Writes to His Dad-- Part 3: His Dad Missed Him as Well

If Charles missed his father and the promised pony, the father, Harley Wayne, missed his son just as much.

In a letter home dated December 29, 1861, Captain Wayne wrote in a letter to his wife:  

"I am very glad to get your letter and Charley's picture.... The letter and picture were at once sources of pleasure and pain.  I could see the pretty features and the loving beaming eyes of my noble darling boy but I could not hear his voice nor could I grasp him in fond embrace s my whole soul yearned to do.

"And I was sad....  Do write me often and send me your picture.  Tell Charley I was pleased, very, with his picture and letter.  I will write to him again soon."

Less than two months later Captain Wayne joined Gen. U.S. Grant's command at Fort Donelson.  Captain Wayne missed the first major battle on February 15 and 16, 1862, that would catapult Grant into the forefront of Union war leaders.

--Old Secesh

Writes to His Dad on Basement Wall-- Part 2: Capt. Wayne and His Son

The barn held at least one carriage and a team of horses, but no pony.  And that little boy, Charley Wayne, really longed for one.

His father, Harley Wayne, had promised him one when he joined the 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in the spring of 1861.

With his father gone and no siblings to play with, young Charley would ramble about the large house which also included a full basement.  On two of the walls down there, 7-year-old Charley wrote his name and drew pictures with chalk.  One of those pictures was a boogeyman.  Above it are the words, "Hurrah, hurrah boys."

On the opposite wall are variations of the boy's name and what appears to be the spelling of his father's given and surname.  They surround what passes for a Betsy Ross flag with stars and stripes.

In addition, there is the outline of a pony.  The pony his father had promised him.

--Old Secesh

Writes to Dad on Basement Wall-- Part 1: The Harley Wayne Home in Union

From the May 30, 1987, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, Illinois) by Jerry Kuyper.  This was in honor of McHenry County's Sesquicentennial.

I have been writing about his father, Harley Wayne in this blog.

Charles Harley Wayne was seven years old when his father, Harley Wayne went off to war.

The boy stayed home with his mother, Ellen, in the brick two story house with its 15 spacious rooms that the father had built for the family in 1858.  But the family was small.  Charles was an only child, having been born in 1855.  A sister, born in 1851, had died in 1854.

"The Wayne house had eight acres to go with it," said Leo Parenti, who with wife Constance (Connie), have lived in the house (in Union, Illinois) since they bought it in 1956.

"Wayne had a general store in Union too along with a 640 acre farm nearby.  The eight acres and the house were separate from that farm," added Mrs. Parenti.

According to Parenti, besides the house there was a barn and a fairly ornate outhouse on the eight acres.  "The barn and outhouse are gone now," said Parenti.

--Old Secesh

Antietam Group Purchases Historic Land

From the August 16, 2021, Herald-Mail media  "Antietam preservation group purchases land outside  national battlefield" by Sherry Greenfield.

The Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, left nearly 23,000 men dead, wounded or missing.  It is still considered America's single bloodiest day.

For the first time, the preservation group Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF) has bought land outside the national battlefield park.  It is located along Harpers Ferry Road.  The half-acre property is one-half mile south of Sharpsburg and was bought for $132,000.

An abandoned house sits on the property and will be removed.

It is on high ground inside Confederate lines that overlooks the final assault of Union General Ambrose Burnside's  attack in the afternoon where Southern artillery occupied this spot and pounded Burnside's assault.

SHAF will be fund raising to pay for it.  An anonymous donor will be matching everything raised one-for-one.

-Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table Discussion Group This Saturday

And, it will be an in person meeting.

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table Discussion Group will be meeting Saturday, August 28 at the Crystal Lake (Illinois) Panera Bread Co. at US-14 (Northwest Highway) and Main Street from 10 am to noon

The topic will be "Civil War  Print Show and Tell" with  Civil War era newspapers,  letters, books, posters etc.

This is a first-time for this topic so should be interesting.

Come on by even if you're not a member.

Everyone is welcome for some good discussion and possibly debate.

--Old Secesh

15th Illinois at Battle of Shiloh-- Part 4: Lt. Col. Ellis and Maj. Goddard Killed

"At the time the battery gave way a regiment in front of us (placed there I suppose to support the battery) gave way also; one at our right was seen to break and run without firing a single round.  We immediately received orders to open fire upon the enemy.

