In the early summer we were called upon by the governor to volunteer to march to the Missouri line and drive the Missourians from our sacred soil.  There was no necessity to repeat the order.  We were all fighting men in those days.  The war between Rockingham and Davenport was suspended for a short time and we all united to resist this invasion of our territory by the miserable Missourians.  Davenport was selected as headquarters for Scott county.  The day appointed for us to meet was a lovely, spring-like morning.  Nearly every man in the county was present to be enrolled.  Our colonel, Sam Hedges, made us a patriotic speech, but what a sorry lot of soldiers he had to drill!  Not having any guns, many came with pitchforks, scythes, hoes and clubs.  One man had a sheet-iron sword, six or seven feet long.  Many were drunk, and all were noisy and disposed to jeer and make fun of our officers.  Our colonel could stand this no longer.  All who were drunk, and those improperly armed, were ordered out of the ranks.  We who remained were getting hungry, as it was then dinner time, and asked for rations, when we were informed that we would have to furnish our own blankets, whiskey, and hard tack, which the government would refund at some future day.  This we objected to.  We were willing to shed our blood for our beloved territory, and if necessary, to kill a few hundred Missourians, but we were not going to do that and board ourselves. At this juncture, we saw approaching in solemn column, our fellow soldiers who had been discharged.  They were led by the man with the long sheet-iron sword.  They charged on us, and it makes me blush to say that, notwithstanding we were three to their one we were badly defeated and scattered in every direction.  The knight of the sheet-iron sword for our colonel, and nothing but the colonel's superior fleetness saved him.  As he ran he informed us that we could go home; nothing more would be done until he received further orders. At this time congress was in session, and, becoming alarmed at the Civil war impending, interfered.  The poor barbarians of Missouri, hearing of the hostile demonstrations being made in Davenport and other river towns, withdrew from our territory.  A few months later the supreme court met and decided in our favor, and all was peace. Meanwhile, our little village was growing and the contest between it and Rockingham for the supremacy had been resumed.  During February of this year (1839), the first Protestant church was organized - the Presbyterians.  During the summer, the Congregationalists and Baptists organized.  Neither of these congregations had any church building but held services in carpenters shops and warehouses.  The Catholics had organized in 1838, and erected the first church building in the town. In May 1839, hearing that it was court week, and as it was raining hard and I could do no business, I thought I would attend court.  There was a small frame building on Ripley street, at the corner of the alley behind Lahrmann's hall.  It had been built for a carpenter shop and was used by the Presbyterians for church purposes and there court was held.  I found the little room crowded and Judge Grant, then "Squire" Grant, just arranging to defend a horse thief.  The judge worked cheap in those days.  I overheard him whisper to his client:  "If you don't give me $5 before I commence, I won't defend you." Nearly the whole little settlement at that time was about the foot of Ripley street, which was claled "Brimstone Corner" - I suppose on account of the hot style of preaching indulged in there, in those days. I found a number of the little band which I had left there in the fall in perfect health, had gone "to that bourne from which no traveler returns."  The first ten years I passed in Davenport, there was much more sickness than now.  Ten percent of our population died each year in those early times, which was attributed to the breaking up of such large tracts of prairie, producing a miasma which caused fevers, etc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L