Ohio History Journal
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Captain Brown Outfits the Mount Vernon Blues For the "Toledo War" by PAUL L. MASSA The "Mount Vernon Blues," a militia rifle company, was organized in 1835, when Ohio mobilized its military forces in preparation for possible hostili- ties with Michigan. This dispute between the state of Ohio and the territory of Michigan over the location of their common boundary line, is known as the Toledo War. In Mount Vernon, Ohio, General William Bevans, a former Knox County sheriff, authorized Benjamin L. Brown to organize an infantry company for service in the Fifth Brigade of the Seventh Division of Ohio militia. Young Captain Brown plunged wholeheartedly into the task, and he faith- fully kept a complete set of records of its activities. The record of an election of officers held on September 4, 1835, shows that he had enlisted forty-six men in his company by that date. Getting his men in uniform was Captain Brown's biggest project, and his detailed records report every transaction. He spent $300 for 100 yards of cloth in New York on October 10. At William H. Horstman's in |
40 OHIO HISTORY
Philadelphia he bought 60 yards of
plated vellum lace for $12. On Novem-
ber 6, he bought accessories, such as
cotton headbands, silver braid, and
insignia at the "Military and Fancy
Store" of Charles Libeau of Cincinnati.
The patriotic young ladies of Mount
Vernon did the sewing and tailor-
ing, and in a few days' time, the Mount
Vernon Blues were in uniform.
Captain Brown's books show the total cost
of materials was $591.58.
In addition to this, he listed $41 for a
musician's uniform. The last item
was $83 for Captain Brown's splendid
uniform, which included cloak, sash,
sword, and extra plumes. The total cost
of uniforms for the company
was $715.58.
In the company record book Captain Brown
kept an account of the cost
of the material for each man's uniform,
which varied between $12 and $14
per man. A notation of "paid in
full" or "note taken" appears beside the
balance of each account.
When the Mount Vernon Blues mustered on
the village square, they
were undoubtedly a very colorful sight.
The plumes on their black shakos
were a bright red; their coats were red
with blue fronts and white lace;
their trousers were white, trimmed with
blue worsted braid.
The Mount Vernon Blues never fought in
battle, because the Toledo War
was settled when congress gave Michigan
its present Upper Peninsula in
return for Toledo. However, many of the
members of the Mount Vernon
Blues did have other military service
during their lifetimes. Some went to
Texas in 1836, as members of another
Mount Vernon company to help that
republic in its fight for independence
from Mexico. Others were members
of the Mount Vernon "Young
Guard" company, which fought in the Mexi-
can War in 1846.
THE AUTHOR: Paul L. Massa is a re-
tired army captain living in Mount Ver-
non, Ohio.