Richland County, Ohio - The whole text, 1908 (part 5 of 16)

In Camp Buckingham the recruits donned the blue to fight for the preservation of the union of the tates. .\nd when the troops marched off to the Southland, the city of Maustield wa= decorated with flags and banners, which well nigh canopied the streets. Amid cheers and prayers and tears, troops went forth to Aght their country's battles and to uphold the starry Hag.

The brigade. ready for service left Camp Buckingham, December 17 and 18. 1861. The Sixty-fourth left on the 17th for Louisville Kentucky. Two trains of twenty cars each were required to transport them. Mce- Laughlin'= squadron of cavalry accompanied the regiment. On the 18th the Sixty-fifth and the battery left the camp, and the place which had seen so much bustle and life was quiet. After getting to the field the brigade was -eparated. and was never in service as a brigade, its regiments belonging to other divisions as their history in the field shows.

Mr. Sherman's duties as ~enator would not allow him to take command and upon leaving. issued an order expressing his grateful acknowledgments to all the officers and men composing the brigade for their prompt response to the call of their country in it+ time of need. Saving that he would ever remember with the warmest feeling of gratitude the assistance rendered in recruiting the force, and that he felt assured that they would reflect honor upon the state from which they went and upon the country they served.

As to the war history of the Sherman brigade, each of the survivors can today point to its record and state with pardonable pride that he was a member of the Sherman brigade.

The First Battle Of The Civil War

The first battle of the Civil War was fought at Philippi, West Virginia, June 3. 1861. In that engagement the Union troops, under command of Colonel Kelley, defeated the Rebels under Colonel Potterfield killing fifteen of their men. While this battle was comparatively small in the number of men engaged, it was of great importance in shaping the events which followed and its influence was far reaching in its results to the Union cause. The victory there waz a= inspiring to the North as it was discouraging to the

The fate of the battle was often anticipated by the Scotch by observing which party first shed blood. It ix said that the Highlanders under Montrose were so deeply imbued with this idea that on the morning of the battle of Tippermoor, they murdered a defenseless: herdsman whom they found in the fields, merely to secure an advantage which they thought waz of much consequence to their party. They also believed that the result of a war hung upon the result of the first battle. The Scottish tradition wax verified in the result of the American War of the Rebellion. as it had frequently been in the clannish contests between the Highlander= and the Lowlander= of Scotland, centuries before.

The day following the morning of the battle of Philippi. a Richland county captain had charge of the troops picketing one of the roads. with instructions to arrest any person who attempted to enter or leave the town. While the people of that vicinity knew that Colonel Potterfield and his rebel force were stationed at Philippi, and that the Union troops were in posses sion of Grafton. and that the armies being <0 near to each other. a battle might occur at any time, they were surprised nevertheless when they heard cannonading at early dawn of the morning of June the 3rd. The cannonading awakened the people of Barbour county as they had never been aroused before. After the cannonading ceased the people began to get anxious about the result. and men attempted to go to Philippi to get the news. In xo doing, twenty-three men were halted and placed under arrest by the Mansfield captain before referred to, who took the men as prisoners into the town aud reported them at headquarters. He was ordered to take the men out and have them shot. The business of war was new to us all then and we had had no time to learn the rules and regulations thereof. This order seemed an unnecessarily murderous one. and the voung captain was reluctant to carry it into execution. Then his knowledge of the law caine to his relief. that although he had been ordered to have the men shot. no time had been set for the execution. Therefore, he concluded to defer carrying out the order, hoping it would be revoked. It happened during the day that a higher officer came to Philippi and took command of the troops there. and to this officer the Mansfield captain presented tha case of the prisoners whom he was ordered to have shot, and the order was not only revoked but the prisoners were discharged and returned to their homes.

It was fortunate for those prisoners that the Mansfield captain was a gentleman of humane feeling. otherwise he might have hastily executed the order without an effort to have it revoked or reconsidered. as was the case in the following incident: When prisoners were brought before Sir William Howard, who was an enthusiastic mathematician and at that time engage in trying to solve a mathematical problem. a lieutenant approached and asked for orders as to their disposal. Sir William annoyed at the interrup- tion exclaimed, 'Hang the prisoners!" and went on with his work. After he had finished, he went to inquire about the prisoners, and to learn with what they had been charged, and was horrified to learn that his exclamation "Hang the prisoners!" had been mistaken for an order and that they had all been executed.

In the battle of Philippi, J. E. Hanger, a young soldier of Colonel Potterfield's command, lost a limb by being struck by a cannon ball. He received attention from Dr. Robinson, of Wooster, who was then surgeon of the Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This was the first amputation performed in the Civil war. Mr. Hanger is still living. He resides in Washington City and has been successful as a manufacturer of artificial limbs.

Here is another prisoner story: A story is told that early in the eighteenth century, in a Scotch camp, an orderly who had charge of burying the dead after a battle, reported to the officer in command, saluted and said: "Sir, there is a heap of fellows lying out yonder who say they are not dead, that they are only wounded and won't let us bury them like the rest. What shall we do?" ;

"Bury them at once," replied the commander, "for if vou take their word for it, they won't be dead for a hundred years to come.'' The orderly saluted and started off to carry out the order and the commander had to dispatch another order at once and in haste to prevent his order from becomlng a tragedy.

Captain Miller Moody's Company I. Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a company that went out from Bellville, this county. was in the battle of Philippi. and the surviving members of the company are proud of the fact that they were not only in the first-call service, but also participated in the first battle of the Civil war and helped to earn the victory which was so far reaching in its results.

The Sultana Disaster

The One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry was organized at Mansfield in August, 1862. There were three Richland county companies in the regiment: C. D and E companies, the latter commanded by Captain A. W. Loback of Bellville. Of the twenty-five men in Captain Pres squad on board the Sultana, twenty-two perished in the disaster.

The Sultana disaster was one of the most appalling in the ar of the world. The survivors hold annual reunions, and from the proceedings of the one recently held at Galion, the following is taken in part:

At Bellefonte, Alabama, on September 1, 1864, the One Hundred and "Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry went on board the cars and remained on them fourteen days patrolling the Tennessee & Alabama railroad from Decatur, Alabama, to Columbia, Tennessee, and on the 15th of September went into camp at Decatur. On September the twenty-third, Colonel Given, in command of the post, was ordered to send four hundred men to reinforce the fort at Athens; this was done by taking about equal numbers from the One Hundred and Second Ohio and the Eighteenth Michigan, and the next morning this force met the rebels under General Forrest, near -\thens. and by persistent fighting drove them about four miles, and twice cut their way through two brigades of the enemy: but upon arriving in sight of the fort they saw it had suurrendered. and that the starry flag had been hauled down and the rebel flag hoisted in its place. The Union troops were thus surrounded by an overwhelming force of the enemy, and in the conflict which ensued a large number were killed and wounded, and the remainder taken prisoners. The officers were taken to Selma and the men to Cahaba. Alabama. The officers were afterwards transferred to Enterprise, aud later paroled, then exchanged.

The One Hundred and Second Ohio prisoners, and those of the Eighteenth Michigan, and perhaps others, were kept at Cahaba from September, 1864, until April, 1865, when they were paroled on account of high waters the Alabama river having risen so high that the prisoners were waist deep 1 water for five days. Paroled Union prisoners were also taken from Andersonville and Macon, Georgia, under flag of truce, to a parole camp on the Black river, near Vicksburg, and turned over to the federal forces after which they marched to Vicksburg to be sent North. While in this parole camp, the prisoners heard of the assassination of President Lincolu. They became wild with indignation, and started for rebel headquarters. The rebel major who had charge of them fled across the Black river bridge for safety.

The government had chartered the steamer "Sultana," a packet plying between St. Louis and New Orleans, to bring the prisoners north, their destination being Camp Chase, at Columbus, Ohio. The steamer left Vicksburg with over two thousand parole prisoners and two companies of infantry under arms, making a total of over two thousand five hundred, including other passengers, among whom were twelve women. The boat arrived at Memphis, Tennessee, at about seven o'clock on the evening of April 26. 1868. After unloading several hundred hogsheads of sugar and taking on a supply of coal the steamer started up the river for Cairo, Illinois. Between two and three o'clock on the morning of the twenty-seventh when about eight miles above Memphis, as the boat was passing through a group of islands known as "The Old Hen and Chickens," and while about opposite Tangleman'- landing, one of the boilers exploded, the boat caught fire and in a short time was destroved. Hundreds jumped into the water and many of those who could swim were saved. Others were killed by the explosion, burned to death or drowned. Of the twenty-five hundred passengers. over seventeen hundred were lost, and many more died from burns or exposure. A little rain was falling at the time, and the night was very dark. The river at that place was three miles wide and very high, having overflown its banks. On account of the intense darkness, the men who jumped into the water could not see which way to take to reach the bluffs, the flats being covered with deep water. The survivors were picked up by passing boats and taken to Memphis hospitals.

