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My Story

BY

WILLIAM HENRY JENNINGS

HAMMOND PRINTING CO.
Fremont, Nebraska *

DEDICATED TO MY CHILDREN
JANUARY 1, 1915
DAVENPORT, NEBRASKA

FC»U
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(LC)

CONTENTS Page
CHAPTER I.
Early Life  5
Ancestors — Brothers and sisters — House where I was born —
Accidents in early childhood — Log school house — Timidity
and experiences at school — Visit to birthplace after 60 years
— The old log spring house — Going to market and mill — Boy
§ports — Picking stone and handling tobacco- — Grandfather
Jennings' visit — Marketing grain and stock — >Moved with rela
tives to Iowa— Incidents on the way — Settling in Iowa —
Working for neighbors, driving oxen and miulles — First rail
road in Iowa — -Uncle Henry's heirloom — Cold winters and
trapping — Religious meetings — Buying boots — First circus —
Cure for ague — Typhoid fever and deaths — Agitation and ex
citement over the war.
CHAPTER II.
Army Life  23
Conditions of the war when I enlisted — Taking oath — Leaving
home — Guarding Indians at Camp McClellan — From Cairo to
Vicksburg — Meeting my regiment at Memphis — Joining the
battalion and guard duty at Vicksburg — From Vicksburg, to
Clifton, Tennessee — First marching — Joining my regiment at
Huntsville, Alabama — Sherman concentrating his forces for
the Atlanta campaign — March to Rome — First line of battle at
Kenesaw mountain — Siege of Atlanta — Battle July 21-22 — i
Capture of Sixteenth Iowa — Guarding prisoners — Casualties of
battle — Chasing Hood — Camp at Marietta — 'My first vote —
Detailed as provost guard — Destroying railroads — March to
the sea — Advance on Savannah — Seven days without rations
— Capture of Savannah — Boat trip to Beaufort — 'Detailed as
orderly* — Wading the Saltkahatchie — Near capture while
foraging— Capture of Columbia, South Carolina, and war
relics — Guarding a plantation — Crossing the Cape Fear river
— News of Lee's surrender — Raleigh, North Carolina, sur
renders — Assassination of President Lincoln — Last engage
ment and Johnston's surrender — Grand review at Washing
ton — Trip to Louisville, Kentucky — Accident to boat — Dis
charge and muster out. _
CHAPTER III.
Later Life  57
t-.„4. — , ^ fn_.., — Cr^diins v-rn^v., general work — Driving team
to Atchison, Kansas — Incidents on the way — Two years in
Missouri — Farming, running threshing machine — Clerk in
store — Getting badly frightened — Moved to Dallas county,
Iowa — Trade for land — Chopping railroad ties and cord
Wood — Mill explosion — Buying oxen — Breaking prairie and
brush land— Handling a large plow, with many yoke of oxen
— Cupid's work — Engaged in mercantile business — Financial
loss in '73 — 'New brick store — Postmaster1 and county com
missioner — Employees — Trades and other deals — Moved to
Nebraska — Banking and ifarming — Visit Comra4e Ashford —
Bank burglarized — Politics and press comments — Death of
¦wife — .Children living — Religious views— Travels and con
clusion.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Facing Page
Frontispiece 
Old Spring House  10
At Sixteen  21
Soldier Boy at Nineteen  23
Comrades in '65  55
Wedding Day  67
First Home  69
Old Store  70
Brick Store  70
Comrades After Thirty-three Years  76
First Nebraska Home  80
New Home and Reunion  83
First Family Group  84
Last Family Group  86
Bank Building  74

EARLY LIFE

CHAPTER ONE.
Ancestors — Brothers and sisters — House where I was born — ac
cidents in early childhood — Log schoolhouse — Timidity
and experiences at school — Visit to birth place after 60 years
~-The old log spring house — Going to market and mill —
Boy sports — Picking stone and handling tobacco — Grand
father Jennings' visit — Marketing grain and stock — Moved
with relatives to Iowa — Incidents on the way — Settling in
Iowa — Working for neighbors, driving oxen and mules— First
railroad in Iowa — Uncle Henry's heirloom — Cold winters
and trapping — Religious meetings — Buying boots — First
circus — Cure for ague — Typhoid fever and deaths — Agitation
and excitement over the war.
If I am prompted by one thing more than another to write a brief
story of my life, it is that my children and grandchildren may
have the means of obtaining some little information of their an
cestors and the time in which they lived. Of my ancestors I
know but little. I am told that many years ago there lived
a family of Jennings, relatives of mine, that had a bible in which
was recorded the name Benjamin Jennings, the first from Eng
land. My father, Benjamin Jennings and Ann Jeffries were
born near Union Town, Pennsylvania, in 1819. They were
married December 24th, 1840. To their union eleven children
were born. Nine sons and two daughters. I was the third
son. My two older brothers, Elijah and Mifflin were born in
Pennsylvania. My parents moved to Ohio in 1844, and settled
among the hills in Gurnsey county, where I was born in a log
cabin February, 14, 1845. My brothers, Taylor, Jeffries, Enoch
and Doctor Franklin, were born in Ohio. Sister Ellen, brothers
Alvin Wharton, Oliver and sister Emma were born in Louisa
county, Iowa. When father and mother were married they had
but little of this world's goods. I have heard father tell that he
rented a farm and when they went to housekeeping they moved
with one horse. Packing all their household goods on the

MY STORY

horse, mother rode, while father walked. At the time they
moved to Ohio, that part of the country where they settled was
very new. The land was mostly covered with timber and brush
and had to be cleared off to farm. During the winters father
worked in the timber chopping down trees, cutting them in logs
and rolling them in heaps with the brush, then burning them. I
have some recollections of the privations and difficulties under
which the people lived and labored in those days. There were
no eight or ten hour labor laws; at that time people worked
from sun up till sun down. I presume that our home and sur
roundings were about the average of the community. The house
in which I was born was built of logs. It was one story, had
one door and two windows one sash each. The door was hung
on wooden hinges with a wooden latch on the inside to which
a tow string was fastened and run through a hole in the door to
open it and was locked by pulling the string inside. There
was a large open fireplace, with a crane fastened in the wall
on which the pots and kettles were hung to cook the meals. An
oven in which to bake bread and a few pans and skillets made
up the cooking outfit. I have seen father cut large logs three
to four feet long and roll them in over the floor for a back log,
then pile smaller wood in front of it to start the fire. I have a
very distinct recollection of the old fireplace. Father and
mother went visiting one winter evening at one of the neighbors
and while they were gone we boys tried to see which one could
sit on the back log the longest. I think I did for I burnt
a hole in the seat of my pants for which I got a paddling. One
time before I could walk, in the absence of mother from the house,
I rolled into the fireplace and will always carry the scar on my
right leg where I was burned. Only for the timely arrival of
my Uncle Jarard who was working on our porch at the time,
the chances are I would not be writing this story.
A tallow candle or a lamp made with a rag laid on a tin pan
covered with lard was our electric light. I can't remember our
first dishes, but I well remember once when father came from
town he brought some pewter plates and spoons and a large
pewter platter. Mother made "farmers rice" wheat flour boiled
in water and placed it on the platter on the table. Then we
had a "square" meal. I have seen mother pacing back and forth

EARLY LIFE

over the floor turning a spinning wheel for many an hour.
When I was about five years old my aunt Hannah, mother's sis
ter, was making her home with us and while there she married
Mr. Frank Wilson. I well remember the day they were married
and have carried a reminder of the event ever since. Father
had been to town and bought a new hatchet. While the people
were gathering for the wedding I got the hatchet and went
to the wood pile just in front of the house and I thought I could
stand on a log and chop like a man. I got on the log and began
chopping between my bare feet. I had struck but a few times
when the hatchet struck a twig and glanced striking between
my large toe and the one next it splitting my foot half way to
the ankle. I fell off the log and, Mrs. Joel Williams, one of our
neighbors ran from the house, picked me up and carried me in
and laid me on the trundle bed, where I witnessed the marriage
ceremony. I am told that many years afterward Mrs. Williams
was burned to death in her home.
We did not have the advantages of free schools, but they
were supported by the subscriptions of the patrons. The little
education I have was obtained while attending three months'
school during the winter seasons until I was nineteen years of
age. I don't believe a more timid and bashful boy or girl ever
entered a school room than I, if so, I pity them. On this account
I was greatly handicapped in getting an education. I presume
that I was between five and six years old when I started to
school. The school building where I first went was built of
logs. It had one door hung on wooden hinges with wooden
latch and tow string to open and close it. There were s;x win
dows with one sash each placed about three and a half feet from
the floor. The seats were made of slabs sawed from logs, with
holes bored through the ends, and wooden legs from 13 to 20
inches long driven through, sometimes projecting two or three
inches, I suppose, to keep the scholars from sliding off. The
seats were from eight to twelve feet long placed lengthwise of
the room and usually two across one end. The writing desks
were made of boards about two feet wide fastened to the wall
with legs in front to hold them up. When writing we sat with
faces to the wall. Our writing material was polk berry juice
for ink and a goose quill for a pen. I have chased many an

MY STORY

old goose to get a quill to make a pen. One of the qualifications
of a teacher was to be able to make a good pen out of a quill. Our
principal books were the old Elementary speller with the words
arranged alphabetically, a reader and arithmetic and sometimes
a small geography. We learned the states, their capitals and
location by song. I never could carry the tune commencing,
State of Maine, Augusta on the Kennebec river, etc. The
teacher, always a man in those days, usually kept two or three
hickory or iron-wood gads standing in the corner of the room
for correcting rods. It Was no uncommon thing to see a boy
or girl nearly grown brought on the floor and the gad applied,
making the dust fly from their home-spun clothing. I believe
my first teacher was Jonathan Kanuff. I remember one cold
winter morning shortly after school was called, brother Elijah
and Abe Jeams, a young man grown were sitting together at
the writing desk facing the wall. Jeams did something that
displeased the teacher, he grabbed his gad and commenced
whipping him across the shoulders. Elijah had a new spelling
book lying open on the desk in front of him and the end of
the teacher's gad struck the book quartering, cutting it through.
When the teacher, tired of whipping Jeams, started back to
his desk, Abe got up kicked and spit at him, but the teacher said
nothing. I remember another incident that occurred at the same
schoolhouse with Madison Yagee as teacher. One morning
after school was taken up, six of us boys were sitting on a bench.
I was on one end, brother Elijah on the other and Mifflin near
the center, the other three boys sitting between us, Mifflin and the
boy next to him were pushing each other. The teacher was
walking round the room with his hands crossed behind him,
apparently not noticing what was going on. Suddenly he
stopped, reached over and caught Mifflin and the boy next to
him by their coat collars and pulled them onto the floor. Then
he laid Mifflin down and placed the other boy across him, reached
back and got the next two boys and piled them across the
others, then came back and got Elijah and me and piled us across
like a pile of rails. The teacher said nothing but walked away
and we all crawled back on the seat.

EARLY LIFE

That was the severest punishment I ever received in school.
In the mixup I think I was scared out of a year's growth. In
the summer of 1913 I made a visit to my old home in Ohio, the
first time since I left it, nearly sixty years ago. The railroad
now runs within five miles of the place. From the station,
Quaker City, once called Millwood, I went with team over the
steep barren hills to the old farm. On my way I passed the old
schoolhouse where I attended my first and last summer school.
There is a new schoolhouse on the site where the old one stood.
The old building stands among some other buildings on a farm
nearby. While attending school in this old building I learned
the multiplication table. I had no arithmetic. The teacher
drew the numbers on a piece of white paper for me. One eve
ning on my way home from this school, while passing through
the woods I saw an old black and white striped cat, with several
kittens, run across the path ahead of me. I caught two of the
kittens. I thought they were the prettiest I had ever seen. I
put them in my dinner basket and hurried on home, anxious to
show my pets. I had no sooner entered the house when mother
scented the odor from my basket. Very suddenly there was a
small boy with his basket and kittens (skunks) hurried out of the
house. The skunks were killed and the boy's clothes strung on
a line to air. When I arrived at the old home place a rather
remarkable incident occurred. Here I met a man by the name
of Stoneburner, who was born on an adjoining farm. He and I
attended the same school when we were boys. Naturally we
did not recognize each other. But when I told him that I was
born on that farm and that I was the third son of Benjamin
Jennings, "Oh. yes," said he, "I'll never forget you, your name
is William Henry, you always cried the first day you came to
school." I said, "Well Stoneburner, that's very unkind of you
to cast that up to me since nearly sixty years have passed."
There are but few improvements now on the farm that were
there when we left it. An old log spring house, the spring
still running, built by my father in 1848, some
rail fences, that he split the rails and built, and a few apple
trees he planted are still living. Most of the logs in the spring
house are well preserved. The clapboard roof is partly rotted
and fallen in. I well remember a peculiar circumstance that

10 MYSTORY

occurred at this old spring house. At the time it was built two
logs were left whole at the bottom of the door. We owned an
old blind mare called Lid. One day she got into this house, it
being narrow she could not turn around, so father had to
saw out one of the logs at the door to get her backed out. I
recall another incident or perhaps I should say an accident that
happened at this old spring about the same time. One day
Uncle Ike Mullen, came to our house and hid his bottle, (he liked
his drinks,) in the clover by the spring. In some way it so
happened that we older boys were about the spring, I think
it was Elijah that found the bottle and while handling it let it
fall on the rock and broke it. I presume Uncle Ike went home
dry. In those days it was the general custom among farmers to
have liquor at harvest time, house and barn raisings and corn
huskings. Frequently serious accidents occurred on account of
it. I can remember seeing the whisky jug in our harvest
field. But I never saw my father take a drink of liquor. It
was quite common for farmers to snap their corn, haul it to the
barn and put it in two piles. Two hundred bushels was consid
ered a large crop for one farmer. When the time came for
husking, ten or twelve of the neighbors were invited to the
husking. The men were equally divided and a captain chosen
for each side. The side that was beaten usually paid for the
liquor. Supper was prepared and a jolly time had.
The method of butchering hogs was quite different from the
present. I have seen father haul a lot of old dry logs and pile
them together, then pile on stone weighing from 25 to 30 pounds,
until he had 150 to 200 pounds, according to the number of hogs
to kill. The log heap was then fired and when the stones were
red hot they were thrown in a large barrel about two-thirds full
of water and left until the water was hot enuf to scald the hog.
One time Elijah and I rode one horse to Kenonsburg, about
three miles to market. I carried a little bucket of eggs, which
we exchanged at three cents a dozen for calico. At another time
we went to Burson's mill, about five miles, to get some corn
ground. Each rode a horse with a sack partly filled. On our
way back, when within a half mile of home, I let my sack fall off
the horse ; then I had to go home and get father to put it back on.

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20Ics

EARLYLIFE 11
Boy like, we had our sports. One time a neighbor's hogs
came to our place and the older boys got them in a lot. Then
they got a single line and tied it to a bar post and made a noose in
it. I stood behind the post and held the noose, while the other
boys drove out the hogs. The first large hog that came I slipped
the noose over its head, when it ran to the end of the line it
broke at the post and the hog ran home with it. When father
came home he had to go after his line. I can't remember, but
I expect some boy got a paddling for our fun. I remember once
in the fall of the year when the chestnuts began to fall we three
older boys went over to Joel Williams, a near neighbor, who
had some chestnut trees on a very high hill on his farm. Elijah
and Mifflin were up in the trees and I had picked a few chest
nuts and put them in a little tin bucket. Williams was work
ing in a field nearby but could not see us. But suddenly we
heard him call to his girl, "bring me the gun, there is somebody
in the chestnut trees." I'll never forget the rattle of those few
chestnuts in that little tin bucket as we hiked down over the
rocks off that hill. I am sure we ran most of the way home.
I have no recollection of ever seeing my Grandfather Jen
nings but once. It was in the fall of the year when peaches
were ripe. Father had made a little wagon by sawing the wheels
off a round log, and placing a box on them for the boys to haul
peaches off the knob, a very steep hill near the house. My two
older brothers started with me in the wagon up the hill and
when at the steepest part both let go, and away it went down the
hill, and when near the bottom upset, throwing me out. Grand
father came walking with a cane and picked me up and placed
me in the wagon. At that time he was about seventy-five years
old, his home was in Pennsylvania. I have no date when he
or grandmother died. Grandfather is said to have been very
eccentric. I have heard father tell that when he was a young
man, that he had a riding bridle made with over-check and mar
tingale. At that time buckles were little used in making bridles.
All parts were sewed together. Once when grandfather wanted
to use a bridle he got hold of father's new one and got it tangled
up so he could not get it on the horse ; then he took his knife and
cut everything off except one rein. At another time grand
mother wanted him to take a basket of eggs to market. He

12 MYST0RY

took the eggs and brought them back with him. When asked
why he brought them back he said "no one asked me for them."
My earliest recollection of work was picking stone off the
side hill, where brother Elijah was trying to plow corn with one
horse and a single shovel plow. I also remember helping set out
tobacco plants, hoe and worm it, and when matured strip it from
the stalk and pile it in bundles. Then father would haul it to the
tobacco house on a sled. I have carried the bundles from the
sled to a table for mother to string. The leaves were usually
strung on a cord fastened to a stick about four feet long. When
the stick was- full it was hung on poles in the sun until the leaves
were wilted; then placed in the tobacco house to smoke. Per
haps it was my experience, when a boy, in handling the filthy
weed, that gave me such a dislike for it. In those days all im
provements in farm machinery and inventions that now make
farm life attractive, were unknown.
Father's farm implements at that time, consisted of a wagon
with wooden lynch pin, stirring plow with wooden mold board,
single shovel corn plow, harrow with wooden teeth, mowing
scythe, grain cradle, hoe and wooden hand rake. I have seen
father flail out wheat on the barn floor. Sometimes brother
Elijah would ride the horses round and round on the barn floor
to tramp it out. The first threshing machine I ever saw was
called the "Chaff Pile." It simply threshed the wheat from the
straw. Then men separated the straw from the wheat with
forks. The wheat and chaff was then run through a fanning
mill and separated.
At that time railroads were few. The stagecoach and horse
carried the travelers and mails. From that part of Ohio, most
of the stock, and even turkeys, were driven to Wheeling, Va.,
to market. Sometimes in the winter season hogs were butchered
and hauled whole in wagons, to market. The first hogs I ever
saw sold on foot was in Iowa, and were weighed in a box one
at a time. The stockbuyer had a pen made of rough boards,
that would hold twenty or thirty hogs. In the fence a space of
about three feet was left, and on each side a post about eight
feet long was set two feet in the ground. Across the top of the
posts a bar was placed over which a lever was laid with a large
pair of stilliards attached to the end and fastened to a box about

EARLYLIFE 13
two feet wide and four feet long. The box was made with slid
ing doors at each end. The hog was driven in the box. Then
two men would take hold of the long end of the lever, pull it
down, raising the hog and box from the ground. The hog was
then weighed and passed out into another pen.
The spring we left Ohio, I went with father to Salesvill,
about five miles from our place, with a load of ear corn to sell.
The grain buyer measured the corn in a barrel, then
shelled it, and measured it again in a half bushel. Father
used three horses to the wagon, two abreast on the tongue, he
riding the near one and drove the lead horse with a single line.
This was the usual way of freighting at that time, using four to
six horses to the wagon. I have no recollection of ever seeing
father drive a team with check lines until we started to Iowa.
In the early part of April, 1854, we left Ohio. I shall always
remember the day we started. Our folks had borrowed some
little articles of a neighbor that lived about a mile from us.
Elijah and I were sent to take them home. In going we had to
pass over a high hill, out of sight of our house. When we got
to the neighbors, and delivered the goods, little grass grew under
my feet until we reached the top of the hill on our return. I
was afraid our folks would leave us.
The day we started was rainy and the roads were quite
muddy. A short time before, father had bot a little bay mare, and
we had not gone over half a mile when going up a little hill
she balked. Then one of our neighbors hitched his team onto
the wagon and helped us to Washington, twelve miles, then
the county seat of Gurnsey county. We remained there that day.
Some time previous to leaving home father and mother had
arranged with their relatives in Pennsylvania to meet them at
Washington, and all go together to Iowa. About dark that day
their folks arrived. I can't recall the exact number of them, but
before we got to Iowa, at one time, there were forty-two in the
caravan. Of the older ones coming from Pennsylvania were my
Grandfather and Grandmother Jeffries, Uncle Elijah and Hen
ry Jennings, brothers of father, their wives, Aunt Jane and Rach
el. Aunt Eliza Malaby (widow), Aunt Esther and Lydia, all
sisters of mother, and Uncle Taylor, her only brother.

