Civil War Stories: Introduction

First Person Accounts

The Madison County Historical Society holds personal accounts of the Civil War by Union soldiers who at some point considered Madison County home. These primary sources include transcripts of letters written by four different soldiers and a handwritten diary spanning one man's three-year service and beyond. The personal memoirs of a 92-year-old Civil War veteran from nearby Macoupin County offer an additional unique perspective.

The summaries below introduce each of the six featured soldiers and provide links to their documents. The soldiers are listed in chronological order according to their muster-in dates.

Joel E. Waters

Mustering date: 1 October 1861 — Private/Veteran Corporal, Company K, 10th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Joel was born in Indiana on June 6, 1833, to parents who were both United States citizens by birth. He lived in Indiana with them until the 1850s, working as a laborer. By the time he enlisted, he had moved to Edwardsville, Illinois, and was working as a carpenter-farmer. Joel was mustered in as a private on October 1, 1861, in Bridgeport, Alabama. He was 28 years old, 5′-6″ tall with grey eyes and fair hair and a fair complexion.

After his three years were up, Joel reenlisted with the same company as a veteran volunteer. He mustered out July 4, 1865, in Louisville, Kentucky, as a veteran corporal. He married an Irish immigrant named Mary Jane Bradley in 1867; they had five children. Joel died in Alameda, California, on June 24, 1918. He is buried in Oakland, California.

Correspondence of Joel E. Waters to Samuel Thomas Watters (transcribed) — Joel Waters's letters to his brothers span from June 1, 1856, to January 13, 1865. His letters during his time as a Civil War soldier begin on page 9 with his letter dated October 10, 1861. Summary index.

George W. Spahr

Mustering date: 20 February 1862 — Corporal/Sergeant, Company I, 3rd Missouri Volunteer Cavalry

George was born September 10, 1824, near Somerset, Ohio, to American-born parents. He moved to Illinois in 1856 and taught school in Collinsville. In 1860 he relocated to Columbia, Illinois, where he continued teaching and married Eleanor Williams. George joined the military when his raise request was denied in September 1861. He was mustered in as a 37-year-old corporal on February 20, 1862, in Palmyra, Missouri. He mustered out as a sergeant on May 31, 1864, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

George's wife Ella left him while he was in the service. They had no children and eventually divorced in June of 1866. By 1868, George was back in Madison County where he married Mrs. Martha Tetherington and lived as a farmer. George died on November 21, 1894. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Edwardsville, Illinois.

George Spahr's handwritten 719-page diary, Sketches and Incidents of My Life, contains diary entries during his time as a soldier from September 1861 through December 1864 (pages 274-457). The complete diary is available at the Madison County Archival Library. Selected transcribed entries: Sept 1861, Feb 1862, June-July 1862, Aug 1862, Dec 1862, Jan 10-12, 1863, Jan 13-24, 1863, Feb 1863, Aug 1863, March 1864. Summary index.

William R. Eddington

Mustering date: 8 September 1862 — First Sergeant/Second Lieutenant, Company A, 97th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

William ("Willie") was born April 2, 1842, in Woodburn, Macoupin County, Illinois. His parents had immigrated to the United States from England. Willie mustered in as a sergeant at Camp Butler in Illinois, on September 8, 1862. An unmarried 21-year-old farmer, Willie was 5′-6″ tall with brown hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion. He mustered out as a first sergeant on July 29, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, and received a promotion to second lieutenant three days later.

After the war, William returned to farming and married Eliza Miller. They lived in Brighton (Macoupin County, Illinois), and had four children. William died on January 16, 1936. He is buried in Woodburn Cemetery in Woodburn, Illinois.

My Civil War Memoirs and Other Reminiscences (typed) — begins on page 3, covering his enlistment on August 7, 1862, through his discharge on August 19, 1865. Summary index.

