The August 23rd Bloomington-Normal Pantagraph had an article about Oscar Slagle getting recognition at his grave of the fact that he was a recipient of the nation's highest honor.
Doris Lowe knew her grandfather fought in the Civil War, but not much beyond that. When her mother died in 1985, she received a trunk and it it found two letters and a Congressional Medal of Honor for her grandfather.
Oscar Slagle was born in Ohio and joined the Union Army's 104th Illinois, Co. D at Manlius in 1862. He received the Medal of Honor in 1897 for an event taking place July 2, 1863. While the Battle of Gettysburg was raging to the east, Union forces found a Confederate fort built along Elk River, Tennessee. The commander asked for volunteers to attack it and 11 members of the 104th quickly stepped forward for what seemed to be a suicide assault across a field. They accomplished their task and seven received Medals of Honor. The other 4 didn't because they couldn't be identified.
A ceremony was held August 23rd at the cemetery and a plaque placed at the grave. Members of the 104th Illinois Re-enactors took part.
Broughton Township Cemetery is located along Livingston County Road 2400 North, two miles east of 3300 East Road.
Glad to See Slagle Get His Due. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
