Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to Brigadier-General Francis J. Herron, January 6, 1863

Executive Office, Iowa,
Iowa City, Jan. 6, 1863.

General: — I wish I could shake hands with you and express to you verbally my thanks and congratulations for the well fought battle and dearly won victory of Prairie Grove. I have transmitted to the 19th and 20th letters of thanks, which I hope will be read to them. They have proved themselves worthy to be called “Iowa boys.”

General, you are surpassing yourself. Your name is in all men's mouths, and the people delight to speak the praises of our plucky little Iowa general. Wilson's Creek, Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove make a record of which any man may well be proud, and I assure you you can't feel more pride in that record than I do.

Very respectfully your obedient servant,
SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
Brig.-Gen. J. F. Herron,
Commanding 2nd Division Army Frontier

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 234

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