USA > Iowa > A history of the Sixth Iowa infantry > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41
175
CAMP AT GRAND JUNCTION
In front of these planters' houses are beautiful lawns of five or six acres, covered with the most lovely shrubbery peculiar to the South, and shell or gravel walks winding round and round until they reach the house. They look quite as lovely in the dead of winter as any we see north in mid-summer. I imagine should I have come down here before the war, I would have been enchanted by these bewitching scenes and would have loitered in some of these parks, some warm summer day and met one of these lovely Southern Belles -- declared my love - asked her hand - been accepted! The result would have been disappoint- ment, estrangement, and separation, with love unworthy a son of the North-land. Even now as I am writing, my friend and mess- mate, is running his fingers nervously through his hair as if to collect his thoughts, that his letter may strike with double force one of these identical young ladies, I have just mentioned.
I have given you the bright side of this picture. Now come with me to the other side of this Hall and see the sight that casts a deep gloom over all the first. Were it not for this, I would make this country my future home. See those long rows of miserable little log huts. Let us step in and notice their oc- cupants. Each little house is filled with negroes - poor miser- able creatures, surrounded with dirt and filth. An Iowa farm- er keeps his hogs in a more comfortable pen and feeds them better. They are densely ignorant, know nothing but to pluck cotton from the stalk. They are not all black, and it seems a pity to keep that white girl penned up with those blacks, but while she is white, yet she has a drop of negro blood in her veins, and that makes her a slave! In my sight that is the worst feature in slavery. I do not want the negroes turned loose in the United States, yet I want them freed and enlightened. Let them be colonized.
On March 31st, General Halleck, at Washington, writ- ing to General Grant in the vicinity of Vicksburg, said:
It is the policy of the Government to withdraw from the
176
SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY
enemy as much productive labor as possible. . Every slave withdrawn from the enemy is equivalent to a white man put hors de combat. . It is the policy of the Govern- ment to use the negroes of the South, as far as practicable, as a military force, for the defense of forts, depots. . In the hands of the enemy, they are used with much effect against us; in our hands, we must try to use them with the best possible effect against the enemy. The character of the war has very much changed within the last year. . . There can be no peace but that which is forced by the sword. This is the phase which the rebellion has now assumed. . The Government, looking at the subject in all its aspects, has adopt- ed a policy, and we must cheerfully and faithfully carry out that policy.
On April 19th, General Grant replied :
You may rely on me carrying out any policy ordered by prop- er authority to the best of my ability.
.
XII RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
The spring campaign, in contemplation for the past thirty days, was actively inaugurated on April 17, 1863, by a concerted movement from the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, between Corinth and Memphis, down into North Mississippi. A brigade of infantry and a large force of cavalry, commanded by General Lauman, started from Memphis for Hernando and the Coldwater country. A brigade of cavalry from Corinth marched south along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Grierson's brigade of cavalry composed of the 6th and 7th Illinois and 2nd Iowa Cavalry, and a battery of field artillery, from La Grange was designated as the raiding column.
An infantry brigade, composed of the 46th Ohio, 99th Indiana, 5 companies of the 103rd Illinois, 8 companies of the 6th Iowa, and a section of the Chicago battery, and commanded by Brigadier-General William Sooy Smith, the new division commander, started from Grand Junc- tion on board three trains of cars on the Mississippi Cen- tral. The troops had five days rations of crackers, coffee, sugar, and salt, in haversacks, and all were in light march- ing order. Each man was required to carry his gun, cartridge box and 40 rounds of ammunition, haversack, and gum and woolen blankets rolled together and carried over the shoulders in shot-pouch fashion.
At an early hour all the commands and detachments were assembled and loaded on the cars, when the trains started south, intending to repair the road as they pro-
177
-
178 :
SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY
gressed. The 40th Illinois had been stationed in winter quarters at Davis' Mills, 6 miles south of the Junction, where the trains stopped and it was taken on board as a part of the expedition. The progress made was very slow on account of burned bridges and washouts in the track, which were temporarily repaired so that the trains could cross over. The material in large quantities for repairing the bridges had been prepared and was carried along on the trains. It was the intention to open the road to the Tallahatchie River, but a bridge near Lamar station had been almost entirely destroyed, which not only occupied several hours to repair and rebuild, but consumed all the material at hand for that purpose.
