USA > Iowa > Delaware County > Manchester > Reunion of the 12th Iowa V.[eteran] V.[olunteer] infantry 1st-8th, 1880-1903 > Part 6
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PERLETHE IORA T. T. INFANTRY.
An executive and judiciary both combined, Enforeing the law by order and obedience; Your pardoning power was clear and well defined, Administering to rebels the Oxrn of their allegience.
The accredited agents of the Freedmen's Burean, You protect the negroes in their sacred rights, Enforcing contracts with their former masters, Suppressing riots and preventing lights.
You even wore the high judicial ermin., In causes of equity, common law or tort; In all derisions promptly you determine, And right or wrong a "COURT OF LAST RESORT.
Three years passed in battle and destruction, As glorious as the ancient wars of Greece; One year devoted to national reconstruction, And splendid achievements in the paths of peace.
Four years devoted to your country's glory, Four years of life beneath the forest aisles, Four years complete your glorious warlike story, And your long march of fifteen thousand miles.
Pourteen years of civil life is past Without a sign of word of mutual greeting; When to the rendezvous we come at last, To hold this glorious regimental meeting.
This happy gathering, like a pleasant dreant, W'ill bless our lives, and all its joys prolong; A glimpse of heaven with no dark veil between, Thiss grand exchange of sentiment and song.
"OUR GALLANT DEAD" The Noble Heroes who, although passed to the Shores of the Great Unknown, still Live in our Memories, and are Cher- ished as among the best of our number." Response by R P. Clarkson, Des Moines.
No other subject stirs up such ballowed memories, or touches so tenderly the hearts of all lowa, and of all the homes of our whole country. The war left us a nation of des- olate hearthstones, bereft of their best and brightest idols. Nearly every graveyard has its soldier graves that are objects of veneration to the Whole community and will be until the generation that fought the good fight" sh.dl have passed away, and even their children and their enildren's children will cherish and annually deco- rate the grass-grown mounds. in praiseworthy remembrance of the he- roie services of our "gallant dead" for the reunited country they died to Save.
But this is a privilege that only a few enjoy. The great mass of "onr gallant dead" sleep their last sleep far away from home and friends, the , most of them in unknown graves, and the bones of a vast number of them lie bleaching on war-beaten trails all over the "sold South" and around all their accursed prison hells. They consecrated the rebellions land with blood too precious for such unworthy soil. Their fame is now the Nation's greatest heritage. They were of the Greeks who bat- tled for their country's honor and will be forever entitled to the proud
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distinction of having fought for principles that all coming generations must make eternal or be forever unworthy of such heroje sacrifices. There must be to half way ground in history. The army that fought to preserve the whole country were patriots, and all those that opposed them were traitors, and are traitors still. The patriots are Greeks to be praised and venerated, while history will properly place the traitors on its blackest pages.
In these days when politicians are so anxious to gain popularity with the rebellious horde, it is necessary that plain words be spoken, and that treason be painted in its true colors. This is due to patriotism, and is mild punishment to traitors. We were not hired Hessians that call- quered merely by superiority of numbers, but soldiers for God- Given prin- ciples that could not have been defeated. It wasa war for the continua. tion of national supremacy and honor, and Providence rightly managed the conflict, so as to eradicate grievous wrongs. that had been upheld by the nation since the formation of the goverment.
Nothing has struck the soldiersof the North in the last war with harder or more cruel force, than the false words of the unworthy sue- cessor of Grant-our most gallant leader in war and peace. Speaking plainly the present President of the United States, when he was exhibi- iting himself'at Atlanta, Georgia, a few months ago, to the beaten but still defiant rebels, insulted every soldier in the Union Army. in com- paring the war to a struggle between Greeks, "and in stating that we are entitled to no special credit for having conquered the Southern Greeks." Let us, at this, our first regimental union, hud back his false and hol- low words with all the scorn that language an express. Such words should have blasted the tongue that spake them. It was the scheming trick of a political poltroon, but even the rebels were ashamed of a Northern man that would so debase himself, and none of them have wer asked the renomination to the Presidency that he was seeking to induce, while his name is esecrated by all the gallant army he so toully slandered.
