Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/531

 one day, Sergeant Murray of the Sixth Iowa was killed. The main army started on its return march toward Sioux City on the last of September, leaving a battalion of the Sixth Iowa at Fort Rice to garrison the post. The remainder of the regiment was quartered at Fort Randall, Sioux City, Yankton, the Sioux and Winnebago Agency and at Fort Berthold for the winter. The Indians had been so thoroughly overawed by the march of the army through their country that they made no trouble the next year. No further hostilities being anticipated, orders were issued to disband the Sixth Cavalry and it was accordingly mustered out at Sioux City on the 17th of October, 1865.

THE SEVENTH IOWA CAVALRY

Efforts had long been made by Samuel W. Summers and H. H. Heath to organize a regiment of cavalry to be known as the Seventh. Finally on the 27th of April, 1863, two companies were mustered in, on the 28th two, on the 29th two more, on the 3d of June and the 13th of July one. Three companies raised for the Forty-first Infantry and a company of Sioux City Cavalry were, by order of the War Department, now transferred to the Seventh. These latter companies had for some time been in service on the frontier. The regiment was now complete and the following officers were assigned to it: Colonel Samuel W. Summers, Lieutenant-Colonel John Pattee, Majors H. H. Heath, G. W. O’Brien and John S. Wood. The adjutant was Eugene S. Sheffield. Six companies were sent to Omaha under Major Heath, and stationed in different parts of the Territory. In September Colonel Summers moved from Davenport with the remainder of the regiment and made Omaha his headquarters. During the entire term of service the various companies of the regiment were scattered over a wide extent of country where they were employed in active duties, protecting the frontier from hostile Indians. They garrisoned posts, escorted