USA > Ohio > Lorain County > History of Lorain County, Ohio > Part 18
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C. S. Mills, president; Bradford Raer, vice-president; and E. G. Johnson, secretary and treasurer.
August 26, an exenrsion to Niagara Falls, resulted in adding two hundred and two dollars to the treasury of the society.
The thirty-third annual fair was heldl October 1, 2, and 3. Every department of stock, products, and
mechanic arts was well filled. Vegetables and apples made a splendid show, being. not only very numer- ous, but of large size and excellent quality. The Iulies' departments, in floral hall, were well filled up with useful and ornamental articles, tine arts, etc. Miss Washburne, the assistant superintendent. showed her skill, in arranging the articles so tastefully. The hall was crowded each day with the ladies, who were unwilling to leave the building until they had ex- amined every article. The decorations made by the young ladies, previous to the exhibition, were highly appreciated by the visitors. The receipts at this fair amounted to two thousand, two hundred and thirty-six dollars. It was quite clear to the board of directors that, ere the annual meeting of 1879, the society would be free from this long and heavy bur- den of indebtedness. A plan was suggested, to ask all favorable to the association, to subscribe one dollar. This was done, and more than was sufficient for the purpose was raised, leaving, at the annual meeting of the board. December 28, 1878, a cash balance, in the hands of the treasurer, of fifty dollars and twenty- tive cents. Some further receipts and payments since that date. leave the account, at this day, January 26, 1849, viz: twenty-four dollars and twenty-tive cents in the treasury.
At the thirty-fourth annual meeting. hekl January 26, 1879, the secretary and treasurer presented his report. President Mills read his annual address, which contains a list of payments, made on land con- tracts, from the purchase, in 1867, np to taking pos- session of the deed. The address of President Mills gave the greatest satisfaction. After the president's address, a discussion followed.
The election of officers resulted in the choice of
C. S. Mills, president; John W. Hart, vice president ; directors for two years, Freeman Parmely, H. Moores, Ed. Hance, and William W. Pen- field; for one year, (per J. W. Hart, vice president) H. M. Axteil, Those holding over. S. B. Dudley, R. Baker, and H. E. Corning. The present board appointed E. G. Johnson, secretary and treasurer for the ensuing year.
After the election. papers were read by R. Baker on "the necessity of a better system of husbandry:" William A. Braman (claimed by the writer to be) "a paper without a subject," and N. B. Gates presented a paper, in part, and finished with his accustomed off- hand remarks respecting farming in Connectient, etc. To the society was sent, by a member of the legisla- ture, for distribution, some seventy copies of the "Ohio State Board of Agriculture Reports."
The history of the society is here given from its or- ganization up to the thirty-fourth annual meeting. 1849. To have given all the details would have en- croached too much on the pages of this county history. Sufficient is included to give a correct idea of its pro- gress, the many ditheulties the early officers had to contend with, and the determined zeal manifested by them. Much is missing on account of the loss of im- portant papers consumed by the fire of 1843. It is to be regretted that the names of persons, and the amounts subscribed by them, for the fitting up of the new
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
grounds in 1862 cannot be inserted, the list being also burnt up. But, to the credit of many let it be recorded, that individuals gave liberally, from twen- ty-five to fifty dollars, and also donated a part, and in many cases the whole of the premiums awarded to them in 1867 and 1868, some waiting over a year for their premium money. It will be admitted by many readers of this history that many of the members subscribed all, or more, than they were able. Many of the enterprising farmers of the county appreciate the benefits derived through this organization. It must be conceded that through the influence of this society, the agriculture, etc., of the county has been improved to such a degree that the wealth of the county, by way of live stock and improved culture, is vastly greater than it otherwise would have been. It will be disputed by none that this society has been the means of vast improvement in the breeds of stock. and of great benefit to agriculture and the mechanic arts. The farmers raise better cattle, horses, sheep, and swine, while the number, variety, and quality of manufactured articles are far in advance of what they would have been but for this organization. It has imparted a healthy stimulus to every branch of in- dustry.
