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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1963THE TIMES RECORDER, ZANESVILLE, CARM SHOT OFF BY CANNON BALLMAN ACDavid Mercer Among First MenFrom Here To Die In Civil WarMiToBy NORRIS F. SCHNEIDERDAVID Mercer, a Zanesvilleblacksmith, felt his blood boll when he read of the bombardment of Fort Sumter. He wanted to teach the Rebels a lesson. His chance came when Capt John Hazlett recruited a company for 90-day service. Within two months they were ambushed at Vienna, Va. Mercer’s arm was shot off by a cannon ball and he died singing “The Star Spangled Banner/*Although 600 more men from Muskingum County died of wounds and disease in the Civil War, no other death was reported as widely as Mercer’s, One reason was that he was among the first from this city to be killed. Another reason was the vivid account of h i s death written by Murat Halsted, famous correspondent of Cincinnati.Before he enlisted Mercer had worked at Palmer’s blacksmith shop at Eighth and South streets. He was 21 years old at the time of his death. He left Zanesville in Capt. John Hazlett’s company three days after Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers.4' x V,v ■*/' iDavid R. professor c gum Colleg er at a di Zanesville 6:30 p.m. CA.Dr SturlZanesville, ter's and degrees fri sity.His sped the Philipp member ol kingum su The prog Donald Pei club presicTile TiNEW YOtile is an id for kitchenFROM their camp near Washington, Capt. Haztett’s company was ordered by train to Vienna, Va. There they were ambushed on June 17, 1861.Brig. Gen. Robert G. Schenck wrote the following report: “I left camp according to instructions and went on an expedition to Falls Church with the First Ohio Regiment 668 strong, to patrol the roads in that direction. I then proceeded to Vienna with four companies; total, 275 men.On turning the curve within a quarter mile of Vienna, w e were fired upon by a raking masked battery of, I think, three guns, with shell, round shot and grape, killing and wounding the men on the platform and on the cars./•Artist’s conception of Rebel ambush of Capt. John Hazlett’s Zanesville ompany in which David Mercer was mortallywoun ded.tvT retired to the left of the train through the woods, finding that the enemy’s batteries were sustained by what appeared to bea regiment of infantry and cavalry, which force we have since understood to be 1,590 Souih Carolinians.The engineer, when the men left the cars, instead of returning slowly as ordered, detached his engine with one passenger car from the rest of the disabledtrain and abandoned us. run-*iting to Alexandria, and we have heard nothing from him since. Then we were deprived of a rallying point and all means of conveyance. The wounded had to be carried on a litter and blankets.”as they will, no doubt, do on all occasions, retiring out of reach of the enemy’s fire in good order, and carrying with them their dead and wounded.”WHEN news of this engagement reached Zanesville, the following report appeared in anewspaper: “The excitement in our city last night was pretty high, owing to the melancholy news of the engagement at Vienna, Fairfax County, Virginia, probably about 12 miles from Washington. The following are the dead of our Zanesville boys as we learned from a special dispatch from Washington: William David Mercer, George Morrison and Henry Pigmeu.”Jacob Glessner, editor of the City Times wrote: A mean cowardly assault.” Then he referred to the “base, murderous attack of the South Carolina troops.” It was early in the war, and people had not realized that all battles are murderous.”Glessner was justified when he said: “The cowardly scoundrel who engineered the train ought to be hung for leaving the troops as he did, in a condition to be all shot down or taken prisoners, had the enemy pursued them.”Our men,” wrote Glessner, to their honor and glory be it told, acquitted themselves nobly in this emergency.A WEEK later Glessner hadreceived more reports and had done some thinking. He thought the disaster at Vienna was the result of a blunder by Gen. Schenck.“It shows the folly, or rather injustice and inhumanity to our soldiers,” wrote Glessner, of placing mere politicians over them as leaders.”Mercer’s funeral service was delayed until August 11. His company had enlisted for three months. His fellow soldiers attended his service when they came home.On July 4, 1861, the Courier published a letter from Capt Hazlett about the ambush at Vienna. He said in part:Whether there was an errorin taking us there as we were taken or not, is not for me tosay.It is with melancholy pleas-sure I refer to the three men who that night left us — Morrison, Mercer and Pigmen.Morrison was killed instantly at the second discharge from the battery, just as he had leaped from the cars. The shot entered his breast, passing through his body. I presume he was instantly killed.“During his enlistment he had been a quiet, steady soldier, desirous of learning his duty and performing it. It is said that he remarked shortly before he started for Vienna, that he knew be would be killed, but if he was the Zanesville folks will know that I died in a good cause.’