USA > Iowa > Clayton County > Strawberry Point > Address to the surviving members of the Twenty-first Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, on occasion of their fourth reunion, at Strawberry Point, Iowa, September 3d, 1889 > Part 5
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"I never saw fighting like this. The loss of my Division, on this fiefd alone, was nearly one- third of my forces engaged. Of the 29th Wisconsin, 24th and 28th Iowa, in what words of praise shall I speak? Not more than six months in the service, their record will compare with the oldest and best tried regiments in the field."
Brigadier-General Hovey's Report.
to Bridgeport
Brownsville
to
LOGAN
OCKER
ACKS BURG - JACKSON R.R
HOVEY.
CHAMPION'S
Clinton Road
STEVENSON
1.6BOWEN
13 HOUSE
HOVEY
-
LOGAN CROCKER
BRIDGE
Baker'sCr.
LORING
15
13
EDWARD'S STA.
Road.
[3.33
3
1.33
3
CARR
BLAIR
. 3
Elliston's
Federal Columns at 6am.
A.J. SMITH'S!
Federal line at 2 p.m.
BLAIR
First ConfederateLine at 10am. ch
Second رو
" at 2 pm.
to Dillon's
RAYMONDY 000 0
RAYMOND BRANCH R. R.
Scale of Miles
0
3 MILES
A.W. SMITH &
3
OSTERHAUS
FORD
33
3
2.
Raymond Road
BOLTON STA.
3
ERHAUS
BATTLE OF CHAMPION HILL.
49
A BRAVE DEED.
of humiliation and shame which bound them to the spot, while listening to the awful crashes of musketry and thunders of cannon close by, which told how Hovey and his brave division were struggling with a greatly superior force in the "slaughter pen."
At last, when by Grant's peremptory order, the waiting divisions moved, the show of opposition melted away. It had never possessed real substance. Loring's division alone had con- fronted us, and even that had been partially withdrawn for a time .*
The enemy was now in full retreat. Prisoners were picked up by hundreds and sent to the rear, but the only important service which could then be rendered was the severing of Loring's divi- sion from Pemberton's main army, and sending it to wander in the darkness, with weariness of body and spirit, and through constant perils in highways and byways, to join Johnston with the loss of all its artillery, ammunition, waggons, baggage, and cooking uten- sils. Had our movement been made two hours earlier we should have doubled up Pemberton's right wing. Logan had already turned the left. Pemberton had an almost impassable stream be- hind him with only one bridge. He would have been compelled to surrender right there-bag and baggage-and there would have been no bayonet charge at Big Black River Bridge, and no siege of Vicksburg.
Thenceforth the corps commander, with an ambition like
* I have constantly resisted the temptation to speak of individual acts of heroism. Where all were brave it seemed inviduous to mention special cases. But during the battle of Champion Hill there occurred an incident so unique in character as to justify exceptional notice.
I refer to the act of our beloved Chaplain. He was then simply Lieut. James Hill of Company I, and Acting-Quartermaster. Grant's army was living on the country. Our last rations had been issued at Bruinsburg seventeen days before, and were soon exhausted. The commissariat was not yet in normal operation on the east side of the river. Corn meal and bacon were plentiful on these Mississippi farms and in the woods, but required to be first found and then brought to camp, before the corn could be parched or the "Hog and Hominy " cooked. The men could not be allowed to forage for themselves-the exigencies of the campaign were too serious-and Grant reported of the conduct of the troops, as follows :
"This army is in the finest health and spirits. Since leaving Milliken's Bend they have marched as much by night as by day, through mud and rain, without tents or much other bag- gage, and on irregular rations, without a complaint, and with less straggling than I have ever before witnessed."
The duty of supplying food fell to the quartermaster of the regiment, who, with a small force, would scour the country within safe distances, and usually with good success. Lieut. Hill was untiring in the performance of this duty, and could not restrain his energy or the pursuit of food and fodder even on the edge of a hard fought battle-field. During this day he was ordered by the Colonel to find also means of transporting wounded men. While out on this mission he sent his men off on one road while he himself took a bridle path through a piece of woods to see what he could find, intending to rejoin them. Coming to a cross-road he suddenly found himself in the presence of a rebel outpost consisting of three men. It was too late to retreat and he had no notion of being killed or captured. Turning his head and calling out lustily, "Guards, halt !" he dashed up to the picket, pistol in hand, and ordered them to ground arms. The men, taken completely by surprise and supposing he had a considerable force with him, obeyed the order. He then made them retire ten paces, dismounted from his horse, picked up the muskets, re- mounted and brought in both men and arms and turned them over to the Colonel, who sent them to General McClernand's headquarters.
50
FEATHER BEDS.
