Richardson County, Nebraska - Chapter 19, 1917

The Civil War

The years between the first settlement nf Ricliardson county, in 1854. and the breaking out of the Civil War in 1861, constitute a memorable period in the history of our county. No community was ever organized under more seeming unfavorable circumstances. From the very moment that first mention was made in Congress of the opening of this country for white settlement, up to the time when the Territory of Nebraska was finally . erected out of the vast country north of the fortieth parallel and west of the Missouri river a fight was on, and the contest, led at first by Stephen A. Douglas, was clouded on both sides by an embryo sectional feeling, at first smouldering, but later to develop into the furies of war between the states.

The lure that brought men to Nebraska was not gold, nor gas, nor oil. nor precious gems, nor any of the several causes which, in later days have, as if b}- magic, suddenly induced great lx)dies of our population to seek new abodes, where such opportunity might be found and where towns as modern, if not more so. than those left behind have sprung into existence almost over night. The heavy black soil of our state, then as now, was not overlooked by the practical eye of the one from older communities seeking land for its intrinsic value with a view of locating and following the call of husbandry. The soil was here and the opportunity for its development open to the world - a veritable agricultural paradise; but such an environment was not the all-impelling cause which brought men here - there was no such a thing as land hunger as we know the term today. It is. however, true that a large number of i)eaceful. plodding homeseekers. tillers of the soil, were among the lot, but tiieir number placed them in the nu'nority prior to i860.

Those were days of brilliant men and Congress never before or since l)Ossessed an ecjual nunilier of such distinguished statesmen and scholars, I)ut the all-absorbing topic was human slavery and the long struggle among tlie people of Kansas and Nebraska was forging a political revolution in - the thought of the entire country. Men came to Nebraska for the most part for political ratlier than for business or agricultural reasons. The .settlement of Nebraska, as of Kansas, was an inspired political movement of partisans.

The dominant political party at the time, swaying .^^tate, church, commerce and society in general was the advocate and supporter of slavery. The opposition party, made up of dissenting factions, as always the opposition party is, held to the abstract idea of the error of slavery; but the degree of error and the method by which it should be remedied, varied from wild conservatism - which would permit its existence, but prevent too rapid encroachment on free soil, to rabid al)olitionisni. wliich was for exterminating at once and by force, if need be. the iniquity of all iniquities. With such discordant and unstable materials, the fight was carried on fur years.

Opening Of The Pl.A.Tte River Country

The bringing into favoralile notice of the rich I'latte river country, as a region from the Missouri river to the Rocky mountains, received great impetus during the years following the great rush to California at the time of the gold excitement. The development of this new section did not suggest to the powers that were merely the increase of national or personal wealth; it excited much more the desire and greed for the extension of political prestige, the success or non-success of which might forecast the rise or fall of the great tlynasty which had ior its f<Jundation the institution of human slavery.

Partisans of the two great schools of political thought of the time were here and played their parts as they did in other and older sections of both this and our sister state, Kansas, but owing to the fact that Richardson ciiunty was but sparselv settled at that time, we escaped much of the turmoil so prevalent in more populous communities, where it manifested itself more forcibly.

Richardson county, while it furnished its full quota of those who fought in the war has very little as a county to show for the part it played in that great drama. The principal reason for this may be assigned to the fact that our population was small: the towns of the county were but hamlets. Falls City had been incorporated but four years and had fewer tlian a dozen houses.

When the first call came those who wished to enlist in the first rn^li, which filled the First Nehraska Regiment could, as many did, tramp tti Nebraska Cit}- to join the companies there, and many crossed to the states of Missouri and Iowa and some went to Kansas and there enlisted. Of these Richardson county did not get credit, but at a later time, as the war continued and when fears were indulged of Indian outbreaks, the Second Nebraska Cavalry was -formed and contained two companies raised in this county. These companies were enlisted in 1863 and were known as Company G. and Company L. They left here on April 10 of that year and were sent north to Devils Lake, in Dakota, near the head of the James river, to quell an Indian uprising. The .companies returned in November and were mustered out. The names of these members of the Second Nel)raska Cavalr)- follow, the list being compiled from the official roster daleil in December, 1862, the place of residence of all being given as Falls City:

