Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-10-27

NncaGO, oDrinS0elu anu NSuinCN k1 pTODOf
ton OF the lodges in and about the latter place
having been founded By the notorious euerill;
chief Jackman); in Ohio, at Cincinnati, DaytoI
and in Hamilton county (Which is proudly termcI
by members "the South Carolina ofthc North")
in Missouri, at St. Louis; in Kentucky, at Louis
vile; and in Michigan. at Detroit (~hence com
munication was freely had by the leaders of tht
order with Valandi.ham during his banishment
either by letters addressed to him through tw,
prominent citizens and members of the order, o.
by personal interviews at Windsor, C.W.) 1t i
to added that the regular place OF meeting, Il
well us the principal rendezvous and haunts OF th'
members in these and less important places, arr
generally well known to the government.
The actual numbers of the order have, it is be
lievcd, ne or been officially reported, and canno
therefore be accurately ascertined. Various es
Inmates have been made by leading members
some Of which are no doubt considerably exaseor
ated. 1t has been asserted by delegates to th,
supreme council of February last. that e mum
be was there represented to be from 5000 t
1000 0G0; but Valandig gllnm in his speech at Day
ton Ohio, placed it 500 900. which is probably
much nearer the true total The humber of il,
members in the several States has been different
ly estimated in the report and statements of il:
officers. Thus, the force OF the order in Indians
is stated 10 be from rs 900 TO 25.0O0 in Illinois
from 100000 to 10000. in Ohio. from $4,000 tC
Missouri from 10000 to A., 600; and in Michigan
and New York about 20000 each. Its represen
tation in the other States above mentioned doe.
not specifically appear from th" testimony; hut nj
lowing for every eXlggcration IN the figures re
ported, they may be deemed 10 present toIeribl,
faithful view OF what, ut least Is regarded by thC
order as its true force in the States designated.
It is to be noted that the order, or its count er
part, is probably much more extended at the Soutl
even than at the Nurth and that a large proper
tior of the officers olthe rebel army represent
ed by most reliable witnesses TO be mcmb, r.. IL
Kentucky and Missouri the order has not hesitatct
TO admit members not only officers of that ar
NV but also a considerable number of gucrias
a class who might BE supposed to appreciate mos
readily its aims and purposes. IL is fully showr
that : lately in July last. several of these ruff
ianswcro initiated into the first degree by DR.. Kal
ius, in Kentucky.
WITS ARMED FORCE.
review OF the testimony in regard TO the arm
ed force of the order will materially aid in deter
mining its real strength and numbers.
Although the order has from the outset pana
ken of the military character. it was not Till the
summer and fall OF 1853 that it began 10 he gen
orally organized rs an armed body. Since that
cate its officers and leaders have been busilv en-
gh gcd IN placing il upon ml!tIry basis, and in
preparing for n revolutionary movement. 4 gen.
cral system of drilling has been instituted and Sc
cretly carried Members have been in tructc
to be- constantly provided with WEAPONS, and in
some localities il has been absolutely required that
each member should keep at his resid- -mce mt all
times certain arms and Il specified quantity of am
muhtion.
In VI ,rc h, the entire armed force of the order
capable of bein. mpblizcd lor effective service.
was represented 10 br three hundred and forty
thous md men The details, however, upon which
this tatemcnt based imDeriectly set iorti,
in testimony, and it Is not known how iar this
number NAV be exaggerated. lt Is abBndantly
shown, however. that the order by means ofa tax
levied upon it, members. has accumulated cnnsid-
erable funds for the purchase of arms and ammuni-
ton. aud that these have been produced in large
quantities far its use. The witness CLAYTON, OH
the trial of Dodd, esimttcd that two Thirds ofthc
order are furnished " ith arms.
Green b. Smith, Grand Secretary of the order
in Missouri, states in his confession oil July last
al know that arms mostly rcvolvcrs. and am
muntion have been purchased by members IN ST.
Louis 10 send to members in the country where
they coul not bc had;' anffie subsequently, adds:
that he him ell alone candcstincly IN, chased and
forwarded between April 10Th and 10Th las; about
two huhdrec rcvovers, with about five thousand
percussion caps and other ammunition. a mus
ter roll oil one OF the country lodges of .hlt State
is exhibited, in which, opposite the name of each
member, noted certain numbers, under the
hraGs OF .'M>souri Republican" ..St. Louis Un-
ion," "Anze.er." "Miscella.eous Periodicals ;"
"Bools,'' Speeches" and 'Reports,'' titles
which, when interpreted, scverally signify single
barrelcd guns, double blrrelled guns, revolyers,
private ammunition. private lead, company pow
der, company lead; the roll thus actually setting
forth the amuinIt OF arms and ammunition in the
possession OF the lodge nj its members.
In the States Of Ohio and Illinois. the order is
claimed by its members to be unusually well armed
with revoverS, caibines, &c; but it is in regard to
the arning OF the order in Iu.ina that the prnci
pal statistics have beer. presented, and these may
serve to Illustrate the system which has probably
been pursued in most OF tie states. One inteli-
gent witness, who has bcena member of the order
c,tima es that in March last there were in possess.
kcfs and sixty thousand revolyers, besides private
arms Another member testltcS that at a single
lodge meeting of two hundred and fifty-two per-
sons. which he attcnde early in tie present year
the sum OF four thousand dollars was subscribed for
arms. Oii.er members present statements in re-
gard 10 the number of arms in their respective
counties .lanl all agree in representing that these
have been constantly forwarded from indianapolis
into the interior. Beck & Brothers is designated
NJ the firm in that city to which most of the arms
were consigned. T.esc were shipped principally
from the East; some packages however, were sent
from Cincinnati. and some IRON Kentucky and
the boxes wire generally marked "pick-axc
'.h..rjware,' "naiis,'' ..househod goods" &C.
General Darlington estimates that in February
and March last rcarly 30 600 guns and revolrers
entered the State, aud this estimate is based upon
all actual inspection OF invoices. The true mum
Der Introduced was therefore probably considcra-
bly, greater. That officer adds that the day in
which the sale of arms stopped by his order,
IN indianapolis nearly 1000 additional rcvolvers
had been contracted for and that the tr de could
not supply the demand. He further reports that
after the introduction Of arms into the Department
OF the North had been prohibited in General Or
ders of March last, a seizure WAS made by the
Government of large quantity of revolvers and
one hundred and thirty five thousand rounds of
ammunition, which had been shipped to the firm
in indianapolis of which II. IL. Dodl, Grand Com
mander was member; that other arms, about to
be shipped to the same destination were seized in
New York city; and thltull these were claimed
as the private property cf John c. Walker, one OF
the Major Generals nf the order in Indiana, and
were represented To have been 'spurchdsed for q
fem friends" Ii Is to be added that at the office
of the Hon. ID. ". Voorhees,, NJ. c., at Tcrre
Haute, were discovered letters which disclosed n
correspondence between him ana ex-senator Wall,
OF New Jersey, in regard 1.-The purchase OF 20 900
G,rabaldi rife. to be forwfrded to the West.
IL appears in the course Of the testimony that a
considerable quantity Of arms and ammunition
were brought into the State oil Illinois from Bur-
lngton, Iowa, and that ammunition was shipped
from New Albany, Indiana. into Kentucky. Ii is
also represented that, had Vallandigham been ar
icsted on his return to Ohio, il contemplated
furnishing the Order with arms from a point in