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Colonel Andrew Fuller Rogers |
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Upper Alton, Madison County, IL Native Looses Sword in Civil War Battle - Finds It 43 Years Later |
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Source: The Union Springs New York Advertiser, February 1, 1906 |
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"Gets His Sword Back" "Col. Rogers' Search of Over Forty Years Is Finally Rewarded" |
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A living chain in inquiry, started more than 40 years ago, has just resulted in the finding of a sword which was lost on a southern battlefield by a union officer 43 years ago. The [unreadable] weapon, given by a mother to her son when he set out for the war, was discovered in Oklahoma, many miles from where it was lost. A few weeks ago, says the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, it was restored to its proper owner, and now graces his [unreadable], a sacred relic with a history as interesting as any that has been gleaned from the records of the War of the Rebellion.
The owner of this sword is Colonel A. F. Rogers, of Upper Alton, Ill., well-known in this part of the country, where his early youth was spent. The colonel was born on a farm in Howard county, near Fayette, Mo., way back in 1827. His parents had settled in Howard county, the father coming from Kentucky, and the mother from Tennessee. Col. Rogers ancestors on the father's side hailed from Mon----shire, England, while his mother's people, the Jacksons, furnished a warrior captain for the War of 1812. Mr. Roger's father, Ebenezer Rogers, was a Baptist preacher, school teacher, and farmer, who taught some of the Glasgows, well known in St. Louis, in the little Howard county schoolhouse a good many years ago. In 18_3 he moved to Upper Alton, and settled on a strip of land containing about 40 acres, which he began to cultivate. When he was old enough, Col. Rogers went to Shurtleff college, of which his father was one of the oldest trustees.
In 1846, at the outbreak of the Mexican War, Col. Rogers, then a lad of 18, volunteered in the Second Illinois Regiment, and went to Mexico with General Taylor. He was just big enough to shoulder a musket, but he stood with his men in the battle of Buena Vista, one of the hardest fought battles of that war, when 2,000 American volunteers faced an army of 32,000 Mexicans.
In 1862 he entered the United States Army as a volunteer. He was the first elected captain and then lieutenant colonel of the Eightieth Illinois Regiment, which he himself organized and mustered in at Centralia, Ill. It was upon the occasion of his commission as lieutenant colonel that his mother presented him with the sword, which is the subject of this article.
Col. Rogers and his regiment went first to Louisville, Kentucky to assist in tarowing up the breastworks which were to hinder Bragg on his march north, and fought several battles on his march south, that of [unreadable], Arkansas, October 3, 1862, is McCook's corps, where he was wounded in the head and taken as dead from the battlefield, but one of his brothers, who was assistant surgeon, had him removed in an ambulance and soon restored him. Afterwards he joined the "[unreadable] Raiders," at Milton, and forged his way south, fought a pitched battle at Rome, Georgia, and was one of those forced to surrender to Morgan (?), after that battle.
In the Rome battle, the sword became detached from his side, and it was lost on the third day of March 1863.
Capt. Rogers was first sent to prison at Atlanta, and from there removed to Libby prison at Richmond, where he remained 12 months. Finally at Macoa, he was exchanged with about 50 other line officers, who had been taken by the southerners. He came straight to St. Louis, and soon after his arrival was ordered by the war department raise the One Hundred and Forty-Fourth Regiment at Upper Alton, which he did, and he took his 800 men to the arsenal there to equip them. He resigned then, his health having been broken down by his wound and the long imprisonment in the South. Soon after his resignation in 1865, he began the search for his sword.
But the years passed, and nothing was heard of the good old sword, until on June 19 of last year, Col. Rogers received information which brought him into touch with Mr. G. W. Wood of Angora, Oklahoma. After correspondence, Mr. Wood very gladly returned the sword, with information as to how it had come into his possession. It had fallen into the hands of an older brother of Mr. Wood, who was in the confederate army and taken it to Hood county, Texas, in 1877. There, a Masonic hall was erected and the sword, because of the Masonic emblem upon the hilt, was held there. Mr. Wood had for years been anxious to have efforts made to return the sword to its owner, and last May, while on a visit to his brother's, secured it and took the steps which have eventually brought sword and owner together. In his letter to Col. Rogers, Mr. Wood expresses this sentiment:
"This old relic bears with it on the blade the letter G and square and compass. That speaks in many ways. It teaches brotherly love, morality and virtue. You certainly must be a member, or it would not be there. The respect I have for this little emblem has been the cause of this coming to your hands. Respectfully yours."
