Thomas H. McClintock

Thomas, at age 17, enlisted into "I" Company of the Ohio 123rd Infantry
on September 29, 1862 and was discharged on March 3, 1863 for medical reasons.

On April 20, 1863 Thomas reenlisted into "E" Company of the Iowa 7th Cavalry
serving for the full 3 year term. He was mustered out on May 17, 1866 at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Thomas's 6 month tour in "I" Company of the Ohio 123rd Infantry was being in the hospital more than he was in actual duty. He was discharged for disability from that unit before "I" company went into it's first major battle in the spring of 1863. It must have been luck or possibly fate for our Thomas for during that battle at Winchester, Virginia 100 men were killed and wounded. The following day the entire regiment, with the exception of Co. "D" became prisoners of war as a result of the surrender of the whole brigade.

Nothing is known of his time in "E" Company of the Iowa 7th Cavalry. It is in this unit he obtained his sword of which I have hanging in my living room at this time. The following is the regiment history of "E" Company taken from "The Union Army Vol. 4". It is unknown just what parts Thomas played during this time:

"Seventh Cavalry, Cols., Samuel W. Summers, Herman H. Heath; Lieut.-Col. John Pattee; Majors Herman H. Heath, George W. O'Brien, John S. Wood, James B. David. The formation of the 7th Cavalry proceeded slowly and it was finally organized at Camp Hendershott, Davenport in the summer of 1863, by a consolidation of companies which had been previously assigned to other organizations.

Two companies were mustered into service on April 27, two more the day following, two more on June 3, one on the 16th, and one on July 13. Meanwhile, three companies of the 41st infantry and a company of Sioux City independent cavalry, were transferred to this regiment by orders of the war department. Nearly a month before the completion of the organization, Major Heath marched for Omaha, Nebraska with six companies of the regiment, which were stationed at different posts in the territory. In September Colonel Summers, with the headquarters of the regiment, and the two companies which had been left at Davenport, marched also to Omaha, at which place headquarters remained until about the middle of July, 1864. But during the entire service of the regiment the different companies were scattered over a wide extent of territory, each actively engaged in the heavy duties required of troops at frontier posts, in a country constantly threatened and frequently invaded by a savage enemy.

They garrisoned posts, escorted trains, protected emigrants, guarded lines of travel and telegraph, and had frequent combats with the Indians who had been induced by some means to unbury the tomahawk and wage savage warfare against the whites. The loss of the regiment during its term of service was as follows: deaths from battle, 49; deaths from disease, 99; wounded, 8; discharged, 246."