Walter S. Gray

Company A.

Sergeant Walter S. Gray, of Keokuk, Iowa, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1831, where he resided until 1855, when he located in Indiana. In 1856 he removed to Keokuk and engaged in the pork packing business until the financial crisis of 1857, when he went to Memphis, Tennessee, and engaged in the sash, door and blind manufacture. He remained there until 1861, when all Unionists were driven from the city, losing all he had. He returned to Keokuk and immediately enlisted. Re-enlisted with the regiment in 1864, but was rejected because of ill health, and discharged in September of the same year with others of the regiment. Since then has been engaged in the lumber business at Keokuk.

SOURCE: Charles H. Lothrop, A History Of The First Regiment Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, p. 328

William Stotser

Private, Co. A, 12th Iowa Infantry
Killed in action April 6, 1862

Shiloh National Cemetery

Washington, Feb. 12, [1862]

HOUSE. – Mr. Hickman, from the judiciary committee, offered a preamble setting forth that Henry Wikoff, having transmitted a portion of the President’s last annual message for publication in the N. Y. Herald before it was laid before Congress, and having refused to state before the committee from whom he received it; therefore

Resolved, That the sergeant at arms bring the said Henry Wikoff before the bar of the House, to answer for contempt.

The resolution was adopted.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

Arrival of the Tentonia

CAPE RACE, Feb. 12.

The steamship Tentonia, from Southampton 1st, passed her this morning, and was intercepted.

The Tuscarora has been ordered off Southampton by the British Government and has taken up a position near the Needles.

The pirate Nashville was still in Southampton dock.

The reported naval engagement in the Mediterranean is not confirmed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

From Washington

(Tribune’s Correspondence.)

NEW YORK, Feb. 12.

Mr. Arnold, from the committee on lake and river defences, will report to-morrow. The committee recommends extensive repairs of the fortifications at Mackinaw, St. Clair river, Buffalo and Oswego; the establishment of a national foundry at Chicago, for the casting of heavy ordnance; depots for naval stores on Lakes Michigan, Erie and Ontario; and the enlargement of the Ill. And Mich. Canal. The report embraces statistics relative to the commerce of the lakes.

It says, there is no present danger of a rupture with Great Britain, but that power has an advantage over us in the St. Lawrence and Welland Canal, capable of admitting gun boats from the Atlantic, which we ought to counterbalance, in order to be prepared for all possible emergencies.

The Naval committee of the House, will recommend an appropriation of $15,000,000, to build gun boats.

Advices from Hatteras state that the loyal blacks from N.C. help to man the fleet of flag officer Goldsboro, and to serve the guns which have sunk the rebel gun boats and compelled the surrender of Roanoke Island.

Gen. C. P. Smith [sic], lately at Paducah has not been rejected by the Senate. Objections to him being made by the Kentucky Senators, the nomination was laid over for the present.

The Secretary of War calls from proposals from shippers, ship owners and express lines by telegraph, mail or personal application, for establishing a regular daily communication between Fort Monroe and Port Royal, Hatteras and Roanoke Island. No proposition of a speculative nature will be entertained, nor will the contract be given to any person not in the line of business proposed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

Ole G. Oleson

Private, Co. G, 12th Iowa Infantry
Killed in action April 6, 1862

Shiloh National Cemetery

G. R. Miller

Company A.

“My life has been too uneventful to send a sketch of it. I was born in Cambridge, New York, in 1834; came to Iowa in 1855; enlisted June 13th, 1861, at Keokuk; re-enlisted January 1st, 1864, at Little Rock, Arkansas; discharged at Austin, Texas, February 14th, 1866." Now resides at Belinda, Lucas county. Iowa,

SOURCE: Charles H. Lothrop, A History Of The First Regiment Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, p. 328

From Fort Monroe

FORT MONROE, Feb. 11.

By a flag of truce to-day we learn the complete success of the Burnside expedition at Roanoke Island. The Island was taken possession of and Com. Lynd’s fleet completely destroyed.

Elizabeth City was attacked on Sunday, and evacuated by the inhabitants. The city was previously burned, whether by our shells or the inhabitants is not certain.

The first news of the defeat arrived at Norfolk on Sunday afternoon, and caused great excitement.

The previous news was very satisfactory, stating that the Yankees had been allowed to advance for the purpose of drawing them into a trap.

The rebel force on the island is supposed to have been little over 3,000 fighting men.