14 MYSTORY

The balance of the company was made up of children, all rela
tives. Of all these mentioned, Aunt Lydia, past 77, is the
only one now living.
The morning we left Washington our little mare still
balked. That day father traded her to a man that was plowing
in a field for a large bony sorrel mare that we drove to Iowa.
On our way, one night we camped near Cambridge, Ohio. It
was there I first saw a railroad and train of cars. We were
camped in the woods about two hundred yards from the) railroad
track. Shortly after dark we heard the train coming. We chil
dren and many of the older ones started thru the timber toward
the track. I must have gotten about half way when I saw the
headlight on the engine coming round the curve1 in the road. At
once I got behind a large tree. I thot it was coming straight
for me. Our trip was interrupted by the sickness of brother Franklin,
so that we had to stop a week at Uncle John Jennings', in Ath
ens county, Ohio, for him to recover. Near Dayton our company
was joined by two of father's brothers, Enoch and Jarard, and
their families. Also another man and his family, whose name I
have forgotten. They all traveled with us until near Peoria,
111. when they left for Wisconsin. I have never seen any of
them since. After many long days of hard travel and nights
camping along rough and muddy roads, over steep hills and
thru miry swamps, and across swollen streams, we finally reached
the east bank of the Mississippi, opposite Burlington, on the
26th day of June, 1854. No incident of great importance oc
curred on the trip. Grandfather Jeffries had one horse die on
the road. When crossing the Big Walnut river,, in Indiana, while
it was very high, Uncle Enoch, with his wife in the wagon, was
fording the stream, and when they reached the opposite bank,
which was very steep, their team balked, and the water was run
ning over the wagon box at the rear end. Uncle began whip
ping his horses, not using Sunday school words, trying to make
them pull. Aunt Betsy, hysterical, began screaming 'I'll die Enoch,
I'll die." "Die and be d  d," said uncle. While coming thru
Illinois we met many people going back. Some had very dis
couraging stories to tell of Iowa. Their main complaint was

EARLYLIFE 16
the high winds. Some said it would blow the tires off the wagon
wheels. June 27th we crossed the river at Burlington and traveled
about twelve miles on a plank road and camped near New Lon
don. A plank road now in Iowa would be a novel sight. Leav
ing New London, we traveled northwest across the prairie until
we reached Albert Hague's, about six miles south of Columbus
City, in Louisa county. Hague's wife was a distant relative of
mother's. Iowa was a very new country at that time. There
were but few houses on the road from Burlington to Hague's.
The early settlers had a hard struggle to exist for many years.
Some gave up and returned to the eastern states. Our com
pany camped at Hague's nearly a month. Father and some of
my uncles took a trip thru some of the western counties, looking
for land. They were gone about ten days but returned without
buying. Finally they all bot land in Louisa county, within a few
miles of each other. Father bot eighty acres of prairie, near
Long Creek, about five miles south of Columbus City. It was
partly broke and had a frame house on it partly enclosed. My
recollection is that father paid $1,000 for the land, paying $600
cash, the balance in payments. I have heard him tell that after
making the payment on the land and buying a cook stove he had
but three cents left. Winter coming on, his house not finished,
and a family of nine to support, was not a very encouraging out
look for a man in a new country. The house was 16x32, one
story, divided in two rooms. Before winter set in the house
was lathed and plastered. One room was used for the kitchen.
The floor was of rough boards. In the other room we all lived
and slept, and sometimes kept travelers over night. Father kept
this land during his lifetime and added two more eighties, mak
ing a farm of 240 acres. It is peculiarly situated, in that, the pub
lic road runs on all sides of it, and has, ever since the first settle
ment of the country. I think it one of the best farms in Louisa
county. In 1881 brother Alvin married Miss Bell Hester. He now
owns and occupies this farm.
The first winter in Iowa, I stayed most of the time with my
Aunt Jane, whose husband, Uncle Elijah, died in the fall before.
I did chores and went to school. During the holidays some of

16 MYSTORY

aunt's neighbors made a wood chopping and hauling for her.
I was sent to Grandfather Jeffries', about five miles to invite
them. When I got there none of the family were at home. John
Wilson, who made his home at grand-father's, was there. Be
fore starting back, he got a mince pie and cut it. I think I must
have eaten about half of it. That night I was a very sick boy.
The pie came up freely. From that time to the present, nearly
sixty years, I have not eaten a quarter of a mince pie.
At first father only had eighty acres and did not have work
for all of us boys during the summer season. So it was
my lot to be hired out. My first work in Iowa was while we
were yet in camp. I raked wheat after a cradle and carried bun
dles for a man named Kirkpatrick. I remember supper was
lirot to the field for the hands, but I was too bashful to eat with
strangers, so I went to camp. One summer father hired me out
to a man by the name of Mickey, at $6.25 a month, for four
months. Mickey had a nephew, Levi, working for him at the
time. He and I broke prairie. He held the plow while I drove
the oxen, usually two yoke. One evening about quitting time a
peculiar accident occurred. Levi had filed the plow, intending to
go another round ; but looking up at the sun, he said "we'll un
hitch." I went between the hind yoke of cattle to unloose the
chain, and just as I came out from between them, the near
steer kicked me, knocking me past the plow. Levi, being high
tempered, grabbed up the hatchet and threw it at the steer
in such a way that the blade struck its hamestring, cutting it in
two. The steer had to be killed.
Early one spring I took the ague; I shook with it nearly
every day until harvest ; at times shaking hard enough to make
the dishes rattle in the cupboard. One day mother had gone to
town to get more medicine for me, and the older boys were going
to the field with a wagon and rack to get some loose wheat that
the chinch bugs had spoiled, to top out a wheat rick. I got on
the wagon and went with them. After the boys had thrown on
some of the loose wheat, they set fire to the balance ; that scared
the mules and they started on the run. I tried to get off thru
the hay rack and got fast. The mules ran about a quarter of a
mile, dragging me in the rack. The incident must have scared or

EARLYLIFE 17
shook the ague all out of me, for I have not had an ague chill
from that day to the present, over fifty years.
I worked two summers for my Uncle Henry. The first sum
mer he had a young man by the name of S. E. Wilson, working
for him. He afterward married my Aunt Jane. We broke
prairie, he holding the plow and I driving the oxen. The second
summer I did general work on the farm, at times plowing with a
span of mules or yoke of cattle. The mules I worked were afraid
of thunder. One day while plowing I had the lines around me
and there came a hard clap of thunder, and away the mules went
dragging the plow and me several yards thru the plowed ground
before they stopped. I have a very distinct recollection of plow
ing in the fall in a stubble field with a yoke of oxen, and plowed
up a bumblebees' nest. The bees got on the cattle and me. I
ran one way and the cattle ran, bawling, the other. Think I
came the nearest swearing at that time, that I ever did. One
warm summer day uncle and I took two yoke of oxen and
wagon to haul a log to the saw mill. I drove the cattle. About
half a mile from where we loaded the log there was a long, steep
hill. When near the top one of the steers of the lead yoke fell,
and died before we got his yoke off. We thot he broke, a blood
vessel. One rainy day after harvest uncle and I were plowing a
stubble field, with two yoke of oxen, when a man by the name of
Bond came along the road with the separator of a threshing ma
chine, and when within about a quarter of a mile from where we
were at work he got into a mudhole and stalled. After trying
for some time to pull it out with his horses, he came over to
where we were and wanted our oxen. Uncle told me to "take
the cattle and pull the machine out." I went over and hitched
them on and pulled the machine out on solid ground. Bond
went between the cattle to unhitch them. He had on a slick gum
coat, that scared them. One of the steers began bawling, that
scared the others, and away they went, machine and all. If Bond
had run the other way I could have stopped the cattle, but they
outran us. They ran about a quarter of a mile, finally striking a
wagon, locking the machine wagon, which stopped them, with
but little damage done. I hauled the sand to plaster a house for
uncle, with two yoke of cattle, from the Iowa river bottom, near
2

18 MYSTORY

where the town of Columbus Junction now stands. In those
days what was known as "Wildcat money" was in circulation.
You did not know from one day to another whether the bank bills
were good or not. While I was working for uncle he sold a yoke
of steers for $100; the party paid him all in new five dollar bills,
issued by a Burriss City bank, located in Louisa county. About
a week afterward uncle went to Wapello, the county seat, and
found out the money he was paid for his cattle was worth
less. I am reminded that while working for this uncle, he gave
me a dollar bill, which I now have, that has been an heirloom
in the Jennings family for over 130 years. On the face of the
bill it reads "Maryland, One Dollar, No. 13476. This Indented
Bill of One Dollar, will entitle the bearer hereof to receive bills
of exchange payable in London for gold or silver at the rate of
four shillings and sixpence sterling per dollar for the said bill,
according to the decision of an act of the Assembly of Mary
land. Dated at Annapolis, this tenth day of April, anno Domini,
1774. Signed : H. Lapham. On the back of the bill it reads, 'Tis
death to counterfeits. Patented by A. C. and F. Green."
There were no railroads in Iowa at that time. The first
road to enter the state was the Chicago-Rock Island, during the
summer of 1856. It crossed the Mississippi river at Davenport,
ran down to Muscatine and out to Iowa City, then the capital
of the state. The next year it was extended to Fredonia, near
the Iowa river, just across from where the town of Columbus
Junction now stands. The rock in the piers of the railroad
bridge across the river at Fredonia were hauled with teams from
my grandfather's farm on Long Creek. Uncle Henry and father
bot the first McCormick reaper in Elm Grove township. It
could hardly claim relation to the harvester of today.
We had very cold winters in those times. The winter of
1856-57 was the longest and coldest, and had the most snow of
any winter I ever experienced. I have heard father tell that the
icicles hung on the south side of the house that winter for nine
ty consecutive days. At times the snow drifted terribly. I have
driven a team of horses with sled over a seven rail fence with
rider. Wild game was quite plentiful at that time, especially
prairie chickens and quail, and some deer in winter, and geese
and ducks in the spring. I remember of chasing eleven

EARLYLIFE 19
deer out of a corn field with a dog. I also caught a crippled one.
I was never a very good Nimrod, but had fair luck in trapping
quail and prairie chickens. One snowy winter day I caught
thirty-six prairie chickens in one trap at two hauls. The first
money I ever had to call my own I made by trapping. The first
school I attended in Iowa was at a place called Pitchin, at a cross
road and blacksmith shop, about a half mile from our house.
The house was frame, a little improvement over those in Ohio,
but the seats were made of slabs placed around the room, ^he
writing desks, made of boards fastened to the wall.
I went there three terms. Then the district was divided and
a new, more modern house, built which was called Amity. I
attended there the balance of my school days. I shall never for
get when the first county superintendent came. I had been trem
bling from the time I heard he was coming. At that time all
classes were called on the floor to recite. The day the superin
tendent came I feigned sick and could not recite with any of my
classes. I felt greatly relieved when the superintendent left.
Religious meetings in those days thru the country were
frequently held in schoolhouses and conducted quite differ
ently from what they are now. I remember attending revival
meetings held by what was known as the Evangelical Metho
dist, mostly Germans from Pennsylvania. It was no uncom
mon sight to see a person shout. I have seen three or four men
and women shouting at the same time, until they would become
exhausted and fall to the floor. I shall never forget being at a
meeting held at our schoolhouse on a very cold winter night when
a man, with whom I was well acquainted, kneeled down to pray
near the stove, which was red hot in places and full of live coals.
When he got real earnest in his prayer he leaned back, striking
the stove and upsetting it. The stove door flew open and the
coals rolled out on the floor. We boys shot out of the house.
The man moved a little ways on his knees, but kept on praying
until he got thru. In the meantime other members had put the
stove back to its place and the meeting continued as if nothing
had happened. Father being a Baptist, seldom attended such
meetings. But I remember of helping to cut ice on Long Creek
when it was from 18 to 20 inches thick to make a hole to baptize
Baptists.

20 MYSTORY

In 1859 I began working for Joseph Durbin, a near neigh
bor of ours. At that time he was county judge of Louisa county. I
worked for him nearly three years. He was one of the finest
men I ever worked for. I would rather work for him than at
home, as there were no boys to boss me. During the time I
worked for the judge I can't recall that he ever spoke a cross
word to me. One winter I made my home with him doing chores
for my board and went to school.
In those days Methodist camp meetings, lasting two or three
weeks, were very common. While working for the judge one
fall, a meeting was held in the woods near his house. Man}'
people came a long distance and camped. I presume at times
there were 500 people on the grounds. Great religious excite
ment often prevailed, and shouting could be heard almost day
and night.
The boys boots were supposed to last them a year, and our
clothing, always home-made, until it was worn out. I never had
a ready-made suit of clothes until I got them of Uncle Sam.
When the fat hogs were sold in the fall or winter, we usually
got new boots, but continued wearing the old ones as long as
they kept together. When the time came to buy boots, father
would line us boys up and have us stand, one at a time, in our
stocking feet, with the heel of one foot against the door jamb,
then mark the length of the foot on the floor, and cut a small
stick to fit the measure. If the stick went inside the boot the
foot had to fit it. Then we had no rubbers or overshoes.
The first circus and animal show I ever saw was P. T. Bar-
num's, in the fall of 1861, at Wapello. It came from Illinois,
crossing the Mississippi at Port Louisa and the Iowa river at
Wapello. It crossed the river on a ferry boat, except the two
elephants — they were made to wade. At times while crossing
the river they would be entirely under water. Many people stood
on the river bank watching the elephants in the water. It was a
warm day and their keeper had quite a time getting them out of
the water. When they came up the river bank they threw water
with their trunks on the crowd, and dispersed them very rapidly.
While performing in the tent the keeper would lie down and
make the elephants step over him. I thot that a dangerous busi
ness. A few days afterward, while performing at Mount Pleas-

AT SIXTEEN

EARLYLIFE 21
ant, one of the elephants stepped on the keeper, instantly killing
him. I had my first picture taken the day I attended the show.
I was working for Judge Durbin when the war broke out. He
was a Virginian by birth. His sympathies were with the south.
But he never talked about the war in my presence. About elec
tion time in the fall of 1859, the Judge made a trip to Kansas, on
horseback, riding old Mike, as he was called, ostensibly to look at
land. But since I have read the political history of Kansas, I
have always thot he went to vote against a new constitution
prohibiting slavery in the territory. I shall always remember
old Mike. An incident occurred with him that came near end
ing my life. After plowing corn with him one day I took off
his harness and led him out of the stable to roll. I was holding
the halter strap while he rolled, when all of a sudden he jumped
up and whirling, kicked with both hind feet, striking me in
the breast and knocking me clear of the ground about a rod,
where I fell flat on my back.
About the first of September, 1861, Elijah and Mifflin enlist
ed in the army. Then I went home to work. I did general work
on the farm that fall and went to school three months during the
winter. The next spring, shortly after the battle of Shiloh,
April 6th and 7th, Mifflin came home sick, and remained at home
until the 9th of July, when I took him to Burlington to return
to his regiment then in east Tennessee. At that time several of
our family were down with typhoid fever. I was taken down
with it on the 11th of July and was confined to the house until
the 15th of September. Two doctors gave me up and said I
could not get well. They gave me thirteen emetics in fourteen
successive days. I was kept in a close room and but little air
allowed. I lay until nearly every joint in my body was worn
to the bone. The wonder to me now is how I lived. At one
time there were seven of our family down with the fever. Broth
er Jeffries died in the room where I lay. I had one aunt and two
cousins die while I was sick. I have heard father say that dur
ing three months, at that time, the doctor only missed one day
coming to our house. During the summer and fall of '63 there
was much excitement and agitation over the war. Many public
meetings were held, and the Union sentiment was very strong
through that part of Iowa. Our 4th of July celebration was held at

22 M Y S T O R Y

Columbus City. There was a very large gathering and the war
spirit ran high. The speaker for the occasion was a lawyer by the
name of Cloud. He was very patriotic, and had been speaking
but a short time when he was interrupted by a man named Steel,
a southern sympathizer, who was "full." A soldier who was
home on furlough was sitting just behind Steel, and when Steel
interrupted the speaker the second time he was knocked down by
the soldier. Some in the crowd began yelling "hang him, hang
him." Two men went to a house nearby and tried to borrow a
clothes line, but the woman of the house wouldn't let them have
it. After quite an effort, Steel was gotten out of the crowd and
left the grounds. At times the southern sympathizers would
try to get public meetings but they were generally failures. I
remember attending one at Cairo schoolhouse, about five miles
from our place. It was a very warm afternoon and the
crowd was mostly young people. I don't believe there were
a half dozen grown men there, and they were too old to go to the
army. The speaker was a lawyer named Hall. There was
quite a large attendance of young women and boys who favored
the Union. Among the young women was one named Marshall,
who had a brother in the Union army. When the speaker began,
she and quite a number of the girls were sitting near the center
of the room. We boys were hanging in the windows from the
outside looking on. The speaker had talked but a short time
when he began denouncing the Union soldiers, saying "they
would be robbers and thieves when they returned home." He
had scarcely said it, when the Marshall girl jumped to her feet
and said, "You're a liar, sir." Then she said "come on girls," and
left the room, followed by most all the young people. Then we
boys raised the yell and broke up the meeting. The chairman
protested, said he would have us all arrested, but that didn't stop
us. The next day at Sunday school at Prairie Chapel, there was
a girl wearing what was known as a "Butternut pin," which
represented the uniform of a Confederate soldier. This same
Marshall girl and another tore the pin off the girl and threw it
away.

SOLDIER BOY AT NINETEEN

ARMY LIFE

CHAPTER TWO.
Conditions of the war when I enlisted — Taking the oath — Leav
ing home — Guarding Indians at Camp McClellan — From
Cairo to Vicksburg — Meeting my regiment at Memphis —
Joining the Battalion and Guard Duty at Vicks
burg — From Vicksburg to Clifton, Tennessee-
First marching — Joining my regiment at Huntsville, Ala. —
Sherman concentrating his forces for the Atlanta cam
paign — March to Rome — First line of battle at Kenesaw
mountain — Siege of Atlanta — Battle July 21st-22d — Capture
of 16th Iowa — Guarding prisoners — Casualties of battle —
Chasing Hood — Camp at Marietta — My first vote — Detailed
as provost guard — Destroying railroads — March to the sea —
Advance on Savannah — Seven days without rations —
Capture of Savannah— Boat trip to Beaufort — Detailed as
orderly — Wading the Saltkahatchie — Near capture while
foraging — Capture of Columbia, S. C, and war relics —
Guarding a plantation — Crossing the Cape Fear River —
News of Lee's surrender — Raleigh, N. C, surrenders —
Assassination of President Lincoln — Last engagement and
Johnston's surrender — Grand review at Washington — Trip
to Louisville, Ky. — Accident to boat — Discharge and muster
out.
As nearly fifty years have passed since the close of the
great Civil War, it will hardly be expected that I can give in
detail all the exciting scenes and incidents that occurred, even
in that part of the army to which I belonged. Neither do I ex
pect to describe them as others saw them, as no two persons see
exciting scenes alike. In writing this part of my story I shall
not rely entirely upon memory, but will be aided in part, by a
small pocket diary I kept at the time. I shall not attempt to
write a history of the war, but will only undertake to relate,
briefly, the part I took in it. The war had been going on nearly
three years when I enlisted. Some of .its greatest battles had
been fought. I believe it is generally conceded, that the defeat
of the Confederate forces under Gen. Robert E. Lee, at Gettys-

24 MYST0RY

burg, July 3, 1863, was the turning point in favor of the Union
forces. Up to that time the battles between the forces were
about a draw. In the summer of 1913, during the reunion of the
"Blue and the Gray" at Gettysburg, I visited the battlefield and
went over the ground where the Union and Confederate forces
were engaged the last day of the fight. On the Union line near
little Round Top, I saw a stone tablet on which was inscribed
"The high tide of the Rebellion reached here." It was at this
point, during the battle, where Gen. Picket's division of the
Rebel army made the famous charge and was defeated. The
next day, July 4th, the Confederate Gen. Pemberton surren
dered Vicksburg to Gen. U. S. Grant. The fall of Vicksburg
practically cut the seceded states in two and opened communica
tion to the gulf. Bands of Rebel guerrillas infested the banks of
the river, lurking behind trees and stumps and firing at our
steamboats as they passed, but the Union gunboats soon cleared
the river of all these annoyances. Simultaneously with the fall
of Vicksburg, Grant sent Gen. Sherman with a large force, to
find and disperse the Rebel army under Gen. Joe Johnston. The
Rebel general made a feeble attempt to make a stand at Jackson,
Mississippi, but soon abandoned the position and made a re
treat to the east, leaving the Capital of Mississippi once more
in the hands of Union forces. Gen. Grant's army, at this time,
was made up mostly of western men, who had enlisted for three
years or during the war. The time of many of them would
expire within the next twelve months, and there was little pros
pect of the war being over in that time. As an inducement for
men to re-enlist the government offered a bounty of $400, and
a thirty days' furlough home. Many of the men re-enlisted and
came home during the winter of 1863-4. They usually came to
the states by regiments. Those who did not re-enlist were called
"non-veterans" and were formed into battalions, and retained in
the field for guard duty. When I enlisted, Crockers' Iowa Bri
gade composed of the 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th regiments was
at Vicksburg. My two older brothers, Elijah and Mifflin, vol
unteered in Company C, of the 11th Iowa, which was organized
at Columbus City, and went to the front in September, '61.
Elijah died at Vicksburg soon after its surrender. At the time
of his death, Mifflin was with his regiment in a raid on Meridian,

