USA > Indiana > Cass County > History of Cass County, Indiana > Part 9
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
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
The purposes set forth in the preamble to the regulations adopted for its government are the following: "To form a more perfect organization to facilitate the transaction of business, to insure concord and harmony, pro-
mote the cause of Temperance, encourage benevolence, provide for the com- mon wants of the brotherhood, and secure all the blessings this fraternity can afford."
The pledge is no less significant and appropriate : " I promise, with Divine assistance, to abstain from all intoxicating liquors, and prevent as much as possible, by advice and example, intemperance in others."
OUR MILITARY EXPERIENCES.
Although many of the early settlers of Cass County had participated in warlike conflicts with Indiansand with the marshaled hosts of civilized nations they cannot, with propriety, be designated as a people trained in the arts of war. While this is true, it is nevertheless a fact, that always, whenever occa- sion demanded and a call was made requiring soldiers for the defense of our firesides, or the protection of our more distant borders, even for the main- tenance of the right of the State and in support of the General Government in enforcing obedience to law; for suppressing rebellion against the authority of the nation, the inborn disposition of our people to defend the right and chastise the wrong has always predominated, inciting them to take up arms to support the one and oppose the other.
Aside from individual experiences, no demands upon them to take up arms and march toward prospective battle fields in martial array had been made upon them, until the numerous invasions of our territory by Black Hawk and his followers, in May, 1832. At that period, when the prospects were favorable for a visit from the warlike chief, as by common impulse, the people rose and prepared to dispute his right to come with the fire-brand and scalping knife to deprive us of our homes and sacrifice our " household gods " to the blighting touch of savage cruelty. From this county and the settlements adjacent, there were few who manifested a disposition to enter the ranks and take part in the expedition, owing to the sparseness of the settlements, preferring, rather, to remain and protect the settlements from invasion. The expedition, however, was without other results than a sum- mary chastisement of the leading spirits, on the banks of the Mississippi, nearly opposite the upper Iowa, on the 2d of August, 1832.
In 1835, while the construction of the Wabash & Erie Canal was in progress, two parties of the Irish laborers, known as Fardowns and Corko- nians, engaged on that work, having brought with them from the " ould counthry their ancient feuds, came in collision near La Gro, Wabash County, threatening the demolition of each other and general devastation along the line of work. This riot made the interposition of the military power of the State necessary for its suppression. On the Governor's call, Gen. John Tipton was put in chief command, and Capt. Spear S. Tipton, with a company of militia from this county, left for the scene of action and participated in the restoration of quiet and order.
Again, at the time of the Pottawatomie payment, in September, 1836, & difficulty arose in reference to the distribution of the moneys to be paid out to them for lands purchased and for annuities. Owing to the character of the parties engaged and the apparent cause for a serious collision. the Indian Agent, Col. Pepper, as a means of preserving quiet and suppressing disorder, called out the Peru Grays, under the command of Capt. A. M. Higgins, and the Logansport Dragoons, commanded by Capt. G. N. Fitch. The timely arrival of these warlike auxiliaries had a tendency to still the troubled waters and to induce a spirit of conciliation and compromise which resulted in an amicable adjustment of the grievances, without bloodshed.
MEXICAN WAR.
Upon the declaration of war by the United States in June, 1846, and a call for volunteers by the Governor of the State of Indiana, Cass County was the first to respond with a full company, under the command of Capt. Spear S. Tipton. For a graphic history of this company and its exploits, the reader is referred to the following, slightly condensed, from the pen of Corporal McFadin, to whose painstaking care our people are indebted for the preservation of many interesting incidents connected with the expedi- tion-its departure, military service and return home with the trophies of war :
CASS COUNTY VOLUNTEERS IN THE MEXICAN WAR.
BY CORPORAL 8. L. M'FADIN.
