This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Reeves, Irwin, Burnham, Laird, Wilson, Baker, Rector, Guylee, Rust Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ok.2ADE/4257 Message Board Post: THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD. November 19. 1909. "TRIED AND TRUSTY SOLDIER OF CIVIL WAR ANSWERS THE LAST ROLL CALL".-- At 8 o'clock last Saturday evening at his home on Filmore street occurred the death of Elza Armstrong Reeves--or Uncle Elza, as he had for years been termed by his friends and neighbors--at the ripe old age of 82 years 7 months and 5 days. Deceased was born in Meggs (sic) county, Ohio, April 8, 1827and there grew to manhood and on August 31, 1845 was united in marriage to Miss Susanna Irwin who survives him. To this union five children--three sons and two daughters--were born, all of whom are now living. They are Samuel of Otis, Colo.; Hugh of Sidney; Josiah of South Omaha; Mrs. Phoebe Laird of Tabor, and Mrs. Clara Burnham of Griswold. There are also numerous grandchildren and several great-grandchildren. In the fall of 1845, Mr. Reeves with his young wife loaded up his earthly possessions and set out for what was then the Far West, stopping in Knox county, Ill., where they remained until the spring of 1853 (sic) when they once more took up the trail of the homeseeker, this time in company with Samuel Wilson and Jacob Baker, and the party with a wagon train of seven or eight teams--mostly oxen--landed in Fremont county in June of that year, and since that time deceased has always called this his home. Arriving here he built a little log cabin beside an inviting grove wholly surrounded by the tall grass of the raw prairie, about four and a half miles north of Sidney on the old Tabor and Sidney road, and this tract of virgin soil was by his labors transformed into a farm of great productiveness. Here he continued to reside until 1894 when he removed to Sidney to pass his remaining days. When the nation's safety was endangered Mr. Reeves valiantly responded to the call to arms, enlisting in Company "A", 4th Iowa cavalry which was organized in Sidney in July 1861,and sworn into service August 10 of that year, with Benjamin Rector as Captain and John Guylee and J. Marshall Rust as lieutenants. Mr. Reeves was soon advanced to the rank of corporal and with this rank he was mustered out of the service after an active campaign of four years and a day. He fell wounded at the battle of Columbus, Ga., on Aprl 16, 1865, a terrific engagement in which the 4th Iowa suffered a loss of two killed and nine wounded, and the enemy lost 1500 men killed wounded and captured, together with 63 guns, a navy yard, a ram for sea service and great quantities of military property and supplies. However, he recovered from his injuries and remained with his company until honorably discharged. In recognition of the bravery and unfaltering loyalty of the company, on April 22, 1865, Brevet Brigadier General Winslow, then located at Macon Ga., sent them this message: "I congratulate you upon the success which has crowned your efforts. In one month you have marched 600 miles, engaged the enemy in force four times, completely routing him on each occasion. You have captured on the field of battle 3100 prisoners, 11 stands of colors, 33 guns, 25 caissons and 3500 small arms.You have aided in destroying vast arsenals, founderies, factories and workshops, with their contents. You have proven that cavalry can successfully assault fortified positions. Dismounted, you drove the enemy in greatly superior numbers from his strong works in front of Columbus. Mounted, you dashed through his lines, astounding him by your audacity and its results." And with the humane spirit of the true soldier General Winslow adds: "While we rejoice, let us not forget the fallen." Mr. Reeves united with the Methodist church when a young man in Ohio, placing his membership with the church on the Sidney circuit upon coming to Fremont county, and later with the Sidney Methodist church of which he remained a consistent member to the time of his death. He was a true christian gentleman, a strict adherent to the golden rule, one who regarded his obligations as sacred, and his word was as good as his bond--and to such a person "the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when he shall say, I have no pleasure in them" His declining years, like those earlier in life, were filled with sunshine, brightened by his devotion to his friends, his family and those near and dear to him. Funeral services were held from the Methodist church Monday afternoon at 2:00 conducted by Rev. W.H. Shipman and the remains were interred in Sidney cemetery. Services at the tomb were under the direction of the local order of Oddfellows of which deceased was the oldest member in the county in point of membership, lacking but two months of being 50 years since he was initiated into the order. The pallbearers were Asa Mann and Joseph Wilson of Sidney, Smith Crane of Payne, Russell Laird of Tabor, Charles Smith of Shenandoah, Samuel Kelley of Villisca, all comrades of the deceased, during those strenuous days of war, in Company "A", 4th Iowa. N.B.: This obituary states that E. A. Reeves, arrived in Fremont county in June 1853. HOWEVER, he is shown on the 1852 Fremont county census! -- as are two other Reeves families.......What the obituary calls the Sidney - Tabor road was also known as the Council Bluffs - St. Joe stage coach road.--W.F.