Veterans Memorial Hall & Museum in Rockford, Illinois-- Part 2: It Was a GAR Thing

Display cases throughout the building contain artifacts, photographs and other items from America's wars, including recent conflicts in the Middle East.  The museum contains 15,000 such pieces in its collection.

When memorial Hall opened in 1903, the first organization to meet in the Post Room was a local contingent of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), the first and eventually the largest veterans organization of the Civil War veterans in the country.

Founded in Decatur, Illinois, in 1866, its peak membership exceeded 409,000 Union veterans, including five U.S. presidents.  

This national organization established the pension system for veterans, funded homes and hospitals for soldiers, widows and orphans; and created Memorial Day to honor all deceased veterans.

--Old Secesh

Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum in Rockford

Also from The Cabin fever Quarterly Magazine, 2024.

The Rock River Valley Civil War Round Table is just one of several regional military-related organizations to find a home at Veterans Memorial Hall.  At least eight other veterans groups have offices or hold meetings there, and the magnificent edifice is often used as a venue for many municipal events.

Designed in a Classical Greek Revival style, the Hall is one of only three such buildings to survive in Illinois to honor veterans.  It's also the only building in Rockford, maybe even the state, that was dedicated by a sitting U.S.  President Theodore Roosevelt did that in 1903, soon after construction was completed.

The top floor contains an auditorium with a raised stage and a curved balcony.  A wide wooden staircase leads down to the Great Hall where names of Civil War battles adorn the tops of walls.  Two tablet rooms contain bronze plaques which list the names all veterans from Winnebago County who served in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War and were buried by 1903.

--Old Secesh

Medals of Honor at Gettysburg

Since I have been writing about Richard Enderlin receiving a Medal of Honor for what he did at the Battle of Gettysburg, I decided to take a look at other Medals of Honor given at this, the arguably biggest battle of the war.

From the National Medal of Honor Museum "The Battle of Gettysburg and the Medal of Honor."

Ten different Union soldiers earned their Medal of Honor on the first day, July 1.

Twenty-two different soldiers earned it on the second day (including Richard Enderlin), July 2.

Thirty-two Union soldiers won theirs on the 3rd day, July 3.

This was more than any other single battle in the Eastern Theater of the war.  Only twenty received their Medal during the Civil War.  Forty more were awarded between 1897 and 1905.  The last Medal of Honor recipient from Gettysburg, Corporal Thaddeus  Smith of the 6th Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry, would die in March  1933.

--Old Secesh

Artillery-- Part 8: USS Princeton Explosion and Santa Anna's Wooden Leg

**  Before the war, there was an explosion of a cannon on the USS Princeton in  1844 that almost killed President Tyler.

**  The Secession Cannon was a field piece  from Charleston, South Carolina.

**  Leeds cannons were produced in New Orleans.

**  There is a Blakely cannon at Grant Park in Galena, Illinois.   It fired on Fort Sumter April 12, 1861, and was captured in 1865.

**  One reason the Confederacy was able to capture so many U.S. cannons at the start of the war was because U.S. Secretary of War John B. Floyd (1857-1860) had started stockpiling U.A. armaments in arsenals throughout the South.  (He later became a Confederate general.  Makes you wonder.)

**  Someone said there was a Benjamin Butler play in Rockford, Illinois.

Santa Anna's wooden leg from the Mexican War is at the Illinois Military Museum in Springfield, Illinois.  Someone said that Mexico wants it back.

Not That We Ever Go Off Topic at Discussion Group.  --Old Secesh

Leeds Cannons

From Civil War Artillery.com  Federal and Confederate Manufacturers.

LEEDS & CO.

New Orleans firm which apparently made a single 8-inch Columbiad, which burst, and from then on produced bronze field calibers  until the fall of that city in April 1862.

Charles J. and Thomas L. Leeds, proprietors.

Several 3.3-inch caliber bronze cannon were manufactured.

One example is located at in the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond, Virginia.

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

QUESTION:  Were any heavy guns made at Leeds & Co's establishment or were any rifled or banded?

ANSSWER:  "We made a few heavy guns for the Navy and one for the Army.  We rifled quite a number of old 32 and 42 pounders for the Army, and we banded one 7-inch gun.  I do not recollect whether any more were banded...."

--Old Secesh

Artillery-- Part 6: Leeds Cannons

**  Several years ago, Frank Crawford gave a talk to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table about the Leeds cannon which is in the Boone County Museum of History in Belvidere, Illinois.  It was shipped from Rock Island Arsenal to the museum.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend it and looked for information on it, but wasn't able to find it until recently.

The Leeds cannon was made in New Orleans for the Confederacy.  The fact that New Orleans fell so soon in the war makes Leeds Confederate cannons very rare.

Leeds cannons were small bore field pieces.

--Old Secesh

Gettysburg Address Is Back (Well, Was)

From the November 19, 2021, Chicago Tribune.

