Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1865-03-02
Communicated.
CAMP SroSEMAN, near WASHINGTON, D. c.,
February 16, 1865.

teDruary 10, looo
Editor Telegraph-S1R:- My name has
been slandered through various parts of the
county at different times; desire through
the columns Of the Telegraph to make an hon
est statement of facts concerning my recruit
ing men in Meigs county, and taking them to
Camp Chase, Ohio, and selling them, as tbs
said, for large bounty. The facts of the case
are as follows: .. ,.. .s.,.,
In August, 1854, l recruited twenty-three
men for the service of the United States from
Lebanon township, Meigs county, Ohio; | was
citizen in that township and acquainted with
all Of the boys l took with me. At the time
commenced recruiting, there were various
statements in regard to bounties; had the
promise ofthe Trustees of said township that
if they could lawfully levy tax of one hun
clred dollars for each recruit, that they would
do so. As had some doubts in my mind
whether they could lawfully levy u tax, | went
to them several times to get them to pledge
themselves to me for that amount, which they
suuarely refused to do, saying that the law
would not Justify them in levying, more than
thirty-three dollars for each recruit On the
day we started to Camp Chase, Levi l.. Dough
erty, (who has since died. being one OF my
recruits, and man of perfect truth, said he
had received word from Mr. Adams, Che be
| inc one of the Trustees of Lebanon township
who said, If the county levied a bounty the
township could not We, therefore, being cut
out of the township bounty which we expected
it was the greatest difficulty to keep the men
together to get them into camp. During this
time, received some money from VIM. II
and James F. Middleswart, telling the men
would pay them 1888 out of this, and il there
was no township bounty raised, would keel
it out of their United States bounty. This
being the day that we met to GO to camp, i
caused dissatisfaction among the men; how
ever they were sworn into the service OF thu
United States for one year; I took them intt
camp. As soon as we arrived at Camp Chase
Ohio, the bounty brokers were as thick as hail
So the boys soon entered into an agreemen
with one Of them for $4O0 for each one, i
they would be credited to the Eighth Congress
sional District. made the muster rolls ou
to credit them to Lebanon township, ant
marched the men down to be mustered in, bu
they refused to be mustered. They said the.
were not gong to be credited to Lebanon
township and receive nothing, when they coulo
20 i)T dIULll'l btolilSt 'Lli't -NN '-TiH'' IL
said they had had maetngs n Lebanon town
ship to raise money to pay man !or gong, AM
the Copperheads just laughed at hem, an
also that they could look out FOR themselves
they woul go for another township. ! pr5e
them all of the time to give their credit to thei
own township That night several ofthe hoy
left camp, went into Columbus, and jone
other companies As soon as | ascertane
the facts next morning took ray recrultin
commission to the Adutant General he tol
me my papers would hold the men, and to 6
to the Provost Marshal, get guard and arres
them, and also the man who took them away
While at the Proves. Marshal'a Office, he II
+ quired what was the difficulty. told hun III
men refused to be mustered in under ne, to
j. they said wanted them to be credited to Lei
anon township, and get no bounty. He tol
me that the men could be credited where the
pleased, but could hold them under my con
mand So returned to camp, made out tn
rolls, and credited them to the Eighth Col
8 eressional District, all but myself, alone, b.
ling credited to Lebanon township ).
The facts above stated are what the Lebai
on township Copperheads have chawed me u
so about, and flooded the county with lies, sa,
ling that | had taken the men out to Cam
Chase and sold them for thousand dollar
and put it in my own pocket, which was Iii
1t caused me great deal of trouble and III
necessary expense.
!, All have. to say is, it is only one Cope
head lie heaped upon another, ard if bull
or death does not meet me before my time
!, out, will probably have an opportunity
= meeting the cowardly williams who raised the'