If this be treading on political groand it is in vindication of those who were not time servers. but soldiers whose gallant defense of mindy- ing principles placed a star on each shoulder of the foul slanderer, and whose votes elected him to the Presidency. Let us defend the gallant patriotism of our comrades, living and dead, whenever it is assailed. and teach our children to honor the living and venerate the names of Your gallant dead" and remember that their lives were given freely to perpet- Hate this land of liberty forever.
The statistics show that the whole number of men called into the na- tional service during the war was 2 655.523 and that about 1.500,000 of these men were in active service: 36.085 were killed or died of wounds. and 181.331 from diseases -- a total of 280.120 dead. The cost of the war to the government in mere dollars and cents was $3 093.2018, white the different states expended. in bounties, or premiums to recruits ; 00,- 000,000. The colored troops numbered 178,975 and their loss speaks vol- unmes for their bravery, as out of that number os, Its perished. To these must be added that great tower of strength and will that stood at the gov- ermment's hohn throughout the war and was the solid rock against which the hosts of disgraceful peace and armed traitors beat in vain - the great heart and brain that guided the Ship of state through the chatmels filled with shoals and quicksands and died, by the hands of an assassin, just as the ship was passing the last breaker the self-made man that was Providentially raised up from among the poor and lowly to be the Savior of the Nation. like one of old, to be the Savior of the World- - the grandest and greatest among our "gallant dead"-Abraham Lincoln.
Shallit ever be said that all this blood and treasure was spent in vain ? Can a nation so drenched with blood be so base as to forget the heroism of our fallen comrades that constitute this grand army that has gone on before to a realm where traitors are unknown ? Better that
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our land should become a barren desert over which oceans should for- over flow to condemn the base ingratitude and wash out all marks of sneh an ungrateful country's existente.
The lowa regiments lost 3, 152 killed or died of wounds: 8,152 died by disease; 6,777 were disabled by wounds and sickness, and therefore dis- charged, making the State's total casualties 23.295 ont of a total of 66,- SH three years men in the service, or considerably more than one-third the entire number. The records of the war department show that lowa furnished 75,535 men, including those that enlisted for short terms, of went into the regiments of other States. lowa's loss was, therefore, greater than the statistics show.
Only last Sunday I stood by the bedside of a dying lowa soldier, and almost his last words were in " fighting his battles over again" and re- counting hisexperience in the much dreaded Andersonville prison. He was but to years old when he enlisted and was at first rejected by the justering officer, but the fire of patriotism was too strong in Thomas W. Eichelberger, of the 7th Towa Infantry. to be thi; quenched. Changing his clothes and coloring up his face to give himself a more robust ap- pearsonce, he again presented himself to Lt. Chambers for examination, and not being recognized he was accepted. He was a patriotic boy a brave soldier and a noble man Ilis love for his brother soldiers was strong enough to include all who were on the Union side and he took the soldier view of all controversies and always lent the helping hand to comrades in distress. Having been daily associated with him for a year past and learned to love him as a pare, noble and cherished friend. I cannot re- frain rom paying this brief tribute to his noble qualities in life and of the real pleasure he seemed to feel in death from the full knowledge of having served his God and his country faithfully and well.
Speaking more directly of those we knew best and loved the most, those who shared with us the regimental toils and camp. the march and the battleficht, and who are at this time and will be forever, the nearest our heart strings and who. if such things are possible, are with us in spirit now. 'The Twelfth towa had 100 killed. or died of wounds. being over one-ninth of our entire number; 21 died by disease and 251 were discharged for disability caused by wounds or sickness, making the total casualties 550 men. over two thirds of the number originally sworn into the service being permanently disabled during the war, and it is perhaps too true now that fully three fourths of those who marched so gallantly forth from Coup Union with the grand old regiment are now bene ith the ground. The regiment " Tonght like braye men, long and well," at Fort Donelson, where the heart of the North was raised from the great despondency caused by the flood of misfortunes to our armies . during the disastrous campaigns of 1891 to a furore of jubilation never before witnessed on American soil. in which battle the General that the world has just pronounced the greatest living soldier, statesman and men, with less than 20,000 men. captured 15,62% prisoners, 17 heavy gums. Isfield pieces. 20,000 small arms and 3.000 horses -at Shilch, the bloodiest battle of the war, numbers engaged considered, in which Iowa lost nearly as many men in killed and wounded as in all the other battles of the war and which was the day of blood, death and capture to our own regiment -- at Corinth. JJackson. Vicksburg- - where we captured 15 Generis, $1 600 soldiers, $9,000 muskets and 172 cannon, the greatest. capture of men and arts from the invention of gunpowder up to that time and which battle broke the backbone of the rebellion, opening up the Mississippi river and cutting the Confederacy in twain. at Pleas- ant Hill, Yellow Bayou, Lake Chicot. Simsport, White River, Tupelo, Nashville Spanish Fort, Blakely and other less noted battles, and our "gallant dead" now lie buried in nearly every State in the Union.
