USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 1 > Part 49
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his party had killed or wounded two or three of the Mexicans. The detachment which went to the rescue succeeded in finding a few Mexicans, and capturing two of them.
The "Butler Boys No. 2" were generally well, with the exception that the mumps had been in the camp, which caused a number of the boys to complain for a few days. Two of the company were discharged, and would return to Vera Cruz with the next train.
They returned home in July, 1848,. and were enthusi- astically received in Cincinnati and this place. A sup- per was given to the "Butler Boys No. 2" on the last Saturday in July, to the entire satisfaction of the very large number present. " The supper itself was prepared by Messrs. Cory & Millikin, of the Batler House, and was in the best possible taste. After the cloth was re- moved, there was a loud and enthusiastic call for Major Young, who responded in a neat and appropriate speech. Captain Richmond afterwards briefly but handsomely thanked the audience for the honor done him and the boys of his company.
- Agreeable to previous arrangements, made by a com -. mittee consisting of B. Debolt, S. Vannatta, D. C. Crows, J. W. Crows, and H. C. Hunt, the citizens of Madison and the adjoining townships met at Miltonville on Saturday, the 9th of September, 1848, to give a pub- lic reception to the returned soldiers of that place, who had been sustaining our flag and our national honor against the hostile arms of Mexico.
A procession was formed by Marshals T. G. Berry and S. Carle, which was headed by the officers of the day, assisted by Rev. Dr. J. Antrim as chaplain, and Isaae Robertson as orator, followed by the Middletown Guards, commanded by J. M. Hitt, and the Wayne Guards, commanded by J. Snyder. Then came the eight soldiers, followed by a choir of twelve young ladies, who were most appropriately dressed in white, garlanded with blue trimming and ecdar branches. Other ladies and gentlemen also joined the procession, and marched with them to a grove on the premises of David Paulin, where suitable preparations had been made for the services of the day.
The officers of the day and the chaplain and orator were seated on a high stand. In the rear of the aisle were the eight soldiers-John Vannatta, Davis W. Ball, William Diue, Stephen Shroyer, Jabez Antrim, W. Wikle, James Davidson, and C. Harris-and back of them were the twelve young ladies, forming au arch, partly surrounding the volunteers. The services then commeneed with a warm and fervent prayer from the Rev Dr. J. Antrim, and, at the request of the marshal, the choir sang some verses, composed by Dr. Eckert, in such a manner that tears were seen to flow from maat eyes. An address was theu made by Mir. Use Robert son. of Middletown, concluded by some remarks to the young soldiers who were the guests of the day, which
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
were responded to by William Dine, one of the soldiers. The services then concluded with a song by the choir, to the tune of "Hail, Columbia."
The procession then marched to Vanscoyk's Hotel, where a splendid repast ,was prepared, and, after a lux- uriant feast, thirteen regular toasts were drunk, amid deafening cheers and musketry.
. Among those who lost their lives in Mexico was a gallant young volunteer from Rossville, Daniel McCleary, of a well-known family. The news of this young officer's death produced a deep and painful sensation among his friends in Butler and Montgomery counties. Lieutenant MeCleary was the eldest son of Andrew MeCleary, of Rossville. . He had won the esteem and friendship of a large circle with whom he had become acquainted. High- minded, honorable, gentlemanly, and intelligent, he was qualified to adorn the sphere of society in which he moved. But, on the breaking out of the war with Mex- ico, he closed his business connections in Dayton, where he then was, and, responding to the first call of his country for volunteers, repaired to- the Rio Grande. He arrived at the seat of war in time to take part in the storming of Monterey, and bore himself with distin- guished gallantry throughout that memorable battle. He had no regular connection with our military forees at that time, but fought as an independent volunteer. Shortly after this he returned to Dayton; but the stir- ring scenes of a soldier's life had thrown a spell around . his gallant spirit, which was not to be broken. Obtain- ing a lieutenant's commission from the authorities at Washington, he was soon at Vera Cruz, But an insid- ious and fatal foc was in waiting for him there.
On the 18th of June he was attacked by the vomito, and on the 23d he yielded up his young life to the deadly malady. His career was a short one; he was scarecly twenty-four years of age.