One of the survivors of the "Sultana" disaster states: "After leaving Vicksburg, the clerk and myself had quite a chat and he seemed to take an interest in having me state some of my prison experience. In return, I asked him how many were on board the boat. The clerk replied that if we arrived safe at Cairo it would be the greatest trip ever made on the western waters, as there were more people on board than were ever carried on one boat on the Mississippi river. He stated that there were twenty-four hundred soldiers, one hundred citizen passengers, and a crew of about eighty - in all over twenty-five hundred people. Little did this throng know what awaited it: that in a few more hours some were to be roasted - yes burned to death - while others would be struggling with the waves only to sink to rise no more."

-\nother survivor says: "I was through all the war, this being my second term, but the horror and suffering of that morning I never saw approached. Pen cannot write or describe it, tongue cannot tell, and mind cannot picture the despair of twenty-three hundred scalded and drowning men in a cold deep river on a dark night. with a current running twelve miles an hour, and those men just released from prison, not half fed nor quarter clothed. They did not have the strength to battle with a trial like that. It was the most heart rending scene I ever witnessed."

At the time of the catastrophe, Mr. Lockhart was lying asleep with some of hix Bellville comrades upon the upper deck. In narrating his experience he says the first he knew that anything had happened, he was thrown by the explosion to the stern end of the boat, and was trying to get his breath and didn't know what had occurred. Soon realizing that a terrible accident had befallen the steamer, he started forward to find his comrades. The first man he met was Lash Holtom and he saw by the light of the burning hoat that Holtom had been injured in the face. oue side of which was covered with blood. Holtom remarked that he could not swim and did not know what to.do to save himself. Thev met Jacob Irons and Jacob Byerly. and all four being Bellville men, they resolved to keep together. Lockhart suggested that they try to get a gang-plank and push it off and all get on and try to help each other. That was agreed to, and they started forward for the front end of the boat to climb off, and when they got just beyond the wheelhouse, the deck gave way and all went down together. Lockhart was near the side of the boat and caught hold of the steps and pulled himself out, after being considerably burned about his face and hands and his hair was all singed off. Holtom, Irons and Byerly went down into the burning pit. and Lockhart, while clinging to the stairs saw them perish in the flames. He says he then got a deck bucket and drew up water which he poured over himself, his clothes being on fire. The reason he did not jump overboard was because the hundreds of people he saw in the water, were in bunches of ten, twenty or thirty, holding to each other and sinking in a bunch. He finally climbed to the top of the wheel house, where he stood and gazed at the awful spectacle about him.

soon be consumed by the flames as his comrades had been. To jump into the river he would be seized by the struggling. agonizing mass of drowning men and would be carried under the water with them. Fate soon decided the matter for him. The wheel house burned off and in falling into the river, threw Lockhart out beyond the reach of those who were struggling in the water. Being an expert swimmer he struck out, not knowing which way to reach the shore. After drifting some distance, he saw a man floating, holding on to two shutters. Upon reaching him, he found that the man's head was beneath the water - that he was dead. Securing the shutters, he was enabled to swim and float until he reached a cotton-wood tree, about six miles below where the disaster had occurred. The broad Mississippi had overflown its banks and was about ten miles wide at the place. Lockhart had drifted toward the Arkansas shore. and the cotton-wood tree to which he clung was upon the overflowed land. He was enabled to retain his hold in the branches of the tree until rescued about nine o'clock the next morning, after having been in the water seven hours.

William Lockhart was born and reared at Bellville, and is the eldest son of the late Rey. Benjamin Lockhart. a minister of the Christian church, who was noted for his evangelical work along the lines of the doctrine promulgated by Alexander Campbell. that "the Bible should be the sole creed of the church." Rey. Lockhart removed to Missouri in 1863 where he continued his ministerial work until hix death. which occurred a few vears ago.

Daniel Garber was a member of Captain Loback's company who resided near Butler, this county, until his death a few vears since. In giving his experience said:

"My first recollection was that I was on my feet and enveloped in a cloud of hot steam, and was considerably scalded in the face. I was told that the vessel had been blown up. I then began to look around to devise some means of escape. I got a shutter and board off the pilot house and tied them together with a pair of drawers. I looked around for a clear place to jump. for I knew if I jumped in where men were struggling they would seize my board and as I could swim but httle, I would be lost. Finally I saw my chance. threw my board and juinped with it. I went down in the water quite deep, but came up all right and floated away from the boat. I was picked up four miles below Memphis by two men in a vawl and rowed to the gunboat Pocahontas, where I was taken in. about eleven miles from the scene of the disaster."

J. W. VanScove. a Richland county boy who was a member of company A, of the Sixtv-Fourth, O. V. I.. in giving an account of the disaster says:

"T svas lying on the cabin deck asleep at the time of the explosion. I was stunned so that I did not realize anything. When I came to, I was under the water. I swam around until I found a board and floated down the river within four hundred vards of Memphis, when I was picked up by some party in a skiff. I was scarcely out of the water until I was entirely helpless, and it was sometime before I recovered." sulting from his prison confinement. The explosion threw him off the boat into the river and he was not fully conscious when he rose to the surface. He managed to get hold of some floating debris, and by that means was able to keep above the water. In describing the event, he says: "I shall never forget that terrible ordeal. The water was icy cold and in every direction men were shivering and calling for help, while the current was carrying us swiftly down the stream. I could see the buildings on the bank at Memphis, as I floated down past the city. There were twelve of my company on board that boat and only two of us escaped." Mr. Bringman was picked up below Memphis. His injuries were a fractured arm, three broken ribs, scalded face, scars and bruises. He was in the hospital for some time and then, discharged.

Among the passangers on board the "Sultana" were twelve women belonging to the Christian commission, only one of whom was saved. One of the ladies had extraordinary presence of mind and heroic courage. Standing upon the burning deck. she directed the men how to try to save themselves and thus perished in the flames.

The following lines are taken from William H. Norton's poem, entitled "The Burning of the Sultana." Mr. Norton was a member of the One Hundred and Fifteenth O. V. I.

Dr. George Mitchell, of Mansfield, wax the assi-tant surgeon of the One Hundred and Second, and was in charge of the hospital at Pulaski. Tei nessee, at the time the "boys" were captured at Athens, Alabama. While on duty there a member of rebel General Forrest's staff was brought to the hospital, severely wounded. Wishing to do a fair thing even by a rebel. Dr. Mitchell and his assistants called in the two citizen doctors of the place for consultation and to witness the operation which had to be performed. A limb was amputated, and as the officer was otherwise wounded he ouly partially rallied and died within twenty-four hours. To work up a feeling against the Union surgeons, the citizen doctors reported that the staff officer had not been properly treated,

Just as a portion of Forrest's force appeared in sight of Pulaski. railroad trains arrived with two regiments of colored troops. Their conimander said. "Men, remember Fort Pillow. Forrest takes no colored prisoners. Fight for your lives." And so they did, and drove the enemy away.

Memorial Day Musings

Among the graves that are annually decorated in the Manstield cemetery each Memorial Day. that of Robert M. Johnson. a soldier of the Mexican war, whose burial was the first interment in the Mansfield cemetery is one of the most noted.

The graves of soldiers are. in a certain sense, like those of the saints, on au equality. The place where an officer is buried. like that of a private, ix simply the grave of a soldier. Death obliterates all rank. class and distinction. The grave of an humble Christian is on an equality with that of a prelate. for - ''The graves of all His saints He blest."

While in death all are equal. each has while living his individual part. Robert M. Johnson was the son of Rev. James Johnson. who was the pastor of the U. P. church of Mansfield from 1821 to 1852.

When but eighteen years of age, Robert Johnson enlisted to fight under his country's flag in our war with Mexico, and died at Saltillo. May 11. 1847. one month before the expiration of his term of enlistment. With loving hands his comrades brought his body home with them and he was buried in the (then) newly opened cemetery. .\ marble monument stands on the burial lot on which is the following inscription: "Robert M. Johnson, May tier

"A Volunteer to the Mexican War. Died at Saltillo. His remains were Borne Home by his Beloved Fellow Soldiers to his Grief-stricken Parents. The first burial in, this cemetery. This lot was donated to him by the Directors."

In the same lot lie the remains of the minister-father and the soldierson. The following might be added as a text: "Honor to the Dead. who in

Major Samuel Poppleton, a Green Mountain boy, who fought under Colonel Ethan Allen, and who had the honor of placing the American flag on Fort Ticonderoga at its surrender, May 10, 1775, lived in Richland county 2 number of years and is buried in the Everts graveyard, a mile south of Bellville. The Major was a color-sergeant at the time of the surrender, and stood near to Colonel Allen and heard his demand for the surrender of the fort. "In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress."

Upon a bloody page of history is recorded American bravery and devotion to principle excelled nowhere else in the annals of the world. It is the story of the Alamo. For several days the Mexican Army under Santa Anna had successfully bombarded the fortress, and on February 23, 1836, the Alamo was stormed - four thousand infuriated Mexicans against one hundred and eighty-three Americans (Texan patriots). Charge after charge had been repelled and for every patriot killed a dozen Mexicans bit the dust. When the Mexicans entered the last enclosure, but six of the defenders of the .\lamo were alive - Crockett and five of his comrades. Santa Anna's chief of the staff implored Crockett to surrender and thus spare the lives of his comradex and himself, but Crockett would not surrender. And when the Mexicans made the final charge, the last man of the little band was shot down. the Alamo was taken, but its capture cost Santa Anna one thousand five hundred of his four thousand men.

