USA > Illinois > Illinois, historical and statistical, comprising the essential facts of its planting and growth as a province, county, territory, and state, Vol. II > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
In making appointments, the first places were usually giver to those who had seen service in the Mexican war and to those who had become familiar with the manual of arms in the mili- tia; others, again, by reason of their standing and influence in one party or the other, and supposed military knowledge and adaptability to the service, which were frequently taken for granted, were as a rule readily provided for. But still others of equal standing had to be accommodated, whose previous pur- suits and education had given no indication of their fitness for an army command. There were few, however, even of the latter, who did not attain in the service a distinction which had not been anticipated.
The governor in making appointments and in the adoption of war measures consulted with the other state-officers. "Uncle
-
646
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
Jesse"-as Auditor Dubois was familiarly called, had an exten- sive acquaintance in the State, and his judgment of men and things could be relied upon with the greatest certainty of its correctness. Butler was practical, bluntly honest, brave, and faithful. Hatch was earnest, widely known, shrewdly affable, and popular. Bateman, though loyal and cultured, as superin- tendent of schools, was not so much consulted.
Among those who found their way to Springfield at this time was Capt. U. S. Grant, late of the regular army. He came from Galena, bringing with him a letter of recommendation from Hon. E. B. Washburne. Major, afterward Colonel, Thomas P. Robb of the governor's staff, having observed Grant waiting with other strangers in the governor's anteroom, apparently for an interview, and learning from him that he was desirous of offering his services to the State, introduced him to his excellency. Robb was impressed with the modest deportment of the visitor, and when the governor made the routine reply to Grant's offer, that he knew of no opening just then, that every place was filled, and appealed to Robb to confirm his state- ment, the latter replied, that he believed they were short of help in the adjutant-general's office; and proposed that Grant should be given a desk there for the time being. The governor readily consented, and Grant was accordingly set at work under Col. Mather-arranging, filing, and copying papers.
One morning, a few days afterward, Gov. Yates informed Maj. Robb that the services of a regular-army officer had become indispensable in the camps of rendezvous to perfect organ- izations and keep down insubordination; and ordered him to proceed to Cincinnati to procure the services of a captain of the regular army then there; Capt. John Pope, who had been stationed at Camp Yates, having been ordered to St. Louis. To this order, Capt. Grant, who had quietly entered the room, was a listener. He reminded the governor of his military train- ing and former experience in the army, which seemed to have been overlooked, and suggested that he could be made much more useful in the service than in occupying a subordinate clerical position. Yates replied, "Why, Captain, you are just the man we want!" And on that day, Grant was installed as commandant of Camp Yates. He remained in the state ser-
647
GRANT'S APPOINTMENT.
vice, discharging camp duties and mustering in regiments at various points, from May 8 to June 26.
When, in June, the question arose as to who should succeed Col. S. S. Goode-temporarily in command of the twenty-first regiment, under whom the men refused to muster for the three years' service, on account of his alleged bad habits-several names were considered for the position.
Capt. Grant had been sent to Mattoon to muster in the regi- ment, and had made so favorable an impression upon the officers and men, that several of the former had written letters to the governor, requesting his appointment. Still, other names were canvassed. Finally "Uncle Jesse" remarked at the confer- ence-"This regiment was raised in my old district, I know its situation and the boys who compose it. The man to place at its head in my opinion, as well as in that of its officers, is U. S. Grant." There was no further hesitation; the appointment was made, and Grant took command June 16 .*
The increase in the duties of the executive office correspond- ingly raised the importance of the position of the governor's private secretary, who on account of his confidential relations with his chief was called upon to exercise rare prudence and sound discretion, as well as to possess first-rate clerical ability.
Hon. Solomon M. Wilson, a member of the house from Chicago, was appointed to this position in April. Finding that it required more attention than he was able to give, he resigned the office in September, and was succeeded by John Moses of Scott County. Both of these officers were appointed and com- missioned as aides-de-camp and members of the governor's staff with the rank of colonel.
Early in May, Col. and ex-Gov. John Wood was appointed state quartermaster-general, and Col. John Williams, an old and honored business man of Springfield, commissary-general.
The newly-created department of army auditors was organ- ized as follows: commissioners, James H. Woodworth, presi-
* For some of the material statements in the text, the author is indebted to Gen. A. L. Chetlain, now residing in Chicago, who entered the service from Galena, in May, 1861, as captain of a company, accompanied by Capt. Grant. Col. Robb, still living in Chicago, has also been consulted, as well as the records at Springfield.
