2nd great-grandfather of Beverly Summers

Private     Co. E      67th Ohio Volunteers
Dates of Service:  10 Dec 1861 - 07 Feb 1863

John Delong was born in 1811 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was the second of thirteen  children of Jacob Delong and Catherine Mowery.     
 
Elizabeth 1809-1888, John 1811-1895, Lydia 1812-?, Sarah 1814-1893, Mary Jane 1815- ?, Catherine 1816-1893, Elijah 1818-1871, Jacob 1819-1871, George 1821-1899, Caroline 1827-1885, Daniel David 1828-1895, Peter 1830-1878 and Mary, 1839-? (Mary was a child of a domestic and was adopted).
 
When John was 25, his entire family, consisting of26 people moved to Little Hog Creek, Allen County, Ohio and became the first permanent settlers of that area.. There he met Sylvina Bowsher, daughter of Daniel Bowsher and Catherine Weaver. They were married December 1, 1840 in Shawnee Twp, Allen Co, Ohio. Three children were born of this marriage, Catherine 1842-1904, Malinda 1844-1907 and Daniel 1845-1872. They divorced in 1846. 
 
On December 10, 1861, he enlisted in the 67th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company E, in Logan Twp, Auglaize Co, Ohio. His younger brother Peter had enlisted in the same regiment on November 26, 1861. His enlistment papers states he was 44, actually he was 50.  
From: History of the City of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio by Clark Waggoner, 1888, Munsell & Co New York, pgs 174-177.
 
"This Regiment was constituted of the fractional Regiments-the 45th and 67th and left Camp Chase January 19, 1862, for West Virginia, where it passed under command of General F. W. Lander. The month of February was chiefly spent at Paw Paw Tunnel, the only movement outside began a march to Bloomery Gap. March 5th it moved to Winchester, joining the Division of General Shields, where it had frequent skirmishes on the picket-line with Ashby's Cavalry command at Winchester and was soon engaged with the Rebels, driving them into the night and as far South as Kernstown. The men lay on their arms all night and the next morning were the first to engage the enemy. The infantry fighting having fairly opened, the Regiment was ordered to re-enforce General Tyler's Brigade. To do so it was necessary to pass an open field, exposed to the enemy's fire for three-fourths of a mile, which was done in double-quick, the command coming into action in fine order. In that action the Regiment lost 15 killed and 32 wounded. From that time until the last of June following, it rendered severe service in the marches to and from in the Shenandoah Valley, over the mountains and back, from the Potomac to Harrisonburg, from Front Royal to Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg to Manassas, Manassas to Port Republic, and thence to Alexandria.
 
June 29th, the Regiment took passage by water for the James, to reinforce McClellen. On the night of the 30th, when near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, the troops were subject to great peril and distress, in consequence of the parting of the Steamer and Barge, from a severe storm. Men, horses, arms and other equipage were swept overboard and it was nearly an hour before the two crafts could be re-attached. The Regiment at Harrison's Landing campaigned with the Potomac Army until the evacuation of the Peninsula, when, with only 300 men for duty out of 850, it went to Suffolk, Virginia. While there it was permitted the first opportunity for rest and drill."
 
John Delong was wounded at the Battle of Winchester, March 23, 1862. Pieces of a bomb shell entered his leg and thigh, rendering them almost useless. After this wound, he developed chronic diarrhea, rheumatism and a hernia on his left side. He continued with the Company and did not lose any time until about August 1862, when the Regiment arrived at Suffolk, Virginia. During this time, he had suffered a great deal from chronic diarrhea, at times very severe, attack of rheumatism in his left leg and knee.
 
Then on December 20, 1862, he entered Hampton Hospital at Ft Monroe, Virginia. He was discharged Feb 10, 1863 with a Surgeon's certificate of disability. He returned home where he attempted to work for several farmers. His disability would bother him the rest of his life.
 
On March 24,1864, he married a widow, Eliza Ann (Sunderland) Bice with 5 children. Franklin 11, Martha A. 9, William C. 7, Susan A. 5 and Daniel 3. She died January 1, 1904 and is buried with her first husband, Zedick Bice in the Ft Amanda Cemetery, Allen Co, Ohio.
 
In 1878, he was a patient in the National Soldiers Home in Montgomery Co, Ohio. I believe he was in and out of this Hospital several times, but he did not die there, nor is he buried there. Eliza Bice Delong was living with her son in the 1880 Census.
 
John Delong applied for a pension in 1886, but was rejected several times. Many of his neighbors and friends attested to his condition. Finally in 1890, he began receiving a pension of $4.00 a month, later increased to $8.00. 
 
He passed away June 17, 1895 in Spencerville, Allen Co, Ohio. He was living with Anna & Robert Stoneburner. Mrs. Stoneburner cared for him in his last illness from April 6, 1895 to June 17, 1895, the time of his death. His estate was probated and the $40.00 went to Mrs. Stoneburner.  
 
His parents, and seven of his siblings are buried in St Matthews Cemetery, Cridersville, Allen Co, Ohio.  Have not been unable to locate his final resting, place, yet.
 
The log cabin that his former wife, Sylvinia Bowsher lived in with her parents is still standing in Cridersville, Ohio. It is now a museum and is open to the public.

GRAVESITE: Unknown

Written by Beverly Summers