USA > Illinois > Lake County > The past and present of Lake County, Illinois, containing a history of the county a biographical directory war record early settlers statistics history of Illinois the Northwest etc., etc > Part 51
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and the other at Waukegan, with Mr. Clarke as its ranking officer. At about the same time, J. K. Pollock, Esq., of Millburn, had quite a list of volunteers, and two or three others had a few. It was supposed that the county had already raised about its quota, and that very few, if any, additional men could be obtained. But in a few days Capt. Clarke's Company had a sur- plus, and a dozen of his men were asked to join in the organization of a new company. These being obtained, the fourth company was formed, and recruited to ninety-four men.
Meanwhile, the leading men in the county were pondering the question as to what could be done to secure their assignment to good and well-officered regiments. Remembering that while our enlistments in the county during the previous year had aggregated half a regiment, yet, because of the different companies and parts of companies being so scattered in different organ- izations, we had not had up to that time a single field officer, it was determined to attempt to have the four companies assigned to a single regiment, with one or more field officers from the county. Accordingly these four companies, with six from Jo Daviess County, were assigned as the Ninety-sixth Regiment and ordered to rendezvons at Rockford, Going into camp Sept. 5, 1862, they organized with Thomas E. Champion, of Jo Daviess County, as Colonel, Isaac L. Clarke, of Lake County, as Lieutenant Colonel, and John C. Smith, of Jo Daviess County, as Major. The Lake County companies were lettered as follows : Company B, Capt. David Salisbury ; Company C. Capt. J. K. Pollock ; Company D, Capt. A. /. Blodgett ; Company G, Capt. James Clarke.
On the 8th of October, the Ninety-sixth was ordered to Cincinnati, and for some weeks was engaged in guarding various points on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. Early in Novem- ber, it marched southward, camping for a short time at Lexington and for some weeks at Har- rodsburg. At the latter place, the printers of the regiment under Major Hicks, who was an old newspaper man, obtained possession of an office and issued a spicy sheet entitled the Soldiers' Letter. The next move was to Danville, Ky,, where the regiment remained until near the close of January, 1863, except that late in December they made a severe march in the direction of Lebanon for the purpose of diverting the attention of a force of rebels and preventing their joining Gen. Bragg, then fighting the battle of Stone's River. This march was made during a severe and prolonged winter rain storm, the command going out one day and returning the next. From Danville they marched to Louisville, taking transports down the Ohio and up the Cumber- land River, arriving at Fort Donelson the day after the severe engagement in which the Eighty- third Illinois drove off a large force of rebel cavalry which had made a desperate effort to retake the fort and intercept the fleet then coming up the river.
Proceeding to Nashville, they remained in camp for a few days, then going by railto Frank- lin and joining in the Duck River campaign. Returning, it remained in camp, doing picket duty and assisting in building forts until the last of May, when it marched to Trinne. While here, the rebels made a strong demonstration against the place, but the Ninety-sixth suffered no casualties.
Joining in the Tullahoma campaign, made especially memorable from the fact that it rained for seventeen successive days, it marched nearly to Shelbyville, when it took charge of a large body of rebel prisoners, conducting them to Murfreesboro. Returning, they were stationed for a short time at Shelbyville and War Trace, and subsequently guarded the railroad bridge across Elk River, at Estell Springs, until September. At this time it was a part of the Reserve Corps. On the 6th of September, it broke camp and moved forward, making no stop of importance until it reached Bridgeport. Here, after a stop of a day or two, the regiment was ordered to move to Chatta- nooga, leaving all camp equipage and all men not able to march, Marching all day and the succeeding night, the command reached Rossville, a little distance out from Chattanooga, on the 14th of September. On the afternoon of the 18th, the brigade was ordered out to reconnoiter the Ringgold road, the Ninety-sixth leading. At Chickamauga Creek the rebels had a small picket force, which fired upon the command, but at first without injury to any one. Co. D was at once deployed as skirmishers and moved forward. In crossing the road, Corporal Elisha Haggert was killed, he being the first man from the regiment to fall in action. Pushing the rebels back for a short distance, night put a stop to further operations, and the command lay on its arms. During this skirmish, Capt. Blodgett and two or three of his men were wounded. The next morning, the regiment retired a short distance, and during the day was under an annoying fire, although not actively engaged, the main fighting on this part of the line being upon its right. On Sunday morning, Sept. 20th, the enemy was gone from its immediate front. The command, however, lay near its position of the day before until nearly noon, when it made a rapid march to join the main army, then heavily engaged. Arriving on