History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 20

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457

USA > Michigan > Washtenaw County > History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan > Part 20

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

and men, and that I had better eat with them, for they had been to a little extra trouble to get rations for the officers. I left him and passed on. The next man I met was Knaggs. He was in a terrible rage, as mad as a hatter. I said, 'Knaggs, what is up?' He said the boys of my company had stolen five or six swarms of his bees, all his ducks and chickens, all his decanters, tumblers, with three or four casks of liquor out of his bar, and what else, God only knew. He said he would soon find them out and have them brought to justice. I said to him it could not have been my men, for they would not disobey my orders, especially after giving the charge I did last night, and which he heard. 'It cannot be possible,' said I; but I will have the roll called after breakfast, and put them in line, and have them examined by Major Slingerland and yourself. I will also be present, and if we find any who show signs of guilt, I will have him dealt with severely by a court-mar- tial.' This seemed to satisfy the old man for the time being. Very soon we were called to breakfast, and found that the Quarter- master had made ample preparations, as the following bill of fare will indicate: Roast beef, roast pork, ducks, chickens, turkeys, geese, butter, honey, wheat bread and coffee of the first quality were all among the eatables. I asked the boys how they got all these extra rations. The only answer given to the Major and myself was, that the commissary had furnished them. That officer being present we questioned him. He said he did furnish a part or the whole of them, and plead in justification that the Territory was rich and could afford her fighting men good rations. I related to him the charges made by Knaggs to myself. He said he would clear the company from all such charges, ' for,' said he, ' the militia have encamped near another tavern, about one mile above us, and they were caught stealing honey and chickens, and had even killed a fine ox that was owned by the tavern-keeper.' I said that did not excuse the men under my command. If any of them were found guilty, the Major and myself would certainly have them severely punished.

" At that moment Major Knaggs came in, and to my great sur- prise accused my men of stealing his honey, poultry, etc. He said the proof was plain enough, for they might be seen on the table. The commissary stated that he bought the beef, pork, and other eatables yesterday, and he could prove it by Hatch, the teamster, for our company. Hatch said the commissary had stated the facts, and further stated that he had been up to the other camp, and had King and a number of others up for stealing honey and other things, including ducks and beef. This rather cooled Knaggs down somewhat, but said he would not be satisfied until I had the com- pany in line, and had them all examined. I was entirely willing, and even anxious that his desire should be complied with. I, of course, wanted to clear the boys, if not guilty, and was willing to do any thing for them I could as their chief officer. So I ordered James Welch, my orderly, to form the company into two ranks,

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

open file of three feet space, giving the Major a good chance to examine each man. He commenced on the right of the company, and all went well until he came to one of the corporals, by the name of Wicoff. I noticed that his left arm and chest were badly swollen; the arm was a size or two larger than the other. Knaggs at that moment came up, and said we had at last got the right chap. I asked Wicoff what the matter was with his arm, and what means that swollen face, and what is the cause of this excess- ive rotundity of person just at this time. He said he was detailed yesterday to guard the baggage wagon, with four others detailed for the same purpose under me. 'I became tired of riding on horse- back, and tied my horse to the teamster's wagon, and got on the load with him; the wheels suddenly falling into a deep rut, I was thrown from the wagon, and struck on my face and left arm, caus- ing extreme pain and enormous swelling of my chest.' In fact, it came near killing him. I said to him: 'I for one give great credit to your statement; but I fear the Major will require you to prove it.' 'I do,' said Knaggs. I then called an orderly-Welch -- to inform me whether Wicoff was detailed as he had stated. IIe said

he was. Hatch, the teamster, being questioned, corroborated Wicoff's story. The four men who were detailed with him stated the same thing. This satisfied Knaggs. So the coast was now clear and we finished the rear rank, finding no further evidence of disorderly conduct, and the matter ended satisfactorily to Knaggs.