"Although everything was confusion around us and without supports, yet we maintained our position for some time against superior numbers, who had all the advantage they could wish in the lay of the ground.  Our men fired from 10 to 15 rounds each.  

"Lieut. Col. E.F.W. Ellis, commanding the Fifteenth Regiment, and Maj. William R. Goddard fell early in the fight while cheering the men.  They were frequently heard to say:  'Stand firm;'   'Do your duty, boys;'  'Stand your ground;'  'Take good aim.'

"Colonel Ellis was wounded in the arm severely at the first fire of the enemy upon us, but he paid no attention to that, and it was not until a ball  penetrated his heart that he ceased to cheer on his me.  Major Goddard fell a few moments before  Colonel Ellis, a ball passing through his head.  Two braver or better officers never lived.

"They were dearly loved by all their men and by all that knew them.  They were kind-hearted, and their loss will be a severe one  to the regiment and to the service."

--Old Secesh

A Baseball Connection: Cy Young

I came across an article in History.com about the early career of Cy Young, MLB's winningest pitcher ever (and not likely his record will ever be beat).

He was born in Gilmore, Ohio, in 1867, just two years after the Civil War ended.  Denton True "Cy" Young grew up on a farm.

His father, who served in the war in the 78th Ohio Infantry during the war, gave his son the middle name "True" in honor of another soldier he served with.

In case you're wondering about the name "Cy" he got that during an early tryout in baseball when his fast ball tore the boards from a grandstand and he got the name "Cyclone" later shortened to "Cy."

Looks like a bit of Road Tripping Through History is in order when I finish writing about the 15th Illinois Infantry and Captain Harley Wayne.

--Old Cy.

15th Illinois at Battle of Shiloh-- Part 3: The Battle Is Joined

Captain Louis D. Kelley of Company A had to make this report of  the 15th Illinois' fighting at Shiloh on April 6, 1862, as he was the remaining senior officer.  The report was dated April 10.

"Soon after breakfast heavy firing was heard to our left, and about the same time we received orders to fall in and take our position with your brigade.  Our regiment numbered about 500 men; a heavy detail for fatigue duty had been made from our regiment early in the morning, reducing our numbers somewhat.

"After taking  our position in the brigade,  we were ordered to advance in the direction of where there was heavy fighting.  Advancing a short distance, we were ordered to load our pieces and form in line of battle.  We were drawn up in line directly in the rear of one of our batteries, numbering six pieces.

"No sooner had we prepared for operation than the battery gave way, part of the guns being taken by the enemy and the rest taken away by horses without riders, who dashed through our ranks at great speed.  Although our lines were broken several times by horses and mules running away, yet they were immediately closed up again."

--Old Secesh

The 15th Illinois at the Battle of Shiloh

From the June 29, 2015, Iron Brigader by Mark.

The Battle of Shiloh , named after a small church called  Shiloh Church, (also referred to as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing) was the costliest battle in American history up until that point.

Union casualties  were 1754 killed, 8408 wounded, and 2885 missing or captured.

Confederate losses were 1728 killed, 8,012 wounded and 959 missing or captured.

The 15th Illinois was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Edward F.W. Ellis.  Their brigade, under command of James C. Veatch, was on the Union right and ordered to position itself to aid Brigadier General William T. Sherman's division.

The 15th battled an attack by Brigadier General  Sterling A.M.  Wood's brigade of Major General  William J. Hardee's corps, before falling back to a defensive line at the Landing.

Both Lt. Col. Ellis and Major William Goddard, second in command of the regiment, were killed in the fighting.

Captain Louis Kelly, in temporary command of the regiment filed a report of it's actions at the battle.

--Old Secesh

15th Illinois Infantry Regiment at Shiloh

From Wikipedia.

The 15th Illinois and 14th Illinois participated together in movements around  Rolla, Missouri, ahead of the Fort Donelson  Campaign, with Gen. U.S. Grant in command.  Both regiments were part of Gen.  Steven A. Hulbert's 4th Division, called "The Fighting Fourth" and assigned to a camp near the Union left wing at Pittsburg Landing on April 6, 1862.

They were brigaded under the command of Colonel James C. Veatch.  When the attack came, they were ordered forward  to support General Sherman who was heavily pressed on the right wing.

An anecdotal memoir by Sergeant  Moses Gleason Montgomery described heavy fighting at what became known as the Hornet's Nest before they proceeded to a defensive position to support the retreat of the Union Army's right wing.

