Beresford Speaks At Mooretown

This past Monday, October 8, was the 150^th Anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Perryville in Kentucky.  There were over 7,000 casualties in that 1862 battle. The 2^nd Ohio Voluntary Infantry played a major role in that battle and their unit suffered 40% casualties fighting against the Confederates over a source of fresh water for their men and horses.  Kentucky was one of four states that remained neutral in the Civil War.

The 2^nd OVI roles were made up of many men from Jefferson County, Ohio.  In the Jefferson County Ross Township area known as Mooretown there is an impressive monument erected in 1871 in honor of the township’s fallen Civil War soldiers.  The monument was dedicated to a whole list of soldiers who died in that battle.  Among them was Thomas George.  Thomas was the son of Robert & Martha George who helped finance and donated the land for the memorial. 

This past Sunday, October 7, the Battle of Perryville was commemorated at the Mooretown Monument.  Wellsville resident Robert Brass Beresford was a guest speaker at the ceremony.  Beresford is a retired Columbiana County Sheriff and Past President of the Wellsville Historical Society.  Among the survivors of the Perryville Battle were Beresford’s great uncle and grandfather. 

John & Robert Beresford’s picture appear on the cover of the recently published book entitled Bully Boys.  The book is a collection of letters written by Civil War soldiers.  There are four letters that Thomas George wrote to his brother and 22 letters written by Civil War Medal-of-Honor recipient William PIttinger in that book.  Pittinger was also from Jefferson County.  His letters were sent to the Steubenville Herald newspaper. 

Beresford briefly reviewed the book and explained how he was related to his ascendants pictured on the cover.  Beresford was named in honor of his Grandfather Robert.  His Great-uncle John Claudius Beresford was instrumental in getting the Mooretown Monument built and his signature appears on the charter issued by the State of Ohio for the memorial. 

The Mooretown Monument is located on Ross Township County Highway 53 four miles east of Bergholz just across from the Happy Lake Resort at George’s Lake.  For more information on the monument visit their web site www.mooretownmonument.com.  The Wellsville Historical Society is in the process of negotiating a deal to make the book Bully Boys available.   

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