Showing posts with label 7TH IA INF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 7TH IA INF. Show all posts

Sunday, January 23, 2022

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Thursday, May 14, 1863

This morning we take the train for Bethel, and in about one hour we arrive at this outpost and are conducted to the barracks lately vacated by the Forty-third Ohio. We find the Seventh Iowa stationed here, who very cordially welcome the Seventh Illinois as their “Brother Crampers.” The two Sevenths soon come to a mutual conclusion that they can run this part of the line and impart general satisfaction to all concerned. It is said that smiles are not wanting for the “vandals” in these parts. In the afternoon the regiment is paraded to receive Adjutant General Thomas, who is expected to arrive on the afternoon train. After his arrival and reception by the troops, he addresses us for a short time upon the issues growing out of the emancipation proclamation, and then proceeds on his way towards Corinth.

We remain at Bethel from the fourteenth of May until June 7th, 1863. The Seventh will long remember Bethel and Henderson, Tennessee. How they stood picket; how they patroled the railroad; how they drilled; how they run the lines and sallied forth into the country; how they mingled with the chivalry and partook of their hospitality; how they sat down and talked with the beautiful, and how they listened to their music, “Bonnie Blue Flag” and “Belmont;" how the citizens flocked to our lines; how the boys traded “Scotch snuff” to the gentle ones for chickens, butter and eggs. Yes, Bethel and Henderson will long live on memory's page.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 170-1

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, September 21, 1862

It is reported to-day that Price has been beaten, and is now making a flank movement towards Corinth. Soon we are ordered to Corinth, and there we lay in line of battle all day; but no Price comes, and we return to camp in the evening. Dispatches from Rosecrans inform us this evening that he has routed Price. Praises for Rosecrans and the noble Fifth Iowa come from every one. The Illinois soldiers can ever find it in their hearts to speak words of praise about their brothers from Iowa, especially when like the Fifth who maintained such a desperate bayonet charge to save their colors from falling into the hands of the rebels. Right here we would say that the Seventh Illinois Veteran Volunteer Infantry will not soon forget the Seventh and Second Iowa, starting in the service together, fighting side by side in the assault on Fort Donelson, together carrying their flag in the thickest of the battle, camping side by side on the weary march. They seemed to each other as brothers, for brothers they were, fighting in one common cause to keep the old flag on its staff, and to-day there are men in the Seventh that would fling their coats for a fight, should they hear any one speak disparagingly of the Seventh and Second Iowa infantry. They are camped now some where around Corinth, but we do not know exactly where; however, we remember them, and we imagine when the war is over, and when peace comes back to her people, should a soldier from the Seventh Illinois Infantry meet one from the Seventh or Second Iowa Infantry, who fought with him at Donelson, it will be a congenial meeting, and if he does not treat him as a gentleman it may be marked down as a fact that he does not understand the business.

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 86-7

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

3rd Sergeant Charles Wright Wills: November 13, 1861

Bird's Point, November 13, 1861.

Home once more. We all call this home now. Just as we landed last night the Iowa 7th was forming for dress parade. One company had but 11 and another but 15 men; all that came out of the Belmont fight safely. Other companies had half and some three-fourths of their men they started with. General Grant tries to make out that there were about 150 or 175 men lost on our side, but I’ll stake my life that we lost not less than 500. I am sure that the 22d Illinois lost not less than 175, the 7th Iowa at least 200, and the other three regiments 150 more. Grant says that he achieved a victory and accomplished the object of his expedition. It may be so (the latter part of it) but almost every one here doubts the story. He says his object was to threaten Columbus, to keep them from sending reinforcements to Price. Well he has threatened them, had a fight, and why they can't send reinforcements now as well as before, is more than I know. I never will believe that it was necessary to sacrifice two as good regiments as there were in the West, to accomplish all that I can see has been done this time. Altogether there were some 6,000 men from here, Cape Girardeau and Ironton, on the expedition that our regiment was on marching by different roads. Grant says now that we were all after Jeff Thompson. I don't believe it. I think the Paducah forces were to take Columbus, Grant was going to swallow Belmont, we were to drive all the guerrillas before us to New Madrid, and then with Paducah forces and Grant's we were to take Madrid and probably go on to Memphis or maybe join Fremont with our Army of say 15,000 men. Well, Grant got whipped at Belmont, and that scared him so that he countermanded all our orders and took all the troops back to their old stations by forced marches. There was some very good fighting done at Belmont by both sides. The 22d Illinois and 7th Iowa did about all the fighting, and sustained much the heaviest loss. The boys are not the least discouraged and they all want to go back and try it again. The whole camp has the Columbus fever, and I don't believe there are 20 men that would take a furlough if they thought an advance would be made on Columbus while they were absent. The enemy there are very well fed, clothed and armed. Arkansas and Tennessee troops with some Mississippians. The retreat was a route, for our men were scattered everywhere. I don't care what the papers say, the men that were in it say that every man took care of himself, and hardly two men of a regiment were together. The men ran because they were scattered and saw that the force against them was overwhelming, but the universal testimony is that there was no panic, nine out of ten of the men came on the boats laughing and joking. They had been fighting six or seven hours, and cannon and musketry couldn't scare them any more. There are hundreds of stories, and good ones, out but I always spoil them by trying to put them on paper.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 42-3

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Private Charles Wright Wills: Late September 1861

Norfolk [date torn off.]

The colonel talks some to-night about a forward movement, and two regiments have come across the river from the Kentucky side this evening, the Iowa 2d and 7th. The 17th are still opposite us and I have seen none of them yet. Our cavalry scouts are fighting now more or less every day. Yesterday a party of the Iowa 7th were out hunting bushwhackers when they were attacked by a company of horsemen of whom they killed four. One of our men was shot while returning from a scout. They routed the enemy but came back and reported four of their men missing, but the lost four have all come in to-day. Our men think they finished a couple at least but 'tis questionable. We are all again bored to death with lying still, but patience and we'll get what we want in time. We have the report here to-day that Colonel Mulligan has capitulated to Price, Jackson & Co. at Lexington. This, if true, will certainly retard our movement down the Mississippi. I'm getting perfectly indifferent about Fremont's being superseded or as to who has the command. It seems to me that none of our commanders are doing anything. With at least 75,000 troops at Paducah, Cairo and in Missouri to allow the gallant Mulligan to be forced to surrender is perfectly shameful. It's disheartening to a soldier, I tell you. Let them go on, if this war goes against us 'twill be the fault of our commanders and not of the men, sure. Yesterday information was brought our colonel that a battery was in course of erection on the Kentucky shore six miles below us. We were put on steamboats 2,000 or 2,500 strong and preceded by two gunboats scooted down, when within a mile of the place our regiment was landed and we marched down but of course found no battery.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 32-3

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Diary of 5th Sergeant Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, July 19, 1865

Our night along the lake shore was quite cool. We arrived in Chicago this morning at 2 o'clock, and then marched to the Rock Island station, where at 8 o'clock we took train for Davenport, Iowa. We arrived at Davenport at 5 p. m. A large crowd of citizens was at the station to receive us, among them our old colonel, William Hall, who gave us an address of welcome.1 Although he was suffering from sickness, he came to welcome us, and as he could not stand on a platform, he remained in his carriage to address us. We then marched up to old Camp McClellan, where we shall remain till we get our discharge and pay, which we expect in two or three days. The Second and Seventh Iowa have just received their pay and are striking out for home.
_______________

1 “I cannot stand long enough to make a speech, I can only say to the citizens of Davenport, In response to the warm and generous welcome that they have extended to my comrades of the Eleventh Iowa, and myself, that the record we have made as good soldiers from the State of Iowa, while fighting in defense of our common country, will be duplicated by the record we shall make as good citizens, when we shall have returned to homes and loved ones.” — Roster Iowa Soldiers II, p. 282.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 288-9

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Nathaniel B. Baker to Rush Clark, February 19, 1862

STATE OF Iowa, ADJUTANT GENERAL’s Office
February 19th, 1862.
HON. Rush CLARK,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.

