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February 2007: The Railroad Regiment
The Heritage League in conjunction with the Putnam Museum is holding displays and demonstrations based on the Civil War, Saturday, February 10, 2007 at the Putnam from 12 to 5. Our historical society, being a member of the Heritage League, will take part. We believe anyone interested in the Civil War would find it worthwhile to attend.
Hampton’s Civil War history is very turbulent. Hampton’s early settlers, in the 1830’s were mostly New Englanders, anti-slavery people. Later settlers were more diversified with many from the South. They gave Hampton an interesting mix during the War. The pro-slavery element (Copperheads) organized military training in Oltmann’s timber (now called Illiniwek Forest Preserve), so they could join the Confederate army when it got here. The anti-slavery folks had been involved in the Underground Railroad for years. About 100 of them joined the US army.
There were Hampton boys in many Illinois regiments but the biggest concentration were in Co F of the 89th Illinois regiment. About half of this Company hailed from Hampton. There is a lot on the internet about our states Civil War regiments. All you need to do is put Civil War Illinois in the search and you’ll get a lot of sites, some government, most private, all dealing with the Civil War. You can get rosters of all the regiments, some of them including interesting information on each individual. The Illinois adjutant general has a site with rosters and histories of all regiments. Around the end of the 19th century, a fellow named Frederick Dyer was determined to publish information about every single Union regiment. A monumental task but he did it. You can get those regimental histories from his work. To save time he didn’t write in complete sentences, which makes his records only about half the length of those of the adjutant general. You can examine them all.
Getting back to the 89th …it was called the “Railroad Regiment” because it was organized by the Railroad Companies of Illinois in Chicago in August, 1862. A regular army officer, Captain John Christopher was appointed Colonel. The Hampton boys were mustered into service October 13, 1862. The regiment was sent to Louisville, KY, as part of McCook’s corps of Buell’s army. Their first orders were to pursue the Confederate army commanded by Braxton Bragg. After a wearisome and fruitless march they reached Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was there that Company F with its Hampton boys caught up to them. They were the last company to join the regiment. At least they hadn’t had to take part in the useless march.
The first action was at the battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862. The regiment conducted themselves gallantly. The regiment suffered 142 casualties (killed, wounded, or captured) among which were two Hampton boys, Moses Beaver and Elijah Youlin, killed New Years Eve Day, 1862.
The 89th took part in 25 “engagements” during the war, including the great battle of Chickamauga where they suffered 109 casualties (among them young Henry Arcularius of Hampton) At Missionary Ridge the count was 75. At the battle of Atlanta 211 casualties. In the last major battle in the West, the Battle of Nashville, December, 1864, 39 were lost
Three members of Company F died at the infamous Andersonville Prison. They were Private James Bowser, Corporal Josiah Dudley, and Sgt Franklin Merrill. The Andersonville records do not give date of capture or place of capture, but all three are buried in the National Cemetery at the site of the prison. Merrill was 25 years old when he entered the service, had a wife, and a couple of kids. He was a farmer. One wonders why this man would leave his home and family to take a road that led to a terrible end. We know a bit about Dudley because he was mentioned in a speech at a Civil War Roundtable meeting. He was a native of Iowa and how he came to join the army in Hampton, the speaker (a relative) didn’t know.
Personally, I find it fascinating to peruse the rosters and see what we know about these soldiers. From doing so, I can say with confidence, our Hampton boys were there and conducted themselves with honor.