The ten companies assigned to the Twenty-fourth Infantry were ordered into quarters by Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood on dates ranging from the 16th to the 28th day of August, 1862. The rendezvous designated in the order was "Camp Strong," Muscatine, Iowa, where the companies were mustered into the service of the United States on the 18th day of September, 1862, by Captain H. B. Hendershott of the Regular Army. The aggregate number of the regiment at the completion of its organization was 979 [see note 1]. The revised roster, which follows this historical sketch, shows the names of the field and staff and company officers at the completion of the organization of the regiment; it also shows the changes which subsequently occurred, the additional enlistments and the name of every officer and enlisted man who at any time belonged to the regiment, together with the condensed record of their personal service, compiled from the official records. Great care has been taken in making the transcripts and, where it was possible to obtain evidence to complete records that were found to be incomplete, it has been done. No doubt there are errors and omissions in the original records that have been perpetuated in the revised rosters, but it is hoped that the number has been reduced to the minimum and that, in the main, the records will be found correct. Many of the official reports — so necessary to enable a complete history of the operations of the regiment to be compiled — are lacking, but in making up this condensed history the compiler has availed himself of such sources of information, not found in the official records, as could be considered reliable, and has been careful to avoid making any statement not strictly in accord with the facts
The regiment remained at Camp Strong until the 19th of October, 1862, on which date it marched to the levee at Muscatine and, embarking on transports, proceeded to St: Louis, where orders were received to proceed at once to Helena, Ark. "there it arrived and disembarked on the 28th of October, going into camp just south of the city and joining the brigade Commanded by Colonel McGinnis of the Eleventh Indiana. Many of the men had been attacked by sickness while upon the boat, and the unhealthy locality in which the regiment was now encamped added largely to the number upon the sick list. The privations and hardships endured by the Twenty-fourth Iowa, while at Helena and when engaged in the several expeditions in which it participated during the winter of l862-3, were the most severe in its history. On the 17th of November the regiment formed part of the force tinder General Hovey which proceeded to the mouth of White River; upon its return it engaged in another expedition to Goldwater, Miss., to co-operate with the movement of General Grant against Vicksburg and, on the 11th of January, 1863, it again formed part of a force engaged in another expedition up the White River, this time under General Gorman. While no considerable body of the enemy was encountered upon any of these expeditions, and no practical results were [accomplished] by them, the troops suffered almost unendurable hardships from exposure to storms of rain and snow, and the fatalities which resulted were as great as those sustained in many of the hard-fought battles in which the regiment subsequently participated. The survivors of the regiment always remembered that winter campaign as the most discouraging of the many through which they passed in their long period of service. Upon its return from the last expedition the regiment found its camp ground flooded, compelling removal to higher ground, and the change in location resulted in a decrease of the sick list, but many had died and a still larger number had been incapacitated for further service and were discharged. A considerable number of those who were thus discharged for disability never fully recovered.
On the 15th of February, 1863, the Twenty-fourth Iowa left Helena with its brigade, which formed part of the force under General Wasburn engaged in clearing out the obstructions in Yazoo Pass and opening the same to navigation. This duty, while arduous, gave the men active employment and relieved them from the depressing effects of witnessing the daily depletion of their ranks from disease, while lying idle in camp. Upon the return of the regiment to Helena, in the early spring, the troops with which it was associated were transferred to the Thirteenth Army Corps and ordered to join General Grant's army in its operations against Vicksburg, and were conveyed on transports to Milliken's Bend, where they disembarked and marched, over difficult and sometimes almost impassable roads, to Perkins’ Landing. Here, on the 28th of April, they again embarked on transports and barges and moved down the river to a point about four miles above Grand Gulf, where, without disembarking, they witnessed the tremendous artillery combat between the gunboats and the rebel batteries at Grand Gulf, which lasted for several hours. The troops had, in the meantime, been awaiting orders to land and co-operate with the gunboats in their attack upon the enemy's works, but, after prolonged bombardment, without apparent effect, the gunboats withdrew, and the attack by land was also abandoned. The troops disembarked and marched down the levee to a point three miles below Grand Gulf, where they bivouacked until morning. During the night the gunboats and a number of transports succeeded in passing the rebel batteries. The Twenty-fourth Iowa, with the other troops of the Thirteenth Corps, now embarked on transports and gunboats and were conveyed down the river to Bruinsburg, sixteen miles below Grand Gulf, where they landed and took up the line of march toward Port Gibson.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa had been assigned to the Second Brigade of the Twelfth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The brigade was composed of the Forty-seventh Indiana, Fifty-sixth Ohio, and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, and was under the command of Colonel James R. Slack of the Forty-seventh Indiana, from whose official report — in the absence of the report of the commander of the regiment — the following extracts are made, showing the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa in the battle of Port Gibson, May 1, 1863. After describing the formation and position of his brigade prior to the commencement of the engagement, Colonel Slack says:
During the formation of our lines, the battle opened a short distance to our left and front, and continued with great stubbornness for an hour, when General Hovey directed me to put my column in motion and support General Benton, whose forces were being hard pressed by overwhelming numbers. The whole column was immediately formed, and moved most gallantly to the point indicated, with the Forty-seventh Indiana and Fifty-sixth Ohio on the left and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa on the right. These positions were respectively taken under a severe fire of the enemy's infantry, and shell and canister from a whole battery at a distance of about two hundred yards, yet the several commands took their position in line without flinching, and advanced to within eighty yards of the enemy's battery, immediately after which General Hovey ordered Colonel Cameron, of the Thirty-fourth Indiana, to charge and take the battery, and ordered me to support the charge with the Fifty-sixth Ohio, which was immediately to the left of the Thirty-fourth Indiana.
While the fierce fighting which resulted in the capture of the battery and 220 prisoners from the rebel troops supporting it was in progress, the Twenty-fourth Iowa was held in reserve, but was ready to advance the moment the order was received. It was the regiment's first battle, and its officers and men chafed under being placed in reserve and not having their share of the fighting in this early period of the battle. Later in the day, however, the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were sent to the support of General Logan's division, on the extreme left. They promptly moved to the new position assigned them, as further shown by the report of Colonel Slack, in referring to the order, as follows:
In the afternoon the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were ordered to the rear and extreme left of the line, to suport Major General Logan's division, which was hotly engaged, and there continued fighting like veterans, as the men of that gallant state always have done, until the enemy was driven from the field and utterly routed at every point, and the curtain of night closed the scene.
At the close of his report Colonel Slack says:
To the cool and gallant conduct of all the field and line officers, and the persevering determination of each and every one in my command, I cannot express too much gratitude and admiration. To them belongs the glory of the triumph, every officer and every man having done his whole duty. . . . The whole number of casualties are: Killed 16; wounded, 62; missing, 11; total, 89 [see note 2].
It will thus be seen that in its first experience in battle the Twenty-fourth Iowa had acquitted itself with honor, and had shown that, whenever the opportunity came, it could meet the enemy with that same steady courage and determined bravery that it had exhibited while enduring the hardships and suffering of the campaign in Arkansas, during which it did not come into contact with the enemy in battle, but faced the grim messenger of death, in the form of disease, with the same if not greater fortitude than was requisite to face the death-dealing guns of its rebel foes.
The official report of General A. P. Hovey describes with great particularity all the movements of the troops of his division between the dates of May 2d and 16th, upon which latter date the battle of Champion's Hill was fought [see note 3]. During these movements more or less skirmishing with the enemy occurred, in which the Twenty-fourth Iowa had its share; and, in the battle which ensued, the regiment took the most conspicuous part and suffered the greatest loss of any of the gallant regiments of its brigade. Failing to find the official report of the regimental commander, the compiler again has recourse to the reports of the brigade and division commanders, Colonel Slack [see note 4] and General Hovey [see note 5]. The following extracts are from the report of Colonel Slack:
On the night of the 15th, we encamped on the Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad near Bolton Station. In the morning we left camp about six o'clock, and moved east about 7 miles, when we approached very nearly to the enemy, drawn up in line of battle. In pursuance of orders of Brigadier General Hovey, I formed the Second Brigade in two lines to the left of the road, in the field of one Champion [see note 6], with the artillery in advance. Soon thereafter I placed my lines of battle in advance of the artillery, and ordered two companies of the Forty-seventh Indiana, two companies, of the Fifty-sixth Ohio, and two companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, as skirmishers, who covered the whole front of the line and advanced toward the enemy. Skirmishing soon began, and continued for about one hour, when I advanced the whole line, with the Forty-seventh Indiana on the right, and the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left. The thick growth of underbrush and vines, ravines and hills, made it very difficult to advance, but it was accomplished with little disorder, until we reached the crest of the hill, where we found the enemy in very heavy force, about 200 yards in front of us, and under cover of a wood beyond a field. Then the battle began with great fury, our troops advancing for the purpose of driving the enemy from the cover of the woods, which was done at double-quick and in a most gallant manner, the men loading and firing as they advanced, and unfalteringly receiving a most deadly fire from the enemy; yet they pressed forward, as men only can do who are prompted by intelligent motives of patriotic devotion to a common country, until the rebel force was driven from the covering and forced to fall back a distance of 200 yards, with terrible loss, the ground being literally covered with dead and wounded rebels. In this daring and determined charge all the regiments lost most severely. The Twenty-fourth Iowa most gallantly charged upon a rebel battery of five guns, and took it at the point of the bayonet, killing many of the cannoneers and driving the remainder from their guns and some fifty yards to the rear, when a new rebel line, which had not been in action, appeared in treble our force, and opened a most murderous fire upon our lines, which the unflinching and determined braves of the Twenty-fourth Iowa resisted for fifteen minutes, but, because of the overwhelming force brought to bear upon them, reluctantly retired from the battery, but kept the rebel re-enforcements at bay by their incessant fire and stubborn resistance. This battery was subsequently retaken, and is now in our possession. During this terrific charge, Major Edward Wright, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, was severely wounded, immediately after which he captured a stalwart rebel prisoner and made him carry him off the field. . . . Our ranks being badly depleted, I directed the whole command to retire gradually from the field and take position near the crest of the hill where the rebel lines were first formed, which was done in good order, at which time a re-enforcement of one brigade came to our support, and after a few well directed volleys, with the aid of the batteries, which General Hovey had massed on the extreme right, the enemy was routed and fled in great confusion and disorder from the field. . . . Thus ended this unequal, terrible and most sanguinary conflict. . . . For two long hours my brigade held in check fully three times their number, and I hesitate not in saying that, had they not so gallantly and determinedly resisted, the fortunes of the day might have been greatly damaged, if not our glorious triumph turned into a defeat. During the progress of the battle, my command took a large number of prisoners, which were handed over to the Provost-marshal without any account being taken of them. Major L. H. Goodwin of the Forty-seventh Indiana and Major Edward Wright of the Twenty-fourth Iowa were. seriously wounded while gallantly leading their men, but I am more than grateful to know that they are both rapidly recovering and will soon be able to resume their respective positions. To those brave officers and men who fell in that sanguinary conflict and who resolved to do or die in defense of and for the perpetuation of the best Government ever known to civilization, we cannot do more than assure their friends at home that they fell with their faces to the foe, in defense of the constitution of a common country. . . . The whole number of casualties (detailed lists of which I herewith inclose) is as follows: Forty-seventh Indiana, killed 32, wounded 91, missing 17, total 140. Fifty-sixth Ohio, killed 20, wounded 90, missing 28, total 138. Twenty-fourth Iowa, killed 35, wounded 120, missing 34, total 189. Twenty-eighth Iowa, killed 21, wounded 62, missing 14, total 97. First Missouri Battery, wounded 2.
