USA > Indiana > Vermillion County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 25
USA > Indiana > Parke County > History of Parke and Vermillion Counties, Indiana : with historical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 25
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But when at last that family had finished the story of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" there was a changed tone in another home. A woman's hand had done the work. Perrysville felt the electric thrill, as was shown a few years later when the very flower of her manhood marched away amid waving flags and shouting multitudes in response to the President's call. I only mention this
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incident to show how the quiet forces of God work in places and in ways un- seen and unknown of men, to prepare the way for the advancement of still greater things.
That work of Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe set the world ablaze with hatred of human slavery. Everybody in the Wabash valley read it, or read about it. Its influence was subtle, but permanent. All those earlier years the agitation against human slavery had been pushed throughout the North with all the vigor of crusaders. The wave struck Clinton. Big, impetuous, sympathetic Hiram Bishop one day proclaimed upon Main street that from that moment on, he was for the abolition of slavery. The immediate provo- cation for the exclamation was the story of a slave-power outrage upon free- speech. The scandal spread like wild-fire all over the country. There lived here in Clinton a harness-maker, another old Easterner, named John Cowgill. He heard the awful story that a man in Clinton had come out for abolition.
Cowgill never stopped for a second to take thought as to whether it would be safe, but instantly blurted out that "Here is another one of those d-d black abolitionists." Cowgill's endorsement of the unpopular idea only added fuel to the flames, and there burst forth a storm of wrath against the two men such as they did not forsee.
"What !" cried a pro-slaveryite to my grandfather one day, "do you want to free the millions of niggers in the South, and have them coming up here into the North and competing with honest men for jobs. Do you want your daughter to marry a nigger? Shame on you for such scandalous sentiment."
But the storm of anger kept rising and growing hotter and hotter. And then one day grandfather Bishop came home in great trepidation. He was deeply stirred and uneasy. Something had gone wrong. Finally the family was informed that he had been notified that he and John Cowgill were to be hung as "black abolitionists." The threat stirred up a hornet's nest in the village of Clinton and one dark night a posse of men gathered with ropes and went out to hunt up John Cowgill and Hiram Bishop and hang them to the first tree they could find. At the same time another company of men got together and sent the "Regulators" sharp notice that the moment they began the hanging business there would be such a demand for ropes and trees that the supply would soon be exhausted. The real sentiment of the people had crystallized and taken on definite, defiant form and stood between two homes and the agents of an angered aristocracy that was then feeling the terrific blows of Lincoln's logic.
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Further than stating that the cause of the Civil war was the great ques- tion of slavery, that had been the difficulty between the North and the South for many years, it will not be necessary to go into the details, all so well known to the reader of history. The war came on in April, 1861, and lasted four long, eventful years, and was finally decided-in favor of the North and of the freedom of the black race on the American soil. Upon the election of Presi- dent Lincoln, Republican, in the fall of 1860, over the split-up factions of Democracy, the more hot-headed people of the South rebelled and went out of the Union, South Carolina being the first to secede, and that state was soon followed by practically all south of Mason and Dixon's line.
The part taken in this war by the citizens of Vermillion county is best known by following the history of the various companies and regiments that had within their ranks men from this section of Indiana. Before going into the history of these commands they may be enumerated as follows: The Fourteenth Infantry, the Sixteenth Infantry, the Eighteenth Infantry, the Thirty-first Infantry, the Forty-third Infantry, the Seventy-first Infantry (later the Sixth Cavalry), the Eighty-fifth Infantry, the One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Infantry.
The file of the Hoosier State, on July 31, 1861, had the following: "Capt. P. R. Owen, of the 'Clinton Guards,' arrived home on last Saturday. The Captain's sojourn in 'Secessia' has improved his appearance materially. He left the Fourteenth Regiment at Cheat River, eleven miles from Beverly, Randolph county. Virginia, and reports the Clinton boys all doing well and in excellent spirits.
"Captain Owen addressed between six and seven hundred persons in and around the Presbyterian church, on Monday night, going into detail concern- ing the march of the Fourteenth Regiment from Hoosierdom to the sacred soil.' and the full particulars of the battle of Rich Mountain, at the conclusion of which three cheers were given him by the interested audience. He left for Virginia yesterday, accompanied by the good wishes of his numerous friends in this community."
