An Iowa Artilleryman

[KDMEEK]

This is Lewis Phillips who is the father of Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips Petroleum Company (Phillips 66). He enlisted in the 4th Iowa Infantry 1 August 1861, and after that unit was converted to artillery, served in Battery E, 2nd Iowa Light Artillery. He reenlisted on 22 March 1864 and was discharged 7 August 1865. His battery served primarily in the XVI Corps Under A.J. Smith in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. He wrote a memoir under the title "Some Things Our Boy Saw in the War" which was privately published in 1911. An excerpt of that memoir describing the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi was published in in the December, 1973 issue of Civil War Times Illustrated.


K.D. Meek
Bartleville OK

[Tyler Underwood]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

Great picture and information Ken, thanks for sharing! I would be willing to bet that his memoir would be a great read.

[Cumpston1862]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

Ken-

Thanks for sharing this picture. Identified pictures of Iowa artillerymen are rather uncommon...or at least I haven't seen too many!

[KDMEEK]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

I was just reading some of his memoir today. I'll try to post an excerpt when I get time. The original image is owned by Woolaroc Museum in Bartlesville, OK, which is on the ranch started by the aforementioned Frank Phillips.

[Pennvolunteer]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

Wow, that is great, and Phillips was such a critical family in OK history as well. That would probably be something great to have a copy of here at the Artillery Museum at Fort Sill.

[Ken Cornett]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

At first I thought he was wearing a glove on his left hand and carrying a glove in his right. But now I think it is just his shirt sleeves popping out his coat sleeves and he is holding gloves. I love to disect these things.

[ScottCross]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

K. D.,
Good to see you on the forum.
I also noticed that he is wearing a contract Uniform (Shell) Jacket. Several Iowa regiments were issued these early in the war, but this is the 1st time I have seen a Cavalry unit member wearing one.

[CompanyWag]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

If I read KD's message correctly, Phillips would be an artilleryman in this image. An artilleryman armed with a cavalry sabre...or a photographer's prop.

[J. Donaldson]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman



This is 2SGT William Vanzant, 1st Iowa Battery. William was born in Tennessee/North Carolina (the family records aren't very clear), and emigrated to Wapello County, Iowa, in the 1850s. His papers and diary, as well as this image, are housed in the Special Collections Department of Parks Library, Iowa State University. I did my MA on his brother Henry, and spent a deal of time reading the two men. There's a great deal of information about the formation and function of an artillery battery in his papers.

Sgt. Vanzant passed away from meningitis in the Vicksburg Hospitals on February 12, 1864.

[KDMEEK]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

Another image of Lewis Phillips can be found here:

http://peasantstotycoons.smugmug.com/Genealogy/Phillips-Family/Phillips-Family-Photo-Album/i-4SXn5Xk/A

KDMEEK

[53rd PVI Co.C#]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

Great images of Lewis Phillips …guys and also the info too…..thanks for the link too.

[faabala]

Re: An Iowa Artilleryman

In the other photo link he is definitely hold one glove and wearing the other. I have seen a few images of artillerymen with cavalry swords.