Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1862-10-21
rhe Dran-Gox.Toa-t -the Elec-

were preparing TO report themselves IN ac-
cordance with the FIVE days, notice Of the
Commissioner, il is known that Hon.
Peter Odlin and Geo. w. Houk, Esq.
were requested to go to Columbus in be-
half of these men, who had left. or were
required to leave their families in distress,
TO solicit from Governor Tod a brief ex-
tension Of time to enable them to make
suitable preparations for their expected
absence.
It was known that large number Of
these drafted men had families dependent
entirely upon their labors for the necessa-
ries of life. Almost all Of them under
fortv wears Of age, their children are
small, many of them indeed infants, and
all of them of such an age that they
would necessarily be charge instead OF
an assistance 10 their mothers. The ma
iority. of the men were farmers. Ihe'r
corn was not gathered, their tobacco not
stripped, their potatoes not dug, nor then
winters provisions gathered in, The un-
usual drought had delayed the seeding
md owing to the large number OF men
already in the service from every neigh6or-
hood, it was almost impossible to hire
work to be done or to employ hands ior
any purpose. Many men were called to
leave their families in absolute distress
their wives in childbed, or in daily expec-
tation Of confinement. Mechanics were
required to shut up their shops, and to
abandon a business which was the sole
means OF support to their wives and chill
dren. 1t was understood that the Com
missioner had no discretion in the matter,
but that he was required to notify all the
men drafted to assemble within .fve days.
This was done-and almost all of them,
to their honor let it he recorded, as law
abiding citizens, respondent to the notice
of that officer, although in many instances
the very laws of humanity defantly dis
regarded by the public authorities would
have excused their Noncompliance.
1t was supposed that upon proper repre-
sentations being made to Governor Tod,
under whose authority the draft seemed
TO have been conducted and by whom 1t
had several times been postponed, an ex-
tension of time would ofcourse be allow
ed. Scarcely any man believed, that the
authorities could be utterly heartless, and
SO lost to the common feelings of human
ity, as to refuse even ten days preparation
and provision, to save the wives and infant
children of perhaps at least three hundred
drafted men, from a winters want and pri
walton, and to alleviate the distress conse
ouent upon this sudden separation. Th'
necessities of the case were properly anC
feelingly presented His Excellency Gov
ernor Tod, scarcely waited the compile
ton of the statement and the prefermen
of the request, until he interposed blum
refusal lie was told that it was under
stood he had granted similar extension
TO another county. This he said was pos
itively untrue, and that if the Commis
sioner had exercised any such authority b
weuld remove him. lie said the me
must go-that he had several times pos
poned the draft, as he had authority to dc
but that the order to respond lOithin #,
days he had no authority to change-an
it could not be changed.
Well, the men reported. They quietl
obeyed this most heartless and atrociol
requisition. thus leaving hundreds Of fan
lilies plunged into the deepest distress wit
no assurance, or any well defined hope
speedy return. Some four hundred al
fifty drafted men. many Of them with the
substitutes, accompanied the Commission
er TO Camp Dennison. 1t soon becau
apparent after their arrival thsre, that col
siderable une would necessarily transpir
perhaps several weeks, before tho draft
men would be organized into cornpaniG
and even put in the way Of preparing ther
selves for the service into which they HI
been called II was evident, besides, th
substitutes instead of drafted men were d
sired. Our men Of Montgomery coun
who had been led TO believe that the |
most dispatch was necessary, who had be