SIR: I have just received the following despatch from Chicago:



CHICAGO, Feb. 19th, 1862.
To ADJUTANT GENERAL BAKER:

The Second Iowa acquitted themselves with great bravery at Fort Donelson — led the best and most successful charge —have suffered terribly. Besides the Second, there were the Seventh, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Fourteenth Iowa Infantry in the fight. The friends of Cols. Tuttle, Lauman, Perczel, Hare, Wood and Shaw, will rejoice that the glory of the fight and the victory belongs, and is attached to their names, and to the brave officers and soldiers under them. Another glorious page has been recorded in the history of Iowa by her gallant troops in the field.

With great respect, I have the honor to rejoice in the glory of Iowa, and the triumph of Union men.

N. B. BAKER.
Adjutant General of Iowa.

SOURCES: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 207; Iowa House of Representatives, Journal of the House of the Ninth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, p. 342

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood’s Second Inaugural Address, January 15, 1862

Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:

As this is the first time in the history of our State that the same person has been twice elected to the office, the duties of which I have for the second time just assumed, and as the transmission to you of a message in writing, communicating the condition of the State and recommending such matters as seemed to me expedient, was among the last of the official acts of my first term of service, it was for some time a question with me whether it was proper for me, in commencing my second term, to conform to the custom heretofore acted on by incoming Governors of delivering an inaugural address. Upon reflection, I did not feel at liberty to disregard what is a well established, and what is considered a useful, custom.

When, two years ago, I first assumed the duties of my present office, I saw, and in my inaugural address alluded to, the bitter and exasperated feelings existing in certain portions of our country, which have since resulted in the present Rebellion, and pointed out what seemed to me to be some of the exciting causes of that feeling. The people of our country were then about entering upon one of those political contests by which the policy of our General Government is, for a time, determined; and I expressed the belief that this angry and excited feeling would not result in an appeal to arms, but that a people taught as ours have been to yield almost instinctively to the fairly expressed will of the majority would, when the feeling engendered by its contest had passed away, again permit the calm dictates of reason to resume their sway, and that we would again become a contented and happy nation Time has shown that my belief was erroneous, and yet it seems to me it was a reasonable and just belief.

All men know well that the government against which rebellion would be made, if raised at all, was the government which made the least exactions and conferred the most benefits upon its people of any government in the world. All men knew well, and none better than those now in rebellion, that the Administration, whose accession to power their opponents declared they would consider cause for revolt, could not during their term of office, even if so disposed, inflict upon the defeated party any wrong. And it seemed then, and seems yet, to me to be a reasonable and just belief that no portion of a people, so intelligent as ours has claimed to be, could revolt against a government which had conferred upon them only benefits, and against an Administration powerless to injure them. All men know, too, that rebellion must bring upon those engaged in it terrible calamities, if not sure destruction, and it did seem reasonable and just to believe that sane men would not bring upon themselves such results without cause.

Yet there were other things bearing upon this question which we did not know. We did not know, even although we were so told by some far-sighted men — it seemed too monstrous for our honest and loyal-hearted people to believe — that men whom they had delighted to honor, men upon whom they had conferred the high places, even the highest place of honor and profit and trust under our government, could, whilst yet holding these places and pledged in the sight of God and before men faithfully to discharge their trust, and with professions of love and attachment to our government yet warm upon their lips, deliberately conspire to overthrow and destroy that government which they were so strongly bound to protect and defend. I repeat it, our honest and loyal-hearted people could not believe these things to be true: they were to them too monstrously infamous for their belief. They had not yet learned the bitter lesson that honesty, truth, good faith and loyalty were but mere words used by these men as a cover under which to deal, as they hoped, a fatal stab to that government from which they had derived all they ever had of honor or importance. Had this not been so (and although its truth has produced such terrible results, I thank God our people could not then believe it possible), I am well convinced we would to-day have no Rebellion. Had the occupant of the Presidential chair, for the year preceding the 4th day of March, 1861, and his advisers, been true men, and had they done their duty as such and stricken rebellion one honest, downright blow when first it reared its hateful head, we would have to-day a peaceful and united nation. But this, unfortunately, was not so. Treason and imbecility sat in our high places, and surrendered one after another the outposts of the citadel of our strength into the hands of Rebels, until, emboldened by success, they believed the citadel itself to be within their grasp. In this way the Rebellion was encouraged and strengthened, and thousands of men were induced to array themselves upon its side from the conviction that the government was powerless to protect its friends or punish its enemies.

At last, but too late, came a change of administration. Our Government asserted its rights, and gave evidence of its will and power to maintain them, and then came the Civil War that is now upon us.

I need not undertake to point out to you the primary cause which has led to this disastrous issue. Although there may have been many minor causes, all tending to the same end, such as the disappointed ambition of bad men and the lust for power, the clear common sense of our people has seen and accepted the fact that the one great controlling cause of this wicked Rebellion, and of all the fearful consequences which have followed and must follow from it, is the system of Human Slavery. Sophistry cannot disguise this fact, nor argument illustrate it. It is patent, tangible, and sooner or later it must be accepted by our rulers, as well as by our people, and acted on by all. This baneful system, which has wrought such terrible results, was accepted with great reluctance by our fathers as an existing but most unfortunate fact, and its existence recognized and protected by them as such, but surrounded at the same time by influences such as they confidently hoped would soon eventuate in its total and peaceful extinction. That hope has been sadly disappointed. This system, so reluctantly admitted into our form of government, and so antagonistic to its vital principles, has, like a foreign substance in the human body, been to the body politic a source of constant irritation, and has been the real cause of all the heart-burnings and ill-will among our people. Circumstances, not foreseen at the beginning, have fostered and encouraged it. It has been defended, protected and nourished by its votaries with a devotion almost unparalleled, until it has acquired a strength and power which enabled it, at first by stealthy approaches and then by bold attack, to seize the reins of government and control the policy of our people. And when peacefully and constitutionally it was driven from its usurped seat of empire, and the determination expressed that for the future it should be kept in the subordination for which it was originally intended, it revolted and by civil war has sought to destroy the Republic it could no longer control, and from the remains to build a new one in which its empire should be absolute and undisputed.

I have said that our people have seen and accepted these facts, and that the time must come, sooner or later, when our rulers, too, must see them, and when all, rulers and ruled, must act upon them. It is not for us to determine what that action shall be. That is the right and duty of others. But it is for us — it is our right and duty — to advise with those others, and to point out to them the course which, in our best judgments, should be pursued Understand me rightly. I freely accept, and have cordially acted upon, the theory that it is for our rulers to determine the policy to be pursued, and for us to sustain them, even if that policy should not meet our approbation. But it does not follow that we must not advise a change of policy, if our judgment teaches or experience has shown such change to be necessary.

What then, if anything, have we to advise? Let us see where we stand, and what are our surroundings. More than twelve months ago this war upon our government was begun, and it has been prosecuted up to this moment on the one side with fierce vindictiveness, and terrible earnestness. Nothing, literally nothing, has been allowed to stand in the way of the advancement of the cause for which this war has been waged, by those who advocate that cause. Officers of the army and navy, to advance that cause have deserted their flag. Statesmen, to advance it have betrayed their trusts. Among all ranks, acts of fraud, words of falsehood and deeds of violence have been held good and honorable service, if thereby the cause might be advanced, and the entire energies of its advocates have been directed to that single end. The sole question they have asked has been: “What thing can we do which will most effectually and speedily break the strength of our adversaries?” And when that question has been answered, they have as one man done that thing. How have they been met? Until the 4th day of March last past, not only were no steps taken to arrest their progress, but many of those who now are not of and with them, insisted that coercion should not be used to arrest it. After that date although the new admi[ni]stration took prompt and vigorous steps to meet the crises, many people in the loyal States still protested against coercive measures to suppress rebellion, and many others sought, as if expecting to find, some neutral ground on which to stand, some middle ground between loyalty and treason, as if a citizen could be loyal to his government who did not lend his hand to defend it when rebels sought to destroy it But time passed on till Sumter fell and our nation awoke from what appeared to be the slumber of death. With fiery zeal and generous emulation, the young men of all classes and all parties in the loyal States rallied around the government, until today we have under our banner the best army the world has ever seen; ready and eager to meet in battle all enemies who seek the destruction of the Union. And yet it seems to me that we do not bring to this conflict the same directness, the same unity of purpose and action our adversaries do. It seems to me we do not ask ourselves what one thing can we do that will most effectually and speedily break the strength of our enemies? and when that question is answered, do that thing. It seems to me the idea still pervades and controls the minds of many of us that our duty requires of us not only the preservation and protection of the Union, but the preservation and protection of slavery; that we have sometimes feared to strike an earnest blow against rebellion, lest that blow should fall on the head of slavery; that we regard slavery as an essential part of the Union itself, and that the Union would not be worth preserving, unless slavery could be preserved with and remain part of it.

