LaPorte County, Indiana - Chapter 34: Patriotism, 1904

From a very early time LaPorte county has resounded with the tramp of armed men. It is a curious and romantic circumstance that during the uncertainties of the Revolution, when Spain fell upon Great Britain, a Spanish army of sixtyfive men commanded by Don Eugenio Pouree marched from St. Louis up through Illinois and over the old Sac trail to Niles, where the little British garrison was surprised, captured with¬ out bloodshed, and carried back to St. Louis. Both going and returning this expedition proba¬ bly camped at LaPorte. On this incident Spain laid claim to the entire Illinois region, including LaPorte county, but the pretension was inef¬ fectual.

The close of the Revolution left to the United States the task, then regarded as almost hope¬ less, of reducing the great western empire to possession, with the Indiana tribes resisting every advance. As early as 1791 some of Gen¬ eral James Wilkinson's scouts followed an In¬ dian trail from LaFayette north to the old Sac trail land thence eastward to the post at Niles, these being perhaps the first Americans who ever visited LaPorte. Twelve years later Fort Dear¬ born was established at the mouth of the Chi¬ cago river, and travel through LaPorte slowly increased from that period, though the Indians were very dangerous at times. In May, 1810, Governor Harrison sent a messenger from Vin¬ cennes to Niles by the same route, to attempt negotiations of friendship with the Pottawottomies, who occupied the district in north¬ western Indiana and southwestern Michigan, and in November of the following year hordes of undeceived and discomfited In¬ dians fled from the defeat at Tippecanoe and carried messages of peace along the old trail through LaPorte. In the next summer, how¬ ever, the savages being disquieted by the war of 1812, occurred the massacre of the garrison at Fort Dearborn. The survivors, headed by Cap¬ tain Nathan Heald and conducted by friendly Indians, hastened to Fort Wayne, going as far as Niles on the Sac trail and probably stopping at the old LaPorte camping ground. Captain Wells, who had gone by the same route from Fort Wayne to the relief of Fort Dearborn, was killed in the massacre, and Captain Heald and wife were saved only by the exertions of John B. Chaudonia, a Pottawottomie half-breed who lived in this county and was a familiar figure in LaPorte at the time it was founded.

those soldiers lies in her cemeteries. In the burying ground at Door Village lies the dust of Clark Burlingame. His remains were deposited there sometime in the winter of 1842 or '43 ; the precise date is not known. He was then eightyfive years old. He was bom in Rhode Island and both as a boy and as a man was an associate of the renowned Ethan Allen. He enlisted in the same regiment with General Allen and was with him at the taking of Ticonderoga.

Mr. Burlingame died at the residence of his son, Abel Burlingame, on the Summit, a few miles north of LaP,orte. Rev. Mr. Tucker, one of the pioneer Baptist ministers of northern Indi¬ ana, preached his funeral sermon. No stone marks his grave. He was the great-grandfather of the present generation of Burlingames of this vicinity. His grave is lost, and if possible should be identified and restored.

He^ekiah Smith, grandfather of Fred Earl of Scipio township, and of Mrs. Rhoda M. Woods of Westville, went into the Revolutionary army at the age of sixteen, going from Orange county, New York, where he was born and had lived up to that time. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill. For a time he was servant boy to General Washington. Afterwards he was engaged as a blacksmith. He was married to Rhoda Wiatt. To this union eight children were bom ; five girls and three boys. He died September 27, 1838, the "sickly season," and his body was entombed in the cemetery of Door Village. Mrs. Woods herself has now passed away, but she had in her possession a bayonet used by Mr. Smith in the Revolutionary war, besides a number of books owned by him, all of which treasures she prized very highly. He car¬ ried a remarkable rifle, widely known as "the long gun," which at last accounts was still in the possession of relatives in Iowa. Mrs. Woods lived with her grandfather until she was twelve years of age. There are but few other Revolu¬ tionary soldiers whose remains are buried in the county. Among them are Abijah Bigelow, Sr., of Michigan City, and Simon Wheeler, in Low's burying ground on the Michigan City road be¬ tween the Summit and Waterford. The Grand Army men or some one should look to it, and for the sake of historic associations should see that these sacred resting places are cared for and marked with proper tombstones to designate them. For the information of these cases the writer is indebted to the Rev. William Davis, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Door Village, who went to no little trouble and rode many miles to obtain it.

