Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/148

 organized by the election of Jacob Butler, speaker. In his last message to the Legislature, Governor Kirkwood, in referring to the attitude of Iowa toward the Rebellion, says:

“The position occupied by our State in this war for the preservation of the Union is a proud and enviable one. From the first outbreak of the Rebellion, until the present time, Iowa has neither faltered nor wavered in the discharge of her duty. In both branches of the National Council has she presented an unbroken front to treason and rebellion, and has given a steady and undivided support to the General Government. Her State Government in all of its branches has given evidence of her unflinching and unconditional loyalty and devotion to the good cause. Her people have at all times and promptly filled all requisitions made upon them for troops to fill the ranks of the Union armies; and the men she has sent to the field have been at least second to none in all soldierly qualities.

When the war began ours was a new State without a history. To-day her name stands on one of the brightest pages of our country’s record, graven there by the bayonets of our brave soldiers—and that page is all over glowing with proofs of their heroism and devotion. We have sent to the field no regiment of which we do not feel justly proud, and the bare mention of the names of many of them stirs the blood and warms the heart of every Iowan. It may perhaps be permitted me to say that I trust when the history of the gallantry and devotion of these men shall be written, the position I have held will of necessity connect my name humbly and not discreditably with theirs, and that this trust affords compensation for somewhat of toil and care which have attended the position, and should be sufficient to satisfy an ambition greater than mine.”

The Governor, in his message, pays the following well-earned tribute to his able Adjutant-General, N. B. Baker:

“The office of Adjutant-General has been since the commencement of the war, and still is, a very important one. The labor and responsibility have been very great. The labor has always been well and promptly performed, and the responsibility cheerfully borne. … It affords me great pleasure to say that whatever of success has attended the raising and organizing of troops in this State is due to the efficient services of the present incumbent of that office.”

At the close of Governor Kirkwood’s term, the report of the Adjutant-General showed that these two officials had