"The 8th of June, 1846, will long be remembered as an eventful day in the history of Cass County in general, and Logansport in particular. On that day, it had been announced, the boys were to leave for the seat of war. The town was full of people from all parts of the county to witness the de- parture, many having relatives and friends in the company, which consisted of ninety-two men, not one of whom, except Capt. Spear S. Tipton, was mar- ried. The Captain left us at New Albany, having received a Lieutenant's commission in the Regular Army, thus leaving the company without a mar- ried man in it, which could hardly be said of any other company in that war.
" Before the departure of the company, the ladies of Loganport presented it with an elegant flag, prepard by their hands, as a memento of the good opinion entertained and an inducement to deeds of valor on the battle field. With many fond adieus and hopes expressed for our safe return, we took transportation to Indianapolis, over the Michigan road, in thirty wagons, no railroads at that time having been built in this part of the State.
"Arriving at the capital, we were quartered at the Palmer House, the principal hotel of the city, Capt. Cyrus Vigus acting as Quartermaster and Commissary. It was yet thirty miles to the railroad, at Edinburgh, on the Madison & Indianapolis Road, to which place we had the same kind of transportation, but thence to Madison by rail. We passed down the inclined plane of the Madison hill, at an angle of forty-five degrees, in open box cars, with such velocity that some thought the middle of the Ohio River
Digitized by Google
-
-
31
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
would be our destination. However, we rounded the curve all right, and proceeded thence to New Albany, the place of rendezvous of the Indiana troops.
The following is a list of the officers and men as they were mustered into the service of the United States, by Capt. Churchill, U. S. Army, at New Albany, on the 19th day of June, 1846 :
"Capt. Stanislaus Lasselle; First Lieut. Wm. L. Brown ; Second Lieut. D. M. Dunn; Third Lieut. G. W. Blackmore; First Sergeant J. H. Tucker ; Second Sergt. J. M. Lasselle; Third Sergt. E. Farquhar; Fourth Sergt. T A. Weirick ; First Corporal B. P. Turner : Second Corp. H. W. Vigus ; Third Corp. T. W. Douglass ; Fourth Corp. T. H. Bringhurst ; Fifer L. H. Keep ; Drummer J. M. Vigus ; Wm. Fosdick, Surgeon ; J. Stephenson, Color Bearer.
"Privates-J. S. Armitage, D. C. Buchanan, W. B. Buchanan, J. Brisco, J. T. Bryer, S. Berry, L. B. Butler, W. Bockover, H. Borman, J. Bowser, D. Barrett, D. S Barbour, S. Baily, O. Baily, W. B. Buckingham, B. Crawford, G. T. Case, W. Crumley, S. M. Cotner, G. Coleman, J. Cotter, P. Doyle, J. Dawson, A. Daniels, T. S. Dunn, R. Denbo, J. Duel, G. Emerson, I. H. Foreman, A. B. Foster, D. B. Farrington, O. H. P. Grover, J. B. Grover, A. D. Graham, N. F. Hines, C. B. Hopkinson, A. Hunter, C. Hillhouse, D. W. Johnson, R. L. Kelly, W. B. Kelly, J. Kernodle, J. La Rose, J. Loser, J. M. Morse (elected Corporal at Mier, Mex.), F. O. Miller, W. Miller, T. P. McBean, W. W. McMillen, J. C. Moore, J. Martin, S. L. McFadin (elected Corporal at the mouth of the Rio Grande), T. Montgomery, E. McGrew, J. Monroe, W. Obenchain, B. W. Peters, I. D. Patterson, B. Purscell, J. Pfouts, M. Reese, P. Rector, S. B. Richardson, S. D. Rhorer, W. T. Shepperd, R. L. Stuart, P. Smith, C. Smith, S. Thomas, S. L F. Tippett, Wm. Thompson, W. L. Wolf, L. G. Ward, F. T. Windrich, P. N. Whittinghill, D. Yopst.
