USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time, Volume I > Part 16
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"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
"Done at the city of Washington, this sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the independence of the United States of America the eighty-sixth year.
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN."
IOWA RALLIES TO THE COLORS.
"Whether in the promptitude of her responses to the calls made on her by the general government, in the courage and constancy of her soldiery in the field," said Colonel A. P. Wood, of Dubuque, upon one occasion, "or in the wisdom and efficiency with which her civil administration was conducted dur- ing the trying period covered by the war of the rebellion, Iowa proved herself the peer of any loyal state. The proclamation of her governor, Samuel J. Kirk- wood, responsive to that of the president calling for volunteers to compose her first regiment, was issued on the fourth day after the fall of Sumter. At the end of only a single week men enough were reported to be in quarters (mostly in the vicinity of their own homes) to fill the regiment. These, however, were hardly more than a tithe of the number who had been offered by company com- manders for acceptance under the president's call. So urgent were these offers that the governor requested on the 24th of April permission to organize an ad-
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ditional regiment. While awaiting the answer to this request he conditionally accepted a sufficient number of companies to compose two additional regiments. In a short time he was notified that both of these would be accepted. Soon after the completion of the second and third regiments, which was near the close of May, the adjutant general of the state reported that upward of one hundred and seventy companies had been tendered to the governor to serve against the enemies of the Union.
"Much difficulty and considerable delay occurred in fitting these regiments for the field. For the First Infantry a complete outfit-not uniform-of cloth- ing was extemporized, principally by the volunteered labor of loyal women in the different towns, from material of various colors and qualities obtained within the limits of the state. The same was done in part for the Second In- fantry. Meantime, an extra session of the general assembly had been called by the governor to convene on May 15th. With but little delay that body authorized a loan of $800,000 to meet the extraordinary expenses incurred and to be incurred by the executive department in consequence of the new emer- gency. A wealthy merchant of the state-ex-Governor Merrill, then a resident of McGregor-immediately took from the governor a contract to supply a com- plete outfit of clothing for the three regiments organized, agreeing to receive, should the governor so elect, his pay therefor in state bonds at par. This con- tract he executed to the letter, and a portion of the clothing which was manu- factured in Boston to his order was delivered at Keokuk, the place at which the troops had rendezvoused, in exactly one month from the day on which the contract had been entered into. The remainder arrived only a few days later. This clothing was delivered to the regiments but was subsequently condemned by the government for the reason that its color was gray, and blue had been adopted as the color to be worn by national troops.
IOWA'S BORDERS THREATENED.
"The state, while engaged in efforts to discharge her duty in connection with the common emergency, was compelled to make separate and large pro- vision for the security of her own borders. On the south she was threatened with invasion by the secessionists of Missouri, while on the west and northwest there was danger of incursions by bands of hostile Indians now freed from the usual restraint imposed by garrisons of regular troops at the frontier posts. For border defense the governor was authorized to raise two regiments of in- fantry, a squadron-not less than five companies-of cavalry, and a battalion- not less than three companies-of artillery. Only mounted troops were en- listed, however, for this service; but in times of special danger, or when calls were made by the Unionists of northern Missouri against their disloyal ene- mies, large numbers of militia on foot turned out (often) and remained in the field until the necessity for their services had passed.
"The first order for the Iowa volunteers to move to the field was received June 13th. It was issued by General Lyon, then commanding the United States forces in Missouri. The First and Second Infantry immediately em- barked in steamboats and moved to Hannibal. Some two weeks later the Third
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Infantry was ordered to the same point. These three, together with many others of the earlier organized Iowa regiments, rendered their first field service in Missouri. The First Infantry formed a part of the little army with which General Lyon moved on Springfield and fought the bloody battle of Wilson's Creek. It received unqualified praise for its gallant bearing on the field. In the following month (September) the Third Iowa with very slight support fought with honor the sanguinary engagement of Blue Mills Landing; and in November the Seventh Iowa, as a part of a force commanded by General Grant, greatly distinguished itself in the battle of Belmont, where it poured out its blood like water, losing more than half of the men it took into action. The initial operations in which the battles referred to took place, were followed by the more important movements led by General Curtis of this state and other commanders, which resulted in defeating the armies defending the chief strategic lines held by the Confederates in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas, and compelling their withdrawal from much of the territory previously con- trolled by them in those states. In these and many other movements down to the grand culminating campaign by which Vicksburg was captured and the Con- federacy permanently severed on the line of the Mississippi river, Iowa troops took a part in steadily increasing numbers. In the investment and siege of Vicksburg the state was represented by thirty regiments and two batteries, in addition to which eight regiments and one battery were employed on the out- posts of the besieging army. The brilliancy of their exploits on the many fields where they served won for them the highest meed of praise both in military and civil circles. Multiplied were the terms in which expression was given to this sentiment but these words of one of the journals of a neighboring state- 'The Iowa troops have been heroes among heroes'-embodies the spirit of all.
