USA > Indiana > A history of the National Guard of Indiana, from the beginning of the militia system in 1787 to the present time, including the services of Indiana troops in the war with Spain > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
.
PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE & ALLEN CO., IND.
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02495 2969
Gc 977.2 H629
A HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA, . .
GOVERNOR WINFIELD T. DURBIN AS COLONEL OF THE 161ST IND. VOL. INF.
A HISTORY
OF THE
NATIONAL GUARD
OF
INDIANA
From the beginning of the Militia System in 1787 to the present time, including the services of Indiana Troops in the
WAR WITH SPAIN
INDIANAPOLIS, W. D. PRATT, PRINTER AND BINDER
1901
Contents
CHAPTER I. IN EARLY DAYS.
CHAPTER II. INDIAN ATTACKS AND THE WAR OF 1812.
CHAPTER III. SIXTY YEARS OF MILITIA AND LEGION.
CHAPTER IV. ENCAMPMENTS AND ACTIVE SERVICE.
CHAPTER V. STAFF ORGANIZATION AND SIGNAL WORK.
CHAPTER VI. THE FIRST REGIMENT, INFANTRY.
CHAPTER VII. THE SECOND REGIMENT, INFANTRY.
CHAPTER VIII. THE THIRD REGIMENT, INFANTRY.
CHAPTER IX. THE FIRST ARTILLERY.
CHAPTER X. RETIRED REGIMENTS, COMPANIES AND OFFICERS.
CHAPTER XI. THE WAR WITH SPAIN.
Publisher's Note
The compilation of a history of the National Guard of In- diana led to far greater depths than was anticipated. The National Guard of to-day is so directly the outgrowth of the militia system which began with the Northwest Territory, that its history would not have been complete unless written from that time. This was a difficult task, as official papers relating to the early days of Indiana are few. Many were lost during the moving of the State government from one capital to another, and from one State House to another. A wagon load of these valuable old documents was sold as waste paper by a janitor who did not realize their value. The record of early days is necessarily incomplete. In all cases the names are spelled as they appear on the official records.
The History is issued by the publisher with the hope that it may cause the Guardsman to have a greater pride in his organization, and the people to have greater pride in the Guard.
The publisher is under obligations to all the officers and men who have co-operated to make the work a success; but particular acknowledgment is made of the assistance given by Major John E. Miller, Colonel Charles E. Wilson, Colonel James B. Curtis. Colonel William E. English, Captain William F. Ranke and Captain William H. Drapier, Jr.
The compilation and publication of this book has only been made possible by the aid given by friends of the Guard throughout the State, and those to whom the thanks of the members are extended are:
ANDERSON. 149051
George F. McCulloch.
Wright Shovel Co.
FT. WAYNE. .
W. H. Olds. S. D. Fleming. R. S. Taylor.
Alexander Johnson. Charles S. Bash. S. M. Foster.
4
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
INDIANAPOLIS.
William E. English.
C. C. Perry.
M. A. Morris.
The McElwaine-Richards Co.
Indianapolis Street Railway Co.
A. A. McKain.
Thomas Taggart.
H. H, Hanna.
Kothe, Wells & Bauer.
Vonnegut Hardware Co.
Horace Wood.
MARION.
Mrs. Alice Wilson Mccullough.
Oliver H. Keller.
Marion Fruit Jar and Bottle Co.
Ball Brothers.
MICHIGAN CITY.
John H. Barker, President of the Haskell-Barker Car Co.
TERRE HAUTE.
W. R. McKeen.
L. B. Root & Co.
A. Herz.
Crawford Fairbanks.
Hulman & Co.
Prox & Brinkman Mfg. Co.
A. J. Crawford.
VINCENNES.
E. Bierhaus & Son. G. Reiter.
W. F. Carmisch.
WABASH.
Wabash Paper Co.
WARSAW.
Beyer Bros.
-
Severin & Co. George Merritt. Hibben, Hollweg & Co.
William Garstang.
O. S. Runnels.
B. F. Schmid.
Terre Haute Shovel and Tool Co. Filbeck Hotel Co.
CHAPTER I.
IN EARLY DAYS.
