USA > Illinois > Christian County > History of Christian County, Illinois > Part 22
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United States forces under Gen. Gaines, and eneamped in the even- ing. The next morning the forees marched up to an Indian town prepared to give the enemy battle ; but in the night the Indians had escaped and crossed the Mississippi. This ended Blaek-Hawk's bravado and his determination to die in his ancient village. The number of warriors under his command was estimated at from four to six hundred men. Blaek-Hawk and his band landed on the west side of the Mississippi, a few miles below Rock Island and there camped. "Gen. Gaines sent a peremptory order to him and his warriors that if he and his men did not come to Roek Island and make a treaty of peace, he would march his troops and give him battle at once. * * *
* In a few days Black-Hawk and the chiefs and head men to the number of twenty-eight, appeared in Fort Armstrong, and on the 30th of June, 1831, in full couneil with Gen. Gaines and Governor John Reynolds, signed a treaty of peace."
THE BLACK-HAWK WAR IN 1832.
During the winter of '31-'32 rumors were rife that Blaek-Hawk and his band were dissatisfied, restless, and preparing for misehief. A chief of the Winnebago Indians who had a village on Rock river, some thirty miles above its confluence with the Mississippi, joined Black-Hawk, who was located on the west bank of the Father of Waters. The chief had great influence with Black-Hawk and his band. He made them believe that all the tribes on Rock river would join them, and that together they could bid defiance to the whites. By this unwise counsel Black-Hawk resolved to re cross the river, which he did in the winter of 1832. That move proved to be their destruction. Through his influenee and zeal Black- Hawk encouraged many of the Sacs and Foxes to join him at the head of his determined warriors. He first assembled them at old Fort Madison on the Mississippi ; subsequently, marched them up the river to the Yellow Banks, where he pitched his tent April 6th, 1832. This armed array of savages soon alarmed the settlers, and a general panie spread through the whole frontier, from the Missis- sippi to Lake Michigan. Many settlers in terror abandoned their homes and farms, and the Governor decided, on the 16th of April, to call out a large number of volunteers to operate in conjunction with Gen. Atkinson, who was in command of the regular forces at Rock Island. The Governor ordered the troops to rendezvous at Beardstown on the 22d of April.
Among those who enlisted from Christian county, were Samuel Wydick, John S. Sinnet, Martin Hanon, Jake Gragg, Jesse Gragg, John Baker. Shadrack J. Campbell was a soldier of the war of 1812, and also was a volunteer in the Black-Hawk war, in the campaign of 1832.
The force marched to the mouth of Rock river, where Gen. Atkinson received the volunteers into the United States service and assumed command. Black-Hawk and his warriors were still up on the Rock river.
The army under Atkinson commenced its march up the river on the 9th of May. Gov. Reynolds, the gallant "Old Ranger," remained with the army, and the President recognized him as a Major-General, and he was paid accordingly. His presence did much toward harmonizing and conciliating those jealousies which generally exist between volunteers and regular troops. Major John A. Wakefield and Col. Ewing acted as spies for a time in the cam- paign of '32, to discover the location of the enemy, if possible. A Mr. Kinney acted as guide for them ; he understood the Sac dialect. On the 14th of May, 1832, Major Stillman's command had a sort of running battle with the Indians at or near what is now known as Stillman's Run, a small, sluggish stream ; in the engagement
eleven white men and eight Indians were killed. Black-Hawk and his warriors fought with the spirit born of desperation. Black- Hawk says in his book that he tried at Stillman's Run to call back his warriors, as he thought the whites were making a sham retreat in order to draw him into an ambuscade of the whole army under Gen. Whiteside. The hasty retreat and rout of Stillman and his army, was in a measure demoralizing to the entire force ; undoubt- edly the cause of the defeat was a laek of discipline. When Gov. Reynolds learned of the disaster of Major Stillman, he at once ordered out two thousand additional volunteers. With that promp- titude characteristic of the old " War Governor," he wrote out by candle-light on the evening of Stillman's defeat, the order for the additional troops, and by daylight dispatched John Ewing, Robert Blackwell and John A. Wakefield, to distribute the order to the various counties. The volunteers again