OHIO IN THE
MEXICAN WAR.
BY DANIEL J. RYAN.
[This article is a chapter from Volume
IV of the History of
Ohio, by Messrs. Randall and Ryan. It is
printed by permission of the
publishers, The Century History Company,
54 Dey St., New York, N. Y.-
EDITOR.]
The office of Governor did not prove
attractive to Mr.
Corwin. It afforded no opportunity to
display either his talents
or abilities. In those days it was a
position more of dignity
than of power. He used to say that his
principal duties were
"appointing notaries public and
pardoning convicts in the peni-
tentiary." The salary was fifteen
hundred dollars a year, and
the Governors of Ohio spent very little
time in Columbus. The
majority of Corwin's predecessors had
been farmers, and they
only came up to the capital at rare
periods, and these were be-
tween seed time and harvest. As he was a
lawyer of extensive
practice, he spent most of his time in
the practice of his pro-
fession at Lebanon.
Addison P. Russell, who was formerly
Secretary of State
of Ohio (1858-1862), and who still lives
in a dignified old age at
Wilmington, Ohio, has written a
delightful monograph
("Thomas Corwin. A Sketch."
Cincinnati, 1881), which is
a neighbor's tribute to, and an analysis
of, Corwin's character
and life. In passing it may be noted
also that his "Library
Notes," 1879;
"Characteristics," 1884; "A Club of One," 1887;
"In a Club Corner," 1890, and
"Sub-Coelum," 1893, are among
the most charming essays in American
literature, and have won
the love of all readers of the good and
beautiful in modern
letters.
But to the subject-of Governor Corwin he
writes: "Dur-
ing the two years Mr. Corwin was
Governor, he was proverb-
ially in the best of humor. All the time
he could get from
public duties was spent at his home in
Lebanon. He seemed
(277)
278
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
running over with fun and anecdotes, and
he never lacked ap-
preciative listeners when he wished to
talk. Very busy people
avoided him as a dangerous temptation.
Young men especially
gathered about him with big eyes of
wonder. They had no
envies or jealousies to prevent them
from admiring him. To
them he discoursed with the utmost
freedom. With them, when
his mind was fullest and freest, he
indulged without limit in
monologues. He was fond of young men;
especially those who
were inclined to improve themselves and
who seemed to be
promising."
In 1842 he was renominated, but his old
opponent, Wilson
Shannon, defeated him by the small
plurality of 3,893. The
anti-slavery sentiment was just
beginning to develop in Ohio,
and consolidated under the name of the
"Liberty Party" this
element nominated as their candidate
Leicester King. His
strength at the polls was drawn largely
from the Whigs, and
consequently, weakened Corwin. King
polled 5,312 votes and
Governor Corwin was defeated. He never
again figured in
State politics, but, out of this defeat
came a calling to the higher
plane of National public life.
In 1844, he was elected by the Ohio
Legislature as United
States Senator for six years from March
4, 1845. He com-
menced his Senatorial career in an
exciting time, and he brought
to his service a national reputation as
one of the most influential
Whigs of his day. He was confessedly the
most famous and
the most popular orator in the country.
He stood abreast with
his party in the growing sentiment
against slavery, and was op-
posed to the annexation of Texas and a
war with Mexico. It
was by his speech in connection with the
latter event that he
impressed himself on the annals of
Senatorial oratory, and be-
came forever associated with the Mexican
War.
The war with Mexico was declared May 13,
1846. Hos-
tilities had been commenced by the
Mexicans before this. They
had crossed over to the east bank of the
Rio Grande, and on
May 8th gave battle to General Taylor's
forces at Palo Alto.
When President Polk learned these facts,
he sent a special mes-
sage to Congress, May 11th, saying:
"Now, after reiterated
menaces Mexico has passed the boundary
of the United States,
Ohio in the Mexican War. 279
has invaded our territory and shed
American blood on American
soil. She has proclaimed that
hostilities have commenced, and
that the two nations are now at war. As
war exists, and, not-
withstanding our efforts to avoid it,
exists by the act of Mexico
herself, we are called upon by every
consideration of duty and
patriotism to vindicate with decision
the honor, the rights, and
the interests of our country." The
President's request for men
and money to carry on the war was
promptly and favorably
responded to by Congress which the next
day passed a bill with
only sixteen votes dissenting declaring,
that, "by the acts of the
Republic of Mexico, a state of war
exists between the United
States and that Republic." The
President was authorized to
call for the services of 50,000
volunteers and ten million dollars
was given him as "sinews of
war." So the war with Mexico
commenced.
