USA > Indiana > Pike County > History of Pike and Dubois counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. : together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 28
USA > Indiana > Dubois County > History of Pike and Dubois counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present, with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. : together with an extended history of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the state of Indiana > Part 28
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On Friday night about the close of December, 1883, the quiet of the citizens of Petersburg was disturbed by the quick discharge of two pistol shots, and the news that two had been messengers of death to Henry L. Custin, whose body was found near his own floor, weltering in his life blood. Custin was in the service of Mr. C. E. Montgomery, who was believed to be the intended vie- tim. Suspicion pointed strongly to Charles Harvey as the author
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IIISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
of the deed. He was followed to his home near Alfords, brought to town and had a preliminary trial, and was put in jail to await justice by the hands of the enraged people. The jail was broken open, Harvey was taken out and marched a short distance from the square, where the solemn "halt!" was called, and he was left dangling from a tree, and the chill winds sighed a sad requiem over the grave of his victim. Harvey's actions would seem to prove that "whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad." Another recent case of interest was the charge of arson against John Turner Wyatt, and a man named Hartley. The feeling was so strong against Wyatt, that no attorney of the place would take his case. All the leading attorneys were employed on the prosecution ; he was however ably defended by Gardner, Taylor and Ogden, of Washington. He received a sixteen years' sentence to the penitentiary, and Hartley a shorter term, Notwithstand- ing many old and high sounding legal terms were dropped at the adoption of the new code, and their places filled by more modern terms, yet no one can help but remark the great increase in the number of continuances and changes of venue, and demurrers entered, and the exceptions and appeals that have been taken within the last decade.
Probate Court .- The first session of probate court was held November 3, 1817, and there were present the Hon. Arthur Har- bison and Henry Brenton. The first act was to approve the ap- pointment of Benjamin Rice as administrator of the estate of George Branson made by John MeIntire "in vacation. " The second was the appointment of John Johnson and Henry Brenton administrators of the estate of James Lindsey. And so on the record goes. The name probate implies its jurisdiction. Its judges were men gifted more in good sense and judgment than in the intricacies of law. Its last judges were James Hillman and H. A. Edwards. This court was abolished in 1852 and the common pleas court was created in its stead with somewhat sim- ilar powers. "It had original jurisdiction of all that class of of- fences which did not amount to a felony. except those over which justices of the peace had exclusive jurisdiction. State prosecutions were instructed by affidavit and information. Under certain restric- tions this court had jurisdiction over felonies where the punish- ment could not be death, and in no case was the intervention of a
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
grand jury necessary. In all civil cases, except for slander, libel, breach of marriage, action on official of any State or county offi- cer, or where the title to real estate was involved, this court had concurrent jurisdiction with the circuit court, where the sum or damages due or demanded did not exceed $1,000 exclusive of interest and costs, and concurrent jurisdiction with justices of the peace, where the sum due or demanded exceeded $50. When the court was organized, appeals could be taken from it to the circuit court, but that right was afterward abolished, but appeals could be taken to the supreme court, and its jurisdiction from time to time enlarged. The clerk and sheriff of the county operated in the common pleas as well as in the circuit court. The judge of this court was ex-officio judge of the court of conciliation. The court of conciliation had jurisdiction of cases of action for libel, slander, malicious prosecution, assault and battery and false im- prisonment, and extended to questions of reconciliation and com- promise only. No attorney was allowed to appear for his client before the court of conciliation, but the parties were required to appear before the judge apart from all other parties, except that an infant was required to appear by guardians and a female by her husband or friend. This branch of the court was abolished in 1867." The court of common pleas was abolished in 1873, and the entire business transferred to the circuit court as it now is. O. M. Welborn is now serving a third term as circuit judge, which is sufficient evidence of his popularity.
The bench and bar of this circuit have been represented by men, who have made their mark as commanders in the army, in the legislative hall of the State and nation, on the supreme bench, and the executive chair of the State ; yet where there has been an "Oliver, it is believed there is still a Rowland."
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CHAPTER V.
BY PROF. Z. T. EMERSON.
MILITARY HISTORY- REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS -SURVIVORS OF THE MEXICAN WAR-THE GREAT REBELLION-OPENING SCENES-WAR MEETINGS AND RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED-THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS- SKETCHES OF THE REGIMENTS-RECRUITING -- INTERESTING LOCAL EVENTS-BOUNTY AND RELIEF-THE LEGION.
