USA > Indiana > Perry County > Perry County: A History > Part 16
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to display their emblem. The Bell pole was the tallest in Indiana, its height 215 feet, but the Lincoln flag was by far the largest, representing thousands of patient stitches from the women who wrought its stars and stripes with patriotic needles. Joshua B. Huckeby, an elector on the Bell and Everett Constitutional Union ticket, whose platform consisted of the vague sentence : "The constitution of the country, the union of the states, the enforcement of the laws," was subjected to much neighbourly chaffing, because his wife refused her assistance toward making his party flag, but worked ardently upon the Lincoln banner, their two sons voting with the Republicans.
The only English newspaper in the county was the Cannelton Reporter, (the Tell City Helvetia being printed in the German language,) and its columns dur- ing 1860 show the strong Democratic sentiment exist- ing, although none of its utterances could be classed as disloyal from a Northern standpoint, Jacob B. May- nard, its editor, continually expressing his belief in some sort of satisfactory adjustment between the two sections of the country, while always warmly favour- able toward Southern principles.
The election of Lincoln by a strictly sectional ma- jority in November, followed within six weeks by South Carolina's ordinance of secession, brought about a situation too highly charged with intense partisan- ship to permit a disregard of conditions, and on De- cember 27, 1860, the Reporter printed a call for a public meeting of citizens on the opening day of the New Year, at Cannelton, its designated object,-"in view of the present distracted condition of the country the purpose of giving expression of our unwavering devotion to the Union in its most forcible form." Every township and each political party found repre- sentation among the signatures which numbered fifty- six, just the same as of those immortal "Signers" who appended their names to the Declaration of Independ- ence.
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Pursuant to this call, at one o'clock, Tuesday after- noon, January 1, 1861, an assemblage was gathered which tested the capacity of Mozart Hall, the largest meeting place in Cannelton. Hamilton Smith was made chairman, and Charles H. Mason and Jacob B. Maynard the secretaries. Upon motion of John James Key it was carried that the chair appoint a committee of seven to draft resolutions upon public affairs, which should be submitted to the meeting for action thereon. Job Hatfield, chairman; Ballard Smith, William Mc- Kinley, Sr., Dr. James Foster, Andrew P. Batson, Allen Hyde and Dr. L- Hargis formed the com- mittee, during whose absence for deliberation speeches were delivered by Joshua B. Huckeby, Charles H. Mason, Jacob B. Maynard and Hamilton Smith. Each address was a stirring appeal to loyalty, frequently broken by tumultuous applause, yet all exhibited some doubt as to the best course to be pursued in the emerg- ency of the further secession of Southern states.
On their return, the committee presented a series of six resolutions, the first four merely pledging the at- tachment of the county to the Federal Union; consent- ing to any honourable concessions to preserve the Union; recommending the repeal of personal liberty bills; and deprecating that peaceably disposed citizens of Perry County had been subjected to hostile treat- ment in the South. These were received with demon- strations of general satisfaction, but the reading of Resolutions Five and Six made it instantly evident that the parting of the ways had come. The series ended with the two following clauses :
"Resolved, That if by reason of the existing unhappy difficulties the Union should be sundered, which may God forbid, we hereby pledge ourselves to the people of the border states, both slave and free, to co-operate with them in any measure that will secure to us the Federal Union, and to all our citizens the rights, priv- ileges, liberties and immunities which we have under our present noble Constitution, believing that if the
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heart of our Nation can be saved, that, sooner or later, new vigour and strength will be sent out to its ex- tremities.
"Resolved, That if no concessions and compromises can be obtained and a disunion shall be unfortunately made between the Northern and Southern States, then the commercial, manufacturing and agricultural inter- ests of the people of this county require us to say that we can not consent that the Ohio River shall be the boundary line of the contending nations, and we earn- estly desire that if a line is to be drawn between the North and the South that line shall be found north of us."
