The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-05-10

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I've found no head in the grave, and
NO bones of any kind-ncthing but the
clothes and portions of the flesh. We
found the remains OF three other bodies
all together. The clothes were seen;
some flesh was left, but no bones" The
witness also states Mrs. Pierce Butler,
who lives near the place, ssid that she had
seen the rebels boiling portions Af the bo-
dies of our dead in order to obtain their
bones as relics They could not wait for
them to decay. She said that she had
seen drumsticks made Of "Yankee shin
bones" as they called them. Mrs. Butler
also stated that she had seen skull that
fone Of the New Orleans artillery had,
which, he said, l,e was going to send home
and have mounted. ard that he intended
to drink brandy puach out of it the day
he was married.
The evidence of that distinguished and
patriotic dnzen, Hon. William Sprague,
/ Governor Of the S ate Of Rhode Island,
confirms and fortifes some Of the most
revolving statements of former witnesses
Ills object in visiting the battlefield was
to recover the bodies of Col. Slocum and
Major Ballou Of the Rhode Island reei-
ment He took cut with them several
Of his own men to identify the graves. -
On reaching the place he states that tive
commenced digging for the bodies Of Col.
Slocnm and MAJOR Ballou at the spot
pointed out to US BY these men who had
been ia the action.
"While digging, some negro women
came up and asked whom We were look
ing fak- and at the same time said that
Col. slocum had been dug up by the re-
bells, by some men of Georgia regiment,
bis head cut of, and his body taken to a
ravine thirty or forty yards below, and
there burned. We stopped digging and
went to the spot designated, where NE
found Goals and ashes and bones mingled
together. A little distance from there ne
found shirt [s,ill buttoned at the neck,
ard blanket with large quantities Of hair
upon il, everything indicating the burning
OF body there We returned aud dug
down a. the spot indicated as the grave Of
Major Ballou, but found no body there
but at the place pointed out as the grave
where Col. Sloeum was buried, we found
a box, which, upon being raised and
opened, was found TO contain the body of
Col. Slocum. The soldiers who had buried
the two bodies were satisfied that the
grave which Lad been opened, the body
taken out, beheaded, and burned, was
that af Major Balou, because it WAS
not In the spot where Colonel Siocum
was buried, but rather to the right of it.
They at once said that the rebels had
made mistake, and had taken the body
of Major Ballou for that of Col. Slocum.
The shirt found near the place where the
body was burned recognized as one be-
longing to Major Ballou, as had been
very intimate with him. We gathered
up the ashes containing the portion of
his remains that were lalt, aud put them
IN coffin, together with Els shirt and
the blanket with the hair left upon it.
After we had done this We went to that
portion of the field where tho battle had
first commenced, and began 70 dig for the
remains of Capt. Tower We brought q
soldier with US to designate the place
where he was buried. He had beeh
wounded In the battle, and had seen from
the window of the house where the cap
tain was inferred. On opening the ditch
or trench. we found it filed with soldiers
all buried with their faces downward
On taking up some four or Eve, we dis
covered the remains Of Capt. Tower,
mingled with those of the men. We took
them. placed them in coffin, and brought
them home.o
In reply to the question of the member
Of the committee, as to whether he was
satisfied that they we're buried Intention
ally with their faces downward, Governor
Sprague's answer was, "Undonbtadly -
Beyond all controversy" aud that nit wa.
done as mark Of indignity." In answer
to another question, as to what their OBJ
jcct could have been, especially in regard
to the body of Col. Slocum, be replied,
"Sheer brutality, and nothing else. They
did it on account of his chiralry~aad cour-
ago in forcing his regiment, feallessly and
brasely upon them. He destroyed about
one-half Of that Georgia regiment which
was made up Of their best citizens. -
When the inquiry was put whether he
thought these barbarities we're committed
by that regiment, he responded, "By the
same regiment, as / was told,' While
their own dead were buried with marble
head and foot stones, and names upon
them, ours were buried, as / have stated,
in trenches This eminent witness con-
cludes his testimony as follows: 81 have
published an order to my second regiment.
to which these officers were attached, that
shall not be satisfied with what they
shall do unless they give an account Of