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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00824 1678
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012
http://archive.org/details/historicalsketc00illi
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE -
.
CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE BATTERY
HORSE ARTILLERY
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS
CHICAGO 1 9 0 2
.
CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE BATTERY SOS1 AMP - 3991 A700
1:55299
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F 8349 .105
Illinois artillery. Chicago board of trade battery, 1862-1865. Historical sketch of the Chicago board of trade battery, horse artillery, Illinois volunteers. Chicago (The Henneberry company, printers] 1902.
. 90, [3] p. incl. 4 pl. 24cm.
Comp. by B. F. Nourse and others.
CHELF CARD
1. U. S .- Hist .- Civil war-Regimental histories-Ill. art .- Chicago board of trade battery. I. Title.
6-19137
93071 Library of Congress
£505.S.C a20d1]
Introductory
F THE distinguished service and splendid achieve- ments of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery in the great American Civil War, much has been written, but no extended history of this famous organization has heretofore been presented in book form. The inestimable value of the services of this Battery to the Government in the preservation of the Union is generally admitted by all conversant with the history of " the time that tried men's souls," covering the period of the War of the Rebellion, from 1862 to 1865.
Unfortunately in the burning of Chicago and in a subsequent fire. all of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery records and mementos, except such as are in the possession of the United States Government or of individual members of the Battery, were destroyed, hence, the value of the existing records herein compiled and which are not dependent for accuracy upon the memory of surviving members of the organization alone.
While no attempt will be made to relate the countless incidents of high interest in the career of the noted Battery; nor the per- sonal experiences and reminiscences of its members, which had
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their rise during the years of active service the Battery saw in the field, in camp, on the march and battlefield, it has long been the desire of the friends of the patriotic organization that at least the existing official records should be preserved in durable form. Such a memento it is believed will be prized by the surviving members of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery Association, and by their numer- ous friends, and will proye a source of interest and pride to be cherished by the decendants of the members of the fighting battery in the coming generations.
The Chicago Board of Trade Battery was among the very first of the volunteer organizations to respond to President Abraham Lincoln's call for three hundred thousand men on July 6, 1862. Fif- teen days thereafter the first members of the Battery signed the muster roll for three years. Within the next forty-eight hours a full company was enrolled. The story of the activities, valor, endurance and capacity for fighting against all or any odds of this remarkable vol- unteer organization is told only in outline in the existing records. Beginning at Lawrenceburg, Ky., Oct. 11, 1862, the Battery was prominently engaged in the great battles of the West, moving rapidly to effective participation in the battles of Stone River, Elk River, Chickamauga, Farmington, Dallas, Decatur, Atlanta, Lovejoy, Nash- ville and Selma, and in the great battles of the Army of the Cumberland -- Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Marietta, Vining Station, Noonday Creek, Stone Mountain and in many minor engage- ments and raids -altogether, in eleven of the hardest-fought battles of the West: in twenty-six other battles and in action forty-two times when on scouts, raids, reconnoissances and outpost duty.
With such a record, marching with their horses and guns over 5.368 miles and traveling by rail 1,231 miles, it is not strange if this
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memorial of their fighting days should recall to the surviving members of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery recollections which will cement still stronger the ties of comradeship and friendship existing between them, and redound to their fame in military annals for all time to come.
CHICAGO, JULY 4. 1902
THE COMPILER.
7. - 8
Organization of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery Memorial Association
Application for Certificate of Incorporation.
STATE OF ILLINOIS, Į ss. COOK COUNTY.
TO ISAAC N. PEARSON, Secretary of State :
We, the undersigned, B. F. Nourse, John C. Fleming, John B. Hall, S. M. Randolph and J. H. Hildreth, citizens of the United States, propose to form a Corporation under an act of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois, en- titled " An Act Concerning Corporations," approved April IS, 1872, and all acts amendatory thereof; and for the purposes of such organization, we hereby state as follows, to-wit :
Ist. The name of such Corporation is The Chicago Board of Trade Battery Memorial Association.
2nd. The object for which it is formed, is to secure a lot in Rosehill Cem- etery, to erect monument thereon and for other purposes usual to an Association of this kind.
3rd. The management of the aforesaid Association shall be vested in a Board of Five Directors, who are to be elected annually.
4th. The following persons are hereby selected as the Directors to control and manage said. Corporation for the first year of its corporate existence, viz: B. F. Nourse, John C. Fleming, John B. Hall, S. M. Randolph and J. H. Hildreth.
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5th. The location is in Chicago, in the County of Cook, State of Illinois.
Signed.
