Unless otherwise noted, biographies submitted by Tamara Jorstad.

William Vandever, Supreme Court Clerk -- Surveyor -- Lawyer -- Soldier -- Congresman

William Vandever, first colonel of the Ninth Iowa Infantry and at the close of the war a brevet major-general, was born in Baltimore, March 31, 1817. Educated mainly in Philadelphia, he came to Rock Island in 1938, where he served as clerk of courts and later engaged extensively in surveying. In 1846 he became editor of the Rock Island branch of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway. In 1847he married Miss Edwards, mentioned by Major Byers as prominent in the great sanitary fair held in Dubuque in June, 1864. In 1857 he entered the service of the surveyor-general in Dubuque, and while so engaged studied law. Blossoming out as an attorney, he came a partner of Ben M. Samuels, one of the ablest lawyers of his time. In 1855 he was appointed clerk of the Supreme Court of Iowa. He early joined the republican party, and in 1858 was elected member of Congress on the republican ticket. Reelected in 1860, he had attained a prominent place in national councils when the firing upon Fort Sumter so stirred his soul that he tendered his services to the State. Governor Kirkwood appointed him colonel of the Ninth Iowa Infantry, and at once accepting the post he resigned his seat in Congress, and with it the rewards of political life, and entered upon his new and untried duties.

We find the volunteer colonel in command of a brigade in the fierce batter of Pea Ridge, he and General Dodge winning highest commendation for bravery and efficient service on the field of battle, Later, he joined General Curtis in his march across the Ozarks to Batesville, and later still, to Helena, Ark., where, with less than six hundred men, he defeated 2,000 Texan rangers. He followed Herron to Vicksburg and thence to Yazoo City. Thence to the Atlanta campaign. After the fall of Atlanta, he was assigned to court-martial duty for a brief period. He was in Sherman's memorable March to the Sea.

Made brigadier-general soon after Pea Ridge, following the fall of Savannah he was brevetted a major-general, and assigned to the command of a division.

For several years after the war General Vandever resided in Dubuque, interesting himself in lead-mining and other commercial activities.

Soon after retiring from the service, the general's early ambition for a career in politics returned, and he sought a nomination to his old seat in Congress. But the young man who succeeded him in 1861 had meantime made good, and the republican convention, while conceding Vandever's claims, renominated Will B. Allison. Vandever felt aggrieved and, to the sorrow of mutual friends, he never forgave his successful rival. In 1873, General Grant appointed Vandever to the position of Indian inspector. Five years later, the general removed to Buena Ventura, near Los Angeles, where his son resided. Here he acquired a competency. In 1886 he was elected to Congress from his California district. He served so acceptably that he was reelected. He died, in his California home, July 23, 1893, at the age of seventy-six.

Stuart's "Iowa Colonels," published in 1865, though a valuable work, lacks perspective. The impression Stuart leaves upon the mind does scant justice to General Vandever. He says: "As a military man, he has gained less distinction than any other public man who has entered the service from Iowa." Let us turn to the records and discover for ourselves, the general's relative strength, or weakness.

Ignoring the hundreds of references to Vandever's activities, both as colonel and as general, we find that, though inexperienced in military tactics, Major-General Curtis assigned him to the command of a brigade at Pea Ridge, and in his after-report he headed a list of his commanders with the names of Dodge, Osterhaus and Vandever, adding: "The three first named I especially commend."

In an extended report of the battle of Pea Ridge, dated March 7 and 8, 1862, General Curtis speaks with pride of General Vandever's march of forty miles the day before the battle in order to join him in the engagement. Speaking of the Iowan who commanded the second brigade in the battle, the general remarks on the "utmost coolness and bravery" exhibited by the colonel of the Ninth. Relating one of the incidents of the first day's battle, General Curtis says: "During this time the enemy advanced up the hollow in the brush along the main road, and Colonel Vandever ordered forward the infantry, when there ensued a desperate conflict with small-arms, our men driving them back to the foot of the hill, where the enemy opened his batteries."

Further on he said: "While Colonel Vandever was closing in the gap thus occasioned, the enemy commenced swarming up the road and hollow and through the brush in front of us. My troops fought with most heroic courage and devotion, officers exposing themselves freely, cheering and encouraging their men."

Later, informing General Hovey that he is planning a dash on the railroad at Grenada, a movement requiring "great energy, courage and prudence," the object being to cut off Price's retreat, he writes: "Vandever or Baker would be a proper man to lead such a movement."

Late in April, 1863, General Curtis reported as follows, referring to Marmaduke's expedition into Missouri: "General Vandever came on the enemy's rear near Cape Girardeau last night, attacked and routed him, taking a large number of prisoners, horses, arms, etc. The enemy retreated toward Bloomfield in great disorder . . . "

Turning back to the report of General Thayer, on the battle of Arkansas Post in January, 1863, we find this strong tribute: "Having my horse killed early in the engagement, I requested General Vandever, who arrived two days previous and took temporary command of his regiment, the Ninth Iowa, to assist me, and I am pleased to make my acknowledgements to him for his valuable services. His conduct was gallant and soldierly throughout the action, and he was constantly exposed to danger."

The Dubuque Times, viewing the general at close range, saw in him "an effective debater, a loyal citizen, and a man beloved by his friends and respected by his political opponents . . . an ideal legislator, and an able, brave and faithful soldier."

A man who, as Stuart concedes, was notably free from self-seeking, and yet could rise from colonel to brevet major-general, and to the command of a division, at the same time commanding the admiration of his ranking officers; a man whom two different constituencies recognized as available "congressional timber" must surely have possessed several of the elements of "true greatness," and was certainly not without unusual distinction.