USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Volume One > Part 39
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The "One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment" was forming before the other had left for the front. It left for the front on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1862, with every company full. Zimmerman's Brass Band accom- panied it.
Another regiment was formed in response to President Lincoln's call for another 300,000 troops, and on Sept. 11, 1862, the One Hundred and Forty-fifth Regiment was ready and left for the war. Quotas had during this time left for the navy also, and a cavalry company was raised by Captain George H. Russell at Union City. This became a part of the Twelfth Cavalry Regiment.
An enrollment of the militia was made, and on Oct. 16, 1862, the first draft in the county drew 1,055 of our men for a nine month's serv-
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ice. This draft was authorized by the state. A second draft was auth- orized by the Act of 1863, and was held in Waterford on Monday and Tuesday August 24 and 25. About 1,400 names were probably drawn at this time, although the precise number can not now be stated.
During 1863 many rebels were confined on Johnson's Island, in the upper lake, guarded by the U. S. Steamer, Michigan, and a rumor became current of their purpose to make an escape. About the same time came a rumor that our land was to be invaded from Canada, and Erie was to be the landing place of the invaders. A great excitement ensued, a body of 600 troops under Major General Brooks arrived, and called upon the citizens to help in fortifying the blockhouse bluff. Some thousand men responded with shovels and picks, and much work was done the first day or two, when the rumor proved unfounded, and the work ceased. In July of 1864 the President called for another 500,000 men, and much effort was made to secure substitutes to avoid personal service. Bounties of $400 were paid for volunteers, and substitutes were being paid from $550 to $700 each. A draft took place at Ridgeway, where the Provost Marshal's office had been moved from Waterford, which resulted in drawing 2,010 Erie County men for the service. The City of Erie was offering bounties of $400 which subsequently raised to as high as $1,500, but $800 and $900 became the usual price for this bounty, and for substi- tutes. Substitutes were paid by the drafted men; the bounties were paid by the districts.
Erie County suffered severely in the various engagements, and espe- cially so at Gettysburg, the Battle of the Wilderness, and many others. When, on April 9 (Sunday), 1865, the joyous news arrived of the sur- render of Lee at Appomattox, the feeling of our people could scarcely find suitable expression. Such a demonstration as Erie has never known took place, the people shouting themselves hoarse, flags were wide-flung to the breeze, cannon and muskets fired, bells were rung, and illuminations made the night as bright as day. The gladness of the people continued un- abated until suddenly, and utterly without anticipation, came the news of the assassination of the beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, which oc- curred on Friday, April 14, 1865. This produced the most profound sor- row and gloom, with emblems of mourning displayed everywhere in place of the tokens of victory which, until then, had been universal. All shops, stores, and business establishments were closed on Saturday; and when the funeral train bearing the remains of the beloved President passed
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through our city of Erie on April 27, on its way to the place of burial at Springfield, thousands of the people of this county, and elsewhere, gathered at the depot to pay their tribute of love and respect to their honored and martyred dead hero.
The Three Months' Regiment was recruited under a call issued April 21, 1861, by Captain John W. McLane, who had served in the Mexican War. Twelve hundred men responded in four days, from whom ten com- panies of 77 men each were formed. It left for Pittsburgh on Wednes- day, May 1, 1861, and camped by the Allegheny River just above Pitts- burg, the camp being known as Camp Wilkins. It returned to Erie on July 20, 1861, without seeing active service.
Its officers were :
Field and Staff-Colonel, John W. McLane; Lieutenant Colonel, Ben- jamin Grant; Major, M. Schlaudecker; Adjutant, Strong Vincent; Quarter Master, S. B. Benson; Surgeon, J. L. Stewart.
Its Company organizations were :
Company A, recruited at Erie-Captain, T. M. Austin; First Lieu- tenant, A. McD. Lyon; Second Lieutenant, Strong Vincent (resigned on appointment as Adjutant of the regiment) ; Second Lieutenant, William E. Bates.
Company B, recruited at Erie-Captain, Hiram L. Brown; First Lieutenant, James F. Wittich; First Lieutenant, David B. McCreary ; Second Lieutenant, John M. Clark.
Company C, recruited at Erie-Captain, John Graham; First Lieu- tenant, A. E. Yale; Second Lieutenant, C. P. Rogers.
