Charleston riot

1864 disturbance in Charleston, Illinois

For the Charleston, South Carolina, riot of 1919, see Charleston riot of 1919.

Charleston Riot

Part of Illinois in the American Civil War
Date| March 28, 1864
Location|

Charleston, Illinois

Parties

Union Army
Republicans

Copperheads

|

Number

6 Union soldiers killed
1 bystander killed

2 local Copperheads killed

|

Casualties
Death(s)| 9
Injuries| 12
Arrested| 50

The Charleston riot occurred on March 28, 1864, in Charleston, Illinois, after Union soldiers who were home on leave and local Republicans clashed with local anti war Democrats known as Copperheads. By the time the violent confrontation had ended, six Union soldiers and three civilians were killed and twelve others were wounded in what was one of the deadliest Civil War riots in the North. Besides the New York City draft riots of 1863, the Charleston Riot resulted in the greatest number of casualties of any such event in the North during the American Civil War. Fifty individuals would be initially arrested following the incident.[1]

Political and personal animosities exemplified the clash of cultural differences in the North and especially in Coles County, Illinois during the time of the riot. These relations would ultimately boil over in the form of the Charleston riot that would become national news, being highlighted in notable papers such as the Chicago Tribune, New York World, and Richmond Examiner.[2]

Civil-versus-military control and personal relationships from Illinois would lead to President Abraham Lincoln’s involvement in the aftermath. Lincoln had direct ties to Charleston. Notably, one of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates occurred at the Charleston fairgrounds. Lincoln practiced law In Charleston and knew many residents. His father and stepmother also resided in Coles County, and he owned property there.[1]

The aftermath of the riot centered around fifteen prisoners detained after the riot who became pawns in the struggle between the military who wanted to try them as an example to deter future insurrections, and the efforts of family and local supporters who appealed to the president for resolution through civil proceedings. Ultimately, Lincoln would set the prisoners free on November 4, 1864, after months of discourse and indecision.[1]

## Tensions in Coles County Before the Riot

[edit]

Coles County was a contrasting blend of immigrants from the democratic, agricultural south, particularly Kentucky, along with those from the East Coast, who had originally settled in the area during the early 1800's. Many of these families from Kentucky were of Irish and Scottish descent, some tracing back their service to the American Revolutionary War. By the 1860s, Coles County was home to a rich, interrelated community which included some successful farmers. Its residents were in a sea of discontent for reasons including the economic hardships that came with the suffering of the Southern markets, the drafting of soldiers into the Union Army, the growing divide between Democrats and Republicans in local/national politics, and the overall bleak situation of the war. Many of the local Copperheads were among those who were particularly frustrated with the war.[1]

Although the Charleston Riot is often considered as the marking of the pinnacle of the political tensions that existed during that time, there were other notable encounters that occurred beforehand that intensified the situation. In the face of the upcoming election, the Copperheads increased their political activity. This drove the political divide to violent levels. While Union soldiers were home on leave, there were reported incidents where they, after consuming corn whiskey, would force Democrats they saw around to get down on their knees and swear allegiance to the Union. On January 29, 1864, prominent citizens Judge Charles H. Constable and Dr. J. W. Dora became their target. The following day, in Mattoon, Illinois, Charles Shoalmax of the 17th Illinois Cavalry shot and killed Copperhead Edwards Stevens.[2]

The level of violence in Charleston itself leading up to the riot was not as severe, but still significant. On March 26, two Copperheads were attacked and disarmed. Earlier that month, two Democrats also took a severe beating from Union Soldiers.[2]

## Riot Day

[edit]

Picture from 1864 that shows the Charleston, IL courthouse where the riot took place outside of.

The news coverage of the event stated that the Peace Democrats were responsible for beginning the event. One such news source, from the Chicago Tribune, later reprinted in the Charleston Courier, labeled Nelson Wells as the instigator of the conflict. Most articles published from the time, insist that the whole event transpired as a more spontaneous event and was not directly prompted by any one individual. The most likely explanation is that the event occurred because a sizable presence of both Copperheads and Union soldiers had been in town that day. Many sources speculate that a sizable portion of the participants, at least on the side of the Peace Democrats, had been drinking quite heavily all day, and this led to the outbreak that resulted in the confrontation.[2] Also, one of the events that is noted to have influenced the riot was the treatment of Judge Charles H. Constable by Union soldiers in January 1864 in Mattoon, Illinois. The soldiers humiliated Constable by making him swear allegiance to the federal government, due to his decision to allow four Union deserters to go free in Marshall, Illinois in March 1863. When the riot began, Judge Constable was holding court in Charleston.[3]

