Twenty-Second Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry

The Twenty-second Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers was composed of ten companies, seven of which were organized in Johnson County, and one each in the counties of Jasper, Monroe and Wapello. The records in the office of the Adjutant General of Iowa show that the companies were ordered into quarters by the Governor, on dates ranging from June 16 to August 30, 1862. The rendezvous designated in the order was Camp Pope, near Iowa City, and there, on the 7th, 9th and 10th days of September, 1862, they were mustered into the service of the United States, by Captain H. B. Hendershott, of the Regular Army [see note 1]. Major William M. Stone, of the Third Regiment Iowa Infantry, who had served with that regiment from the commencement of the war, and was wounded in the first general engagement in which it participated, and who had commanded the regiment at the battle of Shiloh, an officer in every way well qualified to assume the duties of regimental commander, was commissioned Colonel of the Twenty-second Regiment, on the 21st of May, 1862, by Governor Kirkwood, and, with his characteristic energy, proceeded to organize the regiment, when the companies which had been assigned to it had reported at the rendezvous. The regiment was fortunate in securing the services of this able and experienced soldier as its first commander [see note 2]. Upon the completion of the muster rolls, the regiment showed an aggregate strength of 952 enlisted men and officers, but early additional enlistments brought the number up to 1,008, about the maximum strength of an infantry regiment, including Field and Staff officers. There was but a short interval between the date of the muster in of the last company and the completion of the organization of his regiment until Colonel Stone received orders to take the field.

On the evening of September 14, 1862, the regiment left its camp at Iowa City and was conveyed by rail to Davenport, where it embarked on steamer and proceeded to St. Louis, where it arrived on the 18th, marched to Benton Barracks, was assigned to quarters, and was there thoroughly equipped for active service. On the 22d of September the regiment was ordered to Rolla, Mo., to which place it was conveyed by rail, and, arriving there on the 23d, went into camp about two miles from the town. It was subsequently assigned to duty at the post of Rolla, and was engaged in guarding commissary stores and the railroad and in escorting supply trains to the Army of Southeast Missouri, until the 27th of January, 1863, on which date it received orders to join the army under General Davidson, at West Plains, Mo. After a march of five days it reached its destination, and was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, Army of Southeast Missouri. The brigade consisted of the Twenty-first, Twenty-second and Twenty-third Regiments of Iowa Infantry, and was under command of Colonel Stone of the Twenty-second.

On the 9th of February, 1863, the regiment with its brigade took up the line of march towards Iron Mountain, arriving there on February 26th. This long march through a mountainous region, at an inclement season of the year, with insufficient rations, was a severe test of the fortitude of the men, but they endured the hardships and privations to which they were subjected without complaint, and demonstrated their capacity to withstand such exposure and suffering to the fullest extent. The army remained encamped at Iron Mountain until March 9th, upon which date orders were received to join the army under command of General Grant, in the great Vicksburg campaign. In compliance with orders, the troops took up the line of march for St. Genevieve, Mo., on the Mississippi River, which place was reached on the 12th of March. Transportation was not secured until March 22d, upon which date the regiment embarked on the transport "Black Hawk," and was conveyed down the river to Milliken's Bend, where it arrived and disembarked on the 27th, and went into camp. The other troops of the Army of Southeast Missouri reached Milliken's Bend by the 1st of April. In the reorganization of the troops, which then took place, the Twenty-second Iowa was assigned to the Second Brigade, of the Fourteenth Division, Thirteenth Army Corps. The other regiments assigned to the brigade were the Twenty-first and Twenty-third Iowa, and the Eleventh Wisconsin Infantry. Colonel C. L. Harris of the latter regiment, being the senior officer, was assigned to the command of the brigade; Brigadier General Eugene A. Carr was in command of the division and Major General John A. McClernand was the corps commander. The Army of Southeast Missouri had thus been merged into the Army of the Tennessee.

On the morning of April 12th, the Twenty-second Iowa, with its brigade, received orders to march to Richmond, La., and, having driven a small body of the enemy's cavalry from that place, marched to Carthage, thence to Perkins’ Landing, and there went into camp to await the arrival of the rest of the division and corps. On the evening of April 27th, the Thirteenth Army Corps embarked on transports, and, on the morning of the 28th, proceeded down the river to Hard Times Landing, opposite the mouth of Black River and near Grand Gulf, where the enemy had erected fortifications and powerful water batteries on a bluff commanding the entrance to the river. On the morning of the 29th, the fleet, headed by the gunboat "Benton," moved down and engaged the rebel batteries. After a terrible bombardment, lasting several hours, during which several of the rebel guns were dismounted, the plan was abandoned. Having failed in the movement which seemed to have been intended for a combined attack by the land and naval forces upon this impregnable position of the enemy, the Thirteenth Army Corps was ordered to move from Hard Times Landing to a point on the river three miles below Grand Gulf, and there go into bivouac until morning. During the night the fleet of transports and gunboats, which had successfully run the blockade at Vicksburg, passed the rebel batteries.

On the morning of April 30th, the Thirteenth Army Corps embarked on transports and gunboats and proceeded down the river, landing, about 3 P. M., sixteen miles below Grand Gulf, at the village of Bruinsburg. At 4 P. M. the army marched in the direction of Port Gibson. The Twenty-second Iowa, with its brigade, formed the extreme advance of the army. Colonel Harris not being able to proceed with the troops on account of illness, the command of the brigade devolved upon Colonel Stone of the Twenty-second Iowa. At 1 o'clock A. M„ May 1st, the advanced guard, composed of one company of the Twenty-first Iowa, was suddenly fired upon by the enemy's pickets, about three miles from Port Gibson. The official report of Major Atherton, who was in command of the Twenty-second Iowa, describes the movements and conduct of the regiment in the preliminary engagement on the night of April 30th, and in the battle of Port Gibson on May 1, 1863, and is here quoted, as follows [see note 3]:


CAMP NEAR ROCKY SPRINGS, MISS., May 7, 1863.

COLONEL WILLIAM M. STONE,

SIR: I herewith report to you the action of the Twenty-second Iowa in the battle before Port Gibson, Miss., on the 1st inst. You having been called upon to command the Second Brigade, to which we were attached, the command of the regiment devolved upon me. On the evening of the 30th ultimo, on our march toward Port Gibson, Miss., after our advanced guard became engaged with the enemy, I received an order from you to hurry my regiment forward and form it in line on the left of our artillery, then hotly engaged with the rebel batteries. This order was promptly obeyed, and the men came up quickly and in good order, forming at the point designated. We were then under the enemy's fire, yet my men manifested great coolness and self-possession. We remained in line for two hours in support of the batteries, until the battle ceased for the night, and we lay down upon our arms, but not to sleep, as we were in momentary expectation of a renewal of the combat. Soon after sunrise we were again in line and under the enemy's fire, in support of our batteries, until near 10 o'clock, when we were led forward to charge on the rebel lines. This movement was executed with alacrity by my regiment. Not a man faltered or fell back. Our fire was delivered upon the enemy with great deliberation and accuracy, and when their lines were broken and they driven in rout from the field, we were among the first to occupy their field. In the long and hotly contested fight of the afternoon, my regiment was all the time in the face of the enemy and under his severest fire. Three times we were ordered against the rebel infantry and under the range of his batteries. Each time we drove them from the field. Late in the afternoon, by your order, we charged up the hill in conjunction with the Twenty-first Iowa, and on the left of General Burbridge's brigade, against the enemy's lines, there strongly posted in almost impenetrable timber and underbrush. Though unable, from the character of the ground and the raking fire of the enemy's batteries, to reach the extreme summit of the hill, we reached the point to which I was ordered, and remained there, receiving and returning the enemy's fire, until about sundown, when, by your order, we returned to our former position, and remained on the field until the firing had entirely ceased and quiet reigned along our whole line.

Throughout this series of engagements the officers and men of my regiment behaved with great coolness and gallantry. I found them always ready and eager to obey the order to move on the enemy. So well did the entire command acquit themselves. I cannot, without seeming invidiousness, enter into particulars. It is sufficient to say that they acted nobly, and well sustained the honors already earned by Iowa soldiers. Great care was taken to shelter our men from the enemy's fire, which the unevenness of the ground enabled us to do with comparative success, yet the loss in this regiment being greater, with but one exception, than any other regiment in the brigade, shows clearly where we were during this long and hotly contested engagement, and that my men did not shrink from their duty. Too much praise cannot be awarded to our surgeons, White and Peabody. Their department was conducted with skill and ability. Their attention to the wounded was truly commendable and will doubtless long be remembered by these unfortunates. The following is a list of the killed and wounded [see note 4]. Several not enumerated were very slightly wounded, but continued on the field until the close of the fight.

Very respectfully,

J. B. ATHERTON,
Major Commanding Regiment.


The official report of the commander of the brigade, Colonel W. M. Stone of the Twenty-second Iowa, describes with minute particularity the movements and conduct of his command. He especially commends the conduct of Colonel Merrill of the Twenty-first Iowa, Major Atherton of the Twenty-second Iowa, Lieutenant Colonel Glasgow of the Twenty-third Iowa, Lieutenant Colonel Wood of the Eleventh Wisconsin, and Captain Griffiths of the First Iowa Battery, and adds this further commendation: "Their associate officers, too, are entitled to great credit, as all of them, so far as I have been able to learn, performed their duties nobly. To the dauntless and heroic men of the ranks, and the line officers, all honor is due. Never did brave men endure more with less murmuring than they, during these thirty consecutive hours of hard marching and severe fighting, and, when the history of the war is fully written, they will be remembered among the bravest defenders of the Republic." [See note 5.]

The official report of General Carr, the division commander, speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of Colonel Stone and the officers and men of his brigade, and gives the following summary of losses: "The loss of the First Brigade was: Killed, 28; wounded, 134; that of the Second Brigade was: Killed, 13; wounded, 88. Total in the division, 263." [See note 6.]

Early on the morning of the second day of May, the army marched in pursuit of the enemy. At Bayou Pierre, the Second Brigade was ordered to halt for the purpose of rebuilding a bridge, which had been destroyed by the enemy the night previous. The bridge was completed and the march resumed on the evening of May 4th. Colonel Stone had been relieved of the command of the brigade by General M. K. Lawler, and had resumed command of his regiment. On May 13th, the Second Brigade arrived at Mississippi Springs, where it was ordered to remain as guard for the transportation train of the division until the 16th, on which date it returned to Raymond and rejoined the division and corps, which then marched towards Edwards' Station, and arrived in the vicinity of Champion's Hill while the battle which was fought there was in progress. General Carr's Division was held in reserve until just at the close of the battle, when it was ordered forward to pursue the retreating enemy and endeavor to cut off the retreat. The pursuit was continued to Edwards' Station, which was reached at 10 P. M., and a train of commissary and ordnance stores and other supplies of the rebel army was captured, together with over 200 prisoners. It was no fault of the Twenty-second Iowa and the other troops of their brigade and division that they did not have a larger share of the fighting at Champion's Hill. They stood waiting for the order to go into action during the progress of the battle, but the order was not given until the enemy was in full retreat and it was too late to successfully execute the flanking movement by which it was hoped to intercept the retreat and prevent the escape of the enemy. Had the order been given sooner, that result might have been accomplished, and the Twenty-second Iowa and the troops with which it was associated would have had a more conspicuous record in the battle of Champion's Hill, and a greater loss would have been inflicted upon the rebel army.

