Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/370

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUN^TY.

��county to enter Camp Mansfield— the name of the new camp — fully recruited. Capt. George H. Bowman, Capt. Aaron E. Zody, Capt. Henry Bistline, of Shelby, and Capt. A. W. Lobache, of Belleville, were all energetically at work, not only tr3'ing to see who should be the first to enter camp, and thus gain the prize, but who could earn the name of being the most prompt in the call for duty.

War meetings were held all over Ohio at this period, for the intimation had come to the people that a draft might be necessary. Three companies — Bowman's, Lobache's and Zody's — entered the field as contestants for the prize offered bj^ Mr. Run^-an, and each one strove earnestl}' for the prize. Each one had, by the latter part of July, twenty-five or thirty men.

While recruiting was at its height, the sad news of the death of the gallant Maj. IMcLaugh- lin was received in the city. He had been taken ill early in July, while in active duty, and later in the month, he died, on the Big Sandy River, in Kentucky. His command was encamped there at the time. His remains were brought home, and, Wednesday afternoon, Jul}' 23, followed to the cemeter}- bj- one of the largest concourses of people Mansfield ever witnessed, all the lodges and associations unit- ing in showing him the respect due such a man, of whom it was said, " Had there been more Maj. McLaughlins, the war would have been of short duration."

In the early part of the recruiting service for the One Hundred and Second, the military committees had recommended, at their meeting at Wooster, Tuesday, July 8, that Hon. Will- iam Given, of Wayne, be appointed Colonel ;

Speigel, of Holmes, Lieutenant Colonel ;

George H. Topping, of Ashland, Major : John W. Beekman, of Richland, Adjutant ; Dr. W. R. Bricker, of Richland, Surgeon ; Dr. George Mitchell, Surgeon's Mate, and Rev. Hugh L. Parrish, Chaplain.

��Commissions to raise four companies were given in this county. The Captains of these have all been noticed. A. W. Lobache, of Jef- ferson Township, was Captain of the first com- pany ; John Gregg and Columbus Gass, both of Troy Township, were his Lieutenants.

George Bowman, of Mansfield, was Captain of the second company; W. C. Scott, of Spring- field, and William Miller, of Franklin Town- ship, were the Lieutenants.

Henry Bistline, of Shelby, was Captain of the third company; David Blymyer and Amos

A. Jump, of Weller Township, were the Lieu- tenants.

E. A. Zody, of Mansfield, was Captain of the fourth company; Gajdord Thomas and Gus- tavus Wolf, of Mansfield, were the Lieutenants.

That the full quota of men from this county might be raised, and thus avoid a draft, an immense war meeting was proposed, in order that enthusiasm on the subject might be cre- ated, and that nione}' could be raised to offer bounties. The meeting was held in Miller's Hall, Friday evening, August 1, and was an enthusiastic gathering. Judge Jacob Brinker- hoff" presided. The " Baumgardner Quartette Glee Clvib, ' of Wooster, furnished stirring, patriotic music. Judge Given, of Wooster, Colonel of the One Hundred and Second, " Bob" Donnelley, of the same cit}', and Hon. C. T. Sherman, of Mansfield, all made excellent speeches. The latter stated the plan to be fol- lowed in collecting the subscriptions for bounty money. Judge Brinkerhoff" headed the list with 1100. B. S. Runyan next came forward and put down his name for $500. Thereupon Judge

B. doubled his subscription. Willard S. Hickox subscribed $500, and ofljered $25 to any five men who would enlist then. The offer was accepted, and five men enrolled. This started the ball. Before the meeting closed nineteen men had subscribed $500 each; one man, Z. S. Stocking, $600, while a large number had given various sums, from $5 to $300 each. The entire

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