Iroquois County, Illinois - Chapter 23: Gen. Clark's Conquest of "the Illinois., 1880 (part 1 of 6)

Chapter 23: Gen. Clark's Conquest of "the Illinois.

AFTER the Indians had submitted to English rule the west enjoyed a period of quiet. When the American colonists, long complaining against the oppressive acts of the mother country, broke out into open revolt, and the war of the revolution fairly began, the English, from the westward posts of Detroit, Vincennes and Kaskaskia, incited the Indians against the frontier settlements, and from these depots supplied their war parties with guns and ammunition. The Depredations of the Indians in Kentucky were so severe that in the fall of 17T7 George Rogers Clark conceived, and next year executed, an expedition against the French settlements of Kaskaskia and Vincennes, which not only relieved Kentucky from the incursions of the savages, but at the same time resulted in consequences which are without parallel in the annals of the Northwest.*

*Gen. Clark was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, on the 19th of November, 1752, and died and was buried at Locust Grove, near Louisville, Kentucky, in February, 1818. He came to Kentucky in the spring of 1775, and became early identified as a conspicuous leader in the border wars of that country. The border settlers of Kentucky could not successfully contend against the numerous and active war parties from the Wabash who were continually lurking in their neighborhoods, coming, as Indians do, stealthily, striking a blow where least expected, and escaping before assistance could relieve the localities which they devastated, killing women and children, destroying live stock and bvirning the pioneers1 cabins. Clark conceived the idea of capturing Vincennes and Kaskaskia. Keeping his plans to himself, he proceeded to Williamsburg and laid them before Patrick Henry, then governor of Virginia, who promptly aided in their execution. From Gov. Henry Clark received two sets of instructions, one, to enlist seven companies of men, ostensibly for the protection of the people of Kentucky, which at that time was a county of Virginia, the other, a secret order, to attack the British post of Kaskaskia! The result of his achievements was overshadowed by the stirring events of the revolution eastward of the Alleghanies, where other heroes were winning a glory that dazzled while it drew public attention exclusively to

The account here given of Clark's campaign in "The Illinois'" is taken from a manuscript memoir composed by Clark himself, at the joint request of Presidents Jefferson and Madison.* We prefer giving the account in -Gen. Clark's own words, as far as practicable.

The memoir of Gen. Clark proceeds: "On the (24th) of June, 1778, we left our little island, + and run about a mile up the river in order to gain the main channel, and shot the falls at the very moment of the sun being in a great eclipse, which caused various conjectures among the superstitious. As I knew that spies were kept on the river below the towns of the Illinois, I had resolved to march part of the way by land, and of course left the whole of our baggage, except as much as would equip us in the Indian mode. The whole of our force, after leaving such as was judged not competent to [endure] the expected fatigue, consisted only of four companies, commanded by Captains John Montgomery, Joseph Bowman, Leonard Helms and William Ilarrod. My force being so small to what I expected, owing to the various circumstances already mentioned, I found it necessary to alter, my plans of operation.

"I had fully acquainted myself that the French inhabitants in those western settlements had great influence among the Indians in general, and were more beloved by them than any other Europeans ; that their commercial intercourse was universal throughout the western and northwestern countries, and that the governing interest on the lakes was mostly in the hands of the English, who were not much beloved by them. These, and many other ideas similar thereto, caused me to resolve, if possible, to strengthen myself by such train of conduct as might probably attach the French inhabitants to our interest, and give us influence in the country we were aiming for. These were the principles that influenced my futureconduct, and, fortunately, I had just received a letter from Col.

them. The west was a wilderness, - excepting the isolated French settlements about Kaskaskia, and at Vincennes and Detroit, - and occupied only by savages and wild animals. It was not until after the great Northwest began to be settled, and its capabilities to sustain the empire, - since seated in its lap, - was realized, that the magnitude of the conquest forced itself into notice. The several states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, carved out of the territory which he so gloriously won, - nay, the whole nation, - owe to the memory of George Rogers Clark a debt of gratitude that cannot be repaid in a mere expression of words. An account of his life and eminent services, worthy of the man, yet remains to be written.

*.Iudge John B. Dillon, when preparing his first history of Indiana, in 1843, had access to Clark's original manuscript memoir, and copied copious extracts in the volume named, and it is from this source that the extracts appearing in this work were taken. This book of Judge Dillon is not to be confounded with a History of Indiana^ prepared and published by him in 1859. His first book, although somewhat crude, is exceedingly valuable for the historical matter it contains relating to the whole Northwest, while the latter is a better digested history of the state of which he was an eminent citizen.

Clark'S Campaign

Campbell, dated Pittsburgh, informing me of the contents of the treaties* between France and America. As I intended to leave the Ohio at Fort Massac, three leagues below the Tennessee, I landed on a small island in the mouth of that river, in order to prepare for the march. In a few hours after, one John Duff and a party of hunters coming down the river were brought to by our boats. They were men formerly from the states, and assured us of their happiness in the adventure. . . . They had been but lately from Kaskaskia, and were able to give us all the intelligence we wished. They said that Gov. Abbot had lately left Port Yincennes, and gone to Detroit on business of importance ; that Mr. Rochblave commanded at Kaskaskia, etc. ; that the militia was kept in good order, and spies on the Mississippi, and that all hunters, both Indians and others, were ordered to keep a good look-out for the rebels ; that the fort was kept in good order as .an asylum, etc., but they believed the whole to proceed more from the fondness for parade than the expectation of a visit ; that if they received timely notice of us, they would collect and give us a warm reception, as they were taught to harbor a most horrid idea of the rebels, especially the Virginians ; but that if we could surprise the place, which they were in hopes we might, they made no doubt of our being able to do as we pleased ; that they hoped to be received as partakers in the enterprise, and wished us to put full confidence in them, and they would assist the guides in conducting the party. This was agreed to, and they proved valuable men.

"The acquisition to us was great, as I had no intelligence from those posts since the spies I sent twelve months past. But no part of their information pleased me more than that of the inhabitants viewing us as more savage than their neighbors, the Indians. I was determined to improve upon this if I was fortunate enough to get them into my possession, as I conceived the greater the shock I could give them at first, the more sensibly would they feel my lenity, and become more valuable friends. This I conceived to be agreeable to human nature, as I had observed it in many instances. Having everything prepared, we moved down to a little gully a small distance above Massac, in which we concealed our boats, and set out a northwest course. The weather was favorable. In some parts water was scarce, as well as game. Of course we suffered drought and hunger, but not to excess. On the third day John

*The timely information received of the alliance between the United States and France was made use of by Gen. Clark with his usual tact and with great success, as will be seen farther on.

Saunders, our principal guide, appeared confused, and we soon discovered that he was totally lost, without there was some other cause of his present conduct.

" I asked him various questions, and from his answers I could scarcely determine what to think of him, - whether or not that he was lost, or that he wished to deceive us. ... The cry of the whole detachment was that he was a traitor. He begged that he might be suifered to go some distance into a plain that was in full view, to try to make some discovery whether or not he was right. I told him he might go, but that I was suspicious of him, from his conduct ; that from the first day of his being employed he always said he knew the way well ; that there was now a different appearance ; that I saw the nature of the country was such that a person once acquainted with it could not in a short time forget it ; that a few men should go with him to prevent his escape, and that if he did not discover and take us into the hunter's road that led from the east into Kaskaskia, which he had frequently described, I would have him immediately put to death, which I was determined to have done. But after a search of an hour or two he came to a place that he knew perfectly, and we discovered that the poor fellow had been, as they call it, bewildered.

" On the fourth of July, in the evening, we got within a few miles of the town, where we lay until near dark, keeping spies ahead, after which we commenced our march, and took possession of a house wherein a large family lived, on the bank of the Kaskaskia River, about three-quarters of a mile above the town. Here we were informed that the people a few days before were under arms, but had concluded that the cause of the alarm was without foundation, and that at that time there was a great number of men in town, but that the Indians had generally left it, and at present all was quiet. We soon procured a sufficiency of vessels, the more in ease to convey us across the river.

"With one of the divisions I marched to the fort, and ordered the other two into different quarters of the town.' If I met with no resistance, at a certain signal a general shout was to be given and certain parts were to be immediately possessed, and men of each detachment, who could speak the French language, were to run through every street and proclaim what had happened, and inform the inhabitants that every person that appeared in the streets would be shot down. This disposition had its desired effect. In a very little time we had complete possession, and every avenue was guarded to prevent any escape to give the alarm to the other villages in case of opposi- tion. Various orders had been issued not worth mentioning. I don't suppose greater silence ever reigned among the inhabitants of a place than did at this at present ; not a person to be seen, not a word to be heard by them, for some time, but, designedly, the greatest noise kept up by our troops through every quarter of the town, and patrols continually the whole night around it, as intercepting any information was a capital object, and in about two hours the whole of the inhabitants were disarmed, and informed that if one was taken attempting to make his escape he should be immediately put to death."

When Col. Clark, by the use of various bloodless means, had raised the terror of the French inhabitants to a painful height, he surprised them, and won their confidence and friendship, by performing, unexpectedly, several acts of justice and generosity. On the morning of the 5th of July a few of the principal men were arrested and put in irons. Soon afterward M. Gibault, the priest of the village, accompanied by five or six aged citizens, waited on Col. Clark, and said that the inhabitants expected to be separated, perhaps never to meet again, and they begged to be permitted to assemble in their church, and there to take leave of each other. Col. Clark mildly told the priest that he had nothing to say against his religion ; that it was a matter which Americans left for every man to settle with his God ; that the people might assemble in their church, if they would, but that they must not venture out of town.

