By Mike Barhorst
Corporal Leonidas H. Inscho, 12th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Leonidas H. Inscho was born on February 20, 1840, in the Village of Chatham, Ohio (Licking County). He was
the oldest child of Moses and Ada (Preston) Inscho. His siblings included Bernard P. (1842), Naomi (1844),
Henry C. (1846), John C. (1849), Mary E. (1851), and Moses F. (1855). The oldest in his family, he attended
school but infrequently, working from a very young age.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted June 16, 1861, in Company E, 12 th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He
was mustered into service six days later (June 22, 1861). He had been promoted to the rank of corporal by
the time his unit, part of Colonel Eliakim Scammon’s Brigade (Kanawha Division, IX Corps) marched to Fox’s
Gap on the morning of September 14, 1862.
The unit had seen action in western Virginia through August when it was transferred to the Army of the
Potomac. It was during the Battle of South Mountain that Corporal Inscho earned the Medal of Honor. The
12 th OVI was pitted against the 23 rd North Carolina, assigned to Brigadier General Samuel Garland’s brigade
(Major General D. H. Hill’s division)
What took place is probably best described in Corporal Inscho’s own words: “I was a member of Company E,
Twelfth Ohio Infantry, when, at South Mountain, Maryland, our regiment, with others, charged the
Confederates, who were posted behind a stone wall on the side of the mountain. As we approached the
enemy, a rifle-ball struck my gun, wounding my left hand. While stopped to examine my piece and my hand,
the regiments made a flank movement to the left, leaving me alone near the wall. A Confederate captain was
on the other side, and as he came near me, I caught him by the collar and told him to surrender. He refused,
and pointed his revolver at my head, but I caught it by the barrel and turned it up just as he fired. I clung to
the revolver and disarmed him, and grabbing him by the shoulders began to pull him over the wall. He
struggled vigorously and struck me in the face several times, but I got him over the wall and knocked him
down compelling him to surrender.”
“I then turned my attention to some of his men, who were taking refuge behind a clump of trees. I pointed
my revolver at them and demanded their surrender. Four of them dropped their guns and came over to the
Union side of the wall, but a fifth man came up to me with his gun in his hand and swore he would not give
up to a Yankee. He took aim at me as he spoke, and I dropped behind the wall just as he fired. He turned to
run away and I at once rose from my position and emptied the contents of my revolver into him. I then
ordered the captain and his four men to fall in, and marched them over to the colonel of my regiment (Carr B.
White).”
Inscho would fight with his regiment until it was mustered out of service on July 1, 1864. He subsequently re-
enlisted in the 23 rd Ohio and rose to the rank of lieutenant. Inscho was wounded again at the battle of Third
Winchester on September 19, 1864. A comrade noted how Inscho “never was sick a day during his whole
term of service, and never missed a roll call, drill or guard duty.”
Inscho would not receive his medal until January 31, 1894. Inscho’s citation reads: “The President of the
United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to
Corporal Leonidas H. Inscho, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 14 September, 1862, while
serving with Company E, 12 th Ohio Infantry, in action at South Mountain, Maryland. Alone and unaided and
with his left hand disabled, Corporal Inscho captured a Confederate captain and four men.”
Following his service to his country, Inscho returned to Chatham, where he pursued his pre-war career as a
miller. He owned both a gristmill and a saw mill. He married Maria L. McKimsey (1840-1909) on January 25,
1870. Together they had one child, Florence Beatrice. She was born on June 9, 1871.
The family remained in Chatham for sixteen years before relocating to Newark. There, Inscho opened a
grocery store and finding his business profitable, pursued that line of work the remainder of his life.
An active member of the Republican Party, Inscho served as a township trustee (Newark Township) for
several terms. He served as Sunday School Superintendent (Methodist Episcopal Church) for more than a
quarter century. He served for a time as post commander of the Lamert Post 71 of the Grand Army of the
Republic. An active member of the Masons, Inscho was also a member of the Union Veterans League.
After suffering from cancer for several years, Inscho died on November 12, 1907. He is buried in Cedar Hill
Cemetery, Newark, Ohio.
Inscho’s service was forgotten until 1988, when a local historian discovered his exploits. Newark Mayor
William S. Moore III subsequently proclaimed November 12, 1988, as “Leonidas H. Inscho Day”. A bronze
marker was placed at his grave site.
Inscho’s story and many others are recorded in “Deeds of Valor: How American Heroes Won the Medal of
Honor”. The two-volume work was published in 1906.