USA > Iowa > Delaware County > Manchester > Reunion of the 12th Iowa V.[eteran] V.[olunteer] infantry 1st-8th, 1880-1903 > Part 17
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To give some direction to this work and make it as nearly uniform as possible, your committee suggested that company histories should cover the following particulars at least :
I. When and where organized and by whom recruited.
II. When ordered into camp; date of arrival at camp.
III. Date of muster into United States service.
WV Sketch of life of each commissioned officer, with enlistment, pro- motion, wounds, special service, etc.
V. Record of battles, campaigns, scouts, marches, skirmishes, etc., by company, especially when detached from regiment.
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TWELFTH JOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
VI. Matters of special company interest, and worthy of record, such as individual acts of gallantry, incidents of camp, cte
VI1. As complete roster of company as possible, showing each man's enlistment, wounds, promotion, death, discharge, etc.
Failing to receive responses to these requests, personal letters were written to other members of committees, until responses have been received from several companies, and others have agreed to have the work done.
Comrade J. S Margretz was first to respond with a very complete histo- ry of company "E." Comrade Soper responded with a chapter of history of company " D " This company divided the work among different members of their committee, and are doing thorough work. Commade J. D. Cole, from his very complete diary kept during the war, was able to put company "B" in splendid shape. Comrades Col Edgington and Clarkson have vouched for the work of company "," but have not handed it in. Comrade Bremner-company ","-asks further time to complete his work. Com- panies "G" and "Il" are without a promise from any one to undertake the work. Comrades Zediker and Teskey have assured us that company " 1" would be attended to. Comrade Morgan company "K"- chairman of com- mittee, assures us that it is impossible for him to give sufficient time for this work, and others of the company have not replied to letters sent
Your committee has also omdleavored to obtain some personal items of Regimental Officers, relying upon sub-committees to arrange such items of company officers.
From the office of Adjutant General U. S. A., and other sources, we were able to obtain the desired items in regard to Col. Woods. From comrade M. P. Mills, who married the daughter of Lient. Col. Coulter, we are promised a sketch of the Lieutenant Colonel's life. Major Brodtbeck could not be persuaded to put himself on record, but by appealing to his daughter, Mrs. Wymetal, of Denver, Colorado, we were able to secure a complete record of his service in the Prussian army, etc. Mrs. Dr. Huff has said that as soon as she can get at the doctor's papers she would give her personal attention to the matter. Several others are on file, others are promised and only one or two have refused outright, though several have required considerable urging. These personal sketches are, we are sure, just such items as the comrades will desire to know and have preserved in permanent form. Your committee has been very much interested in these sketches and histories, and hope oth- er officers now living, and friends of those deceased, will surely see that all these items are furnished.
The sub-committee on history of Union Brigade have not reported their work. This gallant band of much abused, imposed upon-soldiers should not be neglected Some of the best fighting of the war was done by these same men. In addition to these personal sketches and company histories, your committee has procured full sets of Adjutant Generals' reports of the State of lowa, and have prepared references to all'mention made of the regiment,
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THIRD REUNION OF THE
from which to copy such matter as may be of interest. They have also made quite lengthy extracts from official reports of the battles in which the regi- ment was engaged, as published in official records of the rebellion, including reports of confederate officers commanding the troops opposed to the 12th lowa on different fields. We find these reports very interesting, especially of such battles as Shiloh, for by these, at least, we are able to prove that the " Hornets' Nest Brigade " did not surrender in the morning without firing a gun, but that they fought the whole rebel army and surrendered only when the day was spent and the battle won. Nearly every confederate officer on the field that day, from corps commander to the last colonel, claims the hon- or of having taken part in the final action which broke Grant's line at tive o'clock p. m, and that they were present when Prentiss surrendered.