At daylight, on the morning of May 17th, the regiment with its brigade resumed the pursuit of the enemy. General Carr's Division now led the advance. The march was conducted with great vigor and, at 10 A. M., the enemy's pickets were encountered about two miles from their fortifications on Black River. Space will not permit a detailed description of the battle which ensued or the conditions which confronted the troops making the attack. Suffice it to say that, when the pickets of the enemy had been driven in and their position developed, it became evident that their defeat could only be accomplished after a desperate struggle. Having reconnoitered the position and determined upon the most accessible point of attack, the Thirteenth Corps moved forward, with General Carr's Division in advance. Skirmishing was renewed and continued for several hours. General Lawler, whose brigade occupied the extreme right, discovered that by moving his brigade under cover of the river bank a charge on the enemy's works from that point might be successfully made. He therefore ordered his brigade to charge and, if possible, carry the works. The Twenty-third Iowa, led by the gallant Colonel Kinsman, was in the van, followed by the Twenty-first Iowa and the Eleventh Wisconsin; while the Twenty-second Iowa, on the extreme right of the brigade, was ordered to move down the river bank against the enemy's left, which rested on the river. The order was most gallantly executed. In less than twenty minutes after the order to charge was given, the main line of the enemy's works had been captured. In his official report General Lawler gives a carefully detailed account of the movements and conduct of the different regiments composing his brigade. In its position upon the extreme right, the Twenty-second Iowa, while rendering most important service, did not come under the direct fire of the enemy and, therefore, escaped with the least loss of any of the regiments of the brigade. It implicitly obeyed the orders it received, however, and acquitted itself with perfect honor in the battle of Big Black River Bridge. The following brief extracts from General Lawler's report will serve to show his appreciation of the conduct of the regiment during the battle [see note 7]:

. . . The Twenty-second Iowa — which had in the meantime crossed the field and taken position on the river bank, on the right of the Eleventh Wisconsin — were ordered to move out into the field and act as a reserve force. . . . The rebels broke and fled before the Twenty-second Iowa, and fell an easy prey into the hands of the Eleventh Wisconsin. Those of the rebels who were not captured hastened to make good their retreat over the bridge. As the result of this successful charge, we may with justice claim that it gave our army entire possession of the enemy's extended lines of works, and with them their field artillery (18 pieces in all), a large quantity of ammunition, thousands of small arms, and 3,000 prisoners. . . Colonel William M. Stone, Twenty-second Iowa Volunteers, though suffering severely from disease, was present on the field, sharing its dangers, and has my thanks for the promptness with which he moved his command against the left of the enemy's works.


General Lawler gives the number of killed and wounded in his brigade as follows: Killed, 27; wounded, 194; total, 221; while the total loss of the division was 246 and that of the Thirteenth Army Corps 279, thus showing that Lawler's Brigade sustained the heaviest loss and did most of the fighting in that battle [see note 8]. The Twenty-first and Twenty-third Iowa lost 184 of the 221 killed and wounded in the Second Brigade, those two regiments leading the charge, while the Twenty-second Iowa and Eleventh Wisconsin, being held in reserve, did not participate in the severest part of the battle.

The Thirteenth Corps went into camp on the battlefield until a floating bridge could be constructed to replace the bridge destroyed by the enemy. On the evening of the 18th, the bridge having been completed, the corps crossed the river and took up the line of march towards Vicksburg, the enemy having retreated to that place, where, behind heavy fortifications, they awaited the attack of General Grant's army. The march was continued all night and the following day until noon, when the advanced line of the enemy's works was reached and the troops came under the fire of their heavy guns. Firing was kept up by the contending batteries and, at 2 P. M., the infantry was ordered to move forward. After several hours’ skirmishing, the Thirteenth Corps succeeded in gaining an advanced position within 500 yards of the enemy's works, covered from their fire by a range of hills. The Twenty-second Iowa had one man severely wounded during this advance. The position taken by General Carr's Division was on the range of hills in the vicinity of the Jackson Railroad. Lawler’s Brigade occupied the left, with the right of the Twenty-second Iowa resting on the railroad. During the whole of the night of May 20th, the regiment was engaged in throwing up fortifications and, on the morning of the 21st, two twenty-pound Napoleon guns of the Sixteenth Ohio Battery were placed in position on the brow of the hill and opened a vigorous fire on the enemy's works. Their fire dismounted one of the enemy's heavy guns, but the rebel artillery remained silent, probably for the purpose of saving its ammunition for the anticipated assault. Throughout the day the regiment occupied the works, constructed during the previous night, and kept up a brisk fire in response to that of the enemy's sharpshooters, but, owing to the inaccuracy of the enemy's aim and the great distance, the total casualties in the regiment, resulting from this first day's practice in the rifle pits, were two men severely wounded.

On the evening of May 21st, Colonel Stone received General Grant's order for a general assault on the enemy's lines at 10 A. M. on the 22d, and the officers were notified to have their men in readiness for the movement, which it became necessary to make under cover of the night in order to reach the position midway between the two lines, from which the assault was to be made. In the stillness of midnight the Twenty-second Iowa led the advance of the brigade, moved over the brow of the hill and passed quietly down the deep ravine, into which the enemy had felled trees which formed an obstruction difficult to overcome. With great caution the regiment made its way over this obstruction and, after several hours, succeeded in reaching the desired position, without having attracted the attention of the enemy's pickets, posted but twenty yards distant. The day was dawning when the position was gained, and the men were ordered to lie down and rest upon the hillside until the appointed hour should arrive. At 9:30 A. M. the brigade was formed in lines of battalions, the Twenty-second Iowa in advance, followed by the Twenty-first Iowa and Eleventh Wisconsin. At 10 A. M. Captain Bluford Wilson, of General Lawler's Staff, arrived and directed Colonel Stone to advance. In a moment more, with the battle-cry "Remember Kinsman!" (Colonel of the Twenty-third Iowa, killed at Black River), and the command "Forward!" given by Colonel Stone, the regiment leaped over the hill to the charge. The enemy were on the alert and, as our colors rose above the crest of the hill, a thousand bayonets glistened in the sunlight above the parapet at Fort Beauregard.

The strong work against which the main attack was directed covered about half an acre of ground, the walls being about fifteen feet high, surrounded by a ditch ten feet wide. A line of rifle pits connected it with others of the same kind, each of which was so arranged as to enfilade the approach to the other. The regiment succeeded in reaching — under a concentrated fire of grape and musketry — an almost impenetrable abatis, forty yards from the works, where it became necessary to reform the line, the men having become separated in crossing the obstructions. They promptly rallied to the flag and were again led to the charge. Colonel Stone was here wounded, while gallantly directing the charge, and was compelled to leave the field. Lieutenant Colonel Graham then assumed command and, with a few officers and about fifty men, succeeded in reaching the ditch surrounding the fort, but, having no scaling ladders, they were unable to enter the works. Sergeant Joseph E. Griffith, with some fifteen or twenty men, succeeded — by raising one another up the wall — in gaining an entrance and capturing a number of prisoners, but the fire from the enemy's rifle pits in rear of the fort, and the lack of reinforcements coming to their aid, rendered the place untenable. Sergeant Griffith and David Trine, of Company I, were the only survivors of this daring exploit [see note 9]. The assault had proved a failure. The troops did not leave the field, however. Believing that reinforcements would be sent to their aid, the gallant officers and men of the Twenty-first and Twenty-second Iowa and the Eleventh Wisconsin remained on the field, receiving and returning the fire of the enemy until, their ammunition becoming exhausted, they were compelled to withdraw. The regiment had suffered very heavy loss. Captain James Robertson of Company I, and Lieutenant Matthew A. Robb of Company D, were killed at the head of their companies. Lieutenant Colonel Harvey Graham and several others were taken prisoners in the ditch at the fort, while gallantly endeavoring to aid the brave men who had gained an entrance. Captain John H. Gearkee and Lieutenant John Remic, of Company B, and Lieutenant L. F. Mullins of Company C, fell severely wounded at the post of honor at the head of their companies. Every officer and man of the regiment might justly have had special mention for the brave manner in which he performed his duty in that desperate and hopeless struggle. They obeyed orders — the highest duty of soldiers — without questioning the wisdom or unwisdom of the officers high in command, who had sent them against this strong position of the enemy and failed to reinforce them at the critical moment when they had gained a lodgment upon the works of the enemy and, with a sufficient force sent to their assistance, might have carried and held them. It was the last attempt to capture Vicksburg by direct assault, and, from that day to the time of surrender, the safer and wiser plan of a regular siege was adopted. The loss of the Twenty-second Iowa in this charge was 27 killed, 118 wounded and 19 captured. Total loss 164 [see note 10]. This was the heaviest loss sustained by any regiment of the Thirteenth Army Corps in the disastrous assault, as shown by the official returns. The total loss of the corps was 1,275, while that of Carr's Division was 710, and of Lawler's Brigade 368 [see note 11].

Colonel Stone having been wounded and Lieutenant Colonel Graham captured during the assault, the command of the regiment devolved upon Major Atherton, who wrote the official report of the engagement [see note 12]. His report differs in some respects from those of other officers, notably that of Captain C. N. Lee [see note 13], also that of General Lawler [see note 14], the Brigade Commander, and that of Adjutant Pryce, in his history of the regiment [see note 15]. ♦ The compiler has heretofore referred to these conflicting reports and cannot attempt to reconcile them. In the main they are in accord as to the essential fact, that the conduct of the officers and men of the regiment in that desperate charge was worthy of as high praise as was ever accorded to soldiers upon any battlefield of the war, in either of the contending armies. Had the history of the Twenty-second Iowa ended upon that day, that regiment would still stand high upon the roll of fame, as among the bravest and best that the State of Iowa sent into the field.

The regiment had now become fearfully reduced in numbers, but the brave officers and men who survived, and were able for duty, performed their full share of service in the trenches until the surrender of the rebel stronghold on the 4th of July, 1863. They suffered all the hardships and exposure incident to that protracted siege, but, during the remainder of its progress, the casualties of the regiment were light, as compared with its heavy loss on the 22d of May. The losses of the regiment in battle, on the skirmish line and in the siege had, up to July 4, 1863, aggregated 189, while less than ten months had expired since it took the field.

On the morning of July 5th, the regiment took up the line of march with the troops under General Sherman, moving against the rebel army under General Johnston. The regiment started on this march with less than 150 officers and men fit for duty, but, during all the operations of its brigade and division, while the rebel army was being driven towards Jackson and during the siege of that place — which ended with the evacuation of the enemy on July 16th — it performed its full share of duty, always acquitting itself with credit. Colonel Stone, having partially recovered from his wounds, rejoined his regiment while the siege of Jackson was in progress, and was placed in command of the Second Brigade. After the army had taken possession of the city, the Second Brigade was ordered to destroy a portion of the Mississippi Central Railroad. Having accomplished that duty, it returned to Vicksburg, arriving there on the 24th of July, and going into camp in the city. Here Colonel Stone (having been nominated for Governor of Iowa) tendered his resignation and took final leave of the army, carrying with him the love and respect of his comrades in arms. The officers and men of the regiment regretted the loss of their noble commander, under whom they had won renown, but they rejoiced to know that he was to become the Governor of their State, in recognition of his splendid service as a soldier and of his ability to render equally good service as the Chief Executive of the Commonwealth of Iowa.