At a meeting of the officers of the Fifteenth Infantry, United States Army, held, on the sixth day of August, at the head-quarters of the regiment in Puebla, Mexico, on motion of Colonel Morgan, Lieutenant-colonel How- ard was called to the chair, Captain King appointed vice-president, and Lieutenant Goodman secretary.
On motion of First Lientenant Brodhead, adjutant of the regiment, a committee of three were appointed to draft resolutions expressive of their sympathy with the friends of the late Daniel MeCleary, and the chairman appointed Adjutant J. I. Brodhead, Captain D. Chase, and Lieutenant Thomas B. Tiltou as the committee.
The committee, through their chairman, then reported the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted :
" Resolved, That we have heard with heartfelt sorrow of the sudden death of one of the youngest of our num- ber, Lieutenant Dauiel MeCleary.
" Readferd, That in this early death of Lieutenant Daniel MeCleary in the commencement of his military
career, and before the opportunity of achieving that sue- cess of which his courageous and manly eharaeter gave such sure indication, the service has lost a gallant and chivalrous officer, and we a brother and a friend.
" Resolved, That our intercourse with our deceased brother and associate was such as to leave upon our minds no other feelings than those of profound sorrow and regret at his early death. He was, to all who knew him, a friend in the truest sense of the word-a man whose frank and manly bearing won all hearts, and of whom it can be truly said,
"None knew him but to love him, . None named him but to praise."
" Resolved, That we extend to the family and friends of our deceased brother our earnest and sineere sym- pathy-a sympathy springing from hearts that knew and appreciated his worth, and even now wrung with his untimely fate.
" Resolved, That, in token of our high regard for our deceased comrade, we wear crape on our sword-hilts for the period of thirty days.
" Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be signed by the officers of this meeting, and forwarded to his relations."
The meeting then adjourned. The proceedings were signed by Lieutenant-colonel J. M. Howard, chairman ; Captain E. A. King, vice-president; and Lieutenant J. B. Goodman, secretary.
These resolutions were transmitted to the family, to- gether with a long letter of condolenee. The body was exhumed, and was brought here at the end of January. The ceremonies on the occasion of the burial, on the 5th of February, 1848, were appropriate, and condueted in a becoming manner. He was buried with military honors. Several military companies were present, besides a large number of citizens from different parts of the county. An appropriate sermon was preached at the residence of his father by the Rev. David MacDill. - Afterwards a procession was formed, which marched to the graveyard, where his body was deposited in its last resting-place. It was a solemn seene. The marshal was General William J. Elliott, and the assistant marshals Major J. M. Milli- kin, Captain N. Reeder, and Wilkeson Beatty. The see- retary of the committee that took charge of the funeral was James George.
The following soldiers of the Mexican war are buried in Greenwood Cemetery :
Daniel MeCleary, I 1st, died of yellow fever in Mexico, June 23, 1847, aged 24 years, 6 months, and 7 days; also Lieutenant of the 15th Regiment.
William H. Sinnard, 3d, July 3, 1853, aged 23.
William P. Young, 3d, Angust 18, 1861, aged 41. Born in Oxford.
William H. Wilson, I Ist, June 22, 1862, aged 41 years, 5 months, and 14 days.
Joseph Garrison, I Ist, killed by a fall, December 9, 1865, aged 45 years, 1 month, and 10 days.
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John Holloway, I Ist, died July 28, 1848, aged 26 years, 10 1 mild dissent might have been allowed at the beginning months, and 17 days. of the century, when Jefferson uttered bis philosophie J. S. Freeman, I 1st, Fairfield Township, killed in battle September 22, 1846, aged 20 years, 11 months, and 12 days. Oscar Boehne, I 1st, Fairfield Township, killed in battle Sep- tember 22, 1846, aged 20 years. doubts, and Madison and other Virginia statesmuen hoped that emancipation might come some day, had entirely disappeared. The recruits never disclosed any individual John Pierson; I 1st, Fairfield Township, killed in battle Sep- tember 22, 1846, aged 28 years. ideas. The two strong men of the South who enter- tained latest a difference of opinion, Henry Clay and (These three men - Freeman, Buehne, and Pierson -are buried in one grave.) Thomas H. Benton, disappeared from the scene before the final struggle. After them came Davis, Yancey, John G. Denzer, I Ist, November 13, 1848, aged 33 years. Slidell, Wigfall, and others, who breathed forth the real John L. Wilkins, I 1st, June 14, 1874, aged 46 years and 7 months. views of the people of the South. Slavery had been James Moore, December 28, 1860, aged 42 years. . Peter Leflar, of Fairfield Township, May 1, 1856, aged 56 years. . used to aggravate their people at every election until they had resolved to embrace civil war rather than en- dure the slightest interference in the Territories, the Dis- trict of Columbia, or in regard to the return of fugitives.