Adolphus Phillip Wolf

Mustering date: 19 September 1862 — Corporal, Company F, 117th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Adolphus ("Dolf") was born on June 11, 1841, in Edwardsville, Illinois. His parents were German immigrants from Bavaria. After completing school, Dolf went to Philadelphia to become a coach-maker. He enlisted with Company F of the 19th Pennsylvania Infantry on April 21, 1861, and returned to Edwardsville after completing his term of service. Dolf was a farmer when he helped form Company F of the 117th Illinois Infantry. He was mustered in as a corporal at Camp Butler in Illinois on September 19, 1862. He was 22 years old and 5′-9″ tall with light hair, blue eyes, and an olive complexion. Dolf served as color bearer for his company. He mustered out on August 5, 1865, in Springfield, Illinois.

After the war, Adolphus suffered recurring bouts of malaria for two years. He took a business course in St. Louis. In 1869, he married Albinah Kinder. Adolphus and Albinah had five children. Adolphus explored several business enterprises before settling into banking. He retired as vice-president of the Bank of Edwardsville at the age of 92. He died June 16, 1935 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Letters grouped by year: 1862 | 1863 | 1864 | 1865. Indexes: Summary Index | Subject Index.

Otto E. Wolf

Mustering date: 19 September 1862 — Musician, Company F, 117th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Otto joined Company F, 117th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, at the same time as his older brother Adolphus. He was mustered in as a musician (drummer boy) on September 19, 1862, at Camp Butler in Illinois. The 15-year-old was 5′-6″ tall with light hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion. He mustered out on August 5, 1865, in Springfield, Illinois.

After the war, Otto moved back in with his parents. He married Elizabeth Fiesler in 1873; they had seven children. Otto worked as a coal operator in 1880 and owned his own farm by 1900. He died on February 19, 1904, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Edwardsville, Illinois.

Letters grouped by year: 1863 | 1864 | 1865. Indexes: Summary Index | Subject Index.

James Kelley

Mustering date: 21 February 1864 — Private, Company F, 7th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

James was born in King's County (now County Offaly), Ireland. He lived in Alton, Illinois, when he joined the military. James was mustered in as a private on February 21, 1864, at Camp Butler in Illinois. The 5′-7″ tall 30-year-old laborer with hazel eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion was married to a woman named Mary. James's letter indicates that the couple had more than one child when he enlisted.

James was wounded in the head at Allatoona, Georgia, on October 5, 1864. He was still in General Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, when the rest of Company F mustered out on July 9, 1865. James applied for an invalid pension on August 2, 1865. His service records note that he was part of the Veterans Reserve Corps, also known as the Invalid Corps. Census records suggest that James died sometime between 1867 and 1880.

Letter to wife dated February 8, 1864: Transcription. Certificate of muster: Transcription.

Ideas for Teachers (or anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into the narratives)

Some relevant essential questions for students to explore:

• How are people affected by war?
• Why was the Civil War fought?

Possible classroom activities:

• Compare personal accounts of battles to battle descriptions found in history books and discuss the differences. Click here for an index to battle descriptions in the featured narratives.
• Assign a letter/diary/reminiscence excerpt to each student. Have the students conduct research to annotate the excerpt and then present their findings to the class. As each student presents their respective piece of the puzzle, a larger narrative will emerge for classroom discussion.
• Map movements of a soldier spanning several letters or diary entries and calculate the distances traveled.
• Compare accounts from different soldiers for the same time period and discuss how each soldier's personal history and circumstances influence his war experience.

Sources

Sources for this section include United States federal decennial census records and the following additional sources:

• Cobb, Ralph E. "USA–18th and 19th Century Bayonets." 2010. Accessed November 3, 2017. worldbayonets.com
• Find A Grave. Accessed November 3, 2017. findagrave.com
• Illinois in the Civil War (website). ILGenWeb. Accessed November 30, 2017. civilwar.illinoisgenweb.org
• Illinois State Archives. Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls (database). Accessed November 3, 2017. cyberdriveillinois.com
• National Archives and Records Administration. "Veteran Reserve Corps (VRC), 1863-1865." Washington, 2010. Accessed November 3, 2017. archives.gov
• Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. Revised by J.N. Reece. Springfield, 1900-1901. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org
• Portrait and Biographical Record of Madison County, Illinois. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1894. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org

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Battle Map: Chickamauga

The map above was drawn by George Campbell Lusk. The title, "Draft of battle, 19th-20th Sept," and the reference to Gordon Granger's Reserve Corps in Rossville indicate it is a map of the Battle of Chickamauga.

