Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 36

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972

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By April 16 the company had received orders to report at Springfield. A subscription paper had been circulated to raise money to furnish uniforms for the Zouaves, and by April 20 $1,200 had been pledged, with the promise of more if it should be needed. Men, women and children bent their efforts toward getting the Zouaves in shape for service. The' women sent their sewing machines up to Concert Hall, and gath- ered there to make the uniforms out of bolts of blue flannel secured as donations from the merchants and with money subscribed by cifi- zens. Women worked as they had never worked before, willingly, yet reluctantly, tearfully, and yet cheerfully, as each tried to encourage the other and remove the fears that they were pre- paring for a final parting from their loved ones. The citizens were a Sunday-keeping people then,

perhaps more so than now, but it was resolved that the work justified it, and the women la- bored all that bright and beautiful day in early spring. On April 24, 1861, the Rockford Zouaves lett Rockford for the capital of the state. Business was generally suspended, and thousands of people were at the train to bid them farewell.

The Zouaves first enlisted for three months' service, and became Company D, of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry. This company, with two re- cruits in the following June, and one member of the noncommissioned regimental staff, num- bered exactly 100 men. They were the van- guard of the army furnished by Winnebago County. They belong to the first roll of honor, and for this reason their names are given in full as follows: Captain, Garrett L. Nevius; first lieutenant, Rhenodyne A. Bird; second lieutenant, William D. E. Andrus; first ser- geant, Henry H. Dean; sergeants, Randolph D. Hobart, James H. Manny, Charles B. Hull ; corporals, Edward F. Lugrin, Thomas Anyon, Orin C. Towne, Frederick Brown; musicians, John A. Hobart, Mills F. Needham; privates, Charles E. Arnold, William Atkins, Leander Bauder, Alfred Barker, Thomas J. Bryan, David O. Butolph, Henry L. Brown, John Beatson, Alpheus D. Brown, Alpheus M. Blakesley, George C. Brown, Benjamin Bentson, Thomas Beddoes, Thomas W. Cole, Orin W. Cram, An- drew Clark, Bradford A. Champlain, Henry W. Cooling, Ervin E. Clark, William W. Clark, Richard A. Compton, Philip Crooker, Charles D. Clark, George W. Darling, George E. Dol- phin, Elisha S. Daggett, Charles L. Dunham, John L. Davis, Alexander N. Davis, Charles B. Eaton, Jud A. Ellison, John E. Elliott, Peter Engalls, William D. Frost, Almond Gifford, Harvey Hemenway, Derastus Holmes, Simon Hosmer, Charles Hawkinson, Iereon R. Hest, Frederick I. Horsman, George J. Hitchcock, Herrington Love, Daniel E. Lee, Neri R. Mosher, George W. Maguire, John McGuire. Edward E. Magee, J. George Manlove, George H. Manchester, William L. Mesick, Charles Pit- tinger, Charles N. Price, Levi Pitney, Frederick L. Posson. Luman G. Pierce, Floyd B. Penoyer. Rudolph W. Peake, William M. Putnam, Charles N. Roberts, Walter Reckard, Shepard P. Strunk, Louis Schlunt, Joseph R. Shields, Erastus T. Stevens, William H. Skeed, Henry P. Strong, Ambrose Stearns, J. Murray Southgate, Christo-

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

pher C. Shank, James M. Stevens, Thomas A. Stevens, Edward S. Smith, Edwin Swift, Ed- ward P. Thomas, Riley Van Patten, John Wag- ner, Rufus L. Whitney, John W. Warfield, John W. Warner, William Winter, George Wilkin, William G. D. Weed, Francis B. Wakeman; recruits, Marion E. Delany, Louis Houston. Twenty members of the Zouaves were subse- quently sent home trom Springfield, under an army regulation that companies must not ex- ceed ninety-seven men, including officers. Some of these promptly enlisted in other companies.