The dairying interests of the county are being de- veloped. Dairymen, having excellent breeds of cattle to select from, are endeavoring to use those that will make the best return, by way of milk, cheese and butter. The county is noted as producing the tinest quality of cheese, and the richest and sweetest butter of any county in the State. In the opinion of the most thoughtful, it would have been better had the society conformed to the requirements of the act, passed in 1846, for the encouragement of agriculture, etc. For years, the society offered inducements for improved plowing. The last contest for best plow- ing was in 1860. Here was the first great mistake. Also, encouragement was given for the best cultivated farm. This was dropped in 1863. The offering made for the best crops of grain, ete., have been dis- continued since 1873. AH these, I think, should have been continued, and should have formed a prominent part in the premiums offered by the society. But, not- withstanding all these shortcomings, we find, by the reports of various county societies, of Ohio, sent in to the State board of agriculture, at the convention of 1849, that Lorain stands nearly at par with the best, and, in some matters, takes the lead.
The society was fortunate in selecting the present location: the grounds being beautifully situated, and, have become valuable, by increasing from two thous- and seven hundred and seven dollars and fifty cents. to upwards of twenty thousand dollars. In the year 1813 previous to the panic, it was claimed that the grounds could be sold for twenty-five thousand dollars. There may be larger county fair grounds in the State, but none better located, or grounds better adapted for holding a county exhibition. And now, the debt being removed, improved and more appropriate build-
ings can shortly be erected, and the organization will be in such a position that every member will. not only appreciate, but be proud of it, and, in the next. dec- ade, it will become more efficient, and, consequently, more useful and beneficial to the agriculturists, hor- ticulturists, mechanics and stock raisers of Lorain county.
CHAPTER XV. LORAIN IN THE REBELLION.
All remember the early days of 1861. Sumter had fallen: the Southern Confederacy was formed; the South, with stolen munitions of war, and stolen money, had organized a formidable army; secession was unmistakably resolved upon. So appalling were these events, that the North stood awhile paralyzed and awe stricken. Then came our President's call for seventy-five thousand men. Everywhere through- out the Northern States there was a hearty response- nowhere was it heartier than upon the Reserve of Northern Ohio. Lorain took a gallant part in this first outburst of northern patriotism: and during the entire period of the war, there was no time when she was found faithless to duty. Wherever danger lurked thickest, there we tind the Lorain boys. Many, very many never returned; their lives went out as a sacri- fice. They died the noblest deaths for their country, and beneath the skies of the sunny South, where the groves of the magnolia and the orange shed an undying perfume-the spot, perhaps, unmarked and unknown-they " sleep the sleep that knows no wak- ing."
"Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead, Dear as the blood ye gave; No traitor's footsteps e'er shall tread The herbage v'er your grave; Nor shall your glory be forgot While Fame her record keeps, For Honor mourns the hallowed spot Where loyal valor sleeps."
... The real heroes of this war are the great, brave, patient, nameless people.' It is to their service through these varied scenes that we now gladly turu. The victory was not won through generalship-it is a libel on the word to say that generalship delayed for four years the success of twenty-five millions in con- tlict with ten millions, or required a million men in the closing campaigns to defeat a hundred thousand; it was won by the sacrifices, the heroism, the suffer- ings and the death of the men in the ranks. Their story we now seek to tell. It will not be picturesque or attractive, but full of dry details of fruitless fight- ing, of tedions marches, of heroic endurance, of patience, and of weariness. Even such was the life they led for us; and its record, we are firmly per- suaded, will never cease to be cherished by their grateful countrymen."
But let us not forget to pay a tribute of gratitude and just praise to the noble and heroic women of Lorain county, for their labors of affection and mercy
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
during these weary, gloomy days. Their generous, loving hearts sent forth pifying tears and prayers for The safety of loved ones, and the preservation of the Union, While fair hands, many of them unused to labor, were occupied in preparing comforts for the well, dainties for the sick, necessaries for the wounded, and cheer for all, noble and self-sacrificing women all over the North formed themselves into aid societies, the good results of which can hardly be over-esti- mated. Early and late these angels of mercy toiled and gathered, forwarding boxes of everything needed by the soldier. Yet, could the senders have seen the tears of joy which often greeted ifs reception, they would have felt amply compensated.
