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.
Transferred:
William Armstrong
George Bash
Philip J. George
Peter Hartsell
William Wellin
Charles Lindsey.