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368 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
days' scout to Mechanicsville, and on the 15th of October moved on
General MePherson's expedition to Canton, but soon afterward Avent
into camp in rear of Vicksburg. From here it Avent to guard duty on
a line or railroad between Memphis and Charleston. This occupied the
remainder of the year. On January 2d, the men of the Seventy-second
re^enlisted and moved to Memphis, and after taking part in the expedition
of the Tallahatchie River, returned to Ohio on veteran furlough
on the 23d of February, 1864.
Early in April, having been strengthened by many recruits, the regiment
returned again to the seat of operations and made a stand at Paducah
to defend that place, and shortly after moved to Memphis Avhere it
remained till the 30th of April, and when it again joined an expedition
"against the rebel, Forrest, thence to Bolivar, and from there to Ripley,
but soon returned to Memphis. In June following twelve regiments, of
which the Seventy-second was one, again started in pursuit of Forrest,
and found him much to their sorrow at Brice 's Cross Roads, and were
badly defeated and routed, losing a part of their wagon-train and destroying
the rest. They retreated in disorder and confusion, and escaped
annihilation or capture only by a rapid retreat to Memphis, nevertheless;
many were killed and captured. After this disastrous campaign the
regiment, or what was left of it, Avas attached to the First Brigade of
the Sixteenth Corps. It next participated in the battle at Tupelo in
"which the rebels were defeated, as they Avere also at Tishomingo Creek.
In both of these fights the brunt of battle fell upon the brigade of the
Seventy-second, and its loss amounted to twenty-five men. The regiment
then joined the Atlanta expedition, but Mower having charge of the
division, Avas ordered to Arkansas to resist Price, but failed to meet him.
It then marched northward continuing eighteen days, and finally reached
the Mississippi, where it embarked on transports for St. Louis, thence
moved totJefferson City. It then pursued Price's cavalry as far as
Little Santa Fe, and then turned back to St. Louis, which point was
reached on the 16th of November.
The Seventy-second next participated in the battle at Nashville,
December 7th and 8th, and also at Walnut Hills soon afterward. McMillan's
Brigade iii this battle numbered less than 1,200 effective men, still
they captured 2,000 prisoners and thirteen pieces of artillery, but sustained
a loss of 160 of their own force. The division then moved to Eastport,
Mississippi, and went into camp. In February, 1865, the brigade
moved to New Orleans and camped on the old battle-ground. On the
28th of the same month it went to Dauphin Island; moved to
the east side of Mobile River on the 19th of March, and on the 27th laid
siege upon Spanish Fort, which was evacuated on the 8th of April. The
next day it captured Fort Blakeley. It was then ordered to Meriden,
Mississippi, where it was assigned to garrison duty. In September the
Seventy-second moved to Corinth, and soon afterward to Vicksburg,
where it Avas mustered out September 11, 1865, after which it returned
to Camp Chase and was paid and discharged.