USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 54
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SPRINGFIELD LIGHT ARTILLERY .- This organiza- tion, recruited principally at Springfield, Belle- ville and Wenona, by Captain T. F. Vaughan, and sometimes called Vaughan's Independent Battery, was mustered into the service at Springfield, August 21, 1862. It took part in several expeditions from Jackson, Tenn., dur- guarded the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. On June 20, it was assigned to the Second Brigade (Col. James M. True, commanding), First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. It par- ticipated in the investment of Little Rock, Sep-
FOURTEENTH CAVALRY .- Mustered in at Peo- ria, early in 1863, this regiment saw active . ing the winter of 1862-63. In June, 1863, it service at Cumberland Gap, Knoxville, in the chase after Longstreet, at Bear Station, Dan- dridge, in the Macon raid, at Sunshine Church, Waynesboro, Franklin and Nashville. Notwith- standing Stoneman surrendered at Sunshine
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
tember 10, 1863. General Steele's advance from Little Rock, early in 1864, to cooperate with Banks, was, by the latter's retreat, exposed to great peril. The Confederates under Gen- eral Fagan turned upon him in great force, drove in or captured his foragers, and struck his advance a heavy blow at Marks' Mills, April 25, taking about 1,500 prisoners. Re- treating, Steele was attacked by Kirby Smith, at Jenkins's Ferry on the Sabine, April 30. There, the Federals, though outnumbered, had the advantage of position and repulsed the enemy after a sharp fight with a loss of 700, inflicting on Smith's troops a loss of 2,300, in- cluding three Generals. Steele was not fur- ther molested in his retreat to Little Rock. The Springfield Light Artillery, which took part in that fine fighting, was mustered out at Springfield, June 30, 1865. The late Hon. Charles W. Thomas, who died in March, 1906, just after his nomination as Republican can- didate for Supreme Judge for the First Dis- trict, was prominent in this organization, in which he ranked as First Lieutenant. Judge Thomas enlisted in the celebrated Fremont bodyguard, commanded by Major Zagonyi, which was organized in St. Louis, and later raised a battery of artillery which served with Vaughan's Independent Battery of Illinois Ar- tillery. He remained as an officer until wound- ed in battle at Prairie de Anne, Ark., which in- capacitated him for further service.
SECOND ILLINOIS LIGHT ARTILLERY .- Corporal John B. Stockton served in Battery C of this organization; Second Lieutenant Joseph Han- ger and Corporal Charles St. Clair were in Battery E. The battery last mentioned was organized in St. Louis, August, 1861, by Cap- tain Adolph Schwartz, and was mustered into service at St. Louis Arsenal, August 29. Lieu- tenant Hanger, with one section of the battery, was engaged with the enemy at Liberty, Sep-
of Cairo. The battery took part in the attack on Fort Donelson, in the battle of Shiloh and in the siege of Corinth. In an engagement at Britton's Lane, July 28, 1862, a section under command of Lieutenant Deugel was captured. In November, 1862, the remainder of the bat- tery was attached to the Fourth Division, Sev- enteenth Army Corps, and, under command of General Lauman, took part in the Yocona ex-
pedition. Later, Battery E was consolidated with Battery A, which was mustered out of service at Chicago, July 3, 1865.
In compiling this chapter, it has been the aim of the editor to mention important engage- ments in which most of the organizations took part, and he has attempted, so far as records have permitted, to name all officers, both com- missioned and non-commissioned, from St. Clair County. For other interesting matter concern- ing Illinois in the Civil War and other wars the reader is referred to the Encyclopedia por- tion of this work under the head, "War of the Rebellion."
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
For the service of our country in the Civil War St. Clair County probably contributed more men in proportion to its population than any other County in Illinois. In its roster of men of note in both army and navy, St. Clair was pre-eminent. The spirit of the fathers de- scended to the sons.
When the call came for volunteers for the Spanish-American War, St. Clair County was ready. Among the first to enlist was Com- pany D, Fourth Illinois Infantry, Illinois Na- tional Guard. Its quota not being full at the time the call was made, volunteers flocked to its standard in such numbers that compara- tively few of them could be accepted.
The Fourth Regiment, consisting of com- panies from Champaign, Coles, Douglas, Ed- gar, Effingham, Fayette, Jackson, Jefferson, Montgomery, Richland and St. Clair Counties, was mustered into the service of the United States, at Springfield, May 20, 1898, by Cap- tain Roberts, of the Seventeenth United States Infantry. On the same day, Col. Casimir Andel, of Belleville, was given command.
