USA > Indiana > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Indiana > Part 44
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In the same issue of the paper that contained the 'account of Company E, is found the following in relation to Company K: "On Thursday afternoon, last, Hon. Ralph Applewhite, judge of the Court of Common Pleas of this Judicial District, and Rev. Stephen Bowers, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at this place, had posters struck announcing that they were forming a com- pany of volunteers, and on Saturday evening had a sufficient number sworn in to secure their admission into camp. The company is now full and over, numbering upward of 125 men, and will leave for the camp at Madison as soon as the preparations are com- pleted to receive them. This is decidedly the most expeditious recruiting of which we have yet seen any account, and too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Capt. Applewhite and Rev. Bowers for the indomitable energy they displayed in getting up
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the company. * The company is, in the main, composed of our most prominent and influential citizens-men of solidity, sobriety and moral integrity-men who are solely induced by love of country to leave home, friends, wives, children and lucrative avocation, to do battle for the Union." The issue of the following week contains this: "On Tuesday evening Capt. Applewhite's company left this place for Camp Emerson, at Madison. We were absent from the town during the day, and therefore cannot speak of the proceedings, scenes and incidents of the day with that detailed accuracy that we would desire to do. A free dinner was served up in the court house square for these gallant men and and their hundreds of friends assembled upon the occasion. During the day speeches were made by Maj. S. P. Mooney, S. W. Tanner, H. W. Chadwick, Jason B. Brown, and, we believe, others whose names we have not learned, interspersed with the music of the ear-piercing fife and sole-stirring drum." The captains of this company were Ralph Applewhite, August 20, 1862; Tazwell Vawter, April 7, 1863. First lieutenants, Stephen Bowers, August 20, 1862; Tazwell Vawter, September 1, 1862; Oscar F. Lowell, April 7, 1863. ' Second Lieutenants, T. Vawter, August 20, 1862; Gabriel Robinson, September 1, 1862; Robert Callahan, April 7, 1863. Originally the company had 99 men, and afterward received 5 recruits. Out of this number 14 died. These figures are taken from the adjutant general's report.
The Sixty-seventh Regiment was organized in the Third Congressional District of the State. It was mustered into the service August 20, 1862, with Frank Emerson as colonel, and was at once ordered to Louisville. From there it marched to Munfordsville, where it took part in the engagement with the advance of Bragg's army, on the 14th of September. It was subsequently surrendered at that place with the other forces, The loss was forty-three killed and wounded. Having been exchanged, it proceeded in December to Memphis, and joined 16
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Sherman's expedition to Vicksburg. January 11, 1863 ,it partic- ipated in the assault on Arkansas Post, and in the charge that resulted in the capture of the place it bore a conspicuous part and sustained heavy loss. After this it remained at Young's Point until it joined Grant's expedition against Vicksburg. It participated in the battles of Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Black River Bridge, and in the investment and capture of Vicksburg. It also took a leading part in the capture of Jackson. Soon after this it was sent down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, and was transferred to the Department of the Gulf, and joined Banks' army. At the battle of Grand Coteau, in November, 1863, 200 men of the regiment were captured. It went on the Red River expedition, and was in the battles of Sabinet Cross- Roads, Cane River and Alexandria, losing heavily. During this expedition Col. Emerson received a second severe wound, which compelled him to resign. Soon after this campaign the regiment joined the expedition against Fort Gaines and Morgan, where it took part in the twenty days' siege that resulted in their capture. After this the regiment returned to Morganza, La., where it remained until December, with the exception of two brief campaigns. On the 21st of December, 1864, the Sixty- seventh was consolidated with the Twenty-fourth, the new organi- zation bearing the name of the latter regiment. From that time on the two regiments served together, engaging in the campaign against Mobile and afterward moving to Galveston. At the latter place, on the 19th of July, 1865, all the men formerly of the Sixty-seventh, except the recruits, were mustered out of the service. During its term of service the Sixty-seventh partic- ipated in eighteen regular engagements, besides skirmishes. It was under fire 147 days, traveled an aggregate distance of 17,- 000 miles, and at the end of the first year of its service had been under fire seventy days. This is a record almost unsurpassed by any regiment in the civil war.
