HR0878 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0878 LRB103 42059 LAW 75283 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Following the Emancipation Proclamation in January of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln called for the raising of a Black regiment for the Union Army; and

WHEREAS, Massachusetts Governor John Andrew quickly answered President Lincoln's call and began forming the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, one of the first Black regiments to serve in the U.S. Civil War; and

WHEREAS, Black men from across the state, country, and even other nations traveled to Boston to join this historic regiment; and

WHEREAS, The 54th Massachusetts helped inspire the enlistment of more than 180,000 Black soldiers, a boost in morale and manpower that President Lincoln recognized as essential to the victory of the United States and the destruction of slavery throughout the country; and

WHEREAS, Twelve of these brave African Americans who answered the call and enlisted on April 26, 1863 with Company H of the 54th Massachusetts hailed from the City of Galesburg; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Joseph Barquet, Corporal Samuel Wells, Private Clay Welcome, Private Joseph White, Private Preston Williams, Private Reuben Caldwell, Private John Davis, Private John Dickinson, Private Hiram Garnet, Private George Hubbard, Private Henry Kirk, and Private William Timms served bravely with the 54th Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS, Sgt. Barquet, the most prominent of these figures in Galesburg's history, is known for serving as chairman of the Convention of 1866 to discuss civil rights, being a staunch advocate for the desegregation of schools, and delivering many speeches for equal rights for African Americans, especially African American veterans; and

WHEREAS, While serving with the 54th Massachusetts, Pvt. Kirk and Pvt. Dickinson were wounded and captured at the Second Battle of Fort Wager in South Carolina in 1863; and

WHEREAS, Pvt. Kirk and Pvt. Dickinson were held captive in Salisbury, North Carolina until March 4, 1865 when a prisoner exchange of 8,684 Union soldiers took place, which included 120 who were African American; and

WHEREAS, Despite six out of the 12 either being wounded or captured, only one died while in service to their country, Pvt. Williams, who died due to an accident while in Jacksonville, Florida; the rest of the brave men left the 54th Massachusetts being discharged at the expiration of their term; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the brave men from Galesburg who joined the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment to help bring victory and, ultimately, the destruction of slavery throughout the country.