Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 936
CHARLES WHEELOCK

Charles WHEELOCK, of section 31, Magnolia Township, came to Harrison County in September, 1866, and settled on his present farm. Four years prior to this he bought two hundred acres - one hundred and sixty acres on section 31 and forty on section 30 - same being wild prairie land, upon which he erected a frame house 16 feet square, in which he lived until 1863 (?), and then built his present residence, which is a two-story brick structure 30x32 feet, with two brick partitions that reach to the eaves. It is a sixteen-room house, and considered one of the best in Harrison County. He now has two hundred and eighty acres in his home farm, and a farm of one hundred and forty three acres in Jefferson Township, together with forty acres of grass land in Taylor Township.

Mr. WHEELOCK was born November 3, 1833, in Windsor County, Vermont. In 1855 he left the old Green Mountain State and came to Iowa City, Iowa, remained one year, then removed to Mills County, where he remained until September 14, 1861, when he enlisted in Omaha, Neb., as a member of Company B, First Nebraska Calvary, afterwards called "Curtis' Horse," and still later the Fifth Calvary.

After enlistment his company went to Benton Barracks, Mo., after which he participated in the following engagements: Fort Donelson, which commenced February 14, 1862, and surrendered two days later; Paris, Tenn., where our subject's horse received two shots. He was in three different fights at Fort Donelson, almost on the same ground. He was at the Battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862; also at Rolling Mills, seven miles from Fort Donelson, besides other small engagements.

Christmas Eve, 1862, his command overtook a large number of rebels and made them prisoners of war. He was also at the Battles of Stone River, Waverly, Murfreesboro, Athens, Pulaski, Sugar Creek during two engagements, and Huntsville. Here he went with Gen. Rosencranz from Murfreesboro, and was with him in the capture of Shelbyville, Chattanooga, etc., also at the Battle of Chickamauga, and assisted in taking Lookout Mountain. At Pulaski, Tenn., January 1, 1864, he re-enlisted and came home on a month's furlough, joining his regiment at Nashville, Tenn., and was with Gen. Sherman until after the capture of Atlanata, Ga., and was in the principal fights of that campaign. July 10, 1864, he started on a raid with Gen. Rousseau, and went thirty miles of Montgomery and destroyed thirty-five miles of railroad track, being in the skirmish all th time, and losing eighteen men at Marietta, and after that fight went with Gen. McCook on another raid lasting ten days, when they were under constant fire.

One night when he was on duty an encounter occurred between his comrades and the rebels, near Newman, when twenty-seven men were lost. He ran against the limb of a tree and ruptured himself. After this he returned to Vienna Station and went with Kilpatrick on one of his famous raids. He went with Col. Cline on a raid, and when near Atlanta, Ga., they destroyed the telegraph line and tore up the railroad track, and continued this work until the enemy became too strong for them, when they retraced their steps to Chattahoochie river. After the Battle of Atlanta they went with Sherman to Jonesboro, where they had a hotly contested battle, after which only four of his company were left able for duty. They went into camp and stayed there until Sherman started for the sea, when our subject went with Thomas and encountered Gen. Hood, with whom they had several hard fights, one at Columbus, November 16, 1864, and November 18, at Franklin, also at Ralls Creek and Duck river. They went into camp at Nashville, and were there until the battle occurred at that point. At Pulaski, Mr. WHEELOCK had his beard shot off and his shirt collar torn, by rebel lead. On January 1 they crossed Duck river abd camped near Huntsville, and from there went to Gravelly Springs.

During the war our subject had sixteen bullet holes put through his clothing, and had his boot-heel shot off. A cannon ball shot the nose off his comrade's horse, at which time the bridle-bits were violently thrown against Mr. WHEELOCK's shoulder. This was at Nashville. In this campaign they burned everything they came to, and encountered skirmishes all the time. They captured Montgomery, Columbus and Macon. At the last named place news came that Lee had surrendered, also that President Lincoln had been assassinated; they also captured the school fund of the State of Tennessee, which they took to Nashville. Mr. WHEELOCK was ordered back to Macon, Ga., and from there to Nashville, where he was discharged August 11, 1865, and was mustered out at Clinton some time afterward.

After the war he returned to Mills County, Iowa, and worked in a sawmill one winter. He had entered a piece of land before the war, and in the spring of 1866 commenced to improve it. February 29, 1864, he was united in marriage at Red Oak, Iowa, to Miss Elizabeth BURRIS, by whom four children were born -- Miranda, Nora, Ira and Alice. Mrs. WHEELOCK, the mother of these children, was born in Henry County, Indiana, April 15, 1847, and in 1858 accompanied her parents to Mongomery County, Iowa.

Our subject started in life for himself with no means, the only money he remembers of ever having been given to him was fifty cents, on a Fourth of Jluy, bu his father; the balance of what he possesses, which is now a handsome competency, he worked for.

Politically, our subject is identified with the Republican party, is a member of the Grand Army Post at Magnolia, and in religious matters he and his wife are in sympathy with the Methodist Church.

In reviewing this man's life by the above brief sketch the reader will be impressed with the fact that our subject had an excellent war record during the time of the Rebellion, and many times almost miraculously escaped. Since war times he has been a hard worker and a successful man, and if any one man above another is entitled to wear the crown of success, it is he who tramped, tented, and fought under Southern skies during the Civil War.

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