USA > Iowa > Jasper County > Newton > Third reunion of Iowa Hornets' Nest Brigade : 2d, 7th, 8th, 12th and 14th infantry, held at Newton, Iowa, Wednesday and Thursday, August 21 and 22, 1895 > Part 1
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Gc 973.74 Io9iow 3rd 1895 1987734
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01479 4298 E
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/thirdreunionofio31895iowa
THIRD REUNION
of Iowa Hornets'
IOWA
Nest Brigade
60
0
BRIGADE.
2d, 7th, 8th, 12th and 14th Infantry.
HELD AT
NEWTON, IOWA,
Wednesday and Thursday,
August 21 and 22,
1895.
NEWTON, IA. RECORD PRINT, 1896.+
-
* E 1 V 507.4 Iowa hornet's nest brigade. .I64 Reunion of Iowa's hornet's nest brigade. 2d, 7th, 8th, 12th and 14th Infantry.
72235 1887 VP
72236
1911
72237
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63226
1895
26776 1912V
72238 1912 cop.2₽
87531
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1987734
Officers:
PRESIDENT:
Col. W. T. SHAW, Anamosa, Iowa.
VICE-PRESIDENTS:
G. L. GODFREY, Second Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa. S. M'MAHON, Seventh Iowa, Ottumwa, Iowa.
J. C. KENNON, Eighth Iowa, Van Horn, lowa.
R. P. CLARKSON, Twelfth Iowa, Des Moines. Iowa. S. M. CHAPMAN, Fourteenth Iowa, Plattsmouth, Neb. SECRETARY:
R. L. TURNER, Eighth Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa. TREASURER:
V. P. TWOMBLY, Second Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa.
..
.
5014 .964
Programme.
Wednesday, August 21st.
Reveille. Brigade headquarters and morning gun.
The forenoon will be devoted to reception of guests at trains by mil- itary escort, Co. "L," 2nd Regt., and Band Concert at Court House Park by Brigade Drum Corps and Knights Templar Band. Dinner from 12 M. till 2 P. M.
Assembly at Court House Park at 2 P. M. (sharp)
Form line and march to Opera House.
Invocation,
SONG, "AMERICA."
Rev. E. J. Rice.
Presentation, or Introduction of Brigade to Mayor and City Council, Grand Army and Citizens. . Robert Burns. Address of Welcome .. by Mayor A. K. Imfkin. Address of Welcome for Grand Army. . by Col. Meyer. SONG OF WELCOME.
Response to Address of Welcome by Col. Shaw, for Brig. and 14th Ia.
MUSIC.
Response to Adr's of Welcome for 2nd Ia., Capt. C. H. McNeil, Sioux City.
MUSIC. V_ Resp'ns to Adr's of Welcome for 7th Ia., Maj. S. M'Mahon, Ottumwa. MUSIC. Respins to Adr's of Welcome for 8th Ia., Col. W. B. Bell, Washington, Iowa.
MUSIC.
Response to Address of Welcome for 12th Ia., Capt. T. B. Edgington, Memphis, Tenn.
MUSIC AND SONG.
Address, "Was Shiloh a Surprise?" Judge Robt. Ryan, Lincoln, Neb. Song and Martial Music by Drum Corps.
CAMP FIRE.
Wednesday Evening, August 21st, 7:30 P. M.
Assembly at .Brig. Headquarters for Camp Fire; march to Opera House.
Thanksgiving . Rev. E. C. Brooks.
Song "Rally 'round the Flag." MUSIC. -
"Ten Minutes with the Old Boys," Col. S. A. Moore, 2d la., Bloomfield. "Shiloh," Capt. J. B. Morrison, 7th Ia., Fort Madison. MUSIC. MUSIC.
. Cora M. Patten. Recitation, "Shiloh's Field by Night," MUSIC.
"The Union Brigade,". Capt. E. B. Soper, 12th Ia., Emmetsburg. MUSIC.
War Reminiscences. . Capt. Dan Matson, 14th Ia., Kossuth.
MUSIC.
'Iowa at Peace and in War," Gen. F. M. Drake, of Iowa. MUSIC.
£3220
WEDNESDAY'S PROCEEDINGS.
During the forenoon of the 21st, Garrett G. A. R. Post, No. 16, waited at the several trains and as the comrades arrived, escorted them to the court house, which was made general headquarters. Each regiment had its clerks, and they were kept busy registering names.
