Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/303

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

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��Impressed with the importance of his move- ments, his obligations to the settlers and to his country, Gen. Beall halted here for the purpose of holding a council with the judicious men of the State, and. in the mean time, sent out in various directions detached parties of troops to reconnoiter the surrounding country and report occasionally at headquarters. For this reason he named it " Camp Council." It was exceed- ingly difficult now to procure rations, as the army had advanced into the unsettled part of the country. The troops were compelled to live on half rations, and for a day or two they received only enough to keep soul and l)ody together. This caused a spirit of mutiny to appear among a few of the troops, who quietly began to make preparations to march to their homes. About a week from the time the troops went into camp here, and the evening previous to the morning on which the mutineers above mentioned intended to depart, a stranger sud- denly made his appearance from the south on the Huron trail. The sentinel, named Hacke- thorn, who was stationed on this post, says the stranger was on horseback, and was followed by seven mounted Indians, in Indian file.

" Halt ! " said the sentry.

The stranger stopped and said he wanted to pass through.

" You can't pass without the countersign."

" I don't know the countersign."

" You can't pass, then," replied Hackethorn.

" But I miisf pass, ' said the stranger, and started up his horse.

Hackethorn cocked his musket, and the man again halted. He then informed the stranger if he moved another step he was a dead man.

•' You would not slicxjt a man. would you ? " said the stranger.

'• I would."

After some further parley, Hackethorn called to the next sentr}-, and in this way convej'ed the intelligence to the officer of the guard, who came out and at once addressed the stranger as

��Gren. Harrison, and allowed him to pass. Har- rison turned to Hackethorn and said, •• That's right, young man. Let no one pass without the countersign ; it is the only way to keep 'em at gun's length."

It was dark when Harrison rode into camp and located at headquarters.

The next morning the troops were ordered to parade in close column at precisely' G o'clock, which order was promptly ol^eyed. As the}- thus stood at •' parade rest," some fifty of them appeared with their knapsacks and blankets buckled on. ready to commence their homeward march. At this moment, when a bi-eatliless silence pei-vaded the whole encampment, the Commander-in-Chief of the Northwestern Army (whose presence w^as unknown to the troops) stepped from the headquarters tent, and, mount- ing the trunk of a large tree, which lay within two feet of the front line, addressed the troops as follows: " Fellow - soldiers, we are called upon to vindicate our rights, to repel the insults, and chastise the arrogance of a supercilious nation, which has invaded our rights, insulted our flag, impressed our citizens, and totally disregarded our remon- strances. It is thus demonstrated, that we must either teach that nation that the pi'Ogeu}- of the Revolutionary fathers have not degener- ated and become dastards, ^or tamely siibmit to the dictation of that haughty people, and be reduced to vassalage. Can a man be found in this brigade who is willing to surrender to the British Government the liberties achieved by the Revolutionary patriots ? I trust no such individual can be found in the State or nation.

" I have been informed that rebellion against the authority of j'our General has been threat- ened, and that the mutiny is to be consummated this morning by the mutineers departing for home. Soldiers, if you go home, what will your neighbors say ? Will they not frown upon you ? How will your wives look upon you ? They will shut the doors against 3'ou. Young

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