Book Review: Undaunted Heart

Undaunted Heart:
The True Story of a Southern Belle & a Yankee General
By Suzy Barile

After four blood-soaked, war ravaged years, the end came; Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysses S. Grant’s victorious Army of the Potomac and within a month the rest of the armies of the Confederacy would follow Lee’s example. The Civil War was at long last over and it was time for the nation to bind up its wounds and let the healing begin.

On Easter Sunday, 1865 a brigade of General Sherman’s army entered the sleepy hamlet of Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina. The next day David Swain, the former governor of North Carolina, and president of the university, met with Smith Dykins Atkins, the General in charge, to formally surrender the city, and in the process invited him to dinner. Neither Swain nor Atkins knew it at the time, but it was an evening that would change both of their lives, for it was on that night, the General would meet the woman who would become his wife, Governor Swain’s daughter, Ella.

The author, Suzy Barile, great great granddaughter of Smith & Ella Atkins, has done an admirable job of telling their story. The star-crossed love affair between a Union General and a Southern Belle does carry with it an element or two from Romeo and Juliet. Relying heavily on family correspondence as well as journals and diaries of Chapel Hill locals Ms. Barile, gives her readers a nearly three dimensional view of her subjects, and their relationship that some found shocking and scandalous, and yet at the same time foreshadowed the reconciliation between the warring sections of the country that would ultimately take place many decades later.

If the Ms. Barile’s book has a flaw it is that the difficulties of Reconstruction on a national level are hardly mentioned, and when they are it is only when they directly affected the Atkins and Swain families. Ms. Barile has missed an opportunity to juxtapose the happy union between Smith Atkins & Ella Swain against the tumultuous happenings taking place during the Reconstruction era in the South. Such juxtaposition would have given a deeper understanding of the symbolism in the Atkins-Swain marriage.

That being said, Ms. Barile, has given us an intimate look at the lives of her great great grandparents. Theirs was a marriage, like so many others, filled with joy and hope, happiness and sorrow, triumph and defeat, living and dying. And that is where Ms. Barile’s book gloriously succeeds. She has resurrected Smith Atkins, Ella Swain and their families from the pages of history, given them flesh and bone, and breathed them to life again.

ISBN 978-0-9820771-1-5, Eno Publishers, © 2009, Soft Cover, 260 pages, Photographs, Endnotes, Genealogy, Bibliography & Index. $16.95

Iowa Items

The rivers of Iowa are having a good time all to themselves; which is more than can be said of the dwellers on their banks; a number of buildings have been started from their positions at Des Moines, and a large number of families have been obliged to leave their furniture in the safest places in their houses, and escape in skiffs to higher grounds, sick people have been hurried from their homes in skiffs. There is consequently much suffering among a portion of the people at the Capital.

The Des Moines Register says that fourteen men of the 4th infantry, wounded at the battle of Pea Ridge have died since the battle.

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

Samuel M. Wise, a Captain in the Iowa First Infantry, has been commissioned Maj. Of the 17th Regiment, Col Rankin.

The 17th regiment has been formally accepted by the War Department. It has 900 men now in camp at Keokuk, and 200 more on the way there.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 2

The funeral services of Chas. Johnson . . .

. . . will be in the M. E. Church on Sunday next.

– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, Thursday March 19, 1863

Edwart A. Nute

Company A, 36th Illinois Infantry

Maps

If the Chicago Tribune has the maps badly, as the Journal remarks, the case of the New York papers must be hopeless.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 2

A Young Lady Shot

Miss Nancy Ann Wallace, daughter of Woodson Wallace, one of our old subscribers, we regret to learn, was accidentally shot with a pistol, on Saturday night. Several of her brothers were examining a pistol, which one of the boys had bought, when in some way not clearly explained, the pistol went off and lodged the ball in the forehead of the girl, over the right eye, the ball penetrating several inches, but strange to say, without immediate fatal results. The ball still remains in the head but with what result is not known. If inflammation can be avoided it is said, she may recover. – Ottumwa Currier, 10th.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 2

The Best Tree Is Clubbed

The venders of worthless Saleratus make a point against De Land & Co’s Chemical Sateratus, and have got so far as to put out a spurious article, hoping thereby to destroy its reputation. It is the best tree in the orchard that is most clubbed. Buy only the Chemical Saleratus. We have tried it.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, July 16, 1864

We believe in . . .

