USA > Iowa > Washington County > The history of Washington County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. : a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men > Part 55
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Israel Wildes was present, the oldest white child born in Sandy Hook. Don't know the date. Also, Wm. Disbury, born in Clay township, Feb. 25, 1840, with continuous residence here; indeed, Ed. Deeds writes that William has never been out of the State and lives within 400 yards ot where he was born; also Chas. Risk, son of Robert, born about the same time, but now a resident of Fairfield.
The dinner was an immense affair and with special reference to represent a feast in olden times a long old-settler table was spread for outside guests, and was loaded with antique fare: johnny cake, honey, pie, chicken, roast ham, pot-pie, biscuit, slices of bread 8 inches long and 2 inches thick, pickles a foot long, and one johnny cake measured 17 inches.
Prof. S. W. Monntz sang "Auld Lang Syne" to the accompaniment ot the band, and Rev. Wm. Poston offered prayer, when Hon. Sam. A. Russell made the oration.
He told a story on some fellow who always liked to have "Brown" preach for he could go to sleep, knowing that what Brown might say would be all right, but he disliked the itinerants, because these strange fellows need watching. You may not be sharp enough to see the application, he said, but it is this: those in this crowd who cannot hear me have known me long enough to be assured that I am saying the right thing. He referred to the organization of this society in March last; it was formed by men of intelli- gence and virtue, and many had there met for the first time since the town- ship was the school district and the county was the neighborhood. And now they come up here to fraternize and live over the past. I bid you welcome! and on behalf of the mayor and city council give you the freedom of the city. Go, then, where you please; visit our theaters, museums, col- leges and parks; our barber shops and saloons; play billiards and drink beer, without money and without price, anywhere in the corporation; don't offer to pay; all is free, wherever you find thein inside the city limits; climb a tree; do anything you like; Marshal Haynes has special orders not to put in the pound any old settler found meandering before 9 P. M., provided he got his inspiration inside the corporation.
We are not authors, historians, artists, etc., but simply men and women who, a quarter of a century or more ago, left our homes in the East and came to this new land. We journeyed thousands of miles in wagons, con- suming weeks in the passage, encountering storm, heat, cold, bridgeless streams, and threading bridgeless country, rough and wild. But not on account of our sufferings did we claim the right to organize as an old set- tler band. We base the right to be honored in the fact that we were of those who founded this great State of Iowa. In all ages the founders of cities and States have been recognized as benefactors of their race. Altars and temples were erected to perpetuate their memory in ancient days, and their names were inscribed as heroes and heroines on the brilliant pages of the world's history.
The honor of an act often depends more on the time and circumstances of the act than the act itself. The first locomotive was a rude, awkward thing, but the names of Watt, Stephenson, and those who developed the principles and applied steam as a motor in crude mechanical forms, still shine in the galaxy of genius. Why is not the marvelous skilled workman of to-day equally honored with Arkwright, Fulton, Stephenson, etc .? Be- cause the latter were the old settlers in invention.
He recited the history of Columbus begging at the doors of crowned
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
heads for an outfit of a fleet, and the difficulties of his voyage. But now that voyage is but a holiday trip, the fitting prelude to a wedding tour, and Capt. Crapo has crossed in a boat 20x8 feet; yet Crapo is not honored, for he is an imitator, while Columbus, the founder, lives in the counterfeit presentment of statues and on the page of history. Columbus was the oldest kind of an old settler, and if he were here we'd have him get up here and tell us all about this country when it was new.
Why is Forefathers' Day still universally observed in the East, and the memory of the Puritans honored? Colonization is not new; but the Massachusetts colony was the first; those colonists were the founders of New England; they, too, were old settlers, and if they were here, we should set them besides Columbus, and Miles Standish should tell us all about it; how they burned witches, persecuted the Quakers, and slit the noses of boys and girls for kissing on Sunday, contrary to the statute in such cases mnade and provided.
He might speak of Daniel Boone and many other old settlers, but fore- bore. Henceforth, no one will refuse to tip his beaver to an O. S. whenever he meets one.
Dr. A. N. Miller recited a poem on the flax scutcher, written by a Quaker girl of Salem during the war of the rebellion.
Father Drake sang one of his songs, written about the above date. There were only 16 verses of it, 8 lines to the verse. His voice was too weak to reach the crowd.
James Dawson rose to remark that the essentials of a new country are good soil, industry, morality, temperance, and pure and undefiled religion. Where you find churches and school-houses, you find also fine farms.
