We have been permitted to make a few extracts from a letter written home by J. L. Millard, of Co. D, 39th Iowa Inft., dated Rome, Ga., June 4th, which doubtless will be of interest to those having friends in that Reg. He says:
The 39th, all day Sunday, May 8th, led McPherson’s column in the successful flank movement which caused Johnson to evacuate Dalton. The 39th also lead the way through the noted Snake Creek Gap, where within six days from the time the 39th went through, they had been followed by over one hundred thousand Union Soldiers, with all their immense trains of supplies. Four companies of the 39th, (Co. D included), were in the first fight that ever took place between the Union and Rebel soldiers South of Dalton.
On the morning of the 15th (Sunday) we were moved down near the Ostanula River, in the direction where Dodge’s Division was laying pontoons. On these one brigade crossed in the afternoon, and passed through an open field half a mile. The rebels, who were lying in wait for them, charged down on them furiously. The fight was terrible but it did not last long. Our men stood firm and finally charged on, and drove them in disorder. The Iowa 7th lost heavily in this fight. Our regiment passed over immediately expecting to take part in the fight, but the rebs did not try it again that night. We threw up breast works that night, and the next morning felt for, found them and drove them for a while, when they halted, and we fought them all day. In this fight our brigade came very near being surrounded.
Our Brigade is now at this place – the advance is far down towards Alotona [sic]. It has been continual fighting from Ringgold down as far as our advance has gone.
Other items omitted for want of time and room.
– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, June 18, 1864
The 39th, all day Sunday, May 8th, led McPherson’s column in the successful flank movement which caused Johnson to evacuate Dalton. The 39th also lead the way through the noted Snake Creek Gap, where within six days from the time the 39th went through, they had been followed by over one hundred thousand Union Soldiers, with all their immense trains of supplies. Four companies of the 39th, (Co. D included), were in the first fight that ever took place between the Union and Rebel soldiers South of Dalton.
On the morning of the 15th (Sunday) we were moved down near the Ostanula River, in the direction where Dodge’s Division was laying pontoons. On these one brigade crossed in the afternoon, and passed through an open field half a mile. The rebels, who were lying in wait for them, charged down on them furiously. The fight was terrible but it did not last long. Our men stood firm and finally charged on, and drove them in disorder. The Iowa 7th lost heavily in this fight. Our regiment passed over immediately expecting to take part in the fight, but the rebs did not try it again that night. We threw up breast works that night, and the next morning felt for, found them and drove them for a while, when they halted, and we fought them all day. In this fight our brigade came very near being surrounded.
Our Brigade is now at this place – the advance is far down towards Alotona [sic]. It has been continual fighting from Ringgold down as far as our advance has gone.
Other items omitted for want of time and room.
– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, June 18, 1864
3 comments:
John Millard was an abolitionist who served a term in the Iowa Legislature before the war and was re-elected afterward. I'd appreciate any additional information on him.
Lois, thank you for your comment. At the moment this is all I have on John Millard, but if you go down the right side of the page and click on the link for the 39th Iowa you will see all I have on the 39th there. In the mean time I can see what else I can did up about John Millard.
Thanks, Jim. Apparently, Clarke County records themselves are scant. I do have, from another publication, an article about his death only a few years after the war. I've also read that Clarke County was probably a stop on the underground railroad, and that Brethen Church, which was activity in the abolitionist movement, was active there.By the way, my husband is a member of the Civil War Roundtable here in Georgia and an active researcher on CW topics.
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