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Subject: Ia-Polk Co. History (Polk County in t)
Date: 12 Apr 2006 02:32:45 -0000


Polk County IA Archives History - Books .....Polk County In The War - 23rd Iowa Infantry 1898
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Joy Fisher April 12, 2006, 2:32 am

Book Title: Annals Of Polk County, Iowa And City Of Des Moines

TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY.

This regiment was peculiarly attached to the affections and history of Des
Moines and Polk county, as it was the first of the two regiments organized at
Des Moines and Polk county was represented in all of the ten companies. It was
to a large extent a Polk County regiment.

The Twenty-third was organized in the late summer and fall of 1862, at Des
Moines, under the command of Colonel William Dewey, and was mustered into the
service September 19, 1862. It first went to Keokuk and then on to St. Louis,
arriving there September 30. For a short time it was on provost duty at the
latter city, and was finally sent to Patterson, Mo., where the regiment suffered
much from sickness, and there Colonel Dewey died. He was succeeded by Colonel
Kinsman. After some months of duty in Missouri the regiment was at last ordered
to join the Union forces, near Vicksburg. March 20, 1863, it started for
Milliken's Bend, April 11 it proceeded on its march with the army below and in
the rear of Vicksburg, and on May 1 was under the fire of the enemy. Held in
reserve at Champion Hill, at Black River Bridge it led one of the most brilliant
and successful charges of the war. At this point the enemy had a line of
entrenchments three miles long with a deep bayou in front. The Twenty-third
headed the column of attack, and carried everything before them, taking the
enemy's works and capturing 2,500 prisoners. But their loss was heavy. Colonel
Kinsman and one captain were mortally wounded, and four other officers wounded,
and 134 enlisted men killed or wounded. Here Alfred M. Lyon, an early settler
and prominent citizen of Des Moines, who was at the time sutler of the regiment,
shouldered his musket and bravely joined in the charge. Before it was over he
fell mortally wounded and died in a short time.

The Twenty-third, as a mark of honor, was detailed to guard the prisoners
taken at Black River to Memphis. This duty had been performed, and the regiment
was on its return when chance threw it into the bloody fight at Milliken's Bend.
At Young's Point word reached Colonel Glasgow, then in command of the regiment,
that the enemy was threatening Milliken's Bend, garrisoned by only a few hundred
colored troops. The regiment immediately went to their relief. Advised to do so
by the commanding officer of the garrison, Colonel Glasgow remained with the
troops on the transports, as no immediate attack was expected. To his surprise
at daylight there was a great commotion noticed among the colored troops, and in
a short time a long line of the enemy was seen advancing from the timber on the
doublequick, with intention of at once overwhelming the colored troops. Orders
were given to hurriedly disembark. A few rods back from the river was the levee,
behind which the colored troops were already stationed. Across the open space
the Twenty-third must pass to reach the levee, and started on the road by the
right flank. The right of the regiment reached the levee as the enemy came up.
The left was in the rear, and as it came up the enemy poured in a deadly fire.
The struggle now became to a great extent a hand to hand light, and a most
desperate one. It is stated Colonel Glasgow was himself bespattered with the
blood and brains of his own men and those of the enemy. Bayonets were used and
muskets clubbed. In one instance John Virtue, a powerful man of Company B., came
face to face with a rebel on the top of the embankment. Both resorted to the
bayonets and after a few thrusts and parries each pierced the other through with
fatal wounds. Then Virtue's comrade, Thomas McDowell, rushed forward and brained
the rebel with his musket. Thus the terrible fight went on until the arrival of
gunboats from below, when a few shots drove the enemy back to the timber. In
this fight Captain Brown, who had been a printer in Des Moines, working for the
writer, but who at the time was in command of a Cass County company, met the
death of a brave and fearless soldier. After this battle the regiment rejoined
its brigade in the rear of Vicksburg, where it remained until the surrender of
that place.