The historical sketches of the organizations follow- ing are from the very valuable work, "Ohio in the War," by Whitelaw Reid. We have spent consider- able time at the office of the adjutant-general, at Columbus, in procuring records. Many muster-rolls are incomplete, or missing altogether ; those of the three-months' men especially are nearly all destroyed. In cases where less than full companies of men report for muster, the column on the muster roll, headed " where enrolled," will be filled with the place of rendezvous-for instance, the greater part of the soldiers from north-eastern Ohio rendezvoused at. Camp Taylor, near Cleveland. They are so recorded at the office of the adjutant-general, and no reference whatever is made to the county in which they resided when enlistment occurred. We have, by correspend- ence with ex-company officers, endeavored to obtain the name of every citizen of Lorain county who was a soldier of the rebellion, and if omissions occur, the " boys " will, we trust, be charitable, believing that. we have done all that circumstances would allow.
The spelling of names is rerbatim as given on mus- ter-in-rolls, and the writer cannot be held responsible for errors of that kind.
SEVENTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
The first rebel gun tired at Fort Sumter was the signal for the assemblage of this regiment, and its echo had scarcely died out in the North ere this regiment was in camp. It was made up entirely in Northern Ohio, went into camp near Cleveland, Ohio, and was mustered into the United States service on April 30, 1861. John S. Casement, of Painesville, was its first major. He resigned after a time, and assisted in raising other organizations. He ascended the steps of promotion until, we believe, he was brigadier-general when he left the service. At the expiration of the term of service for which they were mustered, the regiment re-enlisted, almost to a man, for three years: and on June 26, 1861. it started for the field to take part in the opening of the campaign in Western Virginia, and on the following day first set foot on rebel soil, near Benwood. They marched along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad to Clarksburg and went into camp. Here a beautiful stand of colors was presented to the regiment by
('aptain Schulte, in behalf of the "Social Turnverein," of Cleveland, June 29. The regiment made its first march fully equipped. The day was oppressively hot, and before one mile had been laboriously overcome, many valuable and useful articles, supposed to be absolutely indispensable, had become an intolerable burden; at three miles, when a halt was ordered, the men went deliberately to work reducing their baggage. Blankets, dress uniforms, books, under-elothing, and every article that could possibly be dispensed with, were emptied on the ground and left there. This march terminated at Weston. After doing consider- able marching, the regiment reached Cross Lanes on the 16th of August; and it was here, on the 25th of the same month, that they had their first light, which proved a disastrous atfair; the regiment being obliged to retreat, although they held their position for some time against overwhelming numbers. Their loss was one hundred and twenty in killed, wounded and pris- oners. The next battle was at Winchester, March 23. At three o'clock p. m. the battle began in earnest and raged furiously until dark, resulting in success to the Union army. Again at Port Republic the "Seventh"? fought splendidly and effectively. Here, with less than three thousand muskets, "Stonewall" JJackson's force of fourteen thousand rebel troops were held at bay for five hours. The Union forces were, however, obliged finally to retreat. On August 9, at Cedar Mountain, the regiment was again at the front and engaged in a fieree hand-to-hand conflict. Of the three hundred men engaged in the " Seventh" only one hundred escaped unhurt. Their next battle was at Antietam, but it would require a volume to tell of all the lighting this regiment did. On Saturday, June 24. 1864, the regiment took its departure for Cleveland, where it was mustered out of the service on the Sth day of July following, having served a little more than three years. During that time eighteen hundred men had served in it, and when mustered out there were but two hundred and forty men remaining to bring home their colors, pierced by the shot and shell of more than a score of battles.
THE EIGHTH REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY was originally organized as a three months' regiment under the first call of the President, most of the com- panies having been enlisted between the 16th and 220 days of April, 1861, and all of them arriving at Camp Taylor, Cleveland, as carly as April 29.
On the 21 of May, all the companies having been mustered into the service, the regiment was ordered to Camp Dennison, where it arrived on the 3d, dur- ing a drenehing rain, and many of the men, for the first time in their lives, slept in the open air, with only a soldier's blanket for floor, roof, walls and bed clothes. The regimental organization was here completed by the appointment of the field and staff officers.
Instructions in the " drill" now commenced, and vigorous efforts were put forth to fit the regiment for
HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO.
service; but it soon became evident that the troops at. this camp would not be sent to the field as three months' men, and an effort was made to re-enlist the regiment for three years. To this every company responded except Company I, and the regiment of nine companies was mustered into the service for three years, on the 220, 25th and 26th of June.
