Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-03

Des Moines, Oct. ga letter re-
celved at the Office oil Adjutant Gen
eral Byers at the state house yes
terday recalled the fact of a law which
was placed on the statute books by
the legislature in 1896, but which be
cause there are so few calls for its
application, is occasionally forgot
ten.
The law passed by the legislature
that year just before adjournment and
was for the purpose of reimbursing
Iowa soldiers for expenses to which
they We're put at the opening of the
civil war in the purchase of uniforms.
1t applies to the Second and Third
Iowa regiments. When these two
regiments went to the front they
were to be attired in gray uniforms.
Many of the men furnished the uni
forms at their own expense and 9TH
ers who did not have the money for
the purpose were supplied by the
state, but the uniform was made a
charge against them.
Money Appropriated.
| AS an act of justice and relief the
| Legislature of 1886 passed a bill ap-
propriating $1,000 to be expended in
| payment to these soldiers, their wod-
ows or their heirs for these uniforms.
| The legislature fixed a uniform fig
ure of $14.25 for each member of the
regiment who should apply and take
| advantage of the law
Applies for Allowance.
The letter received by Adjutart
| General Byers is from Mrs. Henrietta
A. Putnam of East st. Louis, III. She
| is daughter of Private William A.
Drill OF Company H of the Third
Iowa. Her father, who is now dead,
never applied for the allowance for
! his uniform. and Mrs. Putnam writes
that she has been assigned the rights
OF her two brothers, as heirs, in the
matter. In her letter she relates an
affecting incident of the war. After
enlistment the Second and Third
| Iowa regiments We're encamped near
each other and there sprung up ri
yalry in the two camps of good
natured sort, and thus the soldiers be-
guiled the time. William A. Grill
was an extraordinary tall man, and
on account of his height, he was
named "the infant of the Third.
Brothers United.
One day a challenge came from the
| Second regiment to the effect that
one of their privates could outmea
sure DRILL in height The challenge
was accepted and the two giants were
brought together and placed back tc
back. Before the measurement OF
either was taken Grill inquired the
name of his contestant for the honor
He was surprised to learn the name
was Drill, the same as his own
Instantly he faced about and in g
second two brothers who had moi
seen each other for twenty years
were crying in each others arms. ant
in that way they were measured
They were exactly of the same
height.
Will Buy Memento.
An official blank will be sent b,
the adjutant generals office to Mrs
Putnam and when it is returned she
will receive the draft of the state fo
the sum her father was entitled to
She says she wants to purchase
memento of him with the money
The records of the Second ant
Third Iowa. which are kept in tn,
adjutant generals office. show tina
but comparatively few of the member.
of the regiment or their heirs hav,
availed themselves of the opportun
ity to recover from the state this sun
which represents money patrioticall,
spent for the preservation of tn,
union.
|
/ 4