USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Centennial history of Cincinnati and representative citizens, Vol. I, Pt. 2 > Part 54
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expressed his approbation of the appointment. A few days after, Governor Dennison urged upon the President the appointment of Mcclellan as ranking major-general of volunteers, saying that Ohio must lead throughout the war, and on May 3rd the government created the military Depart- ment ,of the Ohio, consisting of the States of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and gave him the command. Almost immediately afterwards he was commissioned major-general of the United States Army, and the States of Missouri and por- tions of Western Pennsylvania and Virginia were added to his department. His subsequent his- tory belongs to the history of the war and the country.
At the time of McClellan's appointment to the command of the troops, Governor Denuison ap- pointed three brigadier generals-Jacob D. Cox, Joshua H. Bates and Newton Shleich.
THE LITERARY CLUB.
The enthusiasm of the citizens was not mani- fested by holding public meetings alone. Mili- tary organizations were formed every day, many of which became the nucleus of regiments that took an active part throughout the war. One of the first of these was organized on April 17, 1861, within two days of the call of the President for troops. This was known as the Burnet Ri- fles and was composed of members of the Cin- cinnati Literary Club, an association of the lead- ing men of education and culture of the city which, formed in 1849, is still in existence, the oldest organization of the character in the United States. A special meeting of the club was called to order by Rutherford B. Hayes, one of its members, and a committee of three was ap- pointed which reported in favor of the organ- ization of a military company. The report was at once accepted, the roll of members called and 33 of those present proceeded to join in the drill. Robert W. Burnet, a graduate of West Point, was named as commander, and John Pope, a member of the club, was the first drill officer. Ile was succeeded after a few days by a sergeant from Newport Barracks named Richman, who drilled the company three times a day for some length of time. The ladies of the city, in their enthusiasm over the organization of so distin- guished a company, presented to it a beautiful silk flag, which still hangs on the walls of the club. This flag, however, although tattered and torn, never saw a battle-field and never left C'in- cinnati. The personality of the individuals com- posing the organization was of too high a charac-
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ter to allow it to remain together. From its ranks were chosen officers for every branch of the service and it is a notable fact from the mem- bership of the Literary Club, limited as it was to 50, fifty officers holding commissions from the rank of end lientenant to that of major-general served in the war. As members left for the war others joined the club and finally followed their predecessors, so that, in all, 51 members of the Literary Club served in the ranks of the Union Army, a record not equaled by that of any sim- ilar organization in the country. But one mem- ber of the club, at that time the superintendent of the public schools of Cincinanti, was able to retain the rank of private. Among the officers contributed by this club to the service were George B. MeClellan, general in chief of the armies of the United States, who had just been elected a member of the organization but was prevented by the breaking out of the war from qualifying, Major-Generals Rutherford B. Hayes, Manning F. Force and John Pope; Brigadier- Generals William H. Baldwin, Thomas Ewing, Thomas C. Il. Smith, Israel Garrard, R. D. Mussey and Edward F. Noyes; and Colonels Thomas M. Anderson, John S. Billings, Nelson Cross, Jeptha Garrard, Nathan Lord, Stanley Matthews, J. F. Meline, C. A. Morgan, Donn Piatt, J. J. Slocum and J. T. Webb.
On May 16, 1861, a most enthusiastic recep- tion was tendered Major Anderson, the hero of Fort Sumter, who came to the city from Columbus. The Major was received by the mayor and other officials at the Little Miami depot and the usual procession made up of a number of military companies. The parade passed through the principal streets of the city to the residence of Larz Anderson and was greeted with enthusiasm on all sides. Major Anderson was the guest of his brother Larz Anderson, where he held an informal reception which was attended by many citizens. He after- wards visited the various camps about the city and was received with great enthusiasm.
CAMP HARRISON.
