The Woodruff Gun
Annotations to the Margreiter Article
Quincy, Illinois, Raises a Battery of Woodruff Guns for Self-Defense
A month after Gen. Ripley placed his order for 30 Woodruff guns for the U.S. Army, the City of Quincy, James Woodruff’s home town, began a process which resulted in the purchase of a battery of six Woodruff guns for the defense of the city, presumably against secessionist Missourians from just across the Mississippi River. The guns were paid for by local subscriptions, and the City Council gave the Mayor control over their use in an ordinance of February 7, 1862.
From the Quincy Daily Herald, 24 December 1861: The Adams County Board of Supervisors are asked for an appropriation for the Battery.
The Adams County Board considered an appropriation to aid in the purchase of Woodruff guns for the defense of Quincy.
Transcription of the last section:
The Committee to procure cannon for the city of Quincy, through their Secretary, Simeon P. Cohen, applied to the Board of Supervisors for an appropriation to aid in procuring said cannon, and on motion of J. T. May the matter was referred to the Committee on petitions.
From the Quincy Daily Whig, 24 December 1861: The committee on petitions reported and requested an appropriation.
The Committee on Petitions requested an appropriation for the Battery.
Transcription:
The committee to whom was referred the petition of the cannon committee submitted the following report, which, on motion, was laid on the table, and the committee discharged:
We, the committee on petitions, having had under advisement the request of the committee of Quincy, for subscription to assist in forming a battery for the protection and defense of said city, recommend that something be done for its security this winter, but leave the amount to be appropriated to be fixed by the Board.
SAMUEL WOODS,
GEORGE RHEA,
JOHN A. WHITE,
H. C. CRAIG.
Committee
From the Quincy Daily Whig, 7 February 1862: The committee who furnished the Battery turns control of it over to the Mayor of Quincy.
The City Council gave control of the Battery to the Mayor.
Transcription:
Whereas, it having been deemed advisable that there be provided a battery of six pieces of light artillery for the protection of the city of Quincy, and the said six pieces of light artillery having been furnished by the following named parties, to-wit: One gun by the Quincy and Chicago Railroad Company; one gun by the City Council of the city of Quincy; one gun by Hays & Woodruff; one gun by Robert Tilson, and two guns by numerous citizens of Quincy; and the said parties who furnished said guns, having appointed a committee consisting of the following named persons: Thomas Redmond, Robert S. Benneson, James Woodruff, Edward Wells, Isaac O. Woodruff, Amos Green, George Burns, Samuel Artas, and S. P. Cohen; and having given said committee full power, control and authority over said battery of six guns, to make such disposition of them as should be deemed by said committee for the best interests of the parties furnishing them, and for the proper care, protection and control of said guns; and the said committee having decided to place said guns in the hands and under the control of the Mayor of the city of Quincy,to be by him and his successors in office, held in trust for the parties who furnished said guns, which are to be used under the control of said Mayor, or his successors in office, for the protection of the city of Quincy; and the battery of six pieces of light artillery, having been placed in the hands of Thomas Redmond, now Mayor of the city of Quincy, by the above mentioned committee, in trust, for the purposes above mentioned.
On motion of Ald. Green, report received and the ordinance accompanying the above named report, entitled an ordinance relating to the battery of six pieces of small artillery furnished by the citizens and the city of Quincy, for the defense of said city, was adopted.
From the Quincy Daily Herald, 20 February 1862, p. 3. Quincy City Ordinance No. 102 gave control of the Battery to the Mayor.
Ordinance No. 102 gave control of the battery to the Mayor.
Transcription:
ORDINANCE NO. 102
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE BATTERY OF SIX PIECES OF LIGHT ARTILLERY FURNISHED BY THE CITIZENS AND CITY OF QUINCY FOR THE DEFENSE OF SAID CITY.
Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Quincy, That the Mayor of said city shall provide a suitable building for the protection and safe keeping of said battery of six pieces of light artillery.
Sec. 2. Be it further ordained, When there shall be formed one or more companies of artillery in the city of Quincy, organized for drill and use of these guns, the commanding officer or officers of said company or companies shall furnish the Mayor with a written list of the names of the officers and men composing said company or companies which shall be placed on file in the office of the city clerk of the City of Quincy and thereupon the said Mayor shall deliver to said commanding officer or officers the number of guns designated in the next section and shall take from said commanding officer or officers, on delivery of the guns, a receipt for the same, in which receipt said commanding officer shall become responsible for the proper care, use and keeping of the guns so delivered to him and for the return of said guns to the custody of said Mayor, whenever the company of said commanding officer is disorganized or disbanded.
Sec. 3. Be it further ordained, That any commanding officer, being a citizen of Quincy, who shall file with the Mayor a company roll containing the signatures
of not less than twenty citizens of Quincy, shall be entitled to receive from the Mayor three of the above mentioned guns; and should there be but one company
formed, the commanding officer of said company shall be entitled to receive from said Mayor the entire battery of six guns on filing with Mayor a company roll
containing the signatures of no less than forty citizens of Quincy.
Sec. 4. Be it further ordained. That the Mayor, or commanding officer, shall not permit any gun or guns belonging to the aforementioned battery, to be taken beyond the corporate limits of the city of Quincy unless said gun or guns are in charge of and accompanied by the commanding officer and company to which said guns were delivered.
By the Mayor
Adopted Feb. 3d, 1862
Published in the Quincy Herald,
February 8th, 1862
Book: 54-1856, 200-1875
Page 58
Thanks to Jon R. Patterson of Channahon, IL, for locating much of this information.