May 25, the regiment was ordered to report tember 17, then moved around to the vicinity . to Tampa, Fla., but en route it was assigned to Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's Corps (the Seventh) at Camp Cuba Libre, Jacksonville, where it ar- rived May 29, thus being deprived of oppor- tunity to participate in the Santiago campaign. At Jacksonville, Colonel Andel was succeeded by Lieut .- Col. Eben Swift, formerly of the Ninth Illinois. The Fourth remained there, doing pro- vost duty a part of the time, till October 26, then moved, with its corps, to Savannah, Ga.,
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
whence it embarked January 3, 1899, on the United States steamer "Mobile," for Havana, there to become a part of the army of occupa- tion. It arrived January 5. Peace having al- ready been established between the contend- ing powers, and the Spanish rule forever ban- ished from the island, there remained only police, camp and march duties to occupy the time of the regiment. After remaining at Camp Columbia, near Havana, thus employed, till April 4, 1899, it embarked for home on the steamers "Whitney" and "Yarmouth." It was mustered out of the service at Camp Macken- zie, Augusta, Ga., May 2 following. The duties that our men were called upon to perform in this service were not as active as they could have wished, owing to the comparative small- ness of the field and brevity of the contest, but, such as they were, they were patiently and patriotically performed. Good health generally prevailed in the service; but three men, neither of them from St. Clair county, died, and they died before the regiment went to Cuba. Hon- orable mention is made of the Fourth in the report of the Adjutant-General of Illinois.
Besides Company D, Fourth Illinois Volun- teer Infantry, St. Clair County furnished in- dividual members of the regular army and of the Rough Riders, who participated in the San- tiago campaign, and in service at Manila and elsewhere in the Philippines. The navy also had its representatives of St. Clair County, pre-eminent among whom was Captain Joseph B. Coghlan, who took a conspicuous and bril- liant part in the battle of Manila Bay, May 1, 1898, which resulted in the destruction of the Spanish fleet.
While it was given to but few of the volun- teers from St. Clair County to participate in the sanguinary conflicts of the War with Spain, not all of those who enlisted returned to their homes, and among the names of the many who died for their country in that war are those of boys of old St. Clair. The Spanish-American war-entered into on account of the cruel oppression and misgovernment of Cuba, near the American coast-while not in defense of the integrity of American territory, was truly in defense of American honor. No call to arms ever met a heartier response from the peo- ple at large than did this call; and, while the occasion, at the time, did not seem to be of great importance in our national history, its
ultimate results have been and are likely to be of the greatest importance. The only trou- ble that most of our patriotic young men en- countered during the progress of this war, was that there was not enough of the fighting to "go 'round" and give all a share of it.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
DISTINGUISHED CITIZENS.
CITIZENS OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY WHO HAVE WON DIS- TINCTION IN THE ARMY AND NAVY-REVOLUTION- ARY WAR PENSIONERS - SOLDIERS UNDER COL. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK-OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE WAR OF 1812-14-PARTICIPANTS IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR-MEN WHO WON FAME IN THE MEXICAN WAR-HEROES OF THE CIVIL AND SPANISH-AMERICAN WARS.
Following are the names of soldiers who served in the War of the Revolution and ended their days in St. Clair County, and who, under an act of Congress passed March 18, 1878, were granted pensions: Sergeant-Thomas Knight- on, South Carolina Continentals, pensioned March 4, 1831, aged eighty-one; Privates-Mar- tin Randelman, South Carolina Continentals, pensioned March 4, 1831, aged eighty-four; El- eazer Allen, Parsons' Continentals, pensioned at $96 per annum, April 13, 1825; Joseph Jones, Pulaski Legion, pensioned March 3, 1823, died August 6, 1826; Conrad Goodner, North Caro- lina Continentals, pensioned March 4, 1831, aged seventy-six; John Prime, Virginia Conti- nentals, pensioned March 4, 1831, aged eighty- four; John Collinsworth, Virginia Continent- als, pensioned March 4, 1831, aged seventy; Hosea Riggs, Pennsylvania Continentals, pen- sioned March 4, 1831.
