USA > Indiana > Brown County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 55
USA > Indiana > Monroe County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 55
USA > Indiana > Morgan County > Counties of Morgan, Monroe, and Brown, Indiana. Historical and biographical > Part 55
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LOYAL MASS MEETING.
On the 12th of October, 1861, a large Union mass meeting was held at the court house to consider the state of the country. The first speaker was Hon. Paris C. Dunning, who delivered an address of great power and loyalty. He spoke eloquently in favor of pushing the war with all the energy of the North, and favored measures of greater activity and effectiveness in securing volunteers. His remarks were loudly applauded. The second speaker was Judge James Hughes, whose remarks took a bit- terly sarcastic, caustic vein, cutting like a sword of Damascus steel at the heart of the rebellion. His splendid eloquence, effective imagery, fierce satire and impetuous logic carried his audience before him like a torrent. As he delivered thrust after thrust of wit and irony, and pungent mockery, he was frequently interrupted with tempests of cheers. It was conceded at the time to have been the best Union speech ever delivered in Bloom- ington. The loyalty of the meeting was very decided, and had its effect upon all present.
RECRUITING.
Late in October, Dr. J. G. McPheeters, Surgeon of the Thirty-third Regiment, came home on a furlough, and enlisted a few men for his reg- iment. About the 1st of November, Wallace Hight, who had superin- tended the manufacture of a cannon at Seward's foundry in Bloomington, left for Indianapolis with his piece of ordnance drawn by six horses. The gun was made of burnished brass, was a six-pounder, and was an excel- lent specimen of workmanship. He and a squad of boys from Blooming- ton were attached to the Ninth Battery. About this time, the attention of the loyal was especially directed to the movement of the armies and to the wants of the boys in the fields and hospitals, and the comfort of the soldiers' families at home more than to the enlistment of men. Early in February, William McCullough began recruiting men designed for the Fifty-third Regiment, and Lieut. Francis Otwell about the same time opened an enlistment office at Fee's store for the Twenty-seventh Regi- ment, in which was the company of Capt. Kop. He obtained about fifteen men. During the months of November and December, 1861, and
421
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
January and February, 1862, Capt. Thomas T. Graves and Lieuts. Alex- ander Jones and John Phillips recruited about two-thirds of a company for the Fifty-ninth Regiment, which rendezvoused at Gosport, beginning in October, 1861. About the middle of February, the regiment went South over the New Albany road for the seat of war in Kentucky. The men raised in Monroe County were mostly from the vicinity of Harrods- burg. The company became I of the Fifty-ninth, Capt. Graves. The men of this company were mustered into the service on the 11th of Feb- ruary, 1862. Jesse I. Alexander, of Gosport, was Colonel of the regi- ment. During the latter part of March, 1862, M. P. Burns recruited six or eight men for the Sixty-first Regiment, which rendezvoused at Terre Haute. Early in April, Lieut. Johnson, of Capt. Lunderman's company (Twenty-second Regiment), opened a recruiting office in Bloomington. In May, the members of Capt. Kelley's company, Fourteenth Regiment, sent home to their friends $2.000. As this time also the body of Capt. Kelley was brought home and buried. He had been mortally wounded at the hotly contested battle of Winchester, and after lingering several weeks had died at Cincinnati, where he had been brought by his loving and faithful wife for medical treatment. His death cast a gloom of sorrow over the entire county.
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
During the spring months, the columns of the Republican were full of letters from the boys in the army, and while some were dry, others were extremely interesting. The following, written by Capt. Henry L. McCal- la, is a specimen of the more interesting letters. The battle referred to was Pittsburg Landing:
THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT INDIANA VOLUNTEERS, PITTSBURGH, Tenn., April 8, 1862.
DEAR BROTHER-This is Tuesday, and I take this chance to tell you that an awful battle has been fought, commencing on Sunday morning at 7:30 o'clock, A. M., lasting until night, and continued again on Monday. Grimes and I are safe. The company be- haved nobly. The Thirty-first will now get its due meed of praise, I think. We lost Orderly Sergeant James F. Fullbright and Rolley Franklin, both shot in the head, and seven wounded, three of them severely-Joseph Lucas, in the hand, slightly; Frank Johnson and Jerry Serrell, in chin, slightly ; John Campbell, in the hand ; Joseph Wool. ery, in the bip, severely ; Wesley Polley, in the shoulder ; Joseph Gaither, in the face, the ball entering the bridge of the nose aud coming out under the ear, cutting the tip of the ear. Many more were grazed. I had a bullet through the top of my hat. John McPhetridge had his leg grazed, and Grimes was scratched in the knee. We will feel the loss of Fullbright. He was the bravest man in the regiment-so modest and so faithful. We buried our old companions with the honors of war, and marked their graves with neat head-boards.
