"Died of gunshot wounds" ?

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Mar 2, 2019
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Reno, Nevada
In the roster for Companies A-C of the 14th Iowa, all the deaths are listed as "killed in action," mortally wounded, or "died of X disease"--except one. Charles I. Thorp "died of gunshot wounds" the day of the battle of Pilot Knob, Missouri. Friendly fire? Suicide? Murder? Accident? I have been using "Pilot Knob: The Thermopylae of the West," which contains lots of detailed accounts from soldiers who were there, and this incident is not mentioned in it. Nor is there a mention in any Iowa newspaper (at least on Newspapers.com). Charles was about 42 years old and single in the 1860 census.
 
Plot twist. Scroll down on this page
https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Union_Soldiers_at_Pilot_Knob_updated2015.pdf

Thorpe (Thorp or Sharp), Charles J. Private 14th Iowa Infantry B Sumner, IA 22 Aug 1862 Recorded as Missing Sept 27 1864 (probably captured and murdered--42 Anniversary Book), Iowa records show killed 27 Sep 1864, New York Native, age 40 at enlistment. Also listed in Box 1 Folder 13 as Chas. T. Sharp

@east tennessee roots @lelliott19 - did you guys miss the 'probably captured and murdered'?

Try running Thorpe or Sharp in the same searches.

Nor is there a mention in any Iowa newspaper (at least on Newspapers.com).
 
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In the roster for Companies A-C of the 14th Iowa, all the deaths are listed as "killed in action," mortally wounded, or "died of X disease"--except one. Charles I. Thorp "died of gunshot wounds" the day of the battle of Pilot Knob, Missouri. Friendly fire? Suicide? Murder? Accident? I have been using "Pilot Knob: The Thermopylae of the West," which contains lots of detailed accounts from soldiers who were there, and this incident is not mentioned in it. Nor is there a mention in any Iowa newspaper (at least on Newspapers.com). Charles was about 42 years old and single in the 1860 census.

Suicide is a strong possibility. I had two relatives (brothers) in the Union 4th TN Cavalry. According to the record, the first "accidentally shot himself in the head", while his brother "accidentally wounded, gunshot to the head". Both incidents on the same day.
 
In the roster for Companies A-C of the 14th Iowa, all the deaths are listed as "killed in action," mortally wounded, or "died of X disease"--except one. Charles I. Thorp "died of gunshot wounds" the day of the battle of Pilot Knob, Missouri. Friendly fire? Suicide? Murder? Accident? I have been using "Pilot Knob: The Thermopylae of the West," which contains lots of detailed accounts from soldiers who were there, and this incident is not mentioned in it. Nor is there a mention in any Iowa newspaper (at least on Newspapers.com). Charles was about 42 years old and single in the 1860 census.
Wasnt the 14th Iowa in Davenport, Iowa then? Roughly September- December 1864? Or were they sent to Davenport after the battle of Fort Davidson? @east tennessee roots do you know when they went to Davenport? @LSBusch this is not related to your guy (Thorp or Sharp) but I wanted to post them in case you havent seen them before.
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Daily Davenport Democrat., November 09, 1864, page 1. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045646/1864-11-09/ed-1/seq-1/

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Daily Davenport Democrat., November 09, 1864, page 1. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045646/1864-11-09/ed-1/seq-1/
 
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Wasnt the 14th Iowa in Davenport, Iowa then? Roughly September- December 1864? Or were they sent to Davenport after the battle of Fort Davidson?[/QUOTE

Apologies for the previous empty reply. I couldn't figure out how to delete it, and I didn't just edit it because I wanted to be sure you saw my reply.

No, the 14th did not get back to Davenport until November 5. Rosecrans got A.J. Smith and the Sixteenth Army Corps (which included the 14th) to go to St. Louis in September to help defend against Price. Rosecrans sent Thomas Ewing and the 14th Iowa from St. Louis to Fort Davidson. They left some of the companies at railroad bridges along the way. Only a few companies arrived at Pilot Knob and fought there on September 27. It's a quite a story but doesn't seem to be well-known.

(CORRECTED New Orleans to St. Louis)
 
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Sounds like a very interesting regiment. I cant wait to read your book when it is finished!
 
do you know when they went to Davenport?

Source: The Union Army, vol. 4 (from a history of the 14th Iowa infantry)


The regiment was engaged at Cloutierville, Moore's plantation,
Marksville and Yellow Bayou, crossed the river to Morganza and
returned to Vicksburg. It was in the affair at Lake Chicot;
then moved to Memphis; took part in the battle of Tupelo;
fought at Old Town creek soon after; went to camp at Memphis
and enjoyed a brief rest, broken by a trip to Oxford, in which
several skirmishes occurred. It was then ordered to Cairo,
thence to Jefferson barracks, where four companies were
detached and sent to reinforce Gen. Ewing at Pilot Knob. The
day after their arrival Ewing was attacked by a largely
superior force, but the enemy was repelled several times with
heavy loss. On the following day a direct assault was
repulsed, but guns planted on a hill near by compelled the
Union forces to evacuate the place, after blowing up the fort.
The little command retreated to Rolla after cutting its way
through the enemy's lines and fought every foot of the way for
four days with scarcely an hour's rest.

The remainder of the regiment marched across Missouri in
pursuit of Price. It was reunited at St. Louis in November,
and proceeded to Davenport where it was mustered out Nov. 16.

