USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan > Part 62
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A series of engagements followed in rapid succession, among which was the battle of Green Briar, where the First Squadron of First Ohio Cavalry was with and in advance of General Milroy's regiment of Indiana in- fantry, and engaged in the battle with them ; Union loss eight killed and thirty wounded ; the enemy was repulsed. Soon after an en- gagement took place at Camp Allgeheny near Green Briar, and on the 13th of December Colonel Milroy fought General Johnson, of Georgia ; this battle was fought about eight miles from Green Briar battleground.
On the 13th of February, 1862, the First Ohio Squadron was assigned to General Lan- der to act as his body guard, and was with him when he made his dash on Colonel Bald- win's forces at Washington Gap, called in his- tory Blooming Gap. In this battle twenty-two commissioned officers of the rebel forces were captured. On March 2, 1862, the First Ohio Squadron stood in line all day waiting for General Lander. Orders had been issued to the army at Paw Paw to go to Winchester to engage General Jackson. The advance had reached Blooming Gap when General Lander died at five o'clock on the morning of the 3d of March ; Companies A and C, of the First Ohio Squadron, acted as guard for the general's re- mains when they were delivered at Harper's Ferry into the hands of his wife and family.
General James Shields now took command, and the squadron was assigned to him as " special escort," and remained with him as long as he was in command. Captain Kirby was present when General Shields was wounded by the bursting of a shell, and took charge of his body when taken to the rear.
General Tyler next took command, and on the 23d of March, 1862, Companies A and C, numbering one hundred and forty men, and commanded by Captains Robinson and Kirby, were ordered to make a charge on the enemy. Side by side they scaled the stone wall in front and passed through a long line of rebel infantry. In this charge the two companies captured two hundred and sixty-four prisoners, three ambu- lances, eight horses and seventy-five stand of arms, which were turned over to general ac- count. For valiant and meritorious service at the battle of Winchester, the First Squadron of Ohio Cavalry was justly recognized at the time by the leading newspapers of the day as bearing an importantarın to the Union service. Captain Robinson died a few days after the battle, leaving Captain Kirby in full command of the squadron, and also as acting surgeon.
In the meantime General Shields had suf- ficiently recovered to again take command, and accompanied by his body-guard pursued "Stonewall" Jackson up the Shenandoah valley, calling a halt at Harrisonburgh to rest the troops. On June 8, 1862, the First Ohio Squad- ron, under General Shields,engaged in the battle of Port Republic, where Captain Kirby was wounded in the leg, and Captain Cole, of Shields's staff, was shot through the head while firing a bridge to prevent Jackson's army from crossing. Shotand shell were sent through the bridge by the enemy to prevent it from being destroyed, when a shell burst within the bridge and Captain Kirby's horse fell, and him- self' was stunned and wounded by the explosion. In this battle Company C lost seventeen men in killed, wounded and prisoners; the men being disabled by cuts from bursting shells and the loss of blood, the company was relieved from General Shields and sent into camp at Alexandria, and their captain taken to Wash- ington in an ambulance.
When General Pope took command of the Army of Virginia, the commander of Company C had so far recovered from his injuries as to be again on duty. On July 10, 1862, he re- ceived orders to report to General Pope's head- quarters at Warrentown, Virginia, to act as body guard. The order was brought to him by Colonel Smith, of Pope's staff. On the 9th of August this diminished band of brave men defended Generals Pope, MeDowell and Banks in a hand-to-hand saber engagement,
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
losing nineteen men in killed, wounded and prisoners. General Banks was slightly wound- ed, and Colonel Ruggles's (chief of Pope's staff) horse was killed and Joseph Gaddes, of Com- pany C, was shot in the head, his brains spat- tering in the face of his captain. Some New York artillery, seeing the general and his escort retreating from the picket lines by moon- light, unlimbered their cannon and sent fifty shells whizzing over their heads before they could be stopped.
At the battle of Bull Run this escort of First Ohio Cavalry was precipitated into a saber fight with " Stonewall" Jackson's body-guard, the enemy outnumbering them two to one. In this encounter one-half of the men of Com- pany C were killed, and Captain Kirby's horse was killed under him; notwithstanding this slaughter Jackson's body-guard was driven from the field, leaving their dead and wounded on the ground.
Captain Kirby with his worn-out company was next sent to Antietam, and participated in the battle under General Mcclellan, and was subsequently stationed at headquarters as dis- patch carrier for the general while he remained in command.
