USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > Steubenville > Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, 20th > Part 26
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This delightful arrangement had scarcely been completed when the advancing Fed- erals under Major Rue were encountered. Morgan supposing they were militia de- manded their surrender. Major Rue promptly declined and in turn informed Morgan that if he did not immediately sur- render unconditionally he would open fire upon him. Major Rue was then requested not to fire as Morgan had surrendered. Supposing the surrender to be to him he refrained, but when he proceeded to take possession he was surprised to learn that the so-called surrender had been made to a . militia captain whom none of the pursuing force had ever seen or known, who was apparently a prisoner, and after which Morgan had attempted to exercise the fune- tions of a belligerent by demanding the surrender of his opponents. Of course no attention was paid to this ridiculous per- formance, and we do not know that any attempt was ever made to punish Burbeck for his part in the transaction. The real surrender was made to Major Rne at 2 p. m. on Sunday, there being 336 prisoners with 400 horses and arms. The closing scene took place near Seroggs's meeting house not far from Salineville. The sur- render was probably as welcome to most of Morgan's men as it was to their pursners, as during the preceding 36 hours they were ahnost constantly in the saddle and were completely worn out.
From R. Mitchell Crabs, of Ross Twp., who played an important part in the cap- ture of Morgan, we get a report of that affair which supplements other reports so completely as to merit its publication in detail. Mr. Crabs was a member of Com- pany K, 20 O. V. I. home from a furlongh, and coming from the celebrated district of Kentucky where John Morgan was practicing his system of guerilla warfare. on Saturday afternoon, July 25th, was pay- ing a visit to two young ladies of East Springfield, Misses Maggie and Jennie Me- Cullongh, the former becoming the wife of Dr. Sanderson, of St. Louis, and the latter Mrs. Hamilton, of Carson City, Nev. They
had gone to the old Episcopal church in the evening to hear a music class conducted by John Kerr, and while there Charles B. Me- Connell, then a young man, came to the door and called out "Morgan's coming up the Steubenville road, and will be here in about half an hour." Mr. Crabs goes on to say :
'. The meeting broke up rather unceremoniously, not waiting to be exeused by the leader. Miss Maggie Me- Cullough ran at once to the store of her father, John MeCollough, who kept the only place of general mer- chandise in the town, got the pocketbook and money from the safe and started northward from the village. serreting the same In the leaves along a fence. Your relator took Miss Jennie home, and mounting bis parer also started north on the Nebo and Salineville road. At the old Alexander MeC'ullongh coal bank a gate opened lo the left or west side of the rond into the woods, where the little pacer was secreted beyond the hill. and out of sight of the road, his rider returning to town on fout, and arriving at about the same time that the badly did who wereted the pocket book.
" By this time the village was full of 'patriots' of the Southern Confederacy and the citizens were in fear and confusion. Men and women were alike paralyzed with fear that the village would be burned, and all the hurrors of war fully realized. Some wanted to shoot, while others felt like praying. Concluiling under the eireninstances courtesy was the better part of valor. all acted under my advice and a luncheon of pies, enkes, bread and all manner of estables was werved through the windows, doors and over fences. During their stay the chief rendezvous was about the hotel kept then by Mrs. Deborah MeC'ullongh. There had been a liberty pole raised across the street from Jackson's okl corner. and two of Morgan's men dismounted and procuring axes began chopping the pole. The anger of the citizens was almost uncontrollable, and it was with some difficulty that they were prevented from going into a house and shooting down the rebels. I said, "You can easily put up another pole-you can't so easily restore life or bulkl another town.'
