History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 78

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time > Part 78

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Second Regiment, which was headed by the late Governor Bissell, lost two Captains, one subaltern, and twenty-nine enlisted men ; total, thirty-two killed ; had wounded two Captains, six subalterns, and sixty-three enlisted men, and four missing. The aggregate loss for this regiment was one hundred and twenty-six. The term of service having expired, the First and Second regiments, which were at Buena Vista, were discharged at Camargo, Mexico, June 17, 1847.

The Third and Fourth regiments, which were in the battle of Cerro Gordo, were discharged in New Orleans, La., May 25, 1847.

The Secretary of War, April 19, 1847, made a requi- sition for six thousand more volunteers to "serve during the war " to take the place of those whose term of enlistment was to expire. Of this call but one regi- ment was assigned to the State of Illinois. Governor French issued his call for another regiment in conformity to the requisition of the Secretary of War early in May, and young men throughout the State. as well as many older ones, offered themselves by thousands. In Chicago they sprang up as by magic. On May 11, the Chicago Democrat said : " The Chicago cavalry em- braces the very flower of our city ; young men com- manding the highest confidence, both for their talents and integrity. We hope these young men who did their business on ten hours' notice will be accepted."

In its issue of May 18 appeared the following : "Colonel Hamilton has just arrived from Springfield, and we learn that he has had the Chicago Horse Com- pany accepted as a company of infantry, and that there is no probability of having our second company accepted unless the express arrived carly on Monday morning,

281

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

as there was a great rush to get a chance to volunteer from all parts of the State."

At that time there were no telegraphs, and hence the long delay in communicating with the capital of our State, to say nothing about the delays in reaching Washington, from whence all war orders came. The writer was a member of " the Chicago Horse Company," and it was only by hard work and a little stategy that the late Colonel Richard J. Hamilton succeeded in having it accepted as one of the infantry companies for the new regiment. It was raised quickly, and upon receipt of the glorious news that it was.accepted, an election was held for company officers, with the follow- ing results : For Captain, Thomas B. Kenney ; First Lieutenant, Murray F. Tuley ; Second Lieutenants, Richard N. Hamilton and James N. Hunt, with the fol- lowing rank and file : Sergeants, Alvin V. Morey, John A. Knights, William Forsyth and John B. Goodrich ; Corporals, Charles C. P. Holden, George Brinsmaid, George Hewitt and Levi R. Vantassell ; fifer, Charles Styles ; drummer, George Carson ; privates, James H. Allen, William H. Black, Robert Croft, James H. God- frey, Edgar Pool, Jeremiah Styles, Spencer Pratt, Will- iam Daniels, Hendrick Hattendorf, Ashley Anderson, Brebson W. Brunker, John M. Bour, John Burns, Nelson Barnum, Richmond S. Danforth, George W. Case, James Foster, Alfred T. Woodford, James Rote, Asa H. Cochman, George B. Bull, William P. Gregg, John P'. Girard, Amos N. Griffith, Joseph Gardner, Lyman Herrick, Harvey Hall, Seth P. Huntington, Daniel Huntley, Alanson Halleck, Iver Johnson, Fred- erick Kratzer, Henry Lahr, William Mathews, William Mudge, Morris H. Morrison, Theophilus Michael, James V. Ramsden, Nicholas Rodholtz, Gotrich Stroh, Augustus H. Seider, Freeman Thornton, Henry Snight, Alexander H. Tappan, Christopher F. Utho, Adam Wiley, James C. Young, Erastus D. Brown, Peter Back- man, August Eberhard, Stephen Emory, James R. Hugunin, John W. Hipwell, Jacob Kensling, Lorenzo D. Loring, James 1). Morgan, Lorenzo I). Maynard, Charles J. McCormick, Phineas Page, Valentine Rhein- hard, Julius C. Shepherd, John T. Rolph, Julius C. Shaw, Thomas Scacor, John W. Strebel, Levi R. Van- tassell, James Wilson, Seymour Whitbeck, Luther G. Hagar, Alexander Freeman, Daniel Martin.

