Individual Details

Military

When his older brother, Frederick, went to Iowa City,Iowa, to enlist in the Union Army, Reuben accompanied him. He did not return home, but enlisted with his brother and was placed with the 28th Iowa and was soon made a drummer boy.
He enlisted as a private in Co. H 28th Iowa Infantry during the Civil War, was discharged 31 July 1865, Savannah, Ga...office Musician (Snare Drum). Time of service was 3 years. He joined the John F. Drake Post on 22nd of May 1885, suspended 30 Sept 1887.

Brooklyn Chronicle, 15 September 1905
The drum which was beaten when Phil Sheridan met the retreating army fleeing from Winchester, is in Denver and will appear in the parade today. The drum is owned by R. Breniman, of Fort Collins. He was the man who beat it when Sheridan made his famous ride. The union army had retreated in rout before the Confederate forces and Sheridan met them coming toward him. Mr. Breniman sounded the rally on the old drum and he has kept it ever since. It is in an excellent state and it does not show its age as good care has been taken of it. Mr. Breniman carried the drum for over 2,000 miles on foot. He carried it first at the siege of Vicksburg. He also had it at the battles of Cross Roads, Manassas, Yellow Bay, Opequar, Cedar Creek and Red River expedition under Banks, and at Winchester. The head of the drum, which is still in it, is made from the hide of a sheep captured by the owner at Martinsburg, Va., which he himself tanned. Denver Republican

Newspaper article...HE BEAT THE DRUM FOR SHERIDAN AT SHENANDOAH--R. Breniman, of Fort Collins, a former resident of Brooklyn, who is visiting his son, Fred, and daughter, Mrs. Will McLain, is a veteran of the Civil War and was a member of the famous 28th Iowa regiment, Co. H., commanded by Captain Phillips of Brooklyn. He was a drummer boy and enlisted when eighteen years of age. He fought throughout the war and has many interesting stories to tell. One of them will always go down in history.
He was retreating from Cedar Creek when the Union troops were being defeated by Early and was coming along with his drum on his back, when Sheridan, mounted on his famous horse met the oncoming troops. This was while Sheridan was making his famous dash from Winchester to Shenandoah. Sheridan, seeing the boy, called out, "Boy, beat the long roll, beat it hard, beat it with all your might." Young Breniman unslung his drum and commenced to beat the old familiar call. Soon the frightened soldiers commenced to form into companies and, aided by the famous Sheridan, the men were soon formed into their organizations.
Mr. Breniman still has the drum with the same drum head he used on that great day. A short time before this, while out foraging, he came across a sheep, killing it, he took it to camp, helped eat the meat and put salt and ashes on the skin and buried it back of his tent, curing it for future use, and the drum was put to good use...end of article.
** Note...The drum is in safekeeping at the Iowa State Historical building in Des Moines, Iowa. An article in the Deep River Record, dated July 4, 1963, written by Reuben's granddaughter, Mrs. Charles McSherry, states this fact, tells a very interesting story about the drum.
When he died, Reuben was the last survivor of Co. H. of the 28th Iowa Infantry. This company was made up almost entirely of Brooklyn, Iowa, boys, with Commander Phillips as the commanding officer.

Montezuma Republican, 18 October 1917
Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Breniman of Ft. Collins, Colo., came Friday night to visit relatives and old friends in Brooklyn and vicinity. Mr. Breniman was one of the 28th Iowa boys and brought with him the drum he used at Winchester and other famous battlefields and he can use it yet with a spirit and skill that is surpising to some of our younger drummer boys.

