Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/109

 Morgan's Men in Ohio. 97

died." Lewis Beekman, of Pike, states that he "was taken prisoner by the advance guard of the Union army because he shouted for Vallandigham, and that the troops quartered on his place and did the injury charged for." WiUiam Smith, of Meigs, wanted pay for "one horse that died in the service of his country," and the commissioners say: "Claimant has not the vestige of a just claim." James Meloy, of Morgan, claimed $20 for damages by a shell that was fired through his barn in battle.

LOOTING BY UNION TROOPS.

In their report the commissioners say : "The conduct of the State militia, as shown by this investigation, was for the most part, very exemplary, and improper demands upon the citizens were very rare; there were, however, a few flagrant exceptions to this general good behavior. The most prominent and das- tardly act of wrong was, perhaps, the cowardly plundering of the house of Mrs. Alisner, in Jackson county, by the militia companies of Captains James Faulkner and Nelson Richmond, of Vinton county. Evidence is wanting that the deed was com- mitted with the advice, consent or knowledge of the officers, but it would be a source of gratification if those companies could be made to make reparation for their acts of vandalism, especially when it is known that the husband of the woman was absent from home in the service of his country. The rooms of two college students at Athens were forced and robbed while the militia were Quartered in the building; besides these, similar acts were scarcely known."

The report shows that this was true enough ; but there were numerous instances of petty looting by Union troops, of which the following are fair samples :

A pair of "pants" taken from L. D. Poston, of Athens county ; Lewis Keethler, of Brown, had $10 in cash taken from him. Thomas H. Wood, of the same county, claimed $40 for one silk national banner, and a foot note says : "A silk banner bearing the inscription 'Presented to the Democracy of Sterling