On November 4, 1862, General MeClellan was relieved by General Halleck, and the First Ohio Squadron went into camp on Capitol Hill, Washington, D. C. Captain Kirby remained here for several months sick in camp, and, on the recommendation of Surgeon-General Barnes, resigned his commission and went home. On the 1st of August, 1863, having suf- ficiently recovered from his injuries, he ac- cepted a commission as captain of Company E, Eleventh Michigan Cavalry, and again went to the front.
In December, 1863, the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry passed through Toledo, Ohio, reaching Covington, Kentucky, on the 31st. At this point Company E was detailed to guard the train, not allowing it to start until orders were received from Colonel Simeon B. Brown, com- manding regiment. The men stood on duty all day in a drenching storm of snow and rain ; at night they were relieved and sent to Camp Ella Bishop, Lexington, Kentucky, arriving there on that memorable "cold New Year's Day," January 1, 1864; that intensely cold night men were obliged to lie down ou snow
and ice, without fires and but few blankets. The next morning a call was made for volun- teers to go a distance of fifteen miles through blinding snowstorm for wood. Louis De a Shettler, of Company E (a resident of Erie, Michigan), came forward with others and went for the wood. Upon their return DeShettler's ears were so badly frozen they dropped off, as many of his friends can now testify, and scarcely a man in the company but suffered from severe colds and rheumatism.
On January 28, 1864, Captain Kirby re- ceived orders to report to General Hobson, commanding at Camp Nelson, eighteen miles distant. Upon reporting to the general's head- quarters he received orders to guard a drove of 1,405 head of cattle through the mountains to Knoxville, Tennessee, for the relief of General Burnside's army. This perilous duty was per- formed with a loss of two men and nineteen horses killed, and eighty-one head of cattle poisoned from mountain ivy. The whole dis- tance traversed by this " horned brigade " via Kingston was two hundred and twenty-five miles. This march was rendered extremely severe by receiving orders to go light - with- out overcoats or blankets, and without a wheel or pack mule to carry forage for horses. The rebel guerrilla Champ Furguson with one hundred cut-throats had burned the mountains over ahead of them, destroying the last rem- nant of feed for animals excepting browse. Company D, of the Tenth Michigan Cavalry, with seven hundred head of cattle, had pre- ceded them a few days, all of which were cap- tured by guerrillas ; and being determined to evade a similar disposition, it was necessary that the commanding officer be vigilant and constantly in the saddle at least from eighteen to twenty-three hours daily.
Company E, Eleventh Michigan Cavalry, re- turned to camp at Lexington, Kentucky, on the 5th of April, 1864, and on the 27th of the same month General Burbridge requested Cap- tain Kirby to take command of a battalion of the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry and proceed to Western Kentucky in search of some train robbers. Lieutenant Stearns, of Adrian, Mich - igan, was among the volunteers to accompany this expedition. A march of ninety-six miles was made in thirty hours, and the robbers were caught the second night of their march, re-
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SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE LATER RESIDENTS.
turning to Lexington in time to join their reg- iment, who were about to give chase to John Morgan, then making his last raid through Kentucky. The Eleventh Michigan Cavalry started in hot pursuit, and the rebel chieftain was overtaken at Mount Sterling, Kentucky, about three o'clock in the morning. After a fight lasting four hours John Morgan and his forces were completely routed. In this en- gagement Captain Kirby commanded the second battalion, consisting of eight com- panies, and while leading a charge through a wheatfield to dislodge some rebels on the op- posite side under barricades, was wounded and reported to Colonel S. B. Brown (commanding brigade) as being killed, and word to that effect sent home to his family. The routed rebels were commanded by Colonel Cal Morgan and Basil Duke, who were closely pursued through Lexington, the Eleventh Michigan Cavalry being in the advance. On the morning of the 12th of May they came up with the combined forces at Cynthiana, commanded by John Morgan. Line of battle was formed at day- light, the Eleventh Cavalry being placed near the center. Major-General Burbridge gave orders to move forward ; Major Smith, commanding the Eleventh, ordered a charge. Captain Kirby's battalion on the right and a column of platoons in front led the charge and went entirely through the enemy's line, which closed in behind them with the intention of capturing them; but Company E, of Monroe county, Michigan, with two hundred rounds of cartridges to a man, stood by their commander and in less time than it takes to write it one hundred and ninety-two rebels were killed and wounded. Captain Kirby captured General Morgan's adjutant, with Morgan's saddle-bags, portfolio, order-book and promotion from March 10th up to June 12th, and still has the folio in his possession. In this engagement Wm. Nadeau, of Company E, was wounded.
