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Burlington Weekly Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
March 14, 1863
Hospital Report
List of deceased Iowa Soldiers who have died in
Hospital at St. Louis, Missouri, from Feb. 27 to March 5th, 1863. Furnished by
Thomas W. J.Long, of Iowa, State Sanitary Agent, for St. Louis and vicinity.
C G Monk, D 23d, congestion of the lungs; John W Wilher,
D 38th, spinal meningitis; T Craft, I 34th, pneumonia; D E Able, D 31st, chronic
diarrhea; Joseph Stumpf, I 26th, typhoid pneumonia; Wm K Smith, D 34th, chronic
diarrhea; Joshua Skinner, H 35th, consumption; James Ratcliff, K 34th, typhoid
fever.
List of sick Iowa Soldiers in Post Hospital, Helena
Arkansas, February 24th, 1863.
Fourth Regiment-Abraham Steadwell C, A B Rearney A, Wm C Dow K, Wm A Wright
do., Levi Jones B, Timothy McReynolds A.
Ninth-John T Avery F, Wm F Fenny do., Austin Alexander A, John F Dries do., S M
Hancock F.
Thirteenth-Elijah Devore A.
Twenty-Fourth-J Millejr E, H Moore K, G W Rosenberger E, Seborn Moore K, Andrew
Sawyer D, Joseph Sheets B, George Miller G, Curtis C Horton K, Wm Long B, Wm
James G, Josiah W Sloan K, Hiram C Neal F, Charles Viers I, Owen Gifford A,
Addison Heald H, G Hempstead E, Elisha Whitney A, Joshua McCarter I, Geo Kinkead
H, Henry Heffelfinger G, A Marshman do, J H Colston E, J R Kinnery C, Thomas
Phelps A, J W Conant E, W Wiley C, A C Cole do., E O Thomas E, S R Mackwell K, G
E Osborn do., J G Smith A, A Worthington do, M H Worth E, A Hildreth K, W S Lusk
B, E G Gibson H.
Twenty-Ninth- J C Frazier C, O P H Cook, do, E B Cade F, Wm Grantham do; J
Cassenberger H, Wm T Peterson A, W Mackelroy A, Wm Smith G, N H Stone B, M F
Dupree do., Perry Mark A, _ Palerson, do., H S Vest B, M R Greenfield C, Nath
Farr E, Jas H Wright H, L B Hindman E, Sam Wilson do., A W Augstin K, H Bairmare
I, Eli B Berry do, I Hock A, Amos R Long G, Benj. F Cade F, J H Catern _ , J H
Baxter C, D Romings do., Frank Elsworth B, John Olinger H, J Cripps do., G A
Madden F, Wm Glassgow do., Albert Larue A, J H Davis B, J H Cade F, J T Cox I,
Chas Havens E, Geo W Foster K, John Marlence I, S Addington G, A J Imus do., E
Cunningham E, H W Copeland do., Geo W Wallace F, J M Wickham H, N Homewood K,
Charles Alexander A, John W Trent I, L P Patch C, David Ewan K, Joseph Crawford
G, Wm Reed A, J R Sullivan C, J H Lightel, do., Wm Kunkle I, A M Kim C.
Fourth Cavalry-George Ferris.
Twenty-fourth Regiment-B Gibson H.
Twenty-Fifth- J Wilson K, C L Burnet, do, Vincent Maxwell I, John M Ardell F,
Perry C Carter H, Jas McGill K, Jacob Perine H, S H Kirkpatrick A, Geo Bem C, Wm
A Putten C, Allen A Lockwood A, Wm Turnham C, Jas R Norvill F, Jos Chiquest I,
Luther M Randies B.
Twenty-Sixth- Lowren W Smith I, John B Durgan A, E P Leavett H.
Twenty-Eighth-Daniel From F, G W Winchester H, Wm Thompson A; Frederick Seagrist
A; Geo Deadmore I; John Bromley I, Geo Hartle G; Jos S Brandt F, Anson Stevens
I, Wm Mower H, Jas H Lott A; John Kine I, Alexander Gordan C, John Yutezy E, L W
Chamberlain E, W T Thomas I, S J M Bear F, John Breeser B, Aaron Wiseman I, Jas
W Robertson C, Samuel E Shaw I, Samuel Yutzy E, Wm T Richardson F, Jas A West C,
Horace Maynard E, Jasper Kearns I, Thos N Roberts E, John Harris B, N Tryan H, W
W Clark E; Chas Sipes F.
