of armies and mighty forger of the Thunderbolts of war; Sheridan, who turned retreats and defeats into advances and victories, and rode with the swiftness of the wind to fame; Sherman, the only soldier or statesman in our history who refused the honor of the Presidency when it was thrice within his reach; Hayes, who called around him as able a cabinet as the nation has had and whose administration of the government was so acceptable to the people that they voted for another politically like it; Garfield, the most learned and scholarly president, not excepting John Quincy Adams, who has filled the executive chair, the pathos of whose death touched all hearts in all lands; and the tenderly-loved McPherson, whose untimely death alone cut him off from equality with the greatest.

And in what more fitting connection can we refer to those two peerless living Ohio statesmen, similar in name and fame, Sherman and Thurman, the one greatest as a financier, the other as a lawyer, both of highest distinction in the making and in the administration of law, and each gratefully honored for his noble public services by the discriminating, everywhere?

Conspicuous for their eminent abilities as are Rufus P. Ranney, William S. Groesbeck, Samuel Shellabarger, John A. Bingham, George H. Pendleton, Thomas Ewing, H. J. Jewett, Aaron F. Perry, Jacob D. Cox, Joseph B. Foraker, Wm. McKinley, Chief-Justice Waite and Associate Justices Woods and Matthews, among Ohioans, we must not forget in our biographical studies other useful or brilliant men still living or who have passed away, leaving honored names worthy of long remembrance within and beyond the limits of their own State. It will not, I trust, seem invidious to call to mind Elisha Whittlesey, Joseph R. Swan, Alfred Kelly, George E. Pugh, William Allen, James G. Birney, Samuel Lewis, William Dennison, Samuel Galloway, R. P. Spaulding, Valentine B. Horton, Doctors Delamater, Kirtland and Mussey and General J. H. Devereux, or such publicspirited benefactors as Dr. Daniel Drake, William Woodward, Reuben Springer, Leonard Case, Lyne Starling, John Mills, Douglas Putnam, Jay Cooke, Nicholas Longworth, J. R. Buchtel, David Sinton and William Probasco.

Such born jurists and gentlemen as Justice Noah H Swayne and Judges Leavitt, Nash and Gholson are everywhere held in honor, as will also long be revered the names of those eminent scholars and divines, Dr. Lyman Beecher, Bishop Philander Chase, Bishops McIlvaine, Simpson, Ames, Bishop Edward Thomson, Dr. Henry Smith and Presidents Finney of Oberlin and Andrews of Marietta.

There are other Ohio names that are too prominently connected with the history of the nation to be overlooked, among which are those of Generals McClellan, Rosecrans. McDowell, Buell, Custer, Crook, Hazen, Quincy A. Gillmore, Schenck, Steadman, Swayne, Walcutt and the McCooks; the great inventor, Edison; the Arctic explorer, Dr. Hall; the Siberian traveller, George Kennan; the astronomer, Prof. O. M. Mitchell; the geologists, Newberry, Orton and Wright, and the Director-General of our National Centennial Exhibition, Sir A. T. Goshorn.

What are Ohio's most honored names in literature, intelligent readers of course know all about; and while her sons may have accomplished less, perhaps, in that field than in war, politics or art, one can safely say that Artemus Ward and Petroleum V. Nasby compare favorably with the first humorists of the nation; William D. Howells and Albion W. Tourgee with the foremost novelists of their day, while Charles Hammond, Samuel Medary, E. D. Mansfield, Washington McLean, Henry Read, Fred Hassaurek, Joseph Medill, Richard Smith, Murat Halstead, Donn Piatt, Samuel Read, Edwin Cowles, J. A. MacGahan, William Henry Smith and the present editors of the New York Tribune, the New York World and the Cincinnati Enquirer have yielded or are now yielding as large a measure of influence as has fallen to the lot of any American journalists. Buchanan Read, Francis W. Gage, William D. Gallagher, Alice and Phoebe Cary, William H. Lytle, John James Piatt, Manning F. Force, Henry Howe, S. P. Hildreth and John Hay have done nobly all that they have attempted to do at all, and John James, and Mrs. S. M. B. Piatt, Edith Thomas and Mrs. Kate Sherwood are making poetry and fame just as fast as the muses will permit.

