USA > Iowa > Roster and record of Iowa soldiers in the War of the Rebellion : together with historical sketches of volunteer organizations, 1861-1866 > Part 2
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CHAPTER 223.
ROSTER OF IOWA SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND MARINES. H. F. 79.
AN ACT providing for the compilation of a roster of Iowa soldiers, sailors and marines in the war with Mexico and the War of the Rebellion, the Spanish- American and Philippine wars, including military service in the Spirit Lake expedition, and other service against the Indians; providing the manner of its publication, distribution and sale and making an appropriation therefor :
Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:
Section 1. That the Governor, Attorney General, Adjutant General, Curator of the Historical Department of Iowa, and one soldier of the Civil War whose selection shall be made and certified to the Governor by the Commander of the De- partment of Iowa, Grand Army of the Republic, who shall thereupon be commissioned by the Governor, which member so selected shall receive the same compensation as that now paid to the trustees of educational institutions for the time actually and nec- essarily employed, shall constitute a board authorized to prepare in form for publi- cation a complete roster of all Iowa soldiers, sailors and marines of the war with Mexico, the War of the Rebellion, and the Spanish-American and Philippine wars, in- cluding the military service of soldiers engaged in the Spirit Lake Expedition and other service against the Indians, and State troops rendering active service during the War . of the Rebellion.
Section 2. Said compilation shall contain the main item of record of each officer and soldier, and of each organization, so far as the same is obtainable from the rec- ords in the Adjutant General's office, in the War Department in Washington, in the official records of the Union Armies, and from other official and reliable sources. It shall include brief historical sketches of the organization, service and engagements of all Iowa regiments, and other Iowa organizations, with summaries of casualties, list of soldiers confined in Confederate prisons, and those buried in National Cemeteries.
Section 3. Said compilation shall be under the direction of the Adjutant General, and the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated from any moneys, not otherwise appropri- ated, in the treasury of the State, for the employment of extra help and other neces- sary expense in making said compilation. The compilation shall be divided into vol- umes of proper size and shall be printed by the State printer, shall be bound by the State binder in half sheep, and paid for as other public documents. The edition shall be ten thousand of each volume and shall be disposed of as follows: Twelve sets to the State library, twelve sets to the historical library, six sets to the State Historical Society, one set to each public library in the State and one set to each Grand Army
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Post in the State and one set to each Camp of Spanish war veterans. The foregoing sets shall be distributed free; all other sets and volumes shall be sold by the Adju- tant General at actual cost, to be determined by the Executive Council, and the pro- ceeds paid into the State treasury. An itemized account shall be kept and vouchers filed to be audited by the Executive Council and warrants drawn by the State Auditor to pay expenses provided for in this act.
Section 4. This act being deemed of immediate importance shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the Register and Leader and the Des Moines Capital, daily newspapers published in the City of Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.
Approved April 10, A. D. 1907.
In compliance with the requirement contained in section 1 of the act, Col. Geo. W. Crosley was selected as the Civil War soldier member of the board, which was then constituted as follows: Albert B. Cummins, Gov- ernor; H. W. Byers, Attorney General; W. H. Thrift, Adjutant General; Charles Aldrich, Curator of the Historical Department, and Col. Geo. W. Crosley.
On the 25th day of May, 1907, the board met in the office of the Governor, and organized by electing Governor Albert B. Cummins, chair- man, and Col. Geo. W. Crosley, secretary. The secretary was instructed to supervise the work of compilation - under the direction of the Adjutant General-and these two members were requested to formulate plans for the work and, when such plans were completed, to submit same for the con- sideration of the board. It was declared to be the earnest purpose of the . board to have the work prosecuted with energy, and, with this purpose in view, the preliminary work of investigation was promptly begun.
On June 5th, the general plan of the work was submitted, and adopted by the board. With some modifications and changes, the plan has been car- ried out as shown in these volumes.
