Company A.
Was born in Bee Town, Grant county. Wisconsin, December 22d, 1845. His father, E. M. Sala, was a physician practicing medicine. His mother's name before marriage was Susan Schellanburger. In 1852 his father moved to Ashley, Pike county. Missouri. He moved his family out on a farm three miles from town, and he remained in the town with his father, who was a physician, but too old to practice medicine, and remained in the office and drug store. He remained there about two years, and then moved to West Point, Lee county, Iowa. Here he spent his boyhood days in going to school, attending the West Point Collegiate School three or four years.
In the summer of 1861 he ran away from home and enlisted in Fletcher's flying artillery, which was located at Burlington, Iowa. Being quite young, his father took him out of the battery. He remained at home until the next spring and went to school. Then he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and got a position in the Estis [sic] House Hospital as wound dresser of the first ward. Remained there until August, when he enlisted in the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, but on the 31st of August was transferred to the First Iowa Cavalry. Joined the regiment at Twin Springs just before the battle of Prairie Grove. On the 1st of January, 1864, he re-enlisted as a veteran volunteer, for three years or during the war, and came home on a veteran furlough; in May was sent to the Keokuk Hospital with the ague, and remained there until February, 1865, when he rejoined his regiment at St. Louis, Missouri, and then went to Texas with General Custer, and was mustered out at Austin, Texas, February 15th, 1866.
When he returned home he began the study of medicine again, and during the summer of 1866 went to Keokuk, Iowa, and got a position in Dr. Sanford's Surgical Infirmary, and during the winter he attended what was then called the Iowa State Medical University. In the spring of 1867 he was married to the girl who remained true to him while he was fighting for his country. Miss Ina Stewart, of West Point, Lee county, Iowa. During the summer, fall and spring of 1867-68 his wife taught school and he returned to Keokuk and finished his medical education, and then located in Franklin Center, Iowa, and practiced medicine until the next spring, when he moved to Bloomington, Grant county, Wisconsin, where he has lived ever since. In 1880 his wife died, leaving him with four boys. In 1881 he was married to Alice Bowen, and has two daughters by her, by adoption. He is now in his 44th year, and in good health, all but the rheumatism in his back, caused from the ague while in the United States service. Is a member of Will Hickok Post, No. 134, G. A. R., located at Bloomington, Wisconsin, and a member of Bloomington Lodge, No. 159, I. O. O. F.; also a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 146, A. F. and A. M., of Bee Town, Wisconsin, and of the Chapter at Lancaster, and of the DeMolay Commandery, No. 15, Boscobel, Wisconsin.
SOURCE: Charles H. Lothrop, A History Of The First Regiment Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, p. 326-8
Was born in Bee Town, Grant county. Wisconsin, December 22d, 1845. His father, E. M. Sala, was a physician practicing medicine. His mother's name before marriage was Susan Schellanburger. In 1852 his father moved to Ashley, Pike county. Missouri. He moved his family out on a farm three miles from town, and he remained in the town with his father, who was a physician, but too old to practice medicine, and remained in the office and drug store. He remained there about two years, and then moved to West Point, Lee county, Iowa. Here he spent his boyhood days in going to school, attending the West Point Collegiate School three or four years.
In the summer of 1861 he ran away from home and enlisted in Fletcher's flying artillery, which was located at Burlington, Iowa. Being quite young, his father took him out of the battery. He remained at home until the next spring and went to school. Then he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and got a position in the Estis [sic] House Hospital as wound dresser of the first ward. Remained there until August, when he enlisted in the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, but on the 31st of August was transferred to the First Iowa Cavalry. Joined the regiment at Twin Springs just before the battle of Prairie Grove. On the 1st of January, 1864, he re-enlisted as a veteran volunteer, for three years or during the war, and came home on a veteran furlough; in May was sent to the Keokuk Hospital with the ague, and remained there until February, 1865, when he rejoined his regiment at St. Louis, Missouri, and then went to Texas with General Custer, and was mustered out at Austin, Texas, February 15th, 1866.
When he returned home he began the study of medicine again, and during the summer of 1866 went to Keokuk, Iowa, and got a position in Dr. Sanford's Surgical Infirmary, and during the winter he attended what was then called the Iowa State Medical University. In the spring of 1867 he was married to the girl who remained true to him while he was fighting for his country. Miss Ina Stewart, of West Point, Lee county, Iowa. During the summer, fall and spring of 1867-68 his wife taught school and he returned to Keokuk and finished his medical education, and then located in Franklin Center, Iowa, and practiced medicine until the next spring, when he moved to Bloomington, Grant county, Wisconsin, where he has lived ever since. In 1880 his wife died, leaving him with four boys. In 1881 he was married to Alice Bowen, and has two daughters by her, by adoption. He is now in his 44th year, and in good health, all but the rheumatism in his back, caused from the ague while in the United States service. Is a member of Will Hickok Post, No. 134, G. A. R., located at Bloomington, Wisconsin, and a member of Bloomington Lodge, No. 159, I. O. O. F.; also a member of the Blue Lodge, No. 146, A. F. and A. M., of Bee Town, Wisconsin, and of the Chapter at Lancaster, and of the DeMolay Commandery, No. 15, Boscobel, Wisconsin.
SOURCE: Charles H. Lothrop, A History Of The First Regiment Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, p. 326-8