The first soldier trom Rockford to die for his country in the Civil war was one of the first Zouave volunteers, Neri R. Mosher, who died June 5, 1861, of typhoid fever, at Camp Hardin, near Villa Ridge, Ill., and his remains were sent to Rockford for interment.

KETCHESON'S COMPANY.

Daniel O. Ketcheson was among the first to respond to the call of his country. He organ- ized a company called the Rockford Rifles. By reason of some confusion and embarrassment, however, at Springfield, he failed to get into the service of his own state, and the company at once disbanded. A new muster roll was immediately opened and another company formed. It went into camp at the fair grounds, where it took a full course of drill, and on May 31, Captain Ketcheson's company left Rockford for St. Louis, where it was accepted as Company I, of the Sixth Missouri Regiment, under command of Frank Blair. Captain Ketcheson died in Rockford April 28, 1864. He fought bravely at Corinth, Vicksburg, Cham- pions Hills, Arkansas Post, Mission Ridge and Chattanooga, and at Vicksburg and Arkansas Post he led charges and cheered his men to the very muzzles of the guns of the enemy.

In July, 1861, Rev. A. H. Conant, pastor of the Unitarian Church, resigned, and a few weeks later he enlisted as a chaplain in the Nineteenth Illinois Infantry. Only one other citizen of Winnebago County is known to have entered the service with this regiment, Colonel Thomas G. Lawler. Both these names, how- ever, in the adjutant-general's report, are cred- ited to Chicago. Chanlain Conant died at Nash- ville, February 8, 1863. His death was due to exposure and exertion at the battle of Murfrees- boro.

COL. EPHRAIM ELMER ELLSWORTH.

Col. Ephraim Elmer Ellsworth is one of the most historic figures of the early war period. He was a national character, yet there were reasons why local interest attaches to his mem- ory, and to the older residents who had known him he still seems as one of their own heroic boys. Colonel Ellsworth was born at Mechan- icsville, N. Y., April 23, 1837. After a brief mercantile career in Troy and New York, he removed to Chicago at an early age, where he became a solicitor of patents. In 185S he was engaged as drillmaster tor the old Rockford City Greys, an independent military company, which had been organized two years before. Under his instructions the company attained a high degree of proficiency. The Rocktord Reg- ister of June 1, 1861, in editorially commenting upon his death, said of this brilliant military leader : "Although young, he had proven him- selt to be surpassed by no man in the land as a teacher of military rules and drill, and, in tact, was the father of the Zouave drill in this country."

Colonel Ellsworth was a splendid type of young manhood. He was received as a social lion by the young people of Rockford. He was frequently a guest at the home of Charles H. Spafford, and at the time of his death he was betrothed to his elder daughter, who sub- sequently married Charles S. Brett.

In 1860 Colonel Ellsworth organized a com- pany of Zouaves in Chicago, and the following year he accompanied President Lincoln to Wash- ington. On May 24, 1861, upon seeing a Con- federate flag floating from a hotel in Alexan- dria, Va., he rushed to the roof and tore it down. On his return from the roof he was met and shot dead by Jackson, the owner, who, in turn, was killed by one of Ellsworth's men, Frank F. Brownell. Colonel Ellsworth's blood was the first shed in the civil conflict. The nation mourned his loss as of the fairest of the flower of her chivalry, The New York World paid him this noble tribute: "He was a hero in the fairest and most captivating sense of the word. He was as handsome as Murat and as brave as Ney. He possessed to a degree that winning power over men hy which. through all historv, great captains and leaders have been distinguished. He was a commander by the imperial right of birth." Colonel Ellsworth's

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

funeral was held in the east room of the White House. Notavie among the mourners was Gen. Wintield Scott, dressed in the full uniform of his high position, and also were gathered at his bier the great ones of the land, President Lin- coln, Simon Cameron, William H. Seward, Com- mander Paulding, of the navy, Nathaniel P. Banks, and other men high in the councils of the nation. On June 2 Rev. H. M. Goodwin preached a memorial service on the death of Colonel Ellsworth in the Second Congregational Church, Rockford, and similar services were held in Chicago. -

BISHOP SIMPSON. 4

Bishop Simpson was one of the greatest Amer- ican preachers. His war sermons in Rockford are, therefore, a matter of historic interest. Sunday, June 30, 1861, the three Methodist churches of the city uuited in a service in Met- ropolitan Hall. The bishop's sermon was of great power.