“There were but few better or braver men than Henry Pigmen. He was shot through the left arm close to the shoulder. He lingered ’till nearly noon of the 18th, when he died quietly as a child going to sleep“His last words were, ‘It Is so dark, dear mother.’bow and the shoulder. He came to me in the woods immediately back of the firing, and whilst he held his musket and his right arm in his left hand he begged me to cut it off, as it was so heavy he couldn’t carry his musket. And when loss of blood forced him to drop his gun, he asked for a revolver to continue the fight “Shortly before his death, he was asked by the attending surgeon if he had any word to send home. He answered. ‘Tell the captain to tell my mother that I died in a good cause and to ask him if I haven’t always been a good soldier.’“He was always a most excellent soldier, prompt, cheerful, and active in the discharge of every duty.“Just before his death, some one spoke of his dying in defense of the old f I a g, when he faintly attempted to sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’ One linewas almost completed when his brave soul went to its God.”HAZLETT added in his letterthat the three men were buried in their old camp (Lincoln) in Virginia. Their graves were sodded and fenced in.Murat Halstead's story in the Cincinnati Commercial waswritten more dramatically and*was circulated more widely. The famous correspondent wrote as follows:“I saw in the camp this morning poor David Mercer of Zanesville, who had his right arm shot off by a cannon ball. A soldier who stood close by him when he was shot says that as Ms a r m was hanging by a piece of skin and a rag of his sleeve, he held it up with his left hand and said very cheerfully to the captain, ‘Do you see this, captain. Can anything be done for this?’“I suppose if the poor fellowhad had immediate surgical assistance he might have survived. As it was he walked off with the rest, took care of himself until the train was ready to carry the wounded and was brought to the Ohio camp, where he survived several hours conversing cheerfully, giving intelligible accounts of the action, singing Union songs, and with his last breath singing ‘The Star Spangled Banner, long may it wave.’- “God bless the memory of the gallant boy.”The Dying Soldier(The Courier, July 17, 1861)Upon the bloody battle field, beneath a rugged tree,A noble-hearted soldier stood, -reclining wearily;One arm completely shattered was hanging by his side.Yet still to hold his musket the brave young soldier tried.KnoivYour BibleAnd when the Captain saw him amid the dark affray,He pointed to his severed arm and faintly tried to say: Look here a moment. Captain; cut off this useless arm,I cannot hold a musket to do the Rebels harm,”itUntil bis frame grew weary and faintly came his breath.The soldier with his one brave arm dealt to the Rebels death; And when the heavy musket fell from his nerveless hand,He asked for a revolver to fight the Rebel band.Amid the thickest of the fight the noble soldier stood Until he fell from faintness and heavy loss of blood; And when his brow grew dewy, and the brightness left his eye. The soldiers gathered round him to see their comrade die.By ALFRED FROH3. Christ said the apostles should be witnesses for him after his ascension Where’’2. Give the name of the archangel.3. Tt took Solomon how manvA*years to build the temple? His own house?4. Jesus “came into his own eitv.” Nazareth or Capernaum?5 Hovr were the Jewish Christians taught that salvation was also for the Gentiles?5 Did apostles take their wives with them on missionary journeys?7. How should requests be made known unto God?8. Quote the last invitation in the Bible.9. Did Job like salt on hi« eggs? Quote.30 “My cup runneth over” is in which Psalm? “Wait, I say, on the Lord” in which?UPOOR David Mercer. Noman ever lived more brave, more generous, more devoted to his friends and his flag. But two days from the hospital, he was ordered by the surgeon not to go when we started for Vienna. But he said, When my company goes to fight, my mother shall never hear I stayed behind.*“His right arm was shot off about half way between the el-When someone spoke of Freedom’s Flag, a faint gleam flushed his cheek,And tiis pale lips were parted as if he fain would speak; And when the soldiers listened to catch the sound they gave,He faintly sang, “The Star-Spangled Banner; Long May It Wave.”Ah! When the cold lips trembled to form their farewell word, A blessing on our banner was all our soldiers heard It was his dying whisper, and doubly blessed we know Is our dear flag since one brave heart has loved it so.And though to hear his voice or clasp his hand it is not given, Yet have we one more spirit now before the throne of Heaven:And well we know that our lost Mercer, the bravest of the brave, Will call down blessings on the holy cause he died to save.—EarnestBIBLE ANSWERS1. In Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and in the uttermost parts oF the earth. Acts 1:8.2. Michael. Jude 9.3. Seven. Thirteen. I Kings 6.38; 7:1.4. Capernaum. Matthew 4.13; 9.1.5. By special visions from, heaven. Acts 10 and 18.6. Yes. I Corinthians 9 5.7. By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. .Philtppians 4-8,8. “And whosoever will, let himfake the water of life freely.” Revelation 22.17.9. “Can that which is unsavory be eaten without sail? Is there any taste in the white of an egg?”Job 6-6.19. Psalm 23.5. Psalm 27.14.Bike RidersWrite EssssaysHusband MadeBride’s DressDO ITklAWGet uillleaipor n ev andtiorontheMSeafeudtmartQ$ufL or \ n#vlt; thanPi
Newspaper Details
Zanesville Times Recorder
Zanesville, Ohio, US
Sun, Oct 20, 1963
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Muskingum C.
OH, USA 05 Jul 2020
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