On July 4, 1861, in Fremont, loyal citizens raised a 150-foot liberty-pole at nearby Liberty Square and ran up the Union flag. A southern sympathizer then moved to put a bullet through the flag, and someone immediately moved to put a bullet through that man. A small riot followed, but it was soon squelched with the aid of the brave boys in Blue, one of whom remarked that if they were going to fight the rebels, they had as soon commence there as anywhere.