HISTORY OF DELPHOS Civil War

As the new decade came into being the threat of civil war loomed. An atmosphere of apprehension pervaded the country. Delphos readied itself for the coming trial. On April 15, 1861, three days after the bombardment of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln issued a call for volunteers. This area responded, and in August, 1861, the Third Company, organized by Captain Samuel Mott, was mustered into the Army of the United States at St. Marys, Ohio.

In this company were a number of men from Delphos including one Avery Brown. Brown was born Sept. 28, 1852 and was the youngest enlisted soldier in the Civil War. Capt. Mott was a neighbor of Brown's and was reported to have told Capt. Stansbury, "I have come here with 101 men who are ready to enlist on one condition that our drummer-boy be mustered in with us and permitted to go to the front. Otherwise we disband right here and return home.

Reluctant consent was given and on Aug. 18, 1861, at the age of eight years and eleven months Avery Brown was mustered into the 31st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was presented with a captured Confederate drum at Burton's Station, Virginia. He carried it for one and a half years during which he was called "the Drummer Boy of Cumberland."

By the time of his discharge, he had suffered from mumps, measles and rheumatism. The latter made it necessary for him to quit the army. After his discharge he lived in Delphos for three years. In 1866 he moved to Elkhart, Indiana where he remained, except for a few years in Texas, until his death in November, 1904.

On Aug. 22, 1862 Co. F. of the 118th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized, under Capt. Rudolph Ruel, at Delphos. The company went into camp at Lima at that time. They remained there until September 11 when they left for Cincinnati by railroad. On September 12 the members of the company were mustered into the service by Capt. C. O. Howard, U.S. Army. On the 15th the 118th crossed the Ohio River to Covington, Ky. On the 22nd of September they moved to Independence, where they remained until October 11 when they advanced to Falmouth, Ky.

On the 22nd they marched to Cynthianna and then on to Townsend's bridge on the 23rd. On October 24 they marched to Kiser Station where stockades were built. The 118th then moved on to East Tennessee, crossing the Cumberland Mountains. They landed in Loudin, Tenn. where Rebel forces were strongly entrenched. The enemy was routed. They marched to Knoxville, were repelled and returned to Loudin. They were then sent to Kingston, Tenn., where they remained during the siege of Knoxville.

When the siege was raised they marched to Tunnel Hill near Chattanooga. From there the 118th joined the Georgia Campaign. The first battle was a Resaca, Georgia on May 25,1863 where the rebels were forced to retreat. From that time till the Battle of Atlanta they were constantly under fire. The next battle they engaged in was at Franklin, Tennessee. Following that were two days of fighting at Nashville where the southern troops were driven back. The company then marched to Washington, D.C.

In June and July of 1865 the majority of the survivors were mustered out. Of the 1,000 men enlisted in the 118th Regiment (that is Companies A-F) only about 400 returned.

COMPANY F, 118^TH REGIMENT

Company F of the 118^th was composed solely of

Delphos men. The Company roster reads:

These were not the only contributions Delphos made. At the outbreak of the war an Ohio National Guard was formed. Many volunteered in Allen County and Col. John M. C. Marble was assigned to command the county regiment. It later consolidated with the Hocking County Regiment and was numbered as the 151st regiment, O.N.G. The regiment was mustered into Federal service in the summer of 1864 and was stationed at Washington, D.C. The brigade assisted in repelling the advance of Gen. Early's attack on the Capitol. They retarded his advance until the arrival of the Sixth Army Corps. The regiment was mustered out in August of 1865.

Submitted Ronald Kunz rkunz@woh.rr.com (10-25-98)

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