When Indiana was a part of the Northwest Territory, the art of war was considered as of equal importance with the arts of peace. This was of necessity; nor was it contrary to the natural tendencies of the early settlers. Many of them had lost all their possessions while serving in the War of Revolution and had come to the great west to rebuild their shattered fortunes. Their service in the American army had left its imprint upon them and it was a new and joyful sen- sation to follow a military life for a few days at a time as a recreation and not as a necessity. The necessity for it, however, was constantly present, for a harassing and exas- perating warfare was waged with the Indians for many years. Many of the settlers came from the south, where the love for things military is inborn, and others had come from the countries of Europe in which the army was regarded as of prime importance and held in great veneration. These causes combined to produce an acquiescence in required military service and aroused an enthusiasm for military life which later bore fruit in one of the most perfect militia systems in the country.
The United States Army, at the beginning of the govern- ment of the Northwest Territory, consisted of ten companies of infantry, forming one regiment, commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel Harmer. The posts garrisoned by the "Regular Army" were: Pittsburg; Ft. McIntosh, which was near where Marietta, Ohio, now stands; Ft. Steuben, near the Falls of the Ohio; and Vincennes. The regiment was 560 strong, and the Lieutenant-Colonel commanding received $50 a month salary, with a few allowances. Each of his Majors received $45 a month, each of the Captains $35 a month, each of the Lieutenants $26 a month, and each of the Ensigns $20 a month. Ft. Harmer was under command of Major Denny and the post at Vincennes was commanded by Major Hamtramck.
The first appearance of the military after the arrival of the officers of the Northwest Territory was on July 4, 1788, and before the arrival of Governor St. Clair. The nation's birthday was celebrated at Marietta by a parade of the sol-
6
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
diers and citizens, and Judge Varnum delivered an oration. Following the oration was a barbecue which lasted far into the night. The population of Marietta then consisted of 132 men, besides the women and children, and the militia of the territory, so far as could be ascertained, numbered but 244.
Congress had delegated to the Governor and the Judges `of the territory the power to publish such laws as existed in the states at that time, which might be deemed necessary for the government of the new territory. Under this authority Governor Arthur St. Clair and Judges S. H. Parsons and J. M. Varnum published the first law at Marietta on July 25, 1788. It related to the subject of prime importance and pro- vided for the organization of the militia.
This law required all males between 16 and 50 years of age to serve in the militia, which was divided into senior and junior classes. The senior class consisted of those who had borne civil or military commissions in the United States service, or graduates of colleges or universities. Each man was required to provide himself with a "musket and bayonet, or rifle, cartridge box and pouch, or powder horn and bullet pouch, with forty rounds of cartridges, or one pound of powder and four pounds of lead, priming wire and brush, and six flints."
A company consisted of 64 men, rank and file; eight com- panies constituted a battalion, and two battalions a regiment. The commissioned and noncommissioned officers of each com- pany were one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, four "ser- jeants," four corporals, one drummer and one fifer. To each battalion was given one lieutenant-colonel commanding, one major and one adjutant. Each regiment was commanded by a colonel.
The law stated that "assembling at fixed periods is con- ducive to health, civilization and morality," and hence it was required that each captain should parade his company at ten o'clock on the morning of the first day of each week "at some place convenient to or near the place appointed or to be ap- pointed for public worship." Those who failed to be present at these parades were fined 25 and 50 cents. This law stood until July 2, 1791, when it was so amended as to designate Saturday for parade day instead of Sunday, and each captain was charged to "diligently exercise his company for the space of two hours." Each one was also required to go to church fully armed.
The militia of the territory at this time was not effective and as an organization does not seem to have been called
7
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
upon. The only record of its appearance is when the courts of common pleas were formally opened by Governor St. Clair on September 2 following his arrival. This was a great cere- mony. The regulars and militia formed the escort to the officials. Immediately in front of the Governor, the two Judges and the Secretary, marched Colonel Ebenezer Sproat, sheriff, who was six feet and four inches tall and who carried in one hand a drawn sword and in the other the wand of his office. The procession solemnly marched to a blockhouse where the court was declared duly installed and for- mally opened. There was nothing on the docket and as no case was to be tried the court adjourned in equal state.
