12th Iowa Infantry

Cassville, Wisconsin, 1861-65

William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas COL. J. J. WOODS, farmer and stock raiser, Section 8, Township 32, Range 21, P. O. Montana, came to Labette County, Kansas, June 11, 1869, and purchased his present farm which now consists of 760 acres of very fine improved land. He was born in Brown County, Ohio, January 11, 1823, is a son of Samuel and Allia Richey Woods, the father a native of Washington County, Pa., and the mother of Ireland, and when quite small came to America. They were married in Clermont County, Ohio, and settled on a farm, having a family of twelve children. J. J., eleven years of age, with a brother, went to Rush County, Ind., and remained two years, and then returned to Brown County, Ohio, and learned the saddler's and harness trade. When twenty years of age, he entered the Augusta College of Kentucky and after five months, received an appointment to West Point. He graduated there in the class of 1847, and was appointed Second Lieutenant in First Regiment Artillery, U. S. A., and did service in the Mexican war, August, 1848. He returned to the states and was promoted to First Lieutenant November 10, 1848, and assigned to the Pacific coast, remaining there until 1853, then returned to New York and resigned his commission. In the fall of 1853 he went to Jackson County, Iowa and engaged in farming. September 18, 1856, he married Miss K. C. Hight, a native of Defiance County, Ohio, born April 5, 1840. They have five children - Oscar E., born October 2, 1857; Lillia A., born December 23, 1859. Clara E., born October 8, 1868; Nellie E., born February 10, 1877; and Jennie L., born June 28, 1880. Lost two children. October, 1861, he received a Colonel's commission of the Twelfth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Company, and did active service for three years. He was many times in command of a brigade, participating in the engagements of Fort Henry, Donelson, Vicksburg and Shiloh, where he received two wounds. During 1864, he participated in the long and tedious marches through Missouri after General Sterling Price. After the command he returned to St. Louis, and was mustered out November 26, 1864 and returned to Iowa. In 1865, Mr. Woods became editor of the Maquoketa, Iowa, Excelsior, and continued to edit it with a short intermission, until he removed to Kansas. In 1871 he was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, one of a commission of three to appraise the Cherokee lands west of the 96? degree in the Indian Territory, and in the same year was also one of the committee of seven, sent to West Point by General U. S. Grant. In 1872, was elected State Representative from Labette County, Kansas, and again in 1875, being Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and before the close of the legislative session of 1872, was appointed a Regent of the Kansas State University. He has filled many public offices in Kansas having been Notary Public some twelve years and is one of Labette's most representative men.

12 Iowa Infantry. Rank - Induction: Private Rank - Discharge: Private Allegiance: Union

In the rosters for Company A, Joel is listed as: “Fairbanks, Whitcomb. Age 18. Residence Aledo, nativity Massachusetts. Enlisted Sept. 23, 1861. Mustered Oct. 17, 1861. Killed in battle April 6, 1862, Shiloh, [Tennessee].” He is my wife Patricia's G-G-granduncle on her father's side of the family.

No family notes have been added.

Recently recovered a tombstone for John J. Stillman who died at Fort Donelson, February 15, 1862. The stone was found in the woods by a hunter near McGregor, Iowa and has been returned to Stillman''s hometown of Waukon, Iowa for repair and re-setting in the Waukon Cemetery on the Stillman family lot. Top of stone appears to have been sawed off by vandals in order to get the carving on the top. All the lettering is still on the stone. Photos of stone available and newspaper story on John Stillman and the recovery of the tombstone is now in progress. 9/2/04

My Gr Gr Grandfather, Henry Beadle, enlisted at age 44 (!) and joined Company C of the 12th Iowa. He presumably saw action at Donelson. Then, at Shiloh, he was captured and imprisoned at several places before ending up in Macon, GA, where he died of chronic dysentary. He is now buried at Andersonville. Little is known by my family of his origins, other than that he came west from NY State with his wife (and Bettie Beadle, my Gr Grandmother). The chief unanswered question about Henry is his motivation for enlisted at his advanced age. Was there a bounty or was it patriotism, or was he trying to escape a nagging wife. We also wonder if there exists somewhere a photograph of him and his Co. C compatriots.

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(1843-?); From Fayette, IA. Enlisted 10/14/1861 at Dubuque, IA. Mustered in 10/24/1861. Captured 4/6/1862 at Shiloh. Paroled 10/26/1862. Exchanged 11/10/1862. Later lived in OH.

Wounded in the neck at battle of Fort Donelson, lost leg at battle of Corinth

Killed at Battle of Shiloh

William started out as a private, eventually made captain

Died at Shiloh, Tennesee. Interred at Shiloh National Cemetery: Section M, Grave Number 2847

Daniel D. Warner, son of Benjamin O. Warner and Orpha Brace, captured at Shiloh and died Sept. 9, 1862 Macon, Georgia. His younger brother, William Wallace Warner was 46th Illinois and was wounded April 7, also at Shiloh. He mustered out, recovered and re-enlisted.

No family notes have been added.

Enlisted as a Private on 9 October 1861 at the age of 31. Mustered in Company E, 12th Infantry Regiment Iowa on 19 October 1861. Killed on 6 April 1862 at Shiloh, TN.

No family notes have been added.

Born in 1842 in New York and died on May 30, 1926.

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Enlisted as a Private on 9 September 1861 at the age of 18. Mustered in Company K, 12th Infantry Regiment Iowa on 25 November 1861. Missing in action at Shiloh, TN on 6 April 1862. Promoted to Fourth Corporal on 15 February 1863. Wounded on 27 May 1863 at Vicksburg, MS. Promoted to Third Corporal on 13 June 1863. Severely wounded in the hip at Tupelo, MS on 14 July 1864. Promoted to Third Sergeant on 1 March 1865. Mustered out on 20 January 1866 at Memphis, TN.

Enlisted as a Sixth Corporal on 8 September 1861 at the age of 22. Mustered in Company K, 12th Infantry Regiment Iowa on 25 Nov 1861. Promoted to Fifth Corporal on 15 February 1862. Promoted to First Corporal on 20 February 1862. Missing in action at Shiloh, TN on 6 April 1862. Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 13 June 1863. Mustered out on 1 December 1864.

Born April 1,1846. Enlisted in 1864 at age 18. Served 1 and half years.

No family notes have been added.