USA > Iowa > Black Hawk County > History of Black Hawk County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 22
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Black Hawk County at the beginning, when the first dark mutterings of war were heard, resolved itself in a unit for the support of the North. There were few dissenting voices, and these were speedily silenced by the most stringent methods. The big mass of the citizens favored a suppression of the South and her institution of slavery. The general reader of today does not appreciate the scope of that word "slavery," what it meant in those days to the initiated. The true meaning has been mercifully expurgated from the pages of literature. The term "white slavery" is well known today and the meaning of the expression brings to us a feeling of loathing and indignation. The slavery of the South was little better, even more universal. In the main, different in character, it yet embodied deeds and motives similar to the modern slavery. Rome and the Latin countries had their slavery and their ideas of that institution are not written in disguised words. So, in America during the latter '50s, there was a need, a pressing one, that coercive measures be taken to exterminate the evil.
Notwithstanding the various causes attributed to the outbreak of the Civil war, the sole cause was slavery. In reading this deduction, many will disagree, for even at this late day there seems to be incontrovertible argument on each side of the question. Slavery was distinctly out of tune with the times; the attitude of the Southerners was falsely aristocratic; all of which tended to their inevitable downfall. The stirring times which followed the Mexican Territory acquisition, the fugitive slave law, the Missouri Compromise, the struggle in Congress, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and Lincoln's election to the presidency. cannot be
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detailed in a work of this scope, but a discussion is worthy as a preface to the part Black Hawk County played later.
A greater appreciation of Abraham Lincoln's worth is gained when we com- prehend the arena into which he stepped in 1860. The utter confusion, the threatening war clouds, and the attitude of the people, who spoke silently, "Let's see what you can do." supplied a stern test for the "backwoods lawyer." The opportunity was given him and his accomplishments are history.
War might have been avoided had the North recognized the slaves upon the same basis as cattle or any other common property, or, on the other hand, had the South reverted to the sentiment of the North and pronounced slavery an evil. It is evident, however, when the tenor of the day is considered, that these two theories were impossible. The mass of the people on both sides were eager for the actual conflict ; mob spirit prevailed ; but the greater minds, the leaders, entered the struggle with heavy hearts. Lincoln, Grant, Lee, Jackson, Meade and Long- street, and other great minds of the conflict, were sad with the weight of unjust and useless carnage. The four years' strife, the early success of the Confederate host, the high tide at Gettysburg, the slow, merciless pounding of Grant's machine on the depleted army of Northern Virginia and the final chapter at Appomattox cannot be more than mentioned, but this is appropriate and adequate.
LINCOLN'S NOMINATION
The news of Lincoln's nomination by the republican party for the Presidency of the United States was received with great rejoicing in Black Hawk and par- ticularly in Waterloo. Processions, music and meeting were the order of the day, and the people were noisy as well as enthusiastic.
The news of the firing upon Fort Sumter by the Confederates was first printed in the Waterloo Courier of April 16, 1861.
On Thursday evening, April 25th, a Union meeting was held in Waterloo to discuss the recent affairs. The meeting was called to order; A. F. Brown, of Cedar Falls, was appointed president ; and Dempsey J. Coleman, secretary. Mr. Brown, upon taking the chair, addressed the meeting in a brief, but thrilling, Union speech. W. T. Barker of Dubuque also spoke. S. P. Brainard responded, and made a plea for peace, a vein of talk unpopular in such an audience. Speeches also were made by Shane of Vinton, S. Bagg and W. H. Curtiss. A resolution was prepared expressing sympathy with the cause of the North and pledging fidelity and support to the Union armies.
