Corn Silk Days: Iowa, 1862

by Linda Pendleton

  Dave and I stopped at Little Rock until our pass ran out and came to the conclusion we would have to get down some way. We got on a flat car that was running out and stopped an hour or two and an engine and a flat car was there and they run to Brownsville so we hopped aboard. We got back safe. The road will be repaired in three or four days. Little Rock is a nice town. Business seems to be going on very brisk.

  I saw Sam Thompson the night before and he said that he seen you just before he left home. He said I have a very smart boy. I expect he will be big by the time I get home. I saw several of my old school mates in the 36th Iowa.

  Deserters come in here every few days from Reb General Price’s Army and they say that Price’s men are considerably scattered and are deserting him as fast as they can. Everything is quiet on this side and bushwhacking is very nigh dried up.

  I will close for now. The boys are all in bed.

  Your affectionate husband, Silas.

  Chapter Fifty-eight: A New Year, 1865

  Christmas came and went quietly, as did New Year’s Day. It appeared the mood in Iowa for many was one of indifference. The continuing war, the deaths of soldiers from local communities, the grief suffered by many, put a damper on all feelings of optimism. Yet newspaper reports and even reports from soldiers in their writings home, seemed to indicate the war was winding down.

  After capturing Atlanta in November of 1864, Union General Sherman continued his march through Georgia for weeks, and stormed Fort McAllister on the 13th day of December and eight days later captured Savannah.

  By February, General Sherman had marched from Georgia through North and South Carolina, destroying almost everything in their path. That same month it was reported that Confederate President Jefferson Davis agreed to send delegates to a peace conference with President Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward. But Davis put restrictions on it, insisting that President Lincoln recognize the South’s independence. Lincoln refused, and the peace conference did not occur.

  During Sunday supper at Elizabeth Jane’s home, the war and politics were the main items of discussion. Her parents, Catherine and Daniel, her in-laws Michael and Rachel, her sister, Madeline, William, Sadie, Lucinda, and Alexander were all enjoying the afternoon get together on a day that had been warmed up by the sun shining brightly.

  Elizabeth Jane’s brother Robert and sister-in-law, Mary, and children, had planned to attend but they were taking turns fending off influenza.

  The Sunday dinner get-togethers had become somewhat of a routine of recent time. The women, possibly with the exception of Rachel, had become enthusiastic and passionate about women’s suffrage and other political issues.

  The gentlemen were patient with the women and even found themselves either taking care of Denny and Katrina or tending to womanly house duties while the women might travel to Des Moines to hear a lecture by one of the well known suffrage figures.

  Alexander looked forward to the Sunday discussions and often was fired up himself about the issues. And today was not any different. “The Rebs can’t last much longer,” he said. “You heard it, there’s a shortage of food and all supplies in the South. Ah hell, donkey meat and wormy crackers ain’t any kind of meal. Them men are getting mighty tired of that, and I don’t blame um.”

  Elizabeth Jane spoke up, “Silas wrote about the worms, big ones in the crackers. I thought I was going to vomit when reading his words.”

  “War’s never pretty,” William said. “They are saying that starving soldiers have been deserting General Lee’s forces.”

  Alexander added, “Guess the blockades have been successful.”

  “Yes,” William continued, “and interfering with their transportation, causing them big problems. President Davis approved the arming of slaves to augment his shrinking army but they’ve never done that.”

  Sadie spoke up, “Mr. William, them slaves, no way do they want to carry an arm for that Mr. Jefferson Davis. No, sirree not for that man. For Mr. Lincoln, yes, they will do that.”

  “According to Silas the Negroes make darn good soldiers. He still wants to lead a regiment of them,” Elizabeth Jane said.

  Daniel commented, “That surprises me. I never would have figured.”

  Alexander spoke up, “War shows men a lot of things, Daniel. When you see how the Negro is treated like animals, actually worse than most men would treat their animals, it does change your mind to the value of life, everyone’s life, no matter the color of their skin.”

