USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio, from 1808 to 1908, Vol. I > Part 15
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BILLY BUNTING CAPTURED BY INDIANS
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atrocities, the Americans never lost confidence in the final result. Although the armies suffered defeat for a time, the navy gained victory after victory, which were particularly gratifying to American pride, for the victories were won by that class whose rights had been violated. Those victories were gained, too, over a nation whose navy was the mistress of the seas. Our naval vic- tories were extended from the ocean to the great lakes, where Commodore Perry, on the 10th of September (1813), on Lake Erie, won imperishable fame. Perry's dispatch at the close of the engagement, "We have met the enemy and they are ours," is still resounding down the aisles of time.
The army finally achieved successes, as the navy had previously done, and these led up to the final defeat of the British by General Jackson at New Orleans, January 8, 1815. In this battle. General Jackson in command of about 6,000 militia, concentrated his forces four miles below the city within a line of entrenchments a mile long, extending from the river far into the swamp. He was attacked in this position by 12,000 British troops. under command of General Packenham. As the British approached, a terrible cannonade was opened from the American batteries, vet the British continued to advance to within rifle range, when volley after volley of bullets poured into their ranks. The British column soon wavered, General Packenham fell and the entire British army fled in dismay, leaving seven hundred dead and more than one thousand wounded on the field. The American loss was but small-seven killed and six wounded. This victory led to peace, which was proclaimed February 18, 1815, just two years and eight months from the day that war had been declared.
In this war the Indians acted as the allies of the British. History states that Lord Dorchester, then Governor-General of Canada, industriously insti- gated the Indians to hostilities against the American settlers and that he had agents throughout Ohio and elsewhere, distributing blankets, food, ammuni- tion and arms among the Indians and that at Malden a reward was paid for every white man's scalp brought in by the Indians.
And not only elsewhere, but in our own county the British got in their work successfully with the Indians, especially at Greentown and Jerome- ville, where the savages had received supplies and munitions of war from the British. This fact coupled with their suspicious actions, and at times war-like demonstrations, gave the white settlers reasonable cause to believe that the savages contemplated a murderous assault upon them.
At the time of which I write, Colonel Kratzer, who was in command of the few troops stationed at Mansfield, received orders to remove the Indians from both Greentown and Jeromeville, as a precautionary measure against an cmtbreak, and for that purpose, Colonel Kratzer sent Captain Douglas of his command to enforce the order. There were about eighty Indians at Green- town and more at Jeromeville, and it has been doubted whether Captain Douglas could have successfully coped with them. But such questions are only discussed in "piping times of peace," for in times of war, American soldiers whip the enemy first and discuss the situation afterwards.
Captain Armstrong, who was the Greentown chief at that time, at first refused to consent to be removed. Captain Douglas then sought the aid of
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the Rev. James Copus, who lived a few miles further up the valley, and re- quested him to persuade the Indians to peacefully comply with the order. Copus was a local preacher in whom the Indians had confidence. Copus has been described as a stern, iron-willed man of arbitrary views. At first Copus refused to take any part in the matter. After entreaty had failed with him, Captain Douglas said: "Mr. Copus, my business is to carry out the instruc- tions of my superior officers. This is a military matter, and if I can't persuade you to comply with my request, I shall arrest you as a traitor to the Government of the United States." Mr. Copus, seeing that he was up against the inevitable, consented to accompany the troops, Captain Douglas assuring him that the Indians would be protected.
When the officers returned to the Indian village, accompanied by Mr. Copus, another conference was held with Chief Armstrong in which Mr. Copus explained the order under which the troops were acting, and the Indians had to obey the order or take the alternative. The Indians then reluctantly announced that they would go, and Judge Peter Kinney and Captain James Cunningham took an inventory of their effects. The Indians were then formed into line and marched away under guard, but they had not proceeded far, when looking back they saw a cloud of smoke ascending from their burning village.
The burning of Greentown has been criticised and censured by senti- mentalists who regarded the act as a breach of faith with the "noble red man," who was cruelly taken from his "happy hunting ground" into a forced exile.
