USA > Iowa > Johnson County > Iowa City > A succinct history of the 28th Iowa Volunteer Infantry : From date of muster into service, October 10th, 1862, at Iowa City, Iowa, to its final muster out, August 13th, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa > Part 2
USA > Iowa > Scott County > Davenport > A succinct history of the 28th Iowa Volunteer Infantry : From date of muster into service, October 10th, 1862, at Iowa City, Iowa, to its final muster out, August 13th, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa > Part 2
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engagement of an hour they retired in confusion.
A company of skirmishers having been sent out to the left and front of our line discovered a rebel battery, which had command of the Port Gibson road. Our artillery soon got into position and commenced shelling them. My command lay in support until they had silenced the enemy's guns. By this time it was nearly dark, and Gen. Stephens coming up relieved us from the left, and we re- joined our brigade which was encamped for the night on the field. Here we lay on our arms in support of the Peoria battery during the night. He further says: "With regard to the conduct of the officers and men during the action I can only speak in terms of highest praise. Al- though having marched all the day and night previous to the engagement carrying three day's rations and one hun- dred rounds of ammunition to the man, and having never been under fire before. They fought with that fearless spirit and determination which has always characterized the American soldier."
Though hotly engaged from early morn until late at night either in charging the rebel lines repelling a charge or supporting a battery, our casualities were few.
In the early morning we started on our way toward Port Gibson, four miles away, passing along the road over which the rebels had retreated, evidences of haste were strewn along the way such as guns, accoutrements, wagons, ambulance, and many dead and wounded. Arriving at the beautiful little town of Port Gibson, we were glad to learn we were at rest for the day. A rest sorely needed by us after the experiences of the past few days. It was here the writer, then 20 years of age, first learned the enormity of the sin of slavery. While sitting on the steps to the balcony of one of the finest residences of the place, muse- ing over the days just passed, a beautiful girl of the brunette type dressed richly in stripped silk, a prevailing style then worn by ladies in the south, came out and en- tered into conversation about the battle just over, the war and its causes and in the course of our talk said, do you think we slaves will be freed? We slaves said 1, Are you a slave? Yes sir, I am a slave, I was bought by the master of this house for $3,500, at New Orleans a few
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years ago. The master is now a Colonel in the army. This beautiful girl, seven-eights white to one-eighths ne- gro blood in her veins. then 20 years of age kept by a southern Col. as a slave to his besotted bestial lust; that alone caused me to see slavery in a light I had not thought possible and made me a "hated abolitionist" from that day until every shackel was stricken from every slave within our borders.
On the 3rd the forward move was begun and continued until we arrived at Big Sandy where we formed a line of battle on the 5th. On the 7th we moved up to Sand Ridge in front of the enemy. It must be remembered that but few of Grant's troops had crossed the river, that Johnson and Pemberton's combined forces more than doubled our strength, that we were in their country and had to develop their positions in every movement; there- fore Grant was moving rapidly yet cautiously, and when he learned he had separated the two rebel armies his plan of campaign was quickly made and Sherman was dispatched with all the army but the 12th Division (Hovey's) to give Johnson battle while our Division was to make a demonstration against Pemberton who occupied a strong position at Edwards depot. We begun our ad- vance on the 13th driving in his pickets and out posts. HIad Pemberton known the facts, no doubt we would have got tangled up with him before the day was done, but as he did not, we held nim under the belief, Grant's whole army was in his immediate front, until darkness came on, we then quietly filed away for Raymond, following in the rear of the balance of the troops.
Talk about rain. I have the impression there never was, since the "original flood" such rains as fell during our march around from Edward's Depot, through Ray- mond, Clinton and back to Champion Hill. Mud and water, waist deep, in which we were compelled to wade for hours on the march, mud for a bed and soft mud for a pillow, yet we slept and dreamed, awoke and renewed the march.
Passing through Raymond on the 14th, reached Clinton on the 15th, when an orderly brought the good news that Jackson was captured and Johnson's army driven across
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the Pearl River. No one not with us in that memorable campaign could ever appreciate what such cheering re- ports meant to us. It meant success to our arms in the next battle, and Vicksburg's investment. It meant good hard-tack and juicy sow belly to hungry stomachs now receiving but an occasional nubbin of green corn, or dry. parched corn and a few green peaches as a daily allowance. One fellow describing his condition on this campaign said his eyes were sunken into his head so far, he could roll them down and see his own gizzard, and it was empty.
