Introduction
The following is an account of Civil War Era history in Chickasaw County Iowa. It consists of the majority of Chapter 13 of the 1883 History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, by W.E Alexander. (Please see the end of each section for complete source citation.)
Alexander's account is interesting for many reasons, however from these pages of his book we get a glimpse of how the county, as a whole, responded to the call for volunteers, the concern for those who went, as well as the families of those left behind. Alexander has also provided us with the names of many Chickasaw County volunteers in this chapter, which gives the researcher
another source of documented evidence of Civil War service by their ancestor.
You will also notice in the text that the names of Chickasaw County men have been identified in green and other names appear in a rust color. In the "Roster of Volunteers" Section, all names are standard black, since all were from Chickasaw County.
The principal regiments in which Chickasaw County volunteers served, were the Seventh, the Thirty-Eighth Infantry, and Fourth Cavalry, whose operations are briefly outlined in this chapter, however many men were in other regiments, as will be seen on reference to the roster of volunteers. A complete list of them is however impossible to prepare at this day, but we have endeavored to make it as full as a through search of the Adjutant General’s report could allow, aided by the testimony of those best posted on the subject. But first will be taken up the action of the county government in regard to the matter.
Chickasaw County was an intensely loyal county throughout the War of the Rebellion, and her part in its history was one upon which her citizens are justified in looking back with pride.
At the June meeting of the Board of Supervisors, in 1861, the following resolution was introduced:
"Whereas, There is an extensive conspiracy existing in our nation, set on foot for the purpose of subverting the constitution and destroying the government; and several states being in open rebellion against the government, and now making war upon the same; and whereas, the president of the United States has issued his proclamation, calling upon all loyal citizens to rally around the ‘old flag,’ and aid in the suppression of the rebellion; in response to which call, the people of the loyal states are freely offering their lives and money, in support of the best government on earth; and whereas, many of the citizens of Chickasaw County have enrolled themselves as members of a volunteer company, holding themselves in readiness to leave their homes in the defence of their country therefore,
"Resolved, That an appropriation be made to each volunteer, resident of their county, who may enlist from this county, either in the state or national service, of the sum of ten dollars, as an outfit and the sum of three dollars per month, and the further sum of four dollars per month, each, to wives of such as have families, and the parents of those who depend on said volunteers for support; and the sum of one dollar per month for each child of said volunteers under the age of six years. Said amounts to be paid for the time and during the absence of the volunteers from their homes, in the service. The said money to be paid to the order of the volunteers, or their wives, from the county treasury, out of the county funds not otherwise appropriated, on the warrant of the clerk of the board of supervisors of this county.
And in furtherance of this object, it is hereby made the duty of the supervisors of each township, to furnish the clerk with a certified list of the names of volunteers who go from his township, together with the names of parents, wives and children of said volunteers, who may be entitled to money by this appropriation. And the clerk is instructed to keep on file in his office said list, and when any person shall present a valid claim for money under this appropriation, whose name shall appear on either of said lists said claim, on being duly sworn to, the clerk is authorized to draw his warrant for said amount."
This resolution was adopted by a vote of ten yeas to one nay.
At the January meeting of the board, 1862, a committee of three was appointed to devise a plan to extricate the county from the difficulty occasioned by the appropriation for the benefit of the volunteers. The committee presented a majority report, signed by M. L. Palmer and M. L.Choate and a minority report, signed by William B. Grant .
The majority report was, in substance, that there were 105 volunteers entitled to the benefits of the appropriation, and the monthly amount, to which they were entitled, was $483, or $5,796 per annum, without reference to future enlistments. It was evident to the committee that the county could not meet its liabilities as fast as they accrued, and county warrants must depreciate to a merely nominal sum, thus defeating the very object of the appropriation.
The remedy this state of affairs; it proposed:
That those having families, be also requested to sign an obligation of their accruing claims until the close of the war.
That a promise shall be inserted in said agreement, in relation to the deferred claims, that they shall not be assignable, and that they shall only inure to the benefit of the claimants and their families; and that $8,000 only of the deferred claims shall be paid in any one year.
It was proposed also that the clerk embody the above agreement in proper form, and forward them at the earliest practical moment to
Capt Gardner, Capt Powers and Capt Crawford, with a request that action be taken thereon by those intended, at the earliest possible moment. The report closed with the following proposed resolution: " Resolved, That all bounties and payments to persons, who may enlist in the service of this state, or the United States, hereafter, from this county, shall cease from this date." This report was laid on the table, by a vote of 9 to 3.The minority report recited the inability of the county to bear the burden of the appropriation, and proposed the following resolutions:
"Resolved, That said appropriations, as far as volunteers to those that do not need assistance, that have volunteered in the service of the state, or of the United States - residents of this county - be discontinued from and after this date; and that families of volunteers, who are in need of assistance, have such appropriation from the county as the supervisors or trustees of their respective townships shall deem necessary. And be it further
Resolved, That the volunteers from this county, who shall, or have returned sick, or in any way disabled in the service, have such appropriation as may be deemed necessary by the county board of supervisors. And further, that the wives and children, or those dependent upon the volunteers, who have been killed in battle, or died in the service of this state, or the United States, shall be liberally provided for by the county board of supervisors."