Another item in the same issue said, "Our citizens were aroused from their slumbers this morning by the ringing of the bell on the town hall, which was the signal for the departure of Captain Owen to join his gallant little band in Virginia. A large number of citizens, under command of James Mc- Culloch, accompanied by martial music, proceeded to the residence of Captain Owen. In a few minutes he mounted his horse and was escorted to the east end of the bridge, where the company opened ranks as he passed to the front. John W. Vandiver, on behalf of the citizens of Clinton, delivered a well-timed
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speech, suited to the occasion. Captain Owen returned thanks for the hospital- ity and warm welcome he had received since his return, and pledged the flag which the fair ladies had presented the regiment should be brought back un- tarnished and covered with glory and victory, he hoped. For himself, and those under him, he pledged loyalty and bravery on the field of conflict. Again three cheers went up for the Captain and his command. The Captain then rode proudly away to his duties in the far-off Southland."
TREACHERY IN THE REAR-"KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE."
Vermillion county was not exempt from national enemies at home and sympathizers with the South, though not as bad here as in other sections of Indiana. In his well written articles on "Reminiscences of Fifty Years Ago," by Editor Bishop, of the Clinton Argus, we are permitted to quote the follow- ing on this subject :
By the beginning of the second year of the Civil war the people of Clin- ton, in common with many other northern communities, began to find out that while the great conflict was bringing out the best and noblest in men and women, it was also bringing to light the basest, the weakest, the most con- temptible and despisable elements of human nature. And reading the pages of history, we find that it was ever thus.
Whether this outcropping of sympathy with the slave power was due to natural, inherent wickedness, depravity and sheer deviltry, or whether it was mistaken zeal in what the actors believed to be a just cause, it is not my pur- pose now to discuss. The facts are bad enough, let alone hunting for theories upon which to condone them.
Scarcely had the men who could be, spared gotten away than there began to be whispered about a mysterious brotherhood being organized all over west- ern Indiana and eastern Illinois. At first the name of the secret organization was not known. Its purpose was securely locked within the breasts of oath- bound members. No one knew whom to trust any more. Warnings of physical violence began to appear at homes, in towns and country, if certain parties did not let up on their offensive activity in recruiting soldiers for the war. Mounted men were seen riding over the country at midnight. Depre- dations became more and more frequent and the losses heavier. Horses and cattle were missing and other acts committed, all of which, combined with the awful struggle at the front, made home life full of fear and anxiety. It finally cropped out that the name of this secret brigandage was the "Knights of the Golden Circle." The activity of this gang was so satanic and widespread that
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for twenty years after the war to even hint that anyone had been a member of it, or was in sympathy with it, was enough to drive a man to political oblivion. People scored the Knights of the Golden Circle more bitterly than they did the men who were fighting openly for the Confederacy.
The condition here kept growing worse and worse, until public sentiment was at fever pitch. Secret service agents were detailed to hunt down the conspirators and bring them to trial. And some were caught in the drag-net. But not until after great mischief had been done. It needed but a spark to set off this magazine, and one day the explosion came in a way and a place no one had dreamed of.
There was at the time of which I speak, a low frame building at the northeast corner of Elm and Main streets. The Main street room was occu- pied by a man who kept a groggery. Licensed saloons were unknown then. This man had so far kept a discreet silence on the subject of the war, although it was generally believed that at heart he was in sympathy with the rebellion. Several of the boys had come home on furloughs. One of them walked past this groggery in his uniform. The proprietor flew into a passion at sight of him, and began to pour forth a tirade of abuse and insult. As the young soldier went on past, the fellow, thoroughly enraged, stepped up behind him and dealt the boy a blow that felled him to the street. Instantly he was upon his prostrate form pounding the boy and would have killed him, had not an older brother, seeing the affair, rushed to the boy's rescue. The incident spread over town like a prairie fire, and in a short time every returned soldier and able-bodied man was at the door of the shop armed to the teeth and ready for an emergency. That night the doors were broken in by a rush of men and in a few minutes it was literally wrecked. Every bottle and jug was smashed, every barrel of whisky was broken in with an ax and the place had a combined odor of whisky, beer, wine and tobacco and sour swill that would have made a starch factory smell like attar of roses. The proprietor was roughly notified to get out of town and to do it "d-d quick, too." He got out about 12:30 in the morning, and a hatless man was seen running out of the end of the old toll bridge, headed for the south. He never returned to straighten up his room or business affairs. The incident had one salutary effect after all. It showed the country that even the old men and those not physically able to stand the army service were not to be trifled with and it gave the Knights of the Golden Circle notice to keep hands off. And from that time on their activities in this part became less. But meetings were kept up in the southwest and arrange- ments had been made to help Morgan carry his raid into the North. How- ever, the government's secret service brought the scheme to a sharp end.
