Showing posts with label Robert Henne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Henne. Show all posts

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Returned

Lieut. Henne, accompanied by his wife and Mr. Holm, arrived yesterday afternoon, on the Sucker State from St. Louis.  Lt. H.’s wound is healed up, but he is unable to walk, being destitute of both left arm and left leg, and has not yet obtained an artificial substitute.  On his arrival, the cannon was got out, and a salute fired in honor of the return of the gallant officer to his home, for the first time since his departure with Capt. Wentz’s company last spring.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, May 20, 1862, p. 1

Monday, July 1, 2013

Capt. Henne

We learn from a telegraph dispatch in Der Demokrat of Saturday, that Capt. Henne has arrived at Springfield, Mo., and may be expected home within two weeks.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 5, 1862, p. 1

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Great Battle of Pea Ridge


The St. Louis Democrat has a long and interesting account of this great battle in Arkansas, differing considerably from the one we printed yesterday from the Cincinnati Times.  We give a part of it below:


SIGEL WITH HIS REAR GUARD CUTS HIS WAY THROUGH THE ENEMY.

Early Thursday morning Sigel’s division was moving from Camp Cooper, beyond Bentonville for Sugar Creek.  His rear guard composed of the Twelfth Missouri Infantry, Captain Jenks’ battalion of cavalry, attached to the Thirty-sixth Illinois, two companies Benton Hussars, and six pieces of flying artillery, (Albert’s battery) left camp at six A. M.  The main column marched through Bentonville without observing any indications of the enemy.  Gen. Sigel and staff, together with the rear guard, arrived at Bentonville in an hour and a half.  While resting here, a black line was observed on the prairie towards the south, which at first attracted no particular attention: Sigel, with his glass soon became convinced that the line was in motion.  Soon secesh flags were seen moving on Bentonville, and the prairie became black with the rebel masses of cavalry and infantry.  The rebel cavalry moved up rapidly and deploying to the right and left, surrounded the town.  Clouds of cavalry were still observed advancing at rapid speed.

Sigel moved forward the rear guard across a ravine on the margin of the town, and the opposite side of the ravine was occupied by the rebels, who came rushing up with a yell. – Noticing that they had formed in his rear, he detached four companies of cavalry to hold them in check.  Opening his lines right and left he sent his artillery to the front, to meet a force drawn up in line of battle a mile out of town.

Turning to Captain Jenks, who had come forward to support the latter, Sigel said “Captain, the enemy are on our front, on either side of us, and all around us.”  Then raising his hand to a level with his shoulder, and lunging it down with each sentence, exclaimed, “We must advance; we must cut our way through;” and concluding emphatically, “we shall cut our way through.”  Sigel then got off his horse, and personally superintended the planting of pieces in position.  He opened fire on the enemy in front, every shot having a telling effect on the enemy’s ranks, which faltered and fell back in the woods.  A rapid advance of our column then took place, the enemy seeming to retreat on either side, but instead they made a detour and formed again two miles further on at the entrance of a deep gorge. – On reaching this position, it was found they were supported by a large body of infantry, whose advance preceded our arrival by taking a shorter road.  The infantry were placed in ambuscade, covered by the crest of a hill.  Our troops pushed forward into the gorge along which the road runs, when suddenly a galling fire of musketry was poured in along our whole like from the top of the hill along our left flank.  The Twelfth Missouri charged up the hill in face of the fire, and drove the rebels over the hill.

During the charge, Sigel ordered two pieces forward about a mile to a point where he could see the hill where the rebels supposed they were under cover.  The guns were masked by a grove and were not observed by the rebels.  As soon as this battery was planted, two cannon shots were fired from the head of the column in the valley, producing no effect but deceiving the enemy.  A rapid advance of the whole column was then made, and as we receded from the enemy the latter covered the hill in large numbers, advancing on our rear.  The masked battery in front then opened on them, the balls passing over our column still in the gorge, which caused such destruction to the rebels that they scattered in all directions and ceased to molest us any further.


