USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Columbus, Ohio: its history, resources, and progress : with numerous illustrations > Part 7
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
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temporary home for Ohio soldiers. The preamble to the act recited the above donation, and stated that a home had been established and carried on with means generously tendered and paid by the Cincinnati and Cleveland branches of the United States Sanitary Commission, and other benevolent societies and individuals. It was also stated that the Home had then as inmates nearly two hundred disabled soldiers. The act pro- vided for the appointment, by the Governor and Senate, of five trustees, two of them to be residents of Columbus, to manage the Home, and appoint a superintendent, surgeon, steward, and matron. An appropriation of $75,000 was made to carry out the purposes of the act.
On the 10th of April, 1869, the legislature, by joint resolu- tion, confirmed the action of the trustees of the Ohio Soldiers' Home, in transferring the temporary possession of the premises, the chattel property, and the unexpended balance of appropria- tions for current expenses already made, to the trustees of the National Asylum for disabled volunteer soldiers. Three days afterward, an act was passed, reciting in the preamble that the managers of the National Asylum had accepted the Ohio Soldiers' Home, and were then caring for the disabled volunteer soldiers of this State, and ceding to the United States the juris- diction over such lands, near the city of Dayton, as might be acquired by the managers for the purposes of a national asylum for disabled soldiers.
TOD BARRACKS.
New barracks, called Tod Barracks, in honor of Governor Tod, were built in the fall of 1863, on the east side of High street, north of the depot. They were intended for the accommodation of recruits, and of sick, disabled, and other soldiers, and ulti- mately became the place where regiments and other military organizations were disbanded and paid off. A board fence, twelve feet high, inclosed an area of 216 feet front on High street, and of 750 feet in depth. The main entrance was through a gate on High street, with a guard-house, sixteen feet square, on each side. Two blocks for offices, each 100 by 32 feet, occu- pied each side of the passage. Three blocks, two stories high,
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with double piazzas, for men's quarters, occupied each side of the lot. There were two tiers of bunks in the men's quarters-a bunk to each man. A guard-house in the rear ; a dining-hall, two stories high, and 190 feet by 32; a kitchen; a laundry, and a sutler's store, composed the residue of the buildings that were originally planned for erection within the inclosure. The parade ground, inside the inclosure, was 425 feet long by 262 wide.
THE ESCAPE OF MORGAN.
The raid of the rebel chieftain, John H. Morgan, through parts of Indiana and Ohio, in the summer of 1863, though now matter of history, is still fresh in the recollection of most of our readers. Morgan, it will be remembered, was captured in Columbiana county, and, on the first of October, 1863, was con- fined with about seventy other rebel prisoners, by order of the United States authorities, in the Ohio Penitentiary.
The citizens of Columbus were not a little startled, on the morning of Saturday, November 28, 1863, by a report that John H. Morgan and six of his captains had escaped from the peniten- tiary. It was by many believed to be an incredible rumor ; but doubt was soon turned into certainty by the appearance of posters announcing, by authority of Colonel Wallace, the com- mander of the post, the fact of the escape, and offering a re- ward of a thousand dollars for the recapture of John Morgan.
The prisoners who escaped with John Morgan were J. C. Bennett, L. D. Hockersmith, T. H. Hines, G. S. Magee, Ralph Sheldon, and S. B. Taylor. They all, with a brother of Mor- gan, occupied cells in the first range on the ground floor, on the south side of the east wing of the prison ; John Morgan's cell was in the second range, just above his associates.
When that portion of the prison was built, a few years be- fore, an air-chamber, so called, in the shape of a large sewer, arched with brick, seven feet in width, and four and a half in height, running the whole length of the wing, was constructed under the cells for ventilating purposes, and was fastened at the end into the foundation by strong bars of iron; the air passed in at the end, and through this chamber, out at the top of
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the building, by means of flues. The floor of the cells was simply a layer of mortar and cement on the brick arch. The thickness through to the air-chamber was about twenty-one inches. At the time the sewer or air-chamber was built, a large number of convicts were employed upon the work. Whether through any of these or otherwise, it seems that the rebel prisoner Hines, according to his own story, found out that there was an air- chamber underneath the cells, and by means of knives pro- cured in some clandestine way, dug a hole through the floor in the corner of his cell; through this he descended into the air- chamber, and removed the bricks in the arch underneath the other six cells, leaving a thin crust of mortar and cement, which could be easily broken through.
