USA > Iowa > Delaware County > Manchester > Reunion of the 12th Iowa V.[eteran] V.[olunteer] infantry 1st-8th, 1880-1903 > Part 22
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Miss Cora Weaver.
John V. G. Price .. Mountain Grove, Mo.
Mrs. John V. G. Price.
B. P. Zuver .. Adams, Neb. ..
Mrs. B. P. Zuver
..
B. E. Eberhart
Marshalltown, lowa.
C. D. Morris.
Worthing, So. Dakota.
J. P. Cook.
Ponoa, Neb.
Mrs. J. P. Cook
66
S. J. Crowhurst
Salem, So. Dakota.
Sylvester Cook
Iona, Neb.
R. W. Terrill.
Manchester, Iowa.
Mrs. R. W. Terrill
66
Nelson Ralston.
Canton, So. Dakota. Shoshone, Idaho. F. W. Coolidge. Mrs. F. W. Coolidge.
T. R. McKee.
Denver, Col.
Isaac Johnson
Pleasanton, Kan.
S. M. French .
66
66 Denver, Col.
J. E. Eldridge.
66
Stark, Kan.
John Bremner
Yankton, So. Dakota.
66
Estherville, lowa. ..
Win. M. Van Eman
J. II. Stibbs. ..
Chicago, IlIs.
J. D. Ferner
Miss Daisy Weaver.
Master B. P. Zuver
..
Miss Laone Cook
..
..
Mrs. C. M. Runkle, ..
..
10
FOURTH REUNION OF THE
Peter Moc . Company G
Springfield, Minu.
Ole Gilbertson
Gilchrist, Minn.
Samuel West ..
Red Cloud, Neb.
Mrs. Samuel West. ..
Henry Steen . . ..
Belgrade, Neb.
J. E. Simpson ..
Norfolk, Neb.
Mrs. Mary A. Simpson
..
Sioux City, Iowa.
* A. H. Groves.
Decorah, ..
..
A. S. Fuller Sioux Falls, So. Dakota. 11 .. Norfolk, Neb.
Joseph A. Light
Mrs. J. A. Light.
..
Battle Creek,
J. A. Van Anda.
Fremont,
Mrs. I. A. Van Anda
..
..
Master Van Anda.
.. J. W. Ward. ..
J. M. Crosby.
..
. Yankton, So. Dakota. ..
Master Roy Crosby
Sioux City, Iowa.
Mrs. Wmn. H. Dupray
..
Master Wm. Dupray
E. C. Cobb
..
Keokuk, Naponee, Neb.
Master J. S. Ray
16
D. D. McCullu
..
Win. Koehler.
..
. Sibley, lowa. Dubuque,
Mrs. Wm. Kochler
J. F. Butters ..
Sioux City,
Mrs. J. F. Butters.
Miss O. P. Butters
Miss Stella Butters
O. B. Goodenow. 66
.. .Ord, Nob. K 2536 Decatur St., Omaha.
W. R. Mathis.
.6
E. R. Mathis. .
1100 4th Av. Council Blfs.
Alonzo Robinson
Cedar Rapids, Neb.
W. H. Ellison.
St. Edwards, Neb.
Charles Rademacher.
Sioux City, lowa.
* Arrived after adjournment.
JOHN N. WEAVER, President, Sioux City, lowa.
J. E. SIMPSON, Secretary, Norfolk, Nebraska.
The following verses were composed and written by the talented and beautiful young daughter of our Comrade J. N. Weaver, under the inspiration and spirit of the occasion. We know comrades will appre- ciate the sentiments so kindly and beautifully expressed by our fair young comrade:
THE GALLANT TWELFTH.
Ye comrades of the Gallant Twelfth, Who fought long years ago, Your hair grows gray, and fails your health, Your steps are getting slow.
Lars L. Stalici
*G. II. Nass.
.
J. B. Fleniken
66
Burlington, lowa.
Wm. 11. Dupray.
I
John S. Ray.
