Harvey Hensel was born, July 9, 1846 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. He was last of twelve children born to John and Rachel (Barton) Hensel. Both of Harvey’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.

On July 28, 1862 he enlisted at New Philadelphia, Ohio as a Private in Company K, 98th Ohio Infantry. He was mustered into service on August 21st. At the time of his enlistment, Harvey Hensel was described as being five feet, four inches tall, of fair complexion, with blue eyes and fair hair. His occupation was listed as that of a farmer.

The regiment left Ohio for Camp Covington, Kentucky, where it received its arms, and then moved to Lexington. In October it marched on the Bardstown Turnpike and took a prominent part in the bloody battle of Perryville, losing 230 in killed and wounded.

From November 21-22, 1862 Pvt. Hensel was treated for measles, and from November 23-26 for debility. During the next year the regiment’s operations were mostly in Tennessee. It participated in the battle of Chickamauga, September 20, 1863, losing 50 men killed and two taken prisoner.

On or about November 25, 1863, Hensel was wounded in the index finger by a musket ball, during fighting in the front of Chattanooga, Tennessee. His regiment next followed the Confederates up to Graysville, Georgia, where a brisk skirmish ensued on November 26th, resulting in a loss of five or six men killed and wounded.

They were with Sherman’s army in the Atlanta Campaign, participating in the engagements at Buzzard Roost Gap, Resaca, Rome, Dallas, and Kennesaw Mountain, losing in the latter 34 men killed and wounded. It also lost several men in the battle of Peachtree Creek, July 7, 1864, and at Jonesboro, September 1, 1864, where it lost 41 killed and wounded.

It proceeded with Sherman’s army in its march to the sea and up through the Carolinas and took part in the fierce fight at Bentonville, North Carolina, March 18-19, 1865.

At some point during his service, Harvey Hensel also contracted malaria fever, which resulted in disease of the head and spine, general prostration, and partial deafness, and was regularly treated with quinine for the rest of his life.

Private Hensel was honorably discharged at Washington, DC on June 1, 1865.

On March 20, 1871 he married Susan Ury, by whom he had four children: John, Ida May, Frederick M., and Hugh L.

After the war, Harvey Hensel lived in Ottawa, Ohio, where he was employed variously as a laborer, tanner, and painter. During the summer of 1889 was employed by the Columbus Ohio Buggy Company. He eventually moved to the city of Columbus, where he worked as a janitor. Harvey Hensel committed suicide on November 20, 1912, by ingesting carbolic acid.

His widow outlived Harvey by some thirty-eight years, passing away on March 31, 1941.