Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/369

 L^

��HISTORY OF RICHLA:N^D COUNTY

��355

��CHAPTER XXXVI.

WAR HISTORY CONCLUDED.

The One Hundred and Second and Its Organization — Death and Burial of Ma.j. McLaughlin — War Meet- ings — Bounties — Departure of the One Hundred and Second — Its Roster — Its History in the Field — Its Discharge — The One Hundred and Twentieth — Recruiting to Avoid a Draft — Draft — Camp Mansfield Established — Drafted Men in Camp — The One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment Organ- ized — Its Roster — History in the Field — Consolidation with the One Hundred and Fourteenth — Drafted Men in Camp Mansfield — Their Departure — Other Calls for Troops — Militia — Sanitary Fair — Ohio National Guard — The One Hundred and Sixty-Third Regiment — Close of the War — Retubn of Troops.

��THE departure of the Sherman Brigade left Mansfield and vicinity in comparative quiet again. Winter was now holding both armies in check somewhat, and only the " I'egular army news " engrossed the public mind. The opening of spring, however, in 1862, was the signal for activity all over ^he land. In the East, late in May, the rebel army suddenly threatened the capital, and the news flashed over the North. that Washington was in danger. Immediately the loj'al people sprang to the res- cue. The Governor of Ohio sent a dispatch to Mr. James Purd}', asking for 200 volunteers. Considerable excitement existed in the city on the receipt of the first news telling the people of the danger, and when the Grovernor's dis- patch came, the excitement reached fever heat. Word was sent all over the county, and that dsij (May 29) large meetings were held in Mans- field, Lexington, Belleville, Plymouth, Shelby, and other towns, and before the dawn of the next day, more than the required number of men were ready to go. Happily, the danger was temporary onl}*, the enemy becoming fright- ened and departing more hastily than he came. Work for the soldiers and recruiting was, however, going on all the time. Surgeons and surgeons' supplies were continually going to the front. Capt. John Pipe was organizing a com-

��pany at Lexington, in which men from Belle- ville and from Knox County were enlistnig.

In the latter part of June and early part of July, McClellan's defeat before Richmond oc- curred. It was followed by a call for 300,000 men, who should serve till the close of the war. Ohio's quota of this number was 40,000 men. In order to raise them quickly — as the call was urgent — the State was divided into eleven mili- tary districts, this county being placed in the Tenth. The Tenth District embraced in all, the counties of Huron, Erie, Ashland, Holmes. Wayne and Richland. It was ordered that two regiments, the One Hundred and First and One Hundred and Second, should be raised in this dis- trict and rendezvous at Mansfield. The One Hundred and First was, however, ordered to re- cruit at Monroeville, leaving the One Hundred and Second to be recruited here.

The militar}' committee of the Tenth Dis- trict arranged that one regiment should be raised in Wa3ne, Ashland, Holmes and Rich- land Counties. A camp was selected for this regiment (the One Hundred and Second), and preparations made to recruit it as fast as pos- sible. Bounties for volunteers had increased, and large sums of money were raised b}' sub- scription and personal effort. Mr. S. B. Run- yan offered $100 to the first companj^ from this

�� ��;rv

�� �