## Aftermath

[edit]

At any rate, the fighting only lasted a few moments. But by the time the affair was over, the Copperheads had been run out of Charleston. Rewards had been issued for the capture of any of those whom fled the scene. Included in those who left town, was John O’Hair, the leader of the Copperheads, who had been the sheriff of Coles County. Out of those killed, only two had been Copperheads, Nelson Wells and John Cooper; the other participants had been either captured or escaped. Other Union troops were called in from Mattoon to assist the soldiers fighting in Charleston, but by the time their train arrived, none of the instigators were left in the town. Fifteen prisoners were eventually held for seven months, initially in Springfield, Illinois. President Lincoln, whose father and stepmother had lived in Coles County, waived the prisoners' right to Habeas Corpus and ordered their removal to Fort Delaware in the East. He ordered their release on November 4, 1864. Two of the prisoners had been indicted for murder and were exonerated by trial in December 1864. Twelve other Copperheads had also been indicted for murder. They were never captured, and the indictments were annulled in May 1873.[4]

## Coles County Copperheads

[edit]

Coles County, Illinois, 1875.

The Copperheads represented a political affiliation that was staunchly opposed to President Lincoln, the draft, and abolition of slavery. This group favored an armistice to end the Civil War because they opposed the war itself. Most components of Copperhead ideology centered on the mistrust of the implications the war presented to American society. In particular, the aim to free the slaves had become an issue that some white natives of Illinois took issue with. The Civil War had split the country into factions, either side chose to support or oppose the aim to reincorporate the Southern states back into the Union. The Copperheads believed the Lincoln Administration had been out of line by abolishing slavery. Some citizens of Coles County accepted the ideology that it was not in the best interest of the country to free the slaves.[4]

In the end, the Charleston Riot provides a good example of how local events of Coles County history have fit into national currents as well. The Copperheads of Coles County had been different from other dissenting groups from around the country, in that they chose to use physical violence as their method of dissent. By killing Union soldiers, who had become the emblem of Federal government control, the Copperheads were attempting to project their anger toward the government. The draft, a strong central government, and racism fueled the Copperheads support within the county. In March 1864, these national tensions boiled over in the small town of Charleston, creating one of the most interesting events in the history of the county.[4]

## Casualties & Wounded

[edit]

Casualties  Name | Home | Affiliation

|
|

Shubal York | Paris, IL | Major, surgeon, 54th IL Infantry
Alfred Swim | Casey, IL | Private, G Company, 54th IL Infantry
James Goodrich | Charleston, IL | Private, C Company, 54th IL Infantry
William G. Hart | Charleston, IL | Deputy Provost Marshall, 62nd IL Infantry
Oliver Sallee | Charleston, Il | Private, C Company, 54th IL Infantry
John Neer | Martinsville, IL | Private, G Company, 54th IL Infantry
John Jenkins | Charleston, IL | Innocent Bystander
John Cooper | Salisbury, IL | Copperhead
Nelson Wells | Paris, IL | Copperhead
Wounded  Name | Home | Affiliation

|
|

Greenville M. Mitchell | Charleston, IL | Colonel, 54th IL Infantry
William H. Decker | Greenup, IL | Private, G Company, 54th IL Infantry
George Ross | Charleston, IL | Private, C Company, 54th IL Infantry
Lansford Noyes | N/A | Private, I Company, 54th IL Infantry
Thomas Jefferies | Charleston, IL | Republican
William Gilman | Charleston, IL | Republican
John Trimble | Charleston, IL | Republican
George Jefferson Collins | Coles County, IL | Copperhead
John W. Herndon | Coles County, IL | Copperhead
Benjamin F. Rardin | Coles County, IL | Copperhead
Robert Winkler | Coles County, IL | Copperhead
Young E. Winkler | Coles County, IL | Copperhead
John H. O'Hair | Coles County, IL | Sherriff of Coles Co, Copperhead (left off of official report; died later)

