Civil War - Government

Pre-Statehood Era: 1700-1818

• Pre-Statehood Era- Government
• Pre-Statehood Era- Society and Culture
• Pre-Statehood Era- Business and Economy
• Pre-Statehood Era- Race Relations

Early Statehood: 1818-1861

• Early Statehood- Government
• Early Statehood- Society and Culture
• Early Statehood- Business and Economy
• Early Statehood- Race Relations

Civil War Era: 1861-1865

• Civil War- Government
• Civil War- Society and Culture
• Civil War- Business and Economy
• Civil War- Race Relations

Late 19th Century: 1866-1900

• Late 19th Century- Government
• Late 19th Century- Society and Culture
• Late 19th Century- Business and Economics
• Late 19th Century- Race Relations

Early 20th Century: 1900-1914

• Early 20th Century- Government
• Early 20th Century- Society and Culture
• Early 20th Century- Business and Economy
• Early 20th Century- Race Relations

World War I: 1914-1918

• World War I- Government
• World War I- Society and Culture
• World War I- Business and Economy
• World War I- Race Relations

Roaring Twenties: 1918-1929

• Roaring Twenties- Government
• Roaring Twenties- Society and Culture
• Roaring Twenties- Business and Economy

Great Depression: 1930-1941

• Great Depression- Government
• Great Depression- Society and Culture
• Great Depression- Business and Economy
• Great Depression- Race Relations

World War II: 1941-1945

• World War II- Government
• World War II- Society and Culture
• World War II- Business and Economy
• World War II- Race Relations

Cold War Era: 1946-1991

• Cold War Era- Government
• Cold War Era- Race Relations

Millennium: 1991-Present

• Millennium- Government
• Millennium- Race Relations

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Crime and Punishment

Coroner’s Inquest, McDonough County, 1864 / Transcription

• "When a death was violent or due to unexplained causes, the law required the county coroner to summon 12 jurors to view the body and give a verdict on the causes of the death." This document is the result of an inquest into the death of William H. Randolph.

• Citation: Turnbaugh, Dr. Roy C. Jr. and Robert E. Bailey. Windows to the Past: A Selection of Illinois County Records from 1818 to 1880. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1985. Document 22. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Philanthropy and Government Aid

Application for Relief, Bureau County, 1862 / Transcription

• "The Civil War brought economic hardship to many who remained at home. With heads of households off at war, wives, children and the elderly often had to turn to their county government for assistance. county boards established relief committees to deal with the problem." This application is for Mrs Julius Personius.

• Citation: Turnbaugh, Dr. Roy C. Jr. and Robert E. Bailey. Windows to the Past: A Selection of Illinois County Records from 1818 to 1880. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1985. Document 25. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Relief Interrogatory, Bureau County, 1864 / Transcription

• Relief committees would research each case in order to determine merit. "This Bureau County Relief Interrogatory summarizes Mrs. Ezra Lathrop’s request for relief... (which) was denied". The document also notes that work was hard to find for women at this time.

• Citation: Turnbaugh, Dr. Roy C. Jr. and Robert E. Bailey. Windows to the Past: A Selection of Illinois County Records from 1818 to 1880. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1985. Document 26. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Public Health and Safety

Ordinance Appropriating Funds to the Sanitary Commission, April 10th, 1862 / Transcription

• The ordinance requested ten thousand dollars for the care of sick or injured soldiers.

• Citation: Bailey, Robert E. and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Early Chicago, 1833-1871 A Selection of City Council Proceedings Files. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1999. Document 40. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 11/12/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/early_chicago/doc40.html

Communication from the Mayor Concerning the Flow of the Chicago River, December 30th, 1862 / Transcription

• This document discusses a contract submitted to the mayor by the canal committee to reverse the flow of the Chicago River to ease pollutants.

• Citation: Bailey, Robert E. and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Early Chicago, 1833-1871 A Selection of City Council Proceedings Files. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1999. Document 41. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 11/12/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/early_chicago/doc41.html

War and Military

Painting of the Main Avenue in the Rock Island Military Prison / Additional Information

• After Confederate troops destroyed the Harper's Ferry Arsenal in 1861, Congress decided to build a new arsenal in the west at Rock Island. Construction began in July of 1863. It was designed to hold up to 13,000 Confederate prisoners. After the war, the prison was completely destroyed.

• Photograph used by permission of the United States Army, Rock Island Arsenal Museum, Rock Island, Illinois.

