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LINCOLN'S SPRINGFIELD THE IN WAR CIVIL BY CAMILLA QUINN A. Lincoln's Springfield War in the Civil Lincoln's Springfield War in the Civil by Camilla A. Quinn WesternIllinoisMonographSeries,Number8 WesternIllinoisUniversity Macomb,Illinois TheWesternDlinoisMonographSeriesispublishedbytheCollegeofArtsandSciencesand UniversityLibrariesatWesternElinoLsUniversity.Theseriessupportsstudiesinthehistory, geography, literature, and culture of the western Illinois region. Correspondence about monogr^hs in print or the submission ofmanuscripts for review should be sent to the chairmanoftheEditorialBoard, WesternIllinoisMonographSeries,InstituteforRegional and Community Studies, TillmanHall413, WesternIllinois University, Macomb, Illinois 61455. Copyright© 1991 byWesternIllinoisUniversity CoverdesignbyDavidJ. Kelly Acknowledgements IwishtothankDr.MarkPlummer,professorofhistoryatIllinoisStateUniversity,who skillfullyguidedmethroughthisprojectinitsoriginalformasamaster'sthesis. Also, Ms. Cheryl Schnirring, curator ofmanuscripts at the Illinois State Historical Library, is owed adebtofgratitudeforthemany times she assisted the writerin finding usefulsources. AppreciationisalsoextendedtoDr.DonaldW.Griffin,chairmanoftheWesternIllinois Monograph Series Editorial Board, for expertly guiding the writer through the editing process. Inaddition,Iwishtothankmyparents,Mr.andMrs.FredCorlas,aswellasseveralhigh schoolandcollegeEnglishteachers,forcontinuallyencouragingmetofollowmydreamof writingforpubUcation. Finally,mymostsincereappreciationisextendedtomyhusband,Kevin,whosupported meinmanyinvaluablewaysfromthebeginningtotheendofthisproject. Preface TheAmericanCivilWarisanepochrichwithGone-With-the-Windtalesofsoldiasdyingintrain depots,ofmansionsburningonthelandscape,andoffamishedarmieschasingthefamilypigs.While thesetalesareininanycasesbasedonfact,dieirfociisisnK)stoftaionthebattlefirontordirectlybehind thelines.AuthorsofbothfictionandnonfictionhaveformorethanacenturyfollowedtheUnionand Confederatearmies,iK)tingeverybattleindetail,tellingthestoryofthearmiesandoftheciviliansthey plundered.Yet,hundredsofmilesbehindthelinesofdieclashingarmies,invillagesandcitieswhae eventhekeenestearcouldnotdetectthecarmonbarragesatAtlantaandGettysburg,homefironlcitizaTS wereexperiencingmomoilouseffectsofthewar.Thestoriesofthesehomefrontcommunitiesreveal extraordinarysuffoingarxidiscordaswellasuniqueperepectivesofthewararxithereforethey,too, needtobetold OnehomefiontcommunitygreatlyaffectedbythewarwasSpringfield,Dlirwis.Asdiec^talof Illinoisanddiehomeoftwomilitarycanqs,Springfieldwasahubtowhichpoliticians,soldiers,and curious visitors flocked. The city streets woe oowded with funeral processions for Springfield sokiiCT-boys,witiisparklingregimentspracticingforwar,andwithprostitutesconpellingsoldiersto theirdois.Teenagegirlsgatheredinkx^storestostuffpnDowsforbeauswholayinbattlefieldhospitals. DrunkoisokiiCTSengagedinbrawlsondiecitysquare, andfliousandsofbedraggledConfederate prisonerswoeirrprisonedinacampsixnulesfixMntowrLAnd,onseveraloccasions,politicalmass meetingsandspontaneousvictorycelebrationsdrewthousandsofboistaouscitizaistothecitysquare. ByJanuary 1863,mostSpringfieldcitizenshaddevetopedstrongsentimentsaboutthewar,andthe communitywassweptintoarivalrybetweenthoseresidentswhoinsistedthatthewarmustcontinue until the Soutii was crushed andfliosewhoprotestedthat die warhad already caused loo much bloodshed.Thisconflictsparkedtiradesofinsultsandfistfights,anditnearlyignitedriots. ThisnairativeoftheSpningfieldhomefiont,1861-1865,isprimarilyadepictionofthepeople ofSpringfieldanddieeffectsofthewarondieirlives.ItfocusesontheSpringfieldsoldiers,the soldiers'wives,dieorators,theNegroes,anddieSoldiers'AidSociety,alongwithmanyodier individualsandgroupsofcitizens.WhilemovingfromSpningfield'scitysquaretoitsgraveyard, mihtarycamps,andothersites,thestoryhighlightstheresidents'pain,joy,patriotism,anger,and bravery.Thenarrativealsodelvesintostateandmurucipalpoliticsaswellasintormlitaiymatters, thoughitdoes so onlytoshowhowdeeplythesesubjectsaffectedthepeople, andtiiereforeit doesnotpresenttheminthetypicalanalyticalfashionofahistorian. Inmanyinstances,talliesaregivenforailistmentsandcasualties.Theaudiorhasattemptedto beaspainstakinglyaccurateaspossiblewhaigivingnumericalinformation,buttheinformation given is only as accurate as the original sources, which woe by no means perfect in their assessments.Thoefore,thetotalsgivenshouldberegardedinmostcasesas^jproximate,withdie greatestefforthavingbeenmadetocomeclosetodietruth. Inanefforttopreservethestyleoftheoriginalcorrespondenceaswellastoavoideditorial clutter,dieaudiorhaschosentorefirainfiromtheuseof"[sic]",insteadpresentingquotedmaterial withtheoriginalerrorsleftintactInsomeinstances,bracketedwordsorlettershavebeeninserted toeliminateconfusion. CA.O. Contents 1. 1861 Dreams ofGlory 9 2. 1862 Rude Awakening 25 3. 1863 Fire in the Rear 41 4. 1864 This Dreary OldWar 61 5. 1865 BittersweetPeace 79 Notes 95