Almost immediately after the news of war was received, camps were established in the neigh- borhood of the city. The first of these was Camp Harrison, which was at the Trotting Park in the outskirts of Cumminsville, some six miles north of the city. Gen. William H. Lytle was placed in command of this camp and the Guthrie Greys with several other companies marched there on April 20th. The ladies of the city
collected clothing for the soldiers and soon the parlors of the Gibson House and all other public buildings were occupied by the volunteer seam- stresses anxious to do their share in the patriotic work. None of the regiments of course in the early days was possessed of Federal imiforms. The German regiment of Col. Robert L. McCook, as already stated, was in the white clothing of the Turner Society with short round jackets of linen. General McCook himself was mounted on horseback clad in citizen's clothing with a stovepipe hat and the only thing which indicated his military character was a sword strapped to his side. The regiment of the Guthrie Greys, the Sixth Ohio, wore the uniform of that or- ganization. The Fifth Ohio wore red flannel shirts. Another company very soon formed was the Storer Rifles, which was the first to get arms but these were furnished by the soldiers themselves and were Sharp rifles. This organ- ization had been started by a meeting in Green- wood Hall in which Judge Storer had made a most eloquent appeal, concluding with the state- ment that although an old man over 60 years of age he then and there volunteered. The com- pany was composed of some of the wealthiest men of the city, many old and gray-headed, and the majority not in proper physical condition to stand hard service. They were organized to act as Home Guards.
CAMP DENNISON.
The great camp however was Camp Dennison near Madisonville, 17 miles from the limits of Cincinnati at that time. This camp had been organized at the request of the Governor for whom it was named in the latter part of April, 1861. The selection was made by Gen. W. S. Rosecrans at that time in business in Cincin- mati. At the time of the appointment of Mc- Clellan as major-general, Rosecrans became to- pographical engineer upon the former's staff. The site of the camp was a long broad stretch of level land well adapted for the uses for which it had been selected. Considerable feeling was manifested afterwards, because of the high rates at which the leases were obtained from the own- ers. During the time it was in charge of the State, there was mich criticism at to its man- agement but it was afterwards turned over to the government and became one of the two great camps maintained in Ohio during the war.
Gen. Jacob D. Cox tells us that the camp ground, which he reached on the 29th of April, seemed an excellent place for the work, its only
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drawback being that very little of the land was in meadow or pasture, part being in wheat and part in Indian corn. The camp was laid out at that time for a dozen regiments. The men car- ried the boards on their shoulders to the places selected for the companies' huts. Huts were built facing each other three or four on each side leaving a street between where the com- pany could assemble before marching to its place on the regimental color line. At the head of the streets were the officers' quarters and farther in the rear those of the field and staff.
An amusing controversy at the outset is ,re- lated by General Cox. Rosecrans finding that some of the companies were putting floors and bunks in their huts ordered them taken out as the huts were only intended to take the place of tents. Naturally the soldiers protested very indignantly and the whole matter was brought before the commander, Brigadier-General Cox, by Rosecrans, fairly bubbling with anger at those who questioned his authority and the officers insisting upon their rights. General Cox finally reported that in his opinion the huts could not be struck like tents to dry and air the earth and as they were meant for permanent quarters that the floors and bunks should be built. McClellan's decision was in accordance with this report. At that time the men were not armed, so that the drill was confined to the various details of march- ing. Schools were established both for the men and the officers.
Gen. Joshua H. Bates reached his brigade, which had been organized in Cincinnati, on the 20th of May and by virtue of his seniority took command of the camp. The brigade included the Fifth, Sixth, Ninthì and Tenth Ohio regi- ments.
Camp life in the early days was full of hard- ships. There was much rain and the fields be- came mud puddles. There was an absence of men who knew how to cook and, strangely enough, more than one-half the men had never had the children's diseases. As a result measles broke out and the camp hospital which was. in a large barn was crowded to its limit. The women of the city promptly shared in the duties of nursing. Conspicuous among these were the Sisters of Charity under the leadership of Sister Anthony, always the idol of the soldiers. How- ever, by the middle of May some order had been brought out of chaos and the two thousand men gathered at the camp had a faint concep- tion of the duties of the service. The camp life was not without its humor and many stories are
told of the rivalries of such regiments as that of Col. "Bob" MeCook composed entirely of Cincinnati Germans and the "Bloody Tinth," the Irish regiment of the brilliant Lytle as well as those of other cities. The Irishmen of the Tenth were somewhat given to over exhilaration and as a result many of them found their way to the guard house. They felt that another regi- ment had shown unusual zeal in filling the guard house with Irishnen and as a result the first military experience of the camp seemed likely to be a figlit between several of the regiments. Fortunately the trouble was quieted without any serious results.
