1998 2016

VOLUME NO. 18 ISSUE NO. 9 SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 MCHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS McHENRY COUNTY MCCWRT MCCWRT CIVIL WAR PRESENTATION ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION GROUP

WOODSTOCK PUBLIC LIBRARY NOW CELEBRATING AT THE PANERA BREAD COMPANY 414 WEST JUDD STREET EIGHTEEN YEARS 6000 NORTHWEST HIGHWAY WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS CRYSTAL LAKE, ILLINOIS SERVING THE COMMUNITY

AND MCHENRY COUNTY TUESDAY SINCE IT’S FOUNDING SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2016 AT UNION, SEPTEMBER 24, 2016 7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. McHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS 10:00 A.M. – NOON THE SEPTEMBER 1998 PALMYRA FAMOUS FAMILYS MASSACRE OF

October 18, 1862 THE CIVIL WAR By Frank Crawford

Union Colonel John McNeil orders the HOW MANY SOLDIERS summary execution of 10 Confederate FOUGHT prisoners of war as retribution for the DURING THE CIVIL WAR? kidnapping of a pro-Union carpenter named Andrew Allsman. Allsman had At the beginning of the war the Northern gained a reputation for betraying his states had a combined population of 22 pro-Confederate neighbors, and his million people. body is never found. Despite criticism for the vindictive massacre of The Southern states had a combined Confederate prisoners, who had no population of about 9 million. This disparity connection to the Allsman abduction, was reflected in the size of the armies in the McNeil continues in Union service and field. is promoted to the honorary rank of SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 3 brevet general of volunteers The Union forces outnumbered the ______upon retirement Confederates roughly two to one. MCCWRT

UNITED STATES WELCOMES 2,128,948 SOLDIERS SUZANNE & JIM

CONFEDERATE STATES NICHOLS 1,082,119 SOLDIERS TO OUR MEMBERSHIP ROSTER

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Civil War, NORTHERN ILLINOIS Iron Brigade Chaplain: CWRT soldiers celebratedThe Storyby decorating of their camp Christmas trees with hard-tack and salt- SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 Samuel and Catharine Eaton pork and singing carols decorating THE By James Hibbard IRON BRIGADE ______their camp Christmas By Lance Herdegen trees with After PLEASE NOTE! ANNOUNCEMENTS General William LAKE COUNTY THE MCCWRT TRIP TO CWRT Sherman captured KANKAKEE VALLEY NEW ORLEANS LA. SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 Savannah in December CWRT SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER BURNSIDE’S of 1864 their horses up SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 HAS BEEN CANCELLED GENEALOGY BRIDGE like rei DUEndeer TO FLOODING by AND By Frank Crawford attaching______branches to THE CIVIL WAR their headgear and KENOSHA MCCWRT By Mike Cornwell delivered food and CIVIL WAR MUSEUM PRESENTATION supplies IN REVIEWto hungry August Meeting Presentation CHICAGO CWRT SECOND FRIDAY LUNCHBOX families in Amateurs at War SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 LECTURE SERIES

THE FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2016 Dave Noe spoke to the August C.S.S. HUNLEY NOON SLAVERY, SECESSION meeting of the McHenry County Civil By Steve Quick AND THE VOYAGE OF War Roundtable. His topic for the THE LADY ELGIN evening was the Philadelphia Home By Brian Kangas Guard. Finding a musket stamped “A

SALT CREEK CWRT Wurflein, Philadelphia” sparked SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2016, Dave’s interest in the subject. This BLACK HAWK 9:30 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. was probably the only city that raised WAR VETERANS THE 9TH ANNUAL its own force. He researched the records at Philadelphia’s City Hall, the IN THE CIVIL WAR CIVIL WAR FORUM Historical Society, and By Jerry Allen HEROES TRIED AND also read newspapers from the period. TRUE

THE IRON BRIGADE When President Lincoln initially called LINCOLN/DAVIS Registration 8:30am -9:30am, for troops to suppress the rebellion CWRT Program Begins 9:30am most of the state militias joined the SEPTEMBER 20, 2016 Federal army. However, the CIVIL WAR Speakers and programs include: Pennsylvania Legislature authorized a MYTHS Philadelphia Home Guard of up to Molding a Legend: The Iron By Ed Bonekemper 10,000 to protect the city. Dave Brigade and the Summer of 1862 believes their numbers never actually Occupation of Fredericksburg, totaled more than about 6,000.

Presented by Eric Mink Augustus J. Pleasanton, a Democrat SOUTH SUBURBAN and older brother of Alfred CWRT Black Hats Memories of Antietam Pleasanton, was placed in charge of SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 Presented by Tom Clemens the Guard. The men were responsible THE LIFE OF for purchasing their own uniforms. ALONSO HERSFORD Four Long Hours CUSHING Presented by Lance Herdegen (CONTINUED ON PAGE 4) By Jim Heinz

Henry Lee III (1756–1818), known as Richard Lee asserted descent from "Light Horse Harry," was a Princeton the Lees of Shropshire or Worcester graduate who served with great and bore a coat of arms which was distinction under General George confirmed in 1660/1 by John Gibbon. Washington in the American Revolutionary War, and was the only officer below the rank of General to receive the "Gold Medal," awarded for his leadership at the Battle of in , on 19 August 1779