After remaining in Clinton a few hours we turned back on the Vicksburg road, reaching Bolton Station in the evening where we camped for the night, resuming our march, May 16th. We encountered the rebel skirmishers two miles west of Bolton Station when company B were throw out as skirmishers and the rebel line pushed back to the foot of Champion Hill, where we found 'Gen. Pemberton's army occupying an advantageous position on the crest of the hill, with a strong line at the base. It was eleven o'clock a. m. before we were formed for an advance, which was immediately made and in a short time the whole Division was under fire and we begun to realize we had hard fighting before us. In our advance we had to cross a ravine and ascend the hill through heavy timber and underbrush, driving the rebels strong line of skirmishers before us, who behind trees, stumps and logs, would wait until our skirmishers approached, shoot them down at close range, then run for other cover further to the rear. The division closely following our skirmishers soon pressed the confederates to the crest of the hill then it was the work of death began. The top of the hill was an open field behind which the rebs had formed strong lines and placed their batteries so to command all points. The nature of the ground was such we could not get our guns into position therefore the battle on our part inust be fought with small arms alone, until we could force them back and uncover the road and gallop a battery into action. Our advance continued under a murderous fire from the enemy and fighting became furious, every step reduced our force and men were falling by the score until at last we began to realize we in turn must fall back and
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with a stubborn resistance we fought our way back, giv- ing shot for shot until the gallant Crocker came to our support.
Then with a cheer and shout for victory we again moved steadily forward over gound twice fought over, now cover- ed with the dead, wounded and dying of both armies. Oh, what a scene. No man can describe; comrades bleeding, dying, calling for help as you pass them by, but the battle was not won, the rebel lines lay just before us pouring in volley after volley into our advancing columns, their lines must be broken. the cheer of victory must resound over these smoke clad hills before our work was done. So with a charge and a yell the gallant Crocker's Brigade and our over-fought division pressed them back over the hill and down the slope across Baker's creek, their flight hastened by shells, dropped by batteries under Logan into their fieeing ranks, followed by Carr's, Logan's, Quimby's and other divisions.
Ilovey's Division having borne the brunt of this battle were ordered to remain on the field to bury the dead and care for the wounded. No pleasant task. I want to say as a matter of choice after three years active service and many battles, I would rather go into the battle with all dangers than be compelled to gather up the poor wounded groaning, bleeding, mangled bodies and carry them to the hospital for surgical treatment. And yet their condition and comradeship called out our human sympathies and our duties were faithfully performed. Then we laid ourselves down to rest under the spreading branches of the magnolia trees, but not to sleep, thoughts of home and country, our dead messmates and sadly wounded comrades, filled our hearts with sorrow.
Blood, carnage, death, Oh the horrors of a field of battle, the roar of cannon, rattle of musketry, cheers of the charg- ing columns, return yell of opposing forces, groans of the dying, pitiful cries of the wounded, all before your sight and in your hearing at the same time, makes up a picture that can never be described by brush or pen. Yet it was necessary to right the wrongs of a nation's sin in binding the shackles on four million human beings in this fair land.
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Gen. Hovey in his report of this action says "of the 24th and.28th Iowa in what language shall I speak. Not yet scarcely six months in the service and yet no troops ever showed more bravery or fought with more valor; of these and their commanders the state of lowa may well be proud."
