USA > Indiana > White County > A standard history of White County Indiana : an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. I > Part 24
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Joseph D. Cowdin and John M. Berkey, who were Mr. Sills' most active assistants, were elected first and second lieutenants, respectively, when the company formally organized at Logansport.
Company G finally departed from Monticello on the 21st of Novem- ber, the event being celebrated by a dinner given by the ladies of the town at the house of J. C. Reynolds and ceremonies at the courthouse, which included speeches by Colonel Fitch of the Forty-sixth, Judge Tur- pie and others, a sword presentation to Captain Sill and a flag presenta- tion to the company. On the 11th of December the company, fully organized and equipped, was sworn into the service of the United States with other units of the regiment.
A few men from White County also entered Companies A, C, H and I of the Forty-sixth.
REPRESENTATIONS IN THE SIXTY-THIRD REGIMENT
The Sixty-third Regiment had a large representation from White County. During the early months of 1862, Capt. M. F. Johnson, Lieut. Joseph W. Davis and others enlisted about two-thirds of a company which afterward became D, of the Sixty-third. In August Capt. John Hollaway of Norway, Lieut. George W. Jewett of Reynolds, Lieut. Aden Nordyke of Seafield, and others, enlisted a full company, G, of that regi- ment. From January to August of 1862 more than 200 men left the county, about 150 joining the Sixty-third. Company G was organized with John Holloway as captain.
Company D formed part of a battalion which participated in Second Bull Run, but G, which was one of six companies raised under the call
182
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
of July, 1862, remained at Indianapolis until December, engaged in guard duty, and until April, 1864, was chiefly employed in guarding the Ken- tucky and Tennessee railroads. At that time as part of the Twenty-third Army Corps it became a part of Sherman's army, then about to enter the Atlanta campaign. The Sixty-third gave a good account of itself at Resaca, Lost Mountain and the engagements around Atlanta, the Battle of Franklin and the pursuit of Hood. The portion of the regiment com- prising Company G was mustered out in June, 1865; that containing Company D, in the month previous. As a regiment it had a public recep- tion in the capitol grounds, Indianapolis, before its final discharge from the service.
CAPT. GEORGE BOWMAN'S COMPANY
The enlistments in White County during the summer and fall of 1862 were especially active. Even by June of that year more than one-fourth of the voting population of the county was in the field. Two full com- panies were raised under the presidential call of July. George Bow- man's company (D, of the Twelfth Regiment) was the first to get in marching order-the fifth full organization to enter the service from White County for three years or during the war.
During July war meetings were held throughout the county as an impetus to enlistment. An especially enthusiastic meeting was held at Idaville, on the 26th of July, upon which occasion Belford, Callahan and Wallace, loyal democrats all, vigorously delivered patriotic addresses, and urged all men, without regard to party, to stand by the Union. A rous- ing meeting was also held at Monticello.
On the same day of the meeting at Idaville, two meetings were held in Liberty Township, where eight volunteers joined Captain Bowman's company. Early in August the company received marching orders. On the 5th of August the boys were given a picnic dinner at Norway, on which occasion C. J. L. Foster and others spoke to the large crowd that had assembled to bid the boys good-bye. Essays were read by Miss Arnold and others; and patriotic toasts were responded to amid the enthusiastic cheers of the populace and the shrill rattle of fife and drum.
The following officers had been chosen on the 1st of August: George Bowman, captain; J. A. Blackwell, first lieutenant; Benjamin F. Price, second lieutenant. On the same day a large meeting was held, Rev. J. W. T. McMullen delivering the oration. One hundred dollars was raised in a few minutes for the families of the boys who were on the eve of departure for the uncertainties of the field of war. On the 5th, at the conclusion of the picnic at Norway, the company started for Indianapolis, followed by the sorrowing farewells of friends. In less than two weeks the company, with its regiment, the Twelfth, marched out in battle array on the field of Richmond, Kentucky, fought gallantly, was captured, paroled and scattered. Several of its boys were killed, among them Ben- jamin McCormick and Samuel McIntire, and Joseph H. Rooks died of his wounds. Col. William H. Link, who commanded the regiment, also
183
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
died of his wounds. Captain Bowman received a slight wound. After the exchange of prisoners the regiment joined General Grant's army and participated in the Vicksburg campaign. It was with Sherman from Memphis to Chattanooga and at Mission Ridge, in November, 1863, again suffered serious losses. At that engagement Captain Bowman was so badly wounded that he was sent home and was never able afterward to join the service. It afterward engaged in the pursuit of Bragg, the relief of Burnside at Knoxville, all the engagements of the Atlanta campaign and the movements through the Carolinas northward. The company and regiment were mustered out at Washington, D. C., on the 8th of June, 1865.