Shitoh was lowa's greatest day of desolation and mourning, nearly all the lowa regiments in the service at that time being in the battle and all of them lost men heavily. Three lowa regiments -- the Eighth, Twelfth and fourteenth- were nearly destroyed. all the survivors of the three regiments that went on to the battle field being taken prisoners,
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just at the close of the first days'tight, over one-third of the Twe Ith being killed and wounded. It is useless to attempt to describe the suf- ferings of those that died in. or of those that survived the accursed prison hells. Language cannot portray their sufferings. Butlice it to say that one-third of those that were taken prisoners died of ill-treatment or starvation, or were so physically wrecked that they were discharged and that over one-half of that gallant number that went forth to battle on that gory field, on that beautiful sabbath morning. never reported to the regiment for duty again.
May the everlasting prace of God be with "our gallant dead." We feel with a new force. gathered here without them to-day, what a sae- rifice they made, and how. God help us in our mortality, and. God bless them in their repose, we loved them then and almost worship Ciem now. It is not the love of the mother for her child. that love transcendant. which heaven itself cannot match. but it is a love that comes first after the closest ties of kindred-a love that men sharing hardships and dangers and daring death together learn to have for each other - a love that bus in its origin no selfishness, in its continuance no ingratitude, and which, please God, will have in enduring time no forgetfulbess.
We cannot open our hearts to let the curious world read with garish interest of what is treasured there- - the sacred memories of fast fellow- ship, the sacred confidences of the lover like fri andchips of the camp and the march ; or, of the still more holy last comidences and last words, caught from the lips of connadesdying in battle, pris mor hospital. But in this presence, here to-day, with so many of our surviving contrades around us, and with, perhaps, the spirits of "our gallant dead" nover- ing in benediction over as. as the phantom mmies of the alain. above the clouds, were pictured as fighting in sympathy with the armies of the living on the field of Gettysburg, we by, with saddier hearts. speak here of the sharp, fresh pain we feel to-day as this serne so vividly re- calls anew the dismal agony of sorrow we felt. when our cherished comrades fell by our side in the iron and braden htil of Domnelson. or. when they sank down in the red rain of death into the still redder soil of Shiloh's scarlet ground ; or when they died with yet greater sufferings and still greater heroism, with oven starvation and death not able to make the white lips complain, amid the grisly horr as of Montgomery, Tuscaloosa. Macon and Libby, and how with life as sweet and the fu- ture as bright and their friends as dear to them as ours are to us to div. :und with a hope for their country last in their hearts. and a smile of remembrance of the loved ones at home last on their faces. they died without a murmur. dying as heroes died-as Christ died-for others.
There is no American Valhalla- no marbled and roval palace of im- mortality for our American heroes slain in battle to inhabit alone -- but there is reserved for them instead the nobler Valhalla of our own hearts, in which their memories and their souls are sovereign now and shall be always.
In one of the exmeteries at Washington City, a modest shaft of pure marble rise over the last couch of a young lieutenant of the navy, who with the sun of his glory and fame hardly yet shining in its earliest morning, went down at his post in centiict. The marble bears to its hero this legend : "Here lies. given back by the sen. the body of Lieutenant Rodman, slain at his place of duty." So of our hearts to dry. comrades, and of our hearts so long as they shall beat, and of our children's hearts so long as gratitude shall teach to them its perfect lesson. it shall be said : "Here lies, given back from the carnage of the unmarked gravey of Donelson. Shiloh. Corinth, Tupelo, and other gory fields. and from the unspeakable sorrows and horrors of the undistinguishable trenches of the starvation pens of Montgomery. Tuscaloosa. Maeon and Libby. the imaged memory of our noble. precious, immortal Dead. An angel even could not take from our hearts, nor take out of the hearts of men to come, not from the heart of history. the gratitude of a memory so noble, and God Himself will guard and Foster it.
