USA > Iowa > Story County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa > Part 23
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
170
HISTORY OF IOWA.
into service in some regiment, and, like other Iowa men, were among the brave in the thick- est of the fight. Says the leader among them : " Not an important battle was fought, nor an important event occurred during the whole war in which some of her citizens did not take an active part. They were with the immortal Lyons at Wilson's Creek; with Gen. Grant at Fort Henry, Donelson, Shiloh, and the siege of Corinth ; with Rosecrans at Iuka and Chicka- mauga; with Sherman in his first attack on Vicksburg, and in when it surrendered to Grant; with Hooker on Lookout Mountain, and with Thomas when he scaled the heights of Mission Ridge; with Sherman from Chatta- nooga to the sea, and engaged in every battle of that memorable campaign; with brave Corse at Altoona Pass, when Sherman signaled from Kenesaw to . Hold the fort, for I am coming :' with Sherman at Columbia and Goldsboro, and with Grant at Appomattox. They experienced horrors at Libby, Belle Isle and Andersonville, and joined in the triumphal march in the Grand Review at Washington. In all these phases of the war the citizen soldiery from Story County sustained a conspicuous part, and returned at the end to their homes, resuming their quiet and peaceful vocations as though they had only been absent on a holiday excursion."
They were scattered in so many regiments that no attempt will be made to trace any regi- ments but those to which the four Story County companies were assigned, and in the order of the companies' dates of muster. These were the Third Iowa Infantry, to which Capt. Scott's company was assigned, as Company E; the Sec- ond Iowa Cavalry, of which Capt. Queal's men were Company B; the Twenty-third Iowa In- fantry, which Lieut. Ballard's men joined in Company A, and the Thirty-second Iowa In- fantry, Col. John Scott, of which Capt. Cad- walader's men formed Company K.
The Third Iowa Volunteer Infantry was or- ganized at Keokuk, from June 8 to 10, 1861. Nelson G. Williams, of Dubuque County, was made colonel: John Scott, lieutenant-colonel, and W. M. Stone, of Marion, mayor.
On June 29 they went to Hannibal, Mo., and were generally engaged in that region. Lieut .- Col. Scott was in command of the regiment for a time, and led it in the battle of Blue Mills Landing. He "was in the midst of the fight, conspicnous for coolness and bravery. His horse was hit several times, and several bul- lets passed through his uniform." Lieut. Cros- ley, of Company E, and others received special mention. They were returned to St Louis, and in April, 1862, were at Pittsburg Landing, or Shiloh, where they suffered greatly. They were next at Corinth and the battle of Hatchie, where they were notable. During 1862 and early 1863 they were in Mississippi. Lieut. Crosley was promoted major. In May they moved toward Vicksburg, and were, in the siege and the campaign following, the most conspicu- ous Iowa regiment. They suffered great loss, and during early 1864 were on the Meridian raid. During the year the veterans, under Maj. Cros- ley, were allowed a furlough, and the non-veter- ans, after a campaign with Gen. Banks, were dis- charged at expiration of enlistment. The vet- erans of the " old Third " kept together, and at Atlanta, July 22, the " battalion literally fought itself out of existence." Those left were given prominent positions in other con- mands. It was a noble regiment, and Story County furnished its share of the noble. It was consolidated largely with the Second Vet- eran Infantry, as Companies A, F and P, those from Story County being in Company A, and with Sherman to the close. Out of fifty who enlisted from the county, only ten returned with the company in July, 1865; others had preceded them, having been discharged on ac-
- -
----
Respectfully Jams
173
STORY COUNTY.
