USA > Iowa > A history of the Sixth Iowa infantry > Part 2
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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
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THE CALL TO ARMS
orders for the Sixth Iowa to be countermanded. Had the orders not been countermanded the Army of the Potomac would have had one Iowa regiment linked with its bril- liant history in the war, as were several of the early regiments from the western States.
The supply for the meals furnished by the contractors was abundant, but the cooking and facilities for serving were horrid - grub, dirt, and flies was the general mix- ture. Three meals were served each day consisting of : fresh beef, boiled; bakers bread, raised with yeast sponge; boiled vegetables ; coffee and tea - with an abun- dance of sugar. Not many of the men were accustomed to the use of fresh beef at that season of the year, and it was seldom that any of them used bakers bread at their homes, so that, when they partook in such large quantity of the prepared food and were forced by the circumstances to inactivity, as compared with their active habits of life on the farms, many developed camp diseases and ailments. The arrangement was soon made to issue the army ration to the companies and then have the food prepared by company cooks; each man supply- ing himself with a tin cup and plate, knife, fork, and spoon. This gave much better satisfaction, and improved the health in the camp.
It was on Sunday evening, July 21st, that the regiment had its first dress parade, which was held in the meadow adjoining the camp. Colonel McDowell reviewed the parade, the new band played, Lieutenant Woodward was the Adjutant, Beverly Searcy - "the Superb" - per- formed as sergeant-major, and it was at this ceremony that the men had the first sight of Major John M. Corse -- stepping high in the long grass, when closing to the center with the officers.
Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood was present, accom-
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panied by several citizens from the city of Burlington and other portions of the State, and witnessed the parade, visited the camps, and inspected the troops in quarters. He was greeted with hearty cheers by the men in all the commands.
Much speculation was rife at all times in the camps concerning the probability of seeing service at the front; when clothing would be furnished; guns and ammunition issued; and when the State would pay for tramping down the dog-fennel in three dozen towns in Iowa.
A consolidated return of the field and staff, band, and the ten companies, made on August 2, 1861, showed a total strength in the regiment of 870 men. In this num- ber were included five regimental field and staff officers, thirty company officers, one hundred and twenty-nine non-commissioned officers, nine regimental musicians, fifteen company musicians, nine company wagoners, and six hundred and seventy-three privates.
The Fifth Regiment was the first to get marching orders, which were published in the camp on August 2nd, and during the afternoon the command marched to the city and embarked on a steamer for down the river.
At the dress parade the same evening the Sixth Regi- ment received marching orders for the next morning at 6 a. m., with two days cooked rations. There was great enthusiasm throughout the camp during the evening; letters were hastily penned to the folks at home; bands serenaded at headquarters; men marched in great throngs through the camps singing and shouting; and the whole camp was in an uproar, until a late hour.
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THE FIRST HOSTILITIES .
At the break of day, August 3rd, the bugles and drums sounded the reveille in Camp Warren, when the troops were all alert for the start. At 6 o'clock a. m., the regi- ment was formed in line, at the command, the column in four ranks filed out of camp and took up the line of march for the levee in the city.
There is something solemn, yet soul-stirring, in the solid tramp of a large body of men as they depart for some scene of deadly strife, with colors flying in the breeze. The strains of martial music, the shrill notes of the fife, and the roll of the stirring drums, all cause the heart to swell with patriotic enthusiasm.
The march from the camp to the levee was a grand ovation to the regiment. The dwellings, lawns, and streets were crowded with a countless mass of people -- men, women, and children - shouting with enthusiasm and bidding farewell to the departing soldiers.
It was the first march for the regiment and the final farewell greeting for many of the noble young men in its ranks, on that day. The certainty that calamity would befall some in the future was manifested by the heartfelt expressions for the safe return of each and all, as the column marched along. Traces of deep emotion were visible on many fair and lovely faces as farewells were waved, on that bright summer day.
While the column was passing down Jefferson Street approaching the levee, an enthusiastic admirer remarked:
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"There goes a body of men who will make their mark on the battlefield". The story of the regiment's service in the war will prove the correctness of the confident and friendly prediction.