It was not popular at first, but
eventually became so for
the reason that all wars with foreign
nations are popular. Never-
theless, the Whigs opposed it on the
grounds that it was un-
righteous and in the interest of the
extension of slavery. This
sentiment was so strong in Ohio that the
war was not generally
supported. The Whigs of this State felt
that the annexation of
Texas, which preceded the war, was a
deliberate and concocted
scheme for perpetuating slavery. Hence
there was not a wide-
spread war spirit in Ohio, nor, in fact,
throughout the North.
In the South, though, the enthusiasm was
great and unconfined.
There was difficulty in suppressing
recruiting in the Southern
States, and fears were expressed that
enough whites would not
remain at home to take charge of the
slaves. The usual adver-
tisements calling for recruits were
headed: "Ho! for the Halls
of the Montzemas!" but on Whig ears
these appeals fell flat,
and they gave little response in
soldiers or enthusiasm.
On the other hand, it is also true, as
was claimed by the
Democrats, that there had been a
systematic and long continued
course of faithlessness, falsehood and
insolence on the part of
Mexico toward our Government. She was
guilty of aggravating
wrongs, refused to adjust rightful
claims, declined to arbitrate
subjects of difference, and, to cap the
climax, she had invaded
our soil and murdered our citizens. The
test of history justifies
280 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
the Mexican War. The objection of the
Whigs that it was
waged to acquire additional slave
territory has been answered
by "manifest destiny." In all the territory acquired from
Mexico through this war under the treaty
of Guadalupe Hidalgo
-California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and
a part of New Mexico
-slavery never existed.
In response to the first call of
President Polk for three
regiments from Ohio, Governor Bartley
issued his proclamation
May 20,
1846, appealing to the courage and
patriotism of the
State to render promptly the required
aid. Samuel R. Curtis,
Adjutant General of the State,
established a general rendezvous
at Camp Washington, near Cincinnati, to
which point all com-
panies were ordered to proceed as soon
as organized.
That there was a sustaining war
sentiment in Ohio is evi-
denced by the fact that in less than two
weeks after the Presi-
dent's requisition was received, three
thousand Ohioans were
marching toward the rendezvous. Before
June forty companies
were in their tents at Camp Washington.
During this month
companies assembled here from all over
the State; indeed more
appeared than necessary to fill the
quota, and these, with much
clamor and dissatisfaction were turned
homeward. The thirty
companies in camp were ordered by
Governor Bartley to be
organized into three regiments, and
these after being reviewed
by General Wool, who was on his way to
Mexico, were mustered
into the service of the United States
for one year.
The recruiting of volunteers was kept up
until the Ohio
military forces for the war were
organized into five infantry
regiments, fifteen independent companies
of infantry, five com-
panies for the Fifth United States
Infantry, and one company
of United States Mounted Riflemen. There
were about seven
thousand officers and men in the Mexican
War from Ohio in
the army, not including the navy, and
these constituted about
one-eighth of the entire land forces.
The part that Ohio played in this
conflict has been largely
overlooked from the fact that the great
Civil War of 1861 so
overshadowed it in importance that
little has been written or
preserved in the way of general
literature concerning it. It is
proposed here to give a detailed history
of each of the regiments
Ohio in the Mexican War. 281
engaged in Mexico from Ohio. It will
show that the State per-
formed its duty in this conflict with
the same vital earnestness
that it has whenever the Union called
upon it for assistance.
The data following has been collated
from the official rec-
ords of the office of the Adjutant
General of Ohio.
The First Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer
Infantry was
organized at Camp Washington, June 23,
1846, and was trans-
ferred by the Governor of Ohio to the
Service of the United
States, and accepted by General Wool on
that date. The of-
ficers of the Regiment were Colonel
Alexander M. Mitchell,
Lieutenant Colonel John B. Weller, and
Major Thomas L.
Hamer. Major Hamer was promoted to
Brigadier General,
and Luther Giddings became major of the
regiment. This regi-
ment was recruited principally from
Southern Ohio. Its captains
and where recruited were as follows:
Robert N. Moore (A), Cincinnati.
Luther Giddings (B), Dayton.
Lewis Hornell (C), Cincinnati.
Edward Hamilton (D), Portsmouth.
John B. Armstrong (E), Cincinnati.
Edward D. Bradley (F), Lower Sandusky.
Sanders W. Johnson (G), Cincinnati.
Philip Muller (H), Cincinnati.
James George (I), Cincinnati.
William H. Ramsey (K), Cincinnati.
This regiment reached Mexico in July and
arrived before
Monterey on the 19th of
August. Under General Taylor it
entered the town under a heavy fire from
the enemy. This
was its baptism of blood, and right
bravely did the regiment
conduct itself. Colonel Mitchell and
Adjutant Armstrong were
wounded and Lieutenant Matthew was
killed. Gen. Thomas L.
