CHAPTER XXVII CIVIL WAR MEMORIES BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST CALL FOR TROOPS ILLINOIS OPERATIONS-BATTERY A-NINETEENTH THE FAMOUS CHARGE AT STONE RIVER-ELLSWORTH'S ZOUAVES-DEATH OF ELLSWORTH-BOARD OF TRADE BATTERY-JOHN A. BROSS-HIS DEATH AT PETERSBURG— THIRTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS-THIRTY-NINTH ILLINOIS SEVENTY-SECOND ILLINOIS REGIMENT-GENERAL STOCKTON'S DIARY-FRANK AND JULES LUMBARD AT VICKSBURG NEGRO REFUGEES-THE IRISHMEN'S RESPONSE TO THE CALL-COLONEL ILLINOIS REGIMENT--MULLIGAN'S HEROIC JAMES A. MULLIGAN-TWENTY-THIRD ILLINOIS REGIMENT-COLONEL DEATH-GERMAN REGIMENTS--TWENTY-FOURTH "BYGONE DAYS." THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR HEN the news of the first stirring events which inaugurated the tremendous drama of the Civil War began to reach Chicago, the people, like those of most Northern communities, were profoundly moved. But notwithstanding that loyalty to the Union was greatly in the ascendancy among the people of Chicago, there was by no means a unanimity of sentiment on the subject. There were many among the adherents of the old Democratic party who still clung to their ancient party traditions and had strong leanings toward the cause of the South. A sharp line of cleavage, however, began to be observed in the ranks of the Democracy, one part, known under the general name of "War Democrats," giving their sympathies and support to the Union cause, the other opposed to Federal interference with the Southern states or their "peculiar institution." The latter faction became known as "Copperheads," and their most conspicuous champion and spokesman was Wilbur F. Storey, the editor of the Chicago Times, of whom we shall have more to say further along in this history. The great National Convention which had been held at Chicago in May of the previous year, upon which occasion Abraham Lincoln had been nominated for the presidency by the Republicans, had increased the strength of the new Republican party in this city, on account of the enthusiasm created on that occasion, which had extended to a large majority of the population. This strength and enthusiasm. grew constantly during the exciting political campaign which followed. At the end of the campaign the Republicans won by good majorities at the fall elections, as indeed was to have been expected from the fact that the Democratic ascendancy had disappeared since 1852, before which time Chicago had always elected Democrats to office. THE CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS We have seen how Mayor Wentworth issued a proclamation on the occasion of Major Anderson's refusal early in January to give up Fort Sumter on the demand of the Secessionists of South Carolina, ordering that a day should be set apart, on which the people should assemble to declare their attachment to the Union, and that appropriate salutes be fired. It was soon after this event that Presidentelect Lincoln went to Washington and was duly inaugurated. On the 12th day of April, 1861, Fort Sumter was fired on, and on the 15th the president issued his first call for seventy-five thousand volunteer troops. The spontaneous wave of patriotism which swept over the country was such that, as General Grant said in his "Memoirs," "there was not a state in the North, of one million inhabitants, that would not have furnished the entire number." Illinois was asked to furnish six regiments and the response was so prompt that many more men offered their services than could be accepted. Richard Yates was governor of Illinois, "one of the noblest war governors among the loyal states," and four days after the call had been made the governor telegraphed General Richard K. Swift at Chicago to have "as strong a force as you can raise" ready to march at a moment's warning. The first companies to assemble were the Chicago Light Artillery, afterwards known as "Battery A, First Illinois Light Artillery," the old Ellsworth's Zouaves, and some other volunteer organizations. On the 21st these companies were ready for service, and the next day they started for Cairo, Illinois, where it was thought an attempt would be made to run boats down the Mississippi with arms and ammunition for the South. The Battery was assigned the duty of "bringing to" all downward bound boats, to be searched for contraband goods, before proceeding farther. "On the 24th of April," says Charles B. Kimbell, in his "History of Battery A," "the steamer 'Baltic,' in passing Cairo, disregarded the blank shot summoning her to land, when a solid shot was fired across her bow which had the desired effect. These shots, fired by 'squad one,' under command of Lieutenant John R. Botsford, were the first fired from a field piece in the war for the Union, and the first on the banks of the mighty river." Soon after a challenge was received to "mortal combat" by the Battery, from the Washington Light Artillery of New Orleans. “The challenge was accepted," writes Kimbell, "but not until the terrible battle of Shiloh did the trial take place, which was decided in our favor."