USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, Volume I > Part 79
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THE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT.
Few people who pass the handsome soldiers monument in the public square at Urbana stop to think that the inception for its erection began the year the Civil War closed. It is doubtful whether another monument in the state was conceived as soon after the war as the one erected in Urbana.
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It was in the fall of 1865, that a few soldiers met at the call of T. D. Jones, the artist, and discussed fully the question of building a soldiers' monu- ment in this county. Subsequent meetings were held, each one larger than the preceding one, until a full county meeting was held on the 13th of Janu- ary, 1866. S. G. Brecount was chairman of this meeting and A. C. Deuel was secretary. A complete organization was effected, and the following officers elected : President. Joseph C. Brand ; vice-president, F. M. McAdams ; secretary, Thomas McConell : corresponding secretary, A. C. Deuel ; treasurer, J. B. Armstrong. Subsequently Major McConnell was employed as solicitor and collector for the association and W. A. Humes was elected secretary.
At the meeting of January 13, a resolution was adopted that the monu- ment be a county monument to be located at the county seat and that ten thousand dollars be the minimum sum to be raised. This resolution was never carried out, the amount named therein never having been subscribed. Subscriptions were made rapidly for the monument, and before the year had expired the county had been thoroughly canvassed and it became a settled fact that subscriptions could no longer be obtained.
In 1867 the association contracted with Messrs. Moser & Company, of Columbus, Ohio, to build the granite work of the monument at a price which lost to that firm two thousand five hundred dollars, as subsequent events proved. In 1869 the foundation was laid in limestone, four feet under the surface of the public square, and in the fall of 1870 the base and pedestal of granite were erected and these stood waiting for the statue for a year and a half. Since that time the square has been called Monument Square.
In 1870 Colonel Armstrong, treasurer of the association, with a few hundred dollars remaining of the fund subscribed and paid, eager to witness the full accomplishment of the labor enjoined on the association by the county meeting, gave orders to the National Fine Art Foundry, New York, for the statue that now stands upon the monument. The choice of design was sub- mitted to numbers of known connoisseurs in art matters and resulted in the adoption of the figure of a cavalryman. In the winter of 1870-71, at the solicitation of Dr. J. H. Ayres, the city council of Urbana moved in the mat- ter of protecting and ornamenting the ground around the monument and ordered the building of an iron fence sixty feet in circumference. The fence, as eventually built, was only fifty feet in circumference. The ground enclosed was graded and sodded, the whole improvement costing about one thousand dollars.
A lingering suspense of months intervened and finally the statue was
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completed and shipped to Colonel Armstrong, who gave his individual draft for one thousand one hundred dollars, the balance due on the work. It was placed in position on the 29th of November, 1871. It was completely veiled and so remained until the formal dedication was made on the 7th day of December, 1871. The unveiling of the statute was an event worthy to be heralded by the music of silver and the loud sound of artillery. The day had been ushered in by a national salute of thirty-seven guns. Around the base of the monument stood the battle-scarred and tattered flags of the Second. Thirteenth, Twenty-sixth, Thirty-second, Forty-fifth, Fifty-fourth, Sixty- sixth, Ninety-fifth, One Hundred and Thirteenth and One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Infantry ; the Third and Twelfth Cavalry and Second Artillery. in all of which organizations the county was largely represented. Other regiments were represented, but the committee in charge of the reunion were unable to procure their flags. Among these regiments were the Forty-second, Eighty-sixth and One Hundred and Thirty-fourth. Wreaths and festoons were hung upon the monument the whole scene one of lively interest and attraction.
THE DEDICATORY CEREMONIES.
