CIVIL WAR
The record of
Buchanan County’s soldiers in the Civil War,
is one of which to be justly proud and will ever
shed glory and honor on the sons and daughters of
all of her future generations. The conditions in
Buchanan County just preceding the war were about as
they were every place through the northern half of
Iowa.
Lincoln’s
first call had been for ‘ninety day’ enlistments,
believing that sufficient time to establish peace
and order and re-establish Government in the South.
On April 16, 1861, he had issued a proclamation,
giving the rebels twenty days in which to disperse;
this time expired on Sunday, May 5th, and
from that date it was the firm
resolve of the Administration, and in fact
the determined sentiment of the entire North to
crush out this infamous Rebellion. Nothing should
intervene and no armistice, compromise, or half-way
measures should divert them from their purpose.
On June
1, 1861 the Independence Guards having completed
their roll, held a meeting for the purpose of
electing officers which resulted as follows: D.S.
Lee, Captain *; G. C. Jordan, First Lieutenant; W. S.
Marshall, Second Lieutenant; C. L. White, First
Sergeant; R. S. Marlin, Second Sergeant, T.
Blondin, Third Sergeant;
J. D. C. Garrison, Fourth Sergeant; C. J. Reed,
First Corporal; E. A. Woodruff, Second Corporal; J.
H. McWilliams, Third Corporal; O. J. M. Fuller,
Fourth Corporal.
Though assured of
their acceptance, the “Guards” were not assigned to
a regiment until the last week in June, when
Governor Kirkwood wrote to Captain Lee as follows:
“Executive Office, Iowa City
June 25, 1861”
“Captain Lee,
Independence Guards.
“Dear Sir: Your
company is assigned to the Fifth Regiment Iowa
Volunteers, and under the recent call of the war
department will be sent to rendezvous at Burlington
as soon as arrangements can be perfected – perhaps
next week. Fill up your ranks to not less than 84,
not more that 101 men. If you can avoid it, do not
go into quarters at home, as I have no money, and
shall have none till the state bonds are sold.
If you cannot possibly
avoid going into quarters, do so, but not otherwise.
As soon as matters are
arranged, I will send you orders to march to
Burlington.
I enclose printed
circular, and call your special attention to that
part relating to clothing, and hope you may be able
to conform to the suggestions therein contained.
Please answer
immediately.
Very
Respectfully,
Samuel J. Kirkwood”
JAMES HARRIGAN;
brother of Margaret (Harrigan)
Smith (Trevor’s gg
grandmother), was one of the 1st 97
non-commissioned officers to enlist. The Captain of
Company E 5th Regiment of the Volunteer
Infantry was Daniel S. Lee (possible cousin of
Robert E. Lee). Mustered into
service of the
United States by Lt. Alexander
Chambers, United States Army at Burlington July 15,
1861 under the proclamation of the President of
United States bearing the date May 3, 1861.
On the 2nd
of July, 1861, Captain Lee received notice from
Colonel Worthington of the “Iowa Fifth” that the
“Guards” would probably receive orders to move to
the rendezvous at Burlington on the following
Monday, but owing to lack of transportation
facilities they could not leave until Friday
morning. Immediately upon receipt of this
communication preparations began to be made in
earnest and everybody seemed anxious to assist. The
town became seething with life and action; the fife
and drum, the sewing machine and
needle were constantly in use.
The company, as
mustered into service, numbered 97 men aside from
the officers.
In the county paper of
October 22, 1861 it was suggested that
a company of Home Guards should be formed
immediately in Independence. If their services were
not needed, they should at least learn something of
the art of war, an art with which every man,
especially at such a time, should be in a degree
acquainted. In the same issue of that paper, is a
local telling of Mrs. D. S. Lee’s (wife of Captain
Lee) return from a visit to Company E of the Fifth
Iowa Volunteer stationed at Booneville, Missouri.
They had taken the place of the Iowa Second
Regiment. She reported the boys all well and with
Fremont’s Regiment in hot pursuit of General Price,
who according to the latest dispatch had made a
stand at Carthage – 60 miles from Springfield. From
this it was expected that the “Independence Boys”
would soon have a chance to show their fighting
qualities.
The brilliant battle
of Pea Ridge, Arkansas was fought on
the 6th, 7th, and 8th
of March 1862.
In the winter of 1862,
the position of Captain Lee’s Company was changed in
the regiment and was then Company C or the Color
Company.
A dispatch from
Washington, dated July 29, 1862 ways that
Governor Kirkwood had been authorized by the
Secretary of War to make a draft for soldiers
whenever and wherever he should think proper, in
this state.
Company H held its
election at the City Hall, Dubuque,
August 27, 1862, it being an enthusiastic and
harmonious election. Jacob M. Miller was elected
Captain.
MICHAEL
HARRIGAN (brother of James) was enlisted as a
private in this company – 27th Iowa
Infantry.
Word from
headquarters, January 13, 1863, was
that the Fifth Iowa was in General
Quimby’s division,
stationed near Memphis, guarding the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad.
Company E and C of the
Fifth and Ninth Iowa Infantry, who had been in
service three years, were expected home and the
first of the year (1864) and great plans were being
made to give them a royal reception and a most
pleasant stay while at home. All sorts of rumors
had been prevalent as to the date of their arrival,
but at last telegraphic dispatch settled the
question, with the assurance that Company C of the
Ninth would be in Independence on
Saturday, February 13, 1864.
Word
from the 27th Regiment telling of the Red
River Campaign and the Battle of Pleasant Hill and
their losses was received in 1864. The wounded of
Company H included Michael
Harrigan, (he returned to his parents’ farm
and continued to help them farm.)
An item dated the last
of July 1864, informed Independence
that the Fifth Iowa Infantry had been transferred to
the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. The Fifth was the regiment
of which Company E was a part. It was now reduced
to less than two companies.
The Fifth Cavalry
Regiment was mustered out at Clinton,
in August, and Company E arrived at Dubuque, on
Friday, August 18, 1865.
* NOTE: Capt.
D. S. Lee was also the first mayor of Independence.
The Buchanan Co. Historical Society is now the owner
of his mansion built in 1867 after he returned to
Independence and is in the process of restoration.