When all was ready, the prisoners descended into the air- chamber. Proceeding to the eastern end, they removed several of the foundation stones, but found an obstruction in the shape of an immense pile of coal, which had been thrown against that end of the prison. Retracing their steps about twenty-five feet, they selected a spot almost immediately underneath Hines' cell ; digging in a southerly direction, they came out into the prison yard, opposite the female department, having tunneled under- neath the main wall. Carefully concealing all traces of their operations, they waited until Friday evening, November 27, when the brothers Morgan, as the prisoners were about being locked up for the night, adroitly managed to change cells. When all was ready, John Morgan and his six captains, having pre- pared paddies and placed them in their beds so as to deceive the watchman, descended into the air-chamber; crawling through the tunnel they had made, they soon came out into the open air in the prison yard, and proceeded to the southeast gate. By means of a rope made out of bed-ticking, and se- cured to the iron hooks at the top of the wall, they drew them- selves up, and thus effected their escape.
A note, addressed to the warden, was found in the air- chamber. The address read : "Hon. N. Merion, the Faithful, the Vigilant."
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HISTORY, 1862 TO 1872.
The contents of the note were :
" CASTLE MERION, CELL NO. 20, " November 27, 1863. r
" Commencement-November 4, 1863.
" Conclusion-November 20, 1863.
" Number of hours for labor per day-three.
" Tools-two small knives.
" La patience sit amer, mais son fruit est doux." [Patience may be bitter, but its ruit is sweet.]
" By order of my six honorable confederates.
"T. HENRY HINES, " Captain C. S. A."
REJOICINGS AT THE PROSPECT OF PEACE.
Such had been the success of our arms, in crushing the re- bellion, in the spring of 1865, that Governor Brough, by procla- mation, set apart Friday, April 14, the anniversary of the fall of Fort Sumter, as a day of thanksgiving. This proclamation was issued on Saturday, April 8th. At ten o'clock, the next (Sunday) evening, our citizens were suddenly startled by the joyful peals of church bells. Then rockets were seen traversing the sky, and bonfires blazed in all directions. Crowds upon crowds of excited people thronged to the state-house square. There it was announced that the rebel army under General Lee had surrendered. The booming of artillery ratified the news. The shouts of the people rang out on the midnight air. Houses were illuminated, while speeches were made, and songs and music wore away the hours until Monday morning dawned. It was indeed a thanksgiving, in anticipation of the one proclaimed by the governor.
The clangor of bells and the roar of cannon awoke the slum- bering city early on Friday morning. Soon the capital had donned her gala dress. A feu de joie of small arms but gave audible expression to the gladness that pervaded all hearts. At the appointed hour the churches were thronged; " the joyful sound of the gospel of peace " was heard from the pulpit ; and anthems of praise ascended like incense before the throne of heaven.
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In the afternoon, throngs of citizens from town and country, gathered at the east front of the Capitol, and were addressed by George M. Parsons, of this city, and afterward entertained with music by the Tod Barracks band. Addresses were also made by John Sherman, Dr. Dorsey, and Samuel Galloway. The poems of "Sheridan's Ride " and " Where 's Sherman ?" were read by Evelyn Evans, the actor. The afternoon exercises were closed with music by the band, and the singing of a new and popular national song, entitled " Victory at Last." At six o'clock in the evening, an artillery salute and the sound of merry bells announced that thanksgiving day was drawing to a close.
The coming on of nightfall presented a grand and beautiful spectacle. Nearly the whole city was in a blaze of light. Not only were houses and other buildings illuminated, but lights shone from trees and other prominent objects ; while Chinese lanterns, Roman candles, transparencies, and jets of gas flashed and gleamed on every side. Nothing could exceed in beauty and sublimity the circle of light on the dome of the state-house; nothing could surpass the splendor of the illumination of the Opera-house block, or excel the variety and brilliancy of the transparencies and decorations that graced public offices, hotels, business houses, and private residences.
