Company G

The following is from History of the 78th Regiment O.V.V.I, from its “Muster-In” to its “Muster-Out;” comprising Its Organization, Marches, Campaigns, Battles and Skirmishes, by Rev. Thomas M. Stevenson, Chaplain of the Regiment:

[Company G] was raised in Muskingum and Noble counties and was organized January 11th, 1862. Peter Gebhart was chosen Captain, John W. A. Gillespie First Lieutenant, and Joseph C. Jenkins First Lieutenant.

Captain Gebhart’s health failing him, was soon compelled to resign and go home.

Lieutenant Jenkins becoming dissatisfied with military life — disliking its hardships, dangers and exposures and seeing no way to escape so much sacrifice as the true faithful soldier must necessarily make, except to assume the responsibility and abide the consequences of his own independence — therefore quit the service of his own accord, and is consequently marked a deserter. The writer is not informed of the justice of injustice of the charge, but merely gives the assertion of the records. Lieutenant Gillespie was then appointed Captain of the company; Jesse Patterson First Lieutenant, and Sergeant Iret Rinehart Second Lieutenant.

Under these officers the company did efficient service; was under good discipline, and did honor to its officers and regiment. The company had many noble and good men — men who were willing to stand by the flag of their country to the last extremity.

Lieutenant Patterson was mustered out of service at Lake Providence, Louisiana. He was a good, faithful and efficient officer. He was by no means an intemperate man, but the tempter getting the victory over him once, and for this single offense, not repeated, we have heard, was mustered out.

The same closeness would have mustered out one-half of the officers of the army. This circumstance shows the strict discipline of the Seventy-Eighth Regiment.

Lieutenant Rhinehart was promoted to First Lieutenant December 19th, 1863. Captain Gillespie having served his three years with much honor and great faithfulness, was mustered out of service early in January, 1865, at Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Rhinehart was promoted to Captain; Alfred Wymer, of Company “F,” to First Lieutenant and assigned to Company “G;” Sergeant Cyrus H. Gardner was promoted to Second Lieutenant: promotions well deserved and well honored. They were both young men of large military experience and correct habits, and make very efficient officers.

No other changes were made in the officers of the company during its term of service. This company has a good record, and sustained a high reputation in the regiment.

The following are the names of the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men of the original organization:

Sergeants

1. William C. Simmons

2. Jesse Patterson

3. Samuel Hally  [actually “Halley”]

4. Fred Boach

5. Peter B. Luparduss

Corporals

1. Samuel Fowler

2. John Haze

3. Caleb Mercer

4. William J. Anderson

5. Michael Stewart

6. John R. Hunt

7. Owen Morgan

8. Cyrus H. Gardner

John F. Fenton, 1st Musician; William Gibson, 2d Musician; George W. Gillespie, Wagoner.

Privates

Arnet, Charles

Archer, Wilson

Armstrong, William

Armstrong, Wilber F.

Beasley, Henry

Bond, Jeremiah

Bash, George

Carpenter, Thomas

Carpenter, John C.

Cusac, Jacob

Cowen, Joseph P.

Dixson, Joseph

David, Robert A.

Deaver, James

Ellis, Edward

Fowler, William

Fogle, Hiram

Fogle, Elijah

Fowler, Immer

Fry, William F.

Gebhart, Samuel H.

Gatchel, Joseph

George, Philip

Gould, Levi

Gibson, John

Grimes, William J.

Gaffney, Martin

Hinds, Charles

Hartsell, James P.

Hickle, Elisha D.

Halter, Francis C.

Hill, Daniel J.

Johnson, George W.

Johns, George W.

Lindsay, C. W.

Lindsay, Charles

Lindsay, Aquilla

Little, Kelsey

Mercer, Job T.

Mercer, Thomas

Mercer, David

Mercer, George W.

Mercer, Andrew

Mulnix, Owen

Morris, Lewis

Miller, Joseph

Morgan, Lewis

McClary, Samuel

McFerren, John W.

Morgan, George W.

Purkey, Aaron S.

Porter, Frank

Robinson, John W.

Roach, Henry M.

Russell, Ebenezer

Rhinehart, Iret

Spiker, Henry

Tinchcomb, John W.

Savely, Augustus

Treaner, Jacob

Trout, Samuel E.

Trimble, John

Vandyke, John

Van Meter, James S.

Vore, Martin

Weller, William J.

Wheeler, David

Yaw, Oliver P.

