Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-05-03

Kenyon College, (Andrews,) rendered
his service In any capacity, and began
by enlisting In the ranks. He was the
, first citizen In Ohio to make such ten
der.) The Cleveland Greys, the Rover
Guards, the Columbus Videttes, the
State Fencibles, the Governors Guards,
the Dayton Light Guards, the Guthrie
Greys-the best known and best drilled
militia companies in the State-held
meetings, unanimously voted to place
themselves at the disposal of the Gov
ernment, and telegraphed to Columbus
for orders" On the morning of the
18th of April the first and second Ohio
Infantry were organized from the first
companies that had thus hurried to
Columbus. They were mostly made
up from well-known militia 0rganiza-
tiOns. There were no arms, uniforms,
equipments, transportation for them,
but the Government was importunate.
"Send them on instantly aud we will !
equip them here" was the order from
Washington. So, with wild cheers and
many "God bless you" from the on
lockers, the trains bearing the raw re-
cruits moved off for Washington on
the 10th of April. But fresh arrivals
had more than filed their places, and
so the glorious marshalling went on.
By this time the Governor had learned
that he was to have the power of ap-
pointing his own generals. His mind
reverted to Irwin Mcdowell of the staff
of Lieutenant-General Scott, as he
knew most of his standing in the army.
But some Cincinnatians had already
picked upon Captain Mcclellan, then
an officer on the Ohio & Mississippi rail-
road. The effort of his friends having
paved the way for him, Mcclellan
came to Columbus on Governor Den
nison's second invitation and was duly
appointed Major General of the Ohio
Militia. The Governor expected that
Mcclellan would remain in Columbus
and relieve him of military response
bilities; but in this he was disappointed,
for it soon appeared that Mcclellan was
in correspondence with the War De-
partment and was soon to be elevated
to wider command.
presently came news that three
years. troops were to be called out, and
that their Generals were to be appoint
ed by the President, Straightway
DennisOn determined to secure, if pos
sible, the three years. appointment for
the new Major General of his making.
On the 1lth of May he telegraphed to
Secretary Chase: Can Mcclellan get a
commission for three years at once, so
to make him rank over all others, and
make sure of his holding the chief
command here? Ohio must lead
throughout the war; No immediate
reply came. But on the 14th of May,
while the Governor was in Cincinnati
on hasty trip to look after the re-
quirements of his southern border, a
dispatch was handed him from Mr..
Chase: I'VE have to-day had McCIel-
Ian appointed Major General in the
regular army Governor Dennison
next choose three Brigadier-G Generals:
Newton Scheigh, of Fairfield county,
then the Democratic leader in the State |
Senate; ]. H. Bates, of Cincinnati, an |
officer of the old militia, and J. D. Cox,
one of the Republican leaders in the
State Senate. Even these appoint
ments became subjects of complaints,
on the score of partisanship. "To a
man of his sensitive temper and special
desire for the good opinion of Others,
the unjust and measureless abuse to
which his earnest efforts had subjected
him were agonizing. But he suffered
no sign to escape him. and with asingle
hearted devotion, and an ability for
which the State had not credited him,
he proceeded to the measures most nee.
essary in the crisis" First of all the
loan authorized by the million dollar
war bill had to be placed, and this he
adjusted to the satisfaction of ALL
Next came the demand for arms, and
he despatched Senator Garfield, who
was on hand, to the Governor of
Illinois, with requisition for arms, and
secured 5000 muskets. At the same
time he also laid before the Illinoise
Governor suggestion as to the pro-
priety of uniting the IlIinoise troops
and all others in the Mississippi Valley
under Gen. Mcclellan; they consented
and McClellan's department was soon
extended from West Virginia to the
Governor Dennison next
Judge Advocate General
of his staff to the Governor of
New York and secured 5000 muskets
from thatstate. Also equipments, cam
teens, etc., in full. Meeting the agent
Df the State of Massachusetts, then
about to sail for England to procure
arms, Judge WaIcott commissioned
The agent to purchase 100000 worth of
Enfield rifles. Next the Governor re-
his staff, so as to place it on a
footing, appointing assistant
1fficers in all the Over-worked depart
ments. Mr.. Reid mentions that he had
the generous cooperation of such dis
gentlemen as Judge Swayne,
Judge Swan, Hon. A. F. Perry, Mr..
Ball of GAINESVILLE, and such members
IF the Legislature as Garfield, Cox and
Flagg.
The Governor of Kentucky had re-
fused the Presidents call for troops and
Dennison, fearing hostlities on the
border, selected Judge Thos. M. Key,
Of the State Senate, a leading Demo-
crat and Kentuckian by birth. as an
agent to secure Governor Magoffin's CO.
operation and ifpossible to commit him
10 a pacific policy. Judge Keys mission
was successful. He telegraph back: "In-
Lerview long, free and satisfactory. Ex-
presses purposes and policy friendly and
prudent. Anxious for instant COM
between executives upon
aggression by citizens of either State.
armlng for defense and neu-
trality."
In May the Governors of Ohio, Illi-
nOis and Indiana met at Indianapolis
for conference, on the occasion of Me-
Clellan's reviewing the troops of Ind.
The Governors prepared a memorial to
the Government on the defiant attitude
that Kentucky had assumed and sent