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OPINIONS IN 1863.
The sentiment that had been gaining ground against the prosecution of the war probably attained its highest in the sum- mer of 1863. This, however, was not a sentiment in favor of the Rebellion, but was in favor of conciliation, and was willing to con- tinue the existence of slavery. The emancipation proclamation, therefore, to those who held these views, was a dangerous and unwarranted proceeding. To them it seemed the Government was waging a war of subjugation and for the abolishment of slavery. Such a course they were heartily opposed to, and from these causes alone, were opposed to the prosecution of the war. They were equally opposed to the breaking up of the Union. A con- servative or middle course was what they proposed to follow; but it is doubtful if such a plan could have succeeded at that time. President Lincoln took the smaller horn of the dilemma, and wisely concluded that it was better to destroy slavery than the Union.
The Indiana Legislature of 1863 passed a resolution declar- ing in favor of calling a National Peace Convention, and requested the people of Indiana to send representatives to a State Conven- tion that should appoint delegates to the National assembly. This gave the opportunity for the various counties to express their sentiment upon the war questions. The one for Jackson County was held at Brownstown, February 19 of that year. Maj. S. P. Mooney was chosen chairman, with W. W. Wamsley and Ben Carr, secretaries. The following men were appointed a commit- tee on resolutions: Martin Ferris, Martin Henderlider, Samuel Lee, Michael May, L. L. Shields, W. C. A. Bain, Daniel Bar- ringer, Andrew Robertson, Enoch Hunsucker, William Hupp and Alex Heinote. The meeting was addressed by Hons. Thomas Dowling, G. F. Cookerly and H. W. Harrington. The resolutions are too long for insertion here. They declare that the Union has no existence separate from the Constitution, and that the allegi- ance of its citizens is due alone to the Constitution, and laws
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made in pursuance thereof, and not any man, or officer, or admin- istration. After a detailed arraignment of the party in power for abuses, they declare "that the doctrine of secession, as proclaimed by Southern traitors, is inimical to our institutions and destructive of free government, and that the remedy for all real or imaginary evils in a republican form of government, where majorities rule, is the ballot, and not the bayonet. . * That, judging the future by the past and present, it is our deliberate conviction that the union of these States can never be restored by war, and that such restoration can only be brought about by peaceful means through delegates to a national convention, elected fresh from the people of the whole country."
Two days later another mass convention was held at the same place, presided over by John F. Carr. Among their resolutions were the following: "That the war now being waged against armed rebellion has its foundation in the principles of justice and humanity. * That we are unalterably opposed to any armis- tice or cessation of hostilities until those in rebellion against the Government of the United States shall manifest an honest desire to return to their allegiance to said Government; and that while this war is not being waged for conquest or subjugation of States, but for the subjugation of traitors, we pledge ourselves that at any time when the people of any seceded State shall cease fight- ing against the Government of the United States, acknowledge its allegiance to the Constitution, and manifest an honest purpose to act in obedience to the laws of the same, we will defend them in the enjoyment of whatever property they may hold under the laws of any such State returning to its allegiance to the Federal Government."
This last was a Republican Convention, and the other was Democratic.
In June, 1863, William Frysinger retired from the manage- ment of the Union, which he had conducted with marked ability
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and patriotism. He had consistently followed out a course that was unquestionably right; but he, nevertheless, had incurred the opposition of some members of his own party, and he withdrew from the public organ of that party. His valedictory, in the issue of June 18, contained the following:
"There is not, we venture to say, a reliable Democrat in Indi- ana who believes that earnest, energetic support of the Govern- ment against the Rebellion is inconsistent with the teachings of Democracy. Yet we have been voted 'not a Democrat,' by about a dozen men scattered in different sections of the county, for no other reason than that we have been too devotedly attached to the Union, and too heartily in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war to the end of the Rebellion, to endorse and sanction measures which are not only not Democratic, but which are justly obnoxious to every patriot who would see treason and traitors crushed to the earth never to rise again. Our crime is none other, let those who have labored so assiduously for our ejectment say what they may."'