LaPorte county sustained about the same re¬ lation to the war of 1812 that she did to the Revolutionary war - it was long past before the county was organized. But there were several soldiers of the war of 1812 among her earlier and later settlers, and their presence among the people of the county served to stimulate feelings of patriotism, thus arousing men to action when the country needed and called for their services. These honored old heroes were constant incen¬ tives to honorable deeds. They kept alive the military spirit, and kept alive in the hearts of the young those feelings which would lead them to shoulder the musket and follow the flag into battle in the defense of their country. Though their own services were past, yet the in¬ fluence of their example served to give the country a grander military history than it would otherwise have had. Among the old guard of veterans have been the following: E. Farwell and Amos G. Webster, both of Westville; Ste¬ phen Bunnel, of Indian Point; Mr. Napier, of Cass township; Joseph Merrit, of LaPorte; and Daniel Mack Learning, of Center township. On every memorial day these graves, so far as known, receive a floral tribute with the graves of those who participated in the later wars of their country.

With the Black Hawk war the case was dif¬ ferent. In May, 1832, Mr. Owen, the Indian agent at Chicago, sent word to Arba Heald in New Durham township, that the Indians had commenced hostilities on Hickory creek, a short distance from Chicago, and advised the settlers to prepare to repel any invasion they might make. This gave rise to the Indian scares re¬ lated in a previous chapter, especially to the building of the fort at Door Village. General Orr was present when the fort was building, and, having been commissioned a brigadier general by Governor Ray in 1827, he wrote to the govern¬ or giving him an account of what had hap¬ pened, and then repaired to Chicago to ascertain if possible whether any real danger threatened the inhabitants of this vicinity. There he had an interview with Major Whistler who com¬ manded Fort Dearborn, after which he made cer¬ tain recommendations and forwarded them to the governor of Indiana, and then started for the headquarters of General Atkinson, who was in command of a force sent against the Indians. After returning to Chicago General Orr received a communication from Governor Noble of In¬ diana commanding him to raise a company of mounted volunteer rangers to be employed along the western line of our frontier for the term of three months, keeping up an intercpurse between the Wabash settlements and Chicago by selecting suitable stations near immediate settlements and sending out parties of observation with daily communication. General Orr raised a company of eighty-eight men and reported first to the com¬ mandant at Fort Dearborn and then to General Winfield Scott. Much correspondence passed between General Orr and General Scott. At one time it was planned that General Orr with his company of rangers accompany General Scott in an expedition against Black Hawk; but that chief fled beyond the Mississippi, an army under a skillful general was in possession of the country, and therefore, by order of Governor Noble, General Orr disbanded his company..

While the fort was building at Door Village General Orr sent for an Indian named Shadney or Chaudonia. He was of mixed Pottawottomie and French blood and came to LaPorte county from Detroit. He understood the Indians thor¬ oughly and had great influence with them. General Orr asked him whether the Indians would follow their old trail and come through LaPorte county to Detroit, and he gave it as his opinion that they would not, which opinion was justified by future events.

This Indian was known among the red men as Shaderny but his true name was John B. Chaudonia. He was of great service to the government. When the Michigan road was pro¬ posed from Madison on the Ohio river to Michi¬ gan City - two hundred and seventy miles - the Indians had agreed to relinquish their title to one section of land for each mile that was built through their country. The state construed the agreement to mean one section per mile for the entire length of the road. The Indians hearing that such would be the . interpretation, became very indignant and were about preventing the surveyors from running out any more land. Then Chaudonia's services were brought into requisition. He procured an ox, a quantity of whiskey was furnished, a barbecue and a drunken spree were the consequence, in which a large number of the Indians participated, and the affair passed by without any further trouble. For this service the United States government gave him a patent of section twenty-eight, which was allotted him by the treaty with the Pot¬ tawottomie Indians, held on the Tippecanoe river, October 26, 1832. This section he after¬ wards sold to George W. Allen and Reuben Allen, to whom the deed was approved by the president June 15, 1844. After the sale of the land, which was made soon after the treaty, Chaudonia settled near South Bend, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1837. * Many reports derogatory to his character were circulated, but General Lewis Cass and others who knew him well gave him a good character, and Congress, after the committee on public lands had searched into the matter and had reported favorably, gave his widow a half section of land for his great services to the United States in the difficulty with Great Britain and at the Fort Dearborn massacre. He was true to the United States government and at one time was in a British prison on account of his fidelity. His uncle Topenebee was the chief of the Pottawottomie tribe and a man of great in¬ fluence.

