Merwin, Leland A.

Farmer, Civil War Veteran

Birth: September 29,1840, Nelson Township, Portage County, Ohio
Death: July 12, 1910, Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio
Burial: Park Cemetery, Garrettsville, Portage County, Ohio
Find a Grave memorial

Military Service: Private, 2nd Regiment, Company G, Ohio Cavalry

Leland (sometimes spelled Leeland) A. Merwin joined the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, which was recruited by Vienna-born John Hutchins, then United States Representative, and Senator Benjamin F. Wade of Cleveland. Leland answered the call for men by enlisting on August 22, 1861. Merwin was mustered into Company G on October 14, 1862, but given a disability discharge on June 14, 1862. This may have been the result of a battle near Horse Creek, Missouri, on May 7, 1862. (But see published biography, below.)

Merwin farmed land he owned in Vienna. For a time he and his wife Margaret, whom he married in 1874, lived in Garrettsville, Portage County. After his wife’s death, Merwin lived with his nephew in Warren until his own death in 1910.

Published Biography

From A Portrait and Biographical Record of Portage and Summit Counties, Ohio... (Logansport, Ind.: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1898), pp. 826-828:

LEELAND A. MERWIN, a retired farmer of Nelson township, Portage county, Ohio, and residing in Garrettsville, was born in Nelson township, September 29, 1840, a son of Leeland P. Merwin and Mary E. (King) Merwin, the former of whom was born in Onondaga county, N.Y., September 18, 1803, a son of Dr. Jesse and Sallie Merwin, pioneers of Portage county, Ohio.

Dr. Jesse Merwin was of New England ancestry and came from New York state to Ohio in 1821, settling in Nelson township, Portage county, where he cut his first timber and cleared up the first farm from the wilderness. He was a practicing physician and was well known throughout the surrounding country, the pioneers fully appreciating his ability and skill. His son, Leeland P. Merwin, father of subject, was born in Onandaga county, N.Y., September 18, 1803, and came to Ohio with his father in 1821, being at that time about eighteen years of age. He assisted in clearing up the Nelson township homestead, and a few years later married Miss Mary E. King, to which union were born Louisa, Sallie, Helen, Hannah, Martha, Van B., Leeland A, John C. and Todd S. All the sons were soldiers in the late Civil war—John C. and Leeland A. having served in the Second Ohio cavalry and Todd S. in the Sixth; Van B. was in the 100-day service, was captured by John Morgan at Cynthiana, Ky., but was held two days only. Besides these four brothers of the Merwin family, a brother of Mrs. Merwin served throughout the same struggle. Her sister, Angeline, married Harry Daily, and Mr. Merwin’s sister, Sallie, married Henry Merwin, and these two gentlemen were also soldiers who fought in defense of the Union. The father of this family was called to rest November 18, 1887, honored by all who knew him.

Leeland A. Merwin, just before his twenty-first birthday, left the Nelson township homestead and enlisted, in Windham township, September 25, 1861, in company G, Second regiment, Ohio volunteer cavalry, to serve three years, and continued in the army until honorably discharged at Baxter Springs, Kans., October 10, 1862. He fought against Quantrill’s guerrillas through all the border counties in Missouri and Kansas and in the Indian territory, taking part in many skirmishes. He suffered a great deal from typhoid-pneumonia, contracted from exposure and sleeping on the ground in swampy localities, and was confined in the hospital at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., for six weeks, when he rejoined his regiment at Fort Scott, but two months later, on account of disability, was discharged at the place and time above mentioned. When not confined by illness, Mr. Merwin was always prompt and cheerful in the performance of his military duties and was a good and brave soldier.

On his return to Ohio, Mr. Merwin attended Hiram institute two terms and then learned the carpenter’s trade, which he followed ten or twelve years, and then settled on the old Nelson township homestead of about 123 acres, which he still owns, but from the active and practical care of which he retired to Garrettsville in 1892.

The marriage of Mr. Merwin took place in Vienna township, Trumbull county, Ohio, June 5, 1873, to Miss Margaret J. Lyon, who was born in Clarion county, Pa., a daughter of John B. and Catherine (McNaughton) Lyon, parents of the following-named children: James S., Calvin W., Franklin, Thomas, Angeline, Margaret J., Barbara A. and Ellen. The father, John B. Lyon, was a farmer, was a republican in politics, and two of his sons, James S. and Franklin, served during the Civil war, in a regiment of Pennsylvania volunteer infantry—Franklin dying from wounds received in battle and his remains being interred at City Point, Va. The father, who descended from one of the oldest pioneer families of the Keystone state, was born in 1815 and died in 1894. His daughter (Mrs. Merwin) is a lady of great national abilities, is a member of Ora Rebekah lodge, No. 240, I. O. O. F. of Garrettsville, held the office of president of the state assembly from 1895 to 1896, and has been presented by the state lodge with a beautiful emblem of solid gold, set with seven diamonds, as a testimonial of her gracious conduct and administrative impartiality. In politics Mr. Merwin is a republican, and cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln. He has filled the office of township trustee two years, is a member of Mark Horton post, G.A.R. at Garrettsville, in which he has served as junior and senior vice-commander, and is also a member of Portage lodge, No. 456, I. O. O. F., at Garrettsville, in which he has filled all the chairs, including that of noble grand. In religion the family affiliate with the Congregational church, and is one of the most highly esteemed in Nelson township.

