James Freeman Clarke to E. C. C., June 18, 1864

June 18, 1864.

... Do you remember David W. Norton, who joined our church eight years ago, and afterwards went to Chicago? He became major in an Illinois regiment, fought in all the chief battles, and was killed, June 3, by a rebel sharpshooter, while in front of our lines with the general, sketching the enemy's lines. Monday I went to Mount Auburn to the funeral. Yesterday I received a cane he cut for me on Lookout Mountain, after the battle.

. . . Do you see how bravely the colored soldiers have fought at Petersburg? They have been praised by the generals on the field for their courage. Still, Government can pay them only seven dollars a month! I talked with Governor Andrew about it after church last Sunday. He said, “I wrote last week to Charles Sumner and Thaddeus Stevens that I should pursue this matter without rest or pause; that I should neither forget nor forgive any neglect or opposition in regard to it; that I would not die till I had vindicated the rights of the colored soldiers.” . . .

SOURCE: Edwin Everett Hale, Editor, James Freeman Clarke: Autobiography, Diary and Correspondence, p. 289

Review: The Chattanooga Campaign

The Chattanooga Campaign

Edited by Steven E. Woodworth & Charles D. Grear

Sometimes an event is so complex that a single narrative explaining what happed or a single viewpoint from which to view the event is not the best way to tell its story.  The Chattanooga Campaign and the battles which it encapsules, is just that kind of event.

Following its defeat at the Battle of Chickamauga on September 20, 1863 the Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Major General William S. Rosecrans, retreated northward to Chattanooga, Tennessee.  Shortly thereafter Confederate General Braxton Bragg’s Army of Tennessee besieged the vital rail-hub that was considered to be the gateway to the South.  When Ulysses S. Grant relieved Rosecrans and assumed command of the Army of the Cumberland he determined to break the siege and open the way to Atlanta.

“The Chattanooga Campaign,” edited by Steven E. Woodworth and Charles D. Grear, tells the complicated story of the campaign and its simultaneous, but separate, battles on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. The story of the campaign is told in ten chapters:

• A Perfect Storm of Ineffectiveness: The Corps and the Loss of Lookout Mountain, by Alex Mendoza.
• “Lookout Mountain Frowned Down Upon Us”: The Union Army and the Struggle for Lookout Valley, by Stewart Bennett.
• “The Very Ground Seemed Alive”: Sherman’s Assault on the North End of Missionary Ridge, by Steven E. Woodworth.
• Baptizing the Hills and Valleys: Cleburne’s Defense of Tunnel Hill, by John R. Lundberg.
• What Happened on Orchard Knob?: Ordering the Attack on Missionary Ridge, by Brooks Simpson.
• This Grand and Imposing Array of Brave Men: The Capture of Rossville Gap and the Defeat of the Confederate Left by Sam Davis Elliott.
• Saving the Army of the Tennessee: The Confederate Rear Guard at Ringgold Gap, by Justin S. Solonick.
• From the Chickamauga with “Old Rosy” to Missionary Ridge with Grant: The Fall 1863 Struggle for Chattanooga and the Press, by Ethan S. Rafuse.
• “What I am Doing I do not Consider Desertion”: Trans-Mississippian Reactions to Chickamauga and Chattanooga, by Charles D. Grear.
• A Chattanooga Plan: The Gateway City’s Critical Role in Civil War Battlefield Preservaiton, by Timothy Smith.

Two of the best chapters in the book are “What Happened on Orchard Knob” by Brooks Simpson which gives a very detailed explanation of who did, or rather who did not, order the charge on Missionary Ridge.  And second, “What I am doing I do not Consider Desertion,” by the books co-editer, Charles D. Grear, which discusses the emotional toll, and consequences, of the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga on the Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi theater of war.

With its ten chapters written by ten authors “The Chattanooga Campaign,” complete with maps and photographs, at once gives you a breakdown of the various stages and battles of the campaign, and the differing perspectives and approaches made by its authors gives its reader a more comprehensive, 360° view of it, and to a smaller degree the war in the West.

ISBN 978-0809331192, The Southern Illinois University Press, © 2012, Hardcover, 256 pages, Maps, Photographs, Illustrations, Notes & Index. $29.95.  To Purchase this book click HERE.

Major General Ulysses S. Grant to Congressman Elihu B. Washburne, December 2, 1863

Chattanooga, Tennessee,

December 2, 1863.

FOR the last three weeks I have not only been busy, but have had company occupying my room, making it almost impossible for me to write anything. Last week was a stirring time with us, and a magnificent victory was won. I am sorry you could not be here. The spectacle was grand beyond anything that has been or is likely to be on this continent. It is the first battlefield I have ever seen where a plan could be followed and from one place the whole field be within one view. At the commencement the battle line was fifteen miles long. Hooker on our right soon carried the point of Lookout Mountain, and Sherman the north end of Missionary Ridge, thus shortening the line by five or six miles and bringing the whole within one view. Our troops behaved most magnificently, and have inflicted on the enemy the heaviest blow they have received during the war. . . ¹¹

__________

¹¹ “After having broken the impedimenta which closed the passage of the Mississippi, it is again Grant,” writes the Count of Paris of the victory at Chattanooga, “who has just opened the doors of Georgia.  The Federal armies have at last found the warrior worthy to lead them. The bold and skilful manoeuvres which began in the valley of Lookout Mountain, and terminated a month later near the spot where Bragg and Davis had contemplated a Union army besieged at their feet, enhance the glory of the conqueror of Vicksburg. He has proved that his mind, powerful to conceive, firm to execute, is fertile in resources at the critical time.”

SOURCE: James Grant Wilson, Editor, General Grant’s Letters to a Friend 1861-1880, p. 31, 115-6

Ninth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry

The ten companies of the Ninth Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry were ordered by the Governor to rendezvous at Dubuque, as part of the quota of the State under the proclamation of the President dated July 23, 1861, and were mustered into the service of the United States on dates ranging from September 2d to September 24, 1861, by Capt. E. C. Washington, United States Army.

The Hon. Wm. Vandever, then a member of Congress from Iowa, was given authority by the President to organize this regiment from the counties composing his district, and he was commissioned by Governor Kirkwood as its first Colonel. The names of the field and staff and company officers, at the date of muster in, will be found in the subjoined roster, in which will also be found notations of the subsequent changes which occurred on account of death, promotion, resignation, or from whatever cause, together with a paragraph opposite the name of each line officer and enlisted man, arranged in alphabetical order, showing his personal record of service in so far as the same could be obtained from the official records in the Adjutant General's office of the State of Iowa, and the War Department in Washington. That some of these records are very imperfect, and that they may, in some instances, do injustice to the memory of the officers and men of this gallant regiment, is a matter beyond the control of those under whose supervision this great work has been done. Every effort has been made to make this compilation historically correct, in so far as the limitations as to time and space would permit; but, where the records of individual service may have been incorrectly given in the official returns and reports, and no other source of Information was available, there was but one course to pursue, and that was to follow the official records, which, in the main, will be found to be correct.

The last company was mustered September 24, 1861, and, two days later, the regiment, with an aggregate strength of 977 officers and enlisted men, was embarked on steamboats at Dubuque and transported to St. Louis, and, upon its arrival there, marched to Benton Barracks, where it received it first supply of arms, clothing and camp equipage. Here it remained until October 11th, receiving such instruction in military drill as could be given in so short a period of time. It was then ordered to proceed to Franklin, Mo., at which place regimental headquarters were maintained, while companies were detached to different points for the purpose of guarding the railroad from Franklin toward Rolla, Mo. During the three months in which the regiment remained upon this duty it suffered greatly from exposure to the inclement winter weather, and, like all new regiments, was subjected to much sickness on account of such exposure On the last day of the year 1861, the official returns showed a death loss of l7 and 7 discharged on account of disability, total 24; but on the same date it had gained 38 by additional enlistment, and 4 by transfer, making a net gain of 18, and an aggregate of 995. Of this number, however, many were on the sick list, and the hardships which the regiment was called upon to endure, during the active winter campaign which followed, still further reduced its fighting strength, and when it first went into battle it numbered but little more than half the aggregate above stated. January 21, 1862, the regiment was again consolidated, the companies on detached duty having been relieved, and was conveyed by rail to Rolla, Mo., and from there began its first real campaign against the enemy. Marching to Lebanon, Mo., it joined the Army of the Southwest commanded by General Curtis. Colonel Vandever was placed in command of the brigade to which his regiment was attached, leaving Lieut. Col. Frank J. Herron in command of the regiment.

Upon the approach of the Union forces, the rebel General Price evacuated Springfield, which he had occupied during the winter, and began his retreat towards the Ozark Mountains. Then began that remarkable march of General Curtis' army in pursuit of the enemy. The regiment started from Springfield on the 14th of February and, in less than one month, had marched over difficult roads, and much of the time through storms of alternating rain and snow, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles. Arriving at Cross Hollows, Ark., a detachment of three hundred of the regiment was sent upon an expedition to Huntsville — forty miles distant — with the purpose of surprising and capturing a detachment of the enemy stationed there as a guard for commissary stores: but, upon reaching Huntsville, they found the place abandoned, and learned that the rebel army under General Van Dorn was marching to the attack of General Curtis' army, which had fallen back from Cross Hollows and taken up a new position at Pea Ridge. Realizing the danger of being cut off and captured by a superior force, the detachment of the Ninth Iowa at once started to rejoin the command and, after a continuous march of sixteen hours, covering a distance of forty-two miles, it reached the regiment at 8 P. M. March 6th. With only a few hours of rest after this exhausting march, these men went into the memorable battle of Pea Ridge at 10 A. M., March 7. 1862.

The enemy opened the engagement by a fierce attack upon the Union lines, and the Ninth Iowa was in the thickest of the fight. The first attack of the enemy was repulsed, and the Union line advanced, but was in turn compelled to retire under a terrific fire of musketry, grape and canister. Thus the battle raged during the entire day, with alternating temporary advantages for both Union and rebel forces. There were occasional intervals, during which the men on both sides availed themselves of the opportunity to replenish their ammunition and to attend to the removal of their wounded to the rear. The fighting was most persistent and desperate, and in no battle of the war was the valor of the American soldier—upon both sides—more splendidly exhibited. While this was the first time the Ninth Iowa Infantry had met the enemy in battle, its officers and men exhibited the steadiness and bravery of veterans. Had this been the only service rendered by the regiment, it would have been entitled to the lasting gratitude of every patriotic citizen of the Union, which it was there defending against those in armed rebellion against it.

At night the survivors lay upon their arms, ready to renew the conflict at the dawn of day. At daylight the Union artillery again opened upon the enemy, and the fire was promptly returned. In his official report Colonel Vandever says, "At this point, finding ourselves exposed to a raking fire from one of the enemy's batteries on our right, we changed direction to the east. About this time, the First Division coming into position on our left, we joined in the general advance upon the enemy, the whole cavalry force participating, and the artillery co-operating. The enemy here broke into disorder, and the fortune of the day was decided in our favor."

