USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 31
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"Excitement .- Nothing is so well calculated to make things move in a lively manner as excitement, unless it be a little more excite- ment. Our streets are full of people, one-half military, one-half want to be, and the rest entertaining desires of the same kind. Martial music is heard in every direction, including up and down ; flags are fluttering gaily in the breeze and patriotic excitement reigns supreme. The question of drafting has wholly been ab- sorbed in the greater matter of military arrests. The number of good citizens of our city reported under arrest yesterday was truly enormous, many of whom remain ignorant even this morning of the perilous predicaments in which rumor placed them."-(Herald, August 19. 1862.)
On Sunday evening August 17, 1862, John Strohl, a farmer residing near Centralia, Dubuque county, was arrested at his resi- dence shortly after his return from church by Deputy Marshal Conger and Lieutenant Duffy. Rumor said he had organized a company of his neighbors and armed them for the purpose of resisting the collection of the war tax; that he opposed drafting ; that he was preparing to rescue Mr. Mahony, and that he discour- aged enlistments. All this was denied. Mr. Strohl was brought to Dubuque and permitted to stop at the house of a friend on his own parole. He was treated with great courtesy and was per- mitted to go home upon his promise to report again at Dubuque at a stated time when called upon to do so.
Volunteers raised by Osborne and Swivel were united; also those raised by Horr and Harrison. Captain Dixon called for recruits for Herron's Rifles. At this time the camp here was called Frank- lin. Numerous war meetings were held throughout the county.
284
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
August 15 was fixed as the day for the draft, but the date was postponed. Captain Harrison's company left about August 16, 1862. Bv August 18 the barracks at Camp Franklin (old Camp Union) were nearly completed. Meetings to raise volunteers for the Irish regiment were held throughout the county, but progress was slow; there seemed to be a prejudice against the regiment. Captain Horr's company was complete about August 18. For a time, in order to stop, if possible, the exodus to escape the draft, persons crossing the river were required to secure a pass from Marshal Conger. As fast as the companies were ready they went to Camp Franklin to drill and become accustomed to camp life. Henry O'Connor and John O'Neill were talked of for colonel of the Irish regument. In a letter to the Herald of August 21, Mr. Mahony merely and generally reaffirmed his former views.
On August 19, 1862, the county board "Resolved, That the sum of fifty dollars be appropriated by this board to be paid in county warrants to each and every volunteer who may enlist hereafter, and until September I next, in the service of the United States as a volunteer soldier to the credit of Dubuque county, the said sum to be paid in such manner as the board may prescribe. And this board pledges itself to ratify and carry out at its next regular session this resolution in letter and spirit. Cort, Kitler and Ma- comber were the only members of the county board to vote against the above resolution. The Times declared that the result of the arrest of Mahony and others was the passage of the above resolution and the great improvement in recruiting. Storr and Karrick recruited men in August. By August 22 the Twenty-first Regi- ment ( Herron's) was nearly completed. About August 20 Gov- ernor Kirkwood appointed the following draft officers for this locality : John L. Harvey, commissioner ; C. J. Cummings, enroll- ing officer : Dr. Lewis, surgeon.
"Recruiting .- We learn that so rapidly have recruits been raised that there are now in this congressional district more than the num- ber required to fill our proportion of the first three hundred thou- sand men called for, and there is every indication that our entire quota of the six hundred thousand will be ready by the Ist of Sep- tember, volunteering thereby obviating the necessity of drafting."- (Herald, August 20, 1862.) "Negro-Mania on the Brain .- This horrible disease has broken out in our midst and promises to assume every type from the mildest to the most dangerous and incurable form," said the Herald of August 29. 1862. A Herald carrier tried to circulate that paper in Camp Franklin, but was kicked out of the camp by Company B of Clayton county.
D. A. Mahony was taken to Washington, D. C., and confined in the old capitol prison. The appearance of enrolling officers all over the county caused much excitement late in August ; no serious opposition was offered except in two or three instances. Horr's.
285
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
Harrison's and Swivel's companies were in the Twenty-first Regi- ment. The Indian trouble in Minnesota engrossed attention in the fall of 1862. By August 28 there were five full companies quartered at hotels and boarding houses, waiting for the next call. Dr. Lewis was besieged for exemption permits. Lieutenant Duffy took away fifteen recruits for the Thirteenth United States Regi- ment late in August. About this time Governor Kirkwood wrote John O'Neill that he would approve an order from the War Depart- ment authorizing the latter to raise an Irish regiment. It was at this time also that a petition asking for an emancipation proclama- tion as a military necessity was circulated here and numerously signed.