·When thus organized it was at once ordered to re- port at Alton, Ill., the general rendezvous for all Illinois volunteers for the Mexican War. The company proceeded thither via stage, to LaSalle, where a steamer was in readiness which took it down the Illinois River to Alton, where it arrived about May 30, 1847, and im- mediately went into camp. And here soldier-life com- menced in real earnest. The city was flooded with the new companies and many others. Indeed, there were several fragmentary companies, partly filled, which had reported at Alton with the hope of being accepted and subsequently filling their companies to the maximum number. These companies were doomed to disappoint- ment. as only the ten companies which had reported to the Governor in the first instance could be accepted at this time. James R. Hugunin, of this city, had the nucleus of a fine company which he tendered to the State for service in Mexico. There were many other companies also tendered, all of which were refused, when they immediately broke up their company organ- izations, and the individual members applied to be ad- mitted to the ranks of such companies as had been accepted by the State and General Government, and it is believed, a large majority of them were thus accepted, as the Chicago company had more than one hundred

upon its rolls. eighty-five of whom belonged in Chicago and the towns immediately surrounding the city, and were credited to Chicago.

The regiment was now ready to complete its organ- ization, and Captain Edward W. B. Newby, of the Brown County company, was elected Colonel of the same. Henderson B. Boyakin, a private in Captain Turner's Marion County company, was elected Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Israel B. Donaldson, of the Pike County company, was elected Major. Colonel Richard J. Hamilton, of Chicago, who had been father of the Chi- cago company, was a candidate for the colonelcy, but was defeated in the ballot by E. W. B. Newby.

The regiment having completed its organization, was ready to march at an hour's notice. The Chicago company was presented with a beautiful banner by the ladies of Alton, and the members were all in high spirits and anxious to move to the front, expecting to be or- dered to Scott's line of the army, then en route from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. But judge of the surprise of the regiment when the order did come, and they were marched to the steamers for transportation down the river. and when well under way, and just op- posite the mouth of the Missouri River, the transports turned suddenly into and up that stream, when for the first time their destination was known. It was Santa Fé, where they arrived after a tedious and hard jour- ney across the plains September 16, 1847. The steamer brought them to Fort Leavenworth, where they re- mained, making all necessary preparations for the march across the country, which was entered upon about July 6. Fort Leavenworth at that time was on the eastern border of the Indian Territory, and upon starting out from that post the command took a southerly direction until it had crossed the Kaw River, which crossing was at a point below where the city of Lawrence, Kan .. now stands. Soon after crossing the river they took the Santa Fe trail. Thus far they had traveled through the country occupied by the civilized Indians, but soon after entered that of the hostiles. On passing Council Grove, and from that point to Los Vegas, the country through which they passed was occupied by the worst tribes of Indians that ever infested the plains." There were traveling under the protection of this command a large number of traders en route to Santa Fe. They had elegant trains, consisting of six mule teams, heavily loaded with goods for New Mexico and the lower coun- try. They sought the company of this detachment of soldiers to protect them from the savages, of whom they always had mortal fear, but during the entire dis- tance through this hostile country the writer has no recollection of having seen or even heard of an Indian. They gave the army a wide berth, fearing, no doubt, the old flint-lock muskets with which it was armed.

About the time the Fifth Regiment left Alton another was forming-the Sixth Regiment-composed in a large part of those companies and men that had failed to be accepted in the Fifth. This regiment was commanded by Colonel James Collins, who had brought a company from Galena, Ill., as Captain of the same. He was elected Colonel August 3, 1847. There were many Chicagoans in that regiment. Among the number were: In Company A. Martin Clark, Lewis Johnson, Damon C. Kennedy, Aaron Messechar, Thomas Mullen, Martin McRorgh, James McDonald, Job A. Orton, William .\. Thornton ; in Company E, Thomas C. Jones, Lock- wood Kellogg. Frank Smith, John Worrell, Charles Brown, George Robinson ; in Company F. Andrew Bauder, James K. Ross, Vernon J. Hopkins, William A. Hodges, James M. Johnson, Henry McGuire, An-

