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Subject: Re: Illinois Infantry Dead at Lebanon, Laclede County, MO
Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2004 09:07:18 EST
Jim, Arleigh, and others,
I don't deny there are 21 Union dead buried at Lebanon, and most of them
seem to be Illinois Infantry, but let's be careful with assuming anything
else about them. It would sure help if we knew from which Illinois regiment they
came. Jim, does it tell us that on their tombstones?
I know of no skirmish in the Laclede County area at any time in the war
that would have created 21 Union dead, especially infantrymen, and especially
Illinois infantrymen. The Union high command pulled nearly all Federal
infantry out of Missouri for other theaters in early 1862. Most Illinois infantry
were used in Missouri and especially southwest Missouri during the campaigning of
1861.
I certainly don't know for a fact, but my guess is that these dead were
killed somewhere else (Wilson's Creek in Greene County 10 August 1861 perhaps)
and transported here for burial OR that these Illinois infantry were guarding
the main wagon road between the Rolla Union base and railroad terminal and
the Springfield base and died of disease over a period of a few weeks probably
during 1861. Personally, I opt for the second alternative.
We really need more facts to be sure.
Bruce Nichols
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