called the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. At the battle of Fort Donelson, August 27, 1862, company B was dismounted and employed as skirmishers, and were sharply engaged for some time in driving the enemy from his position. While performing this brilliant deed a battery of artillery opened on the gallant band, hearing which they were ordered to mount and charge the battery. In the charge Lieutenant Sumner, of this county, was so badly wounded that he died at a house near the scene of action, August 29. The history of the regiment from this time on was that of all cavalry regiments; engaging in toilsome marches, and reconnoitering movements, or as guards for posts. The regiment was mustered out at Nashville, Tennessee, August 11, 1865. The reader is referred to the remarks of Col. Winslow, of the 4th Iowa, for a general idea of the onerous duties entailed upon cavalry regiments. ROSTER. COMPANY B. Milton S. Summers, first lieutenant; commissioned September 21, 1861; wounded and died August 29, 1862; James H. Wing first sergeant; enlisted September 1, 1861; taken prisoner August 27, 1862; S. A. McClintre saddler; enlisted September 1, 1861; John Buttler wagoner; enlisted September 21, 1861. PRIVATES. Jacob Adams, enlisted September 21, 1861; Samuel Baxter, enlisted September 21, 1861; G. W. Brown, enlisted September 21, 1861. Henry Edson, enlisted September 21, 1861; discharged for disability September 21, 1862; Richard Good, enlisted September 21, 1861; C. P. Hughes, enlisted September 21, 1861; Thomas Hall, enlisted September 21, 1861; S. H. Hopkins, enlisted September 21, 1861; J. I. Kyniston, enlisted September 21, 1861; James Kisen, enlisted September 21, 1861; Jason Lunceford, September 21, 1861; George Sappin, enlisted September 21, 1861; taken prisoner August 27, 1862; Nelson R. Mosan, enlisted September 21, 1861; killed in battle at Cumberland iron works, August 27, 1862; Thomas Moodie, enlisted September 21, 1861; Bryson Purcell, enlisted September 21, 1861; died December 5, 1861; S. J. Redmond, enlisted September 21, 1861; L. W. Silcott, enlisted September 21, 1861; Charles Wheelock, enlisted September 21, 1861. COMPANY C. PRIVATES. Albert K. Donner, enlisted September 30, 1861; John C. Garvin, enlisted September 24, 1861; Daniel J. Leives, enlisted September 24, 1861. FIFTH VETERAN CAVALRY. COMPANY B. Joseph Westman, veteranized January 1, 1864; taken prisoner July 31, 1864; John M. Hughes, fourth corporal; veteranized January 1, 1864; Charles Wheelock, fifth corporal; veteranized January 1, 1864. PRIVATES. John Buttler, veteranized January 1, 1864; Geo. H. Brown, veteranized January 1, 1864; Samuel Baxter, veteranized January 1, 1864; Warren Davis, veteranized January 1, 1864; Richard Good, veteranized January 1, 1864; taken prisoner July 31, 1864; Thos. Hall, veteranized January 1, 1864; John T. Kyniston, veteranized January 1, 1864; David J. Radick, veteranized January 1, 1864; Landon W. Silcott, veteranized January 1, 1864; taken prisoner Ju.y 31, 1864. EIGHTH IOWA CAVALRY.* COMPANY A. PRIVATES. Mark Flemming, enlisted July 17, 1861; served fifteen months in Fifth Missouri cavalry Aaron M. Zook, enlisted July 25, 1863. COMPANY I. H. P. Coolidge, enlisted June 15, 1863. SECOND BATTERY LIGHT ARTILLERY. Ralph L. Young, enlisted October 9, 1862. LIGHT ARTILLERY. FOURTH BATTERY. Phillip H. Goode, captain, enlisted November 23, 1863; Loyd A. Nelson, quartermaster sergeant, enlisted July 9, 1863; William H. Noah, third sergeant, enlisted June 14, 1863; Erasmus C. Byers, fourth sergeant enlisted June 15, 1863; Nathaniel Ham, sixth sergeant, enlisted June 30, 1863; Joel Dunkel, seventh sergeant, enlisted June 9, 1863, served five years in company F, second United States infantry; John D. Wright, fourth corporal, enlisted August 7, 1863; Zimri Froth, ninth corporal, enlisted November 8, 1863; John Stranathan, artificer, enlisted August 1, 1863. PRIVATES. J. T. Anderson, enlisted August 10, 1863; James Baker, enlisted July 27, 1863; Spence Boyd, enlisted July 29, 1863; John Barrett, enlisted October 26, 1863; Pressley M. Cain, enlisted July 29, 1863; Morris T. *The enlistments for this regiment were made in other states, and some were transferred from the Eighth Iowa from these regiments, subsequent to its formation. Deupree, enlisted August 31, 1863; Wm. A. Deupree, enlisted August 19, 1863; John H. Eaton, enlisted August 29, 1863; W. S. Garrett, enlisted July 18, 1863; Benj. Hodges, enlisted July 29, 1863; Wm. Johnson, enlisted October 23, 1863; A. B. McPherson, enlisted August 1, 1863; Amos Monor, enlisted July 18, 1863; Benoni Pool, July 31, 1863; Ezra Poquette, enlisted July 9, 1863; David Pierce, enlisted October 26, 1863; Fred Slaughter, enlisted August 31, 1863; R. M. Skaggs, enlisted August 1, 1863; James Stone, enlisted June 20, 1863; J. C. Walker, enlisted August 6, 1862; H. F. Wilkinson, enlisted August 4, 1863. This regiment was ordered into quarters and mustered into the