USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
Here the regiment remained some three weeks, enjoying a com- fortable quiet and rest, being quartered in the rude cabins erected by the rebels. After the three weeks' repose the regiment was or- dered to march to Metal Landing on the Tennessee River, where it lay nearly a week waiting for transportation, at the end of which the steamer "White Cloud " was assigned to the "Seventh," and all hands boarded her and steamed up the river to Pittsburg Landing.
470
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Remained on the steamer one week, when they disembarked and camped contignous to the river; a few days afterward, however they changed camp a short distance, to escape the cold and bluster- ing winds, remaining on latter ground until the memorable 6th of April, '62, when Beauregard with his host of rebels attacked the whole line.
The "Seventh " was on parade for inspection when the battle commenced. In a few moments they moved to the front, where they were engaged the balance of the day. About 4 o'clock the whole brigade was ordered to fall back, in which retrograde move- ment, Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, commanding their division, fell, and the "Seventh " lost one officer, color-sergeant, seven men, and a number wounded. They rallied in the edge of a timber tract, and stopped the advance of the rebels, afterward falling back to the main road, where they bivoucked for the night, pass- ing a most uncomfortable one, it raining torrents.
The next morning they made an advance on the rebels and be- fore noon they were in full rout. At night the regiment returned to the old camp and a warm supper was cooked-the first they had had for two days, but were compelled to lie without shelter, the tents of the regiment being occupied by the wounded of both armies. The next day another advance was made, reaching out several miles, but no enemy was to be found, the Federal army having driven the rebels from the bloody field of Shiloh, and at 8 P. M. that day they were in camp triumphant.
They remained here until the 27th of April, when the whole army moved on to the siege of Corinth. It was while on this march that the shovel was first used by the men in throwing up walks and rifle pits, and about the 1st of June, when contiguous to Corinth, it was ascertained that the enemy had evacuated, and the "Seventh," with the division, was ordered to the pursuit. This terminated at Booneville, Miss., where they went into camp, re- turning in a few days to brigade and formed what was known as Camp Montgomery, about two miles southeast of Corinth, and re- mained there in perfect quiet for the balance of the summer, doing picket and guard duty and drilling.
On the 15th of September they were ordered to Iuka, arriving there the 17th, and from Gen. Grant's order No. 1, their division deserves as much credit and praise as the troops who were actually engaged. They left here on the afternoon of the 17th; marched to Burnsville same day; next day reached Camp Montgomery.
471
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Remained in camp quietly until the 3d of October, 1862, when they were ordered to the front to meet the forces of Van Dorn and Price. The "Seventh," as usual, was on hand, and a more gallant fight the men never made. On the 3d of October, in the after- noon, Gen. Dains, who commanded the division when our weak line was driven back to Fort Robinette, placed the "Seventh " in a position of honor in support of a battery, which was then sta- tioned at Fort Robinette. During the night was moved several times, and on the morning of the 4th, about 3 o'clock, took position on a ridge to the left of Battery Richardson. At 8 A. M. were thrown out to support the skirmishers, the enemy being in strong force in the front. The skirmish line fell back, and upon the fact being reported to Gen. Dains, he ordered the Seventh Iowa 10 take position on their old ground, and but a few minutes after, the enemy appeared in the front in vast numbers, but the nerve of Iowa's sons, the "Second," and the " Seventh," held the ridge, when there was no support from the balance of their division. Gen. Sweeney, who was in command of their division, gave the order for them to retire a short distance, and in his official report made special mention of the Second and Seventh Iowa, in the fol- lowing words: "I could not bear to see brave men slaughtered, and ordered the Second and Seventh Iowa to retire, there being no other troops to their support." The "Seventh " retired about fifty yards, when they were rallied and made a charge on the enemy, which put him to flight, and the victory was won.
On the morning of the 5th, they were ordered in pursuit of the flying enemy, but at five p. M. same day were ordered back to Cor- inth. Bivonacked near the seminary, and remained until the after- noon of the 6th. Were then ordered to Camp Montgomery, and the next morning were ordered to Rienzi, where they arrived same day. Remained at Rienzi a few days, and were then ordered to Kossuth, at which place they policed and established camp, but next day were ordered to a place called Boneyard where the regi- ment camped and remained one month. From there they returned to Corinth, went into tents, and passed the winter.
