USA > Illinois > Knox County > History of Knox county, Illinois > Part 24
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Supervisor Le Baron then offered the following as a substitute for the report of the committee, which after much parleying was ac- cepted : Whereas, The citizens of Knox county, in mass meeting assembled, have passed a resolution requesting the Board of Super- visors to appropriate the sum of $25,000 to be expended in additional bounties to volunteers, and thus secure at the earliest day possible the full quota of Knox county of the 300,000 men called for by the Pres- ident to aid in suppressing the rebellion, and restoring peace and the re-union of tlie States; and whereas, similar petitions have been re- ceived from the cities of Galesburg and Knoxville, from their respective City Councils, and such recommendations meeting with our hearty approval ; therefore,
Resolved, 1st, That for the purpose of aiding in the enlistment of volunteers for the United States service to be raised in the county of Knox, there be appropriated a sum not exceeding $25,000.
2nd, That out of the sum so appropriated there shall be paid to each volunteer of the first 500 wlio shall enlist in such service on or before August 15, 1862, the sum of $50. The said sum shall be paid to said volunteers when and as soon as they are legally mustered in to the service of the United States. The right of the party entitled to the above named bounty shall be decided by the committee having charge of the appropriation, upon presentation to them of his certifi-
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cate of enlistment, and such other vouchers. as may be required, pro- vided that volunteers in any company now forming, or partly or- ganized, shall be"entitled to the same bounty and that the bounty hereby authorized. shall only be paid to such volunteers as have not received an equal or greater amount from any other source than the United States as a bounty. And whenever any volunteer shall have received any bounty from any other source than the U. S., the amount so received, if less than hereby authorized, shall be con- sidered as part of their bounty .. )
3rd, That a War Fund Committee of the Board of Supervisors be appointed to disburse said appropriations, under such rules and regu- lations as shall be prescribed by the Board. That the committee be authorized and required to make the necessary arrangements with volunteers enlisted under this act, for the purpose of securing such portion of their pay as they are willing to appropriate towards the support of their families.
4th, That all orders on the Treasurer, under the authority of these resolutions, shall be receivable for the payment of the tax levied for this appropriation.
5th, That the committee hereby appointed be required to make the necessary arrangements for the redemption at par of such county orders as may be issued under these resolutions, and be authorized in the name of the county to borrow the necessary sum of money at a rate of interest not exceeding ten per cent.
6th, That said committee be authorized to pay such bounty to such person or persons only as have been or shall be enlisted at a recruit- ing office in this county, in answer to the call of the President for 300,000 troops, unless the committee having this fund shall be able to make arrangements with the Governor of this State to have duly credited to this county on such call such men as shall eulist to fill up companies previously organized in this county.
7th, That this Board at its September meeting will levy such a tax under an act of the Legislature entitled "An act to encourage the for- mation and equipment of volunteer companies," sufficient to meet all expenditures under the foregoing resolutions.
The plan promulgated by Supervisor LeBaron proved practical, and accordingly during the remaining years of the rebellion all busi- ness pertaining to the military of the county were conducted in accor- dance with them. A War Fund Committee was immediately selected, and two days thereafter this committee advertised in the county papers for volunteers, offering $50 bounty, and also for a loan of $25,000 as a bounty fund. This committee was composed of the chairman, Hon.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
J. M. Holyoke, W. R. LeBaron and Cephas Arms. The County Clerk prepared some elaborate parchment bonds, or certificates, which were bought by the following gentlemen without delay: C. H. Mathews, $2,000; J. F. Dunn & Co., $5,000; Phillips & Bro., $5,000; Timothy Moshier, $3,000; Geo. A. Charles, $2,000; John W. Carns, $2,000; Daniel Fuqna, $600; P. H. Sanford, $500; Miles & Bro., $1,- 000; C. Runkle, $2,500; Miles Smith, $800; Geo. Woodmansee, $500; total, $24,900.
This committee borrowed in September of the same year, $33,710. To January 12, 1863, they had paid 1,123 bounties and 36 more due.