TWELFTH FORA T. T. INPANTRY.,
"Our Gallant Dead" are our greatest honors, our grandest trophies and our proudest sears. Their deaths made heroes of us all, and gave the Twelfth lowa its proud record as a regiment baptized with fire and blood. They sacrificed home, friends and life with heroic cheerfulness, and their last good bye still lingers in the hearts and affections of the cherished idols left at home. We all recollect the last nights with loved ones. They were nights of weeping without slumber; heavy hearts lelt the last breakfast almost untouched, and while loving eyes were strained to catch the last sight of loved forms as they faded in the dis- taner, outstretched hands waived Ilops's benediction for a safe return.
This parting was our hardest trial. it was a struggle between patriotism and affection. Patriotism won the day, and fought the good light till peace prevailed.
"Ah ! grander in historie glory Than the greatest that linger behind, They shall live in pezpomal story , Who saved the last hope of mankind. Our oath, that ofl manhood ha , pori fred, And water and honor aresped, We'll in true to the cause they cherished. Eternally true, 'To our gallant dead."
The " Red, White and Blue" was sung by Miss Verda Kelsey with magnificent spirit, the entire assembly joining in the chorus.
CANE PRESENTATIONS.
Just now Col. Henderson arose, and stepping toward Col. Wood said :
"My Old Commander-The Twelfth lowa Regiment has given me a new command. 'Their money bought this cane, and Jam instruct- ed to present it to yon with these words: That as you could always lean upon them in battle, they want you by this token to know that as you pass down the western hill-side of life you may lean implicitly upon their warm heart's affections. Accept it as a token of their enduring love. "
Col. Wood took the eane, trembling with visible emotion, and re- covering his broken voice said :
"Col Henderson and Comrades of the Twelfth-I accept this token of your devoted love. I will retain it ever, and can never forget what it means; and if ever again the hand of treason should be raised against the flag of our country although I may be an old man and hearing heavily on this staff- I swear by the living (adl will come from my distant home to Delaware, and, raising my voice as never before, will ery out: " Fall im 'Twelfth lowa; close order- MARCH ! and every one of you will be found in your old places in the ranks. "
The fire that burned in the Colonel'seye at Donelson was again seen at this moment, and bursts of applause greeted the regimental com- mander.
Maj. Reed, of Waukon, now stepped forward and took Lieut. Abner Dunham's baad and said:
"Your comrades, appreciating all you have done to bring us to gether in this reunion, instruct me to present you with this canle, which I do wah pleasure, knowing by years of service with you how well you deserve this token of your comrades' love."
The Lieutenant took the cane and eudeavored to express his thanks,
FIRST REUNION OF THE
but in spite of repeated efforts found his emotions too great for him. With Ins tears were mingled those of many of his comrades.
John F. Merry now sang " The Soldiers' Reunion" which was called for by the audience, and was warmly applauded.
On the platform was the dag of Company @ presented by the ladies of the Upp i lowa University through the preceptress, Miss Lizzie Sorin, and which was returned to her after "this eind war was over." Also the flag carried by the regiment at Corinthand in that battle held up de- fiantly before the enemy by Miaj. J. D. Cole of Lansing. after he was shot through the body, and would not yield until he fell from loss of blood. And here was the regimental banner and its old flag in the hands of Liegt. 1L. J. Grannis, of Payette, which had been in so many battles that it hung in speaking shreds ; whose hands they never left during the war, save when in roll prison pens a prisoner. He waived it before the audience, and said ; "This is the day we carried," quoting a line of the song just sung, and this is the man who carried it," said Maj. Reed, pointing to Color Sergeant Grannis. Whereupon Comstock proposed three cheers for our Color Bearer who carried our colors from 'of to 66.
Vol. D. B. Henderson, proposed they rousing cheers for the people of Manchester, the Flora and Manchester bands, and the Dubuque Drum Corps, who attended in a body at their own expense, and who won great praise.
THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE REUNION.