IOWA TROOPS REENLISTED.
"In the veteran reenlistments that distinguished the closing months of 1863 above all other periods of reenlistments for the national armies, the Iowa three years' men who were relatively more numerous than those of any other state, were prompt to set the example of volunteering for another of equal length, thereby adding many thousands to the great army of those who gave this re- newed and practical assurance that the cause of the Union should not be left without defenders. In all the important movements of 1864 and 1865 by which the Confederacy was penetrated in every quarter and its military power finally overthrown, the Iowa troops took part. Their drumbeat was heard on the banks of every great river of the south, from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, and everywhere they rendered the same faithful and devoted service, main- taining on all occasions their wonted reputation for valor in the field and en- durance on the march.
"Two Iowa three-year cavalry regiments were employed during their whole term of service in the operations that were in progress from 1863 to 1866 against the hostile Indians of the western plains. 'A' portion of these men were among the last of the volunteer troops mustered out of service. The state also sup- plied a considerable number of men to the navy who took part in most of the
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naval operations prosecuted against the Confederate power on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and the rivers of the west.
"The people of Iowa were early and constant workers in the sanitary field, and by their liberal gifts and personal efforts for the benefit of the soldiery placed their state in the front rank of those who became distinguished for their exhibitions of patriotic benevolence during the period covered by the war. Agents appointed by the governor were stationed at points convenient for ren- dering assistance to the sick and needy soldiers of the state, while others were employed in visiting from time to time hospitals, camps and armies in the field, and doing whatever the circumstances rendered possible for the health and com- fort of such of the Iowa soldiery as might be found there.
"At the beginning of the war the population of Iowa included about 150,000 men, presumably liable to military service. The state raised for general service thirty-nine regiments of infantry, nine regiments of cavalry and four companies of artillery, composed of three years' men, one regiment of infantry composed of one hundred days' men. The original enlistments in these various organiza- tions, including 1,727 men raised by draft, numbered a little more than 69,000. The reenlistments, including upward of 7,000 veterans, numbered very nearly 8,000. The enlistments in the regular army and navy, and organizations of other states will, if added, raise the total to upward of 80,000. The number of men who under special enlistments and as militia took part at different times in the operations on the exposed borders of the state was probably as many as 5,000.
IOWA PAID NO BOUNTY.
"Iowa paid no bounty on account of the men she placed in the field. In some instances toward the close of the war, bounty to a comparatively small amount was paid by cities and towns. On only one occasion, that of the call of July 18, 1864, was a draft made in Iowa. This did not occur on account of her proper liability, as established by previous ruling of the war department to supply men under that call, but grew out of the great necessity that there existed for raising men. The government insisted on temporarily setting aside in part, the former rule of settlements and enforcing a draft in all cases where subdis- tricts in any of the states should be found deficient in their supply of men. In no instance was Iowa, as a whole, found to be indebted to the general govern- ment for men on a settlement of her quota account."
MUSCATINE EAGER FOR THE FRAY.
It may truthfully be recorded, that when the citizens of Muscatine county fully awoke to the terrible significance of the firing on Fort Sumter, there was not an able-bodied man of any importance in the community who was not ready and willing, yea, eager to meet upon the field of battle the enemies of his country and fight for her honor, her integrity and the union of the states for all time. And to her lasting fame and pride it is a matter of enduring his- tory that during the whole struggle of the federal government for supremacy, not once was the draft put into execution in Muscatine county to fill the quota
RESERVOIR OF MUSCATINE WATER WORKS COMPANY ON WEST HILL, 1877
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of her troops; on the contrary there were more volunteers for the army from this county than asked for or required.
TWO REGIMENTS FROM MUSCATINE COUNTY.
This county was exceedingly patriotic and in this regard no political party had precedence of the other. Partisanship was entirely relegated to the rear and the democrat and the republican joined hands and hearts in the mutual determination to save their common country from destruction and prove to rapacious and unfriendly nations beyond the seas that a republican form of government should not fail, but endure and become the admiration of the civ- ilized world. During the great conflict Muscatine county was represented in nine military organizations, and every one of them cast lustre and fame upon the county and state it represented. Two of the regiments were organized at Muscatine and rendezvoused at Camp Strong, on Muscatine Island. The first was the Thirty-fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Eight of the ten companies forming this organization were composed of the brawn and valor of Muscatine. The famous "Greybeards," unique and alone in its makeup during the war, was the other, and was composed of men unable to enter the lists and conform strictly to the rules of the service, by reason of being outside the limit in age, as set by the war department. These patriotic patriarchs, therefore, in the month of August, 1862, formed a regiment under a special authorization of Edwin M. Stanton, secretary of war, which took the formal title of the Thirty- seventh Iowa Infantry, but which was more famously and enduringly known as the "Greybeards."
