A ROCK ISLAND COMPANY.
It seems the martial spirit of the citizens of Rock Island County was not stilled or satisfied by the march of the Rock River Rangers in 1831 from Fort Armstrong to the Sac village, for in 1832 we find one company enrolled in the service where every member save one was from Rock Island County, that one being a brother of the captain, and he came from Adams County to enlist under his brother. The following is from the rolls as corrected and now on file in the War Department at Washington.
They all resided in Rock Island County, with the exception of Thomas Kenney, who was from Adams County.
Captain, John W. Kenney, enrolled May 20, 1832
First Lieutenant, Joseph Danforth, enrolled May 20
Privates
Thomas Davis, enrolled May 20
Manly Danforth, enrolled July 1
Samuel Danforth, enrolled May 20
Samuel Kenney, enrolled May 20 on furlough
Thomas Kenney, enrolled June 12
Gentry McGee. enrolled May 20
Henry McNeal, enrolled May 20
Neel McNeal, enrolled July 1
James Maskal, enrolled May 20
Martin Smith, enrolled May 20
William H. Samms, enrolled July 1
Joel Thompson, enrolled May 20
William Thompson, enrolled May 20
Ira Wells, enrolled May 20
Eri Wells, enrolled May 20
Asaph Wells, enrolled May 20
Nelson Wells, enrolled May 20
Rannah Wells enrolled May 20
Jeol Wells, Jr., enrolled May 20
Joel Wells, Sr., enrolled May 20
Luke Wells, Sr., enrolled May 20.
After being received into the United States service at Fort Armstrong, this company was assigned to Colonel Moore's regiment and marched up Rock River to Dixon, where it was assigned to ari odd mounted battalion, commanded by Major Samuel Bogart, and was ordered to do guard duty on the frontier. It was mustered out September 4, 1832, at Macomb.
The companies composing this odd battalion were:
Captains Peter Butter's of Warren County, John W. Kenney's of Rock Island County, James White of Hancock County, John Sain's of Fulton County, William McMurty's of Knox County and Asel F. Ball's of Fulton County.
It is impossible to learn just what duty the battalion did to which the Rock Island company was assigned. Reynolds in "My Own Times" says: "On the 12th of June I ordered a battalion to be organized and to select their officers, to guard the frontiers between the Mississippi and Peoria on the north of Illinois River. Samuel Bogart was elected major of the battalion,"
From another authority. I learn that the company did guard duty on the frontier, drew its rations daily, ate heartily, played euchre and received the remunerative sum of 86 cents per day for each man and his horse. Samuel Bogart, the major of the odd battalion to which Kenney's company was attached, was before enlistment a merchant in McDonough County.
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Illinois Ancestors
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