]STearly the whole French population assembled at the church. The houses were deserted by all who could leave them, and Col. Clark gave orders to prevent any soldiers from entering the vacant buildings. After the close of the meeting at the church a deputation, consisting of M. Guibault and several other persons, waited on Col. Clark, and said "that their present situation was the fate of war, and that they could submit to the loss of their property, but they solicited that they might not be separated from their wives and children, and that some clothes and provisions might be allowed for their support." Clark feigned surprise at this request, and abruptly exclaimed, "Do you mistake us for savages? I am almost certain you do from your language ! Do you think that Americans intend to strip women and children, or take the bread out of their mouths? My countrymen," said Clark, "disdain to make war upon helpless innocence. It was to prevent the horrors of Indian butchery upon, our own wives and children that we have taken arms and penetrated into this remote stronghold of British and Indian barbarity, and not the despicable prospect of plunder; that now the king of France had united his powerful arms with those of America, the war would not, in all probability, continue long, but the inhabitants of Kaskaskia were at liberty to take which side they pleased, without the least danger to either their property or families. Nor would their religion be any source of disagreement, as all religions were regarded with equal respect in the eye of the American law, and that any insult offered to it would be immediately punished."

"And now," Clark continues, "to prove my sincerity, you will please inform your fellow-citizens that they are quite at liberty to conduct themselves as usual, without the least apprehension. I am now convinced, from what I have learned since my arrival among you, that you have been misinformed and prejudiced against us by British officers, and your friends who are in confinement shall immediately be released."* In a few minutes after the delivery of this speech the gloom that rested on the minds of the inhabitants of Kaskaskia had passed away. The news of the treaty of alliance between France and the United States, and the influence of the magnanimous conduct of Clark, induced the French villagers to take the oath of allegiance to the state of Virginia. Their arms were restored to them, and a volunteer company of French militia joined a detachment under Capt. Bowman, when that officer was dispatched to take possession of Cahokia. The inhabitants of this small village, on hearing what had taken place at Kaskaskia, readily took the oath of allegiance to Virginia.

The memoir of Clark proceeds: " Post Vincennes never being out of my mind, and from some things that I had learned I suspected that Mr. Gibault, the priest, was inclined to the American interest previous to our arrival in the country. He had great influence over the people at this period, and Post Vincennes was under his jurisdiction. I made no doubt of his integrity to us. I sent for him, and had a long conference with him on the subject of Post Vincennes. In answer to all my queries he informed me that he did not think it worth my while to cause any military preparation to be made at the Falls of the Ohio for the attack of Post Vincennes, although the place was strong and a great number of Indians in its neighborhood, who, to his knowledge, were generally at war; that the governor had, a. few weeks before, left the place on some business to Detroit ; that he expected that when the inhabitants were fully acquainted with what had passed at the Illinois, and the present happiness of their friends, and made fully acquainted with the nature of the war, their sentiments would greatly change ; that he knew that his appearance there would have great weight, even among the savages ; that if it was agreeable to me he would take this business on himself, and had no doubt of his being able to bring that place over to the American interest without my being at the trouble of marching against it ; that the business being altogether spiritual, he wished that another person might be charged with the temporal part of the embassy, but that he would privately direct the whole, and he named Dr. Lafont as his associate.

"This was perfectly agreeable to what I had been secretly aiming at for some days. The plan was immediately settled, and the two doctors, with their intended retinue, among whom I had a spy, set about preparing for their journey, and set out on the 14th of July, with an address to the inhabitants of Post Vincennes, authorizing them to garrison their own town themselves, which would convince them of the great confidence we put in them, etc. All this had its desired effect. Mr. Gibault and his party arrived safe, and after their spending a day or two in explaining matters to the people, they universally acceded to the proposal (except a few emissaries left by Mr. Abbot, who immediately left the country), and went in a body to the church, where the oath of allegiance was administered to them in a most solemn manner. An officer was elected, the fort immediately [garrisoned], and ' the American flag displayed to the astonishment of the Indians, and everything settled far beyond our most sanguine hopes. The people here immediately began to put on a new face, and to talk in a different style, and to act as perfect freemen. With a garrison of their own. with the United States at their elbow, their language to the Indians was immediately altered. They began as citizens of the United States, and informed the Indians that their old father, the. king of France, was come to life again, and was mad at them for fighting for the English ; that they would advise them to make peace with the Americans as soon as they could, otherwise they might expect the land to be very bloody, etc. The Indians began to think seriously ; throughout the country this was the kind of language they generally got from their ancient friends of the W abash and Illinois. Through the means of their correspondence spreading among the nations, our batteries began now to play in a proper channel. Mr. Gibault and party, accompanied by several gentlemen of Post Yincennes, returned to Kaskaskia about the 1st of August with the joyful news. During his absence on this business, which caused great anxiety to me (for without the possession of this post all our views would have been blasted), I was exceedingly engaged in regulating things in the Illi- nois. The reduction of these posts was the period of the enlistment of our troops. I was at a great loss at the time to determine how to act, and how far I might venture to strain my authority. My instructions were silent on many important points, as it was impossible to foresee the events that would take place. To abandon the country, and all the prospects that opened to our view in the Indian department at this time, for the want of instruction in certain cases, I thought would amount to a reflection on government, as having no confidence in me. I resolved to usurp all the authority necessary to carry my points. I had the greater part of our [troops] recnlisted on a different establishment, commissioned French officers in the country to command a company of the young inhabitants, established a garrison at Cahokia, commanded by Capt. Bowman, and another at Kaskaskia, commanded by Capt. "Williams. Post Vincennes remained in the situation as mentioned. Col. William Linn, who had accompanied us as a volunteer, took charge of a party that was to be discharged upon their arrival at the Falls, and orders were sent for the removal of that post to the mainland. Capt. John Montgomery was dispatched to government with letters. ... I again turned my attention to Post Vincennes. I plainly saw that it would be highly necessary to have an American officer at that post. Capt. Leonard Helm appeared calculated to answer my purpose ; he was past the meridian of life, and a good deal acquainted with the Indian [disposition]. I sent him to command at that post, and also appointed him agent for Indian affairs in the department of the Wabash. . . . About the middle of August he set out to take possession of his new command.* Thus," says Clark, referring to

* "An Indian chief called the Tobacco's Son, a Piankeshaw, at this time resided in a village adjoining Post Vincennes. This man was called by the Indians 'The Grand Door to the Wabash'; and as nothing of consequence was to be undertaken by the league on the Wabash without his assent, I discovered that to win him was an object of signal importance. I sent him a spirited compliment by Mr. Gibault; he returned it. I now, by Capt. Helm, touched him on the same spring that I had done the inhabitants, and sent a speech, with a belt of wampum, directing Capt. Helm how to manage if the chief was pacifically inclined or otherwise. The captain arrived safe at Post Vincennes, and was received with acclamations by the people. After the usual ceremony was over he sent for the Grand Door, and delivered my letter to him. After having read it, he informed the captain that he was happy to see him, one of the Big Knife chiefs, in this town; it was here he had joined the English against him; but he confessed that he always thought they looked gloomy; that as the contents of the letter were of great moment, he could not give an answer for some time; that he must collect his counsellors on the suV>ject. and was in hopes the captain would be patient. In short, he put on all the courtly dignity that he was master of. and dipt. Helm following his example, it was several days before this business was finished, as the whole proceeding was very ceremonious. At length the captain was invited to the Indian council, and informed by Tobacco that they had maturely considered the case in hand, and had got the nature of the war between the Enirlish and ns explained to their satisfaction; that as we spoke the same language and appeared to be the same people, he always thought that he was in the dark as to the truth of it, but now the sky was

Clauk'S Influence Over The Indians

Helm's success, "ended this valuable negotiation, and the saving of much blood. ... In a short time almost the whole of the various tribes of the different nations on the Wabash, as high as the Ouiatanon, came to Post Vincennes, and followed the example of the Grand Door Chief; and as expresses were continually passing between Capt. Helm and myself the whole time of these treaties, the business was settled perfectly to my satisfaction, and greatly to the advantage of the public. The British interest daily lost ground in this quarter, and in a short time our influence reached the Indians on the River St. Joseph and the border of Lake Michigan. The French gentlemen at the different posts we now had possession of engaged warmly in our interest. They appeared to vie with each other in promoting the business, and through the means of their correspondence, trading among the Indians, and otherwise, in a short time the Indians of various tribes inhabiting the region of Illinois came in great numbers to Cahokia, in order to make treaties of peace with us. From the information they generally got from the French gentlemen (whom they implicitly believed) respecting us, they were truly alarmed, and, consequently, we were visited by the greater part of them, without any invitation from us. Of course we had greatly the advantage in making use of such language as suited our [interest]. Those treaties, which commenced about the last of August and continued between three and four weeks, were probably conducted in a way different from any other known in America at that time. I had been always convinced that our general conduct with the Indians was wrong ; that inviting them to treaties was considered by them in a different manner from what we expected, and imputed by them to fear, and that giving them great presents confirmed it. I resolved to guard against this, and I took good pains to make myself acquainted fully with the French and Spanish methods of treating Indians, and with the manners, genius and disposition of the Indians in general. As in this quarter they had not yet been spoiled by us, I was resolved that they should not be. I began the business fully prepared, having copies of the British treaties."

cleaned up; that ho (bund tli;it, tin- ' P>Lr Knifo' was in the ri<rht; thiit. perhaps if the Enul sli conquered, they would serve them in (lie sainu; milliner ihiit Hi 17 intended to serve us; that his ideas were qniti- changed, and that he would tell all the red people on the Wabash to bloody 1lie land no more for the English. He jumped up, struck his breast, called himself a man and a warrior, said that he was now a Biy Knife, and took Ciipt. Helm by the hand. His example was followed by all present, and the evening was spent in merriment."

