USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > The first century of Piqua, Ohio > Part 29
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"We scouted them, we routed them, nor lost a single man." After thus saving Troy from destruction our gallant soldiery marched to the bosom of their families, and were met by the mar- tial strains of "Ho, the conquering hero comes."
We were reminded of this bit of local history a few days ago by talking with one of the surviving heroes, W. W. Wood, about. old times in Piqua. He and W. B. Newman, John Wade, and perhaps Stephen Alexander, are the only surviving members of the military who saved Troy that the writer can now call to mind. There are doubtless others not now in the writer's recol- lection. Most of them have left the tented field and responded to the last roll-call.
I can now recall Capt. J. Carson, Ed. Taylor, T. L. P. De- frees, Elisha Webb, Hiram Tamplin, Calvin Wood, Wm. Houk, Jos. Cook, Robert G. Cole, L. F. Kirk, S. B. Garvey, Wm. P. Bennett and F. Geyer. The arms used were the sabre and the old flint-lock horse-pistol for the cavalry and the old flint-lock musket for the infantry, about as dangerous to the one who shot it as to the one shot at.
The writer distinctly remembers the effect on his shoulder of firing one of these old muskets over the grave of Jacob Boyer,
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Sr., a revolutionary soldier, whom we buried about 1843 with the honors of war in the cemetery of Wesley chapel. It reminded him of Hudibras' gun which "Well aimed at ducks or plover, recoiled and kicked the owner over."
And now what might have been? Suppose Piqua had not saved Troy? Suppose the aforesaid siege had been successful, and Troy had been taken, sacked, burnt, and the foundations plowed up? Where would have been the court house? And the furniture thereof? And the Goddess of Justice with her bustle turned toward Piqua? Now, in conclusion, we think Captain Williams could not do a more graceful act than to have a bill passed in congress pensioning the surviving soldiers of the Broad- ford War. Perhaps Cleveland would veto it, but the captain would have done his duty to the scarred veterans.
COL. THOMAS B. VAN HORNE
While it is probable that a very small proportion of the present gen- eration care a great deal for the early history of Piqua's pioneers, still there are assuredly some who will take the time and trouble to read a short biography of one who, though his permanent home was in Warren county, spent many years in our early town, and we believe that it is our duty to compile a history of his life while there are yet original letters and data in existence.
As a prelude to the more detailed account we will insert the follow- ing notice from the "Western Star" (Lebanon, O.) of Sept. 23, 1841 :
DIED
At his residence in Warren county, on the 21st instant, Col. Thos. B. Van Horne, in the 59th year of his age.
It soldom falls to the lot of a community to mourn the loss of one whose life has been characterized by such constant, active, and varied usefulness as that of the lamented subject of this notice.
Col. Van Horne was a native of New Jersey, and son of the Rev. Wm. Van Horne, an eminent preacher of the Baptist church, and during the greater portion of the Revolutionary war a chaplain in the army of the colonies. This truly good man died on his journey to Ohio with his family in the year 1808.
His son, whom death has now taken from us, with the other mem- bers of the family continued their journey to this country and settled
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on the farm where he died. Though unused to the hardships and pecu- liar life of a new settler, yet he commenced and prosecuted with a cheer- ful alacrity the clearing out and cultivation of his farm until the com- mencement of the late war with Great Britain. He was amongst the first who volunteered in this part of Ohio to fill up the requisition of troops, who were destined to open the war with England, under the com- mand of Gen. Hull.
COL. THOMAS B. VAN HORNE
He was elected to the command of a battalion in the regiment com- manded then by the late Gen. Findlay. In this service, though young, and without any experience in war, he acquitted himself so well that after the surrender by Hull of his gallant little army he was promoted by the general government and received from Mr. Madison, (then Pres- ident) his commission of lieutenant-colonel in the regular service of the United States, in which he continued to the close of the war, at which time he again returned to the labors of his farm.
After this he was chosen to represent this county in the state senate, where he still maintained a character for useful and practical good sense. By nature endowed with a disposition equally removed from obstinacy on the one hand and vacillation on the other, he exhibited that union of
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concilliation and firmness, which in large bodies of men, is so requisite for the attainment of any good result.