"By this time the right or head of the column had started on the Salineville road out past where my horse Frank was serreted, and my anxiety, coupled with fear that they might observe him, that he would neigh or make himself noticeable in some way can be imagined. I fell in with the rear guard of Morgan's commu, some of whom were on foot and some on horseback, and noticed that what seemed to be the Important part of the command, I mean the important men, were in the rear, for we always had them to the right or front. except when parsned. I did not know theu of any armed force following. A cheerful conversation was kept up. they asking questions as to The route to Beaver Rapids and I answering so well that at last one of them said: "Come along. I Think we can make use of you. We'll give you a horse to ride.' That they did not take me a prisoner was their great mistake. This was near to where I had weereted my horse. I fell back along with Alexander MeC'ullongh, father of David U. M.Cullough, of Island Creek, and others, and while the column was disappearing around and over the hill northeast in the dim glow of the evening, for it was growing late. 1
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bell a hurried conversation with those around me. and disclosed my purpose to make an effort to reach Saline. ville by a short cut through the woods nud fields, with which I was well nequainteJ, and telegraph to General Brooks, commanding the department of Ohio and West- ern Pennsylvania, with headquarters in Pittsburgh [Steubenville], aud ask him to ænd his troops, who I knew were somewhere along the Ohio River looking for Morgan, to Salineville and capture the force if possible. I brought my young horse to the road, and exchanged my light linen duster with Mr. MeC'ullough for a dark cont, lews visible at night, and started the race, not thinking that Morgan's men would stop for the night. The first six miles an heated iny colt that I feared I might lose him and not gain my point. My own home lay nearly on a hne from East Liverpool to Salineville, but the road diverged largely to the left. I stopped ist the home of Thomas Smith and exchanged my colt for an older and fleeter horse, and notified all to get their horses wereted for Morgan was coming. On reaching Mooretown, now Pravo by name, Silas Potts, a brother to Colonel Potts of the Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry Inme, and Mr. Barnhill accompanied me to William Moore's, where I sent them around in front of Morgan to notify people of his coming. It was betweeu 9 and 10 o'clock at night when I arrived at Salineville, and the news of Morgan's coming brought men, women and children in all kinds of night robes, some similar to Job's coming into the world, to the street.
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** The men organized a force at once and elected me enptain, colonel or general. I don't know which, but I have held the brevet ever since, and were going to cap- ture Morgan right there. 'Re jabbers.' Salineville is a mining town. I received the brevet with much satisfar. tion, of course, but advised that unless I could succeed in obtaining armed forces from General Brooks their attempts would prove futile, and might result in loss of homes and life, and it would be better to let them para through quietly. Arriving at the telegraph office at the railroad station Frank Rogers, the agent, informed me that he would have to get the privilege to use the wires from the general superintendent to call up General Brooks. This obtained, my first dispatch read: '1 have just arrived from East Springfield, Jefferson County, Obio. Saw Morgan's men, about 600. Send troops to Saliueville at onee.' I received an answer as follows: 'Who vouches for this statement? I have news that they are near Knoxville, Ohio.' On receiving this Mr. Rugers and H. C. Robbins, mayor, promptly telegraphed, vouching for the truth of the statement. In a short time ] received a telegram as follows: '1 hnve sent you 700 infantry under command of Colonel Gallagher.' In the meantime I had sent four wouts out in the direction Morgan would come, and to return and report as soon as lorated. The trap now laid i went to hed on top of a stake and double rider fence just opposite the old red mill and in front of where the new school Imilling now stands, with my feet resting up one stuke and my head up the opposite one; not the most comfortable bed, but I had occupied some Jess preferable and obtained less sleep.
