Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Jan. 25 [1862]

EDITOR HAWK-EYE.

SIR, - I noticed in your issue of the 22d inst. an article in answer to a letter from a Mr. King of Kossuth relative to the sending home of Robert Barn’s remains undressed in uniform.  I assisted the bereaved father of the deceased (also a member of Co. k, 2d Iowa Cavalry) in expressing the remains of his son home and would say to inquirers that Mr. B. did not decide to send the body home until after it was prepared for burial by the government and it was then too late to dress it in uniform because of the delays which would be caused in making out the papers necessary for obtaining the clothes from the Hospital officers.  I will further add for the benefit of those having friends sick in the army, that the sick are well attended to in very comfortable hospitals, and the dead decently buried, though not in uniform.  The graves all are numbered and a record kept, so that friends can find the graves of the deceased relatives should they ever desire to do so.

Yours,

L. B. PIERCE

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 2

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, May 29, 1862

There was heavy cannonading today off on the left flank and the pickets are still fighting. General Pope cut the railroad and with the aid of the Second Iowa Cavalry burned a train of cars and took one thousand stand of arms.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 51

Military Items

We have learned at the Adjutant General’s Office, that 14 men of the 4th Iowa Regiment wounded at Pea Ridge, have died since the battle.  Names not yet returned to the Adjutant General’s Office.  A list will soon be forwarded which will appear in the monthly return. – The Adjutant General has received the monthly returns of the 4th up to March 1st, and a list of casualties at Pea Ridge in said regiment.

Capt. Granville Berkley of Company F, 2d Iowa Cavalry, was mustered out of the service on March 29th.

Fifty-eight men of the 4th Infantry on furlough have been ordered to join their regiment at once.

Samuel M. Wise, a Captain in the Iowa 1st Infantry, has been commissioned Major of the 17th Regiment, Col. Rankin. – {Des Moines Register.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 4

Theobald Klein

THEOBALD KLEIN, deceased, was a native of Bavaria, Germany, born February 22, 1840, a son of Theobald Klein, who is also deceased. Our subject was reared and educated in his native country, remaining there till reaching maturity. When a young man he immigrated to America, and first settled in Des Moines County, Iowa, where he made his home for a number of years. He was united in marriage May 14, 1868, to Miss Mary C. Stifel, she being a daughter of Jacob Stifel of Burlington, Iowa. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Klein five are living – Jacob, Annie, Minnie M., Emma C. and Kate C.  Mr. Klein was a cooper by trade which vocation he followed the greater part of his life. He became a resident of Clarke County, Iowa, in the Spring of 1876 when he located on section 4, Madison Township, living there till his death which occurred November 28, 1884. He was a kind and affectionate husband and father, and a good citizen and neighbor, and during his residence in the county won the respect of all who knew him by his honest and upright dealings with his fellow citizens. May 14, 1861, Mr. Klein enlisted in Company D, First Iowa Infantry, and served three months. December 14, 1863, he enlisted in Company K, Second Iowa Cavalry and served until the regiment was mustered out June 7, 1865. He was taken prisoner December 17, 1864, at the battle of Franklin, Tennesse, and was held captive until exchanged at the close of the war.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 439-40

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, October 23, 1861

There was a large fire in town today. New companies for the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Regiments are arriving in camp nearly every day; also new troops for the Second Iowa Cavalry in camp at the Fair Grounds.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 14

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, October 7, 1861

I left for Davenport early this morning, riding to town with a farmer, and got back to camp at 2 o'clock. Quite a number of the boys around Allen's Grove are in camp here as members of the Second Iowa Cavalry.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 13

Weekly Report of the Mortality among Iowa Soldiers in Hospitals and Camps in the Vicinity of St. Louis, Mo., for the week ending March 8.

March 2 – Hiram Cronk, Co. F, 12th Infantry.

March 2 – George Penfield, Co. K, 12th Infantry.

March 2 – Charles F. Beck, Co. C, 2d Iowa Infantry.

March 2 – G. W. Lay, Co. F, 14th Infantry

March 4 – Chapin Duncan, Co. D, 2d Cavalry

March 7 – Jos. Jackson, Co. I, 14th Infantry

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 15, 1862, p. 2

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, September 12, 1861

I attended the Scott County Fair again today. The attendance was about the same as yesterday. A part of the Second Iowa Cavalry is in camp here, Camp Holt.

