Hendricks County, Indiana - Chapter 17: Military History, 1914

Chapter 17: Military History

The county of Hendricks is jurl)^ proud of the heroic part played by her sons in the great drama of the sixties. The news of Lincoln's nomination by the Republican party for the Presidency of the United States was received with great rejoicing in Hendricks county and particularly in Danville, the county seat. Early the following spring their rejoicings were changed to great nervous excitement.

"All persons within the county of Hendricks who are subject to military duty are hereby requested and notified to be and appear in Danville on Saturday the 20th day of April, 1861. War is on hand and our whole safety depends on thorough military organization.

Hendricks count}- had at this time less than seventeen thousand inhabitants. Under the call for seventy-five thousand volunteers the quota of Indiana was fixed at six regiments. The response was hearty from all parts of the state and from none more so than in Hendricks. Being but an hour's travel by rail from Indianapolis, the first company raised in this county was one of the first to be accepted by the United tSates. From that time on the county sent enlisted men into the field, until a total of approximately two thousand had been enrolled, sixty-five per cent, of the voting strength.

Press Comments

Scores of men and women are yet living who remember that awful April day when the news came that Sumter had fallen, that Lincoln had called for troops, and that, be it long or short, the most terrible of all wars, a civil war, was upon the people.

The issue of the Ledger of Saturday. April 20, 1861, told the story locally and generally. Fort Sumter surrendered on the afternoon of April 13th and this was the first issue after that event. And it appears that so great was the excitement that this issue was not printed until Monday, the 22nd. The news of the attack and fall of Sumter is given in a series of official communications showing the progress of the fight from day to day, the last dispatch from Charleston reading: "Fort Sumter has been unconditionally surrendered. The fort was taken possession of tonight."

When the news reached Danville all business was suspended and men stood about the streets discussing, almost in a whisper, the future of the land. Men doubted if a company could be organized in Danville. Joseph S. Miller thought it worth while to try and. going to his law office, he drew up a muster roll, signing it himself first. Then he went out on the street and name after name was added and public enthusiasm increased with each signature.

"The President's call for men was received here on Monday last. On Tuesday Joseph S. Miller headed a list of volunteers. On Wednesday the Governor was petitioned to appoint Hon. James M. Gregg colonel of the county militia. On Thursday his commission came and he gave notice to all liable to do military duty to meet him for immediate service and organize the militia in every township. On Saturday morning the town was alive with people from all parts of the country. The volunteers, numbering over fifty, were formed into line before the Odd Fellows' hall and a national flag was raised from the roof of the building amid the shouts of the people and the roar of musketry. Colonel Gregg then responded to a call for a speech. Messrs. Campbell, Colonel Nave. ^^^ L. Gregg, S. A. Russell and V. Lingenfelter also spoke and one hundred and eight men enrolled themselves. Their captain, James Burgess, was offered and accepted by the governor and they leave this evening. In the meanwhile. L. S. Shuler commenced another company, continued all day Sunday and this evening will tender a second full company to the governor."

"The editor and proprietor, W. L. Vestal, having volunteered in the service of the United States, has put in John Irons as editor and agent during his absence. Four of our compositors, W. P. and George Gregg, J. N.

Vestal and B. B. Freeman, having also volunteered and the Devil, W. H. Carnes, having gone with the captain of the company, the news room is left with no other force than the old stand-by, the former foreman, T. O. Thompson. The paper will probably be behind for an issue or so. But unless another call is made by the government the Ledger will be on hands as usual after all hands have got the hang of the new arrangement."

That the paper was late in being published is evident, for, although it was dated April 20th, the following item concerning the departure of the Hendricks county volunteers tells of an event which happened on the 22nd as follows :

"One hundred and eight of as gallant fellows as ever dared to meet a foe left our town Monday evening, April 22nd. Hon. James Burgett, captain; P. S. Kennedy, Esq., first; Joseph S. Miller, Esq., second; and W. P. Gregg, Esq., third lieutenants. Such unanimity of purpose was never witnessed among our people before. Parties now date this back no further than Monday the 15th inst. The bombardment of Fort Sumter proved to be a great uniter of parties in this county. In fact, there is but one party, that of the Stars and Stripes, in old Hendricks and it is dangerous to avow any other principles. So hot have matters become that one fellow here had nearly been slaughtered at the meeting here on the 20th inst. by mistake. Swords and bayonets flashed around him like lightning and but for prompt assistance his life would have been out of him in twenty seconds."

