Knox County, Ohio - Chapter 31: War of the Rebellion, 1881

Chapter 31: War of the Rebellion

PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONFLICT - NUMBER OF SOLDIERS FROM KNOX COUNTY - WAR MEETINGS AND RESOLUTIONS - COMMITTEES APPOINTED - HOME GUARDS - SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF C. P. BUCKINGHAM - BOUNTY MONEY FOR THE VOLUNTEERS OF 1862 - ADDRESS OF THE MILITARY COMMITTEE - METHODS OF SECURING VOLUNTEERS - DRAFTING - WAR FuND - KNox County MILITIA - LADIES' AID SOCIETIES - LADIES' UNION LEAGUE - THE MONUMENT.

Eldridge Jefferson

CCORDING to the figures in the provost marshal general's office, Ohio furnished during the war of the Rebellion, the great army of three hundred and ten thousand men; of these, two hundred and forty thousand five hundred and fourteen were actually sent into the field against the enemy; of this latter number Knox county furnished about three thousand. The larger proportion of these went in detached fragments, making it a very difficult matter to give a correct and consecutive account of their operations during the great struggle. Something more than twenty organized companies went from the county, as well as a large number of detachments in various regiments and companies raised in other counties. In addition to these a large number of men, residents of the county, enlisted singly, in regiments and companies raised elsewhere, and Knox county boys were found: in scores of regiments in other States; especially was this the case among the western regiments - those from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas.

When, in April, 1801, Sumter was fired upon, the whole country was in a blaze of war; it was like a match touched to a powder magazine - there was an instantaneous explosion. Ohio immediately offered more men to the Government than was called for from the United States. Knox county was not behind in this excitement. Meetings were

April 20, 1861, there was a great mass meeting in Mount Vernon, presided over by Hon. Henry B. Curtis. Thousands of people were present, and party lines, which up to this time had been tightly drawn, were in a great measure obliterated. Republicans and Democrats, with a few exceptions, met on common ground, to consult together for the safety of acommon country. This was more the case and more noticeable in the beginning of the war than a little later, when party lines were again drawn on the great issues involved in the war.

This mass meeting was held in front of the court house. Speeches were made by Hon. Columbus Delano and others, and the following resolutions adopted:

Resolved, Thatin this crisis the people of Ohio know but one party - the friends of the Union. We ignoreall former partisan distinctions and declare with one voice for our country, our whole country, and nothing less than our country.

Resolved, That we hereby pledge ourselves to the volunteers who may go from this county that we will support their families during their absence in the service of their country; and for that purpose, therefore

Resolved, That there he a central executive committee of five in the town of Mount Vernon, and a county committee of twenty-two - one from each township - appointed.

committee consisting of C. Delano, Mr. Rigby, L, Harper, Major Sapp, and William Dunbar, were. quickly adopted amid much cheering and excitement. ' The central executive committee then appointed consisted of W. Sapp, William Dunbar, William Mefford, A. J. Beach, and C. Delano. This committee soon had its hands full of business, which continued during the war. The following gentlemen constituted the township committees:

In addition to the above, one was added for each ward in Mt. Vernon, and soldiers' families were generally, in various ways, well provided for during the war. The two companies that went out in the Fourth Ohio, in the three months' service, were more than filled up at this time. More men could easily have been had, but could not be accepted.

Meetings of a similar character were held in Amity and Brownsville. In the latter place a company was immediately formed, and elected John F. Cunningham captain; William L. Brook, first lieutenant, and Squire Workman, second lieutenant. W. Frazier was orderly sergeant. The meeting was held in the Methodist Episcopal church, and after the volunteering, one side of the house was cleared, and those who would contribute to the support of the families of the volunteers requested to take that side. Immediately that side of the house was refilled.

A company of home guards was about the same time formed in Mt. Vernon, consisting of about eighty members, mostly old or middle-aged men. C. P. Buckingham was captain of this company, Joseph W. Vance, first, and William Dunbar, second lieutenant. The two first named officers subsequently rose to high positions.

