The Department of Iowa, SUVCW, 126th Encampment will be the historic home of Major Hoyt Sherman, Paymaster General of the Union Army 1861-65, and member of the G.A.R. (Because of the historic venue for this year's Encampment it is suggested that as many delegates and alternates as possible attend this event)


The National SUVCW office will be represented by Iowa’s “Favorite Son”, Secretary Donald Palmer.
This is Brother Don Palmer’s third consecutive Iowa Encampment.

126th Encampment Events:

Friday, April 9th, at 2:30 P.M., there will be a brief wreath-laying ceremony at Major Hoyt Sherman’s grave, located in Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines.

Friday night, April 9th: at 7:00 P.M. a walking tour featuring “The Ghosts of Sherman Hill” by local historian and entrepreneur Randa La Juene.

Saturday, April 10th: the business meeting of the Department of Iowa will be held at the Sherman Home. Registration will be 7:30 – 8:45 am; and the Posting of Colors ceremony, opening the 126th Encampment will step off promptly at 9:00 am.
Pre-registration deadline is March 31 at $10.00 each and will be $15.00 at the door. The fee may be submitted to:

Michael Carr
Department Secretary
PO Box 42
Carson, IA 51525

Saturday night, April 10th: A Dinner will be held at Tursi’s Latin King Restaurant at 7:00 P.M.; The price is $20.95 per person.

The Ghost Walk and Restaurant have a limited space. Both will require reservations. Deadline for reservations is March 31.
Please contact Brother David Lamb to have your name/names placed on the list for either or both events.

David Lamb, Chief-of-Staff
1305 Locust St., #7
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 343-0575
-email-

The Downtown Holiday Inn is the official hotel for the Encampment and is holding open a block of twenty-five rooms for attendees at a significantly reduced price (we are being given the United States Military rate of $86.00 per night).

Delegates wishing to stay at the hotel must contact them directly to make your own arrangements at:

Holiday Inn Downtown at Mercy Campus
1050 6th Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50314
1-515-283-0151

Mention to them that you are with the SUVCW event.

Department of Iowa
COMMENDS
Iowa State University R.O.T.C. Cadet

In ceremonies held at the Quality Inn, Ames, on Saturday, February 27th, 2010, Army R.O.T.C. Cadet James R. Adams was presented with the SUVCW Commendation for Excellence for 2010 by Chief of Staff David M. Lamb, acting on behalf of Commander Court Stahr who was unable to be in attendance for the evening’s ceremonies.

Cadet Adams, is 25 years old and hails from Amana, Iowa. He is on-track to graduate with a B.A. in Management on May 8th; and will receive his commission as a Second Lieutenant at that time. 2/Lt. Adams will then join and active duty Army Infantry Unit as a junior officer to begin fulfilling his military commitment.

We wish him success and God-speed.

General Grenville M. Dodge Camp # 75

Sweetheart Dinner

23 February 2010

Celebrating Saint Valentine’s Day a bit late, nine brothers of Des Moines’ Dodge Camp held their monthly meeting at a local steak house and brought their wives and families for an evening of fellowship. Many of the Dodge Camp ladies know one another, because of their husband’s involvement in the activities of the Forty-Ninth Iowa SVR Unit, and have taken part in funds-raising activities together in support of the Iowa Rifles Monument Restorations Project. Tonight’s dinner afforded them the chance to see each other again after what has seemed an interminably long winter, and to make welcome Mrs. Karen Zenti, wife of Dodge Camp’s newest member, Louis Zenti.

The brotherhood was further enriched by the return of Brother Michael Friedel, PDC, who has remained a member of Dodge Camp, but who has not attended meetings of the organization of late.



It is anticipated that the February “Sweetheart’s Dinner” will become an annual event for the Camp.

Respectfully Submitted:

David M. Lamb
Camp Commander
Grenville M. Dodge Camp # 75
Department of Iowa
SUVCW

Photo: David Lamb

Taking a Closer Look
20 February 2010

Taking advantage of one of the rare, momentary lulls in what has seemed to be the “Never-Ending Snow Storm” that has descended upon Iowa this winter, First Sergeant Lamb, Regimental Color Sergeant Krock, and Color Sergeant Thompson drove down to Eddyville, Iowa to take a look at “Eddy” (the name that we have affectionately given to the monument in their City Park).

