Hassel Rambo: Corporal, Co. I, 15th Iowa Infantry

Shiloh National Cemetery

Andrew J. Berge: Private, Co. B, 15th Iowa Infantry

Shiloh National Cemetery

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Sunday, August 16, 1863

We had regimental inspection this morning at 8 o'clock. The regiment showed itself in splendid order. A man from the Fifteenth Iowa was buried this morning, having died of fever.¹ Some of the sick boys of our regiment started home today on their furloughs. Mark Titus was the only one from our company, though some of the boys still have the fever.

_______________

¹ John Chrismore, Knoxville, Iowa. He died August 15th and was buried In National Cemetery at Vicksburg, Section G, grave 172. — Roster Iowa Soldiers, Vol. II, p. 926.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 135

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, August 5, 1863

The heat continues as yesterday. The Eleventh Iowa signed their payrolls today, and the Fifteenth Iowa received their pay. I was on fatigue duty all day. We had dress parade this evening for the first time since May 19th. The boys came out in fine style. Troops are leaving every day to reinforce different commands of the army of the West.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 133

Madison Wellman, Private, Co. D, 15th Iowa Infantry

Shiloh National Cemetery

Francis M. Harmon, Private, Co. F, 15th Iowa Infantry

Shiloh National Cemetery

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Monday, July 20, 1863

We came in from picket this morning and this afternoon moved our regimental camp onto higher ground. Some of our boys are having a time with the ague and fever. The Fifteenth and Sixteenth Regiments were ordered out to Miller's Creek to guard a wagon train. The Thirty-fifth Iowa passed us on their way to Vicksburg with five hundred prisoners from Johnston's army. Orders came to prepare to march.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 130

List of Dead

The steamer City of Memphis, which arrived at Keokuk on Sunday last with about 200 sick soldiers aboard, buried the following men on her trip from Pittsburg Landing:

Peter Smith, Co. B, 7th Iowa, buried at Quincy, 17th May.

Uriah Egbert, Co. F, 15th Iowa, buried at Landing, 12th May.

Levi Dailer, Co. H. 15th Iowa, buried at Paducah.

Sylvester Knouse, Co. D, 11th Iowa, buried at Paducah.

Samuel Farley, Co. F, 13th Iowa, buried at Quincy.

F. K. Dean, Co. G, 13th Iowa, buried at Quincy.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Dead Soldiers

The following names soldiers died in the Keokuk Hospital on the 19th inst.: S. R. Dysart, Co. C, 15th Regt.; N. J. Ohmert, Co. K, 13th Regt.; and J. A. Fairman, Co. B, 11th Regiment.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 22, 1862, p. 1

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Wednesday, April 8, 1863

General Townsend, of General Halleck's staff, from Washington, D. C., made a speech to the Sixth Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps today, on the question of arming the colored men. He urged loyal men to accept commissions as officers in colored regiments. General McArthur, commander of our division, spoke also, and the boys cheered them a great deal. Steps were taken to raise two regiments of colored troops at this place and give them arms. The Fifteenth Iowa received their pay today.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 108

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Thursday, March 26, 1863

It is very warm and pleasant, and the mud is drying up fast. We have no need for camp guards at this camp. We drew six days’ rations. The Eleventh and Fifteenth Iowa Regiments received orders to move at once down the river. We immediately struck our tents and by 10 o'clock p. m. were on board the “Superior” with all the quartermaster's supplies, but the boat is to lie here all night. Everything seems to point to a movement upon Vicksburg, and the report is that the fleet, protected by the gunboats, will have to run the blockade, while the troops will have to move by land through Louisiana and cross the river below Vicksburg.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 106

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, February 28, 1863

Our regiment was mustered for pay at 9 o'clock this morning, and at 10 o'clock we had general inspection with all accouterments on, by the inspector general of the Seventeenth Army Corps, General William E. Strong.¹ I got an order today from the captain on the sutler for $1.50.