B. F. NOURSE. JOHN C. FLEMING,
JOHN B. HALL,
S. M. RANDOLPH, J. H. HILDRETH.
STATE OF ILLINOIS, į SS.
COOK COUNTY. 1
I, Charles S. Vincent, a Notary Public in and for the County and State afore- said, do hereby certify that on this fifteenth day of April. A. D. 1889, personally appeared before me, B. F. Nourse, John C. Fleming, John B. Hall, S. M. Ran- dolph and J. H. Hildreth, to me personally known to be the same persons who executed the foregoing certificate, and severally acknowledged that they have executed the same for the purposes therein set forth.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written.
CHARLES S. VINCENT, Notary Public. [SEAL]
STATE OF ILLINOIS - DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
ISAAC N. PEARSON, Secretary of State.
To ali to whom these presents shall come - Grecting :
Whereas, a certificate, duly signed and acknowledged, having been filed in the Office of the Secretary of State, on the 17th day of April, A. D. ISSO, for the organization of
The Chicago Board of Trade Battery Memorial Association,
under and in accordance with the provisions of " An Act Concerning Corpora- tions," approved April 18th, 1872, and in force July 1, 1872. and all acts amenda- tory thereof, a copy of which certificate is hereto attached.
Now, therefore. I. Isaac N. Pearson, Secretary of State of the State of Illinois, by virtue of the powers and duties vested in me by law, do hereby certify that
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the said, The Chicago Board of Trade Battery Memorial Association, is a legally organized Corporation under the laws of this State.
In testimony whereof. I hereto set my hand and cause to be affixed the great Seal of State.
[SEAL]
Done at the City of Springfield, this seventeenth day of April. in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nie. and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and thirteenth.
I. N. PEARSON, Secretary of State.
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Constitution and By-Laws of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery Memorial Association
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I.
SECTION 1. The name of this Association shall be "The Chicago Board of Trade Battery Memorial Association."
ARTICLE II. .
SECTION 1. Its objects shall be as set forth in the Charter from the State of Illinois.
ARTICLE IN.
SECTION 1. This Association shall consist both of Veteran and Associate Members.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I.
SECTION 1. Any member of "The Chicago Board of Trade Battery" who served with it in the field and was honorably discharged, shall be eligible to Veteran Membership.
ARTICLE II.
SECTION 1. All male descendants of Veteran Members, or of those eligible to Veteran Membership, may become Associate Members upon attaining the age of eighteen years, and when elected by the Board of Directors, shall be entitled to all the privileges of Veteran Members.
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ARTICLE III.
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors may, at any time, elect suitable persons as Honorary Members.
ARTICLE IV.
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of seven members, who shail be elected at the annual meeting in 1890, three (3) to serve for one (I) year, two for two (2) years and two for three (3) years; at the expiration of whose terms their successors shall be elected for the term of three years each. Said election shall be by ballot, a majority of all votes cast being necessary for an election.
ARTICLE V.
SECTION 1. Immediately after their election, the Board of Directors shall organize by electing from their number, a President. Vice President, Sec- retam and Treasurer, who shall also be the Officers of the Association; their terms of office shall be for one year or until their successors are elected and have qualified.
SECTION 2. This election shall be by ballot, four (4) votes being necessary for a choice.
ARTICLE VI.
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors shall control the property and general interests of the Association, receive nominations for membership and act upon same; consider complaints and may expel members for cause.
ARTICLE VII.
SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors, also to countersign all warrants for the disbursement of funds.
ARTICLE VIII.
SECTION 1. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall perform all the duties pertaining to that office.
ARTICLE IX.
SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a correct record of all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors, and conduct all
correspondence. He shall also notify the Treasurer in writing, of all disbursements ordered by the Board of Directors. And shall notify the members of all special and annual meetings of the Association.
ARTICLE X.
SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all funds paid in. depositing them in the bank designated by the Board of Directors, and shall disburse the same when ordered by them, with checks signed by himself and countersigned by either the President or Vice President.
ARTICLE XI.
SECTION 1. The annual meeting shall occur on the first Saturday in May, at such hour and place as the Board of Directors may designate; due notice of such meeting having been mailed to last known address of each mem- ber by the Secretary at least one week prior to its occurrence.
ARTICLE XII.
SECTION I. Ten members shall constitute a quorum for meetings of the Asso- ciation, and four for the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XIII.
SECTION 1. The Annual Dues shall be two. (2) dollars, payable either at the annual meeting or within thirty (30) days thereafter. Dues may be remitted by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XIV.
SECTION I. These By- Laws may be amended or added to by a two-thirds vote at any meeting of the Association, notice of change having been specified in the call.
