THE McHenry County Civil War Round Table-- Part 2

Attendance at meetings averages between ten and fifteen, while discussion groups are smaller.  We also have ZOOM in both venues. 

"COVID took a toll on us as well as other groups and we are still recovering," says Jim Stannis.  "But we are starting to grow our membership again."

Several members of the McHenry group have presented Civil War topics to adult education classes at McHenry County College and they've assisted the McHenry County Historical Society in restoring artifacts and writings.

Membership dues are $25 a year, and part of the money is used to support a $1,000 scholarship to the annual high school winner of a historical contest.

--Old Secesh

Surgeon Edward Kittoe-- Part 4: Born in England

Same source as previous post.

EDWARD DOMINICUS KITTOE

**  Born June 20, 1814.    Woolwich, Kent, England

**  Emigrated to U.S. at age 18.

**  Graduated Pennsylvania Medical College.

**  Moved to Galena to practice medicine in 1851.

**  Appoined Regimental Surgeon of the 45th Illinois Infantry,  August 1861.

--Old Secesh

The Confederate Monument in Danville, Kentucky: Robert D. Logan

From Wikipedia.

This monument is located between Centre College and the Presbyterian Church of Danville at the corner of Main  and College streets in Danville, Kentucky.  It is dedicated to the Confederacy and on the National Register of Historic Places.

It was dedicated in 1910 by the surviving  veterans of the Confederacy of Boyle County and the Kate Morrison  Breckinridge Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The statue consists of a granite pedestal and a marble statue depicting Captain  Robert D. Logan, who was actually from Lincoln County, but lived in Boyle County after the war. Captain Logan served with John Hunt Morgan in the 6th Kentucky Cavalry's Company A and was captured during Morgan's Raid in Cheshire, Ohio,  on July 20, 1863.

He spent much of the rest of the war in various Union prisons, including the Ohio State Penitentiary.

Robert Logan died  on June 25, 1896, fourteen years before the construction of the monument.

--Old Secesh

The Charles Wayne Home in Elgin, Illinois-- Part 1

From the Historic Elgin site.

433 Division Street

This is the home that Harley Wayne's son built in Elgin.

SIGNIFICANCE

Harley Wayne (born April 30, 1823) married Ellen Dietz (born February 24, 1823) in Marengo, Illinois, on April 30, 1848.  They had two children, a daughter named Ida who died just before her third birthday and a son, Charles, who was born in Union, Illinois.

When Charles was six years old, his father was killed at the Battle of Shiloh at Pittsburg Landing in Tennessee, on April 6, 1862.  Harley Wayne was captain of Company D. of the 15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

After her husband's death, Ellen continued living in Union, Illinois, until her son Charles completed his education at the University of Chicago in 1880, where he was president of his class.  Charles entered the  law office of A.B. Coon, a prominent   Illinois attorney practicing in Marengo. and by 1882, Charles had passed  the state bar  examination.

By 1883, Charles, along with his mother, Ellen, moved to Elgin where he bought a house at 433 Division Street from William H. Bullard, a builder in Elgin.

Continued on December 1, 2021.

--Old Secesh

Alpheus T. Budlong and Some Other Budlongs

At some point after the war, he was living in Ash Grove, Missouri, and receiving a $4 pension, probably for the wound.  Ash Grove is near Springfield, Missouri.

From THE SECOND WISCONSIN INFANTRY

BUDLONG, ALPHEUS T. Born:  New York, Age 23,   Wagon maker, , Mineral Point, Wisconsin.   Discharged for disability  March 28, 1863.

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BUDLONG GRADUATES FROM YALE  who were officers

James Budlong, Class of 1851

Morris M. Budlong  Class of 1865

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At Battle of Fredericksburg

Private Benjamin Budlong killed.    Co. C, 7th Rhode Island.

I don't know if these last three Budlongs were related to the family in Wisconsin.

--Old Secesh

Col. John E. Gurley-- Part 2: Lived in Illinois and Wisconsin. Commanded Co. C in the 33rd Wisconsin

 From Find a Grave.