Gen. Wise was sick at Nag’s Head, and was not present during the engagement. – when the situation became dangerous he was removed to Norfolk.

All the gunboats but one were taken, and that escaped up a creek, and was probably destroyed.

One report says that only 70, and another that only 25, of the rebels escaped from the island. Gen. Huger telegraphed to Richmond that only 50 on the islanded escaped.

There appears to be no bright side of the story from the rebels.

The Richmond Examiner, this morning in the leading editorial, says:

“The loss of our entire army on Roanoke Island is certainly the most painful event of the war. The intelligence by yesterday’s telegraph is fully confirmed. Twenty-five hundred brave troops, on an island in the sea, were exposed to all the force of the Burnside fleet. They resisted with the most determined courage; but when 15,000 Federal troops were landed against them, retreat being cut off by the surrounding elements, they were forced to surrender. – This is a repetition of the Hatteras affair on a large scale.”

The following dispatches on the subject are taken from the Richmond papers of this morning:


NORFOLK, Feb. 10.

The latest news states that O. Jennings Wise, son of Gov. Wise was shot through the hip, and disabled.

Maj. Lawson and Lieut. Miller were mortally wounded. About 300 Confederates were killed. The wounded number over 1,000. The number of Yankees wounded is about the same.


SECOND DISPATCH.

A rumor has prevailed that Com. Lynd’s fleet of gun-boats had been captured. It is not regarded as true, but it is believed that all were burned by the Confederates to prevent their capture, with the exception of one, which was endeavoring to make its escape. The fleet went to Elizabeth City from Roanoke Island, and was probably burnt at the former point.


THIRD DISPATCH.

NORFOLK, February 10.

A dispatch was received at Richmond at midnight, stating as follows:

A courier arrived here this p.m. at four o’clock, and brought the intelligence that Elizabeth City was burned this morning by its inhabitants. During the conflagration the Federals landed a large force. All our gun-boats, excepting one, were captured by the enemy. Gen. Wise has not yet arrived at Norfolk.


The following – the very latest – we copy form the Norfolk Day Book:

A courier arrived here yesterday p.m. at about three o’clock, from whom we gather the following information: The enemy advanced in full force upon Elizabeth City yesterday about 7 o’clock and began an attack upon the place. The citizens thinking resistance vain evacuated the place, but before doing so set fire to the town, and when our informant left it was still in flames. We have also to record the capture by the enemy of all our little fleet except the Fanny or Forrest. Our informant is not certain which eluded the enemy. She was pursued, however, and fears are entertained that she was captured. It is said that before our boats surrendered they were abandoned, and that their crews succeeded in making their escape. If so, we are at a loss to conjecture why the boats were not fired before they were abandoned.

This disaster to our little fleet is attributed to the fact that having exhausted their supply of coal and ammunition, they proceeded to Elizabeth City for the purpose of obtaining supplies. Every effort was made to obtain coal, but without success, and the boats could not therefore return to the Island and send any assistance whatever to our forces.

All the details, as published with reference to the capture of Roanoke Island, are confirmed by the courier, who represents our loss at 300 killed and 1,000 wounded, and that of the enemy not less than 1,000 killed.

Great havoc was made among the enemy while coming up the road leading to the Fort. Our soldiers brought to bear upon them two 32-pounders, and at every fire their ranks were terribly thinned. The places of the fallen, however were quickly filled.

The Park Point battery was manned by the Richmond Blues, and most nobly did they defend it during the conflict. They were attacked by a whole regiment of Zouaves, and though completely overpowered, they stood their ground; they did not yield a foot till all but seven of them had fallen bleeding to the ground.

There is good reason to believe that had Col. Henningsen, with his artillery, been on the island it would not have been forced to surrender.

It is reported that one regiment from Massachusetts was badly cut up, but it is impossible to ascertain which of the five it was that were attached to the expedition.

All the Southern papers received to-day are unanimous in admitting a complete victory for our troops, and in saying the loss of the island is a very serious one. The news received to-day occasioned great excitement at Old Point.

A steamer with official dispatches from Gen. Burnside is hourly expected.

The prisoners captured, numbering at least 2,000, will be here in a few days.

