USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside County, Illinois, from its earliest settlement to 1908, Vol. I > Part 27
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Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood .- King Henry V.
When the South trained her batteries on Fort Sumter in 1861, she fired the heart of the nation. An electric current of patriotism seemed to spread
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
from ocean to ocean, from city to hamlet. The flag was assailed, and millions of freemen rose in its defense.
Our county as everywhere else, caught the spirit of loyal enthusiasm, and young men and old men were eager to rally around the banner of the Union. The Board of Supervisors met promptly in April, 1861, and passed stirring resolutions to voice the sentiment of the people. After several reso- lutions endorsing the action of the government to sustain the integrity of the constitution and maintain the unity of the states, they
Resolved, That the people of Whiteside County do, without regard to party, unanimously pledge to the governor of the state the entire resources of our county for the defense of our state and the Union, and that we pledge the entire credit of our county to furnish men or money as the government may require.
Resolved, That we hereby appropriate a fund of $20,000 to be placed in the hands of five commissioners, to be appointed by our chairman, to be used for the support of needy families of volunteers while said volunteers are engaged in the service of their country.
As the war progressed, and men were wanted, the secretary of war ordered an enrollment of the militia, to make a draft if necessary. To secure volun- teers, the supervisors passed an order offering each man a bounty of sixty dollars. Private citizens offered premiums, rousing meetings were held, and our quota of 359 was filled with many additional men offering their services. This was August, 1862. Proud Illinois! Some states had repeated drafts.
By August, 1862, the county had furnished 1,600 men for the war. To provide for the bounties of the soldiers and meet the necessary expenses, the supervisors sent a committee to Chicago to make a loan of $40,000. In Sep- tember, 1864, a bounty of $200 was offered, and $10,000 appropriated for the families of volunteers. By Sept. 27, 1864, eighty-seven men were due on the county's quota, and a draft was appointed for Oct. 5. Much money was raised by private subscription to add to the public bounty, and avoid a draft. This was successful in all the townships except Hahnaman, with a small popula- tion, where three citizens were drafted, the only case during the war.
Whiteside's quota under the last call for 300,000 men, Dec. 19, 1864, was 250 men. At the December term, the supervisors voted a bounty of $500, and in February, $100 more. The townships voted $100 additional to each volunteer, and the quota was secured. Several men were recruited for the old regiments in the field.
Of Whiteside's noble contribution to the armies of her country, the excellent history of Bent and Wilson furnishes the following summary : In 1860 the population of the county was 18,729. In 1863, the enrollment was 3,328; in 1864, 3,338; in 1865, 3,338 .. The quota of the county in 1861 was 525 men; in 1862, 359; in March 4, 1864, 726 men; July 18, 1864, 519. Total quota prior to Dec. 31, 1864, 2,129 men. Total credits prior to Dec. 31, 1864, 2,019 men. Deficit thien was 110 men. Dec. 31, 1865, assigned quota was 520 men. Total quota of county Dec. 31, 1865, 2,539. Total
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credit under last call, 516. Entire credit during the war, 2,535 men. Deficit under all calls, only four men. The total indebtedness of the county caused by the war was $529,402. Immediate steps were taken to reduce the obliga- tions, by September, 1867, seventy per cent was paid, and a few years after- wards not a dollar of indebtedness remained.
FIFTY-SECOND ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
The Union forever, hurra, boys, hurra! Down with the traitor, up with the star! While we rally round the flag, boys, Rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of freedom !- George F. Root.
This regiment had its first severe experience in the battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862, where it lost 170 men, and next at Corinth in May, where seventy were swept from the ranks. In an expedition to intercept Forrest, the boys marched one hundred miles in four and a half days. Jan. 9, 1864, three-fourths of the men re-enlisted, and returned home on furlough. After Chattanooga, they marched with Sherman through Georgia, fought the rebels at Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw, Decatur, Atlanta, continued the march to the sea through the Carolinas, participated in the triumphal procession at Wash- ington in May, grander than any martial pomp Rome ever saw in the proud- est days of the Cæsars.
