Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc., Part 74

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Akron > Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc. > Part 74

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Canadian Government had already outlawed the leader of the rebellion, Mackenzie, and placed a heavy price upon his head; but there being no extradition regulations, by which that government could demand his surrender, he was handed over to the United States civil authorities, and, after considerable delay, was tried for violation of American laws, by making war on Canada, in the circuit court for the western district of New York, convicted and sentenced to twelve months imprisonment in the Rochester jail. On the expiration of his sentence, Mackenzie went to New York City, where he became a contributor for the Tribune, his writings being always interesting, and generally instructive. In 1849 the Canadian government published a general amnesty, where- upon Mackenzie returned to Toronto, where he was soon after- wards elected to the colonial parliament, of which body he became a useful and influential member, and on his retirement from that position, he published a weekly journal entitled Mackenzie's Message, until his death, August 26, 1861, the Message attaining a very large circulation for those early days.

598

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

GENERAL BIERCE'S CAMPAIGN.

Notwithstanding the disaster to the eastern wing of the Patriot army, the capture of Mackenzie, the summary execution of Von Schultz and a large number of his subordinate officers, and the expatriation of their followers, General-in-Chief Bierce decided to strike a blow in the west, which, it was fondly hoped, would turn defeat into victory, and result in the speedy disenthrallment of the oppressed Canadians. Hitherto nearly all the efforts of the patriots had been made in the vicinity of the Niagara and St. Law- rence rivers, and it was supposed that not only less vigilance on the part of the Canadian and United States authorities prevailed in the west, but that, a footing once obtained upon Canadian soil, the entire populace would not only welcome them with open arıns, but would rise, en masse, and march with their patriotic deliverers to the rescue of their less fortunate brethren in the east.

Accordingly, through the machinery of the Hunters' organiza- tion, several hundred recruits were mustered in, and secretly drilled in military tactics, and ordered to quietly rendezvous in Detroit, the latter part of November, 1838. In this way some 400 men, chiefly from Ohio and Michigan, had been, under the guid- ance of faithful subordinate officers, quartered, as travelers and individual citizens, in the smaller hotels, boarding houses and private residences of Detroit, without attracting the attention of the authorities, or of the general public.

THE BATTLE OF WINDSOR .- At length, everything being in readiness, on the night of the 3rd day of December, 1838, the men were ordered to quietly assemble at a designated wharf on the river, at the hour of midnight. In the meantime a small but "daring" squad of "Hunters" had "seized" the steamer Cham- plain, a Lake Erie passenger boat lying at a neighboring wharf, the captain and crew of which, not being belligerently inclined, were, on promise to remain silent in regard to the seizure until daylight, permitted to go on shore.

Among those who accompanied Gen. Bierce upon this expedi- tion, and acting as his aide-de-camp, was a young printer by the name of John H. Harmon, son of the veteran editor of the Western Courier, the late John Harmon, of Ravenna, and an old personal and political friend of General Bierce.

THE EMBARKATION .-- Of the 400 brave men who had been armed, drilled, transported and subsisted from the Patriot fund, 137, only, reported on board the Champlain for duty, which num- ber, including officers and those detailed to run the steamer, con- stituted the entire force of the invading army. The steamer was quietly landed on the Canada side, about four miles above Wind- sor, at which latter place was a military barracks, which was supposed to contain a quantity of military stores, and to be guarded by about fifty British soldiers. Gen. Bierce's design was to quietly surround and capture this barracks, without arousing the garrison or the town.

Approaching the barracks, just at day-break, a man was seen running from the river towards the barracks, who it was surmised had rowed across the river to give the alarm. He was brought down by a shot from a patriot musket, and proved to be a Detroit saloon-keeper, on the errand surmised. That shot, however,

599

GENERAL BIERCE IN CANADA.

aroused both the guards in the barracks and the sleeping town, and the project of surrounding the barracks was thus foiled.

THE BURNING BARRACKS .- The British soldiers immediately opened fire from the loop-holes of the braracks, which was kept up until the patriots got so near the building as to be out of range of their bullets. Gen. Bierce then ordered Harmon to set the barracks on fire, which was accordingly done. The guards, finding their barracks on fire, came tumbling out in a hurry, several being killed, a number taken prisoners and others making their escape. Their arms were taken away from those captured, who, after a short detention, were liberated, the patriots by this time thinking it important to be looking out for themselves.

