History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 48

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 48
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 48

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From the year 1790 the strife grew hot- ter and hotter every year. The questions arising kept Congress, both the Senate and House, in one incessant scene of warfare. There could be no peace in the land until this aristocratic clement was effectually banished.

The Hon. Mr. Iverson, of Georgia, speaking of the antagonism of the two systems, aristocracy and freedom, said, in the Senate of the United States, on De- cember 5th, 1860:

"Sir, disguise the fact as you will, there is enmity between the Northern and Southern people, which is deep and endur- ing, and you can never cradicate it-never. Look at the spectacle exhibited on this floor. How is it ?. There are the Northern Senators on that side; here are the Southern Senators on this side. You sit upon your side silent and gloomy. We sit upon our side with knit brows and portentous scowls. Here are two hostile bodies on this floor, and it is but a type of the feel-

ing which exists between the two sections. We are enemies as much as if we werc hostile States. We have not lived in peace. We are not now living in peace. It is not expected that we shall ever live in peace."

Hon. Mr. Mason, of Virginia, in contin- uation of the same debate said: "This is a war of sentiment and opinion, by one form of society against another form of society."

The remarks of the Hon. Garrett Davis, a Senator from Kentucky, are to the point: "The cotton States, by their slave labor, have become wealthy, and many of their planters have princely revenues-from $50,000 to $100,000 per year. This wealth has begot a pride, and insolence, and ambi- tion, and these points of the Southern character have been displayed most insult- ingly in the halls of Congress. As a class, the wealthy cotton growers arc insolent, they are proud, they are domineering, they are ambitious. They have monopo- lized the government in its honors for forty or fifty years with few interruptions, When they saw the sceptre about to depart from them, in the election of Lincoln, sooner than give up office and the spoils of office, in their mad and wicked ambition they determined to disrupt the old confederation, and erect a new onc, wherein they would have undisputed power."

Thus the feeling continued growing stronger. One incessant cry became, "Abjure your democratic constitution, which favors equal rights to all men, and give us in its place an aristocratic consti- tution, which will secure the rights of a privileged class." They insisted that the

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

domestic slave trade should be nurtured, and the foreign slave trade opened; say- ing, in the 'coarse and vulgar language of one of the most earnest advocates of slavery: "The North can import jackasses from Malta, let the South, then, import niggers from Africa."

The reply of the overwhelming majority of the people of the United States was decisive. Lincoln was elected and inaug- urated despite the conspiracy to prevent it.

Volumes could be and have been written upon these actions, but they are well known. We will merely mention the most prominent features, transpiring until the havoc of war actually set in,

On the 7th of November, 1860, it was known that Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States, and was to enter upon his duties on the 4th day of the following March. In the meantime the ex- ecutive government was virtually in the hands of the slave power. James Bu- chanan, the President, had been elected to the office openly pledged to pursue the general policy the slave-holders enjoyed. The cabinet were all slave-holders and slave-masters. The United States Navy was scattered all over the face of the earth, leaving only two vessels for the defense of the country; the treasury was left barren; the army was so scattered in remote fortresses in the far west, as to leave all the forts where they would be needed,defenseless; the United States Arse- nals were emptied, the Secretary of War sending their guns to the Slave States, where bands of Rebels were organized and drilling, prepared to receive them. One hundred and fifteen thousand arms, of the most approved pattern, were transferred

from Springfield, Massachusetts, and from Watervleit, New York, together with a vast amount of cannon, morter, balls, pow- der and shells were also forwarded to the Rebels in the Slave States.

On the 18th of February, 1861, the inauguration of Jefferson Davis, a's Presi- dent of the Southern Confederacy, took place at Montgomery, Ala. Four days later the collector of customs, appointed by the Confederate Government in Charleston, . South Carolina, issued the manifesto that all vessels, from any State out of the Con- federacy, would be treated as foreign vessels, and subject to the port dues, and other charges established by the laws of the Confederate States. Thus by a stroke of the pen, the immense commerce of the Northern States was declared to be foreign commerce, beneath the guns of the forts which the United States had reared, at an expense of millions of dollars.

Already a number of States had passed the ordinance of secession.

On the fourth of March, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated President, and assumed official duties.

At half-past four o'clock on the morning of the 12th of April, 1861, the rebels opened fire upon Fort Sumter, and, after enduring terrific bombardment from all sides, the heroic defenders abandoned it, and were conveyed to New York. Fort Sumter was the Bunker Hill of the civil war. In both cases, a proud aristocracy were determined to subject this country to its sway. In both cases the defeat was a glorious victory.