I met brother Sam on the field of battle for the first time since he was in the service. Thompson's battery, with which Hight and other Bloomington boys are connected. were in the fight all Monday. They fired 1,200 shots. Our regiment (belonging to Hurlburt's brigade) fired forty rounds in one place, repulsed two attacks on the center. Grimes and I furnished our men with thirty rounds more as they were lying down, and these were all expended by night. The carnage is frightful. The field of battle covers over six miles. Daniel Iseminger (formerly of Bloomington), Captain in an Iowa regiment. was killed. Our Major, Frederic Arn, was killed; the Colonel was wounded in two places ; Adjutant Rose, wounded ; Capt. Harvey, killed ; and other officers wounded, all of our regiment. Jo. Roddy bore the colors through all the two days' fight, onward, never fal- tering, the foremost in the advance, the hindmost in the retreat.
The day of the battle was my first out-door service for three weeks, having been sick ever since we came to this place. HENRY.
Many other letters were very interesting. Some contained spicy descriptions of camp life, detailing at length the doings of the day, or
422
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
gave extended accounts of the experiences on long and arduous marches and expeditions.
NEW COMPANIES.
In May, 1862, the Fifty-fourth Regiment was organized at Indianap- olis for an emergency, and a company was raised in Monroe County by Capt. Daniel Shrader and Lieuts. W. J. Allen and I. S. Buskirk, which became Company A of this regiment. The regiment, including Company A, commanded by the above officers, was mustered into the three months' service on the 3d of June, and was placed on duty at Camp Morton, Indianapolis. In August, it was transferred to Kentucky, where it re- mained until its term of service had expired. This regiment was after- ward re-organized for the one year's service, but contained no company from Monroe County. Capt. Shrader entered it, however, as Major, and was afterward promoted to the Lieutenant Colonelcy, a most deserving honor. On the 11th of June, James B. Mulky, of Bloomington, was commissioned Major of the Fifty-fifth Regiment, three months' service, and became a very efficient officer. Frank A. Rose, of Bloomington, was commissioned Adjutant of the same regiment. These regiments were specially organized to do guard duty at Camp Morton, where a large number of rebel prisoners were confined.
On the 1st of July, 1862, President Lincoln called for 300,000 ad- ditional volunteers, and the quota of Indiana was fixed at eleven regiments. The Republican of July 12, said:
MORE TROOPS WANTED .- It will be seen by reference to another part of our paper that eleven more regiments are to be raised in our State in addition to those already form- ing, one from each Congressional District. This in our district will be, on an average, about 125 men from each county. We trust that old Monroe will promptly furnish her quota as she has done on all former calls. She has now nine companies in the service, besides a number of persons scattered in companies made up elsewhere-infantry, cavalry and artillery. Now that harvest is past and our young men more at leisure, we think that there will be no difficulty in raising this additional quota of troops in Monroe County. The regiment for this district will rendezvous at Madison, and we notice that in some of the adjoining counties companies are already forming to fill up the regtment. Let not Monroe be behind.
But the commencement of the active work of enlistment was delayed. The paper came out in stirring appeals to sustain the honor of the county by voluntary enlistments, threatening that the draft would be resorted to soon if the quota was not filled. Influential citizens of the county began to stir themselves, recruiting officers appeared, and soon war meetings were held with a frequency and intensity unknown in the history of the county. Late in July, Lieut. F. Otwell was commissioned to recruit a company for the Sixty-seventh Regiment and opened an office in Bloom- ington. Capt. Charles, of the Eighteenth Regiment, came home to recruit for his company. Lieut. W. J. Allen, of the Twentieth Battery, called for recruits. James L. Winfrey, of Bloomington, was also commissioned to raise a company for the Ninety-third Regiment, which was being ren- dezvoused at Madison. Lieut. Otwell and others raised about twenty men, who became Company B of the Sixty-seventh Regiment, Samuel Denny, of Madison, being Captain. An entire company was raised for the Eighty-second Regiment by Morton C. Hunter, who became the Colonel of the regiment, by Paul E. Slocum, Alfred G. Hunter, Samuel Mc- Wilie, John McKinney, Samuel Guy and others. The men became Company F, Samuel McWilie, Captain; Mckinney, First Lieutenant;
423
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
Guy, Second Lieutenant. The men were mustered in on the 30th of August, at Madison. A portion of Company I, of the Eighty-second, was raised in Monroe County by William F. Neill, who became its Captain, and by Lieut. H. E. Lundy and others. There were probably not more than ten men in the company from this county. There were more regi- mental officers from Monroe County in the Eighty-second than in any other regiment : Col. Hunter ; Major, and afterward Lieut. Col., Slocum; Adjts., A. G. Hunter and M. E. Bunger; Quartermaster, J. C. Allenworth ; Chaplain, M. M. Campbell; Surgeon, W. H. Lemon ; As- sistant Surgeons, W. B. Harris and R. H. Campbell. On the 1st of September, the regiment moved to Louisville, Ky. About thirty men of Company F, of the Ninety-third Regiment, were recruited by J. L. Win- frey and others, and were mustered in at Madison from the 15th to the 23d of August. These efforts on the part of the recruiting officers and the more prominent and loyal of the citizens came within a close figure of relieving the county from the draft. The county was really ahead of her quota, but some of the townships were behind. The draft was intended to bring the " stay-at-homes " to the front.
