USA > Illinois > Massac County > History of Massac County, Illinois > Part 5
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The Regulators resented the imprisonment of their friends, and openly revolted against the law by demanding the release of the prisoners. The sheriff now saw the need for volunteers to protect the jail and the court. But so great was the in- timidation of the inhabitants that only sixty re- sponded, although the moderate men outnumbered
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the others three to one. Of the sixty, many were Flatheads of ill-repute. The imprisoned Regulators under guard now saw the very thing for which they had worked, arrayed against them: the self-guard- ianship of law and public welfare.
The Regulators took every advantage of the sheriff's predicament and gathering their forces, several hundred strong, marched down to Metropolis House and demanded the release of their fellow- Regulators. After a short parley the Regulators were liberated, the sheriff and his posse securing first the promise that they would be exempt from violence. The jail was opened and the prisoners set free. The Regulators now saw that they had the upper hand and, seizing several of the sheriff's posse, drove them down to the river and deliberately drowned them. The sheriff and his friends were notified to leave. (12) (40)
Following such procedure as this, Governor Ford was again asked to call out the militia. He disfav- ored this. Instead, he sent Dr. William I. Gibbs, of Johnson County, to Massac, with authority to call out the county militia when necessary. Gibbs went and on Wednesday, November 11, 1846, called a meeting at the Metropolis House where anyone who had any criminal claim against anyone might have it settled. November 21 was the day named for such settlements by Dr. Gibbs and the justice of the peace. As no one appeared on that day, the neigh- boring county militia was ordered to come to Massac
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to accelerate action. Contrary to Gibbs' order, it did not respond and he could do nothing alone. Moses says that Gibbs' attempt had no other result than to leave the Regulators masters of the field and stronger than ever. "They proceeded to seize, try, and punish alleged offenders with a high hand. Other indictments of Regulators and collisions be- tween their friends and the Flatheads followed, and other seizures and outrages rapidly succeeded each other until the meeting of the legislature." (42)
It was about this time (November) that an atrocious crime was committed by the Regulators. They entered the house of an old couple named Mathis, and attempted to force the old man to tell of the guilt of some of his neighbors. Mathis refused, whereupon he was knocked down and attempted to be arrested without a warrant. The old lady was very strong, and knocked down two or three of the intruders before a gun was pointed at her. She seized the gun, shoved it downward, but not quick enough. It was discharged, the shot entering her thigh. She was also struck several blows over the head with the gun barrel. The Regulators fled, taking the old man with them. He was probably murdered, as he was never heard from. (12)
Mrs. Mathis had several perpetrators of this crime arrested, after which they were taken to the old Metropolis House and put under guard. The Regulators then marched into Metropolis City and demanded the release of their friends. Some trouble
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THE REGULATORS AND FLATHEADS
and shooting ensued in which one man was fatally stabbed. A compromise was made, but as soon as the visitors secured the advantage, they seized some of the sheriff's men, and it is said the sheriff as well, and tying them together, carried them in the direc- tion of Paducah. As no one except the sheriff was ever heard from, presumably they all "went to Arkansas." (12) On December 23, 1846, the sheriff and many citizens were ordered to leave Massac County within thirty days.
Captain Akin, of Franklin County, in his report to Governor Ford, said: "From the last information we could learn there are but few responsible men who take a part in favor of the 'Regulators' at this time, but there are some influential men behind the curtain and stimulating others to act; some very abandoned, and some very honest men, who are act- ing with the best intentions; and the same may be said of the 'Flatheads'. Of this, however, we feel confident that a large majority of the people of that county are sick and tired of the difficulties, and are anxious to see them at an end. If allowed to con- tinue, no good citizen can remain in the county." (41)
The legislature was constantly at work on the problem of the proper administration of Massac County, and scarcely a day passed but that it was mentioned two or three times. Senator Thomas G. C. Davis, later of Massac, a gifted orator, was the
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author of several interesting speeches in regard to the sad conditions.
