Published June 28, 2020
By Arlis Dittmer
The
first week of July 1863 was one of the most significant of the Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought on the
first three days of the month, and on July 4th Confederate soldiers
who had held Vicksburg surrendered to Union forces. Telegraph lines were down, and the Quincy
newspapers didn’t report on the victory at Gettysburg until their July 6th
editions. Likewise, news of the July 4th
surrender at Vicksburg was received several days after the city fell.
Quincyans
were awakened in the early hours of July 1, 1863, by an electrical storm
bringing much-needed rainfall. The wheat
harvest was underway, and all indications were that the yield would be the
largest in years.
Occasional
local reminders of the war included an attempt to kill a soldier in southern
Adams County, just north of the Pike County line. A party had ridden out of Quincy to arrest
deserters when a soldier riding in advance of the others was ambushed and
seriously wounded. The
July 4th
Quincy Whig
commented that the Fall Creek area was a notorious
locale for Copperheads, northern Democrats who opposed the war and desired an
immediate peace settlement with the Confederates.
Preparations
were underway for the annual Independence Day celebration. Several days prior to July 4th a
large platform was erected in Washington Square to accommodate the reader,
orator, committee, and singers. Also,
the top mast of the Square’s flagstaff was lengthened to 170 feet.
National
flags, from six inches to fifteen feet, were for sale at F. Gaushell’s Hat
Store on Hampshire Street. Henry
Zimmerman, near 5th and Maine, offered a large assortment of lamps
and Chinese lanterns to illuminate patriotic processions. Downtown merchants, Aldo Summer, William
Metz, and F. Flachs, sold firecrackers, torpedoes, Roman candles, skyrockets,
tourbillions, pinwheels, scroll wheels, triangles, verticals, blue lights,
Bengal lights, flower pots, and misses’ serpents for those wishing a loud and
colorful celebration.
Abram
Jonas, postmaster, announced that on the 4th of July the post office
would close at 10:30 A.M. and remain closed during the day. This news came as Quincyans were digesting
the prior announcement that letters being delivered within the City of Quincy
by the post office needed two cents instead of one cent postage as of July 1st. Letters not paid in full would go not to the
person named but to the Dead Letter Office in Washington D.C.
Reverend
Norman A. Millard of the Center Congregational Church, 4th and
Jersey, urged congregants to attend his July 5th sermon on
temperance. A meeting for the sale or
rental of pews was to be held at the Unitarian Church, north side of Maine
between 6th and 7th, on July 6th from 7 to 10
o’clock. All persons wishing to retain
their seats or to get new ones were told to be punctual.
Independence
Day, July 4, 1863, dawned extra warm and dusty.
Thousands came to Quincy by railroad, steamboat, wagon, horse, mule, and
on foot, filling the principal streets to overflowing. A nine-block-long procession made up of fire
companies, bands, military units, dignitaries, and ordinary citizens marched
from the courthouse up Maine Street to 8th, up 8th to
Broadway, down Broadway to 5th, and then into Washington
Square. At a stand in the square, Dr.
Hiram Rogers presided (Governor John Wood being out-of-town), and Reverend Dr.
Foote invoked the Divine blessing. A
choir sang the “Battle Cry of Freedom” as well as several other patriotic
songs. The Declaration of Independence
was read.
Orville
Browning’s 70-minute oration followed.
The former United States senator praised the U.S. Constitution as the
source of America’s freedom and prosperity.
He attributed the nation’s current misfortunes to its violation and
urged Americans to unite to crush the traitorous foe. The singing of “The Star Spangled Banner”
concluded the formal activities. A
dispersion to dinner followed with hotels and restaurants filled to capacity,
private citizens entertaining hosts of friends, while people from the country
enjoyed a lunch under the trees in Washington Square. Later, fire companies from Quincy,
Jacksonville, Galesburg, Springfield, and Hannibal competed in several contests
of skill and strength, much to the delight of the assembled crowd.
By
dusk, the multitude headed to 12th Street where fireworks were set
off in the prairie to the east. Observers
recorded their admiration but noted many fireworks were hastily set off, one
being started at times before another one was finished.
After
the crowd exited Washington Square for fireworks, city officials forgot to
replace the wooden fence surrounding the square that had been removed to
accommodate the public. It didn’t take
long for a small herd of cows to begin pasturing on the square. The July 7th
Quincy Daily Whig’s
editor commented that as a consequence of
being trampled down on the 4th, aided by drought and heat,
Washington Square looked something like a “suckled orange or a Copperhead
‘bummer’ on the 5th of July.
Let the Square be taken good care of, for it is the noblest property the
city owns.”
During
the Independence Day activities, there had been very little rowdyism or
drunkenness. One Missourian was knocked down by a Marceline Unionist for
hurrahing for Jefferson Davis, an experiment he did not repeat.
Once
there was confirmation of the victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, an
elaborate parade was planned for Friday evening, July 10th. A torchlight procession was formed at
Washington Square where the Needle Pickets were holding a bazaar for
soldiers. The parade crisscrossed the
downtown streets with John Wood as the parade marshal. There were cannon salutes along the way, and
fireworks were shot from the top of Wood’s octagonal mansion under construction
at 12th and State.
While there was much to celebrate,
it was not lost on those enjoying the Union victories that the Vicksburg
campaign saw over 35,000 casualties, and 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded,
captured, or missing at Gettysburg. The
Civil War would continue for two more years, as would the daily lives of
Quincy’s residents with the memories of early July 1863 ever present.
Sources
“At the Garden of Peter Oehmen.”
Quincy Daily Whig,
July 6, 1863, 2.
“Attempt to Murder a Soldier.”
Quincy Whig
, July 4, 1863, 3.
“Celebration of the Fourth of July at
Quincy.”
Quincy Daily Herald,
July 4,
1863, 3.
“The Demonstration Last Night.”
Quincy Daily Herald,
July 11, 1863, 3.
“The Fourth in Quincy.”
Quincy Whig
, July 4, 1863, 3.
“The Fourth in Quincy.”
Quincy Daily Whig
, July 6, 1863, 3.
“Grand Torch-light Procession and
Splendid Illuminations in Honor of The Late Victories.”
Quincy
Daily Herald,
July 10,
1863
, 3
.
“Keep the Cattle Out.”
Quincy Daily Whig
, July 7, 1863, 3.
“Pew Renting at the Unitarian
Church.”
Quincy Daily Whig
, July 3, 1863,
3.
“Post Office Notice.”
Quincy Daily Whig
, July 2, 1863, 3.
“A Sermon on Temperance.”
Quincy Daily Whig
, July 3, 1863, 3.
