USA > Illinois > Grundy County > History of Grundy County, Illinois > Part 20
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In the 91st regiment of Illinois infantry,
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IIISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Grundy County was represented by Com- pany D. This company was raised in August, 1862, and going to Camp Butler was mustered into the service Sept. 8, 1862. In the following month the regiment was ordered to Louisville and was assigned to duty guarding the Louisville and Nashville railroad. The regiment formed a part of the large foree guarding the Louisville and Nashville railroad, and occupied seven de- tached posts on thirty miles of the line of that road. Three companies were stationed at each of the trestles at Big Run and Sul- phur Fork, which are about a mile apart, and seven or eight miles north of Elizabeth- town ; one company, Capt. Fosha's (Co. D), occupied a stockade at this place ; por- tions of one company, Capt. Hanna's (en- listed in Kendall County), were stationed at two bridges abont a mile apart, and nearly two miles south of Elizabethtown ; one company at Nolin's Fork, nine miles, and one at Bacon Creek, twenty miles south of Elizabethtown. These detachments had all received orders not to leave their different positions for any eanse whatever, but to hold and defend them to the last extremity. For some days before the attack of Gen. Morgan, reports were constantly received at the different stations that the rebels were approaching in large force, and the impression was universal throughout the regiment that under the orders they had received, the small detachments at the different posts would be gobbled up, one after the other, by superior numbers. These reports and impressions were fully con- firmed late on Friday night, by the arrival at Elizabethtown of two negroes who had escaped from the companies at Bacon Creek and Nolin's Fork bringing intelli-
genee that both of these companies had been attacked that day by the rebels and compelled to surrender. Capt. Fosha im- mediately sent a messenger to headquarters at Big Run Trestle, informing Lient. Col. Smith of the intelligence he had just received by the eseaped negroes.
" During the night the rebel seouts were quite active and bold, but our pickets were watchful and alert, and no advantage was obtained. Early in the morning skirmish- ers were sent ont to feel the enemy and re- tard their advance, and abont eight o'clock the six companies at the Trestle, having been relieved by the 71st Indiana volun- teers, arrived at Elizabethtown under Lient. Col. Smith, who immediately ordered Capt. Hanna's company at the bridges below to join him. The command then consisted of eight companies, mustering about 450 effective men, which Col. Smith drew up in line of battle on the west side of the rail- road, elose by the stockade in which Capt. Fosha's men were left, with orders to hold it. Up to this time, neither the rebel forces nor their commander was known. To ascertain these facts Col. Smith sent out a flag of truce, demanding their immedi- ate surrender. The demand was of course refused, and in about half an hour Col. Smith received a reply signed by John II. Morgan, stating that he had Col. Smith's forces surrounded, and that in ten minutes his batteries would be in position to open upon him, and demanding the surrender of his command. To this Col. Smith replied that it was the duty of United States soldiers to fight, not to surrender. In less than ten minutes allowed by Gen. Morgan, one of his batteries had taken position on some high bluffs to the right of the Nashville
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
pike, and within a thousand yards of the town, and opened fire upon Col. Smith's forces; at the same time, heavy columns of the enemy were observed moving to the right and left of the town, with the evi- dent intention of surrounding our troops. To avoid this it became necessary to change the position of the regiment, which Col. Smith did by moving his men into the town and taking possession of the court honse and buildings on the square. On the re- tirement of the outside forces and before the enemy had advanced on the stoekade, Capt. Fosha withdrew his forces and followed the retreat of the rest of the regiment into the town, and occupied a building on the south side of the square. It was now ten o'clock and Col. Smith had determined to hold the buildings to the last extremity. The enemy opened fire upon the town with his artillery, the building from which the regimental colors were flying being struek seventeen times and badly riddled. The men, however, were maintaining their dis- cipline, though several were killed and oth- ers wounded, and were returning the mus- ket firing with some effeet. As the enemy approached the suburbs of the town, and were dismounting with the evident inten- tion of making an attack upon the regi- ment's position, numbers of saddles were unecremoniously emptied by the acenraey of our fire, which made the rebels hesitate to advance. The firing had been main- tained upward of three hours, and the Un- ion forees were expecting an assault which they confidently expected to repel with heavy loss to the enemy, when a white flag was thrown out of a window in the build- ing occupied by Capt. Fosha's company. It was immediately ordered to be shot
