Galena's 45th Illinois Infantry-- Part 1: 'Washburne Leadmine Regiment

Quite a few of the things I have been writing about recently have had to do with this regiment, including Edward Kittoe, his son and T.D. Connor in the last post.

From Report of the Adjutant General

Called the Washburne Leadmine Regiment in honor of Elihu B. Washburne, member of Congress from the Galena district.  (His home is still standing and open for tours on certain days.)  It was organized by John  E. Smith of Galena, Illinois who was commissioned Colonel of Volunteers for it July 23, 1861.

During its organization, the regiment rendezvoused at the Jo Davies County fairgrounds, near Galena, which was renamed Camp Washburne, in in his honor.  Seven companies were organized here and they organized fully and were equipped with the short Enfield rifle.  (This fair started in 1860 and is considered the oldest continually running county fair in the state.  Today it is in Warren, Illinois.)

November 22, 1861, Camp Washburne was broken up and the regiment ordered to Camp Douglas in Chicago.  Here they reached full complement of ten companies and mustered into service of the United States on December 25, 1861.

A short time later, on January 12, 1862, they left for Cairo, Illinois.

--Old Secesh

Surgeon Edward D. Kittoe of Galena

From Find-A-Grave.

DR. EDWARD DOMINICUS KITTOE

BIRTH:   23 June 1814, Kent, England

DEATH:  25 September 1887 (aged 73)

BURIAL: Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois.

He was the father of Maria Fiester Kittoe who married Alfred Smith, the son of John E. Smith.

--Old Secesh

Alfred T. Smith-- Part 3: His Service

From Colonels in Blue:  Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Lieutenant, U.S. 8th Infantry May 14, 1861

Assistant Professor of Mathematics  USMA  Sept. 1862-March 18, 1865.

Captain, 8th U.S. Infantry, Sept. 19, 1863.

Colonel, 156th Illinois Infantry, April 4, 1865.

Commanded Post of Chattanooga, TN., June 1865.

Commanded 3 Brigade, 2 Separate Division, District of the Etowah, Department of  the Cumberland, June-Aug. 1865.

Acting AIG, staff of  Major General John E. Smith (his father), District of West Tennessee, Aug.-Sept. 1865.

Honorably mustered out, Sept. 20, 1865.

Bvt. Captain, US Army, July 1862 for gallant and meritorious services during the Peninsular Campaign.

Bvt. Major and Bvt. Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorius services during the war.

Battle Honors:  The Virginia Peninsular Campaign.

Education:  Graduated U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, 1860.

Was Colonel of 13th U.S. Infantry in the Spanish-American War,

Retired 16 June 1899.

--Old Secesh

Alfred Smith-- Part 2

CAPT. ALFRED THEOPHILUS SMITH

Civil War Union officer.  An 1860 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, he served during the war as a captain in then 8th United States Regular Infantry before being commissioned colonel and commander of the 156th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

He ended the war with brevets to Major and Lieutenant Colonel in the Regular Service.

After the war, he served as Colonel of the  13th United States Infantry and was promoted to Major General on the retired list.

He died in Buffalo, New York, and was cremated there.  His family erected a cenotaph for him in their family plot in Galena.

--Old Secesh

John E. Smith's Son, Alfred Smith, Also Union Officer

I have been writing about Galena, Illinois, General John E. Smith earlier this month.  He had a son who was also a Union officer and as a cenotaph at the same cemetery as his father.

From Find-A-Grave.

CAPT. ALFRED THEOPHILUS SMITH

BIRTH: 29 May 1838, St. Louis, Missouri

DEATH:  23 May 1905, Buffalo, New York

BURIAL:  Cremated there.   Cenotaph at Greenwood Cemetery, Galena, Illinois.

Alfred Smith was the son of John E. Smith.

In 1862, he married Maria Fiester Kittoe (1841- 1878).  She was the daughter of Union surgeon  Dr. Edward Dominicus Kittoe of Galena, Illinois.

--Old Secesh

Many of the Galena Nine Buried at Greenwood Cemetery

From Find-A-Grave.

Five of the Galena Nine are buried at Galena's Greenwood Cemetery, including John E. Smith.