A flag of truce was sent to Craney Island early this morning, to inform Gen. Huger that the prisoners of war from Ft. Warren had arrived. The rebel Steamer West Point came out from Norfolk, and the prisoners were transferred. They numbered 4 Captains, 3 1st Lieutenants, 6 2d Lieutenants, 2 3d Lieutenants and 384 privates and colored servants. They were taken at Hatteras and Santa Rosa, and are the last of the prisoners of war at Ft. Warren, except. Com. Barron.

The Norfolk boat brought here the Captain of the transport Osceola, which was part of Gen. Sherman’s expedition, which was wrecked on the coast of Georgia, Nov. 2d, and the Captain and the whole crew taken prisoners.

The latest intelligence from Savannah is that the Federal gun boats were at Wall’s Cut, and opening which [communicates] with Savannah without passing Ft. Pulaski.

A dispatch from Charleston to Richmond says that, on the 9th, Fort Pickens, with the Niagara and Colorado, opened fire on Forts McRae and Barrancas and the Navy Yard. After some hours’ bombardment, both vessels hauled off. Both are said to be badly damaged.

There has been some skirmishing between the Federals and the rebels at Port Royal.

The city of Savannah was being strongly fortified.

We find the following additional news from various points of the South in the papers received to-day:

Ex-Gov. Campbell declines the tender of the appointment of a Brigadier General, and assigns as a reason his physical incapability to perform the duties of the office. He was to have filled the place vacated by the death of Gen. Zollicoffer.

The bill to raise troops to meet the requisition of Virginia by the President of the Confederate States, passed both branches of the Va. General Assembly on Monday in secret session. The bill provides that all companies now in the field shall be filled up to the number of 100 men; that the Governor shall call for volunteers for this purpose, and that if the requisite number be not thus enlisted the deficiency is to be made up by draft from the enrolled militia.

The injunction of secrecy has been removed from the bill passed by Congress appropriating $2,000,000 for the benefit of the State of Kentucky.

James Lyons is probably elected to congress, to supply the vacancy caused by the death of John Tyler.

The War department has issued an order for the seizure of all corn in the hands of distillers or others for the purpose of distillation. This step is taken not only on account of the pernicious effects of the unlimited manufacture of whiskey, but also because of the exorbitant prices that Government is obliged to pay for an article indispensable to the subsistence of the army.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

Proceedings Of The City Council

ADJOURNED MEETING.

WEDNESDAY, February 12.

All the members were present except Ald. Le Claire and Parker. In the absence of the Mayor Ald. Davenport was called to the chair. The minutes of the last three meetings were approved.

The petitions of J. R. Johnson, John Wunderlich and Howard Darlington, relative to erroneous assessment, and of J. W. Woodward for a reductions of taxes, were presented and referred to the committee on claims and the city attorney. The petition of B. S. Glaspell, for a new street near Division street was presented and referred to the committee on streets; and that of John Armil, to vacate a portion of his second addition, was referred to the same committee and the city attorney. The petition of Otto Klug, for permission to build a sewer from his store house to the Main street sewer, was granted.

The committee on fire and water reported on the communication of W. G. Jones, chief engineer, favorably to providing 1,000 feet of new hose. The report was adopted.

Ald. Renwick offered a resolution instructing the committee to procure the requisite amount of hose. Adopted.

The bond of C. W. Verder, as city assessor, was approved.

The report of the City Marshal was presented. His collections last month were, on the tax of 1858, $403.55; on that of 1861, $1,724; total, $2,128.61.

A number of claims, to the aggregate amount of $967.86, were presented and ordered paid. The largest claim was that of Richardson, West & Co., to the amount of $663.25, for advertising delinquent tax list.

Mr. Thorington presented a copy of the writ of injunction on file in the County Clerk’s office, restraining the City Treasurer from paying out any money, under the resolution of January 9, to the Amory Committee.

Mr. Thorington, of the Armory Committee, addressed the Council on the subject of the Armory – stating the progress made at Washington, and the present prospect of the Armory question. He expresses the opinion, and supported it by statements of facts and opinions with which he had become familiar, that Rock Island’s prospects for the Armory were as good as those of any other place, if not better; but there were very decided symptoms that no Armory bill would get through the House, but would likely be smothered. He expressed the belief that our interests had been as carefully attended to as those of any other locality.

Ald. Renwick offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the resolution passed at the last regular meeting of this council, appropriating $250 toward defraying the expenses of the armory committee to Washington, be and the same is hereby reconsidered and repealed.

The yeas and nays were called and stood:

YEAS. – Renwick, Schmidt, Weinert. – 3.