C. P. Buckingham was born March 14, 1808, at Putnam, then Springfield, Muskingum county, Ohio. His father, Ebenezer Buckingham, was one of the early settlers in the State, and his mother was a daughter of General Rufus Putnam, a soldier in the Revolution, the first chief engineer in the United States army, and the first man to lead a band of settlers to Ohio. Young Buckingham was appointed a cadet by President Monroe, and at the age of seventeen entered West Point. His application was such that at the end of one year he was appointed acting assistant professor of mathematics, and for two years, besides prosecuting his own studies, he spent several hours each day in teaching. At the end of four years he gradu- ated second in mathematics, philosophy and engineering; and sixth in general merit. Among his classmates were General Robert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston, O. M. Mitchell, Thomas A. Davis, James Barnes, Thomas Swords and others of less note.

In 1829, he was commissioned by President Jackson as second lieutenant in the Third United States artillery, and before the expiration of the usual furlough he was ordered to join a party engaged in surveying Green river, with a view to render it navigable. The next winter was spent in Washington completing maps of the survey, and in the following September, after a furlough of four months, he was ordered to West Point as acting assistant professor of natural philosophy. After serving one year in this capacity, Lieutenant Buckingham decided to quit the service, and devote himself to civil pursuits.

In 1833 he was called to the professorship of mathematics and natural philosophy in Kenyon college, which position he held three years; and upon his retirement he was chosen trustee of the institution. Professor Buckingham settled in Mt. Vernon, and in 1849 became senior partner in the Kokosing iron works. In 1856 he removed temporarily to Chicago, where he spent two years in building and putting in operation the grain houses of the Illinois Central railroad. At the end of that time he returned to Ohio and resumed the management of the Kokosing iron works.

repaired to Columbus and reported for duty. At that time the State was organizing twenty-two regiments; these troops to the number of seventeen or eighteen thousand were collected in several camps and fed by contract at the rate of fifty cents per day foreach man. The necessity for an organized commissary department was very urgent, and within a week after arriving in Columbus, Mr. Buckingham was appointed commissary general of the State. He immediately established depots of provisions, purchased supplies, appointed assistant commissaries, and within two weeks the troops were put upon regular army rations, and were fed at an average cost of fourteen cents per day for

After the commissary department was fully organized, General Carrington, the adjutant general of the State, was commissioned in the regular army, and General Buckingham was appointed to succeed him; and for nine months he labored incessantly in raising regiments and forwarding them to the field. Special difficulties arose between the State authorities and the authorities at Washington in regard to the recruiting service, and to give a minute account of General Buckingham's efforts to bring order out of confusion; to establish a system of recruiting on fixed principles; to organize and arrange the records of the office so that the information they contained should be reliable and easily accessible; to bring the war department into proper relations with the State authorities; to reconcile the conflicting claims of officers, and, in a word, to meet all the wants and requirements of his position - to give a minute account of all this would require the publication of a voluminous correspondence, and an innumerable number of official documents. It is sufficient to say that by the end of the year eighty thousand men had been organized and equipped for the three years' service. Upon the accession of Governor Tod, General Buckingham still continued in his position, and nothing ever occurred in his private and official intercourse, either with Governor Dennison or with Governor Tod to interrupt for a moment the confidence that existed between them.

April 1, 1862, General Buckingham was offered, and accepted, the position of brigadier general of volunteers, with special reference to the war department. His duties were of a very miscellaneous character. In July, 1862, when national affairs on the James river wore their gloomiest aspect, it was decided that strenuous efforts should be made to raise a large additional force. Experience had shown the necessity of a complete understanding between the war department and the State authorities; and to effect this the Secretary of State set out to visit several of the governors, to have interviews with them on the subject. General Buckingham was directed to accompany him, with authority from the war department to remove, as far as possible, any impediments which the State authorities might find in the way of recruiting. Together they conferred with the governors of Pennsylvania, New

York, and Massachusetts; and then General Buckingham proceeded alone to Cleveland, where he met the governors of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin ; and, without doubt, the arrangements, thus made facilitated the business of recruiting.

In October, 1862, General Buckingham was ordered to repair to Columbus, Indianapolis, and Rock Island to select sites for the arsenals authorized at the preceding session of Congress. He performed this duty by selecting those now occupied at Columbus and Indianapolis, and by recommending that Rock Island, already owned by the Government, be selected for the third, His report was adopted in every particular.