282

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

drew Mackay, James A. Nelson, John Reynolds; in Company I, Joseph R. Anderson, Artemus L. Ben- jamin, Henry Blowney, Lafayette Lock, Thomas Pol- lard, Hugh Riley ; in Company K, Edward Connuff, John Reed, Clark W. Roberts, Timothy Ryan, Hiram Shook. This regiment was ordered to Scott's line, and suffered terribly by sickness and disease, and some were killed in the battle at San Juan, Mexico. When they went into the field the regiment numbered 1,046, of- ficers and men. Of those, four Captains, nine Lieuten- ants, and two hundred and eighty non-commissioned officers and privates died of disease and were killed be- tween the City of Mexico and Vera Cruz. The wreck of this regiment returned to Alton, Ill., where it was mustered out of the service July 24, 1848.

Under the act of Congress, approved May 13, 1846, the following companies of mounted volunteers were raised at various points in the State, to-wit: Captain A. Dunlap, company numbering 138 officers and men; Captain M. K. Lawler's, 121 officers and men; Captain Josiah Littell's, 103 officers and men; Captain Wyatt B. Stapps's, 97 officers and men; and Lieutenant G. C. Lamphere's, 31 officers and men; a total of 490.

During the spring of 1846 Captain C. C. Sibley came to Chicago and opened a recruiting office. He enlisted a large number of men, and in the winter and spring of 1847 he continued enlistments in Chicago. Captain E B. Bills, of Naperville, Ills., under the act of Congress ·known as the "ten regiment bill" enlisted a full com- pany in Cook County for service in Mexico.

All the record that the writer is able to find of these enlistments is to be found on pages 314, 315 and 316 of the Adjutant-General's report, State of Illinois, which is very imperfect. Three pages are devoted to these en- listinents and the list contains 343 names. Further than that the record is silent. Not a date is given, nor where the recruits were from, nor what became of them. They appear to have been about equally credited to three companies, to-wit: Company G, 16th Infantry, were allowed 118; Company A, 16th Infantry, 124, and Com- pany E, 14th Infantry, 101-giving a total of 343. No record is to be found of the company raised by Captain E. B. Bills, though his full company was raised in Cook and adjoining counties, in the spring of 1847, and the zealous Captain led his company to Mexico. And this is all the writer is able to say of Captain Bills and his company, or of the 343 men enlisted by Captain C. C. Sibley. General Isaac H. Elliott, Adjutant-General of the State, on page 314 of his report, says, concerning these men: "The Adjutant-General of the army when applied to for data as to the killed, wounded, discharg- ed, etc., stated 'I have the honor to inform you by direction of the Secretary of War that the request can- not be complied with; it being contrary to the well established practice of the office and not consistent with the interest of the public service.'" This is simply a disgraceful blot on the fair fame and honor of Illinois, whose sons went forth at the call of the President to fight and die, if need be, for their country's aggrandize- ment, and this is the only State record left to their heirs and country. There were many other enlistments in Chicago and Cook County, but the above number are all that can be traced by any printed record.

There were two small companies of regulars, consist- ing of 115 men, enlisted here in the winter of 1847. by Captain C. C. Sibley, of which. no record is to be found. They were assigned to companies B, 16th Infantry, and D), 3d Infantry. Mr. D. 1 .. Juergens, then and now a resident of this city, was one of the last-named company, and is authority for the statement that they were pushed

to the front with all possible dispatch, being in all the battles from San Antonio and Contreras to the City of Mexico, which they helped to take September $4, 1847. He says that two-thirds of the number were killed and died of disease and from wounds received in battle. He names the following, which he remembers as from Chi- cago: Bernard Althower, Theodore Bohnenkemp, - Fond, William. Heldman, -- Hacks, - Greenhard, Marahan Jansen, D. L. Juergens, John McKinney, John Moriarty, G. W. Savory, Fred Schmidt, Phillip Schweit- zer, Theodore Tehts, William Wolf. There is no record of either of these companies in General Elliott's report, and they were all Illinoisans. The following is the number of officers and enlisted men that went to Mexico to serve in the war with that country from Illinois, to wit:

First Illinois Regiment. 763

Second Illinois Regiment. 727

Third Illinois Regiment. 924

Fourth Illinois Regiment. S47

Fifth Illinois Regiment 1,060

Sixth Illinois Regiment. 1,046

Mounted Volunteers 490

Regulars, etc.

