Private William Frost

Fifth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry

The story of Frost's military service was tragically brief. Born in Ohio, he called Cass County Iowa home when he enlisted on October 14, 1861. He was mustered into Company D on November 13th, and less than a month later… he was dead. Young eighteen year old William died due to circumstances not recorded in the Official Roster on December 4, 1861.

Little more than two years later, some of Frost's comrades would return home during the furlough following their reenlistments. The following passage appears in the February 3, 1864 issue of the Galena Daily Advertiser. It reveals in passing that the Frost family's pain at the loss of their son was magnified by the death of his sister.

A NOBLE COMPANY OF VETERANS
"The 5th Iowa cavalry having served in the army nearly three years and having reenlisted for the remainder of the war, passed through this city last Tuesday evening on their way home to spend a short furlough with their friends. Twenty-three of their number belonging in the vicinity of Bellevue stopped at the DeSoto House overnight, and started for home yesterday morning. They are all… veterans, and they each declare that they will never leave the service till the rebellion is crushed out. They are the same ones alluded to by the lamented Miss FROST, who, before committing suicide, left a letter to her father in which she state she could not live to see the Bellevue boys return home without her brother.

We are grateful to Michael Frank who transcribed the newspaper from which this citation was taken for the RootsWeb.com genealogy community.