A resolution passed on January 26, 1848, ex- pressed a loss of confidence in the Legislature. The full text will be omitted here. (41)
John W. Read was re-elected for a third term in August, 1849. Trouble had not yet ceased. The Western Citizen of August 14 said: "In August, 1849, a civil war was anticipated. The 'Flatheads' who had killed a regulator informer by tying him naked to a tree in a mosquito infested district, barri- caded themselves with ammunition and two cannons taken from the regulators who, determined to arrest the murderers, sent for cannon and aid from their friends in Kentucky." (43) Just a week before The Daily Journal, of Springfield, had reported: "There is a perfect lawless state of things in Massac in this state. About two weeks ago in an encounter be- tween the Flatheads and Regulators, two of the former, Taylor and Robert Canada, were killed and Daniel Ensloe, son of a former representative, wounded. Clinton King, on the side of the Reg- ulators, was killed, and two others wounded, one dangerously. Both parties were well armed. Affairs are represented as proceeding from bad to worse, constantly. One of the parties will have to leave the county." Soon after, an actual battle was fought, there being about sixty Flatheads and about eighty Regulators in the field. (41)
Some historians have criticized Governor Ford
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for his handling of the Massac problem. Ballance says Ford had ability as a judge but lacked courage to act in Massac. Ballance thought either General Duncan or General Hardin would have "made the vigilants and anti-vigilants and scoundrels of every grade in Massac, tremble before the majesty of the law." He concludes: "and he let the people of Massac cut each other's throats, and drown each other in the Ohio, until they quit of their own accord." (44)
The legislature, after working for several years upon the problem, at last was able, in part, to solve it. On October 30, 1849, a bill was passed extending jurisdiction of the circuit court so that Massac was directly connected with the state judicial system. The text of the bill is too lengthy to include here. Moses says that "the object of the passage of the law to establish district courts was, in effect, to provide for a change of venue by the state-to en- able the judge to hold court in any county in his circuit, so that the administration of the law would not be obstructed by interested jurors or tainted with partisan feelings. The determination of the state authorities to interfere and restore order had a quieting effect for the time on all parties. But the same lawless spirit has since been frequently mani- fested in that locality to such a degree as to be diffi- cult of control." (42) Local historians may wish to disagree with Moses. As late as 1866, a man by the name of Lynn harbored horse thieves and stolen
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horses in adjacent counties. O. J. Page also relates some incidents about mobs and lynch law.
By 1850 an astonishing tranquillity had fallen upon Massac County and all Southern Illinois. Dis- turbances died away and law assumed sway. Thus ended an eighteen-year struggle. All ill feelings have died long ago. Certainly today there is no such partisanship and that period of bitter tyranny has almost been forgotten. Not until the "Bloody Vendetta" of 1876 and its revival in the 1920's, was there anything similar, and that happened in Wil- liamson County, not Massac.
CHAPTER IX
MASSAC COUNTY IN THE CIVIL WAR
It would be a superficial treatment if an account of the military part Massac County played in the Civil War were divorced from the political. Hence, it is desirable that the first part of Chapter X be read in conjunction with the present chapter. Egypt (Southern Illinois) was strongly pro-slavery and Democratic. The epithet "Copperhead" was applied to a northern man who spoke against the Union, and there were many in Egypt prior to 1861.
How did Egypt respond when the call came for men? Let it be said at once that the response was "enough to quicken the pulse of patriotism and to silence the tongue of slander." (45) Governors Oglesby and Yates hesitated to reorganize the militia for fear of hurting the Southern feelings of those in Egypt unnecessarily. Oglesby believed that when the crisis came, the whole country would rise en masse for the common love of Union. (42) How true was his belief, so far as Southern Illinois was concerned, may now be seen.
