USA > Illinois > Cass County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Cass County, Volume II > Part 20
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mentioned above as having visited the senator at Springfield, and was adopted without much delay. It appeared to be the only chance and they took it. Mr. Leeper was criticised by a number of the Democrats, even some of the papers which should have known better, cast the blame upon him, but he was in no sense at fault. The district was so overwhelmingly Democratic that had he undertaken an active campaign it would have only subjected him to ridicule, and it is not at all likely any greater vote would have been polled. The sensible mem- bers of the party did not charge that up to Mr. Leeper, but vindicated him in a substantial manner from the aspersions of others, by nom- inating him for state senator of his district in 1888, and retained him in the senate for three successive terms. Mr. Leeper was an excellent lawyer, and made a very creditable senator. For years, however, in this county, the "Weaver steal" as it was called was used as the bugaboo to scare Democrats to the polls. The "Heelers" however, cricd "wolf"' so often that it finally wore out and was only laughed at as a good "stunt" which any party would have pulled off had opportunity offered.
CAMPAIGNS OF 1888-1892.
Little excitement attended the political cam- paign locally until 1SS8, when Hon. Grover Cleveland was renominated, and Gov. Benjamin Harrison, a grandson of "Old Tippecanoe," Wil- liam Henry Harrison, was nominated by the Republicans. Harrison was no sooner before the people than the Democratic newspapers began a campaign of ridicule by charging the candidate with attempting to wear "Grandpa's hat." This was caught up at once by the Re- publicans, and it was made the emblem of the campaign. The old campaign of 1840 with log cabins in the procession was re-enacted. It was a lively and interesting campaign and con- ducted with great vigor, with the best of humor prevailing. Harrison was elected, but the Demo- crats carried Cass County as usual. In 1892 Harrison was renominated by the Republican convention which that year met at Minneapolis, Minn .. and the Democratic party nominated Cleveland for the third time, with the result that he defeated Harrison, but the administration was unfortunate and a financial panic ensued in 1893, causing a great many business failures. Laborers were thrown out of employment and
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it was all charged up to the administration as a consequence. The elections in the fall of 1894 were disastrous to the Democratic party. In Illinois there was bnt one Democratic congress- man elected and that was Finis E. Downing, of Virginia, Cass Connty, which was then a part of the Sixteenth District, which had always been so largely Democratic that it was deemed useless to put up a candidate in opposition to the Democratic nominee, but in 1894 the general conditions that prevailed made the outlook for the Republicans unusually bright, and Gen. John I. Rinaker, of Carlinville, was placed on the Republican ticket. Downing's majority was so small on the face of the returns that a contest was instituted which resulted in Congress de- claring . that Rinaker was elected, and Cass County lost its first and only representative in Congress. In Cass County the normal majority of the Democratic party of 700 had been re- duced to forty for Mr. Downing, while two Republicans, L. W. Pilger, candidate for sheriff, and J. G. Pearn, candidate for county snper- intendent of schools, were elected.
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FREE SILVER CAMPAIGN.
Two years later came the famous "free silver" campaign. The deplorable financial condition and the business failures of the country were, by financiers of the "Coin Harvey" type and school, attributed to the insufficiency of money, The Hon. William J. Bryan, who had formerly lived at Jacksonville, in Morgan County, and began the practice of law in that city, had moved to Nebraska. While visiting at his old home at Jacksonville, in June, 1896, he made an appoint- ment to speak in the opera house at Virginia, on some of the populistic idcas he had absorbed in late years. He spoke to very limited au- diences. No one had then the slightest idea that Mr. Bryan would within a month be the candidate of the Democratic party for pres- ident, and it may be that he had not the re- motest hope of such an honor himself. His able oratorical effort at the Chicago convention landed him the prize and one of the most noted political campaigns ensucd. Everybody became a potential financier and with the aid of Col. Harvey's book was able to discuss the subject with great force. Street corner and soap box debates were the order of the day and night, and had the election occurred within two months of the nominations there is little doubt
bnt that Mr. Bryan would have been elected, but, by the middle of September, the tide had changed and by November the people had pretty thor- oughly made np their minds on the money qnes- tion. Hon. William McKinley, the Republican candidate, was elected by a large majority in the electoral college. Cass County elected the full Democratic local ticket and gave Mr. Bryan a handsome majority. There is nothing so un- certain as public sentiment and in the next presidential election, in 1900, the political pen- dulum had swung back to its normal beat, and Cass County gave Mr. Bryan, who was again the Democratic nominee, a majority of 780, the vote standing 2626 for Bryan, and 1846 for Mc- Kinley. In four years more the change in public sentiment was such that we had, in Cass County, when Mr. Parker was the Democratic candidate for president against Mr. Roosevelt, the aston- ishing result of only seventy-nine plurality for Parker, the vote standing: Parker 1906, Roose- velt 1827. It may be interesting to give also the vote of 190S, with Taft and Sherman 1S28; Bryan and Kern 2434. In 1912 the vote stood : Wilson and Marshall, 2223; Taft and Sherman 719; Roosevelt and Johnson 1086.