" There were three regiments, the First, Second and Third, formed at New Albany. Our company was placed in the First, Col. James P. Drake ; Lieut. Col. C. C. Nave ; Maj. Henry S. Lane. We left New Albany in about two weeks, taking transportation on the steamer Cincinnati, for New Orleans. On arriving at that place, we went into camp on the ' Old Battle Ground,' and three days later, shipped on board the schooner Sophia Walker, for passage across the Gulf, landing, after a rough voyage of four days, on the Brazos Santiago, a low, sandy island. Here there was no vegetation of any kind, with nothing better to drink than brackish water.
" We remained here but a short time, and then moved to the mouth of Rio Grande River, where the regiment was stationed for some time. Through the interposition of officers, the regiment was ordered to the front at Mon- terey and Saltillo. But, owing to some misunderstanding about the matter, after passing through Camargo, Mier, Ciralvo, and traveling nearly one hun- dred miles over a rough, mountainous country, we were met, at a place called the Burnt Ranche, with orders from Gen. Taylor, directing us back to Matamoras and the mouth of the Rio Grande, and retraced our steps accordingly, but with heavy hearts.
" When less than four months of our term of enlistment remained, we were once more ordered to Monterey, going by steamboat to Camargo, and thence, by land, to Mier, Ciralvo, Burnt Ranche (where we were turned back before), thence to Ramas, Marine and Walnut Springs, within five miles of Monterey, where we met Gen. Taylor and his command. We remained here until our time had almost expired, and were then ordered home.
"During our stay at this place, we enjoyed some opportunity for hasty inspection of the surrounding country. The place itself is beautiful, with large springs, and in the immediate vicinity, groves of fine trees, chief among which were the English walnut and live oak. In sight of our camp, also, was the ' Camanche Saddle,' as it was called, being a mountain nearly two and a half miles high, the space between the two principal spurs of which, in the distance, resembles a saddle.
" Leaving this place, we took up our line of march for Camargo, where we took steamboat to the mouth of the river, marching, thence, overland to Brazos Island, where we took shipping in the Desdemonia for the mouth of the Mississippi and New Orleans, at which latter place we were mustered out of service on the 15th day of June, 1847. From New Orleans we took passage, by singular coincidence, on the steamer Cincinnati-the same that originally brought us here-on our return trip to the Queen City of the West. From Cincinnati we were transported, by canal, to Logansport. Our return home was greeted by the people turning out en masse, a sumptuous dinner served in the Court House and winding up with a grand ball at - night."
The company, as mustered in, contained ninety-two men. When mus- tered out, it contained fifty-seven men, thirty-one having been discharged on account of ill health, three died in Mexico-Wm. B. Buchanan, Dyer Barrett and Caleb B. Hopkinson.
The officers, as mustered out, were Capt. Stanislaus Lasselle ; First Lieut. Wm. L. Brown ; Second Lieut. D. M. Dunn ; Third Lieut. Geo. W. Blakemore; First Sergt. J. H. Tucker; Second Sergt. J. M. Lasselle; Third Sergt. T. A. Weirick ; Fourth Sergt. H. W. Vigus; First Corp. B. P. Turner; Second Corp. T. H. Binghurst; Third Corp. S. L. McFadin; Fourth Corp. J. M. Morse; L. H. Keep, Fifer; J. M. Vigus, Drummer, and E. Farquhar, Hos- pital Steward.
Of the number mustered into service, forty-two only are now living, the remaining fifty having passed away. Twenty of them now reside in this county, the largest number in any one county, perhaps, in the State, as they are probably, the only company holding annual re-unions commemorative of their departure to the seat of war on the 8th of June, 1846.
THE LATE REBELLION.