648
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
dent, Charles H. Lanphier, and William Thomas; secretary, George Judd.
Since the Black-Hawk war, the office of adjutant-general had lapsed into a state of "innocuous desuetude." It had been without "honor or profit," the people being so absorbed in their ordinary pursuits as to have neither time nor inclination for cultivating the "martial art which warriors love." Thomas S. Mather had been appointed to the office by Gov. Bissell, in 1858, and had developed a decided fondness and marked apti- tude for the organization of military companies. He took a just pride in awakening the military spirit among young men of his acquaintance in Springfield and other large towns. As early as February, he had been sent by the governor on a con- fidential mission to Gen. Scott, at Washington, for the purpose of procuring arms for the State, and had succeeded in obtain- ing an order on the St. Louis arsenal for 10,000 muskets. The demand for these guns was not made at the time, owing to the grave doubts of those in authority, of their being able to execute it in the then disturbed condition of public sentiment in St. Louis. In April, Capt. James H. Stokes of Chicago, on hearing of the difficulty, volunteered to obtain the arms at all hazards. Having received from Gov. Yates the necessary authority, he was admitted into the arsenal, and although in- formed by the commandant that the secessionists, who were on the watch, would not permit him to remove them, he had the arms boxed ready for shipment. On the night of April 25, he caused the steamer City of Alton to be brought to the arsenal wharf, and before daylight steamed up the river for Alton with 10,000 muskets, 500 new rifle-carbines, 500 revolvers, besides some cannon and cartridges. It was a daringly-planned and successfully-executed expedition-the first of the war in the West, and gave to Illinois the arms she so much needed; which, if not transferred at the time, might possibly have been seized by the rebels a few days thereafter.
John B. Wyman was appointed first assistant-adjutant-gen- eral, April 19, and on going to the field as colonel of the thirteenth infantry, he was succeeded by John S. Loomis, who had been acting as second assistant. Daniel L. Gold was appointed second assistant, Aug. 17. Charles H. Adams, after-
1
649
RAISING TROOPS.
ward lieutenant-colonel of the First artillery, Joseph H. Tucker, afterward colonel of the Sixty - ninth infantry, John James Richards of Chicago, and Edward P. Niles, acted at different times as assistant-adjutant-generals.
The six regiments apportioned to Illinois under the first call for volunteers were raised, organized, and sent to Cairo during the latter part of April and first part of May. "In token of respect to the six Illinois regiments in Mexico," their designated numbers were to begin with seven and end with twelve, and they were to be known as the "first brigade Illlinois Volunteers." Gen. Benjamin M. Prentiss was elected brigadier-general over Capt. Pope, and was placed in command at Cairo, relieving Gen. Swift. These six regiments were at first mustered in for only three months, but at the expiration of their term of service, 2000 out of the 4680 volunteers having reënlisted, they were reorganized, and remustered for three years.
These first regiments were commanded by the following officers respectively: Colonels John Cook, Richard J. Oglesby, Eleazer A. Paine, James D. Morgan, Wm. H. L. Wallace, and John McArthur.
Under the second call of the president, the ten regiments, one from each congressional district, for whose formation pro- vision had already been made, were organized from the two hundred companies immediately tendered, and were mustered into service within sixty days .*
The large number of volunteers in excess of what could be received in Illinois, enlisted in Missouri and other states, a suffic- ient number in some instances to constitute a majority of their respective companies and regiments, and which were subse- quently changed into Illinois regiments, namely, the Ninth Missouri to the Fifty-ninth Illinois, and the Birge sharpshooters to the Sixty-sixth Illinois.
In May, June and July, seventeen additional infantry, and
* Numbers, places of muster, dates, and colonels of the ten regiments:
13, Dixon, May 24, John B. Wyman. 18, Anna, May, 29, Michael K. Lawler. 14, Jacksonville, # 25, John M. Palmer. 19, Chicago, June, 17, John B. Turchin. 15, Freeport, " 24, Thomas J. Turner. 20, Joliet, 11 13, Charles C. Marsh.
16, Quincy, " 24, Robert F. Smith. 21, Mattoon, 11 15, Ulysses S. Grant.