the field, the command passed to the extreme right and immediately went into action, being upon the right of the front line. Charging the enemy then massing upon a wooded hill, it met a murderous fire, but main- tained an advanced position until every regiment to its left and rear had given way. Retiring for a short distance only, it reformed its lines and moved to the support of a hattery, then in danger of capture, and saved it after a desperate tight. Through all that Sabbath afternoon, the Ninety-sixth was on the move and in the front line, and when night shut down over the field it was the last organized force to retreat. The Reserve Corps had saved the day and made a retreat possible, and no regiment had contributed more to this result than the Ninety-sixth. But at what a fearful cost ! Early in the afternoon, the gallant Lieutenant Colonel Clarke had been
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carried from the field with a bullet wound in his breast, from which he died next day. The casualties in the regiment, including capture, numbered 231 out of a total of little more than 400. In the four Lake County companies there were twenty killed and mortally wounded, and about sixty more or less severely wounded. Retiring from the field at dark, the fragment of a regiment rested for the night in the camp at Rossville, from which it had gone out for the fight. Next day it fortified a line on Mission Ridge, but abandoned it toward midnight. Not all, how- ever, for by some blunder Company C, fourteen strong, under Lieut. Earle, together with Com- pany H, from Jo Daviess County, and two or three companies from other regiments, were left on picket, and next morning found themselves inside the enemy's lines and were obliged to sur- render. Lieut. Earle afterward dug out of Libby prison and escaped. Of the fourteen men captured with him, nine died in rebel prisons. After Chickamauga, the regiment occupied an exposed position on Moccasin Point, across the Tennessee River from Lookout Mountain, for some time, afterward crossing the river and going out to meet Hooker's forces coming from Bridgeport. It was next sent to Nick-a-Jack Cove, near Shell Mound, but again moved out to take part in the battle of Lookout Mountain, with its brigade, which had been temporarily detached from its corps and assigned to Hooker's command. In this engagement the Ninety- sixth had the honor of bearing a conspicuous part. Ascending the mountain by the flank, some three or four miles from the river, it had the head of the column composing the rear line. When the advance had marched nearly to the mountain's top, the grand forward movement began, the long lines extending from the base to the summit, swinging around the mountain and sur- prising the rebels occupying works upon its side by charging them from the flank. Before much progress had been made, the rear line moved forward and the Ninety-sixth was in the advance thro ghout the whole of the fight. During a part of the day, heavy clouds hung far below them, and they were indeed fighting above the clouds. The casualties embraced one Lake County man -Esau Rich, of Company B-killed, and a number wounded. Night checked operations before the rebel forces were all driven off, but they discreetly withdrew, and next morning the Ninety- sixth Illinois and the Eighth Kentucky were permitted to mount to the top, and from their elevated position watch the battle of Mission Ridge.
Returning to Nick-a-Jack, the Ninety-Sixth Regiment remained in Winter quarters until near the close of January, 1864, when it marched to Cleveland, Tennessee, stopping at various points, and taking part in the reconnoissance to Dalton, having quite a severe skirmish at that place. The remainder of the Winter was spent at Cleveland and Blue Springs, and from the latter place it started out, for the Atlanta campaign, about the 1st of May. On the 9th of May, it took part in a strong demonstration against Rocky Face Ridge, and toward night reconnoi- tered the gap through which the railroad passes to Dalton. Its losses during the day were thirty, four of whom were killed or mortally wounded. On the 14th and 15th of May, it was engaged at Resaca, losing twenty-four men. Skirmishing its way to Dallas, it lost nine men ; and, before reaching the Kenesaw Mountain line, six more. At Kenesaw Mountain it lost fifty men-most of them on the 20th of June-where Col. Champion and Lieut. Col. Smith were both severely wounded, and Capt. Gilmore, of Company B, and Capt. James, of Company G, mortally wounded. In the engagements along the Chattahoochee, at Peach Tree Creek, and along the Atlanta line, it had a constant part, and during July and August lost more than twenty men. Marching to the rear of Atlanta, it was engaged at Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station, having the advance upon the latter place, and losing about a dozen in killed and wounded. Returning to Atlanta, it rested for a month, and then joined in the pursuit of Hood, via Dalton, to Gaylesville, Alabama, when it marched to Chattanooga, taking the cars until near Huntsville, when it marched to Pulaski. Retreating to Nashville, it had a part in the battle at Franklin, November 30, 1864, losing but four or five men, however. Two weeks later, it was engaged at Nashville, charging the enemy on the afternoon of the second day, breaking their line and capturing a four-gun battery, and more prisoners than there were men in the regiment. Its losses in this engagement were about twenty.