Company D, recruited at Conneautville-Captain, J. L. Dunn; First Lieutenant, J. W. Patton; Second Lieutenant, I. S. Krick.
Company E, recruited at Waterford-Captain, John A. Austin; First Lieutenant, A. M. Judson ; Second Lieutenant, J. W. Mckay.
Company F, recruited at Titusville-Captain, Charles B. Morgan; First Lieutenant, James Farrell; Second Lieutenant, David P. Sigler.
Company G, recruited at Girard-Captain, D. W. Hutchinson; First Lieutenant, J. Godfrey ; Second Lieutenants, C. A. Pettibone, J. E. Petti- bone.
Company H, recruited at Union-Captain, John Landstrath; First Lieutenant, John M. Sell; Second Lieutenant, W. W. Gould.
Company I, recruited at Erie-Captain, John Kilpatrick; First Lieu- tenant, Thomas C. McLane; Second Lieutenant, Edward Coughlin.
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This regiment was accompanied by Mehl's Band during its absence, which was organized and led by M. W. Mehl, of Erie.
The Eighty-third Regiment was raised on authority of an order is- sued July 24, 1861, and 1,000 men had enlisted in less than five weeks, mainly from Erie, Crawford, Warren and Forest counties. Its headquar- ters here were on the old fair grounds, east of the city, and was mus- tered into the United States service on Sept. 8, 1861.
It was assigned to the Third Brigade of Porter's Division, having left here for Washington on Sept. 16, 1861, being commanded by Gen- eral Butterfield. It achieved merited recognition when General McClel- lan said to Colonel McLane, "I congratulate you upon having one of the very best regiments in the army." It took part in the reconnaisance toward Big Bethel, in the siege of Yorktown, the battles of Hanover Court House, Gaines' Mill (where on June 27, 1861, Colonel McLane was killed), Malvern Hill, and the battles along the Chickahominy River. It was in the engagements of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spottsvylvania; Colonel Strong Vincent, who had succeeded Colonel McLane, fell mortally wounded at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. It was mustered out of the service at Washington on June 28, 1865, and disbanded at Harrisburg on July 4.
Its officers were :
Field and Staff-Colonels, John W. McLane, Strong Vincent, O. S. Woodward, Chauncey P. Rogers; Lieutenant Colonels, Strong Vincent, Hugh S. Campbell, DeWitt C. McCoy, Chauncey P. Rogers, William O. Colt; Majors, Louis H. Naghel, William H. Lamont, William O. Colt, W. H. Dunbar; Adjutants, John M. Clark, B. M. Frank; Quartermasters, James Saeger, Daniel W. Clark, George M. Boal; Surgeons, William Faulkner, E. P. Allen, J. B. Burchfield; Assistant Surgeons, David E. Belknap, Isaac Walborn, Michael Thompson, Jonathan Wotring, William S. Stewart, Jared Free, T. C. M. Stockton; Chaplains, Josiah Flower, Or- son B. Clark.
Company A, recruited at Titusville-Captains, Charles B. Morgan, David P. Sigler, David P. Jones, William O. Colt, E. L. Whittelsey; First Lieutenants, David P. Sigler, David P. Jones, James M. Hunter, Martin V. B. Gifford, Wilkes S. Colt; Second Lieutenants, David P. Jones, James M. Hunter, Wilkes S. Colt, William H. Lamont, Pierce Hanrahan, David R. Rogers.
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Company B, recruited at Meadville-Captains, John F. Morris, David A. Apple, Daniel G. Saeger, Israel Thickstun, Andrew J. McKee; First Lieutenants, James Saeger, Daniel G. Saeger, Orrin A. Hotchkiss, David A. Apple, Andrew J. McKee, A. C. Montgomery, Harrison Raymond; Sec- ond Lieutenants, David A. Apple, Daniel G. Saeger, Orrin A. Hotchkiss, A. C. Montgomery, Harrison Raymond, Charles W. Smith.
Company C, recruited at Erie-Captains, John Graham, John H. Borden; First Lieutenants, Aaron E. Yale, John W. Vanatta, Abner B. Edson, Charles H. Hubbell; Second Lieutenants, James R. Farrell, Beth- uel J. Goff, Joseph B. Grimler, John W. Vannatta, Samuel L. Fluke, Charles H. Hubbell, Daniel B. Foote.