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Crowning this grand illumination came the torchlight pro- cession, headed by the band of the Eighty-eighth Ohio regi- ment, preceding the orators of the evening, the State officials, the general and staff officers of the army, the city council, and both branches of the State legislature, in carriages.
Then followed the 133d regiment, National Guards, with the permanent garrison at Tod Barracks, the paroled forces, the Veteran Reserve Corps in wagons, discharged soldiers, and the fire department, with gaily decorated carriages and truck, a deputation of colored citizens bringing up the rear. The pro- cession was nearly a mile in length, and during its march through the principal streets, cheer after cheer greeted its appearance.
The exercises at the state-house were opened with music by the band. Speeches were then made by Rev. A. G. Byers, S. S. Henkle, Colonel Granville Moody, and J. H. Geiger. These were interspersed with the inspiring vocal music to which the
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HISTORY, 1862 TO 1872.
war had given birth. A volley of musketry wound up the thanksgiving for victory won by the arms of the Republic.
PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S OBSEQUIES.
The.news of President Lincoln's assassination reached the city at an early hour on Saturday morning, April 15, 1865. Im- mediately the signs of a great public calamity became general. Places of business, private houses, and public buildings were draped in mourning. Flags were displayed at half-mast. The solemnity of the occasion was deepened by the gloom and dreari- ness of the day.
On Sunday the churches were arrayed in mourning, and the services within corresponded to these outward symbols of sor- row. On Sunday afternoon a large concourse of people, on the east front of the Capitol, was addressed by Colonel Granville Moody, while on the west front another large assembly listened to a discourse from Rev. A. G. Byers. Military bands per- formed solemn dirges, while appropriate hymns were sung by full choirs.
The city council met at five P. M. on Sunday, pursuant to call. President Reinhard stated that the object of the meeting was to express the abhorrence of the council for the recent diabolical act committed in the assassination of the President of the United States.
On motion of Mr. Douty, a committee of nine-one from each ward-was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the sen- timents of the council on that occasion. The committee con- sisted of Messrs. Douty, Donaldson, Graham, Thompson, Rein- hard, Jaeger, Ross, Miller, and Naghten.
Mr. Douty, from the committee, reported the following preamble and resolutions, which were unanimously adopted- all the members being present and voting aye :
" For the first time in this country has our Chief Magistrate fallen by the hand of an assassin. Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, has thus fallen. For the first time with us, has the life of a cabinet minister been assailed. That crime that has cursed and blighted other lands has been inaugurated in this. That practice that ever has produced, and that, if un-
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checked, ever must produce, first anarchy, and then despotism, has begun here. The example has been set of removing a magis- trate, not by the constitutionally expressed will of the people, but by murder. Let this example grow into use, and there will be an end of free government among us. There can be no true liberty where life is insecure; there can be no stable or beneficent government where the dagger of an assassin over- throws or usurps the national will. To these general truths of vital importance to society, the occasion presents other and most painful reflections. In the midst of the universal rejoicings over the success of our arms and the prospects of peace, the Chief Magistrate, during whose administration., the rebellion had been crushed, and from whose power, influence, and patri- otism, the most sanguine hopes of a speedy pacification were entertained, has been violently taken from our midst. The banners, that yesterday morning proudly and joyously floated from the mast-head, now hang in the drapery and gloom of mourning ; and where lately universal gratulations were ex- changed, there are now seen and heard universal greetings of sorrow.
" In this most painful hour of a nation's distress, it is most meet and proper that all official bodies and all citizens should solemnly express their abhorrence of the deeds of murder that have caused this distress; that they should deter, by their unanimity, a repetition of such deeds, and should manifest clearly to the world that the people of these States are not, and do not mean to be, involved in the horrors of anarchy, and that they will never give up the blessings of law, order, and free government. And it is also meet and becoming that the sym- pathy of the nation for the bereaved family of the late Presi- dent, and for the surviving and suffering victims of the tragedy, should be expressed.
"Be it therefore resolved by the City Council of the City of Columbus :
"1. That this council and the people of Columbus view with abhorrence the deeds of murder that have deprived the country of its President, and have endangered the lives of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of State.
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" 2. That this council and the people of this city most deeply deplore the death of President Lincoln, and regard it as a great public calamity ; and hereby tender their sincerest sympathy to his bereaved and afflicted family.
