The Third Iowa Cavalry.

This regiment was raised largely by the personal exertions of Cyrus Bussey, a member of the state senate, from Davis county. General Fremont, in command of the department of the Missouri, in 1861, requested Bussey to raise a regiment of cavalry, and he at once issued a call for volunteers. On the 28th of August 1,000 mounted men had responded and assembled at Keokuk. The field officers were, colonel, Cyrus Bussey; lieutenant-colonel, Henry H. Trimble; majors, Carlton H. Perry, Henry C. Caldwell and Wm. C. Drake, and the regiment numbered 1,096 men. The companies were recruited largely in the counties of Lee, Davis, Van Buren, Marion, Appanoose, Jefferson, Wapello and Wayne. It left the state for St. Louis on the 4th of November and on the 12th of December Major Caldwell was sent with the second battalion to Jefferson City, and did not unite his command with the regiment again for nearly two years. During that time he was employed against the rebels in central and southern Missouri, having several sharp engagements with them at various times and places.

Lieutenant-Colonel Trimble, having been severely wounded at Pea Ridge, resigned in September, 1862, and Major Caldwell was promoted to the vacant place. The remainder of the regiment, under Colonel Bussey, joined General Curtis' army in February. It had a conspicuous part in the battle of Pea Ridge, where it lost forty-nine men, killed, wounded and missing. Major Drake had been sent with two companies to Salem. Soon after he marched against a rebel force at West Plains, killed, wounded and captured sixty of them. He had several other fights with the enemy in that vicinity. The Third was in the hard campaign through Arkansas to Helena, and had several Engagements with the enemy, meeting with some losses.  In November Major Drake died and John W. Noble, adjutant, was promoted to fill the vacancy.  Colonel Bussey was now in command of the second brigade, which included his own regiment, Major Noble in command of a battalion, and Major Scott in command of the Third Cavalry.  In June the Second battalion was sent to join Grant’s army in the Vicksburg campaign, and was with Sherman in his march against Jackson.  On the 1st of January, 1864, more than 600 men of the Third cavalry re-enlisted as veterans, and on the 6th received a furlough of thirty days to visit their homes. About this time Colonel Bussey was promoted to brigadier-general, H. C. Caldwell was promoted to colonel, and J. W. Noble to lieutenant-colonel. In the disastrous Guntown expedition, under General Sturgis, the Third Iowa cavalry lost sixty-seven men. The regiment was now under command of John W. Noble, promoted to colonel; George Duffield, lieutenant-colonel. It was in the campaign against Tupelo, and made a brilliant charge on the enemy at Old Town, losing nineteen men in the campaign. It was in Winslow's brigade in several brilliant engagements in Missouri, and returned to St. Louis in November, 1864.  A part of the regiment was in the brilliant Grierson campaign, and soon after the regiment was united at Louisville.  On the 22d of March, in the Wilson raid through Alabama, nearly 7,000 prisoners and 240 pieces of artillery were captured in this brilliant campaign, in which the Third cavalry took a prominent part, and lost forty men.  On the 9^th of August, 1865 the regiment was mustered out, and reached Davenport on the 21^st.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 120-1