LeMars Daily Sentinel, Tuesday, April 29, 2014
By Bennet Goldstein, Staff Writer
LE MARS – Approximated 76,534 Iowans served in the Civil War—about three-fourths of the state’s adult males.
Iowa regiments served under Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
Iowans participated in the battles at Shiloh, Vicksburg and Pea Ridge. They marched with Gen. William T. Sherman’s army from Atlanta to the Atlantic, burning Georgia in their wake. Over 13,000 Iowans lost their lives during the war.
But many don’t know that although Iowa sent a relatively small number of men, their contributions were enormous, according to a press release from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. A ceremony in LeMars is aimed to help change that.
As part of the ongoing celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Company B of the 10th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Sons Veteran Reserve, will be rededicating the LeMars Civil War monument Saturday. The public is invited to attend.
The war’s veterans and their descendents will be honored “for their role in preserving the country during the four most crucial years of its history,” according to the release.
Past department Cmdr. Ron Rittel, of the Sons of Union Veterans, will deliver a speech about Andrew Crouch, Cpl. Guard, First Wisconsin Calvary.
Crouch was the last Civil War veteran of Plymouth County.
There will also be an address from LeMars Mayor Dick Kirchoff, an invocation, Presentation of the Colors by the Sons of the American Legion 241, commemoration ceremony and bugle performance.
The rededication starts at 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Cemetery at 10th Avenue and Third Street Southeast.
~Lady at right is an Andrew W. Crouch, descendant Marilyn Crouch Robinson
~Transcribed for posting by volunteer, Linda Ziemann