NAYS. – Coulthart, Gillett, Glasman, Kaufman, Noe, Peters. – 6.

Ald. Renwick offered the following, which was adopted:

Resolved, That a vote of thanks be tendered by the city council to the armory committee, for the faithful discharge of their duty while in the city of Washington. Adopted.

Ald. Peters offered the following which was adopted.

Resolved, That the committee on public buildings and public grounds, are hereby instructed to examine the roof of the building known as the council chamber, and to report at the next meeting, the best method of repairing the same. Adopted.

Ald. Gillett moved that the thanks of the city council be tendered to the armory committee for the faithful manner in which they have performed their duty.

Ald. Peters introduced an ordinance requiring the owners and occupants of property to remove the snow from their sidewalks. Laid over for one week.

On motion, Council adjourned.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

Cornerstone Of The Old Estes House

FIFTH & MAIN, KEOKUK, IOWA

SITE OF ARMY HOSPITAL APR. 17, 1862 – OCT. 1, 1865

ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THE SOLDIERS WHO DIED IN THE OLD GENERAL HOSPITAL AT KEOKUK AND ARE BURIED IN THE NAITONAL CEMETERY.

– Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa

Local Matters

PARTICIPATION – See new advertisement. Enquire of R. Simpson.

THE LINES furnished us on “The Secession Snake” won’t do to publish. The sentiment is good, but there is neither rhyme nor rhythm to the poetry.

GODEY’S LADY’S BOOK, for March, is already on our table. It contains the usual fine steel plate engraving, double fashion plate, illustrations, tales, essays, etc.

AN IMMENSE stock of French Dry Goods, to which almost daily additions are made, can be found at Wadsworth’s. He offers as good terms, either at wholesale or retail, as any house in this section of the country. Call and examine it.

FROM KANSAS. – An interesting letter will be found on this page to-day from our Kansas correspondent. He is an observing man, a good writer and placed in a position where he can obtain all the facts that will transpire in the great expedition from Kansas southward.

[UNLUCKY] SLEIGHING PARTY. – A party went out for a sleigh ride Tuesday evening, and as they came down Main street by the railroad the horses ran away, tearing down Main street with fearful velocity, and only bringing up at the corner of Front and Brady streets. – The party were scattered along the route, having jumped out at intervals. The team ran away twice afterwards during the same trip.

TO-DAY Welton & Warriner open their new boot and shoe manufactory at No. 56 Brady street. They will manufacture to order all kinds of men’s, ladies’, misses’ and children’s work, and will also keep on hand all kinds of Eastern work. All orders left at the old stand, 1st door above the Post Office, or at 56 Brady street, will be promptly attended to.

ELECTION DISTRICTS. – Our State Senator, Hon. J. B. Leake, has introduced a bill into that body, providing for dividing townships into election districts in certain cases. The bill was ordered to a third reading on the 6th inst. The necessity of such a measure is evident to every person who knows anything about elections in our larger cities – the canvass sometimes taking two or three days to complete, as was the case last fall.

PETTY RASCALITY. – Night before last the Temperance Eating Saloon, owned by Mr. Stanley, on Main street, between front and Second, was robbed of a number of pies. The front window was smashed in about midnight, through which the rogues found admission. The stock on hand consisted of a few pies only, which were taken. Suspicion was directed towards a small squad of soldiers belonging to the camp, who had visited the house that evening, and information was in the morning given to the commandant. Col. Sanders prosecuted a sharp investigation, and last evening had the perpetrators of the offense fast in the guard house. They were six in number and the youngest lads in the regiment. They ‘broke guard’ to get down town, but will doubtless receive such a lesson as to prevent them indulging in this kind of fun again.

DIVIDEND. – The New York Life Insurance Company has just declared a script dividend of thirty per cent. on life policies issued previous to Jan. 1st ult, and of twenty-five per cent. upon dividends heretofore declared from 1850 to 1860, inclusive, payable in cash on the first Monday in March next. This has been one of the most successful Life Insurance Companies ever chartered. As the rates of premiums are no higher, while the assets are greater and the dividends are larger than other companies, it is therefore the best and cheapest to insure in.

The agent of this company, Mr. John L. Swits, Nickolls’ Block, will furnish, gratuitously, the reports and information concerning it, and will also receive applications for insurance.

