AT CINCINNATI

On this day, the 16th Ohio, along with Col. John DeCourcey's brigade spent the day on the steamers, moored in the river, that brought them from Point Pleasant, (West) Virginia, to Cincinnati. Theodore Wolbach writes:

At Cincinnati we tied up two days, and many of the boys took a hasty look at the adjacent part of the city. Here we met many acquaintances in the 120th Ohio, that was encamped at Covington, on the opposite side of the river. New inducements were offered to spend money. Men came with revolvers for sale, and vendors of boots visited us. One fellow done a fair business in selling facsimile Confederate States money.

Army rations were abundant and much was shamefully wasted. Full rations never removes the soldier's inclination to steal. A boat moored along side of us contained a mixed cargo, a part of which was pickled pig's feet in kegs. Although a little hazardous, frequent forays were made, and a number of kegs were in this way transferred to our boat. One German volunteer made a little money by retailing his plunder to his companions.

Many troops were gathered around Cincinnati, both north and south of the river, the greater part destined soon to move for points further south. Bragg and Kirby Smith had been driven from the state of Kentucky after fighting the severe and peculiar battle of Perryville. Their main line of retreat seemed to be through Crab Orchard, Barboursville and Cumberland Gap. One year ago we had passed directly south through here, a little anxious to know something of the realities of war - now we were crossing our old path, full of experience and rich recollections of the intervening time. The new troops that visited us plied us with many questions about the service we had passed through, and no doubt some of the boys, for amusement, related some huge experiences.

Several of the boys went across to Newport, Kentucky, and enlisted in the United States regulars. Though a strict violation of military laws, and an impudent act, these fellows served honorably and faithfully to the end of their new enlistment.

* Information and italicized quotations from a series of articles entitled Camp and Field - The Old 16th Ohio, written in the 1880s by Theodore Wolbach, late Corporal in Company E, 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

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Modern day map of the 16th Ohio's journey from Point Pleasant on the Ohio River, heading south and west (positions approximated) to Cincinnati, Ohio:

Green pin (with dot) - Point Pleasant, (West) Virginia
Green pin - Greenupsburg (now Greenup), Kentucky - point where Morgan's division immerged from their long march from Cumberland Gap to the Ohio River on October 3, six weeks earlier.
Yellow pin - Approximate half-way point between Point Pleasant and Cincinnati (100 miles), roughly where the flotilla would have been at the beginning of this day.
Red pin - Cincinnati, Ohio