If these things be so, we are yet far from the path that will lead to success. Slavery, the leading cause of this rebellion, is an element of strength or of weakness to the rebels, just as we will it shall be. If we say to the slaves of rebels, we are your enemies, they will remain with their masters and be to them a strength and support. If we say to them, we are your friends, come to us and you shall be free, they will seek to come by thousands, and the armies now standing in battle array against our soldiers, will be needed at home to restrain them. Take the case of South Carolina. Our soldiers are to-day upon her soil. She has a population of about 700,000 souls, more than one-half of whom are slaves. Experience, the best of teachers, has shown that these slaves want freedom, that they look upon our soldiers as friends, and would, if encouraged so to do, flock to our camps by thousands. As the slaves of rebel masters, their labor in the field and in the camp, furnishes the rebel troops with food, and does for them much of that severe camp labor which exhausts the energies of the soldiers and brings sickness upon them. Thus rebellion is strengthened by slavery. Shall we continue to leave it this strength? shall we do more than this? Shall we continue to drive back to their rebel masters these unfortunates, and compel them to be our enemies although they wish to be our friends? Shall we continue to require of our brave soldiers who have gone forth to fight our battles, those exhausting labors that have brought sickness and death to so many of them, when these people stand ready and willing to relieve them if allowed?

It may be said that if we proclaim freedom to slaves of rebel masters, slavery must suffer and may be extinguished. I reply: So be it. The friends of slavery have in its supposed interest thrust this war with all its evils upon the country, and upon them and upon it be the consequences. It may be said the slaves of loyal masters will escape and thus loyal men will suffer loss. This may be, probably will be so. But if we shall be successful in preserving our government, and putting down this rebellion, we can and will make good all losses caused to them by the acts of the government for its preservation. Besides, it is their misfortune and not our fault that they live in sections of our country in which the war is carried on and in which either a majority of the people are rebels, or the loyal men in the majority have suffered themselves to be prostrated and trampled on by the rebel minority. We regret their condition, we pity their misfortunes, we will make good their losses caused by our acts for the preservation of the Union, but we cannot allow the Union to be stricken down because efforts for its preservation may work them present injury. War necessarily brings suffering and loss to the people among whom it is waged. This war brings suffering and loss to the loyal people of all our States, and we all must bear as well and as patiently as we may, until the end, when it will be our duty to repair so far as we may, the losses sustained by loyal men because of their devotion to their country.

I will not be misunderstood. This war is waged by our government for the preservation of the Union, and not for the extinction of slavery, unless the preservation of the one shall require the extinction of the other. If the war were so prosecuted that on to-morrow the preservation of the Union were effected and secured, I would not now wage the war another day. I would not now spend further treasure or further life to effect the extinction of slavery, although I might regret that the war of its own producing had left in it enough of life to leave it to be our bane and pest in the future as it has been in the past. But while this is true, it is also true that if I had the power on to-morrow to end this terrible strife and preserve our Union by the extinction of slavery, while to preserve both would require a month's or a week's or a day's or an hour's further war; the spending of a single additional dollar to the loss of a single additional life; so surely as the Lord lives, this war would close to-morrow. No wife should mourn her husband, no mother her son, no maiden her lover, slain in a war protracted by me a single hour to preserve to rebels that which caused them to commence and which enables them to maintain rebellion. I would not believe that I had, nor do I believe that others have the right, although they may have the power to protract this war in order to preserve that which has caused the war. My deliberate convictions are that to prosecute this war successfully, we must strike directly at slavery, and that the time must soon come when every man must determine for himself which he loves most, the Union or slavery, and must act accordingly.

In the mean time, and at all times, it is our duty to rally around and support the government. We are not of those whose loyalty is doubtful or conditional. We do not say we will support the government if it adopts our views or carries out our plans, and if not, we will become neutral or join the enemy. We support it with hearts and hands and means, although we may doubt its policy, trusting time will demonstrate the correctness of our views, and bring about their adoption if found correct. The giving of honest counsel and the rendering of faithful service make up the duty of all true men.

The war has brought on us severe trials, and others are yet to come. Many of our best and bravest have died upon the battle-field or in the hospital, and many more must die. Our business operations have been interrupted, our markets have been closed, the prices of the products of our industry have been lessened, we have been compelled to wholly forego or materially to curtail the use of some luxuries which, by use, had become to us comforts of life, and these things must continue to be. They are the inevitable attendants of war, and must be borne as they have been borne, bravely, unflinchingly and cheerfully. Life is valuable, but it is intended to be useful; and how can anyone make his life more useful than by giving it for his country? Could our own brave men who died at Wilson's Creek, Blue Mills and Belmont have used their lives in any other way to better purpose than by losing them on those bloody but glorious battle-fields? Their names will live after them, embalmed in the hearts of our children and our children's children, as the names of men who died for their country, and their example will fire the hearts of generations yet to come to deeds of equal and as noble daring.

We are eminently a peaceful and peace loving people, and the interruption of our peaceful avocations of war and its incidents bears hardly upon us; but we must remember, that the only way to bring back and make permanently secure to us that peace we love so well, is to convince those who have thrust this war upon us and to convince all others that although we love peace much, we love our country's honor and the perpetuity of our Union more. But do we exaggerate the evils of our condition? I am well convinced that there is not in the world a people of equal numbers, all of whom enjoy to-day so many of the necessaries and of the comforts of life as are enjoyed by our people. In our own State our cause of complaint is not that we have not enough of the necessaries of life, but that we cannot get high enough prices for what we can spare of our superabundance; not, that we have not food but that we cannot sell to advantage food, we do not need!

But we will have to pay heavy taxes. True, we will and it is equally true we can. We have to do but one thing, and that thing we must do. We must give up the idea of money making to a great extent until this war is over. We must be content to devote to the preservation of the country a portion of all of the surplus we have been accustomed to lay up in years gone by. We may be required to return to customs and expedients for many years abandoned. We may be compelled to do as our fathers and mothers did, clothe ourselves as they did with the products of their farms and their own hands. What then? Our men will be none the less brave, loyal and loving; our women none the less true hearted, lovely and beloved. We may be required to do and may do all these things and yet suffering and want still be far from us. We may be required to do and may do all these things, and yet will not have done nearly so much as our fathers did to hand down to us the rich inheritance we are now striving to transmit unimpaired to our children. And if required, will we not do it promptly and cheerfully?

There may be amongst us a few men who know no impulse of patriotism, have no love of country, and can see nothing but sordid gain! There may be amongst us a few others who, blinded by prejudice, engendered by former political strife, cannot forget that the Government is guided in this struggle for its life by the hands of political opponents, and who would rather see it perish than have it saved by their hands, who will cry peace when there is no peace, and who will endeavor to turn us from the prosecution of this war by continually dwelling upon and exaggerating the misfortunes it has brought and will bring upon us. But these men are few in number and weak in influence. The great mass of our people see clearly and know well that no peace can be permanent which is made by compromising with armed rebels, and which will leave our present territory divided between jealous and hostile nations by such boundaries as it must be if not preserved in its integrity.

