The Iowa History Project

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The Iowa Journal of History and Politics

 

January 1918

 

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Arms for Iowa Infantry Regiments in Federal Service

 

          Throughout the entire summer of 1861 barely enough arms were available to supply the Iowa volunteers, and it was only after much delay that guns were secured. “Where are the arms promised to our regiments?”, the Adjutant General inquired in August. “Do send us arms for our infantry and cavalry.” The providing of arms for the companies who enlisted for Federal service was a big task. Guns were scarce throughout the country; and an enormous supply was needed. Although eastern manufacturing plants worked at full speed they could not keep pace with the demand for arms. Especially in the West was this situation felt. Delays were many and when the arms did arrive they were unsatisfactory and often unserviceable. The arms that were refused by eastern troops were frequently sent to the western companies.30

            The call for the first regiment of Iowa volunteers was issued on April 15, 1861. This regiment was to serve for three months. Calls for additional regiments came in steadily throughout the next three years. Most to the troops form Iowa were enlisted for three years, although some regiments were made up of hundred day men and others of men who enlisted for various terms. Iowa furnished a total of between seventy and eighty thousand troops. To arm and equip this number alone was a large task at that time. When it is remembered that the Iowa troops constituted only a small part of the great Union army, it is little wonder that here was delay and confusion in the accomplishment of the task.31

            For the most part the first two regiments were made up of independent, voluntary militia companies which had been organized before the war. The companies in existence at the outbreak of the war were poorly armed. Scarcely a company had a full stand of arms, and the guns they did own were in many cases not fit for use in war, although they would do for drill purposes. Later companies prior to enlistment sometimes used the guns of former companies who had been taken into United States service and been given a new supply of guns.32

                    Especially was difficulty encountered in arming the first few regiments from Iowa. The United states government agreed to furnish the arms and accoutrements. The arms so furnished were distributed through the agency of the Adjutant General, who had been required by law to serve as Acting Quartermaster General. The First Iowa Regiment was in rendezvous at Keokuk more than a week before the time set, and could have been there sooner, but the “Governor saw no special reason for hurrying them on to the rendezvous before the arrival of arms”. 33

            Arms for seven hundred and eighty men were to have been retained at the St. Louis Arsenal when the shipment was sent to Springfield, Illinois, but for some reason they were not left. On May 10th Governor Kirkwood wrote to the Secretary of War that the “First Iowa Regiment is in rendezvous at Keokuk, and I hope will soon be supplied with arms.” Earlier in May Captain R. G. Herron had been sent by the Governor to Springfield, Illinois, with a requisition for five thousand stand of arms. “he found nothing there but the old flint-lock muskets, which have been altered to percussion. There were also bayonets, but no scabbards. He very properly refused to touch any of them and returned empty handed.”34

            The troops at Keokuk lived in daily expectation of their arms. On May 17th word came that two thousand stand had been ordered from St. Louis. And on Sunday morning, May 19th, two thousand of these “precious treasures” arrived from St. Louis, “escorted by a company from Quincy”, to guard them from secessionists. “I think I would be a master stroke of policy to allow the secessionists to steal them”, wrote Franc B. Wilkie to the Dubuque Herald. “They are the ‘old-fashioned-brass-mounted-and-of-such-is-the-Kingdom-of-Heaven’ kind that are infinitely more dangerous to friend than enemy—will kick further than they will shoot, and are appropriately known from their awkward peculiarities in this and other respects, among our Germans as Kuh-fuss—‘Cow-foot.’ They were brought hither by Col. Curtis for the use of the 2nd Regiment but were stopped by Lieut. Chambers, and by some happy arrangement between him and Curtis, 1000of them have been retained here for the use of the 1st Regiment. Their appearance creates intense disgust in the mind of every recruit.

            “Why is it that our Iowa regiments cannot be armed and equipped, say one-half as well as the regiments of Illinois? All of the latter are armed with the very best arms in use, either Sharpes or Minie rifles—our men are put off with an old rusty machine that is a cross between a blunderbuss and a Chinese matchlock, and is one which would excite the merriment even of a Digger Indian, unless he happened to be behind it.”35

            “The bayonets don’t shine at all,” commented the Des Moines Valley Whig, “and we learn that the soldiers don’t much affect the old-fashioned smooth-bore. But there is a prospect that new patterns will be received before long.” This prospect was based on the achievement of Colonel Samuel R. Curtis, who had been sent to Washington to secure arms. He retuned soon after the middle of May, having obtained an order for two thousand guns; while cartridge boxes, bayonet scabbards, and waistbands were to be made and shipped by express from Pittsburg immediately. The above named accoutrements arrived in Keokuk the fore part of June, and were put in Burns & Rentgen’s warehouse. There were enough of them to equip the first and second regiments.36

