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Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 8a by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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LIEUTENANT HENRY S. COHN has the honor of having been the first drummer-boy that went to the front in April, 1861, from the State of Ohio, being then a member of Capt. Peter Diester’s Company B (Dayton Lafayette Guard), First Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Lieut. Cohn was born in Hamburg, Germany, on the 4th of May, 1844, and was therefore not seventeen years old when he followed the flag of the Union. He emigrated to America in the spring of 1859, and after having tried to make an honest living by various ways, finally became a compositor on the Waechterh am Ohio, a German weekly published at Portsmouth, whence he went to Dayton a few days before the fall of Sumter. During the first term of enlistment he participated in the engagements at Vienna, Va., Fairfax Court-house and Bull Run. On his return to Portsmouth he at once received the appointment of drum-major of the Fifth Virginia Infantry, United States Volunteer, and served with this regiment until August 22, 1862, participating in the following battles and engagements in Virginia: Moorefield, Bull Pasture Mountain, Franklin, Fisher’s Hill, Mt. Jacksohn, Cross Keys, Port Republic, Culpeper, and on the Rappahannock. His next enlistment was in the One Hundred and Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, where he entered as orderly sergeant and was as such wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Hartsville, Tenn., on December 7, 1862, while in command of his company. Referring to his services, the Hon. Pres. W. Taulbee, M. C. (to whom was referred a special bill in Congress allowing Lieut. Cohn his pension as lieutenant), says: “Henry S. Cohn enlisted as a member of the Ohio Lafayette Guards in 1861, he at the time being only seventeen years of age, and continued therein for about four months, participating in the first Bull Run fight, when he was mustered out of service on account of expiration of term of service. He then enlisted in the Fifth Virginia Regiment, and was appointed drum-major. Was honorably discharged therefrom in August, 1862, and at once joined the One Hundred and Sixth Ohio Infantry, and at the organization thereof was appointed first sergeant of Company G, then at the age of eighteen years, and served in that capacity until December, 1862. When at the battle of Hartsville, Tenn., his captain was killed, and the first and second lieutenants both mortally wounded; he took command of his company during the battle, and although his comrades were being killed at a fearful rate, this gallant young soldier led his company on to the hottest of the battle until a bullet prostrated him, inflicting a severe wound, from which he has never recovered and for which he is now drawing a pension. During this battle his entire brigade was captured and carried away as prisoners, leaving him with his killed and wounded comrades on the bloody field, when the surgeons of the Confederate army came on the field and carried him with other wounded soldiers to Church Hospital, where he lingered for many months, until he sufficiently recovered to be moved to Camp Denison, Ohio, where he rejoined his command, and although his wounds had not healed, but were constantly troubling him, he was transferred to Company C, One Hundred and Sixth Ohio Regiment, and was by regimental orders appointed lieutenant of that company, and served in that capacity from February until 22d of May, 1863, when he was discharged on account of disability, resulting from his wounds. The committee believe that with such a record as the foregoing, Sergt. Cohn is entitled to the rank of lieutenant, and to be so rated on the pension roll, and therefore recommend the passage of the substitute.” Having been used to military life he could not stay at home as long as the cannons roared in front, but not being able to stand the fatigues and hardships as before, being disabled, he became a clerk in the inspector general’s department of the Second Division, Twentieth Army Corps, and served as such during the entire campaign of Gen. Sherman, starting from Bridgeport, Ala., in May, 1864, thence to Atlanta, Savannah, Columbia, Goldsborough, Raleigh, Richmond and Washington; thereby actually serving during the entire war from beginning to end. After the war Lieut. Cohn removed to Louisville, where he was first employed as a compositor on the Anzeiger, the leading German daily in Kentucky. He was afterward promoted to book-keeper in the same office, and when the business became a corporation, he became one of the stock-holders thereof, and now holds and has held for many years the honorable and lucrative position of Secretary of the Louisville Anzeiger Company. He is a member of Post Thomas G. A. R., K. of P., K. of H., and a number of German societies.

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This family biography is one of 195 biographies included in the Jefferson County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 8a published in 1888 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 8a

View additional Jefferson County, Kentucky family biographies here: Jefferson County, Kentucky Biographies

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