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Did you know
two brothers, Richard and Wilson Lagow, came to Crawford County,
Illinois from the Vincennes vicinity about 1820. Richard was a
successful farmer, Wilson was a merchant and successful businessman in
both Vincennes and Palestine. Wilson had three children from his
first wife. Following her death, he married Nancy Breading
from Pennsylvania. They had three children. One of these
children was Clark Breading Lagow, born November 7, 1828 at Palestine.
Clark married Rhoda Ann Woodworth June 2, 1853 at Palestine. To
them was born one son, Lucius E. Lagow, who died nine months later.
The following year, Rhoda also died. Clark Lagow never remarried.
He was a merchant until the time of the Civil War when he joined Company
1, 21st Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry, as a 1st
Lieutenant. August 14, 1861, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant
appointed Lagow his aide and in May, 1862 he was appointed Grant's
additional aide-de-camp as a Colonel. April 23, 1863, Grant asked
for volunteers to transport six wooden transports towing twelve barges,
all heavily loaded with rations, ammunition and forage which had to pass
down the river in front of heavily fortified Confederate batteries on
the bluff near New Carthage. Colonel Lagow and Colonel William
Oliver volunteered to command these transports. Upon the success
of this expedition for the time being, hung the fate of all Ulysses S.
Grant's plans for the capture of Vicksburg. If these boats failed
to reach the army below, it would be without provisions, forage and the
means of crossing the river and gaining the necessary footing on the
east side. If the boats failed to get through and were sunk, as
the Confederates presumed they would, 30,000 men or more would be
helpless upon the west bank of the river. Colonels Lagow and
Oliver on the lead ship, the Tigress, had to abandon their ship due to
over 30 shots through her hull. She broke in two and went down but
the transports did get through. At the Battle of Shiloh, a half
starved horse from the Confederate Army was found after the battle.
As a joke, a union officer gave the horse to Col. Lagow, who always kept
an excellent mount. When Grant saw the horse, he told Lagow it was
a thoroughbred and if Lagow didn't wish to keep him, Grant would be glad
to have him. Lagow gave the horse to Grant, who took good care of
him, nursing him back to health. Grant used the horse, Kangaroo,
during the Vicksburg campaign. Lagow retired in December of 1863
due to injuries and rheumatism. He was noted in Grant's memories
and other histories of the Civil War. Col. Lagow died at Palestine
in 1867 and was buried in the Lagow Family Cemetery beside his wife and
child. In 1912, all the bodies from the Lagow cemetery were moved
to the Palestine Cemetery.
More
information about Palestine's history can be found in books and
newspaper articles here at the library. |
