Colonel John Alexander Garrett

FORTIETH INFANTRY.

John A. Garrett is a native of Carlisle, Sullivan county, Indiana, and was born on the 15th day of November, 1824. He was educated at Hanover College, and at the Indiana University, and was a member of the last named institution, not having yet graduated, when he enlisted as a private in the 4th Indiana Infantry, Colonel, now General Gorman. Landing at Vera Cruz under General Scott, he accompanied his regiment from that place to the city of Mexico; and, on that campaign, took an active part in two engagements—Huamartla (which was Santa Anna's last) and Atlixco.

At the close of the Mexican War, he returned to his native town; where, entering the mercantile business, he remained till 1857. In the fall of that year, he came to Iowa, and, after a brief residence in Des Moines and Leon, settled, in 1859, in Newton, Jasper county, where, re-establishing himself in mercantile pursuits, he continued to reside till the opening of the war.

John A. Garrett enlisted in the present war late in July, 1861. In the following August he recruited a company in Jasper county which was assigned to the 10th Iowa Infantry, and of which he was elected captain. Until after the evacuation of Corinth and till as late as September, 1862, Captain Garrett was constantly on duty with his regiment. He took part with it in the expedition against New Madrid, and with his company (I) led the advance of the detachment, which, under Major McCalla, first occupied the place after its evacuation by the enemy. He was also present at the taking of Island No. 10, and was with the force, which, crossing the river on the afternoon of the 7th, marched out to Tiptonville and received the comical surrender of five thousand of the enemy.

In the sharp skirmish of the 10th Iowa before Corinth on the afternoon of the 26th of May, 1862, Captain Garrett distinguished himself, and for his good conduct in this and in other encounters with the enemy was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 22d Iowa Infantry. His commission was issued on the 2d of August, 1862; but the delay occasioned by the "red tape" system prevented his leaving his company until the following September. On his way North to join his new command he learned from the Chicago "Journal" that the 22d Iowa had already left their rendezvous for the field. He also learned, and with greater surprise, that he had been commissioned colonel of the 40th Iowa Infantry.

The 40th Iowa Infantry entered active service in the latter part of December, 1862, and was first stationed at Columbus, Kentucky. On the first night of its arrival, that place was threatened by the enemy under Forest; but as is well known, no attack was made. The regiment served at Columbus and at Paducah, Kentucky, until the 31st of May, 1863, when, by order of General Grant, it moved down the Mississippi, and joined the grand army of that general in the operations around Vicksburg. It reached Sartatia on the Yazoo on the morning of the 4th of June, and, from that date till the surrender of the rebel strong-hold, served with that portion of the army which was stationed at and in the vicinity of Haine's Bluff, to anticipate any movement that might be made by General Johnson, to relieve the beleaguered city. During the protracted siege, the 40th never met the enemy, and lost no men in battle, but, stationed on the banks of the Yazoo, it had drunk of those deadly waters, and when, on the 23d of July, the regiment embarked for Helena, many a brave boy had been laid beneath the sod, and many more totally disabled for the service. The fifty days' service of this regiment in Mississippi forms the saddest page in its history.

Colonel Garrett arrived with his command at Helena on the 26th of July and after a few days' rest, marched with the forces of Major-General Steele against the Arkansas Capital. The fatigues and hardships of this march, made in the face of the enemy and in mid-summer in almost a tropical climate may be imagined when it is stated that, out of some six hundred men of the 40th Iowa who started on this campaign, only about two hundred and fifty reported for duty the morning after General Steele's entry into Little Rock. From Brownsville, on the line of the Duvall’s Bluff and Little Rock Railroad where Steele had halted a few days to reconnoitre the position of the enemy, the advance was made against the enemy's right to the Arkansas River via Shallow Ford and Ashley's Mills.

On the evening of the 7th, the cavalry of General Davidson reached the river near Ashley's Mills where they had a sharp skirmish with the enemy. At this point the plan of attack was determined on; and on the night of the 9th of September General Davidson threw across his pontoons preparatory to an advance on the morning of the 10th. General Davidson was to move up the south, and General Steele the north side of the Arkansas — a movement which, being least expected by the enemy, would contribute most to their surprise.

In crossing the Arkansas River the 40th Iowa under Colonel Garrett led the advance. The banks of this stream opposite to where the crossing was made were covered with dense timber, and it was supposed not only by Colonel Garrett but by Generals Steele and Davidson that the moment the opposite ride was reached by our troops a murderous fire of canister and grape from masked batteries, and a more fatal one of musketry from long lines of infantry would meet them. But doubting their ability to hold their position, the enemy had retired. The gallantry of Colonel Garrett and his regiment is, however, no less worthy of mention; for, to meet a supposed enemy in the manner above described is the chief test of a soldier's bravery.