For company F of the Fifty-second, sixty-six men were enlisted from Whiteside, mostly from Fulton and Albany. Nine recruits were received, afterwards. The captains were Nathan P. Herrington and Oscar Summers. First lieutenants, Lucien S. Kinney and Luther A. Calvin. Second lieuten- ants, John Dyer and Stephen Withrow. The regiment was mustered into service Nov. 19, 1861, with 945 men, moving first to St. Louis, then to Cairo and Fort Donelson. It was mustered out July 5, 1865.
ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS.
We're tenting tonight on the old camp ground, Give us a song to cheer, Our weary hearts, a song of home, And friends we love so dear .- Kittredge.
This regiment enlisted for one year, was mustered into service Feb. 19, 1865. Company B was from WWhiteside, and a large part of company G. George H. Fay was captain of B, and W. H. H. Jones and Charles Bent, lieutenants. A. C. Bardwell was captain of G. Frank Clendenin of Morrison, was major. For its short term, the regiment had numerous skirmishes and passed through many historic points in the Southland, Chattanooga, Dalton, Ringgold, Marietta, Andersonville, Savannah. It was mustered out Jan. 20, 1866, one of the last Illinois regiments discharged.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
ONE HUNDRED FORTIETH ILLINOIS.
Strike till the last armed foe expires;
Strike for your altars and your fires; Strike for the green graves of your sires; God and your native land !- Halleck.
In the spring of 1864 President Lincoln issued a call for 100,000 men to do garrison duty at various points, and relieve the veterans for the grand forward movement in preparation. The time was for one hundred days. Two full companies and part of a third were recruited in Whiteside. Company A had 81 men, company B had 83, and company D the cadets from Fulton college. The regimental officers from this county were: Michael W. Smith, lieutenant-colonel; L. E. B. Holt, adjutant; W. A. Lipe, chaplain. Officers of company A were J. A. Morgan, captain ; Charles M. Worthington and Ben- jamin Gurtisen, lieutenants, all of Sterling. Lipe was pastor of the Lutheran church there. In company B, Charles W. Hills was captain ; George H. Fay
and Erastus Fuller, lieutenants. The regiment was mustered into service at Dixon, June, 1864, and sent to Memphis. From this point, companies were sent to different posts on the Memphis and Charleston railroad to relieve the veteran troops. The rebel general Price was in Missouri, and St. Louis needed the presence of Union troops to assure her safety. For weeks the regiment was stationed along the Iron Mountain railway, and was finally discharged Oct. 29, 1864. As a pleasing and precious memento of. their readiness to serve their country in this emergency, an engraved certificate of elegant design, signed by President Lincoln and Secretary Seward, was presented to each member of the regiment.
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS.
John's body lies moldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on.
This regiment was in service six months of the one year for which it enlisted, being discharged Sept. 20, 1866. It was chiefly engaged in garrison duty and the escort of prisoners. Company G with 100 men was from White- side. Captain, Chauncey B. Hubbard. Lieutenants, Wm. H. Shears and Peter R. Boyd. Several of the boys died from disease.
FORTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
O Columbia, the gem of the ocean, The home of the brave and the free, The shrine of each patriot's devotion, A world offers homage to thee!
This regiment had its share of hard fighting and hard luck. At the slaughter of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862, with Hurlburt's Fourth Division under Grant, one-half of its officers and men were killed, wounded and missing. They were at Corinth in May when Beauregard retired before Halleck, and
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
at the siege of Vicksburg when Grant starved Pemberton into surrender, July 4, 1863. In May previous, five companies were captured by the rebels while on picket.
After the unsuccessful Peninsular campaign, the regiment returned to Alexandria, and Sept. 4, 1862, moved across the Potomac, and entered upon another series of lively engagements. At Monocacy church they captured the colors of the Twelfth Virginia Cavalry. At South Mountain a hand-to-hand fight with Fitzhugh Lee's troopers. Then came Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, when Lee, after repeated onsets upon Mcclellan's army, was driven after a stubborn resistance across the Potomac. Over the gallant men who fell here the national monument has this sublime inscription :
Not for Themselves, but For their Country.