FIRST ORGANIZATION IN WATERLOO
On Saturday, May 4th, the citizens of Waterloo and vicinity met at the court- house for the purpose of organizing a military horse company. H. Sherman was called to the chair and H. B. Allen was appointed secretary. On motion, a com- mittee consisting of S. Bagg, J. H. Sherrill and George Ordway were appointed to draft a constitution for the permanent organization of the company. The company was to be called the "Waterloo Cavalry." George Ordway was elected
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president ; W. M. Newton, secretary ; and H. B. Allen, treasurer. The company officers were as follows: Sylvester Bagg, captain ; J. H. Sherrill, first lieutenant ; O. E. Hardy, second lieutenant ; and H. Sherman, first sergeant. The meeting then adjourned until Tuesday evening, May 7th, at Sherman's Hall. After adjournment those present mounted their horses and went to the fair grounds, where the officers entertained the corps for a time with appropriate speeches, then wheeling into line under the lead of their captain, the men marched through the principal streets of the town. The first roll call of the company showed the following: H. B. Allen, S. P. Brainard, S. Bagg, C. Brubacher, E. M. Balcom, W. H. Barker, George W. Barker, James P. Burt, T. C. Bird, Frank Braniger, M. Case, Charles Cook, John Cook, T. A. Covert, Sullivan Day, S. F. Duncan, John Elwell, W. W. Forry. John Forbus, C. A. Farwell, G. Gilbert, E. D. Hollister, John N. Hale, C. K. Howe, O. E. Hardy, A. G. Hastings, Jesse Hilfer, H. Hallock, J. M. Harper, J. M. Jarvis, W. B. Judd, Charles Mullan, W. M. Newton, George Ordway, W. O. Richards, H. C. Raymond, J. H. Sherrill, H. Sherman, D. B. Stanton, G. W. Tinker, F. S. Washburn, J. M. White and J. H. Wilkins.
Tuesday, June 4, 1861, was selected as the day for the first volunteers to go to war. Captain Trumbull's company of Butler County was accepted by the governor, but not being large enough and as there were not enough men to form a full company in Waterloo who could leave their homes, the ones desiring to go thought it best to join Trumbull's command. They started for their rendezvous at Keokuk, Iowa, on the morning train, together with the "Pioneer Grays" of Cedar Falls.
Trumbull arrived in town on Monday evening from Clarksville, with that portion of his company raised in Benton and Butler counties. He was accom- panied by a delegation of citizens and friends. Before entering the town Trumbull formed his company in marching order and, preceded by the Waterloo band. marched down Commercial Street to the Sherman House, where they were re- ceived by Elder Eberhart. Captain Trumbull returned thanks for the reception and then the company broke ranks and mingled freely with the Waterloo people. Cannon salutes were fired and a general good time enjoyed. In the evening a meeting was held at the courthouse, where Eberhart, W. M. Newton and Captain Trumbull were the speakers.
Tuesday came, with a bright, summer sun, and early in the morning the com- pany mustered at the courthouse and were sworn in by W. M. Newton. There were 108 men enrolled, thirty of them from Waterloo. Fifty members of the cavalry company escorted the soldiers to their train. A large crowd, 4.000 strong, had assembled at the station to bid the men God-speed, and they cheered mightily when the files appeared on the platform. A few farewell speeches were made at the depot before the departure of the train at 10.30 o'clock. Most of the time, however, was taken up in bidding the boys adieu. The company arrived at Dubuque at 4 o'clock that afternoon. Waterloo women made havelocks for each member of the company who went from here, or else supplied a capacious box filled with clothings, towels, soap, etc.
The citizens met together on this same evening in front of the Sherman House and passed resolutions of sympathy and regret on the death of Stephen A. Douglas, Lincoln's former antagonist.
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CEDAR FALLS ENLISTMENTS
A volunteer military company was organized at Cedar Falls in February, 1861, with J. B. Smith as captain; C. D. Billings, first lieutenant ; W. Francis, second lieutenant : F. Sessions, C. H. Mullarky, W. Hamel, F. H. Cooper, sergeants ; William McCoy, John Brown, George Leland, J. Rosenbaum, corporals. The company bore on its roster sixty names. The name adopted was Pioneer Grays.
April 18, 1861, the company captain received a communication from J. Bowen, adjutant general of the Iowa militia, asking that the ranks of the Pioneer Grays be filled up with seventy-eight men, including officers, or even more. They were instructed to hold themselves in readiness to defend their country. The company met at their armory on the evening of the 20th and adopted stirring resolu- tions, a copy of which was sent to Gov. Samuel J. Kirkwood. A large national flag, bearing the words, "Our Flag : We Will Defend It," was then hung across a street by a cord passing from the Carter House to the Overman Block. When the resolutions had been adopted, the boys marched out, formed a square under the flag, and gave three cheers for the banner, followed by three more for their country. A piece of music was played by the Cornet Band.
W. J. Steel was the first man to leave Cedar Falls for the war. He was a member of a Chicago cavalry company which had been accepted and ordered into camp. Mentioning the fact that he was ordered to rejoin his company, and that he was going on the next train, the Grays turned out and escorted him to the depot, where a patriotic good-by was said between him and each member of the . Grays as the train came in.