down, and when fired upon was withdrawn, but another immediately appeared on the street, and Capt. Fosha's men were seen coming out of the building and throwing down their arıns. The firing ceased at onee, and the rebels rushing in from the alleys and cover of the houses, captured the whole regiment."* The forces under Morgan numbered some eight or ten thou- sand with thirteen guns, and the capture of the regiment was a foregone conclusion from the first, but the spirited resistance offered by our troops delayed the rebel ex- pedition and forced them to lose valuable time. When paroled, the regiment was ordered to Benton Barracks, Mo., and in January, 1863, were sent home on furlough. In February, they were ordered baek, and subsequently ordered to Vieksburg where they arrived July 14th. They took part in the movements to Port Hudson, Carrollton, La., and Atehafalaya River, arriving at Morganzia, 10th of October. Transferred to the 13th army corps, they went to New Orleans, going into eamp October 12th. Later in the month the regiment was ordered to Texas; took part in several minor engage- ments, and in July, 1864, occupied Brazos Santiago as part of the garrison. About the last of December, the 91st was relieved and transferred to New Orleans and placed on provost duty. In February, it joined the forees at Fort Morgan and subsequently took an active part in the campaign which resulted in the capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely. Following up the retreat of the rebels, the federal forces overtook the enemy at Eight-mile Creek, where a sharp engagement took place, the 91st leading a
* Grundy County Herald, January 14, 1863.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
bayonet charge, which cleared the field. This was the last engagement of the war east of the Mississippi. The regiment was mustered ont of the service, July 12, 1865, at Mobile, and reached Camp Butler on the 22d of the same month.
The 127th Illinois infantry contained nearly a full company from Grundy Conn- ty, Company D, which was organized about August, 1863, and was mustered at Camp Douglas in September, though the regiment was not organized until October. Early in the following month the regiment was ordered to the field, going by rail to Cairo, and thence by steamboat to Mem- phis. Taking part in the Talahatehie River expedition, the 127th, on its return to Memphis, was ordered to Vieksburg. The regiment was in Blair's division under Sherman, and after taking their turn at ditching in the various bayous (a line of op- erations soon abandoned), and the trans- ports having successfully passed the Vicks- burg batteries, the 127th, with the rest of the division, steamed up the Yazoo River to divert the attention of the enemy from Grant's real object of crossing the Mississippi. The main army having erossed the river and beaten the enemy back from Fort Gibson and Grand Gulf, a feint was made in the direction of Vieks- burg while waiting the return of Sher- man's corps, which was ordered to join the main foree by a march across the country. Gen. Johnson, who commanded the rebel force in the West, had been apprised of Grant's movements, and was gathering an army to reinforce Pemberton at Vicksburg and to guard against being assailed in the rear. Grant, refraining from moving on the city, attracted Pemberton's attention
by a feint, and directed Sherman to fol- low the eastern side of the Black River to Edward's Station on the Vicksburg rail- road, and MePherson to make a detour far- ther eastward, destroying rebel stores and lines of communication. At Raymond, a few miles south of Edward's Station, a force of the enemy was struck by MePher- son, when a short and sharp engagement ensned. The rebels were forced to a see- ond position, and after a severe struggle were driven from the field in disorder, re- treating toward Jackson. Fearing the enemy under Johnson at Jackson might prove too numerous for MePherson's foree, Sherman and MeClernand were directed to follow to Jackson, where, in company with McPherson, they fought the battle of Jackson, forcing the rebels to retreat. Leaving Sherman to destroy bridges, arse- nals and other publie property, the rest of the army faced about westward to elose in upon Vicksburg. Pemberton had moved ont to Edward's Station in the meanwhile, and thinking to cut Grant off from his base of supplies, which had been at Grand Gulf, he pushed down toward Raymond, when he found by the Union pickets advancing from the east that Grant had changed his base, and his was a fruit- Jess errand. He now proposed to follow the orders of Johnson, and by retraeing his steps to eseape by a northeasterly route through Brownsville and join the latter's defeated forees. But his resolution eame too late, for the Union forces had oc- eupied this town and were prepared to dis- pute his advance. As the only alternative the rebel forces were hastily drawn up for action, and then followed the battle of Champion Hills. A courier was sent to
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Sherman at Jackson with orders to bring his troops to the seene of conflict. The battle was fought by the troops of Me- Pherson's and MeClernand's corps, and the rebel army retreating, these troops pressed rapidly forward in their wake, while Sherman advanced in the direction of Bridgeport, higher up the river, with the intention of crossing at that point. On the following morning, finding the enemy disputing the passage of Black River, MeClernand's troops proceeded at onee to the attack and soon liad the enemy flying. Bridges were placed across the river that night, and Sherman, still on the right of the line, took possession of IIaine's Bluffs, while MePherson and MeClernand completed the investment of the eity. In these operations the 127th, while in active service, enduring severe marching and performing valuable service, was not called upon to do any heavy fighting, though losing a number of men in a num- ber of severe skirmishes. In war, how- ever, there is more drudgery to be done than glory to be gained, and
" He also serves who only stands and waits."
