USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Leading Events in Johnson County, Iowa, History > Part 43
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The "Union Guards" were a company organized in Penn township and accepted by Governor Kirkwood for the sixth regiment. Men from other parts of the county completed the company's quota. The captain, John Williams, had served in the Mexican War; First Lieutenant, N. Owen, and Second Lieutenant, A. J. Miller, were the other commissioned offi- cers. This company left the county for Burlington about the middle of July, 1861, and were there mustered into the United States' service. On the day of their departure they were en- tertained by the city and a great crowd assembled to see them off. The train that carried them was loaded with soldiers from three other points, Marengo, Marshalltown and Tipton.
Capt. J. O. Gower of the "Iowa City Dragoons" was or- dered to be in Burlington with his company at nine o'clock on Monday, July 29, 1861, when this company of cavalry was to become part of the regiment then forming. Horses had been furnished by men who could not enlist, by this means ex- pressing their good will and loyalty. Prophecies were many concerning the future of this cavalry company. They left for the camp at Burlington on Saturday, July 27, going across the country. J. R. Elliott was first lieutenant and P. E. Shaver second, with J. T. Beatty orderly sergeant.892
While hundreds were on the way to the front there were some who deemed it necessary to have a "home guard," and met to organize such a company in August, 1861. The reso- lutions they adopted express their fears, and thus early in the
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war such a thing might have been necessary. However, before the end came in 1865, these companies were no longer needed. The reasons for such a movement may be learned from the following: Whereas, at all times and more especially in great public emergencies it is of vital importance to the stability of our institutions that the excesses of political passion be held in check and overbalanced by the sober sense of reasoning and reasonable men. And, Whereas, during the recent troubles peaceable citizens of the northern states have been subjected to personal outrage and loss of property, without warrant of law or justice, and at the mere caprice of unlicensed fanaticism, and being credibly informed that an organized attempt is now making in this locality to incite a similar spirit of mob violence
. : We, the undersigned, agree and pledge ourselves as an association for the maintenance of law and order, and to denounce by all legitimate means, and to resist any unlawful attempts that may be made to abridge the freedom of speech, the liberty of the press, the enjoyment of property, or any other right of an American citizen guaranteed by the consti- tution. To prosecute this end we further agree to hold our- selves in readiness at the call of the constituted authorities to aid in the preservation of public peace and the rights of citi- zens against any outrage or violation."
The first members of Company B. were sent home the latter part of August, their first term of enlistment having expired. The 'home folks" gave them a warm reception and other men were recruiting at the same time to keep the line unbroken. The going and coming from this time until the final "muster out" of the last company never ceased. Strong men were leaving to join regiments, and crippled and broken men were returning to carry the rest of their lives the record of "war." Few of Company B. who went out first are now alive to tell the story of their first campaign.
Irrespective of party or any previous apparent affiliation the citizens of Johnson county met at the court house in March, 1863, and adopted the resolution, such as all the citizens of the several counties were adopting, in support of the under- takings of the government and condemning in strong lan- guage any and every attempt on the part of disaffected per- sons claiming to be citizens of the United States, yet using
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every endeavor to embarrass the government in its present dilemma, pledges of fortune, influence, and honor were deemed the duty of every man.
One man who addressed that meeting is still living, an honored resident of Des Moines, Judge C. C. Cole. This meet- ing resulted in the organization of the Union League, and the only requirement necessary to become a member of this was loyalty to the purposes expressed in the former resolutions. Free discussion was also invited while the county organization endeavored to establish a similar one in each township in the county.
The 6th Iowa Cavalry was detailed for service on the fron- tier in the spring of 1863. The Indians were making life terrible for the settlers and the regiment was sent to their relief. On the way they were quartered in Iowa City for a time and the recent march of another cavalry regiment over the same route from the Mississippi river to Des Moines seems like history repeating itself. The 6th Regiment of 1863 came from Davenport and remained here to recuperate and prepare for the remainder of their journey.