Lucifer's, who thus missed the finest opportunity of his life, passed gloomily to the rear, and his fame sank to zero, while the man he hated, whose sole ambition was to do his present duty well, went on, step by step, to the highest military and civic honors, and to the company of "The Immortals."
Meanwhile Carr's division was recalled from the chase of fragments, and by General Grant's personal order on the field, sent spinning along the road toward Edward's Depot in pursuit of the main body, with directions to cross the bridge, if possible, that night. We reached the station after dark in time to save a train of commissary and ordnance supplies, which we found on fire, and it being impracticable to proceed fur- ther, bivouacked there for the night. The day had been warm and the night turned cold. Some of us had lost our blankets, and sought to recompense ourselves for that night at least, by opening bales of cotton, spreading part of the contents on the ground to lie on and pulling the remainder over us to serve as unwoven sheets and blankets. The raw cotton served the purpose fairly well, but in the morning after performing our toilets as carefully as we could, we found ourselves targets for the jests of our traveling companions, but as the "feath- ers" had kept us warm during the night we could afford to laugh also, and hoped that we might always fare as well.
On Sunday morning, the 17th of May, after a brisk early morning walk of about six miles, we were again brought to bay at the railroad crossing of the Big Black River.
At the time of the reunion I had not seen the report of Brig. General Lawler and did not know it was in existence. I have since met with it in Vol. 24 of official records of Union and Con- federate armies, just issued by the War Department. It is a very interesting document, but as it embraces the whole campaign, is too long to be given in full. I give however some extracts which relate to this topic:
*
" On the morning of the 17th, by 3.30 a. m., Carr's division was again on the road in pursuit of the enemy, Benton's brigade having the advance. " We came upon the enemy at Big Black Bridge, strongly posted behind skillfully constructed rifle-pits, extending across a neck of land formed by the Big Black River, his flanks well protected by this stream, and having in his front, in addition to the rifle-pits, a bayou filled with brush and fallen trees. This, combined with the fact that there were cleared fields
51
LAWLER'S REPORT.
of from 400 to 600 yards in width, along his whole front from bend to bend of the stream, rendered his position really formidable and difficult of approach, subjecting a clearing party, it would seem, to almost certain destruction at the commencement of the contest.
" Meanwhile there had commenced a spirited artillery engagement between the battery of Benton's brigade and the enemy's cannon in position behind their works. The skirmishers of the 1st Brigade were actively engaged, and those of the 11th Wisconsin Volunteers, which regiment advanced steadily forward through the timber to the field in front of the enemy's works, and distant from them about 400 yards. Here I ordered it to halt, and move down to the right through the field skirting the river, and take position in the woods and brush lining this stream. This movement Colonel Harris promptly executed, reach- ing the position designated without serious loss, though exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy's sharpshooters.
" The 23rd Iowa, Colonel Kinsman, having come up after the 11th Wis- consin, was ordered to make a similar movement to the right, and to move up under cover of the river bank and take position on the right of the 11th Wis- consin and as close as possible to the enemy's works, and the 21st Iowa, Col. Merrill, to take position on the bank between these two regiments. I also directed the Peoria Battery to take position in the open field in front of the left of the enemy and to open an enfilading fire on their centre batteries, with which the battery of Benton's Brigade was engaged. At the same time the 22nd Iowa, Colonel Stone, was ordered to move forward on the left of the field to within supporting distance. These orders were quickly responded to, and the position thus occupied by the brigade continued to be held without material variation.
" During the greater part of the forenoon heavy but ineffectual musketry firing was kept up by the enemy upon my men, briskly responded to by our sharpshooters. Late in the forenoon, finding it impossible to press farther for- ward along the river bank toward the enemy, as I had intended, Colonel Kinsman, 23rd Iowa Volunteers, proposed to charge at once the enemy's works, and drive them out at the point of the bayonet, and asked my consent to the same.
" Foreseeing that a charge by a single regiment, unsustained by the whole line, against fortifications as formidable as those in his front, could hardly be successful, at the same time I gave my consent to his daring proposition, I determined there should be a simultaneous movement on the part of my whole command. Accordingly the 21st Iowa Volunteers, Colonel Merrill, was ordered to charge with the 23rd, the 11th Wisconsin Volunteers following close upon them as a support, and the 22nd Iowa, Colonel Wm. M. Stone-which had in the meantime crossed the field and taken position in the river bank on the right of the 11th Wisconsin-were ordered to move out into the field and act as a reserve force. Two guns of the Peoria Battery and one 20-pounder Parrott, belonging to the 1st Wisconsin Battery, were in position in the field, actively at work upon the enemy and doing good service. In addition, orders had been sent out to the 49th and 69th Indiana Volunteers-two regiments which had been sent from Osterhaus' Division to my support early in the fore- noon-to send forward at once, two companies as skirmishers to attract the
52
COLONEL KINSMAN.
attention of the enemy from the movement on the right, and as soon as the charge should be commenced to move promptly forward to its support. Orders were further given that the men should reserve their fire until upon the rebel works.
