Howland man led charge, died in Civil War
Our Heritage Trumbull County history
The Dilley Family of Howland lived near the Brown family, who occupied the well-known Yellow House.
Among the Dilleys, Alson Dilley — a young lieutenant in the Union Army — would become a symbol of bravery and sacrifice during the Civil War. In June 1864, under General William T. Sherman, the Union Army was engaged in a grueling campaign in Georgia. Heavy rain turned roads into mud for three weeks, hampering movement and supplies.
By mid-June, Confederate forces under General Joseph Johnston had entrenched themselves behind Mud Creek and later retreated to the rocky crest of Kennesaw Mountain. On June 27, 1864, General Sherman ordered a direct assault on the Confederate position after repeated attempts to flank the enemy had failed. The 125th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI), known as “Opdycke’s Tigers,” was tasked with leading the charge.
Lt. Alson Dilley served with Company I of this regiment. Before dawn on the day of the assault, the 125th OVI prepared for battle. As the sun dispelled the morning fog, Confederate forces opened fire. The Union soldiers charged across an open field, surprising the Confederate defenders, who quickly surrendered.
However, the fighting intensified as the Union troops advanced up a steep incline toward heavily fortified Confederate entrenchments. The Confederate defenses included an abatis — a formidable barrier of sharpened stakes — from which enemy soldiers fired relentlessly. Dilley, alongside Lt. Thomas Burnham, led Company I in the charge. Amid the chaos, Dilley was struck in the head and fell within three rods (approximately 50 feet) of the Confederate works. The ferocity of the battle set the surrounding vegetation ablaze.
Both Union and Confederate soldiers paused to rescue the wounded. Sgt. Ralsa Rice, who survived despite being initially reported dead, noted that 58 of the 260 men in the 125th OVI were killed or wounded that day. By 11 a.m., the order to retreat was given. Days after the battle, the Dilley family in Howland received the devastating news of Alson’s death.
Alson was born around May 21, 1840, the sixth child of Patrick Dilley and Lydia Collins Dilley. Tragically, his mother passed away when Alson was not yet 2 years old. His father later remarried Hannah Broun in 1843. Alson’s brother, Lewis Seeley Dilley, also served as a lieutenant and later a captain in the 103rd OVI but died in 1868. Another relative, John Dilley, served in the 6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and later became the sheriff of Trumbull County. Patrick Dilley, Alson’s father, was a well-regarded breeder of Durham cattle and lived until 1877. He received Alson’s personal effects after his death, including his uniform, gloves, a pocketbook, a Bible and a photograph.
Alson Dilley’s death was deeply felt by his comrades. In a letter published in the Western Reserve Chronicle on Aug. 3, 1864, a soldier writing under the pseudonym “Ceylon” described Dilley’s courage: “Our own brave Lieut. Dilley fell in advance of his company within three rods of the enemy’s works, shot through the head. Brave to a fault, he seemed to fear no danger; generous and kind on all occasions and under all circumstances, none knew but to love him.”
“Ceylon” was later identified as Lt. Ridgley Ceylon Powers, a fellow officer of the 125th OVI. Powers was a highly educated and respected leader who later became the 27th governor of Mississippi. Col. Emerson Opdycke, commanding the 125th OVI, also praised Dilley in a letter to his wife, calling him “a gallant young officer” whose sacrifice embodied the courage of the regiment.
Following the battle, a temporary truce allowed both sides to recover and bury their dead, including Dilley. His valor and sacrifice remain a poignant reminder of the personal cost of war. His story, interwoven with the experiences of his family and comrades, illustrates the profound impact of the Civil War on the soldiers and their loved ones back home. Today, the memory of the Dilley family of Howland — and the brave young lieutenant who gave his life at Kennesaw Mountain — continues to resonate throughout history.