To the People of Illinois- Proclamation by Richard Yates

PROCLAMATION

By His Excellency RICHARD YATES, GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, SPRINGFIELD, ILL., February 5, 1864

To the People of Illinois:

It is with feelings of the profoundest satisfaction that I announce to you the number of men which Illinois has contributed to the armies of the Union from the commencement of the rebellion to the present time.

Our contingent of volunteers under calls of the President:

In 1861 was 47,785 In 1862 was 82,685 In 1863 was 64,630

Total quotas under all calls: 145,100

The last call was made October 17th, 1863, and the State had furnished and been credited one hundred and twenty-five thousand three hundred and twenty-one (125,321) men - a surplus of eight thousand one hundred and fifty-one (8,151) over all other calls to be credited to our contingent for that call, and which reduced it to 19,779 men, with still other credits claimed, but not fully adjusted because of imperfect record in case of citizens, and in some instances whole companies of Illinoisans, who had entered the regiments of other States at times when our quotas under given calls were entirely full, and because of which, their services I was reluctantly compelled to decline.

In the volunteer regiments from the State of Missouri 6,032 citizens of Illinois were enrolled and mustered, and in Illinois regiments there have been 1,659 residents of the State of Missouri enlisted; which leaves, as between the States, a credit of 4,273 in favor of Illinois.

After adjustment of credit of 125,321 at and prior to October last, from more careful examination of the rolls and returns from the field, it was ascertained that we were entitled to an additional credit of 10,947, which increased the number enrolled in our own regiments, and for which we were entitled to credit prior to last call, to 136,238, leaving the whole account thus:

Quotas under all calls 145,100 Credits for enlistments in Illinois regiments 136,268 Balance in Missouri regiments 4,373 140,641

 Total balance due the Government under last call.      4,459

Besides the foregoing the State claims an unadjusted balance of 3,264 for volunteers furnished prior to October 1st, 1868, which I doubt not will soon be credited by the War Department.

Independent of the last mentioned figures, and exclusive of old regiments re-enlisting as veterans, our quota on the first day of January was more than filled, as evidenced by rolls returned since the last call.

In other words, the State of Illinois, having under every call exceeded her quota by the voluntarily demonstrated patriotism of her people, was not, on the first day of January last, or at any other time, liable to DRAFT.

That this information has not been communicated to the public sooner is fully explained in the uncertainty which has existed as to the credits which would be allowed by the War Department, the unadjusted account between our own and neighboring States of the volunteers of the one enlisted in the regiments of the other, and the incomplete returns of the new recruits enlisted just prior to and about the first day of January, 1864.

Thus it will be seen that Illinois alone, of all the loyal States of the Union, furnishes the proud record of not only having escaped the draft, without credit for her old regiments, but of starting under the new call with her quota largely diminished, by the credit to which she is entitled by thousands of veterans already re-enlisted.

This is only an additional chapter to the fame of our noble State, promptly and patriotically responding to every call of the Government for men - and men, too, whose valor, endurance, prompt obedience, noble daring and brilliant achievements are unsurpassed by those of any State in the Union.

I cannot forbear to refer specially to the cheerful re-enlistment of our old regiments. Those so designated are the regiments of infantry numbered the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th - organized under the call of the President, of April 15, 1861, for 75,000 three months volunteers, and were the first in the field - and re-organized in July and August 1861, for three years service - the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th regiments, which were first organized under provisions of an act passed by the extraordinary session of the General Assembly of Illinois, convened April 23d, 1861, in anticipation of future calls of the Government for troops, and which organizations were preserved intact in State camps until the latter part of that month, and mustered into the United States service as organized under the law referred to. All the other mentioned regiments were organized in pursuance of the calls of the President and Order of the War Department, based on the laws of Congress of that year.