" Finally the regiments that were to lead the charge were formed, with bayonets fixed, in the edge of the woods on the river bank. All things being in readiness, the command 'Forward ' was given by Colonel Kinsman, and at once his noble regiment sprang forward to the works. The 21st, led on by Colonel Merrill, moved at the same instant, the 11th Wisconsin, Colonel Harris, closely following. Through a terrible fire of musketry from the enemy in front and a galling fire from the sharpshooters on the right, these brave men dashed bravely on. Kinsman fell, dangerously wounded, before half the distance was accomplished. Struggling to his feet, he staggered a few paces to the front, cheered forward his men, and fell again, this time to rise no more, pierced through by a second ball.
" Colonel Merrill, the brave commander of the 21st Iowa, fell, wounded early in the charge while gallantly leading his regiment against the enemy.
" Immediately Lieutenant-Colonel Glasgow placed himself at the head of the 23rd, and Major Van Anda led on the 21st. Undismayed by the loss of their Colonels, and by the perfect hailstorm of bullets poured into them with destructive effect, the men of the 23rd and 21st Iowa and the 11th Wisconsin Volunteers pressed onward, nearer and nearer, to the rebel works, over the open field, 500 yards, under a wasting fire, and up to the edge of the bayou. Halting here only long enough to pour into the enemy a deadly volley ( ?* ) they dashed forward through the bayou, filled with water, fallen timber and brush, on to the rebel works with the shout of victors, driving the enemy with confusion from their breastworks and rifle-pits, and entering in triumph the rebel stronghold.
*
" The death of Colonel Kinsman, of the 23rd Iowa Volunteers, whose brave and gallant conduct is the theme of universal praise, fills the hearts of all who knew him with poignant sorrow. A splendid soldier, a perfect gentle- man, and a finished scholar, endowed in the highest degree with the noblest qualities of true manhood, his loss cannot prove less to his State and country than a public calamity. To the officers and soldiers of his command, who had learned to love and respect him with an earnestness and devotion rarely equalled, his loss is irreparable, but he fell as the true soldier wishes to fall- in the moment of victory, when his country's flag waved in triumph over the stronghold of rebel treason, and died as the true soldier wishes to die-with Christian resignation and fortitude."
I have already given (page 24) a brief extract taken from Pemberton's report, of the report of Colonel Elijah Gates, who commanded in the Confederate works on the extreme left.
* I have no recollection of such an incident, and do not think it possible that it could have occurred. Scattered shots there may have been, but not a volley.
53
SWIM OR SURRENDER.
I find his full report in the volume above cited, and give it entire:
" Just after sunrise the 17th, I was ordered by General Green to put my men under arms and be ready to move to the east of the river. In a few minutes I started. General Green accompanied me. The firing was then going on between the men who occupied the ditches that night and the enemy's skirmishers. We crossed over the bridge and moved up the river about half a mile. Here General Green halted and ordered me to move 400 or 500 yards higher up the river, and take my position in some rifle-pits next to the river, on the left of the line of the battle, which we did at once. We commenced a heavy skirmish with the enemy. Here my horse received a very bad wound in the face, which brought him to the ground. I then went in the ditches my- self. We skirmished with the enemy about an hour before they made the charge. They formed their men on the river in the timber, where we could not see them. They brought their men out by the right flank in column of fours, about 140 yards in front of my regiment, at a double quick, Colonel Kinsman's regiment-23rd Iowa, General Lawler's Brigade-leading the charge. I then opened a most terrific fire upon them, and kept it up until the brigade had passed out of my sight behind a grove of timber that stood im- mediately on my right. They moved so as to strike the ditches occupied by General Vaughn's brigade, so I am informed. I do not know whose troops were there, but it was immediately on the right of Green's Brigade. After they had passed me, I listened for our men to open a heavy volley on my right and drive the enemy back. Upon not hearing any firing on the right I direct- ed Lieutenant-Colonel Law to mount his horse and go to General Green and know whether the centre were holding their position or not. Colonel Law re- turned in a few minutes, and said that General Green ordered me to fall back. I did so at once. After I had got back below the bend of the river, I dis- coverad that they had crossed the ditches and were between me and the bridge. My Lieutenant-Colonel, being mounted, thought he could make his escape, and did so with the loss of the left arm. I told my men to swim the river. They all took the river except about 90 officers and men. One or two of my men were drowned in trying to swim the river. The officers and men who could not swim pleaded so hard for me to stay with them that I gave way to them, and we were all captured. I remained with the enemy three days and made my escape. I cannot give any account of anything that transpired after this until after the fall of Vicksburg.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
" Elijah Gates, Colonel Ist Missouri Cavalry."