Following the retreating rebels to the Tennessee River, it encamped at Huntsville, Alabama, January 5, 1865, remaining there until March, when it went, by rail, to East Tennessee, stop- ping at Strawberry Plains, Russellville and Bull's Gap. Upon the receipt of the news of the surrender of Lee's army, it moved, by rail, to Nashville, where it was mustered out on the 10th of June-its recruits being transferred to the Twenty-First Illinois Regiment, and sent to Texas, where they remained until the following Autumn. From Nashville the regiment was sent to Chicago, being finally paid off and discharged on the 28th of June, 1865. On the same day, a grand reception was given the Lake County companies, at Waukegan, the ladies spreading an elegant collation at Dickinson Hall, and Judge Upton delivering an eloquent welcoming address. During the service of the four Lake County companies, between ninety and one hundred of the four hundred who left their homes were killed, or died from wounds; exposure and disease.
During the Summer and Autumn of 1863, the movement in behalf of the Sanitary Commis- sion-whose object was to furnish vegetables, fruits and other necessaries to the soldiers, in the field and hospitals-took definite shape, the people organizing for the work, and carrying it for- ward with an earnestness that bore hearty testimony to their patriotism. At the great North- western Fair in Chicago, October 27th, Lake County bore a conspicuous part, forwarding large
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amounts from the various railroad stations, besides sending more than eighty wagons in proces- sion, loaded with sanitary stores, labeled with patriotic inscriptions, and ornamented with flags and banners. And there were no small loads, but such a generous offering as only the big hearts of the sturdy patriots, who formed the rank and file of the population, could have con- ceived. And the ladies, too, were wide awake, and Soldiers' Aid societies and other organiza- tions, for the purpose of providing hospital stores and dainties for the sick and wounded hus- bands and brothers, sprung up in every township and neighborhood. This work was continued until the very close of the war, and until the very name of LAKE COUNTY became a proverb in the Northwest for all that was noble or generous or patriotic in the grand work of alleviating the sufferings of the soldiers.
But even the 600,000 were not enough, and when the armies of the West were checked at Chickamauga, and the campaigns of the Summer of 1863 hind failed to secure any substantial advance at the East, there came a feeling that more men were wanted. During the Summer and Fall of 1863, the militia roll was prepared with the expectation that a possible draft might be required. During the Winter of 1863-4, after a lull of more than a year, recruiting was again begun, Nathaniel Vose, Esq., of Warren, raising a company of 103 men for the Seventeenth Cavalry, a new regiment then forming at St. Charles, in this State. This company was mustered as Company I, February 12 1864. Nearly all of the men purchased their own horses, and the regiment was especially well equipped.
From St. Charles they proceeded to St. Louis, and then to Alton, Ill., early in May, the Third Battalion, of which Company I formed a part, guarding prisoners at that point until August, when it was ordered to Benton Barracks, Mo., and subsequently to Rolla. From the latter place it made a forced march to rescue Gen. Ewing's command at Leesburg. Returning to Rolla, it moved to Jefferson City, where it crossed the Missouri River alone in the face of a vastly superior force, estimated at nearly ten times the number of men in the Seventeenth. The next morning, Price's forces attacked the regiment, then re-enforced by the arrival of troops in the night, but speedily withdrew upon discovering that additional troops were confronting them. The command quickly followed, marching to Boonesville and Independence, and having a light skirmish at each place. Near the close of October, it joined in the pursuit of Marmaduke, moving seventy miles in twenty-four hours, and helping to capture that General with ten cannon and a thousand men, With scarcely any rest, they followed the main rebel force nearly to Fort Scott, having frequent skirmishes, and completely wearing out their horses, so that not a few of the men were compelled to travel on foot. So badly used up was the command that the pursuit was necessarily abandoned, the forces returning to Springfield and then to Rolla, vin Cassville. In forty-three days they marched over a thousand miles, and lost six hundred horses. In Jannary, 1865, they were ordered to Pilot Knob, where new horses were furnished them. In April, they were ordered to Cape Girardeau, from whence detachments were sent out in different directions to guard various points, having occasional encounters with the bushwhackers who swarmed in that locality. Early in May, they went with the Commissioners to Jonesboro, Ark., where the last of the Confederate army, under Jeff Thompson, was surrendered.
