Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/521

, under Wilson, the Fourth captured nine hundred and forty prisoners and twelve field pieces. In August, 1865, the regiment was finally mustered out of service at Atlanta, Georgia.

THE FIFTH IOWA CAVALRY.

The regiment known as the Fifth Iowa Cavalry was not wholly an Iowa organization but was composed of companies recruited in Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska Territory. Carl Schaeffer and A. W. Haw, who had served in the First Iowa Infantry, were authorized to raise a troop of cavalry in Iowa to form part of a bodyguard for General Fremont. Schaeffer was a German and a nobleman by birth. Succeeding to his title and estate of Baron of Boernstein he assumed the surname of Boernstein to which his rank and estate entitled him. In conjunction with Sergeant Haw he succeeded in raising two companies which were organized and mustered into service at St. Louis as “Fremont Hussars.” Captain Boernstein, serving on the staff of General Curtis, succeeded in having the troopers from Iowa detached from the “Hussars” and formed into an independent command. On the 20th of December, 1861, a regiment called the “Curtis Horse” was formed to which the Iowa troops were attached. Four companies of the regiment were from Nebraska, three from Minnesota and two from Missouri. The organization was completed in February, 1862, and the “Curtis Horse” entered the service with about 1,000 men.

W. W. Lowe was colonel; M. T. Patrick, lieutenant-colonel; the majors were Carl Boernstein, Wm. Kelsay and A. B. Brackett, with W. B. McGeorge adjutant. In February the regiment was sent to Fort Henry, recently captured by General Grant’s army, and in this vicinity remained for more than a year. On the 14th of March a detachment of two hundred and fifty men under Captain