COMPANY F, NINETY-NINTH REGIMENT
By August, 1862, a full company had been raised at Brookston and vicinity, which was incorporated into the Ninety-ninth Regiment, with George W. Gwinn as captain, Andrew Cochran, first lieutenant, and G. S. Walker, second lieutenant. About the same time Capt. Sidney W. Sea and others enlisted one-half of Company K, Nineteenth Regiment (Fifth Cavalry), the recruits coming mostly from the western part of the county.
Captain Gwin's Company F, of the Ninety-ninth Regiment, was ordered to South Bend and was mustered into the service in October, 1862. It did not get into action until the following May, during the Vicksburg campaign. At Jackson, Mission Ridge, Chattanooga, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Savannah and Fort McAllister, it became thoroughly fireproof during two years of battling and cam- paigning.
THE THREATENED DRAFT OF 1862
After the departure of Captain Bowman's company, it was found that the county was not wholly free from the approaching draft of Septem- ber 15th, and measures were immediately instituted to fill the required quota. Lieut. J. W. Berkey opened a recruiting office, as did also others. One of the largest war meetings held during the rebellion, assembled at the courthouse on the 11th of August to raise volunteers. It was adver- tised that Colfax and Colonel Hathaway would be present, and this brought out a vast crowd; but these distinguished men were unable to attend, and home talent was called upon. The following statement of county affairs was made out about the 1st of September :
Volun-
Townships
Militia
teers
Exempts
Con- sciell- tious
Volun- teers in Service
Number Subject to Draft
Prairie
275
137
42
. .
136
233
Big Creek
106
41
22
. .
39
84
Union
216
139
49
10
128
157
Monon
127
64
25
. .
55
102
Liberty
120
52
20
. .
44
100
184
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
Volun-
Townships
Militia
teers
Exempts
Con- Volun- scien- teers in Service
Number Subject to Draft
Jackson
175
85
41
5
81
120
Princeton
95
95
18
2
91
75
West Point
60
42
10
.
36
50
Honey Creek
74
55
17
. .
52
57
Cass
65
27
13
3
24
46
Round Grove
27
15
1
. .
14
26
Total
1,337
751
258
20
700
1,059
It was to be nearly two years after Captain Gwin's command went to the front before another complete company was to go forth from White County pledged to stand by the colors for three years or longer-if the war should endure so long. The recruits in the meantime went into such commands as the Ninth, Twentieth, Forty-sixth, Seventy-second, Seventy- third and the Eighty-sixth and Eighty-seventh; and still Moloch called for more. Volunteers did not satisfy him, but military necessity in the shape of the draft threatened; bounties were also offered and paid by the county, above the regular wages pledged by Uncle Sam, and by pulling every string and straining every nerve, White County escaped what was considered a partial reflection on patriotism until the fall of 1864. But that was certainly a period of stress and trial.
ESCAPE FROM THE 1863 DRAFT
As the shadow of the draft of 1863 approached, the press, the pulpit and public leaders everywhere in the county renewed their efforts to keep White County in the rapidly diminishing column of sections which had never been subject to the draft. The efforts of that year were also suc- cessful, although over 100 more men had to be raised in townships where there were not enough males to do the work of peace which normally fell to them. But war was war even in those days.
In November, 1863, a committee was appointed at a Monticello war meeting, consisting of R. Mcconahay, James Wallace, M. Henderson, Lucius Pierce and Thomas Bushnell to push enlistments and forestall the draft. Their manifesto, published in the Monticello Herald of November 10th, was as follows: "The quota of this county under the draft about to be made is 106 men, and is apportioned among the several townships as follows : Union, 16; Honey Creek, 5; Liberty, 10; Cass, 4; Monon, 10; Princeton, 8; West Point, 6; Round Grove, 2; Big Creek, 8; Jackson, 14; Prairie, 23.
"If this number is raised by voluntary enlistment our county will not be subject to the draft, but if it is not raised the draft will certainly fall upon us. Hitherto, we, as a county, have occupied a proud position among the counties of a state of whose record in this war Indianians may
185
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
well be proud. We have been among the few counties that waited not for the compulsions of a draft.