For three days now I have been trying to find some new company in which to enlist, but not caring to go into a company of entire strangers, I made up my mind to go home for a few days. About sundown, with two other boys, Sylvester Daniels and David Huff, I started for home, going with a Mr. Chesbro in a farm wagon.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 8-9

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Friday, August 30, 1861

No news of importance. There are still some companies arriving in camp for the Eighth Iowa, and they are still adding new recruits to the Second Iowa Cavalry, which is in camp at the Fair Grounds.

Source: Alexander G, Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 6

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, August 21, 1861

We drew our army cooking utensils this morning and one day's rations, and then cleaned up our camp. Besides a part of the Eighth Iowa Infantry, there is a part of the Second Iowa Cavalry in camp. The first day of camp life is past, and we had our first experience of a night in camp, sleeping on straw for a bed.

Source: Alexander G, Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 5

Weekly Report of the Morality . . .

. . . among Iowa Soldiers in the Hospitals and Camps in the Vicinity of St. Louis, Mo.

Feb. 19, Andrew Vananfrink, Co. G, 3d Inf.

Feb. 23, James M. Potter, Co. E, 1st Cav.

Feb. 24, Alonzo Conaway, Co. I, 2nd Cav.

Feb. 25, Wm. Piersall, Co. H, 2nd Cav.

Feb. 27, Richard B. Truby, Co. K, 5th Inf.

Feb. 27, Samuel Shinnemann, Co. D, 12th Inf.

Feb. 27, Alphonzo Clark, Co. F, 12th Inf.

Feb. 28, Washington Bickford, Co. F, 3d Cav.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 8, 1862, p. 2

The last weekly report of deaths . . .

. . . in the hospitals at St. Louis and vicinity only contains the following names of Iowa troops: Wm E. Nelson, company F, 12^th Iowa, and A. M. Clarke, Second Iowa Cavalry.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 2

St. Louis News.

ST. LOUIS. – Feb. 20. – Dispatches were received to-day to hurry repairs on the gun boat Lexington, and intimating that the evacuation of Columbus was the cause for the extra haste.

It appears that after all, very few wounded from the Fort Donelson fight will come here.  The Sanitary Commission sends its President, James E. Yeatmen, down the river this evening with extra hospital supplies, contributed under a supposition that the wounded were coming here early this morning.

The Steamers White Could, Empress and Emma Duncan, arrived here with three thousand prisoners from Ft. Donelson.  They landed at Bloody Island and leave immediately for Indianapolis and Chicago.  They came under guard of the 20^th Ohio and the 19^th Illinois.  They are a shabby lot of prisoners, no better clothed than the butternut prisoners who have been taken in Missouri.

The following named prisoners of war arrived last night by the Pacific Railroad from Sedalia in custody of Capt. Thompkin’s 8^th Iowa Infantry: Brigadier General Price, Col, Dorsey, Col. Cross and Captain Jude, of Maj. Gen. Price’s staff; also C. J. Cunningham, Stephen F. Roberts, L. D. Sloss, Daniel C. Rodman, Harman Smith, Franklin Motz, Wm. Ranney, H. A. Massey, and O. J. Ross.

Gen. Halleck has commuted the sentence of the bridge burners, and ordered as follows: – In consideration of recent victories won by Federal forces and of rapidly increasing loyalty of the citizens of Missouri who for a time forgot their duty to their flag and country, sentence of J. O. Tompkins, W. Forshey, J. Patton, T. M. Smith, S. Scott, G. H. Cunningham, P. B Crowder and G. M. Pulliam, heretofore condemned to death, to be provisionally mitigated to close confinement in the military prison at Alton.  If rebel spies again destroy Railroad bridges and telegraph lines and thus render it necessary for us to make severe examples, the original sentences against these men will be carried into execution.

No further assessments will be levied or collected from any one who will now take the prescribed oath of allegiance.

Boards of Commissioners will be appointed to examine cases of prisoners of war who apply to take the oath of allegiance, and on their recommendation orders will be issued from these headquarters for their release.

A letter from Lexington reports the 2d battalion of the 2^nd Iowa cavalry, Col. Botly, and the 7^th Missouri regiment of infantry, quietly stationed there.

Three companies of the Missouri 7^th, on the march from Warrenton, overtook some rebels en route for Price and in the chase ensuing shot one of them, whereupon the rest surrendered.  One prisoner is a notorious character named Hill, who robbed  some of Mulligan’s men after the surrender of Lexington.

Letters from Springfield state that refugee families are returning.