William Mckinley, Sr., of the committee, recorded himself in opposition to these two sections, but the adoption of the series as a unit was moved by George W. Patterson and the motion received several seconds. Charles H. Mason, however, proposed an amendment, carried after some discussion, by which each resolu- tion should be voted upon separately. As a result, the first five were unanimously adopted, but the final clause elicited fiery discussion from both sides. Joshua B. Huckeby, Charles H. Mason, Dr. Harmon S. Clark, Thomas W. Taylor and Henry P. Brazee, Jr., opposed its adoption, Ballard Smith, Job Hatfield, Jacob B. Maynard and Doctor Hargis debating in its favour. After extended and heated argument, the cries of "Question! Question!" at length procured a vote, the result announced by the chair being: For the resolu- tion, 99; against the resolution, 55; many present not voting. Thunders of applause greeted the verdict, which was followed by immediate adjournment.
In its next issue (January 3), which detailed the foregoing, the Reporter said editorially: "We have been told that the Southern feeling would expend itself in bluster and brag; that it meant nothing-all would subside. We have never believed it; we have warned our readers against this delusion. Terrible times are upon us-fearful times; a mighty nation is going to
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pieces, and if we would not be involved in calamities beggaring description, let us take manly ground and place Indiana in a position where the wild waves of fanaticism can not engulf us. * * * The Ohio River must never be the boundary line between contending nations. We have always lived upon terms of friend- ship with our Kentucky neighbours; Kentucky by no act of hers has ever shown any spirit but that of the right; Indiana has never passed a personal liberty bill; Perry County has ever been true to the letter and spirit of the Constitution, and if the time should ever come to trace on the map of our country the boundaries of new Republics, the Ohio River can not be one of those boundaries-never! The line must go north of us and the further north the better."
The proclamation of President Buchanan setting apart Friday, January 4, as a day of fasting and pray- er for deliverance from national calamity, was not generally regarded at Cannelton in the proper spirit of its intention, but to the credit of many God-fearing citizens be it told that solemn services of intercession were held by the clergymen of the Episcopal and Roman Catholic congregations, the Rev. William Louis Githens in St. Luke's Church, and the Rev. Michael Marendt in St. Michael's Church, both pastors heading their flocks in dutiful observance of the doctrinal precept, "to pay respectful obedience to the Civil Authority regularly and legitimately constituted;" the same consistent con- servatism which enabled their national systems to maintain unbroken organic union through the years of strife which disrupted practically every other religious body in America.
There is little question that the prevailing sentiment in the county at this time was pro-Southern, not un- natural through commercial interests and intimate per- sonal relations with the South, it being generally felt that in the contingency of the Union's dissolution the line of demarcation must go north instead of south of
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Perry County and not make the Ohio River a national boundary.
On the forty-sixth anniversary of Jackson's victory at New Orleans, styled in the Cannelton Reporter "the Glorious Eighth of January," 1861, in Polk's Bottom, (now Tobinsport) a joint assembly of citizens from Perry County and Breckinridge County, Kentucky, was held as a Union Meeting. For chairman the choice fell upon Colonel David Rodman Murray, Cloverport's fore- most citizen, a strikingly handsome man, of conspicu- ous personal loyalty to the Federal Government. He had been thrice married; first to a Miss Alexander, secondly to Eliza Huston, and thirdly to the Widow Crittenden,' (Anna Maria Allen) daughter of the gal- lant Captain John Allen, who fell at the Battle of the Raisin River. James H. Gibbon, of Perry County, was secretary, and upon motion by Daniel L. Armstrong, a committee of six, equally divided, was appointed to frame the sense of the meeting; Jacob B. Maynard, George W. Patterson and Hiram Carr, of Indiana; William Vest, Daniel Hambleton and Dr. J. F. Chris- tian, of Kentucky.
The preamble and resolutions presented and unani- mously adopted, were practically identical with the Cannelton document of a week previous, save for the insertion of Breckinridge County's name alongside that of Perry, and in the closing sentence of the final clause, which expressed the wish that a dividing line-if forced upon the two counties-should be found "North or South of us," a pledge to the sister interests of both.
The entire assembly were lavishly entertained as guests of the neighbourhood farmers, one of the ear- liest recorded instances of that splendid hospitality which the same families maintain as a standard in their homes today. Hundreds partook of their bounteous cheer, hundreds more could have been filled, with plenty still on hand. The boundless profusion of good things prepared by the whole-souled people of Polk's Bottom was likened by the editor of the Reporter (not always
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scripturally-minded) to Pharaoh's table during the seven years of plenty in the land of Egypt.
