Colonel Grenville M. Dodge to Sylvanus Dodge, April 2, 1862

St. Louis, Mo., April 2, 1862.

DEAR FATHER: — I know there is no one who would like to have a word from me more than you. I write but little — am very weak from my wounds; do not sit up much; but I hope ere long to be all right again. Nothing now but the battle will interest you. It was a terrible three days to me; how I got through God only knows. I got off a sick bed to go to the fight, and I never got a wink of sleep for three days and three nights. The engagement was so long and with us so hot that it did not appear possible for us to hold our ground. We lacked sadly in numbers and artillery, but with good judgment and good grit we made it win. My officers were very brave. Little Captain Taylor would stand and clap his hands as the balls grew thick. Captain Burton was as cool as a cucumber, and liked to have bled to death; then the men, as they crawled back wounded, would cheer me; cheer for the Union; and always say, “Don't give up Colonel, hang to em;” and many who were too badly wounded to leave the field stuck to their places, sitting on the ground, loading and firing. I have heard of brave acts, but such determined pluck I never before dreamed of. My flag-bearer, after having been wounded so he could not hold up the colors, would not leave them. I had to peremptorily order him off. One time when the enemy charged through my lines the boys drove them back in confusion. Price fought bravely; his men deserved a better fate, but although two to one they could not gain much. Their artillery was served splendidly — they had great advantage over us in this. Mine run out of ammunition long before night and left me to the mercy of their grape and canister. Had I have had my full battery at night I could have whipped them badly. After the Fourth Iowa's ammunition gave out or before this all the other Regiments and Brigades had given way, leaving me without support, and when I found my ammunition gone I never felt such a chilling in my life. It is terrible right in the midst of a hot contest to have your cartridges give out. We had fired forty-two rounds, and had but a few left. I saved them and ceased firing, falling back to my supports. The enemy charged me in full force. I halted and they came within fifty feet. We opened on them such a terrible fire they fled. General Curtis rode into the field then and asked me to charge. This would have blanched anybody but an Iowa soldier. No ammunition and to charge! We fixed bayonets, and as I gave the order the boys cheered and cheered, swinging their hats in every direction. CHARGE! and such a yell as they crossed that field with, you never heard — it was unearthly and scared the rebels so bad they never stopped to fire at us or to let us reach them. As we marched back, now dark, nearly one-half the entire Army had got on the ground and the black-coats (Fourth Iowa) had got their fame up. The charge without ammunition took them all, and as we passed down the line the whole Army cheered us. General Curtis complimented us on the field, and what was left of the Fourth Iowa held their heads high that night, though a gloomy one for those who knew our situation. The next morning it fell to my lot to open the battle with my artillery again, and for one hour we poured it into them hot and heavy. We opened with thirty-two guns; they answered with as many, and such a roar you never heard. The enemy could not stand it and fled. Our whole army deployed in sight that morning and it was a grand sight with the artillery playing in open view. I had read of such things, but they were beyond my conception. This closed the battle and we breathed free. I escaped most miraculously. A shell burst right in front of me, and, tearing away my saddle holsters and taking off a large piece of my pants, never even scratched me. My clothes were riddled and I got a hit in the side that is serious, but did not think of it at the time.

Yours, etc.,

G. M.

SOURCE: Grenville M. Dodge, The Battle of Atlanta: And Other Campaigns, Addresses, Etc., p. 35-6

List of the Killed and Wounded [during the Battle of Pea Ridge]

FOURTH IOWA.

Company A – Geo. A. McCoy, killed; Chas. Wilkinson, mortally wounded, dead; Wm. Lillibridge, wounded in leg; R. M. Sansbury, wounded in face, dangerously; S. Q. Payne, wounded in hand and leg; J. Fowler, wounded in face, severely; Geo. M. Miller, wounded in abdomen, slightly; David L. Jacox, wounded in leg; Henry Blenker, wounded in leg and face, severely; Corporal John M. Bannon, wounded in leg, slightly; First Sergeant Geo. A. Henry, wounded by a limb from a tree, slightly; Corporal A. B. Henry, wounded in face, slightly.

Company B – Geo. W. Tucker, wounded in arm slightly.

Company C – Corporal T. S. Reed, wounded in shoulder, slightly; Wm. A. Madison, wounded in thigh, slightly, R. N. Farnsworth, do; S. Slaughter, wounded in hip, seriously; James F. Robinson, wounded in abdomen, dangerously; O. F. Gilbert, do; R. C. Darby, wounded in left breast, dangerously; Henry Hummer, wounded in mouth, severely; Henry Lemon, wounded in thigh, slightly; Geo. W. Bike, wounded in forehead, slightly; Abram Moody, wounded in knee, slightly; John Strain, wounded in face, slightly; T. Baker, wounded in arm, slightly.