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Historical Sketch of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery
CONDENSED historical sketch of the organiza- tion and operations of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery was, at the request of Adjt .- Gen. J. W. Vance, compiled by B. F. Nourse, S. H. Stevens, S. M. Randolph, J. C. Camberg and Charles Frink, in May. ISS6. and approved by the Veteran Battery Association. June 24. 1886. The data is from diaries in the possession of the Battery members which were written daily as the events at the time occurred.
July 6, 1862, the President made a call for three hundred thou- sand soldiers. There was not that ready response that characterized previous demands. At this juncture men with minds to grasp the situation. and whose moral judgment urged them to support the right. appeared with a fixed determination. These characteristics were developed in Chicago thus :
CHICAGO, ILL., July 16, 1862. C. T. WHEELER, President of the Board of Trade :
We, the undersigned members, request you to call at an early day, a general
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meeting of the Board to pledge ourselves to use our influence and money to recruit a battery to be known as the Board of Trade Battery.
GEORGE STEEL, WM. STURGES, E. AKIN, M. C. STEARNS.
I. V. MUNN, G. L. SCOTT, T. J. BRONSON, C. H. WALKER, JR .. E. G. WOLCOTT. FLINT & THOMPSON.
The meeting was called in the Board rooms, corner South Water and Wells streets, July 21, 1862. Second Vice-President John L. Hancock presided with an outspoken patriotism in accord with the assembly. C. H. Walker, Jr., introduced resolutions in harmony with the call which were unanimously adopted. Subscriptions were announced, and $5,121 was pledged. A muster roll was presented bearing the legend, " Chicago Board of Trade Battery." The follow- ing names were enrolled for three years, or the war : S. H. STEVENS, S. C. STEVENS, J. W. BLOOM, CALVIN DURAND, VALENTINE STEEL. H. B. CHANDLER, A. F. BAXTER, H. J. BAXTER, J. A. HOWARD.
The muster roll was entrusted to S. H. Stevens, and an adjourn- ment taken. Thus was established a precedent -- a commercial leadership - with the material result of placing in the field the Chicago Board of Trade Battery ; the 72d, 88th and 113th infantry regiments, Illinois Volunteers, and $50,000 war funds on deposit. On lightning wings this action flew east and west, firing the patriot- ism of commercial America until the nation felt its assuring influ- ence. An enthusiastic meeting was held the evening of the 22d, and the muster roll increased to 63 names. The roll was closed at
4 P. M. on the 23d with 180 names and many waiting to sign. This dispatch was transmitted :
BOARD OF TRADE ROOMS, CHICAGO, July 23, 1862.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, President of the United States :
The Board of Trade of this city have within the last forty eight hours raised $15,000 bounty money, and have recruited a full company of Artillery. Signed, J. L. HANCOCK. W.M. STURGES, GEORGE ARMOUR. C. H. WALKER JR .. H. W. HINSDALE, S. H. STEVENS.
July 24, 1862, company occupied "City Armory as drill room. .August 1, 1862, Captain J. Christopher, U. S. A., selected 155 men from the ISo enrolled (there was no medical examination), and mustered them into the service of the United States as the Chicago Board of Trade Battery Ills. Vols. James H. Stokes, a graduate of West Point Military Academy, was elected and mustered as Captain. August 2d. en route to camp, marched in review past the Board of Trade rooms on South Water street. Partook of the hospitality of Mrs. Henry B. Clark, corner Michigan Boulevard and 16th street. Marched to camp and pitched tents south of Camp Douglas, near what is now 37th street and Stanton avenue. George I. Robinson was elected Senior Ist Lieutenant, Trumbull D. Griffin, Junior Ist
Lieutenant. S. H. Stevens was appointed Orderly Sergeant. August 4th, A. F. Baxter was elected Senior 2d Lieutenant: Henry Bennett, Junior ed Lieutenant. M. S. Sanford was appointed Quartermaster Sergeant ; Calvin Durand. Commissary Sergeant : F. J. Deane, Ist Sergeant : L. B. Hand, 2d Sergeant: Wm. Ran- dolph, 3d Sergeant; A. L. Adams. 4th Sergeant: George Bowers.
5th Sergeant; M. H. Salisbury, 6th Sergeant ; together with twelve corporals, six artificers and two buglers. (For complete roster of the Battery see Adjutant-General's report, Volume VIII, pages 644-647.)
