Camp Butler

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Many people believe that Camp Butler is just another ordinary national cemetery. But actually Camp Butler holds a lot of information behind its gates. Its original purpose was a training ground and a POW camp with a small cemetery for the deceased prisoner and soldiers. And now it has evolved into a symbol and the biggest national cemetery in the State of Illinois.

In 1861, after the Civil War had begun, William T. Sherman was sent to Springfield, Illinois by the United States War Department to select a camping ground for the Union army. Governor Richard Yates, current Governor of Springfield at the time, asked William Butler, State Treasure, with help from Ozias M. Hatch, Secretary of State, to assist Sherman in selecting a camp ground (Huelsman, SJR). Sherman, Butler, and Hatch rode 6 miles NE of Springfield by carriage to an area of 6 acres. Sherman was pleased at what he saw. There was high ground for camping, lower and more lever ground for drilling and training, and a space for a cemetery. Thanking him for his help, Sherman named the area Camp Butler, in honor of William Butler. The camp is located on what is currently Sangamon Ave. and U.S. 6, about six miles northeast of Springfield, close to the Sangamon River and the Wabash Railroad (Teleford, SJR)

Originally, Camp Butler was to be the main center of concentration and training for the Union recruits in Illinois, replacing Camp Yates (Parrotte, SVC). But it seemed that the camp was going to have a much bigger purpose. Governor Yates appointed Captain Thomas G. Pitchers commandant of Camp Butler with the Rank of Colonel (Parrotte, SVC). The first shipment of troops arrived August 5, 1861, including infantry and a troop of cavalry from Mason City; Calvary troops from Madison, Macon, Piatt, and Pike counties; and a battery of artillery, which were all transferred from Camp Yates (Teleford, SJR). The camp began to grow in great numbers at a very rapid pace. By August , the camp already contained 1,500 men and twelve days later contained over 5,000 men (Teleford, SJR). Troops earned $15.00 a month, a bounty of $100.00, and a quarter section of land at the end of the war (Miller, SJR). The first casualty at the camp was a Private Willard of Mason City on August 1. He was diagnosed to have died of lung fever. The camp lacked in both supplies and uniform. Due to the supply shortage, Colonel Pitcher had to put the men through training using stick in stead of muskets (Parrotte, SVC). Time in the camp was brief for an ordinary soldier due to the need of active men (Parrotte, SVC). The average time for a Union soldier was 0 to 40 days (Parrotte, SVC). Pitcher would muster the men into combat ready, and within a few days, the soldier would receive their orders (Parrotte, SVC). In October of 1861, Colonel Pitcher turned over the camp to Lieutenant Charles B. Watson (Parrotte, SVC). In his little time of command, Pitcher trained more than 15,000 men (Parrotte, SVC).

In the middle of December 1861, the United State's War Department disbanded all temporary camp and designated Camp Butler and Camp Douglas the only two rendezvous camps in the state (Teleford, SJR). In 186, Camp Butler was established a National Cemetery due to President Abraham Lincoln's approved Congressional legislation that allowed the president to purchase cemetery grounds to be used for soldiers who died in service of the country on July 17 (Parrotte, SVC). Twelve national cemeteries in all were created by legislation (Teleford, SJR).Order College Papers on Camp Butler

By February 1, 186, almost 80,000 men had passed through Camp Butler (Teleford, SJR). Colonel Patcairn Morrison, sent by the War Department, was now in command of the camp (Parrotte, SVC). On February , the camp was to add to its growing number with prisoner of war. ,000 of the 15,000 Confederate soldiers captured at Fort Donelson by General U. S. Grant arrived at Camp Butler (Teleford, SJR). On March 1, 50 more Confederate prisoners were sent to the camp and on April 14, Morrison task grew more when 1,000 Confederates, captured at the mouth of the Mississippi River, were sent to the camp (Parrotte, SVC). General Grant funneled ,165 prisoners in all to the camp. Many Confederates within the prisoner camps died.

Camp Butler faced a huge sanitation problem. Floor were dirty, slop and filth was thrown indiscriminately around, medicines were deficient, shelter was bad, and the nurse and cook acted insubordinate (Teleford, SJR). In May of 186, a total of 1 prisoners died in the camps. Many diseases began to take its toll on both the Confederate prisoner and the Union soldiers. The smallpox epidemic of 186 was said to be the worst cases of death due to disease. A total of 875 died due to an epidemic died due to an epidemic in the summer of 186.

Colonel Morrison was relieved of his duties in June , 186 and is replacement was Major John G. Fonda (Parrotte, SVC). A huge number of recruits were made and Governor Yates was forced to re-open many of the temporary camps, leaving Camp Butler, still, the main training site (Parrotte, SVC). Camp Butler number 1,000 Union troops and included at least on troop from every county in the State (Teleford, SJR). Major Fonda was appointed the new commander of the 118th Illinois Infantry and Colonel William F. Lynch became the new commander of Camp Butler (Parrotte, SVC). In January of 186, 1,665 Confederates captured at Arkansas Post and Murfreesboro were sent to Camp Butler (Parrotte, SVC). Within the next two months, 500 more prisoners entered the camp (Parrotte, SVC). By spring of 186, the prisoners in the camp numbered around ,60 including prisoner from ten of the eleven Confederate State, excluding Florida (Teleford, SJR).