. . . good fences, good barns, good farmhouses, good stock, good orchard and children enough to gather the fruit.

– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, January 1, 1863

Welland Canal

St. Catharine, C. W., April 9. – The Welland Canal will be opened for navigation on the 15th inst.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Thursday, April 10, 1862

Iowa Soldiers

The following are additional to the names already published of killed and wounded Iowa soldiers at the battle of Pittsburg:


KILLED.

11TH REGIMENT – Co. A. – Wm Fielding, John Jodyke and George Callender of Muscatine county. Co. H. – Henry Ady, Atalissa. Co. I. – George Daniels. Co. B. – Lieut E D Duncan, Jasper Co. Co. F. – Lieut Watson.


WOUNDED.

8TH REGIMENT – Co. H. – J T Lyon.

11TH REGIMENT – Col A M Hare, Muscatine; Lt Col Wm Hall, Davenport; Major Abercrombie, Burlington; Lt Moss, Co. F.

13TH REGIMENT – Major Shane, Benton Co; Adj Hahn.


ON STEAMER LOUISIANA, BOUND FOR ST. LOUIS.

3D REGIMENT – Co. A. – Patrick Larkin, - Newson. Co. D. – B Hobson.

12TH REGIMENT – Co. E. – Jacob Howrey. Co. F. – Samuel Wetherby, O L Johnson.


AT MOUND CITY HOSPITAL.

2D REGIMENT – Co. A. – W H Robinson. Co. E. – B Ross, John Duncan. Co. G. – H D St. John. Co. I. – Fred Filley.

3D REGIMENT – Co. E. – W C Chambers.

6TH REGIMENT – Co A. – M Howe. Co. E. – Solomon Kellogg, Thos B Baker. Co. H. A W Hufford.

8TH REGIMENT – Co. A – John Dougal. Co B. – J N Gardner, W Jayne. Co. H. J Craig.

11TH Regiment. – Co. C. – G W Simmons, Wilson Simons.

12TH REGIMENT – Co. G. – Ole Oleson.

13TH REGIMENT – Co. C – J Debault. Co. E. E Clark. Co G. – Lieut D R Sherman. Co.H. – Lieut E Shurtz.

14TH REGIMENT – Co. E. – Jno L Milton.

15TH REGIMENT – Co. I. – D Burkley.

16TH REGIMENT – Co. G. Patk Boyle.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 2

Late

By some unknown cause our blank paper did not arrive in time to work off this edition on Thursday morning, and our subscribers will notice that we are a little late.

– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, June, 4, 1863

Our Post Master A. C. Johnson . . .

. . . would give notice to the public that he has for sale Writing paper, Envelops [sic], Copy Books, Primers &c &c. Give him a call.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, April 9, 1864

Latest from the Pittsburg Battle-Field

Special to the Chicago Journal.

CAIRO, April 14.

It is reported, on good authority, that Beauregard called a council of war of all the best rebel Generals, before the battle of Pittsburg. There were present, Pillow, Floyd, Breckinridge, Hardee, Bragg, Cheatham, Sid. Johnston, Bushrod Johnston [sic], the rebel Provisional Governor of Kentucky, and a few other gentlemen. The following policy was fixed on: If they beat us, they would follow up and drive us North as far as possible; if beaten, they would withdraw their forces from the border States, and make a desperate stand in the Gulf States.

A Federal Wounded soldier, left in our camp and captured by the rebels, and afterwards retaken, reports that he heard Beauregard make a speech to his men on Sunday night assuring them they would capture all our army on Monday. He told them not to destroy anything – tents, provisions or anything that would be wanted. He encouraged them handsomely, as next day’s work showed. This is confirmed by several wounded rebels, taken prisoners.

