The Battle

Although more than half of the Iowa regiments were in the recent great battle which commenced at Pittsburgh Landing, and although they, doubtless, contributed in a great measure to the overthrow of Beauregard and his army, our lengthy dispatches this morning seem to ignore the very existence of Iowa. When the whole truth comes to light, as it will in brief time, it will be seen that the Iowa Regiments were as usual in the van of the conflict, and that many a hero who went from our State to participate in the decisive battle of the war, has baptized the earth with his blood, and yielded up his life on the alter of his country. From the hour in which our soldiers first became familiar with the music of cannon balls and the dull crash of exploding shells, they have shown that they possessed the courage and the iron endurance which discourage opposition and conquer victories! Iowa was heard from at Springfield, at Blue Mills, at Belmont, at Donelson, at Pea Ridge; and we doubt not that the prestige which our State has acquired in this war against rebellion has been secured more firmly to her by the gallantry of our men at Corinth!

As at Donelson and Pea Ridge, Polk county, in all probability will be represented again in the list of killed and wounded. The Capital Guards in the Second Iowa Regiment, who knew no hesitation in storming the intrenchments [sic] at Donelson, were participants in the last bloody battle. Soldiers in the Third Regiment from this county and Warren, were there. The 15th and 16th Regiments were probably in the same conflict, and each one has in it a Company from this county. In fact, so far as we have knowledge, every organized regiment of infantry in the state except the 4th, 5th, 9th and10th was engaged in that terrible battle; and when we know that they occupied the point at Pittsburgh Landing where the attack commenced, and where the battle raged with the greatest fury, the conclusion is obvious that they must have suffered awfully.

Colonel Crocker’s Regiment was in the battle, and we wait with painful interest to hear from the Colonel, as well as from the rest of the soldiers who went from this county.

– Published in the Daily State Register, Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862