The 6th Iowa was advanced on foot to the next large bridge, spanning the Coldwater Creek, where it arrived at sundown and found the bridge badly wrecked by re- cent high water. Captain Bashore, with his Company D, was sent forward to the high ground south of the creek, as the advance picket guard for the night. At the hour of midnight, when all except those on guard were sleep- ing soundly, wrapped in their army blankets - the earth for a bed and the sky for a roof - the night challenge, "Halt! Who goes there?", rang out clear and thrilling in the night air, from the outpost on the wagon road lead- . ing south towards Holley Springs, followed immediately by two shots fired in quick succession by the sentinels on that post. The shrill notes of the bugle sounding the "assembly", the beating of the "long roll" on the drums, the clear distinct commands by Colonel Corse to "fall in", aroused the troops from their deep slumbers, created great enthusiasm, and inspired the men with confidence and courage. In fact in the short space of a minute or two the regiment was formed in line and ready for action.
179
RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
Three more shots were fired by the enemy at the picket guards, the balls passing over their heads into the branches of the trees. These shots were responded to by a volley of 20 rifles fired at the flash of their guns, when Colonel Corse's voice rang out again with thrilling effect, "That's the kind of music we like to hear". The sound of cavalry retreating down the Holley Springs wagon road was the last heard of the venturesome scouts. No damage was done to either side, but the incident served to show the spirit and courage of the men and their re- liability to stand firm even when awakened from sound sleep in the middle of the night.
The next morning the trains were abandoned and the command proceeded on foot, passing through the black- ened and ruined city of Holley Springs, where had been such a wealth of beauty and comfort on a former visit, July 3, 1862.
The advance scouts captured a man and his team on the outskirts of town, his wagon loaded with fine hams and shoulder bacon, with which he was making vigorous efforts to escape. The capture was opportune and sup- plied the command with meat for a day. The camp was pitched for the night at Lumpkin's Mill, 12 miles south of Holley Springs. It commenced raining soon after dark and continued through the night, so that none slept and all were drenched to the skin in the morning. At the break of day, the column was on the march, despite the rain and mud, and at noon the artillery with the ad- vance guard opened fire on scouting parties of the ene- my's cavalry, who were hovering around the flanks and the advance guard of the column. The Sixth Iowa was double-quicked to the front, but the foe had fled.
The column arrived at Wyatt, on the Tallahatchie
13
180
SIXTHI IOWA INFANTRY
River before night, where the 40th Illinois fired a few shots at the enemy's pickets on the opposite side of the river. Thereupon they fled precipitately, leaving every- thing except their horses and guns. Among the things abandoned, Dr. Shaw secured a convenient spring wagon to which he hitched two mules and thereby created a reg- imental ambulance corps. The column marched out on the Panora road a mile or two and camped for the night, the distance traveled during the day being 20 miles.
It was known that General William Sooy Smith had come to his new command from the Army of the .Cumber- land, where he commanded a division of infantry, and during the first days of the campaign he was subject to the critical test always made of a new commander. But his unassuming manner and quick perception of passing events and more than all else, his presence with the head of the column and always at the point of danger won the confidence of all. His care for the comfort and conven- ience of the troops when selecting camps for the night, a systematic and orderly posting of the camp and picket guards with explicit instructions as to their duties and the situation for the night established confidence in his ability and courage as a commanding officer.
On April 20th, the command was up before daylight and had marched several miles before sun up. Camp was made for the night 10 miles from Panora, after a distance of 22 miles had been marched. The country traveled through, bordering on the Tallahatchie River, was rich in horses, mules, hams, meal, and negroes, so essential to the use and comfort of weary soldiers, and the loss of which was correspondingly damaging to the enemy. The captures during the day were the richest secured on the expedition.
