USA > Illinois > Stephenson County > The History of Stephenson County, Illinois : containing biographical sketches war record statistics portraits of early settlers history of the Northwest, history of Illinois, &c. > Part 34
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In a like manner, as one approaches the theme The Union, and the contest for its preservation, does he find himself encompassed with glories born of the most perfect civilization. Art, science and literature were in the enjoyment of a golden age, and the roll-call of names of those who excelled in each was sur- rounded by the glories of America, as were the names of Homer, Herodotus, Plato, Euclid, Praxiteles, Demosthenes and others, around whom the glories of Athens have gathered for thousands of years.
Twenty eventful annuals have become merged into the sounding past since the coming of the days which are now consecrated 'to the memories of the sad, triumphant period in the nation's history, with which the world is familiar. Those were perfect days. It seemed as if science, art, the laws, the people and God aided at their birth and development. Peace and happiness went hand in hand ; the laws were observed, and their violation was visited with the severest penalties. Each section contributed to the wealth of the opposite portion of the Union ; in fact, nothing was wanted to complete the picture of universal pros- perity then exhibited to the world by the United States. Such, imperfectly, was the condition of affairs as they existed upon the dawn of 1861 in both sec- tions of the country, which rivaled in all that tended to complete a make-up of brilliancy and wealth, emeralds and rubies set in burnished gold. But the notes of the impending storm were heard before the advancing winter was ushered in with the New Year, and the people had begun to conclude that the summer of the nation, with all its glories, had gone to be laid in the great store- house of the past.
Finally, the rebellion reached a stage when the crisis was at hand-a crisis which compelled every man to side either with law and order or with mob rule and sectional despotism. No rights of the South were endangered by the Union, or could be enforced by rebellion. The assumption that the ascendency of the party in power threatened danger to the rights and peace of the South was regarded as entirely without force by the people of the North, and as importing anarchy against law and order. Upon such a question, which vitally concerned every man's safety in business as it concerned the existence of the Government, decisive expressions of opinion were heard all over the North. There was little disposition to talk, but a determined purpose to act developed; a purpose equal to the emergency. There was but one Government and one system of laws, to which every man should be compelled to feel there was alle- giance. Acting upon this conclusion, a demand was made for respect for the laws by men who had no thought of flinching, and who expressed the matured judgment of a majority. That the law was resisted was a calamity, but greater calamities would attend the general anarchy which must follow if a rigorous execution of the laws was prevented or restrained.
Such were the views of the citizens of Stephenson County, when the sur- render of Fort Sumter and the call for troops were promulgated. On the
309
HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY.
evening of Thursday, April 18, 1861, Plymouth Hall was crowded by an eager, anxious multitude, assembled in response to a call issued at noon of that day, appealing to the lovers of the stars and stripes to rally and; rally they did, in numbers overwhelming, made up of Republicans and Democrats, for all were Americans.
The Hon. F. W. S. Brawley presided, with J. R. Scroggs and C. K. Judson acting as Secretaries, and, on motion of J. W. Shaffer, T. Wilcoxon, J. M. Smith, W. P. Malburn, H. H. Taylor, Capt. Crane and Dr. Martin were appointed Vice Presidents.