Company D – M. Lawrence, wounded in shoulder, severely; John Markham, wounded in head, slight; Samuel Martin, in arm slight; J. H. Picket, wounded, slight; A. J. Rumley, wounded in hand; Seth Rowe, wounded in hand; Lewis Solomon, arm, slightly; F. M. Smith, wounded in back, slightly; A. Tucker, in hand, slightly; J. Swinehout, do; R. S. Weedon, wounded in hand, slightly; First Corporal, J. W. Whetstone, killed; W. H. Harrison, do; J. N. Ketchum, do; H. E. Vaugh, do; John H. Williams, do; Captain George Burton, wounded in arm severely by grapeshot; First Sergeant J. P. Finley, wounded in hand, missing; Second Sergeant Fred. Teale wounded in shoulder; slightly; Fifth Sergeant Chas. A. Gilham, wounded in the leg severely; Corporal J. J. Childers wounded in the breast, Corporal Chas. M. Little, wounded in the thigh; J. C. Arnold, wounded in the head, slightly; H. B. Burns, wounded in the heel, slightly; W. T. Colwell wounded in the neck and missing; Merrick Davis, wounded severely; R. E. Haywood, wounded in the shoulder, slightly; C. W. Hawley, wounded in both thighs severely; J. M. Hannon, wounded in the hand slightly; Wm Hawkins, wounded in the arm slightly; Willis Hine, wounded in both thighs severely.

Company E – Third Sergeant Edwin W. Barnum, killed; Jeptha W. Bell, do; H. P. Cornish, do; S. H. James, wounded dangerously in abdomen; H. A. Barrett, wounded in thigh severely; Martin Foster, do in chest, slight; J. Hannon, do in thigh and leg severely; Isaac reeves, do in foot slight; Charles W. Green, do in hand slight; James Breck, do in arm slight; Philip L. Taylor, do in leg severely.

Company F – Abram Holmes, Wm. Debusk, James Stuman, killed; musician A. G. Williams, wounded in side; wagoner W. W. Crandall, wounded in arm, slight; Caspar Armheart, wounded in side, slight; Anderson Bird, do in breast, slight; Albert Benedick, do in face, slight; Wm. Logan, do in hand, slight; J. H. Dorrence, do in head , slight; A. P. Heatt, do in face, slight; A. P. Heatt, do in arm, slight; Sylvanus Heit, do in leg, severely; O. F. Smith, do in leg severely; J. W. Smith, do in head and shoulder, severely; Elisha Steward, do in hand, slight.

Company G – Jos. M. Milisop, wounded in arm severely; Herman Obenhoff, do; Henry Rose, do; L. T. Sipp, do, in leg, severely; G. Goble, do in arm, severely; Fred. Breck, do in arm, slightly; C. W. Powers, do, shoulder do; P. B. Smith, do mouth do; L. H. Barton, do abdomen do; A. Levi do arm do; J. B. Russell, do hands do; W. W. Robinson, do foot do.

Company H – James Lewellyn and Geo. Rose, killed; Capt. E. Y. Burgan, wounded, in head, slight; Lieut. L. Porcher, do, leg, two shots, badly; Corp. A. Moore, do, thigh, slight; James M. Campbell, do, in thigh, badly; W. W. Bartlett, do, in face, slight; Freakes, do, in foot, do; A Freshom, do in hip, do; W. L. Harlin, do, in hand, badly; G. W. Hight, do in thigh, slight; C. D. Lawrence, do in thigh, badly; Silas A. Merker, do in wrist, slight; John S. Pergrin, do, in knee, slight; J. W. Ratliff, do; Alpheus Walkup, do, in hand, slight.

Company I – First Lieutenant Robert S. Jackson, killed; Alford O’Connor, killed; Samuel Williams, do; First Sergeant G. A. Robinson, wounded in arm severely; Second Sergeant J. Keplinger, do; Fourth Sergeant M. Nelson, wounded in hand severely; First Corporal B. S. Everett, wounded in hip severely; Second Corporal H. S. Trumbull, wounded in face, severely; Sixth Corporal James A. Harper; wounded in shoulder and lung, dangerously; John S. Atkinson, in leg, slightly; H. Erickson, in arm; J. Easter, in shoulder slightly; Charles Morgan, in face severely; Philip Miskimmins, wounded in hip slightly; William Moore, in leg slightly; Samuel H. Moore, in head severely; Nathan Coppal, wounded In knee severely; Thomas Church, wounded in leg slightly; Samuel S. Messenger, missing.

Company K -  Edwin A. Richardson, killed; 2d Lieutenant Jas. T. Crittenden, wounded in the breast mortally; 1st corporal N. D. King, wounded in knee; 2d corporal Thos. J. Jacks, wounded in leg slight; Isaac M. Bimms, wounded in hip; A. M. Brooks, wounded in leg, slight; Walter S. Bradwell, Wm. Chenowith, A. L. Scott, do; Jno. Ewing, wounded in shoulder, severely; Geo. H. Heimer, wounded slight; Benj. L. St. Clair, wounded in head slight; Ira Sleeth wounded in leg slight; Ferdinand Verges, wounded in arm slight; Joseph Van Gunde, wounded in foot severely.

Field and Staff Officers – Col. J. Galligar, wounded in hand slightly by grapeshot; Lieut. J. A. Williamson, Adjutant, slightly wounded in shoulder by grapeshot.