Thirtieth Regiment-Jas W Morrow B, Philander Inskeep F, Israel McDonald G, Sikes
Sheffer E, Benj J Swisher E, Henry Huguelot G, J W Cook __, Jos Cheetham B, F M
Morris B, A Kuhn H, H Cloke H, A T Wilson H, J W Hammond G, H C Smith G, A
Roberts G.
Thirty-first- M Quimby B, G W Stinson A, W L Usher A, Andrew Brown __, A Stinson
__, S Wells C, J F Hollenberk C, Robert A Mears C, M W Coleman A.
Thirty-third- Jacob H Shult G, Wm Victor C, Nelson Loomis F, Geo Grosberk F.
Thirty-fourth-Wesley Anderson G, Hiram Hine A, Amos W Prather F.
Resigned-Dr. H.W. Jay, Assistant Surgeon 34th Iowa Infantry, has resigned on
account of bad health, and returned home.
Army Correspondence.
Camp 30th Iowa Volunteers,
An Out-post below Vicksburg,
February 21, 1863
Editor Hawk-Eye:
I visited this morning the steamboat Era No. 5, which
was captured by the Ram Queen of the West up Red river, before they were
compelled to abandon the ram; and on which the officers and men escaped, and
arrived here at our Picet lines about half-past 12 o'clock last night.
I am indebted to Capt. Conner and Lieut. Tuthill, both
of the Queen of the West, f or the facts and events embodied in this narrative
and for many other items not included herein. Having an official message for
Col. Ellet, I was sorry to find the young, accomplished and dauntless hero,
quite ill, and confined to his bed.
The Ram left here, that is our camp, on the 12th inst.
She passed the batteries at Warrenton and on to the mouth of Red river, without
being saluted by Rebel guns or shot. She had been down, remember, the week
before, and shown her respects to traitors. On Saturday morning, the 14th inst.,
when some 130 or 140 miles up Red river, she attacked and captured the steamboat
Era No. 5, laden with 4600 bushels of corn, some cotton and a number of
soldiers. The soldiers were paroled, the officers retained as prisoners, a small
squad of men and a corporal left on her to guard her, while the ram with a coal
barge in tow proceeded up the river to reconnoitre some batteries-about dusk-
and while the Queen of the West was under full steam, she was run hard aground
on a bar. The river makes a sudden, square bend to the right as you ascend
it-about 300 yards above the bend was the rebel battery. The ram was hard
aground, with her broadside to the enemy's guns. In vain was the order given to
back her. She was stuck fast, while broadside from the enemy's batteries rained
pitilessly upon her. The guns on the Ram had been trained so far to fire as they
passed the fort or battery. She could not reply, and as the steam, hissing with
pent-up fury escaped, it was evident the officers would have to escape, as it
was known to them that Gen. Lovell, of the rebel forces, had issued orders, that
they should be hung whenever caught. Trusting themselves to cotton bales , with
some twenty soldiers, they launched forth in the dark on the turbid waters of
Red river. Some thirteen soldiers and seven of the crew were left on board the
Ram. Among these 1st master, Capt. Thompson, who had been shot in the leg a day
or two before, by a guerilla, and the 2d Engineer, who was scalded by the
cutting of the steam pipe. These were all that had been injured of our men.-
They floated down to the ferry boat De Soto, which accompanied the Ram from
here, mounting a 32 pound Parrott, and thence on down to the Era No. 5. They
then destroyed the De Soto, and made for the mouth of the river. They were
pursued by the Webb, a former New York and New Orleans tug boat, which they have
converted into a ram, which is very powerful. It is said she can run 15 or 20
miles against the current of the Mississippi, and by two other boats of speed
and power, that have light guns and cotton bulwarks. At the mouth of Red River
they met the gunboat Indianola, one of our new Monitor-built iron clads,
carrying two 11-inch guns. (This boat went down two days after the Ram, and was
not known, by them, to be there.) Under convoy of her, the Era started up the
Mississippi. As they neared Natchez, the steam ram Webb gained rapidly on her,
(the Indianola being in rout) and evidently anticipated an easy victory, and the
glory of hanging several Federal officers. The Indianola displays herself
suddenly, by sending her compliments in the shape of a 11-inch metallic card.
