Oskaloosa - GAR Section of Forest Cemetery and Freedom Rock - GPS Coordinates: 41.304866 by -92.635566

This area includes a Parrott cannon, many tombstones of CW veterans, and the memorial to General Samuel Rice. There is also a red, white and blue “GAR” sign on the lawn. The cannon is a 4.2 inch Navy Parrott rifle cast at West Point Foundry in 1863. The weight is marked as 3460 pounds. It was donated to Phil Kearney GAR Post #40 in 1902. It was part of the battery of U.S.S. Vicksburg and fired 101 times through March, 1865. Many of the tombstones are discolored. Samuel A. Rice was the Colonel of the 33rd Iowa Infantry. In August of 1863 he was promoted to Brigadier General. He was severely wounded at Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas and died July 6, 1864. His memorial, a 30 foot marble shaft, is just southeast of the GAR Section. Forest Cemetery, 634 North 9th Avenue, is on the NE part of town. Take Avenue A/Highway 92 to N 9th Street – then north to the cemetery. The GAR section is in the west central part of the cemetery. Photos were taken 11/29/07 - the cannon close-up was taken 8/6/10.

The final photo shows the Mahaska County Freedom Rock. It includes a number of notable military leaders from the region including Samuel Rice and his brother Elliott Rice. Both practiced law together in Oskaloosa before the War. Elliott joined the 7th Iowa Infantry in 1861 as a Corporal and left in 1865 as a Brevet Major General, participating in many battles in the Western Theater of the War. It was reported he received seven wounds. The Freedom Rock, by artist Ray "Bubba" Sorensen, is on the east edge of Oskaloosa off the south side of Highway 92. The photo was taken 10/5/20.

Oskaloosa - Muster Plaque - GPS Coordinates: 41.301150 by -92.657166

This memorial marks the spot of the muster of the 33rd Iowa Infantry Regiment in 1862. This is a bronze plaque on a boulder. It is in the NW part of town on the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds on the corner of N I Street and G Ave. W. The monument is visible on the right shortly after entering the main gate of the Fairgrounds. There is a reference to Camp Tuttle. This was a Civil War training camp in Oskaloosa. Photos taken 10/9/17.

Oskaloosa - Veterans Monument Town Square - GPS Coordinates: 41.294900 by -92.644333

The monument and town square is very impressive. Everything is well maintained. It includes a bandstand and statue of Chief Mahaska. There is also an unusual item on display - a Spanish torpedo taken out of the Harbor of Guantanamo in 1899. The monument was dedicated by the WRC in 1920 for Veterans of the Civil War, Spanish American War, and World War I. The photos were taken 11/29/07. The Courthouse is in the background of the photo.

Oskaloosa - Private Cyrus W. West Plaque at Nelson Pioneer Farm - GPS Coordinates: 41.332567 by -92.621150

This plaque honors Pvt. West of Mahaska County, believed to be the first Iowan killed in the War, probably of an accidental gunshot discharge. It is located just south of the flagpole at the Nelson Pioneer Farm near Oskaloosa. The Farm has many pioneer buildings and a museum which includes some Civil War items. Also shown is the flag of Company B, 22nd Iowa Infantry on display in the museum. It was recently restored with the help of the 49th Iowa Infantry and the State Historical Society of Iowa. The Farm is located 2 miles northeast of Oskaloosa. Take E. Glendale off HIghway 63 to the Farm. Thanks to David Lamb for notification of this monument. Photos taken 8/7/12.