My father, John George Block, was one of about 12,500 Swiss emigrants who arrived in the United States between 1820 and 1850–he landed in the U.S. in 1834 at the age of 33. He was lured by a faraway land and had grown tired of oppressive village traditions. My father was a wagon maker by trade and ran his business in Defiance, Ohio, having arrived there in 1841.
He was a practicing Catholic until he joined the United Brethren in Christ (UBC) in 1860. The UBC was strongly against slavery. Our family had frequent discussions about slavery, the secession of southern states, and the attack on Fort Sumter. Over time, my father became decidedly anti-slavery.
However, the editors of our local newspaper, the Defiance Democrat, had no quarrel with slavery. And, most Defiance citizens were content that slavery remain, but were passionate about preserving the union. Nearly all of the 14th Ohio’s officers were Democrats and felt the same way. One leading Defiance citizen stated that “this war should not be waged in any spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose of conquest or subjugation nor purpose of overthrowing or interfering with the rights or established institutions of the States, but to defend and maintain the union….” He further stated “That the Civil War…is the natural offspring of misguided sectionalism, engendered by fanatical agitators North as well as South; and that the democratic party having been equally opposed to the extremists of both sections….”
On the 15 Apr 1861, President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to serve for 3 months. On that same day, the work of organizing the 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment began. On the 16 Apr 1861, the civic leaders of Defiance, Ohio drafted the Resolutions at a meeting held at the Court House. Sidney S. Sprague was the chairman of this civic group. These are summarized below.
- The attack on Fort Sumter was a crime.
- A treasonable band of conspirators organized the Confederate States.
- There are two classes of people: patriots and traitors.
- Every citizen should support the President of the United States.
Defiance was abuzz with Civil War talk. There was no disagreement as to the need for war to put down the rebellion. There was little talk about slavery but a lot of talk about punishing the southern traitors. By the 21 Apr 1861, in only six days, a company of 100 Defiance men volunteered for 3-months service in the U.S. Army. Sidney S. Sprague was named the Captain of Company D of the 14th Ohio Volunteer Regiment. My two older brothers, George Block, 24, and 20-year old Franklin Block enlisted in the Company D (the Defiance Company) of the 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment for 3-months service on April 23, 1861. I wanted to enlist along with my big brothers, but I was only 16 and my parents would not sign the papers. I was left behind to help run the family farm. I watched with my parents, three sisters, and hundreds of cheering townspeople as my brothers George & Frank board a train in Defiance bound for Toledo to “see the elephant.” We all thought that this war would be over in less than 90 days.
Ten northwestern Ohio regiments totaling about 1000 men were recruited for what became known as the 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Our senior officers were: Colonel James B. Steedman; Lieutenant-Colonel, George P. Este, and Major Paul Edwards. The ten companies of this regiment were formed in the following towns:
- Company A, Toledo
- Company B, Toledo
- Company C, Bryan
- Company D, Defiance
- Company E, Stryker
- Company F, Napoleon
- Company G, Antwerp
- Company H, Wauseon
- Company I, Waterville
- Company K, Toledo.
On April 25, 1861, after receiving a rousing sent-off from friends and family along the banks of the Maumee River at Summit Street, the regiment boarded a train from Toledo’s Union Depot arriving at Camp Taylor near Cleveland the same day (Camp Taylor was about a 2-mile march from Cleveland’s Union Depot. At Camp Taylor on Woodland Avenue near Cleveland. At Camp Taylor, we learned about military life and drilled for 4 hours a day until May 22.
