USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 > Part 18
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The chief events subsequent to the declaration of war embraced the following: May 1, the destruction by Admiral Dewey's squadron of the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Manila; May 19, the arrival of the Spanish Admiral Cervera's fleet at Santiago de Cuba; May 25, a second call by the President for 15,000 volunteers: July 3, the attempt of Cervera's fleet to- escape, and its destruction off Santiago; July 17, the surrender of Santiago to the forces under General Shafter; July 30, the statement by the President, through the French Ambassador at Washington. of the terms on which the United States would consent to make peace; August 9, acceptance of the peace terms by Spain, followed, three days later, by the signing of the peace protocol; September 9, the appointment by the President of Peace Commis- sioners on the part of the United States; Sept. 18, the announcement of the Peace Commissioners selected by Spain ; October 1, the beginning of the Peace Conference by the representatives of the two powers, at Paris, and the formal signing. on December 10, of the peace treaty, including the recognition by Spain of the freedom of Cuba, with the transfer to the United States of Porto Rico and her other West India islands, together with the surrender of the Philippines for a con- sideration of $20,000,000.
Seldom, if ever, in the history of nations have such vast and far-reaching results been acconi- plished within so short a period. The war, which practically began with the destruction of the Spanish fleet in Manila Harbor-an event which aroused the enthusiasm of the whole American people, and won the respect and admiration of other nations-was practically ended by the surrender of Santiago and the declaration by the President of the conditions of peace just three months later. Succeeding
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events, up to the formal signing of the peace treaty, were merely the recognition of results previously determined.
HISTORY OF ILLINOIS REGIMENTS .- The part played by Illinois in connection with these events may be briefly summarized in the history of Illi- nois regiments and other organizations. Under the first call of the President for 125,000 volun- teers, eight regiments-seven of infantry and one of cavalry-were assigned to Illinois, to which was subsequently added, on application through Governor Tanner, one battery of light artil- lery. The infantry regiments were made up of the Illinois National Guard, numbered consecutively from one to seven, and were practically mobilized at their home stations within forty-eight hours from the receipt of the call, and began to arrive at Camp Tanner, near Springfield, the place of rendezvous, on April 26, the day after the issue of the Governor's call. The record of Illinois troops is conspicuons for the promptness of their response and the com- pleteness of their organization-in this respect being unsurpassed by those of any other State. Under the call of May 25 for an additional force of 75,000 men, the quota assigned to Illinois was two regiments, which were promptly furnished, taking the names of the Eighth and Ninth. The first of these belonged to the Illinois National Guard, as the regiments mustered in under the first call had done, while the Ninth was one of a number of "Provisional Regiments" which had tendered their services to the Government. Some twenty-five other regiments of this class, more or less complete, stood ready to perfect their organi- zations should there be occasion for their serv- ices. The aggregate strength of Illinois organi- zations at date of muster out from the United States service was 12,280-11,789 men and 491 officers.
FIRST REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS (orig- inally Illinois National Guard) was organized at Chicago, and mustered into the United States service at Camp Tanner (Springfield), under the command of Col. Henry L. Turner, May 13, 1898; left Springfield for Camp Thomas (Chickamauga) May 17; assigned to First Brigade, Third Division, of the First Army Corps; started for Tampa, Fla., June 2, but soon after arrival there was transferred to Picnic Island, and assigned to provost duty in place of the First United States Infantry. On June 30 the bulk of the regiment embarked for Cuba, but was detained in the har- bor at Key West until July 5, when the vessel sailed for Santiago, arriving in Guantanamo Bay
on the evening of the 8th. Disembarking on the 10th, the whole regiment arrived on the firing line on the 11th, spent several days and nights in the trenches before Santiago, and were present at the surrender of that city on the 17th. Two companies had previously been detached for the scarcely less perilous duty of service in the fever hospitals and in caring for their wounded comrades. The next month was spent on guard duty in the captured city. until August 25, when, depleted in numbers and weakened by fever, the bulk of the regiment was transferred by hospital boats to Camp Wikoff, on Montauk Point, L. I. The members of the regi- ment able to travel left Camp Wikoff, September 8, for Chicago, arriving two days later, where they met an enthusiastic reception and were mustered out, November 17, 1,235 strong (rank and file)-a considerable number of recruits having joined the regiment just before leaving Tampa. The record of the First was conspicuous by the fact that it was the only Illinois regiment to see service in Cuba during the progress of actual hostilities Before leaving Tampa some eighty members of the regiment were detailed for engineering duty in Porto Rico, sailed for that island on July 12, and were among the first to perform service there. The First suffered severely from yellow fever while in Cuba, but, as a regiment, while in the service, made a brilliant record, which was highly complimented in the official reports of its cont. manding officers.