__________

¹ Iowa may well be proud of the Third Brigade of the Sixth Division, Col. M. M. Crocker commanding. It is composed of the following troops, viz.: The Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa Infantry. It turned out for inspection 1,935 rank and file. * * * Since I have been a soldier, it has so happened that I have seen many brigades of many different army corps, both in the Eastern and Western armies, but never have I seen a brigade that could compete with this Iowa brigade. I am not prejudiced in the slightest degree. I never saw any of the officers or soldiers of the command until the day when I saw them in line of battle prepared for inspection. * * * I cannot say that any one regiment of the brigade appeared better than another — they all appeared so well. The Eleventh was the strongest. It had 528 enlisted men and 20 officers present for duty, the Thirteenth 470 enlisted men and 22 officers, the Fifteenth 428 men and 29 officers, the Sixteenth 405 men and 33 officers. In the entire brigade there was not to exceed a dozen men unable to be present for inspection. — Roster of Iowa Soldiers, Infantry, Vol. II, p. 279.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 102

Sick Iowa Soldiers

The steamer D. A. January arrived at St. Louis, from the Upper Tennessee, last Wednesday.  She brought a large number of sick and wounded soldiers to Jefferson Barracks Hospital.  The flowing Iowa names appear among them:

James Taylor, Co. C, 2d Cavalry; Wm. H. Reckord, and James Flanagan, Co. I, 8th Infantry.  These are from Scott county.

John L. Brush and Wm. F. Bullock, Co. B, 2d cavalry; James Slaughter, Co. D, do; L. J. Parks, Wm. H. Bulla, Samuel Craig, C. E. Biggs and James Faught, Co. F, do; J. T. Haight, Anderson Hersley and E. H. Evans, Co G., do.; Derwin Downer, Co. K, do.

Charles W. Adell, Co. D. 3d infantry; Luther B. Converse, C. M. Townsend; George Eberhart and C. H. Talmage, Co. I, do.

Daniel E. Follitt, Co. H, 8th Infantry; Moses Conklin, Wm. Lewis, and Henry Applegate Co., I, do.

Martin Poling, James F. Little, M. P. Myers, and Wm. H. Cooper, Co. B, 13th Infantry; Sam. F. Hill, Co. E, do.

Calvin Loid, Co. B, 15th; Wm. Phrekla, Co. C, do.

James Casley, Co. B. 17th; Benj. Stephenson, Co. I, do.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 19, 1862, p. 1

Henry Elmore . . .

. . . Co. D. 15th Iowa regiment, died at Keokuk Hospital on the 16th inst.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 19, 1862, p. 1


See Also:

• Henry Elmore's Headstone in Keokuk National Cemetery, Keokuk, Iowa

Diary of Alexander G. Downing: Saturday, January 3, 1863

A work train came in from Corinth today, and troops are coming in from the front. It is said they are bound for Memphis where they will take transports down the river, to go into camp just above Vicksburg. The Fifteenth Iowa left camp here and took up quarters down in Lafayette.

Source: Alexander G. Downing, Edited by Olynthus B., Clark, Downing’s Civil War Diary, p. 91

16th Iowa Infantry Correspondence

CAMP NEAR PITTSBURG, Tenn.,

May 4, 1862.

EDITOR GAZETTE. – I have been intending to write to you for some time, but our frequent moving, sickness, &c., have prevented.  Even now there is no certainty that a letter commenced will be finished at one writing or in the same camp, even if it take[s] only an hour to write it.  Our marching orders are sudden, and the brief interval is a busy time of preparation.  At all times we have to be prepared for a battle, and generally with rations cooked ahead.  The battle will be daily or hourly expected until it happens, unless we should get news of Beauregard’s retreat, something we do not expect.

A little over a week ago we were in camp thirteen miles from our present location.  An order to move received after dinner, a dismally rainy afternoon, took us four miles away through mud and mire to supper.  We left a beautiful camp, but located in one even more lovely, we occupy the left, the 15th next, 13th next and the 11th on the right, Col. Crocker of the 13th commanding the brigade – (these are the regular positions of the regiments of the brigade in camp.)  Had a brigade inspection, by Inspector Gen. Judah, and our regiment was probably more complimented than any other.

On the 29th our brigade was ordered to march with all the ammunition we could carry, and two day’s rations.  We started in the afternoon, with the prospect of a fight ahead, Lieut. Col. Sanders in command of the 16th, Col. Chambers being absent for some days, with the intention of staying perhaps a month, on business connected with his old government duties.  We marched eight or nine miles and after dark we halted in the woods, where we slept on the ground without covering, in the old style.  In the morning we marched about a mile farther, halted, and soon about faced and marched back to our own camp.  Gen. Wallace’s cavalry attacked Purdy, and we were sent out to support him, and make a reconnoissance.  But he took the place without our aid, and destroyed a long railroad bridge and another property used by the rebels – a serious disaster to our butternut breeched friends.

April 30th, we had our regular inspection and muster for May.  The “pay” has not yet turned up, however.