Col. Clark was sitting; another chief, bearing the sacred pipe of the tribe, went forward to the table, and a third chief then advanced with fire to kindle the pipe. When the pipe was lighted it was figuratively presented to the heavens, then to the earth, then to all the good spirits, to witness what was about to be done. After the observance of these forms the pipe was presented to Clark, and afterward to every person present. An Indian speaker then addressed the Indians as follows : " Warriors, - You ought to be thankful that the Great Spirit has taken pity on you, and cleared the sky and -opened your ears and hearts, so that you may hear the truth. We have been deceived by bad birds flying through the land. But we will take up the bloody hatchet no more against the Big Knife,* and we hope, as the Great Spirit has brought us together for good, as he is good, that we may be received as friends, and that the belt of peace may take the place of the bloody belt."

"I informed them," says Clark, "that I had paid attention to what they had said, and that on the next day I would give them an answer, when I hoped the ears and hearts of all people would be opened to receive the truth, which should be spoken without deception. I advised them to keep prepared for the result of this day, on which, perhaps, their very existence as a nation depended, etc., and dismissed them, not suffering any of our people to shake hands with them, as peace was not yet concluded, telling them it was time enough to give the hand when the heart could be given also. They replied that ' such sentiments were like men who had but one heart, and did not speak with a double tongue. ' The next day I delivered them the following speech :

'Men and Warriors, - Pay attention to my words: You informed me yesterday that the Great Spirit had brought us together, and that you hoped, as he was good, that it would be for good. I have also the same hope, and expect that each party will strictly adhere to whatever may be agreed upon, whether it be peace or war, and henceforward prove ourselves worthy of the attention of the Great Spirit. I am a man and a warrior, - not a counsellor. I carry war in my

*The early border men of Virginia and her county of Kentucky usually carried very large knives. From this circumstance the Virginians were called, in the Illinois (Miami) dialect, She-mol-sea, meaning the " Big Knife." At a later day the same appellation, under the Chippewayan word Che-mo-ko-man, was extended, by the Indians, to the white people generally, - always excepting the Englishman proper, whom they called the Sag-e-nash, and the Yankees to whom they gave the epithet of Bos-to-ne-ly, i.e., the Bostonians. The term is derived from the Miami word mal-she, or ntol-sea, a knife, or the Ojibbeway mo-ko-man, which means the same thing. The prefix che or she emphasizes the kind or size of the instrument, as a huge, long or big knife. Such is the origin of the expression "long knives," frequently found in books where Indian characters occur.

Clark'S Speech To The Indians

right hand, and in my left, peace. I am sent by the great council of the Big Knife, and their friends, to take possession of all the towns possessed by the English in this country, and to watch the motions of the red people ; to bloody the paths of those who attempt to stop the course of the river, but to clear the roads from us to those who desire to be in peace, that the women and children may walk in them without meeting anything to strike their feet against. I am ordered to call upon the Great Fire for warriors enough to darken the land, and that the red people may hear no sound but of birds who live on blood. I know there is a mist before your eyes. I will dispel the clouds, that you may clearly see the cause of the war between the Big Knife and the English, then you may judge for yourselves which party is in the right, and if you are warriors, as you profess to be, prove it by adhering faithfully to the party which you shall believe to be entitled to your friendship, and do not show yourselves to be squawrs.

' The Big Knives are very much like the red people. They don't know how to make blankets and powder and cloth. They buy these things 1'rom the English, from whom they are sprung. They live by making corn, hunting and trade, as you and your neighbors, the French, do. But the Big Knives, daily getting more numerous, like the trees in the woods, the land became poor and hunting scarce, and having but little to trade with, the women began to cry at seeing their children naked, and tried to learn how to make clothes for themselves. They soon made blankets for their husbands and chil* dren, and the men learned to make guns and powder. In this way we did not want to buy so much from the English. They then got mad with us, and sent strong garrisons through our country, as you see they have done among you on the lakes, and among the French. They would not let our women spin, nor our men make powder, nor let us trade with anybody else. The English said we should buy everything of them, and since we had got saucy we should give two bucks for a blanket, which we used to get for one ; we should do as they pleased ; and they killed some of our people, to make the rest fear them. This is the truth, and the real cause of the war between the English and us, which did not take place until some time after this treatment.

' But our women became cold and hungry and continued to cry. Our young men got lost for want of counsel to put them in the right path. The whole land was dark. The old men held down their heads for shame, because they could not see the sun ; and thus there was mourning for many years over the land. At last the Great

Spirit took pity on us. and kindled a great council fire, that never goes out, at a place called Philadelphia. He then stuck down a post, arid put a war tomahawk by it, and went away. The sun immediately broke out, the sky was blue again, and the old men held up their heads and assembled at the fire. They took up the hatchet, sharpened it, and put it into the hands of our young men, ordering them to strike the English as long as they could find one on this side of the great waters. The young men immediately struck the war post and blood was shed. In this way the war began, and the English were driven from one place to another until they got weak, and then they hired you red people to fight for them. The Great Spirit got angry at this, and caused your old father, the French king, and other great nations, to join the Big Knives, and fight with them against all their enemies. So the English have become like deer in the woods, and you may see that it is the Great Spirit that has caused your waters to be troubled, because you have fought for the people he was mad with. If your women and children should now cry, you must blame yourselves for it, arid not the Big Knives.

4 You can now judge who is in the right. I have already told you who I am. Here is a bloody belt and a white one, take which you please. Behave like men, and don't let your being surrounded by the Big Knives cause you to take up the one belt with your hands while your hearts take up the other. If you take the bloody path, you shall leave the town in safet}'', and may go and join your friends, the English. We will then try, like warriors, who can put the most stumbling-blocks in each other's way, and keep our clothes longest stained with blood. If, on the other hand, you should take the path of peace, and be received as brothers to the Big Knives, with their friends, the French ; should you then listen to bad birds that may be flying through the land, you will no longer deserve to be counted as men, but as creatures with two tongues, that ought to be destroyed without listening to anything you might say. As I am convinced you never heard the truth before, I do not wish you to answer before you have taken time to counsel. We will, therefore, part this evening, and when the Great Spirit shall bring us together again, let us speak arid think like men, with but one heart and one tongue. '

"The next day after this speech a new fire was kindled with more than usual ceremony ; an Indian speaker came forward and said : They ought to be thankful that the Great Spirit had taken pity on them, and opened their ears arid their hearts to receive the truth. He had paid great attention to what the Great Spirit had put into my heart to say to them. They believed the whole to be the truth, as the Big Knives did not speak like any other people they had ever heard. They now saw they had been deceived, and that the English had told them lies, and that I had told them the truth, just as some of their old men had always told them. They now believed that we were in the right ; and as the English had forts in their country, they might, if they got strong enough, want to serve the red people as they had treated the Big Knives. The red people ought, therefore, to help us, and they had, with a cheerful heart, taken up the belt of peace, and spurned that of war. They were determined to hold the former fast, and would have no doubt of our friendship, from the manner of our speaking, so different from that of the English. They would now call in their warriors, and throw the tomahawk into the river, where it could never be found. They would suffer no more bad birds to fly through the land, disquieting the women and children. They would be careful to smooth the roads for their brothers, the Big Knives, whenever they might wish to come and see them. Their friends should hear of the good talk I had given them ; and they hoped I would send chiefs among them, with my eyes, to see myself that they were men, and strictly adhered to all they had said at this great fire, which the Great Spirit had kindled at Cahokia for the good of all people who would attend it."

The sacred pipe was again ykindled, and presented, figuratively, to the heavens and the earth, and to all the good spirits, as witness of what had been done. The Indians and the white men then closed the council by smoking the pipe and shaking hands. With no material variation, either of the forms that were observed, or with the speeches that were made at this council, Col. Clark and his officers concluded treaties of peace with the Piankeshaws, Ouiatenoris, Kickapoos, Illinois, Kaskaskias, Peorias, and branches of some other tribes that inhabited the country between Lake Michigan and the, Mississippi.

Gov. Henry soon received intelligence of the successful progress; of the expedition under the command of ('lark. The French inhabitants of the villages of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Post Vincennes took the oath of allegiance to the State of Virginia.

