HAMMEL, August

August Hammel. Photo courtesy: William K. Hammel

Hammel, August. (Kingdom of Wutttemberg, Germany, Dec. 22, 1837--Dubuque, IA, Feb. 5, 1922). Hammel, the son of Johann and Susanna Hammel, was reared and educated in his native country. In 1853, he left Germany with several brothers, came to America and for three years lived in Cleveland, Ohio, with a brother. When nineteen years old, he came to Dubuque. In 1857 he began working for the Lunch-Kelley Flour Mill on Seventh Street and later at the ROCKDALE MILL serving as salesman and in various other capacities.

August enlisting in the 5th Regiment of the Iowa Volunteer Cavalry in the CIVIL WAR. On May 5, 1862, he was one of a large group of Union troopers who fell into rebel hands at Lockridge's Mill, Tennessee. He was returned to the regiment a month later, reenlisting for the duration of the war in 1864. He was promoted to the rank of Eighth Corporal on March 1, 1864. It was during his second enlistment that Hammel was taken prisoner a second time. On July 31, 1864, he was captured during an engagement on the Chattahoochee River, Georgia. Unfortunately, his second imprisonment was not to be as brief as his first. He survived the infamous prison camp, Andersonville.

Upon his return to Dubuque, August was in such ill health that he was under the care of Dr. John FINLEY for a year. Hammel credited the doctor with saving his life.

Mr. Hammel was often called upon to speak of his exploits during the Civil War and the following is the speech he gave:

“Comrades and ladies I am no public speaker, but I have taken a few notes of my experience on the famous McCook raid and my introduction at Andersonville. My service was with Company E 5TH Iowa Cal, Vol, from 1861 to 1865.

After returning from a successful raid through Alabama under Gen. Rosseau’, we were ordered to participate in the desperate and famous McCook raid from Atlanta to Noonan, Ga., on the afternoon of July 23rd, 1864, An order was read to the regiment, ordering all able bodied men. and horses to get ready to participate in the contemplated McCook Raid. Out of our Company E of 80 strong at that time, there were only 22-able to answer to the call and to obey the order for this stern and desperate duty. Towards evening of the 23rd, the regiment left the camp and about mid-night we struck the enemy’s wagon train, which we burned and captured the men and mules belonging to the train, then in further advancing we meet the enemy in force.

After desperate fighting we drove-the rebels back and destroyed many miles of railroad then advancing towards Noonan we encountered the enemy in such a strong force that we were compelled to halt and accept an engagement offered by the rebels being virtually surrounded. After a consultation of our commanding officers, whether our command should surrender or cut our way through the enemy's ranks, it was finally decided to cut our way through the enemy's ranks, which we did with the loss of a great many good and true men, particularly one which I call to memory is David Conzett; he was just in the act of mounting when he was shot through the head and fell. I asked-him, "Dave, what is the matter?" He never answered. Poor Dave had answered the last roll call.

After cutting our way through the ranks that lead to the Chatahouchee River, part of our command crossed during the night on flat boats. Early in the morning, the enemy who were in hot pursuit, drove our horses into the River, but they would not or could not swim, but stayed in a solid mass. I made a desperate jumps quite a distance into the last flat boat, and got safely across. The enemy opened fire on us and killed and wounded quite a number of our men in crossing. I tried my best to make my escape, pulled off my boots and. carried them, being dismounted, when Ed Pottser, one of my Company, volunteered to carry the boots for me, and all this while the enemy were in hot pursuit of us with the aid of blood-hounds We separated, Ed going to the right, while I went to the left, Ed sold my boots which were valued at $100.00 to a negro miller for some tobacco. I was encountered next day by four old gray headed rebels and four blood-hounds. I had secured myself back of a large tree with 16... shots, ready to fire, with Spencer carbine and revolver. They commanded me to surrender, and with four guns pointed at my head and dogs, I surrendered. They relieved me of my equipment and other valuables; I was then taken to Noonan, Ga., and put in jail, where I met quite a few of us prisoners.

