History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 23

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II > Part 23

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Ohio's quota under the 500,000 call was fixed at 67,365, divided into infantry, cavalry and artillery. Enlistments and new organizations rapidly followed and work in all the departments was greatly increased. As soon as I began to under- stand and appreciate the magnitude of the work in hand, I suggested to General Wood certain changes in the organization of the department and the division of duties, which he readily adopted and in a short time the department was put in good running order. Books were opened, blank forms were printed and used and a record was kept of everything done. All purchases thereafter, as far as possible, were made after advertisements for bids made upon samples and speci-

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fications furnished. Contracts for tents, clothing, blankets, shoes and ordnance stores were given out to the lowest responsible bidders. From that time forward little fault was found or complaint made of the character or quality of the equipments furnished the troops except as to the guns furnished the infantry regiments. It was impossible for the General Government to furnish a sufficient number of arms for the various states, and we went into the market and purchased many thous- ands of guns of different makes and quality, among them the Enfield rifles, French and Prussian guns, some of poor quality and varying in caliber. Every regiment wanted the best gun to be had. The Springfield musket was a favorite arm, but could only be got through the General Government and Ohio could procure none, or only a very few ; hence complaints came to ns often from regiments in the field that their guns were worthless. In some cases these complaints were well founded.

I was greatly aided in the inspection of blankets, clothing, etc., by Colonel A. D. Bullock, of Cincinnati, who was a member of the Governor's staff and was connected with a firm in Philadelphia largely engaged in the manufacture of army cloth ; also by Dwight Stone, then a merchant in Columbus, and well posted in the quality and value of all needed supplies. I had very soon contracted for over $500,000 worth of supplies of clothing, shoes, etc., alone.

The legislature, at its session in April and May, had appropriated 82,550,000 " for the purchase of arms and equipments and for the defense of the State against invasion and in aid of the Federal Government, for the suppression of the rebellion." Before the first of August this entire appropriation was expended, my own depart- ment was in debt and contracts were maturing for over $500,000. The Governor's contingent fund was exhausted and the Commissary's Department was in debt. The credit of the State was seriously impaired and supplies from the National Government could not be procured in sufficient quantity to supply onetenth of the needs of the Ohio troops. Requisitions were daily and hourly arriving for tents, blankets, overcoats, shoes and every variety of equipments, none of which could be procured on the credit of the State. No funds were on hand to meet current expenses. The employés in my own department were without pay for more than two months, and the prospects were daily becoming more and more gloomy. In the meantime I had received several promotions and been appointed Quarter- master-General in lieu of General Wood who had resigned.

My duties were now largely increased. The transportation of troops and army supplies was transferred by General Buckingham to my department, and the settlement of accounts with all of the railroad companies of the State, which had accumulated from the first call of volunteers, and were brought into my office in the form of slips of paper signed by some one in charge of squads or companies of men who had been transported over different lines of railroads to Columbus, as volunteers. These papers were generally signed with a pencil certifying that such a number of volunteers had been brought in by trains to Columbus They were very difficult in many cases to decipher. The railroad companies had not required volunteers, or their escort, to purchase tickets in all cases, but simply to certify the number carried, trusting to the State to settle and pay for the transportation in

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the future. The claims were difficult of adjustment, and the railroad companies were anxious for payment. There was, at this time, in the State treasury over eight hundred thousand dollars, being forty per cent. paid back to the State on its advance " for enrolling, subsisting, clothing, equipping and transporting troops for the Federal Government ; but not a dollar of this money could be drawn from the treasury for want of an aet of the legislature appropriating the same.

The Governor and the members of his staff besought the Auditor (R. W. Taylor), to make partial advances to relieve the several departments and main- tain the credit of the State, with the assurance that the legislature would, at its next meeting, make the necessary appropriation and sustain his action. The Auditor declined to issue his warrant and advised calling a special session of the legislature. This the Governor declined to do.

