Mr. William Bintner, whose post office is Brayton, Iowa, who belongs to the "Hornets Nest Brigade' and was at the battle of Shiloh, a member of the Twelfth Iowa Infantry, handed us the following, with the request that we publish it:

"The Iowa 'Hornets Nest Brigade' Second, Seventh, Eighth, Twelfth and Fourteenth Infantry will hold their Fourth Reunion at Davenport, Iowa, June 12, 1900. Headquarters at the Grand Opera House, which will be open at 7:30 o'clock A.M. Please register as early as possible. Business meeting at 1:30 P.M. Camp Fire in the evening. Regimental Reunions, June 13th, at 8 A.M. Secure State G.A.R. Encampment rates, one fare for round trip on Iowa railroads."

Mr. William Bintner reached the fifty-fifth milestone, last Saturday, and his children and a crowd of his friends gathered at his comfortable home and assisted in making the day one long to be remembered. During the fifty-five years of his existence he has endured many hardships, especially those he suffered as a loyal soldier of the rebellion while in Andersonville Prison, but today he enjoys the comforts of a fine home, surrounded by plenty, living in elegance and ease with a host of friends about him which adds sunshine to his comfortable lot in life. Incoming years as they come and go, he will be reminded of this occasion by the dear mementos left by his friends as a tribute of the high honor and esteem in which the hold him.

'Twas Sunday, April 6, 1862, and Mr. William Bintner, who was at the color guard of Company "I," Twelfth Iowa Infantry, was in the thickest of the fight at the "Hornets Nest" on Shiloh's bloody battle ground, and of nine other color bearers near him Mr. Bintner was the only one who came through that terrible storm of shot and shell unscathed. Their ranks thinned a few men who were finally forced to surrender and Mr. Bintner, together with his comrades was taken to a cotton warehouse at Montgomery, Alabama, where they were kept for a time, then taken to that place of horrors, Andersonville Prison and from there to Libby Prison, near Richmond, Virginia, where they were finally exchanged and their glad eyes once more beheld the stars and stripes and their comrades in arms, after being prisoners for six months and fourteen days. They were taken up the James River past Fort Monroe, to Annapolis, Maryland, into the land of the free and the home of the brave. Last Sunday being so near the anniversary of that terrible day, and Easter Sunday being, too, Mr. Bintner's family, consisting of his wife and two daughter, the Misses Christina and Mary, and his sons Nicholas, Shompier and Albert, together with their families and three unmarried sons, Will, Bernie, and Lawrence concluded to have a happy home coming at the residence of their parents, in this city. At an early hour in the morning the children and their children's children gathered under their father's roof and from that time until the setting of the sun the halls of that home resounded with childish laughter, and to the older ones it was a season of thanksgiving and rejoicing that a hand had guarded their father safely through that terrible ordeal and through all the subsequent years.

An Old Soldier Disappointed

William Bintner, one of the very few old veterans left in this community, was very much disappointed in not feeling able to attend the "Shiloh" meeting of Saturday. April 6th, where those participating in that memorable battle now living or able to attend are now congregating.

Mr. Bintner was a member of Company I, 12th Infantry and was one of the unlucky boys in blue to be taken prisoner while fighting gallantly in the "Hornet's Nest" where so many of the brave boys lost their lives.

He with others has an experience in three of those man torturing prisons which he will never forget, suffering all the pangs of starvation and indignities that the devilish ingenuity of his prison keepers could inflict for six months and fourteen days, when at last he was exchanged in Richmond, Virginia, broken in health, during the many years intervening, he has never fully recovered. All hail to the Old Veterans who saved our country in its most critical time; to much honor can not be bestowed upon them.

Transcribed and contributed by Jan Lambertsen, October, 2018.