Scarcely had it been announced that Fort Sumter had been fired upon before the spirit of war commanded the thoughts and actions of our people. The response was as ready as the impulse was determined, and the history
of the part taken by our soldiers in the various encounters that mark the progress of the war, presents a record as creditable, perhaps, as that of any other county in Indiana, if, indeed, it is not equal to that of any other in the nation. As an evidence of the promptness that characterized the move- ments of our people upon call for their services, it is officially stated that Cass County furnished a company of the original Ninth regiment of Indiana Vol- unteers, the first that left the State for service in West Virginia. On the 15th of April, 1861, the first call for troops was made by the President. The following day, the first commission was issued to Robert H. Milroy, as Captain of Company G. Six days later. Dudley H. Chase was commissioned Captain of Compa y K, of the same regiment. who reported at once for duty and was mustered into service on the tenth day after the issue of the call for volunteers.
The regiment left for the seat of war, departing from Indianapolis on the 29th of May, and three days later was in active service, participating in an engagement at Philippi, on the 3d of June. These were ninety days men, but during this short period they exhibited fighting qualities worthy the cause that called them forth. Capt. Chase, after serving during the period of his enlistment, immediately re-entered service in the Seventeenth U. S. Infantry, where he won for himself a most honorable record
Immediately upon the call of May 3, 1861, for three years men, enlist- ments began to be made in this county. So rapidly were enrollments made that another company was formed, which afterward became Company F, of the Twentieth Regiment. When this regiment was organized, William L. Brown, of this county, was elected Colonel, and Benjamin H. Smith, Major, their commissions bearing date July 23, 1861. Company F of this regiment had for its superior officers, John Kistler, of Carroll County, Captain ; Thomas H. Logan, First and Ed. C. Sutherland, Second Lieutenant, both of Cass, County. On the 15th of November 1862, T. II. Logan became Captain, when Ed. C Sutherland was promoted to the First Lieutenantcy and Harvey H. Miller, also of this county, to the Second. Jonathan C. Kirk was com- missioned as Second Lieutenant on the 1st of August, 1864, and subsequently promoted to the First Lieutenantcy, on the re-organization of the regiment.
The Twentieth Regiment made a record for itself in the history of the war that will not soon be obliterated, suffering, perhaps more severely in the loss of officers and men killed and disabled, than any other regiment of the State .. Col. Brown was killed on Manasses Plaing, August 29, 1862, and history ascribes to him the credit of being a brave man, & judicious officer and a rigid disciplinarian. In this and subsequent battles in which the Twentieth was engaged, many of Cass County's gallant sons yielded up their lives for the country's good, while others, from the effect of wounds received and diseases incurred, came home to die. Among these was Lieut. Suther- land, who died on the 26th of May, 1864.
A few weeks later, the Forty-sixth Regiment was formed, the principal offi- cers of which were from this county, as were, also, the major part of companies B, D, I and K, and portions of Fand H. The regimental officers from this county at the date of organization were Graham N. Fitch, Colonel; Newton G. Scott, Lieutenant Colonel ; Thomas H. Bringhurst, Major ; Richard P. De Hart, Adjutant ; D. D. Dykeman, Quartermaster; Robert Irwin, Chap- lain, and Horace Coleman, Surgeon. Maj. Bringhurst was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel May 25, 1862 ; to Colonel on the 6th of August, 1862. Capt. A. M. Flory was promoted to Major, August 6, 1862; to Lieutenant Colonel, February 10, 1863. Capt. W. M. De Hart was promoted to Major, January 1, 1865. Thomas H. Howes was commissioned Quartermaster, June 16, 1868, and Wm. S. Richardson, May 28, 1865. Dr. Asa Coleman was commissioned Assistant Surgeon, May 14, 1862; Dr. I. B. Washburn on the 27th of December, 1862, and promoted to Principal Surgeon, October 17, 1863.
The officers of Company B were Aaron M. Flory, from October 4, 1861, to October 16, 1862 ; Frank Swigart, from the latter date to October 12, 1864, and T. B. Forgy until the close of the war. John T. Castle, Matthew K. Graham and T. B. Forgy were successively First Lieutenants. John Arnout, Matthew K. Graham, Frank Swigart, Loren C. Stevens and M. H. Nash, were Second Lieutenants.