THE GRAND BATTLE OF THE EIGHTH.

The enemy during the night advanced and took position one mile nearer our camp, occupying the extensive bluff to the left of Elkhorn Tavern, where they had batteries planted which commanded the open fields and bottom lands on this side.  The open woods, a mile this side of the town was also occupied by the enemy in formidable numbers.  They had batteries pointed in all available positions commanding the approaches from this side.  General Curtis designed to open the ball at day-break, and gave the necessary orders for a change of front, the left wing having to be moved obliquely forward.

The cannonade opened twenty-five minutes past seven, on Col. Carr’s division, and the portion of the latter engaged fell back.  Gen. Davis advanced on the main road and took position on the right wing, while Col. Carr moved to the center, and a desultory fire was kept up for a short time.  About eight o’clock Gen. Sigel’s division marched into the open field and took position on the left wing.  His batteries were planted along the elevations in this portion of the field with alternate regiments of infantry.

The line as now formed was concave with the wings advanced toward the enemy, while seven batteries were planted along its whole length. – No more beautiful spectacle could be conceived than the “magnificently stern array” presented by our line of battle.  The utmost confidence was at once restored, and our men felt reassured that victory was in their reach.  The bluffs occupied by the enemy on their right were covered with the secesh as thick as they could stand, while the intervening woods in front of our center was alive with them.  Our batteries were soon opened all along the line, and a perfect wall of fire blazed out in rolling volumes.  The enemy replied promptly with his batteries, with little effect, except disabling one of Sigel’s guns.  The murderous cross fire of our batteries crashed through the timber with terrific effect.  The cannonade was terrible for two hours and a half, during which time the infantry advanced slowly under cover of our fire from the batteries.  As soon as the enemy broke the infantry advanced with a yell in double quick, sending volley upon volley of well-aimed musketry.  The Twelfth Missouri rushed forward and charged on a battery in the heavy timber, capturing three guns and a flag belonging to the Dallas Artillery.  The Twenty-Second Indiana also captured a gun and two caissons.  At this time Gen. Sigel pushed the enemy’s right flank, while Gen. Davis and Col. Carr drove forward his left flank.  The fight became general, and the ravine near the Elkhorn Tavern was thronged with the flying enemy.  The bluffs on the left forming a natural fortification, where they had several regiments and a battery posted, where stormed by Col. Greusel’s brigade.  The precipice here is seventy-five feet high.  The Twelfth, Fifteenth and Seventeenth Missouri and Thirty-sixth Illinois scaled the hill and drove the enemy out, the brigade losing only eight men killed and twenty two wounded.  The top of the bluff was completely covered with their dead and wounded from our spherical case shot and shells.  The arms and accoutrements were scattered in all directions.  A prisoner taken here stated that Van Dorn had not been seen for two hours, and they thought it time to leave.  The victory was complete.  The retreating enemy were pursued for two miles by company D, of Bowman’s battalion, and the pursuit was kept up by the Benton Huzzars [sic] and Gen. Sigel to Keetsville.  Prisoners including officers were taken in large numbers.  Our loss in the battle was comparatively small, but the enemy’s was terribly severe.  We killed General Slack, and young Clark, son of Merriweather Clark, of St. Louis, who had his head taken off by a cannon ball.  He commanded a battery gallantly, and had just given the order to retreat, when a ball struck him on his horse. – Lieut. Col. McCulloch, son of the General, was also found among the dead with his commission in his pocket, near Elkhorn Tavern.

Gen. Curtis has won a victory that should place his name in the front rank of heroes battling for the national cause.  From his position in the field he observed every movement, and gave his orders with admirable coolness and decision.  His Aids, Capts. McKinney, Stark, Aughfelt, Stitt, and Lieuts. Adams and Hoepner, were seen flying over the field, conveying orders and bringing intelligence.


INCIDENTS.