I cannot close this address without paying a well deserved tribute to the brave men who represent our State in the great army collected to do battle for our country. We may well be proud of them. We here as officers, and all our people as citizens, should feel that there is much for us to do to maintain that high reputation they have won for our State.

Trace the Iowa First on their weary way to Springfield; see them ragged and hungry but cheerful and ready; listen to their marching song as it rolls along the column, lending new vigor to themselves and their tired comrades; hear their fierce shouts and witness their daring deeds on the field where Lyon fought and fell; witness the heroic spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice with which the Iowa Third at Blue Mills attacked, and the bravery with which they fought the enemy in overpowering numbers to delay that enemy's retreat until expected reinforcements could arrive. See the Iowa Seventh on the bloody field of Belmont, heading the attack and covering the retreat; witness the cheerful endurance, the untiring energy, the indomitable valor of all our troops whenever and wherever tried, and who does not feel proud that he too is an Iowan? We owe these gallant men much. The rank and file of our regiments have never been surpassed. I doubt very much if they have ever been equaled. There is not a company in any of our regiments which does not contain in its ranks men who, in intelligence and moral worth, are the peers of any man who hears me. They have left behind them the comforts and endearments of home, their business, their friends, their all, and have taken their places as privates in the ranks with nominal pay and almost without a hope for honor and distinction. This is patriotism, and I repeat it “to these men we owe much.” It is due to them at least, that all shall be done that our circumstances will allow to promote their health and comfort and I doubt not you will see to it that the debt is paid.

When the war commenced many of us hoped that by this time it would have been completed, or that at least we would be able to see the beginning of that desirable end. But we have been disappointed. The rebellion had greater strength than we supposed. Obstacles have arisen that we had not anticipated, and the end is not yet. But these things should not discourage, and I am glad to say they have not discouraged us. As the greater strength of the rebellion has been developed, we have promptly furnished the greater needed strength to put it down, and if need be Iowa can yet send forth many regiments as brave, as loyal, and as true as those that have already gone. As obstacles have arisen they have been met as brave men meet them. They have been trampled upon and we have passed on. And now when as it seems to us here that all things are ready, we are waiting patiently, but with beating hearts, for the day when the great battle shall be fought — listening intently, and oh! how anxiously, for the battle shout, “God for the right,” which will on that day roll over that battlefield from the brave men who will be privileged there to rally around our dear old flag and strike in its defense, and trusting humbly and confidently that because they will strike for the right, the God of battles will give us the victory!

SOURCES: Henry Warren Lathrop, The Life and Times of Samuel J. Kirkwood, Iowa's War Governor, p. 193-201; Iowa House of Representatives, Journal of the House of the Ninth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, p. 37-45; Benjamin F. Shambaugh, The Messages and Proclamations of the Governors of Iowa, Volume 2, p. 296-310

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Battle of Corinth

Correspondence Gate City.

Corinth, Oct. 5, ’62.

ED. GATE: – I embrace this, the first opportunity since the close of the great battle, to give you a hurried account of the two days engagement, of the 3d and 4th.

It will be understood, of course, that [I d]o not pretend to give a full or general account, as that would be impossible, but simply to state such facts as come under my own observation.

On the morning of the 3d, at daylight, our division was leaving camp and marched to the west of Corinth.  We had been on our way but half an hour when we heard the roar of cannon, apparently four or five miles nearly due west of us, which continued at intervals until we reached our line of breast-works some [missing text] three miles m[missing text] the our [missing text]y advance [missing text] gade, to [missing text] came up [missing text] notwith [missing text] ing [missing text] m [missing text] reme [missing text] here of [missing text] ich  [missing text] [illegible] [missing text]but  [missing text] storming  [missing text] less than fifteen  [missing text] came to sight.  T [missing text] the breastworks flanked  [missing text]caused us to fall badk, w  [missing text] good order, for nearly a  [missing text] we formed in line of battle – our regiment, as usual supporting a battery – the gallant 2d to our right.  We had not more than fairly dressed up in line of battle, when on they came again.  Then came the tug of war.  We were ordered to fall flat upon our faces, which we did, whilst they rained down upon us such a storm of shot and shell, grape and canister, as nothing it seemed, for a time could resist.  Some idea of the force of the shooting may be formed from the fact that a majority of my company, and I think, of both the 2d and 7th Iowa, were struck by either pieces of shell, or shot or limbs of trees.  The number killed at this place in the ten regiments, I do not know.  Of my company Corporal John Scott was killed; privates Robt. Criswell, Peter Miles wounded; and Corp. J. O. Percy, Serg’t W. W. Sapp and private P. Cadie were missing – supposed to be drowned or taken prisoners.  Gen. P. W. [sic] Hackleman, the commander of our Brigade, was killed – shot through the neck.  Gen. Oglesby, Col. Baker of the 2d, and Lieut. Col. Mills, of the same, Major McMullin and lieutenants John and Irwin of our regiment were wounded, and Lieut. Camp  [missing text] isomer.

[Missing text] eries had exhausted their  [missing text] they had been gon  [missing text], being unable  [missing text].  Our policy  [missing text] to  [missing text].

[There is a large hole in the top of this article, and the bottom was torn from the upper left to the lower right, and the rest of the column is missing, the article picks up at the top of the next column.]

J. M. McCormick, were wounded.  Lieut. Bess and McCormick, both had narrow escapes – one had his canteen shot through, and the other his haversack cut off by a bullet.  The loss of their side is not known yet, only thus far, that our loss counts by hundreds, while that of the enemy will have to count by thousands.  This is not a victory made by official or any other kind of reports, but by hard fighting in which the valor of the Iowa troops was as conspicuous as it has become proverbial, as we are still lying out without tents, camp equipage or any else except hard bread, coffee and ammunition, waiting for another attack from a force said to be advancing from the east.  My accommodations for writing are rather limited, and I must close.  We had 345 officers and privates in the [ac]tion, 120 of whom are killed wounded [or] missing.

C. F. CONN.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, October 17, 1862, p. 2.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

List of Dead

The steamer City of Memphis, which arrived at Keokuk on Sunday last with about 200 sick soldiers aboard, buried the following men on her trip from Pittsburg Landing:

Peter Smith, Co. B, 7th Iowa, buried at Quincy, 17th May.
Uriah Egbert, Co. F, 15th Iowa, buried at Landing, 12th May.
Levi Dailer, Co. H. 15th Iowa, buried at Paducah.
Sylvester Knouse, Co. D, 11th Iowa, buried at Paducah.
Samuel Farley, Co. F, 13th Iowa, buried at Quincy.
F. K. Dean, Co. G, 13th Iowa, buried at Quincy.

Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Mortality of Iowa Soldiers

The following list comprises the names of Iowa volunteers who have died in the vicinity of St. Louis at the dates named. – For further information, apply to John A. Smithers, 113 Chesnut street, St. Louis.

May 10 – Ch. Krummel, Co. B, 12th regt.
May 10 – John Mack, Co. C, 3d regt.
May 11 – Th. M. Pasely, Co. H, 17th regt.
May 12 – Isaac Hanowell, Co. C, 7th regt.
May 12 – Isaiah Wilson, Co. B, 2d Cav.
May 12 – Jas. H. Wills, Co. E, [6th] regt.
May 14 – Jno. F. Reynolds, Co. D, [6th] regt.
May 15 – H. Boung, Co. F, 17th regt.
May 15 – N. H. Haldeman, Co. C, 2d regt.
May 15 – H. M. Howe, Co. A, 6th regt.
May 16 – Aborn Crippin, Co. F, 12th regt.
May 16 – John S. Bush, 2nd Cavalry
May 16 – W. C. Cunningham, Co. D, 6th Regiment.
May 17 – H. D. Reasoner, Co. C, 4th regt.

Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 21, 1862, p. 1

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Iowa At The South

Capt. Egbert informs us that the “secesh” have a profound regard for Iowa troops.  They would, on an average, prefer not meeting them, especially the 7th Iowa.  A prisoner, with whom Capt. Egbert had a conversation, told the captain that if they (the secesh) ever got a chance, they would annihilate the 7th Iowa – get it out of the way altogether.  The 7th is no doubt ready at any time to risk the annihilation threatened whenever the secesh have time to undertake the job.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 17, 1862, p. 1

Sunday, August 4, 2013

The Iowa Boys At Pittsburg

BATTLE FIELD, PITTSBURG LANDING,
April 26th, 1862.

EDITOR GAZETTE: – If your correspondent of the 11th has neglected to keep you posted up as to our doings, &c., pray excuse me, for I have and a more pressing engagement, which I could not decline. – We, i. e., our mess and Chaplain, had just finished our breakfast on the morning of Sunday, April 6th, in the open air, and were discussing, quietly enough, the meaning of the occasional volleys of musketry from the southwest, which, as heretofore, might be from returning pickets; the men were preparing guns for Sunday inspection, and the Chaplain was just turning into our sleeping tent for a Bible, to pick a text for the day’s sermon, when lo! a squad of fugitives in uniform came running through our camp with the cry of “the enemy are cutting us to pieces!” followed hard by a mounted orderly dashing past to the tent of Col. Hare, who commanded, to-day, our brigade.  The long roll beats, and in fifteen minutes the Iowa 11th is in line of battle, under Lt. Col. Hall.  The other regiments of our brigade, the 13th Iowa, and the 8th and 18th Ill., are moved off half a mile to our left, while the 2d brigade of McClernand’s division (the 11th, 45th, 20th, and 48th Ill.) are between them and us, placing our regiment on the extreme right of McClernand’s division, and of the whole line of battle, from 8 A. M. until 2 P. M.

I am thus particular as to our position, in order to show where credit is due for some hard work claimed by the Ill. 11th and 45th, who were next to us.  We were hardly in line before the scattered fugitives had grown to a huge crowd, and soldiers were seen flying from the foe by thousands, and not a stray shot or shell from a cannon came whistling past – our Chaplain brought us a specimen picked up in lieu of his text – and in long and serried lines the compact masses of the foe moved in sight.  75,000 to 90,000 of the bravest and best drilled soldiers of the South, under Polk, Bragg and Hardee, guided by Beauregard and Johnston, and surprised our camp of five divisions, of less than 40,000 fighting men, and before 8 o’clock A. M. had utterly routed two of these divisions – Sherman’s and Prentiss’.

Look at the map of our battle field given in the Chicago Tribune of the 16th inst., and you will see that the victorious enemy rushing on from Sherman’s towards the river would fall upon McClernand’s and Hurlbut’s divisions next, and they came upon us expecting an easy victory. Our regiment had been detached to act as a reserve for the reinforcement of any part of our division needing aid; but so overwhelming was the force of the enemy, now over three to one, that within twenty minutes of our getting into line we were in the hottest of the fight.  Repeated efforts were made to turn our right flank, and as one brigade of the enemy became exhausted and discouraged, it was withdrawn and fresh forces brought up.

For five hours we maintained the unequal contest and every man fought as though he felt that the salvation of our army depended that day on our holding our position until reinforcements should arrive.  Twice after getting our first position were we compelled to fall back to prevent the enemy from outflanking us, and for the third time we charged upon the foe- although our ranks were reduced one third by dead, wounded and those helping off the wounded – rolling back the storm of war to our first position, and holding the enemy there until our ammunition was expended and we were ordered back by Gen. McC. for more, at one P. M.  We fought in the camp ground of the Ill. 11th and 45th, and those of your Iowa readers who noticed the gallant fighting done there ascribed to these regiments by Chicago reporters will justly be proud to know that Iowa was there.

The account given by the special correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, and copied into the St. Louis and Chicago papers and by far the most accurate I have seen, speaks thus:  “Once more its right swept around and drove the enemy a considerable distance,” &c.  Iowa was there, notwithstanding that no reporter, so far as I have seen has noticed our gallant State except in disparaging terms, as unjust as disparaging.  I venture to say that no troops ever did better fighting than did the Iowa 11th and 13th in McClernand’s division, on the 6th; nor were the 8th, 12th, and 14th behind in valor, though more unfortunate.  They were taken because of fighting too long and to obstinately.  The 6th Iowa was one of our advanced regiments, surprised in the morning.  She literally fought her way back to her friends, and first of all the outposts, was in line for another fight.  The Iowa 2d and 7th, as ever, did their duty, and maintained their reputation, though, not placed in so prominent a part of the field as some other regiments on the first day.  And here I desire to correct an error of the correspondent above alluded to.

The Iowa 15th and 16th were brought up just before noon, to support McClernand’s right, where we were fighting and forming on our own old parade ground, and were under fire nearly two hours before getting a chance to pitch in, and when led up to take their place their place marched boldly and gallantly up into the very jaws of death.  Our old soldiers say, that such a fire of musketry as we were opposed to was never experienced before them in battle; and the two raw regiments, unused to guns, having never practiced loading and firing, many having never seen a cartridge until they received them that morning, were thrown into confusion, and driven from the field; not, however, until a loss of 35 to 40 killed, and 250 wounded in the two regiments attested their courage and devotion.  Courage and devotion are of little use without discipline in such a fight.

Our regiment, as it fell back, obtained new supplies of ammunition and returned to the fight – eight companies to the left of our line, and two companies of rifles, B. and C, under Capt. Foster, were stationed with Birge’s sharpshooters again on the right, now a mile nearer the river, and across a small creek, to guard against the storming of a hill and log house which was admirably adapted to the work of sharpshooters.  We were here subjected to a heavy cross-fire from two batteries; but as often as a force of secesh showed themselves, they dropped back very suddenly again.  Our regiment did good work on the left, and lent gallant aid in beating back the foe in his last efforts to storm our lines.  On the next day our troops acted mostly as reserves, or as support to batteries, and were but little exposed, compared to the risks of the first day.

Iowa went into the fight with ten regiments and one part of a regiment (seven companies 14th,) in all some 5,500 effective fighting men.  250 of these sleep on the battle field; 1,200 are wounded, and some 1,400 are prisoners – prisoners because they fought on while regiments from other States gave way and suffered them, contesting every inch, to be surrounded by immense odds.  These are facts, and yet because we send soldiers and not reporters, must we get no credit; while no other State (although all did well) can show such a record – one half her soldiers given in a single fight.  Reporters on Grant’s staff make him the hero of the fight and he praises his staff.  Now this tickle-me-and-I’ll-tickle-you sort of talk will not do; it can’t make history.  They may all be good soldiers – in a horn – and write on some safe nook, descriptions of charges which were never made.  Why was this gallant army surprised?  The people who have given sons, citizens, husbands, to the country, ask why this needless slaughter, and these “errors of omission” are not atoned for by “errors of commission,” for we fought all day on Sunday without Generals.  Nothing but undaunted bravery of troops and the good conduct of company and regimental officers saved our army on that terrible day.  For while we had less than 25,000 men engaged on Sunday, more than half our total loss occurred on this day.

The 11th buried on Tuesday and since, as a result of this battle, 32 soldiers, and 160 wounded; the 13th nearly as many more.  No officers distinguished themselves more for cool courage than Lt. Col. Hall, commanding the 11th, and Col. Crocker, commanding the 13th, while Col. Hare well maintained his ability to command a brigade, until wounded and compelled to retire.  Maj. Abercrombie, of the 11th was wounded severely while ably seconding Col. Hall.

I have already spun out this too long, but I would fain add one or two incidents of a personal character.  As we were charging the third time on the enemy, Corporal Kersey, Co. B, hand a finger on the left hand shot away, and immediately took out a pocket knife and cut away the fragments of the wound, bound up the finger and was in the fight all day and next saying as he did it, “they can’t drive me out for one finger.”