In October, 1778, the General Assembly of the State of Virginia passed an act which contained the following provisions, viz : All the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia "who are already settled or shall hereafter settle on the western side of the Ohio, shall be included in a distinct county, which shall be called Illinois county - and the governor of this commonwealth, with the advice of the council, may appoint a county lieutenant, or commandant-in-chief, in that county, during pleasure, who shall appoint and commission so many deputy commandants, militia officers and commissaries as he shall think proper in the different districts, during pleasure ; all of whom, before they enter into office, shall take the oath of fidelity to this commonwealth and the oath of office, according to the form of their own religion. And all civil officers to which the inhabitants have been accustomed, necessary for the preservation of the peace and the administration of justice, shall be chosen by a majority of the citizens in their respective districts, to be convened for that purpose by the county lieutenant, or commandant, or his deputy, and shall be commissioned by the said county lieutenant or commandant-in-chief."

Before the provisions of the law were carried into effect, Henry Hamilton, the British lieutenant-governor of Detroit, collected an army, consisting of about thirty regulars, fifty French volunteers, and four hundred Indians. With this force he passed down the. River Wabash, and took possession of Post Vincennes on the 15th of December, 1778. No attempt was made by the population to defend the town. Capt. Helm was taken and detained as a prisoner, and a number of the French inhabitants disarmed.

Clark was aware that Gov. Hamilton, now that he had regained possession of Vincennes, would undertake the capture of his forces, and realizing his danger, he determined to forestall Hamilton and capture the latter. His plans were at once formed. He sent -a portion of his available force by boat, called The Willing, with instructions to Capt. Rogers, the commander, to proceed down the Mississippi and up the Ohio and Wabash, and secrete himself a few miles below Vincennes, and prohibit any persons from passing either up or down. With another part of his force he marched across the country, through prairies, swamps and marshes, crossing swollen streams - for it was in the month of February, and the whole country was flooded from continuous rains - and arriving at the banks of the Wabash near St. Francisville, he pushed across the river and brought his forces in the rear of Vincennes before daybreak. So secret and rapid were his movements that Gov. Hamilton had no notice that Clark had left Kaskaskia. Clark issued a notice requiring the people of the town to keep within their houses, and declaring that all persons found elsewhere would be treated as enemies. Tobacco1* X»n tendered one hundred of his Piankashaw braves, himself at their head. Clark declined their services with thanks, saying his own force was sufficient. Gov. Hamilton had just completed the fort, consisting of strong block-houses at each angle, with the cannon placed on the upper floors, at an elevation of eleven feet from the suriace. The works were at once closely invested. The ports were so badly cut, the men on the inside could not stand to their cannon for the bullets that would whiz from the rifles of Clark's sharpshooters through the embrasures whenever they were suffered for an instant to remain open.

The town immediately surrendered with joy, and assisted at the siege. After the first offer to surrender upon terms was declined, Hamilton and Clark, with attendants, met in a conference at the Catholic church, situated some eighty rods from the fort, and in the afternoon of the same day, the 24th of February, 1779, the fort and garrison, consisting of seventy-five men, surrendered at discretion.* The result was that Hamilton and his whole force were made prisoners of war.t Clark held military possession of the northwest until the close of the war, and in that way it was secured to our country. At the treaty of peace, held at Paris at the close of the revolutionary war, the British insisted that the Ohio River should be the northern boundary of the United States. The correspondence relative to that treaty shows that the only ground on which "the American commissioners relied to sustain their claim that the lakes should be the boundary was the fact that Gen. Clark had conquered the country, and was in the undisputed military possession of it at the time of the negotiation. This fact was affirmed and admitted, and was the chief ground on which British commissioners reluctantly abandoned their claim. "^

* Two days after the Willing arrived, its crew much mortified because they did not share in the victory, although Clark commended them for their diligence. Two days before Capt. Rogers' arrival with the Willing, Clark had dispatched three armed boats, under charge of Capt. Helm and Majors Bosseron and Le Grass, up the Wabash, to intercept a fleet which Clark was advised was on its way from Detroit, laden with supplies for Gov. Hamilton at Vincennes. About one hundred and twenty miles up the river the British boats, seven in number, having aboard military supplies of the value of ten thousand pounds sterling money and forty men, among whom was Philip De Jean, a magistrate of Detroit, were captured by Capt. Helm. The writer has before him the statement of John McFall, born near Vincennes in 1798. He lived near and in Vincennes until 1817. His grandfather, Ralph Mattison, was one of Clark's soldiers who accompanied Helm's expedition up the Wabash, and he often told McFall, his grandson, that the British were lying by in the Vermilion River, near its mouth, where they were surprised in the night-time and captured by Helm without firing a shot.

fThis march, from its daring conception, and the obstacles encountered and overcome, is one of the most thrilling events in our history, and it is to be regretted that the limited space assigned to other topics precludes its insertion.

In The Service

EMBRACING AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF EACH REGIMENT IN WHICH THERE WERE IROQUOIS COUNTY SOLDIERS; ALSO A ROLL OP HONOR, GIVING NAMES OF ALL DECEASED SOLDIERS THAT DIED IN LINE OF DUTY, AND A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF COL. WILLIAMS AND A NUMBER OF GALLANT OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS WHO WERE KILLED OR DIED IN THE SERVICE.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY ALEX. L. WHITEHALL, LL.B., Captain and Adjutant 9th Reg. I.N.G., and late private of Co. F, 9th Reg. Ind. Vet. Vol. Inf.

Preface

The writer of the following regimental sketches, and compiler of the " Roll of Honor of Iroquois County Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion," is frank to admit that his work is not satisfactory to himself, but is merely presented in the hope that it may become a foundation upon which a more perfect and satisfactory work may be reared in the future.

Unfortunately, reliable regimental histories, or even faithful records of the movements and doings of individual regiments are not generally accessible, and such as are obtainable are apt to be brief and unsatisfactory because of their brevity, - being for the most part merely a rehash of some officer's diary. No attempt is made, or very rarely made, at describing the behavior of a regiment in battle, and the chronicler must depend largely upon the published histories of the war, and letters of war correspondents of newspapers published during the late war, and also upon reports of commanding officers, for such details and descriptions of battles and marches as he may wish to employ in writing a tolerably correct and readable regimental history. And as the written statements upon which historians are often forced to rely are not always written by a man who was on the field of battle, or who, if there, was perhaps not in the best position for acquiring an accurate knowledge, or of witnessing the movements and behavior of the troops of whom he is writing ; hence he does not always give a correct account, nor always a just one. But like others who have found themselves similarly circumstanced, we have, in the subsequent pages, sought to make the best use possible of the materials at hand that our ability would admit of,' in the hope, as before stated, that our efforts and venture may lead to something better; and if, until then, our work shall be useful in perpetuating the record of Iroquois county's patriotism in the war for the Union, we shall feel our labor has not been in vain.

In the preparation of the subsequent pages we have had to rely very largely upon the reports of the adjutant-general of Illinois, and for necessary data and material have also consulted "Eddy's Patriotism of Illinois," " Yan Home's History of the Army of the Cumberland," and "Gen. Andrew's History of the Mobile Campaign."

We were a soldier from a sister state, and had a personal acquaintance with only four of the regiments whose history we have been requested to write, and do not feel that we could do as full justice to our subject as if we had been an Illinois soldier, and familiar with the history of Illinois regiments.

It is but just to ourself to say that the work has been done during such time as we could snatch from our professional duties, and done only because we felt that the gallant dead and the patriotic surviving soldiers who enlisted from this county during the late war, deserved to have some chronicler present for the perusal of their neighbors and friends a tolerable fair record and recital of their trials and triumphs while marching and fighting under the dear old flag of our Union. We have written, and present to the public the following pages, believing that even our poor recital of the suffering and heroism of the soldiers of Iroquois county, will arouse in the hearts of our people a kindlier feeling and respect for their neighbors who did manful duty as defenders of our imperiled Union when assailed by treason ; and also to arouse a deeper reverence for the noble dead that gave up their lives that the nation might live.

Regimental History

When the terrible storm-cloud of secession burst upon our union of states, in the spring of 1861, the county of Iroquois contained a population of a little over 16,000, and from that time to the close of the war increased in population but slightly. As a proof of the devotion of her people to the Union, it is only necessary to state that this grand county sent into the field nearly enough men to make two lull regiments. The muster-in rolls of the various organizations in which the county was represented show that over 1,500 men enlisted from and are credited to this county. And of this brave band of men, loyal and true to their country and their country's flag, over 300, or one-fifth, laid down their lives on their country's altar. Such a record is certainly a proud one, and reflects credit upon the bravery and patriotism of the county that so nobly sprang to the defense of our imperiled government. We present, in the succeeding pages, brief historical sketches of the several regiments and batteries in which there were Iroquois county soldiers. The different arms of the service are presented to the reader in the following order : First, Infantry ; second, Cavalry ; and lastly the Artillery. Beginning with

The Tenth Regiment Illinois Infantry

This grand old regiment was organized among the very first, and during the " three-months service" under command of its colonel, afterward general, B. M. Prentiss, was engaged in guarding Cairo. Three of its companies during the three-months term served as artillerymen. The regiment reorganized for the three-years service, with James D. Morgan as its colonel, who, together with Col. Tillson, his successor, was afterward promoted to a generalcy. The regiment took a part in the capture of New Madrid, Missouri ; Island No. 10, Fort Pillow, Corinth, and passed through the first siege of Nashville; participated in the battle of Mission Ridge. In the winter of 1864, 394 old soldiers reenlisted. During the Atlanta campaign the Tenth was in the First Brigade, Gen. J. D. Morgan commanding, of the Second Division, Gen. Jeff. C. Davis commanding, of the Fourteenth Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, and behaved gallantly in that historic campaign, which culminated in the downfall of Atlanta. The regiment marched through to the sea with Sherman, and took in the "grand rounds" through the Carolinas, witnessing the surrender of Gen. Joe Johnson's army, and participated in the grand review at Washington city. The regiment was mustered out July 4, 1865. Ex-county surveyor E. W. Dodson was a sergeant in the Tenth, and there were three other Iroquois county boys in this regiment.