On the 31st of July, General Carr, who had successfully commanded the division, relinquished the command, on account of impaired health, and General Benton was appointed his successor, while Colonel Harris, of the Eleventh Wisconsin, again assumed command of the brigade as the successor of Colonel Stone. The brigade became a part of the First Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps, commanded by Major General Ord, as the successor of Major General McClernand. On the 13th of August the regiment embarked on the transport "Baltic," and moved down the river to Carrollton, eight miles above New Orleans, and went into camp there. Preparations were being made for another campaign. The troops were soon ordered to New Orleans, where all surplus baggage was stored in order that the troops might be relieved of everything that would prevent celerity in marching, and, after being reviewed by Generals Grant and Banks, the whole command embarked on transports and proceeded to Algiers. Landing there, the troops were conveyed by rail to Bayou Beoff, where they arrived on September 5th, and remained until the 11th, when they marched to Brashear City, on Berwick Bay. On September 25th the troops crossed the bay and went into camp near the ruins of the town of Berwick. On the 2d of October the army took up its line of march, passing through Iberia, Franklin and St. Martinsville, and arriving at Vermillionville on October 10th. The enemy, consisting of a heavy force under General Dick Taylor, was first encountered near Iberia. They rapidly retreated and were pursued to Opelousas, at which point it was expected they would make a determined stand and that a general engagement would take place; but, the enemy continuing to retreat, the expedition was abandoned, with no more important result than temporarily driving the enemy out of that part of the country south of Bayou Teche and extending from Berwick to Opelousas. During this campaign the Twenty-second Iowa participated in several skirmishes, but sustained only slight losses. On the 10th of November the regiment, with the other troops, had returned to Berwick.

The First Division, now under command of General Washburn, was ordered to proceed to Texas, and, on November 17th, the Twenty-second Iowa crossed Berwick Bay, reaching Algiers the next day. Five companies, under command of Colonel Graham, embarked on the steamer "T. A. Scott," while the balance of the regiment, under command of Major White, remained at Algiers, awaiting transportation. On the 20th, the steamer, conveying the five companies, proceeded down the river and crossed the bar into the Gulf of Mexico and, after a stormy and perilous voyage, arrived at the mouth of the Rio Grande, off Brazos Santiago, Texas. Here an attempt was made to land a portion of the troops at Point Isabel. The ship drawing too much water to cross the bar, five companies of the Eleventh Wisconsin were landed in small boats, but, during the undertaking — a somewhat hazardous one — a storm arose and the ship was compelled to put to sea again, leaving that portion of the troops landed at Point Isabel. On the evening of November 27th the ship arrived off Mustang Island, seventy miles from Matagorda Bay, and, the storm having somewhat abated, succeeded in landing the troops safely. On the 29th the regiment proceeded with the expedition against Fort Esperanza, commanding the entrance to Matagorda Bay, crossed St. Joseph's and Matagorda Islands, and arrived at the fort December 1st. The enemy had blown up their magazines and abandoned the fort the night previous. The troops went into camp near the Port of Saluria, and on the next day crossed Pass Cavallo, at the entrance of the bay, and went into camp on the peninsula, at De Crou's Point. The regiment was there joined by Major White, with the left wing. The regiment remained at that place until January 3, 1864, when, with the other troops of the brigade and division, they embarked on transports and proceeded to Indianola. The town was occupied by a force of the enemy, which fled upon the approach of the Union troops. The troops were quartered in houses at Indianola about three weeks, when the Second Brigade was ordered to Old Indianola, where it went into winter quarters. While at the latter place the First and Second Brigades were consolidated and formed the First Brigade of the First Division, the former commanded by General Fitz Henry Warren, and the latter successively by Generals Washburn, Dana and Benton.

During the winter the officers and men were comfortably situated, enjoyed excellent health, and the regiment rapidly improved in discipline and military efficiency. The enemy appeared several times near the town, but only in small reconnoitering parties, which were generally easily driven off by a detachment of mounted infantry of twenty-five men organized for that purpose from the different regiments of the brigade. On one occasion they encountered a full company of rebel cavalry, supposed to belong to "Wall's Legion," and formerly known as "Texan Rangers." A desperate fight took place about fifteen miles in the interior. The enemy numbered about one hundred men, but the little band of Union soldiers fought bravely. They were finally compelled to surrender. The following members of the Twenty-second Iowa belonging to the detachment were captured: John Fleming and Wm. Bechtel, Company A; Philip Huzer, Company D; Gabriel Hoffman, Company H; Karl Bedner, Company K; and William Franklin, Company F. On the 13th of March the troops evacuated the town and returned to Matagorda Island. All other troops of the Thirteenth Army Corps having left the island, the First Division, under General Dana, was assigned to the defenses of the coast at this point. Colonel Graham was ordered to proceed to Iowa on recruiting service at this time and, Major White having been granted leave of absence, Major Houston of the Twenty-third Iowa was temporarily assigned to the command of the Twenty-second Iowa.

On the 21st of April the regiment embarked on steamers "Planter" and "Matamoras" and proceeded on an expedition, under command of General Warren in person, to Port Lavacca, a distance of seventy miles from the mouth of the bay and thirty miles above Indianola; the object of the expedition being to obtain lumber for the completion of the forts and other works on the island. Upon the approach of the steamers, the rebel troops stationed at Port Lavacca — consisting of one company of cavalry — fled to the interior. The regiment disembarked and Lieutenant Jones, with Company A, as advance guard, took possession of the place. The steamers were loaded with lumber and the main object of the expedition was accomplished. General Warren, having been advised that the rebel cavalry company had returned to the vicinity of the town, ordered Major Houston to proceed with a detachment of the Twenty-second Iowa and, if possible, surround and capture the rebel force. The Major succeeded in getting into the rear of the enemy, and in the skirmish which ensued one rebel was killed and several were wounded, but, being mounted, the rest of the company escaped. The regiment then embarked and returned to the island.

On the 27th of April the Thirteenth Army Corps was ordered to report to General Banks, as reinforcements to the army under that officer, then engaged in the famous and ill-fated Red River Expedition. The left wing of the Twenty-second Iowa, commanded by Captain Gearkee, embarked on the 27th, and the right wing, commanded by Major White, followed on the 29th, arriving at New Orleans on May 1st. On the evening of May 4th, the left wing of the regiment, Captain Cree commanding, embarked with the Twenty-third Iowa, and, accompanied by General Fitz Henry Warren and his staff, proceeded up Red River, arriving at Fort De Russy on May 6th, but the enemy having obstructed the navigation of the river below Alexandria, the boats could proceed no further. They then returned to the mouth of Red River, where the troops landed and went into camp. On the 15th of May, a fleet of transports arrived and the troops again embarked and proceeded to Simsport on the Atchafalaya River, to join the troops of General Banks' expedition, who were marching from Alexandria to that point. On May 16th, the Thirteenth, Seventeenth and Nineteenth Corps arrived at Simsport and crossed the river on transports. All the troops then took up the line of march for Morganza, where they arrived on the 22d of May, and where the detachment of the Twenty-second Iowa, under command of Captain Cree, remained in camp until the 9th of June, when the captain received orders to report, with his detachment, to Colonel Graham at Baton Rouge, La., where the regiment was reunited on June 10, 1864.

The Thirteenth Army Corps having been temporarily discontinued by the War Department, the Twenty-second Iowa was ordered to report to General Reynolds at New Orleans, was conveyed to that place on July 6th and went into camp at Algiers. The regiment was there assigned to the Second Brigade of the Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps, composed of the One-hundred-thirty-first and One-hundred-fifty-ninth New York, Thirteenth Connecticut, Third Massachusetts Cavalry, Twenty-second Iowa and Eleventh Indiana. The brigade was commanded by Colonel E. L, Molineaux, of the One-hundred-fifty-ninth New York. The Nineteenth Corps, as reorganized, comprised three divisions. The first, General Dwight's, was composed of eastern troops exclusively; the second, General Grover's, had five western regiments and the remainder were eastern troops; the third, General Lawler's, was composed entirely of western troops. The first and second divisions having been ordered to report to Washington, D. C, the Twenty-second Iowa, with the One-hundred-thirty-first and One-hundred-fifty-ninth New York, embarked, on the 17th of July, on the steamer "Cahawba," and arrived at Fortress Monroe on the 24th, after a voyage void of incident. On the 25th the ship proceeded up the James River to Bermuda Hundreds Landing, where the troops disembarked and, after marching seven miles, joined the forces under General Butler. These three regiments were separated from the division to which they had been assigned, the other portion of it having gone direct to Washington. They were temporarily attached to General Terry's division of General Birny's corps and placed on duty in the trenches, extending across the peninsula from the James River to Appomattox, occupying a portion of the line in General Butler's front until July 31st, when orders were received to report at Washington. The troops marched to Bermuda Hundreds Landing, where they embarked on transports, proceeded down the river to Fortress Monroe and from there up the Potomac to Washington, where they arrived on August 1st and disembarked.

On August 2d the three regiments marched to Tennallytown, D. C, at the outer defenses of the city, and went into camp on the heights of Georgetown, overlooking the city. There they were joined by a portion of their division, and on August 14th again took up the line of march to join the troops under command of General Sheridan, then operating in the vicinity of Cedar Creek and Strasburg in the Shenandoah Valley. The march was continued through Dranesville, Leesburg and Hamilton, over the Kitoctan Mountains, through Snickers Gap in the Blue Ridge, and, wading the Shenandoah River at the foot of the mountain at midnight, the troops arrived at Berryville, ten miles from Winchester, Va., at daylight on the morning of August 18th. Here they met the forces of General Sheridan on their retreat down the valley, pursued by the rebel General Early's army. The Twenty-second Iowa and the other troops of its brigade and division were ordered to join the retreat on the Berryville and Harper's Ferry road. Summit Point, four miles from Charlestown, was reached at midnight. Here the troops remained for two days. The enemy threatening a flank movement, the army again fell back to Halltown, the Twenty-second Iowa forming the rear guard. On the morning of August 21st, the army took a position on a range of hills, its left resting on the Potomac and its right extending to near the foot of the Blue Ridge. The Twenty-second Iowa occupied a position near the center of the line, about one mile south of Halltown. From the date last mentioned, both armies continued to maneuver for position, the Twenty-second Iowa and the troops with which it was associated performing their full share in the different movements, in which there was more or less skirmishing, until the 18th of September, when the army received orders to be ready to march at a moment's notice. All surplus baggage was loaded and sent to the rear and the troops were left with nothing that would in the least encumber them, either upon the march or in battle.

At 2 A. M., September 19, 1864, the army took up its line of march on the road leading to Winchester. Arriving at the Opequon soon after daylight, and the road passing through a narrow defile, the Nineteenth Corps was obliged to halt until the Sixth Corps passed. In the meantime the advance, composed entirely of cavalry, had become engaged with the enemy and had succeeded in driving in their pickets. At 9 A. M. the Tenth Corps arrived upon the ground and formed in line of battle about one mile from the Opequon, on a range of hills facing the enemy. During the time that the formation of the line was in progress, the enemy opened vigorously with artillery, but were soon silenced and quiet was restored along the lines, as if to prepare for the terrible contest which was soon to follow. The enemy was found to be strongly posted in a belt of heavy timber, with their line extending across the Winchester road. During a short reconnaissance to ascertain the enemy's position, the troops were allowed to rest. In a few moments the command "Forward!" rang along the line, and the army moved forward to the attack. The Twenty-second Iowa occupied the left of the brigade, which formed the extreme left of the Nineteenth Corps. The ground over which the regiment had to pass was an open field, extending to the enemy's works, a distance of about one mile. The enemy, being in open view, observed our movements and opened a concentrated fire from their artillery on our advancing column until it had reached to within six hundred yards, when they opened with grape and canister. The regiment then moved forward on the double quick, meeting a heavy fire of musketry, and reached a point within one hundred yards of their line, posted behind a stone fence in the woods. Under the destructive fire the line began to waver, but the men were rallied and fought for nearly an hour in the open field against the enemy protected by their works. The troops of the Sixth Corps — which joined immediately on the left of the Twenty-second Iowa — gave way, and General Grover, finding that his troops would be flanked on the left, gave orders to fall back, which was done in good order. The enemy, inspired by their partial success, raised a yell and charged in pursuit. The line was again rallied and, in turn, charged the enemy, driving them back over the field and through the timber. The enemy retreated in confusion until they reached the range of hills near Winchester, when they rallied and attempted to make a stand; but the rebel troops had become demoralized and could not be held in line. They again broke and fell back in confusion, leaving the Union Army in undisputed possession of the field at sundown. In this desperate battle the Twenty-Second Iowa had fought in the open in the most exposed and dangerous position, while the greater part of the Union troops advanced under cover of the woods. When the line fell back, the regiment promptly obeyed the order to halt and, in turn, charged the advancing and exultant rebels and turned apparent defeat into victory. The official report states that the regiment never fought better [see note 16]. Not a man faltered or fell back, although it required the highest degree of courage to charge over that open space, for a long distance, and all the time under a heavy fire; and, again, when ordered to fall back, to promptly obey the order to turn and charge the enemy, and thus achieve a splendid victory.