"Shall we maintain our position, or shall we falter in this, the last, we hope, and the trying hour of the war? We believe the people of White County with one voice will exclaim : No! we will not falter in our efforts, nor fail in our undertakings, but will ever stand true to the maintenance of the Union and the crushing out of this wicked rebellion.
"We, therefore, for the purpose of facilitating the work of enlistment in the several townships, would appoint the following township com- mittees :
"Prairie-Thomas B. Davis, Dr. John Medaris and E. P. Mason.
"Big Creek-John R. Jefferson, Clinton Crose and George R. Spencer.
"Monon-J. L. Watson, Dr. John T. Richardson and William G. Porter.
"Liberty-Thomas Wickersham, H. G. Bliss and George Cullen.
"Jackson-Eli R. Herman, Andrew Hanna and D. Mcconahay.
"Princeton-John B. Bunnell, David Wright and R. C. Johnson.
"West Point-C. H. Test, O. P. Murphy and David Dellinger.
"Cass-Edward P. Potter, W. O. Hopkinson and Hannibal McCloud. "Honey Creek-Frank Howard, I. S. Vinson and Nick Young.
"Round Grove-A. Ward, Stewart Rariden and Patrick Carroll.
"We recommend that each of said several committees should appoint a township meeting for as early a day as possible and advise this com- mittee of the time and place of meeting, and speakers will be furnished."
The general and the township committeemen worked diligently and enthusiastically-at least, the draft did not fall upon White county in 1863.
THE SIX-MONTHS' COMPANY
In the meantime, under the call of June 15th for 100,000 six-months' men, Capt Elijah C. Davis and Lieuts. Joseph W. Davis and Isaac H. Jackson enlisted a full company, which was mustered in as K, of the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment, on the 17th of August, 1863. The camp of rendezvous was at Lafayette and the first two months of service was occupied in guarding the United States arsenal near Detroit, Michi- gan, and in routine duties in Kentucky. In October it participated in engagements at Blue Springs and Walker's Ford, but the remainder of its six-months' term was largely passed in guard and fatigue duty. It was mustered out, with other commands of the One Hundred and Six- teenth, at Lafayette.
Under the call of October 17, 1863, which asked for 300,000 soldiers for three years, the work of recruiting the 106 men demanded of White County progressed with vigor, as heretofore noted. Capt. D. M. Graves, of Newton County, appeared at various points in the county, and called for recruits for the Twelfth Cavalry. He had rousing meetings at Monti- cello, Brookston and elsewhere.
Lieutenant William C. Kent opened an enlistment office for the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment. The papers at that time pub-
186
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
lished very flattering offers of bounty to both veterans and new recruits- to the former $410, and to the latter $380, per annum. The extensive and enthusiastic efforts soon freed the county. Many entered the old regiments. About half the company I of the One Hundred and Twenty- sixth was from White County, as was also about one-third of Company F of the One Hundred and Twenty-seventh (Twelfth Cavalry), and one-half of Company K of the same. Among the recruiting officers during the months of November and December, 1863, and January, 1864, were D. M. Graves, Henry H. Gaves, B. O. Wilkinson and W. C. Marshall. In De- cember, 1863, a large war meeting at Brookston was presided over by Benjamin Lucas, president, and W. B. Chapman, secretary. Judge Tur- pie delivered the oration.
CAPT. JAMES G. STALEY
Through the winter months and on into the spring of 1864, the enlist- ment for Company F of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment continued. This company was enlisted mostly by Capt. James G. Staley, Lieuts. W. C. Kent and Henry G. Bliss. The regiment rendezvoused at Michigan City. Captain Staley's company was full about the middle of March, 1864. While yet at Camp Anderson, Michigan City, the members of this company purchased a fine sword which was formally presented to Captain Staley by the regimental chaplain, Rev. William P. Koutz, of Monticello.
Company F was the seventh and the last full company to be enlisted in White County for the three-years' service. Its regiment was mustered into the service March 18, 1864, and first took the field at Nashville, Ten- nessee. In the Atlanta campaign it fought at Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Lost Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta and Jonesboro. As part of Thomas's army it joined in the pursuit of Hood, and at the hard- fought Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864, its brave captain, James G. Staley, was killed.