11
TWELFTH IOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
But brightly gleams your honest eye
When telling o'er once more
The stirring tales of gallant deeds,
From '61 to '4.
The worthiest people in the land, Are you, who bravely fought
To save the gallant stripes and stars,
And a great success you wrought.
And furthermore, I here would say That your numbers, howe'er few,
Deserve the best that can be had,
Three cheers for the boys in blue. -Flora B W.
May 20, 1892.
None of the comrades present will forget how pleased we all were on the evening of the second day to greet the smiling face of Gen. J. 1I. Stibbs, who, after a "forced march" of two days and nights at last got to us. His kindly words and his cheerful ways was as a gleam of sunshine amid the gloom, and his rendition of
"Decoration on the Place,"
"Old Man Jim,"
"Only Room in the Procession for but One Flag,"
"Down to Washington."
"Barbara Fritche,"
"Snyder's Ride,"
"Marion Coming Home,"
"The Man with the Musket," and
"Two Opinions,"
will linger in the memories of those who heard him for many a long year.
Comrade J. W. Shumaker, Co. "E," reports as died since our last reunion: Comrades A. Myers, of Shell Rock, Iowa; J. E. Jones, Gene- va, lowa, and James Demoss. The dates of death and details he was unable to get.
Mrs. C. E. Phillips, of Blair, Nob., writes of the death of our com- rade and her husband, late Co. "K." She says in his last sickness he often spoke of his old comrades of the 12th lowa, in words of affection and kindness. He was with us at Waterloo and she speaks of how much he enjoyed the reunion there.
Since our last reunion "Taps" have sounded for our Comrade E. V. Andrus, Co. "G," Decorah, Iowa. He was a brave, loyal soldier, who did every duty well. Peace and rest bas come to him at last. He lies with many of his comrades in the beautiful cemetery "on the hill" in full sight of the "Upper lowa Valley" he loved so well.
FOURTH REUNION OF THE
TALCOTT, S. D., May 3, 1892.
D. W. Red.
MY DEAR COMRADE :- As the time for the next reunion draws near, I take the liberty to send you the following, as it is possible you miglit not be aware of all the facts:
About the time of our reunion at Waterloo, Iowa, Sergt. Emery Clark, of Co. "C" 12th lowa Infantry, died at the Black Hills, S. D.
You will doubtless remember that he was severely wounded, hav- ing both jaw bones broken at the battle of Tupelo, Miss., July 14, 1864. Ile was picked up on the field where he had fallen, unconscious, and kindly cared for by our hospital corps. On July 15 he was taken pris- oner with the other wounded of that battle, remained at Tupelo for about a week when all were taken to Mobile, Ala., where they arrived about July 25. On the surrender of Forts Gaines and Morgan to Com. Farragut, all wounded prisoners were removed to Castle Morgan pris- on, at Cahaba, Ala. He was a prisoner at that place until Nov. 23, 1864, when he started for Charleston, S. C., to be exchanged-an agree- ment having been entered into for the exchange of 1,000 sick. On the day of his arrival at Macon, Ga., en-route for Charleston, Gen. Sher- man, on his glorious "march to the sea," had cut the road to Charles- ton. 'Sergt. Clark was therefore imprisoned at Macon for a short time, when all the prisoners at that place were sent to Andersonville. He was confined at that notorious prison until the close of the war and was released at Jacksonville, Fia., April 29, 1865.
It is customary to lavish praise on those who, like the 12th at Shi- foh the "Hornet's Nest," withstand the desperate attacks of the ene- my and call their conduct heroic, and rightly too, but what shall we say of the conduct of Sergt. Clark who daily endured the pangs of a slow starvation while almost rotting with seurvey in Southern prison pens yet remained unfalteringly true to the old flag, not yielding to the temptation daily offered, nay, urged upon him, not even when it seemed that his life depended upon it. Such condnet marks a heroism in a man beside which the facing of the enemy in the field pales into insigniffeance.
