Middletown, May 12, 1862

EDITOR HAWK-EYE:

In a letter received a few days since from Gen. J. G. Lauman, in answer to inquiries I had made respecting a brother who was taken prisoner at the battle of Pittsburgh Landing, the General bears the following testimony to the bravery of the captured Iowa Regiments:

“It will, however, be gratifying to you and his friends to know, that the Iowa 14^th fought only too well, remaining at their post until entirely surrounded and yielding only to over whelming numbers, when to have protracted the struggle would have resulted in their annihilation.  The same may be said of the 12^th and 8^th Iowa.”

This only confirms the statement of others, who were on the battle field, that, instead of these Regiments being taken early on the first day of the fight, as first reported, it was not until they had maintained their position from 9 o’clock, a.m., until after 4 p.m. that they were overpowered and captured.

J. J. M.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862 p. 1