THE REBELLION.
THE Mexican War ended, as we have seen, with eom- plete victory by the United States, and we now had no enemy nor any foreign controversy. War seemed far dis- tant. Our boundary troubles, which for several years had seemed likely to result in bloodslied, had been amicably closed two years before the beginning of the contest with Mexico, and the small portion which remained unad- justed, respecting the channel between Vancouver's Island and Oregon, was, by the wisdom and patience of General Scott, quietly composed. Our differences with Spain respecting Cuba had passed by, and nothing remained for us to do except to sit under our own vine and fig tree and watch the development of the country. Yet the seed of discord was there, and war was soon to break out among us on an unexampled scale. The remote cause was negro slavery; the immediate cause was State rights, so called, pushed to an unnatural and dangerous extent-a length never dreamed of by those who were most strenuons in opposing the adoption of the Federal Constitution, and certainly not by those who favored it.
The baneful effects of slavery were seen everywhere in the South. The fields of Kentucky, even at this day, do not compare with those of Ohio. Liberty of speech was inhibited, strangers from other States were forbidden to sojourn in Southern towns in cases where it was sus- pected their views of the peculiar institution differed from those of their neighbors, the press was muzzled, the pulpit not allowed to speak on one of the most fla- grant violations of morality ever committed, and all these ultra views were sustained by a phalanx of Congressmen who could be depended upon in any emergency. No such unanimity existed among the representatives from the free States, and it was impossible to conceive of their being so completely of one naind as those who dwelt South of Mason and Dixon's line, for differences of opinion always spring up in a free government. What
Nor in this respect was the North unblamable. Demagogues among us steadily fanned the feelings of enmity of the Southern people to those who only wished to do justice to a poor, ignorant, and weak class of the American people. In some of the States free colored nien were not permitted to sojourn; in others it was a State's-prison offense for the two races to marry, never reflecting that nature itself would prevent them, and . here in Butler County the bitterest prejudices prevailed. Any man of color who attempted to settle in Rossville was speedily driven out by a mob. Should any one of that race go South he was liable to be taken up and sold, as being presumptively a runaway, and the most distin- guislied colored citizen of the county at present, a man always free, and whose abilities and acquirements are at least - equal to those of any other man in Butler, was forced to pretend, in order to prevent being enslaved in New Orleans and other places where he traveled in his youth, that he was an Indian.
It is difficult to speak coolly of the years before the Rebellion-more difficult than to do so of the great struggle itself. The last was the effort of a people to free itself from what it regarded as oppression, but the true stain on the character of the people of the South is the long course of injuries practiced upon a defenseless people, and the crime against free speech and liberty thereby engendered. With the toil of a dozen of these wretches, who slept in dirty cabins, ate the rudest food, and wore the coarsest clothes, the master dressed in broadeloth and fine linen; with a dozen more his wife maintained her state; and with the spoil of a hundred the family visited Saratoga or the White Sulphur Springs, the sons were sent to college and the daughter to board- ing-schools, the parents enjoyed the luxuries of life, and the children were brought up to follow in their footsteps. Yet the same man would not have accepted a gift of five dollars from another white man, and would have re- sisted with his life any attempt to wrest from him a penny of his property. His moral sense, by a long course of tampering, was degraded. Walpole saw nothing wrong in giving a bribe to members of Parliament, nor did
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they in receiving it, and the nobility in France resisted the payment of all taxes and sustained the privileges of their order until they fell under the ruins of the mon- archy. Daylight came to the Southern masses only at the close of the war.
It would be unprofitable to relate the chain of events that preceded the beginning of the American conflict. In general terms the war may be traced to the compro- mise measures of 1850, and to the passage of the Kansas and Nebraska act. Fighting began in Kansas in 1855. A little later John Brown made his attack upon Har- per's Ferry, and failed. Sumner had been beaten over the head by a bludgeon, his assailant reaping a great in- . crease of popularity. The fugitive slave law was occa- sionally and spasmodically enforced through the North, each recovery making an anti-slavery majority in the neighborhood. ' Finally, as the result of the election of Abraham Lincoln, South Carolina seceded, and was fol- lowed by other States. Major Anderson maintained his position in Charleston Harbor with difficulty, and at last, after removal from one of the islands to another, was attacked by the Secessionist forces under General Beau- regard.
