USA > Iowa > Union County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 8
USA > Iowa > Ringgold County > Biographical and historical record of Ringgold and Union counties, Iowa, vol. 2 > Part 8
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The absence of the files of newspapers in this county, from 1861 to 1865, renders it impossible for the historian to do full justice to the spirit and patriotism of this people in the early days of America's gigan- tic and bloody struggle against rebellion, and their liberal contributions to maintain the integrity of this nation.
Though remote from the capital and large cities which were made rendezvous for volunteers, Ringgold County was prompt in responding to demands made upon it. The first few volunteers from the county did not go as a body, but were scattered in different commands. The first large body of Ringgold County volun- teers was raised in June, 1861, and went into quarters July 4. They were re-in- forced by about a score of volunteers from other counties, and then, August 15, mus- tered into the service of the United States as
COMPANY G, FOURTH IOWA INFANTRY.
The Ringgold volunteers in this com- pany were :
Edmund W. Rice, Lovena Hopkins,
Randolph Sry, Ellis C. Miller, John A. Miller, Peter O. James, Nathan B. Mand- lin, Francis Bennett, Eli Drake, William Freshwater, William W. Robinson, Na- thanich T. Marshall, Joseph S. Robinson, Benjamin W. Talbot, John W. Johnston, Samuel R. Jacobs, Branson L. Addington, Robert Shields, Charles Haggins, David B. Marshall, Michael Danelly, Joseph C. Addington, William C. Arnett, James P. Abbie, Francis Bennett, Lcander Il. Bar- ton, Myron Barton, Russell Bailey, Lo- renzo D. Baker, Francis Cossairt, Henry Cossairt, Samuel Casteel, William Casteel, Caspar Denhart, Joseph L. Dugan, John F. Garrison, G. W. Garrison, William H. Glendenning, Joseph C. Gilliland, Jasper Hagans, Thomas V. Hustin, William H. Irvins, Samuel R. Jacoba, Gustavus Kind- blade, John Marshall, Nathan B. Mandlin, John N. Moulton, James M. Millsap, William H. Nobles, Bernard Preston, Henry Platner, John W. B. Parker, Charles W. Powers, Thomas Phillips, Preston Run- yan, Joseph B. Russell, Elias W. Russell, Alexander Rogers, Ferdinand B. Soles, Daniel B. Smith, William Smith, Robert Shields, George Trask, Hilery M. Thomp- son, Charles H. Warford, Elijah Walden and Standbury Wright, Jr.
There afterward enlisted in this com- pany from this county George W. Cos- sairt, John W. Johnson, Edwin D. Page, William Riley, Esuc L. Soles, Theodore P. Trusk and Isaac Hensley.
Edmund W. Rice was the first Captain of the company ; Lovena Hopkins, First Lieutenant, and Randolph Sry, Second Lieutenant. Captain Rice resigned Sep- tember 5, 1861, and Lieutenant Hopkins succeeded him, while Licutenant Sry was promoted to Hopkins' rank, and Sergeant Ellis C. Miller became Second Lieutenant. Sry subsequently became Captain, and Francis Bennett, First Lieutenant.
The Fourth Infantry became one of the
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
most famous lowa regiments in the service. It was made up of volunteers from South- ern lowa-one company from Mills Coun- ty, one from Pottawatomie and adjoining counties, one from Guthrie, one from Decatur, one from Polk, one from Madi- son, one from Ringgold, one from Wayne, one from Page and Taylor counties, and one from Union, Cass and Adams coun- ties.
