Event

July 22: James Birdseye McPherson Killed

He was born in Ohio in a small town in Sandusky County before it was a town. Today, the citizens of Clyde proudly honor his contribution to the Nation by giving him his rightful place in their community. He would grow up to play a pivotal role as a U.S. General commanding the right wing of General Sherman during his campaign to take Atlanta during the Civil War.

McPherson had been with Sherman for a long time including the siege of Vicksburg the following year. As Sherman would later say, his good friend and right hand, was James McPherson. When James asked Sherman for a short leave so he could marry his fiance in Baltimore, Sherman denied that request. A decision he would openly regret a few months later.

After his death, his body was returned to Clyde and buried in the family cemetery not far from the home where he was born on November 14, 1828.

James Birdseye McPherson was the first born son of William and Cynthia. William had come to this area from New York state 5 years before to purchase some land, build a house for his bride-to-be. He came with several of his friends, one of them was James Birdseye for whom William would name his son.

William was a blacksmith and a farmer. From some records it indicates that he may have had a quick to rise temper. Like many of his friends that would later join him in Sandusky County, his family were Scottish. He purchased a rather substantial piece of land that was at the time known as Hamer’s Corners (this name would later be changed to Clyde in honor of Clyde New York which was named for the Clyde River in Scotland).

Four years after the McPherson’s set up household in Hamer’s Corner, Cynthia gave birth to James B. McPherson. No description of this birth or of the baby was recorded, but many years later after James’ death, his mother Cynthia related a story that when he was 3 weeks old a group of Seneca Indians stopped in at their house to see the new baby. One of them declared: “He will be a great man.”

When James was 11, the country experienced a major financial crisis that became known as the Panic of 1837 which was similar in scope to the 2008 financial crisis experience that lasted seven years. Banks failed, businesses failed, prices declined and thousands of workers lost their jobs. Unemployment rose as high as 25% in some areas.

Like most businessmen of the day, the Panic of 1837 caused dramatic changes in William first in his financial health and then later his physical health. The stress of his losses and his efforts to try and protect his family ultimately caused him to become bedridden. Since the family business had collapsed, young James found it necessary to work for others in order to help provide for the family. At the age of 12 he had become the man of the family which would prove to have a long lasting effect on him and his career.

Fortunately, James was able to find work as a clerk in Sterntown (known today as Green Springs located about 6 miles southwest of Hamer’s Corner). Robert Smith the owner of a general store and the local mill adopted James (not legally). They exposed him to a rich education where he learned to read, appreciate music and was exposed to a variety of people one of those being Rutherford B. Hayes who was six years older than James and the two became good friends. It was through the Smith family and Rutherford that several years later afforded him the opportunity to move up in the world when he became a West Point cadet.

In 1847 James’ father died. The following year 19 year old James left home for West Point. He would never return to Hamer’s Corner other than for short stays.

During the battle for Atlanta, General McPherson was at General Sherman’s tent discussing what McPherson thought about how the Confederate would attack. It was in Sherman’s mind that the Confederates were retreating from Atlanta, but McPherson was certain they were setting up an attack of the Union’s flank and rear. It was a heated discussion and ongoing when a large volume of gunfire erupted in the direction of where McPherson’s troops were located and confirming his belief that Confederate forces were mounting an attack and that attack had begun.

McPherson quickly returned to his men until he reached his XVI Corps. Here he found his men struggling against an overwhelming advance of Confederate forces. Realizing the importance of this contact, McPherson decided to personally go on to his XVII Corps so they could be brought to bear upon the advancing Confederates.

Photograph taken a few days after McPherson was killed of the spot where the event happened just outside of Atlanta in 1864. In the center of the image in the distance is a tree with a sign tacked to it stating this was the spot where McPherson was shot.

McPherson’s two corps were separated by a thick woods which he had to navigate to reach his XVII Corps. McPherson, his aide and Colonel R.K. Scott were alone when they came upon a Confederate skirmish line. Both sides were suddenly taken back, and the Confederate skirmish line of 3 or 4 men simultaneously yelled for the two Union men to halt. Realizing what was about to happen if he were to be captured, McPherson and his aide wheeled their horse and bolted. The skirmish line reacted with volley of fire. McPherson’s aide turned in his saddle and saw the line taking aim and he later reported sliding around in his saddle so his horse was between him and the enemy. Unfortunately, James Birdseye McPherson was hit and killed, becoming the highest ranking Union officer to die in battle.

