History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 59

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574

USA > Iowa > Buchanan County > History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 59

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And back we came to Grand Ecore, sick at heart and discouraged, for the news of our sad repulse is confirmed. But we must submit. We found that our transports, which had been ordered up the river when we marched, had not arrived, and the roar of distant artillery tells too plainly that they are in trouble. We hastened to their relief and found them all safe, though perforated by rebel balls, and several cannon shots passed entirely through some of the boats. Company C have had a share in the fight, notwithstanding they are acting as guards for General Smith. None of them are wounded, however, and all are now in the best of spirits. The fleet is safe, the water is low. When we shall move I would not pretend to say, and in what direction when we do move, I do not pretend even to surmise. C. H. L.

The following are the casualties reported in company H: H. H. Love, corporal, wound not known, left on the field; E. E. Mulick, left hip, severe, left on the field; H. B. Booth, left hand, severe; A. Cor- dell, neck, slight; H. Harrigan, left hand, slight; J. C. Haskins, left hand, slight. Love, Booth, Cordell, and Haskins, were from Quasque- ton, Mulick from Brandon, and Harrigan from Independence.

LETTER NO. CXL.

[Extracts from the official report of Colonel Gilbert, concerning the gallant fight of the Twenty-seventh near Tupelo. ]

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, - DIVISION, SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS, NEAR LA GRANGE, TENNESSEE, July 22, 1864. )

We had camped on the north side of Old Town creek, Mississippi, where, about 5 o'clock P. M., fifteenth instant, the enemy attacked the rear of the column, and from a high hill some three-fourths of a mile on the opposite side of the creek, commenced shelling our camp. ] received orders to move out the infantry of my command, consisting of the Fourteenth Iowa, Captain William J. Campbell commanding; Twenty-seventh Iowa, Captain Amos Haslip commanding; Thirty- second Iowa, Major Jonas Hutchison commanding; and Twenty-fourth Missouri, Major Robert W. Fagan commanding.

1 immediately marched out upon the road leading to the creek, and was ordered to deploy my command upon the right of the Thirty- second regiment, Wisconsin infantry, in a field of growing corn, upon the right of the Tupelo road.

I had deployed the Fourteenth and Twenty-seventh lowa infantry, when I received orders to move forward in line on double quick time. Sending a staff officer to bring forward the other two regiments, I threw out a line of skirmishers in front and obeyed the order with all possible promptitude.

The line scaled the fence, waded a stream nearly waist deep in water and mud, pressed through the thick brush and timber to the edge of a large field of growing corn, when it came in full sight of the rebel line, which, with its battle-flags waving in the sunlight, was boldly and firmly advancing, and pouring in a destructive fire.

1 at once withdrew the skirmishers to the main line, and ordered it to fire and advance. The whole line poured in a volley, raised a shout, scaled the fence, and pressed stealthily forward in the open field, firing as they advanced. The ground was rough and ascending, the day was very hot, and, by the time the line had reached the middle of the

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field, many had dropped upon the ground from heat and exhaustion, unable to rise. Not a few had been borne back wounded. The ranks had become somewhat thinned, and the rebel line in front, in excellent position, yet held firm, and kept up a continuous and severe fire.

Perceiving that I might be easily flanked upon the right, should my line be much further advanced, I sent a staff officer to find out why and where the other two regiments of my command had been detained, and to bring them forward on the right with all possible dispatch.

By this time the enemy began to waver and fall back, when our men raised another cheer, and pushed forward up the hill, firing rapidly, and, as the field over which we advanced showed, with telling effect.

The enemy failed to reform his line, but kept up quite a sharp fire until driven over the hill. My line steadily advanced to the further side of the field, over another fence, up through the broken timber to the crest of the hill, when the firing ceased and the line was ordered to halt. Skirmishers were thrown out and the exhausted but triumphant line permitted to sit down and rest. The other two regiments came up. the enemy were driven beyond sight, and no more firing occurred, except a few desultory shots from the pickets. I held this position till sundown, when I was ordered to the left, and some five hundred yards to the rear, where I lay all night; the left of my line resting across the Tupelo road.

The enemy left seventeen dead bodies upon the part of the field over which my two regiments advanced.