It is stated that the remains of Black Hawk were stolen, and Governor Lucas of Iowa made a requisition for them on behalf of the chieftain's family, and found them in the hands of an anat¬ omist at Quincy, well cleaned and ready to be wired.

Coming to the Mexican war, we are in con¬ tact with something which seems definitely more like patriotism. In 1846-47 the news passed over the country that a state of war existed between the United States and Mexico, that our little army had crossed the Rio Grande, and that the nation needed volunteers to fight the battles upon which the government had entered. The response of Lake county was in advance of LaPorte, for that county sent about twenty-five men who joined a company formed by Captain Smith of New York, and crossed the Tippecanoe on the way to the Ohio river before the last of April, 1847. But m regard to numbers if not time LaPorte county took the lead, for she raised and sent a company of ninety-two young men with W. W. McCoy as captain, Robert Fravel as first lieutenant, C. W. Lewis second lieutenant, and Samuel Mecum ensign and colorbearer. The company was organized in May, 1847, and left the latter part of June for the war. Some of them did not return.

Before the company left, the ladies presented them a beautiful silk flag, with the request that if any of the company came back they should return the flag to the donors. The banner was made by Miss Minor, Miss Steenberger, Miss Marinda Fravel, and several other young ladies. It was presented to the company from the porch of the house since occupied by Henry B. Weir. Miss Marinda Fravel presented it to Myron H. Orton, and he to Robert Fravel, who received it on behalf of the company, with the promise that it should be returned if there was left one man to bring it.

That flag waved on the following Fourth of July over the once bloody battlefield of New Or¬ leans, it fluttered over the turbid waters of the Rio Grande where the company crossed into the enemy's country at Renoso, it waved in triumph at the hard-fought battle of Huamantha, it sought the heights of Cerro Gordo not far behind Gen¬ eral Scott himself, and it went with the company until it was planted in La Puebla, where for sev¬ eral months they were garrisoned. Captain McCoy was promoted to major and Lieutenant R. Fravel succeeded him in command of the company. When the company was on the Rio Grande, Lieutenant Fravel was left on an island to die and Samuel Mecum left the company and went to take charge of him. The company that day waded through a marsh for about four miles and encamped. In the dusk they saw something coming across the marsh and to their surprise they found it to be Mecum with Fravel on his back. Mecum proved himself to be a noble fellow. Peace was declared July 4, 1848, and the latter part of that month the members of the company began to arrive home. The officers ar¬ rived on the evening of the 28th. After a suffi¬ cient number had returned, the ladies of the vil¬ lage of LaPorte assembled at the residence of Abram Fravel, Esq., and the military and the people generally, at the sound of martial music, under the direction of Major Cochrane, having also assembled, Captain Fravel unrolled the old flag from its staff. It was soiled, tattered and stained by march ar.d battle, but in a descriptive and patriotic speech he presented the flag to Myron H. Orton, who in a neat little speech re¬ ceived it on behalf of the ladies and returned it to the fair donors. Then Major McCoy was called out and addressed the crowd. In the sev¬ enties the flag was in the possession of J. B. Fravel ; the writer has not traced it further. Several Mexican war veterans have lived in this county, and some are living here yet. Theodore Armitage, of Westville, is one of them. He en¬ listed from Athens, Ohio, but has been in this county since the close of the Mexican war. In connection with one of these veterans at least there is something pathetic. Mr. T. H. Ball in his "History of Northwestern Indiana" mentions Reuben Tozier, a member of Company B of the Ninth Indiana Regiment in the Civil war, and then he says,

"As early as 1844 I became acquainted with this Reuben Tozier. He was living on a farm one half mile from my father's home. He went to the Mexican war in Captain Joseph P. Smith's company. He went into the Union army as the line above indicates. A few years ago I was in the LaPorte poor house, or county asylum. I found him there. I knew him well. He must have made a good soldier. He deserved a better home in his old age. In his youth he had enjoyed cultivation somewhere. I was a member with him before the Mexican war of a Cedar Lake literary society. He was an interesting member. He could give one recitation I might say to per¬ fection. He had been trained somewhere. Why he should have had only a pauper's fare I know not

