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 48
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 48
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525
HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
Sentiment in the County .- Influenced, no doubt, by proximity to the probable scene of conflict, a majority of the people in Du- bois County advocated a neutral course. As probably illustrating the general sentiment throughout the county, the following ex- tract is quoted from the Jasper Courier, in its issue of December 26, 1860, then, as now, edited by Clement Doane. " There are but two modes for the General Government to pursue toward South Carolina and the seven other States that will likely follow her by the middle of January. One is to recognize their inde- pendence and let them go peaceably, which will in fact establish the doctrine of secession. The other is to attempt to force them to remain in the Union. If the latter course is adopted, we think the interest of our people demands that Indiana should act inde- pendently, allowing no hostile meetings within her borders, for- bidding alike the Federal Government and the Southern Repub- lie from recruiting among her citizens, and thus preserve our peo- ple from the contaminating influences of abolitionism or slavery- propagandism. We might thus be in a position at the proper time, after several thousands of the ultra-fanaties, on both sides, have been killed, to mediate successfully between the contending factions, and possibly restore peace, and conduce to the recon- struction of the Union. To secure this independent action we hope will be the first aim of our next Legislature." The people endorsed the Crittenden Compromise proposition, and a petition from Jasper, containing more than 200 names, to that effect, was forwarded to the State Peace Conference commissioners. On the whole there can be said to have been small endorsement of the Lincoln administration in Dubois County, at the outset. The vote at the election had been almost overwhelmingly cast for Douglas, the vote for him being 1,347, while that for Lincoln was but 301. The Douglas element, however, was one that could not long remain inactive when the preservation of the Union be- came the main issue. On all other questions it was for com- promise.
The news of the firing on Fort Sumter was like a knell to the people of Dubois County. The first few weeks passed in calm deliberations upon the course of public events, ere any de- cisive step was taken. But that step was finally taken in the right direction. On the 20th of April, 1861, one week after the
526
HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
news from Fort Sumter, the citizens of Jasper met at the court house and took steps toward organizing a company of home guards. On the week following another meeting was held. W. C. Adams was made chairman, and A. H. Alexander secretary. Short addresses were made by several of the citizens and Messrs. Doane, Mehringer and Connelly were appointed a committee to draw up an article for signing. It read as follows: "We, the undersigned citizens of Dubois County, deeming it necessary in the present deplorable state of public affairs, do agree to form ourselves into a military Home Guard for the purpose of protec- tion from lawless invading foes, and that we will abide by such rules as may hereafter be made by the company." The meeting then adjourned until Monday evening following, at which time sixty-five members answered to the roll call. A constitution was adopted and the following officers elected: John Mehringer, captain; W. C. Adams, first lieutenant; S. Jerger, second lieu- tenant; R. M. Wellman, third lieutenant; J. Salb and A. Litschgi, sergeants; R. Beck, C. W. DeBruler, A. Harter and R. Smith, corporals. This company continued to meet each week and rap- idly became proficient in the manual of arms. Its captain, John Mehringer, had been in the Mexican war and knew something of what was necessary in martial affairs. Saturday, May 18, a large Union meeting was held at the court house. A pole was raised and the old Union flag was run up with the original thir- teen stars, amid the music of the brass band and much loud cheer- ing. Rev. A. J. Strain delivered a short and patriotic address urging every one to stand by the old flag and maintain the union of the States. At the close of his address the citizens gave three cheers for the Union, the Constitution, and the flag. Comment- ing on this meeting the Courier of May 22 said: "The stars on the flag are thirteen, showing their love for the constitution of the old thirteen States that originally composed the Republic, and their belief that if the old spirit of patriotism could be aroused now, sectionalism and its handmaid, civil war, would soon vanish." Meetings of this kind were held in various parts of the county, and companies of the Home Guard organized in nearly avery township. The Union sentiment was fast gaining the as- cendancy and Dubois County was preparing to play its part in the tragedy of civil war.
