The Cooper Brothers in the Civil War

Franklin J. Cooper, my great-grand uncle, and Wm. Edward Cooper, my great-grandfather, fought with the Illinois 16th Infantry, Company K. Below is a history of that regiment's involvement in the Civil War, and the locations and dates of battles in which they were involved. As my grandfather was not of 'fighting age' at the beginning of the war, he did not enlist until January of 1864, so was not in any of the battles previous to that date. Also fighting in the Civil War from this family was Francis Marion Cooper, who served as a Private in Co. H in the 137th Illinois Infantry. I am sure there were letters between he and his mother, but I do not have them, and am not sure any of them survived.

Civil War Regimental History

Illinois Sixteenth Infantry

(Four years)

Quincy, IL - May 24, 1861 -   Mustered in with Capt. T. G. Pitcher

Grand River,  - June 12, 1861 -   Railroad Guard

Macon City, MO - June 24, 1861 - Fought

Monroe Station, MO - July 10, 1861 -    Col. Smith's forces attacked by 1,600 mounted rebels

Caldwell Station - July 16, 1861 -    Lost 2 men killed and 2 wounded (discrepancy in dates - battle   list says 16 Aug, 1861)

Kirksville, MO - August 20, 1861 - Gen. Hurlbut - in pursuit of Gen. Green

Hanneywell, MO - September 1, 1861 - Arrived at Hanneywell

St. Joseph, MO - September 10, 1861 - Ordered to St. Joseph along with Third Iowa Infantry

Platte City, MO - September 14, 1861 - Skirmish

St. Joseph, MO - September 17, 1861 - Returned to St. Joseph

St. John, MO - January 22, 1862 - Fought here

Bird's Point, MO - January 27, 1862 - Ordered to here

New Madrid, MO - March 3, 1862 - Attached to Army of Mississippi, Second Brigade - Col. James D. Morgan; 1st Div., Brig. Gen. E.A. Paine

                                March 12, 1862 - 10th and 16th Illinois Volunteers erected a line of earthworks (4 heavy guns) within 1/2 mile of enemy's works

                                March 13, 1862 - Battle of New Madrid fought. 16th supported siege guns.

                                April 7, 1862 - Were landed across Mississippi River, with 10th Illinois; followed retreating army to Tiptonville, TN - captured 5,000 prisoners, large amount of artillery, small arms, and ammunition.

                                April 9, 1862 - Returned to New Madrid, MO

                                April 13, 1862 - Embarked for Hamburg, TN - arrived April 22, 1862

Corinth, MS -  April 22, 1862 - Participated in Siege of Corinth; after evacuation, pursued retreating army to Booneville, MS

Big Springs, TN - June 12, 1862 - Returned to Big Springs and camped

Tuscumbia, AL - July 20, 1862 - Moved to Tuscumbia

Florence, AL - July 29, 1862 - Crossed Tennessee River

Columbia, TN - September 10, 1862 - Fought at Columbia, TN

Nashville, TN - September 15, 1862 - Arrived after 17-day march with continual guerilla fighting - 1 killed; 5 wounded. Guarding railroad bridge.

Edgefield, TN - October 27, 1862 - Fought at Edgefield, TN

                          November 5, 1862 - Attacked by Rebel Gen. Morgan - he was repulsed, leaving many dead on field - 1 killed; 5 wounded

Murfreesboro, TN - Mid-July, 1863 - Marched from Edgefield, TN to Murfreesboro, TN - Stayed 1 month

Columbia, TN - Mid-August, 1863 - Marched to Columbia, then to Athens, AL; Huntsville, AL; and Stevenson, AL

                        - Camped a few days at Stevenson - Made a forced march to Bridgeport, where, with the Brigade, guarded ordnance stores and a pontoon bridge against a threatened attack at Battle of Chickamauga - Rebel officer Bragg was threatening the rear of Rosecran's army.

September 30, 1863 - Immense quantity of ordnance stores, lying directly to right of the regiment exploded - 14 men killed and wound. (Listed as having 'fought' on this date.)

Sequatchie Valley, TN -   Early October, 1863 - 40 mile march to Anderson's Gap (16th had been in First Brigade, First Division, Reserve Corps of the Army of the Cumberland) - at Anderson's Gap, orders were received transferring the 16th and the entire brigade to First Brigade, Second Division,    Fourteenth Army Corps, commanded by Gen. James D. Morgan, the Division commanded by Gen. Jeff C. Davis, and the Corps by Gen. John M. Palmer.