The Twelfth Regiment Illinois Infantry

The Twelfth regiment entered the three-years service August 1, 1861, under the command of Col. John McArthur, and upon his promotion Gen. A. L. Chetlain succeeded him as colonel, and was after- ward promoted. At the battle of Fort Donelson the loss of the regiment was nineteen killed and fifty-eight wounded. The Twelfth participated in the siege of Corinth, and behaved most gallantly in the battle, capturing a rebel battery and a stand of colors, losing Capt. Ward, acting major, and upward of 100 men, killed, wounded and missing. Gen. R. J. Oglesby, the brigade commander, was severely wounded in this action. In 1863 the regiment took an active part in the north Mississippi campaigns, under Gen. Sherman. Twenty-four officers and 311 men reenlisted in January, 1864, and returned home soon after on a veteran furlough. On the return of the regiment to the front it became a part of the "Army of the Tennessee," under the lamented hero Gen. J. B. McPherson, and was actively engaged in the battles and movements in Georgia preceding the fall of Atlanta; loss of the regiment in the campaign up to the fall of Atlanta, 106 killed and wounded. At Allatoona the regiment was hotly engaged, and suffered a loss of fifty -seven out of 161 men engaged.

It was with Sherman in his march to the sea, and marched from Savannah, Georgia, to Columbia, South Carolina, thence to Fayetteville, Goldsboro and Raleigh, North Carolina, and witnessed the surrender of Johnston's army. At the time of Johnston's surrender the Twelfth had tramped 600 miles, and in the northward march to Washington marched 186 miles in six and a half days, " and it wasn't a very good time for marching, either."

The regiment took a part in the grand review at Washington, and returned home for muster out, and was paid off and discharged at Camp Butler, Illinois, July 18, 1865. Iroquois county was represented in the Twelfth regiment by eleven men, distributed as follows: Company C, 7 men ; PI, 1 ; K, 2 men ; and one unassigned.

The Fourteenth Regiment Illinois Infantry

This regiment went into the field May 25, 1861, under the command of Col. John M. Palmer, afterward major-general, and still later governor of this state. The Fourteenth took an honorable part in the battles of Fort Donelson and Shiloh, eliciting the praise of its brigade commander for gallant conduct on the fateful field of Shiloh. The regiment formed a part of Gen. Hurl but's division, and under both Grant and Sherman performed several brilliant achievements in both fighting and marching in the western Tennessee and north Mississippi campaigns.

the attack of Hood upon Sherman's rear, after the fall of Atlanta, this veteran battalion was nearly cut to pieces, and the remnant was mounted, and on the march to Savannah and through the Carolinas did effective service as scouts^being for the most of the time in advance of the army. At Goldsboro, North Carolina, the two regiments, having received a number of recruits, resumed their regimental organization as the Fourteenth and Fifteenth.

Concerning this grand old command we copy the following from the adjutant-general's report: The aggregate number of men who belonged to this organization was 1,980, and the aggregate mustered out at Fort Leaven worth was 480.

During the four years of its arduous service it marched 4,490 miles, traveled by rail 2,330 miles, and by river 4.850 miles, making a total of 11,670 miles traversed. In Company I there were two privates from this county ; also in Company K there was a corporal and private, all of whom received an honorable discharge.

The Twentieth Regiment Illinois Infantry

The Twentieth Infantry was organized at Joliet, Illinois, May 14, 1861, under the command of Col. C. C. Marsh. It was mustered into the United States service, or during the war, June 13, 1861, by Capt. T. G. Pitcher, of the United States army. It left Joliet June 18, by order of Gov. Yates, and proceeded to Alton. July 6 it went to St. Louis arsenal ; on the 10th moved to and fortified Cape Girardeau, Missouri ; 23d, went on a forced march to Dallas, and captured a large amount of rebel stores; August 12, moved to Bird's Point, Missouri ; October 17 it returned to Cape Girardeau; 19th, started for Fredericton, Missouri, which place was reached on the 20th, and had a severe engagement with the enemy under Gen. Jeff Thompson, and was victorious, capturing one piece of artillery, a twenty-pounder howitzer; returned to Bird's Point November 1, and went into winter quarters. January 14, 1862, it accompanied Gen. Grant on a reconnoisance in Kentucky, toward Columbus; 20th, returned to Bird's Point; February 2, moved to Fort Henry, under command of Gen. W. H. L. Wallace; occupied the fort on the 4th. On the llth it arrived at Fort Donelson, and was engaged in the three-days battle before that place, and was the first regiment that held its position and staid the daring charge made on the right wing of our army by Forrest, in his grand effort on the afternoon of the last day of the battle, for which act the regiment received the personal thanks of Generals Grant and

The regiment next moved with the advance of Gen. Grant's army to Savannah, Tennessee. On the 24th it arrived at Pittsburg Landing ; was engaged in the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, and charged upon and captured a rebel battery of two guns; had forty-two men killed, among whom was our adjutant, John E. Thompson. The regiment was in the front on the road, and during the siege of Corinth. It left its position before Corinth June 3, and arrived at Jackson, Tennessee, on the 8th, and was engaged in guarding the railroad during the remainder of that month and July. August 14 it went to Estramula, on the Hatchie river. September 1, it fought the battle of Britton's Lane, and returned to Jackson on the 4th, and remained till November 8, when it started on the Holly Springs expedition. It arrived at the Springs December 1, and on the 3d crossed the Tallahatchee river and marched to Oxford; recrossed the river on the 24th, on account of the destruction of the stores at Holly Springs by the enemy. The regiment suffered severely on this campaign for want of food, living for ten days on corn foraged from the almost desolate and impoverished country. The regiment then went to Memphis, Tennessee, and there remained until March 1, when it went to Lake Providence, Louisiana.

April 1 it arrived at Milliken's Bend. On a call being made for volunteers to run boats past the Yicksburg batteries, the entire regiment tendered its services, but a delegation only of the regiment was accepted and made the perilous voyage, the remainder marching around Yicksburg, on the Louisiana side of the river, crossing in the transports that had run the blockade to the Mississippi shore, and at once marched to the rear of the rebel fortifications at Grand Gulf, which place was at once abandoned. On May 9 was fought the battle of Thompson Hill ; May 12 the battle of Raymond, where Col. Richards and forty men were killed. May 13, was captured Jackson, Mississippi. May 15, the regiment took a prominent part in the great battle of Champion Hills, and May 17 crossed Black river and took position in front of Yicksburg. May 22 it was in the daring charge on that stronghold and was one of the few regiments that reached the rebel works, and retained its position on the site of the rebel works for eighteen hours, sheltering itself by digging under the walls of earth-works, and only vacated its position because other troops could not get to its assistance.

The regiment participated in the whole of the memorable siege, from Majr 22 to July 4, working in the trenches and mines under Fort Hill, rushing into and holding that stronghold with three other regiments when it was blown up. It was the second regiment to enter the city of Vicksburg under Gen. Logan, and in consideration of the services rendered in the capture of Fort Hill, which was the key to the Yicksburg defenses, the regiment was appointed provost-guard of the city, which place it occupied until the beginning of the winter, when it was relieved, and joined the Third Division at Black river, Mississippi, where it remained the greater part of the winter, going with Gen. Sherman on his raid to Meridian, Mississippi. It was engaged in numerous skirmishes on this campaign ; was cut from communication with the north for thirty days; returned to Vicksburg and from thence to Cairo, Illinois. The veterans of the regiment, of which there were two-thirds, went north on a veteran furlough ; while the remainder, or non-veterans, went to Clifton, Tennessee, and marched from there to Huntsville, where the regiment WHS again reunited. It joined the army of the Tennessee under Gen. Sherman, at Cartersville, Georgia, under command of Gen. Force, First Brigade, Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps. It took an active part in all the great battles fought and won during the remainder of that campaign.

July 22, 1864, at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, the regiment was almost annihilated, after which, by order of Gen. Leggett commanding the division, the regiment was mounted, and acted as his body-guard and scouts. When Sherman started on his march to the sea it was in advance of the " Old Third Division," Seventeenth Corps, and was engaged in continuous skirmishes from Atlanta to the Gulf. It went east with Sherman's army; was in the grand review at Washington city ; after which it went to Louisville, Kentucky, where it was mustered out of service and sent to Chicago, Illinois, at which place it was paid off and discharged July 19, 1865. This regiment served continuously during the war in the First Brigade, Third (or Logan's) Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, - always at the front, yet never suffering a defeat. Company I of this regiment was organized in the old court-house, in Middleport, Iroquois county, by Capt. George H. Walser, April 19, 1861, and was the pioneer company from this county, and was ready to march in three days after the first call made for troops.

