Governor David Tod the Ohio War Democratic governor.

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William Dennison was the governor of Ohio at the start of the Civil War and was a Republican. Although Lincoln easily carried Ohio in 1860, David Tod a War Democrat won the Ohio governorship in 1861. Historians consider Tod's support for the War effort as energetic and forceful. Tod had to deal with protecting Ohio from Confederate actions. Despite how much Tod did the people of Ohio elected another War Democrat as governor in 1863. So what did Governor Tod do that caused the Ohio War Democrats to replace him? I guess my next question would be why War Democrats were so popular in Ohio?

One of the reasons I posted a thread about Tod is that Ohio had the third largest population of Union states and Ohio soldiers played a major role in the Civil War. Ohio supplied the most Union soldiers per capita. Still we do not hear all that much about the contribution Ohio made the Union war effort. I had to wonder if this is partly because through most of the Civil War the governors of Ohio were Democrats. In the years right after the Civil War I wonder if Union War Democrats were given less credit than they deserve. Perhaps I should do a little research about other Union states with War Democrat governors during the Civil War. Another possible reason Ohio does not get all the credit it is due is that many Ohio soldiers served in the Western Theater. Any forum members have information they want to share about David Tod?
 
I'm sure you came across this tidbit by Abraham Lincoln while researching Tod. "Governor Tod has aided me more and troubledvme less than any other governor".

Yes I did know that Abraham Lincoln seemed to have a positive view of David Tod. I would assume that Lincoln was revived to have so many Democrats become War Democrats. If many Northern Democrats had not supported the War I am not sure the Union could have won.
 
It sounds like he was popular, why do you suppose he lost the renomination? One source states it was probably his weak support for the Emancipation Proclamation that cost him.

For this to be true then we must assume that Ohio War Democrats strongly supported the Emancipation Proclamation or perhaps believed that a War Democrat candidate needed to strongly support the Emancipation Proclamation to win the governor race.
 
The following is from my research on the Ohio State House Cannon. The information is primarily from the reports to the governor of Ohio for the year 1863.

There was a lot going on in Ohio under Governor Tod. At the beginning of the war, it was realized that the Ohio Militia was incapable of protecting Ohio. The Militia had been neglected. There was no accountability for arms, it was un-trained, and poorly organized with no command structure. A bill had been presented to the Ohio legislature to abolish the Militia and from a new military organization that would correct the problems with the militia. Until this was accomplished, Gov. Tod had nearly no resources available to protect Ohio.

The bill was eventually passed in early 1863. and funds appropriated to deploy the new organization if needed. However, no funds were allocated for arms and equipment, or to increase the Adjutant General's staff to handle the work of creating the new organization.

Due to the urgent need to protect Ohio, once the law was in effect, Tod focused his efforts on creating the new military organization ( which when it was finally formed in 1864, was named the Ohio National Guard). The efforts met with little success. The citizens of Ohio did not believe they were in danger, and thought the militia could handle anything that did happen. In addition, the lack of arms was fairly well known, and few were willing to join a regiment unless they could be armed. After communications with Washington, Tod gave assurances he could obtain the arms from the Federal Government, and some progress was made. However, the citizens of Ohio still did not believe they were in danger. The law had a July 1 deadline for the results of elections of officers to be sent to the Governor, but by this deadline no results had been received.

Tod became increasingly concerned over the safety of Ohio. Eventually he send Capt. Harrington with the following message to Gen. Burnside in Cincinnati:

Columbus, O., June 23 1863
Maj. Gen. Burnside, Cincinnati, Ohio:
Dear General - I have requested Capt. Harrington, the bearer, to call upon you for consolation as to the safety of Ohio from invasion.
Without knowing exactly why, I am seriously impressed with the belief that we are in danger of invasion on our eastern and southern border both. I have done all that mortal man can do to arouse the people of Ohio to a sense of their danger, but regret to say, as yet, with but little avail.
Capt. H. will make know to you fully what I have done. I will be glad to have any suggestion you may be pleased to make.

Truly yours, David Tod, Governor.

Burnside sent the following reply:

Cincinnati, July 6th, 1863

Gov. Tod - Your dispatch received. I have been satisfied for same days that an efficient military force cannot be organized quickly without the declaration of martial law, but have avoided the issuing of such an order, for certain reasons which I would be glad to explain to you. It is impossible for me to leave here now, as Morgan is in Kentucky again with quite a force.
Will it be possible for you to come to the city? If you will drive directly to my head-quarters, No. 48 West Ninth-street, I will be glad to have you stay with me.

A.E. Burnside, M. G.

Tod does not make the trip to Cincinnati, his worst fears come true and he runs out of time.

To be continued.........
 
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Morgan enters Ohio, and Tods worst fears come true. Tod issues the order to call up the Ohio Militia. However, the response is slow. He cannot simply have the order passed down the chain of command because none exists. the Militia commanders must be individually contacted and this takes time. Once the word gets out, the men quickly respond to the call to arms.

Morgan is advancing towards Camp Dennison with about 2,000 men.Lt Col. Neff is the U.S. commander of Camp Dennison. He only has about 600 armed men, and doubts he can defend the camp. But the Ohio Militia has been called up for duty, and Militia have been ordered to report to Lt Col. Neff for duty. Lt Col. Neff then sends Gov. Tod the following telegram:

Camp Dennison, July 13 1863.
Gov. Tod. Send me a battery of four or six guns, harness and ammunition.
GEO. W. Neff.


Notice he is not asking for horses, or men to man the guns. He just wants the actual hardware and ammunition- he will provide the men and horses. With the added strength of the Ohio Militia and artillery, Lt Col. Neff is confident that he will stop Morgan. Ohio Militia begin to arrive at Camp Dennison and Col.Neff sends the following telegram to Gov. Tod

Camp Dennison, July 1863
Gov. Tod: I have two thousand (2000) militia in camp without arms, and five hundred (500) more will arrive this afternoon. Send me twenty-five hundred (2500) muskets and ammunition for same. Have such an organization, that, if I have the arms, and Morgan comes near here, I will give him small chance for escape. I very much need some cannon. Can’t you send them by special train, so that I can get them this evening?
Geo. W. Neff, Lt.Col and Mil Com.

Lt Col. Neff will have 3,100 men to field against Morgan, but nearly all of them are unarmed, and he is practically begging for the artillery. The lack of arms accountability is now a major issue. The Militia were supposed to have arms available where they lived, but in many cases those arms were not there. All over the state men were reporting for duty unarmed, and requests for arms were pouring in to the Adjutant General’s office. Gov. Tod was unable to provide the arms and artillery to Col. Neff, because he did not have them. At the start of the war, the states provided the arms for troops going into federal service. By mid-1863, the Ohio arsenal was nearly empty and there was little left to issue to the Militia. The arsenal did not contain even one single piece of functioning artillery, and what was left in the hands of the militia was in such bad shape it was unserviceable.

By this time, the U. S. Government had started sending U.S. arms to the state arsenals for troops going into federal service. In desperation, Ohio Quartermaster General Wright starts to issue U. S. arms to the militia, and Gov. Tod writes to Sec. of war Stanton, asking him to approve issuing the arms and to not hold QMG Wright responsible, as it was the only way to defend against Morgan.

Gov. Tod’s worst fears had come true. Ohio was invaded, and as Gov. Tod knew would happen, the dis-functional Militia began to unravel and failed to provide the men of the militia the arms, training, and command structure that was needed to defend Ohio. All the militia could do was harass Morgan until federal troops could capture him.
 
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