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CHAPTER XXX.
EARLY MILITARY HISTORY; THE WAR OF 1812. By Col. J. F. Herrick.
Early settlers in America were and are pioneers. They move forward, generally westwardly, as the frontiers move. They largely determine the char- acter of the future communities. They begin the battle of civilization against savagery. An equipment for pioneer life necessarily includes the essentials of a . military outfit. Especially was this always true in America, as long as the Indian tribes overran the territory being settled. Cleveland was settled in 1796, Ohio was admitted as a state in 1802, but not until 1805 were the Indian titles to the lands quieted. Our settlement was made by a military man, and all the pioneers for a score of years had the Indians of various tribes in their midst, sometimes aided by the British in enmity against the Americans, and were obliged constantly to be armed for defense. That no Indian massacre occurred in the Cuyahoga valley-as in the Wyoming and the Tuscarawas-and that our infant settlement was free from casualties and from serious depredations, was due as well to mili- tary preparation as to good sensible diplomacy.
As will appear later in this story, women as well as men were pioneers of Cleveland, ever on the alert, ever ready to help where duty called or the public weal required it .*
So the pioneer women of Cleveland learned the use of firearms, and had them always in readiness in their humble homes. However, little was required beyond the word that turned away wrath and the discreet use of fire water.
Flying visits to the site of Cleveland, before 1796, were made by Colonial, British and French troops. In 1813 a British fleet, under Commodore Barclay, was organized, which suffered defeat on September 10, 1813, at the hands of Commodore Perry. But from 1796 on, our pioneers were chiefly interested in the long war between civilization and savagery, as they struggled with danger, toil and privation.
The first military company was organized on May 7, 1804, by an election of officers, resulting as follows: Captain, Lorenzo Carter; lieutenant, Nathaniel Doan ; ensign, Samuel Jones. In 1805, officers were elected of "The Seventh Company of the Second Battalion of the First Regiment of the Fourth Division
* Kennedy, 73. Whittlesey, 400, et seq.
3
!!
Courtesy "Waechter und Anzeiger"
THE PERRY MONUMENT. PUBLIC SQUARE
From a "photograph made on the night of March 14, 1882, by the Brush Electric Light Mast System"
CHAPTER XXX.
EARLY MILITARY HISTORY ; THE WAR OF 1812. By Col. J. F. Herrick.
Early settlers in America were and are pioneers. They move forward, generally westwardly, as the frontiers move. They largely determine the char- acter of the future communities. They begin the battle of civilization against savagery. An equipment for pioneer life necessarily includes the essentials of a . military outfit. Especially was this always true in America, as long as the Indian tribes overran the territory being settled. Cleveland was settled in 1796, Ohio was admitted as a state in 1802, but not until 1805 were the Indian titles to the lands quieted. Our settlement was made by a military man, and all the pioneers for a score of years had the Indians of various tribes in their midst, sometimes aided by the British in enmity against the Americans, and were obliged constantly to be armed for defense. That no Indian massacre occurred in the Cuyahoga valley-as in the Wyoming and the Tuscarawas -- and that our infant settlement was free from casualties and from serious depredations, was due as well to mili- tary preparation as to good sensible diplomacy.
As will appear later in this story, women as well as men were pioneers of Cleveland, ever on the alert, ever ready to help where duty called or the public weal required it .*
So the pioneer women of Cleveland learned the use of firearms, and had them always in readiness in their humble homes. However, little was required beyond the word that turned away wrath and the discreet use of fire water.
Flying visits to the site of Cleveland, before 1796, were made by Colonial, British and French troops. In 1813 a British fleet, under Commodore Barclay, was organized, which suffered defeat on September 10, 1813, at the hands of Commodore Perry. But from 1796 on, our pioneers were chiefly interested in the long war between civilization and savagery, as they struggled with danger. toil and privation.
The first military company was organized on May 7, 1804, by an election of officers, resulting as follows: Captain, Lorenzo Carter; lieutenant, Nathaniel Doan; ensign, Samuel Jones. In 1805, officers were elected of "The Seventh Company of the Second Battalion of the First Regiment of the Fourth Division
* Kennedy, 73. Whittlesey, 400, et seq.
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of the Ohio Militia," as follows: Captain, Nathaniel Doan; lieutenant, Samuel Jones; ensign, Sylvanus Burk. And returns of this election were made to "Elijah Wadsworth, Major General Fourth Division."1 This organization seems to have continued until the war of 1812, for we find it called out by the sheriff in 1812 to aid in the execution of the Indian O'Mic, and no other elections are recorded up to 1813.
