Charles Goller Had the Flag and The Buckskin Band Played

 In the midst of the Civil War, part of the Democratic party split off and were called Copperheads or Peace Democrats. They opposed the War of the Rebellion and wanted peace made immediately and the war halted.  The women who followed this movement were called Butternuts and often wore pins carved of butternut hulls. When cross-sectioned, these hulls looked like two joined hearts, which was seen as the tie between North and South.   The movement was alive and well in Northwest Ohio.

From the Bryan Democrat, June 24, 1924:

"Charles F. Goller, 84 years young, of Ney, has the large U.S. Flag that was carried at the head of the Washington township delegation and its Buckskin band of fifers and drummers, to the big Vallandigham meeting at Defiance, August 15, 1863, and was one of the most interesting and exciting meetings of the season, the so-called Copperheads being out in full force, and the Butternut girls bravely wearing their brooches or breast-pins made of butternut shells sawed into slices, and each slice had a red, white and blue ribbon interwoven in its openings, and indeed, it made a nice pin."

The rally mentioned was in support of Clement Vallandigham, leader of the Copperheads and candidate for Ohio governor.  He had already served two terms in Congress as an Ohio representative but had been court martialed in 1863 because he was so outspoken in opposition to the war.  He was supposed to be exiled to the Confederate states, but instead went to Canada. Now he wanted to be governor in Ohio and rally the Copperheads.

A side note on the Buckskin Band from the Bryan Press, Nov 15, 1922 -

"This is the story in brief of a little scrap in the summer of 1862, at Ney, then Georgetown, as to whether a certain bass drum should be used in a Buckskin Band to lead a delegation of Farmer Democrats captained by Orley Ford, and a Washington delegation captained by John Campbell to a big Democratic meeting at Defiance where the chief speaker was Congressman C. L. Vallandigham...

Those 'buckskin bands' were what are generally known as fife and drum corps. This bass drum had been paid for by donations and it was naturally understood should be used impartially by each party.

Johnnie, the 10 year old son of John Campbell was the snare drummer, and a good one, ad was always with the band at meetings for recruiting soldiers or anything else the and was called for.  Sad to say, Johnnie was drowned when about 1, with a little brother, Charley.

Well, Grif Hatfield, Republican committee man, a bigger man than Campbell, as everyone remembers Uncle John as small and wiry, swore the drum should not be used at a d... Democratic speech, and other bad words, and said a fight as to who was the best man should settle it.  John was willing and they sailed in and soon Grif was down with John on his wishbone busy putting match pockets on his eyes, pushing his nose one way and then another, and so on, and having a full head of steam, and being a trifle hard of hearing, didn't hear Grif's squeals that he had enough, till finally some of the onlookers told John that Grif said he had enough.

'All right,' said John, getting off Grif. 'I didn't hear him. Now we'll get that drum.

Uncle John (Campbell) lived to the good old age of 76, passing away May 14, 1904.  His children live here - Wesley George and Carrie (Neff)."

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