In the following September. Company I joined the regiment at Grafton, Virginia.
On the 9th day of Inly, 1861, the regiment left Camp Dennison for Graftou, Virginia, and on the 12th arrived at West Union, Preston county, Va .. ou the summit of the Alleghany mountains where they are crossed by the Great Western Turnpike, and along which Garnett's rebel army was then being rapidly driven by MeClellan's troops.
For some weeks after this the regiment was sta- tioned at various places among the mountains and along the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, during which time it suffered severely from typhoid fever; at one time over three hundred men were in hospital, and some thirty-four deaths resulted from the fever in a short time. On the 24th of September the regiment participated in an attack on Romney. At the "Hang- ing Rock" it was exposed to a severe fire, and lost. several men in killed and a number wounded. The regiment agam participated in an attack on Romney. October 24; which. being evacuated by the enemy, was ocenpied by the troops under General Kelley until Jannary 12, 1862. The next fight was at Blue Gap. In Jannary the troops were removed to Patter- son's Creek, and the following month to Pawpaw Tunnel. On February 14 the Eighth participated in a brisk fight at. Bloomey Gap, in which Colonel Bald- win, with his staff and a part of his command, were "captured. General Lander died March 2. and shortly after the division moved to the Shenandoah Valley. where General Shields took command. On March 22, the outposts at Winchester were attacked by Ashby and General Shields severely wounded. The next day the battle of Winchester was fought. But few of the troops had ever been under fire, and none of them, as then organized, in any serious engagements. Colonel Kimball commanded, and made his arrangements to whip Stonewall Jackson, who had arrived during the night. The battle was one of the most severe of the war. Jackson, towards evening, attempted to turn our right flank, but was met by Tyler's brigade in front, when Colonel Kimball threw several regiments on his right flank, and, after a desperate fight, which in some instances was hand to hand. the enemy was routed and driven furiously from the field. The regi- ment followed the enemy up the valley, skirmishing at. Woodstock, Mount Jackson, Edinburgh and New Market: thence it joined McDowell at Fredericks- burg. Here it remained a few days and was ordered back to the valley again. In the meantime Banks had executed one of those retrograde movements for which he became eminently conspicuous ere the close of the war. In August following the Eighth was
united to the Second corps, then commanded by Sumner, and with his corps it continued to act dur- ing the remainder of its service.
The Potomac was crossed at Chain Bridge, and the march through Maryland commenced, which ended in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. Near Reedyville the whole army was massed by the morning of September 16, and a furious artillery dnel commenced. One of the first of the enemy's shots killed W. W. Farmer, a color-sergeant of the Eighth. This cannonade lasted all day. The next day the battle of Antietam was fought. The second corps crossed the river and occupied the center of the line. It did effective work that day.
In the terrible battle of Fredericksburg. on Decem- ber 13, the Eighth formed the right wing of the forlorn hope. At the battle of Chancellorsville, be- ginning April 28, 1865, the Eighth was almost con- stantly under fire for four days, and yet its loss was only two killed and eleven wounded. The brigade was at this time. and subsequently, commanded by General Carroll.
No further active service was had until the fieltys- burg campaign. In that battle the regiment bore a conspicnous part, capturing three stands of colors. After the escape of Lee's army across the Potomac. the Eighth marched with the army to the Rapidan; but we have not space to record all the fighting done by the regiment; suffice it to say, that, from this date until June 25, 1864, when its term of service expired, and the little squad, who numbered but seventy-two officers and men, tit for duty, were taken from the trenches before Petersburg and returned to Ohio for muster out. they were almost constantly in active service of the severest character.
The regiment was formally mustered out on July 13, 1864, at Cleveland, Ohio, by Captain Douglass.
TWENTY-THIRD REGIMENT OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
At the commencement of the war it was organized and officered as follows: Colonel, William S. Rose- crans; Lieutenant-colonel, Stanley Matthews; Major, Rutherford B. Hayes.
The position of these officers has been quite different since those days-in fact, too well known to need repetition. Under command of Colonel E. P. Scam- mon, the Twenty-third went into active service in West Virginia, meeting with the new and exciting events common to inexperienced soldiers, which were almost forgotten amid the sterner and sad realities of active warfare.