" About that time, Capt. Crane's detachment came past, bring- ing reports that the militia were stealing everything they could lay their hands on. So my company got clear from this time, and were ordered by Major Slingerland to mount and proceed forthwith to Monroe, which order was promptly obeyed. We arrived there about noon, and took our dinner in the court-house square. The dinner consisted of the remains of the rations furnished by the commissary the day before, as I have stated, except the contents of Major Knaggs' bar. The men, the night before, by order of the com- missary-a respectable man from Detroit, appointed by Governor Mason -- ordered a guard of eight men to draw from Knaggs' bar its contents, and start business down by the side of the River Raisin. They obeyed orders, and deposited the liquor in a still place in the river, and there it lay safely until the line of march was taken up the next morning, and then it was carefully taken up out of the river, placed in one of the baggage wagons, and conveyed to Mon- roe, where the company dealt it out to the men for their grog rations at their dinner. Knaggs followed on the trail; but he was not any wiser, for he never found out about the liquor. Major Slingerland took the commissary in hand about the matter, but could get no satisfaction further than that he had given Knaggs an order on the Territory for an amount that would cover the value of his liquor. So ended that chapter.

"From Monroe, we were ordered to proceed immediately to the disputed Territory on the line that divided us from Ohio. We ar-

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

rived there on the evening of the day we left Monroe. On arriving there, our company formed a line in front of a tavern. The Quar- termaster went into the house to secure quarters for the officers and stabling for the horses. The landlord drove him out, not with the point of the bayonet, but with an ax, and ordered us from the premises, calling us rebels and traitors to the country. He said he would have the regular army called out to defend him and his property. But it was of no use to resist the invincible host from the Wolverine State.

" Orders were given, however, as usual, to respect the man's property, and our army was ordered to pitch their tents in the most convenient place that could be found. A strong guard was stationed to keep off the enemy and protect ourselves. The officers found quarters in the house, and the commissary furnished abundant ra- tions for the officers, men and horses, from the landlord's cattle- yards, roosts and granaries, all, of course, in accordance with army regulations. The landlord and his family were put under guard, lest they should pass through our lines into the Territory of our enemies, and thus frustrate the grand objects and designs of our Government, for we were aware of the fact that should the Buck- eyes be notified of our extreme weakness (only 150 strong), they might make a Bull Run advance on us and use us up. Capt. A. D. Crane with his Dexter braves and another company were far in the rear to give us immediate aid, and we had to do the best we could under the circumstances.

"We kept our enemies under heavy guard that night. A picket guard was ordered out. A scouting party was also sent out. In the morning the scouts returned with the cheering news that it was all quiet at the front. They also reported that they were very fortu- nate in capturing many of our enemies. But I was so unfortunate as not to see any of the captured men. What a night that was for us poor officers and soldiers. Think of the blood that was shed and the awful carnage that followed such a terrible war. The fatigue resulting from our long marches was, of course, almost intolerable. The terrible conflicts with our foes, how they loom up in history! After this fearful night, we breakfasted on the remains of beef, chickens and honey, provided by our commissary the day before.

" We were soon ordered to mount and march in close columns, lest some of our men might straggle off and be gobbled up by the enemy. We were now in the enemy's country, and orders came from Major Slingerland to make Toledo our headquarters, that be- ing the place where our Governor had made his headquarters. In due time we arrived there, and made our report to the Adjutant General. We soon went into camp upon the farm of Major Stick- ney, of the Ohio militia. He was grit to the back-bone. He threatened summary vengeance upon our men if they were so pre- sumptuous as to put a finger upon anything belonging to him. But his threat availed nothing with our invincibles. His barns were filled with hay and grain of all kinds. Our worn-out horses grate-

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fully acknowledged the kindness of our Quartermaster in the ample provisions made for their wants, and with appetites, almost un- paralleled in the annals of war, resulting from long marches and short feed, they stowed away large quantities of the Major's fodder, not thinking, I suppose, of the awful threats of the owner.

" While the men were engaged in removing the Major's fodder from his barns to our camp, he with his rebel horde, consisting of about 20 men and boys, fell upon our men with pistols, pitchforks, clubs and other deadly weapons; but our brave boys, feeling the im- portance of the great work before them, were invincible, and had but little trouble in keeping the rebels at bay. When one portion of our formidable army became fatigued, another force would be employed. This kind of skirmishing was kept up for a whole week, each day, until the Major's forage was used up.