One of Captain Staley's comrades writes of his death and career as follows: "In the beginning of the war he responded to the call of our country and served faithfully as a member of the Ninth Indiana for more than two years. He was commissioned captain of Company F, 128th Indiana, in January, 1864, and in March left the place of rendezvous with his regiment to take part in the memorable campaign of Atlanta. During that toilsome service of marching, digging, guarding, watching and fighting, lasting four months, without the soldiers being beyond the sound of musketry or artillery, he nobly, patiently, heroically performed his part. On the 4th of October we left Decatur, Georgia, to begin the fall campaign, and after much skirmishing and marching several hundred miles in Georgia and Alabama, we reached Franklin, Tennessee, closely pressed by the enemy in superior force. It is not my purpose to give a description of the engagement, but I will state that the 128th Indiana occupied breastworks near the extreme left of our line; that the enemy charged right up to and planted their colors on our works, and that their
187
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
dead and dying which filled the ditches, sufficiently proved how bloody and disastrous was their repulse.
"When the assault was made, Captain Staley was standing up watch- ing the enemy and directing the fire and the use of the bayonets of his men. Just then Captain Bissell, of the same regiment, was shot through the head and fell against Lieutenant Bliss, who, with the assistance of Captain Staley, laid him upon the ground and placed a blanket under his head. This had scarcely been done when some one called out 'They are coming again,' and all prepared to receive the enemy. As Captain Staley turned to the works, a minie ball struck him in the forehead, and he, too, fell into the arms of Lieutenant Bliss and died almost instantly. There was no time then to listen to parting words. A desperate hand-to- hand conflict was straining every nerve for the possession of the works. The deadly musket shot, the clash of arms as bayonet came to bayonet and sword to sword, the hurried breathing of the men through their shut teeth, their words of encouragement and mutterings of vengeance, with the thunders of the two pieces of artillery that flanked the company, com- bined to bring into heroic exercise every muscle of the body and every power of the mind.
"Darkness came on and still the fighting continued. Every man was needed to repulse the desperate assaults of the enemy. The body of Cap- tain Staley was carried to the rear by the stretcher corps and buried in the same grave with that of Captain Bissell, near the large brick dwelling house on the hill south of Franklin. This statement was made by Lieuten- ant Bliss. The grave where the heroes slept was left unmarked, but to have done otherwise was impossible. Though we had repulsed the rebel army, it was determined to withdraw under cover of darkness, and at mid- night we retreated across Harpeth river and abandoned the battlefield and. Franklin to the enemy."
Captain Staley's remains were recovered and brought home, through the efforts of the Christian Commission, arriving at Monticello on Febru- ary 7, 1865, and on the 12th were reinterred with appropriate ceremonies.
This last of the long-term companies to be raised, as a whole, in White County, saw service after Captain Staley's death at Nashville, in the later pursuit of Hood, at Newbern and Wise's Fork, North Carolina, and at other points marking the closing operations of the war. The regiment was not mustered out of the service until early in 1866.
THE HEAVY CALLS OF 1864
The heavy calls of February and March, 1864, and finally the call of July 18th of 500,000 men for one, two and three years, somewhat stag- gered the county; but the citizens began to make earnest efforts to meet the demand. A most hopeful feeling prevailed at this time, as it was already apparent that the rebellion was wavering before the final fall. About one-half of Company B of the One Hundred and Forty-second went from Idaville during the month of September, 1864, Capt. James Thomas and Lieuts. R. H. Cary and R. W. Clary enlisting the men.
188
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
About twenty-five men from the county entered Company H of the same regiment. About fifteen recruits entered Company C of the Forty-second in October. Some fifty recruits joined Company G of the Sixty-third during the summer months of 1864. Late in 1864 and early in 1865 about fifty recruits joined Company F of the One Hun- dred and Twenty-eighth. Among the recruiting officers in the county during the latter part of 1864 was M. F. Smith.
THE DRAFTS OF 1864 AND 1865
Until the fall of 1864, the county had warded off the draft by her tenders of money, the appeals of her orators and the influence of her women, but the calls of February, March, April and July, of that year, placed a burden on her which could not be sustained through voluntary enlistment. The county quota of February, 1864, with some deficiency, was 210; of March, 84; and of July, 237; or a total of 531. The draft took place in October, at Michigan City, under Provost Marshal K. G. Shryock, but the required number did not report and a supplementary draft took place. One of the reasons why it was difficult at that time to fill the ranks at home was that higher bounties were offered in large cities south and east than those in White County, and many left accord- ingly. Such men were credited, of course, to the localities paying the bounty, and were thus lost to White County.
The call of December, 1864, stimulated anew the enlistment. Dur- ing the winter months of 1864-65 war meetings were held everywhere to clear the county, but the work was slow. Another draft came off at Michigan City in the early part of April, 1865, by which 163 men were raised in White County, most of whom were one-year men.