Quick as lightning the Webb wheels and scuds back to Red river, followed by the
gunboat and Era. The Era, then by herself, wends her way up. She encounters
batteries and musketry all the way up- at Grand Gulf, at Hardtimes Bend, and
Perkins' Plantations. The rebels seek, by numerous decoys and manoeuvers, to
induce her to run this or that side of an Island, where their batteries may rake
her; but she is not fooled so easily. Though she is an old, dilapidated boat
protected only by cotton bales, she ran the gauntlet yesterday and last night of
one hundred guns, ranging from field pieces to siege guns, without being hit
once. I found the officers and men on her much worn down with the fatigue and
exposure of this trip. As they related these things, very graphically, and many
more hair-breadth escapes and exciting incidents, I thought I would like to
report them all, but time nor space will admit it.
Through the kindness of Capt. Conner, I saw several
rebel papers-the Natchez Courier, of several dates, the Jackson Mississippian,
Vicksburg papers, and the Grenada Memphis Appeal. These are all intensely secesh.
There are many extracts in all these papers from the Chicago Times, Columbus,
Ohio, Crisis, New York Herald, and Cincinnati Enquirer. These extracts are, of
course, all strongly secesh. Some of them out Herod the secesh themselves, in
condemnation of our Government, and praise of Jeff Davis' ability and his
Confederacy, and are paraded as the feelings and expressions of the vast
majority of the people of the North. These scoundrelly traitors, whose cowardly
souls alone keep them from fighting against the Government that protects their
persons and properties, sho'd be banished. They are fountains of treason, the
manufactories of lies, to give aid and comfort to the rebels, to distract and
divide the North. As a soldier, ready to risk my life, and having done so in
defense of my country, as a citizen, jealous of my rights, and the infringements
of personal liberty, nevertheless, I say, they should be "dried up."
Let it be known in all this broad land that he or she who talks, writes, or
inculcates treason, shall suffer the penalty, and that surely and early.
Our Regiment remains in poor health. We have lost many
men since our arrival here. We are hoping and working for better health in the
Regiment.
The Canal, of which I wrote you some account now bids
fair to be finished soon, and of sufficient width to admit boats of all sizes.
I might write some interesting news, but perhaps it may
be contraband. I will only say, two events are expected with much interest just
now- pay day and the taking of Vicksburg.
Hastily, Yours, IOWA 30TH
SANITARY CIRCULAR
Executive Office, Iowa,
Iowa City, March 2, 1863
Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer, State Sanitary Agent:
DEAR MADAM-Gov. Kirkwood directs me to request of you,
while here, to give him a statement of the sanitary condition of the Iowa
Regiments, which you have visited-what are their most pressing wants-what
supplies can best be furnished by the liberality of our people, and through what
channels they can send them.
Very Truly Yours,
N.H. BRAINERD, Mil. Sec.
Iowa City, March 3, 1863
N.H. Brainard, Mil. Sec. to Governor Kirkwood:
DEAR SIR- Your note of yesterday has been received,
and in reply you will inform Governor Kirkwood that I have recently visited the
hospitals, and Iowa Regiments at Helena and Vicksburg, and that owning to
climatic influences, unfavorable surroundings, and the fatigue and exposure of
their recent campaign against Vicksburg and Arkansas Post, and the confinement
and exposure of the recent expedition up White river, the sanitary condition of
most of Iowa Regiments is very unfavorable.
