History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 50

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 50

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Morgan was next ordered to establish his head- quarters with five companies at Ceoralvo, and to occupy Punta Aguda and Marin. The former place was occupied by Wall with two companies and the latter by three companies under Irwin. The Thirtieth Ohio under Colonel S. R. Curtis now occupied Camargo.

As a meteor suddenly bursts upon the sky, so must Louis P. Cooke appear and vanish from this brief narrative. He was one of those eccentric be- ings who now and then appear in life to disturb its dull monotony. A Kentuckian by birth, he passed some time at West Point, when the tragic events in the early history of Texas induced him to abandon school and country to become an actor in the stir- ring scenes of the Lone Star State. He had jet black hair, dark blue eyes, and a florid complexion somewhat bronzed by wind and storm. Tall and

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slender, he had the strength and agility of an athlete, with the soft voice and emotional heart of a woman. When aroused, he was a tiger. Never the aggressor, he was victor in every deadly conflict in which he had engaged; and in duel and ren- counter five men had fallen before him. A man of education and refinement; danger fascinated him, and action was the imperative law of his being.

Cooke and Morgan had known each other while serving ten years before in the army of Texas, and when on the evening of the twenty-second of Feb- ruary, 1847, Cooke rode up to Morgan's quarters at Ceoralvo, he was received with the cordiality with which one old comrade is sure to greet another. While at supper, Cooke said: Morgan, is your po- sition fortified?" "No, we have been here but a few days and hope to go forward." "But you are in immediate danger." "From whom?" "Santa Anna is advancing with a large army to attack Tay- lor; and will seek to cut off his supplies by send- ing a large cavalry force through the pass at Cade- ritta to cut off communication between Camargo and Monterey." "You anticipate a speedy battle?" "They are probably fighting now; at any moment you may be attacked." "Whence your informa- tion?" "From my own observation. When Scott withdrew the regulars from this line to advance up- on Vera Cruz, I felt certain that Santa Anna would push forward from San Luis de Potosi, and attack Taylor while his army was reduced. My instinct carried me to the front. I saw Taylor at Aqua Nueva, twenty-five miles beyond Saltillo. Rumors had reached him that the enemy was advancing. He did not credit them. Alone I pressed forward to Encarnacion, and then feeling the breath of the coming storm, I hastened back to Aqua Nueva, but Taylor remained incorrigible. Wool was im- pressed with my report, and the army may have fallen back to Angostura (the narrows) in front of Buena Vista. If it has not it will be destroyed, and we will be driven back to the gulf, if not anni- hilated." The next morning Cooke and Morgan parted never to meet again.

Morgan put a large stone building in a state of defence, but that very night he received orders from Taylor dated on the twenty-first of February direct- ing him to concentrate his regiment and ad- vance to Monterey. Lieutenant Joline with an es-

cort of ten men was dispatched to Punta Aguda with orders for Major Wall to advance at once to Ceoralvo. There being no means of transporting his stores, during the night they were burned on the plazza. Wall with his two companies reached Ceoralvo at two in the morning, and at dawn of day the march was taken up for Monterey. At the "nine mile ranch" a rumor was heard of the destruc tion of a large wagon train under the escort of Cap- tain Barbour of the First Kentucky. The route was utterly abandoned.

The following is from the official report of Gen- eral Z. Taylor: "On the morning of the 25th Colonel Morgan was joined by twenty-five drivers and wagonmasters who had fled to the hills when Barbour's train was attacked and thus escaped the awful fate of their companions. At two o'clock he reached the scene of the disaster and found the bodies of forty or more of the drivers horribly mu- tilated, the wagons burning, and a number of bodies thrown into the flames. Finding no wounded the march was continued to Marin," which was reached about night fall, and found to be in flames. Morgan halted in front of the town and sent a reconnoitring party of wagoners under wagonmaster Box to ascertain and report its con- dition. They soon returned at a gallop, bringing with them all spattered with blood a Mexican, las- soed to the pummel of a wagoner's saddle. From him it was learned that the enemy's cavalry under General Urea had been before Marin for two days, and several skirmishes had taken place between them and Lieutenant Colonel Irwin's command. That the arrival of reenforcements of infantry and two pieces of artillery, under Major Shepherd, of the First Kentucky regiment, had caused the enemy to retire, and relieved Colonel Irwin, who knew nothing of Colonel Morgan's approach. At Marin it was ascertained that the escort of the train (thirty men under Lieutenant Barbour, First Kentucky regiment) had been surrounded and captured. Having stationed his pickets and given directions as to the command of his men, Morgan rode out on the Monterey road. He gained a slight elevation which commanded a view of the surrounding country. After some time he dis- covered to the left and front the dim outline of extended camp fires. It was the bivouac of the