Deep River (Iowa) Record, 04 July, 1965
Brooklyn Farmer's Civil War Drum At Historical Society by Marilyn Peterson
Mrs. Charles McSherry, granddaughter of a Civil War veteran, gave the RECORD the following story of a Civil War drum, and the man who carried it through many campaigns of that war of a century ago. ..
In safekeeping at the Iowa State Historical building in Des Moines is a Civil War drum which was carried by a Poweshiek soldier, Reuben Breniman. Reuben Breniman had the distinction of being the last survivor of Co. H of the 28th Iowa Infantry which was made up almost entirely of Brooklyn boys.
As a young boy, Reuben came with his parents from Switzerland to live on a farm south of Brooklyn. When his older brother, Fred, went to Iowa City to enlist in the Union Army, Reuben accompanied him. The Union soldiers were paid $15 a month. This was three times as much as the brothers were paid working on the farm. Because Reuben was not old enough to carry a gun in the army, he was soon made a drummer boy.
Breniman was with the retreating union troops at the famous battle of Winchester when "Sheridan was 20 miles away." As they retreated they met Sheridan and his reinforcements. Sheridan commanded the retreat to stop and called the drummer boy Breniman to his side and told him to drum formation again, which he did, and the troops got in line again and advanced, winning the battle, according to the story. Breniman saw a good deal of action but talked so little about his experiences that even his immediate family know very little about them.
Various accounts of the war are written on the skin of the drum. The original skin on the drum had been badly worn. When the Union troops were advancing across the Mississippi to Georgia, food was scarce. Wild game or sheep would be killed to replenish their supplies.
The drummer boy spent many evenings by the heat of the wood ashes of the camp fire tanning the skin of a sheep. To keep the skin warm during the damp nights, Reuben slept upon it. This same skin is now over a hundred years old.
Mr. Breniman came back to Brooklyn after the war and married Miss Pierce. They lived on what is now the Marvin McLain farm south of Brooklyn until the early nineties. Because of Mrs. Breniman's poor health, the family moved to Colorado. Mr. Breniman was remembered in Iowa as a good farmer, a cattle feeder, and a successful man.
The drumsticks and the medicine case which was attached to the drummer belt will probably not be placed in the historical building with the drum because Mrs. Alma (Breniman) McSherry feels, "There's too much junk up there now."

Military

Name: Reuben Brenaman Residence: Brooklyn, Iowa Age at enlistment: 19 Enlistment Date: 21 Aug 1862 Rank at enlistment: Private State Served: Iowa Survived the War?: Yes Service Record: Enlisted in Company H, Iowa 28th Infantry Regiment on 10 Sep 1862.
Mustered out on 31 Jul 1865 at Savannah, GA.
Birth Date: abt 1843 Sources: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion

Description

28th Regiment

The regiment left for that "death trap,"
Helena, Arkansas, November I,
1862, but suffered comparatively little there. It was brigaded with the Twentyfourth
Iowa. It was sent to Oakland, Mississippi, thence on the White River
expedition early in 1863. Their sufferings were from cold, rain and ice, wading
and working in water over their shoetops, in clothing stiff with ice. It is strange
that any with such an experience ever returned to Helena.' They were in the
battle at Port Gibson, May 1st, and fought heroically. On the 16th of May one
of their most desperate battles was fought on Champion's Hill, where B. F.
Cassidy was killed.,
The Twenty-eighth did itg-· full duty in the investment of Vicksburg, where
only an accident enables anyone regiment to distinguish itself especially.
The valley of the Shenandoah was the garden spot of the Confederacy, its
richest granary, sheltered by the mountains on two sides, it was the favorite resort
of Confederate troops when hard pushed in central Virginia. The Union
forces often met them there, and there some of the most desperate battles of
the war were' fought. The Confederate armies had found their supplies there
ana from there armies had set out to carry the war into Pennsylvania, and to
sweep around north of the Potomac to attack Washington. Some of the proudest
generals had there been shorn of their laurels. At the mouth of that river
was Harper's Ferry, with its memories of John Brown, and a few miles away
was Charleston, where he was imprisoned and where soldiers marched and
countermarched about his scaffold as though they were about to hang the generalissimo
of their enemies' armies, but in reality they were only immortalizing
the man whose last act at the gibbet was to take up a little negro child and kiss
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY 199
it as arepr~sentative of the race for which he had so rashly l~ved and was now
so courageously to die.
Battles in the valley were to be ended in 1864, and the Twenty-eighth Infantry
was to have some of its most desperate fighting there, between September
19 and October 19. -General Gordon, a dashing cavalry general of the
Confederate army, and one of the fairest and most readable writers of war history,
tells us in his "Reminiscences of the Civil War" that the Confederates were
nearer Washington, July II, 1864, than any armed Confederates had ever been.
"Undoubtedly we could have marched into Washington, but in the council of
war called by General Early there was not a dissenting opinion as to the impolicy
of entering the city."
Early was sent to the Shenandoah valley, a part of which had been utterly
desolated by Hunter. Its importance was appreciated by both contestants. A
match for Early should be in command. Grant succeeded in getting that fiery
Irishman, Phil Sheridan, placed in control of the Union forces there. -
OUR IOWA TROOPS AGAIN COME INTO VIEW.
On July 6th the Twenty-eighth received command to prepare for transportation
to an unknown port under s'ealed orders. - When at sea their orders were
opened, and -to their delight their destination was away from the -swamps and
malaria of the lower Mississippi for the healthier region of Virginia. There,
too, they were delighted to be under the command of Sheridan, with the prospect
of something to do. No month was more memorable than that which they
began on the banks of the Opequan, Virginia, September 19, 1864.
Side by side with their brave, but somewhat self-satisfied, brethren from
farther north they went into the battles in the Shenandoah valley with some
questionings among the veterans of General John C. Breckenridge, once vice
president of the United States, and now in that, to him, doleful retreat through
Winchester, had lost nearly all trace of his division, and his division had lost their
general. General Gordon, commander of the Confederate cavalry, was
in that battle. H~ says of Breckenridge, "He was desperately reckless,-the
impersonation of despair. He literally seemed to court death. Indeed, to my
protest against his unnecessary exposure by riding at my side, he said: 'There
is little left to me if our cause is to fail.' Later, when the cause had failed, he
acted upon this belief and left the country and only returned after long absence
to end his brilliant career in coveted privacy among his Kentucky friends."
General Early could not refrain from firing a shot at Breckenridge-sarcasm,
not a bullet. Breckenridge had long bee~ a prominent advocate of "southern
rights in the territories," but Early had been a moderate southerner as to secession
until Virginia had voted herself out of the Union. Early broke the dismal
silence of that dismal night retreat by calling out, "General Breckenridge, what
do you think of the rights of the south in the territories now?"
He said nothing about those "rights." Wonder if. he was sorry that he had
ever spoken on that theme?We can't avoid giving him the comfort of our pity
for his tpistake.
200 HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY
The battles of Winchester, of Fisher's Hill and of Cedar Creek gave Confederates
and-Unionists enough to do through four weeks. Jubal A. Early was
