9 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O.V.V.I.
The Captain was a resident of Guernsey County, a well to do farmer; a man of influence in his community, a consistent and earnest Christian, which character he deeply impressed upon his men, so that profanity and intemperance were seldom known among his men. His term of service expired December, 1864, when he was mustered out and quit the service, after three years of faithful service to his country and to the noble men he had so long commanded, and led through all the important battles in which the regiment participated. Lieutenant Adolphus W. Search, Adjutant of the Regiment, succeeded him as Captain, which was an excellent appointment, and very acceptable to the Company. He possessed those traits of character which maintained that high state of good order and discipline that Captain Wilson had left in the company.
James T. Caldwell, was promoted to First Lieutenant, and a few days afterwards fell mortally wounded, at the battle of Champion Hills, while commanding Company "K," temporarily. We neither flatter nor speak too strong, when we say that no more efficient and better officer, no truer Christian, no more loyal man to God and the nation, and no more worthy young man ever gave his life for his country.
He had all those traits of character that make life beautiful, honored and loved by all good men. After three days severe suffering from his wound he died peacefully, and in the triumph of faith. To him death had no terror; its sting had been taken away.
William M. Sleeth, Commissary Sergeant, had succeeded Lieutenant Caldwell as Second Lieutenant, and was promoted to First Lieutenant at Atlanta. He was detached in October, 1864, from the regiment, to the Commissary Department of the Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, where he remained till the Winter of 1865, when he returned to the regiment and was made Adjutant.* Russel Bethel was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and then to First Lieutenant and assigned to Company "A" but was afterwards detailed on the Staff of Second Brigade. He is an officer of commanding appearance, a young man of good attainments, and character.
He received a medal of honor from the War Department, for distinguished bravery, in the battle before Atlanta, on the 22d day of July. He was noted somewhat for his success in teaching disloyal men at the North that their position was an unsafe one, and a horizontal one very unexpectedly and suddenly assumed was the better plan, by which he could impart to them lessons of wholesome instructions.
Sergeant William H. Cockins, was promoted to Second Lieutenant in the early part of 1865. He was an exemplary young man, of good business qualifications, and a fine drill-master. In the battle before Atlanta, July 22d, 1864, he was severely wounded.
The following are the names of the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men of the original organization of Company "A:"
| 1. L. W. A. Sinsabaugh 2. Israel C. Robinson |
3. Milton F. Timms 4. Wm. J. Heskett |
5. Albert Henderson |
| 1. John R. Edgar 2. Gabriel H. Holland 3. Isaiah Moore |
4. Wm. H. Cockins 5. Henry McCreary 6. Ezra G. Warne |
7. Joseph I. Geyer 8. Geo. W. Irvin |
| Arthur, James C. Ayers, Winfield S. Barnum, Philo B. Barnet, John B. Bell, David R. Brewer, James M. Boyer, John R. Castor, Philander S. Caldwell, James T., jr. |
Copeland, Joseph Corbin, Charles M. Cockins, Simeon Coulter, James M. Connor, Wilson E. Crawford, Henry W. Crawford, James Crawford, Robert R. Cramblet, Eli B. |
Curtis, James P. Culbertson, Robert F. Dickson, Samuel Dickerson, Joshua Daugherty, John B. Douglas, David Fleming, James E. Forsythe, David W. Fulton, John |
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*See Field and Staff.