In the battle near Elk Horn Tavern, Sergeant Major Wooster, of the Iowa Third, was hit by a cannon shot, taking away the side of his skull, while he was engaged in untangling the horses from the Dubuque battery, having bravely volunteered to go ahead on the dangerous errand in the face of a plunging fire from the enemy’s battery.  Calling to his boy after he was shot he said: – “Johnny, Oh Johnny, I must go!”

A cannon ball, in the battle near Lee Town, killed two cousins named Alley, and lodged in the breast of Lieut. Perry Watts, of Company K, 22d Indiana.  It was taken out and proved to be a 6-pounder ball.

A man was shot through the body with a ball and caught it in the waistband of his pantaloons, where it had lodged.

In the battle of the 8th a ball struck a tree, shivering it to splinters.  One of the splinters, six feet long, struck a secesh and impaled him to the earth.

Lieut. Henne of Company F, Twelfth Missouri, who had lost his left arm in the Hungarian war, was truck in the battle of the 8th by a cannon ball, which carried away his right leg.  He was carried off the field, and when passing to the General, while his face was wreathed in smiles, as if forgetful of his sufferings in the exultation of approaching victory.

On the rebel side the Indians were in command of Pike, Standwartz and Ross.  They proved of little account, except to plunder and riffle the dead and scalp the wounded of which fact. Col. Bussy, of the 3d Iowa cavalry, has ample evidence.  In the field these cowardly allies could not be brought within range of our cannon.  They would say, “Ugh, big gun!” and skedaddle for the brush.”

A secesh doctor who came afterwards into our camp, relates that on the morning of the battle he observed about 300 Indians daubing their faces all over black from the coal of the charred stumps.  The doctor inquired of one of the chiefs of the significance of painting thus, when he was answered that, “The Indians, when going into a fight, painted their faces red; but when they are pinched with hunger, they color black.”  These fellows have had nothing to eat in two days.

McCulloch was killed in the brush on a slight elevation on the opposite side of the field by Peter Pelican, a private in company B, Thirty-sixth Illinois.  The attack in which the ubiquitous Ben. Was taken off was led by Captain Miller.  McCulloch wore a dress of black velvet, patent leather high top boots, and he had on a light colored broad-brimmed Texan hat.  He was on a light bay horse.  Pelican went up and took a gold watch, now in Possession of Colonel Greusel.

A ball after breaking the legs of two men, hit Captain Hobb in the back of his leg and was stopped.  The Captain was slightly injured, but the sword was battered.

Four of Price’s negroes were captured by Col. Ellis’ First Missouri Cavalry.

Price’s filed glass was taken and used during the remainder of the battle by General Davis to make observations.

A cannon ball struck the ground, and ricocheting, passed under Col. White’s horse; carried away a leg of the horse, rode by Lieut. Landgrove.  The Lieutenant fell with the horse, but extricated himself as soon as possible.  The Horse getting up, hobbled to the secesh ranks, taking along the Lieutenant’s pocket money, which was concealed in the holsters.

A Dutchman rode directly into the enemy’s works with a caisson.  The rebel Major asked him where he was going, and the man answered, “Dish for Sigel.”  The Major smiles, and directed the man where to go, which was probably to any point beyond the rebel lines.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 2

Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Record Of A Brave Man


We have already announced that among the wounded in the terrible battle that was recently fought in Arkansas, was Capt. Henne, of this city.  There is something peculiarly romantic in this man’s history.  He was a soldier in Germany, and in fighting the battles of his native country lost his left arm and two fingers from his right hand.  On the breaking out of the hostilities here, he was one of the first men to volunteer in defence of his adopted country.  He was first Lieutenant of Capt. Wentz’s company, but when they were mustered into service he was rejected on the account of his mutilations; even an appeal to the War Department being unsuccessful to continue him in service.  Nothing daunted, he followed the company to Missouri, without pay even as a private, sharing the rations of the men and determined if there was a fight to participate in it.  He did fight with them, and such was his bravery and the men’s admirations of his heroism that he was made Captain of a Missouri company, in which capacity he has since done some hard fighting.  He participated with all his accustomed ardor in the recent terrible battle at Sugar Creek, Arkansas, where he received a shot in the left leg, which, we learn, has in consequence been amputated.  Thoroughly disabled for life, this brave man and true patriot, it seems to us, is entitled to solid compensation from our Government, and we hope his case will be made a special one.  It is said that Mr. Hoering, his former partner, intends to go after the Captain, or what remains of him, and bring him home. – May it be so, and success attend his effort. – Davenport Gazette.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 1

