The Destruction of a Copperhead Newspaper On March 5, 1863, in a snowstorm, the Columbus (Ohio) Crisis was attacked by a mob of mad men. To explain why the soldiers attacked the Crisis it must be understood what the editor, Samuel Medary, and his newspaper represented. Medary had been an opponent of the Civil War from the beginning in 1861. He did not feel that the South's leaving the Union was enough to fight over. As the war progressed, he became more outspoken in his criticism of the war and those who participated in it. As Medary's pen became more outspoken with each weekly issue of the Crisis, soldiers stationed near Camp Chase, on the west side of Columbus decided that Medary should be taught a lesson for his Copperhead utterances. The following is an account of the attack on the Crisis is extracted from the diary of William J. Smith, Company M of the 2nd Volunteer Calvary. The original spelling and grammar have been left intact in order to preserve the flavor of the extraction. DURING the early part of the war there was a paper printed in Columbus Called the CRISIS, Which was about the HOTTEST REBEL SHEET to be found in the Country, either North of South. In one article in regard to the work that our Regiment was doing, they said that they hoped that none of us would ever return ALIVE, And they made many other similar remarks in regard to other OHIO SOLDIERS, So the Soldiers, all through the Army SWORE VENGENCE ON IT. But they still went ahead with it until the OLD 2nd Ohio Calvary got back into Camp Chase. About that time they (The Crisis) get EXTRA BOLD, Even expressed the wish that no man who went into the army to fight against the south might ever live to return. It was a rule of the Camp that the men might form Church Parties, and with a Non-Commissioned Officer in Command, they could go to town to Church, Sunday morning, or Evening. So one Nasty, Stormy, Sunday evening there was a Church Party formed, and nearly a hundred men in charge of Serg't HARRIS of Company E set out for town. They were ARMED with Hatchets, Axes, Clubs, &c. Some who had no ARMS pulled pickets off a farm fence. The Broad Street Bridge at that time was a long Covered, Wooden Bridge, And at the east there was a guard of Soldiers, When the CHURCH PARTY got near them the guard called HALT. Who goes there? A PARTY TO CHURCH, was the answer, Then the Serg't advanced, and was given the privledge to pass his men. ON their arrival at the street on which the CRISIS OFFICE was located... When some one said that this is the place, and turned and went upstairs. The Seg't then sent two or three men to each of the corners, with instructions to prevent any interferance, from guards, Police, or Anybody else, Then he took several men and posted them across the street, then a column of men poured into the Building, then the Windows were SMASHED, and furniture, books, paper, maps &c came pouring out into the street. The racket attracted a policeman, and he sounded his whistle, the first Policeman there ran up to the boys across the street, who were standing with their ARMS behind them, He didn't know they were in the GAME, and asked what was going on over there, He was told that some Soldiers were CLEANING OUT the CRISIS OFFICE, He started to go across the street, but was Ordered to stay out. By that time he was joined by a couple more Police and Citizens were pouring in from all directions, The newly arrived Police insisted on trying to stop the destruction of property, But they were informed that it would be FATAL to them, Then they walked off a short distance, where they were joined by a couple more Police, and after talking a little bit they walked quietly away. They were no doubt in sympathy with the Soldiers (or with themselves). The JOB was soon finished up, and the order given to FALL in for Camp. They moved off pretty lively, as they didn't expect to escape from the Provo Guard as easily as the POLICE. When they got about half way to the bridge some one told Seg't Harris that they had not found any TYPE, He thought that was a very important part of the JOB, and that is must be DEMOLISHED, He thought it was a steam printing Office a few blocks further up in town, and they would go there. HARRIS called on the foreman of the steam Printing Office, but he said the CRISIS TYPE were not there, and he didn't know where they had their printing done. So with no information on the matter there was nothing to do but go back to Camp. While passing the State House, the could see Patrol guards, Police, and many others, going on the DOUBLE QUICK toward the CRISIS OFFICE. They went to the nearest street leading directly to the Bridge. As our boys passed the guard the Officer called to the guard and asked, have you seen anything UNUSUAL here? No sir, nothing, was the reply, Who were these men? He asked, A CHURCH PARTY SIR was the answer. When they got to the barracks, the boys show many RELLICKS, such as books, maps, pens &c. They were advised to burn 'them as the raid was not intended for PLUNDER but they kept them. The next morning there was a rumor that AUTHORITIES were making an effort to find the perpetrators, and that the 2nd O. Vol Cav, were suspicioned for it. Many articles were thrown into the fire, and burned, but some of the more valuable ones were hidden. At 11 O'Clock, Regular Officers call, the Officers were ordered to fall in line, then a Serg't and two men were ordered to search each Co. for property of the CRISIS office. But NOTHING WAS FOUND. Then a special call was made for the Officers, and the Colonel gave them some instructions, that the boys were not able to catch onto. After the roll call one of the Officers told the boys that the Colonel was anxious to get a PIPE that had been taken from the CRISIS office the night before, And if he could get it there would be no more to implicate the Reg't Some one asked what the COLONELS PIPE was doing in THAT COPPERHEAD PLACE, The Officer said they had asked the Question, and the Colonel had explained that he had bought the pipe for and old school mate who was now in the U.S. Navy, and left it with a mutual friend who worked for the CRISIS office to forward to the man in the NAVY. When the men broke ranks, some of them Denouced the Colonel, as the COPPERHEAD and in sympathy with the CRISIS, but most of them defended him, but no one seemed to know anything of the pipe. Gold pens, and other trophies were plenty. The boys decided that the Colonel was LOYAL, and that the connection with the PIPE with the CRISIS was only a happen so. After most of the men had dispersed, a man Six Feet Three, who beloned to Co. F. drew from an inside pocket a morracco case with the Colonels initials on it in GOLD letters, he said that he had the pipe, and opening the case, displayed a fine Meerschaum pipe. He said he thought the Colonel was all right, and wanted to return the pipe, but didn't want them to know where it came from, So the pipe was wrapped up in paper, addressed to the Colonel, and one of the other boys SLIPPED it into the MAIL BOX at Head Quarters. ------------------------------------------- All words and images at this web site are copyright 1984-1998 by R. J. Brown. 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