Late in May the adjutant general sent marching orders to the Grays and Captain Smith replied that they were ready, with the additional information that the citizens of the town had supplied a fatigue uniform for each member of the company. During the same week a contribution was raised among the citizens to assist in the maintenance of the soldiers' families. The fund amounted to over eight hundred dollars and was separate from the uniform fund, which was $300.
On Sunday afternoon, Rev. L. B. Fifield addressed the Grays at Overman's Hall. At noon on Monday the recruits from Waverly and vicinity arrived, accompanied by 350 citizens from that town, and were received in front of the Overman Block. At 3 o'clock Capt. M. M. Trumbull of Butler County reached town with his company, the Union Guards, and a royal reception was held. After remaining half an hour the Butler soldiers resumed their march to Waterloo. The Grays then chose their permanent officers.
On Monday night another meeting was held at Overman's Hall and the audience was addressed by J. B. Powers, Z. Streeter, D. Allen, A. J. Felt of Bradford, Reverend Porterfield and Mr. Jackson, the latter one of the Floyd County volunteers. The parting address was made by W. H. Nichols.
On the next morning fully five thousand people assembled to say farewell to the soldiers. Sadness was the keynote of this gathering and little joy was dis- played. Contrasted to it was the return home years later, on April 2, 1864, Saturday. The crowd here were joyful and happy. A welcoming address was made by Rev. J. S. Eberhart, after which the veterans marched to Overman's
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Hall, where they were formally welcomed by Rev. L. B. Fifield. A bountiful supper was then served by the women at Horticultural Hall.
ACTION OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
At the June session of the Board of Supervisors, 1861, Jesse Wasson intro- duced a resolution which was passed, concurring in the views of the North and pledging support. On the same day the board appropriated $500 for the relief of the families of volunteers who had enlisted or should enlist in the strife. The clerk reported October 15, 1861, that $110 had been drawn for said purposes, whereupon Mr. Wasson moved the further appropriation of $110 be added to the original appropriation, which was done.
A special session of the board was held August 22, 1861, at which resolutions expressing the sentiment of the day were passed, and by them it was made the duty of each supervisor to ascertain the wants and necessities of the wives and families of volunteers in their respective townships, and on his report relief was to be supplied to such families of the county, the maximum amount not to exceed $5 per month for the wife and $1.50 for the child. The board drew a salary and mileage for this noble work. At the September meeting in 1862 it was passed by a special committee to give $5 per month to each volunteer's family, but the resolution was never adopted by the board. At the October session, 1862, the clerk reported a total of $899.56 expended for relief of soldiers' families.
At an adjourned meeting, December 7, 1863, the board ordered a bounty of $200 to be paid to each volunteer who had or should enlist under the then last call for men. On January 6, 1864, the board ordered that families receiving the $200 should be excluded from the volunteer fund. On September 6, 1864, on motion of B. Sergeant, the clerk was authorized to issue county warrants to veteran volunteers, for bounty of $200 each, upon the certificate of the captain or any officer of higher grade than captain, that they had enlisted as veteran volunteers and been credited to Black Hawk County, previous to January 7, 1864. On January 4, 1865, a committee was appointed to draft resolutions in the matter of raising a bounty for volunteers to fill the call for soldiers, consisting of Corwin, Abbey and Gilkey. A county warrant for $400 was to be issued to each man enlisting under the last call of the President for 300,000 mnen. This resolution was carried.
In Cedar Falls $2,000 was subscribed as extra bounty to one company leaving that place. A Mr. Walkup, at one of the mass meetings, offered $50 to every man who would enlist that night.
A big war meeting was held in Waterloo on the night of August 9, 1862. Great excitement was raised and the Waterloo Brass Band played continually. Two thousand dollars was raised for bounty, each recruit to receive $20.
OTHER ENLISTMENTS AND MEETINGS
In August, 1862, E. F. Smith, near La Porte City, undertook the raising of a company of men. Another was raised in Waterloo, one in Lester Township and one in Big Creek Township. Companies were also raised in Barclay, Blakeville
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and Spring Creek. F. S. Washburn, of Waterloo, was authorized to raise a com- pany in that place.