The Twenty-second Iowa had nobly maintained the honor of its State and had won the, high regard of the Eastern troops, by whose side they fought at the battle of Winchester. Colonel Graham commanded the regiment, and directed its movements with the same bravery and ability he had exhibited upon the battlefields where his regiment had fought with the western armies. He was ably assisted by the gallant Lieutenant Colonel White and Major Gearkee. Those especially mentioned in the official reports were: “Captain D. J. Davis of Company A, and Captain B. D. Parks of Company E; who were instantly killed at the head of their companies. Their conduct was heroic, and they died at the post of honor. Sergeant Major George A. Remley, as noble as he was brave, was pierced with three balls and fell dead. Lieutenant Colonel E. G. White was slightly wounded in the face by the explosion of a shell. Lieutenant James A. Boarts was severely wounded in the head by a minie ball, and has since died. Lieutenants Jones of Company A, and Hull of Company K, were both captured. Lieutenant Colonel White, Major Gearkee, Captains Mullins, Humphrey, Cree, Clark, Shockey, Hartly and Morsman, and Lieutenants Turnbull, Davis, Needham, Messenger and Chandler, are all entitled to great praise for their gallantry throughout the battle in encouraging and rallying the men to the colors. Surgeon Shrader was on the field during the engagement and was indefatigable in his exertions to care for the wounded. Hospital Steward Ealy, Quartermaster Sterling and Commissary Sergeant Brown rendered efficient service in carrying off the wounded and conducting the ambulances to different parts of the field, and can not be too highly commended. The total loss of the regiment in this battle was 109 killed, wounded and missing. A list of the casualties is annexed to the report." [See note 17.]

On the night of the 19th of September, the regiment, with the rest of the army, bivouacked on the battlefield near Winchester. On the morning of the 20th, the army again took up its line of march in pursuit of the enemy. On the 22d, the rebel army made a stand at the strong position of Fisher's Hill, and General. Sheridan at once made preparations for an attack. At 12 o'clock the Twenty-second and Twenty-eighth Iowa were ordered to advance and carry a line of rifle pits on the heights, occupied by the skirmishers of the enemy. The charge was executed in fine style, and the skirmishers were compelled to abandon the rifle pits and retire into their main works. At 4 o'clock P.M. orders were received to assault the fortified position of the enemy. The Twenty-second and Twenty-eighth Iowa and the One-hundred-twenty-eighth New York, occupying the advance line as skirmishers on the extreme left of the army, charged up the rocky and precipitous ground and drove the enemy in their front from the works. Owing to the irregularity of the ground, the loss of the regiment in this charge was but four men wounded. In the pursuit, which was kept up until the following morning at 4 o'clock, the Twenty-second Iowa, with the Eleventh Indiana, occupied the extreme advance of the army and marched, deployed as skirmishers, for a distance of fifteen miles from Fisher's Hill, capturing hundreds of prisoners. During this night march, while engaged in a skirmish with the rear guard of the enemy, Paul Miller, of the non-commissioned staff of the regiment, was severely wounded. The pursuit was continued through Harrisonburg to Mount Crawford, when it was abandoned and the army returned to Harrisonburg and went into camp, remaining there until the 6th of October, on which date it returned to Cedar Creek and began the construction of a line of fortifications in a semi-circle on a range of hills north of the creek.

The movements of the enemy, from the 13th to the 18th of October, indicated that the rebel generals were again contemplating an attack upon General Sheridan's fortified position. Skirmishing with reconnoitering parties of the rebel army frequently occurred and, on the night of October 18th, General Mollineaux, in command of the brigade to which the Twenty-second Iowa was attached, received orders to make a reconnaissance in force to ascertain the strength and develop the lines of the enemy; but, at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 19th, when the brigade was just starting upon its march, the enemy suddenly attacked the extreme left flank, taking the Eighth Army Corps completely by surprise, driving it from its works and, in a short time, succeeding in getting into the rear of the Sixth and Nineteenth Corps. This bold and brilliant movement of the rebel commander threatened the complete defeat of General Sheridan's army. At the commencement of the attack, the Twenty-second Iowa was detached from its brigade and proceeded on the double-quick to the support of a battery which was threatened with capture. Before the regiment could reach the guns, they were captured by the enemy, and it was compelled to fall back before the advancing force, but, in doing so, retained its organization and rallied four times alone, each time checking the advance of the enemy.

The army retreated gradually for three miles in the direction of Winchester, when, General Sheridan arriving upon the field in person, the troops were reformed, and hurried preparations were made to retrieve the disaster of the morning. The presence of General Sheridan proved an inspiration to the officers and men of his army; "And the wave of retreat checked its course there, because the sight of the Master compelled it to pause." General Sheridan rode along the lines and ordered the troops to halt, reform and attack the enemy, still advancing and flushed with victory. The western troops were formed together in one line, and the intrepid courage with which they fought was an important factor in retrieving the fortune of the day and converting what had seemed certain defeat into an overwhelming victory. The enemy made a gallant and stubborn resistance, but were gradually forced back to the line of breast-works which they had thrown up in the morning to provide against a reverse, but they were soon driven from that line and continued their retreat, followed closely by the forces of General Sheridan. Thousands of prisoners and a great portion of the trains and artillery of the rebel army were captured. The rebel army had met with a crushing defeat.

The loss of the Twenty-second Iowa in the battle of Cedar Creek was heavier than that which it sustained at Winchester, in proportion to the number engaged. Its loss was 77 in killed, wounded and missing [see note 18]. From the commencement to the close of the battle the regiment was constantly engaged. In this, its last battle, as in the first and all those in which it was engaged during its long period of service, the regiment maintained its high record. It remained on duty with its brigade and division until early in January, 1865. The carefully kept record of Captain Samuel D. Pryce shows that, from the time the regiment was organized to the close of the Shenandoah campaign, it had traveled by land and water over 8,000 miles, participated in eight general engagements, two sieges and numerous skirmishes, and five great campaigns, in the states of Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Virginia.

Early in January, 1865, the Nineteenth Army Corps — of which the Twenty-second Iowa was still a part — was ordered to proceed to Baltimore, Md. Here the troops were quartered in barracks until January 11th, upon which date they embarked on transports and were conveyed to Savannah, Ga., where they arrived on January 20th and went into camp near that city, where they remained until March 13, 1865, on which date the Twenty-second Iowa — with other troop s— was sent to Morehead City, N. C. There the regiment was assigned to a brigade consisting of the Twenty-second, Twenty-fourth and Twenty-eighth Iowa, the One-hundred-thirty-first, and One-hundred-fifty-ninth New York and Thirteenth Connecticut. This was the First Brigade, First Division of the Nineteenth Army Corps. There had been a number of different assignments of these troops from the time they were first brought together at New Orleans and sailed for Fortress Monroe, but, in the main, they had served together in the concluding campaigns of the war, and Colonel Mollineaux, the first commander of the brigade, was still in command but was now a Brigadier General.

On the 10th of May, 1865, the brigade began the march to Augusta, Ga., where it arrived on the 19th, and the three eastern regiments went into camp there, while the three western regiments crossed the Savannah River and encamped near the town of Hamburg, S. C, where they remained until the 6th of June, when they were ordered to return to Savannah. They began the return march (the last long march they would be required to make) on June 20th, and reached Savannah on the 25th, where they again went into camp. The records in the office of the Adjutant General of Iowa show that the Twenty-second Regiment was mustered out of the service at Savannah, Georgia, July 25, 1865, and that the regiment was subsequently disbanded at Davenport, Iowa [see note 19].

At the conclusion of his supplement to the history of the regiment, Adjutant Pryce states that the muster rolls and final discharge papers were completed on July 20th, and that the troops were mustered out of the service by Captain George E. Moulton of the Thirtieth Maine Volunteer Infantry, and gives the date as July 20th. He also states that, on the morning of July 22d, the Iowa troops marched through the city and embarked, and that they reached Baltimore, via Fortress Monroe, on the 25th, where they were quartered at the "Soldiers' Home," and the next morning departed for Davenport, Iowa, where they arrived on the 27th, remaining there until August 3, 1865, on which date they received their final pay and discharge from the service.

In conclusion, the compiler submits this condensed history of the regiment, together with the roster and personal record of its officers and enlisted men, all of which have been gleaned from official sources, in the hope and belief that, in the years to come, those who can trace their lineage to the soldiers who marched and fought under the colors of the Twenty-second Regiment of Iowa Infantry Volunteers will proudly point to the glorious record of their ancestors, who went forth to battle in the days which tried men's souls, and left to their posterity the precious legacy of their patriotic service to their country.


SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES.

Total Enrollment 1084
Killed 60
Wounded 267
Died of wounds 55
Died of disease 128
Discharged for wounds, disease and other causes 187
Buried in National Cemeteries 78
Captured 79
Transferred 42


[Note 1.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, pages 782 to 816 inclusive; Original Roster of the Regiment.

[Note 2.] Colonel Stone was commissioned Brevet Brigadier General of Volunteers September 17, 1862. He subsequently served two terms (four years) as Governor of Iowa, 1864-1868.

[Note 3.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, pages 470, 1.

[Note 4.] See subjoined Roster, in which the names of all killed and wounded appear, together with all casualties, opposite the names recorded there.

[Note 5.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, page 543.

[Note 6.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, page 545.

[Note 7.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, pages 137, 8.

[Note 8.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, page 130.

[Note 9.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1130. Also, Supplemental Statement of Adjutant Pryce.

[Note 10.] Tabulated Returns of Casualties, War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 24, Part 2, page 161.