This state of things continued and kept growing worse until about the first of November, when the Governor requested me to visit Washington and urge upon the several departments our pressing necessities and beg for some relief. As soon as I reached Washington I called on Mr. Chase, then Secretary of the Treasury, with whom I was well acquainted, and explained to him the deplorable condition of matters at Columbus, and begged of him to furnish the State sufficient money to relieve the present embarrassment. He claimed that it was impossible to make further advances to the State, as he had already paid back to all the States forty per cent. of their expenditures for the Government, and he could do no more for Ohio than for other States. I spent nearly two hours with the Secretary, but could not then prevail upon him to furnish any money. I called on him again the next morning and suggested that the State had made large additional expend- itures for the Government since the forty per cent. had been paid, and suggested that another forty per cent. be paid on these expenditures. To this he agreed if I could satisfy the Second Comptroller of the Treasury that my statement was cor- rect, and upon a statement of account approved by the comptroller, showing the additional advances made by the State, he would advance forty per cent. on that sum.

I immediately set about making up an account from the data I had, and the former account filed, by which I was able to show a further advance by the State of $444,000, to which amount the Second Comptroller certified, and Sec- retary Chase immediately ordered the forty per cent. ($177,600), to be paid to me. After running the gauntlet of the War and Treasury Departments for several hours I reached the Treasury with my warrant for the 8177,600, which was paid to me in greenbacks, filling a large mail bag. With this money I hastened to the express office and shipped it to Mr. Deshler, then President of the Clinton Bank, at Columbus, telegraphing the Governor the result of my efforts.

I was required to give a very lengthy receipt to the Treasurer for the money as agent for the State, in which it was recited that the State had on a former statement of expenditures, amounting to $2,100,000, received forty per cent., and on the present showing of 8444,000 additional expenditure I had also received 8177,600, being forty per cent. on the same; the receipt reciting further that the

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State had advanced in excess of $2,500,000, on the whole of which the Treasurer had paid the sum of forty per cent.

As this money was entirely inadequate to relieve the wants of the State, 1 called the next morning on General Meigs, Quartermaster-General of the United States, and suggested to him that as the Government had a Quartermaster at Col- umbus Captain Myers, and Captain Dickerson, at Cincinnati, and they were com- peting in the same market with me for army supplies, would it not be better for the Government to assume all purchases and the State go out of the market? To this suggestion General Meigs readily agreed, and furnished me an order on Cap- tain Myers to receive all my Quartermaster's stores on hand, and assume, on behalf of the Government, all my outstanding contracts that were in accordance with regulation standard.

Thus armed I returned to Columbus greatly relieved. The $177,600 was not certified into the State treasury, but divided between the Executive, Commissary and Quartermaster-General's departments. I turned over to Captain Myers all my supplies on hand, and he assumed all my outstanding contracts, amounting to over a half a million of dollars. Thus was the credit of the State restored, and my department, as well as the Executive, relieved of great anxiety and a heavy burden.

My department was now actively employed in transporting volunteers to the various camps of rendezvous, purchasing and procuring from the National Gov- ernment tents, clothing, blankets, arms and equipments, and distributing them to Ohio troops in camp, and in the field ; also in the fabrication and shipment of ammunition. From one hundred and fifty to two hundred hands were employed in the laboratory, and about two millions of elongated bullet cartridges were turned out monthly of 54, 59 and 69 caliber.

These various duties made the department still a very busy one. From this time to the close of the year 1861, my department was actively employed in the fabrication and shipment of ammunition, and in the purchase and procuring from the government arms and equipments, and distributing them to Ohio troops.

I have already referred to the meagre supply of arms and equipments belong- ing to the State at the breaking out of the rebellion ; not enough to equip a bat- tery or arm a regiment. Some idea of the magnitude of the work necessary to supply this deficiency and properly arm the Ohio volunteers during the first eight months of the war may be formed from the record of issues of arms from my department down to December 31, 1861, showing that 118,821 muskets and rifles of different kinds were supplied to the infantry, 164 cannon to the artillery, and 15,185 carbines, pistols and sabres to the cavalry. The variety of the style and calibre of the firearms will account for the complaints which came from many regi- ments as to the character of their weapons. The State was compelled to take such arms as could be procured, or else leave many of her troops unarmed for the time being. The difficulty of procuring firstclass guns continued as long as I remained in the department.

