The Aurora War Correspondent

Transcription

1 The Aurora War Correspondent Thursday, August 22, 1861 Courtesy of our correspondent at Camp Rolla, we have received news that our gallant soldiers of the 13 th Regiment have experienced a taste of battle. Twenty of our men departed from the camp on July 31 operating as scouts for a cavalry mission led by Gen. Nathaniel Lyon convoying supplies to Springfield, Missouri. After six days traversing the Ozark Mountains, the troop reached their destination. Tensions during the trip were rather high thanks to the prevalence of rumors of pursuit, and Captain Beardsley exchanged shots with rebel snipers en route. Two days after arriving in Springfield came the news that a Confederate band of 30,000 men was heading for the city. Our cavalry was sent to reconnoiter the situation, and tracked the enemy encamped about five miles away under ex-governor Jackson, and generals McCulloch, and Price. Late on August 9, the Union forces commanded by General Lyon and Colonel Franz Sigel marched to within three miles of the site, and conducted an early morning advance the next day, capturing the enemy s outlying pickets without an ounce of powder being fired. General Stirling Price, Former Governor of Missouri, and commander of the Missouri State Guard as appointed by Governor in exile Claiborne Jackson The Union army brought up their cannons, and began to bombard the rebel adversaries at 6:20 a.m. In the skirmish that followed, our brave Aurora lads were attached to General Lyon as his bodyguards, and, as such, witnessed the commander s receipt of a ball below the knee, and the unfortunate demise of the general s first mount for the day. While climbing onto another horse at 8:10 a.m., the general took a second bullet near his heart. He had sufficient time to call out, Go on my boys, victory is ours, before succumbing to his wound. Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch, Confederate Commander of the Army of the West General Nathaniel Lyon

2 Battle continued until 11:00, at which time the enemy withdrew approximately one mile. Colonel Sigel gave chase, and set up a line of new batteries. The noon hour was filled with much heavy fighting before the southern aggressors retreated yet again. One prisoner, a Lieutenant Colonel from one of the Louisiana Regiments, was captured by our forces, and courtesy of information gleaned from him, it was possible to estimate the enemy s casualties at approximately 3,000 rebels in comparison to only 900 Union men. With the rebel army in retreat, our troops returned to Springfield, thoroughly exhausted, and low on ammunition. The union leaders discussed the situation that evening, and it was decided that it would be necessary to fall back to Camp Rolla as quickly as possible. Early August 11, the Union forces hastily evacuated the city, leaving their wounded comrades behind. By noon of that same day, Confederate standards were flying over the rooftops of Springfield. Now began an extended chase back to Camp Rolla, as McCulloch s troops followed in heavy pursuit. We are happy to report that our own Aurora men reached their destination on August 13. All are safe, and the sole casualties among them are two of their horses. Rumors of Camp Rolla being targeted as the next rebel objective are rife among the men based there. With the escalation of hostilities in this theatre of the war, more federal troops have been assigned to southwestern Missouri, and within two days after our men returned to camp, the 14 th and 15 th Illinois Volunteer Regiments had arrived to bolster the number of forces at hand to combat the arrogant rebels. Two additional regiments have been detailed to Rolla, and our very own Fox River Regiment is expected to be ordered to the camp shortly. The foregoing events have led to a general expectation that the President will issue a call for more volunteers to quell this serious threat to the future of our nation. As more and more of our loyal citizens fall to the fire of the southern aggressors, it will become necessary to find others dedicated to the preservation of our union who will, if need be, surrender their lives to uphold the Constitution and the safeguard the continuance of one nation on these shores. Many have expressed their intention of joining the fray for this noble conflict, and have yet to act upon those convictions. Citizens, the time has come when you are wanted. The hour has been struck In this vein, a War Meeting was held at Empire Hall on August 17. Former Lieutenant Colonel, and now returning Judge Benjamin F. Parks was the premier speaker at the event, and was followed by Charley Metzner and Charley Wheeler. Captain Miller concluded the proceedings by issuing a call for more volunteers. His success may be judged by the results of the appeal. Captain Miller departed our fair city six days later with sixty new volunteers for service at Cairo. It has been noted that, Day by day, the people are beginning to realize more fully the terrible enormity of the rebellion, and to look in the face, the stern responsibility that rests upon them