count of disease and wounds received in battle. But the following, who will always live in the memories of their friends and comrades, who went forth with strong hands and brave hearts, will never return: Nathaniel Jennings, Elisha B. Craig, George W. Grove, Henry H. Halley, William B. Taylor, Lewis M. Vincent, Asa Walker, W. R. White, Thomas Dent and Thomas M. Davis. Some of them died in bat- tle, others of disease, and one, the last named, succumbed to the horrible treatment at Ander- sonville prison. *
The Second Iowa Cavalry had its rendezvous in Davenport late in 1861, and service was formally entered by the 28th of September. Capt. W. L. Elliott, of the Third Cavalry, U. S. A., became colonel, because it was the governor's desire that this should be an expert cavalry company, thoroughly trained. Edward Hatch, of Company A, became lieutenant-colo- nel. W. P. Hepburn, D. E. Coon and H. W. Love were majors. On December 7, 1861, the regiment left for Benton Barracks, St. Louis, where about sixty men were lost by disease. In February they were at Bird Point, and later at New Madrid, while on the evacuation of Island No. 10, they were the first to occupy it, and were in continual skirmish. In May, un- der Gen. Pope, they lost their first men, in the battle of Farmington, where they did valuable service, and saved the day by a most audacious charge. Of Lieut. Queal, it is said " he dar- ingly cheered his men to the very muzzles of the rebel cannon."+ By the 20th they were about Corinth. Here Gen. Pope dispatches to Gen. Halleck the following: "It gives me pleasure to report the brilliant success of the expedition sent out on the 28th inst., under Col. Elliott, with the Second Iowa Cavalry. After forced marches day and night, through a
very difficult country and obstructed by the enemy, he finally succeeded in reaching the Mobile & Ohio Railroad at Boouville, at 2 o'clock A. M., on the 30th. He destroyed the track in many places south and north of the town, blew up one culvert, destroyed the switch, and burned the depot and locomotive and train of twenty-six cars, loaded with supplies of all kinds. He destroyed 10,000 stand of small arms, three pieces of artillery, and a great quantity of clothing and ammunition, and pa- roled 2,000 prisoners, which he could not keep with his cavalry. The enemy had heard of his movements, and had a train of box-cars, with flying artillery and 5,000 infantry, running up and down the road to prevent him from reach- ing it. The whole road was lined with pickets. Col. Elliott's command subsisted on meat alone, such as they could find in the country. For daring and dispatch, this expedition has been distinguished in the highest degree, and en- titles Col. Elliott and his command to high distinction. The result will be embarrassing to the enemy, and contribute greatly to their loss and demoralization." Col. Elliott was soon promoted a brigadier-general, and Lieut .- Col. Hatch became colonel, with Maj. Hepburn to succeed him. The Second Michigan was asso- ciated with them under Col. P. H. Sheridan, and after a brief camp rest, they gained the brilliant Boonville victory of July 1, for which " Phil" Sheridan gained a brigadier-general- ship. Capts. Gilbert and Queal received special mention from Col. Hatch. The loss was twen- ty-two killed, wounded and missing. The next campaigns were numerous and active-Iuka, Corinth, etc., and Hatch's cavalry won from Gen. Rosecrans the high appellation of . " the eye of the army." They were with Gen. Grant in Central Mississippi, and in actions too numerous to enumerate here. Col. Hatch, during 1863, commanded the brigade in North-
* Col. Scott's Centennial address.
+ Ingersoll's Iowa and the Rebellion.
11
174
HISTORY OF IOWA.
