DeKalb County, Illinois Civil War Monument-- Part 1

From the March 2024 Northwest Quarterly magazine.

DEKALB COUNTY CIVIL WAR MONUMENT

133 West State St., 

Sycamore, Illinois

An estimated 2,391 DeKalb County residents enlisted in 14 military units during the Civil War.  Their sacrifices were formally recognized three decades after the war ended when a monument was dedicated to honor all of the county's residents.  (Sad that this is the reason those Confederate monuments in front of courthouses were dedicated.)

The 50-foot monument, dedicated in1897, now stands in front of the DeKalb County Courthouse. At the top of the stone obelisk stands a Union soldier with a long coat and cap.  He holds a sword in one hand and bears a flag in the other.

--Old Secesh

Some More on Richard Enderlin-- Part 3: Medal of Honor and a Long Life

I found out that both George Nixon and Richard Enderlin were in the same Company B of the 73rd Ohio.

For his extraordinary courage, Richard Enderlin was promoted to sergeant the next day.  He continued his duties as musician until seriously wounded himself in the spring of 1864.  He finished the war in the Veteran Reserve Corps.

Then on September 11, 1897, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Enderlin went on to live a long life and died February 11, 1930 and is buried at Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio, his hometown.  Chillicothe had  a memorial to Enderlin outside of Yoctangee Park.

--Old Secesh

December 19: The President Taunts Crowd at Augusta Visit

From the August 19, 2020, Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle.

I bet you're thinking that President Trump left the White House for one more campaign rally.  But that is not the case because the December 19 in this instance is December 19, 1898, and the president is William McKinley.

DECEMBER 19, 1898

President William McKinley came to town and he brought his sense of humor with him.  On  a damp day in the week before Christmas, the republican drew one of the largest crowds ever on Broad Street.

During a lull in the activities, an ex-Confederate who was chatting with the president pointed with pride to a large marble memorial only a few yards away  and said, "That represents what sort of soldier we were."

"Yes, and what you were," replied the president who was a Union Army sergeant at the Battle of Antietam, "for I see the soldier surmounting the column has a 'U.S.' on his cartridge box."

McKinley referred to the  figure atop the memorial, according to an account in the Baltimore Sun,  and told the old Confederate that things had really worked out for the best.

Then, he wasted little time introducing a local favorite, Gen. Joseph  Wheeler.  The Augusta native and once dashing Confederate cavalryman was now a hero of the Spanish-American conflict.

Earlier this month, an Augusta task force has recommended this memorial be removed to a cemetery.  You know why.

Back Then, Not Now.  --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

Stephen A. Douglas Tomb-- Part 6: His Tomb and Memorial

He was buried in Chicago near Lake Michigan.  Immediately after his death, an association of prominent Chicagoans was formed to oversee the construction of a  suitable tomb and monument for a man of his important stature.  But, they failed to raise the sufficient funds for it.

In 1865, the state of Illinois purchased  the tomb from Douglas' widow, Adele Douglas, for $25,000.  On June 3, 1868, Douglas' remains were placed in the completed portion of the tomb
Leonard Volk, a relative of Douglas, designed the tomb and monument.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed Volk's plans for the unfinished structure.  The tomb was completed in May 1881, at the cost of $90,000.

The memorial was designated a Chicago Landmark on September 28, 1977.    The tomb is maintained by the Illinois Historic Preservation  Agency.

--Old Secesh

Stephen A. Douglas Tomb-- Part 5: His Tomb and Memorial in Chicago

From Wikipedia.

The Stephen A. Douglas Tomb and Memorial, also referred to as the Stephen Douglas Monument Park is located in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago (primarily Black). It is near the site of the Union Army's training camp and Confederate prisoner of war camp known as Camp Douglas.

The memorial is a 96-foot tall granite structure comprising three  circular bases and a  20-foot diameter octagonal mausoleum which holds Douglas'  sarcophagus.  Four figures portraying Illinois, History, Justice and Eloquence are at the four corners of the mausoleum.  A ten-foot statue of Douglas stands at the top of the  46-foot column of white marble from his native state of Vermont,

Douglas is probably best known for his series of debates with Abraham Lincoln in 1858 and his run for presidency in 1860.  However, he died soon after the Civil War began on June 3, 1861, from typhoid fever.

