Marion County, Ohio - Chapter 3: The War of the Rebellion, 1883

Chapter 3: The War of the Rebellion

While the surviving heroes of the Revolutionary war, the war of 1812 and the Mexican war have constituted a fair proportion of the citizens of the Buckeye State, the military glory of Ohio, as a State, lies wholly in her part in the last war - one of the greatest the world has ever seen, and evidently far greater in moral significance than any within the whole domain of history. Like the viper which was warmed to life in the bosom of the farmer and then bit him, poisoning him to death, so the cotton States raised the parrieidal hand of bloody war against the Union which had long fostered and protected them. History blushes to record the folly of the act - the heinousness of the crime. It overtopped the ordinary criminality of causeless, aggressive warfare, as Satan, in Milton's great poem, exceeded in proportions the other rebel angels.

Without a parallel in the history of the world, all other rebellions dwindle into insignificance before that of 1861. The loyal States and General Government had given an example of patience and forbearance, which was being regarded as weakness.

But the old Jackson spirit was aroused. with sevenfold intensity, and loyal men enough marched forward, under the star-spangled banner, to crush the huge serpent, though at terrible cost.

With feelings like these gushing from every heart, it is no wonder that her able-bodied sons sprang to arms and interposed "fortune, life and sacred honor" in defense of the country. In this noble work, the sons of Marion County were behind no others in promptness and self-sacrifice. 'The telegraphic news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter was instinctively interpreted by every loyal son of America as a call to arms. The news reached Marion during a session of the Common Pleas Court, while a case of bastardy was being tried, and Judge Lawrence, informally and instanter adjourned court sine die, and delivered a patriotic speech. J H. Godman followe@ in the same strain. The same day the President's call for 75,000 men was telegraphed over the country, and within twenty. four hours after that, volunteers began formally to offer themselves, and by the 20th of April, or ten days after the call, _two full companies were made up from Marion County. On Tuesday evening after the adjournment of court, an enthusiastic meeting was held at the court house, when the court room was packed to overflowing. Capt. Elisha Hardy was chosen Chairman, and S. H. Bartram and H. C. Godman, Secretaries. Eloquent. speeches were delivered by Judges Lawrence and Bartram, J. H. Godman, B. R. Durfee and J. Olds. Party feelings were submerged by the overflowing patriotism of the people, who formally resolved "That it becomes the duty of every lover of his country to free himself from party trammels and. hold himself and his fortune at the proper disposal of his Government." On. the 23d, at 1 P. M., according to programme, the two companies and an. anxious throng of citizens met in front of the Methodist Episcopal Church. for farewell services; Capt. Albert H. Brown, with his company, on the east of the entrance to the church, and Capt. Godman and his company on the west side. Stirring addresses were made by Revs. H. B. Fry and Newton, and G. A. Mouser. Patriotic songs and music were interspersed. The ladies of Marion presented each company with a beautiful flag, prepared by their own fair hands; and to each volunteer, wearing as yet only a rosette to designate him as such, was presented by the Sunday school. Superintendent with a copy of the New Testament. In two instances the entire classes, with their teachers, had volunteered. At the depot, Rev. Mr. Fry delivered a sensible farewell address, the opening passage being: "I entreat. this large assembly to abstain from all actions and expressions that would sadden and depress this band of patriotic volunteers. We do not wish to see them departing seemingly with broken hearts. No, soldiers; we wish to see you go away cheerful; we wish your countenance to express the animation of the lofty sentiments which have inspired you to make such sacrifice on behalf of your country in the hour of her danger." We regret that. we have not space here for the whole address. This noble band of first volunteers went to Columbus, where they were mustered into the Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a full account of which is given a little further on.

Patriotic meetings, similar to those above described in Marion, were held a£ all the principal points in the county. Men of all parties united in encouraging enlistments, and men of all professions and stations in life set. the example by volunteering as privates.

Before the close of the month, a relief fund was formed for the benefit of the soldiers' families, the subscription paper denoting the receipts containing hundreds of names, from those of Ozias Bowen and J. W. Bain with $500 each, down to a large number with 10 and 5 cent contributions. There's patriotism at home for you as well as in the field; and the one is as necessary and glorious as the other. Very soon, a county organization was effected, with an auxiliary organization in each township, and thus systematic beneficence moved on like clock-work.

In May, 1861, a company of home guards was organized at Big Island, with Everett Messenger'as Captain. Subsequently, such companies were organized elsewhere throughout the county. In Marion all business was closed during certain hours every week, for a time, to give every able-bodied. man an opportunity to drill.