The entire rebel army was soon in full retreat, and the battle of Pea Ridge ended in a brilliant victory for the Union army. At the close of his official report Major General Curtis especially commended Colonel Vandever and the gallant troops of his brigade, and says, "To do justice to all, I would spread before you the most of the rolls of this army, for I can bear testimony to the almost universal good conduct of officers and men, who shared with me the long march, the many conflicts by the way, and the final struggle with the combined forces of Price, McCulloch, McIntosh and Pike, under Major General Van Dorn, at the battle of Pea Ridge." At the close of his official report Colonel Vandever says:

Of the bravery of Lieutenant Colonel Herron, In Immediate command of the Ninth Iowa Infantry, too much can not be said. He was foremost in leading his men, and, with coolness and bravery never excelled, rallied them to repeated attacks of the enemy. Unfortunately near the close of the day on the 7th, he was disabled by a. painful wound, his horse was killed under him, and he was captured by the enemy. Major Coyl, also of the Ninth Iowa, acted with distinguished valor until disabled by a severe wound, and compelled, reluctantly, to leave the field. Adjutant William Scott also deserves great praise. Lieutenant Asher Riley of Company A, my Acting Assistant Adjutant General, deserves particular mention. Upon the fall of Captain Drips and Lieutenant Kelsey, of Company A both distinguished for their bravery. Lieutenant Riley gallantly took command and remained with the company to the end of the battle. Captain Carpenter and Lieutenant Jones of Company B also acted with great bravery, leading their company in the face of the enemy, and bringing off one of our disabled guns and a caisson. Captain Towner and Lieutenant Neff, of Company F, were conspicuous for their bravery. Both of these officers were severely wounded, when the command devolved upon Lieutenant Tisdale, who gallantly led the company through the remainder of the battle. Captain Bull and Lieutenant Rice, of Company C, also deserve particular mention, the latter of whom was killed near the close of the day, while the former was severely wounded. Captain Bevins of Company E was killed upon the field, and the command devolved upon Lieutenant Baker, who acquitted himself with great credit. Captain Washburn, and Lieutenants Beebe and Levrich of Company G, Lieutenants Crane and McGee of Company D, Captain Moore and Lieutenant Mackenzie of Company H, Captain Carskaddon and Lieutenant Claflin of Company K, and Lieutenant Fellows, commanding Company I, also Lieutenant Inman, were all conspicuous for bravery, under the hottest fire of the enemy. I should also mention Sergeant Major Foster and other members of the non-commissioned staff, who did their duty nobly. Many instances of special gallantry occurred among non-commissioned officers and men, during the trying events of the battle, which I cannot here enumerate. Where all did their duty so nobly and well, distinction would be invidious. I can only say that I feel deeply Indebted to every officer and man of my command for the heroic manner in which they have acquitted themselves.


The loss of the regiment was very heavy. Of the 560 who went into the battle, 4 commissioned officers and 34 enlisted men were killed, 5 commissioned officers and 171 enlisted men wounded, and 1 commissioned officer and 3 enlisted men captured, making a total loss of nearly forty per cent of the aggregate number engaged.*

After the battle the regiment had only a brief season of rest. Its next experience was a long, devious and trying march with the Army of the Southwest, through Missouri and Arkansas, covering six hundred miles and ending at Helena, July 17, 1862. During this march the weather was very warm and dry, and the troops suffered greatly from the heat, dust and thirst, and, on the latter part of the march, from insufficient rations. For five weeks of this time the army was cut off from all communication, but fortunately no considerable body of the enemy was encountered and it at last arrived safely at Helena.

Here the regiment went into camp, and for the ensuing five months enjoyed comparative immunity from the hardships and dangers of a soldier's life. It was, however, rendering valuable service in holding an important post, and the time was not spent in idleness. The officers and men utilized the time to the best advantage, in perfecting themselves in military drill and discipline, and, when they again entered upon the duties of active campaigning, they were splendidly equipped for the hard and continuous service which they were called upon to perform during the remainder of their term of service. While the regiment was in camp at Helena, a most pleasing incident occurred, which deserves permanent preservation in this sketch and is thus described by Lieutenant Colonel Abernethy in his "History of the Ninth Infantry":

At Helena a stand of beautiful silk colors reached us, sent by the hands of Miss Phoebe Adams, in behalf of a committee of ladies of Boston, Mass., as a testimonial of their appreciation of our conduct in the battle of Pea Ridge. They were guarded and cherished while in the regiment with religious care. After having been borne over many a proud field, they were, by the unanimous voice of the regiment, given back, riddled and torn — one to the original donors, the other to Brevet Major General Vandever, our original Colonel, who, by his bravery and decision at Pea Ridge and Arkansas Post, with the regiment, and by his honorable record thereafter in other fields, won the confidence and love of his regiment.


December 18, 1862, the regiment was again called into active service, this time on the lower Mississippi, and was assigned to General Thayer's Brigade of General Steele's Division of the Fifteenth Army Corps. It participated in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, December 28th and 29th, where it maintained its good record for bravery under the fire of the enemy. Lieutenant Colonel Abernethy, describing the part taken by his regiment in this battle, says, "The regiment, though under fire the greater part of the 28th and 29th, was only engaged about half an hour of the latter day. While the hardest fighting was in progress, we were being transferred from a point above Chickasaw Bayou to where the main army was massed, reaching there only to go into position as others were falling back. We were soon withdrawn beyond the reach of the rebel batteries lining the hills in our front, and next day embarked, the attempt having been given over."

The regiment next went into camp on the Yazoo River above Vicksburg, where it remained until the close of the year 1862. The official returns show that, during the year, the regiment had gained by additional enlistments 54, and by apointment 2; total gain 56. In the same time it had lost in killed in battle 43, died from wounds 41, and from disease 37; total number of deaths 121; 178 were discharged for disability, and 8 had deserted, making a total loss for the year of 307. Its losses up to the 31st day of December, 1861, had been 24, and its gain by additional enlistment 42. It will thus be seen that, in the one year and three months that the regiment had then served, it had lost 331 officers and men, and had gained 98 by additional enlistment. Its losses thus far had aggregated nearly one-third of those originally mustered and gained by additional enlistment, while it had just entered upon the second year of its three years' term of service.

Early in January, 1863, the regiment was engaged In the movement against Arkansas Post, and on January 11th, when the attack upon the fort was made, it was in the reserve line, waiting for the order to move forward to the assault; but. before the order was given, the enemy raised the white flag in token of surrender, and the regiment had the pleasure of witnessing the fall of that stronghold without loss to itself. January 24th found the regiment again in camp at Young's Point, near Vicksburg. About this time, Colonel Vandever was promoted to Brigadier General, and the officers and men of the Ninth Iowa, while rejoicing in his well-deserved promotion, felt that they were parting from one of the bravest and most efficient commanders, and that it would be difficult to determine who should succeed him. There was an excellent list of officers from which to make the selection. Captain David Carskaddon of Company K was elected and became the second Colonel of the regiment.

Lieutenant Colonel Abernethy, in his history of the Ninth Iowa Infantry thus graphically describes the experience of the regiment for the remainder of the winter of 1863:

The history of the regiment for these two months of February and March is a tale of sorrow. The health of many of its members was already undermined by a six months' sojourn in the miasmatic regions of the Mississippi valley, and it seemed that but few could withstand the debilitating and enervating Influence of this insalubrious climate. The smallpox came now, for the first time, into our ranks. Scores of our number, hitherto stout and rugged, were prostrated past recovery, and now lie buried in shallow graves about the hospitals which once stood In that sickly region; while others only recovered completely, long afterwards, In the mountains of Tennessee and Georgia, or on the sandy plains of the Carolinas. The ordeal of these unpropitious months was the more grievous because it had all the evils of the battlefield, with none of Its honors.


Every true soldier will admit the force and truth of the above statement. The inspiration which comes to men in the midst of battle sustains them in the performance of deeds of valor, but when it comes to the struggle with disease and death, without the tender ministrations of relatives and friends, far from home and all its comforts, the men who endure and die, as well as those who endure and live, must be sustained by a fortitude and courage even greater than that which enables them to perform their whole duty when engaging the enemy in battle.

During the month of April, 1863, the regiment participated in an expedition to Greenville, Miss., and farther into the interior, in which it met the enemy in occasional skirmishes, but the object of the expedition was accomplished without severe fighting. Upon its return from this expedition, it entered upon the campaign which ended in the surrender of the rebel strongholds at Vicksburg and Jackson. Its movements and operations are described by Lieutenant Colonel Abernethy, as follows:

On the 2d day of May, leaving our tents standing at Milliken's Bend, La., the regiment started In light marching order for Grand Gulf, crossed the Mississippi, and commenced on the 8th of May the march In rear of Vicksburg. On the 14th reached Jackson, the State capital of Mississippi, and took part in its capture. Four days later, after some skirmishing in which we lost three wounded, the regiment took position In the outer works which environed Vicksburg. * * *

May 15th, after severe skirmishing, and a final assault, the regiment succeeded in getting and holding an excellent position, about seventy-five yards from the enemy's works. * * *

On the 22d of May, In line with the whole Army of the Tennessee, the regiment went first up to the assault. Its flag went down a few feet from the rebel works, after the last one of its guard had fallen, either killed or wounded, and its dripping folds were drawn from under the bleeding body of its prostrate bearer. In the few terrible moments of this assault, the regiment lost 79 killed and wounded, nearly one-third of the number in action. But that was not all. The assault had failed, and we found ourselves lying in the ravines, behind logs, contiguous to and partly under the protection of the rebel earthworks, above which no traitor could raise his head, except at the expense of his life. There we were compelled to stay until darkness gave us a cover under which to escape. Here I pause to pay the slight tribute of recording their names, to Captain Kelsey, and Lieutenants Jones, Wilbur, and Tyrrell, who fell while leading their companies to the assault, and to Captain Washburn, who was mortally wounded at the head of the regiment.

Our loss in the previous assault of the 19th of May was 16 men, and when, on the morning of Independence Day, the enemy came out and stacked arms and colors on his works, our total recorded loss in the siege was 121.


After the surrender of Vicksburg, the regiment participated in the siege of Jackson, and, after the evacuation of that place, took part in the pursuit of the enemy, and lost one man killed in a skirmish at Brandon. The regiment now went into camp on Black River, Miss., where It remained until September 22d, when it was ordered to Vicksburg, thence by river to Memphis, and from there by rail to Corinth, Miss., from which point it took up the line of march to Chattanooga, and entered upon another campaign which resulted in great success for the cause of the Union, and a crushing defeat to that portion of the rebel army against which the operations were directed. After a march of three hundred miles, during which the regiment had some skirmishes with the rebel General Forrest's troops, it arrived at the foot of Lookout Mountain, Nov. 23, 1863, and, on the 24th, took part in the battle above the clouds, and, later, in the battles of Missionary Ridge and Ringgold. Although not in the heaviest fighting in these three engagements, the regiment accomplished all that was assigned to it. Its losses in killed and wounded during the campaign aggregated 22. It now marched to Woodville, Ala., where it went Into winter quarters Dec. 29, 1863. During the year the regiment had marched 870 miles, and had been conveyed 1,300 miles by water and 100 miles by rail. In the same time, it had met with a total loss of 227 and gained by enlistment 11, leaving an aggregate of 510.