It will thus be seen that the entire loss of the brigade was 556, out of the four regiments and one battery of which it was composed, of which number the loss of the Twenty-fourth Iowa constituted; one-third. Near the close of his very full and complete report of the part taken by the two brigades of his division in the battle of Champion's Hill, General Hovey says:
I cannot think of this bloody hill without sadness and pride. Sadness for the great loss of my true and gallant men; pride for the heroic bravery they displayed. No prouder division ever met as vastly superior foe and fought with more unflinching firmness and stubborn valor. It was, after the conflict, literally the hill of death; men, horses, cannon, and the debris of an army lay scattered in wild confusion. Hundreds of the gallant Twelfth Division were cold in death or writhing in pain, and, with large numbers of Quinby's gallant boys, lay dead, dying or wounded, intermixed with our fallen foe. Thus ended the battle of Champion's Hill, and our heroes slept upon the field with the dead and dying around them. I never saw fighting like this. The loss of my division on this field alone was nearly one-third of my forces engaged. Of the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, in what words of praise shall I speak? Not more than six months in the service, their records will compare with the oldest and best tried regiments in the field. All honor is due to their gallant officers and men; and Colonels Gill, Byam and Connell have my thanks for the skill with which they handled their respective commands, and for the fortitude, endurance and bravery displayed by their gallant men. . . . Among the dead of the Second Brigade are the honored names of Captains Silas D. Johnson, William Carbee and First Lieutenant Chauncey Lawrence of the Twenty-fourth Iowa.
The total loss in both brigades of General Hovey's division in the battle of Champion's Hill was 1,202, of the 4,180 engaged [see note 7]. General Hovey places the loss of the Twenty-fourth Indiana at 40 per cent of its number engaged, and gives that as the maximum loss of any one regiment. Reference to the tabulated statement shows this to be an error. The Twenty-fourth Iowa had 417 enlisted men and officers engaged in the battle, and its loss was 189, over 45 per cent of the number engaged, and this was the heaviest percentage of loss of any regiment of the brigade or division. There were but nine companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa engaged at Champion's Hill; Company B, being at that time on detached duty at General McClernand's headquarters, was not engaged. The regiment had now been in the service less than eight months, yet it had taken its place by the side of regiments from other states which had participated in numerous battles and had won the designation of Veteran, had fought with equal distinction, had won the highest commendation of its brigade and division commanders and, at the very beginning of its experience under the fire of the enemy, had established a record for bravery and efficiency second to none of the gallant regiments from Iowa which had preceded it to the field.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa marched with its brigade from the battlefield of Champion's Hill to Black River Bridge, but did not arrive there in time to participate in the battle in which the Twenty-first and Twenty-third Iowa regiments won such distinguished honor. Remaining at Black River for a few days, the regiment continued its march to Vicksburg, where it arrived on the 24th of May and at once took its position on the line of investment in the center of General Hovey's division, where for the succeeding forty days it endured the hardships, dangers and privations incident to the siege of the rebel stronghold which surrendered to General Grant on the 4th of July, 1863. On the morning of July 5th, the regiment marched with its brigade and division, as a part of the army under General Sherman, in the expedition against Jackson, Miss., and participated in the operations which ensued, culminating in the evacuation of Jackson by the enemy on July 16, 1863, and the end of the great Vicksburg campaign. The total loss of the two brigades of General Hovey's division, from the commencement of the siege of Vicksburg to the evacuation of Jackson, was 155 killed and wounded, while that of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, during the same period, was 1 killed and 12 wounded. As there were twelve organizations in the division, the loss of the Twenty-fourth Iowa was about the same average as that -of the other regiments of the division. During the entire campaign the aggregate losses of the Twenty-fourth Iowa in battle were 208.
Upon its return to Vicksburg the regiment was allowed a brief period of rest in camp. Colonel Byam had resigned on the 30th of June, and Lieutenant Colonel Wilds had succeeded to the command of the regiment. About the middle of August, 1863, the regiment was transferred to a new field of operations. Embarking on transports, it was conveyed to New Orleans, and from there proceeded to Algiers. From the date of its arrival at Algiers, the compiler finds a carefully written record of its subsequent operations, during the year 1864, prepared by Major (later Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General [see note 8]) Ed Wright for the Adjutant General of Iowa [see note 9]. Only brief quotations can be made from this record and the copies of official reports which accompany it, on account of limitation of space, but the compiler will endeavor to include all the most important events which transpired during this period of the service of the regiment. Reference to the record will show that the events which transpired during each month of the year are carefully noted and the details given with great particularity, a large part of which are necessarily omitted in this historical sketch.
During the greater part of the month of January, 1863, the regiment was in camp at Algiers, La., being at that time a part of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The location of the camp was such that the men suffered much hardship from the wet weather which prevailed. On January 21st, the division was moved to Madisonville, La., on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain, and there the regiment found the most beautiful and attractive camping ground it had occupied since leaving the State of Iowa. There the regiment remained until February 26th, when it returned to its former camp at Algiers, and there, on the 3d of March, with its brigade and division, marched in review before General McClernand and was especially complimented by the General for its fine appearance and perfection in drill.
On March 5th, the regiment was conveyed by rail to Berwick Bay, La. From there all camp equipage that could possibly be dispensed with and all extra baggage was sent back to New Orleans, and the troops prepared for rapid marching as reinforcements to the army under General Banks, then engaged in his unfortunate Red River Expedition. The troops consisted of the Third Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps, which included the brigade to which the Twenty-fourth Iowa belonged. The division marched rapidly to Washington, La., where it overtook the Nineteenth Army Corps, under General Franklin. The march was continued, with occasional halts for rest, when, on the 31st of March, the troops arrived at Natchitoches, La., having marched 290 miles. The march was resumed on the 6th of April and, on the evening of the 7th, the troops arrived at Pleasant Hill, La., and found the cavalry engaged in a skirmish with the enemy at the front. The brigade was ordered to move forward and support the cavalry, but, after marching about one mile, found that the enemy had retired. At daylight the next morning the march was renewed, with the Fourth Division in advance. Five companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa were detailed as escort for the train in the rear. About 8 o'clock A. M. the advance encountered the enemy, who, after a short skirmish, retreated. The Third Division halted to await the arrival of the Nineteenth Corps, as the enemy was reported in strong force. At 2 P. M., the next day, the march was resumed. The troops marched very rapidly for five miles, when the enemy was discovered in force, the column was halted, and the First Brigade formed line of battle on the right of the road, with the Second Brigade in line on the left. The engagement which ensued was generally known as the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, but has sometimes been called the battle of Mansfield. Major Wright, who was in command of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, and who wrote the official report of the part taken by that portion of his regiment which was engaged in the battle, after describing the movements of his regiment and brigade prior to the opening of the engagement, says:
The Twenty-fourth, about 130 strong, Companies A, D, I, C and H having been detailed as train guard and left in the rear, under command of Capt Martin, was ordered to form in the rear as a reserve to the Second Brigade. The lines being formed, the advance was ordered. The lines moved forward near a fourth of a mile, when, coming to the edge of the field beyond the timber, a halt was ordered, and the line immediately engaged the enemy. The Twenty-fourth, about three hundred paces in the rear, was ordered to lie down. While in this position, my command received a severe raking artillery fire from the enemy's guns, posted in front of the right of the brigade. Having remained in this position about half an hour, during which time the front line was firing rapidly, I was ordered to move my command to the front, which I did by a left oblique movement, and came in on the left of the brigade, and took position in a ravine, at the edge of the timber. From the position there occupied, I could see with my field glass at least 8,000 of the enemy forming in the distance, but not within range of our muskets. The enemy's skirmishers had advanced to the edge of the hill in our front, and were protected by a battery immediately on their left, which had taken position behind some large buildings, from which place it was impossible for our weak line to dislodge it. The Fourth Division I could not learn anything of, and the only force to-oppose these heavy columns of the enemy was the Third Division, about 1,200 strong, and some straggling cavalry. This position was held for near an hour, when, the enemy advancing in heavy force — at least ten to one — and most of the command being out of ammunition, we were overwhelmed by numbers and compelled to retire from the field. This, however, was no easy task, as the enemy's cavalry was already far in our rear, both on the right and left, and we were assailed at all points. I ordered my command to confine their movements to the thick brush, as much as possible, and, by keeping in the woods between the road and an open field on our left, which was occupied by the enemy's cavalry, I succeeded in bringing the most of the command off the field, and forming in the rear of the Nineteenth Army Corps, about three miles from the battlefield, after which I procured ammunition for my men and joined with the One Hundred and Sixty-First New York Volunteers, and remained until after dark. The fight being over, I reported with my command to General Cameron, and marched back to Pleasant Hill, arriving there at sunrise on the morning of the 9th. Casualties during the day were 34, a list of which is hereto appended. The officers and men of my command all behaved well and stood at their posts until ordered to fall back, delivering their fire with a precision not to be surpassed. I cannot close this report without making some comments about the manner in which this battle was managed. It was understood when the army arrived at St. Patrick's Bayou that we had found the enemy in force, and why we should have been sent forward in detachments, only to be demolished by superior numbers, is a mystery to me. First the cavalry moved up and were repulsed; next the Fourth Division was moved forward, and shared the same fate. Then the Third Division moved forward on double quick for five miles, along a road blocked by trains, only to come in contact with an overwhelming force, before which it was compelled to retire. Who is responsible? I leave the question for the historian to answer, believing it will be answered correctly.