On Monday morning. August 11. 1862, a number of young men canvassed the Town of Waterloo for a new company. H. C. Raymond. H. F. Peebles and C. K. White were the first to place their names on these muster rolls. The young men had a new plan of meeting expenses. All their pay was to be thrown in a. common fund and this was to be divided equally among the men.
Thompson and Dearth were in charge of the recruting at La Porte City.
\ rousing war meeting was held at Cedar Falls on Saturday evening, March 14. 1863. Mayor H. H. Heath and Colonel Trumbull addressed the people. Reso- lutions in sympathy with the cause were passed before adjournment.
Under the call of 1863 the quotas of the townships were as follows: Water- loo, 26; east Waterloo, 19: Cedar Falls, 37 ; Union, 4; Bennington, Mt. Vernon, not made out : Washington. 4; Lester, 8; Barclay, 4; Spring Creek, 7; Fox, I ; . Poyner, 10: Cedar. 5: Big Creek. 7 : Eagle, 2: Orange. 7: Black Hawk, 5; Lin- coln. 1.
Mr. O. O. St. John was the recruiting agent for the whole county. He traveled everywhere, called war meetings and stirred up the martial feeling in his endeavor to get recruits. He offered good bounties, that of the Government running from $300 to $400, to which was added an extra $too by the county.
EARLY WAR TIMES
The following paper was written by George Philpot :
"The population of Black Hawk County in 1860 was 8,224. Of these about 1,600 were voters and probably 200 less from that number were subject to military duty and according to the adjutant general's report between 1,100 and 1,200, or three-quarters of her full military population, responded to their country's call in the time of need. Thus Black Hawk makes practical demonstration of her loyalty and patriotismn.
"I cannot hope to give much that will interest you in this paper, except perhaps a few items connected with my own regiment. When we realized that war really threatened, then the boys became men ready to defend this Government of the people and to every call for men and money Black Hawk gave ready response. It was said if there were not men enough to fill the ranks loyal women would have been ready for the emergency.
"A voluntary company was organized at Cedar Falls in February, 1861, with J. B. Smith as captain. This company was composed of sixty men, who adopted the name of Pioneer Grays. In April the Grays began to prepare for marching to the front under order of adjutant general of the militia of Iowa, J. Bowen. The company met at their armory on the eve of the 20th and adopted the following resolutions :
".Whereas. The Government of the United States in exercise of its rights has been threatened by rebellion and insurrection in some of the states by armed young mobs, seizing the Government property and holding it in defiance of law, in refusing in those states to execute the laws of Congress made under and by virtue of the Constitution of the United States ; attacking their armory when peace- fully occupying their forts and other property and destroying the same, therefore
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"'Resolved, First, that we condemn in severest terms the actions of those engaged in the insurrection and all who sympathize with them as unpatriotic, unloyal and the insurgents as traitors to the country.
" 'Resolved, That the general Government ought to be sustained by every true and loyal citizen and that we hereby pledge ourselves as a company to rally to the support of the Star Spangled Banner at any and at all times when the country shall need our services.
" 'Resolved, That we cheerfully tender to the governor of Iowa the services of the Pioneer Grays at such times as he shall deem it expedient to demand our aid and earnestly entreat him to accept the same.
" 'Resolved, That the secretary be requested to forward a certified copy of these resolutions to the Hon. Samuel J. Kirkwood, governor of the state, and that they be published in the Cedar Falls Gazette.'
"A large national flag bearing the motto, 'Our flag, we will defend it,' was then hanging across the street by a cord from the Carter House to the Overman Block. When the resolutions had been adopted the boys marched out, formed a square under the flag, and gave three cheers for the banner, followed by three cheers for the country.
"W. J. Steel was the first man to leave Cedar Falls for the war, being a member of a California company at Chicago. Late in May came an order to march from the adjutant general. During the same week a contribution was raised for the maintenance of families soon to be left without usual support.
"Sunday afternoon Rev. L. B. Fifield of the Congregational Church addressed the Grays at Overman's Hall. At noon on Monday recruits from Waverly arrived, accompanied by 350 citizens and were received in front of the Overman Block. Captain Trumbull of Butler County came with his company, the Union Guards, who remained a short time before going to Waterloo, where they were to meet the other recruits.
"Monday night another meeting was held at Overman's Hall addressed by J. B. Powers, Z. Streeter and others. The closing address was made by W. H. Nichols, one of the company corporals and later judge of West Randolph, Vermont.
