Iowa History

War of 1812 Vet From Iowa Never Lost His Patriotism

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Shoppers in downtown Des Moines on September 11, 1874, were curious about a little fruit stand on wheels they saw on the sidewalk. It wasn’t unusual to see the elderly vendor selling fruit at the site, but on that day a large American flag adorned the little stand. When a passerby asked Charles Mooers about the flag, he replied that he was celebrating the anniversary of the War of 1812’s Battle of Plattsburgh. Iowa History, a weekly column, appears at IowaWatch on Saturdays. Cheryl Mullenbach is the author of non-fiction books for young people.

Iowa History

Wartime Rumors Swept Through Iowa’s Camp Dodge in 1917

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No, the Red Cross would never solicit donations through chain letters. And the public should immediately destroy any of those bogus letters they received in the mail. Conditions at Camp Dodge near Des Moines, where thousands of boys from across the Midwest were training as soldiers were better than at many other military camps around the country, despite rumors. And that woman from southern Iowa who had helped spread juicy bits of scandal about the camp was headed for an appearance in front of a federal grand jury. The country was at war in 1917, and military leaders were busy tamping down negative press.