These various extracts will show the turn public opinion was gradually undergoing in the county. Yet it was always patriotic.
OTHER REGIMENTS.
Jackson County was represented in the Ninety-third Regiment, although not numerously. . There was no full company from the county in that organization, but the men were in companies that were credited to other counties. At the organization of the regi- ment George W. Carr was made lieutenant-colonel, and not long after John W. Poole was commissioned major. Both of these men were from Jackson County. Col. Carr resigned in June, 1863, and Maj. Poole was at once promoted lieutenant-colonel. After the latter's name in the roster of the regimental officers is found the following remark: "Wounded and captured June 10, . 1864; died of starvation at Macon, Ga., March 5, 1865." This is
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but one of the awful consequences of, the civil war. A sketch of each of these men will be found in this volume in the biograpical department.
A considerable portion of Company H of the One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment were from Jackson County. Thomas J. Richards was captain, and Jhilson P. Cummins was first lieu- tenant, both of Mooney, and their commissions were dated Febru- ary 29, 1864. They were the only commissioned officers from this county. The company started out with a total of ninety- nine men, and was recruited with twenty; of these fifteen died and two deserted. This regiment saw considerable active service in the closing battles of the war. Company C of the Tenth Cavalry (One Hundred and Twenty-fifth) Regiment also con- tained a large representation of Jackson County men. At the original organization the officers were all of Seymour. They were Joseph W. Swift, captain; Burdett A. Clifton, first lieutenant, and William C. Crouch, second lieutenant. Their commissions were dated in December, 1863, and they were mustered into the service during the following month. The One Hundred and Fortieth Regiment of Indiana Volunteers contained a full com- pany of Jackson County men. It was assigned the position of K, and was officered as follows: Captain, William Miller; first lieutenant, George M. Irwin; second lieutenant, Noah S. Weddle. It was organized and mustered in during the month of October, 1864. The regiment was under the command of Col. Thomas J. Brady, and remained in the active service until the close of the war, and was discharged in July following. The total enrollment of Company K was ninety-nine men, and of these thirteen died and eight deserted.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIFTH.
The last regiment in which the men from this county were conspicuous was the One Hundred and Forty-fifth. In that Com-
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panies F and G were largely composed of Jackson men; among the commissioned officers of the former were William T. Dough- erty, as captain, and William P. Boyatt, first lieutenant. The others were from Scott County. In Company G, James W. Mc- Donald was captain, Frank Williams was first lieutenant, and James T. McDonald, second lieutenant, all of Seymour. Both these companies were organized and mustered into the service about the middle of February, 1865, with William A. Adams as colonel, and was recruited in the Third Congressional District. On the 18th of February the regiment left Indianapolis for Nash- ville, Tenn., and on the 24th reported to Gen. Steadman, at Chatta- nooga. The same day it proceeded to Dalton, Ga., where it was placed on duty guarding the railroad for some time, and was then moved to Marietta, where it remained until the fall of 1865, when it was ordered to Cuthbert. At this place it remained on duty until its muster out, in January, 1866.
THE DRAFTS.
The first draft that occurred in Indiana was in October, 1862. On the 20th of September before this, Jackson County, had fur- nished her full quota of men necessary to meet the President's third call for troops of 300,000 men, except seventeen. Eight of these were due from Washington Township, and nine from Ham- ilton. Between that date and the 6th of October, the date of the draft, these seventeen men had been raised, and Jackson County escaped the draft entirely. The draft officers appointed for the county were J. J. Cummins, draft commissioner; Peter Platter, marshal, and Samuel Wort, surgeon. Up to that date the county furnished 1,607 volunteers, of which number 1,519 were then in the service. Under the calls of February 1, March 14 and July 18, 1864, Jackson County furnished a total of 987 men, a surplus of fifty-one over the number required. Of these 146 were drafted in October, 1864, and the balance was raised by volunteering.
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The seventh and last call of the President for troops was issued December 19, 1864, when 300,000 men were demanded. Under this call the quota for the county was 225, and to meet this 67 were drafted and 180 volunteered. The county was cred- ited with a total of 247. The total credits of the county for the war amount to 2,753. Of this number 232 were re-enlisted vet- erans, leaving an actual count of 2,521 men who served in the war from Jackson County. This is a record of which the county may well be proud.
