Reminiscences of the Cleveland Light Artillery

THE ACORN FROM WHICH GREW THE OAK.

The First Regiment Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery—whose guns thundered on nearly all the great battlefields of the War for the Union, 1861-5—owed its existence to a process of evolution. It was the result of a growth during a period of more than twenty years.

The Cleveland Grays, an independent military company, was formed in 1837. It was composed of active, intelligent, patriotic young men who displayed from the first a laudable pride in the organization, and an ambition to bring it up to the highest possible standard of excellence. Their most praiseworthy efforts were rewarded by a full measure of success, and the company was soon celebrated far and near for its fine appearance, excellent drill, and perfection of military discipline.

In 1839, for the purpose of field instruction, the Grays held an encampment on a vacant lot at the present corner of Superior and Erie streets. As compared to its proportions of today, Cleveland was then scarcely more than an overgrown village, and the territory in the vicinity of the spot designated above—now covered, and for miles beyond, with business houses and dwellings—was almost in its primeval state. By invitation of the Grays, Major Fay’s Light Artillery Company, of Buffalo, famous in those early days for its skill in the art of gunnery, was present at the encampment. The fine evolutions of this command and its proficiency in working and handling artillery attracted much attention and awakened a lively interest in that arm of military science.

The Grays caught the artillery fever and at once decided that they would have a gun squad. No sooner said than done, and nine members of the company were detailed for that purpose, as follows:

David L. Wood, Edward S. Flint, Edward A. Scovill, Richard Dockstader, Frank Krieger, F. H. Utley, James A. Craw, James B. Wilbur, C. J. Merriam.

David L. Wood was appointed Sergeant of the Gun Squad. He had formerly lived in Buffalo and had served as a gunner in Major Fay’s company, but had removed to Cleveland and was an active and zealous member of the Grays. A six-pound iron gun was obtained and mounted on a carriage which, as well as the caisson, was of home manufacture, made at the expense of the company. The early drills were held in a large barn situated on Erie street opposite the cemetery. The building was owned by the Ohio Stage Company, which, before the days of railroads, was operating its lines of public conveyance. These premises were used for five or six years, when more commodious quarters were provided.

In 1840 there was a great gathering at Fort Meigs—a military station at the rapids of the Maumee river, near Perrysburg, Ohio, built by General William Henry Harrison in 1813. A number of military companies from various parts of the West attended the meeting—among them the Cleveland Grays with its gun squad. The members of both organizations distinguished themselves by their accuracy in drill and their soldierly bearing, for which they bore away a large share of the honors.

Stimulated by their success to greater exertions the young artillerists continued their practice with the greatest assiduity, attaining a perfection that was in the highest degree creditable, and they fairly deserved the plaudits that were so freely bestowed upon them whenever they appeared in public. Valuable instruction and assistance were received from members of Major Fay’s company, before mentioned. The drill was in the French style of tactics then in vogue, and generally known as “flying artillery.”

In 1845 the gun squad “seceded” from the Grays, forming a separate organization known as the Cleveland Light Artillery, with two 12-pound guns, and a large increase in its active membership. David L. Wood was chosen captain. Among those who at this early day belonged to the company were James Barnett, W. E. Lawrence, Seymour Race, W. H. Hayward and W. E. Standart, all of whom remained in active membership and were prominent during the war as members of the First Ohio Light Artillery.

The increase in the company, both in size and equipment, made it necessary to have better quarters. An armory was built on Bank street, in the rear of what is now the block next north of the Mercantile National Bank, and the company evacuated the old Erie street barn. It was at this time fully organized as a mounted battery of two pieces, with caissons, harness, and everything complete, all of which equipment was provided at private expense, as were also the uniforms of the men. Whenever the battery appeared on public occasions or went out for field practice all expenses including the use of horses were borne by the company.

On September 10, 1846, a large military encampment was held at Wooster, Ohio, in which the Cleveland Light Artillery was invited to participate. The company, fully mounted and equipped, made the march from Cleveland to and from that place, the distance both ways being something over one hundred miles. This would not have been considered much of a march during the war, but it was the first campaign of the company, and was a great event in those days. During their stay at Wooster the artillerymen received the highest encomiums for their excellent appearance and drill.

July 4, 1847, a great river and harbor convention was held at Chicago. The artillery accepted an urgent invitation to attend, going by lake on the steamer Sultana, a boat famous at that day, commanded by Captain Gilman Appleby. While there the company gave several exhibitions, acquitting itself with such credit as to win unstinted praise. The effect was to stir up the military spirit in Chicago to such a degree that a light battery was at once organized there. The Cleveland company furnished an instructor and otherwise assisted in equipping the battery.