The first conscription was ordered in July, 1862, and General Buckingham was selected to organize and arrange the details, and to set the machinery in motion, While engaged in this duty his attention was called to the enormous amount of desertion and straggling, and also to the necessity of some means by which the Government could reach and control the recruiting system at all points. To this end he suggested to the Secretary of War the propriety of appointing provost marshals; and subsequently the provost marshal's bureau was established mainly upon General Buckingham's plan.

In February, 1863, Congress determined to pass a conscription law, and the Senate Military committee requested General Buckingham to meet them, and make such suggestions as would assist them in drawing up a bill. After hearing his views, his experience both as a State officer and as having charge of the conscription during the previous summer, making him quite familiar with the subject, the committee requested him to take the papers and memoranda to his office and draw up a bill to be submitted to them. This he did; and the bill as it passed Congress varied but little from the one which he reported to the committee.

About this time General Buckingham's private affairs, which he had almost wholly neglected since the opening of the war, demanded his attention; and accordingly he tendered his resignation, and once more returned to civil life. His services through the war were not of the kind that figure largely in the public eye or in the newspapers of the day, but a large share of the credit which Ohio won for her promptitude in filling her quotas, and for the admirable organization of her troops is due to General Buckingham; and his name will ever deserve prominent mention in her list of those who served and honored their native State through the trials of the great Rebellion.

The following resolution, offered by W. R. Sapp at a convention for the nomination of civil officers, contains the gist of all resolutions offered in those days. It speaks volumes for the patriotism of the people:

Whereas - Experience has demonstrated that political parties have their legitimate exercise in the administration of established government; and

Whereas - When the existence of government is threatened by armed foes, the only real parties are the supporters of the government on the one hand and its enemies on the other; and

Resolved - That forgetting the obligations of 'party ties, and believing it unwise to make any party nominations, we hereby declare that we recognize as the only true political principle of the present time, the faithful enforcement of the laws, the union of States, the maintenanee of the constitution, and the vigorous and continued prosecution of the war.

Other and similar resolutions were adopted and the convention nominated unconditional union men without regard to previous party affiliations.

Up to June, 1862, eight hundred and fifty-two men had volunteered from this county, and large amounts of money had been raised to pay bounties and furnish support for the families of soldiers. While the volunteers were fighting the enemy in. front,

The following are the amounts raised in each township in the county to pay bounties to volunteers in 1862, which amounts were, by law of April 6, 1866, refunded by taxation:

The great earnestness of the people of Knox county, under the call of the President in 1862, for three hundred thousand volunteers, is revealed in the following special appeal by the military committee of the county. It also reveals the source of the Ninety-sixth regiment, Colonel J. W. Vance:

The military committee of Knox county take the liberty of again addressing themselves to their fellow-citizens of the county upon a subject imperatively demanding prompt and vigorous action at their hands.

We have therefore called attention to the fact, that under the recent call of the President for three hundred thousand additional volunteers, the counties of Knox, Morrow, Marion, Delaware, Union, and Logan had been formed into a regimental district, and were required by the governor of the State to raise a regiment of one thousand men.

These men have been apportioned to the several counties comprising the district in proportion to the population of each county. Underthis apportionment Knox county is required to furnish two hundred and twenty men.

The regiment to be raised in this district is already organized, and its field officers appointed. Our county has been honored in the choice of the colonel; our esteemed fellow-citizen, Joseph W. Vance, esq., whose ability and untiring energy are well known to all, having been appointed to the position. This selection, we are sure, will give additional impetus to the recruiting service in our midst.

The call upon us for our quota of men must be met. The Government, as it should be, is terribly in earnest in its efforts to quell the rebellion. It is determined to put forth its power and do the work thoroughly and at once. The number of men necessary to accomplish this purpose must be forthcoming at all hazards. the service as volunteers, or of submitting to the draft.

In one or the other of these modes two hundred and twenty men must be raised by Knox county within a short period of time. : Acting under orders from headquarters, our county auditor is

Will our people volunteer, or willthey compel the public authorities to resort to the draft, in order to raise the number of men which, upon a fair and just apportionment, our county is required to furnish? Our sister counties are addressing themselves earnestly to the work of filling the ranks with volunteers. What, in the future, shall be said of the action of Knox county, in this dark hour of our country's peril?