ARMYLIFE 25

Miss. He re-enlisted about the first of January, '64. On Sunday
my 19th birthday I happened to be at one of our near neighbors
and met Jacob M. Ashford, another neighbor boy, whom for
convenience I will call Jake.
He had three brothers in the army who belonged to the
same company Mifflin did. During our call the war question
naturally came up and Jake bantered me to volunteer, said "he
would enlist if I would." After talking the matter over for
some time we arranged to go the next day and be sworn in. It
stormed Monday, so we did not go until Tuesday. Arriving at
a country justice of the peace, who lived about a mile from our
place, we informed him what we wanted. The justice got his
statutes and began looking for the oath to administer to us, but
not finding it, finally said "Boys, hold up your hands." He
mumbled over some words that we did not understand, then
said "You do solemnly swear that you will be good soldiers,
won't you, boys," and stopped. But that was good enough for
us. We remained at home about three weeks. In the meantime
there were many young men in our county enlisting. Most of
them were going as recruits for the 11th Iowa. About the 10th
of March we got notice to appear at Clifton, a railroad station
about eight miles from my home, on a certain day to leave for
the front. The day came and I bid goodbye to home folks, to
my mother and youngest sister for the last time. Father took
me to the station. Arriving there I met Jake and about two
hundred other recruits. We took the train and were sent to
Davenport, Iowa; then placed in camp McClellan, about two
miles from the city. Next day after our arrival we were put in
a room, stripped naked, and examined by an army surgeon.
Jake and I passed and were then regularly sworn into the U. S.
service for three years, or during the war. We drew suits of
government clothing and were paid $300 state bounty. We took
up daily drill and life in the barracks. At that time there were
some two or three hundred Indians held there in a stockade as
prisoners, who had taken part in the terrible massacre the fall
before in Minnesota. At times we were detailed to carry them
wood to keep fires. We would carry the wood to
the gate in the stockade and throw it in; oftimes trying
to strike them, but usually they were too quick for us and would

26 MYST0RY

dodge it. March 12th we left camp McClellan, and were put on
a Rock Island train and sent to LaSalle, Illinois. Here we were
changed to the Illinois Central road, put in box cars, so close that
we had no room to lie down, and sent to Cairo, Ills. In the even
ing of the second day after we got to Cairo, Jake and I were down
at the wharf when a large boat, "The Mississippi," heavily load
ed with soldiers going home on a furlough, landed. The first
officer to come ashore was Gen. U. S. Grant. That was my first
sight of him. The boat was unloaded, then re-loaded with all
kinds of army supplies including wagons, harness, hor'ses,
mules, cattle and feed. Jake and I had to help load the boat.
We went aboard with about five hundred recruits going to join
their regiments. The boat was very heavily loaded, for the
water came near to the top of the guards, and I was somewhat
scared for fear it would sink. It was the largest boat I had ever
been on. The boat finally pulled off from shore and headed
for Vicksburg. At Memphis we met the 11th Iowa, on their way
home on a furlough. I met brother Mifflin here. All recruits
on our boat went on to Vicksburg. Before we got to Lake
Providence, a strong wind came up, driving the water clear
across the deck, thru the engine room of the boat, and was near
ly knee deep for the stock. It became so violent that we had to
land and dip the water out of the boat, and place boards along
side. Without further trouble we landed at Vicksburg, March
19th. Jake and I soon found the Iowa battalion, then command
ed by Colonel Pomoutz, of the 15th Iowa. We were placed in a
company made up of non-veterans of the 11th. While here we
did daily drill work and guard duty. My first experience on
picket was at an old fort on a hill just outside Vicksburg, on the
road leading to Black River.
On March 30th, the battalion left Vicksburg by boat for Cai
ro, 111. On our way one afternoon when a short distance below
Lake Providence our boat was signaled by some contrabands,
on shore, to land. We were just passing a short bend in the
river when the Captain of the boat ordered the pilot to land.
When nearing the bank, he reversed his engine, and the lever
broke, letting the boat strike the slightly slanting bank with
such force as to break the side walls just back of the engine.
At the time I was standing on the top deck holding to the flag

ARMYLIFE 27

mast. When the boat struck the bank, the check was so sudden
that it came near throwing me over in front of the boat. At
this time there were many guerrilla bands along the river and
frequently decoyed boats to land, then pillaged them. Jake and
I with others, were put on picket while the boat was being re
paired, to watch for them. In about three hours we proceeded
on our trip. April 3rd we landed at Cairo. The boat was un
loaded and the battalion marched to near Mound City, but a few
miles, where we camped. The next day Jake and I went to the
soldiers' hospital in the city, and found his brother William. He
was badly wounded at Yazoo City, shortly after the surrender
of Vicksburg, and sent to Mound City. We remained in camp
here nearly a month, drilling most every day. The day before
we left, our regiment returned from furlough, to Cairo, and Miff
lin came to see us. April 28th our battalion was loaded on the
boat "Collesus" and that night we pulled off for Clifton, Tenn.
The second morning when we got up there were eight boats to
be seen in the fleet. We arrived at Clifton, about eight miles be
low Shiloh, on the 31st, and proceeded to unload our boat.
While unloading an amusing incident occurred. Some wagons
had been taken ashore and set up, when four mules were hitched
to one of them. The mules were restless and finally pulled the
wagon past the boat along the river bank, before we got the box
on. The driver tried to back the mules, and in the mix-up they
backed the wagon off the bank, and the whole outfit went into
the river out of sight. Shortly the mules came up, snorting and
puffing for breath. We got some long poles, pushed them round
in front of the boat and rescued them and the wagon. May 5th
the battalion' left Clifton for Huntsville, Alabama. We started
about 4 p. m. and marched five miles before we halted for camp.
The day was very warm and it was our first experience marching
with our army equipment. Most all the recruits had more bag
gage than a Jew peddler would pack. Jake and I had drawn a
full outfit of government clothing and still had the clothing we
had brot from home. We also had our knapsacks, guns, car
tridge box, forty rounds of ammunition and five days rations
to carry, besides many relics we had picked up from the battle
field around Vicksburg, that we were intending to take home.
But when morning came, we made a general cleaning out of

28 MYSTORY

knapsacks. Clothing of every description and war relics were
left in camp and scattered along the line of march most all day.
Jake and I held to our overcoats until noon, then left them. By
night I only had a knapsack and a change of shirts, a wool
and gum blanket left. The next day I had to abandon my
knapsack, as the straps across my shoulders would stop circu
lation in my arms, so that I could not hold my gun. From that
time on I carried all my extra clothing, which was very little,
rolled up in my blanket, with the ends tied together and thrown
over my shoulder. The battalion arrived at Huntsville, May
20th. I did my first foraging while on this trip. A few days
after we left Clifton we camped one night a little before dark.
So Jake and I went foraging. We were not allowed to take our
guns outside camp. I had an old pepperbox revolver. We went
out about a mile and found some young calves in a pasture.
We got them in a fence corner and I began shooting at one,
but couldn't knock it down. Finally Jake caught it, and we got a
quarter of veal and struck for camp unmolested. May 22d our
brigade arrived. The battalion was then disbanded and its mem
bers sent to the company and regiment to which they belonged.
Our (Crocker's) brigade was then placed in the 17th army corps,
that time commanded by Gen. Frank P. Blair. From that time un
til the war closed my postoffice address was Company C, 11th
Iowa Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, 17th Army Corps.
Early in April, 1864, General Sherman was at Chattanooga, Ten
nessee, when he received orders from his commander in chief,
Gen. Grant, then in command of the Army of the Potomac, to
make immediate preparations for a campaign thru Georgia.
Sherman at once set about the task. Rapidly gathering his
soldiers from far and near all thru Kentucky and Tennessee.
The veterans who had fought with Buell and Rosencrans the
fall before, were scattered in small detachments protecting
railroads and garrisoning forts. These were summoned to the
front, together with the veteran troops that were home on a fur
lough during the winter of 63-4. By the 6th of May these armies
were assembled at their appointed places ; Gen. Thomas at Ring-
old, Gen. McPherson at Gordon's Mill, Gen. Schofield at Red
Clay near the Georgia state line, a little north of Dalton. The
combined force numbered about 98,000 men and 250 cannon.

ARMYLIFE 29

The Confederate army of about 60,000 men, including a very su
perior force of cavalry, was also in three divisions under Gener
als Hardee, Hood and Polk. The whole force being under the
supreme command of Gen. Joseph Johnston. They were strongly
fortified in and around Dalton. The first object of the cam
paign was to secure Atlanta, one of the most important towns
in Georgia. Here railroads from every direction centered. Im
mense manufacturies of war materials were established here.
The path to Atlanta lay thru Dalton. The country full of ra
vines, forests and interlacing rivers, was peculiarly adapted for
defensive warfare. The army fighting on the defense always
has greatly the advantage in selecting its position for battle.
The roads from Ringold and Red Clay met at Dalton, a strong
ly fortified town. The Confederates had prepared to defend this
piace to the utmost. It was very essential to Sherman that it
should be taken. The town is on the East Tennessee & Georgia
railroad, one hundred miles northwest of Atlanta and thirty-
eight miles from Chattanooga.
On the morning of May 7th, Gen. Sherman ordered the
three divisions to move forward with center on Dalton. The
feader will understand that these divisions moved forward on
parallel roads, at times several miles apart. The country be
tween these moving columns was covered by cavalry. When the
rebel pickets were confronted they were driven back within their
lines, oftimes with considerable loss of life. When the rebel
works were found too strong for our forces to assault, without
endangering great loss of life, Sherman would apply strategy,
and otder one of his generals commanding a division or corps
to flank the works to right or left. The rebels would then fall
back to another position and fortify it, if it was not already forti
fied. In this way the two armies fought over nearly every foot
of ground several miles in width from Dalton to Atlanta. When
Sherman was nearing Dalton, a small stream swollen by recent
rains, was to be crossed about two miles west of the town, and
the rebels had destroyed the bridge. Sherman, in his character
istic manner, asked the superintendent of a construction train
"How long will it take to throw another bridge across that
stream ?" "It can be done in four days," was the reply. "I will
give you forty-eight hours or a position in the front ranks be-

30 MYSTORY

fore the enemy." It is said the bridge was finished in the speci
fied time. By May 20th most of the 17th corps had returned
from veteran furlough. General Sherman ordered Blair to leave
Huntsville with his corps for the front. In connection with the
corps Blair had. a brigade of cavalry, a battery of eight guns,
the ammunition wagons, ambulances and a pioneer corps. The
men of the pioneer corps assisted in making bridges, blazing the
way thru the timber, where there was no road, for the troops
to follow, throwing up fortifications, etc. We left Huntsville,
crossing the Tennessee river at Decatur, and marched west and
south of the Chattanooga & Atlanta railroad, arriving at Rome,
Ga., May 5th. My diary says "Having marched 174 miles in
eleven days."
The Union General Jefferson C. Davis, whose patriotism re
deemed the name, had seized Rome on the 16th of May. There
were many buildings there for the manufacture of articles of
war. For the first time we were now within hearing of cannon
ading at Allatoona Pass, about twenty miles away. From Rome
we proceeded to follow the railroad to Kingston, where it con
nects with the Chattanooga & Atlanta road, then down the rail
road thru Allatoona Pass and Ackworth to Big Shanty Station
near Kenesaw Mountain. Here we threw out our skirmish line,
and formed in line of battle, to the right of the railroad. We
advanced forward thru heavy woods and underbrush. We had
gone but a little over a mile until our picket line came to the
rebel pickets. After some skirmishing with the rebels, we were
halted and threw up breastworks. This was usually done by
digging a trench about two feet wide and same depth and piling
the dirt on logs and rails placed lengthwise along it. At this
time our corps had joined Sherman's main army and placed with
the 15th corps, which was known as the department of Tennes
see, and commanded by Gen. George B. McPherson. Sherman's
main line now encircled Kenesaw Mountain, extending from the
railroad on the north to New Hope church, on the south, about
fifteen miles. We continued driving the rebels back most every
day until the 14th of June, when we got to within about a mile
of the base of the mountain. Here we threw up strong fortifica
tions and prepared for a siege. On June 17th, there was a gen
eral demonstration made along our lines, threatening a charge

ARMYLIFE 31

on the rebel works. The troops under Generals Thomas and
Schofield, that lay to our right, charged and captured Lost
Mountain, with considerable loss. Our brigade did not leave
the works. Our Captain, Joseph Neal, was slightly wounded in
the shoulder by a rebel sharpshooter, and several men in our
regiment were wounded on a skirmish line. This was my first
sight of a real battle. June 20th our brigade was moved to the
left across the railroad about a mile and took a position on little
Kenesaw Mountain. Here we again threw up works. A few
days afterward a battery was placed in position just behind our
company and began shelling the rebel picket line. It had fired
but a few times when a shell burst just as it came from the
muzzle of the gun. Several pieces struck the headlog of our
works, near where I was sitting and threw several splinters in
my neck, wounding a comrade who sat near me, in the hand,
with a piece of the shell. At times our picket posts and the
rebels were so close, to avoid being killed or wounded, the
sentinels were relieved at night. Imminent danger did not stop
the comrades from playing pranks upon each other. One night
six of us were detailed on picket. When morning came we were
in plain sight of a rebel post, not over three hundred yards dis
tant. Before noon we got into a lively skirmish. Their bullets
came thick and fast and often dangerously near. While Com
rade Flack, the oldest man in our company, and others, were
busily engaged returning the fire, a mischievous comrade cut a
bullet in small pieces and when a musket ball "whizzed" close
to Flack's head, he threw the lead in Flack's hair just back of
the ear. Flack dropped his gun, threw up his hands, and began
hollering "My God, boys, I'm shot, I'm shot." Then all in the
post had a hearty laugh.
On the night of July 2nd, the battery wheels were muffled
by wrapping them with gunny sacks and with our brigade we
left the works at that point, moving to the right and rear of our
main line, marching all night. When morning came we could
see the stars and stripes on Kenesaw Mountain. The rebels
evacuated it that night. We continued marching to the right, oc
casionally skirmishing with the rebel pickets, but finally drove
them back across Nick Ajack Creek the evening of the 5th of
July. Colonel Hall, commanding our brigade, wanted to charge

32 M Y S T 0 R Y

the rebel works. Some of the officers of the brigade thot the
works too strong to attack. Hall was riding up and down the
line saying "The Iowa brigade could take hell." A consulta
tion of the officers commanding the regiments was held and it
was decided to send an orderly and have Gen. Giles A. Smith,
commanding the division, come and view the situation. In a
short time he arrived and with the aid of field glasses viewed the
rebel works on the opposite bank of the creek. He finally or
dered a battery up and it was placed in position near our regi
ment. A few shots were fired at an old cotton gin, that stood
on the opposite side of the creek. We soon saw the "Johnnies"
running from the building. The rebel guns were concealed be
hind their works. Soon one of their batteries opened fire on
our gun, and the first shot tore a wheel off, wounding three men
and killing one horse. Our battery was silenced. The charge
was abandoned and we were ordered to throw up works. But
little firing was done that night, or the next day, except on the
picket line. Our batteries were placed on a hill in our rear. The
next day they fired a shot occasionally at the rebels. About 5
o'clock in the evening the rebel guns opened fire on our batteries
and for about half an hour there was the liveliest cannonading
that I heard during the war. A rebel shell shot thru our works,
near our company, until we could see the point between the
rails. We lost no time in getting out of the works, although
the shell did not explode, and no one was hurt. The rebels evac
uated their works that night. The next day we moved forward,
driving them across the Chattahoochee river. Our line was then
established on one side the river and theirs on the other. For
several days we put in the time exchanging shots. It was here
that we learned to dodge a bullet, when fired from the oppo
site side of the river. Some may doubt this statement, but from
experiments we made, I believe it possible, under right con
ditions, for one to dodge an old army musket ball at a distance
of 400 yards. But with the improved guns and smokeless pow
der, I wouldn't advise anyone to try the experiment. July 17th,
our corps was ordered to move to the left of the entire army. At
that time the entire rebel force had fallen back across the Chat
tahoochee. We took up our line of march in the rear of our main
line, passing thru Marietta, near Kenesaw mountain, and twenty-

ARMYLIFE 33

four miles from Atlanta. Marietta is one of the nicest little
towns I saw in the south. We continued our march, cross
ing the Chattahoochee at Roswell, and camped for the night on
Peach Tree Creek. Next day we passed thru Decatur, a small
town on the railroad six miles northeast of Atlanta. From here
we moved south about two miles, where we formed in line of
battle and our corps joined with the main line. We advanced a
short distance, halted, and stacked arms for a little rest. We
were eating blackberries when a rebel battery, secreted in a
clump of trees but a short distance from us, opened a raking fire
on our line, knocking our guns in every direction. We were
"to arms" in a moment ready for action. The battery only fired
one shot, then left. Here we threw up works and remained for
the night. Most of our company was detailed on picket. We
were close to the rebel picket line and made good stockades.
About 3 a. m. next morning, July 21st, I was on duty and heard
the rebel drum beating, and soon heard the command "fall in,
forward march." Every man on our post was up in a moment.
We could plainly hear them marching. In a few moments the
command "halt, stack arms" was given, and the sound of the ax
relieved our fears. The rebels were strengthening their works by
felling trees. All their forts and fortifications around Atlanta
were well protected, in front, by felling trees, massing the limbs
and sharpening them. Sometimes logs with holes bored thru and
long pins driven in and sharpened, were used for abatis. When
daylight came, we could see two men chopping at a tree, about
400 yards distant. Brother Mifflin and I shot several
times at them, but they continued chopping. Finally we doubled
our cartridges and fired. When the smoke had cleared away
the tree was standing but the men were missing. That morning
about sunrise Sergeant Moor of our company was coming from
another post to ours, and when near our post was shot and mor
tally wounded. He died next day. When he fell, brother Miff
lin and Comrade Dodds of our company ran out and carried him
into our post. A shower of rebel bullets came thru the rails
of the post as they ran in. About noon that day a charge on the
rebel works was ordered. I had taken several canteens and gone to
the rear to a little branch to fill them. When the charge was
ordered our company deployed as skirmishers and went forward

34 MYSTORY

but the regiment for some cause did not leave the works. The
13th Iowa charged across an open cornfield. It lost ninety men
killed and wounded in about twenty minutes. Our company lost
some wounded and missing. The rebels repulsed our men and
they had to fall back to their lines. When the charge was ordered
I was about half way between our main line and our picket line.
I took shelter behind a small tree, lying close to the ground.
Some shot and shell from the rebel guns threw dirt over my legs,
but I came out without a scratch.
On the night of the 21st our brigade was relieved by other
troops and we moved about a mile to the left, and joined with
other troops. Our brigade was then on the extreme left of Sher
man's line in front of Atlanta. The 16th Iowa being the last
regiment with the 11th, next a battery of four guns placed in
a road between the regiments. Here we threw up strong works.
Morning came and everything was quiet in our front, scarcely
was the sound of a gun heard. Some troops were sent out to re-
connoiter in front. Brother Mifflin and Jake were with them,
but no rebels seemed to be found. Our boys returned about noon
bringing some green apples. We had cooked them and were
eating dinner when we heard musketry firing in our rear. It
increased very rapidly. In a few moments the command was
given "fall in." Soon the firing began on our picket line in
front. In a very short time our pickets came running into the
works. The firing was increasing in our rear. In a few mom
ents we could see the rebel battle line coming out of the woods
charging across an open cornfield in front of us. Then the com
mand was given us "to move by the right flank double quick."
That meant run to the right along our line of works. I started
running and Comrade Stobber, in the file just ahead of me was
shot from the rear and fell dead in the trench. I jumped over
him and continued running. When I got to where the head of our
company had been, Comrade Washburn and some others were
sitting down with their backs to the works. Washburn said
"Jennings, lie down, you'll get shot." "I am going while there
is a chance" I said. He was taken prisoner and sent to Ander-
sonville. We ran up the line of works two or three hundred
yards, then were ordered over the works. From this position
we could see the rebel troops closing in around the 16th Iowa.