Grant in his memoirs says, "Hovey's Division bore the brunt of the battle. Lost in killed and wounded one- third of his division (1200) captured as many prisoners as he lost, and inflicted a heavy loss on the enemy in killed and wounded." We remained on the bantle field until May 20th, when we advanced to Black River and remain- ed until the 24th guarding the bridge. The first night we lay here our lines ran along by an old log cabin then oc- cupied by an old colored man and wife Dinah. On laying down for the night the regiment lay close along side of Uncle Jake's cabin, who before retiring to his couch of straw bowed him down before the Lord to pray and this is about what he offered up: "O good Lawd, fadder ob de white mans and de po culled pusons, we done come befo de in prar. We done be po wicud sinful pusons we is but dow am mussiful dow is and dow lubs dy chillin, bres de Lawd. Lawd wese happy dis nite we is, case de Linkum Sojer dey done come, yes de is, dey done layin on de groun by ole Jakes do dey is, Bres de Lawd. O Lawd, we is wufluss chillin but wese bin prain fo mos a hunred yeas. fo de yea ob jubilee an you don foch it to us, bres de Lawd, Halluenja, bres de Lawd." Just here one of the boys said Amen, and Uncle Jake broke out again. "Yo hea dat Dinah, you hea dat, dem Sojers say Amen to Unc Jake, glory to de good Lawd dey is cristens dey is Hallelija. () Lawd dese Linkum Sojers dey done get no pone, dey hungry dey is, dey mos starve, Lawd de done mind bout chillin Isl, when in bondage to de gipicums when de sen de manna an de quail an dey coch em. Sen de hoe cake an de possum fat to dese Sojers an de chickns Lawd, let em roos low so dey kin coch em, case Lawd dey is come to foch de culled peoples outen slabery so dey no mo be whiped by de massa wif cat-o-nine-tails, no mo go in de stocks. No mo be put in de shackles. Our chillen no mo be sole way down in Gorgey, po woman bar de chile
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no mo be put in hole in grown, be whip. O Lawd, bres us all Amen, Amen, Hallelija Amen."
Such was the prayer of this old white headed slave a sim- ple prayer to the great God of nations, rude in construc- tion 'tis true, but sublime in its simplicity and faith, who can say it did not reach the fathers throne and bring an answer in his own good time.
On the 24th we left Black River and marched to our lines then being formed around Vicksburg, arriving at our position in the line on the 25th. Our camps were formed in the ravines back of Vicksburg and so close to the rebel works that minne balls and cannon shot and shell very frequently came dropping over into our midst, often causing many ridiculous scenes. Our regiment was camped across a steep hollow, half on the steep hill on the north the other half on the south side. In order to get a level spot for tent and bunks, we would dig a notch in the hill then drive stakes in to support our bunks. One morn- ing the Johns sent a conical shell over, which came tum- bling down the hill knocking the stakes, demolishing tents and everything in its course; and being a shell and expected to explode every minute, caused some lively scampering among the boys for places of safety. Then some wagish fellow would stick his head out of his "She- bang" and yell, 'Ilunt yer hole Yank.' Occasionally some luckless one got a spat from a minne ball and was taken away and buried out of sight or off to the Hospital, so that all through the seige, we were constantly in dan- ger of death or wound, either in camp or rifle pit, besides camped as we were, huddled in the deep ravines with water that was enough to kill the average man, the hot June sun pouring down its scorching rays until the very earth was smoking hot, it is no wonder many sickened and died and that our rudely constructed hospitals were con- stantly full. One day out of every four the regiment had to take its place in the pits going in at night and remain- ing until relieved the next night. We approached the rebel works by ditelies zig zaging up the hills in such a manner as to be hid from the enemy's view until we got into our line of works. We usually carried one hundred rounds of ammunition for the days shoot, expecting to kill
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as many Johnnies as it was possible to get a bead on and hit, but they very seldom showed their heads above works or their eye at a port hole.
We often amused ourselves shooting down their "Bony blue flag" until they quit hanging them out, for it was a settled question that no treason's flag should wave in our presence for any length of time. The three days out of the advanced works were employed in guarding trains around to the Yazoo River, fifteen miles from our camp, loading supplies and guarding back again carrying ammuni- tion up to our batteries, cleaning camps, cooking, chase- ing the ever present and always active grey backs and busy flea and occasionally indulging in a game of chuck a luck, mostly chucking against luck. Oftentimes of a still dark night we would climb to some high hill as close to the rebel works as possible and lay for hours watching the speeding shell from Porter's gun boat fleet above the city, as they described a circle in theair falling into the doom- ed city with a crash and roar that would shake the ground.
They were 200 pound shells filled with powder, bullets, scraps of iron and etc., with a long fuse that you could see blaze out as it wheeled up through the air until it would seem to stop, then begin to decend faster and fast- er, when, if the fuse was ent right it would explode above the city sending out its contents all over, hunting for some Johnny reb, singing, where are you Johnny, or John- ny hunt your hole for I am coming.