Every man of the little American band of the defenders of the Alamo died at his post. Thermopylae had its messenger of defeat - the Alamo had none.

"Remenrber the Alamo,' was the rallying ery of the Texan patriots when General Houston defeated Santa Anna at Jacinto, which victory assured the independence of Texas and its annexation to the American Union.

Governor Sam Houston, in after vears, in a speech at San Antonio, said that. 'Whatever state gave us birth, we have one native land and one flag.' This patriotic sentiment struck a responsive cord in the vast audience before him. and as the American flag was displayed from the Alamo, thousands of smaller flags were waved - the greatest flag scene in American history. The thunder of cannon was answered by the thunder of voices and the clapping of hands. In answer to this demonstration, Governor Houston said: "Far off. far off, vet louder than any noise on earth, I hear from the dead years and the dead heroes of the Alamo the hurrahing of spirit-voices and the clapping of unseen hands."

Patriotism has ages for its own, and the history of heroic deeds lives after nations perish. There was a law in ancient Greece that "He who receives his death while fighting in the front of battle shall have an annual oration spoken to his honor."

But Americans need no decree to honor their soldier dead. Prompted by the fullness of grateful hearts they decorate their graves each returning May-time. No matter if those graves are beneath the sweeping shadows of the pines or beneath the sun-kissed verdure of unsheltered sod, whether in the beautiful cemeteries of the North, or whether they are simply unmarked graves in the chastened South, or in the islands of the sea, whether the storms rage over them or whether the birds fill the slumberous air with the melody of their songs, the hallowed graves of American soldiers are everywhere honored and revered.

The Grand Army Of The Republic Its General And Local History

"O, veteran band, our Army Grand, before our dreamy eyes ye stand Twisting with a firm, strong hand the three-fold cord of Unity - the Red. White and Blue."

The recent camp-fire held by McLaughlin Post. inaugurates a new feature in Grand Army work in Mansfield. The idea of holding such meetings was suggested by Comrade A. F. Nail, who has attended similar social gatherings at Worcester, Massachusetts, and other places in the East. The initial meeting was so successful, both in the attendance. good fellowship and interest, that it was the concensus of opinion of the comrades that this social feature should be made a permanent affair. And it should be. for the Grand Army of the Republic is an association of soldiers of the civil war, who have participated in both victories and defeat, and who have the same convictions and hopes, common memories and mutual sympathies.

It is said that the American passion for "organizing" and '"'appointing a committee' manifests itself under all varieties of circumstances. Any phase of things is a sufficient pretext for the American citizen to call a meeting for some specific purpose not hitherto provided for. And that one might suppose that the severely methodical conditions of army life might have satisfied the vearning of the most enthusiastic "organizer" who had been subjected to its stern requirements: but fortunately. even under these conditions the national impulse to confer, deliberate and resolve. possesses the citizen-soldiers. During the later months of the civil war and for several vears thereafter numerous societies were formed all from xome commendable motive of cooperation of commemoration.

The Grand Army of the Republic was organized at Springfield. Illinois, February, 1865, by Major Stephenson and Chaplain Rutledge. assisted by Comrades Snyder, North, Phelps and others. That the order succeeded is an historical fact and it is a fine study in climax to note from vear to year the persevering efforts of comrades to develop the organization in accordance with its motto of "fraternity, charity and lovalty," and to mark how, step by step, the order has marched steadily forward, out of the distrust that shadowed its beginnings into the confidence of the people who now believe, because it has been proved to them, that the Grand Army is patriotic and not partisan. It is also gratifving to note the steady growth of its membership, despite the ever increasing roll of the departed, the growing balance in its treasury, notwithstanding the constantly widening scope of its charities; and, finally, to reflect how a quarter of a century of culture in the sentiments of loyalty and brotherly kindness has raised the average of character in the citizenship of the nation, and proven the Grand Army of the Republic to be second to none among the civilizing forces at work in our day and generation. ;

McLaughlin Post, No. 131, was so named for General William Me- Laughlin, a veteran of both the Mexican and the civil wars. The post was organized September 6, 1881, with the following charter members: A. C. Cummins, W. S. Bradford, T. T. Dill, James S. Crall, Frank M. Rowe, W. S. Ward. G. F. Carpenter, Thomas E. Douglas, George Mitchell, M. E. Douglas, R. C. McFarland, W. M. Hahn, E. J. Potter, H. P. Roberts, F. W. Pierson, .\. C. Armstrong, S. E. Bird, B. F. Crawford, J. L. Hott, Moses R. Dickey. W. H. Albach, P. P. Ford, W. C. Markward, A. F. Nail, John F. McKinley, J. Y. Cantwell, James McCoy, A. J. Gilbert, B. F. Keiser, George L. Emminger. Abraham Oster. John F. Woods, R. Brinkerhoff, H. M. Alvord, W. W. Smith. W. H. Cockins, George W. Hunt, George B. Merchant. M. R. Doll, E. D. Hunt. J. V. Van Atta.

General John A. Logan said: "'When the encampments that know us 'shall know us no more forever. the feeling of fraternal regard we have nourished will shed its silent tear over our graves; the charity we have promoted will throw its mantle over our short-comings, and the spirit of loyalty we have cultivated will still rally round the flag we love." - Saturday's News.

Soldiers Couaty Brelnion

A reunion of Richland county soldiers was held at Bellville. Saturday, November 8, 1902. under the auspices of the comrades of Company I, Sixteenth O. V. I. There was a large attendance from Mansfield, and a generaf attendance from various parts of the county. The use of the township building was given the comrades that dav, in which the meetings were held in the townhall. and the courtroom on the first floor was used as a banquet room. and where two sumptuous meals were served during the day and evening. The late Captain D. W. Wilson wax the promoter of the reunion.

Company IJ was a Bellville company and was one of the first to respond to President Lincoln's first call for troops, and the Sixteenth Ohio infantry, of which Company I was a part, was the first to cross: the Ohio river and enter the territory of the seceded states. After the noon-day banquet, a camp-fire was set ablaze in the town hall. After music and an invocation, O. H. Gurney. then mayor of Bellville, gave an address of welcome, to which Captain D. W. Wilson responded. as follows:

"Mr. Mayor: In response to your cordial words of welcome to the members of Company I, Sixteenth O. VY. I., and all the soldiers of other commands present upon this occasion. As a member of that gallant old company I have been assigned the pleasant duty of responding.

"T thank you most cordially for your very kind words of welcome, and assure vou that as we were among the first to respond to our country's call when it needed defenders, that you may be assured in turning your beautiful little city over to us for our day's enjoyment, that it will be in safe hands. Again thanking you very kindly for your hearty welcome. we will proceed to have a general good time."

Captain Wilson, who had been selected to respond to Mayor Gurney's address of welcome, and as toastmaster for the campfire, served as a soldier in the Civil war from the start to the finish. He was a member of Captain Moody's company and at the expiration of that term, he enlisted in the Thirty-second O. V. I. for three years, and during the service rose from the ranks to the captaincy of his company, and returned to Bellville at the close of the war, wearing a captain's bars.

Captain Wilson is now deceased. A fine monument marks the place in the cemetery at Bellville, where his remains repose. The monument was unveiled with appropriate ceremonies in the presence of the G. A. R. of Mansfield and Bellville and a large concourse of citizens. Following the unveiling, memorial services were held in the town hall.

Letters of regrets were read from Congressman W. W. Skiles and the Hon. W. 8S. Cappeller, that they were unable to attend the reunion and campfire.

The first regular number on the program was an address by -\. J. Baughman, who had been a member of Captain Moody's First-call company. and also of Captain Wilson's company in three vears' service. .\s the address gave interesting facts and figures it is copied here:

I thank vou, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity of addressing this reunion, and also thank all the citizens of Bellville for the generous welcome that has been extended to us upon this occasion. I am reminded that this ix but the third reunion of the surviving members of Captain Moody's company in forty-one years, but I hope such gatherings will be held more frequently in the future.

Soldiers are favorably mentioned in sacred, as well as in secular history. It was a soldier of whom the Nazarene spoke in words of commendation, that He had not seen such faith in all Israel. It was a soldier who was so impressed by the awful tragedy upon Calvary as to exclaim 'Truly this is the Son of God!" And Paul advised Timothy to "Endure hardships as a good soldier." The great apostle considered the soldier so worthy of imitation that He handed him down to all ages as an example to those who would follow the highest ideals.

Look at Rome, once the mistress of the world! Even in her decadence. after official corruption had taken hold of every branch of the civil government; the army maintained its integrity and honor to the last.

The soldier represents something independent of himself. In America he stands as the defender of representative government - a government of the people, for the people and by the people. It is for this reason that he has the respect and gratitude of all patriotic people. When we remember that our comrades fought for the perpetuity of the American Union and the upholding of the old flag, then we can understand why the generation of today holds in grateful regard the soldiers of the Civil War who are living, and feel that no flowers are too fragrant to enshrine the memory of those who are dead.

