Roster of the Harley Wayne GAR Post #169, Marengo, Illinois

From McHenry County, Illinois, Genealogy.

This was the roster of the Marengo, Illinois, Harley Wayne GAR Post #168.  Unfortunately, there was no date given.

The names were given, but I went through the list and recorded what units the men were in during the war.

There were 31 men listed.

These were the Illinois Infantry Regiments and how many from each one:

95th:   8  All ten companies from McHenry and Boone counties.

15th:   4   Companies A, D and F were from McHenry County.

141st:   3  Company F from McHenry and Kendall counties.

153rd:   2  Company K from McHenry County.  Company B from McHenry and Boone counties.

5th:   1

23rd:   1

36th:    1

37th:   1

65th:  1

93rd:    1

CAVALRY

9th:   1

15th:   1

OTHER STATES

125th New York:   1

10th New York Cavalry:   1

14th  Iowa

19th Michigan:    1

12th Wisconsin Artillery:    1

11th Vermont Artillery:   1

--Old Secesh

William and John Black-- Part 3: On to the 37th Illinois

The 11th Indiana, of which the Black brothers were members, was a 90-day regiment and after their enlistments expired, they were discharged.  Most of the regiment reenlisted retaining the number, but this time for three years.  At this time the brothers left Indiana and returned to their home in Danville, Illinois, where they organized what became Company K in the 37th Illinois Infantry, comprised of men from Danville and Vermilion County.

With the experience they gained in the 11th, the brothers became officers in the new unit.  William became its captain.  John became the major of the 37th.

--Old Secesh

William and John Black In the 11th Indiana Under Lew Wallace-- Part 2

From Wikipedia.

The 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment was a three-month unit, enlisting at Indianapolis, Indiana, to serve for 90 days.  Its commander was Colonel Lew Wallace. and George McGinnis was its lieutenant colonel.

It was sent to Western Virginia (now West Virginia) and saw only minimal action on the raid into the town of Romney.  It then returned to Indianapolis where it was mustered out, having served its three months.

It was then reorganized as the 11th Indiana with Wallace and McGinnis again commanding.  This time the service was for three years.

So, William and John Black did serve under Lew Wallace.   It was on their return to Indianapolis that the Black brothers left the unit.  They went back to Danville and organized what became Company K of the 37th Illinois Infantry.

--Old Secesh

Illinois' William P. Black-- Part 2: Received MoH 2 October 1893

As a lawyer, William Black was best known for being defense counsel to the people charged with the Haymarket Square Riot of 1886.

MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION:

Captain, Company K, 37th Illinois Infantry.

At Pea Ridge, Arkansas,  7 March 1862.

Entered service at Danville, Illinois.

Born 11 November 1842, Woodford, Kentucky.

Date of Issue:  2 October 1883.

"Single-handedly confronted the enemy, firing a rifle at them and thus checking their advance within one hundred yards of the lines."

--Old Secesh

William P. Black, Medal of Honor Recipient and Brother of John C. Black-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

WILLIAM PERKINS BLACK

(November 11, 1841-January 3, 1916)

Lawyer and recipient of America's highest military honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, in 1862.  He gained national prominence as the lead counsel of the defense of the accused bombers of Haymarket Square Riot.

He was the brother of John C. Black, Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and also a recipient of the Medal of Honor.  They are one of only five pairs of brothers to receive the award.

Born in Woodward County, Kentucky.  His family moved to Danville, Illinois.

In 1867, he formed the law firm of Dent & Black with Thomas Dent.

--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

Illinois Medal of Honor Recipient John C. Black-- Part 2: Battle of Prairie Grove

Now we know that the two Blacks in the 37th Illinois, John C. and William P., were brothers.

After three months in the 11th Indiana, the two brothers were mustered out (it was a three-month regiment) and joined what became Company K in the 37th Illinois.  The 11th had been commanded by Lew Wallace.

John became a major in the unit and was wounded in the right arm at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 7, 1862.  On July 12, 1862, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became the commander of the 37th Illinois.  He led his regiment against fortified Confederate positions at the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on December 7, 1862.

The 37th suffered heavy casualties and was forced to retreat.  John C. Black was seriously wounded.

--Old Secesh

Illinois Medal of Honor Recipient John C. Black-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

JOHN CHARLES BLACK

(January 28, 1839 - August 17, 1915

Democratic U.S. Congressman and received Medal of Honor as Union Army lieutenant colonel and regimental commander at the Battle of Prairie Grove December 7, 1862.

Born Lexington, Mississippi and moved to Danville, Illinois, in 1847.  His father was a minister in the Presbyterian Church.  He attended Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and became a lawyer.

Entered Union Army on April 14, 1861, along with his brother, William P. Black.  They mustered into the 11th Indiana Infantry Regiment.  He enlisted as a private  but was made sergeant major in April 25, 1861.

Well, that answers that question.

The Black Brothers from Danville.  --Old Secesh

More Illinois Medals of Honor: Two Men Named Black, Four In the 37th

The second and third men on the list of 91 men from Illinois who received Medals of Honor made me look twice.  Both men had Black as a last name and both served in the 37th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  They were John C. Black and William P. Black.

The next man on the list, Welis H. Blodget also was in the 37th.  There was also a Thomas H.L. Payne in the 37th.  That is four Medal of Honor recipients from the same regiment and two with the same last name.

Might the two with the same last name be brothers?  Very often, during the Civil War, companies were made up of men from the same area.  Regiments were that way as well.

Thanks to Wikipedia, I found out that the two Black boys were brothers.

Must Have Been A Very Proud Family.  --Old Secesh

Union Brigadier General Eugene B. Payne of Illinois

From the Donnelley and Lee Library Archives, Chicago, Illinois.

Eugene Beauharmais Payne (1835-1910) wrote 19 letters to his wife, Delia W. Payne from Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri from February to May, 1862.  He described the Battle of Pea Ridge March 12, 1862.

In 1865, he became the first soldier from Lake County, Illinois, to attain the rank of brigadier general.

He was born in Seneca Falls, New York, April 15,1835.  In 1836, his family moved to Fremont Township in Lake County and from then on played a big role in the county's development.  Payne graduated from Washington High School and in 1860 graduated Northwestern University's Law School and was admitted to the bar the same year.

Payne organized the first company of troops and served in the 37th Illinois Infantry until September 1864, when he was discharged because of malaria after being wounded at Vicksburg.

Old Secesh

Lake County in the War

From the Lake County Discovery Museum High Tech Civil War exhibit.

Lake County, at the very northeast corner of Illinois, bordering Lake Michigan and with Wisconsin to its north, sent over 1,900 men to war out of an 1860 population of 18,000. They were in 75 different military units.

The first Lake Countian to become a general was Eugene B. Payne of Fremont Township who formed a company called the Fremont Rifles who later became a part of the 37th Illinois Infantry.

Another regiment with large numbers from Lake County was the 96th Illinois.

Quite an Exhibit. --Old Secesh