E IVERY nation whether savage or civilized justly prides itself in its military prowess. It is the stronghold of England, the pride of Germany, and the glory of France. The American soldiers too rank with any in the world. The history of the troops of the different States was hardly known in the various wars in which the United States has been engaged until the Civil war of 1861. No other having attained such stupendous proportions, a separate history of each would have been difficult, but now we are able to trace the work of each county separately. At least two of the early settlers of this county were soldiers of the Revo- lution as will be seen by the following:
Thomas Mead, a Revolutionary soldier, appeared in open court and pleaded the following declaration, to wit:
STATE OF INDIANA. )
PIKE COUNTY. $
On the fifteenth day of August, A. D. 1832, personally appeared before the probate court of the county of Pike, Thomas Mead (alias Maid) resident of Pike County and State of Indiana, aged seventy eight years the 9th day of last April, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Con- gress passed June 7th, 1832; That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1776 with Capt. William T. Cole and served in the Fourth Regiment of the North Carolina line under the following officers: Col. Thomas Polk and William Lee Davidson; that he enlisted in Salisbury in the spring and marched from thence to Halifax, N. C., in the summer of the same year and in about two weeks afterward returned to Salisbury under the command of Capt. Cole on a recruiting expedition, where we enlisted sixteen men. He believes Maj. Davidson had command of the recruiting district. Lieut. Gillespy and Ensign Hays were at- tached to the recruiting party; at the same time Capt. Charles Alexander went with a recruiting party to Mecklenburgh; in the fall following we returned to Halifax and joined Maj. Davidson's command. He was then by the solicitation
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
of Capt. Nicholas Long and by the consent of his officers transferred to the quar- termaster-general's department as a wagoner; as a wagoner he then made two trips to Wilmington and on his return the last time was sent or transferred to Gen. Ash's brigade as a wagoner to transport the General's baggage to the South: that he then was appointed wagon-master and went to Campbelltown, to Augusta and from there to Briery Creek and was in the battle of Briery Creek. The heavy baggage taken down on the east side of the river was saved, and that taken down on the west side of the river was lost, taken and destroyed by the enemy : his term of enlistment being for three years, had expired some time previous to the battle of Briery Creek, but he still remained with the army not being able to procure a discharge; from thence he went to Pusysburgh, he believes, in the summer of 1779, where Gen. Ash commanded, and was there discharged by Col. James Thaxton, who endorsed on his discharge that a year and a half's pay and clothing were due him. Col. Thaxton was enabled to do this in consequence of a certificate of enlistment in his (Mead's) possession, given him by Capt. Cole at the time he enlisted at his request, in order to enable him to guard against a practice believed to prevail in the army of enlisting men for a definite period and then reporting them as enlisting for during the war. He sent his discharge to Philadelphia by Col. Hunter for the purpose of securing his clothing and pay en- dorsed on the back thereof. Col. Hunter stated to him on his return that all that was deficient was a power of attorney in order to enable him to succeed in procuring said pay and clothing; that he executed a power of attorney to said Hunter and that said Hunter on his return to Congress next year died, and that he has not since been able to procure his discharge and certificate.
Col. Hunter was representative of District 96 of S. C. in Congress. He here- by relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present: he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any State.
THOMAS MEAD.
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion that the above mentioned applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states.
M. W. FOSTER. Judge of Probate. STATE OF INDIANA, Ss.
PIKE COUNTY.
On the 13th day of August, A. D., 1832, personally appeared, James Bunter, aged sixty-eight, being duly sworn according to law, doth make the following declaration: that he served a third term the same year under Capt. Joseph Kuagka aud Lieut. Benjamin Logan. They started from Harrodsburgh and then went to Bryant's Station, then to Blue Licks, and buried the dead slain in the battle of the Blue Licks. He has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of persons whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service: he has a record of his age now in his possession which he copied from his father's record. JAMES BRENTON.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
M. W. FOSTER, Judge of Probate.
In addition to these Mrs. Fanny Fisher, who is still living. draws a pension for the services of her husband in the Revo- lationary war; as also did Mrs. Wheatley until a few years since. There were two soldiers from this county in the Black Hawk war, Fielding Johnson, and Harrison Johnson, who is still living in the county.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
For the Mexican war a whole company was tendered the Go; ernment, but communication with the department was inconveni- ent and the quota of the State was full before they were received. The following succeeded in getting mustered into other compan- ies: John Ficklin, John Bilderback, S. Sullivan, Reuben Long. and Jonathan Poe and possibly one or two more. The three last named served in the late war and are still living, Sullivan being Dow trustee of Marion Township.
