USA > Ohio > History of Ohio; the rise and progress of an American state, Volume Four > Part 19
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Parsons. What then happened let the Captain tell in his own words: "An officer from Johnson's Island stepped aboard the Michigan, and, approaching me, said: "Captain Cole, you are my prisoner."
"'Captain of what?' I asked, with a laugh; 'cer- tainly no man will accuse me of being a soldier.'
""'No,' replied the officer, whom I knew well, 'but here is a telegram saying you are a Confederate spy, and are in a conspiracy to capture Johnson's Island. It orders your arrest. We must at least take you into custody.'
"'Oh, that's all right,' I answered, although I felt it was all up with us. A moment later, however, and it would have been all up with them.
"'Sergeant, search him!' ordered the officer.
"The Sergeant began his work, and almost the first thing he found was my commission from the Con- federate Government. Of course, that was enough. I was put under arrest and closely guarded."
Captain Cole was taken to Johnson's Island and was afterward removed to Fort Lafayette. He made an neffectual attempt at escape, but finally was released on a writ of habeas corpus February 10, 1866, at the Instance of Jacob Thompson and other Confederate leaders. He escaped to Canada and thence to Mexico, where he fought under Maximilian. When the war was over he was pardoned by the President and returned to the United States. Captain Beall was captured December 16, 1864, in the New York Central station at Niagara Falls. He was tried by a court-martial n New York City, and by its sentence he was hung as a spy February 24, 1865, on Governor's Island. In
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the "Trial of John Yates Beall by a Military Com- mission" (New York. D. Appleton & Co., 1865), may be found all the testimony relating to his daring raid, as well as the arguments of counsel.
While the stirring events that we have been record- ing were eventuating, the domestic affairs of the State were receiving decided attention from its citizens. Governor Brough and his Administration were under a perfect storm of criticism. He believed in the arbi- trary exercise of power and in assuming the fullest personal responsibility in the performance of his duties. In his temperament he was naturally domineering, and he did not hesitate to display this attitude to those with whom he transacted business. It was just the same whether it was President Lincoln or the humblest captain. He was in continual disputes with army officers. He treated all inferior officers as if they were subordinates on his railroad. Nevertheless, he had great ability in comprehending the necessities of the hour. He was equal to all emergencies, incorruptibly honest, zealous in the service of the State and Nation and he was particularly the friend and guardian of the private soldier. Most of his quarrels with the officers were in their behalf. For the two years of his term he kept personal supervision of the hospitals, and watched the treatment of the sick soldiers by the surgeons and the Sanitary Commission until his vigilance became to those care-takers of the ill and wounded a nuisance He possibly erred in a hundred ways on the side o: mercy and benevolence, but no man was more beloved in those days by the private soldiers than Governo Brough.
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Defying all criticism, he kept steadily in view the position Ohio should maintain toward the Government and did everything in his power to supply troops. We have seen how his influence organized the Hundred Days' men. He had great trouble, however, in recruit- ing. Opposed to him was the secret influence of the "Sons of Liberty" and similar organizations. With all this Ohio responded to the President's calls for troops as they were made in 1864. Under the call of February Ist, her quota was 51,465; under that of March 14th, it was 20,595; under the call of July 18th the quota was 50,852 and under the last call of 1864, December 18th, it was 26,027, making a total of all quotas of 148,879 men. This demand of the Govern- ment was loyally met, so that up to December 31, 1864, the State of Ohio had furnished 346,326 men to the service of the United States.
With April, 1865, came Appomattox, and then peace, and the greatest war of history was ended.
A brief review of the record of Ohio in this most trying period of the Nation's history will show the remarkable contribution she made in patriotism, blood and treasure. Of her troops that she sent to the field, II,237 were killed or mortally wounded, and 13,354 died of disease. The people of Ohio paid out in money, according to the Adjutant General's report for 1866, for local bounties during the war, over $54,000,000, and the State Government's expenses amounted to over $11,000,000, making the total expenditures chargeable to the war and paid by the State, and her people, over $65,000,000.
