Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/309

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��29.1

��CHAPTER XXX.

��THE MEXICAN WAR.

��FiKST Troops raised in this Countv — McLaughlin'.^ and Ford's Companies — Letter of Dr. AVilliam Smith — Second Year of the War — George Weaver's Company — Its Part in the Conflict.

��PRECEDINGr pages give the history of this conflict as far as it was connected with the State of Ohio. It is proposed here simply to tell its history as tar as it relates to the history of made, more than twice as many were offered as could be used. hio sent more than was required, and hence not a few of those who expected to achieve glory on the field of war were disappointed at the outset, and sent home. When the call for troops reached this county, Maj. William McLaughlin, the ■ old war horse. was among the first to act. Thomas H. Ford, then a rising attorney of the county, was also among the first to respond. An enthusiastic war meeting was called in the latter part of May, 1846, in I^Linsfield. The old Mansfield and New Haven Railroad was approaching com- pletion, and, on the day set for the meeting, the citizens of Plymouth and Shelby chartered the train of small, square-box cars, on one of its early trips to the county seat, to convey them to that city, that they might appear at this meeting, and enjoy the excitement. The meet- ing was called in a large sugar grove near the east end of East Market street. A stand had been prepared, and, when the people gathered, rousing patriotic speeches were made by Maj. McLaughlin, Capt. Ford, and others. As the excitement increased, Maj. McLaughlin sprang down from the stand, mounted his old horse, and rode about, as he had done earlier in the daj^, and urged men to come forward. Finally, springing from his saddle, he let his
 * Richland County. When the call for troops was

��horse go its own way. and called upon all thosi- who desij-ed to enlist to form themselves into a group and join him in the march to Mexico. The same feeling jirevailed later in the day. and the actions were repeated on the public square.

Two companies, one under McLaughlin and one under Ford, were raised with little difficulty, and prepared for the campaign. They were only enlisted for one year, as all thought the war would be of short duration.

Dr. William Smith, now a citizen of Van Wert. Ohio, in a letter of a recent date, gives an accu- rate description of the life of his company (Capt. ^IcLaughlin's) during its campaigns in Mexico. The letter is so full and accurate in its details, and shows so well the common experience of all in the war, that it is well worth a place in this his- tory, and that part relating to the company' is given entire. The Doctor says :

" My brother James and myself enlisted in the month of May. at the first call of the Grovernment for troops, made right after the army under Gen. Taylor was attacked at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, which places were on the Texas side of the Rio (Irande River, opposite Matamoras, in Mexico. ur company left Mansfield June 9, 1846. At its organization I was elected Second Lieutenant. in which capacity I acted during our term of service, one year. As there were no railroads at that time, we marched via Bellville and Blount Vernon to ColumV)us, Ohio, then took canal-boat to Portsmouth, on the Ohio River, thence by steamboat to Cincinnati, and went

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