458

Grand total of all troops from Illinois. .6,315

The record of the War Department shows total num- ber of volunteers from Illinois 6, 123, which number is 226 in excess of those reported by the Adjutant-General of our State. The records of the War Department as to our own volunteers are undoubtedly correct. It is safe to assume that one-eighth of the enlistments, including those for the regular army and also those who enlisted under the ten regiment act, were from Chicago and Cook County, or 790, officers and men.

This county did its full share in furnishing men for the Mexican War. Of the 790 young men that went into that struggle from this county not more than 500 re- turned to the homes they had left in 1846 and 1847 and of these 500 not more than 62 are survivors at this time.

Company F, the Chicago company in the Fifth Regi- ment, lost by death many of its best men, and among the number were William A. Black, who died at Santa Fé October 9, 1847 ; James H. Allen, who died in Socoro, on the Rio Grande, December 10, 1847 ; James H. Godfrey, who died in Santa Fé January 29, 1848; Robert Croft, May 31, 1847: William Daniels, August 19, 1847; Hendrick Hattendorf, June 11, 1847; Spencer Pratt, September 19, 1847 , Edgar Poole, September 30, 1847 ; Jeremiah Styles, November 3, 1847 ; John W. Wheat, September 29, 1847. Thus was ten per cent of the company wiped out, while on foreign soil, by disease and death.

The havoc by death since that time would seem almost incredible, nevertheless the following statement is thought to be strictly true. Of the staff officers, Colonel Newby, Colonel Boyakin and Major Donaldson are dead. The Hon. William H. Snyder, now of St. Clair County, this State, who was the Adjutant, only sur- vives. Of Company F, Captain T. B. Kenney and Lieutenants R. N. Hamilton, Alvin V. Morey, James N. Hunt, and John A. Knights are dead. Hon. Murray F. Tuley, First Lieutenant Company F, still survives. and is one of our honored Judges at the present time. No doubt the same ratio of disease and death has pre- vailed among the officers of the other companies of the Fifth Regiment of which the writer has no definite knowledge.

Three of Company F deserted, to wit: Luther (. Hager, Alexander Freeman, and Daniel Martin. During

283

EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.

the last days of October or early in November. 1847, seven companies of the Fifth Regiment Illinois Volun- teers, Easton's Battalion of Missouri Volunteers and a battery of artillery of six pieces with supply trains were ordered to move out of Santa Fé and to march souther- ly down the Rio Grande. This news when known by the various companies that were to go was hailed with delight, as it was thought that they were to take the route of Colonel Doniphan, who with his regiment had preceded them but a short time, and whose cam- paign in Mexico, as subsequent events proved, stood second to none in that service.

A paymaster was ordered to accompany the expedi- tion which boded a long journey for the command. All being in readiness, they started off with banners flying and all in the highest spirits. They hoped that they were en route for Chihuahua and further on toward Saltillo, where they expected to join the army of Gen- eral Zachary Taylor. Major Donaldson was in com- mand of the expedition, Colonel E. W. B. Newby re- maining in Santa Fé, where he was in temporary com- mand of the Post and the Department of New Mexico. In seven weeks they made but one hundred and seven- ty-five miles, or a trifle more than four miles per day, arriving at Valverde, below Limitaa, near the entrance of the desert which had to be crossed before reaching El Paso, about the middle of December. This long time had not been consumed in marching, as the time was principally spent in the various camps, watching the decimation of their ranks by disease and death, caused by the prevailing fevers of the country. During Janu- ary, 1848, General Sterling Price arrived in Santa Fé and took command of the Post and Department, at once relieving Colonel Newby. The Fifth still remained in camp near Limitaa. They were ordered back to Santa Fe during the winter much to their disgust. Easton's Battalion and the artillery company went forward, and the writer thinks that they reached Chihuahua, where it was reported they had a fight. It was the last battle of the Mexican War, and, of course, they came out vic- torious. No part or parcel of the United States Army was ever whipped during that war. It was a series of victories from beginning to end.