At a meeting of the Board May 12, 1862, the committee to whom was referred the bills for the relief of the wives and families of volun- teers, reported that they had examined the bills presented by the several supervisors, and "have recommended the passage of orders for the foregoing amounts; and we further recommend that in future the appropriations for the said purpose be suspended." On the following day Supervisor Jackson offered the following resolution in harmony with the recommendation of the committee: "Resolved, That no assistance be hereafter rendered by the Board of Supervisors to the wives and families of volunteers, after the said volunteers have been in the service of this State, or of the United States, for the period of three months; but in lieu of such assistance the Board recommend that each township take such action and make such provision for the assistance of said families, residing in such townships respectively, as to them shall seem meet." This being an important question the yeas and nays were demanded on voting for its adoption. The vote resulted as follows : Yeas-Messrs. Jackson, Godfrey, Hamrick, Lotts, Robertson and Woods; nays- Messrs. Meek, McKinnie, Finch, Newell, Arms, LeBaron, Miles, McCornack, Buffum, Wilson, Copley and Gibbs. The resolution was thus defeated by a vote of six to twelve.
At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors May 9th, 1864, Super- visor Holyoke moved that a committee of three be appointed to audit the claims for the support of the wives and families of volunteers; which was adopted. The chair appointed Messrs. Holyoke, Stewart and Knable said committee. Supervisor Potter offered the follow- ing resolution :
"Resolved, That all discharged soldiers, from any cause, be assisted in the same manner and under the same regulation as aid is ren- dered to the families of volunteers, for the next nine months," to which motion Supervisor Stewart offered the following amendment: . " Resolved, That we understand the resolution passed at the May
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meeting, 1861, embraced the cases of deceased and discharged soldiers, if their families are actually in need of assistance." After some dis- cussion Mr. Potter withdrew liis motion.
The Governor made a call for soldiers for one hundred days, and with the same liberality always manifested by the honorable Board they voted the boys a bounty of $25. Not only did the Board want the boys from Knox county to have bounty, but it was their earnest wish that every one enlisting from the State should receive a liberal bounty. Accordingly the following resolution was offered by Supervisor Arms January 9, 1865, and adopted :
"Resolved, That our Senator and Representative in the General As- sembly of this State be requested to use every effort to procure the passage of a law, at this session of the State Legislature, giving to every volunteer who may be credited to the quota of this State, under this or any succeeding draft, the sum of $300, as a State bounty."
Call after call had been made for troops, and every time promptly filled, and still treason was not crushed. The President issued another. Knox county had always filled her quota quickly, but now it was ap- parent without some extra inducement a draft must be made. Ac- cordingly at a meeting of the Board of Supervisors Jan. 10, 1865, Supervisor Gray offered a resolution that the county pay a bounty of
$200 to each volunteer. For this resolution Supervisor LeBaron offered the following substitute, which was adopted: Whereas, The President has issued a call for 300,000 men, and a draft has been ordered to take place on the 15th day of February next for the pur- pose of filling said call; therefore, Resolved, That Knox county will pay a bounty of three hundred dollars for each acceptable recruit, to make up the deficiency of any town in Knox county, to be paid on the certificate of the Provost Marshal of the 5th district that said re- cruit is accepted and duly credited to some town in this county.
Resolved, That any town in said county that may have furnished, or shall furnish any recruit, by town authority or association, to fill deficiency of said town, such town shall be entitled, from the county treasury, to the sum of $300 bounty for each recruit so furnished.
On motion, the foregoing resolutions were unanimously adopted.
At a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors January 27, 1865, Supervisor Stewart offered the following resolution:
Resolved, That the soldiers now in the field, or those who may here- after volunteer, the widows of deceased soldiers, and widows who have sons in the army, or who may hereafter volunteer from the county of Knox, shall be exempt from the payment of the bounty tax levied, or to be levied, to pay the bounty authorized by the Board of Supervisors
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
at the regular January meeting of this Board, was amended so as to read, " Provided, it does not conflict with the Constitution and laws of the State of Illinois." Unanimously adopted as amended.