Gen. Ed. Price and the rebel Colonels captured at Warsaw by a detachment of the 1^st Iowa Cavalry, under Capt. Thompson, and Co. A, of the 8^th Iowa Infantry.  Gen. Price walked around to-day on parole.  All the others left for Alton.

The Mississippi prisoners to-day were told that they were going to Lincoln’s Wigwam at Chicago, which incensed them highly, though hundreds were glad to hear of it.  Some of the prisoners deny that over 3,000 prisoners were captured.  Considerable trading took place at the steamboat landing in Confederate scrip and shinplasters.

Col. Fitz Henry Warren of the 1^st Iowa Cavalry, who was under arrest, has been released, and resumed command of the Regiment.  Charges frivolous as they were, have been denied by every officer of the command, and the Major who made them has been requested to resign.

The rebel Surgeons captured by Gen.’s Sigel and Curits below Springfield, have been allowed their liberty in accordance with Gen. Halleck’s orders proposing to exempt Surgeons from the ordinary penalties of prisoners of war.

A tug boat has gone to Cairo, to tow the Essex to this point.  He is to be lengthened fifty feet, and her boiler dropped below the waterline. – Preparations are making to expedite matters as fast as possible.

A report was brought to head-quarters by a pretended refugee, who escaped from Columbus Tuesday night and reached Cape Girardeau yesterday morning, to the effect that Columbus and not been evacuated.

The 22d Missouri Infantry left for the seat of war to-day.

A mule dealer named Deith, was arrested to-day for defrauding the Government.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 22, 1862, p. 3

Weekly report of the mortality among . . .

. . . the Iowa soldiers in the Military Hospitals and Camps in the vicinity of St. Louis, Mo.

May 17 – Neil Morris, co. F, 15th.

May 18 – Moses W. Wadsworth, co. I, 6th.

May 19 – Benjamin Hinckle, co. C, 15th.

May 20 – Joseph Curtiss, co. E, 2d Cavalry.

May 23 – Barney Pells, co. G, 16th.

May 23 –Jacob Frederick, co. C, 18th.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 2

The Second Iowa Cavalry

The companies composing this regiment were raised chiefly in the counties of Scott, Jackson, Clayton, Lee, Muscatine, Washington, Marshall, Polk, Hardin, Hamilton, Hancock, Johnson, Iowa, Cedar, Delaware and Jones. They went into camp at Davenport late in the summer of 1861, and remained there drilling for nearly three months. It was a fine regiment of excellent men, and became well equipped for service before it left camp, 1,050 strong. Its first colonel was Capt. W. L. Elliott, of the Third U. S. cavalry, an accomplished officer of the regular army. Edward Hatch was lieutenant-colonel, and the majors were William P. Hepburn, Datus E. Coon and Hiram W. Love. On the 7th of December the regiment went south, stopping at St Louis, and soon after moving down the river to Bird's Point, and from there it joined General Pope before New Madrid and participated in his campaign and victory. It was with Halleck in his cautious advance upon Corinth. At Farmington it had a tight with the enemy, and made a daring charge to save a force of infantry under General Paine, which had been attacked by greatly superior numbers. It lost fifty men in the charge. Soon after Colonel Elliott, with the Second Iowa and Second Michigan cavalry, made a brilliant raid to Booneville, where they destroyed a large amount of arms, supplies and other rebel property with slight loss to his force. For this brilliant raid, Colonel Elliott was promoted to brigadier-general, and was succeeded by Colonel Hatch in command of the regiment. At the battle of Booneville, on the 1st of July, fought by Col. Phil. Sheridan, the Second Iowa cavalry took a prominent part. Sheridan had but one brigade, consisting of the Second Iowa and the Second Michigan cavalry. This small force was attacked by General Chalmers with nearly 5,000 men. Sheridan dismounted the Michigan regiment, fell back to a swamp and sent the Second Iowa to assail the flanks of the advancing enemy. When they became hotly engaged, he sent 100 of the Second cavalry through the woods to the rear of the enemy with orders to charge upon them. The order was obeyed, and the rebels, being attacked at the same time in front and rear, supposed that heavy reinforcements had come to Sheridan, and they fled in confusion. This victory made Sheridan brigadier-general. The Second Iowa lost twenty-two men in this brilliant engagement, in which it bore a conspicuous part.

