Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/86

 issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the insurrection. No one at that time realized the magnitude of the war so suddenly forced upon the country. The people of the rebellious States believe that after a brief conflict they would be able to establish a new government and an independent nation. The people of the loyal States were confident that the insurrection would be speedily suppressed by the army, navy and the volunteer soldiers.

Iowa had no military organization with the exception of a few independent companies and no laws providing for efficient equipment or muster of the State militia. As early as January, 1861, when the country seemed to be drifting toward civil war, these companies began to prepare for the dreaded emergency. Burlington possessed a well drilled rifle company under the command of Captain C. L. Matthies, which tendered its services to the Governor about the first of January. On the 17th, the “Washington Light Guards,” of Washington County were tendered to the Governor by its captain, H. R. Cowles; and on the 20th the “Governor’s Greys,” of Dubuque, under Captain F. J. Herron, volunteered to enter the service at any time they should be needed. This last company was tendered to President Buchanan by Governor Kirkwood in a letter to Hon. Joseph Holt, then Secretary of War. The “Union Guards,” of Columbus City, the “Burlington Zouaves,” ad the “Mount Pleasant Greys” were also among the earliest volunteers to tender their services to the State or General Government.

Since the close of the War with Mexico no necessity had existed for a large army and the people of Iowa during the pioneer years absorbed in peaceful pursuits, gave little thought to military organizations. When the shock of war burst upon the Nation on that April day, no State could have been more thoroughly unprepared to send soldiers into the field than Iowa. Its militia was unorganized; it was without arms of equipment and had less than half