John Gurley was born in Illinois and received his early education in the town of Elizabeth in Jo Daviess County in the northwestern  part of the state near Galena (where U.S Grant lived.)

 He then attended district schools in Wisconsin and finished at Lombard University in Galesburg, Illinois. (Which no longer is in operation.)

After graduating, he took up the study of law  in the office of M. Hollister in Shullsburgh, Wisconsin, and was admitted to the bar in 1862 in that state.

In August of 1862, he enlisted a company of men who mustered into duty October 18, 1862, as Company C of the 33rd Wisconsin.  They left for the field of duty the following month and joined General Sherman's Army of the Tennessee and took part in Grant's move on  Jackson, Mississippi, and fought at Coldwater and other places.

On the night of the 4th of June 1863, before Vicksburg,  an impetuous  attack was made upon Confederate rifle pits near Halls Ferry Road led by Co. C, under Gurley and Co. K under Lt. Shea.    This caused the enemy to flea into their main works.

--Old Secesh

Preservation to Be Done at Alabama's Fort Blakely-- Part 1: 'The Last Stand of the Confederacy'

From the December 14, 2020, Yellowhammer  "Permanent conservation project announced for Baldwin County's Fort Blakely Battlefield" by Sean Ross.

The Conservation Fund, American Battlefield Trust and the University of South Alabama this week announced a new project for about 60 acres of the historic Fort Blakely Battlefield in Baldwin County (near Mobile).

The groups have committed to protecting this site where U.S. Colored Troops fought and won a battle in the closing days of the Civil War.

Many have called this battle "The Last Stand of the Confederacy" because it was fought as hostilities drew to a close.  On April 9, 1865, the same day Robert E. Lee was surrendering his Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, in less than a half hour the fort was overrun by Union troops, including some 5,000 black soldiers.

This encounter marked one of the heaviest concentrations of United States Colored Troops in the war.

About 40% of the 2,000 acre battlefield is protected by the State of Alabama  However, probably the most significant quarter of the battlefield was not protected until now.

--Old Secesh

About Those VCU Confederate-Named Objects-- Part 4

Continued from September 24, 2020.

 From the September 19, 2020, Commonwealth Times "VCU approves removal of on-campus Confederate names, symbols" by Eduardo Acevedo.

These are among the names that will be victims of Confederadication on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University:

McGUIRE HALL--   Named after Hunter H. McGuire, surgeon in the Confederate Army.  Not only will the name be removed, but also all associated mentions  and references to McGuire Hall.

GINTER HOUSE--  All mentions and commemorations of Lewis Ginter will be removed on Monroe Park and  MCV  campuses.

JEFFERSON DAVIS MEMORIAL CHAPEL--  on the 17th floor of West Hospital on MCV campus.  It honors the Confederate president and Kathryn Wittichen, former president of the UDC.  The chapel will be permanently de-commemorated, permanently closed and four plaques honoring Davis and Wittichen will be removed from the chapel and West Hospital.

TOMPKINS-McCAW LIBRARY--  Named for five members of the Tomkins and McCaw families.  James McCaw and Sally Tompkins operated Confederate hospitals in Richmond during the war.  The board voted to remove the name and all associated mentions of the Tompkins-McCaw from the library.  they also voted for the removal of Confederate plaques and a portrait of John Syng Dorsey Cullen, a  surgeon in the Confederacy, from the library.

WOOD MEMORIAL BUILDING--  Houses VCU's School, of Dentistry.    Named after Judson B. Wood, a dentist and private in the Confederate Army.  His name will be removed from the building , and all associated mentions and references will be removed from VCU's campuses.

--O;d Secesh

About Those Confederate-Named Items To Be Removed from VCU-- Part 1: More Confederadication

 From the September Richmond.com "VCU board of visitors votes to remove names of Confederate supporters from its campus" by Eric Kolenich.

Virgina Commonwealth University will be removing  16 building names, plaques and other Confederate symbols.  Big surprise, the school is in that Richmond city.