The battle took place September 18-20, 1863, in northwestern Georgia. The Union force of 58,000 troops (the Army of the Cumberland, led by Major General William Rosecrans, and Major General Gordon Granger's Reserve Corps) fought 66,000 soldiers of the Confederate Army of Tennessee, led by General Braxton Bragg. Seven of every 25 men on the battlefield were killed or physically wounded. Only the Battle of Gettysburg incurred more casualties than the Battle of Chickamauga during the Civil War.

Chickamauga was one of several battles over the city of Chattanooga. Earlier in the month, Rosecrans had succeeded in forcing Bragg out of the city. Bragg wanted to take it back and destroy Rosecrans's army. The forces clashed at Chickamauga Creek. After three days the Confederates earned a victory by forcing the Union troops to retreat from the battlefield. But Rosecrans's army survived and retained control of Chattanooga.

It isn't known when George Lusk drew this map. He served as Captain of Company K, 10th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The soldiers of the 10th were part of Major General Granger's Reserve Corps, but they were stationed at the Union supply base in Bridgeport, Alabama, during the Battle of Chickamauga. Lusk's map includes Bridgeport, although it is actually about 40 miles downriver from the battleground.

Private Joel Waters of Company K wrote to his brother about Captain Lusk:

"I have got a very good captain he passes me out every day if I want to go but I never get tight and always come back when he tells me to. Some of the Captains is hard on their men and punish them for most any little offense."
(Written December 15, 1861, from Camp Morgan, Mound City, Illinois. From Correspondence of Joel E. Waters, p. 10-12.)

Lusk was a 37-year-old veteran of the Mexican War, married with two children, when he joined the Union cause. He was born in Edwardsville, Illinois. Lusk fulfilled his three-year term of service in August of 1864 but was unable to resign until October due to the responsibilities of command. He returned to Edwardsville where he and his wife Mary had a third child. Lusk worked as a United States revenue agent and then as a policeman and police magistrate. He died in 1892 and is buried in Lusk Cemetery in Edwardsville.

Ideas for Teachers (or anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into the map)

Some relevant essential questions for students to explore:

• What events happened during the Civil War and what impact did they have?
• What impact did military leadership have on the conduct of the war?

Possible classroom activities:

• Re-draw George Lusk's map to scale and compare it to Lusk's version.
• Compare George Lusk's map of the Battle of Chickamauga to maps of the battle found in history books and discuss the differences.
• Read John Waters's letters from September and October of 1863 (p. 33-37) describing his experiences in Company K before and after the battle and discuss how they provide context for the map.

Sources

Sources for this section include United States federal decennial census records and the following additional sources:

• Civil War Trust. "Chickamauga." Accessed November 15, 2017. civilwar.org
• Find A Grave. "George Campbell Lusk." Accessed November 3, 2017. findagrave.com
• HistoryNet. "Battle of Chickamauga." Accessed November 15, 2017. historynet.com
• Illinois State Archives. Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls (database). Accessed November 3, 2017. cyberdriveillinois.com
• Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. Revised by J.N. Reece. Springfield, 1900-1901. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org

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The Alton Military Prison

The state's first penitentiary

In 1833, Illinois built its very first state penitentiary in Alton, Madison County. The prison was bounded by Fourth, Williams, Second (aka Short), and Mill Streets.

A 25-foot stone wall surrounded the prison grounds, a square area measuring 100 yards on each side. A narrow walkway along the top of the wall connected guard houses. Inside the perimeter, inmates made agricultural tools in short workshop buildings. The warden's office and house occupied the southwest corner of the grounds. A three-level cell block building with an iron stairway at the south end extended behind the warden's office.