It is unfortunate for this generation that more of the local scenes are not described in the issue of the Ledger, but the excitement was too great, the tension too strong to write. Editorially, the Ledger said :

"It becomes our duty this week to announce the lamentable fact that war has been inaugurated in our own country by the rebels of the Confederate states. The attack made on Fort Sumter by the rebels was successful. Major Anderson has been compelled to surrender and, however humiliating it may seem to others, we can not but regard it as a point gained. We will now find out whether we have a government or not, and if we have, woe be unto those who have for years been plotting its ruin. The people in this part of the country are a unit for the Union. We know no man as a Republican, a Douglas or a Breckinridge Democrat. Party lines have been abandoned and, although it has been predicted that in case of an attack upon the government the North would be divided and the rebels receive the support of a strong party here, we are of the opinion that not one company can be found north of Mason and Dixon's line who are willing to assist the traitors.

The present state of affairs is much to be regretted, but we of the North can not help it. For four months every act of aggression, of insult, and insolence has been done in the secession states against the government and people of the American nation, which can possible be conceived except the actual of arms. This has come and henceforth we have to hear the sound of war and the combat of battles. The record is made up. The position admits of but two sides. He who is not for his country is against it. Let every loyal heart now rally to the country. Let the flag be borne aloft and the battle will end with a victory for the Union, for humanity and the world."

Elsewhere the Ledger says : "Hon. J. M. Gregg has been commissioned by the governor as colonel of the sixth military district of Indiana. Mr. Gregg is a Democrat and was delegate to the Charleston convention. In this hour of our country's distress we are glad to see that all party lines are obliterated and that all go for the glorious flag and Union which have conferred so many blessings upon us as a people. The appointment of Mr. Gregg is a good one and he will do all in his power to enforce the laws and sustain the union."

The Ledger also says: "On Tuesday (the i6th) an effort was made to organize a company of militia here to be tendered to the governor for the maintenance of the government and the enforcement of the laws. Before night twenty-six men were enrolled. At the meeting Tusday night several more signified their willingness to, serve their country and the company will soon be made up. Wednesday morning another meeting was held and the company proceeded to the election of temporary officers. The band played martial music and everything was astir. After marching around to the commons east of town Captain Kennedy proceeded to drill the new company. Colonal Nave's hall was secured and there in the evening the company drilled again. The greatest excitement and enthusiasm prevails and all men of all parties are determined the government shall be sustained at all hazards. The stars and stripes are floating from stores, offices and other buildings."

Local mention is made of the marriage on Sunday. April 21st, of George Gregg and Miss Annie Vawter and Charles F. Hogate and Miss Julia Depew. The Ledger says : "The boys left with their company for the national service the following day, leaving their newly-made wives praying for their safe return."

The original muster roll of this first company from Danville, the one used at Indianapolis April 24th when the company was sworn into the service of the L'nited States, is as follows :

On July 8. 1863, news came to Indiana that a large rebel force under command of Gen. John H. Morgan had crossed the Ohio river near Mauc>. port and was moving on Corydon. Indiana. Governor Morton at once issued a call and within forty-eight hours sixty-five thousand men had tendered their services. Thirteen regiments and one battalion were organized for the emergency. In the second of these, known as the One Hundred and Third, were seven companies from Hendricks county. The regiment left Indianapolis by rail on the evening of July nth and reached \"ernon the next morning at three o'clock. Flere Colonel Shuler impressed a number of horses and, mounting one hundred and forty-six men from his own command and that of Colonel Gregory's, moved in pursuit of Morgan. These troops came in sight of Morgan's rear guard on the afternoon of the 13th. captured several stragglers, skirmished with detachments of the enemy near Harrison, Ohio, and entered that town shortly after Morgan's rear guard had departed. Next m.orning the pursuit was resumed and continued as far as Batavia, Ohio,

