This article appeared in CAMERICA SUNDAY on October 28, 1962
The Siege of Cincinnati
Edited by George Crout and W. D. Vorhis
The valiant of defense of Cincinnati by the “Squirrel Hunters” during the early days of the Civil War is widely known. It was the quick action of regular troops, however, which routed the attacking rebels in their attempted “Siege of Cincinnati.”
An unpublished diary of a Daytonian, Sgt. Charles B. Palmer, contains a detailed account of this stirring episode in southwestern Ohio history.
Palmer’s name was written on one of the street signs of early Dayton, and at one time he was honored in the name of a local park. However, just as a fire wiped out his giant flour mill in the 1870s, his name has long been forgotten.
His well-preserved diary, now in the possession of a daughter, Mrs. Wilfred D. Vorhis of Middletown, gives a good description of many events of the Civil War.
SOLDIER PALMER at 22 years of age, enlisted at Camp Dennison, serving as sergeant in Company E, 83rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Beginning his Army career on Aug. 5, 1862, he was a raw recruit when he saw service as a defender of Cincinnati.
When Sgt. Palmer entered the Union Army, the Civil War was reaching the very shores of the Ohio. After the defeat of Federal troops at the battle of Richmond, Ky., Aug. 29-30, Gen. Kirby Smith, with 12,000 Confederates, advanced into the heart of the Bluegrass State, occupying Lexington, Frankfort and Maysville. It was rumored that Gen. Braxton Bragg was on his way to join Smith, as was the feared guerilla cavalry, commanded by Gen. John Hunt Morgan.
Ohio’s largest city with almost a quarter of a million people, appeared to be the prize sought by Kirby Smith. Seeing the danger to the Queen city, Gen. H. G. Wright, in command of the Union forces at Louisville, ordered 25-year-old Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace to Cincinnati. He arrived in the city, Thursday, Sept. 4, and put Cincinnati, along with the satellite Kentucky cities, Newport and Covington, under martial law. He prepared for the “Siege of Cincinnati.”
A rapidly formed militia, affectionately called the “Squirrel Hunters,” answered Gov. David Tod’s proclamation, and 15,000 strong rushed to the defense of Cincinnati. In addition to these civilian-soldiers, Union troops from nearby Camp Dennison were sent into the area, and were soon to replace the “Squirrel Hunters.”
The “Siege of Cincinnati” began with Gen. Wallace’s arrival in Cincinnati, Thursday, Sept 4, which coincided with Sgt. Palmer’s tour of duty.
Here is one soldier’s eye-witness story of those threatening days.
Sept. 4, 1862: “The order came for my regiment to prepare three days’ rations and hold ourselves in readiness to march at a moment’s notice, which we did and accordingly took up our line of march the same day. At 5 o’clock we reached Cincinnati and crossed the river at 8 o’clock. Got our suppers in Covington and, by the way, it is the best one I have tasted since…we slept on the roof of a house.”
Sept. 5, 1862: “. . . we took up our line of march for Camp King, but before we got more than half our distance the orders came for us to retrace our steps and go to a place called Fort Mitchell, which proved to be a very tiresome march, but it did not end here for when we had reached the Fort the alarm that sent us there proved to be false.
Then we had to about face and retrace our steps. The day was very hot and water along our road was scarce and poor; the roads dusty and take it all together we had a pretty hard day of it. We reached the place, Camp King, about sundown.
Had to go to bed without any supper, except such as we had in our haversacks—hard bread and sheet iron crackers. Slept on the ground with our knapsacks for a pillow and our blankets over us.”
Sept. 6, 1862: “Today I was put on duty as sergeant of the guard. At about 11 o’clock our camp was thrown into confusion by the alarm of an attack. Drums beat the alarm, companies fell into their places. Artillery horses were harnessed and an effort made to have given the enemy a warm reception if he had been as near as reported, but it proved to be false as before.
“A cavalry company came driving into our camp and among its members I found several of my old friends, which was quite a treat. Although it has been but one month since I left home, and I have seen my friends several times since, yet when we get off into a strange country and among strangers it does me good to come across anyone from home. It is now twilight just enough for me to see to write, and I am lying across a bale of hay at headquarters writing and thinking of home but I must quit for tonight…am off duty.”
Sept. 7, 1862 (Sunday): “I came into camp this morning off-duty and found the regiment had gone. It was called together at 11 o’clock last night and took its departure for a fort about five miles from here. Left no orders for us who were left. This morning feels more like the Sabbath than any I have experienced in my stay at camp. Everything around here is quiet and I feel like I should get ready for Sunday school but alas this is a privilege that is denied us poor soldiers.