On the next Monday, April 15th, Presi- dent Lincoln issued a call for three months' service of 75,000 volunteers. The effect

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

was electrical. Within fifteen days it is estimated that 350,000 men offered them- selves in defense of our national flag.

Thus the civil war had burst upon the United States with almost the suddenness of the meteor's glare. It was, however, but like the eruption of the volcano whose pent-up fires had for ages been gathering strength for the final explosion. The con- spirators had for years been busy preparing for the conflict. In the rebel convention, which met in South Carolina to consum- mate the conspiracy, Mr. Inglis said :- "Most of us have had this subject under , consideration for the last twenty years." Mr. Keitt said: "I have been engaged in this movement ever since I entered political life." Mr. Rhett said: "It is nothing produced by Mr. Lincoln's election, or the non-cxecution of the fugitive slave law. It is a matter which has been gathering for thirty years." But more need not be said; the result is too well known. Call

followed call in quick succession, the num- ber reached the grand total of 3,339,748. The calls were as follows:

April 15, 1861, for three months. 75,000

May 4, 1861, for five years 64,748

July, 1861, for three years 500,000

July 18, 1862, for three years. 300,000

August 4, 1862, for nine months. 300,000

June, 1863, for three years. 300,000

October 17, 1863, for three years. 300,000

February 18, 1864, for three yea.s 500,000

July 10, 1864, for three years. 200,000

July 16, 1864, for one, two and three

years. 500,000

December 21, 1864, for three years.

300,000

Total. .3,339,748

Many interesting references are made to the events occurring during the breaking out of the war, and also as to the dates on which the various rebelling States seceded, in the War Chapters of Butler and Bremer counties, in this work.

CHAPTER XVI.

BUTLER COUNTY IN THE WAR.

Looking at Butler county to-day we can | scarcely realize that when the war broke upon the country, arraying more than a million of men in arms, and which made our Ship of State reel and stagger as if smitten by thunderbolts and dashed upon rocks, that it had not been settled ten years;

and Iowa as a State of the American Union was yet in her teens. But, notwithstand- ing its own soil had not been fully subjuga- ted to man's use, very material aid was promptly offered in subduing the rebellious States. The feeling throughout Iowa was universal that the Union must be preserved,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

and the sights and sounds that were so noticeable in every village and ham- let north of Mason's and Dixon' line, were duplicated here. The celerity with which men abandoned the pursuits of peace to take up those of war was most marvelous.

The population of Butler county in 1860 was 3,724, and the volunteer enlistments during the year 1861 and 1862 were 293. The quota during that time under the various calls required 179-showing an excess of men furnished of 114. During the war there were about 504 re-inlistments. A few were drafted, but most of them furnished substitutes.

Officially, Butler county nobly did its part, issuing bounties to volunteer soldiers to the amount of about $40,000, besides a relief fund which amounted to about $13,000.

Appended is given a list of the gallant heroes who participated in the war. When possible the list of the various regiments have been submitted to some one familiar with the names.

SECOND VETERAN INFANTRY.

COMPANY F.

Cotton, Charles M,

Wilcox, John,

Myers, Campbell, Wilder, William.

Warner, William E.,

COMPANY K. Sergeant: Anderson Edwards.

THIRD INFANTRY.

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. Lieutenant-Colonel-Matthew M. Trumbull. Quartermaster Sergeant-Edward H. Mix.

COMPANY I. Captain: Matthew M. Trumbull.

First Lieutenant: John G. Scobey.

Sergeant: Isaac M. Henderson.

Corporals:

Charles E. Turner, John Booram,

Henry Martin, William Burdick.

Privates:

Cotton, Gaylord, Getchell, William,

Crosby, Spencer S., Gilbert, Tilly G.,

Clousky, Joseph S., Merifield, Willis H., .

De Witt, Stephen, Mix, Thomas M.,

Edwards, Anderson,

Parks, George,

Forney, Abraham, Robison, Albert.

Filkins, William,

TIIE THIRD IOWA INFANTRY.

The Third Iowa Volunteer Infantry contained men from all parts of the State. The companies forming the command were among those who sprang to arms at the first outbreak of the rebellion.