And then, as Mr. Tozier has no other monu¬ ment Mr. Ball sets apart a page of his history to his old friend, and on it he places a tablet which says, "Sacred to the Memory of Reuben Tozier." It is sad that the veterans of even one not to say two wars should be left to live and die in poor houses, but there have been many cases. There are various opinions as to the justice of the Mexi¬ can war; some think that the United States can claim little glory on account of it, but, be that as it may, there is no doubt of the patriotism and valor of the men who volunteered their services when they thought their country had need; and the presence of these men in a community is an incentive to patriotism.

There was a magnificent uprising of the people of LaPorte county on the thirteenth of April, 1861. On the preceding day the first gun had been fired against Fort Sumter; LaPorte county was aroused. The tide of patriotic feeling swept through the hearts of men and bent them to a stern and determined purpose. The bom¬ bardment of Fort Sumter began on Friday morn¬ ing - a significant day of the week. Arrange¬ ments were made with the telegraph office to re¬ ceive Saturday's news. At two o'clock a large crowd of citizens repaired to Huntsman's hall to listen to the intelligence from Fort Sumter, which was exceedingly unfavorable. Many doubted, but the evening news confirmed the sad story, and contained the further information that Major Anderson had been compelled to surrender the fortress. And so it was in Michigan City, and in all the centers where a telegraph office was ac¬ cessible. On Sunday the churches were crowded, and the storm of war that had broken was the theme of conversation, sermons and prayers. Men gathered in knots in the church porches and discussed the situation. On Sunday evening the people gathered in their public halls, and as the dispatches were brought in and read by prom¬ inent citizens, they confirmed the worst fears. Thus closed the dark Sabbath night of the new American revolution. All day Monday the ex¬ citement continued. A war spirit grew rapidly. Political questions were lost sight of. One sen¬ timent was in the ascendant, "The Union must and shall be preserved." On Monday evening the rush to the public halls in different parts of the county was greater than ever. The halls were crowded. Bands played patriotic airs. National odes were sung. Union speeches were made. Prominent Democrats declared that they would be the first to enlist in the service of their coun¬ try, and the sequel showed that they were in earnest. They were cheered to the echo. The applause was deafening. Patriotism thrilled every heart. Names might be given and minute word pictures painted, but there is not space to do the matter justice; the enthusiasm took on the same general form in all places in the county.

On Tuesday the enthusiasm and excitement still increased. At one o'clock the court house bell was rung, and in accordance with the pre¬ vious notice of the mayor of LaPorte, opportunity was given for volunteers to enlist. Owing to the pressure of the crowd the meeting adjourned to Huntsman's hall, headed by a band, playing national airs. General Orr by request carried the American flag. There were about fifty recruits headed by D. J. Woodward. Subscriptions were immediately called for, and during the day and evening about $4,000 was raised, prominent citi¬ zens contributing from $50 to $150 each to sus¬ tain the families of volunteers. Many others subscribed less amounts, mostly $25 each. Their number was so large that their names can not be given here. Strong resolutions were passed condemning the action of the south and pledging support to President Lincoln in his efforts to crush the rebellion.

Volunteering went on ; the companies at LaPorte and Michigan City soon had a sufficient number of men to leave for camp. The first company to leave LaPorte was Company F, under the command of D. J. Woodward, who before taking the field was promoted to major. Lieutenant Patton was made captain, Second Lieutenant Carter was made first lieutenant, and Joseph Richards second lieutenant. The com¬ pany left town on a Monday morning. At an early hour LaPorte citizens and those from the country thronged the streets to witness the stirring scene. The various fire companies and the German Rifle company were out, accompa¬ nied by Frisbee's silver band, and added much to the occasion. The company were drawn up in front of the court house and answered to the call of the roll and received the warm congratulations of many sincere friends, after which they marched to the depot and boarded the special train provided to take them to the "Crossing," now Otis. The crowd at the station was im¬ mense, and there were sad partings and bitter weepings as fathers, mothers, sisters, sweethearts and friends pressed the hands and gave the fare¬ well kiss and embrace to loved ones whom they might never see again on earth. The officers and men were visibly affected. At half past nine o'clock the train started, amid the cheering of the vast multitude which was like the noise of many waters. The fire companies and many citi¬ zens went aboard the cars and accompanied the volunteers as far as the Crossing, and Frisbee's band accompanied them to Indianapolis, where they intended to offer their services to the gov¬ ernment.

