OSBORN, Jefferson 1844-1862

OSBORN, OSBORNE, OSBURN, LYONS, HASLIP, MYER

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 7/5/2020 at 18:19:54

Although not a true obituary, the following excerpt from a Minnesota History magazine article tells of the death of Jefferson Osborn. Related newspaper articles follow the excerpt:

"During the tour of Minnesota, neither the Twenty-seventh Iowa nor the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin did the Indians any damage. In fact, the bloodiest episode experienced by the Iowans had no connection with Indians but was a "horrible affray" at Camp Franklin on the eve of departure for St. Paul.

Originating from bad feeling between Companies A and B, the ruckus began after Company A refused to let Company B share in celebrating the marriage of an "A" soldier. The refusal triggered a "battle" in which several volunteers suffered minor injuries while an unlucky civilian visitor had his thumb shot off. Worst of all, one Jefferson Osborn, an eighteen-year-old member of Company A, received a mortal wound.

Osborn's assailant was not found, but Lieutenant Colonel Lake procured depositions concerning the outburst. That of James Osborn, brother of Jefferson, indicated that the bridegroom had "treated" his fellows at a nearby "Dutch Grocery" and that, while returning to camp, the celebrants met a gang of armed men who shouted, "Damn you. You had better run or die." The erstwhile merrymakers took the first choice as their foes pursued with revolvers blazing. It was at that time that the civilian lost his thumb.

All the while, Jefferson Osborn was abed. When he heard cries that his comrades were being murdered, the youth arose and ran to their aid, only to meet two men with guns and fixed bayonets. Attempting to flee, Osborn tripped over a tent rope. Before he could regain his feet, one of the pair stabbed him twice. Osborn somehow got to his friends, who quickly discovered a wound in his arm. But not until morning did they find an abdominal injury which proved fatal.

Osborn's body was aboard when the Twenty-seventh sailed for St. Paul. At McGregor, Iowa, Lieutenant Colonel Lake detailed a party, which included James Osborn, to take the remains home.

Osborn's card in Company A's "Descriptive Book" states in part: It may seem that he was participating in a drunken affray. Not so. He was asleep in his bunk. On being informed that his brother was being murdered he rushed out to his assistance ... and was stabbed with a bayonet by a man unknown... Character good."

Today Jefferson Osborn's grave is in a rural cemetery on a hilltop near Hardin, [Allamakee county] Iowa."

~excerpt transcribed from 'The Minnesota History Magazine'; Winter 1979; pgs 326 & 327. Page 327 includes a photo of Osborn's grave in the Hardin cemetery, Allamakee co. IA.

The caption under the photo reads:
GRAVE of Jefferson Osborn at Hardin, Iowa
The photo is attributed to Edward Noyes

The full article titled 'Neighbors to the Rescue' (with numerous footnotes), can be viewed online:
http://collections.mnhs.org/MNHistoryMagazine/articles/46/v46i08p312-327.pdf

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News article from the 'Dubuque Herald', October 14, 1862; pg 4:

A Murder at Camp Franklin
Last Saturday evening, about 10 o'clock, a horrible affray happened at Camp Franklin, by which a man was killed and several wounded. It appears that for some time enmity and bad feeling has existed between Captain Haslip's company, from Waukon, and a German Company from Guttenberg, both belonging to the 27th regiment.

On the evening in question, from what we could learn, a member of Captain Haslip's Company treated his comrades and made merry over his recent marriage. The German Company thinking they should partake of his hospitality, called on him for their share, when a battle ensued, during which a young man named Robinson*, from Hardin, Iowa, belonging to Captain Haslip's Company, was stabbed, from the effects of which he died Sunday morning, and a visitor at the camp had his thumb shot off.

The officers separated the Companies as soon as possible, and when quiet was restored an investigation was had to find out the perpetrator of the deed, but without success. Several persons were wounded during the affray besides the ones spoken of.

The steamer 'Itasca' and 'Flora' took the six companies and dead body aboard about 11 o'clock and departed for St. Paul with the remainder of the 27th regiment. We are sorry to hear of this disturbance, as the boys have hitherto been orderly and quiet.
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*Transcriber's note: Although the news article names the soldier as Robinson, it is incorrect. I could not find a correction or other reference to the incident in the 'Dubuque Herald' issues for the 15th, 16th or 17th of October.... sf

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News article from the Weekly North Iowa Times; McGregor, Clayton county, IA; Wednesday, October 15, 1862; pg 2:

Stabbing Affair at Camp Franklin, Dubuque
On Saturday, Jefferson Osburn, a private in company "A," 27th regiment, was fatally stabbed by a bayonet in the hands of a supposed member of Capt. Myer's Guttenburg company, also in the 27th.

It seems that a member of Co. "A" having just been married concluded to give his fellow-comrades a treat, and they therefore repaired to a saloon near camp, and on their return were met by twenty-five armed men with bayonets -- supposed to be members of Capt. Myer's company. These men cried out "damn you, you had better run or die," or words to that effect.

The unarmed party fled, receiving the fire of several revolvers without effect. One or two coming into camp reported the circumstances, and called out for help to rescue those who were yet out. The deceased was one of the first to rush out, when he met the attacking party, and tripping in the tent ropes, fell and was immediately stabbed with the bayonet twice - one thrust being in the body, and fatal, the other in the arm, and a flesh wound.

The deceased died on Sunday morning, and was taken off the boat at this place on Sunday evening - his company with three others being on the 'Itasca' on the way up the river. His comrades in the company came ashore, and appropriate exercises were held over the body on the levee, in the stillness of the Sabbath evening.

The cause of this lamentable affair is yet a mystery, though our informant, Liet. J.A. Lyons, of Hardin, traces it to an old feud between the companies, which he supposed was healed.