The Chicago company owed its existence in a great measure to the Cleveland Artillery. It grew and prospered, and early in the war became the nucleus of the First Regiment Illinois Light Artillery, as the Cleveland company did of the Ohio regiment. Indeed, it may fairly be said that the influence of the Cleveland Artillery was a wide-spread, and a potential factor, through the removal of its members from time to time, in awakening an interest before the war in that arm of the military service. During the war there was no inconsiderable number of artillery officers who entered the army from other states, whose first instruction was received years before, while members of the old Cleveland battery. Its complement of men was usually from seventy-five to one hundred, and during the twenty years and more of its existence many of these dropped out of the ranks and were widely scattered, their places being filled by others. The seed thus sown produced an abundant crop of artillerymen.

General Barnett tells that in the fall of 1863 he was directing the march of some artillery through one of the valleys between the mountain ranges near Chattanooga. The weather was cold and wet and the roads wretched. He came upon a Missouri battery stuck fast in the Tennessee mud. Gun carriages and caissons were sunk to the hubs and obstinately refused to budge an inch, despite the floundering efforts of the panting horses and the picturesque profanity of the drivers. Animals and men were wet and bespattered, and about equally discouraged. The captain, in a despairing condition, sat on his horse surveying the scene, apparently caring little whether there were any stars left in the old flag or not. Gen. Barnett doubled teams with him and at length succeeded in “yanking” him out of the mire. In conversation with him the general learned that the captain was an old-time member of the Cleveland artillery, and it was in consequence of what he learned in that company that he was induced to raise a battery and go to war in earnest.

In October, 1847, A. S. Sanford was elected captain of the Artillery and continued in that position for four years. David L. Wood was then again chosen and continued in command until a short time before the breaking out of the war.

The Cleveland Light Artillery was so successful and popular that in 1851 it was doubled in strength and its armament was increased to four guns. At this time there was no organization of the militia of Ohio, and very little had been done by the state authorities to foster and encourage the military spirit. Few could then have believed that ten years later the tocsin of war would be sounded, and that more than three hundred thousand men from Ohio alone would march to the tented field—and not for holiday or “feather-bed” soldiering, either. It is safe to say that Ohio will never again be found in a state of such unreadiness—but may the good Lord deliver us from any more war! The survivors of the First Ohio Light Artillery will all devoutly say Amen to this. Like all the rest who served in the Civil War, they know when they have had enough.

After much urging and coaxing the state authorities did at length consent to lend a helping hand. When the Cleveland Artillery was enlarged to a four-gun battery the state furnished the guns and harness. The company supplied everything else, including caissons, uniforms, and equipments of every kind. It still retained its status as an independent organization. In fact there was no law of Ohio authorizing artillery companies in any shape, and the small aid that was grudgingly extended to the Cleveland battery was more of a gratuity than anything else.

But the company continued to prosper just the same. Its membership was composed of excellent material, including young men from many of the best families of the city. All were earnest and ambitious in their efforts and they soon reached a high state of skill and efficiency in handling their guns and in all the details of the tactics in which they were instructed. They had showy uniforms for public occasions, with plenty of red in them, suggestive of sanguinary scenes, and presented a really gorgeous appearance when parading the streets. They won the applause of the multitude, the smiles of the fair, and admiring yells from the small boys. For in those ante-bellum days a cannon on wheels was regarded with unspeakable awe; and a man in military dress awakened the liveliest emotions in the popular mind.

In February, 1852, the company was first called upon for military duty. On the 17th of that month a serious riot occurred at a medical college situated at the corner of Prospect and Ontario streets. The trouble grew out of the exposure of some human bones from the dissecting room. A citizen who imagined them to be the remains of his daughter, whose body he thought had been stolen for dissection, gathered a formidable mob of excited people and moved upon the college with the avowed purpose of razing it to the ground and of hanging the doctors and students to the nearest lamp posts. The sheriff soon found that he had more on hand than he could manage and ordered out the Light Artillery to his assistance. The members of the company responded with alacrity and promptly appeared upon the ground, unlimbering their pieces they double shotted them in full view of the rioters, who were warned that if they did not instantly disperse the guns would be fired. The men stood at their posts, ready to fire at the word, but the rioters broke and fled from the scene, in a slate of confused demoralization. For precautionary reasons the battery remained on duty, “holding the fort,” for forty-eight hours, by the end of which time the excitement had abated and there was no repetition of the hostile demonstration.