USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and its people, Volume I > Part 17
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The wives and mothers left behind that day faced a far harder situation than did the soldiers going to the front.
Such a seene as we have tried to describe can never be effaced from the memory of those who witnessed it and we pray God that it shall never occur again.
The day the soldiers departed they were given a splendid dinner by the people of Manchester, which was certainly a most gracious and generous act.
An act which aroused the indignation and wrath of the people of Independ- ence was that Superintendent Young of the Dubuque & Sioux City Railroad stowed part of our company and all of the Vinton company in open cattle ears, rigged up with rough board seats where the hot sun and clouds of dust made them extremely uncomfortable, and to add insult to injury, was the fact that there were several new passenger cars at the command of the company at Dubuque and with an empty one on the train. Conductor Cawley was very considerate of the men and insisted upon placing the empty passenger car at their disposal after they reached Manchester.
In the same paper which tells of the soldiers' departure is given an account of the 4th of July celebration. It seems strange that at such a sad and depressing time as this. just eight days before the first company left for war, that the citizens could think of celebrating, even though it were the 4th of July, but they did and in grand style, judging from the county papers. The day was ushered in by a national salute of thirty-four guns (one for each state) at sunrise. At 10 o'clock a procession formed at the Courthouse Square with bands, military companies, Sabbath schools. citizens, etc., a regular "old-time parade" and marched through the streets to the grove where they observed the usual 4th of July exercises, interspersed with music from the Glee Club Brass Band; W. G. Donnan read the Declaration of Independence, and William Mills, Esq., of Dubuque. gave a fine oration, followed by a national salute, a pienie dinner, military parade, balloon ascension, another national salute and ending with a grand display of fireworks
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in the evening. The citizens of the county turned out en masse and participated in the good time, evidently feeling that if ever the day should be celebrated, this year should be the "capsheaf" of all others. And it was this spirit of patriotic enthusiasm which prompted them to make an extra effort for the Fourth, in order to buoy up their feelings and cover their aching hearts.
In the Civilian of July 23, 1861, was printed a long letter from the editor, who with the rest of the band had accompanied the soldiers down to Burlington and saw them in camp. At Dubnque all the soldiers, headed by the Independence Brass Band, paraded the streets and then to Union Park where they listened to several short, stirring patriotie speeches by Dubnque men, and then were dis- missed for the rest of the day. Saturday morning they assembled again in Union Park, had another parade and dismissed until 1 o'clock when the boat arrived that was to take them to Burlington. Four companies left Dubuque on the boat and one from Allamakee County was already aboard, the others were from Benton, Delaware, Hardin and Buchanan counties and at Bellevue they took on part of another company and two brass bands, one from Lansing and the other from Independence. The Lansing band left at Lyons and the Independence band was left all alone in its glory. Our Independence band was offered the position of regimental band, on condition they would raise their number to sixteen. At every town they passed through the soldiers were accorded some sort of demonstration ; music, cheering, waving flags, and some places by a cannon salute and the soldiers responded with music and cheers.
The camp grounds were 212 miles from Burlington and when these companies arrived there were between twenty and thirty companies, 1,900 troops already there, which made 2,300 soldiers in all. All along the route the Independence Guards merited much praise for their fine appearance and good behavior; at Dubuque they were said to be the best company that had passed through Dubuque and the colonel of the regiment told the editors that he felt proud of the Inde- pendence Guards and considered them an A No. 1 Company, and they certainly were a credit to the town and county. The boys were feeling in the best of spirits and anxious to commence drilling.
Captain Lee's company, Company E of the Fifth Regiment of the Volunteer Infantry, was enrolled in Buchanan County, ordered into quarters by the gov- ernor of the state, June 29, 1861 ; mustered into the service of the United States by Lient. Alexander Chambers, United States Army at Burlington, July 15, 1861, under the proclamation of the President of the United States bearing date May 3, 1861.
The following is the muster roll of Company E, Fifth Regiment Jowa Vohmteers :
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Captain, Daniel S. Lee.
First Lieutenant, George C. Jordan. First Lientenant, Alexander B. Lewis. Second Lieutenant, William S. Marshall. Second Lieutenant, Carlos b. White.
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NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
First Sergeant, Carlos L. White. First Sergeant, Thomas Blonden.
Second Sergeant, Kesley L. Marlin.
Second Sergeant, William S. Peck. Third Sergeant, Charles F. Putney.
Fourth Sergeant, Alexander B. Lewis. Fourth Sergeant, William Bunee.