Company D, recruited at Edinboro-Captains, O. S. Woodward, Chauncey P. Rogers, John P. Kleckner; First Lieutenants, Chauncey P. Rogers, Isaac Keck; Second Lieutenants, Plympton A. White, Isaac Keck, Abijah H. Burnett.
Company E, recruited at Waterford-Captains, Hugh S. Campbell, Amos M. Judson, Benjamin A. Smith, Peter Grace; First Lieutenants, Amos M. Judson, William O. Colt, Peter Grace, William H. McGill; Sec- ond Lieutenants, William O. Colt, James H. Barnett, Peter Grace, William H. McGill, Alex B. Langley, E. L. Whittelsey, James C. Percival.
Company F, recruited at Meadville-Captains, DeWitt C. McCoy, Thomas A. Stebbins, C. V. VanDusen; First Lieutenants, Joel Smith, Thomas A. Stebbins, C. V. Van Dusen, John W. Marshall, Noble L. Ter- rell; Second Lieutenants, Thomas A. Stebbins, John W. Marshall, Augus- tus McGill, William J. Gleason, John P. Kleckner, William L. Bennett.
Company G, recruited at Tionesta-Captains, Daniel S. Knox, George Stowe, Moses G. Corey ; First Lieutenants, George Stowe, Moses G. Corey, Thomas VanGiessen; Second Lieutenants, Daniel W. Clark, John Harring- ton, Moses G. Corey, Thomas J. VanGiessen, Benjamin A. Smith.
Company H, recruited at Conneautville-Captains, P. B. Carpenter, Israel Thickstun; First Lieutenants, John E. Wilson, Israel Thickstun, Roswell B. Hynes; Second Lieutenants, Israel Thickstun, James W. Fos- ter, Oliver L. Hall, Andrew J. McKee.
Company I, recruited at Erie-Captains, Hiram L. Brown, John M. Sell, John H. Borden; First Lieutenants, John M. Sell, John H. Borden, Frederick C. Wittich; Second Lieutenants, John M. Clark, Frederick C. Wittich, William J. Wittich, Abner B. Edson.
A new Company I was recruited at Harrisburg and Reading and assigned to the regiment in March, 1865.
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Company K, recruited at Erie-Captains, Thomas M. Austin, John Hechtman; First Lieutenants, William E. Bates, John Hechtman, Henry Austin; Second Lieutenants, Edmund W. Reed, Henry Austin, Noble L. Terrell.
A new Company K was recruited in Dauphin County, and assigned to the regiment in March, 1865.
One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment .- While the Eighty-third Reg- iment was forming, Matthias Schlaudecker was granted permission on Sept. 2, 1861, to form a new infantry regiment; and he at once estab- lished headquarters on the old fair grounds east of Erie, and on Jan. 24, 1862, the regiment was organized. It left for Harrisburg on January 25, reaching there on the 27th, and on March 1st proceeded on to Baltimore. This regiment saw active service with the Army of the Potomac, partici- pating in nearly all of the battles of Virginia and Maryland, including Antietam, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. It was mustered out of serv- ice at Washington on July 19, 1865, the Erie men reaching home on July 27th.
Its officers were :
Field and Staff-Colonels, Matthias Schlaudecker, George A. Cob- ham, Thomas M. Walker; Lieutenant Colonels, George A. Cobham, Thomas M. Walker, Frank J. Osgood; Majors, Thomas M. Walker, Frank J. Os- ยท good, John A. Boyle; Adjutants, John A. Boyle, James M. Wells, Hiram L. Blodgett, John R. Boyle, Albert G. Lucas; Quartermasters, Alexander Thompson, William Saeger, Noah W. Lowell; Surgeons, Wallace B. Stew- art, George P. Oliver; James L. Dunn, D. H. Strickland; Assistant Sur- geons, John Nicholson, James Stokes, Henry F. Conrad, Joseph F. Ake, G. M. Bradfield, D. H. Strickland; Chaplains, Loren D. Williams, John R. Hamilton.
Company A-Captains, Josiah Brown, John D. Bentley, Martellus H. Todd, George Selkregg; First Lieutenants, John D. Bentley, Martellus H. Todd, Nelson E. Ames, Joseph Warford; Second Lieutenants, M. H. Todd, N. E. Ames, Cyrus A. Hayes.