January 1, 1864, 287 men of the regiment re-enlisted as Veteran Volunteers for another term of three years, and under the terms of their enlistment were entitled to a thirty days' furlough, to begin after reaching the State of Iowa. They left Woodville, Ala., February 4, 1864, and reached Dubuque, Iowa, February 14, 1864, at which point they separated for their respective homes. March 16th found the veterans of the regiment re-assembled at Davenport, Iowa, accompanied by 125 recruits. They reached Woodville, Ala., April 10th, having marched from Nashville, a distance of 125 miles. A new supply of arms, clothing and camp equipage was issued to the regiment, and on May 1st, with Colonel Carskaddon In command. It took up the line of march for Chattanooga. In six days it had again reached the scene of military activity, and entered upon another great struggle for the preservation of the Union. The Ninth Iowa Infantry was constantly at the front, on the firing line, and in the trenches, and had its full share in the fighting during the campaign. The compiler of this sketch is compelled, by the limitation of space to which he is restricted, to omit the detailed account of the operations of the regiment given by Lieutenant Colonel Abernethy in his history, from which quotations have heretofore been so freely made. It must here suffice to say that, from the opening to the close of the Atlanta campaign, the Ninth Iowa Infantry displayed the same conspicuous gallantry which had characterized Its career In all the battles In which It had been engaged, from Pea Ridge to Jonesboro. Describing the close of the campaign, Lieutenant Colonel Abernethy says:

At Jonesboro, on the 31st of August, where we were attacked in vain, and for the last time, by the rebel army of Tennessee, we held our position easily, and with comparatively slight loss. The march thence to Lovejoy's Station, and back again to East Point, Ga., by the 8th of September, completed the campaign — a campaign which, for hard and continuous fighting, for severe labor and exposure, for long marches in the hottest weather, for duration and persistent obstinacy, is unparalleled in history. We had marched 400 miles, principally in the night, built 40 different lines of works, crossed three large rivers In the face of a powerful enemy, flanked him away from three of the strongest natural positions In the country, and fought the battles of Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie River, Decatur, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and Lovejoy.

The regiment lost in the campaign since the 1st of May 14 killed, 70 wounded, and 6 captured.


The non-veterans of the regiment were mustered out of the service on the 23d day of September, 1864, the original three years' term for which they had enlisted having expired. For the re-enlisted veterans and recruits there yet remained the experience of the closing campaigns of the war, which, in some respects, were more remarkable than any which had preceded them. On the 4th of October the regiment was again on the march with the army which followed the rebel forces under General Hood through Marietta, Rome, Resaca, and across into Alabama, returning to the vicinity of Atlanta on the 5th of November, having marched 354 miles. November 15th, the regiment, then under the command of its senior captain, Paul McSweeney, began the famous march with General Sherman's army to Savannah and the sea. This remarkable military exploit was accomplished in 35 days, the distance covered being 400 miles. During the year, the regiment had marched 1,400 miles, and traveled by steamboat and railroad 1,900 miles. It had gained by additional enlistment 160, had lost in killed 14 and from other causes 214, leaving an aggregate of 442 on December 31, 1864.

The closing campaign — the trip by sea to Beaufort, S. C, and the march through the states of South and North Carolina — was full of interest and most worthy of being recorded in detail, did space permit. Colonel Carskaddon, who had been wounded at Atlanta, returned to the regiment, and was honorably mustered out by reason of expiration of term of service on February 14, 1865. While the regiment was marching through Georgia, Major George Granger had died in hospital at Nashville, Tenn., and Captain Alonzo Abernethy of Company F had been promoted to Major, January 1, 1865, and was now in command of the regiment, which he led successfully during the remainder of its service. After giving a detailed description of the events which transpired during the long and toilsome march, the Major thus describes the closing scenes in the history of his regiment:

Our severe labors, hardships, and exposures were forgotten in the pleasure of having taken part in this most magnificent of all our campaigns. The remaining history is briefly told. On the 10th of April started with the army to Raleigh, N. C, where we found the rebel leader suing for terms. When these had been given, the regiment started for Washington, D. C, via Petersburg, Richmond, and Alexandria, Va. Reached the latter place on the 19th of May, after a march of 293 miles in the last nineteen days, and 360 miles from Goldsboro, N. C. Took part In the military pageant of May 24th, which consisted of the review of Sherman's army In the streets of Washington. The regiment came thence by rail and steamboat to Louisville, Ky., on the 1st of June. Went Into camp and awaited further orders, which came July 10th to the effect that the remaining regiments of the army of the Tennessee would be at once mustered out of service.

Lieutenant Colonel Coyl had resigned June 17th on account of his having received the appointment of Judge Advocate of the Department of Kentucky. Major Abernethy was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain Inman of Company I to Major. On the 18th of July, the muster out was completed.


The regiment was then sent to Clinton, Iowa, where it was disbanded, and the officers and men returned to their homes.

From the time it started from Dubuque, three years and, ten months from the date of its final muster out, the Ninth Iowa Infantry had marched over 4,000 miles, and traveled by rail and steamboat 6,000 miles. During the year 1865, there had been added by transfer from the Twenty-fifth Iowa 53, by enlistment 15, from the draft rendezvous of the State 129, a total gain of 197. The total losses had been 45, leaving an aggregate of 594 at muster out.

In closing this brief sketch, the compiler again refers to the subjoined roster for the record of personal service of each officer and man of the regiment, in so far as it has been possible to obtain such record. As an organization the Ninth Iowa Infantry has a record of service unsurpassed by that of any regiment which the State sent to the field during the great War of the Rebellion.


SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES.

Total enrollment 1440
Killed 84
Wounded 385
Died of wounds 64
Died of disease 210
Discharged for disease, wounds and other causes 299
Buried in National Cemeteries 139
Captured 32
Transferred 30


* The compiler of this sketch finds this loss statement in the return of casualties of the Army of the Southwest in the battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., attached to the report of Major General Curtis, found on page 205, Series 1, Vol. 8, War of the Rebellion Official Records. In the history of the Ninth Iowa Infantry by Lieut. Col. Alonzo Abernethy, found on page 174 of the Adjutant General's report of the State of Iowa, for the year 1866, the aggregate loss In killed, wounded and captured Is given as 240, making nearly 44 per cent of the number engaged. In either event, the loss was far above the average of the battles of the War of the Rebellion.


SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Volume 2, p. 3-10

Fourth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry

The Fourth Iowa Infantry was organized under the proclamation of the President, dated May 3, 1861. The companies composing the regiment were mustered into the service of the United States at Camp Kirkwood, near Council Bluffs, Iowa, and at Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, Mo., on different dates, ranging from August 8, 1861, to August 31, 1861. The discrepancy in the dates and places of muster in of the companies is accounted for by the official records in the office of the Adjutant General of Iowa, which show that Colonel Dodge was ordered to employ the companies which first reached the designated rendezvous at Council Bluffs, in an expedition to the southern border of Iowa, to repel a threatened rebel invasion of the State. In his official report, the Colonel states that the rebel force, that was being organized, disbanded and scattered upon the approach of the Iowa troops, and the object of the expedition was accomplished without a conflict. In the meantime the other companies, as they arrived at rendezvous, were ordered to proceed to St. Louis, in pursuance of orders from General Fremont, the exigencies of the service requiring the rapid concentration of troops at that place. By the 15th of August, all the companies, except I and K, had reached Benton Barracks. Colonel Dodge further reports that the eight companies which had reached the barracks left there on the 24th of August, for Rolla, Mo., where they joined the troops being concentrated there, and became a part of the Army of the Southwest under General Curtis. The remaining companies — I and K — were not mustered into the service until August 31st and did not leave Benton Barracks until September 13th, when they were sent forward to Rolla, where the full ten companies composing the Fourth Iowa Infantry were for the first time in camp together.

It will thus be seen that — as a full regiment — it had lacked even the brief opportunity for drill and instruction which the three regiments which were first organized in Iowa had been given while in their camps at Keokuk, and that it had to acquire such instruction after taking the field, and in the presence of the enemy. Detachments, consisting of one or more companies of the regiment, were sent out upon reconnoitering expeditions, from time to time, while encamped at Rolla, but no important movement against the enemy was undertaken until January 22, 1862, when the regiment started upon a winter campaign which was to put to the severest test its fortitude, courage and endurance of hardships.

General Curtis was in command of the Union troops, and by vigorous marching endeavored to overtake the rebel army under General Price. It was confidently expected that a battle would occur at Springfield, Mo., but the enemy continued to retreat towards the Ozark mountains, with the Union army following closely in his rear. At Sugar Creek, the advance of General Curtis came up with the rear guard of the enemy, and a brisk engagement ensued, in which the Fourth Iowa — with the brigade to which it belonged — supported the cavalry and artillery which led the advance, and drove the enemy from the field. After repeated maneuvers to gain advantage of position, the two armies at last confronted each other, and it became evident that a great battle was impending. The rebel army, having reached its chosen ground — a strong position at Cross Hollows, near the town of Fayetteville, Ark. — and being reinforced by fresh troops, and bands of savages from the Indian Territory, halted, and awaited the attack of the Union Army. But, instead of making a direct attack, General Curtis, by a skillful movement, succeeded in completely flanking the enemy's position, and making it untenable, and the rebel army was again compelled to retreat.