The fall of 1863, and the following Winter, were passed by the 40th at Little Rock, and but little occurred during this time worthy of special notice; but the Spring of 1864, opening with the campaign of General Steele to Camden, afforded the regiment new and ample opportunities to establish their prowess in battle. In the great battle of the campaign — Jenkin's Ferry — Colonel Garrett distinguished himself; but full credit has never been awarded either to him or his regiment for the gallant part they acted. In the engagement, the regiment was divided, which may be the reason. Two companies were stationed on the extreme right of the line of battle, two on the extreme left, and two in the centre, (the last two in support of a battery) Colonel Garrett, with the four remaining companies, engaged the enemy for four long hours without being relieved, and in that part of the line where the fighting was the hottest. His list of casualties is evidence of the part he sustained in this sanguinary contest, it being larger in proportion to the number in line, than that of any other command engaged. His brave boys — they were but a handful — the colonel led; and in one of the many charges of the enemy he joined in repulsing, his horse was shot under him. The colonel not only distinguished himself, but nearly every officer and enlisted man of his command; and the name of Adjutant L. A. Duncan is deserving of special mention. Kirby Smith and the ubiquitous General Price, notwithstanding their vastly superior numbers, were bitterly punished at Jenkin's Ferry; and from this point back to Little Rock, the army of General Steele marched unmolested.

Subsequently to the unfortunate Camden Campaign, and up to the early spring of 1865, the 40th Iowa remained in camp at Little Rock. Much of this time Colonel Garrett served on a court-martial. But at the time above mentioned, General Thayer was relieved of his command at Fort Smith, Arkansas, and General Bussey made his successor. The latter officer, fearing that in overhauling the affairs of his new command he might not have the cordial support of the troops stationed there, requested General Reynolds to give him the 40th Iowa, as that regiment he could rely on. The request was complied with, and General Garrett, with his regiment, was at once [ordered] to report at that Post, where it has since served.

Colonel Garrett is six feet in hight, has a lair complexion, dark-blue eyes and chestnut hair. He has a thin, pale face, and a spare form; and his general appearance indicates any thing but a vigorous constitution. In his habits he is strictly temperate: he regards not only intoxicating liquors and tobacco, but tea and coffee as his deadly enemies; and thus, although possessed of naturally a weak constitution, he has preserved his general health, not having varied in the last fifteen years five pounds in weight.

He is brave and cool in action. This he so finely illustrated in the battle of Jenkin's Ferry that it has since been the subject of frequent comment with the officers and men of his command. He is a good, but not a strict disciplinarian. Few officers, however, have a better control over men than he; and there are few in the 40th Iowa, who would not prefer the guard-house, with its rations of bread and water, to a reprimand from their colonel. His character as an officer is illustrated by a little speech which he is reported to have made, on one occasion, just before leading his regiment into battle.

"Boys! we will probably have a little fight. Remember your own good name, and the fair fame of the glorious young State which sent you to the field. Don't tarnish them. Do you see that flag? Follow and defend it. Don't shoot at the sky; there are no rebels up there. That climate does not suit them. Aim low, and send them where they belong. That's all."

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 533-8

Colonel Charles Woodman Kittredge

THIRTY-SIXTH INFANTRY.

Charles W. Kittredge is a New Englander, being born in Portland, Maine, on the 16th of January, 1826. His father, Joseph W. Kittredge, who was a merchant, closed up his business in Portland in 1828, and removed with his family to Sutton, Vermont. Sutton remained the residence of his family, till the year 1836. At nine years of age, young Kittredge entered the High School of Bradford, Massachusetts. A few years later, he became a member of the Lyndon Academy, Vermont, where he remained till 1839. That year he completed his schooling, and soon after joined his father's family in Adams county, Illinois, where it had removed in the fall of 1836. The father died in 1844, soon after which Charles returned with his mother to New England, where he remained till 1855, doing business in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and in Dexter and Portland, Maine. In 1855, he again came West, and, after a residence of three years in Chicago and Mt. Pleasant, settled in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he entered the grocery business.

Early in the summer of 1861, he enlisted a company (F) for the 7th Iowa Infantry, and was elected its captain. He accompanied his regiment in all its tiresome marches through Missouri, and was with it in the brilliant, though unfortunate affair at Belmont, where he distinguished himself. Just after the flank movement of the enemy had been learned, and when his regiment was falling back, Captain Kittredge was severely wounded, and, being necessarily left upon the field, fell into the hands of the enemy. He was soon paroled, however, and sent to Cairo, where he lay for many weeks in a very critical condition, in the St. Charles Hotel. He was shot twice; through the arm, and through the thigh, the ball in the latter case passing between the bone and the femoral artery. Having finally recovered he re-joined his regiment on the 30th of the following March; but his wounds had disabled him for duty as a line officer, and he was compelled to tender his resignation, which was accepted on the 11th of June, 1862.

Returning to Ottumwa, he resumed his former business, and was thus engaged when, in the following August, Governor Kirkwood tendered him the colonelcy of the 36th Iowa Infantry. He accepted the commission, and at once reported at Keokuk, where his regiment was in rendezvous.

The 36th Iowa, like all her sister regiments, has a good record. It has an unfortunate chapter in its history: it is one of the seven Iowa regiments that, during the war, has been captured.