promptly responded. On the 10th of July the army disbanded for want of provisions. Gen. Scott arrived soon after with a large force at the post of Chicago, to effect if possible a treaty with the Indians. Small detaehments of Black-Hawk's warriors would persistently hang on the outskirts of the main body of the army, thieve and plunder, and pounce upon and kill the lonely sentinel or straggling soldier. On the 15th of July, the soldiers were reviewed, and those incapable of duty were discharged and returned home. Poquette, a half-breed, and a Winnebago chief, the " White Pawnee," were selected for guides to the camp of Black-Hawk and band. Several battles and skirmishes occurred with the enemy, the principal of which was on the banks of the Mississippi, where the warriors fought with great desperation ; over one hundred and fifty were killed in the engagement and large numbers drowned in attempting to swim the river. After the battle the volunteers were marched to Dixon, where they were discharged. This ended the campaign and the Black-Hawk war. At the battle of the Bad Axe, Blaek-Hawk and some of his warriors escaped the Americans, and went up the Wisconsin River, but subsequently surrendered himself. Fort Armstrong on Rock Island, was the place appointed where a treaty would be made with the Indians, but before it was effected that dreadful seourge, the cholera of '32, visited not only the regular army, depleting its ranks far more rapidly than the balls of the Indians had done, but it also sought out its many victims in the dusky bands of the Black-IIawk tribe.
On the 15th September, 1832, a treaty was made with the Winne- bago Indians. They sold out all their lands in Illinois and all south of the Wisconsin River and west of Green Bay, and the gov- ernment gave them a large district of country west of the Missis- sippi and ten thousand dollars a year for seven years, besides pro- viding free schools for their children for twenty years, oxen, agri- cultural implements, etc., etc.
September 21st, 1832, a treaty was made with the Sac and Fox tribes, on which they ceded to the United States the traet of country out of which a few years afterwards the State of Iowa was formed. In consideration of the above cession of lands, the government gave them an annuity of twenty thousand dollars for thirty years, forty kegs of tobacco and forty barrels of salt, more gun-smiths, blacksmith shop, etc., etc., six thousand bushels of corn for imme- diate support, mostly intended for the Black-Hawk band.
The treaties above mentioned terminated favorably, and the se- curity resulting therefrom gave a new and rapid impetus to the de- velopment of the state, and now enterprising towns and villages, and beautiful farms adorn the rich and alluvial prairies that be- fore were only desecrated by the wild bands who inhabited them. .
TIIE MEXICAN WAR.
In the war with Mexico in 1846-47, Illinois furnished six regi-
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ments of men as follows: First regiment, commanded by Col. John J. Hardin ; Second regiment, commanded by Col. William H. Bis- sell ; Third regiment, commanded by Col. Ferris Forman ; Fourth regiment, commanded by Col. Edward D. Baker ; Fifth regiment, commanded by Col. James Collins; Sixth regiment, commanded by Col. Edward W. Newby.
As the records have not yet been transcribed from the War De- partment at Washington, we have had to rely solely on the facts furnished by those now living in the county who served in the war.
This county had no regular organization in that war, but had several volunteers, who enlisted in other regiments. A company was raised and reported by its captain, H. M. Vandeveer, but it was not accepted, as the companies and regiments were all organ- ized. Several of her sons, however, entered the ranks and did good service for their country in helping forward the cause in which they were enlisted. H. M. Vandeveer became assistant quartermaster, with the rank of captain. He was at the battle of Buena Vista, on Gen. Wool's staff, and bore Gen. Taylor's famous dispatch, " A little more grape, Capt. Bragg." Among those who went to that war from this county (and some others who are now residents of this county), may be mentioned Dial Davis, John Sanders, and Wesley White, who enlisted in the Fourth regiment, company C, commanded by Capt. Isaac C. Pugh ; George Horworth, enlisted in company A, same regiment; Christopher C. Ilollier, enlisted in company E, Fourth regiment ; Henry Sanders and J. W. Wise in Capt. Roberts' company ; A. P. Miller, enlisted in Capt. Hurt's company; others were Reuben Wilkinson, Joseph Wydick, Henry Sharp, John Sharp, Fletcher Haines, James C. Christian, Henry Ferguson, John Craig.
