Isaac Brokaw Wallace
11th Iowa Infantry
Company "F"
Isaac Brokaw Wallace was the son of Moses Wallace and Jane Brokaw. In 1843 Moses and Jane moved to Kasbeer, Bureau County, a small farming community in northern Illinois, where Isaac grew up.
Isaac descended from at least five Revolutionary War Patriots, and
probably didn't think twice about volunteering to defend his country when the
War Between the States began. He was exactly 20 years old when the 11th
Iowa Regiment, Company F mustered in on 28 September 1861 at Davenport,
Iowa. He was a small man, just 5
feet 8 inches, light complexion, red hair and gray eyes.
On the 6th of April 1862, Isaac was injured at the Battle of Shiloh,
Tennessee with a musket ball through his foot and again at the Battle of
Corinth, Mississippi when a tree limb fell on him. He participated in the
Mississippi Campaign, the Battles of Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson Champion Hill
and Black River Crossing, and the siege of Vicksburg.
On 22 July 1863, during the Battle of Atlanta, Isaac was captured and
imprisoned in Andersonville Prison in Georgia where he endured much misery.
"Andersonville" as it known today was called "Anderson
Station" when it was built in 1864. The
Andersonville double stockade was built from 20-foot pine logs and was 15 feet
high and covered 26 ½ acres of land. The deadline was marked by slat-topped
poles, and was 10 feet inside the stockade walls.
The Union prisoners were forced to survive in shelters they erected using
tree limbs, logs, bushes, and other materials including their own clothes and
overcoats. Few were lucky enough to have a canvas tent.
Many were exposed to the elements twenty-four hours each day, including
30-50 inches of rain each year. Having
no sewage, the creek that was the only source of drinking and bathing water,
soon became contaminated with human waste.
Soon the soldiers were dying of scurry, diarrhea, dysentery and other
diseases. Nearly 13,000 of the 45,613 prisoners, who passed through
Andersonville, died as a result of illness and disease.
Isaac was held captive at Andersonville for seven months and another two
months at Florence, North Carolina. When he was released he weighted just 90
pounds.
Isaac applied for and received a military pension in 1877 #I4164 in the
amount of $30 a month. The following is a transcription of his Pension Application:
__________________________________________________________________
Declaration
for Original Invalid Pension
State
of Illinois
County
of Bureau
On
this 13th day of August, A.D. 1877, before me George W. Stone, a duly authorized
officer of a Court of Record within and for the County and State aforesaid,
personally appeared Isaac B. Wallace, who being duly sworn according to law,
declares that he is the identical man who enlisted under the name of Isaac B.
Wallace in the Military Service of the United States, at Washington Iowa on the
23rd day of September A.D. 1861 as Private of F. Co. 11th Regt, Infantry Iowa
Vol to serve 3 years. Reenlisted in the same Company & Regiment as a Private
was thence Honorably Discharged on the 8th day of June A.D. 1865.
That
he never served otherwise or in any other Company or Regiment in the U.S. Army
or Navy, in the war of 1861 or at any other time. That he has not been engaged,
or received pay in the U. S. Army or Navy, since he was honorably discharged on
the 8th day of June A.D., 1865. That while in the Service aforesaid, and in the
line of his duty, he was wounded or injured, or contracted disease in time and
manner following:
That
at the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn. On the 6th day of April 1862 was wounded by a
musket ball through his left foot. He was lying down at the time loading his
gun. The ball struck him on the top of his foot, passing through came out in the
hollow of the same. That he was not sent away to hospital but remained with his
company. That on or about the 22nd day of July 1864 while on duty as stretcher-harer
he was captured by the enemy. Taken to Andersonville, Ga. And thence to
Florence, N.C. That he was parole and placed within the Union lines at
Wilmington, N.C. and sent thence to Ward 2 Parole Hospital, Wilmington N.C.
where he arrived on or about the 5th day of march 1865. There he remained until
March 28th 1865 was thence sent to City Hospital Annapolis, MD. Where he
remained about 10 days. Where on the 13th day of April 1865 he was sent home on
Furlough for 30 day, which was extended to 60 and until about the time of
discharge that from the starvation exposure incident in prison --- ---- ----
1865 he contracted scurvy and Chronic Rheumatism in his hips and backs which has
almost wholly disabled him for labor of any kind that besides this his
constitution was so broken down and his health so ruined that he has been
suffering in consequence since to the present date. That he claims pension on
account of wound, chronic Rheumatism, scurvy and general ill health contracted
in prison. That since discharge has resided in Bureau County, Ill. And followed
carpentering as an occupation.
That
he hereby constitutes and appoints E. S. Weeden, of No. 143 East Monroe Street,
Chicago, Illinois, his Attorney, to prosecute this claim.
That
he has never received or applied for a pension.
That
his residence is Bureau County Illinois and his post office address is Ohio
Station Bureau Co., Ills.
Isaac
B. Wallace
Claimants
Signature
__________________________________________________________________
In a letter from Miss Mary Pickup [Isaac's niece] of Kasbeer, Illinois to
Mr. Graybeal, Department of Iowa, G.A.R., State House, Des Moines, dated 9 Jan.
1950, Mary Pickup mentions that her mother often spoke of her brother, Isaac B.
Wallace and recalled when he came home from the war on furlough that he would
sit at the organ and play "Home Sweet Home".
After the war Isaac returned home to Illinois where he married Lydia Jane
Lewis in 1866. They had nine children, six girls and three boys.
He farmed 20 acres of land and was a carpenter. At the age of 75 he was
admitted into the "Old Soldiers Home" in Quincy, Illinois. The
physician's record described Isaac as "a man of perfect moral habits."
Isaac died at the home on 29 May 1929 and is buried in Knoxville City Cemetery,
Knox County, Illinois next to his wife Lydia and their daughter, Jessie Mae.
Judy
Weaver Great-granddaughter of Richard McCoy
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