Abraham Lincoln & U.S. Grant Historical Locations in Coles County Illinois

A Resource Page by Howard Taylor

COLES COUNTY & CHARLESTON HISTORICAL SITES WITH & WITHOUT MARKER DESCRIPTIONS
In Chronological or other Order  State Official Historical Markers are indicated by *

*12)  Charleston Riot, The
Location: Southeast corner, county courthouse, Public Square, intersection of 7th and Jackson streets, Charleston

 N  39^o 29.680   W 088^o 10.487

Coles County 1864 Riot on the Square, 8 killed

Murals on the Square, City of Charleston

On March 28, 1864, a gunfight erupted here between Union soldiers and Civil War opponents known as 'Copperheads.' In eastern Illinois, many Democrats were pro-southern while the Republicans were uniformly pro-Union. 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 killed and twelve wounded before troops arrived from Mattoon and quelled the disturbance.  Dennis Hanks, Abe Lincoln's cousin, was sent by men in Charleston to visit the President to gain a pardon for the troops.  He succeeded.