Fifth Sergeant, William S. Peck.
Fifth Sergeant, Jerry Rea. First Corporal, Cyrus J. Reed. First Corporal, Joseph H. Me Williams.
Second Corporal, Eugene A. Woodruff.
Second Corporal, Julius F. Phelps.
Third Corporal, Joseph II. Me Williams.
Third Corporal, Frank Noble. Fourth Corporal, Oscar J. M. Fuller.
Fourth Corporal, Simon L. Shultz.
Fifth Corporal, Julius F. Phelps.
Fifth Corporal, John B. Oliver.
Sixth Corporal, Frank Noble. Sixth Corporal, William Codling. Seventh Corporal, Leroy F. Funk. Seventh Corporal, John Jarrett.
Eighth Corporal, Charles F. Putney.
Eighth Corporal, Calvin C. Pattee.
Musieian, William H. Brown. Wagoner, Henry McQueen.
PRIVATES
David Allen, Samuel C. Allison, Joseph Anson, Madison J. Bryan, William Bunee, James Bell, William W. Baughman, Daniel H. Bill, Charles F. Bailey, William H. H. Coats, Solomon J. Clark, William S. Cushman, Elijah Chillester, William Crawford, William Codling, A. M. Conkling, John A. Davis, Thomas Donnelly. Almon J. Francis, Albert R. Goss, James B. Gaylord, John C. Geyer, James Ilarrigan, Martin Hallock, Morgan Holmes, Sanford Hamilton, John Jarrett, William F. Johnson, Adin B. Kinsel, Francis H. Kessler, Wilbur F. Kellogg, Castleton Leatherman, Simmens P. Mead, John W. Marlin, Charles Marsh, Charles A. Marsh, Rev. John W. McWilliams, Alexander Munger, James G. MeKenzie, John B. Oliver, Levy Overhulser, Noah Porter, William R. Peters, Calvin C. Pattee, Peter Putnam, Thomas C. Puckett, James C. Perham, William Payne, Thomas Robinson, Samuel A. Reed, Jackson Rice, John Richards, Edward Roderick, Jerry Rea, Moses H. Robinson, Jackson Rice, George Sellers, John Shay, James Stack, Rufus W. Safford, Oliver Safford, George B. Sitler, Simon L. Shulz, Heman Sprague, William H. Sayre, Henry W. Snider, Hela C. Sprague, Jolin Snider, John II. Towle, Alvin R. Wheeler, James B. Wolf, C. W.
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
Waggoner, Omar R. Whitman, Richard Whait, Nathan Wheeler, Rynear M. Walker, Westley Williams, Mahlon Williams, Stephen R. Washburn. Addi- tional enlistments up to January 1, 1863, John C. MeCray.
Three of our volunteers were not aerepted-William Sherwood on account of a bad hand, Mr. Clark, of Littleton, who was over age, and T. Fleming. of Fremont Township, was too young.
The company, as mustered into service, munbered ninety-seven men aside from the officers.
When first heard of by their friends, they had not received their blankets and were sleeping on straw without covering and as an inevitable consequence of this sudden change in manner of living, diarrhoea was to some extent prevalent in ramp.
We have settled "our soldiers" in camp ready to begin actual duties and prepare for active service, and now we must leave them and return home to recount other occurrences.
SOME OF THE HOME DOINGS
A man by the name of Noah Porter living at Good Will, Bremer County, while on his way to work on Friday, June 28th, saw a notice of the acceptance of the Independence Guards, and a call for a meeting of the company on Saturday. Ile immediately went home, put his team in the stable, bade his wife and children good-bye and walked seventy-five miles to this place, where he enrolled himself as a member of the company.
Another incident of trne patriotism and loyalty was exemplified when JJ. L. Loomis, who was then a elerk in the postoffice ( afterwards editor of the Bulletin ) first heard of the great disaster to the Federal troops at Manassas, immediately determined to volunteer and went to Dubuque in order to take advantage of the first opportunity to enlist.
Such examples of heroism were not rare.
The Dubuque Times spoke of the people and soldiers of Independence :
"Much praise is due to the people of Independence for the creditable manner in which they fitted out their volunteers. Through the liberality of the citizens the 'boys' were enabled to go into camp with a better outfit than any other com- pany in the regiment. All spectators were struck by the gallant bearing and evident intelligence of this fine corps, and with one accord they were pronounced the star company of the five which left here last Saturday. Much is expected of them, and most assuredly they will not disappoint their friends."