service of the United States, at Davenport, November 23, 1863, by Lieutenant Colonel Wm. F. Grier, first United States cavalry. The regiment was mustered out July 14, 1865, at Davenport. General History. BOUNDARIES AND ORGANIZATION OF TOWNSHIPS. The records of the earliest organization of the townships are incomplete. When the first record appears, in March, 1853, there were in existence five townships as follows: West Liberty, Plattville, Rawles, Council Bluffs and Silver Creek. On March 18, 1853, the county court issued an order for the organization of another township as follows: That so much of the territory of Mills county as lies east of the Nishnabotna river, and in the limits of said county, be and the same is hereby set apart to be organized into a township to itself. And it is further ordered that the first election in said township shall be on the first Monday of April, A. D. 1853, and that notice for said election be given, and that the township be called MONTGOMERY. No further action was taken in the matter of retownshiping the county until February 27, 1855, when the following order was issued by the county court: By request of a number of citizens of Silver Creek township, Mills county, Iowa, as represented by Daniel Goodwin, asking that said township be divided, and therefore said township is divided as follows, to-wit: commencing where the county line crosses the Nishnabotna river, running west on said county line to the center line of township No. seventy-three (73), and range No. forty-two (42), thence south with said center line to the township line between township seventy-two (72) and township seventy-three (73); thence with said line running east to the said Nishnabotna river, thence up said river to the place of beginning, to be called INGRAHAM TOWNSHIP; the first election to be holden at the house of James H. Goodwin, in said township; notice being issued to James McCoy and Eliphalet Lewis, two of the trustees formerly of said Silver Creek township, but now of said Ingraham township; and it is further ordered, that the first election in said township shall be on the first Monday of April, A. D. 1855, and that notice for the said election be given by the said trustees. This order was rescinded March 14, 1855, as appears from the following record in the case: On March 14, 1855, the county court issued the following, William Snuffin acting county judge: "WHEREAS, It was represented to said county judge, by one James W. Goodwin, on the 27th day of February, A. D. 1855, that him the said Goodwin, and a number of the citizens of Silver Creek township, Mills county, Iowa, requesting that said township be divided, as it was too large to be convenient for the inhabitants thereof, and upon said representation it was ordered, as recorded on the said 27th day of February, 1855, and it is now ordered by the court, on the presentation of a petition signed by thirty persons of the new township, to rescind said order, made by said judge on the said 27th day of February, 1855; and it is hereby ordered that said order for said division of said township of Silver Creek, the same is hereby rescinded and made null and void." The record from this time is quite complete, giving the various changes until the present. It would appear from the records that when the county officers met and there was no other business to engage their attention, they diverted themselves by changing the township boundaries and meddling with the swamp lands. This last named proclivity has cost the county several thousands of dollars, and the end is not yet. The next change occurred January 21, 1856, as follows: "On the application of Samuel S. Jamison, and Harvey W. Summers, and others, by petition to organize a new township, it is hereby ordered and declared by the county court of Mills county, and state of Iowa, that congressional township number seventy-one (71), and ranges numbers forty (40) and forty-one (41), and sections numbers thirty-four (34), thirtyfive (35) and thirty-six (36) in township number seventy-two (72), range number forty-one (41), shall be known as the township of WHITE Cloud, and shall be established as an election precinct." In March of the same year, 7th day, was made the following change. "Now comes Robert Russell and others and files in this court a petition to organize a new township in Mills county, state of Iowa; and it is hereby ordered and declared by the county court of said county and state, that congressional township number seventy-three (73), and range number forty (40), and three tiers of sections off of the east side of township number seventy-three (73), and range number forty-one (41), as prayed for in said petition; and said township shall be known by the name of Nishnabotna, and shall be established an election precinct, and the first election in said township shall be held at the house of Michael B. Hulick in said township." The townships were permitted to rest in peace until February 16, 1857, |