Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-04-07
The Riot In Illinois.

rlOl AT tiiut place.. ll' PoPSi II SUN u'
by Mr.. w. ID. Crofoot, formerly of Ben
son, VT, now OF the firm of W, ID. Gro
foot & Co., dealers in flour, sc, Charles
ton, Ill.
CHARLESTON, Monday, 9p, m
This afternoon dreadful S..Iair took
place in our town, tthe most shocking in
its details, mat has ever occurred in our
part OF the State Early in the morn
ing, squads of copperheads came in
town, from various directions, and, as
the sequel will show, armed and deter
mined upon summary vengeance upon
our soldiers. During the day Fremont
tions of the coming trouble were too
evident. Some of the soldiers, about to
return to their regiments, We're some
what excited by liquor, and consequent
ly rather boisterous, but not belliger-
ent-were more disposed for fun than
fight. About four o'clock a soldier, OH
yer Sallee, stepped up to Nelson Wells,
who has been regarded as the leader of
the copperheads in this county, and
placing his hand good-naturedly against
him, playfully asked him if there were
any copperheads in town Wells re-
Piled, YES, God Oh you, / am oner
and drawing his revolver shot at Sallee,
but missed him. In an instant Sallee
was shot from another direction, and
fell, but raising himself up, he fired at
Wells, the bail taking effect in his vitals,
lie (Wells) went as far as Chambers d.
McCrory's store, and passing in, fell
dead. The copperheads were gathered.
hh1 ind Ind .... L Il ~. =
their firearms, and then would ten
out and fire from the corner at t. n soI-
diers unfortunately, with q ,ns and
revolvers. Of course, having 800 fniIv
prepared, they had vastly = III
over the soldiers, who v ..e az o ,n
ing such an attack, seie n.y. g. en'p f1os+
part, unarmed. II Anu weIe, lol aaosS
would hardly kr Iose VINO VIZ -, Az a. n mn
til they were low at WHOM II, W liie ui-
hoads werC dTed upon. The copper
ons hi. : seen to hurry to their wag-
tber .ched at the Square, and gather
~ .efrom several guns, which were
,1ncealed under the straw. They were
I freely used and with terrible elect
| Thomas Jeffries was the next to tall, re-
ceiving an ugly wound in the neck
VIM. Gilman was shot by B. +. Dukes,
the ball striking rib on his left side
and glancing off Dukes was then seen
to fire at Col. Mitchell, and afterwards
declared that he had killed him. Col,
M. received several shots through his
. clothes one hit his watch and glanced
off. producing only slight flesh wound
upon his abdomen. The watch thus
Providentially, saved his life. Dr,York
Surgeon of the 54th Illinois, while pass
ing through the Court House, was ap
proached bv some one from behind, who
took deliberate aim and shot him dead
the pistol being held SO close to him
! that the powder burned his coat Sc
far as we can learn, DR.. York was not
| actively engaged in the ARRAY, save IL
: | his professional capacity as Surgeon
: and in irving to restore order. sol
Il der. Alfred Swim, Co. G., 54th Illinois
was shot, and taken to Drs. Allen 8
n VanMeter's office, where he soon died
Mr.. S. lived somewhere near Casey, il
Clark county. where he leaves a wit
= and three children. He is spoken of b,
, all as having been an excellent soldie
= and a good citizen. VIM. G. Hart, DEP
uty Provost Marshal, was shot in sey
eral places-in the head and vitals hi
wounds are probably mortal. jaime
Goodrich, Go. c, 54th Illinois, receive
shocking wound being shot in til
q bowels. His wound, we fear, will prov
q mortal.
: Unarmed as our boys were, Col. Mitcf
ell soon rallied all he could, citizens an
soldiers, and improvising such arms a
10 could be had, gathered at the south-wes
- corner of the Square, as the Copperhead
" retreated down the street running cas-
- therefrom. Dispatches were sent t
e, Nation for soldiers, and three hundre
ir were soon on the way. The Copper
l. heads halted somewhere near Mrs Dick
sons and remained for some time the
turned and went off Beyond j. /
v O'Hair's residence they gathered togetl
er. consulted for time, and then move
/ off in a north easterly direction, cuttin
l. the telegraph wire as they went-ur
r fortunately before a dispatch could b
" sent to DR.. Yorks family, at Paris, civ
TT ing notice Of his assassination.
III About five o'clock the reinforcement
&c from Nation arrived, and while in til
= Court House yard, Mr. John Coope
u from Salisbury, was captured, an
le brought in as prisoner, by Mr.. VIM. A
4 Noe. and a soldier. Mr.. c., had take
y an active part in the ARRAY When i
front of Jenkins store he attempted
= escape and when commanded to halt II
ol fused to do so, whereupon Mr. Noe fire
q over C.s head, who in return, fired q
IL some of our men, VIXEN orders wei
~ given to fire upon him, which was dom
le and he fell dead at Jenkins door Ur
;. fortunately one of the balls passed thrt
q the closed door and struck Mr.. job
u Jenkins in the groin-producing a sc
e rious, and probably, mortal wound. MI
70 Cooper was shot through the neck an
L shoulder. When the Cooperheads wer
halted near Mrs. Dicksons, he wa
4 heard to say that as they now had n
:, leader he was ready to lead them bac
u and kill the id soldiers and burn tn
town, or die in the attempt and at va
re rious places he was heard to threaten
G. cut out the hearts of the id Abol
I'd tionists,n and use kindred expressions
Is How many there were of the Copper
he heads, we no not know, nor can we est
r. mate the number, save by the size of tn
4 ~ 4