Friday, October 7, 2011

Scott County Men At Pea Ridge

Four Davenporter’s in Capt. Ahledfeldt’s company 12th Missouri Infantry, were wounded at the battle of Pea Ridge, as follows:

Lieut. Robert Henne, left leg amputated.
Sergeant Cains Rohwer, formerly of Co. G, Iowa 1st, wounded in leg.
Sergeant Petter Suebking, in thigh.
Sergeant Eugene Ausborn, in arm.

Among those recruited by Dr. Raub for the First Missouri Flying Artillery, Hans Brandt and Edward Moeller were wounded, the former seriously.  Lorinz Fischer, Chas. Thoeming, Dominic Hufner and Claus Pahl, are missing.

In addition to the above, private S. D. Hedges of Capt. Curtis’s Rock Island company, was very badly wounded in the thigh, and was in critical condition, owing to inflammation of the wounded part when Capt. Curtis left the army.  The Captain speaks of him as one of his best and most reliable men.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 29, 1862, p. 1

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Lt. Henne

There must be a mistake about the announcement of the death of this gallant officer.  Mr. Holm, writing from Rolla on his arrival there, says nothing of it; of course, if he had known it or heard of it, he would have mentioned the fact.  His letter is later than any previous advices received here.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 25, 1862, p. 1

Friday, September 9, 2011

Lieut. Henne

We have already made mention of this brave man.  A correspondent of the Missouri Democrat, writing from the scene of the recent terrible conflict in Arkansas, says Lieut. Henne, of Company F, 12th Missouri, who had lost his left arm in the Hungarian war, was struck in the battle of the 8th by a cannon ball, which carried away his right leg.  He was carried off the field and when passing Gen. Curtis the heroic sufferer waved his hand to the General, while his face was wreathed in smiles, as if forgetful of his sufferings in the exultation of approaching victory.  Mr. Holm, it will be remembered has gone in search of Lieut. Henne, to bring him home.  We hope he may be successful in his mission.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 22, 1862, p. 1

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Public Meeting


At a meeting, held March 15th, in the hall of Mr. Bilz, it was, on motion,

Resolved, To accept the offer of Mr. Theodore Holm, to go to the battle-field of Pea Ridge, in Arkansas, there to render assistance of our wounded, especially to Lieut. Robert Henne.

Resolved, To hand Mr. Theodore Holm, for defraying expenses, the money collected for that purpose.  Whereupon was delivered to him:

Collection of C. H. Lage
$22.00
Collection of A. Rolff & J. H Hoering
23.25
Collection of F. Bilz
6.65
Collection in German political club
3.10
Total
$55.00

ERNST CLAUSSEN, President
W. RIEPE, Secretary.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 18, 1862, p. 1

Monday, August 1, 2011

Lieut. Henne Wounded

From the following dispatch received here last evening, it will be seen that our brave townsman, Lieut. Henne, is a sufferer in the recent conflict in Arkansas.  He is a lieutenant in Capt. Ahlefeldt’s company, in Osterhaus’s brigade.


March 11th, 1862.

(By telegraph from Camp, March 8.)

To Mrs. Chas. W. Asmussen, Davenport:

Been in three days’ battle.  All right.  Hene badly wounded.

CHAS. W. ASMUSSEN.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, March 12, 1862, p. 1