In the afternoon a union Methodist meeting was held in the Second Church, later known as the Court Street Church, when Bishop Simpson addressed the children. In the evening, upon the request of citizens, he preached an eloquent discourse in the Second Congregational Church, on "The Present Crisis."

ELEVENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

The Eleventh Illinois Infantry took an active part in the Vicksburg campaign. The total en- listment in this regiment from Winnebago County was 133. Garrett L. Nevius had entered the service as captain of Company D, but he rose rapidly, was promoted major, lientenant- colonel and finally colonel of his regiment. Colonel Nevius was killed in the charge of Ransom's Brigade on the enemy's works at Vicksburg, May 22, 1863, while on foot, at the head of his regiment, within ten rods of the line of entrenchments. He was in the act of waving his sword and urging his men forward, when the fatal bullet struck him in the head, crashing through his brain, killing him in- stantly. His dying words were: "Forward, my brave Eleventh !" His body was recovered and placed in charge of Captain W. D. E. Andrus, who, with a guard of ten men, imme- diately started to convey it to Rockford, arriv-

ing on June 3, 1803. The body lay in state at the courthouse, where memorial services were held. All business in the city was suspended. The meeting was called to order by the war mayor, Charles Williams. Dr. Thomas Kerr pronounced an eloquent eulogy. The remains were taken, with military escort, to the North- western depot, and forwarded to the home of his mother at Lodi, Seneca County, N. Y.

As a military man Colonel Nevius had won an enviable reputation. He possessed superior abilities. He was careful of his men, cool, well posted, sound in judgment, and brave almost to the point of recklessness. He led his men where duty called, and they were quick .to follow. Naturaly retiring and uuassuming iu private life, thus, perhaps, he was not so widely known as others of less ability for leadership, but those who knew him best learned to respect him for his high moral character and social worth. Colonel Nevius was ouly twenty-six years of age. He lived in deeds, and not in years. Nevius Post, No. 1, G. A. R., is named after him.

After three months of service, the Rockford Zouaves returned to Rockford. Many of theni promptly re-enlisted, and eight days later, An- gust 16, they again went to the front. Captaiu W. D. E. Andrus was detailed as recruiting offi- cer, and it was not until November 13 that the ranks were filled, when the recruits joined the company at Bird's Point. The Rockford City Baud entered service with the Zouaves and became a part of the Eleventh Regiment. The following named musicians constituted the regi- mental band: M. H. Baldwin, Robert Alchin, Rufus B. Artz, Prolia Artz, Charles B. Eaton (No. 1), Charles B. Eaton (No. 2), James Eaton, Augustus Dedrickson, Thomas Gray, Charles W. Halcum, Charles P. Henrick, Daniel Kipp, Isaac Larue, Horace Nettleton, John P. Nettleton, Ilenry C. Sullivan. The total number of men enrolled in Company D of the Eleventh Regi- ment, including recruits for the three years, was 104.

FIFTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

The Fifteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry was raised under the "ten regiment act," in the First Congressional District. Company A was from McHenry County ; Company B, Boone County ; Company C, Winnebago County ; Com-

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

pany D, McHenry County ; Company G, Stephen- son County ; Company H, Ogle County ; Com- pany I, Lake County, and Company K, from Carroll County. The regiment was organized at Freeport, Ill., and mustered into the United States service on the 24th day of May, 1861, as one of the first regiments from the state sworn into the United States service, for the three years' service. After electing officers, organiz- ing and drilling for some time, the regiment proceeded to Alton, and remained there six weeks for instruction ; in July the regiment left Alton hy steamboat for St. Charles, Mo., thence by rail to Mexico, Mo., where it remained for a time in company with the Twenty-first Illinois Infantry, commanded hy Col. U. S. Grant. A part of the regiment went from Mexico to Ful- ton, and thence to the Missouri River, and thence by steamer to Jefferson Barracks; the other part to Hannibal, Mo., and thence by steamer to Jefferson Barracks. The regiment then moved by rail to Rolla, Mo., where it arrived in time to cover General Sigel's retreat from Wilson's Creek. After building one or two forts the regi- ment was ordered to Tipton, Mo., and thence became attached to General Fremont's army, and marched under General Hunter to Spring- field, Mo .; a short time after returned to Tipton, then went to Sedalia. It assisted in the cap- ture of. 1,300 of the enemy a few miles from the latter place. The regiment then marched to Otterville, Mo., and went into winter quarters December 26, 1861. The winter was cold and the snow deep, and the first winter's experience

in tents was a very severe one. On February 1, 1861, the regiment marched to Jefferson City, thence by rail reached St. Louis, where it em- barked on transports for Fort Donelson, and arrived to take part in the surrender. The regiment was then assigned to General S. A.

Hurlbut's "Fighting Fourth Division," and marched to Fort Henry, then went by boat to Pittsburg Landing. It was one of the first regiments that landed on that historic battle- ground. At the hattle of Shiloh, on the 6th of April, the regiment was in the first line of battle, formed by Hurlhut's Division, and was in the brigade commanded by General C. Veach. Hardly had the brigade taken position, when a Confederate column, massed three lines deep, deployed from the woods on the left front, and with a yell that echoed through the surround- ing forest, charged on in double-quick. The

Fifteenth was flanked by the Fifty-third Ohio, on the right. At the first fire of the enemy the Buckeyes hroke and ran, and the enemy were not only in front of the Fifteenth Regi- ment, but on both flanks in a very short time. Nevertheless for more than one hour the regi- ment held its position and fought as gallantly as any troops could fight in the terrible struggle, called by the Confederates the "Hornet's Nest," and disputed inch by inch the advance and the incessant attacks of the best troops in the Confederate service. Owing to the want of support, the regiment was com- pelled to withdraw and take up a new position. In five minutes after the regiment formed its first line, the field officers, Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. W. Ellis and Major William R. Goddard, Captains Holder Brownell and Harley Wayne and Lieutenant John W. Peterbaugh, were killed, and Captain Adam Nase lost a leg and was taken prisoner. Captain Thomas J. Turner was ab- sent, and the command of the regiment devolved upon Captain L. D. Kelly and George C. Rogers, assisted by Adjutant Charles F. Barber. As soon as a new line was formed (the Fourteenth Illinois on the left of the Fifteenth), when the enemy had approached sufficiently near, these two regiments, acting as one man, delivered a rapid, well aimed and destructive fire full into the massed ranks of the enemy. At the second attack these two regiments received the first shock, and for three hours were in that awful gap, without giving ground, where the Con- federates sacrificed more than two thousand as brave men as ever trod the battle-field, in the unavailing effort to drive them from their posi- tion. This baptism of blood cemented the two regiments, and they were always afterward hri- gaded and served together during the remainder of the war, and discharged at the same time and place. The Fifteenth was in the hottest of the fight hoth days of the hloody battle, and not a man faltered in his duty or failed to perform all that was required of him. The two regi- ments that were in the final charge on the 7th, led by General Grant in person, were the Four- teenth, commanded by Col. Cyrus Hall, and the Fifteenth Illinois, commanded by Capt. George C. Rogers. This detachment moved forward, and when within range delivered their fire, and with fixed bayonets charged at double-quick. The raking fire, however, had done its work. The Confederate army had fled. The Fifteenth regi-

Charles H. Herbert

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

ment lost in this engagement 250 men killed and wounded, and there are more of the "known dead" of this regiment buried in the National Cemetery at Pittsburg Landing, than of any other regiment, and many died of wounds in hospitals at home.