But the burning of that Indian village was not a breach of faith, for the officers were not responsible for the act. It was done without warrant by five or six stragglers who had dropped out of the ranks for that purpose. They were militiamen who had suffered wrongs too grievous to be borne from the bloody hands of the savages, and it was but human nature for them to want to retaliate in some way. It is a maudlin sentimentality to dilate upon the wrongs which the white settlers committed against the Indians, for the few misdeeds that may have been done by the pioneers were too insignificant to be given prominence in history, or to attempt to excuse or offset the bloody out- rages committed by the Indians with the few incidental retaliations of the whites. In the early history of France we read of the dark and bloody acts of the Druids and how they immolated human life in their forest temples, but it was as a religious rite, as an atoning or propitiating sacrifice, and while we stand appalled at the bloody spectacle, our condemnation is somewhat modified when we consider the motive that prompted the act. But with the Indians it was cruelty for cruelty's sake. They were savage, and through all the civilizing influences of a century they are savages still. Even those who have been educated at the Government's expense at Carlisle, Pa., drift back into barbarism, as a rule, after they return to the West. Let those who have tears to shed over the burning of Greentown read acounts of the massacre in the Wyoming valley and its aftermath of butcheries, and then consider the Indians ' bloody deeds in our own state and county-of cruelty, torture and death, and then tell us where is the Indian claim for mercy and charity.
INDIAN VILLAGE OF GREENTOWN
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Settlers have returned from the hunt and chase and found their cabins burnt and their families murdered. The bloody tomahawk and gory scalping knife have done their work, and mutilation has been added to murder. Notwith- standing the beautifully drawn and charmingly colored word pictures given us by novelists, history teaches us that the Indian is cruel and bloodthirsty by nature and is devoid of the redeeming traits of humanity.
It is not the purpose to here narrate the dangers and hardships through which the pioneer passed, nor to speak of the character traits of the Indian further than to state that he generally repaid hospitality with treachery and forbearance with murder. But as a race he was doomed, and the hills and valleys of old Richland county will know him no more forever.
Writers who have made tribal races a study, state as a corollary that if the Indians had been left to themselves their internecine strife of tribe against tribe would in time have resulted in the extermination of the race.
The pioneer seemed to have been inspired, and whatever place in the ranks of the grand army of progress he was called to fill, he performed his duty with confidence and zeal. Whether in fighting the savages, in clearing the forests, in tilling the soil or in carrying the banner of the Cross, he filled his mission and aided in his way to attain the grand results of which we enjoy the benefits to-day.
And in this connection I want to speak of the priests and preachers who kept abreast of the march of civilization and shared with the other pioneers the hardships and privations of that period. With them no sacrifice was too great-no enterprise too hazardous to deter them from doing the Master's work. They could not ride bicycles over paved streets to make pastoral calls, but went through forests infested with wild beasts to say prayers for the sick and to give absolution to the dying. From a secular standpoint the reward of these missionaries was but meager, but in a spiritual view how different! A gentleman of that period once spoke to a priest about the small returns that had accrued from such missionary work, to which the aged priest replied : "I this day rescued from the burning a dying child, to whom the mother allowed me to minister the sacred rites of baptism; and that alone amply rewards me for all my years of toil." To bring one soul within the pale of the Church was to him a better reward and more of a solace than would be all the earthly comforts that a munificent salary could buy.
MEXICAN WAR SURVIVORS.
At a soldiers' reunion held in the early part of the winter of 1903, the question arose as to the number of survivors of the Mexican war living in Richland county, and as there seemed to be no definite knowledge on the subject, A. J. Baughman was appointed a committee to look up the survivors and give sketches of their lives. He received a commission from W. S. Cap- peller, to perform the work and after completing the same his report was published in the Mansfield Daily News of January 16, 1903, as follows:
"Statesman may argue-soldiers must fight. When arguments failed in
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1846 to settle the controversy between the United States and Mexico the ques- tion was referred to the arbitration of arms.
"In 1819 the United States voluntarily gave Texas to Spain as a bonus for the cession of Florida, for which adequate compensation had already been given. This act in the end led to the war with Mexico a quarter of a century later. That war was begun for the re-acquisition of Texas and for enforcing the claim of that state to the territory east of the Rio Grande and for obtaining damages claimed by the citizens of the United States.
"That war brought about unforeseen results which changed the history of the continent and added to the United States a territory larger than that of the thirteen American colonies at the time of the War of the Revolution.