"Tuesday morning 5,000 people assembled for the final farewell. The train moved out amid cheers and sobs. We were a lot of big boys, leaving mothers, sweethearts and friends, leaving home and home associations, loaded with many keepsakes for untried warfare, yet knowing little of what it meant except that we were under orders to obey those in authority over us and follow the flag.
"Not less was the sacrifice of those we left behind, though firm and unflinch- ingly they put on a brave front. The following will, to some extent, show the spirit of those left behind. A father who had two sons in an Iowa regiment and not hearing from them for some time after the battle of Shiloh wrote their colonel, saying : 'I have heard nothing from my boys since the battle. Let me know if they are killed or disabled. If so I will send two more to take their places.' Those two came home, however, but another brother does lie in an un- known Southern grave. Brave women scraped lint, packed boxes and otherwise administered to the wants of their soldier boys as best they could."
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THE FIRST CASUALTIES
The first Waterloo soldier killed in the Civil war was Lorraine Washburn, son of Levi Washburn, who came here in 1856 or 1857. Lorraine Washburn was a private in Company I, Third Iowa Infantry, and enlisted at Waterloo on May 20, 1861. During the action at Blue Mills Landing, Missouri, on September 17, 1861, he was wounded in the leg. Ile died the next day from the effects of this wound. Washburn was but twenty years of age at this time. The residence from which he went forth to the war is now known as 173 Third Street West.
The first Waterloo man to be wounded in the war was Peter S. Dorlan. He received a bullet at Blue Mills Landing during the same engagement in which young Washburn was killed. Dorlan was brought back from the front on a cot. His coming was the signal for a general holiday in Waterloo and the streets were thronged with people. Dorlan was also a member of Company I, Third Regiment of Iowa Infantry.
H. J. Harrison wrote the following some years ago in reference to Peter Dorlan : "The Third went immediately to the front into active service. At its second fight at Blue Mills, Missouri, Private P. S. Dorlan was severely wounded. I well remember the excitement created. Peter was the first of the Waterloo boys to be shot by a rebel bullet and it brought the war home to us as an actuality. We had not fully realized up to that time what war really meant. As soon as he was able to travel Mr. Dorlan was sent home on furlough. When he arrived nearly the whole town turned out to welcome him. A carriage containing Mr. and Mrs. Dorlan, Peter's father and mother, headed the procession to the Illinois Central depot, and the wounded soldier was placed between them, and the pro- cession took up its line of march to his home, between lines of men, women and children, all eager to do him honor. It was an ovation any man might be proud of. The Twelfth Regiment was encamped at Dubuque at that time and Dorlan was brought to camp to let the boys have a look at a wounded soldier. I remember that he wore at the time a red sash which he had captured in some rebel camp, and John Elwell, first lieutenant of Company E, gravely informed us that every man who was wounded would get a red sash."
DRAFTS
In the year 1863 the recruiting business in Black Hawk County began to take on excitement, owing to the possibility of a draft in the county, which did occur in that summer. The first draft took place in the courthouse. The names of all liable to military duty were listed to run the gantlet of the draft. These names on little slips of paper were deposited in a box, a small draft boy was blindfolded and three turns given the wheel. The box fell out and the papers were scattered on the floor. After they were gathered up and again put into the box the wheel was turned three times. Byron Sargeant, a prominent old settler of the county now living, was standing near. He turned and said to those about him, "I'll be the first one drafted. I feel it in my bones." The blindfolded boy put his hand in the box and drew forth a slip. The clerk took it and read aloud, "Byron Sar- geant." There were two others drafted at this time. Subsequently there was
LORRAINE W. WASHBURN First Black Hawk County soldier killed in the Civil war.
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another drawing and others were drafted. Mr. Sargeant never went into the army and it is presumed that he hired a substitute. That was the common practice.
The year of 1864 started out with Waterloo three men short of its quota, East Waterloo seven short and the county fifty men. President Lincoln called for 200,000 troops and counties, towns and cities were ordered to fill up their quotas. On April 13 a draft was made, but there is no record showing who fell victims to the drafting wheel in the Waterloo courthouse. Some men in the county claim that there was another draft held in August of this year. The following of one draft so closely after another might lead to bad impressions, if not explained. But in previous instances the quota had apparently been filled, but many had been rejected as unfit for duty by the inspector when the time of mustering into the service arrived. This was probably the case in this instance. This also was the last draft in Black Hawk County.
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