Sgt. Montgomery was shot in the chest during this engagement, and describes his  survival that night by a "Blessed Rain."

On the second day of the battle,  General Grant took direct command of the 14th and 15th in the counter attack against Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard.

Captain Harley Wayne was killed at this battle.

During the course of the war, the 15th Illinois lost 6 officers and 81 enlisted killed in action or died of wounds.

--Old Secesh

Captain Harley Wayne's Obituary-- Part 2: Furlough Just Two Weeks Before Shiloh

In '48 a Van Buren man, he remained steadfast in his adherence to free principles.  During the campaign of '60, Mr. Wayne was particularly prominent -- was a leading candidate for the Legislature, and lacked but a few votes of the nomination.

The ensuing winter he filled the post of Clerk of the House of Representatives at Springfield, with universal satisfaction.  At the close of the Extra War Session, Mr. Wayne immediately took measures to organize a company for the war, at the head of which he nobly died, on the 6th instant.

CAPT. WAYNE was at home about two weeks since, on furlough, but like a brave man "snuffed the battle afar off," and rose from a sick bed, on purpose to be in this fight, which he then saw to be imminent.  It proved his death.

"He has fought his last battle.

No sound can awake him to glory again."

CAPT. WAYNE, we understand, had long been a consistent  professor of Christianity, and died in that hope.  In his death, the country has suffered the loss of one of the most enterprising and energetic of its citizens, and his family a devoted husband and father.

His afflicted widow and children have the sympathy of the entire county in their sad bereavement.

--Old Secesh

Captain Harley Wayne's Obituary-- Part 1

From the April 16, 1862, Woodstock (Illinois) Sentinel

IN MEMORIUM

The death of Captain HARLEY WAYNE, of Union, who died bravely fighting the enemies of the Government, at the head of his Company, in the battle of Pittsburg, demands more than just a passing notice.

"Death loves a shining mark," and this was never more strikingly  proven than in the fact that the first death that we know of among our county volunteers, should be HARLEY WAYNE one of our first and most prominent citizens -- a man who, with an ample fortune, a beautiful residence, and a beloved and happy family -- left all to serve his country in this hour of danger on the battle's bloody field.

CAPT. WAYNE has been a resident of this county many years; coming when young, and by strict business habits amassed a competence.  He had been chosen to all of the various offices of his town, and was always a leading man.

--Old Secesh

Two Books Written About the 15th Illinois Infantry

I found that two books have been written about the 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  And one of them concentrates on Company D.

"The Gallant  15th of Illinois"  (2019) by Betty Obendorf and Kathy Pasch.

**************************************

"Army Memoirs of Lucius W. Barber, Company 'D', 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry"  (1894)  by Lucius W. Barber.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Companies Organized in McHenry County, Illinois

From Civil War/Illinois  Gen Web.

CAVALRY

8th Regt.--  Companies  G, H, I

9th Regt.--  Company G

17th Regt.--  Company G

********************************

INFANTRY

15th--  Companies A,D,F  (Company D was commanded by Harley Wayne)

36th--  Company H

47th (Consolidated)--  Company E

52nd--  Company I

95th--  Companies A,C,D,E,F, H, I

141st--  Company F

147th--  Company I

153rd--  Companies B,K

--Old Secesh

Co. D, 15th Illinois Infantry Casualties at Battle of Shiloh

Thompson Hardy   Killed  April 6, 1862

Charles E. Hotchkiss   Died of wounds June 19, 1862  (Probably)

John Spicer   Killed April 6, 1862

Eugene A Wells   Died of wounds   April 22, 1862  (Probably)

Harley Wayne  Killed at Pittsburg Landing.

There were also a lot of men (20)  discharged because of disabilities during the remainder of 1862.  Perhaps they were wounded at Shiloh.

--Old Secesh

Co. D, 15th Illinois Roster-- Part 2

Continuing with residences listed for this company that was commanded by Captain Harley Wayne of Union, Illinois, killed at the Battle of Shiloh.

Hampshire, Illinois--   2

Java, N.Y. --   2

Boston, Mass.--    2

Lena, Illinois--  2

Beloit, Wis.--  2

Nora?--  1

Grafton?--  1

Amboy, Illinois--   1

Empire?--  1

Philadelphia. Pa.--   1

Delavon, Wis.--  1

Toronto, Canada--   1

Preston?--    1

Cincinnati, Ohio--   1

Geneva, Ilinois--   1

Belvidere, Illinois--   1

Freeport, Illinois--   1

Some interesting locations from outside of Illinois.