Similar scenes were transpiring at Michigan City. The first company to leave that place was the Michigan City Rifles, Company B, William H. Blake captain, Asahel K. Bush first lieuten¬ ant, and Alson Bailey second lieutenant. They were presented with a United States flag by the citizens. The company was drawn up and an¬ swered to the roll call, and the presentation speech was made by Miss Ann Hartwell. This flag w*as the first to float over Laurel Hill, a local paper saying of the company, "Our brave soldiers plucked their laurels from the very hill where they grew." The company left Michigan City amid scenes similar to those just described as taking place in LaPorte.

These two companies reached Camp Morton at Indianapolis in time to join the Ninth Regi¬ ment. They went south and participated in the first campaign of West Virginia, under the com¬ mand of Colonel R. H. Milroy. At the close of the three months' service they returned and were reorganized for the three years' service. The Ninth Regiment went into rendezvous at Camp Colfax, still under the command of Colonel Milroy. There also were Camp Jackson situated about a mile northwest of LaPorte, where the Twenty- Eighth Regiment was encamped under the command of Colonel John F. Miller, Camp Anderson, at Michigan City, about a mile and a half from town, just below what is now known as the Boyer farm, and the camps at Goshen and South Bend, where many soldiers from LaPorte were encamped. In the camp at South Bend was the Seventy-third Indiana Regiment, com¬ manded by Gilbert Hathaway which did such valiant service, and the Twenty-first Indiana battery commanded by William W. Andrew, brother of Dr. George L. Andrew, now of Chicago. This battery was essentially a LaPorte organization. By authority of Governor Mor¬ ton, W. W. Andrew was empowered to organize this body of men. The necessary funds were furnished by Captain A. P. Andrew, Jr., one of the founders of LaPorte. Captain W. W. An¬ drew had already acquired much experience in the war. He succeeded in raising the required number of men, and soon after it was recruited the battery was sent to Covington, Kentucky, to protect the place from the invasion which Kirby Smith was expected to make. From Cov¬ ington the battery was transferred to Lexington and later to Richmond and Louisville, remaining in the latter city until 1863, when orders took the troops to Nashville, Tennessee. The first skir¬ mish with the enemy occurred on March 19 and 20 at Rome, Georgia, and the result was the capture of a number of prisoners. On April 5th a skirmish took place at Gainsboro, Georgia, and on May 4th at Carthage. One month after the last engagement the battery went to Murfreesboro and, after joining General Reynold's division of Rosecrans' army, advanced towards Manchester, Georgia, participating in the engagement of Hoover's Gap. The battery also took part in the march against Chattanooga and later took an important part in the battle of Chickamauga. Until December 5th the battery remained at Chat¬ tanooga and in the meantime stormed Mission Hill. On October 1, 1864, an engagement took place in which the battery fought against For¬ rest. On December 15th and 16th during the advance of Hood and the rebel army, the battery, which was stationed at Nashville, was under fire. The battery was mustered out of service June 21, 1865, at Indianapolis. By exposure at Chicka¬ mauga, Captain W. W. Andrew contracted par¬ tial paralysis, and was honorably discharged from the service September 16, 1864, and Captain Abram P. Andrew, now of LaPorte, who went out as second lieutenant and had been promoted to first lieutenant, was now promoted to captain and took command of the battery.

Gladly would the writer trace out and give a brief account of the several bodies of soldiers, and even of the individuals, who went to the war from LaPorte county, but this would be out of all due proportion to the present work, it would re¬ quire a volume in itself, and would be the history of LaPorte county in the war, not a history of patriotism in LaPorte county. For such an ac¬ count, as well as for the names of those who en¬ listed from LaPorte county, he refers the reader to Packard's History, which is a most valuable catalogue and magazine of facts and statistics on this subject. Suffice it here to say that no state more valiant service in the Civil war than Indiana, and no county in the state was more patriotic and served the nation more faithfully than LaPorte county, for proof of which let this fact alone testify - that over seventy pages of Packard's History are taken up with the mere catalogue of names of those who enlisted from this county.

