Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-03-29


but as those embyro soldiers view
ed it, was declared to be too much
of good thing; there was no use
overdoing it; they didn't enlist to be
drilled and paraded around all day
long, they enlisted to fight, and
they didn't see no sense in so much
drilling, inohow." But the drills
were continued with little regard to
the feelings or wishes of the men,
for We were to be made into real
soldiers and fitted as well as might
be for the serious work which lay
before us. Some of us lived to see
the day when drill and discipline
not only saved us from defeat, but
was largely instrumental in win
ming fer the Union forces one of
the most signal victories of the war.
The Clinton County Guards had
enlisted under President Lincoln's
first call for seventy-ive thousand
men to serve for three months, but
very soon after we reached Keokuk
thirty companies were gathered
there, and as the state of Iowa had
only been asked for one regiment
as it's quota, it dawned upon us that
our services might not be needed
after ALL That, however, was an
error, which was soon dispelled, for
on the third day of May the presi-
dent issued his first call for men
to serve for three years or during
the war. The thirty companies in
rendezvous were divided into three
regiments, to be known as the First,
Second and Third Iowa Infantry;
the First alone being mustered in
for three months, the Second and
Third for three years. The Clin-
ton County Guards fell into the
Second, and from that time forward
ceased to be known by the name
under which it had been enrolled,
but was mustered into the service
of the United States as Company !,
Second Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
The field officers were Immediately
elected by vote of the line officers
and men. Samuel r Curtis, who
twas at that time the member of
Congress from the first district, was
elected Colonel James M. Tuttle.
Lieut.. Colonel and Marcellus NJ.
Croker, Major. Lieut.. N. p. Chip
man was appointed Adiutant. Mr..
l.. d. Ingersoli author of Iowa and
the Rebellion, speaks of the regi-
ment in the following complimen-
.tary terms: "The Second Regiment
of Iowa Volunteer Infantry, one of
the most distinguished of our COM
mands, was organized at Keokuk
very soon after the commencement
of the war. 1t was the first regi-
ment of three years men that our
state sent into the field, and the
first of all to leave Iowa for the
theatre of war. Its companies were
enrolled during that first splendid
uprising Of enthusiasm which fol-
lowed the atrocioUs bombardment OF
Fort Sumter. and they had within
their ranks many men of great tai
ents and of considerable reputation
in the state. There never was. per-
haps, in any country military
organization of equal numbers
which possessed more men OF
merit. This kindly expressed es-
innate of the regiment is not be-
yond the facts. 1t is in no sense
overdrawn. 1t is fully sustained by
the record made by both officers
and men, record of which the state
of Iowa has ever been proud.
s. r. Curtis soon became Major
General, and for time had COM
mand of the Department of the
Missouri. He commanded our army
at the battle Of Pea Ridge which
he won, greatly distinguishing him
self there. as also subsequently dur
ing the war. TuEtle, "Old Pap
Tuttle" as the boys called him, be-
came a Brigadier General, and was
known all through the western army
as a soldier worthy OF his rank,
Crocker rose to the rank of Major
General and acquired great military
fame at Jackson and Champions
Hill. Chapman was made an Aid
de-Camp in the regular army with
the rank of Colonel, and was Judge
Advocate of the Court, which tried
the monster Wirz of Andersonyille
prison fame.
The regiment left Keokuk on the
18th OF June, disembarking at Ham
nibaL Missouri, and moving to the
western part of the state, with
headquarters at Saint Joseph. This
journey across the state was made
during what was known as the
Reign of Terror" in northern Mis-
souri,. we were given the duty OF
puardiug the railr0ad eastward from