The Twenty-Seventh Iowa Infantry

The companies for this regiment were mostly recruited in northern Iowa and came largely from Allamakee, Clayton, Chickasaw, Delaware, Buchanan, Mitchell and Floyd counties. They went into camp at Dubuque late in August, 1862, where they were drilled for about two months, and on the 3d of October were mustered into the United States service, about 1,000 strong. Its field officers were colonel, James I. Gilbert; lieutenant-colonel, Jed Lake; major, Geo. W. Howard. Soon after it was ordered to report to General Pope, commanding the Department of the Northwest, where the Sioux Indians had begun a war of extermination against the inhabitants of western Minnesota. They were perpetrating the most horrid massacres of modern times on defenseless men, women and children in that region. The Twenty-seventh was first sent to Fort Snelling, but the Indian war having ended it was soon after sent down the river to Cairo, and from there to Memphis to join General Sherman's army. The regiment served in Mississippi for several months, making hard marches and suffering heavy losses from hardships, exposure and consequent sickness. It was employed in guarding railroads, protecting lines of communication and similar duties until in August, 1863, when it joined General Steele's army in the campaign against Little Rock. The regiment lost during the year 1863, mostly from sickness, more than 180 men. In January, 1864, it was with General Sherman in his Meridian expedition, after which it was sent to take part in General Banks' Red river campaign. In the battle of Pleasant Hill the Twenty-seventh was in Colonel Shaw's brigade, which made a most heroic fight that day, and by its valor and sacrifices saved the army from greater disasters, and covered its retreat that night and the next day to Grand Ecore. The regiment met with heavy loss in its brave fight, and during the retreat was of the rear guard protecting the army from the pursuing enemy. At the battle of Yellow Bayou the Twenty-seventh was actively engaged and lost seventeen men. Colonel Gilbert commanded a brigade for some time after this campaign, in which was his regiment, and several times had combats with the enemy, being in the battles of Tupelo and Old Town Creek. In September and October the regiment was in a campaign in Missouri against General Price, marching 700 miles in forty-seven days. In November it was sent to reinforce General Thomas near Nashville and was in the two days' battle which resulted in the defeat of Hood's army with heavy loss. Colonel Gilbert commanded a brigade in this battle and Lieut-Col. Jed Lake led the Twenty-seventh. They joined in the pursuit of the defeated army as far as Pulaski. Soon after the regiment was sent to join the expedition now organizing for the capture of Mobile. Major Howard led the regiment in an assault on the rebel works, while Colonel Gilbert commanded a brigade. After its capture they moved to Montgomery, and went into camp at the old capitol, where they remained until the close of the war. The regiment returned to Iowa early in August, 1865, where it disbanded on the 8th.

SOURCE, Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 108 & 110