The battle being over, Company E acted as body-guard to General Burbridge to Lexing- ton, the Eleventh Cavalry following, and went into camp at Lexington, Kentucky. Captain Kirby being ranking officer was called upon to remount and uniform the regiment, there not being a field officer in the regiment; this duty was performed and on the 25th of June, by order of Major-General McClain, he was de-
tailed as provost marshal at Lexington, Ken- tucky, and continued to act in this capacity until the close of the following winter. The duties of a provost marshal were found to be a trial, and in many instances heartrending. Three military prisons were turned over to the provost marshal, besides a large amount of property taken with the prisoners. At this time the retaliation order of Abraham Lincoln was in force in Kentucky: That whenever a Union person was murdered by any dis- Union person two guerrillas were to be shot to death and buried on the same ground. Prison No. 3 was full of that kind of men, and the provost marshal was frequently ordered to turn over to some officer from two to six per week for execution. On one occasion Company E, of the Eleventh Cavalry, was sent to Georgetown with two men for execution, one a murderer, the other an innocent looking boy of eighteen, who said he had never injured anyone, but was persuaded to go with them, and when sixty- two men were ordered to fire, but one bullet hit the young man, while the body of the other was riddled with bullets. Captain Kirby was detained in the office of provost marshal much against his wishes, having made repeated ap- plications to be relieved without effect.
In January, 1865, finding himself prostrated with nervous fever, caused from wounds while in the United States service, and having con- tracted rheumatism from previous exposure in 1864, he drew up a resignation and tendered it in person to the commanding general, who ac- cepted it on condition that he would remain until his successor was appointed and all mil- itary prisons, prisoners and property were turned over and accounted for, and a new guard and officers fully acquainted with their duties. This left him at liberty to return to his home in Lambertville, Monroe county, Michigan, reduced from his former weight of 205 pounds to the modest proportions of 146 pounds.
Resuming again the duties of the medical profession, he continued his residence in Lam- bertville until June, 1874, when he removed with his family to Petersburgh, Monroe county, where he still resides. Two children were born to them : Canfield T., born February 26, 1859, died August 12, 1860 ; and Ella Elizabeth, born March 29, 1862, died May 29, 1879.
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
DR. JOSEPH L. TUCKER.
Joseph L. Tucker, son of James and Hope (Kelley) Tucker, was born in the village of Scituate, Rhode Island, December 3, 1807. His ancestors were of English nativity and were among the earlier settlers of New England. Joseph was the second son of a family of thir- teen children. He attended the common schools from the time he was old enough until he was thirteen years of age. At this period his father died, making it necessary for him to assist in caring for his mother and dependent brothers and sisters. He immediately accepted the busy life found in a manufacturing cstab- lishment of his own town, in the meantime pursuing his studies by reading spare minutes and attending an evening session at the village academy. He was thus carly in life made sensible of the fact that upon hisown exertions . depended his future success. For five years he performed his duties with entire satisfaction to his employer. At the expiration of this time he found that by his frugality and strict atten- tion to the interests of his employer he was the happy possessor of sufficient means to enter upon a career befitting his natural taste, and immediately began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Tyler in his native village. In 1829 he entered the medical college at Castle- ton, Vermont, where he remained one year. The following year he enrolled as a student at Yale College. He remained here one year, under the instructions of Professor Silliman and others equally eminent in their day and generation. It was here that he formed the lifelong acquaintance of a fellow classmate (Abram Sager) who later in life was called to occupy a chair as professor of zoology at the State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Returning to his native town he presented him- self before a board of medical examiners, re- ceived a certificate, and for a length of time devoted himself to the duties of his profession. A copy of this certificate, yellow with age, the writer inserts for the sake of its quaintness :
L. S. S THE PRESIDENT OF THE R. I. CENTRAL MEDICAL SOCIETY.
To Whom these Presents May Come, Greeting :
Know yo, that Joseph L. Tucker hath been approved according to his knowledge in sur- gery and the practice of medicine on examina-
tion, relative to the rules and regulations estab- lished by the said society. I do, therefore, hereby license him to practice as a physician and surgeon, all the rights, privileges and honors thereunto appertaining, and do recom- mend him to the notice of the faculty and the employment of the public. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and have caused the seal of the said society to be here- unto affixed at Warwick, R. I., the 3d day of February, in the year of our Lord 1834, and of American independence the 58th.
J. W. OLNEY, JEREMIAH COLE, Censors.
DANIEL H. GREEN,
AMOS COLLINS, President.