The ceremonies were brief but impressive. At half past one o'clock, V'ance's silver cornet band came into the public square and, with national airs, soon drew a crowd of five thousand people into the square. On the stand, besides the speakers, were Gen. I. R. Sherwood, secretary of state, and R. D. Harrison, state superintendent of railroad and telegraphs. At two o'clock Rev. Charles Ferguson offered an impressive prayer. W. A. Humes, secretary of the association, then read a letter from Gen. E. F. Noyes, governor-elect of Ohio, expressing regret at his inability to be present. Joseph C. Brand, president of the association, was then introduced and delivered an appropriate address. As he concluded, and while the large audi- ence was spellbound in anticipation of the next eventful moment, slowly the folds of the American flag, unwound themselves from the bronze statue and a sharp, ear-splitting boom of a cannon, planted four hundred feet south of it, seemed to lift the flag away from the figure, and it fell to the ground exposing to the view the suggestive picture of a soldier in meditation. The band and the artillery and the intense feeling of gratification that "it is finished" made that a moment fraught with deep but silent excitement.
The sound of the cannon had not died before Colonel W. R. Warnock sprang upon the stand and announced that it was a time fitting for the awakening of soldiers' echoes and at his signal the multitude gave three
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powerful cheers that rang and re-echoed along the streets, giving a crowning glory to the gladness that sparkled in every eye.
Gen. Rutherford B. Hayes, governor of Ohio, was then introduced and spoke for a half hour in language that told of his sympathy with those present. General Durbin Ward was introduced as orator of the day. He took for his theme "The Common Soldier." Both speakers eulogized the common soldier and painted in vivid pictures what he did during the four long years of the Civil War. Forty-six years have passed since the monu- ment was dedicated and but few of the old soldiers in whose honor it was . raised are now living. But there it stands and may it stand for long years yet to come-stand as a silent witness that the men of Champaign were will- ing to fight when their country called them.
For the past several years the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution has had charge of the care of the Monument Circle. It is now set in handsome ornamental shrubbery and presents a very attractive appearance.
LOCAL MILITIA COMPANIES SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.
When the Civil War closed there were probably two thousand five hun- dred young men of Champaign county who had had from three months to as many years training in military tactics. Even the seven hundred young men who spent the summer of 1864 in the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment received sufficient training to give them a thorough knowledge of military tactics. All of the men were allowed to retain their uniforms, arms and accoutrements and it would have seemed that they would have been inter- ested in keeping alive some kind of a local militia company. But presumably they had had enough of military affairs and were glad to return to the arts of peace and leave the science of war to others.
Spasmodic efforts were made prior to 1876 to keep a regularly organ- ized militia company in Urbana, but it was difficult to keep the interest sus- tained in any kind of a military organization. The Centennial year of 1876, however, witnessed a revival of interest in military affairs throughout the whole United States and Urbana siezed the opportunity to organize a per- manent militia company. Basing their organization upon a recently enacted statute, the Urbana Guards were organized on February 4, 1876, with a membership of eighty-nine and the following officers: Captain, B. F. Gan- son ; first lieutenant, Charles Kulencamp : second lieutenant, Thomas Binkard : first sergeant. J. M. Knight ; second sergeant, R. J. Winder; third sergeant,
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George McDonald; fourth sergeant, C. S. Kirtland; fifth sergeant, C. E. Colwell.
This company was uniformed with the regulation West Point gray uni- form and presented a handsome appearance. The interest aroused in this company was carefully nurtured by Captain Ganson, with the result that the company soon became recognized as one of the best drilled in the state. The city was proud of it and called it out on important occasions for ceremonial functions of all kinds.
Captain Ganson continued at the head of the company until replaced by Harry H. Williams. Captain Williams was subsequently appointed lieu- tenant-colonel of the Third Ohio Infantry and at the same time William H. Eccles was appointed captain of the local company, he in turn being suc- ceeded by George W. Leonard who was appointed on September 9, 1890. Captain Leonard remained at the head of the company until September, 1913, a period of twenty-three years. He retired in favor of George S. Middle- ton, the present captain. Captain Leonard had charge of the company in the Spanish-American War. Captain Middleton has already seen service in one struggle, the late Mexican imbroglio of 1916, and at the time this volume went to press was waiting the call to go with his company to Europe. The next history of Champaign county will have to tell what became of the boys of Company D who went to Europe in the year 1917, as well as the hundreds of others who became members of the National Army as a result of the selective draft.