It has been a difficult task to condense the history of the different organizations into what could be fairly considered "a brief historical sketch," as prescribed in the act. History has never dealt, and perhaps never will be able to deal, in the most satisfactory manner, with all those whose achievements go to make up history, even where there are no lim- itations as to time and space. In the preparation of these sketches, the compiler has confined himself exclusively to the facts as shown by the military records, and to his own personal knowledge of the conditions that pertained to the common experience of the volunteer soldiers of the War of the Rebellion, a knowledge gained by experience as a soldier in active serv- ice from the commencement to the close of that war. He could at best point out only the most conspicuous figures and events as contained in the official reports. Only a few of the names of the gallant officers and men whose acts of bravery entitled them to special mention are contained in these reports. In the long period of service which the greater number of these Iowa organizations rendered, they were engaged in so many im- portant expeditions, campaigns and battles, that but few could be described
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in detail, and none with that particularity of detail which would do them full justice. The brief paragraph opposite the name of each soldier, which follows the history of the organization to which he belonged, is also com- piled from the official records. It shows only the leading features of his service. It does not and can not be made to show in detail the service he performed, or what he endured and suffered, and, notwithstanding the careful research of the official records, there will no doubt be some few cases in which even this brief paragraph will be found, either in part or as a whole, incorrect. In all such cases, the injustice to the soldier is due to the official records, and not to carelessness or neglect on the part of those who prepared these revised rosters. General N. B. Baker, who was the Adjutant General of Iowa during, and for a number of years after, the War of the Rebellion, and who was a man of great ability, had the wisdom and foresight to require of the Iowa officers copies of their official reports and returns for preservation in his office, in order that the military record of each organization might be preserved for all time. For this purpose blanks were prepared and sent to the commanding officers of Iowa regiments in the field, upon which to make copies of all their reports and returns. To add emphasis to this requirement, and as an evidence of appre- ciation of the importance of compliance with it, the Tenth General Assembly of the State of Iowa adopted the following concurrent resolution:
Resolved, by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the Colonels of Iowa regiments engaged in the service of their country, be respectfully requested to furnish the Adjutant General of the State, at their earliest convenience, with a brief history of their respective regiments, showing what they have accom- plished and endured, not only on the battlefield, but upon the march and In camp, with a view that the information thus obtained may hereafter be embodied into a perma- nent history and monument of the patriotism, the heroism, and achievements of the soldiers of Iowa.
Resolved, that the Adjutant General be requested to communicate the above reso- lution to the Colonels of all Iowa regiments.
JACOB BUTLER, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ENOCH W. EASTMAN, President of the Senate.
Approved February 23, 1864.
WILLIAM M. STONE, Governor.
There seems to have been a general disposition to comply with these requests, but, in the exigencies of war, some of these reports and returns were lost in transmission, some were captured by the enemy, and, at the close of the war, the records of the office of the Adjutant General were still, in many respects, in a very incomplete and unsatisfactory condition. General Baker made every effort to remedy these defects by appealing to the officers, who had returned to their homes, to supply the information that would enable him to complete the records. The information thus ob- tained was not complete, because of the fact that it was mostly given from memory. A part of these incomplete records have been corrected by in- formation obtained from the War Department in Washington and from
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surviving Iowa soldiers. It is greatly to be regretted that this work of revision was not undertaken at an earlier date, when a larger number of the surviving soldiers of the war were still living. After the lapse of nearly half a century, it is difficult for most men to remember with accuracy events that did not make the most lasting impression upon their minds. They can remember the most important events distinctly, but, when it comes to recalling the personal record of comrades in their company or regiment, it is only of those with whom their relations were most intimate that they can give positive information. There was now and then a soldier who kept a daily diary in which he recorded the principal events that occurred during his term of service. The compiler has personal knowledge of only , one such private record that covered a period of three years' continuous service in the field. Could all the records of this kind which have been preserved have been collected, they would no doubt have been of great value in. com- piling a work of this character.
