Notes and information from visitors        
16th Iowa Infantry

My greatgrandfather, Martin O'Hara, served in the Iowa16th Regiment, Company F ,having enlisted Jan. 22, 1862. He was captured near Atlanta on July 22, 1864. He was sent to Andersonville and to several other prison camps before escaping on Dec. 7, 1864 and making it to the Union fort at Fernandina on Amelia Island, Georgia on Dec. 14, 1864.

He was accompanied by John Carpenter also of the same company and a man named McBride of the 19th Massachusetts. They hooked up with a fourth man, Milton Mackey of the 15th Illinois as they made their way south through the Okefenokee Swamp. Martin O'Hara reenlisted after his capture and served with the 16th until the end of the war. He served as a sergeant and was mustered out as a captain.

He published a 74 page account of his experiences in 1880--Reminiscences of Andersonville and other Rebel Prisons--and this book is listed in the bibliography of Kantor's Andersonville and available from the Library of Congress. His book describes the company's surrender, the horrific conditions at Andersonville, the desperate escapes, and also describes many Iowans and their bravery.

I hope this information can be shared. I think he would have wanted that.  

Contributed by:

Back to the 16th Home Page

(Send this page to a Friend)     ( Roster Photo's )

If you have any additional information that you would like to add to this page or other pages and share with

visitors of on this web site, please contact