Two years before in the fall of 1861 when the first three companies of the fourteenth Iowa Volunteers on the way to Fort Randall passed through Clear Creek township, a number of Company C being from that part of this county, they camped on the farm of Joseph Douglass, or what then be- longed to his widow. It had been the good fortune of the township to own a flag during the time of recruiting in the spring before, and now, after a hasty consultation, it was decided to move upon the camp of the three companies and present the flag to the regiment. This flag was the work of the women of the neighborhood and here at the camp, by the light of a blazing straw stack, they gave it to the soldier boys who had been sent off to the northwest to look after the Indians rather than sent to the scenes of battle with the men from the South. The speech of presentation was made by Bryan Dennis, the captain of the home guards, and the re- sponse by Col. John Pattee of Iowa City, who spoke for the regiment. Incidentally, it is said, that a certain young lady then named Mary Washburn, became Mrs. Hamilton the fol- lowing spring because she was prevailed upon to speak to the
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assembled soldiers on this occasion. When the war was over and the soldier boys returned they brought home the silken flag given to them on that night, by the blazing fire, and on the day of the reception and dinner given to them at Johnson's school house, presented once more to the ladies the colors they had so carefully preserved in the campaign. Miss Mary Washburn, then Mrs. Hamilton, was chosen by the friends to take the flag from the hands of the soldier, and the bit of romance was quite complete.
In common with many counties in this part of the state an independent military company was organized in July, 1863, as they were allowed to do under the laws. Eighty-five mem- bers were enrolled in this company at its first meeting. James R. Elliott was made captain, L. W. Talbot first lieutenant and H. A. Tidd second lieutenant. These officers had served in the volunteer regiments, the first Iowa cavalry, the first in- fantry, and the twenty-second infantry .**
When the call came for 300,000 volunteers in 1863, a recruit- ing office was opened in Iowa City, while the number required from each township of the county under the draft then about to be made was published and it was urged, as it was in other sec- tions, to volunteer in order to save the draft. A poor man could not be asked to go from his family, hence some means should be provided whereby men could be furnished from the several townships; a fund it was said should be created in order to protect the poor man who might be drafted or be forced to hire a substitute. The time had now come when the Northern man at home must feel the "rigors of war" personally. The honor of Johnson county, and it was felt the same elsewhere, demanded, in the opinion of some of its citizens, that its quota should be composed of volunteers; they should come forward at once and not delay matters until time for a draft. A total of 221 would be drafted from the county unless the plan suggested was immediately adopted. Seventy-six of this number must come from Iowa City township.
September 14, 1862, almost forty-nine years ago, the famous twenty-second regiment of Iowa Infantry under command of Col. Wm. Milo Stone said good bye to Camp Pope at Iowa City, to home and friends in Johnson county. Of this regi- ment, seven companies were from Johnson county; one came
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from Jasper, one from Monroe, and one from Wapello. Com- pany A from Johnson county was commanded by Charles N. Lee; David J. Davis, first lieutenant; Wm. W. Hughes, second lieutenant. Company B was almost wholly from Iowa City ; J. H. Gearkee was captain; John Remick, first lieutenant; James H. Boarts, second lieutenant. Jasper county sent company C under command of Capt. Adam J. Ault; Neil Murray, first lieu- tenant; L. F. Mullis, second lieutenant. Albia, Monroe county, was the home of every man, excepting three in company D; Robert M. Wilson was captain; William Pinney, first lieuten- ant; and Matt A. Robb, second lieutenant. Company E came from Wapello, most of them from Agency City ; Hiram C. Hum- bert, captain; E. G. White, first lieutenant; Berry D. Parks, sec- ond lieutenant. All the remaining companies came from John- son county. Company F was under command of Capt. A. B. Call; John W. Porter, first lieutenant, William G. Haddock, second lieutenant. Company G was commanded by Isaac V. Dennis, first lieutenant, James O. Hawkins; second lieutenant, George H. Shockey. Three townships sent every man of Company H, Big Grove, Jefferson and Monroe. The captain was John C. Shrader ; first lieutenant, James L. Penny ; second lieutenant, Daniel W. Henderson. Company I was from the southwestern part of Johnson county ; James Robert- son was captain; James W. Sterling, first lieutenant; and W. W. Morsman, second lieutenant. Company K, excepting two men from Windham and nine from Frank Pierce, was all from Iowa City; Capt. Geo. W. Clark was in command; first lieutenant, John Francisco; second lieutenant, Thos. Morrison. The regiment had a total enrollment of nine hundred and sixty men. Many promotions occurred, to relate which would re- quire a study of the individual roster in order to make a complete report and space would not admit of more than such mention.
