Part 101 (2/2)
W. Prescott, N. Russell, G. Rifenstahl, H. W. Ross, J. W. Robinson, R.
M. Rogers, A. T. Rigby, W. D. Robins, E. W. Stewart, R. B. Stewart, James O. Stewart, Henry Shaffer, John S. Starkweather, L. E. Stevins, J. W. Smith, C. C. Smith, E. B. Soper, J. M. Secrist, Geo. F.
Schoonover, J. B. Stine, F. J. Shuey, M. Taylor, E. Thompson, G. F.
Vandever, J. N. Van Arsdel, L. P. Winterstein, C. Wynn, William Walt, D. H. Wilson, Geo. H. Yager, L. J. C. Ziengenfus.
The regimental officers were J. F. Bates, Dubuque, colonel; W. H.
Merritt, Cedar Rapids, lieutenant-colonel; A. B. Porter, Mt. Pleasant, major.
The company before the close of its services endured many hards.h.i.+ps. It took part in the skirmish at Forsythe on July 20. On the evening of the 9th of August the First Iowa, under command of Lieut. Col. Merritt joined the other forces at Springfield, under Gen. Lyon. Marching to within three miles of the enemy's camp at Wilson's Creek, the attack was begun at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 10th. It was a severely contested engagement. At this battle Gen. Lyon was killed, while personally leading the First Iowa. Victory was with the Union army and pursuit of the enemy was continued until nightfall. Following is the report made by Captain T. Z. Cook of casualties sustained by his company:
”Killed--Private Perry Hoyt. Seriously wounded--E. Coulter, leg; Henry Shaffer, leg and arm; John Stine, leg and breast; E. R. McKee, arm; W.
D. Robins, leg; Samuel Daniels, leg. Slightly wounded--J. O. Stewart, leg; John Fitzgerald, face; Joseph Hollan, foot; J. M. Chase, back; George F. Schoonover, arm badly bruised by grape shot. Sergeant Coulter and Privates Shaffer and Stine were left at Springfield. Isaac Van Meter, second sergeant, and John H. Stibbs, sergeant, particularly distinguished themselves for coolness and bravery. T. Z. Cook, captain.”
This battle really ended the service of Company K. The regiment was mustered out at St. Louis August 25 and started at once for home. On the evening of August 26 the volunteer's returned to Cedar Rapids. The Kingston Guards, of eighty men, with a local company of about the same number, furnished an escort and headed by the mayor and council met the train at the depot. Five thousand people were estimated in the gathering. The dwellings and stores were illuminated in honor of the return. A procession was formed and marched to the same place where a few months before the flag had been presented. On behalf of the city Mayor Bishop voiced its welcome to the volunteers. Judge Isaac Cook supplied a little more speech-making and a supper followed of quality to make these soldiers forget all hards.h.i.+ps of camp and march.
In other portions of the county the enthusiasm was as great as it was in Cedar Rapids. The _Linn County Register_ of April 20, 1861, in announcing the commencement of hostilities stated that ”already, some seventy-five persons, in the vicinity of Marion alone, have signified their intention to volunteer under the call of President Lincoln.” In its issue a week later the same paper said that ”on every corner the people are a.s.sembled, in squads of a dozen or more, discussing the chances of the conflict. Men in the country leave their plows, and rush into town, to inquire about the news.”
In the Sixth Infantry, which was mustered in July 6, 1861, Company A was entirely from this county. It was organized at Marion. The regiment was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 21. 1865. It saw some hard battles, several of its officers being killed in action, and eighteen wounded. Of the enlisted men 274 were killed or died in the service, and 331 were wounded in action. It is said that this regiment suffered more casualties than any other regiment from Iowa. The regiment suffered severely at s.h.i.+loh, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, and Jackson, Miss.
[Ill.u.s.tration: COL. T. Z. COOK]
Its first captain was Hosea W. Gray, who was succeeded by Tarlton Caldwell, Willard H. Harland, and Rodney E. Barker, who served as captains at different periods. A. L. Ingram, who entered the company as a private, was first lieutenant at the time of mustering out. Other well known names among the officers of this company are those of George A. Gray, W. M. Harbeson, A. P. Alexander, Samuel D. Springer, C. A.
