Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/314

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��IIS to New Orleans.. Allen Lewis was killed by guerrillas near Molino del Rey. Poor (leorge Hooker was so emaciated and run down with chronic diarrhoea that he was a mere skeleton. We tried to bring him home alive, but he died on board the ship a day or two after we left the Brazos, and we had to wrap him in his l)lanket and bury him in the deep gulf We arrived at New Orleans the latter part of June, and were discharged from the service, and I arrived at home in ^lanstield about the 3d or 4th of July, 1847."

The war was not completed in one year. Mexico developed into a more formidable an- tagonist than was at first supposed. The dis- turbances at home, occasioned by the opposition of the Whig party, who contended that the war would only extend slave territory, and the friends of Mexico in general by their aid, lengthened the contest, and called for more men and more supplies. A call for troops was made early in 1847. and. before the first two companies returned, a third company was begun by Mr. Greorge Weaver, then a resident of Gan- ges, in Blooming Grove Township. At that time he was running a flouring-mill. and occa- sionally working at his trade as a stonemason. He issued an appeal for troops, and offered ambitious spirits a chance to sei've their coun- try. The spirit of romance was, however, somewhat worn off by this time. ^Manj^ of the first year's troops were returning, who gave rather discouraging accounts of the climate and the life one would be compelled to lead, and Mr. Weaver found recruiting a rather tedious task. His call was issued early in May, 1847, ajid, by the last of the month, the men gathered at Mansfield and prepared to go. The men comprising the company were from all parts of the count}- ; the major part from the neighborhood of Mr. Weaver's home in Bloom- ing Grove Township. As the entire number could not ])e raised here, Simpson P. Moses was sent on to Cincinnati to recruit the remainder

��necessary to complete the company. Those recruited in this county started for the war late in ^lay, going by stages to Columbus and Xenia. At this latter place they took the cars on the new Miami Railroad and went to Cincin- nati, where they went in quarters in Camp Ohio. Here they were joined by the men recruited in Cincinnati, and completed their com- pany organization. They elected Mr. Weaver Captain ; Simpson P. Moses, Obadiah Holmes and Beard, First, Second and Third Lieu- tenants, and William Bigams. Orderly. The company was assigned to the Fourth Regiment and designated as Company D. The regiment was under command of Charles H. Brough, brother of the war Governor Brough. This regiment went from Camp Ohio by boat to Camp Carleton, near New Orleans, where it remained one week. Tiien it was taken, with other troops, across the Gulf of Mexico to Point Isabella, on the Texas coast. It was now a part of Gen. Taylor's army. From Point Isabella it went to Matamoras, on the Rio Grande, and from there, in Gen. Scott's army, to Vera Cruz, near which place it was stationed on the beach several days. From this place, the Fourth Regiment went with its division on a forced march to Pueblo to assist in the recap- ture of that city. That done, it marclied to Atlixo, about twenty-five miles distant, where it engaged in the battle at that place. After- ward it was engaged in several battles and skirmishes, finally returning to Pueblo, where it remained about eight months. It was there when peace was declared, and left for home soon after, having been gone over one year. It lost but one man in battle — Andy Andrekan, at Pueblo, but a great number by disease and exposure.

When Company D arrived in this county, it was welcomed by a large crowd of citizens at Ganges, where a public I'eceptifm was held, and a great banquet provided. Though about four- score men went out in Capt. Weaver's company.

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