Showing posts with label Basil Duke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basil Duke. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Diary of Sergeant Major Luman Harris Tenney: July 20, 1863

Went on to Tupper's Plains. Rebs got around and made for 8 Miles Island near the shore. Moved rapidly. At Harrisonville and Rutland the hungry boys were satisfied. Little rain. About dusk the report came back that the rebs, 1800, had surrendered. Duke, Col. Morgan, Ward and other field officers. Had quite a visit with some. Seemed queer to see our Ky. boys hunting our brothers and cousins. Marched to Cheshire and camped. Rained during the night.

SOURCE: Frances Andrews Tenney, War Diary Of Luman Harris Tenney, p. 80

Monday, October 1, 2012

Dedication of the Iowa Monuments at Shiloh National Military Park



Dedication Exercises at the Regimental Monuments
November 22, 1906
_____

9:00 A. M.

9:25 A. M.

9:45 A. M.

10:00 A. M.

10:15 A. M.

10:30 A. M.

10:50 A. M.

11:10 A. M.

11:25 A. M.

11:35 A. M.

11:50 A. M.


Dedication Exercises at the of Iowa State Monument

November 23, 1906
_____

1:30 P. M.

Call To Order:
Colonel W. G. Crosley, Vice Chairman of the Commission

Music: Fifty-fifth Iowa Regimental Band
“America”

Invocation:
Rev. Dr. A. L. Frisbie

“Unto thee, O Lord, belong power and dominion and majesty. Unto thee would we render that which is thine, with humble and grateful and trusting hearts. Teach us, first of all, to acknowledge our obligation to thee; to remember that thou art indeed, over all, and that thou art also blessed forever. We know not all thy ways. We understand not all the mysteries of thy being, but thou dost permit us to know very much of thy Fatherhood, of thy gracious disposition, thy fatherly spirit, thy love for us. And because thou hast had these thoughts toward us, thou hast mercifully led us throughout many years of trial — years of bright and years of sad experience; and thou hast taught us that our dependence is upon thee. Therefore, we humbly pray that thou wilt stay near by during all the history we are to make; during all the development for which we hope. We pray that thou wilt be our Leader, bringing us through a prosperous voyage to a blessed port.

“We have been making a pilgrimage of blessing, of memory, of gratitude, and of peace, and as we come to the conclusion of our special duty, and see now the completion of that which we began, we pray that we may go hence with hearts prepared to appreciate the multitude of favors we have received. We have had occasion to commune with the dead.  We have stood where they were buried, who died loyally and faithfully, giving themselves wholly that they might secure the permanence of this nation. We thank thee that this Union of states was so precious to them that they held nothing back, but gave themselves utterly to maintain its permanence. We thank thee, O Lord, that through all the suffering and martyrdom and battle shock and pain, these men held steadfast to that which they had begun. And Lord, for these brave of the brave, the twice five thousand men that stood here meeting the battle's shock, and the many times five thousand men who on other fields withstood the shock of battle — for these we give thee our thanks, for we recognize in them the preservers of the Union. We pray that the people may all cherish their memories with gratitude; that we may all remember that we have not come upon these blessings by any manner of accident or of experiment. May we remember that they have been won by those who devoted themselves with their best intelligence and highest consecration to secure them; by those who gave themselves with unfaltering devotion that they might maintain them. May we go hence with renewed determination that this government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth. May we see, and may others see, more and more, that these mercies have been ours because of infinite sacrifice. Lord, we pray that thy blessing may be upon our whole land — not divided, not dismembered, but one land, with one flag, with not a star erased.

“Grant thy favor to this portion of the Union, where all this was carried on, and where so much of suffering and loss was endured. And so upon north and south, upon one land, may thine own good light shine through all the days.

“Accept our thanks, we beseech thee; guide us safely to our homes. Bless the people of our state who sent us forth upon this mission, and be so with them and with us that the grace of the Lord Christ may be revealed, and justice and truth may be everywhere established. Accept our thanks, bear with us in our weaknesses and guide us in wisdom and love, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.”

Colonel William B. Bell

Albert B. Cummins, Governor of Iowa

 Colonel Cornelius Cadle


Music: Fifty-fifth Iowa Regimental Band
“Rock of Ages”


of the Shiloh National Military Park Commission

Representing Governor Cox of Tennessee


Music: Fifty-fifth Iowa Regimental Band
“Onward, Christian Soldiers”



Music: Fifty-fifth Iowa Regimental Band
“Star Spangled Banner”




Music: Fifty-fifth Iowa Regimental Band
“America”


Benediction:
Rev. Dr. A. L. Frisbie

“Now be the peace of God upon all the resting places of our myriad dead, and upon the homes of the living, north and south, the peace of God, forevermore.  Amen.”


Taps

After the close of the dedication exercises, a brief sacred concert was rendered by the Fifty-fifth Iowa regimental band at the National cemetery, a short distance from the monument.





