The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc, Part 20

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway
Number of Pages: 1072

USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc > Part 20

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

William Starke Rosecrans was born September 6, 1819, in Delaware County, Ohio. His people were from Amsterdam. He was educated at West Point. When the war opened, he espoused the cause of the Union with enthusiastic zeal, and was appointed by McClellan on his staff as Engineer. June 9, he was Chief Engineer of the State under special law. Soon thereafter, he was Colonel of the Twenty-third Ohio, and assigned to the command of Camp Chase, Columbus. On May 16, his commission was out as Brigadier General in the United States Army. This reached him and he was speedily sum- moned to active service, under Gen. McClellan. After the battle of Rich Moun- tain, he was promoted to the head of the department.

In April, 1862, he was succeeded by Fremont, and ordered to Wash- ington to engage in immediate service for the Secretary of War. About the 15th of May, he was ordered to Gen. Halleck, before Corinth. He was relieved from his command December 9, 1864.

192

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

Ulysses S. Grant, whose history we cannot attempt to give in these pages. was born on the banks of the Ohio. at Point Pleasant, Clermont Co., Ohio. April 27, 1822. He entered West Point in 1839.

" That the son of a tanner, poor and unpretending, without influential friends until his performance had won them, ill-used to the world and its ways, should rise-not suddenly, in the first blind worship of helpless ignorance which made any one who understood regimental tactics illustrious in advance for what he was going to do, not at all for what he had done-but slowly, grade by grade, through all the vicissitudes of constant service and mingled blunders and suc- cess, till, at the end of four years' war he stood at the head of our armies, crowned by popular acclaim our greatest soldier, is a satisfactory answer to criticism and a sufficient vindication of greatness. Success succeeds."

" We may reason on the man's career ; we may prove that at few stages has he shown personal evidence of marked ability ; we may demonstrate his mis- takes ; we may swell the praises of his subordinates. But after all, the career stands wonderful, unique, worthy of study so long as the nation honors her benefactors, or the State cherishes the good fame of the sons who contributed most to her honor."

Lieut. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman was another Ohio contribution to the great Union war. He was born at Lancaster February 8, 1820. He entered West Point in June, 1836. His "march to the sea " has fully brought out the details of his life, since they were rendered interesting to all, and we refrain from repeating the well-known story.

Philip H. Sheridan was born on the 6th of March, 1831, in Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio. He entered West Point in 1848. During the war, his career was brilliant. His presence meant victory. Troops fighting under his command were inspired. Gen. Rosecrans said of him, "He fights, he fights." A staff officer once said, "He is an emphatic human syllable."

Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson was born in Sandusky County, town of Clyde, November 14, 1828.

Maj. Gen. Q. A. Gillmore was born February 28, 1825, at Black River, Lorain Co., Ohio.

Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell was born at Franklinton, Ohio, October 15, 1818.

Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell was born near Marietta on the 23d of March, 1818. His grandfather on the maternal side was one of the first settlers of Cincinnati.

Maj. Gen. O. M. Mitchell was a native of Kentucky, but a resident of Ohio from the age of four years.

Maj. Gen. Robert C. Schenck was born October 4, 1809, in Franklin, Warren Co., Ohio.

Maj. Gen. James A. Garfield, was born in Orange, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, November 19, 1831.

193

ISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

Maj. Gen. Jacob D. Cox was born in Canada in 1828, and removed to Ohio in 1846.

Maj. Gen. James B. Steedman was born in Pennsylvania July 30, 1818, and removed to Toledo in 1861.

Maj. Gen. David S. Stanley was born in Wayne County, Ohio, June 1, 1828.

Maj. Gen. George Crook was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, Septem- ber 8, 1828.

Maj. Gen. Mortimer D. Leggett was born in New York April 19, 1831, and emigrated to Ohio, in 1847.

Brevet Maj. Gen. John C. Tidball was born in Virginia, but removed while a mere lad to Ohio with his parents.

Brevet Maj. Gen. John W. Fuller was born in England in 1827. He removed to Toledo in 1858.

Brevet Maj. Gen. Manning F. Force was born in Washington, D. C., on the 17th of December, 1824. He became a citizen of Cincinnati.

Brevet Maj. Gen. Henry B. Banning was born in Knox County, Ohio, November 10, 1834.