Of Company D, John Guthrie was Captain from October 4, 1861, to May 16, 1862; Wm. M. De Hart, from the latter date to January 1, 1865; W. M. De Hart, C. A. Brownlee and A. B. Herman were successively First Lieuten- ants ; C. A. Brownlee, A. K. Ewing and A. J. Lavenger, Second Lieutenants. Of Company I, J. W. F. Liston was Captain from October 22, 1862, to November 29, 1864, and Frederick Fitch until the close of the war. J. W. F. Liston, First Lieutenant from October 1, 1861, to April 22, 1862; N. B. Booth, Second Lieutenant from October 4, 1861, to May 21, 1862.
This regiment was mustered into service December 11, 1861, and did creditable service until the close of the war.
This county also furnished Companies G and H of the Seventy-third Regiment, mustered into service August 16, 1862. The roster of Company G is as follows :
Capt. W. L. McConnell, August 5. 1862, to February 5, 1863. Capt. J. A. Westlake, from February 6, 1863.
First Lieut. J. A. Westlake, from August 5, 1862, to February 6, 1868. First Lieut. G. A. Van Ness, from February 6, 1863.
Second Lieut. R. J. Connolly, from August 6, 1862, to May 15, 1865. Second Lieut. S. B. Pratt, from June 20, 1865.
The officers of Company H were ;
Capt. Peter Doyle, August 5, 1862 ; killed at Stone River, Dec. 31, 1862. Capt. D. H. Mull, January 2, 1863, to end of war.
First Lieut. D. H. Mull, August 5, 1862, to January 2, 1863. First Lieut. H. S. Murdock, January 2, 1863, to end of war.
Second Lieut. A. M. Callahan, August 2, 1862, to end of war.
The Ninety-ninth Regiment was mustered into service October 31, 1862. Of this regiment Richard P. De Hart was Lieutenant Colonel from October 18, 1862, to March 4, 1864, when he was promoted to the Colonelcy of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment.
Digitized by
32
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
Company K of the Ninety nintth was chiefly composed of Cass County boys. The officers were : Capt. G. W. Julian, from May 1, 1863, to Novem- ber 8, 1864, and George C. Walker, from January 1, 1865, to the close of the war.
First Lieut. G. W. Julian from August 22, 1862, to May 1. 1863, when he was promoted to Captain : Geo. C. Walker, from May 1, 1863, to January 1, 1865, when he was promoted to the Captaincy, and Seldon P. Stuart to the end of the war.
Second Lieut. G. C. Walker, from December 20, 1862, to May 1, 1863 ; Sel- don P. Stuart, from May 1, 1863, to March 18, 1865, and John C. McGregor from that time to the close of the war.
In the Winter of 1863-4 the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment was formed, with Richard P. De Hart as Colonel, and Joshua Healy as Major, and subsequently Natil S. Paul was Adjutant. Of this regiment Cass County supplied most of the members of Companies B, H and K.
Of Company B, Alex. K. Ewing was Captain from December 13, 1863, to September 30, 1864. when John C. Barnitt became Captain. John C. Bar- nitt was First Lieutenant from December 13, 1863, to December 1, 1864, and was succeeded by William C. Mills, subsequently by Frank E. West. John T. Powell was Second Lieutenant from December 18, 1863, to the 3d of March, 1864, when he was promoted to Captain of Company H. He was succeeded in their order by Wm. C. Mills, Frank E. West and Samuel Tilton.
The roster of Company H is as follows : John T. Powell, Captain, and Wm. A. Harper, First Lieutenant.
Of Company K the following were the officers from this county : Frank M. Hinton, Captain ; Geo. W. Smith, First Lieutenant. and Wm. H. Crockett, Second Lieutenant
In the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Regiment, John C. Scantling was Captain of Company C, subsequently promoted to Major, and after being regularly mustered out with the regiment, enlisted in the regular army. J. L. Cornwell, Joseph P. McKee and John G. Penrose were First and Second Lieutenants.
The foregoing embraces nearly a complete list of the officers, with their regimental and company connection, from Cass County, who represent its military history.