The Intelligencer of this city, in its next issue after the fall of Sumter, says:
" The news of the fall of Sunter, and the call of the President for 75,000 volunteers to defend the country against the organized forces of traitors and rebels, has fired the Northern heart to a pitch of indignant enthu- siasm never before equaled since the days of the Revo lution. From every city, town, village, and hamlet comes up the enthusiastic response to the call of the government for aid to sustain the integrity of the Union, and uphold its Constitution and laws. The public senti- ment of the North is assuming a unanimity of tone and temper that will strike terror to the hearts of the traitors of the Southern Confederacy and their misguided dupes. It is wonderful what a revolution a few days have wrought in public opinion in the free States of the republic. The partisan has emerged in the patriot, and now Dem- ocrat and Republican alike feel and proclaim that the honor of the stars and stripes must be preserved at all hazards; that the very existence of the government is involved in enforcing obedience to its legally constituted authorities, and in holding possession of its publie prop- erty. Judging from all we see and hear at home and abroad such now seems to be the almost universal senti- ment. The daily papers are literally filled with tele- graphic dispatches from every quarter, giving brief noti- ces of the proceedings of public meetings of the people, which show that the North is waking. up to a sense of the awful peril in which our institutions are involved by the great rebellion, and that it is rushing with one accord to the rescue."
For the next Monday a war meeting was called at Beckett's Hall. It wasorganized by the appointment of
Josiah Scott as president, Israel Williams as vice-presi- dent, and E. A. Dalton as secretary. It was largely attended by persons of every shade of sentiment, Demo- cratic and Republican. .
John W. Wilson, A. F. Hume, Minor Millikin, N. C. McFarland, Thomas Millikin, John H. Falconer, Israel Williams, John S. Wiles, and Ransford Smith addressed the meeting, urging it to sustain the Union and maintain the dignity of the United States flag. By all the speak- ers party was forgotten, and only the country remembered. Judge Scott in alluding to the very natural repugnance which all feel against going to war with their countrymeu, said substantially, "Why is it worse to war against a domestic than against a foreign foe? Foreign nations may have no cause for gratitude toward us, but these rebel States, who owe all their prosperity and greatness to the fostering hand of the general government-like the viper warned into vitality in the bosom of its bene- factor-have turned their deadly fangs upon their own country with the wicked design of destroying it. What punishment can be too severe for such ingratitude and outrage?"
The following resolution was introduced by John W. Wilson, and was passed unanimously-the meeting num -. bering two thousand five hundred persons:
" Whereas, War has been commenced against the gov- ernment of the United States, and the honor of our national flag tarnished by being lowered to traitors,
"Resolved, That we will, with all the means in our power, maintain the government and flag of the United States."
On motion of E. G. Dyer, a committee of three from each ward of the city, for the purpose of organizing mil- itary companies and procuring arms, was appointed. The names of the committee were as follows :
First Ward .- Thomas Stone, S. K. Lighter, W. C. Rossman.
Second Ward .- Captain Humbach, Captain Van Der- veer, H. H. Wallace.
Third Ward -E. G. Dyer, C. Morganthaler, R. L. Weston.
The following resolution was adopted :
"Resolved, That it is expedient for the present Legis- lacure to appropriate one million dollars for furnishing and equipping the military of this State, and our senator from this district and our representative from this county be requested to give their aid and support to the passage of the sante."
The niceting, with three cheers for the Union, the Constitution, and the enforcement of the laws, then ad- journed.
The next week a more formal meeting was held. Owing to the short notice which was given for the pre- vious one many of our citizens were unable to attend, and scarcely any from the country. The following call was issued :
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THE REBELLION.
MEN OF BUTLER, Rally ! Rally !