ARMYLIFE 36

Some of our men wanted to shoot, but the officers wouldn't let
them for fear of killing our own men. In a few moments we saw
the rebel column coming out of the woods across an open corn
field toward us. Then the command was given "retreat." Away
we went pell mell thru the woods for about a quarter of a mile
to another line of works. Here the officers were trying to re
organize their men, when Gen. Smith, commanding the division
rode up and ordered Col. Belknap to try and recapture the 16th
"Who will lead the charge," asked Smith. "I will" said Captain
Cadle of our regiment, and putting spurs to his horse jumped him
over the works and with drawn sword shouted "come on boys."
With a yell and flags flying, amidst the roar of the cannon, the
shrieking of the shells and the whizzing of the bullets, over the
works after him we went. We charged thru the woods about
200 yards when Cadle saw a rebel column moving rapidly to our
left and rear. He halted and ordered us to fall back to the works.
Capt. Cadle was a brave young officer. At the time he was aid-
de-camp to Gen. Smith. At the Battle of Shiloh he had half of
one ear shot off. The rebels came rapidly forward and charged
our works several times, but were repulsed and driven back.
During their last charge the colorbearer and colonel of the 4'5th
Mississippi got clear on our works. The colonel having his
sword drawn was in the act of striking Belknap when he was
shot thru the shoulder by one of our men. He fell forward and
Belknap caught him by the coat collar and drew him in the
works when he surrendered. The pen is yet to be made that
can truly tell of the bravery that triumphs over fear in men at
such a time.
Several flags and 150 prisoners were taken by our brigade.
Many of the men got so close to our works that they could not
get away without danger of being killed, threw down their guns
and surrendered. History says, in substance, that on the night
of July 21st, the Confederate, Gen. Hood, quietly withdrew a
large part of his army from in front of Atlanta, moved round to
Sherman's left wing, and about noon on the 22nd, surprised Gen.
Blair by making a desperate attack on the rear and front of
Smith's division, which was crushed back. Eight guns were
taken and the 16th Iowa captured. Hood was finally driven back
within his lines, having lost at least 2,200 killed. His wounded

36 MYSTORY

and missing swelling his loss to at least 8,000. The 11th Iowa
bore the brunt of the fight in Smith's division. About the time
the battle began, Gen. McPherson ordered Logan, commanding
the 15th corps, to move rapidly forward and join his corps on
the left of the 17th. McPherson rode forward to see if the corps
were joined, and when near the 16th Iowa, ran into the rebel
pickets and was shot from his horse. When McPherson fell,
Logan, the greatest volunteer soldier of the war, was placed in
command of the department of the Tennessee. I was' detailed to
help guard the prisoners, to the rear, that we had taken. We
were just leaving the field when Logan came riding along our
line, on his fine black horse covered with foam, far in advance
of his aides, holding his hat and rein with one hand, and waving
his sword with the other, urging the men, at the top of his voice
to stand firm to the works and avenge McPherson. We had pro
ceeded but a short distance with our prisoners when we over
took other prisoners, under guard. Among them was a rebel
captain that had on Gen. McPherson's hat. Soon afterwards
an ambulance containing the body of McPherson, with some of
his staff officers guarding it, came along. One of the officers no
ticing McPherson's hat on the rebel captain, rushed his horse in
among the prisoners and grabbed the hat off his head, at the
same time using language not fit to be heard in Sunday school.
We continued our march with the prisoners to the rear until near
Decatur, where we camped for the night. Next morning I was
relieved and returned to my regiment, then on the battle-line,
near where I left it. On my way back I stopped at our field hos
pital, where there were many dead and wounded. The army
surgeons were busy caring for the wounded. They had arranged
temporary tables, made out of rough boards, on which the wound
ed were placed to amputate their limbs. At the end of those
tables I saw piles of legs and arms two to three feet high. Arriv
ing at my company I found brother Mifflin and my friend Jake.
Mifflin was wounded in the hand the day before, with the end of
his ramrod, while trying to dislodge a bullet fast in his gun. Near
by the company lay two of our company who were killed the day
before, not yet buried. From my diary I quoted the casualities
of our company, on the 21st and 22d of July : "Killed, eight, in-

ARMYLIFE 37

eluding two orderly sergeants : one lieutenant, and Captain Neal.
Wounded and missing, nineteen."
The 16th Iowa were mostly taken prisoners early in the
fight on the 22d, by Gen. Govan, commanding a division in the
rebel general Hardee's corps. They were exchanged shortly af
terward and returned to our brigade. When surrounded by the
rebels Colonel Saunders, commanding the 16th, surrendered
the regiment, with its flag, to Govan, who afterward sent the flag
to his sweetheart at Little Rock, Arkansas. In the fall of 1884,
our brigade held a reunion at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Gen. Belknap,
president of the association, invited Gen. Govan to attend the
reunion, which he did. The second night of our camp fire, held
in the large opera house, before a large audience, Govan in a nice
little speech, delivered the regimental flag of the 16th, back to
Col. Saunders from whom he took it twenty years before. I
was present at the time. It was a scene long to be remembered.
July 26th our brigade and corps left their works and march
ing in the rear and to the right of the main line, coming in and
forming on the extreme right of the whole army near Ezra Chap
el, about six miles southwest of Atlanta. While our lines were
being established here the rebels attacked the 13th Iowa, killing
one man and wounding three.
Here we threw up strong works and remained about two
weeks. No general advance was made by either side. We were
daily under fire in the main works from rebel sharpshooters, with
a gentle reminder every few hours that we were within range of a
very large gun in a rebel fort near Atlanta. The large balls
would come whizzing through the woods, occasionally knocking
the limbs off trees. We could hear them coming a mile away.
Brother Mifflin and I were both quite unwell but remained with
the company until the 14th of August. Then we were sent to the
division hospital, established in the field. We remained there
but a short time when we were loaded in wagons with other
sick and sent back to Marietta, to the general hospital, which
was established in a college building. Mifflin remained at the
hospital until the 8th of September. I stayed until the 15th. On
returning to my company I found it in camp about four miles
southeast of Atlanta. While I was in the hospital Sherman was

38 MYSTORY
constantly tightening his lines around Atlanta, and destroying
the railroads on which it depended for supplies.
The Confederate General Hood, sought to avert the final
blow by sending Wheelers cavalry to operate in Sherman's rear.
But Sherman sent General Kilpatrick with his cavalry, at once,
to break up the West Point & Macon railroad. Then he aban
doned the siege of Atlanta, and sending his sick with his surplus
wagons to the Chattahoochee, he put his whole army in motion,
and before Hood penetrated his design, he was behind Atlanta
thoroughly destroying the railroads on which Hood depended.
That general now divided his army. Hardee with one portion
advanced to Jonesboro. Here on the 31st of August, he came
upon General Howard, with the 15th and 17th corps. Howard was
strongly entrenched behind works and calmly awaited attack. It
was made with great courage and skill, but after two hours of
terrible struggle, Hardee retreated leaving his dead and wound
ed. Sherman then came up with Thomas and Schofield, who
had been breaking up the railroads, and by a vigorous attack
carried the Confederate lines at Jonesboro, capturing General
Govan, who captured the 16th Iowa, July 22d, with his brigade
and batteries. Hardee retreated in haste. Hood, cut off from
all supplies, with his army scattered and beaten, blew up his
magazines, destroyed his stores, evacuated Atlanta and fled on
the night of August 31st. Gen. Sherman, with a brilliant caval
cade entered the city. The stars and stripes were unfurled from
every spire and over every rampart. He telegraphed to Washing
ton, "Atlanta is ours and fairly won." Without making any at
tempt to pursue and capture any of the scattered divisions of
Hood's army. Sherman concentrated his whole force at Atlanta.
While Hood's cavalry was riding into Tennessee, Hardee had
effected a junction with Hood near Jonesboro, and the defeated
army was reinforced, and visited by Jefferson Davis, who sought
to arouse the enthusiasm of the rebel soldiers in the gloomy days
that had befallen them. He urged that Atlanta should be re
taken. Hood then crossed the Chattahoochee river about twenty-
five miles below Atlanta and came in on the railroad near Big
Shanty station and commenced tearing it up. In the meantime
Gen. Sherman dispatched General Thomas with the 20th corps
to Nashville, to check any Confederate movements in that state,

ARMYLIFE 39

and now he started in pursuit of Hood. On the morning of Octo
ber 4th our corps took up the line of march for Marietta. The
day was very warm. It rained the night before and the roads
were very muddy. As we had done but little marching for over
a month the men and teams were in no condition for a force
march. But everything was on the rush that day. I saw many
horses and mules give out. They would drop in the road, their
harness removed and were left lying alive, for other teams and
wagons to run over. We got within about four miles of Mari
etta and stopped for camp, with but few men in the company to
stack arms. I could not keep up with the company, but got to
camp about an hour after the first troops did. The next day our
brigade made a tour south about fifteen miles and camped near
Powder Springs. I 'was on picket that night. An amusing inci
dent occurred about 1 o'clock, that I will never forget. I thot
I heard a man walking in the leaves thru the timber. My first
thot was a rebel picket advancing. Soon I heard the comrade
on post next to me calling "halt," at the same time the sharp
crack of a gun sounded, and an old hound dog went yelling thru
the woods. I quit shaking then. The next day we returned to
Marietta, over much of the road we had traveled the day before.
We marched about two miles beyond Marietta and found our
division in camp. The next day our brigade lay in camp. I was
sent out with a party of foragers. We had got about ten miles
from camp, but found little to eat, when a messenger came from
camp with orders for us to return at once, as our brigade had
orders to move. So we returned. At 8 o'clock that night we left
camp, following the railroad, leading to Big Shanty Station.
We passed Big Shanty during the night and when morning
came we were nearing Ackworth Station. Here the rebels had
burned several car-loads of our cattle. When near Ackworth
we could hear heavy cannonading at Allatoona Pass, where
Gen. Corse was being attacked by the rebels. About this time
Gen. Sherman was on Kenesaw Mountain signaling to Corse
those memorable words that have gone into sacred song "Hold
the fort for I am coming." Corse held the fort, and defeated the
rebels, with heavy loss. Our brigade was pushed rapidly for
ward passing thru Allatoona about 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

40 MYSTORY

Here we saw many dead and wounded rebel soldiers lying
around in front of the fort and breastworks.
We continued our march to Kingston. Here we stopped
for a few hours and got mail, the first we had received for over
two months. Brother Mifflin received a letter from home giv
ing the sad news of the death of our mother. We did not know
that she was sick. From here we marched parallel with the
railroad leading to Rome. When within about six miles of Rome
we camped at 1 o'clock a. m. Our camp was on the farm of the
Confederate General Pemberton, who surrendered to Grant at
Vicksburg. We lay in camp that day until about 8 o'clock that
night when our brigade was ordered to Resaca. The rebels had
made an attack there and our troops were needing re-enforce
ments. Gen. Belknap and his staff, leaving their horses and se
curing an old colored man for a guide, started marching thru
the woods and over the hills, until we reached Millwood, a sta
tion on the' Chattanooga & Atlanta railroad. Here we were put
on stock cars and run about twenty miles, reaching Resaca about
daylight. That night I expected our train would be ditched, as
there were no guards along the road. I was on top the car, and
fearing that I might go to sleep and slide off, I fastened my gun-
strap to the run board on top the car, then tied it to my wrist.
The next day our corps came up. We stayed there two days.
Leaving Resaca we moved west a few miles and met the rear
guard of Hood's army, well fortified at Snake Creek Gap, a nar
row passage thru the mountains. The rebels had felled trees
across the road for several miles that took our troops all day to
remove. There were several rebels killed and wounded near the
mouth of the gap. The leaves in the woods took fire, and I saw
several rebels, with their clothing all burned off but their shoes.
We continued our pursuit of Hood's army, until we reached
Gaylesville, Alabama, October 26th. This was as far north as
Sherman followed Hood. Here our non-veterans, whose time
had been out for over a month, left for home. On October 29th,
we started on our return, going by way of Rome, thence to near
Marietta, where we went into camp, having marched much of the
same country over three times during the summer.
Since leaving Huntsville in May, our brigade had been on
the march or in the rifle pits most of the time from the 14th of

ARMYLIFE 41

June to the first of September. There was scarcely a day during
that time that we were not under fire of rebel bullets. Many of
our comrades were killed and wounded during this time, of
which I have no account. While in camp at Marietta we were
paid off, the first time in three months.
It was here that I cast my first vote, in my twentieth year,
for Abraham Lincoln for President. The laws of Iowa at that
time, permitted all soldiers to vote, regardless of age. Here I
was detailed as provost guard at Gen. Belknap's headquarters.
After that I had nothing to carry when on the march but my gun.
1 left my company and was not with it, for duty, any more during
the war. While serving as provost guard I took my turn guard
ing brigade headquarters when in camp, and at night while on
the march; also had to carry ammunition in case of battle and
help carry the wounded from the field. Before leaving Atlanta,
Sherman withdrew all his men stationed along the railroad lead
ing to Chattanooga, and from the roads entering Atlanta, and de
stroyed the roads. The most effectual method of destroying a rail
road was to burn the bridges, pry the iron rails loose from the
ties, pile the ties in large heaps and set them on fire, then place
the rails across the fire near the center, when the iron was red
hot the rails would bend or twist out of shape. Sometimes when
the rail got red hot in the center two men would grab each end,
then run round a large tree until the ends met. I have seen rails
piled up in this way until the tree was burned down.
Gen. Sherman now had under his immediate command the
15th, 16th, 17th and 23rd corps, comprising about sixty thous
and men and some two hundred pieces of artillery with the regu
lar ammunition and supply trains. These corps traveled on
parallel roads, as near as possible, about fifteen miles apart. The
cavalry and foragers covering the country between them. On
the morning of November 13th, Sherman ordered a general move
and we started for the "sea". About the time the troops began
their march all the public property in Atlanta, Rome, Kingston
and Marietta, such as arsenals and factories which could serve
the rebel armies were consigned to the flames. On this march
we met but little opposition, mostly home guards and state mili
tia, until we got near Savannah. While on this march our boys
lived well — sweet potatoes and chickens were ripe. Our corps

42 MYSTORY

passed thru Milledgeville, the capital of the state. I quote from
my diary December 6th, '64 : "We camped near Oliver Station,
on the Savannah & Atlanta railroad, forty-two miles from Sa
vannah. General Sherman's headquarters are about one hundred
yards from ours." Near here our advance guard encountered a
heavy rebel picket line that detained us for some time. As we
drew near the doomed metropolis our march was impeded by a
shameful and cowardly mode of warfare, introduced by the rebels
and worthy only of savages. Torpedoes were buried in the road
near all springs of water, which exploding beneath the pressure of
the foot scattered mutilation and death around. Many soldiers
were killed and wounded in this infamous way. Gen. Sherman
adopted the severe but just precaution of compelling the rebel
prisoners of war to go in advance and remove the death traps.
We continued to press forward slowly until our advance met
a strong rebel force, well fortified behind breastworks near Fort
McAllister, which stood near the mouth of the Ogeechee river.
The Confederate guns in the forts could prevent our boats com
ing up the river with supplies, which we were very much in
need of. Sherman now established his main line from Fort
McAllister, extending north to the Savannah river, and about
three miles from the city. November 13th, just one month
from the time we left Atlanta, Hazen's division of the 15th
corps, in a brilliant charge, captured Fort McAllister, with sev
eral guns and a large number of prisoners. Our boats with
supplies failed to arrive for several days. We were out of rations
for nearly a week, had little or nothing to eat, except rice in
the sheaf, bound in bundles, like oats. We had to pound the ber
ry out with our bayonets. In the meantime we had a few ears of
corn to eat. I remember standing guard over our horses while
they ate their corn to prevent the negroes, who had followed us
from getting it. Sherman continued to close in his lines around
Savannah. Gen. Hardee, then in command of the Confederate
forces in Savannah, seeing that further resistence was hopeless,
and that his army was in danger of being surrounded evacuated
the city on the night of the 24)th, crossed the Savannah river with
his army, into South Carolina. Christmas day, General Sher
man, riding at the head of his triumphant columns rode thru the
broad, quite avenues of Savannah. On the 26th Sherman sent the

ARMYLIFE 43

following telegram to President Lincoln: "I beg to present to
you as a Christmas gift, the city of Savannah, with 150 heavy
guns and plenty of ammunition, also about 25,000 bales of cot
ton." Thus Sherman's army had swept the state of Georgia
"from Atlanta to the sea" for a width of sixty miles and history
says "with no loss of life, but that of sixty-three men killed and
245 wounded." The main part of Sherman's army remained in
Savannah about a month. About the 25th of January, '65, the 17th
corps was sent to Beaufort, South Carolina, to seize a point of
the Charleston railroad near Pocotaligo Creek. Our brigade
was sent by boat down the Savannah river and around on the
Atlantic to Beaufort. The voyage was very rough. Most all
our boys grudgingly gave up their hidden rations, but freely
pitched them overboard to the fish and alligators. Sherman left
Savannah with his main force about the first of February, head
ed for Columbia, South Carolina. About the same time our
corps left Beaufort. We encountered the rebel forces at Poco
taligo Creek, where they made a stubborn resistance, but were
finally routed. We had several wounded in our brigade and
one captain in the 15th Iowa killed. Near here I was appointed
orderly for Captain Kepler, and aide on Gen. Belknap's staff.
Then I had a horse to ride. It was my duty to carry any orders
that Kepler wanted to send to any other officer of the brigade and
while on the march to care for his horse when he left it. When
in camp a colored man cared for the horses. A short time after
I was appointed orderly, our foragers brot in a little iron gray
pony, with shaved main and tail, that they found shut in a corn
crib, to hide it. I got the pony and rode it from there to Wash
ington, D. C. Our army traveled thru the Carolinas in about
the same positions as thru Georgia. Leaving Pocotaligo our
corps pushed slowly forward thru miry swamps and muddy
roads, some days not marching more than five or six miles. Our
next encounter with the rebels was at Saltkahatchie swamp. This
swamp in many places is over a mile wide and covered with small
timber and heavy underbrush, with water running all thru it
from six inches to four feet deep. At the point where we struck
it, it is so miry that a horse cannot pass thru it only on the made
road, and it is almost impassable for a man. We found the reb
els strongly intrenched on the opposite side of the swamp, having

44 MYSTORY

placed a battery in position to make a raking fire on the road.
Our battery was soon placed in position and began shelling the
rebel works. The firing was kept up most all day. In the mean
time our officers were hunting for an opening thru the swamp,
where they might effect a crossing. Finally an old colored man
was found, who told them that there was a path thru the swamp
about two miles below where we were, that people sometimes
crossed on foot. Our brigade was selected to make the effort
to cross the swamps. Leaving everything behind but the men and
guns and ammunition. Our brigade led by Gen. Belknap and his
staff and the old colored man marched down the swamp to the
place where the path led thru. The men placing their cartridge
boxes around their shoulders, then proceeded to wade. After
several hours of hard struggling we reached the opposite side,
wet to the hide, from our shoulders to our feet. At once our
picket line was thrown out and the brigade formed in a half
circle, each end resting on the swamp ; then we threw up
works. We had been there but a short time when the rebel
cavalry attacked our pickets. But they were soon repulsed.
We built fires and dried our clothing as best we could, and
remained there for the night. When morning came the rebels
had evacuated their fort at the road crossing the swamp, and none
were to be seen. Our boys found an old white mule and saddle
and tied some chickens to it, and Gen. Belknap rode it to our
command. While on our way back to the command Jake and I
made a little detour, trying to find something to eat. We came
to a log cabin with a smoke house near by. In looking thru
the smoke house we found some honey and some flour in a bar
rel, but we couldn't find anything to carry the flour in. Finally
Jake said "Let's go to the house. You talk to the women and
I'll try and find something to carry the flour in." At the house
we found an old like woman and two grown girls. I entered
into conversation with them, asking them where their men folks
were? They replied, "away off at Richmond in the army." I
asked how far it was to Richmond. They said they didn't know."
I asked how far it was to the United States ? They replied they
didn't know, as they had never heard of it before, that "it must
be a long ways." In a short time Jake pulled out a bureau
drawer and got hold of one of the girl's extra shirts, and was

ARMYLIFE 46

just in the act of putting it under his coat when one of the girls
saw him. She grabbed the shirt, got hold of one end and Jake
the other, then she commenced begging. She said "it was the
last one she had." She pulled and Jake pulled. I began to wilt
and finally said to Jake, that "I wouldn't take it," but Jake said,
"dod ding it, we got to have something to carry that flour in,"
and jerked it out of the girl's hand. We tied a string around the
top, took some of the flour and honey to camp and had "slap
jacks" for dinner. I know that was the meanest thing Jake and
I ever engaged in while in the army. I have often wished since
that I knew that girl's address ; I would gladly send her a dollar.
Whenever I tell that story on Jake and he is present, he tries
to even up with me by telling that I kept the garment. I never
was very good at foraging. But my friend Jake was considered
one of the best foragers in our regiment. If there was anything
in the country to eat he could find it. I believe the nearest I
came to being captured was on our march thru Georgia. One
day I went out with some foragers and rode an old white mule.
Soon after leaving camp I found a rebel cavalryman's navy re
volver and belt lying in the road. There were no cartridges in
the gun. I buckled it on and rode ahead. During the day we
captured an old mule and cart, and secured a fine lot of forage,
consisting principally of sugar, sweet potatoes, flour, meal, chick
ens, ham and bacon. On our way to camp, while passing a house
I saw a girl at a window crying. I rode thru the yard gate
around back of the house and dismounted. Entering the house
I found two of our men tearing up things generally. They left
at once. I went in the room where the girl was crying — here
I found her mother crying, both badly frightened. I was talk
ing with them when one of our men rode up and seeing me
called out "The rebels are coming." I lost no time getting out.
Mounting my mule I rode round the house, where I saw several
rebel cavalrymen coming down the road not over 400 yards away.
I had no gun, only the one I found that morning. Heading my
mule down the road toward camp, I turned about half way
round, and while watching the move of the rebels applied the
gun on the mule, and finally made my way safely within our
lines. Leaving Saltkahatchie and pushing our way slowly north,
with but little opposition, we reached the west bank of the Conga*