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
Champaign county furnished one company for service in the Spanish- American War of 1898, and although they did not see any active service on the battlefield yet they were fully ready to take the field if their regiment had been called into action. Since it has no actual service in the field to narrate Company D, Third Ohio Infantry, has only a short history.
The company was organized at Columbus, Ohio, April 26, 1898, and was mustered into the United States volunteer service on May 10, 1898. There were twelve companies in the Third Regiment, the following cities being represented with companies: Covington, Springfield, Gettysburg, 'Urbana, London. Hillsborough, Dayton, Ripley, Piqua, Sidney and Sabina. The regiment left Columbus on May 18th and arrived at Tampa, Florida, on May 23. It was in camp undergoing training until July 25, when it went from Tampa to Fernandina, Florida. It remained at that city for a little more than a month, leaving there on August 29, for Huntsville, Alabama, where it
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arrived August 31. It was stationed at the latter place until September 14, when it entrained for Columbus, Ohio, arriving there September 15. It was furloughed from September 16 to October 16, and was mustered out on October 26.
There were only about half a dozen of the one hundred and ten men enrolled in Company D who were not from Champaign county. These are indicated in the roster. There were no deaths and but few furloughs granted on account of sickness. There was only one member of the company dis- charged on account of disability, William L. Redmond, a private from Mutual, aged forty-seven, the oldest man who enlisted.
ROSTER OF COMPANY D, THIRD REGIMENT.
The complete roster of Company D is found in the Official Record of Ohio Soldiers in the War with Spain, 1898-1899," pp. 175-180. The fol- lowing summary is taken from that volume:
Name.
Rank.
Postoffice.
Age.
George W. Leonard
Captain
Urbana
38
Walter C. Gifford
1st Lieut
Woodstock
27
George A. Burkett
2nd Lieut.
U'rbana
22
Edward H. Ullery
1st Sergt
Urbana
28
Edmund M. Brown.
Q. M. Sergt
U'rbana
23
Charles E. Lyons.
Sergeant
Reynolds
28
Daniel H. Gifford
Sergeant
Woodstock
39
Frank H. Hntfeld
Sergeant
Woodstock
22
John S. Shaffer
Sergeant
Mechanicsburg
25
E. S. Vermillion
Corporal
Reynolds
31
William E. Ward.
Corporal
I'rbana
Walter W. Smith
Corporal
Columbus
21
Charles A. Bailey
Corporal
Woodstock
24
Ralph L. Ayres
Corporal
Reynolds
21
Frank M. Bosler
Corporal
.Urbana
24
Edward A. Webber
Corporal
Columbia City, Indiana
20
William L. Bargar
Corporal
Northville
21
William F. Gumpert
.Corporal
Eris
28
Charles B. Winder.
-Corporal
N. Lewisburg
23
Charles W. Cushman
.Corporal
Woodstock
22
Paul A. Gulick.
Corporal
Mingo
20
William H. Goul
Musician
Mutunl
21
Edward D. Roberts
Musician
Sycamore
21
Herbert C. Davis
Artificer
l'rbana
21
Charles H. Bentley
Wagoner
Wilmington
19
The above list of twenty-five officers were all from Champaign county except two: E. A. Webber, of Columbia City, Indiana, and Walter W.
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Smith, of Columbus, Ohio. There were a total of eighty-five privates enlisted and most of these were mustered in on May 10, 1898, and out on October 26, 1898.
Name.
Postoffice.
Age.
Allgyer, Francis J.
Urbana
22
Ashton, Lester W
Mechanicsburg
28
Ayers, Don L
.Reynolds
19
Ball, Timothy O. S.