We add the names of Brevet Maj. Gens. Erastus B. Tyler, Thomas H. Ewing, Charles R. Woods, August V. Kautz, Rutherford B. Hayes, Charles C. Walcutt, Kenner Garrard, Hugh Ewing, Samuel Beatty, James S. Robinson, Joseph W. Keifer, Eli Long, William B. Woods, John W. Sprague, Benjamin P. Runkle, August Willich, Charles Griffin, Henry J. Hunt, B. W. Brice.

Brig. Gens. Robert L. McCook, William H. Lytle, William Leroy Smith, C. P. Buckingham, Ferdinand Van Derveer, George P. Este, Joel A. Dewey, Benjamin F. Potts, Jacob Ammen, Daniel McCook, J. W. Forsyth, Ralph P. Buckland, William H. Powell, John G. Mitchell, Eliakim P. Scam- mon, Charles G Harker, J. W. Reilly, Joshua W. Sill, N. C. McLean, Will- iam T. H. Brooks, George W. Morgan, John Beatty, William W. Burns, John S. Mason, S. S. Carroll, Henry B. Carrington, M. S. Wade, John P. Slough, T. K. Smith.

Brevet Brig. Gens. C. B. Ludlow, Andrew Hickenlooper, B. D. Fearing, Henry F. Devol, Israel Garrard, Daniel McCoy, W. P. Richardson, G. F. Wiles, Thomas M. Vincent, J. S. Jones, Stephen B. Yeoman, F. W. Moore, Thomas F. Wilder, Isaac Sherwood, C. H. Grosvenor, Moses E. Walker, R. N. Adams, E. B. Eggleston, I. M. Kirby.

We find numerous other names of Brevet Brigadier Generals, mostly of late appointments, and not exercising commands in accordance with their brevet rank, which we omit quoting through lack of space. They are the names of men of rare abilities, and in many cases of brilliant achievements.

In looking over the "War Record of Ohio," we find the State a great leader in men of valor and heroic deeds. It was the prolific field of military geniuses.

194

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

Ohio was draped with the garb of mourning at the close of the war. Her human sacrifice in behalf of the nation had been bitter. There were tears and heart-aches all over the land. Her ranks were swept by a murderous fire, from which they never flinched, and many officers fell.

Col. John H. Patrick will be remembered as opening the battle of Lookout Mountain. He fell mortally wounded, during the Atlanta campaign, May 15, 1862, while actively engaged. He was struck by a canister shot, and expired half a hour thereafter.

Col. John T. Toland, in July, 1863, was placed in command of a mounted brigade, including his regiment, and was instructed to destroy the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. He reached Wytheville, Va., on the afternoon of the 18th of July. The rebels were safely intrenched in the house, and poured a galling fire into the national troops. Col. Toland was on horseback. at the head of his command. A sharpshooter sent a bullet with fatal certainty, and he fell on the neck of his horse, but was instantly caught by his Orderly Sergeant, who heard the fervent words : "My horse and my sword to my mother."

Lieut. Col. Barton S. Kyle accompanied his regiment to the battle of Pitts- burg Landing. The regiment was forced back, though resisting bravely. Lieut. Col. Kyle was at his post of duty, encouraging his men, when he received a bullet in his right breast. He survived five hours.

Col. William G. Jones was engaged in the battle of Chickamauga, June, 1863. His regiment, the Thirty-sixth Ohio, was included in Turchin's Brigade of the Fourteenth Corps. He wrote in his pocket memoranda : "Off to the left ; merciful Father, have mercy on me and my regiment, and protect us from injury and death "-at 12 o'clock. At 5 that afternoon, he was fatally wounded and expired at 7 that same evening, on the battle-field His remains were taken by the rebels, but in December, 1863, they were exhumed and interred in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati.

Col. Fred. C. Jones held command of the Tenth Brigade, in October, 1862, marching from Wild Cat, Ky., to Nashville, through a perpetual skirmish, During the battle of Stone River, Col. Jones' regiment, the Twenty-fourth, was on the front and left of the line. During the afternoon, when the rebel assault upon the left became furious, Col. Jones ordered his men to lie down and hold fire, which was obeyed. They rose to pour a deadly volley into the rebel ranks, and rush forward in a fierce charge. The capture of an entire rebel regiment was thus effected, but Col. Jones was shot in the right side. He was carried to the rear. "I know it; I am dying now ; pay no attention to me, but look after my wounded men." He survived about ten hours. His remains are buried in Spring Grove, Cincinnati.

Col. Lorin Andrews went with his command to Western Virginia, where he succumbed to exposure and severe duty. He was removed to his home, Gambier, Ohio, where he died surrounded by friends September 18, 1861.