Ohio did her full part in the Civil War. She put 310,654 men into the field - +,334 more than her quota. Bellville not only furnished her full share, but more - for a company went out from your borders for the Fifty-ninth New York infantry, for which neither Jefferson township nor the state of Ohio got credit. If that number were added to her list it would be seen that Bellville furnished more men per capita for the war than did any other town in Ohio. Therefore, Bellville, in her patriotic devotion, stands preeminent in honor and transplendent in glory.

As a sample of the fatality of war, take the Thirty-second Ohio infantry, in which regiment my old-time friend, Captain D. W. Wilson, our toastmaster today, was an ofticer. and in which a number of the comrades I see in this audience, also served. That regiment entered the field September 15, 1861. nine hundred and fifty strong. During its service it received more than sixteen hundred recruits, making a total of twenty-six hundred men, and of that number there were but five hundred and sixty-five left to be mustered out of the service at the close of the war. A loss of about two thousand men, some of whom were killed in battle; some died in hospitals and rebel prisons: others had been discharged on account of wounds and other disabilities. What an appalling record!

Each year the number of the survivors of the Civil war grows less. We who still live have gotten so far up the hill of time that it may be proper to stop and look back and down into the valleys of the vears of our youth and. recall the eyent= of the most wonderful half-century in the history of the world.

In xome respects we have been the most fortunate of all the generations of men. for while some have passed eventless lives, without incident or historv, the generation we represent has taken part in some of the greatest events in the annals of time. Ours has participated in the debates of the ereatest questions which have ever agitated a people, and also took part in the bloody conflict that decided the fate of the .American Republic - that decreed that we should have but one country and one flag.

Some time will come, Mr. Chairman, when there will be but a single survivor of Company "I." To him will descend our company flag - the flag "given us by the ladies of Bellville and which we carried in triumph through our term of xervice and which we have ever since jealously guarded, ever remembering that notable Fourth of July, when it was hoisted on Cheat mountain. and how it waved in triumph from that almost cloud-capped summit. while at the base of the mountain the clear waters of the Cheat river flowed onward to the Potomac and to the sea.

And in conclusion, comrades, let us hope that we will have many more such reunions and that the star-spangled banner will continue to wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave.

The late Captain A. H. Condict gave some remarks relating incidents of the Rebellion, in which the honor of the flag was upheld. A. J. Baughman was again called upon, and briefly related incidents of the spring of 1861, outlining vivid scenes in Bellville, and stated that Richland county furnished over three thousand men with which to suppress the rebellion. He pronounced a fitting eulogy in which were interspersed some excellent thoughts in verse.

Among the soldiers who responded to calls were Samuel Eddleman, William Ritter, Robert McFarland, Samuel McFarland, Captain W. W. Cockley, W. H. Shoup, Frank Lantz, W. W. Smith and Judge Leidigh. General R. Brinkerhoff addressed the camp-fire, giving an account of the assassination of President Lincoln, of which he was an eve witness. His word picture of the tragedy held the audience in rapt attention. After a song by the choir, other comrades were called upon for remarks as follows: George Knofflock, J. B. Niman, J. N. Atherton, G. W. Zellner and Andrew Stevenson. The latter gave an historical sketch of the founding of the Grand Army of the Republic. Music by chorus and orchestra again was followed by Rey. J. W. Bover, who told jokes. one of which was not appreciated by some of the comrades present.

The stage in the hall was very prettily decorated with flags and bunting and presented a handsome appearance. The meals furnished, of which over four hundred partook, were furnished free by the citizens of Bellville.

The reunion of Captain Miller Moody's Company I. Sixteenth O. VY. I. First-call troops, was held in Bellville, Friday, August 5, 1904. Company I was one of the four companies that went from Richland county into the service under President Lincoln's first call for troops, made April 15. 1861. A member of the editorial staff of the Mansfield Daily Shield newspaper, attended the reunion and we herewith copy the report he made for his paper upon that occasion, and as the gentleman was a member of Captain Moody's company and assisted in its organization, he knew whereof he wrote. The following is his report:

While fragmentary sketches have been given from time to time of Captain Miller Moody's Company I, Sixteenth O. V. L.. first-call troops, no history of that organization has ever been published. And this sketch is more cursory than complete, leaving to some future writer the honor of compiling and revising what haz already been written.

Without attempting any prefatory statement of the antecedent history of the war of the Rebellion, further than to state that the long-expected crisis came at last. when seven thousand armed Confederates attacked the seventy Union soldiers who garrisoned Fort Sumter, and forced Major Anderson to evacuate the fort the 13th of April, 1861. after withstanding the incessant fire of the rebels for thirty-four hours. Two days afterwards President

Lincoln issued his proclamation, calling for seventy-five thousand volunteers "To maintain the honor, the integrity and the existence of our National Government, and to redress wrongs long endured." This proclamation was flashed over the wires throughout the northern states, and was everywhere received with patriotic fervor and was responded to by thousands of men offering their services to the Government under that "first call." The North proved itself ready for the emergency. The arguments of Daniel Webster and others against the right of secession had educated the public mind in the North upon lines of loyalty to the government and for the preservation of the Union, and the call for troops met with a prompt and hearty response. The raising of troops went forward with a bound, and the wildest excitement and enthusiasm attended the departure of companies for the seat of war. The seriousness of the situation was not overlooked, but high above that consideration rose the tide of patriotic feeling and swept all obstacles before it.

The president's call, made May 1. was for 42,000 volunteers for three years; for 22,000 for the regular army, and for 18,000 seamen. A number of regiments which organized, or partially organized, under the first call, reorganized under the president's second call. The infantry regiments were numbered from one to twenty-two, inclusive, and inasmuch as the Twenty-second got into the first-call service, some people imagine there were over twenty thousand troops in the service under the president's call of April 15. But such assumption is not sustained by facts, for the number accepted and mustered into the service in Ohio, under the first call, was 12,357.

Ohio being a border state and liable to invasion, additional troops were mustered into the State service in accordance with an act of the General Assembly to provide more effectively for the defense of the state against invasion, passed April 26, 1861.

At the outbreak of the Civil war there was no telegraph office at Bellville. Learning from the daily papers that Fort Sumter had been fired upon, and anticipating a declaration of war and a call for troops, the Hon. Miller Moody, one of the leading citizens of Bellville came to Mansfield, to be in telegraphic communication with Governor Dennison, who had been his class-mate in Kenyon college. On the morning of April 16, a large crowd gathered at the Bellville depot to await the arrival of the train from the north, anxious to get news, feeling assured that action had been taken by the government to avenge the firing upon the American flag at Fort Sumter. As the train came down the valley, the engineer opened wide the whistle-valve, and the engine came into town shrieking weirdly, which told as plainly as words could have expressed that war had been declared. And soon the church bells rang with direful strains, and the occasion was one of awful portent.

As Captain Moody stepped from the train, he stated that a call for troops had been made, and that he was authorized to raise a company of men for the service. After the train left. men fell into line and followed

Captain Moody uptown, marching in the middle of the street, and although no roll call was presented for signatures, it was understood that the majority of those who marched up and down the street to the music of the fife and drum intended to enlist, and later, when an opportunity was given, ninetytwo men volunteered as fast as their names could be enrolled. Others were added later.

After a few days' preliminary drill, while awaiting marching orders, the volunteers went to Camp Jackson, Columbus. The company was then known as the Jefferson Guards, with the following officers: Captain, Miller Moody; first lieutenant, A. W. Loback: second lieutenant, James Riddle. Later, the Jefferson Guards became Company I, of the Sixteenth O. V. L. and after drill and equipment, was ordered to the front, and on May 27, the Sixteenth crossed the Ohio river from Bellaire to Benwood, and were the first troops to enter the so-called Southern Confederacy. From Benwood the regiment went east along the line of the B. & O. railroad, did a large amount of marching and guard duty, and rendered valuable service to the government in assisting to stay the progress of the rebels, who were endeavoring to carry the war into the North. The official list of battles in which the regiment, or companies of it bore an honorable part, is as follows: Philippi, June 3; Laurel Hill. July 8: Carrick': Ford, July 14. To this list should be added the skirmish at Bowman's, June 29, in which N. O. Smith, of West Windsor, was killed. Mr. Smith was the first Richland county soldier who lost his hfe in the war of the Rebellion. His remains were brought home and buried in the Bostock cemetery. He was a member of Company H, Fifteenth O. V. I.

The Sixteenth got as far east as the Red House, West Virginia, and Cumberland, Maryland. The regiment entered the service April the 27th and was mustered out August the 18th.

Captain Miller Moody's company. the survivors of which held a reunion at Bellville, Wednesday, August 5. has the distinction of having not only been in the first-call service and the first troops that crossed the Ohio river, but of having taken part in the first battle of the Civil war. There is a distinctiveness in the first-call service conducive to patriotic retrospection which will be more appreciated in the future than it has been in the past.

Nearly all the members of the company I reenlisted later for the three years' service. Captain Moody raised a company and-went into the Fiftyninth New York, Colonel Tiball's regiment. The captain was wounded in the battle of Antietam, and died two weeks later. after having suffered five amputations. His remains were brought back and interred in the Bellville cemetery.

