Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/226

 some of the most brilliant of the war, or of history. Its ranks were thinned by battle, hard marches, captures and sickness, until it closed its glorious record of deeds that can never be forgotten in Iowa’s war history.

SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY

John A. McDowell, who was a brother of the first commander of the Army of the Potomac, was living at Keokuk when the Rebellion began. He had a military education and had served as captain of an independent company. Early in the spring of 1861 he went to Washington and obtained authority of the War Department to raise a regiment. The companies were largely enlisted in the counties of Lee, Henry, Des Moines, Appanoose, Monroe, Clarke, Lucas, Johnson, Linn, Hardin and Franklin. A large proportion of the men were young vigorous farmers and mechanics inured to labor, and were, physically, fine specimens of manhood. The Sixth Regiment, numbering eight hundred and eighty-three men, went into camp at Burlington early in July. John A. McDowell was appointed colonel; Markoe Cummins, lieutenant-colonel; J. M. Corse, major; E. B. Woodward, adjutant; James Brunaugh, quartermaster; A. T. Shaw, surgeon; and John Ufford, chaplain. The regiment was sent to Keokuk soon after Colonel Moore defeated General Greene, who attempted to cross the river at Croton and invade Iowa. A detachment of the Sixth was sent to reinforce Moore at Croton, but Green had been defeated before they reached the field. General John C. Fremont was at this time in command of the Department of Missouri. On the 31st of August he issued his famous order placing the State under martial law, confiscating the property of Rebels and declaring the slaves of those engaged in war against the Government, free. The State was overrun by armed bands of confederates destroying the property of Union men, driving them from their homes or murdering them.