After leaving Camp Pope, Iowa City, where it had rendez- voused during enlistment and mustering in, the twenty-second had business all the time. Departing September 14, 1862, it was at St. Louis on the 22d, at Rolla, Missouri, the next day when it did garrison duty for four months. January, 1863, with the twenty-first and twenty-third Iowa, it formed the first brigade, first division of the army of the southeast Mis-
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souri, Colonel Stone, brigade commander. March 9, 1863, the regiment embarked for Vicksburg, and on April 9, 1863, the regiment had its first experience in battle at Fort Gibson. Here David P. Robertson of Company B, Sylvester Garrison of Company E, and John F. Whitington of Company H were killed and eighteen of the regiment were wounded. However, in this first battle, fought after a toilsome day's march and a sleepless night the twenty-second held honorable place and received high praise. Its next battle was at Jackson, Miss., May 17, 1863, where being in the reserve corps the loss was three, one killed, Jacob Leller of Company H, and two wounded. This was the battle where Col. Kinsman of the twenty-third Iowa was killed. It was at noon, May 19, 1863, that the twenty-second first saw the hills of Vicksburg, and it is said also "the last city on which many were to gaze." Here for the first time in a "regular way, it became acquainted with a new weapon, the spade." It was not for long, however, for on the evening of the twenty-first Colonel Stone received orders from Grant to be ready for assault on the following morning. Obedient to orders, the regiment marched to the front, "to assail," as some have said, "a position that taken, could not have been held." The twenty-second supported by the twenty- first Iowa and eleventh Wisconsin were ordered to the attack by McClernand, the first of these three in the lead. Colonel Stone fell at the first volley and Lieutenant-Colonel Graham took command. Then the regiment "swept across the space in front of the enemy's works, stormed the south works, and eleven men planted the colors on its summit, Jos. E. Griffith and David Trine, alone, escaping." Colonel Graham and a number of men were captured in the ditch beneath the walls of the enemy, Captain Gearkee and Lieut. Remick were wounded. Of the regiment, one hundred sixty four were killed, wounded, or captured. The officer who ordered the regiment into this position, mentioned that with proper support to the assault of the twenty-second, Vicksburg would have fallen that day, and in consequence of the controversy that arose with Grant and Sherman over the matter McClernand resigned his command.
During the campaigns about Vicksburg, the assault and siege, "eighty-two brave men from the twenty-second went over to the majority." From here, after the fate of that
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city was determined, the regiment went to New Orleans and spent the winter of 1863 and 1864 in Louisiana, and moving on to Texas sometime early in 1864, returning to Louisiana in May, 1864. Again July 17, 1864, it set sail for Fortress Mon- roe when after a week of storm it landed. For a time it was with Ben. Butler, and in the trenches before Richmond one week. From here it went to Washington where a rest of two weeks was granted, then it joined Sheridan's command in the Shenandoah valley. It was here that the regiment was engaged in the bloody battle of Winchester court house, fam- ous in history as the scene of "Gen. Sheridan's Ride." It was on this historic field that the twenty-second "marched through a mile of open plateau to the attack upon the confederate breastworks, sheltered by the timber, slowly retreated half- way back and under the magic impulse of Sheridan's pres- ence, reformed on the field, pressed forward and took the van- tage ground." One hundred four of the regiment were lost in this engagement, in killed, wounded, and captured.
Fisher's Hill was the next battle, which came about in the pursuit of Gen. Early, and the regiment remained in the state of Virginia until the battle of Cedar Creek on October 10, 1864, which was the last engagement in which the twenty- second was a participant, and one may say with its historian "it was a sweeping victory." Seventy-two were captured, wounded, or killed in this short contest and the "last battle."