Hamer wrote to Governor Bartley of the
gallant conduct of
this regiment at the battle of Monterey,
September 21, 1846, as
follows:
"I wish you could have been present
and seen your First
Regiment in the battle of Monterey. I am
sure you would have
been proud of them. They walked into the
most galling and
murderous cross-fires of the enemy with
the coolness of old
282 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
regular soldiers-not a man nor an
officer flinching. They
formed and fired upon the enemy with
steadiness and obeyed
every order promptly.
"They received great credit from
every officer of the Army
who saw them. I regret exceedingly that
our other two regi-
ments were not with us as I have the
same confidence in them as
in the First. If the war goes on-we
shall all be in it before
long-and you who are at home need have
no fear of our troops
sustaining the honor of Ohio.
"We have now an armistice of eight
weeks-and when
that closes we shall probably go at it
again on a larger scale.
"We are bringing up reinforcements
and heavy battering
cannon.
"Very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
"Th. L. HAMER, Brig. Gen., U. S.
A.
"His Excellency, M. BARTLEY,
"Columbus, Ohio."
It participated in various engagements
after this. The prin-
cipal one of which was that at Ceralvo,
March 7, 1847. Its
record is that of faithful performance
of hazardous duties,
until it was mustered out of service
June 15, 1847. Its loss dur-
ing its brief term of service was
twenty-four killed and forty-
two died of disease.
The Second Regiment was organized at the
rendezvous,
Camp Washington, June 22, 1846. George
W. Morgan of Mt.
Vernon was its Colonel, William Irvin,
Lieutenant Colonel, and
William Wall, Major. The companies
composing the regiment
with their officers and places of
recruitment were as follows:
Hobby Reynolds (A), Chillicothe.
Simon B. Kenton (B), Mt. Vernon.
David Irick (C), Hillsboro.
Simon B. Tucker (D), Logan.
Robert G. McLean (E), Athens.
John F. Mickum (F), Columbus.
Evan Julian (G), Lancaster.
Richard Stadden (H), Newark.
Daniel Bruner (I), Circleville.
William A. Latham (K), Columbus.
Ohio in the Mexican War. 283
July 9, 1846, the regiment left
Cincinnati for Mexico and
in about three weeks they reported to
General Taylor who
ordered Colonel Morgan and his command
to garrison Camargo.
With this place as headquarters the
regiment did escort duty
between Camargo and Monterey.
The service of the regiment in Mexico
may be well judged
by the following order of General Wool,
issued at Buena Vista,
May 16, 1847, prior to the mustering out
of the regiment: "The
General commanding cannot see the Ohio
regiments separate
from his command without expressing the
entire satisfaction
which their good discipline, orderly
conduct, and fine military
appearance have uniformly given him, and
which causes him so
deeply to regret that they are not to be
with him in the future
operations against Mexico.
"The Second and Third Regiments
will return to their
homes with the consciousness that they
have done great credit
to their State, rendered good service to
their country, and that
they bear with them the hearty good will
and sincere admira-
tion of the companies and
commander."
This regiment fought at Aqua Fria and
Buena Vista and
had lost during its period of service six
killed, two drowned and
sixty died of disease.
It was mustered out of the United States
service June 23,
1847, at New Orleans.
The Third Regiment organized at Camp
Washington in
June, 1846, had for its Colonel, Samuel
R. Curtis, who was the
Adjutant General of Ohio, and commandant
of the post, Camp
Washington.
George W. McCook was Lieutenant Colonel
and John L.
Love, Major.
The following is a list of the original
captains showing their
companies, by letter and where
recruited:
William McLaughlin (A), Mansfield.
Jesse Meredith (B), Coshocton.
Thomas H. Ford (C), Mansfield.
John Patterson (D), St. Clairsville.
David Moore (E), Wooster.
James F. Chapman (F), Tiffin.
284
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Asbury F. Noles (H), Zanesville.
John Kell, Jr. (I), Steubenville.
James Allen (K), Massillon.
In Mexico it was a part of General
Taylor's "Army of the
Rio Grande" and was engaged in
active service in many
skirmishes. It did much in the way of
protecting wagon trains
and escort duty, and was mustered out of
the service June 24,
1847. During the year it was in Mexico
its loss was sixty-four
killed and died of disease.
The Fourth Ohio Infantry was organized
at Cincinnati in
June, 1847, with Colonel Charles H.
Brough, Lieutenant Colonel
Melchior Werner and Major William P.
Young as Field Of-
ficers. Its original captains and places
of recruitment were:
August Moor (A), Cincinnati.
Otto Zirckel (B), Columbus.