Waldross Ridge, TN - Marched here from Anderson's Gap (north of Chattanooga, TN), and for a few weeks, guarded a line of transportation up the Tennessee River.

Kelly's Ferry, TN - Camped here until January, 1864

                             - engaged in duty of unloading rations, forage, and ammunition from boats sent forward to Thomas' army (which was by Chattanooga), 60 miles north

Re-Enlistment - December 20 - 31, 1863 - Re-enlisted as veterans

Illinois Furlough - New Year's Day, 1864 (began 30-day furlough)

Rossville, GA - Latter part of February, 1864 - Went into camp with rest of the brigade and division

Atlanta Campaign - May 5, 1864 - Moved with Sherman's army; was in advance of division.

Buzzard's Roost - May 9, 1864 - Sharp fight kept up for 1 day; regiment lost 18 killed and wounded; Withdrew from Buzzard's Roost with Fourteenth and Fifteenth Corps - latter under the command of  Gen. Logan.

May 14 & 15, 1864 - Made a night march through Snake Creek Gap, fighting Battle of Resaca, and 'Battle of Resaca' flanking rebels from Dalton.

Rome - Regiment moved from Resaca with the Division which was sent by Sherman to capture Rome; taken in sharp fight; no losses sustained by the 16th.

Lost Mountain - Regiment moved from Rome to Lost Mountain

Dallas, GA - May 28 & 29, 1864 - Fought at Dallas, GA

Kennesaw Mountain - June 27, 1864 - Moved to Kennesaw Mountain; four days fierce cannonade of hundred guns (impregnable, natural fortress) - after fierce fight above, was afterwards reserve line of the charging column - in a few minutes, the Army lost 3,000 men; the Regiment lost some 10 - 15.

Marietta, GA - July 4, 1864 - Fought at Marietta.

Smyrna, GA - July 4, 1864 - Wm. Edward Cooper injured by shot in both legs above his knees. Brother Franklin J. Cooper carried him to the back of the lines, propped him against a tree to wait for a horse-drawn ambulance to take him to hospital. While he was waiting, maggots kept his wounds       clean, and he suffered no infection.

Chattahoochie River - July 4, 1864 - Fought at Chattahoochie River - Sixteenth was first to cross, driving back heavy picket line of enemy - lost over 20 men. Fought again on July 17, 1864 at Chattahoochie River.

Battle of Peach Tree Creek - Regiment participated - lost number by wounds, and prisoners marching into line of enemy while making a night reconnoiter to the front.

Investment of Atlanta - August 8, 1864 - Regiment held position on front line, engaging in skirmish firing for 30 days.

Withdrew from Front - August 25, 1864 - Swung around city to the west

Jonesboro, GA - August 30, 1864 & September 1, 1864 - In thickest of the fight

                    - In famous charge of the Fourteenth Army Corps at Jonesboro, Hardee's line was broken, a large portion captured, and Atlanta won.

                        - Due to the depression of ground over which the Regiment charged, its loss was less than 30, while Regiments to the left and right lost twice that number.

After Capture of Atlanta - Regiment went into camp for nearly a month.

                        - While Hood was making his raid to the rear, the Regiment was sent with the Division back to Chattanooga, Huntsville, and as far as Athens. (Hood had gone further west, which changed plans of Sherman, and the Regiment & Division returned to Atlanta.)

                      - Corps was taken from the Army of the Cumberland, and, with the 12th Corps, became the Army of Georgia. With this army, they participated in the famous march through Georgia to the sea. Being on the most advanced post at the evacuation of Savannah, the Regiment had the honor of being the representative regiment of the 14th Army Corps to take formal possession of the City.

Nashville, TN - December 13, 1864 - Fought at Nashville

                          December 15, 1864 - Fought at Nashville

Carolinas - February and March, 1865 - Marched through the Carolinas; assisted in capture of Columbia and Fayetteville; was in fierce fight at Averysboro.