During the absence of the Committee on Resolutions, composed of J. W. Shaffer, James Mitchell, C. K. Judson, J. R. Scroggs and A. H. Stone, speeches were made by S. D. Atkins, C. Betts, C. S. Bagg and Mr. Wagner, editor of the Anzeiger, the latter in German. Resolutions were adopted declaratory of the love for the Union felt by citizens of Freeport, and their determination to aid, so far as lay within their power, the General Government in its enforce- ment of the laws. The meeting was then adjourned, but the spirit manifested became intensified as time progressed. The following day recruiting was begun, and on Saturday, April 20, 1861, the first company enlisted in the county was filled and the oath administered to the following officers and privates: S. D. Atkins, Captain ; M. E. Newcomer, First, and S. W. Field, Second Lieutenant ; F. T. Goodrich, H. A. Sheetz, William Polk and R. W. Hulburt, Sergeants ; C. T. Dunham, J. O. Churchill, R. H. Rodearmel and W. W. Lott, Corporals; C. E. Cotton, drummer, and J. R. Harding, fifer; W. W. Allen, J. W. Brew- ster, Robert Brennan, W. N. Blakeman, A. S. Best, H. P. Parker, W. H. Brown, Frank Bellman, J. S. Chambers, J. M. Chown, Thomas Chattaway, A. Coppersmith, F. Dreener, J. W. Duncan, J. P. Davis, M. Eshelman, Will- iam Eddy, J. Geiser, J. R. Hayes, E. J. Hurlburt, W. J. Hoover, L. Hall, T. J. Hathaway, J. E. Hershey, J. F. Harnish, F. M. DeArmit, W. W. Hunt, W. J. Irvin, S. H. Ingham, Nicholas Kassel, D. L. Farmer, O. F. Lamb, J. H. Loveland, S. Lindeman, S. Lebkicker, J. H. McGee, U. B. McDowell, W. T. McLaughlin, F. Murphy, D. McCormick, J. M. Miller, F. R. Mclaughlin, J. P. Owen, J. Pratt, A. Patterson, G. L. Piersol, N. Smith, L. Strong, J. S. Stout, O. F. Smith, M. Slough, C. Sched, J. S. Sills, C. G. Stafford, T. Wishart, W. P. Waggoner, M. S. Weaver, J. Walton, Stephens Waterbury, J. Walkey and J. Work.
The company left Freeport for Springfield on Wednesday morning, May 1, 1861, escorted to the depot by Capt. M. B. Mills' company and the Union Cornet Band, and cheered by the presence of not less than 3,000 people, who were there to bid them good-bye, and implore God's blessing upon the efforts inaugurated in behalf of their country. Upon arriving in camp, the "boys " were assigned to the Eleventh Regiment, making up the roster of Company A.
Soon after the departure of the volunteers under the command of Capt. Atkins, W. J. McKim enlisted a second company, the following being the roster : W. J. McKim, Captain ; Henry Setley and Philip Arno, Lieutenants ; Carl F. Wagner, Jacob Hoebel, D. A. Galpin and Theodore Grove, Sergeants ; Joseph Meyer, Jacob Fiscus, E. Wike, John Bauscher, L. Lehman, Amos D. Hemmig, Joseph Boni, George Moggly, Dietrich Sweden, John Kruse, Mein- hard Herren, C. H. Gramp, Jacob Steinhauer, Mat Allard, John Berry, Peter E. Smith, James Holmes, Henry Groenewald, Albert Kocher, Thomas Burling, C. Protexter, David Stocks, Henry Luttig, Thomas Shuler, Adam Haiser, Andrew Olnhausen, E. Neese, David French, J. H. Maynard, A. Borches, Jacob Doll, John A. Raymer, Jacob Ernst, Leonard Sherman, Frederick
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY.
Deusing, John T. Palmer, John Wheeler, Martin Aikey, R. Harberts, A. V. L. Roosa, Emanuel Evee, C. F. A. Kellogg, John Niemeyer, Thomas Willan, James Vore, August Temple, Jacob Rohrback, Henry Spies, Charles Entorff, Isaac Kephart, James Barron, Herman Froning, Daniel F. Shirk, James Ken- neg, Albert J. Miller, William H. Hennich, John Wiefenbach, William Morris, Henry Kasper, Martin D. Rollison, Henry D. Black, John F. Black, Henry Rubald, Bernard O'Brien, George Philbrick, William Quinn, John B. Yoder, John Ginther, M. D. Miller, John Yordy, Moses Burns, Gotlieb Vollmer, Gar- rison Haines and Max Lamprecht, privates.