Uncle Billy Moore made the most taking speech of the day. He has been here over 41 years. By the way, Norman Everson, J. P., married William. It happened thus: Friends were visiting him. and wanted to see the ceremony before they left for the East on Monday. No clergyman would tie the knot on Sunday, and so they sent for the 'Squire who seemed to think the better the day the better the deed. He spliced them strong. This is a strange sight. When he came on to Crooked creek, there were only 20 to 25 people in the county; now, 20,000 to 25,000, and about half of them around me. When he came, there was no neighborhood of whites. His father built the first cabin on that creek, except an Indian one. Prairie grass was so high you couldn't see a man 200 feet away. They had one "neighbor" at Ainsworth, and one beyond Crawfordsville. They came in September, 1836; Indians drove them away; it was eight months before any one came. Baker came but the Indians drove him off and burned his cabin May 1st. The night before, the chief stayed at his father's and said they would drive B. off, but they might stay. In two or three days they came to his brother plowing, and told him to git, but he wouldn't go. They tried to turn the sod back, but were not successful agriculturists. They jerked him from the plow. A week later they came to father's, and to my brother and mne, and said we must "puckachee" (git) or they would "nippoo" (kill) us. "We won't"; "you must." They showed by signs how they would lift our hair. In half an hour 25 more came, armed with clubs. We took the hint, hitched the oxen to the wagon and drove off leaving the contents of the house and the stock. The next day, friends (Ritcheys) on the east fork of the creek came back and got our plunder. He told how they lived that winter. They had a house to build and hay to make for
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
their stock of all kinds. Fat hogs gave them meat, but they had no meal or flour, though they had corn. Snow was so deep, they could not haul. No mills, so they extemporized hand mills from butts of sycamore logs fitted up with rough burrs. The mill was such a decided success that the Indians came to use it. The squaws did the grinding, and the bucks squatted and looked on.
At the close of the exercises at the stand, a committee of five was ap- pointed to select officers of the association for the ensuing year. The fol- lowing were nominated and elected: President, J. H. Wilson; vice-pres- idents, J. S. Mapel, Dr. O. H. Prizer, W. J. Eyestone; secretary, N. Lit- tler; treasurer, James Dawson; executive committee, J. L. L. Terry, Ed. Deeds, J. S. Reeves, C. C. Hasty and William Moore.
The second annual meeting of the Association was held at Brighton. It is estimated that there were about 4,000 people present, two car-loads going from Washington. An address was delivered by Gen. A. C. Dodge, Will- iam Moore and J. S. Reeves following with short speeches. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, J. L. L. Terry; vice- president, S. E. Woodford; treasurer, James Dawson; secretary, N. Littler.
The third meeting was held at the fair grounds at Washington, August 28, 1879. There were about 2,000 people present, and the address was de- livered by Hon. C. W. Slagle. William Moore was elected president of the Association for the ensuing year, and consequently is now at the head of the organization. The old settlers have lost none of their interest in these annual reunions, but as they become an annual occurrence the novelty wears off, and the large crowd of spectators and visitors from abroad grad- nally decreases.
WAR HISTORY.
THE census of 1860 shows that Washington county at that time had a population of 18,648. During the war of the rebellion the county sent over 1,000 to the field of her bravest and strongest sons.
At the outbreak of this war Washington county was in the full tide of activity and prosperity. Her material resources were being rapidly devel- oped and all the various branches of business and the learned professions were keeping pace in the front ranks of progress. The people were just recovering from the financial crisis of 1857, and those who had toiled in the land during those times which tried men's souls had begun to see the dawn- ing of better days. Immediately surrounded by the noise of industry and the continuous hum of business they heard little and believed less of the rumored plots and plans of those who lived to grow rich from the toil and sweat of others, and whose leading branch of trade was the traffic in souls and bodies of men. But still the war was upon them, and the thundering of cannon at the very gates of the National capital soon broke the spell of busy peace, and they soon passed from a serious contemplation of the possi- bility of war to the realization of its actual presence and the duties which the issues of the day made incumbent upon them as loyal citizens of the Union.
Fort Sumter was fired upon April 12, 1861, and on the 15th of the same month the President issued the following proclamation:
" WHEREAS, The laws of the United States have been and are now op- posed in several States by combinations too powerful to be suppressed in an ordinary way, I therefore call upon the militia of the several States of the Union, to the aggregate number of 75,000, to suppress the said combination and execute the laws. I appeal to all loyal citizens for State aid in this effort to maintain the laws, integrity, National Union, perpetuity of popular government, and redress wrongs long enough endured.