“Eddy”, may well be one of the oldest, if not THE oldest, Civil War monument in Iowa having been erected in the years immediately following the war; and “re-stored” in 1911 by a local descendant of one of the veterans who served from the area and whose name (1/Lt. T. J. Lafferty, 9th Iowa Cavalry) appears in a prominent position on the “plinth” monument.

To tell the story of this venerable old monument far better that I might do, I shall here transcribe an article that appeared in the long-defunct Eddyville Tribune on Friday, September 22nd, 1911. The author is unknown:

Soldiers’ Monument Rebuilt
_____
Only Monument to Those who were killed in Civil War
______
BUILT SOON AFTER WAR
____
Rebuilt by J.A. Lafferty and presented to the Town of Eddyville
_____

Many people are not aware that the beautiful soldier’s monument, but lately rebuilt, and which stands in the north center of Eddyville’s well kept park, is not a memorial to the soldiers now living or to those who died after the close of the warm but in reality is built in honor of four score of our brave soldiers who went out from this locality and who met death in the service. Quite a number of these brave boys lie in unmarked graves at different places in the South, while some who died in hospitals lie buried in national cemeteries with a suitable mark at the heads of their graves.

At Shellsmound, near Ft. Pemberton, Tennessee, are the unmarked and unknown resting places of perhaps a score of those who wore the blue. Two who went from this vicinity, Alexander Sackett and J, C, McDole, were on board the “General Lyon” destined for home when the boat sank with all on board and not one was left to tell the story. Mr. Sackett was the father of Mrs. L.V. Terrell, and Mr. McDole was a brother of Mrs. L.A. Roberts.

Hercules Warner, a brother of Joe Warner, was killed by bushwackers down in Georgia. Peter Stuber, a brother of Phil and Abe Stuber and Mrs. G.W. Stevens, was shot in the wrist at Marks Mill, Arkansas, and died in the hospital at Little Rock.

B.F. Gordon, one of our Civil war veterans who survived the Civil War and who takes a keen interest in army and G.A.R. matters, states that he is perhaps the only person who knows where the remains of Wm. Kirfman, a brother of J.C. Kirfman, are buried. Mr. Gordon and Mr. Kirfman were schoolmates, and Mr. Gordon was one of those who helped to lay the body to rest after Mr. Kirfman had met death in the South. Mr. Gordon also lost two brothers in the war, N.B. Gordon being buried at Vicksburg, while H.C. Gordon, who was killed on Sunday, April 6, 1862, was buried on the battlefield of Shiloh.

The body of Capt. T. B. Hale, of the 36th Iowa, was buried on the banks of the Washata river, sixty miles south of Camden, Arkansas, all alone in the woods. His final resting place is one of the many unmarked graves occupied by Eddyville boys.

Others who died in the service are buried at Andersonville and Tyler, Texas, so it is indeed fitting that they should have a monument to their memory back at their early home here.
_____

THE OLD MONUMNET

About the next year after the close of the Civil war an ingenuous schemer by the name of Hazelton, who was in the monument business here, and who operated a marble shop in an old frame building where E. W. Knemeyer’s meat market and grocery stands, conceived the idea of soliciting the soldiers for subscription with which to erect a monument for the veterans who died on the field of battle. It seems that Hazelton had an agent by the name of George Maple, and these schemers went among the surviving veterans and induced them to contribute between five and twenty dollars toward a fund for putting up the monument. Hazelton went ahead carving the names on the die or slab of marble, and after they had raised about five hundred dollars he set up the plea that he had not yet raised sufficient funds to complete the work. Those posted on such matters, however, stated that the monument such as he contemplated, with a slab of marble surmounted by a spire would not have cost more than half that amount.

Hazelton soon found it convenient to go out of business, so he sold the spire to A.M. Lafferty. For several years the die was permitted to lay in the alley between where Brown’s and Walker’s stores now are, till finally some of the veterans took it down to the park and set it up on the old stone bases which supported it for years, till the bases finally crumbled with age.

_____

AS IT STANDS TODAY
Last summer the Women’s Civic Improvement Club took up the matter of improving the appearance of the monument, and it was suggested that a new base be put underneath and it was also the opinion of some that it should be moved and placed in Highland cemetery.