In March, 1863, were ordered to Bethel, Tenn., where the reg- iment remained until about June first. Then returned to Corinth, and built good, comfortable quarters, but before getting any com- fort from them, were ordered to Mascen, Tenn. After being there a few days, a two weeks' campaign down the Mississippi was or- dered and carried out, via Holly Springs. Then returned to La
472
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Grange, and commenced making preparations for winter quarters, but they were doomed to disappointment, for about October 31, they were ordered on a campaign, taking cars for Inka. At this time the nights were cold and frosty, and the men suffered con- siderably, having to ride on the top of box cars! Arrived at Inka and went into camp. Remaining so but a few days they took up line of march, crossed the Tennessee River at Eastport, and on the 11th of November, 1863, arrived at the wealthy and pleasant little city of Pulaski, Tenn., where they went into camp. Not having any tents, owing to the limited transportation, the men busied themselves erecting rude hnts, or in army parlance, " chebangs," in all were comparatively quite comfortable. The railroad being destroyed by the rebels, the nearest depot of supplies was at Smith's Station, six miles above Columbia, and thirty-six miles from the camp. From this distance they had to wagon their supplies, and the " Seventh " in December was escort for one hundred and fifty wagons to that station. The weather was very inclement, and on the trip the men suffered considerably.
About Dec. 20, 1863, they received orders allowing men who had been in the service two years to veteranize, and in a few days three-fourths of the men present for duty re-enlisted. The regi- ment started for Iowa on the seventh of January, 1864, and were furloughed for thirty days from January 20. On the 20th of February commenced the rendezvous at Keokuk, and about the 25th they had about two hundred recruits mustered into the regi- ment. They left Keokuk by steamboat on the 27th of February, arriving at Cairo March 1, and took transports for Nashville, ar- riving there in three squads, from the 4th to the 7th of March. They then took the cars for Pulaski, proceeding from thence to Prospect, Tenn., on Elk River, and garrisoned that post until Apr. 27, when they started on the ever memorable Atlanta campaign -the march to the sea-" three hundred thousand strong."
This march was one of continued skirmishing and fighting. The "Seventh" upon crossing the Oostanula River at Lay's Ferry, May 15, was thrown to the front to feel the enemy, who were in strong force, and but few minutes sufficed to bring on a deadly conflict, lasting, however, but a few moments, but long enough to completely rout the rebels, consisting of an entire division com- manded by Gen. Walker. The "Seventh" did not number four hundred muskets. and inside of ten minutes lost sixty-one men in killed and wounded. No regiment in the United States service
473
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
ever behaved with more gallantry, and it was with difficulty that the men could be drawn off of a force of four or five times their number. This was about the first severe fighting of the campaign, but it continued from that time till the first of September, includ- ing Rome Cross Roads, Dallas, New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, Nick-a-Jack Creek, and in close proximity to Atlanta, in all of which the "Seventh" Iowa bore an honorable part. On the 22d of July, when the gallant McPherson fell, the gallant old "Seventh" was an active participant in the bloody fray, and added new laurels to her former bright record.
The regiment moved from Atlanta, and struck the West Point Railroad near Palmetto, and from thence to Jonesboro, supported Kilpatrick's cavalary in driving the enemy, and was the command under General Sherman, which compelled Hood to evacuate Atlanta. The regiment went from East Point by rail to Rome, Ga., where it arrived about the 20th of September. . They were then ordered to Allatoona on the 4th of October, but from accident to the train did not arrive in time to take a part in the bloody fight of the fifth, but arrived there just after the repulse of the enemy. October 7th, they returned to Rome, where they remained until November 11th, when they marched through the heart of Georgia, and entered the city of Savannah, December 21.
The Seventh was mustered out of the United States service at Louisville, Ky., July 12, 1865, and disbanded at Davenport. During the war the total number of casualties among the officers of the "Seventh" was fifty, four killed, three died of wounds, four died of disease, three dismissed, thirty-six resigned. Among the enlisted men total number of casualties five hundred and fifty- nine.
TWELFTH INFANTRY.
COMPANY E. Privates. COMPANY K. Cook, James P. Private.
Fifth Sergeant.
Charles P. Collins.