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There may be added to this the generous and patri- otic contributions raised by the various aid societies, the true amount of which will probably never be known. The most important and efficient of these were organ- ized by the women, and they formed the most effective source of supplies for the soldiers at the front and in the hospitals, and at the same time rendered practical assistance to the soldiers' families at home. It is a fact worthy of remembrance that the first regular organization of this kind formed in the North for the relief of soldiers was organized at Cleveland, April 20, 1861. The echoes of the guns at Sumter had scarcely died away before the women of Ohio were thinking of ameliorating the hardships of the soldiers from Ohio who so promptly marched to the front. This organization alone, the "Soldiers' Aid Society of Northern Ohio," distributed a million dollars' worth of food and clothing, and up to November 27, 1867, it disbursed in cash $162,956. A similar organization in Cincinnati collected and disbursed $313,926. Both of these heroic societies became branches of the United States Sanitary Commission. A popular method of raising funds for their purpose was through fairs attended to and managed largely by the women. In the fall of 1863 the Cleveland Society cleared $78, 000, and the great Cincinnati Fair in the winter of the same year reaped a net amount of $235,406, all of which went to the soldiers and their families. Similar organi- zations and efforts were maintained and directed in almost every city in the State. Every church and Sunday- school was a willing channel through which gifts from the loyal people of Ohio found their way to the front.
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In the roll of the commanders of the Union Army, Ohio leads the states of the Union. All the great military divisions were at one time or another led by Ohio , generals. The following remarkable list of general officers, with their dates and places of birth, can be fairly said to be Ohio's contribution of her mili- tary talent to the service of the Union. The * indicates a graduate of West Point; the t that the officer was brevetted Major General for special gallant services on the battlefield. In addition there were one hundred and fifty brevet brigadier generals of Ohio nativity or residence.
GENERALS
*Ulysses S. Grant, born at Point Pleasant, Ohio, April 27, 1822.
*William T. Sherman, born at Lancaster, Ohio, February 8, 1820.
*Philip H. Sheridan, born at Albany, New York, March 6, 1831.
MAJOR GENERALS
*Don Carlos Buell, born at Lowell, Washington county, March 23, 1818.
*George Crook, Montgomery county, September 8, I828.
*George A. Custer, Harrison county, December 5, 1839.
*Quincy A. Gilmore, Lorain county, February 28, 1825.
James A. Garfield, Cuyahoga county, November 19, 1831.
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*James B. McPherson, Clyde, November 14, 1828.
*Irvin McDowell, Columbus, October 15, 1818.
*Alexander McD. McCook, Columbiana county, April 22, 1831.
*William S. Rosecrans, Delaware county, September 6, 1819.
*David S. Stanley, Wayne county, June 1, 1828. Robert C. Schenck, Warren county, October 4, 1809. Wager Swayne, Columbus, November 10, 1834.
*Godfrey Weitzel, Cincinnati, November 1, 1835.
MAJOR GENERALS, RESIDENT IN OHIO BUT BORN ELSEWHERE
Jacob D. Cox, born in New York, October 27, 1828.
*William B. Hazen, Vermont, September 27, 1830. Mortimer D. Leggett, New York, April 19, 1831.
*George B. McClellan, Pennsylvania, December 3, 1826.
*O. M. Mitchel, Kentucky, August 28, 1810. James B. Steedman, Pennsylvania, July 30, 1818.
BRIGADIER GENERALS OF OHIO BIRTH
*William T. H. Brooks, born at New Lisbon, January 28, 1821.
*William W. Burns, Coshocton, September 3, 1825 ¡Henry B. Banning, Knox county, November 10 1834.
*C. P. Buckingham, Zanesville, March 14, 1808. John Beatty, Sandusky, December 16, 1828.
Joel A. Dewey, Ashtabula, September 20, 1840. Thomas Ewing, Lancaster, August 7, 1829.
Hugh B. Ewing, Lancaster, October 31, 1826.
JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD
Born in Orange, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, November 19, 1831; was educated at Hiram College and Williams Col- lege, being graduated from the latter in 1856; elected to the Ohio Senate from Summit and Portage counties in 1859; was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel, August 21, 1861; Colonel, November 27, 1861; Brigadier General of volunteers, January II, 1862; Major General of volun- teers, September 19, 1863; resigned from the army December 5, 1863; member of Congress, 1863-80, and then elected to the Senate; nominated and elected Presi- dent of the United States, 1880; inaugurated March 4, 1881; shot by an assassin in Washington, July 2, 1881, and died in Elberon, New Jersey, September 19 following.
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*James B. ManTHAOnMARIAOHMAvember 14, 182 *Irvermedmevon votre, ,vos tegbrletu ogtomi moa 1818.