OTHER CAMPS IN HAMILTON COUNTY.
Other camps formed in the county during the war were Camp Clay at Pendleton; Camp Jolin McLean, near Cincinnati, which, named for Jus- tice MeLcan, quartered the 75th Ohio Infantry commanded by Col. N. C. McLean, a son of the Justice ; Camp Corwine named for Maj. Richard M. Corwine ; and Camp Colerain, 10 miles north of Cincinnati.
Military committees were organized in the city to aid in the recruiting of troops and also a Committee of Safety to prevent the passage of vessels carrying supplies to the South. On this . latter committee the members were Rufus King, Miles Greenwood, William Cameron, Jos- eph Torrence, J. C. Butler and Henry llandy. Col. A .. E. Jones, C. F. Wilstach and Frederick Meyer were a committee to prevent the ship- ment of supplies to the Rebels.
THE SIEGE OF CINCINNATI.
After the first fright resulting from the prox- imity of Cincinnati to the Confederacy had worn away, the city resumed its accustomed tran- quillity. During the first year of the war, thie troops passing through the city to the various training camps at Camp Harrison, Camp Denni- son and elsewhere had given it to some extent a martial appearance. On the 20th of June the Indiana regiments passed through the city on their way to the seat of war in the western part of Virginia. They disembarked at the Fifth street depot and marched the whole length of Fourth street, stopping on their way to be fed at the Fifth street market house. These regi- ments were particularly enthusiastic as they de- sired to vindicate their State, whose troops had been charged by Jefferson Davis with cowardice at the battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. It is said that before leaving Indianapolis the whole
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body of men had knelt before the capitol and with bared heads had taken an oath to "Remem- ber Buena Vista." This body of men; 2,000 strong, well equipped through the energy of Governor Oliver P. Morton and attired in the gray uniform as were all early Indiana regiments, was the first installment of the long succession of troops that passed through the city. A little later the Seventh Indiana was reviewed by Major Anderson from the residence of his brother Larz Anderson on Pike street. In August came the returning three-months volunteers and they were welcomed with enthusiasm always shown for conquering heroes. The war had not sufficiently progressed to make possible comparisons of re- stilts nor to appreciate fully the horrors it was to entail. Some taste of its misfortunes was given on August 29th when the body of Maj .- Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, killed at Wilson's Creek in Missouri, was received with military honors. In September of the war's first year the sugges- tion of an attack from Kentucky created con- siderable uneasiness and some slight attempt was made to fortify the city. In October the first considerable number of wounded soldiers return- ing from the fields of battle brought clearly be- fore the minds of the public the seriousness of the task that was before them. The gloom that hung over the country of course affected Cin- cinnati but in February the glorious victory of Fort Donelson produced here as elsewhere scenes of unparalleled enthusiasm. The full significance of the war and its inevitable con- sequences were not fully understood however, as is shown by the discourteous reception of Wendell Phillips on March 25th, while endeavor- ing to lecture at Pike's Opera House. It must not be supposed, however, that this indicated in any way a lack of determination on the part of the citizens to uphold the Union. Various meetings in the early days of the war in which such patriots as Nathaniel Wright, Rufus King, Orisby M. Mitchel and Bellamy Storer had called the citizens to arms are a truer index to the toue of public sentiment. It is not unnatural that at times the reverses suffered should cause here as well as elsewhere a 'temporary lack of confidence in the minds of some. both in the man- agement of affairs and the ultimate victory. This was shown to some extent by the elections. Cin- cinnati shared the periods of depression as well as the moments of elation felt by the rest of the country. The people as well as the press took upou themselves as they always do the
privilege of criticising and condemning the things that they least understood.
MORGAN IN KENTUCKY.
In the carly part of the summer of 1862 the news from across the river became most dis- quieting and the fear became general that the city, which so far had been spared any actual sight of war, might become a seat of conflict. It is said that in the South children were brought to terms by the mention of the name of "Abe" Lincoln. However true this may be, there can be no question that in the minds of the young people of this neighborhood in the carly "sixties" the names of John Morgan and Kirby Smith were more terrifying than the men- tion of the arch fiend himself. For a time those of maturer years were not much less affected by these names than were the children.