[Note 11.] The report of the Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1124 to 1141, inclusive, contains the history of the Twenty-second Iowa Infantry, written by the Adjutant of the regiment, Samuel D. Pryce. The compiler has quoted and will continue to quote freely from that history, in this condensed historical sketch, and here wishes to acknowledge his obligations to the author. There are some discrepancies between the statements made by the Adjutant and the official reports of the commanders of the regiment, with reference to losses, and, in a few instances, to other matters; but, as the keeper of the regimental records, the statements of the Adjutant may justly be regarded as officially correct. A supplementary statement, including a reference to the heroic act of Sergeant Griffith and those other brave men who entered the fort with him, has been made by Adjutant Pryce, and is now on file as a part of the official record of the Twenty-second Iowa, in the office of the Adjutant General. The compiler has, therefore, felt authorized to quote from this supplementary statement that portion which gives the names of the men who were engaged in the heroic exploit referred to, in order that they may have the credit to which they are entitled: ". . . . Among those who entered the fort were, Sergeants Joseph E. Griffith and N. C. Messenger, David Trine, W. H. Needham, Munson L. Clemmons, Alvin Drummond, Ezra S. Anderson, Hugh Sinclair, Lieutenant Mathew A. Robb, John A. Robb, Samuel Lloyd, William Griffin, William P. Marvin, Hezekiah Drummond, John Hale, David Jordon, Allen Cloud, Abner Bernard, and Richard Arthur. One officer and eleven enlisted men were killed inside the Confederate works or on the parapet, to-wit: Lieutenant M. A. Robb, William Griffin, John Hale, David Jordon, Ezra S. Anderson, Abner Bernard, Richard Arthur, Alvin Drummond, Hezekiah Drummond, John A. Robb, William P. Marvin and Samuel Lloyd. Lieutenant Robb was killed on the parapet, and fell back into the ditch. David Jordon was shot on the top of the parapet in the act of planting the colors. He fell with one hand upon the flagstaff. Two officers and ten enlisted men were wounded upon the parapet and fell back into the ditch. . . .”

Adjutant Pryce, in the supplemental statement referred to, gives the average loss in killed and wounded of the regiment at 85 per cent of the number engaged. The official reports put the average loss at a little over 80 per cent. The Adjutant further states that at the time the official report was made, the losses had not been accurately obtained, which would account for the discrepancy.

[Note 12.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, page 472.

[Note 13.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 2, Vol. 24, page 243.

[Note 14.] War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1- Part 2, Vol. 24, pages 140 to 142 inclusive.

[Note 15.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1180.

[Note 16.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1137.

[Note 17.] See subjoined Roster, in which all casualties are noted.

[Note 18.] See subjoined Roster.

[Note 19.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1867, Vol. 1, page 151. Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1866, page XVI.


SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 3, p. 559-73

Twenty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry

The official reports of the Adjutant General of Iowa show that Company A, of the Twenty-first Regiment of Infantry, was ordered into quarters at Clinton, Iowa, on the 23d day of May, 1862, and that it was there mustered into the service of the United States on the 4th day of June, 1862, while the other nine companies of the regiment were ordered into quarters at Dubuque, Iowa, on dates ranging from July 28 to August 23, 1862, and were there mustered into service, on dates ranging from the 18th to the 25th of August, 1862. The wide discrepancy in the dates of the muster in of the first company and those which followed is explained in a foot-note to the Original Roster of Company A, stating that the company was originally raised for the Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, but was subsequently transferred to the Twenty-first [see note 1]. The mustering officers were Captains George S. Pierce and H. B. Hendershott of the Regular Army, and the term of service was for three years from the date of muster. The official reports also show that, when the muster in of the ten companies was completed, their aggregate strength was 964 enlisted men and company officers, and, with twelve Field and Staff officers and four additional enlistments, the total number was 980 [see note 2]. The subjoined roster shows the name and record of service of every enlisted man and commissioned officer who was at any time a member of the regiment. The roster has been carefully compiled from the official records in the office of the Adjutant General of the State and, where these records do not show the completed service of any officer or soldier, a list of such names has been sent to the War Department, in Washington, in the hope that information might be obtained which would enable those engaged in making up these revised rosters to make them complete. In some instances the records were found to be incomplete, as shown from the lists returned from the War Department and must, therefore, remain so, but in most cases the necessary information has been obtained to complete them. It is believed, however, that the subjoined roster is as nearly correct as it is possible to make it from the official records. No doubt there are some errors and omissions, but every effort has been made to reduce them to the minimum. This sketch of the history of the regiment has also been compiled from the official reports and returns, as made to the Adjutant General of the State. The compiler was an Iowa soldier, in one of its infantry regiments, and in the preparation of this work has endeavored to cover as many of the leading events in the history of this, and all other Iowa regiments, as the limitation of space to which he is restricted will permit. It would have been an easier task to have written a longer history and to have gone more fully into detail, but the necessity for condensation has had to be kept constantly in mind; and, in this regard, each regiment has been given only the amount of space which the extent of its leading operations and length of service seemed to demand.

The Field and Staff and company officers of the regiment, as well as the men they commanded, were, with but few exceptions, entirely without experience as soldiers, but all utilized the time which was spent at Camp Franklin (near Dubuque) to the best advantage, in learning their respective duties and imparting such instruction as they could to the men under their command. The regiment was supplied with Enfield rifles, (one of the best guns in use at that time,) and was otherwise very well equipped for active service before leaving the State. In these respects it was more fortunate than some of the regiments which had preceded it. Both men and officers were apt in acquiring the rudiments of a military education. They were given ample opportunity to learn, in the practical school of experience in the field, more rapidly than if they had been detained longer in their first camp, for the reason that they were soon brought into contact with other troops, and the spirit of emulation, which naturally prevailed, caused both officers and men to embrace every opportunity to improve their knowledge of their duties as soldiers. The company and regimental drills and the enforcement of discipline were alike somewhat distasteful and unpleasant to many soldiers, in the first few months of their experience, who subsequently came to appreciate the value and necessity of both.

On the 16th of September, 1862, the regiment embarked on transports and proceeded down the river to St. Louis, but, being detained at Davenport and Montrose, did not reach its destination until the 20th. The short march from the landing at St. Louis to Benton Barracks was a severe trial to the endurance of the men. The weather was intensely hot and the march was made too rapidly. The men were heavily laden with knapsacks, blankets, arms and accouterments, and upon that four-mile march endured greater suffering than upon a long day's march thereafter, when they had learned to live without the things contained in those knapsacks, which then seemed to be necessities, and to disencumber themselves of pretty much everything except the rifle and its ammunition, and a single army blanket. They were having the common experience of soldiers at the commencement of their service, an experience which, alas, proved fatal to many.

On the evening of September 21st, the regiment marched to St. Louis and, going on board a train of cars, (such as were used to transport freight and stock,) proceeded to Rolla, Mo., where it arrived the next day and went into camp. Here the scourge of disease which attacked so many of the men of the new regiments, and which in so many instances either proved fatal or unfitted men for further service in the field, prevailed to such an extent that over 200 men of the regiment were on the sick list. On the 18th of October the regiment moved to Salem, Mo., twenty-five miles from Rolla, where it was assigned to a brigade of which the other regiments were the Ninety-ninth Illinois and Thirty-third Missouri Infantry, with detachments of the Third Missouri and Third Iowa Cavalry, and a section of the First Missouri Artillery, all under the command of Brigadier .General Fitz Henry Warren, formerly Colonel of the First Iowa Cavalry. Colonel Merrill was assigned to the command of the post. Here the regiment remained until the 3d of November, when those of its members who were able for duty again took up the line of march. About 200, including Colonel Merrill, were sick, and were left in hospital at Salem. After marching thirty-two miles the regiment went into camp at Houston, where it remained but a few days, when it marched about forty miles to Hartville, where it arrived on the 15th of November.

On the night of November 24th, the wagon train of the brigade, while moving from Houston towards Hartville, guarded by a small number of troops, was attacked by a considerable force of the enemy, who killed and wounded a number of the guards and captured the remainder, and then destroyed the wagons and such of the stores as they could not carry away. This affair occurred only sixteen miles from Hartville, and the Twenty-first Iowa promptly moved to the place where it occurred, but the enemy, being mounted, had disappeared. The regiment then returned to its camp, having made a night march of thirty-two miles in nine hours. Early in December the regiment returned to Houston, where it remained in camp until the 8th of January, 1863. During this time it became more efficient in drill, more appreciative of the necessity for discipline, and in every way better fitted for the work which lay before it — an active and aggressive winter campaign, in which the fortitude, bravery and endurance of men and officers were to be put to the severest possible test.

On the 9th of January, 1863, General Warren received orders to send reinforcements to the garrison at Springfield, eighty miles from Houston. About 700 men, consisting of detachments from the Twenty-first Iowa and Ninety-ninth Illinois Infantry, (about two hundred and fifty from each regiment,) and two hundred cavalry, with one section of artillery, all under command of Colonel Merrill of the Twenty-first Iowa, were detailed for the expedition. Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap was in command of the detachment of the Twenty-first, and, as the battles which ensued were the first in which any portion of the regiment had participated, the compiler feels impelled to quote his entire official report. While these were the first of the many hard fought battles in which it was engaged, and in several of which it suffered greater loss, nevertheless, when the greatly superior number of the enemy against whom it fought and the fact that its men and officers had never been under fire are taken into consideration, it may truthfully be said that the soldiers of the Twenty-first Iowa demonstrated in these battles that they were the equals of any of the splendid regiments of Iowa that had preceded them to the field. Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap's report is therefore given in full as follows [see note 3]:


Houston, Mo., Jan. 17, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report to you the part taken by a detachment of the Twenty-first Iowa Infantry Volunteers, under my command, in the battles of Wood's Fork and Hartsville, on the 11th inst. Perhaps these two engagements should occupy two reports, but, as they occurred so near together, I have thought proper, with your permission, to combine both battles in one report. In obedience to your order, I left Houston, with other forces under Colonel Merrill, on Friday the 9th inst., at about noon, to march to Springfield, with the object of reinforcing that place. The first night we encamped for a short time at Beaver Creek. At 12 o'clock at night we moved on, and when within a few miles of Hartsville, we were drawn up in line of battle, as information had been received that the rebel Colonel Porter had occupied the place the evening before, and might be there yet. We remained in line of battle until daylight, when it was ascertained that Porter had evacuated the town the night previous. We then moved on to Hartsville, when we halted until the afternoon, getting a little sleep for the men, and a bite to eat.

At 3 o'clock P. M., we moved on towards Springfield, Colonel Porter being in advance of us, and reached Wood's Fork at dark, when we camped for the night in line of battle. At 3 o'clock next morning, in accordance with orders from headquarters, I was ready to march. A few moments afterwards firing was heard from the pickets, and word came in that a heavy force was in front of us. I immediately got my command in line of battle, and ordered the companies to send their blankets and overcoats to the wagons. I then sent out Companies A and B, under Captains Johnson and Cook, respectively, as skirmishers. In this position we remained until nearly daylight, when I was ordered to move my command half a mile in advance. I went down on the double quick, and formed on the left of the road. The fight here lasted until 9 o'clock, when the enemy withdrew.