Cook, Sylvester Story, Stephen
Dutcher, Albert
The Twelfth Iowa served in many of the most important battles of the Rebellion, and in no one was it ever defeated. It was re- cruited under a call of the President made just after the battle of Bull Run and was mustered into service at Dubuque in the fall of 1861. The regiment proceeded at first by rail to St. Louis, and went into quarters at Benton Barracks for drill and discipline. During the following winter, while at Benton Barracks, the regi-
474
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
ment suffered greatly from disease. Half the regiment were sick at one time, and about seventy-five died. Early in 1862 it joined General Grant, and participated in the siege and capture of Fort Donelson in February. In April it bore a conspicnous part in the battle of Shiloh, and was one of the three regiments which held back ten times their force of rebels, long after all support had fallen away from their right and their 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 arms and surrendered themselves prisoners of war. About 150 who had been in hospital, or for other cause were not present at the battle of Shiloh, served during the eight months im- prisonment of the principal part of the command in what was known as the Union Brigade. In April, 1863, the men being exchanged, the regiment was reorganized.
The regiment next took part in the campaign of Vicksburg, and other movements requiring great activity and hard service. Jan- uary 4, following, the regiment mustered as a veteran organization, a larger proportion re-enlisting than from any other regiment from the State.
After the usual veteran furlough the Twelfth resumed active oper- ations, fighting several skirmishes and a battle near Tupelo, Miss. Two companies of the regiment defeated 400 rebels at the mouth of White River, Ark. Then followed an active campaign in Mis- souri against Price, which, however, failed of its object. It closed its brave career by adding to its achievements a good share of the honors of the Mobile campaign. It was mustered out in the early part of 1866.
THIRTEENTH INFANTRY.
COMPANY UNKNOWN. Privates. Gaff, Albert W. Wilkins, William L.
Collins, Charles P. Sellech, George J. Jr.
Burney, Joseph P. Lowry, Charles W.
The Thirteenth served gallantly in nearly every Southern State, and won many laurels, especially in the Carolina campaign. The Thirteenth was the first to enter Columbia, the capitol of South Carolina, and plant the Union colors on the capitol. While the main army was laying pontoon bridges across the Saluda and Broad rivers, three miles above the city, Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy fit- ted up an old worn-out flat-boat, capable of carrying about twenty
475
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
men, and, accompanied by Lieutenants H. C. McArthur and Will- iam H. Goodrell, crossed the river in front of the city, and boldly advanced through its streets, sending back the boat, with another procured on the opposite shore, for more troops; and on their arri- val, with seventy-five men in all, drove a portion of Wheeler's cav- alry from the town, and planted his two stands of colors; one upon the old and the other upon the new capitol. For this service Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy and the Thirteenth Iowa received great credit.
FOURTEENTH INFANTRY.
COMPANY C.
Privates:
Parsons, Joshua
Wait, William H.
The Fourteenth served principally in Louisiana and Mississippi, but as it contained but two men from Floyd County, no detailed history of its services is appropriate in this work.
TWENTY-FIRST INFANTRY.
Privates. Jones, John
COMPANY A. Fourth Sergeant.
Goble, James
Kannouse, Midian Reed, William
Allen Adams.
Gaylord, John J.
Eighth Corporal.
Gregory, Salathiel Ide, Albert A.
Sullivan, Samuel
William H. Wagner.
Wagner, David C.
The Twenty-first Infantry was organized at Camp Franklin, near Dubuque, in the latter part of August, 1862. Samuel Mer- rill, of Clayton County, was commissioned Colonel; Cornelius W. Dunlap, of Mitchell, Lieutenant-Colonel, and S. G. Van Anda, of Delaware, as Major. The regiment had at first, all told, 976 men. In September the regiment embarked on the steamer "Henry Clay " for St. Louis. Thence it proceeded to Rolla, where it went into camp. Here it was well drilled and disciplined, and early in 1863 it had an opportunity to try its mettle at the battle of Harts- ville, in which a portion of the command, with detachments of others, under Colonel Merrill, in all about 1,000 men, fought 5,000 Confederates under Generals Marmaduke and McDonald. This was not a positive victory for either side, as both rebels and Unionists retreated-the former because unable to make any headway against the Unionists, the latter because their ammunition was about ex- hausted. The detachment of the Twenty-first which fought at
476
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Hartsville did not retreat until the last rebel had left the place. General Warren highly commended the regiment for its gallant behavior the first time it was ever under fire.
During the winter a great deal of sickness prevailed in the regi- ment, and many of the men died. In the latter part of January they began a toilsome march over a desolate country in Southwest Missouri and across Arkansas into Louisiana and Mississippi, where the command joined General Grant in his Vicksburg cam- paign. The Twenty-first bore a conspicuous part in the battle of Port Gibson, along with other Iowa regiments. Colonel Merrill and his command were especially mentioned in the official report of the battle. Then it took its place in the line besieging Vicks- burg, working often night and day, until the final fall of that stronghold before Grant's victorious army. Following this it par- ticipated in the campaign against Johnson, which immediately suc- ceeded the capture of Vicksburg. Then came various minor move- ments, and encampments in various localities, some of them very unhealthy. Consequently the mortality among the troops was un- usually great. The regiment was in Texas about half a year, where the better climate produced wonderful results in restoring the men to health and good spirits.