As we rose over a short hill we could see the enemy advancing down another, just across a small branch, and some fifteen rods distant.  A well directed volley sent the most of them to the “about face.”  The standard-bearer, however, fell and Private Haworth, of Co. B, captured the flag, the first trophy of the day, while the Captain (Foster) picked up the rifle of a fallen rebel, just loaded, and blazed away at the retreating foe.  Capt. McFarland, of Co. G, did the same thing, and both have their Enfield rifles as trophies of a first shot each at the foe.

One spunky little Frenchman, Jo. Laplant, assistant wagoner to Co. B, would not stay with the team, and so mixed in the fight in the afternoon of Sunday, ventured too far, and was taken prisoner.  Deprived of his gun and placed under a guard of three men, to be taken back, he went very submissively along until two guards went back to help off a wounded officer.  Watching his chance, he knocked down the guard, and with the rebel’s gun hastened down to the river side, near the gunboats, where he lay all night and came in next morning.

I notice it very extensively discussed whether we were whipped on Sunday.  Never! And wouldn’t have been, even if Buell had not reached us.  The truth is the rebels surprised our camps and gained great advantages of us, until checked by McClernand and Hurlbut’s Divisions in the morning.  From that on until 4 P. M., our forces slowly retired; but at 4 the gunboats threw their weight into the doubtful scales, and the enemy, exhausted and spent, were entirely checked.  Lew Wallace, of our army, came in with his division that night, and the balance was then in our favor.  We should have gained the next day any way.  Of course the arrival of two divisions of Buell’s army, and especially of Buell himself, was most opportune; for our disjointed, confused and fragmentary army was organized, and massed and directed.  Our numbers on Monday were about 50,000.  Everything then was like clockwork, and the rebels who had the night before saved our camps and baggage so as to use them, were on Monday night busted out too hastily to destroy what they could not keep.  We beat them back on Monday over the ground they had gained the day before. – “Line upon line” Buell hurled his brave troops at them, and they retreated, fighting every step, until they reached the old battle ground of 8 o’clock Sunday morning, when they broke and fled.  The roar of cannon, the terrific whiz of musketry suddenly cease, (except the occasional shots of pursuers,) and naught remained by the peaceful quiet dead and groaning wounded.

In looking over the list of Iowa regiments I desire to pay a tribute of deserved praise to the 3d Iowa Infantry.  After the most heroic fighting on Sunday, in which they lost every field officer and all their captains, they were led the second day by Lieut. Crossly; and again won imperishable laurels by their heroic conduct.

Yours, &c.
L.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 7, 1862, p. 2

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Keokuk Hospital

W. Patton, Co. C, 11th Iowa, and B. Bense, Co. K, 7th Iowa, died at the Keokuk Hospital on the 1st inst.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 6, 1862, p. 1

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Iowa Items

A large company, consisting of 43 persons, having with them 12 wagons and 116 horses, passed through Iowa City last week bound for California.  They were from Northern Illinois.

RESIGNED. – Maj. Brodtbeck, of the 12th regiment has resigned on account of ill health.  Gen. Grant refused him permission to return home when taken sick, but gave him the alternative of going to the hospital or resigning.  He tried the former, but finding his health not improving he gave up his commission.

D. A. Mahony & Co., of the Dubuque Herald, sued the postmaster of that city, at the late term of the U. S. Court, for a claim of $35, for publishing uncalled-for letters from April to December, 1861, and also for $2,000 for not publishing the letter list in the Herald.  The defendant demurred, and the Court sustained the demurrer, holding the plaintiff had no cause of action, and if he had the Court had no jurisdiction.  This is “rough” on Mahony, who had been threatening “starting developments” would be made when the U. S. Court met.

The following Iowa wounded were brought to Keokuk last Monday:

Jasper T. Hubbard, Co. H, 2d; R. H. Jones, Co. G, 6th; J. W. West, Co. G, 7th; Edward T. Lanning, do; R. Austin, Co. H, 7th; H. Nichols, Co. F, 13th; C. H. Martin, Co. G. 13th; M. T. Snyder, Co. K, 13th; H. Loomis Co. G, 14th.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, May 2, 1862, p. 2

The Gallant Iowans

Iowa is a young State, but it is the home of heroes.  With the present war she has begun a war history that yields in splendor and honor to that of no State in the Union, and no country on the globe.  Her soil is the birthplace of a new chivalry, and he has become the mother of a new race of heroes.  Her soldiers are as modest as they are brave.  They are not fierce braggarts.  They are as gentle and tractable as children.

But when the storm of blood begins they are the guiding and governing heroes of the tempest.  Where the harvest of death is to be reaped, they are the foremost of the reapers.  Where a perilous assault is to be made, somehow or other there is always an Iowa regiment, or the wasted shadow of and Iowa regiment, to lead it.  It was so at Wilson’s creek; it was so at Belmont; it was show at Fort Donelson; it was so at Shiloh; it will ever be so throughout the war.

All our Western troops have been heroes, but the Iowa troops have been heroes among heroes.  The “Iowa First,” “Iowa Second,” “Iowa Fourth,” and “Iowa Seventh,” are bodies of men who would have given an additional luster even to Thermopylae, Marathon, Austerlitz, or Wagram, and all Americans may be proud of Iowa. – St. Louis News.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, May 2, 1862, p. 2

Friday, April 5, 2013

Deaths of Iowa Soldiers

The list of Iowa Soldiers who died in the Hospitals of St. Louis and vicinity during the week ending January 25th, is as follows:

Jan 19 [N] B Henry, Co. D, 15th Inf
Jan 19 Marshall Lazelle, Co. F, 12th Inf
Jan 19 Richard Williams, Fletcher’s Battery Light Artillery
Jan 20 John H Scott, Co. K, 2d Cavalry
Jan 20 John Sohn, Co. B, 12th Infantry
Jan 20 Thos Jordan, Co. F, 11th Inf
Jan 21 James M Hughes, Co. A, 12th Inf
Jan 21 Barney Clawson, Co. I, 2d Cav
Jan 21 Uhl Mather, Co. D, 12th Inf
Jan 21 Thomas Brattain, Co. C, 2d Inf
Jan 22 Hiram Halleck, Co. E, 7th Inf
Jan 22 James C Taylor, Co. F, 2d Cav
Jan 23 Henry M Dougal, Co. E, 7th Inf
Jan 23 D H Swain, Co. A, 12th Inf
Jan 23 Lewis P Mills, Co. K, 2d Inf
Jan 24 Capt. C C Tupper, Co. G, 12th Inf
Jan 24 Ira H Phillips, Co. H, 11th Inf
Jan 24 Jackson Jewell, Co. B, 2d Cav
Jan 25 George Mason, Co. E, 12th Inf
Jan 25 John [Eing], Co. F, Cav

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 2

Editor’s Note: The last person named in this list may be the John Elinger of Co. F, 9th Illinois Cavalry, who the United States Department of Veterans Affairs National Grave Site Locator states died Jan. 25, 1862 and is buried in Section 50 Site 694 in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.  However, his Pension Index Card on Fold3.com gives is date of death as June 27, 1909.  Based on these 2 conflicting pieces of information, I cannot make a positive identification.  It could very well also be a death reported in error.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Army Correspondence

FORT HOLT, Ky., Jan. 23, 1862

The 7th Regiment reached Cairo last Saturday evening.  We found Cairo one big, deep quagmire.  Mud, mud, everywhere, of the blackest and most adhesive character.  Although we had been a whole week on the road from St. Louis, yet the authorities had neglected to provide any accommodations for our troops on their arrival.  The Regiment was quartered on board the steamer City of Memphis for the night.  The next day (Sunday) we were ordered to Bird’s Point, but on enquiry it was found that the barracks assigned us, were occupied by other troops. – Next we were told to take quarters in Cairo but here also, we found the 8th Wisconsin Regiment had preceded us and taken the only quarters available.  Finally we were ordered over here.  Accordingly we proceeded very early Monday morning to invade the sacred soil of Kentucky.  Ground was soon marked out for a camp when our tents were set up, and tent life once more commenced.  The weather is pleasant and we manage to live very comfortably.  Our camp is on a sand ridge which borders the river, and on the whole a very charming spot.  In front we have Cairo and Bird’s Point in full view, whilst between rolls the broad expanse of water formed by the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.  In spite of poor tents and previous hard usage, we consider ourselves very comfortably fixed.