Sergeant Sleeth has given in the above a faithful report of the battles and marches participated in by the Twentieth regiment, and we can only add that in the assault on Kenesaw Mountain the regiment was flanked by the enemy and overpowered after severe loss, and all of the force engaged that day were killed or captured except about sixteen. Afterward this squad was enlarged to thirty-five by men reporting that had been absent from the regiment with leave, and on detached duty. This band of survivors of the grand old regiment was mounted and placed under the command of Capt. King and employed as scouts by Gen. Leggett, during the " march to the sea," also during the subsequent marches through the Carolinas. When this detachment of the Twentieth reached Goldsboro, North Carolina, it was joined by 250 recruits from Illinois and the rest of the old soldier comrades who had been captured at Kenesaw, and who had been fortunate enough to survive the tortures of Andersonville and other prison pens of the south, rejoined the regiment, some at Goldsboro, and others at Alexandria, Virginia.

After the return of the exchanged prisoners and the accession of the 250 recruits the regiment resumed its regimental organization, and took part as such in the grand review at Washington. Some idea of the service done by the daring fellows of this veteran regiment may be gathered from the statement of the naked fact that of the twenty-two officers and 322 men mustered out in 1865, only about seventy were members of the old organization that a little over four years before took the field with over 900 men in its' ranks.

Company I went into the battle of Fort Donelson with sixty-five men, and twenty-six of that number were killed or wounded. Nine of the twenty-six were killed and died of wounds.

Company I was first commanded by Capt. George H. Walser, of Middleport, a member then of the Iroquois bar. Capt. Walser resigned during the fall of 1861, and was succeeded by Capt. Kennard, of Champaign, who was afterward promoted major, and then Capt. Rowland K. Evans, of Bloomington, assumed command of the company, and on his promotion Lieut. David Richardson, of Middleport, who had risen from the ranks, became its captain, and filled the position when the company was mustered out. Capt. George E. King, afterward captain of Company F, One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, went out as first lieutenant of Company 1, of the Twentieth. Sergeant Sleeth, of Company I, was sheriff of this county, and is now city attorney of Denver, Colorado. Capt. H. B. Yennum, of the One Hundred and Fiftieth, served three years in the Twentieth. Lieut. Frank High, of Middleport, also an officer of Company 1, after the close of the war was appointed general passenger agent of the Chicago & Alton railroad, and still holds the position. Quite a number of our well-to-do farmers were members of this gallant regiment.

The Twenty-First Regiment Illinois Infantry

Most readers are familiar with the fact that this regiment went into the field with Gen. U. S. Grant at its head as colonel, and his subsequent promotion and grand achievements as the leader of the armies of the west, at Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg and Mission Ridge, and his triumphs as commander-in-chief of all the Union armies are fresh in the minds of all loyal people. The regiment, as well as its first commander, has a proud record for coolness and courage on many a hard fought field. But as Iroquois county furnished but one man (Joseph Shepard, of Milford). to this regiment, we do not deem it best in this connection to give a detailed history of the Twenty-first, but will merely call attention to the principal campaigns and battles in which "Grant's old regiment" took an active and honorable part. It was engaged in the Missouri campaigns in the fall of 1801, and winter and spring of 1862, and participated in the battle of Frederickton. It formed a part of Gen. Steele's Arkansas expedition. The regiment took a part in the siege of Corinth, and was engaged in the battles of Perryville and Stone River, behaving with great gallantry in a charge upon the celebrated Washington Light Artillery of rebel fame, in the latter battle. In the disastrous battle of Chickarnaugua the Twenty-first lost 238 officers and men, in killed, wounded and missing. As a part of the Fourth Army Corps the regiment participated in the Atlanta campaign, and in all the engagements behaved with its accustomed gallantry. The regiment was with the army of Gen. George H. Thomas, at Pulaski, Columbia, Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee, and rendered a good account of itself in this important campaign. During the summer of 1865, in conjunction with other forces in Thomas' command, the Twenty-first regiment went to Texas, and remained there on duty until mustered out at San Antonio, December 16, 1865.

The Twenty-Fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry

This regiment was composed of companies raised in the counties of Coles, Edgar, Champaign, Douglas, Yermilion and Iroquois, "William N. Coler, of Urbana, Illinois, colonel commanding. The regiment was mustered into the United States service August 4, 1861 (the rnusterin rolls, however, make it August 6, 1861, which is a mistake), at the United States Arsenal at St. Louis, Missouri. September 23, 1861, the regiment went to Jefferson City via the Pacific railroad. September 27, 1861, it went to Otterville, Missouri, via Pacific railroad, and

October 15, 1861, the regiment went to Springfield, Missouri, from there to Wilson's creek, and returned to Springfield, and from there to Holla, Missouri, arriving at the latter place November 19, 1861. It remained in camp until February 2, 1862, and then started for Springfield, Missouri, arriving there February 13, 1862. It left Springfield February 14, 1862. March 6, 7 and 8 it engaged in the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. After marching and countermarching, the regiment, with nine other regiments under the command of Brigadier-General Jeif C. Davis, started for Cape GJ-irardeau, Missouri, May 9, 1862, and arrived there May 20, 1862. May 22 it went to Hamburg Landing via steamboat Henry Clay, arriving there May 26. After marching and skirmishing for a long time near Jacinto and other places near there it left luka, Mississippi, August 18, 1862, for Louisville, Kentucky, via Nashville, arriving there September 26, 1862. October 1, 1862, it left Louisville, Kentucky, and was near, but not engaged in, the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862.

After marching around the country for several days the regiment started for Nashville, Tennessee, arriving there November 7, 1862, and remained there, doing guard duty and foraging, until December 26,

1862, when the regiment started for Mnrfreesboro, Tennessee. It was actively engaged in the battles of Stone River, from December 30, 1862, to January 4, 1863, - December 31 being the day it was most actively engaged. The regiment remained in camp from January 6,

1863, to June 24, 1863, and then started with the army, under Gen. Rosecrans, after the rebel army under Gen. Bragg. It remained awhile at and near Winchester, Tennessee, and was actively engaged at the battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19 and 20, 1863. September 22 it went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and remained there until November 23, when the regiment was very actively engaged in the battles of Mission Ridge, fought November 23, 24 and 25, 1863. November 28, 1863, it left Chattanooga, Tennessee, for Knoxville, Tennessee, arriving there on or about December 3. The regiment spent the winter in East Tennessee, marching, countermarching, skirmishing and foraging all the time, and finally got back to Cleveland, Tennessee, and remained from April 16, 1864, to May 31, 1864, when the regiment was ordered to join the army under Gen Sherman, en route for Atlanta, Georgia. The regiment joined the brigade June 7,

1864, The regiment remained with the army, pressing on toward Atlanta, under fire nearly every day, until August 1, 1864, when the order came for the regiment to start for Springfield, Illi- nois, to be mustered out. It -arrived at Springfield August 11, 1864. September 5, 1864, the regiment was mustered out, having served three years and one month, and having marched on foot 3,252 miles, and traveled by steamboat and rail 1,710 miles. Total number of miles traveled in three years was 4,962. It participated in the following battles and numerous heavy skirmishes: Pea Ridge, Arkansas; siege of Corinth, Stone River, Tennessee ; Chickamauga, Georgia ; Mission Ridge, Tennessee; Kenesaw Mountain, Georgia; Peach Tree Creek, Georgia, and Atlanta.

Lieut. South, in the compilation of the sketch of his regiment, has exhibited rather more than a soldierly modesty in his brief mention of the more important battles in which the Twenty-fifth took an active and honorable part. At Pea Ridge the regiment experienced its first battle, and under the most trying ordeal it behaved with the courage and steadiness of veteran troops. In the terrible struggle among the cedars of Stone River, Woodruff's brigade, to which the Twenty-fifth belonged, did heroic fighting, and was warmly commended by Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, the division commander, who, speaking in his report of the gallant stand made by the brigade, December 31, 1862, says of Carlin's and Woodruffs brigades: " The enemy commenced a heavy and very determined attack upon Carlin's and Woodruff's brigades. These brigades were fully prepared for the attack, and received it with veteran courage. The conflict was fierce in the extreme on both sides. Our loss was heavy, and that of the enemy was no less. It was, according to my observation, the best contested point of the day, and would have been held but for the overwhelming force moving so persistently against my right. Carlin, finding his right flank so severely pressed and threatened with being turned, ordered his troops to retire. Woodruff's brigade succeeded in repulsing the enemy and holding the position, until the withdrawal of the troops on both of its flanks compelled it to retire." By the above account of the fight by the general of division, it will be seen that the daring brigade held its ground stubbornly until completely flanked on the .left and right, when it fell back to a position in line with the rest of the division. Col. Woodruff, in his report of the conduct of his brigade, pays a very high compliment to the personal gallantry of Col. T. D. Williams, who fell during the thickest of the fight, with the regimental colors of the Twenty-fifth in his hands. The loss of the regiment was very great, and it well deserved to inscribe upon its banner " Stone River."

