recommend that one million of dollars be appropriated for the purchase of arms and the munitions of war, and for the organization of such portion of the militia as may be deemed necessary for the emergency; that a militia system be devised and enacted looking chiefly to volunteers which shall insure the greatest protection to the State and unity and efficiency of the force to be employed; that a law be enacted defining and punishing treason against the State; that a law be enacted suspending the collection of debts against those who may be actually employed in the military service of the State or the United States; that suitable provision be made by the issue of bonds of the State or otherwise, for raising the money herein recommended to be appropriated."

CHAPTER XXV1.

W

RECORD IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION.

ITH the beginning of the year 1861, the political history of Indiana departs from the somewhat dull routine of the previous years, and partakes of the military cast. It would be difficult now for one who was not living in the State at that time to fully realize the excitement that prevailed throughout the length and breadth of the State, when, in April, 1861, the intelligence that Fort Sumter was bombarded, was received. It has been truthfully said that no man living within the limits of America will ever forget that dispatch. The graphic compiler of the "Indiana Soldier" thus describes the profound impression which it produced in this State: "The whole earth itself seemed to reel under the blow, and no longer to afford a sure foothold. Through the long Saturday that followed, business was at a stand; business houses were closed, and men with clenched fists and high beating hearts stood on the street corners and at the doors of the tele

graph office. That night, from the knobs of Ohio to the sand hills of Lake Michigan, from the Quaker towns in the eastern border to the prairie farms on the western line, the streets of Indiana were black with breathless multitudes still awaiting the tidings of the seventy loyal men in an unfurnished fort, bombarded by ten thousand raging rebels! When the banner appeared the banner which within the memory of the present generation had only idly fluttered in holiday breezes new meaning seemed to stream from its folds: hats were taken off, as in the presence of something sacred; and shouts beginning, it might be, brokenly and in tears, rose and swelled, and made walls and skies resound. At ten o'clock a dispatch was announced: Sumter has fallen.' Young men, and men in middle life, looked at white faces and wet eyes of old and venerated citizens, who stood in the street waiting for tidings, and a great stillness fell upon all. They turned to separate and creep silently to their homes. Another dispatch: Mr. Lincoln will issue a proclamation to-morrow, calling for seventy-five thousand volunteers.' Cheer upon cheer, roar upon roar, responded. The white-faced old men grew red; they stamped, pounded, wept, roared with the loudest, wildest and maddest. Good, cold-blooded people, who had gone to ped, sprang up, threw open their windows, screamed to passers-by for information, and joined, too, in the national

shout."

6

The following Sabbath was a memorable one in the history of Indiana. The country's cause was the theme at the churches; it was in the prayer, in the sermons, and in the songs. Every where, in every city, town and village of the State, the blessing of the God of nations was invoked upon the President of the United States, and upon the Union.

The President's proclamation was immediately followed by Governor Morton's. Indiana was called upon for six thousand volunteers, as her portion of the seventy-five thousand. The response to the Governor's call can never be described. Before the proclamation had been fully read more than fifteen thousand brave men stood ready for war. The clerk left his desk, the woodman dropped his ax, the farmer left his fields,

and the mechanic his bench. In every quarter there was a grand response, a patriotic answer to the Governor's call, and from that hour the complete loyalty, may we not say, the intense loyalty, of the State was manifested.

But there were contributions of means as well as of men. Winslow and Lanier, of New York, the latter formerly a citizen of Indiana, offered Governor Morton twenty-five thousand dollars, William Morrison of Indianapolis, one thousand. But there is no room for enumeration. The cities, towns, and other corporations of the State, as well as individuals, gave freely, and unsolicited. The legislature, which met in extraordinary session on the twenty-fourth of April, was exceedingly prompt and unpartisan in transacting the business which the breaking out of the war had thrust upon them. They voted, and placed at the Governor's control, five hundred thousand dollars for arms and ammunition, together with one hundred thousand dollars for military contingencies. They also voted one million dollars for enlisting, maintaining and subsisting troops, and providing munitions of war.

Having the necessary means placed at his disposal, Governor Morton commissioned Robert Dale Owen, formerly member of Congress from the First District, agent to purchase arms and munitions of war for the State. In this responsible position Mr. Owen, by his great foresight and wide experience not only saved the State large amounts of money in his purchases, but procured for the regiments that represented the State in the army, a much better quality of rifles than many of the other States were enabled to obtain.

Being thus provided with arms, ammunition was next wanted. But there was no delay in procuring this. Just two weeks after the news of the fall of Sumter, Captain H. Strum was detailed for the purpose of establishing, at Indianapolis, a State arsenal. He at once commenced the erection of a suitable building, and the purchase, with State funds, of sufficient materials to manufacture, in large quantities, ammunition for field pieces and small arms. This arsenal afterwards became useful in not only supplying our own troops in the field, but many brigades from other States. At one time the hands

employed in the arsenal reached six hundred. It has become a permanent establishment.

The funds for the preparation of this ammunition were all advanced by the State, and the ammunition was paid for, after delivery, by the General Government. The auditing committee connected with the finances of the arsenal, in closing their report, speak in this wise in reference to the efficiency

of Captain Strum: "We cannot close this report without bearing testimony to the ability, integrity and economy with which Captain Strum has managed the affairs of the arsenal."

The want of clothing and camp equipage for the troops as they were mustered into service, was almost as pressing and important as that of arms and ammunition. At first the State was obliged to carry the burden of this singly, as it was not until August, 1861, that the Quartermaster-General, at the

request of Governor Morton, appointed an Assistant United States Quartermaster for this State. In this capacity the

State advanced for clothing, etc., in 1861, the sum of five hundred and forty-one thousand seven hundred and twenty dollars. For camp equipage the sum of sixty-five thousand eight hundred dollars was also expended in the same period.

During most of the year 1861 the State was obliged to provide supplies for her troops in the field, and for this purpose ninety-four thousand one hundred and fifty-nine dollars were expended. There were many other avenues of expense in which the State disbursed large sums of money, to aid the General Government, until the latter was thoroughly organized for war.

Nine days after the President's proclamation was issued calling for seventy-five thousand men, in this State companies enough to form nine regiments were raised. Indiana's first quota was only four thousand four hundred and fifty-eight, rank and file; but on the twenty-fifth of April, six regiments, containing more than five thousand men, were mustered into the service; "companies enough for three regiments more reluctantly returning home.”

On the sixteenth of May, 1861, Indiana was asked for four regiments more, making ten in all. It is a matter of pride to the people of Indiana that the Secretary of War, in ordering these troops, urged upon the State to send only four regiments. It appears that the patriotism of the State needed restraint rather than stimulant.

In advance of this call three regiments had been organized by the State. They were at once turned over to the United States, and a fourth added a few days after. "The urgency of the people," says Mr. Stevenson, "to join the army was such that, at the instance of the Governor, in advance of the July call for five hundred thousand troops, the Secretary of War allowed Indiana to send into the field, by order of June eleventh, 1861, six regiments; by order of June nineteenth, four regiments. Each of these contained one thousand and forty-six men. One regiment of cavalry (the twenty-eighth regiment, first Indiana cavalry) was included. Thus the excess beyond the call was ten thousand four hundred and sixty men.