" The first service assigned forces will probably be to repossess forts, places, and property which have been seized from the Union. The utmost care should be taken, consistent with our object, to avoid devastation, de- struction and interference with property of peaceable citizens in any part of the country, and I hereby command persons commanding the aforesaid combinations to disperse within twenty days from date.
" I hereby convene both Houses of Congress for the 4th day of July next, to determine upon measures for the public safety as its interests may de- mand.
" By W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State."
"ABRAHAM LINCOLN,
1 President of the United States."
Of this call for volunteers, only one regiment was required to fill the quota of Iowa. The proclamation of Governor Kirkwood calling for this
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WASHINGTON COUNTY WAR RECORD.
regiment was issued at Iowa City, April 17th. The men of Iowa sprang to arms as one inan, and hundreds of volunteers were offered whom the State did not need.
Washington county was among the first in the state to catch the inspira- tion. On April 17thi, 1861, the same day Governor Kirkwood issued his proclamation, the following notice was printed and sent throughout the town of Washington and surrounding county :
"WAR MEETING.
"A meeting of the citizens is called at the court-house to-night to con- sider the recent exciting events transpiring in our country. The meeting will be addressed by members of the bar and by others from this and other places. There will be no lack for listeners."
At this meeting steps were immediately taken to respond to the Govern- or's proclamation, which had been received during the day, for the forma- tion of volunteer companies. John W. Quinn was called to the chair and T. E. Cowles was appointed secretary.
Captain H. R. Cowles, of the Washington Light Guards, stated the object of the meeting and pledged twenty-five of the Light Guards as the basis of a company to consist of 84 men and officers. Speeches were made by Messrs. Dawson, Bennett, Chipman, Donnell and others. The roll was then presented and a number volunteered. A committee was appointed to fix the time for a county war meeting and procure funds for the aid of volun- teers' families. A subscription paper was passed around before the meet- ing adjourned and $800 secured.
This military company, called the Light Guards, had been formed in 1858. This formed the nucleus of the first company which entered the ser- vice from Washington county and was designated as company H, Second Iowa infantry. The first officers were: captain, H. R. Cowles; first lieu- tenant, A. L. Thompson; second lientenant, N. P. Chipman.
The second company to be organized was called "The Kirkwood Guards"; it was officered as follows: captain, B. Crabb; first lieutenant, W. P. Craw- ford; second lientenant, G. G. Bennett. Early in May captain Cowles received orders from the governor to report liis company at the rendezvous at Keokuk, on Saturday, May 25. The company was ordered to be ready for-departure by Thursday, May 23d, at 1 P. M. When this was known throughout the town preparations were made to give the company a dinner before leaving. The table was set in the court-house square, and in connec- tion with the report there were some very impressive exercises, at the conclu- sion of which the company took its departure for Keokuk.
The Kirkwood Guards not having been accepted on account of Iowa's contingent being full, there was some talk of the company disbanding. The company hearing this held a meeting on the 22d of June, at which the fol- lowing resolution was adopted:
"Resolved that the Kirkwood Guards will never disband until there is no longer any hope for active service, and that we will anxiously await marching orders, ever ready and willing to bear arms wherever the flag of our country may lead, until peace is again restored."
The anxiety of these volunteers for active service was destined to be speedily relieved, for early in July Captain Crabb received orders to report his company at Burlington as soon as posssible. The company, as soon as it
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WASHINGTON. COUNTY WAR RECORD.
could be got together, departed for Burlington where it was mustered into the United States service, and became company H of the Seventh Iowa infantry.
The "Washington Rifles" was the next company to leave for the seat of war; it was officered as follows: captain, W B. Bell; first lieutenant, S. E. Rankin; second lieutenant, A. A. Rodman. The company left Washington for the rendezvous at Davenport on the 20th of August, 1861. Just a short time before the departure of the train which conveyed the company to Dav- enport, a most shocking suicide was committed. John Morton, a member of the company, shot himself through the heart with a pistol and died almost in- stantly. It is supposed that Morton was laboring under temporary insanity. Upon arriving at Davenport this company was mustered into the service and became company C of the Eighth Iowa infantry.
The next company was the Richmond Guards, which became company E of the Tenth Iowa infantry. The officers were as follows: captain, N. A. Holson; first lieutenant, R. J. Mohr; second lieutenant, W. W. Purcell. These four companies were all that entered the service from the county during 1861.