But there were some who clung to the idea that the monument should be left in the park where it would perhaps be seen by many more than t would have been had it been removed to the “silent city of the dead.” Among these were J.A. Lafferty, himself the son of a veteran and a member of the town council as well. He first conferred with the local G.A.R. Post, and found the Post strongly opposed to moving the monument away from the park. So, Mr. Lafferty, at the regular September meeting of the council, asked permission to rebuild the monument with charge to the city. His proposition was gladly accepted by the town council and three cement bases were soon completed in workmanlike manner, the work being done by Contractor S.P. Crosson and his force of men, who were employed by Mr. Lafferty.

The lower base is 38 inches square and 24 inches thick; the second or middle base 30 inches square and 12 inches in thickness, while the upper base is 24 inches square and stands ten inches high.

The old die or slab of marble from which the lettering was rapidly becoming defaced, was removed to take to the shop of the Lafferty marble works and Roy Lafferty was employed to chisel off the names and engrave the names of the soldier dead anew. The slab is 20 inches square and 30 inches in height and rests on the third or upper base of the monument. Just above the three inch projection eight inches in height known to masons as a “plinth.” On the south side of the plinth are the words: |1st Lieut. T. J. Lafferty, 9 Iowa Cav.” The wording on the east face of the plinth is al follows: Rebuilt and presented to the Town of Eddyville by J. A. Lafferty, 1911” The other two faces are left blank”


There follows a listing of some seventy-eight fallen from at least thirteen different Iowa Regiments; one from a US Regulars Regiment; and at least one from the United States Colored Infantry.

As can be seen in the accompanying photographs, “Eddy” is in dire need of some help, and the 49th Iowa intends to see that he gets it. Missing approximately 2/3rds of his rifle, and his entire right hand, the brim of his slouch hat and part of his left hand are also in need of work. We intend to enlist the aid of Des Moines sculptor Jim Russell in ascertaining what it will take to have this noble sentinel restored to his former glory for future generations. We shall also undertake whatever cleaning and restoration is needed to improve the legibility of the names of the noble fallen that were inscribed upon the monument soon after they entered into their eternal rest.

No one knows for certain how “Eddy” was so ignominiously reduced by the loss of his right hand and weapon, but the common belief in the community is that it was more than likely the result of young people attempting to gain a purchase in climbing up onto the statue that broke the weapon and hand away.

The restoration of “Eddy” will be the focus of the “Governor’s Own Forty-Ninth Iowa” over whatever length of time it takes to gather together the funds to restore this monument; but, it shall not be the Regiment’s only project. Simultaneously, several other smaller projects will be accomplished in hopes that most of the monuments in need can be addressed by the end of the approaching Sesquicentennial celebrations.

For further information on the projects of the Forty-Ninth Iowa, please contact any active member of the Regiment; or, send your enquiries to the Commander,

1/Sgt. David M. Lamb
Commanding
Company “A” 49th Regiment
Iowa Volunteer Infantry
“The Governor’s Own Iowa Rifles”
1305 Locust Street # 7
Des Moines, IA 50309

Photo: David Lamb

The Governor’s Own Iowa Rifles
Acquire a Piece of the
Gettysburg National Battlefield Park

Iowa Units did not fight at Gettysburg. Most were too busy laying siege to the “Gibraltar of the South”, as Vicksburg, Mississippi, was often called in the press of the day. But now, one-hundred-forty-seven years after what most historians believe to have been one of the two “crushing blows” to Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and the Confederate cause, (the other, of course being the fall of Vicksburg on July 4th, 1863) Company A, 49th Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry can legitimately claim ownership of a “piece of the action.”

Regimental Commander, David M. Lamb, has found an original Deed of Conveyance issued in 1959 by the “Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association”, and sold at that time by them as a funds-raising effort to purchase 700 acres of “endangered” battlefield land to keep it from being developed. The DEED conveys to the purchaser “one-square-foot” of land known to have been part of the ground contested during the battle on July 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1863.

The purchaser agreed to cede the land back to the Government of the United States, “to be held in perpetuity forever by said Government and preserved in good order as a memorial to honor all men who fought on this soil.”