  Daniel glanced at Sadie and his daughter, Madeline. He looked embarrassed as he said, “Well, don’t need a war to change my mind on a few things. Sadie here is part of our family now, ain’t that right, Catherine?”

  “Yes, that’s right,” she replied. “And today I want to share a secret with all of you, one that my daughter Elizabeth Jane knows, but Daniel I haven’t even told you in all these years. And Lucinda, I should have told James long ago. A couple of weeks ago, I talked with Robert about this.”

  All curious eyes were on Catherine, and Elizabeth Jane gave her mother a big smile, actually one of relief. “My husband Richard had Negro blood. And that means it has been carried on with Robert and James. Well, sadly with James now gone, it stops there, but Robert has his children.” She told them the story of Richard’s grandfather and his Negro grandmother.

  Madeline spoke up. “Why did you not tell us before?”

  Lucinda asked, “You never told James?”

  “No, the time never seemed right,” Catherine said. “But to tell the truth, I was afraid of the reaction to my children if the truth be known.”

  Catherine looked over at Daniel. “I’m sorry, Daniel, I should have told you. After all you were raising my boys.”

  He shrugged. “I guess some things don’t matter at all, do they?” He looked around at everyone. “Looks like we have a whole new world ahead of us, as soon as we get this war behind us.”

  Madeline reached over and took William’s hand. “William and I may not wait for the war to end before starting our ‘new world.’ My divorce will be given to me in two weeks and then we can marry.”

  “Good for you! Congratulations!” Elizabeth Jane exclaimed. She was joined by all the others in telling William and Madeline how happy they were for them.

  Alexander asked, “And when does your law practice open, William?”

  “The first of the month. About the same time Lincoln will have his inauguration.”

  Chapter Fifty-nine: Washington D.C., March 4, 1865

  It had been raining for weeks prior to President Lincoln’s second Inaugural ceremony and Philadelphia Avenue was a sea of mud and standing water. But those conditions did not keep close to fifty thousand citizens away. Inside the Capitol, Andrew Jackson was sworn in as the new Vice President and spoke for several minutes and rumor later indicated he may have had too many spirits prior to his long speech.

  Finally President Lincoln came out and stood on the platform of the East Portico of the United States Capitol. Negro troops marched and stood at attention below him. He was met with a roar of applause that vibrated through the air, and went on and on, and finally died away. And at that moment the sun burst through the clouds and flooded the event with light. Some felt it was a sign that good things were ahead.

  Although many may have expected Lincoln’s speech to be about victory, it was not. He came forth with empathy and tolerance in his words, and then a plea to his fellow countrymen to come together for a lasting peace.

  When his speech was over, he was sworn into office by Chief Justice Salmon Chase, and that was followed by cheers, artillery fire, and a parade. Later that evening, the White House had a public reception and the President was said to shake the hands of nearly five thousand who came to show their admiration and respect.

  The newspapers published his address and it was read by thousands upon thousands and it appeared to most that the war was coming to a close.

  This is what the newspaper printed:

  Fellow
-Countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured.

  On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, urgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war—seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.

  One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. “Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.” If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

  With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

  For the most part, Lincoln’s speech was considered to be historic in nature.

  In late March, Lincoln, his wife Mary, and son Tad journeyed by steamer River Queen to General Grant’s headquarters at City Point, Virginia. When Lincoln concluded his visit of several days with Grant, the General was heading to the front in hopes of having a final offensive against General Lee.

  Chapter Sixty: Wednesday, the 22nd Day of March 1864

  Camp 23rd Iowa, State of Alabama

  Beloved Wife,

  I seat myself to write you this letter to inform you I am well, and I hope it finds you all well and hearty. Jane, I do not know when this letter will go out for it is difficult for mail to come in or out now. I thought I would start a letter and write a few lines every day until it can go out.