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FOURTEENTH INFANTRY REGIMENT.
The company known as I of the Fourteenth Regiment of Indiana Infantry was formed at Clinton within less than a month from the time Fort Sumter had been fired upon by the rebels, at Charleston, South Carolina. Philander R. Owen was made captain of the company, and during the war was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, when John Lindsey was commissioned captain to suc- ceed him. Captain Lindsey was enlisted as first lieutenant, and was mustered out June 24, 1864, on the expiration of his term: Upon his promotion to cap- tain, William P. Haskell, who had been appointed second lieutenant of the organization, was commissioned first lieutenant to fill the vacancy, and was discharged November 25, 1863, for promotion in the Fourth Regiment of United States Colored Troops. James M. Mitchell was promoted from the office of second lieutenant to that of first. The colonels of the Fourteenth, in succession, were Nathan Kimball, of Loogootee, who was promoted briga- dier-general : William Harrow, of Vincennes, also promoted, and John Coons, of Vincennes, who was killed in the battle of Spottsylvania Court-House, Vir- ginia, May 12, 1864.
From the adjutant-general's and other state reports on the Indiana troops, it is learned that the Fourteenth Regiment was originally organized at Camp Vigo, near Terre Haute, in May, 1861, as one of the six regiments of state troops accepted for one year. Upon the call for three-year troops the regi- ment volunteered for that service. The new organization was mustered into the United States service at Terre Haute, June 7, 1861, being the first three- year regiment mustered into service in the whole state of Indiana. On its organization there were one thousand one hundred and thirty-four men and officers. They left Indianapolis July 5th, fully armed and equipped, for the seat of war in western Virginia. They served on outpost duty until October, when they had their first engagement on Cheat Mountain, with Lee's army, losing three killed, eleven wounded and two prisoners. Their second engage- ment was virtually in the same battle at Greenbrier, October 3, when they lost five killed and eleven wounded.
March 23, 1862, under General Shields, Colonel Kimball and Lieutenant- colonel Harrow, they participated in the decisive battle of Winchester, where they lost four killed and fifty wounded, when "Sheridan was twenty miles away," as the poet puts it.
Besides a great deal of marching and other military duty, they marched three hundred and thirty-nine miles between May 12 and June 23. a part of . which time most of the men were without shoes and short of rations. In July,
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for about twenty days, they were kept on outpost duty in the Army of the Potomac, coming in contact with the enemy almost day and night. August 17th, they participated in that great battle of Antietam, serving in Kimball's brigade of French's division, it being the only portion of the line of battle that did not, at some time during the engagement, give way. On this account the men received from General French the title of "Gibraltar Brigade." For four hours the Fourteenth was engaged within sixty yards of the enemy's line, and, after exhausting sixty rounds of cartridges. they supplied themselves with others from the boxes of their dead and wounded companions. In this fight the men were reduced in number from three hundred and twenty to one hun- dred and fifty. Subsequently, they were still further reduced at the battle of.Fredericksburg.
April 28, 1863, being a little recruited by some of the wounded recover- ing, they were at the front in the famous battle of Chancellorsville, as well as at the desperate battle of Gettysburg, the turning-point of the Civil war. After that battle they engaged in several severe fights, and some of the men re- enlisted, December 24, 1863. This truly noble, brave regiment- what was left of it-was finally mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 12, 1865. If Vermillion county had not been represented by another regiment in the Civil strife, it would have reason to be proud of its soldiery.
THE SIXTEENTH INDIANA INFANTRY.
This regiment was organized May, 1861, as a one-year regiment, con- taining some volunteers from Vermillion county. Pleasant A. Hackleman, of Rushville, was the first colonel, and on his promotion to the brigadier-general- ship, Thomas J. Lucas, of Lawrenceburg, was placed as colonel. Horace S. Crane, of Clinton, this county, was mustered in as second lieutenant of Com- pany I, and mustered out with the regiment as sergeant.