A Gentle Breeze

During the summer of 1861, Thomas H. Hodder, editor of the Mirror, who was a very "outspoken" man, said in his paper some things against: the Republicans that created some feeling. The people were more excitablethan he imagined, and two or three times was violence threatened against him. One man knocked him down upon the sidewalk; and within a few days of that time, an indignation meeting was held upon the public square to denounce his sentiments. A resolution was adopted, appointing a committee to bring Mr. H. from his residence to the meeting and ask him to make ackrowledgments of error. Rev. H. B. Fry, the Presbyterian clergyman, as spokesman for the committee, made the request, but Mr. Hodder refused to come to the meeting or make acknowledgments. A rope was then brought forth, and preparations were made to hang him. In the meantime, efforts began to be made to enter his office and destroy the type and press. Possibly all these things would have been done, had it not been for the interference of Rev. Mr. Fry, who, in an address, threw such a wet blanket over their excited passions as to cool them down. Other coolheaded Republicans, of course, assisted him. Some Democrats who had enlisted in the service of the army, collected in the doorway of the office and challenged the mobocrats to enlist before entering, and thus outwitted them. Some one, however, stole into the office, either then or during the night, and pied some of the type. A national flag was raised over the office, probahly by Mr. Hodder's permission, and all went on afterward with comparative calmness.

Mr. Hodder, being accused of sympathizing too much with secession, was asked to express himself definitely upon the point, which such a man as he found not difficult to do. He accordingly made the following formal but laconic editorial announcement in his paper: "Friend X: I think that Jeff Davis and his supporters are a set of d - - d traitors. Respectfully yours, T. H. Hodder."

April 6, 1862, the following notice was published in the Republican, equally laconic: "I shall publicly horsewhip T. H. Hodder on the Ist day of August next if he appears upon the streets. All good citizens are invited to attend." The proper name was signed.

After the melee of 1861, Mr. Hodder was more subdued in his language, was a loyal and benevolent citizen and a good business man, but rather reticent, After the war, however, he removed to Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio, where, in the conduct of a newspaper, he got into a similar difficulty. He finally settled in Columbus, where he engaged in the leather trade on a large scale and made money. Indeed, he prospered pecuniarily in all his undertakings. His very plainness of speech as an editor enhanced the circulation of his paper. He is now dead, and for a short biographical notice of him see the chapter on the press of this county.

During the first year of the war, rumors were rife that a "camp," "post" or "lodge" of Knights of the Golden Circle existed within the bounds of Marion County, but some citizens, even to this day, deny that such an or. 'ganization ever existed here. Whether it be a fact or not, it is not apparent that it reflects upon any political party in this section. In October, 1861, affidavits and certificates were published in the Republican, signed by Samuel Cheney, T. H. Dickerson, J. W. Hood, Daniel Snyder and Christian Martin, to the effect that they had seen signs of a lodge of K. `- G. C.'s in Green Camp Township. Mr. Cheney swore that he was initiated intoft. A. H. Keplar and John Sowers published formal certificates that they had been asked by several parties, naming them, to join the K. G. C. Mr. Martin was a prominent " detective," to ferret out the matter, and at his instance, supported by others, several of the most prominent citizens of

It was also claimed that a Northern secret political society, in opposition to the K. G. C., existed here about that time; but as no names of persons or places were given by those making the charge, the matter could not be investigated.

General Current Of Events Resumed

By the middle of November, 1861 - only seven months after the out- 'break of the war - between seven and eight hundred Marion County men were in the army, with about a hundred more ready to go, out of a voting population of about 3,100. This was an extraordinarily good record. By this time, contributions to the soldiers' relief fund began to come in too slow, and special appeals were made. December 2, a petition, signed by all the married men from the county at Camp Buckingham, from Companies B and D of the Sixty-fourth Kegimeni, and.addressed to.all the citizens, was published in all the local papers, asking that their families be cared for. Directly afterward, similar petitions were published from Capts. A. H. and James Brown in behalf of the same. These appeals were most eloquent, and had the desired effect. The aid societies kept busy, as their monthly and semi.annual reports show. The first half. year's report is lost, but the second half-year makes the following exhibit, April 14, 1862: `

Valje of receipts: from all SourceS seur oturen cet $369 41 "Total e E A a A. oue eros r E T mE cus EATS 3809 40 Number of members in the society..............2...005 ELS 67 Number of- artieles donated... eot cU ess ed tes 391 Number of articles manufactured. .............. ere 008) 677 Number of 'articles distributed. 2 «aac acca pon cee cee. 1,168 Number of boxes of goods shipped to hospitals............ 10

The principal regiments in which Marion County was represented were the Fourth, Sixty-fourth, Eighty-second, Ninety-sixth and One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Infantry; but there were volunteers from the county in almost every Ohio regiment, aggregating nearly two thousand. During the tedious and gloomy days of 1862, 1863 and 1864, under the increasing calls from the President for more men, as the companies were raised from time to time, scenes of their parting from home and friends, with the probabilities against their ever returning were repeated with their same heartrending character, unmitigated by frequency of occurrence. These occasions are too sacred for the pen, for no historian can do them justice. Those who have had experience in them know what we mean, and those who have not had it could get no true idea of them from any verbal description.