While the regiments and different bodies of soldiers were drilling and recruiting preparatory to going to the seat of war, there were great pic¬ nics held at their camps, at which patriotic speeches were made, often by the best speakers in the state. Great were the preparations which were made for such occasions. Meetings were held, generally at the court house, and large and influential committees were appointed to make arrangements. These committees contained the names of the best citizens of the county. And when the appointed day came to visit the boys in their camp, the locality for miles around was a scene of busy life. Crowds attended the dress parades of the regiments, and witnessed their drilling exercises. This was quite the popular thing to do. And that the young reader may have some idea what it means to be a real soldier, -even in the preparatory drilling camp, we here give the daily programme which governed the Ninth Regiment in Camp Colfax in August, 1861 : -

Not only so, but there were great excursions of LaPorte county people to the camps in other counties, and great excursions from other coun¬ ties to LaPorte and Michigan City. Occasionally the commandant at Camp Colfax or Camp Jackson or Camp Anderson would march his regi¬ ment through the streets of the town, and then there would be a scene of enthusiasm which can not adequately be described. Bands played, cheers were given, handkerchiefs were waved, and hats went high in air.

But the saddest scenes were when the regi¬ ments left for the seat of war. After the Ninth Regiment had received orders to leave, the friends of the soldiers came to bid then goodby. In one tent was an old mother heaping prayers and benedictions on the head of a dutiful and courageous son who when his mother ceased talking said, " Mother I shall pray for you and sister." In another tent a mother and sister were sewing buttons tighter upon the shirts and pants of the boy who sat beside them and who was to leave at once for the war. In another tent were sitting a boyish-looking soldier, an elderly lady, and a little boy about ten years of age. The soldier lad was a beardless boy, yet he was going to the war. The lady, who proved to be the mother of the boys, had finished her kind admonitions, when the soldier pulled out his purse and began to count his money which was all in small change. Said he, "I have rune dollars and ten cents. I wish I had just ler. dollars." In an instant the little chap thrust his hand into his pocket and said, "Here, Sam, I have two dollars, take enough to make it up." The soldier hesitated but finally, by over-persua¬ sion, counted out ninety cents. - "Oh, take it all, Sam !" said the boy, "you are going to fight and can't get anv more for a long time, and I shall be at home to earn some. I wish I was going with you, Sam." Sam finally took all but twenty-five cents, and with tears in their eyes the three sep¬ arated. Such were the incidents which were transpiring everywhere on the ground. Mothers were taking leave of their sons, sisters of their brothers, wives of their husbands, daughters of their fathers, sweethearts of their betrothed, and hundreds were engaged in writing the last letter to absent ones who could not come to say fare¬ well.

When the regiment left, in September, '6i, they gave three rousing cheers for the county, three more for the city, both led by Colonel Milroy, and departed in two trains; one at 12:45, and the other at 1 p. m. They went east to Toledo where they were fed by the citizens, then to Cleveland, and Pittsburg, then to Wellsville on the Ohio, which they reached at 12 noon on Sunday, and where the boys took a swim, then to Bellaire, where they took the B. and O. to Grafton, West Vir¬ ginia.

It is difficult to refrain from following them further, and from following other troops in the same manner. Indeed, to handle all the data which at this moment lie spread out in jottings before the writer, would require a large volume.

The war wrent on ; reverses came, then vic¬ tories, and so one followed the other. Some times the hearts of patriots rejoiced, at other times they were sad. Then Vicksburg came, then Gettysburg, which really broke the back bone of the rebellion, then Grant was placed in command and took the rebellion by the throat and contin¬ ually tightened his grip until he had strangled the life out of it and peace was declared. Then La Porte county rejoiced ; but the sky was soon clouded again. Men's faces were pale. They told the news of the assassination of President Lincoln, the best friend the south and the nation ever had. There was a panic over the whole county. People could not rest. They knew not what was coming next. People thronged the streets and waited for news, but there was no hope. The sister cities and towns were draped in black. Solemn memorial meetings were held. The passing of the funeral cortege bearing the remains of Lincoln back to his old home in Springfield, was a triumphal funeral march, a sad ovation. Great preparations were made at