181
RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
The night's rest was disturbed by an ambuscade move- ment made before daylight in anticipation of an early morning attack by the enemy, supposed to be in large force at Panora. At 3 o'clock a. m., the command was aroused from their deep slumbers, without the sound of bugle or drums, built huge camp fires and then silently marched away to a position commanding an unobstruct- ed view of the abandoned camp and fires. It was contem- plated that the enemy would assail the camp fires in a break of day attack and while in their bewilderment at finding the camp abandoned the command would make a counter-attack, hoping to punish them severely, regard- less of their numbers.
Daybreak came but no enemy appeared, so the com- mand marched 8 miles and halted for breakfast, then marched 12 miles and halted for dinner, on the west side of the Memphis and Grenada Railroad. In the after- noon, the march was continued north through the pretty little town of Senatobia and camp was pitched for the night at Coldwater station. The distance marched dur- ing the day was 31 miles.
The rapid movement of General Smith's infantry column to the interior and far south of the forces under General Chalmers, who was successfully defending the line of the Coldwater River against the advance of the Memphis column, caused Chalmers to abandon the posi- tion and fall back to the south side of the Tallahatchie, at Panola. The rear guard of the fleeing enemy had just passed south along the railroad when General Smith's advance struck it in the forenoon.
On April 22nd, the command was up and on the road at sunrise, the men bright and "chipper", despite the 31 miles covered the day before. The recent camping
182
SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY
ground of the enemy was passed over during the morn- ing and many relics were secured, including a rich and handsomely made Confederate flag, by Corporal M. Wes- tenhaver of Company D. A distance of 25 miles was marched and camp was made on Pigeon Roost Creek.
At the rising of the sun on the 23rd, the command was up and marching, the Sixth Iowa in the lead. Coldwat- er River was crossed at noon, when each regiment and detachment was ordered to proceed by the nearest route to their respective camps on the line of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Mounted on captured horses and mules, numerous squads were diligent in scouting on the flanks of the column, gathering forage, mules, horses, and negroes. While thus engaged, many spirited engage- ments occurred, but these were attended with the slight loss. Private John A. Jones, Company D, was mortally wounded in one of the engagements during the day, and died a few days later at a farm house, where he had kind- ly care and was buried by the hospitable people. The troops marched 20 miles and camped near Mount Pleas- ant.
On April 24th, in a heavy downpour of rain, the march was continued to Moscow, a distance of 16 miles, where the regiment arrived at noon. Colonel Joseph R. Cock- crill, who with his 70th Ohio occupied the station, was quick to perceive the wants of the tired and hungry men, and, at once issued a large ration of crackers, meat, coffee, sugar, and, best of all --- under the circumstances - a full "gigger" of commissary whiskey to each man. An hour was spent in preparing and eating dinner, and when the regiment was formed in line, Colonel Corse proposed three cheers for the generous hospitality of Colonel Cockerill, and they were given with a will.
. .
183
RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
The 120 mounted men were ordered to proceed by the wagon road to Grand Junction, and while the rest of the regiment was still in line Colonel Corse said: "Those who feel that they are not able to march the rest of the distance to camp step four paces to the front". The proposition plainly indicated a ride on the cars for the eleven miles yet to camp, and two officers and several men stepped out. Colonel Corse had faith to believe that not a man in the regiment would accept the tempting offer, even under the trying circumstances. The result so exasperated him that he ordered the unfortunates to be put in line and marched to camp if it took three days to perform the task. The rest of the regiment marched in single file on the railroad track, making the first 5 miles in an hour and fifteen minutes, when a passing freight train was stopped, all were taken on board and were soon flying toward camp, where they arrived before sundown. The distance for the day was 27 miles. The mounted detachment arrived at camp during the evening and the "cripple" squad the next morning.
The prime object of the expeditions had been to occupy the Confederate forces in North Mississippi, until Colonel Grierson could get far down in the State on his raid to break up the railroads in the rear of Vicksburg. This was successfully accomplished by the 6th and 7th Illinois Cavalry, who finally arrived on the lower Mississippi at Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana.