The regiment, by order of General Curtis, commanding at St. Louis, reported at Helena, Arkansas, on the first of January, 1863, and remained at that post on garrison-duty till the 24th of February following, when it left on the celebrated Yazoo Pass Expedition. It sailed with the advance, under Brigadier-General Ross of Illinois, and arrived at Shell Mound on the Tallahatchie, about two miles above Fort Pemberton, on the 11th of March. It was at once disembarked, and sent out to support a portion of General Solomon's Brigade, then skirmishing with the enemy; but, though under fire, it did not engage the enemy, and suffered no loss. It left on the return to Helena the 4th of April, having in the meantime only met the enemy in skirmishes.

The dangers and hardships of the Yazoo Pass Expedition have been given elsewhere, and I need only add here that, in the perilous return up the Tallahatchie and Cold Water Rivers, the 36th Iowa lost only four men wounded. But many of both officers and men contracted diseases on this expedition, which rendered them unfit for service. Among others was Major T. C. Woodward, a most excellent officer, and deservedly popular with the regiment.

The 4th of July vindication, at Helena, Arkansas, in the summer of 1863, was the first severe engagement of the 36th Iowa. Here, three thousand five hundred men successfully resisted the repeated and determined assaults of six times their number. It was a terrible disaster to the rebels, and made the hearts of those on the west side of the Mississippi disconsolate. From the 8th of April to the 10th of August, 1863, the 36th Iowa was stationed at Helena; but on the last named date started out with Major-General Steele on the Arkansas Expedition, which ended with the capture of Little Rock, September 10th 1863. During this march, Colonel Kittredge commanded the 1st Brigade of the 2d Division.

Having passed the fall of 1863, and the following Winter at Little Rock, the 36th Iowa, on the 23d of March, 1864, joined the expedition under Major-General Steele, which, being organized in conjunction with one under Major-General Banks, had for its object the capture of Shreveport, and the defeat and dispersion of the enemy in the Red River country. The battles of Elkin's Ford and Mark's Mills, Arkansas, will ever have a place in the military annals of Iowa, Missouri, Indiana and Ohio, the States whose troops were there represented.

The 43d Indiana, 36th Iowa, 77th Ohio, and two sections of Battery E, 2d Missouri Light Artillery constituted the 2d Brigade, 3d Division, 7th Army Corps, and, with the exception of two companies of the 1st Iowa Cavalry, were the only troops on our side engaged at Elkin's Ford. Indeed, if I am correctly informed, the 77th Ohio was not engaged, having been previously detached to support the cavalry in another quarter.

The battle of Elkin's Ford was opened early on the morning of the 4th of April, 1864, by the enemy driving in our cavalry-pickets, and by advancing rapidly against the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Drake, composed of portions of the 43d Indiana and the 36th Iowa, and one section of Battery E, 2d Missouri Light Artillery, which was being held as the picket-reserve. The fighting was very severe, and the gallantry of the troops unrivaled; but the force of the enemy was so great as to render all opposition of no avail. Lieutenant-Colonel Drake was being gradually forced back, when Colonel Kittredge, coming up on his left with the balance of his regiment, charged the enemy and drove him back in confusion. The repulse was so complete that the enemy declined to renew the fight, and beat a hasty retreat.

The battle of Elkin's Ford was fought near the Little Missouri River, and during General Steele's march southward. That of Mark's Mills was fought, while the 2d Brigade was en route to Pine Bluff for supplies for Steele's army at Camden.

How General Steele, learning at Prairie de Anne of the defeat of Banks, turned eastward to Camden; how he lost much of his train sent out on a foraging expedition to Poisoned Springs; how, after that, Colonel Mackey of the 33d Iowa came through with supplies from Pine Bluff; and how Steele, resolving to maintain himself at Camden, sent back to Pine Bluff for other supplies, has already been stated in the sketches of other officers and regiments. The 2d Brigade, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Drake, constituted the command above alluded to; and, in addition to those troops, were two hundred and forty men of the First Indiana and 7th Missouri Cavalry, under Major McCaully. The wagon-train consisted of two hundred and forty wagons.

Lieutenant-Colonel Drake left Camden on the morning of the 23d of April, and proceeding on the Pine Bluff road, reached Moro Bottom in the evening of the 24th instant. Up to that time, Major McCaully, in command of the cavalry, had discovered no enemy; and Lieutenant-Colonel Drake, thinking that he was not threatened, went into camp. Had he marched all that night, as did the enemy, he would have escaped capture, and saved his train. On the 25th instant, the march was resumed at day-light, and proceeded unmolested till near the junction of the Warren and Pine Bluff roads, when Major Morris, in advance, came on the enemy's skirmishers. The engagement opened at once. At this time the 36th Iowa, under Major Hamilton, a brave and worthy officer, was marching by the side of the train, to guard against a flank-surprise; but, on receiving notice of the attack, hurried to the front. Orders were also sent to the 77th Ohio, in the extreme rear, to double-quick to the front; but before the movement was executed, the regiment was surrounded and captured. The 36th Iowa, 43d Indiana, Lieutenant Peetz's Battery, and the cavalry, had, therefore, to continue the engagement without reinforcements. As was afterward learned, the rebel troops on the ground numbered little less than eight thousand. Fagan was in command, and he had seven brigades — Shelby's, Dockery's, Cabell's, Cooper's, Crawford's, Wright's, and Greene's. But, notwithstanding these overwhelming numbers, the remnant of the 2d Brigade maintained its position, repelling the enemy's charges, for nearly five hours. Finally, being completely surrounded, its ammunition expended, and having no hope of relief, the command surrendered. It was at this time that the rebel General Fagan boasted that the capture of Steele's whole army was certain.

