In the summer of 1862, when men responded to the second call of President Lincoln for 300,000 more troops to serve in the army to preserve the Union, about six full companies responded from McDonough county {ed.-Illinois}.
Two of these served in the 78th Ill., two in the 84th and two in the 124th. One of these, Co. C of the 78th, was known as the "Blandinsville company," its members being largely composed of men from the northwest part of the county. Many of the new regiments, the 78th among the rest, were hurried to Kentucky to repel the invasion of Bragg's army. As the confederates fell back and the Louisville and Nashville railroad was repaired, the 78th was one of the regiments that was divided into one or more companies at a place to guard bridges and track against General John Morgan, who was busy with his army of raiders some 2,000 to 3,000 strong doing everything possible to tear up this only line of supply to the Union army, that then, under Rosecrans, was pursuing and driving Bragg out of the state. Co. C was stationed at the bridge over "Rolling Fork;" it was surrounded by Morgan's 'terrible men' and, finding resistance futile, surrendered.
We give below the parole of the company and the oath the men took, not to take up arms against the Confederacy until properly exchanged. It will be interesting reading to the younger generation, as it gives one feature of the history of the war little known; it will interest older ones because they will remember the ones paroled, some of whom are yet living at Blandinsville and vicinity or in other locations. Most of them, however, have crossed the river to futurity, some of them being killed in battle after their exchange.
C.L. Spielman was captured with the rest of the boys but was overlooked in making the parole. He was taken, along with two others, to Gen. Morgan in person, who ordered the three of them to be set at liberty.
"Headquarters Army Ky.,
Rolling Fork, Dec. 28, 1862
We the undersigned, belonging to the United States Army, having been taken prisoners by the Confederate States' forces under command of Gen. John H. Morgan, on condition of our being released on parole, do solemnly swear that we will not bear arms against the Confederate State or perform any military duty or aid or abet their enemies in any way whatsoever during the war until regularly exchanged under penalty of death, nor will we disclose anything that we have seen or heard in the Confederate States' army to its prejudice.
Joel H. Jenks, Fifer
Privates--Thos. Boyton, Marion Bond, Henry Carnes, Marshall Cline, Thos. Davis, Geo. Dowell, Wm. Freeland, John Forest, John Galbreth, John Green, John Gorham, Elisha Hamilton, James Huddleston, John Harmin, John Hainline, John W. James, W.E. James, Joseph H. Keithley, Perry Keithley, Silas Mesecher, Wm. Mesecher, F.T. Mayhugh, John Mayhugh, Laban Mayhugh, George Martin, Nathaniel Midcap, Josephus Marshall, W.F. McGee, John Monahan, Sylvester Ruddle, Peter B. Robbert, Henry Venning, John Rush, John Worley, A.J. Stafford, Jas. Welsh, Andrew Wilson, Jesse Warner, Henry Warner, John Woodside, Philip Chaffin, Michael Chaffin, Lewis Hendricks, Cyril Tift, Marion Sherry, Richard Terry, Wm. H. Duffield, F. P. Brown
I certify that the within named men, belonging to my company, have this day been regularly paroled, according to the cartel regulating the exchange of prisoners between the United States and the Confederate States.
Capt. CHARLES R. HUME
Co. C., 78th Regt. Ill. Vol.
From Blandinsville {IL} Star Gazette, 29 SPB 1910, pg. 6
Two of these served in the 78th Ill., two in the 84th and two in the 124th. One of these, Co. C of the 78th, was known as the "Blandinsville company," its members being largely composed of men from the northwest part of the county. Many of the new regiments, the 78th among the rest, were hurried to Kentucky to repel the invasion of Bragg's army. As the confederates fell back and the Louisville and Nashville railroad was repaired, the 78th was one of the regiments that was divided into one or more companies at a place to guard bridges and track against General John Morgan, who was busy with his army of raiders some 2,000 to 3,000 strong doing everything possible to tear up this only line of supply to the Union army, that then, under Rosecrans, was pursuing and driving Bragg out of the state. Co. C was stationed at the bridge over "Rolling Fork;" it was surrounded by Morgan's 'terrible men' and, finding resistance futile, surrendered.
We give below the parole of the company and the oath the men took, not to take up arms against the Confederacy until properly exchanged. It will be interesting reading to the younger generation, as it gives one feature of the history of the war little known; it will interest older ones because they will remember the ones paroled, some of whom are yet living at Blandinsville and vicinity or in other locations. Most of them, however, have crossed the river to futurity, some of them being killed in battle after their exchange.
C.L. Spielman was captured with the rest of the boys but was overlooked in making the parole. He was taken, along with two others, to Gen. Morgan in person, who ordered the three of them to be set at liberty.
"Headquarters Army Ky.,
Rolling Fork, Dec. 28, 1862
We the undersigned, belonging to the United States Army, having been taken prisoners by the Confederate States' forces under command of Gen. John H. Morgan, on condition of our being released on parole, do solemnly swear that we will not bear arms against the Confederate State or perform any military duty or aid or abet their enemies in any way whatsoever during the war until regularly exchanged under penalty of death, nor will we disclose anything that we have seen or heard in the Confederate States' army to its prejudice.
Joel H. Jenks, Fifer
Privates--Thos. Boyton, Marion Bond, Henry Carnes, Marshall Cline, Thos. Davis, Geo. Dowell, Wm. Freeland, John Forest, John Galbreth, John Green, John Gorham, Elisha Hamilton, James Huddleston, John Harmin, John Hainline, John W. James, W.E. James, Joseph H. Keithley, Perry Keithley, Silas Mesecher, Wm. Mesecher, F.T. Mayhugh, John Mayhugh, Laban Mayhugh, George Martin, Nathaniel Midcap, Josephus Marshall, W.F. McGee, John Monahan, Sylvester Ruddle, Peter B. Robbert, Henry Venning, John Rush, John Worley, A.J. Stafford, Jas. Welsh, Andrew Wilson, Jesse Warner, Henry Warner, John Woodside, Philip Chaffin, Michael Chaffin, Lewis Hendricks, Cyril Tift, Marion Sherry, Richard Terry, Wm. H. Duffield, F. P. Brown
I certify that the within named men, belonging to my company, have this day been regularly paroled, according to the cartel regulating the exchange of prisoners between the United States and the Confederate States.
Capt. CHARLES R. HUME
Co. C., 78th Regt. Ill. Vol.
From Blandinsville {IL} Star Gazette, 29 SPB 1910, pg. 6
