“Individuals attending events hosted by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, by virtue of their attendance, agree to the usage of their likeness in the Banner, any Camp or Department Newsletter, any SUVCW website and/or on any SUVCW Social Media outlet, promotional brochures, or any other
SUVCW material”.
In 1860, Iowa had a population of 674,913 men, women and children, living in 124,098 households. Of this number, 116,000 men were eligible for military service. Iowa sent roughly 71,400 men to fight, 10.5% of our total population. Over the next four years 13,169, or one out of six, would die in the war.
Iowans fought at Wilson’s Creek, Pea Ridge, Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. They were at Shiloh, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Vicksburg and Missionary Ridge.
They marched with Sherman through Atlanta and on to the sea. They suffered at Andersonville and triumphantly marched in the Grand Review at Washington, D.C.
Greetings from the Department of Iowa,
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
We're always happy to welcome new members.
During the Civil War Iowa sent: forty-four Infantry Regiments, four Artillery Batteries, nine Cavalry Regiments and the First Iowa Infantry African Descent, which became the Sixtieth U. S. Colored Infantry. Some enlisted in the Navy and the Marines, stationed on either the Mississippi River or off the Atlantic Coast. And yes, Iowans wore Blue and fought for the North. Their uniforms were made of wool. Their shoes came in neither left nor right. Their rifles weighed 10 pounds and fired one round at a time. They earned $13 a month and were paid every three months. Often their rations were few:
General Sherman liked the Iowa boys
“ 'cause they knew how to forage for food and took long strides when they marched”.
Do you have an ancestor who served in the Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Revenue Cutter Service during the Civil War? If you have a Union Civil War ancestor who qualifies you for Membership in our organization, or if you're interested in honoring the memory of the "Boys in Blue" through an Associate Membership, please consider joining the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
You can contact the nearest Camp or our
Junior Vice Department Commander:
Dustin Laver
Currently, our number of those who served in Iowa Regiments and Iowans who served in other units, during the Civil War stands at:
The Department of Iowa has identified the graves of 47,754 Union Civil War Soldiers buried in Iowa, who are listed on the
SUVCW National Graves Registration Database.
Applying for a Veterans Headstone Video
with Brother Mike Rowley
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Department of Iowa
Office of the Department Commander
John T. Pregler
1525 Pego Court
Dubuque, Iowa 52003
johnpregler@gmail.com
Department Order No. 1
Series 2026-2027
17 May 2026
By the authority vested in me as Commander of the Department of Iowa, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, it is hereby ordered:
In keeping with our federal charter under United State Code (36 USC § 200301) as a Patriotic and National Organization and our stated purpose under § 200302 “to perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic and the men who saved the Union in 1861 to 1865,” I hereby remind Camps of the Department of Iowa of our obligation to participate in Memorial Day ceremonies, either with other patriotic organizations, or as a Camp, in memory of the honored dead of our country.
I refer Camps and members to the SUVCW Ritual & Ceremonials manual as a reminder that Memorial Day and May 30th, formerly known as Decoration Day, should be held sacred by our order and the people of our country. Members in parade or ceremony shall conduct themselves in a dignified and proper manner and will wear upon their left breast the Regulation Badge.
Camps are urged to have special patriotic programs at their regular meetings prior to Memorial Day on May 25th or Decoration Day on May 30th
.
Ordered this 17th Day of May 2026
John T. Pregler
Department Commander
Department of Iowa
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Attested:
Daniel F. Rittel
Department Secretary
Department of Iowa
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
Minerva Callender
Bob Niffenegger of the Grenville M. Dodge Camp, with the repurposing of a broken stone at his own expense, completes the incredible story of William and Minerva Callender, a Civil War Union Spy and a formerly enslaved person who found love and salvation during an exceptional time in America. Later choosing a life together, a home in Iowa and fellow Iowans as their neighbors they are buried in historic Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.
Minerva was the wife of William Callender. He enlisted in Co. D, 2nd Iowa Infantry on May 4, 1861, and was discharged May 26, 1864, expiration of term of service. It is believed that she was newly freed when they first crossed paths. He was a white Union spy traveling throughout the South and he connected with Minerva several times.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/187007155/minerva-callender
The 143rd Annual Encampment of the Department of Iowa was held Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the Gold Star Museum, Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa. Senior Vice Department Commander, John Pregler, of the Mitchell Camp, was elected Department Commander.
Scott, Dustin, Paul, Martin, and Dennis of the Kinsman Camp enjoyed the day at the General Dodge House during Railroad Days.
