John Henry Sims – Greybeard Regiment

It was a unique idea, one that would need special permission from the Secretary of War Stanton himself.  Iowa was going to raise a regiment for the Union Army made up of men too old to normally serve in war.  Stanton approved the unit with the stipulation that the inductees must all be able-bodied and able to do perform their duties. They could guard prisoners, train depots, or bridges, freeing regular units for battle.

from Davenport Daily Gazette (Davenport, Iowa) 18 Sept 1862, p. 2

The 37th Iowa Infantry was made entirely of men over 45 years of age, many over 60. The Greybeards, they were called.  Their drummer boy was 72- year old Nicholas Ramey. Private Curtis King claimed to be 80. Mainly farmers, most of these men had watched their sons and grandsons go to war and now they wanted their turn.

The 37th was formed in October 1862. They drilled, ate army rations, slept in the cold and wet. Then in January 1863 they were sent to St. Louis, Missouri to guard a prisoner-of-war camp and an arsenal. It was a harsh winter and the elderly men began to suffer. Their initial enthusiasm hit cold reality. By February 200 men had died or taken disability discharges.

Throughout 1863-64 the unit provided guards for military prisons in Indianapolis, Indiana, Alton, Illinois and  Rock Island, Illinois. In Tennessee the men of the 37th saw their only combat action. While guarding a provision train they were attacked by guerrillas and returned fire. Two Iowans were killed and two injured.

The regiment was disbanded in May 1864 and the men returned home. Iowa was the only state that raised a unit like the 37th.  During its years of active service the Greybeards lost 148 men: 3 were battle deaths and 145 from disease.  One of the deaths from disease was John Henry Sims.

John Henry had been born in Indiana but moved with his family to Iowa about 1855. He and his wife Rosanna had 5 sons, but by the days of the Civil War two had died. Their two oldest sons, Wiley and Samuel, enlisted in the 2nd Iowa in May 1861. Son Ellington followed his brothers in 1862, joining the 33rd Iowa after he turned 18.  Later that year their father enlisted. John Henry was 60 years old when he joined the 37th. All three boys would return from the war but not their father. He died of disease in January 1863 in St. Louis where the 37th was on guard duty.

Connection: John Henry Sims was my husband’s 3rd great uncle. John Henry and Asbury Sims, my husband’s great-great-grandfather were brothers. Also serving in the 37th was my 3rd great uncle, William Taswell Gully.

Morgan’s Raid – 1863

Telegram to Gov. Morton 9 July 1863. Source: Morton Telegraph Book, no. 11.http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/collections/Telegraph

The telegram lay on the Governor’s desk. Indiana had been invaded. Hoosier property was being destroyed and Hoosiers were being killed. The Civil War had come to Indiana.

As with most of the northern states, Indiana had not felt the pain of battles on its home soil. Until now. On July 8, 1863, General John Hunt Morgan with about 2,000 cavalry had crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky into Harrison County.  (Exaggerated reports claimed that he had upwards of 6,000 men.) His main purpose was to distract Union attention and draw off forces while General Bragg campaigned in Tennessee. But he also hoped to attract the support of southern sympathizers and spread terror into northern territory.

Governor Oliver P. Morton immediately sent telegrams to central and southern counties asking them to organize volunteers into local militias for the defense of the state. Over 65,000 Hoosiers responded. Within 48 hours communities across the state were sending officers and men to aid the southeastern counties under attack. The quick response gave these units the nickname ‘Minute Men.”

Telegram from Morton to county officials. Source:Morton Telegraph Book, no 11. http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/collections/Telegraph 

Meanwhile, Morgan and his men rode into Corydon. They engaged a poorly trained local militia, outflanked them and took most of the men prisoner. The raiders demanded ransom, threatening to burn the town.  They continued east terrorizing the towns of Vernon, Dupont,

Morgan’s Raid.   Source: Scott Mingus, Wikipedia

Versailles, burning bridges, stealing food and goods. Morgan bragged to locals that he would be in Indianapolis by the next day.

State and local forces began pursuit of the Southerners. They organized the defense of towns and railroads. They engaged the raiders outside of Vernon and slowed their progress by building roadblocks, but Morgan was often a step ahead. On July 13th Morgan’s Raiders crossed into Ohio.  While some pursuing militia troops were allowed to follow him across the state lines, for most of the Minute Men their service was over and they returned home.  Some units coming from Indianapolis by train, arrived too late to serve and were turned back.

Indiana men had come to the defense of their state. Morgan had received no support or sympathy from southern Hoosiers. Governor Morton addressed the state and proudly declared:

“For the alacrity with which you responded to my call and left your harvest fields, your workshops and offices, and took up arms to protect your State and punish the invaders, allow me, on behalf of the State to tender my hearty thanks. Your example will not be lost upon the Nation, and you have taught the rebels a lesson which will not be forgotten.”

Connection:  I have identified several ancestors from Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Hamilton, and Lawrence Counties that answered Morton’s call: John M. Cason, Samuel O. McDowell, Oscar and Asher Tysor, Ira F. Shirley, Washington Dale, Henry C. Reser, Moses Edward Sallee, Marshall Guthrie, Ewing Guthrie and John D. Guthrie. Their names appear on rosters of Indiana Infantry Regiments 102nd-114th. They served from July 10-17, 1863, earning themselves the nickname ‘One Week Wonders.”