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 The Charleston Riot Posted by:  Stunod
N 39° 29.694 W 088° 10.481
16S E 398993 N 4372357
Located at the Coles County Courthouse (7th and Jackson streets) in Charleston.
Waymark Code: WMPKP
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 09/05/2006
Views: 48
The text of the sign reads:
THE CHARLESTON RIOT
ON MARCH 28, 1864, A GUNFIGHT ERUPTED HERE BETWEEN UNION SOLDIERS AND CIVIL WAR OPPONENTS KNOWN AS 'COPPERHEADS.' IN EASTERN ILLINOIS, THE REPUBLICANS WERE UNIFORMLY PRO-UNION BUT MANY DEMOCRATS WERE PRO-SOUTHERN.
DISTURBANCES HAD OCCURRED EARLIER IN THE AREA, AND COPPERHEADS HAD BEEN KILLED IN MATTOON AND PARIS. IN MARCH, 1863, AT CHARLESTON THERE HAD BEEN A HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL TRIAL OF UNION DESERTERS. ON THE DAY OF THE RIOT A LARGE CROWD HAD GATHERED HERE FOR A DEMOCRATIC RALLY. UNION SOLDIERS WERE IN TOWN ON LEAVE. DRINKING AND FIGHTING LED TO GUNFIRE. NINE MEN WERE KILLED AND TWELVE WOUNDED.
ERECTED BY THE COLES COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 1977
County: Coles
Dedication Date: 1977
Location: Coles County Courthouse, Charleston
Website: [Web Link]
Historical Society: Not listed
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