General hand shaking was the order. The comrades were then escorted to entertaiment headquarters in charge of Col. W. R. Man- ning, Mrs. S. S. Patterson and Mrs. O. C. Meredith, where the assign- ments were made.
The following are some of the inscriptions on the wall of the the court room:
"Here's Your Mule." "1862. Shiloh and War." ~1895. Peace and Reunion."
"Grab a Root." "Pull the Latch String." "Our Chickens Roost Low." "Abide With Me." "tt You Don't See What You Want, Ask For it."
The Brigade assembled at headquarters and escorted by the band, marched to the opera house.
The opera house was very artistically decorated with flags, ban- ners, Grand Army badges and emblems, bunting and the like. Large . scrolls containing the outline history of each regiment hung on the walls. A cannon was placed on the left side and a group of stacked arms on the right side of the stage. The pictures of prominent gen- erals were also hung on the walls.
The meeting was called to order by Rob't. Burns, a member of the 7th Iowa, and a resident of Newton, who presided at the meet- ing.
After a fervent invocation by Rev. E. J. Rice, some forty little girls, all dressed in dainty white, came trooping on the stage, accom- panied by two diminutive knights, and sang "America" and "Star Spangled Banner" in such an inspiring and musical fashion that the audience cheered vociferously, at both the songs and the beautiful sight presented.
5
IOWA HORNETS' NEST BRIGADE.
The following was the graceful introduction of the chairman, Rob't. Burns, to the citizens of Newton:
Mr. Mayor, members of the city council and citizens of Newton: when the stranger is within your gate, it is but natural that you enquire, and it is possibly right that you should know, who is he? - from whence came he? what is his charactor and reputation? -- what are his intentions and parposes? - are they peaceful or are they hostile? These questions we naturally would like to have answered, but courtesy to an invited guest forbids our asking them.
But friends and citizens of Newton, it affords me great pleasure and satisfaction to b . able to testify in behalf of the strangers with- in your gates today, having had the pleasure of their company and acquaintance for the three years that I had the honor to carry a musket for Uncle Sam. I feel that I am a competent witness. "Who are they?" They are a part of the rear guard of that gallant army. that when the lightning flashed from embrasures of Fort Moultrie and sent an electric thrill through the nervous fabric of the loyal and patriotic North, left the plows. the machine shops, the yard stick and school room, and donning the accoutrements of warfare, faced southward with a firm and decided purpose -- to pre- serve to posterity what the fathers had won, They are the boys whose gallantry and sacrifice at their maiden battle -. Belmont- challenged the admiration of the nation and shrouded in grief many northern homes.
They are the boys who under the lead of the gallant Tuttle led the charge at Donelson over the abattis and frozen snow, compell- ing compliance with that famous order -"No terms other than an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." They are the boys from the ever memorable contest at Shiloh, whose com- mencem nt was on the Sabbath morning, April 6, 1862, but whose ending is not yet. But their warfare is over; the scenes of strife and conflict are long since past and remain only as a memory.
They assemble here today as your guests in peaceful years. Not the young, hopeful youths of thirty-four years ago, but as old men who have passed life's meridian, with furrowed checks and hours hair long since and prematurely blossomed for the grave and on weary feet are treading that western incline that reaches down where the mourning waters wash upon the sands of the unknown shore.
This my friends is in brief a partial history of the part taken in the late war by the friends who are with us today and for them I bespeak your kind hospitality, never fearing for a moment that it will not be freely extended.
Mayor A. K. Lufkin gave the following eloquent and cordial ad- dress of welcome:
Gentlemen :- That you are welcome goes without saying. That we are most happy to have you here, judge by our hospitality. Had the keys of our City not long since been lost in the shuffle of opening our gates to others, we should be pleased to present them to you. There is no assembly of men toward which the citizens of Newton feel more kindly, of which they are more proud, or more anxious to please, than the famous Hornets' Nest Brigade composed of the 2d. 7th, 8th, 12th and 14th Regiments Towa Infantry. Some one has said that "when yon cannot entertain your guests let them entertain you." So if you lind we are not doing the proper thing, wade in. and
6
IOWA HORNETS' NEST BRIGADE.
we shall expect excellent treatment at your hands. The City is yours, and if the Comrades do not give you all you desire report them, and by the "Powers that be, " the confines of the Guard House shall be tame. in comparison with their punishment!