"Morgan had bivouacked on the lordman Taylor farm and down to the old Nebo mill, with outside plekets nearly two miles in advance, pear the railroad tunnel on the Salineville road. Our seouts sent out from Salineville opened fire upon them with revolvere about 2 o'clock Sunday morning. the 26th, and drove the pirkets in. Morgan became alarmed at being attacked in front. knowing that General Shackelford's cavalry and artillery nere in his rear. All night long alle he was asleep in
the comfortable and hospitable bed at Mr. Taylor's tieneral Shackleford hod advanerd upon him and ramped on the bill n mile away, while the farmers were busy restocking the artillery and cavalry with fresh horses, Morgan put his column in motion at an early hoor, and just at duybreak our wouts returned to Suline- ville, called me "off of bed' and reported Morgan com. ing 'way back. His progress was retarded by want of fresh horses, while Shackleford's was hastened by fresh recruits during the night. I at onre hastened to hide my Smith horse in the bushes in a hollow northwest from the station, and on returning saw from the hill the train bearing Colonel Gallagher 's infantry, and Morgan's ad- vanre guards at the spring above the ohl mill. I ran clown to the station and had the train stop across the street Morgan would have to pass, and held a short con- versation with Colonel tiallagher, trying to reveal my plans. The poor old man was trembling either with fear or drink, and swore at me (a very unusual nnd unseemly thing for an army officer ) to get a horse and art as his aide and bear dispatches to him, as he was acting under orders from General Brooks. 'I'm going to place my men up on that bank,' said he, and he did wo in full view of Morgan's advance guard, who at once turned bark up the road and right into Shackleford's hands, who captured about half the command. I was naturally amusel and angered, wondering if tieneral Brooks had ever known of Salineville until he received my dispatch, for had Colonel tiallagher concealed his troops for thirty minute. Morgan's entire force would have ridden right into his ambush, aud he could have enjoyed the honor of the capture.
** tieneral Morgan doubtless had a guide who was well acquainted with the route; he was said to be a man who formerly lived about Smithfield. The unraptured force fled over the hill westward und rode around Salineville on the Hanover road which joins the Beaver Rapids road three miles north from Salineville. We at once had every horse mounted that could run, and some that couldn't, and set ont for Hanover Roadls, arriving just in time to capture the fleeing remainder. tieneral Mor- gan was with this squad. I assisted in removing the spurs and equipments from the gallant horseman. They had a promisenons assortiment of trophies of the raid. consisting of nearly everything from the smallest in. fants' stenkings to remnants of calico, shawls, skirts. children's shoes, stockings, works, etc.
"I held a friendly chat with the same long haired man I had met the evening before, and explained all. Had [ known of an armed force following when I left East Springfield the work of rupture would have been light- ened. Hlad we uot succeeded at Salineville it would have been an easy matter to run our troops around by rail and take him at Heaver Raplds. The triangle of railroad and telegraph Into which he was riding made escape Impossible after we had gotten to his front."
The afternoon after the surrender was spent resting in the woods and in gather- ing np arms and ammunition, the latter be- ing pretty short. Towards evening the Steubenville militia arrived, and the pris- oners were marched down to Salineville station. The next morning a train was ready and started for Steubenville, the prisoners in coaches and the militia in flat
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cars. They arrived at Steubenville during the morning, and the raiders were marched up Adams and Market streets under guard to the Steubenville & Indiana Railroad where a train was taken for Columbus. While waiting for the start there was con- siderable chaffing between the "Johnnies" and the large crowd that had gathered to see them off, they promising to come back again, notwithstanding they had no invitation. Such a strenuous 48 hours Jefferson County had never seen, or was likely to see again.
Many of the pursuing companies stopped at Steubenville on their way home, where they were the recipients of cordial hospitality on the part of the citi- zens. On Tuesday morning, the 28th, Mar- ket street witnessed the spectacle of four different regiments from as many states, viz., 2d East Tennessee Mounted Infan- try, 1st Kentucky Cavalry, 14th Illinois, and 9th Michigan, two from slave and two from free states, but all for the Union. Upwards of 800 horses were brought to the city, where their owners were able to secure them upon proper identification, and this process was not the least interesting part of the campaign. All of the visiting regiments, including the Pennsylvania Volunteers, adopted hearty resolutions of thanks for the more than cordial hospi- tality shown them by the citizens, and especially by the fair sex.