SUMMARY OF NUMBER OF TROOPS RAISED
The last report made by the military authorities on April 14, 1865, when all efforts to raise troops had been suspended, showed that White County had furnished thirty-five more men than were required by all the calls of the war.
A recapitulation of the number of soldiers raised in the county dur- ing the entire period of the Civil war would stand thus: From the out- break of the war until September 1, 1862, 751 volunteers had joined the Union army. The calls of July and August, of that year, brought out 220 men; about 90 joined the six-months' service, under the call of October, 1863; 106 were furnished under the call of October, 1863; 170 under the February and March calls, in 1864; 237 under the call of July, same year ; and 163 under the last call of the war in December, 1864. It is estimated that fully 100 men left the county to enlist; and to all these items must be added the 35 surplus above all calls. Thus the volunteers, recruits, conscripts and veterans from White County, some of whom enlisted more than once for short periods, numbered 1,872.
189
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
BOUNTY AND RELIEF VOTED
Albeit a labor of love, it would be an impossibility to give an ade- quate picture of the relief work performed by the men and women of White County to alleviate the sufferings both of those at the front and those left at home. The great bulk of it can never be measured by dollars and cents; so that we can only say that an important feature of that work was included in the various sums raised by the county, in its official capacity, which is divided into the bounty and relief funds.
The first action taken by the county commissioners in the direction of relief to soldiers' families was in August, 1862, when township trus- tees were authorized to provide for the reasonable wants of the families of soldiers in the field, keeping proper vouchers, upon the presentation of which they would be reimbursed from the county treasury. It was not until the 26th of November, 1863, that the commissioners authorized the payment of $100 bounty to volunteers under the call of October, but after that, and even long after the war had ended, large amounts were paid out. No proper record seems to have been kept of these important disbursements. The following imperfect exhibit, taken from the adjutant-general's report, is the best that can be given of the county bounty and relief funds :
White County
Bounty $60,500
Relief
Prairie
25,000
1,776.86
Big Creek
450
34.92
Union
675
812.83
Monon
50
262.95
Liberty
100
68.89
Jackson
150
544.35
Princeton
3,300
West Point
1,228
48.30
Cass
333
1,370.37
Honey Creek
392.58
Round Grove
4,100
6.30
Total
$95,886
$5,364.15
Grand total
$101,250.15
$ 48.80
THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR
In the Spanish-American war, White County was ready for anything which came her way and furnished one company nearly complete, known as I, One Hundred and Sixty-first Indiana Volunteers. William Guthrie went out as captain ; Anthony A. Anheir, as first lieutenant; and John R. Ward, as second lieutenant. Dr. W. E. Biederwolf, of Monticello, chaplain of the regiment, was also the historian of Company I. From
190
HISTORY OF WHITE COUNTY
his account it is learned that the first meeting looking toward the rais- ing of a company for White County was called by Tippecanoe Post No. 51, G. A. R., to be held at the courthouse, April 21, 1898. A company was organized then and there, and the governor was notified that it was ready to serve at a moment's warning. He replied that the company would be needed and that the boys should get into military shape. In fact, events moved so rapidly that on June 30th Captain Guthrie received gubernatorial orders to report with his company at Indianapolis on the following Monday. But the boys were allowed to spend the Fourth at home on the Monticello Fair Grounds.
The White County contingent was mustered into the service at Indi- anapolis on July 13, 1898, as Company I, and on August 7th was ordered to Jacksonville, Florida, to be incorporated into the Seventh Army Corps under Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee. It reached that city August 14th and during its two months' stay there lost six of its men by disease-Clarence D. Kuns, Wallace D. Stivers, George Kepperling, William G. Weaver, Joseph F. Turner and Jacob W. Dexter.
The regiment spent the period from October 24th to December 12th at Savannah, and arrived at Havana, Cuba, on the 14th of the latter month, going into camp near Quemados about ten miles southwest of the city. There the command remained in that vicinity during the remainder of the winter, drilling and doing guard duty at various points. On March 29th the home-coming commenced-the regiment landing at Savannah March 31st and being mustered out on April 30th. It arrived at Indianapolis on the morning of May 3d, and reached Monticello at noon. The boys were welcomed at the state house by Governor Mount and, what was nearer to their hearts, by their mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, wives and sweethearts, at Monticello. The home welcome extended over a period which is unknown to the writer, the public receptions covering several days.
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