Showing posts with label Augustus Wentz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Augustus Wentz. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood to the House of Representatives of the State of Iowa, May 23, 1861


Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: — In reply to your resolutions of inquiry in regard to clothing furnished the First Iowa Regiment, I have the honor to say:

When the telegraphic dispatch from the Secretary of War informing me of the requisition for the First Regiment reached me, I did not anticipate the uniforming the men at the expense of the State, as such course had not, so far as I knew or could learn, been pursued in the Mexican War. Fearing, however, that the suddenness of the danger might render it desirable to furnish uniforms, I immediately wrote to the Secretary of War asking information on that point; but the interruption of communication at Baltimore prevented me from receiving any answer. Judging from the fact that other States were preparing for uniforming their volunteers, that it would be desirable to have the same done here, I sent an agent to Chicago to purchase materials for uniforms; but the sudden and great demand for that kind of goods had exhausted the supplies in that city. On learning this by telegraph, and fearing there would not be time to await a supply from New York, I immediately instructed the persons acting as Commissaries to purchase materials and make uniforms at the points where the several companies had been raised. The persons who had the matter in charge at the several points were, at Dubuque, D. N. Cooley Esq. and Capt. F. J. Herron. Capt. Herron was sent specially from Davenport to Dubuque to select the materials and direct the uniforms in such manner as the companies preferred. At Cedar Rapids, Dr. Carpenter; at Davenport, Hiram Price Esq.; at Muscatine, Hon. Jos. A. Greene, and at Burlington, Major J. G. Laumau. At Muscatine and Iowa City the material was purchased and the making of the clothes superintended by committees of citizens. Under these circumstances it was impossible to procure the same uniform for the whole regiment. All that could be done was to have the men of each company clothed alike, but differing from those of other companies. It was also impossible to procure as good material as would have been desirable, had more time been allowed. Much of the clothing was made by the ladies, which to that extent lessened the cost. The amount of clothing furnished, so far as the means now in my possession enable me to state, is as fallows:

Capt. Herron's company, Dubuque; each man, hat, frock coat, pants, two flannel shirts, two pairs of socks and pair of shoes.

Capt. Gottschalk's company, Dubuque; blouse instead of coat, and other articles same as Capt. Herron's.

Capt. Cook's company, Cedar Rapids; hat, two flannel shirts, pants, socks and shoes, no jacket or coat.

Capt. Mahanna's company, Iowa City; hat, jacket, pants, two flannel shirts, socks and shoes.

Capt. Wentz's company, Davenport; hats, blouse, pants, two flannel shirts, socks and shoes.

Capt. Cumming's company, Muscatine; cap, jacket, pants, two flannel shirts, socks and shoes.

Capt. Mason's company, Muscatine; same as Capt. Cumming's.

Capt. Matthies' company, Burlington; hat, blouse, pants, two flannel shirts, socks and shoes.

Capt. Streaper's company, Burlington; same as Capt. Matthies’.

Capt. Wise's company, Mt. Pleasant; same as Capt. Matthies’.

I am not certain that all the companies were furnished with socks, shoes and shirts. Some of the shoes, I have reason to believe, were not of good quality costing only from $1.25 to $1.50 per pair, others I know were good, costing from $2.00 to $2.50 per pair. One thousand extra shirts were sent to Keokuk to supply any deficiency that may have existed in that particular. Most of the material for pants was satinett, and not of good quality, costing, as far as the same came under my observation, from forty to sixty cents per yard by the quantity. The entire amount expended for clothing, so far as I can give it from the data in my possession, is about $12,000 or $13,000. If it be desirable in your judgment to have the companies of this regiment uniformed alike, it will be necessary to furnish all with coats and pants of the same make, and to furnish an additional number of hats or caps. Hats were procured for all, but some preferred the cap and procured it, and the cost has been provided for. I cannot think that all the companies need new shoes, as some of the shoes furnished were of excellent quality and have not yet been worn more than two or three weeks.

I am satisfied that it is for the comfort of these troops that many of them be furnished with pants and shoes, and some with socks. As the Second and Third regiments will be clothed throughout alike, it would no doubt be very gratifying to the First regiment to be placed in the same position, and it will afford me much pleasure to carry out whatever may be your wishes in regard to it.

SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
May 23, 1861.

SOURCE: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 131-2

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Promoted

Sergt. Theodore Slonaker, of the 10th regiment, has been appointed 2nd lieutenant of Co. D, in that regiment.  Mr. Slonaker was formerly a resident of this city, and was a member of Capt. Wentz’s company.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, October 24, 1861


The flag was run up at half mast today, in honor of the death of Colonel Wentz, of the Second Iowa Infantry. Clothing and arms for our regiment have arrived at Davenport. The boys are glad to know that our regiment is to be equipped before leaving the State — ours is to be the first so equipped.

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

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

(For the Gazette.)

At A special meeting of the Directors of the Oakdale Cemetery Company, held April 1st, on motion of H. Price, Esq., a resolution was passed to appropriate circle No. 2 in Oakdale Cemetery for a military burying ground of the soldiers of Scott county, Iowa, fallen in battle, and the Cemetery Company subscribe twenty-five dollars towards the payment of said ground.

It was also resolved that suitable ground be donated to Mrs. Rebecca Wentz for the interment of her husband, Lt. Col. Wentz, on which an appropriate monument is to be forthwith erected.

Subscriptions towards the purchase of the ground and the erection of a monument on Circle No. 2, have already been made to the amount of over one hundred dollars, and it is hoped by the liberality of citizens of this city and county sufficient may be raised to erect a suitable monument to adorn the spot selected for the final resting place of the patriotic dead.

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

Monday, October 10, 2011

Monument To Col. Wentz

Messrs. McCosh and Donahue, marble cutters, have just finished a beautiful monument to the memory of Lieut. Col. Wentz, which is to be placed over his grave in Oakdale Cemetery.  It consists of two bases supporting a die and obelisk, the latter crowned with a cap and surmounted by an urn.  On the front to the obelisk a sword and laurel wreath are appropriately sculptured.  On the die is the epitaph, as follows:

“AUGUSTUS WENTZ,
Lieut. Col. of the 7th Iowa Regiment, born
August 22, 1827, in Koenigsbach, Grand
Dutchy of Baden, Germany; was kill-
ed in the battle of Belmont, November 7, 1861.”

On the base are a few lines – the offering of a companion in arms.  The whole work is elaborately executed, and indicates that we have artists here fully capable of commemorating in enduring marble the virtues of our friends and neighbors.  There is no need whatever of going abroad for any work of this kind, for our marble cutters, especially those mentioned above, evince as much taste in their choice of designs, and skillfulness in executing as those of any part of the country.

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