Returning to Cape Girardeau, they were ordered to Kansas City, marching across the country. Their next move was to Fort Smith, whence they returned to Fort Scott, remaining there until October. They were then ordered out for a trip to the plains, but on arriving at Fort Leaven- worth the order was changed, and on the 23d of November, 1865, they were mustered out and started for Springfield, where they received their final payment and discharge.
Upon the arrival in Chicago of the Thirty-ninth Regiment, in January, 1864, upon veteran furlough, R. S. Botsford, of Waukegan, was commissioned to recruit for Company F, and in a short time had sufficient men to fill it to the maximum number, fifty-two of whom were from Lake County, Mr. Botsford being commissioned Second Lientenant, and subsequently promoted to Captain. Joining their command at Camp Fry, Chicago, they started, March 16th, for the seat of war, going to Washington and then to Alexandria, where it lay in camp until April 24th. On that day the Thirty-ninth took a steamer down the Potomac to Fortress Monroe, and afterward up the James River to City Point, from where it moved out with the Tenth Army Corps, joining in the operations along the Richmond & Petersburg Railroad. On the 14th and 15th of May, it was engaged to some extent, and on the 16th had a hard fight, being forced to retreat for some distance, and losing 115 in killed and wounded. On the 20th, it attacked the rebels, carrying two important positions, and capturing many prisoners, including Gen. Winder. Its losses in killed and wounded were about forty. On the 2d of June, another action was had on almost precisely the ground fought over on the 20th of May, and with about an equal loss. From the 16th to the 19th, it was under heavy fire, losing thirty-five men. On the 20th of June, it withdrew to a point near Bermuda Hundred, and was not particularly exposed until August 14th, when they crossed the James River and operated with the Second Corps in a movement toward Rich- mond. On the 16th, they had a hard fight at Deep Run, charging the enemy's breastworks and breaking their line, the regiment losing 104 men. It next moved into the trenches in front of Petersburg, remaining there several weeks. Moving to the north side of James River, it met and repulsed three rebel charges on the 7th of October, and on the 13th charged the enemy's works, losing sixty men and coming out of the fight under command of a Lieutenant. On the 27th of
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October, it was engaged in a heavy skirmish. From that time until March, it had no severe fight- ing, but lay in the works upon the north side of the James River. On the 2d of April, it took part in the charge on Fort Gregg, and was the first to plant its flag upon the works. Its losses were sixty-one out of 150, but its success was remarkable, as the fort with its entire garrison fell into their hands. The regiment was highly complimented for its gallantry, and received a magnificent bronze eagle as a testimonial to its courage. When the rebels retreated from Rich- mond, the Thirty-ninth had the advance in the pursuit, making very severe marches and having frequent skirmishes, its final engagement on the 9th of April resulting in the loss of several men. It was present at the final surrender of Lee's army, after which it marched to Richmond, remaining there until August. It then removed to Norfolk, doing provost duty until December 6th, when it was mustered out and ordered to Springfield, Illinois, where it was finally dis- charged December 16, 1865.