The errors and omissions which may occur in these revised rosters must therefore be accounted for by the causes before mentioned. In many instances the only record obtainable is the name, age, date of enlistment, residence, date of muster into the service of the United States, and the date of dis- charge or muster out of the soldier. In such cases, particularly where the soldier served for the full term of his regiment and was mustered out with it, the inference is that his history is identical with that of his regiment. He may have participated in every battle in which his regiment was engaged, but, as only the names of those who were killed, wounded, captured, or miss- ing in action, or those who were favored by special mention, appear in the. official reports, his name would not appear as a participant. The men who had the good fortune to go through their entire term of service without sus- taining any serious injury, and who were also so fortunate as to have escaped being the victim of some form of sickness, have no record-as a rule-except that of continuous service; but such a record is remarkable, and certainly most commendable.
Col. George H. Turner, who compiled the record of service of Michigan Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion, in his introductory refers to the class of soldiers above alluded to, and also to those reported as missing in action, in the following forceful and truthful statement:
It scarcely occurred to the officers who made their official returns to the differ- ent departments that forty years after the conflict an individual history of each soldier who participated would be written. * * * The hardships of a campaign, the duties exacted night and day, the constant attention to matters of vital importance, are not conducive to literary efforts of biography or general history. It is pathetic to know that thousands upon thousands of Union soldiers who participated in many of the most desperate battles of the Civil War have no records of such battles to their credit in the official reports. A limited number were fortunate enough to have their names recorded by their officers as participating in such engagements.
It was sometimes impossible in the stirring times of war for commanding officers to give authentic and final history of men who disappeared in a great battle, as in many cases the bodies of the dead could not be found, and if possession of the field was yielded to the enemy, the fate of those who were made prisoners of war could only, if ever, be learned through unreliable Confederate sources.
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For such heroes who died for their country and who sleep in nameless graves, their epitaph is inscribed in this history as "missing in action." A more honorable or heroic epitaph could not be penned.
It will thus be seen that the same difficulties encountered in the com- pilation of this work existed elsewhere. In fact, the same conditions pre- vailed in all the states, and it may be safely assumed that the record of personal service of Iowa soldiers recorded in these volumes is as nearly correct and complete as that published by any other state. The total enroll- ment, together with the Summary of Casualties which follows the Historical Sketch of each regiment, has been carefully compiled from the records, and demonstrates more clearly than language could describe the tremendous sacrifice of life, and the untold suffering endured by these brave sons of Iowa. The State has honored itself in thus endeavoring to do justice to their memory.
Volumes I. and II. of this work, containing the historical sketches and revised rosters of the First to the Sixteenth Regiments of Infantry, inclusive, had been published prior to the commencement of the session of the Thirty- third General Assembly, which made provision for the continuation and com- pletion of the compilation, by the adoption of the following Act:
CHAPTER 248.
ROSTER OF IOWA SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND MARINES. H. F. 171.
AN ACT providing for the completion and distribution of the roster of Iowa soldiers, sailors and marines as provided by chapter two hundred twenty-three (223), laws of the Thirty-second General Assembly, fixing number of volumes, and mak- ing an additional appropriation therefor.
Be it Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:
Section 1. Appropriation-how drawn. That the sum of ten thousand ($10,- 000.00) dollars or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated from any moneys, not otherwise appropriated, in the treasury of the State, for the employ- ment of the extra help and other necessary expense to complete the compilation of the roster and record of Iowa soldiers, sailors and marines provided by chapter two hun- dred twenty-three (223), laws of the Thirty-second General Assembly, and the same shall be drawn and expended as provided for in section three (3) of said chapter.
