History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 49

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316

USA > Iowa > Butler County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 49
USA > Iowa > Bremer County > History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa > Part 49

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The brigade to which the Twelfth regi- ment was attached, embraced now only one other Iowa regiment-the Thirty-fifth; the Eighth being ordered to remain at Mem- phis, as provost guard of the city, the Seventh Minnesota taking its place in the brigade, Colonel Woods commanding.

Early in June, the command was ordered to LaGrange, Tenn., repairing the railroad on the way, so that it might be useful as a line of communication to General Smith, about to commence offensive operations against the rebel troopers, Forrest and Lee, in Central Mississippi.

On the 5th of July the army right- wheeled from the railroad, and, marching by Ripley and Pontotoc, reached the vicinity of Tupelo in about one week, where there was fighting much of the time, day and night, on the 12th, 13th and 14th of July. On the 12th, the Twelfth regiment, being at the time guard of the train, was attacked by a brigade of rebels, eager for victory and plunder, and think- ing both could be easily gained from the inferior force opposed to them. But never were men more mistaken. The regiment stood like a wall, from which the charge of the troopers rebounded as though spring- ing from a consuming conflagration. No small force repelled a large force more bravely or more completely during the whole war. In the subsequent fighting of

this brilliant campaign, wherein the rebels were thoroughly defeated and routed, the regiment bore a prominent part, fighting all the time with marked gallantry and efficiency, losing heavily in killed and wounded, and, at the close of the extended contest, receiving the special commen- dation of the General commanding the army.

The regiment returned to Memphis on the 24th of July, and there had a week's rest after active operations in the field, which might have entitled it to more, had the men wanted it.

On the 1st of August, the command started on another raid, moving by rail to Lumkin's Mills, and from whence it marched to Holly Springs, of which post, Lieutenant-Colonel Stibbs took command, with the Twelfth regiment on duty there.

Here, Companies A and F, which had been on detached service at the mouth of White river, rejoined the regiment on the 10th. The value of this. detachment at this post had been very great to the Union. In consequence of which the rebels deter- mined to attack the post and defeat and capture the garrison. Captain Hunter, in command, had ordered the building of a strong stockade at the post, but it was not completed when he received intelligence which led him to believe he would soon be attacked. The whole force was put to work on the stockade, on the 4th of June, and kept at work till midnight. At three o'clock, the next morning, they were at- tacked by Marmaduke's men, numbering nearly four hundred, under command of a Colonel. The two companies of the Twelfth numbered just forty-seven mus- kets. So sudden was the attack, that the

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

men did not have time to dress themselves after the alarm was given, before the enemy was upon them. They sprang at once to arms, and fought in uniform which the wags called "shirt-tail regalia." The enemy delivered the attack with great spirit and determination, and a number of them, by a bold dash, gained the stockade on one side. Their success here would have resulted in the complete defeat of the garrison, but for one of those splendid acts of heroism, for which brave men in the olden times were apotheosized. Sergeant Isaac Cottle and Corporal George D. Hunter, of Company F, armed with re- volvers, ruslied out of the stockade and boldly attacked the rebels who had gained the works, firing rapidly, and making every shot tell. The enemy, no doubt thinking the sallying party embraced a considerable force, fled in confusion, but a random shot killed Corporal Hunter on the spot, and another wounded Sergeant Cottle, so that he died three weeks afterward. In three- quarters of an hour after the attack com- menced, the rebels were repulsed in indis- criminate rout, with a loss of over fifty in killed, wounded and prisoners, the com- manding officer being among the killed. Their dead and wounded were left on the field. Besides Hunter and Cottle, the loss of the garrison was four wounded.

The detachment was joyously welcomed back to the regiment in its camp at Holly Springs. The regiment returned to Mem- phis near the close of August.

