the Ohio River two miles below Wheeling. From this point to Pittsburg the road runs along the Ohio valley at many points so near the stream that it would require no great obstacle to precipitate an entire train into the waters beneath; at other places we passed beneath towering precipices and through deep gorges of solid rock..
The scenery along the Ohio River is always beautiful but it was specially attractive to us who but a few days previously had left northern Ohio, with its bare forests and fields. The trees were clothed in green and we were constantly passing beautiful fields of grain, orchards in full bloom and vegetable gardens far advanced. In many places the banks of the river rise almost perpendicularly for two or three hundred feet, while others they slope away into a succession of beautiful hills, while scattered along their sides may be seen tracts of beautiful green, surrounding cabin, cottage, and stately mansion. The winding river with its steamers, the valley with its villages, gardens, green fields, and blooming orchards and the hills, with forests, fertile tracts, and dwellings of the rich and lowly all helps to form a scene far more beautiful than pen describe or painter portray..
About 4 o'clock Friday afternoon, just as the train was starting out of Rochester, Irvine Straw of Company G 144th, from Brownsville, Wyandot Co. who had been sitting on the top of the rear car attempted to get down and in so doing fell upon the track and the last car ran over him, causing instant death. He was about 18 years of age. His remains were properly cared for and sent to his widowed mother in Ohio..
We arrived in Pittsburg at 7 o'clock Friday evening and about 9 o'clock marched to the City Hall, where we found a bountiful supply of wholesome provisions and good coffee had been prepared for us. The Hall was brilliantly lighted and beautifully decorated with flags and transparencies. Opposite the entrance appeared in transparent letters, "Welcome 144th." Underneath this was "Pittsburg welcomes our Country's Brave Defenders." In front of the gallery over one entrance appeared in large letters "Pittsburg Subsistence Committee---Organized 1861." This Committee furnishes every regiment which passes through the city with a substantial meal. All honor to Pittsburg and her Subsistence Committee..
After supper was over, Colonel Hunt called the regiment to order, when he introduced Captain Cook of Company F, who made a few appropriate remarks complimentary to the patriotic people of Pittsburg. He concluded by calling for three cheers for our entertainers--which were given with as much energy as the bountiful meal we had just eaten would safely permit. Three cheers afterward were given for Captain Cook. We were then ordered to "fall in" and marched to the cars..
Concerning the 144th, the Pittsburg Commercial of Saturday 14th inst., says: "The 144th Ohio National Guard arrived in the city last evening on its way to Baltimore to report to Gen. Lew Wallace. It numbered 880 men, was recruited from Wood and Wyandot counties and is officered as follows: -Colonel S.H. Hunt, Lieut. Col. F.R. Miller, Major M.D.L. Buell, Adjutant Jonathan Ayers. After partaking of a substantial meal, furnished by the Subsistence Committee, Capt. Asher Cook, on behalf of the officers and men of the regiment made a neat speech, returning the heartfelt thanks of all for the kind and liberal manner in which they had been treated by the ladies and gentlemen of the Subsistence Committee. At the conclusion of his remarks, he called for three cheers and a "tiger" for Pittsburg, her people, her ladies in particular. We have seen many regiments entertained by the Committee during the past year or two, but none which behaved in a more orderly, quiet, and gentlemanly manner. Success and good fortune attend the 144th Ohio.".
After arriving at the depot, considerable time was occupied in preparing the cars for our reception, and it was after 2 o'clock before we were all on board. The cars occupied by most of the regiment were freight cars, with plenty of straw on the floors--and we found this a much more comfortable way of traveling for so long a distance than in the nicely furnished passenger car. At night we lay upon the floor and slept and when one wished a seat, his knapsack answered the purpose admirably. This may be considered by some as not a very genteel way of traveling and for the ordinary purposes of railroad conveyance might not be considered as "eminently proper"--still it just suited the members of the 144th..
Between 6 and 7 o'clock Saturday morning we arrived at Johnstown, a little village almost entirely surrounded my mountains and with iron-colored houses, inhabitants of which seem to be principally employed in iron working..
Our ride during the forenoon was through a "wild and picturesque" region--at many points, on one side of the road might be seen mountains of rocks two or three hundred feet high, while on the other hand were vast gorges almost as deep..
At 11 o'clock were arrived in Altoona, Blair County, a very pretty place of five or six thousand inhabitants, where are situated the machine shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Some distance westward from Altoona we passed through a tunnel under a mountain the length of which I do not know, but our train was two minutes in passing through it--during which time we were in darkness black as midnight. Between the tunnel and Altoona we passed sown a steep grade at one point of which there was a curve so short that our train of 20 cars, as it stood on the track, described almost half a circle--within which was a gorge at least 100 feet in depth..
We remained at Altoona over an hour, during which a majority of the members of the regiment made extensive additions to the contents of their haversacks- and it is doubtful that the provision groceries of that place have yet fully replenished the stock they then so summarily disposed of..
Soon after 12 o'clock we left Altoona for Harrisburg, where we arrived at 5 o'clock. Here we marched into a soldier's dining hall, where we were furnished with a supper of bread, coffee, and meat. After remaining her about an hour, our train was taken across the river--here spanned by two long bridges with an island between--where we remained until about 9 o'clock when we again started for Baltimore, where we arrived at 10 o'clock Sunday morning. Here we were furnished with a dinner of the inevitable bread, meat, and coffee--after which we marched to Fort McHenry, situated on the Chesapeake Bay, three miles from the city--at least from that portion of the city where we took dinner--where five companies of the regiment now are. The balance of the regiment has been sent to other points. Companies G and K arrived at Baltimore some hours before the rest of the regiment and were sent to Relay House, 10 miles from Baltimore, on the road to Washington, and at the junction of the Baltimore & Ohio and Baltimore & Washington Railroads. This morning (Monday), companies E, B and I left here-two of them for Annapolis and one for Fort Delaware..
It is expected that the companies now here will remain during our one hundred days as Lieut. Col. Miller has been detailed to act as Provost Marshall and Capt. Cook as Judge Advocate of the Post. The location is a pleasant one and if the powers that be ordain it, we shall not object to three months residence in this locality..
I should have stated before that the distance from Columbus to Baltimore by the route which we traveled is somewhat over 400 miles, to travel which took us 65 hours--more than twice the time ordinarily required to travel that distance. Ours, however, being a special train had to keep out of the way of regular trains--often being compelled to wait for 2 or 3 hours at a time..
Tuesday evening--May 18th: One company of the 144th left here this morning--for what point I have not been able to learn--and this evening the 4 remaining companies received orders to be prepared to march at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning--with one day's rations in haversacks--for the Relay House. Preparations for that event forbid any addition to this letter--which by the way is already too long..
Respectfully,
H.S. Chapin