During the administration of Mr. Monroe, Col. Van Horne received the appointment of Register of the Land Office in the north-western part of Ohio, which he held until the year 1837. On his retirement from that office he again re-established himself on his farm in this county, where he remained a quiet, industrious and active citizen to the close of his life. * **
With the above as a basis of our history we will take up the life of Col. Van Horne at the beginning of the war of 1812, and by portions of unpublished letters and references to historical data, try to follow his active career as connectedly as possible.
We have seen that he was elected captain of a battalion in the regi- ment of Gen. Findlay, whose volunteers were enlisted from the vicinity of Lebanon, and were marched to the headquarters of Gen. Hull, at Urbana, O., early in June, 1812. The following letter from Capt. Van Horne to his wife continues the story now so nearly forgotten :
Urbana, June 11th, 1812.
My Dear Sophia : I arrived here the day after I left you, about 1 o'clock. The 4th reg't arrived the same night within a mile or two of town, but the Gen. requested them not to march into camp until the next day, when the whole army marched out and received them and escourted them through and under a bower and arch erected in honor of the Tippecanoe heroes.
Col. McArthur's reg't marched this morning. The whole army are under marching orders for Saturday, and I do not ex- pect we shall stay longer, but proceed on to the foot of the rapids.
The Governor (Meigs) and Gen. Hull had a council with the different Indian chiefs whose countries it will be necessary to march through. The Indians very readily granted Gen. Hull the privilege of marching through their territories and erecting block-houses where and whenever he thought necessary.
They professed much friendship and requested that in event of war with other tribes that this army would protect them- which was also granted. I never imagined there would be any difficulty, but now I think every person will certainly be con-
r
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vinced. * ** * John Sheets is elected captain. Our camp is very healthy and in fine spirits. The 4th reg't are a handsome set of men, and in good discipline. * * Ensign Meek will * go tomorrow, by whom I will drop you a few lines. Love to mother, sister and all friends. THO. B. VAN HORNE.
Our next letter takes us much nearer the final destination of Hull's army, and is dated-
Foot of the Rapids-Miami of the Lake. June 30th, 1812.
My Dear Sophia : I wrote you from "Camp Necessity," 15 miles in advance of "Fort McArthur," by Lieut. Pope in which I told you Col. Findlay's Reg't was in advance of the main army, cutting and opening roads, bridging, etc., etc.
We continued in advance 4 days after the date of my letter, opened the road 25 miles further and built 2 block-houses, piq- uetted them and completed them before the army came up with us. The whole regiment behaved extremely well and worked like men. The block-houses were completed in about 12 hours, cov- ered, floors laid, doors made and hung, gates for the entrance of the picquet and everything, without a particle of iron or the sound of a hammer.
The Gen. complimented the regiment-officers and men, and called the fortress "Fort Findlay." It is situated on a consid- erable stream that empties into the "Au Glaise," called Blan- chard fork-a beautiful situation surrounded by a handsome country of land-good springs a few yards from its side.
No difficulty has yet arisen about water, we have always had it in abundance, and that has been very good. We have passed over a great deal of exceedingly wet land and a great proportion of excellent land, indeed the country far exceeds my expectation. The poor fellows who have marched on foot have really had a hard time, but they are in fine spirits, and a very small pro- portion of them sick. A few of the sick were left at Fort McAr- thur with a subaltern and about 25 men-also at Fort Findlay.
The army arrived here this day will leave it tomorrow, ex- cept a detachment which will be left to build a block-house and await further orders.
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On the bank of the river, or near it a few miles back, Gen. Wayne had his engagement with the Indians some years ago. We have mached along on the bank of this beautiful stream about 4 miles today, and I really think there are some of the handsomest situations on it that I ever saw.
Detroit is 70 miles from this, the road cut, and generally much better than we have passed. We have seen no Indians yet, or heard of none except those we have with us. We have been told that some have collected on the river Huron, but the num- ber is small, and it is said British officers were among them. We shall not reach Detroit 'till after the 4th of July-and that day I expect will decide the fate of this nation as to war or peace.
Our baggage will here be considerably curtailed and sent on by water, together with the sick, in a schooner that now lies in the river immediately below the encampment. *
* This letter will be forwarded by a person going to Cincinnati; whether he will go through Lebanon or not I know not. If not, he will leave it at Dayton to be sent to you by the first opportunity.
