Post by Matthew S. Schweitzer on Jan 28, 2008 23:31:40 GMT -5
There is sadly little information on the Franklin County militia during the War of 1812, but we do know that there were two volunteer militia units created at the outbreak of hostilities in 1812, the Franklin Dragoons and the Franklinton Riflemen.
An account of both groups by Joseph Sullivant, son of Franklinton founder Lucas Sullivant, is found in Lee's History of the City of Columbus, Ohio published in 1892:
An account of both groups by Joseph Sullivant, son of Franklinton founder Lucas Sullivant, is found in Lee's History of the City of Columbus, Ohio published in 1892:
These companies were the wonder, the pride and glory of my early boyhood.
I had the most unbounded faith in their prowess, which I hud frequently seen
tested in sham battles; and I knew that on parade days they consumed prodigious
quantities of tobacco and whisky, exploits only then possible to hardy men.
When tho Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar visited this country he passed through
Columbus, staying all night. Clinton Work, John Overdier, Israel Crosby, myself
and other boys were very anxious that this representative of the crowned heads
of Europe should bo duly impressed with the power and greatness of our country,
and especially with the martial bearing of our people; in fact, we rather wished
to intimidate him and prove that it would bo exceedingly dangerous for any
European nation to meddle with us. For this purpose we concluded the very
best thing was to give him a sight of the Franklinton Riflemen, whoso uniform
was quite showy; white breeches and a yellow cotton-cloth huntingshirt with
white fringe; a leather belt around the waist, carrying a huntingknife in a black
scabbard in Iront, and in many instances a tomahawk behind. The plume in the
hat was tall but rather stiff', being composed of white chicken feathers tied on
around a stick. Each man carried an old fashioned rifle with shot pouch and
powderhorn. We tried very hard to get a parade, even offering to help pay for
an extra drum and fife and furnish free whisky, but the time was too short, and
greatly to our regret the Grand Duke left without witnessing the martial display
intended to impress him. Our patriotic wish will be better appreciated when it
is remembered the Duke was almost fresh from the great battlefields of Europe,
where he himself had been a grand commander in the vast army which the allied
sovereigns had put in motion to crush the First Napoleon. However, even now I
have little doubt if the Duke had been fortunate enough to have got a sight of
the Franklin .Riflemen, he would have been astonished.
The services of the Franklin Dragoons in the War of 1812, and on special
occasions of later date, including the visit of President Monroe, have already been
referred to. The company was originally organized under Captain Joseph Vance,
who assisted director Wright in surveying the first plat of Columbus, and maintained its primary organization until some time in the early thirties
I had the most unbounded faith in their prowess, which I hud frequently seen
tested in sham battles; and I knew that on parade days they consumed prodigious
quantities of tobacco and whisky, exploits only then possible to hardy men.
When tho Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar visited this country he passed through
Columbus, staying all night. Clinton Work, John Overdier, Israel Crosby, myself
and other boys were very anxious that this representative of the crowned heads
of Europe should bo duly impressed with the power and greatness of our country,
and especially with the martial bearing of our people; in fact, we rather wished
to intimidate him and prove that it would bo exceedingly dangerous for any
European nation to meddle with us. For this purpose we concluded the very
best thing was to give him a sight of the Franklinton Riflemen, whoso uniform
was quite showy; white breeches and a yellow cotton-cloth huntingshirt with
white fringe; a leather belt around the waist, carrying a huntingknife in a black
scabbard in Iront, and in many instances a tomahawk behind. The plume in the
hat was tall but rather stiff', being composed of white chicken feathers tied on
around a stick. Each man carried an old fashioned rifle with shot pouch and
powderhorn. We tried very hard to get a parade, even offering to help pay for
an extra drum and fife and furnish free whisky, but the time was too short, and
greatly to our regret the Grand Duke left without witnessing the martial display
intended to impress him. Our patriotic wish will be better appreciated when it
is remembered the Duke was almost fresh from the great battlefields of Europe,
where he himself had been a grand commander in the vast army which the allied
sovereigns had put in motion to crush the First Napoleon. However, even now I
have little doubt if the Duke had been fortunate enough to have got a sight of
the Franklin .Riflemen, he would have been astonished.
The services of the Franklin Dragoons in the War of 1812, and on special
occasions of later date, including the visit of President Monroe, have already been
referred to. The company was originally organized under Captain Joseph Vance,
who assisted director Wright in surveying the first plat of Columbus, and maintained its primary organization until some time in the early thirties