The Indians gave great trouble to the settlers, and the settlers gave great trouble to the Indians. Frequent aimless and ineffectual dashes were made against them by the regu- lars and some of the territory militia, but these served only to exasperate and harass both parties to it. Campaigns were made against the Wabash and Illinois Indians. For the two campaigns of General Harmer and Major Hamtramck, and of Governor St. Clair himself, against the Miamis, levies of 1,500 men were made from the militias of Pennsylvania and of Vir- ginia. The disastrous and dismal defeats of these expedi- tions were followed by Congress promptly increasing the reg- ular army to 5,000 men and appointing "Mad Anthony" Wayne to the command. Just previous to Governor St. Clair's cam- paign, Congress added another regiment to the regular army and Major Hamtramck was given the command of it with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. For Wayne's campaign, Pennsyl- vania and Virginia were called on to furnish 2,500 men from the militia, and it was with these men that the militia of the territory served. The vigorous campaign by Wayne and the treaty of 1795 gave some relief to the settlers.
When the Northwest Territory passed to the second grade of territorial government in 1799, the militia was given prompt attention. In his address to the First General As- sembly of the Northwest Territory at Cincinnati, Governor St. Clair stated that the militia law as enacted by the Gover- nor and Judges was of doubtful obligation, and he urged that it be re-enacted by the General Assembly. This was done on October 28, 1799, but on the December 13 following a com- plete re-organization of the militia was made which went into effect on March 1. 1800.
The organization as provided for in that law is strikingly similar to that of the present day. Those who were between 18 and 45 years old, except Judges of the Supreme Court, the
8
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
Attorney-General, the Clerk of the Supreme Court, ministers of the gospel who were licensed to preach, jail keepers and all others exempted by the United States laws, were subject to militia duty. Sixty-four privates, or, in case of necessity, from forty to eighty, rank and file, constituted a company. The equipment which each man was required to provide for himself consisted of "a good musket, a sufficient bayonet and belt, or fusee, two spare flints, a knapsack and a pouch with a box therein to contain not less than twenty-four cartridges suited to the bore of his musket or fusee, each cartridge to contain a proper quantity of powder and ball; or a good rifle, knapsack, pouch and powder horn, with twenty balls suited to the bore of his rifle, and a quarter of a pound of powder." The commissioned officers were severally armed with "a sword or hanger and esponton."
A regiment consisted of two battalions of four companies each, while from two to four regiments constituted a brigade, and two brigades a division. To the commanding officer of each regiment was given the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and the commissioned and non-commissioned staffs consisted of an adjutant, clerk, quartermaster, paymaster, surgeon, sur- geon's mate, sergeant-major, quartermaster-sergeant, drum- major and fife-major. Each battalion was commanded by a major, and no changes were made in the company officers as previously prescribed. A brigadier-general was provided for each brigade, and to him was given a brigade inspector with the rank of major. Each major-general, commanding a divi- sion, was allowed two aides-de-camp, who had the rank of major.
This law also provided for the first uniformed bodies of troops. One battery of artillery and one troop of horse was assigned to each brigade, the members of which were to be uniformed at their own expense as the brigade commander might prescribe. Each regiment was also required to include one company of young men between 18 and 28 years old who should be known as grenadiers, light infantrymen or riflemen, as might be selected by the brigade commander. The mem- bers of these companies were required to meet frequently for drill and to wear such uniform as might be prescribed by the regimental officers. Each member was required to pay for his own uniform, and when a member of the company reached the age of 28 years he was to be transferred to one of the companies not uniformed. It was believed such organi- zations would raise the esprit de corps among the men and
9
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
would give the government the advantage of an unusually well drilled body of men as well.
The officers prescribed for each battery were a captain and two lieutenants. The other members were to be four sergeants, four corporals, six gunners, six bombardiers, one drummer, one fifer and from twenty to thirty matrosses. The non-commisisoned officers were armed with swords or hangers, and each private or matross, with a "fusee, bay- onet and belt and cartridge box to hold twelve cartridges."
Each troop of horse consisted of from thirty to sixty pri- vates and was commanded by a captain. The other officers were two lieutenants, a cornet, four sergeants, four corporals, a saddler, farrier and trumpeter. The commissioned officers were armed with a sword and pair of pistols, while each dragoon was required to provide a horse, saddle and holsters, bridle, mail pillion, "vallise," a breastplate and crupper, pair of boots and spurs, a sabre, a pistol or pair of pistols, cart- ridge box and twelve cartridges for his pistols.
The Governor was designated as commander in chief, and he was authorized to appoint an Adjutant-General. The commissioned and non-commissioned officers were required to meet six days in each year and to devote five hours daily to instruction in military affairs. The precedent for the modern camp of instruction in Indiana is over a century old. Com- pany muster was required every two months except during December, January, February and March of each year, while battalion muster was fixed for each April, and October was named for regimental muster. The counties were divided into regimental, brigade and division districts in the follow- ing May.