With Clark at Cahokia were several of his Virginia followers who had determined to make homes in Illinois, among them James Moore and George Lunceford (many of whose de- scendants still live in St. Clair County), Rob- ert Kidd and Larkin Rutherford. Capt. James Moore1 came before Clark as a spy. Among those who belonged to Clark's command and joined him at Cahokia were Captain Bowman,
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Joseph Brady Boismenu and the intrepid Pau- lette Maize. William Biggs,1 who figures prom- inently in some of the chapters of St. Clair County history, also served under Clark. Among those deserving of special mention for service in the War of 1812-14 were Captains William B. and Samuel Whiteside,1 Jacob Short, James B. Moore1 and Col. Andrew Bankson.1
In the Black Hawk War, these and other St. Clair County men were prominent participants : Capt. Solomon Miller, Lieut. Aaron Land, Lieut. Isaac Griffen, all of Major N. Buckmaster's "Old Battalion;" Col. Samuel C. Christy, on Governor Reynolds's staff as Quartermaster; William Moore,1 chosen captain after the ren- dezvous at Beardstown; Maj. John A. Wake- field of the spy service; Col. John Thomas,1 com- mander of the Third Regiment; Capt. Adam W. Snyder,1 Lieut. John Winstanley; Lieut. Joshua W. Hughes, Capt. Gideon Simpson, Capt. John Whiteside,1 Vital Jarrot,1 Adjutant-General, with the rank of Colonel; Richard Roman, Surgeon of Buckmaster's "Old Battalion."
The names of Col. William H. Bissell1 and Lieut .- Col. James L. D. Morrison,1 of the Sec- ond Illinois Regiment, became conspicuous in the Mexican War, in which Captains Joseph K. Lemen, Joseph Raith and G. W. Hook, and Lieu- tenants Jacob C. Hinckley, Nathaniel Niles1 and William . H. Snyder1 did gallant service. For mention of many others who participated in that war see the chapter on the military his- tory of St. Clair County. There also will be found the names of numerous officers of many infantry, cavalry and artillery organizations. all of whom saw active service, some of whom won undying fame by daring deeds, and a few of whom laid down their lives in defense of the union of the States. The county's par- ticipation in the Spanish-American War is also set forth in that chapter. Here we have to deal with those who have attained to distinguished rank in army or navy, or have performed dis- tinguishing services not narrated elsewhere in this work.
Col. William H. Bissell, first Republican Gov- ernor of Illinois, and one of the heroes of the Mexican War, read law, was admitted to the bar and practiced his profession for a time at Belleville.
Lieut .- Comdr. William Braunersreuther, U. S. N., was born in Belleville, January 27, 1854.
(1) See "Encyclopedia" part of this work (Vol I.)
After leaving school, he worked as a carpen- ter for two years. At the age of seventeen, he entered Annapolis Naval Academy, recom- mended by John B. Hay. He especially distin- guished himself in the Spanish-American War. We condense from the issue of the "New American" of June 16, 1901, a newspaper pub- lished at Manila, P. I., the following:
"In the history of Manila since its occupa- tion by American troops, there has been no officer aside from the Governor-General and the 'powers that be,' who has had so much to contend with and has fought his battle so suc- cessfully as the Captain of the Port, Lieut .- Comdr. William Braunersreuther, U. S. N. As the result of his long naval service he is to be invalided home. Since June, 1898, he has un- complainingly performed the most trying and most important work ever dealt out to an officer in these waters. Mr. Braunersreuther (he was then navigating officer on the United States Cruiser Charleston) was appointed Cap- tain of the Port, August 16, 1898, Admiral Dewey personally making the appointment. Up to the time of the outbreak on the. 4th of Feb- ruary, 1899, Lieutenant Braunersreuther had been busily at work, night and day, carrying out his plans for improvement. These plans were his own; for he was virtually given carte- blanche when ordered to the post. That day and the one following, which caused so many, many families to mourn the loss of brother or son, also brought out all the capabilities of the Lieutenant. In addition to his regular duties, he was of great assistance to the army. Through his efforts, ammunition was pushed forward, the Quartermaster's Department and Medical Department were aided with transpor- tation, and the sick and wounded were brought in and temporarily cared for. During the six weeks following the outbreak, that portion of the city along the water-front, together with all shipping connected therewith, required his at- tention. At his own instigation and suggestion, an order was given that required all cascoes and lighters to leave the river each day at sun- set and go out into the bay for anchorage, returning again to moorings at sunrise next day. This act alone relieved the city of a most dangerous and vicious element. In ad- dition to this, he established a system of night patrol about the bay, preventing the leaving of cascoes and lighters by dangerous char-
H. Powell
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