The regiment was organized at Camp Butler, Springfield, Dec. 28, 1861, by Col. John A. Davis, of Stephenson county, who was mortally wounded at the battle of Hatchie. \Company E was from Whiteside. Wm. Lane, of Mor- rison; Wm. N. Haney of Hopkins, Albert Seizick of Morrison, and Samuel V. Boyer, of Fulton, were lieutenants. At the close of the service, only thirty- one was left, and thirty of these re-enlisted. About twenty of the company perished during the war.
He sleeps his last sleep, He has fought his last battle, No sound can awake him To glory again.
-
FORTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY.
By B. T. St. John.
In the fall of 1861 an attempt was made to raise a regiment from White- side and adjoining counties, under John Dement, of Dixon, as Colonel, and was called the Dement Phalanx. - Enlistments were very slow at that time, but the few that did enlist were rendezvoused at Dixon, in tents on the river bank north of where the College now stands. When the weather became too cold they were moved to the building that is now the Grand Detour plow works, being the first soldiers to occupy the building. Late in December this nucleus of several companies were organized into four companies, and were then con- solidated with the Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry, then at Camp Butler, and were. lettered D, E, N and I. Colonel Dement dropping out and retiring.
These companies remained in Dixon until Feb. 5, 1862, drilling in company drill and manual of arms, as best they could, officers and men being very green in military affairs. On Feb. 5th joined balance of regiment at. Cainp Butler, under Colonel John A. Davis, of Stephenson county .. On Feb. 11th started for Fort Donelson, only just having received their arms, con- sisting of old Harper Ferry muskets, and without having any battalion drill. Embarked at Cairo and were part of that fleet that followed Foote's gunboats up the Cumberland river to Fort Donelson. The regiment saw long and hon-
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
orable service. Participated in the following engagements, and sieges: Fort Donelson, Feb. 15 and 16, 1862; Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862; Siege of Corinth ; Hatchie, or Metamora, Oct. 5, 1862; Siege of Vicksburg; Siege of Jackson, Miss; Jackson's Cross Roads, July 5-6, 1864; Siege of Mobile, including Span- ish Fort and Fort Blakely, April 9, 1865, the latter being the last general engagement of the war. Besides thesc engagements the regiment was almost constantly moving from place to place, never having any "soft snap" or easy V duty. In Dec., 1863, and Jan., 1864, the Forty-sixth was organized into a veteran regiment, a large portion of the men remaining at that time, re-enlist- ing for three years more service. Later it received many recruits at various times. The regiment with others was sent up Red River at the time of the surrender of the rebel forces, under General Kirby Smith, and remained, to keep order, until 1866, being mustered out at Baton Rouge Jan. 20, 1866, and discharged at Camp Butler Feb. 2, 1866. The veterans having served four years and from three to five months, according to date of enlistment.
The following named soldiers from Whiteside Co. enlisted at original organization.
Abbreviations: Vet. for Veteran, Dis. for discharged, Trans. for trans- ferred.
· John J. Jones, Fulton. Lieutenant Colonel, *Vet. promoted to Brevet Colonel. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Jasper M. Cadmus, Fulton, First Sergeant. Died May 6, 1862.
Andrew F. Echelberger, Erie. Killed at Shiloh, April 7, 1862.
Porter Benjamin, Phophetstown. Trans. to Co. I. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
James Balmer, Prophetstown. Dis. Mar. 24, 1862.
Samuel E. Crawford, Fulton. Trans. to Co. I. Died Mar. 12, 1863.
John Conoway, Fulton. Dis. Apr. 28, 1862.
Dennis Donovan, Newton. Trans. to Co. I. Dis. 1864.
Benj. P. Echelberger, Erie. Trans. to Co. I. Dis. 1864.
Truman Hill, Fulton. Died Oct. 22, 1862.
Jacob P. Miller, Erie. Trans. Co. I. Dis. Sept. 21, 1863, as Sergeant.
Josiah B. Sweet, Prophetstown. Killed at Shiloh.
Lewis Waterhouse, Prophetstown. Died Mar. 2, 1862.
John B. Winebrenner, Erie. Trans. to Co. I. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Thomas Wier, Fulton. Trans. to Co. I. Trans. to Vet. Reserve Corps.
Franklin Casc, Prophetstown. Dis. Oct. 18, 1862.