THE "GREYBEARDS," OR THIRTY-SEVENTH IOWA.
It was not long after the "Greybeards" had been organized that the various component companies were recruited and the regiment ordered into quarters at Camp Strong, near the city of Muscatine, where the patriots whiled away the time until in December before being mustered into the United States serv- ice. It was officered as follows: George W. Kincaid, colonel; George R. West, lieutenant colonel; Lyman Allen, major. The staff consisted of David H. Goodno, adjutant; Prestis Ransom, quartermaster; John W. Finley, surgeon, with George S. Dewitt and Samuel Haynes, assistants; Rev. James H. White, chaplain. Stephen B. Shellady, who had probably presided over more political conventions than any man in Iowa, was the first sergeant major.
The thoroughly matured men composing this command were from a large number of counties. Every congressional district of the state was represented in its ranks. There were farmers, mechanics, business men. Many of them were more than fifty years old, but when they marched through the streets of St. Louis early in January, 1863, General Curtis, who had seen the volunteers of the Union in more than one war, declared that he had never seen a finer looking body of men. They attracted marked attention at St. Louis.
ON POST AND GUARD DUTY.
They served at that city in guard of military prisons until the latter part of May, when they moved out on the Pacific railway, along the line of which Vol. T-9
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they served about two months, when they were ordered to Alton, Illinois. They remained in that city in guard of rebel prisoners until about the middle of Jan- uary, 1864, when they moved to Rock Island, where they performed similar duties until the 5th of June. They then proceeded to Memphis, Tennessee, in the vicinity of which post they were engaged on guard and picket duty for about three months of very hot weather. On the 5th of July a detail of fifty men from the regiment in guard of a supply train on the Memphis and Charles- ton Railroad was attacked by guerrillas. Corporal Charles Young and Private Samuel Coburn were killed and two others slightly wounded. The guard promptly returned the fire but the effect was not known. From Memphis the command moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, whence five companies under Colonel Kincaid went to Cincinnati, three under Lieutenant Colonel West to Columbus and the other to Galliopolis, Ohio. At these posts the different commands re- mained until the middle of May, 1865, when West and Allen joined the regi- ment at Cincinnati. On the 20th the command left Cincinnati for Davenport, where it was mustered out of the service four days afterward.
DEVOTION TO COUNTRY UNPARALLELED IN HISTORY.
When final pay day came the men were astonished to find they did not re- ceive the bounty given to other three year men. They had received it in part before. The paymaster who had paid them had been credited with the amount as a proper disbursement by the accounting officers of the government. They were deeply chagrined to find not only that they were not to receive the bal- ance of the bounty due but that the sums they had received on that account were to be deducted from their pay. There were many expressions of indig- nation. Their services were not indeed rendered in the tented field in the face of the enemy except during the attack on Memphis, but they performed valu- able, onerous and oftentimes most disagreeable duties. They received many favorable expressions from commanding officers under whom they served. Gen- eral Willich, the last general officer under whose command they served, thus wrote to the adjutant general of the army :
"Headquarters, Cincinnati, Ohio. May 13, 1865.
Brigadier General L. Thomas, Adjutant General U. S. Army.
General :- I have the honor to submit to your consideration the following:
The Thirty-seventh Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, called the 'Grey- beards,' now on duty at this post, consist exclusively of old men-none under forty-five, many over sixty years of age. After the men of this regiment had devoted their sons and grandsons to the number of thirteen hundred men to the service of their country, their patriotism induced them to enlist themselves for garrison duty, thus enabling the government to send the young men to the front. Officers and men would cheerfully remain in the service as long as they are wanted, though they are very badly needed at home to save the next har- vest, most of them being farmers. I most respectfully submit to you whether there is any necessity now to hold these old men under such heavy sacrifices.
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They have received the commendations of their former post commanders. At this post they have performed very heavy duties, which to perform would even have been difficult for an equal number of young men. The high patriot- ism displayed by these men in devoting a few years of their old age to their country's service is unparalleled in history and commands the respect of every true republican.
I therefore most respectfully recommend that the Thirty-seventh Iowa Vol- unteer Infantry may be mustered out of service immediately, with the honors and acknowledgments of their services due to the noble spirit with which they gave so glorious an example to the youths of their country.
Very respectfully, etc.,
J. WILLICH."
General Willich's request was granted and the regiment was accordingly mustered out, being the first of the Iowa troops enlisted for three years to be discharged from the service. The command disbanded on the very day of the grand review of the armies at Washington.
FIRST IOWA REGIMENT.