And while it would take many essays to show what Ohioans have accomplished in art, none can afford to be ignorant of the lives and works of the world-famous

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Thomas Cole and Hiram Powers, or of the achievements of America's first animal painters, James H. and William H. Beard, or of the noble works which adorn so many of our parks and cities of this country's greatest sculptor, Quincy Ward, whose "Indian Hunter," "Shakespeare," "Washington" and "Equestrian Thomas" will live a thousand years after all that now has life shall have perished.

I close this appeal for the study of our State's history by reminding all that Ohio can lay full or partial claim to four Presidents of the United States, Harrison, Grant, Hayes and Garfield; to one Vice-President, by birth, Hendricks; and one Speaker of the House, Keifer; to two Chief-Justices, Chase and Waite, and four Associate Justices, McLean, Swayne, Matthews and Woods; to one Secretary of State, through fourteen years' residence, Lewis Cass; to five Secretaries of the Treasury, Ewing, Corwin, Chase, Sherman and Windom; three Secretaries of War, McLean, Stanton and Taft; to three Secretaries of the Interior, Ewing, Cox and Delano; to two Attorneys-General, Stanbery and Taft, and to three Postmasters-General, Meigs, McLean and Dennison.

If all these men have not done enough to command your interest and studious attention, set to work, gentlemen of the Ohio Society, and do something to honor the Buckeye State yourselves!

THE WORK OF OHIO IN THE U. S. SANITARY

COMMISSION IN THE CIVIL WAR.

By M. C. READ.

MATTHEW CANFIELD READ was born in Williamsfield, Ashtabula county, Ohio, August 21, 1823, of New England parents, who were among the early pioneers. In those days of few books a circulating library of standard works gave him in his early boyhood a taste for solid reading, and a copy of Goldsmith's "Animated Nature," which at the age of ten years he had read and re-read till it was substantially memorized, exerted an important influence upon his subsequent studies; when twelve years of age his parents removed to Mecca, Trumbull county, where he remained working upon the farm and attending district school until eighteen years of age, when he commenced preparations for college at Western Reserve Seminary, in Farmington, Trumbull county, which was completed at Grand River Institute, in Austinburgh, Ashtabula county. He entered the Freshman class of Western Reserve College, Hudson, in 1844, and graduated in 1848, subsequently receiving the degree of A. M. from his Alma Mater.

The early bias given by "Goldsmith's Animated Nature" led him to devote much time during his. preparatory and college course to the study of the natural sciences, and most of his leisure during this time was occupied in acquiring a knowledge of the fauna and flora, and the geology of the neighborhood. His vacations were given almost wholly to these studies, to which very little time was given in the prescribed course of study. The knowledge thus obtained in hours which ordinarily go to waste with the college student, was fully as valuable to him in after life as the regular college course. After graduation he taught school in Columbus and in Gustavus, Ohio, and read law with Chappee & Woodbury, of Jefferson, Ashtabula county.

MATTHEW C. READ.

He was married August, 1851, to Orissa E. Andrews, youngest daughter of William Andrews, Esq., of Homer, N. Y., and soon after was called to Hudson to edit The Family Visitor, published by Sawyer, Ingersoll & Co., and which was started by Profs. Kirtland and St. John, with the design of furnishing a family, scientific, and literary paper of a high order, containing nothing of the obnoxious matter found in many papers. During one year while editing this paper he had sole charge of the preparatory department of the Western Reserve College. After he had edited the paper for a little over two years its publication was suspended because of the financial failure of the publishers.