May 27, 1862. this regiment was re-organized for the three-year service, but was not mustered in until 'August 19th. On the 30th of the month last named, it took part in the battle of Richmond. Kentucky, losing two hundred men killed and wounded and six hundred prisoners! After the defeat the prisoners were paroled and sent to Indianapolis, and were exchanged Novem- ber Ist. The regiment afterward participated in the Vicksburg campaign, and did great duty in Texas and at Arkansas Post, where it was first to plant the flag of the Union within the fort. Its loss was seventy-seven men, killed and wounded. In April it participated in a successful engagement at Port Gibson, and during the ensuing several months it was engaged in the siege of Vicks-
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burg, in which it lost sixty men, killed and wounded. Later, it had several skirmishes with the rebels in Louisiana, and, in the expedition up Red river, sixteen engagements. The regiment was mustered out at New Orleans, June 30, 1865.
THE EIGHTEENTH INDIANA INFANTRY.
Company C of the Eighteenth Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, from Indiana, was made up wholly of Vermillion county's noble sons, and all its officers in the roster are credited to Newport. John C. Jenks was promoted from captain to major; James A. Bell, from first lieutenant to captain; Josiah Campbell and William B. Hood, from private to captain; Harvey D. Crane and Oscar B. Lowrey, from sergeants to first lieutenants; William H. Burtut was promoted from private to first lieutenant ; William M. Mitchell, from private to second lieutenant; William W. Zener from first sergeant to second lieu -. tenant, and then to adjutant ; Jasper Nebeker was second lieutenant and died in the service; Robert H. Nixon and John Anderson were sergeants; and corporals included Samuel B. Davis, soon disabled by disease, and later well- known throughout Indiana as the talented, fearless Republican editor of the Hoosier State, at Newport, this county. John F. Stewart, James O. Boggs, Alonzo Hostetter, Aaron Hise, James Henry, Charles Gerresh and John A. Henry were also corporals. John F. Leighton, of the recruits, was pro- moted from the ranks to the position of corporal. Hugh H. Conley, another recruit, subsequently became a prominent citizen of Vermillion county.
The first colonel of the Eighteenth Regiment was Thomas Pattison, of Aurora, and upon his resignation, June 3, 1862, Henry D. Washburn, of New- port, succeeded him. The latter was brevetted brigadier-general December 15, 1864, and mustered out July 15, 1865. The first service rendered by this regiment, which was mustered in August 16, 1861, was in Fremont's march to Springfield, Missouri. Soon afterward, at Black Water, it participated in the capture of a large number of prisoners. In March, 1862, it was engaged in the fierce contest at Pea Ridge, where its brigade saved from capture another brigade, and the Eighteenth re-captured the guns of the Peoria Artillery. After several smaller engagements in Arkansas it returned to southeastern Missouri, where it was on duty during the ensuing winter. The following spring it was transferred to Grant's army, and, as part of the division com- manded by General Carr, participated in the flanking of the enemy's position at Grand Gulf, and May Ist, in the battle of Port Gibson, captured a stand of colors and some artillery ; also on the 15th, at Champion's Hill, and on the 17th, at Black River Bridge. From the 19th till July 4th, it was employed in
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the famous siege of Vicksburg, where, during the assault, it was the first regi- ment to plant its colors on the enemy's works.
After the capitulation of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, the regiment moved to New Orleans, and during the autumn following participated in the campaign up the Teche river and in the operations in that part of Louisana. November 12th it embarked for Texas, where on the 17th it was engaged in the capture of Mustang Island, and also in the successful attack on Fort Esperanza on the 26th. After a furlough in the winter and spring of 1864, it joined General Butler's forces at Bermuda Hundred, in July, where it had several severe skirmishes. August 19th, it joined General Sheridan's Army of the Shenan- doah. In the campaign that followed, the regiment participated in the battle of Opequon, losing fifty-four killed and wounded ; also in the pursuit of Early, seven killed and wounded; and in the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19th, losing fifty-one killed and wounded, besides thirty-five prisoners.
From the middle of January, 1865, for three months, the Eighteenth was assisting in building fortifications at Savannah. May Ist, it was the first to raise the Stars and Stripes at Augusta, Georgia. The regiment was mustered out August 28, 1865.
