Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-09
A WAR REMINISCENCE
The ViYidness With Which Memory
Recalls a Picture of Sad Times.
A DEMOCRATIC LAWYER CALLED
To the Command of a Certain Des MOines
Company of Volunteers.
CAREER OF A TRIED AND TRUE MAN
rwnIrTaN gon EHs DIsPArqH.l

WRITTEN FOR THE DTsPArcH.s
At the outbreak Of the Rebellion was .
citizen of Des Moines, Ia, city at that
time of less than 5000 inhabitants. When
President Lincoln issued his frst call
for $4,000 soldiers Iowa was prompt to re-
second invitation from Father Abraham,
but was ready, with her full quota Of gal
liant boys in blue. to march TO the fspnt for
God and our native land. There is no pic
ture on memory's tablet more vivid than
that meeting in the Methodi1t church,
where the citizens Of pss Moines
gathered in the spring 1861 to
give their parting blessing to the
boys who were starting to the 'front.'
There had been many awakenings in that
meeting house, but fancy there were none
which 50 deeply moved the hearts Of the
people IS that parting with the brave boys
who there went forth followed by the bene-
dictions of mothers, sisters, fathers and
friends.
In command Of the Des Moines company
was Captain Crocker. leading attorney Of
Des MONIES, of whom General Grant, in his
memoirs, /" said that he was one Of the
two volunteer officers under his command
capable Of taking charge Of corps. The
other was General Logan.
THE CAPTAINS PEDIGREE.
Captain Crocker was Democratic Law.
yer, with a good practice, a rival Of John
A. Kasson, and had little sympathy with
abolitionism. He looked upon an anti
slavery agitator as q crank and one hostile
to the best interests of the country, and 50
said upon one occasion to the writer.
On zone occasion, when present at the
Methodist church, of Des Moines, . radical
anttslavery sermon was preached, IN com
ing out Mr.. Crueker SAID: s'If they had
only let me know beforehand that they were
going to hold an abolition meeting here
would have stayed at home.
But in the day Of the Unions
need all questions of slavery or anti-slaYery
were put aside by the gallant young attor-
ney, and he was ready to go to the front at
the call of Lincoln. Well do 1 remember
when his resolution was taken. The re-
membrance of that day is indented deep in
memory, and there it will remain while life
and being last.
Though Mr.. Crocker's sympathies were
all with the party which opposed the rail
splitter Of Illinois, when the Union was in
peril and needed defenders he was not want
ing, but was ready to lead the Des Moines
boys against the common foe.
For months after the departure Of Cap
tain Crocker and the boys in blue
under his lead the tidings which
came back to Des Moines were uniform
" gloomy. Bulls Run defeats fol-
lowed by other disasters to the Union
armies had terribly depressed the hopes Of
patriots and many lost heart Disaster fol-
lowed disaster to the Union armies, and for
time it was question whether OF not the
American Republic was any longer fact.
THE FIRST CLEAN OF HOPE.
that dawned on our horizon was the capture
of Fort Doneldson by General Grant, in
which the Iowa boys were at the front. The
Des Moines boys in blue were in the Storm
ing party, and were among the first in the
works of the enemy, turning over to Uncle
Sam 1900 rebel prisoners. This was the
first decided victory to the Union cause, and
gave new hope to the hearts Of patriots all
over the land. General Grant achieved
his first success at Fort Doneldson,
and the Iowa soldiers. with Des Moines
boys in the lead, performed no small part
in bringing about this first decided success
of the Union armies.
But the sequel to this "reminiscences r.
mains to be told. When Fort Donaldson
was captured, and 10, 900 rebels surrendered
to General Grant, telegram was sent to
Des Moines announcing the great victory.
The Legislature was in session at the time.
1 was present when the clerk read the mes
sage.
Immediately upon its reading
member arose, and, with some difficulty, for
there was general shouting and cheering,
moved that Iowa's prohibitory laws be sus-
pended for "a hours. The motion was
passed by acclamation, and the Legislature
ing out the resolution.
A SAD FEATURE.
An hour or two afterward the Governor Of
the State and prominent legislators were
seen on Court avenue in hilarious condi-
ton, rejoicing over the Union victory. But
q few days after a sadder feature
of the Union victory was brought
before the people Of Des MONIES.
Two of the boys from that young city had re-
ceived fatal wounds when storming Fort
DoneldsOn. Their bodies were brought home
to be laid at rest among friends and kim
dred. One had received bullet in
the head. the other in the
heart. Their names were Weeks and Dotys
both priyates, and sons Of honored citizens
Of Des Moines. In the same church where
the citizens had gathered q few months be-
fore to bid them gOdspeed, these two dead sOl-
diers rested in state before their final con-
signment to the tomb.
AS we looked upon these young friends
calmly sleeping their last sleep we felt that
it was no gala day which this cruel war had
forced upon the American people, but .
stern conflict which was to settle for all
time to come great and abiding principles,
BAPTIZED ANEW.
The people who gathered to pay their last
tribute to the dead soldiers were baptized
with a new and better spirit than that with
which they sent forth the brave boys to the
front few months before.
There was one, at least, who looked upon
those dead patriots whose devotion to the
Republic was nightly strengthened in that
sad hour. Our nation was saved at fearful
cost. Be it ours to preserve and perpetuats
it against all foes from within or without.
J. II. YOU'VE.
nRnIcIPoRY geRVTnES SUNDlY