The RailsplitterThe Newsletter of the

Department of Illinois, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Winter 2018

Officers

CommanderJohn Bigwood, PCC

Senior Vice CommanderHarry W. Reineke IV

Junior Vice CommanderJoe Hutchinson, PCC

SecretarySteve Aarli, PCC

TreasurerBill Johnson, PCC

Camp CouncilNicholas Kaup, PDCJames L. Lyon, PDCRobert J. Kurek, PCC

Patriotic InstructorDavid Wildermuth

ChaplainJerome Kowalski

Graves RegistrationSteve Aarli, PCC

Civil War MemorialsVacant

HistorianTerry Dyer

GuideChuck Wright

GuardRobert Hauff, PCC

GAR Highway OfficerSteve Haight

ROTC CoordinatorBill Shipper

Department CounselorRon Clark

Department OrganizerNicholas Kaup, PDC

In This IssueOld Flag RecoveredA Brother Finds Relatives Pt 2Brother Announces CandidacyCamp 67 NewsCamp Facebook PagesCamp 4 ReportCamp 49 NewsCamp 6165Submission DeadlinesREMEMBER STEPHENSONEncampment ScheduleNomination InformationLincoln Tomb InformationDepartment Insignia Items

OLD DEPARTMENT FLAGRECOVERED

On a cold evening in the beginning of January,Department SVC Harry W. Reineke IV got amessage on Facebook Messenger from a PastDepartment Commander in Michigan regardingan Illinois Department flag for sale on Ebay.Brother Reineke made contact with DepartmentHistorian Terry Dyer, PDC, to discuss this find.Within an hour, Brother Reineke had contactedthe seller regarding their possession of this pieceof Department Property. The seller said he hadobtained the flag recently at a live auction.Brother Reineke asked for the flag back. Theseller was very understanding and was willing tosell the flag for a very reasonable price. BrotherReineke purchased the flag, and was then toldthat many Brothers around the Order werewondering when Illinois would "step up" and getthis item back.Let this be a lesson to us all. We must keepvigilant regarding our Department items, so theydon't go missing or end up for sale on the openmarket. Further, when we find our items forsale, we ought use diplomacy to get them back atthe best available price. Please keep your eyespeeled, Brothers.NOTE: Conservation plans are underway.

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 2

News from Camp 6165

All members of our newest Camp have been initiatedaccording to the ritual of the Order. They were wellrepresented at the 5­Camp Banquet held in January atAngelo's restaurant in Elmhurst, Ill. Camp SeniorVice Commander Mead Gifford was the recipient ofthe inaugural Outstanding Leadership Award, selectedby Camp Commander Nick Kaup, PDC. This Campcontinues to grow, and takes seriously the motto"Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty."

Right: Camp Commander Kaup presents theOutstanding Leadership Award to Camp SVC Gifford.

CAMP 4 CLEANS UP GAR MOUND

At its June, July, and August meetings members of Camp 4 cleaned the gravestones of the Civil War veteransburied in the GAR Mound behind President Abraham Lincoln’s tomb at Oak Ridge cemetery inSpringfield, Illinois. Over the years many of the gravestones had accumulated mildew and were extremelydirty.

Wet & Forget is a very goodproduct and Camp 4 Brotherssprayed each stone at leasttwice during the summerproject in an effort to clean upthe mound in preparation forthe state’s Bicentennialcelebration and to host a veryspecial Memorial Day serviceon Monday, May 28, 2018, the150th anniversary ofDecoration Day.

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 3

ENCAMPMENTS

The Reed Camp, No. 24 of Tuscola will host theencampment on May 5, 2018 at the Douglas CountyMuseum with a catered meal provided by a localbusiness. Time allowed is 11:00AM – 3:00PM, giveor take. The museum proper will be open forviewing with a special emphasis on Civil Warweapons and memorabilia indicative of use byIllinois soldiers during the war and usage by GARposts after the war. Meal cost will be between $12­$15 depending on what meats and sides are served.We look forward to seeing all of you there.

