The bullet that finally claimed Henry W. Lane

More than 13,000 of the 76,500 young men from  Iowa who served during the Civil War died --- far more of disease than combat wounds. Lucas County's loss exceeded 150.

But sometimes overlooked are the thousands of Iowans who returned from the war with health shattered, but persevered with little support other than perhaps a small pension, then died of complications many years later.

One of these was Henry Lane, who is buried in the Niswender Pioneer Cemetery southeast of Oakley and northwest of Chariton. Henry was 51 when he died on June 1, 1883.

Henry had served from Washington County, advancing in rank to 1st Sergeant in Company K, 30th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, before being wounded critically at the Battle of Cherokee Station on October 21, 1863. Sent home to recuperate as best he could, he brought his family to Lucas County when the war ended.

A brief obituary in The Chariton Democrat-Leader of June 13, 1883, provides the circumstances of the wound that handicapped him until death 20 years later:

+++

Mr. Henry Lane, an old resident of Liberty township, died on Friday, June 1st 1883. The editor of the Patriot, who was intimately acquainted with the deceased, publishes the following obituary notice.

The deceased was aged about fifty-two years, and was a native of Ohio. At an early day he moved to Iowa and settled in this county, where he lived constantly until his death.

He was among the first to enlist and go out to battle for his country in the late war, and was sergeant of Company K, 30th Iowa Infantry. After bravely and nobly doing his part in many hard fought battles, he was dangerously wounded October 21st, 1863, at Cherokee, Alabama, the bullet entering his head just behind the left ear and from some peculiarity of the wound was never removed. He never entirely recovered and after 20 years of almost continual suffering died from the effects of the wound.

The funeral was held from the residence of the deceased on Saturday last, and all that remained mortal of a kind and generous husband and father, an old and respected citizen, and a brave and noble soldier, was consigned to the last earthly resting place in the cemetery in Liberty Township.