The 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Pvt. Lowis Crawford & Camp Lyon

Thanks to the efforts of Worthington resident Merlin Denig (Denig Jewelers family), Private Lowis Crawford, who died at Worthington’s Camp Lyon, represents the members of the 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry with memorial monument.

The 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.) has always been considered by the residents of Worthington as their own, since it organized, recruited and trained in Worthington at Camp Lyon during the fall of 1861. The regiment’s first colonel was Thomas Worthington (West Point Class of 1827), son of Governor Thomas Worthington, for whom the town was named.

Camp Lyon was located at the foot of South (then Factory) Street, near the Olentangy River. The presence of the old mill dam and a large spring near the bend of the river in the area known as Lime Kiln, provided adequate water supply. The entire regiment totaled almost 1000 men. Several brick buildings were occupied and tents were erected in the area known as Mechanics Square. These buildings remained from James Kilbourn’s ill-fated adventure in 1811, the Worthington Manufacturing Company.

In September 1861 a recruiting office was opened in a frame building on the east side of High Street in the business section. William Pinney, of Worthington, was among those active in the recruiting. He received a commission as Captain (Co.E) and it was in his company that most of the Worthington men served. Other companies were made up of volunteers from Licking, Fairfield, and Van Wert counties.

Their first major encounter was the Battle of Shiloh. There were 96 locally who enlisted, two died before Shiloh, nine transferred to other companies so there were 85 locals present at Shiloh. Four were killed, eleven wounded (one died of wounds), and one went missing, so there were only 69 present after battle. Many of Co B are buried here in Walnut Grove, including a couple of those killed or wounded at Shiloh.

From Stop 14 to Stop 15, travel back from the way you came and take Cedar to where it turns to the right.