Adele Cutts Douglas-- Part 2: A Second Marriage

Adele was just twenty when she first met the widowed Stephen Douglas.  Though he was more than twice her age (she was born in 1835 and he was born in 1813) they courted briefly and were married in a Catholic ceremony in November 1856.

She had a transforming effect on the somewhat disheartened  Illinois senator and their house became a center for the Washington, D.C., social scene.

She was at his side during the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates in Illinois and the presidential campaign that followed in 1860.

When Douglas died in Chicago in June 1861, Adele never entertained again and went into extended mourning.

Following the Civil War she met and married a Union career officer from Virginia named Robert Williams. (He was born in 1829) She then took on the life of an Army wife.

She had a miscarriage and lost a baby daughter when she was married to Douglas.  With Williams, she reared six children during his long career which ended in 1893 as Adjutant General of the Army.

Adele died at her home in Washington in January 1899 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

--Old Secesh

Adele Cutts Douglas-- Part 1: Related to Dolley Madison

From House House Divided site.

As I was writing about this woman in my last post, I couldn't help but think she might have been considerably younger than Stephen Douglas.  

Rose Adele Cutts was a famous Washington beauty (also, I have to think that Douglas wasn't particularly handsome) and valuable second wife to Stephen Douglas.  She was born in Washington, D.C., on December 27, 1835.  She was the daughter of James Madison Cutts, nephew of former first lady Dolley Madison, and Eleanora  O'Neale, from a prominent Maryland Catholic family.

Tall with chestnut hair and a universally proclaimed beauty. Addie (as she was called)  grew up under tutelage of her great aunt, Dolley Madison, and could not help but become a poised and popular figure with a political mind.

Then, her husband-to-be , Stephen A. Douglas stood 5 feet 4 inches and could be described as being somewhat pudgy.

So, how did this match come to be?  Was she a "Trophy Wife?"

--Old Secesh

The Colonel and Stephen Douglas' Widow-- Part 2: Adele Cutts Douglas

Colonel Robert Williams remained in the Army after the war, serving during the Indian Wars.  In July 1892, now a brigadier general, he was named adjutant general of the U.S. Army and retired in November1893.

Despite his prickly disposition, Williams won the heart of Adele Cutts Douglas, widow of Senator Stephen Douglas--  Abraham Lincoln's longtime rival, who had died in June 1861 after contracting typhoid fever.  

She was a chestnut-haired beauty who came from an old Washington family.  She became Douglas; second wife in 1856 and raised the senator's two sons from his first marriage.

Her family's Southern sympathies--- Rebel spy Rose O'Neal Greenhow was her aunt-- made her a popular capital hostess even after Douglas' death.

In 1866, Adele met and married Williams, later accompanying him to the Frontier, where she bore him six children.  She died in 1899 in Washington, predeceasing her husband by two years.

--Old Secesh

Pres. Lincoln Speaks at Hainesville

I stayed for the next speaker who was Kevin Wood, portraying President Abraham Lincoln.  He sure looked the part, as did Wayne Issleb who portrayed General and President U.S. Grant.  Both were great speakers and really brought their persons across.  Both audiences were standing room only.

The lucky folks were seated on hay bales.  How's that for historical?

According to President Lincoln, what really brought about the Civil War was Stephen Douglas' Kansas-Nebraska Act.  This meant that slavery could not be contained in the state s where it already existed, but could spread to the incoming states.

Lincoln did not like slavery but could live with it as long as it stayed put where it was.

His Emancipation Proclamation only freed slaves in Confederate states where the Union had no control.  But he figured  that slaves were aiding the Confederates in their efforts, so if he could cause them to stop and head for Union lines that this would help the effort.

In my opinion, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was one of the greatest political moves ever made by a politician.  Lincoln truly was the politician's politician.  The only slaves freed were those outside of Union control, but that would cause them to runaway every chance they got and their labors could not help the Confederacy.

Since the ones in the divided border states weren't freed, it kept those states on the Union side.  And, most importantly, by making the war one of freeing the slaves, this would keep Britain and France from allying themselves with the Confederacy.

--Old Secesh

Stephen A. Douglas After the 1860 Election

From Wikipedia.

After the election defeat, Douglas returned to the U.S. Senate, where he sought to prevent the break-up of the United States.  He joined a special committee of 13 senators led by John J. Crittenden which sought a legislative solution  to the increasing sectional divide between the North and the South.

He supported the Crittenden  Compromise, which called for a series of Constitutional amendments that would make the Missouri Compromise a part of that document, but this was defeated in committee.

As late as Christmas 1860, he wrote  Alexander H. Stephens and offered support to the idea of making Mexico as a slave territory to prevent secession.

But, South Carolina voted to secede on December 20, 1860, and by mid-January 1861 another five Southern states had done likewise.  In February, Jefferson Davis took the office of President of the Confederate States of America.