The DEED is signed by William M. Haller, Major, US Army Ret., and President of the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association; and also by Cliff Arquette (known to millions as the comedian of that day known as ‘Charlie Weaver’) Emergency Fund Chairman. Mr. Arquette was a life-long student of the Civil War, and a driving force behind the early preservation efforts for battlefields of the war.

The DEED had been purchased in 1960, but never filled out and filed by its original owner. When he passed on, his family sold the document to 1/SGT. Lamb, who purchased this piece of historic ephemera and immediately gave it to his beloved Regiment as a gift.

Company A, 49th Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry is at present making plans to deploy to Gettysburg in November, 2010, to the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.

Mitchell Camp Brothers Attend President Lincoln's Birthday Celebration

Left to right: Dennis Geesaman, Karl Geesaman; David Haverkamp, and Quinn Haverkamp.
Not pictured Jim Johnson

Members of the Robert Mitchell Camp No. 206 made an appearance at Barnes and Noble in Cedar Rapids for Abraham Lincoln's birthday celebration.
Author Ken Allers was present signing his book on Gettysburg. SUVCW members brought items to show people and discuss civil war history. Fliers were handed out to interested people containing Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and contact information for the Robert Mitchell Camp.

Submitted in Fraternity, Charity, & Loyalty by:
Camp Commander David Haverkamp
Robert Mitchell Camp #206

49th Iowa Regiment of Volunteer Infantry
Honored by Governor Chester Culver

February 12th, 2010, Iowa State Historical Museum, Des Moines, Iowa

Photo: Courtney Greene

On the 201st anniversary of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln, Brigadier General Steve E. Bogle, Deputy Adjutant General of the State of Iowa; and, representing the Honorable Chester Culver, Governor of the State of Iowa presented guardsmen of the 49th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment with a Gubernatorial Proclamation honoring their service to the State and Nation. In his proclamation Governor Culver named the Sons Veteran Reserve unit of the SUVCW (which is the official Honor Guard for the Department of Iowa) to be:

The Governor's Own Iowa Rifles.



This honor was afforded the Regiment by the Governor for their extraordinary efforts in the areas of public education concerning the American Civil War; their participation in patriotic events across the state and nation; their unflagging devotion to the cause of Veterans Affairs; and their extraordinary efforts at raising funds to repair and restore monuments to the service of Iowans in all of this nations conflicts, and especially the American Civil War (1861-1865).

In a formal presentation at the State Historical Museum, attended by a majority of the members of the Regiment, Brigadier General Bogle on behalf of the Governor issued this honor in the form of an official Proclamation and then accepted from the Regiment a certificate naming Governor Culver to be their honorary "Colonel in Chief".

Photo: Dana Peterson

It is believed that this honor may be the first of it's sort issued by a sitting Governor to any unit of the Sons Veteran Reserve (SUVCW). In November of 2009, the Regimented was presented with the Deputy Adjutant General of Iowa's personal Challenge Coin "For Excellence" by General Bogle, for it's efforts on behalf of Iowa's veterans. That award was the first to be awarded to a non-serving military unit.

Photo: Sheila Hanke

Photo: Courtney Greene

Photos: Dana Peterson

Lincoln and Grant: A Conversation
(As It Might Have Occurred)
On
April 14, 1865
At
The Executive Mansion
In
Washington, D.C.

A play by Stephen S. Trott and Michael Daly Hawkins

©2009

As an integral part of the celebration of President Abraham Lincoln’s 201st birthday, the Iowa State Historical Society is hosting several events. The above noted short play being among them.

On the afternoon of April 9, 1865, United States Secretary of War Edwin Stanton delivered a telegram to President Abraham Lincoln from Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant that stated, “General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia this afternoon on perms proposed by myself.”

Lincoln telegraphed Grant and asked him to come to Washington as soon as practical.

On the afternoon of April 14th, 1865, Grant arrived at the White House and met in private with the Commander in Chief. No actual record of what was discussed was left; and, later on, Grant was considerably circumspect about what was discussed during the course of that meeting. The play being presented at the Historical Museum this week posses some possible answers to precisely what was the subject of that meeting.

A local newspaper would report, the next day, the assassination of President Lincoln at the hand of John Wilkes Booth during a performance of the popular British play, “Our American Cousins” at Ford’s Theater, a scant half-dozen blocks from the White House. It also reported that Lt. General Grant and his wife had been asked to accompany the President and Mrs. Lincoln that night, but had declined the offer because Mrs. Grant was anxious to visit their children in New Jersey.