--Old Secesh

Company D, 15th Illinois Infantry Regiment Roster-- Part 2

These residences were listed for the members of Co. D, 15th Illinois, Infantry commanded by Captain Harley Wayne from May 24, 1861 to his death at the Battle of Shiloh on April 6, 1861.

Some are repeats for promotion and reenlistment as a Veteran.

Marengo:  47

Riley (Township):  22

Coral (Township):  20

Harmony (An unincorporated community southwest of Huntley in McHenry Co.):  9

Union:  9

Seneca (Township):  6

Genoa:  6

McHenry County:  4

More to Come.  --Old Secesh

Company D, 15th Illinois Infantry Roster: Men from Union, Illinois

From Illinois GenWeb.org

These are the men from Union, Illinois, on the roster.  All joined May 245, 1861, unless otherwise noted:

*******************************************

Nathaniel F. Andrew, Musician.  Died  November 8, 1862

Robert K. Andrews, Private  Discharged August 23, 1861, Disability

John D. Bliss, Private  Discharged  Dec. 17, 1862, Disability

Orville T. Haskins, Private

William H.H. Meyers, Private  Discharged Nov. 22, 1862, Disability

Addison G. Pelton, Recruit   Joined ?   Died Dec. 6, 1862

Aaron C. Perry, Sergeant    Transferred to Invalid Corps Sep. 28, 1863,  Mustered out May 24, 1864

Thomas Towelle, Private     Died Oct. 14, 1861

Harley Wayne, Captain     Killed Pittsburg Landing

--Old Secesh

15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment

Captain Harley Wayne commanded D Company in this regiment.

From Wikipedia

The 15th Illinois was mustered into service at Freeport, Illinois, on May 24, 1861.

The companies were from the following counties:

A  McHenry

B  Boone

C  Winnebago

D  McHenry

E  Jo Daviess

F  McHenry

G  Stephenson

H  Ogle

I  Lake

K  Carroll

So, the biggest number of men in the regiment were from McHenry County.  Companies A. D and F.  All of the counties represented in the regiment are in the northern part of Illinois.

--Old Secesh

Captain Harley Wayne-- Part 2: Co. D, 15th Illinois Infantry, Killed at Shiloh

Originally from New York, he lived well by pre-Civil War  standards.  He built the spacious Wayne House  in Union in 1857, owned 640 acres and ran a successful business.  He was also one of the first people to join the new Republican Party.

A strident abolitionist, he left it all, against his wife's wishes, and joined the Union Army when the Civil War broke out.  He joined the 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry in Freeport, Illinois,  where the men of Company D elected him their captain.

The unit was in the first line of battle at Shiloh on April 6, 1862, and held its part of the line as the Ohio unit guarding its flanks broke and ran.  Wayne was one of the many officers of the 15th cut down in the fighting that ensued.

The battle cost  almost 24,000 casualties on both sides, or, in other words, more than the American Revolution,  War of 1812 and Mexican War combined.

Yet, there would be eight more Civil War battles with higher casualties.

--Old Secesh

Captain Harley Wayne-- Part 1

From the Find-A-Grave site.

CAPT. HARLEY WAYNE

BIRTH:  1823  Maryland, New York

DEATH:  6 April 1862 (aged 38-39), South Pittsburg, Marion County, Tennessee.  Killed at the Battle of Shiloh.

BURIAL:  Marengo City Cemetery  Marengo, Illinois

Originally from New York, he lived well by pre-Civil War standards.

--Old Secesh

Roster of the Harley Wayne GAR Post #169, Marengo, Illinois

From McHenry County, Illinois, Genealogy.

This was the roster of the Marengo, Illinois, Harley Wayne GAR Post #168.  Unfortunately, there was no date given.

The names were given, but I went through the list and recorded what units the men were in during the war.

There were 31 men listed.

These were the Illinois Infantry Regiments and how many from each one:

95th:   8  All ten companies from McHenry and Boone counties.

15th:   4   Companies A, D and F were from McHenry County.

141st:   3  Company F from McHenry and Kendall counties.

153rd:   2  Company K from McHenry County.  Company B from McHenry and Boone counties.