The Fifth remained in Santa Fé until late in the spring of 1848 when a detachment, about three hundred strong, was ordered mounted and were sent something like three hundred miles west of Santa Fé to conquer a peace with the Navajo Indians, who were killing the Spaniards in the valleys, carrying off into bondage their women and children, plundering, and running off their stock. The detail took in a large portion of Company F (the Chicago company). It was an interesting cam- paign. The marauding Indians were found in their strongholds, three hundred miles west of Santa Fé, thoroughly whipped and subjugated and brought back to Santa Fé together with the captured women and chil- dren. A treaty of peace was negotiated with the tribe and a guard detailed to escort them back to their coun- try. The writer was one of the guard, Judge Tuley, of Chicago, being in command of the same. The guard accompanied the tribe seventy-five miles into the Jamaz Valley, where it bid them adien, when they took to the mountains and the escort returned to Santa Fe. News of the peace reached the regiment early in August, when preparations were begun for the return of the reg- iment to the United States. Trains for the transporla- tion of the commissary and company supplies had to be got in readiness before it could leave for the recrossing of the plains. In the meantime many of the officers and men of the regiment applied for their discharges,

.n order that they might proceed westerly to California, or elsewhere as they might determine. Many of the Chicago company were among the number, to wit : First Lieutenant, Murray F. Tuley; Second Lieutenant, James N. Hunt; Sergeant, John D. Goodrich; Corporal, Levi R. Vantassell; musician, George Carson; privates, Peter Backman, Stephen Emory, James R. Hugunin, John W. Hipwell, Jacob Kesling, James D. Morgan, Lorenzo D. Maynard, Charles J. McCormick, Phineas Page, Valentine C. Shaw, Thomas Seacor. Sergeant Alvin V. Morey was elected First Lieutenant ; John A. Knights, Second Lieutenant. Charles C P. Holden was appointed Sergeant and James Rote was appointed. Corporal, before the return march commenced.

Everything being in readiness orders were given for the regiment to report at Fort Leavenworth and Alton, Ill., for final discharge from the service of the United States Government, and on or about August 20, the command, in three detatchments, left for home, and re-crossed the plains to Fort Leavenworth, where trans- ports were in waiting. The regiment in detachments, reached Alton, Ill, where they were mustered out of the United States service October 18. 1848. Many of the best men in the regiment, and in the Chicago company, had died in the service of their country and lay buried in their graves in the valley of the Rio Grande, in the mountains and on the plains. Such was life in the army in Mexico in 1846-47 and 1848.

The Chicago Evening Journal in its issue of October 28, 1848, said :

"The Fifth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, under Colonel Newby. were mustered out of the service at Alton, Monday last, October 18. General Churchill remarked : 'It is with much reluctance that I award to any soldiers more credit for good, orderly and soldier- like conduct than I have heretofore ascribed to the regiments com- manded by the lamented Colonel Hardin and the gallant Colonel Bissell ; but I feel constrained by a sense of justice to say, that I have never in my life mustered a regiment superior in sobriety and good order and conduct to that I have just been engaged in mus- tering out of the service. Both officers and men can equal the finest discipline found amongst old regulars.'"

Under same date the Journal also said :

"Captain Kenney's company of volunteers recently mustered out at Alton, have returned to their homes and we recognize many an old face, etc." "Steele, of the Exchange, tendered thema ban- quet on their return,"

Colonel Richard J. Hamilton, who had done so much in raising this company, gave a magnificent din- ner to a large number of the company.

There were many soldiers in the Mexican War from Illinois who subsequently became noted for their fame as officers in the late war or as statesmen, or both, and a few may be mentioned as among the many from this State, to wit :

General U. S. Grant, 2d Lieut. 4th Infantry.

Major-General John Pope, 2d Lieut. Regulars.

William H. Bissell, late Governor of Illinois, Colonel 2d Illi- nois.

General Edward D. Baker, Colonel 4th Illinois. Ferris Foreman, Colonel 3d Illinois.

William A. Richardson, Major Ist Illinois. General Isham N. Ilaynie, late Adjutant-General State of Illi- nois, 1-t Lieut. Company C. 5th Illinois.

