The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1948-07-08
Allen C0unty's Ghosts
BT HARRY 1. n A. =

t>A1Ien EQUITY > UHOStS
When and if, on some moonlight
night, you have the old jalopy loiter-
ing along on some southwestern Al
len County road near Harrod, look
ing east over the Scioto Marsh with
the motor purring at four miles an
hour and your arm around the girl
friends shoulders, you see a spook-
don't be frightened, the banshee has
been dead for long time.
1t also should be much emaciated,
have dragging white whiskers and
exude the fragrance of chewed-up
Spanish onions. Then you might see
another and still another-any num-
Der from 388 down to none whatever,
most of them in glaring red British
uniforms and few in walnut stained
home-spun. The specters, if any, have
been lost in the Black Swamp for
1876 years.
Nineteen-year-o Lieutenant Will
liam H. Raper, that was Holly"
Raper, of Bethel, Clermont County
felt pretty proud of himself. He was
in sole charge of his 100-man COM
pany, the Williamsburg Rifles, part
of the Third Regiment, First Brigade
of the First Division, Ohio Volunteers.
Raper's superior officers had been
worse needed elsewhere so the young
officer was put in charge of his COM
pany, marching 400 British prisoners
taken by Perry and Harrison at Lake
Erie, through the Wilderness to the
barracks at Newport, Kentucky.
Outnumbered four to one, the
American volunteers got along all
! right until they were crossing the
Black Swamp. There the whole party,
prisoners and guard, got lost. The
swamp at that time almost was
covered by water.
For three days and nights the 500
men fIoundered around in the swamp,
without food and with only the brack-
ish water to drink. They became so
scattered that on the morning of the
third day Lieutenant Raper found
himself with only guard of y men
and out of his 400 prisoners, but one
hundred remaining.
Seeing the guards weakness the
prisoners mutinied and refused to
march. They were only going around
in circles, they declared, and may as
we'll starve to death sitting down
where they were as to do it wander
ing around in the morass.
Raper drew his soldiers up, with
fixed bayonets and cooked guns, and
gave the prisoners five minutes to
decide whether they would obey him.
At the end of the last minute the
soldiers were ordered to present arms,
take aim and-but before the order
to fire could be given a large Scotch
soldier cried "Holdw and stepped for
ward, asking that he be permitted
to speak to the other prisoners.
"We have been taken in a fair fight
and are prisoners of war, honorably
so and this conduct is disgraceful to
our kings flag-not becoming of
true soldiers" he told his compan-
ions. II have no hand in raising this
mutiny and suggest that all who are
in favor of behaving themselves as
honorable prisoners of war shall rally
around me and we will take the
others in hand ourselves. The
American guard, with loaded guns,
may stand by and see fair play"
That ended the mutiny and Raper
delivered what remained of his prison
ers to the army at Newport. The
band only got out of the swamp by
forcing at swords point, two Indians
who were among the British prison
ers to lead the party out of the
marsh.
In 1919 Raper became a Methodist
preacher and when swimming his
horse across a swollen creek on the
way to one of his appointments, the
animal became entangled and sank.
Raper got hold of tree limb ever
head and managed 10 hold on to rest
and keep his head above water. While
hanging onto the limb he suddenly
thought my mother is praying for
me and | shall be saved" so he let
loose, swan ashore and soon the horse
also wallowed out of the flood water
Later his mother related that, 90
miles away that day, she awoke sud
denly in fright with the thought
William is in great danger" She
jumped out of bed and prayed
earnestly that her son be saved. Both
Raper and his mother declared thai
when they met and compared notes
the time of the prayer and accident
was the same.
The episode is mentioned by histor
ians for what it is worth and with
no comments.
Not long after the swollen creek
incident Raper was given a new cir.
cult to ride in Indiana. On approach,
ing one of his first stops a large, fine
looking man approached him, calling
him brother" and said: ~ suppose
you have forgotten me but | knew
you the minute | saw you. am the
Scotch soldier who made the speech