[The 179th was organized in September 1864 and sent to Nashville, Tenn. where they were engaged in post and garrison duty until December when Confederate troops coming north out of Georgia, attacked in what was known as the Battle of Nashville. This Union victory would be the last battle fought in Tennessee. The 179th mustered out June 1865. There were no battle casualties, but 80 enlisted men died of disease. N. Elvick]
From the 179th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment
From the 179th O.V.I. Nashville, Tenn. April 18, '65
At a meeting of the officers of the 179th reg. O.V.I., on the evening of the 15th inst. a committee was appointed consisting of Col. H. H. Sage, Major T. E. Hooker, Capt. D. A. Tawnege, Capt. G. M. Kemp and Lieut. T. A. Patterson, to embody and express the feeling of the Regiment upon the assassinations that have occurred at our national capital and at an adjourned meeting on the 16th inst., the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted by the officers and men of the Regiment:
Whereas, The sad intelligence has reached us of the tragic death of our noble, and beloved Chief Magistrate, and the injuries received by the Secretary of State and others, and
Whereas, it is proper that we should give expression to the feeling which this mournful event has awakened, and the regard we have for the illustrious dead; therefore
Resolved, That in the death of Abraham Lincoln, the country has lost one of its greatest and best men, and the country has to mourn the departure of our second Washington.
Resolved, That as soldiers of the republic, looking to him as the supreme head of our Government, and great Commander-in-Chief of our army, we have a twofold reason to mourn his untimely end.
Resolved, That while we would in mercy spare the brave men, who have so often met us face to face on the battlefield, we do at the same time execrate and detest the miserable cowards, who, not having the courage to take up arms in war, would, to gratify their demoniac thirst for revenge, use the dagger of the assassin.
Resolved, That in the assassination of the President, and the attempted assassination of Mr. Seward and others, we have reaped the fruits of tolerating traitors in our midst, and while have heretofore approved the conduct of our late lamented Chief Magistrate in his leniency toward individuals, and his conciliatory course towards the mass of traitors, we shall now expect a different policy. And we do earnestly hope that measures will be adopted, which will speedily and effectually relieve the national capital and the country of those traitors, whose infernal spirit of revenge and thirst for loyal blood is fully illustrated in the terrible scenes that have just transpired.
Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with the bereaved and sorrowing relatives of the illustrious deceased, and earnestly commend them to the consoling mercy and grace of our Heavenly Father.
Resolved, That though we have suffered a fearful calamity, yet we will still trust God to conduct the affairs of our nation; thankful for the victories we have achieved, and hopeful for a speedy and successful end of our troubles: Resolved, That we will wear the usual badge of mourning, prescribed in the regulations, for thirty days.
Resolved, That a copy of the foregoing, be sent to the papers of eacy county represented in the regiment, for publication.
Yours truly,
E. R. Gardner, Sec'y. To R. L. Stewart, Ed. Gallipolis Journal
The Gallipolis Journal
May 4, 1865
Transcribed by Eva Swain Hughes
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