46 MYSTORY

ree river, opposite Columbia, the 16th day of February, 1865.
Here we found the bridge across the river burned. Gen. Logan,
commanding the 15th corps, was in advance. It was said of him
that when he rode up to the river and saw the bridge was
burned he said "Hail Columbia, happy land. If you don't burn
then I'll be d — ." The Saluda and Broad rivers form a junc
tion near Columbia; then it is called the Congaree. Sherman's
next move was to effect a crossing of the river. Wade Hamp
ton, a Confederate general, was still in Columbia, holding the
city with a body of cavalry. Late in the evening of the 16th,
Logan effected a crossing of the Saluda river. Jake and I went
over among the first of Logan's men. We went to a house
that was about a quarter of a mile from where we crossed the
river. In the front yard lay a rebel cavalryman's horse with
saddle and bridle on ; it had been killed by Logan's advanced
skirmishers. That night Hampton evacuated Columbia, leaving a strong
guard in his rear. At the time we arrived our batteries were
placed in position and began shelling the city. An old mill
stood on the opposite bank of the river, in which some rebel
guards were placed. The shots from our guns were directed on
the mill. In a short time the rebels were seen skedaddling from
the mill. When the morning of the 17th came, some twenty
men and three officers of our brigade were detailed to try and
effect a crossing of the river. Securing an old leaky ferry boat
and after considerable calking, the party started across the river
under cover of the old mill, while our batteries kept firing their
guns over the mill into the city. The boat was safely landed
and the men deployed as skirmishers to await reinforcements
The boat was returned and another detail made. I got permis
sion to go with them. We were soon in the boat, dipping water
to keep it from sinking while crossing the river. On landing,
our company was deployed as skirmishers and joined the other
squad. Then all started for the state house. In the meantime
the rebel rear guard was leaving the city, some being seen by us
at a distance. Reaching the state house, one of our officers as
cended to the roof and took down the Confederate flag and put
up the stars and stripes. History gives the Crocker Iowa Bri
gade credit of being the first Union troops to enter Columbia. I

ARMYLIFE 47

went thru the capitol building, hunting what I might find. On
the second floor I noticed in a room a table with some drawers.
Pulling out one of the drawers I found about 100 nickel medals
about the size of a silver dollar. One one side are the letters
"State Agricultural Society of South Carolina." Also a cut of
the palmetto tree, a bee hive, sheaf of rice, plow, spade, hand-
rake and sickle. On the other side are the letters "Animis, op-
ibusque, Parati, Dum spiro spero." I presume these were used
for prizes in their agricultural society. I took one and afterward
had my name, company and regiment and the date I got it, in
scribed on it. I still carry it as a war relic. It is my desire that
when I am thru with this relic, to have it and the Maryland dol
lar bill that my Uncle Henry gave me, placed in the State His
torical Society of Nebraska. In the afternoon of the 17th, our
corps moved round north of the city, crossed the river and en
tered the city with other troops. At that time there was a large
amount of cotton stored in Columbia, which the rebel rear guard
set fire when they were leaving the city. There was a strong
wind and the fire spread rapidly, burning a large part of the
city, and the Union army was blamed for it by the southern
people. But in the suit years afterwards, before the British
Claims Commission, held at Washington, D. C, it was proved,
that the rebels fired the cotton. It has been well said that "no
other state or section, has in modern times, been so thoroughly
devastated in a single campaign, signalized by as little fighting
as was South Carolina by Sherman's march."
The day we left Columbia, our captain (Clark) had charge of a
foraging squad, and when a few miles from the city, he was
captured by the rebels. We did not see him again until we got
to Louisville, Ky., on our way home. Foraging was a dangerous
business in South Carolina. Many of our men were horribly mur
dered. The southern people were very ingenious in burying
their treasurers. Our bummers were equally as shrewd in find
ing them. At Camden, near Columbia, our bummers unearthed
in a newly made grave, a coffin containing $6,000, in specie.
I remember seeing two newly made graves near Rome, Georgia,
with the name, company and regiment of two rebels interred,
marked on the board. Our boys unearthed these graves and
found boxes containing hams and bacon. A very common place

48 MYSTORY

of hiding valuables was under the floor of negro shanties and
smoke houses. I have seen boxes taken from under such floors
containing all kinds of glass, china and silver ware and cutlery.
I now have a silver teaspoon which I picked up off the floor of a
negro shanty near Beaufort, S. C.
Household goods were frequently hid in the timber or in
the swamps. I recall while riding along the road one day near
a swamp of noticing a wagon track leading into the swamp.
Another orderly and I followed the track, riding thru the swamp,
at times with the water to the horses' bellies. Some five or six
hundred yards we came to a large pile of household goods on
a little knoll. Some "bummer" had been there and set them on
fire. I never did such work as that.
On the morning of the 18th, our corps left Columbia, with
the third brigade in advance. We traveled nearly due east,
crossing the Catawbwa river about eighteen miles from Columbia.
Shortly after crossing the river we came to three fine empty
carriages standing at the side of the road in the timber. We
marched about two miles farther and camped near a road cross
ing, where was a blacksmith shop, postoffice and two large
plantations nearby, with fine large buildings. Gen. Belknap
made his headquarters at one of these houses. At this house
there were ten or a dozen women who had recently occupied
the empty carriages we had passed. I suppose they were the
elite of Columbia. Thinking to avoid Sherman's army, they had
taken this route and were overtaken by the rebels, who took
their horses. The next morning when our troops were moving
out from camp, Gen. Belknap told me to stay and guard the prem
ises until all our men had gone. The women were very friendly
to me. No doubt they thot as long as I remained they would
not be molested by our soldiers. I stayed until nearly noon.
They wanted me to stay longer. But I was afraid I might be
overtaken by the rebels and adjudged a forager, and that often
meant death in South Carolina. About this time a correspond
ent of the New York Herald wrote, "On the line of our march
we found eighteen of our foragers murdered. Seven of them
were placed in a row , side by side, with a piece of paper pinned
to the clothing of each, upon which was written in pencil "this
is the way we treat Kilpatrick's thieves." Others were found

ARMYLIFE 49

by the roadside with their throats cut from ear to ear. Pinned
to these was a placard upon which was written, "South Carolina's
greeting to Yankee Vandals."
It was a rainy day and the roads very muddy. I did not
reach camp until dark. I had just got in and was caring for my
horse when I heard Gen. Belknap call, "Sergeant Wilkinson,"
he had charge of the provost guards, "Has Jennings got in?"
"No," the sergeant replied. "When he comes, tell him to come
up here," said the general. Then I called out, "I'm here." I
went to headquarters. The general was sitting by a pine knot
fire in front of his tent. With a twinkle in his eye, he said,
"Where the devil have you been all day?" I replied that I had
staid at the house where he left me in the morning until nearly
noon, and the women wanted me to stay longer. "Well, why
the devil didn't you stay. It was a good place to stay, was it
not?" he said. "That's all right, Jennings, I just wanted to
know if you had gotten in." This shows the general was inter
ested in the welfare of his men.
Our command was now moving toward Raleigh, North
Carolina. For many days there was incessant rain, streams
were swollen, bridges swept away greatly impeding our progress.
After many days of tireless marching the 17th corps arrived
in Cheraw on the 3rd day of March. The rebels retreated
across the Pedee river, burning the bridge behind them. After
destroying the military stores found here, we took up the march
for Fayetteville, N. C, where we arrived March 11th. Here we
destroyed a vast amount of machinery which the rebels had
stolen from the United States Arsenal, at Harpers Ferry. At
that time the Confederate general, Joe Johnston, was concentrat
ing all his forces at Raleigh. On the 15th our corps moved out of
Fayetteville, crossing the Cape Fear river. While our battery was
crossing the pontoon bridge here, an unusual accident occurred.
For safety on the bridge, guns were kept quite a distance apart.
A gun drawn by four horses was driven on the bridge and
stopped near the river bank, which was very steep. Then a
wagon loaded with pioneer tools drawn by six mules was driven
down the bank, the gun still standing. There not being room
for the mules, the force of the wagon pushed them off the
bridge, drowning the whole outfit, except the driver.

60 MYSTORY

On April 12th, about noon, while we were marching toward
Raleigh, we received the glad news that Gen. Lee had surren
dered his entire army to Gen. Grant. On receipt of this news
there was an exciting time among our soldiers. Regimental
flags and banners were waved and hats thrown in the air, while
cheer after cheer was given. On the morning of the 14th, our
brigade entered Raleigh. As the Union troops drew near the
city, Gen. Johnston, with his army, retired, and a deputation of
citizens came out to meet Gen. Sherman and tendered him the
surrender of the city without firing a hostile shot, and the Union
troops marching to the tap of the drum, entered the capital of
North Carolina. Raleigh was a beautiful city and suffered far
less than any other place our troops occupied during the war.
The Confederate General Johnston retreated to Benton-
ville some ten miles distant, and here threw up a strong line of
works. Sherman scarcely halting at Raleigh, moved his men
forward and our advance guard was soon attacking the rebels.
They were promptly driven back to Bentonville, where our
troops encountered a dismal swamp, with the rebels entrenched
behind strong works on the other side. Our line was halted and
ordered to throw up works. Our brigade headquarters was es
tablished about a quarter of a mile in the rear of the brigade.
The next day about 1 o'clock in the afternoon, heavy fir
ing commenced along our picket line. As soon as the firing was
heard at headquarters Gen. Belknap ordered his horse, and tak
ing me as his orderly, we rode rapidly to our lines. Arriving
there the general ordered the brigade to move forward, in the
line of battle, at once, thru the swamp, and dismounting his
horse, left me to hold it. The brigade had advanced but a short
distance, when the rebel bullets came flying past me thick and
fast. In a short time a soldier came back and told me that the
general said for me to move the horses over the hill out of range
of the bullets. I felt somewhat relieved, then, and moved at
once. The rebels were driven out of Bentonville without any
loss to our company. That was our last battle and I have the dis
tinction, if any, as serving as orderly for Gen. Belknap, in our
last engagement. A few days later an armistice between Sherman and John
ston was agreed upon and on the 26th day of April, 1865, John-

ARMYLIFE 51

ston made a final surrender of his army to Sherman. Lee hav
ing surrendered a short time before, the war was practically over.
Pending the armistice between Sherman and Johnston, we re
ceived the sad news of the assassination of our loved and lament
ed President Lincoln; this caused a deep gloom to fall on all
our troops. Many threats were made by the soldiers, that if
the war continued, no prisoners would be taken alive. The
soldiers generally believed that the main leaders in the rebellion
had some knowledge of Lincoln's assassination.
The war being over, the next important matter demanding
the attention of the government was to lessen the expense by re
ducing the number of soldiers in the field. On the last day of
April, General Sherman with the 14th, 15th, 17th and 23d corps,
which had marched with him from Atlanta thru Georgia and
the- Carolinas to Raleigh, set out for Washington, D. C. The
corps marching on parallel roads in much the same position they
did on the campaign. It was always a mystery to me, and
many other soldiers, why the march was made so rapidly, un
less it was rivalry among the corps officers to see which could
out march the other. The corps generally made from twenty to
twenty-five miles a day. April 29th our corps left camp near
Bentonville, marched about ten miles, crossing the Neuse river
to the east side and camped over Sunday. Monday morning,
May 2nd, we started on the march for Washington. On the
way we crossed over several battle fields in Virginia, where we
saw the bones of legs and arms of the dead, protruding from the
ground. There was an offensive odor from the field. On the
march we had strict orders not to forage, and guards were placed
at all houses near where we camped. One day we camped a
little before sun set. I rode out about a mile from camp and
came to a house where a guard wasi stationed. I rode along the
road past the house some distance, then returned to camp. I
noticed in passing the house some old fashioned bee. gums,
made out of hollow linn logs, sitting along an old rail fence, just
back of the house, on the bank of a ravine. The thot struck me
that there was a good chance to get some honey. When it be
came dark I got two of the boys in camp, and we went out to the
place where I had seen the bee gums. Arriving at or near the
house we followed the ravine to keep out of sight of the guard,

62 MYSTORY
in front of the house, until we came to the bee gums. Then one
of the boys and I climbed over the fence and grabbed up one of
the gums and set it on the top rail of the fence, when suddenly
the rail broke and jarred the bees, so they fell down on our
hands, and began stinging us, but we held on to the gum and
climbed over the fence and carried it quite a ways down the ra
vine, then took what honey we wanted and returned to camp.
My hands were severely stung and greatly swollen. The next day
while riding along Gen. Belknap happened to notice my hands,
then he said "Jennings, what's the matter with your hands?" I
replied that "by some means, I got them poisoned last night."
"Yes," he said, "I think I know the kind of poison vine you were
in." Passing thru Richmond, Virginia, we saw many of the old
forts and strong lines of rebel works behind which Lee's army
had been sheltered for four years. May 21st we ar
rived on the hills of the Potomac, south of and near Alexandria,
Virginia, about eight miles from Washington, and camped. The
next day the soldiers in camp rested from their long march north
ward. All were busy cleaning their rifles, polishing their gun-
barrels and copper discs, and putting a fresh look upon their
accoutrements preparatory to a grand review of the whole ar
my. That day Gen. Belknap and staff went to Washington,
Going to Alexandria to take the boat, we passed the hotel where
Col. Ellsworth, the first man killed in the war, was shot while
taking a rebel flag from the building and placing the stars and
stripes in its place. We loaded our horses on the boat and went
to Washington; spent most of the day there and returned to
camp at night. Early on the morning of the 24th the 17th corps
was on the march to Washington, the 4th division leading with
our brigade in advance. The long wooden bridge across the Poto
mac was reached about 10 o'clock a.m. In crossing the bridge we
had to break step and keep in groups some distance apart, for
fear the oscillation would cause it to collapse. From the bridge
the column marched east around the Capitol building, entering
Pennsylvania avenue. To form a uniform rank of forty men, the
regiments were organized in equal companies, in double ranks,
close order. When each command was ready, at the order,
marched forward. Fixed bayonets flashed in the sunlight from

ARMYLIFE 63

the parallel lines of rifles obliquely held from right shoulders.
From the Capitol to the White House, fully a mile, the line of
march was visible in all its impressiveness. Great flags waved
across the street, and along the sidewalk ; the spectators, thous
ands upon thousands, stood gazing as if spellbound. Horsemen
rode along the curb to keep people from breaking over into the
space required for the moving columns. There was no lack of
patriotism. Mottoes, banners and flags were in great profusion
upon buildings, private and public. From every window and
housetop flags and handkerchiefs were waved, and hands were
clapped. In front of the White House had been erected a plat
form upon which Andrew Johnson, then president, Generals
Grant and Sherman, and many other noted generals, together
with many state officials and governors of northern states, re
viewed the marching host. How this scene would have been
heightened had Abraham Lincoln (who was assassinated a short
time before) but stood looking with friendly countenance down
upon "his boys." This was our grand and final parade. I was
riding with Gen. Belknap and staff at the head of the column, and
looking back down Pennsylvania avenue from the White
House to the Capitol, over that gallant body of soldiers, march
ing to the tap of the drum, was a sight never to be forgotten.
We marched out about seven miles north of Washington and
camped in the edge of Maryland, awaiting transportation. I
made several trips to Washington, taking in the sights of the
city. One day a comrade and I rode down to the Capitol.
There being no hitch racks to tie our horses, we left them with
boys to hold, while we took in the Capitol building and grounds.
We were gone, perhaps an hour. When we got back my pony
was gone. I found the boy I left it with, holding another horse.
"Where's my pony," I asked. "Why, you got him, didn't you,"
he said. "A man gave me ten cents and said that was his pony."
"Which way did the man go?" I asked. "Right up Pennsylvania
Avenue," he said. I took my comrade's horse and rode up the
avenue two blocks, then turned up an alley to a livery barn.
When I rode up, there was a soldier bringing a horse out of the
barn that had been stolen in the same way mine was. An
old colored man sitting by the barn when I rode up, said, "I
spect this man am hunting for a hoss, too ?" "That's what I am,"

64 MYSTORY

I said, "What color was your hoss ?" I described my pony. "Well,
sah, I saw a man riding that pony thru dat alley (pointing to it)
just awhile ago," he said. I rode up the alley, crossing the next
block to the street, got off the horse and examined the space be
tween the buildings along the sidewalk.
In a short time I noticed horse tracks between two buildings
that stood close together. I followed the tracks to the rear of the
buildings. There under a shed I found my pony with saddle and
bridle on the ground near by, but no one to be seen. I lost no
time in getting the pony out and back to camp we went. Many
horses were stolen in that way. Gen. Belknap offered me the
pony if I would pay the freight on him home, but that would
have been more than he was worth. On June 7th our corps
left Washington over the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, in stock
and grain cars, for Parkersburg, Virginia. Here we took boats
for Louisville, Ky. There were seven boats in the fleet. They
frequently got to racing, which would cause much excitement
among the soldiers on board. When about fifty miles above
Cincinnati, the boat carrying our regiment struck a snag and
sank in a few moments to the top deck. Many of the soldiers
jumped overboard. The boat got near shore and all were res
cued. When the accident occurred Mifflin was on lower deck.
He grabbed his gun and ran to the upper deck but lost his bag
gage. I was on another boat with brigade headquarters when
the accident occurred. Our fleet arrived at Louisville on the
14th of June. We remained here awaiting discharge and trans
portation until the 16th of July. Mifflin obtained a furlough and
went home and did not return. On the 4th day of July our bri
gade was formed in a hollow square. Then General Sherman
rode in and made us a farewell speech. I shall never forget one
statement he made. It expresses my idea of a true American.
He paid a high compliment to the men of the brigade for their
daring deeds of bravery and loyalty to him. And after recount
ing some of the great battles in which the brigade had been en
gaged and the dangers thru which they had passed, he said:
"Boys, I want to tell you one thing, I never sent you anywhere
I would not have gone myself if duty required it." When the
general rode away cheer after cheer was given him. While here
Jake and I went down to the city and bought us new hats and

COMRADES IN '65

ARMYLIFE 55

had oil/ pictures taken together. Later on I will tell of Jake's
short memory.
While here I came near being drowned. One evening sev
eral of us boys went swimming in the Ohio river. We entered
the stream several hundred yards above a high bluff where the
banks were very steep. The water was deep and the current
was very swift. I swam out about a hundred yards, then turned
back. The current being swift carried me down stream so that
when I reached the bank it was very steep. I was nearly ex
hausted and just floating down stream when fortunately I caught
some brush overhanging the bank and got out. We were dis
charged on the 15th of July. The next day our brigade crossed
the river on a ferry boat to Jeffersonville, Indiana. Here we
were put in box cars and taken to Chicago. There we were
transferred to the Rock Island road and taken to Davenport,
Iowa, and again placed in Camp McClellan. In a few days we
were paid off and mustered out of the service. Comrade Ashford
and I went down to Davenport, and each bot a suit of clothes.
As I now remember, we paid $40 a piece for the suits. The train
had gone to Muscatine, so we had to stay in the city over night.
We slept in a feather bed the first time for more than eighteen
months. I caught the severest cold I ever experienced. The
next day we took the train for Clifton station. Arriving at
Muscatine (the home of our then Colonel Beach), the citizens
had prepared a dinner for our boys in a large hall about a block
from the railroad station. It was reported that the train would
be held until we got dinner. So we all went to the hall and had
just began eating when it was announced the train was going.
We all made a rush for the train, Jake caught it, I with many
others got left. Here Jake and I separated very suddenly.
Shortly afterwards he moved with his father to Marysville, Mis
souri. I returned to the hall and ate my dinner. The citizens
telegraphed to Davenport for an extra train to take those who
were left to the stations along the road where they belonged. I
arrived at Clifton a little after dark, and walked to Columbus
City, about three miles and stayed over night with relatives, ar
riving at home about noon the next day.

66 MYSTORY
At home I found a vacancy in the family circle that none
could fill. Mother and my youngest sister, had died while I was
gone. I have always thot that when a mother dies the strongest
family tie is broken, and my experience during the past two
years more strongly confirms the thot.

