O.V.M.

Transcribed by Larry Stevens

The Twenty-seventh Ohio, which must be remembered by everybody who read of the desperate defense of Battery Robinet, at Corinth, has in its ranks some chaps who love fun as well as a fight. When it came into the service, the old belts and plates which had been manufactured in peace times for the Ohio Volunteer Militia were not all disposed of, and the waists of the twenty-seventh were consequently all labelled, O.V.M. Though the U.S. had displaced most of these initials, a few of the old ones are still in use. On the 4th of October a corporal, wearing one of the old belts, was in command of a squad who were bringing in some rebel prisoners. After our men had passed the compliments of the day with their prisoners, and the canteens were duly emptied, one of the rebels inquires--

"Corporal, what the devil does O.V.M. stand for?"
"Oh, my plate you mean?" says the corporal; "that stands for Ohio Visiting Mississippi. We had a few made on purpose for this campaign."

From: The Spirit Of Woodsfield, Ohio. June 3, 1863

Thanks to: Mike Willey. Zanesville, Ohio 1992

Web Publishing Copyright © 1996 Larry Stevens

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Last updated May 26 1996