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:
This company was raised in Muskingum and Guernsey counties, by A. L. Wallar, and organized December 25th, 1861. A. L. Wallar was appointed Captain, Hugh Dunne First Lieutenant, and James T. Story Second Lieutenant.
Captain Wallar had some experience in military life, having served in the Mexican War. He is a man of good appearance, affable address, and a genial companion.
Lieutenant Dunne is a man of strong energy, willing worker, and decided, independent character. He had the qualities in request for a good officer. The Captain and Lieutenant both had those traits of character which, when brought together, would not at all times move in harmony. They did not see things and look at results in the same light and tendency, but understanding each other they moved harmoniously.
Lieutenant Story is a man of a happy, contented mind, affable manners and jovial nature, which made him exceedingly popular with his men. Adaptation to circumstances, and a knowledge of how to make the most of everything, strongly marked his character. A pleasant cheerfulness dwelt with him and was communicated to all with whom he cam in contact.
Captain Wallar, in December, 1864, was commissioned a lieutenant-Colonel, which he declined. His term of three years service having expired, he was mustered out in January, 1865. Lieutenant Dunne was promoted to Captain in the spring of 1864, and assigned to Company “K,” which position he occupied till after the fall of Atlanta. At this time he had only two months to serve, and his circumstances at home demanded his immediate attention to such an extent that he resigned his commission, left the service, and settled down in the peaceful pursuits of domestic happiness.
Lieutenant J. T. Story, a year previous being promoted to First Lieutenant, was Acting Adjutant of the regiment on the campaign through the Carolinas, Lieutenant Search being detailed as Adjutant-General of the brigade. Upon the arrival of the army at Goldsboro, N. C., Lieutenant Story received a Captain’s commission, but refused to be mustered, and resigned and went home to recuperate his broken constitution.
Captain C. M. Roberts was assigned to Company “F,” where he remained but a few weeks. He being an officer of fine appearance and correct business habits, was detailed on General Blair’s staff as Commissary of Musters for the Seventeenth Army Corps.
Sergeant Joseph Miller, of “G” company, was promoted to First Lieutenant, and assigned to “F” company; Martin Durant, Sergeant of “E” company, was promoted to Second Lieutenant and assigned to “F” company. Both young men of good military knowledge and attainments, unyielding patriotism and faithfulness in the discharge of all duties, made them very acceptable officers and their promotion very desirable and well deserved. This is one of the commendable traits of military life, when free from selfish interest: it finds out the efficient and meritorious and rewards and honors them accordingly.
No other change was made in the officers of Company “F” till the muster-out of the regiment.
The following are the names of the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men of the company at its original organization:
Sergeants
1. Samuel H. Vankirk
2. Alexander V. P. Hager
3. Henry H. Smith
4. Milton B. Thomas
5. Humphrey A. McDonald
Corporals
1. Isaiah B. Case
2. Benjamin F. Tudor
3. Francis M. Story
4. Peter W. Sturtz
5. Richard A. Cusie
6. Thomas Hopes
7. Henry Berkheimer
8. William Allen
Jno. W. Burwell, 1st Musician; Jas. Thos. Bay, 2d Musician; William Garges, Wagoner.
Privates
Bay, Matthew W.
Barnes, Orville O.
Brown, Silas W.
Bucksenschultz, John J.
Buker, John
Bowman, George
Bedell, Albert
Bowrden, William
Boyer, Percival
Bucksenschultz, William
Cook, Thomas W.
Crane, John
Culbertson, Alex.
Davis, John
Davis, peter
Dearnbarger, Lewis
Drummmond, William
Dickason, Richard
Eschman, Michael
Gibbons, Philip
Gault, William
Hanson, Robert
Hurrel, Samuel
Herron, Hugh
Harper, George
Hgadden, William
Hammond, Levi
Hubert, Henry
Johnston, Henry
Johnston, Abram
Jenkins, Clinton
Leisure, Lenhart
Lemmon, James
Lynch, Orrin
McCall John H.
Mullin, James
Moorehead, Jesse
Moorehead, Joseph
McCune, John
McKinney, Joseph E.
Newell, John A.
Oliver, John
Rogers, Hiram
Rogers, Robert C.
Rogers, Thomas
Runion, George W.
Runion, Andrew J. Runion, Joel
Richardson, Joseph
Redd, James A.
Snyder, John
Sinsabaugh, David
Sturtz, Dennison G.
St. Clair, Samuel H.
Smith, David
Smith, Albert
Storer John
Taylor, Samuel
Taylor, James
Tanner, John W.
Urban, Solomon
Vankirk, Joseph
Vernon, Edward S.
Vernon, Nicholas
Vernon, William A.
Wine, John J.
West, Wesley
Aters, William C.
Wilson, Edward C.
Wilson, Joseph F.
Wymer, Alfred
Wylie, John C.