On the first of September, intelligence was received that the rebels were block- ading White river in Arkansas, and threat- ening communication with Little Rock and other posts held by our forces. General

Mower was ordered to raise the blockade with his division of troops. He embarked on steamers the- same day, and sailing down the Mississippi and up the White river to Duvall's Bluff, without meeting the enemy, marched to Brownsville, and here learned Price had gone north. He was ordered to pursue. Leaving Browns- ville on the 17th, with ten days damaged rations, he marched by Searcy, Jackson- port and Pocahontas, Arkansas, and Poplar Bluffs, Greenville and Jackson, Missouri, to Cape Girardeau, a distance of three hundred and fifty miles in nineteen days, reaching the Cape on the 5th of October. Rain, mud, swamps, rivers and short rations-these were the obstructions in the way of this remarkable march. As all evidence of its severity, it may be stated that when the Twelfth Iowa, numbering two hundred and fifty rank and file reached Cape Girardeau, five officers and one hundred and one men were in their. bare feet. Other regiments were in simi- lar conditions, and perhaps there was not an officer or man in the column, who could have made a respectable appearance ou dress parade.

On the 6th, the command embarked on steamers and went to St. Louis, remaining there only long enough to be supplied with clothing and necessary equipage. The troops were ordered to join General A. J. Smith in the pursuit of Price. The Twelfthi went by steamer to Jefferson City, arriving there October 19th, and going the same day to Smithton. From this time until the 27tli, it was with the army in hot pursuit of Price, most of the time near the enemy, but unable to overtake lıim, as he would not or could not, stand long

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

enough against our cavalry for the infantry to come up. On the 30th, the counter- march commenced, and on the 15th of November, the regiment reached St. Louis, where Colonel Woods and the non-veterans were mustered out, their time having expired.

Having been ordered to join General Thomas at Nashville, the regiment arrived at that place on the 1st of December, and at once went into position two miles south of the city. It fought with a gal- lantry, especially on the battle field of the 15th and 16th, and bore its share during the siege against the capitol. The good behavior of the men on this glorious field received warm commendations in the offi- cial reports of both brigade and division commanders, which were all the more valuable, from the fact that there was not a commissioned officer in the line. The companies were commanded by Sergeants and Corporals. During the fight the regi- ment captured two flags from the enemy, for which Luther Kaltenbach, Company F, and private Andrew J. Sloan of Com- pany H, were presented. with medals by the Secretary of War.

In pursuit of Hood, the Twelfth pro- ceeded to Eastport, Miss., arriving there on the 7th of January, 1865. Here, it assisted in building quarters and extensive fortifications, and then betook itself to a vigorous and well-earned rest after its active seven months' campaign.

About the middle of February, the Twelfth left Eastport for New Orleans, and there embarked, with the forces under Major-General Canby,on the expedition against Mobile, which resulted so trium- phantly to our arms. The regiment was

in the front line of battle, on the morning of the 27th of March, when the army ad- vanced against Spanish Fort. During most of the time of the siege- a period of thirteen days and nights-it was exposed to all kinds of missiles, from the minnie- ball and hard grenade up to the hundred- pound shell. Notwithstanding the tre- mendous cannonading by guns of both heavy and light calibre, not a man was killed, and only eight wounded. The enemy evacuated on the night of the 8th of April, and our army entered Mobile in triumph on the following day. From here they marched to Montgomery, distant 175 miles, where they remained one week, and then marched to Selma, where intelligence was received of the surrender of Lee, and the assassination of the President, in the hour of the Nation's triumph and gladness.

Intelligence of the surrender of Johnson was also soon received, which event having practically closed the war, the active oper- ations of the regiment were forever ended.

THIRTEENTH INFANTRY.

(Unassigned.) Utley, Matthew S.

FOURTEENTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY C.

Sergeants:

John Braden,

Henry Beckwith.

Corporals:

Henry P. Consadine, Theodore L. Cotton,

Frank S. Inman,

Hudson D. Cook,

Valentine L. Spawr.

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Privates:

Boylan, William H., Dawson, Martin,

Bird, Ely,

Halsted, William R.,

Burger, George,

Myers, Uriah,

Boylan, Cornelius,

Margritz, John H.,

Cummins, John R.,

McAlister, Asahel P.,

Chitester, Miles,

Stewart, Charles,

Cook, Augustus A.,

Winchell, Lyford H .;

Cook, Hudson D . Wetsel, James T.,

Couch, Manderville, Wetsel, Thomas C.