This move will erase the names of Ginter Hall and Dooley Hospital from a spot where a Dooley Hospital once existed. 

James Dooley left his home and surrounding grounds to the city of Richmond, served in the Virginia General Assembly and  helped oversee railroad construction across the country.  His crime was that he was a Confederate soldier.

Lewis Ginter owned part of the land that is now Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and hired the architects who built the Jefferson Hotel.  When he died, he left substantial gifts to  charities and public  institutions.  His crime?   He was an officer in the Confederate Army.

--Old Secesh

William Loring's History-- Part 1: First and Second Seminole Wars, Texas War of Independence

From the previous post source.

William W. Loring has certainly been in the news lately with the removal of his monument and remains from St. Augustine, Florida.  Here is some more of his history.

**  Loring was born in 1818 in Wilmington, North Carolina.  At the age of 4, his family relocated to St. Augustine, Florida.

**  His military career began at a young age; at the age of 14 he joined the Florida militia fighting in the Seminole Wars.

** It is believed he was 17 when he ran away to Texas after the fall of the Alamo where he fought in the Texas War of Independence.  His father reportedly forced him to return to Florida.

**  Back in Florida, Loring fought in the Second Seminole War  At around the age of 19, he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant.

**  He studied at Georgetown University from 1839 to 1840 in Washington, D.C., but returned to study law in Florida.  he was admitted to the Florida  bar in 1842.

**  Loring was elected to the Florida House of Representatives from 1843 to 1845 before Florida became a state on March 3, 1845.

Quite a Busy Life at This Young of an Age, 27.  --Old Secesh

Maj. General Loring's Remains Found Under His Monument in St. Augustine

From the August 26, 2020, First Coast ABC News "100 years later:  Confederate major general's remains exhumed  in St. Augustine  beneath removed memorial:  Who was William Loring?" by Melissa Guz.

On Wednesday, August 26, archaeologists believe they have found Gen. William Loring's remains  within a container that was buried  underneath his memorial in downtown St. Augustine.  That memorial, an obelisk, was removed on Monday as part of a relocation process and is heading to  Trout Creek Fish Camp.

His descendants had asked the University of Florida, who manages the property it is on, to remove Loring's memorial and ashes to another place.

Archaeologist Kathleen Deegan carefully worked the exposed soil under the monument and found a name plate with the words "General William...Re-enterred"  written in cursive.  Part of a sword and its scabbard, believed to be his, were also found.

Other items were also found in the dirt, however, it is difficult to determine exactly what they were because of water intrusion.

All of the items will be reburied with Loring's remains in its new location at a cemetery.

All of the items found were respectfully placed in a hearse  on Wednesday afternoon.

--Old Secesh

William Loring Monument Removed in St. Augustine By Descendants' Request: First Hurricane Isaias, Now This. A Bad Month for the General.

From the August 24, 2020, News 4 Jax (Jacksonville, Fl.)  "UF  has Confederate statue removed from St. Augustine before dawn" by Zachery Lashway.

St. Augustine, Florida.

The University of Florida had it removed as it is on land leased by them.  The monument stood there since 1920.  His remains are under the monument and will also be removed and re-interred along with his monument on private land with "respect and dignity."

Loring was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, (see the previous blog entry), but grew up in St. Augustine.  According to Wikipedia, he joined the Florida militia as a teenager and fought in the  early skirmishes of the Second Seminole War.

He became a lawyer and served  in the Florida legislature before joining the U.S. Army.  When the Civil War started, he resigned and joined the Confederacy where he rose to the rank of general.  After the war, he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate from Florida, then lived in New York until his death.

A Bad Time for William Loring Stuff.   --Old Secesh

Major John Johnson-- Part 6: Surrendered With Johnston, Religious Pursuits and a Book

John Johnson was promoted to Major of Engineers in October 1864.  Upon recovering from his wounds, he joined Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's army in eastern North Carolina and took part in the battles of Averasboro and Bentonville.  He was paroled as senior officer of engineers at the surrender of the army at Greensboro in April 1865.  (Probably Johnston's surrender at Bennett Place in Durham, N.C..)