FIRST IOWA BATTERY

Wm. Hall, R. Parkhurst, G. Gustavinson, killed; Capt. J. A. Jones, wounded; Lieut. O. W. Gambell, wounded severely; K. W. Henry, slight; W. F. Connor, P. J. Duvall, Thos. Brown, J. B. Nelson, C. Woodmansere, Samuel Black, James Molesworth, John Easton, E. Skinnike, W. Seden, wounded severely.  Engaged in the battle, 114; killed 3; officers wounded, 2; enlisted men wounded 11.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 4

Important News from Curtis’s Division

CHICAGO, March 13. – Special dispatch to the Evening Journal from St. Louis says:  Private letters received to-day from officers in Curtis’s army, that the rebels in McCulloch’s army are in the rear of the Federal army and another battle is soon expected.  In the late fight at Sugar Creek, the 4th Division stood the brunt of the battle.  The 4th and 9th Iowa, and 1st & 3d Iowa batteries are terribly cut up – 180 out of 400 in the 4th Iowa were killed and wounded.  Every field officer in Dodge’s Brigade were wounded.  Gen. Dodge had three horses killed under him and one wounded.  Capts. Burton and Burman and Lieut. Crittenden were wounded.  Lieut. Jackson was killed.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 15, 1862, p. 3

The Fourth Iowa Infantry

This regiment was raised and organized in the summer of 1861, and entered the service in August. The first field officers were Grenville M. Dodge, colonel; John Galligan, lieutenant-colonel; William R. English, major. Its first active service was in General Curtis' army of the southwest in Missouri, and its first fight near Springfield, on the 12th of February, 1862. Soon after, General Curtis marched in pursuit of the rebel army under General Price, towards the Boston mountains. Here Price was strongly reinforced by Generals McCulloch, Van Dorn and McIntosh, who united their commands to fight Curtis. Moving his army to Pea Ridge, General Curtis took a strong position and awaited the attack of the combined confederate forces, 20,000 strong, a force largely superior to his own. General Sigel was at Bentonsville, ten miles southwest of General Curtis' center. Van Dorn, who now commanded the confederate army, sent a strong force to capture Sigel's command, which had already started to join Curtis. But, sending his train in advance, Sigel made such a strong fight with artillery and infantry during the retreat that he brought his command off with small loss, and joined Curtis on the battlefield. During the night Van Dorn moved to the flank and rear of the union army, taking a strong position and rendering Curtis' defenses of the day before useless. The battle opened at 10 o'clock and raged with great fury for hours. Colonel Dodge commanded a brigade, and the Fourth was under Lieutenant-Colonel Galligan in this battle, and fought bravely during the two days of desperate conflict. At one time it made a brilliant bayonet charge on the advancing enemy. Several Iowa regiments were engaged in this battle, all rendering gallant service. The battle of the second day was even more fierce and desperate than on the first. The confederates, knowing their superiority of numbers, were determined to crush and destroy the union army. But General Sigel wheeled battery after battery into position, until he had thirty cannon pouring shot and shell into the ranks of the advancing foe. With the batteries slowly advancing, supported by long lines of infantry, no charge of the enemy could face the iron hail that thinned their ranks, and at last human endurance ended in flight as regiments went to pieces and the retreat became general. Among the confederate killed were two famous generals, McCulloch and McIntosh, while Generals Price and Slack were severely wounded.

Iowa occupied a proud position in this battle and brilliant union victory.  The commander of the Union army, Curtis, was an Iowa officer.  Two brigades which did brilliant service were commanded by Iowa Colonels, Vandever and Dodge, and two batteries in the thickest of the fight, Hayden’s and David’s were from Iowa, while the Iowa cavalry, under Trimble and Bussey, did fine service. The Fourth Iowa lost in killed, wounded and captured nearly half of the number engaged. J. A. Williamson was promoted to colonel, and Captain Burton to lieutenant-colonel.

The next important battle in which the Fourth was engaged was under General Sherman in his disastrous assault on Vicksburg on the 29th of December, 1862. This regiment made a desperate charge upon the works and carried the first line of defenses, but not being supported had to abandon them with heavy loss. Of the 480 who went into the fight 112 fell. The regiment was in the battle of Arkansas Post, after which it joined Grant's army in the campaign against Vicksburg. After the capture of that stronghold it was in the campaign against Chattanooga, and took part in the battle of Lookout Mountain and shared in the glory of that brilliant victory. On the 1st day of January, 1864, their term of service having expired, the members of the regiment re-enlisted and received a furlough to visit their homes. The general assembly was in session when the veteran Fourth reached Des Moines, March 9th, and it adjourned and gave the soldiers a reception worthy of the glorious deeds they had performed. Early in May they returned to service and joined Sherman's army in the march through Georgia. It took an active part in the battles of that brilliant campaign up through the Carolinas and at its close marched to Washington, was sent from there to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out in July, I860, numbering then twenty-three officers and 457 men.

SOURCE, Benjamin F. Gue, Biographies And Portraits Of The Progressive Men Of Iowa, Volume 1, p. 92-3

From St. Louis

ST. LOUIS, March 12.

The following general order will be issued in the morning:

HEADQUARTERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

In compliance with orders of the President of the United States, the undersigned assumes command of the Department of the Mississippi, which included the present Department of Missouri, Kansas and the Department of Ohio, and the country West of the North and South line drawn through Knoxville, Tenn., and East of the Western boundaries of the State[s] of Missouri and Arkansas.

The headquarters of the Department of the Mississippi will remain till further orders, at St. Louis.  Commanding officers not in the Department of Missouri, will report at these headquarters the strength and position of their several commands.

(Signed)

H. W. HALLECK,

Maj. Gen. Commanding.

A special to the Democrat from Rolla of the 12^th, says Wild Billy Price, a desperate thief, of a guerrilla of the rebels has been taken prisoner and is now in custody at Springfield.

No Further news from General Curtis’ command.

Special to Evening Journal.

ST. LOUIS, March 13.