Under the influence of the warm and genial sunshine of the early spring days all nature seemed to be striving in putting forth its green foliage and budding vegeta- tion to cover over the scars and repair the waste places caused by cruel war. The air was filled with the sweet perfume of fruit and ornamental blossoms, and the for-
184
SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY
ests were ringing with the melody of myriads of song birds, and, while all nature seemed ready and tempting to bless and prosper toiling hands, it was all to be marred and wasted by the acts of an enraged people engaged in a great and bloody Civil War, never surpassed in magni- tude in the history of the world.
The troops remained idle in their camps, taking a much needed rest, after the eight days arduous campaigning. A large accumulation of mail was distributed, and many letters and papers were received from home and friends. Anticipating an early call into active campaigning again, every one was engaged at writing letters and reading the news from other fields of operations in the great drama of war.
Orders were published announcing the Second Brigade reorganized so as to include the 40th and 103rd Illinois, 6th Iowa, and 46th Ohio, with Colonel S. G. Hicks com- manding. It was assigned to the First Division of the 16th Army Corps, commanded by Generals William Sooy Smith and S. A. Hurlbut, respectively. The other three brigades composing the division were stationed at Mos- cow, Collierville, and Germantown, on the railroad to- wards Memphis. The aggregate present for duty was 8928 men, and six batteries of artillery, with 26 guns.
On the 27th of April, the regiment was designated by General Hurlbut to serve as mounted infantry, and it was ordered that the mules and horses captured from the enemy during the recent raid should be used for that purpose. During the day each man in the regiment able for duty was provided with a beast, and then the task of breaking them to the service commenced in earnest. There were many serious hurts and bruises sustained by both the men and the mules during the process of lasso-
185
RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
ing and breaking the wild herd to the new service. All were delighted with the idea of being mounted and asso- ciated with the cavalry arm of the service. The next day saddles and full horse equipment were issued, after which company and battalion drills were the order during the day, with a mounted dress parade in the evening, and marching orders for an early hour the next day.
At 4 a. m., April 29th, the regiment, mounted and equipped, joined the brigade of Colonel Edward Hatch. This brigade was composed of the 2nd Iowa, 4th Illinois and [80 men of the] West Tennessee Cavalry, and four ten-pounder pieces of artillery, making an effective force of 1300 men. It was to procced against the forces of General Chalmers concentrating at New Albany and Pon- totoc to intercept the return of Colonel Grierson, as they supposed. The column marched 36 miles and camped one mile south of Ripley. During all the campaigning on foot- with blistered feet, heavy knapsacks, through heat and dust, rain and mud - nothing could compare with the distressed condition of the men in the Sixth Iowa at the end of their first days march as mounted infantry. They were bruised and sore from head to foot, so that neither sitting nor lying down was any relief to their poor maimed and stiffened bodies.
General Chalmers with a force of 1500 mounted men disputed the crossing of the Tallahatchie, on the road leading to Albany, but the column succeeded in crossing at Lee's Mill, after slight resistance, and proceeded 20 miles in the direction of Okolona and camped for the night. On the 1st day of May the column pushed rapidly towards Okolona, skirmishing with the enemy during the day and capturing a few prisoners. Camp was pitched near Tupelo on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad at Pleasant
186
SIXTH IOWA INFANTRY
Valley, after a distance of 26 miles had been marched. The troops broke camp at 4 a. m. and marched to the Chi- wapa River, six miles from Okolona. The river was impassable on account of high water and destroyed bridges, so the column changed direction to the west and went into camp, having marched all day in a steady down- pour of rain. Hoping to strike the force of General Chalmers, at Pontotoc, the march was resumed at dark in the direction of that place, through a drenching rain storm, when it was learned that the enemy had taken flight for Grenada, and the column halted in the road. The distance marched during the day was 30 miles.
In the morning at 5 o'clock, May 3rd, the column con- tinued the march through New Albany, forded the Talla- hatchie, and went into camp for the night on the north side, the distance traveled being 18 miles. The rear guard had lively skirmishing with the pursuing force of the enemy during the day, and at the crossing of the river. May 4th, the troops began to march at 4 a. m., traveled 15 miles and camped 2 miles south of Ripley, at 3 p. m. May 5th, the march began at 4 a. m., and camp was reached at La Grange at 7 p. m., the distance for the day being 38 miles. The trophies of the expedition were 400 head of captured stock and 20 prisoners. The informa- tion that Colonel Grierson had gone through on his raid had also been obtained, and General Chalmers and his force had been chased back to Grenada.
