This letter was written to my Great Grandfather, Edward Herbert Nixon, from George Trout. Both served in Company A of the 9^th Iowa Volunteer Infantry.

George recounts his attempts to locate members of Co. A, as well as obtain a copy of a recollection of a battle experience that E. H. wrote in an earlier letter.

L. B. Leach, Prest. A. T. McMillan, Cash

WAMEGO STATE BANK

CAPITAL $60,000.00

Wamego, Kans. Dec. 14, 1910

E. H. Nixon

Walla Walla, Wash.

Dear Comrade,

Your letter of October 24^th 1910 to my Brother William was forwarded to me by a member of our Family living at Maquoketa. The letter must have been laying somewhere as I received it yesterday. I will have to answer you as I answered when making inquiries about our comrades in September last while visiting at Maquoketa. Wm Trout died about three years ago of heart trouble. Died at Maquoketa sometime during the night alone. Was found the next day about noon when the landlord went to call him for dinner. His sight had failed him almost entirely. There is no one that now keeps posted in regard to our company.

In Sept. this year, I started towards Atlantic City where the National Encampment took place. I stopped off at Maquoketa on purpose to see who of our crowd I could find. I asked about Sergeant DeGrush. The answer was died about a year ago. Then I made inquiry about Sergeant John Billips. The answer was about the same. I then said It looks as if I came to a Cemetery to visit. Guess I won’t ask any more, but I did. Found only two in town, W. H. McMeans in the RR Mail Service and Charles Young in the Dray Business. I wrote to James Hamilton who now lives at Andrew to come to Maquoketa while I was there, but he never showed up. Strange, we always were such good friends. I wrote to Willet Wade at Monmouth to come. He showed up. You remember him. He was our cook. The __?__ fellow in the whole bunch. He felt ill at ease. Looked like he was in hard lines. H slipped away and did not get to say good bye, go to Hell or anything nice like that.

I went out of my way to look up those who were within reasonable distance. When I found them, there was always something that was disappointing. Perhaps it is myself. I found Andy Brown, our old teamster, living in a small town near Maquoketa. The old comrade is not Eighty one or two. After being with him a short time, he looked as natural as ever. He looked gouty but quite cheerful. Was very glad to see me. Tears came into his Eyes as I left. You undoubtably remember generous old Andy. He always made his appearance with his Wagon and six mules when there was no other team within ten miles of us. Then you remember when we were foot sore he would let us crawl into his Wagon.

I could not get very satisfactory accounts of what is left of our Company. Will Trout was about the only one that kept track. Some years ago I found John R. Markle, a member of our Company. There were two Brothers both living on a farm about a mile East of Maquoketa when the Company was formed. One I think was killed in the Battle of Pea Ridge. The other was wounded and never came back to us. This John R. Marcel drifted to Chicago. He saw the Name on a sign of my Nephew Geo. W. Trout, Whole Sale Hardware and went in and made inquiries. Found out that I was his Uncle. He then wrote to me and occasionally we write. In Sept. last we arranged to take in Atlantic City together. We had not seen each other since we parted after the war. We had a good time together. What kind of a time would you and I have if we should meet now. Right here is a good place to inform you that I too was at St. Lake to the Encampment and never knew you were there. What a shame that we missed each other. I find that it is useless to try and find a comrade unless it is understood before hand. Now my Dear Comrade, what more can I say. I have been out of touch with Co. A about as long as you have and know very little more. I hope this will find you and your family well.

I want to make a request of you which I hope you will take the time to write again. The letter you wrote giving an account of the Scrap I think at Dalton in the early morning when we came nearly loosing our coulors is lost. I cannot find it anywhere. Now if you would take the trouble to again tell your recollections of that affair, I will have our Typewriter make a copy to show to my friends. That is too good a story to lose the original. I will file away where it is hard to find in the Bible. Then some of my Family may find it. When they will say gee our old Dad was something. He must have made it Hot for some of those Johnny Rebs. All right now, you better write that letter as near as you can recollect this occurrence. I know it was exciting that Morning but being somewhat excited myself thinking those Rebs would get their dirty hands on our coulors that I remember but little. My whole desire was to Protect Our Flag. I distinctly remember the Rebel Lieutenant that was leading the Squad of fifteen or twenty. I drew a bead on him three times before I pulled the Trigger. I did not want to kill him. It looked too much like Murder. But he wanted those coulors and we did not intend he should have them.

If I can get a list of our fellows dead or alive, will send you one. Think Ed Tollman is dead. Think if you will write Nat Hamley Maquoketa Iowa you can get some information regarding the Reynors. They are Related. Now Comrade. Write again if coming this way, let me know. I will go out of my way to see you.

Respt. Your Comrade, George Trout

Co. A 9^th Iowa Inft.

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