May 1st, We again struck our tents, and made another move of four miles towards the advance, and in such a lovely place we felt an inward conviction it could not long be enjoyed by us.  Here we received notice that our Division (6th) had a new commander, Gen. McKean being transferred to the first division, and Gen. T. W. Sherman (Port Royal and “Sherman’s Battery” Sherman) commanding our division.  He is reported a splendid officer.

My 3d, yesterday we again moved our camp, taking a five mile step in the advance.  This time the 16th landed with its tents in the middle of a wheat field, far different from the rare forest beauties of our other camps.  The wheat is about a foot high and moderately thick.  The planter is doubtless with the rebel army.  At all events as there are tents scattered all over the immense field, the crop will be effectually blasted.  This country is sparsely settled, and but little cultivated.  It is a beautiful region, but soil generally poor – yet good enough to produce will under free culture.  Whether our camp is in Tennessee or Mississippi, I do not know.  It is certainly very near the line, and about seven miles from Corinth.

Yesterday afternoon there was heavy artillery firing several miles off, and for an hour or two we expected to be called to march and mingle in the strife.  The roar of guns finally died away, and the cause remains yet unexplained to us.  At night we were ordered to provide four days rations, and may any hour be ordered to march leaving our tents behind.

Yesterday, our regimental commander commenced “stripping” us for a fight or quicker marching.  Each company left behind two or three of its five Sibley tents, one of the two officers’ tents, and all the “property” that could be spared, the hospital and extra commissary stores, bed ticks, extra blankets and sick.  Although we have not so large a sick list as a week ago (about one hundred off duty now) yet the sick have been a great incumbrance, and their frequent removals over these very rough roads have been anything but beneficial.  Every regiment has a train of convalescents straggling in its rear when changing camps, with the bed confined to follow in ambulances and wagons.  Yesterday our sick were sent to the river hospital, excepting those likely to be ready for duty in a few days.  This will greatly relieve us, and be better for them.  Several of our officers are sick, and this morning Capt. Smith, of Co. A, will be sent to the hospital, where he out to have been days ago.  He is the “noblest Roman of all,” did his whole duty in the battle, and has been the most eager for another fight.  The prevailing sickness is diarrhea, and it seems uncommonly difficult to control.  Mere astringent medicines will not do it in most cases, but the cause has to be struck at.  The 15th has about two hundred on its sick list, and ever regiment has a pretty large list.  There are however, but few deaths.  Several have died in our regiment, and among them is the old drummer, Mr. Russell, of Boone county.  He was 78 years old, and was a drummer in the war of 1812.  He had not been well since we left Camp McClellan, and here he got the diarrhea which in a few days carried him off.

A letter in the Lyons Mirror has created great indignation among our men and officers, from Clinton Co. especially.  Speaking of the battle the writer (suspected to be an officer most ridiculously bepuffed in the letter) says the 15th did not leave the field until the 77th Ohio and the 16th Iowa had retired.  Now the fact is, the 16th did not leave till that identical 15th flag sent home to the State Historical Society with several holes in it, had gone from the field, and the most of the 15th with it.  This flag had been stuck up on a stump in the battle, and was a pretty mark to shoot at, and without endangering the color sergeant or guard.  I was in another part of the field, but these are told me as facts by a number of reliable officers and men who witnessed what they state.  Our color sergeant was killed while gallantly bearing his banner, and six of the eight color guard wounded.  The 15th did not occupy the position at all stated by this Lyons Mirror correspondent, who was either not in the battle or too badly scared to notice the position of things.  Both regiments did well, and neither should, in doing justice to itself, do injustice to the other.  Both have been outrageously slandered, without cause, and both are eager for another fight to properly annihilate these slanders by deeds instead of words.

Our old friend Wilkie, the war correspondent of the N. Y. Times, is in our camp nearly every day, and is actively at work getting items in this great field of military operations.

J. B.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 15, 1862, p. 2

Official Report of Col. Chambers

HEADQUARTERS 16TH IOWA VOL.

CAMP NEAR PITTSBURG LANDING, TENN.,

April 12, 1862.