in command of the Confederates in the valley; the Unionists sought their best
officer for leader there. The lot fell upon Sheridan and the Unionists commenced
the wrestle near Winchester. They lost ground, rallied again, and, in a most
desperate contest, drove back the Confederates through Winchester with a loss
of 5,000 men on their side and 4,000 by the Confederates.
Lieutenant Colonel Wilson reported that battle as follows:
Near Winchester-Sept. 26, '64.
Fisher's Hill-Sept. 27, '64.
Battle of Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864.
Report of Major John Meyer in command of Twenty-eighth Regiment:
"General: I have the honor to report that, in compliance with orders, the
regiment ~t five A. M., was standing at arms, awaiting the issue of a reconnoissance
to be made by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd brigades of our division; but before
the reconnoissance was made, the enemy, in overwhelming numbers, attacked
the 8th corps, which was on the left of the army. That corps, failing to be under
arms, was soon driven from their works, and the enemy was rapidly advancing
toward the loth army corps, occupying the center of the army, when Gen. Grover,
commanding the 2nd division, ordered the regiment, with the 4th brigade, by the
left flank, to change front, and assist the 8th corps. The regiment was on the
extreme left of the brigade and division, and under the personal direction of the
division commander, it was taken about one-fourth of a mile to the east of the
Winchester pike, to hold the crest of a hill. In the hurry, the remaining regiments
of the brigade were left west of the pike, and the 12th Maine was ordered
to form on o~r right, but after several unsuccessful efforts, it failed to come to
the line, and returned in confusion, which left our right exposed. A brigade
from the I st division, 19th army corps, formed on the line on our left; but the
right of the line of the enemy extended far beyond the left of that brigade.
"It was soon outflanked, and gave way. The Twenty-eighth was the last to
fall back, but being engaged on both flanks and front, there was no hope left of
holding our ground. At first we fell back slowly. It was, however, soon discovered
that our retreat was bJft;g: dosed. I gave the order "Double-quick," and
for one-third of a mile we passed through one of the most destructive fires ever
witnessed, losing six men killed and between thirty and forty wounded. A few
of the regiment, rather than run that great hazard of life, laid down their arms,
and have gone to Libby Prison.
"Arriving at Major-General Sheridan's headquarters, which were about half
a mile northwest from the crest of the hill where we first engaged the enemy,
with other regiments, we rallied and for a short time held the enemy in check.
Here, while rallying and encouraging his men, Capt. Riemenschneider, of Company
I, was instantly killed, and Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson was wounded and
taken from the field. The 6th corps, which was on the right of the army, now
engaged the furious foe, but every effort failed, because the enemy continued to
flank us on the left. The whole army was therefore ordered to fall back about
two miles, so that our left was no longer exposed to the rebel right. The enemy,
finding that they no longer had the advantage, and seeing that our brave
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY 201
boys were not 'subdued,' but ready to renew the conflict, ceased to advance.'
Then, during a pause, such as is wont to prevail before a terrible. storm, our
army lines were formed, front to front with the enemy. The Twenty-eighth, as
well as the whole army had been repulsed. The enemy had our camps and all
that ·we had except our arms; they had possession of the battle-field, of our
dead and our wounded; but we were unconquered.
"Major-General Sheridan comes upon the field. The 19th corps is placed on
the right, the 6th in the centre, and the 8th on the left. The 24th and 28th Iowa
form the connecting link between the 6th and the 19th corps. The awful scene
opens. We notice nothing except our own commands and the enemy in front.
No officers ever did better, nor any soldiers ever fought more bravely, than did
those of my command in that hour, which turned our defeat into a glorious victory.
We press forward, the enemy yields, he flees. The victory is won. The
rout transcends all others of the war. It seems so cruel, yet so satisfactory to
the loyal heart, to see our boys drop the running foe, and when he gets beyond
the reach of the rifles of the infantry, to see the cavalry plunge, with their carbines,
revolvers, and sabers right into the disorganized masses of the traitors, to
kill, to terrify, and to scatter them in all directions.
"The Twenty-eighth goes to its old camp; our food an'd clothing all are gone.
We had no breakfast,' no dinner, and nothing for supper; nor any rations nearer
than Winchester, thirteen miles away. We go forward to guard a captured
train two miles long. It is cold and dark. The mind grows calm; sadness and
solemnity come over us all. The last struggles of our brave comrades, the heroic
