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Thanks to John Metcalf we learned more about Richard J. Rowe/Raw. John's 2nd great grandmother was Ann (Raw) Watters. Richard was her brother. Ann and her husband Simon Harker Watters are buried in Waldwick cemetery.
The Rowe/Raw family came from North Yorkshire, the vicinity of a little hamlet called Low Row. The Spanish mines and smelters were putting the mines and smelters out of business in northern England. The Raw's, Watters and others were being displaced by the late 1840s. They landed at the Port of New Orleans, and came up the Mississippi to Dubuque, where there was already a settlement of Yorkshire folk
Richard enlisted at Rockdale, Iowa on August 20, 1862 into the Iowa 21st Volunteers Company C. The 21st Iowa went down river to St. Louis and to the Jefferson Barracks. His regiment was encamped at a small town called Houston, Missouri when Richard was taken ill with measles . That was around April 1, so it's likely he was still weakened at the time of his death. The battle was literally hand to hand combat, so the strong and healthy had the advantage.
There were two assaults on what was called the "Railroad Redoubt" on the 21st and 22nd of May. The Railroad Redoubt was on the southwest corner of the battle lines, which more or less surrounded the City of Vicksburg. General Grant ordered a charge on the Railroad Redoubt on May 21st, 1863. It was unsuccessful in breaking the lines or ending the siege. He then ordered a second assault on May 22nd, the day that Richard Raw was either killed in action or died shortly thereafter of his wounds. The action was very chaotic, and it is not known what happened to him, other than that he died that day. His grave is unmarked. Some of his personal effects were returned to his family--a Bible that contained a lock of his red hair.
After the War when General Grant wrote his Memoirs he indicated that there were two orders that he regretted having given under his command--the Second Assault on the Railroad Redoubt at Vicksburg, and the assault at Cold Harbor, Virginia. Both actions resulted in a great deal of loss of life. There is a monument at Vicksburg dedicated to the 21st Iowa's efforts.
Two of Richard's sisters, Ann Watters and Christiana Brunskill, mourned Richard's loss for the remainder of their lives for Richard was the baby of the family.
To share your story, write it up and drop it off at the Iowa County Historical Society Museum 1-4 p.m. any weekday or E-MAIL it to IowaCountyScrapbook@gmail.com. If you would rather, you can call the Iowa County Historical Society at 935-7694.