Showing posts with label 26th IL INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 26th IL INF. Show all posts

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Major Charles Wright Wills: March 22, 1865

Bentonville, N. C., March 22, 1865.

The enemy left about 2 a. m. Our brigade was ordered to follow them to Mill creek, about three miles, which we did almost on the double quick, the 26th Illinois in advance pushing their rear guard. The brigade went to Mill creek, but our skirmishers went a mile further, to Hannah's creek. The 26th had seven wounded. I saw in one place a dead Rebel and one of our men burned horribly. The woods have all been burned over here. In another place a dead Rebel and one of our men with his foot cut half off, one of his toes cut off, several more cuts on his body, and a bullet hole in his temple. Some of the boys saw one of our men with leg cut off in five places. Some surgeon had probably been practicing on the last two men.

They were 14th Corps men, Sherman again says the campaign is over, that he only came out here to show Johnston that he is ready to fight all the time. We start back for Goldsboro (24 miles), to-morrow. Hurrah for mail and clean clothes. Colonel and I occupy the outside of a house to-night, in the inside of which is a Chinese-eyed girl with a Creole mouth. She is as intelligent as a door post. You don't know how anxious I am to hear from you. I have had a reply to but one letter that I have written since last November (15th). Our little supper is now ready. Don't see how we will get along without Frank.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 366-7

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Major Charles Wright Wills: March 21, 1865

March 21, 1865.

We moved out this morning just before daylight and got within 50 yards of the Rebel skirmish line, but nothing going forward on our right or left, we returned to our original position. Had one man in Company H slightly wounded. We could have held our advanced line just as well as not. I think our right must rest on the river. Some 35,000 or 40,000 Rebels are reported here under Johnston. Some prisoners report Lee. I would like to see them whaled, but would like to wait until we refit. You see that too much of a good thing gets old, and one don't enjoy even campaigning after 50 or 60 days of it together. I believe I am surfeited with oven bread — (“death balls” our cook calls them), biscuit, and pork. I feel finely; wet from head to foot, has rained since noon hard most of the time. About 1 p. m. the main line moved out on our skirmish line, and as quick as they get their works up (about one-half hour), our regiment deployed as skirmishers on our brigade front, and our whole corps skirmish line moved forward. I think the 17th drove the enemy on our right at the same time. We took their skirmish pits along the whole front of our division, but they were very close to their main line and we did have a very interesting time holding them, I assure you. I don't think it was more than 75 yards to the main line of the Rebel works, and they in plain sight, only a straggling scrub oak undergrowth and a few large pines intervening. The Rebels came out of their works twice to retake their pits.

The first time the left of our regiment had to fall back, the brigade on our left giving way and exposing our flank, but we all rallied in a minute and made the Johnnies fairly fly back. The next time our brigade again broke, but our men held their pits, and the 26th Illinois, which was just coming out to relieve our regiment, faced its left wing for the pits occupied by the enemy, and went for them with a first-class yell. You should have seen the Rebels run. It did me a power of good. The other brigade then came back to their position, the 26th relieved me, and we are now ready for bed. We have been wonderfully fortunate to-day, only 10 wounded and none killed. The pride of the regiment, Frank Lermond, had his arm broken by a ball, but a resection operation will leave him a tolerably good arm. I think this has been as exciting and lively a p. m. as ever I saw. Terry's 24th Army Corps has come up, and lays about six miles back of us to-night.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 365-6

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Captain Charles Wright Wills: March 20, 1864

Scottsboro, Ala., March 20, 1864.

What under the sun can I tell you that will interest you. That it is intolerably dull, bah! Have just had a long visit from Lieutenant Colonel Wright, now army assistant inspector general of the division, and Lieutenant Van Dyke, A. D. C., to our new commander, General Harrow. The lieutenant is a splendid looking fellow of about 23 years, and has served up to the time of coming into our division with the 2d Corps, Army Potomac. Van Dyke informed me that a despatch from Logan was received by Harrow this a. m., informing him that Forrest was prowling around on the other side of the river with intention of crossing and making a little dash on some part of our line. "Our" railroad from Nashville via Decatur is about completed (will be finished to-morrow) and then we hope to have something to eat once more. This railroad will be all for our corps, or at least we will get the choice of what comes over it. We are at outs with the general to-day. In the field we are not accustomed to having camp guard, considering a strong picket and the regular property alarm guards sufficient. But because two or three men got drunk yesterday, and a gun or two was fired, out comes Harrow in an order and requires a strong camp guard. It may be one of the faults of our discipline, but 'tis a fact that our men would much prefer two days of any other duty, to one of camp guard. Our court gets on slowly. Oh! We had a dance a few nights since. Northern ladies, officers' wives, and a few "Mountain Ewes" (the poetical name given the Jackson county beauties by some genius of a Yankee). We really had a delightful time; and I understand they are to be continued, one every two weeks Anything to keep a man from getting blue. I see Abraham calls for 200,000 more. Keep asking for them Lincoln, that's right, I'm sure there are yet many who can be spared for their country's good in more meanings than one. It's queer that our regiment don't get more recruits. We need them very much, and yet I dread getting them, they are so much trouble for a year. The 26th and 48th Illinois have respectively 200 and 500 and the officers are bored terribly over them. There is to my eye, as much difference between the average of recruits and the average of veterans, as there is between the physique of a tailor and that of a blacksmith. Some of the veterans who have returned to camp, are sick of their last bargain with the United States, but the majority are right glad to get back.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 220-1

Sunday, January 26, 2014

26th Illinois Infantry

Organized at Camp Butler, Ill., and mustered in August 31, 1861. Moved September 1, 1861, to Quincy, Ill., without clothing, equipments, arms or subsistence. Detachments moved to Canton, LaGrange, Palmyra and Hannibal, Mo., and engaged in protecting line of the Hannibal & St. Jo. R. R. till February 19, 1862. Ordered to Commerce, Mo., February 19, 1862. Attached to 2nd Brigade, 5th Division, Army of the Mississippi, to April, 1862. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Mississippi, April, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of the Mississippi, to November, 1862. 2nd Brigade, Left Wing, 13th Army Corps (Old), Dept. of the Tennessee, to December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 8th Division, 16th Army Corps, Army of the Tennessee, December, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 17th Army Corps, to January, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps, to March, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 16th Army Corps, to July, 1863. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 4th Division, 15th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 15th Army Corps, to July, 1865.

SERVICE. – Operations against New Madrid and Island No. 10, February 28-April 8, 1862. Actions at New Madrid March 3, 4 and 6. Union City March 31. Action and capture at Tiptonville April 8. Expedition to Fort Pillow, Tenn., April 13-17. Moved to Hamburg Landing, Tenn., April 17-23. Advance on and siege of Corinth, Miss., April 29-May 30. Reconnoissance toward Corinth May 8. Action at Farmington May 9. Occupation of Corinth May 30, and pursuit to Booneville May 31-June 12. At Clear Creek till June 23, and at Danville till August 18. March to Tuscumbia August 18-21, thence to Clear Creek September 8. Reconnoissance to Iuka and skirmish September 16. Battle of Iuka September 19. Battle of Corinth October 3-4. Pursuit to Ripley October 5-12. Grant's Central Mississippi Campaign. Operations on the Mississippi Central R. R. November, 1862, to January, 1863. Near Oxford December 4, 1862. Moved to LaGrange, Tenn., January 15 and duty there till March 8, 1863. At Colliersville, Tenn., till June 7. Moved to Memphis, Tenn., thence to Vicksburg, Miss., June 7-17. Siege of Vicksburg June 17-July 4. Surrender of Vicksburg July 4. Advance on Jackson, Miss., July 5-10. Siege of Jackson July 10-17. Camp at Big Black till September 28. Movement to Memphis, thence march to Chattanooga, Tenn., September 28-November 23. Operations on Memphis & Charleston R. R. in Alabama October 20-29. Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign November 23-27. Tunnel Hill November 23-24. Mission Ridge November 25. March to the relief of Knoxville, Tenn., November 28-December 8. Regiment veteranize January 1, 1864, and Veterans on furlough January and February. At Scottsboro, Ala., till May. Atlanta (Ga.) Campaign May to September. Demonstrations on Resaca May 8-13. Battle of Resaca May 14-15. Near Kingston May 19-22. Advance on Dallas May 23-25. Operations on line of Pumpkin Vine Creek and battles about Dallas, New Hope Church and Allatoona Hills, May 25-June 5. Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-July 2. Brush Mountain June 15. Assault on Kenesaw June 27. Nickajack Creek July 2-5. Chattahoochie River July 5-17. Battle of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Siege of Atlanta July 22-August 25. Ezra Chapel, Hood's second sortie, July 28. Flank movement on Jonesboro August 25-30. Battle of Jonesboro August 31-September 1. Lovejoy Station September 2-6. Pursuit of Hood into Alabama October 1-26. Reconnoissance from Gaylesville, Ala., to Turkeytown October 25. March to the sea November 15-December 10. Griswoldsville December 22. Siege of Savannah December 10-21. Campaign of the Carolinas January to April, 1865. Reconnoissance to Salkehatchie River, S.C., January 25. Salkehatchie Swamp February 2-5. South Edisto River February 9. North Edisto River February 11-12. Congaree Creek February 15. Columbia February 16-17. Battle of Bentonville, N. C., March 20-21. Nell Creek and Hannah's Creek March 22. Occupation of Goldsboro March 24. Advance on Raleigh April 10-14. Occupation of Raleigh April 14. Bennett's House April 26. Surrender of Johnston and his army. March to Washington, D. C, via Richmond, Va., April 29-May 19. Grand Review May 24. Moved to Louisville, Ky., June, and duty there till July. Mustered out July 20, and discharged at Springfield, Ill., July 28, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 2 Officers and 88 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 2 Officers and 194 Enlisted men by disease. Total 286.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion, Part 3, p. 1056

Friday, January 15, 2010

Brigadier-General W. L. Elliott

FIRST COLONEL, SECOND CAVALRY.

Washington L. Elliott was the first regular army officer appointed to the colonelcy of an Iowa regiment. In the early history of the war, it was the opinion of Governor Kirkwood, and of a majority of the people, that none but men of military education could be safely entrusted with the command of a regiment of volunteers; but it was all a mistake.

The place of General Elliott's nativity, and the date of his birth, I have been unable to learn; but in May, 1846, he was appointed from Pennsylvania to a second lieutenancy of mounted rifles, and served in the Mexican War. At the close of that war he served in New Mexico, and, in 1854, was promoted to a captaincy. In the fall of 1858, he distinguished himself in conflicts with the Navajoes, and, in the following year, was placed in command of Fort Bliss, Texas.

Captain Elliott was commissioned colonel of the 2d Iowa Cavalry on the 14th day of September, 1861, and by his energy and military ability soon made for himself and his regiment a most enviable reputation. Indeed, it has often been claimed as regards the Iowa troops that the 2d Infantry, the 2d Cavalry, and the 2d Battery, are the star troops of their respective arms of service; but this claim is certainly not founded in justice; though it may be conceded that the 2d Iowa Cavalry has done as much hard fighting as any other Iowa cavalry regiment.

On the 19th of February, 1862, which is the date of the commencement of their field-service, the 2d Iowa Cavalry arrived at Bird's Point, Missouri. Having watched the movements of the enemy for several days in the direction of Belmont and Columbus, the regiment started on the 27th instant in pursuit of Jeff. Thompson towards New Madrid, and after a march of thirteen days through the almost impassable swamps that here border the Mississippi, reached that place in time join the forces of General Pope in its capture. After the capture of Island No. 10, in which a detachment of the 2d, under Lieutenant Schnitger, took a conspicuous part, the regiment sailed for Hamburg Landing on the Tennessee River.

The services of the 2d Iowa and the 2d Michigan Cavalry regiments before Corinth, in the spring of 1862, gave to the 2d Brigade of General Pope's Cavalry Division a national reputation. From the 29th of April, the date of the capture and burning of the enemy's camp at Monterey, Mississippi, till the 30th of the following May, the 2d Iowa Cavalry took part in five distinct expeditions, and not less than ten skirmishes and engagements; and, in nearly all these operations, were joined by the 2d Michigan Cavalry, under the gallant Colonel Philip H. Sheridan. The most noteworthy of these expeditions is that which under Colonel Elliott in command of the 2d Brigade, left its camp near Farmington for Boonville, Mississippi, at one o'clock on the morning of the 27th of May, 1862. Connected with Colonel Elliott's exit from camp, is a laughable incident which I can not forbear relating. A new regiment, which had just come to the front, had its camp near the road over which Colonel Elliott passed. Its camp-guard was commanded by a lieutenant – an able lawyer, but at that time a green soldier. Soon after mid-night, hearing the heavy tramp of twenty-three hundred cavalry on a hard-beaten road, he supposed the enemy were upon him and, rushing to the tent of his Colonel, he broke through its fastenings, and thus reported:

"For God's sake, colonel get up: the enemy with ten thousand cavalry are upon us; and we are within half a mile of h—1!"

It was this Boonville Expedition of Colonel Elliott, which afforded General Pope the chief material for his celebrated report, of date, I think, the 3d of June, 1862; and it was really a most important affair. Moving from Farmington in a southerly direction, and crossing the Memphis and Charleston Railroad about ten miles west of Iuka. Colonel Elliott, from this point, marched in a south-westerly direction and, passing through the country intersected by the Tombigbee swamps, arrived before Boonville on the morning of the 30th of May, before day-light. The surprise was complete. Some two thousand prisoners were captured, the majority of them, however, being sick or convalescent. But the amount of rebel property destroyed was of chief importance. Beside three hundred kegs and barrels of powder, and large quantities of commissary-stores, ten thousand stand of arms and equipments to correspond, were destroyed. For his successes here, Colonel Elliot, was most highly complimented by General Pope.

The most gallant achievement of the 2d Iowa Cavalry, while under Colonel Elliott, was its charge on the rebel battery at Farmington, Mississippi, on the morning of the 9th of May, 1862. On the afternoon of the 8th of May, the divisions of Stanley and Payne, by order of General Pope, made an important reconnoissance in the direction of Corinth and Rienzi, surprising the enemy and driving them through and beyond the little village of Farmington. Then, the Federal forces fell back to the east side of the village and bivouacked for the night, Colonel Loomis' Brigade in advance. Thus things stood on the morning of the 9th when the guns of our sentinels gave notice of the advance of the enemy. Chafed by the surprise of the day before, which lost them their advance-line, they were moving in force to restore it; but Pope was resolved on maintaining his advanced position, and hastily dispatched General Plummer's Brigade to take position to the right, and somewhat in advance of Colonel Loomis. But these dispositions were not completed when the enemy were seen advancing in column by division. Soon two regiments of Plummer's Brigade broke in confusion, and fled to the swamps in their rear, when his two remaining regiments had to be withdrawn from the field.

Having hastily formed their line of battle just in rear of the large white house in the north-east portion of the town, and, where General Pope the day before had made his headquarters, they threw forward their batteries, and commenced shelling the position of Colonel Loomis. And now comes the gallant charge of the 2d Iowa, which had already arrived at the front:

"Moving the column to the top of the hill, I ordered Major Coon, with Companies H. G, C, and part of A, of the 2d Battalion, and Major Love's 3d Battalion, to charge the battery on our left in echelons of squadrons. Deploying the columns to the right and left when we had passed our infantry lines, we attacked the skirmishers and supports of the enemy, driving them in and killing and wounding some. The fire from the battery on our left, near the Farmington road, was very severe, but on account of the ground being impracticable, and the battery and supports protected by a fence, this could not be reached; yet the enemy's gunners evidently alarmed at the charge, ceased working their guns. Major Coon's Battalion, led by him, gallantly attacked the battery near the building known as the cotton-mill (the centre battery). Lieutenant Reily, commanding Company F of 3d Battalion, attacked and carried two guns in battery on our extreme right. The centre battery was fairly carried, the gunners driven from their guns, the enemy limbering up his guns without taking them off the field. Finding our horses badly blown from a long charge over rough ground, and the infantry of the enemy in great force, I under a heavy fire ordered all companies on my right to retreat to the right and rear, forming on the swamp-road, and those on my left to join the regiment in this road. I ordered Major Hepburn to move to the rear, retaining Major Coon with two companies to pick up the wounded and scattered. My orders were carried out better than I could have expected. My chief bugler's bugle was rendered useless in the charge. Four of my orderlies had their horses killed, and two of the orderlies were shot out of their saddles while transmitting orders.

"The conduct of officers and men was in every way commendable. Captains Lundy and Egbert, and Lieutenant Owen, were wounded near the enemy's guns; and Lieutenants Horton, Moore and Schnitger, all had horses killed under them. Captain D. J. Crocker, and Lieutenant Moore, of Company H; Captain McConnell, and Lieutenant Foster, of Company M; Captain Kendrick, of Company E; Captain Eaton, and Lieutenant Bilden, of Company L, all of the 1st Battalion, led in the finest manner by Major Hepburn, rode through the hottest fire, and were rallied by Major Hepburn on the right when retiring in fine style, forming in good order in rear of the swamp, to await orders. Major Coon, Captain H. Egbert, Captain William Lundy, Lieutenants Owen and Horton, of the L Battalion, led the charge on the right in the finest manner, riding boldly in advance of their commands, and in advance of the entire regiment. The daring of Lieutenant Queal, commanding Company B, was conspicuous, cheering his men to the very muzzles of the enemy's guns. Captain Bishop, of Company I, and Captain Graves, of Company D, obeyed my orders promptly, under a heavy fire. Lieutenant Schnitger, acting regimental-adjutant, and Lieutenant Metcalf, battalion-adjutant, did their duty to my entire satisfaction. Before, and at the time of the charge, Captain Freeman and Lieutenant Eystra, with detachments of Companies A, G and H, dismounted as skirmishers, did excellent service in the swamps on our left, holding the enemy's skirmishers in check. There were about four hundred men in the charge. Our loss will scarcely exceed fifty killed and wounded, fifty horses killed, and fifty rendered unserviceable from wounds."

Immediately after the 2d Cavalry had retired, the enemy advanced his infantry when, after a sharp fight between them and the brigade of Colonel Loomis, General Pope ordered his troops to withdraw to the east side of the creek. The enemy pursued no further. In this engagement, not only the Iowa troops, but, with the exceptions already mentioned, those from Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri, distinguished themselves.

Dr. M. K. Taylor, afterward the able and courteous surgeon in charge of the United States General Hospital at Keokuk, was at the time surgeon of the 26th Illinois, Colonel Loomis, and was conspicuous in his efforts to rescue the wounded. He was among the last to leave the field, in charge of the dead and wounded.

The 17th Iowa arrived at the front that evening, and bivouacked near the camp of the 2d Iowa Cavalry. That night we first saw the bodies of dead men killed in battle, and for the first time heard the piteous groans of the wounded, and witnessed their unmitigable agonies.

For his promptness, and for his soldierly qualities discovered during the siege of Corinth and before, Colonel Elliott was promoted to brigadier-general, his commission dating the 11th of June, 1862. He was soon after made Chief of Cavalry to General Pope, and not long after, accompanied that general to Washington, and served with him in his unfortunate campaign on the Potomac. After General Pope was relieved of his command in the East, General Elliott accompanied him to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he remained till the winter of 1862-3. He was then transferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and made chief of Cavalry to General Thomas.

General Elliott is a smallish man, with stooping shoulders, sharp features and gray eyes. He is a man of great energy, and has the reputation of being a splendid cavalry officer.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 565-70