--Old Secesh

A Stephen Douglas Major Date Today, August 21, 1858

Can you guess what happened this date 162 years ago?

It involved another man.

It had to do with politics.

It had to do with who was going to be the next Illinois U.S. senator.

This was the first of seven.

Okay, it was a debate.

Got it yet?

Today in 1858 the Illinois senatorial contenders Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas held the  first of their seven debates.

It was held in Ottawa, Illinois.  Lincoln said that popular sovereignty would nationalize and perpetuate slavery.

Douglas went on to win the election in November where the voting was done in the state legislature even though overall Lincoln received 3,000 more popular votes in the general election.

--Old Secesh

Stephen A. Douglas Tomb-- Part 6: His Tomb and Memorial

He was buried in Chicago near Lake Michigan.  Immediately after his death, an association of prominent Chicagoans was formed to oversee the construction of a  suitable tomb and monument for a man of his important stature.  But, they failed to raise the sufficient funds for it.

In 1865, the state of Illinois purchased  the tomb from Douglas' widow, Adele Douglas, for $25,000.  On June 3, 1868, Douglas' remains were placed in the completed portion of the tomb
Leonard Volk, a relative of Douglas, designed the tomb and monument.

In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire destroyed Volk's plans for the unfinished structure.  The tomb was completed in May 1881, at the cost of $90,000.

The memorial was designated a Chicago Landmark on September 28, 1977.    The tomb is maintained by the Illinois Historic Preservation  Agency.

--Old Secesh

Stephen A. Douglas Tomb-- Part 5: His Tomb and Memorial in Chicago

From Wikipedia.

The Stephen A. Douglas Tomb and Memorial, also referred to as the Stephen Douglas Monument Park is located in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago (primarily Black). It is near the site of the Union Army's training camp and Confederate prisoner of war camp known as Camp Douglas.

The memorial is a 96-foot tall granite structure comprising three  circular bases and a  20-foot diameter octagonal mausoleum which holds Douglas'  sarcophagus.  Four figures portraying Illinois, History, Justice and Eloquence are at the four corners of the mausoleum.  A ten-foot statue of Douglas stands at the top of the  46-foot column of white marble from his native state of Vermont,

Douglas is probably best known for his series of debates with Abraham Lincoln in 1858 and his run for presidency in 1860.  However, he died soon after the Civil War began on June 3, 1861, from typhoid fever.

--Old Secesh

Sure Was Nice to Get Together with Civil War Folk Again-- Part 3: Stephen A. Douglas Gets a Plantation

I was unable to find out how Stephen Douglas' wife's father living in North Carolina ended up with a large plantation in Mississippi.  Regardless, Douglas now was property manager of  a 2,500 acre plantation with 100 slaves in Mississippi.

As a senator from a free state with presidential aspirations, Douglas found that having this plantation posed a problem for him.  He created distance by hiring a manager to operate the plantation, while using his allocated 20% of the income from it to further his political career.

He only made one lengthy visit to the plantation in 1848 and  only brief emergency trips there afterwards.

In the summer of 1847, Douglas moved his family from Springfield, Illinois, to fast-growing Chicago and that is where he acquired a vast amount of land, some of which eventually became Camp Douglas, a training camp for Union soldiers initially and later a notorious prison camp for Confederate soldiers.

His wife, Martha died in 1853.

A Free State Senator With a Southern Plantation?  --Old Secesh

Sure Was Nice to Get Together With Civil War Folk Again-- Part 1: First MCCWRT Discussion Group Meeting Since February

This past Saturday morning, the McHenry Civil War Round Table (MCCWRT) discussion group held its first meeting since February and it was like old times, other than everyone agreeing to wear masks whenever we weren't eating or drinking at the Panera Bread store in Algonquin, Illinois.

It was even worth putting up with that horrible traffic on Randall Road and the choker at Randall and Algonquin roads.  We had been in the midst of a heat wave at the time, but at least it was breezy enough that I wasn't any worse for wear for it.

It was at least a step toward normalcy and I do love my history groups.  I love anything history.

The topic was about Lincoln's two presidential elections in 1860 and 1864.  Appropriate because of the election coming up in November.  A big factor in Lincoln's victory in 1860 was the Democratic party being essentially split into three groups.

Not much was said about the current situation with Confederate monuments other than that one of Lincoln's opponents in that election was Stephen Douglas and that things are happening to his statue and the name of Douglas Park in Chicago, named for him, is about to be changed to Douglass Park, to be named after Frederick Douglass.

Let's Talk Real Civil War History.  --Old Secesh

Theophilus Lyle Dickey-- Part 1: Lawyer and Mexican War Captain

This man was quite involved with the lives of all four of the Wallace boys who I have been writing about this month.  He also commanded the 4th Illinois Cavalry for awhile and three of the Wallace's were in that outfit.

