A Transcription FromHistory of the War of the Rebellion as it Affected Orange County, and Other
Facts by O. S. Edwards
Published in Orleans
Progress Examiner, Thursday, May 25, 1911:
The
history of the county says that strong political sentiment prevailed in Orange county for one or two years next prior to the
breaking out of the war. The citizens were aware of the differences which
bitterly divided the North and the South and took sides according to their
education, sympathy, location or conscientious belief. The great majority of
the people of the county stoutly denounced any interference whatever on the
part of the North with the institution of slavery, many Republicans being of
that opinion. It was soon developed that many of the citizens believed in the
right of secession. On the other hand, the great majority of all parties in the
county was opposed to a dissolution of the Union.
As soon as the Southern States, led by South
Carolina, began to enact ordinances of secession and
make preparations to set up a separate government, the question of the
constitutional right of coercion became for a time the all-absorbing topic. In
November, 1860, the editor of the American Eagle, a paper published in Paoli by
Mr. H Comingore, said through his paper:
"It
does appear to us that our Southern neighbors are acting rather hastily -
notwithstanding they have great cause for complaint. They should wait and see
what course Lincoln
intends to pursue. If it is his determination to carry out his ultra-Republican
doctrines against the South, it will then be time enough for them to take steps
for a separation of the Union."
This
was perhaps the prevailing sentiment of the county. The majority of the
citizens were of Southern origin, had relatives and pecuniary interests in the
South, believed in State sovereignty, the right of secession and the right of
slavery.
On
the 17th of January, 1861, a large mass meeting of the citizens was held at
Paoli to consider the state of the country. Theodore Stackhouse was made president
of the meeting; John H Campbell and David Hudelson, vice presidents; J. N.
Riley, John Frazer and H Comingore, secretaries. Prayer was offered by Rev. J.
B. Ramsdell and the following committee was appointed to draft resolutions
expressive of the sense of the meeting: J. B. Buskirk, Dr. J. A. Ritter, John
Frazer, Jonathan Lindley, W. Procter, Rev. Ramsdell, William Holaday, N.
Willis, W. F. Mavity, John A Lane, W. W. Wells and S. Foster. The sentiments of
the orators were loyalty to the government, and the fervent hope that the Union might be preserved with the rights of all factions
undisturbed. The resolutions prepared by the committee were read and
unanimously adopted by the representatives of all political factions of the
county.
A
similar meeting was held at Livonia
and was largely attended. On Feb 15, 1861, a similar meeting was held at French
Lick, a large crowd assembling for many miles in all directions.
The
news of the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter
created great excitement in the county and brought out expressions of all
shades of opinion. Many of the citizens were unfavorable to coercion and so
stated. Others were for immediate war. Many opposed any interference with
slavery. A revolution of opinion was undergoing. Soon a decided stand was made
in favor of the raising of volunteers for the preservation of the Union. Steps were immediately taken to raise a company of
Home Guards at Paoli, and elsewhere, to insure the protection of life and
property at home.
It
is said that the first troops from Orange county to get into the United States service went south about the
middle of May and joined a loyal Kentucky
regiment. Their names and numbers cannot be give. The first considerable number
of men who left the county for the service was raised in the vicinity of Orleans, and left for Cincinnati about the 20th of June. There were
25 or 30 of them under the command of Thomas N. Davis. A number of them
returned when it was found difficult to get into satisfactory regiments. Those
who remained were Hugh Langford, Alfred Smith, E. H. Talbot, J. K. McPherson,
John Hall, John A. Lee, John Donavan, W. H. H. Wright, C. A. Smith, G. W.
Harrison, H. B. Martin, Gilbert Heart, J. H. Nitsman, Samuel R Tegarden, R. E.
Marygoes, W. C. Fitts, J. M. Waldrip, Christian Clayton and J. F. Gotzell. What
became of these men cannot be definitely stated.