Long before the issuance of the proclamations of President Lincoln and Governor Kirkwood, the organized militia companies of Iowa had tendered their services to the governor in anticipation of the impending war, the official correspondence showing that the first of these companies offered its services early in the month of January, 1861, the others following rapidly during that month. It will thus be seen that all was in readiness for the prompt response which was made to the governor's proclamation.
The ten companies which were to become the first regiment from Iowa were ordered into quarters by the governor, April 24, 1861, and reached the desig- nated rendezvous at Keokuk on different dates from May I to May 8, 1861. Here they were mustered into the service of the United States May 14, 1861.
The facts thus shown from the official records prove that the regiment was in rendezvous twelve days before the date indicated in the second telegram from the secretary of war, and that it was mustered into the service six days prior to that date. The state of Iowa is thus entitled to the credit of having filled its quota in advance of the dates stipulated in the proclamation of the presi- dent, under date of April 15, 1861. May 23d the regiment received arms and accoutrements and on May 28th the tents and equipages having arrived, went into its first camp. Previous to that date it had quartered in buildings. The short time that intervened before the regiment was engaged in active service was utilized to the utmost. The field, staff and line officers, with a few notable exceptions, were taking their first lessons in the art of war and in the study of the rules and regulations for the government of the United States army, of which the regiment was not a part, and found little time for rest and recreation. Company and battalion drills were in progress many hours each day and far into the night the officers were engaged in the study of the movements of the manual of arms and the rules of discipline so necessary to be learned and taught to the men under their command. How well these lessons were learned in so
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short a time was demonstrated in the brief but severe campaign in which the regiment was soon called to participate under the leadership of that gallant officer, Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, of the regular army.
JOIN LYON'S ARMY.
The regiment left Keokuk on the 13th of June, 1861, and was transported by boat down the Mississippi to Hannibal, Missouri, thence by rail to Macon City and Renic, thence marched across country to Boonville, a distance of fifty- eight miles in less than two and a half days-an extraordinary march for these men fresh from their Iowa homes and not inured to the hardships of a soldier's life. The regiment joined General Lyon's little army at Boonville, Missouri, on the 21st of June. Here it remained until July 13, and on that day took up the line of march with the other troops composing General Lyon's command, from this date until the close of its term of service.
GENERAL LYON IS KILLED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
The day the gallant Lyon gave up. his life on the battlefield of Springfield, August 10, 1861, practically ended the active military history of the First Iowa Infantry. A few days later the regiment proceeded to St. Louis, where it was mustered out of service on the 21st of August, 1861. The subjoined summary of casualties shows a loss of over seventeen per cent of its total number at muster in, and is convincing evidence of its arduous service in the field, which lasted less than two months. The loss of the regiment at Wilson's Creek was thirteen killed, one hundred and forty-one wounded and four missing, consti- tuting by far its greatest loss during the campaign.
In order that a correct understanding of the discrepancy between the loss at Wilson's Creek and the subjoined casualty summary during the campaign may be had, it should be here stated that while this regiment was on the skir- mish line on the right of General Lyon's command at Dug Spring, August 2, 1861, and again at McCulloch's Store, August 3, 1861, rendering important service on both occasions, its position was such that before it could be brought into action the enemy was in full retreat and in those affairs no casualties are reported. During the campaign, therefore, according to the official records, the regiment lost twelve men in addition to a loss at Wilson's Creek, making a total as shown in the summary of one hundred and seventy.
It can justly be claimed for this regiment that, considering the short length of its service, its record compares most favorably with that of the other regi- ments which were subsequently organized in Iowa and mustered into service for three years, or during the war. The history of the service of each soldier of this regiment reveals the fact that a very large number of the officers and enlisted men of the regiment who were mustered out of the service August 21, 1861, reenlisted as fast as opportunity offered in the Iowa regiments which were subsequently organized and that many of them received commissions. Some of these officers attained high rank before the close of the war and all
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COLOR GUARD, THIRTY-FIFTH IOWA, DURING CIVIL WAR
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reflected honor upon their state by their heroism in the numerous battles in which they were engaged.
PRIVATE SHELBY NORMAN IMMORTALIZED.
Shelby Norman, a fair haired boy of seventeen, after whom the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, No. 231, was named, was one of the first to enlist in Iowa. He was a private in Company A, First Iowa Infantry. As the regiment approached the battlefield of Wilson's Creek, young Norman fell, pierced through the brain. Those near him heard the dull quick thud, a sure sign that the bullet had reached its victim.
Recognizing the fact that young Norman was the first Iowa soldier in the First Iowa Regiment to give his life for his country, it was determined by the commission having in charge the Iowa Soldiers' Monument at the state capitol, to place a bronze statue of this heroic soldier on the monument to represent the infantry arm of the service.
There stand the form and features of this typical young soldier of Iowa and there it will stand for ages to come, an inspiration to the patriotism of this state.
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