The Third Regiment, numbering about 970, was sworn into the service of the United States at Keokuk, part on the 8th, and part on the 10th of June, 1861, with Nelson Williams, of Dubuque county, as Colonel; John Scott, of Story, Lieutenant- Colonel; William M. Stone, of Marion, Major.

The regiment remained at Keokuk till the 29th of June, on which day it embarked on steamers for Hannibal, Missouri. The regiment was hastened westward, where lively work was soon expected. They were without means of transportation, without knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, cartridge-boxes or ammunition. The only

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

weapons the men had were empty muskets and bayonets.

From abont the 12th of July till the 7th of Angust, regimental headquarters and seven of the companies were at Chillicothe, a place on the railway something more than half way across the State. The other companies werc near by guarding the railroad. On the 4th of August the men drew their accoutrements.

The regiment was marched and counter- marched all through northeastern Missouri, without accomplishing any visible good, and participation in a battle was necessary to remove the weight of despondency from their spirits. Lieutenant Scott, who was then in command, soon made an opportu- nity by fine audacity, whereby this most desirable result was brought about. This was at the combat of Blue Mills Landing, fought September 17. They marched into ambuscade, and rebel bullets were fatally pattering against it from one end to the other. The Colonel gave orders to fall back slowly. Out of sixteen officers ten had already fallen either killed or wounded. They fell back to a dry slough, where they took a stand, and repulsed the rebels with considerable loss. The combat continued about one hour, and the action of the officers and men was most creditable throughout. The regiment went to Quincy, Illinois, and remained till the 9th of November; they then went to St. Louis, and remained at-Benton Barracks till the day after Christmas, when they moved to Mexico, and spent the winter guarding the railroad.

On the night of the 3d of March, 1862, they started to join the forces of General Grant, in Tennessee, and embarked on the

17th, at Pittsburg Landing, and went into camp about a mile therefrom, in the direc- tion of the Shiloh Church, where they remained till the surprise of April 6.

During the battle of Shiloh the Third fought under Hurlburt, where they behaved with great bravery. Colonel Williams was disabled, Major Stone captured, one Captain killed and six others wounded, seven Lieutenants also wounded, while the entire loss to the regiment gave ample attestation to its valor.

The regiment then started on the march to Corinth. In July they went into camp at Memphis till the 6th of September.

At the battle of the Hatchie, the Third added fresh laurels to its wreath of honor, where it carried the bridge over the river, and lost in a few minutes, nearly sixty officers and men. After the battle the regi- ment returned to Bolivar.

They were at the siege of Vicksburg, and too much cannot be said in praise of the officers and men for their fortitude and courage exhibited during the entire siege. In the campaign which immediately followed the siege of Vicksburg the Third Iowa bore a most conspicuous part, after which they returned to Vicksburg and went into camp for the winter, and about two hundred of the men re-enlisted and went home on furloughs.

The non-veterans were with Banks in his disastrous campaign, after which they received their discharge, and were mus- tered out.

The veterans were engaged in the battle of Atlanta, where they literally fought themselves out of existence. The remain- ing members of the organization were con- solidated with the Second Iowa. The

388 HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

history of the Third throughout was gal- lant in the extreme.

THIRD INFANTRY.

COMPANY I.

Trowbridge, Samuel,

Wilcox, Jesse B.,

Warner, William E.,

Wilcox, Alfred M.

Winship, James W.,

ADDITIONAL ENLISTED MEN.

Turner, Charles E., Pauley, Charles,

Wilcox, John, Cotton, Chiarles M.

SEVENTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY B. Corporal: William L. Palmer. Privates:

Adair, John, Dunham, Alfred E ,

Colton, Theodore L., Mason, William H.

VETERANS. Corporal: · William L Palmer.

Privates:

Adair, John, Mason, William H.

EIGHTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY B.

Brownwell, Schadrac, Castlow, Thomas. COMPANY C. Campbell, James E. COMPANY D. Dobbins, Rollin, Goodhue, James M.

COMPANY G.

Maynard, Curtis,

Murry, Daniel.

COMPANY K. Bee be, Eli.

NINTH INFANTRY. COMPANY G. Privates:

Leverich, Willard,

Myers, John M.

VETERAN. Myers, Philip B.

COMPANY I.

Corporal:

Chester W. Inman.

Privates:

Consadine, Patrick,

Parcupile, James H.

Inman, David W.

VETERAN.

Captain:

Chester W. Inman.

(Unassigned.)

Hillusted, Herman,

Manwairn, Emery,

Larne, Francis,

St. John, Jarmine.

