THE SICKLE AND CRADLE DAYS - BARREL AND TIN CUP TEMPERANCE - THE COSHOCTON COUNTY LINE OF THE "UNDERGROUND RAILROAD" FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM - "ALL ABOARD FOR MEXICO!.

     In those days when Coshocton County was compelled to harvest wheat by main strength instead of by machinery the workers were stimulated by the ever-present beverage from the bottle on the table, the jug in the field, or the barrel in the cellar.  Nor is there any evidence that drunkenness cursed the community when whisky was plenty and pure and not paying millions of taxes to the government.  That the privilege was abused is probable, as all privileges have been abused from time immemorial.  But condemnation was directed toward the abuse, not toward temperate drinking, and there are those who retain the belief that the barrel and tin cup hospitality of our pioneers was nearer true temperance than the sneaking, hypocritical drinking behind the door.
     The farmers in those early times started from home before daylight to help a neighbor cut his wheat.  They toiled under burning skies, reaping their slow way with the hand sickle, their stooped figures bowed by the weight of drudging years.  And to thrash the grain they pounded it with a flail on the barn floor.
     In time came the cradle, and the first step in harvest progress.  The strong-armed pioneer swung the cradle with mighty sweep, cutting in one day acres of grain where the sickle had cut sheaves. 
     Meanwhile there was a cloud growing, at first "no bigger than a man's hand," but it spread until it darkened the land to break in the storm of '61.  Through the canal years slaves were escaping from the South, and friendly abolitionists were helping them along the way through Ohio to Canada.  Coshocton County was on one of Ohio's many lines of the "underground railroad" from slavery to freedom.
     While there was on the part of some people here a certain tacit

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tolerance of slavery, many having brought with them the Virginia notion of the South's peculiar institution, there were others in Coshocton County with whom New England ideas prevailed.  Their aggressive stand against slavery promoted a sentiment ready to support the fleeing slave.
     There has been a list compiled by Professor Siebert in Ohio State University naming the Coshocton County operators of the "underground railroad" - abolitionists who threw open their doors to the fleeing black man and braved the existing laws protecting the slave-holder's claim of ownership.  these were the conductors who helped along the fugitives passing through this county, providing them with food, shelter and raiment:

     Despite the efforts of the Whigs to keep the slavery question out of politics, it rose persistently.  Some, who were not inclined to go the full limit of abolitionists, gave up the idea of abolishing slavery in southern states, but would "draw a ring of fire around them."  These Free-Soilers had their followers in Coshocton County.
     The South was scheming to maintain its system of slavery by controlling Congress.  To offset the creation of free States in the North, the South worked to extend slave territory in the Southwest.  There was emigration to the Rio Grande country, then part of Mexico, and they called it Texas.  The day came that General Sam Houston and his seven hundred Texans routed Santa Anna and his five thousand Mexican on the San Jacinto, and Texas was freed fro Mexico.  When the young Republic of Texas with her slave-holding tendency applied to congress for annexation, the question whether or not to admit her became the burning issue in the presidential campaign of 1844 - an issue that was stormily debated in taverns and stores of Coshocton County.

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     Here as elsewhere men's hats were thrown high for the peerless Henry Clay, that prince of compromisers whom the Whigs nominated for president, and who was supposed to be against the annexation of Texas.  But Polk, the Democratic candidate who favored annexation, was elected partly by reason of the vote thrown away on the Free Soil nominee.  Polk's election was taken as a sign of popular approval of annexation, and Congress admitted Texas.
     Mexico claimed the rich valley of the Rio Grande and insisted on a boundary farther east.  General Zachary Taylor advanced to the Rio Grande, and on a spring day in 1846 the news came to Coshocton County that the Mexicans had fired upon our flag.
     At the call for troops Coshocton sons came to the front as the county' fathers did in 1812 with a full quota of defenders, and more.  They exceeded a hundred and ten, those young volunteers, among them several who were destined yet to serve their country in another war, including the corporal, B. F. Sells, who as captain led a valiant company in the Rebellion, and for years was one of only two Coshocton survivors of the Mexican War.  The last is Joseph Sawyer.
     In June, 1846, the Coshocton County volunteers started south.  There was a throng to see them off, such a throng as had never assembled here before; people from the homes that the boys were leaving; women and girls forcing a cheerful goodby through tears. They crowded down the Roscoe shore to the canal boats to keep the boys in sight to the last minute.  "All aboard for Mexico!"  The boats drew away, the crowd cheered, there was an answering roar from the troops, and they were off. This is the official roster of the volunteers:

Company B
Jesse Meredith, Captain.