                          March 8, 1865 - Fought (battle not named)

Bentonville, NC - March 16, 1865 - Fought at Bentonville, NC

                             March 19, 1865 - Fought at Bentonville, NC

                             March 20, 1865 - Fought at Bentonville, NC

                             March 22, 1865 - Fought at Bentonville, NC

The 16th was a part of the Division - withstood 5 hours during the first day's battle (the 6 times repeated onslaught of Johnson's entire army), the 16th, being in the front line, while repelling a charge - saw the Rebels who had been successful at another point, swing around it, and drive the supporting regiments from their works and into the swamp. Having repelled the assault from the front, the Sixteenth climbed over the temporary breastworks and opened fire on what five minutes before had been its rear. After a few shots, with the assistance of the Fourteenth Michigan, charged the rebel line, capturing some 800. The second day of battle, the Sixteenth, in conjunction with the Fourteenth Michigan, through a mistake order of the colonel of the latter, made a charge into the center of the rebel forces, and for over a quarter of an hour was under as murderous a front and flank fire as ever rained on troops. In this brief space of time, a third of the Regiment fell, having less than 300 in line in going into the fight. Company A, with twenty-seven men, lost ten, seven of whom died on the field, or soon after. This was the last battle of the war the Sixteenth was engaged in, and it was the most terrible of them all. 

Goldsboro, NC - Marched to Goldsboro where the Regiment encamped a month; thence to Raleigh and Durham Station, where Johnson surrendered his army to Sherman.

Richmond & Washington, D.C. - Marched with Sherman's army to Richmond and Washington, participated in the Grand Review at Washington D.C. on May 24, 1865. The Regiment proceeded to Louisville, KY, where it was four years and three months, and a week later, at Springfield, IL, where it received its final pay and discharge papers. 

Source: Illinois Adjutant General's Report, vol. 2, p. 35.

'Send Me a Pair of Old Boots & Kiss My Little Girls' - The Civil War Letters of Richard and Mary Watkins, 1861-1865

I highly recommend the book which title serves as the headline of this post. It gives a person a better understanding of the difficulties suffered by both sides during the Civil War, and especially gives a 'sympathy' for the horrible losses endured. It makes one more appreciative of the awful conditions soldiers on both sides had to face, and educates one about daily plantation life at the Richard Watkins farm in the mid-1800s. In this time of continued dis-ease about the Confederate flag, it behooves all of us to make efforts to come to better understanding, even though one should not tolerate continued offense. The editor is Jeff Toalson, ISBN: 978-1-4401-1047-4 (pbk.)

After spending part of Monday with my 91-year-old sister and her daughter and granddaughter, I have decided to follow my niece's suggestion and post family stories that may be of interest to other people in our family, as well as to readers who follow my posts.

So, I will start with the story about my great-grandfather and great-grand uncle who both fought with the Illinois 16th Infantry, Co. K during the Civil War. I will post photos taken on a recent trip to some of the battle sites where these brothers fought, and other pictures I took on that spring trip through some of our southern United States. 

There will be stories that continue on later posts since there are letters and tales that will take more space and time than I have at one sitting. To distinguish the Civil War entries and stories about this family in central Illinois, I will use a different type style.

Stories from the Cooper Family

as related by Carol Cooper Rueber 

The above photo shows the dirt road and distant tree that stands next to the base of the foundation which once supported the farm house where my Great-great-grandparents Rebecca (Walton) and Joseph Cooper lived and raised their family during the mid-1800s near Pittsfield, Illinois, in Pike County.

Joseph R. Cooper, Jr. was born in  Akron, Ohio in 1819, the son of Joseph R. Cooper, Sr. and Mary Ackerman. There were eight children in the family - four boys and four girls. Joseph Jr. married Rebecca Walton, born in Akron, OH, in 1813, one of three daughters and two sons of Joseph Walton and Sarah Bell Wallace. Joseph Cooper and Rebecca Walton were married in 1840 in Ohio, and had four sons and two daughters. They eventually moved to Pike County in Illinois and made their living farming.

Farming in the mid-century was done with teams to pull the plow and other farm machinery. Walking alongside the animals was the norm. When the Civil War began, it was a great loss of labor to have sons enter the war and be away for months and years at a time. And, for the Cooper family, it was exceedingly hard because Joseph Jr. had died at the age of 38 in the spring of 1857. After the enlistment of both Franklin and Wm. Edward, their mother Rebecca was left to try to manage running the farm with help from her two daughters, Mary - aged 9, and Nellie (unknown birth date), and two sons, Jacob Milton and Frances Marion, ages 11 and 13 at the start of the war. Wm. Edward did not enlist until he was 19 years and about 7 months, although military records state that he was 18 years old at the time of his discharge. In any case, entering the war at the time he did allowed him to help with the farming until January of 1864.

