Ironton Register 31 May 1888 – Henry C. Boyer of Etna Furnace was in town the other day and the Register reporter had a peasant talk with him. Henry is a fine-looking German fellow citizen and when we mentioned what experiences he was ready for us. He preserves the memories of the war and kindly answered all our questions. He belonged to the 173rd Ohio and from the numerous close calls he told us of we will tell the one that happened in 1864.
His regiment was then serving in Tennessee and he was detailed with ten others under command of a Lieut. to guard a paymaster who was flying about that region paying off troops. Now to guard a paymaster is not always a pleasant job for he has to go everywhere and at all times for whatever is going on the boys had to have money to pay the sutler and send home what was left.
On the occasion referred to Mr. Henry C. Boyer and his comrades had left their command at Nashville and were escorting the paymaster from Columbia to Huntsville. For this purpose, a train had been provided consisting of a locomotive, a pay car, and a box car for the guards. Thus, equipped they started to Huntsville stopping at various points to pay off troops and others engaged in the U.S. service.
At one point on the road, about 16 miles from Huntsville the train stopped for the purpose of paying ten or fifteen men who guarded the station there but behold not a man could be found to be paid off. A little examination disclosed the dead body of a soldier near the station. He had been shot. The others had evidently fled or been captured. Just then, someone discovered guerillas prowling near and the men forthwith manned the box car. Then all excitement and fright.
The paymaster, whom Mr. Henry C. Boyer described as a little fellow with a thin nose and squeaky voice called on the engineer to go back. He was fairly shaking with fear. But the engineer thought it was best to go forward and the Lieut. agreed with the engineer. But when they started forward – beholding the track was cut – a rail had been taken up.
Then the paymaster wanted to go back worse than ever; he ordered and pleaded and insisted that the train should run back. He wanted to go home. But the engineer went forward with a sled and some spikes and put the rail in place and fastened it.
In the meantime, we kept close to our boxcar peeping out through the port holes to protect the engineer should any guerrilla attempt to capture or shoot him. We could see the Bushwhacker easily, but they kept their distance and made no attack. Had they done so they could have captured us easily.
There were about fifty of them and only eleven of us. Of course, we would have killed more of them than they could us, but they could have overpowered us had they made the attempt. And it would have been well worth their time for the paymaster was said to have had over a million dollars. That would have paid the guerrillas big.
Soon the engineer got the rail into place and fastened down and the train went cautiously over it. But when we go clear the engineer pulled the throttle wide open and we went to the next sixteen miles into Huntsville in just eleven minutes.
There were two regiments at Huntsville. Those were paid off and we went back over the same route but met no obstacles. When we came to the place where the guerrillas had demolished the Union guard we watched closely with our hands on the triggers.
6 May 1895 Ironton, Ohio
The Lawrence County, Ohio, Commissioners were appointed to the charge of burial from Elizabeth Township, the body of Henry Boyer who died on 10 April 1895.
Henry Boyer was honorably discharged and served as a Private in Company A 173rd Regiment OVI. His body was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery.
Source: Lawrence County, Ohio, Indigent Soldiers Burial Records
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