LaPorte, Indiana 21
Bayless, Ralph M.
Mechanicsburg
21
Beck Marsh
Cable
30
Bensing, Frank E
Urbana
25
Bosler, Benjamin S
Urbana
32
Brake. Allie
.Milford Center
27
Carlo, Logan
St. Paris
27
Cherry. Houston H.
Xenia
18
Childs, Norman S
„Urbana
18
Clark, Guy
Woodstock
27
Craig, Griffith E.
Mechanicsburg
Craig, Richard
Mechanicsburg
18
Curran, William F.
Woodstock
23
Cushman, Arthur G
Woodstock
18
Dickson, John H.
N. Moorefield
24
Ellis, Dallas T.
U'rbana
24
Ellis, Rose
Barnesville
19
Farrington, William L
Irwin
21
Faulkner, William L.
St. Paris
34
Fay. William H.
Mutual
20
Fetz. George. Jr.
Urbana
20
Feurt, Kenneth M.
Mechanicsburg
19
Fisher, Summer J.
Mechanicsburg
Fout. Joseph F.
Mechanicsburg
21
Ganson, Dale
Mechanlesburg
21
Hanley, David M.
Woodstock
28
Hartzler, Thomas K
.West Liberty
21
Hledges, Phineas D.
Fountain Park 20
Henry, Bert.
.Mechanicsburg 20
31
Hohnstedt, Geo. I.
Mechanicsburg
29
Holycross, Thomas
Eris
26
Howard, Harry A
Wakefield
26
Hughes, Milton L
Wakefield
21
Hughes, Charles G.
Mechanicsburg
1.8
Hyde. Robert
Urbana
22
Jennings, John S
Mingo
2
Jones. Lee R
Urbana
Kees, Jacob I.
Mechanicsburg
Lannon, John W.
l'rbana
22
Lee. Frank W.
Urbana
24
Lee. Arthur M.
Urbana
10
.
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Hegle, David K
Urbana
810
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Kame.
Postoffice.
Age.
Lewis, Thomas O.
Mechanicsburg
20
Linville, Kemp Q.
Woodstock
18
Martin, Sim D.
Woodstock 21
MeClure, Andrew J
Urbana 22
Mast Cicero P
-Urbana
28
Mattox, William R.
Mechanicsburg
30
Mellvain, Robert B.
Mechanicsburg
38
Mckinney, Forrest O
Mechanicsburg
30
MeInturff, Charles F
Crayon
20
Moore. Martin S.
Mechanicsburg
21
Overfield, John A.
Woodstock
22
Parish, Jobn R.
Urbana
22
Penny, Samuel H
Xenia
20
Phellis, Verne H.
Mechanicsburg
19
Polin, Daniel S
Woodstock
33
Pontiss, George H
U'rbana
18
Ream, Arthur G.
U'rbana
18
Redmond, Charles H.
Urbana
47
Reed, Edgar J.
Cable
30
Roberts, James F
Mutual
36
Romine. Amon W.
Cable
23
Sessions. Perry M.
Woodstock
20
Smith, William S.
Cable
23
Standish, Miles
Woodstock
21
Standish. Charles W
Woodstock
21
Stanley. Ross D.
Milford Center
25
Taylor, George W
Mechanicsburg
22
Thurman. Harvey
Kings Creek
27
Todd. Frank W.
T'rbana
20
Turner. Arthur
Woodstock
20
Weatherhead, Guy W.
Woodstock
21
White, Arthur A
Mingo
22
Wilford, James W., Jr.
T'rhana
19
Discharged-
Redmond, William I
Mutual
47
Transferred-
Colwell, Frank F.
Urbana
33
Loucks, Nevin A.
Dayton
20
Harry R. Hupman
Springfield
20
Fred Ernest
Springfield
23
Austin, Ernest
N. Lewisburg
29
Mechan, John F.
T'rbana
25
Sowers, Emory B.