Three privates of Company I became officers in the three years' service. D. W. Wilson enlisted as a private in the Thirty-second Ohio and came out of the service at the close of the war wearing a captain's bars. J. P.

Captain Moody was a college graduate and was prominent in social and political circles, and had been a member of the Legislature. He was an aristocrat, but could be approached by the most humble citizen. He was dignified and courteous in his bearing and was faultless in his dress. He was kind to his men, as were also the other Bellville captains, Loback and Wilson. wy

Much has been written, told and sung about the Civil war, about marches, camp incidents and battles, but this deals largely with the life at home, of the Richland county families left behind by the soldiers who went South at their country's call to put down the Rebellion. Within five days after President Lincoln's first call for troops Richland county sent over five hundred volunteers to camps of rendezvous and instruction. Perhaps half of these volunteers had families dependent upon them for support, and as 'they were largely of the emploved class they had but little, if any, means at hand to use in providing for those left behind. To meet this condition funds were raised and appropriations voted from which weekly allowances were given to soldiers' families. The Bellville town council appropriated seven hundred dollars for this purpose, and similar funds at Mansfield, Shelby, Plymouth and other places were equally generous and liberal.

Soon after the war began prices went up and money went down. Calico, which was generally worn then, jumped from five to fifty cents a yard, and coffee went up from ten to fiftv cents a pound. And gold, the sneaking coward that it was and is, hied to the other side of the Atlantic at the first sound of war and hid itself away in the vaults of the monetary centers of Europe. and soon silver, too, began to disappear, being laid away by the timid to await events and hoarded up by avaricious and speculative persons, who hoped to make money by its retirement, and many of them made large amounts by selling their coins at a high premium. Coins, save those carried as pocket pieces and exhibited as curiosities, were not to be seen from 1862 until the close of the war.

To meet the conditions existing on account of the retirement of gold and silver many merchants got scrip notes printed calling for five, ten and twentyfive cents each. which was received as money for goods bought and were redeemable at their places of business when presented in amounts of five dollars. This scrip was given to customers as change and was received as such in return. Every town had its scrip currency, and it was a point of honor among. business men to accept each other's scrip as change. Thomas J. Robinson was treasurer of Richland county at the time and issued treasury tickets in amounts from ten up to fifty cents, redeemable in money when presented in amounts of five dollars at the treasurer's office. This was a personal matter with Mr. Robinson, he having no authority as county treasurer to do so. But his "tickets" met a pressing need of the times and was a great convenience to the people, and Mr. Robinson faithfully redeemed them all. Later the general government issued fractional notes - called "shin plasters' - which took the place of the merchants' scrip.

In time relief commissions were organized, whose work was somewhat like that of the soldiers' relief commission of today. There were Mansfield families of wealth who tried to economize, that by practicing economy they might be more able to assist soldiers' families which, through the exigencies of the war times, were in need of the necessaries of life.

As the war continued and a draft was impending, people became more liberal and offered bounties to recruits. At a meeting held in Mansfield Friday, August 1, 1862, a fund of $18,279 was raised for local bouunties. To this fund B. S. Runyan, Willard S. Hickox and seventeen others gave five hundred dollars each. Other contributions in sums of from five dollars to three hundred dollars were added to the fund. Supplemental to the citizens' fund, the county commissioners levied a tax of $25,000.

The One Hundred and Second Regiment, O. V. I., was organized at Mansfield and left for the South on September 4. 1862. one thousand men strong. The regiment was mustered into the United States service at Covington, Kentucky. Jonas Smith, then county auditor, and T. J. Robinson, then county treasurer, accompanied the regiment to Covington, and after its muster gave each Richland county soldier ninety dollars as a local bounty. Nine-tenths of this money the soldiers sent back with Messrs. Smith and Robinson to their families and friends at home. és

An old copy of a Mansfield paper of that period states that "On the streets, in the public square, as well as in the surrounding camps. can daily be heard martial music and the tread of the volunteers."

Fathers, sons, brothers and husbands left the old home to go to the war. A few carried shining swords and wore beautiful uniforms, but the majority

"Then mothers put motherly fears to flight, And wives hid their tears away; For men must fight when their cause is right, While women in patience pray."

As the soldiers marched away people lined the streets. with faces beautiful with sympathy and eves moist with pity and with love. The people at home had cares and sorrows to bear, while the soliders at the front met the foe upon fields of battle. To show the magnitude of the Civil war the following comparison with other wars is here given. The number of soldiers engaged in the War of the Revolution was 184,038: in the war of 1812 with Great Britain, was 286,730; in the Mexican war the number was 78,718, and in the Civil war was 2,218,363. 'here were 1,676,438 more soldiers in the Union army in the War of the Rebellion than in all the other wars put

To show the strenuous feeling that existed in the North during the Civil war the following incident is given: In the spring of 1861, when the soldiers were encamped at Camp Jackson, Columbus, the soldiers frequently attended theaters in the evenings. There were hundreds of young soldiers from the country and small towns who had not previously had opportunities to attend theatrical performances.

On the first night of an engagement of Caroline Richings an exciting incident occurred. Miss Richings was an accomplished and beautiful woman as well as a popular singer. It was customary at that time to sing songs between the acts. -\t the close of the first act Miss Richings appeared in a gorgeous costume with an American flag in her hand. She sang the "Star- Spangled Banner." and as she sang she waved the flag and the audience went wild with enthusiasm. Amid the deafening cheers and applause which nearly shook the house there was the sound of a hiss, which brought fortnu exclamations of surprise and indignation. At once a man was seen climbing on the stage and, straightening up, stood fully six feet in height, a perfect specimen of manhood. He had a revolver in his hand and requested the man to be pointed out to him who had hissed, but the man could not be located, and the song was sung through without further interruption. The day following the Ohio State Journal stated that the man who had threatened to shoot was Murat Halstead, of the Cincinnati Commercial, one of the great newspaper men of his time. In July, 1878, Miss Richings played an engagement at Miller': Hall in Mansfield. In an interview with her upon that occasion she told the writer she had not forgotten the scene which ensued on the night the American flag was hissed at a Columbus theater.

A Big Democratic Meeting

President Martin Van Buren and Vice President Richard M. Johnson were then candidates for reelection on the Democratic ticket. General William Henry Harrison and John Tyler were the Whig nominees. There was not much at issue in the campaign, and had it been fought on party lines the Democratic nominees would doubtless have been reelected. The Van Buren administration had been a creditable one, but a financial depression had overspread the country soon after Mr. Van Buren had been inaugurated, and such financial conditions are usually charged against the administration, without much inquiry as to its responsibility in the matter.

In this 1840 campaign for the first time in American history the power of song was invoked to aid a presidential candidate. A Democratic editor i bets describing General Harrison's home, stated that he lived in a log cabin lined with coon skins and that he was better fitted to sit there and drink hard cider than he was to be president of the United States. This, like the fateful "Rum, Romanism and Rebellion" of the Blaine campaign: of 1884, had a. different result from what had been intended. And the 'statement inade 'Dye the Democratic. editor was at once taken up by the Whigs and was made the" party slogan of that memorable campaign. General Harrison was called the log cabin candidate, which touched a sympathetic chord in the minds of the voters, as the majority of the people lived in log cabins in those days. The people of Ohio and of other states in the West had not fully emerged from the log cabin era, and the early association and the sentiment of their homelives were identified with the log cabins in which they had lived, as had their parents before them, and to resent the reflection cast upon the homes of the pioneers, people rallied to the support of "Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too." Among his other military achievements General Harrison was called the hero of Tippecanoe, for on the banks of the Tippecanoe river, on November 5, 1811, General Harrison defeated the Indians under the brother of Tecumseh.

Colonel Richard M. Johnson, the Democratic candidate for vice president, also had an enviable military record, and was called the hero of the battle of the Thames, fought October 5, 1813, in which Tecumseh was killed. A Democratic shibbolethic inquiry of that campaign was, '"Who fought the battle of the Thames?" with the answer, "Richard M. Johnson and his brother James!"

During that log-cabin campaign there were political songs galore, many of them being parodies on familiar ballads. George P. Morris' parody on "The Old Oaken Bucket" was very popular, and ran like the following:

The preponderance of songs was with the Whigs, and one of the most catchy was a buckeye cabin song. The first portable campaign cabin was of buckeye logs and was made in Union county. It was first used in a parade at a Whig meeting in Columbus. Similar cabins, mounted on trucks, later appeared in Whig processions, not only in Ohio, but also in other states. In this way the "buckeye" got an historical association, for that campaign irrevocably fixed the name "Buckeye" upon the state and the people of Ohio.

