History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 16

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 16

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The details for this subject will be immedi- ately communicated to the state authorities through the war department. I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate, and to aid this

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and existence of our National Union, and the per- petuity of popular government, and to redress wrongs already long endured. I deem it proper to say that the first services assigned to the forces hereby called forth will probably be to reposses the forts, places and property which have been seized from the Union; and in every event the utmost care will be observed, consistently with the object aforesaid, to avoid any devastation, any destruction of, or interference with property, or any disturbance of peaceful citizens in any part of the country ; and I hereby command the persons composing the combinations aforesaid, to disperse and retire peaceably to their respect- ive abodes within twenty days from this date.

Deeming that the present condition of public affairs presents an extraordinary occasion, I do hereby, in virtue of the power in me vested by the constitution, convene both houses of con- gress. The senators and representatives are therefore summoned to assemble at their re- spective chambers at 12 o'clock, noon, on Thurs- day, the fourth day of July next, then and there to consider and determine such measures as in their wisdom the public safety and interest may seem to demand.

In witness thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, on the fif- teenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the independence of the United States the eighty- fiftlı.

By the president,

ABRAHAM LINCOLN. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, secretary of state.

The last word of this proclamation had scarcely been taken from the elec- tric wire before the call was filled. Men and money were counted out by hun- dreds and thousands. The people who loved their whole country could not give enough. Patriotism thrilled and vibrated and pulsated through every heart. The

farm, the workshop, the office, the pul- pit, the bar, the bench, the college, the school house-every calling offered its best men, their lives and fortunes, in defense of the government's honor and unity. Party lines were for a time ignored. Bitter words, spoken in mo- ments of political heat, were forgotten and forgiven, and joining hands in a common cause, they repeated the oath of America's soldier statesman: "By the great eternal, the union must and shall be preserved!"

Seventy-five thousand men were not enough to subdue the rebellion. Nor were ten times that number. The war went on, and call followed call, until it seemed as if there were not men enough in all the free states to crush out the rebellion. But to every call for either . men or money, there was a willing and. ready response. The gauntlet thrown down by traitors of the south was ac- cepted; not, however, in the spirit which insolence meets insolence, but with a firm, determined spirit of patriotism and love of country. The duty of the president was plain under the constitu- tion and laws, and, above and beyond all, the people, from whom all political power is derived, demanded the sup- pression of the rebellion, and stood ready to sustain the authority of their representative and executive officers to the utmost extremity.

Settled as McDonough county was by many from the southern states, it is in no wise derogatory to her that in the breasts of many of her citizens beat hearts in sympathy with the cause of the southern confederacy, and that a feeling of ill-will should prevail against

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

the radical abolitionist. But to their honor be it spoken, that many of these, who looked upon the movement of the south as having just grounds, with a noble patriotism, sank all sectional and political feelings in their devotion to the cause of the Union, and the "star gemmed flag" of their country." Many of the citizens of the county of McDon- ough, and among them many of the most influential and respected ones, used every honorable means to defeat the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency, deeming it to the best inter- ests of the country. But others worked equally hard to elevate the favorite son of Illinois to the executive seat, although a no less distinguished citizen of Illinois was one of his opponents. The vote, in November,1860, best shows the number of those who favored the election of Lincoln and who favored his opponents: for Lin- coln, 2,255 votes; for Douglas, 2,266; for Breckenridge, 6; and for Bell, 62. In the minds of all it seemed impossible that the south would secede, and that this glorious republic would be disrupt- ed, thinking that when the excitement of the political campaign had passed away, peace and prosperity would continue. But when the sad news of Anderson's surrender was made known throughout the land, no greater indignation, at the outrage to our flag, was betrayed any- where than in McDonough county. Political rancor was hushed, partisan feeling was swept away, and pure patriot- ism animated the whole people. Nobly did the people of the county respond to the calls for men in the foregoing proc- lamation, and at each succeeding call. Meetings were held all over the county,

participated in by men of all former shades of opinion and party, but all now animated by but one feeling. At Ma- comb, on the 17th of April, 1861, a pub- lic meeting was held, and a committee, consisting of Nelson Abbott, Charles Chandler, A. K. Lowry, W. E. Withrow, John Knappenberger and Carter Van Vleck, three democrats and three repub- licans, was appointed to draw up resolu- tions. They made a report to the meet- ing of the following, which were soon adopted:

WHEREAS, War against the government of the United States has been commenced by the authorities of the so-called confederate states, by assailing and reducing Fort Sumpter, a for- tress garrisoned and defended by United States soldiers, and under the sacred protection of the national flag; and,

WHEREAS, The president of the United States has issued his proclamation reciting that " the laws of the United States have been and are opposed in several states by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in the ordinary way," and calling for volunteers to suppress said combination and execute the laws; be it

Resolved by the citizens of McDonough county, without distinction of party, in mass meeting assembled, That it is the duty of all loyal and patriotic citizens, at whatever cost of blood and treasure, to sustain and support the constitutioned authorities of the United States in their lawful efforts to preserve the Union, maintain the integrity of the constitution and the supremacy of all the laws, and protect the federal capital and sustain the honor of our na- tional flag.

Resolved, That, while we would be glad to see such legislation adopted by the federal and state governments as would, if possible, bring about an honorable reconciliation between the citizens of the several states, yet we deem it the duty of our legislature about to assemble to pass such laws as will render the general govern-

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

ment speedy and efficient aid in all its lawful endeavors to carry out the objects indicated in the foregoing resolution.

Resolved, That the stars and stripes are the emblems of our country's liberties and honors, and wheresoever floating it is the duty of every American citizen to yield to that flag uncondi- tional allegiance and undying devotion ..

At Colchester, April 9th, at a public meeting, the following was adopted as the sense of the meeting:

Resolved, That we, the citizens of Colchester and vicinity, have no ill feeling toward any po- litical party, and say, with the immortal Clay, that we know no north-no south-no east-no west; we know only the welfare of our country.

Resolved, That, in view of our present crisis, we pledge our support to the administration for the purpose of sustaining the government, the the constitution, and the Union. In doing so we show them we are not degenerated sons of '76.

At Foster's point, on the evening of the 27th of April, the citizens assembled and adopted the following:

WHEREAS, The government of these United States has been assailed-the flag of our coun- try fired upon and dishonored-our country is severely threatened with destruction; therefore,

Resolved, That we, without respect to party, declare our undying devotion to the Union, the constitution, and the enforcement of the laws.

Resolved, That we know no government but our government, no country but our country, and no flag but the stars and stripes of our honored sires.

In other parts of the county other meetings passed just as strong resolu- tions. Recruiting offices were opened, and by the 20th of April one company was formed, with V. Y. Ralston as cap- tain, and within a few days another was ready, with D. P. Wells as captain. These two companies were raised at Macomb and a third was formed at Mid-

dletown, under Captain Samuel Wilson. These three companies departed for Springfield, the general rendezvous of the Illinois troops, and were assigned to the 16th infantry, being respectively companies A, B, and C, of that famous regiment. The companies were all es- corted to the depot by hosts of friends, and they were heartily cheered, and many a. heartfelt "God bless you" was given as they moved off, many never to come back to home and loved ones.

All throughout the long years that the dark cloud of war covered our country. the enlistment of men, the forming of new companies, the constant stir and ex- citement was kept up, and men, young, middle-aged and old, pressed to the front. In all, nearly three thousand brave and gallant sons of McDonough county represented her in the ranks of "blue-coated national defenders," men who stood in the red front of lurid bat- tle, and always took a prominent part. Numbers of them laid down their lives upon the altar of their country, and their bones enrich the soil of nearly every southern state. From the Poto- mac to the Rio Grande, from Albemarle sound to the Rocky Mountains have their drums beat, and the ground re- echoed to their tread, and no more heroic soldiers led the van in many a stricken field than did the representatives from this section of the state.