The Great Rebellion .- Over the memorable events that occur- red from 1860 to 1865 the feelings and sentiments of the people were worked up to the intensest pitch. Some favored war, some opposed. The following abridged resolution from the majority re- port on the resolution on the "State of the Union" read in the State Senate of 1861-62 will illustrate the feelings of the extreme anti-war party in the State at that time. The resolution was read by Mr. Tarkington:
Resolved, That the State of Indiana cannot but deplore the sectional mad- ness and party prejudice that would suffer the dismemberment of this con- federacy; that she takes great pride in declaring to her sister States that her Legislature has not been stained by military law or poisoned by liberty hills; that while Indiana is firmly attached to the Union, yet in frankness, she is bound to say that the grievances that the people of the South have suffered at the hands of the North, and by the election of a sectional president, furnishes them good grounds for demanding concessions and new guarantees for the safety of her institutions; that she seconds the efforts of the Executive in his efforts to enforce the law by civil processes.
The war party at the same time
Resolved, That the declaration of secession, peaceable or forcible, now or at any other time, is a dangerous heresy, fraught with all the evil consequences of civil war and bloodshed, and leading directly to the overthrow of all our free institutions. That finally, in the language of the old hero of New Orleans, "The Union, it must and shall be preserved."
The pending events were brought to a culmination, when on Friday morning at 4 four o'clock, of April 12, 1861, the first gun was opened on Fort Sumter, and sounded around the world as the opening of one of the most gigantic wars of history.
On Sunday morning, April 14, the news reached the capital of the State that Fort Sumter had fallen. On the morning of the 15th the wires flashed back this message from "Indiana's war governor:"
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS. April 15. 186
". Abrath on Laved'n, President of the United States:
On behalf of the State of Indiana I tender to you, for the defense of ... non, and to uphold the authority of the government. ten thousand men [ Signed ]
OLIVER P. MORTON. Governor of Indian,
The war spirit seemed to revive, and at once "like the sun- hight. the 'war fever' permeated every locality, and the old fag' at onee became sacred and was proudly displayed from every house." On the call of the President for 75.000 men. no regular organized body responded, as the county was cut off from railroad and telegraphic communication with the departments, but there were a few men in the Ninth. a number in the Thirteenth Regi- ment: Louis Bolton and five others in Company A. two in B. and two in G: George Sigenhigh and George Miller, both of whom lived to be mustered out in 1865. The Seventeenth Regiment was represented by twenty-seven men from Pike County. The men went to Indianapolis as recruits, and were attached to Com- pany A. This company was detached and formed the Twenty- sixth Battery; Wilders and only a part of those from this county remained with the regiment. The regiment was organized at Camp Morton during May, 1861, and was mustered into the United States service on the 12th of June. 1861. and left imme- diately for the seat of war in the east. It was in various skir- mishes in Maryland and West Virginia, including the battle of Greenbrier: was transferred to Gen. Buell's army in Kentucky where it arrived on the 30th of November; participated in skir- mishes and marches all through Kentucky and Tennessee. Febru- ary 12 the regiment had orders to mount itself. which it did by foraging and pressing horses, and on the 18th of May it was armed with the celebrated Spencer rifle, thus making each man equal to sixteen of the enemy. The regiment fought a hard bat- tle with the enemy at Hooker's Gap. on the 24th of June, and captured 75 prisoners and 125 stand of arms, losing itself 45 killed and wounded. It was engaged almost constantly with the cavalry of the enemy during Rosecrans' advance, and participated in the bloody battle of Chickamauga on the 19ik and 20th of September. They were engaged in scouting and guarding communications, and threatening those of the ehe-
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
my during the siege of Chattanooga, and assisted Burnside at Knoxville. In January, 1864, a majority of the regiment re- enlisted as veterans, and on the 22d of the month left for Indian- apolis, where they arrived on the 24th. They were addressed there by Gov. Morton and Col. Wilder. They were remounted while in Indiana. and on the 2d of April left Indianapolis by rail for Louisville; camped there till the 18th, and then started for Nashville on horseback, where they arrived on the 25th, a dis- tance of 186 miles. They left Nashville on the next day, and joined Sherman's army on the 10th of May. The regiment was actively engaged during the entire Atlanta campaign. Later it was remounted. and was with Gen. Wilson on his raid through Alabama and Georgia. On the 1st of April, 1865, the regiment fought with Wheeler and Roddy. twenty-nine miles from Selma. and captured 100 prisoners and 1 gun, sustaining a loss of 8 killed. 