The General Assembly seems to have devoted the greater part of its time to laws relating to the militia and to provide for the encouragement of the killing of wolves, and under the pressing necessities of these two branches to have overlooked the fact that in the passage of the new militia law all former laws relating to the militia were repealed. After the General Assembly adjourned it was found there were no officers to carry out the provisions of the new law and no authority to appoint any. Attention was called to this state of affairs at the meeting of the General Assembly held at Chillicothe on December 8, 1800, and the Governor was authorized to appoint the general officers after duly inquiring in each local- ity as to the fitness of the man under consideration.
The history of the militia of Indiana Territory is difficult to trace. The territory was carved out of the Northwest
10
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
Territory by an act of Congress which was approved May 7, 1800. At that time it embraced within its limits most of the territory now included within the State of Indiana, all of Illinois and Wisconsin, the western half of Michigan, and a part of Minnesota. There were, at that time, but three coun- ties in the territory, and they had been formed before Indiana Territory was set off. St. Clair County was formed in 1790 and included all of what is now Illinois, south of the Illinois River and west of a line drawn from Fort Massac to the mouth of Mackinaw Creek. Knox County was formed the same year and embraced nearly all of the present Indiana and Michigan. Randolph County was formed in 1795 out of the southern part of St. Clair County.
Wayne County was not a part of Indiana when the terri- tory was first set apart. It was established in 1796, and was cut off, to a great extent, from Knox County. It included about one-third of the present State of Ohio, one-eighth of Indiana, the northeast corner of Illinois, including the pres- ent site of Chicago, the eastern part of Wisconsin, and all of Michigan. Detroit was the county seat, but almost all the white population was left in the Northwest Territory when Indiana Territory was set apart, and it so remained until Ohio was formed on April 30. 1802, when the greater part of it was put into Indiana Territory. The boundaries of Wayne County, after it had become a part of Indiana, were fixed January 24, 1803, and they so remained until 1805, when it became a part of Michigan Territory.
Thus, by the division of Indiana when Michigan was formed, June 30, 1805, and later when Illinois was formed, March 1, 1809, the history of the militia of Indiana is inter- woven with that of the neighboring states.
The form of the government and the organization of Indi- ana Territory was the same as had been provided for the Northwest Territory. In 1798 it was estimated there were 5,000 white males in the territory and at once steps were taken to organize the first grade of territorial government. This was done successfully, and on July 4, 1800, the govern- ment was formally begun at Saint Vincennes.
At that time Saint Vincennes was the seat of government for Knox County, Kaskaskias for Randolph County, and Ka- hokia for St. Clair County. The total population of the terri- tory, including slaves, was 5,641, and of this number 2,517 were in what is now Indiana. By 1810, the white population in what is now Indiana alone had increased to 24,520.
11
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
The officers who instituted the first government were John Gibson, a native of Pennsylvania, who was secretary, and Will- iam Clarke, Henry Vanderburgh, and John Griffin, who were the first Judges. William Henry Harrison, the Governor, did not arrive until January 10, 1801. The same laws that had been provided for the Northwest Territory were accepted as the laws for Indiana Territory, and it was under the militia laws of the Northwest Territory that the militia of Indiana Territory was organized.
The Executive Council, composed of the officers appointed, did not wait for the arrival of Governor Harrison, to issue commissions in the militia. The total number in the territory at that time subject to militia duty was 1,111, but from that small beginning the militia was developed. The officers were men of importance and standing in their communities and a commission was coveted. It was regarded as a signal honor and was held to be the surest channel through which civil positions could be secured.
Under the first plan of organization, battalions and regi- ments were organized according to counties, and the regi- ments were so designated. Randolph County was the first to organize, so far as existing records show, and commissions were issued to the officers before the arrival of Governor Harrison. On August 1, 1800, the Executive Council, then in session at Vincennes, commissioned John Edgar as lieuten- ant-colonel and Antoine Pierre Menard as major for Ran- dolph County. Colonel Edgar was a native of Ireland and had borne a commission in the British navy, but this he re- signed in order to ally himself with the Americans in their struggle for independence. He was also probate judge, county treasurer, justice of the court of quarter sessions of the peace and justice of the court of common pleas for Ran- dolph County. Major Menard was a brother jurist in both courts and afterwards became lieutenant-governor of Illinois. A handsome monument now stands to his memory in Spring- field, Illinois, and the statue which surmounts it was made by an Indianapolis sculptor, John H. Mahoney.