Private letters received to-day from officers in Gen. Curtis’ army, say that the rebels in force are still in the rear of the Federal army, and another battle is soon expected.

In the late fight at Sugar Creek, the fourth division stood the brunt of the battle.  The 4^th and 9^th Iowa and the 1^st and 3d Iowa batteries are terribly cut up.  180 of 500 of the 4^th Iowa were killed and wounded.  Every officer in Dodge’s brigade were wounded.  Gen. Dodge had three horses killed under him and one wounded.  Capts. Burton and Bershman and Lieut. Crittenden were wounded.  Lieut. Jackson killed.

Gen. Halleck forwarded to headquarters to-day the following:

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

ST. LOUIS, March 13^th, 1862.

EDWIN STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington:

Our artillery and cavalry yesterday attacked the enemy’s works, one and a half miles west of Paris, Tenn.  The enemy was driven out with a loss of one hundred killed wounded and prisoners.  Our loss is Capt. Bullis, of the artillery and four killed and five wounded.

A Cavalry force cent out from Lebanon, attacked one of Price’s guerilla bands, killed 13, wounded 5 and captured over 20 prisoners, among whom is Brig. Gen. Campbell.

Signed,

H. W. HALLECK,

Major General.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Friday Morning, March 14, 1862, p. 1

Lt. Colonel George Burton, 4th Iowa Infantry: Pension Index Card

SOURCE:  Civil War And Later Veterans Pension Index at Footnote.com

George Burton . . .

. . . who became lieutenant-colonel of the Fifteenth Iowa, was born in the City of Dublin. His father was an Englishman and a wealthy manufacturer of Dublin. The son served as a sailor for several years and then came to the United States and finally settled at Bloomington, Illinois. He enlisted in the regular army and participated in the Mexican war. At the close of hostilities he came to Decatur County and entered what was later known as the Soper Farm in Eden Township. At the beginning of the Civil war Burton entered the service as captain of Company D, Fourth Iowa Infantry. About a month after the Battle of Pea Ridge, Burton was made lieutenant-colonel and at the Battle of Arkansas Post on January 10 and 11, 1863, he led his regiment. At the close of the war Burton located in Leon, where he resided for a number of years, and then took up his residence in Kansas. He died several years ago in Wellington, Kan.

SOURCE: Prof. J. M. Howell & Heman C. Smith, Editors, A History of Decatur County, Iowa and Its People, Vol. 1, p. 58-9

Reports of Lieut. Col. George Burton, Fourth Iowa Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY,
Lookout Mountain, November 25, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that, agreeably to your order, about 7 a.m. of yesterday the Fourth Iowa Infantry moved forward and took a position on a hill immediately in front of Lookout Mountain, and near the Tennessee River, supporting the First Ohio Battery (Battery K, First Ohio Artillery) there planted.

About 11 o'clock, when the engagement became spirited on the right by the personal order of Brigadier-General Osterhaus, I sent forward 50 of my regiment as skirmishers, under command of Major Nichols, to the bank of the creek skirting the base of the mountain near the river, and engaged the attention of the enemy at that point. I also shortly afterward, by further direction of General Osterhaus, moved the regiment down the hill in advance of the battery, sustaining and relieving.

About 4 p.m. I received an order from Colonel -------, on the staff of Major-General Hooker, to report forthwith with the regiment to Brigadier-General Geary, commanding (Second) Division, (Twelfth) Army Corps.

I thereupon crossed the creek, and under the direction of General Geary, arrived and ascended the mountain, reaching a position assigned us near the cliffs about dark, and awaited orders. Soon afterward I relieved the Twenty-fourth (?) Ohio Infantry., who represented themselves as out of ammunition. Here our right rested on the base of the cliffs connecting onto the left of the Thirty-sixth Indiana, on line extending directly down the mountain, our left joining at right angles the right of the Thirty-first Iowa. While here the regiment assisted materially by its enfilading fire in repulsing two charges of the enemy, and must certainly have inflicted upon them a severe loss.

About 1 a.m. of to-day we were relieved by the Seventh Ohio. Too much praise cannot be awarded both officers and men for the coolness, promptness, and firmness with which they advanced to and held the various positions assigned them, in nearly every case under a heavy fire. Our loss in the day's engagement was 1 killed and 6 wounded, a list(*) in detail of which is hereby appended.

I have the honor to subscribe myself, sir, your most obedient servant,

GEO. BURTON,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Fourth Iowa Infantry.

Capt. GEORGE E. FORD,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

–––

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY,
Camp near Ringgold, Ga., November 28, 1863.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report that, about 10 a.m. of yesterday, we arrived at Ringgold, and were immediately ordered by Col. J. A. Williamson to follow the Seventy-sixth Ohio Infantry, and move by the right flank in rear of the center of that regiment for the purpose of supporting it. The Seventy-sixth Ohio at this time was in advance of us, moving to a point at the base of Taylor's Ridge, a short distance to the east of the town. On arriving at the base of the hill, I obeyed the order strictly until the regiment was half way up the ascent, when, at the request of the major commanding the Seventy-sixth Ohio, I brought my regiment into line immediately in his rear, still moving steadily forward. When near the crest of the hill, the men of both regiments, from the steepness and ruggedness of the ground and the heaviness of the enemy's fire, being somewhat deployed, the regiment was ordered to fix bayonets, and charge in line with the Seventy-sixth. The order was gallantly obeyed; the crest of the hill was taken and held for about ten minutes, when the enemy, being in heavy force, rallied in our front and charged upon our right and left flanks simultaneously, at the same time pouring upon us a heavy direct and enfilading fire. Under these circumstances, having no support, we were compelled to fall back about 30 yards down the hill, where we succeeded in holding our position until re-enforcements arrived. About 2 o'clock we again advanced and scaled the hill. The enemy, however, had by this time evacuated his position. Under the order of Col. J. A. Williamson, who was present, we now moved a short distance along the ridge toward the gap near the town, when we advanced down the hill and drove the enemy from the railroad bridge, which they were endeavoring to destroy. While the regiment was putting out the fire on the bridge nearest the gap, by further order of Colonel Williamson, I sent Major Nichols, with 40 men, to save the railroad bridge in advance on the road by which the enemy had retreated, which was also in flames.