--Old Secesh

Two Old Soldiers Greet FDR at Antietam's 75th Anniversary in 1937-- Part 4: Bazel Lemley

Bazel Lemley, 95, was the Union veteran who was at the Battle of Antietam who met President Roosevelt at the 75th anniversary of the battle.  He was 19 when he enlisted in the 37th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment as a private on May 15, 1861.  He survived Antietam, but was slightly wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864.

According to a descendant, Mr. Lemley was "quite a celebrity around his home" and was quite active up until his death.

Like Robert E. Miles, Lemley lived to reach his 100th birthday and even at that age often walked two miles a day.  "He was consistently Greene County's best-dressed senior," another Pennsylvania newspaper noted.

On February 18, 1943, eight days after he celebrated his 101st birthday, Mr. Lemley died in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania.  World War I veterans served as his pallbearers at his funeral.

"Mr. Lemley was a staunch Republican and among his fondest memories was shaking hands with President Lincoln at a military review and with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the dedication of the 'Eternal Light' memorial at Gettysburg, according to his obituary in the Waynesburg  (Pa.) Democrat Messenger.

--Old Secesh

Confederate Defenders of Charleston Statue-- Part 3: "In Perpetue With Love and Veneration"

The last living Confederate Defender of Charleston in 1932 (the dedication date), Col. William Robert Greer, attended the ceremony.  He described Fort Sumter's ordeal and praised Andrew B. Murray, the philanthropist who donated $100,000 to the city to fund the monument.

There was never "at any time  and lack of courage,"  Col. Greer said, "but a determination unalterable that this great Gibraltar of Charleston should never be captured or  surrendered.... There were many flags shot down in the fort during the siege...

"But before the force embarked for the city, the commander, the gallant and intrepid  [Thomas A.] Huguenin, removed the standard and consigned it as a scared  relic to the care of the Sumter Guards, where it has been held in perpetue with love and veneration."

--Old Secesh

Confederate Defenders of Charleston Monument-- Part 2: Dedicating the Monument in 1932

The monument is topped by two figures, that of a woman representing Charleston and a young man representing the Confederate defenders.  The young muscular man is wearing nothing but a strategically placed fig leaf.

On October 20, 1932, some 8,000 people gathered for the statue's dedication in White Point Gardens, the Battery, for the Confederate defenders of Fort Sumter.  Many of those present had fathers, uncles and  grandfathers who fought  in what many still called "The Confederate War."

The statue's sculptor, Hermon A. McNeill, said of the monuments:  "The motif in brief, is that of a stalwart youth, standing in front with sword and shield symbolizes by his attitude the defense not only of the fort, but also of the fair city behind the fort in which are his most prized possessions, wife and family.

"And she, the wife,  glorified into an Athena-like woman, unafraid, stands behind him with arms outstretched toward the fort, this creating an inseparable  union of the city and Fort Sumter."

--Old secesh

Heritage Attacks On the Confederacy-- Part 1: May 29, 2019

I am only writing about these attacks three days in a row.  To read them really sends my blood pressure up.

Just to let you know that these  attacks are continuing and will so  until we can get something to stop  them.

These are Confederate Google Alerts from May 29, 2019.

Fortunately, most of these listed  today do not require the removal of a statue or memorial to the gray.

**  The best e-mails I've received about Dallas' Confederate Memorial.

**  Letter:  Removing Confederate flags does not erase history.

**  Debate continues over Confederate statue 'Fame' in downtown Salisbury (N.C.).

**  Sims:  We shouldn't honor the worst of traitors.

**  Letter:  Proud of my Confederate ancestors.

More From Today.  --  RoadDog

Upcoming Protest Calls for Removal of Confederate Mound in Oak Woods Cemetery-- Part 1

From the April 18, 2019, Chicago Weekly Citizen by Katherine Newman.

