The County's Response
For The Pennsylvania State College Graduate School
Pennsylvania acted quickly upon
hearing the news. On the morning of April 12th, 1861, the Pennsylvania
legislature, advised and influenced by governor Curtin, passed an act
appropriating $500,000 with which to arm the militia in the case the president
would need them. When president Lincoln on April 15th, called for 75,000
volunteers for a term of three months, the response was immediate. Three days
later five companies of Pennsylvania militia, numbering 530 men, were in
Washington.
When the call for volunteers
reached the West Branch valley, excitement broke all bounds. So great was the
enthusiasm to support the union that the old men and young boys tried to
enlist.
The meeting was held in the courthouse, with B. H. Taylor in the chair, for the purpose of protecting the families of those who volunteered to take the field. A committee composed of Abraham pdegraff, Oliver Watson, and Jay. K. Hayes were appointed to act in conjunction with the borough council. By April 24th a borrowed loan of $3000 for the benefit of the families of those going into the military service had all been negotiated, mainly in $100 subscriptions. $700.00 was collected in two hours in montoursville, which was then but a small town, for the benefit of the families of volunteers. 30 men volunteered and it was predicted that before the end of the week a company would be recruited and the sum for their families would be $1500.
Muncie was strongly patriotic, on April 30th, 1861, the
editor of the Muncie luminary wrote:
Our citizens are enthusiastic in their patriotic
demonstrations. The stars and stripes are gaily floating over the housetops in
every direction. We hear no more of politics. All are resolved on supporting
the administration and putting down the traders.--The Muncie company were the
first to leave the county. Another company will be ready to start at the next
summons. One of our limping friends says he would like to raise a company of “cripples." three cheers for the union!
The excitement was intense before the companies left for
camp. The town was literally smothered with flags. Large posters were hung to
the lamp posts in front of the courthouse with the words “Death to Traitors”
printed on them. Attached to each poster with was a rope with a noose at the
end. Everyone was confident of a victory within a few short weeks. When a flag
was being raised over Langdon and Divens Mill a large eagle came from the
mountain, hovered a few moments directly over the spot and then departed due
South. This was considered a go to him and by the superstitious, for an eagle
had not been seen NYM sport for 15 years period the superstitious were still
more impressed when they learned that a similar incident had occurred the same
afternoon while the troops were raising a flag at Camp Curtain.
John Emery, a youth of 18, was at Wellsboro when he heard
that the rifle company expected to leave for Harrisburg. He immediately started
out to walk the 28 miles to Troy in order to catch a train and arrived in time
to leave with his company the next morning. He was fortunate enough to survive
the war.
Shortly after the departure of the militia the Brady
artillery of Muncie left for Harrisburg and several other companies were
formed, notably the “Hunters Of Lycoming” , the “Willard Rifleman”, and the “Shamrock
Guards”. The last name company had both the moral and financial support of the Rev.
John Baun the catholic priest in Williamsport who told his congregation on the
1st Sunday after hostilities started. That
“after the war commenced he did not want to see the face of a man under
forty-five years in his church, till it is over.”
Enlistment was so rapid that the town of Williamsport, with
the addition of the “Montoursville Rifle company”, recruited a regiment within
a week. The German and Irish citizens of the county showed their patriotism by
sending many volunteers.
Robert Faries, a staunch old abolitionist and “conductor” on
the “Underground Railroad”, released his tenants from paying rent while they
were serving in the army. The Lycoming Gazette suggested that all who had
buildings should do likewise.
The editor of The Gazette made another suggestion when he
wrote, on April 24th, 1861:
There is one point which we trust all will consider and that
is this that whenever a man quits an employment to go into his country service
his employer will religiously hold his place open to him until he comes home
again. Make all appointments to fill vacancies, with the understanding that the
volunteer who held it before he joined the army is to have undisputed right to
it when he returns.
The women of Williamsport started the work that won them
lasting gratitude when they furnished food and entertainment for the 19th New
York regiment, the first to go through the county, in April, 1861.
In 2011, Bucktail Reenactors launched a raft as part of a week long commemoration of the Civil War Bucktail Formation and Departure
Early in June 1861, Col. Thomas Kane recruited three companies of volunteer rifles in McKean, Elk, and Cameron counties, the so-called wild-cat regions of the state. These backwoodsmen plan to float to Harrisburg on rafts. They built rafts and embarked at Sacket’s sawmill a short distance above the junction of the cinema honing and West Branch of the Susquehanna and started down the river. Sometimes the rafts were caught in the swift current and world round, sometimes they grounded on rocks and shallow water and the men had to jump into the stream and push off. By the time they reached rattlesnake falls, a short distance above lock haven, they were dressed to the skin and were glad to take the train.
When the news reached Williamsport that three components of
volunteers were about to pass through the city, messengers were sent on
horseback throughout the nearby country and towns, asking donations for a
dinner for the soldiers. The morning of the day they arrived, the roads to
Williamsport were filled with people, many of those were transporting food for
the soldiers dinner.
The unanimity of the county could not last in a long war
period as early as June 11th, 1862, the democratic Lycoming Gazette criticized
the administration for its method of dealing with the South, the editor wrote:
Is it not time the administration would lay aside the rose -water
and kid-gloves with which it has been handling the rebels for the past year? Force,
not “if you'll let me alone I'll let you alone”, is the way to secure a speedy
and lasting peace. Let the rebels know that they have a government to contend
with and that so long as they invoke its anger they must suffer all the
penalties its powers can inflict, until they repent and return to their
allegiance.
An amusing incident occurred in Williamsport early in April
1863. A detachment of rebel prisoners passed through on their way to Elmira. A
number of children of rich southern planters had been sent to Dickinson
seminary to protect them from the dangers of war period when the coaches filled
with the men in Gray past the school, the homesick southern children took from
their hiding places little flags with the stars and bars, which they displayed
from the windows of their rooms. The prisoners we're considerably pleased to
see the confederate flag displayed but the incident had the reverse effect on
the other students in the school and that evening the campus of Dickinson
seminary resembled a miniature battlefield.
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