July 5 the Twenty-third started in pursuit of General Johnston, capturing
Jackson, Miss., and driving the enemy across Pearl River. The hot weather and
work was hard upon the regiment, and it returned with only 120 men fit for duty.
August 13 it was transferred to the department of the Gulf, and sent to New
Orleans. September 4, started with General Banks, expedition to the Teche
county, going as far as Opelousas, and then returned to New Orleans. November
16, in connection with other troops, embarked for the coast of Texas, and
captured Fort Esperanza on Matagorda Island. January 16 the regiment went to
Indianola, and remained there on post duty until March, when it went to
Louisiana again to reinforce General Banks at Alexandria. It remained in
Louisiana and Arkansas, until sent to Mobile, Ala. to take part in one of the
last sieges and battles of the war. There the regiment again distinguished
itself. After the fall of Mobile it went with the troops to Texas again, and
there remained until mustered out of the service at Harrisburg, July 26, 1865.

The regiment had three colonels: William Dewey, who died in the field,
November 30, 1862; William H. Kinsman, killed at the battle of Black River
Bridge, May 17, 1863, while leading a charge against the enemy, and for whom one
of the most flourishing G. A. R. posts in this city is named, and Samuel L.
Glasgow, now a resident of Burlington, Iowa. These were all brave and skillful
officers. The casualties were:

Officers—Killed, 2; died, 5; discharged, 9; wounded, 27.

Privates—Killed, 39; died, 228; discharged, 177; wounded, 126; transferred, 42.

Polk county was represented in Companies A. B. C. E. F. G. and on the staff
as follows:

Charles J. Clark, major; Leonard B. Houston, major; Robert W. Cross,
quartermaster; Arthur J. Barton, chaplain; William Merrill, sergeant-major; Orin
Belknap, sergeant-major; Charles S. Hepburn, hospital-steward; James R.
Crawshaw, fife-major.

COMPANY A. Enlisted in 1862, unless otherwise stated.

Leonard B. Houston, captain; commissioned August 10; promoted major May 19,
1863.
Theodore G. Cree, second lieutenant, August 1; promoted to captain May 20,
1863; resigned October 21, 1863.
Orin Belknap, junior, fourth sergeant, August 1; promoted to third sergeant
October 1, 1862; discharged December 19, 1863.
William S. Saylor, fifth sergeant, August 1; promoted to fourth sergeant
October 1, 1862; discharged January 6, 1863.
Lyman P. Houston, third corporal, August 1.
Mervin Smith, fourth corporal, July 19; (also Merion); discharged October 21,
1863.

PRIVATES.

Ashford, Elderkin P., August 1.
Fagan, Joseph, August 1.
Hepburn, Charles S., August 14; promoted to hospital-steward September 19,
1862; died at Camp Patterson, Missouri, November 3, 1862.
Jones, Albert, July 25.
Jordan, Henry C, August 14.
Lucas, Francis M., July 20; discharged October 19, 1863.
Lucas, Daniel, August 20; transferred to invalid corps May 21, 1864.
McCain, William S., July 20.
Saylor, James A., August 1; discharged November 21, 1862.
Stevens, John A., August 3; discharged August 7, 1863.
Thompson, Andre, August 4; died at New Orleans November 7, 1863.

COMPANY B. Enlisted in 1862, unless otherwise stated.

Charles J. Clark, captain, August 1; promoted to major December 1, 1862; to
lieutenant-colonel May 19, 1863.
Joel M. Walker, first lieutenant, August 11; promoted to captain December 1,
1862.
Stephen Waterbury, second lieutenant, August 1; promoted to first lieutenant
December 1, 1862; resigned June 10, 1863.
Chauncy A. Williams, first sergeant, August 1; promoted to second lieutenant
December 1, 1862; resigned March 5, 1863.
Henry Crabtree, second sergeant, August 1; promoted to first sergeant;
wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
Amos Wright, third sergeant, August 1.
Calvin M. Burt, fourth sergeant, August 2.
Oliver P. Bhinehart, fifth sergeant, August 1.
Erastus S. Derrickson, first corporal, August 2.
William Benell, second corporal, August 1; promoted to sergeant; wounded at
Port Gibson, Mississippi, May 1, 1863; died at Duvall's Bluffs, Ark., December
7, 1864.
Matthew C. Brown, third corporal, August 7.
Daniel A. Swim, fourth corporal, August 1.
George C. Baker, fifth corporal, August 1.
Sereno C. Beals, sixth corporal, August 5.
Emanuel Young, seventh corporal, August 1.
Edward L. Halladay, eighth corporal, August 2.
Dwight Derrickson, musician, August 1.
Joseph Levalley, musician, August 1.