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same Urea who butchered the soldiers of Fannin after they had surrended at Goliad. Satisfied that an encounter was inevitable, to avoid the chance of an ambuscade Morgan determined to advance at midnight. Neither he nor his men had slept since leaving Ceoralvo. All but the poor fellows on guard were now asleep, and throwing his horse- blanket on the sidewalk of the plazza, with his sad- dle for a pillow, he slept thirty minutes, and the march was resumed. Towards morning the tramp of Urea's cavalry was heard on every side closing in on the little column, which at once closed to half distance and formed square. At the first streak of dawn the rattle of muskets and escopets was heard, and the flankers ran in and took their places in the square. In a few moments the road passed through a clear piece of ground, and the opposing forces were in full view of each other. The little square was like a rock, surrounded by an ocean of lancers, whose gay uniforms and bright pennons shown brilliantly in the sunlight. About half a mile to the front a squadron of lancers mounted on gray horses halted in the road, and Urea, for it was he, raised his glasses to make a reconnoissance. Morgan cantered a hundred paces towards him and halted, when Urea advanced a short distance and saluted with his hand after the style of the Mexicans. Morgan returned the salu- tation by raising his cap, galloped back to the square, and ordered the musicians to strike up Yankee Doodle. The 'enemy answered the defi- ance with loud huzzas, and at the sound of the bugle on every side bore down on the square. On they came in serried columns, and the earth seemed to tremble beneath the shock. "Steady, men!" exclaimed Morgan. "Look for the whites of their eyes! Fire by rank! Ready! Aim! Front rank! Fire! Rear rank! Fire! Load, and fire at will!" On every side saddles were emptied; horses maddened by their wounds became unman- ageable; the running fire from each front of the square was kept up with precision and rapidity until the enemy first wavered; tried to rally, and then on every side fell back in confusion. The boys of the Second yelled like demons, and every successive charge was received with the steadiness of veterans. Thus the fight went on, advancing when the enemy fell back, halting and facing out-

ward when he renewed the charge. At length Urea placed a large body of cavalry in front, dismounted the remainder of his force, and at long range opened fire on the square from his escopetas. The larg balls of the escopetas as they tore through the air made a most uncomfortable sound, and as they whistled past the heads of the men in the ranks they would instinctively dodge. Morgan and Wall were on horseback in the middle of the square, and seeing the boys dodge their heads as the balls whistled past them, the colonel exclaimed, "Come boys, no dodging! When you hear the balls whistle the danger is over." The boys would still bob their heads, look around at the colonel and laugh. At length a shower of balls passed a little higher than usual and whistled close to Morgan's head, who bobbed as the boys had done; and laughingly exclaimed, "Dodge and be d-d boys !" which incident is to this day narrated by the sur- viving veterans of the old Second.

The square again advanced, and the lancers with- drew to the right and left of the road, and once more charged, and were once again repulsed. Morgan now called for a volunteer to bear orders for Irwin to return. Lieutenant Stewart, of the Highland company, at once offered to run the gauntlet, and mounted on a fleet horse he shot from the square like a rocket. The Mexicans were dumbfounded, and seemed to have lost voice and power of action, while Stewart dashed on. At length they raised a yell and sent wild shots after him, but he safely reached Irwin who rapidly marched to the succor of his comrades, and at 11:30 A. M. he joined Mor- gan, but before doing so he poured several volleys from his two guns into the lancers, who fell back and soon disappeared.

