Carter Men and the 113th OVI
Riley Carter was born in New York State on August 15, 1833 the son of John and Cloa Matilda Carter. The family came to Trumbull County, Ohio between 1835 and 1840. On June 30, 1857 Riley married Caroline Ballard. She was the daughter of Zebulon and Elizabeth Giles Wilson Ballard and was born on January 6, 1836.
During the Civil War, Riley answered President Lincoln's call for men to join "Three-Month Units". Leaving his wife and two baby daughters, Rachael and Austa, he served in Co., C, 19th OVI for three months and returned home to Mineral Ridge at the end of his enlistment. Then, on August 11, 1862, Riley and his brothers, Abner and Lyman, enlisted in Co. A, 113th OVI for the duration of the war. Their younger brother, Sylvester, who was then only 19 years of age had already enlisted in Co. B, 7th OVI four days earlier.
Riley Carter - 113th OVI - 1862 to1865
During the war, Riley was wounded in the right shoulder. Sylvester suffered a head wound at Dunfree's VA, but survived to tell his future wife and children about it. Both men returned home to Trumbull County, Ohio and lived out their lives there. Lyman died of typhoid in the hospital at Franklin, TN. Abner was also wounded. A few years after the war he moved his family to Williamson Co., TN where he died in 1880 after suffering for many years from complications of his wounds.
The Enfield Rifle
The 113th OVI and Campaigns in which Riley Carter Participated
as compiled by Cliff Nippell
The 113th OVI was organized at Camp Chase and Camp Dennison in Ohio from October 10 to December 12, 1862 and was mustered out July 1865.
Campaigns of the 113th in which Riley Carter Participated
Chickamauga, GA 8/26/63 - 9/22/63
Chattanooga-Ringold 11/23/63 - 11/27/63
Relief of Knoxville 11/28/63 - 12/8/63
Return to Chattanooga area until May 1864
Atlanta, Georgia 5/1/64 - 9/8/64
Riley was wounded by a minnie ball in the shoulder at Kennesaw Mountain General Assault on June 27, 1864. He was in the hospital there and then was sent home to recover. He rejoined his unit in January 1865 in South Carolina.
On January 21, 1865 the 113th which was now part of the 14th Corps left Savannah, Georgia and started marching north through South Carolina. Along the way they skirmished continually with the Confederate Cavalry. On March 3, 1865 they reached Sneedsboro, South Carolina and three days later began the march for Fayetteville, North Carolina which they reached and took possession of on March 10, 1865. After crossing the Cape Fear River on March 12 - 14, they encountered very stubborn resistance for several days. General Johnston's army was found dug in at Bentonville, North Carolina and the Battle of Bentonville was fought from March 19, 1865 to March 21, 1865.
On April 26, 1865 surrender terms were finally signed by General Johnston and General Sherman at Mr. Bennet's house. The 14th Corps was ordered to march to Richmond, Virginia on April 28 and wait there for General Sherman. Sherman arrived and on May 11, 1865 they marched through the city of Richmond. From there, they continued north through Hanover Court House, New Market, Culpepper and Manassas, reaching Alexandria on May 19, 1865.
The men of the 14th Corps participated in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C. marching down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House on May 4, 1865. They then moved to Louisville, Kentucky during June and were mustered out of service there on July 6, 1865.
The 113th Regiment of the 14th Corps lost the following number of men during service:
9 officers killed
1 officer by disease
110 enlisted men killed
149 enlisted men by disease
Total lives lost: 269
References:
Ohio in the Civil War: Whitlaw Reid, 1893
Ohio Troops in the Field: E. T. Downer
Chickmauga and Chattanooga Battlefields National Park Service Historical Handbook Series No. 25--1956
Guide to the Civil War in Tennessee: Page 12
A Short History of The Civil War: Fletcher Pratt, Page 229
The Compendium of the War of the Rebellion: Frederick Dwyer