Both officers and men merit the highest praise for their coolness and bravery during the day's engagement.

Our casualties were 7 killed, 24 wounded, and 1 missing. A list(*) in detail is hereto appended.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

GEO. BURTON,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Fourth Iowa Infantry.

Lieut. LEMUEL SHIELDS,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

*Omitted.

SOURCE: The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies During the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 31, part 2: NOVEMBER 23-27, 1863. – The Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign, p. 618-9

Report of Col. James A. Williamson, Fourth Iowa Infantry commanding Second Brigade.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., FIRST DIV., 15TH ARMY CORPS,
Camp at Ringgold, Ga., November 28, 1863.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the action of this brigade in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and Ringgold, including all its movements from the 24th until the evening of the 27th instant.

The brigade is composed of the Fourth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Col. George Burton; the Ninth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Col. David Carskaddon; the Twenty-fifth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Col. George A. Stone; the Twenty-sixth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Col. Milo Smith; the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Col. A. Roberts, and the Thirty-first Iowa Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Col. J. W. Jenkins. At the hour named in the order of the night previous the brigade moved, following the First Brigade, to a point in front of Lookout Mountain, near where the attack was to be commenced, and formed line of battle by battalions en masse at deploying intervals. Very soon after my line was formed I received an order from you to send a regiment to support a battery on the hill immediately in front of Lookout Mountain, and commanding that portion of it when our troops were making the attack.

I detached my right regiment, the Fourth, and sent it to the place designated. Soon after this I received another order to send one more regiment, to report to yourself, for some purpose unknown to me. In obedience to the order, I sent you the Twenty-fifth.

The four remaining regiments I held in line until about 11 o'clock, when I received an order from General Osterhaus to send another regiment to support a battery of Parrott guns immediately in our front. In obedience to this order, I sent the Thirtieth.

I was then ordered to follow in the direction the First Brigade had taken with my three remaining regiments, which I did, until I arrived at the crossing of Lookout Creek, at which place General Osterhaus ordered my rear regiment (the Ninth) to remain and receive all the prisoners then there and those to be sent back. I crossed the creek with my two remaining regiments, when General Hooker in person sent another regiment (the Twenty-sixth) down the railroad to support some troops at a point or gap somewhere toward our left.

I then proceeded up the mountain side with my one remaining regiment (the Thirty-first), accompanied by General Osterhaus in person, with a part of his staff, and came up with the First Brigade at a point where troops not belonging to the First Division were in line, engaging the enemy. At this point I had some doubt as to where I should place my regiment on account of a dense fog which had settled down on the mountain side and prevented me from seeing the location of our troops, but soon found the line formed by a part of the First Brigade, and placed the regiment on the left of it. I was very soon joined by the Ninth and Twenty-sixth, which had been relieved and sent up to me, and placed them in line. At this place I learned from General Osterhaus that the Fourth Iowa had been sent forward early in the day, and that they were at that time somewhere up the mountain side; also that it had behaved well in the morning in driving the enemy from their breastworks. About 2 p.m. an aide-de-camp from General Hooker ordered me to relieve a regiment of General Geary's command, which was in the extreme front, under heavy fire and out of ammunition. I immediately sent my adjutant-general, Capt. George E. Ford, with the Thirty-first Regiment, to relieve the regiment, which was the -------.

While my adjutant was there he found the Fifty-fourth Ohio [?]--also of General Geary's command--was out of ammunition, and relieved it with the Fourth Iowa, which he found up at the front.

After these regiments had been eight hours under fire, they sent me word that their ammunition was nearly exhausted. I immediately informed General Osterhaus of the fact, and was informed by him that the Twenty-fifth and Thirtieth Regiments of my brigade, which had been left behind, must relieve them.

Captain Ford then started on foot in search of these regiments, but they had been ordered to different points, and could not be found, the captain returning after several hours' walk, nearly worn out by his unceasing exertion in the discharge of his duty.

In the meantime, before Captain Ford returned, I applied to General Geary, asking him to relieve my regiment, inasmuch as they had relieved his in the first instance. He refused to do it. I then took some ammunition from the remaining regiments with me to the regiments under fire, and afterward, at about 1 a.m. went to General Geary and procured 8,000 rounds of ammunition to replace what had been taken from my regiments.

Soon after 2 a.m., the enemy having previously ceased firing and retreated, General Geary relieved the Fourth and Thirty-first regiments, and they fell back to their places in line of battle.

Early in the morning of the 25th, the Thirtieth and Twenty-fifth Regiments, having been relieved by General Butterfield, of General Hooker's staff, reported to me, and took their positions in line, thus bringing my brigade together for the first time since the morning previous.