Subsequently General Curtis' troops were stationed, by divisions, at considerable distances apart, in order to obtain supplies from the surrounding country, and the enemy, taking advantage of this situation, was preparing to attack these separated forces and prevent them from being concentrated. They succeeded in passing the extreme right flank of the Union army during the night of March 6th, but General Curtis was apprised of the movement in time to change front and partially concentrate his forces, and, on the morning of March 7, 1862, the two armies again confronted each other, on the high ground of Pea Ridge, and, after some preliminary maneuvering on both sides, the battle began, and continued during that day and part of the next, ending in a complete victory for the Union army. The following extract from the official report of the part taken by the Fourth Iowa Infantry in the battle of Pea Ridge shows how well the regiment acquitted itself, and how nobly it maintained the honor of the State of Iowa on that field:

On the morning of the 7th of March, it was known that the enemy was advancing and attacking our army in the rear, when the regiment, in pursuance of orders from Colonel Dodge, marched about two miles from camp, and took position near the Elkhorn Tavern, on the right of the brigade, and to the right of the Springfield road going north, near the southern outlet of the Ozark Pass. Two companies were deployed as skirmishers to the front, and soon became desperately engaged with the enemy, who poured shot, shell and minie balls into their ranks incessantly, for two hours, but owing to the dense timber, our loss at this point was not very great. The left wing of the division, and also the left of Colonel Dodge's brigade, was now desperately engaged. Colonel Dodge ordered his lines to be closed, and awaited the attack, in the meantime keeping his skirmishers, and one section of the First Iowa Battery at work until about 2 o'clock, when the enemy ceased firing and drew back. Colonel Dodge changed front to the right, which left the regiment on the extreme right of the brigade, as well as of the whole army. The line being formed and our skirmishers drawn in and in their places in line of battle, the regiment in common with others awaited the concentrated attack of the enemy, whom we saw preparing for it. We did not wait long. The attack was made with apparently ten times our number, accompanied with the most terrific cannonading with grape, canister, solid shot and shell. For full three hours the regiment stood under this terrible fire, which dealt death to its ranks. The regiment being flanked on the right by a greatly superior force of the enemy, and their artillery being in a position to completely enfilade its lines, and the left wing of the division having fallen back to the open fields, leaving the left exposed, which was also flanked, it was compelled to fall back obliquely to the right, which it did in good order, fighting its way out, hard pressed by the overwhelming numbers of the enemy, to the open fields, where it was met by General Curtis who ordered it to fix bayonets, and charge back upon the enemy, which it did gallantly, eliciting from the General in his official report this highest meed of praise. "This regiment won immortal honors." It being now dark, and the enemy having ceased firing, the regiment, after having lost in killed and wounded almost one-half of those actually engaged, marched back to camp, partook of a scanty repast, and. immediately commenced preparations for the deadly conflict impending for the succeeding day, filling their cartridge boxes, and cleaning their guns, which had become very foul. This being done, the regiment was marched back, and bivouacked on the field until daylight, soon after which the fight was resumed by artillery. The regiment took its place again to the extreme right, marching forward in line of battle, pursuing the enemy, who commenced retreating early. It pursued the enemy until it had orders to halt. Soon after this orders were given to march back to the battle ground of the previous day and go into camp. The mention of individual acts of bravery could not be made without being invidious.


The report from which the above extract is made was written by Col. J. A. Williamson who succeeded Lieutenant Colonel Galligan, who commanded the regiment, and was wounded in the battle. Colonel Dodge, in his official report as commander of the First Brigade, says:

The list of killed and wounded in the brigade shows that it fought against fearful odds, and disputed the field with great stubbornness. Every field officer in the brigade was disabled, and had to leave the field, and only two Lieutenants were left in the battery.*

Lieutenant Colonel Galligan rendered efficient service in holding the Fourth Iowa firm, no part of which gave an inch, until the whole was compelled to fall back. I wish to mention especially the bravery and valor of Capt. H. H. Griffith (acting Major) and of Lieut. J. A. Williamson, Brigade Adjutant; also of private, J. W. Bell, Adjutant's clerk, Fourth Iowa, who fell mortally wounded while nobly doing his duty. The conduct of the above named officers came under my personal observation. All did well and fought nobly, in winning a great battle. Capt. W. H. Kinsman with Company B, Fourth Iowa, and two companies of the Twenty-Fourth Missouri, were detached from the brigade and deployed as skirmishers on the extreme left of the division, holding the high ridge on our left flank, which he did efficiently, and with great good judgment, against a greatly superior force of the enemy.


After the battle of Pea Ridge, the regiment remained in camp for several weeks. Col. G. M. Dodge was promoted to Brigadier General shortly after the battle, and Adjutant J. A. Williamson succeeded him as Colonel of the regiment, and Captain Burton succeeded Lieutenant Colonel Galligan, who had resigned. The regiment marched with the army to Helena, and participated in all the hardship and suffering of the succeeding campaign. It remained at Helena during the greater part of the summer and autumn of 1862. It subsequently joined General Sherman's army in the movement down the Mississippi River, against Vicksburg, in which it bore a most conspicuous part. On December 28 and 29, 1862, it participated in the desperate fighting at Chickasaw Bayou, suffering severe loss, and duplicating its record of gallantry at Pea Ridge. On the 10th and 11th of January, 1863, it again engaged in battle at Arkansas Post, after which it returned to Young's Point, landing there January 22, 1863, remaining there and below there at Gregg's Plantation until April 2, 1863, when it went 150 miles up the Mississippi River to Greenville, and from there engaged in the Deer Creek Valley Expedition. Returning to Milliken's Bend, it started on the active campaign against Vicksburg by way of Richmond, La., and Grand Gulf, Miss., to Jackson, Miss., and thence moved to Vicksburg, and became part of the investing force on May 18, 1863.

It engaged actively in the siege operations until the surrender July 4th, when it marched to Jackson and participated in the siege operations there, until the evacuation by the enemy July 16, 1863. After the fall of Jackson, the regiment went into camp on Black River, fourteen miles in rear of Vicksburg, where it remained from July 29, 1863, until September 22, 1863, when it embarked on steamer and proceeded to Memphis, Tenn., from which place it began the march ending at Chattanooga, Tenn., where it arrived November 23, 1863. The regiment participated in the battle of Lookout Mountain, November 24, 1863, in the battle of Missionary Ridge, November 25th, and in the battle of Ringgold on the 27th. On the 3d day of December, 1863, it went into camp at Bridgeport, Ala., and later moved from there to Woodville, where it remained in camp until the 26th of February, 1864, when it was ordered to proceed to Des Moines, Iowa, and report through the Governor of the State to the superintendent of recruiting service, for furlough and reorganization, and at the expiration of the thirty days' furlough — to begin after the regiment reached Des Moines — the regimental commander was ordered to report to Brigadier General Osterhaus, commanding First Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, in the field. In compliance with this order, the veteran soldiers of the Fourth Iowa returned to their State, and enjoyed to the fullest extent the brief respite from the toils and dangers of war, at their own homes, and with their families, and the loyal friends of the cause for which they had suffered and endured so much, and for which they would continue to suffer and endure, until the enemies of the Union should be completely conquered, and a lasting peace secured. At the expiration of its furlough, the regiment returned to the field, and rejoined its brigade and division at Nashville, Tenn., from which place It moved forward and participated actively in the great campaign which led up to the siege and culminated in the fall of Atlanta.

From Atlanta began the remarkable campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas, and the march with Sherman to the sea, in which the Fourth Iowa Infantry had its full share. The regiment participated in the battles of Columbia, S. C, and Bentonville, N. C, and continued on the march to Richmond and thence to Washington, where it marched, with many other Iowa regiments, in the grand review of the battle scarred and war worn soldiers of the armies of the West.

After remaining for some time in camp near Washington, the regiment proceeded to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out of the service July 24, 1865, having served nearly four years. The compiler of this brief historical sketch of the service of this splendid Iowa regiment has made diligent search among the official records, and has found a mass of reports, and correspondence connected directly with the history of its service, which — but for the limitations under which he is working — would enable him to increase this sketch to the proportions of a good sized volume. In response to the request of the Adjutant General of Iowa, near the close of the war, Col. J. A. Williamson wrote a condensed report of the operations of the regiment, which extended over a very wide field, in many southern states, but could not give a list of "posts" occupied. He says, "I can hardly realize the meaning of the term as connected with this regiment. We have stopped from time to time to rest, after an active campaign, but never had charge of any post, or fixed camp, from the time the regiment was really equipped for the field at Rolla, Mo., in the fall of 1861." Only those who have had the same experience can realize the feeling, which old soldiers had in common, that it was useless to make definite calculation upon remaining even a single day in one locality. While troops did remain in the same camp, sometimes for weeks, or months, they never knew how quickly a change would be made, and therefore, in time of war, the soldier's life is very much the same as that of the Nomads, ready to break camp and to move upon the shortest notice. Such was, in a most pronounced degree, the experience of the Fourth Iowa Infantry during its long period of service from 1861 to 1865.

The subjoined roster, summary of casualties, list of those buried in National Cemeteries, and of those who were captured by the enemy and confined in rebel prisons, have been carefully compiled from the official records.

The paragraph after each name in the roster gives briefly the history of the service he rendered, and the descendants of the soldiers of this gallant regiment may here learn how well and faithfully they served their country in her hour of greatest need, and know that a great and grateful commonwealth has herein discharged a high duty to the memory of her brave sons.

Inseparably connected with the history of this regiment is that of the man who first commanded it, and under whom it won its first glorious victory. Subsequently he won high honor as a General and enjoyed the personal friendship and confidence of President Lincoln and General Grant. Since the close of the war, he has achieved fame and distinction in civil life. Through all his career he has cherished the memory of the men of his old regiment, and has — from time to time — given evidence of his abiding friendship for them. This is therefore an appropriate place to record the official military history of Iowa's most distinguished soldier. The record is compiled from the files of the War Department in Washington and of the Adjutant General's office of the State of Iowa, and is therefore officially correct.


MILITARY RECORD OF MAJOR GENERAL GRENVILLE M. DODGE.

Captain Council Bluffs Guards July 15, 1856.

Appointed Colonel Fourth Iowa Infantry June 17, 1861, and ordered into camp at Council Bluffs.

Commissioned Colonel Fourth Iowa Infantry July 6, 1861.

During July marched with part of his regiment to Missouri State line against Poindexter, who, with 1,200 Confederates, was threatening Southwestern Iowa. Poindexter retreated when Dodge approached.

Reported at St. Louis with Fourth Iowa Infantry August 13, 1861.

Proceeded to Rolla, Mo., August 24, 1861.

Assigned to command of post at Rolla, October 9, 1861.

Commanded expeditions to Houston and Salem, November 1, 1861. Enemy defeated in both engagements.

Wounded in left leg, December 15, 1861.

Assigned to command of First Brigade, Fourth Division, Army of Southwest, January 21, 1862. Advanced to Springfield. That place occupied February 13, 1862.

In engagements at Sugar Creek, February 17, 1862, and Cane Creek, February 20, 1862.

Defeated Gates' command at Blackburn's Mills, February 27, 1862.

Battle of Pea Ridge, March 6, 7 and 8, 1862. Wounded in right side.

Commissioned Brigadier General of Volunteers, March 31, 1862.

Reported to Major General Halleck at Corinth, June 6, 1862, and ordered by him to report to Brig. Gen. W. F. Quimby, commanding District of Columbus, to rebuild Mobile & Ohio Railroad.

June 28, 1862, assigned to command of Central Division, Army of Tennessee, with headquarters at Trenton, Tenn.

Finished rebuilding Mobile & Ohio Railroad in August and built stockades and earthworks at all its important bridges and stations.

During the time in command at Trenton the captures of Dyersburg, Huntington and O'Brien were made, and Villipigue was defeated on the Hatchie River.

September 29, 1862, by order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, was assigned to the command of the District of Columbus, Ky.

Captured Colonel Faulkner and his command at Island No. 10. Also captured the State troops and conscripts, some 1,400 in number, twenty-three miles west of New Madrid.

