Iowa in the Civil War - Davenport Daily Gazette

Iowa in the Civil War

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Articles from the Davenport Daily Gazette
August 15 - 30, 1862

Transcribed by Elaine Rathmann

Friday Morning
August 15, 1862
Part 1

Local Matters.

Another.—William C. Kennedy, of Muscatine, arrived in town last evening, in custody, charged with discouraging enlistments.

Two More Men Caught.—A couple of men who came in on the Western train last evening and undertook to leave for the East without passes, were arrested by the U. S. Deputy Marshal and detained. They are required to give security for their honest intentions or go to Camp McClellan. They were taken to the Pennsylvania House and paroled till morning. Since the above was written we learn the victims have concluded to enlist.

The Agony Over.—It will be seen by the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors, that the bounty question is finally decided, Every man who enlists in this county under either of the calls lately made by the President, will receive a bounty of $75 if married and $50 if a single man. This, we think, removes all doubt of the ability of the county to raise all the men required under both calls.

Arrest of Mahony.—the telegraph informs us that that pestiferous chap known as the traitor Mahony, of the Dubuque Herald, is at last in a fair way to receive his deserts. Rid of such a drawback, we hope better things from Dubuque in the way of enlistments. Justice is sometimes tardy, though always sure. If this is not significant to the traitors in and about Dubuque, we hope the arresting business will go on until that hole of treason is purged of its vile contents.

Election of Officers.—The company raised by Messrs. Thompson and Oliver, now at Clinton, have elected the following officers.

Captain—M. L. Thompson, of Long Grove.
1^st Lieut.—Harrison Oliver, of Davenport.
2d Lieut.—Robert Lytle, New Liberty.
Orderly Sergt.—John Connor, Allen’s Grove.
2d Sergt.—A. J. Grace, Dixon.
3d Sergt.—W. Murray, Jersey Ridge.
4^th Sergt.—Joseph Jacobs, Walnut Grove.
5^th Sergt.—Warren Oliver, Davenport.
Corporals—E. Hummell, Thos. Wyney, ---Haile and ---Murray.

Prompt Action by the County.
A Bounty offered to every Volunteer.
Board of Supervisors.
Special Meeting.

The board of Supervisors assembled in special session at the Court House yesterday afternoon for the purpose of taking action on the subject of bounties to volunteers.

Present.—Supervisors C. S. Ells, Davenport; Homer Carpenter, LeClaire; Phillip Earhart, Pleasant Valley; T. K. Fluke, Davenport; A. M. Frost, Liberty; Daniel Lyon, Liberty; H. G. Matthes, Davenport, J. C. Quinn, Winfield; D. B. Shaw, Buffalo; Snyder, Allen’s Grove.

Absent—J. Coleman, Rockingham; John Murray, Cleona; Giles M. Pinneo, Princeton; James H. Ross, Hickory Grove.

An informal discussion occurred on the business for which the Board was called together, Mr. Finke expressing his decided opposition to the bounty system, believing that volunteers enough would have been raised without it. Other members expressed themselves against paying bounties if it had not been introduced elsewhere, thus compelling to offer these bounties in self-defense, to prevent our county’s men from going into the service elsewhere.

Mr. Saw offered the following:

Resolved, That so much of the resolution adopted by the members of the Board at their meeting on the 31^st of July, as limits the appropriation to volunteers to twelve thousand dollars, be rescinded.

Resolved, That a bounty of $75 to married men, and $50 to single men, be appropriated to all Scott county volunteers who shall be mustered into the service of the United States under the recent calls of the Government for 600,000 men, and that said bounty shall be paid out agreeably to the regulations established at said meeting on the 31^st of July.

Mr. Frost wanted to know, for his own benefit and that of others who had inquired of him, whether this bounty was to be given to all who enlisted in this county, whether living its limits or not.

The chairman and other supervisors stated their belief that the bounty was for all, whether resident or not.