STEAMER THAMES BURNED-RETALIATION .- There was, at the time, lying at the little wharf in front of Windsor, a small steamer called the Thames. Though personal property, the boat was in the employ of the Canadian government, and to avenge the burn- ing of the Caroline, at Schlosser, by order of Col. Macnab, as here- tofore detailed, Gen. Bierce ordered the Thames to be incinerated also, which was accordingly done by Mr. Harmon and three others, bearing with them, for that purpose, brands from the still burning barracks.

[In a recent conversation with our venerable citizen-farmer, Webster B. Storer, an extensive boat builder in Akron, during the palmy days of the Ohio Canal, I learn that the interior finishing of the Thames was done by him previous to his coming to Akron, in 1836, her hull having been built on the river Thames, in Canada, and towed to Cleveland for finish and the placing of her machinery.]

Anticipating that by this time the main body of British troops, stationed at Sandwich, would be on the way to Windsor, Gen. Bierce ordered Colonels Putnam and Harvell (the former a grand- son of old Israel Putnam, of revolutionary fame), to station them- selves, with about 100 men, in an orchard, back of Windsor, then a small hamlet of a dozen houses or so, only, to hold the bold Brit- ishers in check, while the General himself, with his aid, and the remainder of his men, about 30 all told, moved into Windsor to hold the town itself,

BRITISH SURGEON KILLED .- After this disposition of the patriot forces, and soon after the return of Mr. Harmon and his comrades from firing the Thames, doctor Hume, a fine looking man, and a surgeon in the British regular army, with the rank of major, rode up to the town on a splendid and gayly caparisoned horse, evidently without knowing who the invaders were. On approach- ing the line, he was ordered to surrender by Capt. Scott. The doctor, apparently not realizing what was up, asked, "to whom shall I surrender?" "To the Patriots," answered Capt. Scott. The doctor, quickly dismounting, started to walk away, with an emphatic expression against surrendering to rebels. Capt. Scott immediately gave the order to fire, and the loyal non-com- batant doctor instantly fell dead, pierced by a dozen bullets-an act that at the time was considered not only very inhuman, but nearly akin to wilful and deliberate murder; an opinion, I doubt not, shared in by both Gen. Bierce and his aid, Harmon, who, in noticing this feature of the affair says: "Only part of our force fired-the rest, among whom I was one-thinking it unnecessary to go to the extremes with so brave a man."

600

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Doctor Hume carried by his side a magnificent surgeon's sword, which was detached from his body and handed to General Bierce, who retained it as a trophy, and, in after years during his life, he delighted to exhibit it, when "fighting his battles o'er again," to interested if not admiring listeners. This sword was, by will, among other relics, bequeathed to Buchtel College by Gen Bierce, in the following words: "My sword, captured from Major J. J. Hume, of the British army, in the battle of Windsor, Canada West, Decem- ber 4, 1838, and by me carried through the war of the rebellion from May, 1863, to November, 1865, as Assistant Adjutant General of the United States Volunteers." It is proper to remark, in this connection, that Gen. B.'s services in the late war, were confined entirely to routine work in the office of the adjutant general, at Columbus, until after the close of the war, when, for a few months, in the latter part of 1865, he was assigned to muster-out duty, at Fort Madison, Wisconsin, and subsequently for a short time was placed in command of Camp Washburn at Milwaukee.

' THE FINAL BATTLE .- As Doctor Hume fell, firing in the direc- tion of the orchard was heard, and Gen. Bierce dispatched Mr .. Harmon, mounted upon the dead surgeon's horse, to ascertain the situation there. Galloping hastily in that direction, a glance was sufficient to enable Mr. Harmon to instantly divine the speedy collapse of the expedition. The orchard was surrounded by about 400 Canadian soldiers, under command, as was afterwards learned, of Col. John Prince, of Sandwich, and other experienced British officers, whose sharp firing was playing sad havoc with the little Patriot phalanx of about 100 men only, while Col. Harvell, a large framed, fine-looking Kentuckian, was evidently endeavoring, with the Patriot flag in his hand-a white star in a blue field-to lead the command in a hopeless retreat. Being wounded in the leg, the brave Kentuckian faced about and commenced firing at his pursuers, and when his ammunition was exhausted, still defiantly brandished his bowie-knife at them, until finally shot down in his tracks. Thus ended the battle of the orchard, the balance of the command being all either killed or captured.