From this, beginning the work went bravely on. Lena furnished a compnay which was attached to the Fifteenth Regiment, and rendezvoused at Camp Scott, a camp established on the grounds of the Stephenson County Agricul- tural Association, near Freeport, and recruits were drawn from every township to swell the contributions of the county to the suppression of treason. Those who were unable to proceed to the front remained at home to aid the efforts inaugurated there for the preservation of the Union and the enforcement of the . laws. Relief and aid societies were formed, sanitary associations organized, and every agency that could aid in promoting the comfort of the soldiers was suc- cessfully invoked in that behalf.
On the morning of June 19, 1861, the Fifteenth Regiment, commanded by Col. T. J. Turner, one of the oldest and most promient residents of Stephenson County, left Camp Scott and proceeded to Alton. The day was one of the most exciting and memorable in the history of the present city. When the huge train moved out it bore with it the earnest prayers of assembled thous- ands, that those who were passengers, may-hap for the opposite shore, might be returned to their homes in safety.
As all are familiar with, the three-months service of volunteers concluded with the battle of Manassas. The defeat sustained in that engagement in no manner disheartened the men of the North. The sad intelligence spread a general gloom over the country, and carried sorrow and mourning into many a household, whence some loved member had gone forth to return no more. Yet the people faltered not in this dark hour of trial, but were spurred on to renewed efforts in behalf of the Government. The public mind was roused to a keener appreciation of the dangers that threatened and the difficulties that surrounded the country, and this call upon the people's patriotism was responded to by thousands, who pledged themselves to the defense of the old flag. Capt. Atkins' company was re-organized and re-enlisted for the war. Recruits were also furnished from Stephenson County to the formation of Company "B," of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, and Companies A, B, C, D, G, and K, of the Forty- sixth Regiment, these latter coming from Buckeye, Oneco, Rock Grove, Lan- caster and Florence Townships, being organized for service on the 28th of December, 1861. Truly, the spirit was not yet dead. Patriotism and patriotic impulse found as earnest expression in Stephenson County with the dawn of 1862, as was witnessed when the first call to arms was sounded. Like strains of martial music will the story of their patriotism roll down through listless ages, till Time shall pause in his career, and the race of man is run. The patriotic spirit burned in every breast, flashed from every eye, thrilled every nerve and quivered in every muscle, and the arm of him who fought for home proved mightier far than the mad ambition of him who fought for treason. Though 1861 had gone, leaving its mark upon each brow, and shadow in each heart, the nation pursued the object of its contest, and waited trustfully, but with hushed hearts and tear-filled eyes, for the shining of the bow of promise.
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY.
The year 1862, as all know, opened discouragingy, and it was not until the capture of Fort Donelson, in February of that year, that the gleam of promise, set by God among the clouds, first began to flicker in the horizon of the future. The regiments, in which volunteers from Stephenson County were enrolled, participating in that engagement, were the Eleventh, Forty-fifth, " Forty-sixth " and perhaps more. Many there were, from these organizations, who yielded up their lives, a holocaust at their country's call, and, though history may never record their humble names or chronicle their deeds, yet they belong to the nobility of earth, and in that kingdom which comes after earth, each one is crowned with more than Olympic laurels.
In September, 1862, the Ninety-second Regiment was enlisted, organized and mustered into service. The thought indulged, with the first call for troops, that three months only would be required to conquer the South, had by this time been thoroughly dissipated. The people were ignorant of war, and it was not until the return of the sick, the wounded and the dead, the latter in rough pine boxes, with their soldiers' coats about them, that the " folks at home " began to realize that war was abroad. The frequent calls for men, the repeated repulses, not to say defeats, intensified this reality ; and when it became necessary to have recourse to the draft to restore the shattered regiments ; to somewhat of a resemblance to their former appearance, then was the conviction forced without demurrer. The Ninety-second contained soldiers enlisted in Lancas- ter, Buckeye, Erin, Kent and Jefferson Townships, of Stephenson County, and the fidelity they exhibited to the cause in which they embarked is found in the killed, wounded and missing that depleted its ranks.