The non-arrival of the steamer intended for the trans- portation of the command caused a long tiresome wait on the levee, under a burning August sun. The shrill scream of a steam whistle far down the river was the welcome signal of the steamer's coming.
Soon after 12 o'clock noon the regiment was marched on board, and, amid strains of sweet music by the bands, the farewell shouts of loving relatives and friends on the shore, and the enthusiastic cheering of the soldiers, the boat cast loose from its moorings, swung out in mid- stream and steamed away, headed down the Mississippi River for "Dixie's Land". A few hours pleasant ride and the city of Fort Madison was reached at 4 p. m., where the troops disembarked and proceeded thence by railroad to Keokuk. They arrived in that city at 7 p. m., and were quartered by squads and by companies in up- stairs rooms of the business blocks of the city. The transfer from the steamer to the cars at Fort Madison was made on account of the low stage of water in the river on the Des Moines Rapids, which extend from that city to Keokuk.
Alarming rumors were current on the streets of the city and spread among the troops in their quarters of large secession forces being organized in North Missouri, who were ready to march north and invade Iowa. Citi- zens and soldiers were continually kept in a state of fev- ered excitement by the reports circulated that Colonel Martin Green - a noted secession leader in Missouri - was at Alexandria, Missouri, just a few miles below the
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FIRST HOSTILITIES
city, with 1500 Missouri secessionists, all well armed and equipped for battle. Such reports created the wildest consternation in the city, because of the known inade- quate means of defense, at hand. The troops were still without arms and powerless in the face of such formid- able forces as the enemy approaching was reported to be. It was in the midst of such flying reports and nerve destroying excitement that the Sabbath day was spent in the beautiful "Gate City" of Iowa. The weather con- tinued hot and it was so oppressive at night that large numbers of the men abandoned the buildings and sought the open air by spreading their blankets on the sidewalks to catch an hour or two of refreshing sleep.
The scattered condition of the companies in the city tended to break up the regimental organization and dis- cipline; each company commander became a dictator unto himself and made his own orders, which were enforced in a very lax manner. Patriotism and enthusiasm were un- bounded, but the elements of military discipline were al- most entirely lacking throughout all the commands.
It was at Camp Warren that Colonel W. H. Worthing- ton, commanding the Fifth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, received orders from the War Department to move with the Fifth and Sixth regiments to Keokuk and report to Brigadier-General John Pope, then commanding the Union forces in North Missouri and guarding the line of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. The movement was successfully accomplished, and both regiments quar- tered in the city by 7 p. m., Saturday, August 3rd.
On Monday, August 5th, before daylight in the morning, a messenger arrived in the city from Athens, Missouri, with the startling information that 1500 secessionists, under Colonel Martin Green, were marching on that
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place, situated on the south bank of the Des Moines River, opposite to Croton, Iowa, a station on the line of the Des Moines Valley Railroad, fourteen miles from the city of Keokuk, to attack Colonel David Moore, who was then stationed at Athens with a Union force of three or four hundred men composed of new recruits and home guards, indifferently armed with all patterns of firearms. The long roll was beat on the drums, at the street corners throughout the city, arousing the troops and all the in- habitants of the city from their early morning slumbers to a knowledge of the great and impending danger. There was an excited state of anxiety, on the part of citi- zens and soldiers, to learn the particulars contained in the dispatches which had required the spirited call to arms.
Three companies of the Sixth Regiment - Company D, Captain Walden commanding, Company I, Captain Bry- dolf commanding, and Company K, Lieutenant White commanding, were marched to a large building near the levee, where new Springfield muskets, with accouterments and ammunition were issued to the men, and then the command was immediately embarked on board cars on the Des Moines Valley Railroad, and started for the scene of threatened hostilities. Other messengers from the scene of action were encountered while en route, who reported the most dire disaster to the Union forces, representing the secessionists driving the Union men across the river into Iowa, and large numbers killed and wounded on both sides.