Disease still reeked havoc in the prisoner camp. Meningitis and Typhoid fever alone claimed the lives of 1 soldiers a month (Lindstrom, SJR). Due to the many soldiers suffering from disease hospitals were enlarged from two wards to seven wards (Teleford, SJR). The original two wards could hold a combine capacity of 60 cots but the expansion of the wards allowed each of the seven wards to hold 60 cots each (Teleford, SJR). Also a large office building was constructed allowing more surgeons and clerks to be hired (Teleford, SJR). In January of 1864, 78 patients were admitted to the general hospital and of the 78, 5 died (Teleford, SJR). The most prevalent diseases were cerebro- spinal meningitis, pneumonia, and typhoid pneumonia (Teleford, SJR). It was said that 0 percent of the fatalities in the camp were caused by either exposure or improper food (Teleford, SJR).

President Lincoln issued many calls for troops. With Illinois having a high quota, Camp Butler housed several thousand troops and recruits throughout the first three months of 1864 (Parrotte, SVC). With the constant calls for troops, Camp Butler was guaranteed to remain active housing troops until 1865. By the fall of 1864, the last Confederate prisoner was shipped out. Camp Butler remained active even though the war was nearing to an end. Recruits still remained, waiting to be sent to their regiments and there was a problem of demobilizing and caring for the sick and wounded as they prepared to return home. Finally, near the end of May, The United State's War Department started to release regiments from active service (Parrotte, SVC). It took several weeks before the recruits were transported to Camp Butler and receive their final pay before being released from the Army (Parrotte, SVC). A majority of the regiments came to the camp in July and August, and by mid- September, most of the troops were heading home (Parrotte, SVC). In early September, Camp Douglas was discontinued as a rendezvous center leaving Camp Butler as the only remaining center for rendezvous (Parrotte, SVC). On January 18, 1866, the last troops received its final pay and left for home (Parrotte, SVC). The next day, Camp Butler was officially closed as a military rendezvous (Parrotte, SVC). Throughout the war, Camp Butler had over 00,000 soldiers pass through.

Many casualties that occurred within Camp Butler are buried within the Camp Butler cemetery. A total of 84 Confederate soldiers, 714 Union soldiers, and 166 soldiers are unknown, due to a fire in the hospital which destroyed records of both Union and Confederate soldiers, are buried within the camp (Lindstrom, SJR). There were more than 84 Confederate deaths in the camp (Lindstrom, SJR). The Confederate graves are white stone that come up to a point (Lindstrom, SJR). The Union graves are white stone and are round at the top (Lindstrom, SJR). The Confederate graves are said to come to a point to prevent the "Yankees" from sitting on their graves (Lindstrom, SJR).

In 14, John Biglow, Ben Watson, and Louis B. Hellmeyer were the administrator involved in expanded Camp Butler from six acres to 40 acres. Camp Butler now holds 656 reburials from WWII, including 17 German prisoner of war and 65 Korean War reburials (Lindstrom, SJR). Camp Butler National Cemetery is reserved for those honorably discharged from active military duty and their dependents (Huelsman, SJR). All of the graves are the same size, shape, and marked with the infantry of which they served in (Huelsman, SJR). There is no charge to be buried in the cemetery and soldiers are not buried by rank (Lindstrom, SJR). A few years after the war ended, enlisted men and their mates are buried is the same grade, one at five feet and one at seven feet (Lindstrom, SJR). Side by side burials were reserved for officers (Lindstrom, SJR). Now anyone that served in the military can be buried side by side.

Many building and architectural structures were created over the past 100 years to beautify the camp. The lodge was constructed in 108 (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). It is a two- story, eight-room brick structure with exposed concrete foundation walls (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The roof is fiberglass shingles (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). In 16, the rear porch was enclosed to provide an additional room (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The front porch was removed in 17, and a new concrete porch was constructed (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). This porch was enclosed with brick and glass in 14 (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The lodge is now used as the cemetery office (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The design of this lodge was the standard for the national cemeteries in the first decade of this century, when many original Meigs lodges were replaced (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). Because of the time it was built, there are some Arts and Crafts influences (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The concrete block utility building with a fiberglass shingle roof was constructed in 17 (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). It is located near the northeast corner of the cemetery (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The rostrum was constructed in 1 (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The walls are Bedford limestone, and the roof is copper (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet). The design is Classical Revival. A brick public restroom building with a metal standing seam roof was constructed in 18, and is located at the northeast corner of the lodge (C.B.N.C., Pamphlet).

Camp Butler National Cemetery has experienced many difficulties throughout the years. The main problem is the lack of space for burial. Each year, the cemetery is being doubled in burials. With lack of space provided, areas must be cleared and purchase. With the area being consumed so fast, it will not be too long before the cemetery will have to close its gate.

The following verse appeared in the Illinois State Journal Register on October 16, 186. It was to describe war life at Camp Butler

"Camp Butler, what a busy hive

A nest of humans all alive

M of all minds make up the nest

Posted on sciences the best

B here are found that are not wise

Until they are they will not rise

The bulk exceed the rural masses

Let some deny we have all classes

Evil and good, foolish and wise

Rebellion though, they all despise

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