The recruits and reenlisted men were formed into a battalion
of two companies, of which Capt. Hugo Hoffbauer had command.
It remained on provost guard duty until the summer of 1865,
detachments being used for escort and prisoners' guards at
various times, and was mustered out in Aug. 1865.
 
Sounds like a very interesting regiment. I cant wait to read your book when it is finished!

Thank you! I have become very proud of the 14th and the guy who formed it, Col. William T. Shaw. My book focuses on companies A-C, which were replacement companies for the original ones that got sent to Dakotah Territory and weren't mustered in until 1863. (My book just briefly summarizes what the rest of the regiment did in 1862--they fought at Fort Donelson and were captured at Shiloh). The first part of the book is my ancestor's diary from Fort Halleck from June to September 1863. The part of the book I'm writing myself just covers 1864--the Meridian Expedition, Fort DeRussy, Pleasant Hill, Banks's retreat from Red River, Tupelo, Pilot Knob, and the controversy over Shaw's public criticism of Banks and some of his generals (he accused some of the generals of being drunk at Pleasant Hill and was dismissed from the army over it). Sorry--I could go on and on!
 
The first part of the book is my ancestor's diary from Fort Halleck from June to September 1863.
You are so lucky to have your ancestor's diary! Im working on a regiment that is poorly documented, in an understudied brigade. I do have parts of three diaries from members of my regiment to help me along. Also letters sent home and occasional accounts sent back to local newspapers - most of those are early in the war. The most literate fellows seem to have all been killed - if not before, then during, the battle of Gettysburg.
controversy over Shaw's public criticism of Banks and some of his generals (he accused some of the generals of being drunk at Pleasant Hill and was dismissed from the army over it).
Aren't the stories like that fascinating? Do you sometimes feel as if you almost "know" the people involved? After studying my regiment for 9 years, I feel like I "know" some of them well enough to guess what they might have done or how they might have reacted in certain situations.
Sorry--I could go on and on!
I understand completely. :twins: Sometimes, when Im talking to people, I see that glazed over, confused look and know Ive talked about my regiment and brigade way too much. :D
 
did you guys miss the 'probably captured and murdered'?
I saw that Story. Very interesting. I ran several newspaper searches and came up empty for Thorp, Thorpe, and Sharp. Have you found the source of the notation on the list? Or do you know what 42 Anniversary Book means? If its the name of a book, Ill see if I can find it at archives dot com.
 
The first part of the book is my ancestor's diary from Fort Halleck from June to September 1863.
You may have already seen this diary of Charles Whipple Hadley of H/14th Iowa? I was looking for that book @Story referenced above when I ran across it. https://www.civilwardigital.com/CWDiaries/Diary kept by Charles Whipple Hadley.pdf

Also, a 1923 reunion image of the "Hornet's Nest Brigade" (2nd, 7th, 8th, 12th & 14th Iowa)
https://www.historybyzim.com/2017/05/hornets-nest-brigade-reunion-1923/
 
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Have you found the source of the notation on the list? Or do you know what 42 Anniversary Book means? If its the name of a book, Ill see if I can find it at archives dot com.

No, but considering "These records compiled by the staff at Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site" I'll bet a copy of that tome - or one of the staff who researched the paper - can be found here ->
RESEARCH LIBRARY AT BATTLE OF PILOT KNOB STATE HISTORIC SITE https://mostateparks.com/page/54171/research-library
 
No, but considering "These records compiled by the staff at Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site" I'll bet a copy of that tome - or one of the staff who researched the paper - can be found here ->
RESEARCH LIBRARY AT BATTLE OF PILOT KNOB STATE HISTORIC SITE https://mostateparks.com/page/54171/research-library

I started trying to track down that photo of my ancestor yesterday but couldn't find any contact information for the library (there's nothing at that link that I can see). I sent an email to main contact email for Missouri State Parks but haven't received a reply so far.
 
I saw that Story. Very interesting. I ran several newspaper searches and came up empty for Thorp, Thorpe, and Sharp. Have you found the source of the notation on the list? Or do you know what 42 Anniversary Book means? If its the name of a book, Ill see if I can find it at archives dot com.

The 42-year anniversary reference is intriguing. I thought it might be the "Pilot Knob: Thermopylae" book, but that was published 50 years later and doesn't mention an anniversary. One of the authors of that book spent 15 years collecting what he called "narratives" from as many survivors as he could, and they are compiled in the book. (A fantastic resource.)

When I make contact with the library, I hope to find out who did all the work on that list and shower some praise on that person or persons. It must have taken months or years to track down all those details. (It's not the only list they provide either.)
 
I started trying to track down that photo of my ancestor yesterday but couldn't find any contact information for the library (there's nothing at that link that I can see). I sent an email to main contact email for Missouri State Parks but haven't received a reply so far.

My Google-Fu revealed
Address: 118 Maple St, Pilot Knob, MO 63663
Phone: (573) 546-3454
 
The 42-year anniversary reference is intriguing. I thought it might be the "Pilot Knob: Thermopylae" book, but that was published 50 years later and doesn't mention an anniversary. One of the authors of that book spent 15 years collecting what he called "narratives" from as many survivors as he could, and they are compiled in the book. (A fantastic resource.)

When I make contact with the library, I hope to find out who did all the work on that list and shower some praise on that person or persons. It must have taken months or years to track down all those details. (It's not the only list they provide either.)
Nobody mentioned it, but it should be noted on that list provided @Story, I scrolled down to Wilkinson, Henry Clay and noted a '40th Anniversary Brouchure' in the adjoined information. It seems the gathering of records occurred over a period of time.
Lubliner.
 
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