Huston, Chas. L. Byam. Among the members of the company are found the names of T. H. Alexander, Daniel K. Kinley, Chas. Robins, S. A.
Stearns, D. F. Stinson.
George M. Holmes, of this county, entered as sergeant of this regiment, and was promoted from time to time until he became captain of Company K on July 30, 1863, resigning October 17, 1864.
In the Eighth Infantry Joseph C. Stoddard, yet a resident of Cedar Rapids, was commissioned adjutant November 15, 1865, having been promoted from sergeant-major. Among those from this county in this regiment may be noted Jno. M. Dawley, J. H. Gardner, Hiram Inks, Wm. H.
Ostrander, David G. Usher, Homer H. Phillips, D. W. Yount.
The county was also represented in the Ninth Infantry, being especially strong in Company K, in which Abraham Bowman was commissioned second lieutenant and promoted to the captaincy on January 9, 1864. Its first captain was David Carskaddon, afterwards colonel of the regiment. Among the familiar names in this company we find those of David Bowman, Jas.
C. Morehead, Oliver B. Cone, John Cone, John S. McKee, J. M. Burkhart, W. S. Dingman, John W. Gray, I. N. Lutz, A. R. Whiteneck. The company was organized in Marion and mustered into the service July 23, 1861.
In the Eleventh Infantry these names are noted: Robt. L. Wilson, Samuel H. Harrison, Chas. W. Mason, Wm. H. McRoberts, Wm. Burge, Henry M.
Cook, Jno. Coburn, John Elder, E. P. Listabarger, Wm. Mitch.e.l.l, Jas. D.
McRoberts, And. W. Satley, Thos. Strang, John B. Stine, Geo. W. Sparks, Samuel Shafer, Wm. A. Thompson. Company K of this regiment was organized in Cedar Rapids, John C. Marvin, captain. It was mustered in July 23, 1861.
Company D, Twelfth Iowa Infantry, was captained by John H. Stibbs. The regiment was organized at Dubuque and mustered into the service November 25, 1861, with Joseph P. Woods, a West Pointer, as colonel; John P. Coulter of Cedar Rapids, lieutenant-colonel, and S. D.
Brodtbeck, major. The Twelfth was then ordered to St. Louis. The Linn county company was organized in Cedar Rapids, and mustered in October 26, 1861.
First of the year 1862 found seventeen members of the company in hospitals. A malignant outbreak of measles at that time caused many deaths in the Twelfth and other regiments.
During the week ending January 15, 1862, Capt. Stibbs, in a letter to his brother in Cedar Rapids, reported that six of his men had died in hospital. These were William H. Webster, William L. Dailey, John L.
Jaques, John S. Lee, Jasper Cyner and Henry Haradon. Seventeen others were in various hospitals at St. Louis. On Sat.u.r.day, January 11, the regiment was ordered to be ready to start for Kentucky on the 15th, but because of ice in the river, these orders were countermanded. On the 27th it was ordered to report to Gen. Grant at Cairo. From thence the regiment was sent to the mouth of the c.u.mberland river, and established its camp in the field. On February 5 it joined the expedition against Fort Henry.
The company was at Ft. Donelson when it capitulated. The regiment remained at Fort Donelson until March 12, when it was moved to Pittsburg Landing. On the evening of the 9th of April news was received of a great battle at Pittsburg Landing, in which the Twelfth Iowa had share. It was only known that slaughter had been immense, and until full details were received the anxiety in Cedar Rapids can be imagined.
Yet how slow this news was in coming may be judged from an editorial note in the _Cedar Valley Times_ for April 17: ”Three of our Iowa regiments--the Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth--were cut off and taken prisoners while bravely defending their flag and the glory of their country. They fought like tigers. We are not yet able to publish full lists of losses, and the anxiety so long felt must continue.”
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