Iowa In The Civil War, Veteran Edgar L. Sweet, By G.C Stevens

 

A cabinet card photo taken in Independence Iowa, which is located in Northeastern Iowa. The photo is a very distinguished portrait of civil war veteran, Edgar L. Sweet, who served with the 1st Iowa Cavalry. Photo from the authors collection.

Edgar L. Sweet aka, Edgar L. Winsor

1846-1933

Find a grave

The card was found with the following information written on the back in pencil

Previous Article 

The state of Iowa had only been in the union for fourteen years when the war between the states broke out in the west. Iowa was strategically positioned in the war to help execute operations in the trans-Mississippi, which was crucial for securing the western United States. and approximately 76, 500 Iowa men served in the war. The war in the west was a crucial phase and the war which had begun in the west, would also end in the west as many staunch supporters of the confederate cause in the trans-Mississippi would be among the last to surrender after Lee's capitulation to Grant at Appomattox Virginia. Edgar L. Sweet would serve in the final days of the civil war, tasked with the difficult task of not only dealing with guerillas in southwestern Missouri, but conducted other expeditions to multiple areas during the short time of his enlistment

Excerpt from the 1st Iowa Cavalry History

Ref National Park Service Battle Unit Details

 March 23-May 3, 1864. Antoine and Wolf Creeks April 2. Elkin's Ferry, Little Missouri River, April 3-4. Prairie D'Anna April 9-12. White Oak Creek April 14. Camden Cross Roads April 15. Occupation of Camden April 16-18. Camden April 20. Marks Mills April 25. Moro Bottom April 25-26. Jenkins' Ferry, Saline River, April 30. Veterans on furlough May and June. Non-Veterans on duty at Little Rock till February, 1865. Expedition to Fort Smith, Ark., September 25-October 13, 1864 (Detachment). Reconnaissance to Princeton October 19-23. Hurricane Creek October 23. Expedition to Saline River November 17-18 (Detachment). Veterans moved from Iowa to Missouri June 20, 1864. Operating against guerrillas, headquarters at Macon, Mo., till October. Scout in Boone and Howard Counties September 6-12. Skirmishes in Boone County September 7-8. Scout in Randolph, Boone and Howard Counties September 15-19 (Detachment). Skirmishes at Columbia September 16. Massacre at Centralia, North Missouri Railroad, September 27. Moved to Jefferson City, Mo., October. Skirmish at California October 9. Booneville October 9-12. Campaign against Price October-November. (Served as body guard to General Rosecrans.) Marais des Cygnes, Osage River, October 25. Moved to Warrensburg, thence to St. Louis, Mo., and to Helena, Ark., November-December. Operations in Arkansas January 1-27, 1865. Action at Dardanelle January 14. Expedition from Little Rock to Mt. Elba January 22-February 4. Ordered to Memphis, Tenn., February 17, and duty there till June. Expedition into Northern Mississippi March 3-11. Moved to Alexandria, La., June 15-22; thence to Hemstead, Tex., August 8-26. Moved to Austin, Tex., October 20-November 4, and duty there till February, 1866. Mustered out February 15, 1866. Moved to Iowa February 19-March 12, and discharged March 16, 1866.

Jesses James Wins 3 to 1 by G.C. Stevens

     Note the card on the right, this is known as the "guerilla photo" and is widely recognized as  a confirmed photo Jesse James.

All photos taken by the Author 

*Location: I-35 SB, on the Iowa/ Missouri Border. 

With the weather getting better, from sub zero temps to 55 degrees here in central Iowa. I decided to take a short road trip into Missouri. Just off I-35 on the Missouri Iowa border is a great visitor center with an on duty receptionist. This visitor center is packed wall to wall with travel tourist booklets and brochures. I took a few minutes looked around for stuff on historical sites and civil war battle fields.  Missouri played an important part in the war. As did other historical events.  But I found that once you entered Missouri,  you were in Jesse James Territory. After looking the visitor center room, I found that most historic sites but one brochure.  And Jesse James had three, each for different sites. Jesse's Birthplace, the Jesse James Bank Museum  and the his home in St. JO Where he was killed.