The Portland Daily Commercial, September 18, 1899 Tuesday.

Veterans Reuning, Annual meeting the Fortieth Ohio

    The veterans who were members of the Fortieth Ohio volunteer infantry many of them accompanied by their wives are in the city for the annual reunion which began today and will continue over tomorrow.  Yesterday afternoon a few a scattering ones --skirmishers to see how the land laid--came in and this morning their number was largely recruited by arrivals from points near here and from many in Ohio. 

    The boys enjoyed the forenoon by extending friendly greetings and it was wa common sight on the streets to see a little knot of veterans clasping each other warmly by the hand and recalling some instance of the days of dark and bloody conflict in which they were engaged.

    The veterans are a good looking set of men, seem to have prospered since they marched shoulder to shoulder in the carnage of war and are enjoying life.

The Portland Daily Commercial, September 19, 1899 Tuesday p1 c3-4 and p5 c5

This evening at the Grand Army of the Republic hall a camp-fire will be held---one of the old fashioned rousing kind and Mayor Isaac Simmons will extend a welcome to the veterans and their families on behalf of the city of Portland while Captain Alex. A. Knapp of Union City will resond to it.  This will be followed by a number of short speeches by the comrades, who will relate instances of their army life.  This forenoon, keeping time to the tap of a drum, the visiting veterans marched to the G.A.R. Hall and made arrangements to meet at 1:30 o

clock this afternoon.  The visitors immediately on their arrival were supplied with neat silk ribbon badges.  At 1:30 this afternoon the regimental survivors formed at the hall and with a drum corps at the head marched to the Grand Rapids and Indiana to meet a number of incoming members of the regiment.  By this time the turnout had long since passed there proportions of a square and made quite a gathering.  Tomorrow the ladies of the Womans Relief Corps will serve a grand dinner in the Rebecca Degree banquet hall.  The present officers of the regimental association are:

President, Captain Alex A. Knapp, Secretary, A. Knapp,  The association late this afternoon elected the following officers, President Alex A. Knapp of Union City, Vice-Presdient--John Hamilton of Muncie, Treasurer--A.J. Brake of Roachdale, Chaplain, John Granger, Secretary, F.M. McLaughlin,  The next metting will be held at Ft. Recovery, Ohio September 19-20- 1900

    Regimental History:  The Fortieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized by Joonathan Cranor beginning in August 1861.  The work being actively commenced the following month, the several companies enrolled being as follows:

Company A by Wm. Jones at West Jefferson Ohio

company B. by James Haworth at Willmington, Ohio

company C. by Thomas Acton at London, Ohio

Company D by Jame Wasson at London Ohio

Company E. by John D. Gennett at Versailles, Ohio

Company F. at Camp chase by John L. Reeves and John F. Mahon

Company G. by Charles G Matchett at Camp chase

Company H. by Wm. Cunningham and Mathew O Junkin at Camp chase

Company I by Andrew R. Calder wood, John W. Smith and Milton Kemper at Camp Chase

Company K by Alexander A. Knapp at Camp Chase.

    December 11, 1861 the organization was completed and mustered in as a regiment.  The regiment left Camp Chase to take the field on the afternoon on December 17, going to Paris Ky, where it was supplied with the necessary wagon train.  Leaving there it went to Paintsville, then being engaged in the battle of Middle Creek.  Afther that it was at Piketon, then went down the Sandy rive, then up again, landing at Oastlettsburg, Ky.  It was finally ordered to Franklin, Tenn, participating in the battle at that point.

    The Fortieth participated in the Tullahoma campaign doing duty in and around Wartrace and Tullahoma, then engaged in the Chickamauga Campaign and the battle bearing that name.  After that is was at Moccsain, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold, going to winter quarters at Shell Mound.

    The regiment took part in the Atlanta campaign and made the fmarch from Rescan to Ackworth, from Ackworth to Chattahochie, and was at the seige of Atlanta.  After this siege had ended it was at Jonesboro and Lovejoy then took part in the pursiut of General hood, and the battle which followed between the two great armies at Franklin.

    During the time it was in the service the regiment lost 58 killed in battle, 28 died of wounds, 140 died of disease, 29 died in prison, 2 drowned and 2 lost on the steamer "Sultana" a total of 259.  During the time 25 resigned, 92 were discharged for disability, 143 were wounded and 88 captured.