Messersmith, Ransom

Civil War Veteran

Birth: 1843, Ohio
Death: July 23, 1907, Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Burial: Oakwood Cemetery, Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Find a Grave memorial

Military Service: Private, promoted to Corporal, 2nd Regiment, Ohio Heavy Artillery, Company M

Ransom Messersmith may have been well trained to serve in an artillery battery. His father was one of Vienna’s blacksmiths. Messersmith was 20 years old when he enlisted on July 25, 1863. He may have been recruited by fellow Vienna blacksmith, Jacob W. Pound, who served in the 2nd Ohio Heavy Artillery, as did Jacob's brother Henry E. Pound.

Messersmith was promoted to Corporal on June, 1865, after his company saw action in Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Messersmith family moved to Sharon after the Civil War and by 1880 was operating a hotel. Ransom served as bartender. According to the 1890 Veterans Schedule, Messersmith was living in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and was suffering from rheumatism and deafness.

Regimental History, 2nd Ohio Heavy Artillery

Overview: Organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, and Covington, Ky., and mustered in Company "A" July 20, Company "B" August 5, Company "C" August 26, Companies "D," "H," "I," "K" and "L" September 7, Companies "E" and "M" September 9, Company "G" September 19 and Company "F" September 23, 1863. Regiment served by Detachments till May, 1864. Attached to District of Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to May, 1864. Cleveland, Tenn., Dept. of the Ohio, to October, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 23rd Army Corps, Dept. of the Ohio, to February, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, District of East Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to March, 1865. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, District East Tennessee, to August, 1865.

Service: Company "A" moved to Covington August 19, 1863, thence to Fort Jones Muldraugh's Hill October 11, and duty there till January 10, 1864. At Fort DeWolf, near Shepherdsville, till May. Moved to Cleveland, Tenn., May 24. Company "B" moved to Covington Barracks August 19, thence to Bowling Green, Ky., September 5, and duty there till May 26, 1864. Moved to Charleston, Tenn., May 26. Company "D" moved to Muldraugh's Hill, Ky., and duty at Fort Saunders till May 26, 1864. Garrison at Tyner's Station till October 9, 1864, then joined Regiment at Loudoun, Tenn. Company "E" moved to Muldraugh's Hill and garrison Fort Boyle till May 26, 1864. Moved to Cleveland, Tenn., May 26, 1864. Company "F" moved to Bowling Green, Ky., and duty there till May 26, 1864. Moved to Charleston, Tenn., May 26. Company "G" duty at Bowling Green till May 26, 1864. Moved to Charleston, Tenn., May 26. Company "H" moved to Munfordsville October 11, 1863, and garrison duty at Battery McConnell till May 26, 1864. Moved to Cleveland, Tenn., May 26. Company "I" moved to Shepherdsville and duty at Fort DeWolf till January 10, 1864, and at Fort Nelson till May 26. Moved to Cleveland May 26, 1864. Company "K" moved to Munfordsville October 11 and duty there till May 26, 1864. Moved to Charleston, Tenn., May 26. Company "L" moved to Frankfort, Ky., October 11, 1863, and duty at Fort Boone till December. At Battery Simons, Munfordsville, till May 26, 1864. Moved to Cleveland, Tenn., May 26. Company "M" moved to Munfordsville, Ky., September 18, 1863, and garrison duty at Fort Willich till January 10. 1864, and at Fort Taylor, Camp Nelson, till May 26. Moved to Cleveland, Tenn., May 26. Duty at Cleveland, Tenn., till October, 1864 (Cos. "A," "E," "H," "I," "L" and "M"). At Charleston, Tenn., till August, 1864 (Cos. "B," "C," "F," "G" and "K"); then at Cleveland till October. Action with Wheeler near Cleveland August 17. Charleston August 19. Pursuit of Wheeler August 22-28. Moved to Loudoun, Tenn., October 9, and duty there till November 18. Morristown November 13. Russellsville November 14. Tillson's movement to Strawberry Plains, Tenn., November 16-17. Flat Creek November 17. At Knoxville till December 7. Ammon's Expedition to Bean's Station December 7-29 (Co. "A" duty at Knoxville till January 9, 1865). At Camp Rothrock and Fort Saunders till August. Company "B" duty at Knoxville, Camp Rothrock and Fort Saunders till August. Cos. "C," "D," "E" and "F" at Knoxville, Camp Rothrock and Loudoun till August. Co. "G" at Nashville till February 1, 1865, and at Athens till August. Skirmish at Athens February 16, 1865 (Detachment). Sweetwater February 16 (Detachment). Company "H" at Strawberry Plains till August. Company "I" at Fort Gilpin, Knoxville, till August. Company "K" at Clinch Gap till December 21, 1864, at Fort Lee Knoxville, and at Greenville till August. Company "L" at Knoxville till August, 1865. Company "M" at Athens till August, 1865. Regiment mustered out August 23, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 1 Officer and 2 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 170 Enlisted men by disease. Total 176.