Description
Post war cabinet card identified as Captain Charles W. Hawes of Illinois. At the outbreak of the War in 1861, he was serving as deputy sheriff under his father, who was then Sheriff of Rock Island County. On July 20, 1861, Major Hawes enlisted in Company A, of the Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, Volunteers, being made first sergeant of the Company. The Companies of the Regiment assembled at Camp Webb, Chicago, Illinois, and it was there, while the Regiment of raw recruits was being whipped into fighting condition, that Major Hawes received his first promotion. He was commissioned second Lieutenant on August 10, 1861. On December 31, 1861, he was commissioned as first Lieutenant, and on July 20, 1862, one year from the date of his enlistment, he was raised to the rank of Captain. As Captain of his Company, Major Hawes served with credit in the Army of the Frontier, later known as the Thirteenth Army Corps, of which his Regiment was a part. With his Regiment he participated in the Battle of Pea Ridge, the engagements at Prairie Grove and Cape Girardeau and in the memorable siege of Vicksburg.In September, 1863, Major Hawes was again promoted for meritorious service, this time to the rank of Major. He was then transferred to the Ninety-second United States Contraband Troops, then being organized at New Orleans, Louisiana, which Regiment he drilled until orders for active service came. With his Regiment he participated in the Red River campaign, including the battles of Morganzie Bend, Yellow Bayou and Bayou Teche. In 1865 Major Hawes was assigned to duty as superintendent of the bureau of refugees, contrabands and abandoned lands, with headquarters at New Orleans, Louisiana, and was not mustered out of service until December 31, 1865, having rendered a continuous service of four years and six months. In 1878, Charles took the role of the captaincy of the Rodman Rifles of Rock Island, which he made the crack Company of the then strong national guard of Illinois, composed, as it was, largely of veterans of the Civil War. In 1879 Major Hawes was commissioned Major of the Fourteenth Batallion, Illinois National Guard, and this was the last military command held by him. This post war view of Charles is dated 1876 with a period ink inscription reading, “As we were 1876 C. W. Hawes”. Measures 6″ x 9″.