Stephen Trott and Michael Daly Hawkins are Federal Judges. Their play is being performed by other Federal Judges across the country, including this performance at the Iowa State Historical Museum.



Judge Ross Walters portrays Lt/General Ulysses S. Grant; Judge Colin Witt, plays the part of President Abraham Lincoln; and United States Magistrate Judge Celeste Bremer acts as Narrator. Technical advise and assistance, including the uniforms for General Grant are being provided by the 49th Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Honor Guard for the Department of Iowa. Guardsmen of the Regiment are also participating by acting as “extras” for the productions by “standing guard” outside the “office” of the President while the conversation takes place.

Two performances per day for three entire days (February 9th, 10, and 11th) are being visited by nearly 1,000 middle-school age children from the Central Iowa area. Other activities at the museum are being provided to the visiting students, and members of the 49th Iowa circulate among the students asking for “recruits” and explaining the workings of the 1861 Springfield Rifle to the fascinated youngsters.



For their exceptional service to the museum and the attending students, Judges Walters and Witt were presented with certificates inducting them into the “Loyal Legion of Abraham Lincoln”, and award given by the 49th Iowa to individuals who have made significant contributions to the preservation of our Civil War heritage. The award includes a matted and framed certificate and bronze “challenge coin” commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Lincoln in 2009. The Judges were also made “Honorary Corporals” in the 49th Iowa, to the delight of both.

Maureen Korte, Education Director for the Iowa State Historical Museum is in charge of the production and in that capacity contacted the 49th Iowa several months ago to enlist the Regiment’s assistance in bringing this play to life for Iowa school children. We have been honored to serve.

Iowa Rifles Monument Fund Project & SUVCW Recruiting

Members of Company A, 49th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry held a fund raising event at the Dahl's store on 86th Street in Johnston, on Saturday, January 16th. Those present were Chaplain Dennis Sasse, Color Sergeants David Thompson and Danny Krock and Mrs. Tammy Krock. The public was given a showing of period items and weapons, and informed on the upcoming Sesquicentennial.


Submitted in F, C, & L,
Danny Krock
Color Sergeant
Co. A, 49th IA Volunteers

The table covers in the photos were donated by Brother Richard Grim, Camp Commander Power-Dunlavy, and his wife, Debbie.
The Iowa Rifles' adopted Sister, Debbie, created these jewels.
1st Sgt David Lamb issued this thank you:

January 15 Iowa Battle Flag Rotation

3rd Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regimental Flag

Members of Co. A, 49th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry proudly participated in the January Flag Rotation at the State Capitol on Friday, January 15th. Those present were Color Sergeants David Thompson and Danny Krock, Corporals Mike Rowley and Louis Zenti (SUVCW Dodge Camp Brothers). They were also assisted by Department Chaplain Dennis Geesaman, Mitchell Camp. Following the rotation, a tour of the Battle Flag Restoration Room at the State Historical Building was presented by Conservator Sheila Hanke and Assistant Conservator Sarah Carlson. We were given to opportunity to view the flags in various stages or restoration.
Also, we saw the Palmetto Flag (South Carolina), "Big Red", as it is being prepared for display at the Citadel in Charleston, SC. It will be on loan to that institution during the Sesquicentennial observance of the American Civil War. The next rotation is scheduled for Thursday, April 15th.

Information about the Palmetto Flag from SHSI Conservator Sheila Hanka:

Flag, #41--red palmetto, is being loaned to the Citadel and displayed at the Alumni Building from March 16, 2010 to March 16, 2014 as part of their 150th Celebration of the Civil War. The loan paperwork was just signed allowing SHSI to make the formal announcement. The Citadel has met and exceeded our display requirements and participated in an on-site review of the physical building/security/environmental conditions.

The DCA Director has just requested that the flag be displayed at SHSI on Feb. 12 during President A. Lincoln's birthday celebration. The Red Palmetto will be shown to the public for the first time since 1919 from 11 to 1:00 that day. I am very excited to have achieved this opportunity for Iowans.

Photos: Miss Sheila Hanke

Submitted in Fraternity, Charity, & Loyalty,
Danny Krock
Color Sergeant
Co. A, 49th IA Volunteers