E. F. W. Ellis was one of the first citizens of Rockford to become inspired with an ardent military spirit, which found its expression in the organization of a company, the Ellis Rifles, which he tendered to the governor. The enroll- ment began April 24, 1861, and the ranks were filled in less than one week. Mr. Ellis was chosen captain ; Holder Brownell, first lieu- tenant ; Cyrenius C. Clark, second lieutenant. On May 11 the Rifles went into camp at Free- port, and were subsequently known as Company C, of the Fifteenth Infantry, under command of Colonel Thomas J. Turner. The total enroll- ment of Company C, including veterans and recruits, was ninety-three men. Volunteers from Winnebago enlisted in other companies oť the Fifteenth. The total enrollment of this regiment from Winnebago County, including field and staff, non-commissioned staff, privates, veterans, recruits and unclassified recruits, was 125 men. The adjutant's report also gives the names of fifteen volunteers from this county in the reorganized Fifteenth regiment.

FUNERAL OF COLONEL ELLIS.

Col. Ellis' remains were brought to the city April 20, on a special train. On Monday they lay in state at the courthouse. The room was draped in the national colors, and underneath lay all that was mortal of the patriot hero, in- closed in a metallic burial case, upon which was placed his sword and belt.

The funeral was held on Tuesday in the Sec- ond Congregational Church, the largest audi- torium then in the city. Two thousand people were in attendance. Rev. J. H. Vincent, pastor of the Court Street Church, now Bishop Vin -. cent, preached the funeral sermon. His text was Zachariah XIII : 8-9: "And it shall come to pass that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and I will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried ; they shall call on my name, and I will hear them ; I will say, It is my people ; and

they shall say, the Lord is my God." Masonic services at the grave were in charge of L. F. Warner, master of Star in the East lodge.

Winnebago County had six companies in the battle of Shiloh. Company C lost, besides Colonel Ellis, Captain H. Brownell, W. H. Brown, William Caughey, J. E. Vance and Asa- bel Douglas ; Company D, of the Eleventh, lost Charles Hawkinson and Dennis Manchester. Those killed in Company G, of the Forty-fitth, were Corporal McNeilage, James Watterson, Conard LaGrange, George Henry, The killed in Company E, of the Fifty-second, were Patrick Cunningham and Charles P. Roch. The com- pany was in six engagements during the first day's fight. Company C, of the Fifty-fiftb, lost Lieutenant Theodore Hodges, Corporal Daniel Sullivan, Sergeant Miron Ganoung, Bragella Crowell, Nathan Knapp and O. Helgerson. All of these companies suffered losses in wounded. J. C. Manlove, Jr., and Andrew Clark, who had entered Waterhouse's Battery, after three months' service with the Zouaves, were both wounded in the shoulder.

FORTY-FOURTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

J. T. Hobart raised a company in August, 1861, which became Company G, of the Forty- fourth Infantry, known as the Northwestern Rifles regiment. The number of enlistments in this company from Winnebago County for the entire war period, including recruits, was 124. There were also in this regiment, on its field and staff, non-commissioned staff, and re- cruits in Company F, ten volunteers from this county, This regiment was mustered into the service in September, 1861.

