The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-04-08

bring to Charleston large proper
tion of the Democrats of the county.
The people Mt 'O'lIair's Settlement
deemed that the soldiers would make
some effort to interrupt Eden while
speaking, and conceived the idea Of
cmhroiling all the Democrats In at
tendance in the aIfray with the sol
diers by resisting, Ivy force, any at
tempt made to interfere with them
To this end some thirty or forty Of
them came armed, some with revolv-
crs, and the remainder with shot. guns
and rifles concealed in the straw in
their wagons. They appear to have
had concerted plan thus far, that
when any shot was fired, it should he
the signal for general assault upon
the soldiers. Surprising the distur.
bancc would occur Mt public meet
ing, and that the Democrats would
Join them, the people from 'O'Hair's
Settlement hoped to overpower the
soldiers without much difficulty"
The Importance of the admissions
here made should receive close at
tention. Some men from the 'O'IIair
settlement; concciving themselves
wronged by the soldiers, "determin.
ed to revenge themselves upon the
soldiers" SO they assembled at n
public meeting and conceived the
idea Of imbroiling ali the Democrats
in attendance at that meeting In an
aflray with soldiers. Thirty or for
ty Of these men who came to town
expressly " to have revenge on soldiers,
(thcrc is no prctcnse that more than
one of them had ever had n serious
difficulty with n soldier), were armed
with revolvers, and the "rcmaindcr'
(how many more is not stately had
shot-guns and rifles concealed in the
straw in thcir wagons" This is q
clear acknowledgment that thers was
a plot to massacre the soldiers, and
'when any shot was fired, it was to
be the signal for general assault up
on the soldiers The coppcrhcads
had concerted plan thus far
That was all They had merely pro.
vidcd themselves with deadly weap-
ons, and concealed them about their
persons and in their wagons, and
when the signal was given they were
to commence killing all the soldiers
in sight! Such is the innocency of
coppcrhcadism The plan of the
men from 'O'IIair's settlement was
deranged by the refusal of the Hon.
John r. Eden to speak. But they
yet cOntrived TO have the signal for
the massacre given. A soldier, nam.
ed Oliver Salcc, who had hccn drink
ing, and was expressing the opinion
that he could whip any copperhead,
addressed one Nelson Wells, saying.
'I understand ynn AFRO n oopporhoad.
Here the stories vary. One account
says the soldier was good humored in
his manner, and the reply of Wells
was vollcy of oaths and the presen
tation of his pistol. The Chicago
'r;n,nsi etn,,- L. tliS.
"Wclls answered in the affirmative
Salce then put ms hand on Wells
shoulder, whether in anger or not |
have not been able to satisfy myself
Wells drew back, remarking, "Don't
you pnt your hands on me, if you do
I'll shoot you To which Salee re.
piled that he could shoot too, OF
shoot back. What transpired soon
after seems to have obli.erated from
the minds of witnesses what immedi.
ately followed. What he next remem.
bered is that, after the lapse of sew
cral minutes, Wells drew his pisto
and fired, whether at Salec is moi
known. / he did, however, he miss,
ed him. In second or two, the men
from 'O'Hair's Settlement responded
to the signal, and the firing became
general"
So in this copperhead account, We
not only have the admission that the
copperhead came to town for q fight,
prepared for it, with arms and plan,
hut that the first shot was fired by O
coppcrhead, and that shot was the
agreed signal for general and mur-
derous assault upon the soldiers
which was made accordingly. The
Times correspondent says:
"The soldier, Salee, fell, almost at
the first volley. After he was down
he drew his revolver and shot Wells,
who ran some distance and fell dead.
Major York, Surgeon of the 54th, In
passing into the courtroom, was
shot in the shoulder, and died few
minutes after at the side of the judges
stand. Colonel Mitchell, who came
into the yard from the County Clerks
Office, had several shots fired at him
and engaged in a desperate hand to
hand struggle with a man named
Winkler. Colonel Mitchelrs life was