While they were away upon the tented field, the patriotic men and women at home were not idle. Although impossi- sible to get the county to do anything in an official way for the relief of sol- diers' families, many, as private citizens, thought it not only a duty but a blessed

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

privilege to render all the aid in their power. During the entire four years of war, we think but little actual suffering was experienced by any at home on ac- count of the absence of their natural protectors, who were serving their coun- try. Fairs and festivals were held for the purpose of obtaining sanitary sup- plies for those in the field, and soldiers' aid societies were continually investigat- ing and relieving the wants of the needy at home.

On Wednesday, September 10, 1862, there was presented to the board a pe- tition signed by numerous citizens of Macomb and the county generally, ask- ing the board to take some action in re- gard to providing for the families of the volunteers from McDonough county. The question was at once referred to the committee of the whole. On the 12th of the same month, the board, on motion of Mr. Casto, the member from Macomb, resolved itself into a committee of the whole, for the consideration of the ques- tion. After considerable discussion, the following preamble and resolutions were offered by L. G. Reid, and were adopted:

" WHEREAS, Divers persons of this county have petitioncd this board to make an appropri- ation for the support and maintenance of the families of the volunteers of this county that have enlisted in the United States service ; and,

" WHEREAS, This board is not advised as to the number that have volunteered from this county, nor have they any knowledge of the condition of those families that it is proposed to assist ; therefore,

" Resolved, That the supervisors of each township be appointed a committee to ascertain the number and condition of the families of vol- unteers in each township of the county, and re- port to this board at its next meeting. And be t further

. "Resolved, That the supervisor of each town shall be required to call the attention of their several townships to the propriety of calling town meetings for an expression of the wishes of the tax payers in regard to the proposed ap- propriation, and report such expression so ex- pressed at the next meeting of this board."

At the October session following, an abstract of the votes taken on the sub- ject of making the appropriation in favor of the wives and families of the volunteers in the service of the general government, was presented to the board, of which the following is a copy:

Township:

For app. Against

Eldorado

New Salem

Mound

Industry.

103

Macomb

Walnut Grove

Bethel

Chalmers

Emmett

Sciota.

Lamoine

108

Tennesseee

117

Hire

Blandinsville.

125

By this it will be seen that there were but 113 "for the appropriation," and 918 against the appropriation," with the townships of Scotland and Prairie City to hear from, thus defeating the action of the board.

At a meeting of the board of super- visors, held on the 26th of June, 1863, the following resolution was presented by B. R. Hampton, and on motion of J. P. Updegraff, it was adopted:

WHEREAS, There have been a number of battles recently fought by General Grant's divis- ion of the army, between Jackson and Vicks- burg; and

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

WHEREAS, Many of the citizens of McDon- ough county are soldiers in that division ; and

WHEREAS, The sanitary commission, of Chi- cago, have called upon the people of the state of Illinois for aid for the sick and wounded sol- diers at Vicksburg; therefore,

Resolved, That we make an appropriation of one hundred dollars out of any county funds not otherwise appropriated, for the benefit of said sick and wounded soldiers, and the clerk is hereby directed to issue a county order for that amount, and send the money to the secretary of the Chicago sanitary commission.

In his history of McDonough county, S. J. Clarke, a resident of the county at the time, says of the year 1862:

"During this year our armies met with a number of reverses, and doubts arose in the minds of many as to the power of the government to put down the rebel- lion. Organizations were formed throughout the north, of men who fav- ored a cessation of hostilities, the with- drawal of our troops from southern soil, and a compromise with the rebels. The organization was regarded as treason- able by the administration, and many of the leaders of the movement were ar- rested without regular warrant and in- carcerated in various prisons, while the writ of habeas corpus was suspended. A great hue and cry was raised because of this fact; the government was denounced as tyrannical, and a forcible resistance was seriously advocated. A large num- ber in McDonough county joined in the movement with the opposition, and party strife again ran high. Friends of long standing became enemies, and threats of personal damage were made upon both sides. Recruiting for the army was well nigh suspended, and the union cause seemed very dark. At this juncture, B.

