Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-08-03
.IOWA'S OLD SOLDIERS
A SHORT SKETCH OF THEIR TRIALS AND TRlB-
ULATlONS BEFORE AND AFTER DOING
GENEROUS SERVICE FOR THE COUNTRY.
A Roster of the Names OF Il Few Polk
County Veterans. The List to be Made
Complete by Adding the Names OF
All Iowa Colored soldiers

Il
war and his services has continued to
adorn the pages of history. The best
means by which we can show the un-
selfish devotion of the Negro to this
country and its flag and his unparalleled
patriotism under discouraging and un-
inviting circumstances is to recite from
the pages of history briefly.
The first fatal collision occurred
March 8, 171O, between British soldiers
and American patriots and was known
as ''the Boston Massacre. Crispus
Attucks was leader of the patriotic
mob. He was mulatto and one of
four killed outright by the British.
On June II, ITS, Peter Salem, another
Negro, was the thero who manned the
slight breast works so gallantly, de-
Tended and shot dead Major Pitcairn,
of the British marines, scaled the re-
doubt finally and shouted .'The day is
ours" The embodiment of the victims
of slavery in the armies of freedom was
felt to be very calling and inconsistent
and resolutions were passed to admit
only freedmen. for slavery was cherish
ed in nearly all the organized,colonies
A South Carolina member of the Con-
tinental Congress offered resolution
to dismiss all Negroes from the patriot
armies but the opposition was SO formi-
dable and determined that the motion
did not prevail. Negroes We're, there
fore. continued to be received as sub
stitutes for slave holders of the super
ior race After the close of the war
many Negroes We're constrained to sue
for their freedom and the courts uni
yersally sustained the action and com
PEELED the master to act as if he had
been honest. The Legislature finally
passed law granting freedom to the
Negro soldiers upon due proof.
The war Of 1912 was of much shorter
duration and Negro soldiers We're in
demand before its close. In Gen. Jack
sons famous defense of New Orleans
the blacks were fighting bravely and
his attestation of their bravery and
good conduct are well known.
The question of enlisting the blacks
in the late rebellion had lost none of
its vigor and it continued to trouble
the minds of the people. So long as
the ranks of the Union army were
satisfactorily filed by volunteering
alone, and whites promptly answered
every requisition for more men, Negroes
or mullatoes were not accepted as
soldiers, though freely enlisted and
employed in the navy at the same pay
and allowances as whites. At no time
during the war were blacks allowed in
a regiment preponderantly white, as
had been done during the Revolution
ary war. But no sooner had McClellan's
campaign against Richmond eliminated
in disaster and requisition upon the
loyal states for 600, 900 more recruits to
our armies, rendering conscription in
some localities unavoidable, than the
barriers of caste began to give away.
Mr.. Grimes. of Iowa, offered resolu-
tion that there shall be no exemption
from military duty on account of color.
Mr.. Broomall, of Penn, in the house
of representatives, said Il have never
found the most snaky constituent of
mine, who. when he was drafted, re-
fused to let the blackest Negro in the
district go as substitute" The
Rebels were the first to make soldiers
of the blacks and had 1.4OO III one COM
pany in New Orleans in 1861. The
awarding of commissions for twenty
regiments Of blacks served as a power
ful antidote to anti-negro prejudice.
Finally the war department. was com
PEELED to establish recruiting stations
for black soldiers in several states.
There were $4,000 enlisted before De-
cember 1868 and over 200, 900 before the
close of the war.
We do not with to exalt them to the
disparagement of white soldiers who
fought bravely by their side, for the
whites will be the last ones to detract
from the gratitude which the Nation
owes to ALL her sons who freely offered
their lives for the salvation of their
country.
Who can tell what the result would
have been without the Negro soldiers
in any of the great wars?
We give the names of a few of the
colored soldiers and patriots who
fought for the preservation of the
Union, the purity of government and
abolition of slavery:
l ,.
Henry Shelley went into the war from
the state of Missouri in 1868 and was mus
tered out in 1865; division commander.
Gen. Williams.
Robert Dickens went into the war from
the state of Iowa in 1868 aud was mustered
out out in 1865: division commander, Gen.
Williams
Thomas Scott went into the war from
the state of Illinois in 1852 and was. mus
tered out in 1864; division commander
Gen. Birney. He afterward enlisted in the
navy and served until tpe close of the war
under Admiral Portesw
Riley Dysart wen31nto the war from the
state of Missouri in 1868 and was mustered
out IN 1855; division commander, General
Thomas.
Peter Holmes went into the war from the
state of Kentucky in 1862 and was muster
ed out in 1868, division commander. Gen
Thomas. Mr.. Holmes was with Sherman
on the march to the sea. He was forced to
serve in the rebel army as a servant for
Run.
Levi Mcdonald enlisted in 1868 and serv-
ed one year and & months under the late
Gen. Tuttie, of Iowa
Thomas E. Barton commenced service on
April 15, 1863, and mustered out in Feb
ruary Ii, 1865. He belongs to Crocker Post
He was with Sherman on his march to the
sea.
George H. Cleggett went with company
G. Penn 1861 and was mustered out IN
1862 and ren-enlisted in 1868 as recruiting
sergeant under Gen. Wagner
r. d. Turner went into the war from the
state of Kentucky as a cavalryman in
1863 under Gen. frye and came out in 1868
Richard Stewart began to battle for his
country in 1868 and came out iii 1865 He
was with the Twenty-sixth N, Y. under
Sherman.