After the war, he resumed his ministerial studies  and in January 188, was ordained  to the Episcopal ministry and assumed charge of Grace Church in Camden, South Carolina.  In 1871, he returned to Charleston and became assistant minister of St. Philip's Episcopal Church.  he was made rector the following year, at age 43, and served in that capacity for the next 34 years.

In July 1890 he published his work "The Defense of Charleston Harbor, Including Fort Sumter and Adjacent Islands 1863-1865."  This book received high commendation from the best literary and military critics.

In the summer of 1891,  he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee,  and a few years later the College of Charleston conferred on him the degree of LL.D..

The Reverend John Johnson died  in Charleston at age 78 on April 7, 1907, the 44th anniversary of his posting to  Fort Sumter.  he was survived by his wife of  of 42 years, Floride Canteyand eight children.  he is buried at St. Philip's Church Cemetery..

--Old Secesh

Jayhawks and Tigers, Oh My!!!-- Part 1: What's In An Athletic Name

From KCUT NPR  "Civil War origins of the Kansas Jayhawk and Missouri Tiger" by Lisa Rodriguez.

Since I have been writing about the University of Missouri a lot lately, and because the name Tigers which is used by their teams, also dates to the Civil War, I found this article to be of interest.

For more than 100 years, an athletic contest between the University of Missouri Tigers and the University of Kansas Jayhawks has been a bitter rivalry with bragging rights on the line.  Before Mizzou left the Big 12 Conference to join the Southeastern Conference the rivalry was even bigger.

But, this rivalry can be dated even back to the Civil War.

According to the University of Kansas, the state in the 1850s was a fierce battlefield between those who were "Free Staters and those who were pro-slavery.  At the time, people started referring to those across the region as jayhawkers, which was a combination of two bird names.  The blue jay is a noisy, quarrelsome bird and the sparrow hawk a stealthy hunter.

The nickname was meant as a warning:  "Don't mess with a Jayhawker!!"

The term originally was used to refer to both Free Staters and Pro-Slavers.  But eventually it came to be used for the Free Staters.  When the KU football team played their first game in 1890, it adopted the name.

The first illustration of the mythical Jayhawk  in 1912 wore shoes for kicking opponents.  These boots/shoes are made for walking.

So That's Why the Jayhawk Wears Shoes.  I Was Always Wondering.  --Old Secesh

Confederate Cousins of Mary Todd Lincoln, Robert Barr Todd and Robert Levi Todd

From Spirits  of Mizzou  Robert L. Todd and Robert Barr Todd

Both men were first cousins of Mary Todd Lincoln.

These two men constituted the whole first graduating class of what today is known as the University of Missouri.  "Little Bob Todd" as Robert Levi Todd was known, was class valedictorian; Robert B. Todd ("Big Bob Todd") was salutatorian.

Robert B. Todd moved to Louisiana  and eventually became a justice on the state supreme court

Robert L. remained in Boone County, (where the university is located) becoming the university's first Tutor,  and serving fifteen years as Curator and 25 years as Secretary of the Board of Curators (they are the ones who run the university).

An often-repeated story claims that Robert Levi Todd saved the university from burning during the Civil War, using his connections with President Lincoln to prevent Union Colonel Lewis Merrill from putting the whole town of Columbia to flames.

An early voice for the university's alumni, Todd was instrumental in creating the Alumni Association and served as its first president in 1885-1886.

Robert L. Todd continued to be one of the University of Missouri's strongest supporters until he died in Columbia in 1898.

Actually, it is possible that Robert Levi Todd wasn't a Confederate.

--Old Secesh

About the First Commencement at the University of Missouri in 1843 Had Just Two Graduates, Both Cousins of Mary Todd Lincoln

The first commencement ceremony for the University of Missouri at Columbia was held in November 1843, and had just two graduates.  It lasted for three hours.

