Civil War Newspaper Articles, Macoupin County Illinois 22 
Jun 1998
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives ©1998 Rindy Fuchs


CIVIL WAR ARTICLES

both articles contributed by Rindy Fuchs
Thank you, Carolynn Bettis for xeroxing.


ATROCIOUS ASSAULT UPON FEDERAL OFFICERS NEAR GIRARD-
ONE FATALLY WOUNDED

Source-"Illinois State Journal," Tuesday, 4 October 1864

Girard ILL., 3 Oct. 6:00pm 1864
News has reached us that Provost Marshal Cherry and Deputy Enrolling Officer 
Wolf were assaulted this afternoon seven miles west of this place by thirty or 
forty guerrillas, Cherry it is thought will not survive, and Wolf  is badly wounded. 
Union. 

ATTEMPTED MURDER OF DRAFT OFFICERS

Source-"Illinois State Journal", Thursday, 6 Oct.1864

A brief dispatch from Girard, in Macoupin County, in the "Journal" of Tuesday 
morning last, announced that a murderous assault had been made on Monday 
afternoon upon two draft officers, (Deputy Provost Marshal Cherry and an 
Assistant Enrolling Officer named Wolf, both being in the service of Capt. Fry, 
Provost marshal of the 10th District,) about seven miles west of Girard. We have 
since obtained the following particulars in reference to the villainous affair:

The neighborhood where this murderous affair occurred is known in the 
surrounding country as "Greasy," and is largely populated with the same ignorant 
class who a few months ago made a murderous and treacherous assault 
upon Union soldiers in Charleston, in Coles County. Many were no doubt the 
identical persons who took part in the insurrection in Greene County last fall. 
These men are reported to have held a meeting on Saturday evening last, 
when it was resolved to resist the serving of notices upon drafted men. On 
Monday the officers named left Girard for the purpose of serving such notices, 
and the draft resistants in "Greasy" were promptly notified of the fact by 
their runners or sympathizers. When the officers had reached a point in the 
woods about seven miles west of  Girard, they were ambushed by a party of 
about thirty or forty of the resistants, who, without any notice and the 
most cowardly manner, fired upon the two men from the brush. Mr. Cherry was 
struck by a ball shattering the bone of his right arm. His bridle-hand being thus 
rendered useless, he fell from his horse, but succeeded in escaping through the 
brush. Mr. Wolf also received a severe flesh wound in the thigh, the same ball 
which  produced it passing through the saddle and entering the horse. He still 
retained his seat, however, and was soon carried out of reach of the villains who 
continued to fire after him as long as he was in sight. After wandering about 
for some time Mr. Wolf fell in with Mr. Cherry, whom he assisted to mount his 
own horse, and the two wounded men were at last enabled to reach a place of 
safety. The horse that Wolf rode died the same night from the effects of the 
wound he had received. Both the wounded reach Girard on Tuesday. It is feared 
that Cherry will lose his arm which was badly shattered. Wolf is also severely, but 
less dangerously hurt.

Just before the officers fell into the ambuscade, they passed a house, when they 
noticed that they were closely observed by that family as if anticipating 
something. It is evident now, that they knew of the intended attack, and 
were waiting to see it come off, and that the scoundrels really meditated the 
murder of the officers is undoubted.

In this case we have but another added to the many illustrations we have had of 
the teachings of the Copperhead presses and the orators in this State. A set of 
ignorant and deluded creatures following the spirit of these teachings have not 
only rendered themselves felons by their attempts in the most cowardly and 
atrocious manner, to murder two men who were engaged in the simple discharge 
of their duty, but have added to that the highest crime known in the calender of 
crime. Their act had its origin in treason to the Constitution and the laws of the 
United States. Atrocious as has been their crime, however, their guilt is trifling 
compared with that of the men who have induced them to commit it.

We are not informed what steps have been taken to bring the perpetrators of this 
crime to justice, but we cannot doubt that it will be done. The act itself cannot 
but re-act upon the party whose teachings have led to its commission.

(Note: Greasey was located in the northern part of South Otter Twp Macoupin 
Co IL.)


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