Westville
22
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY IN THE MEXICAN IMBROGLIO OF 1916-17.
Champaign county had had men in every war of the United States up to 1916 and when the call came for men to go to the Mexican front
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in the spring of 1916 there were plenty of volunteers. The county already had one company connected with the Ohio National Guard, Company D, George S. Middleton, captain, and this company was at once recruited to war strength and made ready for service. It left Urbana for Camp Willis, Columbus, on July 3, 1916, where they were mustered into the United States service on July 13, 1916. On September 11, 1916, the company left for the front. They were stationed at Cinecue Ford, Texas, on patrol duty until November 11, 1916, and remained at that place until December 1, 1916. They saw no actual fighting and returned home without the loss of a single man.
ROSTER OF COMPANY D AT THE MEXICAN FRONT.
Officers, Commissioned and Non-Commissioned-George S. Middleton, captain; Joseph Sundheimer, first lieutenant; Mason Arrowsmith, second lieutenant ; Earl G. Walls, first sergeant ; Forest Fox, second sergeant ; Harold Alexander, sergeant ; Chadwick Meyers, sergeant; Harry Cooksie, sergeant; James Burris, corporal ; Edjel Shepard, corporal; Russel Chatwood, corporal; Harry Cromwell, corporal; Charles Murray, corporal; Robert Spencer, musi- cian; Edgar Wagner, musician; Carlyn Wiant, clerk; Elmer Waugh, cook (colored) ; James Hill, cook (colored).
Privates-Herman Allen, Cecil Carey, Clarence Chatfield, George Coch- ran, Roy Conrad, Eston Cotrell, Gilbert Cotrell, Homer Cotrell, Sheridan Compton, John Crabb, Cass Henry, Elmer Hurel, Joseph Hughes, Lewis Holy- cross, Pearl McClure, Harley Miller, Simeon Rowland, Irwin Sundheimer, Otis Spellman, David True, John Taylor, Davis C. Thorne, Howard Under- wood, Lonnie Williams, Pearl Zirkle, Harley Zirkle.
Recruits-John Ayres, Fred Bratton, William F. Butler, John Elmer Carter, Cleo Croy, Charles Cummings, Scott Dolbey, Kenneth Douglas, Pat- rick Dugan, Floyd Dunlap, Dennis Dunning, G. W. Ehrstine, Harry God- man, Walter Godman, Herman Grimes, Oscar Heater, Francis Howell, Clyde G. Johnson, Eugene Johnson, Thomas C. Layton, James V. Lebkisher, Leroy Leese, Charles Long, Paul McCollough, Thomas McDaniel, Thomas L. McWade, Roy Musselman, Paul North, Benjamin F. Owen, John Peters, Walter Pullins, Willis Ringler, Levlin Rock, Harry C. Smith, Harry Sprague, Brough Violet, Lawrence Wade, Harry F. Walters, Kenneth Weed, William Dwight Woodward, J. Arthur Young.
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CHAMPAIGN COUNTY IN THE GREAT WORLD WAR.
At the time this volume was sent to press the United States was in the midst of the greatest war that has come to pass since the dawn of his- tory. When Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, heir to the throne, was assassinated on June 28, 1914, it was little thought that the killing of this libertine would precipitate a war that would involve all the great nations of the world. But so it has proved-and the end is not yet in sight. Within a very short time, Germany and Austria had France, England, Belgium and Russia lined up in arms against them. Nation after nation took up arms on one or the other side, but the United States maintained a neutral attitude as long as it could so do with honor to the nation. Before the United States formally entered the war on April 6, 1917, the central pow- ers were composed of Germany, Austria, Turkey and Bulgaria. The entente allies now include Servia, Belgium, France, England, Russia, Italy, San Marino, Roumania, Montenegro, Japan, Brazil, Siam, Portugal, Panama, Arabia, Monaco, Greece, Bolivia and Cuba.