Two years before this regiment had gone out from Iowa with almost a thousand men as mentioned in the beginning of this sketch, and it had gained fifty more by transfer and en- listment. Of this total number, "four officers and fifty-three men had been killed in battle; one officer and fifty-four men had died of wounds; one officer and ninety-eight men died from disease; three died in accidents; while discharges and trans- fers had much weakened the force, and a month after the battle of Cedar Creek the roll showed twenty-four officers and five hundred forty-seven men as the total strength of the twenty-second Iowa."
The regiment left Virginia for Savannah after the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley was finished and remained there on "easy duty" for two months, then it went to North Carolina, back to Augusta, and at Savannah on July 20, 1865, it was
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mustered out, sent to Davenport and reached home at Iowa City on August 3, 1865, to be disbanded, and then once more to return to the accustomed occupations.895
The glory of war is not obtained without cost, great cost to those who are engaged and to those who lose the soldier friend, brother, father, or husband. Here is an illustration of what was happening in all parts of the Union, both north and south. Death became such a common thing, and the list of killed was scanned by watchful eyes with the greatest anxiety after every battle.
Lieut. James A. Boarts of Company B, twenty-second Iowa infantry, was wounded at Winchester, September 19, 1864. From that distant field of battle his body was recovered and returned to his friends in the home county, where it was re- ceived and buried with military honors. During the war he had fought in all the battles of the twenty-second and came to the fierce contest of Winchester before his death blow. When the war broke out he was but nineteen years of age, and he went with the first regiment as a private, but on the organiza- tion of the twenty-second he became second lieutenant of Company B.
The youngest and the best were necessary to preserve the Union and how many times this story could be repeated. Young John Mahan of Company G of the same regiment came home from Vicksburg shattered in health and just before the surrender of Lee he too was laid in a soldier's grave.
On the return, some enthusiastic members of the twenty- second sent word in advance that they expected one of the biggest receptions ever given any body of men when they re- turned from "the war." They were not disappointed for Friday, August 4, 1865, was a great day in Johnson county. The greater number of her soldiers who were able to return came home that day and thousands greeted them as thousands had bidden them good fortune in going away.
One cannot help thinking here, of the lone watcher who stood apart from the throng and knew the one who went away could never return. Husband, father, brother, son or lover must forever sleep on the battle field. These must have been the heart-breaking scenes on such occasions. Joy unmeasured in one instance, sorrow inexpressible in another, such was war.
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Wagons in sufficient numbers to carry all the baggage of the returning soldiers met the train and they were immediately notified that "dinner was ready at Metropolitaan Hall." No order of march was possible since greetings of friends and families could not be postponed. This was one occasion where speeches were omitted, a very fortunate oversight. On that day the county was indeed proud to welcome home its own army which returned now to industrial pursuits and peaceful habits once more. They were advised in all kindness to find their accustomed places, and others were urged to give them employment at once as the chief need now was something to do.396
Company D of the twenty-fourth had arrived just before the members of the twenty-second. They belonged to the "Temperance Regiment" which was composed of companies from Cedar, Linn, Jones, Johnson and Tama counties chiefly. Company D had been received by the citizens in the same way after the third dinner was prepared for them on account of their non-arrival in time for the first two. Lieut .- Col. Ed. Wright was their commander when they were discharged, a man whom they delighted to honor and who was honored by his state in many ways.397 Finally, a great barbecue and re- union was held on the fair grounds for the county soldiers in August, 1865. Once more the good governor of Iowa dur- ing the war welcomed the "boys" home. Capt. G. W. Clark and J. B. Grinnell were the ones who responded to his wel- come. The immense crowd was fed on roast ox and other good things until the reader is led to wonder whether soldiers ever would get enough to eat. More speaking came after the feast by N. H. Brainerd, R. S. Finkbine and others. A mimic war scene was given by the soldiers for the benefit of the "stay at homes" which was probably the "last fight of the regulars."