Samuel Thompson (C), Lower Sandusky.
George Weaver (D), Ganges.
Michael C. Lilly (E), Columbus.
George E. Pugh (F), Cincinnati.
Thomas L. Hart (G), Millersburg.
George A. Richmond (H), Cincinnati.
Josiah M. Robinson (I), Cincinnati.
This regiment left Cincinnati July I,
1847, and landed at
the mouth of the Rio Grande, marched to
Matamoros and gar-
risoned that town until September 4,
1847, when it proceeded
to Vera Cruz, arriving there eleven days
later.
On October 12th the regiment
entered Puebla to the rescue
of Colonel Childs who held that city for
twenty-eight days;
October 19, 1847, the battle of Atlexco was
fought, the Fourth
Regiment participating in it with
bravery and success.
During its year's service the regiment
loss was four killed
in battle, one died of wounds received
in battle and seventy-
one of disease. It was mustered out of
service July 24, 1848,
at Cincinnati.
After the return of the Second Regiment
from Mexico the
War Department authorized its Lieutenant
Colonel, William
Irvin, to effect a new organization. It
was discovered that
only a small portion of the old
companies would re-enlist, and
Ohio in the Mexican War. 285
accordingly a new regiment was created
with William Irvin as
Colonel. It was originally intended that
the regiment should
be known as the "Fifth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry"; but the
records of the War Department at
Washington and those of the
Adjutant General at Columbus, show that
it was mustered in
and mustered out as "The Second
Ohio Volunteer Infantry."
Its original captains and the locations
of the companies
were as follows:
Nathan H. Miles (A), Cincinnati.
Richard Stadden (B), Newark.
John W. Lowe (C), Batavia.
William A. Latham (D), Columbus.
Joseph W. Filler (E), Somerset.
William T. Ferguson (F), Lancaster.
James E. Harle (G), Mt. Vernon.
Joseph E. Smith (H), Circleville.
John C. Hughes (I), Columbus.
George F. McGinnis (K), Chillicothe.
The regiment was mustered into the
service about Sep-
tember 1, 1847, and on September 10th it
left Cincinnati on
three steamboats for New Orleans. From
thence it went to
Vera Cruz where it arrived about October
4, 1847, and went
into camp near that city. In October
General Caleb Cushing
ordered the regiment to march to the
interior as an escort for
one thousand wagons and two thousand
pack mules loaded with
ammunition, provisions and clothing
bound for the City of
Mexico. It was on duty in and about that
city and Puebla. It
was actively engaged until the war
closed in numerous skir-
mishes with guerrillas in the
mountainous districts.
Upon the declaration of peace this
regiment returned to the
United States by way of New Orleans, and
from thence to Cin-
cinnati where it was mustered out July
26, 1848.
The losses of this regiment were very
large considering its
brief service. Seventy-four men lost
their lives in skirmishes
with guerrilla bands and from disease.
In addition to the foregoing
organizations there were
fifteen independent companies each known
by the name of its
captain. These companies were as
follows:
286 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Duncan's (John R.), Independent Company
of Mounted
Volunteers. Was mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 1, 1847, and
mustered out, August 2, 1848. Had
performed gallant service
on the Rio Grande and in and about
Ceralvo.
Dauble's (John G.), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15,
1846, and mustered out there, December
7, 1846.
Churchill's (Frederick A.), mustered in
at Cincinnati, June
15, 1846, and mustered out, October 14,
1846.
Kessler's (Herman), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15,
1846, and mustered out there, October
17, 1846.
Durr's (George), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15, 1846,
and mustered out there, December 7,
1846.
Caldwell's (John), mustered in May,
1846, and mustered
out at Bucyrus, October 26, 1846.
Donnell's (H. O.), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15,
1846, and mustered out there, October
17, 1846.
Ward's (Thomas W.), mustered in June,
1846, and mus-
tered out at Cincinnati, October 14,
1846.
Moor's (Augustus), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15,
1846, and mustered out there, October
14, 1846.
Hawkin's (Joseph L.), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15,
1846, and mustered out there, November
5, 1846.
Stout's (Atlas L.), mustered in June 5,
1846, and mustered
out at Dayton, Ohio, November 4, 1846.
Link's (Francis), mustered in at
Cincinnati, June 15, 1846,
and mustered out there, October 14,
1846.
Love's (John S.), mustered in June 4,
1846, and mustered
out at McConnelsville, Ohio, October 29, 1846.
Kenneally's (William), known as the
"First Foot," made
a good record in Mexico; it was mustered
in at Cincinnati, Oc-
tober 5, 1847, and mustered out there,
July 25, 1848.
Riddle's (Robert R.), known as the
"Second Foot," was
mustered in at Cincinnati, October 26,
1847, and mustered out
there, July 17, 1848.