LATER LIFE

CHAPTER THREE.
Return to farm — Cradling grain and general work — Driving
team to Atchison, Kansas — Incidents on the way — Two
years in Missouri — Farming, running threshing machine —
Clerking in store — Getting badly frightened — Moved to
Dallas County, Iowa — Trade for land — Chopping railroad
ties and cord wood — Mill explosion — Buying oxen — Break
ing prairie and brush land — Handling a large plow, with
many yoke of oxen — Cupid's work — Engaged in mercantile
business — Financial loss in, '73 — New brick store — Post
master and county commissioner — Employees — Trades and
other deals — Moved to Nebraska — Banking and farming —
Visit Comrade Ashford — Bank burglarized — Politics and
press comments — Death of wife — Children living — Relig
ious views — Travels and conclusion.
Again I take up the general routine of farm life. It was
harvest time. There had been much rain during the summer, and
water stood in many wheat fields on low ground. Some ground
was so miry that the wheat could not be cut with a machine.
I did my first and last cradling grain that harvest on father's
farm. Sometime in September that fall, father was married to
Mrs. Nancy Harris. She had two sons, Jefferson and Winfield,
aged about ten and twelve years. To their union was born one
daughter, Ginevra, who is now the wife of Mr. Charles M.
Johnston, living at Columbus City, Iowa. Father died in 1894;
his wife died in 1912. Harvest over, brother Mifflin and a man
named Cleland bot a threshing machine. I hired to them to go
with the machine at $1.25 per day. We finished threshing about
the last of November. Cleland had been to Kansas that summer
and taken a homestead near Atchison. He was wanting to
move there, but winter was coming on and he had a family,
but did not want to take them overland. He offered to pay my
expenses if I would drive his team thru with a load of house
hold goods. I was anxious to get some kind of employment for
the winter, and all kinds of reports were in circulation of work

58 MYSTORY
and high wages to be had in Kansas and Missouri. So I accepted
Cleland's offer. I left home the last of November with his team
and wagon heavily loaded. December 3d I was overtaken
in Ringold county by a heavy snow storm. From that time on I
made slow headway, as the snow was ten or twelve inches deep
and the weather very cold. I finally reached Maryville on Sat
urday night and stayed over Sunday with my old friend and
comrade, Jake Ashford. Monday morning I pushed on toward
St. Joseph. The day before I arrived there a farmer was taking
a load of corn to town to sell, when he was attacked by robbers,
killed and laid under a bridge, and his team, wagon and corn
taken to St. Joseph and sold. When I heard that, it made me
nervous, as I was alone with a fine team of horses and a wagon.
Leaving St. Joseph, I kept on the east side of the river, expect
ing to reach Atchison that night, but the snow being deep I
made slow progress. I got within about four miles of Atchi
son, when night came on, and being in heavy timber and deep
snow I was unable to follow the main road. I finally came to a
log cabin in an open field of a few acres. Here I stopped to see
if I could stay all night. At the house I found two women —
regular Missourians. I asked if they would keep me over night,
explaining that I was a stranger, and unacquainted with the
road, and that it would be impossible for me to reach Atchison
that night. After considerable insisting, they reluctantly agreed
to keep me. I put the horses in a log smoke house near the
cabin, and went in the house, seating myself near an open fire
place. There seemed to be no man about the house. I had been
sitting there but a short time when I heard stamping on the step
at the front door. Presently the door opened and in sprang two
very large black Newfoundland dogs, the largest I ever saw.
They ran up to me and commenced smelling around. In a
moment a large man with long black hair came in the door. He
had two navy revolvers and a large knife strapped on him and a
gun in his hand. For a moment I thot my time had come. The
man noticing me said "good evening" He then proceeded to take
off his army equipments. Seating himself beside me, his first
question was "Where are you from?" I replied "Iowa." You
are a northern man, then," he said. I said "yes." Then he said
"you are lucky you struck the right place." I felt better then.

LATERLIFE 59

He said "I go this way" pointing to the armament he had taken
off, for there are some fellows around here if we mieet, one of
us will bite the dust. I was a Union man and had to leave here
when the war broke out. I just returned a short time ago." Bed
time came and he and I occupied the same bed, with the two
dogs lying across the foot. It was a nice, clear moonlight night,
I could look out thru the cracks between the logs of the building
and see my horses. Morning came. I pushed on to Lathrop, a
small town just across the river from Atchison in Missouri.
The ice in the river had just frozen over. The day before I ar
rived there a man undertook to lead a horse across the river and
the ice broke and the horse was drowned. I stayed at the hotel
in Lathrop that day. The next morning Cleland came over and
we drove the team down to the river, then unhitching the horses
we hitched one to the end of the wagon tongue and proceeded
to cross the river, Cleland leading the one hitched to the wagon
and I the other. Reaching the opposite bank in safety, I bid
Cleland good bye and never saw him afterward. I could find no
work there. In a few days I returned to Maryville and spent the
balance of the winter doing chores for a man by the name of
Jones. Early in the spring my friend Jake Ashford and two
other young men and I arranged to go to Leavenworth, Kan
sas and hire to the government to drive freight teams across
the plains to California. There was no railroad then to Califor
nia. A few days before the time agreed on to start, one of the
party backed out, so we all gave up the trip. Then I hired to
Mr. Jones for four months at $25 a month. I cleared off two
acres of ground for him in the north part of Maryville. He only
had one horse. T. L. Robinson, a merchant in town, had one
horse and owned forty acres of land adjoining the town. Jones
and he spliced teams and I broke up the ground I had cleared for
Jones. Then I plowed and planted twenty acres of corn on the
Robinson land and cultivated it. On this same land where I
plowed corn the best residences and the State Normal School in
Maryville now stand. Harvest came and a man by the name of
Bond from Iowa, (the same man I pulled the machine out of the
mud for with the oxen), and his brother-in-law, W. D. Ashford,
bot a threshing machine and Ashford hired me to take his place
with the machine. John Hall, a brother-in-law of Bond's, and I,

60 MYSTORY
went to St. Joseph with teams and got the machine and hauled
it to Maryville. At that time there was no railroad at Mary
ville. During the fall we threshed most all over Nodaway
county. The jobs were small, few and far between. While
threshing over on the Nodaway river, about twelve miles from
Maryville, Sunday came and we stayed over. There were two
young ladies there. Sunday afternoon Hall and I went walking
with them. Hall afterward married the one he took walking.
While threshing we found some tough places to board. One
Friday evening we pulled to a stack yard quite a ways from the
house. I had a tip before we went that it was a tough place to
board. We went to the house, and when passing the back door
I noticed a large mud hole with some pigs in it. At the front
door was a larger one with some pigs and ducks in it. A plank
was laid across it to get in the house. When we entered the
house the woman and her daughter were preparing supper. The
woman was rolling some dough on a table to make biscuit,
Soon a pig weighing 50 or 60 pounds jumped in at the door.
The woman told her daughter to chase it out. She ran it round
the room several times and as it went out at the door her mother
struck it across the back with the rolling pin. Then she wiped
the pin across her apron and proceeded to roll the dough. It
rained that night, as usual at such places. When morning came
Hall and I rode to Maryville for breakfast. Before we left we
told the man that "we would be back early Monday morning,
for him to have his hands ready." Monday morning we got up
at 3 o'clock, got something to eat and were at the stack yard
ready to thresh, by sun up, finished the job and left before din
ner. We got thru threshing and I was arranging to start to
Iowa. One day Mr. Robinson, of the firm of Beal and Robinson,
camte to me and wanted to know if I would work for
them, in the store. I told him that I knew nothing
about the mercantile business. He replied that per
haps I could learn. That they were willing to take me on trial for
a couple of weeks, at the end of that time, if they or I was not
satisfied, I could quit. He offered me $200 for a year and board.
I went into the store and staid a year. I boarded half the time
with Mr. Robinson and half with Mr. Beal. It was a good invest
ment for me, as the experience gave me some knowledge of the

LATER LIFE 61
business that proved very useful in after years. About the time
I went into the store the notorious James boys and Younger
brothers were starting out committing all kinds of depredations
and there was much stealing and robbing going on. The coun
ty treasurer of Nodaway county had purchased a safe, in which
to keep the county funds and kept it in Beal & Robinson'a store,
as there was no bank in Maryville. I was sleeping in the store
alone. During the winter one night I was sleeping on the coun
ter, with my bed under the stove pipe that ran from the stove in
the center of the room, to the flue on the side of the wall. About
midnight I was suddenly awakened by somthing striking me.
My first thot was that a robber had struck at me, with an iron
instrument, scraping my nose and body to my feet. I threw up
my hands and screamed at the top of my voice. I presume I
could have been heard a quarter of a mile. I was more fright
ened than I ever was in the army. As soon as I recovered from
fright, I lit a lamp and found that about a yard square of plas
tering had broken loose above the stove pipe and fallen on me.
The next summer (1867), while I was working in the store, there
was an earthquake shock felt in town. It threw loose bricks off
the walls of the First M. E. Church, then being built.
When my time was out in the store Mr. Robinson wanted me
to remain longer. He offered to sell me an interest in the
store (I had no money to buy), and wait on me if I would
stay. But I had an attraction back in Iowa. So I bot
a horse and rode back. One evening, when nearly dark, while
riding thru the timber on the Des Moines river bottom, I was
badly frightened. I met two men on horseback, leading another
horse. When I rode up they stopped and asked me to stop, said
they wanted to look at my horse. I didn't stop. I put whip to
my horse and was soon out of their sight, and within a mile
reached a farm house, where I stayed all night.
Brother Mifflin was married to Miss Lizzie Stillwell, the
4th of July that summer, 1867. He had been out to Dallas coun
ty, and traded for a piece of land and was preparing to move
there. He wanted me to go along. We got ready and left home
about the middle of December. Mifflin, with his wife and wag
on, three horses and their household goods. I rode my horse and
traveled with them until near Sigourney, in Keokuk county, then

62 MYSTORY
I left them and rode on. The weather was cold and stormy.
After several days' travel I finally arrived at my Uncle Frank
Wilson's, near sundown on the 21st of December. Wilson then
lived about twenty miles west of Des Moines, in Dallas county,
near the main Coon river, where the town of VanMeter now
stands. The next morning when I got up and took in the coun
try and the general surroundings, there was a blue boy. I would
have given much to have been back at Maryville. At that time
where the town of Van Meter now stands was a corn field. A
large flour mill and a steam saw mill stood on the bank of the
river about a quarter of a mile from uncle's. I don't believe there
was a half dozen other buildings to be seen. The river bottom
was covered mostly with heavy timber, and the hills around with
scrubby oaks and hazel brush. About a month after I arrived
the saw mill blew up, killing the engineer. At the time of the
explosion I was chopping at a tree that stood on the bank of the
river about two hundred yards above the mill. Pieces of boards
and brick were thrown thru the tops of the trees near where I
was at work. One end of the mill boiler weighing about six
hundred pounds was blown past me some fifty yards and fell on
the ice on the river. Several years afterwards, one) spring, when
the ice broke up and was running out of the river it tore a hole in
the dam and washed under the north end of the mill. In less
than one hour after it was discovered washing, the mill turned
over into the river. At the time it happened there were about
six thousand bushels of wheat, and several hundred sacks of flour
in the mill. Most of the flour was gotten out. The dam was
ruined and the mill never rebuilt.
Mifflin and his wife arrived at Wilson's a few days after I
did. He rented a small house that stood near where the M. E.
church now stands in Van Meter. Then I made my home with
him. It was while chopping stove wood near this house, a short
time afterward, that I first saw Miss Ruth A. Clayton, who
afterward became my wife. She and a lady friend passed along
the road. In a short time I traded a horse, saddle and bridle to
a man named Shaffer for his equity in forty acres of land ad
joining brother Mifflin, near Van Meter. As a part of the con
tract I was to break out forty acres adjoining mine, for the Wil
sons; also to build a half mile of fence, made of split rails and

LATERLIFE 63
nailed to posts, and assume payment of a note given by Shaffer of
$150. Then Mifflin and I went into the timber and began chop
ping railroad ties and cord wood, hauling them to the C. R. I. &
P. railroad, then building from Des Moines to Council Bluffs.
In the meantime we cut logs and hauled them to Adel, eight
miles, to have them sawed for a frame for Mifflin's house.
When spring came, Mifflin built his house, then we moved
into it. His land was not broke out. Early in the spring I bot
two yoke of oxen. I heard of a party living up near Mitchell's
mill, who had cattle to sell. One day I rode up there and met
the man about a half mile from home with two yoke going to the
timber for wood. I had never met him before. I asked him if the
cattle were for sale. He said he would sell them if he could get
his price. I asked his price. He said $240 for the two yoke.
One yoke was three, the other four years old. I told him I only
had $140, if he would take that and wait on me for the balance
till January first, I would take the cattle. He took the offer and
some chances for the balance of his money. I took the cattle
home with me and used them to haul the logs from the timber
to build my fence. A short time afterward Mifflin and I bot two
more yoke of cattle. About the tenth of May, we1 began breaking
prairie, or rather brush land, with four yoke of cattle. We broke
out the forty that I had agreed to break and some for Mifflin and
other parties that summer. On the 4th day of July, 1868, the first
train of passenger cars on the C. R. I. & P. railroad ran into Van
Meter. A celebration was held in a grove on the south side of
the river about a half mile below the town. I borrowed 25 cents
to attend the celebration. I met Miss Clayton there and ate
dinner with her and her folks. During harvest time I bound
wheat for the neighbors. That fall I went with a threshing ma
chine about three weeks. Then I built a shed for my cattle and
prepared feed for the winter. I also husked corn for the neigh
bors and worked part of the winter chopping in the timber. The
last of December I made a trip to Lousia county, got two horses
and rode one to Van Meter, leading the other. When spring
came brother Taylor bot Mifflin's interest in the cattle, then he
and I went in partnership. We bot another yoke of cattle, that
made us five yoke. Early in May, we began breaking on my land
and had about ten acres broke when a Mr. Van Meter came to us

64 MYSTORY

one day and wanted to know what we would take for our team
and outfit and come and break for him. He live,d about two miles
from us. I told him that I must break mine first. Then he want
ed to know what we would take after breaking mine. He had
about eighty acres, mostly heavy brush, and small timber, to
break. He said that he would buy our team at a reasonable
price and pay us $1.50 each a day to run it for him. Taylor and
I talked the matter over a short time and finally told him that
we would take $700 for the outfit after breaking mine. He took
us up. Paid us $300 cash, the balance when we went to work for
him. We finished breaking mine about the middle of June, then
went to work for Van Meter. At that time Van Meter was run
ning two breaking plows with seven yoke on each team. He had
a plow made to order especially for plowing out brush and
grubs. It was the largest plow I ever saw. It weighed over 600
pounds. The beam was six by eight inches and twelve feet
long. The land-side was six feet, with share five feet long.
Mr. Van Meter said he wanted Taylor and me to run the
large plow and for us to pick out four of his best yoke of cattle
and put with the team we sold him. We did so. That made
nine yoke for each plow, and one poor yoke extra that he turned
on grass. We began work and at times would pull that large
plow in between stumps, until it would take three yoke to pull it
back out. Sometimes we would stall, then we would double team,
that made eighteen yoke of cattle pulling one plow. Hence I
claim the distinction of handling the largest plow and pulling
more yoke of oxen on it than any man in the state of Iowa, or
Nebraska, except brother Taylor. One day in the afternoon,
while at work here, there was a total eclipse of the sun (1869) and
the oxen all stopped and looked scared. While breaking near the
railroad, a special train, with silver mounted engine, carrying
President U. S. Grant and party, passed by. They had been at
tending the celebration of the completion of the Union Pacific
railroad at Ogden, Utah. It was said at the time, the President
drove a gold spike connecting the Union Pacific and Southern
Pacific railroads. I am doubtful of the spike being there now.
Harvest came and we quit work for Van Meter. During har
vest I helped the neighbors. I remember binding wheat for
Mr. A. Golden; he paid me $1.75 a day, which was the most I

LATERLIFE 65
ever got for such work. Brother Enoch, afterward (1874) mar
ried his daughter Alice; they now own and live on that farm.
Harvest being over, I worked at other jobs until corn husking
time. In September Taylor rented a farm near Van Meter, then
he and I batched until in October, when Taylor married Miss
Elizabeth Hunt, "Lib," we always called her. The wedding took
place at Miss Hunt's uncle, Jackson Wilson, who lived near
Hanover, Iowa. Miss Clayton and I attended the wedding.
Father Jennings was also there. Then we had three in the
family. Taylor and I went halvers in furnishing and his wife
did the cooking and washing for her part. Of necessity, we
were quite economical in our living. I have no account of the
expenses but have recently been informed that our average ex
pense per week was 75 cents each. That would hardly get a
"square" meal these days especially on a dining car. We didn't
use "diners" in those days.
Early that spring (1869) I bot a span of young horses of
Simeon Clayton, paying $250 for them. I bot a wagon and
husked corn by the bushel that fall and winter. Before I got
thru husking there came a deep snow. Then I used a sled. I
was husking for Wm. Hofstott, and finished on Christmas day,
It was very cold. I pulled the tongue out of my sled and froze
my fingers getting it back in. The latter part of that winter I
worked some in the timber and hauled cord wood to the rail
road. The next spring I began farming for myself. I sowed ten
acres of wheat on my land and put the balance to corn. The
land was broke early the year before and the summer being very
wet the roots and sod did not rot well, so the weeds took 'most
of the wheat and the corn was poor. When harvest came I had
but little to cut. Mifflin and Taylor had a fair crop. I helped
them and others thru harvest. Then I put up some hay for
myself and helped the neighbors in threshing.
The Part Cupid Played in My Life.
To tell this part of my story I return to the time we came to
Iowa. The year before we came, a man by the name of Joshua
Marshall came from Ohio, and settled about two miles south of
where we did. We were not acquainted in Ohio. He had a large
family of children. His second child was a daughter named
Virginia (called Jennie). She and I were born the same year.

66 MYSTORY

For a number of years we attended the same school. We were
then both quite young and gave little attention to each other.
The school district was divided. Then we did not associate to
gether for a number of years. In the meantime Miss Marshall
went to make her home with an uncle who lived about nine miles
from where we did. During the summer and fall of 1862 the war
excitement ran high thru that part of the country and many
public meetings were held. One Saturday a meeting was held
in the woods about a mile from our house and by chance Miss
Marshall and I met there. She went home with a lady cousin of
mine who lived near us and took supper. That night we all went
to a writing school in the neighborhood. I accompanied Miss
Marshall home. From that time until I went to the army we met
quite often at church, singing school and other social gather
ings. While in the army we corresponded. When I came
home we met each other several times, until I went to Missouri
in November, '65. Again we corresponded the two years I was
gone. When I returned Miss Marshall was again making her
home with her uncle. I called on her twice, the last time I told
her that I was going to the west part of the state with my brother
to try and find a home. I suggesed the idea of her going too.
She replied that "she did not want to leave her folks." I told
her that "I was going but would be back in a year or so." We
continued to correspond until I returned the latter part of De
cember, '68. I called on her again and during the meeting I
asked her "if she had made up her mind to go west?" to which
she again replied that she did not like to leave her folks, but
that she might change her mind. I told her that I could not think
of coming back there to live. We separated and quit corres
ponding. I returned to Van Meter. Miss Clayton and I had
been going together more or less since our first acquaintance.
I had been frank, telling her that I had a lady friend back home
with whom I was corresponding. About the time I came to Van
meter a Good Templars Lodge was organized. The meetings
were held in a small school house that stood on the corner of
Simeon Clayton's land, about a quarter of a mile south of
where the town of Van Meter now stands. I joined the order. It
and the G. A. R. organization are the only secret societies I
ever belonged too. The night I was admitted to the lodge Miss

WEDDING DAY

LATERLIFE 67
Clayton read the ritual service. I accompanied her home from
the meeting. From that time we went together quite frequent
ly. Late in the fall of '68 Miss Clayton went back to her old
home in Indiana to visit relatives and friends. On my return to
Van Meter I wrote her the result of my trip back home. When
St. Valentine day came I bot the nicest valentine I could find
in Van Meter and sent it to her. She kept it to the day of her
death. From that time on, we corresponded until she returned
home about the first of April, '69. She taught school that sum
mer and winter and the next summer. In May, 1870 we were
engaged. The coming 4th of July, a celebration was held at
Van Meter. The states were represented by ladies and gentle
men on horseback. Miss Clayton and I represented Iowa and
rode at the head of the procession. I had charge of the com
pany. I have always thot that was one of the happiest days of her
life. I don't believe that the 4th of July ever passed while she
lived, but what she made mention of that event. About the
first of September, to my great surprise, I received a letter from
Miss Marshall, stating that she had made up her mind to come
west. It was too late then. She afterward married a man by
the name of Allen, and lived at Atlantic, Iowa. She died about
three months after my wife. Some three years prior to her
death I was passing thru Atlantic and called on her. Neither
would have recognized the other. But when she saw me cross
ing the street, coming toward her house, she said to her daugh
ter that she believed that was Will Jennings. "What made you
think so?" I asked. "By your walk," she said. Hence I con
clude that I must have a very peculiar walk to be remembered
by one for over forty years.
October 4th, 1870, Miss Ruth A. Clayton and I were mar
ried. It was a double wedding, Ruth's sister Lou being married
to Mr. E. A. Trueblood. I have many times said that my wed
ding day was the best day's work I ever did. After our marriage
we made a trip in a wagon, to Louisa county to visit my people
and relatives. On our return we brot a cousin of mine, Milton
Jennings, orphan boy, with us. He made his home with us that
winter and went to school, and worked for me next summer.
We began housekeeping in the kitchen of the house where
brother Taylor was living. The room was about 12x18 feet.