October 30, 1862, assigned by order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant to command Second Division Army of Tennessee, at Corinth, Miss.

November 15, 1862, assigned to command of the District of Corinth, by order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant.

Extensive fortifications and important works in and around Corinth finished while holding that command.

December 1, 1862, a combined movement was made from Holly Springs and Corinth in which his troops captured Tupelo and Okolona, Miss., defeating the enemy and capturing the stores at those places.

December, 1862, by order of Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, moved to Lexington and Spring Creek, Tenn., driving Forrest across the Tennessee River.

February, 1863, attacked Van Dorn's column at Tuscumbia, Ala. Place was captured with its stores, artillery, etc.

April, 1863, in command of Second Division, part of Fifth Division and portion of Cavalry Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps. Made expedition in Northern Alabama, defeating the forces of the enemy in the Tuscumbia Valley. During the movement the fights at Bear Creek, Cherokee, Burton Station, Leighton and Town Creek occurred. Immense quantities of stores for Bragg's army were captured and destroyed.

April, 1863, Chalmers and Ruggles were attacked and defeated at Tupelo.

June, 1863, crossed the Tennessee River at Savannah. Moved into Van Dorn's rear. Captured the town of Florence, defeating its garrison.

June 19, 1863, attacked Furgeson's command on Big Muddy, and stopped raid on Memphis & Charleston Railroad. Fighting was severe and loss considerable.

July 8, 1863, assigned to command of left wing Sixteenth Army Corps with headquarters at Corinth.

July 14, 1863, defeated a portion of Roddy's command at Jackson, Tenn., and captured a large number of prisoners.

August 15, 1863, made raid on Granada, Miss., capturing a large number of locomotives, cars, railroad stocks, stores, etc., and defeated the enemy at Water Valley and Granada.

While in command at Corinth organized and mustered into the service First West Tennessee Cavalry, First Alabama Cavalry, First Alabama Colored Infantry, and several companies of colored troops for siege artillery.

October 30, 1863, command was attached to command of Major General Sherman then moving into Middle Tennessee.

During months of November and December, 1863, rebuilt Nashville & Decatur Railroad, also pontoon bridges across Tennessee River at Decatur, Ala., and the Duck and Elk rivers, and constructed good and substantial earthworks and stockades at all the important bridges and points. During this time the command had several engagements with the enemy, and captured and fortified Decatur, Ala.

January, 1864, organized and mustered into service Second and Third Regiments Alabama Colored Infantry.

May 5, 1864, in command Sixteenth Army Corps in the field at Atlanta campaign. Took part in the battles and engagements at Ships Gap May 6th, Snake Creek Gap May 9th, Resaca May 11th, Estounula River May 12th, Kenesaw Mountain, Roswell, Decatur July 21st, Atlanta July 22d, Ezra Church July 28th.

Commissioned Major General June 7, 1864.

Wounded in head August 19, 1864.

October 14, 1864, ordered to City Point, Va., to visit General Grant.

November 3, 1864, assigned to command of District of Vicksburg and to command of left wing Sixteenth Army Corps.

December 2,1864, assigned to the command of Department and Army of Missouri.

December 9, 1864, commissioned Major General Missouri State Militia.

January 30, 1865, Department of Kansas added to Department of Missouri.

Gen. Jeff C. Thompson surrendered Confederate forces in Arkansas.

During January, February and March, 1865, made Indian campaigns on the plains, opening up the stage lines and rebuilding telegraph lines which had been destroyed by the Indians.

1865-66, made Indian campaigns extending from Arkansas River on south to Yellowstone on north. In these campaigns several severe battles were fought by forces under Generals Sanborn, Ford, Conner, and Colonels Cole, Walker and others. Treaties of peace were made with the Comanches, Apaches, Southern Cheyennes, and other Southern Tribes, and a council was held with the Northern Cheyennes, Arapahoes and Sioux at Fort Laramie, and basis for treaty agreed upon. For services in this campaign received the thanks of the Legislature of Iowa.

Resigned March 1, 1866.

Accepted May 30, 1866.


SUMMARY OF CASUALTIES.

Total Enrollment 1557
Killed 61
Wounded 338
Died of wounds 54
Died of disease 239
Discharged for wounds, disease and other causes 333
Captured 49
Buried in National Cemeteries 136
Transferred 37


*Colonel Dodge was himself wounded in the right side.


SOURCE: Roster & Record of Iowa Soldiers During the War of the Rebellion, Vol. 1, p. 527-33

COLONEL MILO SMITH

TWENTY-SIXTH INFANTRY.

Milo Smith was born in the State of Vermont, about the year 1819. At the time of entering the service he was a resident of Clinton, Iowa. He was commissioned colonel of the 26th Iowa, the 10th day of August, 1862; was mustered into the United States service on the 30th of the following September; and served with his regiment in the field until after the fall and occupation of Savannah, when he resigned his commission and returned to his home in Clinton.

I know more of the 26th Iowa than of its colonel. The regiment, like all the regiments of its old brigade, has a splendid record. It was raised in Clinton and adjoining counties, in the summer and early fall of 1862, and proceeding to the front arrived at Helena, Arkansas, in the latter part of the following October. The first military movements in which it joined were the White River and Tallahatchie marches. It also joined General Sherman in his operations against Vicksburg, late in December, 1862, by way of Chickasaw Bayou and the Walnut Hills; but in the severe and disastrous fighting which took place at that point, it took no part, being detached from its brigade, and engaged on pioneer-duty.

The regiment's first engagement was Arkansas Post. This battle was not only its first, but, judging from its list of casualties, the severest one in which it ever took part. Its position on the field was exposed, and it was not only subjected to a severe fire from the enemy's artillery, but to a direct and partially enfilading musketry-fire. The regiment went into the engagement with an aggregate, in officers and enlisted men, of four hundred and forty-seven, and lost, in killed and wounded, one hundred and nineteen. Two officers were killed, and six wounded. The killed were Lieutenants P. L. Hyde and J. S. Patterson; Lieutenant James McDill died of his wounds a few days after the engagement. Colonel Milo Smith was slightly wounded in the leg. Among the enlisted men killed were Corporal Shaffer, Pankow, Delong and J. E. Stearns. Lieutenants William R. Ward and Edward Svendsen were wounded.

The engagement at Arkansas Post took place on the 11th of January, 1863; and on the 13th instant the regiment left that place on transports for Young's Point, Louisiana.

General Steele's Division, of General Sherman's Corps, to which the 26th Iowa was attached, was the one selected by General Sherman to open up a passage through Deer Creek to the Yazoo River, and thereby gain the high lands to the rear of Haines' Bluff and Vicksburg.

The following is from General Grant's official report of his operations against Vicksburg:

"On the 14th day of March, Admiral D. D. Porter, commanding the Mississippi squadron, informed me that he had made a reconnoissance up Steele's Bayou, and partially through Black Bayou, towards Deer Creek; and so far as explored, these water-courses were reported navigable for the smaller iron-clads. Information, given mostly, I believe, by the negroes of the country, was to the effect that Deer Creek could be navigated to Rolling Fork, and that from there, through the Sun-Flower to the Yazoo River, there was no question about the navigation. On the following morning, I accompanied Admiral Porter in the ram Price, several iron-clads preceding us, up through Steele's Bayou to near Black Bayou.

The expedition was promptly dispatched, and as a co-operating infantry force, Sherman, with Steel's Division, was sent up to Eagle's Bend and marched across the country from that point. I need not add the expedition was a failure.

"All this may have been providential, in driving us ultimately to a line of operations, which has proven eminently successful." And so thought all who accompanied the expedition.

In this connection, mention should not be omitted of the other expedition, to which the one in question was only supplemental. The Yazoo Pass Expedition had already been organized and sent out, and was now blocked by the rebel Fort Pemberton at Greenwood. The junction of the Sun-Flower Bayou with the Yazoo River was between Fort Pemberton and Haines' Bluff; and General Grant hoped to introduce a force between that fort and the high grounds above Haines' Bluff. Had he succeeded, the rebel works at Greenwood would not only have been rendered untenable and the garrison compelled to fly east to escape capture, but the two Federal forces, united, would have been sufficiently strong to possess and defend the desired point.

The enterprise was burdened with most annoying and stubborn obstacles, to overcome which no man who possessed less hope and persistency than Grant would have attempted. But Vicksburg would never have been captured from this direction, and I doubt whether Grant ever honestly expected it. The former of these expeditions was christened by the soldiers " the back-water," and the latter, the " Deer Creek raid."

In the meantime, General Grant, having settled on the plan which promised and resulted in success, recalled the detached portions of his army, and concentrated it on the west bank of the Mississippi, above Vicksburg. The 26th Iowa returned with its division to Milliken's Bend on the 25th of April, and on the 2d of May following marched with Sherman for Grand Gulf and Jackson, and thence to the rear of Vicksburg. In this march the regiment failed to meet the enemy in a single general engagement. It arrived at the Walnut Hills the 18th of May, and all that afternoon skirmished with the enemy, they gradually falling back to their strong works encircling the city. The heavy skirmishing of the following day the regiment engaged in, as it also did in the assault which was made the same afternoon. Its position before Vicksburg was north of the city. It was in Steele's Division, which held the right of the besieging line.

What followed in the long and arduous siege is given elsewhere. But one general assault was made after the 19th instant — that of the memorable 22d of May; and in that the 26th Iowa participated. Up to and including this disastrous day, the 26th Iowa lost in its skirmishes and assaults some forty in killed and wounded. Colonel Smith and Lieutenants Rider, Noble, and Maden were among the wounded.

After the fall of Vicksburg, the 26th Iowa joined the army of General Sherman in the pursuit of Johnson to Jackson, where it arrived on the 10th of July. It remained there during the eight days' siege, without meeting the enemy. It next marched to Brandon; then back to Jackson, and thence to Big Black River, where it remained in camp till the 23d of the following September, when it left with three divisions of its corps to reinforce the Army of the Cumberland, at Chattanooga. This march was accomplished without any fighting, if we except the affairs which General Osterhaus had with the enemy at Cherokee Station and beyond that place, in the direction of Tuscumbia, Alabama. The 26th Iowa was attached to this division, and participated in some of these affairs, but suffered no loss. In the meantime, General Sherman was preparing to cross the Tennessee at Chickasaw Landing; and the object of Osterhaus' advance to Tuscumbia, I do not understand, unless it was to draw the attention of the enemy from Sherman's real purpose, which was to reach Chattanooga by way of Florence, Alabama, Fayetteville and Winchester, Tennessee, and Bridgeport.

Returning to Chickasaw, General Osterhaus crossed the river with his division, and moved on after the main column; for Sherman was already well under way. He did not arrive in Lookout Valley until the evening of the 23d of November, and was too late to operate with Sherman's forces against the northern point of Mission Ridge. He was therefore ordered to report to General Hooker; and thus it happened that the 4th, 9th, 25th, 26th, 30th and 31st Iowa regiments, all of General Osterhaus' Division, engaged the enemy on Lookout Mountain. The 26th Iowa fought in the battle of Lookout Mountain in the afternoon and night of the 24th of November, after which it moved across the valley to engage the enemy on Mission Ridge; for the enemy had been routed and Lookout gained by our forces early on the morning of the 25th.