Richmond had fallen, the war ended, yet there were soldiers who never returned to their families; others came crippled, broken in healthı. Such must be provided for, and the families of those who died on Southern soil. This subject elicited the following resolutions, offered. by Supervisor Dunlap at a meeting of the Board May 1, 1866:
" Resolved, That this Board adopt and ratify the resolution passed at its last meeting, refusing further aid to families of volunteers by the county, from and after this date." Supervisor Vaughn offered the following as an amendment:
" Resolved, That the Supervisor of each town be and is hereby au- thorized to extend aid to the families of volunteers who are still in the . service of the United States, or who have died or been disabled in such service, when such families are really in need of such aid; and although the families of any deceased soldiers may receive a pension from the Government, of eight dollars per month, this shall be no bar to such aid when absolutely needed, any resolution of the Board to the con- trary notwithstanding;" which was adopted.
SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETY.
The people were liberal as well as patriotic; and while the men were busy enlisting, organizing and equipping companies, the ladies were no less active.
The continued need of money to obtain comforts and necessaries for the sick and wounded of our army, suggested to the loyal women of the North many and various devices for the raising of funds. Every city, town and village had its fair, festival, picnic, excursion, con- cert, which netted more or less to the cause of hospital relief, accord- ing to the population of the place and the amount of energy and patriotism displayed on such occasions.
The Soldiers' Aid Society of Knox county did a noble, generous work; and one of the brightest pages in the county's history is that which records their efforts in behalf of the soldiers. Their devotion to the loyal principles of the national government was undying, and its defenders were objects of their deepest sympathy. We believe it not an exaggerated statement when we say that the women of no county in any of the States of the Union-loving North made a brighter record during the dark and trying days of the Rebellion than the patriotic ladies of Knox county. In their efforts to palliate the suf-
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
ferings of their brothers upon the Southern fields of carnage, they were actuated by heroic love of country, devotion to kindred, and sympathy for those in distress. Though physically incapacitated to share with them the toil and perils of battle, yet before its smoke and the echoes of its artillery passed away, the offerings of their hands would relieve their pain, and inspire them with holier ardor for the cause they were defending. The number of weary sufferers on the field of battle and in the lonely hospital relieved by their bounty and cheered by their presence, none but the Recording Angel can tell.
Among the many noble women whose names will be forever en- shrined with those of the brave defenders of our country, none will shine with greater luster than that of Mrs. Bickerdyke, who among the soldiers was generally known as " Mother Bickerdyke." She was one of the most constant, earnest, determined and efficient laborers in. the hospital and in the field that ever relieved tlie wants and sootlied the pains of soldiers.
In August, 1861, she was sent from Galesburg to Cairo to ascertain what the troops stationed at that point needed ; and after remaining there for some time she returned home, where she barely continued long enough to put her household in order for a more prolonged ab- sence. At Donelson and at Pittsburg Landing she was nntiring in her efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded. After the bat- tles of Missionary Ridge and Lookout Mountain she remained in the field 30 days, and for four weeks was the only female attendant upon the wounded of the former battle. At Vicksburg she undertook the difficult task of correcting abuses in the use of sanitary supplies, and naturally was not at all times a welcome guest to the officers in charge of such goods. One of the officers applied to " headquarters " to have a woman removed from bis hospital, on the complaint of improper in- fluence. " Who is she ?" inquired the General. "A Mrs. Bicker- dyke," replied the Major. "Oh, well," said the General, "she ranks me : you must apply to President Lincoln." This distinguished com- mander was none other than General Grant.
We give another of Mother Bickerdyke's operations, as it is con- nected with the history of Knox county. Her re-organization of the Memphis hospital is historic,-how she transformed the filthy, uncom- fortable Gayoso into a model of neatness and comfort. But she found it impossible to obtain milk, butter and eggs for her boys, and these were prime necessities. "I know where I can get them," said this indomitable wonan; " the farmers of Knox county have plenty of cows and chickens, and they will give them to me if I ask them." Accord- ingly she came north, and one dismal day burst in upon the " Soldiers'
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J. L, Blair W, S.