Soon afterwards, with the remainder of the force, I commenced a movement towards Hartsville, guarding the train as we advanced. When within two miles of the town, I was ordered to form my men and bring them forward on the double quick. I did so, and arrived on the edge of the town simultaneously with the Ninety-ninth Illinois and the artillery, on the brow of the hill on the left of the Springfield road where the artillery was stationed, my left reaching nearly to the Lebanon road. It was now nearly 11 o'clock (Sunday morning) when we got into line. My position was a very favorable one, being on the edge of the hill descending into the town, and sheltered by underbrush and small trees. The enemy's artillery opened on us immediately. I caused all my men to lie down during the engagement, except a few skirmishers, and to do their firing in this position, except when firing volleys or repelling the charges of the enemy. In a few moments they charged on us in large force, and we repelled them with great loss on their part. Several times, with short intervals, they repeated the charge with reinforcements of fresh troops, and every time they were driven back in disorder. Failing in these charges, they formed a line on the opposite side of the town, so near to us that we could distinctly hear the commands of their officers, and opened on us a brisk fire of musketry, their artillery at the same time pouring into us a heavy fire; we returning the fire with the most terrible effect. In a short time, a large body of mounted men poured into the town and made a charge, with terrible yells, upon our artillery at my right. When they approached within a few rods, simultaneously with the Ninety-ninth Illinois we poured into their ranks a full volley, causing them to reel and fall back in confusion and disorder. We continued our fire with so much heat as to empty many saddles, and create such a panic in their ranks that they could not be rallied until they got over the opposite hill, nearly half a mile distant. Their sharpshooters filled the Court House, and the dwelling houses in the town, who became very annoying to my command. I sent a request to Colonel Merrill, to have the artillery turned upon the town, but, not being able to find him, I ordered Lieutenant Waldschmidt, commanding the artillery, to shell the town and drive the rebels from their hiding places. He immediately commenced firing on them with briskness, and after a few rounds he retired from his position, as I supposed to cool his guns or repair some slight accidents, but he did not return, and, as I afterwards learned, he received orders to retreat by the Lebanon road. The firing now ceased on my right and left and, as I supposed some strategic movement was going on, I ordered my command to increase the vigor of their fire, in order to attract the attention of the enemy, while the remainder of our force changed their position. We kept up a brisk fire for about half an hour, when, hearing nothing from the balance of our line, I sent out skirmishers to the right and left to ascertain their whereabouts, and found they had retired from the field, probably toward Lebanon.

I had received no orders and, being only 220 strong, in front of 4,000, I was somewhat embarrassed as to the best course to pursue. To retreat then would be to disclose our weakness to the enemy and expose us to destruction; to stay seemed like embracing death. I determined, however, to hold my position until dark, or lose every man in the attempt, and in this I was sustained by the whole command. I then extended my line as much as possible, by scattering my men to the right and left, with instructions to maintain a vigorous fire, in order to prevent the enemy from ascertaining that our force had gone, at the same time pouring into them a hot fire from the main body. After this the enemy made three charges on our front, in one instance coming up in four ranks, but each time was driven back in a valorous manner by the Twenty-first Iowa. They now withdrew to the other side of the town, and the second time they formed a line, not with as strong a force as before, however. My attention was now called to the hill beyond their line, and, to my surprise as well as infinite delight, I discovered the rebels rapidly falling back on the road leading north. First their train went over the hill, followed by long lines of cavalry. Their retreat continued until sundown, by which time their whole force had gone, except a light rear guard. I kept a brisk firing on the town, and a few moments before dark the rebels had vacated the place and left us in triumphant possession of the hard fought battlefield.

Not deeming it safe or prudent to remain with so small a command in the vicinity of so large a force of the enemy, even while they were retreating, I concluded to withdraw. When we gathered up what loose things we could, about an hour after dark, I left the town and the scene of our victory, taking the road to Lebanon, presuming that to be the way our forces had gone. There was not a mounted man left with us on the field, nor a live horse to be found in the vicinity. My horse having been shot in the early part of the engagement, it was impossible to send a messenger to ascertain the whereabouts of the army. Believing, however, that our troops must have retreated in this direction, I moved on, hoping to soon join the main force. As the night was cold, and our blankets and overcoats had been left in the wagons, we could only make short rests until we reached the train. We continued to march on until 3 o'clock the next morning, when we came up with our train and force, camped at Osap Fork, 25 miles distant from Hartsville. Finding that the Colonel commanding had gone on to Lebanon the night before, I gave the troops a couple of hours' rest and some refreshments and, taking command of the force, put it in motion for Lebanon, which place we reached in the early part of the next day. In conclusion allow me to sum up as follows:

Between Friday afternoon and Monday morning, the Twenty-first Iowa Regiment marched 100 miles, fought two battles, one of three and the other of eight hours duration, during the latter of which there was scarcely one moment's lull in the galling fire of artillery and musketry. And for three hours, and until the enemy fled from before us, 250 of them held their position against the combined force of the rebels, 4,000 strong. Owing to the sheltered position that we occupied, and the fact of the enemy firing over us, as the men were principally kept on their faces, the number of casualties was comparatively small. I make special mention here of no one as having distinguished himself more than another. Every man was brave, cool and active, and every one was a hero. Too much praise cannot be accorded to the men for their conduct during the whole of this long and severe engagement. Annexed to this report, find a full and complete list of the killed, wounded and missing of my command.

I am, General,

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
C. W. DUNLAP,
Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Detachment Twenty-first Iowa
Infantry Volunteers.

TO BRIGADIER GENERAL FITZ HENRY WARREN,
Commanding Forces at Houston, Mo.


According to General Marmaduke's official report, the rebel force in these battles numbered 3,000 men, while the entire force under Colonel Merrill's command was less than 1,000. Considering the fact that this was the first experience of the Twenty-first Iowa under fire, and the great disparity in numbers, it may safely be said that nowhere during the war was greater heroism displayed or more gallant fighting done than by the men and officers of the Twenty-first Iowa at the battle of Hartville. In his official report Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap does not mention that he himself was wounded, but such was the fact, he having been wounded in the hand and breast. In his complimentary order, General Warren says [see note 4]: "To Colonel Merrill, in command of the force, I am under high obligations for his prudent firmness and good dispositions of his troops. Nothing could have been finer than their steadiness and discipline. Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap, Twenty-first Iowa, was conspicuous, much exposed, and wounded. He is worthy of high praise."

That portion of the regiment which was left at Houston, together with all the other troops at that place who were able for duty, under command of General Warren marched promptly to the support of Colonel Merrill's command, upon learning that he had met the enemy and after a hard fought battle was retreating towards Houston; but, upon finding that the enemy by a flank movement was likely to fall upon and capture the camp and military stores, countermarched and returned to Houston, having marched through mud and rain sixty-four miles in twenty-four hours. All these movements were alike creditable to the officers who directed and the men who executed them. The loss to the Union troops engaged was 7 killed, 64 wounded, 5 prisoners and two missing, while that of the Twenty-first Iowa was 3 killed, 15 wounded and 2 captured, about one-fourth that of the entire command, which would no doubt have been much heavier but for their strong and sheltered position. The rebel loss was very heavy, more than 300 killed and wounded, including a large number of officers, among whom were three colonels of regiments [see note 5].

Upon its return to Houston the regiment rested in camp until the 27th of January, 1863. In the meantime, General Warren having been assigned to another command, Colonel Merrill succeeded him in command of the brigade, which now marched in the direction of West Plains, where it arrived on the 30th of January. A force of about 10,000 troops had been concentrated at that place, under the command of Brigadier General Davidson. The Twenty-first Iowa was now assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division of the army, with Colonel Stone of the Twenty-second Iowa in command. On the 8th of February the army took up the line of march for Iron Mountain. The weather was cold, the troops insufficiently clad; the shoes of many of the men were worn out, and they suffered as greatly as did the troops of Washington at Valley Forge, in the days of the Revolution. The roads were in a horrible condition, and on many days the distance covered was not more than five or six miles. Rations were scarce, and the pangs of hunger were added to the other hardships endured upon this long march, which ended at Iron Mountain on the 25th of February, where the troops went into camp and rested until the 9th of March, upon which date the march was resumed, the troops arriving at St. Genevieve, on the Mississippi River, on the 11th of March. Upon its arrival at that place, those of the enlisted men who had broken down under their sufferings and were unfit for active service were sent home on furlough, and, for the same reason, several of the officers received leave of absence. It may well be said of those who had endured such great suffering and privation, and who, after a brief season of rest, were ready to enter upon another arduous campaign, that they had become thoroughly seasoned soldiers, endowed with that high degree of physical strength, endurance and courage that enabled them to so quickly recover from the almost incredible sufferings to which they had been subjected, — sufferings from which some of their less robust comrades were a long time disabled, while many of them were permanently unfitted for further service. Some of them died while on the way to their homes, and others after they had reached their homes; some recovered and rejoined the regiment, while others, who survived, never fully regained their former health and strength.

On the 26th of March, 1863, a detachment of the regiment, commanded by Major Van Anda, embarked on transports at St. Genevieve, and proceeded down the river to Milliken's Bend, La. A few days later two other detachments, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap and Captain Crooke, on different transports, followed, and, on the 6th of April, all the men and officers of the regiment who were able for duty were again in camp together. The Twenty-first Iowa was now assigned to a brigade consisting of the Twenty-first, Twenty-second and Twenty-third Iowa and the Eleventh Wisconsin regiments of infantry, with Colonel Harris of the Eleventh Wisconsin commanding. This was the Second Brigade of the Fourteenth Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps. Brigadier General Carr commanded the Division and Major General McClernand, the Corps.

The great Vicksburg campaign was now fully under way, and in the subsequent operations which culminated in the surrender of that rebel stronghold, the Twenty-first Iowa rendered most conspicuous and gallant service. The full details of its movements and service in the campaign can not be given in this brief sketch, but the compiler will endeavor to condense from the official reports the description of the part taken by the regiment in the most important of its operations and engagements.

On the 29th of April the regiment moved from its encampment to Hard Times Landing and, on the 30th, embarked on transports and moved down the river to Bruinsburg, Miss., where it landed and moved out on the road to Port Gibson. The road had been obstructed by the enemy and the troops made slow progress. At 7 P. M. skirmishers were thrown out and at 1 A. M. the enemy's pickets were encountered and driven in and, soon after, their skirmishers were driven back upon their main line. There was some artillery firing from both sides and exchanges of shots by sharpshooters, after which the soldiers rested in line of battle until daylight, soon after which the battle began. The part taken by the Twenty-first Iowa is thus described by Colonel Merrill [see note 6]:


COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in the late battle of Port Gibson, of April 30th and May 1st, we lost in wounded sixteen men, including five non-commissioned officers. The officers and men, with two or three exceptions, behaved with singular courage and bravery. It is known to, you that we had the honor of being the leading column of this great army, and of drawing the first fire at Port Gibson. At the Widow Daniel's plantation, some nine miles from Port Gibson, we were ordered by General Carr to take the advance. I ordered Company A, commanded by Captain A. R. Jones, and Company B, commanded by Captain William D. Crooke, as advance skirmishers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap, supported by Companies D and F, commanded by Major Van Anda; next was a 12 pounder field piece, from that excellent battery, the First Iowa; all supported by the balance of my command. I am happy to report that in the skirmishing of these companies singular fortitude and bravery were exhibited during that long and tedious night's march, and especially are Company B and Captain Crooke deserving of mention, as having received the first fire of the pickets and returning it with great coolness. Our advance was fired upon by the rebel picket about one mile from the town of Port Gibson. Our column was rapidly advanced, and soon received the raking fire of the enemy's batteries, which were seven in number. As soon as the battery of the First Iowa could be brought to bear, Company E, commanded by Captain Swivel, was ordered to its support. They have received the commendation of all for their faithfulness. Sergeant B. Krist, of this company, captured a rebel orderly while carrying dispatches.

General Carr next ordered, a company to stand as picket guard; Company G, commanded by Captain Benton, performed this duty till morning. Next came an order for two skirmishing companies to deploy in front of the enemy, and in fact between the enemy and our own artillery firing. I called for volunteers from my four remaining companies. Captain J. M. Harrison, of Company C, being the only commissioned officer of his company, although advanced in years and in feeble health, at once volunteered to take the advance; and, with his company and Company K, commanded by Captain Voorhees, performed this dangerous duty faithfully. During the severe and continued firing of May 1st, so generally and heartily were my orders obeyed by officers and men, that I am at a loss to give particulars. Captains Boardman and Watson have my warmest thanks. They are cool and brave officers. I can say the same of all the other officers whose names have been mentioned. Many Incidents of courage and bravery could be spoken of, but it would render this report entirely too long. It is but just to say that the Twenty-first remained for two hours in the rear of the Eighty-first Ohio, to support that regiment in making a charge on the enemy's batteries; but for some reason, it was, I regret to say, abandoned. My regiment remained on the field after all had retired, and it was nearly eight o'clock before we camped for the night, thus showing that we were first in battle, and last to leave the field. I am under many obligations to my field officers and staff for their faithfulness and aid. Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap received a wound in the foot. My own horse was shot in several places, and a portion of my saddle shot off.

All of which is respectfully submitted,

SAMUEL MERRILL,
Colonel Twenty-first Regiment Iowa Infantry.

To Colonel Stone, Twenty-second Iowa, Commanding Brigade.


In his official report of the conduct of his brigade, at the battle of Port Gibson, Col. W. M. Stone makes special mention of Colonel Merrill and the officers and men of his regiment, for the brave and efficient manner in which they obeyed his orders. The loss of the brigade was 15 killed and 79 wounded. General E. A. Carr, the division commander, in his report speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of Colonel Stone and the officers and men of his brigade. He gives the total loss of the division in the battle of Port Gibson as 263, killed and wounded [see note 7].

Early on the morning of May 2d, the regiment, in company with the other troops of its brigade and division, took up the line of march in pursuit of the enemy. At Bayou Pierre a halt was made until the bridge which had been destroyed by the enemy could be rebuilt. On the 4th the march was resumed and the enemy followed from point to point to within seven miles of Jackson, when the counter march towards Vicksburg began. More or less skirmish fighting had occurred, in which the regiment did not become engaged, as it was not in the advance.

On the 16th of May the battle of Champion's Hill was fought. In this battle the division to which the Twenty-first Iowa belonged was held in reserve until near the close of the engagement, when it engaged in a movement to flank the rebels on the right; but, before the position to which it had been directed was gained, the enemy had retreated, and beyond the capturing of a considerable number of prisoners by the skirmishers of the Twenty-first, Twenty-second and Twenty-third Iowa regiments, the division could not claim to have had active participation in that hard fought battle. It had, however, stood ready and eagerly waiting the order to advance, while listening to the roar of battle, and when it did at last receive the order, and promptly obeyed it, the enemy had been vanquished and was in full retreat. Every true soldier will bear witness to the truth of the statement that it is more trying to be held in reserve while a great battle is in progress, every moment expecting to be called into action, than to be in the thick of the engagement. In the one case he knows that his comrades are bravely fighting, while he is standing idle; in the other, he has the stimulus of active participation, knowing that, whether he falls or is spared, he will share in the honor of having bravely followed the flag. In both cases he has fully discharged his duty, but he can not help a feeling of regret that the command to which he belonged did not have its share in the glory of active participation in the battle, instead of having been held in reserve. But there was plenty of fighting in the Vicksburg campaign to satisfy the lust of battle in the heart of the bravest and most valiant soldier.

On the 17th of May, the Twenty-first Iowa led the advance in pursuit of the retreating enemy. The retreat ended at Black River, where the enemy had taken a strong position and were prepared to make a desperate resistance to the passage of that river. The part taken by the Twenty-first Iowa in the battle which ensued is described in the official report of that gallant officer, Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap, who, a few days later, gave up his life while bravely leading his men in that terrible charge upon the enemy's works at Vicksburg. His report is here given in full [see note 8]:


IN CAMP NEAR BLACK RIVER, MISS., May 18, 1863.

CAPTAIN WILSON, A. A. General:

I have the honor to report the position of the Twenty-first Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the memorable battle of Black River Bridge, May 17, 1863. The Twenty-first was formed in line of battle on the right, and immediately in front of the enemy's fortifications, with the gallant Twenty-third Iowa Regiment on our right. Important maneuvering and skirmishing took place from this position until late in the afternoon, when orders were received to charge, and carry the enemy's intrenchments at the point of the bayonet. The order was obeyed. The right moved out of the woods in good order, and charged on the run, across the open plain in front of the enemy's works, a distance of about eight hundred yards, driving the enemy in utter confusion from their breastworks and rifle pits, and entering in triumph the strong-hold of the rebels. The enemy was strongly posted on our right, as well as in front. The bullets came in showers from the flanks, and, combined with those coming from the horde of rebels in rifle pits in front, made an awful hailstorm, through which it seemed a miracle that a single man passed uninjured. Colonel Merrill, commanding the regiment in the first part of the charge with devotion and bravery, fell severely wounded, while gallantly leading his regiment against the enemy. The Twenty-first captured a great many prisoners. This brilliant charge proved very destructive to the regiment, and our loss was very heavy. An official list is herewith transmitted. Officers and men, with but one or two exceptions, behaved coolly and bravely, and their conduct reflects great credit upon themselves and their State, and creates a feeling of pride and gratitude oh the part of their friends. I cannot, of course, make mention of all those who distinguished themselves on that battlefield, as that would be to copy the roll of all present. Major S. G. Van Anda received the highest credit for the coolness and bravery with which he conducted the charge, the left being in front, through the storm of leaden hail. Much of the success of the charge is owing to his gallant conduct and daring example. Captain Harrison was one of the first officers on the enemy's works. Captains Swivel, Voorhees, Watson, Boardman and Crooke behaved with great coolness. Lieutenants Roberts, Childs and Dolson received the praise of all who saw their bravery. Lieutenant Howard of Company B, acting Adjutant, received a mortal wound while gallantly performing his part in this gallant charge. We lost many of our bravest men; but it was a great undertaking, and the object accomplished was the most important of the war. To Captain Wilson and Lieutenant Jackson, of the Staff, too much praise cannot be given. Their conduct was brave and noble, and they are held in the highest respect by every officer and soldier of the command, for the faithful manner in which they performed their dirties.

I am, Captain, Your most obedient servant,
C. W. DUNLAP, Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-first Iowa.


The loss of the Twenty-first Iowa at Black River was 6 killed and 63 wounded. The troops remained on the field until May 19th, engaged in the burial of the dead and collecting the arms and other material of war captured from the enemy, and taking a very, brief rest after these duties were performed. The regiment then marched to the position to which it was assigned as part of the investing force in the siege of Vicksburg. It had only become fairly adjusted to its position in the trenches when the order came for that desperate and disastrous charge, on the 22d of May, 1863, in which the valor and heroism displayed was not surpassed upon any battlefield of the war. The gallant Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap was suffering from the wound he had received at Port Gibson and might, with the utmost propriety, have refrained from participating with his regiment in that terrible and — as the event proved to him and so many of his brave comrades — fatal assault. His impetuous nature would not allow him to remain in camp while the brave men and officers of his regiment were responding to the order to assail the impregnable stronghold of the enemy, and he followed, where his physical infirmity would not permit him to lead, and, after struggling up the height to the position which the regiment had gained but could not hope to hold, he yielded up his life beneath the flag he loved and honored. Major Van Anda, who had been actively in command of the regiment from the time it formed in line for the attack, displayed the highest qualities of a leader. His official report describes the conduct of his regiment, and is here given in full [see note 9]:


BATTLEFIELD NEAR VICKSBURG, MISS., May 25, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the action taken by the Twenty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteers, in the battle on the 22d of May, 1863, in the rear of Vicksburg. The Twenty-first Regiment received orders to be ready to charge on the enemy's works, at 10 o'clock A. M. At the hour, precisely, I formed the regiment in the rear of the gallant Twenty-second Iowa, within twenty rods of the enemy's rifle pits. In this position, we were partially covered from the enemy's fire by the hill immediately in front of their works. I then gave orders to fix bayonets, and charge by the left flank over the hill and into the enemy's rifle pits. During this charge the fire of the enemy from both flanks, as well as the front, was terrific. Many of our officers and men fell on every side; but, with a determination that knew no fear, the enemy's works were gained, and they were routed from their stronghold. This position we held till after dark, pouring continually a destructive fire into their ranks. Being unable to hold our position longer, we withdrew under cover of darkness, carrying with us many of our killed and wounded. The loss of our regiment in this terrible struggle was severe. Many of our officers were either killed or wounded. An official report is herewith furnished you. Lieutenant Colonel C. W. Dunlap was shot through the head and instantly killed. He was wounded at the battle of Port Gibson, and was unable to keep up with the regiment, but came up after the charge. In the death of this brave soldier and gallant officer, the regiment has sustained an irreparable loss. Our total loss is 12 killed, 80 wounded, and 13 missing, supposed to be killed or taken prisoners. Of the officers and men of my command, in this terrible charge, I can only say that every man did his duty. Captain J. M. Harrison, of Company C, was seriously wounded while at the head of his company, cheering on his men. Lieutenant W. A. Roberts, Acting Adjutant, was dangerously wounded while driving the enemy from their works. Lieutenant S. Bates, Company I, was left on the field, and has since been taken prisoner. Captain D. Greaves was seriously wounded while leading his company over the brow of the hill, in the face of the enemy's fire. Lieutenant G. H. Childs, Jr., was wounded in the breast, at the head of the regiment, his company being on the right. Many other officers were wounded. How any man ever returned alive from that terrible fire, I cannot imagine. Company A, Captain Jones, and Company B, Captain Crooke, were sent out as sharpshooters, and did effective service.

Hoping the conduct of the Twenty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteers, in this battle, will meet the approbation of the General commanding the brigade, I remain, Captain,

Your most obedient servant,

S. G. VAN ANDA,
Major Commanding Twenty-first Regiment.

To Captain Wilson, A. A. General, Second Brigade, Fourteenth Division.


The loss of the regiment, as stated in the report, was about forty per cent of the number engaged. From the 22d of May to the 4th of July, the officers and men of the Twenty-first Iowa who had survived the assault and were able for duty shared in the hardships and dangers incident to the prosecution of the siege, with the exception of a brief interval of about 48 hours, during which they were engaged in a forced march to repel an expected attack of the enemy from the rear, which was not made. Upon that march they suffered intensely from heat and thirst, but upon their return their hearts were cheered by the glad sight of the white flags waving over the ramparts of Vicksburg, in token of the surrender of that rebel stronghold.

On the morning of July 5th, the regiment marched with the troops which composed the army under the command of General Sherman, in pursuit of the rebel army commanded by General Johnston. Its heavy losses in battle and from disease had so sadly decimated its ranks that the Twenty-first Iowa now numbered less than 200 men able for active duty. The casualties among officers had ben heavy. Colonel Merrill and Major Van Anda had both been wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap killed, and the regiment was, for the time being, without field officers. The command, therefore, devolved upon the senior Captain, William D. Crooke, who was soon afterwards promoted to Major, to succeed Major Van Anda, who was at the same time promoted to Lieutenant Colonel [see note 10]. There was but one other Captain — Jacob Swivel of Company E — who was able to accompany the regiment at the time it left Vicksburg, all the others having been disabled by wounds or sickness. On the 10th of July the regiment reached Jackson and was assigned to its place in the line of investment of that city. It took part in the operations of the short siege which ensued, during which it had one man killed, six wounded and four taken prisoners. On July 17th, Jackson was evacuated by the enemy, and the next day the regiment started on the return march to Vicksburg, where it arrived — after an exhausting and toilsome march — on July 24th. There it remained until August 13th. In the meantime there was much sickness which, in many cases, proved fatal [see note 11].

