. . . to the Washington Press,
written by its editor, then at Pittsburg:
PITTSBURG, Tenn., April
20, 1862.
Gen. McKean, of Iowa, arrived here from Missouri on the
12th, and was immediately assigned a division in the advance. He found his troops in a very disorganized
condition, and almost entirely destitute of field officers. The 18th Wisconsin and 25th Missouri had only
two captains in each regiment – all the rest having been killed, wounded or
taken prisoner. The 15th and 16th Iowa
were the only troops from our State in the division, and they with all the
rest, suffered severely in the battle.
Gen. McKean immediately set about reorganizing and strengthening his
command – his first effort being to get the 11th and 13th Iowa transferred from
McClernand’s to his division, and, with the 15th and 16th, constitute a brigade
of troops which could be depended upon in all emergencies. This has finally been effected, or is about
to be, and the brigade will be commanded by Col. Crocker of the 13th, one of
Iowa’s best officers. Gen. McKean’s
division will now consist of the four Iowa regiments first named; the 16th,
17th and 18th Wisconsin, the 15th Michigan, and the 21st, 53d [sic] and 25th
Missouri. This division will be the
advance of Gen. Grant’s command, and when the troops move, will advance by the
left, throwing the third brigade, Col. Crocker in its front.
Gen. McKean is a very fine appearing, courteous and affable
officer, rather below the medium stature, but compactly and solidly built, his
hair and thick growth of whiskers well sprinkled with silver gray. It is not difficult to perceive that he has
been a regular army officer, from the decision to precision with which he
manages the details and movements of the troops under his command; the
confidence reposed in him by Gen. Halleck may be inferred by his being placed
in command of the division of a Major General in the advance.
The Incessant rains that have fallen here for several days
have interfered somewhat with the movement of the troops, but the cheerfulness
of our men is unflagging. They feel that
Buell and Halleck here, competent men are in command, and that there will be no
more surprises.
The telegraph connects the camps of our various division is
front with General Halleck’s head quarters, and ever movement is controlled and
directed by him.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette,
Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, May 2, 1862, p. 1
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