I have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Ed Wright,
Major Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
N. B. Baker, Adjutant General State of Iowa.
The correct answer to Major Wright's question is readily given. His was only one of a number of brave Iowa regiments which lost heavily in that ill-fated expedition, through the utter incapacity of the Commanding General, Nathaniel P. Banks. The verdict of all military historians is unanimous with reference to the Red River Expedition and its commander. Both were stupendous failures. Major Wright displayed great skill and ability in being able to extricate his command from its perilous situation, with a loss of little less than one-third of the number engaged. While the loss was heavy, it is marvelous that, under the circumstances, it was not much greater. Had the other five companies of the regiment been engaged, the loss would have been proportionately greater. It was therefore fortunate that they were on detached duty.
Upon the return of the regiment to Pleasant Hill, Major Wright was placed in command of the brigade and Captain Martin assumed command of the regiment. The Third and Fourth Divisions of the Thirteenth Corps, under command of General Cameron, (General Ransom having been severely wounded,) were ordered to take charge of the train and proceed to Grand Ecore, on Red River. Here the command arrived, on the evening of the 11th, and began the construction of fortifications; Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, of the Twenty-eighth Iowa, succeeding Major Wright as brigade commander. The two divisions left Grand Ecore on the morning of the 22d and reached Cane River at 2 A. M. on the 23d, where the enemy was found strongly posted on the opposite side of the river, for the purpose of contesting the crossing of the Union troops. General Cameron did not attempt to force his way across the river under the fire of the enemy, but, moving his troops up the river, effected a crossing by wading, and thus outflanked the enemy and drove him from his position. A bridge was then put down, over which the army of General Banks had passed by 10 A. M. the next day, when the line of march was again taken up and the army arrived at Alexandria on the 25th. The retreat had been conducted by forced marches and the troops, marching day and night, were completely exhausted upon reaching Alexandria. Company A, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, had been detailed to guard the steamer "Hetty Gilmore" from Grand Ecore down the river. During the trip a detachment of the enemy attempted to capture the boat but was driven off. Two men of the company, Sergeant Charles Wager and Private Rudolph McKinley, were severely wounded, the company returned to the regiment at Alexandria. Lieutenant Colonel Wilds, who had been absent since December 6th on recruiting service in Iowa, rejoined the regiment at Alexandria and resumed command. Between the 25th of April and the 13th of May the regiment had several sharp skirmishes with the enemy, in which a number of its men were wounded. General Banks commenced his retreat from Alexandria on May 13th, and on the 22d the army reached Morganza Bend. The Twenty-fourth Iowa had a skirmish with the enemy while engaged in a reconnoitering expedition from Morganza, in which Captain B. G. Paul, of Company K, was killed, and four enlisted men were wounded. The losses of the regiment while connected with the troops commanded by General Banks had reached the aggregate number of 48, and the results accomplished, during that period of its service, were not only not commensurate with the loss, but the officers and men of the regiment were fully justified in the opinion that the sacrifice had been in vain, and they were rejoiced to know that a change for the better was in prospect.
The regiment left Morganza on June 13th, proceeded to Carrollton, La., and went into camp near Greenville Station, on the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad. Leaving there on the 21st, it was subsequently stationed at Kennerville and Thibodeaux, La., until July 6th, upon which date it proceeded by rail to Algiers, where it received — in exchange for the old Enfield rifles with which it had been supplied since taking the field — new Springfield rifles and accouterments. On the morning of July 22d the regiment embarked on the transport "Star of the South" and, soon after, put to sea, with orders to report to the commanding officer at Fortress Monroe, where, after enduring the usual discomforts of a sea voyage, it arrived on the 29th, and at once proceeded to Washington, D. C, arriving there at midnight and, the next morning, proceeding by rail to Monocacy, Md., reached that place on August 1st, where it joined a detachment of the Nineteenth Army Corps under command of General Emory. Colonel Wilds was placed in command of the brigade to which his regiment was attached.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa was now about to enter upon an entirely new field of warfare, in which but few of the regiments from its own State had been called to serve. On the 4th of August it was conveyed by rail to Harper's Ferry, where it arrived at midnight and moved out on the Winchester Pike and went into bivouac. On July 6th the regiment commenced a series of movements in connection with the army; first marching to Halltown, to intercept the army of 30,000 rebels, under the command of General Early, which was moving towards Maryland and Pennsylvania; but the rebel general was not yet ready for a general engagement, and, handling his force with consummate skill, managed to avoid a conflict. The Union force arrived at Cedar Creek, near Strasburg, Va., on August 12th, where it encamped and remained until the 15th, when it fell back to Charleston, where General Grover had just arrived with reinforcements from Washington, and a re-organization of the army took place. The Twenty-fourth Iowa was assigned to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, with Colonel Shunk, of the Eighth Indiana Veteran Infantry, commanding the brigade, General Grover commanding the division, and General Emory commanding the detachment of the Nineteenth Corps. The Army of the Shenandoah consisted of two divisions of the Nineteenth Corps, the Sixth Corps commanded by Major General Wright, the Army of Western Virginia commanded by General Crook and about 10,000 cavalry commanded by General Torbet, making in all an army of about 40,000, under command of Major General Sheridan.
On the 3d of September, General Sheridan began the series of movements which led up to the battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864. The part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa in that battle is described in the official report of Lieutenant Colonel Wright, as follows [see note 10]:
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
CAMP RUSSELL, VA., Nov. 19, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle of Opequon, or Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. Q. Wilds, but circumstances beyond his control prevented him from making an official report, prior to the batttle of Cedar Creek, at which place he was severely wounded, and has since died; for this reason I take the responsibility of making it myself. On the 18th of September, orders were issued from army headquarters, requiring all transportation to be sent to the rear, also all extra baggage, retaining only such articles as could not be dispensed with; these to be carried by the men, and officers' horses. Thus, stripped of everything that would encumber its movements, the Army of the Shenandoah retired to rest in camp near Berryville, Va., on the evening of the 18th, with orders to be in line of battle ready to move at 2 o'clock next morning. The Twenty-fourth Iowa belonged to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Detachment Nineteenth Army Corps. The brigade, consisting of the Eighth and Eighteenth Indiana Veteran Volunteers and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, was commanded by Colonel D. Shunk of the Eighth Indiana, the division by Brigadier General C. Grover, the corps by Brevet Major General Emory. At 3 o'clock the advance sounded, and the Nineteenth Corps moved out on the Winchester Pike, halting about three miles west of Berryville, for the Sixth Corps, commanded by Major General Wright, to pass, as it was to have the advance. The Army of Western Virginia, under command of General Crook, moved by another road to the right. Shortly after sunrise, the Sixth Corps having passed, the Nineteenth Corps was put in motion. The Second Division, having the advance, arrived at Opequon Creek about 9 o'clock A. M., when heavy skirmishing and some cannonading was heard in the front, near Winchester. Here we received orders to push forward rapidly, as the cavalry and Sixth Corps were already engaged. When we had reached a point about three miles from Winchester, we turned to the right and moved in the direction of the Winchester and Martinsburg Pike about one mile, and formed line of battle on the right of the Sixth Corps. The Second Division was formed in two lines. The First and Third Brigades formed the first line, and the Second and Fourth Brigades the second. The Twenty-fourth Iowa was on the left center, the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left, Eighth Indiana on the right, Eighteenth Indiana on the right center, the Fourth Brigade being on the extreme right. Soon after, the First Division, Nineteenth Corps, commanded by General Dwight, came up and formed in the rear as a reserve. In this position we remained until about 12 M., when the advance sounded and the whole line moved forward steadily. The front of the whole division was covered by a strip of woodland, near a third of a mile wide. Beyond this woodland was an open field about one-fourth of a mile wide, beyond which was woodland again. When the second line emerged into the open field, the first line was just entering the wood on the opposite side, having driven the enemy's skirmishers across the open field, and were driving the enemy. The enemy, discovering that our right flank was unprotected, threw a heavy column of infantry, with one battery of artillery, around on our right, nearly at right angles with our lines, and kept them concealed in a deep hollow. In consequence of a flank fire from this column, the first line gave back and passed through the second, when about half way across the field. This created some confusion, but the line was soon in good shape again, and moving forward steadily.
When within one hundred yards of the woods, the column that had been thrown around on our right opened out with musketry and canister shot, showering the iron hail along and almost parallel with our ranks, and mowing down our men by the score. As soon as the flank movement was discovered, the whole line was ordered to fall back to the woods, which was done in as good order as could be expected under the circumstances. The line was reformed and advanced about one-fourth of the way across the field and halted, holding the enemy at bay until some troops could be thrown around to our right, as the enemy's lines extended nearly half a mile to the right of ours. Up to this time the Twenty-fourth had had two officers mortally wounded, and two more severely; six enlisted men killed, and about thirty wounded. This line was held under a most destructive artillery fire from both the front and right flank for about two hours, when General Crook came up with the Army of Western Virginia and formed on the right, relieving the most of the Fourth Brigade. Captains Rigby, Smith and Martin, with Lieutenant Lucas, had been posted with their commands in a point of timber nearest the enemy, with orders to hold it at all hazards, and were not relieved. I had supplied them with ammunition, and when the fresh troops in making the final charge came up even with them, they moved forward with the line, which drove the enemy from every position taken until it became a perfect rout. In this last charge the Twenty-fourth lost a number of brave soldiers wounded, and one killed. After the Fourth Brigade was relieved (except as above mentioned) boxes were filled with ammunition, and it was moved to the extreme right in order to prevent any more flank movements of the enemy, but General Averill, coming in with his cavalry, rendered the movement entirely unnecessary. After the enemy was entirely routed and driven pell-mell from the field, the regiment was got together, and marched about two miles, and went into camp near Winchester, on the Front Royal Pike. Casualties during the day: Officers mortally wounded 2, severely, 4. Enlisted men killed, 9; wounded, 56; captured, 3. Total 74; a list of which is hereto appended. I cannot close this report without referring to Captain J. R. Gould, of Company D, and Lieutenant S. S. Dillman, of Company E, both having been mortally wounded while leading their men on in the hottest of the battle. Both were brave almost to rashness. In them the Twenty-fourth Iowa lost two valuable officers and society two valuable men.
I have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant,
ED WRIGHT,
Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
COL. N. B. BAKER, Adjutant General of Iowa.
It will be seen from the foregoing report that the Twenty-fourth Iowa had, in its first battle in the east, gloriously maintained its previous proud record, and had upheld the honor of its State while fighting beside the trained veterans of the Army of the Potomac.