At a mass-meeting of the citizens of Hamilton, the un- dersigned were appointed a committee to invite every man in Butler County to meet in Hamilton, on Wednesday, April 24, 1861, to take counsel together, and adopt such measures as may be deemed advisable in this alarming crisis of our country. Armed rebels have stolen the prop- erty of the general government, have attacked and battered down one of its strong forts, and taken a gallant garrison prisoners, have trampled and trailed our glorious flag in the dust, and now, in the pride of their success and madness of their treason, are making preparations to capture and de- stroy the Capital, at Washington, and to utterly overthrow and subvert our government.
We, therefore, invite every man in Butler County, with- out distinction of age, sect, religion, or party, to meet in Hamilton on the day above named, and take such meas- ures as may be thought advisable to aid our government to suppress and punish treason, to protect our Capital, to wipe out the insult offered to our glorious flag, and to sustain and defend our blessed and beloved Constitution. Distin- guished speakers will be present and address the meeting. Come one, come all!
THOMAS MILLIKIN, WILLIAM S. PHARES, ALEX. F. HUME, E. A. DALTON, JOHN W. SOHN, H. H. WALLACE, Committee.
It was duly held, and was large and enthusiastic. A national salute was fired in the morning and again at noon, and the stars and stripes were gayly floating from hundreds of houses all over the city. At one o'clock the meeting was organized by appointing as president, Judge Fergus Anderson; vice-presidents, Robert Gibson, Fairfield; John K. Wilson, St. Clair; Robert Beekett, Hanover; James S. Chambers, Milford; William H. Roberts, Oxford; Colonel William Stevens, Reily; Absa- lom MeKain, Morgan; Samuel Dick, Ross; John Cox, Union; Peter Murphy, Liberty; Colonel Hendrickson, Lemon; Jacob Banker, Madisou; John S. Witherow, Wayne; James Rossman, First Ward, Hamilton; Thos. Connaughton, Second Ward; Christopher Morganthaler, Third Ward; secretaries, Israel Williams, Fred. Landis.
The following committee on resolutions was. then ap- pointed : Thomas Millikin, N. C. MeFarland, Alex. F. Hume, Ferdinand Vau Derveer, W. H. Miller, Milton Cooper, Wm. H. Smith, George Jacoby, Abraham P. Cox, and John S. Earheart.
While the committee were preparing resolutions the meeting was addressed by Messrs. Gaylord, Christy, Gil- more, L. D. Campbell, and others, during which the committee ou resolutions returned with the following preamble and resolutions, through their chairman, Thos. Millikin, who remarked in presenting them that they were principally copied from the resolutions adopted at the great Union meeting held in New York City a few days before.
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" Whereas, The Union of the States, under the guid- ance of Divine Providence, has been the fruitful source
of prosperity and domestic peace to the country for nearly three quarters of a century; and
" Whereas, The Constitution, framed by our Revolution- ary fathers, contains within itself all needful provisions. for the exigencies of the government, and in the pro- gress of events, for such amendments as are necessary to meet new emergencies ; and
"Whereas, An armed combination has been formed to break up the Union by throwing off the obligations of the Constitution, and has, in several of the States, carried on its criminal purpose, and finally, by assaulting Fort Sumter, a fortress of the United States, occupied by a slender but heroic garrison, and capturing it by an over- whelming force, after a gallant defense, thus setting the authority of the government at defiance and insulting the national flag; and
" Whereas, The government of the United States, with an earnest desire to avert the evils of civil war, has silently submitted to these aggressions and insults with a patient forbearance unparalleled in the annals of history, but has at last deemed it due to the publie honor and safety to appeal to the people of the Union for the means of maintaining its authority, of enforeing the ex- ecution of the laws, and of saving our country from dis- memberment, and our political institutions from destrue- tion; therefore,
"1. Resolved, That we are saeredly bound by. every sentiment of honor, of affection, of duty, and interest to maintain and preserve our national government, the most equal and beneficent hitherto known among men, un- broken and unsullied for our generation, and to transmit it to our posterity ; and that to the maintenance of this sacred trust, and in support of that government, we de- vote all that we possess, and are prepared to shed our blood and lay down our lives.
"2. Resolved, That the Constitution of the United States, the basis and the safeguard of the Federal Union, having been framed and ratified by the original States, and accepted by those which subsequently became par- ties to it, is binding upon all; and that any resumption by any one of them of the rights delegated to the fed- eral government, without first seeking a release from its obligations through the concurrence of common sover- eiguty, is uuanthorized, unjast to all the others, and de- structive of all social and political order.
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