195

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

Col. Minor Milliken was sent to repel the attacks of the rebels at the rear. He led a superb cavalry charge against the enemy, vastly superior in numbers, and was cut off with a small portion of his regiment. He disdained to sur- render, and ordered his men to cut their way out. A hand-to-hand conflict ensued. Col. Milliken, being an expert swordsman, was able to protect himself with his saber. While parrying the strokes of his assailant, another shot him. The regiment, again charging, recovered his body, stripped of sword, purse and watchı.

Col. George P. Webster, with his regiment, the Ninety-eightlı, left Steu- benville for Covington, Ky., August 23, 1862, marching from that point to Lex- ington and Louisville. He was placed at the command of the Thirty-fourth Brigade, Jackson's division, Cooke's corps. He fell in the battle of Perryville, and died on the field of battle.

Col. Leander Stem was appointed Colonel of the One Hundred and First Ohio Infantry August 30, 1862. His premonitions that he should fall during his first regular engagement proved too true. As the army was advancing on Murfreesboro, the engagement of Knob Gap occurred, when Col. Stem's regi- ment charged and took a rebel battery, with several prisoners. The army closed around Murfreesboro, and on the evening of the 30th, the One Hun- dred and First was engaged in demonstrations against the enemy. Next morning, the battle of Stone River began in earnest. When Col. Stem's regi- ment began to waver, he called out: "Stand by the flag now, for the good old State of Ohio !" and instantly fell, fatally wounded.

Lieut. Col. Jonas D. Elliott held his position in May, 1863. During the summer of 1864, he commanded the left wing of the regiment at Dodsonville, Ala .; in September, he was sent after Wheeler, and was ordered into camp at Decatur. On the 23d, he was dispatched to Athens, to participate in the attack of Gen. Forrest, of the rebels. Col. Elliott was sent out, with 300 men, and being surrounded by Gen. Forrest, with vastly superior numbers, a forced resist- ance enabled them to sustain their own ground, until a fresh brigade of rebels arrived, under Gen. Warren. This officer instructed one of his men to shoot Lieut. Col. Elliott, and a moment later he fell. He lingered nineteen days.

Col. Joseph L. Kirby Smitlı took command of the Forty-third Ohio Regi- ment. He fell at the battle of Corinth, under Rosecrans.

Lieut. Col. James W. Shane fell, June 27, 1864, in an assault upon the enemy's works at Kenesaw. He survived but forty minutes.

Col. Augustus H. Coleman displayed the abilities of a successful commander. He was in the first charge on the bridge across Antietam Creek. He was fatally wounded. His last words were inquiries regarding his men.

Col. J. W. Lowe commanded the Twelfth Ohio, and was ordered to assist the Tenth in the battle of Carnifex Ferry. Cheering his men, in the thickest of the fight, a rifle ball pierced his forehead, and he fell dead-the first field officer from Ohio killed in battle in the war for the Union.

196

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

Lieut. Col. Moses F. Wooster was engaged with his regiment, the One Hun- dred and First Ohio, at Perryville. He was mortally wounded on the 31st of December, 1862, in the grand effort to stem the tide of defeat at Stone River.

The list of staff officers we refrain from giving, through lack of space.

At the opening of the war, William Dennison was Governor of Ohio. David Tod succeeded him. John Brough was the third War Governor.

Secretary Edwin M. Stanton was one of the most popular war Ministers. He was born in Steubenville, Ohio, in 1815; he was engaged in the United States Circuit Court, in 1860, in a leading law suit, at Cincinnati, known as the Manny and McCormick reaper trial ; on the 20th of January, 1862, he was appointed Secretary of War by Mr. Lincoln.

Ex-Secretary Salmon P. Chase's public services in Ohio have already been mentioned in these pages. In 1861, he was appointed Secretary of the Treas- ury, in Mr. Lincoln's cabinet.

United States Senator B. F. Wade made his reputation in Ohio. This Senator of the State stood at the head of the Committee on the Conduct of the War throughout its duration.

United States Senator John Sherman was a leading member of the Finance Committee, during the war. For some time he was its Chairman.

Jay Cooke was the financial agent of the Government, furnishing money for the payment of the troops. He was born in Portland, Huron Co., Ohio.

In our brief review of the war record of Ohio, we have omitted a vast amount of detail information that would prove interesting to our readers. We believe we have been accurate in whatever we have given, taking as our authority, that accepted " encyclopedia " of Ohio war facts-Whitelaw Reid, who has pub- lished a valuable volume on the subject.

SOME DISCUSSED SUBJECTS.