CASS COUNTY IN CONGRESS.
Hon. Finis E. Downing, elected in 1894, took his seat in 1895, but upon the termination of the contest instituted, Mr. Downing retired, and Gen. Rinaker of Carlinville took the seat.
The following persons have represented Cass County in the General Assembly. In this list are included those who were living in the terri- tory known as the "three-mile strip."
REPRESENTATIVES IN THE LEGISLATURE.
William Holmes. 1838-1840: Amos S. West. 1840-1842 ; John W. Pratt. 1842-1846 ; Francis A. Arenz, 1842-1844: Edward W. Turner, 1846-1SIS ; Richard S. Thomas, 1SAS-1850; Cyrus Wright, 1854-1856: Samuel W. Christy, 1856-1S5S ; Henry E. Dummer, 1860-1864; James M. Epler, 1862- 1864: James M. Epler. 1866-1SGS; William W. Easley, 1870-1872; Dr. J. F. Snyder, 1STS-1SS0 ; John W. Savage. 1STS-1SS0; Linus C. Chandler, 1880-1SS2: J. Henry Shaw, 1SS0-1SS2; T. L. Mathews, 1882-1SS4; J. Henry Shaw, 1884, died before his term expired and was succeeded by Capt. W. H. Weaver of Menard County : Michael Halpin, 1886-1SSS; Arthnr A. Leeper, 1SS8-1900,
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in the Senate; and J. Joseph Cooke, 1904-1906, in the lower house.
CHAPTER XIV.
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MILITARY HISTORY.
RECORD OF WARS A PART OF HISTORY-CASS COUNTY IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR-MEXICAN WAR-THE CIVIL WAR-HISTORY AND ROSTER OF REGIMENTS IN WHICH CASS COUNTY WAS CONCERNED-NINE- TEENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-FOUR- TEENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-TENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-THIRTY-THIRD
ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-A DISTIN- GUISHED OFFICER AND CITIZEN-THE SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' HOME AT QUINCY-ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER IN-
FANTRY - EIGHTEENTH ILLINOIS (REORGAN- IZED) VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-THIRTY-SECOND ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-FORTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY - SIXTY-FIRST ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-SEVENTY-FIRST ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-EIGHTY-SECOND ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY-ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIFTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY -SECOND ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER CAVALRY-THIRD ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER CAVALRY-THIRD ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER CAVALRY ( CONSOLIDATED)-SECOND ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY.
RECORD OF WARS A PART OF HISTORY.
It might be best for future world peace that the shouts of those who overcome in battle should not be echoed and re-echoed throughout the pages of history. Wars have, without doubt, been the approximate as well as remote cause of the changed environments and political condi- tions of every nation or people, and therefore in a historical review, wars cannot be ignored or passed over with a mere casual notice. But it is deplorable that such a degree of publicity and the glorification of the achievements of war are regarded so necessary a concomitant to civilization, that most of our school histories devote space to mobilization, marches, manoeu- vres and battles of armies engaged in war, wholly
out of proportion to the relative importance of historical events. To many it appears that the vivid portrayal of battle and of carnage, of de- struction of life and property, and the spectacu- lar appeal of war, make indelible impressions that are not calculated to encourage an effort later on in life, toward a peaceful solution of differences arising between people and nations. If there were less glorification of war, there would, perhaps, be less war. Better the willows of peace it would seem than the laurels of battle. However, there may come a time when the most peaceful citizen must resort to arms ; when his liberties, his home and fireside are in danger ; when his government is being under- mined by treachery, or threatened by the upris- ing of a traitorous host, then indeed must the spirit of true patriotism assert itself, and inen go fortli to battle even unto death for the pres- ervation of those cherished objects. It was thus that our peaceful-loving citizens became sol- diers ; that they went out to battle, and somne sacrificed their lives that this nation might en- dure; and their names merit a place in the simple annals of our humble community, if only mention in the list of hero dead, or of aged and respected living.
