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8) Isaac R. McCartney (April 22, 1832 - September 11, 1863)

The Thirty-Fifth Infantry was organized at Muscatine, and mustered in the United States services September 18, 1862, with S. G. Hill, of Muscatine, as Colonel; James H. Rothrock, as Lieutenant Colonel, and Henry O’Conner, of Muscatine, as Major. Companies A, B, C, D and E, were from Muscatine County; Company F, from Muscatine and Louisa Counties; Companies G, H and I, from Muscatine and Cedar Counties, and Company K, from Cedar County. Participated in the battles of Jackson, siege of Vicksburg, Bayou Rapids, Bayou de Glaze, Pleasant Hill, Old River Lake, Tupelo, Nashville, etc. Was mustered out at Davenport, August 10, 1865 [The History of Dubuque County, Iowa; Western Historical Company: Chicago: 1880, pg. 242.].

On November 22,1862, the Thirty-fifth Iowa was ordered to report for duty at Cairo, Ill., and was conveyed to that place, arriving there November 24,1862. During the winter of 1862-3, the regiment was on duty either as a whole or in detachments—at different points in Southern Illinois and Kentucky—mainly at Cairo, Ill., Island Number Ten, and Columbus and Fort Heiman, Ky. While the duties performed at these various places were important, there is no official record of casualties resulting from conflict with the enemy. There were, however, a number of deaths from disease, and also a number of men discharged from the service on account of their having become disabled for further duty by sickness. Two of the points at which the regiment—or detachments from it—was stationed were several times threatened with attack by the enemy, but the rebel commander each time withdrew his troops, and the only conflicts which occurred were mainly between the Union and rebel cavalry forces. This comparatively uneventful period in the history of the Thirty-fifth Iowa ended with the advent of spring and the commencement of the Vicksburg campaign. On the 12th of April, 1863, Colonel Hill received orders from Major General Grant to embark his regiment on transport, proceed to Duckport, La., and, upon his arrival there, to report to Brigadier General James M. Tuttle. The regiment disembarked at Duckport on the 18th of April, and was assigned to the Third Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps. The aggregate number of the regiment present for duty at that time was six-hundred eighty-one— thirty-one officers and six hundred fifty enlisted men. On May 2, 1863, the regiment, with its brigade, division and corps, under command of Major General W. T. Sherman, took up the line of march in the direction of Jackson, Miss., at which place, on May 14,1863, the Thirty-fifth Iowa had its first conflict with the enemy, and sustained a loss of one man killed and one man severely wounded. It then marched to Vicksburg, where it arrived on May 18th, and became part of the investing force engaged in the siege of that rebel stronghold. The regiment performed its full share of arduous duty in the trenches until June 22d—the thirty-sixth day of the siege. Its casualties during that time were two men killed and one man wounded. It was not called upon to participate in those disastrous and—as the event proved—useless assaults which marked the early days of the siege, and thus escaped the terrible losses which were sustained by some of the Iowa regiments which were engaged in those terrific conflicts. It had, however, faithfully performed its duty in the positions it was ordered to occupy, and its record, during the time it constituted a part of the besieging force, was as commendable as that of any of the troops which assisted in the prosecution of the long and memorable siege of Vicksburg. From the 22d of June to the date of the surrender of Vicksburg (July 4, 1863,) the Thirty-fifth Iowa was engaged in the performance of heavy picket duty with the Army of Observation, occupying an advanced position near the Big Black River. During the entire siege, the rebel army, under command of General Johnston, had hovered in the rear of Vicksburg, with a view of attacking General Grant's army in the rear, and compelling the abandonment of the siege. It therefore became necessary to keep a large force of Union troops in the rear, ready to meet and repel the threatened attack, and, from time to time, regiments were detached from the besieged force and sent to strengthen the army in the rear, which finally became so strong before the rebel General could concentrate all his available forces that he wisely abstained from making the attack, as he had intended. The result was the surrender of Vicksburg and the retreat of the rebel General Johnston's army towards Jackson [Roster and Record of Iowa Troops In the Rebellion, Together with Historical Sketches of Volunteer Organizations, 1861-1866. By Guy E. Logan; Des Moines: E. H. English, State Printer, E. D. Chassell, State Binder. 1908-11. Vol. 5.].

Merle M. McCartney [son of Isaac E.] and wife Jessie Walberga (Graehling) McCartney first resided for one year in the Canada Settlement (Ogle Co.) north of Polo, IL in a house with Jessie's parents (George W. Graehling and Anna S. Bea) where George Donald was born December 14, 1912. They then moved to a farm 1/2 mile east of the Canada Settlement where they stayed for the next four years. Maxine Malvina was born here January 30, 1916. Merle and Jessie next moved to a farm in Franklin Grove, IL (Lee Co.) 5 miles east of Dixon, IL on Rt. 38 (Lincoln Highway). They lived here for five years until 1923 where Joseph "Joe" Elsworth was born April 1, 1918. They then moved to a farm 4 miles southeast of Polo, IL. They resided here for only one year. Next, they moved to Lanark, IL (Carroll Co.) in town, 25 miles northwest of Polo, IL for two years. Merle had a Raleigh Medicine route delivering ointments and medicines to houses and stores. They then moved back to a farm in Franklin Grove, IL 4 miles east of Dixon, IL for two years. Merle farmed and Vernon Cloy was born here November 8, 1927. Merle and Jessie then moved to a house on College Ave. in Dixon, IL (Lee Co.) for six months. Merle worked in Metz Garage as a mechanic for the next two years. After living on College Ave. for six months, they moved to Sterling Ave. on the north side of Dixon in a house where a grade school now stands. They remained at this location for a year and a half. Their next residency was the first farm on the right on Getty Rd. near Marengo, IL (McHenry Co.) which they rented. Merle farmed here for five years. Their final move in 1936 was to 19522 Harmony Rd., a mile down the road where they purchased an 80-acre farm. Merle died December 12, 1978 and Jessie March 14, 1988. They are buried in the Marengo City Cemetery.