Young Iowa

In every fight Iowa bears a distinguished part. At Wilson’s Creek, at Belmont, at Fort Donelson, at Pittsburg, her gallant sons were in the thickest of the fray. Brave, willing, and with rare powers of endurance, they have made a record for that young Stat that will never fade. No where have her men faltered. No where have they failed to claim the post of danger; they have claimed it because it is the post of honor. At Donelson the charge of the Iowa Second was the crowning feat of the assault – the one that elicited the highest commendations from the superior officers. At Pittsburg the Iowa regiments engaged did nobly; although in the first onset, parts of three were surrounded and taken prisoners, they contended against superior numbers and the disadvantages of ground until their courage was again nobly vindicated. In the encomiums that are heaped upon Indiana and Illinois, for they too have done nobly, let Iowa, not less heroic and patriotic be remembered. In fact, West of Ohio how shall we discriminate, when we begin to praise? Where all did so well, who shall say who did the most?

– Published in the Cedar Falls Gazette, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Friday, April 25, 1862 & the Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862