Lieutenant-Colonel Drake was severely wounded in this engagement, and was soon after paroled with others, and sent within our lines; but the 36th Iowa was marched to Tyler, Texas, where it passed a long and wretched prison-life. To show the hardships endured on this cruel march, I quote, briefly, from a statement made by Chaplain M. H. Hare, of the 36th Iowa:

"We were marched off rapidly after the close of the battle. We were all driven on foot fifty-two miles, without rations, rest, or respite, to Moro, or, as we termed it, 'Raw Corn.' There we crossed the Ouchita. We had eaten our breakfast on the morning of the 25th before day; and now it was after dark in the evening of the 26th. The rebels had robbed us of our haversacks, beside other valuables; and, when we reached the river, we seized upon some mule-corn, which we found, and ate it with avidity, raw. It was a sad sight to go among the boys, as I did that night, and see them — some gnawing away, and others, wearied and exhausted, lying asleep, still holding their half-eaten ear."

Captain T. B. Hale, unable to endure these hardships, died. This noble young officer was buried in a handsome grove, on the banks of the Ouchita, about sixty miles below Camden.

The killed and wounded of the 2d Brigade, in the battle of Mark's Mills, numbered about two hundred and fifty. The loss of the enemy is not known. Surgeon J. M. B. Cochrane, of the 1st Iowa Cavalry, Major Hamilton, of the 36th Iowa, and many others were highly complimented for their gallantry during the action.

The 36th Iowa was exchanged in the spring of 1865. Since that time, it has been stationed on garrison-duty at St. Charles, on White River.

Colonel Kittredge was not present in the engagement at Mark's Mills. At the time it was ordered out, he was sick and was left behind with some forty men of his regiment. On the return of General Steele to Little Rock, he accompanied the command of Brigadier-General Samuel A. Rice; and, under that officer, took part in the engagement at Jenkin's Ferry. During General Steele's absence from Little Rock, Colonel Anderson of the First Iowa Cavalry, who was left behind, assumed command of the post; but, soon after the return of the army, that officer resigned his commission, when Colonel Kittredge was made Post Commandant. Colonel Kittredge continued at Little Rock till the spring of 1865, when on the suggestion of General Reynolds he was dismissed the service. I will state briefly what I know of this unfortunate affair.

In the winter of 1864-5, Lieutenant-Colonel Drake of the 36th Iowa preferred charges against Colonel Kittredge, which I have never seen, and which, if I had, and could state them, would afford to the reader little interest. Early in March, 1865, Colonel Kittredge went before a general court-martial convened at Little Rock, for trial. Brigadier-General Cyrus Bussey was President of the Court, and Colonels Benton, Mackey and Thompson were among its members. The case was tried, and resulted, I am told, in a finding of "not guilty," as regarded every charge and specification. The record was then made up, and sent by the Judge Advocate to General Reynolds, for approval; but that general, instead, forwarded the papers to the President, with the recommendation that Colonel Kittredge be dismissed the service. General Reynolds' recommendation was of course complied with; for he had been recently sent to Little Rock to relieve General Steele, for the express purpose of renovating the Department of Arkansas, and all his recommendations were promptly endorsed. I should state further that, one of General Steele's staff-officers, who remained behind after the departure of that general for New Orleans, and who was a bitter friend of Colonel Kittredge, was acting on the staff of General Reynolds at the time the colonel's papers were sent up.

After receiving his dismissal the colonel returned to his home and proceeded thence to Washington to make inquiry into the proceedings in his case. He was gone only a few days when news came that the order for his dismissal was revoked and he reinstated. He left Washington immediately for St. Charles, Arkansas, where his regiment is now stationed in garrison.

From the portrait of Colonel Kittredge here published which is a good one, can be read the character of the man. He is independent and outspoken and has no policy. The following is illustrative of his character. While stationed at Helena he was requested to sign a paper recommending a brigadier-general for promotion. He refused to give his name, saying he did not believe the officer entitled to promotion. The officer was at the time his division commander. He is abrupt in his manners, quick in his movements, and treats his friends with generosity and his enemies with vindictiveness.

From what I can learn he was popular with his regiment. I talked with several of his men who were just out of prison and home on leave of absence, and they all said he was considered a good officer. In the first year of the regiment's service I understand he made enemies by recommending a lieutenant over several captains for a field officer, though all but the parties interested admitted that the lieutenant was the best man for the place.

It is proper to state in this connection that, soon after resigning his commission as captain in the 7th Infantry, Colonel Kittredge was married to Miss Charlotte Mahon of Ottumwa, a sister of Major Mahon, and an intelligent and accomplished lady.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 513-20

Colonel Cyrus H. Mackey

SECOND COLONEL, THIRTY-THIRD INFANTRY.