I cannot close my record for the year 1861, without speaking of Governor Dennison. He was my friend and cordial supporter from my entrance into the

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, department until the close of his term in January, 1862. I was constantly in communication with him and enjoyed his fullest confidence. I can bear testimony to his vigilance, great industry, earnest efforts and steadfast patriotism. He was a zealous supporter of Mr. Lincoln and his administration in their efforts to sup- press the rebellion, nor did his interest in the cause cease with the close of his term of office. He was often called upon by his successor, Governor Tod, and was always ready to go upon important missions to Washington, to the battlefield, or in aid of sick and wounded soldiers. The State and National Governments owe him a great debt of gratitude and his memory will ever be cherished by all who knew him.

1862-1863. I expected my service as Quartermaster-General to close with Governor's Dennison's term, but soon after Governor Tod's election he called on me and requested me to remain with him at least a few months, only asking that Colonel Stoughton Bliss, of Cleveland, should be one of my assistants. This was very agreeable to me, as Colonel Bliss had previously served in the department with General Wood. He was an efficient officer and rendered excellent service. One of Governor Tod's first inquiries after entering upon the duties of his office was to examine critically into the condition of my department; its supplies and resources for providing arms, equipments and transportation for Ohio soldiers. His sympathies were strongly enlisted with the administration of Mr. Lincoln and he assumed his office fully appreciating the magnitude of the war and anxious to perfect the organization of the Ohio troops in the best possible manner.

On January 5, 1862, he sent a patriotic message to the General Assembly in which he presented a statement of the military preparations made by the State up to that time and earnestly appealed for further efforts for the preservation of the Union.

Most of the prisoners taken at Fort Donelson were sent to Camp Chase, and the duty of building prisons, and guarding and caring for the prisoners, devolved upon my department. This required active and vigilant work day and night. Eitber Colonel Bliss or myself was at the camp constantly and the Governor often visited there. From the time the first prisoners were taken at Fort Donelson in March until July 22 I was charged with the duty of looking after and caring for the prisoners, the large number of which sent to Camp Chase February 27, rapidly" followed by other detachments of captives, involved the immediate erection of increased prison barracks and quarters for the men at a season of the year when it was difficult to provide material and labor. The building of the new prisons and and improvement of the old ones cost over 85,000, which was paid for by the Gov- ernor out of his contingent fund. The regulations for the police and care of the prisoners and their money and property were entrusted to the Governor for a time by the War Department. One of the rules established by the Governor was that all the prisoners having National money should deposit the same with the Quartermaster-General to be drawn out by checks not exceeding five dollars at a time except for clothing or other necessaries desired by the prisoners. This rule was at first strongly objected to by the prisoners and involved what I feared would be an unpleasant duty together with increased responsibility upon me. But the

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arrangement became very satisfactory to the prisoners and was the means of my forming an acquaintance with many of them who were gentlemen of intelligence and high character at home, their only fault being a hatred of the Yankees and the National Union. Of the total amount of $14,584.47 deposited with me by them, I did not learn of the loss of a single dollar in transmission or otherwise. I was in freqnent intercourse with them, and they admitted that they were better fed and cared for than in their own army. They were well fed and housed, and their sick were nursed and cared for the same as our own sick. Those who were destitute of sufficient clothing were furnished with it from donations or from government stores,

We had three noted visitors at Camp Chase during the time the prisoners were under my care, viz: Andrew Johnson, afterwards President; Parson Brownlow, afterwards United States Senator and Governor of Tennessee, and Mr. Maynard, Representative in Congress from the same State. I escorted each of these gentlemen to Camp Chase. Mr. Johnson addressed the soldiers at head- quarters, a part of whom were a part of a Tennessee regiment held for parole. He was well received and frequently cheered during this remarks in favor of the Union. In the evening he spoke in the Hall of the House of Representatives to the members and a large number of citizens. I visited the prison hospital with him where he found a sick Tennessee soldier, who was not only sick in body but in mind. He told Mr. Johnson he had been induced to join the Confederate army under a misapprehension of the object of the war and the character of the Northern people. He was at heart a Union man, as were many of the Tennessee prisoners. He begged Mr. Johnson to get him paroled and sent home. He was ready and willing to swear allegiance to the National Government and never take up arms against it if he could only get back to his family. He was desperately homesick and it was a pathetie scene between him and Mr. Johnson.