Michigan City to receive the remains. The train had to wait there for some time for the arrival of the committee sent out from Chicago to meet it. The committee stood together forming a com¬ plete tableau as the generals in charge came for¬ ward to receive the funeral cortege. The officers in charge - General Hooker and others, were in full dress uniforms; the Chicago delegation was in black, wearing heavy crepe bands and badges of crepe on their arms. Arches had been erected in the streets. A pyramid composed of thirtysix school girls dressed in white, one of whom represented the Goddess of Liberty, sang the national airs. A number of young girls had been selected to lay a cross of flowers on the casket. These girls wore long black skirts and white waists, and with uncovered heads they carried their offering to the funeral car where lay the remains of the martyred president. This cross was composed of trailing arbutus gathered from our native hills. In the funeral car were wonderful offerings of flowers and mementos which had been given all along the way. One was an immense harp which had been given in Cleveland. Guards kept their watch over the mortal remains, who never moved as the throngs of people passed along to drop a tear over the great heart which lay quiet there. Nor were the temporal needs of the people forgotten, for the ladies of Michigan City served a breakfast in the New Albany and Chicago freight depot, many notable housewives devoting their time to its preparation, and using their best linen and silver. Do not such scenes bespeak a patriotism which is both profound and intense?

LaPorte county in the Civil war was one of the most patriotic counties in the nation. This is predicated on the ground that he is the good moral man who has much evil to overcome in himself and who succeeds in overcoming it. LaPorte county had much secession sentiment to overcome and succeeded in overcoming it. Even when the news came that the first gun had been fired at Sumter, amidst the excitement which it caused there were those who expressed sympathy for the rebellion. One was heard to say, "Well, do you think the south will fight? You'll have a good time conquering the south." These ex¬ pressions were a sample of many. Bv and by these men waxed bolder. In 1861 there were those who had in their possession the rebel flag, and who on occasions did not hesitate to display it. Many exciting incidents might be related in this connection, for names and circumstances are at hand. We had intended to write some of them, withholding names and places. But Jperiiaps even this had better not be done, for it is not the purpose of this history to revive bitter feelings. Time has assuaged the animosities of those years, and this is well. Of course there were those who went much too far in their expressions of south¬ ern sympathy. And on the other hand drastic measures were adopted to quiet them, and make them show at least outward loyalty. There were about forty cases of men being taken and forced to swear the oath of allegiance, and sustain the government and fly the American flag. It cul¬ minated in the case of one of the most distin¬ guished citizens of LaPorte, which created a great furor. Even the Hon. C. W. Cathcart could not stand this. For though he threw him¬ self heart and soul, with all his force, into the struggle to maintain the Union, and though on one occasion he threatened to shoot when a party of men demanded an American flag which was in his possession, and though attempts were made to burn his home because of his avowed Union sentiments, yet he could not endure to see what he termed a citizen's right of free speech taken from him. There were others who sided with him. On one occasion a great meeting was held at the court house to protest and take meas¬ ures against the drastic means which had been adopted to quiet those who sympathized with the south. The meeting was attended by some of the best and most loyal Democrats. It was decided to keep a book at the court house in which any loyal citizen might on oath record any case of dis¬ loyal speaking or acting, with the name of the offender and all the circumstances, that these utterances might be preserved and go down to posterity. But little ever came of it.

On the other hand it was contended by those who used extreme measures that though on gen¬ eral principles such measures were wrong, yet the need was urgent, the country was'in danger, and at such a time these measures were expedient. Probably both sides can look back upon those days and see many mistakes. The great fact has been settled that this is one country, all are only too thankful for it, and past animosities should not rankle in the hearts of any. Some of our best fighters in the field and most loyal citizens at home, who did most in every way to sustain the Union, were Democrats, which is a fact to be given due weight. There were troubles, of course ; the draft caused trouble, but it was over¬ come. Right nobly did Michigan City, even as a municipality aside from individual aid, give of her means to satisfy the demands for men which were made upon her. Right nobly did LaPorte and other places, and right nobly did the county in her official capacity do the same thing, as might be shown by extracts which are at hand from official records. Xot the least factor in the sum of loyalty was the work of the ladies. The boxes and bales of necessities and delicacies which they sent to the soldiers were simply amaz¬ ing. Their busy fingers were always at work for their relief societies. The pulpits spoke out, en¬ tertainments for the benefit of the soldiers were given by the different social, fraternal, literary, military and religious organizations, private in¬ dividuals gave liberally of their means, and pro¬ fessional men gave not only their means but their time and efforts, many of them going south to nurse the sick and wounded, and our unenlisted surgeons lent a free hand in army hospitals.