The schedule for future Encampments and their hostsis as follows

May 5, 2018 ­ Camp #24, TuscolaOct 2018 ­ Camp #26, RockfordMay 2019 ­ Camp #67, PeoriaOct 2019 ­ Camp #49, SycamoreMay 2020 ­ Camp #443, BellevilleOct 2020 ­ Camp #1, Northern Cook County

CAMP FACEBOOK PAGES

The following Camps have pages on Facebook. Ifyou're viewing this on a computer, clicking the linkshould take you to the page. Feel free to like andshare these pages so you and your friends can keepup with what's going on.

SUVCW Camp #1 Department of IllinoisPH Sheridan Camp 2, Sons of Union Veterans of theCivil War, Dept of IllinoisSUVCW John A. Logan Camp #26Gen. E. F. Dutton Camp #49 Sons of Union VeteransCol. Friedrich K. Hecker Camp #443 (SUVCW)

CHAPLAIN'S CORNER

Has anyone ever cheated you? Has anyone everstolen from you? Has anyone ever lied about you toothers ­ trying to ruin your character and perception toothers. All of these things have happened to me, andit has certainly raised my blood pressure. The Lordsaid that if I don't forgive them ­ I won't be forgiven.I believe that harboring resentment, forgiving but notforgetting ­ is not what He had in mind. Forgivingand Forgetting is what we are supposed to do ­awfully tough. We can't do it on our own ­ we have toask Him to help us. It's what real men do.

In Fraternity,Charity andLoyalty,

Chaplain Jerry

CAMP 2 UPDATE

General Philip H. Sheridan Camp #2 held their lastregular meeting of 2017 in the Aurora GARMemorial Hall and Museum. This is the first timesince the hall closed for renovation many years agothat the Camp was able to hold a meeting withinthose hallowed walls. A good relationship with themuseum curatorial staff ensures that Camp 2 can usethe Hall for future meetings as desired.

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 4

BROTHER ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY

My dear Brothers.

As has been customary in our Department, I am using this issue of The Railsplitter to announce my intentionto run for Department Commander at the May 5, 2018 Annual Department Encampment. I write to youtoday to ask your support as I seek election in the office of Department Commander at our upcomingEncampment in May 2018 at Tuscola, Illinois. I haveenjoyed serving our Department for the last 2 years asfirst the Junior Vice Commander, and now the SeniorVice Commander. Very few things make me as proudof my various affiliations than the spirit of Fraternity,Charity, and Loyalty which permeates from everyconversation I've had with my Brothers in Illinois.I believe that our Order is strongest when our membersare active and our numbers growing. As a Department,every Brother needs to be involved in recruiting newmembers. As a member of the “millennial” generation,I want to find ways to attract new members for ourOrder from the “under 35 crowd” in addition to ourregular growth among the “over 35 crowd”. We oftenhear our various clubs, churches, and political leaderssay “the youth is our future,” but I disagree; the youthis our present. Every one of us are part of a presentthat has no future without younger people, but theyounger crowd is just as much the present as we are.The very fact that you are reading this in The Railsplitter (the second issue I have published) shows you mycommitment to my elected role in our Department. I will continue to carry this commitment into the "topchair".I am fully aware that election to the position of Department Commander would require vacating the seat Ihave filled for the past year, the Camp Commander of Camp 2. I have spoken with my Brothers and we canensure that the Camp will not go a single day without appropriate leadership. My vow is that I will give theDepartment Commandery the attention it needs and deserves. My intention is to visit every Camp at leastonce, as PDC Lyon did. I want to keep the SVC and JVC Active and involved, as I experience as JVC toPDC Zeien. My own mentors are PDC Westlake and PDC Dyer. I recognize that I stand, small andinsignificant, on the shoulders of these giants. I want to continue their legacy to build the Department andincrease our visibility and respect across the OrderOn the next page, you will find a resume of my activities with the SUVCW and other groups. You will seethat I am dedicated to American history in all of its glory (and some of its not­so­good times). Please electmein May, and I vow to you that I will carry out the office with as much dedication and dignity as I can bring it.

In Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty,Harry W. Reineke IVSenior Vice Department CommanderCamp Commander, Sheridan Camp 2, Aurora

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 5

Resume of Activity

SUVCWJoined Sheridan Camp 2, October 2013Initiated at Quad­Camp Banquet January 2014Have attended every Department Encampment since initiationHave attended every National Encampment since initiation

Department Guide/Guard 2014­2016Camp 2 JVC, 2015Received Richard Haussman Distinguished Service Award from Camp 2, January 2015Assistant Chaplain, Camp 2, 2015­2016Functioned as Chaplain, Jewell Grove Memorial Day Ceremony, May 2015Master of Ceremonies, West Aurora Memorial Day Ceremony, 2015­PresentAppointed Chairman, William P. Wright memorial project, Camp 2, June 2015Chairman, Department Fraternal Relations Committee 2015­PresentCamp 2 SVC, 2016Camp 2 Commander 2017­PresentJunior Vice Department Commander 2016­2017Senior Vice Department Commander 2017­Present

Other OrganizationsSons of Confederate Veterans Camp 516, Chicago

Camp Chaplain 2014­2015, 2018Camp 1st Lt Commander 2014­2015Camp Commander 2015­2017Chair, Lee­Jackson Dinner 2014Editor, Douglas Dispatch newsletter 2014­2015

Sons of the American Revolution Fox Valley ChapterChapter Secretary, 2014­2017Chapter Vice President 2016Chapter President 2017­PresentReceived Bronze and Silver Color Guard MedalsReceived Bronze Good Citizenship Medal

Also hold membership inMilitary Order of the Stars and Bars Deo Vindice Chapter 270Society of the Order of the Southern CrossGeneral Society of the War of 1812 (Illinois Society)

Other Volunteer PursuitsMember, Batavia Emergency Services and Disaster AgencyMember, Kane County OEM Search and Rescue Team

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 6

A BROTHER FINDS LOST RELATIVES ­ PART 2

t's hot. Damn hot. It's like 88 degrees and 88% humidity, so... we all know I'm soaked through simplywalking around the monument and then walking the 110 yards to the Bureau County Historical Society. As Iwalk up the steps to this beautiful building,the Newell Bryant House, the door is opened and I walk in. Thedocent turns out to be the director of the museum,Jean Babcock. She greets me with the usual"welcome" but then she sees my face and knowsthat there's something more going on. I completelydump my story on her and she receives the fullweight of my emotions in great stride. I tell herabout how I was physically shaken as I approachedthe monument, and then the elation and satisfactionand enormity of seeing those names... Now, I'vebeen around a house museum or two in my day.Let's not forget that my brother­in­law runs one ofthe best house museums in the entire nation, the General Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry, RI. Butthis woman... Now this is a woman who knows how to roll with it and maximize the situation. She says tome, "well, I was just thinking (as if it just magically came to her), there's an item in our gift shop that mightinterest you..." We go in to the gift shop. "Here's a coaster with this beautiful image of that monument on it.If it was so meaningful an experience to you, maybe that's something you might want to take with you..."Oooof... Well played, Jean. Well played. Yes, absolutely; don't be ridiculous. Of course I'm buying thiscoaster, right? But listen here, Jean, I'm traveling today and have no cash, so I'll pay with a card if you'll takeit... Sure, she says, she'll just head to the back and get the card reader and the business card of the director ofthe Historical Society, because he would love to hear this story. And off she goes...