Nor was Breckinridge County lacking in generosity. After adjournment the citizens of Cloverport invited all the Indianians present to cross the river and par- take of Kentucky hospitality, which was spread before them with unstinted hand. Colonel Murray presided as informal toast-master, while mutual healths were pledged, and the day-like the historic eve of Waterloo -was closed with a "Grand Union Ball." No Hoosier or Corncracker bard has immortalized this in verse, as Byron did the Duchess of Richmond's function at Brussels, though with the beauty and chivalry of In- diana and Kentucky gathered
"To chase the glowing hours with flying feet," it is easy to believe that
"All went merry as a marriage bell."
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CHAPTER XXIII.
BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.
With breathless interest the action of Lincoln's ad- ministration was awaited during the first two months of 1861. Numerous citizens of Perry County were Southerners by birth and rearing, many more were of Southern descent, a part of whose heritage was a warm affection toward those states where their blood rela- tives yet resided, and they sincerely felt that injustice had been shown the South. In contrast, there were ardent Abolitionists who favoured a death blow to slavery while the iron was hot, though their number was fewer than those who deprecated any interference therewith. Probably the majority of all parties were willing to make any honourable concession that would preserve the Union.
President Lincoln's refusal to enforce the carriage of supplies to Major Anderson in Fort Sumter was vehemently denounced by many men in Perry County, but the editor of the Reporter said on April: "If Mr. Lincoln will so manage affairs as to avoid a fight, his administration will be a success for which he shall have our applause." No telegraph wires had yet penetrated the county, and only four weekly mails were brought by the packet Grey Eagle between Louisville and Evansville, so it was not until two days after the fall of Sumter-or April 14-that the exciting news reached Cannelton.
Sunday morning though it was, crowds of men col- lected on the streets. Loud talk could be heard in every group, threats and prophecies bandied to and fro for some few hours, or until the time for customary reli- gious worship brought a close to the turbulent scene,
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and excitement subsided into quiet. At every landing from Rono to Troy the tidings occasioned the same consternation, spreading like a swift prairie fire from the river bank out into the farthest township hills. Everywhere it kindled fierce indignation among the husky farmers, so that Monday morning found all spring labour forgotten in anxiety to hurry to the towns for fuller details. Newspapers were eagerly sought and were read aloud to avid listeners. That week's Reporter observed: "We do not care to discuss the legal right of the Government to Fort Sumter, and willingly admit all that can be argued in that way; but were Fort Sumter a thousand times more valuable than it is, it would be purchased at a dear price if it cost one drop of American blood shed in civil war."
As part of the former militia equipment assigned to Perry County, fifty-nine muskets belonging to the State remained in charge of Daniel L. Armstrong, Auditor, and agreeable to the orders of Governor Morton had been boxed up ready for shipment to Indianapolis. During the night of Thursday, April 18, these were secretly removed from the Court House by unknown parties, which caused no little excitement when the dis- covery of the abstraction was made. Many citizens were brought before Esquire John C. Wade for ex- amination, but nothing could be elicited giving the slightest clue toward detection of anyone involved, though the guns were generally believed to be in town and a reward for their return was offered by the Auditor. A humourous communication printed the fol- lowing week, written as if by the muskets in council assembled, signed by such names as Heavybreech, Shootquick, Greyflint, Surecock, Primingwire, Ramrod, and Breechpin did much to relieve the tension, causing the matter to be treated in the light of a practical joke, although it was some time before the circumstances connected with the removal were divulged.
The boxes had been carried by certain picked men from the Court House to the wharf-boat, where they
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were left, as if to be put aboard a steamboat. Directly after these parties had returned to their homes, an- other group, by prearrangement, loaded the guns into skiffs as if to cross the river into Kentucky. But in- stead, the oarsmen turned into the mouth of Cassel- berry Creek, the Ohio being then at its spring height, and the boats were rowed to an agreed landing-point at the home of Joshua B. Huckeby. The grounds of his property, "Virginia Place," sloping south to the bank of the creek, afforded a secluded spot for disembarka- tion, and the muskets speedily became 'concealed weapons' beneath the plank floor of a woodshed, where they lay sequestered until long after all commotion had died away.