The other four:

Augustus Louis Chetlain

Jasper Adalmorn  Maltby

Willima Reuben  Rowley

John Corson Smith

In addition, a very important politician who helped Grant's career immensely, Elihu  Benjamin Washburne is buried there.  Also, Edward Kittoe, a Union surgeon.

--Old Secesh

Galena's Gen. John E. Smith-- Part 6: Postwar Service in U.S. Army

John Smith commanded at Fort Phil Kearny and was in command there during the Red Cloud War in the late 1860s.  He was an advocate for Indian rights and treatment.

Later, he was with the 14th U.S. Regiment at Fort Laramie.

After that, he administered several Indian reservations.

His retirement from the Army came in 1881 and he lived in Chicago for the remainder of his life.  He is buried in Galena, Illinois, at Greenwood Cemetery.

He also served as executor of John Rawlins' estate.

He remained friends with Grant and was one of Grant's earliest and truest friends.

His bust is at Vicksburg.

--Old Secesh

Galena's Gen. John E. Smith-- Part 5: Service to End of War

Ely Parker got a job as an engineer on John Smith's staff.  Grant needed an engineer and got Parker who served in that capacity on Grant's staff for the remainder of the war.

Smith's division was the first to enter Vicksburg after its surrender on July 4, 1863.

Then the division went to Chattanooga.  After Chattanooga, Smith was in charge of the task of keeping Union railroads open during the Atlanta Campaign.  His troops were at Altoona Pass, but he wasn't there.

Smith went with Sherman in his March to the Sea and during the Carolina's Campaign, Smith said that the water was "not deep enough for navigation, but too deep to say we came by land."

He was still with Sherman when Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered at Bennett Place.

He didn't go to the Grand Review in Washington, D.C., and was sent to Memphis to serve as military governor of Western Tennessee.

John Smith mustered out in 1866 as commander in the volunteer service, but chose to remain in the regular Army and was made colonel of the 27th U.S. Infantry.

--Old Secesh

Galena's John E. Smith-- Part 4: At Fort Donelson and Shiloh

When the Star of the West was fired upon at Charleston Harbor, Smith went to Springfield to get Governor Richard Yates to do something.  He got a colonel's commission and was apponted aide-de-camp in charge of  Illinois militia.

He got Grant to train Galena's troops which ultimately became part of the 12th Illinois Infantry.  Grant wanted a commission in the regular U.S. Army, not militia and went to Ohio to get it, but McClellan refused him.

Then, Smith introduced Grant to Governor Yates.

Smith received command of the Leadmine Regiment from the Galena area, which became the 45th Illinois Infantry.  Their nickname was the Washburne Leadmine Regiment.  Smith commanded this regiment at Fort Donelson and Shiloh.

Smith was courageous in both actions.  He was in the open at Shiloh and was seen cleaning and filling his pipe and then took a puff while under fire.

The regiment took heavy losses at Shiloh and had to cut their way out.

----Old Secesh

Galena's Gen. John E. Smith-- Part 3: Born Overseas

In 1861, John E. Smith probably was the most important man in Galena.  He was born overseas and in 1832, at age 16, arrived in St. Louis where he lived for three years before coming to Galena, Illinois. He had a store at 85 Main Street there.   (Grant was at 15 Main Street.  They became friends.)

Smith was very active in Galena's civic affairs.

Ely Parker was an Indian civil engineer and built the Galena Custom House.  (One of the Galena Nine.)

He also became friends with Joseph Russell Jones who owned the Belvedere Mansion in town.  Jones was very involved in the steamboat industry. 

Smith was a staunch anti-slavery man.  He became a supporter of Lincoln.

Grant did not come to Galena until April 1860.

--Old Secesh

MCCWRT Presentation Tonight: Gen. John E. Smith of Illinois

The September Meeting of the McHenry (Illinois) Civil War Round Table will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at the Woodstock, Illinois Public Library.

Our speaker will be Robert Girardi and his topic is "General John E. Smith:  Galena's Forgotten General."

This will be in-person and via Zoom.

There will be a pre-meeting get-together for dinner or snack for any interested at 3 Brothers restaurant on Il-47.  It is open to all, as is the meeting, member or not.  

--Old Secesh