" During all this time our army was duly drilled, with scouts in the country to report the probable strength of the enemy. The re- ports were duty forwarded to headquarters, by orderlies who were on duty day and night, and it is not yet known how many horses were killed in the great haste to give information to the comman- der-in-chief. This was all important, as it was feared that unless constant dispatches were conveyed to our army, the rebels would surprise us and annihilate our entire force. Thus we defended our beautiful country. But soon an adjustment of the matter was effected and our noble army returned to their homes and their dis- consolate families, without the loss of a single man or an ounce of human blood. But notwithstanding our bravery and the im- mense suffering from long and frequent marches, our Government has entirely forgotten us in the bestowment of pensions, either in money or lands."

In 1836 a bill was presented to the Legislature by Lewis E. Bailey for the loss of a horse in defending the Territory in this campaign. The bill was rejected, and again presented in 1837, and repeated each year until 1846, when the wise men then representing the State figured the thing up and concluded it would be cheaper to pay off the bill of $50, with interest, than to pay for printing it each year, and also the Legislators engaged in considering it. The bill was paid, and that was the last the public ever heard of the Toledo war.

STATE'S RIGHTS.

In the act of Congress providing for the admission of Michigan into the Union was contained a proviso that the people should accept a boundary line about seven miles north of the original line. While the people of the Territory were anxious that it should form a part of the Union, they were not willing to give up any of their vested rights. The boundary line had been decided many years previously, and the Territory had always exercised undisputed juris- diction over the strip of land in dispute, and therefore did not pro- pose to surrender it without protest.

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HISTORY OF WASIITENAW COUNTY.

In no part of the Territory was there more interest manifested in this matter than in Washtenaw county. Public meetings were held almost daily for some months, and the question freely discussed. The party favoring the acceptance of the terms of Congress were called "Submissionists," while the party opposed were denomi- nated "State's Rights." The Territorial Council ordered an election held for delegates to a Convention be held at Ann Arbor to decide whether assent should be given. In Washtenaw county, two tickets were nominated. The State's Rights party placed in the field Seth Markham, Michael P. Stubbs, Marcus Lane, Ebenezer H. Conklin, G. P. Jefferies, Elnathan Noble, G. W. Glover; while the Submis- sionists nominated Edward Mundy, Henry Compton, A. Davis, R. Purdy, S. H. Bradley, S. Downs, F. J. B. Crane. The contest was a spirited one on both sides, and resulted in the election of the State's Rights ticket by a majority of 210, out of a total vote of 1,730.

A majority of State's Rights men were elected throughout the State, and the Convention refused to assent to the proposal of Con- gress, as will be seen by the following proceedings of the

STATE CONVENTION.

In pursuance of an act of Congress passed June 15, 1836, and an act of the Territorial Legislature of Michigan, passed July 25, 1836, for the purpose of taking into consideration the proposition of Congress relative to the admission of the Territory as a State into the Union, a Convention was held at the court-house in Ann Arbor, the 26th day of September, 1836.

The sole question under consideration in this Convention seems to have been the demand made by the State of Ohio for a long, narrow, quadrangular strip of land on the southern border, includ- ing part of what is now called the "Great Swamp," near Toledo. By the terms of the act of Congress organizing the Northwest Ter- ritory, this strip of land belonged to Michigan, and exclusive juris- diction was exercised over it as a part of Michigan up to 1835. At that date the building of the Miami canal and the rise of the village of Toledo made the people of that region anxious to become a part of Ohio; and Ohio, of course, was anxious to preserve the outlet of a canal which had been built mainly with her money. Ohio being the great State of the West at that time, and strongly repre- sented in Congress, while Michigan had only a single delegate without any vote, the contest became unequal, and Michigan went to the wall. The following preamble and resolutions were passed by the Convention:

WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States, by an act entitled " An Act to establish the northern boundary of the State of Ohio, and to provide for the admis- sion of the State of Michigan into the Union, upon the conditions therein expressed;" approved June 15, 1836, did enact and declare "that the constitution and State Government, which the people of Michigan have formed for themselves, be and the same is hereby accepted, ratified and confirmed; and that the said State of Michi-