William Lane, Morrison. First Lieutenant. Dis. Sept. 11, 1862.
William. N. Haney, Hopkins. Promoted Sergt. and First Lieut. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Albert Seizick, Morrison. Promoted First Sergt. and Second Lieut. . Vet. Resigned June 27, 1864.
Samuel V. Boyer, Union Grove. Promoted Sergt., First Sergt., Second Lieut. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
William Morton, Morrison. Sergt., died June 6, 1862.
* The word Veteran as used here means a soldier who had served two or more years, and then re-enlisted in the field for three years more.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
Wilson Lenhart, Fenton. First Sergt., Dis. Dec. 1, 1864. Samuel Roberts, Clyde. Sergt., Dis. May 20, 1862. John McClintock, Morrison. Corporal, died Oct. 16, 1862. James T. Jackson, Morrison. Corporal, Dis. May 5, 1862. Elliott E. Pollard, Union Grove. Corporal, Sergt., Vet., Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. David Evans, Genesee. Corporal Sergt. Vet. Dis. 1866. Julius Bosley, Union Grove. Vet. Deserted Dec. 31, 1865.
Charles H. Burdsell, Hopkins. Trans. to Vet. Res. Corps 1863.
Douglass D. Blodgett, Morrison. Died Mar. 6, 1862.
George O. Cooper, Fenton. Dis. Dec. 1, 1864.
James M. Cole, Fenton. Vet. Deserted Dec. 31, 1865.
Henry Creighton, Ustick. Died July 13, 1862.
Columbus Dodge, Morrison. Died May 4, 1862.
Jonathan Eades, Ustick. Died May 12, 1862.
- Samuel L. Evans, Genesee. Sergt. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
David Frazier, Fulton. Deserted, May 13, 1863.
John F. Frank, Ustick. Died June 10, 1862.
Peter Gillespie, Morrison. Vet. Trans. to Co. K, Dis. May 22, 1865.
David Hays, Union Grove. Died April 9, 1862.
Jesse Hill, Clyde. Dis. Aug. 15. 1862.
Robert Imlay, Ustick. Vet. killed in battle July 7, 1864.
William T. Hopkins, Genesee. Dis. Dec. 25, 1862 of wounds, battle of Shiloh.
August Johnson, Genesee. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Lafayette J. Justus, Morrison. Vet. Corporal, Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Joseph R. Kennedy, Clyde. Corporal, died Sept. 9, 1863.
Silas N. Lenhart, Fenton. Died May 2, 1862. David Laidley, Albany. Dis. Sept. 29, 1862.
Carlo Lathrop, Lyndon. Died May 4, 1862. Alexander McNeil, Morrison. Dis. Dec. 1, 1864.
John Morton, Morrison. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
James S. Martin, Ustick. Died May 16, 1862. Frank Mann, Mt. Pleasant. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Mathew McGee, Morrison. Dis. Sept. 5, 1862. John B. Mellinger, Clyde. Dis. Nov. 11, 1862. James H. Newton, Fenton. Dis. Dec. 1, 1864. Alonzo B. Noble, Genesee. Deserted Nov. 18, 1863. Addison Newton, Union Grove. Dis. Sept. 29, 1862. William Palmer, Sterling. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Charles N. Peck, Mt. Pleasant: Died July 19, 1863. John Reimer, Fenton. Sergt. Trans. to Vet. Reserve Corps, wounded. Michael Ryan, Morrison. Vet. Dis. June 24, 1865. Alanson H. Russell, Morrison. Vet. Dis. 1866.
Benjamin Switzer, Clyde. Vet. Corporal, Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Michael Sheehy, Morrison. Deserted Mar. 18, 1863.
Bela T. St. John, Genesee. Vet. First Sergt., Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
John Still, Morrison. Dis. May 5, 1862. Alfred M. Trefethen, Ustick. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Elmore Y. Titus, Clyde. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. . Edward C. Vennum, Mt. Pleasant. Dis. Mar. 30, 1863, wounded. John T. S. Wilbur, Ustick. Died May 13, 1862. Ephraim Wetherbee, Genesee. Trans. Vet. Reserve Corps. Patrick O'Neal, Sterling. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. William McDonald, Fulton. Corporal, deserted Nov. 6, 1863. George M. Blaker, Sterling. Deserted July 15, 1862.