THE WAR FOR THE UNION.
FROM DATA, BY THE LATE DR. CALVIN GOUDY.
The war of the rebellion commeneed with the firing on Fort Sumter, in April, 1861; and ended with the surrender of Gen. Lec and his army to Gen. Grant, near Richmond, Va., on the 9th of April, 1865. The war over, at once the reduction of the army began. Illinois had in the field 156 regiments of infantry ; seven- teen regiments of cavalry; and two regiments of light artillery. The total aggregate force in the field was, in infantry, 185,941; cavalry, 32,082; artillery, 7,277-making a grand total of 225,300 men. Apprehensions were expressed by many that the disband- ment of so many soldiers among the people, fresh from the army, and the withdrawal of all military restraint and control over them, would be productive of disorder, misrule and crime, to an unprece- dented degree in the country. But time has shown that all such anticipations and fears were groundless ; for with a wonderful ra- pidity, these vast armies of the Union melted away and returned to their varied peaceful pursuits in civil life; and the "legions that a few years ago, in number, in solidity, discipline and proof, were without antetype in the world's history, may to-day be found in the work-shop, at the bench, in the busy marts of trade, in the manu- factories, and on the farm ; and their members have manifested to the work, that as citizens at home, they know as well how to respect the nation's laws, as they know how to vindicate them in the field against armed rebellion or invading forces."
DRAI.T.
At first it was determined to rely upon the spontaneous move- ment of the people to furnish the necessary quotas of soldiers by volunteering ; but this was found inadequate; and the magnitude of the contest made it necessary to resort to the draft. This was
very unpopular and distasteful to the people. Every appliance was made to evade it. Desertions were not unfrequent. But the strong arm of the Government enforced the measure. The draft was based on the census of 1860. Christian county had a population of 10,475. Several enrollments were made. The first, in 1863, showed a force of 2,155 persons subject to military duty in this county ; a second enrollment, in 1864, showed 2,512 men. The latter enroll- ment was viewed with distrust, and looked upon as excessive, inas- much as it exhibited a marked increase, when, during the same time, the county had been depleted of large numbers who had already entered the service. The officers in charge of the duty, acting under instructions, took in all classes, between the ages of 21 and 45; the blind, the halt, and the lame, without regard to their manifest unfitness for military duty; thus putting them to unneces- sary trouble and expense to be excused. A revised enrollment was demanded and made January 1st, 1865, which reduced the number to 1,532 men.
President Lincoln called for 300,000 men, October 18th, 1863 ; for 500,000, February 1st, 1864; for 200,000, March 4th, 1864; for 500,000, July 18th, 1864; for 300,000, December 19th, 1864-in all 1,800,000. Illinois' quota 177,747. Christian county's quota 1,449-raised by volunteers and draft, 1,369-leaving a deficit of 80, when the war closed, and recruiting ccased by order of the Sec- retary of War, under date of April 13th, 1865.
The first draft was ordered to be made Sept. 19th, 1864, in the several precincts in the county, where the quota had not been filled by volunteers. Silas Chadwick and James M. Crabb were among the conscripted from the Taylorville Precinct. Silas Chad- wiek was killed soon after at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and James M Crabb furnished a substitute at a cost of $500, paid by himself. The county did not come to the relief of those first drafted, but reserved its charity for the benefit of those taken in the second draft, at Jacksonville, under the call of Dec. 19th, 1864. The course adopted was manifest injustiec to those first drafted. All drafted men, in the county, should have shared alike in its benefits.