17. Peoria, 11 25, Leonard F. Ross. 22, Belleville, 1 25, Henry Dougherty.
The First cavalry regiment, Col. Thomas A. Marshall, was organized June 21.
42
650
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
five cavalry regiments were authorized by the secretary of war, and speedily raised and organized .*
July 22, the day after the first battle of Bull Run, the presi- dent issued a call for 500,000 troops. On the following day Gov. Yates responded by tendering thirteen additional infantry regiments, three of cavalry, and a battalion of artillery, most of them "now ready to rendezvous," and stating that "Illinois demands the right to do her full share in the work of preserv- ing our glorious Union from the assaults of high - handed rebellion."+
In the meantime, a change was effected in the office of adjutant general. Col. Mather had for some time signified his desire to go into active service, and retired from the office November 11.
The position had been previously tendered to Gen. Allen C. Fuller, at that time a judge of the circuit-court and a man whose superior executive ability commanded general recogni- tion. At the time of the retirement of Gen. Mather, Judge Fuller was again urged to accept this responsible position, if
* They were as follows, in their order: Infantry:
23, James A. Mulligan. 36, Nicholas Greusel.
24, Frederick Hecker. 37, Julius White. 45, John E. Smith.
25, Wm. N. Coler. 39, Austin Light. 47, John Bryner.
33, Charles E. Hovey. 40, Stephen G. Hicks. 52, Isaac Grant Wilson.
34, Edward N. Kirk. 41, Isaac C. Pugh.
35, Gustavus A. Smith. 42, William A. Webb.
44, Charles Knobelsdorf.
55, David Stuart.
Cavalry: 4. T. Lyle Dickey. 8, John F. Farnsworth. 9, Albert G. Brackett. II, Robert G. Ingersoll.
The following batteries were also organized and mustered in July: Capts. Charles M. Willard's, Ezra Taylor's, Charles Houghteling's, Edward Mc Allister's, Peter Davidson's, Riley Madison's, and Caleb Hopkins'.
This tender was at once accepted, and under it the following regiments were organized: Infantry, viz. :
26, John Mason Loomis. 30, Philip B. Fouke. 43 Julius Raith.
27, Nap. B. Buford. 31, John Alex. Logan. 46, John A. Davis.
28, Amory K. Johnson. 32, John Logan. 48, Isham N. Haynie.
29, James S. Reardon. 38, Wm. P. Carlin. 49, Wm. R. Morrison.
50, Moses M. Bane.
Cavalry: 3, Eugene A. Carr. 6. Thos. H. Cavanaugh. 7, Wm. Pitt Kellogg.
# Col. Mather was appointed colonel of the Second regiment of artillery, commis- sioned Feb. 2, 1862, and served through the war; being mustered out as a brevet brigadier-general in 1865. He has ever since resided at his old home in Springfield.
JOHN A.MECLERNAND
ROBERTG.INGERSOLL
ALLEN C. FULLER
JAMES C.ALLEN
JESSE J.PHILLIPS
FERGUS PTE 00
CHICAGO.
STOR NY
65 1
ADJT .- GEN. A. C. FULLER.
only temporarily. He acceded to the request and entered upon the arduous and complicated duties of the post with marked industry and energy, and with a zeal born only of loyalty-working for months at a time, sixteen hours a day. He found the office in a condition verging on chaos, the appro- priation therefor having been too meagre to permit the em- ployment of a clerical force adequate to the performance of the immense labor involved in the speedy organization of regiments and their hurried dispatch to the front.
The position required the exercise of sound judgment, as well as great firmness, patience, and discretion. The claims of rival applicants for positions had to be carefully and speedily weighed, while the amalgamation of squads and detach- ments into companies, and the latter into regiments, called for rare tact and fine powers of discrimination. The harmoniz- ing of incongruous elements and the adjustment of conflicting demands were difficult, and yet frequent, tasks. There were also constantly arising delicate questions between the State and the war department at Washington, relative to quotas and enlistments, particularly during the critical period of the draft-questions whose handling necessitated the employ- ment of both prudence and diplomacy of the highest order.
