We are gratified to place before our readers at the earliest moment, the following interesting letter from WM. HOUSTON of Co. D, Second Iowa, directed to his relatives in this place:
Pittsburg Landing, April 9th, 1862.
Dear Father and Mother:
You will doubtless before this reaches you have heard by telegraph of one of the greatest battles ever fought on the American Continent. You knew that our Regiment was here, and would necessarily be in the fight. You must be impatient to learn the result. – Early on Sunday morning the 6th instant, General Beauregard with an immense force under his command, had the impudence to attack us at this place. We had at that time an available force at this place of perhaps 75,000 men, with perhaps 20,000 below near Savannah, all under the command of General Grant.
The enemy came on our outer camp, and surprised some of our Regiments while at breakfast. In fact, it surprised us all to think they would have the impudence to attack us first. The alarm was soon spread over the entire camp. The Regiments were soon formed in line of battle, and moved to the scene of action. The enemy drove some of our outer Regiments at first back into camp, but were soon promptly checked by others, until the fight became general. Such a rattling of musketry and roaring of cannon, I never before heard. It was one continual shower of lead, shells and balls all day! It was first upon our right that the enemy appeared determined to force their way in, but they were met with equal determination on the part of our boys. Failing in this onset the rebels would then turn their fire and hail, first upon the center, then upon the left, only to be repulsed again! After fighting against such odds all day, our men became wearied late in the afternoon, and then the right and afterward the left wing of our army commenced giving way. Both wings were driven in. Our Brigade under command of Gen. TUTTLE in the centre held their position until after both wings were driven in, and we were about to be surrounded. We were then ordered to fall back slowly, but in doing so we were compelled to run the gauntlet for about a mile with the enemy firing on us from both sides. Most of us succeeded in getting in, however. Some were killed and a few wounded, and a few of our Brigade, were taken prisoners, but I presume it is a very few.
Myself and brother were among the wounded this time. He received a ball in the foot which lamed him slightly. I received a wound in the head, but it was not serious. I continued in the fight the next day.
Our troops after falling back, rallied near the river, and held the rebels in check until night came on, when the fight ceased, with the exception of the cannonading which was kept up all night boy our batteries and gun boats, throwing shell in the camp of the rebels. The rebel batteries responded very feebly.
In the meantime while we were holding the rebels in check, Gen. BUELL’S forces arrived on the opposite bank of the river, which was not a moment too soon, I assure you. They crossed over in the night, and early next morning we had a large reinforcement with which to renew the fight. The scale now turned in our favor. Gen. LEW WALLACE commenced the attack on the right and rear, having come up the river at night, and got in the rear. Our forces and Gen. Buell’s reinforcements were in the center and left. We soon began to drive the rebels, but we had to fight for it, for they contested every foot of ground, inch by inch, until late in the afternoon, when we had taken most of their artillery, killed Gen. BRAGG, Gen. SIDNEY JOHNSTON, and it is reported General JOHN C. BRECKENRIDGE. The rebels then gave up all as lost, and commenced a general retreat, with our men and cavalry in pursuit, killing and taking prisoners by scores.
It is reported that while we were fighting the rebels at this place on Monday, General MITCHELL’s division of Gen. Buell’s command crossed the river above, cut off the retreat of a portion of the rebels, and are now taking a great many prisoners, with their baggage, guns, &c. It is said the rebels are so panic stricken that they are throwing away their arms and scattering in all directions. – If such is the case, the war will soon be ended, for their army is so completely disorganized that they never can collect a Corporal’s Guard again.
Many of the prisoners tell us that Beauregard told them before the fight that they must whip us this time, or their cause was gone up, and they might as well give all up as lost. We have learned by letters taken from the rebels, that it was the object of Gen. BEAUREGARD to attack and whip us before the arrival of General Buell’s Division which they seem to have known was coming from Nashville.
It is impossible for me to form any correct estimate of the killed and wounded, but the loss was very heavy on both sides. But the rebels suffered greatly more than we did. – The loss in the Second Iowa regiment was 74 wounded, five killed and 7 missing. The loss of Co. D is 11 wounded as follows: - John H. Looby, severely; William Riddle, severely in thigh; R. D. Barnett in hand; John Furgeson, slightly in arm; Peter Boyle, slightly; Burbridge, slightly; Sharp, slightly in hand; L. B. Houston, slightly in foot; John Price slightly. I have also received a slight wound in the head, but being naturally a little thick-headed, the ball did not succeed in getting in very deeply. A. B. Rush, James Crystal and George Leighton are among the missing of Co D. I do not think any of them are killed. It is probable they were separated from the regiment in the confusion, and have not been able to find their way back.
The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Regiments arrived here just in time to take part in the battle. Iowa has no cause to be ashamed of them; neither has she of any of her troops.
Col. CROCKER is all right. He had a horse shot under him. JOHN WATSON is dangerously wounded. David Winters, Will Goodrell, and Capt. W. T. Smith and all the Des Moines boys in the Fifteenth Regiment are all right and well.
The commissioned officers of Co. D were at their posts, and Gen. Halleck said of the Second at Donelson, they were the bravest of the brave! Our field officers, Gen. Tuttle, Col. Baker, and Adjutant Joel Tuttle, were fortunate in coming out without a scratch. The Adjutant had a horse shot under him.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
Pittsburg Landing, April 9th, 1862.