Parson Brownlow's visit was quite an exciting one. There was a large number of Tennessee prisoners in the west prison but only a few were in the east one. His first visit was at the east prison. As the prisoners were called out to see and hear him while he stood on the balcony, I introduced him and a few of them cheered, but a number of Louisianians called " Louisiana Tigers " hissed and groaned, which so enraged the parson that he turned away and refused to speak. But at the west prison, where were many Tennesseeans, he met with a warm wel- come. After addressing them for a short time from the balcony he went with me into the prison, where he met many of his old neighbors and friends who gathered around him and inquired after friends at home. Some of them had been printers and editors. He opened his purse and distributed all the money he had among them, so that he was compelled to borrow funds to pursue his journey. Mr. Maynard was rather a reticent man and did not deliver a speech, but he visited a number of prisoners whom he knew.

Nothing seemed to enlist the sympathy and zeal of Governor Tod so much as the care of sick and wounded soldiers. On April 8 the news of the battle of Pitts- burgh Landing called for the most prompt and energetic action by the State for the relief of the thousands who were wounded. As soon as the news of the bat-

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tle reached Columbus the Governor ordered Surgeon-General Weber and myself to Cincinnati to charter steamboats, which we loaded with sanitary stores donated by the people and the Cincinnati branch of the Sanitary Commission. During the spring and summer nine steamboats were chartered and fitted out for this benevolent work. They were under charge of my assistant, Colonel Bliss, and of George B. Senter and others. Colonel Bliss made five trips between Cincinnati and the battlefields of the South. Doctor G. C. E. Weber, Surgeon-General of the State, was very active and efficient until his health broke down from overwork, and he was compelled to resign. Doctor S. M. Smith, of Columbus, who had been very energetiein aiding Doctor Weber, was made Surgeon-General and continued to look after the sick and wounded in a very efficient manner. He made several trips to the southern camps and hospitals, directing the supply and equipment of the steamboats for their errands of mercy. He was aided by about thirty vol- untary nurses and physicians who gave their time and experience to the work free of charge. To mention the names of all who thus donated their services would be impossible. There was no lack of willing hands and warm hearts for the service. All the loyal people of the State were interested and ready to cooper- ate. Very efficient assistance was rendered by the Cleveland, Columbus and Cinein - nati branches of the Sanitary Commission, besides which the Ladies' Aid Societies all over the State contributed their time and labor. Among the articles donated and sent to the soldiers in camps and hospitals may be mentioned 5,706 blankets, quilts and coverlets ; 7,295 shirts, drawers and pairs of socks ; 645 pillows, pillow - covers, sheets and towels ; besides numerous articles of clothing of every variety ; boxes and barrels of canned fruit; jellies, wines, cordials, and thousands of band- ages, lint and similar articles prepared by the hands of loving wives, sisters and sweethearts. In addition to these useful supplies, over $200 in money was sent to me to be used in the purchase of such articles as I might deem most needed. More than half of this money was given by the Warden (Nathaniel Merion), guards and employes of the Penitentiary. Many of the donations contained letters and labels directing where and to whom they were to be sent. As far as practicable these requests and directions were carried out.

Doctor J. M. Wheaton, at that time an assistant in my office, had charge of the receipt and distribution of the donations. Among many singular packages which came was a large sack of garden seeds sent by an old lady, with no special direction or consignment. The doctor suggested that this package be sent to the army of the Potomac, which was " all quiet " so much of the time as to become a byword. I made a number of visits with Governor Tod to the hospitals at Cincin- nati and Camp Dennison and nearly every Sunday we visited Camp Chase. Too much credit and praise cannot be given to the Sanitary Commission, which was organized in May, 1861, and continued its good work until after the close of the war. Three important branches, including a very efficient one at Columbus, were organized in this State. The Commission realized and expended over a quarter of a million dollars.