The Second continued the march to Monterey, and made the march of eighty miles in two days and a half, six hours of which time were occupied in fighting Urea. Immediately after the victory at Buena Vista Taylor again advanced to Aqua Nue- va, and was there joined by Morgan's regiment but the old chieftain soon returned to Monterey, leaving General Wool in command of the main body of the army at Buena Vista, where it was en- camped in three lines; the Second and Third Ohio and the two Illinois regiments forming the third line on a plateau of unrivalled beauty. The fight-

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ing was over on Tayior's line; but two incidents occured at the camp at Buena Vista which are viv- idly recollected by the soldiers of the Ohio regi- ments. Between the second and third lines of en- campment there was an excellent spring at which the soldiers of the two lines often met to relate the camp stories of the war. One day a fight occured between an Ohioan and a Kentuckian. The latter was a giant in size, strength, and courage, and the Ohioan was worsted. The quarrel was taken up by a broad-shouldered and good natured man of the Second Ohio, named Frost; a second encounter took place, which resulted in the Kentuckian's be- ing so badly pounded that he had to be carried to his encampment. All of this occured without the knowledge of the officers of either regiment; nevertheless for a time it created an ugly feeling between the two regiments.

The other incident is historic in its character. The annexation of Texas was bitterly opposed by the Whigs, who charged, which was true, that it caused the war with Mexico. And although both Taylor and Scott were Whigs, and although many officers and soldiers belonged to that party, many of the leading Whigs in Congress denounced and opposed the war. Foremost among these were two Ohioans, justly celebrated for their eloquence and ability; they were the Hon. Thomas Corwin of the United States Senate, and the Hon. Columbus Del- ano of the House. When the intelligence of this opposition to the war reached the army it created intense feeling, and one night just before tattoo a sudden flame shot up on the parade ground of the Third Ohio, and loud groans rent the air. Mor- gan was field officer of the day, and happened to be making a call on Colonel Curtis, when seeing the flames and hearing the groans he sprang to his feet to suppress the strange and unlooked for dis- order. Colonel Curtis said "Remember Colonel that is my parade ground," intimating that it was for him and not Morgan to interfere. Morgan an- swered "Yes, but I am the field officer of the day." On reaching the ground a large crowd of the troops of the different regiments were gathered around a burning effigy which was addressed with jeers and taunts by the soldiers. Morgan ordered the men to cut down the figure and return to their regi- ments; but the order was only answered by a good-

natured laugh; and it was not until a detachment of guards arrived that the crowd dispersed, and by that time the effigy was consumed.

This brief narrative would be incomplete without a word in regard to Brigadier General Thomas L. Hamer, the senior officer from Ohio, in the war with Mexico. He was justly esteemed as one of the ablest men in the country, and had he lived, might have reached the Presidential chair. He was the only man in Ohio capable of meeting Mr. Corwin before a popular audience. Hamer won the confidence of General Taylor, and, indeed, of the officers of the regular army generally, who alike admired his modesty and merit. At Monterey he bore himself with marked gallantry, but did not live to enjoy the honors which would have been showered upon him had he returned to Ohio. He died at Walnut Springs, near Monterey, on the third day ot January, 1847, after a lingering illness of nearly three weeks. His remains lie buried in the cemetery at Georgetown, Ohio, and to the discredit of this State they slumber there without a monu- ment.

During the session of 1846-7 the general assem- bly passed a vote of thanks to the Ohio volunteers in recognition of their services in the field. The following letter of acknowledgment was addressed by Colonel Morgan to Governor Bebb of Ohio:

CAMP OF THE SECOND REGIMENT, O. V. } BUENA VISTA, April 12, 1847.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge your communication of February 10, 1847, accompanying the preamble and resolu- tions adopted by the legislature of Ohio commending the bravery of the troops on the field.

Permit me to say, on behalf of my comrades that the appro- bation of his fellow-citizens is the highest reward a soldier can receive for the hardships and perils of war. My comrades only regret they were not able to do more for their State and country. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE W. MORGAN.

To His Excellency, GOVERNOR BEBB.

Among the officers of highest merit who ever served in the army of the United States was Brig- adier General John E. Wool. Regarded as a mar- tinet, he was like a father to his soldiers. Amid the greatest danger and excitement he was always self-possessed, and by his admirable bearing in- spired in those around him confidence and cour- age. Probably no other living American than Zachary Taylor, could have won and held the field

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of Beuna Vista, yet a large share of the honor of the victory belongs to John E. Wool. It was he who placed the troops on the field; and seldom did a commanding general have so able a lieutenant to support him in the hour of trial.

