USA > Iowa > Story County > History of Story County, Iowa; a record of organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 23
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forty men apiece while the rest of the company was made up from Hamil- ton, Marshall and Jasper. these smaller details falling in with the Story bunch and so giving the latter the advantage over the Boone crowd. These geographical matters were important in the first organization of the com- pany but were hardly ever heard of afterwards. The company went out a unit in sentiment and the spirit of unity characterized the company and the regiment and the later consolidated regiment to the end. In the company were the young men of the county who had been first to volunteer after the firing on Sumter, and whose enthusiasm did not falter when the processes of reenlistment, reorganization and consolidation had afforded to them ample opportunity for the exercise of second thought in the matter of going in for the war. Those who actually went constituted a splendid contribution to the nation's service.
The general story of the regiment and the company is best told for the present purpose in the two articles written about the time of the last regi- mental reunion at Nevada in 1906, by Col. G. W. Crossley of Webster City and Senator J. A. Fitchpatrick of Nevada. Both had enlisted in the com- pany at Nevada and could write with fullest understanding. Crossley was the first orderly sergeant of Company E but was soon jumped to first lien- tenant and after Shiloh, where he came out of the first day's fight the senior officer still present and in actual command of the remnants of the regiment, he was again jumped this time over all the captains to the position of major. Still later he was brevetted lieutenant colonel. Fitchpatrick was younger and went through the service as a private. He was captured at Shiloh but soon exchanged and was in all the battles of the regiment up to the battle of Atlanta, where the regiment was cut to pieces and he was again captured, this time going to Andersonville, where he remained until released by ex- change. The two are most admirably qualified to speak for the regiment and the company and their reviews are given herewith :
CROSSLEY'S REVIEW OF THE THIRD REGIMENT.
Under proclamation of the president of the United States bearing date May 3rd, 1861, the ten companies composing the 3rd Iowa Infantry Vol- unteers were ordered into quarters at Keokuk, Iowa, May 18th, 1861.
These ten companies were mustered into the service of the United States on June 8th and roth, 1861. The aggregate strength of the regiment closely approximated one thousand men. The ist and 2nd lowa Infantry had been mustered into the service only a short time before and these three regiments constituted the full quota of our state under the president's call for troops up to that date and the general presumption was that no further calls for troops would be necessary and that the 2nd and 3rd Iowa whose term of enlistment was for three years would most likely not be required to serve longer than the Ist whose term of enlistment was for three months, but that gallant regiment fought at the battle of Springfield, Missouri, after its term
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of service had actually expired. Then we began to realize the magnitude of the task before us and that our three year term of service might expire be- fore the task was accomplished. This proved to be the case, the last sur- vivors of the 3rd Iowa being mustered out of the service at Louisville, Kentucky, in the latter part of the summer of 1865, more than four years from the time of their enlistment at Keokuk. At the close of the first three years three-fourths of the men then able for duty reenlisted for another three years and the history of the regiment therefore covers the entire period of that great war. Time will only permit brief reference to the service performed by the regiment during that long and bitter struggle.
The regiment remained in quarters at Keokuk but a short time before it was ordered into active service. We took the field insufficiently equipped and with but brief opportunity for becoming acquainted with the real duties of soldiers. Only a very few of our officers or men had had experience in actual warfare. There were a few Mexican war veterans, among them the then Captain of Company E. John Scott of Nevada, where this little remnant of the survivors are now assembled. We had but little time to study the theory of war apart from its practice and this fact no doubt proved of ad- vantage to us for we at once became hard students and found quick occasion for practical use of the knowledge we had gained. The imperative necessity for promptly invading the enemy's territory was such that we took the field under the command of the senior captain of the regiment, and our field and staff officers were not appointed until we were in camp in the immediate vicinity of the enemy. Our first Colonel. N. G. Williams, had not previously belonged to the regiment. Ile was appointed by the governor on account of his having had some military education and training at West Point, but on the start that only proved a disadvantage to him and to the regiment, as we were not prepared for the severe discipline which he at once enforced. Cap- tain Scott of Company E was our first lieutenant colonel and Capt. Wm. M. Stone of Company B was our first major. The subsequent changes on account of casualties in battle and transfers by promotion to other regi- ments, were many. Scott became colonel of the 32nd and Stone colonel of the 22nd lowa Infantry and the numerous other changes which took place woukl make a list too long to be given here.