CASS COUNTY IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
The first war in which citizens of the terri- tory now comprising Cass County were engaged was the Black Hawk war. A short review of that war appears in a former chapter, but no list of soldiers was given, and it is now very difficult to obtain one of those who served in that war from the present Cass County, inas- much as there was at that time no Cass County, and all records pertaining to soldiers from this territory were credited to Morgan County, and it cannot be definitely determined from what part of Morgan County the volunteers enlisted. A few names have been obtained from the best available sources, and are here appended. Al- though the valor and patriotism of any soldiers are not to be measured by county or state lines, it is pleasant to know of those to which we inay lay definite claim.
Spy Battalion, Capt. Allen Lindsey's company : Martin Harding, George W. Beggs, John P. Dick, William Lindsey, Philip Hash, William Lucas, John Lucas, Thomas Plasters, Jacob Yaple.
Capt. A. Lincoln's company, Fourth regiment :
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
Nathan Drake of Beardstown; and Travice Elmore, then of Sangamon County, who soon after the war became a resident of Cass County.
James Whitlock, Odd Battalion, enlisted from Beardstown, had the following Beardstown men : George W. Foster, Alfred Hash, Obediah Ritten- house, Samuel Scovele, James Taylor and John H. Wright.
There were several odd battalions, and one of them had John S. Wilbourn, who was the first probate justice, for the new county of Cass, for its captain. Nothing can be learned of the mem- bers of his company so far as their place of resi- dence is concerned, nor is it certain that Cap- 'tain Wilbourn was at that time a resident of the territory now comprised in Cass County, although he did live here when the county was organized.
MEXICAN WAR.
The Mexican war, growing out of the annexa- tion of Texas, called for the first three regi- ments from Illinois, and subsequently a fourth regiment, organized by Col. E. D. Baker, then in Congress. The records do not give the residence of the volunteers, at least so far as any to which ยท access can be had. Thus we are left to inquiry among friends and old acquaintances, and old settlers, for any information concerning those who enlisted from Cass County. No roster of soldiers from Cass can be found, but we have learned of the service of the following: Peter Conover, of Company B, First Regiment ; Ed- ward Heine, musician of Company D, First Regiment ; Stephen Elam, of Company K, First Regiment ; Daniel Duckwiler, company and regi- ment not known; and C. H. C. Havekluft, wlio was a member of an independent company.
CIVIL WAR.
When Fort Sumter was fired upon by those sceking to disrupt the Union, it aroused the pa- triotism of the people of Cass County, as it did in all parts of the state, and it was not long until companies began to organize and tender their services to the governor. Several com- panies were enlisted entirely from Cass County, and many individuals went at the first call of the president for troops, to enlist where the first opportunity presented. That Cass County citizens responded early to the call is attested
by the fact that a census, taken by order of the county board to ascertain the number of volun- tary enlistments, shows that by the first day of September, 1862, there had been SS1 from the various precincts of the county. It is not in- tended in this work to give a history of the war of the Rebellion, but simply a short sketch only of the regiments containing companies formed in Cass County.
NINETEENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
The Nineteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry was formed at the opening of the war, imme- diately after the first call of the president, but was not fully organized until about three months later. It was organized at Chicago and mustered into service June 17, 1861. All the companies were either from Chicago and Cook County, and the northern part of the state, except Company F, which was from Cass County. That company had its origin in 185S, when, because other towns and villages were organizing military companies, Virginia thought it would have one too, not with any particular notion that it would be needed for war, but just because it was sug- gested as a desirable training for the boys. Capt. L. S. Allard, who had been in the Mex- ican war, offered his services as drill master. The company was formed with Captain Allard, captain, and J. G. Campbell, lieutenant .. Cap- tain Allard drilled his company after the order of tactics used in the Mexican war, but it never had any arms. While the political compaign of 1858 became pretty warm, yet no one in Allard's company was much impressed, unless it was Captain Allard himself, of the seriousness of the threats of war made by the southern people, but when the war did come, he promptly tendered his company to the governor for serv- ice. Gov. Yates already had as many com- panies offered as he could use, to tender to the national government to fill the quota called for, so Captain Allard was told to hold his company in readiness; but the boys were anxious to get into the fray, much more so than they were a year later, and a number of the company drifted away to find an opening in some other company where they could go immediately into service. Knowlton H. Chandler of Chandler- ville had also organized a company at that vil- lage, but it was not accepted and he experienced the same difficulty in holding his men. When the call came later for Allard's and Chandler's