Rumors have persisted that death totals were larger. One story is that five coffins were later acquired by the Copperheads to accommodate additional dead. Several of the rioters disappeared, possibly leaving the area and changing their identity, or lying somewhere in unmarked graves.[2]

## 54th Illinois Infantry Regiment

[edit]

The Adjutant General's Report records the event:

″January 1864, three-fourths of the Regiment re-enlisted, as veteran volunteers, and were mustered February 9, 1864. Left for Mattoon, Illinois, for veteran furlough, March 28. Veteran furlough having expired, the Regiment re-assembled at Mattoon. The same day an organized gang of Copperheads, led by Sheriff O’Hair, attacked some men of the Regiment at Charleston, killing Major Shubal York, Surgeon, and four privates, and wounding Colonel G. M. Mitchell. One hour later the Regiment arrived from Mattoon and occupied the town, capturing some of the most prominent traitors.″[5]

## Additional Readings

[edit]

* https://publish.illinois.edu/ihlc-blog/2020/03/31/the-charleston-riot-of-1864/
* https://www.dailyeasternnews.com/2012/03/22/the-charleston-riot-of-1864/
* https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=188295
* https://www.eiu.edu/localite/cclhpcopperheads.php
* https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/Blog/Posts/110/Illinois-History/2021/3/A-Street-Battle-in-Charleston/blog-post/
* https://findingaids.lib.umich.edu/catalog/umich-wcl-M-1730cha
* https://mattoonhistorycenter.org/index.php?page=stories&group=Civ

## See also

[edit]

* List of multiple homicides in Illinois
* List of incidents of civil unrest in the United States
* List of Battles Fought in Illinois

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Barry, Peter J. “The Charleston Riot and Its Aftermath: Civil, Military, and Presidential Responses.” Journal of Illinois History 7, no. 2 (2004): 82–106.
2. ^ a b c d e Coleman, Charles H.; Spence, Paul H. (March 1940). "The Charleston Riot, March 28, 1864". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 33 (1): 7–56\. JSTOR 40189828.
3. ^ Towne 2006, p. 43
4. ^ a b c Barry, Peter J. (2007). The Charleston, Illinois Riot, March 28, 1864. Champaign, IL: Peter J. Barry. ISBN 978-0-9799595-0-9.
5. ^ "54th Illinois Infantry". history.illinoisgenweb.org. Retrieved 2025-03-12.

## Sources

[edit]

* Barry, Peter J. The Charleston, Illinois Riot, March 28, 1864, 3 Road Lake Park, Champaign, IL. 2007.
* Barry, Peter J. “The Charleston Riot and Its Aftermath: Civil, Military, and Presidential Responses.” Journal of Illinois History 7, no. 2 (2004): 82–106.
* Coleman, Charles H., and Paul H. Spence. “The Charleston Riot, March 28, 1864.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 33, no. 1 (March 1940): 7–56.
* Sampson, Robert D., "Pretty Damned Warm Times: The 1864 Charleston Riot and 'The Inalienable Right of Revolution.'" Illinois Historical Journal 89 no. 2 (Summer 1996): 99–116.
* Towne, Stephen E. (Spring 2006). "Such conduct must be put down: The Military Arrest of Judge Charles H. Constable during the Civil War". Journal of Illinois History. 9 (2): 43–62.
* Wilson, Charles Edward, History of Coles County, Illinois. Chicago, 1905.

* v
* t
* e

Riots and civil unrest in Illinois

Race riots|

* Pana riot of 1899
* Danville race riot of 1903
* Springfield race riot of 1908
* East St. Louis riots of 1917
* Chicago race riot of 1919
* Airport Homes race riots of 1946
* Fernwood Park race riot of 1947
* Englewood race riots of 1949
* Cicero race riot of 1951
* Trumbull Park race riots of 1953
* Dixmoor race riot of 1964
* Cairo racial unrest, 1967-1973
* Marquette park racial unrest, 1960s-1980s

Other riots
and unrest|

* Banditti of the Prairie, 1830s–1840s
* Lager Beer Riot, 1855
* Charleston riot, 1864
* Haymarket affair, 1886
* Pullman Strike, 1894
* Battle of Virden, 1898
* 1905 Chicago Teamsters' strike
* Aldermen's wars, 1916–1921
* Memorial Day massacre of 1937
* Division Street riots, 1966
* 1966 Chicago West Side Riots
* 1968 Chicago riots
* 1968 Democratic National Convention protests
* Days of Rage Weatherman riot, 1969
* Humboldt Park riot, 1977
* Chicago Bulls riots, 1990s
* 2016 Donald Trump Chicago rally protest
* George Floyd protests in Chicago, 2020