The man who is drafted, is entitled tono bounty; the Government reserves this testimonial of its good will to the gallant citizens who volunteer. His pay is less than that of the volunteer. He cannot select the company or regiment in which he will serve, a privilege which every volunteer may exercise, and in addition to this, he is regarded not asthe patriotic citizen who has voluntarily stepped forward to fight the battles of his country, but as one who serves her upon compulsion.

We sincerely trust and confidently hope that our county may be spared this disgrace. There are certainly two hundred and twenty loyal and gallant men yet left within her borders, who will see that her hitherto fair fame is preserved untarnished.

We now earnestly appeal to our fellow-citizens to assist us in putting into the field the number of volunteers required from our county. We are advised precisely what that number is, and know exactly the work to be done. Let us all see that it is promptly done. We desire each man to feel that this appeal is made personally tohim. The call upon us by the Government is of paramount importance; it should be our special business - no matter how urgent the demands of private interests may be - to see to it that prompt and faithful response is made to that call,

A fund is also being raised for the purpose of furnishing a bounty to volunteers, in addition to that paid by the Government. We expect to be able to raise within Knox county, at least ten thousand dollars for that purpose, which will enable us to pay an extra bounty of forty dollars to each recruit. Of this sum a large proportion - enough to insure twenty-five dollars to each man - has already been subscribed. Let every man who cannot go himself contribute liberally of his means to those who can.

Each volunteer, when his conpany is mustered into service, will receive from the Government one month's pay in advance (thirteen dollars); one fourth of his one hundred dollars bounty (twenty-five dollars), and an extra payment of two dollars, making in all forty dollars. In addition to this we expect to be able to pay him the further sum of forty dollars; thus his advance payment will be eighty dollars.

Upon them we more particularly rely for aid in accomplishing the work before us. Work - systematic, energetic, persevering work - will alone accomplish the desired result.

At the same time, July 28, 1862, a great war meeting was held in Mt. Vernon, at the court house at which patriotic speeches were made by Mr. Delano and Colonel Joseph W. Vance.. The-greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and it became evident that old Knox would not be behind her sister counties in this great effort. At this meeting the following citizens contributed the sums opposite their names, to the war fund:

More than three thousand dollars were subscribed on this occasion; committees were appointed and liberal subscriptions obtained all over the county. The two hundred and twenty volunteers required for the Ninety-sixth regiment were easily obtained, and no drafting became necessary to fill this quota. Not only this, but before these companies were fairly organized, the President called for three hundred thousand more men, and Knox county's quota

' was immediately doubled. Two more companies were required. These were raised within fifteen or twenty days and entered the One Hundred and

Preparations for drafting were begun in August, 1862; the auditor was already busy enrolling all persons in the county liable for military duty, to be in readiness should it become necessary to fill up the army by conscription. Hon. William R. Sapp was appointed commissioner; D. C. Montgomery, provost marshal, and Dr. M. Thompson, examining surgeon. Happily the necessity for enforcing the draft was avoided at that time by liberal volunteering, and indeed, comparatively few men were drafted in this county during the war. A draft ocucrred in October, 1862, a large number of the men being assigned to the Sixty-fifth regiment. Whenever the quota of the county was ascertained under the repeated calls of the President for volunteers, the people went to work with a will to get the number of men required without resorting to the draft. Money was freely used and success generally attended their efforts.

The following advertisement appears in the Mt. Vernon papers of that date, and 1s interesting as showing what inducements were held out to volunteers:

One hundred men wanted for the Third Ohio volunteer cavalry. Four hundred and two dollars bounty paid to old recruits, and three hundred and two dollars to new recruits.

. Every able-bodied man who will come forward and volunteer for one year, and be credited to the First ward of Mt. Vernon, on or before the twenty-fifth of August, will receive five hundred dollars in cash for one year's service.