The United States Mounted Riflemen,
under Captain Win-
slow F. Sanderson, was formed from the
young men of Co-
lumbus, Norwalk and Wooster, in May,
June and July of 1846.
It is known on the roster as Company B
which served in the
Ohio in the Mexican War. 287
Mexican service at Vera Cruz and Puebla.
It was mustered
out at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri,
August 28, 1848.
The Fifteenth United States Infantry was
organized in
Ohio by authority of an Act of Congress,
to serve during the
war. Its field officers were, Col.
George W. Morgan of Mt.
Vernon, Lt. Col. Joshua Howard, and
Majors Leslie H. Mc-
Kenney and Frederick D. Mills; the
latter was killed at San
Antonio, Mexico, August 20, 1847. This regiment was or-
ganized during the months of April and
May, 1847. It was
composed of the following companies
which with their captains
and places of recruit are given:
David Chase (B), Toledo, Lower Sandusky
and De-
fiance.
James A. Jones (C), Norwalk.
Edward A. King (D), Dayton.
John L. Perry (H), Cleveland.
Moses Hoagland (I), Millersburg.
On the Vera Cruz Route and in battles
under General
Scott, this regiment distinguishing
itself. It lost heavily at
Chapultepec in the storming of which it
performed a gallant
part, and was in the triumphant capture
and occupation of the
City of Mexico. It was mustered out of
the service at Cin-
cinnati, August 13, 1848.
In the Mexican service many of the Ohio
volunteer officers
won distinction, and some of these by
the experience acquired
therein, attained high rank subsequently
in the Civil War. Cap-
tain Ferdinand Van Derveer of the First
Ohio Volunteer be-
came a brigadier general; so, also, did
Colonel George W.
Morgan and Robert B. Mitchell of the
Second, Lieutenant
Samuel Beatty and Lieutenant Colonel
George W. McCook of
the Third, and Lieutenant August Moor of
the Fourth. Captain
William
H. Lytle of Kenneally's First Foot also became a
brigadier general and fell gallantly heading
his command at
Chickamauga.
There were also, in Mexico, serving in
the Regular Army,
a number of young officers from Ohio.
They all distinguished
themselves by honorable service. Some of
them reached the
highest military distinction in the War
of 1861. Lieutenant
288 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Ulysses S. Grant of the Fourth United
States Infantry was in
the first battle of the war at Palo
Alto. From this on he saw
active service at Monterey, Molino del
Rey, Vera Cruz and at
the storming of Chapultepec at which
place he won his captaincy.
Lieutenant William T. Sherman of the
Third Artillery, who
was detailed for special service in the
occupancy of California,
became a captain by reason thereof.
Lieutenant Don Carlos
Buell of the Third Infantry was also
brevetted captain for dis-
tinguished services on the field. In the
Civil War he obtained
the rank of major general. Lieutenant
Charles C. Gilbert of the
First Infantry and Lieutenant John S.
Mason of the Third
Artillery both became brigadier
generals. From which it is ap-
parent that, for Ohioans at least, the
Mexican campaigns were
training schools that developed military
talents which after-
ward ripened into fame and high
position.
Nor was Ohio without representation in
the naval opera-
tions against Mexico. Reed Werden, James
F. Schenk, L. C.
Rowan, Roger M. Stembel, George M.
Ransom and Henry
Walker, all appointed from Ohio, served
in the United States
Navy during the Mexican War. Werden was
at the capture of
Tupsan and became rear admiral. Schenck
was in various en-
gagements in California and was at the
bombardment and
capture of Guyamas and Mazatlan in
Mexico; he became a rear
admiral. Rowan fought on sea and land on
the Pacific Coast
which resulted in the surrender of Los
Angeles and the whole
of California by the Mexican governor;
he became a vice ad-
miral. Stembel and Ransom both served
with junior rank in
Mexico; the former became a rear admiral
and the latter a com-
modore. Walker participated in the surrender
of Vera Cruz,
Tupsan and Tobasco, and became a rear
admiral. The final
rank attained by all these officers was
the result of service in
the Civil War.
Surely if our Nation won victory and
renown in Mexico,
Ohio had a full share in all the honors.