Company B-Captains, Arthur Corrigan, W. P. Langworthy, Wal- lace B. Warner, William Geary, John J. Haight; First Lieutenants, W. P. Langworthy, Wallace B. Warner, John J. Haight; Second Lieutenants, Wallace B. Warner, John J. Haight, Marvin D. Pettit.
Company C-Captains, Richard Cross, O. H. P. Ferguson; First Lieu- tenants, O. H. P. Ferguson, Hiram L. Blodgett, William C. Hay, John
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McFarland; Second Lieutenants, Hiram L. Blodgett, William C. Hay, Philetus C. Fowler.
Company D-Captains, Elias M. Pierce, William J. Alexander, H. R. Sturdevant; First Lieutenants, William J. Alexander, H. R. Sturdevant, Nelson Spencer, C. W. Culbertson; Second Lieutenants, H. R. Sturdevant, Nelson Spencer, Warren M. Foster.
Company E-Captains, Samuel M. Davis, Peter S. Bancroft, Francis A. Guthrie, William L. Patterson; First Lieutenants, Leander W. Kim- ball, F. A. Guthrie, W. L. Patterson, Jesse Moore; Second Lieutenants, W. L. Patterson, Jesse Moore, Hiram Bissell.
Company F-Captains, John Braden, James M. Wells; First Lieuten- ants, James M. Wells, C. M. Kingsbury, Andrew W. Tracy; Second Lieu- tenants, C. W. Kingsbury, George Selkregg, John L. Wells.
Company G-Captains, William A. Thomas, Frederick L. Gimber; First Lieutenants, Christian Sexaur, William Mathers; Second Lieuten- ants, Joseph Cronenberger, Valentine Hitchcock, Albert N. Kinney.
Company H-Captains, J. P. Schlaudecker, Hiram L. Blodgett, Wil- liam C. Hay; First Lieutenants, George J. Whitney, John R. Boyle, Wil- liam P. Gould; Second Lieutenants, Samuel S. Bloom, John R. Boyle.
Company I-Captains, Frank Wagner, Charles Woeltge, Moses Veale; First Lieutenants, Charles Woeltge, John C. Teel, Henry Dieffen- bach, William W. Griffing; Second Lieutenants, U. Schlaudecker, William . Saeger, Henry Dieffenbach.
Company K-Captains, Jonas J. Pierce, Frank J. Osgood, Plympton A. Mead; First Lieutenants, F. J. Osgood, P. A. Mead, A. E. Black, George W Clark; Second Lieutenants, George W Smith, P. A. Mead, Albert E. Black, George W. Clark.
One Hundred and Forty-fifth Regiment .- This regiment was re- cruited during the summer and fall of 1862, with its recruiting head- quarters and drill-grounds at the old fair grounds, east of Erie, which had been used by the others. It was organized Sept. 5, 1862, left Erie, on Sept. 11, 1862, reached Chambersburg within 36 hours, and in two more days was within sound of the guns at Antietam.
On September 17, it joined the extreme right of the Union line, and helped to prevent the enemy's flank movement. It was in the battles of Fredericksburg, under General Hancock; Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and in nearly all of the battles of 1863; at the battles of Petersburg, and practically all of the engagements of the Union Army in 1864, and in
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the spring of 1865 with Sheridan. It was mustered out on May 31, and arrived in Erie June 5, 1865.
Its officers were:
Field and Staff-Colonels, Hiram L. Brown, David B. McCreary ; Lieutenant Colonels, David B. McCreary, Charles M. Lynch ; Majors, John W. Patton, John W. Reynolds, Charles M. Lynch, John D. Black; Adju- tants, James C. Hart, John D. Black; Quartermasters, James G. Payne, D. W. Winchester; Surgeon, George L. Potter; Assistant Surgeons, Simon V. Pilgrim, J. S. Whilldin, Daniel W. Richards, I. N. Taylor; Chaplain, J. H. W. Stuckenberg.
Company A, recruited in Erie County-Captains, John W. Reynolds, Frs. J. De Schryver, Horace McCray; First Lieutenants, James C. Hart, Fletcher Clay, Daniel Long, Frs. J. De Schryver, Horace McCray, Elias Brockway; Second Lieutenants, Frs. J. De Schryver, Daniel Long, Horace McCray, Elias Brockway, William F. Brockway.