acters. All steamers and tugboats were kept under orders to carry a sufficient head of steam over night to aid in extinguishing fires, and, if necessary, to haul off and go into the bay. The amount of work done can never be fully appreciated save by those who were forced to do it. It is generally conceded that the work has been well accomplished. One special act of distinction was the acceptance by Lieuten- ant Braunersreuther of the surrender of the Island of Guam. Following is his own account, as given by him in a letter:
" 'United States Steamer Charleston, at sea, and 1,000 miles from Manila, June 24, 1898: We have just carried out our orders to capture the Spanish authorities at the capital of the Ladrone Islands, Aguana. I was selected by the Captain to undertake this job, and was given 160 men to land with as a starter. I went ashore to have a talk with the Governor about affairs, and the result was that I did not lose a man. The matter was all settled in one day and we are carrying with us fifty-four soldiers (Spanish) and six officers, besides a lot of Mauser rifles and nearly 10,000 rounds of ammunition. I had the whole to handle, and did it up quickly. The Captain's instruc. tions were to wait a half hour for an answer to his ultimatum; then use my troops. I wait- ed, and in just twenty-nine minutes the Gov- ernor handed me his sealed reply, addressed to the Captain of my ship out in the harbor, about four or five miles off. I knew this was sealed with the sole object of gaining time; and hence I broke the seal, read the contents, the Governor protesting and saying that it was a letter for my Captain. I replied, 'I represent him here. You are now my prisoner, Senors, and you must come on board the ship with me.' They protested and pleaded, and finally the Governor said: 'You came on shore to talk over matters, and you make us prison- ers instead.' I replied: 'I came on shore to hand you a letter and to get your reply; in this reply, now in my hand, you agree to surren- der all your jurisdiction. If this means any- thing at all, it means that you will accede to any demands I may deem proper to make. You will at once write an order to your military man at Aguana, the capital (this place was five miles distant), directing him to deliver here, at this place, at 2 p. m. (it was then 10:30 a. m., June 21), all arms and ammunition and all
Spanish flags on the island; each soldier to bring his own rifle and ammunition, and all the soldiers-native and Spanish-with their officers, must witness this.' They protested and demurred, saying there was not time enough to do it; but I said, 'Senors, it must be done.' The letter was written, read by me and sent. I took all the officers on board with me in a boat, and at 4 p. m. went ashore again and rounded in the whole outfit. I was three miles away from my troops, and had only four men with me. At 4 p. m., when I disarmed 108 men and two officers, I had forty-six men and three officers with me. The keynote to the whole business was my breaking the seal of that letter and acting at once. They had no time to delay or prepare any treacherous tricks, and I got the 'drop' on the whole outfit, as they say out West. The native troops I re- leased and allowed to return to their homes, unrestricted; they had manifested great joy in being relieved from Spanish rule. While it was harsh, it was war, and in connection with the Spanish treachery it was all that could be done. Twenty-four hours would have -yes, I believe even four hours, with such a leader as the Governor was, a Lieutenant-Col- onel in the Spanish army-would have given them a chance to hide along the road at Aguana and at intervals in the dense tropical foliage, they could almost have annihilated any force we could have landed. The ap- proaches to the landing over shallow coral reefs would have made a landing without a terrible loss of life almost an impossibility, but 'all is well that ends well.' The details I have scarcely touched on; but if the officials and the soldiers had dreamed for one minute that they were to be torn from their homes, I am firmly convinced this letter would never have been written. The Captain, in extending to me his congratulations, remarked: 'Brau- nersreuther, you'll never, as long as you live, have another experience such as this. I con- gratulate you on your work.' All this whole affair was transacted in Spanish. I had an interpreter with me, but forgot all about using him. I did not want them to get a chance to think even before it was too late."
Lieutenant Braunersreuther is now in com- mand of the Portsmouth, N. H., Navy Yard.
Rear-Admiral Joseph Bullock Coghlan was born on December 9, 1844, in Frankfort, Ky.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
He is the son of Cornelius Coghlan and Lavinie (Fouke) Coghlan. On his father's side he is of Irish extraction, while his mother's ances- try is responsible for the Dutch and English strain in his composition. His education was received in the common schools at Belleville, Ill., until he received his appointment to the Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1860. He was graduated in 1863, and in 1873 received the degree of Bachelor of Arts from the George Washington University, of Washington, D. C.