The two graduates were both cousins and also cousins of Mary Todd Lincoln.

Their names were Robert B.Todd and Robert L. Todd.

Robert Barr Todd, as salutatorian spoke at the beginning and end of the ceremony.  He gave the salutatorian oration in Latin.  He closed the ceremony with the speech "Political Experience of the Past, Important to the American Citizen."

There were  nine other speakers.

Of interest, Thomas J. Hardin gave a Disputation;  "The Dissolution of the Union."

But, THREE HOURS!!!  Come On.  --Old Secesh

John G.B. Adams and Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn, Massachusetts-- Part 1

Whenever I write about a person and find out where they are buried, I like to go to that cemetery site and see if anyone else of interest is buried there.  This is part of my "Road Trippin' Through History."

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SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE BURIED AT LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS; PINE GROVE CEMETERY

HARRY AGGANIS--  Nicknamed the "Golden Greek."    Made name for self playing at Boston University where he was the school's first-ever All American.  His career with the Boston Red Sox was cut short by his death after just two seasons.

ELIHU THOMSON--  Famous inventor.  Had about 700 electrical patents and founder of the Thomson Houston Electric Company which was a precursor of the General Electric Company.

FRANCIS MOORE--  Was undisguised at the Boston Tea Party.  He was a baker and supplied bread to the Patriot Army as his own expense.

--Old Secesh

Ed Bearss-- Part 3: "You Can't Describe A Battlefield Unless You Walk It"

Ed Bearss then worked for three years with the U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office in Maryland where he used his spare times to tour Civil War battlefields in the East.  (Careful, Mr. Bearss, that's a good way to get hooked.)

In 1955, he received his MA in History from Indiana University.  He wrote his these on Confederate General Patrick Cleburne and visited the battlefields Cleburne fought on, telling friends, "You can't describe a battlefield unless you walk it."  He lives still by these words, even at age 95

Afterwards, he became the historian at the Vicksburg National Military Park.  The hook was set.  While there, he and two friends did research that led to their finding the long-lost Union gunboat USS Cairo.  He also discovered the location of two "lost" forts at Grand Gulf, Mississippi.

In 1958, he was promoted to Southeast regional historian and spent most of his time visiting battlefields around the country.  In 1981, he was promoted to Chief Historian of the National Park service.

--Old Secesh

Ed Bearss-- Part 2: In the Marines in World War II, Badly Wounded At "Suicide Creek"

Mr. Bearss enlisted in the Marine Corps on April 28, 1942, and by July was on a troop transport to the Pacific Theater.  In the invasion of Guadalcanal and the Russell Islands, he was in the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion.  In New Britain, he was in the 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division.

On January 2, 1944, Bearss was severely wounded at "Suicide Creek" (Cape Gloucester, New Britain). by Japanese machine gun fire.  He was evacuated to California and spent 26 months in various hospitals before being discharged as a corporal March 15, 1946.

He returned to Montana.

Then, it was on to Georgetown University for college using his G.I. Bill. and earned a degree in Foreign Service studies.

--Old Secesh

John Charles Black-- Part 6: In the 11th Indiana and 37th Illinois

At the outbreak of the Civil war, he was enrolled at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana,   Along with his brother William Black, Charlie initially served three months with the 11th Indiana Infantry, a three month regiment.  They fought at the Battle of Romney, Virginia (now West Virginia) on June 11, 1861.

In August 1861, he mustered out as a sergeant major and along with his brother, joined Company K of the 37th Illinois Infantry and was made captain.  He quickly earned promotion to major during regimental elections for officers on September 5, 1861.

Severely wounded in the right arm during the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 7, 1862, he earned promotion to lieutenant colonel.  He never regained the use of his right arm.

Black received the Medal of Honor at the Battle of Prairie Grove in Arkansas on December 7, 1862, when he led his regiment in a charge uphill  against the Confederate position at the Borden House.  He was wounded in the left arm this time, but he and his regiment captured an enemy artillery battery.

--Old Secesh