Before Captain Lee left for war, some of his friends presented him with a fine Colt's navy revolver. Lieutenant JJordan was the recipient of a similar compliment, and Lieutenant Marshall would have been but he was already provided with small arms.
These men were held in the highest esteem by their fellow citizens and were deservedly popular with their men.
Captain Lee came home for a visit the last week of July and reported his, company to be in excellent health and spirits. Only one man was in the hospital. After they received their blankets and cooked their rations, they were very com- fortable, and much better fed than they previously had been. They were fast
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acquiring proficiency in drill though their arms and equipment had not yet been supplied.
The conduct of the men received the highest commendation from their cap- tain. Not one man had been ordered under guard and their fine soldierly bearing and orderly behavior had won them hosts of friends. Colonel Worthington had not received marching orders for his regiment, but everything pointed to an early_ demand for their presence in Missouri.
On the 25th of July, the friends of Company E sent them three large boxes and a barrel of delicacies "belonging to the higher departments of culinary tac- ties in which the boys had not been drilled." The collation reached Camp Warren at Burlington on the 2d of August and on the day following, they received march- ing orders which took them beyond the reach of these loving ministries.
We previously mentioned that another military company had been formed in Independence soon after the "Independence Guards," and was called the Buchanan County Light Infantry. They had their headquarters in the Allen building on South Main Street, near the bridge, and the Independence Guards had theirs in Morse's Hall (now known as the Morse flats) just west of and adjoining the Regal Hotel.
Both companies kept conscientiously drilling to perfect themselves in military tactics, having practiced at least three nights a week and much of the time every night. Captain Whitney of Quasqueton had just received word on August 6 that his company had been accepted by the governor and ordered into one of the regiments which were soon to rendezvous at Dubuque. The company was not complete at that time but was expected to be soon.
Still another company had been organized in the early summer in Jefferson Township and soon numbered over fifty men, most of whom were ready for active service. S. D. Joy, who was an orderly sergeant in the Mexican war, was elected captain, Joseph Rouse, first lieutenant, George Frink, second lieutenant.
The forming of the Light Infantry was directly due to J. M. Hord who was afterwards elected its eaptain. At the first election of officers for the "Guards" he was chosen as first lieutenant and K. S. Marlin as second, but this election was declared void by a law passed at the extra session of the Legislature, and so a second election was held on the Ist of June which resulted in some changes in the officers, both commissioned and non-commissioned, By this election G. E. Jordan took Hord's place as first lieutenant, and W. S. Marshall took Marlin's place as second lieutenant.
Hord with a promptness which showed that an honest desire to serve his country was paramount with him, set to work to organize a second company, and his success showed the respeet and confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens.
A few weeks later, Captain Hord, accompanied the "Guards" to Burlington and while there tendered the services of his company to Governor Kirkwood, who accepted and assigned them to the Seventh Regiment which was then form- ing. The three first offieers, Captain Hord and Lieutenants Seott and Kandy were highly commended to all desirous of enlisting as being competent and entirely worthy of confidence besides being men of experience in military affairs. Captain IIord had seen service in Mexico, Lieutenant Scott in the East Indies, and Lieutenant Kandy had for many years been an officer in the militia. About this time arrived home the first Buchanan Company soldier who was Vol. 1-9
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
wounded in the war. Ilis name was Williams, a resident of Superior Township and a member of the First Regiment lowa Volunteers. Ile was cordially greeted by the citizens and Captain llord's company, who were then about ready to leave.
In an issue of the Civilian of August 6, 1861, we saw a notice of a "last chance to join the Buchanan County Light Infantry" which had been so for- tunate as to be assigned to Hon. William Vandever's Regiment which was expected to leave for Washington via Baltimore about the first of September. And it was expected that they would be in General MeClellan's Brigade but they were not, but were put into the 9th lowa under General Fremont in Mis- souri. The governor had authorized Captain- Hord to put his company into quarters and as soon as the men enlisted they were allowed to draw their rations and pay. This shows the great demand for troops that existed. The company then only numbered fifty-five, but so rapidly were the ranks filled up under the inspiration of this call for troops that by August 26th, they were enabled to report at Dubuque with a company which numbered eighty-eight men in the ranks and six or seven more reernits were expected to join soon, besides the officers.