A picture and caption about this important document:

"Exhibits fabricator Tom Conway and registrar Carla Smith lift a copy of the Gettysburg Address into the public display case Thursday at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.

"One of five known existing copies in Lincoln's own handwriting, this one s known as the Everett Copy, as Lincoln prepared it for Edward Everett, another speaker on the day that he gave the Gettysburg Address.

"It is installed each year for the anniversary of the November 19, 1863, Gettysburg Address and will remain on public display for the next two weeks.  The Everett Copy was acquired by the state of Illinois in 1944 and is kept in a vault the rest of the year to preserve it."

Something I definitely would like to see, but reckon I'll have to wait until next year to do it.

Oh, Well.  --Old Secesh

Re-enactment in Baxter Springs, Kansas

From the September 24, 2021, Joplin (Missouri) Globe  "Civil War encampment coming up in October."

Okay, sorry, we missed it, but maybe next year.  Liz and I are big Route 66 enthusiasts and this is right on the Mother Road in the really short part of it that passes through Kansas  (just 13 miles).

The Baxter Springs  Heritage Center & Museum, 740 East Avenue, will host a Civil War encampment on the grounds of the Fort Blair  Historic Site on October 2-3.

On Saturday, there will be  morning and afternoon military parades, demonstrations of camp life from that era, several federal and Confederate drills and food trucks.   Inside the museum, there will be speakers, special displays and docudramas.

Live bands will play music and dancing from that time.

Battle engagements are scheduled at  10 am and 2 pm Saturday and at 1 pm on Sunday.

Period-style dress is encouraged, but not required.

Maybe Next Year.  --Old Secesh

Great News: MCCWRT Will Have First In-Person Meeting at Woodstock Library Since Virus Hit, on Tuesday, Oct. 12

It's been a long time coming, but the McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) will be having its first in-person meeting at our home base, the Woodstock (Illinois) Library since our last one in March 2020.  The Woodstock Library has been closed to meetings since then until now.   (We did have one meeting at the McHenry County Historical Society Museum in Union, Illinois back in June.)

We have been doing the last several meetings on Zoom.  Our discussion groups are now back at meeting on the last Saturday of each month at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake.

Since I don't do Zoom I haven't seen any of the regular meetings except the one in Union.

The meeting is from 7 to 9 pm, Tuesday October 12.  Doors to the library, however, will be closed promptly at 7, so plan accordingly.

This month, Scott Larimer will be presenting Fort Sumter & Other Civil War Forts."

Come On Down!!  --Old Secesh

What Happened to Captain Wayne's Sword?

The sword that Capt. Harley Wayne wore at the Battle of Shiloh along with his tunic (uniform top) were both returned to Ellen Wayne (his wife)

The tunic has disappeared, but the buttons have survived to this day.

His sword was later donated to the Harley Wayne Grand Army of the Republic Post 169 in nearby Marengo.  The sword "disappeared" at the same time the last post member died.

"That was probably in the 1950s," said Nancy Fike, curator of the McHenry County Historical Society museum in Union.

"The last of all those Civil War veterans died out about then and when they did, so did the Grand Army of the republic since that is what they were.

"We're lucky if we can scare up a World War I veteran now to talk to.  They're getting scarce."(This newspaper article came out in 1987.  Frank Buckles, the last-known WW I veteran died at age 110 on February 27, 2011.)

One Harley Wayne historical item has been found.  It came as it should, from an attic in Marengo.  "It's a quilt square," said Connie Parenti of Union.  "Calvin Spencer founded Marengo in 1835 and his daughter quilted."

--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

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

McHenry Co. CWRT-- Part 3: Preserving the Past: John Brink's Notebook

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) has also spent money for repairs to two items in the McHenry County Historical Society Museum in Union (where we met) and we had the opportunity to see where our money went.

One was the Civil War diary of John Brink notebook.  He served from 1862 to 1863 and took a trip to Murfreesboro, Tn. after the Battle of Stones River.  He was from McHenry County.

The other is also a Brink notebook which has the names of about 400 soldiers from McHenry County.

Both are now preserved and in the museum's Civil War exhibit, which also has a lot of GAR artifacts.

The topic for June's MCCWRT discussion group will be Civil War Veterans Organizations and will be held at the Panera Bread Company restaurant in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

--Old Secesh

McHenry County CW Round Table Meeting, June-- Part 2: The Portabella Burger Incident

And, even better, eight of us met up at Checkers II restaurant in "downtown" Union (there isn't much of a downtown) before the meeting and enjoyed conversation and good food, including me being "trucked" by what they called the Portabella Burger. 

It was listed under handcrafted sandwiches (which also included burgers) and I figured it was a hamburger paddy topped by a huge mushroom and it also included three of my favorite things on any sandwich, but especially on a burger and that would be  sauteed onions, peppers and melted bleu cheese.  All served on a pretzel roll.