ern Mississippi, and made a preliminary move- of Vicksburg under McClernand. They were at Milliken's Bend, Grand Gulf and Port Gib- son, where they " were the first in the battle and the last out of it." Their losses were the heaviest of all the regiments in the brigade, and the wounded were largely Story County men, Lient. Ballard being among the num- ber. They were in the sharp engagement at Black River Bridge on May 17, near Vicks- burg. Col. Kinsman was killed. The regi- ment bore the brunt of the fight and suffered heavily, the companies scarcely averaging a ment called "the Grierson Raid," until the arrival of a senior officer; this received a high compliment from Gen. Grant, and the Second Iowa played a large part in it. Col. Hatch then led other raids of importance, against Forrest and others in Mississippi and Tennes- see. They were in continual nse as the " eye of the army," and as strategists of great impor- tance. They were at Memphis Camp in Feb- ruary, 1864, where a re-enlistment was made as the Second Iowa Cavalry, Veteran Volun- teers, on March 28, and they went home on a | score each. "Gen. Lawler passed down the furlough, and visited their colonel, then gen- | line, and with speechless emotion seized every man by the hand. Thus, completely overcome, the brave man lifted up his voice and wept."* After guarding prisoners, they took part in the battle of Milliken's Bend on June 6 and 7, not- withstanding their reduced numbers, and again suffered, this time a loss of about fifty officers and men. Gen. Dennis gave special mention of "Col. Glasgow, of the Twenty-third Iowa, and his brave men." After this they were in the investment of Vicksburg, at Jackson, where, during Angust, they were transferred with the Twenty-second to the Department of the Gulf. They were in action in Louisiana, Texas, and spent the winter at Indianola. For awhile in the spring at Metagorda Island, Maj. Houston, eral, at Muscatine. April 15, at Davenport, Maj. Coon became colonel, and Capts. Horton, Schmitzer and Moore became majors. At the battle of Tupelo the division, brigade and regi- ment were commanded by officers of the Sec- ond. Their operations under Gen. Thomas were as remarkable as before, and they reached Nashville in December, where they were in the thickest of the fight, and their loss was considerable. Their remaining movements are of less interest. On their return to lowa, in October, 1865, they received a royal welcome, as they deserved. Capt. Queal and A. M. Lee were the only Story County losses in this regiment.
The Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, largely recruited from the center of the State, were the heroes of the battle of Black River Bridge. They rendezvoused at Des Moines and were mustered into service on September 19, 1862. Their officers were: Col. William Dewey, of Fremont County, Lieut .- Col. William H. Kins- man, of Pottawattamie, and Maj. Samuel L. Glasgow, of Wayne. They left for Missouri very soon, and were engaged there several months in post duty. They were on the march from West Plains, Iron Mountain and New Madrid early in 1863, and soon pushed on to the region
of the Twenty-third, had command of the Twenty-second. In early 1864 they were with Gen. Warren up the Red River, in which Capt. Cree had charge of a part of the Twenty- second. After some charges, the Twenty- third was engaged in Arkansas, and early in 1865 was taken to New Orleans. In the cam- paign against Mobile, which followed, the bri- gade was under Col. Glasgow, and the regi- ment under Lient .- Col. Charles J. Clark. Here its losses were great again, and it whipped the Twenty-third Alabama, which by strange
*Ingersoll.
--
-----
--------
--------
1
---- - ------------- 1 + 1 1 ! !
-
!
E
1
1
----- -
175
STORY COUNTY.
coincidence was the first one it defeated in its The Thirty-second Infantry, Iowa Volun- teers, received from Story County its colonel, quartermaster, and a fine company of men un- der Capt. Cadwalader. It was recruited from the Sixth Congressional District, and rendez- voused at Camp Franklin, near Dubuque in the early fall of 1862, and was sworn into service on October 6, for three years or during the war. Lieut .- Col. Scott had given up his posi- tion in the Third to take the coloneley of this regiment, the other officers being Lieut .- Col. E. H. Mix, of Butler; Maj. G. A. Eberhart, of | Black Hawk, and Adjt. Charles Aldrich, of Hamilton County. T. C. McCall, of Story, was made quartermaster. By November 18 they were ordered to St. Louis, whence Col. Scott, with six companies. and Maj. Eberhart, with the remaining four, were detached to Southeast Missouri, under Gen. Curtis. This separation continued until the spring of 1864, and was a first action at Port Gibson. After some time in Texas, where Maj. Houston was in com- mand, the regiment was discharged on July 26, with the following officers: Col. S. L. Glas- gow, brevet brigadier-general; lieutenant- colonel, C. J. Clark; major, L. B. Houston; surgeon, O. Peabody; assistant surgeon, T. J. Caldwell; adjutant, E. B. Nelson; quartermas- ter, P. E. Grier; Company A-captain, D. P. Ballard; first lieutenant, J. W. Mattox; Com- pany B-captain, J. M. Walker; first lieuten- ant, M. C. Brown; second lieutenant, F. Weit- man; Company C-captain, Benjamin