Soon
after this H. T. Braxton is issued a call for about thirty volunteers for the
company of Capt. Sheeks, then forming at Mitchell. About this time also, a rifle
company was organized at Paoli and uniforms were obtained. In several places
throughout the county hickory poles were erected up which were run the stars
and stripes, usually amid loyal cheers. The parties were uniting to preserve
the Union. Early in June a large meeting of
all parties was held at Paoli, where appropriate resolutions were adopted
expressing sorrow for the death of Senator Douglas. In June two companies of
home guards, afterwards the Indiana Legion, were organized in Orange county,
and mustered into service - one company at Orleans and the other at Orangewille. The
officers of the Orangeville company were: John A. Ritter, captain; Theodore
Stackhouse, first lieut.; Thomas B Ware, second lieut. The Orleans company was offered as follows: Wm.
T. Spiceley, captain; Chas. Jenkins, first lieut; Arthur W Gray, second lieut.
Both companies were mustered into the State service June 26.
During
the latter part of June and the early part of July, from the home guards or
militia organizations, two full companies were raised in the county for the
24th Regiment, which had in Vincennes
a rendezvous under Col. A. P. Hovey. One company was mainly raised in and
around Orleans,
the other in and around Paoli, though men were secured from all portions of the
county. W. T. Spiceley led the movement at Orleans, and Solomon Dill at Paoli. War
meetings were held at these two towns and at Valeene, Chambersburg,
Orangeville, French Lick, and elsewhere. At these meetings orators would
inflame the patriotism of young men in fiery and eloquent addresses and the
ladies would pass the fatal enlistment roll around. At Orleans about fifty of the old citizens
pledged themselves to care for the families of volunteers in the company of
Capt. Spiceley. In the short space of a week or two both the companies were
organized. The officers of the Orleans
company were as above mentioned and the officers of the Paoli company were
Solomon Dill, captain; John W. Tucker, first lieut; S. H. Southwick, second
lieut. Captain Spicely's company became G of the 24th Regiment and Captain
Dill's company B of the same regiment. Both companies were mustered into the
three years' service on the 31st of July, 1861, and with their regiment started
for St. Louis, Mo., on the 19th of August. The regiment joined
G. Fremont's forces and moved into the interior of Missouri,
where it remained until February, 1862, when it joined the troops at Fort Donelson.
It reached Paducah one day after the surrender
of Fort Donelson,
thence moved to Fort
Henry, and later moved
with Gen. Grant's army to Pittsburg Landing. At the battle of Shiloh
it was hotly engaged, losing many officers and men. Col Hovey, having been
promoted Brigadier-General, he was succeeded by W. T. Spicely, of Orleans. This was May 14,
1862. In May and June the regiment participated in the seige of Corinth and after the evacuation moved to Memphis,
and in July to Helena, Ark., where it remained during the
succeeding winter, participating in sundry expeditions. In the spring of 1863
it joined Grant's army and moved with Hovey's division of the Thirteenth Corps,
in the campaign against Vicksburg,
engaging in all the batles and skirmished, including the battles of Port Gibson
and Champion Hills. In the latter battle it distinguished itself for its daring
charges on the enemy. It was actively engaged in the trenches before Vicksburg during the
siege from May 19 to July 4. After this in August it moved to New Orleans by boat. In the fall of 1863 it
did duty at New Iberia, La.,
and later at Algiers, near New Orleans, where, Jan 1, 1864, it
veteranized and soon afterward was granted a furlough.
About
the latter part of August, 1861, a company was formed by H. L. Williams for the
38th Regiment. The officers were H. L. Williams, captain; T. D. Potter, first
lieut.; William Leonard, second lieut. On the 31st of August the company
left the county for New Albany
to join the 38th.