In response to appeals made at war meetings, many attempts were made, more or less success- ful, to raise companies in the various town- ships of the county. Captain S. Whitmeyer or- ganized the Durand Guards, and a company was enrolled in Cherry Valley, which, for some reason, was not accepted. These volunteers found their way into the service as members of other companies. Recruiting officers also se- cured volunteers in the interest of various regi- ments. Among these were Lieutenants E. H. Brown and D. H. Gile, of Chicago, who were in Rockford in the interest of Company A, of the Yates Phalanx,

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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY

FORTY-FIFTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

In the month of February, 1863, the Forty- fifth Illinois Infantry moved with Grant's army on transports down the Mississippi River from Memphis, to take part in the Vicksburg cam- paign. Stops were made at Lake Providence, Vista Plantation and Milliken's Bend. At Milli- ken's Bend volunteers were called for to run the batteries with transports at Vicksburg. The entire regiment, officers and men, volunteered for this duty. The matter was decided by mak- ing a detail of the quota assigned to the Forty- fifth. The detail comprised the crew which manned the steamer Anglo-Saxon, and took her safely through, loaded with a full cargo of commissary stores.

In August, 1861, Melancthon Smith issued a stirring appeal for volunteers, quoting the last words of General Lyon, "Come on, brave men!" Mr. Smith had only a few months before re- ceived the appointment of postinaster of Rock- ford, and it required not a little patriotism to leave this position for the hardships of war. Mr. Smith had been a member of the old Rock- ford City Greys, which had been drilled by Colonel Ellsworth, and he was thus not entirely without military experience. September 17 an election of officers was held, with the following result : Captain, Melancthon Smith; first lieu- tenant, Robert P. Sealy ; second lieutenant, D. W. Grippen. On September 22 the company left Rockford for Camp Washburne, at Galena. It was mustered into the service as Company G, of the Forty-fifth regiment, known as the Wash- burne Lead-Mine regiment, in command of Colonel John E. Smith. The total number of enlistments in Company G from Winnebago County, including veterans, recruits and drafted and substitute recruits, was 124, and the total number of enlistments was 231 in the Forty-fifth regiment from Winnebago County.

John Travis, a member of the Rifles, was the first soldier from Winnebago County killed in battle. He lost his life at the battle of Fort Donelson. in February, 1862. His body was recovered by Israel Sovereign, and was brought home for burial. There were four companies from this county on that field of carnage: The Rockford Rifles and the Cherry Valley company, in the Forty-fifth ; the Zouaves, in the Eleventh, and Captain Boyd's company, in the Fifty- second. The first of May, 1863, found the

Forty-fitth on the east bend of the Mississippi at Bruinsburg, below Vicksburg, and the same day started with General Grant's army on the famous campaign which ended in the capture of Vicksburg. The regiment participated in all the battles of the campaign, forming part of Logan's Division. The position of the Forty- fifth during the siege of Vicksburg was imme- diately at the White House, on the Jackson road, in front of the Confederate stronghold, Fort Hill, regarded as the key to the fortress. The Forty-fitth took part in three charges against the enemy's works, on the 19th and 22d of May and the 24th of June. On the 22d Major Luther H. Cowan was instantly killed. About a month was occupied in running a gap and dig- ging a mine under Fort Hill, and on June 25, the. mine having been charged, the match was applied. The Forty-fifth was selected as the storming party after the breach should be made. Immediately after the explosion the reg- iment rushed into the crater, but was met with a murderous fire from the enemy, who was still protected by an embankment of about three feet in width, which had been thrown up as an inner line in case the outer works should be demol- ished. The loss to the Forty-fifth in this charge was eighty-three officers and men killed and wounded. Among the number were Melancthon Smith, lieutenant-colonel ; Leander B. Fisk, ma- jor, and a number of non-commissioned officers and men. Among the wounded was Jasper A. Maltby, colonel of the regiment. It was bloody affair, indeed. When the city surren- dered, on account of its conspicuous service dur- ing the siege, by order of General Grant, the Forty-fifth was given the advance of the Union army when it entered that stronghold, and its flag was raised upon the courthouse by Colonel William F. Strong, of General McPherson's staff, to denote the possession of the city by the Federal army.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II, Part 36

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 972

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Rogers, Thomas H; Moffet, Hugh R; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Chicago : Muncell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 972