It is interesting to remember that with all the speeches given in the going and coming of these veterans, they were talked to usually after a full meal. They never went hungry in Johnson county. Neither were the good things reserved for "their very own," by the good mothers of the day. They fed all who came, friend or stranger, and if there were any foes they were also fed.398
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Once upon a time the flag of the twenty-second was in the possession of the Iowa State Historical Society. This is plain- ly the reason for thinking so. In February, 1864, Gov. Kirk- wood made the address presenting it to the society and the li- brarian Mr. T. S. Parvin then made the response to this ad- dress. Gov. Kirkwood used the occasion to state something of the history of the regiment. "It was composed largely" he said "of friends and immediate neighbors, seven of the ten companies going out from this county." While all Iowa sol- diers might be to us of special interest and we might feel that they were fighting in our behalf, this regiment was particular- ly our own. Great pride was felt on the part of the citizens of the county because of its achievements in the field. The twen- ty-second was worthy to be noted among the bravest of the state.
When it left the camp assembly in the neighborhood of Iowa City it carried with it as all regiments did, the national banner. The banner it then bore was new, the governor said "its colors are bright, its texture unbroken, its folds had been lifted only by the pure free breezes of our prairies. Stirred by the prayers of fair women and brave men they carried it away to battle fields. Since then it has hung drooping and lifeless in the tainted atmosphere of battle fields, and it has at other times floated over the quarters of the defeated enemy. The sun, the rain, and the wind have dimmed its colors, shot and shell of the enemy pierced it through and it is rent and torn by months of warfare, until its shreds only remain." Since it was unfit for longer use in the field the flag was returned to be presented to the Historical Society of Iowa of which Mr. T. S. Parvin was then secretary. Again the governor at this moment said, "Take it Sir, and keep it safely and securely. Although so faded and tattered, it is now a thousand times more valuable than when it went out from us in all its freshness and beauty. It tells now of the glorious deeds done before that time, and also of equally glorious deeds since. It tells us that what it symbolized of value then is still more valuable now, because of all the toil and suffering endured to add to its value. Place it where the young men and the young women, the boys and girls, children of this age and future ages may look upon it and by so doing
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emulate the loyalty, the patriotism and bravery of our fathers and their fathers."
It was here in the proceedings on the special occassion that Mr. Parvin received the flag and made a response on behalf of the historical society, stating something of the scenes through which the flag had been carried and in the conclusion saying, "I take it Sir, as the gift of men who have won for themselves and their noble regiment a name worthy of honor- able mention, men who under gallant leaders have borne it triumphantly to victory on many a battle field, and now commit it faded and torn with all its hallowed memories to the sacred keeping of our State Historical Society, established 'to collect and preserve the materials illustrative of the history of our young and patriotic state.' " This presentation was made at a meeting of the "Ladies Aid Society" so often referred to as the agency of benevolent acts. Moreover, this occasion was for the very purpose of aiding those who had earned this flag and others of their kind who were in need.399
A private letter from Walter Lee a member of the twenty- second, to his father E. C. Lee, gives some facts concerning the regiment that probably can be found nowhere outside of war department records. This was written just one year after they left Rolla, Missouri, and was sent from quarters at Mata- gorda Bay. During the year there were one hundred fifty-six deaths in the regiment. Eighty-one were killed or died of wounds. The total loss from all causes from January 1, 1863 to January 1, 1864 was 382. At the time he writes, March, 1864, there were 630 men, privates and officers, in the regiment, while only sixteen of the twenty-eight officers who left Iowa City with them were now on duty. Two were killed at Vicks- burg, the others had resigned.
The fortieth Iowa was mustered in at Camp Pope, Iowa City, by the mustering officer, Capt. Hendershott in November, 1862. This regiment was waiting orders then to move and while their destination was mere guess work at that time they ex- pected to form part of the expedition of Gen. McClernand down the Mississippi "toward Vicksburg or elsewhere." While wait- ing for orders most of the men obtained furloughs to visit their homes. The regimental officers were from other points than Johnson county, excepting L. A. Duncan of Iowa City, who
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