527
HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
Union Meeting at Ireland .- Saturday, May 4, the citizens of Ireland and vicinity had a meeting for the purpose of forming a military company to be called the Ireland Home Guards. Mr. A. F. Kelso was called to the chair and Harvey Green chosen sec- retary. After a brief address from Mr. Arthur Berry explaining the object, of the meeting, a list of forty-five persons was secured who joined the company. A committee on resolutions was ap- pointed consisting of Arthur Berry, William B. Rose and Dr. H. W. Glezen. The report contained strong Union sentiments and said "we wish to work shoulder to shoulder with them in maintaining the honor of the flag, supporting the Constitution and enforcing the laws of our common country. The Ireland Home Guards were offi- cered as follows: Arthur Berry, captain; William Hart, first lieutenant; Harvey Green, second lieutenant; Benjamin Dillon, James E. Brittain, William B. Rose and R. E. DeBruler, ser- geants.
About the same time the citizens of Haysville and vicinity met and organized a company of home guards. The enrollment at the first meeting was forty-three and the officers were Rev. J. F. St. Clair, captain; W. Gray, first lieutenant; J. M. Marley, second lieutenant; T. Staleup, third lieutenant; Dr. Bratcher, E. E. Bruner, J. Milburn and N. Chattin, sergeants. Compan- ies of the same kind were also organized at Huntingburgh, Ferdinand, Hall Township and other places throughout the county. A Dubois regiment began to be talked of. By June the people of the county were ready both in principle and action to maintain the Constitution and the Union at whatever price. No stronger evidence of this could be given than the following reso- lution passed at a large public meeting held at the court house, June 8, to express their sentiments in regard to the death of Stephen A. Douglas: "That the last words spoken by the de- parted, 'Tell them to obey the laws and support the Constitution of the United States,' shall be the battle cry of old Dubois till peace be restored and traitors demolished." The Courier in its issue of July 26, said: "The reinvigoration of the Constitution and Union is worth money and lives without stint-worth years of strife and civil commotion-worth the peace, prosperity and pro- gress of a generation-worth this war and all its sacrifices. To break down the Constitution in the hope of establishing a better
528
HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
-to destroy this Union in the hope of reaping benefits from con- solidation-to uphold the just power of the Government at the expense of the principles of the Constitution and the spirit of the confederation of equal States is not worth this war. The signs of the times give cause to be apprehensive. We call upon the people to be vigilant."
First Volunteers for the War .- The first men from Dubois County to volunteer in the United States service were from the north part of the county, from Haysville and vicinity. They joined Company C, of the Fourteenth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, and were credited to Martin County where the company was or- ganized at Loogootee. Their date of muster was June 7, and their term of enlistment was three years. The number from this county was about thirty, and the day they left were paraded by Capt. Mehringer, of Jasper, who marched them to the upper end of the town, where they received an accession to their ranks from Davis Creek. They then marched to the house formerly occupied by Mr. Throop as a store. Several hundred people had congregated there and the citizens had prepared a dinner for the boys ere they started on their martial journey. About the same time nearly twenty men left the neighborhood of Celestine and joined Capt. Kish's company at New Albany. A number about equal also joined a Pike County company. By the 1st of July the county had furnished men enough to form an independent com- pany had they only been united.
Under the President's second call for troops, when 300,000 men were asked for, the company at Jasper under Capt. Mehringer was offered, but was not taken on account of the number from this district being full. At this they were considerably disap- pointed. Early in August, however, the company received orders to report at Indianapolis, but through a delay in the mail it was not reached in time for them to be there at the appointed day. The company went into camp near town, in Edmonston's Grove, which was known as Camp Edmonston. Thursday, August 15, it elected officers with the following result: John Mehringer, captain; R. M. Wellman, first lieutenant; and Stephen Jerger, second lieutenant. On the following day they formed in front of the court house, and after a general farewell shaking of hands, roll was called. About twenty who had put their names down
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HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