* v
* t
* e

Riots and civil unrest in the history of the United States (1607–1865)

Colonial era &
1776–1789|

| Massachusetts|

* 1689 Boston revolt
* Boston bread riot (1710–1713)
* Knowles Riot (1747)
* Liberty affair (1768)
* Boston Massacre (1770)
* Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787)

|

New York|

* Leisler's Rebellion (1689–1691)
* New York Slave Revolt of 1712
* New York Conspiracy of 1741
* Battle of Golden Hill (1770)
* 1788 doctors' riot

North Carolina|

* Culpeper's Rebellion (1677)
* Cary's Rebellion (1711)
* War of the Regulation (1765–1771)
* Battle of Alamance (1771)

Pennsylvania|

* Philadelphia Election riot (1742)
* Pennsylvania Mutiny of 1783

Virginia|

* Gloucester County Conspiracy (1663)
* Bacon's Rebellion (1677)
* Chesapeake rebellion (1730)

Others|

* Plundering Time (Maryland, 1644)
* Protestant Revolution (Maryland, 1689)
* Stono Rebellion (South Carolina, 1739)
* Gaspee affair (1772)
* Pine Tree Riot (1772)

1789–1849|

| Iowa|

* Honey War (1839)
* Bellevue War (1840)

|

Massachusetts|

* Ursuline Convent riots (1834)
* Abolition Riot of 1836
* Broad Street Riot (1837)

New York|

* Eggnog riot (1826)
* New York anti-abolitionist riots (1834)
* Flour riot of 1837
* Anti-Rent War (1839–1845)
* Astor Place Riot (1849)

Ohio|

* 1792 Cincinnati riot
* Cincinnati riots of 1829
* Cincinnati riots of 1836
* Cincinnati riots of 1841

Pennsylvania|

* Whiskey Rebellion (1791–1794)
* Fries's Rebellion (1799–1800)
* Philadelphia race riot (1834)
* Destruction of Pennsylvania Hall (1838)
* Buckshot War (1838)
* Lombard Street riot (1842)
* Muncy Abolition riot of 1842
* Philadelphia nativist riots (1844)

Rhode Island|

* 1824 Hard Scrabble race riot
* 1831 Snow Town race riot
* Dorr Rebellion (1841–1842)

Others|

* 1811 German Coast uprising
* Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831)
* Blackburn Riots (1833)
* Baltimore bank riot (1835)
* Snow Riot (1835)

1849–1865|

| California|

* Squatters' riot (1850)
* San Francisco Vigilance Movement (1851–1856)

|

Illinois|

* Lager Beer Riot (1855)
* Charleston riot (1864)

Kansas|

* Bleeding Kansas (1854–1861)
* Wakarusa War (1855)
* Sacking of Lawrence (1856)
* Pottawatomie massacre (1856)
* Battle of Black Jack (1856)
* Battle of Fort Titus (1856)
* Battle of Osawatomie (1856)
* Battles of Franklin's Fort (1856)
* Marais des Cygnes massacre (1856)
* Battle of the Spurs (1859)

Maine|

* Bath anti-Catholic riot of 1854
* Portland Rum Riot (1855)

Maryland|

* Know-Nothing Riots of 1856
* Baltimore riot of 1861

Michigan|

* 1849 Detroit riot
* Detroit brothel riots (1855–1859)
* Detroit race riot of 1863

New York|

* New York City Police riot (1857)
* Dead Rabbits riot (1857)
* Brooklyn riot (1862)
* Buffalo riot of 1862
* New York City draft riots (1863)

Ohio|

* Cincinnati riot of 1853
* Cincinnati riots of 1855
* Battle of Fort Fizzle (1863)

Others|

* Erie Gauge War (1853–1854)
* Bloody Monday (1855)
* Washington D.C. Know-Nothing Riot (1857)
* New Orleans Know-Nothing Riot (1858)
* John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry (1859)
* Morrisite War (1862)
* Southern bread riots (1863)

Related|

* List of incidents of civil unrest in Colonial North America
* Mass racial violence in the United States

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