August 11th, received six James rifled ten-pounder field artillery guns. August 13th, appeared for first time in uniform : August 20th, received 110 artillery horses ; August 22, drilled with horses for first time; September 9th, broke camp and moved via M. C. R. R .: arrived in Louisville on the roth, at 7 P. M .; 15th, grand review on Broadway by General Charles Cruft ; 16th, exchanged four rifled for four smooth-bored six-pounder guns. October 1, 1862. the army moved from Louisville on the campaign of Perryville. The battery was attached to General Dumont's division, which occupied the extreme left at Frankfort. October 11th, brigade of General R. S. Granger, of Dumont's division was ordered to report to Major- General A. McD. McCook at the front. The battery moved with the brigade. Struck rebel General Forrest's command at Lawrence- burg. First engagement. One direct shot caused the enemy to retreat. October 30, Major-General Rosecrans took command at Louisville. A department of the Cumberland was the second time created. The troops of the department were designated 14th Army Corps. November 4th, the army ordered to advance on Nashville. Tennessee. With General R. S. Granger in command of post of Bowling Green, and Battery parked at headquarters, this kind of soldiering was not our wish. Captain James H. Stokes made appli- cation to be allowed to go to the front. His request was granted December 4th. Infantry muskets and ammunition were furnished for all the cannoneers, and without escort the battery moved in. the direction of Nashville via Tyree Springs. The enemy held posses- sion of the entire route, but we arrived safely December 7, 1862.
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Same evening. S. H. Stevens took command of left section as Senior 2d Lieutenant: and L. B. Hand was promoted Orderly Sergeant. December 14, 1862. a detail consisting of Lieutenant Stevens and Quartermaster-Sergeant Durand, and ten men with three teams. were ordered out on Franklin Pike for forage. Sixteen mounted Confed- erates made a dash, wounded one man and captured six. December 20th, attached to Pioneer Brigade. This organization, formed by a detail of two men from each company of infantry in the Army of the Cumberland, divided into three battalions under detailed officers, the whole commanded by Captain St. Clair Morton, of the engineer department regular army. December 26, 1862, campaign of Stone River opened. During the night December 29th, built two bridges over Stewart's Creek. December 30th, army fighting for position. Bivouacked on the field three miles from Murfreesboro. December 31st, 7 A. M., from the distant right came the sound of battle : 8 A. M., the whole right wing out of the fight, and the center desperately engaged. The battery came into position near the graveyard between the railroad and the pike. A slight rise beyond was occupied. To the left and front lay the key to the position: not to hold the gap would be fatal. At this juncture Major-General Rosecrans dashed from left to right. and discovered the Chicago Board of Trade Bat- tery ready for the fray, but without positive directions. His orders were given to officers and men indiscriminately, as the case de- manded. He spurred back to near gap, returned part way. beck- oned, and shouted, "Right this way." As on parade, the command at a trot came into battery in the gap on the crest with diminished intervals, made necessary by a point of second-growth forest on either flank. On the right and immediate front on open field beyond. within easy musket range debouching from the death-masked cedars.
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the enemy in pursuit of the retreating blue. The cannoneers were at their posts, the General on the right in line. The order rang out, " load;" before the word " fire " came he raised his hand and plunged down the declivity in front. He had seen the approaching routed mass of soldiers, who at once would swarm on the front, over and through the battery, followed by the victorious foe; a moment's delay and the capture of the battery would be inevitable. On came the exultant yell. The artillerymen stood with lanyard tightly drawn until to longer wait all was lost. As from one gun six death-dealing shells passed over the head of the commanding General into the mass of "Gray " beyond, and from thence thirty per minute until the front was clear.
