Prisoners of War
GRAHAM, BAKER, RANSFORD, WALT, RUNYON, JACOBS, ZIKE, WAMBAUGH, BLOUVET, LEGORE, RICHARDSON
Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/18/2011 at 21:00:51
Western College Reporter, April 1, 1862
OUR BOYS PRISONERS
Quite a number of our boys from Western and Shueyville were taken prisoners at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing. Among those that are taken, we have the names of Thomas Graham, A. M. Baker, B. F. Ransford and William Walt. It is said they were surrounded three times by the rebels, but fought their way out. The fourth time they were surrounded, they attempted to fight their way out again, but did not succeed on account of their ammunition running out, Though they are now in the midst of rebels, we know they will talk union in spite of their enemies. They are not union men for the money-they are union men out of principle. It would do our very hearts good if we could only whisper a few words of encouragement to them in the midst of their trials.
Since writing the above we have been permitted to make the following extract from a letter written by Mr. Runyon to his wife in Shueyville.
“Our Regiment was taken prisoners the first day, and nearly all our boys that were able to go out were either taken prisoners or killed. We do not know how many of our company were killed-B. F. Jacobs was found among the killed-this was a hard stroke on Mrs. Jacobs, and it goes hard with us, for we all liked him well. Frank Zike was shot in the leg, and was taken prisoner. The 14th Regiment fought well, they cut their way through the rebel ranks twice before they were taken, and had their ammunition held out, they perhaps would have made their escape. They were taken about three o’clock in the afternoon on Sabbath. John Hill, Sam Hodge and myself are all the Shueyville boys that are left, and we owe our escape to sickness. Of the Western boys, Wambaugh, Blouvet, Legore, Richardson are sick.”
Grand Army of the Republic
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