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Privates.

     Going to war by canal boat was not quick business.  It took two days to reach Zanesville.  There the Coshocton boys boarded a steamer and within a week were camped near Cincinnati.  A month after leaving home they were on a New Orleans steamer, equipped

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with arms and ammunition as Company B of the Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.  They camped on the memorable battlefield of "Old Hickory" Jackson near New Orleans.  A stormy voyage of a week took them to Brazos, Santiago, where they started on the march to the Rio Grande.  Three deaths had occurred; George Kitchens, John Darnes and Samuel Miller.
     In August the Third Ohio garrisoned the city of Matamoras.  In  In the fall and winter the Coshocton company lost by sickness:  A. J. Darling, William Gardner, Henry Brown, Charles Wright and Joseph Parker.  Captain Meredith resigned to return home.
     The sunny days of the Mexico February saw our boys at Fort Camargo on the San Juan where the government supplies were kept for General Taylor's army.  In March came the order to go to Monterey.  Their route lay under the skirmish fire of General Ureas Mexicans.  March 16th our troops routed the enemy and gave hot chase as far as Caderaeda.  A week later they joined General Taylor's forces and camped on the battlefield of Buena Vista until May, when the regiment was ordered to the gulf.  Robert Harbison, another of our Coshocton soldiers, rests in a grave at Mear.  His company, mustered out upon the return to New Orleans, had seen a year's service, and Coshocton welcomed back her sons.
     While they were returning home another company, partly recruited from this county and led by James Irvine, a Coshocton lawyer, was on its way to Mexico as Company G of the Fourth Ohio.  These troops did garrison duty at Matamoras until ordered in September to Vera Cruz which had surrendered to Scott earlier in the year.
   At this point the Fourth Ohio was assigned to General Joe Lane's brigade in the division under command of General Robert Patterson.  On the march to the City of Mexico the Coshocton volunteers went through the "baptism of fire" at the National bridge.  They came upon Major Lally and his plucky four hundred holding the position against Mexican thousands..  The Fourth Ohio, as advance guard, went to the majors assistance.  When the Mexicans were driven back it was found that Coshocton boys had been severely wounded.
     In an engagement at Huamantla the Fourth Ohio had charge of prisoners, much to the relief of Iturbide.  The son of the Mexican emperor, when brought with a troop of prisoners to the rear guard,

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asked Captain Irvine what troops guarded the prisoners.  He looked his gratitude when he learned who they were and that he was safe from the vengeance of the Texas rangers whose gallant, daredevil leader, the famous Captain Walker, had fallen that day.
     Continuing the march, General Lane's brigade consigned superfluous baggage to flames at Jalapa, and by forced march hurried to Pueblo, arriving at the crucial moment to rescue from Mexican vengeance eighteen hundred sick and wounded American soldiers lying in Pueblo hospitals.  These had become the object of Santa Ana's hatred in the maddening hour when one after another of Mexico's strongholds had fallen - when in a few minutes six thousand Mexicans were routed from the Contreras gateway to the capital city - when San Antonio fell - when the citadel of Chapultepec itself was carried by storm and the conquering forces swept into the city.  No Mexicans could stand before the tumultous onslaught of the Americans rushing upon batteries and breastworks, and hacking their way through in hand to hand fighting, swinging rifles like clubs and mowing down resistance with bayonet and sword.  Santa Ana fled in the night and with a force stole upon the Pueblo hospitals to wreak vengeance.
     It was then that Lane's troops with the Coshocton boys among them hurled themselves upon Santa Ana.  The brigade was in three attacking columns, one headed by the Fourth Ohio.  Upon the streets of Pueblo they fought their way, driving back the Mexicans who made their last stand in the plaza, the public square in the heart of the town.
     The firing, the clashing of swords the cursing, the groans of the wounded and dying reached the sickbeds in the hospitals where hearts beat high with fever of anxiety.  In the plaza, men flung themselves panting against the walls; some toppled over the shrubbery at the fountain, and the water reddened.  Santa Ana's force was finally overcome.  The struggle left Coshocton boys in the hospitals.  When the Fourth Ohio finally marched from Pueblo it was to return home.

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