* * * * *

When Franklin J. Cooper enlisted May 25, 1861, he was 19 years and about 7 months of age. The following is an excerpt of record information taken from the Pike Co., Illinois genealogy and history web site:

   'Sixteenth Regiment Company K -- was largely, indeed almost altogether, from Pike County. They enlisted May 25, 1861 and served until July 8, 1865. The Company was organized by George D. Stewart, Captain, who served until April 25, 1865 and John Bryant of Pittsfield, was appointed to fill the position. The 1st Lieutenant was James Hedger, and following came French B. Woodall, John Bryant and Franklin J. Cooper. The 2nd Lieutenants were Richard B. Higgins, Joseph E. Haines and Asbury Brown.
   The 16th was organized and mustered into service at Quincy, Illinois with Col. Robert A. Smith commanding. In July, 1861 it was removed to Green River as railroad guard, after which the Regiment was scattered along the line of the road as the guard. July 10, Col. Smith's force was attacked at Missionary Station by 1600 mounted rebels, but he held his position until the arrival of reinforcements, when the enemy fled. It participated in the battle of Bird's Point, MO, and New Madrid, where it supported the siege guns. They captured 5000 prisoners and a large amount of artillery, small arms and ammunition at Tiptonville, TN.  In January 1862 it participated in the siege of Corinth and Nashville. It was mustered out July 8, 1865.'

* * * * *

Copy of the Discharge Papers from the 16th Regular Illinois Infantry for Wm. Edward Cooper:

To All Whom It May Concern.

Know ye, That William E. Cooper, a private of Captain John M. Bryant Company (K) 16th Regular of Illinois Infantry, ____ volunteers, who was enrolled on the 22nd day of January, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty Four, to serve three years or during the way, is hereby DISCHARGED from the service of the United States this Eighth day of July 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky by reason of Gen. Order No. 24 Army Tenn., June 28th, 1865 (No objection to his being reenlisted is known to exist.)

Said William E. Cooper was born in Madison Co., in the State of Illinois, is 18 yrs. of age, 5 ft. 5 1/2 inches high, Light Complexion, Hazel eyes, Light hair, and by occupation when enrolled a Farmer. Given at Louisville, Ky., this Eighth day of July, 1865.
        
                                R. Pabst
                                Capt. 10th Mich. Infantry
                                A.C.M. 2nd Div. 14th A.C.
Chas. D. Kerr
Lieut. Col. Comand'g
16th Ill. Infantry, V.V. 

* * * * *

So began the Civil War soldiering history of this family of Coopers. I will attempt to tell family stories about these two brothers, as they have been told to me. I have little documentation to prove the facts of these stories (with exceptions of those printed above), other than that they were told to me by my father, who was the grandson of Wm. Edward Cooper.

To be continued...

 

Good news....the surgery was successful.

Tuesday, June 23, I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my nose. I was lucky that this kind of cancer is very common, and usually is easy to stop. I went to the dermatologist's office around 2 p.m., filled out the usual medical history forms, and waited for my turn for the 'consultation.' When my turn came, it was decided to use the 'mohs' method to remove the growth from the outside of my right nostril. The assistant put about three shots into the area to 'deaden' the feeling there. Then, the doctor used a scalpel to remove a thin layer of tissue around where the biopsy had been taken. While that tissue was examined, I rested on the exam table. It took just about 30 minutes for the lab in that office to look at the tissue and decide that all the cancer cells had been successfully removed. So, the doctor came back and put several stitches inside the incision area, cauterized a few blood vessels that were bleeding, trimmed some uneven edges on the incision, and put in two stitches to close the wound. The area was cleaned and a bandage was applied, and I was sent on my way.

I didn't really feel like doing anything else that afternoon, so I drove on home to begin recovery. The bandage is supposed to remain in place for 48 hours, and I was given instructions as to what I should do if the area began to bleed profusely (it didn't...) The instructions also said that I could remove the bandage and gently wash the area around the stitches after that period of time, so today I will clean my face, and put a bit of ointment on the incision site, and apply a new, nicer-looking bandage. Hopefully, the stitches won't extend over an area that is larger than the cute little bandaids I bought to use, but I do have a couple of sizes. At least, it won't be the big white 'look-at-me' bandage that I am presently wearing!

