While reading the books that my wife's great great grandfather (Frederick Wilhelm Fout-Dark Days of the Civil War, Volumes 1 & 2), I was amazed by his first hand stories of the actions on and off the battlefield. I had to re-learn what loyalty, courage, perserverance and being an American was all about. Frederick Fout tells us in his own words about the U.S. Federal Actions and his actions at the beginning of the war. I will let you decide what does it take to be a patriot: Dedication to a cause, perseverance, loyalty, and courage.
On April 13, the news of the bombardment of Fort Sumter had reached Washington on Sunday morning and the cabinets meet to discuss its surrender.
On the same day President Lincoln drafted a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteers and published it to the country on April 15. The call for the militia was based on a law from 1795.
No where was the fire of patriotism more intense than in INDIANA. It turned away all other feelings about the impending issues at hand. The streets were black with a multitude of people waiting for the tidings of the seventy loyal men in an unfinished fort, bombarded by 5,0000 desperate insurrectionists.
In Franklin, twenty miles south of Indianapolis, where I lived, young men, men in middle life, and old citizens stood in the streets, near the telegraph office, where one telegraph operator was working. His knowledge of the telegraph was limited, he closed his office at 9:00 p.m. and went home and the large gathering of citizens dispersed, EXCEPT six men to which whom Frederick Fout was one of them.
The six men made arrangements with the section boss of the rail yard for a handcar (No trains were running on Sunday). The six men took the handcar 20 miles up the track to Indianapolis where they arrived the next morning. When they arrived they heard that Fort Sumter had indeed fallen. A telegraph message had been received that President Lincoln would issue a proclamation calling for the 75,000 to suppress the insurrection. Cheer upon Cheer was the response; one meeting was held at the courthouse and another at the Masonic Hall that all six men from Franklin attended.
About 4 p.m. the six started their journey back to Franklin with the handcar and upon their arrival at the depot, a large part of the citizens where awaiting any type of news from Washington or Indianapolis. The telegraph operator was not able to give much news to the citizens over the wire. I climbed up on a box at the depot and started telling the citizens what he and his friends had heard. The citizens were eager to ask questions and to listen.
On April 19th the riots began in Baltimore and the next day, I enrolled my name as a volunteer in the Franklin Company. My number was 120, as there were 119 ahead of him. His chances were slim. The next day being Sunday, there were several ministers in Franklin preaching loyal sermons. Myself and five comrades heard one at his Baptist Church. That afternoon I attended for the last time in Franklin, Baptist Sunday school, which was crowded with volunteers and citizens. Later the same day the Franklin volunteers elected officers for their company.
On Monday morning they all reported to the public hall & soon marched to the train depot, where the train arrived to take the Franklin Company to Indianapolis. After many kisses and handshakes to family and friends, the men boarded the train cars to the capital city. Upon arrival in Indianapolis, all the men lined up quickly in proper positions and marched out onto Pennsylvania Street and marched to Camp Morton. Upon there arrival a grand feast was laid out for all of the volunteers from across the state. They were offered coffee, ham, bread, and other eatable. The day went quickly for the men of Franklin as they strolled about the fort and had conversations of others that had already arrived.
On the 22nd, which was to be the muster date of the company, only 100 men were selected, in which 25 men of Franklin was turned away. I was stunned, in horror, and surprised because he was so desperate to support the cause of his adopted homeland. I quickly learned that an old neighbor of mine, Jonathan Gordon (a lawyer) was raising an artillery company and at once he reported to him, but he was told that the Government was not wanting any volunteer artillery units and Jonathan Gordon would have to disband his organization. I then had to look elsewhere if I wanted to go into the battle.
I turned my attention and found some of his acquaintances from Indianapolis and Palestine in the DOBS Indianapolis Company so I joined this unit, only to find out within the next couple of hours that the Dobs unit would not be mustered also.
The next day, I asked and received a pass from Camp Morton and he went to downtown Indianapolis to search for a unit. While standing on the corner of Illinois and Washington I met Mr. Byron Finch, then a Quartermaster SGT of the 7th Indiana, coming out of the Bates House Hotel. Mr. Finch spoke to me and asking me
Mr. Finch: Hello Fred, aren't you going with us?
Frederick: Yes, but they will not take Me.
Mr. Finch: Well? Are you going?
Frederick: Sure if I can get a place!
Mr. Finch: Come on quick, I know of a vacancy and I will get you in.
Mr. Finch and Frederick hurried up the steps of the Bates house and meet with Captain Rabb, then of Company I, 7th Indiana. Finch introduced Frederick to Captain Rabb and said here is a boy from our town, We have too many and he can not go with us, but as you have just mustered a man out, put Frederick in his place.
Frederick, Finch and Rabb went in to Captain Woods room, (the mustering officer) who swore the energetic, courageous, young Frederick W. Fout in to the United States Service. Frederick was instructed to report to the camp the next morning. That night Frederick slept at the home of a relative living in Indianapolis. He reported to camp as ordered and even though he was not in the Franklin Company which was "H", he was next to "H", in Company I, the same regiment.
Does any one else of stories such as this or know of anyone who served in these units.
This story of how to get into the military and serve a cause is a testament to loyalty to a country.
Sidenote: Frederick Fout did not become a citizen of the United States until 1 year after the end of the Civil War.
David Witte
naynwoody59@yahoo. com
or
renee@umsl.edu