SECOND REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER IN. FANTRY (originally Second I. N. G.). This regi- ment, also from Chicago, began to arrive at Springfieldl, April 27, 1898-at that time number- ing 1,202 men and 47 officers, under command of Col. George M. Moulton; was mustered in between May 4 and May 15; on May 17 started for Tampa, Fla., but en route its destination was changed to Jacksonville, where, as a part of the Seventh Army Corps, under command of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, it assisted in the dedication of Camp Cuba Libre. October 25 it was transferred to Savannah, Ga., remaining at "Camp Lee" until December 8, when two battalions embarked for Havana, landing on the 15th, being followed, a few days later, by the Third Battalion, and sta- tioned at Camp Columbia. From Dec. 17 to Jan. 11, 1899, Colonel Moulton served as Chief of Polic- for the city of Havana. On March 28 to 30 the regiment left Camp Columbia in detach- ments for Augusta. Ga., where it arrived April 5, and was mustered out. April 26, 1,051 strong (rank and file), and returned to Chicago. Dur-
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ing its stay in Cuba the regiment did not lose a man. A history of this regiment has been written by Rev. H. W. Bolton, its late Chaplain.
THIRD REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER IN- FANTRY, composed of companies of the Illinois National Guard from the counties of La Salle. Livingston, Kane, Kankakee, McHenry, Ogle, Will, and Winnebago, under command of Col. Fred Bennitt, reported at Springfield, with 1,170 men and 50 officers, on April 27; was mustered in May 7, 1898; transferred from Springfield to Camp Thomas (Chickamauga), May 14; on July 22 left Chickamauga for Porto Rico; on the 28th sailed from Newport News, on the liner St. Louis, arriving at Ponce, Porto Rico, on July 31; soon after disembarking captured Arroyo, and assisted in the capture of Guayama, which was the beginning of General Brooke's advance across the island to San Juan, when intelligence was received of the signing of the peace protocol by Spain. From August 13 to October 1 the Third continued in the performance of guard duty in Porto Rico; on October 22, 986 men and 39 offi- cers took transport for home by way of New York, arriving in Chicago, November 11, the several companies being mustered out at their respective home stations. Its strength at final muster-out was 1,273 men and officers. This regiment had the distinction of being one of the first to see service in Porto Rico, but suffered severely from fever and other diseases during the three months of its stay in the island.
FOURTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, CON- posed of companies from Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jackson, Jefferson, Montgomery, Richland, and St. Clair counties; mustered into the service at Spring- field, May 20, under command of Col. Casimer Andel; started immediately for Tampa, Fla., but en route its destination was changed to Jackson- ville, where it was stationed at Camp Cuba Libre as a part of the Seventh Corps under command of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee; in October was transferred to Savannah, Ga., remaining at Camp Onward until about the first of January, when the regi- ment took ship for Havana. Here the regiment was stationed at Camp Columbia until April 4, 1899, when it returnel to Augusta, Ga., and was mustered out at Camp Mackenzie (Augusta), May 2, the companies returning to their respective home stations. During a part of its stay at Jacksonville, and again at Savannah, the regi- ment was employed on guard duty. While at Jacksonville Colonel Andel was suspended by court-martial, and finally tendered his resigna-
tion, his place being supplied by Lieut .- Col. Eben Swift, of the Ninth.
FIFTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER IN- FANTRY was the first regiment to report, and was mustered in at Springfield, May 7, 1898, under command of Col. James S. Culver, being finally composed of twelve companies from Pike, Chris- tian, Sangamon, McLean, Montgomery, Adams. Tazewell, Macon, Morgan, Peoria, and Fulton counties; on May 11 left Springfield for Camp Thomas (Chickamauga, Ga.), being assigned to the command of General Brooke; August 3 left Chickamauga for Newport News, Va., with the expectation of embarking for Porto Rico-a previous order of July 26 to the same purport having been countermanded; at Newport News embarked on the transport Obdam, but again the order was rescinded, and, after remaining on board thirty-six hours, the regiment was disem. barked. The next move was made to Lexington Ky., where the regiment-having lost hope of reaching "the front"-remained until Sept 5, when it returned to Springfield for final muster- out. This regiment was composed of some of the best material in the State, and anxious for active service, but after a succession of disappoint- ments, was compelled to return to its home sta- tion without meeting the enemy. After its arrival at Springfield the regiment was furloughed for thirty days and finally mustered out, October 16, numbering 1,213 men and 47 officers.
