CHAPTER V.
LOCAL MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS.
FACTS and dates as to early Military organizations, are difficult to be obtained. No record beyond what is supplied by the public press can be found. But it is learned, that this department of well-regulated government was by no means overlooked.
The first Military Company in Toledo, was the Lucas Guards, which had its birth in 1835, amid, as probably it was born of, the stirring scenes and excited feelings of the Toledo War. Captain Granville Jones was in command. How long the Guards maintained their organization, is not definitely known; probably, not long after the boundary question ceased to suggest such means for defense from " Wolverine" aggression.
In 1838 a second Military Company was in existence, viz.: The Toledo Guards ; but nothing can be learned of its organization at that time. In 1840, Charles W. Hill was its Captain ; Coleman I. Keeler, Jr,, and Henry Allen, as Fifers; and Mavor Brigham, as Drummer. Charles B. Phillips was the Secretary of the Company, who gave notice for a drill to take place March 5, 1840. The Company was connected with the First Regiment, First Brigade, of the Eighteenth Division of the Ohio Militia. While probably not a partisan organization, the Guards became prominent in connection with the political campaign of 1840, and especially in its attendance at the great Whig gathering at Fort Meigs, in June of that year.
The Toledo Guards gave their "First Annual Military Ball " at the American Hotel, on January 8, 1841, " at 5 o'clock P. M." Managers General E. S. Dodd, General J. W. Brown, Colonel B. P. Peckham, Colonel S. B. Campbell, Major Ed. Bissell, Major H. S. Wood, Captain C. W. Hill, Captain A. A. Rabineau, Captain P. Palmer, Captain W. A. Chamberlin, Captain J. A. Titus, Lieutenant C. I. Keeler, Jr., Surgeon C. McLean, Sergeant H. G. Cozzens, Lieutenant E. A. Brown, Corporal Levi Snell, Sergeant C. M. Dorr, Private H. W. Goettell, Corporal C. B. Phillips, Private D. B. Smith, Private Dan Segur, Private Pliny Hoagland.
March 5, 1841, the Guards elected the following officers : Captain, C. W. Hill ; First Lieutenant, Horatio G. Cozzens ; Second Lieutenant, Charles Bellows; Orderly Sergeant, Daniel Schraffenberger ; Second Sergeant, Thomas D. Thomas.
Under the head, "Military Election," the Blade of May 22, 1839, says : " On Thursday last, John R. Osborn, Esq., of this City, was elected Colonel of the Regiment of Ohio Militia in this County." Colonel Osborn not accepting the command of the First Regiment, First Brigade, Eighteenth Division, Ohio Militia, he was succeeded by Colonel B. P. Peckham, with L. S. Lownsbury as Adjutant.
The following officers of Toledo Guards were chosen by that Company, in April, 1841: Captain, Chas. W. Hill; First Lieutenant, Horatio G. Cozzens ; Second Lieutenant, Chas. Bellows; Orderly Sergeant, Daniel Schraffenberger; Second Sergeant, Thomas D. Thomas.
Edson Allen, Paymaster of the First Regiment, First Brigade, Eighteenth Division, Ohio Militia, December 26, 1842, reported that the amount of fines collected for non-performance of Military duty during the year 1842, was $36.50.
Captain C. W. Hill, of Toledo Guards, was elected Brigadier-General, in June, 1842.
A new Military Company, taking the name of the old Toledo Guards, was organized in August, 1855, with the following officers Captain, Chas. B. Phillips; First Lieutenant, John R. Bond; Second Lieutenant, H. D. Kingsbury ; Third Lieutenant, Kin. S. Dygert; Fourth Lieutenant, Wm. S. Sizer; First Sergeant, Chas. Ballard ; Second Sergeant, Geo. W. Merrill ; Third Sergeant, Fred. H. Brown ; Fourth Sergeant, Alonzo Kingsbury; First Corporal, C. M. McCarty ; Second Corporal, Chas. E. Bliven; Ensign, John Gavin.
At a convention of the several Military Companies, held in Toledo, June 6, 1857, Mr. G. Dunn was made Chairman, and C. E. Bliven, Secretary. The object was the selection of some suitable person as Major-General of the
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Division. The names of Generals Hill, Phillips, and Gilson, Colonel Steedman, Major Dunn, and Lieutenants Bond and Finlay, were announced; all of whom, except that of Colonel Steedman, were withdrawn, when that gentleman was unanimously chosen, and he accepted the position.
A Military Election was held at Toledo, September 29, 1857, when Charles B. Phillips, of Toledo, was elected Brigadier-General, Ohio Militia, by 50 votes, to 46 for Garret Dunn.
An election of officers for the Toledo Guards, was held December 5, 1857; the following were elected : Captain, Chas. B. Phillips ; First Lieutenant, H. D. Kingsbury ; Second Lieutenant, Geo. W. Merrill; Third Lieutenant, Albert Moore; Ensign, Chas. E. Bliven.
The non-commissioned officers of Toledo Guards, elected February 1, 1859, were as follows : First Sergeant, Wm. P. Pugh ; Second Sergeant, Roger Alcott; Third Sergeant, J. W. Smith; Fourth Sergeant, J. W. Holmes ; First Corporal, J. B. Howard ; Second Corporal, J. B. Foley; Third Corporal, M. O. Merrill; Fourth Corporal, C. P. Dixon. The Captain was Geo. W. Merrill.
In February, 1859, Colonel J. M. Ashley having resigned his position on the Staff of Governor Chase, was commissioned as Commissary-General of the Volunteer Militia of Ohio, with rank as Brigadier-General. Major John Stevens, of Milan, Erie County (now of Toledo), was at the same time commissioned as Engineer-in-Chief of Volunteer Militia of Ohio, with rank of Colonel.
Many other local organizations of similar kinds have existed, from time to time, whose records are not now accessible to the writer. Suffice it to say, that Lucas County has not been lacking in the spirit which suggests and maintains the military arm of defense from outside foes and disturbances.