In the years 1863-1864, some special effort was made to raise the quota of the county without resorting to drafting. Some opposition was manifested here, as elsewhere, against the measure for drafting, éspecially in Richland Township. It was even openly denounced in publie speeches in Marion. Townships and individuals offered bounties for enlistments. The citizens of Marion, for exatnple, raised a large fund for the purpose, a part of which was refunded to the contributors after the war closed, as a balance not needed.

it was amusing to see how defective many able-bodied men endeavored to make themselves appear to be. Men who had never before been suspected of any infirmity quietly presented themselves to Dr. Fisher, the Examining Surgeon for this district, and suddenly they had been transformed into lame, halt and blind But oh, how the tables were turned when large bounties were offered toward the close of the war! Hoping to obtain the bounty and be soon afterward discharged by the Post Surgeon or on account of the termination of the war, they presented themselves in oppressive numbers to the Surgeon for certificates of ability. Many who were totally unfit came to him for certificates, and the Doctor had much greater difficulty keeping these surging masses away than in before making the able-bodied believe they were subject to military duty.

This military district then comprised the counties of Marion, Union, Delaware, Richland and Morrow, and as Examining Surgeon, Dr. Fisher had his headquarters at Mansfield, where, during the two years he bad the office, he examined as many as 8,000 men. Not a dollar was charged against his office, under the military regulation requiring the expenses of uniform and transportation of all incompetent.men passed by the Surgeons to be charged against them.

In these few pages the services of the soldiers of Marion County have been but briefly sketched, and may they not, in this brief retrospect of a 'few of the great results of the war, be justly congratulated as soldiers that have borne a part, however humble their position, in the accomplishment of that " great and mighty drama of a nation preserved?" And it is not services; but we can say truly that the soldiers of this county did their duty, honestly, faithfully and patriotically in the day of our nation's peril. Almost twenty years have passed away since the close of the war, and when peace spread her mantle over the land, the ranks of the army melted away like the smoke of battle. The soldiers laid aside their uni. forms as quickly as they had donned them when the first drum-beat sounded * to arms!" and soon took their places in the busy marts of industry and the peaceful avocations of life. A million soldiers laying down their arms after four years of sanguinary war, and quietly taking their places in the civil walks of life without any unusual commotion, was a sublime spectacle, upon which all civilized nations looked with wonder and admiration. These were the volunteer soldiers of a free country.

The soldiers of Marion County were no exception to this rule, and the boys of twenty years ago have become the good and substantial citizens of to-day. The * good soldier is the good citizen," and in all the positions of life they bear themselves as becomes brave and gallant soldiers of the

Republic. They are found as farmers, merchants, in the counting-room, in the halls of legislation and in places of honor and trust all over the land. l

From disease contracted and from wounds received during their service, the soldiers are rapidly falling, one by one - falling by tbe wayside, comrades of all ranks passing away; and time only adds luster to the halo around the heroes of the great war of 1861-65.

Relief Work And Aid Societies

The record of the war is not complete without the history is written of the part borne by our loyal women; but how can it be told? How much is . due to their love. care and encouragement for all the soldiers achieved; and how we strive, in all the laudable ambitions of life, to win their smiles of approval! During the long, weary years of the war, those who went to the field were not the only sufferers, nor the only persons who devoted their services and lives to their country. The heroism displayed by the loyal women of the North, as they labored at home, in the hospitals and on the battle-field, proved that they were not unworthy their soidiers. Of the vast amount of work done by the fortunate ones whose privilege it was to devote their means and their services to the care of the soldiers and their families, ' there is no record, save that inscribed in the minds and hearts of a grateful and sympathetic people. The real history of their service never has been, never can be written.

Societies were organized in every town, village and hamlet, in which the whole people joined in the unofficial efforts in behalf of their stricken ones. Allusion has already been made elsewhere to the. promptness with which the women of Marion flew to the noble and self-sacrificing work of sending supplies to the soldiers and their families.

Ah, the history of this work of love and devotion of the mothers, wives, sisters and sweethearts can never be written! We can only get a glimpse of it; for who can tell of their anxiety or cf the many weary and wakeful nights as they watched and prayed for their loved ones, many of whom were never to return. The tender, sad memories of the war speak to all more eloquently than can be written on the page of history, as they sweetly and pathetically remind us how the mothers and women of the land, touched by the fires of patriotism, bade their sons gird on the armor of their country; how, through the long and bitter years of the war, their faith was unbroken and their loyalty was firm; and how, when their dear ones were borne home cold and lifeless, they, like the Spartan mothers, " thanked God that their boys had died that their country might live."

'The mother who conceals her grief While to her breast her son she presses, Then breathes a few brave words and brief, Kissing the patriot brow she blesses, With no one but her secret God To know the pain that weighs upon her, Sheds holy blood as e'er the sod Received on freedom's field of honor!"

Decoration Day

The first observance of Decoration Day in Marion took place May 30, 1881, under the auspices of the Washington Camp, No. 42, Patriotic Order Sons of America; and it was a complete success, though, owing to the very threatening appearance of the weather, the ceremonies were interfered with, hurrying the decoration of the soldiers' graves and cutting short the addresses, singing, etc. The leading parties in the public services were Rev. L. A. Belt, Col. J. J. Williams, Rev. S. D. Bates, Rev. J. M. Mills, Marion City Band, Huber Silver Band and Apoilo Glee Club.

re-union in Marion January 11, 1882, when 129 members attended and a very enjoyable time was had. Gov. Foster was present, and delivered an address. Music and toasts, an original poem, obituary report, resolutions on various topics, etc., constituted the programme, in which all present took an enthusiastic and satisfactory part.