It may be well in glancing over the achievements of Ohio, her momentous labors and grand successes, to refer to the Ordinance of 1787, more minutely than we have done, in relation to many events, since its inherent principles are not only perpetuated in the laws of the entire Northwest, but have since been woven into the general Constitution of the United States. It made permanent the standard and character of immigration, social culture and political and edu- cational institutions. It was thoroughly antislavery and denounced involuntary servitude, which was sanctioned in every other State at that time, with the exception of Massachusetts. It protected religion and property. As late as 1862, Gen. William Henry Harrison, Governor of Indiana, called a convention for the purpose of considering the slavery question, and the feasibility of intro- ducing the system in the new States and Territories being formed. There was at this time a spirited contest, and Illinois, Indiana and possibly Ohio, barely escaped a decision that a full support should be given its introduction

197

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO

into these States. Its adoption was based upon certain specifications and limits of time, which upon a deeper consideration was deemed perplexing and impractical.

An animated discussion arose not long since, regarding the correct author_ ship of this important ordinance, and its chief worker in gaining its sanction by Congress.

Mr. Webster ascribed its authorship to Mathew Dane, of Massachusetts, which statement was immediately refuted by Mr. Benton, of Mississippi, who laid claim to it as the birthright of Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia.

It has been almost impossible to obtain accurate reports of the actions of the old Continental Congress, from the fact that its meetings were held in secret, and any reports either narrated or shown in schedules or lists, were deemed a striking lack of trust on the part of the person who furnished the information. It was sufficient that its acts and conclusions be proclaimed without any prelude or reasoning process. Hence it has been difficult to obtain early Congressional documents. But it has been conclusively proven that the great motive power in gaining the approbation of the Ordinance of 1787, was neither Dane nor Jefferson, but Dr. Cutler.

He arrived at New York, July 5 of that year, after a journey from Ipswich, Mass., in his sulky. He obtained lodgings at the "Plow and Harrow," and saw that his good horse was properly cared for and fed at the same place. Congress was then in session, and he had come on a mission for the Ohio Com- pany, to negotiate their grant and its privileges in the new Territory of Ohio. He remained in New York three weeks, constantly engaged in the work vital to the interests of the future great State. But he secured the installment of the principles deemed the corner-stone of a future powerful State constitution. Mr. Poole, Librarian of the Chicago Public Library, searched assiduously for con- clusive proof of Dr. Cutler's right to this honor, and in the North American Review, Vol. 122, this is emphatically set forth with substantiating proof under his signature.

Other facts have been discussed and proven at a very recent date, relative to the State of Ohio, which heretofore have been omitted, and nearly lost from the historic thread which unites the present with the past.

The first settlement of the lands of the Northwest is necessarily surrounded with interest. But those were exciting, troublesome times, and a few links were passed over lightly. However, the years are not so far removed in the past but the line may be traced.

Mr. Francis W. Miller, of Cincinnati, has supplied some missing chapters. The earliest documentary trace extant, regarding the southern settlement at Cincinnati, is an agreement of partnership between Denman, Filson and Pat- terson, in the fractional section of land to which the city of Cincinnati was originally limited. It bears the date August 25, 1788. This was entered on the records of Hamilton County, Ohio, October 6, 1803.

198

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

A letter from Jonathan Dayton to the Hon. Judge Symmes, dated Septem- ber 26, 1789, says: "You have been selling your lands, I am told, for two shillings specie, the acre. The price at this moment is, and seems to be, and undoubtedly is, a good one; but as much cannot be said of it when you find hereafter that in consequence of the rise of certificates, another acre, in another payment, may cost you in specie two shillings and sixpence."

A letter from John C. Symmes to Capt. Dayton, dated April 30, 1790, says : "The land in the reserved township is held at much too high a price. Not a foot of land beyond the five-acre lots will sell. Five shillings, specie, or two dollars in certificates, is the utmost they will bring, and they will rarely sell at that."

This state of affairs was in a large degree brought about by the breaking-up of North Bend and a removal of the town to Fort Washington, or Cincinnati, later. A search through the old letters and other preserved documents prove that North Bend was at one time the beginning of the great city on the Ohio, rather than Cincinnati. Judge Symmes wrote, May 18, 1789: " I have not as yet been able to make a decisive choice of a plat for the city, though I have found two pieces of ground, both eligible, but not upon the present plan of a regular square. It is a question of no little moment and difficulty to deter- mine which of these spots is preferable, in point of local situation. I know that at first thought men will decide in favor of that on the Ohio, from the supposition that the Ohio will command more trade and business than the Miami. But if it were built on the Miami, the settlers throughout the purchase would find it very convenient."

