USA > Michigan > Saginaw County > History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume I > Part 38
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It lost 4 men killed, 18 died of disease, 11 were lost, and 9 were missing in action. The worst feature in connection with the organization is that during the year 1863 no less than 227 deser- tions were reported. During the year 1864 the losses were 14 killed, 90 died of disease, and 20 missing. Its services in Tennessee, Ken- tucky, and Georgia were replete with good results.
The regiment entered on service at Triplett's bridge, Ky., June 19, 1863, and completed its splendid labors round Pulaski Sept. 22, 1865, when it was mustered out. Returning to Jackson Sept. 28, it was discharged.
Casualties .- Major T. Lockwood fell at Stone Mountain, Oct. 2, 1864; Wm. Tindlater fell at Stone Mountain, Sept. 13, 1864; Robert Fischer died at Marietta, Oct. 3, 1864; John R. Dees died at Atlanta, Oct.24, 1864.
Discharged .- 1865-Fisher James, Fisher John, Gruat Peter, Hammer Geo., Huntley Albert, Jackson John, Lamb Henry, Lamb Paul, Lockwood Geo. N., New- man Mark, Sampson J., Shawbeissa J., Sims W. H., Smith John, Spencer Maurice, William W. P.
THE TENTH CAVALRY
was raised at Grand Rapids in September, 1863, and, under Col. Thaddeus Foote, left for Lexington Dec. 1, 1863, with a force of 912 men and officers. It here encamped until Jan. 25, 1864, when it moved to Burnside Point. April 26 the regiment was ordered to proceed thence to Carter's Station, and destroy the rail- road bridge over the Watauga river. Reaching Carter's Station on the 25th, after a severe engagement, it drove the enemy from a
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
strong position occupied by them, but the rebels being posted in heavy force in fortifications on the opposite bank of the river, it was impossible to destroy the bridge without great loss of life, and the regiment was directed to retire. The casualties in this engage- inent were 3 killed, 8 wounded, and 3 missing. May 28, 160 of the regiment engaged in a reconnaissance, proceeding to Bull's gap and Greenville. Encountering a force of the enemy, the battalion engaged and routed them with severe loss, killing and wounding a large number, and capturing 26 prisoners and a number of horses and mules. July 23, the regiment took part in an engagement with a rebel brigade at Blue Springs, and after a sharp fight suc- ceeded in forcing the enemy from a strong position and in driving them in confusion through Greenville. The casualties of the regi- ment were 6 wounded, 2 of whom died of their wounds. During its absence on this expedition, on the 24th, the detachment, num- bering 60 men, left in garrison at Strawberry Plains, with about 150 from other commands, were attacked by the rebel cavalry corps under Wheeler, numbering from 6,000 to 8,000 men, with 9 picces of artillery. The Union troops made a successful defense against this force, and thus saved the post from capture and the great rail- road bridge from destruction. Eight mncn held the ford for thrce hours, and prevented a rebel brigade from crossing, and surrendered only after they were surrounded. Three men were wounded during the day. On the same day (24thi) the detachment left at Knoxville charged a rebel regiment (11th Texas) near Flat creek bridge, and routed it, capturing its colonel and other prisoners, but coming suddenly on one of the enemy's cavalry divisions in line of battle, it retired. The enemy pursued, and succeeded in recapturing their men, and in taking a number of prisoners from the detacliment. On the 4th of September the regiment participated in the sur- prising and routing of Gen. John H. Morgan's forces at Greenville. In this engagement Gen. Morgan was killed and a large number of his men captured, among whom were Morgan's staff. On the 30th of September the regiment assisted in driving the enemy from their position at Carter's Station. The command participated in 56 general and minor actions during its service. It reported at Jackson for discharge, Nov. 15, 1865.
Died of Disease .- Geo. Smith, at Camp Nelson, Jan. 24, 1864: Curtis E. Whit- man, at Knoxville, April 13, 1864; L. H. Dunne, at Camp Nelson, March 14, 1865 Discharged .- 1865-Jos. Allen, W. M. Blackman, D. H. Chapman, W. Crane, J. C. Davison, H. H. Goodrich, H. Hewitt, Jacob Ripley, C. Tertz, Geo. I. Young.
THE MERRILL HORSE,
of which three companies were raised in Barry, Calhoun, Eaton, and Jackson, was organized in August, 1861.
The command was mustered out, after a brilliant service, Sept. 21, 1865.
Officer .- Lucien B. Potter, Maple Grove, commissioned 2d Lieut., Co. I, July 2, 1862; afterward 1st Lieut. of the same Co.
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
FIRST LIGIIT ARTILLERY.