were absent. Speeches were made by W. C. Adams and Rev. A. J. Strain that were responded to by Capt. Mehringer. They then started on the way to Indianapolis, escorted for some distance by the brass band. Lieut. Welman returned on the following Tues- day to get recruits for the company. This he succeeded in doing to the number of thirty-two, which made the company full. Up- on the reorganization of the regiment with the Twenty-seventh Indiana, the company was assigned the position of K. Capt. Mehringer was elected the first major, and the officers of the com- pany were promoted in their regular order. During its entire term of service the company's officers, with dates of their commissions, were as follows: Captains, R. M. Welman, August 30, 1861 ; Stephen Jerger, October 1, 1862, and John M. Haberle, January 1, 1864. First lieutenants, Stephen Jerger, August 30, 1861; John M. Haberle, October 1, 1862. and Leander Jerger. January 1, 1864. Second lieutenants, Arthur Berry, August 30, 1861; John M. Haberle, January 1, 1862; Julian F. Hoffer, October 1, 1862. Of these Lieut. Hoffer died in July, 1863, of wounds received at the battle of Chancellorsville, and was the only commissioned offi- cer that died in the service. The Twenty-seventh regiment joined Banks' army of the Shenandoah in October, 1861, and was camped near Frederick City, Md., during the following winter. The 23d of May, 1862, it was engaged in the battle of Front Royal, and the next day was in the famous retreat on the Stras- burg road toward Winchester. On the morning of the 25th it participated in a furious battle, and the brigade to which it was attached (Gordon's ) withstood the assault of twenty-eight rebel regiments for three and a half hours and repulsed them. Soon after this it was made a part of Banks' division of Pope's army of Virginia, and on the Sth of August was in the battle of Cedar Mountains. It then was in the Maryland campaign. September 17 it sustained heavy loss in the battle of Antietamn. After this it was not actively engaged until the campaign of 1563. Its next battle was Chancellorsville, and it then pursued Lee's invading army to Gettysburg, where it was actively engaged with heavy loss. It then followed the retreating army to the Potomac. From there it was transferred to Tullahoma. Tenn., where it remained during the following winter. In January many re-enlisted. Eighteen men from Company K joined the Seventieth Regiment. The
530
HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
Twenty-seventh took part in Sherman's Atlanta campaign. At the battle of Resaca, in a square open fight, it defeated two rebel regiments, killing and wounding a large number and taking about 100 prisoners. I's loss was sixty-eight killed and wounded.
Relief for Soldiers' Families .- Many of the men who had vol- unteered were poor, and compelled to support their families by daily labor. When they went into the army it was some time before they drew pay, and many of their wives and children came to actual want before the Government paid the soldiers. With the object of rendering aid to those who deserved it, the board of county commissioners in the first week of September 1861, appointed a committee of six men, one from each township, to investigate and relieve the actual want of volunteers' families not exceeding $8 per month to each family. This committee consisted of these men: James Houston, of Columbia; Jacob Lemmon Sr. of Harbison; Mar- tin Friedman, of Bainbridge; Allen T. Fleming, of Hall; Ernst G. Blemker, of Patoka; and John G. Hoffman, of Ferdinand Town- ships. This was a commendable action on the part of the county board.
Union meetings continued to be held throughout the county at which freedom of speech was freely indulged. Early in Sep- tember a large number of men from Hall Township and the east- ern part of the county joined a company from the adjoining town- ships in Orange and Crawford Counties. By the middle of that month the county had furnished about 400 men for the war although only one company was credited to it. Recruiting began about that time in earnest. A. H. Alexander, F. B. Blackford and C. W. DeBruler began raising a company of sharpshooters, and D. S. Key, S. F. McCrillus and Clement Doane were forming an infantry company. Letters were received from the boys at the front urging their acquaintances at home to volunteer in the cause of freedom. The company from the eastern portion of the county, mostly from Hall Township, left on the 27th of September to go into camp at New Albany. Before starting the election of officers occurred with the following result: Captain, A. J. Hawhee; first lieutenant, Thomas Fleming; second lieutenant, James C. Mcconahay. About eighty of them went on horseback to Orleans where they boarded the train for New Albany. During the same week twenty-five left Patoka Township and joined the company of
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HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
Capt. Bryant at Elizabeth, and twelve from Ireland joined a com- pany in Gibson County. The company of Capt. Hawhee was assigned the position of A, in the Forty-ninth Regiment of Indi- ana Volunteers. The officers for the whole time of its service were captains Arthur J. Hawhee and James C. Mcconahay ; first- lieutenants, Thomas A. Fleming, James C. Mcconahay, George W. Christopher and William W. Kendall; second-lieutenants, James C. Mcconahay, George W. Christopher, Jeremiah Crook and Allen H. Young. With the regiment it was mustered into the service November 21, 1861, and engaged in all the hard fighting of that regiment. It started out with an enrollment of 98 men and during its entire term of service was recruited with 42, making a total of 140. The loss of non-commissioned officers and enlisted men was 23 and the deserters 13. In the first week of November another company volunteered from Hall Township and the neigh- borhood of Celestine. It became Company I, of the Forty-ninth Regiment. About seventy of them were from Dubois County. At Jasper on the 4th of November the election of officers was held and John J. Alles chosen captain; John F. B. Widner, first lieu- tenant, and Edward Bohart, second lieutenant. They were enter- tained at the Indiana Hotel and the following morning, Tuesday, were addressed by A. J. Strain and started for Loogootee. From that place they went to Jeffersonville and were mustered into the service on the 21st of November.