The Fourth Infantry left the State of Iowa, August 9, 1861, went immediately to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, and staid there until August 24, when it went to Rolla, Missouri. The regiment left Rolla January 22, 1862, with the Army of the Southwest, and was continually on the march, save now and then a few days, un- til its arrival at Helena, Arkansas, July 14, 1862. The regiment fought at Chickasaw Bayou on the 28th and 29th of December, then embarked and went up the Arkansas River, and fought at Arkansas Post on the ioth and 11th of January, 1863; then re- turned to the front of Vicksburg, landing at Young's Point, January 22, 1863. April 2 the regiment embarked, and went 150 miles up the Mississippi River to Greenville, whence it went on the celebrated raid in the Deer Creek Valley, returning again by the river to Milliken's Bend, from whence it started on the active campaign against Vicksburg, on the 2d of May, via Rich- mond, Louisiana, and Grand Gulf, Missis- sippi, to Jackson, where two days were spent in tearing up the railroad. Thence the Fourth moved on Vicksburg, arriving on the 8th, and commencing the memorable siege of that stronghold.
July 4 the regiment again started to Jackson, and there participated in what is known as the battle of Jackson. Return- ing, it went into camp on the 29th of July, on Black River, fourteen miles in rear of Vicksburg. The regiment lay in camp at this place until September 22, when it em-
barked on steamer and went to Memphis, where it landed and immediately set out on the campaign to Northern Georgia, via Corinth, Tuscumbia, Eastport, Juka, and intermediate points to Chattanooga, where it arrived, after a long, weary march, on the 23d of November. It participated in the battle of Lookout Mountain on the 24th, and in the battle of Missionary Ridge on the 25th, and again in the battle of Ringgold, on the 27th.
December 3 the regiment went into camp at Bridgeport, Alabama, and moved from thence to Woodville, where it re- mained in camp until February 26, when it started home on veteran furlough. In April the regiment again left Iowa to re- turn to the field; staid at Nashville a few days to get an outfit, and then started on the campaign against Atlanta, and only halted in line of battle until its arrival at East Point, Georgia, September 7, 1864, From this time on the Fourth was with Sherman's army in its memorable cam- paign before Atlanta, through Georgia and the Carolinas, and the final review in Washington. It was mustered out of serv- ice at Louisville, Kentucky, July 24, 1865, and paid, and disbanded at Davenport.
A few weeks before this, however, Colonel Williamson was made a Brigadier- General; and from an eloquent farewell address, made to his fellow soldiers in the Fourth, the following extract is taken :
" In taking leave of you, I deem it but right to briefly allude to our past associa- tion as soldiers. Four years ago we left our honies and loved ones to fight for the Union cause. Then we numbered 1,000 men. We were undisciplined and knew nothing of war, but we did know that our country needed our services, and that was enough. Since then we have had more than 300 added to our ranks. To-day our whole number is less than 400. Where are the 1,000 of our missing companions? Most
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THE CIVIL WAR.
of them have fallen on the battle-fields from Pea Ridge to Columbia. Some have been discharged on account of wounds received in battle; but the saddest thing of all re- mains to be told-some were starved to death in Southern prison pens. An enemy claiming to be chivalrous and brave com- mitted the dark, damuable deed of starving our brave men to death! God alone can avenge these 'murders most foul.' To us the work is not fully given. Human means are inadequate. You, the survivors of our glorious old regiment, will, I hope, very soon be permitted to go home and enter again upon the duties and assume the responsibilities of citizens of the Republic, and of yours, the young State of Iowa, for which you have helped to make so glorious a name during the war.
"It need not be said to men like you- who have fought on more than thirty dif- ferent battle-fields; who, under Curtis won immortal honors at Pea Ridge, and made the memorable march through Missouri and Arkansas in mid-summer; who were ordered by General Grant to inscribe ' First at Chickasaw Bayou' on your ban- ners ; who were under Sherman at Chicka- saw Bayou and Arkansas Post; who were under Grant through the entire campaign of Vicksburg, including Brandon ; who marched from Vicksburg to Chattanooga under Sherman; who fought with Hooker above the clouds at Lookout Mountain, and were with him at Missionary Ridge and Ringgold ; who were under Sherman through the entire Atlanta campaign, and participated in every battle, and who again, under your great leader, made the famous ' march to the ocean,' and thence to Wash- ington-to be good citizens.
"Whatever may be said to the contrary, none can appreciate peace and civil gov- ernment better than those who have so freely offered lives in war to secure these blessings."
