Cpl. DeVolois W. Stevens

Cpl. DeVolois W. Stevens

G Co. 132nd NY Inf.

   Wounded in Action in the left arm at the Wilderness.
   Spent nine months in the Mt. Pleasant Hospital in Washington DC.
   Underwent surgery to remove 3" of bone saving the use of his hand but rendering the arm useless for the rest of his life.
   Discharged due to wounds received in action, date not listed.

        Known Actions;
Antietam, Maryland    Sept. 16, 1862
Williams Port             July 6, 1863
1st Fredricksburg, Va.
2nd Fredricksburg, Va.     May 3, 1863
3rd Fredricksburg, Va.
Gettysburg, Penn.       July 3, 1863
Rappahannock Station, Va.
Mine Run, Va.            Nov. 27, 1863
Wilderness, Va.          May 5, 1864

Post war;
   Awarded a pension of $18.00 per month for his wound.
   Joined Elgin GAR Veteran's Post #49 Dec. 1, 1885.
   Transferred to another GAR Post, post not listed.
   Member Wasco Baptist Church.

   Article; June 8, 1938 issue of Elgin's Courier News.
      The last surviving member of Veterans post 49, Grand Army of the Republic, of Elgin, is going to attend the last reunion of the Blue and the Gray., to be held at Gettysburg, Pa. on July 1, 2,and 3., the seventy-fifth anniversary of the decisive battle in the little east Pennsylvania community.
      The veteran is Comrade DeVolois W. Stevens of Wasco, Campton township, Kane county.
      Scoffing at his 95 years, Stevens and his son-in-law, George Brown of Wasco, will leave for Gettysburg late this month.
      Stevens took part in the historic Gettysburg battle as a member of Company G, 122nd New York Infantry.  He emerged from the conflict uninjured, but the following year, in 1864, was shot through the arm in The Wilderness.  A brother, John G. Stevens, was killed during the war, at Harper's Ferry, Va.
      Comrade Stevens is the only member left of Veterans post 49, a Grand Army unit which once boasted a roster of 443 of the "boys in blue."
      Still another veteran of this area who may attend the Gettysburg reunion is James M. Coffman, 377 Algona ave.
      Mr. Coffman served with Company C, Tenth Indiana, and Company I, 150th Indiana.  He expects to decide within a week as to whether or not he will attend.

   Obit; July 8, 1943 issue of the St. Charles Chronicle.
   DeVolois W. Stevens who has been a leader in the community of Wasco his entire life and who celebrated his one hundredth birth anniversary on Monday, March 22, passed away at his home this morning.  According to a recent unofficial survey, Mr. Steven was one of 27 surviving Union veterans of the Civil War in the state of Illinois and one of three in the 11th Congressional district.  He was also the only surviving member of the Elgin G.A.R. Post No. 49.
   Mr. Steven had an interesting war history.  He enlisted when he was 19 in the Army of the Potomac, Co. G, 122nd Infantry of New York, and participated in the battles of Antietam and Williamsport before he had any military training.  He took part in 12 large battles and many skirmishes, including the First, Second and Third Battles of Fredericksburg, a month after Fredericksburg, his regiment was ordered to Gettysburg, a distance of 300 miles, which they marched in six days under heavy pack and then entered the battle there.  He was at Rappahannock Stateion and Mine Run and also the Battle of the Wilderness.  It was in the latter battle that he was wounded and lay several days without food or water.  He was placed in Mount Pleasant hospital in Washington for nine months until discharged Jan. 28, 1865.
   Mr. Stevens great-grandfather was a captain in the Revolutionary War and took part in the famous Boston Tea Party and his grandfather was a colonel in the War of 1812.  He was born in Onondaga County, New York, son of john and Catherine Stevens.
   Soon after his discharge he moved to Wasco, with his wife, Amelia, whom he married at the time of his enlistment.  They had eight children and many grandchildren, several of whom were in World War I and some of whom are in Works War II.  There are also a number of great-grandchildren.
   Mr. Stevens had held every town office and has been most active in the Wasco Baptist church, which he helped build.  He always enjoyed visiting with his friends and talking about his active and happy life.
   Five of his children are surviving:  They are john Stevens of Wheaton, Perry Stevens of Elgin, Mrs. George I. Brown of Wasco, Mrs. John Ramm of Virgil and Mrs. Ray Smith of Burlington.  He has 18 grandchildren, one of whom is Waldo Steven who resides on the A.H. Borman farm north of the city.
   The funeral will be held on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 at the home and at 2 o'clock at the Wasco Baptist church.  Rev. Harold Elliott with officiate.

   Notice; July 16, 1943 issue of The Elgin Daily Courier-News.
   Daughters of Union Veterans and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War held a joint meeting in Memorial hall last evening to drape the charter in memory of D.W. Stevens of Wasco, last surviving member of Post 49, Grand Army of the Republic, who died recently.
   Clayton Wood and Mrs. Zahle Decker, chaplains of the two organizations, conducted the service.  While they were at the altar, Mrs. Gladys Davis, accompanied by Miss Nell O'Connell, sang "Faith of Our Fathers".
   The two groups are sending a request to the Illinois department that they be permitted to retain possession of the charter which would continue to be displayed in Elgin Memorial Hall.
   The Daughters and Families will hold a covered-dish picnic Aug. 5 at Lord's park.  Mrs. Carrie Marr and Miss O'Connell will be in charge.

Obit lists 122nd NY.

Used with permission Dan Mallett

Many members of Post #49 sewed watch faces to their ribbons to show they were from Elgin.