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METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BEARDSTOWN
CITY HALL, BEARDSTOWN Formerly Cass County Court House Built 1844-5
CITY LIBRARY BUILDING, BEARDSTOWN Built in 1904
PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING, CHANDLERVILLE Built in 1905-6
RESIDENCE DISTRICT. BEARDSTOWN
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HIGH SCHOOL, ARENZVILLE Built in 1910, Replacing the one Destroyed by Fire
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY
companies, they found they had only enough left to make one company from both organizations. These were united and the company organized by the election of Allard, captain; K. H. Chan- dler, first lieutenant, and Thomas Job, a son of the early pioneer Archibald Job, second lieu- tenant. The ladies of Chandlerville presented the company with a fine silk flag, which it car- ried through the entire four years of war, and it was brought home by Captain James G. Camp- bell. The company went to Springfield, and from there was sent on to Chicago, where it was mustered in, as a part of the Nineteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
The regiment left Chicago July 5, 1861, by rail to Palmyra, Mo., and while Company F was doing garrison duty at Hannibal, north of Pal- myra, Second Lieutenant Job was killed, and James G. Campbell was promoted to the posi- tion. On September 15, 1861, the regiment was ordered to Washington to join the Army of the Potomac, but on its way, when about eighty miles from Cincinnati, on the Ohio and Missis- sippi Railroad, a bridge gave way, and six coaches filled with soldiers were thrown into the river. About thirty were killed and 100 seri- ously injured. This accident changed the des- tinies of the regiment, and it was ordered to join General Sherman in Kentucky, which it did, and was in the engagement at Huntsville; campaigned in Alabama, and was in Nashville when that place was cut off from communica- tion with the North. It moved south with Rose- crans' army, and on December 31, 1862, and January 1 and 2, 1863, engaged in battle at Stone River, and there made the famous charge, saving the Union left, and gained the greatest glory, but it paid dearly for it. Colonel Scott received a death wound, and Captain Chandler, who had led Company F across the river, was shot through the head just as he reached the further shore. It was night when the battle closed on the second, and early next morning Lieutenant Campbell, who had been in com- mand of Company I, went with some comrades to search for the body of Captain Chandler. They found it near where some of the company had seen him fall, and digging a grave at the roots of a tree, they wrapped his greatcoat about him and covered him with earth, and marked the tree for identification. The body of Captain Chan- dler was later recovered and brought home and is buried in the Chandlerville cemetery. Cap- tain Knowlton H. Chandler was the oldest son
of Marcus Chandler, a brother of Dr. Charles Chandler, founder of Chandlerville. Marcus Chandler came to Cass County in 1833, and en- tered land east of his brother Charles, and took an active interest in the affairs of the county. He served several terms as county commissioner. On the official report of the death of Captain Chandler, a commission as captain was issued to Lieut. James G. Campbell, who became cap- tain of Company F, and held the rank until the close of the war, and was with his company through all its marches and battles. The regi- ment was at the battles of Chattanooga, Mission- ary Ridge, Resaca and Dallas, when, its time of service having expired, it was sent to Chicago, where it was mustered out July 9, 1864. The following is a list of the men and officers :
Captain Luther S. Allard (Co. F), Virginia, resigned ; Captain Knowlton H. Chandler, Chan- dlerville, killed in battle; Captain James G. Campbell, Virginia, mustered out July 9, 1864. First Lieutenant Samuel L. Hamilton, Chandler- ville, mustered out July 9, 1864. Second Lieu- tenant Thomas L. Job, Virginia, accidentally killed ; Second Lieutenant John Hill, Virginia, resigned ; Second Lieutenant Silas W. Kent, Vir- ginia, resigned. Sergeant Daniel March, Chan- dlerville, mustered out; Sergeant Thomas Chaf- fer, Virginia, mustered out. Corporal Stephen W. Porter, Virginia, sergeant, transferred to In- valid Corps; Corporal Archibald W. Job, Vir- ginia, mustered out; Corporal Horace E. Ward, Virginia, mustered out; Corporal Addison G. Plummer, Virginia, re-enlisted as veteran. Moses Wanchel (wagoner), Virginia, discharged as private, disability.