  I am glad to read you bought a piece of timber and you think it is worth the money you paid for it. If I understand things and the reports are true, land is going up very fast but it will take a turn and I believe that time is in the not too distant. One extreme always follows another. My idea is that I will buy little until there is a change in prices. If I can get discharged as low down as Memphis I will try and get three or four horses or mules. I can get that amount for one hundred dollars or adding twenty-five dollars more. They are Government property and are run down, and sold to the highest bidder. A great many are young horses and mules and if I can get me a span of manes I can raise me a good team of them. Some may laugh at my idea but I have heard men say that they have seen good teams taken out of such places and for a trifle amount of money. It would be much better to buy such at this time than to pay four or five hundred for a team. If I cannot get a team reasonable then when I get home I will see about it. I would like to buy a lot of sheep when I get home. Let me know how much money you have left after buying the timber.

  Well Jane, I am now writing you more lines. Our regiment and the 20th Wisconsin was on a little scout. We marched up the bay about 12 miles, stacked arms, and then had coffee and at 3 pm we fell in and marched back to Shell Hill Cove and bivwacked for the night. We did not have our dog tents with us and it began to rain. The next morning we marched back to camp. I don’t know if I ever saw it rain so hard. It was one continual shower. There were not many dry threads on us and we had to wade water. We could not dry our clothes by day or by the fire, but I have adopted a new method here in the army, at least when it is cloudy. I go to bed and get all the clothes that I can on me.

  Well, we slayed thousands while we were gone but did not lose on our side. Several of us got very sore fingers in the action. Probably you will be anxious to know what it was we took the lives of. Well, it was oysters, those things I love so much. They were the largest oysters I have ever seen. Some were as large as a person’s hand. I like to eat such large ones alive but I like to put a little vinegar. We had no vinegar with us so we made supper of them and that was a most delicious dish. But the one dish I prefer is raw oysters with salt, pepper, and vinegar. I don’t know if you have ever ate any of those delicious little animals (as I call them), but if you do eat them you will like them. I cannot see this part of Alabama worth three cents for anything else but oysters, although I have seen a few peach trees in full bloom. You bet it looked nice to see trees and where it was not so sandy, and the timber was of different kinds. It was of pine, the hickory, the oak, magnolia and a great many other shrubberies I cannot name. I presume the further we get in the country we get the better land. The country is very flat where we were and cypress swamps very few miles.

  All the Butternuts we saw was one deserter that came in our lines. He deserted the Rebel camp at ten o’clock at night and got a small boat and came to our lines. He said there were about five thousand Rebels sixteen miles above the place we were at. The Rebels were on Fish River, three regiments of infantry and three of cavalry. A few scouts is seen every day or two this side. Two hundred had been down the day before where we stopped, these are watching our movement. The Rebels may not make a stand at Fish River. If our force is small and does not out number them very much they may resist stubbornly but I presume when we move we will go strong enough to drive them before us as the wind does the chaff. We are getting a very heavy force in this part of the country. And another force is coming across from Baton Rouge. We will have a force coming in every direction against Mobile. I cannot see the hole where they will get out at if they wait until we begin to move. I understand that the Rebels have bee
n reinforced in this section of the country, that is all for the better. By so doing, we probably may gobble them.

  To take Lee’s Army out and all the Rebels east of the Mississippi River combined cannot whip us. Give us a good general and when concentrated, our army will be very large. I understand that General Canby will command the expedition and General A. J. Smith will be with us. The old 13th AC is reorganized and we belong to it and General Granger commands. He has little style about him, and little about General Canby and Smith. The generals in this army are very common men. Just such men as we want for the field. When an army is at post, or during garrison duty, then it will do to put on style. I like to see it when it is done at the proper time and place but in the field is not the place for style. The division we belong to is at Fort Barrancas in the vicinity of Pensacola. I cannot tell the reason why we are not with it but are detached. We may join our division soon or we may not. I understand that the 1st, 2nd, and 8th Iowa Cavalry is coming across. There is some boys in the 1st I used to go to school with.

  Well Jane, our three years is rolling around. If we live we will see each other before long. The colonel says that our time will be up the 26th day of August. I think if we get through this spring campaign that the majority of us will get home.