Fullerton's Rifles
Company B was comprised primarily of soldiers from Ross County. They were known as the Fullerton Rifles. It was common for companies to have a special name that pertain to an unique feature about them.
Such was the case with Company B. The company derived its name, Fullerton Rifles, from Dixon Fullerton who donated $5,000 to the company to purchase uniforms and arms. The uniforms were purchased, and the company was said that they could " pass the guards at Columbus as West Point cadets sent to Ohio to drill the green troops" [ Ohio Soldier. Vol X, p. 250.]
The arms were not purchased however due to the difficulty in finding appropriate ammunition. The balance of Mr. Fullerton's gift was used by the company throughout the war to help take cae of the sick and wounded.
In gratitude of Mr. Fullerton's generous gift, at the close of the war, the company presented Mr. Fullerton with the company roster printed on white satin, that included name, military history of each soldier, place of residence, and place of death of those deceased. The roster was framed and presented to Mr. Fullerton. In response, Mr. Fullerton " received this token of esteem in the gracious spirit in which it was presented, and talked entertainingly of the company, showing that he had followed its course in the army with diligence and interest, was proud of its record, and glad to have associated his name with a comman that had acquitted itself so honorably." [ Ohio Soldier, Vol. X, p. 250]
"...Some well known families of the county are represented in the list of members. It was one of the veteran organizations, enlisted in July, 1861, and served until peace was declared, in 1865. The regiment saw hard and continuous service at the front and participated in all the historic battles of that grand old army of the Cumberland. Nor was this all: it followed Sherman to Atlanta, fighting its way at Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, and skirmishing daily with the Confederates. When a halt was called in front. of Atlanta, it was with the troops who retraced their course, followed and passed Hood on his march to Nashville, and defeated, demoralized and scattered his army. The Twenty-sixth then went on the memorable march through Texas, fighting, for their lives, against the aggressions of intense heat, dust, thirst, mosquitoes, centipedes and rebels, but the latter were the least annoying to personal comfort at that season.
The officers of the Ross county company were: Capt. Raymond Allston, resigned; Capt. Samuel H. Ewing, mustered out; Capt. Erastus Guy, resigned. First Lieut. John L. Watson, resigned ; First Lieut. Asahel R. Franklin, promoted captain of Company C; First Lieut. Samuel Chestnut, promoted captain; Second Lieut. Morris Renick, promoted first lieutenant and assigned to Company F: Second Lieut. John W. Raley, killed at Chickamauga. The following non-commissioned officers were discharged to accept promotion : Sergt. Richard Long; Sergt. Felix Renick ; Sergt. Louis C. Amberg; Sergt. Henry J. McLandburg; Corp. Henry R. Miller, Corp. Jesse M. Darrah. Eight members of the company were killed in the battle of Chickamauga : Lieut. John W. Ruley, Corporal James M. Cosgrove, privates William Finley, Frank Hess, John Haas, Arthur H. Ingram, James H. Smith and Joseph Vangundy. Three were missing : James Graves, Henry Ludwig and Frederick Miller. Nearly every member of the company present in the action was either killed, missing or wounded, and many of the latter died as a result of their wounds. The following named private soldiers of the company were discharged to accept promotion in other organizations: Francis Aid, Frederick K. Focke, John P. McDougal and John Spence." [ History of Ross County, p. 91]
Excerpts from Diary of Samuel Chesnut.