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MAJOR GENERALS, RESIDENT IN OHIO BUT BORN ELSEWHERE
Jacob D. Cox, born in New York, October 27, 18 *William B. Hazen, Vermont, September 27, 18] Mortimer D. Leggett, New York, April 19, 1811 *George B. McClellan, Pennsylvania, December 1826.
*O. M. Mitchel, Kentucky, August 28, 1810. James B. Steedman, Pennsylvania, July 30, 18
BRIGADIER GENERALS OF OHIO BIRTH
"William T. H. Brooks, born at New Lisbon, Jan 28, 18DI.
*William W. Burns, Coshocton, September 3. +Henry B. Banning, Knox county, Novembm 1834.
*C. P. Buckingham, Zanesville, March 14, 1808 John Beatty, Sandusky, December 16, 1828.
Joel A. Dewey, Ashtabula, September 20, 1840 +Thomas Ewing, Lancaster, August 7, 1829. +Hugh B. Ewing, Lancaster, October 31, 1826.
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*James W. Forsyth, Ohio, August 26, 1836.
** Robert S. Granger, Zanesville, May 24, 1816.
** Kenner Garrard, Cincinnati, 1830.
** Charles Griffin, Licking county, 1827.
tRutherford B. Hayes, Delaware, October 14, 1822. tJ. Warren Keifer, Clark county, January 30, 1836. William H. Lytle, Cincinnati, November 2, 1826.
*John S. Mason, Steubenville, August 21, 1824. Robert L. McCook, New Lisbon, December 28, 1827.
Daniel McCook, Carrollton, July 22, 1834.
John G. Mitchell, Piqua, November 6, 1838.
Nathaniel C. McLean, Warren county, February 2, 1815.
tEmerson Opdycke, Trumbull county, January 7, 1830.
Benjamin F. Potts, Carroll county, January 29, 1836. A. Sanders Piatt, Cincinnati, May 2, 1821.
tJames S. Robinson, Mansfield, October 1I, 1828.
+Benjamin P. Runkle, West Liberty, September 3, 1836.
J. W. Reilly, Akron, May 21, 1828.
*William Sooy Smith, Pickaway county, July 22, 1830.
*Joshua W. Sill, Chillicothe, December 5, 1831.
John P. Slough, Cincinnati, 1829.
Ferdinand Van Derveer, Butler county, February 27, 1823.
** Charles R. Woods, Licking county.
+Willard Warner, Granville, September 4, 1826.
+William B. Woods, Licking county.
¡Charles C. Walcutt, Columbus, February 12, 1838. M. S. Wade, Cincinnati, December 2, 1802.
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BRIGADIER GENERALS, RESIDENT IN OHIO BUT BORN ELSEWHERE
*Jacob Ammen, born in Virginia, January 7, 1808.
¿Samuel Beatty, Pennsylvania, September 16, 1820. ** B. W. Brice, Virginia, 1809.
Ralph B. Buckland, Massachusetts, January 20, 1812.
H. B. Carrington, Wallingford, Connecticut, March 2, 1824.
George P. Este, New Hampshire, April 30, 1830.
tManning F. Force, Washington, D. C., December 17, 1824.
tJohn W. Fuller, England, July, 1827.
¡Charles W. Hill, Vermont.
tAugust V. Kautz, Germany, January 5, 1828.
George W. Morgan, Pennsylvania.
William H. Powell, South Wales, May 10, 1835.
*E. P. Scammon, Maine, December 27, 1816.
Thomas Kilby Smith, Massachusetts, 1821.
tJohn W. Sprague, New York, April 4, 1827.
tErastus B. Tyler, New York.
** John C. Tidball, Virginia.
tAugust Willich, Prussia, 1810.
In the civil service connected with the war, Ohio was equally conspicuous and helpful to the Nation. She furnished to the Cabinet of Lincoln the head of the War Department in the person of Edwin M. Stanton, whose stern and vigorous methods won for him the reputation and the corresponding unpopularity of being the greatest executive of that period. One of Ohio's Governors, Salmon P. Chase, became the Secre-
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tary of the Treasury and successfully administered the financial department of the Government when finance became one of the arts of war. In the Senate Benjamin F. Wade and John Sherman were respectively chairmen of the Committee on the Conduct of the War and the Committee on Finance. Wade was the leader for the Administration, and his courageous and unfaltering services furnished strength to President Lincoln in all his war policies. Sherman carried into legislation the ideas and financial policies of Secretary Chase. In the House of Representatives Robert C. Schenck, of Dayton, was at the head of the Military Committee. It would require a volume of itself to record the patriotism and labors of these statesmen in the trying days of the war, but a mere reference here will have to suffice.
