Military Data

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: 

Rock Island was the farthest west site of battle during the Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary War Soldiers Buried in Rock Island:

WILLIAM MEAD - died 1850, buried in Old Riverside cemetery in Moline.
(source: "Genealogical Records", Illinois Society DAR, 1939, compiled by Mrs. Edward J. Filbey)

THOMAS WOOD - buried in Mausoleum in Moline.
(source: "Genealogical Records", Illinois Society DAR, 1939, compiled by Mrs. Edward J. Filbey)

CIVIL WAR:

Abraham Lincoln received his army commission in Rock Island County just south of Saukenuk. He fought in the Blackhawk Wars. Later he won a court case in Rock Island between the steam boats and the railroad after the Effie Afton hit a Rock Island bridge. Lincoln fought on the side of railroad. Shortly after that he became President and established Arsenal Island as a Prisoner of War camp for Confederate Soldiers.

CIVIL WAR ILLINOIS VETERANS

Chapter XXXIII.
Military History by John M. Holt

THE CIVIL WAR

FORTY-SEVENTH ILLINOIS CONSOLIDATED INFANTRY

The original Forty-seventh Illinois Infantry was organized August 16, 1861, and its members served their time out with honor in the Army of Tennessee. The Forty-seventh Consolidated infantry was made up of non-veterans. Recruits of other regiments were transferred to it and drafted men completed its ranks. The basis of the consolidation consisted of 1996 men of the Forty-seventh, who had veteranized with its recruits.

One of the drafted companies was Rock Island G, which had but five desertions, while Company E, from, Peoria, had forty-five desertions shortly after being mustered into the service.

The new regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, First Division, Sixteenth Army Corps, to which the original Forty-seventh had belonged, was detached several times to go to different points, and at one time was at Chicago, Ill., November 4, 1864, where it was engaged in suppressing a riot.

This regiment saw active service at Spanish Fort and other places, and was finally mustered out at Selma, Ala., January 21, 1866, and ordered to Springfield for final payment and discharge. The following members of Company G were all that were in the regiment from Rock Island county:

Captain: James W. Ballard, Andalusia; e. March 9, 1865; m.o. Jan. 21, 1866.

David Schachter, Rock Island; e. Feb. 27, 1865; d. at Demopolis, Ala, July 16, 1865

Peter Schachter, Rock Island; e. March 3, 1865; m.o. Jan. 21, 1866

[pgs. 843, 870-1 Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Rock Island County, 1914 Submitted by Mary Lou Schachter]

Rock Island County Military Monuments

Courthouse Lawn - with names listed on the civil war monument.-NEW
Hampton Township

MISCELLANEOUS MILITARY DATA:

The Missouri War
by J. M. D. Burrows

In the early summer we were called upon by the governor to volunteer to march to the Missouri line and drive the Missourians from our sacred soil. There was no necessity to repeat the order. We were all fighting men in those days. The war between Rockingham and Davenport was suspended for a short time and we all united to resist this invasion of our territory by the miserable Missourians.

Davenport was selected as headquarters for Scott county. The day for us to meet was a lovely, spring-like morning. Nearly every man in the county was present to be enrolled. Our colonel, Sam Hedges, made us a patriotic speech, but what a sorry lot of soldiers he had to drill! Not having any gun, many came with pitchforks, scythes, hoes and clubs. One man had a sheet-iron sword, six or seven feet long. Many were drunk, and all were noisy and disposed to jeer and make fun of our officers.

Our colonel could stand this no longer. All who were drunk, and those improperly armed, were ordered out of the ranks. We who remained were getting hungry, as it was then dinner time, and asked for rations, when we were informed that we would have to furnish our own blankets, whiskey, and hard tack, which the government would refund at some future day. This we objected to. We were willing to shed our blood for our beloved territory, and if necessary, to kill a few hundred Missourians, but we were not going to do that and board ourselves.

At this juncture, we saw approaching in solemn column, our fellow soldiers who had been discharged. They were led by the man with the long sheet-iron sword. They charged on us, and it makes me blush to say that, notwithstanding we were three to their one we were badly defeated and scattered in every direction. The knight of the sheet-iron sword made for our colonel, and nothing but the colonel's superior fleetness saved him. As he ran he informed us that we could go home; nothing more would be done until he received further orders.

At this time congress was in session, and becoming alarmed at the Civil war impending, interfered. The poor barbarians of Missouri, hearing of the hostile demonstrations being made in Davenport and other river towns, withdrew from our territory. A few months later the supreme court met and decided in our favor, and all was peace. Submitted by Mary Lou Schaechter

Francis L. Shaw Wins Army Wings

Aviation Cadet Francis L. Shaw, son of Jesse L. Shaw, 519 West Hurlbut avenue, Belvidere, has won his wings as a pilot at the army air forces advanced flying school at Douglas, Ariz. He has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the air corps and now is ready for active duty.
Submitted by Marlene Olson.