The subsequent operations of the regiment extended over such a wide extent of territory that, to describe its movements in detail, would occupy more space than is covered by the preceding pages. The most conspicuous and important events during the remaining period of its service can, therefore, only be described. On August 13th, 1863, the regiment left Vicksburg, and, embarking on transports, was conveyed to New Orleans, where it arrived on the 16th and went into camp at Carrollton. The change of location proved very beneficial to the health of the men and officers. Early in September the regiment was conveyed by rail to Brashear City, about eighty miles from New Orleans. There it remained in camp until the close of the month, and then proceeded to Berwick City across the bay; halting there for a few days, it proceeded to Bayou Teche, and thence to Bayou Vermillion. At the latter place it remained until early in November, performing guard and picket duty. The health of the regiment continued to improve. On November 7th it moved eastward, halting at New Iberia, Berwick City and Brashear, and arriving at Algiers, opposite New Orleans, on the 21st. The next day it embarked on the steamer "Corinthian" and, after a voyage of four days, disembarked on St. Joseph Island, Texas. During these movements the regiment was under the command of Major Crooke. During its service of nearly seven months in Texas the regiment was stationed at different places. In the winter of 1864 it was part of the time at Matagorda Island, Saluria Point, De Crow's Point, Port Cavallo, Old Town, Fort Esperanza and Indianola. While at the latter place, on February 13th, a detachment of the regiment, while on a scout, was attacked by a force of rebel cavalry and, in the engagement which ensued, 13 men of the detachment were captured by the enemy and taken to the rebel prison at Tyler, Texas, where they were confined until the following June, when they were exchanged and returned to the regiment. On the 12th of February, while the regiment was encamped at Old Town, (Old Indianola,) Colonel Merrill returned and resumed command, although he had only partially recovered from his wounds and, in justice to himself, might have consistently refrained from gojng upon duty in his enfeebled condition of health.

From the 13th of March to the time of its departure for New Orleans in June, the regiment was encamped at Fort Esperanza on the desolate Matagorda . Island, where it was engaged in strengthening the fortifications and doing garrison duty. On the 10th of June the right wing of the regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Van Anda, embarked for New Orleans, where it arrived on the 14th and went into camp. The left wing, under command of Major Crooke, withdrew from Fort Esperanza on the 14th of June, (after destroying the fort, in obedience to orders,) and, embarking, proceeded to New Orleans, where the regiment was reunited on June 18th. It then marched to Carrollton and thence to different points, performing provost guard duty and protecting the railway until the 9th of July, when it returned, by rail to Algiers and went into camp. At that place the old Enfield rifles, with which the regiment had been supplied upon entering the service, were exchanged for new Springfield rifles, which were then considered the best infantry arms in use. Several of the regiments — with which the Twenty-first Iowa had long been associated — had been ordered to join General Grant's army in Virginia, and had already gone there, and the regiment was in daily expectation of receiving an order to follow them. In this, however, it was doomed to disappointment.

On the 26th of July the regiment, under orders, embarked and proceeded to Morganza Bend, where it landed the next day and was assigned to the Second Brigade of the Second Division, Nineteenth Army Corps. There it remained, encamped in an unhealthy location, for more than a month, during which time many were taken sick and, from the effects of which sickness, a number of the men died. On the 3d of September, the regiment again embarked and moved up the river to Natchez, thence to Vicksburg, and, on September 8th, disembarked at the mouth of White River, Ark. A few days later it again embarked and moved up the White River to St. Charles, where it landed on September 11th and occupied the fortifications which had been abandoned by the rebels. There it performed garrison duty until October 21st, when it proceeded to Devall’s Bluff, remaining but a few days and moving thence to the mouth of White River, where it remained until the 13th of November, when it again embarked and moved up the river to Devall’s Bluff. There it built log cabins for winter quarters, but did not occupy them but a few weeks. On the 22d of November it was ordered to Memphis, and, again embarking on transports, was conveyed to that city, where it arrived on the 28th of November and went into camp. On the 21st of December the regiment marched from Memphis, as part of an expedition into the interior of Tennessee, accompanying a force of cavalry under command of General Grierson, who continued the march to Nashville with his cavalry command, after leaving the infantry at Moscow. No enemy was encountered on the expedition, and the regiment returned to Memphis, arriving there on the last day of the year 1864.

On the 1st day of January, 1865, the regiment embarked on steamer, at Memphis, and proceeded down the river to New Orleans and went into camp at Kenner, a few miles above the city, where it remained until February 5th, on which date it embarked on an ocean steamer and proceeded to Dauphin Island, at the entrance of Mobile Bay. On the 17th of March the regiment moved from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan, by steamer, and, landing there, joined the army, under command of General Canby, on the march towards Mobile. After a toilsome march, a junction was formed at Fish River with the Sixteenth Army Corps, commanded by General A. J. Smith [see note 12]. The combined forces then moved forward. The objective points were Fort Blakely, Spanish Fort and the city of Mobile. In the subsequent operations against these defenses of the enemy, the Twenty-first Iowa bore an honorable part, as shown by the official report of Lieutenant Colonel Van Anda, which is here given in full [see note 13]:


HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FIRST REGIMENT IOWA VOLUNTEERS NEAR
BLAKELY, ALA., April 11, 1865.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the position of my regiment during the siege and capture of Spanish Fort and Blakely, Ala. On the 26th of March, under orders from Brigadier General Slack, my regiment was ordered to the advance of our division, and four companies thrown forward as skirmishers, the remaining companies in reserve. We moved rapidly forward for about three miles to the creeks, over very broken and difficult ground, when, observing indications of the presence of the enemy, our line was halted to allow the column to close up. About 10 o'clock, I withdrew the four companies of skirmishers, and sent out two others in their place, formed my regiment in line of battle, and again moved forward. My skirmish line almost immediately fell in with the enemy's advance, and was engaged until dark. Two of my men were slightly wounded. About 8 P. M. I was again ordered forward, and advanced in line of battle, preceded by two companies as skirmishers, under command of Major Boardman. About 9 o'clock we drew the fire of the enemy in our front, which was vigorously returned by my skirmishers. In this advance I lost one man killed. Under orders from Major General Granger, I remained in position on the field, and was relieved at midnight by the Forty-seventh Indiana.

On the 27th we moved to our position on the left of the First Brigade in the siege operations against Spanish Fort, having closed upon the enemy, and our skirmishers under command of Captain Voorhees having driven him into his fortifications. On the night of the 28th the enemy made an assault on our lines; Captain J. L. Noble was near the line with a working party, when, with great bravery and presence of mind, he rallied his men and supported the skirmish line, driving back the enemy in great disorder. We remained in position, taking an active part in the siege operations until the 30th, when we were withdrawn, with our division, to escort a supply train for Major General Steele. I proceeded to Holyoak Mills and remained in camp there until the 2d of April, when we were ordered forward to Blakely. I moved at 7 o'clock P. M., marched five miles, and bivouacked near the Biminet [see note 14], and at daylight on the morning of the 3d took up position in the rear of Blakely, immediately on the right of General Gerard's forces. During the operations against Blakely, my regiment entered the rifle pits on the night of the 7th, at dark, but met with no casualties, although our skirmishers and working parties were very much exposed during the night, when the enemy advanced upon our lines, and my whole regiment was under a severe fire from his artillery, which for two hours threw shells incessantly along our rifle pits. My regiment was relieved at dark, and almost immediately ordered to the support of Major General .Smith's forces, in the contemplated assault on Spanish Fort I proceeded to the Biminet, and was then ordered back to my position behind Blakely, which I regained at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 9th inst. My regiment, having been on duty nearly forty-eight hours, took no part in the successful assault on Blakely on that day. I am under many obligations to the officers and men of my regiment, for their soldierly conduct during the campaign. Surgeon D. W. Chase, Acting Major E. Boardman, Adjutant George Crooke, Sergeant Major J. Dubois, and commanding officers of companies, have behaved with much coolness and judgment in every engagement. To the commanding general of the brigade and his staff officers, Captain Massie and Lieutenants Curtis and Kinney, I am under many obligations for their uniform kindness and courtesy.

I have the honor to remain, Captain,

Your obedient servant,

S. G. VAN ANDA,
Lieutenant Colonel Commanding Regiment.

Captain M. D. Massie, A. A. A. G.


General Canby issued an order announcing the general results of the campaign, summarized as follows: "The capture of the enemy's works at Spanish Fort and Blakely; the surrender of Mobile; the capture of more than 5,000 prisoners, 12 flags, nearly 300 pieces of artillery, several thousand stand of small arms, and large stores of ammunition and other material of war."

From the commencement of this last campaign to its close, the Twenty-first Iowa was one of the factors that led up to the important results accomplished. Shortly after the fall of Blakely it marched into the city of Mobile, where it remained but a short time, when it marched to Spring Hill, a few miles west of the city, where it found a beautiful and healthful camping ground, where it remained until May 26th, upon which date it again broke camp and, embarking on transports, proceeded to Lakeport, La. From there it ascended the Mississippi River (to the mouth of Red River and debarked at Grand Ecore on June 5th. On the 21st of June the regiment again embarked on transports and was conveyed to Baton Rouge, La., arriving there on the 23d. Orders were there received from the War Department, transferring the recruits, whose terms of service had not expired, to the Thirty-fourth Iowa Infantry. The remainder of the regiment was mustered out of the service of the United States, July 15, 1865, at Baton Rouge, La. The regiment was then conveyed by transport to Clinton, Iowa, where it arrived and was finally disbanded, July 28, 1865.

The Twenty-first Regiment of Iowa Infantry stands in the front rank of the long line of splendid regiments which the State sent into the field to do battle for the preservation of the Union. The valor and devotion of its officers and men were unsurpassed. Since the close of the war its survivors have shown equal devotion to duty as good citizens. Its gallant Colonel was twice chosen as Governor of the State of Iowa [see note 15]. In the generations to come, those who can trace their lineage to the men who belonged to the Twenty-first Iowa may well claim kinship with as heroic a race of men as the world has ever known — the men who helped to save the Government whose principles must, sooner or later, be adopted by the people of all countries who are capable of self-government and appreciation of the blessings which it confers, — that form of government that inspires its citizens with a patriotism like that which animated the soldiers of the Union Army from 1861 to 1865.


SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES.
Total Enrollment 1181
Killed 41
Wounded 165
Died of wounds 32
Died of disease 160
Discharged for wounds, disease and other causes 180
Buried in National Cemeteries 89
Captured 41
Transferred 56


[Note 1.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, page 754. Same volume, Original Roster of the Regiment, pages 750 to 781 inclusive.

[Note 2.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 1, page vii.

[Note 3.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, pages 467 to 470 inclusive.

[Note 4.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, pages ,537, 8, 9. Official Report of General Warren.

[Note 5.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, pages 537, 8, 9. Official Report of General Warren.

[Note 6.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1121.

[Note 7.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, pages 541 to 547 inclusive.

[Note 8.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1122.

[Note 9.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1123.

[Note 10.] See subjoined Roster, where all changes and promotions of Commissioned Officers are noted.

[Note 11.] Private History of the Twenty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, by Adjutant George Crooke, page 115.

[Note 12.] The Twenty-first Iowa had been assigned to the First Brigade of the First Division of the reorganized Thirteenth Army Corps, commanded by General Gordon Granger. General Veatch commanded the Division, and General Slack was in command of the First Brigade. Lieutenant Colonel Van Anda was in command of the Twenty-first Iowa.

[Note 13.] Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1866, pages 287, 8.

[Note 14.] Adjutant Crooke's History gives the name "Bayou Minette." "Biminet" is most likely a typographical error in the Official Report.

[Note 15.] Colonel Samuel Merrill was Governor of Iowa from 1868 to 1872.


SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 3, p. 441-54