Memorial Day - 2021
9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company A.
On Monday, 31 May 2021 members of the Re-Created Alton Jaeger Guard portrayed members of the Alton Jaeger Guards, Company A. 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment as they would have appeared during the Shiloh Campaign in 1862.
In 1868, after being told by several women from Alton who had recently traveled south that the war graves of the Confederate dead were beautifully decorated with flowers yet the war graves in the Alton Cemetery remained neglected, local Union veterans decided to do something about it, and it became the country's first, and now oldest Memorial Day Parade. The men dressed in their uniforms, and mustered in front of what is now the National Cemetery and after saying a few words, rendering a salute and firing a volley, they began laying flowers on all the graves. Once finished they marched through Upper Alton, ending at the Upper Alton Cemetery, where they again laid flowers on the graves of their fallen comrades.
By the end of the Civil War, the Alton City Cemetery and National Cemetery contained over 250 graves of Federal soldiers. The Alton Jaeger Guard, with help from Kinzels Flower Shop in Alton returned on Memorial Day 2021, after marching in the parade to again lay flowers and pay respect to the fallen men of the Civil War.
The Alton Jaeger Guard mustered 30 men, including four musicians for the parade and ceremony.
Following the ceremony at the National Cemetery, the men of the Alton Jaeger Guard went throughout the cemetery to place flowers at any stones of Civil War soldiers outside the National Cemetery, including Col. Friend S. Rutherford, commander of the 97th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and Col. John H. Kuhn, former Captain of the Alton Jaeger Guard, Co. A. 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and later commander of the 144th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
A small ceremony was held at the grave of the former Captain of our namesake, John Kuhn, the first time military honors have ever been rendered at his grave, as he died a few months after the war without a military burial.
The 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was original raised as a Three-Month Regiment in April of 1861, but would ultimately sign on for the duration of the war. The regiment was organized in Springfield, Illinois, however three of the original companies came from Alton, Illinois including our namesake, The Alton Jaeger Guards, who would comprise Company A. The "Bloody Ninth" as they came to be known, participated in the fighting at Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Battle of Corinth, Operations against Vicksburg, Atlanta Campaign, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Jonesborough, March to the Sea, Campaign of the Carolinas, and Bentonville.
Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 211 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 200 Enlisted men by disease. Total 417.
In 1868, after being told by several women from Alton who had recently traveled south that the war graves of the Confederate dead were beautifully decorated with flowers yet the war graves in the Alton Cemetery remained neglected, local Union veterans decided to do something about it, and it became the country's first, and now oldest Memorial Day Parade. The men dressed in their uniforms, and mustered in front of what is now the National Cemetery and after saying a few words, rendering a salute and firing a volley, they began laying flowers on all the graves. Once finished they marched through Upper Alton, ending at the Upper Alton Cemetery, where they again laid flowers on the graves of their fallen comrades.
By the end of the Civil War, the Alton City Cemetery and National Cemetery contained over 250 graves of Federal soldiers. The Alton Jaeger Guard, with help from Kinzels Flower Shop in Alton returned on Memorial Day 2021, after marching in the parade to again lay flowers and pay respect to the fallen men of the Civil War.
The Alton Jaeger Guard mustered 30 men, including four musicians for the parade and ceremony.
Following the ceremony at the National Cemetery, the men of the Alton Jaeger Guard went throughout the cemetery to place flowers at any stones of Civil War soldiers outside the National Cemetery, including Col. Friend S. Rutherford, commander of the 97th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and Col. John H. Kuhn, former Captain of the Alton Jaeger Guard, Co. A. 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry and later commander of the 144th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
A small ceremony was held at the grave of the former Captain of our namesake, John Kuhn, the first time military honors have ever been rendered at his grave, as he died a few months after the war without a military burial.
The 9th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was original raised as a Three-Month Regiment in April of 1861, but would ultimately sign on for the duration of the war. The regiment was organized in Springfield, Illinois, however three of the original companies came from Alton, Illinois including our namesake, The Alton Jaeger Guards, who would comprise Company A. The "Bloody Ninth" as they came to be known, participated in the fighting at Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Battle of Corinth, Operations against Vicksburg, Atlanta Campaign, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Jonesborough, March to the Sea, Campaign of the Carolinas, and Bentonville.
Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 211 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 200 Enlisted men by disease. Total 417.
All images and video by: Inferno Imagery