Theodore Sanderson died at Jeffersonville, Ind., Jan. 23, 1865. Denis Gold- wood, Ferdinand Lebsch, James G. Sanderson, Willis W. Dibble, A. Griffin, Hiram Weaden, Joseph Grasswiser, Fred Klais and Conrad Schwartz, were discharged August, 1865. Sam, Parker, of the Thirteenth Battery, mustered out July 1, 1865, with the Battery.
Dwight O. Booth, of the 2d Battery, was disabled, and discharged April 19, 1862.
CONCLUSION.
Immediately succeeding the commencement of hostilities the ladies of the county became thoroughly imbued with a sense of patriotism, formed a society to aid the sick and wounded soldiers of the armies, and so organized that the society was made very effective.
The citizens, whose military days were over, acted well their part. Cooperating with the State Military Board, they rendered most important aid to the Republic.
The soldiers' history is one of duty done. The troops of Sagi- naw, attached to the regiments sent forward from this State, were soldiers in the full acceptation of the term. When they are con- sidered, with what pride may their relatives and fellow citizens look back to the past, when such a number of gallant hearts went forth to offer themselves upon the altars of patriotism, to preserve the Republic.
The most terrible fate threatened the truest federalization upon the earth. A visible enemy from within, aided by unnumbered enemies of liberty from without, conspired to destroy all that which the Revolution won. The soldiers who saved the Republic must live at least in memory. Let the people of the present and the future follow in the tracks of their illustrious dead, and thus transmit, from generation to generation, a land of illimitable possibilities, a patriotism incorruptible, a government at once strong and just, a set of public principles honorable to tlie age, that so it may offer happiness to its own citizens and teach the outside world the lesson of freedom.
THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS OF THE COUNTY.
The soldiers and sailors of Saginaw county organized a Union with Capt. C. D. Little, President; Capt. F. Ackley, First V. P .; Capt. Rev. Theodore Nelson, Second V. P .; Capt. A. Trask, Sec- retary; Major N. S Wood, Treasurer. The corresponding mem- bers for the townships and wards of the city were appointed as follows:
Townships -- St. Charles, Major Stimpson; Bryant, Geo. Ward; Checaning. D. W. Damon; Fremont, S. B. Andrews; Maple Grove, Wm. Denean; Tittabawassee, Geo. Barbour ; Lakefield, B. Nesserdew; Kochville, John Avenaw; Jamestown, Edwin Dunbar; Taymouth, N. McNally ; Blumfield, Barden ; Thomastown, Chas. Graham; Brady, A. W. Tucker, sr .; Carrollton, D. Beard; Zilwaukee, R. Mc- Donald; Birch Run, Duane Osborne, Saginaw, Lucius Lacy.
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
Saginaw City-First Ward, Capt. A. T. Bliss; Second Ward, Capt. E. C. Turner; Third Ward, Capt. Wm. Reins; Fourth Ward, Capt. Henry Miller; Fifth Ward, Capt. E. St. John; Sixth Ward, Lieu. O. T. Mosier.
East Saginaw-First Ward, Capt. D. D. Keeler; Second Ward, L. C. Stoors; Third Ward, W. G. Gage; Fourth Ward, Col. Lockley; Fifth Ward, F. A Ashley ; Sixth Ward, W. L. Goulding ; Seventh Ward, Dr. Rouse ; Eighth Ward, Matt. Cranage.
The committee on plan of organization comprised Capt. Shaw, Major Wood, Capt. Aekley, Capt. Stimpson, Sergeant Dumond.
Major Wood, Major Stimpson and O. W. Damon, appointed a committee on eonstitution and by-laws, reported a constitution with the follwing preamble: "This society shall be known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Union of Saginaw County, and all sol- diers or sailors, now or hereafter residents of said eounty, are eon- stituted members thereof, and the objeet of the society shall be the seeuring of eloser social intereourse, and the promotion of the best interest of its members." This was adopted.
Previous to organization 60 men, who partieipated in the war for the Union, assembled around the camp fires on the Fair Grounds, Saginaw City, and whiled away a pleasant time, ehar- aeterized by a field dinner, bugle calls, ete. The meeting to or- ganize the union sueeeeded. It was presided over by Hon. D. H. Jerome with Capt C. D. Little, secretary.
