Private John Walker

According to a genealogical website, John Walker of Company A enlisted in the Fifth Iowa Cavalry under a pseudonym. His actual name may have been Isaac S. Welch. Without directly reviewing his pension records, we are unable to verify this, although the genealogical page (alas, without working email links) cites these same records.

Isaac (John) was twenty-two when he enlisted. He had been born in Galaway Springs (later known as Sarasota Springs) New York on September 26, 1841. His service was not lengthy, as he enlisted toward the end of the war, on March 15, 1864. He mustered out on June 5, 1865 at Clinton, Iowa. Despite it's brevity, Isaac's service was not without incident. He was captured in the battle at the Chattahoochee River in Georgia on July 30, 1864. He spent nearly seven months as a prisoner of the Confederates, serving much of that time at Andersonville prison.

Following the war, Isaac moved to Nebraska, where he resided until his death on April 28, 1924.