PRIVATES.

Ballard, John, August 9; promoted to corporal; wounded May 28; date and place
unknown; died of wounds on board of steamer, June 4, 1863.
Beighler, Harrison, August 9; wounded at Spanish Fort, Alabama, March 22,
1865; promoted to corporal.
Beighler, Enoch, August 9; died at Vicksburg July 23, 1863.
Beeson, Henry H., August 1; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863; died of
wounds at Van Buren Hospital, Louisiana, June 9, 1863.
Carr, William H., August 13.
Carr, Henry, August 13; wounded at Anderson's Hill, Mississippi, May 1, 1863;
transferred to invalid corps February 16, 1863.
Condit, Daniel M., August 5; died at Vicksburg July 26, 1863.
Covey, William, August 8.
Derrickson, William W., August 1; discharged December 1, 1862.
Dennis, John, August 8.
Entwistle, George W., August 7.
Filmer, John, August 13; killed at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
Grimes, David S., August 15; discharged February 24, 1864.
Grigsby, George W., August 2; wounded near Vicksburg June, 1863; died on
hospital steamer City of Memphis, July 14, 1863.
Hughes, Eusebius, August 5.
Henkel, John S., August 14; discharged June 15, 1863.
Henkel, Benjamin, W., August 14, died at Fort Esperanza, Texas, March 21, 1864.
Herbert, William, August 9.
Hanna, Cyrus G., August 9.
Howland, Charles A., August 5; discharged September 5, 1864.
Harlow, Lloyd, August 6.
Harlow, Randolph F., August 6; died at Vicksburg July 5, 1863.
Jones, Andrew J., August 1.
Johnson, William P., August 21; discharged July 25, 1863
Kirsher, John, August 13; discharged July 25, 1863.
Kirsher, Jasper, August 8; transferred to invalid corps; date unknown.
Koons, Elijah, August 15.
Kratzer, Howard, August 14.
Lyon, William D., August 7.
Lyon, James H., August 1; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863;
transferred to invalid corps April 30, 1863.
Leonard, Lawrence, August 14; died at St. Louis, July 14, 1863.
Little, Louis, August 21.
Madison, Anderson J., August 1; transferred to invalid corps July 5, 1865.
Millard, Homer A., August 7.
Millard, Henry J., August 1; died at Vicksburg July 23, 1863.
Mosgrove, William, August 1; wounded at Port Gibson May 1, 1863; died of
wounds June 6, 1863, at Magnolia Hospital, Mississippi.
Miller, Jonathan G., August 1.
Miller, Ezra W., August 1.
McIntire, William K., August 7; discharged February 26, 1863.
McDowell, Thomas, August 2; promoted to corporal; wounded at Milliken's Bend
June 7, 1863; died at Eddyville August 26, 1863.
McCauley, Charles H., August 1.
Mey, Julius L., August 21.
Murphy, John, August 1.
Nussbaum, Benj. F., August 1; wounded at Vicksburg June 14, 1863; died June
20, 1863, at Vicksburg of wounds.
Nelson, Thomas, August 2.
Nicholas, George M., August 7.
Napper, Renard, August 7; wounded at Milliken's Rend June 7, 1863.
Pritchard, John, August 1.
Riley, George, August 9; died on battle-field at Little Rock July —, 1864.
Stover, Henderson, August 1; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863;
discharged June 3, 1864.
Shaw, James E., August 7.
Summy, Henry B., August 1; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
Sharp, Donald C, August 1; wounded, date and place unknown; died of wounds at
St. Louis November 14, 1862.
Shellhart, George, August 1.
Shellhart, Samuel, August 9.
Stevens, George C., August 5; died at Patterson, Missouri, December 9, 1862.
Schooner, Randolph, August 15; discharged April 19, 1863.
Swope, Henry H., August 1.
Sibbett, Benj. F., August 7.
Spencer, Thomas, August 5.
Vestal, Solomon A., August 1.
Virtue, John, August 1; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863; died on
steamer City of Memphis June 10, 1863.
Waterman, Andrew J., August 9; discharged December 26, 1864.
Waterman, Henry, August 21.
Warden (Worden), George, August 5; discharged December 26, 1864.
Wilson, Clark, August 6; died at Keokuk July 5, 1864.
Wiley, James, August 10.
Wood, Hartford, August 11.
Wacker, John, August 1.
Walker, Augustus D., August 2.
Walker, John S., August 5; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
Weitman, Francis, August 11; promoted to first sergeant; to second lieutenant
March 6, 1863.
Yazel, David, August 1.
Young, Daniel, August 2; discharged March 12, 1863.
Young, Henry B., August 4; discharged April 12 1863.
Young, Henry, August 2; discharged April 12, 1863.
Young, Isaac, August 7.

ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.

Dunwoody, Lorenzo D., February 26, 1864, died at New Orleans August 18, 1864.
Coffman, Isaac, March 22, 1864.
Miller, Lorenzo P., March 24, 1864.
Story, William C, June 26 1863.
Swim, James R., March 26, 1864.
Warden Daniel, March 23, 1864.
Young Louis, March 28, 1864.

COMPANY C Enlisted in 1862 unless otherwise stated.

James C. Gregg, captain, July 24; resigned November 25, 1862.
John A. T. Hull, first lieutenant, July 24; promoted to captain November 26,
1862.
Benjamin Jennings, second lieutenant, August 7; promoted to first lieutenant
January 1, 1863; to captain, November 6, 1863.
William H. Downs, first sergeant, August 9; promoted to second lieutenant
January 1, 1863; killed at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
David W. Johnson, third sergeant, August 9.
William Kysar, fourth sergeant August 1; promoted to second sergeant October
4 1862; died at St. Louis July 16 1863.
Francis M. Howard, fifth sergeant August 1; promoted to fourth sergeant
October 4, 1862; discharged June 16, 1863.
James O'Bleness, first corporal, August 1; promoted to third sergeant; killed
at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
H. Spotts, second corporal, August 1.
Jeremiah D. Williams, third corporal, August 7; discharged February 25, 1863.
Austin Warnick, fourth corporal, August 7; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7,
1863.
Robert Howard, fifth corporal, August 9.
Joseph W. Lasell, sixth corporal August 6; reduced to ranks September 29, 1862.
Euphrates Tuthill, seventh corporal August 9; promoted to sixth corporal
September 29, 1862.
Benjamin P. West, eighth corporal August 1; promoted to seventh corporal
September 29, 1862; died at Patterson, Mo., November 25, 1862.
James R. Crawshaw, musician, August 1; promoted to fife-major September 19,
1862.

PRIVATES.