A history of this regiment is given in connection with the Butler county war chapter.

FIFTEENTH INFANTRY.

COMPANY H.

Allen, David C., Bartholomew, Ezra,

Allen, James W., Park, John W. (or M.), Webster, Wheeler R.

EIGHTEENTH INFANTRY. COMPANY H. Corporal: Edmon B. Brown.

TWENTY-FIRST INFANTRY.

COMPANY A. Sergeants:

Daniel Haine, Aaron Moss.

Corporal: Ransom H. Gile.

Privates:

Hall, William,

Inman, Walter,

Hart, Francis, Moss, Jacob, Sturtz, John,

THIRTY-SECOND INFANTRY. COMPANY B. Privates: Falsom, Jacob G., McDonald, Archibald, Needham, Edward E.

COMPANY C. Privates: Gilbert, Mills B

COMPANY D. Privates:

Bourguin, Louis

COMPANY E. Captain:

John R. Jones.

First Lieutenant : Alonzo Converse. Second Lieutenant : John F. Wright.

Sergeants:

John F. Wright,

Samuel German,

Marshall Kelly, Ovid Hare,

William H. Guy, Edward A. Glenn,

Samuel E. Hayden.

Corporals:

William M. Martin, Alexander March,

Wesley H. Long, Clark Speedy,

Robert Stanley, Albert O. Royce,

Robert Inman, Jacob Hinkle.

Musicians:

William H. Bnrham,

John Burham.

Wagoner: Nathan Olmstead.

Privates:

Ackerman, Lawrence, Kimmel, Bacheus F.,

Asprey, Joseph, Ketchem, William H.,

Albright, Elias D., Leverich, James P.,

Broque, Mordecai B., Langdon, John B., Blackman, Anson, Lewis, Charles, Lewis, Wilbert .L.,

Blass, John W.,

Blackman, E. W., March, William,

Bolton, George, Mead, Rollins P.,

Brookman, Albert H., Mix, William N., Mix, Charles E., Newcomb, Orlando S,

Burgess, Eli S., Brannic, Francis,

Billhimer, Henry, Needham, Edward E.,

Copeland, George R , Needham, Perrin O.,

Conner, John N., Olmstead, Robert L., Orvis, Franklin E.,

Codner, Oliver,

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Codner, George G., Churchill, James N., Collins, Henry C., Clayton, Dow, Dunning, Abram, Dunning, William H., Dodge, Mordecai, Dickisson, John, Ede, Richard T.,

Olmstead, Wallace W., Olmstead, Theodore, O'mstead, Oren P.,

Putnam, Fletcher C., Plummer, Daniel C., Parrot, Jasper, Peck, Josiah, Quimby, John, Quinn, James W.,

Musicians: Archison Wilson.

Wagoner: J. Rush Brown.

Privates;

Anderson, Benj., Harter, Aaron M.,

Allen, Sylvester, Hardman, James L.,

Allen, William V., Kane, Roselle,

Keller, Richard,

Ferris, Theodore H., Foster, Francis G .

Flood, William,

Griffith, John W., Hartman, Matthew, Henderson, David M., Sowash, George,

Hedrick, Moses,

Stockuale, William,

Boon, James H., Burton, George H., Bishop, William C.,

Boggs, Albert,

Babcock, Joseph, Brooks, Henry,

Beetles, David,

Clawson, Phineas,

Cavo, William R., Carter, James H., Cline, Michael,

Cosson, Wilbur C., Clark, Mortimore O., Clark, Daniel N., Doty, Aaron,

Davis, Nathaniel W., Dockstader, Josiah, Ellis, Andrew,

Strutz, Solomon, Strutz, Michael, Strutz, Adam, Straum, Nicholas, S vim, John D., Sheffer, James M .. Thomas, Charles N., Upps, John, Warner, Daniel D.,

Goodhue, James M., Wamsly, Martin V.,

Goodhue, S. Newell,

Graver, Seth H.,

Harrison, De Witt C.,

COMPANY H. Sergeants: James H. Hall.

Privates:

Beecher, Albert R., Hesse, Stephen,

Considine, Peter, Robinson, Solomon,

Yost, Josiah W.