From Wikipedia.

THEOPHILUS LYLE DICKEY  (October 4, 1811-July 22, 1885)

Illinois jurist and military leader.

Born in Paris,, Kentucky,  moved to Macomb, Illinois, to study law and was admitted to the bar in 1835.  The next year he moved to Rushville, Illinois, and worked on his law practice and was editor of a newspaper and worked in real estate.  In 1839, he moved to Ottawa, Illinois, where he continued his legal career.

During the Mexican War, he raised a company of soldiers (which included William H.L. Wallace) and received a captain's commission.

After the war, he returned to Ottawa, continued his legal career and  was elected judge of Illinois'  Ninth Judicial District in 1848.  He resigned in 1851 and continued with his legal career.  He was a big supporter of Stephen A. Douglas and made many speeches for him in 1858 and 1860.

--Old Secesh

Illinois' Orville Hickman Browning-- Part 1: A Man of Strong Connections

Earlier this week I wrote about this man pleaing to Lincoln to commute the death sentence of John Yates Beall.  I'd never heard of him, but it seemed as if he was on a friendly relationship with the president so went to good ol. Wikipedia for a background on him.

1806-1881

An attorney in Illinois and a politician active in the Whig and Republican parties.  Also a U.S. senator during the Civil War and Secretary of the  Interior after the war.

Born in Kentucky and trained as a lawyer  Settled in Illinois, served in the militia during the Black Hawk War.  Successful attorney and active in politics as a Whig.  Served in the Illinois General Assembly.  Joined the Republican Party after the Whigs broke up and helped organize the new party in Illinois.

In 1861, he was appointed to  fill the Senate seat of Stephen A. Douglas after his death.

No Wonder He Had Access to Lincoln.  --Old Secesh

Black Group Disrupts Confederate Service in Chicago-- Part 2

Oak Woods Cemetery is at 67th and Cottage Grove streets in Chicago.  It was established in 1853.

Famous Blacks former Mayor Harold Washington and Olympian Jesse Owens are both buried there.  Other famous black people buried there are Thomas A. Dorsey (Father of Gospel Music) and Eunice and John H. Johnson, entrepreneurs.

The Confederate Mound, as the site in the cemetery is called, is the final resting place of some 4,000 victims of the Union prison called Camp Douglas who were buried there.  The prison camp was located in Bronzeville on the grounds of Stephen Douglas' land.

It features a 30 foot tall granite column with a Confederate soldier on top.  bronze plaques around the base list the names of 4,000 Confederates who died there.

It sits on federally-owned land run by the Veterans Administration.

It is Sad When a Group Does Not Pay Respect to American Veterans.  --Old Secesh

Today Marks the 200th Anniversary of Stephen Douglas' Birthday-- Part 2

Well, yesterday actually, but I appreciate the Springfield (Il) Journal Register running this in their editorial page as I would surely have missed it.  He did not live long once the war started, but otherwise I'm sure would have had an impact on it.

I did not know that he was the author of the Homestead Act bill which guaranteed 160 acres to any settler who agreed to farm the land.  This caused many people to move west, many of whom were former soldiers during the Civil War.

"Not only was Douglas not bitter about losing the presidency to Lincoln, he in fact toured the country stumping for the Union cause at the outbreak of the Civil War.  It was during this tour that he contracted typhoid fever and died on June 3, 1861."

Definitely a Man Whose Life Needs to Be Commemorated.  --Old Secesh


The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum provides Abraham Lincoln quotes to the Journal-Register everyday.

From July 22, 1860:  "I know not how to aid you, save in the assurance of mature age, and much severe experience, that you can not fail, if you resolutely determine, that you will not."  Words he stuck with during the war.

Today Marks the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Stephen Douglas-- Part 1

From the April 13, 2013, Springfield (Il) Journal-Register "Stephen Douglas: patriotism over partisanship" on editorial page.

Even though he was not much involved in the war itself, he definitely had a play in events leading up to it.  Not to mention the Union Army training camp on his land in Chicago which eventually became an infamous Union prison.

Illinois' own "Little Giant," standing at just 5 feet 4 inches, but the man had a booming voice as well as high ideals

Four years ago, there was a huge statewide and even national celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday.

But, "If it wasn't for Douglas and their famed debates for the U.S. Senate seat, Lincoln would not have had the national recognition to secure his party's nomination for the presidency in 1860."  His victory led to the Civil War.

Then, Douglas was nominated for president by the Democratic party where his views on allowing citizens of new states to decide whether or not to allow slavery alienated the South and led to their putting up their own candidate, this splitting the Democratic party and assuring Lincoln's victory.

A Man Whose Birthday Should be Noted.  --Old Secesh