Van Dorn did not reach Corinth till the fight was over. It is now believed by men, latest returning from Pittsburg, that the rebel force in action was 65,000. This is the testimony of rebel prisoners also.

Our force was not over 45,000.

Col. John Davis, of Freeport, is not dead. He is at Paducah, and says he will recover.

Gen. Humboldt lost twelve hundred and eighty three men, out of seven thousand, on Monday.

The 9th Ill. Regiment could count but 200 effective men on Monday morning. The 11th Ill., 45; the 12th Iowa, 17 men. Lt. Col. Tupper of Decatur, and Lieut. Col. Ross were killed.

Dangerously wounded, Lieut. Col. Phillips, Col. Bane, of 50th Ill., and Major Eaton. He went up by the train this morning.

Col. Fry’s regiment did not stand fire very well.

Dr. Corning, of St. Louis, found one of Matteson’s 64-pound guns deserted. He sighted and fired sixty-five shots with it, doing terrible execution. He had no military experience.

The Gunboats had gone up the river to burn the bridge at Corinth.

Gen. Grant is reported not to have been on the field till 10 o’clock Sunday morning. It is also reported that Buell’s men heard firing forty-nine miles off, and made a forced march of thirty miles on Saturday, reaching Pittsburg Sunday, after marching nineteen miles, in time to succor our troops. Nashville was one hundred miles distant.

It is believed Halleck’s plan was for Grant to land on the opposite side of the Tennessee and stay mostly on transports till Buell came up; then all cross on pontoon bridges and march rapidly on Corinth.

The aid of the gunboats, Matteson’s and Silversparre’s batteries, and the arrival of Buell’s men, saved the day, and turned the tide of victory in our favor.

The rebel loss is not known, but believed to be much larger than ours.

Auditor Dubois and Gen. Cook came down this morning. They report the sick and wounded provided for as well as possible, on the transports and in the barracks at Pittsburg.

Nothing new from above. No battle is expected for several days. Heavy rains make the roads impassible for artillery and army wagons.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 2

From The Second Iowa Cavalry

Camp Near New Madrid, Mo.,
Saturday, April 12, 2 P.M.

ED. GAZETTE. – We shall be off before you receive this – I hope in Memphis. General Pope’s army here is divided into six divisions – first under command of Gen. Paine; 2nd Gen. Stanley; 3rd, Gen. Hamilton; 4th, Gen. Palmer; 5th Gen. Plummer; 6th, Gen Granger. Col. Elliott is in command of the 2nd Brigade of the 6th Division, composed of the 2d Iowa Cavalry, 2d Michigan Cavalry, and two squadrons of the 1st Ill. Cavalry; Lt. Col. Is in command of the regiment.

The second Battalion of the 2d Cavalry is now leaving for the boats. The river is lined with transports; all are to be aboard to-night, and the fleet moves down the river early in the morning. It will be a grand army afloat; and our landing place, MEMPHIS.

Look out for more news from the West. – While the stereotyped phrase, ‘all quiet,’ ‘safe in our trenches,’ is echoed from the ‘Grand Army of the Potomac,’ the watchword in the West is ‘forward,’ and with each ‘forward’ a ‘victory.’

All is haste, and I close to write you from Memphis. In haste,

DIFF.

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

Great Bargains At Mintonye & Bro’s Store

In view of the great advance in the prices of all kinds of goods, and the uncertainty of mercantile business, we have concluded to sell of our goods at old prices; and retire from the list of merchants.

Our assortment of Dry Goods, Groceries, Queensware, and Boots and Shoes, is good. All of which we will set at prices before the great advance in goods, and no mistake. We invite every body to call and examine before buying elsewhere. The first that buys will have the best chance to select.

MINTOYNE & BRO.
Oceola, July 14, 1864

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, July 16, 1864

The Variety store of C. W. Ritchie . . .

. . . 64, Jefferson street was broken into, on Wednesday night, and robbed of about $100, mostly in pen-knives. The burglars effected an entrance, by cutting through two double barred doors in the rear.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862

It is said there is only one Irish Mormon at Salt Lake . . .