Soldiers’ Muster Roll, Bureau County, 1861 / Transcription

• "The United States garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor surrendered on April 13th, 1861. On April 15th, President Lincoln called for 75,000 three-month volunteers to save the Union. This page from a Bureau County Soldiers’ Muster Roll lists volunteers who answered the first call for troops."

• Citation: Turnbaugh, Dr. Roy C. Jr. and Robert E. Bailey. Windows to the Past: A Selection of Illinois County Records from 1818 to 1880. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1985. Document 24. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Proclamation Regarding Day of Thanksgiving, August 4th, 1863 / Transcription

• Proclamation by the mayor of Chicago to observe Thanksgiving following a presidential decree.

• Citation: Bailey, Robert E. and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Early Chicago, 1833-1871 A Selection of City Council Proceedings Files. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1999. Document 43. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 11/19/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/early_chicago/doc43.html

Soldier’s Death Notice, Bureau County, 1865 / Transcription

• "During the Civil War, Illinois alone had losses of 34,834 dead. Of this number, 22,786 died of disease. Typhoid was the leading cause of death by disease. It was spread by contamination from the excrement of patients or carriers. The military hospital in Nashville, Tennessee was especially unhealthy, since it was located near an open sewer... (John) Colvin was 39 years old. He had enlisted on February 11th, 1865. Forty-six days later he was dead."

• Citation: Turnbaugh, Dr. Roy C. Jr. and Robert E. Bailey. Windows to the Past: A Selection of Illinois County Records from 1818 to 1880. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1985. Document 27. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Communication Concerning the Confederate Dead, December 17th, 1866 / Transcription

• This communication to Chief Quartermaster C.H. Hoyt asks for support in removing Confederate soldiers that had been buried in Chicago Cemetery while they were prisoners of war at Camp Douglas, and later, during a attempted liberation of the camp.

• Citation: Bailey, Robert E. and Elaine Shemoney Evans. Early Chicago, 1833-1871 A Selection of City Council Proceedings Files. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1999. Document 46. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Accessed on 11/19/2016. https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/teaching_packages/early_chicago/doc46.html

Soldier’s Naturalization Petition, Schuyler County, 1866

• "To encourage enlistments and reward immigrants for serving in the Union forces, Congress reduced the naturalization requirements for aliens who were Civil War veterans. The residence requirement was shortened to one year; the declaration of intent was waived; and an honorable discharge was proof of good moral character."

• Citation: Turnbaugh, Dr. Roy C. Jr. and Robert E. Bailey. Windows to the Past: A Selection of Illinois County Records from 1818 to 1880. Springfield: Illinois State Archives, 1985. Document 28. Used by permission of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

The Charleston Riot

"Shocking Occurrence: A Dreadful Fight between Copperheads and Soldiers."

• Discusses the the events of March 28th through 31st between soldiers and Copperheads, including the inciting incident between Nelson Wells, a Copperhead, and Oliver Sallee, a soldier.

• Citation: "Shocking Occurrence: A Dreadful Fight between Copperheads and Soldiers" from the Charleston Plain Dealer, March 31, 1864. Original document found in collection of Coles County Historical Society.

"The War in Illinois: Copperhead Outbreak"

• The New York Times report of the events in Charleston, IL on March 30, 1864

• Citation: "The War in Illinois: Copperhead Outbreak..." from The New York Times, April 1, 1864, 1. Courtesy of Proquest Historical Newspapers: New York Times, 1.

"The Coles County Affray: How It Originated"

• An account of the riot written a few days after the event.

• Citation: "The Coles County Affray: How It Originated" from the Chicago Tribune, April 4, 1864. Courtesy of Proquest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1989), 2.

"The Coles County Affray: Copperhead Prisoners Taken to Springfield"

• An account of the transfer of the Charleston Riot prisoners to Springfield for trial.

• Citation: "The Coles County Affray: Copperhead Prisoners Taken to Springfield" from the "News By Telegraph" edition of the Chicago Tribune, April 4, 1864. Courtesy of Proquest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1949-1989), 1.

Report from Colonel Mitchell on the Riot

• The after action report of Colonel Mitchell of the 54th Illinois Volunteer Infantry regarding the action taken during the riot at Charleston, IL

• Citation: Official Records (War of the Rebellion - A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies), Volume 125. 152-53, 633-35.

"The Charleston Copperhead Riot: Arrest of an Implicated Party"

• The Chicago Tribune report on the 1866 arrest of Benjamen D. Serrell for his role in the in Charleston Riot.

• Citation: "The Charleston Copperhead Riot: Arrest of an Implicated Party", from the Chicago Tribune (1860-1872), March 19, 1866. Courtesy of Proquest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1989), 2.