Improperly planned drainage for construction on the riverfront bluffs caused flooding and recurring sanitation issues. The cells had poor ventilation and inadequate heating. In 1847, prison reformer Dorothea Dix appeared before the Illinois legislature and advocated for closing the prison. The facility was finally shut down in June of 1860.

A Civil War military prison

The prison reopened in 1862, when Governor Yates granted General Henry W. Halleck permission to use it as a military prison. The first prisoners arrived on February 9, 1862. In addition to Confederate soldier prisoners-of-war, Union deserters and Southern sympathizers/Copperheads (including some women) numbered among the inmates.

Typical prison activities included making jewelry, playing cards, and walking around the yard. Prisoners washed their own clothes. Those inmates who were sentenced to hard labor spent their time breaking rock within the prison grounds or in a nearby quarry. Some prisoners had to wear a ball and chain. Many attempted escape by tunneling, hiding in coffins, or bribing guards. Infractions were punished by being "bucked and gagged," being hung by the thumbs, or wearing a barrel.

The Alton Military Prison provided for chaplain services and permitted prisoners to correspond with their friends and families. After Major Morgan took command in October of 1864, prisoners were allowed to receive gifts and provisions. Some prisoners even enjoyed parole privileges in town. But by 1864, overcrowding created unsanitary conditions and food shortages.

"Thirty-two of us occupy a room eighteen feet square; some have bunks, others take the floor. … [I]t is almost impossible to sleep on account of the rats, which run over us all through the night…"
(Griffin Frost, Camp and Prison Journal, entries for January 30-31, 1864.)

Official reports kept for 36 months on the overall prisoner population indicate that 11,764 Confederate POWs passed though the prison. On average, 1,261 inmates lived in the prison each month.

A breeding ground for smallpox

Smallpox (also known as variola) broke out in the prison in 1862. The epidemic peaked in the winter of 1863-1864. Smallpox victims developed flat, red sores on their face and extremities. Contracted by contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, the virus spread easily in the close prison conditions.

At the height of the epidemic, infected inmates were quarantined on Sunflower Island, a small island in the Mississippi River located 200 yards upstream from the prison. The island soon acquired a new name: Smallpox Island. Healthier victims dug mass graves for the bodies of the dead. The island was prone to flooding and began silting away in 1930. It has now completely disappeared.

A monument to the dead

The Alton prison closed at the end of the Civil War. Today only a small portion of the stone wall formerly surrounding the prison grounds remains standing. To the extent that records were kept, the official death count at the prison totaled 1,354 Confederate POWs. These names are listed on the Soldiers Monument in the North Alton Confederate Cemetery on Rozier Street. Approximately 240 documented Confederate soldiers and civilians, and roughly 200 Union soldier inmates, were buried on Smallpox Island.

Ideas for Teachers (or anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into the history of the Alton prison)

Some relevant essential questions for students to explore:

• How do issues of morality influence war?
• How are people affected by war?

Possible classroom activities:

• Discuss the moral standards that apply in the treatment of prisoners-of-war.
• According to the statistics presented above, approximately 10-11% of the Confederate POWs at the Alton Military Prison died during their imprisonment. Compare this survival rate to survival rates at other Confederate and Union military prisons. Compare these statistics to survival rates for Civil War soldiers who weren't imprisoned.
• Prisoners in the Alton Military Prison made crafts and jewelry. Michael Mossman created a painting of Smallpox Island 150 years after the Civil War. Research other examples of prisoner art and prisoner-inspired art to explore how the experience or contemplation of incarceration affects creativity.
• Discuss probable effects the Alton Military Prison had on the lives of Altonians.