These reports, of themselves, if put in shape for ready reference, will prove, without a lingering doubt in any mind, that the 2d, ith, 8th, 12th, and 14th lowa, comprising the " Hornets' Nest Brigade," hold the key to the po- sition on the field of Shiloh twenty-six years ago to-day, and held it against the combined attack of twelve whole brigades and the Crescent regiment; that after twelve unsuccessful charges in which these forces literally broke themselves to pieces on our line, Gen. Ruggles admits that he found it im- possible to break the line by direct assault with infantry, and sent his staff to collect all the artillery to his left, and names cleven batteries and a section which he brought to a commanding position in our front and concentrated the fire upon our position while he sent infantry to attack the flanks.
It was, according to these reports, only after the extreme rebel left com- manded by Gen. Pond, had driven Sherman and MeCleruand back, and by a continuous right wheel had, in rear of " Hornets' Nest," met the forces of Chalmers, who had on the right driven back Stewart and Hurlbut, and this brigade was enclosed in a circle composed of the whole rebel army and ex- posed to the concentrated fire of Ruggles' artillery, that they were forced from the position assigned them in the morning.
All this matter now on hand should be properly arranged, and as soon as reports are all in, should be printed. Your committee urge immediate action by those who have not completed the work intended, forgetting, if need be, our natural modesty in preparing these sketches, remembering that we work not for ourselves but for our children and the generations to come after us.
You know, comrades, that our record, especially at the battle of Shiloh, had been so misrepresented that it seemed for a while that we should never recover from the effects of the untruthful reports first published by some reporter never nearer the battlefield than Cairo. But these misrepresenta- tions are being corrected as true history is written, and we have only to pre- serve these facts and proofs which we now have, to be able to place before the world a record which shall challenge comparison with my in the proud
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TWELFTH IOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
galaxy of lowa regiments, of which it can truthfully be said, not one had a stain upon its bamier.
Let us then, comrades, give this matter our earnest attention and com- plete the work at once, realizing that each successive reunion finds our ranks greatly depleted, and those who can furnish items desired will soon have re- ceived their final discharge from the active duties of life.
Respectfully submitted,
D. W. REED,
R. P. CLARKSON, - Committee. J. D. COLE,
Short talks were indulged in by the comrades present on this subject matter, when, upon motion, the report of the committee was accepted and adopted
Comrade J. E. Simpson then offered the following:
.Mr. President and Comrades:
"Allow me to call your attention to a matter that I think important and proper. It is this: That there should be appointed, some one from each company, whose duty it shall be to ascertain all the dates, facts and cireum- stances connected with the death of those of their respective companies, who may die between the time of our holding our reunions. For instance, to illustrate, since our last reunion I am informed of the death of two of our comrades, of company "G," Archibald A. Carey, who was with us at our last reunion, and at that time his face showed that death had marked him for its own. He said to us on dress parade, that it would be the last time he would meet with us His prediction proved true. Honest, upright, a great sufferer, never a well man since our bitter experience at Benton Barracks, in the winter of 1861. Slowly and surely he passed away, surrounded by his family and friends, near Castalia, lowa. O. D. Miller, another of our com- rades, has died ; a plain, simple man, who did every duty well, one of those soldiers who was always prompt to say, "I will go, orderly." Away off in Nebraska he had taken him a homestead For years he had been a patient sufferer, never complaining, never regretting that he went to the defense of the Union. A comrade of good standing in his G. A. R. Post at Stuart. His widow writes me, as he drew near his end he had an intense longing to see some one of his old comrades. His heart went to those with whom he had camped, marched, fought and toiled, and his dying thoughts were of them.
Now, my dear comrades, it does seem to me that this is a matter of im- portance and should be carefully attended to. One after another we shall drop away, and certainly our organization ought to take note of the little in- cidents and surroundings of the last sickness and death, and have it an- nounced at these reunions."
Acting upon the suggestion of the foregoing the president appointed the following from each company :
Company A-R. P. Clarkson, B-J. D Cole, G -- J. E. Simpson, =
Company F-R. W. Tirrill,
C-D. W. Reed, II-J. A. Van Anda,
D-J. H Stibbs, 16 I-J. F. Zediker,
E-J. W. Shoemaker. K-J. B. Morgan.
The balance of the afternoon was given to general talk by the comrades, reminiscences and story telling, and after a general love feast was adjourned to meet again at the camp fire in the evening.
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EVENING SESSION.