Another of the earliest selections of town sites was adjacent to the most southerly point of what is now Delhi Township. To this the name of South Bend was given. Judge Symmes reports November 4, 1790, of this place, over forty framed and hewed-log two-story houses, since the preceding spring. Ensign Luce is said to have taken his troops to North Bend, but decided to remove to Cincinnati, on account of the object of his affections having settled there-the wife of a settler. But this story is refuted by contradictory evi- dence from Judge Symmes' letters, which illustrate the fact that the post of North Bend was abandoned by Ensign Luce and his men in consequence of a panic, caused by Indian attacks. The removal of the troops caused a general decline of the town. Again, history and letters from the same eminent Judge, assert that Fort Washington was completed and garrisoned by Maj. Doughty before the close of that same year, and was begun by him during the summer, that Ensign Luce must have still been at his post at the bend at that time. It has been, therefore, recently accepted that the traditional "black eyes" and the "Indian panic." had nothing to do with the founding of Cincinnati, and that the advantages of the position gained the victory.

Cincinnati has advanced, not only in prosperity and culture, but in national significance. Our readers must have observed, in perusing these pages, that

199

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO.

from this city and the State which it represents, have emanated some of the superior intellects which have used their wise faculties and talents, tempered by a wise judgment, in behalf of the American Union.

The originality of the Senecas and Wyandots have been debated at some length, while others have called the tribes the same, having two branches. We have searched the earlier records and have found an authenticated account of these two tribes.

The Indian tribes of Ohio were originally bold, fierce and stalwart. The country watered by the Sandusky and its tributaries was frequented by the Wyandot tribe, who came from the north side of the St. Lawrence River. The Senecas were blood relatives of this tribe. Both tribes were numbered by the thousands. A war originated between them, in this manner: A Wyandot chief desired to wed the object of his affections, who laughed him to scorn, because he had taken no scalps, and was no warrior " to speak of." To change her opinion, he led out a party, and falling upon a number of Senecas, slaugh- tered them mercilessly, that he might hasten to the side of his dusky belle, with his trophies. This act inaugurated hostilities, which extended through a century. The Wyandots began to fear extermination, and, gathering their entire effects, the natives escaped to Green Bay, and settled in several villages. But the Sen- ecas made up a war party and followed them, killing many Wyandots and burn- ing some of their villages. They then returned to Canada. Soon thereafter, they secured fire-arms from the French. Again they followed the Wyandots, firing their guns into their huts, and frightening them severely. They did not succeed as well as they expected. But the third party nearly exterminated the villages, because the young warriors were nearly all gone to war with the Foxes. The few at home escaping, promised to return with the Senecas, but desired two days for preparation. The Wyandots sent word to the two villages left undisturbed, and held a consultation. They decided to go às near the Senecas as possible, unobserved, and discover their real motive. They found them feast- ing on two roasted Wyandots, shouting over their victory. They danced nearly all night, and then fell asleep. A little before daylight, the Wyandots fell on them, leaving not one to carry back the news.

The Wyandots then procured guns, and began to grow formidable. They set out to return to their own country, and proceeded on their way as far as Detroit, where they met a party of Senecas, on the lake. A fierce conflict ensued, and the Wyandots beheld the Senecas fall, to the last man, suffering fearful carnage themselves. They soon settled in this part of the world, their principal village being on tlie Sandusky. Northwestern Ohio was particularly dangerous with new Indian tribes, and the Wyandots were cruelly aggressive. The death of their chief, and their total defeat by Harrison, destroyed their power forever.

On the 29th of September, 1817, a treaty was held, at the foot of the rapids of the Miami of Lake Erie, between Lewis Cass and Duncan McArthur,

200

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OHIO

Commissioners of the United States, and the sachems, chiefs and warriors of the Wyandot, Seneca, Delaware, Shawnee, Potawattomie, Ottawa and Chippewa nations. All their lands in Ohio were ceded to the United States forever.

There was really not a Seneca in the Seneca nation. They were chiefly Cayugas, Mohawks, Onondagas, Tuscarawas, Wyandots and Oneidas. But the Mingoes were originally Cayugas, and their chief was the celebrated Logan. After the murder of his family by the whites, the Mingoes were scattered over the territory northwest of the Ohio.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc, Part 20

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway Number of Pages: 1072

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway
Number of Pages: 1072