11 wounded and 5 missing. On the 2d of the same month the Seventeenth was in the engagement at Selma, and captured 4 guns and 300 prisoners. Out of 421 engaged, the regiment lost 12 killed and 80 wounded. On the 20th, at Macon. the regiment deceived the enemy as to their number, and the city surrendered, with Gens. Howell. Cobb. MeCall, Mercer and G. W. Smith, and 3,000 prisoners, 5 stands of colors. 60 pieces of artillery, and 3,000 small arms. During its time of service the Seventeenth marched over 4,000 miles, captured over 5,000 prisoners, more than 6,000 stands of small arms, 70 pieces of artil- lery. and 11 stands of colors. All this was done with a loss of 3 officers and 66 men killed, and 13 officers and 176 men wounded. making a total loss of 258.
Twenty-fourth Regiment .-- It was now clear that the war would go on, and that it would be no child's play matter, so the people set themselves to work to raise their portion of the 200,000 call. Old men bending with age, men in the strength of manhood, matrons and beautiful maidens, all with one purpose went to work in earnest. War was the talk at the fireside, at church, at the shop, at the place of business. War meetings were held in the various townships, and appeals of fiery eloquence were made by local speakers and patriotic songs sung by the ladies. At Winslow a war meeting was held, and among other speakers was the Rev. Agee, who had come from Tennessee with his fam-
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
ily. After an earnest appeal, he said: "I am too old for the serv- ice, this boy is too young, but my other boy I consecrate for the good of my country." The meeting and community were so elec- trified that not only one, but two full companies were soon organ- ized. They were intended for the Seventeenth, but that regiment being ready before these companies were full, quarters were fur- nished them in Morgan's warehouse, where they were cheerfully fed by the patriotic people of the town and vicinity until com- munication should be had with the authorities as to what dispo- sition should be made of them. When orders were received they were taken to Vincennes and formed a part of the Twenty-fourth.
This regiment was organized and mustered into the service July 31, 1861. Alvin P. Hovey was first chosen colonel; on his promotion, William T. Spicely was made colonel. He, however, had been previously promoted from a major to a lieutenant-colonelcy, Other lieutenant-colonels were John Guber, killed at Shiloh, Rich- ard F. Baxter and John F. Grill.
Simeon R. Henderson, of Petersburg, was adjutant of the regiment from May 1, 1861 to November 18, 1864, and William H. Posey was for a time quartermaster. The company officers of Company "E," were Samuel R. Morgan, John E. Phillips, F. M. Downey, Thomas J. Reed, and John M. Lemon, captains; John E. Phillips, S. D. Bateman, T. J. Reed, John M. Lemon, and William S. McGowan, first lieutenants; John T. Deweese. G. D. Bateman, T. J. Reed, and John M. Lemon, second lieu- tenants. The non-commissioned officers of the company were as follows: First sergeant, George D. Bateman; other sergeants were J. H. Scott, W. H. Posey, afterward quartermaster, S. R. Henderson, F. M. Downey. Corporals, J. M. Rose, William H. Kelley, J. M. Lemon, Aaron Grider, George Hopkins, David Power, William Lowerlass and T. J. Reed. John Coursey and John W. Rose were musicians, and John Haddock, wagoner. The company numbered ninety-eight men, beside commissioned officers, and the recruits that were received while in the service. The company lost James A. Woods, S. C. Harris, and Joel Han- nah, killed in battle; and John Elliott, John Bredenbaugh, Joe Collins, W. C. Cooper, George Hopkins, William Howard, H. H. McCain, Sam McBride, Abram Pea, F. A. Stanford, Calvin Reese, Thomas Turner, E. B. Woods, Lindsey Taylor, Joseph K. Brown,
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Harrison Harberson, Thomas Johnson, and Lewis McGowan, died from sickness or wounds. Company H consisted of ninety- eight enlisted men and twenty recruits. The company officers were William S. Merrick and J. B. Hutchins, captains; first lieutenants, J. B. Hutchins, J. T. Jones and George E. Mer- chant; second lieutenants, J. T. Jones, and Thaddeus Withers. Kasper Cohlhepp was killed at Shiloh, and Thomas Bryant mor- tally wounded; L. De LaMater, N. T. Evans, William Gamble, James Hancock, Burwell Hardin, Thomas Tully, and Levi Stephens gave up their lives at Champion Hills. The following died of disease or wounds: George F. Argenbright, W. C. Bren- ton, Bardine Casender, Thomas Harbison, H. H. Hedge, Zach. Hedge, Allen Rhodes, J. B. Brown, Henry Fickling, John Over- ton, William Overton, W. S. Seaborn, J. W. Evans, Arthur Hutchins, George Vickers, Elisha Wheatley, James Fisher, C. G. Hickman, R. J. Stone, William Stroud, and others who doubtless ended their lives in rebel prisons. Of this company, E. H. Tray- lor was first sergeant, and George E. Merchant, T. C. Withers, E. S. Crow, and L. De LaMater were sergeants.
