IA-CIVIL-WAR-L Archives

From: "dan pogrant" <>
Subject: [IA-CIVIL-WAR] William SHUCK - CO B, 30th IA INF
Date: Sun, 7 Sep 2003 11:38:29 -0500

My grandmother had these 2 obituaries for William SHUCK. William and my great grandfather, Henry W STOCKER were in CO. B, 30th IA INF, so as I read this, I pictured great grandpa going through the same events. The first article reads like a story. I have included the 2nd obituary as it is a little more personal. A couple of months ago, I was in the Taylor Cemetery and saw Mr. SHUCKS gravestone.



William SHUCK

Veteran Shuck Colorful Figure


Iowegian - - It would seem that fate had marked William J. SHUCK, Appanoose County's oldest Civil War veteran-the notice of whose death appears in today's issue of the Iowegian - for long life.
At one time a bullet flew toward his head. He fell as though dead. His Civil War comrades marched on and left him lying there just like 292 others of his company, who fell during the Civil War. A couple of hours afterward, William "came to." He had a severe headache and a red mark on his temple where the bullet had grazed him and ricocheted on.
The Train Wreck
And as the war ended, Mr. SHUCK was on his way from a Grand Review in Washington, DC to Baltimore when the freight train on which he and his comrades were riding was derailed. He was in a boxcar with over two dozen other soldiers and five of those with him were killed. Bill didn't get a scratch.
In more recent years Mr. SHUCK was seriously ill with pneumonia. The attending physician almost despaired of his life. His severe illness, coupled with his advanced years, seemed too much for him to bear. But Bill recovered and lived to regain his health and see another birthday.
He went through the Civil War from '62 to '65 and came out sturdy enough to live for another 76 years. And that's just one phase of the life of a remarkable man.
Mr. SHUCK was born near Burlington, Iowa, February 21, 1842. In that year his father moved to Drakesville when the only house in that community was one in which John DRAKE lived. John later had a son whose name was Francis M. and that boy was later a Governor of the state of Iowa.
Young Bill SHUCK grew up to the life of a young farmer. His life was neither more nor less eventful than the lives of a large number of other young men of early Iowa. Then came a day when things changed. The tempo speeded up. The North and the South were at war.
Mr. SHUCK, then a young man, enlisted on August 9, 1862, in what was known as CO. B 30th Iowa Infantry. He enlisted at Drakesville, went by wagon to Ottumwa and did not lay down his musket until he arrived at Davenport, IA, on June 30, 1865. In the interim he had fought in dozens of battles and sieges of the Civil War and had marched with Sherman "to the sea."
Walking to the sea was only part of the marching, which he did. Some of his other marches consisted of moves from Corinch, Mississippi, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, back to Woodville, Alabama, then back to Chattanooga, then to Atlanta, to Savannah, thru South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, thence to Washington, D. C.
It was in the heat of one of the battles in which he engaged that Bill SHUCK fell. Little was thought of it at the time. In the immediate group of men, with which he fought thru the war 292 were killed. Bill had been hit in the head by a rifle bullet.
He was left for dead. However, his comrades did take notice in a big way when Bill came marching back from the dead a short time later, displaying a mark on his head where the bullet had struck a glancing nonfatal blow.
Battles and sieges in which he took part were: Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Jackson, Mississippi, siege and surrender of Vicksburg, siege of Jackson, Blandon, Cherokee, Tuscumbia, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringold, Resaca, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, the battles of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy, Benstonsville, and Columbia.

This is a second obituary from another paper.

Unionville - Wm. SHUCK, 99 year old Civil War veteran, died here Sunday evening at 10:25 at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Nora SCOTT.
SHUCK was one of the three surviving Civil War veterans residing in Appanoose County. Ed STREEPY (he died in 1942) of Udell and William BATES of Cincinnati, IA are the two surviving comrades. With SHUCKS death one of the best-known war veterans in southern Iowa passed on. When he observed his 99th birthday last February 21, he received hundreds of congratulatory letters and cards.
He was taken ill the day of his birthday and had not rallied since that time. Rheumatism racked his body and he was in great pain at different times. Last Friday he contracted pneumonia. He grew gradually worse until Sunday afternoon when he rallied.
Aside from being a Civil War veteran, Mr. SHUCK was the oldest living resident in Appanoose County. It was one of his remaining ambitions in life to live to be one hundred years old. He told many of his friends on his last birthday that he was sure that he would live a full century.
SHUCK signed up for duty in the Civil War in 1862 in what was known as CO. B, 30th Iowa Infantry and served during the remainder of the campaign. At one time he was shot in battle and left for dead. He was also a member of Sheridan's (Sherman?) army that marched to the sea.
Alert until the very end, he had especially keen faculties. The last year or two of his life he experienced a little hard hearing and his eyes began to trouble him. But he was a good conversationalist, was interested in everything in life, and thoroughly enjoyed a good practical joke.
Very few will forget the Memorial Day event in 1939 when SHUCK was called upon to make a few remarks. He rose to his feet, started to say a few words, and the sentiment of the occasion got the best of him. Tears streaming out of his eyes down over his rugged cheeks. No apology was necessary. Everyone understood. Bill hadn't said a word, but his actions meant more than any other single event of the day.
Until recently Mr. SHUCK made it a habit to go down town in Unionville every day. He would retire shortly after partaking of the evening meal and would arise bright and early the next morning. He liked to talk and visit with people.
Surviving Bill is one son, L. A. of Burdette, Kansas, and two daughters, Mrs. Dave GLASSBURNER of Bunch and Mrs. Nora SCOTT at Unionville. He lived with Mrs. SCOTT the past twelve years. Twelve grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren also survive.
Funeral services were held at 2:00 o'clock Wednesday at the Christian Church in Bunch. Rev. Russell Selix of Ottumwa officiating. American Legion men attended the service in a body. Burial was in Taylor Cemetery three miles west of Unionville.

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• [IA-CIVIL-WAR] William SHUCK - CO B, 30th IA INF by "dan pogrant" <>