Military

Grand Army Upheld Ideals After Civil War

The History of Joliet – Chapter 36 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “There never was a time when the Grand Army was grander than it is today.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In the fall of 1923, a group of old soldiers gathered here in Joliet to remember those days that forever had bound them together. All had white hair. The youngest among them were “three score and ten plus,” The Herald News reported. They were the last of this state’s Civil War Union Army veterans gathered at what … Read more

‘Bennitt’s Boys’ Helped Carve A Piece of History

The History of Joliet – Chapter 26 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “BENNITT’s regiment lost about two dozen men. More soldiers died from exposure and illness than combat.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Like others who came to Joliet as young men, Fred BENNITT arrived in Joliet as a young man full of dreams for the future. He was just 21 years old when he got here from New York in 1875, arriving with a lawyer’s education and two special interests. He dreamed of playing a role in the … Read more

World War I Regiment Earns Praise

The History of Joliet – Chapter 32 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “The screaming convicts had set fire to five buildings and were attempting to ram a railroad freight car through the front gate.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News A patriotic fever swept across Joliet on April 6, 1917, when the United States declared war on Germany and joined World War I. The local recruiting office was swamped with volunteers. By the end of the month, more than 400 local men had enlisted. The following month, a national draft … Read more

Dangerous Celebration at War’s End

The History of Joliet – Chapter 33 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “When the guns started going off at 3 a.m., one man rushed outside because he thought a neighbor had finally caught that chicken thief. ‘The chicken thief turned out to be the Kaiser,’ the man told the Joliet Evening Herald-News.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News When the guns started going off at 3 a.m., one man rushed outside because he thought a neighbor had finally caught that chicken thief. But he found that guns were being fired … Read more

Bartleson Lost Arm, then His Life, for Nation

The History of Joliet – Chapter 14 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo I have still an arm left for my country, and she shall have that too, if necessary.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News Of all the warriors from Joliet who fought in the Civil War, the best remembered and most noble among them was Col. Frederick BARTLESON. The memory of this soldier is a city treasure. Described by George H. WOODRUFF, the local historian, BARTLESON was “a Christian in his convictions and always a man of pure morals.” … Read more

Thinned Ranks Return to Joliet from Civil War

The History of Joliet – Chapter 15 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “The rebellion, in its death throes, has dealt one terrible last thrust.” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News In the summer of 1863, bands played, cannons fired and church bells rang when the news reached Joliet about the Union victory at Gettysburg. Residents believed the backbone of the rebellion had been broken. But there was more of the Civil War to come before the end. There were more volunteers for new regiments and finally the national draft. With … Read more

Joliet Patriots Hear Call of Civil War

The History of Joliet – Chapter 12 By John Whiteside of The Herald News (used with permission) Submitted by Nancy Vargo “Nothing was talked of or thought of but war …” By John WHITESIDE of The Herald News When the Confederate cannons fired at Fort Sumter, Joliet quickly became a city filled with a patriotic fever. Filled with speeches, flags and bands. Filled with volunteers ready to fight and save the Union. The news of the war reached Joliet on a Sunday — April 14, 1861. From the pulpit to street corners, everyone talked about the war. That following Wednesday, … Read more