The Eleventh Iowa Infantry

The companies which made up this regiment were enlisted chiefly in the counties of Muscatine, Louisa, Cedar, Henry, Linn, Marshal, Keokuk, Washington and Van Buren. Muscatine furnished four companies. The field officers were Abraham M. Hare, colonel; William Hall, lieutenant-colonel; John C. Abercrombie, major. The Eleventh was the first regiment which received uniforms from the government before leaving the state. It numbered over 900 men and their first sad duty was to escort the body of Lieutenant-Colonel Wentz, killed at Belmont, to his grave at Davenport. The regiment was sent to St Louis on the 16th of November and on the 8th of December moved to Jefferson City. In March, 1862, it was sent to Grant's army at Pittsburg Landing, and in April was in the reat battle of Shiloh. Colonel Hare commanded a brigade, and the Eleventh regiment was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Hall in this, its first conflict with the enemy. It bore itself bravely through the terrible slaughter of the first day, losing more than 200 of its number in killed and wounded. Soon after the battle Colonel Hare resigned and William Hall was promoted to the position. The regiment was in the battle of Corinth where its loss was light. It was in the Vicksburg campaign, and afterwards in the Lousiana expedition to Monroe, which caused a great amount of sickness and suffering and accomplished nothing. In February, 1864, the regiment joined General Sherman's army and was in the Meridian expedition. Soon after it became a veteran regiment and the men ere granted a furlough to visit their homes. Upon its return to service the Iowa brigade started with Sherman on the famous march and fought bravely at Kenesaw Mountain. It was engaged in many of the battles which followed in that campaign, and its losses from June to September were 218. In the battle before Atlanta, Maj. Charles Foster received a severe wound from which he died on his way home. Captain Neal was killed in the same battle. The regiment was present at the surrender of Gen. J. E. Johnston's army, and went from there to Washington and participated in the great review. It was disbanded at Davenport, July 19, 1865.

SOURCE, Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 98