Sometimes they did not explode until they had buried themselves in the hard ground several feet, when this oc- curred there would be a small earthquake take place and a ton or two of dirt would be cast up. Once I remember a shell burst in a kennel of blood hounds and started a yowl that only stopped when the dogs were dead or had got over their scare. Our rebel friends in order to escape these constant visitors dug caves in the hills and arrang- ed living quarters therein where they were comparatively safe.
We very frequently held conversation with our gallant foes across the intervening space between lines. At other times would meet them between the lines and talk, swap' coffee for tobacco and other articles, these meetings al-
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ways occuring after the evening gun was fired, then war . ceased for the night unless some demonstration was made by either side, then it was fight. Once our pioneer corps was ordered to dig a line of pits close up to the rebel po- sition, had a parley regarding it, finally pressed forward to begin the work and received a volley from a fort that sent them down the hill tumbling over one another. One of them (an Irishman) was asked why he did not fight the Johnnies and he replied, "to the divil wid ye, do you be thinkin I could shoot wid me spade now?"
For some days prior to the 20th of June, great activity prevailed among the many batteries around the lines. Ammunition in larger quantities than usual was being car- ried up and the boys began to speculate upon the possi- bilities of a charge on the rebel works, but early on the morning of the 20th we learned the cause. Grant had de- cided to show the boys on the other side what he could do by opening on them with every gun in position includ- ing Porter's gun boat fleet and mortar boats. I remember I had sat down in the pit and dozed off to sleep and was awakened from my dreams by the quivering earth beneath me and the vibrating air above and jumped up to see what had broken loose. A glance at the Confederate earth- works covered with splinters, fiying dirt, and smoke from bursting shells with not a Johnny in sight demonstrated clearly that in case we wanted tocharge their works our artillery could keep the enemy down until the charging columns were ready to scale the forts making a sure success if it became necessary to make the attempt, but this was not necessary for on the morning of the 4th of July ac- cording to terms of surrender the boys in gray marched outside the works stacked arms and marched back again. We marched in and Vicksburg, the strong hold, was ours. How our hearts swelled with joy. With what satisfaction each number of the gallant 28th thought of the honorable part they had taken in the journey from Milliken's Bend west to the city around by Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Big Sandy, Edwards Depot, Raymond, Clinton, Champions Hill, Black River and the ever memorable seige, from May Ist to May 22d, marching, skirmishing, fighting day and night on but three days rations followed by 42 days seige,
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making more than two months of constant warfare hard- ly a moment out of hearing of the deadly shell or ping of minne ball, suffering with hunger and thirst passing weary sleepless nights in mud and rain, yet ever in our places without a murmur. Vicksburg was ours with its 31,600 prisoners, more than 200 cannons, all the small arms and stores besides the great river was open from its source t ) the sea, and we had helped to bring about this great end but at a cost of many of our brave comrades who had gone down to rise no more forever, willing sacrifices for a be- loved and bleeding country.
It would seem that after such continued and arduous service the army would be entitled to a little rest, but not so, the rebel General Johnson was at Jackson with a formidable army and Grant had determined to drive him out before resting, so an order came to be ready to move at 5 a. m. on July 5th. Rations were drawn, blankets roll- ed, a new supply of cartridges given out, the ranks dressed up, the old banner unfurled and a little handful (250 in number)of the 956 that came out, but eight months before, took up the march for Jackson back over the battle fields of May, with a shout and cheer.
On the advance on Vicksburg, a little old woman, once seen never to be forgotten and hard to describe, had warn- ed us to look out for the Great Pemberton and his invinci- able Johnnies, assuring us Vicksburg could never be taken and on our return she came out from her cabin "do" with a smile on her wizened wrinkled face, a cob pipe between her lips and began, "Ah, ha, ah, ha, we'uns told you, we'uns did, we'uns told you'ns, you'ns couldent take Vieks- burg. I knowed you'ns ed git liked, ye chicken theven yankee devils, git." So we left the old heifer to gloat for a day, then change her cob pipe to the other corner of her mouth and we pushed on toward Jackson.
It was amusing to see the aged patriarchs of the colored race as we passed by plantations on the route, (the aged alone were left the young had run away to freedom), they would take off their old hat and say "fore God massa did you'ns take Vicksburg" and when told we had, it would be "Bres de Lawd". Massa dem Linkem Sojers jes lites like de debil dey dos, bres the Lawd.
