In the month of November 1861, the men of the 55th Ohio Volunteer Infantry quickly became acclimated to soldier life as the ranks slowly filled. As an eighteen year old youth, William Keesy gives an excellent account of those early days:". . . I decided to enlist in the army and take my chances of war. On the 14th day of November, 1861, we headed for Centerton, in Norwich township, Huron County, where we expected to board the cars for some recruiting camp or military post. We were quite undecided as to where we should go, or in what branch of the service we should enlist.
"Falling in with Albert Gage, a member of Company I, 55th Regiment, we were induced to accompany him to Camp McClellan . . . Here we enlisted in Captain Ira Terry's company, Co. I of Col. John C. Lee's Regiment, the 55th.
"The ceremony at enlistment was very simple. We were asked a few questions as to age, health, etc., passed a very light examination by the doctor, (no such examination as we get when examined for a pension), were asked to sign our names to the muster roll, take an oath to obey and support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Ohio, and the officers appointed over us. We then doffed our citizens clothes, donned our uniforms and were shown our quarters.
"To our boyish minds, Camp McClellan presented an imposing scene. The nice, white bell tents (each to hold about 16 men), then the wall tents for the officers, and the large commissary tents, the sutler tent, the cook tents, all located in such orderly exactness that any company or any tent could be found as readily as any street or number can be found in a well-arranged city. The great drill and parade ground too, was constantly receiving care. Old dead furrows were being filled up and the ground leveled for drilling. The great flag waved proudly over all on an eighty feet flag staff. The regimental band, headed by Capt. Boose, of Tiffin, thrilled us with its martial and patriotic airs.
"We were kept quite busy while in this camp. As my mind serves me, the daily program was about as follows:
5:00 A.M. Reveille, Roll Call and Police Duty
6:00 A.M. Breakfast
7:00 A.M. Squad Drill
10:00 A.M. Company Drill
12:00 M. Dinner
1:00 P.M. Officer's Drill
2:00 P.M. Squad and Company Drill
3:30 P.M. Battalion Drill
5:00 P.M. Dress Parade
6:00 P.M. Supper
7:30 P.M. Roll Call and Officer's School
9:00 P.M. Taps, when all lights must be put out."The there was the sick call, guard mount, fatigue duty, extra duty, special duty, etc. Sometimes, to break the monotony, the regiment would be marched down to the town. Once we started for Monroeville to call on the 3rd Ohio Cavalry, but it was a little too much, and the Colonel concluded to take us back before we got there. Once in a while the long roll was would sound, when there would be a pleasant rivalry to see which company could get in line first. Then there would be sham battles or lengthy drills.
"When the men were fairly advanced in tactics, we received our arms. The first supply the government sent us were not satisfactory. They were an old breech-burnt French musket. They were tested, condemned and returned. A second supply was sent out and proved very satisfactory. (Editor's note: from original records, it appears the 55th Ohio was issued a Belgian copy of the French Model 1859 Rifle, which was a .69 caliber rifled musket.)
"Of course, this kind of warfare was all sunshine. WE had some time for amusement; friends from the country and from home were daily visitors and interested witnesses of our military exploits; we wrote to our friends and acquaintances, delighting in using the emblems of war which in those days embellished every page of paper, envelope, and nearly all mail matter, with pictures of troops, drums, guns, flags, swords, cannon, battle or some other reminder of war, together with suitable mottoes."
Sources:
War As Viewed From The Ranks by William Keesy, 1898.The Expirement And News Co. Norwalk, Ohio pp 2-4.