Privates - David Allen, age 37; Ertvrard .'^. Allen. I'd; .lacoli Ackernuiu. IS: Daniel C. Ackerman: Abraham Adkins. ;i.-> : .Tames A. Alford. 3:!; .lacol) .Vdanis. 32: Henry Bean, 32: Julius Beach, 31; Jiilins C. Barada. 2."), desertetl April 1. INC:!; Isaac Buckley. 21: Maurice Brunette, 43. died at Falls City, January 1!>. Isc,:;; I'hillip Bremer. 3.">; Jo.seph Broady, 30; Samuel B. Bohst. IS; Andrew J. Bannister. 2S; James Cottrel. 3S; John T. Cromwell. 21. died from disability, July Id. 18G3; Cieorge Carey, IS, died of pneumonia at Omaha, February 2, lSt">3 ; Loomis It. Colson. 3."( ; Daniel Cameron. 21. Falls City, transferred to Company I.. .September 1, 1S(;3; Oeorge Clark. 2.j; John Dni)ris. 21; David A. Dugger, 20; Socrates C. Duryea, 34. promoted to trumpeter; George W. Davenport. 19; ChaiWes W. Davenport. IS. killetl in battle at White Stone Hill, Dakota Territory. September 3. 1S63: Dumba B. Elder. 32; James M. Early. IS; Oliver Freel. 21; John W. Freel, 20; Andrew W. Freel. 24; Charles W. Freel. IS; Lawrence B. Farrell. 2(i: Luther C. Forbes. IS; John Fallstead. 34; Thomas J. Greennii. IS; Alexander (iraut, 34; DaYid Call. 20; Abel H. Gifford, 40; Frank Hamel, 22; John Heastou, 33; Hermon Holconili, 32: Alex- .luder R. Haining, 41; James Ireland, 20; Charles Jenkins. 31 : Etlmund L. Lane. .-!:'.: Wilson Linsle.v. 20; Wilson McKinney. 20; Thomas Marion. 33; D.ivid .Matten. 2.S; Williiim A. McClain. 2.^: r.iris McCiuire. 10; John McMullen. 31 ; John W. Mills. 23; Mathew Moore. - ; William Meruard. 21: George W. llcCoy, IS; John S. O'Donald. 30; .Tames O'Longhlan, 29; Richard Pickett. 3s ; John Pickett. IS; William C. Penn. is. died at Ft. I'ierre. Dakota Territory, August :!. isc,:}; John Pendergast. 33. died June 17. 1S63: Jlitchell Roubidou.x. 21. deserted September 0. 1SG3; Lewis J. Itoberts. :!2 : John R. Rile.v. .3."i : James R. Riley, .34; Heiiry C. Robertson, IS; David, Robinson. 22; James P. Sinipkins. 21; George W. Seaman. IS; Edgar Sprague, 28; Peter Stephens. 22; Abraham St. Pierre. 23; John Shuler. 20; AVilliani J. Sparks. 24; George Sweetwood, IS; .Tames P. Taylor. IS; Charles A-elvick, 30; .Tohn E. Van Order, 22. killed in battle at White Stone Hill. Dakota Territory. September S. ]S(>2; Lemuel A. Wheeler. 2S: James Wingate. 27: Gilbert Whitemore. 25; Daniel AVhite. 2(1; Jlitchell Wade. 2.-.. deserted July 1. 1*^63.

Levi Kinsey, age 24, residence, Kichardsou county, native of Indiana and mustered iu July 3, 1862; died in liosiiital at Evansville, Indiana, March 18, 1862..

Jacob W. Kinsey, age 23, residence, Ricbardson county, native of Indiana, enlisted and musteretl in July 3, 1862; re-enlisted November 10, 1863.

Frederick W. Lolmas, age 21, residence, Richardson county, native of New York. enlisted aud mustered iu July 3, 1861; re-eulisted November 10, 1863; wouuded in .iction May 12, 1665; mustered in Ainil 30, 18C4; promoted corporal for gallant conduct; received medal of honor from Congress.

William L. Taylor, age 27, residence, Richardson county, native of Tennessee, enlisted November 10, 1863, mustered in November 3, 1863; died of diseiise at Batesville, Arkansas, March 24, 1864.

Corporal Francis D. Loucas, age 21, residence, Richardson county, native of New York; enlisted and mustered July 3, 1861; mustered August 1, 1865.

Corporal Aaron M. Adamson, age 24, residence, Richardson county, uati\e of Iowa : enlisted and mustered July 3. ISfil ; promoted to sergeant. June 12. 1862.

James R. Fletcher, age 20, residence. Falls City; native of Missouri; enlisted and mustered April 28, 1864 - June 7, 1804; transferred from Coniiinny C First Rattalion. Veteran Volunteer Nebraska Cavalry, June 10, 1805.

