From a letter from Nancy Underwood, June, 1998:
"I had a letter from Jon this past week and...he told me that he had visited the site of Ft. Donelson and found the specific location where the 14th Iowa was deployed during the battle. It was at the top of a ridge and matches the description in the history of the 14th charging up a hill out of the woods. He also noted the history says that so many men were sick and in hospitals before the battle of Shiloh. He thinks the extreme weather change at Ft. Donelson is what caused this rash of sickness. Many of the men shed their coats because of the heat and then a cold front moved in with snow. Most of the men had discarded their clothes back at Ft. Henry so they could travel faster and so had no protection against the severe weather conditions. So this is no doubt what caused William Henry Edwards to come down with pneumonia."
The following information and insights come from the historian for the 14th Regiment, Iowa Volunteers, Lt. Col. John Duquette, currently stationed in Korea:
"From the Official Roster of the Fourteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, pg. 801:
Company "D"
Edwards, William H. Age 28. Residence Henry County [Iowa], nativity Illinois. Enlisted 20 December 1861. Mustered 20 December 1861. Died of fever May 27, 1862, Savannah, Tenn. Buried in Shiloh National Cemetery, Pittsburg Landing, Tenn. Section M, grave 269.
Lt. Col. Duquette writes, "I'll try and give you some perspective on what this little excerpt from the rosters means. Co. D was one of 10 companies in the 14th Iowa. Embarked on the river steamer Empress and headed for Cairo, Illinois, then Fort Henry, Tennessee on Tennessee River. They arrived at Fort Henry on February 8. On February 12th, Private Edwards took part in the advance on Fort Donelson, Tennessee and participated in the three-day battle to take the fort. On 15 Feb., he was involved in the charge that resulted in the fort's surrender the next day (16 Feb.)."
He continues, "The regiment left Fort Donelson and marched sixteen miles to Metal Landing in the vicinity of Fort Henry. They remained there fourteen days and then moved up the Tennessee River to Savannah, Tennessee and then Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh) (19 March 1862). On April 6th, 1862, the Confederate army under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston attacked Gen. Grant's army at Shiloh. The 14th Iowa Regiment was posted on a slight elevation to the east of Duncan Field in the early part of the day. They held this position, now known as "The Hornet's Nest" until 5 p.m. They repeatedly repulsed the assaults of the Confederates throughout the day. At 5:30 p.m. the regiment was outflanked. The order to retreat did not reach them till they were exposed to the fire of enemy infantry and artillery on the flank, and the regiment was compelled to surrender all the company officers present, save one. The colonel commanding, lieutenant colonel, adjutant, and sergeant major were captured, together with a large number of privates."
"Edwards, and about 130 others from the 14th were not captured. These men were grouped into an ad hoc organization known as the Union Brigade that consisted of the remnants of 5-6 regiments that had lost heavily at Shiloh. This brigade advanced on Corinth, Mississippi with the rest of the Union Army on 29 April 1862. I suspect that Edwards fell ill prior to this movement as many of the sick and wounded at Shiloh were sent to Savannah, Tennessee. Those who became sick or wounded during the advance on Corinth were sent to the army hospital established at Monterey, Tennessee. The roster lists William Edwards as dying from fever. The cause of death of others who died during this period was variously listed as 'fever' or 'lungfever'. In all probability, he died of pneumonia."
"This photo was probably taken at St. Louis, Missouri soon after his arrival at Benton Barracks (early January 1862). The uniform that he is wearing was issued to him by the State of Iowa but paid for by the U.S. Government. William Edwards is wearing a dark blue frock coat that, if it fit properly, would extend down to the top of his knees. The coat had a tall, black collar which is hidden by William's beard. The piping on the sleeves at the wrist (shaped like an upside down V), was light blue which was the infantry's color (cavalry-yellow; artillery-red). He has brass fittings on his shoulders that were generally worn by NCOs, but he has no stripes on his sleeve and the record shows he was a private. I will have to review the regulations on this one. Maybe they thought they looked nice so they gave them to everybody.
He is wearing what was called a 'Hardee Hat'. Affixed to the hat are four brass objects. The 'D' was for the company he was in. The '41' is rather curious. Because the 'D' and the 4 are correct, I don't think the photo was reversed (I've seen many photos from this period that have been reversed in development). There was a 41st Iowa Regiment. It was formed from the three companies (A, B, and C) of the 14th Iowa that were sent to Fort Randall in the Dakota Territory-but it was not formed until after William Edwards had died. We know Edwards was in Company D, 14th Iowa and that he died in Savannah, Tennessee, so I can't really explain this. The horn you have correctly identified as being European in origin (not surprising; that's where most of our ancestors came from). This was the European symbol for the light infantry (also called Jaegers (Hunters), voltigeurs (Vaulters), or Legere (Light)). Light infantry used horns to issue commands on the battlefield as opposed to the drums of the Line Infantry-anyway, that's where the horn came from. Also you will note a dark blur on the right side of his hat (his right); that is an ostrich plume which was standard for the Hardee hat."
"This uniform was good looking but very impractical. It was quickly replaced by the sack coat and the "bummer" cap which were cheaper to make and much more comfortable."(1)
Footnote (1) private correspondence: John Duquette, Lt. Col., United States Army, Historian for the 14th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Co. D
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For more information on the Iowa 14th Infantry,
There is a great description from the civilian point of view of the Shiloh area before and during the battles in which Wm Henry participated. It is under the heading, "In Their Own Words". Then scroll down to "A revelation of War: Civilians in Hardin County, Tennessee, Spring 1862". Also the letters of Ezra Green , same page, give a good description of a soldier's life on the river defenses at that time.