10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry

Regiment Personnel

Headquarters


Regiment Commander - Colonel Theodore Henry, photo by Tom George DavisonTheodore L. Henry - Low Point, Illinois

Portrays - Second commanding officer Col. Dudley Wickersham.
Ted retired from the State of Illinois in December 2008 and devotes his time to expanding the membership of the Regiment. He and his wife Dawn live on 3 wooded acres growing several gardens. Together Ted and Dawn have 5 children, and 5 grandchildren. Ted has said, "now that my time is my own, well sort of..., I want to do some additional research on the history of the Civil War and maybe do a little acting..."



Regiment Surgeon - Major Ted ZelinskiTed Zelinski - Springfield, Illinois

Portrays - Surgeon, Major Augustus A. Shutt
In addition to being the Regiment's Chief Surgeon, Ted also portrays enlisted trooper Brown during battles as a dismounted soldier, and is the regiment's drummer as well. Recently Ted has added Signal Corps to his list of talents and will be demonstrating the activities for this role during the Civil War reenactments. Ted also is a member of the Vintage Brass Band, the official music affiliate of the Regiment, where he plays the drum and other percussion instruments. He is an accomplished folk dancer and is especially interested in Polish Folk dance.



Regiment Chaplain - Captain Randall CheathamRandall Cheatham - Brighton, Illinois

Portrays - Chaplain, Captain Francis Springer
Randy is the spiritual counselor for the Regiment. His portrayal of Springer meshes well with Randy's real life. He is a medical lab tech, but also a licensed minister who enjoys Bible study, teaching Sunday school, studying the Civil War, and playing the banjo.



Sergeant-Major Alan KilgoreSergeant-Major Alan Kilgore - Chestnut, IL

Alan joined the Regiment in October of 2008. It all started when he found a black powder pistol in his wife's aunt's barn. It took several months to talk his wife Carol into letting him join. Even as a child there are pictures of him wearing a kepi on family vacations. It just happened to be Gray back then. Alan decided to follow the tradition set by his Great Grandfather, Martin Van Buren Joyce (8th Kentucky Union) and joined a Union Cavalry Regiment. Alan has a passion for history, especially when it comes to the Civil War. Alan works for Maple trucking out of Bloomington. He is a graduate of East Peoria High School. His other interests include his sons, Daniel and Rex, their wives, and the five grandchildren, Brit, Ericka, Jace, Camden and Liam.




Chief Bugler - Sergeant Dawn HenryDawn Henry - Low Point, Illinois

Portrays - Regiment Chief Bugler Sgt Frederick H. Miller
Dawn Henry plays bugle for the regiment. She is a member of the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Regiment Band where she plays French Horn and E flat Alto horn. When she is not wearing wool, she portrays Margaret, the wife of Colonel Dudley Wickersham, aka Ted Henry, her real life husband. Dawn is a retired State Farm Auto Claims Adjuster. She enjoys gardening, cooking, baking her own bread, and helping her husband in the management of the 10th Cavalry Regiment not-for-profit organization and its Band. Together, Dawn and Ted have 5 children and 5 grandchildren.





Company D - Trooper 'Duke' KaneTrooper Jonathan "Duke" Kane - Springfield, Illinois

Portrays the Colonel's Battlefield/Camp Courier
Jonathan "Duke" Kane enjoys target shooting with his .22 rifle. He is the son of Lt. Greg Kane, Co A, and brother of Corporal Remington Kane, Co A. Duke is nicknamed after the Great American, John Wayne. He is very active in Shuto-ryu karate and plays the violin. He attends school in Springfield.





Pioneer - Lesley StevensLesley Stevens - Springfield, Illinois

Portrays a Pioneer, a Signalman, and a Member of the Sanitary Commission.
Lesley wears many hats in the Regiment. With her husband Garland, she portrays a member of the Pioneers, as well as a member of the Signal Corps. She also presents a first person living history as a member of the Sanitary Commission. Lesley is employed by the State of Illinois as an Environmental Health Practioner. Her hobby outside the regiment is period dancing from many different eras and countries, with a special interest in Polish Folk Dance.



Pioneer - Garland StevensGarland Stevens - Springfield, Illinois

Portrays a Pioneer.
Garland reenacts a Pioneer of the Regiment. Pioneers were assigned the tasks of locating resources as well as erecting structures used during bivouac encampment. Garland, along with his wife Lesley, is also a member of the Signal Corps.





Scout - Ray SchaeferRay Schaefer - Leroy, Illinois

Portrays a Scout of the Regiment
Ray portrays a scout hired by the regiment. While scouts were not technically enlisted members of the military, they were given most of the privileges accorded to enlisted personnel. Most scouts were from areas where the military was engaged in campaign affairs. Outside the regiment, Ray is a buckskinner, enjoys woodworking and story telling.



Hope GillenHope Gillen

Portrays an assistant to the Chaplain
Hope comes to the Regiment with her Grandfather, Randy Cheatham, who portrays the Regiment Chaplain, Captain Francis Springer. Hope loves horses and is learning to ride.



Trooper Hunter GregoryHunter Gregory

Portrays the Regiment Color Bearer
Hunter loves Civil War history. He carries the Regiment flag proudly on the battlefield, and is a good observer of all the action that takes place. He can't wait till he can carry his own weapons on the field to help preserve the Union. Hunter is the son of Scot Gregory, Co D.



Trooper Benen Eagle Benen Eagle

Portrays the Color Bearer
Benen carries the Company Guidon on the field of battle. He loves to learn about the Civil War and is a good listener as the stories are told in camp about our history. Outside the regiment, Benen enjoys playing football, and reading about history. Benen is the grandson of Col. Ted Henry and Sergeant Dawn Henry of Headquarters staff.