The enemy's forees, rapidly driven into their works about the city, were consider- ably demoralized, and though the works were skillfully constrneted and located, in a naturally strong position, the necessities of the situation seemed to demand quieker results than could be secured by siege. A general assault was therefore made on the afternoon of May 17th, and while no ad- vantage was gained, the 127th had op- portunity of showing its metal; this regi- ment and the 83d Indiana alone succeeding in plaeing their colors upon the ontward slope of the enemy's works. On May 22d
they again joined in the general assault, but the works proved too strong and the army sat down to a laborious siege. On July 4, this stronghold capitulated, and on the following day Sherman's corps moved out to Jackson where a force of the enemy had intrenehed to dispute the further ad- vanee of the victorions federals.
In the meantime the Chattanooga eam- paign had been fonght, ending in Chieka- manga and the elose surveillance of Chat- tanooga. Grant had been placed in general command of the west, while Thomas had superseded Rosecrans. After the Jackson expedition the 127th with its corps re- turned to Vieksburg; in September took transports to Memphis and thenee by way of Corinth, Inka and East Point went to Chattanooga, arriving at the latter place September 23d. After taking part in the movements culminating in Mission Ridge, the regiment made the foreed march to Knoxville and having relieved the troops besieged there, returned to Chattanooga. Grant having been made Lient. General and put in command of the whole field, east and west, Sherman succeeded him in command of the Department of the Mis- sissippi, and at once commeneed the cam- paign of Atlanta. Johnson having suc- ceeded Bragg in command of the rebel forees, had taken a strong natural position at Dalton and greatly strengthened it by fortifications. Here, Sherman finding the position too strong to take by an attack in front, diverted the attention of the enemy by a feint attack and began the flank movements for which he became so famous. The 127th was of the flanking forces, and making a detour to the westward eame upon the enemy at Resaca. Here the
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
bearing of this regiment was especially marked by its gallant fighting. On one occasion our men had been ordered back, a movement which evoked exultant shouts from the enemy who supposed we were re- pulsed. The color bearer of the 127th, becoming exasperated and regardless of danger, returned to an embrasure and defiantly flaunted his flag in the face of the enemy. Ilis life paid the forfeit of his temerity, and others who attempted to regain the colors were shot in the attempt. Then followed the maneuvers ending in the battle of New Hope Church, rapidly fol- lowed by that of Kenesaw Mountain and Peach Tree Creek. McPherson's division, to which the 127th was assigned, from this point made a wide detour eastward by way of Decatur, and approaching Atlanta from the east sustained an assault from the whole rebel force. Here the fighting was very se- vere, the 127th doing its share manfully. Then followed the flank movement by the right, the battle of Jonesboro and the conse- quent evacuation of Atlanta. From this point Hood, then in command of the rebel forces, went on his ill-starred campaign to Nash- ville, before whom Thomas retreated, gath- ering the forces that were destined to ernsh him in the end. Returning from his pur- snit of Ilood, Sherman, with the balance of his army, reorganized and rested, set ont for his march to the sea, the 127th being in the right wing. From Atlanta to Sa- vannah, thence to Columbia, S. C., Fayette- ville, N. C., and Bentonville, to the end, the regiment marelied its way through the rebellion, taking part in the "Grand Re- view," and was one of four regiments com- plimented by Gen. Sherman for their fine soldierly bearing. The regiment was
mustered ont of the service May 31, 1865.