Tomorrow I will meet three of my high school classmates and the sisters of two of them, and we will all enjoy lunch in my old home town of Toledo. There is an all-school reunion in a couple of weeks, but this luncheon will give us a better chance to visit without all the confusion of so many people around. 

I told the dermatologist that I might glue a rhinestone in the center of the bandaid to dress it up for the wedding I will attend on Saturday. Might as well spice things up, since people are going to 'notice' the bandaid anyway...

So, I am healing and am grateful for skilled surgeons, and for the fact that current treatments seem to give an excellent prognosis for this kind of cancer.

Wear your sunscreen, folks...

Battle with the fleas....

Apparently, we are in a battle with fleas. 

I was brushing Suny (who has never before had fleas...) one day last week, when I found a live flea and a lot of black specks (droppings...ick!) So, today I had an appointment with the vet for Suny to get his second canine flu shot, and I told the man I was 'disappointed' in the flea and tick medication he had recommended. He was pretty apologetic and checked the dog over, finding more live fleas, and lots of droppings. So, he gave me a new 'chewable' medication to administer to him immediately, plus a can of spray (that not only is supposed to kill fleas and ticks in your carpet, but also a whole list of other creepy crawlies, which really won't make me at all sad). But, David read the label and was concerned about exactly what nasty chemical we will be spraying on our floors. I guess we will just follow the directions very carefully, and will launder all the throw rugs and bedskirts, too, just to be sure. Plus, all the rooms with carpeting will be thoroughly vacuumed, and the furniture will be moved (I don't think we will have to move the bookcases in the library since Suny has never used that floor very much for napping, and I doubt if the bugs could get under the heavy bookcases anyway....) But, the living room, our bedroom, the hallway, and the parts of the carpet in the library that could have fleas on it will all be thoroughly vacuumed and sprayed. We will also have to do the big rug in the family room, and the small rugs in the guest room. Father's Day weekend will not be a very relaxing couple of days...  After all of that, Suny will get a good bath and a good brushing. I have already given him the chewable medication that is supposed to kill all the fleas and ticks he comes into contact with over the next month. Too bad we won't be spraying our entire yard, since we have deer, raccoons, coyotes, a few rabbits and maybe a squirrel or two (although I've not seen any of them yet...) The 'doc' didn't seem too concerned about the ducks or geese, so maybe fowl don't harbor fleas as much as mites and other critters.

Oh, the joys of 'pet ownership!'

Yesterday we had a nice day. David wanted to go up to a seed farm near Harper's Ferry where they grow wildflower seeds and other plants. He called and got them to agree to show him their set-up, even though they don't encourage the public to visit because they are a small enterprise and don't have a lot of free time to do tours. But, they did agree to let David look at the place (he bought a bunch of stuff from them this spring...and will be a good customer in the future, I'm sure.) On the way, we stopped at Hazelton to visit a few of their Amish shops. David was disappointed because the two places that were supposed to have baked goods were closed except on Friday and Saturday. But, it was an interesting drive around the Amish farms and we saw a lot of kids (and one woman who looked a bit worn out...) mowing the lawns with push mowers (not gasoline, either!) I liked seeing horses and cows all around, and seeing the clotheslines with rows of colored dresses, and other clothes and sheets flapping in the gentle breezes. 

It was a very pretty drive, with Highway 13 up through Elkader being one of my favorites.

I got my hair cut this morning, and now will be all set for the summer once I've visited the dermatologist next week to find out how we will arrange my treatments to scrape off the remaining cancer cells from the side of my nose... that should be a rather nervous visit for me...

But, my eyes are good, my blood tests were great, and I'm losing weight (gradually now, but still losing), and I feel pretty good. So, life is good and I have no complaints (at this moment!)

Stay cool, and enjoy the sunshine....

Nice day today...we got the laundry done, hung the sheets on the line, and David picked a 'ton' of strawberries....

The strawberries are coming on very strong, and very big! David picked them this afternoon, and I stemmed them while he made jam, and delivered some to our neighbors who look out for our place when we are gone. We froze several quarts, and will give a nice amount to Dave and Carol. We still have plenty to eat fresh, and they will need to be picked again in two days! I love it when we can grow so much great food!