It is strange, but the best response came from
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Democratic Egypt. In the first call the Cairo dis- trict offered more companies than could be received. When Logan and McClernand tendered their serv- ices, the tide was distinctly turned to the Union. Troops tendered not by companies but by regiments. Not only the quotas but also the surplus were filled. On October 1, 1863, the ten extreme southern coun- ties were officially credited with almost 50 per cent excess. "Old Democratic strong-holds, charged with apprehension, offered recruits with a generosity that shamed their opponents." (46)
Massac County contributed five-sixths of its voting population, or 800 soldiers tried and true ! Students give varying figures, one saying that the county furnished more soldiers than it had legal voters; some books credit the number 880. All agreed that this was a fine showing from Egypt while Northern Illinois had thought it was disloyal. Bluford Wilson wrote that the false belief current that Egypt furnished thousands of soldiers to the South, was a lie, or slander, or misrepresentation, which was unjust and cruel, whether intentional or unintentional. Of the 3,538 drafted men from Illi- nois, not one was from Egypt. Every call was answered and quotas filled. (45)
By 1861 old Fort Massac had fallen into decay. It was speedily repaired and on September 24, 1861, the 3rd Regiment of Illinois Cavalry occupied it. On October 3, six companies of Infantry arrived from Cairo. On November 11 four companies were sent
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to Paducah, leaving three to occupy the fort. (10)
By order of Governor Yates one regiment, the 131st, was enlisted and went into camp at old Fort Massac (Camp Massac). It was comprised of men from Hamilton, Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, and Massac Counties. They were enlisted in July and August, 1862. They remained in camp from September until November 13, when they were mustered into the Union service. The aggregate strength reached 880. Excluding officers, they numbered 815 men. More than 300 were Massac men. Colonel George W. Neely, of Metropolis, was the commandant. Companies A to H contained Massac men with the following captains, respectively : Elisha T. Woods, of Metropolis, who was chiefly instrumental in rais- ing Co. A ; Herod and Twitchall; Purdon, of Massac, and Field; Woodward, of Massac; Halley ; Hobbs; McCaleb; and Pulsifer and Eugene Crapper, of Metropolis. (47)
There is not space here to give the history of the 131st except briefly. At Fort Massac there was guard duty and drill despite poor equipage. Measles broke out and prostrated about 100, many of whom died or were discharged. On December 2 they em- barked on the Iowa for Cairo. From there they moved to Memphis; thence to Louisiana, the Yazoo River, the White River, and Vicksburg, engaging in battle and construction. Disease again hit hard. They returned to Memphis to recruit their health. Back to Vicksburg they went and two months later
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were in Kentucky to meet expected raids of General Forrest. As he did not appear the regiment returned to Vicksburg. Constant losses caused the 131st to be consolidated with the 29th Infantry on Novem- ber 14, 1863. Final pay and discharge was received two years later. (47) Total deaths of the 131st were 294, most of which was by disease and accidents. The aggregate strength of the 29th was 1547 but declined to 520. It suffered 300 killed. (42)
The Adjutant General praised the sacrifice of the 131st. Though few died from rebel bullets, yet the nature and duty of the work was such as to cause much disability and death. It did its part.
The nearest actual fighting at Massac occurred at Paducah on March 26, 1864, when the Confederate General Forrest with 1800 cavalry men attacked Colonel Hicks and his force. Killed were 25 and wounded 85. Union gunboats patrolling the harbor decided the battle. Many women and children fled in boats to the Illinois side of the river. Other refugees hid in cellars and under the river bank.
Metropolis had made some preparations. Page says : "On May 18, 1861, a resolution was passed authorizing the City Clerk to purchase 3 kegs of powder, 2 sacks of buckshot, and 100 bars of lead, for the 'Home Guards', to be used in defense of the city from threatened attacks by rebels." (6)
Captain J. F. McCartney, of Metropolis, person- ally recruited 150 men during the winter of 1863-64. He was commissioned Captain of his Co. D, 56th
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Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned with Sherman on his march to the sea. (6)
In any compilation of war records it is difficult to avoid errors. Even the Adjutant General's reports admit errors. Sometimes records are not available for individuals, there are misspellings, blanks appear for residence, and the mode and place of death are unknown. At the time, for instance, Brooklyn ap- peared on the map of Illinois in three places. Many men enlisted in other counties and in other states so that Massac County loses their credit. The author has sifted the names with some care. Of the 800 Massac County soldiers, almost 500 were in regi- ments other than the 131st. One man each was in the 7th and 11th Infantry. Seven were in the 18th. Captain James Williamson was in the 31st .* Eight men were in the 48th. Luke Mayfield was its Ser- geant Major. Andrew Walbright was First Ser- geant in the 56th, which contained 173 Massac men. First Assistant Surgeon John H. Scott was in the 90th. Six men were in the 109th and seven in the 120th. Eugene Crapper was First Lieutenant of the 136th, which had 24 Massac men. Two men were in the 2nd Cavalry. Peck and Vickers were captains of the 6th. There were five other officers and 61 men from Massac. The 10th had one man. The 13th had six men in Co. F and M. Six men were in the 14th. The 15th Cavalry was made up of seven officers and 72 men, Carmichael and Leek being cap-
* All names are Massac men.
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tains. In the G and K Batteries of the First Regi- ment Light Artillery were 15 men. Curtiss was First Sergeant of K. (47)
Post No. 345 of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized locally on October 1, 1883. It was named Tom Smith Post in honor of the first Union soldier from Massac County who died in service. A total of 284 names were eventually enrolled in the GAR.