The infantry regiments at the time of organization, and since, have contained 88,173, and the cal vary 7,477; aggregate 45,650 men, and now comprise:

THE VETERAN ROLL OF HONOR OF ILLINOIS. Viz: the

Seventh Infantry. Forty-First Infantry. Eighth Infantry. Forty-Third Infantry. Ninth Infantry. Forty-Fourth Infantry. Tenth Infantry. Forty-Fifth Infantry. Eleventh Infantry. Forty-Sixth Infantry. Twelfth Infantry. Forty-Eighth Infantry. Thirteenth Infantry. Forty-Ninth Infantry. Fourteenth Infantry. Fiftieth Infantry. Fifteenth Infantry. Fifty-Second Infantry. Sixteenth Infantry. Fifty-Third Infantry. Seventeenth Infantry. Fifty-Fourth Infantry. Eighteenth Infantry. Fifty-Seventh Infantry. Twenty-Sixth Infantry. Fifty-Eighth Infantry. Twenty-Ninth Infantry. Sixty-Second Infantry. Thirtieth Infantry. Sixty-Fourth Infantry. Thirty-First Infantry. Sixty-Sixth Infantry. Thirty-Second Infantry. Second Calvary. Thirty-Third Infantry. Fourth Calvary. Thirty-Fourth Infantry. Eighth Calvary. Thirty-Sixth Infantry. Ninth Calvary. Thirty-Ninth Infantry. Tenth Calvary. Fortieth Infantry. Twelfth Calvary.

The old regiments not yet reported as having re-enlisted are the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, 25th, 27th, 35th, 37th, 38th, 42d, 47th, 61st, 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, 61st, 63d, 65th regiments of Infantry, and the 3d, 5th, 6th, 7th and 11th regiments of Calvary, and the 1st and 2d regiments of Artillery.

Total number of old regiments organized for three years' service:

Infantry....................59 Calvary....................10 Artillery.................... 2

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Aggregate................44

The order for re-enlistment of veteran volunteers, issued on the 11th day of September, 1863, and the rapidity with which they have responded, is a striking evidence of the attachment to the service and the esteem and respect which our General, Field, Staff, and Line Officers have inspired in the ranks of our invincible armies, and above all, the appreciation they have of the magnitude of the issue at state. The most cheering intelligence also is received from the regiments not officially reported as re-enlisted. They are all made of the same invincible material, and I doubt not, that every regiment will retain its number, and soon wheel gloriously into the veteran line.

Though absent for years from their homes and everything held most sacred and dear, and exposed to untried, rigid discipline, and dangers of every kind - decimated by disease and by death on the battlefield, these veterans return with their old banners, which they have borne aloft amid shot and shell, and the cold and smoke of many victorious battle fields, to receive the welcome and congratulations of their loyal countrymen, and for only a brief furlough to enjoy the sweets of home and friends, again to return to meet the foe and fight on until the last rebel shall have laid down his arms, and the rightful authority of the Government shall be restored over every inch of American soil. They have come in contact with the enemy, and know better than the philosopher at home that the rights of man and the power of the Government can now only be secured by sword and cannon. Their devotion to country is full of sublimity, not surpassed by that of the veterans of the ancient Republics, whose patriotism and deeds of valor have been the theses for song and eloquence for over a thousand years. Can the proudest page of history point to a nation whose army has participated in more battle fields than the veteran soldiers of Illinois? At Boonville Carthage, Wilson's Creek, Frederickton, Lexington, Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, New Madrid, Island No. 10, Shiloh, Farmington, Britton's Lane, Iuka, Corinth, Hatchie, Parker's Cross Roads, Prairie Grove, Coffeeville, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, Big Black, siege of Vicksburg, Helena, Port Hudson, Jackson, Little Rock, Pine Bluffs, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Valley, Tuscumbia, Mission Ridge, Ringgold and Knoxville in the West - the battles of the Peninsular campaign, Antietam, Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Chancellorville, siege of Charleston, on the Eastern coast, and other engagements in the Department of the Gulf, and in innumerable skirmishes have the same returned veterans of Illinois participated and borne cospicuous parts. All honor to them that they have so proudly borne themselves, all honor to them that they still swear fresh allegiance to their country, and with unconquered spirit resolve never to sheathe their swords except over the grave of treason, and the vindicated authority of the Government and our glorious Union restored.

The quota of the State under the new call will soon be announced, and each county definitely informed of the number required, and I have no fears that a single county will fail to fill its quota. Recruiting will go on. At the roll call of the State for their quota on the first day of March, Illinois will answer "here," and should the Government, as in my judgment it ought, call out full 500,000 more men, and, with demonstrated and overwhelming power crush out the last vestige of the rebellion, in such an event Illinois would again respond with her full quota of as brave, patriotic and loyal men as those who have reflected such resplendent lustre upon her arms.