DRAFT SENTIMENTS.
There may have been some sentiment in the county opposed to the enforcement of the drafts. Indeed, the power of conscrip- tion is one which, though generally conceded to governments, is yielded to by the people with the utmost reluctance. It affords such ample opportunity for demagogues to invest themselves with tyrannical powers, and is so apparently opposed to individual rights that it should not be a matter of surprise to find popular opposi- tion to its enforcement. Notwithstanding this, it is difficult to go the full length of that official report, which says that there was a portion of Jackson County where "the condition of the com- munity was for a time only less unsettled and fearful than a con- dition of actual war." This seems the more likely to be error, since in this county the "townships or neighborhoods where the disloyal element predominated" were the most prompt to furnish their quota of men for the service, as shown by the report of the same officer.
THE COUNTY MILITIA.
The early steps for organizing the home guards proved to be an influential move in behalf of the Government. Through the militia, many good soldiers were brought into active service. The Jackson Greys were organized as a company of active militia in the Indiana Legion. At a meeting held at the court house July 4, 1861, for the purpose of electing the officers, S. W. Holmes was
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called to the chair; S. P. Mooney, Jr., and Dr. J. A. Stillwell were made secretaries; John T. Shanks was chosen captain; William T. Dodds, first lieutenant, and S. P. Mooney, Jr., second lieutenant. J. J. Cummins had been appointed colonel of the mili- tia for Jackson County. A company of home guards was organized in Salt Creek Township and one in Driftwood; regular meetings were held for drill and practice in the manual of arms. The name of the Brownstown company was soon after changed to Union Greys, and a company in Owen Township, at Clear Spring, took the name of Jackson Greys. In the Salt Creek com- pany John Scott, C. R. Hunter and George W. Hays were the captain, first and second lieutenants. At Clear Spring they were Jacob L. Tanner, Silas Smith and Thomas Boyatt, and in Drift- wood, L. C. Shewmaker, M. Singer and P. L. Davis. In July Samuel W. Holmes was appointed deputy adjutant-general for Jackson County, and he was then a very effective worker and organizer.
LEGION DRILL.
In the early part of October, 1861, a meeting of all the home guards of the county was held at Brownstown. It was a grand success, and a large crowd was present from all portions of the county. An address was delivered by the Hon. C. L. Dunham. This was perhaps the most successful drill ever held in the county by the legion. Large numbers of its men had entered the active service, and its efficiency greatly impaired. It continued its or- ganization, however, during most of the war, and at the time of Morgan's raid was called together under Meedy W. Shields, its commander.
THE MORGAN RAID.
Perhaps nothing ever stirred the people of southern Indiana so deeply, or spread such universal alarm among the inhabitants, as the news that the rebel Gen. John H. Morgan had crossed the the Ohio River with his regiment of cavalry on a raid through
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Indiana. Every community in the southern portion of the State deemed itself the object of attack, and was excited to the highest pitch of active resistance. The farmer left the plow and the mer- chant his store, and all united, with whatever weapon could be procured, to drive the invader back. Jackson County shared the excitement in the fullest degree. When it became known with some certainty of the whereabouts of Morgan, two companies of the legion were stationed on the road leading to Salem, under the command of Capt. M. W. Shields. At that time it was supposed that the object of the rebel commander's attack was Indianapolis, and that his route would be by this road through Brownstown. Great relief was afforded when news came that from Salem the course of the invaders was more to the east. It was later learned that the probable course would bring them to Vernon, in Jennings County. At that time a considerable force was at Seymour, un- der Gen. Love, and this was ordered to Vernon, where it at once proceeded by the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad.
ARREST OF HON. JASON BROWN.