To the Ass’t Adjt. Gen., Army Tennessee:

SIR. – I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 6th of April, while preparing to move my regiment to the camp of Gen. Prentiss’ division, I was ordered by an aid of Gen. Grant to form my regiment on the right of the 15th Iowa, and prevent stragglers from the battle-field from going to the river.  I had just got the regiment in line when I was ordered by the aid of Gen. Grant to proceed to the right of Gen. McClernand’s division, and with the 15th Iowa, marched there and formed my regiment along the fence on the right of the open field, which was crossed under a warm fire from the rebels.  I was ordered by one of Gen. McClernand’s aids to change my position to one in the open field, and nearly at right angles to the first one.  I ordered my men to lie down in this position and seeing that they were much exposed, I, with one company took up a position nearer the enemy in the edge of the timber, and afterwards brought up the remainder of them.  They were posted here some time when the enemy charged on our right, the 49th Ohio, I think, the 15th and 16th Iowa retiring in considerable disorder, owning to the fact of their having been mixed up during the fight.  About midway from the battle-field to the river a portion, perhaps 300, were rallied by the Lt. Col. and ordered to support a battery, which they did till the morning of the 7th.  They were again formed in the rear of this battery in a short time afterwards, and remained there until the morning of the 8th.

Although not much was accomplished by the regiment they being posted so that their shooting was not very effective, and in the same position that several regiments had been driven from during the day, I have reason to believe they are entitled to as much credit as any other regiment for their conduct during the time they were in action.  The regiment was under fire for about an hour, and during that time lost 2 commissioned officers and 17 non-commissioned officers and privates killed; 6 commissioned 97 non-commissioned officers and privates wounded and 20 non-commissioned officers and privates missing.

I am sir, Very respectfully,

Your ob’t ser’t.

ALEX. CHAMBERS.

Colonel 16th Iowa Volunteers.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 2

Dead Soldiers

William T. Noell, Co. G, 17th Iowa, and Isaac M. Williams, Co. F, 8th Iowa, died in Keokuk hospital, on Tuesday last.  Henry Kennedy, Co. I, 15th Iowa, died at home in that city, the day previous.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Iowa Officers in Memphis

The Memphis Daily Appeal gave a list of the Federal officers captured at Shiloh, furnished by Gen. Prentiss.  This list was not complete.  The following Iowa officers were named:

Col. Geddes, and Lieut. Col. Ferguson of the 8th, Major Stone of the 3d, and the following captains in the 8th: W. B. Bell, Calvin Kelsey, John McCormick, F. S. Cleveland, Wm. Stubbs; also Capt. Galland of the 6th, and Capt. Hedrick of the 15th.

Also the following Lieutenants:

H. Fink, 15th; Dewey Welch, 8th; H. B. Cooper, 8th; D. J. O’Neil, 3d; John Wayne, do.; J. P. Knight, do.; J. M. Thrift, 16th.

Also the following officers of the 12th:

Adj. N. E. Duncan; Quartermaster J. B. Door; Sergt. Maj. G. H. Morrissy, Capts. S. R. Edington, W. C. Earle, W. W. Warner, J. H. Stibbs, W. H. Haddock, L. D. Townsley, E. M. Van Duzee; Lieuts. L. H. Merrill, J. H. Borger, H. Hale, J. Elwell, Robert Williams, J. W. Gift, W. A Morse, J. F. Nickerson, L. W. Jackson, John J. Marks, J. J. Brown.

Also Adj. C. C. Tobin, 21st Missouri; Lieutenant Thomas Richardson, 21st Mo.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 8, 1862, p. 2

The Iowa Boys At Pittsburg

BATTLE FIELD, PITTSBURG LANDING,

April 26th, 1862.

EDITOR GAZETTE: – If your correspondent of the 11th has neglected to keep you posted up as to our doings, &c., pray excuse me, for I have and a more pressing engagement, which I could not decline. – We, i. e., our mess and Chaplain, had just finished our breakfast on the morning of Sunday, April 6th, in the open air, and were discussing, quietly enough, the meaning of the occasional volleys of musketry from the southwest, which, as heretofore, might be from returning pickets; the men were preparing guns for Sunday inspection, and the Chaplain was just turning into our sleeping tent for a Bible, to pick a text for the day’s sermon, when lo! a squad of fugitives in uniform came running through our camp with the cry of “the enemy are cutting us to pieces!” followed hard by a mounted orderly dashing past to the tent of Col. Hare, who commanded, to-day, our brigade.  The long roll beats, and in fifteen minutes the Iowa 11th is in line of battle, under Lt. Col. Hall.  The other regiments of our brigade, the 13th Iowa, and the 8th and 18th Ill., are moved off half a mile to our left, while the 2d brigade of McClernand’s division (the 11th, 45th, 20th, and 48th Ill.) are between them and us, placing our regiment on the extreme right of McClernand’s division, and of the whole line of battle, from 8 A. M. until 2 P. M.