The general was always on the side of his State in these controversies, and guarded jealously the rights of Illinois volunteers. That exasperating circumstances arose, which often provoked his endurance, is not surprising. If he treated adventurers and hangers-on, and sometimes even friends, with the brusqueness of a Stanton, his manner was usu- ally hearty and cordial; he was easily approached, and always found to be the friend of the soldier. The burden of organizing and sending into the field the 175 regiments of vol- unteers from Illinois, as well as supervising the subsequent changes in their organizations, rested mainly on his shoulders, and to him credit is due, not only for valuable assistance ren- dered in raising troops in response to the many calls of the government upon the State, but also for his tireless energy in promptly organizing and sending them to the field. Indeed, whether as relates to skill and ability, or the order and system in the dispatch of business, the office of adjutant general in no
652
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
other state was conducted with greater efficiency than that of Illinois .*
By December 3, 1861, Illinois had in the field, besides the six regiments first sent out, 43,000 volunteers and 17,000 in camps of instruction. During December, 4160 troops enlisted, and were consolidated with old or new organizations and sent to the field. And thus nobly had Illinois responded in defense of the Union during the first year of the war.
The battle of Bull Run, on Sunday, July 21, 1861, resulting in a signal but unexpected and undeserved victory for the rebels, proclaimed the fact that the South had entered upon the struggle with superior preparatory advantages, and a determination to maintain its position with all the men and treasure it could command. It also established the fact that if the United-States government was to succeed in overcoming the rebellion, every available resource of its greater popula- tion and wealth must be brought into requisition.
Before this first important battle, the confederacy had at- tained its full proportions by admitting the states of South Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Tennessee, making eleven in all. Kentucky and Missouri had refused to secede, although representatives from both states were admitted to the confed- erate congress. Maryland and Delaware had decided also, by their respective legislatures, to remain in the Union.
The population of the seceding states was 9,103,014; that of the non-seceding slave-states and the District of Colum- bia, from which large supplies in men and means were fur- nished to the rebellion, was 3,137,282. The population of the free-states was 19,128,143, making a preponderance of numbers in favor of the United States of about two to one. The pro- portion of wealth and resources was also no less favorable to the North.
* Under supplemental authority from the secretary of war, August 14, 1861, the following regiments were raised : Infantry :
51, Gilbert Cummings. 57, Silas D. Baldwin. 62, James M. True.
53, Wm. H. W. Cushman. 58, Wm. F. Lynch. 63, Francis Mora.
54, Thomas W. Harris. 60, Silas C. Toler. 64, D. D. Williams
56, Robert Kirkham. 61, Jacob Fry. 65, Daniel Cameron.
Cavalry : 5, John J. Updegraff. 12, Arno Voss.
10, James A. Barrett.
13, Joseph B. Bell.
653
STRENGTH OF THE TWO SECTIONS.
On the other hand, the people of the South had manifested a much more warlike disposition than those of the North, in all previous wars since that of the Revolution. In that struggle, however, of the troops enlisted, including continental soldiers and militia, the seven Northern States, with a population only slightly exceeding that of the six Southern, furnished over twenty-seven per cent the most men .*
In the war of 1812, which was never popular in New Eng- land because its prosecution on the sea was regarded as sub- versive of the commercial interests of that section, although no reliable data has ever been officially promulgated, it is no doubt true, as claimed by Pollard, that the South furnished a much larger number of soldiers than the North. So also in the Mexican war, New England, fearing that it would result in the acquisi- tion of more slave-territory and the consequent preponderance of the Southern States in the national councils, was scarcely represented, while out of the 73,776 volunteers from the entire country, the South furnished 47,649.+
The 4,000,000 slaves included in the population of the revolted states, although not available as soldiers, could, especially in the interior, cultivate cotton, which would form a valuable medium of exchange with foreign nations, as well as sugar, corn, and other necessary supplies; so that each slave rendered as effective and valuable service in the cause of the rebellion as though he had been a free white man per- forming the same labor.
The conspirators had not made a leap in the dark, but had acted upon well-matured plans. Leading men of the South had been the most prominent and influential in shaping the affairs of the Nation, in all of its public departments, for the past ten years. They had also inoculated nearly all the leading officers of the army from the Southern States with the virus of secession, so that when the test came they "went with
* Troops sent from each state during the Revolution :- Am. State Papers, I, 14.
N. H. 18,349 R.I. 11,692
Del. 3,783 N. C. 21,969
Mass. 92,562 N.Y. 29,843
Md. 23,476
S. C. 30,858
Conn. 42,831 N. J. 19,282
Va. 52,755
Ga. 12,579
Pa. 34,995
249,554
+ See table, Vol. I, p. 499.