Besides the disease incidents to camp life and exposure,
small pox and scurvy are prevailing to a considerable extent. Many of the causes
which have led to the unfavorable condition of the health of our army still
exist, and unless remedied by the generous efforts of the people of the loyal
States, must result in a fearful amount of sickness and mortality. The almost
entire absence of vegetable food in the army, which has resulted in scurvy,
debility, and a general depreciation of the strength of our forces, leads me to
urge upon the Governor the great importance of so directing and controling [sic]
the sanitary resources of the State as to supply our suffering soldiers with
vegetables stimulants and antiscorbutics.
The Hospitals at Helena and Vicksburg, although greatly
improved in their condition, are almost entirely destitute of suitable
nourishing food for the sick, and but for the constant and untiring efforts of
sanitary agents, their condition would be terrible. The articles most needed are
potatoes, onions, sour krout, corn meal, pickles, dried fruits, cranberries,
molasses, soda crackers, toasted rusk, butter, eggs, condiments and stimulants.
Cider vinegar would also be acceptable. Goods will be directed as you dictate,
and sent to the care of Partridge & Co., St. Louis, Mo.
The large increase in the number of sick in the army,
imperatively demands additional hospital arrangements, which must be met. It has
been found that light cot comfortables are much more agreeable for the use of
the sick than stiff heavy army blankets. The high price of cotton materials have
almost entirely cut off our supply, I have asked and obtained of the U.S.
Government ten bales of cotton for sanitary purposes, which I am distributing to
the principal societies of the West, to be made into cot comfortables. Two bales
have been sent to the societies at Chicago; enough for four hundred comfortables
have been sent to each of the cities of Cleveland, Cincinnati and Louisville,
and enough materials to make on hundred comfortables to the societies in each of
the following towns:- Dubuque, Davenport, Iowa City, Muscatine, Burlington,
Keokuk, Peoria, Quincy and Springfield, the balance of the cotton will be made
up in St. Louis.
The limits of this note will not allow me to enter into
a detailed account of the condition of the hospitals and regiments, but as soon
as possible I will prepare and submit a full report.
I am very respectfully your obedient servt.
ANNIE WITTENMYER, Iowa
State Agt.
To the People of Iowa:
The foregoing statement from Mrs. Wittenmyer, State
Sanitary Agent, of the condition of our regiments on the lower Mississippi, is
more than corroborated by other various and reliable testimony, altogether
proving beyond a doubt, that our noble patriots and friends, who have left their
homes and all home comforts to maintain the integrity and stability of our
Government, are suffering most terribly for those very things we are best
prepared to supply. Fresh as our soldiers are from home, where they have been
accustomed to a varied diet, composed largely of vegetables, they can not endure
the sudden change to hard bread and bacon, day after day, which is alone
furnished them in their present situation.
This change of diet, coupled with all the exposure
incident to camp life so far South, with long confinement on transports in
passing from point to point, is reducing our army ten fold faster than all the
assaults of the enemy.
Even those, (if such there be,) who have no love for
the cause in which those men are enlisted, must feel for so much human suffering
and be ready, at least to relieve that for humanity's sake.
I therefore call, most earnestly, in the name of
humanity and patriotism, upon the whole people of Iowa to come to the rescue of
our suffering and perishing sons, brothers, and friends, who have given
themselves to their country's cause and are now in such pressing want of
assistance. Mrs. Wittenmyer enumerates the supplies most needed. Let potatoes,
onions, butter and eggs go forward in the greatest possible abundance. I have
just received a letter from one of our best Surgeons, (Dr. Shaw, of the 4th
Infantry,) urging the same things, and mentioning also horseradish, prepared in
vinegar, and common plum butter as very desirable. We must try not only to
relieve the sick, but to prevent the sickness, and to do this our soldiers must
have a great variety of food. I call upon the people of the whole State.
Let every locality see to the good work through their
own local agencies, and do it at once. The emergency is pressing and does not
admit of delay. The season is now such that vegetables may be shipped in safety,
and the river is open for their transportation.
All packages, from any part of the State, put on board
any of our lines of public transportation, and addressed to "Mrs. Annie
Wittenmyer, care of Partridge & Co., St. Louis, Mo., will be sure to go
where most needed, free of charge, or rather the Government will pay the
charges.
I confidently appeal to the patronage, liberality and
humanity of all the good people of Iowa, that this call be promptly and fully
met.
SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD.
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