During the same year, about June, a company of three-months troops was partially made up of volunteers fromStephenson County, and entered the service at Camp Douglas. It was commanded by James W. Crane, with Stephen Allen and Lorenzo Willard as Lieutenants ; John Stine, James R. Bake, Charles A. Dodge, John D. Lamb and Harrison W. Sigworth, Sergeants ; C. D. Bently, Theodore A. Cronk, Oliver T. Steinmetz, Ambrose Martin, Sidney Robins, H. S. Ritz, W. H. Heyt and W. H. Battle, Corporals. The Ninety-second was raised for three years or the war, in response to a requisition made by the Government for nine regiments from the State of Illinois, to fill up the ranks depleted in the five-days fight about Richmond, but the three-months troops were appropriated mostly to provost duty. Notwithstanding the liberality with which the county responded, it was feared that a draft would become neces- sary to supply Governmental demands, and during the same year the Ninety- second was mustered into service (1862), an enrollment of the county was made, and 3,000 residents reported as liable to duty under the provisions of an act amending Chapter 70, Revised Statutes. About this time, war meetings were convened at various points, notably at Freeport, Lena, Cedarville and else- where, which were addressed by E. B. Washburne, T. J. Turner, Adjutant General Fuller and others. These meetings had the effect of increasing enlist- ments, which were assigned to companies in the Eleventh, Twenty-sixth and other regiments, and of postponing the draft, which was delayed for two years. In October following, Capt. Irvin enlisted a company about Freeport, which was assigned to the Seventy-fourth Regiment, and included upon the roster of that organization as Company I. The year 1862 passed without much more being done than is cited. The defeat at Fredericksburg increased the surround- ing gloom, and the campaign in the valley, early in 1863, rather aggravated than lessened the gravity of the situation. With each call for troops succeed- ing calamities gave birth to, Stephenson County responded cheerfully, though.
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY.
available material had been comparatively exhausted by the drafts made on her resources. The season of 1863 was a repetition of those which had preceded its advent. Meetings were convened to further enlistments, and provide for the soldiers. Money was subscribed for the support of families whose heads were at the front, and the payment of bounties. Fairs were held, and other mediums employed that would remotely aid in the gigantic undertaking. But little occurred to encourage the people, or bind up the broken hearts that pul- sated with grief for the loss of those who perished in Virginia and the South- west. Among the most prominent killed during this year was Holden Putnam, Colonel of the Ninety-third Regiment, which had been in existence about one year. But many of those who went out from Stephenson County with high hopes and creditable ambitions, passed away before 1863 was included among the years that have gone. Grievous, sore and terrible were the blows that fell upon the North that year, and many a lonely wife and fatherless little one looked to God for fresh hope and courage, and to help them to remember that this life is but the vestibule to a glorious hereafter. The principal events, notably the capture of Vicksburg, the issue of the emancipation proclamation, battle of Gettysburg, etc., served to temporarily dispel the clouds which sur- rounded the cause, and inspire new plans for the closing year of the war. Early in January, 1864, the Forty-sixth regiment re-enlisted, and returned to Freeport, where they met with a hearty welcome. But these were days when the finality of that contest which had been raging for nearly four years was drawing nigh ; when the surrender of the rebel forces had resolved itself into a question of certainty, the time of that event being in the near future. Day was breaking to the watchers in the tower of American liberty, and the coming dawn announced its presence through the mist and clouds, sublime with the glories of the breaking morn, when error should decay, truth be strengthened and right rule supreme o'er vanquished wrong; when jealousies and hate should give way to joy and peace and brotherhood. And, although the advent of the smiling stranger was prolonged another year, it came at last. Peace shed its gentle rays over the scenes of war and desolation, and a rosy radiance, gleam- ing from afar, melted in the dawning of the perfect day. "Well done, watch- ers on the lonely tower." Broad daylight finally broke upon the plain, and to-day soars unfettered, as its God designed.