He then commenced the practice of his profession as attorney in Summit county, and had acquired a lucrative practice when the war of the Rebellion commenced. Soon after the organization of the United States Sanitary Commission he was appointed a general relief agent in that organization by Prof. Newberry, who was in charge of the Western department, and continued in the service of the Commission till the close of the war. A severe sunstroke after the battle of Pittsburgh Landing and subsequent exposure so impaired his health that he was never able to return to full practice in his profession. He served for a time as deputy-collector of internal revenue, and upon the organization of the geological survey of Ohio was appointed assistant geologist, and contributed largely to the final report. He has since done a large amount of work in the examination of mining property in the States and Territories and the Dominion of Canada, and contributed many articles to the scientific journals on ornithology, entomology, archæology, geology, forestry, etc. He had charge of the archæological exhibits of Ohio at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, and the Centennial Exposition at New Orleans. Quite a full report made by him of the latter has recently been published by the Historical Society of Cleveland, For several years before the removal of the Western Reserve College to Cleveland he held the position in that institution of Lecturer on Zoology and Practical Geology.

He still maintains his position at the bar, doing as much work as his health will permit, dividing his time between the practice of law and scientific studies and pursuits.

THE history of Ohio's services in the war of the Rebellion would be incomplete without a sketch of its work in the United States Sanitary Commission.

This was an organization proposed by some of the best medical men of the country, and at their request authorized by the general government. Its primary object was the systematic inspection of camps and hospitals, for the purpose of aiding the medical department of the army in the adoption of such sanitary measures as would best preserve the health of the army and promote the recovery of the sick and wounded.

The part that Ohio took in this work assumed more prominence than that of any other of the Western States. This is to be attributed largely to the fact that the secretary selected to take charge of the Western department was a citizen of the State, and to his exceptional qualifications for the work.

Prof. John S. Newberry, now of the School of Mines of Columbia College, in New York, and then in the government service at Washington, was appointed a member of the Sanitary Commission, June 13, 1861. He immediately resigned his position at Washington, returned to Ohio, and entered with characteristic earnestness and zeal upon his new work of extending the organization of the Commission over the valley of the Mississippi. He established branches of the Commission at Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, as well as others at Buffalo, Detroit, Pittsburg, Chicago, Louisville, etc., and gave such unity and efficiency to the Commission's work that he was appointed secretary of the Western department, an office which he held with honor to himself and the Commission till the end of the war. In the meantime, the patriotic revival that was carrying the best young and middle-aged men into the army was sweeping into its current almost all the women of the North, who were organizing "Soldiers' Aid Societies" in all the cities, villages, and hamlets of the loyal States, for the purpose of preparing and collecting necessities, comforts, and luxuries for the soldiers in camp and hospital. There was an urgent necessity of a general organization, which could gather all these rivulets and streams into one channel, and provide for their tematic and economical disposition. This work naturally devolved upon the Sanitary Commission-authorized by the government, national in its purposes, regardless of State lines, and solicitous only for the comfort and health of the entire army, and for its success in the struggle.

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With the natural desire in each locality to collect and forward supplies to the soldiers enlisted in that locality, and of the officers of each State to make special provision for its own soldiers, it was a difficult task to educate the people into the idea that the soldiers of each regiment and of each State could be best cared for by systematic provision for the whole army. This result was substantially accomplished through the skilful management of the secretary, aided by the unselfish patriotism of the managers of the local societies, so that the transportation and distribution of these stores was mainly, and especially in Ohio, intrusted to this Commission. Very rapidly an organization was perfected, some of the best and most experienced physicians selected, who were commissioned and dispatched to their work. Among the first of these were Dr. A. N. Read, Dr. W. M. Prentice, and Dr. C. D. Griswold, all of Ohio, who immediately entered upon their duties-followed the army into the field, inspecting camps and hospitals, looking after the distribution of stores, and when battles occurred assisting in the care of the wounded.

Other inspectors from Ohio were Drs. Henry Parker, of Lorain county, M. M., Seymour, of Painesville, T. G. Cleveland, at first surgeon of the Forty-first O. V. I., and R. C. Hopkins, of Cleveland. These all labored with a zeal and intelligent devotion to their duties which commanded the highest encomiums of the medical and general officers of the army. Their work was of a delicate nature, requiring much tact and skill, and was of the greatest importance. The medical and general officers had a very inadequate estimate of the importance of sanitary precautions for the preservation of the health of the men, and at the beginning the deaths from preventable diseases were many times in excess of those resulting from casualties in battle.