About 9 o'clock on the morning of the 25th, my brigade was ordered to march toward Missionary Ridge. When we arrived near the pass where the enemy made the first stand, I received an order to take two regiments and ascend the hill in the left of the gap or pass.

I accordingly took the Fourth and Thirty-first and pushed rapidly to the top, meeting with but little opposition. I pushed my skirmishers forward into the valley, where I expected to find the enemy, but they had gone. I remained on the top of the ridge for a short time, until the Ninth and Thirtieth Regiments came up (the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth having been ordered by General Osterhaus to take a position on the western slope of the ridge to keep back any flanking force of the enemy which might come from our left), when I went forward to the valley, and then moved out by the flank, through the gap, down the pass to the open ground, when I was ordered to make a short halt. While at the halt, 2 men of the Ninth Iowa captured Lieutenant Breckinridge, a son of Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge, of the Confederate Army. In obedience to orders, I again proceeded up the main road by the right flank, still leaving the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth in the position which had been assigned them. The road on which I marched was up on a ridge east of and parallel with Missionary Ridge. I had not proceeded far before I heard heavy firing toward the front, on the left flank.

I immediately ordered the Fourth Regiment detached, and deployed it as skirmishers on my left flank, and soon discovered that the enemy occupied that part of Missionary Ridge where I had been but a short time before, and then moved my brigade forward, in line of battle, obliquely to the right, closing up on the First Brigade, at the same time bringing my left forward, in line with General Cruft's division on my left. I then received orders from General Osterhaus to go rapidly forward in line.

This movement was executed gallantly by the four regiments of the brigade present going down the side of the ridge we were then on and up the steep ascent of Missionary Ridge, all the time under a heavy fire from the enemy, but driving them before us.

As I ascended the hill, I was in much doubt and perplexity as to whether I might not be inflicting severe injury on my own skirmishers, and also on the right of the division on my left.

This uncertainty kept me from reaching the summit as soon as I otherwise might have done; but, notwithstanding this, I think I may justly claim that one of my regiments (the Fourth) was the first to reach the top, and that the brigade was there as soon as any other troops.

I took a great number of prisoners, but could not state accurately how many, as I ordered them to be left behind under a very small guard, while the command pushed forward, and before I could ascertain the number they were turned over to the officer who seemed to be taking charge of all prisoners. The brigade captured as large a number as did any other command.

Many instances of personal bravery might be mentioned, but it must be sufficient to say that all of the regiments did well.

Lieut. W. M. Stimpson, of my staff (of the Thirtieth Iowa Regiment), received a wound in the head in the beginning of the engagement, but continued to discharge his duty until the end.

The brigade encamped on the field (here the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth came up, having been relieved) and took care of our wounded, and buried our dead during the night. On the following morning, after picking up a large number of arms, delivering them to ordnance officer, I moved forward, following First Brigade, and encamped for the night 4 miles east of Chickamauga Creek.

On the morning of the 27th, the brigade marched at 5 o'clock toward Ringgold, where it arrived about 10 o'clock and found the enemy strongly posted on a range of hills, known as Taylor's Ridge, a short distance to the east of the town. General Osterhaus ordered me to send one regiment to support the Seventy-sixth Ohio, of the First Brigade, which had been sent with a view to taking the hill. I immediately ordered the Fourth Regiment forward, instructing its commander to push forward and render all the assistance possible to the regiment in front, and then, in obedience to an order from General Osterhaus, I brought forward another regiment (the Thirty-first), and placed it along the railroad to act as sharpshooters, to cover the advance of the two regiments sent forward.

Finding that the two regiments sent up were meeting with stubborn resistance, I took two other regiments (the Ninth and Twenty-sixth) and went forward with them in person, advancing up the side of the hill (which might be more properly called a mountain) until I came in line with the Fourth Iowa and Seventy-sixth Ohio on their left.

In the meantime, before I could get the two regiments (the Ninth and Twenty-sixth) up, the Fourth Iowa and Seventy-sixth Ohio had advanced to the top of the hill, but for the want of support, after suffering severe loss, had been compelled to fall back a short distance (not more than 50 or 60 paces from the summit), where they were when I came up.

While I was gaining this position my two remaining regiments, the Twenty-fifth and Thirtieth, had in obedience to my order gone up to my left and were fast approaching the top, their skirmishers being not more than 75 paces from the summit, when three regiments (as I am informed of the Twelfth Army Corps) came up, one on the left of the Twenty-fifth-and one between the Twenty-fifth and Thirtieth, the other passing through the Twenty-fifth by the flank.

Colonel Stone ordered and begged them to go up on his left, but the officers in command said they had orders for doing as they did, and persisted in their course.

At this time the fire of the enemy had almost ceased, but they could be plainly seen making dispositions of their forces to repel the advance of these regiments. Colonel Stone cautioned them that the enemy would open a destructive fire on them if they went up in the manner they were going. They replied they would teach "Western troops a lesson," and advanced a short distance farther, when the enemy opened a terrific fire on them. They stood manfully for a minute or two, when they gave way, and came down like an avalanche, carrying everything before them, and to some extent propagating the panic among my regiments.

The fault of these regiments seemed to be more in the way in which they attempted to go up the hill than in anything else. While Colonel Stone preferred the method of taking it by skirmishing and cautiously advancing, the regiments above named tried to go up as if on parade where the men could barely have gone up by clinging to the rocks and bushes. Colonels Stone and Roberts did all they could to hold their men together, and soon succeeded in restoring order and confidence, and again went up the hill.