Jen- nings; first lieutenant, L. A. Garrett; Com- pany D-captain, W. M. Littell; first lieuten- ant, F. Crathorne; Company E-captain, W. E. Houston; Company F-captain I. H. Walker; first lieutenant, N. C. Ridenour; sec- ond lieutenant, A. Van Eaton; Company G- captain, T. H. Miller; Company H-captain, ' cause of great annoyance. As the Story men R. W. Cross; first lieutenant, J. L. Shipley; were in the main body, no account of the de- tachment under Maj. Eberhart will be neces- sary. Col. Scott made his headquarters at New Madrid, where he commanded the post, and, in the peculiar duties of a border post, displayed firmness and ability. On December 28, Col. Scott received orders to "immediately proceed Company I-captain, J. J. Van Houten; first lieutenant, E. P. Mills; Company K-captain, J. McGowen, and first lieutenant, H. C. Wil- son. They reached Davenport early on An- gust 8 and disbanded, a regiment of noble vet- erans. Among those who slept in soldiers' graves over the South were Harvey J. Hei- to New Madrid, burn the gun-carriages and stand, Charles P. Miller, G. W. Smiley, James wooden platforms, spike the guns and destroy the ammunition totally." He obeyed, against his own judgment, and the public, disapproving of the act which followed, caused the case to be tried before a military commission. The blame was rightly attached to Brig .- Gen. T. A. Da- vies, who gave the order, and the commission said that Col. Scott " not only did his duty, but is honorably acquitted of all blame." After being on garrison duty at Fort Pillow, they embarked for Columbus, Ky., on June 18, 1863, where Col. Scott was in command of the post. The regiment was on detached duty of an im- Bevington, Pierson Brown, Henry Barber, D. V. Foster, J. R. Foster, J. A. Grove, Thomas J. Harrison, Toor Hegland, J. P. Jenkins, A. Kintzly, D. M. McCoy, Christ. Ness, L. J. Strat- ton, O. Scott, O. Week and C. Snyder, of Company A; A. B. Illingsworth, E. Ersland, D. A. Breezley and W. Sunday, of Company E; John Ballard and W. Mencer, of Company B; John Yocum, of Company C; and John See, I. N. Shenkee and C. E. Culver, of Com- pany K, while C. P. McCord and R. May each lost a limb at Black River Bridge.
6
176
HISTORY OF IOWA.
portant character from this time until January, 1864. They had control of an important guer- rilla-infested region, requiring duties as arduous and daring as the front, and they were well performed. Numerous raids were carried on, and in January, 1864, they embarked for Vicks- burg, under Maj .- Gen. Hurlbut. In February they were with that raid under Maj .- Gen. Sher- man, and on their return the entire regiment was reunited amid rejoicings, and eager for active service. They were soon ordered to the Department of the Gulf, and on the disastrous Red River campaign probably suffered more than any other regiment engaged. In the at- tack on Fort De Russey the Thirty-second made the chief assault, and "the men on the right took the fort," as the prisoners put it; these "men on the right" were the brave Thirty-second. They next moved to Grand Ecore, and on April 9, Shaw's "Iron Brigade," of which Scott's regiment was a part, led in the victory of Pleasant Hill, " stood the brunt of the fight, being the first in the battle, fighting longer than any others, in the hardest of the contest, the last to leave the field, and losing three times as many officers and men as any brigade engaged."* In this action the Thirty- second held the center of the Union lines. "Of Col. John Scott, Thirty-second Iowa," says the brigade commander, "it is sufficient to say that he showed himself worthy to command the Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, a regiment which, after having been entirely surrounded and cut off from the rest of the command, with nearly one-half of its number killed or wounded, among them many of the best and most promi- nent officers, forced its way through the ene- my's line, ready and anxious to meet the foe, in less than thirty minutes." Says one writer: "It is certain no regiment ever fought with a sublimer courage than did the Thirty-
second on the field of Pleasant Hill." The loss was great-210 officers and men killed, wounded and missing, many of the missing also wounded or killed; eighteen of these were from Capt. Cadwalader's company. After men- tioning the loss of many officers and men, Col. Scott's official report says: "Language fails me when I would attempt to tell you how much I, in common with their comrades, deplore the irreparable loss we have sustained in these gal- lant men. The painful circumstances surround- ing the abandonment of these and other wounded comrades, on a field we had so gallantly con- tested and won, must live only in our hearts." Further on he says, modestly: "Undaunted courage is a virtue so common among the troops from our noble State, that it is no boast for me to say that my command fought bravely, skill- fully and well." The bravery and losses of the Thirty-second spread through Iowa and evoked the following lines from one of Iowa's gifted ladies-Mrs. Caroline A. Soule:
"Cold are the sleepers Wrapped in their shrouds- Pale are the weepers The battle has bowed; Softly they slumber, Our soldiers in death-
While hearts without number Cry, with hushed breath- O God, are they dead!"
