The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
The attack on Fort Sumter caused such a whirlwind of patriotic wrath and gathering of men for war as no nation had ever seen.
Sumter fell on April 14th and President Lincoln called on states for 75,000 volunteers for 90 days.
Governor Yates of Illinois on the 16th called for the immediate organization of six regiments.
Benjamin M. Prentiss of Quincy was raising a company and sent to Francis A. Dallum of Oquawka to bring 38 men so a meeting was called at the court house.
J.F. Powers rose and after making a few remarks stepped forward and si-gned the enlistment roll thus becoming the first volunteer from Henderson County.
1882 History of Henderson County