Columbus Journal, March 4, 1900
In the summer of 1898, J.R. Meagher wrote to the ordnance department of the government for a cannon to be used here on public occasions, a little while afterwards getting answer that the government were not giving away cannon that were fit for use, but that they would donate condemned cannon to corporations or societies for monumental purposes, but not more than two pieces to any one corporation or society; at the same time saying that there were a number such at Fortress Monroe, Va., and at Fort Benicin, California.
Mr. Meagher happened to show the letter to H.T. Spoerry, but supposed that his work had been for naught. But something seemed to suddenly strike Mr. Spoerry, and he said "We want two cannon." "What for?" asked Meagher. "For a long time, we have been asked occasionally to send money east for the erection of soldiers' monuments, and why not erect one right here in Columbus to our own common rank and file?"
J.H. Galley was at the time commander of Baker Post No. 9, and to him the two comrades went with their happy thought, and the result was that at the next meeting of the post a monument committee was appointed consisting of J.H. Galley, H.T. Spoerry, J.R. Meagher, D.N. Miner, E.O. Rector, R.L. Rossiter and Ed. W. Clark.
Designs were advertised for, a subscription paper started, two cannon were brought from Benicia, Calif., one weighing 3575 pounds, the other 3568, and the site of the monument was located finally in the middle of Frankfort square.
A contract was made with Kimball Brothers of Lincoln for the erection of the monument, which is 30 feet high. The heaviest stone weighs about 16,000 pounds, and is 9x9 feet; the die is 4 feet square and 4 1/2 high, and on it are cut 132 names. The stone column is surmounted by bronze eagle with a spread of 6 feet; the two cannon with the muzzles pointing south, are placed on pedestals, one of the east, the other of the west of the column--these pedestals 3 feet square and 4 feet high.
There are said to be thirty tons of stone in the foundation and thirty-five tons above ground. The monument is of Barre, Vermont, granite, rough, except the die. The actual cost of the monument is reckoned in round numbers at $2,400, besides the cannon, which cost the freight, $99.75.
The monument is dedictated, "In memory of the Union Volunteers of the Civil War, 1861, 1865.
The names on the monument are:
Adams H L - Co. H 27 Ill Inf.
Allen W T - Co. C 1 U S Inf.
Archer O H - Co. E 41 Wisc Inf.
Arnold Ed - Co. A 3 Ind Inf.
Anderson A - Co. K 5 Wisc Inf.
Apgar Jos - Co. G 1st O V Cav.
Andrey John - Co. I 2d Neb Cav.
Butler O D - 2d Lt Co. D 51 Ill Inf.
Burrell John - Co. C 29 Wisc Inf.
Brown J L - Co. G 144 Ind Inf.
Bisson E R - Co. D 45 Ill Inf.
Becklam Wm - Co. B 105 Ill Inf.
Burrows Jas - Co. B 103 Ill Inf.
Baird Frank - Co. C 13 U S Inf.
Breed A - Co. A 20 Ia Inf.
Borders E W - Co. A 26 Ind Inf.
Bean Henry - Co. K 9 U S Inf.
Brock John R - Co. E 10 Pa Inf.
Blodgett Jared O - Co. G 96 Ill Inf.
Couch Ed J - Co. B 10 Ia Inf.
Cady Anthony - Co. K 64 Ill Inf.
Clark A W - Co. B 93 Ill Inf.
Clark Ed - Co. C 8 Pa Reserves.
Clark D J - 6 Ill Lt Arty.
Caffrey Bernard - Co. C 9 Conn Inf.
Cline Henry - Co. I 116 N Y Inf.
Cleveland S J - Co. I 153 Ill Inf.
Deneen John - Co. E 15 U S Inf.
Dodds W F - Co. D Pa R V Cav.
Devany Lackney - Co. F 9 Mo M. Inf.
Dussell A - Co. C 9 Ia Cav.
Early John W - Co. B 19 O Inf.
Ellis Jacob - Co. E 132 Ill Inf.
Elston Geo W - Co. G 38 Wisc Inf.
Fitzpatrick E D - Co. E 41 O Inf.
Funk E H - Co. I 200 Pa Inf.
Frazier Jas - Co. G 4 Ia Inf.
Farley Patrick - Co. C 2 U S Inf.
Fleming Frank - Co. I 31 Wisc Inf.
Galley James H - Co. K 2 Neb Cav.
Graham E T - Co. I 42 Wisc Inf.
Gerber Fred - Co. H 52 Ill Inf.
Griffey John A - Co. C 118 Ill Inf.
Graves J J - Co. H 8 Ill Inf.
Gleason C F - Co. F 10 Mass Inf.
Hammond John Capt - Co. H 1 Minn Hv Arty.
Henderson John - First Lt Co. I 33 Ia Inf.
