Service Record: Enlisted in Company C, Iowa 38th Infantry Regiment on 04 Nov 1862. Mustered out on 1 Jan 1865. Transferred to Company G, Iowa 34th Infantry Regiment on 1 Jan 1865. Mustered out on 15 Aug 1865 at Houston, TX.
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From The Union Army, vol. 4:
According to the 2 June 1860 US Federal Census of the town of Taylor, Illinois, Ogle County, James Wilson was 20 years old and living on a farm with his parents who were ages 67 and 64 respectively!
James Enos WILSON was born in Morrow County, Ohio 4 Sep 1840. He married Martha Ellenor DAVIS on 23 Jun 1866 in Douglas (Horton) in Bremer County IA by Rev. F.P. Newell. She was the daughter of Hiram C. DAVIS and Hulda SKIVER. Martha was born 13 Jan 1847 in Ohio and died 17 Feb 1930. James died 4 Jul 1887 and is buried in Hill Crest Cemetery, Volga IA.
James enlisted as a Private in the army on 14 August 1862 for 3 years in Horton IA where he was assigned to the 38th Infantry Regiment in Dubuque IA. (Paperwork completed at this time indicated that James WILSON was a farmer and that he had sandy complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair and was 5 foot, 9 inches high. He was paid a total of $27 upon his enlistment.) He was involved in the Civil War for 3 years and gave "DISTINGUISHED SERVICE". According to his application for Headstone or Marker, he was discharged 15 August 1865.
James Enos WILSON served during the Civil War from 1862-1865. He was first assigned to the Thirty-eighth Infantry Regiment from Iowa.
The story of this regiment is short and melancholy. As an organization, it never saw a battle, and yet no Iowa regiment in the service lost so many soldiers in so short a time. Out of a full strength of 910, not less than 311 were dead within a year and a half, and another 110 had been discharged as broken down too much to serve. This was well on to every other man, and without a battle.
It is doubtful if any command in all the United States service suffered as this regiment did. It died at its post fighting the deadly malaria of Southern swamps. No regiment entered the service with higher hopes than did the 38th Iowa, at Dubuque on Nov. 4, 1862. In two days it was at Benton barracks near St. Louis. On Dec. 28, on board the steamer Platte Valley, it started down the Mississippi river for Columbus, KY, and in three days was being led against the supposed enemy at Union City.
In Jan, 1863, the command was ordered back to Columbus and down the river to New Madrid, where it guarded Fort Thompson for nearly six months, the duties being neither arduous nor dangerous. In June it went by steamer, Daniel Taylor, to Young's Point, and by June 15 had crossed the Mississippi and was under the guns of Vicksburg, forming a part of Gen. Grant's extreme left line.
The location where this particular regiment lay was extremely unhealthy. It was on the edge of a dismal cypress swamp, whose miasmatic vapors poisoned the blood of the whole command, sending to their graves hundreds of the noble men who had gone there willing to sacrifice life and limb in assaulting the works of a foreman, less dreaded, as it proved, than the sickly vapors of the swamp. In fact the guns of the Confederate forts killed but a single man of the 38th during the siege.
On July 27, the regiment was at Port Hudson, LA, where commenced the awful and fatal fevers inherited by the men at that cypress swamp by Vicksburg. By Aug 13, so many men were down with fever that the morning report showed but 8 officers and 20 men of this big, fine regiment fit for duty. Those who survived took part in the Texas campaign and on Dec 12, 1884, were consolidated with the remnant of the 34th Iowa under the latter name. The losses of the 38th were as follows: deaths from battle, 1; deaths from disease, 314, wounded, 2; discharged, 117.
The 34th Iowa Regiment went to Houston, and on August 15, 1865, was mustered out of the service.
-------------------
From The Union Army, vol. 4:
According to the 2 June 1860 US Federal Census of the town of Taylor, Illinois, Ogle County, James Wilson was 20 years old and living on a farm with his parents who were ages 67 and 64 respectively!
James Enos WILSON was born in Morrow County, Ohio 4 Sep 1840. He married Martha Ellenor DAVIS on 23 Jun 1866 in Douglas (Horton) in Bremer County IA by Rev. F.P. Newell. She was the daughter of Hiram C. DAVIS and Hulda SKIVER. Martha was born 13 Jan 1847 in Ohio and died 17 Feb 1930. James died 4 Jul 1887 and is buried in Hill Crest Cemetery, Volga IA.
James enlisted as a Private in the army on 14 August 1862 for 3 years in Horton IA where he was assigned to the 38th Infantry Regiment in Dubuque IA. (Paperwork completed at this time indicated that James WILSON was a farmer and that he had sandy complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair and was 5 foot, 9 inches high. He was paid a total of $27 upon his enlistment.) He was involved in the Civil War for 3 years and gave "DISTINGUISHED SERVICE". According to his application for Headstone or Marker, he was discharged 15 August 1865.
