Prior to the firing upon Fort Sumter and the culmination of the hidden fire of secession in the consuming flame which for nearly four years tortured the country, the wide divergence of opinion between the new party of abolition and the conservatism of Democracy gave rise to fierce quarrels. Of these Nebraska City had her share, as did every town and village near the future arena of conflict. The war was a war of races, in a sense, and the fact that all the slaves introduced into Nebraska were owned at this point, added its share of personal feeling to the dispute. Reading in the journals of that day fierce invectives against the operations of the underground railway, side by side with comments, on the political affairs of the time, showing no hint of apprehension of the events of the near future, it is yet hard to credit such total ignorance of the future. Yet when Sumter had fallen, and the nation's honor stood at stake, there was no readier response than that of Otoe County.

May 1, 1860, Gov. Black issued a proclamation that troops would be raised in this State. Three days later the young men of Nebraska City organized a company of Zouaves, and by May 11, four full companies had been enrolled, though they were entirely lacking in arms and provisions of all sorts. These companies were the Home Guard, Captain W. L. Boydston; the Zouave Guard, Captain W. W. Ivors; the Nebraska City Guard, Captain Allen Blacker; the Nebraska City Rangers, Captain B. H. Kalkman. The latter organization was short lived, disbanding about a week later, and its members joining other companies.

May 26, a war discourse was delivered In Duer's Hall by Rev. J. Stickney Haskell, to a thronged congregation, and similar stirring addresses were delivered at various points during the following week.

As the titles chosen show, the companies were intended chiefly for the protection of Nebraska against the incursions of the " secessionists," and also to impose a salutary restraint upon the Otoes, who occupied a reservation hard by, and might take advantage of the unsettled state of affairs to commit depredations. In view of this state of affairs, a letter was addressed to Gov. Saunders, by Brig. Gen. Downs, inquiring the probable work of the troops. To this Gov. Saunders replied: "* * * I have the satisfaction of authorizing you to say that they are to be kept for our own protection.--The language from the department in answer to that question is, 'they are not intended to be marched elsewhere, but designed for the protection of your own people and interests against hostile Indians and domestic foes.'"

In June a few volunteers crossed over from Northern Missouri and joined the forces quartered at Nebraska City.

June 9, 1861, the City Guard, under command of Captain Allen Blackers, was escorted to the grove near the residence of J. W. Moore, by the Saunders' Flying Artillery, the Home Guards and the Zouaves, and made the recipient of a handsome banner, donated by the ladies of the city. The speech of presentation was made by Hon. J. Sterling Morton. June 14, the City Guard, Captain Blacker; Home Guard, Captain Boydston, and Saunders' Flying Artillery, Captain Cornell, having received orders to rendezvous at Omaha, embarked on the steamer Omaha for their destination. Gen. J. M. Thayer was appointed Colonel of the Nebraska regiment, and Brig Gen. Downs, Lieutenant-Colonel. In June, the Zouaves, who had remained at Nebraska City, received their uniforms and accoutrements, and July 4, the Rough and Ready Rangers made a fine display. On Saturday, July 21, the newly formed Rough and Ready Rangers held an election of officers at Pleasant Grove schoolhouse, and the following officers were selected: Lewis Blair, Captain; John Justice, First Lieutenant; Robert Mason, Second Lieutenant; Joseph Donehoo, Third Lieutenant; J. Gillman, Orderly Sergeant; Peter Y. Morse, Second; James Lafferree, Third, and William Redfield Fourth Orderly Sergeant; Leonard Platner, First Corporal, and Elias Miller, Second Corporal; H. M. Giltner, Chaplain; Richard Justice, Commissary; W. P. Birchfield, Quartermaster; William Buchannan, Ordnance Sergeant, and James Iler, Corresponding Secretary This company furnished their own horses and were, as their name implied, ready for service at any notice.

This month, July, 1861, there was an Indian scare of considerable size, which resulted in sending the troops on a flying trip through the western part of the county, only to find that the women and children of the tribe had been placed near the settlement for protection from the Sioux, and the warriors had gone on their regular buffalo hunt.

To this scouting followed an interval of quiet, during which Rev. Mr. McCartney visited the companies in quarters at Omaha, and in behalf of the Otoe Bible society presented all with copies of the Bible, New Testament and Psalms with a stirring sermon in which he adjured them to"Go forth strong in the justice of your cause."

On August 1, 1861, Isaac Coe was elected Brigadier-General, to take the place of Gen. Downs, who had gone to the front and immediately afterward the First Nebraska Volunteers, containing the Nebraska City forces, left Omaha on the steamer West Wind. This force arrived at St. Joseph on the 5th and were ordered to report at Leavenworth, Kans. August 9, five more companies, making the complement of the Nebraska regiment, went down the river to join the forces in the field. On the same day a call was made on the Territory for two companies of cavalry and A. Matthias was appointed to raise the one south of the Platte, acting under appointment as Second Lieutenant. At this time recruits received $100 bounty, $19.50 per month for services, and were supplied with all necessaries.

