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the
Miami Valley, about eighteen miles from
Cincinnati.
So
Ohio began to prepare for the struggle.
The people of Indiana moved as promptly and vigorously as those of Ohio.
In March, the vigilant Governor Morton, seeing the storm gathering,
went to
Washington and procured about five thousand second-class muskets.
These and a few others formed all the means at his command for arming the
State, when the
President's call reached him on Monday, the 15th of April.
The militia of the
State were unorganized, and there was no
Adjutant-General to whom he might turn for aid, for the incumbent of that office refused to act. At that time there was an energetic young lawyer residing at
Crawfordsville, who had served in
Mexico at the age of nineteen years, and was well versed in military affairs.
In the State Senate, of which he had been a member, he had vainly urged the adoption of measures for organizing the militia of the
State.
Fond of military maneuvers, he had formed a company and drilled them in the tactics of the Zouaves, several weeks before the famous corps of “
Ellsworth's Zouaves” was organized.
This lawyer was
Lewis Wallace, who became a
Major-General of Volunteers at an early period of the war that ensued.
Governor Morton called Wallace to his aid. A dispatch summoning him to Indianapolis reached him on Monday evening,
while he was trying a cause in
Clinton County.
He reported to the
Governor the next morning.
“The President has called on
Indiana for six regiments to put down a rising rebellion,” said
Morton.
“I have sent for you to assist me in the business.
I want to appoint
you
Adjutant-General.” --“Where is the
Adjutant-General's office?”
inquired
Wallace.--“There is none,” responded the
Governor.--“Where are the books?” --“There are none.” --“How many independent companies are there in the
State?” --“I know of but three--two ”