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

gan shall be and is hereby declared to be one of the UNITED STATES of America, and is hereby admitted into the Union, upon an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatsoever," thereby acknowledging our Constitution as republican, and in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, and the ordinance of 1787;

And WHEREAS, Congress has also in said act inserted a proviso proposing a radi- cal alteration of our southern and southeastern boundary, secured to us by the articles of compact contained in the aforesaid ordinance of 1787,-and which, if acceded to by the people of Michigan, would deprive us of all jurisdiction over the waters of Lake Erie, and gratuitously bestow on Ohio the exclusive jurisdiction on the waters of said lake, from the Pennsylvania line to the mouth of Detroit river; a gift, the extent of which (we believe) neither Congress nor the State of Ohio fully comprehended; and has required the people of this State to give their assent to the aforesaid change of boundaries, by a convention of delegates to be by them elected;

And WHEREAS, The Legislature of this State, without any authority derived from our constitution, by an act entitled " An Act to provide for the election of dele- gates to a convention," refer particularly to said act of Congress, and seem to adopt it as the basis of their action and to acknowledge the power therein assumed by Congress;

And WHEREAS, This Convention, taking into consideration the just rights of Mich- igan, as respects her southern and southeastern boundary, and also her constitution, embracing that part of our Territory claimed by Ohio, and believing that the assent required by the said proviso cannot be given by us without a palpable violation of our constitution (which provides the only way in which it can be amended and over which this Convention has no control), without a sacrifice of our rights and interests and without committing an act of self-degredation, -therefore

Resolved, That this Convention cannot give their assent to the proposition con- tained in said proviso, but the same is hereby rejected.

Resolved, Unanimously, that this Convention do most solemnly protest against the right of the Congress of the United States to attach any such condition as that con- tained in the Act of Congress of June 15, 1836; as being contrary to the articles of compact contained in the ordinance of 1787, and the constitution and the State government, which the people of Michigan have formed for themselves and sub- mitted to Congress, -it being of a republican character and so conceded by its rati- fication and acceptance, as declared in the second section of the aforesaid act of Congress.

Resolved, Unanimously, that all questions, touching the conflicting claims of States to jurisdiction or sovereignty ought of right to be adjudicated whenever they are found to exist, by negotiation between the States interested, subject to a subsequent ratification by the Congress of the United States, or by an appeal or resort to the highest judicial tribunal of this Union.

Resolved, That a select committee of three be appointed, whose duty it shall be to prepare, in behalf of this Convention, and forward to the President of the United States, a communication to accompany the preamble and resolutions passed by this Convention.

Resolved, That three delegates be selected by this Convention, who are hereby requested to visit Washington during the approaching session of Congress to co- operate with our Senators and Representatives in Congress, for the promotion of the cause, interests and RIGHTS of the people of this State.

Resolved, That a select committee of five members be appointed to draft an address to the electors of this State, expressive of the views if this Convention.

Resolved, That this Convention have entire confidence in the validity of the con- stitution of the State of Michigan, and of the laws passed in conformity thereto; and recommend to the people of this State a due observance of and obedience, to the same.

Resolved, That the preamble and resolutions passed by this Convention, touching the admission of this State into the Union, be signed officially by the President and Secretaries, and forwarded to the President of the United States, without delay, accompanied by the memorial to be prepared by the committee appointed for that purpose.

Done in Convention this 30th day of September, 1836.

(Signed,)

WM. DRAPER, President.

CHARLES A. JEFFERIES, SAMUEL YORKE AT LEE, S

Secretaries.

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

Mr. Ellis presented a communication from Ira Smith and 30 others, inhabitants of Toledo, in the disputed territory, claiming to be citizens of Michigan, and as such, asking her protection, and solemnly protesting against the power of the Convention to sur- render to Ohio the district of country lying north of the Fulton line, in which they have purchased lands of the general Govern- ment, and that, inasmuch as they have aided in forming the con- stitution of the State of Michigan, they deny the power of Congress to divest them of their rights and privileges under the same.