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Aid Society " like a thunder-clap, seized the Secretary and marched her off with no explanation further than, "I have need for you." Away they went, through the storm and the gathering blackness of night, to Ontario, where a meeting was convened to listen to a re- turned soldier. There Mrs. Bickerdyke told her story in her own rough way, but eloquent with the heart back of it. A number of cows were pledged immediately. The next morning the two ladies started out, calling at the farm-houses through the neighborhood, and on the route home, telling at each the story of the needs of our sick and wounded boys. The result was that in less than a week Mrs. Bickerdyke was returning to Memphis triumphant, with two hundred cows and a thousand hens on her train. Such a lowing and a cackling was never before heard in that city. It so jarred the sensitive nerves of the secessionists that they complained, to the .commanding General of Mrs. Bickerdyke and her noisy flocks and herds as a nuisance.
Grant assigned her President's Island, where her chickens cackled to their hearts' content and laid eggs proportionately, and her cows grew fat and poured out milk in abundance. Here they remained till the hospitals were closed, when they were-almost all of them we believe-distributed among the poor contrabands, who had proven their fidelity by efficient service during the war. The history of some of these cows is so romantic and full of interest that it deserves to be preserved. Often after, when Mother Bickerdyke went south, she made inquiries after her cows.
Distinguished, from the outset of her efforts, by her practical good sense, firmness in maintaining the rights of the soldiers and 'an un. ceasing energy, she was soon known among all western soldiers as one of their best and most faithful friends.
After the war Mrs. Bickerdyke moved to the West, often returning to her old home in Galesburg, where she had buried her husband and where she had so many warm friends. During the famine in Kansas a few years ago her generous heart prompted her again to engage in her labor of providing for the suffering. She came to Galesburg, and in the county raised and shipped to Kansas ten car-loads of provision, much clothing and considerable money. This noble woman resides in Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, where she is engaged in a missionary and charitable work.
Scarcely a hamlet or even a house in the whole county which did not send something from its stores to hospital or battle field, and in the larger towns were well organized soldiers' aid societies working systematically and continuously from the beginning of the war till its close. Many of them failed to record their own good works, but
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
the record is written in heaven and in the hearts of grateful soldiers. Each did a noble work. We give a sketch of the Galesburg society, whose secretary's books have been placed at our disposal for this pur- pose, as illustrating the work of all:
At the first call for troops by President Lincoln, a company of vol- unteers for the 17th Regiment was raised in Galesburg. The ladies offered to make up their clothing, which offer was accepted by Govern- ment, and the work satisfactorily completed. Much other work for the soldiers was done during the summer by the ladies, but a permanent organization was not effected until Oct. 26, 1861. From this time till the close of the war the history of this society is that of "patient con - tinuance in well doing," days and nights of hard work, with little of romance to brighten the page, but with plenty of self-sacrifice to hal- low it.
A few figures may give some idea of the money value of their work. This society disbursed for soldiers and soldiers' families during
1862 $ 2,397.82
1863 2,686.66
1864 5,806.89
till August, 1865
2,694.76
Total. $13,586.13
During the same time Galesburg sent to the Christian and
Sanitary Commissions, aside from this society $ 6,614.73
For soldiers' and freedmen's reading. 2,199.10
and paid in bounties and in city aid to soldiers' families 39,950.00
Making $62,340.16 from this one township alone.
At first the work of the society was mainly that of making cloth- .
ing, preparing lint and bandages. Soon, however, the need for anti- scorbutic food in the army became so pressing that great exertions were made to secure and forward fresh vegetables, pickles and fruits. Could we set in array the barrels of pickles and boxes of canned fruit forwarded by this society, they would stretch in continuous line from one end of the county to the other. These supplies were sent some- times direct to the boys in the field by trusty agents; sometimes to the St. Louis or Chicago Branch of the Sanitary Commission; to Miss Mary Safford, Cairo, "The Angel of the Gunboats," as the boys called her; by Mrs. Cunningham, wlio accompanied some of our Illi- nois regiments; by Mother Bickerdyke. After its organization a large proportion of stores were sent through the Illinois State Commission,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
whose agents, Col. Williams and Mr. C. T. Chase, at Cairo, took the greatest pains in distributing these supplies.
