Marker Placed to Honor Ohio Born Confederate General

Bicentennial marker dedicated to Confederate general
Mount Vernon News
November 17, 2011

Members of Co. B of the 5th Kentucky Infantry, led by Capt. Jeff Steiner,fire off a musket salute to Gen. Daniel Harris Reynolds during a dedication ceremony Nov. 12 in Centerburg, Ohio. An Ohio Historical Society marker honoring the Centerburg native was dedicated at the village park.

Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Roswell S. Ripley Camp 1535, the group that sponsored the marker, were joined by members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Civil War re-enactors, and many members of the community. Also present were several members of the Reynolds family.

The marker honoring Reynolds is the fourth sponsored by the local SCV group and the third to honor one of the six Ohio-born generals that served the Southern cause during the Civil War, or as is known in the South, “The War for Southern Independence.” Other markers sponsored by the group include one marking the escape of Gen. John Hunt Morgan from the Ohio Penitentiary, located in Columbus’ arena district; one honoring Gen. Roswell S. Ripley, located in Worthington; and in Malta, a marker honors Gen. Otho Strahl, who was also a close friend of Gen. Reynolds.

Following an invocation by Bob Croye of the SCV, Don Reynolds, representing the Reynolds family, spoke of how as a child he played on the foundation stones of the old log cabin that Gen. Reynolds grew up in. Other speakers included Centerburg Mayor Diana Stockmaster, Jeffrey Yoest of the SCV, who expressed his sincere appreciation of the support from the Centerburg community, and John Morgan, the local project coordinator for the marker. Kristina Kuehling of the Ohio Historical Society noted that the Reynolds marker was the 10th historical marker to be erected in Knox County. Kuehling also read a proclamation from Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Following the unveiling by Morgan and Yoest, a musket salute was fired by Company B of the 5th Kentucky Infantry and “Dixie,” the “anthem” of the Confederacy, which was written by another Knox County native, Dan Emmett, was played to end the ceremony.

Gen. Reynolds was born near Centerburg in 1832. As a young man, he taught school to students barely younger than himself. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, where he met and became close friends with Otho Strahl, another Ohioan who would also serve the Confederacy as a general. Moving to Iowa, Reynolds resumed schoolteaching and studied law. He then moved to Tennessee where he was admitted to the bar in 1858. Soon thereafter he moved to Chicot County, Ark., where he set up a law practice.

Reynolds chose to serve his adopted state of Arkansas when the Civil War began in 1861, forming a cavalry company, known as the “Chicot Rangers.” His first taste of battle was at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in August 1861, the first major battle in the Western theater. Reynolds was a respected soldier and leader, receiving steady promotions within the Confederate Army. He participated in many major battles spanning the entire war including Pea Ridge, Chickamauga and the Atlanta Campaign, just to name of few.

Reynolds suffered a wound at the Battle of Bentonville, N.C., the last major battle of the war, which required the amputation of his leg. After the war he re-established his law practice and served a term in the Arkansas state legislature. He died in 1902 and is buried in Lake Village, Ark.

According to the Ohio Historical Society’s website, www.remarkableohio.com, the purpose of the historical marker program is to “identify, commemorate and honor the important people, places and events that have contributed to the state’s rich history. The Ohio Historical Markers Program, administered by the Ohio Historical Society, is a vital educational tool, informing residents and visitors about significant aspects of Ohio’s past.” Gen. Reynolds’ unique story and commendable record illustrates the service and sacrifices rendered by so many Americans in the Civil War.

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