"The year 1806 was rendered conspicuous by the holding of a militia training (the 'General Training' of later years"). They marched and countermarched to the lively note of Joseph Burk's drum, which he had used in the Revolutionary war, and to the soul-stirring strains of Lewis Dille's fife. They were all un- doubtedly brave, many of them bearing on their shoulders the old firearms of the Revolution.2
THE WAR OF 1812. 3
This was a supplement to the Revolutionary war. Trouble arose over the impressing and oppressing of American seamen by the British admir- alty and other matters which irritated old sores, until open war began in 1812. With the sparse population of Ohio when organized as a state in 1802, we wonder how this state could have rendered much assistance to General Harrison or to Governor Meigs in the Indian wars before and after that event. But we find Ohio furnishing one thousand, two hundred troops to Governor Hull4 in 1812 to defend Detroit. And we shall find Cleveland and northern Ohio cutting a military figure in this war-rather to our surprise. For beyond hearing the reports of Perry's guns along the lake shore, we usually have little to tell for Ohio.
Congress declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812. Swift, mounted couriers delivered this news at Cleveland ten days later. For general defense, reliance was placed on General Van Rensselaer at Niagara and on General Hull at Detroit. But Cleveland was an important military station for the lake region. and was made a rallying point for northeastern Ohio. General Wadsworth at Canfield was in command of the militia of this part of the state. He had quite a force at "Old Portage," twenty-five miles up the Cuyahoga. Major Jessup was in command at Cleveland with regulars; and a fort at the foot of Seneca street had been erected and named Fort Huntington.
Two militia companies, with Captains Murray and Gaylord in command, were out watching and patrolling the shore, each armed as best they could and pro- vided with ammunition.
A messenger early in August brought the news of Hull's surrender of Detroit on August 16, 1812. A mounted courier took the word swiftly to Canfield, the headquarters of Major General Wadsworth. This was August 22d. He or- dered all his division to arms, started for Cleveland on the 23d with a company as mounted escort and, coming by Hudson, Bedford and Newburg, arrived here ·on the 24th. Colonel Lewis Cass arrived here from Detroit the same evening.
1 Whittlesey's "Early History of Cleveland," pp. 332, 398, 405.
2 Ibid, 408.
3 Kennedy's "History of Cleveland," p. 157.
+ Ridpath's "History of the United States," p. 394.
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HISTORY OF CLEVELAND
Some days earlier, a scout from Huron had reported a force of British and Indians in boats proceeding down the lake. Then ensued that watching and suspense and anxiety which is more wearing on soldiers than open conflict. The two companies of militia were at once on the alert. Captain Allen, of Newburg, rendezvoused at Doan's Corners; Captain Murray, of Cleveland, patrolled near the mouth of the Cuyahoga river. But before taking station there, to patrol the lake shore, he sent the families to safer retreats farther inland. Against this order it is related that some of the ladies protested and resolved not to desert their husbands and friends. Mrs. John Wadsworth, Mrs. Geo. Wallace, and Mrs. Dr. Long led the way to the front to act as nurses, should occasion require. In just this spirit we shall see the ladies of Cleveland, forty-nine years later, organize great aid societies and sanitary commissions, giving all such military aid as patriotic women can render; 1812 furnished the prototype of the greater test of 1861.
Thus patrolling the shore, they discovered a boat approaching in the night. Being hailed, the reply was returned, "We are parolled prisoners of Hull's army." They were coming home. Single wounded men from that army also came home overland. So we find Cleveland soldiers there and nearly everywhere that mili- tary duty calls. A Cleveland soldier, named James S. Hills, was killed near the Huron river under General Perkins in the "Battle of the Peninsula" against British and Indians, in which General Perkins won the victory. (This General Perkins was the father of Joseph Perkins, of Cleveland.)