Cyrus H. Mackey is twenty-eight years of age, and a native of Illinois. He is a lawyer by profession, and, at the time of entering the service, was a resident of Sigourney, Keokuk county, Iowa. He was made lieutenant-colonel of the 33d Iowa Infantry the 10th of August, 1862, and served with that rank till the 18th of August, 1863, when he was commissioned colonel of his regiment. He was not however mustered to that rank till the 22d of April, 1864. The 33d Iowa has been under his command a chief portion of the time since entering the field; for Colonel, afterward General Rice was in command of the brigade to which the regiment was attached.

To give in detail the operations in which the 33d Iowa has taken part can not be done with interest; for they are recorded elsewhere in these pages. From the time of entering the field to the present, the 29th and 33d Iowa regiments have served together, and the history of one regiment is nearly the same as that of the other. It accompanied the White River and Yazoo Pass Expeditions, and marched with General Steele on the Little Rock and Camden Campaign. The regiment most distinguished itself at the battles of Helena and Saline River, or Jenkins' Ferry, the former fought on the 4th of July, 1863, and the latter on the morning of the 30th of April, 1864.

The following is from Lieutenant-Colonel Mackey's official report concerning the battle at Helena:

"The men, after having been constantly engaged for six hours, were very much exhausted. From eighty to one hundred rounds of ammunition had been expended to the man. The loss of my own regiment was: killed on the field, seventeen; wounded, fifty-two; taken prisoners, seventeen. Three men were taken at Battery C. Eight of the wounded have since died from their wounds. I went into the engagement with five hundred men. The officers and men of the entire command behaved themselves splendidly. The force we had to contend with was at least five to one, and I feel perfectly safe in saying that the regiment took as many prisoners as we had men in action. They all did so well that it is a difficult matter for me to attempt to particularize who did best.

"I take particular pleasure in mentioning the names of Major H. D. Gibson, Captain John P. Yerger, Captain John Lofland, Lieutenant Cheney Prouty, and Captain L. W. Whipple. The manner in which these officers conducted themselves is deserving of the highest praise.

"I would also call your attention to the good conduct of 2d Lieutenant Sharman, of Company G, who had command of the picket-guard. He succeeded in holding the enemy in check until we were fully prepared to receive them, brought his guard all off except a number that were killed and wounded in good order, and joined the regiment. He was wounded in the head very severely, but I think not dangerously."

For the part taken by the 33d Iowa on the Camden march and in the different skirmishes and actions in which it was engaged, I refer to the reports of its commanding officers. From the time Steele left Little Rock till after his arrival at Camden, the regiment was commanded by Major H. D. Gibson, and the following is from his official report:

"Prior to the arrival of our forces at Prairie de Anne, the part taken in any engagement by my regiment was entirely unimportant. On arriving at Prairie de Anne, I was ordered to form line of battle and move to the left of the 50th Indiana, which was done. I was then ordered to form column by division, and in that order I moved forward on to the prairie. While crossing a slough in the timber joining the prairie, a shell from the enemy's gun exploded near the regiment, killing one man and breaking several guns. On reaching the open ground, I again deployed, sending forward two companies as skirmishers, with instructions to move steadily forward, which they did, driving the enemy before them, the regiment moving to their support. In this order I moved forward till the regiment rested where the enemy's artillery first opened fire. It then being dark, the skirmishers were ordered to rest in place, and the regiment retired two hundred yards to unexposed grounds and bivouacked. At 11 o'clock P. M. the enemy dashed upon the skirmish line, but was repulsed without injury to us. The transactions of the following day are unimportant. On the morning of the 13th of April, we moved, in connection with the entire forces, through and to the west of Prairie de Anne, our skirmishers steadily driving the enemy before them. On approaching their works on the Camden and Washington road, the enemy hastily withdrew. From that time till the morning of the 15th, nothing worthy of note transpired.

"On the 15th day of April, my regiment led the advance of the infantry. Two companies were deployed as skirmishers on either side of the road, and, having moved forward two miles, were fired upon by the enemy. The skirmishers moved forward, driving them, assisted by a howitzer, until they came within range of the enemy's artillery, which was opened upon us, wounding four men. My regiment supported the 2d Missouri Battery on the right. Having taken this position, I sent forward three sharp-shooters from each company to assist the skirmishers, and annoy the enemy's gunners. After an engagement of two hours the enemy withdrew from his position, after which the march was resumed. At about two miles distant, we were again fired on; and while awaiting orders a shell from the enemy's guns burst near my regiment, dangerously wounding one man. A sharp skirmish was kept up for two and a half miles, when the enemy withdrew from our front. Our entire loss in killed and wounded, when we reached Camden, amounted to one killed, and four wounded."

Colonel Mackey reached Camden on the 19th of April, and assumed command of his regiment. The following is from his official report concerning the part taken by his regiment in the return to Little Rock.

"Nothing of particular interest took place from the time of the evacuation of Camden until my arrival at Saline River. On the evening of the 29th, at 6 ½ o'clock P. M., I was ordered to the rear on the Camden road to support Colonel Ingleman's Brigade, an attack being anticipated during the night. I stood at arms during the entire night, the enemy making no particular demonstration, although in speaking-distance. Night very dark and raining most of the time.