Mr. Bull, proprietor of Bull's Addition to Independence, connected himself with this company acting as first lieutenant, and devoted himself to the further- ance of its interests. At the governor's suggestion an extra session of the Board of Supervisors was held taking into consideration the matter of supply- ing the company with uniforms. Three hundred dollars was promptly voted by the board and a resolution was also passed, declaring their willingness to give a similar amount to any company of volunteers raised in the county upon going into active service.
Colonel Vandever was so confident that the troops would be furnished uni- forms before leaving Dubuque that it was only necessary that shirts, hats, shoes, and belts should be provided by the county.
And again the noble women of Independence arose to the occasion and lent their active aid and unselfish interest. Great enthusiasm for their regi- ment prevailed among the men on account of the high character of their colonel and the efficiency which marked their regimental organization. A bat- tery of six cannon was attached to this regiment, making it the best appointed, thus far, that had been raised in the state.
On August 26th, a repetition of the sad and heart-breaking scenes of July 12th was enacted. Another hundred of our noble, patriotic sons had departed for the front, a second offering upon the altar of liberty, another tragie parting seene, unlike any other on earth with the sobs, the tears, the smiles, the cheers, the God-speeds of the hundreds of loving hearts left behind. And the fervent prayers that every man of them might live to return to the arms which gave them up to their country's cause.
They were accompanied to the depot even at that early hour of starting by a large concourse of people; relatives and friends, who had gathered from all over the county to say farewell and God be with you till we meet again.
The self-sacrifieing, patriotie women of Independence had again demon- strated their loyalty and sympathy by making shirts for this company and pre- sented each soldier with one of those indispensable little treasures, a needle ease,
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
which the men certainly appreciated. A bouquet of flowers from the women and testaments from the Bible Society also were given them as to the former com- pany, and all the ceremonies, the farewell sermon, by Reverend Sampson on the Sunday previous to their departure, the presentation speech by Reverend Fulton on Tuesday morning when the Bibles were given them, followed with prayer by Reverend Sampson. C. Heege was on hand with his eamon and gave the boys a parting salute as he did when the first company left. No partiality should be shown; every patriot should be accorded the same kind and considerate treat- ment by our appreciative citizens. They were a fine looking lot of young men, intelligent, and noble-hearted, brave, generous and true and the citizens took great pride in their appearance and splendid deportment. But all the pride and enthusiasm of such a time could not blind the friends to the painful faet that this parting might be forever, and this second sacrifice was even harder than the first, this second parting sadder and more painful because the people were just waking up to the fact that a terrible life-crushing, despoiling octopus "war" was eating into the very vitals of our conutry. The hope of reconciliation with the South had entirely vanished and although at this time the northerners considered the war to be a trivial affair and of short duration it certainly was taking on a more serious attitude, and its increasing magnitude day by day be- came more appreciative. Now there was no wavering or impassive sentiment among our patriotic sons. A great and vigorous sympathy with the cause of Liberty pervaded the hearts of all classes, regardless of party affiliation. This intense fervor and devotion to the Union prompted the issuance of a call for a Union Convention to be held in Independence, September 21, 1861, for the purpose of nominating sound Union men, irrespective of party for the several county offices to be voted for that fall. This crisis was the melting pot for all petty prejudices, party strife, and differences of ereed-all were united and solidified to the one eause of the Union forever.
The Light Infantry Company were to be encamped in Union Park, Dubuque, and on the way down, they were given an ovation at every station. The Inde- pendence band accompanied this company and marched with them to camp as. they did with the first company and a long, hot, dusty march it was. Their rations and cooking utensils were in readiness for them, each company was divided into messes of six each, and each mess cooked for themselves and roomed together. They were supplied with tin eups, pewter plates, knives and forks, basins, one coffee-pot and a eamp kettle, and drew rations sufficient for three meals every morning. They had fresh beef three days a week. Camp Union was considered the best in the state, water being close at hand and everything eonvenient.
The Light Infantry, Ninth Regiment, elected officers at Camp Union, and the. following is a complete list of all the members this company had during the war :.
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Captain, Jared M. Hord. Captain, Hiram C. Bull. First Lieutenant, Hiram C. Bull.
First Lieutenant, Nathan Rice.
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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
First Lieutenant, Robert W. Wright.
First Lieutenant, Jacob P. Sampson.
Second Lieutenant, William Scott.
Second Lieutenant, Nathan Rice.
Second Lieutenant, Robert W. Wright.
Second Lieutenant, Jacob P. Sampson.
Second Lieutenant, Edmund C. Little.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
First Sergeant, Robert W. Wright.
First Sergeant, Jacob P. Sampson. First Sergeant, Edmund C. Little. Second Sergeant, Nathan Rice.