SIXTHI REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER IN- FANTRY, consisting of twelve companies from the counties of Rock Island, Knox, Whiteside, Lee, Carroll, Stephenson, Henry, Warren, Bureau, and Jo Daviess, was mustered in May 11, 1898, under command of Col. D. Jack Foster; on May 17 left Springfield for Camp Alger, Va .; July 5 the regiment moved to Charleston, S. C., where a part embarked for Siboney, Cuba, but the whole regiment was soon after united in General Miles' expedition for the invasion of Porto Rico, landing at Guanico on July 25, and advancing into the interior as far as Adjunta and Utuado. After several weeks' service in the interior, the regiment returned to Ponce, and on September 7 took transport for the return home, arrived at Springfield a week later, and was mustered out November 25, the regiment at that time consist- ing of 1,239 men and 49 officers.
SEVENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY (known as the "Hibernian Rifles"). Two battalions of this regiment reported at Spring. field, April 27, with 33 officers and 765 enlisted men, being afterwards increased to the maxi-
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mum; was mustered into the United States serv- ice, under command of Col. Marcus Kavanagh, May 18, 1898; on May 28 started for Camp Alger, Va .; was afterwards encamped at Thoroughfare Gap and Camp Meade; on September 9 returned to Springfield, was furloughed for thirty days, and mustered out, October 20, numbering 1,260 men and 49 officers. Like the Fifth, the Seventh saw no actual service in the field.
EIGHTHI ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY (col- ored regiment), mustered into the service at Springfield under the second call of the Presi- dent, July 23, 1998, being composed wholly of Afro- Americans under officers of their own race, with Col. John R. Marshall in command, the muster-roll showing 1,195 men and 76 officers. The six companies, from A to F, were from Chi- cago, the other five being, respectively, from Bloomington, Springfield, Quincy, Litchfield, Mound City and Metropolis, and Cairo. The regiment having tendered their services to relieve the First Illinois on duty at Santiago de Cuba, it started for Cuba, August 8, by way of New York; immediately on arrival at Santiago, a week later, was assigned to duty, but subse- quently transferred to San Luis, where Colone, Marshall was made military governor. The major part of the regiment remained here until ordered home early in March, 1899, arrived at Chicago, March 15, and was mustered out, April 3, 1,226 strong, rank and file, having been in service nine months and six days.
NINTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY was organized from the counties of Southern Illinois, and mustered in at Springfield under the second call of the President, July 4-11, 1898, under com- mand of Col. James R. Campbell; arrived at Camp Cuba Libre (Jacksonville, Fla.), August 9; two months later was transferred to Savannah, Ga .; was moved to Havana in December, where it remained until May, 1899, when it returned to Angusta, Ga., and was mustered out there, May 20, 1899, at that time consisting of 1.095 men and 46 officers. From Angusta the several companies returned to their respective home stations. The Ninth was the only "Provisional Regiment" from Illinois mustered into the service during the war, the other regiments all belonging to the National Guard.
FIRST ILLINOIS CAVALRY was organized at Chi- cago immediately after the President's first call, seven companies being recruited from Chicago, two from Bloomington, and one each from Springfield, Elkhart. and Lacon : was mustered in at Springfield, May 21. 1-98, under command of
Col. Edward C. Young; left Springfieldl for Camp Thomas, Ga., May 30, remaining there until -August 24, when it returned to Fort Sheridan, near Chicago, where it was stationed until October 11, when it was mustered out, at that time con- sisting of 1.158 men and 50 officers. Although the regiment saw no active service in the field, it established an excellent record for itself in respect to discipline.
FIRST ENGINEERING CORPS, consisting of 80 men detailed from the First Illinois Volunteers, were among the first Illinois soldiers to see serv- ice in Porto Rico, accompanying General Miles' expedition in the latter part of July, and being engaged for a time in the construction of bridges in aid of the intended advance across the island. On September 8 they embarked for the return home, arrived at Chicago, September 17, and were mustered out November 20.