Rev. Mr. Holbrook called in person upon President Lincoln late in August and urged him to seize the present opportunity to declare the slaves of Rebels free. The Herald ridiculed the movement, asking how the government could make them free when the south- ern States were in possession of the Rebels. J. B. Dorr raised recruits for the Twenty-first Regiment. Lieutenant Dewey secured more recruits for the regular service. Late in August it was announced that two more regiments would be recruited at Dubuque -Twenty-seventh and Thirty-second.
"We think if a little time be given for volunteering that not only will our entire quota be full but that the Irish regiment will be organized. Let us have an opportunity by all means, and we will see what can be done."-(Herald, August 30, 1862. )
Late in August David S. Wilson was commissioned major of the Irish regiment to be raised. At this time the government bounty was $104 and the county bounty $50. The total exempts August 31 were as follows: Physical disability, 366; aliens, 267; under and over age, 103; firemen, 88; ferrymen, etc., 15; total, 837. The following was the report of the enrolling officer Septem- ber I, 1862:
Volunteers Regular Three
September. 1862.
Militia.
for war.
army.
monthis.
First Ward
647
65
39
4
Second Ward
469
65
4
24
Third Ward
628
77
IO
31
Fourth Ward
722
121
8
IO
Fifth Ward
482
58
2
19
Julien Twp.
314
64
3
. .
Total
3262
450
66
88
Mosalem
168
3
4
. .
Iowa
165
II
I
. .
Taylor
281
79
. .
. .
Prairie Creek
160
I7
2
. .
Concord
188
38
.
. .
286
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
New Wine
354
59
5
I
Dodge
148
20
4
. .
Jefferson
312
53
I
Vernon
213
33
White Water
216
34
IO
I
Liberty
263
I3
2
Cascade
215
36
9
. .
Table Mound.
197
37
. .
Peru
165
20
4
..
Center
237
27
I
..
-
Total
.6745
953
107
92
. .
. .
Washington
201
23
In September Conday, Duffy and O'Brien recruited for the Irish regiment. The Iowa Army Sanitary Commission had a branch here in September. The Herald said the progressive steps of Abo- litionism were emancipation, confiscation, extermination and damna- tion. By September 2 the Twenty-seventh Regiment was full. Large sums of money were paid out for bounty. V. J. Williams became colonel of the Twenty-seventh ; he had fought at Wilson's Creek. The pass system to catch "skedaddlers" from the draft was enforced again at the levee early in September ; but the exodus continued at night in yawls. In September, 1862, the county board refused to make an appropriation for the support of soldiers' fam- ilies. An immense emancipation meeting early in September, called by Rev. Holbrook and others, was largely attended and very urgent and enthusiastic. Bailey, Langworthy, Bissell and Cram prepared a petition to President Lincoln to free the slaves. D. S. Wilson became colonel of the Sixth Iowa Cavalry. County bounty fifty- dollar warrants were worth about forty-five dollars. On Septem- ber 16 the Twenty-first Regiment left Dubuque in a drenching rain ; thousands gathered to see them depart. The Irish regiment was called the Forty-second ; George M. O'Brien became its colonel. On September 16 Governor Kirkwood announced there would be no general draft. A mass meeting of men opposed to emancipa- tion was held about the middle of September. Mr. Mahony, it was announced, was obliged to wait until a military commission had been appointed to try his case. W. B. Allison, in a public speech, called Mahony a traitor, whereupon the Herald lampooned Allison. George W. Beaubien made saddles, bridles, spurs, etc., for the troops.
