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Delaware County, Iowa in the Civil War
Page 454
For four years and more, the notes of
the fife and drum and bugle and the tramp
of armed hosts were continually heard,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from
the Gulf of Mexico to British North
America, and the clash of arms was borne
northward on every breeze from the sunny
but blood-drenched plains of the South.
For four years and more, "grim-visaged
war" had waved its crimson banners over
the fair fabric the Fathers had erected,
in a vain endeavor to hurl it from its
foundations. In this terrible and
gigantic struggle, Delaware had borne
its full part, and many a brave
volunteer from its beautiful prairies
had laid down his life on the battle
field or starved to death in the rebel
slaughter pens at Andersonville and
Macon.
But now Sherman
and his "brave boys in blue" had made
their memorable and historic march to
the sea, Lee had surrendered to the
victorious army of the Union under
Grant, the war was ended, peace
restored, the Union preserved in its
integrity,
and
the patriotic sons of Delaware who were
spared to witness the final victory of
the armies of the Union returned to
their homes to receive grand ovations
and tributes of honor from friends and
neighbors who had eagerly and jealously
and anxiously watched and followed them
wherever the varying fortunes of war
called them.
Exchanging he soldiers' uniforms for
citizens' dress, most of them fell back
to their old avocations -- on the farm,
in the mines, at the forge, the bench,
in the shop, in the office, or at
whatever else their hands found to do.
Their noble deeds, in the hour of their
country's peril, are now and always will
be dear to the hearts of the people whom
they so faithfully served. Brave men are
always honored, and no class of citizens
are entitled to greater respect than the
brave volunteers of Delaware County, not
simply because they were soldiers, but
because, in their association with their
fellow men, their walk is upright and
their character and honesty without
reproach.
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Their country
first, then glory and their pride;
Land of the
hopes -- land where their fathers
died;
When in the
right, they'll keep their honor
bright;
When in the
wrong, they'll die to set it
right. |
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The
wondrous deeds of daring and glorious
achievements of the Army of the Union,
during the great War of the rebellion,
will always be dearly cherished by all
patriotic hearts. But there were scenes,
incidents and accidents, the memory of
which will shade with sadness the bright
reflections engendered by the
contemplation of a heroism, devotion and
sacrifice the like of which, the world
never saw before. But the memory of
those who fell in the stupendous
struggle is still familiar to the
present people of Delaware County; but
fifty years hence, when the fathers and
mothers of to-day shall have passed on
to their eternal home, they will be
remembered by posterity more as matters
of tradition than of absolute written
history.
The
return of Company K, Twenty-first Iowa,
to Hopkinton, was the occasion of
spontaneous gathering of several hundred
of their friends, and the preparation of
a magnificent reception dinner. Mr. A.
Nash presided; Rev. Mr. Harmen made the
reception speech, followed by William G.
Hammond and Mrs. Woodward.
After
dinner the toasts were by Mr. Hammond,
as follows:
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The
Iowa Volunteers
-- May they ever be
remembered with love and
gratitude for answering
so readily to the
countries call; for
defending with untiring
zeal the nation's honor
and the cause of right.
May their names descend
to posterity with those
of Washington and the
heroes of the Revolution.
Response
by T. H. Bowen |
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Page 455
Sketch: J. S. Drybread, Elk Twp.
Page 457
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Peace, Freedom and
Prosperity
-- Our soldiers have won
the first by war, they
have secured the second
by obedience to
discipline, and they have
merited the third by
hardships suffered for
their country. May they
live long to enjoy all
three.
Response
by Dr. Finley. |
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The
Fallen
-- While we are here
to-day showing our
heartfelt gratitude and
our joy at the return of
these brave men, our
sons, husbands and
fathers, let us drop the
tear of sympathy for
those fallen braves who
gave their lives for
freedom and our common
country, and now sleep
the sleep that knows no
waking. |
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Music. |
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Company K, Twenty-first
Iowa
-- May it's name for
valor and true patriotism
in the defense of our
country be handed down to
the latest generation.
Response
by Capt. A. Voorhies. |
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The
Ninth Iowa Infantry
-- They have worn the
blue on their backs to
save us from having the
blues in our hearts. May
they live to be
Gray-beards, but never to
be gray-backs.
No
Response. |
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A strong
hemp cord for the neck of
the leading traitors, and
a pretty girls arm for
the neck of every soldier
of the Union.
No.
Response |
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The
Stars of the Union
-- The South found, to
its dismay, that the
Northern ones were
shooting stars, and
that they instead of
being wanderers, had to
remain fixed
stars.
Response
by E. P. Weatherby. |
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Gratitude
-- The debt we owe to our
soldiers. May we always
aim toward paying; and it
never will be paid. |
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The
Soldiers' Vote
-- The true kind of "fire
in the rear." Our brave
boys have conquered the
rebels with their
bayonets and Northern
traitors with their
ballots. |
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At
dinner, most of the boys, by arrangement
or otherwise, had fair ones at their
sides, which gave point to Dr. Finley's
concluding remark. After alluding
to the success and return of the
soldiers, he said: "They are ready to
enlist in another company -- I refer
them to the ladies."