The following table was published in the Republican of September 13, and shows the situation of the county at about that time :
TOWNSHIPS.
Number subject to draft.
Num- ber exempt.
Num- ber
Num- ber of vol- enroll- ed.
unteers.
Bean Blossom
151
23
120
128
Washington.
115
22
100
93
Marion.
51
6
23
45
Benton.
104
17
41
87
Bloomington.
358
75
210
283
Richland
162
28
131
134
Van Buren
193
30
130
163
Perry.
86
15
28
71
Polk ..
105
21
23
84
Clear Creek.
208
26
90
192
Indian Creek
151
18
62
133
Totals
1824
300
104
1524
The following table was also published in the same issue :
TOWNSHIPS.
Applicants for exemp- tion from the draft.
Numbers of exemptions.
Bean Blossom.
40
23
Washington.
39
22
Marion.
10
6
Benton.
30
17
Bloomington.
110
75
Richland.
45
28
Van Buren
38
19
Perry
39
30
Salt Creek.
40
15
Polk
42
21
Clear Creek.
38
26
Indian Creek
28
18
Totals.
499
300
130
19
85
111
Salt Creek.
424
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
On Saturday, September 6, the citizens of the county assembled at the court house and listened to a long able address on the state of the country from Hon. Joseph A. Wright, ex-Governor of the State. It was a fine specimen of oratory, and was loyal to the core. On the following Monday, the citizens again assembled to listen to Hon. Joseph E. Mc- Donald, who delivered an address of great power. He strongly favored a cessation of hostilities.
THE DRAFT OF OCTOBER 6, 1862.
The first draft had been announced to take place on the 15th of Sep- tember, 1862; but at the last moment, to give all counties behind abun- dant opportunity to redeem themselves, the date was postponed to the 6th of October, at which time it occurred throughout the State. The Draft Commissioner was Ira Browning; the Marshal, W. J. Alexander, and the Surgeon, J. D. Maxwell, for Monroe County. On the 19th of Septem- ber, the Enrolling Commissioner reported the following facts to the Ad- jutant General : Total militia, 1,828; total volunteers, 1,039 ; total exempts, 298 ; total conscientiously opposed to bearing arms, 3; total vol- unteers in the service, 840 ; total subject to draft, 1,527. At this date (the 19th of September), the county lacked twenty two men of having filled her quota, as follows : Benton, 1 ; Salt Creek, 4; Polk, 12; Clear Creek, 3; Indian Creek, 2. This number was reduced to one man by the 6th of October, and this deficiency was in Salt Creek Township. A man was drafted there, and in a few minutes after the draft was made, a vol- unteer was reported from that township, and accepted, thus virtually clearing the county from the draft of October 6, 1862.
CONTINUED ENLISTMENTS.