Sources

Sources for this section include newspaper articles from the Alton Telegraph and the following additional sources:

• "The Alton Penitentiary." Compiled and written by Madison County Historical Museum staff, C. Longwisch. July 1982. Madison County Historical Society document.
• Centennial History of Madison County, Illinois and Its People: 1812 to 1912. Edited and compiled by W.T. Norton. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1912. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• Colegate, Bryan. A Report on the Historical Landscape of the Site of the Alton Penitentiary and Military Prison. Madison County Historical Society document 1994-052.
• Cox, Jann. Alton Military Penitentiary in the Civil War: Smallpox and Burial on the Alton Harbor Islands. St. Louis District Historic Properties Management Report No. 36. US Army Corps of Engineers: November 1988. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• Frost, Griffin. Camp and Prison Journal. Iowa City: Camp Pope Bookshop, 1994. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• "The Historic Alton Prison." Brochure. Alton: Greater Alton/Twin Rivers Convention and Visitors Bureau. Madison County Historical Society document.
• "The Infamous Alton Prison." Brochure. Alton: Greater Alton Chamber of Commerce. Madison County Historical Society document.
• Mossman, Michael B. 2005-2015 Alton Area Paintings. [Edwardsville, 2015.] Available at the Madison County Archival Library.

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Guarding the Alton Prison

Six successive regiments guarded the Alton facility while it functioned as a military prison. The last garrison was composed of the 144th Illinois Infantry. The Madison County Historical Society holds Captain Patrick Joseph ("P.J.") Melling's original military records for the regiment's Company B.

The 144th Illinois Infantry was raised expressly to guard the Alton prison. Company B mustered in for one year on September 7, 1864. Melling started out as first lieutenant. The 35-year-old, Irish-born Altonian carpenter had married his wife Sarah (a widow with two small children) six years prior to joining Company B. They had a three-year-old son together. Melling received his promotion to Captain on April 8, 1865.

Company B was formed with 83 men. Over half described their occupation as "farmer" on the initial muster roll. About 25% of the volunteers had been born in countries other than the United States — more than half of those were from Ireland. About 25% were born in Illinois. A few hailed from states that had joined the Confederacy, and from the border states of Missouri and Kentucky. The volunteers ranged in age from 17 to 56: the average age was 27.

Prisoner Griffin Frost, a Confederate captain, was transferred to the Alton Military Prison in October of 1864. He had been incarcerated at the prison the previous February, before the 144th took over garrison duty. Upon his return, Captain Frost wrote:

"Alton prison is very much improved since the time of my stopping here before. Everything is much cleaner; a large hospital has been built, lathed and plastered, and lit with gas, and the authorities, I am told, manifest a greater degree of humanity... The fare is much better and we are permitted to correspond with our friends…"
(Griffin Frost, Camp and Prison Journal, entries for October 4, 1864.)

Company B and Smallpox Island

James Manchester, a carpenter born in Pennsylvania and living in Alton, tied for oldest volunteer at age 56. Private Manchester was on detached service on Smallpox Island for several months. He made it through the ordeal and mustered out with the rest of the company on July 14, 1865, when the war ended.

However, Company B did incur one smallpox fatality: Private Amos A. Bates. He died April 30, 1865. Bates, one of the company's original volunteers, had joined up as an 18-year-old. He had two months' pay coming when he died, but he also owed the government $48.18 for clothing received while he was enlisted.

Company B's tour of duty came to a close early with the end of the Civil War. Captain Melling's muster-out roll documents one dishonorable discharge, two discharges by sentence of general court martial, one resignation, six desertions, and six deaths (due to smallpox, rubella, diarrhea, and measles). The entire regiment of 1,159 soldiers lost 69 men to disease.

A tale of three brothers

Three brothers who all joined Company B when it first formed had diametrically different army experiences. William W., James P., and John W. Rowden grew up together in Jersey County, Illinois. The unusually tall young men (5′-11″ to 6′-2″) were farmers in Alton when they decided to enlist in 1864 as privates with Company B.

William, the oldest at age 24, had blue eyes and light hair. He served as third sergeant for the first few months of his tour. Unfortunately, William fell ill and was unable to fulfill his sergeant duties for much of the time in 1865. He mustered out July 14, 1865, with the rest of the company.

