Jeffers, Samuel 1842 - 1864

JEFFERS

Posted By: Janice Sowers (email)
Date: 4/18/2003 at 20:47:45

Cresco Times May 28, 1868 P3 C3

Samuel Jeffers, prominent among those of the Howard County's boys who laid down their lives for their country, stands the name of Samuel Jeffers, who was mortally wounded at Jackson, Miss., July 12, 1864.

Sam, was born in Auburn, Clark County, Illinois, May 2, 1842, became, with his parents, a resident of Howard County in 1855. Enlisted as one of the original members of the Decorah Guards, (Co. D, 3d Iowa) in May 1861, and being a young man of robust health, and a willing, obedient soldier, was always present for duty when duties were to be performed by the company or regiment. He was, therefore, with the regiment in the North Missouri campaign in the summer of 1861, guarding the bridges and track of the Hannibal, & St. Jo Railway, and giving chase to the bands of rebels that infested that region. In the forced march from Cameron Station to Liberty, Col. Scott (now Lt. Gov. of this State) says: "The old 3d Iowa closed up that heavy march, and with the eye of an eagle and the tread of a wild stag, advanceing on Liberty, driving in the enemy's pickets with the momentary expectation of meeting thousands of rebels." In the brief but sanguinary conflict on the afternoon of Tuesday, Sept. 17, 1861; in the jungle on the Missouri River bottom, near the Blue Mills Ferry; in the hardships of a winter campaign along the line of the North Missouri Railway in 1862; in the two day's carnage, and alternate defeat and victory at Shiloh, April 6th and 7th, 1862; the advance of Gen. Halleck's army on Corinth, and the march of the 4th Division, with that of Gen. W. T. Sherman, from Corinth to Memphis, under the burning sun of a southern mid-summer; on the closely contested field of Metamora, Oct. 8, 1863, and the siege of Vicksburg. It was reserved for Sam., after passing through all these perils, to fall a victim to one of the terrible mistakes which will occur at times; a kind of fatality not possible to foresee; a mistake which cost the lives of hundreds of soldiers; war-worn veterans, men who had braved death in a thousand forms, became inured to hardship, and familiar with the dangers and duties of a soldier's life; men whose lives were worth to the government more than those of three times their number of recruits. Vicksburg had fallen, and Gen. Grant (not waiting to rest on laurels already won) turned his attention to the movements of the rebel commander, Gen. J. Johnson, then maneuvering in his rear, and a large force under Gen. Sherman was moved out to give battle or chase, as occasion might require. The old and tried 4th Division, commanded by Brig. Gen. J. G. Lauman (one of Iowa's fighting generals) was assigned to the 13th corps, under Gen. E. O. C. Ord, which formed a part of the force under Sherman. Jackson made a stand at Jackson behind strong intrenchments. On the morning of July 12th; Gen Ord having placed his divisions in order of battle before the rebel works, directed Gen. Lauman to advance his first brigade, which was then a little retired from the main-line, intending, it seems, that he should simply align the brigade with the other troops of the division, but some one misunderstood, and the 1st brigade, 4th division, compsed of the 3d Iowa, 28th, 41st, and 53d Illinois regiments, advanced, passed the line of their division, receiving no orders to halt; becoming soon hotly engaged with the enemy's skirmishers. Col. Pugh, commanding the brigade, sent information to Gen. Lauman, and asked instructions. It became evident to all, officers and men, that somebody had blundered, but still they moved on, forward into the open field with the enemy's long line of works in full view, with fourteen pieces of artillery bearing on and sweeping their line of advance; forward, when a division of rebel troops manned the breast works and poured forth a deadly converging fire on the little band that would not halt without orders. Forward, until within a stone's throw of the rebel works--the line reeled, crumbled to pieces, and the fragments retreated in disorder. Three stands of colors in the hands of the enemy, two hundred men lying dead on the field, and three hundred more wounded, and some of the wounded in the hands of the enemy. These were the awful fruits of somebody's blunder. Sam. was struck down in this fearful advance by a charge of grape shot, three of the balls of which hit him, making terrible wounds which resulted in death a few days afterwards. He was carried from the field by comrades when he fell, placed in a hospital, and all that kind care, and skill could do was done to save his life, without avail. Death came to his relief. He received a soldier's burial, and his bones are mouldering to dust in the soil of far off Mississippi.