Civil War vet finally laid to rest

[JimKindred]

A veteran of Shiloh from the 5th Iowa Inf.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-...-laid-to-rest/

[Silas]

Nice of CBS to include Peter Knapp's unit. Two local television stations sent cameras to the funeral, and giddy reports were all agush that Peter Knapp was a CW veteran and that this was likely the last burial of a CW veteran. Not a reburial, but an initial burial. No report indicated anything about his unit. An article about Peter Knapp appeared in a Portland newspaper. Not a word about his unit.

It was treated almost like trivial oddity. Yeah, that bugs me. The war wasn't about names, dates and places. It was about people. Here's a little I gathered.

There were three Knapps in Co. H of the 5th Iowa : Peter J. Knapp, age 19 when he enlisted, from Iowaville and born in Ohio ; Joseph W. Knapp, aged 18 when he enlisted the same day as Peter and also from Iowaville and born in Ohio. The third was William H. Knapp from Burington, Iowa. No age listed. William enlisted and was mustered into the company on the same day that Peter and Joseph were mustered. It was a real family affair in the company. The likely brother, Joseph, was wounded at Champion Hill. The third Knapp, William, was captured at Champion Hill. All three survived the war.

The regiment was participated at Iuka, Corinth, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, Big Black River Bridge, Vicksburg, and Missionary Ridge.

At Vicksburg, the 5th Iowa was in McPherson's 17th Corps, Crocker's Seventh Division, Boomer's Third Brigade. The Division was loaned to McClernand's 13th Corps to support McClernand's attack on the left on 22 May during the second assault at Vicksburg. (The vicinity is at the beginning of the south loop of the current Vicksburg NBP.) Boomer was killed by a minie ball 200 yards east of the Railroad Redoubt after forming his brigade in column of regiments to assault the redoubt. His last words were, "Let the rifle-pits alone." The planned attack by his brigade west along the railroad tracks was suspended and did not occur.