THE SECOND REUNION
was held Sept. 15, 16 and 17, 1880. It was in every respeet a thorough reunion of soldiers who had been in the field, endured all the hardships of war, and now wished to remind themselves of the ordeal through which they passed in their suceessful defense of the Union. The annual meeting was held on the third day of the reunion. Capt. Albert Trask was elected President; Charles F. Shaw, First V. P. ; E. A. Steinson, Second V. P .; Rielly Jones, Seeretary; Dr. Rouse, Treasurer and Surgeon; Charles D. Little, Orator. Capt. A. L. Bingham, Capt. Henry Miller and Lieut. O. T. Mosier were appointed a committee to take charge of the re- union of 1881, which was ordered to be held at Saginaw City, in the second week in October. This happy meeting elosed with a sham battle or skirmish between the Veterans and the East Sag- inaw Rifles, in which the former were defeated. .
With the presence of so many veterans in the county, and large number of young men among the people, it is a matter of surprise to learn that only a few military companies are in actual existen ee. With the amendment of the military eode of Michigan, there is every reason to hope for an inerease in the number of military or- ganizations here. The new regulation provides for a division and a brigade organization; fixes the pay of all eomnissioned offieers while performing any duty under orders at the rate allowed to offieers of a like rank in the regular army; non-commissioned offieers on duty, $1.75 per diem, and privates $1.25; provides for annual encampments, and fixes the pay at the same rate as for
HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY. 38
other duties, with an addition of 75 cents per day for subsistence. A temperance provision is also inserted, to the effect that any officer or enlisted man guilty of drunkenness shall forfeit all tlre pay which would be coming to him for the entire tour of encamp- ment. With such a code as this, there should not be a township of this county without a uniformed company.
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CHAPTER XII.
LUMBER INDUSTRY.
The history of the rise of this industry throughout the Valley of the Saginaw must be as interesting as the trade itself is magnificent in its proportions. Never, perhaps, have the forests of any land approached the pine woods of Northeastern Michigan in extent or quality; never have they afforded such a field for the lumberman's enterprise, and never yet have so many advantages been conferred, directly, upon a single district as those conferred by them upon this region. The great industry may be said to have been inaugurated in 1834, when the first saw-mill in the Valley was erected in Saginaw City by Harvey Williams, for the purpose of supplying the early settlers with building materials, as the manufacture and shipment of lumber as a commodity of commerce from the Saginaw river had not at that time been thoughit of. Ephraim S. Williams joined "Uncle" Harvey in this enterprise immediately after the latter erected the building and put in the machinery. It is stated that this milling concern was located south of the city mills, where the salt blocks of the Williams Brothers are located. The machinery was manufactured at Detroit by Harvey Williams, and was sufficient to run one muley saw, and the single run of stone for custom grinding. This latter append- age of the mill was used to crack corn for the inhabitants : wheat was seldom or never introduced. The fly wheel was the same used on the old steamer "Superior," the second steamboat on the lakes, about the year 1820. It was 11 feet in diameter, and in the steamer was fixed on a shaft distinct from the main shaft, and was geared to make three revolutions to each revolution of the paddle wheels. This large wheel and other machinery was brought over- land from Detroit in 1834, by Mr. Williams. The difficulties at- tendant on the journey may be conceived from the fact that the sleighs, on which the machinery was loaded, were drawn through the Clinton river five times in a distance of nine miles. The first lumber ever manufactured in Saginaw Valley was cut at the Wil- liams mill, solely for home consumption, for at that time the idea of manufacturing pine lumber for export was but slightly, if to any extent, entertained. Mr. Bennett owned the mill a year or so, and afterward the property again came into the hands of E. S. & G. D. Williams, who held it until it was burned, July 4, 1854. This was the pioneer mill and pioneer property of the Valley.
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
THE EMERSON MILL.