James, 23 years old with brown eyes and light hair, took a very different path. In early 1865, James and his younger brother John were on detached service transporting prisoners to another POW camp at Point Lookout, Maryland. After he got back to Alton, James was placed under arrest by order of the Provost Marshall. He remained in arrest until he deserted June 20, 1865, taking his gun and accoutrements with him.

The youngest Rowden volunteer — the blue-eyed, brown-haired, 18-year-old John — returned to Alton after the assignment to Point Lookout and stayed out of trouble. But just a couple of months later, in late spring of 1865, he got gravely ill. John ended up in the hospital, where he died of chronic diarrhea on July 6th.

Ideas for Teachers (or anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into the Company B records)

Some relevant essential questions for students to explore:

• How are people affected by war?
• How do citizens show patriotism?

Possible classroom activities:

• Compile statistics for Company B based on the initial muster-in roll and the muster-out roll. For instance: What was the statistical likelihood of desertion? Death? Do either correlate with age or occupation?
• The 144th Illinois Infantry Regiment totaled 1,159 soldiers. Sixty-nine of them (or 6%) died from various diseases. How does this figure compare to death casualties for regiments that fought on the front lines?
• Research the reasons Union soldiers deserted during the Civil War and discuss which reasons might have been relevant to the deserters from Company B.
• Compare the location of the Alton Military Prison to other Confederate POW camps. Discuss how Alton's geography made it attractive as a military prison location.

Sources

Sources for this section include United States federal decennial census records, newspaper articles from the Alton Telegraph, and the following additional sources:

• Boatner, Mark M., III. The Civil War Dictionary. Revised ed. New York: Vintage Books, 1991. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• Cox, Jann. Alton Military Penitentiary in the Civil War: Smallpox and Burial on the Alton Harbor Islands. St. Louis District Historic Properties Management Report No. 36. US Army Corps of Engineers: November 1988. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• Frost, Griffin. Camp and Prison Journal. Iowa City: Camp Pope Bookshop, 1994. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• History of Madison County, Illinois. Edwardsville: W.R. Brink & Co., 1882. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org
• Illinois in the Civil War (website). ILGenWeb. Accessed November 30, 2017. civilwar.illinoisgenweb.org
• Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. Revised by J.N. Reece. Springfield, 1900-1901. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org

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Guns and Accoutrements

This percussion musket is a Lorenz Model 1854 rifle-musket. Over 300,000 Civil War soldiers — both Union and Confederate — carried a Lorenz. Only the American-made Springfield rifle and the British Enfield were more widely used. The 30-year-old German-born owner of this particular example, Frederich Ziegler, joined Company I of the 2nd Regiment of Missouri Light Artillery in 1861. He returned to Madison County after the war, got married, and raised a family.

Revolving carbines, like the Colt Model 1855 shown above, combined the repeating action of a handgun with a shortened rifle barrel. This example belonged to Samuel Hughes. Samuel joined up as a private with Company I of the 9th Illinois Infantry in 1861. He finished his military career in 1865 as a colonel, but died in 1873 at age 34 from chronic peritonitis, a complication of the abdominal wound he sustained at the Battle of Mud Creek.

Powder horn and bullet

Although Civil War troops commonly received paper cartridges, in some cases a soldier had to load his gun the old-fashioned way, pouring black powder into the gun chamber from a horn like the one shown above. James Luttrell, the owner of this powder horn, joined Company K of the 10th Illinois Infantry as an 18-year-old in 1864. James may have heard stories about the Battle of Lookout Mountain from his 30-year-old Company K comrade James Waters — described in Joel Waters's letter dated December 21, 1863 (p. 37).

Leather and brass pouches

Paper cartridges saved time and eliminated the need for a powder horn. Each cartridge consisted of a pre-measured quantity of powder and a ball or bullet packaged together in a thin roll of paper. The soldier grabbed a cartridge from the cartridge box, tore open the base with his teeth, poured the powder into the gun chamber, unwrapped the ball or bullet, and pressed it into the chamber. Finally, he reached into his cap box, pulled out a tiny ignition cap, and placed it over the nipple of the chamber.