Not many are called upon to suffer as much for their country as Comrade Clark suffered for his. Let us hope and trust that the God of battles will deal mercifully with him and with us all, and that when the last trumpet shall sound, he may, with all of the old 12th lowa, be found on the "right side" as he was in the hour of our coun- try's danger.
I give you these facts concerning Comrade Clark, as with a single exception-Comrade Kohler, of Co. "1"-I am the only one of the 12th lowa who was with him all the time of his second imprisonment. You can make such use of them as you desire. I do not know the date nor place of his death, but am assured of the truth of the statement that he died about the time given. I am your old comrade,
J. W. COTES, Late of Co. "I," 12th lowa.
MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA, May 21, 1892. J. E. Simpson, Norfolk, Nebraska.
DEAR COMRADE :- I was under the impression while at the reunion that one of the 12th boys had died at the home. Upon my arrival here this a. m. I looked the matter up and found that Able C. Gil- more, of Co. "H," 12th Iowa, died December 18th, 1891, and that his body was sent to Indianapolis, Ind., to his wife, Elizabeth Gilmore.
Yours truly, B. E. EBERHART.
13
TWELFTH IOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
The following sketch of our late comrade and president of our as- sociation, Col. S. R. Edgington, was prepared and written at the re- quest of your committee by the Rev. C. F. MeLean. of Eldora, lowa, brother-in-law of our late comrade:
OBITUARY OF COL. S. R. EDGINGTON.
Col. Samuel R. Edgington was born near Mansfield, Richland county, Ohio. May 12, 1827, and died at Eldora. lowa, May 20, 1885, having thus reached the 62nd year of his age. He was the son of Judge Jesse Edgington. His youth and carly manhood were chietly spent at the old Edgington farm homestead in Richland county, Ohio, where he was born and where his grand father had settled many years before, having purchased the land of the United States government. The military justinet early showed itself in his enlistment for the Mexican war when he was eighteen years old. He was away from home attending college at the time and volunteered with others, join- ing the Ninth Ohio Infantry, under Col. S. R. Curtis. After doing good service in the Mexican war he returned with his regiment to Ohio and was honorably discharged.
May 8th, 1849, he was married to Miss Lois Beal, in Richland coun- ty, Ohio.
In the fall of 1852 he came with his wife to Iowa and in the follow- ing spring settled in Hardin county, same state, and were among the first families that located at Eldora, the county seat. Here the fami- ly have since resided and here the three sons of the Colonel were born and grew to manhood's estate.
Shortly after he came to Eldora, Col. Edgington engaged in the mercantile business and continued in the same until 1861. That year he responded a second tine to his country's call and enlisted for three years or during the war of the Rebellion. He soon raised the first company of soldiers for the 12th Jowa Volunteer Infantry and was im- mediately, and by unanimous vote, elected captain of the same. Com- pany "A" was composed mostly of Hardin county young men and as brave and splendid a lot of soldiers as ever marched to the field of strife.
The regiment camped a while at Dubuque and then at St. Louis. Then came the advance southward. Then came Fort Henry, Donal- son and Shiloh, the two last among the greatest and bloodiest battles of all history. There were terrible experiences for fresh recruits, but our men of the 12th lowa made a glorious record for themselves on those fields. Said Col. Edgington in his speech at the reunion at Des Moines, Oct. 1887, referring to the famous lowa "Hornet's Nest Brig- ade" and its conduct at Shiloh, April 6, 1862: "These veterans are not unknown. Their deeds of heroism at the battle of Shiloh are the ad- miration of every city of our own state and nation. For ten long hours they held their battle line and saved the day until night and Buell came. History has not dobe full justice to these brave men. Three
FOURTH REUNION OF THE
of these regiments, the 8th, 12th and 14th, were captured by the rebel army that day just as the sun: was hiding behind the western horizon, April 6th, 1862. They endured their captivity and suffering like grand heroes for seven long months, without a murmer, in the prison hells of the South. But the grandest heroes of that bloody day at Shilon and the "hornet's nest" and "hell's hollow" were those who died fighting when surrounded by such fearful odds." One point made by Col. Edging- ton in the above extract was this, that while his brigade sustained the fest terrible onslaught of the rebel host in the carly morning of that eventful day they held their own all day and were not captured until night fall, whereas the impression has been given that they were cap- tured and hurried off the field before noon. Some time during the struggle at Shiloh, Col. Wood, of the 12th, was stricken down and Col. Edgington assumed command and fought bravely with his men until obliged to surrender to superior numbers.