I have to express my warmest thanks and admiration, both to the officers and men of the Fourteenth and Twenty-seventh Iowa, for the gallantry they displayed throughout the long charge up the hill, under a severe fire, driving the enemy with heavy loss, nearly three-fourths of a mile, from a strong covered position; and to Lieutenant Donnan, of my staff, especially, I would say he has my heartfelt thanks for the heroic manner in which he discharged his duties, ever present in the thickest of the fight, rendering all the assistance in his power to effect the grand object which was so well achieved.

The following is an interesting incident of the battle of Tupelo, given by I. I. Watson, chaplain of the Second Iowa cavalry :

After the battle was over our men were passing over the field, ren- dering relief to the wounded, when their voices attracted the attention of a rebel soldier who had been blinded by the explosion of a shell. He called for water, and, when it was brought, he spoke to a rebel captain, who was lying near by mortally wounded, asking if he was thirsty. The officer answered very faintly that he was. Being re- vived by a little water, while the life current was ebbing away, he turned his thoughts heavenward. He prayed most emphatically for the old Government, that it might be sustained; prayed that the wicked leaders of this Rebellion might be forgiven and brought to repentance and loyalty. He acknowledged himself deluded, and with his dying words remembered his abused country, his family and himself.

LETTER NO. CXLI.

IN C'AMP, HELENA, ARK.INS.AS, ¿ July 16, 1864. -

DEAR GUARDIAN :- Thinking a few lines from the one hundred days's men might not prove uninteresting, I crawl from my humble cot, composed of one board elevated about ten inches from the ground, to give you what little information concerning company D, I am able to impart. We are indeed a sorry set. First, Captain Herrick was taken down with bilious intermittent fever, and the Second Lieutenant McHugh with the same disease. Meanwhile, I did not feel well, but determined to keep up as long as possible. To give you some idea of the health of the company, I will state that out of eighty men we re- port but sixteen for duty. The rest are all sick. David Finley, John Good, Henry Johnson, Elliott Weatherbee, George P. Bauck, Orville D. Boyles, John H. Baldwin, Augustus H. Older, and Jacob B. Mon- ger, are in the general hospital. The rest are in the regimental hos- pital and in the company quarters. The principal disease is bilious fever. Thomas Abbott, Robert Loftus, and Royal Lowel are detailed as nurses in the general hospital, and I have just learned that the last named is now sick himself.

We keep up our courage by whistling, and hope for more healthy times; although some of our poor boys have whistled their last tune. The company is at present commanded by our orderly sergeant, Sidney C. Adams, acting second lieutenant. There is a report to-day that the sick of the regiment go to Keokuk soon; and if the move is made at once the regiment will go en masse, for in two weeks more,

unless matters change for the better, it will be reported unfit for duty. More anon, if my strength holds out.

L. S. BROOKS, First Lieutenant.

LETTER NO. CXLII.

CAMP NINTH IOWA VETERANS, EAST POINT, GEORGIA, September 17, 1864. )

EDITOR GUARDIAN :- Thinking that many of the readers of the Guardian would be interested in General Logan's congratulatory ad- dress, I send it to you, knowing as 1 do that there are still loyal people in your county that delight in hearing of our success. For those who do not I only wish that they could be made to go through what this army has since we left our homes in 1861.

We have a healthy location, good water, and plenty of exercise thus far, arranging matters about camp. The non-veterans will start home this month. We wish them all the success in the world, knowing, as we do, that they are " all right," even if they couldn't go veterans.

Our regiment is in excellent health. I don't believe company C has a sick man at present. Troops in fine spirits, and ready to drive old Hood's rebel hosts into the gulf any time our glorious generals may give the command. And we should like to have a few thousand of those northern traitors to mix in with them for the sake of variety.

But my short letter is already too long.

Respectfully yours, DICK THAYER, Drum Major Ninth lowa.

LETTER NO, CXLIII.

OFFICERS' HOSPITAL, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, } August 24, 1864. 1

DEAR GUARDIAN :- The city of Memphis, with its forty thousand inhabitants, its two or three thousand Federal soldiers acting as guard, and some six or eight thousand troops encamped around its borders, was thrown into the most intense excitement, on the morning of the twenty-first instant, by the audacity of from five hundred to one thou- and rebel cavalry. As good or ill luck would have it, I was in the Officers' hospital in Memphis at the time, and from my front window in the second story, I had a fine view of the most that transpired.