The claims for damages by rehels in Jefferson allowed by the Government amounted to $13,571; damages by Union forces, $7,072; total, $20,643. Property taken by rebels and found in possession of United States forces, $20.90. An allow- ance of $939.10 was made for the five mili- tia companies. The pay of militia in the entire state amounted to $250,000; dam- age by the enemy, $485,000; damage by Union troops, $152,000; total, $897,000. Of course incidentals would swell this fig- ure considerably.
It is the universal military opinion that the raid had no effect whatever on the gen- eral course of the war, although Duke
claims that it held back Burnside while Bragg made his movements, and delayed the occupation of east Tennessee.
The raiders were distributed in differ- ent prisons, Morgan and his chief follow- ers being lodged in the Ohio penitentiary at Columbus. While they were kept in strict confinement, yet their fate was far different from that of the Mitchell raiders, whose course they closely resembled. On November 26 Morgan and six of his com- panions tunneled their way out of prison and escaped South, where he renewed his cavalry operations. On September 3, 1864, he entered the town of Greenville in east Tennessee, and was wakened the next morning by a body of a hundred Federal cavalry, who came dashing into the town. Morgan had occupied the house of a Mrs. Williams. Morgan and an officer named Gassett took refuge in a cellar, where they were discovered, being pointed out, it is said, hy a Union woman. Gassett escaped, hut Morgan was killed in the garden, shot through the heart, according to Duke, who says: "It is not known whether he sur- rendered or was offering resistance. His friends have always believed that he was murdered after his surrender." Fortu- nately we are able to supply the informa- tion which Duke was unable or unwilling to find. On February 16, 1865, Hon. R. G. Richards, now common pleas judge in this district, who had enlisted in the 45th Penn- sylvania Infantry, escaped from the rebel prison at Charlotte, N. C., and was making his way westward towards Knoxville, Tenn. His guide through the mountains was Sergeant Brown, of the Tennessee Cavalry, which had broken into Green- ville on that fateful morning, and he re- lated to Captain Richards the whole story of Morgan's death. The latter was not "murdered," hut shot by Brown while trying to escape, after being twice ordered to halt, a proceeding which Morgan him- self would have had no hesitancy in adopt- ing had the situation been reversed. Duke also speaks of indignities offered to him in his dying agonies, but it is evident that the
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dying agonies of a man shot through the miles. Some 50,000 strangers were in the heart are very brief. It is possible that the east Tennesseeans who had been har- ried by Morgan and his contemporaries to a most outrageous extent may have mani- fested some exultation at the death of their chief persecutor, but, however this may be, on the prompt arrival of General Gillem the body was delivered to his friends under a flag of truce.
Among the efficient aids to our soldiers in the field was the ladies' organization for relieving the sick and wounded and pro- viding the men in camp with conveniences and delicacies, which were greatly appre- ciated. Mrs. Thos. L. Jewett was presi- dent, Miss Jennie Davidson secretary, and Miss Hattie Potter treasurer. Mrs. Jewett was afterwards succeeded by Mrs. Martha Sterling. The society met first in the Means building, on lower Market street, Steubenville, and prepared bandages, lint and other hospital supplies, afterwards oc- cupying the session room of the old First Presbyterian Church, in the building now owned by J. P. Draper. During the latter part of the war the society worked largely through the Sanitary and Christian Com- missions.
Benjamin D. Worthington was a volun- teer nurse three years in the Nashville hospital.
On July 4, 1865, there was a grand pie- nie and demonstration in Potter grove, on the hill above Mingo, to celebrate the re- turn of peace. Patriotic songs were ren- dered by the school children and addresses delivered. The only incident marring the pleasure of the day was the death of George Weaver, the railroad agent af Mingo, who was accidentally run over by one of the numerous trains running be- tween that point and the city.
