Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-13
SOME "REMINISCENCES
Sons Of Adams Township in the
War Of the Rebellion.
COMPANY ORGANIZED In OTTUMWA
Ten of Them Never Came Back-The
Courier Receives Letter From J.
w. McMahilI, of Youngstown, ILL.,,
Formerly of Adams Township.

Inc Courier is in receipt of another
letter from ]. w. McMahill. of Youngs-
town, ILL.,, relative to the part some of
Adams townships sons took in the
war of the rebellion and of the organi-
cation of the company from that place
which met in Ottumwa. Eight of the
number with two who had afterwards
enlisted never came back. The story
is told by Mr.. McMahill in the follow
ing letter:
Youngstown, ILL.,, Sept. 8, 1900.
Editor Courier: 1 see that my ar
ticle of August 19 met welcome in
the columns of the Courier instead of
consignment to the waste basket,
hence l am willing to say few more
things of the sons of those grand and
noble pioneers who made Adams
township SO glorious.
If memory serves me faithfully
Adams township had not furnished the
Union army with very many men dur
ing the first year of the civil war, but
as time went on the spirit of patriot
ism moved upon the hearts of about
thirty of the young men of that town
ship to such an extent that on the
Sth day of August, 1852, they enlisted,
and with other squads or delegations
met at the court house in Ottumwa
and completed the organization of the
company August IL, 1862.
After the usual preliminaries in
such assemblies they proceeded to the
election of officers. They elected E. L.
Joy captain; S. A. Swiggett first lieu
tenant, and ]. H. McVeigh second lieu
tenant. The names of those boys
from Adams township that enlisted on
that memorable eighth day of the
eighth month of that gloomy year
were as follows: J. w. Ayers, Benja-
min Abegg, Earl Barrows, Lucius
Bond, Benjamin Carter, Nelson Derby,
Grin Derby, ,Jm. Dalton, James Fent,
ST., James Fent, Jr., Lacey CARING
house, A. j. Grimes, Daniel Good, Pc
ter Good, Ashford Good, George How
ard, VIM. Kendall, Jesse Nudge, L. j.
Mccormack, ]. W. McMahill, Daniel
Parse, H. A. Pratt, Joseph RAIDER, G..
w. Reading, s. A. Swiggett, John
Smith, Richard Turpin, Jacob West,
Levi West, John Woods and John
Wellman.
Our heroic dead, when we return
ed, numbered ten. They were George
Howard, John Wood, BENJAMIN Car
ICl, Johli koLAllby OCoSO Guuu6C, 1SddS
Bellies, Newton Bellies, A. j. Grimes,
Calvin Smith was wounded.
ut will be seen that Adams town
ship gave some of her best sons as a
sacrifice in order to perpetuate the
Union now and forever and in all
fairness permit me to state that they
all entered their country's service ir-
respective of political parties or fac
lions. The squad from Blakesburg,
tho politically divided, never allowed
difference in opinion to hinder their
love and friendship for each other.
Turnout all those long and dreary days
they discussed political questions as
only brave men can. The members of
the republican, the democratic, and
the American parties in Company B,
Thirty-sixth Iowa, always recognized
the principles of right, and as these
brave boys assisted in making the his
tory of Adams township shine with a
glory undimmed by time, l have no
fears that her colors will ever be low
ered
81 love to think of those men and
their gallant deeds, and when / read
the Courier my eyes peer sharply to
find the name of some Blakesburg boy
1 knew in days gone by, and would
much enjoy reading each week col
umn of "reminiscences of soldier life
told by Wapello county boys. Soon
these hands will forget their cunning,
soon these bodies that once were tar
gets for disease and bullets will lie
low in the valley Be true to God, to
country and tn each other
with thanks for your kind indul-
gence, am respectfully,
~. w. McMahill."