At Mission Ridge the 26th Iowa, and also the 25th, were separated from their division, and made a sort of Corps of Observation to watch the enemy's cavalry from near Rossville Gap. Neither of these regiments were therefore engaged at this point. But on the flight of General Bragg the night of the 25th instant, the 26th Iowa was near the van in its division, which led the advance in the pursuit. Osterhaus came up with the enemy at Ringgold as previously stated, and at Ringgold the 26th engaged them from behind their works, and suffered greater loss than it had done in the whole campaign before. In the engagement at Lookout Mountain, the loss of the regiment was only five wounded, among whom was Lieutenant-Colonel Ferreby. At Mission Ridge it was not engaged. Its loss at Ringgold on the 27th was three men killed — McDonnell, Beddon and Phillips — and nine wounded. Among the latter were Captain Steele, and Lieutenants Hubbard and Nickel. Captain Steele, a brave and efficient officer, died of his wounds soon after the engagement.

On the close of the Chattanooga Campaign, the 26th Iowa returned with its division to Bridgeport, and in the latter part of December was ordered to Woodville, Alabama, on the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, where it went into Winter quarters. On the opening of the Spring Campaign against Atlanta, it marched to the front: since that time its services have been nearly the same as those of the other Iowa regiments of its division. Moving via Gordon Mills and Snake Creek Gap, the regiment came on the enemy at Resaca, where it first engaged him. It subsequently engaged the enemy at New Hope Church, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, before Atlanta, and at Jonesboro; but in none of these engagements was its loss severe. At Big Shanty, it lost one enlisted man killed, and one officer and six men wounded. In the terrible fight before Atlanta on the 22d of July, the regiment lost only five men wounded; and, at Jonesboro, its loss was one officer and four men wounded.

After joining in the pursuit of Hood in his celebrated flank movement northward, the 26th Iowa returned to near Vining Station, on the Chattahoochie, where it rested and fitted for the march to Savannah. The history of this march, and of that from Savannah to Raleigh, will be found in the sketches of those officers whose regiments belonged to the 15th Corps' Iowa Brigade. I have already said that the 26th Iowa was attached to this brigade.

On the arrival of his regiment at Savannah, Colonel Smith resigned his commission.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 415-20

COLONEL GEORGE AUGUSTUS STONE

TWENTY-FIFTH INFANTRY.

George Augustus Stone is a native of New York State, and was born in the town of Schoharie, on the 13th of October, 1833. In 1839 his father removed with his family to the then Territory of Iowa, and settled in Washington county. Here young Stone resided, attending common school a principal portion of the time, till 1849, when he removed to Mt. Pleasant. After completing his studies at the Mt. Pleasant schools, he was received into the banking house at that place, and, in 1851, was appointed cashier of the bank, which position he held till the spring of 1861. Early in the spring of 1861 he assisted in recruiting Company F, 1st Iowa Infantry, Captain Samuel M. Wise, and on its organization was elected its first lieutenant. He served with his regiment in Missouri during its three month's term of service, and took part in the battle of Wilson's Creek.

Lieutenant Stone's term of service in the 1st Iowa expired in August, and, in the following October, he was commissioned a major in the 4th Iowa Cavalry, with which regiment he served till the 10th of August, 1862, when he was promoted to the colonelcy of the 25th Iowa Infantry.

In November, 1862, Colonel Stone's regiment arrived at Helena, Arkansas, whence it sailed, in the latter part of December following, on the expedition against Vicksburg by way of Chickasaw Bayou. Chickasaw Bayou was its first engagement. Its second was Arkansas Post, and there, like the 26th Iowa, it suffered severely, losing in killed and wounded more than sixty. The regiment was attached to Hovey's Brigade, of Steele's Division — the division which did the fighting and captured the strong-hold. It served as a support to the 76th Ohio, and just in rear of that regiment charged through an open field in the face of a withering fire from the enemy's artillery and musketry. Passing the enemy's obstructions, it advanced to within one hundred yards of their works; and in that position engaged them for nearly three hours, and until the garrison surrendered. So cool and gallant was its conduct, that a Texan colonel, captured with the garrison, remarked: " I was almost sure those were Iowa troops."

Five commissioned officers were wounded in this engagement — Captains Palmer and Bell, and Lieutenants Stark, Orr, and Clark. Nine enlisted men were killed, among whom were Sergeant Zickafoose, and Corporals Wilson and James W. Thompson. Adjutant S. P. Clark, who was wounded severely in the leg, was conspicuous for his cool and gallant conduct "He earned and received the praise of the entire regiment." Privates Hiram Payne and B. F. Weaver, who bore the colors of the regiment, earned and received equal praise.

After the Deer-Creek-Sun-Flower-&c. expedition, the 25th Iowa marched with Sherman, via Jackson, to the rear of Vicksburg; but, like the 26th Iowa, failed to meet the enemy till it arrived before the doomed city. Being in the same division with the 26th Iowa, its services before Vicksburg were nearly the same as those of that regiment. In the charge of the 22d of May, it was one of the front regiments in the charging line, and, with its colonel in the advance, moved against a strong fort on the north side of the city. It passed unfalteringly through the galling fire that met it as it moved upon and along the hights in plain view and within shot range of the enemy, but was unable to carry the rebel works, and after holding its position till night was, with the balance of the division, ordered to retire to the position it occupied in the morning. On that day, Private Isaac Mickey, of the enlisted men of the regiment, most distinguished himself.

An account of the march on Jackson, Mississippi, and the evacuation of that city by Johnson, after the fall of Vicksburg, having been given in other parts of this volume, I need simply state that the 25th Iowa took part in those operations. After the termination of that expedition, the regiment returned with its division to the Big Black River, where it remained till the 23d of September following, when it moved with General Sherman on the march to Chattanooga. The 1st Division of the 15th Corps, to which the 25th Iowa was attached and which was commanded by Brigadier-General P. J. Osterhaus, was the only one that engaged the enemy on this march. The fighting, which was not severe, took place at and between Cherokee Station, Alabama, and Tuscumbia, and, to give an idea of its character, I quote from the official statement of Colonel George A. Stone:

"On Sunday evening, October 25th, at Cherokee, our division received marching orders for 4 A. M. next day; and accordingly the division moved at the hour indicated, in the direction of Tuscumbia, in light marching order, and in fine fighting condition. The 1st Brigade, Brigadier-General C. R. Woods commanding, had the advance, and ours, the 2d Brigade, Colonel A. J. Williamson commanding, the rear. General Osterhaus' orders were very imperative and strict concerning the tactical arrangement of battalions, as the enemy, but some three miles in front of us, was composed entirely of cavalry, and our equal fully in numerical strength. About two miles from camp we met the enemy's skirmishers, and here formed line of battle, the 1st Brigade on the right, and the 2d on the left, with one of the other divisions of our corps as a reserve. My position was on the extreme left, and, n accordance with orders, I formed a square to repel cavalry, first, however, having covered my front properly with skirmishers. Our skirmishers pushed the enemy so vigorously and our lines followed so promptly, that, after a short resistance, he fell back to another position some four miles to his rear, and made another stand. The same disposition was made again by our division, the same sharp, short fighting, and the same result — the retreat of the enemy. We continued this skirmishing during the entire day, and renewed it on the 27th, literally fighting them from Cherokee to Tuscumbia. We entered the town at 3 P. M. on the 27th."

The 25th Iowa in these operations lost only one man — Sergeant Nehemiah M. Redding — who was killed on the skirmish line. Other regiments suffered more severely. In this connection I should state that there had been fighting on the 21st of the same month, on the entrance of Osterhaus' Division into Cherokee Station. It was in the affair of that day that the lamented Colonel Torrence, of the 30th Iowa, was killed.

Returning to Cherokee on the 28th instant, Colonel Stone marched thence with his regiment back to Chickasaw Landing, and crossed the Tennessee with his division, on the 4th of November. The march from that point to Chattanooga was continued without incident. The division of Osterhaus not arriving till the evening of the 23d of November, and being too late to operate with Sherman above Chattanooga, was ordered to report to General Hooker, who, on the following day, was to assault the enemy on Lookout Mountain. For the part taken by the 25th Iowa in the engagement on and around Lookout Mountain, on the 24th of November, I again quote from a statement of Colonel Stone:

"At 9:30, A. M., I had orders to go to the front, just under a point of rocks on Lookout Mountain, to support the guns of Battery I, 1st New York Artillery, now in position, and two of which guns were protected by being hastily casemated. This position I retained during the day, and on account of the admirable place for defense, and the inability of the enemy to sufficiently depress his guns, I found at dark I had not lost a man.

"Nothing could exceed the grandeur of this battle from the point at which we viewed it. [The position of the 25th Iowa was at a point on the north end of Lookout Mountain]. Every gun from Raccoon Mountain to Moccasin Point was in plain view, and our lines of infantry so close that acquaintances were easily recognized. At 12 M., the grand attack began, and soon the smoke of the battle hung over and enveloped the mountain, like a funeral pall; and the whole battle, like a panorama, passed around and before us."

This was the first battle whose progress the 25th Iowa had witnessed without being engaged; and the recollections of that afternoon will never be effaced from the memories of the regiment. But the scenery of the following night was even more terribly magnificent; for the fighting continued around and up the mountain until long after mid-night.

In the engagement on Lookout Mountain, the regiment suffered no loss: nor did it, in that of the following day on Mission Ridge. In the latter it was not engaged, being detached, with the 26th Iowa, for the purpose of anticipating an attack, which it was supposed two regiments of rebel cavalry designed making on the left. But it followed in pursuit of General Bragg's flying forces to Ringgold, and engaged the enemy there in their strong works, on the morning of the 27th of November.

Ringgold, which is planted among the broken, irregular hills of Northern Georgia, is about twenty-five miles south of Chattanooga. On a line of these hills the enemy had taken up an intrenched position in considerable force, which, contrary to the expectation of General Osterhaus, they held stubbornly. To dislodge them it became necessary to deploy the division so as to carry the works by assault. The position of the 25th Iowa, in the assaulting line, was at the front and on the extreme left in an open field. On the hill in its front were the enemy, protected by abattis and breast-works. A point of this hill, which was rocky and in places precipitous, extended down to the field where the 25th stood in position. Up this the regiment was to charge. On rugged points, both to the right and left, the enemy's infantry were posted, so as to rake by a right and left flanking fire the assaulting party. In front of the regiment were two rebel colors, defended doubtless by two rebel regiments. This then was the position of the 25th Iowa, when the advance was sounded.

The contest now began along the whole line, and lasted for about an hour; when the enemy, no longer able to withstand the cool, steady valor of their assailants, fled from their works and hastened on to Dalton.