The Mansfield meeting was a great gathering in the Democratic annals of Richland county, and is still remembered by our respected townsman, Hiram R. Smith, whose life has been extended beyond four score years and ten. The day of that memorable Democratic meeting opened auspiciously ; the sun rose in a cloudless sky and a refreshing breeze fanned the August air. At an early hour the people began to arrive - in svagons, on horseback and on foot - and as the day advanced the cry was "Still they come." From the east, west, north and south came the people in seemingly interminable lines of pro- cession, with horses and vehicles decorated with the Democratic badge of . hickory boughs, presenting somewhat the appearance of moving forests, recalling the lines of Macbeth:

James Arnold, the veteran pole-raiser of that period, had put up a hickory liberty pole in the public square, from which a flag made by the Democratic ladies of Mansfield floated in the mid-summer breeze. A Democratic brass band came from Canton in their own wagon, having taken a day and a night to make the trip. The band boys arrived in time on the second day to take breakfast at the Wiler House, then kept by John Wiler, whose name is an historical one in this vicinity.

At 7:30 o'clock a procession was formed under the direction of General R. Bentley, chief marshal of the day. and, led by the Canton band, the line of march was taken to the country residence of Judge William Patterson, at Locust Grove, a few miles west of Mansfield on the Ontario road, where the speakers had been entertained the night previous. Judge Patterson was a prominent citizen of Richland county. had represented this district in Congress and was personally acquainted with his distinguished guests. The party consisted of Vice President Johnson, Senator William Allen, Governor Wilson Shannon and Congressman George Sweney. The Patterson place is now known as the Crouch farm. The Patterson residence was a large twostory brick house, still standing on the north side of the road, around which are a number of locust trees. hence the name, "Locust Grove." The speakers had addressed a meeting at Bucyrus on Friday, from which place they came by stage to Judge Patterson's on Sunday.

On Monday morning a large delegation from the west came in early to attend the meeting and to have the honor of assisting to escort the speakers into Mansfield. These were joined by a large concourse of people from Mansfield, and a procession was formed at Judge Patterson's, which made a grand escort for the speakers, with music and banners. Arriving in Mansfield, as the carriages containing the honored guests halted in front of the Wiler House, Vice President Johnson and the other speakers were welcomed in behalf of the Democracy of Richland county by the Hon. James Stewart in an appropriate address, in which he referred to the fact that Richland county in the war of 1812 was on the frontier, and that Vice President Johnson had defended the settlers from the tomahawk of the Indians and from the bayonet of the British, and that the assemblage surrounding him was animated as one man by impulses of gratitude and admiration for his brave and valuable services in that war.

At the conclusion of the reception the procession reformed and marched to the place of meeting - then a grove - between South Main street and Lexington avenue, land now well built up by fine residences. The crowd was so large that at least five acres of ground were compactly filled with people. The late Major William McLaughlin was the president of the day.

Governor Wilson Shannon followed, thanking the Democracy for the support given him in the past, then excused himself from making a speech on account of an indisposition from which he then labored.

The Hon. William Allen was then introduced, and the distinguished senator spoke at length upon the issues of the campaign, and for three hours held the vast audience by the charms of his matchless oratory. The privilege of attending that meeting was highly appreciated by thousands of Democrats, who in later years told their children and their children's children about that great gathering. A notable feature of the parade was an elegant barouche, containing revolutionary soldiers, in charge of John J. Bell, of Ashland. The vehicle was decorated with American flags and a banner was carried upon which was inscribed ''76."

That the presidential election of 1840 resulted in a Whig victory was not the fault of the Democrats of Richland county, for they did their duty faithfully then, as they have in many succeeding contests.

After the meeting was over the speakers were taken to the Wiler House, where a reception was given them in the evening. The next morning they left by stage for Mount Vernon to attend the young men's state convention.

Following the big Democratic meeting the Whigs also got up a big demonstration in Mansfield on Friday, September 4, 1840. The meeting was addressed by the Whig candidate for president, General William Henry Harrison. Log cabins, decorated with coon skins, were in the parade, and barrels of hard cider were on tap.

A Deadly Explosion

The late George C. Wise was a member of the squad, but was not with it upon that occasion. Van Buren Hooker was a brother of the J. R. Hooker, who formerly lived on South Main street; Darius Grant was a brother of Mrs. R. R. Smith, of East Fourth street; Mr. Merrell is a'printer and resides in Toledo, and Morgan Roop has been in the employ of the Aultman-Taylor Company ever since the plant was founded.

The Frank Pierce campaign of 1852 will always be remembered by surviving members of the Mansfield gun-squad of that period and by their friends. There was to be a big Democratic mass-meeting at Ashland on the 14th of August, and the Mansfield battery had been invited to attend and do the "booming" for the occasion. The squad started the afternoon of the 13th, with 80 pounds of powder in the magazine. John Wise, brother of Frank Wise, furnished a four-horse team to haul the carriage and acted as driver.

As they approached Windsor they fired a salute. The bridge across the Black Fork being down, a detour was made to the north, around by where

Pavonia station now stands, and in passing through a piece of woods on the Horn farm the magazine exploded, throwing John Wise, the driver, and Van Hooker, who sat beside him, up above the tree tops. Mr. Wise received fatal injuries, from which he died the next morning without regaining: consciousness. Mr. Hooker was severely concussed, survived the disaster and is living in one of the Pacific states. is

Finding Morgan Roop in a reminiscent mood, he kindly narrated this thrilling episode of his life, as he was one of the members of the squad, and was only a short distance ahead when the catastrophe occurred.

It is supposed the explosion was caused by a fuse that may have caught fire when the salute was given at Windsor and acted as a slow-match and ignited the powder in the magazine. The explosion occurred at 8:00 p. m.

Of the members of the squad besides Messrs. Roop and Hooker, the names are recalled of Captain Mullen, J. Z. McIlvaine, Darius Grant, George Merrell, James McElroy and Fred Wise.

The first families which came to Mansfield, with the exception of a few from Southern Ohio, were from Pennsylvania. When Samuel Hill and Rolin Weldon came they had to cut the road from Greentown to Mansfield. There were about one hundred naked Indians residing in Greentown at that time, which was in 1810.

The first doctor who practiced in Mansfield was Royal V. Powers, who came from the East and settled here in 1815. The first resident lawyer of Mansfield was John M. May, who also came in 1815. There were about a dozen houses in the village of Mansfield at that time. On what was long known as the Sturges corner, now owned by H. L. Reed, there stood a small one-story frame building, when E. P. Sturges and Buckingham Sherwood came to Mansfield with a stock of goods, and purchasing this little building referred to, opened up a store. At that time there was also a small frame building on the southwest corner of the public square (the present site of the Hotel Southern) where a tavern was kept by Samuel Williams - called Williams' tavern.

Richland county scenery in every direction is beautiful. A gentle diversity of hills and valleys stretch away on every hand. There is nothing tame nor lifeless in the landscape. In fact, there are points where nature approaches grandeur in the wild and vigorous beauty that marks, especially the | southern part of Richland county, with varied attractiveness.

Storms And Floods

Is is frequently stated that storms, hurricanes and floods have been more frequent the past few years than heretofore. Without admitting the correctness of this statement, brief mention will be made of some of the storms of the past. In the summer of 1808 there was a furious and destructive tornado in this county, its path being diagonally from the northwest to the southeast. It coursed down the north branch of the Honey Creek, cutting a swath from one-fourth to oné-half mile in width. On land later owned by Reuben Everts there were thirty acres or more upon which a tree was not left standing. The greatest havoc of this storm was wrought on Chestnut Ridge, further southeast, where it made a clean sweep of the forest. In time a new growth of timber covered the ridge, whose foliage in the summer makes a beautiful background to the lovely little valley which nestles so charmingly on the north. Chestnut Ridge has an elevation of four hundred and fifty feet above the railroad station at Butler.

Hiram R. Smith recalls a "wind fall" that cut a swath through the timber between Mansfield and Shelby prior to 1830. Upon making a trip on horseback from Mansfield to Gamble's Mills, as Shelby was then called, Mr. Smith found the road obstructed by fallen trees. The storm in its eastward course crossed the old state road north of Bollman's. This storm was of great violence and mowed the timber as the reaper mows the grain.

On June 21, 1834, a terrific storm passed over Richland and Ashland counties, felling forest trees in many places, unroofing buildings and, in some places, removing them from their foundations. This storm was particularly severe in the vicinity of Jeromeville.

The weather during the years 1816-17 was noted on account of the cold and frosts. In the month of May, 1816, there was a severe snow storm, and in July men wore overcoats while harvesting wheat. On the morning of June 1, 1817, a frost visited Ohio that destroved the fruit and denuded the forest trees of half their foliage.

On May 15, 1834, the wheat crop was much injured by the frost, there being frosts six nights in succession. The summer of 1835 was extremely wet. with bottom lands greatly overflown and too wet for tillage. The hay crop of that year was particularly damaged.

On May 2, 1841, a violent snow storm, a regular blizzard, swept over this part of Ohio. On July 1, 1843, there was frost that did considerable damage. On September 27, 1844, there was a heavy snow fall that covered the ground for two days, and on October 18th a violent snow storm passed to the north of us and raged furiously in the western part of New York. On May 7 and 25, 1845, there were frosts which destroyed the wheat crop for that year.

The last week of May, 1854, brought a sucession of snow storms, and on the 29th snow fell all day. During the following summer there were ten consecutive weeks of drouth. During the winter of 1854-5 the ground was covered with snow for thirteen consecutive weeks. There was a May storm that year. On December 24, 1855, a rain began falling in the morning and continued all day, changing to snow in the evening. On the next morning, Christmas, there were about seven inches of snow on the ground, and it snowed some every day for six weeks. The snow was deep, and in places blown into impassable drifts. The sleighing continued until the latter part of March. The snow melted so gradually in the spring that no flood ensued.