Ile and his two younger brothers, all of the same company, passed weary months of prison life in the South and the youngest of the three was brought home to die.
Some time after the exchange of prisoners the 12th lowa was reor- ganized at Davenport and proceeding to St. Louis was there re-joined by S. R. Edgington, now regular commissioned Major and afterwards Lieutenant-Colonel. The regiment was soon ordered to Vicksburg and participated in the whole of that memorable siege. At Brandon, at Raymond and twice at Jackson, Miss., they took an active part with their commander and made this series of battles so successful in de- termining the fate of the rebellion. A comrade relates this incident. in the Dubuque Times: "The day that the 12th lowa arrived at Jack- son, Miss., on their way to Vicksburg. they were ordered to lie down some distance outside of the confederate works. They did not have a Brussels carpet to recline upon but instead a very damp piece of ground. It had been raining three days before the regiment reached Jackson and Col. Edgington, who knew that the boys were tired and would as lief charge as not, rode out in front of the regiment with the brave Gen'l Mower and in about ten minutes came back saying "Boys we can take those works and not half try." Then old Gen'l Mathias gave the order to charge and the yell that those wet Northern boys gave was enough to scare even the ghosts of the Southern confederacy. We took those works-it was no trouble-and after a day or two we went on to Vicksburg."
The Col. was a man of few words and seldom if ever was heard to refer to his own achievements in the war, but enough is known to jus- tify the remark that he never flinched from duty as a soldier and nev- er required his men to face any danger where he did not lead the way himself. In all probability not a few bold exploits and dangerous skir- mishes in which he engaged have never been recorded save in the memory of his war associates.
In 1863 he was honorably discharged and returned to his home in
1
15
TWELFTH JOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
Eldora, lowa, thereafter to cultivate the arts of peace and to build up the interests of society. He never forgot his old comrades but always delighted to mingle with them in their reunions and recount the stir- ring incidents of the war. He was high authority on military law and jurisprudence. He had thoroughly studied this difficult subject, es- pecially in its application to army discipline. A well informed army man who was with him much of the time during the service and has since become a prominent and successful lawyer, says that Col. Ed- gington was the best posted man in such matters that he knew of in the volunteer army. He was frequently consulted on this subject and became a sort of encyclopedia of military law. The Colonel was not in sound health much of his time after his discharge from the service. Doubtless the exposure of the camp and the field predisposed his sys- tem to a complication of disorders that culminated in diabetes and ended his life. But he nover complained of his affliction and always spoke cheerfully to those enquiring after his health. He refused to take to his bed almost to the last and not until he was unable to help himself. His record is made up and his history is with as. He has left to the world the example of a brave and honorable man whose memory all would do well to cherish.
Mr. President and Comrades:
To me has been assigned the painful duty of announcing in this formal and public manner the death, since our last reunion, of our Colonel Joseph Jackson Woods, at his home at Montana, Kansas, Sep- tember 27th, 1889. As soon as I received word that I was expected to perform this duty, I at once wrote the family of Col. Woods and re- ceived in reply the following letter from his daughter Miss Carrie Woods, that I now read to you.
PARSONS, Kas., Feb. 24, 1892.
Lieut. J. E. Simpson, Norfolk Nebraska.
Dear Sir: Your letter of the 8th inst. asking for data in regard to the events of my beloved father's life, etc. was (after some delay) received.
I send you a manuscript sketch of the important events of his life, which we found among his papers after his death. The manuscript was written by some one, we know not whom, and was sent to my father for correction. It was to be published in a history of his regi- ment, or of lowa Colonels or some such book. All we know about it is that my father told my mother that he had received the sketch but had not yet felt able to correct it. Perhaps you can find out at the re- union who wrote it. If you can, please deliver it to him and notify us. I have made a copy of it. Father had corrected a part, if not all of it, which will be seen by the pencil markings and certain interlinings which I recognize as his writing.