TWENTY-THIRD MISSOURI INFANTRY.
In October, 1861, the following enlisted from Ringgold County in the Twenty-third Missouri Infantry: William M. Johnson, Thomas J. Cullison, James Johnson, Richard H. Alderson, Samuel P. Cullison, J. W. Crawford, Preston Crawford, Robert Hedges, Robert Johnson, Elias Kesler, William T. Martin, William Sneed, Abra- ham F. Walter, Andrew F. Walter, Peter F. Walter and Henry M. Whittier.
FOURTII CAVALRY, MISSOURI STATE MILITIA.
In February, 1862, there enlisted in the Fourth Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, the following Ringgold men: Franklin For. rester, James Hankins, Thomas Edmond, John L. Cavett, Thomas Drake, Robert H. Drakc, Ilenry Foster, James W. Glen- denning and Francis M. Simpson.
TWENTY-NINTH IOWA INFANTRY.
August 9, 1862, Company G, Twenty- ninth Iowa Infantry was organized, though it was not mustered in until November 18, following. It was composed, with six exceptions, entirely of Ringgold volunteers. The following was the roster: Alexander Z. Huggins, Andrew Johnston, John Mc- Farland, Isaac W. Keller, Charles W. Dake, John McGaughey, Henry C.Grim, Thomas J. Carman, George J. Nulph, Daniel W. Poor, Solomon B. Lesan, William E. Ben- nett, John D. Carter, George Mathews, William L. Carlile, John MI. Poor, Thomas B. Poor, Noah Addington, James H. Arm- strong, Sylvester H. Addington, Peter Agler, Davenson Amarine, Robert M. Arm- strong, Hezekiah R. Armstrong, Parks Brit- tain, Charles Barton, William H. Bradley, Dempsey Brown, Jesse T. Bennett, Daniel L. Barker, Samuel II. Cling, David Cooper, James Conley, John Casteel, Joseph Craw- ford, William Casner, Jacob Davis, Walter Dunning, Daniel Dodge, Benjamin F. Day,
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
Henry Edinger, John B. Fishback, Henry Fraizer, James Fraizer, Heman C. Gray, Ariel Gleason, Benager Gustin, Bird Ha- gans, James W. Huff, John W. Huff, Elon 1. Imus, Andrew 1. Imus, Aaron S. Jones, Chaney L. Jones, Andrew R. Jordan, Alma Kent, Amos R. Long, William R. Moler, Elihu G. Martin, James Money, General S. Moore, John A. Miller, Miles D. Money, William A. Millsap, Samuel C. Nash, John E. Nulph, Thomas J. Nickles, William Nickles, Samuel Oliver, Russell Pealer, Aquilla D. Powers, John M. Parker, Alvan M. Poor, James II. Quinn, Thomas Ross, Jr., Charles Russell, Isaac Runyan, William Smith, Charles B. Sheldon, David D. Shep- ard, Robert W. M. Shafer, John Stoops, George W. Smith, Thomas W. Smith, John W. Smith, George C. Thompson, John B. Thompson, Daniel Turner, William D. Thrift, James W. Vandivere, James Walden, James HI. Walker, Nathaniel P. Wright and William White.
There afterward enlisted in this company Jonathan C. Baker, Freeman W. Nash, Adam Been, Isaac Brown, William H. Chance, Andrew Hines, Samuel Jemison, Daniel R. Jones, Isaac Marshall, Henry H. Parsons, J. L. Terwilliger, Samuel Adam- son, William Coons, Sylvester Conley, Ezra Conley, Rienza Conley, Samuel Coombs, Elijah Campbell, John H. Damon, Samuel Eaton, Nathan Fraizer, Abraham Jenkins, James W. Olvey, Vance Wilson and Pierce J. Wisdom.
Alexander Z. Huggins was the first Cap- tain of the company; Andrew Johnston was First Lieutenant, and John McFarland Second Lieutenant. Johnston was after- ward promoted to Captain, McFarland be- came First Lieutenant, and Isaac W. Keller was made Second Lieutenant.
The Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry was or- ganized at Council Bluffs, and was com- posed of men residing on the Missouri slope. Colonci Thomas II. Benton, Jr., was
its commanding officer. He received his commission as Colonel on the 10th day of August, 1862, and nearly all the men were enlisted, and the companies organized be- fore the ist of October; but owing to the distance of the rendezvous from railroad communication, the regiment was not mus- tered into the United States service until December 1, 1862. R. F. Patterson, Adju- tant of the Fifth Iowa Infantry, was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel ; C. B. Shoe- maker, of Page County, Major; Joseph Lyman, Corporal Company E, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, Adjutant ; W. W. Wilson, of Pot- tawattamie County, Quartermaster; W. S. Grimes, Assistant Surgeon Fourth Iowa Infantry, Surgcon; N. L. Nicholson, of Webster County, and David F. Aiken, of Mills County, Assistant Surgeons; and the Rev. J. M. Conrad, Chaplain.
It had been intended that this regiment should form part of the command, which, under General W. T. Sherman, made the assault upon the works at Vicksburg, in December, 1862 ; but before it was mustered into the United States service, the naviga- tion of the Missouri River was closed, and this object was abandoned. The regiment marched by detachments, between the 5th and 9th of December, 1862, to St. Joseph, Missouri, and reported by telegraph to Major-General S. R. Curtis, commanding Department of Missouri. Thence it pro- ceeded by rail to St. Louis, and entered Benton Barracks on the 20th of December, 900 strong, all in good health and spirits. The next day the regiment went to Scho- field Barracks, in the city, and was assigned to the duty of guarding the various mili- tary prisons. It remained here but a few days.
On Christmas day it embarked under orders to proceed to Ilelena, Arkansas, re- porting for temporary duty at Columbus, Kentucky, which place was at that time threatened with an attack. Lieutenant-
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THE CIVIL WAR.
Colonel Patterson now assumed command, Colonel Benton remaining at St. Louis, for the purpose of transacting certain business connected with the regiment.
Arriving at Columbus, it was assigned to the right wing, under Brigadier-General J. M. Tuttle. On the 8th of January, it pro- ceeded on its way to Helena, having been assigned to a brigade commanded by Briga- dier-General C. B. Fisk. The command did not disembark at Helena, but immedi- ately received orders to join an expedition then organized by General Gorman to go up White River. This expedition resulted in no good to anybody, but on the con- trary, was the cause of much suffering to the troops.
When the regiment returned to Helena, on the 26th of January, it had been 180 miles up the White River to Du Vall's Bluff and back, without disembarking. In the meantime, it had been attacked with the measles, and had over 400 men on the sick list. Asa consequence of the exposure upon this trip, the regiment lost no less than 200 men. From this time forward, however, the health of the regiment was uniformly good.
The Twenty-ninth formed part of the memorable expedition through the Yazoo Pass, and Cold Water and Tallahatchic rivers, to Fort Pemberton, at the head of Yazoo River, in March and April, 1863. It embarked at Helena on the steamer, Emma No. 2, but on reaching the Cold Water River, the vessel was found to be so badly injured as to render it necessary to aban- don her, and the regiment was transferred to the Key West, on which vessel it made the voyage to the fort and back to Helena.
From this time until the Little Rock expedition, it remained at Helena. perform- ing ordinary garrison duty, except when absent on scouts.
our national independence, whipping an entire brigade, and capturing many prison- ers. General Samuel A. Rice, in hisreport of this battle, gives high praise to the Twenty-ninth Iowa for its part in this en- gagement, mentioning especially Colonel Benton, Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson and Major Shoemaker. The regiment lost in this engagement thirty-one killed and wounded.
Between the 11th of August and the 10th of September of this year, the army, under command of General Steele, marched from Helena to Little Rock. The weather was excessively hot and dry. The command halted one week at Clarendon, at which point the White River was crossed. Thence the route lay up that stream as far as Du Vall's Bluff, at the crossing of the Mem- phis & Little Rock Railroad, where a depot of supplies and a hospital were estab- lished.