The quota of Christian county, under the call of Dec. 19th, 1864, was 257, apportioned to the precincts as follows :
SUB. DIST'S. PRECINCTS. QUOTAS. | SUB. DIST'S. PRECINCTS. QUOTAS.
No. 19 .. Buckhart 38.
No. 26 .... Taylorville. 51.
" 20
.. Stonington
18.
" 27.
... Nevada 12.
" 21 ...
... Pana
12
" 28 ....... Upper Bear Creek 12.
6 22
... North Fork 42.
" 20 .Lower South Fork 16.
" 23 ...
... Tacusa (assumption ) 19.
" 30. Locust.
9.
" 24
.. Rosemond
9.
" 25 .....
... Lower Bear Creek 19.
Total 237
The county court, in special session, Feb. 20th, 1865, adopted measures looking to the relief of the 257 conscripted men of this county. They ordered a tax of $2.50 on the one hundred dollars' worth of taxable property of the county, and directed a bounty of $350 to be paid to any volunteer or drafted man until the quota of the county was filled. The bonds were issued in March payable in one year. The war closed, and all recruiting was ordered by the war department to be suspended on April 15th, 1865. But 119 bonds had been issued, aggregating a cost to the county of $52,150, and interest, $5,215. The public mind was restive about the bonds. The county court, at their December term, 1865, ap- pointed H. M. Vandeveer and Jas. C. Morrison as agents to exani- ine the records, and ascertain the number of men furnished by this county, who would legally be entitled to the war bonds. When Richmond fell on the first of April, 1865, not a bond had gone out of the office of the county clerk. Prominent men of the county
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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
urged the withholding of the bonds for a few days, to see the issue of events. But it was not heeded. Those in charge of the matter at Jacksonville managed, in the course of ten days, to throw out 149 war-bonds, and burden the county, at their maturity, with a debt of $57,365. These agents were appointed to probe the matter to its bottom. They reported to the court, that " they had made some progress in regard to the number of bonds issued, but they encountered difficulties at Springfield, as Col. Oakes had packed up the papers to send to the war-department, but proffered all the aid he could furnish in the premises." A tax was levied by the county court, and the bonds paid off at maturity in 1866, without the citizens seemingly feeling it.
SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETY.
A society, under this caption, was organized by the ladies of Taylorville. Its object was to furnish mittens, soeks and articles for the hospital, for the use, benefit and comfort of the "sodger-boys gone to the wars," from this portion of the county. Their object was laudable; and it was very natural for a mother's heart to feel for her boy as the cold, bleak days of winter began to approach. How cold would be his hands as he bore his musket along in the weary marches of the day. They held their meetings frequently, and entered on their work with commendable zeal, and soon had a box of these necessary articles prepared and sent forward to the front. The "boys in blue" were then camped at Rolla, Mo., and were glad to think they were held in dear remembrance at home; but the U. S. Commissary had anticipated the ladies in furnishing these comforts.
The officers of the society were Mrs. Dr. Goudy, President ; Mrs. W. W. Anderson, Vice President; Mrs Dr. Rockwell, Seeretary ; Mrs. W. A. Goodrich, Treasurer; and Hattie Goodrich, Mrs. Maj. Shumway and Mrs. Paden, Directresses.
FOURTEENTH INFANTRY.