Gentlemen, the intense interest for you and your splendid exhi- bition of heroism. can only be fully realized by those who have steeled their nerves for the hottest actions in the war of the Rebell- ion. But there is within the soul of every loyal citizen, whether or not he has heard the sound of cannon in conflict, that which dictates his readiness to defend his country, which dictates that loyalty and patriotism which is the incentive to raise up armies and navies to protect the honor, the homes, the wealth of a Nation, and were this not true, there would have been no Hornets' Nest Brigade. Just in proportion as this feeling of loyalty and patriotism is intense. call we, the younger generation, realize and appreciate your bravery. courage, strength and noble purpose. There is the same feeling of loyalty to-day on the part of the old and young, there are mother's, sisters' and lovers' hearts to break the same as then, there is the same pride and heroism to be developed, and it needs only the elec- tric spark of challenge to all that is near and dear to us, to call it forth. But gentlemen, pardon us if we say, no thank you, none of that in ours if you please, for the capture of the Hornets' Nest Brigade called forth a hotter conflict than the taking of a nest of those little creatures whose "stock in trade" is a "business end." What boy has not experienced it! I am cognizant of the fact that history chronicles the actions of no set of men who were in a more isolated position, who ever fought harder against greater odds, and stood their grounds longer than did the Hornets' Nest Brigade. No wonder the rebel commander said that hornets' nest must be taken. the execution they were doing! But wait, wait! take it if you can: and for eight long hours they threw all the forces they could spare upon this little number, met repulse after repulse: they flanked, they raked, they stormed, but still it stood, and it was not until the day was well nigh drawing to a close. that this Hornets' Nest, indicative of bravery, was forced to yield. You meet today, dear old defenders of right, liberty and loyalty, to talk of war times and of the past, and in a jolly mood, but if Ridpath had the power to paint with his pen as vividly as could Michael Angelo and Leonardo De Vinci with their brushes, a word picture of the agonies, the torture, the terrible butchery of that day, what a representation of horror we would have! The battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing, was fought April 6th and 7th, 1862. Under Gener- al Grant were about thirty-two thousand Union soldiers, and General Albert Sidney Johnson commanded the Confederate forces of about forty-five thousand men. The divisions of the Union army on the morning of the 6th were under Generals Hurlbut. Prentiss. W. H. L. Wallace. McClernand and Sherman, respectively. Early in the action the army was driven back. The Hornets' Nest Brigade liter in the day held an advanced position and were surrounded but only taken after the hardest lighting. "Probably no single battle," says Sherman, "gave rise to such wild and damaging reports as that of Shiloh." On the night of the 6th re-enforcements were received by the Union army. and the next day the rebels were driven back and off the field, leaving the blue coats in full possession. But the false re- ports had gone forth. and had it not been for the splendid general- ship. and the bravery shown by our men. on the day of the 6th. of
7
IOWA HORNETS' NEST BRIGADE.
which the Hornets' Nest Brigade is an excellent example, the mis- understandings might have been greater. The war is over and many are the deeds of greatness recorded. The war is over and many a deed of bravery chronicled, but the history of the War of the Rebell- ion would not be complete with the actions of the Hornets' Nest Brigade left out. Its memory will stand until lips are dust, and until that other grand example of heroism is also forgotten. I refer to the deeds of the loyal women of our land: patient, suffering, true- hearted women: doing, loving, acting on the tender side of life and being a greater incentive to battle than fear of prison, or gain of prize. Should the scene of quietude and peace be changed again to conflict you would find these tender souls ever on the helping side- -
"And if Peace, whose snow white pennons, Brood over our land today, Should ever again go from us, (God grant she may ever stay) Should our Nation call in its peril, For 'Six Hundred Thousand more'
The loyal women would hear her, And send you out as before.
"We would bring out the treasured knapsack, We would take the sword from the wall,
And hushing our own heart's pleadings, Hear only the Country's call,
And next to our God, is our Nation; And we cherish the honored name.
Of the bravest of all brave armies, Who fought for that Nation's fame."
Bravery! yes, Heroism! yes, Loyalty! yes, all, all that was in- dicative of right, honor and protection to a nation's homes was true of our officers.
"And many a private soldier, Who walks in his humble way, With no sounding name or title, Unknown to the world today. In the eyes of God is a hero, As worthy of the bays, As any mighty General To whom the world gives praise."
. Gentlemen, you are doubly welcome.
The little folks then sang "When Johnny comes marching home." After which Col. Meyer gave the following hearty welcome for the Grand Army:
In behalf of Garrett Post. No. 16. I extend to you a few words of cordial welcome.
