Clark County was credited with fielding 1,560 soldiers during the Civil War. However, during my studies, I found that number increased to 2,187, with enlistments in other state regiments, such as Missouri and Indiana. Additionally, I included in this number the many men who served during the war who moved to Clark County later in life and made it their home. This number included 10 who served in the Confederate army. Officially, the men from Clark County formed 14 companies in 11 regiments.

  If anyone has a particular soldier to inquire about, feel free to contact me.

SOLDIERS PER TOWNSHIP

Marshall= 479; Westfield= 221; Wabash= 221; Casey= 198; Martinsville= 197; York= 161; Darwin= 131; Melrose= 89; Orange= 55; Johnson= 43; Dolson= 23; Auburn= 20; Anderson= 15; Parker= 14; Douglas= 10

In addition to these men, 309 were found to have enlisted from the county without declaring a specific residency.

Marshall= 52 killed/died, 32 captured
Martinsville= 27 killed/died, 1 captured
Melrose= 26 killed/died, 5 captured
Westfield= 23 killed/died, 3 captured
Darwin= 23 killed/died, 4 captured
York= 13 killed/died, 8 captured
Wabash= 12 killed/died
Casey= 11 killed/died, 3 captured
Orange= 5 killed/died
Johnson= 4 killed/died
Anderson= 1 killed/died
Dolson= 1 killed/died
Parker= 1 killed/died
Douglas= No casualties
Auburn= No casualties, 1 captured
Unknown Township= 37 killed/died, 2 captured

Total Casualties= 235 killed/died, 59 captured.

  During the war, Clark County lost 47 men on the battlefield. Listed below are the battles, in order of casualties. It is interesting to note, that 2 men were killed merely 30 miles away in Charleston, Coles County, Illinois, when the 54th Regiment, on furlough, ran across an angry group of Copperheads, lead by the county sheriff. The skirmish was placed in the records as a battle and it can be found by searching the links below.

Perryville, KY= 11 killed
Stone's River, TN= 10 killed
Atlanta Campaign, GA= 8 killed
Farmington, MS= 2 killed
Vicksburg, MS= 2 killed
Tullahoma Campaign, TN= 2 killed
Chickamauga, GA= 2 killed
Selma, AL= 2 killed
Charleston, IL= 2 killed
Missionary Ridge, TN= 1 killed
Fort Donelson, TN= 1 killed
Belmont, MO= 1 killed
Pea Ridge, AR= 1 killed
Bentonville, NC= 1 killed.

  Seventy-nine Clark County men wore the shoulder straps of a Union officer. The breakdown of officers by township were as follows:

Marshall= 28; Westfield= 14; Casey= 10; Martinsville= 8; York= 6; Melrose= 2; Wabash= 1; Anderson= 1

The residency of the remaining five officers is unknown.

Second Lieutenants= 24; First Lieutenants= 25; Captains= 25; Majors= 3; and Lieutenant Colonels= 1.

  Fifty-six Clark County men were held prisoners during the war. Some were fortunate enough to be paroled early in the war, but others were forced to endure the hardships in makeshift prisons, such as Andersonville in Georgia. Indeed, eleven Clark County men died as prisoners of war, seven of which were in Andersonville. Below is a list of those who died as prisoners of war.

Darwin Twp:
Freemon, Harmon- Danville Prison, VA.

Janney, Edmund- Andersonville Prison, GA. He died 6/11/1864, diarrhea, grave# 1845.

Marshall Twp:
Fisher, John- Andersonville Prison, GA. He died 9/27/1864, grave# 9845.

Jackson, Nathan- Andersonville Prison, GA. He died 10/4/1864, scorbutus, grave# 10287.

Nicholson, Robert- Andersonville Prison, GA. He died 9/4/1864, diarrhea, grave# 7847.

Snider, George- Danville Prison, VA.

Martinsville Twp:
McCrory, Evermont- Richmond, VA.

Melrose Twp:
Rolston, Joseph- Andersonville Prison, GA. He died 7/8/1864, fever, grave# 3039.

Westfield Twp:
White, William- Danville Prison, VA.

Unknown Twp:
Craig, John- Andersonville Prison, GA. He died 1/22/1865, grave# 12506.

  The State of Illinois played a role in the lives of 105 Civil War winners of the Medal of Honor. Of these, 80 were enlisted men and 25 were officers. One man from Clark County was awarded the medal. Although little is known of him, the following report was found:

McKeen, Nineveh S.
21st Illinois Infantry, Co. H, First Lieutenant.
Born: Clark County, Illinois.
Residence: Marshall, Clark County, Illinois.
Action: "Conspicuous in the charge, where he was three times wounded." Stone's River, Tennessee, December 30, 1862.
Action: "Captured the colors of the 8th Arkansas Infantry, CSA." Liberty Gap, Tennessee, June 25, 1863.
Medal Issued: June 23, 1890.

  For those interested in learning more about individual Clark County soldiers, you may write to me for information. The book, Rally Cry! The Hometown Boys in the Civi War. The History of Clark County, Illinois in the War Between the States, includes an index of the men, regiments, enlistment dates, burial locations, and much more. Simply write to me with the soldier's name, and I will forward what information is available.