Section 2. Number printed and bound-distribution. The edition of each volume hereafter printed shall be three thousand, instead of ten thousand, as provided by said chapter. Two thousand of each edition shall be bound in half sheep and the remainder shall be stitched and stored for future use and so bound whenever required for sale or distribution. One hundred sets of said rosters and record shall be placed in the hands of the Adjutant General and one hundred sets in the State library, for exchange with libraries of other states, the War Department Library, and the Librarian of Con- gress and such other institutions of other states as have extended or may hereafter
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extend courtesies of like character to this State; one set shall be issued to each Camp of the Union Veteran's Legion, located in the State of Iowa; the remainder of the edition shall be disposed of as provided in section three of the aforesaid chapter, ex- cept as said section is modified by the provisions of this act.
Section 3. In effect. This act being deemed of immediate importance shall be in force from and after its publication in the Register and Leader and Des Moines Capital, newspapers published at Des Moines, Iowa.
Approved March 12, A. D. 1909.
The work of compilation had been discontinued on December 1, 1908, on account of exhaustion of the appropriation, and was resumed on March 17, 1909, when the new appropriation became available.
First Regiment
Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
HISTORICAL SKETCH FIRST REGIMENT IOWA VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
The official records in the office of the Adjutant General of the State of Iowa show the original rosters of the twelve companies which composed the First Regiment of Cavalry, at the date of their muster into the service of the United States, together with the additional enlistments in each company, which followed soon after the completion of the muster of the regiment. The regiment was organized under the proclamation of President Lincoln, bearing date May 3, 1861. Burlington was designated as the general rendezvous, and the com- panies were ordered into quarters at that place, by Governor Kirkwood, July 18, 1861, with the exception of Company M, which was ordered into quarters at Davenport, September 2, 1861, and was there mustered into the service Sep- tember 12, 1861, and was shortly afterwards ordered to join the other companies at Burlington. Companies A to I, inclusive, were mustered by Captain Alex- ander Chambers, of the United States Army, at Burlington, on the 30th and 31st days of July, 1861, who also mustered Companies K and L, at Burlington, August 17, 1861, and Company M, at Davenport, September 12, 1861. The total number of the regiment-rank and file-at muster in was 1,035, and this number was soon increased, by additional enlistments, to 1,245.1 The regiment had the honor of being the first volunteer cavalry organization, which had enlisted for a three years' term of service, to be accepted by the Government. The personnel of the regiment was of the highest character, both as to enlisted men and officers. Among its commissioned officers were some of the ablest men in the State. Its first commander, Colonel Fitz Henry Warren, was one of the most noted journalists of his time. He had become the Associate Editor of the New York Tribune, and his earnest advocacy of the cause of the Union, and his insistence upon an active and vigorous prosecution of the war had been effectual in arousing the patriotism of loyal citizens, and causing them to realize the magnitude of the rebellion, and the tremendous task of subduing it, which confronted the Government.
The officers and men of the regiment preferred to select and own their horses, many of which they had brought with them from their homes. The law at that time permitted this personal ownership, the Government allowing ample pay for the use and risk of the animals. The regiment was thus able to secure a better average quality and value of horses than those usually sup- plied to the cavalry regiments of the Regular Army.
The short time the regiment was allowed to remain in its first camp, near Burlington, was utilized to the utmost extent in learning the rudiments of the cavalry drill and the general character of the duties of officers and en- listed men in camp and field. The time was too short, however, to properly fit
1Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 2, pages 335-392, inclusive.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
them for the arduous work of an active campaign against the enemy, in which the greater part of the regiment was very soon to engage. In fact, no amount of previous training could have fitted them for the peculiar character of the service they were called upon to perform during the first year of their term. They had to learn, by practical experience in the field, the character and methods of the enemy with whom they were contending, and, as will be seen, they passed through a hard and most difficult school of experience, which in- volved vastly more than is taught in the regular military curriculum.