"3. That we desire, on this solemn occasion, to place upon record our appreciation of the high and commanding qualities of the late President Lincoln, as a man of integrity, and a patriot statesman ; one who labored for what he deemed to be the honor and best interests of his country-who united mild- ness and kindness of heart with firmness of purpose, and whose character on the whole fitted him peculiarly for the great work of pacification and reconciliation upon which he had entered.
" 4. That the warm sympathy of this council and community is felt for the suffering Secretary and Assistante Scretary of State.
"5. That a committee of nine of the council (one from each ward) be appointed to act in conjunction with such committees as may be appointed by the State authorities, and the citizens gen- erally, to make suitable preparations for the reception of the remains of the late President, should they be conveyed through this city.
"6. That copies of these resolutions be transmitted by the president of the council to Mrs. Lincoln and Mr. Seward."
A general meeting of the citizens of Columbus was held at the City Hall, on Tuesday, April 19th. Samuel Galloway pre- sided as chairman, and H. T. Chittenden acted as secretary. L. J. Critchfield, George M. Parsons, C. N. Olds, B. F. Martin, and Peter Ambos were appointed a committee on resolutions, who reported a series of resolutions, denouncing, in strong language, the infamous crime that had been committed at the National Capital, eulogizing the late President, and recommend- ing the closing of places of business in the city during the funeral at Washington, on the succeeding day. The resolutions were unanimously adopted. A committee of nine-consisting of W. G. Deshler, David S. Gray, J. E. St. Clair, W. Failing, Isaac Eberly, Rev. K. Mees, L. Kilbourne, C. P. L. Butler, and Dr. S. Loving-was appointed to co-operate with the city council
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committee in regard to the reception of the remains of the late President.
The several lodges, and the Encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in the city-Columbus Lodge, No. 9; Central Lodge, No. 23; Excelsior Lodge, No. 145; Capitol Lodge, No. 334; Harmonia Lodge, No. 358; Capitol Encamp- ment, No. 6; Grand Lodge of Ohio and Visiting Lodges-held an adjourned meeting at the City Hall, on the 28th of April, and adopted resolutions reported by a committee appointed at a pre- vious meeting, expressing profound regret at the recent great national calamity ; tendering warm sympathy to the bereaved family of the late President, and ordering that the hall of the several lodges and encampments in this city be suitably draped in mourning for a period of thirty days.
Arrangements were accordingly made by these committees for a military and civic procession, for a funeral oration, and other ceremonies, at the Capitol, on the 29th of April, when, as had been announced, the funeral train, with the remains of the President, would arrive at Columbus at half-past seven o'clock in the morning. Major John W. Skiles was appointed chief marshal of the day, with numerous aids. The following citizens were selected to act as pall-bearers on the solemn occasion : Dr. John Andrews, Robert Neil, F. C. Kelton, John Field, Augustus Platt, Christian Heyl, E. W. Gwynne, W. B. Hubbard, Judge Taylor, John Brooks, W. B. Thrall, D. W. Deshler, L. Goodale, J. R. Swan, W. T. Martin, Wm. M. Awl, G. W. Manypenny, John M. Walcutt, F. Stewart, John Noble, F. Jaeger, Sen., and Amos S. Ramsey.
On the morning of the day appointed, the funeral train ar- rived amid the ringing of muffled bells. Passing forward from the Union Depot, the train stopped so that the funeral car lay nearly across High street. An immense throng had assembled at the depot. Bands of music played solemn dirges while the coffin was taken from the car by Veteran Reserves and placed in the hearse.
The procession was grand and impressive. The hearse was the great center of attraction. All along the line of march people strove to get as near it as possible. It was seventeen feet long,
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HISTORY, 1862 TO 1872.
eight and a half wide, and eleven and a half feet high. The main platform was four feet from the ground. On this rested a dais for the coffin, over which was a canopy resembling a Chi- nese pagoda in shape. Black cloth, festooned, depended from the platform, fringed with silver lace, and ornamented with tas- sels of black silk. Surrounding the cornice of the canopy were thirty-six silver stars, and on the apex and the four corners were heavy black plumes. On each side of the dais was the word " LINCOLN" in silver letters.
