An excerpt from a biography of Capt. Miller Moody, Company I, by Robert Moody:

Miller learned of the outbreak of the Civil War (at Fort Sumter) in the daily paper. Anticipating a declaration of war and a call for troops, Miller went to Mansfield to be in telegraphic communication with Governor Dennison. On the morning of April 16, a large crowd formed at the depot awaiting the train from the north for news. As the train pulled into Bellville [Ohio], the engineer opened the whistle-valve and the train shrieked into town; the news proclaimed by the whistle. Miller was on this train and had already been appointed Captain with authority to raise troops for the war effort. Miller raised a company of about 75 men. After a few days of drill, the company thus raised went to Camp Jackson in Columbus. The company was known at that time as the Jefferson Guards and was assigned to the 16th Ohio Volunteer Militia as Company I. The Bellville Village Council raised about $700 to the support of the families of the volunteers should the necessity arise where such aid would be needed. The Sixteenth was the first regiment to cross the Ohio River into the Southern Confederacy and performed guard duty along the B&O Railroad and repaired and rebuilt bridges burned by the rebels. Miller's unit was in the battle at Phillipi, the first battle of the war. Afterwards, the Sixteenth encamped at Rowlesburg along the B&O.