Sad morning today....with the sun out, we had two pretty little birds fly into our picture window. One of them broke its neck and died immediately. The other one lay in the grass, shaking, so I picked it up and sat it on the porch, hoping it would recover. Well, it sat there, and wavered now and then as if it were going to fall over, but stayed upright for at least an hour and a half. I had checked on the Internet to see what can be done to help, and the article I read said to leave it alone, possibly put a big strainer over it so it is safe from predators, or put it into a shoe box where it would feel safer in the dark. But, I decided it was so hurt that moving it might cause more damage, so I just let it sit there in the shade. At first it seemed to take huge breaths, shaking it's whole body. After about an hour, it did seem to be having less trouble breathing, but it still nearly fell over a couple of times, but righted itself. Finally, after all that time, I looked out and it was gone. I checked all around the porch to see if it had fallen off the edge, but no...it was really gone. It had to have flown away. The article I read said that even if they can eventually fly, they can still die from internal hemorrhaging, so I don't know if it will live or not. But, my sadness disappeared once the little guy had left on his own. I am going to move the bird bath to a couple of feet from the house so if they fly off of that, they won't have enough momentum to hurt themselves, even if they think our big windows are the 'sky.' I'll keep searching for some kind of material to put on these big windows to prevent them flying into them. We lose a few birds every year...it breaks my heart...

I could not identify the species of bird these were. They were both 'fawn-colored' on their backs, with pale yellow bellies and a dark 'mask' across their eyes. They had tufts on their heads and the tips of their tail feathers were bright gold-colored. I will have to ask Carol Hansen, our family bird expert. Maybe she is familiar with them...

Tomorrow I go get my eyes checked. It's been two years, and I'm hoping my cataract is not yet bad enough to require having it fixed just yet. 

So, a good day today, and a not-so-good day as well... Life is certainly a mixture of happy and sad...

Ce le vie...

Rain, rain...go away!

So, we are all getting rather tired of rain, but the ducks and geese love it. Unfortunately, they are getting more and more adventurous. They decided they like the taste of hostas, so David had to put a fence around the ones in front of the house. I saw them running out from the garden area, so I'm hoping they have not been snacking on the strawberries back there!

We didn't do laundry today because it was too rainy to hang clothes outside, and it is the week to change the bedding, so we want the sheets and pillow cases to get plenty of sunshine, and smell fabulous... hoping for sunshine tomorrow!

I've been cooking recipes from the Grain Brain book, and they are pretty darned tasty! Tonight we had wild caught cod with a chardonnay and lemon-butter sauce, spinach (from the garden) cooked in olive oil with sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. David had his shortcake with strawberries and cream for dessert. I opted for a couple of squares of dark chocolate. We drank some of the chardonnay along with our meal, and I think we both enjoyed that!

We are finding fleas on Suny, for the first time in his life! I will be bringing that to the attention of the vet when he goes to get his second canine flu shot this Friday. I don't plan to continue buying the expensive flea/tick treatment if it doesn't work! We have so many critters running through this yard, it is no wonder the dog picks up fleas. 

I have my appointment with the eye doctor on Wednesday (new one...) I am hoping he will think I need new specs so I can get some different frames. I'm getting tired of these, but I suppose if he can fit any new lenses into them, I'll keep them. I don't like to spend hundreds of bucks on something so 'ordinary!'

It's getting time for a short road trip. We want to visit Hazelton to see what the Amish stores over there have to offer, and David wants to go to a wild plant farm in Northeast Iowa. So, we're both hoping for a nice, sunny day so we can enjoy the ride.

Last night, after supper, we drove west of Traer, along Ridge Road. It is absolutely beautiful! Rolling hills, lots of trees and the fields are beginning to show corn and beans, so the colors are splendid! I will have to take my camera next time. Here I thought we had the most beautiful views in the county, but I guess not. I love these hills...have since I was a teenager in Toledo. Down by Vining, it is also beautiful, and now I find that west of Traer is also simply gorgeous! I guess we live in the 'terminal moraine' of Iowa!

The clock is chiming 11 p.m., so I'm going to wind this up, and get my book, brush my teeth, and head to bed to read for a bit.

Later, friends...