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James Lorraine Geddes was well-traveled by the time he arrived in Iowa at the age of 30 in 1857. he was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 19, 1827, immigrated to Canada with his family in 1837, and returned to Scotland six years later, at the age of 16, and set sail for Calcutta, India, a short time later to study at a British military academy in Calcutta for two years. Upon graduation, he joined the Royal horse artillery, serving seven years under Sir Hugh Gough, Sir Charles Napier, and Sir Colin Campbell. He passed through the Punjab campaign, was present at the battle of Kyber Pass, and ascended the Himalayas with the last-named officer in the expedition against the hill tribes. For his bravery, he was rewarded with a medal and clasp.

At the end of ten years he returned to his home in Canada, and was commissioned colonel of a cavalry regiment; but he soon resigned from the army, emigrating to Iowa in 1857, and settled at Vinton in Benton County. At the beginning of the Civil War he quit his job as a teacher, and in August, 1861, enlisted as a private in the 8th Iowa regiment. He was rapidly promoted captain, lieutenant colonel, and colonel, being ultimately named a brigadier-general on June 5, 1865. At Shiloh he was wounded and captured by Confederate troops, remaining a prisoner until early in 1863, when he was exchanged and
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again saw service under General Grant at Vicksburg and under General Sherman at Jackson, Mississippi.

In October, 1863, he was placed in command of a brigade and ordered to Brownsville, Texas. Subsequently he was made provost marshal of Memphis, and led the defense of  the city that probably prevented its capture by the Confederate General Forrest. During the Mobile campaign he commanded a brigade, and led the capture of Spanish Fort. The defenses of that work were considered impregnable; but he discovered a ravine on one side of the fort and pushed his men through it and over a bluff, surprising the enemy.
He actually captured the fort before the rebel commander knew he was there.

After the war he was put in charge of the School of the Blind in  Vinton. Later, he helped organize and run the Iowa College of Agriculture at Ames, now known as Iowa State University. At various times he served
as the school’s vice-president, professor of military tactics, treasurer, and land-agent. General Geddes wrote several war-songs, which were set to music and became widely popular. Among them were "The Soldier's Battle-Prayer" and "The Stars and Stripes."

He died in Ames and is buried there.

James Geddes