I express my gratitude for the aid and counsel the old and wise men and loyal women have given me in organizing troops and caring for the sick and wounded of our State through the trying months we have passed, and I now appeal to the young men of Illinois to join our veteran heroes, who, on weary march and battle plain, call you to their side. You have the renown of Forefathers to sustain and the consecrated memories of the noble dead, to write upon the annals of the Republic, to be saved by its citizens in arms. Between you and them there is a covenant, and you are pledged by every sentiment of loyalty and honor to God and country, to sustain them in the hour of conflict. 'Tis yours to accomplish the mission of the century, to inspire new faith in the capacity of man for self-government, to preserve the dignity of labor, and to transmit to posterity the free Government of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. If you desire your names associated with the glories of this war, enlist now, for the signs are that its end is near at hand.

The South is fast becoming convinced that the cool determined bravery of one Northern man is equal to the fiery, impetuous valor and bravado of one Southern man; and that while, day by day, the resources of the South in men, money and munitions of war and supplies are nearing the point of final exhaustion, the arm of the loyal States is daily being strengthened, the credit of the Government is unimpaired, the preparations for prosecuting the war on the land and on the sea are constantly increasing, and scarcely any limit can be assigned to the number of men which the Government may call to its aid. The doom of the rebellion is inevitable. It can, to say the least, only be a question of time.

Then fill up the ranks - reinforce the column still advancing, and by strength of strong arms in the field and patriotic sentiment at home fill every village and hamlet claimed by traitors with the old flag and anthems of VICTORY, FREEDOM, and NATIONAL UNION.

I submit herewith the Report of Adjutant General Allen C. Fuller, who, in the organization of our regiments, has labored faithfully, and brought great energy, efficiency and ability in the discharge of all the varied and complicated duties of the Adjutant General's office. To him, and assistants in his office, and to my own staff, am I much indebted for the success which has crowned my labors in raising, organizing and responding to all the demands of the large number of troops which Illinois has sent to the field.

RICH'D YATES, Governor.

TABULAR STATEMENT, Showing the Population, Enrollment, Quotas in 1861-2-3, and Credits of each County in the State.

COUNTIES. Population 1860 Enrollment 1st Class Quotas, 1861 Quotas, 1862 Quotas, 1863 Quotas Totals Credits ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Adams 41,144 4,716 1,154 789 1,543 3,486 2,741