The regiment participated in the battles of Carni- fex Ferry. Virginia. September 10. 1861; Giles Court- house, May 10, 1862; and had the honor of opening the battle of South Mountain, September 14. 1862. where it lost thirty-three men killed and eighty wounded, among the latter Rutherford B. Hayes, now President of the United States. As an incident of this battle, it is said that the Twelfth and Twenty-
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HISTORY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OIIIO.
third Ohio and Twelfth and Twenty-third North Carolina-Companies B on each side-were directly engaged with each other. The Twenty-third, under command of Lieutenant-colonel Hayes, was in the advance on that day. It was ordered at an early hour to advance up the mountain and attack the enemy. From behind stone walls the enemy poured a destructive fire into the Federal ranks at very short range. The command of the Twenty-third fell upon Major Comly after Lieutenant-colonel Hayes was wounded, the latter again making his appearance on the field, with his wound half dressed, and fought. against the remonstrances of the whole command. until carried off. Near the close of the day at Antie- tam a change was made by the division to which the Twenty-third belonged, and it was exposed to a large force of the enemy posted in a cornfield in the rear of the left. Its colors were shot down, and at the same time a feint was made in its front. The colors were planted on a new line at right angles with its former front, and the regiment formed a line in the new direction, and opened fire upon the enemy, who re- tired. The division withdrew, but no order reached the Twenty-third, and it remained on the field until the division commander returned and ordered it to the rear.
The Twenty-third assisted in heading off Morgan's command at Buffington's Island, and then returned to Charlestown, West Virginia, and afterwards joined General Crook's forces for a raid on the Virginia and Tennessee railroad. May 9. 1864, The Twenty- third fought at Cloyd Mountain. The enemy ocen- pied the first crest of the mountain, defended by artillery and rudely-constructed breastworks. The hill was steep, thickly wooded, and dithenlt of ascent. and skirted by a stream of water two or three feet deep. At the word of command the regiment ad- vanced across the stream to the foot of the mountain, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, withont returning the tire of the enemy. A furious assault was made upon the enemy's works, carrying them, with two pieces of artillery. The struggle at the guns was of the fiercest description. The Confed- crate artillerymen attempted to reload their pieces when the Federal line was not more than ten paces distant. The Twenty-third was with Hunter in the attack on Lynchburg, and in numerous skirmishes and battles in the Shenandoah valley. At Winches- ter, July 24, 1864. it lost one hundred and fifty-three men. At the battle of Opequan, September 19. Hayes' brigade had the extreme right of the infantry. Moving forward under fire, the brigade came upon a deep slough, forty or tifty yards wide, and nearly waist-deep, with soft ind at the bottom, overgrown with a thick bed of moss. It seemed impossible to get through it, and the whole line was staggered for a moment. Just then Colonel Hayes plunged in with his horse, and under a shower of bullets and shells he rode, waded, and dragged his way through -the first man over. The Twenty-third was ordered
by the right flank over the slough. At the same place men were suffocated and drowned; still the regiment plunged through, re-formed, charged for- ward again, driving the enemy. The division com- mander was wounded, leaving Colonel Hayes in com- mand. He was everywhere exposing himself as usual; men were falling all around him. but he rode through it all as though he had a charmed life. No reinforce- ments, as promised: something must be done to stop the fire that is entting the force so terribly. Select- ing some Saxony rifles in the Twenty-third, pieces of seventy-one calibre, with a range of twelve hundred yards, Lieutenant McBride was ordered forward with them to kill the enemy's artillery horses, in plain sight. At the first shot a horse drops, immediately another is killed, and a panie seems to seize the artil- lerymen, and they commence limbering up. The infantry take the alarm, and a few commence running from the intrenchments, and the cavalry, which had been hovering upon the thanks, swept down upon the enemy. capturing them by regiments, and the battle was at an end. The Twenty-third fought at North Mountain. September 20, 1864, and at Cedar Creek, October 19-a day that is a household word through- out the land. The Twenty-third was mustered out on the 26th day of July. 1865, at Cumberland, Mary- land, and was paid and disbanded at Camp Taylor, (Jeveland, Ohio.
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