No incident of the Mexican War created a
more profound
impression of sorrow on the people of
Ohio than did the death
by disease of General Thomas Hamer, at
Monterey, Mexico,
December 2, 1846, in the forty-sixth
year of his age. He had
Ohio in the Mexican War. 289
entered the army as the major of the
First Ohio Volunteer In-
fantry. As the most popular Democrat of
Ohio he was the
idol and the ideal of his party. He had
served in the Legisla-
ture and in Congress and enjoyed the
reputation of a great
lawyer and an eloquent orator. In the
campaign of 1840 he was
the only man in Ohio that could engage
in joint debate with
Tom Corwin, the Whig candidate for
Governor. At the first
call of the President he organized the
first regiment raised in
Ohio. He had a natural aptitude for
military affairs, and be-
fore he had reached the seat of war
President Polk commis-
sioned him a brigadier general. At the
battle of Monterey he
displayed fine judgment and gallantry in
commanding his
brigade, and when General Butler, who
commanded the Third
Division, was wounded, General Hamer
succeeded him.
He was extremely popular with his men.
When General
Zachary Taylor was informed of Hamer's
death, he exclaimed,
"I have lost the balance wheel of
my volunteer army!" In the
official communication to the War
Department announcing his
death General Taylor said: "In
council, I found him clear and
judicious; and in the administration of
his command, though
kind, yet always impartial and just. He
was an active partici-
pant in the operations before Monterey,
and since had com-
manded the volunteer division. His loss
to the army at this
time cannot be supplied, and the
experience which he daily ac-
quired in a new profession rendered his
services continually
more valuable. I had looked forward with
confidence to the
benefit of his abilities and judgments
in the service which yet
lies before us, and feel most sensibly
the privation of them."
The participation of General Hamer and
Lieutenant Ulysses
S. Grant in the battle of Monterey
recalls the fact that the young
lieutenant owed his West Point cadetship
to Hamer. In his
"Personal Memoirs" (Volume I,
page 33), General Grant refers
to this:
"The Honorable Thomas L. Hamer, one
of the ablest men
Ohio ever produced, was our member of
Congress at the time,
and had the right of nomination. He and
my father had been
members of the same debating society
(where they were gen-
Vol. XXI. -19
290 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
erally pitted on opposite sides), and
intimate personal friends
from their early manhood up to a few
years before. In politics
they differed. Hamer was a life-long
Democrat, while my
father was a Whig. They had a warm
discussion in which they
finally became angry, over some act of
President Jackson-the
removal of the deposit of public moneys,
I think-after which
they never spoke until after my
appointment. I know both of
them felt badly over this estrangement,
and would have been
glad at any time to come to a
reconciliation; but neither would
make the advance. Under these
circumstances my father would
not write to Hamer for the appointment
but he wrote to Thomas
Morris, United States Senator from Ohio,
informing him that
there was a vacancy at West Point from
our district, and that
he would be glad if I could be appointed
to fill it. This letter,
I presume, was turned over to Mr. Hamer,
and, as there was
no other applicant, he cheerfully
appointed me. This healed
the breach between the two, never after
opened."
Although General Hamer had been buried
with all the honors
of war at Monterey, the State of Ohio,
through its legislature,
ordered his remains to be brought back
for formal interment at
his home at Georgetown in Brown County.
For this purpose
the following commissioners were
appointed to proceed to
Mexico: John Allen of Brown county,
James C. Kennedy of
Clermont and James H. Thompson of
Highland. They were
authorized to draw on the state treasury
for the funds neces-
sary to perform their mission. On their
return, through a state
funeral, the final honors of a
grief-stricken people were paid
Thomas L. Hamer. The sincere and lasting
hold that he had
upon the affections of its countrymen is
in evidence yet. For
though more than a generation has passed
his name and memory
is as fresh in Southern Ohio as if he
had died but yesterday.
Turning from the battle fields of Mexico
where American
arms were winning victories at the sad
expense of many brave
soldiers and sailors, we find at home a
complicated situation.
The Whig party was divided in its view
of the war. Some
favored supporting the Government in as
much as there was
actual war between the United States and
its enemies, but the
more radical element opposed it on the
ground that to give it
Ohio in the Mexican War. 291
support would be promoting the cause of
slavery. The repre-
sentative of the latter section of the
Whig party was Senator
Thomas Corwin of Ohio. He was firmly
convinced that the war
was unjust and dishonorable. He finally
concluded to take the
boldest and most dangerous attitude that
any citizen can as-
sume when his country is at war. That is
to oppose the ap-
propriation of money to carry on the
military movements against
his country's enemies.
Senator Corwin did this against the
earnest advice of many
of his Whig friends. He and two of his
distinguished Whig
Senatorial colleagues had agreed to
assume this position, and
throw their votes and influence against
appropriations to sup-
port the Mexican War. These Senators
were Daniel Webster
of Massachusetts and John J. Crittenden
of Kentucky. When
the time came to show their hands they
both failed him. Webster
doubtless with the Presidential bee of
1848 buzzing about him,
saw that this attitude would alienate
the southern Whigs, and
Crittenden yielded to the slavery
influence of his state. So when
the time came to oppose the war
appropriations Corwin stood
alone as the antagonist. In his great
speech, of which more
later, he referred to this fact, and
complained that there was
not enough with him to have saved the
wicked city of the Scrip-
tures.