Henry R H - Co. B 11 Wisc Inf.
Hensley W N - Co. B 9 Ky Cav.
Hilliard J R - Co. I 13 Tenn Cav.
Hart R C - Co. B 105 N Y Inf.
Hollingshead Wm - Co. I 3 Wis Inf.
Hopkins Geo N - Co. H 1 Minn Hv Arty.
Heitman C - Co. E 42 Ill Inf.
Hickok C G - Co. C 176 O Inf.
Howard Thomas - o. F 63 O Inf.
Jenkins Levi - Co. G 13 Mich Inf.
Jones Lewis - Co. A 30 Ind Inf.
Johnson F P - Co. D N C M Inf.
Ives A H - Co. L 4 Ill Cav.
Irwin Wm - Co. F 96 Ill Inf.
Krueger Julius - Co. K 2 Wisc Inf.
Keeler John - Co. D 28 N Y Inf.
Kelley P H - Co. K 2 Cal Cav.
Kavanaugh Edw -
Lehman Geo W - Co. D 129 O Inf.
Lueschen Henry J - Co. E 3 Wisc Inf.
Luschen Her'n G - Co. E 3 Wisc Inf.
Lockner Aug - Co. H 21 N Y Cav.
Luchsinger Fred - Co. K 2 Wisc Inf.
Luth A - Co. H 2 N J Cav.
Lawson John -
Lawerence Wm - Co. D 3 Ill Cav.
Ludwick J C - Co. C 106 Ind Inf.
Lane Martin - Co. H 12 Ill Cav.
McKinnie Thom Lt-Col - 126 O Inf.
Meagher J R Lt-Col - 6 Ky Cav.
Moran Robt Lt-Col - 2 W Va Inf.
McAllister W A - Co. B 2 Neb Cav.
Martyn D T - Co. D 37 Ill Inf.
Merrill O F - Co. I 1 R I Cav.
Mannington W W - Co. I 71 Pa Inf.
Morrow E C - Co. C 155 Ind Inf.
Miner D N - Co. H 15 O Inf.
Maloy David - Co. A 75 Ill Inf.
McFarland Jos'h - Co. C 57 Pa Inf.
McQuown W L - Co. A 61 Pa Inf.
McDuffee D - Co. G 2 Mich Cav.
Mielenz Franz - Co. C 16 Wisc Inf.
North Frank Major - 1st Batt Pawnee Scouts
North L H - Co. K 2 Neb Cav.
Noval Wm - Co. H 10 N Y Heavy Art.
Nolan John - U S Navy
Nolan Jas - Co. C 118 Ill Inf.
Nyhoff C W - Co. I 5 Mich Cav.
O'Conner Thos - Co. D 2 O Inf.
Owen D C - Co. F 10 Kas Inf.
Plant Peter - Co. G 11 Ver Inf.
Pruitt W H H - Co. 20 Ind Inf.
Rector E O - Co. H 33 Wisc Inf.
Rossiter R L - Co. E 41 O Inf.
Rollins Geo - Co. A 33 Wisc Inf.
Rice W W - Co. B 10 Mass Inf.
Rightmire W H - Co. K 28 N J Inf.
Spoerry H T Lt - Co. K 2 Wisc Inf.
Stevenson J V - Co. E 96 O Inf.
Steenis John - Co. E 6 Wisc Inf.
Strother W T - Co. D 21 O Inf.
Sacrider John A - Co. D 65 Ill Inf.
Smith August - Co. K 28 Pa Inf.
Sheehan Edward - U S Navy
Sturgeon J L - Co. A 18 Wisc Inf.
Schad Peter - Co. B 9 Wisc Inf.
Tannahill John - Co. C 156 Ill Inf.
Tschudy J B - Co. G 2 Minn Inf.
Thompson W H - Co. B 26 N J Inf.
Talbitzer C W - Co. C 9 O Inf.
Turner M K - Co. K 170 O Inf.
Whitmoyer M Capt - Co. E 132 Pa Inf.
Wagner John - Co. K 47 Wisc Inf.
Wenck Theo - Co. H 45 Wisc Inf.
Wurdeman J H - Co. D 39 Ill Inf.
Welch Michael - Co. D 37 Ill Inf.
Wise John - Co. F 103 Ill Inf.
Wilson Thomas - Co. C 102 Ill Inf.
Whitaker A J - Co. C 5 Mich Inf.
Wheeler S J - Co. C 154 N Y Inf.
Wilken Herman - Co. G 105 Ill Inf.
Williams Wm E - Co. I 1 Wisc H. Art.
Woods Henry - Co. C 15 Ind Inf.
Watts Jos H - Co. D 105 Ill Inf.
Young R W - Co. A 10 N Y Lt. Art.
Union Volunteers of the Civil War
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