Having no support on the right, and those regiments on the left having given way in confusion, I found it would be folly to try to carry the hill until I should be re-enforced, and accordingly made the best disposition of my force to hold the ground already gained, and sent a messenger to inform General Osterhaus of the fact, and received from him an order to hold my position and await re-enforcements.

I held my position for a short time. No re-enforcements or support coming to my aid, and finding that the fire from the enemy had slackened, I again went forward and gained the top of the ridge and found the enemy retreating, and a strong force farther on burning the railroad bridge across East Chickamauga Creek.

I immediately went forward, keeping up a heavy fire, and drove them away before they accomplished their work.

I had the fire put out on the first bridge, and sent Major Nichols, of the Fourth Iowa, and a small party of men, who volunteered for the service, to put out the fire on the bridge farther on. This he accomplished, after driving a much larger force than his own away.

I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of Major Nichols throughout all the campaign, and especially in every action. First Lieut. Charles W. Baker, of Company C, and Second Lieut. Thomas H. Cramer, of Company K, Fourth Iowa, both distinguished themselves in the front of the fight, capturing prisoners from the very midst of the enemy. Lieutenant Cramer was instantly killed, after making a capture of a lieutenant and several men, and Lieutenant Baker mortally wounded (since dead) while heroically cheering the men on. Maj. Willard Warner, Seventy-sixth Ohio, and his officers and men won my unqualified admiration.

Many instances of heroic daring and bravery came under my observation, and would be reported specially if regimental commanders had furnished me the names of the parties.

Capt. George E. Ford, my assistant adjutant-general, was severely wounded in the leg while trying to prevent the troops on my left from giving way, during the engagement at Ringgold.

Lieut. L. Shields, aide-de-camp, also received a slight wound in the hip at the same time.

I am much indebted to my staff officers--Captain Ford, Captain Darling, and Lieutenants Shields and Stimpson -- for their efficient services.

Accompanying this report you will find list(*) of killed and wounded of the several regiments in the different engagements.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. A. WILLIAMSON,
Colonel 4th Iowa, Comdg. 2d Brig., 1st Div., 15th A. C.

Capt. W. A. GORDON,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., 1st Division, 15th Army Corps.

* Embodied in revised statement, p. 86.

SOURCE: The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies During the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 31, part 2: NOVEMBER 23-27, 1863. – The Chattanooga-Ringgold Campaign, p. 613-7

A NOTED CHARACTER DIES - MARGARET FRENCH

With the death of the old colored woman, "Aunt Maggie," last Thursday evening an odd character who has haunted the streets of Leon for years was removed from our midst. Her history has been a strange one. Born a slave on a southern plantation in the ante-bellum days, nurtured as were the colored people of those times, who can wonder that her life has been otherwise than it has.

If all of the dead woman's history was known, what a strange recital of events it would be. "Aunt Maggie" has often told many of our people scraps of her early life, such as she could remember, and from such sources we state the following: "Aunt Maggie" was born on a plantation near Natchez, Miss. It is thought that her first master's name was Robinson. According to Maggie's story, Robinson would have made a fit companion for the cruel Legree of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" fame, for her back bore evidence of brutal whippings in great scars. Long before the war, Maggie's only daughter was separated from her. She related that one of her master's daughters was married to a man named French (presumably Gen. S.B. French of the rebel army) and she was bestowed upon the bride as one of the wedding gifts. About the same time, her daughter was given to another daughter of Robinson, who afterwards went to Europe with her husband, taking the colored girl along. From that time Maggie has been unable to obtain any trace of the lost child.

Nothing is known of Maggie's subsequent history until about the time the union army was marching upon Vicksburg when she allied herself with the army as customary with the negroes when the union soldiers were in the neighborhood of a plantation for any length of time. French was kind to her, however, and she adopted his name.

A mess from Company B, 4th Iowa Infantry, of which George Burton was originally captain, though later promoted to a lieutenant-colonelship, secured Maggie's services as cook. She remained with the regiment until after the battle of Mission Ridge, being present at the battle and also at Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain, often times acting in the capacity of nurse. After the battle of Mission Ridge, Col. Burton resigned his command and came home to Leon bringing Maggie with him, arriving here in the latter part of l864.

Maggie at once entered the services of the family of John P. Finley. When Dr. Finley went to Des Moines as an examining surgeon the same year, Maggie accompanied the family to that place. In January, l865, Mrs. Finley died from a fever, after which Maggie contracted the disease and was sick some time. The Finley family then came back to Leon, bringing Maggie. She resided with them five years and then started out for herself, purchasing the lot on which her house now stands, just south of the Presbyterian Church, with her savings and aided by Mr. Finley. A small house which had been built for her on Dr. Finley's land was removed to her own lots and later, what now forms the main part of the house, was built.

Mattie's one matrimonial venture was far from a success. She was married to Richard R. Williams, October l, l885. Williams was a mulatto who came here and worked himself into Maggie's affections simply for the purpose of securing her money. He was of a thieving disposition and served in the Ft. Madison Penitentiary two years for house breaking at Garden Grove before he came here to live. After securing all of Maggie's money, said to have been in the neighborhood of $l,000, her savings for years, he deserted her. When last heard from, a few years ago, Williams was serving a sentence of sixteen years in a Texas prison for cattle stealing. Maggie secured a divorce from him almost two years ago.