SOURCE: Abstracted from Alonzo Abernathy, Editor, Dedication of Monuments Erected By The State Of Iowa, p. 201-301

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Acceptance of The Iowa Monuments at Shiloh National Military Park on Behalf of the United States

Address:
Colonel Cornelius Cadle, Chairman Shiloh National Military Park Commission

Governor Cummins, Gentlemen of the Iowa Shiloh Commission, Ladies and Gentlemen:

When I was notified that Iowa would dedicate her monuments here today, I so advised the Secretary of War and asked that either he or the Assistant Secretary of War Colonel Robert Shaw Oliver, who was a Union soldier in our civil war, should receive these monuments from you, Governor Cummins. In reply, Mr. Taft asked me to express his regrets that his official duties, as well as those of the Assistant Secretary of War, would prevent their attendance today, and directed me as Chairman of the Shiloh National Military Park Commission to receive, from you, sir, on behalf of the United States, these magnificent monuments that the state of Iowa has placed here in commemoration of what her soldiers, dead and living, did on this field over forty-four years ago.

When we fought here, we fought for the preservation of the Union. We did not realize that we were making history in that first great decisive battle of the war, nor that the work of the Union soldiers would result years afterward in making the United States one of the greatest of nations.

The last line of one of the verses of “Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean,” reads, “The world offers homage to thee.” This should be amended to read: “The world offers homage, honor and respect to thee.”

For now no one of the great world nations decides upon an important matter without first considering, “What will the United States say.”  We, who are living of the army, that fought here and at Corinth, Vicksburg, Atlanta, the March to the Sea, and the campaign of the Carolinas, to the end of success, are glad that our work resulted in a united nation and resulted too in making us a world power.

Upon this monument is inscribed in the granite, just finished apparently by the figure “Fame,” lines written by Major S. H. M. Byers, an Iowa soldier, that would be imperishable even if not cut in the stone and are applicable to this occasion:

“Brave of the brave, the twice five thousand men
Who all that day stood in the battle’s shock,
Fame holds them dear, and with immortal pen
Inscribes their name on the enduring rock.”

I, sir, as an Iowa soldier in the battle of Shiloh, feel a pride and honor to receive for the United States these monuments, and to assure you that they will be cared for hereafter by the government.

And now, Mr. Chairman, I will describe briefly our park; its inception and the work that we have done to beautify and maintain this historic battlefield.

The Shiloh National Military Park was established by act of Congress, approved December 27, 1894. The bill was drawn by our friend and comrade, Colonel D. B. Henderson, and provided that a national military park should be established on the battlefield of Shiloh; that the armies who fought there, the army of the Tennessee, commanded by General U. S. Grant, the Army of the Ohio, commanded by General D. C. Buell, and the Army of the Mississippi, commanded by General A. S. Johnston, “may have the history of one of their memorable battles preserved on the ground where they fought;” that three commissioners should be appointed, one from each of the armies engaged, and a secretary and historian, all of whom should have served in the battle of Shiloh, and that the commissioner appointed from “Grant's Army of the Tennessee” should be the chairman.

There were appointed by Mr. Daniel S. Lamont, then secretary of war, Colonel Cornelius Cadle, of the Army of the Tennessee, chairman; General Don Carlos Buell, of the Army of the Ohio; General Robert F. Looney, of the Army of the Mississippi, and Major David W. Reed, of the Twelfth Iowa Infantry, as secretary and historian.

General Buell, at his death on November 19, 1898, was succeeded by Major James H. Ashcraft of the Twenty-sixth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry.

Colonel Looney, at his death, November 19, 1899, was succeeded by Colonel Josiah Patterson of the First Alabama Cavalry.

Upon Colonel Patterson's death on February 12, 1904, he was succeeded by General Basil W. Duke of Morgan's Cavalry.

The commission as now constituted consists of myself, Major Ashcraft and General Duke and Major Reed.

The act of Congress required us to restore the battlefield to as near as possible the condition existing at the time of the battle. The park includes about 3,650 acres, the absolute fighting ground of April 6 and 7, 1862. The roads then existing, public and camp, have been placed in thorough condition, as you have seen from riding over them.

Two hundred bronze cannon such as were used at Shiloh and mounted on iron gun carriages mark the position of artillery fighting.

The eighty-three Union organizations encamped on the field when the battle opened have their camps marked with a tablet in shape like a cross section of a wall tent.

Every headquarters, Union and Confederate, are marked with a monument of shell, suitably inscribed.

About four hundred iron historical tablets describing the battle lines of both sides have been erected.

Mortuary monuments have been erected for the commanders who were killed or mortally wounded in the battle, as follows:

Union: Wallace, Peabody and Raith.

Confederate: Johnston and Gladden.

Five burial trenches where the Confederate dead were buried, by order of General Grant upon Tuesday following the battle, have been suitably, and I think properly, marked.

The first day tablets are square; the second day, oval. The colors of the Army of the Tennessee are blue, the Army of the Ohio, yellow and the Army of the Mississippi, red.

One hundred and ten monuments have been erected by the various states at a cost of about $213,000. I think that I can safely say that those erected by Iowa are the most artistic.

SOURCE:  Alonzo Abernathy, Editor, Dedication of Monuments Erected By The State Of Iowa, p. 253-5

Monday, April 28, 2008

The Wedding of John Hunt Morgan



In a house which stood here, Brig. Gen. John H. Morgan, CSA, was married to Miss Martha Ready December 14, 1862 by Bishop (also Lt. Gen. CSA) Leonidas Polk. Col. Basil Duke was best man. Among the groomsmen were Gen. Braxton Bragg, Lt. Gen. W. J. Hardee, Maj. Gens. J. C. Breckinridge and B. F. Cheatham and Col. G. St. Leger Grenfell. Also present was President Jefferson Davis.


Near The Corner Of
South Church & East Main Streets
Murfreesboro, Tennessee