Col. Rogers, who now rejoices to get his old sword back again, will leave it to his oldest son, with a stipulation that it shall ever remain an heirloom in his family.
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GOLDEN WEDDING CELEBRATED BY COL. AND MRS. RODGERS - Not One Death in Family in the Fifty Years of Married Life of Well Known Upper Alton Couple Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, June 1, 1910 The golden wedding anniversary of Col. and Mrs. A. F. Rodgers was celebrated Tuesday afternoon and evening at the home of the couple in Upper Alton. It was a very quiet observance, only members of the family being present, but the home circle was complete, and it was all the more enjoyable. In this connection it may be said that in the half century since Mr. and Mrs. Rodgers were married, there has not been a death to break the family circle, either in the second or the third generations, and the life of this couple has been remarkably free from sorrow. Those who were present were Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Rodgers and four children, who recently moved from Denver to St. Louis to make their home; Mrs. Harry Phillips and two daughters of Montreal, Canada; William Rodgers of St. Louis; and Mr. and Mrs. H. F. Rodgers and son of St. Louis; and Dr. and Mrs. H. K. Barnett of Upper Alton. Col. Rodgers and wife were married in Upper Alton fifty years ago. Col. Rodgers was taken to Upper Alton when he was 6 years of age, and he is now 82, and except the times when he was fighting in defense of his country, he has always lived there. The wedding dinner was a delightful one. The house was decorated in white and gold for the occasion, and a huge wedding cake was one of the features, decorated in the same colors. Col. Rodgers made a short talk to his assembled descendants, responding to the congratulations. His only infirmity at the present is a trouble with his eyesight. Yet his physical health is good and he is able to do some hoeing in his garden. Col. Rodgers has one of the most interesting careers of any person in the Alton. His army experiences and his trips to California in quest of gold are filled with incidents that make a good story, yet he has always been reluctant to talk much of his personal experiences. In his army experience he had many narrow escapes from death, and served a long time as a military prisoner in the South, but was finally released and took command of a regiment. Throughout his career in the army, he bore himself valorously, and when he returned home immediately resumed the ways of peace. Another interesting incident in his life was the return of a sword a few years ago, captured from him when he was taken prisoner during the Civil war, and sent back to him after many years by a man who observed on it a Masonic emblem and the name of the owner. The man who had the sword hunted, through the Adjutant General of Illinois, and found Col. Rodgers and sent him back the sword. This is one of his cherished relics. *********************************************
RODGERS - ACKERMAN SALE TOMORROW Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, September 13, 1913 A public sale will be held tomorrow at the Col. A. F. Rodgers farm in the State hospital site. Fred Ackerman, who has been Col. Rodgers tenant on this farm almost twenty years, will quit farming here and will leave the place. As Col. Rodgers has sol out to the State, the two men will sell their personal property jointly. They have an immense herd of milch cows, each owning half, and these cows will be disposed of. There is a great deal of personal property to be put up at auction. Mr. Ackerman will go to Canada to farm when he leaves this country. ********************************************
COL. RODGERS OBSERVES 90TH BIRTHDAY Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, October 15, 1917 Saturday, October 13th, was the 90th birthday anniversary of Col. A. F. Rodgers. It was observed with a family dinner party at the home of Dr. and Mrs. H. K. Barnett on College avenue, with about twenty guests present. Col. Rodgers, who recently regained the use of his eyes so that he can see to go about unattended and can easily recognize acquaintances, after a period of almost complete blindness, is in a remarkable state of good health. Though he is ninety years old, he has no difficulty in ascending steep grades in Alton without slackening his pace. He thinks nothing of climbing Third street hill from Piasa to Market, and only a few days before his birthday made the climb without any slackening of speed or laboring in his breathing. At the party, Saturday evening, one novel feature was the cutting of a huge birthday cake with Col. Rodger's sword, by Col. Rodgers himself. This sword has a history. It was captured from Col. Rodgers during the Civil War when he was taken prisoner. On it was engraved his name and rank and there was a Masonic emblem on it. The sword happened to fall into the hands of a member of the Masonic lodge for use. Over forty years afterward some one thought that perhaps the owner might be found, and inquiring through the Adjutant General of Illinois, learned Col. Rodgers was still living at Alton. The sword was returned to him and is one of his most treasured possessions. It was wielded by the Colonel Saturday evening in cutting up the birthday cake that had been baked for the occasion. ******************************************