During the year 1836 another mill was built nearly opposite Saginaw City, known as the " Emerson Mill," considered at that period as a model of the kind, having a capacity of 3,000,000 feet, and the first lumber shipment was made from this mill in 1836. It formed a building 55x120 feet, containing three upright saws, one butting saw, one edging table, one engine of 75-horse power, three boilers, each 18 feet long by 42 inches in diameter. This concern was perhaps the largest of the kind in the State. It closed down in 1856, two years after the burning of its predecessor. After 1836 some attention began to be paid to the manufacture of lumber, but the panic that followed 1836 produced a lethargy that existed for somne years, and it was not until 1849 that the business began to brighten up, and several mills were erected. In 1854 there were 23 mills on the Saginaw river, with a capacity for 60,000,000 feet. The mills were of the cheaper class, the average cnt being not over 3,000,000 feet. In 1857 there were 44 mills in operation on the Saginaw river, manufacturing that year 113,700,000 feet of lumber. In 1867 there were 82 mills in operation, manufacturing that year 423,963,190 feet of lumber. In 1870 there were 83 mills operated, the cut that year aggregating 576,726,600 feet, increased to 923,- 000,000 feet in 1880. Notwithstanding the financial crisis of 1836-'7 the pioneers labored on, until in 1849 they beheld the re- turn of prosperous times. Henceforth they were destined to tender a daily welcome to men of enterprise. The farmer as well as the lumberman was received warmly. The advent of labor and capital to the Valley, as witnessed 30 years ago, is thus de- scribed :
"There is scarcely a day when there are not more or less parties here from the Eastern cities, negotiating for mill sites, or purchas- ing pine lands, and the steady, rapid influx and tendency of capital now setting in this direction, while it is gratifying and exhilarating to those who have stood by the country in its days of poverty and destitution, leads naturally to the inquiry, how long this fruitful and prolific resource of the present growth and prosperity of Sagi- naw, unprecedented as it is, and unnoticed and little understood at large through the State, is like to continue in view of the constant and immense drain upon it. This resource is derived chiefly fromn the tributaries of the Saginaw river, there being little or no pine upon the river proper, except to a limited extent, and of an inferior character, near to lower Saginaw. The Cass river, which empties into the Saginaw about two miles above Saginaw City, together with the tributaries making into it, passes through a belt of pine 100 miles in length, and varying in width from one and a half to ten miles.
" The logs when cut are hanled up to the banks of the small streams, and there await a high stage of water to be floated into the main stream. These logs are not rafted, but are floated in bodies
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
of two or three thousand and are boomed and chained together only when they reach the main river, thus materially saving ex- pense. It is a low estimate to say that each 80-acre lot of this alinost endless tract of pine will yield 400,000 feet, and from this. estimate, taking the dimensions of the tract, some guess may be made as to how long it will require to exhaust the pine. But Cass river is not the only resource of pine, neither is it the largest. The Tittabawassee river, and the Chippewa, Pine and Tobacco rivers, which empty into it, are all heavily clothed with the finest quality of pine. The aggregate length of the pine tract upon the main stream and the branches is 80 miles, and the width about five miles. There are more trees to the acre upon the Tittabawassee than upon the Cass, but the trees are not so large and do not pro- duce as much clear lumber as the former, but the quality of the lower grades is better. There is a large tract of pine land npon the Bad river (a stream which empties into the Shiawassee) 25 miles. in length and from one to two miles in breadth. The quality is quite equal to that upon Cass river.
" The Flint river and its tributaries has at least 100 miles in length of pine, lying in Saginaw, Genesee and Lapeer counties, with an average width rather greater than upon the Cass river. Though a very large portion of the pine upon this stream is of ex- cellent quality, being reduced by inferior kinds, it is not quite as high as that npon the Cass.
"Taking the aggregate of these tracts, and reducing them to acres, and allowing the yield to be 5,000 feet to the acre, and at the rate of consumption of 100,000,000 per annnm, it will yield a supply for upward of 39 years, from pine alone, aside from which the amount of oak timber is endless, together with large amounts of black walnut and white-wood, all of which will bear transporta- tion.
" There is now on hand, piled up, upon the docks, and ready for shipment at theopening of navigation upon the Saginaw river, 11,- 000,000 feet of lumber of all qualities, averaging one-third of the first qualitiy, clear-stuff lumber, at an average value of $10, making in all $110,000.
"The sawing season commences with the breaking np of the ice about March 20, and continues until the river closes again about the middle of December, making a season of about nine months.
" The complement of hands for a 'single mill,' as it is called, driving the npright, one siding, and one edging and butting . saw, is seven men for 12 hours, or 14 men off and on, where the mill runs night and day. The wages of these hands average a $1 per day, the head sawyer receiving $30, the engineer $40, and the sawyers and Inmber pilers $20 per monthi, with board. A day's work is 12 honrs.
" The ' single mill,' as it is called, is looked upon by lumbermen as the most economical and profitable, for this reason, among others : that in case of a breakdown or derangement of the engine, only the
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
time of lialf the number of hands is lost to the miller that would be in case of a double mill."
SAW MILLS ON THE SAGINAW AND TRIBUTARIES IN 1853.
The following brief sketches of the various mills in the Valley, clipped from a paper published in 1853, give an excellent idea of the extent of the milling business and refers to the enterprising men who began the development of the great lumber interest of this region:
The first mill on the east side of the river is F. Millard's, which has two upright saws, one siding and flooring saw, and one edging and butting saw, and cut last season 3,000,000 feet of lumber.
Gardner D. Williams' two mills are at Saginaw City, which is on the west bank of the river. The older of these mills drives one upright and one siding saw, with one buzz saw. The new mill which was finished last season, about Aug. 1, has one upright, one siding saw three feet diameter, with four buzz saws. They cut last season 3,000,000 feet of lumber.
