Private Lyman W Spencer has an illustrious history typical of the Civil War’s true hero. He witnessed and participated in some of the most significant events in our nation’s history. He was on the field with some of America’s finest general officers, including Grant and Sherman. He fought in no less than 5 massive total battles, several significant engagements, many skirmishes, and operated in different pursuits assaults, and served as a soldier of occupation. He bravely fought from the terrible battle of Corinth to Missionary Ridge, Tennessee. He was with Grant when he moved out with no supplies to beat 2 Southern armies below Vicksburg, Mississippi. Here Private Spencer fought in the 3 battles, one engagement, and nine skirmishes that resulted in the eventual loss of the Confederate hold on the ‘Mississippi River. After General Hood retreated from Sherman at Atlanta, he moved back north,- and on October 13, 1864, a portion of his army attacked the 17th Regiment at Tilton, Georgia. Here the regiment was captured, and Private Spencer was made a prisoner of war. All regiment records were destroyed, and the captured prisoners were quickly taken into Alabama and on to prison camps and the hellhole of Andersonville, Georgia. Private Spencer was kept as a prisoner of war from October 13, 1864, to May 5, 1865, when he was paroled at Savannah, Georgia.

Pathos and misfortune are combined in these brief notations. At the time of re-enlistment at Huntsville, Alabama, the men had been assured that they would be sent to their homes and given a furlough of thirty days from reaching the State of Iowa. They had eagerly and hopefully expected the fulfillment of that promise. Still, the exigencies of the campaign which ensued became so great that every soldier in General Sherman’s army, who was able for duty, was needed at the front. Most of these faithful men of the Seventeenth Iowa were thus compelled to relinquish the hope of seeing their homes and loved ones again until the war’s end. It was only to the little band who had escaped capture or death that the promise was fulfilled. Of those who were carried into captivity, many died from wounds received before their capture and from disease. Private Spencer’s regiment had 3 officers and 66 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded during the war. In addition, the unit lost 2 officers and 121 enlisted men to disease.
It is remarkable to consider the bravery and sacrifice of soldiers like Private Lyman W Spencer during the Civil War. His participation in some of the most significant events in American history, from the battle of Corinth to the capture of the Mississippi River, highlights the vital role that soldiers played in shaping the nation’s future.
The tragedy of his capture and imprisonment at Andersonville is also a stark reminder of the horrors soldiers endured during the conflict. It is heart-wrenching to read about the broken promises of a furlough and the suffering that so many soldiers experienced as prisoners of war.
Yet, despite all the hardships and losses, soldiers like Private Spencer continued to fight and serve their country with valor and dedication. Their stories are a testament to the resilience and courage of the American spirit.

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