A letter published by Colonel Whittlesey (page 442) written by Captain Stanton Sholes contains interesting matter. It says that, under orders of the war department, he marched his company to Cleveland on May 10, 1813, "to aid in the defense of this frontier and to establish a military post." He found here Major Jessup and two or three companies of militia. Governor Meigs met him on arrival and helped him to locate his camp. He found a number of sick and wounded who had been in Hull's surrender, and more coming, but no hospital. He erected one thirty by twenty feet, "with two rows of bunks well strawed." He also built a small fort fifty yards from the bank of the lake, near the foot of Seneca street, and felled the timber to form a breastwork on the brink. That in the middle of July, 1813, General Wm. H. Harrison visited this post for three days. He drew people from all the country around to see the commander in chief of the northwestern army. Then we quote, "On the 19th of June, a part of the British fleet appeared off our harbor, with the apparent design to land. When they got within one and a half miles of our harbor it became a perfect caim, and they lay there until after noon, when a most terrible thunderstorm came up and drove them from our coast. We saw them no more as enemies. Their object was to destroy the public or government boats, then built and building, in Cayuhoga river, and other government stores at that place."
In this connection, it is surprising to learn that in 1813 two of the boats in Commodore Perry's fleet on September 10, 1813, were built on the Cuyahoga river, some fifteen or twenty miles above its mouth. It was at "Old Portage," a prominent frontier place at that time, with part of General Wadsworth's army there, and where the Indians carried their canoes six miles to and from the head waters of the Tuscarawas river. After these boats were launched they were
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floated down to "the pineries," where their masts were put in place. The workmen killed a porcupine while doing this, from which they named one boat the "Porcupine," the other they called the "Portage," in token of the locality.5
These boats were probably provisioned and equipped with sails at Cleveland, and then, watching Commodore Barclay's fleet, were sailed to Erie for arma- ment. Later they were with Perry as his fleet sailed westerly, stopping a few hours off our harbor on his way to Put-in-Bay. Later still, on September 10th, Cleveland heard the boom of Perry's guns, and soon after Perry's immortal report of the battle of Lake Erie, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours," was sent to the world. Cleveland and Cuyahoga river contributed to that great victory.
It should be borne in mind that in 1813 the Cuyahoga carried more water than since the forests have been cleared; and that the boats then built were small compared with the present leviathans on the lakes.
Twice before the battle of Lake Erie General Harrison inspected this post and the companies stationed here; Commodore Perry anchored his fleet off the Cuyahoga on his way to Put-in-Bay; and in company with General Harrison and his staff was banqueted at Cleveland after his victory.6
We have spoken of two Cleveland militia companies as serving during the war of 1812. Captain Allen Gaylord's company was from Newburg, long since embraced in the limits of Cleveland, but then a separate and larger village than Cleveland.
The Cleveland company fortunately left us its full roster, as follows: Cap- tain, Harvey Murray ; lieutenant, Lewis Dille; ensign, Alfred Kelley; sergeants, Ebenezer Green, Simeon Moss, Thomas Hamilton, Seth Doan; corporals, James Root, John Lanterman, Asa Dille, Martin G. Shelhouse; drummer, David S. Tyler; fifer, Rodolphus Carlton ; privates, Arctus Burk, Allen Burk, Charles Brandon, John Bishop, Moses Bradley, Silas Burk, Sylvester Beacher, James S. Bills, John Carlton, Mason Clark, Anthony Doyle, Luther Dille, Samuel Dille, Samuel Dodge, Moses Eldred, Samuel Evarts, Ebenezer Fish, Zebulon R. S. Freeman, Robert Harberson, Daniel S. Judd, Jackson James, Stephen King, Guy Lee, Jacob Mingus, Thomas McIlrath, William McConkey, Samuel Noyes, David Reed, John Sweeney, Parker Shadrick, Luther Sterns, Bazaleel Thorp, John Taylor, Thomas Thomas, Hartman Van Duzen, Joseph Williams, Matthew Williamson, John Wrightman, Wm. White, Joseph Burk, Robt. Prentice, Benj. Ogden.
CHAPTER XXXI.
INDEPENDENT COMPANIES-THE MEXICAN WAR.
By Col. J. F. Herrick.
Ten years of military stagnation followed the close of the War of 1812, as seemed natural.
5 Perrin's "History of Summit County," p. 502.
6 Montgomery's "Life of Wm. H. Harrison," p 200.
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In 1825, the first uniformed military company in Cleveland was formed. It was a mounted or cavalry company, probably independent, called "The Light Horse Troop," Captain Geo. L. Chapman. It disbanded early in the '30s.
The venerable John Doan, of "Doan's Corners," East Cleveland, was the last survivor of this troop. He died in 1896, aged ninety-nine years.