And so here I am in the middle of the main room of theBureau County Historical Society just looking at thepictures on the wall. I work my over to this very large 5'high framed montage of random photographs, look at thecenter picture, "Shabonna," and I laugh. "Oh yes," I think,"here's the Indian that we stole the land from, hahaha..." (Iwasn't trying to be insensitive or callous, but it is what itis.) My eyes drifted just up and to the right of this Chief,and land on the name "Jehu Long, 1836." Ummmmmm...My eyes dart to the face of this man. I look forresemblance to anything I've seen before. I am suddenlythinking, "OK, then. Which Jehu is this, and what does that'1836' mean?" I look to the placard which reads "earlysettlers of Bureau County... photographed in 1877). It onlytakes me a few seconds to do the genealogy in my headand I figure out that this is my guy. This is really my JehuG. Long. This is my 3X great uncle who fought with the47th Illinois. Not his uncle who died well before 1877.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 7

DEPARTMENT INSIGNIA ITEMS

Brother Harry Reineke IV has purchased Lapel Pins and Cufflinks in the Department Insignia for purchaseby the Brothers of the Department. Plans are also in place for baseball caps and polo shirts by Gold MedalIdeas. Brother Reineke's intention is that any profits will go to the Department for use to be determined bythe Department Leadership. Shipping can be arranged on a case­by­case basis. Any profits go to theDepartment.Please order using the form below

Department Lapel Pin Department Cuff Links Embroidery Proof for Caps and Shirts

Department Lapel Pin _____ x $7.50 = _________

Department Cufflinks ______ x $20 = _________ (EXTREMELY LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE)

Department Ballcap ______ x $16 = _________

Department Polo Shirt(without name) ______ x $22 = _________(with name) ______ x $25 = _________

SUB TOTAL _________

Name for Polo Shirt:______________________________________________ (Print Clearly)

Please send form and a check made out to:Brother Harry W. Reineke IV605 Main StreetBatavia, IL 60510

Phone: 630­806­9693

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 8

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

This. Is. Him. This is the man whom Henry Duquette and I haveconjectured about for several years, including what he looked likebased off of picture of an elderly Gorman Long, Jehu's son, that wesaw three two years ago. I do not lie to you when I say that I beganto tremble. I literally put my hand on the wall to steady myself. Justto confirm, I see that Jehu's wife, Rebecca is also photographed andappears by his side. I've seen their grave in photos, now I see theirfaces. I do a quick scan in the immediate vicinity of the portraits formore Longs, but see none, so I begin looking for Perkins. I washoping to find Timothy, forgetting that he had died a full 17 yearsbefore this photo session took place, but I found an old fella namedStephen Perkins, who is undoubtedly my 4X great grandfather'snephew... And then I see Noah Long. I know that face. I've seenNoah as an elderly man in a photo from the 1890's. This is Levi andJehu's brother. I look right and without warning I am confrontedwith Levi Long. I mentally check my genealogy and historical data,but there's no denying it. This isLevi Long. This is the face of theman whom I have traveled so farfor. It is his grave that brought me

to Bureau County, and now I am literally looking at his face. And Jehu.And their brothers Noah and James. I know this tree, I know this family.And now, their great­great­great nephew, who has tried to find then for adecade, is looking at their faces... What a perfect moment for Jean tocome back from the backroom. I completely unload on her. Here's Jehu.Here's Noah. Here's Levi. Here's James. Here's Noah's wife Ruth Ann.Here's Jehu's wife Rebecca. This is my kin. This is amazing. This isunexpected. This. is. awesome...

When I pull myself back together, I thank Jean for being a part of what Ijust experienced, and then she thanks me. She also tells me that she can'tfind the credit card reader, but if I promise I'll come back and pay, she'll give me the coaster. So, I said, yeahsure, I'll come back, and if I don't I'll mail you a check. She agrees and lets me continue on, because she "justknows she can trust me." That doesn't happen a lot in Rhody anymore. I get to the car and I climb in, turn onthe AC, and try to process what just happened. Levi and Jehu's faces. And a realization that an oldphotograph that I have, my prized possession, is not who I thought it was...