Another important aid to sick and wounded soldiers was inaugurated by Gov- ernor Tod, and carried on through my department, by the establishment of State

J.M. Talmadge.

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agents whose duty it was to look after not only the sick and wounded but also the furlonghed soldiers, many of whom had not seen a paymaster for months, and were entirely out of money. A call upon the railway companies of the State was made to allow sick or furloughed soldiers, or those returning to their regiments in the field, to travel at one and one half cents per mile on tickets furnished and signed by me. All the railways of the State agreed to the arrangement ; also the Pennsylvania, Northern Central, Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago, Ohio & Mis- sissippi, Baltimore & Ohio and Illinois Central.

The plan adopted was to print and sign books of tickets in my office, in blank, and distribute them to the different agents of the State to be furnished by them to the soldiers. If a soldier had no money he was furnished with tickets on credit and the amounts were deducted from his pay. The tickets taken by the railway companies were redeemed at my office on presentation. The state agents who held the tickets were charged with the duty of looking after the Ohio soldiers in their respective localities and districts and seeing that they were cared for in every way, and especially of aiding them, when necessary, in procuring their discharge and the pay due them from the Government. The arrangement involved a large amount of labor, but was productive of great good. The following persons were appointed agents for the State: James C. Wetmore, Washington City ; Weston Flint, St. Louis, Cairo, Mound City and Paducah ; F. W. Bingham, Memphis ; R. P. Baker, New York City ; Royal Taylor, Nashville ; Daniel R. Taylor, Louis- ville ; A. B. Lyman, Cincinnati ; and James E. Lewis, Columbus. Mr. Lewis was an assistant in my office and had general charge of the agencies besides attending to his own duties. He was detailed to the work about the middle of July, 1862, and in ten months of service collected over $325,000 of back pay due to over 4,000 Ohio soldiers and paid the same over to them or their legal representatives. In the meantime he collected back over $8,000 for transportation furnished to soldiers on credit. Mr. Lewis's work was a fair sample of what the other agents did. They were required to make weekly reports to me which were filled with inter- esting accounts of their work. No doubt thousands of their lives were saved or prolonged by the efforts of these agents, and over a million of dollars collected for the soldiers or their representatives. In addition to these agencies the Gov- ernor sent special agents to various points to inquire into the condition of the sick and wounded, Among such messengers was Reverend A. R. Howbert, who visited the hospitals along the Potomac, at Baltimore, Frederick City, Middletown, Boonesboro, Sharpsburg, Washington City and Alexandria. The report of Colonel George B. Senter, who visited Paducah, Kentucky, Mound City and Pittsburgh Landing in charge of the steamer Glendale and brought over three hundred sick and wounded soldiers to Cincinnati, can be seen in the Executive Document of 1862, where Mr. Howbert's report can also be found.

Additional to the duty of caring for prisoners, volunteers, and sick, wounded and discharged soldiers was imposed upon me that of providing arms and equip- ments for the volunteers daily arriving at the different camps in Ohio. To promptly arm and equip the new regiments required the most energetic exertion. Prior to the President's call for 300,000 volunteers on July 2, 1862, Ohio had

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almost entirely ceased to purchase arms for infantry regiments, but still had a contract with Miles Greenwood & Co., of Cincinnati, and with Peter Hayden & Co., of Columbus, for cannon, artillery harness, gun carriages, etc. We were also manufacturing over 1,400,000 cartridges for artillery and small arms monthly. Over 16,700,000 were manufactured during the year 1862. It was difficult to pro- eure arms for the infantry and cavalry regiments, and we were constantly impor- tuning the Secretary of War and the Ordnance Department for these supplies.

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History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume II, Part 23

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1196

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1196