From time to time rumors of Morgan's achievements had come to Cincinnati. He be- came noted for his sudden cavalry dashes, even beyond the picket lines of the enemy. First he would carry off some outlying artillery ; then he would burn an important bridge; next a supply train or a drove of cattle would fall into his hands; finally he became bolder and would cut out whole squads of soldiers within sight of their camps; he would seize telegraph stations and obtain such news as he desired and move on to another field of activity; Northern sympa- thizers would lose their cotton and their .other crops and such property as could be carried away. His character was such as to excite the most widely different emotions in the bosoms of his friends and his enemies. To the former he was Prince Rupert himself and to the latter he was Captain Kidd reincarnated. There can be no question, however, that among his daredevil young "rough-riders" were many of the best people of Kentucky and the progress of his band through the State was usually greeted with eu- thusiasm by his friends and neighbors.
The first excitement of the war had died down. the, defeats had become as familiar as victories and calls for troops had been repeated with en- barrassing frequency, when suddenly the news came that John Morgan was in Kentucky. By Friday evening, the 11th of July, 1862, it was known that Tompkinsville with its entire garri- son had been taken and the prisoners paroled. Immediately afterward he was at Glasgow. and communication between Louisville and Nashville was cut off. A proclamation calling upon the Kentuckians to arise in behalf of the South
RUTHERFORD B. HAYES.
SALMON P. CHASE.
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.
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added to the excitement. By the evening of the next day it was reported that Morgan was march- ing on to Lexington and General Boyle, com- manding at that time in Kentucky, telegraphed to Mayor Hatch for militia to assist him. On the 13th of July a public meeting was called and by nine o'clock in the evening several thousand citizens met in the Fifth -street market space to hear the alarming despatches from Boyle. As was nsual in such cases, these did not always ac- cord with each other. In one, Morgan's troops numbered 2,800 and in another . 1,500. He had burned Perryville and was marching on to Dan- ville. He was perilously near Louisville and Boyle must defend that city, which left Lexing- ton to the care of Cincinnati. Speeches were made by the mayor and other prominent citizens and finally a committee, consisting of Mayor Hatch, George E. Pugh, Joshua H. Bates, Miles Greenwood, J. B. Stallo, J. W. Hartwell, Peter Gibson and Thomas J. Gallagher, was appointed to take some action looking to the protection of the city. Governor Tod ordered down a thou- sand stand of arms and the convalescent soldiers from Camp Dennison and Camp Chase. Two hundred men of the 52nd Ohio arrived a little later and the city soon took on the appearance of war. The streets were thronged all night and by nine o'clock in the morning it was thought that the time had come for more speechmaking. George E. Pugh, Benjamin Eggleston and Thomas J. Gallagher addressed the throng in the Fifth street market space. Charles F. Wilstach and Eli C. Baldwin took charge of the matter of food for volunteer companies, which it was de- termined to organize, and the City Council ap- propriated $5,000 and agreed to pay any neces- sary expenses incurred by the committees ap- pointed at the public meetings. In the after- noon some eleven hundred men from Camp Chase, soldiers of the 85th and 86th Ohio, passed through on their way to Lexington; a special train carried the police force under Colonel Dud- ley, their chief, and a company of artillery with a single gun organized from the fire department by Capt. William Glass. The news that a brother of John Morgan was stopping at one of the hotels added to the excitement but as he pro- duced a pass from General Boyle he was simply detained. Permission was obtained from the Secretary of War to use some cannon, which Miles Greenwood was casting for the govern- ment. and ammunition for them was furnished by Governor Morton of Indiana as the author- ities of Columbus declined to supply it without
the requisition of a United States officer. The press, as well as the people, lost its head and advised the troops to take few prisoners, the fewer the better, as Morgan's men were not sol- (liers but freebooters, thieves and murderers and should be dealt with accordingly, a statement en- tirely without justification. So able a writer as John C. Ropes speaks of this raid as being jus- tifiable on the plainest principles of warfare. For a day or so, Morgan was expected each mo- ment to appear on the top of the Kentucky hills across the river but as he did not come the alarm abated for a time. Then came the news that he was once more advancing. Ex-Governor Den- nison was sent to Cincinnati by Governor Tod to consult with the Committee of Safety and went on to Frankfort to inspect the Ohio troops there.
