Battle of Pogue ' s Run The so - called Battle of Pogue ' s Run took place in Indianapolis , Indiana on May 20 , 1863 . It was believed that many of the delegates to the Democrat state convention had firearms , in the hope of inciting a rebellion . Union soldiers entered the hall that the convention took place , and found personal weapons on many of the delegates . Afterwards , Union soldiers stopped trains that held delegates , causing many of the delegates to throw weapons into Pogue ' s Run , giving the event its name . Origin . Indiana governor Oliver Morton , a Republican , heard that the Knights of the Golden Circle were planning to overthrow the Indiana government during the Democratic State Convention . He had placed Union troops at the convention specifically to intimidate the delegates to the convention . Convention . About four o ' clock in the afternoon , while Thomas A . Hendricks was speaking at the Democrat state convention , of which there were 10 , 000 participants , some eight or ten soldiers with bayonets fixed and rifles cocked entered the crowd and advanced slowly toward the stand , causing a great uproar . The multitude scattered in every direction . A high fence on the east side of the state - house square was pushed down by the rushing crowd . A squad of cavalry galloped along Tennessee street adding to the tumult . The soldiers who were moving towards the stand were ordered to halt by Colonel Coburn , who had been guarding the quartermaster ' s stores north of the State - house , but who came out when he heard the disturbance . He asked what they were doing . They said they were " going for Tom Hendricks , " that he had said too much , and they intended to kill him . Coburn expostulated with them and they desisted . There was much confusion on the stand . Hendricks closed his remarks prematurely , suggesting that the resolutions be read and the meeting dismissed . The resolutions declared that the Federal government had two wars upon its hands , one against the rebels and one against the constitution . The Republicans in the late legislature , who had broken the quorum , were denounced , and it was declared that the Governor could not clear himself from complicity , except by taking steps to prevent repudiation . Toward the close of the day some young soldiers walked through the crowd , and , when they heard any one speak against the war , seized the individual and marched him up the street with a great rabble following . In many cases , after they had marched some poor fellow a few squares and thoroughly frightened him , they either slipped away or told him that if he would behave himself they would let him go . A number of men were taken to the police court and charged with carrying concealed weapon s , and about forty pistol s were taken from those arrested . Train stops . Later on the night of May 20 , many of the Democratic delegates took trains departing from Indianapolis . When the meeting was over and the trains were leaving the city a great number of shots were fired from the cars on the Lafayette , Indiana and Terre Haute , Indiana railroads . The intention to create an armed disturbance , although unaccomplished , now seemed clear , and the soldiers determined to give the remaining " Butternut s " a lesson . When the Indiana Central Railroad train left the station a gun was placed in front of it upon the track . The train stopped . A small body of soldiers were collected under General Hascall , and a policeman , accompanied by a few of these soldiers , demanded the surrender of all firearms by the passengers . Nearly two hundred weapons were given up . The train to Cincinnati was also stopped , many revolvers were taken and others were thrown in great numbers , by their owners , into Pogue ' s Run at the side of the track . Pistols had been given to many of the women , in the belief that they would not be searched . Seven were found upon a single woman . A knife nearly two feet long was discovered in the stove in one of the cars . In all , about five hundred loaded revolver s were taken from those who had attended the meeting . Union soldiers raided two of the trains , after trailing many of the delegates from the convention to the trains , and again found many hidden handguns among the delegates . As one of the trains was stopped by Pogue ' s Run , many of the Democrats threw their sidearms out of the window into the creek , giving the sarcastic name of the supposed battle . Accounts of how many weapons landed in Pogue ' s Run ranged from 500 to 2 , 000 . Aftermath . The " Indianapolis Sentinel " described it as : " It is with feelings of sorrow , humiliation and degradation that we witnessed the scenes of yesterday . . . . Indiana is as completely under military rule as France , Austria or Russia " . But to those who supported Morton ' s action , it seemed to them that would - be insurrectionists would be too cowardly to actually rebel . The term " Battle of Pogue ' s Run " was given to the event by the Republican Party derisively , who praised the soldiers involved as " halt ( ing ) a meeting of traitors to the Union cause " . The Democrats , on the other hand , called the event " still more assaults upon constitutional rights " by those supporting Abraham Lincoln and Governor Morton .