R. Hampton introduced the following resolution, and asked its adoption by the board of supervisors at their session in May, 1863:

WHEREAS, Our nation is now involved in civil war, brought about by the acts of designing and unscrupulous men who seek to destroy the best government ever instituted upon the earth by man; and believing it to be the duty of all public bodies, assembled for the purpose of transaction of public business, to throw their influence, whether it be much or little, on the side of the government and for the maintenance of its power and authority ; therefore,

Resolved, That although some of us may differ with the administration in relation to some of its war policy, yet we are anxious to see the rebels subdued, and forced to submit to the regularly constituted authorities of the United States; and further, that we are opposed to any and all propositions for a compromise, come from what source they may, short of an uncon- ditional surrender of the rebels to the govern- ment.

Resolved, That we utterly condemn all sym- pathizers with the rebellion, wherever found, as also that spirit of fault-finding which is so rife among us.

On motion, the subject of the adop- tion of the resolutions were laid upon the table, and afterward being taken therefrom, after slight amendment by Mr. Hampton, and considerable discus- sion ensuing, Supervisor Reid offered the following as a substitute for those of Mr. Hampton:

Resolved, That McDonough county has been, is now, and will forever remain, devotedly attached to the federal government of the United States, under the constitution which creates that gov- ernment and defines its powers.

Resolved, That, we are in favor of destroying the rebellion, and sanction any legitimate means for the accomplishment of that purpose, either through an honorable compromise of difficulties or a convention of all the states for arranging

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

terms of mutual intercourse, leaving to every state the right to regulate their domestic affairs in their own way, subject only to the constitu- tion. -

Resolved, That we sincerely regret that the president has not moved with the whole power of the army placed in his hands by a confiding but betrayed people, upon the enemy's works, but instead thereof has made war upon unarmed and patriotic citizens of the north, whose only " crime " has been devotion to the constitution and best interests of the country.

Resolved, That we view with just alarm the repeated usurpations of power by the president and his military officers, in the arbitrary arrests and imprisonment of peaceable citizens ; in tlieir mock trial and imprisonment; in the attempt to overawe peaceful mectings of the people called "to petition the government for redress of grievances;" in the arbitrary suspension of the habeas corpus; in the substitution of the will or whim of an irresponsible officer for the written law; that if these and other kindred usurpations are not rebuked and counteracted by the friends of law and order, tlien indeed is a military des- potism established over us, our constitution de- stroyed, and a new government destructive of our liberties inaugurated in the place of the fundamental laws bequeathed to us by our fathers.

Resolved, That we call upon this government to return to true and faithful allegiance to the constitution, and to employ the remaining period of their short term of power in honest endeav- ors to restore the country to the condition of peace, prosperity and growth which distin- guished our country before the advent of a sec- tional organization of power.

Resolved, That, the profligate squandering of the public money by the officers under the con- trol of President Lincoln is without a parallel for recklessness and infamy in the history of any civilized nation; in the language of John P. Hale, we solemnly "believe and declare that the liberties of this country are in greater danger to-day from the corruption and profligacy prac- ticed in the various departments of this admin-

istration than they arc from the open enemy in the field."

Resolved, That, we request our'representative in congress, the Hon. Lewis W. Ross, to use his best exertions to secure the repeal of the con- scription bill, the indemnity bill, and all other oppressive and partisan enactments of the late congress; also, to oppose all measures looking toward a recognition of the independence of the southern confederacy.

Resolved, That in the language of Governor Seymour, "having given the administration a generous support in the war, we pause to see what kind of a government it is for which we are asked to pour out our blood and our treas- ures, and demand to know whether the war is waged to put down the rebellion at the south, or destroy free institutions at the north."

