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
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