"About 4 o'clock A. M. on the 30th, I received orders that, as soon as the 43d Illinois Infantry on my left was withdrawn, I should retire about three-fourths of a mile toward the river, and take position covering the passage of the troops while crossing. This movement I executed without being discovered by the enemy. This position I occupied half an hour when the enemy made his appearance. The skirmishers immediately engaged them, holding them in check for half an hour. When I was relieved by the 27th Wisconsin Infantry, I marched my command to a new position, one mile in the direction of the crossing. In twenty minutes the engagement became general, and I was ordered to the support of the 50th Indiana Infantry on the left. From this time until the close of the battle, the regiment was almost continually engaged.

"As to the conduct of both officers and men of my command, I cannot speak in terms too high. To attempt distinction would be injustice to my command, as all did their duty nobly. A short time before the close of the action I received a wound in my right arm, which compelled me to quit the field, the command of the regiment devolving upon Captain Boydston, Company A, who, at the close of the engagement, marched the regiment off in good order."

In the desperate engagement at Jenkins' Ferry, the loss of the 33d was severe. Eight enlisted men were killed, and six officers and ninety-seven enlisted men wounded. There were also twelve missing; making the total loss of the regiment one hundred and twenty-three. The commissioned officers wounded were Colonel Mackey, Captains Comstock and Totten, and Lieutenants Conner, De Garmo and Kindig. Captain P. T. Totten and Lieutenant T. R. Conner were both mortally wounded. The former was shot through the thigh, and the latter through the neck. The subsequent history of the 33d is nearly the same as that of the 29th Iowa.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 497-500

Brigadier-General Samuel Allen Rice

FIRST COLONEL, THIRTY-THIRD INFANTRY.

Samuel A. Rice, who received his death-wound at the battle of Jenkin's Ferry, is the most distinguished officer our gallant State has lost in the War of the Rebellion. Sprung from the great middle class, without name or wealth, he had, at the age of thirty-five, attained such distinction as to make his death a national calamity.

General Rice was a native of New York, and was born in Cattaraugus county of that State, the 27th of January, 1828. His boyhood was passed in Belmont county, Ohio, where his parents removed when he was young. There he gained a common school education. The father died soon after removing to Ohio, leaving his family in limited circumstances, and his son, Samuel, as their chief support. He, accordingly, engaged in the boating business on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, that promising the amplest remuneration. As a flat-boatman, he made one or more trips to New Orleans.

General Rice was liberally educated; but the expenses of his education he had to defray himself. He pursued his preparatory course at the Athens Academy, Ohio, and in 1844 or 1845, entered Union College, New York. After graduating there, he entered the law department of that University, where he studied for one year, and then left for the wild West — for so Iowa was regarded, at that day, in the Eastern and Middle States.

The history of General Rice is widely known in our commonwealth; for he was one of our most prominent public men. He first settled in Fairfield, Jefferson county, where he practiced his profession, and occasionally assisted in the editorial department of the whig newspaper of that place. But in the fall of 1851, he removed to Oskaloosa, at which place his family still reside. His first public office was that of prosecuting attorney of his county. Naturally excelling as a criminal lawyer, he attracted general attention by the able manner in which he discharged the duties of his office; and it was this which secured him the nomination in 1856, to the office of attorney-general of the State. In 1856, and again in 1858, he was elected to the last named office; and at the close of his last term, he had established a reputation that placed his name among the foremost lawyers of the State, and, I might add, among the foremost of our public men. I do not speak of him in extravagant terms. The attention and deference that were paid to his arguments before the Supreme Court, would have flattered an attorney of the greatest experience, and the most extensive practice; and the influence which he wielded, as a leading member of the Republican Party, was recognized by all of our most prominent men.

General Rice entered the United States service in the summer of 1862. He would have entered the army sooner; but he could not leave his large business without pecuniary sacrifice; and, besides, he did not believe at first that the war would be of long duration. He was commissioned colonel of the 33d Iowa Infantry, on the 10th day of August, 1862; and late in November left with his regiment for St. Louis. Early in February, 1863, he arrived with his command at Helena, Arkansas, the point where was organized the Yazoo Pass Expedition; and the first important services of the 33d Iowa were in clearing this Pass of obstructions, and opening it for the passage of our transports. For nearly three weeks prior to the starting of the expedition, the regiment was engaged in this fatiguing and dangerous work. The history of this expedition is given elsewhere.

In the long list of battles that were fought in the South West from the 27th of December, 1862, to the 4th of July following, that of Helena, Arkansas, ranks high in point of importance, not simply because Helena with all its government property was saved from capture; but because the spirit of our troops caused the rebels, on the west side of the Mississippi, to despair of ever re-possessing their lost country. Colonel Rice had met the enemy before in skirmishes, but the engagement at Helena was his first battle. Here his brigade saved the place from capture, and his gallantry and soldierly skill made him a brigadier-general. The names of his troops deserve special mention: the 33d Iowa and 33d Missouri, who most distinguished themselves and suffered most severely, engaged the enemy at batteries C and D, near the Little Rock Road: the 29th and 36th Iowa regiments would have done as well and suffered as severely, but they were stationed on the hills to the right, near batteries A and B, and were not so severely engaged. The main attack of the enemy was made on the Little Rock road, where they staked every thing on forcing an entrance. They captured battery C, and so far succeeded; but the raking fire they received from the other batteries, and from the infantry and Fort Curtis, soon forced them to abandon their dearly-won prize. Our pickets were driven in at half past three in the morning, and the fight lasted till nearly 11 A. M., when the enemy retired precipitately. I have said his command saved Helena from capture; and I may add that his casualties amounted to more than half the entire Union loss. It should be stated that two regiments of his command — the 33d Iowa and 33d Missouri — were, during the engagement, under the more immediate command of General Solomon.