The Twenty-ninth was attached to a divi- sion, commanded by General Samuel A. Rice, the brigade being under command of Colonel Benton. There was nothing worthy of note between Du Vall's Bluff and Browns- ville, except the exceeding difficulty of the march. Almost the entire way is occupied by Grand Prairie, which is entirely destitute of water. Each man carried a supply in his canteen. Many were sun-struck on the march, and it was impossible to get all the sick into the ambulances. The ambulances would be loaded up and drive ahead of the column as far as it was safe to go, leave their burdens by the road-side and return for others. In this way those unable to walk, were, by turns, conveyed in ambu- lances, and left to suffer under a boiling sun for the greater portion of two days. During a halt of a few days at Brownsville, General Rice's division made a rapid march to Bayou Metoe, to cover a movement of General Davidson's cavalry in another di-
It bore a glorious part in the battle of Helena, Arkansas, on the anniversary of | rection. Both commands, having skir-
.V.
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
mished with the enemy, soon returned to the main army.
Price commanded at Little Rock and oc- cupied a strong position four miles from the city, his right being protected by the Arkansas River, and his left by an impen- ctrable cypress swamp. General Steele determined to turn his position ; therefore, leaving the direct route, he struck the Arkansas River eight miles below Little Rock. Here a pontoon-bridge was thrown across the river, and on the morning of September 10, the cavalry division crossed to the south side, and moved rapidly on the enemy. The infantry continued its march up the north bank, momentarily expecting a general engagement. The enemy, how- ever, offered no resistance, except to the left wing, which was assisted by the artil- lery from the north bank. Davidson con- tinued his march with more or less resist- ance until evening, when he entered the city, Price having retreated before an army vastly inferior to his own in numbers, in such haste as to leave the arsenal, etc., in a good state of preservation. The infantry remained on the north side of the river until the next day, when the army en- camped round the city.
In November General Rice was sent out with the brigade to which the Twenty- ninth Jowa was attached, to endeavor to intercept Marmaduke, who had been re- pulsed in an attack upon Pine Bluff with heavy loss. The command marched as far as Rockport, on the Washita River, but did not succeed in overtaking the rebel trooper. This ended the active campaigning of the regiment for the year.
It remained at Little Rock during the winter of 1863-'4, and until General Stecle's column moved to the Southwest, on the morning of March 23, 1864. The object of this expedition was to co-operate with Banks, who was moving up Red River.
On the return of the army to Little Rock,
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a reorganization was effected, and the Twenty-ninth was assigned to the First Bri- gade of the First Division. It was soon afterward transferred to the Second Bri- gade, Second Division, where it remained until the end of the year.
The regiment remained at Little Rock nearly a year after the Camden campaign, excep tabont one month (from the latter part of July to the latter part of August), when it was stationed at Lewisburg, on the Ar- kansas, fifty miles above Little Rock. In November, of the same year, it was ordered to move to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, but the order was countermanded, and the regi- ment was assigned to duty as City Guard of the post of Little Rock, which duty it continued to perform until its departure for other fields of operation.
When General J. J. Reynolds assumed command of the Department of Arkansas there was another reorganization of the army. The Twenty-ninth was assigned to an organization known as the " Detached Brigade of the Seventh Army Corps," Brigadier-General E. A. Carr commanding. About the ist of February, General Carr received orders to proceed to New Orleans, but owing to the want of transportation, this regiment did not march until the 9th.
After a tedious voyage the regiment reached New Orleans, one wing. under command of Colonel Benton, on the 14th, and the other under Adjutant Lyman, two days after. The regiment was quartered in an old foundry at Algiers, opposite the " Crescent City." On the 20th the regi- ment moved by rail to Lakeport, on Lake Ponchartrain, and thence by steamer to Mobile Point, Alabama. The vessel ran aground in Grant's Pass, and the troops were transferred to another steamer. They were disembarked on the 23d, and without tents or baggage, went into bivouack on the sands at Navy Cove, three miles in rear of Fort Morgan.