"For that war with Mexico, Ohio furnished four regiments-forty com- panies-of troops. There are eighty-eight counties in the state and pro rata there would not have been a half company as the quota of each. But Rich- land county furnished three companies, for her sons are ever ready to respond to their country's call. These companies were commanded, respectively, by Captain William MeLaughlin, Captain Thomas II. Ford and Captain George Weaver.
"Mr. Jacob Oyster is the only survivor of the three mentioned companies who resides in Richland county at present.
"There are, however, two other survivors of the Mexican war who are residents of Richland county, but they did not enlist from here, and did not become residents of the county until after the close of the war. Their names are Samuel Frey, of Shelby, and James W. Downing, of Butler. They served in different companies of the same regiment-the Seventh regulars-the First United States mounted riflemen. Mr. Frey enlisted at Mt. Vernon in March, 1847, Mr. Downing enlisted at Charlestown, Jefferson county, Vir- ginia, July 29, 1846.
"Samuel Frey was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1821, and came to Ohio with his parents when he was an infant. They first located in Muskingum, then in Knox county. After enlisting at Mt. Vernon, Samuel Frey was sent to the United States barracks at Newport, Kentucky. Then to New Orleans and from there to Vera Cruz, and joined General Scott at Pueblo. He was made a non-commissioned officer and before the close of the war be- came orderly sergeant of his company. Sergeant Frey was first under fire at Contreas, August 19 and 20, 1847. Then followed the battle of Churubusco and he was in the command that crossed the Rio Churubusco and held the causeway which led to the city. Then came the battle of El Molino del Rey, September 8.
"On September 13 the American troops carried the fortress of Chapul- tepec by storm. The division of which Sergeant Frey's company was a part. supported the attacking party, then took the lead to the City of Mexico, by the way of the gates of Belen and San Cosme. Over the Belen gate, General Quitman, after a sharp contest, waved the American flag as a token of victory. General Worth led the column against the gate of San Cosme and in the fierce fight which ensued carried the last barrier to the Mexican capital. On the night of September 13, 1847, Santa Anna evacuated the City of Mexico and
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on the morning of the 14th General Scott's army took possession of the halls of the Montezumas.
"Sergeant Frey remained in the City of Mexico for nine months, after which he was discharged, having enlisted for the war.
"Samuel Frey has been a resident of Shelby for forty-seven years, twenty-nine of which were passed in railroad employment at the Junction, where for seventeen years, he was bill clerk. Although 82 years old Mr. Frey's appearance to-day is that of a prosperous business man of sixty. He resides on Second street, Shelby, has a comfortable home and a lovely wife and two daughters.
"James W. Downing was born in Virginia, November 23, 1823. He came to Ohio in 1851 and has been engaged in the mercantile business in Butler for nearly forty years. He is in comfortable circumstances, financially, but is out of health and feeble.
"Hostilities began on the Rio Grande under General Taylor in April, 1846, and Sergeant Downing enlisted on the 29th of July following, and his first engagement was under General Scott at Vera Cruz, where, after seven days' hard fighting, the Mexicans yielded to the inevitable and on the morn- ing of the 29th of March the garrison marched out through the Gate of Mercy and stacked arms on the Plain of Cocos.
"General Scott then started on that historical march of two hundred miles to the City of Mexico. Sergeant Downing participated in all the battles along that line of march and was one of the assaulting party at Chapultepec. For this attack a call was made for two men from each company and Mr. Downing volunteered for the hazardous duty and was in the hottest of the fight. He saw General George E. Pickett tear down the Mexican colors and then plant the American flag in triumph on the summit of the castle. For distinguished service in this assault, Sergeant Downing received a "Certificate of Merit," engrossed on parchment, signed by James K. Polk, president, and William L. Marcy, secretary of war.
"Jacob Oyster was born in Columbiana county, Ohio. November 7, 1825, and was 77 years old on his last birthday anniversary. He came to Richland county when he was 10 years old. Enlisted in Co. D, Fourth Ohio infantry under Captain George Weaver May 16, 1847, and served until July 15, 1848, and was in nearly all the battles of the Mexican war. He also served in the Civil war and is now leading a peaceful, quiet life amid the hills of the gold region north of Bellville, where he owns a farm of eighteen acres. He has been twice married. His first wife bore him seven children, his second wife five-twelve children in all. Although in humble circumstances and sur- roundings, Mr. Oyster is happy in the love and care given him by his wife and children.