I am thus particular as to our position, in order to show where credit is due for some hard work claimed by the Ill. 11th and 45th, who were next to us.  We were hardly in line before the scattered fugitives had grown to a huge crowd, and soldiers were seen flying from the foe by thousands, and not a stray shot or shell from a cannon came whistling past – our Chaplain brought us a specimen picked up in lieu of his text – and in long and serried lines the compact masses of the foe moved in sight.  75,000 to 90,000 of the bravest and best drilled soldiers of the South, under Polk, Bragg and Hardee, guided by Beauregard and Johnston, and surprised our camp of five divisions, of less than 40,000 fighting men, and before 8 o’clock A. M. had utterly routed two of these divisions – Sherman’s and Prentiss’.

Look at the map of our battle field given in the Chicago Tribune of the 16th inst., and you will see that the victorious enemy rushing on from Sherman’s towards the river would fall upon McClernand’s and Hurlbut’s divisions next, and they came upon us expecting an easy victory. Our regiment had been detached to act as a reserve for the reinforcement of any part of our division needing aid; but so overwhelming was the force of the enemy, now over three to one, that within twenty minutes of our getting into line we were in the hottest of the fight.  Repeated efforts were made to turn our right flank, and as one brigade of the enemy became exhausted and discouraged, it was withdrawn and fresh forces brought up.

For five hours we maintained the unequal contest and every man fought as though he felt that the salvation of our army depended that day on our holding our position until reinforcements should arrive.  Twice after getting our first position were we compelled to fall back to prevent the enemy from outflanking us, and for the third time we charged upon the foe- although our ranks were reduced one third by dead, wounded and those helping off the wounded – rolling back the storm of war to our first position, and holding the enemy there until our ammunition was expended and we were ordered back by Gen. McC. for more, at one P. M.  We fought in the camp ground of the Ill. 11th and 45th, and those of your Iowa readers who noticed the gallant fighting done there ascribed to these regiments by Chicago reporters will justly be proud to know that Iowa was there.

The account given by the special correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, and copied into the St. Louis and Chicago papers and by far the most accurate I have seen, speaks thus:  “Once more its right swept around and drove the enemy a considerable distance,” &c.  Iowa was there, notwithstanding that no reporter, so far as I have seen has noticed our gallant State except in disparaging terms, as unjust as disparaging.  I venture to say that no troops ever did better fighting than did the Iowa 11th and 13th in McClernand’s division, on the 6th; nor were the 8th, 12th, and 14th behind in valor, though more unfortunate.  They were taken because of fighting too long and to obstinately.  The 6th Iowa was one of our advanced regiments, surprised in the morning.  She literally fought her way back to her friends, and first of all the outposts, was in line for another fight.  The Iowa 2d and 7th, as ever, did their duty, and maintained their reputation, though, not placed in so prominent a part of the field as some other regiments on the first day.  And here I desire to correct an error of the correspondent above alluded to.

The Iowa 15th and 16th were brought up just before noon, to support McClernand’s right, where we were fighting and forming on our own old parade ground, and were under fire nearly two hours before getting a chance to pitch in, and when led up to take their place their place marched boldly and gallantly up into the very jaws of death.  Our old soldiers say, that such a fire of musketry as we were opposed to was never experienced before them in battle; and the two raw regiments, unused to guns, having never practiced loading and firing, many having never seen a cartridge until they received them that morning, were thrown into confusion, and driven from the field; not, however, until a loss of 35 to 40 killed, and 250 wounded in the two regiments attested their courage and devotion.  Courage and devotion are of little use without discipline in such a fight.

Our regiment, as it fell back, obtained new supplies of ammunition and returned to the fight – eight companies to the left of our line, and two companies of rifles, B. and C, under Capt. Foster, were stationed with Birge’s sharpshooters again on the right, now a mile nearer the river, and across a small creek, to guard against the storming of a hill and log house which was admirably adapted to the work of sharpshooters.  We were here subjected to a heavy cross-fire from two batteries; but as often as a force of secesh showed themselves, they dropped back very suddenly again.  Our regiment did good work on the left, and lent gallant aid in beating back the foe in his last efforts to storm our lines.  On the next day our troops acted mostly as reserves, or as support to batteries, and were but little exposed, compared to the risks of the first day.

