Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-06-28
Ohio in the War.

When the President of the United States
called upon the loyal States of the Union
for seventy-five thousand three months
volunteers to defend the National Capitol.
and put down an infamous rebellion, no
one Of those States, except in intelligent,
patriotic men, was less prepared to respond
to that call than 0hio.-For ten years she
has been without any effective military or
ganization. 1t was rather reproach than
a recommendation to possess military ii.
tie, and parade was rather the delight of
little boys, and irresponsible loafers than
an exhibition calculated to elicit admira-
tion or commentator among people whese
opinions have weight. The Executive De.
partment of Ohio, the Adjutant and the
Quarter Master General, have for six years.
if not longer, persistent urged upon the
General Assembly the propriety, indeed
the necessity Of making respectable provis-
ion for a decent militia system; military
conventions have been held year after year,
and gentlemen, jealous in favor of volun-
tcer companies, have frequented the lob
bies, but all in rain. To the Legislature
which adjourned in April last, Gov Den
nison and Adjutant General Darlington
vigorously presented what seemed to them
a necessity for legislative encouragement
of military organization. AS its first ses,
sion law did pass one branch of that
Legislature, which was satisfactory to a
majority Of the military men of the State,
and the passage of that law was earnestly
recommended to the other branch by the
Governor in his last message: 1t was re-
terred to committee, and there it reposed
in inglorious case, till significant events in
the South declared civil war to be ineyita-
bic. Even when events thus significant
had transpired. there was hesitation in the |
Legislature through factious opposition, {
which resisted appropriations necessary to
arm, equip and subsist respec-
table force. In vain did men of foresight
point to what Massachusetts had done
what she had been doing for years to Or
ganize, equip and drill military power;
in vain was New York cited as an ex- 0
ample. Not until the melancholy news q
came that Sumter had fallen and that the a
people would revenge its fall. was there J
prospects that the General AS v
'embly would make adequate preparation q
% meet any call which the General Gov s
might be required to issue.- u
Even then vexatious delays embarrassed "
he executive authorities; and when at "
ength the call came, Ohio, with military
organization at Head Quarters upon a {,
,eace footing, with only half dozen coun- u
les in the State prepared to respond with u
ompanies understanding the first lessons 81
1 tactics-Ohio was notified that her quo. u
a was thirteen regiments Calamity the
'eople responded to proclamation by the a
Governor. They showed themselves ready tt
lot only to furnish the quota fixed for y
hem, but to furnish also what Virginia, Il
kentucky and Missouri had been assigned g
stimulated by the strong current of patri- te
tic determination which set toward the tt
,apital from all parts of the State, the OF
ieneral Assembly appropriated S3,OOO,- W
90, and empowered the Governor to Or
anize, equip, arm and subsist troops e. OIL
ough to render the Federal Government t
le support it asked, and at the same ou
me protect the Ohio border from inva- tn
on. -IuHtN.|. IfIftu III
Meantime the States which had been ell on
luently cited as good examples for Ohio ru
military laws and organization, sent in ga
the field their well equipped regiments; at
Iuipped be it not forgotten, through a 4
ries Of years, in which military spirit tin