Peter Foy, Fulton. Died April 4, 1862. Shepard P .. Parker, Fulton. Deserted Aug. 1, 1862.
Michael Roach, Fulton. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Peter Ready, Fulton. Vet. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. James Whalen, Fulton. Vet. Dis. July 21, 1865. Rothchild N. Clark, Prophetstown. Died June 22, 1862. The following were recruits, that joined later, from Whiteside county : Franklin Case, Prophetstown. Dis. Oct. 18, 1862. Merrill Buckley, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Warren E. Buckley, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. James Butler, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Albert H. Colcord, Genesee. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Ivory A. Colcord, Genesee. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Ralph L. Carpenter, Fulton. Died Jan. 9, 1865. Columbus D. Evans, Genesee. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. James T. Hill, Fulton. Dis. May 22, 1865. William W. Johnson, Coloma. Deserted Dec. 31, 1865.
Michael Keenan, Union Grove. Dis. Feb. 2, 1865. John E. Middaugh, Morrison. Deserted July 16, 1864. Patrick O'Brien, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Thomas Pike, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Edward Quinn, Genesee. Deserted Nov. 4, 1865.
Charles W. Roberts, Hopkins. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866 as Corporal. Willis A. Randall, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 20, 1866. William Shaw, Fulton, Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
Stephen Shaw, Fulton. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. John Shumake, Fulton. Died Aug. 17, 1865. Robert W: Turney, Fulton. Died Oct. 20, 1864.
Isaac N. Thorp, Genesee. Drowned Jan. 3, 1865.
Charles O. White, Fulton. Died of wounds July 22, 1864.
William J. White, Fulton. Dis. June 14, 1865. Albert Wilson, Fulton. Dis. July 16, 1864. Martin Powers, Fulton. Dis. Aug. 19, 1865.
George W. Benjamin, Prophetstown. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Daniel E. Lee, Jordan. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Thomas J. Osborn, Clyde. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866. Thomas Daws, Whiteside Co. Dis. Feb. 2, 1866.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
NINETY-THIRD ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
Just before the battle, mother, Mam thinking most of you,
Comrades brave are round me lying, Filled with thoughts of home and God,
For well they know that on the morrow,
Some will sleep beneath the sod .- Geo. F. Root.
This was another of the regiments that passed through the Vicksburg · campaign with Grant, climbed Mission Ridge at Chattanooga, drove the Con- federates at Dalton and Allatoona, marched to the sea, and through the Caro- linas to Washington, participating in the memorable review at the capital.
The regiment was organized in September, 1862 by Col. Holden Putnam, 1 of Freeport, afterwards killed at Mission Ridge, 1863. Whiteside contributed company F of ninety men, recruited from Garden Plain, Fulton, Mt. Pleasant, Newton, Albany, Erie, and Fenton. Alfred F. Knight, who died April, 1863, Wm. A. Payne, and Wm. M. Herrold, were captains. John Dyer and Henry M. Eddy, first lieutenants. Second lieutenant, Robert A. Adams, who died of wounds. Dr. C. A. Griswold, of Fulton, was surgeon. He is still living there in the enjoyment of his books and the practice of his profession. The Ninety- third was discharged July 7, 1865. By the official record, the casualties were 446 killed, one officer and 31 men accidentally wounded. The men marched 2,554 miles, traveled by water, 2,296 miles, by rail, 1,237 miles, a total of 6,087. By death, company F lost 18 of its soldiers.
EIGHTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing! Land- where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrims' pride, From every mountain side, Let Freedom ring !- S. F. Smith.
No other branch of the army, east or west, saw so much strenuous service as the Eighth Illinois cavalry. It was aggressive, always on the move. Gen. Sumner once remarked, "Go as far to the front as you dare, and you will find the Eight Illinois ahead stealing horses."