We remained in Missouri until March 1862, and the history of that campaign-covering the summer, autumn, and winter of 1861-2 if given in detail would show a record involving great hardship from long marches; num- erous encounters with the enemy culminating in one engagement in which our loss was very heavy-the battle of Blue Mills fought September 17th, 1861-forty-five years ago yesterday. Lieut, Col. John Scott commanded the regiment in that battle and we who were with him there know how bravely he led us against the enemy who greatly outnumbered us, how we maintained the unequal contest for more than an hour in the vain hope that our expected reinforcements would reach us before night would come, how we fought until nearly surrounded and then safely conducted our retreat
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until after dark when we met the troops coming to our assistance, how we lay upon our arms ready to resume the attack at dawn of day and how we found the enemy had retreated under cover of the night.
During this arduous campaign we also had the experience inseparable from the breaking in and seasoning of raw troops, a loss from sickness far out of proportion to our loss sustained in battle. In our subsequent cam- paigns, as we became used to hardships and exposure, and learned how better to adapt ourselves to the hard conditions of a soldier's life, we suf- fered less from sickness; in fact we became thoroughly seasoned soldiers. We also learned in the hard school of war the lesson of discipline so neces- sary to the proper discharge of a soldier's duty.
The winter of 1862 found the regiment scattered in detachments of one and two companies each at stations along the line of the North Missouri railway, guarding the line and keeping it open for the transportation of troops and supplies. This was both important and arduous service and in- volved great hardship in a climate but little milder than that of Iowa. Early in the spring of 1862 we found ourselves embarked at St. Louis as part of the army of reinforcement to General Grant who had just captured Forts Donelson and Henry and was preparing to move against Johnson at Corinth, Mississippi. Little did we think at that time that in so short a time we would be fighting on the defensive instead of striking the enemy in his chosen position at Corinth and that so long a time would elapse before we would confront him there. We were now for the first time assigned to a regular brigade and division organization and placed in readiness to partici- pate in the operations of a large army. Our brigade consisted of the 28th, 32nd and 41st Illinois regiments and our own and formed a part of the 4th Division, Army of the Tennessee. From that time to the close of the war the 3rd lowa was a part of that splendid army and shared its fortunes in many hard fought battles. Shortly after our ar- rival at Pittsburg Landing came the battle of Shiloh in which we were to take so conspicuous a part. In that great battle Iowa had eleven regiments engaged. The official record of the war department compiled with great care from the reports of the commanders of the regiments, brigades, and divisions, show the number of killed, wounded and captured. From this record the inscription upon the bronze tablets attached to the battle monu- ment erected by the state of Iowa for each of its regiments which fought there is taken. These inscriptions have been approved by the War Depart- ment and pronounced historically correct. There they will stand forever to show to the world a record of valor and heroism that will compare favorably with that shown by soldiers upon any battle field in history.
While every one of the Iowa regiments engaged in that battle is en- titled to equal honor-because, under conditions in which they fought each one performed its whole duty-the fact remains that the 3rd Iowa sus- tained the greatest loss in killed and wounded, the average loss in the eleven regiments being twenty per cent while that of the 3rd was twenty-eight per
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cent. If to the list of killed and wounded we add the captured the loss of the eleven Iowa regiments is increased to thirty-six per cent of the number engaged because of the fact that three regiments-the 8th. 12th and 14th, were nearly all taken prisoners. The total number of lowa troops engaged was 6,664 and of this number 1.325 were killed and wounded and 1.057 were cajaured, making a total loss of 2,409. If we add the loss of the 3rd lowa in captured to the number of its killed and wounded its percentage would be 33 1/3. and it had but 30 captured, nearly all of whom were wounded. Of the 1.057 taken prisoners, 952 were from the three regiments I have named. leaving but 105 taken prisoners from the other eight regiments. Reference to the official reports and the map of the battlefield showing the positions of the lowa regiments near the close of the battle on the first day will show that they were in a most critical position. The 3rd was nearly surrounded near its own camp ground but fought its way through. The 8th, 12th and 14th were completely surrounded and compelled to surrender at and near our camp just after we had passed beyond it and narrowly escaped capture. I think it is not claiming too much for the three captured lowa regiments and the 3rd which came so near sharing their fate, to say that by their stubborn resistance and slowness to retreat, they contributed much toward the pre- vention of a complete victory of the enemy on that day.