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May 10: President Hayes has First Telephone Installed in the White House

By John Merrill

In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. Patent for the telephone. A year later the sitting President of the United States, Rutherford B. Hayes, who was born in Delaware, Ohio, installed this new technology in the White House’s telegraph room. Several years earlier, Hayes first used a telephone in a call to its inventor, after which the future president was quoted to have said:

“It’s a great invention, but who would ever want to use one?”

With such a new invention that was not widely accepted, one might wonder who President Hayes wanted to call or who would be calling him? In May of 1876 the only other number in Washington was to the Treasury Department. It would take a while before the first telephone exchange would be created. The White House phone number was #1.

It would take another 50 years before the telephone actually became a regular feature of the President’s desk when President Hoover had one installed in the Oval Office.

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September 26: Old Man Eddie Becomes an Ace

By John Merrill

On this day in 1918, a young pilot that many of his flying buddies called the old man because of his age, accomplished a feat that would in the days and years to come earn him national honors. When Eddie first arrived in France the year before, he was assigned as a staff driver for General John Pershing because of his experience designing and racing cars back in the states. But being a chauffeur was not what Eddie had his mind set on.

Even though he was 2 years over the age limit, Eddie was accepted into the Army Air Service (thanks in great part to influential friends, many of whom he met back in Columbus, Ohio where he was born and raised).

After going through his air training, Eddie was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant and became chief engineer at the poorly prepared training base in Issodun. After making many improvements at Issodun, he was sent for training in aerial gunnery in Cazeau in the following January. He qualified as a candidate for training to become a combat pilot.

In February, Eddie was sent to Villeneuve-les-Vertus for advanced training and was assigned to the 94th Aero Pursuit Squadron, the first all-American air unit to see combat.
Eddie had his first confirmed victory on April 24, 1918 and in May, became an ace, winning the French Croix de Guerre by shooting down 5 German airplanes. He was named Commander of the 94th on September 24.

The following day, on this day in 1918, Eddie was flying alone not far from Verdun when he spotted a couple of German reconnaissance planes being escorted by five fighters. Eddie slipped in behind the formation and began climbing until his plane wouldn’t go any higher. He then shut down his engine and began a steep dive right towards the enemy planes. When he came in range, he opened fire shooting down one of the fighters. Restarting his engine, he roared back up flying right through the scrambling formation taking aim at one of the reconnaissance planes which went down in flames as well.

Having lost the element of surprise, the overwhelming number of enemy planes began a concerted effort at shooting down Eddie. He would later recall that he “saw tracer bullets go whizzing and streaking past his face.” Eddie then withdrew from the combat and headed back home.

For that feat and his courage Rickenbacker would receive the Medal of Honor and the admiration of many Americans. Just 14 days later “old man” Eddie Rickenbacker would celebrate his 28th birthday. By war’s end, Eddie downed 26 enemy planes and given the title “Ace of Aces.”

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Sept 24: Blue Star Service Flag Officially Recognized by Congress

By John Merrill

On this day in 1917, Ohio congressman Ivory Emerson introduced the a flag to the United States Congress that can be displayed by a household when one of its members is currently serving in the armed services. Congressman Emerson lived in Cleveland and served 3 terms as a representative from 1915 through 1921.

Captain Robert Queissner of the Ohio National Guard had two sons, Charles and Robert serving in the United States Army on the front lines in Europe during the Great War. It was his idea for families of service members back home to show their pride in their family member’s service during active hostilities where American military forces are involved.

The flag quickly was adopted by military families during the war, and again when the United States became involved in World War II. During that war specific guidelines were developed that helped standardized its use.

The Blue Star Service Flag was to be in the same size ratio as the American flag. It has a wide red border with either a blue star or a gold star during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged. A Service Flag can display from 1 to 5 stars depending on the number of active service members currently serving. A special designation of the gold star is used if the family member dies while in service, regardless of cause, in a time of hostilities.

In 2010 Congress passed a resolution adopting the Silver Star Service Banner in which includes the red border and a field of blue with a silver star designating a family member that has been discharged from service because of wounds received during combat.

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Sherman Takes Atlanta

By John Merrill

September 1: What began in early May was reached its ultimate goal: the surrender of Atlanta in 1864. On this day Ohio born William Tecumseh Sherman, supreme commander of the armies in the west, forced Confederate defenders of this key military supply center, to give way. After 4 months of bitter fighting, Confederate General John B. Hood decided he could no longer defend the city from Sherman’s encircling Union forces. At 2:00 A.M. fires were set to munition train cars that resulted in terrific explosions that Sherman could hear 20 miles away and recorded in his field notes. Sensing that Hood had retreated, Sherman ordered reconnaissance parties to survey the city. It was one of these reconnaissance parties under command of General Henry W. Slocum that encountered Mayor James M. Calhoun and several other Atlanta citizens under a flag of truce, officially surrendered the city on the morning of September 2, 1864.

