Major Edward Vanduzee

Major Edward Vanduzee, was born in the town of Fullerville, St. Lawrence County, New York, April 19, 1835. Soon after his birth he removed with his parents to Scranton, Vt., and in 1851 to Buffalo, N. Y., and in 1852 to Dubuque, Iowa. He studied law with Bissell and Mills in Dubuque and was admitted to the bar in 1858. May 12,1859, he married Miss Caroline E. Jones, and in 1860 removed to Augusta, Ga., to engage in business with his father-in-law. The intense excitement over the Presidential election made it impossible for him to remain in the South and he left Augusta March 4, 1861, and returned to Dubuque. He enlisted September 14, 1861, and November 16th was commissioned Captain of Company I, 12th Iowa. He was present in command of his Company at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and Shiloh; was taken prisoner, and with the other officers of the regiment was confined at various prisons in the South. From Mobile he was sent to Selma, thence to Talladega, and returned to Selma where he was held about three months then sent to Atlanta, Ga., next to Madison, Ga., where he remained until October 7th; then was sent to Libby prison and was paroled October 13, 1862, at Aiken's Landing, Va., and exchanged in November. About the middle of February, 1863 he was detailed as Judge Advocate at Headquarters of Department of Missouri. In April he was relieved to join his company when it went South. He commanded his company during all the marches and battles of the Vicksburg campaign. Near the close of this campaign he volunteered to defend Lieutenant Colonel Keeler of 35th Iowa, who had been arrested by General Sherman and charged with "allowing his men to set fire to a cotton gin." He secured the acquittal of Colonel Keeler and soon after was detailed as Judge Advocate of 3d Division 15th Army corps. August 5, 1863, he was promoted Major of the regiment and as such participated in all the campaigns and battles in which the regiment was engaged until December 1, 1864, when he mustered out by reason of expiration of time of service. Major VanDuzee, a member of the Baptist church, was known through the service as a sincere, earnest, Christian soldier. After his muster-out he lived in Dubuque, Iowa, four years and then removed to Minnesota. He resides in St. Paul and is business manager for an insurance company.

SOURCE: David W. Reed, Campaigns and battles of the Twelfth Regiment Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry, p. 248-9