In 1862, the Knox county war fund, raised by voluntary contribution in the county, for the relief of soldiers' families reached the sum of eight thousand eight hundred and thirty-five dollars and thirty-nine cents. In 1863 the county commissioners set apart for the same purpose eleven thousand three hundred and thirty-nine dollars; and the same amount, for the same purpose in 1864. In 186s,.

In addition to these contributions from the county funds, large private subscriptions were continued. During the last years of the war large amounts were paid for substitutes; no limit being defined ; those who were drafted hired other men to take their places at whatever price could be agreed upon. This finally grew into a great evil, and created a class known as "bounty jumpers," who made a business of enlisting, deserting, and re-enlisting at some other point for additional bounty.

In 1864, under the call of the Government for five hundred thousand men, Knox county's quota was five hundred and eighty-nine men, to be enlisted for one, two and three years. The Govern- ment paid to one year troops, one hundred dollars, and an additional one hundred dollars for each year of service - three years men getting three hundred dollars. This was in addition to the large bounties paid by the county and by private individuals.

In the fall of 1862, one hundred and thirty-nine men were to be drafted in this county, and the draft proceeded in all the townships except Berlin, Milford, Morgan, Morris and Union, which succeeded in filling their quotas without draft.

Under the militia law of April 11, 1863, Knox county was divided into military districts, and all men liable to military duty enrolled, numbering three thousand three hundred and sixty-two. These were divided into regiments and companies, and early in July meetings were held and company officers elected. Four regiments were formed and the election for field officers took place August 22, 1863, with the following result:

Snider, major. In the second district, composed of Middlebury, Berlin, Morris and Clinton, William McGaughey was chosen colonel, Henry Markley lieutenant colonel, and John S. Parrott, major. In the third district, composed of Morgan, Pleasant, College, Monroe, Pike, Brown and Howard,

Young lieutenant colonel, and J. P. Cunningham major. In the fourth district, composed of Harri- 'son, Clay, Jackson, Butler, Union and Jefferson, George Butler was chosen colonel, W. J. Withrow lieutenant colonel and S. C. Richard major.

Soon after the war broke out the need of sanitary and hospital supplies began to be felt, and the requirements of this department rapidly increased. The women of the North saw where their services were most needed and could be most effectually utilized. 'Ladies' Aid societies" immediately sprang up all over the land, and from small beginnings this movement finally developed into the great Sanitary commission, whose immense operations secured a world-wide reputation. Knox county was not behind in this most important factor in the military operations of the great Rebellion. Early in 1861 a Ladies' Aid society was formed in Mount Vernon, with Mrs. J. E. Woodbridge as president. This was quickly followed by other societies in the different townships, and be. fore the war ended probably every township in the county contained a Ladies' Aid society, thoroughly organized and doing efficient work. These organizations co-operated with each other, and the amount of work done and assistance rendered to soldiers both in the field and in the hospital. would seem almost incredible.

The following list will give an idea of the work of these societies. It comprises the articles forwarded by the Ladies' Aid society of Pleasant township from the date of its organization up to the date of this report - Christmas, 1863:

These societies were cgntinually at work gathering and forwarding supplies, and never flagged in their efforts during the entire war. The good accomplished is beyond computation.

In compliance with the request of the State authorities at Columbus, I herewith submit a report of the general operations of the Soldiers' Aid society of Mount Vernon, from its first organization up to the present time.

This Aid society was organized October 16, 1861, for hospital purposes, and is composed of ladies of Mount Vernon and vicinity, who constitute its working members.

The working members habitually meet one or more days in each week (as the urgency of the case requires) at their rooms, and devote the time to work in various ways.

Besides these stated meetings most of the members. take materials to their homes and have it worked up, and manufactured into articles of comfort and utility for hospital purposes.

They shipped large amounts to Western Virginia during the severe mountain service in the winter of 1861. After the State Sanitary commission began operations, our society generally cooperated with them and forwarded supplies to the Sanitary commission at Cincinnati, or their agents and State agents at various points.

Our society has been sustained very liberally by patriotic and devoted citizens from all parts of Knox county, especially during the first fifteen months which enabled us to ship during that time, large contributions of blankets, flannels, woollen socks, muslins, dry goods, and supplies of various kinds. Shipments often amounted to three thousand dollars at one time.