The camp fire in the evening was held at Brown's Opera House, the building being filled to its utmost capacity, many being unable to gain ad- mission. The Waterloo cornet band enlivened the occasion with its sweet strains of music, and the several responses to the different toasts were inter- spersed with choice and appropriate songs by the Glee Club of the city, whose presence added much to the festivities of the occasion.
Ex-Gov. B. R. Sherman then took the stand, and delivered an appropri- ate and feeling address of welcome. It was wholly extemporaneous, and no draft of it can be obtained.
Col. S. R. Edgington, president of the association, responded in the fol- lowing feeling speech :
Mr. President-Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of my comrades of the 12th Iowa, I thank you more than I have words to express for your kind words of welcome, so beautiful and so complimentary. I want to say to the good people of Waterloo, that we are glad to be here in your beautiful and patriotic city, that gave to the 12th lowa regiment the brave and fearless company " E" whose comrades touched «Jbows on many a bloody battle field.
We remember your loyalty and devotion to the flag in our struggle for liberty and union, and how nobly your heroie sons volunteered and filled up the ranks and left for the front and field of battle.
Waterloo is noted for her hospitality to the boys who wore the blue. The city is handsomely built on both banks of the beautiful Cedar river, whose waters flow onward to the Mississippi and down to the sea
Away back in 1861, when Waterloo was not as large and beautiful a city as it is to-day, I brought my company (A) over from Hardin county by teams, for the purpose of taking the cars for our camp at Dubuque. What a change since 1861. Then there were but few inhabitants and but one railroad. Now you are of many railroads and many thousands of inhabitants.
Many of you will remendier that about the close of the war many of our citizens were much troubled about what would become of society, when the veterans were all mustered out. It was a matter of grave apprehension to many of our people, especially among those who were not truly loyal to our country and flag, that when this great, grand army, who had saved the liberty of our people, were mustered out and turned loose on society, murder, arson, and all manner of crimes would be committed by the old vets. How wild were such imaginations. When the army was mustered out and the veterans laid aside the musket and the sword, and returned again to their farms, their work-shops and all other peaceful avocations, society stepped up to a higher plane of civilization. My experience and observation is that our veterans are our best citizens.
Your speaker has served in two wars and my observation is that any man who was not a good citizen, was worthless as a soldier. A good soldier always makes a good citizen, wherever his lot may be cast.
When we think of who is most entitled to praise for saving the union, we do not think of our great generals and brilliant commanders-all honor to them and their noble deeds-but rather do we think of the brave men who carried their muskets, that stormed the trenches of Donelson and Vicksburg, who stood like walls of living flame at Shiloh and Gettysburg; and of the men who carried their muskets and one hundred rounds of cartridges and marched neer Sherman from Atlanta to the sea.
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TWELFTH IOWA V. V. INFANTRY
These old veterans we have with us here to the gratitude of every Amer- ican citizen. The men who carried and the men who followed that dear old lag. These are the men who, in 1861, pot pleading love aside, unclasped the dimpled hands of prattling babes fast locked about their necks, parted from wife and child because their country called. Boys who forced back their tears, forsook a father's house and the happy home group, the loved maiden and the joys of youth, and with mother's kisses warm on their lips went to the field of battle, following their flag.
When in my dreams, or when my mind dwells on army days and I think of those killed in battle or died in hospital, or were starved to death in south- ern prison hells, I seem to hear something saying, "Comrade, we are in a fairer land than earth ; we are in and enjoy a realm where the rainbow shines brightly evermore; where the sun, moon and stars are spread out before us like islands, great and small, on the broad ocean of eternity; here traitors never come and treason is unknown. We leave robes of blue, for robes of gray are not used here."
I do not endorse the attitude of our government towards the prisoners of war, nor have the survivors of rebel prison hells received justice from the government that they deserve. It seems to me they have not. The prisoners were allowed to suffer and die by thousands as a military necessity for the suppression of the rebellion Our government was not willing to give man for man in exchange, and at the close of the war thousands of sick and feeble prisoners were discharged to die or to be nursed back to life at their own ex- pense. Men who left home and loved ones and endured without a murmur the privations of camp and field. Men who stood unmoved amid the storins of leaden hail. Yes, brave, honorable and true men who never turned their backs on friend or foe. These are the men who composed the Union army. These are the men who saved our country and flag.