            The muskets, however, which were furnished the First Iowa Regiment were not replaced.37 Upon receiving the order to move south from Keokuk, one of the men with the First Regiment of Iowa Volunteers wrote home: “Heaven forgive us all our sins if we are to be sent down among those rampageous, half-horse, half-alligator ‘Border Ruffians,’ with only these old muskets and triangular bayonets! If we ain’t kicked over the borders at he very first discharge, it will be through the special interposition of Providence—or it will be through the same influence, if we are not all dead in three weeks from lugging so much rusty about the fastnesses of Missouri. We shall be equally in danger from the muzzles of Missourian muskets and the breeches of our own”. An attempt was made by a Union regiment in Missouri to supply these men with new guns, but nothing came of it. Indeed, the men of the First Regiment were doubtless the most illy armed and clothed troops that Iowa furnished.38

            The story of the arming of later regiments is one of continued delay and dissatisfaction. Arms were supposed to be supplied to the troops before they left the State, but often this result was not accomplished. The Second Iowa Regiment “was placed in rendezvous at Keokuk, and without arms.” This regiment, together with the Third and Fourth Regiments, was reported on June 8, 1861, to be in rendezvous “anxiously awaiting arms.” The Third Regiment left Keokuk without cartridges or cartridge boxes. “Destitute of all equipment but empty muskets and bayonets, and without means of transportation,” the Third Regiment was on July 1st “hastened westward more than halfway across the state [Missouri].” Not until August 23rd were three thousand “Improved Muskets” shipped “on the Jeannie Deans to the Iowa troops in St. Louis and Missouri.” Minie rifles were to have been furnished.39

            Varied were the arms dealt out to the Iowa troops. Many of the guns were old flint-lock muskets altered to percussion. 40 Other troops received rifled muskets, Austrian muskets, Prussian muskets, Belgian rifles, Harper’s Ferry muskets, Spencer’s carbines, Sharps carbines, Colt’s revolvers, navy revolvers, Whitworth rifles, Colt’s revolving rifles, Minie rifles, or Enfield rifles. During the year 1862 the State of Iowa received from the United States government one thousand Austrian rifles (caliber .58); twenty-seven hundred Austrian rifles (caliber.54); ten thousand Enfield rifles (caliber .58); fifty-nine hundred Prussian muskets (caliber .72); nine hundred Prussian rifled muskets (caliber .69); six hundred Springfield muskets (caliber 71); twelve hundred French rifles (caliber .58); twelve hundred Colt’s revolvers; and twelve hundred sabres, with accoutrements for all.41

            The Enfield rifle was the arm which the soldiers were always desirous of securing, since it was one of the best guns in the service at the time. It is interesting to note that an improved Enfield is the arm used in the present war by the English troops and will probably be used by the American troops.42

            A part of the fourth Iowa Infantry Regiment received muskets while still in rendezvous at Camp Kirkwood, Council Bluffs. The rifles had been stored at Fort Kearny and it is said that the order for their delivery was made out by Robert E. Lee, who was at that time Chief of Staff to Lieutenant General Scott, Chief of the Army. Better arms were supplied to the regiment in the field late in September. There was also a battery consisting of four twelve-pound howitzers connected with the Fourth Regiment.43

            The Fifth Iowa Regiment was sworn into service at Burlington on the 15th, 16th, and 17th of July, 1861. Arms were distributed to the men of this regiment just a month later, on the way to the front. They, too, were given common muskets, but with the assurance that other arms would be forthcoming in about thirty days. The Sixth Iowa received “miserable Austrian muskets,” concerning which a Dutch member of the regimen said, “a man might be killed more as twelve times before de tam ding would shoot off.”44

            The organization of the Seventh Regiment occurred soon after the battle of Bull Run. Owing to pressing military necessity this regiment was sent to the South before it was armed. They received their arms at St. Louis, “the flank companies ‘A’ and ‘B’ getting the Springfield rifle with tape self primers, and the other eight companies received the improved ‘buck and ball’ Springfield musket.”45 This regiment was also given eight pieces of artillery.46 Belgian muskets were supplied to the Eighth Regiment at Keokuk on its way down the river to St. Louis. These guns were received with dissatisfaction by the men. “Uneven caliber, some crooked barrels, locks out of repair! The boys called them ‘pumpkin slingers’ and pronounced the crooked barrels adapted to shooting around hills.”47

            The Eleventh Iowa Regiment, while it has the distinction of being “the first full regiment, completely uniformed, armed and equipped, which, as such, trod the soil of Iowa”, was, nevertheless, unfortunate enough to secure percussion lock, smooth-bore muskets.48