In the wish to maintain uninterrupted the neigh- bourly and friendly relations essential to peace and prosperity of citizens living on both banks of the river, communications were exchanged between Cannelton and Hawesville whose result was a joint meeting held April 30, in the latter town, by a committee compris- ing Charles H. Mason, Ebenezer Wilber, James A. Burkett, Joseph F. Sulzer and David Richards, of In- diana; Samuel McAdams, William Sterett, James R. Jennings, William Mason and Joseph W. Hughes, of Kentucky. Realizing that amicable intercourse be- tween the two communities was in more danger of in- terruption from unwarranted acts and indiscreet con- versation of irresponsible persons than from any other causes, both sides mutually pledged the efforts of all good citizens in each town toward suppressing the same. It was declared that even should there be a state of public hostility between the two sections, there was no inconsistency in observing strictest regard for the right of private persons and property, so that whether peace or war should prevail, both towns were obligated to discountenance all aggressions upon the private rights of either.
Despite these cordial phrases, which bore the ring of sincerity so far as the immediate border was in-
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volved, popular sentiment against the extreme South was growing in Perry County, voiced in energetic language by the Reporter's editorial of May 2.
"The Southern Confederacy seems bent on pursuing a policy that will not only unite the North, but enrage it. It steps from stupendous follies to stupendous crimes by strides which amaze the present and throw the past into the shade, which future historians will write down as acts of political insanity without parallel in the history of nations. The attack upon Fort Sum- ter was criminal in the extreme, and, inasmuch as it inaugurated the war, places upon the Southern Con- federacy terrible responsibilities that will weigh the more heavily as time wears on and the gloom of war settles down upon the Nation."
Looking toward possible emergencies calling for local protection, troops were organized at different points in the county, under various names, such as Perry Rifles, Newcomb Guards, Rome Legion, Hickory Rangers, Union Grays, Anderson Guards, Oil Rifles, Clark Sharpshooters, Tell City Rifles, Deutscher Jaeger, Troy Artillery, Emmet Guards, Hoosier Wildcats, Tobin Guards, Cannelton Artillery, Voltiguers, Union Guards, Tell City Artillery, Lyon Artillery and Oil Grays; twenty companies in all, the majority of which were mustered in during 1861, though 1862 and 1863 each saw the organization of two companies. Many men who first served in this home guard enlisted later in regiments for outside field duty, though all whose names appear on any muster-roll as sworn in and hon- ourably discharged are accredited to Perry County by the Adjutant-General's report for Indiana. All are classified as the Fifth Regiment, Indiana Legion, of which Charles H. Mason was commissioned Colonel in June, 1861. Its other officers during the war were Charles Fournier, colonel; Jesse Esarey and James Lees, lieutenant colonels ; John Clark Esarey, Cornelius Leitz, Samuel Wilde and Joseph F. Sulzer, adjutants; F. L. Heik, Julius Fournier and August Pfafflin, quar-
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termasters; Magnus Brucker, surgeon; Christian Kiel- horn, paymaster ; Peter Ludwig, judge-advocate.
Among the colonists who had located at the vigour- ous young settlement of Tell City were many sturdy Switzers who had seen service in the army of their Fatherland, and of such was formed the earliest com- pany taking its departure from the county for enlist- ment. Commanded by Captain Louis Frey, who had been chiefly instrumental in recruiting the force, the men left May 17, 1861, on the steamer Grey Eagle, a large crowd assembling at the river bank, to see them off, with flaunting banners, firing guns, cheers of en- couragement and tears of farewell. Leaving the boat at New Albany they went by rail to Indianapolis, where for several weeks they found it difficult to get into the service. Some at last came home, others went to Cin- cinnati and enlisted there, still others lingering at the capital until finally accepted. Nearly all eventually succeeded in entering the ranks of their adopted country, showing a determined persistence most credit- able to their manly bravery.