The day before the Ohio regiments took up their line of march for their homes, General Wool pub- lished the following order :

HEADQUARTERS BEUNA VISTA, Į May 16, 1847.

ORDER NO. 190.

The general commanding cannot see the Ohio regiments sep- arate from his command without expressing the entire satisfac- tion which their good discipline, orderly conduct and fine mili- tary appearance have uniformly given him, and which causes him so deeply to regret they are not to be with him in future operations.

The Second and Third Ohio regiments will return to their homes with the consciousness that they have done great credit to their State, rendered good service to their country, and that hey bear with them the hearty good-will and sincere admiration of their companions and commander. In parting with the offi- cers and men the general wishes them a pleasant journey and a happy return to their families and friends.

By command of BRIGADIER GENERAL WOOL. IRWIN MCDOWELL, A. D. C.

Nor was General Wool the only commander who bore testimong to the bearing of the Ohio troops. General Taylor devoted an entire report to the en- counter between Urea and Morgan, which he con- cludes as follows :

The loss of Colonel Morgan in these affairs was threc Ameri- cans and one friendly Mexican killed, one wagoner mortally, and one soldier slightly wounded. The enemy is supposed to have sustained a considerable loss, but from the nature of the en- gagement its amount conld not be ascertained. We have to lament the fall of Captain B. F. Graham, assistant quartermas- ter in the volunteer service, after behaving in the most gallant manner. I would recommend to particular notice the gallant conduct and energy of Colonel Morgan throughout these oper- ations. Lieutenant Colonel Irwin, Major Wall, and Adjutant Joline, Second Ohio regiment, and Major Shepherd are also en- titled to notice for good conduct and valuable services.

Captain Barbour whose command was captured by the enemy near Marin was a prisoner of Urea, during the operations just referred to. At the close of the war he stated at Vera Cruz, when en route to his home, that the loss to Urea in his encounter with Morgan, was over three hundred. The usual proportion between killed and wounded is about one to six or seven, but in these affairs with Urea only six of our people were struck, and five out of the six were killed.

Just before the march was taken up by the Ohio troops at Beuna Vista for the Rio Grande, a melan- choly affair occurred at or near the guard tent which cost a man his life. Noah F. Johnston, of Licking county, was a law student in the office of Miller & Morgan when the first company from Mt. Vernon went to the field. He was a private, and was always prompt in the discharge of his duties, but had no desire for promotion. He was a great wag and practical joker. On the evening referred to he was teazing another soldier who became an- gry and called Johnston some harsh names. As a joke, of which the other knew nothing, Johnston challenged him to fight with muskets. The inten- tion was that the muskets should not be loaded, and that of Johnston was not. By some sad mis- chance the gun of the other was regularly charged. The distance was only eight paces. The word was given; a smile of merriment was playing on John- ston's lips, when he was shot dead in his tracks.

At Camargo Colonel Morgan bid good-bye to his comrades and set out for Vera Cruz to take command of the Fifteenth regular infantry, to which he had been promoted as colonel; while under Lieutenant Colonel Irwin the Second proceeded to New Or- leans, where it was honorably discharged.

The officers of "the Young Guard" were wel- comed back to their homes by a procession, a ban- quet, and bonfires, and many hearts were made glad by their return.

Lieutenant Colonel Irwin obtained authority to reorganize the old Second regiment, of which he was made the colonel. Captain William Latham was made lieutenant colonel, and Captain Lick was made major.

For this regiment a new company was organized at Mount Vernon, on the fourth of September, 1847. James E. Harle, the old captain of com- pany "B," was chosen captain. Robert B. Mitchell was made first lieutenant, and Stiles L. Thrift and Jabez J. Antrim second lieutenants. Harle, Mitch- ell, Morton, and others were members of "The Young Guard," and all of the field officers of the Second, reorganized, had been officers in the old Second The material of Irwins' regiment was first rate. General William Lytle who was killed dur- ing the late civil war was one of its captains.

On arriving in Mexico Lieutenant Colonel La-

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tham, with four companies, was stationed at Puebla; and Colonel Irwin, with six companies, was sta- tioned at Agua Frio, the highest part of the moun- tain before descending into the glorious and lovely valley of Mexico, and continued to occupy those posts until the close of the war, when they were all welcomed back to their homes with every demon- stration of joy.