The
38th, to which these men were assigned, entered the three years' service. The
fall and winter were passed at Camps Nevin and Wood, on Barren and Green
rivers. It saw constant service and Perrysburg fought valiantly, losing 27
killed and 123 wounded and 7 prisoners. On Nov. 2nd it was placed with the
First Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps. (Lieut. Wm. Leonard was detached
from the company and placed in the signal corps of the Fourteenth Army Corps,
with a captain's commission. He was wounded by a sharpshooter while receiving a
dispatch.) Being in a number of engagements and participating in the
galling battle of Stone
River, losing 14 killed
and 86 wounded. It later moved toward Chattanooga,
skirmishing hotly at Hoover's
Gap, losing 1 killed and 15 wounded. On the 19th and 20th of September, 1863,
it was desperately engaged at bloody Chicamauga, losing 9 men killed, 59
wounded and 42 missing. The winter was passed at Rossville,
Ga., where the regiment veteranized December
28th, 1863, and early in January started home on furlough, reaching Indianapolis on the 9th,
with 360 men and officers. On May 7th it started on the Atlanta campaign, and participated in all the
engagements on the march, losing 103 men killed, wounded and missing. It was
finally mustered out in July, 1865.
In
September and October, 1861, Dr. J. A. Ritter, Wm. Charles and others raised a
company for the 49th Regiment, with the following officers: John A Ritter,
captain; Wm Charles, 1st lieut., Elijah T. Pinnick, 2nd lieut. Late in
September, 1861, the company moved to Jeffersonville, where it became company G
of the 49th Regiment. With John W. Ray as regimental colonel, it went into a
camp of instruction at Bardstown. Jan 12, 1862, the regiment started for
Cumberland Ford, where it suffered terribly from the ravages of disease. From
this time till Sept 7th, when it was mustered out, it saw a great deal of
service.
There
were many volunteers for the 50th Regiment, raised at Seymour under command of Colonel Dunham, who
was aided by John Hungate in raising a full company, mostly in the western part
of the county, the men coming largely from the Democratic party. The men were
mustered in as Company F of the 50th Regiment, and on the 5th of November,
1861, with the following officers: John Hungate, captain; B. F. McClintock, 1st
lieut.; Isaac A Craig, 2nd lieut.; moved into Kentucky.
In
January and February, 1862, another company was raised mostly in Orange county, which became Company K of the 53rd
Regiment, with Wiley R. Reeves, captain; Mereda McDonald, 1st lieut.; W. T.
Cloud, 2nd lieut. The men for this company came mainly from around Orleans. This regiment
saw considerable service, suffering especially at Atlanta, where Col Jones was killed. It
pursued Hood, and later marched to the sea. Marching northward through the
Carolinas, and after Johnston's surrender, moved to Raleigh, Richmond, thence
to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out July 21, 1865.
During
the late fall of 1861, about half a company was raised in the vicinity of
Valeene for the 59th Regiment, which was in rendezvous at Gosport, Ind.
During its term of service it participated in the following movements: Siege of
New Madrid, Mo., the capture of 5,000 prisoners at Tiptonville, expedition to
Fort Pillow, siege and skirmishes around Corinth, pursuit of Price to Hatchie,
sundry expeditions - one to Yazoo river in March, 1863, the Vicksburg campaign,
fighting at Forty Hills, Jackson, Big Black River, and the bloody assaults on
the fortifications of Vicksburg, where it suffered severely, losing 126 men
killed and wounded; in September, 1863, moved up the river, fought at Mission
Ridge, veteranized at Huntsville, Ala., January 1, 1864, enjoyed the veteran
furlough; took the field again in April, 1864, did guard and provost duty in
Tennessee until November, 1864, and marched with Sherman to the sea; thence
through the Carolinas and finally to Washington City. It was mustered out at Louisville, Ky.,
July 17, 1864.
But
little effort was made during the early spring and summer of 1862 to raise
volunteers for the war. The call of July, 1862, for 300,000 men for nine
months, and the call of August, 1864, for 300,000 men for nine months
stimulated new enlistments, and war meetings were held throughout the county. A
little more than two full companies were raised for the 66th Co. D, except
about seven men, was wholly from Orange
county, and was officered as follows: John W. Payne, captain; John Millis, 1st
lieut; Jas. M. Hobson, 2nd lieut. All of Company E, except about ten men, was
raised in Orange county, the officers being F.