Regimental History, 2nd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry

Overview: Organized at Cleveland and Camp Dennison, Ohio, August to October, 1861. Duty at Camp Dennison, Ohio, November 1, 1861, to January 27, 1862. Scout duty on the Missouri Border January 27-February 18, 1862. Attached to Doubleday's Brigade, Dept. of Missouri, February to June, 1862. Fort Scott, Kan., to August, 1862. Solomon's Brigade, Dept. of Kansas, to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Army of the Frontier, to December, 1862. Columbus, Ohio, to April, 1863. Kautz's 1st Cavalry Brigade, District of Central Kentucky, Dept. Ohio, to June, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army Ohio, to August, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 23rd Army Corps, to November, 1863. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division Cavalry, 23rd Army Corps, to February, 1864. Columbus, Ohio, to April, 1864. Cavalry, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to May 24, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac, and Middle Military Division, to May, 1865. Dept. of Missouri to October, 1865.

Service: Expedition to Fort Scott, Kan.,February 18-March 2, 1862. Action at Independence, Mo., February 22. Expedition to Diamond Grove, Kan., April 15-May 7. Action at Horse Creek May 7. Expedition into Indian Territory May 25-July 8. Action at Grand River June 6. Capture of Fort Gibson July 18. Bayou Bernard July 27. Montevallo August 5. Lone Jack, Mo., August 11. Blount's Campaign in Missouri and Arkansas September 17-December 3. Expedition to Sarcoxie September 28-30. Newtonia September 30. Occupation of Newtonia October 4. Skirmishes at Carthage, Cow Hill, Cow Skin Prairie, Wolf Creek, Maysville and White River. Ordered to Columbus, Ohio, December, 1862, and duty there till March, 1863. Moved to Somerset, Ky., and duty there till June 27. Mt. Sterling, Ky., March 19 (3rd Battallon). Owensville March 31. Expedition to Monticello and operations in Southeastern Kentucky April 26-May 12. Action at Monticello May 1. Near Mill Springs May 29. Monticello, Rocky Gap and Steubenville June 9. Sanders' Raid in East Tennessee June 14-24 (3rd Battalion). Knoxville June 19-20. Strawberry Plains and Rogers' Gap June 20. Powder Springs Gap June 21. Pursuit of Morgan July 1-25. Columbia, Ky., July 3. Buffington Island, Ohio, July 18-19. Operations in Eastern Kentucky against Scott July 25-August 6. Near Rogersville July 27. Richmond July 28. Lancaster and Paint Lick Bridge July 31. Lancaster August 1. Burnside's Campaign in East Tennessee August 16-October 17. Winter's Gap August 31. Expedition to Cumberland Gap September 4-7. Operations about Cumberland Gap September 7-10. Capture of Cumberland Gap September 9. Greenville September 11. Carter's Depot September 22. Zollicoffer September 24. Jonesboro September 28. Greenville October 2. Blue Springs October 5 and 10. Sweetwater October 10-11. Knoxville Campaign November 4-December 23. Lenoir Station November 14-15. Stock Creek November 15. Siege of Knoxville November 17-December 5. Morristown and Long's Ford December 10. Cheek's Cross Roads December 12. Russellville December 12-13. Bean's Station December 14. Blair's Cross Roads December 16-19. Rutledge December 16. Stone's Mill December 19. Dandridge December 24. Mossy Creek Station December 26. Regiment re-enlisted January 1, 1864. On Veteran furlough till March. Ordered to Annapolis, Md., March 20. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Piney Branch Ford May 8; Spottsylvania May 8-21; Piney Branch Ford May 15; U. S. Ford May 21 (Detachment); North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Mechump's Creek and Hanover Court House May 31. Ashland June 1. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Gaines' Mill, Salem Church, Haw's Shop and Totopotomoy June 2. Haw's Shop June 3-5. Long Bridge and White House Landing June 12. Smith's Store, near Samaria Church, June 15. Wilson's Raid on Southside & Danville Railroad June 22-30. Black and White Station June 23. Staunton River Bridge, or Roanoke Station, June 25. Sappony Church, or Stony Creek, June 28-29. Ream's Station June 29. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August 7-November 28. Winchester August 17. Summit Point August 21. Charlestown August 21-22. Smithfield and Kearneysville August 25. White Post September 3. Abram's Creek, near Winchester, September 13. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Near Cedarville September 20. Front Royal Pike September 21. Milford and Fisher's Hill September 22. Waynesboro September 29. Bridgewater October 4. Near Columbia Furnace October 7. Tom's Brook October 8-9. Cedar Creek October 13. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. New Market November 6. Kearneysville November 10. Newtown and Cedar Creek November 12. Raid to Rude's Hill, near Mt. Jackson, November 22. Raid to Lacey's Springs December 19-22. Lacey's Springs December 21. Expedition from Winchester to Moorefield, Va., February 4-6, 1865. Sheridan's Raid from Winchester to Petersburg February 27 March 25. Occupation of Staunton March 2. Waynesboro March 2. Occupation of Charlottesville March 3. Ashland March 15. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Dinwiddie Court House March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Namozine Church April 3. Sailor's Creek April 6. Appomattox Station April 8. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. Expedition to Danville April 23-29. March to Washington, D. C., May. Grand Review May 23. Ordered to St. Louis, Mo., May 27. Duty in Dept. of Missouri till October. Mustered out October 12, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 76 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 179 Enlisted men by disease. Total 267.