By September 20. 1862, Dubuque had furnished the following volunteers: First Iowa, two companies under Captains Herron and Gottschalk; Third, one company under Capt. R. G. Herron ; Ninth, a company under Captain Thomas and Hayden's Battery of one hundred and forty men : Twelfth, two companies under Cap-
287
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
tains Plater and Vanduzee; Curtis' Horse, two companies recruited here; First or Second Cavalry, one company under Captain Coon ; Sixteenth, two companies under Captains Ruhl and Newcomb; Twenty-first, four companies under Captains Greaves, Swivel, Horr and Harrison. Captain David raised about seventy men for the Twenty-first Iowa Battery. Regular army : two companies secured by Lieutenant King, one company by Lieutenant Newberry, one company by Lieutenant Dewey, two companies by Captain Wash- ington, one company by Captain York; Captain Woodman was now raising another company. Not all of the above companies came from Dubuque county ; particularly those for the regular army came from all parts of this congressional district. Mark Smith made clothing for the soldiers. W. H. Peabody bought horses for the army. Late in September three regiments partly completed were at Camp Franklin. Markell and Williams raised sharpshooters in September and October. Trouble between Colonel Brush and the Thirty-eighth Regiment caused Governor Kirkwood to put Lieutenant Colonel Hughes in command in October. By October 5 Sixth Cavalry had six full companies. The Twenty- seventh Regiment was ordered to Spirit Lake in October to hold the Sioux in check : they received 750 muskets, 120 Enfield rifles, and 87,000 rounds of ammunition. Four companies left for St. Paul to reinforce General Pope ; the others followed a few days later : all went by the steamers Northern Light, Itasca and Flora.
"The time has come when we can no longer shut our eyes and hope for better things at the hands of the dominant party. This war is to be waged for partisan purposes. To save the Union is not a part of their design, but to divide and destroy it is their aim. This war, which we are told by Abolitionists, is being conducted to put down the rebellion, is in reality to further their mad schemes of negro emancipation and negro equality."-( Herald, October 8, 1862.)
On October 26 Governor Kirkwood was here and reviewed the soldiers at Camp Franklin; he called on Bishop Smyth. On this date the Herald said that Lieutenant Dewey was the most success- ful recruiting officer ever here; within one year he secured about five hundred volunteers for the Regular Army, usually in small squads. A row at Camp Franklin resulted in the death of one sol- dier and the wounding of several others. The Silver Greys, eighty- four men, under Captain West, left for Davenport October 17; they were all over forty-five years. The citizens here did not properly care for the volunteers at Camp Franklin ; many complaints arose : late in October about eighty were sick, mostly with measles and light fevers: a few of the worst cases were sent to private houses : several deaths occurred. Peter Kiene, Jr., was wounded at Corinth, captured, taken to Vicksburg, and finally paroled; he was warmly welcomed upon his arrival home, his death having been reported.
288
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
By November 4 the Thirty-eighth Regiment was full, but over- coats and arms were yet to come. The removal of Mcclellan in November was declared to be a great mistake by the Herald. It was proposed by the Times to ascertain the property of Rebels here and confiscate the same. Mr. Mahony was discharged by the War Department about November 12, 1862; his friends gave him a rousing reception upon his return to Dubuque ; he was met at the ferry and welcomed in a speech by Ben. M. Samuels ; bonfires were lighted on the bluffs, buildings were decorated, and he was carried on the shoulders of enthusiastic admirers; at First street men took the places of the horses and drew his carriage up Main street and on others around to his residence on Bluff street. At the stand in Washington Square he was welcomed by Judge Wilson. Samuels and O'Neill Mr. Mahony replied and stated that he would advo- cate the same policy he had formerly supported. When the Ma- hony procession passed the Times office all lights were extinguished and sepulchral groans came from the darkness. At the reception the Times employes and others spiked the cannon and hid the bar- rels of tar intended for the illumination.
"The captains of two of the companies of the Thirty-eighth Regi- ment, which left town Monday, ordered their companies to halt in front of the Herald office and give three groans, which they did. Many of these men are those who have been guilty of acts of rowdyism and vandalism lately. They can never forgive us for the exposure of their cowardice."-( Herald, November 18, 1862. )
"The Herald of Sunday published a most preposterous account of what it terms 'a brilliant ovation' given to D. A. Mahony in this city last Saturday evening on his return from prison. No one who was in the city then and saw what occurred could read its stilted description without laughing at its absurd falsehoods."-(Times, November 18, 1862.)