In 1837, the independent infantry companies began. The "Cleveland Grays" were organized on August 28th, the first company, but their captain was taken sick and was confined for months. Meantime another company was formed under Captain Ross, which took the name of "The City Guards," this name being all the rage in the east, and the Guards appeared on parade, July 4, 1838. "Mention is made of the Guards on parade as late as July 4, 1843, and that is the last we hear of them." 1
The Cleveland Grays will have a separate notice hereafter, and also the Gun Squad and the Cleveland Light Artillery.
In 1847, the Cleveland Grays were joined in their 4th of July parade by three new companies : "The German Guards," "The Yagers," Captain Salberg, and "The Hibernian Guards," Captain P. A. McBarron.
These companies seem to have been ephemeral, stimulated in 1847, perhaps by the Mexican war. The Hibernian Guards, however appeared in public on July 4, 1854, and as late as 1862. This brings us up to the Civil war. Doubtless these nuclei of companies aided materially in raising companies for the war, as we know the Grays and the Light Artillery companies did. But the independent companies after the war will be taken up hereafter.
THE CLEVELAND GRAYS.
This organization was formed as an independent company on August 28, 1837, and their first appearance in public was on September 6, 1838. Timothy Ingraham was their first captain, and his sickness, for months after their first start delayed their equipment and first parade.
Their name came from the color of their uniform; and during a career of seventy years they have made that name famous throughout the land.
We cannot detail all their parades and banquets on July 4th and February 22d; of late years February 22d has been their favorite day for parade, but all special days which needed them have found them ready for duty.
'A beautiful flag was presented to them on May 23, 1839. They held an en- campment on a lot where now is the corner of Superior and Erie streets, on July 4, 1839; and were visited by invitation, on July 6th, by the "Buffalo Guards," with "Fay's Gun Squad." The latter, with its glittering uniform and roar of cannon which reverberated through our hills, filled our citizen soldiery with enthusiasm. Nine of the Grays were detailed to form a gun squad, with David L. Wood as sergeant, in command. This was the beginning of "The Cleveland Light Artillery," to be noticed later. It should be borne in mind that both the Grays and the Gun Squad furnished their own uniforms and equip- ments at their private expense.
1 Kennedy's "History of Cleveland," p. 292.
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In 1845, quite a number of the Grays joined the Gun Squad, increasing the number of men and guns of the latter and its sergeant became its captain. The military spirit waned for some years with the Grays, although it paraded under Captain A. S. Sanford on July 4, 1847. But in 1854 the Grays revived under T. S. Paddock as captain, and the old flag of 1839, was again presented to them, with a speech. They were popular and the people were loyal to them as the newspapers of that period testify.
Beginning with a trip to Fort Meigs with the Gun Squad, during the Harrison campaign of 1840 to attend a large military display, where our two companies won honors, the Grays and the Gun Squad, later "The Cleveland Light Artillery," visited Akron, Wooster, Sandusky, Niagara Falls, and perhaps later Chicago, Buffalo, Boston, New Orleans, and even San Francisco, California.
Together, we find the Grays and the Light Artillery the main attraction on September 10, 1860, at the notable ceremony of unveiling the statue of Commo- dore Perry in the center of the Public Square.
Again together, in April, 1861, they were both feverish to go to the front. The Grays were the first to leave, on April 16th, and the Light Artillery were the first in battle and lost the first Cleveland man in battle. The war records of both will be detailed later.
THE CLEVELAND LIGHT ARTILLERY.
This splendid organization was born on July 6, 1839. There were only nine men at first, but they uniformed themselves and procured a six pound iron cannon, built their own carriage for it and a caisson also, for their ammunition which they likewise made. David L. Wood was drill sergeant and he was himself well drilled and knew how to impart his information to others. The drill was in the French style of tactics, called the "flying artillery." The squad first ex- hibited these tactics at Fort Meigs in 1840. In 1845, the Gun Squad "seceded" from the Grays, increased its membership, procured two twelve pound guns, called itself the Cleveland Light Artillery and elected David L. Wood captain.
Its membership was composed of the young men of the best families, among whom appear such well known citizens as James Barnett, E. S. Flint, W. H. Hayward, Edward A. Scovill and C. J. Meriam.
The company rented an armory, hired horses when required, furnished its own harness, and these together with their uniforms and traveling and all other expenses were paid out of their own pockets.