dead, are forever engraven on our memories. In after years we iqvite all
interested in the Twenty-eighth, as they pass by on the hill, on the right of the
pike, just before they cross the Cedar Creek, to pause and read the names over
the nine graves of the killed of the'regiment on that day. They, with those mortally
wounded, and the crippled and scarred for life, are some of the tokens of
the unflinching fidelity of the regiment to an undivided nationality."
FISHER'S HILL, SEPTEMBER 22, 1864.
Early kept up his rapid gait to Fisher's Hill, thirty miles south of Winchester,
2,500 of his soldiers, five pieces of artillery and nine battle flags among the
Unionists. '
Fisher's Hill was made strong by the Shenandoah and the mountain
against attack but superior numbers and a failure to protect their flank soon
induced the Confederates to "advance backward." Again Lieutenant-Colonel
Wilson speaks of the Twenty-eighth as follows:
'IOn the morning of the 22nd, we moved forward a short distance towards
the enemy, who were strongly intrenched at Fisher's Hill, a naturally Strong position
a short distance above Strasburg. Some considerable maneuvering was made
in the early part of the day, but we finally got a position, and were ordered to
fortify. We had scarcely commenced work when I received orders to report
with my regiment to General Grover for special duty. On reporting, I was ordered
to the front line, a commanding position, fro~ which the enemy's skirmishers
had just been driven. As a battery immediately preceded me, I sup202
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY
posed that I was there as its support. I soon had constructed a sort of an intrenchment,
a. protection against the bullets of rebel sharpshooters. Here I remained
until about four o'clock, P. M., when I was ordered by General Grover
to deploy as skirmishers on the right of the 22nd Iowa, and to proceed as far as
practicable toward the intrenched position of the enemy.
"We steadily advanced toward their works to within about three hundred
yards, when, pouring in volley after volley with great rapidity, the enemy seemed
to waver, whereupon I ordered a charge. With a prolonged shout, we went
after them, scaling their works, driving them in confusion before us, capturing
a six-gun battery, a large quantity of ammunition, and a number of prisoners.
After following them for about a mile, and heavy lines of infantry coming up,
I received orders to return for the knapsacks of my regiment, which had been
left previous to making the charge."
Early's army was compelled to retreat, slowly at first, then quicker, and soon
on a canter. They passed Staunton; they entered the passes of the Blue Ridge
-and waited. Twenty-six days followed. The army of Early wondered why
Sheridan did not attack them again. They saw the smoke of burning stacks
and buildings, the utter desolation of a country as rich in all supplies as the
Palitinate when Turenne entered it, but becoming as complete an ash heap as
the Palitinate when Turenne left it. It is said with an allowable tinge of poetry
that. a crow desiring to cross the valley of the Shenadoah "was obliged to carry
a haversack."
That valley never furnished food for another army of secessionists. But
there WlaS another side. The Confederates say the army could have been crushed
easily if 110 delay had been made, and they were reinforced. Six hundred cavalry
dashed in from Lee's army and Kershaw'~ entire division of South Carolina
joined them one night, and-Sheridan was in Washington!
A Confederate writer says:, "The news of Kershaw's approach ran along the
sleeping ranks and aroused them as if an electric battery had been sending its
stimulating current through their weary bodies. Cheer after cheer came from
their husky throat~ and. ran along the mountain cliffs, the harbinger of a com~
ing victory. 'Hurrah for the-Palmetto boys. Glad to see you South Caliny.
Whar did you come from? Did you bring any more guns for Phil Sheriqan?'
We had delivered several guns to that officer without taking any receipt for
them. Among the pieces of artillery sent us by th~ war department was a long,
black rifle cannon, on which some wag had printed in white letters words to this
effect: 'Respectfully consigned to General Sheridan through General Early.'
And Sheridan got it-some days later."
The Confederates made a quiet, but rapid night march, and woke Sheridan's
forces with bayonets at their bosoms. Every corps was scattered but the
Sixth and General Gordon had ordered his entire force to attack them on three
sides at the same instant, while at the call the Confederate artillery should
empty their guns into the Union force.
At that moment Early rode upon the field and said: "Well, Gordon, this is
glory enough for one day. Precisely ,one month ago we were going in the opposite
direction."
HISTORY OF POWESHIEK COUNTY 203-
Gordon explained his orders.
"No use in that. They will all go directly."
"But that is the Sixth Corps, General. They will not go unless we drive
them," said Gordon.
'·'Yes, it will," said the Confederate in command.
The moment of opportunity passed. Sheridan's men came back on the
double quick. Sheridan was at their head.

