In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

92 Chapter 10 The Military Trials While the Columbia County prisoners passed their weary and lengthy days in Fort Mifflin, Union authorities combed the county in an attempt to gather reliable information that would either convict or free the incarcerated citizens. As noted earlier, Colonel Charles Albright of the 202nd Pennsylvania was sent to Columbia County in mid-September to supervise the information gathering. Information gathered by the officers provided key evidence that would be used during the upcoming military trials in Harrisburg. Union officers, assisted by Captain Silver and loyalists eager to help the government, also compiled lists of citizens who were willing to testify in court. Surviving statements indicate that more than seventy residents provided statements to authorities. Their information enabled Union officers to decide how to proceed in prosecuting the cases against some of the Fort Mifflin prisoners. Officers seemed to have paid particular attention to the August 14 meeting at the Rantz barn. Sixteen-year-old Alinas McHenry was present at the meeting and provided the names of twenty-one other men who were present that day, including the men he heard make speeches. “I don’t think the object of the meeting was to help the soldiers arrest deserters,”McHenry said. Reuben Bastian also provided a list of names, specifying ones he recalled having weapons . Mrs. Sarah Lemon reported that her husband tried to avoid the meeting but went later in the day to see what it was about; he had come home and said that the men there were arming to defend themselves against the soldiers. Charles Gibbons, age twenty-four, elaborated on the reason for the meeting. After listing all the armed men he could recall, Gibbons wrote that he was told that the army was coming to destroy property and that the men at this meeting would fight them. Gibbons recalled that Samuel Kline had declared that if he saw Captain Silver, he would shoot him. A. G. McCollum lived in New Columbus , over the border in Luzerne County, but he had heard about the Rantz meeting and went there for a short time. Based on the surviving evidence, it is apparent that Colonel Albright and Captain Lambert secured a good list of men who attended that fateful meeting. The Military Trials 93 A few residents mentioned the presence of the Knights of the Golden Circle, which greatly interested government agents. Peter Lutz mentioned this secret society in connection with the 1863 meeting at Ash’s School, then said that Colonel Tate was constantly inquiring if local men had formed secret societies to resist the draft. Hugh Shultz reported on this same meeting, writing that William Appleman was in charge and that it was organized to resist the draft. Daniel Wenner also mentioned the“Golden Circle”and exposed its secret signs and passwords. Both Daniel Wenner and John C. Wenner wrote about these signs; John wrote that the organization was devised as a counter to the Union League of the Republican Party. The testimony of numerous local residents covered several previous meetings, such as those at the Union Church, Hilltown , and the homes of Wenner, Case, and Hess. Unionists were satisfied that these local meetings by Democrats organizing to resist the draft culminated in the armed meeting at Rantz’s in August 1864. Thus, this last meeting was not an isolated event. Several residents provided information about local draft resistance and how antiwar men hid deserters. Levi H. Priest identified Rohr McHenry, Benjamin Colley, and Joseph Vansickle as men who had publicly declared they would protect drafted men and fight any soldiers who came to drag them from their homes and families. William Evans and Amos Savage were Union men trying to recruit enough men to fill Fishing Creek Township’s quota. Daniel McHenry had argued with them that they should refrain from recruiting service and instead discourage every man from enlisting. Adam Lutz lived in Benton and swore that John Stiles harbored deserters, including Edward McHenry and Ellis Young. Lutz also declared that he had heard Joseph Coleman say that if he was drafted he would go into the Rebel army and fight against the government, and that Stott Colley would not allow any drafted men to be taken by force. Also, Lutz wrote that during the prior year, Samuel Kline was armed every time he saw him, and that Kline “invariably counseled men not to go to war and to resist the draft.” Martha Colley, wife of Robert Colley, reported...

Share