In August, 1863, Colonel Rice was appointed a brigadier-general. He had saved General Prentiss and his command from defeat as a colonel; as a brigadier-general, he saved General Steele's army and train from capture at Jenkin's Ferry, on the Saline River; and, had he survived the injury he received in that engagement, he would, doubtless, have been made a major-general.

In General Steele's march against Little Rock, which left Helena on the 10th of August, 1863, General Rice commanded a division, and it was on this march that he received his appointment as brigadier-general. No great battles were fought on this expedition, and no opportunities [sic] offered for special distinction. With others he is entitled to equal credit for the success of our arms.

General Rice's coolness and bravery, and his ability as an officer were best illustrated in General Steele's Campaign into South Western Arkansas, which resulted disastrously to our arms, and gave new hope to the rebels. Here he held only a brigade command. Had he commanded the expedition, some have thought the result would have been different; but this is unjust to General Steele. The loss of a brigade and wagon-train at Mark's Mills might have been avoided; but, considering the difficulties under which General Steele labored, no one could have hoped for entire success. That the chief credit which attaches to this movement or rather to the battle at Jenkins' Ferry, belonged to General Rice, no one will dispute.

The expedition in question left Little Rock on the 23d of March, 1864. Between that point and Camden, the enemy were met at Terra Noir Creek, Elkin's Ford, Prairie de Anne, and six miles north-west of Camden. The sharpest of these engagements was that at Elkin's Ford, on the Little Missouri River. Colonel Rice, though not in command of the forces engaged, received a scalp-wound, while riding to the front. But the great battle of the campaign was fought at Jenkins' Ferry, on the morning of the 30th of April, 1864.

On the evening of the 29th of April, the expedition had reached the Saline River, on its return to Little Rock. That same evening, General Steele's rear-guard had been attacked by the enemy, under Price and Kirby Smith; and it was probable that on the following morning he would have to give them battle; for a pontoon-bridge must be constructed on which to "cross, and the difficulties to be overcome were well-nigh insurmountable: these, however, have been spoken of elsewhere.

That night was stormy and dismal, and will be long remembered by Steele's old command. The floods of falling rain had swollen the Saline to the top of its banks, and covered the low bottom-lands bordering the river with water. But few slept that night: in front was a swollen river; in the rear a confident enemy, and under foot mud and water half-leg deep. Some collected piles of brush to rest on, and others passed the night on stumps and old logs. Day-light was longed for; and yet it promised little, for all believed it would be ushered in by an attack of the enemy. Some were cheerful, and cracked their jokes; but the great majority pulled their ponchos or blankets tightly about them, and remained quiet: they were thinking of their homes and friends, and of the comforts they had exchanged for these hardships.

But morning came at last, and with it the opening battle. Already General Rice's command was in line to engage the enemy, should he advance, and to defend the crossing: they were engaged promptly. The troops of his command, who met the first shock of battle, were the 29th Iowa on the right, the 50th Indiana in the centre, and the 33d Iowa on the left. Of the position of the other two infantry regiments of his command (the 9th and the 28th Wisconsin) at the opening of the fight, I am unadvised. His battery (Captain Voglies') had been sent over the river. The enemy — four to one in the first onset — advanced fairly and squarely, confident of easy victory; but they were repulsed. And not only in this, but in each renewed assault were they repulsed; till finally, near noon, they withdrew and left our forces in possession of the field. At about two o'clock, the last of our infantry forces crossed the river; and after destroying the pontoon-bridge, resumed, unmolested, their march to Little Rock. We lost in this engagement about eight hundred men. The enemy lost, according to his own estimate, nine hundred and fifty; but it is known that his loss was greater.

That was a most gloomy hour for the Federal cause in Arkansas, and the enemy were every where jubilant over the "prospects of peace and independence." They boasted that Steele's army was defeated and disheartened, and that, if it escaped at all, it would do so as a disorganized rabble. They never seemed to doubt that Steele would be compelled to abandon Little Rock, and that the entire State of Arkansas would pass again under Confederate rule. They moved north and blockaded the Arkansas River, and threatened seriously the Little Rock Railroad. The Government became alarmed, and sent nearly two divisions from New Orleans to Steele's assistance. Indeed, for many months the post of Little Rock was little better than in a state of siege; and it was only after Price's reverses in Missouri that the hopes of the Federal cause in Arkansas again rose in the ascendant. But to return.

In the enemy's last charge, and as General Rice was riding down his left wing, he received the wound which resulted in his death. He was shot by a musket-ball "through the right foot, the ball passing under the instep, just in front of the ankle, and driving the buckle of the spur before it."