The hearse was drawn by six white horses, covered with black cloth, edged with silver fringe. The horses' heads were sur- mounted with large black plumes; and each was led by a groom dressed in black. The coffin lay on the dais, in the hearse, in full view of the people, who crowded every window, balcony, house-top, and every inch of sidewalk on each side of High street.
Among the various orders and societies in the procession, the fire department of the city, with the neat uniforms of the offi- cers and men, the fine condition of the steamers and hose-carts, and especially the decorated car filled with forty-two young ladies in deep mourning, elicited general admiration.
The procession moved from the depot south on High street to Broad, east on Broad to Fourth, south on Fourth to State, east on State to Seventh, south on Seventh to Town, west on Town to High, and north on High to the west front of the Capitol. Along the whole line, public buildings, dwellings, shops, stores, and other places of business were tastefully, yet mournfully, decorated. Some had very appropriate mottoes and designs.
An arch over the western entrance to Capitol Square bore the inscription, "OHIO MOURNS." The columns at the west front and the interior of the Capitol were heavily draped with black cloth ; and various devices and inscriptions testified the public sorrow.
The procession entered the Capitol from the western gateway to the square, and proceeded to the rotunda, which, from the em- blems of mourning on every hand, seemed for the time trans- formed into a gorgeous tomb. On a platform, ascended by five stairs or steps, was the dais beautifully ornamented and fes-
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tooned, on which the coffin was placed, on a bed of white roses, immortelles, and orange blossoms.
Prayer was offered in the rotunda by the Rev. C. E. Felton, and the people walked without noise upon a carpet to the cata- falque ; passing by twos on each side of the coffin, viewing the remains and passing out-those on the right at the south, and those on the left turning to the north. It was found by actual count that over eight thousand persons passed in and out every hour, from half-past nine till four o'clock, so that, making all due allowances, it was estimated that the remains were viewed that day by over fifty thousand people.
In the afternoon a funeral oration was delivered by Job Ste- venson, then of Chillicothe, before a large concourse of people gathered in the east terrace of the Capitol. At six o'clock in the evening, the doors of the Capitol were closed, the procession was reformed, a national salute was fired, and the remains of President Lincoln were borne away and transferred to the funeral car at the depot of the Indiana Central Railway, for transportation to Indianapolis.
THE SAENGERBUND FESTIVAL.
At the general convention of the first German Saengerbund of North America, held at Buffalo, July 25, 1860, it was resolved to hold the next festival of the Bund at Columbus, Ohio. But the sad events of a civil war transpiring in the meantime, were unpropitious to the holding of a musical jubilee. It was there- fore postponed. But in the spring of 1865, the dark clouds of war having become dispersed, the central committee determined to hold the festival in this city on the 29th, 30th, and 31st of August, and the 1st of September.
In consequence of this resolution, a large meeting of citizens of Columbus, both native and foreign born, was held, May 12, 1865, to make arrangements for the coming festival. Peter Am- bos was chosen President; James G. Bull, Vice-President ; Henry Olnhausen, Corresponding Secretary ; Louis Hoster, Treasurer; and ten others, to constitute an Executive Com- mittee. Committees were also appointed on Finance, on Pic-
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nics and Buildings, on Decorations and Processions, and on Hotel Accommodations.
For several weeks before the time appointed for the festi- val, our citizens, German and native, were busy in making preparations. These, as the day drew nearer, began to take form and shape. At the headquarters-Schreiner's Hall, oppo- site the Court-house-the large reception room in the second story was decorated with wreaths and fringes of evergreen, and with the flags of the twenty-eight singing societies that had sig- nified their intention of participating in the festival. Inscrip- tions, surrounded with evergreen wreaths, contained the name of and a welcome to each society. The front of the building was wreathed with arches of evergreen, and over the main en- trance was inscribed, in large letters, the word-" WELCOME."
In the same general manner, but with an endless variety in the devices, mottoes, and ornamentation, were decorated Wen- ger's and Zettler's halls, the headquarters of the Columbus Maen- nerchor in Hettesheimer's building on Front street, the South Fire Engine House, and numerous business houses, hotels, and private residences. A splendid arch, on which wreaths of evergreen surmounted festoons of red, white, and blue, was thrown across High street, in the depression or hollow south of South Public Lane.
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