After Shiloh the 3rd was engaged in the long siege operations against Corinth and led its brigade over the works on the morning of the evacuation of that strong-hold and in the pursuit of the enemy which followed. Then came the hard campaign of the summer of 1862 in which the 3rd bore its full share culminating in the battle of the Hatchie where it again suffered a heavy loss in killed and wounded. Then followed the Mississippi Central expedition, that long and arduous march with Vicksburg as the objective point. Following the failure of that expedition we returned to Memphis There we rested for a short time preparing for the mighty struggle before us-the second campaign against Vicksburg. This time the approach was by water. We went from Memphis by boat and joined the investing force at the siege of Vicksburg participating in the siege from its commencement until the surrender on the 4th of July, 1863.
The morning after the surrender we marched with Sherman against Johnson, then occupying the works around the state capitol at Jackson. There on the 12th of July, 1863 the 3rd lowa participated in a charge upon the enemy's works and there in the brief space of twenty minutes one half of its men and officers were killed and wounded. From Jackson the regi- ment now greatly reduced in numbers returned to Vicksburg. From there we went down the river to Natchez where aside from occasional short ex- peditions and small skirmishes with the enemy's cavalry, we enjoyed a sea- son of comparative rest. While there a good many who had so far recovered from wounds and sickness as to be again able for duty returned to the regiment and some recruits also joined us there. In November we re- turned to our old camp near Vicksburg and while there three-fourths of
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those who had enlisted at the commencement of the war, reenlisted for an- other three years.
In midwinter 1864 the regiment participated in the famous Meridian ex- pedition under Sherman during which we lost a number of men in killed, wounded, and captured, and most of these were men who had reenlisted. The captured were taken to Andersonville and several died there from ex- posure and starvation. Upon our return to Vicksburg those who had re- enlisted were given a furlough for thirty days while those who did not re- enlist went with General Banks upon his ill fated Red River expedition and suffered great hardship. Upon the return from Red river those who sur- vived were mustered out of the service.
The reenlisted portion of the regiment received some recruits while on furlough and returned to take part in Sherman's Atlanta campaign. At Atlanta on the 22d day of July, 1864, the Third Iowa again went into the hell of battle and emerged with such heavy loss that its identity as a regi- mental organization could no longer be maintained. The survivors were merged with the 2nd Iowa Infantry and remained with that regiment on the march through Georgia to the Sea and on to Washington where it partici- pated in the grand review and was mustered out of the service at Louis- ville, Kentucky, in July 1865.
I have given in this paper only an imperfect outline, a mere sketch of the history of the regiment represented by the few survivors who meet in reunion here today. Not all who still survive are here, but if they were they would show but a small and fading remnant of that once mighty military organization.
FITCHPATRICK'S REVIEW OF COMPANY E.
April 15th, 1861, President Lincoln issued the first call for troops asking the states to furnish seventy five thousand militia for active service for ninety days and one regiment was apportioned to Iowa. Under this call Capt. John Scott organized a company at Nevada and Capt. Samuel B. Mc- Call organized another one at Boonesboro and both were tendered to Gov- ernor Kirkwood at the same time, but the full quota had already been ac- cepted and the captains were told to hold their companies in readiness for a future call.
May 3rd, 1861, the president issued another call for 42,034 volunteers "to serve for three years unless sooner discharged," and two more infantry regiments thereunder were assigned to Iowa. Both captains were promptly on hand with tenders of their respective companies, but the offers from other parts of the state were so insistent that the governor decided to accept only one company from this locality and suggested that Captains Scott and Mc- Call get together and arrange the matter between themselves. With the understanding that on the organization of the regiment Scott would be made a field officer the agreement was soon arrived at that these two would unite and tender one company, which was done and the same accepted.
