Johnson
County Bohemians
in the Civil War
Reference
has been made to the intense patriotism of the early Bohemian settlers.
Many of them had left their own country because they did not wish to
serve in the army of a foreign tyrant, but war for human rights
presented an entirely different aspect to them. Although the
Johnson-Linn county settlement was relatively not large, it furnished
nearly one hundred soldiers who fought in the armies of the North, the
greater part coming from Johnson county.
As many of the names of
the Bohemian soldiers are misspelled in the reports of the Adjutant
General of Iowa for the years 1863-65, and as it is desirable that a
correct record of these names be preserved, a complete list of all the
Bohemians who enlisted from Johnson county, so far as could be
ascertained , is here presented:
In every case, the correct
name is given first and the name as given in the adjutant-general's
reports, or the Roster of Iowa Soldiers, vols. I-IV, 1908-1910, if
different, follows in parenthesis. In a number of cases the men
enlisted outside of Johnson county, chiefly at Cedar Rapids, but were
resident of this county. On the other hand perhaps some who enlisted in
this county belonged elsewhere. This was the case with Charles Bednar
and John Pospis(h)il, who probably came from Linn county. The nativity
of several is erroneously given in the reports as German or Austrian.
The list follows:
| 6TH IOWA INFANTRY
Company G:
Belka, Charles (Bilka, Charles), 3rd sergeant, wounded at Resaca, GA;
veteran; in adjutant general's report, 1865, callled a German. It is
also said that Joseph Svidensky enlisted in this company under a name
which had been given to him by his employer who found Svidensky too
hard, but no definite information was secured.
| 12TH IOWA INFANTRY
Company D:
Rene(h)in, Frank. (Enlisted first in Company K, 1st Iowa Infantry, but
was discharged to reduce number, wounded at Shiloh. Votroubek, Ignatius
(or Vit), name appears as Watrobek, Enos). Votroubek, John (Watrobek,
John). These men enlisted at Cedar Rapids and are called Germans in the
reports. They were Bohemians from Johnson county.
| 14TH IOWA INFANTRY
Company F: Votroubek, Vaclav (Watrabek, Wenzel). Another soldier of the same name was a member of Company B, 9th Iowa Cavalry.
| 15TH IOWA INFANTRY
Company A: Broz, Joseph (Brush, Joseph), enlisted in Cedar Rapids; called a German
Company I: Maly, Albert (Mali, Albert); Novotny, Joseph (Nowitney, Joseph).
| 22ND IOWA INFANTRY
Company A: Beranek, Francis A. (Beranek, Francis A.). Honza, John W. (Houza, John W.).
Company B: Novak, Frank (Nowak, Frank), 7th corporal, native of New Jersey
Company D: S(h)ala, John (Shalla, John), musician
Company H: Horak, Vaclav (Harrick, Wesley, in Iowa Roster as Horrich, Wesley).
Company
K: John Mudroch (Monro), 2nd sergeant; Martin Svidensky (Surdansky),
4th corporal, killed at Vicksburg; Joseph O. Dostal (O'Dorstal), 7th
corporal; Paul Miller, musician; Bednar, Charles (Bedner, Karl, Beaner
in Iowa Roster); Benes(h), Vaclav (Bemesh, Weizel), died in service;
Bittner, Jacob, wounded at Fisher's Hill, Virginia; Dvorak, Joseph
(Dworak, Joseph); Horak, Joseph (Horack, Joseph); Holpuch, John
(Holbreck, John); Holubar, Joseph, 1st corporal; Klima, John;
Konee(h)ny, Frank (Konecny, Frank, "Austrian"); Mezik, Frank (Mezik,
Franc); Pospis(h)il, John; S(h)krabal, Albert (Skrabaal, Albert);
Skrivan, Thomas (Skriban, Thomas, Skribar in Iowa Roster); Javorsky,
Alois (Yaworsky, Alois); Javorsky, Joseph (Yaworsky, Joseph); Zika,
Vaclav (Zika, Wenzel), prisoner at Winchester; Uveri, John (Heck, John,
known generally by the latter name), reported under the name "Corporal
John Hack" as slightly wounded at Fisher's Hill. Mels(h)a, John
(Milssa, John, residence given as Grinnell, but enlisted from the
northern part of Johnson county, Plac(h)ek, Frank (Placek), and
Leipert, Joseph (Lappert, Joseph) were later recruits. A Frank Placek
also appears in Company G, 47th Iowa Infantry.
