How my great-great grandfather saved the Union

George S. Vascik

Teaching American History

February 7, 2011

Organization of this presentation

• Constructed entirely from material available on the Internet

• Using personal history to make history come alive

• Duncan Carter, 1838-1895

Organization of the Union Army

• Ohioans heed their nation’s call

• Theaters, districts, armies

• Corps, divisions, regiments

Union army organization

5 squadsSergeant10 men

2 PlatoonsLieutenant

50 men

10 CompaniesCaptain

2 Lieutenants100 men

RegimentColonel

Lt. Colonel, Major1000 men

Brigade4-6 regiments

Division2-4 brigades

Corps3 divisons

artillery brigade

Army

Duncan Carter

• Men volunteer for units raised locally, usually by county

• The Duncan Carter Story– 72nd Ohio Volunteer Regiment– Organized October, 1861– Men from Ottawa and Sandusky counties

• Map of Ohio– (David Rumsey Map Collection)

• Trained at Fort Chase, Columbus under own officers

72nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry

• Sources for Ohio regiments– Sources for 72nd OVI (compiled by Larry Stevens)– Roster– Unit history Army Heritage Collection On-line– Men of the regiment (CAC/BGSU)– Ralph Pomeroy Buckland (Sandusky Cty HS)– Gustavus A. Gessner (Hayes Presidential Ctr)

• Facebook

72nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry

• Significant battles– Shiloh April 6-7, 1862– Vicksburg May-July, 1863– Guntown (Brice’s Crossroads) June 10, 1864– Reenlistment (Battle Hymn of the Republic)– Nashville (Medal of Honor, 1st Lieutenant Charles H.

McCleary, Company C) December 15-16, 1864– Mobile April 1865

• Regimental battle flag• Deaths• Monuments

Shiloh

• Set up campaign– Order of battle

• Maps– The battlefield– The battle commences– The first day

• Story of the battle– Animation– Shiloh in photos

• The 72 OVI after Shiloh

Aftermath• Mustered out at Vicksburg

on September 11, 1865• Duncan Carter’s return

– Purchased a homestead in Wood county north of Bowling Green

– Sons: Ulysses Grant, William Sherman, and George Thomas

• Remembrance– Grand Army of the

Republic– Reunions

72nd OVI reunion, 1908

Remembrance

Oh come let’s sing Ohio’s praiseAnd songs of Alma Mater raiseWhile our hearts rebounding thrillWith joy alone that death will still.

Summer’s heat or winter’s coldThe seasons pass, the years will rollTime and change will surely show,How firm they friendship … OHIO!