FOREST'S GRAND DASH INTO MEMPHIS.

At about four o'clock in the morning, we were all aroused by the tramping of horses, the yelling of their riders, and the firing of guns. We ran to the window and saw about forty horsemen passing the hos- pital and turning to the left. We supposed them to be a body of our cavalry on a drunk and having a free fight among themselves; so we were soon in our beds again, and the clatter of their horses' hoots and the firing died away in the distance. One captain in our room sug- gested that they might be rebels, but this idea was scouted at once. Where did they get through our pickets ? How could they pass our regiments outside? Here is our large fort, with its one hundred and fifty huge siege guns commanding every avenue; here are our gun- boats, and there is our cavalry. The more suspicious and timorous ones were soon silenced by these potent arguments, and we soon saw the utter impossibility of these men being other than Federal troops. So we drew our sheets more closely around us, and got ourselves into position for our final morning nap, when presently firing was heard again in the distance. It grew nearer, louder and more frequent, ac- companied by hooting and yelling and the clatter of horses' hoofs through the streets. Soon men were running through the hospital cry- ing: "The rebels are coming ! the rebels are coming !" All who were able to be on their feet were dressed in "double-quick" and at the windows; and sure enough, just at our left and not fifteen rods distant, were some four or five hundred rebel cavalry, in front of the Gayosa House, the principal hotel in the city; and they were firing indiserimi_ nately at every man they saw. We knew they were searching the Gayo- sa for Major General Hurlbut, who it was known had been stopping there for a few days. We felt sure that our hospital would come next. Here were about one hundred officers, colonels, majors, captains and lieutenants. Quite a haul of shoulder straps they could have made, at least. And to add to our comfort, one of the guards told us he heard the rebels say that they must take the Officers' hospital before they left. I am acquainted with at least one man who didn't relish the prospect before us. Things began to have a decidedly war-like aspect. We had no idea that we were born "for such a time as this." But a few hours before we had been indulging in golden visions of home, and had become immensely elated by the thought that, in a few days, "homeward bound," we should take one of the fine old packets at the

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levee, and sail for a more congenial clime. The prospect now was that we should take a jaunt on foot several hundred miles further down in Dixie.

They remained in front of the Gayosa about half an hour, when one of their number called out: "Now for the Irving block, to reclaim our prisoners !" and away they dashed down the street. We all felt like bidding them God speed, clear out of the city. Although we breathed a little easier when they had left our vicinity, the hospital could not have been taken without a struggle. About fifty of our men had arms and were able to use them; and those stairs would have been covered with rebels before all could have been captured.

The Irving block was not taken, for by this time a strong guard was placed there who made a stout resistance and drove the rebels away. While all this was going on in town some two or three thousand rebels were fighting our infantry outside the city. Our soldiers were finally aroused, order was brought out of confusion, the militia was called out, the cavalry was mounted, and all hastened to the scene of action. The rebels were driven several miles and badly whipped. Thus ended the great scare of Memphis, and the daring, though worse than profit- less, exploit of the rebels.

NARROW ESCAPE OF GENERAL WASHBURN.

During the early part of the raid the rebels made a dash on the headquarters of General Washburn. They killed most of the guard, and rushed into the front door just as a small piece of white linen could be seen streaming out of the back door. The general jumped out of bed, and without waiting to be over fastidious in his toilet ran for the fort, which he reached just in time to save his head.

The raiders took a great many of the best horses out of the liveries in town, they took some Government horses and mules, robbed hun- dreds of citizens of their money, watches, and other valuables, shot a large number of citizens, soldiers, and particularly negroes, took some prisoners, and after a stay of some two hours, it becoming too hot for them in the city, took their leave. They in turn lost many of their men in killed, wounded and prisoners. It is one source of comfort to us that they took more from their own friends than from the Federals.

INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT.

Several were killed at the Gayosa, and one man was shot dead right in front of our window. Several shots were fired at us and we could hear the balls whizzing by. As it happened, General Hurlbut was not at the Gayosa. He had been imbibing with some of his old friends down town the night before; and, as a consequence, it was not convenient for him to return to the hotel, and for once, whiskey saved us a major general.