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The change of the term of enlistment from ninety days to three years made it an easy matter to reduce the number of men in the two companies to the maximum of enlisted men and non-commissioned officers permitted in a single company of infantry ; but the matter of weeding out the surplus officers was a different proposition.
The Nevada Company was originally organized with Scott as captain, Paul A. Queal, the most brilliant young lawyer ever located in Nevada, as first lieutenant, and George Child, second lieutenant. Child retired grace- fully but not so with Queal. He worked among the men and went with them to the old court house to help organize. Scott was unanimously elected captain and so was McCall for next place, when some one nominated Queal for second lieutenant and he evidently had a majority of the boys with him. Scott then took the floor and plainly stated his reasons why it would not be congenial to have Queal go as an officer and Queal taking umbrage at some of the statements went for the captain striking at him with a cane. Scott picking up a chair warded off the force of the blows, striking back with the chair until others interfered and marched Queal out of the room; but for a few moments there was a lively row. Order was finally restored, when William A. Wise of Iowa Center was elected to the place by one vote over Nathaniel Jennings of Franklin township, Story County. The boys had no objections to Wise personally, but in a spirit of resentment, at the last mo- ment put up Jennings as a protest against the farce of fixing 'up a slate in advance and forcing it through.
George W. Crossley of Nevada was appointed first sergeant ; John H. Smith, Boonsboro, second sergeant ; Jesse R. Wood, Iowa Center, third ser- geant ; Marquis A. Hills, Marshall county, fourth sergeant ; and Thomas Mulvana, Boonsboro, fifth sergeant.
May 21st, 1861, by order of Governor Kirkwood the company was as- signed to the Third lowa Infantry Regiment, designated as Company "E" and ordered into quarters at Keokuk.
From May 21st until the time of departure the members were drilled in the first rudiments of the different movements.
May 27th the people of Nevada tendered a farewell banquet and in the evening the boys were taken to Jowa Center in wagons, where another ban- quet was provided the next day.
Continuing on our journey we were royally received and entertained at Newton and also at Pella, arriving in due time at Eddyville and there took the train for Keokuk arriving at our destination June Ist.
June 8th, we were called into line and the Articles of War read to us, and it seemed that nearly all violations of the duties of a soldier ended in punishment by death or any other penalty a court martial might see fit to in- tlict. The effect was so depressing that six of the boys scooted out the back door and were never afterward heard of in connection with the company. The ninety-five officers and men remaining were then duly mustered into the United States service.
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KELLOGG STREET, AMES
AMES CITY PARK
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In August following seven other good fellows were mustered into the company restoring the enrollment to the maximum of 102 including officers and men.
N. G. Williams of Delaware County was made colonel of the regiment.
June 26th Capt. Scott was commissioned as Lt. Colonel and Capt. W. M. Stone, Company B, afterwards governor, was commissioned as major. Dr. Tom O. Edwards of Dubuque, an antiquated relic of better days, was made surgeon.
Shortly thereafter Sergeant Crossley, by popular vote of the boys, was elected Ist lieutenant over 2nd Lieutenant Wise, in place of McCall pro- moted to captain. Billy Wise, as we called him, was an efficient officer and one of the kindest and best of men ; but the boys preferred Crossley because he had always looked out for them, had more snap in his makeup and was not afraid to speak out in meeting. Wise felt hurt over the action of the boys but remained in the service until the spring following, when he was compelled to resign on account of failing health.
July Ist the regiment left Keokuk on two ferry boats, went to Hannibal and was spread out along the line of the Hannibal and St. Joe rail- road, principally guarding bridges, the first station for Company E be- ing Utica and Chillicothe guarding the Grand river bridge. The duties in Missouri were arduous and trying to the health of the boys; the malaria arising along the streams saturating their systems, a great many of the boys became sick and unable for duty. Out of the 102 constituting the company in August 1861, 14 died of disease during the four years ser- vice, and 12 of these died during the first year. Henry H. Halley from Nevada was the first to pass away. He was taken with typhoid fever at Brookfield, Missouri and sent to the hospital. A few days later he returned to camp during the absence of the principal part of the company on the Kirksville trip. He reported on the sick list the following morning, but old Doc Edwards decided he was not sick at all, called a sergeant and ordered him to take Halley and put him at work digging a sink. He worked for several hours in the hot sun and was finally sent to his tent and died in a few hours. This is related merely as an instance to indicate that the soldier of 1861 had to contend sometimes with some things more disastrous than the enemy in front. The others dying of disease the first year were in the order following :
Sept. 18th, 1861, Martin V. Walker of Boone County.
