Forgotten Montgomery, IL Civil War veterans honored

As we now honor those last remaining members of our “Greatest Generation” who served during World War II, our ancestors noted the passing of the last Civil War veterans with reverence. As the last elderly veterans of that war slowly died off in the 1930’s and 1940’s, communities mourned their passing. Local veterans’ groups and fraternal organizations combined to provide elaborate military funerals for them. Large processions proceeded from local funeral homes to the cemeteries that provided their final resting places. Their experiences and sacrifices were recounted and lauded in local newspapers. Unfortunately, some of those heroes have been forgotten over time and their final resting places are now unmarked.

The Philip H. Sheridan Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil WAR (SUVCW) in conjunction with the Montgomery Historic Preservation Commission and Riverside Cemetery will dedicate 17 new headstones on the previously unmarked graves of Civil War veterans buried in historic Riverside Cemetery in Montgomery, Illinois. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 29 at 1pm at the Cemetery located at 414 North River Street in Montgomery. Parking is available in the cemetery. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs for their comfort.

This is the capstone of a project undertaken jointly by the Philip H. Sheridan Camp # 2 of the Civil War (SUVCW), the Montgomery Historic Preservation Commission and Riverside Cemetery. The project was designed to rigorously identify and document all Civil War veterans buried in the cemetery, procure and install new grave markers on those graves needing them and straighten and clean the markers on other Civil War veterans’ graves in the cemetery. Fifty-four Civil War veterans are buried in Riverside Cemetery. Many of those soldiers served in units that were raised in part in Kane County, including the 7^th, 13^th, 36^th, 42^nd, 58^th, 89^th, 105^th, 124^th, 141^st and 156^th Illinois Infantries and the 13^th Illinois Cavalry. In addition men who served in regiments from Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and the United States Colored Troops are also buried in the Cemetery. Many of them were active members of Aurora’s GAR Post # 20.

Materially aiding in the successful completion of the project were Alan Morrow from Boy Scout Troop #41 in Sugar Grove and Cole Butler and Justin Huberty from Aurora’s Troop #11. These three Eagle Scout candidates as well as many other members and friends of their Troops set the 17 new markers and cleaned and reset 30 existing markers on those other Civil War veterans buried in the cemetery.

Among those receiving new grave markers are: Guy C. Clark (13^th and 23^rd Illinois Infantries), Caleb B. Fisher (143^rd Pennsylvania Infantry), Daniel L. Foster (3^rd Minnesota Infantry), Silas Gray (42^nd Illinois Infantry and 9^th Illinois Cavalry), Joseph M. Hilton (1^st Maine Cavalry), Walter S. Hunt (13^th Illinois Infantry), Charles Lilley (58^th Illinois Infantry), Elisha Lilley (4^th Illinois Cavalry), Chauncey Miller (75^th Illinois Infantry), Henry Nickloy (7^th Illinois Infantry), William Elias Reed (28^th New York Infantry), Lewis Sylvester (105^th Illinois Infantry), Arunah A. Velie (136^th New York Infantry), George T. Ward (2^nd Illinois Light Artillery), Silas Watson (60^th United States Colored Infantry), Andrew Welch (147^th Illinois Infantry) and Sylvester Wildrick (52^nd and 141^st Illinois Infantries). In addition to these and other Civil War veterans, the Cemetery provides the last resting place of many of the Village’s early pioneers, settlers and leaders.

During the dedication ceremony local historian Gene Michaels will discuss the area’s experience in the Civil War and the experiences of several of the Civil War veterans buried in the Cemetery. SUVCW National Chaplain Jerome Kowalski will provide the invocation and an inspirational message. Other scheduled speakers include Congressman Bill Foster, local dignitaries, representatives from the Illinois National Guard and Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs as well as leaders of Civil War heritage groups. A rifle salute will be provided by the 10^th Illinois Infantry and a period artillery salute by Mulligan’s Battery.

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is a volunteer, non-profit, charitable, fraternal, patriotic and educational organization composed of members who can trace their lineage to soldiers, sailors, or marines who were mustered into Federal service and served honorably in, were honorably discharged from, or died in the service of the Union Army or Navy during the Civil War. The SUVCW is officially recognized as the GAR's legal successor, receiving its Congressional Charter in 1954. Philip H. Sheridan Camp #2 serves the western and southern Chicago suburbs. This is the group’s 17^th cemetery project in the area, accounting for over 200 new headstones placed on previously unmarked Civil War veteran graves.