            Within one month after being mustered into service the Twelfth Iowa received arms and accoutrements. This regiment, “owing to the persistent effort of Colonel Woods or the influence which he had with ‘the powers that be,’… was so fortunate that while others—the Thirteenth Iowa, for instance—was being armed with Harper’s Ferry muskets altered from old flintlocks, or with Belgian smoothbores, the Twelfth received the very best arms then in the service—new Enfield rifles, of which the men were very proud.” The Fourteenth Regiment was armed by companies. Three companies had received their arms and were on their way to Fort Randall, in Dakota Territory, late in October, 1861, while the remaining companies had not received arms late in November. When guns were received they were of the poorest sort. W. W. Kirkwood, a nephew of Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood, wrote to his uncle from Benton Barracks on January 12, 1862, complaining of the character of the arms furnished, and asking him to do something to remedy the situation. The arms were worthless, said the young soldier, who declared that “there was one to my certain knowledge Broken by striking it lightly across a pine Box. The barrel broke entirely off in two places.” Many or the muskets, he said, burst at the first discharge.49

            The members of the Eighteenth Iowa Regiment were armed with Austrian rifled muskets upon their arrival in St. Louis; while the Twenty-first Iowa was unusually fortunate in the matter of arms. Going into rendezvous the 25th of August, 1862, all the members of this regiment who had not been previously armed equipped with Enfield rifles on the 9th of September. The supply of these arms, however, was not lasting. The Twenty-second and Twenty-fourth Regiments were compelled to drill with wooden guns and swords of their own manufacture.50

            Indeed, although a requisition for arms for the ”Temperance Regiment”—the Twenty-fourth—was issued early in August, “the regiment paraded and drilled with wooden swords and guns until the middle of October”, when it was lucky enough to secure new Enfield rifles. On September 20th Adjutant General Baker wrote to the Secretary of War, asking for arms for ten additional regiments. They were almost immediately furnished.51

            Enfield rifles were furnished to the men of the Twenty-fifth Iowa Regiment on their way down the Mississippi to the field of action. Yet to the Thirty-third Regiment were issued smooth-bore muskets, which were not exchanged for Enfields until some months after ward. And as late as December, 1862, Governor Kirkwood wrote to Edwin M. Stanton, protesting against the character of arms furnished to the Thirty-fifth Iowa Infantry, and asking that they be exchanged for “serviceable guns”. Later, the Thirty-eighth Regiment received satisfactory arms before leaving the camp at Dubuque.52

            During the early years of the war the guns were so constructed that it was necessary for the men to bite off the ends of the cartridges before loading. Indeed, at the time of the draft, some of those drafted attempted to escape service by having their teeth pulled, thus rendering them incapable of tearing the cartridges. But toward the end of the war, muskets were used which made this process unnecessary. The rifles used in 1863 by the Dubuque Union Guards, a company which later served as “Hundred Days Men”, were “of the Austrian pattern, of which the company have one hundred, with all the accompanying equipments, including 5,000 rounds of ammunition. The guns are of the latest improved pattern, and are made so that the owner is not obliged to bite off the ends of the cartridges, a little instrument accomplishing that work for him, thus enabling one to load and fire almost twice as quick as by the old method.” Other companies of these “Hundred Days Men” of 1864 were furnished Enfield rifles. Arms were seemingly plentiful at this time.53

 

Notes

 

30 War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. III, Vol. I, p. 407.

            Assistant Secretary of War Scott wrote in September, 1861, to Governor Curtin of Pennsylvania that “We shall send the arms you cannot use to the West”, then that official had protested against some Prussian muskets which had been furnished him.—War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. III, Vol. I, pp. 526, 538. Possible these were the identical four thousand muskets which the Iowa troops received later in the same year.—Report of the Adjutant-General of Iowa, 1861, p. 13.

 

31 War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. III, Vol. I, pp. 68, 69; Byers’s Iowa in War Times, p. 28; Phisterer’s Statistical Record of the Armies of the United States, pp. 3-11; Briggs’s The Enlistment of Iowa Troops during the Civil War in The Iowa Troops during the Civil War in the Iowa Journal of History and Politics, Vol. XV, p. 373.

 

32 Des Moines Valley Whig (Keokuk), July 1, 1861.

 

33 The Dubuque Weekly Times, April 25, 1861; Report of Adjutant-General of Iowa, 1864, p. xiv; Des Moines Valley Whig (Keokuk), May 13, 1861.

 

34 War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. III, Vol. I, pp. 162, 185; Wilkie’s The Iowa First: Letters from the War, p. 14.