Senator Corwin spoke against the
prosecution of the Mex-
ican War in the United States Senate,
February 11, 1847. The
bill pending was one making further
appropriations to bring
the existing war with Mexico to a speedy
and honorable con-
clusion. The speech reads as well today
as when it was de-
livered, and for lofty eloquence it has
not been equalled in the
annals of the Senate. It was a
courageous speech, honest in
its purpose and fearless in its
expression. He contended that
the war was wrong; that it was a
President's and not a people's
war, and that it was based on the false
proposition that the dis-
puted territory belonged to Texas and
not to Mexico. For these
reasons therefore, he objected to voting
supplies to carry on
such a dishonorable and illegal
conflict. Up to the time that
Senator Corwin conceived that the war
was being advanced for
conquest, he had supported the
appropriations for the Army in
292 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
Mexico. Now he was opposed to any
further prosecution of
the war, and was in favor of withholding
its necessary supplies,
claiming that the Nation should withdraw
its soldiers from
Mexico and obtain an honorable peace.
The speech created a profound impression
on the country.
Its high moral tone, its great ability
and parliamentary elo-
quence was admitted by all, but it was
violently attacked by
the opposition press, as unpatriotic and
even treasonable. Noth-
ing but a great moral conviction could
have inspired such a
speech at such a time. The American arms
had been victorious
at Palo Alto and Monterey, and General
Scott had just com-
menced his triumphal march toward the
City of Mexico. The
country was in an ecstasy of exultant
victory, and thousands of
young men were offering their services
daily. The war-spirit
had seized the land. For a Senator to
oppose such a war and
demand the withdrawal of the American
troops from Mexico
could not be otherwise than unpopular.
His political opponents
were thrown into a frenzy, and the
American people were stag-
gered when he told them: "If I were
a Mexican I would tell
you: 'Have you not room in your own
country to bury your
dead men? If you come into mine we will greet you with
bloody hands and welcome you to
hospitable graves.' "
Many of Corwin's friends deserted him,
some of them
being high in the Whig party. On the
other hand, he won the
greatest praise and admiration from the
anti-slavery Whigs.
Joshua R. Giddings, Horace Greeley and
Henry Wilson came
out in favor of him as the Whig
candidate for president in
1848. His constituents at home-the Miami
Valley-supported
him to a man. But over the whole country
the force of popular
opinion was against the speech and the
orator. In Ohio there
developed against him the most virulent
opposition and he was
denounced as a traitor on frequent
occasions. The legislature
was flooded with petitions asking that
his resignation be
demanded; but a majority of the
judiciary committee of the
State Senate, to whom these petitions
were referred, ap-
proved Corwin's course. They reported,
"that the course pur-
sued, with reference to this war by
Honorable Thomas Cor-
win, has in no degree lessened him in
the esteem of the state
Ohio in the Mexican War. 293
he represents, but that the implicit
confidence in his statesman-
ship, his moral integrity, his pure
patriotism, his true loyalty to
the union and the state of Ohio, which
was evinced by his elec-
tion to the high and responsible office
of Senator in Congress,
remains unimpaired and
unfaltering."
The intimate connection of Corwin with
Ohio and the
Mexican War make his subsequent life
properly a part of this
chapter. With his fine nature, his
natural probity and great
talents he was always popular in Ohio
and throughout the coun-
try. His Mexican War speech would have
consigned most pub-
lic men to oblivion. But his fearless
life and independent atti-
tude on great questions gave him a
public character which won
the confidence of the people regardless
of party. In the presi-
dential canvass for the nomination in
1848, he declined to allow
his name to be considered in the
convention. He realized as
much as any man in the Whig party that
his course in the Senate
disqualified him for popular favor. A
great war had been
brought to a successful close; it was
full of gain to the United
States, and a conquering war chief was
the great object of the
people's adulation. The result was the
setting aside of Clay
and Webster and the nomination of
General Zachary Taylor.
Like all military candidates, with the
glamour of military glory
surrounding him, he was easily elected.
For the second time
death cheated the Whigs out of their
victory, and President
Taylor died in the midst of his term.
Millard Fillmore became
President and Thomas Corwin was
confirmed as Secretary of
the Treasury in his Cabinet, July 20, 1850. He remained,
amidst many changes, in the Cabinet until
the end of the ad-
ministration. It was the last of the
power of the Whigs, and
that party went out of existence in the
evolution of great
political questions.