Angelo, Samuel H., August 9
Bull, John T., August 7; died at Van Buren Hospital, Louisiana, June 14, 1863.
Bull, William, August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge, Mississippi, May 17,
1863; died of wounds at Memphis June 21, 1863.
Bird, Empson, August 9; discharged April 14, 1863.
Butler, William B., August 9; promoted to fifth sergeant October 4, 1862;
discharged January 2, 1863.
Butler, Charles A., August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge, Mississippi, May
17, 1863.
Birch, Francis A., August 1; transferred to invalid corps.
Betts, Shepherd W., August 9; discharged March 6, 1863.
Brown, Joy P., August 9; discharged May 6, 1863.
Bailey, Quary, August 9.
Brown, John, August 9; died at St. Louis February 25, 1863.
Christy, William, August 1.
Crystal, John, August 1; discharged July 24, 1865.
Conison, Lemuel M. (Carison), August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17,
1863; died of wounds May 20, 1863.
Cahal, James H., August 7.
Collins, Elisha, August 9; discharged March 6, 1863.
Collins, Hiram, August 9.
Campbell, Frederick, T., August 9.
Couch, William S., August 9.
Dewey, Robert H., August 9; promoted to commissary-sergeant September 19.
Deaton, James R. (K.), August 7; discharged March 23, 1863.
Dean, William M., August 9.
Dean, James H., August 9.
Darling, Porter N., August 9; died at New Orleans November 14, 1863.
Evans, William M., August 7; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Frederick, Corwin B., August 9.
Ganett, Lyle A., August 9.
Gregory, William, August 6.
Howard, Francis A., August 7; discharged June 16, 1863.
Huggins, David, August 1.
Harvey, William, August 3; killed at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Halterman, Jackson, August 9; discharged January 9, 1863.
Harrison, John J., August 1.
Howard, W. H., August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Juvenall, John M., August 9; died at Patterson, Mo., November 25, 1862.
Jones, Charles L., August 9.
Leonard, Newton, G., August 9.
Little, John S., August 9.
Laughlin, Robert, August 9; discharged November 17, 1862.
Lang, Lewis, August 5.
McDowell, Michael (McDonnell), August 9; discharged January 31, 1863.
Miller, John L., August 1; discharged April 14, 1863.
Mattern, William H., August 9.
Nelson, David, August 9; died at St. Louis February 25, 1863.
Owens, Henry, August 8; discharged April 1, 1865.
Pricer, William, August 1.
Ramsey, Martin K., August 7.
Robinson, Hubert S., August 1; (reported also Stewart S. Robinson as wounded
at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.)
Robinson, Smith C., August 9; died at Ironton, Mo., December 2, 1862.
Rison, Bailey, August 7; transferred to invalid corps July 1, 1864
Stuart, Bazil, August 9.
Stuart, John W., August 9; promoted to eighth corporal September 29, 1862; to
seventh corporal November 25, 1862; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Smith, Hardin, August 1.
Sherill, John W. August 1.
Sherill, Elisha C, August 1; died near Saylorville, March 27, 1865.
Sherill, William H., August 1.
Stark, Benjamin P., August 9.
Swift, Jeremiah, August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Scarbrough, James, August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863; died
at Memphis July 11, 1863, of wounds.
Stockdale, Richmond, August 7; transferred to invalid corps.
Saylor, John Q. A., August 1; discharged February 28, 1863.
Shirts, Roscius, August 6.
Taft, Joel, August 7.
Thrailkill, Joseph, August 9; discharged January 26, 1863.
Vice, Henry, August 9; died at Vicksburg July 28, 1863.
West, Samuel V., August 1.
West, Henry C., August 1; died at Vicksburg August 5, 1863.
Witmer, George W., August 1.
Webb, John G., August 1; killed at Port Gibson May 1, 1863.
Webb, James R., August 7.
Walsh, Thomas, August 9.
Wilcox James K., August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Woodrow, William H., August 9; wounded at Black River Bridge May 17, 1863.
Wilcox, Gilbert, August 5.
Yocum, John, August 7; died on floating hospital at Nashville, Tenn., July
26, 1863.

ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.

Ballard, James, March 16, 1864.
Deaton, James K., March 14, 1864.
Dailey, Lewis N., March 29, 1864; died at Vicksburg July 28, 1864.
Enfield, Samuel, March 14, 1864; died on steamboat Kate Dale, July 14, 1864.
Grossnickle, Jonathan, May 14, 1864.
Howard, Francis A., March 12, 1864.
Howard, Marion L., March 16, 1864.
Hewitt, Franklin E., December 4, 1863.
Jones, Albert M., March 29, 1864.
McCormick, Charles, March 19, 1864; discharged November 10, 1864.
McMichael, James M., March 29, 1864.
Phillips, Clark C., March 21, 1864.
Wright, John W., March 12, 1864.