I noticed two boys of the lowa Eighth who manifested a great deal of coolness. They were on a corner near our hospital. They would step around the corner, load their guns, come out, take deliberate aim against a lamp post, and fire at the rebels. This they repeated several times.

At one time while the rebels seemed to have complete control of the city, a young lady ran to the door shouting for the southern confeder- acy, and waving her hands with joy. Her demonstration was cut short, however, by the arrival at her door of a company bearing the dead body of her brother, who had been shot by her southern friends. As the rebels were about to sack a fine residence, the lady of the house ran to the door and begged them to desist, as they were all good secessionists there; but, said she, "There is a nigger den across the street, which I wish you would clear out." So at it they went, and killed all the innocent occupants. This fair secessionist is now lodged in the Irving block, and it is to be hoped she will rue the day that she pointed out the "nigger den."

Our regiment, the Forty-sixth, has been particularly fortunate in many respects. First, it was fortunate in the selection of its command- ing officers. Our colonel, D. B. Henderson, of Fayette county, though a young man, is an experienced, brave and popular officer. In the really important position which our regiment has guarded, very much is due to the vigilance of Colonel Henderson. Our lieutenant colonel, L. D. Durbin, is a large, rough looking man: you would as soon think of speaking to a bear; and yet no man in the regiment has a larger or a better heart than Colonel Durbin. He, too, is a veteran, and if I mistake not, the man who follows him in battle, if he falls, will fall facing the foe. Major G. L. Torbert, of Dubuque, is a jovial, hale fellow. Perhaps he can put on more style and look the soldier better than any other man in the regiment. He is always gentlemanly and cheerful, and is one of those genial souls whom if you meet once you will ever after be glad to meet.

D. D. HOLDRIDGE.

EXTRACT FROM CHAPLAIN WATSON ON THE MEMPHIS RAID.

A short time after the Tupelo battle a grand expedition was fitted out under Generals Smith, Ilatch and Gierson. They moved out on the road as far as Holly Springs, thence to Abbyville, meeting with slight resistance. They dashed into Oxford with little loss, and, find- ing no enemy in force, they moved on more slowly.

In the meantime Forrest swung around to the flank, and in a mo- ment when they were not expecting him, he appeared in the city of Memphis on Sunday morning, the twenty-first of August, with twenty- six hundred mounted men.

The attack on Memphis produced some uneasiness in our little force at Colierville, under the very efficient command of Colonel D. B. Hen- derson-Forty-sixth Iowa infantry.

The health of the regiment is good. I am glad to be able to say that Hon. D. D. Holdridge has so far recovered as to be in camp.

LETTER NO. CXLIV. HEADQUARTERS COMPANY G, FIFTH IOWA, NEAR } MACON, GEORGIA, April 30, 1865.

EDITOR GUARDIAN, SIR :- Having received orders this evening that we should be allowed to send one letter from a company to our friends at the north, I thought that by sending you this letter for publication our friends in Independence and vicinity could be relieved of their anx- iety for us more satisfactorily than in any other way. Our company has been very fortunate. All the men belonging formerly to company E, Fifth Iowa infantry, who started with us from the Tennessee river at Chickasaw Landing, are with us yet, and all in good health. Our company has lost but one man on the whole trip, Thomas B. Sim- bocker, who was wounded and left at Montgomery, Alabama.

A national salute is to be fired in the morning in honor of peace. Our friends will probably see us before long, when the boys can tell of the " deeds that were done" better than I can write them.

Respectfully, your obedient servant, W. S. PECK, Company G, Fifth lowa Cavalry.

SUPPLEMENTARY WAR LETTERS.

The sources from which we obtained the following letters were discovered after those preceding had been collected and arranged. As they seemed to us too good to be lost, we concluded to put them into a section by themselves. We do not think any apology is needed for the addition thus made to our already voluminous collection. The patriotic reader will regret, with us, that we could not find space for many other letters, per- haps quite as worthy of being preserved as those here embodied.

FROM THE IOWA FIFTH.

IN CAMP NEAK JACINTO, MISSISSIPPI, August 8, 1862.

