Cynthiana Democrat, Harrison Co, Ky Newspaper, June 1896, Page 8 From: Edie Suttle "jsattle9@idt.net" Date: Fri, 22 Aug 1997 06:42:13 -0700 This one file contains all of the five e-mail submissions of page 8. ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************ Cynthiana Democrat, June 1896, Page 8, Part 1 BATTLE GROVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CEMETERY IN THE STATE OUTLINE OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS MAKE CYNTHIANA FAMOUS Battle Grove Cemetery Company obtained its charter in the winter of 1869, and held a preliminary meeting of the incorporators May 2, 1868. Hon. I.T. Martin called this meeting to order and on his motion Gen. Lucius Desha was called to the chair and C.W. West, Esq., elected secretary. Committees were appointed to secure a subscription of thirteen thousand dollars, and it speaks well for that committee and the citizens of Harrison County that this amount was raised in 20 days. The incorporators held a meeting and elected as their board of officials: I.T. Martin, president; C.W. West, secretary; James S. Withers, treasurer. The first board of directors were: I.T. Martin, T.J. Megibben, R.C. Wheritt, J.S. Withers, J.A. McKee, D.A. Givens and Noah A. Patterson. Mr. Benjamin, a topographical engineer, of Louisville, Ky., planned and laid off the grounds, and they were dedicated Nov. 4th, 1868, by the Masonic Fraternity with solemn and impressive ceremonies, M.E. I.T. Martin, Grand High Priest of Ky., officiating and delivering one of the addresses, and M.E. Grand Commander of Sir Knights of Kentucky, Rev. John M. Worrall of Covington, Ky., delivering the other. Mr. Thomas Tobin was the first Superintendent of the grounds and served from its dedication to the fall of 1887, since which time Mr. J.A. Thorn has held that position. This sketch would be incomplete without saying that the people of Cynthiana and of Harrison county feel a just pride in lovely Battle Grove, where sleep so many of their dear and honored dead. And as a manifestation of that pride and a desire to pay just tribute to the resting place of those they love, there has been expended some $50,000 in improvement and care of the grounds, and perhaps not less than one hundred and seventy-five to two hundred thousand dollars in the way of monuments and other adornments by private lot owners. There has recently been erected at the entrance of the grounds, a convenient and attractive pressed brick residence trimmed in Bedford Limestone. It is for the use of the Superintendent and adds much to the beauty of the grounds. The residence and entrance gates are illustrated on this page. (NOTE: The residence house still stands to this day, August 1997) The ground occupied by Battle Grove was made historic by a baptism of blood during our late war, and one noble looking, unlettered monument is encircled by the graves of fifty brave men who gave their lives in defense of the cause they believed right--the Confederacy. In giving the names of the present Officers and Directors, we deemed it simple justice to say that Mr. J.S. Withers, the treasurer, is the only one of the original board, and the has through all the years of its existance handled for the grounds thousands of dollars, never lost any of their funds, and has acted without any compensation except such as comes to any good man who does a worthy deed. And here it is just to say that no one except those in the employ of the company receives any pay, and that the Officers and Directors of Battle Grove serve from a sense of pride in the beauty and improvement of the grounds. The present officers are: Wm. Addams, president; C.A. Renaker, secretary; J.S. Withers, treasurer. The present Board of Directors are: Wm. Addams, S.J. Ashbrook, N.W. Frazer, A.R. Victor, C.A. Renaker, J.S. Withers and M.S. McKee. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Cynthiana Democrat, June 1896, Page 8, Part 2 BATTLES OF BATTLE GROVE GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF BLOODY CONFLICTS AROUND CYNTHIANA One who remembers the second battle of Cynthiana recalls a perfect day--June 11th, 1864. Peace seemed to brood over the little town and the hills that encircled it. Never before nor since that time, has nature smiled a sweeter benediction on her children. At day dawn on the morning of the 11th day of June, '64 the cry: "Morgan's coming! to arms! to arms! rang through the silent streets of Cynthiana like a sentence of doom to her peace loving inhabitants. The first engagement took place east of the town, on the grounds now consecrated as a cemetery and called "Battle Grove" in memory of that conflict. This engagement was between Col. Conrad Garis, commanding the 168th Ohio Infantry, and Gen. John H. Morgan's whole force, consisting of 1,200 men. The Federals were soon overpowered and fell back to the depot where Col. Berry was mortally wounded, thence retreated to Rankin's Hotel, then unfinished, and to the court house, the Confederated pursuing them and charging from time to time into their places of retreat, carrying death and terror in their march. In the midst of the battle a fire broke out Rankin's stable, not far from the unfinished hotel, and the flames were not extinguished until twenty-seven of the most valuable business houses of the town lay in ruin. No pen can picture that awful scene. Stores whose cellars were filled with whiskey and other inflammable liquids, had fragments of their contents sent like rockets far into the air on blue and yellow flames that reached to heaven. The rattle of musketry, men bearing the dead and dying to places of secruity, all combined to make a horrible picture never to be forgotten. West of Cynthiana, and while the battle of Cynthiana was in progress, an engagement took place between a detachment of Confederate forces and the 175th Ohio, Gen. Hobson commanding. This battle is known as the battle of Keller's