The following communications were read to the Convention:

SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE.) Detroit, Sept. 21, 1836. 5

To the President of the State Convention:

SIR,-In obedience to the direction of the Executive, I have the honor to transmit to the Convention a copy of the report of the Commissioners appointed "to ascer- tain the correct position of a due northeast line from the most northwardly cape of the Maumee bay to the northern boundary of the U. S. I also transmit the acts passed at the First Session of the Twenty-fourth Congress of the United States, embracing the several acts relative to the establishment of the southern boundary of this State, and her admission as a member of the Union.

I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,

KINTZING PRITCHETTE, Secretary of State.

MONROE, Sept. 8, 1836.

The undersigned have the honor to report that they have carefully discharged the duty assigned them, viz .: to ascertain the correct position of a due northeast line from the most northwardly cape of the Maumee bay to the northern boundary of the United States; the line being one of the boundaries to which the recent act of Congress requires the assent of the State of Michigan by a change of her present constitution.

We find that a line running due northeast from the outer north cape (commonly called "the North cape ") of the Maumee or Miami bay, passes River Raisin point at the distance of four miles and intersects the northern boundary of the United States at a distance of four miles and a half S. E. Point Mouillee.

We also find that the most northwardly cape (or point) within the Maumee bay, lies about three miles northwestwardly from the cape above mentioned; and that a line running due northeast therefrom passes Stony Point at the distance of about one mile S. E .; Raisin point at the distance of seven-eighths of a mile S. E., and intersects the northern boundary of the United States at the distance of one and a half miles from Point Mouillee. Of course, neither of these lines touches either Raisin point, Stony point or Point Mouillee.

A minute and detailed report accompanied by a proper map to illustrate it will be forwarded as soon as it can be prepared.

H. SMITH, NATHAN HUBBLE.

A true copy. KINTZING PRITCHETTE, Secretary of State.

ORIGINAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF ENGINEERS, ON THE SOUTHEASTERN BOUNDARY OF MICHIGAN:

The undersigned Committee of Engineers, appointed by your Excellency to sur- vey and ascertain the true situation in reference to the lake coast of this State, of the line denominated by the act of Congress, on the 15th of June, 1836, as the line to be run northeast, "from the most northwardly cape of the Miami bay," to the Territorial line, being the same line proposed and submitted to the people of this State, for their acceptance or rejection, as the boundary line between Michigan and Ohio, state that they have carefully attended to the duties assigned them, and do make the following

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HISTORY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY.

REPORT :

Since Captain Henry Smith left us, we proceeded to the River Raisin lighthouse, and then having taken the bearing of the Turtle Island lighthouse, which we could clearly discover, we formed a base line from the first mentioned lighthouse to the River Raisin point, by which we were enabled to connect with some degree of accuracy, the position of the several points before ascertained, in relation to the anticipated eastern boundary of the State of Michigan. As we had previ- ously in connection with Captain Henry Smith explored the Miami bay, taken the bearings of the two capes which are there discovered, and of the Turtle Island lighthouse, we were, therefore, led by means of the last observations made by us, at the River Raisin lighthouse, enabled to connect the points west of the Miami bay with the River Raisin and Stony points. The two capes above alluded to, on the northeast side of the Miami bay, are separated from each other by the distance of about three miles; and the westwardly one of which lies northwardly from the other about one and a half miles. We have, therefore, drawn two lines parallel with each other, one from each of the aforesaid capes, running a northeastwardly course. From which, it appears that a northeast course from the most eastwardly and more southerly cape will pass southeast of Stony point about four miles, and southeast of River Raisin point about three miles and seven-eighths of a mile; and that a northeast course from the more eastwardly and "most northwardly cape" will pass southeast of said Stony point, at a distance of about one mile, and south- east of River Raisin point, at the distance only of about seven-eighths of a mile.

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History of Washtenaw County, Michigan : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships...and biographies of representative citizens : history of Michigan, Part 20

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1457

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : Chas. C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1457