Admiral Coghlan received his appointment to the Naval Academy on September 27, 1860, and upon graduation was promoted to En- sign on May 28, 1863. He was then attached to the steam sloop "Sacramento" on special service from 1863 to 1865. On November 10, in the latter year, he received his promotion as master of the steam sloop "Brooklyn," the Flag- ship of the Brazilian Squadron, remaining with this vessel until 1867, having in the meantime, on November 10, 1866, been commissioned Lieu- tenant. In 1867 he was the Executive Officer of the "Pawnee," being transferred the same year to the steam frigate "Gueriere," where he remained for a year, proceeding next to the sailing sloop "Portsmouth." On March 12, 1868, he received his commission as Lieutenant Com- mander, and being attached to the steam sloop "Richmond," joined the European Squadron, where he remained until 1871. Upon his re- turn in the latter year he was attached to "shore duty" in the Hydrographic Office, re- maining in this capacity until 1873, when he quit active duty and spent a year on "sick leave." He spent the next year with the North Atlantic Squadron, going thence to the receiv- ing ship "Colorado" for a time, when he was transferred to the "Monongahela," proceeding to the Asiatic Station, remaining until 1879, when he returned home to join the Receiving Ship "Independence."
In February, 1882, Admiral Coghlan was commissioned Commander, commanding the "Adams" from 1883-84 on the Pacific Station. Following this line of service he was stationed at the Mare Island Navy Yard from 1886 to 1887. He also commanded the "Mohican" from 1888 until 1890. The "Raleigh" was his next berth, and while serving upon this battleship he took part in the battle of Manila Bay, and participated in the making of history in that quarter of the globe. In 1898 he was stationed
at the War College and the New York Navy Yard, going from there to the command of the Carribean Squadron, where he spent two years, returning again to the War College, and was later appointed, on October 3, 1904, Command- ant of the Navy Yard at New York.
Apart from the mass of business dependent upon his duties in connection with the service, Admiral Coghlan has affiliated himself with the New York Yacht Club, the Union League, Army and Navy, University, the Loyal League, the G. A. R. Naval Union, Society of Foreign Wars. He is also a Mason and Knight Tem- plar, a Past Master of the Salona Lodge of California. In October, 1868, he was married to Julia Barbour, of Terre Haute, Ind., and they have one son, Graham Coghlan.
Col. Frederich Karl Franz Hecker. (See "Historical Encyclopedia," Vol. I. of this work, page 228.)
Rear-Admiral Louis Kempff, U. S. N., was born near Belleville, October 11, 1841. His parents were Frederick and Henrietta Kempff. He went to the Belleville schools, and also went to school to Mr. Rau. Later he studied in St. Louis. He entered the Naval Academy, Annap- olis, Md., September 25, 1857, and was grad- uated there in April, 1861. He was appointed acting midshipman, U. S. Navy, and served on board the sloop of war "Vandalia." In the blockade of Charleston, S. C., the Vandalia captured the schooner "Henry Middleton" in August, 1861, and young Kempff took the schooner to New York. He rejoined the "Van- dalia" in October, 1861. He was that month appointed an acting master in the Navy. He took part in the battle of Port Royal, S. C., November 7, 1861. Afterwards, he served on board the flagship "Wabash," South Atlantic Station, and on board some of the other ves- sels on the Atlantic and gulf coast to the end of the Civil War. He was in charge of a howiter in the expedition against Port Royal Ferry, S. C., in January, 1862, and took part in the bombardment of Sewell's Point, Va., May, 1862, and in the occupation of Norfolk. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, August 1, 1862; to Lieutenant-Commander, July 26, 1866; to Commander in March, 1876; to Captain, May 19, 1891; to Rear-Admiral, March 3, 1899.
As Commander he commanded the "Alert" . on the Asiatic Station, 1881-82; the "Adams,"
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
on the Pacific Station, 1885-88. As Captain he commanded the Coast Defense Ship "Monte- rey," Pacific Station, 1893-95. He was on shore service at different times during the years 1869-70, 1873-74, 1877-78, 1883-84, 1889-95, 1896-99. He was Commandant of the Navy Yard, Mare Island, Cal., 1899-1900, and on the Asiatic Station, 1900-02. He declined to join the foreign Admirals in firing on the Taku forts June 16, 1900, but after the U. S. S. "Mon- ocacy" was fired on by the Chinese forts, joined in with the available forces for the protection of life and property of the Americans and all foreigners. He commanded the Pacific Coast Naval Defense District from 1902 to 1903. He retired from active service in accordance with the law on account of age limit in October, 1903.
He was married at Fair Oaks, San Mateo County, Cal., July 16, 1873, to Miss Cornelia R. Selby, and has three children, the eldest of whom entered the Navy.
The "Congressional Record" of Monday, Feb- 1903,
ruary 2, contains the following: "Thanks of Congress to Rear-Admiral Kempff. Mr. Hitt (Chairman House Committee on For- eign Relations): Mr. Speaker, I move to sus- pend the rules and pass House Joint Resolution No. 8.
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