At Chickamauga the division of Davis, including the Twenty-fifth regiment, did hard fighting, but were forced to yield to overpowering rebel masses hurled against them, and obliged to fall back toward

Missionary Ridge. Much of the hardest fighting was done in a dense wood, and the regiment being at close quarters, and assailed by a greatly superior force in point of numbers, lost heavily. The Twentyfifth a little later behaved with great gallantry in the assault upon Missionary Ridge. During the Atlanta campaign the Twenty-fifth never failed to show the spirit of true soldiers whenever brought face to face with the enemy, and during that long and bloody campaign the sturdy soldiers of the old Twenty-fifth made for themselves a record that entitles them to the praise and profound respect of every patriot in the loyal state that sent them forth to do valiant battle for the old flag.

Company F, Capt. Ray "W. Andrews, of Onarga, commanding, was almost entirely composed of men from this county, there being some eight or ten men in the original company from Ford and Kankakee counties ; and among the recruits afterward sent the companies, there were about a half a dozen men that belonged in other counties. First Lieut. James P. Martin, of this company, filled the office of sheriff of this county from 1864 to 1866. He was also the founder of Old Martinton, in this county. Lieut. Martin died about eight years ago from the effects of disease contracted while in the service. Second Lieut. Alex. H. South, of this company, filled the office of sheriff for three terms successively, and was an excellent officer.

Company G, Capt. (afterward colonel) Thomas D. Williams, of Chebanse, commanding, was made up of men from Champaign, Iroquois and Kankakee counties, - Iroquois county furnishing the captain (Williams), one lieutenant, and about one-third of the rank and file of the company. Jerome Bard, a prominent merchant and estimable citizen of Chebanse, was a sergeant in Company G, and a faithful soldier. Our present efficient county clerk, Henry A. Butzow, Esq., was a private in Company G of the Twenty-fifth. Several of the old soldier boys of this splendid old regiment are now well-to-do and influential citizens of this county, and lack of space forbids individual mention of these men, who performed well their .part as brave soldiers, and are now distinguished as peaceable, upright and worthy citizens.

The Thirty-Ninth Regiment Illinois Infantry

-This organization - familiarly known as " Yates Phalanx " - left the state with a " prize banner," won in a drill contest under the auspices of the State Agricultural Society, and being composed of fine material, well officered, it bid fair to win the glorious name that it did. In October, 1861, the regiment reported to Gen. Curtis for duty, in Missouri, but received orders about the first of November to proceed to Maryland, and it did so, arriving December 11, 1861. During the winter of 1862 the regiment did a great deal of hard marching and fighting, the engagements being generally with rebel cavalry seeking to get into the rear of the Union lines, and the Thirty-ninth which was guarding exposed posts.

The regiment was in the battle of Winchester, and contributed not a little toward securing the defeat of Stonewall Jackson. The greater part of the summer of 1862 was spent by the Thirty -ninth in wearisome marches and sharp skirmishes, and the fall of the same year was mainly spent in the fortifications at Suffolk, Virginia, and in forays into the enemy's country. The regiment, in January, 1863, accompanied Gen. Foster's expedition to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and in the ensuing spring and summer it assisted in the laborious siege operations that culminated in the capture of Morris Island, in Charleston Harbor, and the capture of Fort Wagner. Just before the regiment started to South Carolina, a flag bearing the portrait of Gov. Yates was presented to the regiment, and was carried to the close of the war along with the regimental colors.

The regiment reenlisted, and when recruited reported to Gen. B. F. Butler, in May, 1864, and took an active part in the expedition up James river. The Thirty-ninth did some terrible fighting during May and June, 1864, losing 315 men during these two months. In a charge upon the rebel works at Deep Run, Virginia, August 16, the Thirty-ninth lost 104 men and several officers. In a charge upon the enemy's works, on the Darlington road, seven miles from Richmond, October 13, 1864, the regiment went into the fight 250 strong and lost sixty men. During the winter of 1864 and 1865 the regiment was in front of Richmond and Petersburg, and having received about 100 recruits, these were drilled and disciplined for the approaching decisive campaign. The regiment took a part in the assault upon the rebel works, April 2, 1865, and were the first troops to plant the national colors on the works, though not without terrible loss. Seven of the color-guard of nine were shot, and out of the 150 men that went into the fight, sixteen were shot dead and forty-five so severely wounded that many afterward died of their wounds. As a testimonial to the regiment for its bravery Gen. Gibbon himself placed a brazen eagle upon the color-staff at the grand review at Washington, and color-sergeant Day received a medal of honor from the war department for his bravery in planting his colors upon Fort Gregg after he had been severely wounded. The regiment continued in the service

Iroquois county was represented in the"Yates Phalanx " by one non-commissioned officer and five privates. One of the latter laid down his life in battle.

The Forty-Second Regiment Illinois Infantry

Col. William A. Webb organized the Forty-second regiment July 22, 1861, at Chicago, Illinois, where it remained in camp until it joined Gen. Fremont's army at St. Louis, Missouri, September 21, 1861, and was by him sent to Gen. Hunter at Tipton, Missouri, arriving October 18, 1861. The regiment here became a part of Gen. John M. Palmer's brigade. The first week in November the Forty-second marched to Springfield, Missouri, thence to Smithton, in the same state, where it went into winter quarters early in December. The regiment was ordered to Fort Holt, Kentucky, and reached its destination February 20, 1862, and proceeded from there to Columbus and Island No. 10, taking an active part in the siege and capture of the island. Previous to the capture of Island No. 10 the Forty-second performed a couple of brilliant exploits that are worthy of perpetuation in its history. The first was a bold dash made into Union City by the Forty-second regiment, supported by 4.00 men of the Fifteenth Wisconsin regiment, two companies of the Second Illinois Cavalry, and a battery, all under the command of Col. Buford, seconded by Col. Roberts of the Fortysecond. A large force of secessionists, under the command of the notorious Clay King, were completely surprised, and utterly routed by the union force. The union loss in this dash was one man killed, and the rebel loss twenty killed and 100 captured. A lot of 200 horses, and other very valuable captures fell into the hands of the charging column. Col. Roberts, at the head of about forty picked men from the Forty-second, one dark night in the midst of a terrific storm, put off from the gun-boat Benton in a boat with muffled oars, and landed in the face of a scorching picket fire, and scaled the enemy's parapets in less than three minutes after landing ; and before the dismayed rebels could get aroused to what was going on, the daring band had effectually spiked six of their cannon, the Lady Davis among the number, which daring act enabled our gun-boats to run past the battery, and complete the evacuation of the Island. The regiment was engaged in the siege of Corinth, and the battle of Farmington, losing at the latter place seventeen men.

one man killed, and the enemy eighteen killed and forty-five wounded. The regiment was cooped up in Nashville during the siege late in the fall of 1862. December 10 it moved out of the city on the Nolansville pike, and entered upon the Murfreesboro campaign. At Stone River, the regiment was on an exposed part of the Held, and did hard fighting, losing twenty-two killed, 116 wounded and eighty-five prisoners. At Chickamauga the regiment did gallant service, and displayed great coolness under the most disheartening surroundings. Its loss on the two days, September 19 and 20, was twenty-eight killed, 128 wounded and twenty-eight taken prisoners by the rebels. In the assault upon Mission Ridge the Forty-second acted as skirmishers, and sustained a loss of five killed and forty wounded.

The regiment reenlisted January 1, 1864, and six weeks later was furloughed, and did not return to the front until the April following, when it returned to Chattanooga, and entered upon the Atlanta campaign, participating during the summer of 1864, in the following engagements, viz : Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Adairsville, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station, going into camp at Atlanta, September 8, 1864, with a loss during the campaign of 116 men.

The Forty-second, during the Atlanta campaign, forming a part of the lamented Gen. Harker's (Third) brigade of the second division, Fourth Army Corps, with the other troops of the Fourth corps, the Forty-second took up position at Pulaski, Tennessee, to check the northward march of Gen. Hood's army. The regiment took a prominent part in the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville, behaving with its accustomed coolness and courage, suffering a severe loss at Franklin, losing twenty-four men killed, and over one hundred wounded and captured. In the battles at Nashville the regimental loss in killed and wounded was thirteen men. The regiment participated in the chase after Hood's defeated army as far as Lexington, Alabama. Afterward, during the winterer spring of 1865, the Forty-second formed a part of the expedition to Bull's Gap, Tennessee. And June 15, 1865, the regiment broke camp near Nashville and moved to Johnson ville, thence to New Orleans, and from there to Port Lavaca, Texas, at which place it was mustered out December 16, 1865, and returned to Camp Butler, Illinois, arriving January 3, 1866, receiving pay and final discharge January 10, 1866.

Iroquois county furnished twenty-eight men to the Forty-second, distributed as follows : Company C, two men ; D, one man ; F, one man ; G, twelve men ; and H, twelve men, of whom six died in line of duty.

The Forty-Third Regiment Illinois Infantry

Iroquois county furnished seventeen enlisted men to the Fortythird regiment as members of Company K, a one-year organization mustered in during the early spring of 1865.