Military

Drummer Boy
Name: Reuben Brenaman Residence: Brooklyn, Iowa Age at enlistment: 19 Enlistment Date: 21 Aug 1862 Rank at enlistment: Private State Served: Iowa Survived the War?: Yes Service Record: Enlisted in Company H, Iowa 28th Infantry Regiment on 10 Sep 1862.
Mustered out on 31 Jul 1865 at Savannah, GA.
Birth Date: abt 1843 Sources: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of Rebellion

Death

Coronary thrombosis.

Death

Los Angeles Times, 23 May 1933
BRENIMAN, May 21, Rudolph Breniman, husband of Harriet Breniman
Funeral services will be held at Bresee Brothers' chapel Thursday at 1 p.m.


Brooklyn Chronicle 25 May 1933
Reuben Breniman of Los Angeles, Cal., died Sunday evening, May 21. The telegram of his death reached here Monday and his son, Fred Breniman, left at once for Los Angeles. A daughter, Mrs. W. J. McLain, left last week and was with her father when he passed away.
Reuben Breniman was born in Switzerland in March 1843. When a young boy he came with his parents to Brooklyn. They settled on a farm south of Brooklyn. When his older brother, Fred, went to Iowa City to enlist in the union army, Reuben accompanied him. He did not return home but enlisted with his brother and was placed with the 28th Iowa. He was soon made a drummer boy. He has the distinction of being the last survivor of Co. H of the 28th Iowa Infantry. Co. H was made up almost entirely of Brooklyn boys with Captain Phillips as command-ing officer. Frederic Shine, the next to the last survivor, died in Marshalltown three years ago.
Mr. Breniman was with the retreating Union troops at the famous battle when "Sheridan was 20 miles away." As they retreated, they met Sheridan and his reinforcements. Sheridan commanded the retreat to stop and called the drummer boy Breniman to his side and told him to drum formation again, which he did, and the troops got in line again and advanced, winning the battle, according to the story. Mr. Breniman saw a good deal of action but talked so little about his experiences that even his immediate family know very little about them.
Mr. Breniman came back to Brooklyn after the war and married Miss Pierce whose parents lived south of town here. They settled on the farm where Marvin McLain now lives. They lived there until the early nineties, when, because of Mrs. Breniman's health, they had to leave for Colorado. Here they made their home in Ft. Collins. Mrs. Breniman died in 1895 and is buried in Harmony cemetery south east of Brooklyn.
While here, the Brenimans were members of the Moravian church southeast of Brooklyn. They had six children. A daughter died in infancy and a son, Bill, some years ago. Those who survive are Mr. W. J. McLain of Brooklyn, Fred of Brooklyn, and Frank and Albert, both of Ft. Collins.
Several years after the death of his first wife, Mr. Breniman married a Ft. Collins woman. To them one daughter, Hortense, was born. She died two years ago in California. About fifteen years ago Mr. and Mrs. Breniman and daughter left Ft. Collins and moved to Los Angeles, where they have since made their home. For the past four years Mr. Breniman has been in failing health. Fred Breniman and Mrs. McLain have made several visits to California in recent years and have reported that although he was frail, he was still active for his years, both mentally and physically.
Two brothers and a sister of Mr. Breniman are living. Gottlieb of Des Moines, John of Ft. Collins, and Mrs. Mohr, formerly of Brooklyn, and now of Pomona, Cal. Fred, Chris and Arnold have died, as have also three sisters, Mrs. McVey, who died in Nebraska, Mrs. Whitney, who loved many years in Deep River, and Mrs. Wooters, who lived in Cleveland, Ohio.
The picture which is reprinted here (photo of Reuben with his drum) of Mr. Breniman was taken many years after the Civil war. He wore his drummer boy uniform and still had his drum. It is now in the historical building in Des Moines.
Mr. Breniman is remembered here as a good farmer, a cattle feeder, and a successful man, kindly, interested in all good things and devoted to his family. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 25, at the First M.E. Church in Los Angeles. Interment will be in Los Angeles.


Brooklyn Chronicle, 01 June 1933
Plan funeral for Rudolph Breniman, Civil War Veteran (From Los Angeles Herald & Express)
Funeral services for Rudolph Breniman, Civil War veteran, who died yesterday at the age of 90, will be conducted Thursday at 1 p.m. from Bresee Brothers chapel. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
At his bedside when the end came were his wife, Mrs. Harriet S. Breniman, and his only daughter, Mrs. Edna McLain of Brooklyn, Ia. A native of Brooklyn, Mr. Breniman enlisted as a drummer boy with the famous 28th Drum Corps of Iowa at the outset of the Civil War, serving through several of the most stirring campaigns of the war.
Later he removed to Fort Collins, Colo., residing there for many years. Twenty years ago he came to Los Angeles and has been a resident of this city since that time.
In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by three sons, Fred F. Breniman of Brooklyn, Ia., and Frank P. and Albert L. of Fort Collins, Colo., 18 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

Cause of death for Reuben Breniman was coronary thrombosis.

Burial

Birth: Mar. 23, 1843
Bern, Switzerland Death: May 21, 1933
Los Angeles
Los Angeles County
California, USA
Rudolph married Minnie (Mary) Elizabeth Pierce Nov. 1, 1866 in Poweshiek county, IA.
Burial:
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Cypress)
Cypress
Orange County
California, USA
Created by: Rose Rathbun
Record added: Jul 09, 2002
Find A Grave Memorial# 6590581