From the battle field of Pittsburg Landing two boat loads of wounded were sent up to Quincy. No notice of their coming had been given; no preparations made to receive them. They were car- ried to a warehouse, which happened to be empty, and laid on the floor until beds could be improvised for them. This was the com- mencement of the Quincy hospitals. The good people of that city did what they could to alleviate the suffering of these poor men, but the task was too great for them and they telegraphed for aid. The Gales- burg society responded promptly and generously, and from that time till the fall of 1865, when those hospitals were closed, scarcely a week passed in which stores of some kind were not sent to them,-clothing, reading matter, pickles, dried and canned fruit, besides perishable goods, such as green vegetables and butter, that could not be sent fur- ' ther south. These were all sent to Mother Liebriech, who distributed them personally to the patients. Hundreds of letters from those men testify their gratitude for these supplies. Nor were like expressions lacking from more distant fields: the secretary has now case after case of letters from the boys in blue telling of good done them through the work of this society.
Often the boys brought their thanks in person. One day, in answer to a knock at her door, the secretary opened it and saw standing there a blue-coated figure leaning heavily upon two crutches; the face was so thin and pale that she failed to recognize it, though it proved to be that of one of her own scholars. "Don't you know your Charlie?" he said, so pathetically that the tears sprang to her eyes.
After resting awhile on the sofa, he told his story: "Yon saved my life," he said. "I came to tell you so." In answer to her question- ing, incredulous look, he told how he had been sorely wounded at Chattanooga, and while lying helpless on the battle field was struck again and again by rebel balls. At last he was carried to the rear, unconscious, and so severely wounded there seemed no hope of his re- covery. Here Mrs. Jeremy Porter found him and brought him back to life. "The first thing I can remember," said Charlie, " was Mrs. Porter holding some cordial to my lips and saying, 'Drink it; it will do you good; it came from home.' It did do me good in more ways than one; for as soon as I was able to hold it, Mrs. Porter placed the bottle in my hands, and on it I read, 'Galesburg S. A. Society. I recognized the label as in your hand-writing; the sight of it, with the thought that the dear ones at home were working and praying for us, as I knew you were. brought me back to life again."
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
The preparation of this blackberry cordial was a specialty with the Galesburg society, and from nothing did they receive more grati- fying returns. They prepared it by the gallon, the cask, and at the suggestion of Mr. C. T. Chase, put it up in pocket flasks and sent it to the front to be used just as it was in Charles' case. He wrote that from personal knowledge he believed it had saved hundreds of lives.
How was the money raised for carrying on this work? In many ways; but underlying all was the " willing heart that gave freely, whether from abundance or from penury." Membership fees in the Society (twenty-five cents annually) brouglit in a small amount, dona- tions swelled the sum; but the chief reliance was upon entertainments and the one great fair whichi netted over four thousand dollars for three days' work.
Whenever a great battle or any other emergency made unusual de- mands, appeals were made through the paper, and were never made in vain. All classes vied with each other in responding. Again and again and again did the men in Brown's shops and in the railroad shops take up collections among themselves and pay into the treasury one or two hundred dollars at a time. Other mechanics and the teachers of the county often devoted a day's wages to this cause. Merchants, bankers, artists, professional men all joined in the good work.
While doing so much at home, they were not unmindful of the calls abroad. Articles valued at $280.45, donations of citizens generally, were sent to the Chicago Sanitary Fair. In connection with the State Agricultural Fair of 1864 was a sanitary department, to which Knox county contributed inore liberally than did any other county in the State. Circulars were sent to some responsible person in every township in the county, asking for contributions in money or in any- thing that could be turned into money, and pledges of hospital stores to be sent direct to the field as needed. The response was most gener- ous. One farmer would give a horse, another a cow, another a hog, another a load of hay, and so on down to a dozen of eggs. All these donations were sold, and added to the money contributed and that re- ceived from sale of articles at the fair, netted nearly $1,000; hospital stores pledged at this time and forwarded afterward amounted to $3,000 more.
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