After various movements, the regiment reached Memphis on June 10, having taken part in the battle at Point Chicot. It then took act- ive part in the Tupelo and Oxford expedition, and in a severe campaign of marching in Mis- souri after Price. By November it was at Cairo, Ill. It then won great credit at Nash- ville battle, in Gilbert's brigade, where it made , some valuable captures. Early in 1865 it was moved to Eastport, Miss., to take part in the Mobile campaign, under Gen. Canby, which it did with accustomed honor. Later in the sum-
*Ingersoll.
6
177
STORY COUNTY.
mer it was disbanded, and returned home. Capt. Cadwalader was made chaplain of the regiment, and his subordinate officers promoted, when Vincent Tomlinson became second lieu- tenant of Company K. Quartermaster T. C. McCall was promoted captain and acting quar- termaster in March, 1864. Among the dead the following were Story men: N. A. Mount, O. Egland, E. Modlin, F. M. Anderson, W. C. Ballard, D. J. Bloys, F. S. Daniels, H. Ellia- son, Peter Egland, H. B. Henryson, E. Hefley, J. R. Hand, W. L. Lemmon, W. Pierce, C. M. Sellers, J. Sorter, N. A. Tichenor and John S. Wood.
Other regiments containing a less number of Story County men made records that rival those of the above regiments, and other men deserve mention; it is always embarrassing to select from the rich list of examples of bravery and valor in a State of such soldier fame as Iowa. It is an honor to be simply known as an Iowa veteran.
Among other of Story County's dead are the following: William Crum and William Tanner, Company A, Tenth Infantry ; B. F. Craig and H. Howard, Company D, Tenth Infantry; S. Kelley, Company K, Tenth Infantry; R. D. Casebolt, J. T. Mount, S. D. Allen, Company E, Thirteenth Infantry : S. W. Jenks, J. J. Al- dredge, Thomas Snelling, Jolm T. Shumaker,
H. Spangler, J. L. Martin, George Lowell and Z. F. Martin, Company G, Fourteenth Infantry; E. Elliott, Company B, Fifteenth Infantry ; H. Hunt, Company I, Nineteenth In- fantry (died in prison in Tyler, Texas) ; D. C. Vail, Company G, Fourteenth Infantry (also died at same place ) ; M. D. Cong, F. Lowell and D. Womack, Company B, Thirty-ninth Infantry ; Thomas Fatland, Company F, Forty-seventh Infantry; William Keltner, Company G, Seventh Cavalry; A. G. Briley and S. P. Shaw, Company I, Eighth Cavalry; W. C. Evans, Company H, Ninth Cavalry : and Lieut. Jason D. Ferguson, Twelfth Infantry, killed at Shiloh.