But compensation for medical services was meager in those days, and the struggle for ex- istence had now actually begun. With a clear Saxon eye he saw the "Star of Empire" hang- ing in the West, and in 1834 he came to Michi- gan Territory, traveling via stage line, Hudson River and Lake Erie. He arrived in Monroe in the month of September and at once pro- ceeded to the town of La Salle, near the Erie line, and began anew the practice of medicine, enduring all the trials and vicissitudes incident to a new country. On the 22d day of Febru- ary, 1835, he was married with Miss Elizabeth Jane Avery (daughter of Amos W. Avery), who with her father had removed from Western New York to La Salle, Michigan, in 1833. In the autumn of 1836 the subject of this sketch returned to Yale College, where he completed his studies. Upon his return home in the spring of 1837, he at once set about founding a home for himself and family. A portion of land was purchased which originally belonged to the farm known as the Cornell farm in the town of Erie, and here for a term of over thirty years he devoted himself assiduously to the duties of his chosen profession, and was per- mitted to enjoy some of the contrasts from a life in the wilderness to one of advanced im- provement. In 1840 a medical society was organized in the city of Monroe which made it incumbent upon practicing physicians to ap- pear for examination and become identified with the society. That the representatives of the medical profession were " not slothful in business" in those carly times, the following true copy of the certificate will show :
Dr. f. J. under
THENEWYORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FONDATE1 .
.
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SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE LATER RESIDENTS.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
To all to whom these presents shall come, or may in any wise concern, the President, Secretary and Censors of the Monroe County Medical Society send greeting :
Whereas, Joseph L. Tucker hath exhibited unto us satisfactory evidence that he is duly qualified to practice physic and surgery, know ye, that pursuant to the power and anthority vested in us by law, we do grant unto the said Joseph L. Tucker the privilege of practicing physic and surgery in this State, together with all the rights and immunities which usually appertain to physicians and surgeons.
L. S.
GEORGE LANDON, CHARLES OSGOOD, E. ADAMS,
Censors.
In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of the society to be hereunto affixed, at the city of Monroe, this 26th day of February, A. D. 1840.
WILLIAM M. SMITII, President, P. L. Attest : HARRY CONANT, Secretary.
In the spring of 1850, Dr. Tucker with his wife became actively identified with the First Baptist Church of Erie, under the pastorate of Elder John Thomas, and during his long resi- dence in that locality he contributed to its true interest with unswerving fidelity. He was eminently faithful and strict in meeting every personal obligation in business, in the church, in society, and wherever duty called him to act. He was of that conscientious New Eng- land mould which made him especially vigilant of every charge committed to his care, and throughout his long residence in Erie was largely relied upon in promoting the true pros. perity of the township, seeking faithfully to promote the establishment of general educa- tion, and was among the first to secure a schol- arship in Hillsdale College when that institu- tion was in its infancy. Dr. Tucker was a member of the Masonic fraternity and held the office of treasurer at the time of his death.
In politics he was originally a Democrat, but from the beginning of the presidential cam- paign of 1857 until his death he was identified with the Republican party.
On the 6th of June, 1860, he was called to mourn the death of his wife, who for over a quarter of a century had walked faithfully by his side; a woman endowed with rare social
qualities which attracted to her a large circle of acquaintances. Three children survived her, Melissa M., wife of Dr. R. R. Kirby, of Peters- burgh, and two sons, Charles M. and Sheldon B., who lived to maturity, but both now deceased. In the autumn of 1867 Dr. Tucker removed to the village of Petersburgh, Monroe county, and on May 2, 1868, was united in marriage with Miss Isabel E. Posey, of Helena, Ohio, who died November 15, 1874. One daughter by this marriage survives, Nora Bell, who is at present a student in the scientific department of the Northern Indiana Normal College at Valparaiso, Indiana.
His residence continned in Petersburgh until his death, which occurred June 11, 1880. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Edwin Dawes, of the Methodist church of Peters- burgh. The funeral was largely attended by his friends, and as a special mark of respect the Masonic lodges of Lambertville, Dundee and Petersburgh were represented in a body and accompanied the remains to the cemetery east of the village, where the Hon. James I. Russell, master of Blanchard Lodge, of Petersburgh, pro- nounced an culogy, making just recognition of the honorable and useful life of the deceased.