EDITORS CIVILIAN :- We have at last made a movement south and east of Corinth about twenty-five miles, and are under orders for any point where the rebel bushwhackers and guerillas show themselves. We are now under the command of Jefferson C. Davis, having been transferred from that of General Hamilton. Davis' advanced brigades are twenty-five miles or more in Alabama, which will probably be our course of destination shortly, liable to variation, as the rebels show themselves in one direction one day, and in another the next. They made an attack on Rienza, a few days ago, but were repulsed in quick metre. Our cavalry is on the alert, while their horses are nearly worn down.

It is an unbroken wilderness from Hamburgh to this place, except an occasional plantation, where the underbrush is cut off and the large trees are girdled. The ground is planted with corn, and we are making use of it, both for cooking and for forage. There is a large field in front of our color line that is melting away rapidly before our stalwart boys, who have provided themselves with the Arkansas tooth-pieks- huge knives that we got in Price's and Van Dorn's camps. They are just the thing for corn cutters, and good for nothing else. We have plenty of peaches and apples by foraging some distance from camp; also, potatoes, onions, cabbages, etc. Lieutenant Marshall has orders to obtain one hundred negroes for this regiment, as teamsters, fatigue men, etc. The soldiers are not to do anything but guard and fight. The negroes are to be regularly enrolled, have tents, draw rations, and be manumitted at the end of the war. The lieutenant has already sev-

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enty-five where he can get them on short notice. Some of the teamsters are opposed to the introduction of the "kinkeys," as they like teaming better than shouldering their rifles and doing military duty; but a great majority of the soldiers are highly pleased with the arrangement, as it relieves us of many of our hardest duties.

The country about us is very rolling, with plenty of pure, cold, spring water; and this, in a great measure, is the cause of our unusual good health. There are some, however, who got broken down before we came to this place, who will hardly recover while in the service. Such are afflicted with chronic diseases, and are subjects for typhoid pneumonia. I have not done duty in four months, and a dull prospect ahead. There are a goodly number in the same way in the regiment, and several in company E.

As to the confiscation act, it is hailed with acclamations of joy by every Union man or soldier in the army. A year's experience in ser- vice, of privation and suffering by the soldier guarding the property of rebels, and if a slave came into our lines, seeing him given up by some soft-hearted colonel, with bows and grimaces, to the avowed rebel who received back his chattel as a right belonging to him, with lofty hau- teur and disdain for the mud-sills of the north ; allowed to pour out his venomed slang and abuse of the Lincolnites, and that without the least shadow of resentment on the part of our exalted gentry-this has become unendurable. But the times are changed, and the war is, or must, in be earnest hereafter, or there will be no soldiers to fight. We are tired of the manner in which the war has been conducted-fighting the rebels with one hand and feeding them with the other -- supporting the families of the rebels, while the heads of those families are skulking through the brush and shooting our guards and pickets. I say we will not stand it; and if any officer has the least sympathy with the rebel cause, he will act wisely to keep his own counsel.

There is no such thing as Democrat and Republican here. We are for the Union and the Constitution at all hazards and at every cost, and the speedy suppression of the rebellion by any and all means. If the south should be entirely depopulated, of which there is no danger, we have enough good and true men at the north to repeople it in a few years. We never intended to meddle with slavery until the rebels themselves made it imperative to use the same means employed by them: negro labor for fortifications and fatigue duty.

Besides the lizards, spoken of by the correspondent of the Guardian, there are wood-ticks, which are very numerous; and a small insect called the "jigger," almost infinitesimal, scarcely to be seen by the naked eye, which get into our clothes, puncture the skin, and grow until they are plainly discernible. These interesting little creatures are as annoying as the gad fly to the elephant's ears. There is no preven- titive to their ravages but to soap one's self thorougly; they don't like soap, and will "schalahoot " in short metre.

Another recruit has just arrived from Independence, Mr. Stewart. His health is not entirely reestablished, and until he is acclimated, great care will be necessary, as a relapse would be, without doubt, fa- tal. The rest of the recruits are doing well. Beckley is convalescent; Lieutenant White is looking splendidly again; . Lieutenant Lewis is slightly indisposed, but not seriously. I hear we are to move again in a few days, the truth of which I cannot vouch for. If anything turns up, Micawber-like, I shall take advantage of it and inform you. M. H.

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History of Buchanan County, Iowa, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 59

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers Number of Pages: 574

Author: Williams bros., Cleveland, pub. [from old catalog]; Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin), 1816-1902
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams brothers
Number of Pages: 574