On the 19th of August, 1861, the regiment left Vincennes for the seat of war in Missouri, and was placed under command of Gen. Fremont, doing duty in the interior of the'State until February, 1862, when it was ordered to reinforce the army under Gen. Grant, but did not arrive at Paducah until one day after the sur- render of Fort Donelson. The regiment was with Grant at the bloody battle of Shiloh, in which Kasper Cohlhepp was killed and Thomas Bryant mortally wounded, including the gallant Maj. Gerber. On May 14, 1862, Maj. Spicely was made colonel of the regiment, Col. Hovey having been made brigadier-general. The regiment participated in the slow and laborious siege of Corinth under Halleck, until its evacuation in June, and was then transferred to Memphis; in July it was moved to Helena, Ark., where it remained during the fall and winter, doing guard and other duty. In the spring of 1863 it was placed in Hovey's division of the Thirteenth Corps of Grant's army; then actively engaged in the siege of Vicksburg. This reg- iment was with Grant in the celebrated march around Vicks- burg, in the battles of Port Gibson and Champion Hills. In the desperate fighting at the latter place, Company H. alone lost six
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
men killed. During the siege the regiment was in the trenches from May 19 to July 4.
After the capitulation the regiment was carried by water to New Orleans. In the fall of 1863, the regiment did duty at New Iberia, and later at Algiers near New Orleans," when on the 1st of January, 1864. the regiment "veteranized," and in a short time returned home on furlough. During the year 1864, the regiment did duty at various points in Louisiana, and while sta- tioned at Morganza in December was consolidated with the Sixty- seventh, a new organization, but still retained the original name. In January, 1865, it was transferred to Barrancas, Fla., and there remained until the movement against Mobile was begun in April, under Gen. Canby. It took part in the battles near Blakely, and by assault was the first to plant its colors on the works of the enemy. After the defeat of the enemy the regiment was sent first to Selma, Ala., and thence transferred to Galveston, Tex. Here, July 16, it was reorganized as a battalion of five compa- nies. The time of the older soldiers having expired they were mustered out of the service and sent home, and received a public reception at Indianapolis, August 4, 1865. The number of men and officers returned was 310.
Twenty-Seventh Band .- The regiment to which this band be- longed was organized at Indianapolis, Angust 30, 1861, and was mustered into the service on the 12th of September, and on the 15th started for Washington City, and in a short time was trans- ferred to Banks' army in the Shenandoah. It remained in win- ter quarters at Camp Halleck, near Frederick, Md., from whence it moved in March, 1862, across the Potomac into the Shenan- doah valley. It joined in the pursuit of Jackson's army after his defeat at Winchester Heights, and was engaged at the battle of Front Royal, on the 23d of May, and formed a part of the column that made the famous retreat from Strasburg to Winchester, and on the 25th was in the furious battle in which the brigade to which the Twenty-seventh belonged, withstood the assault of twenty- eight rebel regiments for three hours and a half and repulsed them. It assisted in an attempt to check a flank movement on the right, but the rebels had massed in such force that it was compelled to fall back into the town, fighting the enemy in the public streets. The regiment afterward crossed the Potomac at
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