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Note: !Records of J H Salmon. Book in possession of Melvin John Salmon,Dean Salmon. !Henry was a member of Co. C 24 Ohio Calvery. He was in the army of the
Potomac. This was recorded in the Hanover Court House Virginia. He said
he was in the battle of the wilderness. It was early in the morning when the
buggle sounded "Boots & Saddles" and then a few moments later,"
fall in line,and count off by fours" was so swiftley executed that I knew at
once somthing unusual was in store for us. In the count off I was not sorry that
I was no.4 who's duty it was to hold his own & the comrad' horses when calvery
was called to fight on foot. A few Moments later we dashed off down the road
until a halt was called. The regiment dismounted and went forward on foot and
the rattle of musketry speedily detonated and they were in a fight. A little latter
wounded men were bourne past us, and I knew I felt as pale as our comrades,
the other no. 4's. This thing lasted until in the afternoon when our regiment
was relieved and I fell back into the camp to cook some sow belly and coffee,
and you may imagine it was also a relief to me. Scarcely had we put our Kettles
on, when again the comand came to fall in line. This time I was not no. 4, but the
loss of my half drawn coffee and the greese from my half fried sowbelly that dripped
from my haversack in which I had cramed it served to heat me enough for the ordeal
I was to undergo; never the less when we got the comand to dismount and fight on
foot a certain peculiar sensation I experienced seemed to take all the stiffness out
of my legs,and I could feel my knees wobblel perceptably. Still the thought of turning
back never occured to me. We were taken forward to within four or five rods of a
battery of union artillery we were to support and were orderd to lie down. Here we
lay with shots screaming over us and shells bursting above and scattering
pieces about us untill the the battery ceased firing when we were orderd to move
forward. Away we went down the road though a fringe of timber from which we
emerged into open grouned, and only a few hundred yards away to the right & left
and square in front of rebel forces, swiftly forming in the line of battle. Then came the
order "forward", and anon, as we reached the top of a little emenence, "charged "!
The day was not warm-in fact was rather cool- but found myself in a state of
fourth of perspiration. The rebs gave us a volley and as we started and the man
at my side sank down mortaly wonded, but as my breath came hot and quick
I seemed to feel it my duty to keep square in line, Neather ahead or behind for fear it would make me
a more prominent mark. Now we encountered a fence,which in my efforts to scale
gives way under me and I am percipitated forward upon my breast. As I rise half
Stunned the line is serveral yards in advance,and just in advance of them a little
stream impeads their progress, so I gain enough to get again in line. The stream
were we halted was near the edge of a skirting of timber and orders came to
commence firing. With the first shot from my combine all fear left me. My only
thought was to load and fire as quickley as I could. Our fire was sharpley returned
and we were strickley into it until the darkness of night settled down, and we were
camped on the grownd the rebs had occupied in the forenoon. I then was only a
boy of 16 years, but the Impressions of that first time under fire are as vivid as if
it was but yesterday.
I was born in Summit County, Springfield Township, State of Ohio, November 22, 1847, and I inlisted in the second Ohio cavalery, company A,
in a regiment that fought in 97 battles under the following general officers:
Buell, Wright, Hunter, Sturgis, Blunt, Solomon, Curtis, Torbit, Custer, Mead, Sheridan and Grant.
In Jan. 1864, While in East Ten., out of 474 in the regiment 420 reinlisted as veterans, it traveled as a regiment, on foot, and on horseback, by rail road,
and steamboat, on land, River, bay, and ocean, an aggregate distance of 27,000
miles, served in five different armies, it campained through thirteen states and
territories, its horses have drank from, and its troopers have bathed in the waters
of the Arkansas, Osage, Missouria, Mississippi, Ohio, Miami, Cumberland, Tenn.,
Holston, Potomic, Shanndoah, Rappahannock, Rapidan, Bull Run, Pomankey,
Chichahominy, James, Appomattox, Black Water, Nottawa, and Chesapeak Bay.
Its dead is sleeping from Arkansas to Appomattox Court House. Inside of one year from the battle of the Wilderness May 6th, 1864 and Cedar Creek, Oct. 19th 1864, to Appomattox Cout House, April 9th., Company A.
alone lost , ten men killed and fourteen wounded.
My Company lost the last man killed by General Lee's Army, April 9th, 1864. Henry Freel Salmon
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