James Enos WILSON served during the Civil War from 1862-1865. He was first assigned to the Thirty-eighth Infantry Regiment from Iowa.
The story of this regiment is short and melancholy. As an organization, it never saw a battle, and yet no Iowa regiment in the service lost so many soldiers in so short a time. Out of a full strength of 910, not less than 311 were dead within a year and a half, and another 110 had been discharged as broken down too much to serve. This was well on to every other man, and without a battle.
It is doubtful if any command in all the United States service suffered as this regiment did. It died at its post fighting the deadly malaria of Southern swamps. No regiment entered the service with higher hopes than did the 38th Iowa, at Dubuque on Nov. 4, 1862. In two days it was at Benton barracks near St. Louis. On Dec. 28, on board the steamer Platte Valley, it started down the Mississippi river for Columbus, KY, and in three days was being led against the supposed enemy at Union City.
In Jan, 1863, the command was ordered back to Columbus and down the river to New Madrid, where it guarded Fort Thompson for nearly six months, the duties being neither arduous nor dangerous. In June it went by steamer, Daniel Taylor, to Young's Point, and by June 15 had crossed the Mississippi and was under the guns of Vicksburg, forming a part of Gen. Grant's extreme left line.
The location where this particular regiment lay was extremely unhealthy. It was on the edge of a dismal cypress swamp, whose miasmatic vapors poisoned the blood of the whole command, sending to their graves hundreds of the noble men who had gone there willing to sacrifice life and limb in assaulting the works of a foreman, less dreaded, as it proved, than the sickly vapors of the swamp. In fact the guns of the Confederate forts killed but a single man of the 38th during the siege.
On July 27, the regiment was at Port Hudson, LA, where commenced the awful and fatal fevers inherited by the men at that cypress swamp by Vicksburg. By Aug 13, so many men were down with fever that the morning report showed but 8 officers and 20 men of this big, fine regiment fit for duty. Those who survived took part in the Texas campaign and on Dec 12, 1884, were consolidated with the remnant of the 34th Iowa under the latter name. The losses of the 38th were as follows: deaths from battle, 1; deaths from disease, 314, wounded, 2; discharged, 117.
The 34th Iowa Regiment went to Houston, and on August 15, 1865, was mustered out of the service.
Service Record: Enlisted in Company C, Iowa 38th Infantry Regiment on 04 Nov 1862. Mustered out on 1 Jan 1865. Transferred to Company G, Iowa 34th Infantry Regiment on 1 Jan 1865. Mustered out on 15 Aug 1865 at Houston, TX.
-------------------
From The Union Army, vol. 4:
According to the 2 June 1860 US Federal Census of the town of Taylor, Illinois, Ogle County, James Wilson was 20 years old and living on a farm with his parents who were ages 67 and 64 respectively!
James Enos WILSON was born in Morrow County, Ohio 4 Sep 1840. He married Martha Ellenor DAVIS on 23 Jun 1866 in Douglas (Horton) in Bremer County IA by Rev. F.P. Newell. She was the daughter of Hiram C. DAVIS and Hulda SKIVER. Martha was born 13 Jan 1847 in Ohio and died 17 Feb 1930. James died 4 Jul 1887 and is buried in Hill Crest Cemetery, Volga IA.
James enlisted as a Private in the army on 14 August 1862 for 3 years in Horton IA where he was assigned to the 38th Infantry Regiment in Dubuque IA. (Paperwork completed at this time indicated that James WILSON was a farmer and that he had sandy complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair and was 5 foot, 9 inches high. He was paid a total of $27 upon his enlistment.) He was involved in the Civil War for 3 years and gave "DISTINGUISHED SERVICE". According to his application for Headstone or Marker, he was discharged 15 August 1865.
James Enos WILSON served during the Civil War from 1862-1865. He was first assigned to the Thirty-eighth Infantry Regiment from Iowa.
The story of this regiment is short and melancholy. As an organization, it never saw a battle, and yet no Iowa regiment in the service lost so many soldiers in so short a time. Out of a full strength of 910, not less than 311 were dead within a year and a half, and another 110 had been discharged as broken down too much to serve. This was well on to every other man, and without a battle.
It is doubtful if any command in all the United States service suffered as this regiment did. It died at its post fighting the deadly malaria of Southern swamps. No regiment entered the service with higher hopes than did the 38th Iowa, at Dubuque on Nov. 4, 1862. In two days it was at Benton barracks near St. Louis. On Dec. 28, on board the steamer Platte Valley, it started down the Mississippi river for Columbus, KY, and in three days was being led against the supposed enemy at Union City.