At this time several other companies were being recruited in various parts of the county, some of which would soon be ready for the field. Capt. Bryant of Patoka Township had nearly a full company organized for the Forty-second Regiment then rendez- vousing at Evansville. This made four companies that had gone from the county, nearly all of Dubois County men, although in this one were several from Spencer County. It was given the position of Company H, in the regiment. The original enroll- ment was 90 and the recruits 77; 27 died in the service and 5 deserted. Its captains were James H. Bryant, Gideon R. Kell- ams, Allen Gentry and William W. Milner; first lieutenants, G. R. Kellams, Adam Haas, William W. Milner and Joseph C. Nix; second lieutenants, Adam Haas, Allen Gentry and James B. Payne.
About this time another company left the county, a large
532
HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
number of which came from the vicinity of Ireland. The citi- zens of that place gave the company a banquet on the 11th of October, and the following day it started for Princeton, where the Fifty-eighth Regiment was organizing, and in which it was as- signed the position of E. It was accepted as a company of sharp- shooters, and mustered into the service November 12, 1861, with an enrollment of eighty-three men. During the whole term of service the commissioned officers were captains, Daniel J. Banta, Asbury H. Alexander, Jacob E. Voorhees and George W. Hill; first lieutenants, Asbury H. Alexander, J. E. Voorhees, George W. Hill and William R. McMahan: second lieutenants, J. E. Voor- hees, Francis B. Blackford, G. W. Hill, William R. McMahan and Arthur Mouser. This company saw considerable hard serv- ice, and lost by death twenty-four men and one commissioned officer. Lieut. Blackford was killed at Stone River, December 31, 1862.
A large number of Company B, of the Forty-second Regiment, were from Dubois County, although credited to Spencer County. They were mustered in early in October, 1861. Company E, of the Eighteenth Indiana Regiment, was also largely made up of Du- bois County men.
At the close of the first year of the war Dubois County was well represented. Five companies, organized almost entirely of men in this county were in the active service. In addition to these, between 200 and 300 men had volunteered that were cred- ited to other counties, and enlisted in various companies organized beyond the limits of Dubois. Had these matters been prop- erly attended to in the beginning of the war, it is more than prob- able that the county would have escaped the first draft. The third call of the Government for troops was dated August 4, 1862, asking for 300,000 volunteers. Under this call, recruiting was again renewed in the county with vigor, and during the third week in Angust a full company was ready for the war. This was Company K, of the Sixty-fifth Regiment Indiana Infantry. Its officers for the whole time of service were captains, Andrew J. Beckett, John W. Hammond and Robert H. Walter; first lieu- tenants, John H. Lee, Phillip Guches, Robert H. Walter and Red- man F. Laswell; second lieutenants, Phillip Guches, Robert H. Walter and William P. Chappell. This company was mustered
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HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
into the United States service September 10, 1862. It was en- gaged in all the active campaigning in which the Sixty-fifth par- ticipated. It joined that regiment in the fieldl at Madisonville, Ky.
Company F, of the Fifty-third Regiment, was officered as fol- lows: Captains, Alfred H. McCoy, Lewis B. Shively, Henry Dun- can and Thomas N. Robertson : first lieutenants. Lewis B. Shively, Henry Duncan. T. N. Robertson and Allen P. Davis: second lieu- tenants, Martin P. Mason, Henry Duncan, T. N. Robertson and Elisha Jones. The company was mustered into the service on the 4th of March. 1862. and served three years in active warfare, and was one of the best that went from Dubois County. It started out with 83 men, and was recruited during its entire time of serv- ice with 104 men; 25 died and 5 deserted. The original enroll- ment was made up almost entirely from Dubois County men. In November. 1563, Company K was stationed at Mulberry Gap, Tenn., and numbered 15 men. It expelled from that place a whole rebel regiment by a night attack in which it won an enviable rep- utation. This company started out with 90 men, received but 10 recruits during its entire term of service. Of these, 24 died while in the service and 1 deserted.
