Lieutenant Samuel T. Craig

Company H.

Samuel T. Craig was born March 22d, 1835, in Corydon. Harrison county, Indiana, His parents, Dr. Thomas and Mary E. Craig, emigrated to Waveland. Montgomery county, Indiana, while he was a mere child, where he received a common school education and learned the carriage making trade with N. Glover. Ho emigrated with his parents to Albia, Monroe county, Iowa, in the spring of 1855, being in his twentieth year. He manufactured the first buggy made in Monroe county, Iowa,

In the spring of 1858 he and his brother David traveled overland in an open buggy to St. Paul, Minnesota, there being no railroad west of the Mississippi river except a short line from Burlington to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and the city of Minneapolis was but a village.

He was one of the unfortunate gold hunters during the Pike's Peak excitement in 1859-60. He returned home to Albia, Iowa, in the fall of 1860, with a view of returning to the gold fields early in the spring of 1861. The late war of the rebellion of '61, and the call of President Lincoln for volunteers to defend the National flag, changed his base of action, and at the fall of Fort Sumter declared his intentions to defend the Government.

He enlisted as private of Company H, First Iowa Cavalry Volunteers, June 13th, 1861. Was promoted after about two years' service to orderly sergeant, thence to Second Lieutenant, thence to First Lieutenant — all in same company and regiment.

He served on staff of Colonel J. M. Glover, commanding Second Brigade Cavalry Division, for nearly a year. Was first in the city at the capture of Little Rock, Arkansas, and captured several prisoners. Served on staffs of General Cyrus Bussey, Carr and Davidson, at Little Rock, Arkansas, and on staffs of Generals E. D. Osband and B. N. Roberts, commanding cavalry division at Memphis. Tennessee. Participated in nearly all the engagements with the enemy west of the Mississippi river, including Prairie Grove, Van Buren, Little Rock, Prairie DeAnne, Poison Springs, Camden, near Mark's Mill, Saline River, el al. Was mustered out of service while under the command of General Custer, at Austin. Texas, February 15th. 1866 — having served four years, eight months and three days.

He cast his first vote for John C. Fremont, republican candidate for President; also voted for Lincoln and Grant twice, Hayes, Garfield, Blaine and Harrison for same office. Was a consistent republican as well as a prohibitionist. Was elected county auditor on the republican ticket in 1869, '71, '73 and '75, four consecutive terms, serving eight years. He has since been engaged in the mercantile business at Albia, Iowa. Married May 17th, 1870, to Miss Helen B. Higgins, from Chardron, Ohio, and had sons, Samuel T. and Charles H., and daughters, Helen and Laura, and are members of the Christian Church.

SOURCE: Charles H. Lothrop, A History Of The First Regiment Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, p. 344-5