In the calm which has followed the awful maelstrom of civil war, it is difficult for a later generation to catch the spirit that animated the leaders of that day. In the two great political par- ties of that day the partisan spirit ran high, and no doubt errors were committed by both sides. Too much talk on one side brought about the suspension of newspapers and the arrest of citizens by the other. A military force ruled the land, and, intoxicated with its new power, doubtless often went beyond the laxer rules of the civil law. One of the most notorious of the arrests made during the early part of the war, was that of Jason B. Brown, at Sey- mour, September 5, 1862. The following account of it is from the Jackson Union, of September 11:
" Jason B. Brown, Esq., the Democrat-Union candidate for representative in this county, during the progress of the delivery
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of a speech at Seymor on Friday, in a joint discussion with John F. Carr, his competitor, was approached by Lieut. Bosler and of- ficiously informed that he must change the tenor of his speech or he would be arrested. Mr. Brown asked him to hear him through, and then judge for himself whether or not he changed its tenor. Mr. Brown then continued. He had not, however, proceeded far, before another man in soldier's clothes stepped up- on the platform, and, presenting a cocked pistol, informed Mr. Brown that he had authority to arrest him. Mr. Brown demand- ed to see it. The soldier refused to show it. Mr. Brown asked the audience whether or not they desired him to finish his speech. A spontaneous shout of 'Yes,' 'Yes,' 'Go on with your speech,' ' We want to hear you through,' etc., was the response. He then informed the officer that if he attempted to arrest him then, he would do it at his peril, telling him at the same time that so soon as he finished speaking he would go with him. The officer . then desired to know if there were not some good Union men present who would assist in the arrest, but as none volunteered their services, he allowed Mr. Brown to proceed with his speech.
" His speech concluded, Mr. Brown was about departing with his military escort, when a general clamor arose, the crowd evinc- ing a disposition to release him from custody. Mr. Brown exhorted them to be quiet and submissive. He said Democrats were peaceable and law-abiding citizens, and, although his arrest was made without authority of law and in clear violation of the Constitution, yet he waived all legal technicalities and was will- ing to accompany his escort. The crowd, however, continued tumultuous, and it was only after Mr. Brown was released, upon his promise to be at the depot at car time, that the manifested indignation of the throng subsided into peaceable submission.
" Mr. Brown was conveyed to Indianapolis, and taken to the United States Marshal's office. The marshal being absent, the deputy, not wishing to assume the responsibility of retaining Mr.
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Brown, released him upon his parole to report himself on the 16th inst. in case the marshal desired to investigate the matter."
The authority upon which the arrest was made, reads as follows: SEYMOUR, IND., September 5, 1862.
To the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana :
Jason B. Brown, of Brownstown, Jackson County, Indiana, did this day use treasonable language in public against the Gov- ernment of the United States of America.
This at Seymour, Jackson County, Indiana, this 5th day of September, 1862.
LIEUT. JOSEPH BOSLER,
Recruiting Officer 15 In. Vols., Huron, Indiana.
Witness :
S. W. SMITH, Seymour.
JOHN HORTON,
THOMAS L. EWING, "
CAPT. SNODGRASS.
W. H. SALMON, Jackson County,
DR. A. H. SMITH, Seymour.
JOHN F. CARR, Medora, Jackson County."
It is said that the charges against Mr. Brown were dismissed without trial. Whether the above charge of uttering " treason- able language " was true or not, is a matter not to be discussed here. The dismissal of the cause without trial would be a strong circumstance in his favor. But this is only given as an example of the method of proceeding in many instances of the time. Such a charge as this could have no footing in the civil courts.
BOUNTY AND RELIEF.
The citizens of the county took early steps to have the fami- lies of volunteers cared for in their absence. In the first part of the summer of 1861, a committee was organized in Brownstown for the purpose of attending to this business; William T. Dobbs was
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made chairman. The county board made liberal allowances for soldiers' families, of from $2 to $8 per month. This was con- tinued until June, 1864, when it was stopped. In addition to this the ladies held fairs, and formed societies for supplying the soldiers in the field with various articles necessary to their com- fort. Boxes of quilts, mittens, socks, blankets, caps and other things of a like nature were almost constantly going to the front, and doubtless found hearty welcome by the boys, who thus knew they were remembered at home, and that warm hearts and ready hands were guarding their interests.
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