Illinois’ First Response to the Civil War

Abstract

Going to war is one thing, being prepared for it quite another. Preparation requires that men be organized into units, housed, fed, clothed, armed, and equipped. coming of Civil War created nightmarish logistical problems for various states as far as arming and equipping new volunteers. Nobody was prepared to meet requirements for so large a number of men. Illinois, like other states, scrambled to provide for 259,092 men who ultimately volunteered. first call was for six regiments, although state authorized raising ten regiments of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and one battalion of light artillery.1 War caught state of Illinois in a condition of woeful unpreparedness. military force of state existed only on paper, for all practical purposes. According to Illinois Adjutant General Allen G Fuller, state had available, efficient, armed and organized militia, at outbreak of war. Fuller doubted whether there were even thirty organized companies throughout state, but admitted that eventually these provided a strong nucleus for new regiments.2 In fact, volunteers responded with enthusiasm to redress insult to flag. But how to clothe and equip them? One expression of this problem, attributed to Lincoln, ran the ore is still in mine from which guns are to be made and wool on sheep for clothing.3 As far as armaments were concerned, state arsenal housed no more than 362 U.S. altered muskets and 297 horse pistols. Additionally several hundred mostly unserviceable weapons and accouterments were distributed among militia companies. Governor Yates passed legislation to purchase arms, and unsuccessfully requested assistance form arsenals at St. Louis, Missouri; Dearborn, Michigan; Albany, New York; Springfield, Massachusetts; and even London, Canada. Despite shortage of arms, accouterments, and uniforms, volunteers swarmed into service. first company, Springfield Grays, assembled in Springfield on April 15, quickly followed by others all over state. On April 21, at urgent request of governor who feared for safety of Cairo, a force of four-hundred men left Chicago on Illinois Central Railroad, armed with fifty muskets borrowed from a Milwaukee militia company. rest of men brought an assortment of shotguns, pistols, antique revolvers, squirrel rifles, and anything that looked as if it would shoot. These were brought from home, borrowed, purchased, or acquired by any other means. Additionally, four pieces of artillery and forty-four horses accompanied this ragtag force.4 so-called Cairo Expedition was successful in making all important town at confluence of Mississippi and Ohio rivers safe, but it also underscored woeful state of Illinois' militia and volunteers. Many of weapons borrowed from Milwaukee militia were later found to be loaded with multiple rounds, and, therefore, unserviceable until excess rounds could be extracted. This showed an unfamiliarity with equipment as well as a failure to perform routine maintenance. first recruits poured into Springfield, debarking from overcrowded railway cars and assembling on ill-prepared campgrounds. men milled around for hours before being assigned quarters, and then were directed into old cattle stalls. first recruits bunked six deep in stalls formerly occupied by a single bovine. A curtain was provided to affect some measure of privacy, or at least facade of a military tent. Little or no provision was made to properly feed, clothe, or house men. Luxuries like blankets or other equipment were not to be found.5 recruits of 13th Illinois were not impressed with cattle pen accommodations nor lack of uniforms and equipment. The Scriptures are authority for statement that 'No man goeth to warfare at his own charge. …