Richardson Coltnty Men B.Xttle Missouri Bandits

-Vugust J. Falksken, at one time count}' clerk of this county and later an inmate of the National Military Soldier's Home at Leavenworth, Kansas, was the author of the following interesting letter which appeared in a number of the Pioneer Record, published at \'erdon in August, 1894:

Frederick William Falskeu was born iu Prussia, June 2. 1S41. He immigrate<l with the family to the United States in 1852. Arrived at Buffalo, N. Y., August 29, 1852, and stayed there until the family moved to Nebraska in April, 1859. They settled on a farm iu Richardson county and Frederick William worked for his parents until the war broke out, when he enlisted together with myself, on the 13th day of March, 1862, in Itockport, Mo., where was raised a company of volunteers in the Jlissouri service. We marched to St. Joseph, Mo., where the regiment was organized. We came iu as Company C, 5th Regiment Cavalry, Missouri State Militia. We were obliged to furnish our own horses, and received $25.00 per month. We were stationed some time in Clay county (Mo.), then iu Lafayette county at Li>xington. We reached the latter place after Mulligan surrendered to Price. We pursued Price and had many skirnnshes. After we had driven him out of the state we were stationed for a while at Independence, Jacksou county. Mis souri, and also at Kansas City, .Mo. The main object of our movements w;is to capture

Qiiaiitrell, the busliwh;icker colonel. 'I'lie Youuger ami James brothers were the leading officers in this outlaw's comniaiKJ. We had numerous sltirmishes and fights with these guerrillas at Lone Jacls, Harrisouville, and Liberty, as history shows. As our company of about eighty were on the scouting party for several days we were attacked by the enemy with Jesse James and Cole Younger in command, with, it was reported, 250 men. For the first time we were compelled to retreat and F. W. Falsken was killed near Blue Springs, Jack.son county. Mo., about twelve miles from camp. The battle was called "the Blue Cut Fight" and was early in the spring of 1S63. I think on March 17th. When reinforcements arrived we gathere<l our dead together. Others from Richardson county, killed in that fight, were Milton Ewing, and a man by the name of Vandeventer. We lost in all thirteen of that scout. They were all put in good coffins and buried at Inde- ]iendence, Missouri.

Bodies Brought Home For Burial

In 1863, M. H. Van Deventer, of Stella, this county, brought from Independence, Missouri, where Pennick's regiment was ciuartered, the bodies of three boys who were killed by the g'uerrillas; Jonas Van Deventer, Gus Randall and Deb Ewing. The dreary journey homeward of five days was made by steamboat up the Missouri river, there being at that time no other means of transportation. The landing was made at Aspinwall, in Nemaha county, where the sorrowing friends met and cared for their dead, whose lives were lost in the "Blue Cut Fight."

The Spanish-American War

In February, 1917, E. W. Simpson, H. A. Pence, VA D. I-'isher. Dr. O. F. Lang, Jacob Reed, O. O. Marsh, William Uhlig ^nd C. A. Ikaver met at the city council rooms in Falls City for the purpose of organizing the Falls Citv Rifle Club. Dr. O. F. Lang was elected president; Jacob Reed, vice-president ; C. A. Beaver, secretary, and William L^lilig, treasurer. The organization grew to seventy-five members and a great deal of practice shooting was done on the indoor range provided in the basement of tlie Simpson undertaking parlors.

Shortly after the rifle club was organized there was some talk of trying to get a company oi the Nebraska National Guard located at l-'alls City, because of tlie adxantages for obtaining ammunition. Mr. Beaver made inquiries of .\djutant P. L. Hall, at Lincoln, in March and was informed that there were no vacancies in eitlier the Fourth or the Fifth Regiments.

When there was some talk of t)rganizing the Sixth Nebraska Regiment after war had been declared against Germany in April. 1Q17, Mr. Beaver again made intpiiries of Adjutant Hall as to the feasibilitv of organizing a company in Richardson county and was informed that such an undertaking would receive every encouragement from the adjutant's office. Some bills were printed advertising a meeting to be held at the county court house for a Saturday in June, and inviting all to attend who were interested. .Vt this meeting some six or eight young men signified their willingness to join such a company, but eighty were needed and the then prospects of securing that number looked more than discouraging. Adjutant-General Hall suggested sending a regular recruiting officer to Falls Cit\- and the offer was gladly accepted. First Lieut. Jean Cobbey of the Fifth Nebraska Infantry was sent to Falls City on the following Monda\ and from that date a real recruiting campaign was started.

