The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-06
THE DARK DAYSOF THE WAR
Miss Merrill Tells the Young People How
They We're Spent in indianapolis.
Troops Was Filled-The First Rebel Pris-
onersvJChn Morgan's Raid.

Soldier in the War for the Union" spoke at
plymouth Church yesterday afternoon TO the
school children, on Indianapolis in Wartime
She began with describing the suspense that I'M
1ediateiy preceded the first overt act OF the he
bellion, the firing Fort Sumter.
On the 18th day Of April, 1861, an intensely ex-
cited crowd in Indianapolis waited all day long
fsr Geographic dispatch. No business was at
tended to. nothing thought of but the coming
dispatch. Phs interest of months, the absorb
ing thought of weeks had eliminated in pas
sion of anxiety. Something decisive, something
terrible was coming At 10 o'clock at night the
dispatch came, Sumter has fallen" The wait
ing crowd was absolutely still, and with all the
preparation of suspense. surprised. But there
was another dispatch, ''Mr. Lincoln will issue
proclamation tomorrow calling for %, 900 volun-
1aers" The crowd broke into fierce shout.
The audacious sons of the Republic should learn
what 1t is TO defy just and lawful authority.
The military institutions of Indiana consisted
of Quartermaster-gener ard an Adjutant-
general, who were paid about $l0O year. Per
haps the whole State might have furnished arms
for single regiment and possibly it might have
mustered five independent companies Of militia,
but provisions materials for war were abso-
lutely lacking There were no knapsacks. no
haversacks, no cnnteens no tents, no money.
In Indianapolis there was nothing that smacked
in the least of except poor little powder
house somewhere in the suburb, and that WAS for
war on birds and squirrels.
The Governor Henry s. Lane) tried ard
trusted man. had been put in the United States
Senate, and had left the chief authority in the
hands of the Acknowledgements, a person
named Morton-and who then knew anything
about Mortonq But before the Presidents proc
1amation was out, this new man had sent agents
abroad for arms, and Ave minutes after the Pres
ident's call for volunteers the Indiana Governors
cali for Indianas part Of the 70 900 was thrilling
along the wires Fifteen thousand men
answered the Governors call. More than eight
Thousand came streaming into Indianapolis to
the spot assigned them for camp beautiful
grove north of the city, named at once Camp
Morton. for the already best-known man in the
State. The volunteers were nearly all young
arcn, and though many were clerks, lawyers,
doctors and mechanics, they were generally
farmers and soEs of farmers It may be true
that they who own the land love their country
best Thousands of boys were in the camp, while
far away on the farm, by the fireside Of lonely
cabin, the mother, in plaintive voice, told the
story of their enlistment But only SIX infantry
on the Cabinet the danger Of dampening enthu-
siasm, and his policy at length prevailed. In
Nay and Juno new calls were made, and in
august all restrictions on volunteering
Ipt'iana had $4,000 men in the
6eid and tho numerous camps about Indian
aDolis were still full Our soldiers no bet
ter nor Drawer than msn from the other States
but they were the tallest men in the army, and
were fine, frank, manly fellows. Their way of
speaking to all they met, said to be habit more
common among the country people OF Indiana
thar of any other State, was very pleasant
The town was full of noise and bustle fire and
Gun. and feeling of every kind The rub.a-dub
IF the drum. the wall of the FIFE, the tramp and
evssh of infantry and cavalry, the rattle and rum
bic of artillery, the cheers that went
mp day and night cheers Of welcome
tire shouts at night, when some long train was
starting off with its closely packed living freight
towards the dangers cf the 'front.' these shouts
deep in tho night had trsmulouS, penetrating,
wild sort of pathos aud the songs at night were
more thrilling than in the day. The city
not only busy and bustling it was growing.
From $4,000 the population became Is. 600. All
sorts of business fiouIished, from house building
and wooden manufacture to photographing; that
eenal was established which sometimes
employed 500 persons. By the close
of 1861 there had been prepared al
the arsenal 90, 600 rounds of artillery ammuni
Hl.1l
small arms indianapolis was the center of the
State Sanitary Commission, the first organiza-
ton of the kind in the United States which
supplied the soldier everywhere, by means of
agents employed without wages, or salary. or
any pecuniarv remuneration, with whatever the
government failed to furnish for his comfort and
advantage, in the hospital. in the camp
on the march, or in the field.
Alfred Harrison, of this city. was
Merritt chiefly, the many others were engaged,
dispensed $3.50, 900. They visited every field
aftes each important battle. taking with them
everything that sick. wounded or sound soldiers
might need In hospitals they gave advice, con-
ISOLATION refreshment Northwest of the town
they built large and commodious chapel for the
soldiers, who at that distance were tempted to
stay away from the city churches The sani-
tary goods were furnished by private contribu-
NoH Women canned fruit for the soldiers;
thsy knit socks and mittens for the soldiers,
often putting little ball fer darning and little
letter of kindness and encouragement in the toe
OF sock. They scraped lint and prepared ban
dAgeS. They worked for men they never had
seen as they worked for their own sons. House
keeping suffered. The call to give dinner to q
regiment passing through town, or to a regiment
on the eve OF departure, or to one that had just
errived. was as promptly obeyed as it was per-
emptory. Hastily filing their baskets with the
best In pantry aud cellar women ran to the depot
end joyfully served at tables. Some twenty or
thirty ladies went from this city as hospital
passes.
The forlornest spectacle that INDIANAPOLIS ever
saw WAS in 1862. on the anniversary of Wash
lngton's birthday, and the two following days. It
was the arrival Of several thousand prisoners
after the surrender of Fort Donelson-gray old
men aud slender boys, with sad. lack -lustre eyes
and haggard faces; with their authenticated
1amesses. they wore quilts. blankets and strips
OF carpet They carried frying pans or tea-kettes.
crackers and bacon. bundles or meal bags stuffed
with clothing and bedding. Theywere chiefly
small farmers from Tennessee and landasa
squatters from the pine hills Of Mississippi and,
accustomed TO climate where roses bloom ali
the year around. they had suffered frightfully.
lying in ri1epts day and night in rain and
snow, with little food and no shelter during the
entire siege. They were mortified by the sur
render. distressed by their distance from home.
full of fears for their future exhausted withou:
energy enough to wash themselves. despondent