Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/337

 (2 k_

��-^ g)

��A

��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��323

��CHAPTER XXXIII.

FIRST THREE-YEARS TROOPS.

Re-Enlistment of Three-Months Men — Unsuccessful Attempt of Capt. Beekman's Company to Enter the Three-Months Service and its Return — Organization of Companies in the County — Thomas Ford Commissioned to Raise the Thirty-Second Regiment — Camp Mordecai Bartley — The Fifteenth Regiment — Departure of the Thirty-Second — Roster of the Thirty-Second — Its Life in the Field.

��AS early as May 4, President Lincoln began to see the immensity of the rebellion and prepare to meet it. That day, he issued a call for recruits to the regular army, and 42,000 men to serve three years. The call for three-months men. as has been noted, was more than twice filled, but still recruiting went on. " They will be needed," said the nation, and the nation was correct. Many of the three-months men re-en- listed, being given time to return home and arrange their affairs. While these companies were out in service, the enlistment of troops had gone steadily on at home.

The town papers of that date are full of "war news." When locals ran short, all they needed was an item or two concerning enlist- ments or popular gatherings, which they could dilate to the extent of their columns. The^^ speak full}' of the companies mentioned, and their departure and return from war.

Among those who raised companies that saw no service, but were ready, was Capt. John W. Beekman, of Plymouth, who raised a company of 100 men. He began recruiting April 18, the next day after Maj. McLaughlin, and, by Frida}' evening, enough men were enlisted and waiting for orders to march. Mr. Beekman was elected Captain, and B. F. Da}' and David Gribbs, Lieutenants. Sabbath day, after drill, the company marched in a body to the Presby- terian church, where the}' listened to a sermon from the fifteenth A'erse of the fourteenth chapter of Exodus — " Speak unto the children of Israel,

��that they go forward'' — by the Rev. Selman. At its close, the men were each presented with a Bible. " Fully three thousand people were in town," says the Advertise)-. The next morning, at 8 o'clock, the company left the village, marching to Norwalk, in Huron County, where it took the cars for Cleveland. Just as it formed to start from Plymouth, Miss Susan Seymour appeared with a fine flag, the gift of the ladies of the town, and, in a neat, appro- priate speech, asked the soldiers to " guard it well, and carry it through all war's vicissitudes." Arriving at Cleveland, the company went into camp. But the State could not receive half the men offered, and, after a short encampment, the company disbanded and returned home. Richland County was doing her part nobly. Only seven counties gave more troops on the first call.

Mansfield was also organizing more com- panies. As fiist as organized, they met gener- ally in Miller's Hall to drill. Among these local companies were the " Mansfield Cadets," composed of fifty men, organized May 9. J. B. Hoffer was Captain; Michael Keiser was First Lieutenant ; F. Harding, Second Lieuten- ant ; Isaac Cass, First Sergeant.

Jonas Smith, the County Auditor, also organ- ized a company, who met and drilled in the court house hall, while almost daily, on the streets, in the park or near the city, could be heard the

" Tread of armed men.'"

��^;

��T^

�� �