Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/103

Rh Judges did not even reply to the Governor's letter, but sent what what they called a "project" of a law for dividing real estate. The bill was so loosely drawn that St. Clair immediately rejected it, and set about organizing the militia himself. He divided the militia into two classes, "Senior" and "Junior," and organized them by appointing their officers.

In the Senior Class, Nathan Cushing was appointed Captain; Greorge Ingersol, Lieutenant, and James Backus, Ensign.

In the Junior Class, Nathan Goodale and Charles Knowls were made Captains; Watson Casey and Samuel Stebbins, Lieutenants, and Joseph Lincoln and Arnold Colt, Ensigns.

The Governor next erected the Courts of Probate and Quarter Sessions, and proceeded to appoint civil officers. Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper and Winthrop Sargeant were made Justices of the Peace. The 30th of August, the day the Court of Quarter Sessions was appointed, Archibald Cary, Isaac Pierce and Thomas Lord were also appointed Justices, and given power to hold this court. They were, in fact, Judges of a Court of Common Pleas. Return Jonathan Meigs was appointed Clerk of this Court of Quarter Sessions. Ebenezer Sprout was appointed Sheriff of Washington County, and also Colonel of the militia; William Callis, Clerk of the Supreme Court; Rufus Putnam, Judge of the Probate Court, and R. J. Meigs, Jr., Clerk. Following these appointments, setting the machinery of government in motion, St. Clair ordered that the 25th of December be kept as a day of thanksgiving by the infant colony for its safe and propitious beginning.

During the fall and winter, the settlement was daily increased by emigrants, so much so, that the greatest difficulty was experienced in finding them lodging. During the coldest part of the winter, when ice covered the river, and prevented navigation, a delay in arrivals was experienced, only to be broken as soon as the river opened to the beams of a spring sun. While locked in the winter's embrace, the colonists amused themselves in various ways, dancing being one of the most prominent. At Christmas, a grand ball was held, at which there were fifteen ladies, "whose grace," says a narrator, "equaled any in the East." Though isolated in the wilderness, they knew a brilliant prospect lay before them, and lived on in a joyous hope for the future.

Soon after their arrival, the settlers began the erection of a stockade fort (Campus Martius), which occupied their time until the winter of 1791. During the interval, fortunately, no hostilities from the Indians were experienced, though they were abundant, and were frequent visitors to the settlement.

From a communication in the American Pioneer, by Dr. S. P. Hildreth, the following description of Campus Martius is derived. As it will apply, in a measure, to many early structures for defense in the West, it is given entire:

"The fort was made in the form of a regular parallelogram, the sides of each being 180 feet. At each corner was erected a strong block-house, surmounted by a tower, and a sentry box. These houses were twenty feet square below and twenty-four feet square above, and projected six feet beyond the walls of the fort. The intermediate walls were made up with dwelling-houses, made of wood, whose ends were whip-sawed into timbers four inches thick, and of the requisite width and length. These were laid up similar to the structure of log houses, with the ends nicely dove-tailed together. The whole were two stories high, and covered with shingle roofs. Convenient chimneys were erected of bricks, for cooking, and warming the rooms. A number of the dwellings were built and owned by individuals who had families. In the west and south fronts were strong gateways; and over the one in the center of the front looking to the Muskingum River, was a belfry. The chamber beneath was occupied by Winthrop Sargeant, as an office, he being Secretary to the Governor, and performing the duties of the office during St. Clair's absence. This room projected over the gateway, like a block-house, and was intended for the protection of the gate beneath, in time of an assault. At the outer corner of each block-house was erected a bastion, standing on four stout timbers. The floor of the bastion was a little above the lower story of the block-house. They were square, and built up to the height of a man's head, so that, when he looked over, he stepped on a narrow platform or "banquet" running around the sides of the bulwark. Port-holes were made, for musketry as well as for artillery, a single piece of which was mounted in the southwest and northeast bastions. In these, the sentries were regularly posted every night, as more convenient than the towers; a door leading into them from the upper story of the block-houses. The lower room of the southwest block-house was occupied as a guard-house.

"Running from corner to corner of the block-houses was a row of palisades, sloping outward,