In the meantime the absence of the police was taken advantage of by the disorderly crowds of the city. The old trouble between the Irish and negroes broke out again and as a result of the riot some houses were burned and a few people injured. A meeting of the property own- ers and leading citizens was hastily called at the Merchants' Exchange and here measures were taken to organize a patrol force of one thousand men to take charge of the city during the absence of the police. The measures adopt- cd were efficacious and the riot soon ceased.
Meanwhile John Morgan kept marching on. On the Sunday, which had been the scene of so much excitement in Cincinnati, he entered Harrodsburg. After making a feint towards Frankfort he hurried to Lexington, burning bridges on his way to keep reinforcements from gathering to oppose him. His marching was rapid, covering 300 to 400 miles in eight days and on Monday morning he was within 15 miles of Frankfort and by nightfall at Versailles. At Midway, between Frankfort and Lexington, he took possession of a telegraph office and obtained such information as he desired as to the plans of the Union officers in his neighborhood and at Cincinnati. From this point he sent some forged telegrams to Lexington with the statement that Morgan was then driving back the picket line at Frankfort. He hastened to Georgetown with- in easy reach of Frankfort and Lexington, where he rested for a few days. He seems to have had no thought of attacking Lexington as it was too strongly garrisoned but his real purpose was to bewilder his enemies. He made a dash upon Cynthiana, garrisoned by 500 men, includ- ing Captain Glass' firemen. After a little fight- ing, he took possession of the celebrated gun and
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the firemen,-420 prisoners in all with several hundred horses and a large quantity of stores. He imemdiately appeared before Paris, where he was met by a deputation of citizens hastening to surrender to him. Hearing that the forces from Lexington were coming after him under Gen. Green Clay Smith, he leisurely marched through Winchester, Richmond, Crab Orchard and Somerset, ending his campaign with 300 more men than he had at the outset. During this raid he captured about as many men as con- stituted his own force (most of whom he released on parole) and destroyed the government arms and stores in 17 towns. During this swinging around the circle, Cincinnati passed through several periods of excitement. A public meet- ing in the Court street market space was ad- dressed by Hugh J. Jewett, who had been the Democratic candidate for Governor, with an car- nest appeal for rapid enlistments. Other citi- zens had spoken to the same effect. The City Council took the oath of allegiance in a body. Much discussion arose over the question of boun- ties for volunteers and over $5,000 was sub- scribed for this purpose by leading citizens. Two regiments known as the Cincinnati Reserves were formed for service in emergencies and prep- arations were made to withstand an attack. Upon the request of the mayor and others, Col- onel Burbank was appointed for a time mili- tary governor of the city. However, as Morgan had retired without making any serious menace upon the city, affairs resumed their natural con- dition and all was quiet along the Ohio.
The funeral of Robert L. McCook, who had been murdered by guerrillas, while being carried in an ambulance near Salem, Alabama, occurred August 11, 1862, and was the occasion of uni- versal mourning. McCook was one of the cele- brated fighting McCooks, the fourth son of Maj. Daniel McCook. This family, it will be re- membered, furnished 15 soldiers, all commis- sioned officers, with the exception of one, to the service of the Union. The one exception, Charles, a boy less than 18 years of age, had been offered a lieutenant's commission in the regular army but declined it, preferring the service of a volunteer. He left the freshman class at Kenvon College for the field of battle and was killed at the first battle of Bull Run. Robert L. McCook had been the partner of Judge Stallo but as has already been stated formed the Ninth Ohio from the German citizens of Cincinnati. He was in command of a brigade in West Virginia under Mcclellan. He after-
wards took part in -the battle of Mill Springs where he was severely wounded. He continued to command his brigade even at a time when his wound was so severe that he was unable to mount a horse. . He became a major-general and received the command of a division. His mur- der which took place August 6, 1862, was one of the most brutal acts of the Southern guerrillas during the war. He was shot in his bed in the ambulance wagon where he was lying undressed unable to rise. The death of this brilliant young major-general, not yet 35 years of age, and under such circumstances, aroused intense feel- ing throughout the country. He was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery; after the war his sol- diers and friends erected the monument which standing in Washington Park is so familiar to the citizens of Cincinnati.
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