On the 30th day of September, 1861, six companies of the regiment em- barked on steamers and barges and were conveyed to St. Louis, where they arrived October 2d, and went into quarters at Benton Barracks, where troops were constantly arriving and departing for the field. Here they were joined by four companies, two days later. Companies L and M were detained in camp at Burlington, waiting to receive their uniforms and horse equipments, and did not arrive at Benton Barracks until October 17th. The Government was not at that time, and for a long time later, able to procure the arms necessary to fully equip all the cavalry regiments. Revolvers and sabers were the arms with which the regiment was first equipped. With such arms it was necessary to engage the enemy at close quarters, in order to secure effectual results. The carbine was an important part of a cavalry soldier's armament, particularly when fighting dismounted, as he was more or less frequently required to do when engaged against an infantry or dismounted cavalry enemy. The cavalry soldiers not provided with carbines were, therefore, placed at a disadvantage, except when fighting at very close range or engaged in a hand to hand con- flict, when the saber and revolver were the most effective weapons.
The State of Missouri was rent and torn by the terrible factional strife between those of her citizens who adhered to the cause of the Union and those who had espoused the cause of the Rebellion. Armed conflicts were of fre- quent occurrence, and the number of those who had cast their lot with the rebel cause had increased to such proportions as to tax to the utmost the available resources of the Government, in its endeavors to protect the loyal citizens. who were subjected to pillage and murder at the hands of lawless bands, often composed of those who had been their friends and neighbors pre- vious to the breaking out of fratricidal war. These rebel bands, being mostly well mounted and familiar with the country, could only be successfully pur- sued by cavalry. Into this difficult and dangerous field of service came the First Iowa Cavalry, to learn its first lessons in the dreadful trade of war. The conditions which then confronted the regiment were largely the same during the greater part of its long term of service and have been well described by one of its members, who subsequently achieved fame and distinction in civil life,2 and whom the compiler of this sketch takes the liberty of quoting, as follows:
The early October days found us in Missouri, and thenceforth we were assigned to duties such as none could have well performed save only the highest in the soldierly and patriotic qualities of patience, fortitude, unflinching courage, and supreme devotion to a cause. Every hardship known to war fell to our lot. The somber picture we daily faced was for years unlit by a single gleam of those glories which, in regular warfare, light up the soldier's pathway to glory or the grave. Our battlefields were in the byways and waste places, where the human foxes we followed had their holes. Our marches were often in the night time, for from every hilltop, and sometimes from the tree tops, looked out a watcher to note our progress and fix the ambush. And though compelled to this duty, we were left without proper arms, and for two-thirds
2Captain Samuel S. Burdett, Company B, First Iowa Cavalry, and late Com- mander-in-Chief, Grand Army of the Republic.
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of our term of enlistment were not so well armed for the business we were engaged in as were the enemies we followed. But our duty was performed without repining, and I believe that if the history of our whole service could be written up with that minute- ness with which Kinglake has told the story of the Crimean campaign, that it would appear that for individual daring, for extent of country covered and protected, for extent of marches, for number of conflicts, and for soldierly endurance and self denial, no regiment in the service excelled that to which we belonged, or deserved better of its country. 1
The compiler of this historical sketch finds it impossible to go into particu- larity of details without exceeding the limitation of space allowed him in this work, and he will, therefore, confine himself to a brief description of the princi- pal events in the history of the regiment.
On the 18th of October, 1861, the First Battalion of the regiment, con- sisting of Companies A, B, F and G, under command of Captain Leffingwell, left Benton Barracks under orders to report to General Pope. The battalion joined the troops under General Pope's command and was assigned to the duty of advance guard and scouts, on the march to Springfield. On the 9th of November the Union forces evacuated Springfield, and that portion of the State was, for a time, left in the possession of the rebel army under General Price. Captain Leffingwell was ordered to proceed to Otterville with his de- tachment. In the meantime, the Second Battalion had been ordered to take the field, and shared, with the First, the hardships of the winter campaign; while the Third Battalion, under Colonel Warren, remained on duty at Benton Bar- racks until March 6, 1862, at which time he was ordered to Sedalia, Mo., where he arrived, with the Third Battalion, on March 9th. From that date the en- tire regiment was engaged in active operations, by companies and detachments, operating from different points and covering a wide extent of territory.
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