Click on the thumbnail (if provided) for larger image

We have intelligence from Lebanon, Warren county, Ohio of an outbreak in the hitherto peaceful and quiet town, the following being the particulars, as we have them from an eye witness:
On Tuesday afternoon, August 12, a farmer named David Phillips, residing near Utica, Warren county, came into Lebanon and during a conversation on the streets indulged in remarks in opposition to the war, and his determination not to be enlisted in the Federal army. His assertions were repeated, and soon the town was in commotion. A crowd of excited citizens went in pursuit of Phillips, and after chasing him for a considerable distance, succeeded in capturing him. They took him before the Mayor, who, upon hearing the evidence, committed Phillips to jail, under Secretary Stanton's recent order in reference to discouraging enlistments, to await orders.
The arrest and commitment to jail created the wildest excitement. Business houses were closed, and the inhabitants were out on the streets, while mob law reigned supreme for several hours. At dusk the excitement had abated, but between nine and ten o'clock the mob again began to gather, and proceeded to the office of the Democratic Citizen, edited by Mr. A. R. Van Cleaf. The hostile forces, after besieging the establishment, began their work of destruction by breaking in the windows with clubs and stones, and then, rushing up stairs and forcing the door of the office, commenced throwing out of the windows into the street all the news type, including several columns already set up for the present weekly issue. Cases of job type, head letter, and everything connected with the establishment were destroyed. A box containing family pictures and other valuable articles shared the same fate, the greater portion of it being carried away by the crowd. As the type, &c., were being hurled into the street, the crowd outside cheered vociferously. The editor, Mr. Van Cleaf, left Lebanon during the night.
It is claimed by the friends of the paper that the mobbing had its origin in political animosity and personal spite. That the paper was disloyal they positively deny, and inform us that the Citizen always advocated a vigorous prosecution of the war in the suppression of the rebellion, and always urged prompt volunteering. The Citizen upheld Democratic principles, we are told, for the paper is not on our exchange list, and therefore, we only state what comes to us second hand. It claimed that the Democracy of old Warren had always done their whole duty in this crisis, and while they are largely represented in the army, those remaining at home had contributed liberally of their means and influence to the support of the war and volunteering. - Cin. Enq.

SOURCE: "More Excitement and Violence," Newark (Ohio) Advocate, Friday August 22, 1862
[transcribed from on line image at Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers by Gale and accessed through the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County website]