Messrs. Frost and Lyon advocated the resolutions. There were plenty of reasons for it. They were satisfied of their necessity and beneficial effect.

Mr. Quinn said that he believed the resolution was based on a wrong principle; but as other neighborhoods have done the same thing, he could not see how we could avoid following their example and adopting the resolutions.

At Mr. Earhart’s suggestion, citizens not members of the Board were requested to address the Board.

In accordance with a request from the Board, Mr. G. S. C. Dow made a few remarks. He agreed with Mr. Quinn, that the system of bounties was wrong; but the President had never ordered a draft, and consequently the bounty inducement was considered necessary, in order to raise the needed number of volunteers. He was therefore in favor of the resolutions proposed, and believed that was the sentiment of the people generally. The tax he would pay most cheerfully would be the federal tax, and the tax to pay the bounty now proposed to be given. Mr. Dow spoke of the difficulty that volunteers might encounter in regard to the bounty money. The county could not raise the whole amount of money at present; but county orders would be issued in small amounts of five dollars, which ought to pass as well as most of the currency now afloat. He reiterated his belief that the county would heartily approve the resolutions proposed.

Dr. Barrows was not opposed to granting the bounty from pecuniary reasons, but he wanted a draft so as to reach all classes. He believed drafting would furnish the best men. The Dr. thought we should pay nothing to persons from abroad and enlisting in our county.

Mr. Frost was in favor of the bounty system at all times. We who stay at home paying taxes were under any circumstances better off than those who accept the bounty and go into the service.

The question was then taken by ayes and noes, and the resolutions unanimously adopted. Mr. Fluke in voting said he voted aye, only because the policy had been adopted here and elsewhere.

The Board then adjourned sine die.

Friday Morning
August 15, 1862
Part 2

The Militia Enrollment.—The following persons have been appointed to attend to the enrollment of the militia of this county:

John W. Thompson, Commissioner.
James Thorington, Superintendent of Enrollment.
J. W. H. Baker, M.D., Medical Examiner.

The sheriff has made the following appointments of assistants to canvass the county, who will immediately enter on their duties:

First Ward—C. S. Kauffman.
Second Ward—Francis Ochs.
Third Ward—M. D. Snyder.
Fourth Ward—James R. Johnson.
Fifth Ward—Wm. Burris.
Sixth Ward—J. M. Frizzell.

Outside the corporation:

North Davenport—C. S. Ells.
West Davenport—Francis Ochs.
East Davenport—Hiram Brown.
Blue Grass—G. W. Carter.
Pleasant Valley—S. Stacy.
Hickory Grove—D. W. Nutting.
Princeton—A. T. Mallory.
Buffalo—D. B. Shaw.
LeClaire—C. C. Applegate.
Allen’s Grove—W. B. Stephens.
Cleona—Thos. Harley.
Rockingham—Rufus Ricker.
Liberty—R. S. Dickinson.
Winfield—Anderson Martin.

Refusing to answer the questions of the enrolling officer subjects the offender to a fine of not less than twenty dollars, while the required information will be obtained any way. So everybody had better tell at once all he knows about it.

Passes to Leave the State.—The Governor has authorized Mr. Chas. H. Eldridge, our postmaster, to issue passes to loyal person, desiring to leave the State. The recipient of one of these passes is required to swear that he is a loyal citizen, and does not intend to leave the State to avoid drafting, and that if he should be drafted he will take his place or furnish a substitute.

Saturday Morning
August 16, 1862

Local Matters.

War Meeting To-Night.—The adjourned war meeting will be held this evening at the Court House at 7 1-2 o’clock. There should be a good attendance. Let us keep the patriotic fire burning.

Dead Iowa Soldiers.—The following named soldiers died at St. Louis hospitals on dates mentioned, viz:

Aug. 4—Absolom Wade, Co. E, 15^th reg’t.
Aug. 7—Edward H. Young, Co. B, 8^th reg’t.
Aug. 8—Geo. Howard, Co. A, 17^th reg’t.