THE FLIGHT FOR LIFE .- Riding rapidly back to Windsor, Har- mon hastily reported to Gen. Bierce that "all was up," when a precipitate retreat of the thirty men who had held the town, was begun. Supposing that the steamer Champlain was still at the landing, four miles above, they made their way thither in a body, though presumably without any undue regard to military pre- cision, or martial bearing. Col. Prince, and his command, evi- dently not being aware of their presence in the town, and suppos- ing that the 100 men in the orchard comprised the entire Patriot force, the fugitives were not immediately pursued.

On arriving at the landing, the Champlain was found to be non est, and the fleeing Patriots searched the shore of the river for skiffs and canoes in which to ferry themselves over to Hog Island.

A sufficient number for the purpose were found, but there being a lack of oars, the butts of the guns were used as paddles to propel them across. Reaching the Island, the party walked to the other side. There a single canoe only could be found, in which the men were ferried across to the American shore, a few at a time. Gen. Bierce was among the first to go over, his friends, owing to the bad humor of some of the men at the failure of the

601

IGNOMINIOUS COLLAPSE.

expedition, and the whispered but distinctly audible threats in which they indulged towards the commander-in-chief, deeming it unsafe for him to remain until the rank and file were all safely across, as genuine patriotism would naturally have caused him to do.

CAPTURE BY U. S. TROOPS .- The United States authorities, under the proclamation of President Van Buren, in their endeavors to maintain neutrality, had chartered the steamer Erie, and with a Detroit military company, under the command of Major Payne, of the United States Army, in cruising about the Detroit River, overhauled the last batch to cross over, five in number, and took thein on board the steamer, Mr. Harmon being among the number, On being hailed by the Major and ordered on board the steamer, they quietly dropped their guns overboard, so as not to be found with arms in their possession. Being captured in American waters, and there being no positive proof that the men had been in Canada, they were set at liberty on reaching the wharf at Detroit, Mr. Harmom being so kindly received by the citizens who ' witnessed the arrival and discharge of himself and his fellow prisoners, that he remained in that city to the time of his death, in 1888.

THE FATE OF THE 107 .- Of the 137 men who went upon this necessarily disastrous expedition, all but about 30 were either killed or captured, the most, if not all of the prisoners, like those of Gen. Von Schultz's command, being transported to Van Dieman's Land, very few of whom, even after the promulgation of the gen- eral amnesty, as above stated, ever returned to the United States.

This disastrous affair ended the contest, it being fully demon- strated, on the one hand, that the people of Canada were not so ripe for revolution and independence as had been represented, and, on the other hand, that the government of the United States would not stand idly by and permit its citizens to organize, either publicly or secretly, military expeditions against the contiguous dependency of a nation with whom it was at peace. The "Hunt- ers'" lodges incontinently disbanded, and the interest in Canadian independence rapidly waned. It was said, however, and generally believed, in this vicinity, that the Canadian government had offered a reward of £2,000 for the capture, and delivery within its borders, of the American commander-in-chief of the defunct Patriot Army, Gen. Lucius Verus Bierce. Whether true or not, the writer has reason to know that the General firmly believed the report, and for many years observed the utmost caution when vis- iting any of the Lake cities, and even believed that secret emis- saries were prowling about his own home, with a view to his abduction and clandestine delivery into the hands of his enemies. It is probable, however, that these rumors had no foundation in fact, for, most certainly, so large a reward would have tempted some of the reckless spirits of that rather reckless period, to make the attempt to kidnap and spirit him over the border, though such attempt, like his own wild attempt to conquer a populous and well-protected province, with 137 undisciplined men, should igno- miniously fail.

IN A POETIC MOOD.

Immediately after his return from Detroit, which, in view of the active part. Uncle Sam's officers were playing in that vicinity,

602

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

was somewhat speedy, Gen. Bierce prepared the following poetical adaptation from Campbell's " Battle of Hohenlinden," for publica- tion in a local paper, evincing not only the General's enthusiasm for the "Lost Cause," but also a sort of shadowy impression that instead of suffering an ignominious defeat, immortal glory had inured to the Patriot cause from:

"THE BATTLE OF WINDSOR."

The sun had set on Erie's wave, The snow-clad hills on which the brave Reposed, were silent as tlie grave, Or Soldier's tombless sepulcher.

No martial sound, nor busy hum, No clarion clang, nor rattling drum Gave signal that the time had come, For daring feats of chivalry.

The soldier took his hasty meal, Then fixed the deadly, burnislied steel, Which soon the tyrant's fate would seal, When joined in war's dread revelry.