Dear Father and Mother:
You will doubtless before this reaches you have heard by telegraph of one of the greatest battles ever fought on the American Continent. You knew that our Regiment was here, and would necessarily be in the fight. You must be impatient to learn the result. – Early on Sunday morning the 6th instant, General Beauregard with an immense force under his command, had the impudence to attack us at this place. We had at that time an available force at this place of perhaps 75,000 men, with perhaps 20,000 below near Savannah, all under the command of General Grant.
The enemy came on our outer camp, and surprised some of our Regiments while at breakfast. In fact, it surprised us all to think they would have the impudence to attack us first. The alarm was soon spread over the entire camp. The Regiments were soon formed in line of battle, and moved to the scene of action. The enemy drove some of our outer Regiments at first back into camp, but were soon promptly checked by others, until the fight became general. Such a rattling of musketry and roaring of cannon, I never before heard. It was one continual shower of lead, shells and balls all day! It was first upon our right that the enemy appeared determined to force their way in, but they were met with equal determination on the part of our boys. Failing in this onset the rebels would then turn their fire and hail, first upon the center, then upon the left, only to be repulsed again! After fighting against such odds all day, our men became wearied late in the afternoon, and then the right and afterward the left wing of our army commenced giving way. Both wings were driven in. Our Brigade under command of Gen. TUTTLE in the centre held their position until after both wings were driven in, and we were about to be surrounded. We were then ordered to fall back slowly, but in doing so we were compelled to run the gauntlet for about a mile with the enemy firing on us from both sides. Most of us succeeded in getting in, however. Some were killed and a few wounded, and a few of our Brigade, were taken prisoners, but I presume it is a very few.
Myself and brother were among the wounded this time. He received a ball in the foot which lamed him slightly. I received a wound in the head, but it was not serious. I continued in the fight the next day.
Our troops after falling back, rallied near the river, and held the rebels in check until night came on, when the fight ceased, with the exception of the cannonading which was kept up all night boy our batteries and gun boats, throwing shell in the camp of the rebels. The rebel batteries responded very feebly.
In the meantime while we were holding the rebels in check, Gen. BUELL’S forces arrived on the opposite bank of the river, which was not a moment too soon, I assure you. They crossed over in the night, and early next morning we had a large reinforcement with which to renew the fight. The scale now turned in our favor. Gen. LEW WALLACE commenced the attack on the right and rear, having come up the river at night, and got in the rear. Our forces and Gen. Buell’s reinforcements were in the center and left. We soon began to drive the rebels, but we had to fight for it, for they contested every foot of ground, inch by inch, until late in the afternoon, when we had taken most of their artillery, killed Gen. BRAGG, Gen. SIDNEY JOHNSTON, and it is reported General JOHN C. BRECKENRIDGE. The rebels then gave up all as lost, and commenced a general retreat, with our men and cavalry in pursuit, killing and taking prisoners by scores.
It is reported that while we were fighting the rebels at this place on Monday, General MITCHELL’s division of Gen. Buell’s command crossed the river above, cut off the retreat of a portion of the rebels, and are now taking a great many prisoners, with their baggage, guns, &c. It is said the rebels are so panic stricken that they are throwing away their arms and scattering in all directions. – If such is the case, the war will soon be ended, for their army is so completely disorganized that they never can collect a Corporal’s Guard again.
Many of the prisoners tell us that Beauregard told them before the fight that they must whip us this time, or their cause was gone up, and they might as well give all up as lost. We have learned by letters taken from the rebels, that it was the object of Gen. BEAUREGARD to attack and whip us before the arrival of General Buell’s Division which they seem to have known was coming from Nashville.
It is impossible for me to form any correct estimate of the killed and wounded, but the loss was very heavy on both sides. But the rebels suffered greatly more than we did. – The loss in the Second Iowa regiment was 74 wounded, five killed and 7 missing. The loss of Co. D is 11 wounded as follows: - John H. Looby, severely; William Riddle, severely in thigh; R. D. Barnett in hand; John Furgeson, slightly in arm; Peter Boyle, slightly; Burbridge, slightly; Sharp, slightly in hand; L. B. Houston, slightly in foot; John Price slightly. I have also received a slight wound in the head, but being naturally a little thick-headed, the ball did not succeed in getting in very deeply. A. B. Rush, James Crystal and George Leighton are among the missing of Co D. I do not think any of them are killed. It is probable they were separated from the regiment in the confusion, and have not been able to find their way back.
The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Regiments arrived here just in time to take part in the battle. Iowa has no cause to be ashamed of them; neither has she of any of her troops.
Col. CROCKER is all right. He had a horse shot under him. JOHN WATSON is dangerously wounded. David Winters, Will Goodrell, and Capt. W. T. Smith and all the Des Moines boys in the Fifteenth Regiment are all right and well.
The commissioned officers of Co. D were at their posts, and Gen. Halleck said of the Second at Donelson, they were the bravest of the brave! Our field officers, Gen. Tuttle, Col. Baker, and Adjutant Joel Tuttle, were fortunate in coming out without a scratch. The Adjutant had a horse shot under him.
– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862
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