The company’s accession in the autumn of 1862 and again in 1864, were filled up with recruits, substitutes and drafted men. We have not the records to give them all correctly, nor to distinguish them from one another.

Alfred Lippett

Barnard Johnson

Charles W. Spiker

Armon Wilcox

Reason St. Clair

Samuel St. Clair

Eden St. Clair

William Wyrrell

George P. Stoneburner

Abram Stitts    [According to Norma Stilts Grady, a descendant, the first name is “Abraham” and last name should read “Stilts.”]

Hiram Atkinson

Lewis Baley

James F. Bond

David O. Brill

George Butts

Asa Perry

Lorain Bigford

Harman Bates

Taylor Geary

James Graham

William Halley

Jacob Hagan

Alex. W. Humphreys

Conrad Harmon

A. Knight

William B. Long

Simon Morris

James H. Moore

William S. Miller

Johnson Ruby

Nelson Rybnor

David R. Yaw

Peter Van Dyke

John Van Dyke

Jacob Cove

David Denius

Adam Denius

Solomon F. Dennis

John Dennis

Solomon F. Heskett

James F. Hinton

Lyman J. Johnson

William Vint

William Little

James W. Mackey

Leonard Marlan

Robert Peakcock

Daniel Richeson

William Rockwell

John B. Stewart

Enoch M. Stout

Irwin Williamson

Samuel Williamson

Smidley Williams

William Ricker.

Substitutes and Drafted Men

Henry Bunton

Thomas Carney

Henry Carter

Samuel Davidson

Josiah Farnsough

Wheeler W. Heath

James Kneipper

Carry McQuilty

David W. Pierce

Samuel W. Shaw

Benjmin Beahc

Ezra Bond

Alonzo Earhart

John N. Fry

Israel Hart

Jacob Looker

William Miller

Samson Peppers

Adam Swab

Charles Butterfield

Smith Simpkins

Nathan Welloughby

William Bucher

Ramsey Smith

Isaac Dickson

Johnathan Waits

The following re-enlisted as veterans:

Sergeants

Frank Porter

James S. Vanmeter

J. Fowler

David A. Robert

David B. Mercer

 

Corporals

Caleb M. Mercer

David Wheeler

Kelsey Little

Charles W. Ondsey

Aaron S. Burkey

John H. Gibson

 

Privates

Joseph Dickson

John H. Fenton

Joseph Gatchel

Harry Roach

Martin Vore

Samuel E. Trout

Hiram Fogle

William F. Fry

George W. Robinson

A large number of the names in the veteran organization cannot be obtained.

The following named men have been discharged for disability:

Frederick Roach

John Hays

Owen Morgan

Wilson Archer

Davis Brill

Jacob Cusick

James Deaver

Elijah Fogle

Peter B. Luipardus

Willliam Fowler

William J. Anderson

Henry Beasley

Thomas Carpenter

Samuel H. Gebheart

George W. Gillespie

William Gibson

George W. Johnson

Owen Mulnix

Lewis Morris

Henry Siker

John Trimble

John Van Dyke

Job T. Mercer

Franklin Halter

Lewis Morgan

Eden St. Clair

Samuel Halley.

The following named men [have died of disease]:     {note errata in back of book}

William C. Simmons

David Denius

William J. Grimes

Daniel J. Hill

John Denius

Martin Gafrey

James F. Hinton

A. Knight

Samuel McCleary

Ebenezer Russell

William Bucher

Enoch M. Stout

James Wheeler

Aaron Williams

Wilber F. Armstrong

Elwood Ellis

Lyman j. Johnson

William Little

James H. Moore

Daniel Richeson

John W. Stinchcomb

Jacob Treamer

Michael Stewart

John W. PcPherson

Chares Arnet

Jeremiah Bond

George Butts

William Halley.

Killed in battle

James Stilty     [According to Norma Stilts Grady, a descendant, the last name should read “Stilts.”]

Francis Porter

Joseph Cowen

Robert Peacock

Samuel Fowler

Lewis Bowley

Taylor Geary

Henry M. Roach, missing. [Actually POW at Andersonville, from which he was a survivor]

Transferred:

William Armstrong

George Bash

Philip J. George

Peter Hartsell

William Wellin

Charles Lindsey

Additional Men Not on Original Regimental History Roster

Shubal S. Tilton [Thanks to James Tilton, g3grandson of Shubal for calling this omission to my attention.]