Those in the county who were of militia age numbered 252, and four companies were organized. The officers, nearly all of whom had served in the war of 1776, were:
First Company-Captain Jean Baptust Barbant, Lieutenant Jacques Barblitt and Ensign Andrie Barbant.
Second Company-Captain Nathaniel Hull, Lieutenant John Morney and Ensign Ralph Drury.
Third Company-Captain James Edgar and Ensign William Dunn.
12
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
This was the extent of military activity until after the arrival of Governor Harrison. About a month after his ar- rival and on February 3, 1801, he divided Knox County and formed Clark County, which included what is now southeast- ern Indiana. The seat of government was established at Springville. Three days later he turned his attention to mili- tary affairs, and the first appointments made by him were those who were to serve on his staff. This consisted of his adjutant-general and three aides-de-camp who were given the rank of major. John Small, of Knox County, was appointed adjutant-general, and to him was given the rank of lieuten- ant-"collonel." The duties of the office do not seem to have been very burdensome, as Colonel Small later became sur- veyor of Knox County and was frequently sent out on gov- ernment work. The first aide-de-camp appointed was Henry Hurst, a native of Virginia, who was clerk of the general courts of the territory and later became clerk of the first federal court held in Indiana. William Mackintosh was the second, and three days later he was appointed territorial treasurer. Nicholas Jarrol, of St. Clair County, was the third. He was one of the judges of the court of common pleas for St. Clair County. To each was given the rank of "Major in the Territorial Militia."
The organization of new battalions was not actively taken up until 1802, when commissions were issued to the officers of the "Second Battalion of the First Regiment of Knox County." The maximum militia strength of the county in 1800 was 535, but only four companies were organized during the year. Luke Decker, at that time one of the judges of the court of common pleas, was appointed major of the Second Battalion of the First Regiment, on July 20, and his captains were Christopher Wyant, Ephraim Jordan and Parmenus Beckes. Captain Jordan was a judge of the court of common pleas and Captain Beckes later became sheriff of the county and was killed in a duel. The lieutenants were Abraham Fry Snapp, Isaac White, Noah Purcell, Daniel Pea and Benjamin Johnson. The only ensign commissioned was Andrew Pur- cell. Captain Wyant served only until August 12, when he resigned and Lieutenant Snapp was promoted. Another com- pany was accepted on September 24, of which the officers were Captain Philipp Catt, Lieutenant Daniel Sullivan and Ensign Joseph Decker. It is probable that one organization was a troop of horse, of which Lieutenants White and Johnson were officers, but there is no specific record of such a fact.
13
NATIONAL GUARD OF INDIANA.
The activity of Knox County seems to have spurred Ran- dolph County to action, as the militia of that county was reorganized on August 19 and the officers of six companies were commissioned. John Edgar was reappointed lieutenant- "collonel" and Antoine Piere Menard, major. The officers of the reorganized companies were:
First Company-Captain Nathaniel Hull, Lieutenant Ralph Drury and Ensign John Marney.
Second Company-Captain Jean Bapties Barbeaux, Lieutenant Jacques Boutillet and Ensign Andrie Barbeaux.
Third Company-Captain James Dunn and Lieutenant Antoine La Chappalle.
Fourth Company-Captain James Edgar and Lieutenant William Dunn.
Fifth Company-Captain Ephraim Bilderback, Lieutenant LeRoy Elleal and Ensign James Hughes.
Sixth Company-Captain Leven Cropper, Lieutenant Thomas Lev- ans and Ensign Parker Grosvenor.
St. Clair County was organized on the same day with seven, and possibly eight, companies. The militia strength of the county in 1800 was 324. John Dumolin was appointed lieutenant-colonel and George Atchison major. Both of them were judges of the courts for the county. The company offi- cers were:
First Company-Captain Baptiest Lancier, Lieutenant Michael Ben- lieux and Ensign Jean Benlieux.
Second Company-Captain Sanson Trotic, Lieutenant Joseph Trotice and Ensign Ellene Pensano.
Third Company-Captain Michael Longvel, Lieutenant Jean Bpt. Chartrain and Ensign Jacques Mayot.
Fourth Company-Captain William Whitesides, Lieutenant John Moore and Ensign William Scott.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.