About July 27th, 1864, we were taken to Andersonville, where we were ordered to form in two open ranks, when Capt. Wertz commanded us to strip off our clothing, and took all our little trinkets and valuables, which we prized very much, such as pocket knives, postage-stamps, green backs and a gold watch, I had the watch secreted in my cavalry, trousers, which are made double, and I had it sewed in such a manner that I thought they could never find it, When the Captain came upon it, I pleaded with him to let me keep it, but he only pointed a revolver at my head, threatening to blow out my brains, if I said another word. There was one soldier of Company F who was a little more fortunate than I, he had hid his watch in a piece of pork, by cutting a hole in the pork, then smoothing-it over; in this manner he saved the watch, We were then ordered to march to the prison, and as we entered the gate a terrible sight met our eyes here where 30,000 men in 17-1/2 acres of ground, partly swamp, and on all sides lay skeletons, dead and dying with hardly any clothing on, some-crawling on hands and knees to get a drink of water, The prisoners called out "fresh fish" as we entered; that is what they called all new comers.

There was no shelter of any kind, At night I went to an elevated place to lie down to sleep when someone said what are you doing here, I said trying to sleep, of course; get out of here, this is my place, then I said, if this is your place, where is mine; he then pointed down to the lower part, which was swampy , and I was obliged to go. The drinking water was nothing more than a cesspool when we entered, but in September 1864, a large spring broke out on the elevated ground, and I think it was a Godsend to the starving, for when we had nothing to eat, we at least got water to drink, Our rations were very small, a pint of corn meal, corn cobs and all, and for a change, we had beans with flies in for seasoning.

In the fall of 1864, the time of Presidential election, they ordered a vote in the prison, the candidates for president being A. Lincoln and McClellan, when we elected Abe Lincoln with a large majority, and the result was we did not get any rations until the next day.

The news was then spread that we were to be exchanged, and we were divided into lots of 5000 men in a squad, but to our disappointment, we were only sent to another prison. I was one of the last 5000 taken out of the prison; we were sent to Mellon, GA, from Mellon to Savannah, and from Savannah, Ga. loaded on flat cars, with a great storm raging, and taken to Blackshear. From Blackshear to Thomasville back to the old hell-hole of Andersonville, landing there on the 25th day of December, with one ear of corn for three days' ration the weather 'being partly raining and snowing with no shelter whatever to crawl, into.

Here I remained until the 20th of April, 1865 having been a prisoner for 9 long months, weighing, when released, 85 lbs. They took us then within 20 miles of Jacksonville, Fla., into God's country and told us to get. Here we were met by our men, and here we saw again, the dear old flag. Our men were so overcome with grief with what they saw, that they could not do enough for us. I saw many a poor prisoner (a free man now) lay dead the next morning with a loaf of bread in his arms. We were now marched to an island where we were fed during the night, also because we did not bear inspection as our clothing were torn to shreds, Here we received soaps towels and clothing, The old clothing were piled in heaps and burned and after we were washed, sheared, combed and dressed, one hardly knew the others from there we were sent to Davenport to be mustered out about June 15th, 1865, then I came back home to Dubuque, I was under Dr. Finley and Sprag’s care for over one year before I was able to do any kind of work.”

I thank you for your kind attention,

Returning to Dubuque, Hammel became head miller for the DUBUQUE CITY MILLS. He remained there for sixteen years. By saving some money, he purchased a small mill on White Street. Hammel operated this a few years and then found work at the ROCKDALE MILL, which, under his management, became one of the leading flouring mills in the entire country.

Hammel-Henker Mill (unknown year). Photo courtesy: William K. Hammel

Hammel formed a partnership in the flouring mill business known as Hammel and Scheppele.

In 1887 Fred and Herman Henker purchased the Scheppele interest in the firm and the firm became known as Hammel-Henker Key City Roller Mills. This mill was later known as the ROOSTER FEEDS. This was destroyed by a spectacular fire in May of 1943.

August Hammel Service Record:

Residence: Dubuque, Iowa Occupation:

Service Record:

Enlisted as a Private on 26 August 1861 at the age of 23

Enlisted in Company E, 5th Cavalry Regiment Iowa on 07 October 1861.

POW on 05 May 1862 at Lockridge's Mill, TN

Returned on 07 June 1862

Reenlisted in Company E, 5th Cavalry Regiment Iowa on 01 January 1864

Promoted to Full Corporal 8th Class on 01 March 1864

POW on 31 July 1864 at Chattahoochee River, GA

Promoted to Full Corporal 5th Class on 03 February 1865

Mustered out Company E, 5th Cavalry Regiment Iowa on 03 June 1865 in Davenport, IA

See: August Hammel

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Source:

Oldt, Franklin. The History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1880, p. 799-800

(Contributed by: William Hammel whose website: http://www.dfdhistory.com is a link)