General Richard J. Oglesby, late Governor of Illinois, Ist Lieut. Company C. 4th Illinois. General W. If. L. Wallace, Adjutant Ist Illinois.

General Benjamin M. I'rentiss, Captain Company I, ist Ill- inois. Murray F. Tuley, Ist Lieut. Company F. 5th Illinois.

General John Morrill, private, Company 1, Ist Illinois. James 1 .. I). Morrison, Lieutenant-Colonel, 2d Illinnis.

R. E. Goodell, private, Company ], Ist Illinois.

T. Lyle Dickey, Captain, Ist Illinois.

General John A. Logan, 2d Lient. Company 11, 5th Illinois. John A. I'rickett, Lieutenant Company E, 4th Illinois.

284

HISTORY OF CHICAGO.

Lewis W. Ross, Captain Company K, 4th Illinois.

General James D. Morgan, Captain Company A\, Ist Illinois. James T. B. Staff, Adjutant 3d Illinois.

Major-General Michael K. Lawler, Captain Company G, 3d Illinois 1846, and Captain Lawler's Cavalry 1847.

George C. Lamphere, Lieutenant Captain W. B. Staff's Cav- alry.

John S. Hacker, Captain Company F. 2d Illinois.

John G. Fonda, 2d Lieut. Staff's Cavalry Company.

Arthur I. Gallagher, private, Company G, 2d Illinois. Colonel Daniel G. Burr, Sergeant Company H, 4th Illinois. Captain W. II. Ursey, private, Company C. 4th Illinois. W. J. Wyatt, Captain Company G, Ist Illinois. John W. ITartley, Drummer, Company A, 6th Illinois. General James B. Fry, late Provost Marshal-General, Lieuten- ant in Regulars.

George W. Prickett, Ist Lieut. Company 1), 2d Illinois. Benjamin F. Marshall, 2d Lieut. Company C, 5th Illinois W. R. Morrison, private, Company H, 2d Illinois. John Reddick, Lieutenant Ist Illinois.

James S. Martin, Sergeant Company C, 5th Illinois. William H. Snyder, Adjutant 5th Illinois. Thomas I .. Harris, Major 4th Illinois. John Moore, Lieutenant-Colonel 4th Illinois. William B. Fondey, Adjutant 4th Illinois. Captain George R. Webber, private, Company .\, 4th Illinois. Dudley Wickersham, Corporal Company . \, 4th Illinois. General Stephen G. Hicks, Lieutenant-Colonel 2d Illinois. Major Samuel D. Marshall, 3d Illinois.

The conquest of Mexico in 1846-48 by the army of the United States, composed as it was of regular and volunteer soldiers, is a matter of great pride to all the survivors of that army at the present day, and to none more than to those who went into that service from Illinois. Chicago and Cook County too, may well look back with pride to the part taken by their sons in that conflict-a conflict out of which came so much to their common country. First. Through that war the bound- ary line between Mexico and Texas was definitely settled and established, and a long contest of deadly strife on the western boundary of Texas decided. Sec- ond, There was acquired by the treaty 937,000 square miles of territory, consisting of mineral, agricultural, timber and stock lands, the richest and best in the known world, all of which was so much added to the public domain of this country. 'Third, The acquirement of this vast domain made possible the construction of railroads and thereby the connection of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by bands of steel never to be severed, which, without the acquisition of this territory, never could have been done. Fourth, There has been taken from the mines of the States and Territories acquired through that acquisition more than $2,000,000,000 in gold and silver. Fifth. There has been paid into the Treasury of the United States over and above all ex- penses for collecting the same, for custom dues and in- ternal revenue, from the Pacific States and Territories which were acquired through the Mexican War $220,- 505,217.19, which fabulous sum is a clear gain to the revenues of this nation, for without that vast domain there would have been nothing to have taxed. Sixth, Improvements have sprung up in all parts of the ac- quired territory that surpasses all belief, including some of the foremost cities of the nation, and also the con- struction and operation of more than 9.000 miles of railways, running to many parts of that vast domain. All this was acquired through the Mexican War.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 78

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340