As the war wore on, and urgent calls were made from the army for sanitary supplies, the officers had to draw on their ingenuity to raise funds with which to purchase dry goods and material for manufacture. Public lectures, old folks' concerts, festivals, private canvassing and other modes of raising money have been in turn called into requisition to replenish our treasury and keep the society at .vork.. The community responded liberally, and our aims and efforts have been well sustained.

We cannot in this report give items and details for want of space; but from our books and records the society can now report an aggregate amount of about sixty thousand dollars' worth of property and supplies at fair valuations, which it has collected and forwarded to the army. The present valuation of said property would swell the amount to seventy-five thousand dollars.

The collection, handling, manufacturing, boxing, and shipping this amount and variety of property, although arduous and incessant, has been cheerfully performed by the members of the society, aided by a few noble-minded gentlemen.

The society has received generous contribution from all parts of the county, and especially from the noble men and women of Butler township, and from the branch societies of Morris and Berlin townships. To these, and to the numerous clubs and individual contributors, who have stood by us and lent us their aid and influence, our society owes its thanks.

The noble band of ladies who composes the working membership of this society, are no less worthy, though they do not claim, the compliments of the community.

-They have faithfully performed arduous labors, but with willing hands. They also, like most of our gallant soldiers, enlisted for ''three years, or during the war," and as their three years of faithful service has but lately expired, they will not be mustered out, but have re-enlisted without draft, substitute, or bounty. They have become ''veterans" in the good cause, and ask no further bounty than an approving conscience, and the continued aid and generosity of the community in furnishing funds and material to the society, that it may be enabled to do good in a good cause. Mrs. J. E. WooDBRIDGE,

The officers af the above society, besides Mrs. Woodbridge, were Mrs. N. N. Hill, vice-president; Mrs. Matilda Mills, treasurer; Mrs. T. E. Monroe, secretary; Miss Mary Woodbridge, corresponding secretary, and Mrs. Singer, Mrs. Hildreth, Mrs. Linsted, and Mrs. Tunison, directors.

In 1863, a society was formed by the young ladies of Mount Vernon, known as the "Young Ladies' Union League," the object of which was to secure funds for the erection of a monument to the momory of the soldiers and sailors of Knox county who gave their lives to the cause of the Union. This was the beginning of the operations which finally culminated in the erection of the present beautiful monument that graces the public square of Mt. Vernon. ;

Much energy was shown in the beginning of this enterprise, and a comparatively large sum of money collected from different parts of the county. Milford township contributed very liberally through the labors and influence of Mr. Platt Beardsley and Captain Nathan Bostwick. About fifteen thousand dollars were wanted, but before the amount was subscribed the war ended, and with it much of the enthusiasm of the society; and the enterprise was, for some years, neglected. Upon the approach of the Centennial year the project was again revived and pushed to final success; the corner-stone of the monument being laid, with appropriate ceremonies, July 4, 1876. It is of Vermont granite, solid, beautiful, and an honor to the city and county. Rev. Dr. Muenscher's name is inseperably connected with the erection of this monument. It was through his personal influence and exertions, mainly, that it was finally completed. It cost about five thousand dollars.

Hon. Henry B. Curtis delivered the address at the laying of the corner-stone, and Hon. Columbus Delano at the unveiling of the monument July 4, 1877. Following is a list of articles deposited in the corner-stone:

Copies of the Bible; Declaration of Independence; Constitution of the United States and State of Ohio; names of the President and Vice-President of the United States; names of the members of the cabinet; officers of the State of Ohio and judges of the supreme court of Ohio; the names of the county officers of Knox county, and city officers of Mount Vernon; names of the building committee, architect, and remarks of the chairman of the'building committee; copies of the Mount Vernon Democratic Banner, Mount Vernon Republican, Fredericktown Free Press, Gambier Argus, and the Orphans' Friend; programme of the dramatic representation of the '' Honeymoon," in the interest of the soldiers' monument; coins and fractional currency of the United States; programme of the day; names of the grand officers, as follows: Dr. J. N. Burt, past grand master; Edward Burson, R. W. deputy'grand master, Thrall lodge, No. 170, Fredericktown, Ohio; William Dunbar, grand S. W.; Silas