            Mr. Franc B. Wilkie accompanied the First Regiment of Iowa Volunteers as correspondent for The Dubuque Herald and the New York Times. The work to which reference is made is a collection of his letters to The Dubuque Herald, printed in 1861.

 

35 The Dubuque Herald, May 17, 1861; Wilkie’s The Iowa First: Letters from the War, pp. 24, 25.

 

36 Des Moines Valley Whig (Keokuk), May 20, 27, June 10, 1861.

 

37 The Governor’s Greys of Dubuque were armed with rifled muskets. Probably they secured them from private sources before leaving Dubuque. T offset the advantage of having superior arms, the Greys were inconvenienced by the necessity of running their own bullets to fit them, since they were of a different caliber from the rest of the arms.—Wilkie’s The Iowa First: Letters from the War, pp. 46, 47.

 

38 The Dubuque Herald, June 18, 1861; Wilkie’s The Iowa First: Letters from the War, p. 65.

 

39 Byers’s Iowa in War Times, pp. 47, 484; War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. II, Vol. I, p. 261; Des Moines Valley Whig (Keokuk), July1, August 126, 1861; The Gate City (Keokuk), July 1, 1861.

 

40 These arms were generally regarded by the soldiers as worthless. A resident of Dubuque, who claimed to have “had some experience under Government, in this matter,” and who signed himself “Ordinance”, championed them and asserted that they were “as serviceable as any that can be issued from the War Department, with the exception, perhaps, of the rifled musket, which latter arm requires no inconsiderable experience on the part of the soldier”. Their propensity to “kick” he explained away by saying that “in the discharge of innumerable guns, during an engagement, it is necessary the soldier feels his to be among the number that have been discharged.” A little cleaning, polishing, and browning, he declared, would make them “as good as if fresh from the national armories”. The conviction which his brief carries is somewhat dissipated by the orthography of the writer’s nom de guerre.—The Dubuque Weekly Times, June 27, 1861

 

41 Report of the Adjutant-General of Iowa, 1862, Vol. I, pp. xvi, xvii.

 

42 There is an interesting Civil War anecdote told in connection with the Enfield rifles. One of the nurses in a field hospital “approached the cot on which a wounded soldier of the Massachusetts Fifteenth regiment was lying and asked him, ‘Is there anything which you think of that you want?’ “Yes,’ was the quick reply, ‘an Enfield rifle.’” Most of the men in his regiment were equipped with smooth-bores.—The Dubuque Weekly Times, November 28, 1861.

 

43 Council Bluffs Nonpareil, July 20, August 3, 1861; Byer’s Iowa in War Times, p. 605; Des Moines Valley Whig, September 23, 1861.

 

44 Byers’s Iowa in War Times, p. 488; The Dubuque Weekly Times, February 6, 1862; Des Moines Vallely Whig, October 21, 1861.

 

45 Smith’s History of the Seventh Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, p. 6.

 

46 The Dubuque Herald, July 21, 1861. Six-pound brass howitzers for Iowa troops were made in Omaha by charles Hendrie and furnished at a contract price of one thousand dollars each.—The Dubuque Weekly Times, September 12, 1861.

 

47 Byers’s Iowa in War Times, pp. 495, 496.

 

48 Iowa Historical Record, Vol. I, p. 129; Council Bluffs Nonpareil, November 9, 1861.

 

49 Byers’s Iowa in War Times, p. 507; Reed’s Campaigns and Battles of the Twelfth Regiment Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry, p. 11; The Dubuque Weekly Times, October 31, 1861; The Weekly Gate City (Keokuk), December 2, 1861; Kirkwood Correspondence, No. 433.

 

50 War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. III, Vol. II, p. 287; The Weekly Gate City (Keokuk), August 20, 1862; Dubuque Weekly Herald, August 20, 1862; Crooke’s The Twenty-first Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry, p. 13; Jones’s Reminiscences of the Twenty-Second Iowa Volunteer Infantry, p. 8; Annals of Iowa (Third Series), Vol. I, p. 18.

 

51 War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. III, Vol. II, pp. 325, 575, 577; Annals of Iowa (Third Series), Vol. I, p. 18.

 

52 The Weekly Gate City (Keokuk), November 5, 1862; Sperry’s History of the 33d Iowa Infantry Volunteer Regiment, p. 3; Kirkwood Military Letter Book, No. 5, p. 44; Dubuque Democratic Herald, December 24, 1862.

 

53 Dubuque Semi-Weekly Times, August 11, 1863, June 7, 1864; Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, October 27, 1864; War of the Rebellion: Official Records, Ser. I, Vol. XLI, Pt. 2, p. 757.

 

 

 

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