THO. B. VAN HORNE.
Hull reached Detroit early in July, 1812, but made little effort to oppose the British and Indians, and on the 16th of August surrendered the town and the territory of Michigan, with 1,400 brave men, not even giving them a chance to strike one blow for the American cause. Van Horne was one of the many officers who unsuccessfully remonstrated with Hull over his cowardly action.
Soon after this event our captain of volunteers was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the 26th Reg't U. S. Infantry. Some time during the summer of 1813 Col. Van Horne, with other field officers of the 26th, were allowed a furlough, and he returned to his home near Lebanon.
Our next letter is from Duncan McArthur to Col. Van Horne, and is especially interesting :
On board the Niagara,-Off Erie. Oct. 22nd, 1813.
Dear Colonel: Your favor of the 10th inst. I received on the 19th at Malden, but had not the time-nor have I yet, to
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answer it. I can only say that I have written to you several times since I left home, and would have with much pleasure written you much oftener had not the 'want of time and oppor- tunity prevented. I wrote you from Detroit on my arrival at that place, and informed you that both Malden and that place had been abandoned by the British and the public buildings burnt.
Gen. Harrison, with Cass' brigade and the Kentucky militia, pursued Proctor up the river Thames about 85 miles from this and captured all but Proctor, Elliott, McKee, and about 30 or 40 dragoons, who made their escape at the commencement of the action. The number of prisoners taken between 500 and 600.
My brigade was left at Detroit to guard that place against the Indians who were in vast numbers in that neighborhood. They have generally come in and agree to be forever hereafter our friends. Hostages have been taken as security for their good behavior.
Gen. Cass is left to command and administer both the civil and military government of the Michigan territory and the upper district of Upper Canada.
Gen. Harrison, with myself and brigade, left Detroit on the 18th on board the fleet and this vessel and one other have arrived here, the others are expected hourly. We are to proceed on immediately without landing to Black Rock. We learn that Com. Chancy has beaten the British fleet on Lake Ontario, and that Gen. Wilkinson has gone from 'Ft. George in pursuit of Gen. Rotenburg, and we hope to form a junction with him near Kings- ton.
I have for some weeks past been very much indisposed, and if I do not recover shortly I fear that I shall be left behind on the march. There is certainly not the best regulations in this army, but it is not my wish to say much on the subject while I remain in the service.
The 26th regiment has been much neglected. I applied to the Comss. Gen'l whilst at Seneca for permission to send for one of the field officers of the 26th. His answer was that there were already too many field officers in service for the number of men. At Seneca the 26th regiment mustered about 360 when they
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marched. They were converted into a light corps and placed under Col. Ball; then attached to the 17th, afterward to the 19th, and again put under the command of Col. Ball.
From a letter lately rec'd from the Commissioner of Ex- change all prisoners of war who were not officially notified of their exchange were not suffered to proceed with the army, and have consequently been left at Detroit.
From the number of prisoners and sick there is not more than 200 of the 26th on board the fleet. I have not had an opportunity of consulting with Gen. Harrison since I rec'd your letter, and know not whether to order out Major Jenkinson or not, nor yet where Capt. Collins' company ought to march to.
Gen. Harrison is on shore and I have not seen him since we left Malden.
Please to give my compliments to Mrs. Van Horne, and believe me to be your sincere friend with unabated esteem.
DUNCAN MCARTHUR.
Our next letter carries us on to Feb. 14, 1814, and was written by Col. Van Horne to his wife while he was a witness at the trial of Gen. Hull, at Albany, N. Y. We only quote that part referring to the trial, as the balance is entirely personal :
% The testimony on the part of the United States in the case of Gen'l Hull is closed, and the court has adjourned until Monday morning next to give time for Gen'l Hull's coun- sel to sum up the evidence and prepare for introducing his wit- nesses. Impressions are very strong against the old man. "He did not think the witnesses would be so hard on him."
The only question with the court I presume will be-The extent of punishment for cowardice and neglect of duty. *
On July 22, 1814, the second "Treaty of Greenville" was concluded, in which the neutral Indians of this vicinity were allowed to take up arms with the Americans against the British and Northern Indians.
As a precautionary measure several companies of soldiers were present, as is indicated in the following military order :
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Chillicothe, O., June 14th, 1814.