Turning Them Back.—Officer Brown turned back some individuals yesterday at the ferry-landing, who seemed over anxious to see how things were moving on further East. They thought it rather hard to have their investigations interrupted so summarily, but there was no help for it.

Letter from Dr. Maxwell.

Corinth, Miss., Aug 11, 1862.

Dear Sir: On the 10^th, I visited and obtained the following facts.

2d Regt. Inf. I, V. in Camp near O. & C Mobile R. R.
Sick—Col. Baker, rheumatism.
Sick in hospital (in charge of Drs. Piles and Turner)—12
Sick at morning call—64.
Sick in quarters--2
Officers sick in quarters--2
Strength of rank and file--477
Strength of officers—31

Iowa soldiers in 6^th division hospital, near Corinth are improving, although the location of the institution is anything but good.—There is no shade to protect our men from the dreadful hot sun—poor water and heavy clay soil.

11^th, 13^th, 15^th, and 16^th regiments are represented here.
August 1^st, were sick---288
Up to date there have been discharged from service---13
No. returned to duty---68
No. of deaths---5-86
Total of remaining in hospital of Iowa men—152.

The hospital is not fortunately located—poor water—no shades—heavy clay soil, and on a south slope, near to low lands. Quite a number of cases of scurvy—need vegetables very much, a supply of which cannot be got at any price here. Good butter is very much needed. Sickness is evidently on the increase, and is more fatal. Friends at home should see that these veterans of many battles are not left to die for want of articles so plenty and cheap with them. See to it.

A. S. Maxwell.

Monday Morning
August 25, 1862

Another Company.—Messrs. John W. Van Hosen and B. Frank Smith have received authority to raise a company for O’Connor’s regiment, and have all the week to recruit in.—We believe they can do it. There is the material, and they are the right kind of men to bring it out.

Capt. J. B. Leake and His Company.—Our worthy State Senator, Joseph B. Leake, Esq., is now a Captain in the 20^th Regiment. The Company which he took with him last Monday morning elected him Captain, with Mr. Charles Altman for 1^st Lieutenant. Mr. Mark Matthews, also of Princeton, is the Orderly Sergeant. This Company, with such officers, will be worthy representatives of Scott county in the armies of the Republic.

Notice to Recruiting Officers and Claimants.

Disbursing Office, Davenport, Iowa, Aug. 21, 1862

In future, recruiting officers defraying expenses for recruiting, will be required to take memorandum receipts and file them with their accounts as sub-vouchers.
No claims will be paid for expenses incurred in raising regiments until they are mustered into service.~~H. B. Hendershott, Capt. 2d Art’y, Disbursing Officer.

Friday Morning
August 29, 1862
(Part 1)

Regimental Roster Book.—The Legislature, at its last session, passed an act requiring the Adjutant General to make a report, on the first day of January next, of the doings of his office, which is to include, besides proclamations and orders of the President, the Governor and the Federal and State Adjutant Generals, the names, residence, nativity, &c of every officer and private appointed or enlisted, with casualties, &c, happening to each, thus making not only a complete history of the part our State has taken in the war, but a condensed biography of every individual. Of this report, five thousand copies are to be printed. The preparation of this report, in addition to their other duties of course entails a large amount of work on the Adjutant General and his assistants; but they have so systematized their work as to greatly reduce their labor. The regimental roster book, which is to furnish the material for the history of each regiment, is probably the best arranged blank books that could have been got up for the purpose. It has columns respectively for the number, name, age, place of enlistment or residence (town, county and State), rank, date of order into quarters, of muster into service, and of commission or warrant, promotion and date of the same, when, where and why the individual leaves the service, nature, time and place of casualties, and remarks. One of these large eight quire books is devoted to each regiment, and will be its complete history. The work was planned by Messrs. Noyes and Guthrie, of the Adjutant General’s office, and reflects much credit on their business tact and their appreciation of what is wanted by the people—a true history of Iowa’s part in the present war.