In September, Capt. Daniel Shrader, who had taken a company into the special three months' service of 1362, the same being Company A, of the Fifty-fourth Regiment, was commissioned to raise another company for the same regiment, re-organized for the one year's service. He estab- lished a recruiting office at Bloomington. For some reason, he did not continue, but was soon appointed Major of the Fifty-fourth. About the 23d of September, Bloomington, and indeed all of Monroe County, in common with the southern half of Indiana, was thrown into the most intense excitement by the news that Bragg's forces were rapidly march- ing upon Louisville with the intention of capturing and sacking the place ; and at the same time a dispatch was received from Gov. Morton, who was then at Louisville, urging an immediate organization of the militia to be held in readiness to march at a moment's notice in defense of that city. A meeting was promptly held at the court house, and the nature of the emergency explained by Judge Hughes. An adjournment was taken until the evening, but during the afternoon nearly a full company of volunteers was raised, which was fully completed at the evening meeting, and the officers elected as follows : Francis Otwell, Captain ; Henry Eller, First Lieutenant; W. H. Mccullough, Second Lieutenant. Early the next morning, the company was armed, and was then ready to march at a moment's warning. Within a short time, however, it was learned that Bragg would not touch Louisville, and the company disbanded. 1
425
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
SUSPENSION OF ACTIVE WORK.
After October, but little attempt was made to enlist men for the war during the colder months. The people eagerly watched the movements of the contending armies, and waited anxiously for details as soon as it became known that a great battle had been fought. The Republican was filled with letters from the army. The following, referring to the battle of Stone River, or Murfreesboro, is a sample :
FROM THE EIGHTY-SECOND REGIMENT.
CAMP NEAR MURFREESBORO, TENN., January 8, 1863.
MESSRS. EDITORS-Our brigade, except the Eighty-second Indiana (it had been to Nashville to guard a train through), arrived on the field of battle Wednesday morning about 11 o'clock, and were quickly formed in "line of battle" on the right center. There they lay without blankets until the battle closed, but were not brought into action until Friday evening, just at dark.
The cannonading was fearful on our side, the rebels using very little; but above the roar of the cannon could be heard the shrill shriek of the shells as they took their way through the air, making a noise, as the negroes expressed it, which seemed to say, " Whar is ye ? "
I rode up to where our batteries were playing, and there for the first time saw the rebel banner, some half mile away, floating defiantly to the breeze; but not many minutes was it permitted to float undisturbed. Our batteries leveled on it, and it passed away-whether cut down by our balls or removed by the rebels, I could not determine. It started a train of thought which was very soon interrupted by the descent of a shell not more than twenty feet distant. Fortunately for me, it did not burst. I changed my position, still intent on watching our batteries, when one of those vicious little Mississippi rifle balls passed across my horse's flank, and buried itself in the earth. My curiosity was satisfied ; I had business of importance up the road. The firing only ceased when darkness rendered it necessary.
Thursday morning it opened about daylight, and continued throughout the day.
Friday was a repetition of the others, until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when suddenly there arose a noise on our left that would have drowned the noise of the loudest thunder; peal upon peal arose from the throats of some sixty cannon and 20,000 muskets, all combined to make one of the most fearful sounds ever heard. It was caused by the rebels trying to take our batteries. A desperate charge it was, and most desperately were they repulsed. The loss of life and limb were fearful on both sides. This desperate charge lasted about three hours. when night again shed her mantle o'er the scene of car- nage, to shut out, as it were, the horrible sight. It was just at nightfall that the First Brigade was brought into action. They were sent out to make a reconnaissance in force. They succeeded in drawing the enemy's fire, and returned it with vigor. We had none killed, and but eleven wounded.
Saturday was a day of skirmishing throughout. Sunday, the rebels evacuated. Monday, we took possession. Thus closed one of the hardest fought and most sanguinary battles of the war. It was a battle for Tennessee; both sides resolved to do their best. The victory was not as complete as it might have been under other circumstances ; but I think it will decide the matter in Middle Tennessee at any rate.
Our loss in killed and wounded amounts to about 7,000; taken prisoners, 4,000. We lost thirty-nine pieces of artillery, eight of which were recaptured, leaving thirty-one in their hands. The rebel loss, as near as I can determine it (and my chances to do so are very good ), is about as follows : Killed and wounded, 8,000; taken prisoners, 7,000. We captured nine pieces of artillery, and quite a number of small arms, provisions, etc. Gen. Dill was killed early on Tuesday morning-shot through the eye ; Gen. Willich was wounded and taken prisoner. I shall not attempt a list of the names of our officers killed and wounded-you have that already. There are many little incidents connected with the fight that I may give you at a future day. For the present, I must remain,
Yours, CARLOS.
There was no time during the continuance of the war when some of the men were not at home on a furlough. Some who had been racked by the dreadful camp diseases came home to be nursed back to life and health by loving friends. Others, emaciated beyond recognition, with bloodless faces and tottering steps, came home only to die in the arms of
426
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
sobbing friends. Others came back, discharged from the army with broken constitutions, to slowly die from the effects of the ravages of war. Sad stories of heroic death on the battle-field, where lead fell thick as a thunder shower, and where the sickening fear blanched the faces of the brave, were told proudly in peaceful Northern homes. One brave boy from the county, in the thickest of the rain of dreadful death, who re- ceived a gaping wound that was mortal, raised himself partly up and ex- claimed, " Oh God, if I could see my wife!" and fell back a corpse. And this was war !