He was Governor of from 1791– 1794. Among his six children was In my opinion, one of the most famous Robert Edward Lee, later the famed families of the would Confederate general during the be the Virginia based Robert E. Lee American Civil War Family. Robert E. Lee (1807–1870), was the son of Henry Lee III, and was a delegate to probably the most famous member of Continental Congress from Virginia and the . He served as the president of that body, 1774, later Confederate General in Charge during serving as president of the Continental the Civil War and was also General W.T. Sherman & Son Willie Congress under the Articles of President of Washington and Lee Confederation, and United States University, which was named for him and Senator from Virginia (1789–1792) under for . The University the new United States Constitution. also houses , the burial site of several members of the Lee family, as (1730–1778) was well as the Lee Family Digital Archive. a member of the Virginia Delegates and

a major editor of 's General Robert E. Lee was married to Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), a Mary Anna Randolph Custis, who was precursor to the United States General Grant and Family a granddaughter of Martha Washington Declaration of Independence, which and also was Lee's third cousin once was signed by his brothers Richard removed through Richard Lee II, fourth Henry Lee (1732–1794) and Francis cousin through , and Lightfoot Lee (1734–1797). third cousin through Robert Carter I.

In the U.S., the Lee family began when R. E. Lee's children included George Richard Lee I immigrated to Virginia Washington Custis Lee and William H. from England and made his fortune in . the tobacco Industry.

President Lincoln and Family Other Lee relations who were General The Lees first gained wider significance Officers during the Civil War were: with Thomas Lee (1690–1750). He

became a member of the House of Fitzhugh Lee (Confederate Army), Burgesses and later went on to found the Samuel Phillips Lee (US Navy); Richard Ohio Company. Lucian Page (Confederate Army and

Navy); Lee (Confederate Richard Henry Lee, (1732–1794), was a Army),, Richard L. T. Beale (Confederate signer of the United States Declaration of army), Maurice Thompson (Confederate Independence and served as the Army), and William H. Thompson, also a president of the Continental Congress. member of the (Confederate Army).

Amateurs at War One assignment they were given was to (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2) guard Besidesa mile long the locomotivebridge across and tender, the several cars were designated for dignitaries as the train passed through their states. The actual funeral car was next to last in line and a car for carrying Union officers brought up the rear. SusquehannaBesides the River locomotive south and of tender, Harrisburg. several cars were designated for dignitaries as the train passed through their states. The actual funeral car was next to last in line and a car for carrying Union officers brought up the rear. The city, however, provided the arms and equipment. About 7,500 They were ordered to hold it or destroy it. weapons were obtained (remember the Wurflein musket). Dave says They wound up burning the bridge and in there was actually an “Old Guard,” the process almost destroyed the entire made up of older men who stayed in town of Wrightsville. the city, and a “Young Guard” composed of younger men who could Ironically, the Confederates helped save deploy elsewhere. In addition, the town. Pennsylvania also created an “Emergency Militia” during Lee’s 2nd Another engagement they were involved The American Civil War invasion of the North (Gettysburg). in was the skirmish at Sporting Hill on Was a war fought by the Northern and June 30th. Southern states in the United States of Dave stated that Pennsylvania could America from 1861 to 1865. not compete with the bounties being Captain Landis had ordered his paid by the Federal government. In artillerymen to hitch horses but the men The Union faced secessionists from fact, about 2000 men left the Home didn’t know how. eleven Southern states grouped together Guard to join the regular army. Peak as the Confederate States of America. enrollment in the Guard was reached Lt. Perkins’ artillery came to the rescue in February, 1862. of a New York regiment and saved the Period: April 12, 1861 – May 9, 1865 day byNeither firing a theshell Home into theGuard Eberly or Emergency Militia achieved much of a record. They, at first, served as a guard at soldier funerals. Pleasanton did some good mapping which proved invaluable during the Gettysburg campaign. And, the Emergency Militia helped in the defense of Harrisburg during that same campaign. Dave stated that People lit Neither the Home Guard nor the House barn and driving the Confederates First battle: Battle of Fort Sumter Emergency Militia achieved much of out Last battle: Battle of Palmetto Ranch a record. They, at first, served as a . guard at soldier funerals. Later, Landis’s men took part in a brief Combatants: fight at Carlisle, Pa. – the northernmost United States of America Pleasanton did some good mapping battle of the Civil War. Confederate States of America which proved invaluable during the Gettysburg campaign. And, the During that battle, they lost 4 killed and 1 Emergency Militia helped in the wounded but delayed Jeb Stuart by one, defense of Harrisburg during that possibly crucial, day. same campaign. The Guard also took part in the chase The Home Guard was first called out after Lee into Maryland. during Lee’s earlier invasion of the North during the Antietam campaign. Eventually, remaining members of the However, they did not take part in Guard became part of the 6th Corps and any of the battles. Battery B – The the Guard eventually ceased to exist. VISIT OUR WEBSITE: Keystone Battery, joined the Federal www.mchenrycivil war.com army just before the Gettysburg Pleasanton returned to his successful DONALD PURN WEB MASTER campaign, but did not fire a shot in law practice and lived until 1896. anger. During this latter campaign THE CIVIL WAR REPORTER the Guard was generally Bob Frenz McHENRY COUNTY outnumbered and again compiled an CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE “undistinguished record.” NEWSLETTER KEITH FISHER EDITOR One wag referred to them as “700 civilians in soldiers’ suits.”