But time is a' wastin'... It's going on 3:00 and I've got a lot I want to do. In addition to directions to PerkinsCemetery, Patty Magee had also given me directions to Mt. Bloom Cemetery in Indiantown, where NoahLong is buried. Having just seen his photo, I decided to make the side trip. I cruised over, and after a little bitof work, located the grave... I've gotten pretty good at that, it seems. What surprised me was that Noahshared a family stone with two very important people: Eliel Long and Mary Ann (Wallace) Long, my 4X

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 9

Camp #4 Report

Peoria Veterans Day Parade:Brother RonKirchgessnerand theScottish RiteMasonsentered a floatin the PeoriaVeterans Day Paradeheld on November 11 in Downtown Peoria.Brothers Joe Hutchinson and David Rogers andformer Brother Bill Huber also participated.

“Yule Like Peoria” at the G.A.R. Hall:On the eveningof Friday,November 24,the PeoriaArea Conventionand VisitorsBureau held the26 th annual

“Yule Like Peoria” walkabout openhouse in Peoria’s downtown. The Central IllinoisCivil War Dance Society participated byhaving the G.A.R. Hall open and performing CivilWar era dancing.

Wreathes Across America:BrotherHutchinsonattended theNationwideWreathesAcrossAmericaobservance onDecember 16.The Peoriaarea observance was held at Glendale Cemeteryin Washington, IL. Wreathes are placed onveterans’ graves at cemeteries all over the UnitedStates at the same time at 12 noon EST.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES

Brothers, in order to best faciltate the quarterlypublication of YOUR newsletter, the followingdeadlines are currently in place

April 15 for Spring editionJuly 15 for Summer edition

Thank you for your understanding

CAMP 49 NEWS

On December 4th, the E.F. Dutton Camp had thedistinct of honor of participating in the statewide flagraising ceremony for the Illinois bi­centennialcelebration. County courthouses throughout the stateraised the specially designed flag at noon to kick offthe years celebration. Two of the founding membersof the camp, Tom Oestreicher and Jim Lyon raisedthe flag with pride. The flag pole in front of thecourthouse is located a few feet from the well knownhistoric DeKalb County Civil War Memorial.

On November 8th, the E.F. Dutton Campentertained more than fifty citizens in a three partprogram on the history of the 105th Illinois, the GARand the SUVCW. Theprogram was wellreceived. The camp isalso currently planninga re­dedicationceremony of therepaired canon in theJohnson GroveCemetery inWaterman, Illinois.

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 10

A MARY WALKER AWARD

Before opening the Department of Illinois SUVCW134th Mid­Term Encampment held October 28. 2017at Batavia, Illinois, our Department Commander JohnBigwood opened a Department Court of Honor withthe following Past Department Commanders: PDCsNick Kaup, Steve Westlake, Terry Dyer, and JimLyon. DC Bigwood asked for Sister Carol Dyer,Presdent of the Mary Logan Auxiliary, No. 20, whowas then escorted to the Altar where she recieved theDepartment's first Dr. Mary Edwards Walker Awardin recognition of and appreciation for her tirelesswork for the good of the Order with her Auxiliaryand for the SUVCW. To say the least, she was verysurprised and humbled for being selected, and sohonored by this award.

Pictured with her on the left is her husband, PDCTerry Dyer, and on the right is DC John Bigwood.

Don't Forget Dr. Stephenson

As is now well­known throughout the Order, the Dr.Benjamin F. Stephenson Memorial Plaza is wellunderway in Petersburg, IL. As the Department ofIllinois, we are honored to spearhead this effort andthank CinC Mark Day for his recent challenge to theCamps and Departments of the Order. He has askedall Camps to donate $100 to the fund to finish theplaza. If every Camp in the Order made thisdonation, we'd still only have about half of theremaining money necessary to complete the projectfully from its current stage. Let's lead the way,Illinois, and make sure all of our Camps make thisdonation and show our Brothers around the countrythat we practise what we preach! Let's REMEMBERSTEPHENSON!