Our Post was one of the first organized in the state, which is proof that its comrades are wide-awake, keeping fresh in memory, and are active to send down the line to the coming generations, the valor, heroism and sacrifices made during the late war to perpetuate the principles of a free government. So this welcome. at once intro- duces you into the companionship of comrades in full sympathy and fellowship of comrades who appreciate the services you rendered our nation on that bloody Shiloh battlefield, where you earned the signi- ficant name "The Hornets' Nest Brigade."
8
IOWA HORNETS' NEST BRIGADE.
In addition we mention that our Post is made up of comrades en- gaged in all the pursuits of life, and endowed with such a stock of in- telligence, that it is constantly drawn upon to fill manifold civil of- fices, and their integrity is such that no case has been known when there has not been a true account rendered of the trust, even to the last penny. So we tender you the assurance that the safety of your wallets is all the same in or out of your pockets. The ability of the comrades of the Post is equal to the discharge of any call into office. and there is an expectancy of some to hear the call "Come up higher." but as is often the case with those most competent, there is a diffi- dence mingled with the expectancy, keeping them back, such as Gen. Grant, who never would have been called to lead our armies to the final victory if it had devolved upon his own movement. Rose- crans had to lose his greatest battle, before the call came to Gen. Grant to take charge of all the Union forces. The political distresses of the country are such, that, as it seems, some of the comrades of the Post are anxiously peering forward to political defeats, awaiting to be called to lead the forlorn hope to victory, and we are sure that in such a crisis none of our Post would hesitate to heed the higher calling and assume the awful responsibility, even that of the chief executive of the foremost nation of the world. Again it has passed current for years and years that the soldiers while in the ar- my were constantly appropriating to their own use things that did not belong to them. Our past is guiltless. There is not a single comrade that did any such thing, we emphatically repel the charge. We enlisted and went into the war to fight for righteousness, justice, liberty and freedom. It was a Holy war. It was God's cause. We fought under the stars and stripes, the banner of the Lord. To him belong the cattle of a thousand hills, which includes all the porkers, turkeys and chickens and everything else on all the hills and valleys. The Bible explicitly says that " The earth is the Lord's and the full- ness thereof." In so many words it says " All things are yours, wheth- er Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present or things to come, all are yours," Into such companionship I have the honor to invite you, to invite you, dear, surviving comrades of the world renowned Hornets' Nest Brigade.
The following responses were made to the addresses of welcome, each Regiment being represented:
COL. SHAW, Fourteenth lowa.
Comrades of the Hornets' Nest Brigade, and of the Grand Army, and Citizens:
thank you for the welcome that you have given me as I have been on the floor, and I thank your committee on arrangements for putting on somebody that can't make a speech, so I shan't detain you long. We feel very grateful to the citizens of this town for the splendid reception of our Brigade, so finely expressed by your men. I assure you. it is very grateful to ns old soldiers to have our services recognized by the people. Nearly a third of a century since this battle occurred, but the people of the country seem just as willing to recognize our services now as they did on the day on which they heard of our success in that battle. And it will be belying every sol- dier here to say that he doesn't feel grateful for that recognition. It gives us pleasure to understand that we rendered a service to our country at that time, that was worthy of memory. It was worthy of
9
IOWA HORNETS' NEST BRIGADE.
being thought of and felt with gratitude by the people that have succeeded us. A whole generation has passed since the battle of Shiloh, and we that remain here are ready to pass out and give place to a succeeding generation. We believe that our memories remain green in the hearts of the people yet.
The two great battles of the war that gave the first impulse of success to the Union, were the battles of Donnelson and Shiloh. On this we have the authority of the greatest general, Sherman, and all of you who are old enough recollect the enthusiasm that day the news from the battle of Donnelson was received in the State of lowa. Why, I could show you a special order sheet by Gen. Baker to the adjutant general of the state, and I suppose by the authority of the state. that every man in the state of lowa was to get drunk and have the best time he could. Well, now, that was indicative, probably, of the times. The order now would be that every man should keep so- ber and not go to the saloons, but go to some good reunion of the soldiers- but that didn't express Gen. Baker's enthusiasm on that occasion.
Now the men of the Hornets' Nest Brigade were at that battle. The 2nd regiment that first entered the fortifications of Don- nelson performed the greatest service that had been per- formed by any one regiment at that time. ] marched up a little to the right of them and saw them falling by the hundreds and never wavering in the ranks, every man pressing forward to the ob- ject for which they had started. That regiment was in the Hor- nets' Nest. The 7th lowa followed them. That regiment too was in the Hornets' Nest Brigade. The 14th marched a little to the right, abreast of them, and that regiment, too, was in the Hornet's Nest The 12th, a little further to the left, in another brigade, but ente ed about the same time. So we feel that we were entitled to some gratitude from the people for our services, and we feel that those services have been recognized, which is the most grateful feeling that a person can have -- to know that he has done a good service.