Emerson's mill, which was built in 1836, by Harvey Williams, Norman Little and others, on the east side of Saginaw river, at Buena Vista as Mr. Emerson has named it, lias tliree upriglit, one siding saw, and two butting and edging saws, and cut last season between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 feet of Inmber.
John Gallagher's mill, half a mile below Emerson's, lias one up- right, one siding and one buzz saw, and cut last season about 1,500,000 feet.
Garrison & Bristol's mill, which is the only one now in motion, was built by Little & Hoyt 80 rods below the last named, has two upright saws, one siding and one buzz saw, and one planing machine; it cut last season 1,500,000 feet of lumber.
J. M. Edmonds' mill, half a mile below the last named, has one upright and one circular saw, and cut last year about 1,000,000.
Westervelt's mill is at Carrollton, on the site of Chapin and An- drews', which was burned down last summer, together with the docks and 4,000,000 feet of lumber. The new mill has two upright saws, one 3-feet siding saw and four buzz saws.
T. Whitney's new mill, which is now taking in the machinery, is on the west side of the river, below Saginaw City, and nearly oppo- site East Saginaw. It will run one upright, one 3-feet siding and . four circular saws.
Jeffrey's mill, which will start work when spring opens, is 80 rods below Whitney's and is to run two upright saws.
D. Johnson's mill at Zilwaukee, which is five miles down the river, on the west bank, and is upon 'a wholly different plan from the foregoing, having a gang of 25 saws, in one frame, set to cut lumber of all widths, passing through the log at once, and cutting up into inch, 1} incbes two and three-incli, or other dimensions, with one operation. There is no gigging back, but as
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
fast as the log is worked through, another comes up to the saws, the log having first been sided or slabbed off by an upright saw. Aside from the gang saws, this mill drives two upright and six buzz saws. The cost of this mill was $40,000, and it cut last sea- son from 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 feet of lumber.
D. Johnson's mill, which was built by Shephard, is below the former and has two npright and two buzz saws.
Fisher & Johnson's mill, which was built by Purmont, has one upright and one buzz saw.
D. Johnson has still another mill, at Zilwaukee, devoted wholly to making lath from the offal of the other mills.
Water's mill is near Portsmouth, about 12 miles below East Saginaw, on the east bank of the river. It has two upright, one siding and two buzz saws, and cnt last year 3,000,000 feet.
Russell's mill, called the " old Portsmouth," was built by B. F. Towne and others in 1838. It has two upright, one siding and two buzz saws, and cut last year 3,000,000 feet.
Russell's new mill, which is 20 rods below the old, has two upright saws and two buzz saws, and cut last season 1,500,000 feet.
Campbell & McCormick's mill is at Portsmouth, about half a mile below Russell's, and has one upright and two buzz saws, and cutlast season 1.500,000 feet.
Wm. Doty's mill is half a mile below the last named, and is now nearly ready to saw. It has two upright, one 3-feet siding, and five buzz saws.
Stanton's mill, is at Lower Saginaw, half a mile below; it has two upright, one siding and four buzz saws, and cnt last season about 1,500,000 feet.
Frazer & Catlin's mill, so called, owned by Huglı Dunlap of Chicago, is 40 rods below the last named. It has two upright, one siding and buzz saws, and cut last year 3,000,000 feet.
Frazer & Hopkins' inill, so called, owned by Huglı Dunlap of Chicago, is 40 rods below the last named. It has two upright, one siding and five buzz saws, and cut last year 3,000,000 feet.
Mr. Raymond, formerly of Trenton, Mich., has a mill half a mile below the last, which has two upright, one siding and four buzz saws, and cut last season 2,500,000 feet.
Drake's mill, so called, is owned by Judge Copeland and others, and stands on the west side of the river, uear Lower Sagi- naw. It has two upright, one siding and five buzz saws, and cut last season 3,000,000.
Whitney's mill, so called, owned by Judge Copeland and others, is at Bangor, just below the former. It has three upright, one siding and six buzz saws, and cut last season 5,000.000 feet.
Partridge's inill, on the east side of the river, is nearly ready to run. It has two upright, one siding and five buzz saws.
McEwen's mill, which is about three miles below the last, has two upright, one siding and four buzz saws, and cut last season 3,000,000 feet.
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.
There are two mills in process of erection at Lower Saginaw, and one above Saginaw City, near Millard's. There is one large steam flouring mill at East Saginaw, with four run of stone; also two steam planing machines. At Saginaw City there are two steam shingle mills, and one of the same kind at Portsmouth.
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