bridge. It was won by the Confederates. Thursday, before the fight Keller's bridge had been destroyed by the rebels in order to cut off communication between Cynthiana and Cincinnati. Gen. Hobson was sent with his forces as far as the burnt bridge. As soon as he and his soldiers disembarked from the cars they seated themselves in a clover field to partake of refreshments. Very soon the woods about them were ablaze with the discharge of fire arms and they were called to the solemn duty of fighting, many of them to the death. The place seemed alive with Confederates. They were behind fallen trees and stumps and in fence corners. They literally surrounded Hobson's forces. After a hard battle of five hours and heavy loss on both sides, Gen. Morgan left Cynthiana at 9 a.m. and went to reinforce the men at Keller's bridge and speedily decided the conflict in favor of the Confederates. Gen. Hobson surrendered and agreed to Morgan's terms--that private property should be respected and that Hobson's officers should retain their side arms. The Federals were then drawn up in line, along the pike, their arms stacked and burned, and they were marched through Cynthiana to Battle Grove, where they met other prisoners taken at that place, who were also under guard. The triumph of the Confederates was of short duration. The next morning, June 12th, in place of the sound of church bells calling the repentant to prayer, the rattle of musketry and all the noise of deadly conflict were to be heard. "Burbridge is marching on the town," was whispered in Gen. John H. Morgan's ear as he and his officers sat at breakfast. His command was scattered all over the town, Cynthiana being the native place of many of them. Morgan first sent orders to the guard over the prisoners at Battle Grove to march the prisoners northward, parole them and set them at liberty. There prisoners were taken to Claysville and Morgan's orders respecting them put into execution. When Morgan gathered his command together that fatal Sunday morning the men were depleted by hard fighting the day before. Their number was diminished by many brave soldiers who had fallen in the two previous battles. Nothing but defeat could follow on such an unequal conflict, as Morgan knew when he led his men to battle. The fighting began at "Battle Grove." Soon the women who watched from windows and half opened doors saw their husbands, brothers and sons go by with only a glance as a farewell, and to some it was a last parting. Soon the retreat of Morgan's men became a rout. The men fell back in squads and singly, and on every face was written a determination not to be taken alive. This in rout and entire defeat ended the last battle for the South fought at Cynthiana, Sunday, June 12th, 1864. When night came down on the town--on her blackened ruins, on her churches full of dead and dying, on her new made graves, her widows and her orphans, her mourning and bereaved ones--she was an awful example of unholy civil war. When the war was ended and peace came back, serene, but bearing on her white wings the stains of blood, men began to look about them--Confederates and Federals had learned to respect one another at the point of the bayonet and they calmly talked their battles over by the fire-side. All agreed that the graves of the hill, where so many soldiers perished, was holy ground that it should be made God's acre. Its tall forest trees, its beautiful shrubbery, its winding walks, it monuments, its statuary--all combine to make it one of the most lovely resting places for the dead to be found in the country. The tall shaft erected in honor of the Confederate dead was built by the women of this town, and was the first erected in the South to those brave defenders of what they believed to be right. A wide circle of Confederate graves surrounds this marble column. No inscription is on the monumnet: a flag drapes the summit, and a soldiers crown adorns one side. Did he who planned the monumnet is those perilous times think of the last words of the Irish patriot: "WHEN MY COUNTRY IS FREE THEN, AND NOT TILL THEN, WILL MY EPITAPH BE WRITTEN." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Cynthiana Democrat, June 1896, Page 8, Part 3 R.M. COLLIER'S RESIDENCE >From one of the old houses of the city, Mr. Collier has evolved a modern residence that is the pride of Oddville avenue. As the portrait shows, it is fashioned after a unique method, the symetrical tower on one side, the capacious verandas on the other lending a broad, roomy appearance that indicates ease and comfort. The residence is the center of wide spreading lawns. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Cynthiana Democrat, June 1896, Page 8, Part 4 JUDGE KIMBROUGH'S RESIDENCE Nothing more beautiful from an architectural standpoint could well be imagined than the residence of Judge W.W. Kimbrough. A description is hardly necessary. The picture explains itself. The building is of pressed brick, with brown stone trimmings. The entrance hall is a magnificent bit of work, as in fact are the entire interior appointemnts. This elegant residence is located nearly opposite the junction of Elmarch Avenue and East Pike Street. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ Cynthiana Democrat, June 1896, Page 8, Part 5 J.W. MEGIBBEN'S RESIDENCE Out on Church Street Mr. J.W. Megibben has built one of the "toniest" residences in the city. A characteristic feature isthe harmonious blending of colors that proves so pleasing to the eye. It is a house of angles and gables thrown together in perfect symmetry, leaving a suggestion of a mingling of the old and new. Its furnishings are costly and magnificent. It is the scene of frequent social entertainments. In the foreground of the picture is Master Wolford Megibben, out for a ride on his pony. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cynthiana Democrat, June 1896, Page 8 ------------------------------