Col. John Cree Abercrombie 1823-1890

ABERCROMBIE, SWAIN

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 8/17/2015 at 12:16:51

Death of Col. J.C. Abercrombie

At noon yesterday came the end to a long life of darkness, pain and suffering, due to wounds and exposure in his country's cause, and borne with uncomplaining resignation.
About a week ago it was known that the veteran Colonel Abercrombie was a victim to the prevailing influenza, and some uneasiness was felt for him by the friends who knew his feeble condition. Then came other complications which made too great a drain upon his feeble health and death came to him as, perhaps a welcome relief. Colonel Abercrombie had been an invalid for more than twenty years, suffering with a nervous aflection, which caused a loss of eyesight and a very great impairment of the use of his limbs. Confined to his home and shut off in a great measure from intercourse with his fellows he was yet borne in loving remembrance by the old soldiers in his regiment. Those in the city visited him and those living elsewhere called here by business or other matters never left the city without paying their respects to their old commander whenever it was possible to do so.
Colonel Abercrombie was a man of the strictest integrity and had his health permitted would undoubtedly have taken a leading part in business and public affairs.
John Cree Abercrombie was born in the village of Lundesburg, Perry County, Pennsylvania, Oct. 30, 1823. He became an orphan early, both parents being dead before his eleventh year. His father, who was a native of Philadelphia, of Scotch parentage, was an officer in the "Pennsylvania Bucktails" and served in the War of 1812, and died in Miami County, Ohio. In his eighteenth year Colonel Abercrombie left Ohio for Iowa by the way of the rivers, arriving here, Oct. 10, 1841 on the steamer Agnes. Inheriting the soldierly traits of his father, we find him soon after his arrival enrolled in a company organized by Captain Hight to aid Texas in gaining her independence. Reaching New Orleans, the company failing to secure transportation to Texas, disbanded, and the members were obliged to work their passage to their northern homes. When the Mormon difficulties attracted attention at Nauvoo he went there. He was arrested by the Mormons as a spy and with some difficulty secured his release through the intercession of James W. Woods, familiarly known as "Old Timber", who had some influence with the Saints. When the Mexican War was declared he enlisted in Company K 15th US infantry under Captain Gutherie, and was engaged in many of the important battles in that country, remaining there until the rermination of the war and returning as orderly sargeant of his company. He was engaged in the practice of dentistry from that time until the beginning of the late war, when he became a member of the First regiment of Iowa volunteers, leaving here May 14, 1861, as lieutenant of Company E. He commanded the company at the battle of Wilson's Creek and at the expiration of his term of enlistment returned to Burlington. Soon after he was appointed major of the Eleventh Iowa Volunteers and left for the field with his regiment, which as a part of the famous Crocker brigade, participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Ezra Church and other important engagements. At Shiloh, on the first day he was wounded in the head by a rifle ball and at the siege of Atlanta a fragment of the shell struck him on the side. After the fall of Atlanta he was the ranking officer of Crocker's brigade, which he commanded for forty days, during which time he was in pursuit of the rebel General Hood. His regiment was in command of the Black River district near Vicksburg, and enormous quantities of cotton were under his charge, every bale of which was accounted for
and turned over to the government when his regiment was relieved. Mustered out as colonel at Galesville, Georgia, Nov. 5, 1864, he returned to Burlington where he engaged in the commission business and as agent of the steamboat lines, continuing in this business until failing health affected his eyes and limbs, resulting finally in total blindness in 1869 and a crippled condition of the limbs, which confined him to his home since that time.
He married Amelia Swain at Cascade, Iowa, October 25, 1854, who died in this city in 1869. The surviving members of his family are John S. Abercrombie, Mrs. Carl Vogt and Mrs. C.W. Randall, all of this city.
The funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock.

-The Burlington Daily Hawkeye Sunday, January 26, 1890