Col. Van Horne, of the 19th Reg't Infantry.
Sir: You will collect the recruits of the 19th Reg't, U. S. Inf'y, now in the neighborhood of Lebanon, place them under proper officers of rank, according to the number of troops which will compose the detachment, and have them marched to Green- ville with the least possible delay, there to report to Capt. Ram- sey of the 1st Reg't of U. S. Riflemen.
Transportation will be furnished by any of the quarter- masters on the route on the proper application of the officer com- manding the detachment.
I am, respectfully yours, DUNCAN MCARTHUR, Brig. Gen'l. U. S. Army, Comm. the Sth M. D.
In another letter from Gen. McArthur to Col. Van Horne of Feb. 12th, 1815, we find the Colonel ordered to join that part of the 19th regiment stationed at Erie, Penn. This he did, and as the war was then practically over, they soon started for headquarters at Chillicothe, Ohio, to be mustered out of the government service. Our last military orders from Gen. McArthur to Col. Van Horne are when they had reached Portsmouth, Ohio :
Headquarters 8th Mil. Dist. Chillicothe, May 10th, 1815.
Dear Sir: I this moment rec'd your letter of the 30th ult. Should you find the Scioto, on your arrival at Portsmouth, in such a state as to enable you to ascend it with your keel boats you will do so, as it will cost much less than to march the troops from Portsmouth to Chillicothe by land.
Yours respectfully, DUNCAN MCARTHUR, Brig. Gen'l.
After the stirring events of three years of war service Col. Van Horne went back to his farm near Lebanon. He had been a state sena- tor in the 11th General Assembly of Ohio, and again became a member of that body in Dec., 1816, where he served an additional two years. We next find him on a horse-back trip to Washington, D. C., in 1820, where he went to press his claims to the appointment as Register of the Land Office of north-western Ohio, and in a letter to his wife, dated
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St. Clairsville, Jan. 2, 1820, he gives an account of the trials and hard- ships of such a trip in the winter.
Our last letter in this series is to his wife after his arrival in Wash- ington, and in it he speaks of his cordial reception by congressmen and the president. At the date of writing (Jan. 15, 1820) he was uncertain as to his appointment, but from other sources we find that Mr. Monroe selected him from among quite a number of competitors.
Soon after his appointment he removed with his family to Piqua, and had his Registery Office in the north front room of Dr. Ashton's present residence on Main street. This Land Office was continued in Piqua until in March, 1836, when it was removed to Lima, Ohio, and Col. Van Horne soon afterward returned to his old home near Lebanon, where he died in 1841.
During the 16 years he was a resident of Piqua he was one of our leading citizens, and his familiar acquaintanceship with the leading men of that day, both local and national, makes his memory an honor to our local history.
His daughter Elizabeth (Mrs. H. Clay Landes) is still living in Piqua, and it is to her and her daughter that we owe the preservation of these interesting historical documents.
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF FRANK A. HARDY
Written in 1911
I was born March 17, 1819, in Hollis, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire. I was the oldest of 7 children, 6 sons and a daughter, born to Amos and Mary Hardy. My father was of Scotch-Irish descent and my mother of English descent, a pretty good mixture and it makes genuine Yankees. When the youngest child was born I was in my 13th year. My father was in poor circumstances. He owned a small farm of about 80 acres, but only a part of it was fit for cultivation, the balance was very rough pasture and woodland, and as he was several hundred dollars in debt it was a hard struggle with him to provide a com- fortable living for his large family, but he was industrious and economical and in robust health and he managed to keep the "wolf from the door," although at times he came in sight and his howl was pretty plainly heard.