5th:   1

23rd:   1

36th:    1

37th:   1

65th:  1

93rd:    1

CAVALRY

9th:   1

15th:   1

OTHER STATES

125th New York:   1

10th New York Cavalry:   1

14th  Iowa

19th Michigan:    1

12th Wisconsin Artillery:    1

11th Vermont Artillery:   1

--Old Secesh

The Marengo, Illinois, Grand Army of the Republic Post (Harley Wayne Post #169)

The McHenry County Historical Museum in Union, Illinois, has a display on the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) that existed in the county at one time.  One of them was Marengo's Harley Wayne Post #169.

It was organized on December 29, 1882 and was the second GAR post in the county and named after Captain Harley Wayne who was killed at the Battle of Shiloh.  Our McHenry County Round Table president had told me that this man's mansion was in Union.  

Almost a third of the post members had belonged to the 95th Illinois Infantry Regiment that was primarily from McHenry County.  They met every second and fourth Friday in large gatherings at the Marengo Opera House.

After 1905, the meetings attracted smaller numbers  of veterans and were much more infrequent.  The last recorded meeting took place on December 8, 1922 when seven of the remaining twelve members got together.

They officially disbanded in 1930.

The last Marengo veteran, Samuel Wise, died in 1936.

--Old Secesh

This Month in the Civil War: Today the Battle of Mobile Bay, Wilson's Creek, Quantrill, Manassas

From the August 2021 American Battlefield Trust calendar. The month's feature was on the Battle of Hanging Rock, South Carolina during the American Revolution.  The Trust now saves Hallowed Ground  other than the Civil War.  And that includes the American revolution and the War of 1812.

I wrote about it in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog today.

AUGUST 5

1864:  Battle of Mobile Bay, Alabama

AUGUST 9

1862:  Battle of Cedar Mountain, Virginia

AUGUST 10

1861:  Battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri

AUGUST 17 

1863:  Federals begin their great bombardment of Fort Sumter, South Carolina

AUGUST 21

1863:  Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence, Kansas

AUGUST 25

1864:  Second Battle of Ream's Station, Virginia

AUGUST 28

1862:  Second Battle of Manassas, Virginia, begins.

AUGUST 30

1862:  Battle of Richmond, Kentucky

--Old Secesh

Supporting the History Groups

While I was at the McHenry County Historical Society Museum in June, I joined this esteemed group.  I am a big supporter of all kinds of historical groups.  They need the membership and the money even worse in these days of the virus because if you ever noticed, most history people are also old, including myself.

I also belong to quite a few history groups myself:

ILLINOIS

McHenry County Civil War Round Table

The McHenry Area Historical Society (The City of McHenry)

The Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society

Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp Douglas Camp #516  (Chicagoland area)

NORTH CAROLINA

Wayne County Historical Society

Old Waynesboro Park (Goldsboro, Wayne County)

Friends of Fort Fisher  (Kure Beach)

Federal Point  Historic Preservation Society (Carolina Beach)

NATIONAL

National Trust for Historic Preservation

American Battlefield Trust

So, as you can see a put my money where my mouth is and support these worthy organizations.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Officers-- Part 7

Colonels, majors and captains were elected by their men.

The soldiers had no choice but to put up with who they elected after that.

Then, there was Ben Butler, a whole story onto himself.

***************************

The Northern Illinois Civil War Round Table will be having a trip to the Battle of Shiloh.  Members will go by bus for two days at a cost of $175 a person.  Dates are October 22 and 23, 2021.

--Old Secesh

Civil War Generals-- Part 6: How They Stood

IRVIN McDOWELL had been a major and a staff officer and had never commanded any men.  At First Bull Run, he was leading 35,000 troops.

P.G.T. BEAUREGARD was an engineer and had never command more than about fifty men which he did during the Mexican War.

JOHN C. FREMONT, known as the Pathfinder, was an explorer and complete failure as an army commander.

WILLIAM T. SHERMAN got his chance at command because of his brother John who was a powerful Ohio politician.  He had essentially failed at everything he had done before the war.

U.S. GRANT was a failure and a civilian when the war came.  Each Congressman had the power to nominate a general.  Elihu Washburne, from Galena, Illinois, where Grant was living pushed for him.

ALBERT  SIDNEY JOHNSTON had commanded a regiment during the Mexican War and had the best pre-war credentials to command an army.

--Old Seecsh