How long we shall remain here is entirely unknown to us.  We are under orders however, to be ready to march at an hour’s notice.

The men are in good spirits and eager for active operations in the field.  We have with us a little over five hundred men – nearly all fit for active service.  Many of those wounded ant Belmont are rejoining their respective companies, and never more anxious than now to do battle in their country’s cause – the cause of Good and humanity.

I would here take occasion to acknowledge the reception of many articles for the sick and wounded of our regiment, from the “Ladies’ Aid Societies” of Burlington and vicinity.  The Congregationalist Church of Burlington has laid us under many obligations for the many and valuable additions it has made to our hospital stores.  The Old Zion Methodist Church, which has made generous provision for the unfortunate sufferers by the fatal fight at Belmont.  More recently Mr. David Leonard, Corresponding Secretary of the Ladies’ Aid Society of the District in which he lives, consigned to my care a valuable box of hospital stores for our wounded in the Mound City hospital.  This box was duly received there, and distributed amongst the Iowa troops, according to the expressed wishes of the donors.  Colonel Lauman has just received a box of hospital stores from the Episcopal Church of Burlington, and also another from Mr. Wm. Lynn, of Pleasant Grove, Iowa, both valuable boxes.  By means of these generous donations and other smaller ones not here enumerated our Regimental Hospital has been well supplied and the comfort of the sick and wounded very materially enhanced.

I doubt not it will be a great gratification to our Iowa friends to know that their efforts to benefit the sick and wounded of our brave State troops are duly appreciated and effective in accomplishing the object assigned.

The river is rising rapidly and my soon drive us from our Camping ground.

J. H. CLARK,
Chaplain of the Iowa Seventh

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 1

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Official Reports of the Battle of Shiloh: No. 21. Col. William T. Shaw, 14th Iowa Infantry

No. 21.

Report of Col. William T. Shaw, Fourteenth Iowa Infantry.


ANAMOSA, IOWA, October 26, 1862.

SIR: As by the terms of my parole I am precluded from making as yet any official report of the part borne by my regiment, the Fourteenth Iowa, in the battle of Shiloh, on the 6th of April last, and as I feel it due alike to the regiment and to myself, after so long an imprisonment, that their conduct shall be fully reported, I take the liberty of laying before you, unofficially, the following statement:

You will remember that the regiment then formed a part of the brigade of Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, included in the division of Gen. Charles F. Smith. On that day, however, in consequence of General Smith’s illness, General Wallace commanded the division, and Colonel Tuttle, of the Second Iowa, our brigade, which consisted of the Second, Seventh, Twelfth, and Fourteenth Iowa Regiments. Our division occupied the center of the line, having that of General Prentiss on its left, with General Hurlbut beyond him, while the divisions of Generals Sherman and McClernand were on its right. Our brigade occupied the left of the division, and was arranged in the order given above, from the right, so that the Fourteenth occupied the extreme left of the division, next to General Prentiss’ command.

Our line of battle was formed about half past 8 o’clock a.m., about 500 yards from the enemy's artillery, which at once opened a severe fire upon us. The ground was rolling and wooded, but free from underbrush, interspersed here and there with cleared fields and cut up by several roads.
In a short time the enemy's infantry made their appearance, advancing in line of battle. I at once perceived that the line of our brigade was not parallel with theirs, but inclined to it at an angle of about 45 degrees, the left in advance, thus exposing my left flank to the enemy some distance in advance of General Prentiss’ line, upon which it should have rested, and about 200 yards from his extreme right. After consulting with Colonel Woods, of the Twelfth, who was next to me on the right, I threw back my regiment and the left wing of the Twelfth, so as to bring our part of the line parallel to the advancing enemy and in line with General Prentiss’ division, but still failing to connect with it by an interval of about 200 yards. This also improved our position, which had previously been directly upon a ridge, exposed to the enemy's artillery, and gave us that ridge as a partial shelter. The enemy advanced steadily in two lines, about 200 yards apart. I ordered my men to lie down and hold their fire until they were within thirty paces. The effect of this was, that when the order to fire was given, and the Twelfth and Fourteenth opened directly in their faces, the enemy's first line was completely destroyed. Our fire was only returned by a few, nearly all who were not killed or wounded by it fleeing in every direction. I then immediately advanced my regiment, in which I was gallantly joined by the left wing of the Twelfth. Passing almost without opposition over the ground which had been occupied by the first lines, we attacked and drove back their second for some distance, until I was forced to recall my men for fear of my left flank being turned, no part of General Prentiss’ division having advanced with us. In this movement we took a number of prisoners, including 1 captain, whom I sent to the rear. Returning, the Fourteenth took up its old position in the line of battle, and Colonel Geddes, of the Eighth Iowa, now formed his regiment on our left, in line with us and General Prentiss’ division, filling up the gap which had previously existed there. That division, however, with the one beyond it, materially changed its position in the course of the forenoon, its left falling back repeatedly, until the line of these two divisions had swung around almost at right angles to us. I now perceived a large force of the enemy approaching from the left and front, and immediately reported the fact to Colonel Tuttle, who, at my request, sent me a couple of brass 6-pounders, which were near by. These I got into position just  in time to receive the enemy. They advanced with the most desperate bravery, the brunt of their attack falling upon the Eighth Iowa, by whom it was most gallantly borne. I have good authority for saying that the firm resistance of the center at that time was the chief means of saving our whole army from destruction. The fighting continued with great severity for about an hour, during which we repelled what General Beauregard in his official report counts as three of the five distinct charges made by the rebels that day upon our center, and at the end of that time the enemy facing us fell back fully repulsed. Colonel Geddes now withdrew a short distance to take care of his wound, and at his request, as his position was more important and exposed than my own, I moved to the left and occupied it, thus leaving an interval on my right between us and the Twelfth. When Colonel Geddes reformed it was on the right of General Prentiss, with whom Colonel Geddes fought during the rest of the day.

General Prentiss’ line had now swung around so far as to be almost parallel with ours, and back to back with us, about 150 yards in our rear, at our end of the two lines. In this position he was again engaged by a large body of the enemy, who had advanced from the left, having driven in General Hurlbut’s division. At about a quarter to 5 p.m. I received an order from Colonel Tuttle to about-face and proceed to engage the same body of the enemy. In order not to interfere with General Prentiss’ lines I marched by an oblique, passing close to the Eighteenth Wisconsin in his line, and here for the third time that day the Fourteenth engaged with the enemy. After less than half an hour we repulsed them and made a short advance, which revealed to me the facts of our position. The enemy’s center had advanced over the ground defended by us before our change of front and were now attacking us in the rear. Both wings of their forces had advanced so far as to form a junction between us and Pittsburg Landing, their right, which we were now facing, meeting at an angle with their left, which had driven in McClernand's and Sherman's divisions on our right, and into this angle we were about being pressed by this new attack on our rear. General Prentiss having already surrendered with a part of his command, the Fourteenth was left in advance of all that remained, but completely inclosed, receiving the enemy's fire from three directions. The regiment still kept its ranks unbroken and held its position facing the enemy, but the men were almost completely exhausted with a whole day of brave and steady fighting and many of them had spent their whole stock of ammunition. It was therefore useless to think of prolonging a resistance which could only have wasted their lives to no purpose, and at about a quarter to six p.m. I surrendered them and myself prisoners of war. I have only to add that I feel under the deepest obligations to both officers and men of my regiment for their admirable conduct through the day. This was so complete and free from exception, that it would be impossible to mention individuals without doing injustice to the rest. Their steadiness and courage, the accuracy of their fire, and precision of all their movements entitle them to the highest credit, and their general demeanor, both upon the battle-field and in the trying scenes through which we passed as prisoners of war, will always be remembered by me with pride and gratification.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 WM. T. SHAW,
 Colonel Fourteenth Iowa Volunteers.

Hon. SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD,
Governor of Iowa.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume X (Serial No. 10), Part I, pages 152-4

Friday, October 26, 2012

Official Reports of the Battle of Shiloh: No. 10. Col. Marcellus M. Crocker, 13th Iowa Infantry

No. 10.

Report of Col. Marcellus M. Crocker, Thirteenth Iowa Infantry.


HDQRS. THIRTEENTH REGIMENT IOWA INFANTRY VOLS.,
Camp near Pittsburg, Tenn., April 8, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by the Thirteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the engagement with the enemy on the 6th and 7th instant.

Early in the morning of the 6th the alarm was given, and heavy firing in the distance indicated that our camp was attacked. The regiment was formed in front of its color line, its full force consisting of 717 men, rank and file. It was at once ordered to form on the left of the Second Brigade, and proceeded to that position at a double-quick, and was then formed in line of battle in a skirt of woods bordering on an open field to the left of a battery. Here it remained for some time inactive, while the enemy's guns were playing on our battery. In the mean time a large force of the enemy's infantry were filing around the open field in front of our line, protected by the woods and in the direction of our battery, opening a heavy fire of musketry on the infantry stationed on our right and charging upon the battery. The infantry and battery to the right having given way, and the enemy advancing at double-quick, we gave them one round of musketry and also gave way. At this time we – as, indeed, all our troops in the immediate vicinity of the battery – were thrown into great confusion, and retired in disorder. Having retired to the distance of 100 or 200 yards we succeeded in rallying and forming a good line, the Eighth and Eighteenth Illinois Volunteers on our left, and having fronted to the enemy, held our position there under a continual fire of cannon and musketry until after 12 o’clock, when we were ordered to retire and take up a new position. This we did in good order and without confusion. Here, having formed a new line, we maintained it under incessant fire until 4.30 o’clock p.m., the men conducting themselves with great gallantry and coolness, and doing great execution on the enemy, repulsing charge after charge, and driving them back with great loss.

At 4.30 o’clock p.m. we were again ordered to fall back. In obeying this order we became mixed up with a great number of regiments falling back in confusion, so that our line was broken and the regiment separated, rendering it very difficult to collect it; but finally, having succeeded in forming, and being separated from the brigade, we attached ourselves to the division commanded by Colonel Tuttle, of the Second Iowa Volunteers, and formed with his division in front of the encampment of the Fourteenth, Second, and Seventh Iowa Volunteers, where we sustained a heavy fire from the enemy's battery until dark, and there remained during the night on our arms. During the day we were under fire of the enemy for ten hours, and sustained a loss of 23 killed and 130 wounded.

On the morning of the 7th we were ordered to continue with Colonel Tuttle’s division and to follow up and support our forces that were attacking and driving back the enemy. We followed them up closely, moving to support the batteries until the enemy was routed, after which we were ordered to return to the encampment that we had left on Sunday morning, where we arrived at 8 o’clock p.m.

Our total loss in the action of the 6th and 7th is: Killed, 24; wounded, 139; missing, 9; total, 172.*  The men for the most part behaved with great gallantry, and the officers exhibited the greatest bravery and coolness; and I call especial attention to the gallant conduct of my field officers, Lieutenant-Colonel Price and Major Shane, who were both wounded in the action of the 6th, and acknowledge my great obligations to my adjutant, Lieutenant Wilson, who during the entire action exhibited the highest qualities of a soldier.

Respectfully, &c.,

M. M. CROCKER,
Colonel Thirteenth Iowa Infantry.

 C. CADLE, Jr., A. A. A. G., First Brigade, First Division.
__________

* But see revised statement, p. 100, and division return, p. 123.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume X (Serial No. 10), Part I, pages 131-2

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Official Reports of the Battle of Shiloh: No. 20. Col. Joseph J. Woods, 12th Iowa Infantry.

No. 20.

Report of Col. Joseph J. Woods, Twelfth Iowa Infantry.

MAQUOKETA, JACKSON COUNTY, IOWA,
April —, 1862.

On the morning of April 6, the rebels having attacked our advanced lines at Shiloh, Tenn., the Twelfth Iowa Infantry was rapidly formed and joined the other regiments — the Second, Seventh, and Fourteenth — of the Iowa brigade, being the First Brigade, under Brigadier-General Tuttle, of the Second Division, under General Wallace. The brigade was marched to near the field beyond General Hurlbut’s headquarters and formed in line of battle, the Second and Seventh on our right, the Fourteenth on our left. The Eighth Iowa, of Prentiss’ division, was on the left of the Fourteenth, forming an angle to the rear with our line. An open field lay in front of our right. Dense timber covered our left. A small ravine was immediately behind us. In this position we awaited the approach of the enemy. Soon he made a bold attack on us, but met with a warm reception, and soon we repulsed him. Again and again repeatedly did he attack us, trying vainly to drive us from our position. He failed to move us one inch from our position. On the contrary, we repulsed every attack of the enemy and drove him back in confusion.

Thus matters stood in our front until about 4 p.m., at which time it became evident, by the firing on our left, that the enemy were getting in our rear. An aide-de-camp rode up and directed me to face to the rear and fall back, stating, in answer to my inquiry, that I would receive orders as to the position I was to occupy. No such orders reached me, and I suppose could not. The Second and Seventh Iowa had already gone to the rear, and on reaching the high ground between our position and General Hurlbut’s headquarters we discovered that we were already surrounded by the enemy, caused by no fault of our own, but by the troops at a distance from us on our right and left giving way before the enemy. Seeing ourselves surrounded, we nevertheless opened a brisk fire on that portion of the enemy who blocked our passage to the Landing, who, after briskly returning our fire for a short time, fell back. A brisk fire from the enemy on our left (previous right) was going on at the same time. Seeing the enemy in front falling back, we attempted by a rapid movement to cut our way through, but the enemy on our left advanced rapidly, coming in behind us, pouring into our ranks a most destructive fire. The enemy in front faced about and opened on us at short range, the enemy in our rear still closing in on us rapidly. I received two wounds, disabling me from further duty. The command then devolved on Captain Edgington, acting as field officer. The enemy had, however, already so closely surrounded us that their balls which missed our men took effect in their ranks beyond us. To have held out longer would have been to suffer complete annihilation. The regiment was therefore compelled to surrender as prisoners of war.

Lieutenant-Colonel Coulter was much reduced by chronic diarrhea and Major Brodtbeck was suffering from rheumatism. Being myself the only field officer on duty, at my request Captain Edgington acted as a field officer, the duties of which he performed in an able and efficient manner.

Quartermaster Dorr, though his position did not require him to go into action, volunteered to do so, and throughout the day behaved in a brave and gallant manner, daringly, if not recklessly, exposing his person to the enemy. He made himself very useful in carrying messages and spying out the positions and movements of the enemy and firing on them as occasion offered. Energetic and efficient in his own department, he would fill a higher one with credit to himself and honor to the service.

Adjutant Duncan proved himself on this, as on all occasions, a faithful and efficient officer.
Captains Earle, Warner, Stibbs, Haddock, Van Duzee, and Townsley performed well their part, as did all the lieutenants in the action, in a prompt and willing manner.

The non-commissioned officers and men stood bravely up to their work and never did men behave better.

In the death of Lieutenant Ferguson, of Company D, the regiment lost one of its best-drilled officers and a gallant soldier. It also lost a good man and a good officer in the death of Lieutenant Moir, of Company A.

 J. J. WOODS,
 Colonel Twelfth Iowa Volunteers.

 ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,
First Brigade, Second Division.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume X (Serial No. 10), Part I, pages 151-2