An even dozen Civil War veterans

This image of a dozen Lucas County Civil War veterans, taken on Jan. 31, 1926, turned up the other day at the Lucas County Historical Society Museum. I wish we had an original, taken by Chariton's Hedger Studio, but we don't. So this clipping from The Des Moines Sunday Register's rotogravure section of March 14, 1926, will have to do.

Most aspirational daily newspapers of that era published rotogravure sections, often on Sundays, utilizing a form of printing that produced a high-quality image on quality paper in order to showcase their best photographic images. There was a six-week gap between the time the photo was taken in Chariton and the date of its publication in Des Moines, but apparently the subject matter was considered interesting enough to justify both the delay and premiere space for the image.

Both The Chariton Leader and The Herald-Patriot published during the week after it occurred reports on the gathering at which the photo was taken --- without photographs. I've kind of blended those two reports here, attempting to correct names --- and all the newspapers were challenged in that department. I'm still baffled by "W. W. Callahan" and will have to do a little more research to sort that one out. 

In any case, here's a report on a celebratory event held at a time when the Civil War veterans were becoming an endangered community asset:

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Samuel Neptune, of this city, was eighty years old on last Sunday, January 31, and had long been contemplating making this a notable day in the annals of his career by inviting old comrades to his home to assist in the celebration. And besides these, other friends and various members of his family came to do honors to the occasion.

A fine dinner at the noon hour was one of the big features supervised in its preparation by Mrs. Neptune, who had entered into the spirit of the day with a true zest, and was prepared in the highest culinary skill, and to which all did ample justice, which proved the best evidence of its quality.

The host is a native of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and young manhood found him in Ohio, where at the beginning of the war between the states he enlisted in the 122nd Volunteer Infantry and served throughout the conflict. Later, he came to Chariton and followed the vocation of a miller until he moved to Benton township, where he improved the farm, which he still owns.

Those who had responded to the roll were (standing from left), James M. Harrison, 82, 46th Iowa Infantry; John W. Reese, 89, 18th Iowa Volunteer Infantry; Martin Anderson, 84, 36th Iowa Infantry; W.W. Callahan, 81, 1st Iowa Cavalry; Asa N. Callahan, 83, 6th Iowa Volunteer Infantry; and James D. Bidlake, 78, 4th Iowa Infantry. Seated, from left: William L. Clapp, 84, 8th Iowa Volunteer Cavalry; Henry A. Newhouse, 80, 22nd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry; Wilford W. Beardsley, 81, 8th Iowa Volunteer Infantry; Andrew D. Gray, 87, 10th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry; Samuel Neptune, 80, 122nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and Elijah H. Morgan, 91, 23 Virginia Infantry (Confederate).

As guest of honor on this occasion was the venerable E.H. Morgan, 91 years of age, who had served in the Confederate army from his native Virginia, 23rd Infantry, and is one of the few survivors of Pickett's charge at Gettysburg.

Several other veterans could not be present, which was a matter of regret. Comrade Frank Smith is very ill at home. Comrades John W. Mauk, Ben Sparks, John Stearns, J.R. Landis, Henry Mingels and also Comrade Duffield, and perhaps others, failed to respond to roll call, a regret fully expressed by those present. There are only 37 survivors of the Civil War (The Herald-Patriot guessed "about 40") in Lucas County and only four draw a pension of $72 per month.

Another matter came up and was decided to be a fair exchange. Samuel Neptune, the entertaining host, had been captured and spent nine months in Libby Prison, the hell hole of the war. E.H. Morgan had been taken by the Yankee soldiers and spent nine months of confinement in Ft. Delaware, living on breakfast foods and hardtack.