DISLOYAL MASS MEETING.
On the 24th of January, 1863, a large meeting was held by the dis- loyal element of the county at the court house, on which occasion Judge Eckles, of Greencastle, was the principal speaker. He was an able man, and delivered a rousing speech. He took an ultra position in opposing a further continuance of the war, and was enthusiastically applauded by his andience. He denounced the administration of President Lincoln in the severest terms ; heaped the responsibility of the war upon the Republican party, especially the Abolitionist wing; declared that the South were justified in their course in view of the danger to their favorite institution- slavery-and insisted that not another man nor dollar should be furnished to continue the unnecessary and wicked war. A series of resolutions was adopted embodying the substance of the speech, and the crowd dispersed, several cheering for Jeff Davis and cursing " Old Lincoln." The State Sentinel spoke highly of the "spirit and determination of this meeting." Several savage fights occurred during the day.
LOYAL MASS MEETING.
Four weeks later, an enormous Union meeting was held at the court house, Capt. Capps, of East Tennessee, and Col. Hawkins being the prin- cipal speakers. Both delivered excellent, loyal addresses. Jacob B. Lowe was Chairman of the meeting, and Maj. James B. Mulky, Secre- tary. The following preambles and resolutions were unanimously adopted :
WHEREAS, We are now engaged in a deadly struggle in defense of and for the per- petuity of every right dear to us as American citizens, and which requires the united efforts of all good, true and loyal men. And,
WHEREAS, We have beheld, with deep regret and abhorreoce, the malignant partisan spirit in our Srate, the tendency of which is to paralyze and frustrate the measures of the Federal and State authorities in their patriotic endeavors to suppress this infamous rebellion; to create and diffuse sece-sion and treasonable sentiments among the people; and, finally, precipitate them out of the Union, and into a league with the Southern Con- federacy, and into entangling alliances with France, or other foreign powers. Therefore,
1. Resolved, That we tender to Gov. Morton our warmest thanks for his untiring zeal in organizing, arming and equipping the gallant army which Indiana has sent to the tented field, and for his timely and tender attention to the wants of our sick and wounded soldiers, and assure him of our unswerving support in his efforts to maintain for Indiana her present proud position for pre-eminent loyalty, and the high character of her citizen soldiery.
2. Resolved, That we hold in utter detestation, and execrate any man, or class of men, who, in this struggle for our national existence, are found fomenting and making factions, and malignant partisan opposition to either the Federal or State authorities, in their efforts and measures for the vigorous prosecution of the war, for the suppression of this causeless, wanton, and Godless rebellion.
3. Resolved, That we unqualifiedly repudiate and denounce any and all propositions for an armistice or compromise with the traitors, other than those uniformly offered to
427
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY.
them by the proper authorities of the Federal Government, viz .: That they ground the arms of their rebellion, return into the Union, and be obedient, law-abiding citizens to the government of our fathers, as they made it, and consecrated it with their precious blood, and as by their dying request they enjoined upon us to preserve and defend it, and transmit it unimpaired to our posterity.
4. Resolved, That cowardly and traitorous demagogues at home shall never pre- cipitate us into the attitude of requiring the noblest army of freedom the world has ever seen to ground their arms in front of the most perfidious, inhuman and redemptionless army of traitors and outlaws that ever disgraced the annals of the earth.
5. Resolved, That this rebellion must and shall be effectually and forever crushed out, leaving a lesson upon the pages of our history which, as long as it shall continue to be read, will over-awe and deter rebellious and wicked spirits and the enemies of freedom and the human race from ever again attempting to deluge with the precious blood of our brothers and sons this otherwise prosperous, free and happy land.
This meeting and the resolutions adopted had a most excellent effect upon the county, and greatly encouraged the loyal citizens during that gloomiest year of the war-1863. A week later, another Union mass meeting of equal intensity and enthusiasm was held at the court house, the speakers being Gen. Kimball, Hon. J. A. Matson, Col. McCrea, Revs. Hopkins, Farmer and Hearb. Several of these speakers were Democrats, but all spoke earnestly of continuing the war. The speakers addressed one of the largest assemblages ever in the county seat.
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