The Printer's Kiss: The Life and Letters of a Civil War Newspaperman and His Family

18. Close to Home

216 ChAPTer eiGhTeen } Give the rebels peace and you give them independence. —Loyal Scout, October 10, 1863 Close to Home By the summer of 1863, people in both the north and the south were weary of war. northerners were disheartened by the ineffectiveness of Union commanders and the audacity of Confederate officers in lead­ ing raids into Pennsylvania. But a few bright spots emerged. The south rejected Vallandigham as an “alien enemy,” West Virginia became the thirty­fifth state in the Union, and the Yanks scored critical victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. in ripley, meanwhile, Tomlinson’s sixteen­ year­old son, Byers, was finding it difficult to enlist support for a local militia company, and a neighbor was suspected of aiding the enemy. On May 28 the Ripley Bee ran the following story: On last Friday, Wm. norris, of this place, was arrested by an officer and squad of soldiers, from Cincinnati, and taken to that city and committed to prison on some accusation of disloyalty. We do not know what the specific charge against him is, but have heard from one who visited him in prison, that the charge on the book of the prison is that of being a rebel officer within the Union lines. This is absurd—probably a mistake has been made in entering it on the book, as it is well known, that Mr. norris has resided here foryears, and has very seldom been absent—never for anyconsiderable length of time since the commencement of the war. close to home } 217 norris was evidently regarded as one of ripley’s “most esteemed and prominent citizens,” but not by Tomlinson and his son, who understood the gravity of norris’s offense.1 By mid­June skirmishes between Yanks and rebels were coming dan­ gerously close to ripley. Fighting broke out across the river in Maysville, and a few weeks later Morgan and some twenty­five hundred cavalrymen crossed the Ohio into indiana. They then turned east toward Cincinnati, where General Burnside imposed martial law on July 12. Governor Tod reactivated the squirrel hunters in thirty­seven counties, and the town of ripley had its new three­inch, rifled cannon armed and ready for defense. eliza’s brothernewt had contributed five dollars to the $785 that sixty­eight residents paid for it the previous year, including ammunition. The town had also installed a large bell to warn residents of imminent invasion.2 As Morgan swept through the Ohio countryside, people hid every­ thing from livestock to silverware, and militia units cut trees to block the roads. But corralling Morgan was no easy task. After making a few fake passes at Cincinnati, the dashing Kentucky highwayman outmaneu­ vered Federal forces and divided his men, sending some to ripley to see if they could cross the river there. But the river was high and ferries were closely guarded, so they rejoined theircompatriots in neighboring Adams County before heading east across the southern part of the state. Along the way, they tore up railroad tracks and took whatever they could find, from store merchandise to household goods and prized horses. Federals finally apprehended several hundred of Morgan’s troops near Pomeroy in late July, but many escaped across the Ohio to West Virginia. not until July 26, in Columbiana County in northeastern Ohio, were the legendary guerrilla leader and his remaining cohorts finally captured.3 * * * * * Tomlinson to eliza Cincinnati, Ohio, May 31, 1863 Dearest eliza, My general health is improving. i worked four days last week. Byers’ letter came duly to hand, but daughter has not yet favored me with one of her pretty notes. i have been out in the country all day, at Mr. J. D. Fosters. he is the old press maker and foundry agent from whom i pur­ chased the iowa statesman office. his family is a very interesting one, Mrs. F. being one of the most amiable of women. her married daughter, 218 } the printer’s kiss whom i knew as a child eight years ago, is an excellent performer, and she gave me some piano music. her son George is about the age, though not so large, as Byers. he amused me a good deal in describing the battle feats of a valiant rooster of which he is the proud owner. This bird has killed seven antagonists and looks able for as many more. i walked over the old battleground (3 miles...