3 Recent acts of Congress have ruled that volunteer enlistments will now be for the duration of the war, exceptions being made for those who register with the regular army, in which case the term of service is three years. Either option pays the same amount per month. Non-commissioned privates will be eligible to receive $13 a month, however, rations and clothing are deducted from that sum. Transportation to and from the place of enlistment and place of muster is the responsibility of the federal government, and enlistees will be reimbursed fifty cents per mile for the trip. There is an additional bounty of $100 for volunteers serving for two years or the duration of the war. Any wounded soldiers become eligible to receive pensions or bounties of land. Widows of the war dead will receive $100 in addition to all arrears in pay or other allowances. In other news closer to the home front, a camp site for the Fox River Regiment has been selected, and the various companies associated therewith have begun to arrive for training. Originally, a location on the east side of the river was chosen, but, as the owner of the land requested a rather steep remuneration for the use of his property, it was decided to secure a site on the opposite bank, and arrangements were made on a parcel of land one half mile north of Montgomery, and 2 miles south of Aurora. This land being adjacent to the C. B. and Q. tracks makes for easy access to transportation, and the presence of an abundant supply of clean water from a spring at the foot of the bluff rendered this a most desirable location. Thanks to the many favors of Colonel Hammond of the C. B. and Q., and his presentation of a flag staff for the new camp, It was resolved by the organizers to name the camp for him. The first arrivals at Camp Hammond were the Young America Company from distant Warren County under the command of Captain Elias Baldwin. His troops reached our fair city Saturday, August 17, and the demeanor of these fine soldiers has created a very favorable impression here. We believe that it is the universal opinion of our citizens that a better looking lot of men never went into camp in this state. Since there were no tents available at that time to set up a bivouac, the men were temporarily housed at City Hall until the situation could be remedied. Upon presenting themselves in Montgomery, the inhabitants of our neighbor to the south shared our positive sentiments about this outstanding group of men. As more companies began to arrive on Monday, August 19, and, yet again, there were too few tents to accommodate them all, the good people of Montgomery opened their homes to several of the Young America soldiery to help ease the issue of insufficient lodgings. Bristol s Light Infantry Company departed from their home on Monday, August 19, and were seen off by six to eight hundred of Bristol s patriotic citizens. The Company was presented with a personal library, and also received a large quantity of foodstuffs from the local ladies to supply supper in camp after arrival that evening. Two days later, we find Camp Hammond a hive of activity with tents being pitched, and the ubiquitous drills. While food is plentiful enough at this time, there remain

4 several important gaps in other types of supplies. The first dress parade was conducted August 20, and Colonel Greusel delivered a stirring speech to the men afterwards. A complete list of the Fox River Regiment Officers follows: Colonel: Lieutenant: Nicholas Greusel Edward S. Joslyn Elgin Grays Company A: Captain: Melvin B. Baldwin 1 st Lieutenant: Edwards S. Chappel 2 nd Lieutenant: I. N. Buck Newark Rifles Company F: Captain: Porter C. Olson 1 st Lieutenant: George F. Stonax 2 nd Lieutenant: Martin C. Wilson Aurora Dragoons Artillery Company A: Captain: Albert Jenks 1 st Lieutenant: Samuel B. Sherer 2 nd Lieutenant: George Willis Plato Dragoons: Captain: Captain Lewis Bristol Light Infantry Company E Captain: Charles D. Fish 1 st Lieutenant: Albert M. Hobbs 2 nd Lieutenant: William H. Clark Morris Guards Company G Captain: Irving W. Parkhurst 1 st Lieutenant: Abel Longworth 2 nd Lieutenant: Robert N. Denning Aurora Guards Company B: Captain: Silas Miller 1 st Lieutenant: Joseph M. Walker 2 nd Lieutenant: Benjamin F. Campbell Captain Porter C. Olson

5 Oswego Rifles Captain: A. B. Hall 1 st Lieutenant: William Walker 2 nd Lieutenant: Mr. Sutherland Lisbon Rifles Company D: Captain: William P. Pierce Young America Company C: Captain: Elias B. Baldwin 1 st Lieutenant: James B. McNeil 2 nd Lieutenant: John M. Turnbull To date, eleven different companies are accommodated at Camp Hammond, and on August 20, Quartermaster Webb administered the oath of office to the 700 men who had arrived by that time. He plans on revisiting the bivouac shortly to swear in more troops when all of those gentlemen recruiting in the field return with more volunteers. We hear there are plans to begin purchasing horses for the cavalry arm of the regiment. Many of the accoutrements for the mounts are already at the depot awaiting delivery to the camp. Orders have been issued for other articles of clothing and arms, and expectations are that these items will be arriving in the next ten to fifteen days. Calls have also been issued for our good citizens to help with housing the incoming soldiers until sufficient tents and blankets can be secured. At the present time, there are supplies for another one to two hundred persons. Any parties interested and willing to help ease the shortage by taking our brave men into private homes for a few days is encouraged to visit the recruiting office on Main Street to make such intentions known. Responsibility rests with providing these men with sleeping quarters only as all of their food will be served at the Aurora House courtesy of the federal government. As an interesting sideline to the vast changes the national calamity has wrought upon our populace, on Monday the 19 th, three different local farmers journeyed into Aurora, all with a common purpose. Each of the three has sent all of their sons off to war, and with harvest quickly approaching, these farmers were hoping to secure much needed assistance in getting their crops from the fields. As been noted in the past, an army marches on its stomach, so any help in accommodating these fine men in their mighty task contributes to our home front s ability to give valuable assistance to the war effort in general. We note that the editors of some of the local newspapers are congratulating themselves and their communities for the contributions of their citizens during this time of national conflict. The Ottawa Republican boasts of the 7 companies organized to date in LaSalle County, an area with a total population of 18,000 persons. We should like to point out that Kane County with a population of 30,000 now has eleven companies in service at this time, and several more of our brethren have, over the course of time, attached themselves to rival companies from other locales when there was no room on the muster rolls that were being put together closer to home.

6 Information compiled from the August 22, 1861 edition of the Beacon, and from History of the Thirty-Sixth Regiment Illinois Volunteers During the War of Rebellion. Archives The military officials at Camp Hammond have also issued an appeal to the fair sex of our city hoping for help in organizing a nursing corps to aid the soldiers housed in our midst. In this time of great upheaval, the ministering presence of our gentle helpmates provides our soldiers with a visual reminder of the families, homes, and moral principles that so many of our men now dedicate their lives to preserve and to protect. Any local ladies who are inclined to contribute to this most noble and womanly cause may apply in person at the camp. Thaddeus J. Mandeville Check out our Fox Valley Reads site for upcoming Civil War programming in the Fall!