Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/423

 at Davenport thousands of citizens assembled and gave it a most cordial welcome. James T. Lane on behalf of the city in an eloquent address expressed the gratitude of the people at home over the return of the war-worn veterans and Colonel Jenkins responded on behalf of the regiment. As the remnants of the various companies returned to their respective homes the gladness of families and friends was tempered with sorrow of the bereaved ones for the brave boys who slept in unmarked graves from Helena to Bentonsville. Of the nine hundred seventy men who, less than three years before had proudly marched away in their country’s service, but three hundred seventy were now in the ranks of the returning veterans.

THE THIRTY-SECOND IOWA INFANTRY

This regiment was raised in the late summer and early fall of 1862. Company A was recruited in the counties of Hamilton, Wright, Hardin and Kossuth, B in Cerro Gordo, Winnebago and Hancock, C in Black Hawk, D in Boone, E in Butler and Black Hawk, F in Hardin and Grundy, G in Butler and Floyd, H in Franklin and Butler, I in Webster and Humboldt, K in Marshall and Story. The regiment went into camp at Dubuque and was organized with John Scott of Story County, colonel; E. H. Mix of Butler, lieutenant-colonel; G. A. Eberhart of Black Hawk, major; and Charles Aldrich of Hamilton, adjutant. The measles in a malignant form broke out in camp and there was much suffering. The regiment numbered nine hundred twenty men when ordered to St. Louis, reaching Benton Barracks on the 21st of November. Six Companies under Colonel Scott were sent by order of General Curtis to New Madrid and the other four companies to Cape Girardeau under command of Major Eberhart. The separation of the regiment continued until the spring of 1864 and caused much annoyance, besides being very distasteful to the officers and men. The companies under