THE ROCKFORD RIFLES

In August Melancthon Smith issued a stirring appeal for volunteers, quoting the last words of General Lyon. "Come on, brave men !" Mr. Smith had only a few months before received the appointment of postmaster of Rockford, and it required not a little patriotism to leave this position for the hardships of war. Mr. Smith had been a member of the old Rockford City Greys, which had been drilled by Colonel Ellsworth. and he was thus not entirely without military ex­perience.

September 17th, after the ranks had been filled, an election of officers was held. with the following result : Captain, Melancthon Smith ; first lieutenant, Robert P. Sealy ; second lieutenant, D. W. Grippen. September 22d the company left Rockford for Camp Washburne. at Galena. They were mustered into the service as Company G, of the Forty-fifth Regiment, known as the Washburne Lead-Mine Regiment, in command of Colonel John E. Smith.

The total number of enlistments in Company G from Winnebago county, including veterans, recruits and drafted and substitute recruits, was one hundred and twenty-four. There were on the field and staff and in other companies eighty-seven volunteers, making the total number of enlistments in the Forty-fifth Regiment from Winnebago county two hundred and thirty-one.

John Travis, a member of the Rifles, was the first soldier from Winnebago county killed in battle. He lost his life at the battle of Fort Donelson, in February, 1862. There were four companies from this county on that field of carriage —the Rockford Rifles and the Cherry Valley company, in the Forty-fifth ; the Zouaves, in the Eleventh, and Captain Boyd's company, in the Fifty-second.

 

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