BOUNTY AND RELIEF.
What has been done in this department by our people is no less conspicu- ous, as is shown by the following, taken from the Adjutant General's report. For bounties, the county at large has paid $127,825.00, and the town- ships, $101,579.00-in all, $229,404.00.
For the relief of soldiers' families, etc. :
The county paid the sum of.
$50,105 80
While the townships paid
82,519 18
Total for relief.
$82,624 93
For miscellaneous purposes
3,379 00
Making total expenses paid
$315,407,93
SNAKE STORY.
The following narrative of an encounter with a rattlesnake is given by Mr. Benjamin Porter, of Clinton Township, whose veracity is unquestioned. He says : " About the 20th of May, 1831, I and my brother were prospect- ing for land, with the view of selecting a tract suitable for purchase and occupancy as a homestead, whenever we should determine to settle. The night previous, we had stopped at Lockport, in Carroll County, at the house of a Mr. Barnes, who subsequently erected a mill on Burnett's Creek, in that vicinity. Having eaten an early breakfast, we left, taking a north- easterly course, until we arrived at the boundary line of Section 4, in Town- ship 26 north, Range 1 west. Here we halted and began to look around, taking observations.
"It was concluded that we should separate, my brother tracing the boundary lines, while I would go through, each taking note of the kind of timber, and the lay and quality of the land. Expecting to meet snakes in our route, we had taken the precautionary step to cut a stick apiece, for the double purpose of a walking stick and as a weapon of defense against rattlesnakes, which were then numerous in that locality, should occasion require it. Mine was a detached section of a kin-ne-ka-nic bush, the dimensions being about six feet in length and an inch and a half in diam- eter. Thus equipped, I had traveled two or two and a half miles, going through and around, when, on beating back the weeds and grass in front, I discovered a huge rattlesnake, of the yellow species, preparing to dispute my further passage along that route. He had given the customary signal and measured half his length in darting from his coil toward me, thrusting his ugly head much too near my person to insure perfect steadiness of nerves.
" Recovering from the sudden shock, I dealt his snakeship a heavy blow with my stick, knocking him back, stunning him only for a moment. Im- mediately recovering himself, he seized the end of the stick with his teeth, requiring from me a considerable exertion of strength to relieve it from his grasp. The deep prints of his teeth, as they scraped the surface of the stick, told full plainly of the immense power of his jaws. Striking him another heavy blow and wounding him still more, he returned the compli- ment, as after the former stroke, leaving again the deep tracings of his teeth upon the stick. Another and heavier blow so stunned him that I was enabled, by a few more well directed strokes, to reduce his head to a pulpy mass. Supposing all danger passed, I approached the reptile's carcass for the purpose of removing his rattles, to be retained as a trophy of my encounter, having taken the precaution to pin his head to the ground with a sharp-pointed stick. Notwithstanding this, when I took hold of the rattles, by his great muscular power yet unexhausted, he tore away from his fast-
tenings and darted at me with the velocity of lightning, and coiled his almost headless trunk around my legs. I released my hold as rapidly as possible, and disengaged my partially paralyzed limbs. When this was accomplished, and the rattles removed, a mist rose up before me and I was overcome with a most deathly sickness, which continued for nearly half an hour.
"Upon recovering from the effects of the poisonous inhalation, with some effort, I took the dead snake on the end of my stick and hung him up on a buckeye bush about six feet high. This snake was over five feet long and nearly that many inches in diameter. having sixteen rattles.
" When I found my brother, waiting at the section corner, and related the transaction, he took up his stick and started, saying to me: 'Ben, if that is the kind of snakes here, we don't want this land !" And we left."
EEL TOWNSHIP.
Eel Township was organized on the 1st day of May, 1829, and stands first on the list of civil townships organized in the county less than a month subsequent to the organization of the county itself. In area, it is, perhaps, the smallest in the county, as it is, also, in population, outside of Logansport.
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.