General Sherman posing at a Confederate fortification after the taking Atlanta. This is Federal Fort Number 7 looking north towards Chattanooga Railroad. — General Sherman posing at a Confederate fortification after taking Atlanta. This is Federal Fort Number 7 looking north towards Chattanooga Railroad.

When Sherman received word from Slocum that Atlanta was theirs, Sherman telegraphed Lincoln on September 3 that read: “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won”. After this Sherman ordered all civilians to leave the city

After it was clear to Sherman that the city was safe to enter, he set up his headquarters in town. On September 8 Sherman’s orders to evacuate all citizens from the city went into force. In compliance with this order, Mayor Calhoun notified Atlanta’s citizens they had to first register with the Union commander the number of household members departing and the number of packages being carried. Once they registered, they were given safe travel permits. Those registration records show that 705 adults, 860 children and 86 servants along with 8,842 packages left Atlanta by the end of September.

For Sherman taking Atlanta had been a necessary task, but also a costly achievement. His men suffered 3,641 casualties, among them his good friend and another man from Ohio, Major General James Birdseye McPherson, the highest ranking Union officer to die in battle.

This photo was taken by Barnard on Whitehall Street just a little south of the main railroad depot in downtown Atlanta. It shows a black corporal sitting outside of an auction house where “negro” sales took place. I believe the photograph was staged and the Barnard took some delight in posing the black soldier reading a book outside of the auction house. Not many days after this image was taken, the area was burned. — This photo was taken by George N. Barnard on Whitehall Street just a little south of the main railroad depot in downtown Atlanta. It shows a black corporal sitting outside of an auction house where “negro” sales took place. I believe the photograph was staged and that Barnard took some delight in posing the black soldier reading a book outside of the auction house. Not many days after this image was taken, the area was burned.

When Sherman left Atlanta in November, instead of pursuing Hood, he set his sights on Savannah and began what became known as “Sherman’s March to the Sea” leaving a wide path of destruction that would help bring an end to the long war the following spring.

Before departing for Savannah, Sherman and his men remained in Atlanta for 2 ½ months during which his war weary troops gathered supplies, recuperate, and destroyed the rail lines. It was during this time frame that George N. Barnard, an official photographer of the Chief Engineer’s Office, documented Atlanta. However, most of the areas he photographed would be destroyed in November when Sherman’s men began destroying the remaining munition depots creating a firestorm that destroyed most of Atlanta.

atlanta-ponderhouse-field21 — Above photo shows Union forces among an abandoned Confederate position. In the background is the photographer Barnard’s wagon and his portable darkroom setup just to the right of the wagon. In the distance to the right, the Ponder House can be seen.

This closeup photograph of Ponder House shows the destruction inflicted by Union artillery. During the siege, the house was used by Confederate sharp-shooters. Before the siege the house was built and owned by Ephraim Ponder, a big slave trader in Atlanta. The house stood about where Georgia Tech is located today.

Aug. 4: George Armstrong Custer and 7th Cavalry Attacked by Sioux

By John Merrill

Custer Memorial statue in New Rumley, Ohio, site of Custer's birthplace. — Custer Memorial statue in New Rumley, Ohio, site of Custer’s birthplace.

August 4, 1873: A man born in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Ohio, a man who had received praise from the President of the United States as a Civil War cavalry officer, was now relegated to guard duty for a survey party laying out the route for a 3rd transcontinental railroad. This route however, would take it through hostile Sioux lands. Custer was anxious for a fight and looking for one. It had been 2 years since he and his men had been in a fire-fight, yet for most of this assignment it had been uneventful.

For a time Custer and his scouts had seen Sioux in the distance but never close enough to engage. Years later, Sioux survivors would related how they had been testing the cavalry to see if they would engage. And, according to their accounts, they always failed the test. But on this day in 1873 and a scouting party from a large group of Sioux being led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, had attacked a scouting party from the 7th Cavalry.

When alerted of the attack, Custer threw everything he could into the skirmish and the Sioux quickly retreated. During the skirmish, one cavalrymen and one Sioux warrior were killed. The consequences of this brief engagement would play heavily a few years later when these same combatants would meet each other along a river in South Dakota known as the Little Big Horn.

For Custer, the engagement reinforced his idea that the Plains Indians were poor fighters, and likely to run when faced with a superior foe. For the Sioux leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, they confirmed that the American cavalry leader was impetuous that would engage at the slightest provocation. These initial assessments would both be confirmed three years later.

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