BATTERY A (I. N. G.), from Danville, Ill., was mustered in under a special order of the War Department, May 12, 1898, under command of Capt. Oscar P. Yaeger, consisting of 118 men; left Springfield for Camp Thomas, Ga., May 19, and, two months later, joined in General Miles' Porto Rico expedition, landing at Guanico on August 3, and taking part in the affair at Gua yama on the 12th. News of peace having been received, the Battery returned to Ponce, where it remained until September 7, when it started on the return home by way of New York, arrived at Danville, September 17, was furlonghed for sixty days, and mustered out November 25. The Battery was equipped with modern breech-load- ing rapid-firing guns, operated by practical artil- lerists and prepared for effective service.
NAVAL RESERVES .- One of the earliest steps taken by the Government after it became ap- parent that hostilities could not be averted, was to begin preparation for strengthening the naval arm of the service. The existence of the "Naval Militia, " first organized in 1893, placed Illinois in an exceptionally favorable position for making a prompt response to the call of the Government, as well as furnishing a superior class of men for service-a fact evidenced during the operations in the West Indies. Gen. John MeNulta, as head of the local committee, was active in calling the attention of the Navy Department to the value of the service to be rendered by this organization, which resulted in its being enlisted practically as a body, taking the name of "Naval Reserves"- all but eighty-eight of the number passing the physical examination, the places of these beir g promptly filled by new recruits. The first de-
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tachment of over 200 left Chicago May 2, under the command of Lieut .- Com. John M. Hawley, followed soon after by the remainder of the First Battalion, making the whole muunber from Chi- cago 400, with 267, constituting the Second Bat- talion, from other towns of the State. The latter was made up of 147 men from Moline, 58 from Quincy, and 62 from Alton-making a total from the State of 667. This does not include others, not belonging to this organization, who enlisted for service in the navy during the war, which raised the whole number for the State over 1,000. The Reserves enlisted from Illinois occupied a different relation to the Government from that of the "naval militia" of other States, which retained their State organizations, while those from Illinois were regularly mustered into the United States service. The recruits from Illinois were embarked at Key West, Norfolk and New York, and distributed among fifty-two different vessels, including nearly every vessel belonging to the North Atlantic Squadron. They saw serv- ice in nearly every department from the position of stokers in the hold to that of gunners in the turrets of the big battleships, the largest number (60) being assigned to the famous battleship Ore- gon, while the cruiser Yale followed with 47; the Harvard with 35; Cincinnati, 27; Yankton, 19; Franklin, 18; Montgomery and Indiana, each, 17; Hector, 14; Marietta, 11; Wilmington and Lan- caster, 10 each, and others down to one each. Illinois sailors thus had the privilege of partici- pating in the brilliant affair of July 3, which resulted in the destruction of Cervera's fleet off Santiago, as also in nearly every other event in the West Indies of less importance, without the loss of a man while in the service, although among the most exposed. They were mustercd out at different times, as they could be spared from the service, or the vessels to which they were attached went out of commission, a portion serving out their full term of one year. The Reserves from Chicago retain their organization under the name of "Naval Reserve Veterans." with headquarters in the Masonic Temple Build- ing, Chicago.
WARD, James H., ex-Congressman, was born in Chicago, Nov. 30, 1853, and educated in the Chicago public schools and at the University of Notre Dame, graduating from the latter in 1973. Three years later he graduated from the Union College of Law, Chicago, and was admitted to the bar. Since then he has continued to practice his profession in his native city. In 1879 he was elected Supervisor of the town of West Chicago,
and, in 1-84, was a candidate for Presidential Elector on the Democratic ticket, and the same year, was the successful candilate of his party for Congress in the Third Illinois District, serv- ing one term.