No other country on the face of the earth could have survived and come through so fierce a war with her territory intact, with the rights and liberties of all her people maintained. None other but this our own Columbia, "the land of the brave and the free."
These veterans of the 12th lowa Infantry were in twenty-three battles. They were under the rebel fire [12 days. They marched during their term of service- - four years and three months-2,670 miles. They traveled by wa- ter and land 13,809 miles. Total number of casualties, 582. Total number killed in battle, 95. Total number died of disease, 217. Total num- ber discharged for disease and wounds, 247. They were first in the fight and last to leave the field. They suffered in southern prison hells for more than six months.
This short historical sketch is given for the benefit of those who have grown up since the war, that they may better know what the old veterans did to save our country and flag from the traitors' grasp.
Comrades of the grand old 12th lowa, veterans of twenty-three hard fought battles, behold that dear old flag again,
With its stars and its stripes, and the red white and blue,
So dear to the hearts of all loyal and true;
The banner of our Union, the flag of the brave and the free, On hill top or in valley, or down by the sea.
In peace or in war all hail to the flag of my country wherever it waves! On behalf of my comrades of the 12th Iowa, who have come here from all over the state of fowa, and many of them from other states, I thank you again for your kind words and acts of welcome. It would be difficult to con- vey to you our deep feelings of appreciation for the hearty and cordial man- ner in which yon have approved that welcome by your appearance in such large numbers and for this splendid reception.
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THIRD REUNION OF THE
In response to the toast, " Why We Hold Reunions," comrade S. R. Burch responded as follows:
Beloved Comrades-Ladies and Gentlemen :
" Why we hold reunions," is a question easily answered by any member of the dear old 12th. But comrades, just why I've been selected to respond to the interrogatory I'm at a loss to know, when we have such a multitude of orators to draw upon to do this part of the work of our reunions; work I say for the reason what would be a very great pleasure for some of our comrades, who are by profession, and who possess natural and acquired gifts for in- parting to others rich gems of thought, clothed with beautiful language, which is food for the intelligent mind, while I might labor and burn the mid- night oil and yet fail to say anything of very great interest. But as I am de- tailed to perform this duty, I shall attempt to give a few reasons why we hold reunion .
We come together once in four years, to grasp the warm hand of him who many times during that terrible war did so many things to make us love each other as members of the same household. It must be a hard heart that would not cement to that of bis comrade who stood side by side with him in the ranks at Pittsburg Landing, twenty-six years ago to-morrow. You, com- rades, all remember as though it were but yesterday, the beautiful, bright Sabbath morning, when we were preparing our camp and equipments for Sunday morning inspection, when we heard in the distance a rumbling sound as of thunder, and instead of the drum corps playing " The girl I left behind me," for the assembly of the companies for inspection, the long roll was sounded from the colonel's quarters, which brought forth the boys from their tents, partly clad and with bated breath and hearts beating quicker, some with musket in parts for cleaning, others at a brook a little way off washing and searching for something they had not lost -- graybacks; but in less time than it takes to tell the story the companies were formed ; boys who were not able to answer to the roll-call a short hour before were now in the ranks to answer "here" when their names were called. The color-bearer ( you all know him ) took position and the companies were quickly formed. to his right and left ; now the rebel artillery was belching forth fire and smoke, and the rattle of musketry grew thicker and thicker, when the colonel's clear voice rang out, "battalion, right face, forward, double quick, march." When we had gone but a short distance we met hundreds of wounded and frightened sol- diers, wild with excitement and fear, coming from the front, who admonished us not to go out there for we would all be killed If you will not mention it. I will tell you that we too were badly seared, but our officers undaunted lod the way and we followed on We met the victorious enemy who had driven in our exposed regiments, and now began the conflict, terrible in carnage and blood; beloved officers fall mortally wounded ; a brother pierced with a rebel bullet ; a dear comrade falls, then another and another; on, on, throughout the long day the battle raged tiercer and more terrible; repeatedly did the enemy mass his forces and charge our line, which we hurled back as often as they came, inflicting terrible loss. This position the enemy denominated, " The Hornet's Nest." " When the rattle of musketry grew fainter and fainter and farther away, both on the right and on the left, our flanks are driven in; our battle line is broken; the enemy came up in our rear, when more tierce than ever (if possible) the battle raged till the sim was nearly down ; now be- ing surrounded and cut off from our forces by overwhelming numbers, what did we do, surrender? No. The rear rank faced to the rear and opened fire upon the loe -- who soon realizing our fearful execution, charged our position from both front and rear. Many, very many of our brave boys fall bleeding and dying, and we who so miraculously escape the bullet, were destined to a more deplorable calamity, that of being overpowered and taken " prisoners of war," to be incarcerated in the prison pens of the south to be placed in the custody of a Wertz, to starve and die.