Five days were spent in camp recuperating and learn- ing the cavalry drill. On the 9th of May, the regiment received two months pay and on the next day received marching orders for the following morning. It was known that General Chalmers was at Panola, south of the Tallahatchie, with his main force and that he had de-
187
RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
tachments and partisan companies along the Coldwater River, so, pursuant to orders, Colonel Hatch moved south from La Grange at daylight, May 11th, with the 2nd Iowa Cavalry, 6th Iowa Mounted Infantry and three two- pounders of the First Illinois Artillery -- 1000 men in all. Major A. H. Chalmers, with his battalion of Missis- sippi cavalry, guarding the Coldwater crossing, was speedily routed by the advance guard which captured three prisoners. The column then passed through Early Grove and Mount Pleasant, and camped 5 miles west of Holley Springs, having gone a distance of 30 miles. On the next day the troops passed through Tallaloosa, Wall- hill, and camped at Looxahoma, the distance for the day being 30 miles.
On May 13th, the column moved rapidly to Senatobia, routed a company of the enemy, and captured six prison- ers besides the telegraph operator at the station. The command marched south to the neighborhood of Sardis, near Panola and, no enemy being found, it was broken up into small detachments which were dispatched in all directions to capture mules and horses. These returned before night with 600 animals. Then the return march was taken up and the command camped 7 miles north of Senatobia, on Jim Wolf Creek.
The proverbial "just before daylight attack" was made on the outposts by the enemy the next morning, with the intention of surprising the camp, but they were hand- somely repulsed by the picket guards. At daylight, when the column was moving out of camp to continue the march, a more spirited attack was made with small arms and artillery, causing great confusion among the cap- tured mules and horses being led by negroes. The rear guard was promptly reenforced and checked the attack.
188
SIXTHI IOWA INFANTRY
The movement north was continued and the enemy pur- sued sharply with a large force of cavalry and artillery, shelling the column furiously, causing a great disorder and consternation among the mules and refugees.
While the column was temporarily checked at the cross- ing of a stream at Wallhill the enemy appeared in large force and with three pieces of artillery began shelling the command, which created a stampede among the cap- tured stock and negroes. A portion of the command was assigned to the task of getting the herd of stock and led horses across the creek, while the rest were dismounted and moved rapidly to the rear to fight. The two-pound- ers opened on the enemy's guns and the skirmishers were pushed up onto the high ground, when the engagement became spirited. The action continued for an hour, the enemy appearing in large force about the buildings in the little hamlet of Wallhill, where they planted their guns and shelled the lane in the creek bottom that was filled with stock and negroes struggling to cross. This caused the wildest consternation, and some loss of stock, while some of the refugees were wounded.
The men and officers of both regiments exhibited great enthusiasm and the prompt action of the Sixth Iowa - with their colors flying - drew hearty cheers from the men of the Second Iowa Cavalry. When all the led horses of the dismounted men in the fighting line, the refugee negroes and their herd of animals were across the creek, safe from the enemy's shells, the line was with- drawn and crossed to the north side out of range. The enemy declined the gage of battle so gallantly offered by Colonel Hatch and Colonel Corse, with their small com- mand. Color-Sergeant Roberts and his guard per- formed a daring act, keeping up a bold deception of force,
.
189
RAIDS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI
while the lines were being withdrawn across the stream. When all were safely across he and his guard made a dash for the bridge and crossed amid a storm of bullets and shells from the enemy, and hearty cheers from both regiments. The attack was not renewed and the column moved rapidly to the Coldwater and camped, the distance marched during the day being 40 miles.
The extreme heat and almost suffocating dust caused intense suffering among the troops and animals, and especially among the colored people, who were leading the captured stock. They were a motley cavalcade of ne- groes and mules, the men and women all mounted astride the bareback mules, with great bundles of personal effects that they were clinging to like grim-death. During the night many of the negroes, from fear that the camp would be shelled again, escaped with their mules, some return- ing south and others pushing north to the Union lines.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.