The command performed valuable service the remainder of the war, but served in no memorable battle or campaign except that of Mobile. In the difficult and toilsome march, in the siege of Span- ish Fort and Blakely, the Twenty-first bore a creditable part. In due time the regiment was mustered out and returned home, hav- ing served its country as bravely as any that bore the colors of the Union.
Col. Samuel Merrill, to whom was intrusted the command of the regiment, was born in the town of Turner, Oxford County, Me., Aug. 7, 1822. He is of English ancestry, being a descendant on his mother's side of Peter Hill, who came from the west of Eng- land and settled in Saco, now Biddeford, Maine, in 1653. On his father's side he is a descendant of Nathaniel Merrill, who came from Salisbury, England, and settled in Newberg, Mass., in 1636.
Abel Merrill married Abigail Hill in 1809, and the couple soon after moved to Turner, Maine, where Samuel was born. Samuel was married to Catharine Thomas, who died in 1847, but fourteen
477
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
months after their marriage. In January, 1851, he was again mar- ried, his second wife being a Miss Hill, of Buxton, Maine.
At the age of sixteen he moved with his parents to Buxton, where his time was mostly engaged in turns at teaching and in at- tending school until he attained his majority. Having determined to make teaching his profession, he set out for that purpose toward the sunny South, but as he says, he was " born too far north " for his political comfort. Suspicion having been raised as to his abo- litionist proclivities, and finding the elements not altogether con- genial, he soon abandoned the land of the palm and palmetto for the old Granite State, where he engaged for several years in farm- ing. In 1847 he moved to Tamworth, N. H., where he engaged very successfully in the mercantile business. In 1856 he turned his face toward the setting sun to try his fortunes on the broad prairies of the West, and made a settlement at McGregor.
During all these years of business Mr. Merrill took an active part in politics, and in 1854 was elected as an abolitionist to the New Hampshire Legislature, and was re-elected in 1855. In 1860 he was elected to the Legislature from Clayton County. He con- tinued his business in McGregor till the autumn of 1862, when he was commissioned as Colonel of the Twenty-First Iowa Infantry, and proceeded immediately to Missouri with his regiment. An ac- count of the services of the regiment has already been given. At the battle of Black River Bridge, Colonel Merrill was severely wounded through the hips. Suffering from his wounds, he resigned his commission and returned to McGregor, but was unable to attend to his private affairs for many months, and is still at times a suf- ferer from this " token of remembrance" received on the battle- fields of freedom.
In 1867 Colonel Merrill received the nomination from the Re- publican convention of the State for the office of Governor, and was triumphantly elected, and re-elected in 1869. During these two terms he was actively engaged in the discharge of his official du- ties, and probably no incumbent of that office ever devoted himself more earnestly to the public good.
478
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
TWENTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY.
COMPANY E.
Privates.
Mitchell, Jolın
Montgomery, W. V.
Moore, William C.
Godfrey, Jerome C.
Allen, Samuel S.
Muhm, Frederick
Bates, William S.
Munson, Joseph
COMPANY G. Captain.
Blood, Eber L.
Murray, Lewis
Charles A. Slocum.
Second Lieutenant.
Crowell, Edward
Potter, George N.
Edward Reiniger. Second Sergeant.
Eaton, Cyrus HI.
Raymond, Lorenzo D.
George P. Smith.
Fleenor, Isaac N.
Refsnider, William
Fifth Sergeant.
Frazee, George T.
Rich, Joseph C.
Albert G. Daniels.
Grow. Aldice G.
Shermerhorn, Levi
Second Corporal.
Grow, Norton D.
Smith, Lafayette
Lewis J. Treat. Fourth Corporal.
Hanchett, John H.
Smith, Myron
George B. Austin.
Heltinger, Perry
Winkler, Sidney
Fifth Corporal.
Howdeshell, Jacob R.
Wise, Martin
George W. Perrin.
Idler, David
Wise, Samuel
Sixth Corporal.
Ireland, Sylvanus P.
Wood, Charles
Lewis Y. Dawley.