The loss of the 25th Iowa at Ringgold was twenty-nine wounded. None were killed. Of the twenty-one officers who entered the fight, seven were struck.

After the battle at Ringgold, the 25th Iowa marched back to Chattanooga, and thence, via Bridgeport, to Woodville, Alabama, where, with its brigade, it went into Winter quarters. It remained in Winter quarters, however, only about a month; for, on the organization of General Matthies' temporary Division to march to the relief of Knoxville, it was assigned to that command, and on the 11th of February, 1864, broke camp and again took the field. It was rumored when the division left Bridgeport, that it was to march only to Chattanooga, where, being relieved by other troops, it would be permitted to remain on guard-duty. But there was in store no such good fortune; for, on the morning of the 16th instant, it resumed the march eastward in the direction of Cleveland.

It was now the season of the year when the Southern Winter was breaking, and the alternating rain and sunshine, and cold and heat did not contribute to the good nature of the troops; and, as they trudged on through the mud, their minds soured at what they called the injustice of the commanding general. "He don't care a d—n, as long as he can ride a horse," and "If I could catch him a-foot, if I didn't give him an appetite for his hard-tack," and other like expressions were not unfrequently heard on this march. No veteran infantry trooper will wonder at these spiteful ebullitions; for it should be remembered that these troops were all of the 15th Corps, who, during the three past months, had marched nearly four hundred miles, and fought in three hard battles.

After the march to Cleveland, which resulted in nothing of special interest, the 25th Iowa returned to Woodville, where it remained till its division left for the front to join General Sherman in his grand campaign against Atlanta. The events of that campaign, in which the 25th Iowa took an honorable part, will be found elsewhere, as will also the history of Sherman's march from Atlanta to Savannah, and from Savannah to Raleigh, North Carolina.

In the operations of General Sherman in his march from Savannah to Raleigh, the capture of Columbia, South Carolina, is conspicuous. The credit of this affair belongs to the Iowa Brigade of the 15th Corps, to which the 25th Iowa Infantry was attached.

The question as to who was entitled to the honor of having first planted the American Flag on the Capitol buildings at Columbia, has been in some doubt. It is claimed by Justin C. Kennedy of the 13th Iowa, and by Colonel George A. Stone. The following I believe to be correct history: The 15th Corps' Iowa Brigade, commanded by Colonel G. A. Stone, forced the enemy back and captured the city; but in the meantime, Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy, with a few men, crossed the Congaree in a rickety boat, and, hurrying on to the city, succeeded in first gaining both the old and new Capitol buildings. The banner of the 13th Iowa, in the hands of Colonel Kennedy, was the first to wave from the buildings; but the first American Flag was that belonging to the 31st Iowa, which was planted by the hands of Colonel Stone. But Iowa's brave sons should not allow jealousies to sully their fair lame. It is enough for the State to know that her soldiery received the surrender of Columbia.

For several weeks after the battles around Chattanooga, Colonel Stone commanded the Iowa Brigade. He also commanded this brigade on the march from Savannah to Goldsboro and Raleigh. He is an excellent young officer — prompt, precise and sprightly. He is a middle-sized man, with black hair, and merry, brown eyes. In appearance, he is quite youthful I never saw him but once, and that was while I was in the service, and just after he had succeeded to a brigade command. A stalwart captain was riding by his side, and both were enveloped in ponchos; for it rained in those days about Bridgeport. The captain I took for the commander, and the colonel for an aid, or orderly.

The colonel is proud and ambitious, and is happily free from that self-importance — a sort of pseudo-dignity — which seems to afflict army officers conversely in proportion to their merit.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 407-14

BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERAL C. R. WEVER

THIRD COLONEL, SEVENTEENTH INFANTRY.

Brevet General Clark Russell Wever was born in Hornsfield, Jefferson county, New York, on the 16th day of September, 1835. He resided with his parents until he attained his majority, and then visited Mexico and Texas. After traveling extensively through those countries, he returned to his native county, where he remained till the year 1858. In the fall of that year he removed West, and settled in Burlington, Iowa, where he opened a broker- and exchange-office. He subsequently removed to Carthage, Illinois, which was his place of residence at the time he entered the service. He assisted in recruiting Company D, 17th Iowa Infantry, early in 1862, and, on its organization, was chosen its captain. He accompanied his regiment South, and was with it during the siege of Corinth, and on the march to Boonville; but soon after it started on the Ripley march, he was attacked with typhoid fever, and sent back to Corinth. He lay in the Clear Springs and Corinth Hospitals for several weeks, and until it was thought by the surgeons that he could not recover his health in that climate. He was then sent North, where he remained till the following October, when he re-joined his regiment at Moscow, Tennessee, just before it started on its march down through Central Mississippi. On the resignation of Colonel Hillis, before Vicksburg, he was promoted to the colonelcy of the 17th Iowa Infantry. I should not omit to state that he had been promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of his regiment, In the preceding October, soon after he re-joined it at Moscow.

From October, 1863, until after the fall of Vicksburg, his history and that of his regiment are the same. He was present with it in every campaign, and in every battle.

In writing the history of the 17th Iowa, I could fill a volume; but I must confine myself to leading events. From Champion's Hill the regiment marched to the rear of Vicksburg, and took up its place in line. It was in reserve in the charge of the 22d of May, and lost only seven men. The place where it suffered most during the siege was at Fort Hill, on the Jackson and Vicksburg road.

General Logan's pet scheme for breaking the enemy's line, and forcing the surrender of Vicksburg, was the blowing up of Fort Hill, and the occupation of its site. The Fort was a work of considerable elevation, and of prodigous strength, and was the key to a large extent of the rebel fortifications. Securely lodged here, and General Logan would have been in a position to enfilade their lines, both on the right and left, and render their works untenable. The mining had all been completed, and the fuse was ready for lighting, by noon of the 25th of June; and that afternoon was fixed upon as the time for the explosion.

From the Union lines, a narrow, deep trench led to the fort, running up the hill in a north-westerly direction, and near the celebrated oak, under which Grant and Pemberton afterward arranged the terms of capitulation. This trench, just before the explosion, had been filled with troops, who in the confusion that would follow were to rush in, occupy and fortify the position. The explosion took place just before sun-down, and was a sight of terrible magnificence. For a moment the air was filled with earth, boards, blocks of wood, cotton-bales and human beings. Of the latter, many were buried in the debris, and some thrown into the Union lines; and among these was a poor negro, who, dead with fright, plead for his life on the ground that, "he had only jus done come out from de city to bring his massa's dinner."

The troops in the trenches now rushed into the crater, which had been formed by the explosion; but, although the enemy were surprised, they would not yield their position. On the outside of the crest of the fort and toward Vicksburg, they swarmed in great numbers; and, by their peculiar mode of attack, made it impossible for the Federal troops to fortify. They used both musketry and hand-grenades — from six- to twelve-pound shells. Though this mining scheme was General Logan's own, he was not limited to his own troops to push it to consummation; and General Smith's (formerly Quimby's) Division was called on for reinforcements. The 17th Iowa was one of the poor unfortunates; and early in the evening this regiment, with the 56th Illinois, marched out into the trench above alluded to. It was ordered into the crater by reliefs, the first relief entering a little before eleven at night: the reliefs were three, and altogether held the crater a little more than three hours. Perdition, painted in the most glaring and hideous colors of the most rigorous theology, could not be a more horrible place for poor mortals, than was this crater for the unfortunate soldiers.

That night was one of gloom and terror for the 17th Iowa, and will never be forgotten; though, to portray correctly the scene of mortal strife and anxiety, is utterly impossible. The night was dark and gloomy; and as the brave troops stood in the approaches, awaiting their turn in the fearful carnage, they were greeted by the heavy and incessant booming of artillery for miles around, and the screaming of shells, flying and bursting in every direction. On the hill in their front was the crater, filled and defended by Union troops, and assaulted on three sides by a chagrined and infuriated enemy. Friend and foe were separated only by a thin crest of earth; and so near were they together that they could touch each other with the muzzles of their guns. This scene of strife, which was lighted up by the constant explosion of hand-grenades and the discharge of musketry, was appalling; and yet the brave men, who just now were standing only as spectators, must soon become actors on this stage of death. This was the most dreadful hour of suspense ever experienced by the 17th Iowa Infantry; and the engagement itself was not more appalling.

The killed and wounded of the regiment in this contest were shockingly mutilated; and a larger portion of the wounded died, than of those wounded in any other engagement; and it is not strange, for every casualty in the regiment was caused by the bursting of hand-grenades. The musketry-fire of the enemy was too high. In the list of casualties, which were thirty-seven, were Captains Ping and Horner—both wounded. First-Sergeant Moses Stuart Pettengill, a brave, efficient and faithful soldier, was also wounded, and severely. All were so sore and lame for a week after the engagement, as to almost render them unfit for duty.

After the fall of Vicksburg, the 17th Iowa was ordered into camp on the hills south-east of the city, where it remained till it was ordered, with its division, to reinforce General Steele near Little Rock. It proceeded by boat to Helena, leaving Vicksburg on the 12th of September; but the history of its movements from that time until its arrival at Chattanooga, appears in the sketches of other Iowa officers, whose regiments were attached to the same division.

The 17th Iowa left its camp at Bridgeport for Chattanooga, at day-light on the 18th of November, and in the evening of the 19th instant bivouacked under Lookout Mountain, and seemingly within a stone's throw of the fires of the enemy's picket-posts, which were scattered along the side of the mountain about half-way up from its base to its summit. At two o'clock the next morning, the regiment, with its brigade and division, crossed the Tennessee, and, marching up its north bank till it had passed behind some hills, which covered it from the view of the enemy's lookout on Lookout Mountain, went into camp, just after day-light. Just before the fighting in Chattanooga Valley opened, all the troops which had marched through with General Sherman from the Mississippi River had arrived in camp on the north side of the Tennessee. General Osterhaus' Division, however, should be excepted; but in place of these troops was the division of Jefferson C. Davis, which was in camp near North Chickamauga Creek. With this command General Sherman was to re-cross the Tennessee, just below the mouth of South Chickamauga Creek, and oust the enemy's right from the line of hills known as Mission Ridge.

General Grant's plan of attacking Bragg was known in the main to nearly the entire command of General Sherman, as early as the morning of the 23d of November: it might have been known to the commands of Thomas and Hooker; and, if the like has happened in any other instance during the war, I do not know it. It was the more remarkable, since in some respects the commanding general had taken great precaution to secure secrecy; for the citizens, for several miles around, were kept under the strictest surveillance. But it was known that the contest would commence on the afternoon of the 23d instant; for then General Grant was to demonstrate whether the report of Bragg's falling back was correct. The troops stationed at Chattanooga, and the corps of General Howard were selected to develop the enemy's force on the hill-slope in rear of Chattanooga.

