1876 History - The War Record
In the war between the States, 1861, the county contributed liberally, being of the first to respond to the call for soldiers.
The first full company — "D," 21st Ill. — went out under the command of Capt. James E. Callaway, of Tuscola, who became Lieutenant Colonel. President Grant was the first Colonel of this Regiment. B. Frank Reed, of Bowdre Township, was also a Captain of this company. He died September, 1865, of wounds received at Chicamauga. Wm. Brian was the first Captain of company "H," 25th Regiment. Four companies were made up for the 79th, Allen Buckner, of Arcola, being the Colonel. A. Van Deren, of Tuscola, was Captain of company "B," Wm. A. Low, of Newman, was Captain of company "E," Oliver O. Bagley, of Camargo, was Captain of company "G," and Dr. H. D. Martin, of Arcola, was Captain of company "K." Dr. Martin died of wounds received at Liberty Gap, June 25, 1863. Gilbert Summe, of Tuscola, was Captain of company "A," 70th Ill., a three months regiment. Derrick Lamb, of Tuscola, was Captain of company "F," 149th, and afterward of company "G," 135th. J. M. Maris, of Tuscola, was Quarter-Master in the 63d Regiment. J. B. McCown, of Camargo, was Colonel of the 63d, in which Regiment J. W. McKinney, was Surgeon. W. H. Lamb, of Tuscola, was Adjutant of the 79th. Wesford Taggart of Tuscola, was Lieutenant Colonel of the 25th. Dr. J. L. Reat was Surgeon of the 21st.
A large number enlisted in the 1st, 2d, 5th, 7th and 13th Cavalry, the Chicago Light Artillery, the 8th and 55th Infantry of Illinois, and the 1st Missouri State Militia.
Henry Von Trebra, of Arcola, was Colonel of the 32d Indiana. He died at Arcola in August, 1863. Simeon Paddleford, of Tuscola, was a Quarter-Master in the 21st Illinois.
These are probably enough to indicate, measurably, the part of Douglas county in the war of 1861. The report of the Adjutant General of the State, on file in the County Clerk's office contains all possible information under this head except the actual number of men from the county in tabular form.
In July, 1862, the sum of $2,000 was appropriated by the County Board to aid enlistments and the Magistrates were made distributors, in conjunction with the Board. A. G. Wallace and John Chandler were appointed to procure and present to the 79th Illinois a hundred dollar flag.
Extracted 11 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Douglas County, Illinois, Compiled by Order of the Board of Supervisors for the Centennial Anniversary of American Independence, July 4, 1876, pages 21-22.
