CARLINVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Illinois activists who succeeded twice in raising money to restore Civil War battle flags have taken on rejuvenating the courthouse cannon in Carlinville. The Macoupin County Civil War Roundtable has about $7,000 toward an estimated $25,000 goal to obtain a new aluminum carriage and restore the barrel, the (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports. The war-era six-pounder has been a fixture on the courthouse lawn.
Alan Ashby is a Carlinville businessman who is helping with fundraising. He says it’s important to preserve such relics “to show where we came from and why we’re here.”
The group raised money in 2012 to restore the Civil War flag of the 122nd Illinois Infantry, made up of mostly Macoupin County men. Later it did the same for the unit’s regimental colors.