The regiment was recruited in northern Illinois, and mustered in Sep- tember 18, 1861, at St. Charles. John F. Farnsworth, from 1857 to 1861, our representative in congress, was the first colonel, but he soon resigned to form another regiment. Company C was raised by D. R. Clendenin of Morrison, V afterwards major and lieut. colonel. Companies G, H and I also had members from the county. Alpheus Clark, of Lyndon, commanded Company C till May y 24, 1863, when he was made major. He died July 5, 1863, from the effects of a wound at Beverly Ford. Danicl D. Lincoln and Porteus J. Kennedy suc- ceeded Clark in command. The first lieutenants were John C. Mitchell, Truman Culver, and Delos P. Martin.
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
After two months' drill in Washington which they reached in October, the winter was passed in camp in Alexandria. Here Company C lost by disease Asa W. Shelby, Joy T. Canfield, W. J. Davis, John Porter, and Rollin C. Sholes.
A soldier of the legion lay dying in Algiers, There was lack of woman's nursing, There was dearth of woman's tears.
When spring came, the Eighthi entered upon four years of steady and splendid heroism in the Army of the Potomac. They were with Stoneman's Light Brigade at Williamsburg, May 5, 1862, when Hooker's single division held the whole rebel army in check. They were at Gaincs' Hill, Malvern, and in a continuous skirmish with the Confederate cavalry.
When Burnside made his disastrous attack on Lee's strong entrench- ments under Longstreet and Jackson, at Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, the Eighth crossed the pontoons over the Rappahannock, exposed to a heavy fire. The loss of the regiment to this time is given at twenty-seven killed, seventy- one wounded, twenty missing.
The campaign of 1863 was one long succession of raid, skirmish, and battle from Sulphur Springs, Warrenton, Rapidan to Gettysburg, July 1-3, where Lee met his Waterloo, and Meade was Wellington. In this campaign, the loss was twenty-three killed, one hundred and sixteen wounded, thirty-seven missing. In 1864, the regiment assisted in the defenses of Washington, and in the pursuit of the assassins of President Lincoln.
The Eighth was mustered out at Benton Barracks, Missouri, July 17, 1865. 'It was a good training school for military supplies, furnishing twenty- two officers for colored regiments, three colonels, two majors, two surgeons, for other Illinois regiments, two brigadiers and five brigadiers by brevet. Clendenin became major in the regular army. The aggregate strength was 2,412 men. The original Company C had ninety-seven men, and in 1864, forty-nine re-enlisted. Eighty-six were recruited during the war. The total enlistment from Whiteside for the company was 172 men exclusive of officers. Besides those killed, several died subsequently of wounds reccived.
How sleep the brave who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest.
THIRTEENTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.
Yes, we'll rally round the flag, Boys, we'll rally once again, Shouting the batle cry of Freedom! We will rally from the hillside, We'll gather from the plain, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom!
How the Lumbard Brothers, of Chicago, as they sang this famous song of George F. Root, used to rouse the enthusiasm of the mass meetings in the first years of the war. It was the American Marseillaise for
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
Ye sons of France, awake to glory !
No finer regiment in personnel and gallantry ever wore uniform than the Thirteenth. Always ready, always efficient. Two of its best companies were furnished by Whiteside, B from Sterling, G from Morrison. On Saturday evening, April 20, 1861, a week after Sumter was attacked, a meeting was called in Wallace Hall, Sterling, to organize a company. Fifty men signed the roll. D. R. Bushnell was elected captain, and Cooper Berry, first lieutenant. Captain Beattie, a veteran of the Mexican war, was appointed drill master, and day after day the boys under his direction went through the evolutions on the green in the center of the city. The citizens furnished blankets and uniforms, and on Thursday afternoon, May 9, the company now numbering ninety men, left on the train for Dixon. Here in Camp Dement they met nine other com- panies from Dixon, Amboy, Rock Island, Sandwich, Morrison, Sycamore, Aurora, Chicago, and Naperville. As no rations were ready, the officers of . Company B gave the agreeable order for the boys to march to the Nachusa House for supper. A vote taken the next day, May 10, resulted in the choice of John B. Wyman of Amboy for Colonel, B. F. Park of Aurora for Lieut. Col., and Adam B. Gorgas of Dixon for Major. Joseph C. Miller, a Baptist minister of Amboy, was appointed Chaplain. Rev. W. W. Harsha, of Dixon, Pres. pastor, preached a sermon in camp on the first Sunday.
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