"These soldiers of the Mexican war receive the small pittance of $10 : month as a pension from the government, although their services helped to acquire a territory vast in extent, whose treasures surpass the fabled wealth of Ormus and of Ind.
"William Furgeson was born ten miles east of Wheeling on January 1,
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1824, and came to Mansfield in 1845, and has ever since been a resident of this city.
"When a call was made for troops for the war with Mexico, Mr. Furgeson volunteered May 23, 1846, in Captain William Mclaughlin's company A. Third Ohio infantry, and was mustered out of service with the regiment June 24, 1847. In 1849 Mr. Furgeson was married to Elizabeth Stambaugh, sister of David Stambaugh, of 272 Spring Mills street, this city. Mr. and Mrs. Furgeson have a handsome home on the northeast corner of Wayne and Orange streets, near the Eclipse stove works. They have two children living: Ex-Policeman Furgeson and Mrs. Paisley. Mr. Furgeson is a blacksmith by trade, and he is quite infirm.
"Michael Knofflock enlisted in company E, Second Pennsylvania vol- unteer infantry, November 17, 1846, at Philadelphia. After serving a month in a camp of instruction, the regiment left for Mexico on the 17th of December, came west to Pittsburg, thence by boat down the river to New Orleans, thence across the Gulf of Mexico and joined General Scott's army, with which he served until the end of the war. Comrade Knofflock was in the seven days' fight at Vera Cruz, and in all the other engagements and long marches between that and the City of Mexico. Mr. Knofflock also served in the Civil war in the Twenty-seventh Ohio infantry.
"Michael Knofflock came to Mansfield in 1861, and resides at the corner of Altamont avenue and Chestnut street. He can give vivid descriptions of the engagements in which he took part-particularly that of the storming of Chapultepec, "the hill of the grasshopper," on the 12th of September, after fourteen hours of steady fire. Veteran Knofflock is the father of Fire Chief George Knofflock.
"Samuel Wirts enlisted May 22, 1847, in company D, Fourth Ohio infantry. George Weaver, afterward sheriff of Richland county, was his captain, and Charles H. Brough, brother of War Governor John Brough, was colonel of the regiment.
"Captain Weaver's company marched to Columbus and went by stages from there to Xenia, then by rail to Cincinnati, the "Little Miami" railroad having been completed a short time before. From Cincinnati the troops went by boats to New Orleans, then over the gulf to Point Isabelle on the Texas coast. Then to Matamoras, in General Taylor's army. September 4, 1847. it was transferred to General Scott's command, which it joined at Vera Cruz. While this regiment took part in a number of engagements, its principal battle was that of Atlexco, October 19, 1847, in which it bore an honorable part. The regiment was mustered out July 15, 1848, at Cincinnati. Upon the return of Captain Weaver's company, the soldiers were welcomed home by a large crowd of citizens and were given a banquet at Ganges. But, amid the festivities of the occasion, many a tear was shed for those whose lives went out and whose remains were left in a foreign land. Only about one-half of the company lived to return.
"Mr. Wirts is the father of Mrs. B. F. Palmer.
"Samuel Wirts' father was a soldier in the War of the Revolution.
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"John Rohme, of Lucas, was a member of Captain Thomas H. Ford's company C, of the Third Ohio infantry. Enlisted May 28, 1846, and was mustered out with the regiment, June 18, 1847. Mr. Rohme also served two enlistments during the Civil war. He was in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad company for many years and is now on its retired pension list.
"The companies commanded by Captain MeLaughlin and Captain Ford were in the Third Ohio infantry, and served under General Taylor. Captain Weaver's company was in the Fourth regiment, and for the first few months was with General Taylor and then transferred to General Scott's army.
"The Third regiment was commanded by the late Colonel Samuel R. Curtis, of Mt. Vernon. From Cincinnati the regiment went by boat to New Orleans, then to Brazos Island, Texas, then took up a line of march to Mata- moras on the Rio Grande. It later marched up the river one hundred and sixty miles to Camargo, arriving at that place February 13, 1847. It was at Monterey and Buena Vista. During its year's service the regiment lost sixty- four men.