. . . but he “improves his opportunities.” He has nine wives and forty-seven children.

A few days since, a little girl in West Canaan, N. H., while playing with matches sucked the phosphorus from some of them and being taken violently sick in consequence soon after died.

– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, Thursday, April 23, 1863

Good Cooks

Ladies, if you would be know as good cooks and avoid the mortification of having poor biscuits for tea when you have company, use D. B. DeLand & Co.’s Chemical Saleratus, and that only.

– Published in the Stark County News, Toulon, Illinois, June 4, 1863

List of Killed and wounded in the 11th Iowa, at the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, April 6th and 7th, 1862

Col Hare, Acting Brigadier, wounded severely in right hand.

Lt Col Hall, commanding the regiment wounding in ankle slightly.

Maj Abercrombie, wounded in head slightly.


COMPANY A.

Killed. – Wm Fieldman; Jno Geodocke; Geo W Callender

Wounded. – 1st Lt J W Anderson, head, slightly; Sergt Shellabarger, arm; Corp Corwin, foot; Corp J M Taylor, back, slightly; Corp R Livingston, hand. Privates – C Enstler, finger lost; B Thetman, back; J S Stretch, head, severely; J Oakes, shoulder; L W Gates, finger, H Vankiessild, leg, slightly; C Kingsland, hip, slightly; E Fortmaylor, shoulder, severely; C Gesler, leg, slightly; Wm Reid, leg.

Three killed; 15 wounded.


COMPANY B.

Killed – Corp Wm F Hough, Hardin Co.

Wounded – Slightly – Capt. Chas Foster, wrist; Orderly Akers, thigh; Corp B V Hersey, hand. Privates – Daniel Dale, hand; Addison Garwood, hand; C N Hammond, Neck; John Rutan, hand; David Shafer abdomen. Severely, Martin Denbow, neck; Geo Haworth, thigh; John W Ramsey, arm; Wm N Strest, arm; Jas Fitzgerald, arm; Thos C Smith; Shoulder.

One killed; 14 wounded.


COMPANY C.

Killed - Saml Fritz.

Wounded – Gerodes Wyncoop, wrist, slightly; Corp Jos W Moore, leg, slightly. Privates – Severely, A E Campbell, shoulder; G W Livingston, shoulder, dead; Wm Harp, jaw; Henry Miller, neck; Wm Edmondson, arm; Jas C Duncan, arm. Slightly, S. H Caldwell, shoulder; Jas W Watts, head; John H. Patton, foot; Javid Cummins, head; Jos Manners, head; Thos Reid, shoulder; Chalmers Reynolds, head.

One killed; 15 wounded.


COMPANY D.

Killed – Sargt [sic] Henry Sibert. Privates – Thos Carey; Peter Craven; Wm Leverich; Wm White.

Wounded – Sergt Beecher Chatfield, ankle, slightly; Corp John Huges, face, severely; Corp Walter G Rogers, breast and back, severely; Corp Alex Thom, hip, slightly. Privates – Severely, F M Edge, hand; Jno Millsop, arm; R R McRea, mouth. Slightly, F B Herr, foot; Christian Herr, neck; Chas Laport, wrist, Oregon Prescott, breast; S N Rucker, thigh, Ira H Shifflett, hip; J J Hamlin, both arms.

Five killed; 16 wounded.


COMPANY E.

Killed – 1st Lt J F Compton; Sergt E McLoney; Privates T M Hainey, C Frink, G Crooks, John Buckman.

Wounded – Slightly, Corpl J M Daniels, in hand; Privates B Bossart, side; A H Hatch, shoulder; E Mooney, shoulder; C Rankin, shoulder; M Wiggins, shoulder; H C McBobot, side; M Musency, leg; G Simmons, knee. Severely, F Dwiggins, in hip; E Crisman, Arm broken.

Six killed and eleven wounded.


COMPANY F.

Killed – Corpls G I Barnes and Martin A McLain; Private H H Riley.