The Patriot band was soon arrayed, Their hearts beat high, but not disniayed, As each one drew his battle blade And shouted, "death or victory."

Then foe to foe, in contest view; Fierce flashed the fire, the rockets flew,

And death was revelling 'mid the few Who bared their breast courageously.

The Patriot cry of deadly war, " Remember Prescott !" sounds afar, And lurid flames, and crashing jar, Push on the dreadful tragedy.

The warrior foe in contest slain; The wounded strøwed upon the plain, Make fuel for the burning chain, Of barracks burning rapidly.

Now fiercer grew the dreadful fight; Now higher rose the lurid light, And shouts, and groans, as morning light Appeared, werere mingled horribly.

Ah, dreadful sight! As morn arose, The mingled corse of friends and foes, Bestrewed the ground amid the snows That formed their only sepulcher. B.

GEN. BIERCE IN UNITED STATES COURT.

In Cleave's Biographical Encyclopædia, in a sketch evidently written by Gen. Bierce, himself, it is stated that "after the disaster at Prescott, he led the remainder of his forces through Western Canada, capturing Sandwich on his way, and burning the barracks- and taking Windsor. The main body of his forces, under General Putnam, being defeated, he, with a force of 25 men, kept an attack- ing force of 500 at bay until he succeeded in crossing over into Michigan and was safe. He was twice indicted in the United States Courts for violation of the neutrality laws, and responded to the indictments, but the matter was dropped, and he resumed his law practice in Akron."

In his own "Historical Recollections of Summit County," in closing his account of the Battle of Windsor, he says: "Thus terminated, as Gen. Bierce had foreseen it would, after the fatal expedition to Fort Wellington, the campaign of 1838, and the Patriot War. * * * Soon, however, he was called before the United States Court at Columbus, Ohio, to answer for a violation

603

A CARD FROM AIDE-DE-CAMP HARMON.

of the Neutrality Law of 1818, but with as pointed a charge as Judge McLean could give, so popular was thie the man and his cause, that a grand jury could not be induced to indict him."

A CLOSING WORD FROM MR. HARMON.

Not finding Gen. Bierce's name mentioned in any of the news- paper accounts of the Windsor affair, I addressed a note to Mr. Harmon, after the foregoing was written, as to whether, for pru- dential reasons, he adopted some other name, to which Mr. Har- mon responded as follows: "In regard to Gen. Bierce, justice has never been done in his case. He was in command throughout the short campaign. There was jealousy on the part of Cols. Harvell and Putnam, and they did not lose an opportunity to prejudice officers and men. They were both killed in the Orchard Battle. I was Gen. Bierce's Aid, and knew all the difficulties. Gen. Bierce saw, before leaving this side, the outcome, and tried to persuade ine to remain on the Detroit side. I resolved to go where he went, and did so. He behaved nobly, and protected the men who fol- lowed him. Gen. Bierce did not sail under false colors. In cross- ing from the Island we changed clothing, to save him from arrest by the United States authorities. He did avoid arrest, and I was taken by the U. S. Military, but released when my identity was discovered."

THE END.

Thus has been collated, at some length, an episode in national and international history, which, over half a century ago, very largely convulsed the public mind of both Europe and America, and in which Akron and Summit county bore a more conspicuous part than any other county in Ohio, not only furnishing the "Commander-in-Chief," as above related, but quite a large propor- tion of privates also, with a liberal supply of arms, ammunition and money, in addition to the "moral" aid of public meetings, resolutions, patriotic speeches, etc., as above set forth.

CHAPTER XXIV.

SECOND ADVENTISM-THE END OF THE WORLD PREDICTED-APRIL 4, 1843, THE DAY OF DOOM-GREAT EXCITEMENT IN AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY -THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH TWICE RENT ASUNDER BY ITS ERRATIC PASTOR-MISCALCULATION IN DATES-FINAL CRASH POSTPONED ONE YEAR -THE FAITHFUL STILL SANGUINE-ERECTION OF A TABERNACLE-FEET WASHING ORGIES-ATTEMPT TO WORK MIRACLES-PELTED WITH ADDLED EGGS-MADNESS AND SELF-MUTILATION -SPIRITUAL MARRIAGES-PROSE- CUTED FOR ADULTERY-TABERNACLE BLOWN UP-THE END WILL NOT COME-MILLER, ITS PATRON SAINT, "GIVES IT UP"-"A DELUSION FROM THE FOUNDATION"-LOCAL ORGANIZATION GOES TO PIECES-A FEW STILL STICK-JOINING THE SHAKERS, ETC .- WONDERFUL POWER OF HUMBUG !

