The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 4, Page 11.
PORTER COUNTY PLAYED PART IN ALL OF NATION'S WARS
From Earliest Days Sons of Porter County Volunteered For Service With Old Glory
MEXICAN WAR
Men of Porter
county were first called to the colors in 1847, when three regiments of Indiana
volunteer infantry were recruited for service in the Mexican war.
Congress had declared war in Mexico May 11, 1846, at the request of President
Polk and shortly after the Republic of Texas, which won its freedom from Mexican
rule in 1838, had become annexed to the United States. Texas claimed the Rio
Grande river as the southern boundary line of the state, and Mexico claimed the
Nueces river as the boundary line. This was the spark that started the conflict.
In 1846, Joseph P. Smith, at that time clerk of Lake county, resigned his office
and recruited a company, which was mustered into service in 1847.
The following Porter county men were among the members: Jacob Alyea, Daniel
Brown, Oliver Conklin, Hudson S. Farwell, M. Hopkins, Clinton Jackson, David
Mussellman, Simeon P. Patterson, Newell Pulsifer, Cyrus H. Risden, John Sparks,
Lewis P. Streeter, and Gilbert Wariner. Daniel Brown and Newell Pullsifer were
sergeants.
The company was not assigned to either of the three volunteer regiments raised
in Indiana, but became Company H, Sixteenth United States Infantry, which
regiment was commanded by Col. John W. Tibbets.
While in the service the principal duty of the company was to guard wagon
trains. While not in any great battles, the company lost heavily through
tropical sickness, due to climate. Of the 119 men who went out, only thirty-six
returned. Oliver Conlin, Cyrus Risden and John Sparks, died while in service.
Other Porter county men served for other commands, but in the absence of muster
rolls it is impossible to tell who they were or in what companies they served.
The crushing defeat of General Santa Ana at Cerro Gordo paved the way for the
declaration of peace in 1848
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook