Showing posts with label 24th IA INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 24th IA INF. Show all posts

Friday, February 26, 2016

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Monday, April 10, 1865

Had an all-day rain. The entire army moved forward today, some starting at 8 a. m. We packed our knapsacks early this morning, but did not start until 10 o'clock. While we were waiting, some of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Regiment which had arrived at Goldsboro came over to our “ranches” for a visit. We boys had a visit from Homer Curtis of Company C, Twenty-fourth Iowa. We marched ten miles today. The Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps form the right wing, the Twenty-third Corps, in command of General Schofield, the center, and the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps form the left wing. Some heavy cannonading off on the left.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 267

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, October 1, 1864

This afternoon the Third and Fourth Divisions of the Seventeenth Corps started on an expedition toward Fairburn, Georgia, where, it is reported, there is a large force of the rebels. We marched about seven miles and went into bivouac for the night. I received a letter from David Cole of the Twenty-fourth Iowa. His regiment is now in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 218-9

Monday, April 13, 2015

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Monday, June 13, 1864

It rained again nearly the whole day. We formed a line of battle early this morning, but soon returned to our “ranches” with orders to keep our accouterments on and be ready to form at a moment's notice. Skirmishing commenced early all along the line and there was cannonading from our side with no reply from the rebels. Things are progressing fine. There is no news from the army around Richmond. I wrote a letter today to Robinson Laport of the Twenty-fourth Iowa and received one from Miss Moore.1
_______________

1 Miss Moore, of Tipton. Iowa, wrote letters to encourage the soldiers. — A. G. D.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 196

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, April 16, 1864

It is clear and quite cool today. My brother John and I went up to Tipton this morning. Things are pretty lively in town; but there are not many of the veterans in today. I went to the harness shop and bought a saddle as a present to father. I called on Mrs. Willey, she and her husband having been good friends of mine. Mr. Willey was a member of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, but died in the spring of '63 at Milliken's Bend, above Vicksburg. On our way back home I stopped at the home of Mr. Robedie and took supper with the family.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 179-80

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Diary of Corporal Alexander G. Downing: Tuesday, April 5, 1864

I took dinner at Mr. Curtis's today, and had a fine dinner. Two other soldier boys were there, Mr. Curtis's son, Homer and Thomas Fossett, both of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry. The citizens in and around Inland are very loyal, and the vicinity is well represented in the Eleventh and Twenty-fourth Regiments.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 177

Monday, February 10, 2014

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, April 13, 1863

Our nice weather was broken today by an all day rain. A large number of transports loaded with troops went down the river; the Twenty-fourth Iowa was on board. I went down to the sutler in the Fifteenth Iowa camp and bought a bushel of potatoes, paying $2.50.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 109

Monday, December 19, 2011

The Twenty-Eighth Iowa Infantry

The Twenty-eighth was made up of companies raised in the counties of Benton, Iowa, Tama, Poweshiek, Johnson and Jasper, in August and September, 1862. At the time it went into camp at Iowa City it numbered 956 men. The field officers were, colonel, William E. Miller; lieutenant-colonel, John Connell: major, H. B. Lynch. Early in November it embarked for Helena, Ark., where it remained most of the time until January 11, 1863, when it joined General Gorman's expedition up the White river. The weather was very severe, and the men suffered greatly from exposure and sickness, resulting in many deaths. Returning to Helena, the regiment went into rude winter quarters, where disease ravaged the camps and death and misery reigned everywhere. With clothing worn out, clad in rags, living in rude huts, without pay, or any of the ordinary comforts of life, it was a winter of wretchedness and despair never forgotten. On the 14th of February General Washburn left Helena with a large force to remove the obstructions from Yazoo Pass. Great trees had been felled across the river, and the men worked here in the swamps and water, dragging with cables the obstructions from the pass. Soon after the return to camp Colonel Miller resigned, and was succeeded by Colonel Connell, and Capt. B. W. Wilson was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. On the 11th of April the Twenty-eighth, then brigaded with the Twenty-fourth Iowa, and other regiments started on the Vicksburg campaign. It was first under fire at the battle of Port Gibson, and fought bravely, losing seventeen men. At the battle of Champion Hill, on the 16th, the officers and men fought like veterans. General Hovey says: "Of the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa — in what language shall I speak? Scarcely more than six months in the service, and yet no troops ever showed more bravery or fought with more valor." The Twenty-eighth in this battle lost 100 men in killed and wounded. It was in the siege of Vicksburg, and after its surrender was sent to assist in the Jackson campaign. Major Lynch resigned and was succeeded by Capt. John Meyer.

In September the regiment was sent to western Louisiana and was with General Franklin's army on its march to Opelousas in November.

In March it was sent to join General Banks in the disastrous Red river expedition. It fought well at Sabine Cross Roads, where Colonel Connell was severely wounded and taken prisoner; in the absence of higher officers Capt. Thos. Dillin took command. When the army, in its retreat, reached Grand Ecore, Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson joined his regiment, bringing a number of recruits.

In June the regiment was lying at Carrollton where Colonel Connell, who had been exchanged, rejoined his command, having lost an arm at the time of his capture. In July, 1864, the regiment embarked for Alexandria, Va., which place it reached on the 2d of August. Soon after it was sent with the Twenty-second and Twenty-fourth Iowa to join Sheridan's army in the Shenandoah Valley.

At the battle of Winchester it was heavily engaged and lost ninety men. On the 22d it was in the battle of Fisher's Hill, where it captured a battery with small loss.

At the battle of Cedar Creek the Twenty-eighth did valiant service. Overborne, in the early part of the day by the furious onset of the enemy, the regiment made a vigorous resistance and Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson was borne from the field severely wounded. Major Meyer took command and soon, the tide of battle turning; the confederates were driven with heavy loss, the Iowa regiments joining in the pursuit. The Twenty-eighth lost nearly a hundred men in killed, wounded and prisoners.

In January, 1865, it was sent to Savannah and joined Schofield, and remained in Georgia until late in June, when it was mustered out of the service, numbering about 500. It reached Davenport in August, where it was disbanded.

SOURCE, Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 110-1

Thursday, November 24, 2011

The Twenty-Fourth Iowa Infantry

The Twenty-Fourth was made up of companies raised chiefly in Jackson, Clinton, Cedar, Linn, Johnson, Jones, Tama and Iowa counties. It went into camp at Muscatine in September, 1862, and on the 18th was mustered into the United States service, numbering 950 men. Its field officers were Eber C. Byam, colonel; John Q. Wilds, lieutenant-colonel; Ed Wright, major. On the 19th of October the regiment was sent to Helena, Ark. From here it was sent on various expeditions into Mississippi and Arkansas, doing some hard marching and suffering from sickness. Lieutenant-Colonel Wilds was in command of the regiment a large portion of the time as Colonel Byam resigned June 30th, 1863. The Twenty-Fourth was attached to General Grant's army early in 1863 and was in his campaign against Vicksburg. It was actively engaged in the battle of Port Gibson, in General Hovey's division. At the great battle of Champion Hill no regiment in the union army surpassed the Twenty-Fourth for desperate fighting. A rebel battery of five guns on a commanding position was doing fearful execution on Hovey's division, as it advanced on Champion Hill. The Twenty-fourth alone charged upon it under a terrific fire of grape and canister, drove the gunners from their pieces and overwhelmed the infantry supports, carrying everything before them. But no other regiment coming to its support, it was assailed by overwhelming numbers and finally driven back. The loss of the regiment in this heroic charge was 195, including several gallant officers. The regiment participated in the hardships and dangers of the siege of Vicksburg and was in the campaign against Jackson. It was afterwards transferred to the Army of the Gulf and was in General Banks' disastrous Red river campaign. At the battle of Sabine Cross Roads the Twenty-fourth fought bravely, but nothing the army could do was sufficient to counteract the incompetency of the commanding general, Banks, who led it only to defeat and retreat. In July, 1864, the regiment went by river, gulf and ocean to Alexandria, Va., from there to Harper's Ferry, and joined Sheridan's army in the Shenandoah valley. At the battle of Winchester the Twenty-Fourth was hotly engaged and lost seventy-four men. It also took part in the battles of Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, which followed, fighting with its accustomed vigor and bravery and losing many good men. Among the mortally wounded at Cedar Creek was the gallant Colonel Wilds. In January, 1865, this fighting regiment which had seen service in some of the greatest campaigns of the war, was again sent south by ocean steamer and did duty in Georgia and North Carolina. It was finally, at the close of the war, mustered out at Savannah, transported back to Iowa and disbanded in August. Few Iowa regiments traversed as many miles of the enemy's country or fought in as many battles as the Twenty-Fourth.

SOURCE, Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 107

Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Twenty-Second Iowa Infantry.

Seven companies of this regiment were raised in Johnson county, one in Jasper, one in Monroe and one in Wapello. It was mustered into service at Iowa City on the 9th of September, 1862. Its first field officers were Wm. M. Stone, colonel; John A. Garrett, lieutenant-colonel; Harvey Graham, major. The regiment was first sent to Rolla, Mo., where it did garrison duty for about four months. In March, 1863, it was sent to Grant's army to take part in the Vicksburg campaign, and was in the First brigade of the Fourteenth division of the Thirteenth army corps, under General McClernand.

At the battle of Port Gibson, Colonel Stone commanded the brigade, and Major Atherton led the Twenty-second regiment, which lost twenty men. At the battles of Champion Hill and Black River Bridge the loss of the Twenty-second was light. Having driven Pemberton's army behind the fortifications of Vicksburg, General Grant determined to assault the works on the 22d of May. Early in the morning the artillery from the fleet and all of the guns in position in the rear opened on the enemy's works and kept up a heavy fire until l0 o'clock. Then the bugles sounded the charge and the assaulting columns moved forward with fixed bayonets. They were met by a terrible fire of musketry all along the lines. Still the troops pressed on and fell before the deadly fire by hundreds. It was impossible to face the terrible volleys which smote the advancing columns. They sought such shelter as they could find and returned the fire, but could not dislodge the enemy.

The Twenty-second led the charge made by the brigade under General Lawler, and a few men, led by Sergeant Griffith scaled the enemy's defenses, entered the fort and captured some prisoners. But most of them were killed or captured; Sergeant Griffith and David Trine alone escaped. Lieutenant-Colonel Graham and several men were captured in the ditch, and the assault was ended.

The loss of the regiment was 164. There were sixteen Iowa regiments engaged in this battle, the Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth, Seventeenth, Twenty-first, Twenty-second, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, Twenty-eighth, Thirtieth, Thirty-first and Thirty-fifth, and the First and Second Iowa batteries.

Before the end of the siege, which followed the assault, Iowa had thirty regiments in Grant's army, which won this greatest victory of the war.

In this campaign the confederacy lost, in killed and wounded, 10,000 men, and in prisoners, 37,000, fifteen general officers, arms and munitions for an army of 60,000, and an immense amount of property, with the strongest fortified city in the limits of the confederacy, opening the navigation of the greatest river of the continent.

No soldiers in this great campaign surpassed those of Iowa. The First Iowa brigade led the advance at Port Gibson; the Seventeenth surpassed all others at Jackson; the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth won immortal honors at Champion Hill; the Twenty-first and Twenty-third covered themselves with glory at Black River Bridge, while the Twenty-second alone, at the assault on Vicksburg, entered the confederate defenses. Colonel Stone resigned soon after the surrender of Vicksburg, having been nominated for governor by the Iowa republicans. The Twenty-second regiment was sent to Texas in November, where it was employed several months, Lieutenant-Colonel Graham having been promoted to colonel, Major White promoted to lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Gearkee, major. In July, 1864, it was transferred to Virginia, and in August became a part of General Sheridan's army and took part in the battle of Winchester. It made a most gallant fight in that great battle and did its full share in winning a glorious victory. Its losses were heavy and among them were several of its bravest officers: 109 were killed, wounded and captured. At the battles of Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek the Twenty-second was engaged and met with losses. These were its last battles, and on the 3d of August, 1865, it was disbanded at Davenport, after having traveled more than 13,000 miles and served in nearly all of the southern states.

SOURCE, Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 106-7

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry

The ten companies assigned to the Twenty-fourth Infantry were ordered into quarters by Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood on dates ranging from the 16th to the 28th day of August, 1862. The rendezvous designated in the order was "Camp Strong," Muscatine, Iowa, where the companies were mustered into the service of the United States on the 18th day of September, 1862, by Captain H. B. Hendershott of the Regular Army. The aggregate number of the regiment at the completion of its organization was 979 [see note 1]. The revised roster, which follows this historical sketch, shows the names of the field and staff and company officers at the completion of the organization of the regiment; it also shows the changes which subsequently occurred, the additional enlistments and the name of every officer and enlisted man who at any time belonged to the regiment, together with the condensed record of their personal service, compiled from the official records. Great care has been taken in making the transcripts and, where it was possible to obtain evidence to complete records that were found to be incomplete, it has been done. No doubt there are errors and omissions in the original records that have been perpetuated in the revised rosters, but it is hoped that the number has been reduced to the minimum and that, in the main, the records will be found correct. Many of the official reports — so necessary to enable a complete history of the operations of the regiment to be compiled — are lacking, but in making up this condensed history the compiler has availed himself of such sources of information, not found in the official records, as could be considered reliable, and has been careful to avoid making any statement not strictly in accord with the facts

The regiment remained at Camp Strong until the 19th of October, 1862, on which date it marched to the levee at Muscatine and, embarking on transports, proceeded to St: Louis, where orders were received to proceed at once to Helena, Ark. "there it arrived and disembarked on the 28th of October, going into camp just south of the city and joining the brigade Commanded by Colonel McGinnis of the Eleventh Indiana. Many of the men had been attacked by sickness while upon the boat, and the unhealthy locality in which the regiment was now encamped added largely to the number upon the sick list. The privations and hardships endured by the Twenty-fourth Iowa, while at Helena and when engaged in the several expeditions in which it participated during the winter of l862-3, were the most severe in its history. On the 17th of November the regiment formed part of the force tinder General Hovey which proceeded to the mouth of White River; upon its return it engaged in another expedition to Goldwater, Miss., to co-operate with the movement of General Grant against Vicksburg and, on the 11th of January, 1863, it again formed part of a force engaged in another expedition up the White River, this time under General Gorman. While no considerable body of the enemy was encountered upon any of these expeditions, and no practical results were [accomplished] by them, the troops suffered almost unendurable hardships from exposure to storms of rain and snow, and the fatalities which resulted were as great as those sustained in many of the hard-fought battles in which the regiment subsequently participated. The survivors of the regiment always remembered that winter campaign as the most discouraging of the many through which they passed in their long period of service. Upon its return from the last expedition the regiment found its camp ground flooded, compelling removal to higher ground, and the change in location resulted in a decrease of the sick list, but many had died and a still larger number had been incapacitated for further service and were discharged. A considerable number of those who were thus discharged for disability never fully recovered.

On the 15th of February, 1863, the Twenty-fourth Iowa left Helena with its brigade, which formed part of the force under General Wasburn engaged in clearing out the obstructions in Yazoo Pass and opening the same to navigation. This duty, while arduous, gave the men active employment and relieved them from the depressing effects of witnessing the daily depletion of their ranks from disease, while lying idle in camp. Upon the return of the regiment to Helena, in the early spring, the troops with which it was associated were transferred to the Thirteenth Army Corps and ordered to join General Grant's army in its operations against Vicksburg, and were conveyed on transports to Milliken's Bend, where they disembarked and marched, over difficult and sometimes almost impassable roads, to Perkins’ Landing. Here, on the 28th of April, they again embarked on transports and barges and moved down the river to a point about four miles above Grand Gulf, where, without disembarking, they witnessed the tremendous artillery combat between the gunboats and the rebel batteries at Grand Gulf, which lasted for several hours. The troops had, in the meantime, been awaiting orders to land and co-operate with the gunboats in their attack upon the enemy's works, but, after prolonged bombardment, without apparent effect, the gunboats withdrew, and the attack by land was also abandoned. The troops disembarked and marched down the levee to a point three miles below Grand Gulf, where they bivouacked until morning. During the night the gunboats and a number of transports succeeded in passing the rebel batteries. The Twenty-fourth Iowa, with the other troops of the Thirteenth Corps, now embarked on transports and gunboats and were conveyed down the river to Bruinsburg, sixteen miles below Grand Gulf, where they landed and took up the line of march toward Port Gibson.

The Twenty-fourth Iowa had been assigned to the Second Brigade of the Twelfth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The brigade was composed of the Forty-seventh Indiana, Fifty-sixth Ohio, and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, and was under the command of Colonel James R. Slack of the Forty-seventh Indiana, from whose official report — in the absence of the report of the commander of the regiment — the following extracts are made, showing the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa in the battle of Port Gibson, May 1, 1863. After describing the formation and position of his brigade prior to the commencement of the engagement, Colonel Slack says:

During the formation of our lines, the battle opened a short distance to our left and front, and continued with great stubbornness for an hour, when General Hovey directed me to put my column in motion and support General Benton, whose forces were being hard pressed by overwhelming numbers. The whole column was immediately formed, and moved most gallantly to the point indicated, with the Forty-seventh Indiana and Fifty-sixth Ohio on the left and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa on the right. These positions were respectively taken under a severe fire of the enemy's infantry, and shell and canister from a whole battery at a distance of about two hundred yards, yet the several commands took their position in line without flinching, and advanced to within eighty yards of the enemy's battery, immediately after which General Hovey ordered Colonel Cameron, of the Thirty-fourth Indiana, to charge and take the battery, and ordered me to support the charge with the Fifty-sixth Ohio, which was immediately to the left of the Thirty-fourth Indiana.


While the fierce fighting which resulted in the capture of the battery and 220 prisoners from the rebel troops supporting it was in progress, the Twenty-fourth Iowa was held in reserve, but was ready to advance the moment the order was received. It was the regiment's first battle, and its officers and men chafed under being placed in reserve and not having their share of the fighting in this early period of the battle. Later in the day, however, the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were sent to the support of General Logan's division, on the extreme left. They promptly moved to the new position assigned them, as further shown by the report of Colonel Slack, in referring to the order, as follows:

In the afternoon the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were ordered to the rear and extreme left of the line, to suport Major General Logan's division, which was hotly engaged, and there continued fighting like veterans, as the men of that gallant state always have done, until the enemy was driven from the field and utterly routed at every point, and the curtain of night closed the scene.


At the close of his report Colonel Slack says:

To the cool and gallant conduct of all the field and line officers, and the persevering determination of each and every one in my command, I cannot express too much gratitude and admiration. To them belongs the glory of the triumph, every officer and every man having done his whole duty. . . . The whole number of casualties are: Killed 16; wounded, 62; missing, 11; total, 89 [see note 2].

It will thus be seen that in its first experience in battle the Twenty-fourth Iowa had acquitted itself with honor, and had shown that, whenever the opportunity came, it could meet the enemy with that same steady courage and determined bravery that it had exhibited while enduring the hardships and suffering of the campaign in Arkansas, during which it did not come into contact with the enemy in battle, but faced the grim messenger of death, in the form of disease, with the same if not greater fortitude than was requisite to face the death-dealing guns of its rebel foes.

The official report of General A. P. Hovey describes with great particularity all the movements of the troops of his division between the dates of May 2d and 16th, upon which latter date the battle of Champion's Hill was fought [see note 3]. During these movements more or less skirmishing with the enemy occurred, in which the Twenty-fourth Iowa had its share; and, in the battle which ensued, the regiment took the most conspicuous part and suffered the greatest loss of any of the gallant regiments of its brigade. Failing to find the official report of the regimental commander, the compiler again has recourse to the reports of the brigade and division commanders, Colonel Slack [see note 4] and General Hovey [see note 5]. The following extracts are from the report of Colonel Slack:

On the night of the 15th, we encamped on the Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad near Bolton Station. In the morning we left camp about six o'clock, and moved east about 7 miles, when we approached very nearly to the enemy, drawn up in line of battle. In pursuance of orders of Brigadier General Hovey, I formed the Second Brigade in two lines to the left of the road, in the field of one Champion [see note 6], with the artillery in advance. Soon thereafter I placed my lines of battle in advance of the artillery, and ordered two companies of the Forty-seventh Indiana, two companies, of the Fifty-sixth Ohio, and two companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, as skirmishers, who covered the whole front of the line and advanced toward the enemy. Skirmishing soon began, and continued for about one hour, when I advanced the whole line, with the Forty-seventh Indiana on the right, and the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left. The thick growth of underbrush and vines, ravines and hills, made it very difficult to advance, but it was accomplished with little disorder, until we reached the crest of the hill, where we found the enemy in very heavy force, about 200 yards in front of us, and under cover of a wood beyond a field. Then the battle began with great fury, our troops advancing for the purpose of driving the enemy from the cover of the woods, which was done at double-quick and in a most gallant manner, the men loading and firing as they advanced, and unfalteringly receiving a most deadly fire from the enemy; yet they pressed forward, as men only can do who are prompted by intelligent motives of patriotic devotion to a common country, until the rebel force was driven from the covering and forced to fall back a distance of 200 yards, with terrible loss, the ground being literally covered with dead and wounded rebels. In this daring and determined charge all the regiments lost most severely. The Twenty-fourth Iowa most gallantly charged upon a rebel battery of five guns, and took it at the point of the bayonet, killing many of the cannoneers and driving the remainder from their guns and some fifty yards to the rear, when a new rebel line, which had not been in action, appeared in treble our force, and opened a most murderous fire upon our lines, which the unflinching and determined braves of the Twenty-fourth Iowa resisted for fifteen minutes, but, because of the overwhelming force brought to bear upon them, reluctantly retired from the battery, but kept the rebel re-enforcements at bay by their incessant fire and stubborn resistance. This battery was subsequently retaken, and is now in our possession. During this terrific charge, Major Edward Wright, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, was severely wounded, immediately after which he captured a stalwart rebel prisoner and made him carry him off the field. . . . Our ranks being badly depleted, I directed the whole command to retire gradually from the field and take position near the crest of the hill where the rebel lines were first formed, which was done in good order, at which time a re-enforcement of one brigade came to our support, and after a few well directed volleys, with the aid of the batteries, which General Hovey had massed on the extreme right, the enemy was routed and fled in great confusion and disorder from the field. . . . Thus ended this unequal, terrible and most sanguinary conflict. . . . For two long hours my brigade held in check fully three times their number, and I hesitate not in saying that, had they not so gallantly and determinedly resisted, the fortunes of the day might have been greatly damaged, if not our glorious triumph turned into a defeat. During the progress of the battle, my command took a large number of prisoners, which were handed over to the Provost-marshal without any account being taken of them. Major L. H. Goodwin of the Forty-seventh Indiana and Major Edward Wright of the Twenty-fourth Iowa were. seriously wounded while gallantly leading their men, but I am more than grateful to know that they are both rapidly recovering and will soon be able to resume their respective positions. To those brave officers and men who fell in that sanguinary conflict and who resolved to do or die in defense of and for the perpetuation of the best Government ever known to civilization, we cannot do more than assure their friends at home that they fell with their faces to the foe, in defense of the constitution of a common country. . . . The whole number of casualties (detailed lists of which I herewith inclose) is as follows: Forty-seventh Indiana, killed 32, wounded 91, missing 17, total 140. Fifty-sixth Ohio, killed 20, wounded 90, missing 28, total 138. Twenty-fourth Iowa, killed 35, wounded 120, missing 34, total 189. Twenty-eighth Iowa, killed 21, wounded 62, missing 14, total 97. First Missouri Battery, wounded 2.


It will thus be seen that the entire loss of the brigade was 556, out of the four regiments and one battery of which it was composed, of which number the loss of the Twenty-fourth Iowa constituted; one-third. Near the close of his very full and complete report of the part taken by the two brigades of his division in the battle of Champion's Hill, General Hovey says:

I cannot think of this bloody hill without sadness and pride. Sadness for the great loss of my true and gallant men; pride for the heroic bravery they displayed. No prouder division ever met as vastly superior foe and fought with more unflinching firmness and stubborn valor. It was, after the conflict, literally the hill of death; men, horses, cannon, and the debris of an army lay scattered in wild confusion. Hundreds of the gallant Twelfth Division were cold in death or writhing in pain, and, with large numbers of Quinby's gallant boys, lay dead, dying or wounded, intermixed with our fallen foe. Thus ended the battle of Champion's Hill, and our heroes slept upon the field with the dead and dying around them. I never saw fighting like this. The loss of my division on this field alone was nearly one-third of my forces engaged. Of the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, in what words of praise shall I speak? Not more than six months in the service, their records will compare with the oldest and best tried regiments in the field. All honor is due to their gallant officers and men; and Colonels Gill, Byam and Connell have my thanks for the skill with which they handled their respective commands, and for the fortitude, endurance and bravery displayed by their gallant men. . . . Among the dead of the Second Brigade are the honored names of Captains Silas D. Johnson, William Carbee and First Lieutenant Chauncey Lawrence of the Twenty-fourth Iowa.


The total loss in both brigades of General Hovey's division in the battle of Champion's Hill was 1,202, of the 4,180 engaged [see note 7]. General Hovey places the loss of the Twenty-fourth Indiana at 40 per cent of its number engaged, and gives that as the maximum loss of any one regiment. Reference to the tabulated statement shows this to be an error. The Twenty-fourth Iowa had 417 enlisted men and officers engaged in the battle, and its loss was 189, over 45 per cent of the number engaged, and this was the heaviest percentage of loss of any regiment of the brigade or division. There were but nine companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa engaged at Champion's Hill; Company B, being at that time on detached duty at General McClernand's headquarters, was not engaged. The regiment had now been in the service less than eight months, yet it had taken its place by the side of regiments from other states which had participated in numerous battles and had won the designation of Veteran, had fought with equal distinction, had won the highest commendation of its brigade and division commanders and, at the very beginning of its experience under the fire of the enemy, had established a record for bravery and efficiency second to none of the gallant regiments from Iowa which had preceded it to the field.

The Twenty-fourth Iowa marched with its brigade from the battlefield of Champion's Hill to Black River Bridge, but did not arrive there in time to participate in the battle in which the Twenty-first and Twenty-third Iowa regiments won such distinguished honor. Remaining at Black River for a few days, the regiment continued its march to Vicksburg, where it arrived on the 24th of May and at once took its position on the line of investment in the center of General Hovey's division, where for the succeeding forty days it endured the hardships, dangers and privations incident to the siege of the rebel stronghold which surrendered to General Grant on the 4th of July, 1863. On the morning of July 5th, the regiment marched with its brigade and division, as a part of the army under General Sherman, in the expedition against Jackson, Miss., and participated in the operations which ensued, culminating in the evacuation of Jackson by the enemy on July 16, 1863, and the end of the great Vicksburg campaign. The total loss of the two brigades of General Hovey's division, from the commencement of the siege of Vicksburg to the evacuation of Jackson, was 155 killed and wounded, while that of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, during the same period, was 1 killed and 12 wounded. As there were twelve organizations in the division, the loss of the Twenty-fourth Iowa was about the same average as that -of the other regiments of the division. During the entire campaign the aggregate losses of the Twenty-fourth Iowa in battle were 208.

Upon its return to Vicksburg the regiment was allowed a brief period of rest in camp. Colonel Byam had resigned on the 30th of June, and Lieutenant Colonel Wilds had succeeded to the command of the regiment. About the middle of August, 1863, the regiment was transferred to a new field of operations. Embarking on transports, it was conveyed to New Orleans, and from there proceeded to Algiers. From the date of its arrival at Algiers, the compiler finds a carefully written record of its subsequent operations, during the year 1864, prepared by Major (later Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General [see note 8]) Ed Wright for the Adjutant General of Iowa [see note 9]. Only brief quotations can be made from this record and the copies of official reports which accompany it, on account of limitation of space, but the compiler will endeavor to include all the most important events which transpired during this period of the service of the regiment. Reference to the record will show that the events which transpired during each month of the year are carefully noted and the details given with great particularity, a large part of which are necessarily omitted in this historical sketch.

During the greater part of the month of January, 1863, the regiment was in camp at Algiers, La., being at that time a part of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The location of the camp was such that the men suffered much hardship from the wet weather which prevailed. On January 21st, the division was moved to Madisonville, La., on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain, and there the regiment found the most beautiful and attractive camping ground it had occupied since leaving the State of Iowa. There the regiment remained until February 26th, when it returned to its former camp at Algiers, and there, on the 3d of March, with its brigade and division, marched in review before General McClernand and was especially complimented by the General for its fine appearance and perfection in drill.

On March 5th, the regiment was conveyed by rail to Berwick Bay, La. From there all camp equipage that could possibly be dispensed with and all extra baggage was sent back to New Orleans, and the troops prepared for rapid marching as reinforcements to the army under General Banks, then engaged in his unfortunate Red River Expedition. The troops consisted of the Third Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps, which included the brigade to which the Twenty-fourth Iowa belonged. The division marched rapidly to Washington, La., where it overtook the Nineteenth Army Corps, under General Franklin. The march was continued, with occasional halts for rest, when, on the 31st of March, the troops arrived at Natchitoches, La., having marched 290 miles. The march was resumed on the 6th of April and, on the evening of the 7th, the troops arrived at Pleasant Hill, La., and found the cavalry engaged in a skirmish with the enemy at the front. The brigade was ordered to move forward and support the cavalry, but, after marching about one mile, found that the enemy had retired. At daylight the next morning the march was renewed, with the Fourth Division in advance. Five companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa were detailed as escort for the train in the rear. About 8 o'clock A. M. the advance encountered the enemy, who, after a short skirmish, retreated. The Third Division halted to await the arrival of the Nineteenth Corps, as the enemy was reported in strong force. At 2 P. M., the next day, the march was resumed. The troops marched very rapidly for five miles, when the enemy was discovered in force, the column was halted, and the First Brigade formed line of battle on the right of the road, with the Second Brigade in line on the left. The engagement which ensued was generally known as the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, but has sometimes been called the battle of Mansfield. Major Wright, who was in command of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, and who wrote the official report of the part taken by that portion of his regiment which was engaged in the battle, after describing the movements of his regiment and brigade prior to the opening of the engagement, says:

The Twenty-fourth, about 130 strong, Companies A, D, I, C and H having been detailed as train guard and left in the rear, under command of Capt Martin, was ordered to form in the rear as a reserve to the Second Brigade. The lines being formed, the advance was ordered. The lines moved forward near a fourth of a mile, when, coming to the edge of the field beyond the timber, a halt was ordered, and the line immediately engaged the enemy. The Twenty-fourth, about three hundred paces in the rear, was ordered to lie down. While in this position, my command received a severe raking artillery fire from the enemy's guns, posted in front of the right of the brigade. Having remained in this position about half an hour, during which time the front line was firing rapidly, I was ordered to move my command to the front, which I did by a left oblique movement, and came in on the left of the brigade, and took position in a ravine, at the edge of the timber. From the position there occupied, I could see with my field glass at least 8,000 of the enemy forming in the distance, but not within range of our muskets. The enemy's skirmishers had advanced to the edge of the hill in our front, and were protected by a battery immediately on their left, which had taken position behind some large buildings, from which place it was impossible for our weak line to dislodge it. The Fourth Division I could not learn anything of, and the only force to-oppose these heavy columns of the enemy was the Third Division, about 1,200 strong, and some straggling cavalry. This position was held for near an hour, when, the enemy advancing in heavy force — at least ten to one — and most of the command being out of ammunition, we were overwhelmed by numbers and compelled to retire from the field. This, however, was no easy task, as the enemy's cavalry was already far in our rear, both on the right and left, and we were assailed at all points. I ordered my command to confine their movements to the thick brush, as much as possible, and, by keeping in the woods between the road and an open field on our left, which was occupied by the enemy's cavalry, I succeeded in bringing the most of the command off the field, and forming in the rear of the Nineteenth Army Corps, about three miles from the battlefield, after which I procured ammunition for my men and joined with the One Hundred and Sixty-First New York Volunteers, and remained until after dark. The fight being over, I reported with my command to General Cameron, and marched back to Pleasant Hill, arriving there at sunrise on the morning of the 9th. Casualties during the day were 34, a list of which is hereto appended. The officers and men of my command all behaved well and stood at their posts until ordered to fall back, delivering their fire with a precision not to be surpassed. I cannot close this report without making some comments about the manner in which this battle was managed. It was understood when the army arrived at St. Patrick's Bayou that we had found the enemy in force, and why we should have been sent forward in detachments, only to be demolished by superior numbers, is a mystery to me. First the cavalry moved up and were repulsed; next the Fourth Division was moved forward, and shared the same fate. Then the Third Division moved forward on double quick for five miles, along a road blocked by trains, only to come in contact with an overwhelming force, before which it was compelled to retire. Who is responsible? I leave the question for the historian to answer, believing it will be answered correctly.

I have the honor to be, most respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Ed Wright,
Major Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.

N. B. Baker, Adjutant General State of Iowa.


The correct answer to Major Wright's question is readily given. His was only one of a number of brave Iowa regiments which lost heavily in that ill-fated expedition, through the utter incapacity of the Commanding General, Nathaniel P. Banks. The verdict of all military historians is unanimous with reference to the Red River Expedition and its commander. Both were stupendous failures. Major Wright displayed great skill and ability in being able to extricate his command from its perilous situation, with a loss of little less than one-third of the number engaged. While the loss was heavy, it is marvelous that, under the circumstances, it was not much greater. Had the other five companies of the regiment been engaged, the loss would have been proportionately greater. It was therefore fortunate that they were on detached duty.

Upon the return of the regiment to Pleasant Hill, Major Wright was placed in command of the brigade and Captain Martin assumed command of the regiment. The Third and Fourth Divisions of the Thirteenth Corps, under command of General Cameron, (General Ransom having been severely wounded,) were ordered to take charge of the train and proceed to Grand Ecore, on Red River. Here the command arrived, on the evening of the 11th, and began the construction of fortifications; Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, of the Twenty-eighth Iowa, succeeding Major Wright as brigade commander. The two divisions left Grand Ecore on the morning of the 22d and reached Cane River at 2 A. M. on the 23d, where the enemy was found strongly posted on the opposite side of the river, for the purpose of contesting the crossing of the Union troops. General Cameron did not attempt to force his way across the river under the fire of the enemy, but, moving his troops up the river, effected a crossing by wading, and thus outflanked the enemy and drove him from his position. A bridge was then put down, over which the army of General Banks had passed by 10 A. M. the next day, when the line of march was again taken up and the army arrived at Alexandria on the 25th. The retreat had been conducted by forced marches and the troops, marching day and night, were completely exhausted upon reaching Alexandria. Company A, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, had been detailed to guard the steamer "Hetty Gilmore" from Grand Ecore down the river. During the trip a detachment of the enemy attempted to capture the boat but was driven off. Two men of the company, Sergeant Charles Wager and Private Rudolph McKinley, were severely wounded, the company returned to the regiment at Alexandria. Lieutenant Colonel Wilds, who had been absent since December 6th on recruiting service in Iowa, rejoined the regiment at Alexandria and resumed command. Between the 25th of April and the 13th of May the regiment had several sharp skirmishes with the enemy, in which a number of its men were wounded. General Banks commenced his retreat from Alexandria on May 13th, and on the 22d the army reached Morganza Bend. The Twenty-fourth Iowa had a skirmish with the enemy while engaged in a reconnoitering expedition from Morganza, in which Captain B. G. Paul, of Company K, was killed, and four enlisted men were wounded. The losses of the regiment while connected with the troops commanded by General Banks had reached the aggregate number of 48, and the results accomplished, during that period of its service, were not only not commensurate with the loss, but the officers and men of the regiment were fully justified in the opinion that the sacrifice had been in vain, and they were rejoiced to know that a change for the better was in prospect.

The regiment left Morganza on June 13th, proceeded to Carrollton, La., and went into camp near Greenville Station, on the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad. Leaving there on the 21st, it was subsequently stationed at Kennerville and Thibodeaux, La., until July 6th, upon which date it proceeded by rail to Algiers, where it received — in exchange for the old Enfield rifles with which it had been supplied since taking the field — new Springfield rifles and accouterments. On the morning of July 22d the regiment embarked on the transport "Star of the South" and, soon after, put to sea, with orders to report to the commanding officer at Fortress Monroe, where, after enduring the usual discomforts of a sea voyage, it arrived on the 29th, and at once proceeded to Washington, D. C, arriving there at midnight and, the next morning, proceeding by rail to Monocacy, Md., reached that place on August 1st, where it joined a detachment of the Nineteenth Army Corps under command of General Emory. Colonel Wilds was placed in command of the brigade to which his regiment was attached.

The Twenty-fourth Iowa was now about to enter upon an entirely new field of warfare, in which but few of the regiments from its own State had been called to serve. On the 4th of August it was conveyed by rail to Harper's Ferry, where it arrived at midnight and moved out on the Winchester Pike and went into bivouac. On July 6th the regiment commenced a series of movements in connection with the army; first marching to Halltown, to intercept the army of 30,000 rebels, under the command of General Early, which was moving towards Maryland and Pennsylvania; but the rebel general was not yet ready for a general engagement, and, handling his force with consummate skill, managed to avoid a conflict. The Union force arrived at Cedar Creek, near Strasburg, Va., on August 12th, where it encamped and remained until the 15th, when it fell back to Charleston, where General Grover had just arrived with reinforcements from Washington, and a re-organization of the army took place. The Twenty-fourth Iowa was assigned to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, with Colonel Shunk, of the Eighth Indiana Veteran Infantry, commanding the brigade, General Grover commanding the division, and General Emory commanding the detachment of the Nineteenth Corps. The Army of the Shenandoah consisted of two divisions of the Nineteenth Corps, the Sixth Corps commanded by Major General Wright, the Army of Western Virginia commanded by General Crook and about 10,000 cavalry commanded by General Torbet, making in all an army of about 40,000, under command of Major General Sheridan.

On the 3d of September, General Sheridan began the series of movements which led up to the battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864. The part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa in that battle is described in the official report of Lieutenant Colonel Wright, as follows [see note 10]:


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
CAMP RUSSELL, VA., Nov. 19, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle of Opequon, or Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.

The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. Q. Wilds, but circumstances beyond his control prevented him from making an official report, prior to the batttle of Cedar Creek, at which place he was severely wounded, and has since died; for this reason I take the responsibility of making it myself. On the 18th of September, orders were issued from army headquarters, requiring all transportation to be sent to the rear, also all extra baggage, retaining only such articles as could not be dispensed with; these to be carried by the men, and officers' horses. Thus, stripped of everything that would encumber its movements, the Army of the Shenandoah retired to rest in camp near Berryville, Va., on the evening of the 18th, with orders to be in line of battle ready to move at 2 o'clock next morning. The Twenty-fourth Iowa belonged to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Detachment Nineteenth Army Corps. The brigade, consisting of the Eighth and Eighteenth Indiana Veteran Volunteers and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, was commanded by Colonel D. Shunk of the Eighth Indiana, the division by Brigadier General C. Grover, the corps by Brevet Major General Emory. At 3 o'clock the advance sounded, and the Nineteenth Corps moved out on the Winchester Pike, halting about three miles west of Berryville, for the Sixth Corps, commanded by Major General Wright, to pass, as it was to have the advance. The Army of Western Virginia, under command of General Crook, moved by another road to the right. Shortly after sunrise, the Sixth Corps having passed, the Nineteenth Corps was put in motion. The Second Division, having the advance, arrived at Opequon Creek about 9 o'clock A. M., when heavy skirmishing and some cannonading was heard in the front, near Winchester. Here we received orders to push forward rapidly, as the cavalry and Sixth Corps were already engaged. When we had reached a point about three miles from Winchester, we turned to the right and moved in the direction of the Winchester and Martinsburg Pike about one mile, and formed line of battle on the right of the Sixth Corps. The Second Division was formed in two lines. The First and Third Brigades formed the first line, and the Second and Fourth Brigades the second. The Twenty-fourth Iowa was on the left center, the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left, Eighth Indiana on the right, Eighteenth Indiana on the right center, the Fourth Brigade being on the extreme right. Soon after, the First Division, Nineteenth Corps, commanded by General Dwight, came up and formed in the rear as a reserve. In this position we remained until about 12 M., when the advance sounded and the whole line moved forward steadily. The front of the whole division was covered by a strip of woodland, near a third of a mile wide. Beyond this woodland was an open field about one-fourth of a mile wide, beyond which was woodland again. When the second line emerged into the open field, the first line was just entering the wood on the opposite side, having driven the enemy's skirmishers across the open field, and were driving the enemy. The enemy, discovering that our right flank was unprotected, threw a heavy column of infantry, with one battery of artillery, around on our right, nearly at right angles with our lines, and kept them concealed in a deep hollow. In consequence of a flank fire from this column, the first line gave back and passed through the second, when about half way across the field. This created some confusion, but the line was soon in good shape again, and moving forward steadily.

When within one hundred yards of the woods, the column that had been thrown around on our right opened out with musketry and canister shot, showering the iron hail along and almost parallel with our ranks, and mowing down our men by the score. As soon as the flank movement was discovered, the whole line was ordered to fall back to the woods, which was done in as good order as could be expected under the circumstances. The line was reformed and advanced about one-fourth of the way across the field and halted, holding the enemy at bay until some troops could be thrown around to our right, as the enemy's lines extended nearly half a mile to the right of ours. Up to this time the Twenty-fourth had had two officers mortally wounded, and two more severely; six enlisted men killed, and about thirty wounded. This line was held under a most destructive artillery fire from both the front and right flank for about two hours, when General Crook came up with the Army of Western Virginia and formed on the right, relieving the most of the Fourth Brigade. Captains Rigby, Smith and Martin, with Lieutenant Lucas, had been posted with their commands in a point of timber nearest the enemy, with orders to hold it at all hazards, and were not relieved. I had supplied them with ammunition, and when the fresh troops in making the final charge came up even with them, they moved forward with the line, which drove the enemy from every position taken until it became a perfect rout. In this last charge the Twenty-fourth lost a number of brave soldiers wounded, and one killed. After the Fourth Brigade was relieved (except as above mentioned) boxes were filled with ammunition, and it was moved to the extreme right in order to prevent any more flank movements of the enemy, but General Averill, coming in with his cavalry, rendered the movement entirely unnecessary. After the enemy was entirely routed and driven pell-mell from the field, the regiment was got together, and marched about two miles, and went into camp near Winchester, on the Front Royal Pike. Casualties during the day: Officers mortally wounded 2, severely, 4. Enlisted men killed, 9; wounded, 56; captured, 3. Total 74; a list of which is hereto appended. I cannot close this report without referring to Captain J. R. Gould, of Company D, and Lieutenant S. S. Dillman, of Company E, both having been mortally wounded while leading their men on in the hottest of the battle. Both were brave almost to rashness. In them the Twenty-fourth Iowa lost two valuable officers and society two valuable men.

I have the honor to be, most respectfully,

Your Obedient Servant,

ED WRIGHT,
Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.

COL. N. B. BAKER, Adjutant General of Iowa.


It will be seen from the foregoing report that the Twenty-fourth Iowa had, in its first battle in the east, gloriously maintained its previous proud record, and had upheld the honor of its State while fighting beside the trained veterans of the Army of the Potomac.

On the night of the 19th of September the regiment went into camp near Winchester. The next morning it marched towards Cedar Creek, and in the evening found the enemy strongly intrenched at Fisher's Hill. The Twenty-fourth Iowa actively participated in the movements which followed and which culminated in the battle of Fisher's Hill, in which, and in the pursuit which followed, the regiment participated, but fortunately — owing to the positions to which its brigade was assigned — it had but one officer and four men wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Wright, in his official report [see note 11], describes minutely the part taken by his regiment in the battle of Fisher's Hill, and highly commends the officers and men for their prompt obedience to orders and the gallant manner in which they conducted themselves during the battle and the subsequent pursuit of the enemy. The rebel General Early and his army had again been defeated and compelled to retreat up the Shenandoah valley.

In all the operations of its brigade and division; from the 23d of September until the 19th of October, upon which latter date the Twenty-fourth Iowa fought its last battle, the regiment performed its full share of duty and always acquitted itself with honor. Although it remained in the service for nearly six months after the battle of Cedar Creek, the remainder of its history, while characterized by the same faithful devotion to duty, was not marked by further severe conflict with the enemy. The compiler deems it most fitting, therefore, that the conduct of the regiment in the memorable battle of Cedar Creek, as portrayed in the official report of its gallant commander, should occupy the greater portion of the space left at his disposal for this historical sketch. In this, one of the most remarkable battles of the great War of the Rebellion, the Twenty-fourth Iowa suffered heavy loss, and ended its battle history by as splendid and heroic fighting as was ever exhibited upon any battlefield. The official report is here given in full [see note 12]:


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
CAMP RUSSELL, VA., Nov. 19, 1864.

COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., on the 19th of October, 1864. The regiment belonged to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps; Brevet Major General Emory commanding corps, Brigadier General Grover commanding division, and Colonel Shunk. Eighth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, commanding brigade. The brigade occupied the left of the second line, which was about two hundred paces in rear of the line of works occupied by the first line. The left of the brigade rested about two hundred yards to the right of the pike leading from Winchester to Stanton. The works in our front were occupied by the Third Brigade, Second Division Nineteenth Army Corps, with Battery D, First Rhode Island Artillery, near the pike on the left The regiment occupied the right center of the brigade, with the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left. The Eighth Corps, under command of Major General Crook, was posted on the left of the pike, and about three hundred paces to the front. The Sixth Corps was on the right of the Nineteenth, with its right thrown back toward Middletown, about one mile. Our teams parked about one mile in the, rear. The enemy was in camp at Fisher's Hill, some four miles to the front. In this position we rested on the evening of the 18th, not even suspecting our danger, or the Yankee trick that Early was going to play on us the next morning.

Soon after retiring to bed, Colonel Wilds, then in command of the regiment, received orders to have the men under arms at precisely 5 o'clock next morning, as the first line was to make a reconnaissance to the front, and the Fourth Brigade was to move up to the works as soon as vacated. In obedience to this order, at 5 o'clock the regiment was in line of battle, and ready to move to the works. Having reason to believe that the reconnaissance would not last more than one or two hours, as the order was not to bring on an engagement, everything except arms and accouterments were left in tents. At ten minutes past 5 o'clock, firing commenced on the picket line of the Eighth Corps. Supposing it to be only a reconnaissance by the enemy, it created but little alarm. In a few minutes heavy firing commenced on the left and front of the Eighth Corps. It was not yet daylight, and a dense fog, which had settled to the ground, rendered it almost impossible to distinguish objects at any distance. Soon after the firing commenced on the left, the brigade was ordered to move by the left flank, until the left of the Twenty-fourth Iowa rested on the pike. Colonel Wilds ordered me to ride to the left of the regiment, and to lead it to the place indicated, but, before reaching the pike, I was ordered to halt and take position, as we were already receiving the enemy's fire. The regiment was halted, and the right thrown forward so as to form a line across the crest of the hill, at an angle of forty-five degrees with the pike, the right of the brigade, Eighteenth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, supporting the battery on the left of the first line. The fog was so dense that it was impossible to tell what was in front of us, and, as the Eighth Corps was falling back at the time, our fire was reserved until the enemy had pressed his columns close up to and charged the battery on the right, one piece of which was captured. We held the position, however, until Colonel Shunk, discovering that the enemy had thrown a column across the pike on our left, ordered the brigade to fall back about five hundred yards, and take position parallel to and facing the pike. This was done in good order, and the position taken and held, until it became necessary, in the opinion of General Grover, to fall back, in order to prevent being cut off entirely. (Up to this time the regiment had lost six men killed and about forty wounded.) The order was given to fall back as rapidly as possible in the direction of the camp of the Sixth Corps. The enemy came in heavy force on our left and captured four officers and about forty men. The brigade fell back about one mile and formed between the First Brigade, General Birge, and the Sixth Corps, which was on the left.

Previous to this time, Colonel Wilds had been wounded and carried from the field. I had also received a bruise on my hip from a piece of shell, and a wound from a musket ball in the left arm near the elbow, which sickened me so that I could not ride for near an hour, and the regiment was commanded by Captain L. Clark, during my absence. Soon after I returned to the regiment, which was then in the position above mentioned, the enemy made a flank movement to the left of the Sixth Corps, rendering it necessary for it to fall back, and we were ordered to retire by the right of regiments to the rear. We moved in this manner nearly three miles, halted, took position, procured ammunition and prepared to renew the battle. After we had rested about half an hour, Major General Sheridan came on the field, having been absent since the morning of the 18th. He ordered the Eighth Corps to take position on the left of the pike between Middletown and Newtown, the Sixth Corps the center, and the Nineteenth Corps the right. Sent two divisions of cavalry to the right, and one to the left. The Fourth Brigade was formed on the extreme left of the Nineteenth Corps, connecting with the right of the Sixth Corps, in this position the troops were ordered to rest, and throw up some temporary works.

About 12 o'clock I was ordered to move the Twenty-fourth Iowa to the extreme right of the Nineteenth Corps, and protect the flank. I immediately moved to the place indicated, took position and threw out a skirmish line. In this position I remained until 3 o'clock P. M., when I received orders to call in my skirmishers and take my place in the line, as it was going to advance. My skirmishers had just reported when the advance was sounded. In order to get my position in the line, I had to double quick about one mile, and, during the greater part of this distance, we had to pass through the fire of the enemy's guns, which overshot our advancing columns, the shells exploding in the rear. About 3 ½ o'clock, I got my place in the line, which steadily advanced, driving the enemy from every position taken until we reached the camp we left in the morning. Here we halted and made some coffee, (those of us who were fortunate enough to have any,) the first we had tasted since the evening of the 18th. We found one wounded officer there, who had hidden among the rocks during the day, and quite a number of our wounded men. Everything was taken from our camp, leaving the men and most of the officers without haversacks, blankets or shelter tents. At 8 o'clock P. M., the regiment moved forward, with the brigade, to a point near Strasburg, to protect the parties that were sent out to collect the property abandoned by the enemy in his hasty retreat. There we bivouacked for the night, without fires, the men suffering severely for want of blankets and proper clothing to protect them from the excessive cold. On the following morning (20th) the remainder of the Second Division came up, and we went into camp about one mile from Strasburg.

It would appear invidious to mention individual cases of gallantry during the day, when all, both men and officers, did their whole duty. I cannot close, however, without referring to the bravery of our lamented Colonel Wilds, who was wounded soon after daylight and died November 18th. In him we lost a noble, brave and efficient officer. Captain Knott and Lieutenant Kurtz were wounded and captured, but both were retaken in the evening. Captain Smith and Lieutenant Davis were captured in the morning about daylight. The loss of the regiment was: Killed; enlisted men 7. Wounded; officers 6, enlisted men 39. Captured; officers 2, enlisted men 39. Total casualties 93; a list of which is hereto annexed.

I have the honor to be, most respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

Ed Wright,
Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.

N. B. Baker, Adjutant General State of Iowa.


During the remainder of the month of October the regiment participated in the various movements of its brigade and division in the Shenandoah Valley, but did not again come into contact with any considerable force of the enemy. In the early part of November the regiment was engaged in the duty of escorting supply trains for the army. On the 8th of November, 1864, the officers and men of the regiment recorded their choice for President of the United States, with the following result: Whole number of votes cast, 303, of which Abraham Lincoln received 285 and George B. McClellan 18. On November 10th the regiment arrived at Camp Russell, where the army of the Shenandoah was encamped, and during the remainder of the month was engaged in the erection of fortifications and building cabins for winter quarters. In December the winter quarters were completed, and the regiment was engaged in the performance of picket and escort duty until the close of the month. On December 30th the regiment was assigned to the post at Winchester, Va. On the 6th of January, 1865, the Twenty-fourth Iowa left Winchester and proceeded by rail to Baltimore, thence by steamship to Savannah, Ga., where it went into camp and remained for two months. It then moved to Morehead City, N. C, and, from that point, to Goldsboro and Raleigh, escorting transportation trains. After the surrender of the rebel General Johnston's army, it returned to Savannah, moved thence to Augusta, Ga., with the Twenty-second and Twenty-eighth Iowa, crossed the river at Augusta and went into camp near the town of Hamburg, S. C, where it remained until the 6th of June, when, with the other Iowa regiments, it was ordered to return to Savannah. Its last long march was completed on June 20th. The regiment then went into camp at Savannah, where it remained until the 17th day of July, 1865, on which date it was mustered out of the service of the United States. A few days later it was provided with transportation to Davenport, Iowa, and, upon its arrival there, was disbanded, and the survivors returned to their homes, there to resume and discharge the duties of citizens, with the same fidelity they had shown as soldiers, while engaged in the defense of their country against armed treason and rebellion. No Iowa regiment has a more distinguished record than the Twenty-fourth, and there were only a few others whose operations covered such a wide extent of territory. Everywhere, in camp or garrison, upon the march, in battle, and under all the vicissitudes of its long and arduous service, it maintained in the highest degree the honor of the flag and its State. The archives of the State of Iowa and of the War Department at Washington contain no more glorious record of valor and patriotic service than that of the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers.


SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES

Total Enrollment 1,204
Killed 71
Wounded 260
Died of wounds 55
Died of disease 201
Discharged for disease, wounds or other causes 235
Buried in National Cemeteries 117
Captured 76
Transferred 55


[Note 1.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 8 and 11. Report of Adjutant General or Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 850 to 883; Original Roster of the Regiment.

[Note 2.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 24, page 610. War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 24, page 583. The tabulated statement shows the losses by regiments, as follows: Forty-seventh Indiana, killed 5, wounded 20, missing 1; Twenty-fourth Iowa, killed 1, wounded 5; Twenty-eighth Iowa, killed 3, wounded 14, missing 3; Fifty-sixth Ohio, killed 6, wounded 23, missing 7; Second Illinois Light Artillery, Battery A, killed 1. Total, 89.

[Note 3.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, pages 40 to 47 inclusive.

[Note 4.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 54.

[Note 5.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 40.

[Note 6.] Which gave the name to the battlefield.

[Note 7.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 8. Tabulated returns of casualties in battle of Champion's Hill.

[Note 8.] See Revised Roster of the Regiment, following this sketch.

[Note 9.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1144 to 1162 inclusive.

[Note 10.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1153, 4, 5.

[Note 11.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1156, 7.

[Note 12.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1157, 8, 9.


SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 3, p. 781-94

Friday, February 19, 2010

Tenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry

The Tenth regiment was ordered into quarters by the Governor in the latter part ol August, 1861. Nine full companies had assembled at the designated rendezvous by the 6th of September, and were mustered into the service of the United States by Capt. Alexander Chambers, United States Army, at Camp Fremont, near Iowa City, on the 6th and 7th days of September, 1861. The date of the completed muster of the tenth company (K) appears in the official record as October 11th, which would indicate that the company was not filled to the maximum until after the regiment had taken the field.

The names of its field and staff and company officers at organization will be found in the subjoined roster, and the subsequent changes, on account of death, promotion, resignation, or from whatever cause, will be found in the alphabetically arranged roster which follows, with the personal record of service opposite the name of each officer and enlisted man. These records have been compiled from the official reports of the Adjutant General of Iowa, supplemented by those on file in the War Department at Washington, in so far as access could be obtained to those records. It is more than possible that, with all the care that has been taken to make these records accurate, some errors have been made. When the magnitude of the work and the length of time which has transpired since the close of the war are taken into consideration, it will not be a matter for surprise —however much it is to be regretted — that all the mistakes as well as omissions revealed by these old records could not be discovered and corrected. It is believed that, in the main, these paragraphs will be found to properly represent the facts, briefly stated, connected with the personal service of each soldier of the regiment.

September 24, 1861, the regiment embarked on board transports at Davenport, for St. Louis, arriving there on the 27th. Here it received its arms, uniforms and camp equipments, and on October 1st was ordered to Cape Girardeau to aid in fortifying that place against a threatened attack of the enemy. From Cape Girardeau, the regiment engaged in an expedition which resulted in the dispersion of a rebel force under the command of Gen. Jeff Thompson. November 12th it was ordered to Bird's Point, and from that place engaged in several expeditions, in one of which — near Charleston — it had a sharp encounter with the enemy, resulting in a loss to the Tenth Iowa of 8 killed and 16 wounded [see note 1]. The regiment suffered greatly while at Bird's Point from sickness, the prevailing and most fatal malady being measles, the aggregate loss from November 12, 1861, to March 4, 1862, being 96 by death and by discharge on account of disease. It will thus be seen that in less than six months the regiment had suffered a loss of 120 men in killed and wounded and by death and discharge because of sickness. It was repeating the experience of the Iowa regiments which had preceded it, in the loss of a large number who could not withstand the hard conditions to which they were subjected by the change from the comforts of their home life to the hardships and exposure of the camp and the march during a winter campaign.

Early in March, 1862, the regiment was ordered to New Madrid, Mo., where it participated in the operations that led up to the evacuation of that place by the enemy; and a detachment from the Tenth Iowa, under Major McCalla, was first to enter the rebel works. It also assisted in the capture of Island No. 10, and in the pursuit of the enemy to Tiptonville, where 5,000 of the enemy and a large quantity of military supplies were captured. Following this brilliant achievement, the Tenth Iowa, now a part of the Union Army of the Mississippi, embarked on board transports and, in conjunction with the federal gunboats, made a demonstration against the rebel Fort Wright; but the army was abruptly recalled, just as these operations were fairly under way, to re-inforce the Army of the Tennessee, in its operations against the rebel stronghold at Corinth, Miss., and, proceeding up the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, the transports landed the troops at Hamburg, Tenn., from which point they marched to Corinth, and became part of the investing force in the siege which followed.

In the operations around Corinth, the regiment acquitted itself with great credit and received the warm commendation of its experienced commander, Colonel Perczel, for its gallant conduct in the skirmish with the enemy, May 26, 1862. Corinth was evacuated May 30, 1862, and the Tenth Iowa participated In the pursuit of the enemy until ordered to return, when it went into camp on Clear Creek, near Corinth, on June 15th, where it remained until June 29th, when it was sent on an expedition to Ripley, forty miles distant, and returned to its camp on Clear Creek, July 6th, where it remained until July 29th, when it marched to Jacinto and went into camp near that place, where it remained until September 18th. On that date, the rebel army under Generals Price and Van Dorn was in possession of Iuka, within striking distance of our camp, and General Rosecrans moved his troops (of which the Tenth Iowa formed a part) on the 19th of September, towards Iuka, and on the evening of that day the enemy met him, and the battle of Iuka began.

The Tenth Iowa occupied a most fortunate position in this battle, which enabled it to inflict heavy loss upon the enemy with but slight loss to itself. The manner in which the regiment was handled reflected great credit upon its commander. The following extract from the report of Colonel Perczel will show the great skill with which he executed the orders of his brigade commander, General Sullivan:

Agreeably to your orders, I advanced on September 19th about 5 P. M. with my regiment and a section of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, under Lieutenant Immell. After a short survey of our line of battle, I took position with seven companies, a cheval [see note 2] on the Iuka road, about a quarter of a mile ahead of our left wing. I sent three companies to the right into a dense wood; then I put my two pieces into position, and threw a few shells in an oblique direction, where I discovered the rebel lines. My three companies in the woods reported a full brigade of rebels advancing on our left wing, on which I withdrew them, and, leaving only one company for the observation of the enemy, I changed front perpendicular to our line of battle on the Iuka road. I planted my two pieces anew, and thus obtained a dominating flanking position. Being on a ridge, I could watch the enemy's movements, who had to cross a broken open field In order to attack our forces. They soon emerged from the woods, opened a heavy Are, and advanced on our lines. Their fire was returned, and I too opened with musketry and canister. The rebels wavered, fell back a little, but were soon rallied and advanced again, nothing daunted by our fire, which made great havoc in their ranks. They followed our left wing Into the woods, and for a short time there was no enemy In our sight; but suddenly a full regiment marched out from the woods on their side, offering their right flank to my fire, with the evident Intention to advance to the support of their forces already engaged. I opened instantly with canister and musketry, on which they fell back to the woods. • • • They attempted twice to advance but were driven back each time. We had the advantage of the ground. Our fire told fearfully upon them, while we suffered next to nothing. Their fire, up a steep hill, had been altogether too high. • • • Night coming on, I drew a little closer to our main body; but on the report of Company I, which I left to observe the enemy's movements, that a new body of rebels was advancing, I advanced again with three companies. As we approached, the enemy opened upon us, but owing to the darkness, and again to their up-hill firing, not a man was hurt. We returned the fire with great execution, as we found on the morning of the 20th the ground strewn with the bodies of their dead. • • •


At the close of his report, the Colonel thanks his officers and men for the promptness with which they executed his orders, and says, "The Tenth Iowa have proved themselves good soldiers." He further says, "I have to mention efficient services and assistance of our brave Major N. McCalla, and of my Adjutant, Wm. Manning, and also the able and brave manner in which Lieutenant Immell handled his two pieces of artillery."

The entire loss of the regiment in this battle was but 7 men wounded. It is but seldom that such effective service is performed in battle with such slight loss. In all the battles in which it was subsequently engaged, the Tenth Iowa was never so fortunate as to escape with so small a loss in proportion to the magnitude of the engagement and the number of the regiment engaged. Major General Rosecrans, who was the chief in command, says In his official report: “The Tenth Iowa, under Colonel Perczel, deserves honorable mention for covering our left flank from the assault of the Texas Legion."

Brig. Gen. C. S. Hamilton says, "An attempt to turn the left flank of my division by a heavy force of the enemy, moving up the open field and ravine on my left, was most signally repulsed by Colonel Perczel with the Tenth Iowa and a section of Immell's battery. So bravely was this attempt repulsed that the enemy made no more attempts in that direction."

Brig. Gen. J. C. Sullivan, who commanded the brigade to which the Tenth Iowa was attached, says, "The Tenth Iowa, with a section of the Twelfth Wisconsin Battery, was ordered to hold a road leading to our left and rear. The regiment held the position assigned them, and drove back a brigade of rebels which was advancing to take possession of the road. Colonel Perczel gallantly held his position, and by his determined stand led the enemy to believe we were in strong force at that point, and to desist from their attack." The commendations of these generals show that the service of the Tenth Iowa was most important, and that it was fully appreciated.

The next experience of the regiment under fire was in the battle of Corinth, on the 3d and 4th days of October, 1862. The position to which the Tenth Iowa was assigned on the first day of the battle was again a fortunate one, as will be seen by the following extract from the official report of its commanding officer, Major Nathaniel McCalla. After describing the position occupied — a shallow cut on the line of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad — he says:

While In this position the fire from their batteries was kept up, raking the ground, and would have done immense damage but for the fact that at this point where the line was formed on the track, there was a cut which formed a good shelter, their balls passing over our heads, many of them lodging In the opposite bank, so closely had they raked the ground. Seeing an attempt on the part of the enemy to move forward one of their batteries to a point on the railroad to our right, from which they could open upon us an enfilading fire, I ordered the regiment to file Into the dense woods in our rear by the left flank, having cleared the track In time to avoid a raking fire. I again formed a line of battle, and marched to the rear, under the incessant fire of their battery, whose firing had now become too high to do much damage.


The Major conducted his regiment through the woods to the left until he reached the main road leading directly to the front. On this road the enemy's pickets were discovered, and the regiment was immediately deployed as skirmishers, but the enemy did not advance, and the Tenth Iowa remained in line until morning. On the morning of the 4th, in obedience to orders, Major McCalla moved his regiment to a new position to the left and rear of the line he had occupied during the night, and went into line of battle in support of the Sixth Wisconsin Battery. Of the conduct of the regiment in the second day's battle Major McCalla reports as follows:

At about 10 A. M., the firing of the skirmishers In front of us became rapid, and the advancing columns of the enemy soon drove them back; but they rallied to a point directly in front of our line, and until they had retired to our rear, I could not order my regiment to fire; but as soon as the space In front was cleared I gave the order to commence firing, which was kept up with spirit, but without very materially checking the advance of the enemy, who approached us in overwhelming numbers. My men had fired from 15 to 20 rounds, when I perceived that numbers of the enemy were passing around the right and getting in the rear of my line, and also that the battery on my left had been silenced and taken, and the enemy pressing forward to the left of us. I ordered the regiment to fall back, which it did in good order, to a distance of about seventy-five yards, when I made a halt, facing about and again opening fire; but being unable to retain this position. I again ordered the regiment back under cover of the Twelfth Wisconsin, and Powell's batteries. Passing to the rear in line of battle, I halted at a position immediately between these batteries. I then marched forward and occupied the same ground from which we had retired, during the remainder of the battle. The casualties in the regiment were 6 men wounded on the first day, and one commissioned officer [see note 3] and 30 men wounded and 3 killed on the second day.


Major McCalla makes special mention of Capt. N. A. Holson, Acting Lieutenant Colonel, and Capt. Jackson Orr, Acting Major, also Wm. Manning, Adjutant, commending these officers for their assistance to him and for their coolness and courage. He also states that the line officers, without an exception, deported themselves with the greatest gallantry.

The brigade commander, General Sullivan, in his official report, says: "The Tenth Iowa sustained the brunt of the first attack of the enemy, until the regiment on their left gave way, and their flank was exposed, when they slowly fell back fighting."

After the battle of Corinth, the regiment had a short period of rest in camp, but, on November 1st, it was again on the move, participating in expeditions to Grand Junction, Davis Mills, Holly Springs and Moscow. It did not encounter the enemy in any of these movements.

From Moscow, the regiment marched with the army under General Grant down the line of the Mississippi Central Railroad. The objective point of the expedition was Vicksburg, but the capture of Holly Springs by the skillfully executed cavalry raid of the rebel General Van Dorn, and the destruction of the vast stores of supplies which General Grant had accumulated at that point, compelled the abandonment of the expedition and the prompt retreat of the Union army. It became necessary to at once dispatch a train of several hundred wagons to Memphis for supplies, and the Tenth Iowa was one of the regiments selected to guard this immense train over the long road to Memphis and back to meet the retreating army which had become reduced almost to the starving point, before the train met them upon its return with the needed supplies. After performing this important service, the regiment remained for one month in camp at White's Station, and then moved to Memphis, where, on the 4th of March, 1863, it embarked and proceeded down the river, to enter actively upon the greatest campaign thus far attempted during the war. The compiler of this sketch realizes with regret that the limitation of space to which he is restricted will not permit him to go into particularity of detail in describing the operations of the Tenth Iowa Infantry in this great campaign, or in those which followed, down to the close of the war. To do so would require a volume, instead of the few pages which follow.

The regiment accompanied the hazardous expedition through the tortuous windings of the Yazoo Pass, over two hundred miles from the Mississippi, and returned to Helena on the 9th of April, 1863. It now belonged to the Third Brigade of the Seventh Division of General McPherson's Seventeenth Army Corps, with which it participated in the brilliant series of battles at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills and in that sanguinary charge upon the enemy's works at Vicksburg on the 22d of May. In all of these engagements the regiment displayed the same valor and prompt obedience to orders which it had shown in all its preceding encounters with the enemy, but its splendid achievement and heavy loss at Champion Hills on the 16th of May, 1863, is considered by many of the survivors as not only by far the most notable record the regiment made during the Vicksburg campaign but of the entire war. In that hard fought battle the division to which the Tenth Iowa belonged was commanded by the gallant General M. M. Crocker of Iowa [see note 4]. The regiment here stood its ground in an open stand up fight, taking and returning the fire of the enemy at close range until its last round of ammunition was exhausted. On no part of the battlefield was the fighting so severe, persistent or protracted. Iowa was conspicuous in this battle, five of her regiments — the Fifth, Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth — being engaged, and all acquitting themselves with great credit. The Tenth lost nearly one-half of its number engaged. Of its officers, Capt. Stephen W. Poage, Lieut. James H. Terry and Lieut, Isaac H. Brown, were killed on the field, and Capt. Robert Lusby, Capt. Nathan A. Holson, Capt. Albert Head, Lieut. John W. Wright, Lieut. A. L. Swallow, Lieut. Elbert J. Kuhn, Lieut. George Gregory and Lieut. William P. Meekins, were wounded. The total loss of the regiment in this battle was 158, 34 killed and 124 wounded.

On the 19th of May the regiment had reached the position to which it was assigned in the rear of Vicksburg, and became part of the investing force in the siege. The regiment participated in the charge on the 22d of May and lost 3 killed and 24 wounded. Here the gallant Captain Head was again severely wounded. The regiment remained on duty, in the trenches as sharpshooters, supporting batteries, and performing its full part in the siege operations until June 22nd, when It was transferred, with its brigade, to the defensive line on Black River to guard against the possible attempt of the rebel General Johnston to raise the siege by attacking the besieging force in the rear.

The regiment remained upon this important duty until after the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, when it was immediately sent in pursuit of Johnston's army, which had been withdrawn to the defensive works around Jackson, against which the army under General Sherman promptly began siege operations, which ended on July 16th, upon the evacuation of Jackson by the forces under Johnston, and their retreat into the interior of Mississippi. Thus ended the Vicksburg campaign, with such satisfactory results for the Union army, and such disastrous results for the enemy. The victory had been won, however, at a tremendous cost. On both sides many thousands had been killed and wounded, and thousands more were to share their fate before the final triumph of the Union arms. On the 19th of July the Tenth Iowa returned to Vicksburg, and from there proceeded to Helena, Ark., with its division, where it remained until the last of September, when it was ordered to proceed to Memphis, there to unite with the Fifteenth Army Corps under Maj. Gen. Wm. T. Sherman, and to march across the country to Chattanooga, there to re-inforce the Army of the Cumberland and to deal another crushing blow to the enemies of the Union.

On the 17th of October the long and toilsome march was begun. For thirty-two days the army under Sherman pressed forward and, on the 19th of November, arrived at Chattanooga. There the great struggle was renewed around Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. The Tenth Iowa participated in the storming of Missionary Ridge, November 25th, and performed its full share in that memorable contest, in which it seemed impossible that human valor could accomplish the task of scaling those formidable heights. The loss of the regiment in this engagement was 11 killed, 35 wounded and 6 captured, out of 250 engaged.

After this battle the Tenth Iowa was moved to Bridgeport, thence to Larkinsville, Ala., and thence to Huntsville, where it went into camp January 9, 1864. Here, in the beginning of February, the requisite number to retain the regimental organization re-enlisted as veterans and were mustered into the service on March 30, 1864.

No better test of patriotism could have been shown by these brave and devoted men. They knew what war meant, had experienced its hardships, privations and horrors on the march and on the battlefield. They longed most earnestly to return to home and loved ones and yet, so long as the supreme object, for which they had first enlisted remained to be accomplished, they were willing to still forego the comforts of home and all its dear associations. To thousands of these brave and true men, who subsequently died in battle or from sickness, the high resolve to serve their country to the end was typical of that most sublime feeling that ever dominated the action of a human being — the feeling of total self-abnegation.

On April 30th the regiment was ordered to Decatur, Ala. During its stay there it was engaged in fortifying the place and, by way of diversion from such hard labor, had occasional skirmishes with the enemy's cavalry. On the 15th of June, the re-enlisted men of the regiment received the long-looked-for and very welcome order to proceed to Iowa on veteran furlough. After a most enjoyable visit of thirty days at their homes, they returned to the field and rejoined their comrades at Kingston, Ga., on the 1st of August. The reunited regiment now took part in various expeditions directed mainly against the rebel General Wheeler's large cavalry force which, by skillful maneuvering, managed to avoid coming in contact with the Union troops, while Inflicting considerable damage by tearing up railroad track and capturing supplies. The regiment returned from the last of these expeditions on the 15th of September, and again went into camp at Kingston. In the meantime, the Union cavalry force had been increased sufficiently to drive the rebel General Wheeler across the Tennessee river, and to relieve the infantry from the duty of guarding the railroad.

On the 28th of September, 1864, the non-veterans (those who had not reenlisted) were mustered out of the service and departed for their homes in Iowa. It must be said here that these men who had honorably and faithfully fulfilled the terms of their full period of service, and who did not feel that it was their duty to make the further sacrifice of remaining to the close of the war, were entitled to the gratitude of every loyal citizen. They were honorably discharged and returned to their homes to receive the commendations of their neighbors and friends for their long period of service and sacrifice. Many of them were broken in health, many bore upon their persons the scars of wounds received in battle, and all had earned the high regard and cordial welcome which was everywhere extended to them upon their return.

Early in October the Tenth Iowa Veteran Infantry received about 150 recruits, a number a little more than equal to that of the non-veterans mustered out. On the 3d of October the regiment moved from Kingston to Cartersville, and thence to Atlanta, where General Sherman had concentrated his army, preparatory to beginning his march to Savannah.

The story of that great march through the State of Georgia, "from Atlanta to the Sea," has been immortalized in song, and has its place in history as one of the most remarkable military expeditions ever undertaken, or accomplished. The Tenth Iowa, as a part of the Third Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps, participated actively in this great march, and in the reduction of the enemy's works around Savannah, the capture of Fort McAllister, the opening of communication with the federal fleet in the harbor, and the occupation of the city, on the 21st day of December, 1864, after which the regiment went into camp a short distance from the city and remained there until January 9, 1865. On the last named date, the concluding campaign of the war began. The regiment with its brigade and division crossed the river and entered the State of South Carolina, and began the long and toilsome march towards the North.

For nearly three months the march was continued, under the most difficult conditions; sometimes over almost impassable roads, wading through swamps, crossing swollen streams, through almost Incessant rains, and frequent skirmishes with the enemy, now rendered desperate by the certainty that their last line of resistance must soon be overcome. At last, after marching nearly five hundred miles, the Fifteenth Corps entered Goldsboro, N. C, on the 22d day of March, 1865, and went into camp for a season of rest and recuperation. Up to this time the troops had been compelled to subsist mainly upon such supplies as could be obtained from the country through which they passed, and which had often been found deficient, both in quantity and quality. Here, however, supplies were obtained in abundance from the seaboard, and the soldiers improved rapidly in health and strength.

The regiment left Goldsboro on the 7th of April. Their next halting place was at Raleigh, N. C, where they witnessed the capitulation of the rebel army under General Johnston and the removal of the last organized resistance to the Union army in its victorious march to Petersburg and Richmond, and on to Washington. Arrived at Washington, the regiment participated in the grand review, and afterwards returned to its camp near the city, where it remained until early In June, when it was ordered to Louisville, Ky., where it remained until the latter part of June, when it was ordered to proceed to Little Rock, Ark., where it arrived early In July. Here it remained until August 15, 1865, on which date it was mustered out of the service, and proceeded to Davenport, Iowa, where it was disbanded, and the men were sent to their homes.

The record of the Tenth Iowa Infantry is absolutely without blemish. In Its long and arduous service in ten of the states that were in rebellion against the Government, its many battles, its weary marches, its patient endurance of hardships, its implicit obedience to orders — in all that goes to make up a history of service well and faithfully performed, the regiment stands in the front rank of Iowa's splendid military organizations. No man who served in its ranks and contributed to its good record could leave a more glorious heritage to his posterity. The State of Iowa has honored itself in making provision for the permanent preservation in its archives of the military history of the men who fought for the maintenance of the Union in the great War of the Rebellion. So long as patriotism is honored among men will these records be perused by the loyal sons and daughters of the heroic men who gave their services to their country in her time of greatest need.


SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES.

Total enrollment 1319
Killed 63
Wounded 277
Died of wounds 35
Died of disease 135
Discharged for disease, wounds or other causes 288
Buried in National Cemeteries 60
Captured 17
Transferred 49


[Note 1.] Report of Lieut. Col. Wm. E. Small, Page 844, Vol. 2, Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863. Also Page 185 — 1866 Report.

[Note 2.] "A cheval." Placed so as to command two roads, or the space between two sides.

[Note 3.] Capt. Albert Head of Company F, wounded severely in the forehead.

[Note 4.] General Crocker entered the service as Captain of Company D, Second Infantry: was promoted to Major of that regiment, was the first Colonel of the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry, and was later promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers.


SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 2, p. 145-52