After his service in the Kansas Legislature my father devoted his time to farming and stock raising, and took no part in active public life with the exception of making political and temperance speeches occasionally. He was also a notary public and a member of the school board for a great number of years.
In 1888, the Union Labor politicians landing their doctrines, so
16
FOURTH REUNION OF THE
destructive to the principles of government, throughout the state, so aroused my father's indignation that he spent much time and energy in making speeches for the cause of Republicanism, and, we fear, shortened his life thereby.
Below is an extract copied from a newspaper which refers to his presence at a congressional convention held at Fredonia, Wilson coun- ty, in 1888:
"The first delegate on the ground was Col. J. J. Woods, of Monta- na. lle got in Tuesday at noon, ahead of everybody.
Col. Woods was a West Point graduate and a Lieutenant in the "old army." At Shiloh he commanded an lowa regiment, was badly wounded, and was among those captured with the division of General Prentiss. Though old in years and quite feeble, he made one of the most earnest, patriotic and eloquent speeches delivered in the conven- tion."
Many times he spoke endearingly of the "Boys" of the 12th and particularly when the time came around for the annual reunion of the regiment. He prized his cane very highly.
When appeals for aid in securing pensions came to him he always did what he could to assist, but many times expressed regret that be . could not remember the facts desired.
Though not united with any church, his religious belief was Uni- tarian, and he read many Unitarian works during the latter years of his life.
During the last five years of his life he was in feeble health. Ile was a constant sufferer from chronic diarrhoa, which he contracted during the service. He retained his mental vigor to the last.
In the summer before his death he bought a home in Parsons, twelve miles from Montana, and was preparing to move to it to enjoy the sunset of life in rest from labor.
Ile returned one evening from a drive to Parsons very sick and suf- fered intensely for three days. He had hemorrhage of the bladder and suppression of the kidneys. and afterwards blood poisoning set in. Through all of his sickness he was patient and cheerful, and at times even humorous. He hoped to live but was ready for death if it must come. For several days before his death he was almost constantly de- lirious, and fought again the battles of the war.
He died, apparently without pain, after an illness of ten days, on the morning of the 27th day of September, 1889. He was buried in the beautiful cemetery of Oakwood at Parsons, Kansas, a part of which is set apart and nicely arranged for the graves of the soldiers.
The Grand Army of the Republic, of which he had been a mem- ber, performed the burial service.
I can think of nothing more of particular interest, though it would take many pages to recount his many good and noble deeds; and the loss to his family and friends occasioned by his death, words cannot express.
I send best wishes to the surviving connades.
Yours respect fully, CARRIE WOODS.
Thus I found my work already done and by an abler nen than mine, and reviewed by the Colonel himself before his death. I am sure this personal history of our beloved Colonel, written with so much care by the historian of our regiment, Major D. W. Reed, when made a part of the proceedings of this session, will be read and treasured by you around your fresides and in your homes, and will be a lesson, well
17
TWELFTH IOWA V. V. INFANTRY.
to teach your children and their children, of a noble, true, good man. who, from early youth, without the advantages of birth of fortune, won the love and esteem of all with whom he came in contact with. and did every duty, in all the positions in which he was placed, well and faithfully. A tower of strength to those with whom he came in contact, with a stern, rigid integrity. a love of principle and right, he never faltered nor hesitated for a moment to do and to say what he deemed to be the right. Modest. diffident almost to a fault, never pushing himself forward or making any claims for himself, but per- forming every duty given to him with ability, no wonder he soon won the love and esteem of those who knew him. Every man and officer of the regiment, as they came to know him, learned to love and respect, him. Those of us who were present at our first reunion at Manchester twelve years ago, remember with pleasure his visit to us then, and our pleasure to find. when he commenced to talk to us, he was an eloquent speaker, his burning words are still ringing in our cars, when accept- ing our gift of a gold headed cane, he spoke of leaning on it in his de- elining years, and turning to our battle torn flags to our right, he said: "If rebel hands are again raised against that dear old flag, I will come back from my far distant Kansas home and standing on the prairies of Delaware county, I will raise my voice as never before, and give the command. "Fall in 12th lowa," and every one of the survivors will respond to my ery in defense of the Union and our dear old flag."