The Liables.—On the inside of to-day’s paper will be found a very interesting list to those concerned. It is supposed to include all the male citizens between the ages of 18 and 45 in this township. Anybody who knows himself to be guilty of being within the prescribed limits as to age, and finds his name not published in this list, will of course make it his business to have it put there, while he will also see that his neighbors have a fair show in the lottery. The list embraces 3, 202 names, divided as follows:

First Ward-------690
Second Ward---319
Third Ward------304
Fourth Ward----517
Fifth Ward-------325
Sixth Ward-------277
Township outside of corporation---701.

These figures include a good many who have already enlisted in the army. The first ward’s figures astonish us. 690 is about twice as large as the biggest vote ever cast in the ward. The numbers in the other wars compare as follows with the vote for mayor last spring; Second, 98 more; Third 57 more; Fourth, 151 more; Fifth, 5 more; Sixth 71 more. The whole number in the township is 1,084 larger than was returned last spring; if the same advance holds good throughout the county, the lists will reach 6,000.

New Ulm, Minn. Destroyed.
The Indian Troubles.
St. Paul, August 27.

Dispatches have been received this afternoon from Lieut. Gov. Donnelly and Col. Sibley; their forces left St. Peters Tuesday.

It is reported Col. Flandreau was obliged to leave New Ulm on Monday. He lost ten in the fight on Saturday. No doubt the town of New Ulm is entirely destroyed.

Messages from Fort Abercrombie report Indians in that vicinity hostile. They have murdered several. A stage coach was found on the bank of Red river; it is supposed the driver was killed and horses stolen.

Indians in Iowa!
A Town Destroyed.
Emmett County Invaded.

The following dispatches were received yesterday by the Adjutant General:

Des Moines, August 28.
To Gov. Kirkwood:

Judge Jenkins has just sent to me for arms and assistance. He says Springfield is destroyed by Indians; and that Emmett and Dickinson counties are in danger! Can they have arms?~~ C. B. Richards.

A special train went to Iowa City last evening with Mr. Scott, of the adjutant-general’s office, as bearer of dispatches. It looks as if there were a grand preconcerted league among the Indians, instigated by the rebels, to invade the States and settlements in the Territories. More news form the border will be looked for with anxiety.

(Continued…)

Friday Morning
August 29, 1862
(Part 2)

Charging for Exempt Certificates.—The examining surgeon of Des Moines county advertised in the Hawkeye that he will hear applications for certificates of physical disability, but requires one dollar in advance from each applicant. That chap is bound to make this office pay its way law or no law. His authority to charge a dollar is as good as to charge a hundred and not any better. The examinations are to be free of charge to the applicant , as we understand the regulations. If the charge were lawful, it would not be objectionable perhaps, but entirely illegal as it is, it is nothing but extortion.

From the Interior.—Col. Gifford received yesterday from the Amana Society, Homestead, for hospital use, two crates and thirty barrels of vegetables. A few days ago, Col. G. received from the same source nineteen barrels of vegetables, and two crates and two barrels of dried fruit. The call for these articles is being and will be responded to liberally from all quarters.

War Meetings!

Public Meetings will be held as follows on the evenings of this week.

At Princeton, Wednesday 27^thAt Buffalo, Thursday 28^thAt Dixon, Friday 29^thAt Davenport, Saturday 30^th.

Adj. Gen. Baker and other good speakers will be in attendance at these meetings.

LOST.