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We reached Bolton Station on the 7th at 9 o'clock at night. camped or rather stopped, in an open field. It rain- ed incessantly all night and in order to get a place to sleep the boys took rails from the fences layed across the ditches and laid their wet and tired bodies down thereon and slept. We were on the move at 5 a. m. of the 8th, continued the march all day and all night until 2 a. m. of the next day, when we lay down on our arms until morning, then were ordered forward to support Gen. Os- terhouse, who had found the enemy. We halted eight miles from Jackson until the 10th when we were ordered to the left and took position. On the 11th, we began our advance and drove in the enemy's pickets and out posts forcing them back three miles, where we found them in force at three mile creek receiving their fire from a strip of woods across an open field back of the creek, here we threw out heavy pickets and remained through the night.
Beginning the advance in the morning, we drove the en- emy back inside his works and began the erection of a line of breastworks parallel with the enemy, here we remained until the night of the 17th, when a band came out on the Johnny fortifications and regaled us with the Bonnie blue flag and other southern airs, while Johnson and his army were silently putting the Pearl River between them and us, and Jackson, the hot bed of secession and treason, was ours for the second time, much property was destroyed by our troops while here. Everything calculated to be of use in the Confederate service was fired, that rank rebel sheet, the "Mississipian" office, found a grave in its own ashes, a righteous judgement had over taken it.
On the 25th, we again took up the march for Vicksburg, arriving there on the 27th and went into camp on the bank of the river below the city. This trip to Jackson and return was one of the roughest of all the experiences we had had, because of the intense heat, frequent rains, muddy roads and constant movement, besides rations were scarce on the trip. Foot sore and weary we were, mary falling out by the way with sunstroke, while others fell sick and had to be left behind in the hospitals.
On the first of August we took boat for Natchez reach- ing there on the 3d. On the 4th we moved out to second
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creek, 7 miles from Natchez and built a fort out of bales of cotton. Here it was thought we would remain for sometime to rest and recuperate our failing health and strength, for we were beginning to grow thin and lank with such constant and trying ordeals as we just passed through.
It was while camped at this little fort we had a chance tolearn something of the lives of the plantation slaves. While on picket on a by path in the woods some distance from camp. An old colored man, whose wool was white as snow, came along and I asked him if he could bring me something to eat and he said he would bring me some "conpone" and milk at midnight, if he and his old woman could get to me without being caught by the mistes, who was a bitter rebel and on the watch for her slaves for fear they would leave her. Sure enough at about 12 o'clock they came, bringing the hoe cake, a small jug of milk and a rooster whose squawk they had left on the plantation, while I sat and eat my pone and drank the milk they told me of their days of slavery for more than forty years on the same plantation, of the whipping post, the stocks, shackles, cat-o-nine tails, the brutality of the cversee'r, the frequent and awful whippings when the quivering fiesh would be lacerated from head to feet of their naked bodies, then filled with salt to keep out the maggots. And then the old Auntie said, Massa, I done don't forget de. poor woman dee bear de chile hab hole dug in groun and dey lay in hole an be whip. The sin of a nation again. God required a sacrifice for sin and we were paying the penalty, once paid there would be no more human slavery in this fair land, but at what a fearful cost to us and the generations to follow. Thanking the old couple for their generous supply of pone and milk and the old rooster brought me at their peril, I gave them a 50 cent scrip and they departed leaving me to spend the balance of the night on my lonely vigil.
We remained in this place but a few days, returning to Natchez. We again on the 12th embarked on board a transport and on the morning of the 13th awoke to see the light of New Orleans looming up in the distance. We were landed at Carrollton above the city and went into camp in
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a beautiful plot of ground between Carrollton and the city, here we received tents and cooking utensils. Fruit and vegetables were plenty and the boys began to live and grow. Our old and ragged clothes were cast aside, new ones put on and in a few weeks we began to feel like life was returning to us in earnest. Messes were formed, col- ored cooks hired and meals of fish, vegetables, macaroni, ice cream and fruit set up at but small cost to us, as the bacon, beans and rice drawn from our commissary found ready sale for cash at a high figure and the money spent by our cook for something new and palatable, and every day brought a healthful change in diet for us.
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