Elisha Hensel was born, October 16, 1844 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He was the eleventh of twelve children born to John and Rachel (Barton) Hensel. Both of Elisha’s grandfathers served in the military, his paternal grandfather, Frederick Hensel, having been killed during the War of 1812, and his maternal grandfather, Eli Barton, having served during the American Revolution.

In the fall of 1857, at the age of thirteen years, young Hensel was injured while working with a threshing machine. His left hand was caught in the cog wheels, resulting in the loss of his little finger.

On August 22, 1861, Elisha Hensel enlisted as a Private in Company I, 30th Ohio Infantry. He was mustered into the service on August 31st.

The regiment was immediately dispatched to Benwood, Virginia, and thence to Clarksburg, reaching the latter on September 2nd. During the winter the regiment worked on fortifications.

In the following August it joined the army in eastern Virginia and participated in the severe engagement at South Mountain, losing 18 killed and 48 wounded. At Antietam, Maryland the regiment lost four officers killed or wounded, and eight enlisted men killed with thirty-seven wounded.

On May 18, 1863, the regiment was transferred to the western field of operations, where it participated in the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. During the siege, while Private Hensel was on the picket lines engaged with the enemy, he received a severe shock from the concussion of a bullet. The ball grazed the right side of his head, knocking him down and rendering him unconscious. He was at first presumed to be dead and removed from the field, but he subsequently rejoined his company. Hensel complained of pain in his head, difficulty with vision, and a noticeable loss of hearing.

After the surrender of Vicksburg, the 30th Ohio marched to Jackson, thence returned as far as the Big Black River, where it went into camp. On September 24, 1863, the regiment found itself in position in front of Missionary Ridge. The next day, with a detachment of the 4th West Virginia Infantry, it assaulted and carried the outer line of the enemy’s works. Later in the day the 30th and 37th Ohio made two unsuccessful assaults on the works on Tunnel Hill, losing thirty-nine men killed and wounded.

On February 1, 1864 Elisha Hensel reenlisted as a veteran volunteer and was furloughed home with the other veterans. The regiment rejoined the army at the beginning of the Atlanta Campaign and was under fire at Dallas and Kennesaw Mountain. In an attack at the latter place on June 27, 1864 it lost thirty-five men killed and wounded. In the engagement at Atlanta on July 22nd it lost twenty-seven men killed, wounded, and taken prisoner. On the 28th the regiment maintained its ground, losing thirty killed and wounded. The enemy abandoned a stand of colors under the regiment’s fire and 105 dead Confederates were picked up in its immediate front. In the engagement at Jonesboro the 30th Ohio lost twenty-five killed and wounded.

On December 13, 1864 the regiment was in front of Fort McAllister, where, at a given signal, all moved forward to the crest of the works and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The 30th Ohio participated in the Carolina Campaign, and after the surrender of Lee and Johnston it was retained on guard duty. Private Hensel was honorably discharged on June 25, 1865.

Elisha Hensel returned to Tuscarawas County, Ohio where, on July 11, 1869, he married Mary Elizabeth Farber, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Miller) Farber. They had the following children: Rachel E., John W., James, Harvey E., and Minery.

After the war, Elisha spent four years in Ohio and three years in Kansas. However, by 1880 he had returned to his native county of Tuscarawas. He subsequently moved to Warren Township, Huntington County, Indiana, where Elisha Hensel died on August 21, 1919 at the age of 75 years. His wife survived him, dying on January 4, 1921. Both were interred in the Clear Creek Cemetery in Clear Creek, Indiana.

Elisha was an active member of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and is known to have attended the 48th Annual National Encampment at Detroit, Michigan in 1914.