Wow, my mouth watered at this prospect.

But, when I got it. there was no hamburger.  A huge slice of portabella mushroom took the place of the burger paddy.  Disappointed, but I bit into it and boy, was that good.  I'd order it again, even without a burger.

We then adjourned over to the McHenry County Historical Society Museum for the meeting.

Everyone was required to wear face masks and social distancing was practiced.

--Old Secesh

Boy, Was That Fun Last Night in Union. First In-Person Round Table Meeting Since March 2020.

Last night I drove 30 miles from Spring Grove, Illinois, to Union, Illinois, for the first in person McHenry County Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) meeting since March of 2020 (because of you-know-what).  We had an excellent presentation on Civil War generals by Bruce Allardice.

The meeting was held at the McHenry County Historical Society Museum located in an old school in Union.  We normally have our monthly meetings at the Woodstock (Illinois) Public Library, but their meeting rooms remain closed.  (Hopefully next month we can meet there.)

Just as fun, we also had a pre-meeting dinner group at the Checkers II restaurant in Union which had eight in attendance.  When we used to meet in Woodstock, we had the pre-meeting eat and greet at 3 Brothers restaurant.

I must admit that I used to take these get-togethers for granted, but believe me, no more.

In addition, I joined the McHenry County Historical Society.  While there I got to see the journals the MCCWRT has paid to have preserved and an exhibit on the GAR in McHenry County.

This, by the way, was the second farthest I'd been from home since March 2020.  The farthest was over Memorial Day weekend a couple weeks ago when I went to the Indy 500.

Sure Good to Be Back.  --Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting June 8 in Union, Illinois

The McHenry County (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will be having its first in person general meeting since March 2020 at the McHenry County Historical Society Museum in Union this Tuesday, June 8, at 7 pm.

We have already had several in person discussion group meetings, but this will be the first regular meeting like that.

Bruce Allardice will give his presentation "Poltroons, Patriots and Politicians:  Civil War Generals" at that time. 

Also, a group of us will be meeting at Checkers restaurant at 5:30 pm.

Everyone is welcome.  Come on by.

Looking Forward to Learning What a Poltroon Is.  --Old Secesh

X-IT the Union: Confederate Prototype Flag

From the April 2021 Civil War Times magazine by Dana B. Shoaf.

This flag recently sold at auction for $50,787.50. 

The Confederate flag in question here is a curious hybrid of the United States banner and the Southern battle flag.

The colorful flag is 33" by 52" inches in size, is made of red, white and blue cotton fabric with13 white stars, for the seceded states and two border states, applied in an "X" pattern to each side of the canton.

Its exact origin is not known.

A similar version was carried by the 22md/20th Arkansas Infantry and is part of Little Rock's Old State House Museum.

It is also possible that the flag, sold by Heritage Auctions, is an early prototype for the Confederate National Flag, and was one of several designs considered by Confederate Jefferson Davis.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Meeting Tuesday, June 11: The Leeds Cannon at Boone County Historical Museum

Tuesday, June 11, the McHenry County Civil War Round Table will hold its monthly meeting at the Woodstock, Illinois, Public Library at 414 West Judd Street (just a couple blocks west of the historic 1840s Woodstock square where the movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed.

This month's presentation will be by Frank Crawford on the "Leeds Cannon at the Boone County (Illinois) Historical Museum."

Everyone is invited and the meeting starts at  7 p.m..

--Old Secesh

Siege of Port Hudson-- Part 3: Another Assault Repulsed and Confederate Surrender After Vicksburg Fell

Another attempt to take Port Hudson failed on June 13, when the Confederates inflicted 1,805 casualties on Union forces while losing fewer than 200.  Those gad to be some strong earthwork defenses.  The Confederates at Port Hudson held out until they learned of the surrender of Vicksburg.

Without its upriver (Mississippi River) position it lacked  strategic significance and the garrison surrendered on July 9, 1963.  This gave the Union control of the entire Mississippi River, though ships on the river came under Confederate attacks from time to time throughout the rest of the war.

Today the Port Hudson State Commemorative Area  (Commemorative Area?  Really?) has 889 acres on the northern portion of the battlefield, three observation towers, six miles of trails an a museum.

Four thousand Civil War veterans are buried at the Port Hudson National Cemetery which stands just outside the Confederate lines.

--Old Secesh

Chester, S.C., End of the War-- Part 3: The Provisional and Permanent Constitutions of the Confederacy

Not only was the treasury of the Confederacy on the train, but also many important documents including both the  provisional and permanent Confederate Constitutions and the Great Seal of the Confederacy.

The Constitutions were recovered and kept safe by Felix Gregory  DeFontaine, who later sold them to museums.  The provisional one ended up in the Confederate Museum in Richmond, Va., and the permanent one  is now owned by the University of Georgia.

--Old Secesh