On the night of the 19th of September the regiment went into camp near Winchester. The next morning it marched towards Cedar Creek, and in the evening found the enemy strongly intrenched at Fisher's Hill. The Twenty-fourth Iowa actively participated in the movements which followed and which culminated in the battle of Fisher's Hill, in which, and in the pursuit which followed, the regiment participated, but fortunately — owing to the positions to which its brigade was assigned — it had but one officer and four men wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Wright, in his official report [see note 11], describes minutely the part taken by his regiment in the battle of Fisher's Hill, and highly commends the officers and men for their prompt obedience to orders and the gallant manner in which they conducted themselves during the battle and the subsequent pursuit of the enemy. The rebel General Early and his army had again been defeated and compelled to retreat up the Shenandoah valley.
In all the operations of its brigade and division; from the 23d of September until the 19th of October, upon which latter date the Twenty-fourth Iowa fought its last battle, the regiment performed its full share of duty and always acquitted itself with honor. Although it remained in the service for nearly six months after the battle of Cedar Creek, the remainder of its history, while characterized by the same faithful devotion to duty, was not marked by further severe conflict with the enemy. The compiler deems it most fitting, therefore, that the conduct of the regiment in the memorable battle of Cedar Creek, as portrayed in the official report of its gallant commander, should occupy the greater portion of the space left at his disposal for this historical sketch. In this, one of the most remarkable battles of the great War of the Rebellion, the Twenty-fourth Iowa suffered heavy loss, and ended its battle history by as splendid and heroic fighting as was ever exhibited upon any battlefield. The official report is here given in full [see note 12]:
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
CAMP RUSSELL, VA., Nov. 19, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., on the 19th of October, 1864. The regiment belonged to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps; Brevet Major General Emory commanding corps, Brigadier General Grover commanding division, and Colonel Shunk. Eighth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, commanding brigade. The brigade occupied the left of the second line, which was about two hundred paces in rear of the line of works occupied by the first line. The left of the brigade rested about two hundred yards to the right of the pike leading from Winchester to Stanton. The works in our front were occupied by the Third Brigade, Second Division Nineteenth Army Corps, with Battery D, First Rhode Island Artillery, near the pike on the left The regiment occupied the right center of the brigade, with the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left. The Eighth Corps, under command of Major General Crook, was posted on the left of the pike, and about three hundred paces to the front. The Sixth Corps was on the right of the Nineteenth, with its right thrown back toward Middletown, about one mile. Our teams parked about one mile in the, rear. The enemy was in camp at Fisher's Hill, some four miles to the front. In this position we rested on the evening of the 18th, not even suspecting our danger, or the Yankee trick that Early was going to play on us the next morning.
Soon after retiring to bed, Colonel Wilds, then in command of the regiment, received orders to have the men under arms at precisely 5 o'clock next morning, as the first line was to make a reconnaissance to the front, and the Fourth Brigade was to move up to the works as soon as vacated. In obedience to this order, at 5 o'clock the regiment was in line of battle, and ready to move to the works. Having reason to believe that the reconnaissance would not last more than one or two hours, as the order was not to bring on an engagement, everything except arms and accouterments were left in tents. At ten minutes past 5 o'clock, firing commenced on the picket line of the Eighth Corps. Supposing it to be only a reconnaissance by the enemy, it created but little alarm. In a few minutes heavy firing commenced on the left and front of the Eighth Corps. It was not yet daylight, and a dense fog, which had settled to the ground, rendered it almost impossible to distinguish objects at any distance. Soon after the firing commenced on the left, the brigade was ordered to move by the left flank, until the left of the Twenty-fourth Iowa rested on the pike. Colonel Wilds ordered me to ride to the left of the regiment, and to lead it to the place indicated, but, before reaching the pike, I was ordered to halt and take position, as we were already receiving the enemy's fire. The regiment was halted, and the right thrown forward so as to form a line across the crest of the hill, at an angle of forty-five degrees with the pike, the right of the brigade, Eighteenth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, supporting the battery on the left of the first line. The fog was so dense that it was impossible to tell what was in front of us, and, as the Eighth Corps was falling back at the time, our fire was reserved until the enemy had pressed his columns close up to and charged the battery on the right, one piece of which was captured. We held the position, however, until Colonel Shunk, discovering that the enemy had thrown a column across the pike on our left, ordered the brigade to fall back about five hundred yards, and take position parallel to and facing the pike. This was done in good order, and the position taken and held, until it became necessary, in the opinion of General Grover, to fall back, in order to prevent being cut off entirely. (Up to this time the regiment had lost six men killed and about forty wounded.) The order was given to fall back as rapidly as possible in the direction of the camp of the Sixth Corps. The enemy came in heavy force on our left and captured four officers and about forty men. The brigade fell back about one mile and formed between the First Brigade, General Birge, and the Sixth Corps, which was on the left.
Previous to this time, Colonel Wilds had been wounded and carried from the field. I had also received a bruise on my hip from a piece of shell, and a wound from a musket ball in the left arm near the elbow, which sickened me so that I could not ride for near an hour, and the regiment was commanded by Captain L. Clark, during my absence. Soon after I returned to the regiment, which was then in the position above mentioned, the enemy made a flank movement to the left of the Sixth Corps, rendering it necessary for it to fall back, and we were ordered to retire by the right of regiments to the rear. We moved in this manner nearly three miles, halted, took position, procured ammunition and prepared to renew the battle. After we had rested about half an hour, Major General Sheridan came on the field, having been absent since the morning of the 18th. He ordered the Eighth Corps to take position on the left of the pike between Middletown and Newtown, the Sixth Corps the center, and the Nineteenth Corps the right. Sent two divisions of cavalry to the right, and one to the left. The Fourth Brigade was formed on the extreme left of the Nineteenth Corps, connecting with the right of the Sixth Corps, in this position the troops were ordered to rest, and throw up some temporary works.
About 12 o'clock I was ordered to move the Twenty-fourth Iowa to the extreme right of the Nineteenth Corps, and protect the flank. I immediately moved to the place indicated, took position and threw out a skirmish line. In this position I remained until 3 o'clock P. M., when I received orders to call in my skirmishers and take my place in the line, as it was going to advance. My skirmishers had just reported when the advance was sounded. In order to get my position in the line, I had to double quick about one mile, and, during the greater part of this distance, we had to pass through the fire of the enemy's guns, which overshot our advancing columns, the shells exploding in the rear. About 3 ½ o'clock, I got my place in the line, which steadily advanced, driving the enemy from every position taken until we reached the camp we left in the morning. Here we halted and made some coffee, (those of us who were fortunate enough to have any,) the first we had tasted since the evening of the 18th. We found one wounded officer there, who had hidden among the rocks during the day, and quite a number of our wounded men. Everything was taken from our camp, leaving the men and most of the officers without haversacks, blankets or shelter tents. At 8 o'clock P. M., the regiment moved forward, with the brigade, to a point near Strasburg, to protect the parties that were sent out to collect the property abandoned by the enemy in his hasty retreat. There we bivouacked for the night, without fires, the men suffering severely for want of blankets and proper clothing to protect them from the excessive cold. On the following morning (20th) the remainder of the Second Division came up, and we went into camp about one mile from Strasburg.
It would appear invidious to mention individual cases of gallantry during the day, when all, both men and officers, did their whole duty. I cannot close, however, without referring to the bravery of our lamented Colonel Wilds, who was wounded soon after daylight and died November 18th. In him we lost a noble, brave and efficient officer. Captain Knott and Lieutenant Kurtz were wounded and captured, but both were retaken in the evening. Captain Smith and Lieutenant Davis were captured in the morning about daylight. The loss of the regiment was: Killed; enlisted men 7. Wounded; officers 6, enlisted men 39. Captured; officers 2, enlisted men 39. Total casualties 93; a list of which is hereto annexed.
I have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Ed Wright,
Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
N. B. Baker, Adjutant General State of Iowa.
During the remainder of the month of October the regiment participated in the various movements of its brigade and division in the Shenandoah Valley, but did not again come into contact with any considerable force of the enemy. In the early part of November the regiment was engaged in the duty of escorting supply trains for the army. On the 8th of November, 1864, the officers and men of the regiment recorded their choice for President of the United States, with the following result: Whole number of votes cast, 303, of which Abraham Lincoln received 285 and George B. McClellan 18. On November 10th the regiment arrived at Camp Russell, where the army of the Shenandoah was encamped, and during the remainder of the month was engaged in the erection of fortifications and building cabins for winter quarters. In December the winter quarters were completed, and the regiment was engaged in the performance of picket and escort duty until the close of the month. On December 30th the regiment was assigned to the post at Winchester, Va. On the 6th of January, 1865, the Twenty-fourth Iowa left Winchester and proceeded by rail to Baltimore, thence by steamship to Savannah, Ga., where it went into camp and remained for two months. It then moved to Morehead City, N. C, and, from that point, to Goldsboro and Raleigh, escorting transportation trains. After the surrender of the rebel General Johnston's army, it returned to Savannah, moved thence to Augusta, Ga., with the Twenty-second and Twenty-eighth Iowa, crossed the river at Augusta and went into camp near the town of Hamburg, S. C, where it remained until the 6th of June, when, with the other Iowa regiments, it was ordered to return to Savannah. Its last long march was completed on June 20th. The regiment then went into camp at Savannah, where it remained until the 17th day of July, 1865, on which date it was mustered out of the service of the United States. A few days later it was provided with transportation to Davenport, Iowa, and, upon its arrival there, was disbanded, and the survivors returned to their homes, there to resume and discharge the duties of citizens, with the same fidelity they had shown as soldiers, while engaged in the defense of their country against armed treason and rebellion. No Iowa regiment has a more distinguished record than the Twenty-fourth, and there were only a few others whose operations covered such a wide extent of territory. Everywhere, in camp or garrison, upon the march, in battle, and under all the vicissitudes of its long and arduous service, it maintained in the highest degree the honor of the flag and its State. The archives of the State of Iowa and of the War Department at Washington contain no more glorious record of valor and patriotic service than that of the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES
Total Enrollment 1,204
Killed 71
Wounded 260
Died of wounds 55
Died of disease 201
Discharged for disease, wounds or other causes 235
Buried in National Cemeteries 117
Captured 76
Transferred 55
[Note 1.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 8 and 11. Report of Adjutant General or Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 850 to 883; Original Roster of the Regiment.
[Note 2.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 24, page 610. War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 24, page 583. The tabulated statement shows the losses by regiments, as follows: Forty-seventh Indiana, killed 5, wounded 20, missing 1; Twenty-fourth Iowa, killed 1, wounded 5; Twenty-eighth Iowa, killed 3, wounded 14, missing 3; Fifty-sixth Ohio, killed 6, wounded 23, missing 7; Second Illinois Light Artillery, Battery A, killed 1. Total, 89.
[Note 3.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, pages 40 to 47 inclusive.
[Note 4.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 54.
[Note 5.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 40.
[Note 6.] Which gave the name to the battlefield.