Coming to the Spanish war, the official record of Indiana volunteers in that war shows that Company L, a volunteer company organized at Michigan City, contained seventy-three men who enlisted from LaPorte county. There were five others from the county who enlisted in Company A, which was organized in Starke county. There was one who enlisted in Company D of Wabash county. Many others who enlisted from other counties now reside in LaPorte county. These did good service.

Besides these, there were hundreds of others who wanted very much to go but had no oppor¬ tunity. In the latter part of May, 1898, after the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Indiana Regi¬ ment had been mobilized at Camp Mount, Orrin Z. Hubbell, of Elkhart - formerly a representa¬ tive, afterwards senator, and a leading lawyer, who died in 1902 in California while a senator of that state - and R. B. Oglesbee - formerly a cap¬ tain in the state militia, then a lawyer at Plymouth, now of LaPorte - met by agreement at Indianapolis to discuss the organization of a regiment for service in the Spanish war. Re¬ ceiving encouragement from Governor Mount, they took up the work. Robert E. Morrison, of La Porte - captain in the state militia, a gradu¬ ate from the Chester, Pennsylvania, military academy, a thorough military man, known to be exceedingly eager to devote himself to* the cause - was conferred with and entered heartily into the project. Others from other cities and towns were then called to a meeting at Elkhart, where it was agreed to organize a regiment. Officers were elected at this meeting as follows: O. Z. Hubbell, colonel ; R. E. Morrison, lieutenant col¬ onel ; R. B. Oglesbee, first major; Rev. E. D. Daniels, chaplain; and others. In two weeks, fourteen companies were organized, in a district north of Rochester and west of Goshen. Robert E. Morrison organized a full company at LaPorte. The companies were filled, officers elected, drilling was begun, battalions were formed, and all was inspected by the regimental officers. The regiment was offered to the gov¬ ernor first by wire, and then Hubbell, Morrison and Oglesbee went to Indianapolis to urge the governor to accept the regiment. Two weeks in June were thus consumed. The regular militia establishment went into the federal service first, and another call was expected. Winfield T. Dur¬ bin, then paymaster general for Indiana, now governor, organized a regiment in central Indi¬ ana ; and chiefly for geographical reasons, north¬ ern Indiana being already more fully represented in the accepted militia, the Durbin regiment was chosen to respond to the call when it came. The Hubbell regiment was kept intact and ready for instant mobilization until all hope of another call was gone. But every man would certainly have gone as planned if the opportunity had been given. It was not their fault that they did not go. In the latter part of June, Oglesbee was of¬ fered an appointment in the signal corps, which he accepted, and he reported at Washington bar¬ racks, Washington, D. C., and was made ad¬ jutant of that historic post. He was then at¬ tached to the Twelfth Company of United States Volunteer Signal Corps, an Iowa company ; he was in service at Chickamauga twice, at New¬ port News, Fortress Monroe, and Lexington, Kentucky, and was then attached to the Four¬ teenth Company, an Indiana company, on special service on the staff of General Fitzhugh Lee. The company was then sent to Camp Mount, Indianapolis, and mustered out. Oglesbee was on the dock at Newport News with the Twelfth Company under orders to embark for Porto Rico on the ship then ready, when the peace proctocol was signed, and thus failed of the op¬ portunity for foreign service.

There have been many military organizations in the county, which have had a patriotic influ¬ ence, but nothing serves to fan the fires of pa¬ triotism, especially in the public schools, more than the influence of the Grand Army of the Re¬ public. Its members keep in touch with the schools, and on patriotic occasions are invited into them where their very presence and also their words are an influence for loyalty. It is largely through their influence that a company of high school cadets has been organized at La¬ Porte. They have rifles and are uniformed, and through the efforts of Professor J. L. Criswell, who is an excellent tactician, they are well drilled and present a fine appearance, and the influence of the organization is very patriotic. The hope of the country is in the young, and if they form and stand by correct principles a glorious future is assured.