Wounded – Seriously, 1st Lt J D Miles; Sergt N L McKinney, leg; Privates S S Lytle, shoulder; T Campbell, shoulder; Jno Williams, head; W Whicher, leg. – Slightly, Sergt E G Jackson, side; Corpl Jackson Coulter, arm; Privates Taylor Thomas, hand; John Keting, finger; W P Shelton, leg; Isaac Martin, hand; John Ralston, hand; David Jones, hand; Alex Capen foot.

Three killed, sixteen wounded.


COMPANY G.

Killed - Privates Wm Black, Theodore Pallet, Mortimer Hobart.

Wounded – 2d Lt G W Barr, arm, seriously; Corpl Geo McNeely, hand, slightly; Privates Clinton Hull, neck, seriously; Osco Conner, leg, severely. Slightly, Lamson Crooks, bruised; Wm Linkins, bruised; C Daily, hand, M J Miller, knee.

Three killed, Eight wounded.


COMPANY H.

Killed – Henry C Ady; Finley H Newal; Wm E Mikesell.

Wounded – Slightly, 1st Lieut Geo D Magoon. Severely, Corpl Wm Herr, head; Corpl Thos G Lewis, shoulder. Slightly, privates Wm A Gordon, thigh; Warren Evans, leg; Jas M Allen; Conrad Kraus; Wm Richards, head; Isaac L Small, foot; M N Kneese, breast; G A Morgridge, shoulder; Wm D Ady, shoulder; D Brookhart, head. Severely, Jno Zoellna, foot; August Krause, face. Slightly, B K Wintermute, arm and leg.

Three killed and sixteen wounded.


COMPANY I.

Killed - Sergt E Daniels; privates Madison Rayburn, John Hester.

Wounded – Slightly, 2d Lt A B Wiles, neck; Sergt J E Orowder, finger. Severely, Corpl Wm Hall, leg; R L Miller, arm; privates Jno Taulman, since dead; thos McKeaugh, breast; G F Greenhow, head; A Wilson, leg; Wm Craig, leg; Z Beal, leg; H Hinkhouse, leg; H Barnholdt, foot; J B Sullivan, arm; P E Shaw, thigh and arm; P C Enermim, shoulder and hand. Slightly, John Gatton, shoulder; Wm H Gard, shoulder; Riley Pennel, leg; John Leach, arm; Chas Hooner, shoulder; Wm Etherton, hand; M Kief, abdomen; S Mattern, leg; John Wesson, head; Peter Davis, shoulder, Orlando McGrue, nose.

Three Killed and twenty-six wounded.


COMPANY K.

Killed - Private S Bogart.

Wounded - Slightly, Capt John C Marvin leg. Severely, 2d Lt O P Kinsman; Sergt Chas Mason, arm and side; Corporal John Dance, arm. Slightly, L. Davis, Leg. Seriously, Privates S Gearhart, writs; J. Wilkinson, arm, side and hip. Slightly, John Elder, arm and side; B Flanharts, leg; m. Lattimer, foot; R. Smith hand.

Missing – Private Wm W. Mitchell.

One killed, eleven wounded; one missing.


RECAPITUALTION*

Company A:
Killed 3
Wounded 15

Company B:
Killed 1
Wounded 14

Company C:
Killed 1
Wounded 15

Company D:
Killed 5
Wounded 16

Company E:
Killed 6
Wounded 11

Company F:
Killed 3
Wounded 16

Company G:
Killed 3
Wounded 8

Company H:
Killed 3
Wounded 16

Company I:
Killed 3
Wounded 26

Company K:
Killed 1
Wounded 11
Missing 1

Total Killed: 29

Total Wounded: 148

Total Missing: 1

Total: 178


Two of the wounded are known to have died. A few others probably will die, but I hope not many. The wounded are either on boats, or in hospitals at Savannah, and are as well taken care of perhaps as is possible in the circumstances. But doubtless great numbers have died, and will die, who might have been saved if they could at once have received the surgeon’s attention, and the nursing of home.

CHAPLIAN.

- Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862

* Reformatted

Crockery

A lot of new crockery has been received and is for sale by James Polly

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, July 9, 1864