"William Johnson, of Captain MeLaughlin's company, died at Saltillo, and his remains were brought home to Mansfield-the first interment in the (then) new cemetery.
"George Hooker, another member of company A, died while enroute home.
"Richland county has a patriotic pride in her soldiers of the several wars in which our country has been engaged. But few of the soldiers of the war with Mexico are left to answer the roll-call here. There is no distinction in rank here now and back from the unknown land no voice has come to tell of rank there, where they are waiting in silence for the resurrection day.
"Even a republic may be ungrateful. Reward may be late in coming. The bivouacs of some may be cold and cheerless, but after the night comes the morning and after the judgment the New Jerusalem.
"Plymouth has the honor and distinction of being the home of three men who were soldiers in the Mexican war-George J. Heitzman, aged eighty-two; Elias C. Gregg, seventy-eight, and Robert White, seventy-five. their joint ages being two hundred and thirty-five years.
"George John Heitzman has served in three wars-the Seminole war in Florida, the Mexican war and the War of the Rebellion. He was born in France February 28, 1821; came to America in 1833. Before attaining his majority he enlisted in the regular army (Seventh regiment) and served under General Taylor in the Seminole war in Florida.
"Seminole means 'Separatists,' or renegade and the Indians known as 'Seminoles' had separated from the Creek confederacy and settled in Florida, and later were engaged in two wars with the United States-one in 1817-'18. the other in 1835-'42. The first was caused by the Seminoles making depre- dations upon the Georgia and Alabama frontiers. In 1835 the Seminoles resisted the efforts of the government to remove them to reservations west of the Mississippi, and a war ensued which lasted seven years and was the most bloody and stubborn of all our Indian wars, and in this war Mr. Heitzman
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took an active and honorable part. In 1846-four years after the close of the Seminole war-the United States declared war against Mexico, and Mr. Heitzman again enlisted in the regular army-Company E, First Dragoons- and served under General Taylor from Matamoras to Buena Vista, and at the latter was promoted for efficient services, from an orderly to an aide on the staff of General John E. Wood. During the Civil war, Mr. Heitzman, then a resident of Kansas, served in the militia of that state under Colonel Low, was engaged in several battles and assisted in driving the rebel General Price out of Kansas. Mr. Heitzman has been a resident of Plymouth five years, making his home with his sister, Mrs. Mittenbuhler, the mother of County Infirmary Director Mittenbuhler. Although Mr. Heitzman is a veteran of three wars, the government allows him only the small pension of $12 a month. Action should be taken by the congress of the United States to at least double the pensions of the Mexican war veterans.
"Captain Elias C. Gregg is seventy-eight years old and has been a resi- dent of Richland county ever since he was a boy. He is a veteran of both the Mexican and the Civil war. He was a member of Captain William McLaughlin's Company A, Third Ohio infantry, and served under General Taylor. He was in the battles of Palo Alto, Monterey and Buena Vista. Of the service of these troops in Mexico, President Polk, in a testimonial letter to General Taylor, wrote: 'Our army have fully sustained their deservedly high reputation, and added another bright page to the history of American valor and patriotism. They have won new laurels for themselves and their country.'
"In the early part of the Civil war, Mr. Gregg enlisted in the Eighty- first Ohio infantry and was in the battle of Shiloh. Was later detailed on recruiting duty, and was then assigned to the Tenth Ohio cavalry, with the rank of second lieutenant; was promoted to first lieutenant, then to captain. Captain Gregg was through the hard cavalry service of the war, and was wounded in the fight at Bear Creek Station, while en route with General Sherman from Atlanta to the sea. Mr. Gregg has followed school teaching the greater part of his life. He has been honored by his party with nomina- tions for county office. He is now leading a retired life, has a comfortable home and pleasant surroundings.
"Robert White was born in York county, Pennsylvania, August 17, 1828. He enlisted under the Hon. Simon Cameron in May, 1846; was assigned to General Patterson's brigade, and went through the long, hard service of our war with Mexico. Comrade White was a member of the Seventeenth Indiana in the Civil war, and lost a limb in the fight with the rebels at Selma. Alabama. He can give interesting accounts of the scenes and services through which he has passed. Plymouth has a patriotic pride in these war veterans which is commendable, for no other town of its size is so honored."
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