In January, 1864, the Sixty-fourth Regiment re-enlisted, and was allowed to return home for a brief furlough. Previous to this time, the command had been composed of but six compa- nies, and had been known as the " First Battalion of Yates Sharpshooters ; " but it was decided to fill up the regiment, and authority was given to raise four companies for this purpose. Charles Case, Esq., of Waukegan, undertook to fill one, and in a short time had more than a hundred men upon his roll, thirty-two of whom were from Lake County. This company reported at Ottawa, where the regiment was to rendezvous, in March, and was assigned as Company K. On the 17th, they started south and made their first stop at Decatur, Alabama, where they remained until May, when they moved to Chattanooga and joined in the Atlanta campaign, being attached to the Sixteenth Army Corps. Their first engagement was near Resaca, where they met with slight losses. . At Kingston and Van Wert they had more or less skirmishing, and at Dallas, from the 27th to the 80th, they were quite heavily engaged. Other skirmishes followed, but the next severe fighting was at Kenesaw Mountain. On the 27th of June, the Sixty-fourth led the assaulting column upon the left, pushing its way nearly to the summit of the mountain, and hold- ing its advanced position until relieved and ordered to fall back, at 2 o'clock next morning. In this fight it lost fifty-seven men. When the rebels fell back, on the night of July 20th, the Six- ty-fourth was the first to occupy the mountain. The national holiday was spent in forcing the rebels back toward the Chattahoochee, the Sixty-fourth having the skirmish line, and losing twenty-five in killed and wounded. At the crossing of the river they were again engaged, and on the 19th of July had another fight near Decatur, Georgia. In the battle of the 22d, when the gallant McPherson fell, they bore conspicuous part, losing eighty-nine men. They captured forty prisoners and one battle-flag, and recovered the field-glass and papers taken by the rebels from the person of Gen. McPherson. On the 28th, they repulsed three successive charges, inflicting heavy losses upon their assailants. Moving with the main army around Atlanta, they had a part in the fights at Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station, and returned, via Atlanta, to East Point. After a reconnoissance to Fairburn, they followed Hood to Gaylesville, Alabama, having a sharp skirmish at Snake Creek Gap. Returning to Atlanta, they marched to the sea, and when near Savannah had a part in some reconnoissances and skirmishes. Early in January, they went, by steamer, to Beaufort, South Carolina, and thence to Pocotaligo, having a skirmish at the crossing of the Sal- kahatchie, in which they lost a few men. Most of this fighting was done where the water was up to their waists, and when the weather was quite cold. At Cheran the Sixty-fourth captured a beautiful English Rodman gun in the street, with the horses attached, on which was inscribed, " Presented to the State of South Carolina by friends residing abroad, in commemoration of the Act of December 20, 1860." At Bentonville, on the 20th of March, they attacked the enemy, capturing Gen. Johnston's headquarters, with twelve prisoners and thirty-five horses. Their losses in this engagement were thirteen in killed and wounded. They then camped at Goldsboro until March 10th, when they marched to Raleigh, and subsequently to Washington, where they lay until June 6th, at which time they were sent to Louisville, Kentucky, for muster-out. They were finally paid off and disbanded at Chicago, July 18, 1865.
Of the Lake County boys, in Company K, ten died or were killed, during their sixteen montlis' service.
In the Spring and early Summer of 1864, quite a number of men from the county volun- teered for the one hundred days' service, but no organizations were effected in the county. Most of these men were sent to guard various points in Kentucky and Missouri, and in some instances their terms of service were prolonged to four or five months.
During the latter part of the Summer, the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Regiment was raised, the men enlisting for one year, for service within the State. Lieut. William Reid, of Waukegan, who had recently returned from three years' service with the Fifteenth Regiment, was authorized to recruit a company, and raised something over fifty men from this county alone, and filled up with recruits from other counties. This company was assigned as Company D, and mustered into the service September 3, 1864. Upon the organization of the regiment, Lieut. Reid was made Lieutenant Colonel and Julius L. Loveday became Captain of Company D. The command was scattered in detachments throughout the State, Company D being at Quincy most of the time. During the latter part of its service, it was stationed at Camp Butler, where it was mustered out of the service on the 5th of July, 1865. So far as we can learn, no deaths occurred among the Lake County men during their entire period of enlistment.
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The next company organized in the county was recruited by Capt. J. S. Pratt, of Wanconda, who had previously served three years in the Fifteenth Regiment. About fifty of his inen were from Lake County, and upon their organization they were assigned as Company I, One Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment, being mustered into the service for one year at Camp Fry, Chicago, February 18, 1865. Three days later, they moved, via Louisville, to Nashville, and thence via Chattanooga to Dalton, Georgia, from which point they made numerous reconnoissances in various directions, having several skirmishes with rebel cavalry and bushwhackers.
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