The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-07-27

On the tenth of August, the q,
niversary of the battle of Wilson
Creek will occur in Keokuk what ma
be the last reunion of the famou
First Iowa infantry The record {
the First Iowa is written indelibly
the history Of the nation. The nam
and fame of the gallant Organization
will live forever. But the brave me-
who were the first to answer the cal
OF Governor Kirkwood for men to I'll
Iowa's quota of the $4,000 troops call
ed for by President Abraham Lincoln
are being steadily mustered out Of the
service OF life. OF the thousand mel
who marched away from Keokuk OF
that June day in 81, possibly fit,
will again march down Main stree,
On the tenth of next month. Loyal
veterans in this city are preparing "a
make the reunion Of these veterans a
memorable one In their lives and in
the history Of their organization.
Once again Keokuk will belong to the
First, and not only the men who wear
the little bronze button, but every
good citizen will welcome them and
give them good cheer while they are
the guests of the city.
The First Iowa wrote the first
page of Keokuk's war record. The
regiment assembled in this city. the
companies coming here from all over
the state to be mustered into the
service of the United States. For
something less than month the re-
cruits drilled and drilled and drilled
at the camp ground beyond what is
now Rand park. Dress parades were
held on Main street, the right resting
on Second, and the thousand men
stretching UP beyond where the
Curtis monument now stands. The
regiment was armed here. Eagerly
the soldiers watched the long mus
kets as they were removed from the
cases from the east. And when it
was discovered that the guns were
Mexican war flintlocks remade, and
possessing the kicking power of a
span of Missouri mules, three heavy
groans expressed the sentiment of
LIE dSScHIUiSu uueH. WISH tuS COLL
panies came pouring into Keokuk, the
organization of the commissary de-
partment had not yet extended this
far The Keokuk firm of Hamill and
Ralston furnished the volunteers with |
flour, sugar and other necessities I'M
til the government could provide for
their subsistence. The day that the |
soldiers marched down Main street |
to embark for the front was solemn |
one. Men remember that the COM ,
panies passed between silent crowds. !
The war was serious thing even I
that early. Thus the history of the
First Iowa is part of the history of |
Keokuk, and when the veterans meet /
here once more, together with those |
members of the Second and Third !
Iowa infantry regiments the citizens
of Keokuk will unite to do them honor.
Keokuk sent "a soldiers to the
front with the First Iowa Volunteer
Infantry, the first regiment recruited
for service. in the civil war from this
state. This regiment made an excel
lent record, not only receiving con-
gratulations of army men for the
splendid service rendered at Wilson's
Creek, but receiving the thanks Of
congress and official recognition of
their brave conduct
OF the recruits OF the First Iowa,
the greater portion of the regiment re-
enlisted for service In other Iowa reg
iments. The most of the men were
young in age, hardly more than boys
The state of Iowa has compiled
set of books containing the war rec
ords of each regiment which served
during the civil war The First Iowa
was mustered into service at Keokuk,
Iowa, May II, 1861. and mustered out
at St Louis, Mo, August 81, 1851.
Concerning the First Iowa, the state
history says:
In the great drama of the war Of the
Rebellion Iowa soldiers played a con-
spicuous part. The first hostile shot
was fired in Charleston Harbor on the
morning of April u, 1851 A few days
later President Lincoln issued his
proclamation calling for $4,000 men
for the suppression of the armed re-
'beIlion against the government of the
United States. In response 10 this
call, the First Regiment of Iowa Vol
nnteers went forth as the vanguard of
the mighty host that followed from
the state under the subsequent calls
of the president
Long before the Issuance of the proc.
1amations Of President Lincoln and
Governor Kirkwood, the organized
militia companies of Iowa had ten