[Note 7.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 8. Tabulated returns of casualties in battle of Champion's Hill.
[Note 8.] See Revised Roster of the Regiment, following this sketch.
[Note 9.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1144 to 1162 inclusive.
[Note 10.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1153, 4, 5.
[Note 11.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1156, 7.
[Note 12.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1157, 8, 9.
SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 3, p. 781-94
The regiment remained at Camp Strong until the 19th of October, 1862, on which date it marched to the levee at Muscatine and, embarking on transports, proceeded to St: Louis, where orders were received to proceed at once to Helena, Ark. "there it arrived and disembarked on the 28th of October, going into camp just south of the city and joining the brigade Commanded by Colonel McGinnis of the Eleventh Indiana. Many of the men had been attacked by sickness while upon the boat, and the unhealthy locality in which the regiment was now encamped added largely to the number upon the sick list. The privations and hardships endured by the Twenty-fourth Iowa, while at Helena and when engaged in the several expeditions in which it participated during the winter of l862-3, were the most severe in its history. On the 17th of November the regiment formed part of the force tinder General Hovey which proceeded to the mouth of White River; upon its return it engaged in another expedition to Goldwater, Miss., to co-operate with the movement of General Grant against Vicksburg and, on the 11th of January, 1863, it again formed part of a force engaged in another expedition up the White River, this time under General Gorman. While no considerable body of the enemy was encountered upon any of these expeditions, and no practical results were [accomplished] by them, the troops suffered almost unendurable hardships from exposure to storms of rain and snow, and the fatalities which resulted were as great as those sustained in many of the hard-fought battles in which the regiment subsequently participated. The survivors of the regiment always remembered that winter campaign as the most discouraging of the many through which they passed in their long period of service. Upon its return from the last expedition the regiment found its camp ground flooded, compelling removal to higher ground, and the change in location resulted in a decrease of the sick list, but many had died and a still larger number had been incapacitated for further service and were discharged. A considerable number of those who were thus discharged for disability never fully recovered.
On the 15th of February, 1863, the Twenty-fourth Iowa left Helena with its brigade, which formed part of the force under General Wasburn engaged in clearing out the obstructions in Yazoo Pass and opening the same to navigation. This duty, while arduous, gave the men active employment and relieved them from the depressing effects of witnessing the daily depletion of their ranks from disease, while lying idle in camp. Upon the return of the regiment to Helena, in the early spring, the troops with which it was associated were transferred to the Thirteenth Army Corps and ordered to join General Grant's army in its operations against Vicksburg, and were conveyed on transports to Milliken's Bend, where they disembarked and marched, over difficult and sometimes almost impassable roads, to Perkins’ Landing. Here, on the 28th of April, they again embarked on transports and barges and moved down the river to a point about four miles above Grand Gulf, where, without disembarking, they witnessed the tremendous artillery combat between the gunboats and the rebel batteries at Grand Gulf, which lasted for several hours. The troops had, in the meantime, been awaiting orders to land and co-operate with the gunboats in their attack upon the enemy's works, but, after prolonged bombardment, without apparent effect, the gunboats withdrew, and the attack by land was also abandoned. The troops disembarked and marched down the levee to a point three miles below Grand Gulf, where they bivouacked until morning. During the night the gunboats and a number of transports succeeded in passing the rebel batteries. The Twenty-fourth Iowa, with the other troops of the Thirteenth Corps, now embarked on transports and gunboats and were conveyed down the river to Bruinsburg, sixteen miles below Grand Gulf, where they landed and took up the line of march toward Port Gibson.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa had been assigned to the Second Brigade of the Twelfth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The brigade was composed of the Forty-seventh Indiana, Fifty-sixth Ohio, and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, and was under the command of Colonel James R. Slack of the Forty-seventh Indiana, from whose official report — in the absence of the report of the commander of the regiment — the following extracts are made, showing the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa in the battle of Port Gibson, May 1, 1863. After describing the formation and position of his brigade prior to the commencement of the engagement, Colonel Slack says:
During the formation of our lines, the battle opened a short distance to our left and front, and continued with great stubbornness for an hour, when General Hovey directed me to put my column in motion and support General Benton, whose forces were being hard pressed by overwhelming numbers. The whole column was immediately formed, and moved most gallantly to the point indicated, with the Forty-seventh Indiana and Fifty-sixth Ohio on the left and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa on the right. These positions were respectively taken under a severe fire of the enemy's infantry, and shell and canister from a whole battery at a distance of about two hundred yards, yet the several commands took their position in line without flinching, and advanced to within eighty yards of the enemy's battery, immediately after which General Hovey ordered Colonel Cameron, of the Thirty-fourth Indiana, to charge and take the battery, and ordered me to support the charge with the Fifty-sixth Ohio, which was immediately to the left of the Thirty-fourth Indiana.
While the fierce fighting which resulted in the capture of the battery and 220 prisoners from the rebel troops supporting it was in progress, the Twenty-fourth Iowa was held in reserve, but was ready to advance the moment the order was received. It was the regiment's first battle, and its officers and men chafed under being placed in reserve and not having their share of the fighting in this early period of the battle. Later in the day, however, the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were sent to the support of General Logan's division, on the extreme left. They promptly moved to the new position assigned them, as further shown by the report of Colonel Slack, in referring to the order, as follows:
In the afternoon the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa were ordered to the rear and extreme left of the line, to suport Major General Logan's division, which was hotly engaged, and there continued fighting like veterans, as the men of that gallant state always have done, until the enemy was driven from the field and utterly routed at every point, and the curtain of night closed the scene.
At the close of his report Colonel Slack says:
To the cool and gallant conduct of all the field and line officers, and the persevering determination of each and every one in my command, I cannot express too much gratitude and admiration. To them belongs the glory of the triumph, every officer and every man having done his whole duty. . . . The whole number of casualties are: Killed 16; wounded, 62; missing, 11; total, 89 [see note 2].
It will thus be seen that in its first experience in battle the Twenty-fourth Iowa had acquitted itself with honor, and had shown that, whenever the opportunity came, it could meet the enemy with that same steady courage and determined bravery that it had exhibited while enduring the hardships and suffering of the campaign in Arkansas, during which it did not come into contact with the enemy in battle, but faced the grim messenger of death, in the form of disease, with the same if not greater fortitude than was requisite to face the death-dealing guns of its rebel foes.
The official report of General A. P. Hovey describes with great particularity all the movements of the troops of his division between the dates of May 2d and 16th, upon which latter date the battle of Champion's Hill was fought [see note 3]. During these movements more or less skirmishing with the enemy occurred, in which the Twenty-fourth Iowa had its share; and, in the battle which ensued, the regiment took the most conspicuous part and suffered the greatest loss of any of the gallant regiments of its brigade. Failing to find the official report of the regimental commander, the compiler again has recourse to the reports of the brigade and division commanders, Colonel Slack [see note 4] and General Hovey [see note 5]. The following extracts are from the report of Colonel Slack:
On the night of the 15th, we encamped on the Jackson and Vicksburg Railroad near Bolton Station. In the morning we left camp about six o'clock, and moved east about 7 miles, when we approached very nearly to the enemy, drawn up in line of battle. In pursuance of orders of Brigadier General Hovey, I formed the Second Brigade in two lines to the left of the road, in the field of one Champion [see note 6], with the artillery in advance. Soon thereafter I placed my lines of battle in advance of the artillery, and ordered two companies of the Forty-seventh Indiana, two companies, of the Fifty-sixth Ohio, and two companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, as skirmishers, who covered the whole front of the line and advanced toward the enemy. Skirmishing soon began, and continued for about one hour, when I advanced the whole line, with the Forty-seventh Indiana on the right, and the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left. The thick growth of underbrush and vines, ravines and hills, made it very difficult to advance, but it was accomplished with little disorder, until we reached the crest of the hill, where we found the enemy in very heavy force, about 200 yards in front of us, and under cover of a wood beyond a field. Then the battle began with great fury, our troops advancing for the purpose of driving the enemy from the cover of the woods, which was done at double-quick and in a most gallant manner, the men loading and firing as they advanced, and unfalteringly receiving a most deadly fire from the enemy; yet they pressed forward, as men only can do who are prompted by intelligent motives of patriotic devotion to a common country, until the rebel force was driven from the covering and forced to fall back a distance of 200 yards, with terrible loss, the ground being literally covered with dead and wounded rebels. In this daring and determined charge all the regiments lost most severely. The Twenty-fourth Iowa most gallantly charged upon a rebel battery of five guns, and took it at the point of the bayonet, killing many of the cannoneers and driving the remainder from their guns and some fifty yards to the rear, when a new rebel line, which had not been in action, appeared in treble our force, and opened a most murderous fire upon our lines, which the unflinching and determined braves of the Twenty-fourth Iowa resisted for fifteen minutes, but, because of the overwhelming force brought to bear upon them, reluctantly retired from the battery, but kept the rebel re-enforcements at bay by their incessant fire and stubborn resistance. This battery was subsequently retaken, and is now in our possession. During this terrific charge, Major Edward Wright, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, was severely wounded, immediately after which he captured a stalwart rebel prisoner and made him carry him off the field. . . . Our ranks being badly depleted, I directed the whole command to retire gradually from the field and take position near the crest of the hill where the rebel lines were first formed, which was done in good order, at which time a re-enforcement of one brigade came to our support, and after a few well directed volleys, with the aid of the batteries, which General Hovey had massed on the extreme right, the enemy was routed and fled in great confusion and disorder from the field. . . . Thus ended this unequal, terrible and most sanguinary conflict. . . . For two long hours my brigade held in check fully three times their number, and I hesitate not in saying that, had they not so gallantly and determinedly resisted, the fortunes of the day might have been greatly damaged, if not our glorious triumph turned into a defeat. During the progress of the battle, my command took a large number of prisoners, which were handed over to the Provost-marshal without any account being taken of them. Major L. H. Goodwin of the Forty-seventh Indiana and Major Edward Wright of the Twenty-fourth Iowa were. seriously wounded while gallantly leading their men, but I am more than grateful to know that they are both rapidly recovering and will soon be able to resume their respective positions. To those brave officers and men who fell in that sanguinary conflict and who resolved to do or die in defense of and for the perpetuation of the best Government ever known to civilization, we cannot do more than assure their friends at home that they fell with their faces to the foe, in defense of the constitution of a common country. . . . The whole number of casualties (detailed lists of which I herewith inclose) is as follows: Forty-seventh Indiana, killed 32, wounded 91, missing 17, total 140. Fifty-sixth Ohio, killed 20, wounded 90, missing 28, total 138. Twenty-fourth Iowa, killed 35, wounded 120, missing 34, total 189. Twenty-eighth Iowa, killed 21, wounded 62, missing 14, total 97. First Missouri Battery, wounded 2.