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TWELFTH IOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
Comrades, we who survive those terrible ordeals, meet together once in four years to tell our wonderful stories of hardships endured, and greet each other. These are some of the reasons why we hold our reunions. Dear friends, do you wonder why we hold reunions? What I have told you is but a small part, one day's experience as it were. I have told you of but one battle in which we were engaged. We might tell you of the suffering from the cold storm and hard fighting at Donelson; the fierce and unsuccessful charges on the strong fortifications of Vicksburg, the capture and recapture of Jackson, of the battles of Corinth, Tupelo, Nashville and Spanish Fort. The long and weary marches in all kinds of weather, ou short rations; then it was unsafe for a chicken to crow or a pig to squeal. Friends, do not think for a moment that we had no fun in the army, for the inventive ingeunity of the Yankee so proverbial, from the force of circumstances was brought into requisition, and it would take hours to tell of the many little incidents hap- pening to break the monotony of camp life ; and now we love to meet and re- fresh our memories of the past and renew our acquaintance. Time is fast changing the raven hair to snowy locks-the bloom of youth to Furrowed checks and wrinkled brow.
When I take part in camp-fires and sham battles now and then, These war-like reproductions call to mind the gallant men Who marched and bivouacked with us; still we look for them in vain -- We can tell yon of their valor, of their records free From stain.
They were strong and hopeful when from home they marched away; Soon to learn each soldier's duty was comprised in to "obey." Very low knew of the heartache 'neath the uniforms of blue; Some did call us over loyal when to homes we bade adien.
Even thoughtless words were spoken of the bravest volunteer -- Why enlist, if ties were binding, or if homes were very dear ? Smile upon them brave old soldiers, ask them of the mystery, Why men sacrificed their life-blood for the boon of liberty.
Then we little thought of honors intervening years have brought ; We were thinking of our country and the lessons patriots taught. Should the old flag be disfigured -lessened by a single star? Never! for brave men rovered it, both in peace and time of war.
Fierce and long the bitter contest ; those were anxions months and years; We can never reproduce them, never reproduce the tears; Rank and file can shoulder ritles, epaulets be worn again, But no regintent can muster old time officers and men.
Vain the roll call, vain the bugle, till the last lond trumpet sounds, There will be the grand reunion on the new plantation grounds; If the martyred soldiers trusted last in Him who bore the cross, Their's the gain, and yet while grieving we had counted it but loss.
The last to fall was Gallegher, of D., soon all will be laid to rest ; But down through future ages will live brave Logan's request, That the graves of fallen comrades, on the 30th day of May, Be strewn with flowers as tokens of remembrance on that day.
And when we hold reunions could we muille the drums somewhat ! Lest the widowed and the orphaned think their loved ones are forgot. And don't forget to battle for the principles of right ; 'Twill keep the banner waving and the nation's record bright; For with north and south united, other nations yet will see, Our moral conflicts but enhance our love of liberty.
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THIRD REUNION OF THE
" The Hornets' Nest Brigade." Their valor saved the world's greatest commander.
The response to this toast had been assigned to comrade T. B. Edging- ton, of Memphis, Tennessee, but not being present the following letter was road from him:
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