Lawrence S. Shuler was a colonel; Virgil H. Lyon, lieutenant-colonel; Samuel J. Banta, major; and Frank Coons, adjutant, were the higher officers in this regiment. Other officers were William H. Calvert, Richard Duddy. Tyra Montgomery, John Franklin. William M. Brown, William Little, Aquilla S. McCormick, Joseph Wood, Jesse S. Ogden, Joseph O'Haver, Robert Curry, William F. Parker, Joseph Allison, James L. Smith, Erastus F. Hunt, Scott Miller, David T. Cox.

Number Of Enlistments

The following will show the number of men from Hendricks county and the companies and regiments in which they served during the Civil War. These figures are compiled from Adjutant-General Terrell's reports and include re-enlistments and substitutions, so that the list is not exactly true, but as much so as possible to obtain.

I20 Hendricks County, Indiana Commissioned Officers

W. S. King was a captain and Z. K. McCormack and J. M. Emmons, lieutenants. In Company B of the One Hundred Forty-eighth, J. H. McClure and E. M. Woody were lieutenants; in Company C, R. M. Curtis was a captain ; N. J. Scearce and M. D. L. Brown were lieutenants ; in Company K, S. J. Banta and J. M. Odell were captain and lieutenant respectively.

Bounty And Relief

Not content with this, the local authorities also resolved to care for the needy families of volunteers and for this purpose the county appropriated at various times amounts aggregating $50,200. Each of ten townships contributed $1,000.

A draft became necessary in Indiana in the fall of 1862, and the enrolling commission made the following report for Hendricks county : Total militia, 2,443; total volunteers, 1,352; total exempts, 506; total conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, 150; total volunteers in service, 1,271 ; total subject to draft, 1,787. But two townships in this county were behind in their quotas. Union and Eel river. The former was required to supply nine and the latter twenty-three to this draft.

Hendricks county did not supply a full company to the Indiana militia during the Spanish-American war. The declaration of war by Congress and President McKinley's call for troops in the month of April, 1898, brought great excitement to the county and many recollections of the days of '61.

On Friday night, April 22, 1898, an immense crowd gathered in the court room at Danville. The college band played lively airs and a Cuban flag waved from the gallery. Solon Enloe called the mass meeting to order and Judge John V. Hadley was elected chairman, following which election the latter made an address. Enloe followed, then George C. Harvey, C. \V. Stewart, Thad S. Adams, O. E. Gulley and Messrs. Hack, Lane and Young of the Central Normal College. Solon Enloe then moved that a roll be prepared for those who were prepared and willing to go the front. While the band played patriotic airs and Judge Hadley waved the flag, one hundred names were affixed to the roll. A committee was appointed consisting of Enloe, Harvey and Julian D. Hogate, and these men went to Indianapolis to inform the Governor that they were ready.

Some disagreement in the election of officers resulted in the (lisban<ling of the company. The men most eager to serve their country and flag, however, were not to be thwarted, so they went to Indianapolis and enlisted. They were sworn in on Tuesday night, May loth, and that night returned home to say good-b}-e. The public responded and accorded them a reception and banquet. A list of the men. mo.t of them in the Second Regiment, who went from Hendricks county to the war follows: E. AT. Swindler, O. O. Marshall, Charles Sims, J. M. Gregg, R. D. Warner, Oliver Sears, Walter Thomas. Aquilla Miles, Rome Phillips, Frank H. King, Albert Avres, David Stutesman. Claude Adams, Herschell Hall, Solon Enloe, Guy Roach, Edgar Pennington, Fitz Roberts, Oat Johnson, J. W. Estep, Ralph Beauchamp, Orlando Davis, Clark Howefl, Charles Temple, Harry Stephenson, J. Bolen, Sigel Bolen, James Bowen. William King.