The most intense excitement and anxiety was aroused among the troops on board the slow speeding train, in- cluding Colonel McDowell and the other officers, whom all expected would lead where danger threatened, and
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FIRST HOSTILITIES
inspire the men in the ranks by their exhibition of cool and determined courage. The route of the railroad lay along the north bank of the Des Moines River, and, it be- ing the line between Iowa and the State of Missouri, the south bank was scanned with eager eyes to discover the enemy, who was believed to be lurking behind every tree and ambushed at every turn in the road. The men were crowded into old box cars and flat cars - used by the rail- road company as dirt cars and stock cars - with only standing room, and no accommodations for sitting down.
It was in that disorganized condition that the raw vol- unteers were huddled together, when the train was stopped two miles from Croton and within hearing of the conflict, to interrogate the fleeing citizens concerning the situation at the depot in Iowa. In their delirium of fright it was difficult to obtain intelligent or reliable in- formation from them, but all agreed that the Union forces were being badly defeated, and that they had been driven across the river to the Iowa side, where they were being cut all to pieces. Before starting forward again, Colonel McDowell passed through the train ordering cartridges distributed to the men, guns loaded, bayonets fixed and every man standing ready to leap from the car when the train arrived at the depot. The command was given to again move forward, when the noise of the old squeaky engine and rickety cars drowned all sounds of the dis- tant conflict. Thus the train arrived at the Croton sta- tion, where it was greeted by a large crowd of Union people and given a hearty reception.
On the approach of the train, the enemy, at Athens on the south side of the river, commenced a hasty retreat, and the battle was ended. The troops were quickly un- loaded and marched thence to the river where Colonel
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McDowell ordered the men to take off their shoes and stockings, roll up their pants and proceed to wade the Des Moines River, which was knee deep and about two hundred yards wide. It was soon learned that Colonel Martin Green with his band of Missouri secessionists had abandoned the field and fled south in a demoralized condition. The only participation had in the affair after arriving on the field was by a detail of advance skirmish- ers, who fired a few parting shots at some stragglers in the rear of the enemy's fleeing forces.
According to accounts given, a force, said to be fifteen hundred armed men with three pieces of artillery, had charged in at daylight upon the three hundred Union men occupying the hamlet of Athens, pouring in volleys of musketry, yelling like demons, firing solid shot and dis- charges of slugs from their cannon, most of which were aimed high and passed over the river where they lodged in the low hills back of Croton. The battle raged with great fury for several hours, the Union men holding sub- stantially their position in the town. When the reën- forcements were seen approaching, the Union men took courage and charged with great gallantry, dispersing the enemy in utter rout and confusion. There were two Union men killed in the affair and fifteen wounded; the loss of the enemy was never definitely reported, but was believed to be more than double that of the Union side.
During the afternoon Colonel Worthington, in com- mand of three more companies of the Sixth Iowa and five companies of the Fifth Iowa (all he could get arms for), arrived on the battlefield as reinforcements. At 3 p. m. the enemy sent in a request, under a flag of truce, to re- cover and bury their dead, which was granted. At night the outposts and all guards were stationed with special
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FIRST HOSTILITIES
care, so the enemy could not again approach the camps, without the alarm being given in sufficient time for the troops to be called to arms, ready for action. The troops slept on arms ready for any emergency, and the false alarms raised during the night added spirit to the situ- ation. The next day the Home Guards, commanded by Colonel David Moore, commenced preparing for a vigor- ous pursuit to drive the armed and organized secession- ists out of Northeast Missouri. At 5 p. m., August 6th, the three companies of the Sixth Iowa, under Colonel McDowell, and the troops commanded by Colonel Worth- ington were-embarked on the cars at Croton and re- turned to the city of Keokuk, where they arrived at 6 p. m., in the midst of an applauding population.