For history, sec Bremer county war. chapter.

TWELFTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY E. Sergeant: William H. Beckwith.

Corporals:

Charles V. Surfus,

Joel A. Stewart,

Thomas Boylan.

Privates:

Abrenso, John, Johnson, Charles,

Bird, E. R., Meyers, Alexander,

Bird, Robert L., Margretz. Jeremiah,

Bird, William O., Mason, George,

Carter, John B., DeMoss, James, Smith, Harvey,

Strong, Nelson,

DeMoss, Thomas, Pomeroy, Robert L.,

Spears, William,

Hubbard, George, Hoisington, Hiram, Hoisington, John,

Sharp, Oliver.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

VETERANS OF COMPANY E. Sergeants:

Charles V. Surfus, . Harvey Smith.

Jeremiah Margretz,

Privates:

Bird, E. R., Meyers, Alexander, Surfus, Nathaniel.

Bird, Robert L.,

COMPANY F. Goodell, William H.

TWELFTH INFANTRY.

Very soon after the disaster to the Union arms at Bull Run, in Virginia, the Presi- dent issued a proclamation calling for additional volunteers, under which several regiments were recruited in Iowa, and among them was the Twelfth Infantry. The companies which formed the regiment were enrolled in the counties of Hardin, Allamakee, Fayette, Linn, Black Hawk, Delaware, Winnesheik, Dubuque and Jackson, and went into rendezvous at Dubuque, where they were mustered into the service during the months of October and November. The organization was completed near the close of the latter month, the last company being sworn in on the 25th, at which time tbe regiment numbered, rank and file, nine hundred and twenty-six men. J. J. Woods, of Jackson county was commissioned Colonel; John P. Coulter, of Linn, Lieutenant-Colonel; and Samuel B. Brodtbeck, of Dubuque, Major.

A few days after organization the regi- ment moved to St. Louis, and went into quarters there for drill and discipline, at Benton Barracks. The men composing this fine command were remarkable for their vigorous, manly appearance. But during the winter 1861-2, and especially the months of December and January, the

regiment was sadly afflicted with sickness, being scourged at the same time with two dreadful diseases-measles and pneumo- nia. At one time half of the men were sick, and during this time about seventy- five members of the regiment died, among them Captain Tupper, of Company G.

Having endured the discomforts of these notorious barracks about two months, the regiment moved by rail to Cairo, and thence to Smithland, Kentucky, where it remained a short time, then joined the army under General Grant, which was about to move upon the enemy's works in Tennessee. The regiment was present at the capture of Fort Henry, February 6, 1862, and suffered very much from the extreme, severe weather.

On the 12th the regiment marched from Fort Henry to the neighborhood of Fort Donelson, and on the morning of the next day took position on the left wing of the investing army, being on the left flank of the Second Brigade on the left of the Union lines, a position which turned out to be one both of danger and of honor. In the sufferings, and contests, and final glorious success of the wonderful victory of Fort Donelson, the Twelfth bore its part manfully, and at once won a high reputation among the citizens of Iowa and other States, who read the thrilling details of General Grant's first success. The regiment remained on the field, taking needed rest and recuperating from the effect of the short but arduous campaign.

At the conclusion of this period of rest, the campaign of Shiloh was opened. The Twelfth took steamer on the Tennessee river, proceeded to Pittsburg Landing,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

where they went into camp about a mile from the hamlet.

At the battle of Shiloh, which took place on the 6th and 7th days of April, 1862, the Eighth, the Twelfth and the Fourteenth Iowa Volunteers composed four-fifths of that little band which held ` back ten times their force of Rebels, long after all support had fallen away from their right and left, fighting after the last hope of saving themselves had gone, and by sacrificing themselves, saving the army of the Union till Buell and night had come.

As the sun was setting on the army they had saved, these gallant men threw down their guns and surrendered prisoners of war. They had fought all day without flinching, but it made the blood run cold in the veins of the stoutest hearted to see many of their comrades shot down after they had surrendered, and some of them so long after the surrender, that ignorance of the fact could not have been pleaded in excuse of the foul atrocity.