The following companies were altogether, or in part, enlisted from the county : company F, Eleventh infantry, captain Moore; company I, Thir- teenth infantry, captain Elrod; company K, Thirteenth infantry, captain Woodford; company I, Eighteenth infantry, captain Blanchard; company O, Nineteenth infantry, captain Stanton; company A, Twenty-fifth in- fantry, captain Palmer; company I, Twenty-fifth infantry, captain Russell; company E, Thirtieth infantry, captain Burges; company K, Thirtieth in- fantry, captain Cook.
During the war but one draft occurred in Washington county, which oc- curred in October, 1864. By special effort, Iowa, Liine Creek, Cedar, Jack- son, Washington and Seventy-six townships raised their quotas by volun- teering. persons in the remaining townships being subject to the draft. The following is a list of the persons drafted:
English River-Nestor A. J. Young, John O. Laughlin, Abraham West, John J. Weiland, Larkin Stuckey, Joseph Mearick, Stephen B. Cooper, Samuel Tomlinson, James H. Casey, Anthony Kaifer. Alter- nates-John Wesack, Van Ransalaer Pool, Edward Ferribee, Daniel Legore, Benjamin J. Ayres, Andrew J. Accord, Isaac J. Matthews, Rinaldo C. Taylor, John B. Housel, Lawrence Shillig.
Brighton-Levi G. Moore, John D. Cramer, Vinton Moore, Samuel Gordon. Alternates-Thomas B. Parsons, Thomas Hughes, Archibald Peasley, Sam Pollock.
Dutch Creek-F. T. Townsend, Rollin Bathurst, Henry A. Bathurst, James N. Crowner, Edmund Humphrey, A. H. Rausher, Francis Loveland. Bernard Varrand, Wesley Miller, Levi Crouch. Alternates-Joseph II. Williamson, John S. Whitmore, Jacob Engel, Jesse V. Harvey, Richard James, Jefferson Hollington, Absalom Baxter, Solomon Felter, Samuel Redenbaugh, Robert McCaleb.
Oregon-Owen P. Pratt, Fred. W. Harding, Daniel Love, John Frederick. Alternates-Jolin C. Adams, Robert U. Coe, Ed. Stone, John McGugin.
Marion-Joseph Roth, William Clapper, John W. Kenley, James H. Gray, William W. Wilder, William Shepard. Alternates-Peter Dantzer, John G. Mickey, Joseph J. Powell, Reason Davidson, Martin Conrad, Samuel Essley.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY WAR RECORD.
Clay-John W. James, Allen Meacham, Edward W. Whitacre. Alter- nates-Levi Stebbins, William H. Dillon, George Dickerson.
Crawford-William J. Benson, John M. Cooper, John Lowery, Calvin Cummings, John W. Taylor, William Brown, Milton D. Anderson. Al- ternates-Jason H. Martin, Nathan B. Sawyer, Daniel N. Thompson, Sam- uel McKee, Wilson M. Moore, James H. Workman, Homer Coughey.
Highland-Montgomery Clark, Thomas A. Owen. Alternates-Freder- ick C. Leffler, John W. Little.
Franklin-Daniel Anderson, Jacob Summerman, Francis Hager, John McKinsie, William Clark, William Wilson. Alternates-Charles S. Shepard, Adam P. Cavit, James Vincent, Isaac Maitland, Abraham Cock- lin, Timothy Love.
The following account of the regiments recruited in whole or in part from Washington county is compiled from the adjutant-general's reports:
SECOND INFANTRY.
Washington county has the distinguished honor of being represented in the noble, heroic, battle-scarred Second Iowa, whose name and fame will live so long as the State exists or the nation lives. It was the first regi- ment of three years' men raised in the State. It was organized early in May, 1861, with Samuel R. Curtis as colonel, who was immediately pro- moted to major-general. A complete history of its participation in the war for for the Nation's life would fill a volume. It had six colonels, two of whom were killed, one promoted to major-general, and two to brigadier- generals. It was in the following engagements, and its battle-torn banners suspended in the State arsenal, tell the story of its prowess:
Fort Donelson, February 14, 15, 1862.
Shiloh, April 6th and 7th.
Advance on Corinth, August 10th to 29th.
Corinth, October 3d and 4th. On the afternoon of the 3d, in the fierce encounter of "White House," Colonel Baker was mortally wounded. On the 4th, in the assault in front of the town, Lieutenant-colonel N. W. Mills was mortally wounded.
Little Bear Creek, Ala., November 28, where an engagement with the enemy under Gen. Roddy was had.
Town Creek, Ala., April 1863, where Roddy was met again.