This regiment was organized under the call of May 15th, 1861, and was mustered into the U. S. service for three years at Jackson- ville, Ill., on the 25th of May, 1861. It remained at Camp Duncan, Jacksonville, until the latter part of June for instruction, when it moved to Quincy, and thence to Missouri, July 5th, where it did good service. It left Rolla, Mo., for Jefferson City, under Gen. Fremont, on his memorable campaign to Springfield, Mo, after Gen. Price, and went into winter-quarters at Otterville. In Feb- ruary, 1862, it was ordered to Fort Donaldson, and arrived the day after its surrender, and was placed in Gen. S. A. Hurlburt's brigade. Col. Palmer was promoted to brigadier-general, and Major Hall was made colonel. It was in the sanguinary engage- ments of the 6th and 7th of April, 1861, when the regiment first smelt gunpowder from the enemy. Here it lost half its number. The colors had forty-two bullet-holes through them, which attest the dangers and gallantry of the command. It was in the last grand charge, in the advance, led by Col. HIall, on the evening of the 7th of April, that Gen. Veatch, in his official report, says : "Col. Hall, of the 14th Illinois, led his regiment in that gallant charge on Monday evening, which drove the enemy beyond our lines, and closed the struggle of that memorable day."
The regiment took an active part in the siege of Corinthi. After the evacuation, it proceeded to Memphis, and thenee to Bolivia, Tenn. It was in an eight hours' fight on the Hatchie river, and went into winter-quarters, 1862-3, at Lafayette, Tenn. Early in the spring it was ordered to Vicksburg, where it took part in the siege of that stronghold, until its final fall on the 4th of July, 1863. It was at the siege of Jackson, Miss. In August it moved to
Natchez, and from thenee, across the swamps of northern Louisiana to Harrisonville, on the Wachita river; captured Fort Beauregard, and accompanied Gen. Sherman on his raid on Meridian, Miss. After its return, a large portion re-enlisted as veterans, their time being nearly out. The veterans were furloughed, and many re- turned home. On their return they formed part of the army in advance on Atlanta. Here the 14th and 15th Illinois, who were together since the fall of 1862, sharers of each other's sorrows and joys, weary marches and honorably-earned laurels, were consoli- dated into the
14TH AND 15TH ILLINOIS VETERAN BATTALION.
In October, 1864, rebel Gen. Hood attacked Gen. Sherman's rear forces, guarding the railroad, when a large number of the bat- talion were killed, and the major part of the balance were taken prisoners and sent to Andersonville prison. Those who escaped eapture were mounted and acted as seouts on Gen. Sherman's grand march through Georgia to the sea, and were at the battle of Ben- tonville, N. C.
At Goldsboro, N. C., in the spring of 1865, the battalion organi- zation was discontinued; and seven one-year companies, new re- cruits, were assigned March, 1865, from the north to fill up the two regiments. Col. Hall was again assigned to the command of the 14th regiment. It was in the grand review of Sherman's army at Washington City, May 24th, 1865. It then proceeded, by rail and river, to Louisville, Ky .; thence, by river, to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; thence marched to Fort Kearney, and back. It was mustered out at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Sept. 16th, 1865, arriving at Springfield, Illinois, Sept. 22d, 1865, where it received final payment and discharge. The commanding officer at the close of service was Brevet Brig. Gen. Cyrus Hall, and the aggregate strength since organization 2,015.
The aggregate number of men who belonged to the 14th regi- ment was 1,980; and the aggregate mustered out, at Fort Leaven- worth, was 480.
During its four years and four months of arduous service, the regiment marched 4,490 miles, traveled by rail 2,380 miles, and by river 4,490 miles-making an aggregate of 11,360 miles.
In this regiment was Company II, from Christian county, com- manded by Capt. Andrew Simpson, who was wounded at Pittsburg Landing, in the battles of the 6th and 7th of April, 1862-and in consequence thereof, resigned October 4th, 1862. This company participated in all the hardships and battles before described.
The company was organized, under many adverse circumstances, after the fall of Fort Sumter. It was then styled " The Christian Union Guards."