"The Democrats of Dubuque county, like Democrats everywhere, who have contended for the 'Constitution as it is and the Union as it was,' have been called traitors because they favored the suppres- sion of the rebellion by legal and constitutional means. The charge of treason is now applied to men who seek to uphold laws They who apply the name traitor boast that it has been their effort for sixteen years to destroy this government. To this school belong the leaders of the Abolition party in Iowa and to this class belong the men who in darkness and secrecy caused your arrest. The news of your arrest struck the people with astonishment. What was the specific charge? Where were the affidavits? Did anyone ever know who made the affidavits? I never did, except as a vague rumor." -- (Judge Wilson in welcoming speech. )
"I am come back, fellow-citizens, more than ever devoted to the principles for the advocacy of which I was incarcerated. I am come back resolved to adhere to them and advocate them. I told
PICTURESQUE DUBUQUE
289
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
them at Washington that they should hear from me and they said they expected to. In due time they shall."-( Mahony in his reply to welcoming speech. )
"The reception speech was delivered by Judge Wilson. As he embraced this occasion for throwing off the mask which he wore before the election, and by which many loyal voters were induced to vote for him, we shall notice it further."-(Times, November 18, 1862.)
Again in November, 1862, was draft threatened; the return of Mahony and the disloyal speeches of such men as Judge Wilson threw a damper on enlistments.
Late in November, 1862, the Times demanded the suppression of the Herald upon the following grounds : I. That it was preparing for a practical demonstration of treason; 2, that it would induce Democratic party followers to rise in mob resistance to the draft and the war tax; 3, that if allowed to continue it would bring about the same state of things witnessed in Pennsylvania and Wis- consin. The Herald denied all this charge.
The report of the hospital at Camp Franklin from September 18 to November 30, 1862, showed that the whole number admitted was 193; returned to duty, 163; furloughed convalescent, 7; dis- charged, I ; died, 8: remaining in the hospital, 24. Typhoid, bil- ious and lung fevers prevailed. Men of the Twenty-first, Twenty- seventh, Thirty-second and Thirty-eighth regiments suffered most.
In December Mr. Mahony addressed a four-column article to President Lincoln, giving his views on the conduct of the war; it failed to convince the Administration that it should change its policy. The Thirty-eighth Regiment, Colonel Hughes, left for the front December 15; they made a fine appearance as they marched through the streets. One of the barracks at Camp Franklin burned in December ; part of the Forty-second Regiment saved the others. Late in December the Silver Greys were on furlough. The Forty- second and the Irish regiment were consolidated; O'Brien of the latter became lieutenant colonel. General Vandever was here for the holidays and was serenaded. The Ladies' Aid Society gave the soldiers at Camp Franklin a splendid dinner on Christmas, 1862 ; turkeys, pies, cakes, fruit galore.
"Another Compliment .- Two companies of the Thirty-eighth marched by our office in good style yesterday and, while passing. their band (a good one. by the way) played Dixie in a very credit- able manner. At the expense of being called a Secesh, Butternut, Copperhead or Dimmycrat, we must solemnly avow that we know of no tune when properly played that so soothes our savage breast as does Dixie, and we don't care who knows it-except the U. S. marshal." -- (Herald, December 13, 1862. )
"We believe that he (Lincoln) has violated the most solemn of all oaths over and over again. We believe that for the purpose of
290
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
giving liberty to the slave he has enthralled the freemen and while life lasts and our present convictions are retained, we will oppose him and counsel opposition to the bitter end. What right has he to play the usurper over men as free as he? What right has he to burden the country with an ever-eating, never-satisfying debt ? What right has he to destroy the nation as he has and then proceed to render it forever abject as he does. The people who submit to the insolent fanaticism which dictated this last act (emancipation proc- lamation) are and deserve to be enslaved to the class which Abra- ham Lincoln self-sufficiently declares free. If they possessed a tithe of the spirit which animated Rome when Catiline was expelled from its walls, or of their own immediate ancestry who went to war for an act which seemed to encroach upon their liberties, they would hurl him into the Potomac, Cabinet, Congress and all."- (Herald, January 3, 1863. ) On January 6 Mahony spoke of Lin- coln as "a brainless tyrant, a perjured public servant. a blundering partisan, a buffoon President."
The Herald continually misunderstood and misconstrued the ob- jects of the war, if its statements are to be believed. At all times it insisted that the object was to free the slaves and establish a despotism, that "save the Union" was a mere pretext ; that the freed slaves would be poured on the North to the ruin of free white labor ; that the freed slaves would be used by the Federal officers to aid them in stealing the cotton of the South. The fact or the northern view seems never to have entered Mr. Mahony's head, or else he was playing the cards for the Secessionists living in this county. He said "emancipation and re-Union are incompatible objects of the war; he who is for emancipation must be for dis- Union, for emancipation is dis-Union with the South. As the South can never be conquered the war should stop." He resumed connection with the Herald January 1, 1863, and said :
"I shall continue to advocate the application of constitutional principles to the administration of the government, not only with a fervor unabated by my temporary subjection to arbitrary power but with a zeal stimulated with a zealous regard for American liberty, by the experience which I have acquired, by how easy it is to subvert the best government of nations and to subject millions of freemen to the outrages of a military despotism.
