For courtesy, and for information furnished to assist me in tracing lost members of Company K, I am under special obligations to the Hon. William Lochren, Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C. I also acknowledge my indebtedness to many postmasters, to newspaper editors, to pension agents and others.
If any Company K man dies or changes his place of residence I desire to be informed of the fact. In this way we will know where every man of the Company is located. Remember, please.
A more lengthy sketch is given of some Comrades than of others. The reason is I have had more information in regard to some than in regard to others. In many cases what is said about each one of the living is his own letter to me re-cast and abridged. I have not intentionally slighted or misrepresented any. I may have made errors. If so, I hope they are few and not of a grievous nature.
A BIT OF HISTORY.
When the news of the President’s first call for volunteers reached Newark the people were wild with excitement. “That night,” writes Dr. Dyer, “I could not sleep. The next morning I was out very early. I went into Fowler’s drug store and there with pen and ink drew up a company muster-roll and signed it, and united with others in calling a war meeting for that evening. I was called to make a long ride in the country and upon my return found five names on the muster-roll in addition to my own. I wish I had that paper now.” This was the beginning of our Company. Volunteers continued to come forward and in a few days the requisite number had signed the roll. April 24, 1861, is on record as the date of our Company organization. We were not accepted under the President’s call and were sorely disappointed. However, most of the boys continued to meet in Newark and were drilled by Lieutenants Watson and McKean. On May 11, 1861, our Company left Newark for Joliet and went into camp. The 20th Illinois Regiment was there organized and the Kendall county boys became Company K of that organization. After that the history of the Company became part of the history of the Regiment. June 13, 1861, we were mustered into the United States service for three years, if not sooner discharged. About the 17th of June we took the cars for the South. Stopped three weeks at Alton, Illinois, and drilled constantly. Early in July we went into camp for a short time in the United States Arsenal at St. Louis, Missouri, and were here armed with Enfield rifles and received new blue uniforms. We now had a very extravagant opinion of ourselves, of our fighting qualities in particular, and did not take the least pains to conceal that opinion from others. This is what a St. Louis paper said of us:
ARRIVAL OF COLONEL MARSH’S REGIMENT FROM ALTON.
At 11 o’clock a. m., of Saturday, the steamer, “City of Alton,” from Alton, landed at the Arsenal the Twentieth Illinois Regiment, Colonel C. C. Marsh commanding. The boat brought also the entire camp equipage and stores of the Regiment. The spontaneous greeting tendered by our Missouri soldiers was hearty and enthusiastic. Cheers upon cheers of welcome rent the air and were responded to by the Illinoisans in magnificent style. The guests were assigned the western lawn of the Arsenal grounds for their camping site. Tents were speedily pitched, baggage distributed, and the newly arrived volunteers were soon perfectly at home. They are aching for active service wherever desired, and, we understand, are already under orders for “a forward movement.” Other Regiments in Illinois are also in eager anticipation of lively “business” in Missouri or Arkansas.
Colonel Marsh’s Regiment is evidently in first-class condition and consists of strikingly vigorous and hardy men. They are brim full of health and energy and fun. The Regiment numbers nine hundred and sixty-one men rank and file. Success and joy to them.