The " Mechanical Fusiliers " was a com- pany of mechanics enlisted to aid in the construction of barraeks, bridges, etc., for the use of the army. They went out in command of Capt. James Miller of Joliet, assisted in the construction of barracks at Camp Douglas, and were then lost sight of so far as any record exists in this county. The best information to be had is to the effect that this company was organized with others into a pioneer regiment, but of their subsequent career there is unfor- tunately no information at hand.
In the 60th Infantry, Grundy County was represented by a few men in Company I. This regiment was organized in Febru- ary, 1862, and took part in the operations of the army of Tennessee. Was at the siege of Corinth, Nashville, Chattanooga, in the campaign about Atlanta, and the battle of Jonesboro. Was a part of the garrison left at Atlanta, and subsequently followed Sherman's army to Savannah and subsequently took part in Sherman's eam- paign in the Carolinas. Took part in the grand review at g Washington; did provost dnty at Louisville for a little more than a month and was mustered out July 31, 1865.
The 90th Infantry was organized at Chi- eago in September and October, 1862. In Company H. of this regiment this county was represented by some fourteen men. The regiment was ordered to Tennessee, arriving at Lagrange December 2d, and on the 4th went to Cold Water, Mississippi. On the morning of the 20th, a detachment of the 2d Illinois Cavalry arrived at Cold Water, having ent their way through Van Dorn's forces, out of Holly Springs. Soon
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
after four companies of the 101st Illinois came in, and were followed by the enemy to our lines. The demonstration made by the 90th deterred the enemy from mnaking any severe attack, although lie was 4,000 or 5,000 strong. The regiment was mustered out of service June 6, 1865, at Washington, D. C.
Company B of the 129th Infantry'drew some men from Grundy. This regiment was organized at Pontiac, Ill., in August, 1862, and was sent at once to Louisville. After the Buell and Bragg race across Kentucky, tlic 129th joined in the pursuit via Frankfort and Danville to Crab Or- chard, when it returned and did garrison duty at Mitchellsburg, Ky. The regiment was mustered out June 8, 1865, at Washing- ton, D. C.
Company H. of the 138th Infantry also contained some Grundy County men. This was a " hundred day " regiment, organized June 21, 1864. It was assigned to gar- rison duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where it served out the term of its en- listment. The regiment was mustered out
October 14, 1864, at Springfield, Illinois.
Other organizations that numbered one or two men from Grundy County, were Companies E and H of the 144th; Compa- nies C and K of the 147th; Company E of the 153d; Company A of the 156th; Com- pany E of the 2d Cavalry ; Nangus Battery, and twelve men in the naval service.
In the above brief survey no attempt has been made to do exact or equal justice to the military career of those who went out from Grundy County to the service of their country. Any such attempt must have failed in the very nature of the casc. Such facts as have been given, have been gleaned from various sources of informa- tion generally accepted as correct, yet often proving contradictory in essential particu- lars, and may prove in many instances to fall short of the merits of the case. But however much this sketch may fail of ex- cellence, it will at least serve to show that Grundy County's patriotism found expres- sion " where duty called and danger," and was " never wanting there," and so answers the purpose for which it was conceived.
CHAPTER VI .*
MORRIS CITY-INTRODUCTORY-ITS LOCATION-FIRST BEGINNINGS-ORIGIN OF NAME- COUNTY HONORS-EARLY COMMUNITY-BIOGRAPHICAL.