68 MYSTORY

Our furniture consisted principally of cook stove and a few cook
ing utensils, a home-made cupboard, table and three wooden
chairs and a bed, with no carpet on the floor. That would be
considered a pretty hard start by most young people o! these
days. While we had but little ready money we had plenty to
eat and wear and were happy and contented and got along fine
with our neighbors. Taylor's wife and Ruth were fast friends
from first acquaintance. I believe there are but few people who
enjoy each other's company more than they did. Lib has told
me since Ruth died, that in all their social relations extending over
forty years that nothing ever occurred to mar their friendship.
I spent most of that winter in the timber cutting logs and haul
ing them to the saw mill, to build me a house, and getting up
wood for the summer. The fall before I was elected assessor of
Van Meter township. In the spring I did the assessing for which
I received a little over $60. In the latter part of winter I trad
ed my team of horses for a span of mules. About the first of
April, one day brother Mifflin came to me and said that he was
thinking of going to Kansas and take a homestead, that if I would
rent his place he would go. That proposition just suited me, as
I did not have money enough without borrowing, to build a
house on my land. So I rented his place and we moved there.
Before Mifflin started to Kansas, I traded my mules to him for
his horses. As I now remember, I gave him $25 to boot, and in
the trade my wife had a silver watch that we put in at $12 or $15.
I believe there was a clock in the deal, in some way, that we got.
I bot two young horses, then rigged up two teams and my cous
in and I began farming. We had walking stirring plows,
double shovel one horse corn plows and a wooden harrow. We
put out about 30 acres of spring wheat and 40 acres of corn and
raised a good crop.
Some time during the month of June, one day while plow
ing corn a Mr. Semans came to me and wanted to buy the 80,
that was my 40 and brother Mifflin's 40. Mifflin had written me
to sell his land, if I could, as he had taken a homestead in Kan
sas. So Semans and I made the deal. He gave me $25 per acre
and I agreed to give possession September 1st.
July 9th, 1871, our first child was born. To our union
twelve children were born as follows : Mary E., Johnnie S. and

FIRST HOME

LATERLIFE 69
twin sister, Anna V., Rosa B., W. H. jr., Edith L., Lula R., Amy
M. and Hermon B., in Iowa ; Melvin M. and Beulah in Nebraska.
Johnnie S. died in his sixth year, his twin sister at birth. Amy
M. died in her 12th year. Lula R. died in her 19th year.
I raised my corn crop, then harvested my wheat, threshed
and sold 600 bushels at 90 cents a bushel. The first of September
was coming on and we were yet undecided as to what to do. I
wanted to engage in the mercantile business, but my wife had al
ways lived on a farm and she did not like the idea of going to
town to live. I proposed that I would go to Kansas and look at
the country and she could go home to her people until I returned.
But that plan was not altogether satisfactory. We finally decid
ed that I should go into the mercantile business. I bot out a man
by the name of Ellis, who was running a general store at Van
Meter. I traded him my corn crop in the field at $12.50 per
acre and one team and wagon on the store building and goods.
My other team I traded for a small one room dwelling house
and lot in town. We invoiced the stock of goods the last days
of August and moved to town the first of September. We
moved into a room attached to the store building. The building
and stock of goods invoiced some over $3,000. I had about $800
in money. I had to give my notes for $1,600. They were made
payable every sixty days. The stock was very poor and badly
run down. But I went to work to win, if possible. At first
my wife helped me some in the store. Afterward brother Frank
lin clerked for me about two years. Then I employed different
clerks. I had but little capital to work on. The first two years
I bot most of my goods in Des Moines, in small quantities. In
the fall of 1873 I went to Chicago and bot about $5,000 of the dif
ferent lines of goods. I went in debt about $4,000.
I had not got all my goods home when J. Cook & Company,
brokers of New York City failed and that precipitated the panic
of 1873. I had gone heavily in debt and my obligations were
out to be met at certain times. Money became very scarce and
hard to get. But I was determined to meet my obligations when
due, if possible. I reduced prices on all my goods and made
every shift to get money. Selling some of the goods that I had re
cently bot for less money than I paid for them. I met all my
obligations when due, but owing to the depreciation of values,

70 MYSTORY
and having to sell my goods for less than I paid, I lost about
$1,500 that year. However, I did not give up. I kept right on
and in a short time money matters changed and I began making
some money.
In the summer of '73 I built an addition to the house I had
traded the team for, then we moved into it. That fall my sister
Ellen, then living in Louisa county, made me a visit and stayed
four months. She came back in April, 1873 and made her home
with us until 1877, when she was married, on Christmas day, to
Mr. A. H. Trindle. In 1876 I was appointed postmaster at Van
Meter and received a commission signed by U. S. Grant, then
president. The present postal money order system was estab
lished while I held the office. I was postmaster eight years. I
employed an asssistant and two clerks a part of the time. Miss
Atta Nelson was my assistant for about six months. Mr. H. B.
Shepard clerked for me nearly seven years. My store building
was old and my trade had increased until it was inadequate for
my trade. During the summer of 1880 I moved the old building
off and built a brick building in its place. It was the first brick
building in Van Meter. I saw it recently and it is still in good
repair, after nearly thirty-four years. In 1881 I was elected
one of the county commissioners of Dallas county. I served one
term and refused to serve longer. In the spring of 1873 Mr. S.
B. Kenworthy and I started a hardware store in a building ad-
joinging my store. My brother, Franklin, ran the business for
us. We had run only a short time when I bot Kenworthy out.
I continued to run if for some time, then traded it to C. W. Bogue
for 120 acres of land in Jasper county. I kept the land about a
year, then sold it. In 1883 Mr. Frank Hester and I bot a stock
of goods from Wm. Hemphill in DeSoto. We ran the business
about a year when I traded my interest to Hester for a farm
about two miles south of Van Meter; I afterwards sold the
land to Mr. Stephen Hester.
In the fall of '84 I traded a half interest in my store at Van
Meter to my brother-in-law, Mr. A. H. Trindle, for 240 acres
of land about three miles south of Davenport, Nebraska. The
following spring, in March, I came to Davenport ; I bot four and
a half acres of ground and built a house.

ODD STORE

BRICK STORE — 1S80

LATERLIFE 71
In May we moved from Iowa to Davenport. I still retained
a half interest in the store at Van Meter. I did little that sum
mer until fall, when I went to Iowa and to Chicago and bot
a stock of goods for the winter. On my return to Davenport,
the banking firm of Pratt, Anderson & Company was organiz
ing. I went in with them, stayed one year, acting as cashier,
then sold out. In the spring of '86 I traded my half interest in
the store in Iowa to Jacob Trindle, for a quarter section of land
about five miles south of Davenport.
That cleared up my business transactions in Iowa. I had
sold goods in Van Meter about thirteen years, starting with about
$1,500 and getting out with about $16,000, not very much for
thirteen years work, but I guess about as good as any merchant
has since done in the place. In the spring of 1886, Mr. J. F.
Walker and I bot out Pratt, Anderson & Co., and formed the
Jennings & Walker Banking Co. Shortly afterward we also
started a bank at Ong, Neb. We continued in business about
two years, then consolidated with the State Bank of Davenport.
I served as cashier until the spring of 1894, when I sold out, the
bank paying me a little over $20,000. The following September
I organized the Jennings State Bank, and built the building now
occupied by the postoffice. While occupying this building in
November, 1896, the bank was robbed. I insert an account of
the robbery as given in the Peoples Journal of Davenport :
On Friday night, or rather, early Saturday morning, the
Jennings State Bank, of Davenport was relieved of about $2,800
in money and some watches and jewelry. W. A. White had
placed $1,700 in the bank for safe keeping. This was all taken,
also about $1,100 belonging to the bank, besides watches and
jewelry belonging to Rev. Bollmjan, Lutheran minister at this
place, and R. Tweed, one of the business men of the town.
The burglars went to the blacksmith shop and secured tools
to assist them in carrying out their design. Thence they pro
ceeded to the bank, making ingress through the back door,
and with a sledge hammer and possibly some dynamite forced
entrance through the door of the vault. They next opened
the inside door of the vault, evidently without much difficulty,
but it must have taken adepts at the business to get
into the square door bank safe, which was supposed to have been

72 MYSTORY

done with nitroglycerine, since a bottle of that liquid was after
ward found by some boys. The safe door was shattered to pieces
and the safe cracked in other places. The time lock stopped at
3 o'clock, which evidences the fact that the safe was blown open
at that time. Several persons in the town heard the explosion,
but thot little of the matter or paid no particular attention to it.
A. F. Siebrass was up early in the morning to investigate and
soon discovered what had been done. He informed W. H. Jen
nings, cashier of the bank, who arrived on the scene about 6
o'clock. The building was still filled with smoke. The news
soon spread and there was great excitement and interest mani
fested. Mr. White, who had lost all his money, seemed to be
the most deeply interested.
Some cards, offering rewards for the capture of the rob
bers, were sent over Nebraska and Kansas, giving a descrip
tion of three persons who were supposed to have committed the
deed. Men went out from Davenport in all directions to get
some clew or trace of the thieves, but the bandits contrived to
elude their pursuers and reach their headquarters at Hanover,
Kansas, as was afterwards discovered. They boarded the early
west bound passenger which was a little late, passing through
here about 4 o'clock. They stopped off at Hansen and got their
breakfast, and then took the first train back over the same road
and passed through here on the 9 :32 train ; succeeding in reach
ing their home in Hanover, and naturally thought they were
out of danger.
Word was sent out that two suspicious characters had tak
en the train at Hansen. A. S. Whipple boarded the same train
when it stopped in Davenport. He rode as far as Hanover and
saw the two men leave the train at that place. Mr. Whipple re
turned home on the afternoon train and reported what he had
seen. Mr. Jennings sent word to Hebron for the sheriff to meet
him at Belvidere, Saturday night, as he intended to go to Hano
ver. He left here on the 10:45 train and found Chief of Police
from Hastings on the train, and they were joined by Deputy
Sheriff Enslow at Belvidere; they informed the conductor of
their intentions and wanted it so arranged that they could get
into Hanover without being seen. They were joined by a man

LATERLIFE 73
from that place the first station this side there. The stop was
made at the station but there seemed to be no passengers from
Davenport. The train pulled out and made another stop about
a mile beyond the town, where the four men got off
and were piloted by the man from Hanover to town by a circuit
ous route ; a rig was gotten ready about 3 o'clock a. m. and
they were driven over to Washington, the county seat, a distance
of fifteen miles, in an hour and fifteen minutes. Sheriff John
Mitchell and the county attorney went with them, and they got
back to Hanover about sunrise. They went to a dwelling house
in the edge of town where the suspects were supposed to be, and
surrounded it, approaching it from opposite directions, and the
arrest was made about 7 o'clock Sunday morning. The prison
ers were handcuffed and searched, and $1,300 was found on one of
them. Three men were arrested, the third party being the sa
loon-keeper, but having no satisfactory evidence against him he
was released. A vacant house about fifteeen steps distant, was
searched, also the saloon, but nothing worthy of notice was dis
covered. Mr. Jennings, not being satisfied with the search that
had been made, went back to the deserted house, went through
a trap door into the cellar but was unable to find anything. On
leaving for home Sunday evening, for the purpose of getting
requisition papers, he suggested that Chief of Police Lepinski
and Deputy Sheriff Enslow make a thorough search of the va
cant house, which they did, and found the jewelry and about
$500 in gold and silver, which had been buried in the cellar. On
Monday the saloon keeper was arrested and confined with the
others at Washington. Attorney M. S. Gray took charge of the
requisition papers, Monday, carried them to Gov. Holcomb at
Lincoln, thence to Topeka, Kansas where he found Governor
Morrill. From there he went to Washington arriving at that
place Tuesday evening. The prisoners were taken from there
to Hebron and safely lodged in jail to await the preliminary
examination which will take place tomorrow.
The theft was committed Saturday morning at 3 o'clock ; the
thieves escaped into Kansas; they were pursued and arrested;
requisition papers were gotten which had to be presented to the
governors of both states ; the prisoners were taken from Wash
ington to Hebron; $1,800 and jewelry were recovered, all done

74 MYSTORY

by 6 o'clock p. m. Wednesday. According to statistics, this is
the second instance in this part of the country within the past
ten years where burglars have been captured and any money
recovered. After the prisoners were secure there were police
men and detectives from all parts of the country offering their
assistance, too late, however, to be of service.
A number of Davenport people will attend this preliminary
trial at Hebron tomorrow.
Mr. Jennings was in the chase from start to finish, traveled
a distance of 251 miles by rail, 97 miles with a team and sent
41 messages. At the trial two of the men were convicted and sentenced
to serve six years in the penitentiary. One died before his time
was out. The other served his time and was reported killed
about six months afterwards in a robbery in Missouri.
I was under no legal obligation to pay Mr. White, who lost
his money by robbery, any of the money recovered, but I did pro
rate with him according to our loss.
This was the only loss I ever had by burglary. The night
before we left Van Meter, to remove to Davenport, burglars
entered the basement of the store and bored a panel half out of
the door leading to the main room. At the time there were
parties sleeping in the room. It was thot the burglars were
frightened away by them. In March, 1897, we bot out the State
Bank at Davenport and moved into its building, where we are
doing business at the present. The bank stock is owned by the
Jennings' of which I own a large majority. I am president of
the bank, but for some time past I have not been actively en
gaged in the business. My son Hermon is cashier of the bank,
and Melvin assistant. They look after the business. W. H.,
Jr. is cashier of the State Bank at Arnold, in Custer county, in
which we all own stock.
During the fall of 1898 I visited my old friend and com
rade, Jake Ashford, who was still living in Nodaway county,
Missouri. I found him attending a soldiers' reunion, at Quit
man, on the Nodaway river. Jake has done well. He has raised
a large family, owns a good farm and is making money. While
attending the reunion we had our pictures taken together again.
This picture was taken thirty-three years after our soldier pic-

ONICTHiia HNV3

LATERLIFE 75
ture at Louisville, Ky. A photographer was on the grounds and
Jake suggested that we have our pictures taken. So we went
in the tent and while waiting, Jake said to me "Will, have you
got the picture we had taken together at Louisville, just before
we were mustered out ?" I replied that I had. "Well," said Jake
"do you remember we both bot new hats that day?" I said I
did. "Well, sir," said he, "do you know that I forgot to pay for
mine?" It seems a little queer what short memories some sol
diers had of little incidents that occurred during the war that
came to their minds many years afterwards.
Political Views.
In politics I have always affiliated with the Republican par
ty, but not always approving of its acts. I was never an office
seeker. I did most of my work for the other fellow. I have
been a delegate to many county and state conventions. In
1901 I was chairman of Thayer county delegation to the con
gressional convention held at Beatrice, and cast the divided vote
of the thirteen delegates, 9 and 4, two hundred times without
change. On the 342 ballot the candidate for whom I voted, first
and last, was nominated. I served two terms in the State Sen
ate representing the twenty-third senatorial district of Ne
braska. The second term I was nominated and elected
without opposition and was made president pro tem of the
senate. I had the distinction of being the only senator of
that session that was elected without opposition. I was solicit
ed to run for a third term, but on account of my business affairs
declined. During my second term in the senate some of my polit
ical friends urged me to become a candidate for governor of the
state, but I had more sense than to aspire to the position, for
I knew that I was not qualified to fill the office. I give some
comments of the press of my work during the time I was sen
ator : State Senator.
The Journal congratulates our friend, W. H. Jennings, on se
curing the nomination for state senator. Mr. Jennings has long
been identified with the business and social circles of Davenport,
and is a man of ability and strict integrity. This is the first
time in the history of the county when the Republican party
has nominated a man outside the countyseat for senator. This

76 MYSTORY

is quite an honor for Davenport precinct and Mr. Jennings is a
man who will carry the full strength of his party vote. — Peoples
Journal, Davenport.
W. H. Jennings of Davenport precinct, Thayer county, is
in the city today looking up his chances among the people for
the election to the office of State Senator. Mr. Jennings is well
worthy the honor to be bestowed in the election to this office.
He is a representative man, has been a resident of this county for
a score or more of years and is a worthy citizen and an honored
neighbor. If Mr. Jennings is elected, and we see no reason to the
contrary, he will make an ideal senator, and one in which the
people may place the utmost confidence. We hope he may be
successful — Carleton Leader.
Senator Jennings, so the daily papers report, made a stirring
speech the first of the week, against the creation of a special
board of pardons. He desired to leave the matter in the hands
of the governor and not burden the taxpayers by the creation of
any more state boards, believing that enough pardons were al
ready given without the aid of an additional board. — Hebron
Journal. We are heartily in accord with Senator Jennings' bill to abol
ish capital punishment in the state of Nebraska. Capital pun
ishment is a relic of the dark ages and has no place in and among
civilized people. Even if it were not a relic of the past, we would
not be in favor of it, because we do not believe it is either human
or right. Just because the state legalizes it is no indication that
one murder will atone for another. Two wrongs do not make a
right and there are other means of punishment besides the taking
of human life, however great the seeming provocation. We are
of the opinion that capital punishment would have long since
been abolished had it not been for the law's delay in bringing
criminals to justice, which opened the way of many to escape
altogether or be only slightly punished. Times have changed
and conditions have changed, so that now the guilty party who
escapes his just deserts is the exception rather than the rule. —
Fairbury Gazette.
W. H. Jennings of Davenport, was in town Wednesday. Mr.
Jennings is a candidate for the nomination for State Senator, and
has a good chance of getting the same. Mr. Jennings is well

COMRADES AFTER 33 YEARS

LATERLIFE 77
qualified to fill the position to which he aspires. He is popular in
the parts of the county where he is well known. If nominated and
elected will make a senator of whom the district may well be
proud. — Hubbell Standard.
W. H. Jennings, State Senator from Thayer county, with
permanent residence at Davenport, won his spurs in an encounter
at the senate chamber Saturday, in a speech delivered before that
body, upon the bill to abolish capital punishment, and although
the vote went against him, yet everyone praised his efforts and
pronounced it the best that has ever been presented before that
body. It was published in full in the Sunday State Journal, and
is well worthy of you reading. — Chester Herald.
The Journal this week prints a synopsis of Senator Jennings'
speech on the bill to abolish capital punishment, as published in
the Sunday State Journal. Mr. Jennings has been very highly
complimented on his masterly effort. Many contending that it
was the best speech delivered in the senate this session.
Thayer county should be proud of their state senator, W.
H. Jennings of Davenport. He was considered among the very
ablest members of that body. His speech on the bill to abolish
capital punishment was a masterly effort, and considered by
many as the best speech delivered in the senate during the ses
sion that has just closed. — Fairbury News.
Speech By Senator Jennings.
Remarks That Brought Compliments to the Speaker.
Lawyers and practiced orators of the senate were of tffi|
opinion that the best speech delivered in the senate chamber an'
the bill to abolish capital punishment was made by Senator W. H-
Jennings of Thayer county. Although the majority was against
him, every one praised his effort. He said in part :
Mr. President: The bill under consideration by the senate
at this hour, to my mind, involves moral principles of the great
est mangnitude in a republican form of government. I am not in
sympathy with crime or criminals. Capital punishment, inflicted
upon a criminal cannot compensate for the crime committed. If
we are going to inflict punishment upon the criminal commen
surate with some of the atrocious crimes committed, let us re
turn to the mode of punishment practiced in the dark ages— let us
apply the scourge, the gibbet and the rack. Let us hang the cul-

78 MYSTORY

prit alive upon a pole and place him on a raft, send him adrift up
on the high seas for the birds and the vultures to pluck his eyes
out — let us quarter him alive and drag his mangled body through
our public streets.
If capital punishment is to be inflicted for the purpose of
educating and elevating society and to deter others from com
mitting crime, the execution that took place a few days ago
within the closed walls of our penitentiary, should have taken
place on the capitol ground and the whole population' invited to
attend. Who knows the surrounding aggravated conditions
that actuated the man to take the life of his wife and mother-in-
law, by enforcement of your law and the execution of that man,
you have legally cast a stigma upon his living offspring and
created a spirit of revenge that time cannot efface.
What is the object to be attained by inflicting the death pen
alty? To my mind there are but two principles involved in this
question. ,
It must be to elevate the morals of society or to appease that
revengeful spirit in man that has marked the pathway of the
race in blood.
Under our representative form of government, I am clothed
with power to assist in making or unmaking laws, I feel there is
a moral responsibility resting upon me from which I cannot es
cape. When I give my voice or vote in support of capital pun
ishment I am imposing a responsibility and duty upon an officer
that I would not perform myself.
The senator from Butler ridiculed my colleague, the sena
tor from Sherman, for quoting Robert Ingersoll in support of
this measure.
While I do not endorse the religious views of Ingersoll, I
want to say to the senator from Butler, to my mind, no man in
this nation had a higher code of morals than Ingersoll or a better
conception of government.
A few days ago this senate passed a bill introduced by the
senator from Butler, creating a board of pardons. In my judg
ment, if the senator desires to lessen crime and elevate society,
he had better by far introduce a bill to create a board of com-