In August, 1861, Lieutenant-Colonel Downs was promoted to be Brigadier-General, with headquarters at Pilot Knot, Missouri, and had charge of the First Nebraska and Fourth and Sixth Iowa regiments.

In September, 1861, Lieutenant Matthias had raised a company of forty-six men, was sworn in, and after serving honorably in the war was disbanded, the members scattering and many returning to this State, while Lieut. Matthias settled in Nashville, Tenn.

The requisition for cavalry was increased from two to four companies, and late in the year Company F was recruited at Nebraska City. Its officers were Lieutenant D. P. Rolfe, recruiting officer; D. Laboo, Captain; Robert Mason, First Lieutenant; C. W. Hall, Second Lieutenant, all but C. W. Hall from Nebraska City. Upon the filling up of the regiment, Robert W. Furnas, of Brownville, Nemaha County, was appointed Colonel; W. F. Sapp, Omaha, Lieutenant-Colonel; George Armstrong, First Major; John Taffe, Second Major, and J. W. Pearman, Third Major, W. Lotta and Dr. Bowen, Surgeons.

The Nebraska City companies took part in the various struggles of the war along the Missouri River and in Kansas and Arkansas, and doing good service throughout as their record embodied in the history of the State organizations shows. At the end of the three years of enlistment two-thirds of the regiment re-enlisted and served on the plains until the close of the war. The remainder returned to Omaha and were mustered out in 1864.

In May, 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska bill, providing for the organization of Territorial governments, became a law, and Nebraska was at once furnished with a full quota of executive and judicial officers. As has been stated elsewhere, Gov. Francis Burt, of South Carolina, who was appointed by President Pierce to the office indicated, sickened and died within a month after his arrival at Bellevue, that is, in October, 1854. The first Secretary of the Territory was Thomas B. Cuming, who, by virtue of his office, on the death of Gov. Burt, became Acting Governor. Upon him then devolved the duty of instituting civil government. This he did by a proclamation, in which he gave boundaries and names to counties. The territory, which has been specifically referred to, he christened after the President, Pierce, and announced its boundaries as follows: "Commencing at the mouth of the Weeping Water on the Missouri River; thence westwardly along the banks of the same to its head waters; thence due west to the boundary of the lands ceded to the United States one hundred miles; thence south twenty miles to the north line of Forney (now Nemaha) County to Camp Creek and along the north bank of said creek to the Missouri River; and northwardly along said Missouri River to the place of beginning."

An election was at once called for, the Governor apportioning representation to harmonize with his own judgment and interests; one delegate to be elected to Congress, in addition to members of the Territorial Legislature and county officers. The election was held December 12 1854, and as regards Pierce County, is commented on by, J. Sterling Morton, as follows:

"Even in that early morning hour of the county, our people exhibited a wonderful liberality in bestowing their franchises upon persons who had no interests in common with them, and who have never since been identified with the material development of this section of the world." Of the three candidates for Congress, "Mr. Giddings resided then, as now, in Savannah, Mo.; Mr. Chapman was a citizen of Ohio, and never gained a residence in Nebraska; while Mr. Johnson was a citizen of Council Bluffs, Iowa. But as there were not to exceed twenty-five domiciles in Pierce County at that time, nor more than fifty beds, it was always a mystery--except to Col. John Boulware and family, who then kept a ferry across the Missouri River--where the two hundred and eight patriots who exercised a freeman's rights on that auspicious dawn in Otoe of the science of self-government, and the noble art of electioneering, came from."

The votes of these 208 were given: 132 to Napoleon Bonaparte Giddings. 69 to Bird B. Chapman, and 7 to Hadley D. Johnson.

Pierce County had been apportioned by the Acting Governor, five Representatives in the House and three in the Council. Those elected were J. H. Decker, W. B. Hail, C. H. Cowles, Gideon Bennett and Wilson M. Maddox, to the Assembly; Hiram P. Bennett, Charles H. Cowles and Henry Bradsford, to the Council. These statesman, with their twenty-one coadjutors in the Lower and ten in the Upper House, convened at Omaha at the proper time, January 16, 1855, evolving much special legislation in the way of chartering corporations and granting special privileges, "as it was possible for that much untrained intellect to beget in sixty days." It ferried all the rivers and dammed all the creeks with special charters and by the following bill it created:

AN ACT--To define the boundaries and establish the seats of justice in the County of Otoe.

SECTION 1.--Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of the Territory of Nebraska, as follows, to-wit: That all that portion of the Territory included within the following described boundaries, to-wit: Beginning at a point one mile and a half north of where Weeping Water empties into the Missouri River; thence west twenty-four miles; thence south until it intersects a line running due west from where Camp Creek runs out of the Missouri Bluffs; thence due east to the center of the Missouri River; northwardly along the middle of the main channel of the Missouri to the place or beginning, is hereby declared to be known and called by the name Otoe County.
SEC. 2.--The seat of justice of said County of Otoe is hereby declared to be fixed and permanently located at Nebraska City, in said County of Otoe.
SEC. 3.--This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
Approved March 2, 1855.