Third Sergeant, David V. Coe.
Third Sergeant, Edmund C. Little.
Third Sergeant, Hiram Holdridge. Fourth Sergeant, Billings Davis.
Fifth Sergeant, R. T. Bain.
Fifth Sergeant, Charles G. Curtis.
First Corporal, James M. Elson. Second Corporal, Charles N. Bennett. Third Corporal, Ezra T. Rust. Fourth Corporal, James H. Merrill. Fifth Corporal, Jacob D. Sanders.
Sixth Corporal, Fred M. Wilbur. Seventh Corporal, Charles W. Sarchet. Eighth Corporal, Edmund C. Little. Musician, Alpheus Losey. Wagoner, David Greek.
PRIVATES
Henry Reynolds, William Allison, E. J. Allen, Marsena Allen, Isaac Arwine, William Adams, George M. Abbott, Perry Allspraugh, Thomas J. Barber, J. H. Bower, Jesse Barnett, John C. Brown, Adelbert C. Bellus, Thomas Cress, L. D. Curtis, Isaac G. Chase, Valentine Cates, John Cartwright, Wesley Curtis, Wil- liam Decker, Billings Davis, J. E. Elson, Alonzo K. Engle, John Engreman, J. H. Ford, Julius Furcht, Edwin Fary, Enoch Fary, Reuben E. Freeman, George Freyberthauser, N. A. Green, William C. Gillum, Nelson Hovey, Theodore Hyde, C. A. Hobert, Stephen Holman, Isaac N. Holman, Vinson Holman, Eli Holland, Henry Jones, Silas E. King, John M. King, Benjamin Klopp, James Leatherman, Orlando F. Lucky, Alpheus Losey, Daniel Pangburn, E. U. Patchen, Enoch Platt, B. W. Powers, William Pope, L. A. Persall, Isaiah Perdue, Philip Ritterman, Henry Reynolds, Russell Rouse, Renben Rouse, G. Q. Rust, Darwin Rich, Aham K. Robbins, Samuel Robbins, John Rodgers, David Steele, James Steele, Charles W. Sarehett, George W. Sayre, R. R. Stoneman, James M. Spar- ling, Jacob P. Sampson, Thomas Smith, James A. Sutton, George A. Turner,
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IIISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
Royal Taylor, W. D. Thayer, Albert Utterbeek, P. Vanderbilt, William Willey, H. P. Wilber, William Whisnand, R. M. Whitlock, Pierce Walton, Adonin J. Windsor, John H. Young.
Additional enlistments up to January 1, 1863 :
D. E. Godfrey, William A. Jones.
Enrolled in the County of Buchanan; went into quarters at Dubuque, July 30, 1861 ; mnstered into the service of the United States by Capt. C. Washington, United States Army, on the twenty-fifth of September, 1861, under the proclama- tion of the President dated July 23, 1861.
On September 9th, two weeks after the Light Cavalry had left home, the D. & S. C. R. R. got up an excursion to Camp Union at Dubuque. Accordingly friends and relatives of the soldiers concluded to avail themselves of this oppor- tunity. It was a rainy morning so a great many who had planned to go could not, but nevertheless two coaches full went from Independence and enjoyed the day with the "boys" and witnessed the drills, mess, etc., of real army life. And the boys enjoyed seeing the home folks again and the bountiful spread which the visitors brought.
The Friday before, a number of the local sportsmen went ont to get a mess of chickens for "our boys" at Camp Union. They got 116 chickens which were shipped to them the next day. Feathers and bones were plenty and meat scarce after that Sunday dinner.
In the same issue of the Civilian in which appeared the account of the Light Infantry's departure is an announcement of another company being organized. Efforts to raise a cavalry company had already been commenced, the officers had sent for commissions and were only waiting their arrival. Thirty signatures had already been secured.
Doctor Parsons and B. S. Rider were active in organizing this company. Great enthusiasm was manifested in this enterprise and many enlistments were being made but before the organization was completed and pending the acceptance of the company by the proper authorities, General Fremont issued an order prohibiting the acceptance of more cavalry after the completion of the Fourth Regiment, which was then nearly full, but through the indomitable energy of Doctor Parsons his men were consolidated with those of Capt. J. H. Peters of Delaware County and were accepted into Colonel Porter's Cavalry Regiment. Doctor Parsons took the rank of second lieutenant. Between twenty and thirty men left Independence in the first week of October, and went into camp at Mount Pleasant.
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