LATERLIFE 79
petent physicians to examine the mental, moral and physical con
dition of those who are to enter the marriage relation to propa
gate the race.
The senator from Butler and the senator from Fillmore,
in support of their position, have gone back to the smoke of Sinai,
they have quoted that old mosaical doctrine : "An eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth." I want to say to the distinguished sen
ators that they forget when God gave that wonderful law to
Moses that was to govern Israel politically and religiously that
the sixth article therein says "Thou shalt not kill." That law
has never been abrogated. If we are to fall back to the old
mosaical law and custom, to establish our moral right to inflict
capital punishment, then I say slavery is right and polygamy is
right. But, thank God, we are not living under that dispensa
tion or that code of morals.
Mr. Chairman, for nearly 100 years the people of this nation
tried by legislative enactment to make themselves believe that
slavery was right. If there is no higher principle of morals to
be recognized in government than was recognized by that dis
tinguished jurist, Chief Justice Taney in that famous Dred
Scott decision, when he declared that he knew no higher law
than the Blue Ridge for the government of a black man, then,
sir, the senators opposing this bill are in the right.
I want to say to the senators on this floor that over 1800
years ago there was given to the world a code of morals that
should enter into the principles of government as well as the
lives of men. Those principles were not "an eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth," as the senators who are opposing this bill
are advocating. Had the principles they advocated been adopt
ed by the reformers in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, I
doubt if any senator within the walls of this chamber would
have had an existence today. The revengeful spirit of ambitous
men in that age was to be crowned a hero at the sacrifice of
human life. The senators declare that if this bill passes it will
be a step backward. I am surprised at such a statem|ent coming
from these intelligent gentlemen. Why, sirs, you have only to
go back in the history of the world a little over 100 years and
you will find that the penal code of England contained 156 acts
for which men were executed. The senator from Fillmore inter-

80 MYSTORY

rupts me to ask "If we abolish capital punishment will not lynch-
ings increase?" I am not prepared to answer that question. I
will say to the senator that if he will investigate the lynching
record, I believe he will find in states where the per cent of illiter
acy is the greatest the largest number of lynchings occur.
The senator from Gage asks "What are we going to do with
these degenerated wretches?" I answer: So amend your law
and constitution that criminals sentenced to life can only be
pardoned by an act of the legislature, then clamor for capital
punishment will cease.
Six states in this Union that rank well in point of intelli
gence have already abolished this cruel torture and statistics
show that crime has not increased. Let us repeal this law and
forever bury this ancient relic of ignorance and barbarism and
place Nebraska, that boasts of her intelligence, where she rightly
belongs — at the head of the progressive states of the union. —
Hebron Journal from Lincoln State Journal.
On all questions of progressive reform, Senator Jennings
took a firm stand. Concerning his work on the liquor bill, the
World-Herald commented as follows :
Senator Jennings' bill to make the place of delivery of
intoxicants the place of sale has gone to its long sleep. The
bill has been carefully and intelligently pushed since its intro
duction, and finally reached a place near the head of the general
file in the senate. At about that time, however, the senate sift
ing committeee was chosen and resisted all opportunities to let
the bill see daylight.
Yesterday Senator Jennings, who is a born fighter, deter
mined on heroic measures. He moved that the bill be advanced
over the head of the sifting committeee. Senator Jennings had
organized in advance for this motion, which came as an entire
surprise to the opponents of the bill. For a time things looked
squally, but some quick, sharp work done by the representatives
of the Omaha brewers won out and the motion to advance was
tabled by a vote of 20 to 10. The bill has been denounced from
the beginning by its enemies as a covert attempt to place the
state upon a prohibition basis, as under its provisions intoxicants
could be shipped to no point in Nebraska unless the shipper had

FIRST NEBRASKA HOME
Melvin, Heimon, Mrs. W. H. Jennings, Mrs. Annie Woodard, Rosa, Will,
XV. H. Jennings, Lula, Eeula, Edith, Amy.

LATERLIFE 81
a license to do business in that place. This would make it im
possible, of course, to ship liquor into a no license town.
Not Under Ancient Law.
Davenport, Neb., March 28. — To the Editor of the State Jour
nal : It seems to me that many of the advocates of capital pun
ishment are very inconsistent in their arguments and overlook
one very important fact in the taking of human life, and that is
the effect, oftimes, on the wife and offspring of the victim.
You take the life of a husband or father by law, they say.
Yes, but by so doing you ostracise the wife and the child from
society and forever disgrace them, and oftimes create a spirit of
revenge that can never be eradicated.
Then, again, many of the advocates of capital punishment
are willing to impose a duty, by law, on their fellow men that
they are not willing to perform themselves. They say it's all
right for a sheriff or warden of the penitentiary to hang crimi
nals, but they don't want to be the sheriff or warden.
No good citizen ought to impose an obligation, even by law,
upon his fellow men that he would not willingly perform himself.
For over forty years I have been strenuously opposed to
capital punishment, believing it to be morally wrong, and that
no legalizing can make it right, and that crime does not increase
in states that have abolished it. Let's all admit that neither side
has positive proof as to what the results would be to abolish the
monster. But let's try the experiment. Let's get Nebraska out
of the dark ages, and place her in the advance column of
christian civilization, and if after a fair trial it is found that
crime has increased, we are not under the ancient law of the
Medes and Persians, but can reinstate the law again.
I hope the state will pass the bill to abolish this heathen
ish and barbarous practice. W. H. JENNINGS.
The Hon. W. H. Jennings, who was renominated Wednesday
for float senator from this and Thayer counties, is a resident
of the latter, but nevertheless has a warm place in the hearts of
Jefferson county republicans who will take especial pleasure in
rolling up a good big majority for him next November. He is
one of the sort of politicians you can trust, and he is usually
found on the right side of all questions. During the last session
of the legislative body he succeeded in getting several measures

82 MYSTORY
through that are of especial interest to the people. He is suc
cessful in his own business affairs and enjoys the most perfect
confidence of his friends and neighbors in Thayer county, which
has been his home from the early history of the state. He is
clean in his public and private life, and with such men as Mr. Jen
nings upon the ticket the republicans will not have to enter the
campaign on the defensive. — Fairbury News.
W. H. Jennings, of Davenport, will represent Thayer and
Jefferson counties in the upper house of the Nebraska legislature
again this winter. The very flattering and brilliant record made
by this gentleman in the last session entitles him to the very
favorable consideration of this entire people. D. B. Cropsey, of
Fairbury, will be the float represent*ive. — Fairbury Gazette.
Senator W. H. Jennings of Thayer county is now serving his
second term in the senate. He begins his second term as presi
dent pro tem. In the legislature two years ago he was one of
the most active members of the committee on finance ways and
means. His kindly manner made him one of the most popular
members of the legislature. His private and public life is with
out reproach. The fusionists of Nebraska, although trying with
might and main to elect a majority of the legislature, did not
deem it worth while to nominate a candidate in his district last
fall. At the election he led all other candidates on the state and
county tickets and came within a few votes of having as many
as were cast for President Roosevelt. The Gazette extends Sen
ator Jennings congratulations on the honor conferred and his
fellow colleagues on their excellent choice.
How Cropsey Elected Jennings
All the credit for the election of Senator W. H. Jennings of
Thayer is credited to Representative D. B. Cropsey of Fairbury.
Mr. Cropsey is float representative for Jefferson and Thayer
counties and Senator Jennings represents the same counties in the
senate. Senator Jennings has served one term in the senate and
was so popular that the fusionists did not feel like going to the
trouble of nominating a candidate to oppose him. The same is
true of Mr. Cropsey, the fusionists failing to nominate an op
posing candidate. There being no opposition, it was a foregone
conclusion that both candidates would be electeed if they received
only one vote each. On the morning of the election, soon after

N'EW HOME — REUNION GROUP
A. H. Trindle. Mrs. W. H. Jennings, Mrs. M. Jennings, Sirs. E. Jennings. Mrs. C. L. Johnston, srrs. A. W. Jennings,
A. H. Trindle. W. H. Jennings, M. Jennings, E. Jennings, T. Jennings. A. W. Jennings.

LATERLIFE 83
the polls opened, Senator Jennings received the following tele
gram: Fairbury, Neb., Nov. 8, 1904.— Senator W. H. Jennings,
Davenport, Nebr. — Congratulations; you are re-elected; I have
just voted for you. D. B. CROPSEY.
If all the other electors in the district had refrained from vot
ing, Mr. Cropsey's vote would have been sufficient to re-elect
Mr. Jennings. It happened, however, that Mr. Jennings received
more votes in this district than any other republican candidate,
with the exception of President Roosevelt. Mr. Jennings lives in
a county that has many railroad lines and in going to and from the
state capital he is obliged to change cars several times. It is
said his large vote is due to the fact that he has changed
cars at so many cross roads that he has become personally ac
quainted with every voter in the district. — State Journal.
W. H. Jennings of Davenport, Thayer county, Neb., has
been elected president pro tem of the 1905 session of the Nebras
ka legislature. The people of Thayer county are rejoiced at the
honor of having the man who is so worthy to fill such an im
portant position, and we are glad that Mr. Jennings is able to
merit all the honors the legislature is able to confer upon him.
We feel to congratulate the Hon. Jennings, and Thayer county,
for the favorable position in which we have both been placed —
Fairbury News.
During the summer of 1907, I moved my old house and
built a more modern one. In October, 1910, we held a family
reunion of my brothers and sisters. They were all present.
My wife had not been in good health for about two years.
In July, 1912, I took her to Colorado, hoping that a change of cli
mate might improve her health. She returned home the 5th of
September, apparently somewhat improved, but soon afterward
began failing very rapidly, and died September 22d. Her death
was the severest mental shock I ever received and the day of
her death the saddest day of my life. It has cast a cloud over
life's pathway, that I am unable to dispel. I am unable to find
words to express a fitting tribute to her sacred memory. I
can truly say that she was a noble companion, a loving and de
voted wife and mother. She was never complaining or fault
finding and always seemed happy and contented with home and

84 MYSTORY

its surroundings. Ours together was a happy life, indeed. To me
it seems almost cruel that after we had fought life's battles to
gether nearly forty-two years, that she should be taken. What
ever success I have made in life I attribute it largely to her coun
sel and encouragement. Ruth Ann Clayton was born near
Salem, Washington county, Indiana, January 7, 1847. She was
the oldest of a family of eight children. Her father, Simeon
Clayton, was born near Roxboro, North Carolina in 1810, and died
in 1892. Her mother, Anna White, was born near Salem, Indi
ana, in 1825, died in 1884. They were married in 1845. They
belonged to the Society of Friends, and were zealous in their
religious belief. They came to Iowa first in 1851, remaining
three years, then returned to Indiana, making the trip both ways
with team and wagon. In 1866 they came a second time to Iowa,
this time by railroad and stage, and settled in Dallas county
near Van Meter, where they both died. Their son, L. W. Clay
ton now owns and occupies the farm owned by them.
Of my children eight are now living, Mary, married Mr. J.
O. Walker in 1890, he died in 1908— their children are Jay, Ruth,
(infant son deceased) Harold, Helen, deceased, Burdette, Mary
and Ralph, Rose B. married Mr. J. E. Abbott in 1899 —
their children are Russell and Irene. W. H, jr., married Miss
Ida Amos in 1905, they have one son, Robert. Melvin M. mar
ried Miss Flora Morrison in 1912, they have one daughter, Janet.
Beulah married Mr. Harry R. Ankeny in 1914. Anna V. is librar
ian at the State Normal School at Kearney, Neb., where she has
been employed the past nine years. Edith L. is the faithful home
keeper. Hermon B. lives at home.
My Religious Belief.
There was a time in my life when I had serious thots that
it was my duty to enter the ministry, but having a large fam
ily to support, and fully realizing my weakness in the limited
knowledge I had, I failed to take up the work. Perhaps I may
have made a mistake in my calling. If so, I will have to bear the
consequences. I never was aware that there was anything in my physical
makeup or general demeanor that should lead others to think
that I was a minister, but several times in my life, when among

Johnnie

FIRST FAMILY GROUP
Anna Rosa

Mary

LATERLIFE 85
strangers I have been asked if I were a minister. I was raised
a Baptist, that is to say, my father and mother were consistent
members of the Baptist church. Among my early recollections
of events that transpired, was when they were baptized. I was
not present. But I recollect seeing the minister, Rev. Whar
ton, that baptized them ; he came to our house that day for din
ner. Brother Alvin's middle name was for this man. From the
time I was old enough to read the bible and form my own opin
ions I never could agree with the Baptist doctrine. Yet I cannot
help believing that father and mother were sincere in their relig
ious belief, and were earnest, devoted Christians. I can best ex
press my views on the subject of water baptism by inserting
here the view of Dr Collier :
Various are the views held by scholars respecting baptism.
I can only give my own view here. In Christ's time, when a
pagan became a Jew, he was baptised, in token that his old pa
ganism was washed away and he became the possessor of a new
faith and the citizen of a new and spiritual kingdom. Christ
never baptized, but the Christian Church took over this Jewish
form and adopted it as a symbol of Christian conversion and
dedication. I regard baptism, then, as simply a symbolic rite
which is used to express either the dedication by an adult of him
self to God, or the dedication of parents of their children to God.
In either case the vital effect of this baptism depends on the seri
ousness and sincerity of the dedication, and the dedication may
be made, as it has been by Quakers, without baptism ; and if it is
sincere and serious it is no less vital whether accompanied by
baptism or not. The direction of Christ to His disciples to go
into all the world, baptizing in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I regard, not as the creation of
a new rite, nor as a command rendering obligatory a peculiar
ceremony, but as an authority for the use of an old rite with a
new significance and in a new spirit.
My church relation has been with the United Brethren and
Methodist. Not from choice, but for convenience. When I was
married, my wife was a member of the Friends church, and I
have little doubt had we lived where we could have attended
services in that society that she would have remained a member

86 MYSTORY
of that church during her life. Perhaps I am too liberal in my re
ligious creed. I place no bar on any intelligent individual's
conscientious conviction of his religious duty. For I believe
of a truth that "God is no respecter of persons." But "In every
nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is ac
cepted with Him." Acts 10:34-35, regardless of church or
creed. . While I do not believe that church membership is a con
dition to salvation, yet for the moral effect and good of society,
I believe that all men and women should belong to some church
organization, and strive to live the life of the lowly Nazarene.
From early life I have been unable to harmonize the doc
trine of total depravity, as usually taught and generally believed.
This may be due in part to my early environment. From my
earliest recollection of knowing right from wrong, I am unable
to tell the time when I did not feel that it was my duty to do
right. By some means or in some mysterious way I have always
lived under some moral restraint. In saying this I would not be
understood as claiming to have always done right. No, but
when I did wrong, I did it in violation of moral restraint !
My time has been too much taken up with business af
fairs to do much traveling. Yet I have been in a large majority
of all the states of the Union. In 1893 I attended the World's
Fair at Chicago. My daughter Anna and son William accom
panied me. My wife and I made a trip to the Pacific coast in
1894, visiting at Los Angeles and attending the Mid-Winter
Fair at San Francisco. At the time we also went to Salem, Ore
gon and visited friends and then to Portland to see my wife's sis
ter, Mrs. Trueblood. We returned by way of Ogden and Salt
Lake City. We attended the Omaha Exposition in 1898 and
have made frequent visits to different states. Our last long trip
was to the Seattle Exposition in 1906. We went by way
of Billings, Wyoming and Spokane and returned by way of Port
land, Salem, Oregon, Salt Lake, Colorado Springs and Denver.
During this last summer, 1913, in company with my daughters
Edith and Beulah, we took a trip east, going by way of Chicago
to Detroit, to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. From there to Lewis-
ton by rail, then by boat to Toronto. From there by boat to
Montreal, thence by rail to Rouses Point, then by boat down

Anna

Mary

LAST FAMILY GROUP
Hermon William
Beula Lulu Melvin

Rosa Edith

LATERLIFE. 87
Lake Champlain to Lake George and to Albany, N. Y. From
there to Boston, where we spent several days, taking in Lexing
ton, Concord and Bunker Hill and other points of interest in
revolutionary days. Then to Fall River where we took the boat
to New York City. We viewed the great metropolis, visiting
Riverside Park and Gen. U. S. Grant's tomb. In a glass case
in his tomb we saw the battle flag of the 15th Iowa regiment,
with the names of all the battles thru which it passed, inscribed
across it. We made a side trip up the Hudson to West Point.
From there to Philadelphia, where we viewed the old Continental
Congress Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was
signed ; and other points of interest. From there to Washington,
D. C, visited the Capitol and White House and the different U.
S. buildings. I could see there had been quite a change in the
city and its surroundings since the day I rode up Pennsylvania
Avenue, as a soldier in 1865. We attended the reunion at the
battlefield of Gettysburg, visited Mount Vernon, the home and
burial place of George Washington. Were also at Arlington
Heights, the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, now
a national cemetery, where lie buried many of the soldiers and
sailors and noted generals of the Civil War. At this cemetery
I stood by the monument, erected by the Iowa Brigade at the
grave of General Balknap.
The past summer we made a trip to the Pacific coast, vis
iting Yellowstone Park, where are to be found some of nature's
most wonderful works. We also visited friends and relatives
in Washington, Oregon and California. While in San Francisco
we visited the Panama Exposition grounds and saw the wonder
ful buildings under construction, returning by way of Salt
Lake. We spent some time in Colorado.
I have always tried to live an honorable, upright life, and
to set an example before my children of which they need not be
ashamed. I have never formed the habit of using profane lan
guage. I never played any game at cards or gambled in any way.
I have never used intoxicating liquors, chewed or smoked to
bacco, except while in the army at Louisville, Ky., I smoked a
few cigars to keep the mosquitoes away. But I am glad that I
never formed the filthy habit.

88 MYSTORY

In all my dealings with the public for over forty years, I have
always tried to be honest. I wanted my word, at all times, to be
just as good as my bond, and I have always tried to make it so.
On all questions affecting public morals I have always stood for
what I believed to be right, regardless of others. That I have
my faults and have made many mistakes is but human. I have
never knowingly wronged anyone. In all my business career,
I have not had a half dozen suits in court. I have constantly en
deavored "as far as lieth in me to live peaceably with all men."
I have had but few quarrels, and I am not conscious of an enemy
that I could not take by the hand and wish him well. I feel
that in a sense I have been successful, at least, beyond the aver
age. I have always felt the need of a better education, believ
ing that I could have been more useful to my fellow men. I
never was a plunger in finance or tried to get rich quick. Per
haps I have been too conservative for my opportunities to ac
cumulate great wealth. But I have no complaint to make.
I am satisfied with my accumulations. I feel that unless
something unforeseen happens, that I have plenty to keep
me and to give my children a fair start in life. I have
raised a large family and tried to give them a fair education
and to teach them industry, economy, honesty and morality.
How well I have succeeded other must judge.
I have not written this story feeling that I have accomplished
any great things in life or that anyone who reads it will be
greatly benefited thereby. If by chance my story should be
the means of helping any one, I shall feel amply rewarded. In
looking back over a life of nearly three score years and ten, and
noting the wonderful changes that have taken place in this coun
try, the development and progress that has been made, I am led to
believe that I am crossing the stage of human action during the
most wonderful period in the history of the human race.
During my lifetime, nearly all the great labor-saving ma
chines and many other useful inventions have come into use.
The slow plodding ox cart, the stage coach and pony express
have given way to the automobile, the electric street car and
the overland limited train.

LATERLIFE 89
By means of the telegraph, the telephone and wireless teleg
raphy the world has become as one great household. In fact it
would seem that so far as industrial improvements are concerned
that we have about reached the climax. But if we are to judge
the future developments by the past, the flying machine is only
the beginning of greater achievements.
I have lived to witness an attempt, by traitors hands, to
destroy this grand union of states, and trample the flag of our
glorious country in the dust. I have lived to see the shackles
of slavery torn from over four million of human beings. And
were it consistent with nature, and in harmony with the divine
will, I would rejoice to live to see the time when the greatest
enemy of the human race, that demon of intemperance were ban
ished from this fair land. But notwithstanding all this wonderful
progress and achievements that I have seen, from observations,
and from what little information I have been able to gather
from history of the conditions of society, I am ready to conclude,
that since the days of Adam, civilization has made a wonderful
change, human nature but little.
While closing my story there is being waged among the
greater nations of Europe, the most gigantic and useless war of
modern times — if not of all time. Its magnitude is seriously
affecting all the industrial, commercial and financial conditions
of the world. The result of the conflict will doubtless change
the political map of the eastern hemisphere, and will entail a
debt that will impoverish future generations, if not bankrupt
them. If in all history there is recorded so little excuse for na
tions engaging in war, as that now being waged in Europe, I
have no knowledge of it. For many years I have been strenu
ously opposed to the policy of our national government in contin
ually preparing for war. I firmjly believe the only way to pre
vent war is to stop preparing for war. General Sherman never
told a greater truth when he said "war is hell." It has been well
said "had a crimson cord been fastened to the garden post of
Eden and stretched to Calvary it would have marked the path
way of the human race." From present indications it would seem
that only the end of time would stop this bloody trail. I am
unable to reconcile the thot of man being created in the image of
the divine maker, when he is the most brutal and destructive

90 MYSTORY

animal of all God's creation. Even the most ferocious beast of
the forest does not prey upon and destroy its own species with
the viciousness and brutality of man. The closing months of
the year 1914 will doubtless mark the beginning of the most
wonderful epoch in the history of the human race. I believe it
can be truly said that
"We are living, we are dwelling,
In a grand and awful time."

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