Back of the camp of the 17th Iowa, was a high, precipitous hill, from whose summit was a fine view of Chattanooga, Chattanooga Valley, the north and east sides of Lookout Mountain, and the west slope of Mission Ridge; and from this hill, which is some four miles distant from Chattanooga, not only the greater portion of the 17th, but the greater part of its brigade and division, witnessed the contest in the country below: it was the first engagement to which the 17th Iowa had been a spectator, where it was itself unengaged, and removed from danger. The enemy were surprised. They supposed, as it was afterward learned, that the Union troops were simply parading on a review; and the affair proved more fortunate for General Grant than he had hoped. The enemy lost their strong position on Indian Hill or Orchard Knoll. But the enemy were not evacuating; Bragg was simply sending reinforcements to General Longstreet, in East Tennessee; and on this fact a deserter had based his report of the enemy's falling back. But the troops dispatched to Longstreet were now hastily recalled; for General Bragg saw that his own position was in danger.

In the three days' desperate fighting that preceded the total rout of General Bragg's forces, the 17th Iowa took no part until the afternoon of the 25th instant. The regiment was among the first troops to cross the Tennessee, on the night of the 23d, and, in the afternoon of the 24th, was marched out against what was supposed to be a strongly intrenched position of the enemy, on the north end of Mission Ridge; but on arriving at the hights no enemy was found. It then rested on its arms until about noon of the next day, when, with its brigade, it was sent forward to the support of General C. L. Matthies' command. The engagement on Mission Ridge was, I believe, one of the hardest field-fights the 17th ever had. But the enemy defended successfully their strong position through all that day, which enabled General Bragg to save a good share of his stores and artillery. In this engagement the 17th Iowa had only about two hundred men, and its list of casualties was sixty.

In the pursuit of the disorganized Confederate forces, the regiment marched only as far as Graysville, Georgia, and then returned to Chattanooga. From Chattanooga, it marched to Huntsville, Alabama, where it remained until the following May, and was then ordered in the direction of Atlanta; and from the above named date till the 13th of October, 1864, it was stationed in detachments along the line of railroad, between Chattanooga and General Sherman's front, to defend that road from sorties of the enemy.

On the 13th of October, 1864, the 17th Iowa Infantry, then commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel S. M. Archer, was captured at Tilton, Georgia; but it did not surrender until after the most stubborn resistance. Tilton, Georgia, is situated on the line of the Chattanooga and Atlanta Railroad, and is nine miles south of Dalton, and six, north of Resaca. The defenses of the place, which three weeks previous had been assaulted by the rebel cavalry command of Wheeler and successfully defended by the 17th Iowa, consisted of simply a block-house and outer trenches. Wheeler was the precursor of the young, gaunt and maimed General Hood.

It was known for several days previous to the time in question, that the garrison was in danger of being attacked, and every thing was put in a condition for resistance. On the evening of the 12th instant, Colonel Archer had been informed that the enemy were in the vicinity; and at a little past six of the following morning they made their appearance before the picket-line. Two companies were at once sent out as skirmishers, and the balance of the regiment drawn up in line outside the block-house. By nine o'clock the skirmishers had been driven in, and the whole command was compelled to retire within its works. Soon after, a flag of truce, which before had been unrecognized, was received by LieutenantColonel Archer, who, in company with Captain Hicks, went out to meet it. The colonel received and read the following:


“Head-quarters Stuarts Corps, Army or The Tennessee,
Near Tilton, Georgia, October 13th, 1864.

"To The Officer Commanding United States Forces, Tilton, Georgia:

"SIR: — I have ample force to take the garrison at Tilton. To save loss of life, I demand an immediate and unconditional surrender. If this demand is complied with, all the white troops and their officers shall be paroled within a few days, and the negroes shall be well treated: if refused, I will take the place, and give orders to take no prisoners.

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Alex. P. Stuart, Lieutenant-General, C. S. A."


To this, Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, through Captain Hicks, replied:

"Give my compliments to General Stuart, and tell him if he wants my command, to come and take it."

"But we have thirteen thousand men, and can storm your works," insisted a rebel officer.

"Can't help that; I was put here to hold this place, and you can't have it till you blow us out."

"I admire your pluck; but you haven't got a d—d bit of judgment."

This was said by a rebel colonel, who had accompanied the flag of truce, after which the colonel was allowed ten minutes in which to retire to his command. The unequal fight now opened; and less than two hundred men, in the block-house and surrounding trenches, were besieged and assaulted for five long hours, by not less than five thousand.

Having tried unsuccessfully to carry the place by storm, and destroy the block-house by fire, the enemy, at a little after one o'clock in the afternoon, brought up their artillery. Twelve-pounders were first put in battery in the skirt of the timber south of the block-house; but their position was so little elevated that they could do but little damage. Soon after, twenty-four pounders were placed in position on a commanding point to the west of the block-house. Further resistance was now useless, for every shot came plunging down the hill and through the block-house, knocking the timbers and scattering splinters in every direction. Finally, a shell burst in its centre, which prostrated every man inside: twelve were killed and wounded. The roof was now nearly all shot away, and the upright timbers fast falling. To resist longer would be madness, and the white flag went up.

In the meantime the place had been entirely surrounded, and now the gray rascals came flocking in from every quarter, headed by general and field officers. Riding up to Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, Lieutenant-General Alexander P. Stuart said: "Do you know whom you have been fighting? Your obstinacy has given me a d—d sight of trouble, and detained me nearly a whole day." "Well, general," replied the colonel, "that was what I was put here for;" after which General Stuart's provost-marshal general remarked, "I thought there would be trouble, when I learned this was an Iowa regiment."

About the same time that Tilton was attacked by the corps of Stuart, Dalton was attacked by General Cheatham, and Resaca by General Lee. The former place, which was commanded by Colonel Johnson, was disgracefully surrendered; while the latter, commanded by Colonel Wever of the 17th Iowa, was gallantly defended.

The terms of surrender, brought by flag of truce to Colonel Wever, were the same as those accompanying the demand for the surrender of Tilton; and Colonel Wever's reply was similar to that of Lieutenant-Colonel Archer. "In my opinion," he said, " I can hold this post; if you want it, come and take it." To defend the extensive works of Resaca, Colonel Wever had only about seven hundred men—only enough, when deployed as skirmishers, to occupy the entire line of works. But, in shrewdness, the colonel was more than a match for his adversary; for his troops were deployed in the manner above stated, and every flag and guidon that could be commanded was stuck around on the works in the most commanding places. The ruse was successful, and, after some skirmishing, and a vigorous use of artillery, the enemy retired. For his successful defense of this post, Colonel Wever was highly complimented by General Howard.

In closing this sketch of Colonel Wever and the 17th Iowa, the reader must indulge me, while I name some of the many brave men with whom I served so long, and for whom I formed the deepest attachment; and, that I may not appear partial, I shall select the names of those who, in the discharge of their duty, either lost their lives or were severely wounded.

Captain David A. Craig of Company H was a brave and noble man. He died in the fall of 1863, from disease contracted in the service. Captain S. E. Hicks was most generous and noble-hearted. He was a true friend, and one of the bravest men in the regiment. He was captured with his regiment at Tilton, and afterward lost his life while endeavoring to swim Coosa River, to escape the enemy. Captain L. T. McNeal was quiet and unsociable, but a most excellent officer. He was shot through the knee on Mission Ridge, and died from the effects of the wound some three weeks after. Captain William Horner of Company G., though unassuming, is an able man, and possesses fine judgment. He was wounded severely in the hip at Fort Hill, on the evening of the 25th of June, 1863, and his life, for a long time, despaired of. Captain Charles P. Johnson is a most gallant officer. He was shot through both thighs in the first battle at Jackson, Mississippi, and, for sixteen long months, lay upon his back in a rebel hospital in Georgia. Captain John F. Skelton was also wounded at the first battle of Jackson. He was shot in the right eye, the ball passing through his head and coming out under the left ear. Being necessarily left in the hands of the enemy, he was retained a few days at Jackson, and then transferred to Libby Prison. After the lapse of five months, he made his escape and came in our lines. He was captured again at Tilton, Georgia, and again made his escape, traveling, in company with Lieutenant Deal, through more than five hundred miles of the enemy's country, and reaching the Gulf through the dismal lower-waters of the Chattahoochie. Lieutenant D. W. Tower, a gallant, modest young officer, was shot through the knee at Champion's Hill, and had his leg amputated. After the stump had healed, he donned a wooden leg, and again joined his regiment. He was also captured at Tilton. Young Lieutenant Inskeep was shot through the neck and killed, at the battle of Jackson.

Our quiet and able surgeon, Doctor Udell, and the facetious and urbane Doctor Ealy; Assistant-Surgeons McGorrisk, Biser and Coleman; our sedate and worthy chaplain, Wilson, who hated gray-backs as he hated the Great Adversary; Major S. M. Wise; Captains Newton, (who died of wounds received before Vicksburg), Huston, Ping, (who goes into a fight just as a man goes who is late at his work), Hoxie, Craig, Moore, (a most genial fellow), Edwards, Rice, Brown, Snodgrass, (a good fighter and the most stubborn man in the regiment); Lieutenants Garrett, Sales, (the judge), Neuse, Scroggs, Stapleton, (an excellent officer who died of disease), Park, Johnson, Godley, Morris, Swearngin, Barnes, Reach, Burke, (the wit and editor), Tamman, Inskeep, Stever, Griffith, Woodrow, Spielman and Woolsey; and, with a few exceptions, all the enlisted men from Joseph M. Atkins to Ashel Ward, the alpha and omega of the regiment—all deserve more than a passing notice; all were brave and deserving men, and merit the lasting gratitude of the country. The recalling of their names and friendship will ever be among the pleasantest of my army recollections.

In the winter of 1864-5, Colonel Wever accompanied the remnant of his regiment North on veteran furlough; and I should not omit to state that, although the term of service of the 17th Iowa lacked some two months of coming within the order creating veterans, yet, for gallant services, it was permitted to re-enlist, and to share all the incidental honors and emoluments. On the expiration of their furlough, Colonel Wever, led his handful of men back to the front by way of New York City; for, in the meantime, Sherman had captured Savannah. Their last march was that made from Beaufort to Goldsboro and Washington.

I can not close this sketch, without giving expression to my love and esteem for Company D, of the regiment. Their patience, bravery and endurance I can never forget. Others were just as good and brave; but I loved them less.

Colonel Wever is about six feet in hight, and has a slender, but not an elegant form: there is an awkward twist about his shoulders. He has dark hair and complexion, and piercing black eyes. Considering his age and opportunities, he is rather a remarkable man. His education is limited; but, in spite of that, he has worked his way up above many who in that respect were greatly his superiors. He is recklessly brave in the face of the enemy, and one of the most ambitious men I ever met. He aspired to be a full brigadier, and it is a shame he was not promoted to that rank; and, in giving expression to this opinion, I do not think I am influenced by the many kindnesses he has shown me.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p. 331-42