This was the last company that went out from Dubois County, prior to the draft which occurred October 6, 1862. At that date the county had furnished 718 volunteers, for which it had credit. Of these 690 were in actual service. The militia amounted to 1,491 men. This shows well, and if all the men from the county had been properly credited, few counties could have shown a better record. In that draft, 67 men were to be drawn from Dubois county, and 61 were to come from Ferdinand Township, and 6 from Patoka Town- ship. In the former township there was a large, in fact almost a solid foreign population, and a sentiment had gained ground among them that the war was being waged for the purpose of abolishing slavery, and in this they were reluctant to engage. But the sentiment of the people throughout most of the county was strong in favor of the Union cause. This is well illus- trated by the following resolution passed in the Democratic county convention, August 16, 1862:
"Resolred, That we are in favor of an earnest and more vigor-
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HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
ous prosecution of the war for the suppression of this wicked rebellion, and for this purpose will support the President in all constitutional measures, but we believe the constitution confers ample powers for all emergencies."
For some time after this, no company was organized in the county, although recruits were constantly leaving for those com- panies already in the field. The summer of 1862 passed away with but comparatively little excitement. The daily papers were scanned in eagerness to catch the latest news from the front. The mails were closely watched for a message from a father, a husband, or a brother who had dedicated his services to his coun- try's cause. The "Union at any price," had been a potent watch- word. Soldiers at home on furlough were the idols of the pub- lic, and the "observed of all observers." Their tales of warlike scenes and martial glory were listened to with profound attention.
The winter of 1862-63 went by, and yet no signs of the bloody conflict drawing to a close appeared. More men were needed to put down the rebellion that was raging in unabated fury. In June, 1863, the Government made another call for troops; this time for 100,000 men.
July was a month of much excitement and interest. On the 4th occurred the two famous victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. When the news of these reached Jasper, the citizens were wild with joy. A salute of 100 guns was fired, bon-fires were lighted and dwellings illuminated. People acted as if the war was at an end. Alas! nearly two years more were to roll around ere peace would be declared. Scarcely had the jollification over these vic- tories ceased, ere the citizens of southern Indiana were alarmed by a rebel invasion. This was the famous Morgan raid. Twice before had the people of Dubois County been startled by a similar report. One was in July, 1862, when Adam Johnson ransacked the town of Newburgh, Warrick County. The other was the raid of Capt. Thomas H. Hines, who belonged to Gen. Morgan's rebel regiment. With a small force he crossed the Ohio River, a few miles above Cannelton, in Perry County, on the 17th of June, 1863. After a circuit through Perry, Orange, Crawford and Washington Counties, his force was captured in an attempt to re-cross the Ohio. Only Hines and two others escaped. The news of this small invasion spread a wide and rapid alarm through
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HISTORY OF DUBOIS COUNTY.
the southern portion of the State. Dubois County shared in the excitement, but in nothing further was it damaged. Early in July, 1863, Gen. John H. Morgan landed on Indiana soil, and began his raid through this State. His force of about 4,000 men spread the widest consternation throughout the entire State. The militia was called out, and the citizens formed in independent companies or squads to assist in repelling the invader.
These raids were becoming so numerous that the people of Dubois deemed it necessary for their safety to organize a com- pany of the Legion. This was done. The company numbered about sixty members, and had the following officers: R. M. Wel- man, captain; Mathias Smith and Conrad Eckert, lieutenants, all of whom had been in active service. At Ireland a company of mounted Home Guards was organized, with Daniel J. Banta, captain; George Mosby and Samuel Dillon, Jr., lieutenants. In Patoka Township a company each of infantry and cavalry; the former elected L. Pretz, captain; Henry Miller and Mr. Jande- bear, lieutenants. In the other, Morman Fisher was elected cap tain. The Anderson Rangers was a company of the Legion or- ganized in Hall Township, with John Howard, captain; Jeff Huff and Shelby Pruitt, lieutenants.
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