These medical inspectors, representing the best medical skill of the State, with their associates from other States, supplied with suggestive circulars prepared by the best medical men of the nation, furnished very material aid to the officers of the army in securing the adoption of sanitary precautions for the prevention of sickness, that resulted in saving the lives of many thousands of soldiers. No

statistics can be compiled which will measure the value of this work, but those who watched its progress can to some extent appreciate it, and long before the close of the war it secured the adoption of the best sanitary measures that were ever adopted in any army.

While the Commission was primarily organized for this sanitary work other important duty was rapidly crowded upon it. The women of the entire North were working for the soldiers, and societies were established in every city, with local societies auxiliary to them in every village and township. This was particularly true in Ohio. Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus organized branches of the United States Sanitary Commission, and secured the greater part of the contributions of the local societies, assorting, re-packing, and marking them, and entrusting their distribution to the Commission.

The Branch at Cincinnati organized with the following members:

Cincinnati-R. W. Burnett, Charles F. Wilstach, James M. Johnson, Joshua H. Bates, C. C. Comegys, M. D., Edward Mead, M. D., Samuel L'Hommedieu, M. D., Rev. E. T. Collins, A. Aub, O. M. Mitchell, E. G. Robbins, J. B. Stallo, Larz Anderson, Micajah Bailey, E. S. Brooks, Charles E. Cist, David Judkins, M. D., W. H. Mussey, M. D., Rev. W. A. Sniveley, Henry Pearce, Thomas G. Odiorne, Mark E. Reeves, B. P. Baker, Robert Hosea, George Hoadly, S. J. Broadwell, A. G. Burt, Charles R. Fosdick, John Davis, M. D., George Mendenhall, M. D., Rev. M. L. P. Thompson, George K. Shoenberger, Bellamy Storer, W. W. Scarborough, Thomas C. Shipley, F. C. Briggs. Dayton-B. W. Steel, J. D. Phillips, James McDaniel. President, R. W. Burnett; Vice-President, George Hoadly; Recording Secretary, B. P. Baker; Corresponding Secretary, Charles R. Fosdick; Treasurer, Henry Pearce.

This branch sent out inspectors and relief agents into all parts of the Mississippi valley occupied by the Union army, who kept its officers thoroughly informed as to the wants of the soldiers, and the manner in which its contributions were distributed. In addition to the large amount of stores contributed the society raised in money $330,769.53, of which $235,406.62 were the net avails of "The Great Western Sanitary Fair" held at Cincinnati in the month of December, 1863. The most of this large fund was used in the purchase of supplies of the best quality, which were sent to all parts of the army as the wants of the sick and wounded required. The United States Sanitary Commission contributed to this branch $15,000.

The success of the fair of 1863 was at the time unprecedented. At the head of the roll of managers was the name of General Rosecrans, and nearly all the prominent ladies, business men and merchant princes of the city combined their efforts to make it a success.

This branch established and maintained at Cincinnati a "Soldiers' Home" at an expense of $64,131.86, in which it furnished lodgings to 45,400 and meals to the number of 656,704.

The Cleveland Branch of the Soldiers' Aid Society of Northern Ohio was organized on the 20th day of April, 1861, five days after the first call by President Lincoln for volunteers to put down the rebellion. It was organized by the appointment of the following officers: President, Mrs. B. Rouse; Vice-Presidents, Mrs. John Shelley and Mrs. Wm. Melhinch; Secretary, Miss Mary Clark Brayton; Treasurer, Miss Ellen F. Terry.

Two hundred and seventy-nine of the Cleveland ladies enrolled themselves as members of the society, and without constitution or by-laws, with only the verbal pledge of the payment of a monthly fee, and to work while the war should last, they furnished an illustrious example of the patriotism, as well as the efficiency of Ohio women. The officers of the society gave their whole time to the work until the close of the war, asking and receiving no salaries and drawing nothing from the treasury for travelling or other expenses, even when absent on the necessary business of the society. They secured the active and cordial support of 525 auxiliary societies, the members of most of them meeting weekly to work for the soldier. And the influence of that work is not to be measured by the articles prepared or the gifts contributed.

Every such local society was a school of patriotism: it made patriotism the fashion; everywhere the wives and daughters of the most bitter opponents of the