“Oh! This wicked rebellion. I realize more each day that we are in the midst of Civil War. May God grant to soon show the rebels the error of their way that they repent and find pardon in the Blood of the Lamb.
“Sunday evening: Our camp is almost entirely deserted tonight. One after another regiment has left until there is not one left to tell the tale and it is so lonesome that one almost wishes that he were home in Ohio. We who are left received orders this afternoon to pack everything and be ready to follow our regiment early on the morrow. Well, I have just finished my supper which was a little better tonight—it consisted of coffee, butter, fried shoulder and honey, that I did not fancy. It was some the boys found close to camp. Cut the tree but did not get it saved very nice. For bread we had to take the everlasting sheet iron crackers.”
Sept 8, 1862: “Last night I was on picket with some six others. We came across some of the “Butternuts” but neither one exchanged shots. We have now packed up and loaded up and are about ready to join our boys in their new camp. At 11 o’clock we began to move and reached this place (I don’t know the name) and found the boys—took supper together and had a sing . . .”
Sept. 9, 1962: Tuesday morning got up, went about a half mile for water to wash. Got back and changed linen for one of Uncle Sam’s army shirts and I am now ready for breakfast. Ten o’clock. On my road to camp from a farm house where I have been to take some shirts to wash, I went into the orchard and filled my pockets with apples. About 4 o’clock we got the orders to pack up and be off. We packed and fell into line, but did not leave camp until after dark. We then marched about one mile, turned off the pike one mile, stacked our arms and lay down for the night . . .”
Sept. 10, 1872: “About 3 o’clock (a.m.) we were awakened up, ordered to equip ourselves and fall into line. We did so but up to this hour we have not moved, but are expecting every moment to do so.
“I have just returned from a farm house, where the orderly and I had been for water. We had our army cups filled with milk by the good lady of the house. The country around here is hilly, a poor farming country, but appears to be good for fruit of all kinds. Some of the houses are very costly, nicely furnished, and appear to belong to the upper crust---others are the merest shells.
ABOUT ONE MILE from camp several of the boys and I came here on the hunt of pleasure and shade as it is so very hot, and we have just taken a cool drink from a spring and taken a seat in the shade. Some reading and one or two are exploring and I taking down things as I see them.
“The doctor and John Dunn have just coaxed a cow up and milked her. The boys not only milk cows but woe unto the chickens or geese that come in their way. I am just trying my hand at milking.
“Have returned to camp. It is so very hot that it seems I cannot stand it—no shade and the sun comes down with all its power.”
Sept. 11, 1862: “…Last night at a little before 3 o’clock we were wakened up and fell into line to meet a foe that did not come, so we dropped down where we were and slept on the ground till morning. I stated yesterday that we were expecting to move each moment. We have just received the orders to go, where I do not know. It seems our luck to stay in one place only 24 hours…
“We have just finished moving. We just moved about 500 yards into a beautiful orchard full of apples, and the boys are pitching into them with avidity. If mother could have seen me 10 or 15 minutes ago, she would have laughed for I was making an extra pocket in my coat for my housewife. At the first time I got it too small and had it all to rip out and sew over again…It is threatening rain. I have moved my quarters out under an apple tree. . .”
Sept. 12, 1862: “It has been raining all night. Our tents turn the water better than I had expected. I do not feel very well this morning. We have just discovered that the sheet iron crackers are alive with little worms which I have not got to relish with a good appetite. Last heard firing in the direction of Fort Mitchell. Lay on our arms all night expecting to be up at any minute…
“I am writing on a drum head with my knapsack and accoutrements buckled on expecting to march in less than half an hour, where to I know not. We were ordered to put two days’ rations in our haversacks and fall into line. We heard the rebels have taken Maysville. It may be that is our destination. Five o’clock, we have not moved yet. Have just signed a muster role with the expectation of drawing some greenbacks.
Sept. 13, 1862: “We are still in Camp Shaylor and likely to stay. We hear this morning that the rebels have retreated. Nothing more going on this morning in camp than usual.
“Twelve o’clock noon. Have just come from an hour’s drill. Sitting around waiting for dinner. Feel well today to what I did yesterday.
“Six o’clock. Have just come in from dress parade. Our regiment was filled up yesterday. It now makes quite a respectable appearance.”
While the “Siege of Cincinnati” was over, it marked only a prelude to Sgt. Palmer’s Civil War experiences as it did for thousands of other Ohio boys. After testing the defenses, and hearing from Southern sympathizers of Cincinnati’s determination to fight, the rebel general, Kirby Smith, retreated according to plan.
Some time after the war, Kirby Smith said he might “have very easily entered Cincinnati with his troops, but all hell could not have got them out again.”
