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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY 369
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST INFANTRY
This regiment was organized during the summer of 1862, and at a
time when almost every engagement resulted disastrously to the Union
arms, and at a time, too, when it required something ftQre than enthusiasm
or mere love of excitement to become a soldier; it was a stern and
positive duty, and the recruits knew full Avell that untold privations and
hardships aAvaited them. The One Hundred and First Avas raised in the
counties of Crawford, Wyandot, Huron, Erie and Seneca; the contingent
from Erie County comprising Company B and a large part of Company
G.
On the 4th of September, 1862, and before being fully organized for
field duty, the command proceeded under orders hurriedly to Cincinnati
and thence to Covington, Kentucky, to repel the threatened invasion of
Kirby Smith's forces; and on the 24th the regiment moved to Louisville,
when it was placed in Carlin's Brigade, Mitchell's Division and attached
to the army under General Buell.
Soon after the 1st of October commenced the pursuit of Bragg's rebel
force, which culminated in the battleof Perrysville on the 8th. Again
the retreating rebels were overtaken and their rear guard attacked at
Lancaster. The regiment then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where
Gen. Jefferson C. Davis took command of the division, and on the
26th of November joined the Army of the Cumberland, General Rosecrans
being chief in command. At this time was fought a battle near
Nashville, at Knob Gap, where the regiment made an excellent record for
coolness and bravery, being, as they Avere much of the time, under a
heavy and telling fire from infantry and artillery.
On December 30th commenced the battle at Stone River, the brigade
to which the One Hundred and First belonged having the right of the
line and was the first on the field. On the day following they had it
"hot and heavy," no sooner being driven from one position than they.
made a determined stand at another, all through the day. They held
their position on the right until January 2d, when the brigade Avas
ordered to support the left. From this time until April the regiment
was posted at or near Murfreesboro from which point they were constantly
moving on various wearying expeditions; but from April to
June it rested in camp at Tullahoma.
In June was fought the battle at Liberty Gap, after Avhich, in August
the brigade crossed the mountains into Georgia, but returned shortly
afterward and took part at the Chfckamauga battle, August 19th and
20th. In this tight the One Hundred and First made a fierce charge and
regained a national battery, fighting over the guns with clubbed muskets.
After this splendid achievement the command retired to Chattanooga,
where the regiment was made a part of the First Brigade, First
Division, Fourth Army Corps. During the latter part of October the
brigade moved to Bridgeport, Alabama, where it remained in camp until
January 16, 1864, when it proceeded to Oldtawah, Tennessee.
The regiment participated in the Atlanta campaign in 1864, making
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