SECOND ADVENTISM AND ITS FOUNDER.

NE of the most exciting episodes in the history of Akron and of Summit County, was the reign of "Millerism," or "Second Adventism," here, from 1841 to 1846. For the enlightenment of the more youthful readers of these pages, a brief sketch of the founder of this sect, and the reasons by which he was actuated in the promulgation of his erratic doctrines, will be in order.

William Miller was born in Massachusetts, in 1781, and was bred to the occupation of a farmer. He was a volunteer in the War of 1812, rising to the rank of Captain, serving mainly upon the Canadian frontier. His education was quite limited, but being of a religious turn of mind, he applied himself to a diligent examina- tion of the Scriptures, and especially to a thorough study of the prophecies, and by an ingenious combination of symbols, dates and figures he evolved his theory that the Second Coming of Christ, and the destruction of the world, would occur in 1843. The precise day was not at first 'named by him, but later on, either by himself or his followers, the time was fixed for April 4th of that year. About the year 1833, Mr. Miller commenced to promulgate his new doctrine in local talks and lectures; but his fame at length began to spread, and the desire to hear him became so great, that his farm labors were suspended, and his entire time and energies devoted thereto, so that by the time fixed for the winding up of all temporal affairs on earth, it was estimated that his followers, in the United States, the Canadas and Great Britain, numbered not less than 50,000 souls.

ADVENT OF "SECOND ADVENTISM" IN AKRON.

In the year 1839, a talented, but somewhat eccentric preacher, by the name of James D. Pickands, was called to the pastorate of the First Congregational Church of Akron, whose house of worship -the first church edifice erected in the village-then stood upon the Court House grounds, but was afterwards removed to the corner of High and Quarry streets, where it later, for several years, did service as a parochial school for the German Lutheran Society,

605

THE EVENT FAILS TO EVENTUATE.

giving place, in 1889, to their present more imposing brick struct- ure. About this time some of "Father Miller's" proselytes began to preach the new doctrine in the west, a series of that class of meetings being held in Akron in 1840, '41, resulting in a number of accessions to the faith-some of them good and pure men and women and sincere Christians, and some of them of rather a doubtful status for either piety or morality.

Among those who began to investigate the subject was the Congregational pastor, who, though not at first fully endorsing or preaching the doctrine, became so "free and easy" in his pulpit utterances as to alienate quite a large number of the members of his church, who, after a vain endeavor to work a reformation in his theology, or to accomplish his dismissal, themselves withdrew and on the 8th day of June, 1842, organized the Second Congrega- tional Church of Akron, being the same society that is now known as the First Congregational Church of this city, building for themselves a house of worship on North Main street, the same building lately occupied as a livery stable by Mr. George Wulle. From this time on, Mr. Pickands rapidly gravitated towards the new faith, and finally, as "Time" approached its predicted "End," he was wholly en rapport with its most confident and mnost earnest advocates.

A majority of the remnant of his congregation were with him, and an effort was made to exorcise the minority and retain posses- sion of the house for the promulgation of the new faith, but it was found that this could not be done, inasmuch as the lot had been donated, by General Simon Perkins, for the exclusive use and behoof of the Congregational Church. Upon this discovery the Adventists themselves withdrew, holding their meetings in the groves and woods, and subsequently building for themselves a "Tabernacle"-a temporary structure, 30 by 60 feet, with plain board seats and desk, and sawdust floor-upon the opposite side of South High street.

GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT-NEW "COUNT."

Though many sincere believers in the doctrine, blindly follow- ing their enthusiastic leaders, had made every preparation, regu- lating all their worldly transactions to fit the date of the predicted consummation of all sublunary affairs-some even distributing their effects among their neighbors, and large numbers (as was alleged) having provided themselves with "Ascension Robes," of purest white, in which to mount to heaven with the rejoicing hosts -the 4th of April passed without the realization of their hopes.

Father Miller and his numerous talented lieutenants set them- selves to work to revise the "tally sheets," to ascertain, if possible, the cause of their discomfiture. It was finally found, by either the Great Apostle himself, or some of his "lightning calculators," that there had been just a year's mistake in the figures, and the end would surely come on the 23d day of April, 1844.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228