! Visitors to Rosehill Cemetery will recall the beautiful and appropriately designed monument, erected near the entrance on a commanding elevation, in memory of the members of Battery A. It is made in the form of a field piece partially hidden under a flag draped over it, and placed on a pedestal, the whole carved in stone. Some account will be given here of the various military organizations which in whole or in part were composed of men from Chicago, and from Cook County in general. It is quite true that our young men were found in many regiments, 1 Kimbell: "History of Battery A," p. 19. both in this state and elsewhere, other than those which will here be mentioned. An account of the companies and regiments found here will therefore not include all of the men who, at one time or another, joined the armies of the Union from Chicago. Indeed some of our people joined the cause of the Confederacy, being influenced by ties of family relationship or political sympathy with Southern friends and their cause. It is a strong temptation for a writer to follow the fortunes of the soldier boys in their campaigns. Indeed their adventures abound with interesting details, but for the sake of keeping within proper limits in a work of this kind a lengthy narrative must be avoided. Therefore only a cursory account of their experiences on their campaigns will be attempted, and only incidents of striking interest mentioned. BATTERY "A," CHICAGO LIGHT ARTILLERY Some further details regarding Battery "A" may here be related. The records of the Chicago Light Artillery, the name by which it was originally known, show that the organization dated back to 1854, in which year it began its existence, with Captain James Smith as its chief officer. After the first call made by President Lincoln for seventy-five thousand volunteers, in April, 1861, all the militia organizations of the city were filled to their maximum number within three days, and their services offered to the governor of the state. These troops were accepted by the governor, and on the night of April 21st, the first body of Illinois troops left the city bound for Cairo. The full number required to complete the company was enrolled within twentyfour hours after the call had been received. The company reached Cairo on the 22d of the month. "Our reception by the citizens," writes C. B. Kimbell, one of the members of the Battery, "was not the most cordial, and it was plainly evident that they would have been better pleased if the occupying forces had come from the opposite direction." The Battery, which had thus far been known as the Chicago Light Artillery, was regularly mustered into the service for three years, "or during the war," on July 16, 1861, as Battery "A," First Regiment of Illinois Artillery, and soon after became actively engaged in the campaigns of the western armies. The Battery took part in the siege and capture of Fort Donelson, and the bloody battle of Pittsburg Landing, where its losses were severe. Afterwards the Battery was engaged in the Vicksburg campaign, and with Sherman's army in Tennessee. General Sherman held a high opinion of the Battery's services, and in the course of a letter written by him to one of the men of the battery, who had sent him a present of a "beautifully stitched breast-strap and martingale," he said, “as Battery 'A' was one of the first to fire a hostile shot in the war in the great valley of the Mississippi, I hope it will be the last, and that its thunder tones will in due time proclaim the peace resulting from a war we could not avoid, but which called all true men from the fancied security of a former long and deceitful peace." ARTILLERY ORGANIZATION It is well known that the twelve companies or batteries forming an artillery regiment are seldom found in service together, as their usefulness in the field is greatest while on duty separately, either as batteries, usually of six guns, or sections of batteries. The First Regiment of Illinois Artillery was as usual composed of twelve batteries, but the history of each is quite distinct from those of the others. The various batteries or companies of this regiment were mustered in at various times, the earliest one being Battery “A.” The field officers of the First Artillery were J. D. Webster, of Chicago, Colonel, who served until May 6, 1863; and Captain Ezra Taylor, also of Chicago, who was promoted to be colonel on the same date. The Rev. Jeremiah Porter, whose name is often met with in the early annals of Chicago, was the chaplain of the regiment. Dr. Edmund Andrews was the regimental surgeon. Company "A," First Illinois Artillery, was mustered in July 16, 1861. Its officers were almost entirely Chicago men, Charles M. Willard being the first captain. Company "B" was likewise mostly officered by Chicago men, Ezra Taylor, afterwards colonel, being the captain. THE NINETEENTH ILLINOIS REGIMENT After the first call of troops was made in April, 1861, the regiment, afterwards known as the Nineteenth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, was formed at Chicago with John B. Turchin as its colonel, and Joseph R. Scott as lieutenant-colonel. The regiment was mustered into the service June 17, 1861. John B. Turchin, the colonel of this regiment, was a native of Russia, where he received a training in a military