With the peace at Appomattox, the soldiers for the Union returned to their homes in Stephenson County, where they were welcomed as the defend- ers of faith in that form of government which must not perish from off the face of the earth.
In addition to the enlistments quoted, Stephenson County had represent- atives in every branch of the service, and her citizens remember the names of those who fought the good fight unto the end, and returned to receive the reward of faithful stewards.
But there were many who did not return, and many still who were returned in the arms of Death. Some sleep the sleep of the just in the village church- yard, where their little white headstones dispute for prominence with the daisies and white-topped clovers. Their lives and death are shrined in the Pantheon of patriotic hearts to an immortal memory. Some sleep in the land of the jasmine and orange blossom. Neither are forgotten. Both are remembered as they slumber, "each in his windowless cell," the slumbers of sanctified rest.
During the war, Stephenson County furnished a total of 3,168 soldiers, and bounties, subscriptions and supplies aggregating upward of half a million of dollars. The draft was enforced but once.
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FREEPORT.
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY.
VOLUNTEER ROSTER.
TAKEN PRINCIPALLY FROM ADJUTANT GENERAL'S REPORTS.
ABBREVIATIONS
Adjt ..... Adjutant
inf.
infantr"
Art ..
.Artillery
I. V. I Iowa Volunteer Infantry
Bat .... Battle or Battalion
kld .. .killed
Col ... .Colonel
Lieut ...
Maj ... .Lieutenant
Capt .. Captain
.Major
Corp ....
.Corporal
m. o ...
mustered out
Comsy.
.Commissary
prmtd
.. promoted
com ....
commissioned
prisr ... .. prisoner Regt .Regiment re-e.
re-enlisted
disab
disabled
disd
discharged
Sergt.
e .....
... enlisted
trans transferred
excd ..
.exchanged vet .. .. veteran
hon, disd .honorably discharged
V. R. C Veteran Reserve Corps
inv ...
invalid
wd ..
.. wounded
ELEVENTH INFANTRY.
The regiment was called into service under proclamation of the President, April 16, 1861 ; organized at Springfield, and mustered into service April 30, 1861, by Capt. Pope, for three months.
During this term of service, the regiment was stationed at Villa Ridge, Ill., to June 20th, then removed to Bird's Point, Mo., where it remained, performing garrison and field duty, until July 30th, when the regiment was mus- tered out, and re-enlisted for three-years service. During the three-months term, the lowest aggregate was 882, and the highest 933, and at the muster-out was 916.
Upon the re-muster, July 13th, the aggre- gate was 288. During the months of August, September, October and November, the regi- ment was recruited to an aggregate of 801. In the mean time were doing garrison and field duty, participating in the following expedi- tions : September 9th to 11th, expedition toward New Madrid ; October 6th to 11th, to Charleston, Mo .; November 3d to 12th, to Bloomfield, Mo., via Commerce, returning via Cape Girardeau; January 7th and 8th, expe- dition to Charleston, Mo., skirmished with a portion of the command of Jeff Thompson ; January 13th to 20th, reconnoissance of Colum- bus, Ky., under Gen. Grant; January 25th to 28th, to Sikestown, Mo .; February 2d, em- barked on transports to Fort Henry, partici- pating in campaign against that place ; Feb- ruary 11th, moved toward Fort Donelson ; February 12th, 13th and 14th, occupied in investing that place, 12th heavily engaged with the enemy about five hours, losing 329 killed, wounded and missing, out of about 500 engaged, of whom 72 were killed and 182 wounded ; March 4th and 5th, en route to Fort Henry ; 5th to 13th, en route to Savannah, Tenn., in transports; 23d to 25th, en route