During the fall the regiment was active in the battles of Iuka, Corinth, and Grant's expedition into central Mississippi. Early in December it was at the battle of Coffeyville and did good service. In Grierson's raid, the march against Forrest, at Moscow and the Meridian expedition, the Second cavalry did good service. It was at the battle of Nashville and many other minor engagements, and in October, 1865, was mustered out of the service. Few, if any, regiments in the war of the rebellion performed more valuable service or won more honor for gallant deeds than the Second Iowa cavalry.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 120

The Case Of Mrs. Brown

A member of the Christian Church writes to inform us in regard to the case of ‘the lamented Mrs. B. R. Brown, whose husband is at Fort Randall and her eldest son in the Iowa 2d Cavalry, both volunteers in the service of their country, and who leaves three little boys dependent for the present on the benevolence of community,’ that there were ladies of other churches whose benevolent aid was given on the melancholy occasion.  Also, that the nurse who waited upon her was procured and sent there by the ‘County Committee.’  ‘The only regret in the case,’ he adds,’ is that this help was not earlier and more promptly given – let it be a lesson for the future.’

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 2, 1862, p. 1

HURRAH FOR THE 2ND IOWA CAVALRY.

WANTED – 180 MEN.

To fill up this Splendid Regiment of Iowa cavalry now in the Service in Mo.  This Regiment is fully armed and equipped, and is acknowledged to be the

BEST VOLUNTEER REGIMENT,

Now in the Service East or West. Pay from $15 to $21 per month – according to Rank, to commence from date of enlistment.  Term of service, 3 years, or during the war.

Apply at once to the undersigned at No. 79, between 4^th and 5^th on Main Street, over J. & L. [Robinson’s] Store, Dubuque, Iowa.

JOHN W. WRIGHT,

1^ST Lieut. 2d Iowa Cavalry:

Recruiting Officer.

– Published in The Dubuque Herald, Dubuque, Iowa, Friday Morning, February 7, 1862, p. 1

From The 2d Iowa Cavalry

CAMP NEW MADRID,

Mo., March 26, 1862.

ED. GAZETTE.– Though time is swiftly  passing, we remain quietly encamped here, Island No. 10, has put a temporary embargo on our movements for the present.  It is a formidable point, and as the retreat of the rebels is entirely cut off by our occupation of this point, they are making a desperate stand there.  There had been no firing at the Island for a few days past until yesterday.  A movement has been and now is in progress, that when completed will show them a “Yankee trick.”  *  *  *

Jeff. Thomson [sic] yet lingers around in a swamp south-west of here.  Last week he carried off from Bloomfield (between here and Cape Girardeau,) the wife of Jos. Mitchell, formerly of Muscatine, who is now a Lieut. in Powell’s Illinois Artillery.

The regular expeditions sent out from time to time to capture “Jeff.” Don’t amount to anything; about the time they get where “Jeff.” Was, they are ordered to return.  If some squad were sent out to take time it would be done.

A mail is run from here to Cairo.  I receive the GAZETTE regularly; sometimes the next day after issued, which is quick considering we are sixty miles from Cairo.  Chicago, St. Louis and Cincinnati dailies are abundant at one dime each.  Yesterday the telegraph was completed from Cairo here.

The weather is fine and warm and spring fever has broken out and is beginning to assume an “epidemic” form.  Corn is plenty, but hay or fodder very scarce.  Forage trains have to go fifteen or twenty miles down the river to obtain any.

The remaining inhabitants through the country, say they were told when the “Yankees” came they would overrun the country, rob, murder, burn, steal, ravish and destroy.  Many were induced to flee the country on our approach to avoid these horrors.  They are being very agreeably undeceived, finding that from rebels only they had to fear – while from the first approach of Union troops into a section, a feeling of peace and security is experienced.  Could all parts of the ignorant, deceived South witness the presence of Union troops to disprove the lies of their rebellious leaders.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 1, 1862, p. 2

A Recruiting Office . . .

. . .  is open in the city for the Second Infantry and the Second Cavalry.  Lieuts. Huntington and Bandy have charge of these offices, and recruits are continually coming in.  Others are also coming in to Camp McClellan for other regiments, and a few for the regular service.  Some two hundred recruits are now in camp.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 31, 1862, p. 1

Attention, Soldiers!

IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS IT has become necessary to have a few more good, able-bodied men to fill the ranks of the 2d Iowa Cavalry.  So come one! come all! to my office, on Brady, bet. 2d and 3d sts., and enlist.  A full supply of clothes and equipments furnished.  Pay to commence from the date of enlistment.

LIEUT. J. F. BANDY,

Recruiting Officer.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 1