Now I don't mean to say anything, I don't know that I could be heard if I did say anything: old age is crowding on me. Iam the only colonel left, not only in the Brigade but in the five lowa regi- ments that stood at what is called the Hornets' Nest. I admit that there seems to be an impression that we did more fighting than the other fellows, and that is a mistake. I think we did about as much killing with as little hurt to ourselves as anybody on that field - as nmch hurt to the enemy, and that was my idea of what a soldier should be.
I have been in the Mexican war-trained under Gen. McCrea. an old Indian fighter, and I have been for five or six years on the plains, and I had an idea that a soldier was a man who hit the enemy and didn't get hit himself. Well. I admit we didn't suffer very much, and although the fighting was more heavy in front of us, charge af- ter charge was repulsed with very little loss to ourselves. On the left of us was much heavier fighting-in Iurlbut's brigade and Lau- man's brigade, two regiments at least which have a right to claim a position in the Hornets' Nest Brigade; beyond that was Williams brigade, with the 3rd lowa and an Illinois regiment, in the front of which Johnson put his best brigade. I might say here, that the heaviest fighting was done to the left of us and not in front of the Hornets' Nest Brigade. That we did stand there and resist every attack made upon us, and hold our ground from morning till: night,
10
IOWA HORNETS' NEST BRIGADE.
is another fact, and it was largely owing to the position which we occupied -an old sunken road, and the thick timber in front of is, and which the rebels themselves designated as the Hornets' Nest. We didn't call it the Hornets' Nest. And we remained there a little too long, until we got surrounded and captured. Now I say that here -- I don't want it to get out.
To some of our friends I want to say, that the government has concluded to make of the battle-field of Shiloh, a national park, and to allow us to put up monuments where we fought and where we stood that day, and some of the men want to put up a monument where they surrendered. Now some fellow will come along and read that-that we surrendered there; he won't read why we surrendered; if he did read it he wouldn't understand it, and my opinion is, we bet- ter not say anything about that surrender.
I don't know as this is a reply to our address of welcome; but 1 say, we are all very grateful for the manner in which we have been received, and it is all very pleasant. Some of you are not as old as I am. I think I am about the oldest here, with the exception of Gen. Prentiss. If you want to hear about the battle of Shiloh, Gen. Prentiss is the man to talk to you about that.
And by way of an apology, I had appointed Judge Chapman, of Nebraska, to take my place and reply to this address of welcome. He is not here. I appointed Doctor -but he is not here, and now that you have been bored by my remarks, why, just lay it to the Doctor.
CAPT. C. H. MCNEIL, Second Iowa, Sioux City.
Mr. President, Ladies, Gentlemen and Comrades:
It had been well had my friend Col. Ryan took the hint when I wrote him that possibly I could not be here at the opening exercises, and had appointed some one better qualified to till the place, but he did not "tumble worth a cent." He did not let me off- here I am. I will not prolong your agony long.
The lowa brigade, consisting of the 2nd, 7th, 8th, 12th and 14th lowa regiments has been called the Hornets' Nest Brigade. You have heard of the part they performed at Shiloh and how the term originated. The organization was a temporary one. After Shiloh, where so many of our comrades of the Sth, 12th and 14th were made prisoners, and during the defense of Corinth, the members of these regiments were formed into a regiment and called the Union Bri- gade. The lowa boys were not particularly proud of this organiza- tion: although they did not forget, they were ready and willing when called upon to do their duty; and at the first day's fight in the battle of Corinth. in October, '62, in company with the 7th and 2nd Iowa and 52nd Ilinois, gave the rebels the only repulse they met that day. After the prisoners were exchanged, these regiments forming this organization were transferred to other commands, and the organiza- tion known as the Hornets' Nest Brigade terminated as a body.
Those were busy days to ns, comrades. We were making history rapidly, though I do not know that any of us were hungering after the job of making history.
It has been said that the old soldiers delight to meet and pat one another on the back and make each other believe that we are all heroes. Possibly this is so. If so, just pardon me a little. The term is a general one and we have heard it freely applied in the eloquent address of welcome by fis Honor, the Mayor. All boys in blue were caleu heroes. and Itrust the honor was deserved. But,
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