from Savannah to Pittsburg Landing ; April 6th and 7th, engaged in battle of Shiloh, losing 27 killed and wounded, out of 150 engaged ; April 24th to June 4th, participated in siege of Corinth, thence marched to Jackson, Tenn., making headquarters there to August 2d ; par- ticipated in two engagements. July 1st and 2d, toward Trenton, Tenn. ; July 23d to 28th, to Lexington, Tenn. ; August 2d, moved to Cairo, Ill., for purpose of recruiting ; remained at that point until August 23; thence to Pa- ducah, Ky., remaining there until November 20th ; in the mean time engaged in two expedi- tions-August 24th to September 16th, to Clarksville, Tenn,, via Forts Henry and Don- elson-October 31st to November 13th, expedi- tion to Hopkinsville, Ky. ; November 20th to 14th, en route to La Grange, Tenn., where the regiment reported and was assigned to Brig. Gen. McArthur's Division, Left Wing, 13th Army Corps. From this time to Jan. 12, 1863, participated in campaign in Northern Missis- sippi, marching via Tallahatchie (where the regiment was engaged in a sharp skirmish) ; from thence to Abbeville; thence seven miles below Oxford; thence to Holly Springs, Mos- cow and Memphis, Tenn. Remained in Mem- phis until the 17th, when it embarked on transport and en route to Young's Point until 24th, remaining there until February 11th : then moved to Lake Providence, and assigned to the Seventeenth Army Corps, making head- quarters there until April 20th, participating in expedition to American Bend, from March 17th to 28th. April 23, 1863, the One Hun- dred and Ninth Illinois Infantry was trans- ferred to the Eleventh, 589 being the aggregate gained by the transfer. April 26th, regiment moved with column to rear of Vicksburg, via Richmond, Perkins' Landing, Grand Gulf, Raymond and Black River, arriving before the works May 18th ; May 19th and 22d, engaged in assaults on the enemy's works ; then in the
.cavalry cav ..
captd.
.captured
resd. .resigned .Sergeant
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HISTORY OF STEPHENSON COUNTY.
advance siege works to July 4th, at time of surrender ; the regiment losing in the siege and assault one field officer (Col. Garrett Nev- ins) killed ; three line officers wounded, and forty men killed and wounded. July 17th, moved with expedition to Natchez, Miss., par- ticipating in expedition to Woodville, Miss. October 12th, returned to Vicksburg, Miss., making headquarters there to July 29, 1864 ; in the mean time engaged in the following expe- ditions : February 1st to March 8th, up Yazoo River to Greenwood, Miss., having a skirmish at Liverpool Heights, February 5th, losing four killed and nine wounded; action at Yazoo City, March 5th, losing one line officer killed, eight men killed, twenty-four wounded and twelve missing; April 6th to 28th, at Black River Bridge ; May 4th to 21st, expedition to Yazoo City, Benton, and Vaughn's Station, Miss., taking a prominent part in three impor- tant skirmishes ; July Ist to 7th, with an expe- dition to Jackson, Miss., under Maj Gen. Slocum, engaged with the enemy three times ; July 29th, moved to Morganza, and was assigned to Nineteenth Army Corps, staying there to September 3d ; in the mean time par- ticipating in an expedition to Clinton, La., August 24th to 29th ; September 3d, moved to mouth of White River, Ark .; October 8th, moved to Memphis, Tenn., returning to White River October 27th ; November 6th and 7th, expedition to Gaines' Landing ; November 8th, moved to Duvall's Bluff, Ark .; November 30th to December 4th, en route to Memphis, Tenn .; December 20th to 31st, expedition to Moscow, Tenu .; January 1st to 5th, en route to Kenner, La .; February 4th to 7th, en route to Dauphine Island, via Lake Pontchartrain ; March 17th to April 12th, engaged in operations against Mobile, Ala., marching from Fort Morgan, participating in the investment and siege, and final capture of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely, and in the assault on the latter : April 12th, marched into and took possession of the city of Mobile, staying there until the 27th of May, when embarked in transport and moved via Lake Pontchartrain to New Orleans; from thence to Alexandria, La., remaining there until June 22d ; thence to Baton Rouge, La., to be mustered out of service ; mustered out July 14, 1865, and left for Springfield, Ill., for payment and final discharge.
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