About the 23d of July, two knapsacks fastened together with the straps, both well filled with clothing, &c. Also, one rifle musket, large in the bore, wrapped in two blankets and an overcoat and bound with a rope. There is a small paper lable (sic) on the outside blanket, with W. H. or William Spencer, Ft. DesMoines, Iowa. One of the knapsacks has a lable (sic) of it fastened with a small leather, on which is W. H. Spencer, Carlisle, Warren county, Iowa, and I believe also, 10^th Iowa Regiment, Co. B. Any person giving me information of the same, or expressing them to Des Moines City, Iowa, will be amply rewarded. Said articles were lost in Davenport.~~W. H. Spencer.

Estray Notice

Taken up by John A. Guy, of Davenport township, Scott county, Iowa, on the 23d day of July, 1862, an estray bull, described as follows: A red and white spotted bull, two years old, neck and head red, white spot in forehead, short horns, and a piece cut out of the under side of both ears—appraised at ten dollars before C. G. Blood, Justice of the Peace.

Saturday Morning
August 30, 1862

Local Matters.

To Military Men.—Uniforms, Swords, Belts, Sashes, &c, furnished at short notice by Erskine, Nickoll’s Block

Preaching At Camp McClellan.-Rev. Mr. Audus, of Bloomfiled, Iowa, a Methodist clergyman, who has recently joined the Second infantry, will preach at Camp McClellan to-morrow afternoon at 4 o’clock.

Now is Your Chance.—Let Todd’s be crowded to-day. It is the last day of grace. On Monday he has to move, and to-day will sell his boots and shoes at astonishingly low prices. As the war tax will advance the price of boots and shoes after this date and he is to-day selling at a reduction on old prices, let everyone who may want anything in his line be sure to call to-day without fail.

The Indians.—The Governor arrived in town at an early hour yesterday morning by special train, and had a consultation with the Adjutant General. Measures were immediately adopted to furnish the needed succor to the settlements threatened by the Indians. The Governor left in the morning train for the West and will proceed shortly to the Capital.

Temperance Regiment.—Three companies or parts of companies came down on the James Means last evening bound for Muscatine, where they go into the 24^th regiment. They were mostly from Linn county, and were accompanied by a brass band.

Another company came in last night for the same regiment. They came in thirteen wagons, with a band, and numbered one hundred men, commanded by Capt. Martin. The whole party stopped at the Pennsylvania House. They leave this morning for Muscatine on the down boat.

Saturday Morning
August 30, 1862

Last Day.—“Never or now” is the time to volunteer. To-day is the 1^st day for volunteering in regiments, either old or new, unless perhaps it be in a nine month one, with small pay and no bounty. Then now is the hour. Several thousand men are yet wanted to fill our several quotas, and to0day only is left to do the work in. About eighteen or nineteen men of every thousand of the population of the State from the liability of a draft, and only one day for the work. Of course, however, every recruit taken in to-day is so much gained.

The Second infantry has recruiting officers in this city from our companies, B. and C; and the Second cavalry, in which we have also two companies, has a recruiting officer here. A chance is thus offered of joining home companies, where our friends and neighbors already are, or any other companies in those regiments.

Self-Mutilation.—Daily we hear of self-mutilation in different parts of the country in order to escape the draft; the latest we have heard of is that of a fellow who had all his teeth taken out. Only one case has come to our knowledge in this vicinity, that of the man at Camp McClellan who cut off tow of his fingers a week or so ago. Are these men to escape service? They ought not. To be sure, they are not fit for soldiers, indeed they are not fit to associate with soldiers; but they should be made to suffer for their criminal folly. We would put the into the service and set them at menial duty—Make them camp scavengers or water carriers.

Twentieth Regiment.—The Twentieth regiment will quit Clinton to day at one o’clock, and marched to this city by order of the Governor. They start with three day’s rations. They will probably reach her Monday evening. This will be a novelty in this part of the country—a regiment marching to its place of rendezvous—a distance of forty miles. The Twentieth will stay here a couple of days probably, when our citizens will have an opportunity of seeing one of the finest regiments that ever left Iowa—indeed we heard a cavalry officer say the very best our State has yet turned out.