Maggie's life is well known to every person in Leon. The drink habit fastened itself upon her, more especially the later years of her life. But she never turned a needy person from her door and was kind hearted in this respect to a fault. Her honesty was a marked trait; she was industrious, economical, saving, though far from stingy. Unscrupulous persons often took advantage of her and secured sums of money from her under the guise of loans. She was well known in all the neighboring towns, and a few years ago, all the big events, celebrations and the like, would find Maggie on hand, stylishly dressed, and "cutting a wide swath." She was acquainted with all the traveling men, doing their washing for them, and thus became known over the state.

Her age has always been a matter of conjecture, but it is presumed that it was but a few years less than eighty at the time of her death.

Short funeral services were held at her home Friday, conducted by Rev. Gurley and the remains were interred in the Leon Cemetery. Before her death, Maggie acknowledged waywardness, and expressed her repentance and we have reasons to hope that her future will be brighter than her past.

- Published in the Decatur County Journal, Leon, Iowa, July 8, l897. This article was transcribed by Nancee McMurtrey Seifert and posted on the Decatur County, Iowa Genweb site.

COL. GEORGE BURTON

Postmaster of Argonia, is what may be termed "a gentleman to the manor born," possessed of more than ordinary intelligence and that courteous bearing which wins for him friends wherever he goes. He comes of substantial Irish ancestry, and was born March 7, 1819, in the city of Dublin, where he spent the first thirteen years of his life. Then, equipped with only a limited education, he started out in the world for himself, embarking as cabin boy on an ocean vessel and from that time until 1842 his life was spent on the water — the sea and lakes. The next four years were occupied at various businesses and in 1846 he entered the volunteer service of the United States during the war with Mexico, being a member of Company G, Fourth Illinois Infantry, under Col. Ed. Baker. He served for one year and returned a Third Sergeant. He and ex-Gov. Richard Oglesby, who was then a Sergeant in Company K, frequently reported together. He served under Gen. Taylor until a part of the army was ordered to join Gen. Scott, and he participated in the battles of Vera Cruz, Natural Bridge, Cerro Gordo and other minor engagements. Later he was under the command of Gen. Shields and under Division Commander, Gen. Twiggs.

Upon retiring from the service Mr. Burton repaired to Tazewell County, Ill., where he operated a sawmill until 1849. Being seized then with an attack of the California gold fever, he set out overland across the plains and worked in the mines until the fall of 1850. In returning home he went down the coast as far as Cape St. Lucas, where the vessel "Louisa Boston" was sunk in the harbor of Mazatlan, and he rode a mule from there to Durango, and finally succeeded in reaching home safely after being chased in Mexico by the Apache Indians. He now resumed sawmilliug and was engaged in the mercantile business for probably two years. He in 1852, crossing the Mississippi, took up his abode in Decatur County, Iowa, where he operated as a general merchant three years and also engaged in farming. He became prominent in local affairs and was County Auditor for three years until the outbreak of the Civil War.

Watching the conflict which ensued with more than ordinary interest, Col. Burton in June, 1861, organized a military company in Leon, Iowa, of which he was elected Captain and which was assigned to the Fourth Iowa Infantry, under command of Col. Dodge. He fought at the battle of Pea Ridge, skirmishing all through Arkansas, was in the fight at Chickasaw Bayou, and then at Arkansas Post, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Ringgold, Ga., and Woodville, Ala. On the 2d of May, 1862, he was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel of the Fourth Iowa Infantry. At the battle of Pea Ridge he was wounded by a canister shot through the left arm, and at Cherokee Station received a sabre cut in the left hand. He resigned his commission April 10,1864, and returning to Iowa resumed the duties of a private citizen.

Col. Burton became well-known in the Hawkeye State and in 1869 was elected Auditor of Decatur County, which office he held three years. Later, for the same length of time he engaged in the livestock business, purchasing cattle in Indian Territory, and selling them in Iowa. In 1875 he settled on a farm near Mayfield, this county, where he sojourned until 1883, coming that year to Argonia and engaging in the mercantile business. He also began speculating considerably. On the 2d of April, 1888, he was appointed to the office of Postmaster, the duties of which have since occupied his time and attention until February 1, 1890.

In 1848, Col. Burton was united in marriage with Miss Jane Waring, who died in 1863, leaving no children. In 1865, the Colonel contracted a second marriage with Miss Martha S. Walton. This lady was born in Ohio and is the daughter of George and Martha Walton who spent their last days in Iowa. Of this union there were no children. Mrs. Burton was a very excellent lady and a member in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Colonel takes an interest in politics, voting the straight Democratic ticket. He is Past Grand in the I. O. O. F., belongs to the Encampment, is a Knight of Pythias and a member of the Chapter in Masonry.

The father of our subject was John Burton, a native of Dublin, Ireland, and a manufacturer of cotton cloth. The mother bore the maiden name of Martha Whitehead and she also was born in Dublin. They came to America in 1833, settling in Cleveland, Ohio, and about 1842. removed to Bloomington, Ill. There the mother died in 1835 and the father in 1848. Only two of the five children born to them are living — G. B. and Eliza, now Mrs. Burnes, the latter being a resident of Leroy, McLean County, Ill.

Portrait and Biographical Album of Sumner County, Kansas, Chapman Brothers, Chicago, Ill., 1890, p. 177-8