But few of the veterans of that war remain. They were boys then; they are gray-haired sires now. They hold national and State reunions, and it is well to close this chapter with an address de- livered by General Morgan at one of these held at Columbus, Ohio, February 22, 1879.

Comrades and Veterans of the Army of Mexico:

A third of a century has passed away since the soil of the Re- public was invaded by Mexican troops, and the companies of Hardy and Thornton were captured and carried beyond the Rio Grande as prisoners of war.

That was the opening scene in the glorious drama which ex- cited the attention and commanded the admiration of the world, during two years of unbroken triumphs, and of deeds never ex- celled in the annals of war. It possessed all the romance of the crusade against the Saracens, and, like the crusade, was a bless- ing to mankind.

The plumed knights brought back from the Holy Land the reflected light of a higher civilization, which penetrated the gloom of the dark ages, revived the divine spirit of the Christian religion, and restored the arts and sciences to the European world.

Mexico was the mystic land of the Montezumas ; the scene of the exploits of Ferdinand Cortes, the first person to carry gun- powder and the Bible to the date and the orange groves of the Aztecs. And later it was the twice won and twice lost empire of Santa Anna, the great general, the remorseless butcher, who survived one Waterloo at the hands of Sam Houston, to be overwhelmed in a second at the hands of Winfield Scott, in that Garden of Eden known as the Valley of Mexico.

The war was full of romance and dazzling with glory. The vol- unteer was paid eight dollars a month to be shot at as a target, and was as proud and happy as a troupadour. At the first blast of the clarion which summoned him to battle, he kissed the girl of his heart good-bye, and sought a new idol in the starry flag of his country, till the war was over; when like a true knight he re- turned, if he came back at all, to the allegience due to his lady- love.

If the crusaders revived the civilization of Europe, so did the war with Mexico throw forward the civilization of the world one hundred years. The bayonet of the soldier was the wand which opened the exhaustless gold and silver mines of California, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, and caused a greater material, moral, and intellectual development than had ever be- fore taken place in any two consecutive centuries of the world's history.

Taylor had the honor and the glory to fight and win the first two battles of the war; and ever after, the American went into battle with the prestige of victory, and the Mexican with the certainty of defeat.

I can only glance at some of the brilliant and successful cam- paigns, which for the first time in our history caused the Rc- public to be recognized as a first-class power throughout the world ; and must limit myself to reminiscences of a few of the many heroes whose names should not be allowed to die.

The enemy, with pennons flying and bands playing, was de- ployed as if for review upon the extended plain of Palo Alto ; while Taylor quietly held his little army in double columns ready to be advanced or deployed.

Blake, of Taylor's staff, was directed to make a personal re- connoissance to ascertain the Mexican strength. With his saber and his pistols for his escort he dashed forward towards the right of the enemy's line, halted within range, counted the num- ber of files to a company, and of companies to a battalion; and thus, as though reviewing the hostile line, slowly cantered along its front, taking notes as he advanced. When the result was as- certained, he raised his cap, gracefully saluted the enemy, and galloped back to report to his chief.

The battle was like a tournament, and the laurel of the victor rested upon Taylor's brow.

But Blake, where was he? While the battle raged, like a meteor he flashed over the field, bearing orders to the troops. The victory won, the camp pitched, his face still flushed, his eyes still lighted with the fire of battle, poor Blake carelessly threw aside his pistols, when one of them exploded, and he who but an instant before was the boast and pride of the army, was dead.

The next day brought another victory, gained upon another field. If Palo Alto was a tournament, Resaca de la Palma was a rout, an assault, a storm upon the battle-field.

The guns of the enemy occupied a gorge fianked on either side by dense chaparral. The squadron of Charley May was ordered to carry the battery. Randolph Ridgely, one of the best horsemen of the army, and one of its paladins, had nis bat- tery in position and saw May approaching at a gallop. He also saw that the guns of the Mexican battery were loaded. To save May's command he waved his arm on high, and with the voice of a clarion called out : "Hold, Charley, till I draw their fire," and poured a volley into the gorge, Upon the instant the fire was returned, and while the defile was still choked with powder-smoke, the squadron of May swept through the gorge like a hurricane.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 50

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096