By early summer flag-poles in every township dis- played the Stars and Stripes, and, as might be expect- ed, the wave of patriotism surged high on Independ- ence Day, its hallowed memories rendered doubly dear through peril. At several points in Perry County the day was observed by elaborate popular demonstrations, the most imposing being naturally that at the county seat. Before daybreak people from all directions were pouring into Cannelton, and by ten o'clock in the morn- ing not less than three thousand were assembled in the grove at "Wilber Farm," generously lent for the oc- casion by Ebenezer Wilber. Here three companies of the Legion were encamped. Their white tents, around which muskets were stacked when not on parade, pre- sented a picture of military life with which many in the crowd who then looked upon it for the first time, were afterward to become too sadly familiar. Occa- sional salutes from a five-pound cannon, marshaled by
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a squad of volunteer gunners, lent the realism of artil- lery to the scene.
The inspiration of fine music was supplied by the German Brass Band, who rendered appropriate na- tional airs for the formal review, which took place at ten o'clock. Before Colonel Charles H. Mason, at the head of his staff, all mounted and uniformed, passed the companies of Captain Alfred Vaughan, Captain Charles Fournier and Captain Henry N. Wales, besides the cavalry rangers of Captain Daniel L. Armstrong, who extended their friendly 'charge' into Tobin Town- ship directly after the brief remarks of commendation which Colonel Mason pronounced from his saddle in closing the review. This ceremony was succeeded by the oration of the day, delivered by Thomas James de la Hunt and reckoned among his hearers as a masterpiece of brilliant structure and polished delivery. A boun- teous dinner under the shade of the trees was served at noon, followed by dancing on a large platform tem- porarily erected. At five o'clock another review of the troops brought the day to a happy close. The celebra- tion at Polk's Bottom drew an attendance almost as large from Tobin Township and from Kentucky, and its features were along the same general plan, with Job Hatfield, of Perry County, and Colonel David Murray, of Breckinridge County, as orators. Other picnics and observances elsewhere also marked the day.
In the course of this month probably four-score men enlisted outside the county, chiefly in the Twenty-third Infantry (Colonel Sanderson) at New Albany, others (among whom was Captain George Perry De Weese of the Rome Legion) in the First Cavalry at Mount Ver- non. Such action was the result of some unpleasant and deplorable petty jealousies as to commanding offi- cers, which interferred with united action at home. On Sunday, August 4, however, the first full company, seventy strong, left the county, under Harvey Johnson, captain; James A. Burkett, first lieutenant; Thomas James de la Hunt, second lieutenant, and were mustered
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into service August 30, at Indianapolis, as Company F, Twenty-sixth Regiment. It was practically made up of Cannelton men, so their departure was an occasion of pride mingled with sadness, the town and vicinity turning out en masse to bid them God-speed. The Perry Rifles and Newcomb Guards formed an escort of honour to the wharf, to board the steamer Diligent, which steamed away up the river, flags flying, handker- chiefs waving and band playing "The Girl I Left Be- hind Me." The war had really begun.
Only a month later the scene was repeated, the troop which had been recruited through the county by John P. Dunn, of Troy, and Henry T. Murtha, of Derby, assembling September 6, at Cannelton, to set out for the front. They encamped that night below town, and the next day (Saturday) were entertained as guests of the Cannelton Home Guards, a farewell ball being given in the evening at Mozart Hall in their honour. Sunday morning a large crowd gathered at the camp- ground, where the troops formed before their tents and listened to a speech full of good advice from Jacob B. Maynard.
His fervid editorials in the Reporter had done much toward rousing patriotism and encouraging enlistment all over the county, and on September 5, he had writ- ten: "We are not one of those who believe the struggle is to be brief, but we do believe in the ultimate triumph of the Government over all its foes. If it turn out otherwise, then our fathers toiled in vain, the Declara- tion of Independence is a sham, the Constitution a farce in so many acts, and the records of our glorious and happy past may as well be gathered up for consignment to eternal oblivion. But it can not be so. Patriot hearts are not yet beating the funeral march of con- stitutional liberty. We confess that our gallant ship is drifting upon a lee-shore; we admit the terrific realities of the storm; but we are not engulfed beneath the wild waves of rebellion. The star of our destiny has not set in ignominious defeat; brave men are flocking round
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