It will thus be seen that the entire loss of the brigade was 556, out of the four regiments and one battery of which it was composed, of which number the loss of the Twenty-fourth Iowa constituted; one-third. Near the close of his very full and complete report of the part taken by the two brigades of his division in the battle of Champion's Hill, General Hovey says:
I cannot think of this bloody hill without sadness and pride. Sadness for the great loss of my true and gallant men; pride for the heroic bravery they displayed. No prouder division ever met as vastly superior foe and fought with more unflinching firmness and stubborn valor. It was, after the conflict, literally the hill of death; men, horses, cannon, and the debris of an army lay scattered in wild confusion. Hundreds of the gallant Twelfth Division were cold in death or writhing in pain, and, with large numbers of Quinby's gallant boys, lay dead, dying or wounded, intermixed with our fallen foe. Thus ended the battle of Champion's Hill, and our heroes slept upon the field with the dead and dying around them. I never saw fighting like this. The loss of my division on this field alone was nearly one-third of my forces engaged. Of the Twenty-ninth Wisconsin, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, in what words of praise shall I speak? Not more than six months in the service, their records will compare with the oldest and best tried regiments in the field. All honor is due to their gallant officers and men; and Colonels Gill, Byam and Connell have my thanks for the skill with which they handled their respective commands, and for the fortitude, endurance and bravery displayed by their gallant men. . . . Among the dead of the Second Brigade are the honored names of Captains Silas D. Johnson, William Carbee and First Lieutenant Chauncey Lawrence of the Twenty-fourth Iowa.
The total loss in both brigades of General Hovey's division in the battle of Champion's Hill was 1,202, of the 4,180 engaged [see note 7]. General Hovey places the loss of the Twenty-fourth Indiana at 40 per cent of its number engaged, and gives that as the maximum loss of any one regiment. Reference to the tabulated statement shows this to be an error. The Twenty-fourth Iowa had 417 enlisted men and officers engaged in the battle, and its loss was 189, over 45 per cent of the number engaged, and this was the heaviest percentage of loss of any regiment of the brigade or division. There were but nine companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa engaged at Champion's Hill; Company B, being at that time on detached duty at General McClernand's headquarters, was not engaged. The regiment had now been in the service less than eight months, yet it had taken its place by the side of regiments from other states which had participated in numerous battles and had won the designation of Veteran, had fought with equal distinction, had won the highest commendation of its brigade and division commanders and, at the very beginning of its experience under the fire of the enemy, had established a record for bravery and efficiency second to none of the gallant regiments from Iowa which had preceded it to the field.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa marched with its brigade from the battlefield of Champion's Hill to Black River Bridge, but did not arrive there in time to participate in the battle in which the Twenty-first and Twenty-third Iowa regiments won such distinguished honor. Remaining at Black River for a few days, the regiment continued its march to Vicksburg, where it arrived on the 24th of May and at once took its position on the line of investment in the center of General Hovey's division, where for the succeeding forty days it endured the hardships, dangers and privations incident to the siege of the rebel stronghold which surrendered to General Grant on the 4th of July, 1863. On the morning of July 5th, the regiment marched with its brigade and division, as a part of the army under General Sherman, in the expedition against Jackson, Miss., and participated in the operations which ensued, culminating in the evacuation of Jackson by the enemy on July 16, 1863, and the end of the great Vicksburg campaign. The total loss of the two brigades of General Hovey's division, from the commencement of the siege of Vicksburg to the evacuation of Jackson, was 155 killed and wounded, while that of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, during the same period, was 1 killed and 12 wounded. As there were twelve organizations in the division, the loss of the Twenty-fourth Iowa was about the same average as that -of the other regiments of the division. During the entire campaign the aggregate losses of the Twenty-fourth Iowa in battle were 208.
Upon its return to Vicksburg the regiment was allowed a brief period of rest in camp. Colonel Byam had resigned on the 30th of June, and Lieutenant Colonel Wilds had succeeded to the command of the regiment. About the middle of August, 1863, the regiment was transferred to a new field of operations. Embarking on transports, it was conveyed to New Orleans, and from there proceeded to Algiers. From the date of its arrival at Algiers, the compiler finds a carefully written record of its subsequent operations, during the year 1864, prepared by Major (later Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Brevet Brigadier General [see note 8]) Ed Wright for the Adjutant General of Iowa [see note 9]. Only brief quotations can be made from this record and the copies of official reports which accompany it, on account of limitation of space, but the compiler will endeavor to include all the most important events which transpired during this period of the service of the regiment. Reference to the record will show that the events which transpired during each month of the year are carefully noted and the details given with great particularity, a large part of which are necessarily omitted in this historical sketch.
During the greater part of the month of January, 1863, the regiment was in camp at Algiers, La., being at that time a part of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The location of the camp was such that the men suffered much hardship from the wet weather which prevailed. On January 21st, the division was moved to Madisonville, La., on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain, and there the regiment found the most beautiful and attractive camping ground it had occupied since leaving the State of Iowa. There the regiment remained until February 26th, when it returned to its former camp at Algiers, and there, on the 3d of March, with its brigade and division, marched in review before General McClernand and was especially complimented by the General for its fine appearance and perfection in drill.
On March 5th, the regiment was conveyed by rail to Berwick Bay, La. From there all camp equipage that could possibly be dispensed with and all extra baggage was sent back to New Orleans, and the troops prepared for rapid marching as reinforcements to the army under General Banks, then engaged in his unfortunate Red River Expedition. The troops consisted of the Third Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps, which included the brigade to which the Twenty-fourth Iowa belonged. The division marched rapidly to Washington, La., where it overtook the Nineteenth Army Corps, under General Franklin. The march was continued, with occasional halts for rest, when, on the 31st of March, the troops arrived at Natchitoches, La., having marched 290 miles. The march was resumed on the 6th of April and, on the evening of the 7th, the troops arrived at Pleasant Hill, La., and found the cavalry engaged in a skirmish with the enemy at the front. The brigade was ordered to move forward and support the cavalry, but, after marching about one mile, found that the enemy had retired. At daylight the next morning the march was renewed, with the Fourth Division in advance. Five companies of the Twenty-fourth Iowa were detailed as escort for the train in the rear. About 8 o'clock A. M. the advance encountered the enemy, who, after a short skirmish, retreated. The Third Division halted to await the arrival of the Nineteenth Corps, as the enemy was reported in strong force. At 2 P. M., the next day, the march was resumed. The troops marched very rapidly for five miles, when the enemy was discovered in force, the column was halted, and the First Brigade formed line of battle on the right of the road, with the Second Brigade in line on the left. The engagement which ensued was generally known as the battle of Sabine Cross Roads, but has sometimes been called the battle of Mansfield. Major Wright, who was in command of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, and who wrote the official report of the part taken by that portion of his regiment which was engaged in the battle, after describing the movements of his regiment and brigade prior to the opening of the engagement, says:
The Twenty-fourth, about 130 strong, Companies A, D, I, C and H having been detailed as train guard and left in the rear, under command of Capt Martin, was ordered to form in the rear as a reserve to the Second Brigade. The lines being formed, the advance was ordered. The lines moved forward near a fourth of a mile, when, coming to the edge of the field beyond the timber, a halt was ordered, and the line immediately engaged the enemy. The Twenty-fourth, about three hundred paces in the rear, was ordered to lie down. While in this position, my command received a severe raking artillery fire from the enemy's guns, posted in front of the right of the brigade. Having remained in this position about half an hour, during which time the front line was firing rapidly, I was ordered to move my command to the front, which I did by a left oblique movement, and came in on the left of the brigade, and took position in a ravine, at the edge of the timber. From the position there occupied, I could see with my field glass at least 8,000 of the enemy forming in the distance, but not within range of our muskets. The enemy's skirmishers had advanced to the edge of the hill in our front, and were protected by a battery immediately on their left, which had taken position behind some large buildings, from which place it was impossible for our weak line to dislodge it. The Fourth Division I could not learn anything of, and the only force to-oppose these heavy columns of the enemy was the Third Division, about 1,200 strong, and some straggling cavalry. This position was held for near an hour, when, the enemy advancing in heavy force — at least ten to one — and most of the command being out of ammunition, we were overwhelmed by numbers and compelled to retire from the field. This, however, was no easy task, as the enemy's cavalry was already far in our rear, both on the right and left, and we were assailed at all points. I ordered my command to confine their movements to the thick brush, as much as possible, and, by keeping in the woods between the road and an open field on our left, which was occupied by the enemy's cavalry, I succeeded in bringing the most of the command off the field, and forming in the rear of the Nineteenth Army Corps, about three miles from the battlefield, after which I procured ammunition for my men and joined with the One Hundred and Sixty-First New York Volunteers, and remained until after dark. The fight being over, I reported with my command to General Cameron, and marched back to Pleasant Hill, arriving there at sunrise on the morning of the 9th. Casualties during the day were 34, a list of which is hereto appended. The officers and men of my command all behaved well and stood at their posts until ordered to fall back, delivering their fire with a precision not to be surpassed. I cannot close this report without making some comments about the manner in which this battle was managed. It was understood when the army arrived at St. Patrick's Bayou that we had found the enemy in force, and why we should have been sent forward in detachments, only to be demolished by superior numbers, is a mystery to me. First the cavalry moved up and were repulsed; next the Fourth Division was moved forward, and shared the same fate. Then the Third Division moved forward on double quick for five miles, along a road blocked by trains, only to come in contact with an overwhelming force, before which it was compelled to retire. Who is responsible? I leave the question for the historian to answer, believing it will be answered correctly.
I have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Ed Wright,
Major Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
N. B. Baker, Adjutant General State of Iowa.
The correct answer to Major Wright's question is readily given. His was only one of a number of brave Iowa regiments which lost heavily in that ill-fated expedition, through the utter incapacity of the Commanding General, Nathaniel P. Banks. The verdict of all military historians is unanimous with reference to the Red River Expedition and its commander. Both were stupendous failures. Major Wright displayed great skill and ability in being able to extricate his command from its perilous situation, with a loss of little less than one-third of the number engaged. While the loss was heavy, it is marvelous that, under the circumstances, it was not much greater. Had the other five companies of the regiment been engaged, the loss would have been proportionately greater. It was therefore fortunate that they were on detached duty.
