The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-06-22
Meeting of the Men of the 37th iowa
Volunteer Infantry

Meeting OF the Men of the 37th lows
Volunteer Infantry.
AT meeting of the men of the 37th low;
Volunteer Infantry, being convened nea
/ Camp Mcclellan, May 26th, 1865, the FOL
lowing business was transacted:
VIM. Potter was called to the Chair, anf
"A. Danskin was chosen to act as Secretary
The chairman briefly that the object o
the meeting was to take some action i'm re-
gard to certain wrongs under which the
regiment was suffering. On motion, it was
RESOLVED, That one man from each Com.
pany be appointed Committee to consider
the matter, and report to a subsequent
meeting. 1922
Resotned, That the following named men
compose that committee: Malahan. Wash.
burn, Hancox, Howard, Golf. Potter
Brown, Paskell, Cartwright and Littleiohn
On motion, il was agreed to adjourn to
meet at or near the Bridge at Davenport
at o'clock p. NJ.
Pursuant to agreement an adjourned
meeting OF the men Of the $7tth IkQwSS,Rted IQwSS Rtetd
presented the following as the result o
their deliberations: .r.e ..sl ."~
The undersigned, a committee appointed
to draft a statement and suitable resolu-
tions to be adopted by the non-commis-
stoned officers and privates of the 37th Reg
imcnt Iowa Volunteer Infantry, respect
fully report the following
STATEMENT. ...
This regiment was organised under ~
special order Of the War Department and
was to be composed of men over the age
of 45 years. Composed as this regiment
was of old men. it was not expected that
the rigid discipline would be enforced. as
is usual in regiments made up of Young
men. To our aston!shment. after our ar
rival in st. Louis, not only was the strict
est discipline enforced. but in addition 10
this, the most disgraceful punishment was
inflicted on the men for trivial offences
ana this, too, without trial. Private sol
diers were loaded with balls and chains
like felons; and most infamous of all, l!
privates were placed upon their backs un-
der the hydrant and the water flooded into
their faces and ears, until they were appa.
rently dead. One man i'm part lost his
hearing from the effects of this punish.
mont, and another died shortly after being
thus. punished. This put stop to this
cruel harharism. In this connection. we
blush 10 state the fact, but truth compels
us To do so, that the Rev. James White
Chaplain of the regiment. stood over these
victims while being punished, and wher
one was like to be released, cried out. sht
can stand "A little morev
The Colonel, while at st. Louis, OCCASION
ally relieved himself of his extra bile %,
abusing the men at "suard mounting in
the public streets of st. Louis, and threat
ening them with punishment i'm the pres
ence OF the citizens .
Whlle the regiment was stationed at AL.
ton, the men were punished by sending
them to an island opposite that CITY tt
guard the pest house, where the small poA
patients were kept, and a number took thai
loatfsome disease and several died. wher
the regiment. owed from Alton there were
but about 2si efficient men for duty. tn,
balance were either on the sick list or in
the hospital.
Believing as we then did, land we hay,
not chaged our minds. that the duty we
we'e able to perform did not justify oul
remaining i'm the service as a regiment
from the fact that all the worthless men
who done no duty, were discharged. tha
not more than enough would be left Il
make three ordinary companies, and coulC
be commanded by three captains and siy
lieutenants, saving the expense Of all oul
field and staff officers, and seven captains
and fourteen heutenants, as well as the pay
OF the worthless men. After consultation
we gotup and signed the fsllowingpetition
PETITION OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES IOWA
VOLUNTEERS.
To His Ercelency, Abrdhasn lincoln. Pres
ident and COMMANDMENTS Chief of the Ar.
my and Nary of the United States.
SIR-The undersigned non-commission.
ed officers and privates of the 37th lows
Volunteer Infantry, would respectfully
represent that they were mustered into the
service of the United States on or abou,
the 18th day Of December, 1862; that prior
to their being mustered into said service
with few exceptions) they were not exam.
ined as required by law; that mon badly
ruptured, others crippled, others who had
nearly lost their eye sight, and others who
were quite deaf, with a large number who
were afflicted with incurable chronic dis
eases, uniting them for service, were
mustered into said regiment; that conse
quently but little If any more than one
half of said regiment have been fit for duty
at any one time since being in the service
that the residue were either in hospital ol
excused from duty on account Of their in
ability; that since the organization of tn,
regiment about one hundred of the mer
charged for incompetency, whilst a mum
ber have deserted. I-Fa
We would further represent that, will
the exception of about fifty men, the regi
ment is composed of men over As years O
age, while many are over 60 and some Owe
20 years OF age; that large majority O
the members of said regiment are farmers
owning improved farms that some of then
had sons in the army at the time they en-