Wall, Lewis H.
Zimmerman, John
The following named enlisted men have been promoted to the rank set opposite their respective names:
Sergeant Samuel H. Vankirk to Captain
Sergeant H. A. McDonald to First Lieutenant
Corporal Thomas W. Hopes to First Lieutenant
Corporal Albert G. Gault to Second Lieutenant
Corporal John J. Wine to Second Lieutenant.
In the autumn of 1862 the following named enlisted men were added to the company:
Moses Abbott
David Cherry
Albert G. Gault
Charles Holcomb
Abram Jackson
Peter B. Lane
John A. McKinney
John R. McNary
Oliver C. Story
Arthur D. Simpson
Andrew G. Scott
Dennis Sturtz
John Tremble
Alex. H. White
Elijah Wortman
James L. Wortmant
Samuel Sprague.
The following recruits, substitutes and drafted men were added to the company in October, 1863:
George H. Echelberry,
George Kearnes
Thomas Huffman
Barnett Adamson
Even J. Buker
Caleb Buker
Samuel J. Paxton
Archilobald Bradford
Josiah K. Clorr
Alonzo Conway
Zachariah Nolon
David Norman
Thomas A. Palmer
Peter Perrins
David W. Shaffer
David W. Sprague
Martin V. Todd
William Slaughter
Joseph Smith
Simeon Swank
Thomas A. Stone
Leander Trushell
Archibald Ankrom
Edward Allen
William Gardner
Morgan Cornelius
Samuel Cox
Henry Cox
Theodore Coleman
William H. Goulding
Porter English
William Green
James Hamrick
William W. Harrold
James Holcomb
William Humphrey
William McNaught
Adam Philabaum
George Vickars
Crawford Vickarss.
The following named enlisted men re-enlisted as veterans January 5th, 1864:
Sergeants
Peter W. Sturtz,
Isaiah B. Case
Edward S. Vernon
William Hadden
William P. Gault.
Corporals
John H. McCall
Samuel J. Taylor
Orville O. Barnes.
Privates
James T. Bay
Henry Birkheimer
James Caldwell
John H. Crane
Richard H. Cusick
Samuel Hurrell
Alexander Culbertson
Peter Davis
James Galiher
Lewis Huffman
Abiram Johnson
William C. Garges
Joseph Moorehead
Jesse Moorehead
Joseph E. McKinney
James A. Redd
Thomas Rogers
Andrew J. Runnion
Joel Runnion
David H. Sinsabaugh
William C. Waters
Robert Hanson
Alfred Wymer, Sergeant
Phillip Gibbons, Sergeant
The following have been discharged for disability, contracted in the service and wounds:
Percival Boyer
Silas W. Brown
John Buckenschultz
John W. Burwell
John Buker
William Bowden
Thomas W. Cook
John Davis
Lewis L. Dearnbarger
William Drummond
Michael Eschman
Huigh Herron
James Lemmon
John A. Newell
George W. Runnioon
Joseph Richardson
John Stover
Samuel A. St. Clair
David Smith
Henry C. Smith
William A. Vernon
Wesley West
Edward C. Wilson
Lewis Wall
David C. Hager
Samuel H. Johns
James B. McDonald
John R. Scott
Joseph W. Miller
Albert T. Sprague
Joseph B. Vankirk
John Buker Sr.
Geore Bradford
The following have died of disease and wounds:
Francis M. Story, Sergeant
William Allen, Corporal
Richard Dickason
Robert C. Rogers
Albert Smith
Joseph F. Wilson, Corporal;
Robert Bell
Benjamin Conoway
Christopher Crothers
Samuel Hurrel
Samuel T. Morrow
Minor Pryor
Philip Shaffer
William Buckenschultz
George Bowmand
John McCune
Denniso G. Sturtz
Nicholas Vernon
John B. Atchison
James Atchison
William Carroll
Jasper Halsey
levi Hammond
James E. Portzman
perry Sprague
Jonathan Whitaker
Killed in battle:
Oliver C. Story, Raymond, Miss.
Corporal John Oliver, Atlanta, Ga.
Lieutenant John J. Wine, Milliken’s Bend, La.
James Taylor, Champion Hills, Miss.
John Tremble, Atlanta, Ga.
Joel Runnion, near Millen, Ga.
Sergeant Phillip Gibbons, Atlanta, Ga.
Robert Hanson, died a prisoner.
The following have deserted:
Henry Herbert
George Harper
Lenhart Leasure
Orrin Lynch
James Mullen
Solomon Urban
John C. Wylie.
The following have been transferred to Invalid Corps:
Jason A. Barnard
John A. McKinney, discharged
Hiram Rogers
John Zimmerman.
This was one of the most efficient companies in the army. A better skirmish company never went in advance of troops. It has lost some of the very best men that ever carried a musket.