Oct. 18th, 1861, Jasper H. Park of Jasper County.
Nov. 17th, 1861, James Mitchell of Boone County.
Nov. 23rd, 1861, William G. Spurrier of Boone county.
Dec. 10th, 1861, Nicholas Beadley of Missouri. Dec. 15th, 1861, Elisha B. Craig of Story County.
Dec. 11th, 1861, William B. Taylor of Story County.
Jan. IIth, 1862, Geo. W. Grove of Story County. Jan. 31st, 1862, Asa Walker of Story County. Vol. 1-14
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Apr. 21st. 1862, Daniel Hill of Hamilton county.
June 22nd, 1862. Lewis M. Vincent of Story County.
Subsequently dying of disease was Nathaniel Jennings, August 26th. 1862.
Thomas M. Davis who, physically, was the strongest man in the com- pany was captured Feb. 27th, 1864. while on the Meridian Expedition, and died in Andersonville June 30th. 1864.
David H. Dill of Nevada was killed in battle of Blue Mills. Sept. 17th, 1861.
John H1. Smith, Thomas Mulvana. John M. Skiff. John J. Cottle, James 11. Ewing and John [ .. Woods all splendid men lost their lives at the battle of Shiloh. April 6th. 1862.
William R. White, killed at the battle of Metamora. Oct. 5th. 1862.
David V. Gilmore, Coe Chambers and Thomas Dent lost their lives at the assault on Jackson, July 12th, 1863.
Obed R. Ward wounded and captured at Atlanta, July 22nd, 1862. and died of wounds in Andersonville.
The following were so severely wounded in various battles as to be- come incapacitated from further service and were subsequently discharged on account of wounds, viz: Thomas D. Casebolt. Benjamin F. Denton. Michael D. Deal, Samuel T. Jones, Isaiah N. Johnson. Samuel Marsh. David C. Ross, and John U. Schoonover, all being permanently disabled. Twenty-five others were wounded more or less seriously.
Fourteen were captured during the time of service.
Fifteen became incapacitated from service by disease contracted in ser- vice and were discharged because of such disability.
Recapitulation.
Died in battle .12
Died in prison I
Died of disease 1.4
Severely wounded and discharged 8
Other wounded . 25
Discharged by reason of sickness .15
Captured . 14
Total casualties .
Deduct for those reported more than once 10
Net individual casualties 79
-leaving the whole number who escaped being reported upon the casualty list 23, among whom were some of the most faithful and daring soldiers of the company.
A case in point is that of John Blake who enlisted with the Newton squad. He was one among the youngest boys in the company. always bokl, aggressive and active. One night near the close of the siege at Vicksburg the 33rd Wisconsin in advancing the lines had a man killed within about
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forty yards of the rebel works and about the same distance in front of the new line of rifle pits they then established. Before daylight the next morn- ing the 3rd Iowa relieved the Wisconsin regiment and occupied the new line. About noon Lieutenant Colonel Lovell of the 33rd came up and pointed to the dead soldier of his regiment saying that the soldier had when killed a Martin-Henry rifle worth $65 and he would give that to any man who would go out and bring in the soldier and the gun. Johnny Blake at once spoke up saying, "Here's your man," and at once dropped his gun and accouterments, leaped out of the pit and started in a cool and regular walk towards the body. The rebels not over one hundred yards distance fired scores of shots at him but he moved quietly forward looking neither to the right or left apparently unconcerned as to the surroundings. He reached the point, shouklered the body, picked up the rifle and started back; the hring at once ceased and gave way to shouts of applause from the rebel trenches in which his comrades joined with a vim. Johnny served through the war upon all occasions oblivious to danger, without receiving a scratch and was still living at last accounts, active and energetic as of old, though his energy may not always have been rightly directed.
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