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Official List of Killed and Wounded at the Battle of Bear River

Great Salt Lake City, Utah. February 9^th, 1863

It is much easier to conceive than to execute, and it is a much simpler business to ask than to grant. To have sent you an imperfect list of the wounded would have been only to add pain to anxiety. Not a friend, relative or family interested in the California Volunteers would have been satisfied with hearing only that "he was wounded. It is the natural inquiry How much? Slightly, Dangerously, Mortally, and Where? I conceived, therefore, that a full report alone would satisfy the citizens of California, and here it is though telegraphed to, wrote to, and visited the camp to obtain it, but delay was unavoidable. Colonel Connor freely favored my correspondent is indebted for many courtesies– at once set about the work.

The list is painfully interesting. The character of the wounds show, more forcibly than could our feeble pen exhibit, the terrible contest that must have raged the first four hours of day on the memorable 29^th of January. Nothing but the daring, heroic, indomitable will of the volunteers could have stood up against the well directed fire of the Indian. Protected in his lurking place, where no eye could behold his presence, he steadily aimed and sent the messenger of death with almost murderous precision at every touch of the trigger. The more serviceable also appears his carefully prepared list, as the sad fact is too visible, that since the battle more than one-half the number that there fell have died from their wounds. How many more may be added to the list is beyond the ken of mortals; but if hope can be nourished, and groundless fears be dispelled, by certified facts, the list will not have been published in vain:

Killed and Wounded

The following named officers and men are in the hospital with frosted feet:

Second Cavalry:

Company A.– Corporals Spreggle and Duvall; Privates G.R. Swan, John D. Marker, S. Shomadan, R.M. McNulty, __ McCue.

Company H.– Sergeant J.W. Kilgore; Privates George Fisher, Stula, A. Langraf, John Allmen, Braley, T.R. Gaston, A.F. Lockhard, H. Smith, J.M. Norton, W.M. Stier, W.M. Maber, W.W. Goodell, W.M. Walton, E.J. Casneau, H.A. McDonald.

Company K.– Sergeant William L. Beach; Corporals W.M. White and Hunt; Privates J. Lincoln, Burns, Daly, S. Ansley, M. Atmore, F.W. Becker, W. Chapman, J.J. Hertle, S.L. Caldwell, C. Howe, J. Hill, G. Johnson, A. Mitchell, J. McKnow, A.S. Palmer, C. Wilson, Barton.

Company M.– Sergeant John Cullen; Corporals A.P. Hewett, W.M. Steel; Privates W.M. Collins, A.P. Case, J. Dyer, John McGonagal, D. Griffin.

Third Infantry:

Company K.– Sergeants C.J. Herron. C.F. Williams; Corporals J.H. Zollman, J. Wingate, W.A. Bennett; Privates W. St. John, A. Ramsdell, J.E. Epperson, A.F.H. Randall, W.H. Farnham, J. Boarland, G.W. Ticknor, A. Rensho, B.B. Bigelow, J. Anderson, S. Urquhart, F.L. Borass, F.W. Branch, Bailey, William Carlton, D. Donahue, C.H. Godbold, J. Haywood, C.W. Heath, J. Manning, W.G. Way, J. German.

Died Second Cavalry

• Private William Davis, Company M, February 2^nd, at Ogden.
• Lientenant Darwin Chase, Company K, February 4^th, at Farmington.
• Sergeant James Cantillon, Company H, February 5^th, at Camp Douglas.
• Private William M. Slocum, Company K, February 5^th, at Camp Douglas.
• Sergeant Anthony Stevens, Company M, February 6^th, at Camp Douglas.
• Private Michael O'Brien, Company H, February 6^th, at Camp Douglas.
• Corporal Patrick Frawley, Company H, February 8^th, at Camp Douglas.
• Private John Wm. Wall, Company A, February 8^th, at Camp Douglas.
• William H. Lake, Company A, March 24^th, at Camp Douglas.*

Robert K. Reid, Surgon

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However well we may draw upon philosophy, and challenge manhood within us, there is in spite of everything, a cold sadness in the performance of the last homage of the living to the dead. I was at camp from early morn on Friday till late in the evening– in the interest of the Union; but, had it been otherwise, I certainly would have attended the interment of the volunteers. The day was cold and raw; notwithstanding, there was a large number of persons from the city. There was probably a score of carriages, many equestrians and quite a concourse of people on foot. Had it been generally known, there would, no doubt of it, have been many more. As it was, I expect it was pleasing to those who take interest in the entente cordiale to witness the very respectful demeanor of those present.

Up to one p.m., the sixteen coffins lay side by side in the Quartermaster's storeroom, where the dead were visited by their surviving command formed in procession and escorted the bodies to the military graveyard, where Parson Anderson officiated in the burial service. Three volleys were fired over the bodies as they were laid in their graves, and the last sole rites were ended. The band, that before led the measured, solemn step of the procession to the funeral dirge and Dead March, now moved away gaily, reviving the thoughtful, and recalling to the duties and obligations of life those who had not yet finished their page of history.

On Friday the remains of Lieutenant (Darwin J.) Chase were consigned to their resting place by the brethren of the Masonic fraternity attached to the command, together with a few from the city. The deceased was a Royal Arch Mason, but the small number of that trade in attendance rendered the adoption of the Master Mason's burial service necessary. For the solicitation of the brethren, Sir Knight Frank Fuller, Secretary of the Territory, officiated as W.M., and Colonel Evans, of the Second Cavalry, as Marshal. Chief Justice Kinney and United States Marshal Gibbs walked in the procession, which consisted together of some twenty members. The services at the grave were of a highly impressive character and were witnessed by nearly the whole command, together with numerous citizens. At the close of the solemnities, the fraternity changed their position, while a dirge was performed by the band, and gave place to a detail of forty-eight soldiers, who fired three volleys over the grave. The procession then returned to camp in reversed order.¹

Verite

Special Correspondent for The Daily Alta California.

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Notes…

William H. Lake* in the Died Second Cavalry listing above, was added in by me. He lived almost two months after the Battle at Bear River. As such he does not show in many listings and would have been still alive when this was posted to the Daily Alta California.