Pending the question of the adoption of the resolutions, Supervisor Potter of- fered the following as a substitute there- for, to-wit:

Resolved, That we, as a board of supervisors, whatever shades of difference of opinion there may be among us, we are united in this, a firm and unshaken determination to stand upon the federal constitution-standing upon this broad basis, we are opposed to secession, and to sup- press it, we are in favor of the use of the means guaranteed to us by a wise and benignant gov- ernment, arms, amnesty, redress of grievances, an honorable compromise on all subjects of con- troversy; in short, by the use of all means that become a wise and christian nation.

Resolved, That upon this basis shall we stand till the "trump of peace shall sound."

The resolutions of Mr. Porter were rejected, and those of Mr. Reid adopted.

As we have before remarked, enlist- ments for the army were slow at this time, and in order to encourage volun- teers, Hon. B. R. Hampton, at the De- cember meeting (1863) of the board of supervisors, offered the following reso- lution, which was rejected by the board:

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

145

Resolved, That in addition to the bounties offered by the government of the United States for recruits, we offer a county bounty of fifty dollars to each man who is the head of a family, and twenty-five dollars to each single or unmar- ried man who shall hereafter enlist in the mnil- itary service of the United States.

But the government had need of men, and as the quota of this county was not full, drafting was resorted to. We may here state that had McDonough county received credit for all who had gone from her midst, no draft would ever have been ordered here; but many, in order to receive the large bounty offered by other counties, went there for the purpose of enlistment. When this strain came, those who were formerly opposed to the giving of a bounty by the county for volunteers, now became clamorous for it to be done at once. On the 14th day of December, 1864, W. H. Green offered the following preamble and reso- lution, which was adopted by the board of supervisors:

WHEREAS, It has become necessary for the government of the United States to draft men into the service of the United States, for the purpose of suppressing the rebellion in the southern states ; and,

WHEREAS, The government of the United States does not pay a sufficient bounty to obtain volunteers for said service ; now, therefore,

Resolved, That the board of supervisors of the county of McDonoughi request William H. Neece, the representative of this county in the legislature of this state, to have such law or laws passed at the next meeting of the legislature as will empower the board of supervisors of this county to levy a tax sufficient to enable the county to offer bounties to persons enlisting in the military service of the United States, and to enable drafted men to procure substitutes when drafted into said service.

This was accordingly done, and Mr. Neece, in due time, introduced a bill be- fore the legislature in accordance with the provisions of the above request. The bill became a law, receiving the signa- ture of the governor. On Monday, Feb- ruary 6, 1865, the board of supervisors were called together to take action on this law. A dispatch was forwarded to Mr. Neece, inquiring into the provisions of the bill, and the answer being satis- factory, John McSpirit offered the fol- lowing resolutions, and moved their adoption, viz :.

Resolved by the board of supervisors of McDonough county, that the sum of three hun- dred dollars be, and the same is, hereby appro- priated to each and every volunteer that may have been, or shall be, enlisted in the military service of the United States, to fill the quota of McDonough county under the proclamation of the president of the United States, made in De- cember, 1864, for 300,000 men to fill the army : provided, that this appropriation shall be al- lowed to no person who shall be credited to any other county, city or state, and to no person who shall volunteer or present a representative sub- stitute from any township after its quota under the present call shall have been filled. Also, that the sum of three hundred dollars be, and the same is, hereby appropriated to each person, a resident of this county, who shall be drafted under the present call, to furnish a substitute or enter the service himself : provided, further, that where townships or parts of townships have al- ready furnished volunteers under the present call, by clubs or townships, and have paid the men so furnished, then such clubs, townships, or parts of townships, shall have the right to their respective shares of this appropriation, instead of the men so paid and in the service, to be paid to such person or persons as the club or town- ship may designate; to be divided pro rata among all persons contributing to such club or township fund in proportion to the amount of their contribution: provided, also, that no in-

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History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 16

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150