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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Following the Emancipation Proclamation in
3January of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln called for the
4raising of a Black regiment for the Union Army; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Massachusetts Governor John Andrew quickly
6answered President Lincoln's call and began forming the 54th
7Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, one of the first
8Black regiments to serve in the U.S. Civil War; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Black men from across the state, country, and
10even other nations traveled to Boston to join this historic
11regiment; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The 54th Massachusetts helped inspire the
13enlistment of more than 180,000 Black soldiers, a boost in
14morale and manpower that President Lincoln recognized as
15essential to the victory of the United States and the
16destruction of slavery throughout the country; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Twelve of these brave African Americans who
18answered the call and enlisted on April 26, 1863 with Company H
19of the 54th Massachusetts hailed from the City of Galesburg;
20and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Sergeant Joseph Barquet, Corporal Samuel Wells,
2Private Clay Welcome, Private Joseph White, Private Preston
3Williams, Private Reuben Caldwell, Private John Davis, Private
4John Dickinson, Private Hiram Garnet, Private George Hubbard,
5Private Henry Kirk, and Private William Timms served bravely
6with the 54th Massachusetts; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Sgt. Barquet, the most prominent of these figures
8in Galesburg's history, is known for serving as chairman of
9the Convention of 1866 to discuss civil rights, being a
10staunch advocate for the desegregation of schools, and
11delivering many speeches for equal rights for African
12Americans, especially African American veterans; and
 
13    WHEREAS, While serving with the 54th Massachusetts, Pvt.
14Kirk and Pvt. Dickinson were wounded and captured at the
15Second Battle of Fort Wager in South Carolina in 1863; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Pvt. Kirk and Pvt. Dickinson were held captive in
17Salisbury, North Carolina until March 4, 1865 when a prisoner
18exchange of 8,684 Union soldiers took place, which included
19120 who were African American; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Despite six out of the 12 either being wounded or
21captured, only one died while in service to their country,
22Pvt. Williams, who died due to an accident while in

 

 

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1Jacksonville, Florida; the rest of the brave men left the 54th
2Massachusetts being discharged at the expiration of their
3term; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
5HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6we recognize the brave men from Galesburg who joined the 54th
7Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment to help bring
8victory and, ultimately, the destruction of slavery throughout
9the country.