NOMINATIONS FOR 2018

At the Midterm Encampment in October, DCBigwood appointed Brothers Nick Kaup, PDC; RobHauff, PCC; and Jim Lyon, PDC to the NominatingCommittee, for the purpose of seeking out Brothersto fulfill the roles in our Department. If any Brotheris interested in stepping up, please let one (or all) ofthem know. We are always looking for a few greatmen to lead our Department.

And remember, not all leaders are elected. If there isa role you want to fill that's appointed, contact theCommander and let him know. We need those rolesfilled as well for a smooth running Department.

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 11

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

great grandparents. I gave them some Rhode Island regards andacknowledged that the photograph that I had been calling my 4X greatgrandfather "Timothy Perkins" for the past 12 years was actually my 4Xgreat grandfather "Eliel Long" (that's a longer story), and moved on.

Hitting the road, I head west and after about 45 minutes I pass throughKewanee, IL, where my grandmother grew up. It's become a depressed littletown; nothing like the photos I saw in my grandmother's collection. I evensaw the sad, borderline condemned house that she grew up in... No time toresearch, I move on, desperate to find this one particular address a littleways outside of Kewanee in Annawan... And I do, eventually, after muchgetting lost.

Wade Chapman answers the door. He's been expecting me. Around 90 yearsold, he's bald and has a cane, but he is still an imposing figure at over sixfeet tall, physically strong and quick as a whip as far as facilities go. Hisknuckles are crooked and busted up from years of army service and moreyears of midwest farm work. He invites me in and before I know it, I am

finally face­to face with Maurine Perkins Chapman. When I saw her face, I nearly fell down. She'sobviously not my grandmother, but I swear, for a moment... right across the eyes the likeness was striking.She's a little heavier, but she's of a height similar to that of her late 1st cousin. My grandmother, VirginiaLee Phillips passed away in 2001, yet here is Maurine, her 1st cousin, looking so much like her double, andI almost couldn't do it. But I did, and I am so glad that I did. This is Grandma Minnie's niece. Minnie'sbrother John W. Perkins is this woman'sfather. I pulled out a picture of John in thearmy during WWI, and Maurine said, "oh Ihave that on my wall," and sure enough, shedid. We spent a few hours together and itwas one of the most meaningful "reunions"I'd ever experienced, especially consideringthat I didn't even realize that she existeduntil the past few years, and never thoughtthere'd be a chance to actually meet her. Wehad a nice dinner in Kewanee that madeWade sick as a dog, but he got through it.(He's got an interesting life story as well, including being blown up by a land mine in Korea and walkingaway from it!) I left them at about 8:30 PM, not even thinking that it may be the last time I would ever seethem (I was pretty exhausted), and also knowing full well that I had a two hour drive to Springfield ahead ofme, and then a two hour drive back to Bureau County in the AM to meet Mr. Conrad Swenson, the landowner in Tiskilwa, who would guide us to the trailhead that would take us up to the Perkins Cemetery andhopefully to Levi Long's grave.

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 12

FIVE CAMP BANQUET

On January 28, 2017, Brothers and officers of the fiveNorthern Illinois Camps gathered at Angelo'sRestaurant in Elmhurst for food, fellowship, awards,a silent auction, and the installation of officers forapplicable officers. All five Camps were represented,General George A. Custer Camp #1, General PhilipH. Sheridan Camp #2, John A. Logan Camp #26,General E. F. Dutton Camp #49, and Old Glory Camp#6165. Department Commander Bigwood presidedover the installation, while Department ChaplainKowalski serves a Master of Ceremonies. BrotherMax Daniels and his lovely wife Donna gave theentertainment through a lecture on their livesprotraying President and Mrs. Lincoln.

Photos by Barbara Hauff

The Railsplitter Winter 2018 Page 13