school. He was at first a lieutenant in the Russian army, and afterwards promoted to higher rank. He distinguished himself particularly as an engineer officer and planned some important fortifications for the Russian government, but having become democratic in his views he came to America and located in Chicago. At the time of the breaking out of the Civil War he was in the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad. Six of the companies of the Nineteenth were from Chicago, the remaining four coming from other parts of the state. The regiment, after being mustered in, left Chicago on the 12th of July, reaching Quincy on the Mississippi river the next day. It was in service at various places on the river in the state of Missouri, where it remained until September, when it was ordered to join the army of the Potomac. On the 17th of September, the regiment was placed on board the cars of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, and began its eastward journey. While crossing a river the bridge gave way, precipitating six cars filled with soldiers into the channel of the river, killing and injuring a large number. There was a greater number of fatalities in this accident than in any one of the battles in which the regiment was subsequently engaged. Twenty-five men were killed outright and one hundred and five injured. Seven of the latter afterwards died of their injuries. In Colonel Turchin's written account of this disaster he says: "Out of three companies that suffered most, hardly one company could be formed. One-third of the arms of those companies were entirely ruined, and knapsacks, blankets, and accoutrements greatly damaged. One captain and twentyfour men were killed, and over one hundred men, including one lieutenant, wounded -of whom, perhaps, thirty or forty will not be fit for service. Out of three com panies one hundred and thirty men have left the ranks- a number hardly possible to be lost in the most severe battle. I am an old soldier, but never in my life have I felt so wretched as when I saw by moonlight, my dear comrades on the miserable pile of rubbish, below agglomerated cars, and heard the groans of agony from the wounded." Many of the soldiers had enlisted from Galena, and after the accident the mayor of that city, Robert Brand, made a report to a meeting of citizens, in which he paid a tribute to Colonel Turchin and his wife, both of whom were on the scene. He said that the wounded men spoke especially of the heroic conduct of the brave Mrs. Turchin, "how when the dead, dying and mutilated lay in one. mass of ruin; when the bravest heart was appalled, and all was dismay, this brave woman was in the water, rescuing the mangled from a watery grave, and tearing from her person every available piece of clothing to use as bandages for the wounded." The mayor further declared that this woman was "a fit consort for the brave Turchin in leading the gallant sons of Illinois to battle." Detained by this lamentable accident, the regiment did not continue its journey eastward, but was ordered into service with the western armies. During the following year its field of activity was in Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. THE FAMOUS CHARGE AT STONE RIVER At the battle of Stone river, otherwise called the battle of Murfreesboro, the Nineteenth Illinois gave a good account of itself. On the 2d of January, 1863, at that battle, General Negley was holding the left of the Army of the Cumberland, General Rosencrans in chief command, and among the forces under Negley was the Nineteenth Illinois of which Joseph R. Scott was then the colonel. The following spirited account of the part played by this regiment in the battle is quoted from Eddy's "Patriotism of Illinois," with some slight changes: "At four o'clock in the afternoon the fierce cannonading which had prevailed for some time on the left was accompanied by a deafening crash of musketry, and it was evident that the battle was renewed in earnest. The enemy advanced three of its divisions and hurled them against the Union left. The men bravely withstood the onset, but were literally overwhelmed by superior numbers, and two brigades out of three standing together were broken to pieces. The third stood its ground for a time, but in order to save themselves from being surrounded they were obliged to re treat. "The Confederate troops were preparing to follow when Negley suddenly appeared with fresh troops from the reserves ranged in line of battle. His practised eye at once saw the danger unless an almost superhuman effort was made. He rode rapidly to the front and in his clear voice shouted: 'Who will save the left?' In an instant came back the reply from the gallant Scott, "The Nineteenth Illinois!' "The Nineteenth Illinois it is then; by the left flank, march,' was the command. Scott put his cap on his sword and shouted, 'Forward!' "The men advanced with alacrity and fired a volley, after which they fixed bayonets, and started on that grand charge which saved the day, immortal as the charge of Balaklava. Into the river they plunged waist deep, although by that time a whole division of the enemy's troops was disputing the passage, up the |