The marker is located on the northeast corner of the Jackson County Court House lawn, 1001 Walnut Street, Murphysboro, IL.
In July 1861, J.D. Wheatley of DuQuoin wrote Illinois Governor Richard Yates that a Confederate company was drilling in Murphysboro. A Union officer sent to investigate discovered a group of men in uniforms made of red and white bed ticking drilling on the court house square with broomstick muskets and an American flag. This company, raised by attorney McHenry Brooks, mustered into the Union army on August 28, 1861, at Camp Butler as Company H, 27th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. The 27th fought in the battles of Belmont, Island #10, Stones River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and the Atlanta Campaign.