The prisoners were marched five miles to the rear, and spent the stormy night in a corn-field. The next day they marched to Corinthi, thence by rail to Memphis, and from there soon afterwards to Mobile, Alabama. The officers with the rank of Captain and above, were sent by steamer to Selma. The Lieutenants and men were taken to various places in Alabama, and confined in loathsome prisons. About half of the men of the Twelfth were re- leased during the month of May, and sent to parole camp, Benton Barracks, Missouri. The rest suffered the hardships and priva- tions of imprisonment during the summer and fall. The officers remained in Selma

three months, then were taken to Atlanta for a short time, when they proceeded to Madison, where they were joined by the officers who had been separated from them, where they remained until the 7th of No- vember. They were then sent back to Libby Prison, Richmond, and were paroled on the 13th at Aiken's Landing. The enlisted men were paroled on the 20th at the same place, and all went to the parole camps at Annapolis, Maryland, and thence to St. Louis. During this period, officers and men suffered worse than had been known up to that time among civilized people, from the effects of harsh treatment. Many died in prison, many more died after- wards from the effects of their prison life, while others were compelled to. quit the service because they had been rendered unfit ever to perform its duties. About one hundred and fifty members of the Twelfth-men who had been in hospital, or for other causes were not present at the battle of Shiloh, or had escaped from imprisonment-were performing active duties on the field in the "Union Brigade."

The Union Brigade-which was, in fact, rather a consolidated regiment than a brigade-was disbanded, resolved into its original elements. Those parts of it be- longing to Iowa Regiments went to Daven- port and remained there during the winter of 1862-63, the members of the Twelfth rejoining the regiment about the 1st of April, when it was re-organized. Thic paroled men had been declared exchanged on the 1st of January, 1863, and about a week afterwards went to Rolla to defend that place against a threatened raid by Marmaduke, but returned to camp without having a fight. They spent the time

gregores.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

between that and the spring campaign at St. Louis.

In this campaign the Eighth, Twelfth and Thirty-fifth Iowa Regiments formed the Third Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, and moved from Duckport, Louisiana, on the 2d of May, to take Jackson, and then Vicksburg in the rear. The regiments participated in the marches and combats under General Sherman throughout the campaign which resulted in placing the Union army around Vicksburg in regular siege. On the 23d of May, the Brigade to which the 'Twelfth belonged, took position in the front line about a mile to the right of Fort Hill, and there remained taking full part in the siege about one month, when it marched sixteen miles to the rear of Vicksburg, with the Army of Observation under General Sherman. When, Vicksburg having fallen, the Expeditionary Army on the next day, moved out after the Rebel, General Johnson, the Twelfth Iowa marched with it, and took part in all its .operations. On the 20th of July, they again turned their faces toward Vicksburg, and three days afterwards went into camp on Bear creek, fifteen miles east of the city, where they remained encamped on a fine plantation until the tenth of the fol- lowing October, having only light picket duties to perform. On the 10th of Octo- ber the regiment went with other troops in the direction of Canton, and had a slight skirmish at Brownsville, with no material loss to either side. The command re- turned and pitched tents eight miles in rear of Vicksburg, and remained there till the 10th of November.

Having been ordered to report to General Hurlburt, the regiment marched to Vicksburg and proceeded thence by steamer to Memphis, which place they reached about the middle of the month. In two or three days they moved on to Chewalla. Lieutenant-Colonel Stibbs took command of the post, and his regiment had charge of the railroad, as guard, for four miles east, and the same west of Chewalla. Here the regiment remained until near the close of January, 1864.

When, on the 28th of January, the Memphis and Charleston railway was ordered evacuated, the Twelfth moved thereon to its western terminus, and was there assigned again to the Vicksburg campaign, to go with General Sherman on the great Meridian raid. The division was delayed on the river; and when it reached Vicksburg, General Sherman's colunın had been some time on the forward march. On this account, the division was ordered to encamp near the Big Black river, and go forward with supplies when they should be ordered. The supplies were not ordered, for General Sherman returned from the raid early in March, having levied upon the country through which he passed for all the supplies he needed.

On the 4th of January, while at Che- walla, the regiment had mustered as a veteran organization all the men present with the command except about twenty, though there were others not present, who- did not re-enlist, having re-enlisted-"a larger proportion," says Lieutenant-Col- onel Stibbs, "than in any other regiment from the State." There being no pressing need of men in the field, they were ordered home for a thirty days' furlough. The

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

regiment reported for duty at Davenport, on the 25th of April, and reached Mem- phis on the 2d of May, and, on that after- noon, arms, accoutrements and camp equip -- age were immediately drawn, and five companies marched out on picket the same night. The regiment pitched tents just outside the limits of the city.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 48

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316