In Jan, 1863, the command was ordered back to Columbus and down the river to New Madrid, where it guarded Fort Thompson for nearly six months, the duties being neither arduous nor dangerous. In June it went by steamer, Daniel Taylor, to Young's Point, and by June 15 had crossed the Mississippi and was under the guns of Vicksburg, forming a part of Gen. Grant's extreme left line.
The location where this particular regiment lay was extremely unhealthy. It was on the edge of a dismal cypress swamp, whose miasmatic vapors poisoned the blood of the whole command, sending to their graves hundreds of the noble men who had gone there willing to sacrifice life and limb in assaulting the works of a foreman, less dreaded, as it proved, than the sickly vapors of the swamp. In fact the guns of the Confederate forts killed but a single man of the 38th during the siege.
On July 27, the regiment was at Port Hudson, LA, where commenced the awful and fatal fevers inherited by the men at that cypress swamp by Vicksburg. By Aug 13, so many men were down with fever that the morning report showed but 8 officers and 20 men of this big, fine regiment fit for duty. Those who survived took part in the Texas campaign and on Dec 12, 1884, were consolidated with the remnant of the 34th Iowa under the latter name. The losses of the 38th were as follows: deaths from battle, 1; deaths from disease, 314, wounded, 2; discharged, 117.
The 34th Iowa Regiment went to Houston, and on August 15, 1865, was mustered out of the service.
-------------------
From The Union Army, vol. 4:
According to the 2 June 1860 US Federal Census of the town of Taylor, Illinois, Ogle County, James Wilson was 20 years old and living on a farm with his parents who were ages 67 and 64 respectively!
James Enos WILSON was born in Morrow County, Ohio 4 Sep 1840. He married Martha Ellenor DAVIS on 23 Jun 1866 in Douglas (Horton) in Bremer County IA by Rev. F.P. Newell. She was the daughter of Hiram C. DAVIS and Hulda SKIVER. Martha was born 13 Jan 1847 in Ohio and died 17 Feb 1930. James died 4 Jul 1887 and is buried in Hill Crest Cemetery, Volga IA.
James enlisted as a Private in the army on 14 August 1862 for 3 years in Horton IA where he was assigned to the 38th Infantry Regiment in Dubuque IA. (Paperwork completed at this time indicated that James WILSON was a farmer and that he had sandy complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair and was 5 foot, 9 inches high. He was paid a total of $27 upon his enlistment.) He was involved in the Civil War for 3 years and gave "DISTINGUISHED SERVICE". According to his application for Headstone or Marker, he was discharged 15 August 1865.
James Enos WILSON served during the Civil War from 1862-1865. He was first assigned to the Thirty-eighth Infantry Regiment from Iowa.
The story of this regiment is short and melancholy. As an organization, it never saw a battle, and yet no Iowa regiment in the service lost so many soldiers in so short a time. Out of a full strength of 910, not less than 311 were dead within a year and a half, and another 110 had been discharged as broken down too much to serve. This was well on to every other man, and without a battle.
It is doubtful if any command in all the United States service suffered as this regiment did. It died at its post fighting the deadly malaria of Southern swamps. No regiment entered the service with higher hopes than did the 38th Iowa, at Dubuque on Nov. 4, 1862. In two days it was at Benton barracks near St. Louis. On Dec. 28, on board the steamer Platte Valley, it started down the Mississippi river for Columbus, KY, and in three days was being led against the supposed enemy at Union City.
In Jan, 1863, the command was ordered back to Columbus and down the river to New Madrid, where it guarded Fort Thompson for nearly six months, the duties being neither arduous nor dangerous. In June it went by steamer, Daniel Taylor, to Young's Point, and by June 15 had crossed the Mississippi and was under the guns of Vicksburg, forming a part of Gen. Grant's extreme left line.
The location where this particular regiment lay was extremely unhealthy. It was on the edge of a dismal cypress swamp, whose miasmatic vapors poisoned the blood of the whole command, sending to their graves hundreds of the noble men who had gone there willing to sacrifice life and limb in assaulting the works of a foreman, less dreaded, as it proved, than the sickly vapors of the swamp. In fact the guns of the Confederate forts killed but a single man of the 38th during the siege.
On July 27, the regiment was at Port Hudson, LA, where commenced the awful and fatal fevers inherited by the men at that cypress swamp by Vicksburg. By Aug 13, so many men were down with fever that the morning report showed but 8 officers and 20 men of this big, fine regiment fit for duty. Those who survived took part in the Texas campaign and on Dec 12, 1884, were consolidated with the remnant of the 34th Iowa under the latter name. The losses of the 38th were as follows: deaths from battle, 1; deaths from disease, 314, wounded, 2; discharged, 117.
The 34th Iowa Regiment went to Houston, and on August 15, 1865, was mustered out of the service.
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