Company B, recruited in Erie County-Captains, Moses W. Oliver, John H. Collom, Marlton O. Way; First Lieutenants, William H. Grant, John H. Collom, M. O. Way; Second Lieutenants, Joseph A. Moray, John H. Collom, M. O. Way, S. M. Burchfield.
Company C, recruited in Erie County-Captains, Dyer Loomis, George T. Jewett, Melvin H. Bemis; First Lieutenants, Ezra A. Parker, George T. Jewett, M. H. Bemis; Second Lieutenants, George T. Jewett, M. H. Bemis, A. H. Rathbone, John M. Fargo.
Company D, recruited in Erie County-Captains, David B. Mc- Creary, Charles M. Lynch, Clayton W. Lytle; First Lieutenants, John H. Hubbard, Horatio F. Lewis, C. W. Lytle, Thomas C. Lee; Second Lieuten- ants, Charles H. Riblet, C. W. Lytle, Thomas C. Lee, John C. McIntosh.
Company F, recruited in Warren County-Captains, Kimball H. Stiles; First Lieutenants, Richard Magill, Jeremiah Birtcil; Second Lieu- tenants, Stephen H. Evans, Jeremiah Birtcil, Louis B. Carlile.
Company G, recruited in Mercer County-Captains, William W. W. Wood, Thomas F. McCreary, George F. C. Smart; First Lieutenants, T. F. McCreary, G. F. C. Smart, Joseph L. Linn; Second Lieutenants, John W. Vincent, G. F. C. Smart, Joseph L. Linn, Robert C. McClure, Stephen A. Osborne.
Company H, recruited in Crawford County-Captains, Andrew J. Mason, J. Boyd Espy, Peter W. Free; First Lieutenants, J. Boyd Espy, Hugh R. Stewart, Peter W. Free, William S. Trimble; Second Lieuten- ants, H. R. Stewart, P. W. Free.
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Company I, recruited in Erie County-Captains, Washington Brown, George G. Griswold, James B. Hamlin; First Lieutenants, George G. Griswold, James B. Hamlin, Edwin W. Sampson, George A. Evans; Sec- ond Lieutenants, James B. Hamlin, George A. Evans.
Company K, recruited in Erie County-Captains, John W. Walker, John C. Hilton, C. W. Devereaux, Samuel V. Dean; First Lieutenants, James F. Wittich, John C. Hilton, C. W. Devereaux, Samuel C. Snell, George W. Young; Second Lieutenants, C. W. Devereaux, R. M. Brown, Samuel V. Dean, Samuel C. Snell.
Twelfth Cavalry Regiment .- A cavalry company was raised at Union which was attached to the Twelfth Cavalry Regiment. From early in 1862 until it was mustered out on July 20, 1865, it gave a good account of itself.
Captains, George H. Russell, Elmer F. Jennings, William H. McAl- lister, O. B. Tourtellot; First Lieutenants, Melvin H. Fenno, Henry A. Drake; Second Lieutenants, Bela P. Scoville; Sergeants, C. S. McCul- lough, John White, H. S. Logan, Newton B. Parker, Wm. H. Keasey, Perry Smiley.
We regret that space prevents our giving a complete list of all of the men who served from this county in the great strife that tested the material our country's constitution, and the fibre of our citizenry, was made of, but we must content ourselves with the foregoing list of officers.
THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
The news of the sufferings of the people of the West Indies, and of the horrors of the Spanish rule over them, at length evoked the deep- est sympathy in this country for the victims of misrule, of misfortune, and of starvation. At length this sympathy became so universal as to call forth a most insistent demand that our government do something to terminate the abuse and barbarism of the conditions under which our Cuban neighbors were living and suffering. When the decision was made that Spain must terminate the abuses of her rule or answer to our gov- ernment for those misdeeds, no part of the land was more prompt in tendering support to the government that was our own county. A most efficient contingent of the Pennsylvania National Guard had its head- quarters in this county, and when the Governor called for support, the Fifteenth Regiment of that organization responded to a man, and on
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April 27, 1898, left for Mt. Gretna, Pa., where they arrived on April 28, in the midst of a raging storm of snow and wind. Pitching their tents in this blizzard, they found them uninhabitable and other shelters were sought and found wherever possible.