The Camp Douglas Camp #516 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (which is named after the Union prison in Chicago in which some 6,000 Confederates died during the war) will hold a memorial service on April 22 at the Confederate Mound, where at least 4,000 victims are buried, in Oak Woods Cemetery. 

They will be met by a group calling themselves Smash White Supremacy.

Matthew Evans, the commander of the SCV group said:  We gather to honor the 6,000 men buried at Confederate Mound, who suffered through harsh winters, extreme summer temperature, starvation, human cruelty by the hands of Federal guards, only to die in a prison camp and never return home."

Both groups are planning a peaceful event near each other on April 22.

--Old Secesh

Last Year It Was A Planned Confrontation At the Confederate Monument in Chicago

The Camp Douglas  Camp #516 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, with members throughout Chicagoland, has been holding a memorial service at the Confederate Mound in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago for many years and, until last year, there has never been a problem, even though this cemetery is located deep within a black neighborhood.

It has been a peaceful commemoration with much solemnity.  That is, until last year.  At that time a group arrived on the scene, supposedly to have a service at the grave of Ida B. Wells, but in reality the reason they were there was to break up the Confederate service and provoke a confrontation.

They had never been there before and neither Ida B. Wells' birthday or death occurs in April.  They had loudspeakers and were chanting right in the middle of the Confederate proceedings.  Strange that it would happen in this time and age.

But, if you read my three previous posts before yesterday, you will see it is all part of the bigger movement to bury and disgrace all things Confederate.  It is so sad that some people can not allow  others to commemorate their heritage.

And, I also believe that Ida B. Wells deserves to be better known than she is.  She was one brave woman to go after the horrible lynchings that took place in the South during her time.  And the fact that she was a black person and a woman, made her going to the South a very dangerous trip.  I'd support a statue at the cemetery or on a public space.

It is too bad that it took the opportunity to cause a confrontation to get the other group fired up enough to go out and do something for a real hero, Ida B. Weells.

--Old Secesh

Community Organizers Want Confederate Monument Removed From Chicago's Oak Woods Cemetery

From the April 7, 2019, Chicago Sun-Times  by Rachel Hinton.

Two black groups want the monument removed because such black notables as Ida B. Wells, Jesse Owens and Chicago's first black mayor, Harold Washington are buried in the cemetery.  About a dozen protested.  They would like to have a monument to Ida B. Wells.  (At one time there was a monument to this remarkable woman in the form of the Ida B. Wells Housing Project.)

The monument stands atop what is called the Confederate Mound at the cemetery and is the site of the graves of over 4,000 Confederate soldiers who died at Camp Douglas prison during the Civil War.  It was a Union prison noted for its harsh conditions.

The cemetery is located at 1035 E. 67th Street in Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.

The Confederate Mound monument is administered by the Federal Veterans Administration and overseen by the Abraham Lincoln National cemetery in Elwood, Illinois (near Joliet).

Matthew Evans, the camp commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) Camp Douglas Camp #516, says there is little they can do because the site is owned by the Veterans Administration.

Personally, I would like to have monuments to the three people mentioned in the first paragraph as long as they are privately funded.  They were all remarkable people whose memories should never be forgotten.

--Old Secesh

The Saga of Col. Ulric Dahlgren's Leg-- Part 1: Wounded in Fighting After Battle of Gettysburg

I recently mentioned an article in the January 27, 1991, Washington (D.C.) Post  "Sacrificial Limb" by Dwight Sullivan.

This one gave more details on the colonel's leg.  I will write about it now as I am about out of my limited number of free articles to this newspaper.  Plus, I had never heard of this story, other than Ulric Dahlgren's raid on Richmond.

"The macabre Civil War  relic is just off M Street SE,  mounted on the Washington Navy Yard's Building 28.  It's a black metal plate bearing this  inscription:  "Within this wall  is the leg of Col. Ulric Dahlgren U.S.V.  wounded July 6th 1863 while skirmishing in the streets of Hagerstown with the rebels after the Battle of Gettysburgh."

Then, the story gets stranger.