A motion to table the minority report was lost, by a vote of 3 to 9, but at a subsequent meeting, a motion to table prevailed.
The following resolution was offered by
D. A. Jackson and was adopted by a vote of 9 to 3."Resolved, That the appropriation made by the board of supervisors of this county, at the June meeting, 1861, for the benefit of volunteers and their families, be and the same is, hereby repealed, from and after the 6th day of January, 1862."
D. A. Jackson, D.R.
Kerby, and J.H. Vantassell, were appointed a committee to draft a resolution as to the manner of providing for the destitute families of Chickasaw county volunteers. The resolution was immediately prepared, received, and the committee discharged. At the evening session, the resolution was put upon its passage and unanimously adopted as follows:"Whereas, A number of our fellow citizens have volunteered, and entered into the military service of the government, leaving families in destitute circumstances; therefore, be it
"Resolved by the board, That all those who have volunteered from this county, and are in actual service of the state, or the United States; who may have families, residents of this county; that all those families of such volunteers, who are only receiving pay as private soldiers, are by this board considered to be entitled to an appropriation authorized by law to be made by the county board of supervisors, for the benefit of those families who are in destitute circumstances.
And it is hereby:
"Resolved, by this board, That an appropriation of $4.40 per month be made to the wives of said volunteers, and $1.00 per month to each child under twelve years of age, and $4.00 per month to the parents of such volunteers, for support; to be paid from the county treasury, as hereafter provided.
And be it further.
"Resolved, That although the families of said volunteers may remove from the county, for temporary stay, during the absence of aforesaid volunteers, they still are considered by the board as residents of this county. And be it further
"Resolved, That non-commissioned officers shall be deemed as privates, so far as to this appropriation."
A pension of $4.00 per month to widows, and $1.00 per month to each child of deceased volunteers, was unanimously voted.
On examination of the books in relation to the appropriation to volunteers, the board found the amount in warrants issued as bounty to volunteers, $1,100.21; amount in warrants issued as monthly appropriations, $1,279; amount now due as monthly appropriations to January 6th, 1862, $637.48; total, 3,016.69.
Teamsters from the county, in the service of the government were declared not entitled to the benefit of the county appropriation.
At the September meeting, 1862, it was resolved to ask the general assembly of the state to authorize the board of supervisors of Chickasaw county to levy an additional tax of three mills, to meet the deficiency in the county funds on account of the appropriation to the families of volunteers.
At the October meeting, it was resolved to levy a tax of four mills for the benefit of the families of volunteers, to be called the volunteer fund.
At an adjourned meeting of the November term, 1862, the appropriation was reduced to $2.00 per month for the wife, and $1.00 per month for each child.
At the January meeting, 1864, the appropriation was increased to $4.00 per month for grown persons and $1.00 per month for children under the age of twelve years, "in consideration of the high price of necessaries, and the hardness of the winter," this increase to continue until the June term.
The following appears among the proceedings of the same meeting:
"Whereas,
G.R. Rowley, of Chickasaw County, Iowa, is entitled to the banner, by having more sons in the United States service than any other man in said county; he being poor and dependent entirely on the efforts of one son only for his and his wife’s support;Therefore, be it
"Resolved, That the sum of $5.00 per month be allowed him from the county until further action by this board."
At the September meeting, 1864, the following was spread upon the minutes:
"The friends of the volunteers now in the field, who enlisted in 1861, are requested to notify them that they will be entitled to $8.00 per month from the time of their enlistment up to the time they may be honorably discharged from the service."
At the November meeting 1864. It was adopted "That it is the sense of the board, that when a drafted man of this county’s families pays a substitute to take his place, that the drafted man’s family is to receive the appropriation from the county the same as if said drafted man was in the service personally.
And upon the records of the board for the January meeting of 1865, we find the following:
"Resolved, That the clerk be authorized to issue county warrants for full pay to the families of volunteers, from this date, to-wit: The sum of four dollars per month to the wives and parents of the volunteers, and one dollar per month for each child under twelve years of age, dependent on the volunteer for support. Provided, That this apply only to such as volunteered an entered the service prior to November, 1862, and also that the clerk draw warrants for the sum of two dollars per month to the wive, and parents of volunteers, and fifty cents per month for each child under twelve years of age dependent upon the volunteers for support this to apply to all who entered the service since November, 1862."
At the regular session of the board of supervisors in September, 1865, a resolution was passed; allowing the widows of all deceased soldiers to draw the allowance, from the county for six months after death of the husband.
And at a meeting in October of the same year, the following resolution appears on the minutes, as having been carried:
Resolved, That all who have enlisted and served as privates, in the U. S. army, from Chickasaw County during the late war, be placed on the same footing, and paid the same monthly wages as by resolution of this board is allowed to volunteers who have enlisted since January 1st, 1862, excepting such regulars from the benefit of this resolution as may have received $300, and upwards, as bounty from the United States.
Source:
History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties IOWA
By W.E. Alexander
Western Publishing Company, Decorah, Iowa
Date: 1883
Chapter XIII, pages 295 - 301
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