Kellogg, William H. H.
Wright, Charles T.
Eighth Corporal.
Knouse, Ernest
Wright, John
Frederick A. Dutcher.
Malony, George
Young, Aurin S.
McAllister, Freeman
Young, Temple
The Twenty-seventh Iowa Volunteers had nearly as varied an experience in the matter of climate as the distinguished explorer after the remains of Sir John Franklin, who received his orders to proceed to the polar regions whilst bathing in the Gulf of Mexico. This regiment performed its first active service in Northern Minne- sota, about the latitude of Quebec, and before it closed its career of usefulness and honor its hardy troops had made a voyage ou the Gulf, from the Balize to Mobile Bay. They had seen the Miss- issippi River where it looked like an insignificant stream, and where, having received the waters of a continent for the liberties of whose mighty people they had taken up arms, it swept by many channels into the sea. It was recruited in the Third Congressional District, and a good proportion of the men were from Clayton County. The various companies rendezvoused at Dubuque, where they were mustered into the service of the United States, Oct. 3. The roll at this time bore 952 men and forty officers, making the aggregate of the regiment nearly 1,000.
Within a week from entering the service the regiment was ordered to report to Major-General Pope, to take part in the cam- paign against the hostile tribes of Indians who were at that time threatening the frontier generally, and were especially waging
Brown, Eugene S.
Noble, James
Carnan, Alpheus L.
Perrin, Hershel I.
Dean, Daniel M.
Price, Thomas
Decker, William C.
Purdy, Stacy J.
Green, Leander
Shannon, Jacob
Haren, Silas W.
Swain, William E.
Hays, Samuel
Thompson, Albert H.
Private.
Allen, Jacob C.
479
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
their savage warfare in Minnesota. The Indians had been defeated, however, before the Twenty-seventh arrived; so after a short stay it proceeded to Cairo, Ill. Remaining there but a few days, it embarked on transports and moved down the river to Memphis, where it reported to General Sherman, and Nov. 22 it went into temporary camp in the rear of that city. Soon orders were received to march with Sherman to assist Grant in the Vicksburg campaign.
This march was promptly begun, although the men were but poorly armed and equipped. They complained of their arms not a little, but Colonel Gilbert had the tact and nerve to satisfactorily silence all complaint. In the Vicksburg campaign, while others were acquiring renown in active operations, the Twenty-seventh and other regiments were performing less brilliant but valuable service in guarding lines of communication and in preventing rebel incursions into territory wrenched from rebel authority by the victories in 1862. The Twenty-seventh was posted in detach- ments at various places on the railway not far from Jackson, Colonel Gilbert being in command of that post. In June it moved to Moscow, where it remained for two months performing similar duties.
During the spring the regiment was saved from destruction by the heroism of two Union women. The troops were being trans- ported by rail from Bethel to Jackson, Tenn. The guerrillas had partially destroyed a railroad bridge by fire, and then, as the structure was about to fall, extinguished the flames, so that the troop train might be run upon it and dashed to fragments. Two noble women walked ten miles, unprotected, and by waving of lanterns arrested the eye of the engineer and secured the salva- tion of the regiment from a horrible fate, as the train was running at a high rate of speed. The women refused any compensation, merely asking an escort home.
Aug. 20, the wishes of the regimeut to be taken into more active service were gratified, and it took part in the successful ex- pedition against Little Rock. Then the command went into quar- ter at Memphis, where it remained till the close of January, 1864.
Early in this year the regiment moved down the river to Vicks- burg, whence it took part with Sherman in his great Meridian raid. After a few days' rest at Vicksburg on its return from this raid, it joined General Banks in the Red River expedition. In this the command displayed conspicuous gallantry. Then followed
480
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
a brief campaign in Mississippi, after which the regiment proceeded to Missouri. Here, under Rosecrans, it marched over a great part of the State, without accomplishing anything in particular. Then they fought against Hood, in Tennessee, under General Smith. Colonel Gilbert was promoted Brigadier-General for the gallantry he displayed in the battle of Nashville. The regiment joined in the pursuit of Ilood, marching southward as far as Pulaski. After a short time in camp at Eastport, the troops embarked Feb. 9, for New Orleans. Moving down the Tennessee, the Ohio and the Mississippi, they disembarked at Chalmette, a short distance below the Crescent City. Remaining in camp two weeks it again em- barked, and sailed down the river and across part of the Gulf of Mexico to Dauphin Island, Ala., on the sands of which it went o encampment.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.