Illinois furnished 256,297 men from 1861 to 1865. Serving in that vast Union Army were 2,675,000 men. Only one yet lives in the entire United States, Albert Woolson (age 107), of Duluth. In 1927 there were yet 29 veterans living in Massac County. On March 24, 1939, James A Smith died. Reed Crider (colored) died February 1, 1943. Van Lyons (col- ored) died May 15, 1944. On January 31, 1945, S. E. Womack died at Boaz, probably the last Civil War veteran in Southern Illinois.
CHAPTER X
POLITICAL NOTES - THE BAR
War sometimes splits political parties. In some cases political parties cause wars. The Civil War definitely converted Massac County from a Demo- cratic to a Republican stronghold, which it has remained generally ever since.
Southern Illinois had been pro-slavery in senti- ment long before the crisis. In the general election for the convention in 1824, Pope County (of which Massac was then a part) was 273 votes for and 124 against ; i.e., was for slavery. That part of Massac lying in Johnson was a tie. Even the constitution of 1818 was framed by southern men. Up to 1862 Massac County was overwhelmingly Democratic. In 1848, for president, it voted about 70 per cent for Cass; in 1852 and 1856 Pierce and Buchanan were the choices. In 1854, for State Treasurer, the vote was over 75 per cent for Democratic Moore. In 1858, the vote was 75 per cent for Douglas. For President in 1860 Massac voted 75 per cent or 873 votes for Douglas; for Bell (Union Party) 8 per cent or 84 votes; and for Lincoln, 121 votes. It
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might be well to say here that there is no record of Lincoln ever visiting Massac County.
The population of Massac County in 1860 was 6,213 with 3219 white males, 2882 white females, 63 free colored females, and 49 free colored males. A total of 1,078 votes were cast. There were no "stay- at-homes" in that momentous year. Southern Illi- nois was not Republican and emphatically was not for Lincoln. (45) As late as 1862 Massac gave about 70 per cent for the Democratic Congressman-at- large, James C. Allen.
In those first stirring days the term "copperhead" arose. A copperhead was a northern man who sym- pathized with the South. The term was especially applied to those who actively aided the South. Sev- eral prominent politicians were among them. One of these was assemblyman William H. Green, of Massac County. He intimated that his constituents would oppose any invasion of the North, but at the same time, if the North marched on the South, his people would die before the North could invade the South. He was said to advocate secession in Egypt. On a charge of Copperheadism he was arrested and placed in jail but later "honorably discharged." (46)
Pope County had a mass meeting openly declar- ing right of secession. Many other secret meetings were held. Marion pledged itself to work for di- vision of the State and attach Egypt to the Con- federacy. It was long contended that John A. Logan
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approved of these resolutions, but the writers Smith, Lusk, and Erwin absolve him. (1) (35) (48)
Why was Southern Illinois pro-slavery ? At least five reasons may be given. First, in latitude, that part of Illinois extended far into the South. Much of Virginia, Kentucky, and Missouri were no farther south than many Illinois counties. Cairo reached down almost to the geographical center of what was known as the Southern States. (49) Secondly, "In shape-a wedge, in the end riving apart the ill- starred Confederacy-a shining lance head, thrust- ing its way deep into the very vitals of slavery and rebellion." (45) This led to similar trade interests as a third reason. Lastly, were the factors of blood- relationship, and the pro-slavery instincts of the immigrants from slave-holding states. These last cannot be over-emphasized. They led to political affiliations and Southern sympathies. (49)
Then why was Egypt so loyal? Rumors, a sort of "whispering campaign", had built up the "dis- loyal Egypt" myth. Cross says that to the Union it had always been true ; it needed the crisis to prove it to the world. (50) Another writer suggests that Egypt would much have desired to be a Switzerland or neutral ground during the war, to act as mediator rather than participant on either side. The "Under- ground Railroad", of which Metropolis was an im- portant terminus, was in operation through the years. One must admit that the subversive Knights of the Golden Circle were strong in Egypt in 1862.