Our beloved commander is resting, his work is done, he has but gone before. We must quickly follow. "Taps" will soon sound for us all, and we answer to the "roll call" for the last time.
And now my dear comrades I commend you to the history of this truly good man who was our Colonel. Of him in his lifetime could have been truly said:
"His words are bonds, bis oaths are oracles,
"His love sincere, his thoughts immaculate,
"His tears pure messengers sent from his heart,
"His heart as far from fraud as Heaven from earth.
J. E. SIMPSON.
OBITUARY OF COL. JOS. JACKSON WOODS.
Colonel Joseph Jackson Woods was born on the 11th day of Jau- uary, 1823, on a farm in Brown county, Ohio. His ancestors came from Ireland but were not of the Irish race. Some of them were in Lon- donderry during the famous siege of that place in 1689.
His grandfather, James Woods, came to America in the year 1773, and settled in Pennsylvania where the father of the subject of this sketch, Samuel Woods, was born in that same year, 1773. James Woods was engaged during a part of the Revolution in furnishing sup- plies to the army. The mother of Joseph Jackson Woods was born in
18
FOURTH REUNION OF THE
Ireland in 1785, and came to America at the age of six or seven years. Her maiden name was Ritchey. Joseph was the youngest son that ar- rived at mature age of a numerous family, his father being at the time of his birth fifty years old, and having been in his prime a man of more than average ability among the farming class to which he be- longed, but while Joseph was yet young his father became a physical, financial and mental wreck, so that at the age of ten years Joseph was thrown upon the world to succeed by his own resources, and went with an older brother, JJohn, just then married, to Rush county, Indiana, where they settled in the dense forest.
He remained in Indiana two years and then returned to Ohio and lived with his relatives until he was fourteen years old, when he was apprenticed to Joseph Parish (late private secretary to President Grant to sign land patents) in Felicity, Clermont county, Ohio, to learn the saddler's tradic.
In his early boyhood while at school, which was but a small part of the time, he learned rapidly, being in advance of other children of his age. Ile never attended the public schools after his thirteenth your.
He served five years apprenticeship with Mr. Parish, working for his board and clothing, and became very proficient in the trade, work- ing in the winter season until 9 o'clock p. m. tive nights of the work, he had but little time for mental culture, but fortunately his cousin, Dr. Allen Woods, about this time married a Miss Whipple, of Ver- mont, a lady of the culture, who, becoming interested in young Woods, proposed to become his private tutor. Under this arrangement, by improving every spare moment, he completed a course of arithmetic, English grammar, geography and obtained a fair knowledge of history from books kindly loaned from the library of Dr. J. M. Woods.
At expiration of his apprenticeship the Rev. Mr. Ervine, Presby- terian minister and graduate of Ohio State University, informed young Woods that as he was about to review his Latin and Greek studies, he would willingly take a pupil and give instructions in these branches free of charge as a more thorough method of making his re- view. Under this arrangement young Woods pursued his studies sey- en months, working mornings and evenings in the saddlery shop to pay his board. The first Methodist college established in America was located at Augusta, Ky., seven miles from Felicita, Ohio. It was under the joint patronage of the Ohio and Kentucky conferences of the M. E. church, each conference entitled to keep at the college a certain number of students free of tuition, these to be selected by the presiding elders of the various districts from worthy young men of limited means. The Rev. W. Il. Roper, presiding elder of the district. gave young Woods the appointment, and he entered the freshman class in that institution the same year. Although free tuition was provided he found it difficult to provide for board, clothing and books. Therefore, by advice of Dr. Woods, he applied for an appointment to
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