--Old Secesh

Ed Bearss On Albert Cashier and U.S. Grant's Confederate Connection

Next Mr. Bearss talked about one interesting Union soldier named Albert Cashier, who actually was a woman by the name of Jennie Hodgers.  She was able to keep her sex secret until 1911 when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver and was hospitalized.

Then, it was back to Vicksburg where he said there were more Illinois units participating than any other state.  Their numbers came to about 40,000  (Wikipedia quotes a total of 77,000 men in Grant's army).  The Illinois monument has three medallions on it:  Lincoln is in the center, flanked by Grant and Civil War Governor Yates.

U.S. Grant was a good friend of Confederate General James Longstreet who stood up at Grant's wedding before the war.  When Grant got out of the Army before the war in New York City he was dead broke he borrowed money from future Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner.

--Old SecGrant

Ed Bearss On Illinois In the Civil War, Vicksburg

Illinois has the biggest monument at Vicksburg Battlefield.  It is a copy of the Pantheon in Rome.  William Le Baron Jenney was the architect   During the Civil War, he served as the Chief Engineer of the 15th Corps and designed the world;s first skyscraper in Chicago, the Leiter Building.

Illinois has the biggest monument because that state furbished the most troops to the Vicksburg Campaign.  The monument has 49 steps which represent the 49 days of the siege.

U.S. Grant's son, Frederick Dent Grant, was with his father at Vicksburg and on the general's staff.  He was struck by a shell fragment when the fleet ran by Vicksburg.s defenses.

--Old Secesh

And, the New War Continues-- Part 2: Madison Preparing to Desecrate Confederate Graves

Mayor Soglin has three propositions for the 1931 memorial in the cemetery:

1.  Remove it.

2.  Eradication a section that refers to the United Daughters of the Confederacy organization that installed it.

3.  Leaving it, but placing next to it "a new honest monument" that tells the story of how the Daughters have spread lies about slavery throughout the United States and "continues to do so to this day.

He says the third item would be his preferred solution. I would say that none of these are advisable.  Leave it as it is.  Soglin wants the City Council of Madison to make the final decision but will introduce a resolution.

I think an appropriate plaque would be a plaque explaining how so many Confederates came to die while in Union hands over a short period of time in their fair city.  Also, there should be acknowledgement of the atrocities Wisconsin and Union soldiers inflicted on Southern civilians, women and children during the war.

Kind of strange that that memorial was okay from 1931 to 2017,

But Now It Is Not.  --Old Secesh

So Sad: New Book "An Illustrated Guide to Virginia's Confederate Monuments"

From the March/April 2016 Confederate Veteran magazine.

Review of Timothy S. Sedore's book by Bryon E. Brady.

This book locates and gives the history of all the Confederate monuments in the state.

The really sad thing, though, is that soon it will be a memorial to all the Confederate monuments once a certain group of people have had them all removed.

Then, you can see WHERE they used to stand.

Such a Sad Time We Live In These Days.  --Old Secesh

All That Hoopla for Muhammad Ali in Louisville and He Didn't Risk His Life for His Country

It was interesting to note all the hoopla involved with the recent death of boxer Muhammad Ali in Louisville which is regarded his home.  There were a lot of things I liked about him, but his refusal to serve his country wasn't one of them.  In other words, he wasn't willing to put his life on the line, even in the name of all the money he made because he lived in this country.

Then, there were the others honored by the Confederate memorial in Louisville who DID put their lives on the line for THEIR country.  As honored as they should be, now the city and university want to remove that memorial.

Something's definitely wrong there.

--Old Secesh

Wisconsin Drummer Boy-- Part 4: Lifelong Member of GAR

After the war, Frank Pettis (Shown as Pettys on the Company A and regimental rosters) returned to Reedsburg and went to work at his father's tailor shop. Later, at the age of 20, he became a miller.  He was a life-long member of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Reedsburg Drum Corps.

He died in 1918 at age 68.

At the funeral, the Reedsburg Drum Corps, performed with muffled drums and preceded the hearse to Greenwood Cemetery where he is buried near his former captain.

A young Frank Pettis is depicted with his drum on Reedsburg's Military Memories in Nishan Park on the "Courage" panel.

--Old Secesh