C. Bivens, captain; S. B. A. Condor, 1st lieut; Wm. Maple, 2nd lieut. There
were fifteen from the county Co. B, and few in other companies. The men were
all mustered in August 19, and the same evening the regiment, yet incomplete,
marched south to oppose Kirby Smith, who had invaded Kentucky. It moved to Lexington
and on the 23rd of August marched to Richmond,
Ky., where on the 30th it
participated in that disastrous engagement, losing the greater portion
captured. The entire regiment was transferred to Indianapolis
November 18, was duly declared exchanged, and December 10 again took the field
at Corinth.
After more service it went with the Second Division of the Sixteenth Army
Corps, starting April 29th for Chattanooga to
join Sherman at Dalton, Ga.
It then participated in the Atlanta campaign,
fighting at Resaka, Lay's Ferry, Rome Cross Roads, Dallas,
Kenesaw, before Atlanta, July 22 and Jonesboro. Marching
across Georgia to Savannah, it then moved through the Carolina's
and after Johnson's surrender, reached Washington City
May 24, 1865. It was mustered out June 3rd, and sent to Indianapolis, and all except the recruits
were discharged.
Early
in September, 1862, about a dozen men left the county as recruits for Co. A of the 38th Regiment. In August a dozen men joined
Co G of the 49th and a few Co K, of the same regiment. About fifteen joined Co.
F of the 50th Regiment in September and October. The work of enlistment was
well done, and at the time of the draft of October 6, 1862, only two townships,
Greenfield and Jackson, were deficient, while the other townships, almost all,
had a surplus, so that Orange county was in reality ahead of the quota. A few
men from the county went into the cavalry and a few more entered the 81st
Regiment, all prior to the draft of October.
Almost
an entire company was raised for the 92nd Regiment in the vicinity of Newton
Stewart, but really became H of the 93rd, with the following officers: Wm. T.
Swift, captain; John W. Parks, 1st lieut.; Wesley Shoulders, 2nd lieut. The men
were mustered in at Madison August 20, 1862, and
on the 9th of November moved to Cairo,
Ill. After a number of moves it
finally participated in the movement on Vicksburg.
Its first fight was at Jackson,
Miss., where it lost 3 killed and
7 wounded. It moved back toward Vicksburg
and in assaults on that place lost 3 killed and 14 wounded. The regiment was in
many skirmishes at various points, and after a hot fight in the Gun Town
expedition, was driven back with a loss of 13 killed, 56 wounded and 184
prisoners. It participated in the battle of Nashville, joined in the pursuit, later
selecting winter quarters at Eastport, Miss. It was mustered out Memphis, Tenn.,
August 10, 1864, which companies I and K remained with the recruits until
October, 1865.
It
is impossible to give the exact number of men furnished by the county for the
war, but the approximate number can be given. On the 19th of September, 1862,
the county was credited with having furnished 1,023 volunteers. As she
afterwards filled all her quotas, either by volunteer enlistments or by draft,
the approximate number of men can be found. Her quota under the June call of
1863, was not less than 50 men, and her quota under the October call of 1863
was 186 men. All these were furnished. Her quota under the June call of 1863,
was not less than 50 men, and her quota under the October call of 1863 was 186
men. All these were furnished. Her quota under the call of February, 1864, was
236; under call of March, 1864, was 94, and under the call of July 1864, was
250. Under these calls aggregating 580 men, the county actually furnished 680
men, or a surplus of 100. Her quota under the last call of the war, December
19, 1864, was 136, but this number was reduced by surpluses to 79 men, which
the county furnished together with a surplus of 61. It is also certain the
county furnished at least 150 men for the war who were not placed to her
credit, but left and entered regiments and companies raised elsewhere. Adding
the numbers 1,023, 50, 186, 680, 79, 61 and 159, the grand total of 2,229 is
obtained as the approximate credits of the county.
A
fitting word may be said at this time of the famous band of the 24th Regiment,
which was mustered from members of the regiment, and is said to have been one
of the finest bands in the whole army. The band was organized by Jacob Brining,
a thorough musician from Vincennes, and among
the members were eight men from Orange county:
S. B. A. Conder, Alvin Park, T. Collins, Geo. Steers, Green Kimbley, Ben
Lingle, Henry Busick and W. M Johnson.
|