A quarter of a century has passed, and the veterans are old men; their numbers are grow- ing less year by year, and the few remaining are loved and prized the more. Their organi- zation into local posts of the Grand Army of the Republic gives the younger generation a tangible form to which they can give general honor; while to the old soldier himself it fur- nishes a nucleus for his war memories to gather pleasantly about, and affords many an occasion by which he can instill and invig- orate a healthy patriotism into the young man- hood of Story County, to whom the bitter war is only a story that is told and listened to. but by no means realized.
178
HISTORY OF IOWA.
CHAPTER XVI.
GENERAL MISCELLANY-DEVELOPMENT OF STORY COUNTY-DUE LARGELY TO THE PRESENCE OF RAILROADS-IMPOR- TANT MEETINGS-THE FIRST RAILROAD - PROJECTED ROUTES - ASSISTANCE RENDERED, ETC. - FINAN- CIAL PRESENTATION-TAXATION AND VALUATION -- BONDS AND FUNDS-POPULATION-THE COUNTY'S GENERAL PHYSICAL CONDITION-PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY-INDUSTRIES -SOURCES OF WEALTH-POLITICAL STATUS-ELECTION RETURNS- SUNDRY SOCIETIES-PROFESSIONAL CIRCLES-LITERARY ACTIVITY - VARIED CONTRIBUTORS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
0020:00 -
From the blessings they bestow Our times are dated. and our eras move. - Prior.
SAILWAY construction has done more to develop Story County than any other one cause. The roads have "breathed the breath of life" w into her, and their trains have been to her like throbbing arteries bearing rich blood into every member. One can hard- ly imagine these sixteen town- ships without them; even a single delayed mail-train is felt throughout the county within twenty-four hours. They have become her motor and sensory nerves. But this is true of railroads anywhere, although it is especially realized for Story County, when it is recalled that he- fore 1864, while Story's soldiers prepared for war, and long before, there was nothing but stage-lines in the county. The few small "cor- ners," such as Nevada, Iowa Center, Cam- bridge, Fair View, New Albany, New Philadel-
phia, Bloomington and Palestine-many of them now not even a name-took days and days to get goods from Keokuk or Iowa City, guided over the prairie through the tall grass by a furrow line, and fortunate if no blazing field of grass on fire swept over them and left nothing but the charred bones and wagon irons on the black prairie. Try to imagine going from any of those points to Keokuk to mill, or even to Iowa City; and yet that was a common experience. Such a condition gave little mo- tive for production beyond the needs of the local communities too. Is it any less difficult to imagine weekly and semi-weekly mails to those who have two mails a day from two di- rections, and telephone and telegraph besides ?
Those restrictions early began to chafe the growing young connty of frog-ponds and skunk bottoms, and its citizens, led by Nevada, began to agitate for a railway to connect the county-seat with one of the great trunk lines that were proposed to cross the State, accord-
179
STORY COUNTY.
ing to the Congressional act of May 15, 1856. Of course the old paper road, the Iowa Central Air Line, which made a pretty horizontal mark across the map of the State, passed through Story County, but it showed no signs of life. and did not accept the grant of alternate sec- tions of land for six sections on each side of the track and bearing odd numbers. The roads leading from Dubuque and Davenport then at- tracted attention, and measures were taken to reach the former by a Waterloo & Des Moines Railway in 1857, at a meeting at Nevada court- house. Among the speakers of the occasion were Messrs. Scott, Coldren, Alderman and Frazier, and a corporation was formed to push the scheme. This would have passed through Nevada in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction, but it came to naught. The next step came two years later, after the Air Line grant was transferred to the new company -Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad. The Congressional act of March 29, 1860, un- tangled some of the difficulties of the former legislation, and gave the people the right to vote its swamp-lands for railway purposes. Story County, although taking part in the war, kept up a lively interest in this road, and in 1863 took a vote on giving these lands to the new company. After a spirited canvas the vote stood 334 to 98, overwhelmingly in favor of making this concession of 6,711.87 acres of her overflowed land to secure a railway. The Hon. James Hawthorn was a representative of Story County in the directory of the new company, and work was pushed rapidly, so that the track
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.