Description: Photographic reproduction of a drawing showing Ulysses S. Grant, captioned "The March from the Wilderness. Scene on the road to Spotsylvania C. H. May 9th 1864." Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio. Upon entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, he attempted to change his name from Hiram Ulysses to Ulysses Hiram but found that his name had already been mistakenly recorded at West Point as Ulysses Simpson Grant, which he never corrected. During the U. S. Civil War, Grant was promoted to the rank of General and granted command of the Union Army by President Abraham Lincoln. After the victory of the Union over the Confederacy, Grant's popularity led to his election as the 18th President of the United States in 1868. This drawing was incorrectly attributed to Ulysses Grant as the artist, but appears to be the work of Edwin Forbes (1839-1895). View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04526
Subjects: Grant, Ulysses S., 1822-1885; Ohio History--Military Ohio, United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865; Ohio--History, Military; Presidents--United States; Artists
Places: Spotsylvania (Virginia)
 

Description: Discharge of T.M. Welsh from the "Squirrel Hunters" ("Minute Men of Ohio"), called to defend Cincinnati from attack during the Civil War. In the second year of the American Civil War, Confederate troops were ordered to capture Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. Major General Horatio Wright, commander of Union forces in Kentucky, ordered General Lewis (Lew) Wallace to prepare Covington's and Cincinnati's defenses. Upon arriving in Cincinnati, Wallace immediately declared martial law. He issued a call in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan for a volunteer militia. Men in the regular army would fight on the battlefield, while the civilians would prepare trenches and other defensive features to prepare the two communities for attack. Cincinnati residents reportedly "cheerfully obeyed" the order. Ohio Governor David Tod left Columbus, the state capital, and came to Cincinnati to assist Wallace. Tod immediately ordered Ohio's adjutant-general to send any available troops other than those guarding Ohio's southern border to Cincinnati. A number of Ohio counties offered to dispatch men to Cincinnati as well, and civilians from sixty-five counties numbering 15,766 men reported for duty at Cincinnati. These volunteer men became known as the "Squirrel Hunters." Many of the Squirrel Hunters had no military training and carried antiquated weapons. Despite these shortcomings, they still rallied together to help defend Ohio from Confederate invasion. A Confederate scout reported that, "They call them Squirrel Hunters; farm boys that never had to shoot at the same squirrel twice." Thanks to the actions of Wallace and Tod, Covington and Cincinnati had adequate defenses to repel the Confederate advance within two days. By September 13, 1862, news reached Cincinnati that the Confederate forces were withdrawing from Kentucky and that Cincinnati was no longer in danger. Wallace earned the nickname "Savior of Cincinnati" for his actions in September 1862. The Squirrel Hunters returned to their homes. To thank the Squirrel Hunters, the Ohio legislature, in 1863, authorized funds for Governor Tod to print discharges for these men from military duty. The discharges thanked the men for their patriotism and their willingness to sacrifice their lives in the defense of Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: VFM2637
Subjects: Squirrel Hunters; Ohio History--Military Ohio, United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865; Cincinnati (Ohio)--History
Places: Cincinnati (Ohio); Hamilton County (Ohio);
 

Description: General Jacob D. Cox served as governor of Ohio from 1866 to 1868. From "Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio" by Henry Howe, 1907. Cox also served with the Union Army during the Civil War. Originally from Montreal, Canada, Cox emigrated to the United States, and attended Oberlin College. After several pre-war political positions in Ohio, he joined the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Cox fought at Antietam, South Mountain, and Atlanta, and eventually became military supervisor for the District of Ohio and the District of Michigan. He went on to become the 28th Governor of Ohio. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04231
Subjects: Governors--Ohio; Ohio History--State and Local Government; Ohio History--Military Ohio, United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio)
 

Description: The image portrays Nathaniel Gwynne saving his unit's colors on July 30, 1864, during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia (Civil War). For his bravery Gwynne received the Congressional Medal of Honor on January 27, 1865. He served as a private in Company H, 13th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. His citation reads: "When about entering upon the charge, this soldier, then but 15 years old, was cautioned not to go in, as he had not been mustered. He indignantly protected and participated in the charge, his left arm being crushed by a shell and amputated soon afterward." This image is included in the book "Deeds of Valor," vol. 1, edited by Walter F. Beyer and O.F. Keydel (pub. 1901, 1903, 1906). Drawing signed by Frank Colton. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05650
Subjects: Gwynne, Nathaniel, 1849-1883; Ohio History--Military Ohio, United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865; United States. Army. Ohio Cavalry Regiment, 13th (1861-1865); Medal of Honor
 

Description: "THE UNION NOW AND FOREVER" Broadside for a meeting in Urbana, Ohio, called by Major General E. P. Fyffe. A native of Urbana and former West Point cadet, Fyffe was among the first to offer his services to the Union effort at the start of the Civil War. He took an active part in organizing and forwarding Ohio volunteers to the field. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: OVS4832
Subjects: Unionists (United States Civil War); Ohio History--Military Ohio, United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865; Advertisements