Privates : Henry K. Anderson, Virginia, mus- tered out ; William Beck, Chandlerville, mustered out as sergeant; William E. Brown, Virginia, discharged, disability ; Sidney B. Brown, Vir- ginia, discharged, disability ; John Barrows, Vir- ginia, discharged, disability ; Albert G. Beebe, Virginia, corporal, discharged, disability ; Jacob Baker, Virginia; James H. Border, Virginia, corporal, discharged, disability ; Dennis Conley, Virginia, mustered out; Frederick Cording, Vir- ginia, discharged, disability; Edward Clark, Virginia ; Thomas A. Hamilton, Virginia, re-en- listed as veteran; James Hodkinson, Virginia, died in Ohio; Silas W. Kent, Virginia, promoted sergeant and second lieutenant; John Keys, Chandlerville, mustered out; Thomas J. Lacy, Chandlerville, mustered out as corporal ; Albert Leistercew, Virginia, mustered out; Horace
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Learned, Virginia, mustered ont : John Lindsey, Virginia, corporal, wounded and missing at Chickamauga ; William Owen, Virginia, dis- charged. disability : Michael Reynolds, Virginia, discharged. disability; Ormand D. Reed, Vir- ginia, discharged, disability; John Russell, Vir- ginia, mnstered out : Willian Remis. Virginia, mustered out ; Daniel Smith, Virginia, dis- charged, disability ; Walker Ward, Virginia. dis- charged to enlist in Fonrth Cavalry.
Recruits : Henry S. Atwood. Virginia. trans- ferred to headquarters, Fourteenth Artillery Corps : Felix G. Cox, Virginia, discharged, disa- bility : Abraham Hess. Chandlerville. re-enlisted as veteran; John McMullen, Virginia, trans- ferred to headquarters. Fonrteenth Artillery Corps ; Richard L. Porter, Virginia. discharged, disability ; Andrew Sullivan, Virginia, trans- ferred to headquarters, Fourteenth Artillery Corps.
FOURTEENTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. 1
The Fourteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry was one of six regiments organized under the first call for troops. It was mustered into the state service on May 4, 1861, at Camp Duncan, Jacksonville. Ill. The regiment lay in Jackson- ville until May 25, when it was mustered into the United States service by Captain Pitcher of the United States Army. The first colonel of the regiment was John M. Palmer, who, after the war, became governor of the state and later United States senator. The quartermaster was John F. Nolte, of Beardstown. On June 19, 1861, the regiment left for Quincy, Ill., where it remained until Jnly 5, when it commenced a campaign through Missouri which lasted until February, 1862, when the regiment arrived at St. Louis. Soon thereafter it left for Fort Don- clson, where it arrived the day following the surrender, and was immediately sent to Pitts- burg Landing and participated in the battle of Shiloh. From that time it campaigned through Tennessee and Mississippi until October 5, when it was engaged in the battle of Meta- mora. It was at the siege of Vicksburg until the surrender of that stronghold. on July 4, 1863, and also at the siege of Jackson, and helped to occupy Vicksburg. At Harrisburg. La., Natchez, Wilson's Creek and Huntsville, where it had a skirmish with the enemy, the regiment was in evidence. At Meridian it was consolidated with the Fifteenth regiment. both having been re-
enlisted as veterans, on July 1, 1864. In Octo- ber of that year a large portion of the battalion was captured by Hood, and sent to Anderson- ville Prison, Ga., a most terrible place, used for military incarceration. The remainder of the battalion went with General Sherman on his "march to the sea." In the spring of 1865 the battalion was discontinued and each regi- ment filled by recruits, and resumed its regi- mental formation. It was mnstered ont at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and arrived at Springfield, Ill., September 29, 1865, where it received final payment and was discharged. During its four years and four months of service, the regiment marched 4,490 miles, traveled by rail 12,490 miles, and by river 4,690 miles. a total of 11,670 miles. The aggregate number of men in the regi- ment during service was 1,980, and it was mns- tered ont with 480 men. A full roster so far as Cass County soldiers are concerned is given here- with :
Quartermaster John F. Nolte, Beardstown, promoted from lientenant. Captain Charles Opitz (Co. A), Beardstown, promoted from sec- ond lieutenant. First Lieutenant Henry Ro- decker. Beardstown, resigned; First Lientenant Louis P. Bourquinn, Virginia, resigned ; First Lieutenant Augustine A. Snow, Beardstown. mustered out, consolidation. Second Lientenant David S. Finney, Beardstown. Company A, Vet- eran Battalion. Sergeant John M. Johnson. transferred to Madison Battery; Sergeant John S. Morgan. discharged ; Sergeant Charles Nickle, promoted from private : Sergeant E. H. Richard- son, mustered out : Sergeant David A. Tull, transferred to Company C. Third Cavalry ; Ser- geant Augustus Hover, discharged for promo- tion : Sergeant David Carr, mnstered out. Cor- poral Charles A. Eames. discharged for promo- tion : Corporal Edward E. Foster. discharged for promotion : Corporal Charles H. Harris, transferred to First Illinois Cavalry : Corporal William H. Dutch; Corporal William DeHaven, transferred to Company C. Third Cavalry. William Sales (wagoner). discharged.
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