CHAPTER XV

(By Ex-Governor James E. Campbell).

The Ohio Democracy in the Civil War-Ante-Bellum ConditionsSecession-Ohio Democrats Prominent in the Field-The Jackson Guards-Ohio's Contribution to the War-Democratic Commanders and Soldiers-The Tribune of the People-The Vallandigham Campaign-Loyalty of Ohio Democrats Submergence of the Republican Party-Great Democrats of Ohio Prominent in the War-Democratic Veterans Nominated for Governor-Democratic Soldiers Who Became Prominent After the War.

This topic cannot be intelligently treated without a word or two as to the ante-bellum political history. The first constitution of Ohio (1802) was made by Jeffersonian Democrats, who controlled the electoral vote of the State until 1836 and 1840, when it was twice carried by its popular adopted son, William Henry Harrison. The Whig tide was still running in 1844 when the State went for Henry Clay. In 1848 and 1852 it swung back into the Democratic column; but, from that time, upon the anti-slavery issue which then came into politics, it became unswervingly Republican-going for Fremont in 1856 and for Lincoln in 1860. In that year the vote stood 221,809 for Abraham Lincoln (Republican), 187,421 for Stephen A. Douglas ("Northern" Democrat), 11,303 for John C. Breckenbridge ("Southern" Democrat) and 12,193 for John Bell (Union). The bitterness of that campaign cannot be adequately depicted in wordsit must have been witnessed to be understood. The issues were those which it took four tragic years of war to settle; and upon which the Democratic Party had split into two nearly equal, and utterly irreconcilable, fractions.

Before Mr. Lincoln's inauguration the Southern States began to secede and to set up an independent government. On the 12th of

April they began the war by the attack upon Fort Sumter, which surrendered on the 14th; and, upon the 15th came the first call to arms. On the next day Ohio had twenty companies on their way to the front-eight of them from Democratic Counties. In the first regiment was a company, with the significant name of "The Jackson Guards, "from the rock-ribbed Democratic County of Butler; another company, from Cleveland, was exclusively composed of Irish Democrats; and a company from Richland County was commanded by a Democrat over sixty years of age. These first twenty companies were sent of in charge of George W. McCook, a Democratic veteran of the Mexican War and subsequently a Colonel in the Civil War, who became the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1871. Before the war ended this little band had grown into that great army of 320,000 men which Ohio contributed to the Union, and of which it is safe to say that not less than 150,000 were Democrats.

For a short time, at the beginning of the war, the Governor was empowered to appoint not only regimental officers, but also general officers. His only appointment of a major-general, made at the suggestion of such eminent Democrats as William S. Groesbeck, was the marvelous organizer and life-long Democrat, George B. McClellan, who lived and died the idol of that matchless military force -The Army of the Potomac. Governor Dennison also appointed three Brigadiers, two of whom (Newton Schleich and J. H. Bates) were Democrats, and the third (Jacob D. Cox) left the Republican Party after the war. Commenting upon these appointments, Whitelaw Reid, in "Ohio in the War," says that

McClel

"Republicans were disposed to complain that the Democrats received more than their share of the high promotions. lan was a Democrat, and so was Schleich and, in fact, but one Republican had been appointed out of the four general officers assigned to the State."

Nearly all of the great host of Democratic volunteer soldiers from Ohio, who were of legal age in 1860, had voted for Stephen A. Douglas in the hope that war might be averted; but, when it came, they followed that great leader who promptly, emphatically and eloquently declared for the Union and its preservation by arms. The attitude

of the Northern Democracy, at the outbreak of the war, was truthfully portrayed on the floor of Congress, in 1886, by a Democratic representative from Ohio, as follows:

"It is true, Mr. Chairman, that the Northern Democracy, before the war broke on us in its fury, tried to prevent it by every means in their power; that they yearned for peace with their kindred of the South; but, when the storm burst they bared their bosoms to it with unflinching hearts and unflagging zeal. They laid down their lives by the tens of thousands—not that they loved the South less but the Union more."

This is corroborated by James G. Blaine in his "Twenty Years of Congress," wherein he says:

"It is due to the Democracy of the North to say that however strongly they had opposed the election of Mr. Lincoln, and how ever hostile they had been to the principles which he had represented, the mass of party had responded with noble enthusiasm and with patriotic fidelity to the Union. Their great leader, Senator Douglas, set a worthy example by promptly waiting on the President and expressing his deepest sympathy and his most earnest co-operation in the struggle for the life of the nation. When he returned to his state after the firing on Sumter, the Republican Legislature of Illinois received him with a display of feeling as profound as that with which they would have welcomed Mr. Lincoln. His address on that memorable occasion was worthy of the loftiest patriot and was of inestimable value to the cause of the Union. Perhaps no word spoken carried confidence to more hearts or gave greater strength to the national cause."

The first call for volunteers was responded to by an instantaneous and passionate outbreak of patriotism all over Ohio. A sample of the meetings held at once, not only in this State but in every city and village throughout the entire North, is graphically described by General Grant in his memoirs as follows:

"As soon as the news of the call for volunteers reached Galena, posters were stuck up calling for a meeting of the citizens at the court house in the evening. Business ceased entirely; all was excitement; for a time there were no party distinctions; all were

Union men determined to avenge the insult to the national flag. In the evening the court house was packed. The two principal speeches were made by B. B. Howard, the postmaster, and a Breckenbridge Democrat at the November election the Fall before, and John A. Rawlins, an elector on the Douglas ticket.'

It may be well here to note that General Grant, who was chairman of the meeting he describes, was a Douglas Democrat who never had an opportunity to vote for President except in 1856 when he voted for James Buchanan. Grant's subsequent rise and career (too well known to need recital here) shed imperishable glory not only upon himself and his native state, but also upon his ante-bellum Democracy and upon the famous Democratic orator and United States Senator Thomas L. Hamer, who had appointed him to a cadetship at the National Military Academy.

In the furious rush to arms upon that fateful April day, the first volunteer to be sworn into the Union army from Ohio was an eloquent Democrat-"The Tribune of the People"-honest Durbin Ward. Anticipating the attack upon Sumter and the war which must ensue, he had already begun to raise a company. Instantly upon the telegraphic receipt of the call for troops, he walked into the County Clerk's office at Lebanon and was sworn in as a private soldier. Subsequently he rose, through the grades of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel, to Brevet Brigadier-General-the latter "for gallant and meritorious conduct at the battle of Chickamauga," where he was desperately wounded, and from which he went through life with a broken shoulder.

The General Assembly of Ohio was in session when the war broke out; and, by the unanimous vote of both political parties, immediately appropriated one million dollars to put the state upon a war footing and to aid the Union cause. Party lines were partially merged, and the Republican Party as an organization, disappeared until its resuscitation in 1867. The bulk of that party, combined with one wing of the Democratic Party, constituted the "Union Party" which controlled Ohio politics during the war. In the summer of 1861 the first State convention of the Union Party was held and David Todd, a Democrat, was nominated for Governor. In the admirable