THE THIRTY-FIRST INDIANA INFANTRY.
This regiment had a number of volunteers from Vermillion county. It was organized at Terre Haute, September 15, 1861, for three years service. The colonels were: Charles Cruft, of Terre Haute; John Osborn, of Bowl- ing Green ; John T. Smith, of Bloomfield, and James R. Hollowell, of Belle- more. It participated in the decisive battle of Fort Donelson; was in the bat- tle of Shiloh, where it lost twenty-two killed, one hundred and ten wounded and ten missing; in the siege of Corinth; was stationed at various places in Tennessee ; was engaged in the battle of Stone River and Chattanooga, of the Atlanta campaign, Nashville, etc., and was on duty in the Southwest until late in the autumn of the year 1865, many months after the termination of the war.
THE FORTY-THIRD INFANTRY REGIMENT.
Vermillion county sent out Company I of this regiment. Samuel J. Hall was captain from the date of muster, October 9, 1861, to January 7, 1865, the close of his enlistment, and then Robert B. Sears was captain until the regi- ment was mustered out. He was promoted from the position of corporal to that of first lieutenant, and finally to that of captain. David A. Ranger, of
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Toronto, this county, was first lieutenant; William L. Martin, of Newport, was first the second and then the first lieutenant. George W. Shewmaker was second lieutenant for the first seven or eight months. John Lovelace was first a private and then second lieutenant.
George K. Steele, of Rockville, was colonel of the regiment until January 16, 1862; William E. McLean, of Terre Haute, until May 17, 1865, and John C. Major, from that date till the mustering out of the regiment.
The first engagement had by this regiment was at the siege of New Ma- drid and Island No. Ten. It was attached to Commodore Foote's gun-boat fleet in the reduction of Fort Pillow, serving sixty-nine days in that campaign. It was the first Union regiment to land in the city of Memphis, and, with the Fifty-sixth Indiana, constituted the entire garrison, holding that place for two. weeks, until reinforced. In July, 1862, the Forty-Third was ordered up White River, Arkansas, and later to Helena. At the battle at this place, a year afterward, the regiment was especially distinguished, alone supporting a battery that was three times charged by the enemy, repulsing each attack, and finally capturing a full Rebel regiment larger in point of numbers than its own strength.
It aided in the capture of Little Rock, where, in January, 1864, the regi- ment re-enlisted, when it numbered four hundred. Next it was in the battle of Elkin's Ford, Jenkin's Ferry, Camden and Mark's Mills, near Saline river. At the latter place, April 30th, the brigade to which it was attached, while guarding the train of four hundred wagons returning from Camden to Pine Bluffs, was furiously attacked by six thousand of General Marmaduke's cav- alry. The Forty-third lost nearly two hundred in killed, wounded and miss- ing in this engagement. Among the captured were one hundred and four re- enlisted veterans.
After this, the regiment came home on a furlough, but while enjoying this vacation they volunteered to go to Frankfort, Kentucky, which was then being threatened by Morgan's raiders. They remained there until the Rebel forces left central Kentucky. For the ensuing year it guarded the Rebel prisoners at Camp Morton, at Indianapolis. After the war ended, it was among the first regiments mustered out, this taking place at Indianapolis, June 14, 1865. Of the one hundred and sixty-four men captured from the regiment in Arkansas and taken to the Rebel prison at Tyler, Texas, twelve died.
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SEVENTY-FIRST INFANTRY (LATER THE SIXTH CAVALRY ).
Company A of this regiment was exclusively from Vermillion county. Andrew J. Dowdy, of Clinton, was captain; Robert Bales, of Clinton. first lieutenant ; William O. Norris, of the same place, second lieutenant, killed at the battle of Richmond, Kentucky; Joseph Hasty, from Newport, succeeded him as second lieutenant; first sergeant, William O. Washburn, of Clinton ; sergeants, Francis D. Weber, of Newport; Johnson Malone, Alexander M. Steats and George W. Scott, of Clinton ; corporals, Joseph Brannan, Richard M. Rucker, Lewis H. Beckman, Larkin Craig, Daniel Buntin. Reuben H. Clearwaters, John L. Harris and Charles Blanford; musicians, George W. Harbison and James Simpson. Most of these were credited to Clinton, though some of them, as well as privates which were credited to Clinton, and some to Newport, were residents of Helt township.
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