The Athens affair was insignificant, when rated as a battle, but, at that early period of the war and to those who participated in it, the tragedy there enacted was very exciting and of the greatest consequence. It was a lesson in real war alike for officer and private, which demonstrated clearly the absolute necessity for thorough organization and strict military discipline, before a com- mand could be made effective in camp duties, on the march, and in the ordeal of battle. The men and officers of all the commands showed a commendable willingness at all times to engage the enemy in battle, and their courage in the face of danger was never doubted; so that, with intelligent and skillful direction, they would have been reasonably effective in battle. The fact that the enemy was equally deficient in military knowledge placed the contending forces on equal terms, in that respect.
The abandoned stores, mills, and dwelling houses in the village of Athens were wantonly pillaged, without re- gard to friend or foe, rich or poor; officers seemed to vie
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with the men in reckless appropriation and destruction of private property.
On August 8th, a report was sent in from Athens, which caused the command to be started back to that place, but before proceeding very far on the cars the reported re- newal of the fight was learned to be false, and the com- mand returned to the city.
The men of the Sixth Iowa had left their homes with the understanding - however obtained - that it was not necessary to be provided with a change of clothing, that the State of Iowa or the United States government would furnish new uniforms and equipment for all just as soon as the volunteers were accepted and mustered into the United States service. Thirty days had elapsed and no issue by the State or government had been made, and many in the ranks were beginning to look shabby and dirty. It was on August 7th that the first issue was made, consisting of a limited number of pairs of gray pants and coarse shoes, which were distributed to those most needy. The arms, which were only issued to the men temporarily for the Athens affair, were all returned to the buildings where they had been received, near the levee.
Pursuant to orders, issued by Major-General John C. Fremont, commanding the Western Department --- with headquarters at St. Louis, Missouri, the regiment began - making preparations for the movement down the Missis- sippi River. Great armies were being assembled and or- ganized at St. Louis, Cairo, and Louisville, in the West- ern Department, with strong advance forces and outposts stationed at interior points and along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The prospect of soon being assigned to a place in the grand army, then organizing to open the
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Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and suppress the rebellion in the West, was hailed with demonstrations of delight by all the men. The coming of General Fre- mont to command the western forces had inspired con- fidence and great enthusiasm in the army and among the Union people throughout the whole northwestern country.
On Friday morning, August 9th, all the companies were assembled and the regiment marched with martial and band music to the levee, where it embarked on board the handsome steamer "War Eagle", amid the shouts and cordial good-byes of its thousands of friends, and the lusty responsive cheers of the departing soldiers. The beautiful palace steamer, with its cargo of eight hun- dred Iowa boys, swung out into the middle of the river in a roar of steam whistles, clanging bells, playing bands, and the loud hurrahs of soldiers and citizens, presenting a scene grand and inspiring -- never to be forgotten.
The trip down the river was without special incident, but was greatly enjoyed by all. The river at the time was at a low stage of water and the "War Eagle", being one of the largest of river steamers, made slow progress on account of frequently getting aground on sandbars. At one time the boat was hard fast on a bar for several hours. It was the first experience on board a large steamboat for many of the young men in the regiments, and everything about the boat had soon passed under the inspection of their critical and enquiring minds, from the bottom of the hold to the hurricane deck. The man at the bow of the boat taking the soundings with lead and line, and re- porting the depth of water to the pilot far up in the pilot- house, was one of the interesting and amusing features. Much practice was indulged in by the men to learn the calls and imitate the peculiar drawling sound of voice,
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when reporting the stage of water and the response from the pilot-house, repeating it. Many had learned before a day passed to repeat the calls with great skill and ac- curacy, thus - "f-o-u-r feet!" - s-i-x feet!"-"e-i-g-h-t feet !" -m-a-r-k twain!" - "n-o bottom!" - which caused some ridiculous complications in the boat's disci- pline and much amusement for the men.
The "War Eagle" arrived at the city of St. Louis dur- ing Saturday afternoon, August 10th, and steamed down past the city and the crowded levee to where the troops were landed and camped for the night on the bank of the river just above the U. S. Arsenal. The sixty or seventy Mississippi and Missouri river steamboats moored at the levee, receiving and discharging their cargoes, to- gether with the hugh piles of freight, army stores, muni- tions of war, and the thousands of marching soldiers - all contributed to a scene of activity and a display of war preparation, which furnished an object lesson and a sort of realization of the magnitude of the preparations be- ing made by the government for the suppression of the great southern insurrection.