60TH YEAR OF MARRIAGE IS CELEBRATED Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, June 1, 1920 Monday was the sixtieth anniversary of the marriage of Col. and Mrs. A. F. Rodgers. It was a date that one might think would be on the mind of the couple, but so interested were they in plans for Memorial Day observance, the venerable couple paid no attention to their own anniversary. The children were not unmindful of it, however, and they had planned a fitting observance of the anniversary. Col. and Mrs. Rodgers went to Oakwood Cemetery to participate in the Memorial Day observance there. Col. Rodgers is 93 years of age and is one of two surviving veterans of the Mexican War still alive in Madison County. He, therefore, was a big feature of the Memorial Day observance at Oakwood, and there was special mention of him in the principal speech of the day by C. C. Ellison. But, when Col. and Mrs. Rodgers arrived home, they found a real surprise. Their daughter, Mrs. Harry Phillips of Montreal, with her daughter, Miss Madeline, were there visiting, but to cap the joy of the occasion, all the rest of the children had come, at the invitation of Mrs. H. K. Barnett, the other daughter. There was William Rodgers, Fuller Rodgers, his wife and son and John Rodgers, his wife and four children - the whole family - waiting for the aged couple when they came home. Beside, after the family dinner party, which was enjoyed by twenty-two persons, other relatives and friends came in and there was a joyful time. There was no evening gathering, owing to the fact that the couple were well wearied by the excitement of such a full day. Both are young in spirits though not in years, and both are capable of enjoying fully the manifestations of love and affection shown by their family and friends. ******************************************
COL. RODGERS SICK TWO WEEKS, IS MUCH WEAKER Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, January 18, 1922 Col. A. F. Rodgers, who has been sick two weeks at his home on College avenue, was reported today as being much weaker. His family had been hopeful that he would recover as he did not appear to be very sick, but was confined to his bed. The venerable veteran of two wars was not accustomed to being in bed, as in his whole life he had suffered very little from ill health, and would never give up, even if not feeling well. Today it was noticed that his strength had fallen off greatly, and his condition was the cause of much anxiety to those most interested in him. He does not yet know of the death of his brother, Reynold Rodgers, whose body is to be brought here from El Paso, Texas tonight, and whose funeral is scheduled tomorrow. Col. Rodgers is one of the best known men in Alton. His life has been an active one. He was one of the gold seekers to make the trip to California when gold was discovered there. He was in the Mexican war and he also served in the Civil War. His life has been one of stirring adventure, and he has been a man of the hardiest physique. The fact that he would be content to remain in bed is one of the discouraging features of his sickness. It was said today that he was conscious, but rapidly losing in strength. *******************************************
COL. RODGERS' CAREER AT A GLANCE Source: Alton Evening Telegraph, January 20, 1922 1827 - Born in Howard County, Missouri 1834 - Moved to Alton with parents 1844 - Became clerk in St. Louis store 1846 - Enlisted for Mexican War 1849 - Joined gold rush to California 1853 - Shipwrecked on Margueretta Island in Pacific, enroute to California after visit home. 1854 - Returned home on death of father 1860 - Married to Jane F. Delaplain 1862 - Enlisted for Civil War, made Captain. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel 1863 - Resumed command of regiment after recovering from wounds received at Perryville, Ky. Captured, made prisoner for more than a year 1864 - Resigned from army 1870 - Elected to legislature
Another interesting tidbit regarding Col. Rogers Read his sister's obituary Read Colonel Rodgers obituary
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Copyright Bev Bauser. All Rights Reserved. |
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