A Military History of the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry by Franklin Sawyer

During the Civil War, Franklin Sawyer was the commanding officer of the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry from May of 1862 until the unit was mustered out. A prominent lawyer from Norwalk, he achieved the rank of Brevet Brigadier General. Mr. Sawyer wrote a book about his unit, called A Military History of the Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. It was published in 1881 by Fairbanks and Company of Cleveland, Ohio.

A copy of this military history, donated by Hattie Bretz, is housed in the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. The book originally belonged to Hattie’s father, William Bretz, who served in Co. E of the Ohio Eighth Infantry. A reprint of this book, with additional photographs, was published by the Blue Acorn Press in 1994. This edition of Franklin Sawyer’s books is found in the Local History and Genealogy collection in Reference Services.

General Sawyer tells about the Eighth Ohio’s participation in many battles, including Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor. During the Battle of Antietam, a barn on a nearby farm was used as an operating room. Wounded and dying men covered the ground around the barn. Sandusky native Horace Harper Bill, who was then with Company K, died at Antietam. In the author’s preface, Franklin Sawyer stated, “There were many individual acts of bravery and fortitude, on the part of both officers and men.”

Many men from Sandusky and Erie County were in Company E of the Ohio Eighth Volunteer Infantry. Sawyer’s book lists the names of all the officers and soldiers in each company. The unit’s chaplain, Rev. Lyman N. Freeman, had served as rector of Grace Church in Sandusky from 1845 to 1850. Zenas W. Barker, Jr., the son of the former Mayor of Sandusky, died at Oakland, Virginia on August 28, 1861. Wells W. Miller, who was a Captain in the Ohio Eighth Infantry, went on to serve as Ohio’s Secretary of Agriculture. To read many more details about the Eighth Ohio, visit the Sandusky Library to view this historic accounting of the unit.

After the war Franklin Sawyer was elected to the Ohio legislature. He died in Norwalk, Ohio on August 22, 1892. Reunions of the Veterans of the Ohio Eighth Infantry were held for several years. A reunion was held at the Dixie restaurant in Sandusky on September 18, 1922. According to the Sandusky Star Journal of August 7, 1922, four of the former soldiers of Company E of the Ohio Eighth Infantry were living in Sandusky. Their names were E.E. Warren, William Braby, Charles Chapman and Romeo Foster.

The Pied Piper of Hamelin at Jackson Junior High

On May 14, 1937, Sandusky students performed the opera, “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” at the Jackson Junior High School. Miss Eulalie Shaw, the first director of Sandusky High School’s A Capella Choir, directed the one hundred seventy five students in the production. The lead role was played by Delbert Persons. Joe Freeman portrayed the Mayor, and the little lame boy was played by Dick Burton. Joyce White portrayed the dream lady, who sang of the joys of childhood in the mystic forest. The opera included a large chorus, and several children played the parts of the townspeople of Hamelin, toys, soldiers, dolls, jumping jacks and sprites. The opera was well attended, and the audience gave enthusiastic applause throughout the production. 

An article in the May 15, 1937 issue of the Sandusky Register listed the named of every student who took part in the performance of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin.” 

Jackson Junior High School opened in 1928, and served as a community center for dozens of school and civic events from the late 1920s through the 1940s. The school auditorium can be seen in the picture below, when Cryle’s Orchestra performed.

Victor J. "Ump" Moore, Erie County Sheriff

Victor J. Moore was born in Sandusky, Ohio on April 20, 1896, to George and Sarah Moore. His nickname was “Ump.” On April 26, 1918, he enlisted in the United States Army. He served with Company A of the 308th Engineers during World War I, and was honorably discharged from military service on January 21, 1919. The biographical sketch in Patty Pascoe’s book Elected to Serve states that Victor J. Moore had been a prominent football player for Sandusky High School, and he also played for the Sandusky Maroons and the Esmond football teams. Victor “Ump” Moore is the third man from the right in the front row of the team picture of the Maroons from 1923.

In his twenties Moore worked as a lifeguard at Cedar Point, at the same time Knute Rockne worked at the amusement park. (It was at the Cedar Point beach that Knute Rockne developed the forward pass.) He served as Erie County Sheriff from 1932 to 1936, and later worked as the purchasing agent for the Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home, retiring in 1966.

An article by Bob Kinney in the Sandusky Register of February 13, 1970 reported that V.J. Moore was the youngest member of the “Last Man’s Club.” This group was begun by fourteen World War I Veterans in the 1930s. The group met only on Friday the 13th. The first meeting was held in Cua’s restaurant. One of the themes of the club was that the last man remaining was to open a champagne bottle, which had been with the men since the club’s beginning. Mr. Kinney wrote that there was also a “Last Man’s Club” comprised of World War II veterans, and a third club had also started up with another group of fifty veterans. Victor J. Moore died of pancreatic cancer on February 24, 1972. He was survived by his wife Alena, two sons, a daughter, a stepson, a stepdaughter, and several other relatives. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery.

The Sandusky Register article from February 13, 1970 listed these names as the last six surviving members of the original “Last Men’s Club:”

V.J. Moore

Dr. Frank Maher

Marc Freeman

William Ferback

George Eger

Dominic Cua

If our calculations are correct, the last man surviving from this group was William C. Ferback. He died on March 17, 1980 at the age of 91.