He left Little Rock for his home in Iowa, on the 18th day of May. For a considerable time after reaching his home, it was supposed he was convalescing; but, (I quote from the Oskaloosa "Herald") " the virus of his wound had permeated his whole system, poisoning the vital fluids, and putting his case beyond the reach of human aid." He died on the 6th day of August, 1864.

The night before the general's death, Judge Loughridge, of Oskaloosa, his warm and tried friend, watched by his bed-side to assist in answering his wants, and to offer consolation to the grief-stricken family. His pain seemed to be intense, making the night drag heavily, and, as he turned restlessly in his bed, the judge inquired: "General, how do you feel now? Are you willing to die?" Looking up, and his eyes brightening, he replied: "I am ready. 'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He is with me. His rod and His staff, they comfort me.'"

Four years before, he had said, while pronouncing an eulogy upon our lamented Judge Stockton:

"We can but feel and realize that, like the deceased, we too must undergo that great change, allotted to all living. When that change shall come; when the shadows of the last night shall gather around us, may we meet it like one that draws the drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams."

His prayer was realized. He died in the full possession of his mental faculties, and with the hopes of a Christian.

My admiration of the character of this noble man, I am unable to express. Few as able and deserving as he have been sacrificed to the Moloch of Slavery. One who served long with him in the army writes thus of him:

"But above all, and overall stands the name of one, whom Iowa will be proud to own — General Samuel A. Rice. I have never yet seen his equal, either on the field, or in the camp. * * All admit that his brigade saved the army from defeat and consequent destruction, at the battle of Jenkins' Ferry."

Testimonials of his worth meet me on every hand, to which, I regret, I am unable to give place. His old division has contributed funds for the erection of a monument to his memory; but his "good name will live, when monuments of brass and stone shall have crumbled to dust."

The proceedings of the Supreme Court at Des Moines, on learning of his death, I must briefly allude to. Hon. C. C. Nourse, the general's successor, as Attorney-General of Iowa, Hon. Thomas F. Withrow, and Hon. Chief Justice Wright offered touching eulogies to his memory. In the course of his remarks, our honored Chief Justice said:

"I parted with him in May, as he was nearing his home, with his family and friends around him: he was reclining on what proved to be his death-bed. I shall ever remember his face, and the sparkling expression of his flashing eyes, as, taking me by the hand, he said: 'I shall not die: I know that I shall live — I shall live to return to the field, and assist in crushing this most accursed rebellion.' These hopes — these high resolves were doomed to disappointment."

After the addresses were closed, the following preamble and resolutions were entered of record:

"WHEREAS, General Samuel A. Rice, formerly a member of the bar of this Court, and for four years Attorney-General of the State, died at his home in Oskaloosa on the 6th day of July, 1864, from a wound received in battle at Saline River on the 30th day of April, 1864, and whereas, the high standing of the deceased as a member of the profession, as well as his exalted patriotism and many personal virtues, demand a special notice of his memory upon our part; Therefore, be it

"Resolved, By the members of the bar now in attendance upon the Supreme Court:

1. "That we deeply deplore this dispensation of Divine Providence, in thus removing from our midst one who adorned his profession, and endeared himself to us by his uniform courtesy and upright conduct.

2. "That by his death a brave and true soldier and officer has fallen in defense of his Government, a kind father and true husband has been lost to his family, a valued citizen has been lost to the State, and an honored and able advocate has been lost to the profession.

3. "That we will cherish in affectionate remembrance his many virtues, and request the members of the bar to wear the usual badge of mourning during the term.

4. "That we tender to the bereaved family our sincere testimony of the worth of the deceased, and assure them of our sympathy and condolence in their affliction.

5. "That the court be requested to have these proceedings and resolutions spread upon the records of the court, and to furnish a certified copy of the same to the family of the deceased.

" Committee. — Jefferson F. Polk, H. S. Winslow, William H. Seevers, C. C. Nourse."

I first met General Rice in the spring of 1857, at the Oskaloosa bar. Then, he had just been elected Attorney-General of the State; and I scanned him closely. He was, at the time, arguing a case with Judge Seevers; and Governor Stone was sitting upon the bench. He was dressed poorly; was unshaven, and looked to me to be below the medium in size. I thought we never elected such men to like positions in New England. Three years later, I saw him again; when he looked more like himself — an able and polished gentleman. The portrait here published is not a perfect likeness, though the mild, intelligent expression of the eye is correct.

General Rice was not a man of brilliant parts. He had a large brain and a sound judgment; and hard study did the rest. He was an able reasoner. His cast of mind was more practical than theoretical; for instance: on one occasion, two applicants for admission to the bar presented themselves in the Oskaloosa Court. It was Governor Stone's first term upon the bench. Judges Loughridge and Seevers and General Rice, having been appointed by the court the examining committee, the latter approached the young men, and, taking one of them by the hand, said: "Gentlemen, you look as though you could practice law; if you can not, you will get no business, and if you can, all right. I will vouch for you."

The general was kind-hearted and unassuming. I never saw him without a smile upon his face, and no one could be embarrassed in his presence. Few promised him the success he met in the service. He was as successful with the sword, as he had been in his civil profession. He was a noble exemplar of our Free State Chivalry.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 487-96