107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry “5th German Regiment”

Happy Birthday, Ohio, March 1st, 1803

Augustus Vignos was born, the son of French immigrants, in Louisville, Ohio, in September, 1838. On his 23rd birthday, he enlisted in Company I, 19th Ohio Volunteers. He would serve with his regiment until after the Battle of Shiloh, when he came down with typhoid fever. He was sent home to recover, and when able, was assigned to recruiting duties in Canton. Something about the young man must have impressed Col. Seraphim Meyer, who offered the him a commission in his newly organized regiment. On August 21, 1862, Augustus Vignos became Captain of Company H, 107th OVI.

The regiment arrived at Fredericksburg just too late to be engaged, but took part in the "Mud March," and saw heavy action at the Battle of Chancellorsville (220 casualties). They arrived at Gettysburg, with the Eleventh Corps, about 1 p.m. on July 1st, and went into action north of the town.

During that first day's fight, Capt. Vignos' right arm was shattered by a cannonball. He was rushed to a field hospital, and his arm hastily dressed. He lay there three days before his arm was amputated. The next day, the doctors examined his wound, and shook their heads -- they set him aside with a dozen others, with the expectation he would not survive. But, they figured without the determination of a tall young woman named Rebecca 'Beckie' Pennypacker. She had answered Gov. Curtin's appeal for nurses in December, 1862, and had nursed in Virginia and at the General Hospital in Philadelphia, before answering the call for help at Gettysburg. One of her most trying duties there was to bring food, drink, and, somehow, comfort to the "hopeless cases," like Augustus Augustus Vignos, who had been quite literally "left to die." It was particularly heartbreaking duty. Something about the attitude and spirit of this young Ohio captain made her determined to save him, at all costs. As one account says it, she "took pity on him and went outside the strict duties of her work to aid him. In violation of orders from her superiors, she procured clean clothes for him and saw him put aboard the first train that left Gettysburg."

I cannot find the record, but Capt. Augustus Vignos received the needed treatment somewhere, and was eventually sent home. After many months, he was sufficiently recovered to return to his regiment, now a Major. But, by October, 1864, it became clear service in the field was too much for the one-armed officer, and he resigned his commission, receiving an honorable discharge.

Back home in Canton, August married and had three children. He had some difficulty, with only one arm, supporting his family for a time. But, in 1877, his friend Major/now Congressman William McKinley arranged Vignos' appointment as Postmaster of Canton, a position he held for eight years. In 1886, he began a small pocket-knife manufacturing enterprise, which grew rapidly, and soon diversified into a number of industrial interests all under his leadership. By the new century, he was a millionaire.
Augustus Vignos was also active in the G.A.R., and attended almost every National Encampment, as well as local ones. Starting about 1890, he brought with him a photograph Beckie Pennypacker had given him, and showed it to all who would look at it, hoping to find someone who knew her. But was never successful. He was intending to bring the photo again to the National Encampment being held at Saratoga, N.Y. in September 1907. But in mid-August, a letter arrived:

I don't know how much August and Rebecca knew of these announcements, their respective spouses would surely have been surprised.

Well, the two, nurse and "soldier-boy" did meet at Saratoga, and spent many happy hours talking about the old times. They would meet again at other G.A.R. events, and Rebecca and her husband, Edwin Price, visited Augustus Vignos at his home in Canton.

Rebecca (Pennypacker) Price passed away May 30, 1919, at her home in Pottstown, Pa.

Augustus Vignos survived until July, 1923, when he died during a visit to Los Angeles.


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Sargent Philip Geist of Company E 107th OVI.

Unidentified private of Co I 107th OVI

Happy New Year from the 107th O.V.I

Mr. Henry S. Finkenbiner.

Mr. Finkenbiner was born in North Industry on the 27TH of July 1842. The family lived in Pike Township. He enlisted in the Union Army on the 11th of August 1862 and served with Company D of the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

On April 9th, 1865 at Dingles Mill, SC he ran across a burning bridge over the millrace and ascertained the enemy's position while under enemy fire. On his was back over the same bridge he carried a wounded comrade back to safety.

For this effort he was promoted to Corporal on the 26th of April and awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Later Private Finkenbiner was wounded on July 2nd, 1863, the first day of, the Battle Of Gettysburg. He mustered out of the Army on 10 July, 1865 at Charleston, SC.

We do not know when Mr. Finkenbiner moved from the area but by 1880 he was living in Indiana. He passed away on June 3rd, 1922 in Danville, Ill.

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Merry Christmas from the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. "Frohe Weihnachten"

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Private Gottlieb Affolder
107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Company I
Born September 29th 1843 in Switzerland
Died April 29th 1923 (age 79)
New Philadelphia, Ohio

Original Signed Carte-de-Visite Photograph of Captain John F. Tescher Co.C,107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry ! This long time native of Salem,Ohio was a Gallant Local Hero !He enlisted at Wooster,Ohio in August of 1862 . On the first day of fighting at the Battle Gettysburg ,Tescher was wounded by a Artillery Shell in the right thigh tearing a large hole in the limbs and riipping the flesh to threads ...He was captured by the Rebels there at Gettysburg and left for dead on account of his condition ...Thinking he was dead He was thrown into a fence corner where he lay unnoticed 4 Days without food or drink with a dead Comrade for a pillow... unable to get help ,he cut portions of dead Flesh from his limb with his knife and when discovered he was thence taken to a field hospital and carried all night untill getting medical attention on the 5th day. The Surgeon decided to amputate the right leg but Tescher refused ....Warned that it would cost him his life he decided to keep the leg. After lying in the hospital 5 months he rejoined his regiment at Charleston,South Carolina and took part in several skirmishes ... he partly recovered but was forced to resign when his leg became worse and he was eventually discharged on account of Disability ...His regiment had only 83 men left out of 600 left for duty sfter the Battle of Gettysburg being the Ohio Regiment to suffer the greatest losses at the battle there out of all the Ohio Regiments engaged there ! He came to Salem in the Fall of 1864 to start a Hardware Store ... He became a Post Commander of Tresscott Post G.A.R ,Salem,Ohio Grand Army of the Republic in 1887...He dpent the rest of his life in Salem residing on East Fifth Street ....He is buried in Hope Cemetery ! Sources of information are a “excellant article by Dale Shaffer “and also the “Columbiana County edition of Hardestys Military History of Ohio !”

107th Ohio National Colors.

The guidon of the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

We are a Progressive/ Campaigner living history unit based in Northeastern Ohio honoring the German Ohio soldiers of the American Civil War.