Iowa went into the fight with ten regiments and one part of a regiment (seven companies 14th,) in all some 5,500 effective fighting men.  250 of these sleep on the battle field; 1,200 are wounded, and some 1,400 are prisoners – prisoners because they fought on while regiments from other States gave way and suffered them, contesting every inch, to be surrounded by immense odds.  These are facts, and yet because we send soldiers and not reporters, must we get no credit; while no other State (although all did well) can show such a record – one half her soldiers given in a single fight.  Reporters on Grant’s staff make him the hero of the fight and he praises his staff.  Now this tickle-me-and-I’ll-tickle-you sort of talk will not do; it can’t make history.  They may all be good soldiers – in a horn – and write on some safe nook, descriptions of charges which were never made.  Why was this gallant army surprised?  The people who have given sons, citizens, husbands, to the country, ask why this needless slaughter, and these “errors of omission” are not atoned for by “errors of commission,” for we fought all day on Sunday without Generals.  Nothing but undaunted bravery of troops and the good conduct of company and regimental officers saved our army on that terrible day.  For while we had less than 25,000 men engaged on Sunday, more than half our total loss occurred on this day.

The 11th buried on Tuesday and since, as a result of this battle, 32 soldiers, and 160 wounded; the 13th nearly as many more.  No officers distinguished themselves more for cool courage than Lt. Col. Hall, commanding the 11th, and Col. Crocker, commanding the 13th, while Col. Hare well maintained his ability to command a brigade, until wounded and compelled to retire.  Maj. Abercrombie, of the 11th was wounded severely while ably seconding Col. Hall.

I have already spun out this too long, but I would fain add one or two incidents of a personal character.  As we were charging the third time on the enemy, Corporal Kersey, Co. B, hand a finger on the left hand shot away, and immediately took out a pocket knife and cut away the fragments of the wound, bound up the finger and was in the fight all day and next saying as he did it, “they can’t drive me out for one finger.”

As we rose over a short hill we could see the enemy advancing down another, just across a small branch, and some fifteen rods distant.  A well directed volley sent the most of them to the “about face.”  The standard-bearer, however, fell and Private Haworth, of Co. B, captured the flag, the first trophy of the day, while the Captain (Foster) picked up the rifle of a fallen rebel, just loaded, and blazed away at the retreating foe.  Capt. McFarland, of Co. G, did the same thing, and both have their Enfield rifles as trophies of a first shot each at the foe.

One spunky little Frenchman, Jo. Laplant, assistant wagoner to Co. B, would not stay with the team, and so mixed in the fight in the afternoon of Sunday, ventured too far, and was taken prisoner.  Deprived of his gun and placed under a guard of three men, to be taken back, he went very submissively along until two guards went back to help off a wounded officer.  Watching his chance, he knocked down the guard, and with the rebel’s gun hastened down to the river side, near the gunboats, where he lay all night and came in next morning.

I notice it very extensively discussed whether we were whipped on Sunday.  Never! And wouldn’t have been, even if Buell had not reached us.  The truth is the rebels surprised our camps and gained great advantages of us, until checked by McClernand and Hurlbut’s Divisions in the morning.  From that on until 4 P. M., our forces slowly retired; but at 4 the gunboats threw their weight into the doubtful scales, and the enemy, exhausted and spent, were entirely checked.  Lew Wallace, of our army, came in with his division that night, and the balance was then in our favor.  We should have gained the next day any way.  Of course the arrival of two divisions of Buell’s army, and especially of Buell himself, was most opportune; for our disjointed, confused and fragmentary army was organized, and massed and directed.  Our numbers on Monday were about 50,000.  Everything then was like clockwork, and the rebels who had the night before saved our camps and baggage so as to use them, were on Monday night busted out too hastily to destroy what they could not keep.  We beat them back on Monday over the ground they had gained the day before. – “Line upon line” Buell hurled his brave troops at them, and they retreated, fighting every step, until they reached the old battle ground of 8 o’clock Sunday morning, when they broke and fled.  The roar of cannon, the terrific whiz of musketry suddenly cease, (except the occasional shots of pursuers,) and naught remained by the peaceful quiet dead and groaning wounded.

In looking over the list of Iowa regiments I desire to pay a tribute of deserved praise to the 3d Iowa Infantry.  After the most heroic fighting on Sunday, in which they lost every field officer and all their captains, they were led the second day by Lieut. Crossly; and again won imperishable laurels by their heroic conduct.

Yours, &c.

L.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, May 7, 1862, p. 2