COMPANY E Enlisted in 1862, unless otherwise stated.

William E. Houston, second lieutenant, July 25; promoted to first lieutenant
November 11, 1862; to captain April 6, 1865.
William Merrill, second lieutenant, August 12, from sergeant-major; promoted
to quartermaster July 25, 1863.
Thomas J. Saylor, fourth sergeant, August 1.
Robert H. Fink, fifth sergeant, August 1; killed at Milliken's Bend, La.,
June 7, 1863.
Vincent S. Martin, fourth corporal, August 12; promoted to third corporal,
September 8, 1862.
John M. Rosencrants, sixth corporal, August 12; promoted to fifth corporal
September 8, 1862; died in St. Louis July 11, 1863.
William Wilson, eighth corporal, July 18; promoted to seventh corporal
September 8, 1862; killed at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
David S. McQuiston, musician, August 1.

PRIVATES.

Ashworth, Abraham, August 13.
Betts, Mathias, August 14; discharged February 7, 1863.
Betts, James W., August 12; transferred to marine brigade January 1, 1863;
died at Keokuk September 4, 1863.
Buzick, William C, August 12.
Cottle, Elias, August 4; wounded at Spanish Fort, Alabama, March 28, 1865.
Craig, Alexander, August 13; wounded at Port Gibson, Mississippi, May 1, 1863.
Fink, W. W., August 11.
Jameson, John D., August 16; died at Rolla, Mo., January 29, 1863.
Kees, Thomas, August 14.
Moore, John W., August 15.
Pearson, John W., August 12.
Porter, John, August 12; wounded at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863; transferred
to invalid corps September 1, 1863.
Sunday, William, August 14; died at Camp Patterson, Mo,. December 22, 1863.
Springer, Jacob S., August 15; killed at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
Sutton, Aguiller, August 9.
Stanhope, Luther W., August 12; killed at Milliken's Bend June 7, 1863.
Woodward, William H., August 14.

COMPANY F.

John M. Pollock, musician, August 22; died at Ironton, Missouri, January 3,
1863.

COMPANY G. Enlisted in 1862, unless otherwise stated.


John Ross, second sergeant.
Cowgill, Gustavas V., died at Des Moines, December 2, 1863.
Forbes, Francis H., discharged October 13, 1863.
Fox, George W., died at Ironton, Missouri, March 26, 1863.
Gilay, George C., discharged April 5, 1863.
Hammer, Richard, died at Memphis September 6, 1863.
Hayes, James (K. P.).
Smith, John R.
Cory, Benjamin C, February 15, 1861; transferred to Twenty-ninth infantry.
Hudson, Thomas J., died at New Orleans September 1, 1864.

COMPANY H. Enlisted in 1862, unless otherwise stated.

Barker, William B., August 20; wounded at Black River Bridge May 18, 1863.
Derrickson, Charles W., January 1, 1864.
Hewitt, Franklin E., December 11, 1863.
Huston, Zachary T., January 1, 1864.
Haines, Jonathan C., January 4, 1864.
Myers, Asahel W., August 1, 1863.
Hopkins, John, March 12, 1864; company unknown.
Hudson, Lewis, February 6, 1864; company unknown.
Otteson, John, February 6, 1864; company unknown.
Taylor, John Q. A., October 15, 1864; company unknown.



Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

ANNALS OF POLK COUNTY, IOWA,
AND
CITY OF DES MOINES
BY WILL PORTER.

"And this volume, dedicated to its people, sets forth in attractive style all
the facts and incidents that go to make up the history of which all citizens are
justly proud."
—Major Hoyt Sherman.

GEO. A. MILLLER PRINTING COMPANY,
PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS,
DES MOINES, IOWA,
1898.

File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ia/polk/history/1898/annalsof/polkcoun32nms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/iafiles/

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