Henry County Heritage Trust-Camp Harlan Traditional Cache
HCHT: There is no one available to maintain this site.
Henry County Heritage Trust-Camp Harlan
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Easily accessible from road.
This cache is placed by Henry County Heritage Trust, a group that has dedicated itself to the preservation of history in Henry County. This is one of the many cache sites they have placed to educate the general public on the little known details of the history surrounding the area.
Senator James Harlan of Mt. Pleasant was instrumental in working with the the War Department to authorized a military training camp at Mount Pleasant in October of 1861. The first recruits began arriving that September at Camp Harlan, which was designated as a cavalry training post for the Fourth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry. Twelve companies had been mustered by November 23, 1831 with 1086 men and officers.
Arriving to just a pile of lumber and an open meadow, the recruits had to build the camp themselves. The community providing the food and blankets for the soldiers.
Mt. Pleasant was probably selected for the camp because of the railroad access to the community while surrounding communities did not.
To honor those that were at Camp Harlan, the community has restored the historical marker on the original site of the camp. Located just across from the golf course in Mt. Pleasant, the site now hosts a new marker, replica flag of the time in history which will be displayed on holidays and special occasions.
Mt. Pleasant had 10 Medal of Honor recipients, Eight fought with the Fourth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, which trained at Camp Harlan. Three of those hailed from Henry County.
Iowa claims just 113 Medal of Honor recipients. Of note are Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to earn the medal, and William "Buffalo Bill" Cody.
The new marker at Camp Harlan tells a straightforward story of the camp from its authorization by the War Department in October 1861 to its closing the following year. As for Camp Harlan’s final days; alas, the barracks burned to the ground.
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Srapr cbfg.
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