I find also in the same volume the report of Major Lockett, Chief Engineer of the Confederate forces, accompanied by a map of the fortifications, which differs so radically from the map made under direction of Lieut. Haines, U. S. Engineers-shown on page 23, and which is undoubtedly correct-that I reproduce it here as a curious example of hasty and inaccurate work by a competent and responsible officer. . Under the circumstances, however, and considering the amount of work crowded upon him during the
Clear
River.
Creek. '
Black
Baldwin's
nohng
Federal line of Battle,
To Edward's.
Southern A. B.
Bout Bridge.
Vaughn's Brigade.
Cypress
Federal Batteries.
Scale of 2 inches to 1 mile.
SAMUEL H. LOCKETT, Maj and Chief Engineer, Dep't Miss, and E La.
-4
MAP
OF TETE-DE-PONT, AND BATTLE OF BIG BLACK BRIDGE. May 17, 1868.
Brigade:
Bridge
55
BURNING BRIDGES.
siege, he is doubtless excusable. The following extracts are from his report:
*
" Captain Robinson reported on the 9th. And leaving him in charge of the works at the bridge and directing him to make thorough reconnaissances of the country in the vicinity of Edward's Depot and to the southward, I re- turned to Vicksburg with Captain Winter and put him in charge of all the works around the city, to make necessary repairs and put everything in good condition. The tete-de-pont at the railroad bridge was pushed ahead rapidly, and finished by the 15th, and at the same time a bridge was made across the Big Black by swinging the steamer Dot across the stream and removing her machinery.
" Our army having fallen back to the entrenchments covering the railroad and boat bridges, the lines were found about completed, and were manned by General J. C. Vaughn's Brigade and part of Bowen's Division. The enemy opened early on the morning of the 17th, with artillery at long range, and soon came up with their infantry and took possession of a copse of wood in front of our left. I repaired to the bridges between 7 and 8 o'clock to examine their condition, and seeing signs of unsteadiness among our troops, I sent Lieut. Donnellan to the Lieutenant-General for instructions in regard to the destruc- tion of the bridges, should the enemy succeed in forcing our position. Having received the necessary instructions, I made preparations for firing the railroad bridge by piling rails and loose cotton at intervals, and had a barrel of turpen- tine prepared on the boat bridge. At about 9 a. m. our troops on the left were stampeded, and, leaving the trenches, came pell mell toward the river. I sta- tioned an officer at each bridge, and after seeing that all our men were across I gave a signal to apply the torch. In a few moments both bridges were in flames, and were quickly and thoroughly burned."
The following is the return of captured ordnance and ord- nance stores made by Colonel Thomas S. Mather, Chief of Ordnance 13th Army Corps :
" May 17th, 1863.
" Guns-Six 12-pounder bronze howitzers; three 12-pounder bronze guns, (Napoleons,) one disabled; three 6-pounder bronze guns; six 10-pounder Par- rott rifled guns (iron.) Aggregate-Eighteen guns; with limbers and caissons complete, except two, the caissons of which had been previously captured.
" The following ordnance stores were found on the carriages of the above mentioned pieces: Three hundred and twenty-four rounds of 12-pounder howitzer canister ; 578 rounds of 12-pounder howitzer shells (fuse); 11 rounds of 6-pounder howitzer canister; 175 rounds of 6-pounder howitzer shells; 8 rounds of 12-pounder solid shot; 112 rounds of 10-pounder Parrott fuse-shells; 120 rounds of 10-pounder (the famous) canister; 97 rounds of 10-pounder (reed projectile) solid shot; 35 port-fires, and 10 6-pounder cartridges, three-fourths pound charge.
56
LAST WORDS.
" The small arms captured in the battle of to-day will amount to several thousand, but as they have not yet been collected, no definite report can as yet be made,"
I also find the following Statement of Casualties of the Brigade :
2Ist Iowa Vol. Inf., Killed .. 13
Wounded .. 70
Total .. 83
22nd “
2
2
23rd 16 66 ..
. I3
. . 88
. . IOI
IIth Wis.
I
34
35
Total
06
. 27
. . 194
221
COMRADES, FRIENDS:
There is an end to all earthly things, even to this narrative. Time itself is scarcely adequate to meet the demands made upon it by " sailors' yarns," or the "reminiscences of old soldiers," when once begun. It would be simply for me a labor of love to go on further with you and record the interesting incidents and engagements of our service at the siege of Vicksburg and during the expedition to Jackson with Sherman, but I forbear. With those of you whom I met at our late reunion I renew the greetings which passed between us. For those who were not with us I can only borrow the old salutation,
" Hail ! and Farewell !"
CHICAGO, November 15, 1889. Pm & Cowoke
O
u
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