THE CIVIL WAR.
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The preparations for the Mobile cam- paign at once began. On the 17th of March the army began its toilsome and difficult march on Mobile. On the 25th it found itself under the guns of Spanish Fort, and at once began the investment of that forti- fication. It is unnecessary to say more, than that in this campaign, both on the march and during the siege, the Twenty- ninth bore its full part, and in no way diminished the unsurpassed reputation of the Iowa soldiery. Its loss during the cam- paign was twenty-two men.
After the capture of Spanish Fort, which took place on the 9th of April, the regi- ment marched to the assistance of General Steele, who was investing Fort Blakely, another of the defenses of Mobile, five miles above Spanish Fort. The command arrived just in time to witness one of the most brill- iant and successful charges of the war, the assault of General Steele's command on the works at Fort Blakely, on the evening of Sunday, April 9, 1865.
On the 12th the regiment entered Mobile, and thic next day marched with the division to which it was attached under orders to proceed to Mount Vernon arsenal, on the Tombigbee River, forty miles above Mo- bile. On its way thither it had a lively skirmish with the enemy, the last in which the regiment was engaged, and among the last of the war.
On the 22d Colonel Benton assumed com- mand of the arsenal, his regiment forming the garrison. On the retreat of the rebel forces much of the property belonging to the Government had been destroyed, and much more carried away by the neighbor- ing inhabitants. Hence the arsenal, once one of the most pleasant and beautiful pieces of property owned by the Govern- ment, was found by Colonel Benton in a dilapidated condition. He immediately set to work to renovate it, as far as possible, and succeeded in restoring it to much of its
former beauty. The regiment returned to Mobile on the 12th of May.
On the ist of June part of the regiment sailed for Texas, and arrived at Brazos Santiago on the 9th, where the rest of the command joined it in a few days.
When General Sheridan assumed com- mand of the Military Division of the Gulf, he directed the immediate muster-out of the Twenty-ninth Iowa. Consequently the regiment sailed for New Orleans in the latter part of July, and on the ioth of the following month was honorably discharged from the service, and ordered to Davenport, Iowa, for final payment and disbandment.
It arrived at Davenport on the 19th, and then numbered 765, officers and enlisted men. Of these only 415 were originally attached to the Twenty-ninth. The re- mainder were recruits of the Nineteenth, Twentieth and Twenty-third Iowa regi- ments, which had been assigned to Colonel Benton's command a few weeks previous, when these regiments returned home for disbandment. On the 25th of August, 1865, the Twenty-ninth was disbanded, and its members dispersed to their several homes in the Far West.
The regiment was unfortunate in being kept so long in the Department of the Arkansas, away from the more brilliant fields of action. It was one of the best disciplined regiments in the army, never shrank from any duty required of it, and only needed the opportunity to make a record equal to that of any lowa regiment. The Twenty-ninth never tarnished the fame of Jowa troops.
Colonel Benton was a brave, high-minded, and intelligent officer, and exerted a fine influence over the men of his command. Lieutenant-Colonel Patterson had few su- periors as a commander among the field officers of the army. In the opinion of the writer, one star at least, should have hon- ored his shoulder. That he drilled and
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HISTORY OF RINGGOLD COUNTY.
disciplined the regiment to a high degree of efficiency is evidenced by the favorable reports of various inspectors. The staff and line officers labored zealously to pro- mote the efficiency of the command, and there was ever a ready and cheerful sub- mission to' discipline on the part of the entire regiment, hence, at Helena, Terre Noire, Elkin's Ford, Prairie d'Anne, Cam- den, Jenkins' Ferry, Mobile and on every other occasion where it had been called upon to meet the enemy, it responded with a degree of alacrity, soldierly skill and courage unsurpassed by the troops of any of the armies that have borne a part in the great struggle for the Union.
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