Miller, James M., Muffler, William, McClellan, George, Miller, George G., Modlin, Isaac N . Phillipi, Jehu,

Hites, Elijah,

Turner, Jesse,

Houck, Thomas,

Whitney, Samuel B,

Hinkle, Jacob,

Williams, William H.,

High, Isaac,

Wilson, Ezra S.,

Hough, Nehemiah R., Wilcox, Austin,

Jones, Nathan, Wheeler, Solomon,

Jones, Henry O.,

Waters, Julius A.,

Knight, Hinkley, Williams, George H.,

Kimmel, George W., Zelmer, George E.

COMPANY F.

Champlin, William R., `Pierce, Moses, Yaw, Marcellus.

COMPANY G. Captain: Charles A. L. Roszell.

First Lieutenant: Charles A. Bannon.

Second Lieutenant: Daniel Haine. Sergeants: William Poisall.

Corporals:

Roselle Kane,

John McCain, Daniel W. Kinsley, Uriah Farlow,

Emanuel Surfus, George H. Burton, James Butler.

Roberts, Benjamin, Rockwell, Myron, Royce, Anos O., Sumner, John C., Sperry, James N.,

Allen, George L., Bishop, Harvey A., Boon, Sylvester M., Broogg, Sylvester W., Boon, Warren,

Boon. Sidney W.,

Lenhart, John, Martin, John, Maffit, Apollos W., Miller, Francis M., Miller, Elias,

Hannant, Robert, Howard, James N., Hall, Calvin,

Sperry, John, Smith, James, Thomas, Henry,

Phillipi, James M., Poisall, George C., Poisall, Hiram, Phillips, Joel, Smith, Henry, Straum, Jabez,

Forney, John C., Farlow, George, Farlow, Leander,

Whitted, Oliver P., Whitter, Baltzer.

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

399

COMPANY UNKNOWN. Lenhart, Washington

THIRTY-SECOND INFANTRY.

The companies forming the Thirty- second Infantry, Iowa Volunteers, were recruited in the counties composing the Sixth Congressional District, during the latter part of the summer and early fall of 1862. They rendezvoused at Camp Franklin, near Dubuque. Here, on Octo- ber 6th, they were sworn into the service of the United States for three years; John Scott, of Story county, being Colonel; E. H. Mix, of Butler, Lieutenant-Colonel; G. A. Eberhart, of Black Hawk, Major; Charles Aldrich, of Hamilton, Adjutant. Here it remained under drill and dicipline till about the middle of the following month. The barracks at Camp Franklin were un- comfortable in cold weather, of which, unhappily, there was much about this time. Measles of a malignant type broke out in camp, the exposed condition of which, the unfavorable weather and the want of sufficient clothing, conspiring to make the disease unusually fatal.

From the 14th to the 18th of November, the regiment, numbering about . 920, embarked by detachments for St. Louis, reporting there on the 21st, and going into quarters at Benton Barracks. Here it remained a few days, when, under orders from Major-General Curtis, six companics under Colonel Scott proceeded to New Madrid, Missouri, and the remaining four companies, under Major Eberhart, went no further down the river than Cape Girar- deau. The separation of the regiment thus effected on the last day of the autumn of 1862, continued until the spring of 1864.

It was a prolific cause of annoyance and extraordinary labor. The details required of a regiment were frequently demanded from each of these commands; stores sent to the regiment would sometimes go to the detachment, sometimes to head-quarters, when they should have gone just the other way; the mails were in an interminable tangle. The companies at head-quarters were: Company B, Company C, Company E, Company H, Company I and Com- pany K. The companies under Major Eberhart were, A, D, F, and G.

The history of the regiment during this long period of separation must necessarily be two-fold. It will not be improper to write first, an account of the detachment under command of Major Eberhart,

In obedience to the order of General Curtis, they proceeded to Cape Girardeau, and the Major assumed command of that post, on the 1st of December, 1862. The

garrison consisted of these companies, and one company of the Second Missouri Heavy- Artillery. Here they remained during the winter, performing provost and garrison duties. On the 10th of March the garrison was re-enforced by the First Nebraska Volunteers, and preparations commenced for a march into the interior. On March 14th Major Eberhart marched his detachment to Bloomfield, accompany- ing a regiment of Wisconsin cavalry, and a battery of Missouri artillery, where they remained until the 21st of April, when they moved to Dallas, forty-six miles northward. The march was by a circuitous route, re- quiring sixty miles travel.