| 46TH IOWA INFANTRY
Company E: Horak, Frank J (Horak, Frantisek), enlisted in Cedar Rapids; Sulek, Anthony, "German", enlisted in Cedar Rapids. | 47TH IOWA INFANTRY
Company G:
Benesh, John (Beneish, John); Hynek, Frank (Hennik, Frank),
Plac(h)ek, Frank (Placek, Frank), "Austria" see also Company K, 2nd
Iowa Infantry; Chudac(h)ek, Matthias (Poor, Michael), "Austria," the
name Poor was adopted as the result of an attempted translation, the
name is now often written Hudachek, Matthias is often erroneously
rendered "Mike", hence Michael; Zika, George (Zeka, George), "Austria". | 1ST IOWA CAVALRY
Company K: Petsel, John, enlisted in Cedar Rapids. | 2ND IOWA CAVALRY
Company B: Zahradnik, (Zacharenck; in Roster of Iowa Soldiers as Zahardneck, nativity Austria) John J.
Company
H: Kodl, Joseph (Cole, Joseph), 3rd corporal, wounded at West Point,
Miss., veteran; Chudae(h)ek, Anthony (Pwor, Thomas). This was intended
for Poor, this soldier being a brother of M. Poor or Chudac(h)ek.
Anthony is often called "tom" and hence Thomas instead of Anthony.
Listed as German on re-enlistment. Re-enlisted in the same company in
1864. | 6TH IOWA CAVALRY
Company I:
Drabek, Joseph. In the Iowa Roster, the residence is given as Salem,
and in the adjutant general's report, 1863, vol. II, as Salem, Johnson
county. This should evidently be Solon. | 8TH IOWA CAVALRY
Company K: Kapsa, Frank (Capsen, Frank). | 9TH IOWA CAVALRY
Company B: Votroubek, Vaclav (Watrobek, Winzel). Residence given as Cedar Rapids. | 13TH REGULARS U.S.A.
(Not appearing in the adjutant-general's reports)
Company A: Javorsky, Frank (Yaworsky); Zinkula, Joseph, corporal; Kapsa, John (Capsen); Sulek, V aclav
Company B: Krch, Frank A.
Company C: Blaha, J., corporal | 51ST MISSOURI INFANTRYKubik, John, enlisted in St. Louis
| | Pechman, John, enlisted in St. Louis | The
regiment and company of other men who enlisted in this county could not
be ascertained. Such were the cases of Charles Moll, and Jacob
Kue(h)era from the vicinity of Solon, and John Rohlena from Jefferson
township. Rohlena was probably a member of the 13th Regulars. He fell
at Chattanooga.
In 1898,, a number of Bohemians also enlisted in
the Spanish-American War. James (or Vaclav) Havlik, Jr., served as
gunner's mate on the battleship Oregon throughout the war, and the
following were members of Company I, Iowa National Guard: Joseph F.
Bartovsky (Bartosky), Edward Kos, James (or Vaclav) Krofta, Joseph W.
Jonas(h) (Unash), James (or Vaclav) Vanek and Charles Javorsky
(Yavorsky).
Later enlistments for service in the Phillipines
were: Frank Dvorak, John Jeslinek, James (or Vaclav) Kriz, Joseph
Benda, and Joseph and Vincent S(h)elbicky.
Source: Leading Events in Johnson County, IA 1912-13
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