It was while securing firewood along the bank of the river to prepare the evening meal, to which a vigorous protest was made by the owners, that Captain Henry Saunders, commanding Company E, announced the fam- ous order, "Stand firm Company E and take all the wood you want"; which afterwards became famous throughout the army, wherever the regiment served.
The next morning, August 11th, the regiment was re- embarked on board the steamer and proceeded down the river twelve miles to Jefferson Barracks, the United States military post situated on the west bank of the river, where it was disembarked and went into camp in
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FIRST HOSTILITIES
the woods on the high bluff below the barracks on the government grounds - without tents or arms. During the night the troops were drenched in a violent rain- storm - giving everybody a good thorough soaking. An issue of woolen blankets was made to the regiment while at the post.
A large number of troops were encamped on the reser- vation and about the barracks. New commands and regi- ments were arriving almost hourly, giving to the place an importance as a great military rendezvous.
The troops were kept in a fever of excitement by the flying reports and camp rumors of large forces of the enemy approaching from the interior for the capture of the post and the reoccupation of the city of St. Louis. Generals Sterling Price and Benjamin McCulloch were mentioned as being the great chieftains in Missouri and Arkansas. They were reckoned to be marching north with an army of "Texas Rangers", "Arkansas Riflemen", and "Missouri Border Ruffians", who were sweeping like a cyclone across the country, annihilating everything before them. The most improbable and preposterous stories were circulated through the camps causing much anxiety among the young men, who had no means of dis- criminating as to the truth or falsity of the reports, all of which had a most chilling effect on the enthusiastic ardor of the young volunteers - especially was it so while occupying the enemy's country while still unarmed.
Jefferson Barracks was one of the oldest and most im- portant military posts in the western portion of the country, and everything about the place was of great interest to the officers and men, who thoroughly inspected every nook and corner for information concerning their duties as soldiers.
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It is a pertinent fact that the regiment had its first real battalion drill, August 14th, on the historic ground of Jefferson Barracks, where so many famed men and com- mands had their first experience in military and army service.
During the evening the regiment was embarked on board a steamer and proceeded up the river to the United States Arsenal, where it disembarked and the whole com- mand encamped inside of the walled enclosure. An issue of clothing was made while at the Arsenal consisting of linen pants, cotton drawers, woolen shirts, socks and coarse shoes, also Sibley tents. It was stated and so un- derstood at the time by the men in the regiment that General Fremont had purchased the clothing, on his own account, and had given it as a present to the regiment.
On August 16th, while in the Arsenal, battalion drill was again attempted; and, considering the limited knowledge had by the field and line officers of battalion maneuvers; and considering that the enlisted men hardly knew their right foot from their left foot, when indicated by a military command -- the appearance and perform- ance was fairly creditable to all concerned.
The large cannon mounted in the Arsenal enclosure and the great piles of huge cannon balls at convenient places in the grounds, together with the display of other muni- tions of war in great quantity, awakened admiration and inspired confidence among the young volunteers. Every day opened up new lessons in the great drama of war, and the young men from the prairies of Iowa were apt students of the movements and preparations, nothing escaping their critical observations.
III MISSOURI CAMPS
On August 17, 1861, the regiment marched out of the United States Arsenal, passed through the south portion of the city and out to La Fayette Park, where the camp was pitched in the midst of the floral beauty of that public resort. On the 19th, each company received five Fremont tents for the enlisted men and two wall tents for the officers, and the camp was then regularly laid out and permanently established on the south side of the park, and named Camp Jessie in honor of Jessie Benton Fre- mont, wife of the commanding general.
The 18th and 23rd Indiana and the 2nd Kansas regi- ments were also camped in the park, the latter having just returned from Southwest Missouri, where it had par- ticipated in the battle of Wilson's Creek, and its motley crowd of ragged men were looked upon as veritable heroes by the young volunteers.
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