Thirteenth Regiment

Capt. VanHosen, of this city, is now in command of the Thirteenth Regiment.  The Colonel is acting Brigadier-General, the Lieutenant Colonelcy is vacant, and the Major is at home wounded.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 5, 1862, p. 1

This vicinity is well represented in Grant's army . . .

. . . and doubtless equally so in the fight.  We have there Capt. Stuhr’s company from this county; and are largely represented in those of Capts. Van Hosen, Williams and Fraser.  We have also Lieut.-Cols. Hall, Price and Sanders; Adjutants Tyner and McCosh, and perhaps Capt. W. T. Clark.  Rock Island county is represented in eight companies.  The anxiety in both cities is naturally very great, and is aggravated by the long delay in hearing from our own immediate representatives on the field, and especially is this the case in this county, for we do not so much as know anything of the whereabouts of an Iowa regiment on that day.  But we cannot be much longer without news.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, April 12, 1862, p. 1

Hon. George M. Van Hoesen.

THE courtly president of the Holland Society of New York, needs no introduction to University men nor to the New York bar. Sprung from one of the oldest of our Dutch families, his interest in their settlement of this country and their progress since has been deep and marked. No meeting of Knickerbockers or celebration of interest to the descendants of the original settlers of New York has ever been complete without his presence.

He was born in New York City, and after due preparation entered the University of the City of New York, from which he was graduated in the class of 1852, having participated actively in most of the undergraduate organizations of prominence. He has been the president of its Alumni association since.

He studied law at the State and National Law School, then located at Poughkeepsie, and during a portion of his time there, was an instructor on subjects of Pleadings and Evidence.

Going to Davenport, Iowa, shortly after, he began the practice of law there and so continued until the breaking out of the war in 1861 when, forming a company of which he was made Captain, he was attached to the 13th Iowa Infantry. Serving under General Grant in Missouri and ascending the Tennessee River with him, in 1862, he was promoted to the rank of Major for gallantry at the Battle of Shiloh, and took part in the subsequent capture of Vicksburg. At one time he was Provost Marshal of the armies in the field for the department of the Mississippi. At the close of the war Major Van Hoesen resumed the practice of law in New York City. His success was marked. In 1875 he was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in New York, serving the full term of fourteen years. No greater compliment could have been paid to him, a pronounced Democrat, than the general regret which was expressed by the prominent Republican journals of this city in their leading editorials, "that a man of his, talents, kindly feeling and dignified courtesy, could not have received a re-nomination."

Having resumed the practice of law at the expiration of his term of office, he was elected a trustee of the Holland Trust Company, Chairman of the Memorial Committee of the Grand Army, of which he has long been a comrade in Lafayette Post No. 140, and was one of the founders of the Holland Society.

If the writer is not mistaken he was a Trustee and now a member of the St. Nicholas Club. He is a member of the St. Nicholas Society, and the Union, Manhattan, New Amsterdam, and Zeta Psi Clubs.

At the organization of the latter Club in 1882, he was by [acclamation] tended its presidency. He is perhaps the most popular man in that Fraternity, which has given him its highest office.

After many years acquaintance with him, the writer thinks it no exaggeration to say, that no more polished gentleman ever sat upon the bench of the city or state than Judge Van Hoesen.

SOURCE: The University Magazine, Vol. 5, December 1891, p. 1221

13th Iowa Regiment

We are indebted to Capt. Van Hosen for the official report of the killed, wounded and missing in this regiment, which will be found on our second page to-day.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 29, 1862, p. 1

Scott County Soldiers Killed

We have heard from the 2d, 11th, and 13th regiments, in which there were three deaths of Scott county men. George Crooks and John R. Buckman, of Co. E, 11th regt. And Corporal John Melton, Co. E, 13th Regt. Geo. Crooks is a native of Pennsylvania, and about 21 years of age. After his enlistment last fall, his father died, leaving some younger children in their care of their brother George. He was a sober, industrious and exemplary young man, and his loss is a sad blow to those who depended on him. John R. Buckman was born in Illinois, and was hardly 18 when he enlisted, and was probably the youngest member of his company. We have known him a long time, and always appreciated him as a good, brave, warm-hearted boy, who could not fail to make a good and useful man, and we feel assured there was none more heroic on that fatal battle field than little Johnny Buckman. Both Crooks and Buckman lived in Le Claire, and enlisted in Capt. McLoney’s company, 11th regiment last fall. John Melton was born in Indiana, and was 24 years old when he enlisted in Capt. VanHosen’s company last fall, holding therein the position of first corporal.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, April 18, 1862, p. 1

Scott County Soldiers

The only wounded we have yet heard from belonging to this county, are Lt. Col. Price, 13th regt., private, J. N. Gardner, of Co. B 8th, {Capt. Cleaveland’s} and private Edwin Clark, Co., E, 13th, {Capt. Van Hosen’s} W. Jayne, of Muscatine is also reported ounded in Capt. Cleaveland’s company.

– Published in the Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862

Lt. Col. Hall

The Chicago Papers of Monday announced that Col. Hall was wounded at the recent battle, and we have so stated in the list of wounded published on the second page. On the contrary, an officer who arrived on the eastern train yesterday morning, and who was at the battle, stated that he left Col. Hall and wife, who is with her husband, both well. He also states that Col. Chambers has only a flesh wound in the arm, and Lt. Col. Sanders and Maj. Purcell are both safe, as is Capt. Van Hosen.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 1