Our Battery stood in relief on the crest; each gun squad could be counted by the relief across the intervening space. The enemy's artillery opened with deadly precision, and so admirably was it masked that their guns could not be located. The infantry, formed in front of the forest, delivered a volley, and charged across the open field. Then canister was the cry, --- within thirty yards the foremost went down, when all not disabled sought shelter in the rear. This was thrice repeated. By 11 o'clock the enemy had learned that neither bravery nor numbers could carry the battery in their front, and all was quiet. Three of our men lay dead by their disabled guns. Ten wounded were taken to the rear. The battery having held its ground, it became the pivotal point on which the right and centre rested. Late in the afternoon, to meet a threatened assault of Preston's and Palmer's rebel brigades, the left section of Battery changed front to the southwest. Palmer's brigade was in ambuscade on the border of an open field, 200 yards to our front, and at twilight unmasked their line by a dropping fire on Union soldiers
gathering dead and wounded between the lines. The section opened with a zeal unsurpassed. The rebels, being taken entirely by surprise, were thrown into the greatest confusion, some retreating: others advanced firing until they reached our line and were taken in. The section returned to its original position, and the second day at Stone River was closed. In the chill night, without fires, we buried our dead, and then lay on the frozen ground awaiting the coming of the morning of the new year and a renewal of the contest. January 2d. six volunteers from the command took from between the lines under fire an abandoned six-pounder gun to replace the one disabled. In recognition Gen. Rosecrans declared the organization a seven-gun battery, and it so remained until after the battle of Chickamauga. 4 p. m .- The Battery in reserve, in battery, in the forest on the left bank of Stone River, one-fourth of a mile in rear of left wing. Then Gen. J. S. Negley came dashing back. "For God's sake, Captain Stokes, come to the front; our men are giving way." The order rang out clear and full: "Limber to the front." -- "By pieces from the right. forward into column."-"Trot."-"Gallop." Without change of gait the order came, "Forward into battery." Fifty-eight cannon poured their iron contents into the rebel mass, and with lightning rapidity repeated until their lines waver, reel and break to the rear, pursued as by an avenging Nemesis,-the Stars and Stripes. It was estima- ted that in 40 minutes 2,000 rebels lay bleeding on the field. In the meantime the rebel Gen. Bragg had ordered a division on the left bank of the river but the repulse had been so quick and decisive that. the troops did not get into position until late-absorbing victory appeared to cover the movement to all except Captain Stokes. He ordered the Battery forward and without support checked the advance at short range. Our position being noticed, infantry was ordered
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up and the enemy dispersed. The battery crossed the river. Com- mands which belonged to the "left " coming into line, the Battery returned.
The following dispatch was sent :
NASHVILLE, TENN., January 3, IS63.
MURRY NELSON & Co., Chicago :
Murfreesboro is ours. Terrific fighting on Friday. No more casualties in the Battery; it has won glorious distinction. S. H. STEVENS.
Without our knowledge it was the first news received of the victory of the Union arms at Stone River. January 6 to June 23, 1863, in camp at Murfreesboro, Tenn. The most notable event was the changing of the command from mounted field to Horse Artillery, and being attached to the 2d division of cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Brig .- Gen. John B. Turchin, and was the only Battery of horse or flying artillery in the western armies. June 24th, moved with the army, keeping on the flanks as it advanced, following Bragg's army through Tullahoma and Win- chester to Huntsville, Ala. July 15, from here the third section, under command of Lieut. Griffin, went via McMinnville and Pike- ville, crossing the Tennessee River on the left of the army, and at Ringgold, Ga., fired the first gun, which opened the battle of Chicka- mauga, September 19th. August 20th, crossed the Cumberland mountains toward Stevenson. September 2d went over the Tennessee river, moving south to Big Wills Valley; 9th, marched south on top of Lookout range, down into the valley, scouting on the left of Bragg's army. going within two miles of Lafayette, Ga. Sunday. 20th, moved through Stevens' Gap, and at 10 a. m. joined the army, and fought on the extreme right during the battle of Chickamauga: also 21st and 22d.
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*
From September 23d to October Ist the Battery, with the 2d division of cavalry, under Brig .- Gen. George Crook, was guarding fords above Chattanooga. On the Ist, the rebel, Maj .- Gen. Jos. Wheeler crossed at Washington. 40 miles above, with 6,000 men: two other columns were preparing to cross below, one at Bellefonte, the other at Courtland. Ala. October 2d, the 2d division cavalry, and guns 1, 2 and 4 from the Battery, passed over Waldron's ridge in pursuit of Rebel Gen. Wheeler. October 3d, descended the Cumberland mountains. Encountered the rebels in severe skirmish. October 4th, passed through McMinnville, and drove rear guard seven miles beyond. October 5th, Gen. Wheeler reached Murfrees- boro, and threw out feelers to the south for his anticipated divisions, but they did not come. Charged his rear guard, two miles out, and, by a flank movement, placed the division between the enemy and Nashville. This, and the non-appearance of the other columns, caused Wheeler to turn south to effect a junction, as well as to avoid an engagement. October 6th, marched through Guy's Gap to within six miles of Shelbyville. October 7th, crossed Duck River at Shelby- ville. Three miles beyond discovered a rebel brigade in camp, enjoying the rich loot of the town. Mounted infantry charged and dispersed them. The 2d division of cavalry ordered in pursuit. Without orders, the Battery joined. The rear was pushed on to the main column by an almost continuous fire until late in the afternoon. Gen. Wheeler was forced to mass at Farmington. The frequent contests had fully advised the rebel General of the capabilities of each arm engaged. This knowledge urged him to guard against cavalry. and make his own heavy short-range artillery effective. Dismounted cavalry was formed across the road, protected by the fences and buildings of the town, with an open country to the rear.
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