THE DEMOCRAT. – Our neighbor cringes under the excoriation we gave him and whines like a whipped spaniel. He doesn’t at all like such treatment. Bet the time has passed when secessionists at heart can hide themselves under the mask of ‘conservatism,’ and palm off their treasonable thoughts on community as a [simon-pure] Unionism. While our sons and neighbors are periling their lives and all are so deeply experiencing the fearful effects of this rebellion, men are not disposed to sanction any reasoning, however sophisticated, that has a tendency to prolong the war and entail misery upon their children. The ‘stop thief’ policy of the Democrat in regard to the Republican party won’t answer. They do not stand alone in the position they have assumed, to quell the rebellion regardless of the consequences to slavery, but very many persons who formerly identified themselves with the Democratic party, now take the same ground, and look upon the institution of slavery in a secondary light to the maintenance of the Union. And until this be done, we boldly maintain, that the North will not be purged of its sympathizers with treason.

UNGRATEFUL THIEVES. – Last Friday, a couple of boys, aged respectively about nineteen and fifteen years, stopped at Mr. W. Sherman’s Fifteen-Mile House, and being destitute they were received by Mr. Sherman, who gave them employment on Tuesday night, being desirous of changing their lodgings, they took their departure, carrying with them a couple of overcoats, a pair of boots, and some other clothing from Mr. Sherman’s hospitable house. They came in this direction, as they were seen to pass the Six-Mile House about three o’clock yesterday morning. They hail from Jones county.

THE DEMOCRAT, discoursing on the bachelor tax, says it hears “ye local” hereof has proposed twice since he read of the said tax. Twice! Is that all – you know about it? Why, judging from the experience of some of our neighbors, in order to have any use for the “baby-talk” you speak of, twice that many acceptances would hardly be enough. Twice! Indeed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

O. P. SALA

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

The Great Western Railroad Depot, Springfield, Illinois

A plaque on the side of the building reads:

THIS DEPOT, BUILT IN 1852, WAS THE SITE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S FAMOUS FAREWELL ADDRESS UPON LEAVING SPRINGFIELD ON FEBRUARY 11, 1861 TO ASSUME THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES.

DEDICATED APRIL 23, 1965
ERECTED BY SPRINGFIELD HISTORICAL SITES COMMISSION 1965

Lecture Postponed

The lecture, which was to have been delivered by Dr. Parry last evening for the benefit of the Soldier’s Aid Society, was indefinitely postponed on account of the Dr.’s illness.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

The Memphis Appeal of the 23d of April . . .

. . . has an article on the Defense of the Mississippi urging its importance. It speculates on the consequences if Island No. 10 should be evacuated. It uses this language:

“If Island No 10 should be evacuated – if at a future time Fort Pillow should prove insufficient to check the descent of the the fleet of the enemy’s gunboats – what then?”

Great as is the capacity of the rebels for concealing their losses, and downright lying this is astonishing. Two weeks after the whole rebel army and the most of their flotilla – an army of five thousand men, one hundred pieces of artillery &c. &c. – were captured – when the army was imprisoned and our own troops in charge of the guns at No. 10 – the Appeal puts the question to its readers – what if Island No. 10 should be evacuated? This is the most audacious attempt at public deception during the war.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Some of the papers are discussing . . .

. . . the question whether the President dances. It is pretty evident that if he don’t dance himself he is the cause of some very lively dancing in others.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Old John Bell was at Huntsville Alabama . . .

. . . when the Federal troops entered that place and made his escape on foot leaving the town “by a path,” so says the Atlanta papers.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Memphis papers of Saturday last . . .

. . . say that at a convention of cotton planters held at Selma, Alabama, it was unanimously resolved to restrict the production of cotton to 500 pounds for each hand employed and advising the cultivation of breadstuffs instead. It was recommended to levy a tax of $25 per bale on all grown over that amount.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Gen. Beauregard according to a Memphis paper . . .

. . . has ordered the disbanding of a number of Rebel cavalry regiments on account of the scarcity of forage. It complains likewise that by the eight cavalry regiments in the battle near Pittsburgh Landing only three charges were made, and these only by bodies from 300 to 800 each.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Abraham Lincoln’s Farewell Address at Springfield, Illinois

[Monday, February 11, 1861]

My friends.

No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe every thing. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of that Divine Being, who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him, who can go with me, and remain with you and be every where for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell

SOURCES: Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 4, p. 190; The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, Series 1, General Correspondence, 1833-1916