The Fifteenth Regiment was made up of eight companies from the counties of Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Butler and Clarion, and was organ- ized as follows:
Colonel, W. A. Kreps; Lieutenant Colonel, Wm. T. Mechling; Majors, Samuel D. Crawford and Frank C. Baker; Adjutant, James C. Hoskinson ; Surgeons, S. Heilman, John M. Martin, John W. Wright; Chaplains, Ken. C. Hayes and George A. Knerr.
Company A, from Erie-Captain, Ralph B. Sterrett; First Lieuten- ant, Charles E. Spencer; Second Lieutenant, Henry N. Pudenz.
Company B, from Meadville-Captain, R. B. Gamble.
Company C, from Erie-Captain, Wallace R. Hunter; First Lieuten- ant, James B. Yard; Second Lieutenant, P. Dale Hyner.
Company D, from Clarion-Captain, A. J. Davis.
Company E, from Butler-Captain, Ira McJunkin.
Company F, from Grove City-Captain, William McCoy.
Company G, from Sharon-Captain, John W. Smith.
Company K, from Greenville- Captain, J. H. Martin.
These companies were recruited up to 75 men each, and on May 10 companies A, B, C, G and K were mustered in, and the next day com- panies D, E and F were also mustered in, to the service of the United States with 36 officers and 605 enlisted men. The command remained at Mt. Gretna until June 11, when companies A, B, D, F, G and K were or- dered to Sheridan Point, Va., under Colonel Kreps; and companies C and E were sent to Fort Washington, Md., under Lt .- Col. Mechling; but on the 20th companies A and G were likewise assigned to Fort Washington, and Company C was placed in charge of a 10-inch barbette gun and water battery and a 15-inch M. L. S. B. smooth bore. The regiment was at- tached to the First Brigade, Second Division, Second Army Corps, and faithfully kept up its infantry drill until it left there to participate in the Peace Jubilee at Philadelphia, on Oct. 27. It afterwards proceeded to Athens, Ga., where it was mustered out on Jan. 31, 1899.
It was not the fault of the men, nor of the regiment, that it did not participate in the bloody struggles in the West Indies; but it responded promptly to the call, and faithfully obeyed orders during the entire war. (31)
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
Something of how our county assisted the government by means of the navy has been heretofore told in a sketch of Captain Charles Vernon Gridley, and the fight in Manila Bay; of his gallant bearing and efficient attack; of his suffering at his post, and being hurried towards home and meeting of death at Kobe, Japan; and of his remains being tenderly cared for and brought home to be most honorably buried in Lakeside Cemetery at close of day, with impressive military honors.
The casualties of the Fifteenth Regiment were Privates John Greener and Harry Coffey, of Company A, drowned in the Potomac River on Sept. 7; Adj. James C. Hoskinson, killed when thrown from his horse at Athens, Ga., on Dec. 14; Private Etsel French of North East, Company C, died of illness in the Presbyterian Hospital, Philadelphia, while the regiment was stationed at Fort Washington.
THE WORLD WAR
It is with diffidence that we write of this conflict. Not so much that there is a dearth of material, but that the material for writing of it is so great, and that the space at our command is so small.
When the news of the first hostilities came from overseas, it was confidently affirmed that the struggle would be short-that modern means of warfare would prove so destructive that neither party could long sus- tain the impetus and effects of improved methods of warfare. But as the months wore away, and battle after battle, and campaign after campaign followed in dreadful frequency of horror and devastation; and as one horror followed fast upon the news of other frightful disasters, and a total disregard for the conventions established by nations for the con- duct of warfare became manifest, the sentiments of Americans became more and more disposed to resentment of Germany's course, and of her manner of prosecuting the campaigns, especially that which involved Belgium in the great struggle. Wanton and indiscriminate attacks upon American boats and property, with no credence given to the evidence of fairplay on the part of our own government, at length created such a widespread popular sentiment that America was sure to be sooner or later the object of Germany's attack, that this country finally, and very reluctantly, was compelled to arm and join in the plans for the suppres- sion of German ambition and ruthlessness. When that day came the citizens of this land were themselves astonished at the swiftness and sureness with which our country organized for the struggle, and drafted
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every form of activity and enterprise into the service of the government to speed the preparation for efficiently doing our part as a nation, as in- dustries, and as individuals. We would be unable to afford a just and faithful account of the activities in which the people of this county participated during those perturbing and anxious months of preparation and mobilization.
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