August 28, 1879, witnessed in Steuben- ville one of the largest reunions of old sol- diers ever held in this country. It was pre- ceded by a loan exhibition of exceptional interest, which attracted daily crowds to the Court House from all the surrounding country within a radius of forty or fifty
city, mainly from Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, but including many from other states. Col. J. W. Holliday was chairman of the Committee of Arrange- ments and the meeting was held in the natural amphitheatre formed by the ravine north of the Stokely grove, since filled up. Decorations were on the most extensive seale, there was a free dinner for all, a barbaqued ox and innumerable other at- tractions, with fireworks at night. The mass meeting was presided over by W. V. B. Crosky, and after prayer by Rev. Dr. Grimes, addresses were made by Hon. J. T. Updegraff, Generals Garfield, Ewing, Pi- att, Hickenlooper, MeCook. Dennison, Poorman, Rice, Shallenberger, Governor Bishop, Judge Cochran and Chaplain McGuire. The parade, with the massing of Ohio and West Virginia battle flags, was especially impressive.
THE SPANISH WAR.
Jefferson County was represented in the Spanish War by about seventy volunteers, all credited to companies from other states. The roll for a couple of companies was started here, and there would have been no difficulty in filling them, but the Ohio quota was filled almost instantly and the gov. ernor telegraphed that no more could be accepted from this state. But many of the boys were determined to go anyway and hence they went elsewhere and enlisted where the quota had not been completed, principally in West Virginia. Among them were:
Charles MeKinley, Richmond, Roosevelt Rough Riders, wounded at San Juan; Lewis Kerr, Richmond; Thomas Jones, Shane; Joseph A. Granten, 1st Ill. Cav .; Edward Thomas. Pa. Reg .; John Opper- man, Co. C, 158th Ind .; William Batman, 1st W. Va .: Oliver Morrison, 10th Pa .; Willie D. Wilson, Co. E, 8th Reg .; Horace F. Clark, Co. A, 14th P. V .: Hugh Cusiek, Tiltonville, Lieut. Connor's Co .: Charles R. Williams, John C. Burns. Yorkville,
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Lieut. Connor's Co .; James Croner, Brook- lyn Navy Yard; Charles Bickerstaff, Camp Merritt, Cal .; Frank Russell, Fort Mc- Pherson; Walter Crewson; Dr. Harry Mertz, Naval Surgeon; William J. Irwin, 7th O .; James S. MeCracken, 1st. Ill .; Wm. Henry, Signal Corps; Mark P. Wilson, George A. Green, Ed. Kirkpatrick, George Harris, 17th U. S .; Fred A. Gladfelter, Charles Leightel (died at Iola, P. I.), John E. Taylor, Co. E, 8th Reg .; James B. Has- sett, Co. F, Immunes; Charles Wagner, Co. F, 3d Mo .; Oscar Otto, Clark M. William- son, George Clifton, Clarence L. Leeper, Co. I, 4th O .; Thomas Dougherty, John Kells, Edward Phillips, George Brinkman, Bernard M. Craig. Joseph E. Allen, Orr Lowe, 17th U. S .; Edward Stephens, Hosp.
Corps .; Frank H. Wells, Benj. D. McGee, U. S. training ship; Edward Richardson, naval engineer; William Paisley, Charles Duke, Ira G. Mushrush, Samuel William- son, Charles E. Henry, Charles E. Paisley, Toronto, Co. E, 8th O. V. I .; Francis Smith, Empire, Co. E, 8th O. V. I .; Barton Jones, Howard McMillen, William Freudenber- ger (Q. M.), Frank Jewett, James McGee, Harry Geisinger, William Boyd, George Boyd, Con Russell, Henry Altman, 2d W. Va .; Jacob Bowers, Battery I, 5th Art .; William S. Blackburn, Toronto, 1st W. Va .; Robert L. Hosie, Smithfield, 1st W. Va.
To the above must be added the name of Fernando P. Gilmore, rear admiral in com- mand of the navy yard at Key West.
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CHAPTER XII
HORTICULTURE
Story of Johnny Appleseed-His First Ohio Orchard-Early Nurseries-New Varie- ties of Apples-Other Fruits.