Resaca, Ga., May 13th and 15th, 1863, when the place was evacuated by the enemy.
Rome Cross Roads, Ga., May 16, 1864, where the regiment was deployed as skirmishers on the left of the line.
Dallas, Ga., May 27, 28, 29, 1864, where the regiment established and entrenched the most advanced line of the army, and maintained it against desperate assaults.
Kenesaw Mountain, June 10th to 30th, 1864, where the regiment took active part in the siege.
Nick-a-jack Creek, Ga., July 4, 1864, where on the right of the skir- mish line of the Sixteenth army corps the regiment had a fight in the afternoon and evening.
At Atlanta, July 20 to August 27, 1864; on the 22d of July the regi- ment was actively engaged holding a position between the two batteries of the division and protected by light breast works. It captured one stand of
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WASHINGTON COUNTY WAR RECORD.
colors and a number of prisoners. On the 4th of Angust, while establish- ing the picket line of the division it had a heavy skirmish. It was also actively engaged during the whole siege of that city.
Jonesboro, Ga., August 30, 1864. While supporting Kilpatrick's cav- alry, the Second, with the Seventh Iowa, had a severe tilt with the enemy and repulsed them.
Eden station, Ga., December 7, 1864. The regiment was the first sent across the pontoon bridge over the Great Ogechee river, laid for the Army of the Tennessee, and meeting the enemy skirmished for a mile, when, coming upon a barricade assaulted it, drove the enemy and occupied the station.
Little Ogechee, Ga., December 10th to 20th, 1864. In the operations along this river the regiment was actively engaged.
Savannah, Ga., December 21, 1864. The regiment was in line and en- tered the city with the corps on that day.
Columbia, S. C., February 15th and 16th. In the operations which re- sulted in the capture of this city, the regiment played an important part.
Lynch's Creek, S. C., February 15, 1865. The regiment being in advance of the division and corps was forced to ford this creek, three-fourths of a mile wide. Before it was across it was attacked by the enemy's cavalry, and for three hours there was a lively contest, but other regiments and artil- lery coming up the enemy was driven away.
Goldsboro, N. C., March 24th to April 10th, 1865. The regiment now turned face northward in the grand triumphal march to Washington, and as a special mark of honor was placed in front and was the first of the grand old Army of the Tennessee to enter the city.
During 1861 and part of 1862 the regiment served in Missouri. It was at Fort Donelson the regiment won its greatest renown, when as a forlorn hope, it made what was undoubtedly the most gallant, reckless, and success- ful charge of the whole war. Fighting had been going on all the forenoon of the 15th of February, 1862, and the Federal forces were losing ground. The key to the rebel position lay on the crest of a steep hill whose sides were obstructed by dense thicket. In front of the earth works on the crest, about one hundred yards distant, was a formidable abatis, to pass which an assaulting column must break its line and move by the flank in two divis- ions. Between the abatis and breastworks were no obstructions.
Unless these earthworks could be taken. Federal success was futile. The tender of the "forlorn hope" was made to several regiments and declined, when it reached Col. J. M. Tuttle, of the Second.
"Colonel, will you take those works?" asked Gen. Smith.
"Support me promptly, and in twenty minutes I will go in."
He went in. Dividing his regiment, he with the left wing began to scale the hillside. The abatis was reached by slow and toilsome tread, and not a gun was fired, but scarcely was the abatis passed and the gallant boys got into line, when the concentrated fire of three rebel regiments belched upon them, and at the first fire, of the gallant three hundred one hundred and fifty went down. With a heroism of desperation the fragment closed up its shattered ranks and pushed on, and before them two rebel regiments quailed and fled, save a few who bit the dust from bayonet thrusts. A Mississippi regiment still remained, but the other column of the Second coming up put them also to flight. The key of the rebel position was taken. Fifteen thousand prisoners, a large quantity of ordnance stores, and other property
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WASHINGTON COUNTY WAR RECORD.
was the result of the victory. The commander-in-chief and every division commander who were in this fight were made major generals, and every brigade commander, a brigadier. The Second Iowa, therefore, made Grant, Smith, McClernand and Wallace major generals, Lauman and ten oth- ers, brigadiers. It broke the line of the enemy's defenses, extending from Bowling Green to Columbus; forced Johnson to evacuate Bowling Green; captured Buckner, and frightened Pillow into flight from Donelson; com- pelled Polk to evacuate Columbus on the Mississippi, and opened the whole country south of the Memphis and Charleston railroad. Glorious old regiment! What marvel that it was given the post of honor in the Army of the Tennessee!
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