Upon the return of the regiment to Pleasant Hill, Major Wright was placed in command of the brigade and Captain Martin assumed command of the regiment. The Third and Fourth Divisions of the Thirteenth Corps, under command of General Cameron, (General Ransom having been severely wounded,) were ordered to take charge of the train and proceed to Grand Ecore, on Red River. Here the command arrived, on the evening of the 11th, and began the construction of fortifications; Lieutenant Colonel Wilson, of the Twenty-eighth Iowa, succeeding Major Wright as brigade commander. The two divisions left Grand Ecore on the morning of the 22d and reached Cane River at 2 A. M. on the 23d, where the enemy was found strongly posted on the opposite side of the river, for the purpose of contesting the crossing of the Union troops. General Cameron did not attempt to force his way across the river under the fire of the enemy, but, moving his troops up the river, effected a crossing by wading, and thus outflanked the enemy and drove him from his position. A bridge was then put down, over which the army of General Banks had passed by 10 A. M. the next day, when the line of march was again taken up and the army arrived at Alexandria on the 25th. The retreat had been conducted by forced marches and the troops, marching day and night, were completely exhausted upon reaching Alexandria. Company A, of the Twenty-fourth Iowa, had been detailed to guard the steamer "Hetty Gilmore" from Grand Ecore down the river. During the trip a detachment of the enemy attempted to capture the boat but was driven off. Two men of the company, Sergeant Charles Wager and Private Rudolph McKinley, were severely wounded, the company returned to the regiment at Alexandria. Lieutenant Colonel Wilds, who had been absent since December 6th on recruiting service in Iowa, rejoined the regiment at Alexandria and resumed command. Between the 25th of April and the 13th of May the regiment had several sharp skirmishes with the enemy, in which a number of its men were wounded. General Banks commenced his retreat from Alexandria on May 13th, and on the 22d the army reached Morganza Bend. The Twenty-fourth Iowa had a skirmish with the enemy while engaged in a reconnoitering expedition from Morganza, in which Captain B. G. Paul, of Company K, was killed, and four enlisted men were wounded. The losses of the regiment while connected with the troops commanded by General Banks had reached the aggregate number of 48, and the results accomplished, during that period of its service, were not only not commensurate with the loss, but the officers and men of the regiment were fully justified in the opinion that the sacrifice had been in vain, and they were rejoiced to know that a change for the better was in prospect.
The regiment left Morganza on June 13th, proceeded to Carrollton, La., and went into camp near Greenville Station, on the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad. Leaving there on the 21st, it was subsequently stationed at Kennerville and Thibodeaux, La., until July 6th, upon which date it proceeded by rail to Algiers, where it received — in exchange for the old Enfield rifles with which it had been supplied since taking the field — new Springfield rifles and accouterments. On the morning of July 22d the regiment embarked on the transport "Star of the South" and, soon after, put to sea, with orders to report to the commanding officer at Fortress Monroe, where, after enduring the usual discomforts of a sea voyage, it arrived on the 29th, and at once proceeded to Washington, D. C, arriving there at midnight and, the next morning, proceeding by rail to Monocacy, Md., reached that place on August 1st, where it joined a detachment of the Nineteenth Army Corps under command of General Emory. Colonel Wilds was placed in command of the brigade to which his regiment was attached.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa was now about to enter upon an entirely new field of warfare, in which but few of the regiments from its own State had been called to serve. On the 4th of August it was conveyed by rail to Harper's Ferry, where it arrived at midnight and moved out on the Winchester Pike and went into bivouac. On July 6th the regiment commenced a series of movements in connection with the army; first marching to Halltown, to intercept the army of 30,000 rebels, under the command of General Early, which was moving towards Maryland and Pennsylvania; but the rebel general was not yet ready for a general engagement, and, handling his force with consummate skill, managed to avoid a conflict. The Union force arrived at Cedar Creek, near Strasburg, Va., on August 12th, where it encamped and remained until the 15th, when it fell back to Charleston, where General Grover had just arrived with reinforcements from Washington, and a re-organization of the army took place. The Twenty-fourth Iowa was assigned to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, with Colonel Shunk, of the Eighth Indiana Veteran Infantry, commanding the brigade, General Grover commanding the division, and General Emory commanding the detachment of the Nineteenth Corps. The Army of the Shenandoah consisted of two divisions of the Nineteenth Corps, the Sixth Corps commanded by Major General Wright, the Army of Western Virginia commanded by General Crook and about 10,000 cavalry commanded by General Torbet, making in all an army of about 40,000, under command of Major General Sheridan.
On the 3d of September, General Sheridan began the series of movements which led up to the battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864. The part taken by the Twenty-fourth Iowa in that battle is described in the official report of Lieutenant Colonel Wright, as follows [see note 10]:
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
CAMP RUSSELL, VA., Nov. 19, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle of Opequon, or Winchester, Va., Sept. 19, 1864.
The regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel J. Q. Wilds, but circumstances beyond his control prevented him from making an official report, prior to the batttle of Cedar Creek, at which place he was severely wounded, and has since died; for this reason I take the responsibility of making it myself. On the 18th of September, orders were issued from army headquarters, requiring all transportation to be sent to the rear, also all extra baggage, retaining only such articles as could not be dispensed with; these to be carried by the men, and officers' horses. Thus, stripped of everything that would encumber its movements, the Army of the Shenandoah retired to rest in camp near Berryville, Va., on the evening of the 18th, with orders to be in line of battle ready to move at 2 o'clock next morning. The Twenty-fourth Iowa belonged to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Detachment Nineteenth Army Corps. The brigade, consisting of the Eighth and Eighteenth Indiana Veteran Volunteers and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, was commanded by Colonel D. Shunk of the Eighth Indiana, the division by Brigadier General C. Grover, the corps by Brevet Major General Emory. At 3 o'clock the advance sounded, and the Nineteenth Corps moved out on the Winchester Pike, halting about three miles west of Berryville, for the Sixth Corps, commanded by Major General Wright, to pass, as it was to have the advance. The Army of Western Virginia, under command of General Crook, moved by another road to the right. Shortly after sunrise, the Sixth Corps having passed, the Nineteenth Corps was put in motion. The Second Division, having the advance, arrived at Opequon Creek about 9 o'clock A. M., when heavy skirmishing and some cannonading was heard in the front, near Winchester. Here we received orders to push forward rapidly, as the cavalry and Sixth Corps were already engaged. When we had reached a point about three miles from Winchester, we turned to the right and moved in the direction of the Winchester and Martinsburg Pike about one mile, and formed line of battle on the right of the Sixth Corps. The Second Division was formed in two lines. The First and Third Brigades formed the first line, and the Second and Fourth Brigades the second. The Twenty-fourth Iowa was on the left center, the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left, Eighth Indiana on the right, Eighteenth Indiana on the right center, the Fourth Brigade being on the extreme right. Soon after, the First Division, Nineteenth Corps, commanded by General Dwight, came up and formed in the rear as a reserve. In this position we remained until about 12 M., when the advance sounded and the whole line moved forward steadily. The front of the whole division was covered by a strip of woodland, near a third of a mile wide. Beyond this woodland was an open field about one-fourth of a mile wide, beyond which was woodland again. When the second line emerged into the open field, the first line was just entering the wood on the opposite side, having driven the enemy's skirmishers across the open field, and were driving the enemy. The enemy, discovering that our right flank was unprotected, threw a heavy column of infantry, with one battery of artillery, around on our right, nearly at right angles with our lines, and kept them concealed in a deep hollow. In consequence of a flank fire from this column, the first line gave back and passed through the second, when about half way across the field. This created some confusion, but the line was soon in good shape again, and moving forward steadily.
When within one hundred yards of the woods, the column that had been thrown around on our right opened out with musketry and canister shot, showering the iron hail along and almost parallel with our ranks, and mowing down our men by the score. As soon as the flank movement was discovered, the whole line was ordered to fall back to the woods, which was done in as good order as could be expected under the circumstances. The line was reformed and advanced about one-fourth of the way across the field and halted, holding the enemy at bay until some troops could be thrown around to our right, as the enemy's lines extended nearly half a mile to the right of ours. Up to this time the Twenty-fourth had had two officers mortally wounded, and two more severely; six enlisted men killed, and about thirty wounded. This line was held under a most destructive artillery fire from both the front and right flank for about two hours, when General Crook came up with the Army of Western Virginia and formed on the right, relieving the most of the Fourth Brigade. Captains Rigby, Smith and Martin, with Lieutenant Lucas, had been posted with their commands in a point of timber nearest the enemy, with orders to hold it at all hazards, and were not relieved. I had supplied them with ammunition, and when the fresh troops in making the final charge came up even with them, they moved forward with the line, which drove the enemy from every position taken until it became a perfect rout. In this last charge the Twenty-fourth lost a number of brave soldiers wounded, and one killed. After the Fourth Brigade was relieved (except as above mentioned) boxes were filled with ammunition, and it was moved to the extreme right in order to prevent any more flank movements of the enemy, but General Averill, coming in with his cavalry, rendered the movement entirely unnecessary. After the enemy was entirely routed and driven pell-mell from the field, the regiment was got together, and marched about two miles, and went into camp near Winchester, on the Front Royal Pike. Casualties during the day: Officers mortally wounded 2, severely, 4. Enlisted men killed, 9; wounded, 56; captured, 3. Total 74; a list of which is hereto appended. I cannot close this report without referring to Captain J. R. Gould, of Company D, and Lieutenant S. S. Dillman, of Company E, both having been mortally wounded while leading their men on in the hottest of the battle. Both were brave almost to rashness. In them the Twenty-fourth Iowa lost two valuable officers and society two valuable men.
I have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant,
ED WRIGHT,
Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
COL. N. B. BAKER, Adjutant General of Iowa.
It will be seen from the foregoing report that the Twenty-fourth Iowa had, in its first battle in the east, gloriously maintained its previous proud record, and had upheld the honor of its State while fighting beside the trained veterans of the Army of the Potomac.
On the night of the 19th of September the regiment went into camp near Winchester. The next morning it marched towards Cedar Creek, and in the evening found the enemy strongly intrenched at Fisher's Hill. The Twenty-fourth Iowa actively participated in the movements which followed and which culminated in the battle of Fisher's Hill, in which, and in the pursuit which followed, the regiment participated, but fortunately — owing to the positions to which its brigade was assigned — it had but one officer and four men wounded. Lieutenant Colonel Wright, in his official report [see note 11], describes minutely the part taken by his regiment in the battle of Fisher's Hill, and highly commends the officers and men for their prompt obedience to orders and the gallant manner in which they conducted themselves during the battle and the subsequent pursuit of the enemy. The rebel General Early and his army had again been defeated and compelled to retreat up the Shenandoah valley.