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The Cairo "castle" claimed to have a membership of 20,000. Their "nuisance value" was great. (51)
The first local Republican organization met in Metropolis in the spring of 1860. Only five persons were present. But how marvelous the revolution in public sentiment ! State Representative William H. Green had warned his fellow Democrats in 1859 that the party's strength might soon be tested. Gen- eral Green B. Raum was an ardent supporter of Douglas in 1860. The fall of Fort Sumter created a profound sensation in Egypt. Feeling ran high. Immediately General Raum declared himself on the side of the Union. As a visiting attorney at Metrop- olis a few days after the event, he was asked to ex- press his views. Lusk gives this speech verbosely, but enough to say that the speech was effective. Without seeking it, Raum had met a great emer- gency and led the way for the cause of Union and liberty. He changed his support to Lincoln, and from that time on the Republican party grew in Massac County. The vote in 1864 was 948 for Lin- coln and only 265 for McClellan. (35)
The Negro, of course, was one of the major spokes in the hub of the Civil War causes. An en- tire chapter could easily be devoted to the Negro in Massac County. Employed mostly at tilling the soil or as servants, his position was lowly. The word "servant" covered a multitude of sins, and slavery existed in Egypt just as surely as in the South. (52) Colonel W. R. Brown, of Metropolis, pro- (53)
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POLITICAL NOTES-THE BAR
tected the first Negro who dared to vote in Cairo in 1869. Prejudice against the intellectual or politi- cal advancement of the colored race was deep-seated. (35) Locally, by the "gentleman's agreement" of about 1870, Negroes were allowed an alderman. This was recently broken when William Grimes, white, unseated Henry Upshaw. Negroes also serve on the West End police force in Metropolis. Since 1839 there have been several lawyers. In 1940 there were 1705 colored citizens in the county, 615 being in Metropolis. This has declined to 1185. There are no colored voters in Washington Precinct. In the area, Massac, Pulaski, Alexander, and Mc- Cracken (Kentucky) Counties contain the most l'egroes by percentage of total population. The percentage in Massac is 8.7 per cent. The Negro vote is predominantly Republican. While there has been a decline in Negro population, politically, the vote is still a force with which to reckon.
Through the years Massac County has been thrown into variously-numbered Senatorial and Congressional districts. At present it is a part of the 51st Senatorial District and the 25th Congres- sional District. Due to limits of space only county personalities will be mentioned. Dates of office and session numbers also are omitted. In the respective order the State Senators have been William H. Green, Douglas W. Helm, W. A. Spence, and Ar- thur Van Hooser. Again in chronological order the State Representatives have been George W. Gray,
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William H. Greene, Thomas B. Hicks, Charles Bur- nett, Jonathan C. Willis, William R. Brown, Benja- min O. Jones, John D. Young, Robert McCartney, Fowler Armstrong, F. A. Trousdale, Oliver J. Page, S. Bartlett Kerr, Claude Lacey, W. V. Rush, and Gordon Kerr. Several of the above served a num- ber of terms and gave honorable service. Trousdale was the only Democrat since the Civil War. Douglas W. Helm served through six Senatorial sessions. W. V. Rush was elected five times to the Lower House. The present Senator, Arthur Van Hooser, has had the longest tenure. Not since 1920, when Spence and Lacey were serving, has Massac been so fully represented as now. Representative Kerr lives in Brookport. Van Hooser has been a fighter for his constituents and has gained national recognition as an authority on roads. He has sponsored and co-sponsored much outstanding legislation.
The county claims two Congressmen, both Rep- resentatives. John R. Thomas, Republican, served from 1879 to 1885. As General Green B. Raum was once resident at Metropolis and, according to Moses, was elected from there in 1867, Massac may lay claim to him. Meanwhile, he had entered the Repub- lican ranks.
The county Republican party reigned supreme until the 1930's when some breaks occurred, but its strength had returned by 1940. However, at no time since the Civil War has the county ever gone Demo- cratic for President or for Governor. The race was
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fairly close in 1868, 1932, and 1936 for President. The vote in 1932 stood 2851 for Hoover and 2593 for Roosevelt. In 1932, the only real local guber- natorial race, Horner polled 2244 votes while Small received 3131. The record county vote in an elec- tion occurred November 8, 1932, when about 7700 voted. With 8500 voters registered in November 1952, there were 6930 votes cast of which 60.8 per cent were Republican. For offices below the Na- tional, and the Governor, the picture has been about the same. Claude V. Parsons, Democratic Congress- man, received a small plurality of 18 votes in 1932. For State Senator, the controversial Kenneth Jones got a Democratic plurality of 65 votes from the county in 1934. In the Judicial elections the county has remained Republican. There was a curious re- currence of events on November 8, 1932. Forty years before, it is said, on November 8, 1892, there was a local snowfall of about 15 inches. That day Altgeld was elected Democratic Governor and Cleveland elected Democratic President. It also snowed locally on that date in 1932, when Horner and Roosevelt were elected. As some Democrat wag said, the Republicans were "snowed under."
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