145,420
654
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
their states," to which they had been taught to believe they owed a higher allegiance than to the government which had educated, commissioned, and supported them. It is true that many Southern leaders, both in civil and military life, like Stephens and Lee, had at first opposed secession, yet their subsequent adherence to the principle when adopted, carried them to the extent of fighting for it, beyond which they could not be expected to go. A few, indeed, hesitated to the last, as did Lieut .- Col. J. B. Magruder, who said to Lincoln, "Every one else may desert you, Mr. President, but I never will." Yet within two days thereafter, when the test came, he left his post and took service with the rebels.
Not only did they have the advantage of a president whose superior military training had been acquired at a national school, but for the last four years they had been in possession and control of the departments of the treasury, war, navy, and interior, which they had contrived so to cripple and demora- lize, as to reduce their efficiency to the lowest possible point.
Through these advantages and prior dispositions and ar- rangements, even before the inauguration of Lincoln, they had become masters, through surrenders by subservient and sympathizing army officers, of the defensive fortifications of the United States located in the South, about thirty in number, and mounting 3000 guns, which had cost the government over $20,000,000 .*
They had dispersed the army, leaving in Washington a force of only 653 men, including sappers and miners, and had so scattered the navy, sending the vessels in commission into foreign waters, as to leave but 2007 men in all the ports and receiving-ships on the Atlantic seaboard to manœuvre vessels and protect the coast.
They left an empty treasury, after reducing the credit of the government so low that it had to pay ten per cent interest for money borrowed to meet ordinary expenses. Such were the advantages on the side of the revolutionists at the begin- ning of the war.
* Greeley's "American Conflict," 1, 413.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Results of the First Year of the War-The Constitutional Convention of 1862-Further Calls for Troops-Yates' Masterly Appeal-Escape from the Draft-The Con- ference of Governors at Altoona - Emancipation - Elections of 1862-Twenty-third General Assembly- Election of U .- S. Senator-Laws-Special Session- The Assembly Prorogued.
THE military results following the great uprising of the people in the spring and summer of 1861 were not such as to encourage hopes of immediate success.
It early became apparent that the spontaneity with which the first calls for troops had been responded to could not be main- tained. The course of the administration in removing officials of disloyal proclivities was approved, but when the process of decapitation was extended to loyal democrats, there was an ominous muttering of dissent which was neither unnatural nor wholly unjustifiable. The democratic party in large numbers had rallied to the standard of the Union, and it was not agree- able to reflect that they were to be excluded from a fair partici- pation in the administration of the government. To revive party feelings under these circumstances was not difficult. Such action also afforded a pretext for that large body of southern sympathizers in all the Western States, who had been silenced by the first outbreak of patriotic furor, to assert themselves and become outspoken in their efforts to mould a public sentiment averse to a successful prosecution of the war.
So absorbed had been the people generally in the enlistment of troops, and in considering the great issues at stake, that when the election for members of a constitutional convention occurred in November, 1861, but little attention was paid to the selection of delegates. The result was that of the seventy- five members elected, the democrats, whose leading men were watchful of their advantage, secured forty-five, and the repub- licans only twenty-one, while seven were classed as fusionists, and two as doubtful.
655
656
ILLINOIS-HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL.
The convention met in Springfield, January 7, 1862, and was organized by the election of Wm. A. Hacker as president, Wm. M. Springer as secretary, John W. Merritt as assistant-secretary, and John Schell as sergeant-at-arms .*
It was hoped and expected that under the changed aspect of national affairs, the members would make some few needed amendments to the constitution, which all admitted to be neces- sary, and, without any attempt to disturb the position of affairs by fundamental changes, bring their deliberations to a speedy close. But in this reasonable expectation the people were dis- appointed.
The potential voice of Douglas could be no longer heard, and taking counsel of their own partisan views and ambitions, they sat at the capital for nearly three months, like an incubus upon the well-being of the State and Nation. They began their work by refusing to take the oath to support the constitution of the State, prescribed by the law calling the convention into existence. Having thus taken a stand outside of and above the instrument they were elected to amend, it was easy for them to proceed still further, and assume to dictate to and control the executive and other departments of the state government, including the courts. They even seriously deliberated whether they had not the power to elect a United-States senator, to succeed O. H. Browning. They called for reports+ from the
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.