These cartridge and cap boxes belonged to William Chapin of Alton, who served with Company F of the 10th Illinois Cavalry. William joined up at age 29 as a first lieutenant. He was promoted to major before he resigned in April of 1865.

Ideas for Teachers (or anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into these artifacts)

Some relevant essential questions for students to explore:

• Why was the Union successful in the war?
• What effects can a war have on a nation?

Possible classroom activities:

• The guns and accoutrements shown here belonged to Union soldiers. Research the equipment differences between the North and South and discuss how these differences affected the outcome of the war.
• Identify technological advances developed for the war effort and any post-war applications.

Sources

Sources for this section include United States federal decennial census records and the following additional sources:

• Barlow, Kerry. Handguns of the Civil War. Accessed January 4, 2018. civilwarhandgun.com
• Bilby, Joe. The Lorenz. 2001. Accessed January 4, 2018. washingtonbluerifles.com
• Boatner, Mark M., III. The Civil War Dictionary. Revised ed. New York: Vintage Books, 1991. Available at the Madison County Archival Library.
• Find A Grave. Accessed January 4, 2018. findagrave.com
• Illinois State Archives. Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls (database). Accessed January 4, 2018. cyberdriveillinois.com
• Military Factory. "Civil War Guns (1861-1865): Small Arms of the American Civil War." Accessed January 4, 2018. militaryfactory.com
• National Park Service. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database. Accessed January 4, 2018. nps.gov
• Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois. Revised by J.N. Reece. Springfield, 1900-1901. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org
• Rinck, Charles E. "Samuel T. Hughes (xx xxx 1839-6 Oct 1873)." Madison County Historical Society document 1991-070.

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More Civil War Artifacts

Other field equipment

Rubberized ponchos were usually issued to the cavalry, while infantry troops received India rubber blankets. Either could double as a waterproof tent in rainy weather. This poncho, worn by William Prickett of the 150th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, may have been constructed in the field from a blanket.

William Prickett's parents were both southerners who moved to Edwardsville, Illinois, before he was born. The 28-year-old William worked as a sand agent when he enlisted with the 150th Illinois Infantry for one year in 1865. He mustered out as a major and returned to Edwardsville, where he became a banker and a state legislator. William served as mayor of Edwardsville for 1895-1897.

This three-section wooden frame and metal mesh cot measures 72″ long x 29″ wide when unfolded. Although the origin of this specific example is unknown, it was probably used by an officer — enlisted men were lucky to find a plank of wood to sleep on to keep them out of the mud.

This small hand mirror with a swiveling wooden cover could easily slip into a soldier's pocket. Isham Benson Gillham used this example during his service as a private with Company C of the 10th Missouri Volunteer Infantry. The 20-year-old Isham lived in St. Clair County (Illinois) when he enlisted. After tragically losing his first wife in childbirth, Isham eventually remarried and settled in Madison County, where he raised his first daughter Lucy and her six half-siblings.

Ideas for Teachers (or anyone who wants to take a deeper dive into the artifacts)

Some relevant essential questions for students to explore:

• What impact did military leadership have on the conduct of the war?
• How are people affected by war?

Possible classroom activities:

• Discuss how the disparity between the conveniences enjoyed by officers versus enlisted men may have affected morale during the war.
• Make a list of everything a soldier needed to carry in order to survive in the field.

Sources

Sources for this section include United States federal decennial census records, newspapers (notably the Edwardsville Intelligencer), and the following additional sources:

• Illinois State Archives. Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls (database). Accessed January 4, 2018. cyberdriveillinois.com
• [Nicolaides, Martha Jane.] "The Gillham Family." Madison County Historical Society document.
• Portrait and Biographical Record of Madison County, Illinois. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1894. Available at the Madison County Archival Library. Also available online at the HathiTrust Digital Library at hathitrust.org

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