When peace came, the great State, which sent into the field an army of her sons equal to the war footing of Great Britain at that time, received them within her borders as civilians to become again workers in the shops, mines, the counting-rooms, and on the farms. With a renewed civil life came prosperity unbounded to the State, and with pride in her past and hope in her resources Ohio marched forward to a relatively quiet and uneventful future.
CHAPTER XI. POST BELLUM POLITICS
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A JOINT resolution of Congress providing for the abolition of slavery in the United States was adopted by a two-thirds vote of the United States Senate, April 8, 1864, and by a similar vote was adopted by the House of Repre- sentatives January 31, 1865. By a vote of the requisite number of states-two-thirds-it became the Thir- teenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This proposed amendment was ratified by the State of Ohio through the vote of its General Assembly. The House of Representatives ratified it February 8, 1865. All the Union members voted for it-fifty-eight,-and all the Democrats-twelve-voted against it. The Senate ratified it, February 9th, by a vote of yeas twenty, nays four, the latter all Demo- crats. The ratification of the amendment was cele- brated by firing two hundred guns in the Statehouse yard, and in the evening a large mass meeting, to approve the action of the Legislature, was held, which was addressed by Governor Brough and other promi- nent Union orators.
The year 1865 was crowded with post bellum politics. The war was over, and new situations were rapidly being created. The soldiers were back home, and they became a power in public affairs. This was mani- fested when the question of renominating Governor Brough came up. There came to him the same opposi- tion, but in a new form, that confronted Dennison and Tod. Popular discontent at a faithful official for an upright performance of public duties; it was this and nothing more. The leaders of the Union party of Republican antecedents also wanted a candidate of
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the old sect; the war being over, they thought it about time for the Union party to pass out of existence, and that the Republican party should resume business at the old stand. There was a demand among the soldiers for a military candidate. All of these condi- tions made it apparent to Governor Brough that a renomination could only come to him through conflict. This he did not desire, and on June 16th, in an address to the people of Ohio, he declined to enter the contest for the nomination, and withdrew his name as a candidate. He questioned the condition of his health and feared that he could not stand a vigorous campaign. He also took occasion to say: "In times like the past four years, no man who has filled the position, and honestly and conscientiously discharged the duties of the office of Governor of Ohio, could hope to escape censure and opposition, or fail to destroy what politi- cians call his availability as a candidate for reelection. Such was the case with two of my predecessors who were earnest and good men. I could not and did not hope to avoid the same result."
The Union State Convention was called to meet at Columbus on June 2Ist; the basis of representation, unlike the two previous conventions, was limited by providing for one delegate for each five hundred votes cast for President Lincoln in 1864. The call also pro- vided for delegates from the soldiers still in the field. urging that they be chosen direct from the regiment: when possible, or if that could not be done to send proxy to "some reliable citizen at home." Out o 447 delegates in the Convention the army was entitled to 143 votes.
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The nominee of the Convention for Governor was Major General Jacob D. Cox, of Warren, who at the time was engaged in his military duties in North Caro- lina. General Cox had served throughout the whole period of the war with distinction and was popular throughout the State and especially with the soldiers. He was born in Montreal, Canada, October 27, 1828, while his parents were temporarily sojourning in that place. He removed to Ohio in 1846 and was graduated at Oberlin College in 1851. In 1859-61 he was a mem- ber of the Ohio Senate. He entered the army April 23, 1861, and three weeks later he received a commis- sion as Brigadier General and was assigned to Western Virginia. For gallant conduct he was promoted to the rank of Major General, October 7, 1862. He dis- tinguished himself by faithful service at Antietam, Atlanta, Franklin, and Nashville. General Cox was regarded as an ideal candidate, and he met all patriotic demands of the time. The memories of the war were still fresh and it was expected that victory would come to him with an overwhelming majority.
The States Rights Democracy, a dissenting element from the regular organization, met in convention at Columbus August 17th, and nominated a full State ticket. They still had the old ideas regarding nulli- fication and secession which had been wholly ignored by the leaders of Democracy at their meeting held shortly after the Union Convention. Alexander Long, of Cincinnati, was their candidate for Governor. Mr. Long had served one term in Congress from the Cin- cinnati district and was even more radical than Vallan- digham in his opposition to the war. On April 8, 1864,
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THE RISE AND PROGRESS
he made a speech in the House of Representatives urging the recognition of the Southern Confederacy, for which he was censured by the House. He was defeated for reelection by General R. B. Hayes. As the candidate of the States Rights Democracy he only received three hundred and sixty votes in the State.
