, 1861-06-18
STARK CAEINTY.

STARK COUNTY.
I'VE print the following as evidence Of what
is going on in almost every county IN Illinois.
The people are awake. They have Just now
reached the praying point In the excitement.
Let the rebels look out.-EDs. TRB
Correspondence Of the Chicago Ttihune.1.
EIAnA, STARK Co.. ~, June 10, 1851.
While many portions OF our State have been
contributing Of their numbers for the prose-
cution OF the war, 1t Is only now that Molly
Stalk makes her debut. When the first de-
wss organized under Capt. Stewart, aud It's
services rendered by him to the War Depart
ment at Springfield. This company not being
accepted, was of course dlsbanded. Soon after
a special meeting Of the citizens Of Elnira
township was held, and q tax to the amount of
800 Wa ordered, for the purpose Of uniform.
Al the close Of this meeting an effort was made
to form company, under the amended Laws
Of our State.
This effort was so far successful that in q
very lew days company was organized under
the following corps Of officers, Capt. Charles
Stewart lat 1ieut. 8. N. Hill; Second Lieut..
tied YES reported to the authorities atspring-
field early In May. From that time, matters
moved on quietly with us in this rural district,
our volunteers training much more in the
corn field, than in the drill field, until the
daily Chicago TRIBUNE of the 9th inst, an
Iounced the fact that tho Elmira Rifles, Capt.
steHa1t's company, had been accepted, aud
were required to be In Springfield On Thurs
day the 18th inst OF course such intelligence
created no small stir in our midst, and not
only the company, but the whole community
we're thrown into some degree Of consterna-
ton.
And what seemed to add to the difficulties
II, {hn1 r nFf fofr Srefn had "a ar1J
vas the fact that Capt. Stewart, who ia .
minute man, always 50 active, energetic and
indomitable, was all the time Ii the East, and
no one here knew very well where. In ro-
moving this difficulty, the other: officers de-
%s %ash hsa aRs Rt' sa ahe Eli ReE &s Eh
as was fitting he should, and Lieut. Murchison
worked up to all just expectations, and all
Eeemed determined to let no distinctions
prevent them from coming up md responding
to the demand. On Monday, the 10th, very
la,ge meeting, co. consisting Ct the xolInteeFs
Oeceola, was held to make some arrangements
for the departure Of the volunteers. At this
meeting difficulties seemed to increase by a
dispatch striving from the Adlutant General
from Springfield, stating that none would be
received enlIbting for = shorter term than
three year,. At that time the company's roll
contained SO names, and In two days after this
between 60 and 90 started en- route for the
services Of their country. At the meeting on
Monday committee WIS appointed to can
vaes the adjoining county, which committee
reported at an adjourned meeting held on
Tuesday evening, that between 100 and 200
men had pledged their sacred honor aud their
volunteers during their absence At this
meeting, also, arrangements were made for
the departure Of the soldiers On Wednesday,
at u N. The ladies, who are always so ready
to work, were busflT employed, and prepared
and set q most excellent and sumptuous
dinner before the volunteers, and some
twelve hundred citizens. Inthe village Of Os-
companies. horse company, commanded By
Capt.. P. Blanchard, and q foot company com.
nanded BY Capt Merrill. Three martial
bands were In attendance-Dalrymp} band
with cur volunteers, and the other companies
each had band The whole multitude assem-
fareWen address from Geo. Clifford, Esq, of
Toulon. The departing volunteers, and other
military companies present, were then march
ed into the church, Where fonr tables, the
whole length Of the building, were groan-
irrg under the burden Of good things which
SO temptingly displayed, prepared with
60 much care BY the willing hands OF The kind
hearted ladies, yet the soldiers seemed to have
little desire to pa1take Of food; their hearts
seemed to be So enlarged that the stomach
had no room left In which to perform its fune-
tiore. It is good thing to know that sol
dinner inside Of the church, and the great
multitude outside, the order Was issued to
fall into procession aud march to Kewanee,
the place Of embarklng on the cars for Chico
60. The whole was under the direction OF
The marshal Of the day, Captain Mark Blan
cbard, Of 0Eccola, assisted by Geo. Gray, Esq.
The procession consisted Of between one aud
two hundred conveyances Of various kinds. 4
number Of fonr-horse vehicles we're loaded to
their utmost capacity. Arriving at Kewanee
and being received kindly by the citizens oi
that place, the volunteers were marched up IN
frcnt Of the Kewauee House, where o few part
irgwords were addressed to them By Rev. J. NJ
Toulon. Capt P. Blanchard Of Bureau coun'
t., proposed that q collection be taken up fol
little rockeC money to bestoW upon
the volunteers This being done, It amount ID
to something short Of 300. It is proper here
to cay that every mark Of kindness and re
nee to the company about to leave, and tc
their many friends who attended them to this
point Supper was furnished to the company
and all others, so far rs known to the writer
were pressed By various persons to take ter
ut different places. The multitude which a.
6CkuU4tu III LULU VI k4t hNHaAAER 6OAS0 b
the time the words of farewell were being I'D
dressed to the soldiers, hare been various]1
estimated at from 1900 to 4, 900. ali we know
about 1t is, that it was an immense crowd
and all eeemed to enter into the spirit Of tht
occasiop, and feel that It Was IN occasion Q
importance, such as never before VIA
| witnessed by most Of those present
and God grant that such an occasion ms,
| never come to uB again. It is due here to tha
| kind. polite landlord Of the Kewakee House
Mr. Bronson, to state that after having con
t1ibuted handsomely to the comfort Of th'
volunteers, he had ill who .oo,ld part&ke o
refreshmente, before embarking on the cars q
midnight Now cur volunteers are gone
] Their pleasant countenances and manly form
are missed In onr community, and sadly miss
ed at many hea1th.stone. They have gon
to do duty for God and opr country. The,
asked our prayers in their behalf. Can we d
less than pray for them? And If praye
nerves the arm that moves the universe, on
friends will be safe under the protection O
this all powerful arm. J. H. G.
| P.s.-It will be gratifying to the many wa1n
| friends Of Capt. Stewart, and the public gen
erally, to learn that most happy meetin,
| took place on the arrival Of tha train Of car
containing our volunteers. Cspt. 8. was Il
Chicsgo ready to meet them and greet them
| and after the pleasant salutations were passed
the Captain took bis men to breakfast.
| j. II. G.