The spring of 1857 was very backward; the peach trees did not bloom until the latter part of May. During the year 1859 there was frost every month in the year. as there had been in 1816. The killing frosts of 1859 are well remembered. On June 1, there was a slight rain, followed by a cold wave for several days. and on the 4th there was a slight snow fall. On the morning of the 4th the thermometer stood at the freezing point, with a strong wind blowing from the north. That evening the wind dropped and the sun went down in a clear sky. During the night the mercury fell fast, the stars shone with an unusual brilliancy, and on the morning: of the Sth the sun rose upon a scene of desolation. All vegetation was frozen. Under the reaction of the sun's rays corn and wheat wilted and fell to the earth. The ground was frozen to the roots of the corn. Ice was formed in some places sufficiently strong to bear a man. On the morning of the 4th of July there was another frost. which killed what little vegetation the former one had left. On August 11th and on the 28th, there were also frosts, and on October the 9th there was a freeze.

June, 1837, was*noted for its floods. The Clearfork at that time broke all previous records. This was called the Victoria flood, on account of its occurring at the time Victoria became queen of England. During this flood a piece of land called the island, lying between the creek and the upper race of the David Herring mills, in Worthington township, was inundated, and an incident occurred worth relating. A dwelling house stood on the "island," and as the land had become partly submerged it was feared the house might be swept away by the flood. The good wife and mother of the family living in this house was ill at the time, and the men gathered upon the bank and discussed ways and means to rescue the family. A canoe was obtained and a man volunteered to make the several trips necessary to bring the members of the family to the shore. A hero always rises and comes forth equa! to every occasion, and this brave pioneer paddled the canoe forth and back until every member of the family had been safely landed on the shore, and during the last trip of the canoe the building, which had stood unsteady upon its foundation for an hour or more, was swept away by the flood.

On Tuesday, April 3, 1877, a cloud burst near the headwaters of Ritter's Run caused that stream to rise suddenly and to carry destruction in its wake. Bridges were washed away, culverts were torn out and several buildings were moved off their foundations between Adams street and the Pennsylvania railroad. The water was about three feet deep on South Main street at the crossing of First. J. H. Sharp, who then had a dry goods store on Sturges' corner, lived on the west side of South Main street, the first house south of First. He was at home when the flood came, and, hearing the roar of rushing waters, he looked up the valley and saw the flood coming, which looked like a greyish wall from forty to fifty feet in height, the south end of which struck his dwelling house with terrific force, flooding even the rooms on the third floor. The kitchen and dining rooms were in the basement, and in the ebb of the receding waters the dining room and kitchen furniture, including the cooking stove, were washed away. A singular incident in connection with this flood is that it was on the anniversary of the cloud-burst which had occurred in that valley twenty-nine years before.

On Monday-evening, June 19, 1899, a terrific thunder, hail and rain storm visited Mansfield, coming from the west and doing much damage. People were rescued in boats and wagons from inundated districts. There was a general suspension of business, not only Monday evening, but also on Tuesday forenoon. During this storm not only the largest amount of rain fell in a short time, but it was also the most disastrous in the history of Mansfield. The following excerpts from the Mansfield News of the date following the storm are herewith given:

The terrific and destructive rain and hail storin which raged here Monday night was not only the largest in respect to the amount of rain which fell in so short a time, but was also the most disastrous that was ever known in the history of Mansfield. The damage wrought by the elements will amount to many thousands of dollars. Reports continue to come in today giving particulars of the destruction caused by the floods. A vast amount of property adjacent to streams was washed away, streets were flooded and the water washed into dwellings, ruining carpets, furniture as well as other household goods. Traffic along the railroads was seriously interfered with by the flooding of the tracks at different places along the lines and the washing out of roadbeds. Some bridges, culverts, barns, houses and other structures were washed away by the water undermining their foundations. It is rather difficult to estimate with any degree of accuracy the extent of the damage done as the path of the flood was very wide.

It was one of those terrific rains which are characterized by the fall of an immense amount of water within a short space of time. These are, as a rule, of comparatively short duration, but the storm of Monday night differed from these in the length of time during which the torrents filled the streams until their banks no longer confined them and the flood spread to bring ruin and destruction in its wake.

Within the memory of Mansfield's citizens there have been some very hard storms, accompanied by much destruction of property, but this one eclipsed them all. It seemed like a cloudburst, and as the rain, accompanied 'by flashes of fierce lightning and claps of thunder, continued for several hours it brought apprehension to many hearts, especially in the north part of the city, which is more frequently flooded than any other district of the city. The storm was at its height between the hours of nine and ten and was accompanied by'a hard fall of hail. Even after midnight the rain fell at intervals and fears were felt that the storm might again break forth and cause the waters, -which were beginning very slowly in some of the higher places to abate, to rise again.

This flood has been compared to one which, it is recalled, occurred some thirty or forty years ago in Mansfield, but, from all accounts, that was not nearly so large as this one.

The north part of the city was a perfect flood and in some places it caused much trouble to the residents on the first floors of the dwellings. On North Adams, North Sugar and other streets in that vicinity the water rose to the height of from three to five feet. On the buildings the marks of the flood could be seen this morning. A great many cellars were filled with water, and in numerous instances the water flooded the best rooms of the homes, causing damage which will be heavy.

The audience which attended Monday night's performance at the Casino will, no doubt, remember their experience with the flood for a long time to come. When the performance closed the storm was at its height and no one ventured forth, even though the cars were standing in waiting. Amid the fierce electrical storm which was prevailing the motormen and conductors sought the Casino to await the abating of the storm. Soon the water was noticed to be rising in Casino park, the stream north of the Casino began to rise and in a short time had overflowed and the grounds from the Casino to the gate became a rapidly rising lake. The Casino was surrounded by water and the ground floor was within a short time overflowed to the depth of a couple of feet. The waters continued to rise, and by 10:30 o'clock the rain began to abate somewhat. The flood rose until the depth of the water in the Casino grounds averaged from two to three feet. The water was over the bridge north of the Casino, and when a considerable amount of the debris had lodged there it looked as if the bridge must go with the whirling, eddying torrent. A regular falls came from the Baltimore & Ohio tracks and joined the stream at the Casino. It carried with it portions of the fence which separated the park from the railroad. There was a fascination in watching the waters sweeping down as section after section of the fence yielded to the pressure and fell into the stream. 'The benches in the park began to float about and then down stream, where they were followed by numerous other articles, including a bicycle which had slipped its moorings. The swans enjoyed their enlarged lake and swam about most contentedly.

It looked for a time as if the Casino might be in danger, but no alarm need to have been felt, for the building is strongly constructed. One of the men braved the waters, and, having telphoned to the city for cabs, soon one arrived, took away a load and then came back for another. Other cabs and conveyances were telephoned for, and a few at a time the people were taken home. Forney's and Newcomers' cabs.

A vast number of people visited the flooded district in the northern part of the city this morning and gazed with considerable astonishment at the wide extent of the flood. Everyone agrees that Mansfield never saw anything to compare with it. There are those who were somewhat surprised this morning at the extent of the damage done, and say that while they thought it was quite a storm they had no idea that it would be attended by so much damage.

The investigation of Mr. Smoot by the United States senate a few years since caused a great deal to be written about the Mormons. There is a

Richland county chapter in connection with the history of the Mormon church that is well remembered by our older citizens. Seventy years and more ago the Mormons had a small following in the southern part of Richland county, and in 1838, a number of families from the vicinity of Newville joined the Mormon exodus to the West. The decade from 1825 to 1835 was one of great religious activity, especially in the eastern part of Ohio. This was called a gospel movement and was largely outside of denominational organizations. Gifted, eloquent men went forth on foot or on horseback, without any thought of pay or remuneration, except their food or lodging which were freely given them by the settlers. Prominent among those preachers were Alexander Campbell, Sidney Rigdon, Thomas Rigdon and others, each preaching the gospel as he understood it, but all agreeing upon the doctrine of water baptism by immersion. The Rigdons were gifted men, as was also Mr. Campbell. Sidney Rigdon has been described as a most charming and convincing speaker. He was then about thirty-five vears of age and his personality drew a following.

This gospel movement resulted in the organization of several religious societies or churches in the southern part of the county. A Disciples church, or more properly perhaps, a "Church of the Disciples of Christ." was organized at Newville, another at Bellville, and another called Caesarea. in Washington township. The two latter are still in existence. A Christian church was organized in Monroe township. This was the only church of the "Christian'" denomination ever organized in Richland county. It existed but a few years. The denomination, however, is quite strong in many towns in southwestern Ohio, and also in a number of the southern states, where it had its origin about the beginning of the nineteenth century. The difference between the Christian denomination and that of the Disciples of Christ consists largely in the different views held by them relative to conversion and change of heart. These sects were locally called ''Campbellites"' and '"'Newlites." The denomination then called "The Disciples of Christ" is now known in Mansfield as the "Christian church."