In all the operations of its brigade and division; from the 23d of September until the 19th of October, upon which latter date the Twenty-fourth Iowa fought its last battle, the regiment performed its full share of duty and always acquitted itself with honor. Although it remained in the service for nearly six months after the battle of Cedar Creek, the remainder of its history, while characterized by the same faithful devotion to duty, was not marked by further severe conflict with the enemy. The compiler deems it most fitting, therefore, that the conduct of the regiment in the memorable battle of Cedar Creek, as portrayed in the official report of its gallant commander, should occupy the greater portion of the space left at his disposal for this historical sketch. In this, one of the most remarkable battles of the great War of the Rebellion, the Twenty-fourth Iowa suffered heavy loss, and ended its battle history by as splendid and heroic fighting as was ever exhibited upon any battlefield. The official report is here given in full [see note 12]:
HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS,
CAMP RUSSELL, VA., Nov. 19, 1864.
COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers in the battle of Cedar Creek, Va., on the 19th of October, 1864. The regiment belonged to the Fourth Brigade, Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps; Brevet Major General Emory commanding corps, Brigadier General Grover commanding division, and Colonel Shunk. Eighth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, commanding brigade. The brigade occupied the left of the second line, which was about two hundred paces in rear of the line of works occupied by the first line. The left of the brigade rested about two hundred yards to the right of the pike leading from Winchester to Stanton. The works in our front were occupied by the Third Brigade, Second Division Nineteenth Army Corps, with Battery D, First Rhode Island Artillery, near the pike on the left The regiment occupied the right center of the brigade, with the Twenty-eighth Iowa on the left. The Eighth Corps, under command of Major General Crook, was posted on the left of the pike, and about three hundred paces to the front. The Sixth Corps was on the right of the Nineteenth, with its right thrown back toward Middletown, about one mile. Our teams parked about one mile in the, rear. The enemy was in camp at Fisher's Hill, some four miles to the front. In this position we rested on the evening of the 18th, not even suspecting our danger, or the Yankee trick that Early was going to play on us the next morning.
Soon after retiring to bed, Colonel Wilds, then in command of the regiment, received orders to have the men under arms at precisely 5 o'clock next morning, as the first line was to make a reconnaissance to the front, and the Fourth Brigade was to move up to the works as soon as vacated. In obedience to this order, at 5 o'clock the regiment was in line of battle, and ready to move to the works. Having reason to believe that the reconnaissance would not last more than one or two hours, as the order was not to bring on an engagement, everything except arms and accouterments were left in tents. At ten minutes past 5 o'clock, firing commenced on the picket line of the Eighth Corps. Supposing it to be only a reconnaissance by the enemy, it created but little alarm. In a few minutes heavy firing commenced on the left and front of the Eighth Corps. It was not yet daylight, and a dense fog, which had settled to the ground, rendered it almost impossible to distinguish objects at any distance. Soon after the firing commenced on the left, the brigade was ordered to move by the left flank, until the left of the Twenty-fourth Iowa rested on the pike. Colonel Wilds ordered me to ride to the left of the regiment, and to lead it to the place indicated, but, before reaching the pike, I was ordered to halt and take position, as we were already receiving the enemy's fire. The regiment was halted, and the right thrown forward so as to form a line across the crest of the hill, at an angle of forty-five degrees with the pike, the right of the brigade, Eighteenth Indiana Veteran Volunteers, supporting the battery on the left of the first line. The fog was so dense that it was impossible to tell what was in front of us, and, as the Eighth Corps was falling back at the time, our fire was reserved until the enemy had pressed his columns close up to and charged the battery on the right, one piece of which was captured. We held the position, however, until Colonel Shunk, discovering that the enemy had thrown a column across the pike on our left, ordered the brigade to fall back about five hundred yards, and take position parallel to and facing the pike. This was done in good order, and the position taken and held, until it became necessary, in the opinion of General Grover, to fall back, in order to prevent being cut off entirely. (Up to this time the regiment had lost six men killed and about forty wounded.) The order was given to fall back as rapidly as possible in the direction of the camp of the Sixth Corps. The enemy came in heavy force on our left and captured four officers and about forty men. The brigade fell back about one mile and formed between the First Brigade, General Birge, and the Sixth Corps, which was on the left.
Previous to this time, Colonel Wilds had been wounded and carried from the field. I had also received a bruise on my hip from a piece of shell, and a wound from a musket ball in the left arm near the elbow, which sickened me so that I could not ride for near an hour, and the regiment was commanded by Captain L. Clark, during my absence. Soon after I returned to the regiment, which was then in the position above mentioned, the enemy made a flank movement to the left of the Sixth Corps, rendering it necessary for it to fall back, and we were ordered to retire by the right of regiments to the rear. We moved in this manner nearly three miles, halted, took position, procured ammunition and prepared to renew the battle. After we had rested about half an hour, Major General Sheridan came on the field, having been absent since the morning of the 18th. He ordered the Eighth Corps to take position on the left of the pike between Middletown and Newtown, the Sixth Corps the center, and the Nineteenth Corps the right. Sent two divisions of cavalry to the right, and one to the left. The Fourth Brigade was formed on the extreme left of the Nineteenth Corps, connecting with the right of the Sixth Corps, in this position the troops were ordered to rest, and throw up some temporary works.
About 12 o'clock I was ordered to move the Twenty-fourth Iowa to the extreme right of the Nineteenth Corps, and protect the flank. I immediately moved to the place indicated, took position and threw out a skirmish line. In this position I remained until 3 o'clock P. M., when I received orders to call in my skirmishers and take my place in the line, as it was going to advance. My skirmishers had just reported when the advance was sounded. In order to get my position in the line, I had to double quick about one mile, and, during the greater part of this distance, we had to pass through the fire of the enemy's guns, which overshot our advancing columns, the shells exploding in the rear. About 3 ½ o'clock, I got my place in the line, which steadily advanced, driving the enemy from every position taken until we reached the camp we left in the morning. Here we halted and made some coffee, (those of us who were fortunate enough to have any,) the first we had tasted since the evening of the 18th. We found one wounded officer there, who had hidden among the rocks during the day, and quite a number of our wounded men. Everything was taken from our camp, leaving the men and most of the officers without haversacks, blankets or shelter tents. At 8 o'clock P. M., the regiment moved forward, with the brigade, to a point near Strasburg, to protect the parties that were sent out to collect the property abandoned by the enemy in his hasty retreat. There we bivouacked for the night, without fires, the men suffering severely for want of blankets and proper clothing to protect them from the excessive cold. On the following morning (20th) the remainder of the Second Division came up, and we went into camp about one mile from Strasburg.
It would appear invidious to mention individual cases of gallantry during the day, when all, both men and officers, did their whole duty. I cannot close, however, without referring to the bravery of our lamented Colonel Wilds, who was wounded soon after daylight and died November 18th. In him we lost a noble, brave and efficient officer. Captain Knott and Lieutenant Kurtz were wounded and captured, but both were retaken in the evening. Captain Smith and Lieutenant Davis were captured in the morning about daylight. The loss of the regiment was: Killed; enlisted men 7. Wounded; officers 6, enlisted men 39. Captured; officers 2, enlisted men 39. Total casualties 93; a list of which is hereto annexed.
I have the honor to be, most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Ed Wright,
Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-fourth Regiment Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
N. B. Baker, Adjutant General State of Iowa.
During the remainder of the month of October the regiment participated in the various movements of its brigade and division in the Shenandoah Valley, but did not again come into contact with any considerable force of the enemy. In the early part of November the regiment was engaged in the duty of escorting supply trains for the army. On the 8th of November, 1864, the officers and men of the regiment recorded their choice for President of the United States, with the following result: Whole number of votes cast, 303, of which Abraham Lincoln received 285 and George B. McClellan 18. On November 10th the regiment arrived at Camp Russell, where the army of the Shenandoah was encamped, and during the remainder of the month was engaged in the erection of fortifications and building cabins for winter quarters. In December the winter quarters were completed, and the regiment was engaged in the performance of picket and escort duty until the close of the month. On December 30th the regiment was assigned to the post at Winchester, Va. On the 6th of January, 1865, the Twenty-fourth Iowa left Winchester and proceeded by rail to Baltimore, thence by steamship to Savannah, Ga., where it went into camp and remained for two months. It then moved to Morehead City, N. C, and, from that point, to Goldsboro and Raleigh, escorting transportation trains. After the surrender of the rebel General Johnston's army, it returned to Savannah, moved thence to Augusta, Ga., with the Twenty-second and Twenty-eighth Iowa, crossed the river at Augusta and went into camp near the town of Hamburg, S. C, where it remained until the 6th of June, when, with the other Iowa regiments, it was ordered to return to Savannah. Its last long march was completed on June 20th. The regiment then went into camp at Savannah, where it remained until the 17th day of July, 1865, on which date it was mustered out of the service of the United States. A few days later it was provided with transportation to Davenport, Iowa, and, upon its arrival there, was disbanded, and the survivors returned to their homes, there to resume and discharge the duties of citizens, with the same fidelity they had shown as soldiers, while engaged in the defense of their country against armed treason and rebellion. No Iowa regiment has a more distinguished record than the Twenty-fourth, and there were only a few others whose operations covered such a wide extent of territory. Everywhere, in camp or garrison, upon the march, in battle, and under all the vicissitudes of its long and arduous service, it maintained in the highest degree the honor of the flag and its State. The archives of the State of Iowa and of the War Department at Washington contain no more glorious record of valor and patriotic service than that of the Twenty-fourth Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers.
SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES
Total Enrollment 1,204
Killed 71
Wounded 260
Died of wounds 55
Died of disease 201
Discharged for disease, wounds or other causes 235
Buried in National Cemeteries 117
Captured 76
Transferred 55
[Note 1.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 8 and 11. Report of Adjutant General or Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 850 to 883; Original Roster of the Regiment.
[Note 2.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 24, page 610. War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 24, page 583. The tabulated statement shows the losses by regiments, as follows: Forty-seventh Indiana, killed 5, wounded 20, missing 1; Twenty-fourth Iowa, killed 1, wounded 5; Twenty-eighth Iowa, killed 3, wounded 14, missing 3; Fifty-sixth Ohio, killed 6, wounded 23, missing 7; Second Illinois Light Artillery, Battery A, killed 1. Total, 89.
[Note 3.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, pages 40 to 47 inclusive.
[Note 4.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 54.
[Note 5.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 40.
[Note 6.] Which gave the name to the battlefield.
[Note 7.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 8. Tabulated returns of casualties in battle of Champion's Hill.
[Note 8.] See Revised Roster of the Regiment, following this sketch.
[Note 9.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1144 to 1162 inclusive.
[Note 10.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1153, 4, 5.
[Note 11.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1156, 7.
[Note 12.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1157, 8, 9.
SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 3, p. 781-94
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