They attended an encampment at Wooster, in 1846, and a great convention in Chicago, in 1847, from which latter visit sprung the first Chicago Light Artil- lery, with a Cleveland artilleryman as instructor.
Through such visits as this and the removal west of members of this battery, who became drill masters in their new homes, a strong influence was exerted for this arm of the service; and many officers of artillery during the Civil war turned out to be old members of the Cleveland company.2 In 1847, A. S.
2 "Reminiscences of the Ohio Light Artillery," p. 6.
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Sanford was elected captain and served four years in that capacity, when D. L. Wood was again chosen captain and remained such until shortly before the Civil war.
In 1851, their armament was increased to four guns. The state militia law did not recognize artillery at that time, but so popular and influential was this organization that it induced the state authorities to furnish those four guns and the harness. In 1852 the battery was called to its first duty. A riot occurred about some human bones found in the dissecting room of the medical school, corner of Ontario and Prospect streets. The excitement exceeded the power of the sheriff and he called upon the Light Artillery. They were on duty forty- eight hours. The success of the battery was such as to elicit the pride and material support of the citizens of Cleveland. The battery visited different cities on invitation, supported a commodious armory and gained fame east and west until war times called them away.
At last, in 1859, after much urging, the legislature passed a militia law under which artillery could muster. Under it four companies were formed here, one in Brooklyn (now in the city) and one in Geneva. These six were organized into a regiment, which elected the following officers: colonel, James Barnett ; lieutenant colonel, Stephen B. Sturgess; major, Clark S. Gates; surgeon, C. E. Ames; quartermaster, Amos Townsend. These were commissioned by the governor, August 1, 1860. The official name then became the "First Regiment of Light Artillery of Ohio Volunteer Militia." The regiment made its first public appearance on September 10, 1860, as elsewhere told; its next appearance was in 1861 in the mountains of Virginia, to be related hereafter.
David L. Wood, who served the Light Artillery so well, and who by one account was made major in 1855 over the four guns, which were then exchanged for brass field pieces, was about 1860, made quartermaster general of the state by Governor Chase, and was reappointed in 1861 by Governor Dennison. He filled the position with honor, but he longed for active service and was soon made a captain in the Eighteenth regiment of the regular army; was wounded at Stone river, and died in Cleveland in 1881.
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Cleveland and Cincinnati together raised a company for this war. It was Company H, Fifteenth United States Infantry.
Its captain, John S. Perry, and more than half of the members, were from Cleveland.
These recruits were raised in March and April, 1847; the captain was ap- pointed April 9, 1847, and the company was mustered out on August 4. 1848.
The record of this company in volume 12, "Register of Ohio Soldiers," page 549 is all the information we have. From the musterout roll, we find deaths in its ranks at Vera Cruz, Perote, Pueblo, Cuanaraca, and City of Mexico, also at Cherubusco and Chepultepec. Colonel O. J. Hodge, who was in the Mexican war as a recruit from Buffalo, New York, is our authority for the statement that this company was in all the battles which the army going by Santa Cruz fought, and these were a series of victories.
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It is manifest that Cleveland and Ohio never experienced great enthusiasmn over this war. Ohio had Tom Corwin in the United States senate at that time, and probably his influence was felt when he said: "If I were a Mexican, as I am an American, and American troops were to invade Mexican soil, I would welcome them with bloody hands to hospitable graves."
An immense territory, Texas to California, was acquired by the United States. The method will always be questioned. But however acquired, civili- zation is the gainer.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE CIVIL WAR-THE CALL TO 'ARMS. By Col. J. F. Herrick.
In preparation for our undertaking of detailing the years 1861-5, it should be said that our statistics are chiefly drawn from county reports. The Cleve- land figures are less original than inferential. They will be called Cleveland statistics, because Cleveland was practically Cuyahoga county. Allowances can be made. Moreover, exact records with reference to where enlistments should be credited are well nigh impossible. However, the list of ten thousand volun- teers, called our "Roll of Honor," engraved inside our "Soldiers' Monument," is as nearly correct as it can be made.
Fort Sumter was attacked on Friday, April 12, 1861. It surrendered on Sunday, April 14, 1861. President Lincoln called out seventy-five thousand volunteers, Monday, April 15, 1861.
How rapidly history was then made-April 12, 1861. What changes it made in thousands of lives! What tragedies it began! What suffering it entailed on seventy millions of people! What excitement it produced and what patriotism it aroused !
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