The Kinsman Camp # 23 enjoyed our day at the Reverend Hitchcock House doing living history at their school days Friday, May 1, 2026.
Isaac Bell, Veteran, War of 1812
We all know about our fellow Brothers of various Camps in the Iowa Department of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
Often unseen are those local volunteers that do things behind the scenes that you may not be familiar with.
After lead War of 1812 researcher Marilyn Rittel "finds" these veterans local cemetery officials and families must be found, contacted and convinced to allow us to make applications for stones from the VA then trust us to install them.
Sometimes these local volunteers are willing to take delivery of stones, locate the gravesites, bring equipment to nearly inaccessible rural cemeteries and lend other local expertise.
At the recent placement of stone for War of 1812 veteran Isaac Bell in Richmond Cemetery near Lovilla, Iowa on April 29, 2026, volunteers Ronald Peterson and John Goode did some of all of that, making the marking and remembering one more veteran not only possible but a reality.
Submitted in Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty
Mike Rowley, PCC
Photo 1: Dodge Camp #75 member and Vietnam era veteran Ron Rittel, Ronald Peterson Volunteer, Past Dodge Camp Commander Mike Rowley read a proclamation from Iowa Department Commander John Pregler, far right is John Goode who with his trailer and UTV made the deliveryof the 240 lbs stone up a 35 degree hill possible.
Poto 2: Mike Rowley in CW uniform assists in holding the Betsy Ross flag in honor of a Monroe County America 250 Iowa Project.
Photo 3: Lead War of 1812 Iowa veterans researcher Marilyn Rittel with volunteers at Isaac Bell gravesite.
Photo 4: Installation in progress.
Photo 5: Upon completion.
Photo 6: Bell certificate by Doug Frazer.
Three more Veteran's stones were delivered today.
Members of the SUVCW will join with SAR, MOLLUS and IA GSW1812 to install them within the next week.
All veterans are at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.
F, C & L,
Mike Rowley
Last Union Soldier Project
Iowa's Last Union Soldier Project Completed
Iowa has completed its project to identify and mark the Last Union Soldier in each of the 99 counties in the state. On June 18, 2022, we marked the final one, James P. Martin of O’Brien County in northwest Iowa. We held a special ceremony as Mr. Martin was also the last living soldier in Iowa. He passed away in 1949, only a short time before his 102nd birthday. His funeral was a huge event attended by 800 persons including the Governor and many dignitaries from Veteran Organizations.
He grew up in Wisconsin, enlisted in the 1st Wisconsin Heavy Artillery at age 16 and moved to Iowa after the War where he farmed and raised a large family. He was active in the GAR, attended National Encampments, and served as Department Commander the last two years of his life when he was the only member alive in Iowa. About 25 relatives of Mr. Martin attended our ceremony on June 18. Danny Krock, PDC led the program and the Kinsman Camp Guards performed a moving ceremony. A last soldier plaque was added at his gravesite.
There is a story to be told about each of the last soldiers. For example, the last soldier of Lee County was John Drain, an escaped slave from Missouri who served in the U. S. 67th Colored Infantry. He died in 1940 at age 96 but was heathy enough to attend the 75th Anniversary Reunion at Gettysburg in 1938. James W. Willett was the last soldier (or sailor in this case) from Tama County. He was a Boatswain’s Mate on the USS Springfield, a gunboat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. He was very active in the GAR and served as National Commander-in-Chief from 1921-22. He also served terms as Judge Advocate General for the GAR.
The most unusual situation was in Lucas County where there were two last soldiers. They died on the same day, January 25, 1941. Both were born in 1844 and were age 96 at death. Robert Killen served in the 37th Kentucky Infantry and William Humphrey in the 119th Ohio Infantry.
We were fortunate to have Ron Rittel, PDC do the research to identify the last soldiers. He spent hundreds of hours in the State Archives in Des Moines to develop this information. The last soldiers tended to be young at enlistment – at least 4 were age 15. The average age at death was 96 – 15 were age 100 or over.
This was a rewarding project for our Department. There were many compliments from relatives of James Martin after the ceremony on June 18. More information about the project, can be found on this site The Monument website - iowacivilwarmonuments.com - has a photo at gravesite and information about each last soldier.
Sons of Union Civil War Veterans Honoring James P. Martin Iowa's Last Civil War Soldier - YouTube
courtesy of Richard R. Radtke, O'Brien County's Bell-Times-Courier