The Forty-third regiment in the outset was very largely composed of Germans, and under the command of Col. Julius Raith, it distinguished itself by the devotion it showed to the "flag of the free" upon many a bloody field and in many weary, harassing marches through the wilds of Arkansas and Tennessee, often meeting and vanquishing the guerrilla bands that so sorely ravaged portions of the state of Arkansas and the western portion of Tennessee. At Shiloh the chivalric Col. Raith and a number of his officers and men laid down their lives that the Union might live, and to secure peace and strength to their adopted government. Near Jackson, Tennessee, the Fortythird and Sixty-first Illinois regiments, aggregating a force of four hundred and twenty-five men, defeated the notorious rebel raider, Gen. Forrest, at the head of eighteen hundred rebels. The regiment formed a part of Gen. Steel e's Arkansas expedition, and subsequently of his expedition toward Red river, Texas, and suffered heavily from the toilsome marches and attacks of the enemy upon the column. At Prairie D'Anne, Arkansas, April 10, 1864, the Forty-third regiment behaved with great bravery, and was the first to occupy the evacuated works of the confederates. The Forty-third did some hard fighting at Jenkin's Ferry, Arkansas, losing quite heavily itself, and at the same time inflicting serious loss upon the rebel command under Gen. Kirby Smith.

The regiment toward the latter end of the rebellion was stationed at Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, where it remained, doing guard duty, from May 3, 1864, up to December 14, 1865, when it was mustered out of the service at Little Rock, and returned home soon after.

The Fifty-First Regiment Illinois Infantry

Nine companies of the Fifty-first regiment of Infantry were organized at Camp Douglas December 24, 1861, and led to the field by Colonel Gilbert W. Cummings. During February and the early part of March, 1862, the Fifty-first was engaged in campaigning in Missouri. It formed a part of the force that captured New Madrid, Missouri, and after resting a few days at New Madrid the regiment started on the 'expedition for the capture of Island No. 10, and was quite effective in securing the capture of the 4,000 troops under Gen. Mackall, that sought to save

From Island No. 10 the regiment moved down the river to Osceola, Arkansas, and thence to Hamburg Landing, arriving April 22, 1862. During the later part of April the regiment was made a part of Gen. John M. Palmer's brigade, of Gen. Paine's division, and participated in the battle of Farmington, winning good opinions from its commanders by its veteran-like behavior while under fire. During the operations against and the advance upon Corinth, Paine's division, to which the Fifty-first belonged, with that of Gen. Stanley, constituted the "right wing," as designated by Gen. Halleck.

In the early part of the month of June, 1862, while the regiment was in the field near Baldwin, Col. F. A. Harrington assumed command of the brigade to which the Fifty-first belonged, and continued in command until killed at its head during the bloody battle of Stone River. About the middle of June the regiment returned to Corinth and remained there until July 20, when it marched to Tuscumbia, Alabama, and during the greater part of August the Fifty-first was engaged in guardingthe railroad from Hillsboro to Decatur, until the first week in September, when it crossed the Tennessee river and moved to Athens, and thence to Nashville, forming a part of the garrison during the siege of the city by Breckenridge, Morgan and Forrest, being cut off from Buell in Kentucky from September 11 to November 6, 1862, during which time the garrison suffered from a scarcity of rations and supplies. Meantime Col. Cummings resigned while the regiment lay at Nashville, and Lieut.-Colonel L. P. Bradley, an excellent officer and gallant soldier, succeeded him in command of the regiment. In December, before the movement against Bragg at Murfreesboro, the Fifty-first was transferred to Gen. Phil. Sheridan's division, forming a part of the Third Brigade, Third Division of the Fourteenth Army Corps. The regiment went into the battle of Stone River under Col. Bradley, but Col. Harrington, acting-brigadier, being mortally wounded and captured, Col. Bradley, December 31, took command of the brigade, and Capt. Westcott took command of the regiment. The Fifty-first was in the thickest of the fight, and sustained a loss of nearly sixty killed, wounded and missing. In the following March the regiment went on a "wild goose chase" after Van Dorn, pursuing him as far as Duck river. In the forward movement to Tullahoma, Tennessee, and Bridgeport, Alabama, after Bragg, the division to which the Fifty -first belonged formed a part of the Twentieth Corps under Gen. McCook and did its full share of the hard marches through Alabama and Georgia and into the Lookout valley near Chattanooga,

After the battle of Chickamauga the Twentieth and Twenty-first Corps were consolidated, and designated as the Fourth Corps, - Gen. Sheridan commanding the Second Division, and Col. G. C. Harker the Third Brigade of the Division ; the Fifty-first forming a part of the Third Brigade. In the assault upon Mission Ridge. Maj. Davis was severely wounded, Capt. Bellows was killed, and the regiment lost thirty men out of the 150 that went into the charge. Capt. Tilton took Maj. Davis' place after the latter was wounded, as regimental commander. The last of November, 1863, the regiment, brigade, division and corps, moved toward Knoxville to release Gen. Burnside. It encamped at Blain's Cross Roads, and remained till January 15, when the regiment returned to Chattanooga and there reenlisted, and started home two days later on a veteran furlough. The regiment returned to Cleveland, Tennessee, the last of March, 1864, and soon after entered upon the great Atlanta campaign, and during the many engagements the regiment was in it behaved courageously, losing during the campaign three officers killed, four wounded, and 105 men killed and wounded. The regiment sustained its severest loss at Kenesaw, where its gallant adjutant and one lieutenant were killed, and fifty-four men killed and wounded. Capt. Tilton, of Company C, - the Iroquois county company, - was severely wounded at Dallas, Georgia. The regiment marched into Atlanta September 8, 1864, and a proud day it was to the conquerors of that stronghold.

The last of September the regiment moved to Bridgeport, and after a couple of weeks encamped at Chattanooga, where the venerable chaplain, Rev. L. Raymond, well known as a popular evangelist in the Baptist church, resigned and went home. At this point 192 recruits (drafted men) joined the regiment, many of whom did good service at Franklin and Nashville a few weeks later. The regiment moved with its corps to Pulaski, Tennessee, to checkmate Hood in his bold advance upon Nashville. The Third Brigade, under Bradley, held the strong columns of Hood in check, November 29, at Spring Hill, enabling the First and Third Divisions of the Fourth, and the whole of the Twentythird Corps, and their trains, to pass on to Franklin, where, in conjunction with the Second Brigade of its Division, it also repaired, halting on Carter's Hill 300 yards in advance of the union works, on the right and left of the Columbia pike. Here the two brigades disposed on each side of the pike, hastily threw up barricades, and in obedience to the somewhat reckless orders of Gen. Wagner, it made ready to fight the whole of Hood's army. When Hood, with his two army corps massed in column on the pike, and on either side of it, with the Third Corps behind the others, in reserve, the two gallant skeleton brigades, true to Wagner's order, held their position in the face of an army of nearly 50,000 men, advancing in grand array upon the army of Schofield, and poured a deadly fire into the massed ranks of the enemy, but were, as a matter of course, forced to fall back to the main line, which they did in some disorder, - but for the most part the Fifty-first fell back in good order, though at a rapid pace, and once behind the works they faced about and poured a deadly fire into the enemy's ranks ; but in falling back, Wagner's men had, in some places, been so closely pursued, that in letting them through that part of the union lines held by the brigades of the Twenty-third Corps, posted on the right and left of the Columbia pike, the rebels also forced their way through the lines and captured a battery, turned it upon the union line crouching behind their works, and then began a terrible hand-to-hand fight, in which the. Fifty -first - or so much of it as had not been killed or captured before reaching the works - took a hand. Here Captain Tilton and Lieut. Iven Bailey (late county treasurer), then a sergeant, fell terribly wounded^ - the latter, like many of his brave comrades, though shot down kept on firing at the enemy until their guns were wrenched from their hands in the desperate conflict. At last the gallant First Brigade, of the Second Division, having come to their relief, the enemy \vas driven back beyond the works, after terrible fighting, and kept there until after midnight, when the whole union army fell back across the Harpeth river, and retired to Nashville. At Franklin, beside the loss of four of its officers, the Fifty-first lost fifty-two men killed and wounded, and ninety-eight missing, - most of the latter were taken prisoners before they could get behind the works, after they had been driven from the outpost on Carter's Hill.

The Fifty-first regiment was engaged in the two-days battle at Nashville, and followed Hood's defeated army to the Tennessee river, and afterward went into winter quarters at Huntsville, Alabama. In the spring it moved first to Greenville, East Tennessee, and from there to Nashville, where Company I, ninety strong, joined the regiment from Camp Butler, Illinois. Lieut. James Skidmore and his company (F) was mustered out, and returned home June 15, 1865. Lieut. Skidmore himself was from this county. The regiment during the month of July went to Texas, and was mustered out there September 25, 1865.

Company C of the Fifty-first was, with the exception of some twenty men from Knoxville and Knox county and a few other points, recruited by Lieut. Albert Eads, from Iroquois county. Capt. N. B. Petts, assisted by A. M. Tilton and Adam S. Heth'eld, afterward first lieutenant and first sergeant of the company respectively, did most of the recruiting for the company during the early fall of 1861. Lieut. Tilton, on the resignation of Capt. Petts, was made captain of -the company, and he was succeeded at the expiration of his term of service by Lieut. Francis M. Bryant, formerly of Middleport. Sergt. A. S. Hetfield was promoted lieutenant, then quartermaster, and afterward captain of company E. Corp. Benjamin F. James, before the close of the war, was promoted to the first lieutenancy of company B. A number of the members of the Fifty-first are well-to-do farmers and prominent citizens of this county. Among them we name A. M. Eastburn, of Sheldon, and J. J. Edwards, of Crescent, as being both veterans and sergeants of Company C, and many other of our solid citizens did noble duty as soldiers of the old Fifty-first regiment.