After the Rigdons had preached successfully in Newville for several years, Sidney Rigdon went to Palmyra, New York. and became associated with Joseph Smith and assisted him in the translation of the gold plates that Smith claimed he had found in 18238. It has been stated that it was after Rigdon and Smith became associated that the "divine" part of the alleged plates were claimed. Rigdon was regarded as the brains of the movement and seemed satisfied to be the power behind the throne. The Mormon church was organized April 6, 1830. by Smith and Rigdon. In looking about for a See or headquarters for the new church. Kirkland and Newville were considered. Rigdon favored Newville as the site. but Smith preferred Kirkland, Lake county, to which Rigdon at last vielded because thev were more converts in Kirkland than in Newville.

After Rigdon joined Smith at Palmyra his visits to Richland county became less frequent. but after the Mormons located in Kirkland. Rigdon again resumed his work in Richland county. and to his "'gospel'' preaching of the vears before. he added the "latest revelations" claimed by Joseph

Smith. As church buildings were but few at that time, religious services were held in the homes and barns of the neighborhood, the preachers thus getting into closer touch with the people. Sidney Rigdon antagonized no one, but swayed his audiences by his great and persuasive eloquence. Therefore, it was not surprising that he gained converts in his new doctrine. As a result of Mr. Rigdon's work in that locality, ten or twelve families sold their homes and their belongings and followed their leader to Nauvoo, Illinois, saying like one of old, "where thou goest, I will go, and thy people shall be my people."

After the death of Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, June 27, 1844, Brigham Young became the prophet and leader of the Mormons. In time, as estrangement sprang up between Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon, resulting in the retirement of the latter, who returned to the East and founded another Mormon church, the members of which were called Rigdonites. The fact that Sidney Rigdon was a prominent factor in the founding of three religious sects. shows that he was a born organizer and leader of men. He died in 1876, aged eighty-three years.

-\ feature of the Book of Mormons which readily caught the attention of the people was the history it professed to give of America from its first settlement by a colony of refugees from the crowd of people dispersed by the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel, down to the year 5, A. D., and incidentally giving what purported to be a history of the American Indians.

The Bushong Murder

The Bushone murder was one of the most atrocious crimes ever committed in Richland county. It is seldom referred to, not simply that more than sixty vears have intervened between then and now, but because the minds of men revolt at the heinousness of that bloody deed.

Samuel Bushong came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1837 and settled on Chestnut Ridge, in Jefferson township, Richland county, where he bought thirty-five acres of land for eight hundred dollars. Of this he paid four hundred dollars cash and gave notes secured by mortgage on the land for the other four hundred dollars.. Chestnut Ridge is in the south part of Jefferson township and has an elevation of one thousand and fifty-nine feet above Lake Erie, making it a notable "landmark" in the topography of the great "divide." In the summer of 1808 a tornado swept over Jefferson township, from the northwest to the southeast, with great fury, mowing down the forest, making a swath about a third of a mile in width. The storm was especially severe on Chestnut Ridge, where the trees were blown down without number. For years afterwards the Ridge was often called the "Region of the Fallen Timber." In after years the Ridge made a fine appearance, the voung chestnut trees forming a beautiful grove.

The Bushong place was upon a plateau on the south slant of the hill. and the improvements were well advanced for that day, and the house was large and roomy. But although the place always looked homelike and the surroundings attractive, there was trouble in the household. The mortgagenotes were coming due, and money could not be obtained to pay them. Bushong, at best. was not an amiable man, and his financial embarrassments caused him to become more cross and morose. At times he abused and upbraided the family, it was said, on account of his financial trouble.

On the 3d day of October, 1840, Bushong attended the election at Bellville and no one noticed anything wrong with him. In the evening he returned home and before he retired, stated that he intended.to go to Mansfield the next day to try to get an extension of time on his note, and that he wished to get an early start. Before daylight the next morning Bushong and wife rose to prepare for his departure, and in the preparation for the breakfast meal, the wife had to roast coffee in a skillet on coals before the open fire-place. While she was thus employed, Bushong went to the woodpile in the yard and brought the ax into the house on the pretense to "whet" it, and while his wife was in a stooping position over the skillet. he struck her with the ax, splitting her head open, filling the skillet with her brains and blood. Her death was instantaneous.

The inhuman father then went up stairs and made a murderous assault upon his four children - two girls and two bovs - whom he assaulted with the ax, inflicting almost fatal wounds, first upon the girls, after which he went to the boys' room, but they succeeded in wrenching the ax from him, but in doing so the boys received serious injuries. The girls were aged respectively twenty-two and fifteen years.

Bushong then took to the woods, but was soon captured and roughly handled. He was then taken to Bellville where he was threatened with lynching. He was arraigned before Squire Heath, was bound over to the court of common pleas' without bond and was given over to constable Reuben Everts. with instructions to have him put in the county jail. In a conversation with the constable. Bushong stated that, considering their financial condition, he thought "we had better all be dead.' Bushong requested the constable not to handcuff him when taking him to jail. The constable and prisoner made the trip from Bellville to Mansfield in a single buggy, but when they got to the ravine a mile south of Mansfield, the prisoner tried to get away, but the constable at once covered him with his gun and said. "Bushong, you gave me your word as a brother Free Mason that if I would leave you unhandcuffed you would not attempt to get away, and now I give vou my word as a Mason that if you repeat the attempt I will give you the contents of this revolver." Bushong saw he was up against it, to use a common expression, and made no further effort to get away from the officer.

Bushong's trial before the court of common pleas lasted six days, but it is seldom, if ever, referred to by attorneys in quoting rulings or in referring to precedents. The trial began July 1, 1841. with Judge Parker on the bench. James Stewart and Jacob Brinkerhoff were the attorneys for the state, and Thomas W. Bartley and Columbus Delano, for the defense. Note the names of the attornevs in the case. Stewart afterwards served on the common pleas bench; Brinkerhoff became a member of congress and a supreme court judge; Bartley, three years later was the acting governor of Ohio, and later one of the judges of the supreme court; Delano was considered one of the greatest orators of his time and won both state and national fame.

A plea of insanity was entered for the prisoner, and the jury, after twelve hours of deliberation, returned a verdict of "not guilty." Soon after his acquittal, Bushong left the county, and it was rumored that he died a few years later in the west. His children returned to the east. It is claimed that the crimes of a country are as much a part of its history as are its deeds of heroism - that the brutality of Nero, the shameless intrigues of Messalina, and cruelties of Domitian are as much a part of the annals of Rome as are the patriotism of Cincinnatus, the valor of Cesar and the selfsacrifice of Curtius. And in this view the foregoing is given.

Murder Mysteries

Among the unsolved criminal mysteries of Richland county, that of the murder of Mary Jane Lunsford. is the most apalling, for the victim was a woman and horrible mutilation was added to murder.

On the fateful night of March 12, 1870, Olive street, Mansfield, was the scene of one of those horrible bloody deeds that stain pages in the criminal calendar of the county.

The city was startled by the report that a murder had been committed, and when the people beheld the scene and saw the evidences of the struggle that had ensued in the poor woman's tragic efforts to save her life, many turned away sickened by the awful bloody spectacle.

Mrs. Lunsford, the murdered woman, was a seamstress, was young and good looking, and while upon her life there rested the blot of social sin, she was popular among her few acquaintances, and it was not known that she had an enemy - surely not one of sufficient deadly hate to take her life, and as it was apparent that robbery had not even been attempted, the authorities were at a loss for a theory to account for and to ascertain the actuating motive that led to the commission of the murder.

Mrs. Lunsford had been a resident of Mansfield less than a year, having come from Cincinnati at the instance of Ansel L. Robinson, then superintendent of the Blymer. Day & Co. works. About a month before the murder Mrs. Lunsford became engaged to a Mr. Ebersole, and the wedding was to take place the next week. Robinson, it was said, was opposed to her marriage. At the time of the murder Ebersole was taking care of a sick man at Shelby. Upon searching the murdered woman's trunk, letters were found from Robinson which betrayed the relations that had existed between them and led to his arrest. A long imprisonment followed, but at the final trial - one of the most memorable in the criminal history of the county - he was acquitted.

Early Sunday morning, September 18, 1881, the community was thrown into a high state of excitement by a report that a dead body had been found in Sherman's woods - now a part of the Sherman-Heineman park - a few rods south of Park avenue west.

The marshal, coroner and a large number of citizens were soon on the ground, and the body was recognized as that of Charles Leonard, brother of W. L. Leonard. Charles had been employed as a clerk in Finfrock's drug store and had mysteriously disappeared on the evening of the 9th. He had left the store between eight and nine o'clock and had been seen a little later on Third street, going west. When found the body was lying in the edge of the woods with the head against a tree. In his pocket: were found the store key and some change. Upon examination of the body it was found that he had been stabbed in the back, and it was evident that the deed had not occurred where the body was found.

Charley was a young man of the most exemplary character and wa: universally popular and the motive for his death and by whom the deed was committed remain in the list of unsolved criminal mysteries of the county, although the offer of one thousand dollars reward for the apprehension and conviction of his murderer is still open and held good by W. L. Leonard.