The Dubuque Times of yesterday announces, probably by a1- thority, that Governor Kirkwood has decided not to enforce the draft. The results elsewhere attending this 'vindication of gov- ernment authority' have not been so encouraging as to enamor his excellency with the system, and so we go free. The 'exempt brigade' can burn up their tickets of physical debility and inability : they are not wanted. The war is getting to be a little unpopular and the draft unhealthy."-(Herald, January 8, 1863. )
Seventeen privates of the defunct Irish regiment applied for
291
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
release from further military duty and asked for writs of habeas corpus to Judge Hempstead, which were granted. As they had been mustered into the service of the United States government, they were remanded back by Captain Byrnes to the service for three years or during the war.
The barracks at Camp Franklin were sold at auction for $1,564 in January, 1863. Believing from the start that the war was waged for the purpose of destroying slavery, Mahony said, January IO: "We have therefore given it no countenance, contributed to- ward it no support." The Forty-second (Irish regiment) and the Forty-third were merged into the Seventh cavalry regiment early in 1863.
"Has not the proclamation of emancipation discouraged enlist- ments? has it not demoralized the army? has it not united the South to a man? has it not disaffected the border states? Is it not the crowning act of Lincoln's folly ?"-( Herald, January 18, 1863. )
"Camp Franklin is now desolate, not a solitary soldier inhabit- ing a single barrack. The governor says that no more troops will be rendezvoused in Dubuque, so notoriously secessional is the character of its leading citizens. The governor does us proud by clearing us of all charges of Abolitionism."-(Herald, January 16, 1863.)
Referring to Vallandingham's disloyal speech, Mr. Mahony said, January 20, 1863: "It is bold, logical, direct and positive. The peo- ple think with him and were he prepared to lead would act with him at the word. We must and will have speedy peace." This meant, if anything, open and armed revolt against the administration.
"Train's Lecture Last Evening .- Globe Hall was well filled last evening to listen to the lying renegade from Massachusetts. Rebel sympathizers were there-men who have sons in the rebel army were there-men who pray daily that our armies may be over- thrown (the only prayers they ever make) were there-and all of them applauded to the echo his infamous lies and treason. Ah, well, let the poor fool lie and talk. If it were not for the sweet pleasure it gives the Tories here we wouldn't care a fig for the effect of last night's lecture."-(Times, January 20, 1863. )
In January, 1863, the Chicago Tribune called Mahony "the Dubuque traitor ; the spawn of a felon's cell." The Herald ridi- culed the appointment of Herron to a major-generalship and said : "His appointment is a suggestive commentary on the poverty- stricken military ability which characterizes the Federal army." Children of loyal parents sang during recess at the public schools "John Brown," which act was objected to by disloyal parents.
"The record we have labored to make up is one of opposition to the war-not a factious but a frank and conscientious opposition. We did not believe that war could restore the Union of these states," said the Herald of February 18, 1863.
292
HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY
The Times declared on February 20, 1863, that the administra- tion had just as much right to suppress a paper which was opposed to it as it had to spike a cannon of the enemy. The Herald asked the citizens if they were willing to submit to such extinguishment of the rights of free press.
The Herald and all disloyalists were so outspoken in February that the Times and the Union men planned to secure here a branch of the Loyal League. Such a company was organized at Cascade early in 1863.
"In view of the disloyal and treasonable conspiracy against the government of the United States, for its overthrow by its enemies, and which is evidently fast developing itself throughout the North- west, we whose names are hereunto subscribed do agree and form ourselves into a company or association to be called the "Cascade National Union Guard," to co-operate with like associations in this state, for the protection of life, liberty and the Union, to hold in check disloyal organizations, or any armed resistance to the laws, and at all times to be under the control of the state of Iowa, to organize, meet and drill after the manner of the state militia." Dr. W. H. Francis was sponsor of this company. It was armed and commanded by ex-soldiers.
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