At Delhi,
August 2, 1865, was a grand gala day,
and says the Dubuque Times:
"A white stone was deposited in the
patriotic history of Delaware." A
grand complimentary reception dinner was
given to its returned soldiers, many of
whom were present, representing the
Twenty-first Infantry and Second and
Fourth Cavalry. Speeches of welcome were
made by several citizens, to which Col.
S. G. Van Anda, on behalf of the
veterans, happily responded.
The toasts were
as follows:
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Our
Brave Soldiers
-- An army first in
patriotism, intelligence,
humanity and benevolence.
Response
by Rev. Z. D. Scobey. |
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American Public Faith
-- Implanted by the
revolution, and tested by
the most gigantic human
strife, has been proved
by the strong arm of our
soldiery, pure and
undying, the sheet-anchor
of our country and the
hope of the world.
Response
by W. M. Hartshorn |
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The
Flag of our Country
-- The banner of Freedom.
Response
by J. M. Brayton. |
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The
Veterans of the War of
1812
-- Two were present.
Response
by Rev. Mr. Root. |
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Our
Country
-- Born of our fathers,
regenerated by our
soldiers, is immortal.
Response
by K. W. Kingsley. |
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Surgeons and Nurses of
the Army.
Response
by Dr. Boomer. |
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The
Ladies at Home
-- The Soldiers Friend.
Response
by Col. Van Anda |
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Page 458
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Battles and Bullets
-- Honor to both.
Response
by W. E. Brown. |
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Our
Republican Institutions
-- An experiment now
solved, and so solved as
to show they are stronger
than any other form of
government.
Response
by Z. A. Wellman. |
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"Mudsills and Greasy
Mechanics."
Response
by G. W. J. Hawes. |
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The
Battle Fields of the
Rebellion.
Response
by Rev. Jerome Allen. |
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The
Returned Soldiers
-- Welcome to our homes
and hearts. May they live
to shake hands over the
grave of our country's
last enemy.
Response
by Dr. Noyes.
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On the 17th of
November, 1865, a beautiful and costly
monument was erected on the college
campus at Hopkinton to the memory of the
soldiers who enlisted at that place and
who perished in the service.
Forty-four names are inscribed on the
monument. Twenty-four of these were
students of Lenox Collegiate Institute.
The names of the fallen heroes who went
forth from this school and died in the
service are as follows: Rev. James W.
McKean, President of the institute;
Emory A. Smith, Alfred C. Hines, both
killed at Pea Ridge; Benjamin E. Nash,
Marion Lathrop, Wm. G. Glenn, Samuel J.
Glenn, George F. Laude, starved at
Macon, Georgia; Wm. Campbell, George
Stewart, Nathan Holmes, David J.
Thompson, R. P. Miller, Fred D. Gilbert,
Wm. H. Jackson, Matthew McCurdy, Mark
Scroggy, Philip H. Butler, Robert
Fowler, Amos Gilbert, starved at
Andersonville; William Keak, Chas H.
Whitney, D. Downey, starved at
Andersonville; J. L. Driebelbris, Merrit
A. Smith. Some of the above were killed
in battle, some died in the hospitals,
but the saddest death of all was that by
starvation in the rebel prison pens of
Macon and Andersonville. The other names
inscribed on the monument are as
follows: Wm. Johnson, Edward Mann, J. J.
Myers, Philander Wilson, Willis Willard,
Charles Walker, Granville Hill, Geo. W.
Barden, G. W. Blood, J. L. Pinney, Alva
Kemp, W. A. Roberts, J. B. Topliffe,
Isaac Robinson, Wm. Haslem, Edwin Myers,
Reese Merrick, Robert Risher, John D.
Blanchard.
The names on
the monument are accompanied by a brief
statement of the age, date of
enlistment, death and the regiment and
company to which each belonged. Below
the names on one side of the monumnet,
is the following inscription:
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"Erected by the Friends
of the Soldiers from this
College and vicinity, who
fell during the Great
Rebellion of 1861-5" |
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On another side
is the following:
| "Rev.
James W. McKean,
President of Lenox
Collegiate Institute, and
Captain of Company C,
Forty-fifth Regiment Iowa
Volunteers. Born April
30, 1833. Died July 9,
1864." |
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There was
a large assemblage of people to witness
the ceremonies. The venerable Mr. A.
Nash presided. Chaplain Hill, opened the
exercises with and impressive prayer. A
large choir furnished beautiful and
appropriate music. Maj. Gen. Vandever of
Dubuque, was the first speaker.
The General's
address was followed by short speeches
from Chaplain Hill, T. H. Bowen, Esq.,
and other prominent gentlemen. Prof.
Allen read a carefully prepared
statement of facts in regard to the
life, services and death of President
McKean and the twenty-four noble young
men who represented the Institute in the
army and died in defense of the national
life.
Page 459
An
object of special interest at the
meeting was the battle flag of the
Twelfth Iowa Infantry, faded, riddled
with shot and stained with blood.
A company
of soldiers, under command of Capt.
Taylor, added to the interest of the
exercises by their evolutions, firing,
etc.
A
bountiful dinner was provided in the
College building, and great pains taken
to welcome and render comfortable the
considerable number of persons present
from distant towns, as well as the many
who came from all the surrounding
country.
The
monument is about twenty feet high and
cost $1,100.
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United We Stand