The company was organized with C. A. Beaver as captain; Jean D. Cain, first lieutenant, and Ed. D. Fisher, as second lieutenant. Seventyfive recruits were secured by Saturday night and the organization of the company was tlnis assured, the same bemg designated Company E. James Jacquet. Oliver, Cole, Harry Mosiman, Ed. D. Fisher and C. A. Beaver, assisted by Lieutenant Cobbey, made the active campaign for the company during the first week. Recruiting continued slowly for a month, so that when the company was ordered to mobilize, August 3, 1917, there were one hundred and five members. These men were given the federal examination, vaccinated, inoculated against typhoid fever, and mustered into the federal service to date August 5, 1917. Jacob Miller, Arthur D. Chesley, Guy S. Lewis and William McDonald were rejected for physical disability and Ed. D. I-'isher, who was to have been second lieutenant, was rejected by the war department because of being ever the age limit prescribed for second lieutenants, so that with these rejections the company membership was reduced to one hundred and one enlisted men and two officers. Robert B. Waring, of Geneva, Nebraska, attending the training school camp at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota, was appointed as second lieutenant, but never reported because of a ruling that no training-camp officers should be assigned with the National Guard.

The company camped at the city park and used the cit\- auditorium as quarters for a week, then moved into tents furnished by various citizens for another week, during which time the chautauqua was held in the auditorium. After the chautauqua was over the soldiers moved back into the auditorium for the remainder of their stay. After mobilization, recruiting was more brisk and when the company had been in camp a month the numljer had grown to one hundred and forty-six.

to one thousand one- hundred doHars. The people of Humboldt and vicinity came down in autos and took the company to Humljoldt for a chicken dinner. They had also invited Company D, of the Fifth Regiment, down from .Auburn (Nemaha county), to help entertain the boys. Dinner was served in the city park or public square. While there both companies put on an exhibition drill. One week later the citizens of Shubert likewise entertained the members of the company to a chicken dinner. The Humboldt band was there to help with the entertainment. It rained slightly, sn that the dinner was served in a hall secured liy the ladies. The companv put on an exhibition drill at this place.

The membershii) of the local lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Falls City, entertained the company at a banquet given at the Christian church at a later date. Before their departure the company was also entertained by the ladies of Falls City and vicinity and also by the members of the Falls City post of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Woman's Relief Corps.

Local Pride Taken In Company E.

Those engaged in the work were given the use of the court room at the court house, wliere they received recruits who came from every precinct of the county. It was a busy time of year, as the farming season was on and every man desiring employment found his time engaged, as did those of the towns.

Richardson county takes especial pride in the fact that the membership of Company E is made up of the finest young men of the county. The}- came from all walks of life, many of them leaving the plow; while others were engaged in farming on their own account and were sure, in a financial wa\-, to be losers. The same may- be said of others who gave up well-established business enterprises and good paying positions to answer their country's call to the. colors.

Prof. C. A. Beaver who had been employed in the city schools at Falls City for a number of years as an instructor, was honored with a commission from Gov. Keith Neville, as captain of the company, and Jean B. Cain, who had lately lieen the recipient of an appointment as acting count} judge of the county and who, until that time, had been enjoying a very lucrative law practice, and was, besides, a married man with a wife and one child, hastened to put aside all other calls and joined the company in the verv earlv davs of its oreanization. He was honorei' also with a com- mission from the governor as first lieutenant. Mr. Ed. D. Fisher, to whose initiative the company owes much for its organization, was given the place of second lieutenant, and it is with regret that it becomes necessary to here record the fact that upon the final muster , of the company into federal ser\-ice he was found to be barred by age from holding his place so richly deserved. He was forty-two years of age; forty Ijeing the limit, hence he was barred. It is said that this disability might have been overcome had the matter been taken up at the proper time. However, undaunted, Mr. Fisher is at the present time busily engaged in the organization of another company which will become a part of the Seventh Nebraska Regiment, for which a number of companies have already been enlisted.

Roster Of Company E.

Immediately after the company had been mustered into service the men were mobilized at Falls City and given quarters at the city park, where thev occupied the city auditorium, a frame structure of large size used for public gatherings and admirably suited for the present purpose. The names of the members of Company E, Sixth Regiment. Nebraska National Guard, follow :

Following is a list of the Richardson county men, wIili are serving as members of Company D. Fifth Infantry Regiment, Nebraska National Guard, recruited at Auburn, in Nemaha county, for service in the World War : Sergeant, William P, Schneider ; corporal, William E. Knobe ; cook, ("ecil R. Zeigler; privates. Worthie H, Blakeney, Merle K. Goble. Rollin L. Spence, Harlan G. Burger, Homer C. Cline, William J, B. Cook, Ottis Elam. John T. Foster, Arthur A. Gebhard, Charles E, Hanson, Clarence R, Hart. Fred .\. Hofer. Clarence I. Houtz, Bryan R. Jones, Albert :\lcllvain. Merl W. Mettz. Fred W. Norton. Harry E. O'Hern, Clarence S. Peck, Charles A. Ross, Fred Sample, Hugh E. Sconce, ^'incent T, Sheehan, Lee J, ^^ance and Henry J. Werner.