Henry O'Farrell enlisted in the Civil War from his parent's home in Arnolds Park, Dickinson County, Iowa. He was placed in Company A, 26th Iowa Infantry under Colonel Milo Smith of Clinton, and drilled at Camp Kirkwood.
Henry enlisted at Fort Dodge, Iowa, on January 4, 1864 at the age of 17. He was killed in action on October 16,1864 at Ships Gap, Georgia, after the surrender at Vicksburg. The regiment was with General Sherman at Jackson, Mississippi, also at Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge.
His Letters told of incessant rain, deep mud, sickness and death, which brought its inevitable reaction of depression and homesickness.
Two expeditions brought relief from the monotony. One was up the White River, the other to Corinth, Mississippi,to divert attention from Grant's Army. The Clinton Regiment brought honor to Iowa as it marched on its way in campaigns of Vicksburg, and the hard fought battle of Postelle, Arkansas.
Henry and Matthew Aldrich. Matthew carried Henry from the Battlefield.
In September, 2004, through a search for Veterans who were killed in all wars from Dickinson County, Iowa, by the local veterans organization, Henry V. O'Farrell was found by the National Veterans Administration to be buried in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee. His family has not known where or if he was buried for 140 years. Now his name will be included in a permanent Memorial to be placed on the Plaza of the new Courthouse being built in Spirit Lake, Dickinson County, Iowa.
11-8-2004 by Tammy O'Farrell Ammann
See also: The Battle of Ship's Gap