The Democratic State Convention met at Columbus August 24th. With a vital resiliency it again appeared to contest with its old enemy before the people of Ohio. Vallandigham was made temporary chairman, and in vigorous speech advocated the principles of his party and opposed negro equality. In the nomination for Governor of a Union general by the Union party, the Democracy felt that it was incumbent on them to also present a military candidate. They were not without ample material. The selection fell upon General George W. Morgan of Mt. Vernon. He had a record that would undoubtedly appeal to the people. The results at the polls showed that he was a strong candidate. General Morgan had served under General Sam Houston in the war for the independence of Texas, and although but eighteen years of age when he entered the army he served throughout the struggle, attracting attention from his superior officers by his gallant conduct. In the war with Mexico he commanded the Second Ohio Regiment as colonel under General Taylor on the Rio Grande. At the expiration of the term of service of the regiment, the President appointed him colonel of the Fourteenth Regular Infantry. After the war he served as Minister to Portugal. He returned to the United States shortly before the Rebellion broke out. As a war Democrat
JACOB DOLSON COX
From a painting by Caroline L. Ransome in the Capitol in Columbus.
Born in Montreal, Canada, October 27, 1828, during a temporary sojourn of his parents there; removed to Ohio in 1846, was graduated from Oberlin, 1851, and admitted to the bar, 1853; member of the State Senate, 1859-61; active in raising troops at the beginning of the Civil War; Brigadier General, 1861, and Major General, 1862; Gov- ernor of Ohio, 1866-67; Secretary of the Interior under President Grant, March, 1869, to December, 1870; mem- ber of Congress, 1877-79; died August 4, 1900.
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he made a speech in the House of Representar urging the record del of the Southern Confeder for rotheidon't fii omoens en SHHas beenthe House. He defeated for reelection by General .&BdmmoOHayes.
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.OOQI .A janguA boib vigorous speech advocated the principles of his pa and opposed negro equality. In the nomination Governor of a Union general by the Union party, Democracy felt that it was incumbent on them also present a military candidate. They were without ample material. The selection fell General George W. Morgan of Mt. Vernon.
had a record that would undoubtedly appeal to people. The results at the polls showed that he a strong candidate. General Morgan had served to General Sam Houston in the war for the independ of Texas, and although but eighteen years of when he entered the army he served throughout struggle, attracting attention from his superior offen by his gallant conduct. In the war with Mexico commanded the Second Ohio Regiment as colo under General Taylor on the Rio Grande. At LM expiration of the term of service of the regiment, Le President appointed him colonel of the Fourteen Regular Infantry. After the war he served as Ministe to Portugal. He returned to the United States shortly before the Rebellion broke out. As a war Democrat
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he offered his services to the Government, and Novem- ber 12, 1861, he was commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers.
The adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment, for- ever prohibiting slavery, left the negro on the hands of the Nation. The Republicans in Congress favored in the scheme of reconstruction in the Southern States the conferring of citizenship and suffrage on the late slave. These questions had not yet been formulated into the concrete form of Constitutional amendments, but there was a decided opinion in the Union party of Ohio favorable to negro citizenship and suffrage. This was especially to be found among the radical Republicans. This sentiment found expression in the resolutions passed by county conventions, notably in the counties of the Western Reserve. In the State Convention of the Union party there was a marked division on the subject. The army delegates were generally opposed to negro suffrage. The framing of the platform was, therefore, a delicate piece of work, and their very nearest expression to negro citizenship and suffrage was a resolution reciting "That the experience of the last four years shows the absolute necessity in all our political actions of keeping steadily in view the great principles of our Government as set forth in the Declaration of Independence." Truly a very weak statement, considering that in Congress the whole direction of the Republican party, under the leadership of Thaddeus Stevens, was toward unqualified and universal negro suffrage. The plat- form on this question was an admirable example of political "dodging." To the element of the Union
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party of Republican antecedents, it was extremely dissatisfying, and the sentiments of the Western Reserve were voiced by the Cleveland Leader on June 23d, when it said: "We looked for a bold and explicit declaration from the Convention on the subject of negro suffrage in the South, and of equal suffrage to whites and blacks in the State of Ohio; we are disap- pointed that it has not so declared."
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