Long ago it was said that it is not to the great ones of this world that we owe our greatest benefits, and this is strikingly exemplified in the horticulture, especially the apple growing, of Jefferson County, which at one time, not many years ago, was the center of this product in the United States, both as to quantity and quality. In the year 1775, at Springfield, Mass., there was born a boy who as he grew up developed a fondness for the life of the field and wood, and then took to growing nurseries and planting apple seeds. This youth, to whom was given the name of John Chapman, came to Venango, Pa., about the close of the century, and in 1801. with a quantity of apple seeds in small leather bags, he arrived at Wellsburg, Va. From there he rode up to Cox's Ripple, where he crossed the river, and first set foot on Ohio soil near the mouth of George's Run, about four miles below Steubenville. Here he spent the night and planted his first batch of seeds. He was urged to remain and conduct a nursery there, but he declined, saying: "They are starting one np the river on the Virginia side (Nessley's) and talk of improving apples by grafting. They cannot improve the apple in that way that is only a de- vice of man, and it is wicked to cut up trees in that way. The correct method is
to select good seeds and plant them in good ground, and God only can improve the apples." He declared his intention of going further west, where stock would not destroy his trees before they were ready to sell, and where he would be ready for the settlers as they arrived. After inquir- ing as to the best ronte to the Muskingum he resumed his journey, stopping long enough near the headwaters of Big Still- water, between Morristown and Freeport, to plant some seeds in a small clearing, which he enclosed by a brush fence. We next hear of him in Jefferson County in 1806, when he again visited his friend on George's Run, where there was by this time a fair orchard. Miss Rosella Rice, of Ashland County, at whose honse Chapman was a frequent visitor, thus tells of this visit :
"No one knows why Johnny was so ec- centric; some people thought he had been crossed in love, and others that his passion for growing fruit trees and planting orch- ards in those early and perilons times had absorbed all the tender and domestic feel- ings natural to mankind. An old unele of ours tells us the first time he ever saw Johnny was in 1806, in Jefferson County. He had two canoes lashed together and was taking a lot of apple seeds down the Ohio River. Ahont that time he planted sixteen
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bushels of seeds on one acre of that grand old farm on the Walhonding River, known as the Butler farm. All np and down the Ohio and Muskingum and their then wild and pretty tributaries did poor Johnny glide along, alone, with his rich freight of seeds, stopping here and there to plant nurseries. He always selected |rich, se- cluded spots of ground. One of them we remember now, and even still it is pictur- esque, beautiful and primal. He cleared the ground himself, a quiet nook over which the tall sycamores reached their arms as if in protection. To those who could afford to buy he always sold on very fair terms, to those who couldn't he always gave or made some accommodating trade, or took a note payable sometime-and rarely did that time ever come. (His autograph shows a neat, legible hand.) Among his many eccentricities was one of bearing pain like an undaunted Indian warrior. He gloried in suffering. Very often he would thrust pins and needles into his flesh without a tremor or quiver; and if he had a cut or sore, the first thing he did was to sear it with a hot iron and then treat it as a burn. He hardly ever wore shoes, except in winter, but if traveling in summer time, and the road hurt his feet, he would wear sandals, and a big hat that he made him- self, with one side very large and wide and bent down to keep the heat from his face. No matter how oddly he was dressed or how funny he looked, we children never laughed at him, because our parents all loved and revered him as a good old man, a friend and benefactor. Almost the first thing he would do on entering a house and being weary was to lie down on the floor, with his knapsack for a pillow, and his head towards the light of the door or win- dow, when he would say, 'Will you have some fresh news right from Heaven?' and carefully take out his old worn books, a Testament and two or three others, the ex- ponents of the beautiful religion that Johnny so zealously lived out-the Sweden- borgian doctrine. . His was a strange, deep eloquence at times. His lan-
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