EDWARD GEORGE JOSEPH LAUER,
Or as he is better known to the inhabitants of Monroe and vicinity, Ed. G. J. Lauer, was born February 20, 1859, the place of his nativity being Monroe, and his parents Sebastian and Phillipine (Seitz) Lauer. His father was a native of Landshausen, Baden, where he was born February 9, 1820, and came to this coun- try in 1841, settling in Monroe in 1843, and married August 2, 1845; beginning the boot and shoe business with his brother-in-law, E. Yaeger, June 1, 1846, remaining in partnership with him until his death, July 19, 1860; the business being now carried on by E. Yaeger & Son at the same stand where it was commenced in 1846. His mother was born in Wachen- heim, Bavaria, May 11, 1826, coming to Amer- ica and settling in Monroe in 1837. August 17, 1883, she died She left to mourn her loss one danghter, Mrs. J. F. Wagner, of Monroe, and two sons, Emanuel S. and Edward, of which Edward was the youngest.
Left an orphan at the tender age of two years,
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Mr. Lauer owes, in a great measure, his present position in society to the Christian teachings of a loved mother, and after three years' instrue- tion at the parochial school connected with Emanuel (Lutheran) church, more familiarly known as " the Old Peartree church," at the age of nine he entered the Monroe union schools and pursned his studies for five years, when the necessity of doing something for the sup- port of his aged mother so worked on his filial affections that he renounced all idea of further education and entered upon his life work by securing employment in the dry goods store of Gouverneur Morris, starting at the princely salary of seven dollars a month and board himself. His connection with Mr. Morris con- tinued until the spring of 1877, when he entered the employ of J. M. Bulkley, where he remained until the spring of 1881, when Mr. B. improved the opportunity of enlarging his business by removal to Manistee, Michigan. Mr. Lauer, having by close application acquired a thor- ough knowledge of the dry goods business during his nine years' clerkship, conceived the idea that Monroe could sustain a metropolitan dry goods emporium, and with that vision in his mind he made the start on May 1, 1881, the result of which has already shown that he had a peculiar adaptation and talent for his chosen occupation. Engaging the store at No. 25 Front street, he went to New York City, and with no capital and but little back. ing other than his experience in the business and the well wishes of his many friends in Monroe, made the acquaintance of Mr. John H. Reed, of the large wholesale dry goods house of Bates, Reed & Cooley, to whom he frankly stated the circumstances in which he was situated, the condition of business in Monroe and a brief outline of what he expected to accomplish. His manly bearing and honest appearance, together with his intimate knowl- edge of the wants of prospective customers, soon made a warm friend of Mr. Reed, who, with no further references than his own prac- tical judgment of human nature, offered Mr. Lauer all the credit he might. need in starting his business venture. He commenced with a small stock of fine and well selected goods, and in accordance with his convictions began a system of judicious advertising in which he announced to the public what he had in stock, and that he was offering bargains in his line of
goods. By being careful to do in every case as he promised in his advertisements, and keeping faith with his customers, and already having the good will and confidence of the public by reason of his long acquaintance with them, trade grew apace, until before the year had passed his first venture of a light stock of goods compelled him to fill a large portion of his shelving with empty boxes in order to make a showing. He had visited the eastern markets several times, posting himself on all the latest novelties that were being introduced and from them selecting all the most desirable for the Monroe market, making it always his study and aim to keep on hand only fresh, de- sirable and salable goods, and giving his cus tomers a selection from a line as large and varied as any store of the kind in Toledo or Detroit. To all who came he took pleasure in showing goods and quoting prices; the rich, the poor, were always shown the same attention in his store, and found Mr. Laner and his clerks pleasant, affable and courteous, with whom it was always a pleasure to do business. This line of conduct deservedly found its reward in the rapid increase of his business, until the empty boxes had been taken from the shelving and new goods and greater varieties taken their place, and in less than two years he was crowded for room in which to show his stock and accommodate his customers. He suc- ceeded in obtaining a lease of the rear end of the adjoining store, which was soon filled and more room wanted. This was temporarily obtained by adding twelve feet of the rear end of Miss Webb's store to this ell, and in June, 1886, he took the entire store and at once threw the two rooms into one, new show win- dows were put in and the store handsomely painted and papered, giving it a neat, fresh, attractive and convenient appearance, which can hardly be excelled in the county. While the fact that Mr. Lauer has by his untiring in- dustry, judicious advertising and honest deal- ing, as well as his universally courteons and gentlemanly conduct, built up his trade from its small beginning to its present mammoth proportions, is greatly to his credit as an ener- getic and pushing business man, yet he mod- estly shifts much of the credit to his clerical force, in which he has been exceeding fortu- nate in his selection. On the starting of his mercantile bark, Mr. William F. Schmidt, who
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