Iowa
Old Press
THE SIDNEY ARGUS - HERALD
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
January 10, 1935
War Reminiscences of Imogene Veteran
F. M. Straight is an interesting and respected citizen of
Imogene, the only civil war veteran left in that town. He
recently passed his 90th birthday which was commemorated by a
birthday dinner at the home of his daughter, Mrs. C. B. Abbott.
Mr. Straight is living a quiet life and growing old gracefully.
Young and old are glad to meet him in his daily walks about the
little town. His temperate and wholesome living is giving its
reward in a serene old age. At 17 years and 20 days of age Mr.
Straight enlisted at St. Louis in Company E, 23rd Missouri
Infantry and army preparations were made there. In April, 1862,
he with his company boarded a river steamboat bound for
Pittssburg Landing, Tennessee, where Grant's concentration forces
were preparing to engage the confederate forces at Corinth, and
as he says:
"We marched out to conflict. After the battle we returned
home with decimated ranks to recruit our forces. We left St.
Louis again for Bowling
Green, Kentucky, and marched through the eastern part of that
state to western Tennessee, stopped to guard some cotton
factories for a time, thence to Chattanooga where we had placed
in our charge a drove of beef cattle which we were to guard
through to Sherman's army on the Chattahootche river. We got
through safely with the cattle and found Sherman's army resting
temporrarily.
"About June 20, we crossed the Chattahooche river on
pontoons and had action with the confederates on the opposite
side. Our enemies fell back to Atlanta, a mile distant, our army
following up. Atlanta was a fortified stronghold. Our coprs was
ordered out to take the confederate railroad at Jonesboro,
Georgia, a task which we accomplished. It was the only railroad
the confederates had, so with it out of their control they
evacuated Atlanta, Then came the march through Georgia. My
birthday fell on Novermber 10 during this march, and the election
of Lincoln took place in that month. Our troops took Savannah by
storm.
"On New Year's day, 1865, we boarded a ship for New York
City, wearing our old, dirty, wornout uniforms. Snow fell prior
to our landing and it was cold. The snow was deep. From New York
to St. Louis we went by rail in citizens' clothes procured in New
York.
"My life was uneventful up to 1900 except that we labored
hard, had eleven children in our family, and made but little
money. In 1900 I was fortunate in a farming venture and my
finances improved."
Mr. Straight lived at New Market, in Council Bluffs four years,
was in California for six or seven years, and the past seven
years he has lived at Imogene.
[transcribed by W.F., April 2008]