The Independent Press, of April 19th, 1861, says of it: "Immediately upon the receipt of Gov. Yates' proclamation, calling out six regiments of volunteers, several chivalric young men of Taylorville, inspired with patriotic ardor, promptly set about forming a light infantry corps ; and, upon the fact becoming known about town, the annexed candidates for martial glory came forward and signed the muster roll :
Andrew Simpson, Edward Percy, John Durbin (Biscuit), Reuben A. Beard, John G. Haines,
John W. Hartley, Silas B. Root,
Robert E. Doyle, John McKenzie, D. R. Jay,
A. F. Barnes.
"Mr. John W. Hartley is acting as a recruiting officer during the ab- sence of Mr. Simpson, who has gone to Springfield, to see Gov. Yates on matters pertaining to the organization of the company. On Mr. Simp- son's return, Mr. Hartley assures us the Light Infantry Corps will have a ' grand rally.' "
HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
One of the men who signed the call was not in sympathy with the eause, and probably did it in burlesque, as will appear from the following published in the Press of the same date :
" A CARD TO THE, CHRISTIAN PUBLIC."
" Mr. Editor : To put myself right before the world, I decm it due alike to my character as a man, and my standing as a Democrat and a patriot, to state that I signed the muster roll of the Light Infantry Com- pany, now forming at Taylorville, only conditionally. I will state iny conditions, and leave it to impartial posterity to pronounce me 'sound upon the goose :'
1st. I will not join the army of Coercion, if Dick Yates APPOINTs the officers.
2d. I will join, if the members of the company are allowed the privi- lege of electing their own officers-company and regimental.
3d. I will continue with the company, 'for and during the war'-pro- vided I am elected Captain.
4th. If I am not clected Captain of the company, I'll see ' the Institu- tion' d-d first, before I budge a step from Taylorville. I have no idea of setting myself up as a target to be shot at, for the insignificantly- contemptible sum of $11 a mouth, rations and medical attendance thrown in. No,-Sir-ee, Bob ;- not in the day time.
R. A. BEARD
P. S .- If the above arrangement is not entirely satisfactory to my brave companions in arms, of the Taylorville Light Infantry Corps, I shall remain at home, and continue as usual, to build houses and stairs -cheap for cash or country produce ! R. A. B." Taylorville, April 19, 1861.
Whilst this chivalrie gentleman, of temporary residence in Chris tian, was sending forth broadcast this ironieal patriotic letter, tending to embarrass Capt. Simpson in his recruiting efforts, on the same day, a class of his way of thinking were shooting down a portion of a Massachusetts regiment in Baltimore, on their way to Washington City, to protect the capitol of the nation from seizure by the enemy.
A union meeting was held in Pana, April 22d, 1865, at which Rev. H. R. Lewis presided, and addresses were made by J. H.
O'Conner, Geo. E. Pease, J. E. Southwick, and others. A series of resolutions were passed without a dissenting voice. The Inde- pendent Press, in commenting on it, says: "The fourth smells strongly of gunpowder and subjugation." It further says : "Jolin B. Butler, well and favorably known to the people of Christian, has abandoned the peaceful pursuits of life, donned a military attire, and, like a 'bowld sojer boy,' as he is, gone off to the wars, gaily singing as he went, the patriotic old ditty of
' Come all ye brave Americans, I'd have you for to know, That for to fight the enemy, I'm goin' for to go!"
But Capt. Simpson succeeded in raising his company, composed of 12 officers and 65 privates. They were duly organized and ready for the march on the 10th of May, 1861. The citizens of Taylorville gave them a sumptuous collation, on that day, at the court-house. On that occasion the ladies were more than soldiers, vicing with each other in doing honors for the brave boys. Speeches were made by H. M. Vandevcer, C. Goudy, D. T. Moore, D. E. Hall, and Wm. Singer. A seleet choir, under the diree- tion of A. S. Rockwell, sang the beautiful airs, Star Spangled Banner, Red, White and Blue, Auld Lang Syne, on the court- house steps ; after which D. T. Moore, on behalf of the ladies, pre- sented a beautiful Flag, accompanied with a neat and appropriate speech. Maj. D. D. Shumway, as expressive of his good wishes, presented to the company through Capt. Simpson, $20 in gold.
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