History will probably say that it was the unrestricted submarine cam- paign inaugurated by Germany in February, 1917, that finally led the United States to take up arms. President Wilson read his famous war message to Congress on April 2, 1917, and four days later Congress declared war. As soon as this action was taken, Congress began active preparations to take a part in the struggle. Act after act was passed by Congress in an effort to put the country in a position to become a promi- nent and deciding factor in the war. A loan was authorized, very appropriately known as the Liberty Loan, and within a very short time the two-billion loan was heavily oversubscribed. In the meantime, in order to provide for an army of at least a million men, Congress passed a conscription act pro- viding for the registration of all men of the United States between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-one, inclusive. June 5 was designated as the date on which this registration was to take place and on that day nearly ten million men between these ages were registered. The number of regis- trants in Champaign county totaled 1,799.
While all these events were transpiring every effort was being made to bring the regular army and national guard up to war strength. Com- pany D, Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, George S. Middleton commanding, was one of thousands of national guard companies over the United States which began an active campaign to get sufficient recruits to
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bring its quota up to war strength. The Urbana company was called out early in the summer of 1917 to guard public property in Columbus and railroad and highway bridges up and down the Scioto river. The local com- pany was recruited to full strength before the selective draft went into opera- tion.
GEORGE S. MIDDLETON.
There is no positive rule for achieving success, and yet in the career of the successful man, whether in the professions, trades, military or public life, there are always lessons which might well be followed. The man who advances rapidly in any vocation is he who can see and utilize the opportu- nity that comes in his path. The essential conditions of human life are al- ways practically the same, and when one individual passes another on the highway, reaching his goal before others, who perhaps started out in their careers before him, it is because he has the power to use advantages which probably encompass the whole human race. Such a man is Capt. George S. Middleton, of Urbana, Champaign county, who, while yet young in years, has made a brilliant record in both military affairs and the law.
Captain Middleton was born in Urbana, Ohio, June 29, 1886. He is a son of Evan P. and Zeppa Middleton, mention of whom will be found else- where in this work. He grew to manhood in his native town and there at- tended the public schools, graduating from the Urbana high school, in June, 1906. In September of that year he entered the Ohio State University at Columbus, where he completed an arts-law course of five years, making a splendid record in both departments. In June, 1911, he was graduated from the law department of that institution, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Ohio, in December, 1910. He began the practice of his profession in Urbana, in September, 1911, and continued with very gratifying success until called to service on the Mexican border, June 19, 1916. Among his professional brethren he is noted for his thorough knowledge of the great underlying principles of the law, and for his faculty of clearly presenting to the court and jury the law and facts of the case. There are strength, fidelity and honor in his char- acter, and the relations between him and his client are loyal and genuine.
Captain Middleton's military service began in 1903, when he was only sixteen years of age, he then being the youngest member of his company. At that time he enlisted as bugler in Company D, Ohio National Guard, and after serving a full term of five years re-enlisted in the same capacity in
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August, 1908. Owing to faithfulness to duty, innate ability, courage, effi- ciency and general martial deportment his rise from the ranks has been rapid and continuous. Although only thirty-one years old (1917) he has been in the service for a period of fifteen years. On March 11, 1912, he was elected first lieutenant by the members of his company and was commissioned on the same date, and served with fidelity in that capacity until elected and commissioned captain on November 10, 1913, which responsible posi- tion he has since held with satisfaction and credit, discharging his duties in a manner that has won the admiration of his comrades and the confidence of his superior officers.
Captain Middleton was in command of Company D, Third Infantry, Ohio National Guard, during the service of that regiment on the Mexican border, from September 11, 1916, to March 22. 1917, when the regiment was recalled. Company D was stationed at Columbus, Ohio, guarding bridges and public property, until August 14, 1917, when the Third Regiment was sent to Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio, where it is now under training preparatory to being sent to the trenches in France for active participation in the European War.
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