Table Of ContentLINCOLN'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