Mr. Corwin returned to private life in
1853, and resumed
the practice of his profession at
Cincinnati. With great ques-
tions involving moral issues crowding to
the front, a man like
Corwin could not remain silent, neither
could a constitutency,
such as his, allow him to remain in
private life. So we find
him elected to Congress from a
Republican district, composed
of Warren, Clinton, Greene, Fayette and
Madison counties.
294 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
He was not in entire harmony with the
Republican party.
He had not yet reached the position of
Lincoln and Seward on
the slavery question. He favored
prohibiting slavery in the
territories, but he believed that they
had a right to make a con-
stitution for statehood permitting
slavery if they saw fit.
His position was that, "Congress
having passed an enabling
act permitting it [the territory] to
make a constitution and set
up for itself, could not consistently
refuse it admission into the
union on account of a clause in its
constitution, when we had
in the Union fifteen states with similar
constitutions. If we had
no power to turn out states on that
account, we should not keep
them out." This position was not a
tenable one and was soon
swept away in the aggressive fight
against the extension of
slavery which became a cardinal
principle of the Republican
party.
Again he was elected to Congress in
1860. He became
chairman of the famous "Committee
of Thirty-Three" ap-
pointed to devise some plan to stem
secession and to provide
for a peaceable settlement of the
slavery question. All of its
proceedings and recommendations were
unavailing. This was
due to the fact that it undertook to
compromise a moral ques-
tion; it was willing that slavery should
exist and continue un-
disturbed, and even went so far as to
recommend an amend-
ment to the Constitution forever
prohibiting the abolition of
slavery or the enactment of legislation
that would in any wise
interfere with its maintenance. Corwin
favored this compro-
mise, and it is the one weak spot in his
public career. He closed
his term in Congress uneventfully except
that it was marred
by the efforts of his great talents to
perpetuate slavery.
On March 12, 1861, President Lincoln appointed him
Minister to Mexico which position he
filled until 1864, when
he returned to this country and took up
the practice of his pro-
fession at Washington, D. C. He died
there suddenly, De-
cember 18, 1865.
His unexpected death touched the nation
and Ohio espe-
cially mourned. In the reception room of
the Senate Chamber
the great men of our country at that
time, regardless of party,
met to express their sorrow. Chief
Justice Chase presided and
Ohio in the Mexican War. 295
said: "Great were his titles to honor won at the bar, in legis- lative halls and in executive session; but at this moment they seem insignificant in comparison with the admiration, love and veneration which gathered around him as a man." And Samuel Shellabarger, who was then a representative in Congress, and who was at Corwin's side when he was stricken down, wrote this to the Ohio State Journal: "He, who had touched with the scepter of his imperial and god-like intellect, States, Nations, Peoples, Courts, Senators and Senates, made them all bow to the majesty of its power, was now touched-in his time-by the scepter of his Lord, and instantly bowed his head, and laid himself submissively down and died." |
|
OHIO IN THE
MEXICAN WAR.
BY DANIEL J. RYAN.
[This article is a chapter from Volume
IV of the History of
Ohio, by Messrs. Randall and Ryan. It is
printed by permission of the
publishers, The Century History Company,
54 Dey St., New York, N. Y.-
EDITOR.]
The office of Governor did not prove
attractive to Mr.
Corwin. It afforded no opportunity to
display either his talents
or abilities. In those days it was a
position more of dignity
than of power. He used to say that his
principal duties were
"appointing notaries public and
pardoning convicts in the peni-
tentiary." The salary was fifteen
hundred dollars a year, and
the Governors of Ohio spent very little
time in Columbus. The
majority of Corwin's predecessors had
been farmers, and they
only came up to the capital at rare
periods, and these were be-
tween seed time and harvest. As he was a
lawyer of extensive
practice, he spent most of his time in
the practice of his pro-
fession at Lebanon.
Addison P. Russell, who was formerly
Secretary of State
of Ohio (1858-1862), and who still lives
in a dignified old age at
Wilmington, Ohio, has written a
delightful monograph
("Thomas Corwin. A Sketch."
Cincinnati, 1881), which is
a neighbor's tribute to, and an analysis
of, Corwin's character
and life. In passing it may be noted
also that his "Library
Notes," 1879;
"Characteristics," 1884; "A Club of One," 1887;
"In a Club Corner," 1890, and
"Sub-Coelum," 1893, are among
the most charming essays in American
literature, and have won
the love of all readers of the good and
beautiful in modern
letters.
But to the subject-of Governor Corwin he
writes: "Dur-
ing the two years Mr. Corwin was
Governor, he was proverb-
ially in the best of humor. All the time
he could get from
public duties was spent at his home in
Lebanon. He seemed
(277)