H E who would attempt to "revive the memories of the past and with feeble pen portray them" in the hope of giving Ench a chronicle of events as will meet the approval of all, will find his undertaking is a difficult-indeed an impossible one, especially so, if lie attempts to write up cotemporary history. What to one seems of importance, to another seems trivial, whilst others are born chronic fault-finders. Fully appreciating these difficulties, and with a desire to show charity to all-inalice to none-we shall endeavor to give a faitli- ful narrative of the leading events and inci- dents connected with the township and eity of Morris from their inception down to the present as we now remember them. In our effort we may, indeed we must from the nature of human events and human weak- ness, omit many, many important incidents and events, and make many mistakes in dates and coloring of those we attempt to describe. We are relying largely upon our memory, indeed we have little other re- source to draw from ; and as our recollec- tions are most vivid on those events with which we were personally interested, onr readers will be charitable enough to excuse what may smack of egotism. Should any of the living who have been participants in the events we shall describe, feel themselves
aggrieved at our omission to favorably mention what part they performed, or should the descendants of any of the early settlers of Morris who have " gone before" feel that we have wounded their sensibili- ties by statements that may be construed to reflect upon the character or habits of the deceased, we in advance disclaim any malice or intention of injuring the repu- tation of any one. Nor shall we fail to give the habits, customs and characteristics of our early inhabitants, nor " spoil a good tale for relationship." In this way only can we write history whose use, according to Tacitus, "Is to rescue virtuous actions from the oblivion to which a want of records would consign them, and that men should feel a dread of being considered infamous in the opinions of posterity, from their de- praved expressions and depraved actions."
Morris (for such is the name given to the county seat of Grundy County), is located on the north or right bank of the Illinois River, some twelve miles below the junction of the Kankakee and Desplaines Rivers, which form the Illinois. Nettle Creek, a considerable stream of pure water approach - ing from the north, passes through the city and flows into the river abont a half mile southwest of the court house. From the south approaches the Mazon, which, in the Algonquin or Indian language, means " River of Nettles," and empties into the
* By Hon. P. A. Armstrong.
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HISTORY OF GRUNDY COUNTY.
Illinois directly south of the public square. The Mazon is sometimes called a creek and other times a river. It is a short stream, with: decidedly uppish notions. In times of drouth it is an humble creek, but in the spring and fall it is a roaring river. The Illinois & Michigan Canal passes through between the city and the river, at a distance of about forty rods from the river, and runs nearly parallel with it, the general course of the river at this point being nearly from east to west. From the bank of the river, running north to the distance of about one half mile, the surface of the land in Morris gently rises -- the apex being some forty feet above the river bank, thus forming a natural drainage into the canal. From the apex north the surface descends for a distance of about one hundred rods to a ravine running southwesterly into Nettle Creek. Sandy loam is the predominating soil, which is admirably adapted to garden- ing purposes and the raising of fruit, espe- cially grapes. Originally, nearly the entire plat of Morris was studded with forest trees, oak and hickory predominating, with here and there a hazel or plum thicket. Notwithstanding the timber, and many of the trees were giant oaks, there were bowl- ders scattered over the surface, mute wit- nesses of the glacier period, and of its great antiquity. Morris is located midway be- tween the cities of Joliet on the east and Ottawa on the west, and sixty-one miles southwest of Chicago. It spreads over parts of four sections of land, viz .: three, four, nine and ten, in township number thirty- three north, range seven, east of the third principal meridian. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad, which is one of the foremost railroads of the continent,
passes through Morris a half mile north of the court house, thus giving both rail and water |highways for the transportation of grain and stock. With our facilities of travel, Chicago is but two and a half hour's ride from Morris by rail.
Few cities are more pleasantly located than Morris. Sheltered on the south and west by heavy groves of timber, with an undulating surface, in the midst of a fine agricultural country, it is no wonder that the Mound Builders, that mysterious yet intelligent prehistoric race, selected the site of Morris for their principal city and ceme- tery, away back of the historic period. That here was the abode of a large number of these wonderful people is attested by nineteen separate, distinct mounds or cem- eteries, for each mound is but a cemetery, pyre, or charnel house, at the center of whose base lie the cremated ashes of their dead. These mounds were constructed in a line on the second rise from the river, and some forty rods to the north of the river bank. The largest of them was located near the south east corner of the present court house square, and was about fifty feet in diameter and ten feet high. There were no moats or ditches surround- ing these mounds, hence the material used in their construction must have been carted or carried from a distance. They were con- structed of sandy loam, free of clay or gravel.
From whence the Mound Builders came, the period of their existence and the cause or causes of their extermination have not yet been satisfactorily settled. Enough of their history has been delved out of their mounds to establish many very inter- esting facts, and the ever restless spirit of inquiry and research may yet fix the date
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