WINNEBAGO INDIANS, 'a tribe of the Da cota, or Sioux, stock, which at one time occupied a part of Northern Illinois. The word Winne- bago is a corruption of the French Oninebe- goutz, Quimbegouc, etc., the diphthong "ou" taking the place of the consonant "w," which is wanting in the French alphabet. These were, in turn, French misspellings of an Algonquin term meaning "fetid," which the latter tribe applied to the Winnebagoes because they had come from the western ocean-the salt (or "fetid") water. In their advance towards the East the Winnebagoes early invaded the country of the Illinois, but were finally driven north- ward by the latter, who surpassed them in num- bers rather than in bravery. The invaders settled in Wisconsin, near the Fox River, and here they were first visited by the Jesuit Fathers in the seventeenth century. (See Jesuit Rela- tions.) The Winnebagoes are commonly re- garded as a Wisconsin tribe; yet, that they claimed territorial rights in Illinois is shown by the fact that the treaty of Prairie du Chien (August 1, 1829), alludes to a Winnebago village located in what is now Jo Daviess County, near the mouth of the Pecatonica River. While, as a rule, the tribe, if left to itself, was disposed to live in 'amity with the whites, it was carried away by the eloquence and diplomacy of Tecumseh and the cajoleries of "The Prophet." General Harrison especially alludes to the brav- ery of the Winnebago warriors at Tippecanoe' which he attributees in part, however, to a super- stitious faith in "The Prophet." In June or July, 1827, an unprovoked and brutal outrage by the whites upon an unoffending and practically defenseless party of Winnebagoes, near Prairie du Chien brought on what is known as the 'Winnebago War." (See Winnebago War.) The tribe took no part in the Black Hawk War, largely because of the great influence and shrewd tactic of their chief, Naw-caw. By treaties executed in 1832 and 1837 the Winnebagoes ceded to the United States all their lands lying east of the Mississippi. They were finally removed west of that river, and, after many shiftings of loea- tion, were placed upon the Omaha Reservation in Eastern Nebraska, where their industry, thrift and peaceable disposition elicited high praise from Government officials.
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WARNER, Vespasian, lawyer and Member of Congress, was born in De Witt County, III., April 23, 1542, and has lived all his life in his native county- his present residence being Clinton. After a short course in Lombard University, while studying law in the office of Hon. Law- rence Weldon, at Clinton, he enlisted as a private soldier of the Twentieth Illinois Volunteers, in June, 1861, serving until July, 1866, when he was mustered out with the rank of Captain and brevet Major. He received a gunshot wound at Shiloh, but continued to serve in the Army of the Tennessee until the evacuation of Atlanta, when he was ordered North on account of dis- ability. His last service was in fighting Indians on the plains. After the war he completed his law studies at Harvard University, graduating in 1868, when he entered into a law partnership with Clifton H. Moore of Clinton. He served as Judge-Advocate General of the Illinois National Guard for several years, with the rank of Colonel, under the administrations of Governors Hamil- ton, Oglesby and Fifer, and, in 1894, was nomi- nated and elected, as a Republican, to the Fifty-fourth Congress for the Thirteenth Distriet, being re-elected in 1896, and again in 1898. In the Fifty-fifth Congress. Mr. Warner was a meni- ber of the Committees on Agriculture and Invalid Pensions, and Chairman of the Committee on Revision of the Laws.
WARREN, a village in Jo Daviess County, at intersection of the Illinois Central and the Chi- cago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railways, 26 miles west-northwest of Freeport and 27 miles east by north of Galena The surrounding region is agricultural and stock-raising; there are also lead mines in the vicinity. Tobacco is grown to some extent. Warren has a flouring mill, tin factory, creamery and stone quarries, a State bank, water supply from artesian wells, fire department, gas plant, two weekly newspapers, five churches, a high school, an academy and a public library. Pop. (1890), 1,172: (1900), 1.327.
WARREN, Calvin A., lawyer, was born in Essex County, N. Y., June 3, 1807; in his youth, worked for a time, as a typographer, in the office of "The Northern Spectator, " at Poultney, Vt .. side by side with Horace Greeley, afterwards the founder of "The New York Tribune." Later. he became one of the publishers of "The Palladium" at Ballston, N. Y., but, in 1832, removed to Hamilton County, Ohio, where he began the study of law, completing his course at Transyl- vania University, Ky., in 1834. and beginning practice at Batavia, Ohio, as the partner of
Thomas Morris, then a United States Senator from Ohio, whose daughter he married, thereby becoming the brother-in-law of the late Isaac N. Morris, of Quincy, IN. In 1836, Mr. Warren came to Quincy. Adams County, Ill. but soon after removed to Warsaw in Hancock County, where he resided until 1839, when he returned to Quincy. Here he continued in practice. either alone or as a partner. at different times, of sey- eral of the leading attorneys of that city. Although he held no office except that of Master in Chancery, which he occupied for some sixteen years, the possession of an inexhaustible fund of humor, with strong practical sense and decided ability as a speaker, gave him great popularity at the bar and upon the stump, and made him a recognized leader in the ranks of the Democratic party, of which he was a life-long member. Ile served as Presidential Elector on the Pierce tieket in 1952, and was the nominee of his party for the same position on one or two other occa- sions. Died, at Quincy, Feb. 22, 1881.
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