the
er
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When the seventh child was born, although I was only a boy, not yet 13 years old, I realized that the little farm could not furnish the means of support for the large family as they grew older and expenses increased. I studied the problem of how the family could be kept together, and finally decided on a plan in my own mind how to accomplish the object. I spoke to my father on the subject. I asked him how he expected to con- tinue to provide for the large family and keep them together with no income but the proceeds of the little rocky farm. He replied that he had studied a great deal over the matter but had not
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decided just what his plans would be, but probably as soon as the boys were old enough he would have them learn some trade. I replied that as they would have to serve an apprenticeship till they were of age, they could not help pay his debts and I thought I had a better plan. With a broad smile on his care-worn face he said : "You are pretty young, my boy, to be forming plans in matters like this, but what is your plan?" I replied that I had watched the men at work in my uncle Luther's cooper shop and I was sure I could learn the business in a short time and help
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make the living for the family and also help to pay off his debts. He heartily endorsed my plans. A shop on the property adjoin- ing his farm was rented, some tools procured, also timber suit- able for making nail kegs at which I worked for a few weeks, carefully instructing myself in the business and then he pro- cured timber for making cooperage for the Boston market when I was 14 years old I could do an average day's work for a jour- neyman cooper, and my father's debts were rapidly paid off and in a few years he had money ahead. I worked for my father till I was 20 years old and then worked for myself till 1843 at the same business, with the exception of one summer when I worked in Shoreham, Addison County. In Vermont, where I made 555 beef barrels, averaging about 18 barrels a week.
I came to Piqua September 18th, 1843, and worked as a jour- neyman cooper for a few months; then I went to Sidney and worked for Mr. John Casey, in his big cooper shop; then I formed a partnership with Mr. Charles Lippincott in the cooper- ing business, which continued till the spring of 1846. when I re- turned to Piqua.
A few weeks thereafter the Mexican war broke out, the battle of Palo Alto was fought and won by Gen. Taylor's little army against a much superior force near the Rio Grande river. A call was immediately issued by the President for the enlist- ment of 50,000 twelve months' volunteers and 3 regiments of 800 men each was assigned as the quota for Ohio to raise. A citi- zens' meeting was called to meet on the Public Square to take steps to raise a company for the war. The meeting was very largely attended ; a speaker's platform was provided by using a couple of dry goods boxes. Speeches were made by several persons who had been officers in the Home Military service. or service in the city government.
Their slogan was: "Serve your country; go, boys, and if you are killed we will see that your families are taken care of." But the meeting failed to enthuse on the speeches made and was apparently about to fizzle when some one called out, "Hardy, Hardy." I was standing on the outside of the crowd and did not respond, as I realized that the call was made to have a little sport, if nothing more, out of the meeting. The call was vigor- ously repeated, and as I did not respond I was picked up and passed over the heads of the crowd and heavily dumped on one
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of the boxes. I was much offended by my treatment and I picked myself up and gave the crowd a war speech they were not expect- ing, which was greeted with enthusiastic cheers. I closed my re- marks by saying : "I will change the slogan and say, 'Come, boys, go with me to Mexico; I am going if I go alone.'" I called on the drum corps present to start the music and march around the square, which they did, and as I followed closely calling out, "Fall in, boys, fall in." My call was heeded and in a few min- utes a big squad of volunteers were raised and in a day or two thereafter a full company was ready for service and proceeded on one of Lawton and Barnett's canal boats to Cincinnati and re- ported for duty at Camp Washington.
As many hundreds more than called for had already reported the company was not accepted, and 7 men beside myself joined a company from Steubenville, Ohio, which was assigned to the 3rd regiment of Ohio volunteers. The regiment proceeded to the seat of war on the Rio Grande and did garrison duty at Mata- moras, Mexico, -- a city of 20,000 inhabitants-for 7 months, then were assigned to guard trains for Gen. Taylor's army. While the regiment did not do any fighting, only skirmishing with guer- rillas who constantly harassed the trains, they faithfully per- formed every duty assigned to them and gained warm praise from their superior officers. At the expiration of my term of service I was mustered out and returned to Piqua.
I again engaged in the coopering business. June 20, 1848, I was married to Miss Elizabeth Cisco, an orphan girl, aged 17 years. Her father and mother had died several years prior to our marriage and she had been given an excellent home in the family of Mr. John Moffit, who lived two miles west of Piqua on the Stillwater pike. In the spring of 1849 I invested several hundred dollars in cooperage material and employed several coopers to assist me in the manufacturing of pork barrels for the Cincinnati market. At the opening of the pork packing sea- son I had a large stock of barrels stored in Cincinnati and Piqua ready for market, which opened quite dull and the boss coopers in Piqua who had many thousand barrels on their hands, gen- erally refused to sell at the prices offered and held on for higher prices. But it was soon learned by the pork packers that the supply of barrels was in excess of the demand and they offered a
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