Alexander 4,652 1,788 130 89 585 804 1,025

Bond 9,767 1,058 274 187 346 807 769

Boone 11,670 1,049 327 224 343 894 619

Brown 9,919 933 278 190 305 773 794

Bureau 26,415 2,995 741 597 980 2,228 1,730

Calhoun 5,148 620 144 99 203 446 272

Carroll 11,718 1,505 329 225 492 1,646 651

Cass 11,313 1,124 317 217 368 902 834

Champaign 14,581 2,022 409 280 662 1,351 1,572

Christian 10,475 1,572 294 201 514 1,009 764

Clark 14,948 1,318 419 287 431 1,137 904

Clay 9,309 897 261 178 293 782 917

Clinton 10,729 1,449 301 206 474 981 763

Coles 14,174 2,048 897 272 670 1,339 1,870

Cook 143,947 22,541 4,036 2,761 7,875 14,172 10,455

Crawford 11,529 1,123 323 221 367 911 812

Cumberland 8,809 598 233 159 196 588 693

DeKalb 19,079 2,134 535 366 698 1,599 1,487

DeWitt 10,814 1,048 303 207 343 853 1,168

Douglas 7,109 1,056 199 136 345 680 800

DuPage 14,696 858 412 282 281 975 925

Edgar 16,888 1,861 474 824 609 1,407 1,385

Edwards 5,879 522 151 103 171 425 377

Effingham 7,805 875 219 150 286 655 820

Fayette 11,146 1,433 813 214 469 996 1,013

Ford 1,979 348 55 88 114 207 84

Franklin 9,867 834 263 180 273 716 1,037

Fulton 88,289 2,789 933 688 913 2,484 2,534

Gallatin 7,629 788 214 146 258 618 1,120

Greene 16,067 1,577 450 808 516 1,274 1,215

Grundy 10,372 1,176 291 199 885 875 831

Hamilton 9,849 933 276 189 305 770 922

Hancock 29,041 2,889 814 557 945 2,816 1,982

Hardin 3,704 331 104 71 108 283 426

Henderson 9,499 1,192 266 182 390 838 781

Henry 20,658 2,629 579 396 860 1,835 1,982

Iroquois 12,285 1,489 344 236 487 1,067 1,264

Jackson 9,560 1,150 268 183 376 827 1,059

Jasper 8,850 671 234 160 220 614 623

Jefferson 12,931 1,803 363 248 426 1,087 650

Jersey 11,942 1,304 335 229 427 991 652

JoDaviess 27,147 2,150 761 521 704 1,986 1,478

Johnson 9,306 872 261 178 285 724 1,105

Kane 80,024 2,962 842 576 969 2,887 2,748

Kankakee 15,893 1,503 432 295 492 1,219 1,180

Kendall 13,078 1,816 367 251 430 1,048 1,024

Knox 28,512 3,088 799 547 1,010 2,856 2,489

Lake 18,248 1,524 512 350 499 1,861 942

LaSalle 48,272 5,577 1,853 926 1,825 4,104 3,516

Lawrence 8,976 849 252 172 277 701 721

Lee 17,643 2,862 495 338 773 1,606 1,287

Livingston 11,643 1,571 326 223 514 1,063 1,022

Logan 14,247 1,685 899 273 535 1,207 1,658

Macon 13,655 1,783 888 262 588 1,228 1,477

Macoupin 24,504 2,949 687 470 965 2,122 1,798

Madison 80,689 4,858 860 588 1,590 3,088 2,010

Marion 12,730 1,415 357 244 463 1,664 1,439

Marshall 13,437 1,397 377 258 457 1,692 961

Mason 10,929 1,142 806 210 878 889 1,268

Massac 6,101 687 171 117 224 512 679

McDonough 20,061 2,171 562 885 711 1,658 1,640

McHenry 22,085 2,053 619 423 672 1,714 1,437

McLean 28,580 8,966 801 548 1,298 2,647 2,769

Menard 9,577 979 269 184 320 773 782

Mercer 15,087 1,849 422 288 441 1,151 1,366

Monroe 12,815 2,122 359 246 694 1,299 600

Montgomery 13,881 1,889 389 266 602 1,257 1,083

Morgan 21,987 2,190 615 421 716 1,752 1,893

Moultrie 6,884 651 179 122 213 514 495

Ogle 22,863 2,700 641 438 884 1,963 1,740

Peoria 86,475 4,094 1,023 698 1,340 3,061 3,092

Perry 9,508 1,076 267 182 352 801 1,089

Piatt 6,124 742 172 118 242 532 828

Pike 27,182 2,435 762 521 797 2,080 2,263

Pope 6,546 852 184 126 279 589 873

Pulaski 3,904 772 109 75 252 436 445

Putnam 5,579 606 156 107 198 461 357

Randolph 16,766 1,890 470 322 618 1,410 1,290

Richland 9,709 956 272 186 313 771 1,156

Rock Island 20,981 1,762 588 402 576 1,566 1,648

Saline 9,161 868 257 176 284 717 955

Sangamon 31,963 4,436 896 613 1,452 2,961 3,560

Schuyler 14,670 1,263 411 281 413 1,105 1,148

Scott 9,047 1,091 254 174 357 785 846

Shelby 14,590 2,275 409 280 744 1,433 1,218

Stark 9,003 863 252 173 282 707 689

St. Clair 37,169 4,805 1,042 713 1,573 3,328 2,212

Stephenson 25,112 2,722 704 482 891 2,077 1,589

Tazewell 21,427 2,436 601 411 797 1,809 1,410

Union 11,145 1,059 312 214 346 872 1,531

Vermilion 19,779 2,335 555 379 764 1,698 1,770

Wabash 7,233 691 203 189 226 568 365

Warren 18,298 2,092 513 351 684 1,548 1,504

Washington 13,725 1,556 385 263 509 1,157 996

Wayne 12,222 1,018 343 234 333 910 1,178

White 12,274 1,208 344 235 395 974 1,521

Whitesides 18,729 2,167 525 359 709 1,593 1,879

Will 29,264 3,810 821 561 1,247 2,629 2,155

Williamson 12,087 1,066 889 232 349 920 1,363

Winnebago 24,457 2,696 686 469 882 2,087 1,921

Woodford 13,281 1,695 372 255 555 1,182 915

                  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                  1,704,323         197,543                          47,785              82,685                64,680                      145,100              138,980  

              STATE AT LARGE................................................................................................................................................      121
                                                                                                                                                                                    _______

                                                                                                                                                                                     139,101

             OUT OF STATE....................................................................................................................................................    4,985
                                                                                                                                                                                    _______

                                                                                                                                                                                     144,086