In their presentation, Captain Daniel Flora and Private Brian Flora of Company A, 20th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry, will portray Union veterans who have just fought at the 1862 Battle of Shiloh.

A quarter of the 67,000 Union troops engaged at the Battle of Shiloh—the first truly horrific battle of the war—were from Illinois.

The program will focus on the role of Illinois soldiers during the War of Southern Secession, including who the soldiers were, why they fought, where they went and how they lived.

“One-third of all Illinois males (260,000) fought in that war; 35,000 died,” says Brian Flora, an Oak Park resident. “The significance of Illinois’ contribution to the Union victory has generally been under-appreciated.”

The 20th Illinois was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army from 1861-1865. It was organized in Joliet after President Lincoln’s urgent call for volunteers.

Brian Flora is a member of the Historical Society and his son, Daniel, is a history major at the University of Illinois.

The Oak Park Arms is a rental retirement community which provides independent and assisted living apartments and a full schedule of activities and services. Furnished apartments are also available for a short-term stay – a weekend, a week, a month or longer.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information call Jill Wagner at 708-386-4040.