It is with a mingled feeling of pleasure and pride that we write of the complete and gratifying success of the First Annual Reunion of the Twelfth lowa Regiment, held at Manchester, on the 6th and 7th inst., the anniversary days of the battle of Shiloh. As a soldier in the noble old Regiment and as a participant in the glad Reunion, we write of the occasion with a heart filled with feeling, such as only a soldier can ap- preciate. The brotherhood of comradeship in the army is as close a bond and as tender a ticas ever binds men together. Nothing so tests the manhood of men as the test of aring life, and nothing so proves it. The selfishness of the unselfishness of a man is quickly demonstrated there and the men who become friends under such circumstances of peril and proof, bind in the enduring fie the noblest freemasonry of friendship capable of being formed between men. It was in memory of a friend. hip so sublime as this, that the survivors of the Twelfth lowa Regiment came together in this Reunion at Manchester, fifteen years after the close of the war, and eighteen years from the time of the battle of Shiloh. In our dispatches from Manchester was told. in
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an incomplete way, a part of what was done at the Reunion. But no reporter could describe the heart there was in it all, boy how tender grew the strong men as they once more, after so long a separation, look each other by the hand. Only those who were there as participants can know as to that, and only soldiers can even imagine what it was.
A permanent organization was formed of the survivors of the Twelfth, and means are to be instituted to search out and gather into the membership all those who have left the State or moved to distant homes. We shall strive thus to bring together the last one of our surviving comrades, and once more stand together a united brother- hood preserving our friendships and meeting in regular anniversaries so long as any of us survive. It is a noble aspiration, and who that reveres patriotism or loves his kind will not bid it forvent godspeed ?
The following short sketch of the history of the Regiment. in the Manchester Democrat. will be of interest just now in reviving in the public mind the services of this noble Regiment :
The Twelfth Regiment was mustered into the service at Dummique in November. 156l. and in the following February took part in the bat- tles which resulted in the capture of Fort Donelson.
Eighteen years ago to-day this Regiment occupied a central posi- tion on the battle field at Shiloh. and held their place intil six o'clock in the evening, when about four hundred of them were overpowered and obliged to surrender, but not until after one hundred and thirteen of their number were killed or wounded.
For two hours before the surrender the Twelfth. with two of three other Regiments, were entirely surrounded, and in fact, contended against the entire rebel any. Those taken prisoners were exchanged. and the Regiment reorganized in time to take part in all the principal battles of the Vicksburg campaign
The Twelfth look part in the battle of Tupelo, Miss., in July, 1861, and out of two hundred men engaged, lost sixty-three in filled and wounded. The Reghoent also fought bravety at the battle of Nash- ville, and during its term of service did about as manch fighting as any, Regiment in the war of the rebellion, being in twenty-three battles and under fire one hundred and twelve davs. And each of these battles brought the survivors closer to each other than before, and there are few relations in life where the bonds of friendship are stronger thitn those that exist between such men.
Around such a proud and previous record as this, may not the sur- vivors of the Regiment cluster to preserve still more certainly to the future the splendid heritage of its fame !
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RESOLUTIONS.
Mr. Clarkson, from the committee on resolutions, reported the following, which were adopted :
WHEREAS. The city of Manchester has placed at the disposal of the Twelfth lowa Infantry Volunteers. for their use free of charge, the city halls, and also donated generously in cash ; and
Winnerss, The ladies of Manchester, have generously tendered said Regiment a rich and bountiful banquet, surrounded by decorations and beauties which only patriotic zeal and woman's taste conld collect ; and
WHEREAS, The lowa National Guards, of this county, have spared no pains to contribute to the pleasure of this Reunion, thus bringing the soldiers of the past and the soldiers of the future warmly together ;
WHERECAS, Mr. H. L. Kann of the Manchester Press, has devoted himself and his paper to promote the interests of this gathering. refusing all compensation. and the Manchester Democrat has thrown its columns open for the interests of the Regiment. therefore, be it
Resolved. That the Twelfth lowa Infantry Volunteers, to each and all of those who have thus kindly and generously contributed to the happiness and success of this our first Reunion, do hereby extend their smeere and heartfelt thanks, and they will ever remember the city of Manchester as a center of kindness, hospitality beauty and worth.
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