The Rebel General Marmaduke, now threatened Cape Girardeau with a consid- erable army. He himself was at Freder-

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

icktown, northwest of Dallas, while another was coming up the Bloomfield road. Gen- eral McNeil,commanding the Union forces, marched at once to Cape Girardeau, by Jack- son. The detachment of the Thirty-second, guarding the train, marched from Dallas to Jackson, a distance of twenty-two miles, in less than six hours, and reached Cape Gir- ardean on the evening of the 24th. The next day Marmaduke, with a force of 8,000 men, invested the place. At 10 o'clock at night he sent a flag of truce, with a de- mand of unconditional surrender, giving the Union commander thirty minutes for decision. General McNeil, by Colonel Strachan, who received the truce, sent back a flat refusal in one minute, and politely requested a credit of twenty-nine minutes by General Marmaduke. The attack, how- ever, was not commenced until Sunday morning, the 26th, at 10 o'clock, when the rebels retired with considerable loss, just as General. Vandever came down the river with re-enforcements for the garrison. In this combat, Major Eberhart's command " was posted on the right, in support of a section of Meltfly's. Its loss was but one man, captured on picket. On the 28th the detachment of the Thirty-second was or- dered to Bloomfield. Leaving Cape Gir- ardeau at. 5 o'clock in the afternoon, it marched fifty miles by dark the next even- ing, and went into camp near Castor river. Completing the bridge over this stream, it returned to the Cape, reaching that post on the 5th of May. Here it remained on gar- rison duty till the 11th of July, when it again marched for Bloomfield. Having remained there a few days, at work on the fortifications, it was attached to the Re- serve Brigade, First Cavalry Division, De-

partment of the Missouri, and on the 19th started on the memorable march, which ended with the capture of Little Rock, Arkansas.

The command reached Clarendon. on the 8th of August. Early on the morning of the 13th thie detachment started up White river. The expedition lasted three days, and was quite a brilliant success. The fleet went up White river to the mouth of the Little Red river, and then proceeded up that stream to the town of Searcy, where two steamers were captured and a pontoon bridge destroyed. When ten miles below Searcy, on the return, the fleet was attacked by three hundred rebels, who directed their principal fire on the prize, "Kaskaka," which was manned by half of Company D, under Lieutenant William D. Templin. The steamer was near the shore from which the attack was directed, but made a gallant defense. The rebels were driven off with a loss of more than twenty killed. The loss in Company D was one killed and five wounded. Be- fore reaching White river the fleet was again attacked, but the assailants were quickly driven off, with loss, and without any casualty on board. . Large quantities of public property were destroyed, and a number of prisoners captured during the expedition. In the heavy skirmish at Bayou Metoe, on the 27th, the detachment was engaged, losing one killed and two wounded.

The day the command reached "Dead Man's Lake" -- the scorching heat of that day, the parched ground marched over, the air at times filled with the flying dust-is one not easily to be forgotten. The stag- nant pond bearing that name was covered

401

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

with a green seum, yet the men, burning with thirst, plunged in and drank greedily of the filthy water.

The two trips from Duvall's Bluffs to Brownsville, as guard to the eavalry train, were trips of hard marehing in hot weather, and of suffering for water for man and beast, and from dust and heat. The siek on this mareh certainly received no extra eare -- at first shipped to Helena, and then to Clarendon, on the White river.

About the 21st of August a small steamer, a side-wheeler, sailed up the White river loaded with sick and eonva- lescent soldiers. It was one of the hottest of August days in this elimate, when she ran from Clarendon to Duvall's Bluffs, forty-five miles, in four hours. Not a spot on that boat, from the border deck to the hurricane deck, but was covered by a siek man. Siek men were piled away on that hurricane deck in the broiling sun, wher- ever a man could be laid. Is it any won- der, on that run of about four hours, twenty-six men died on that boat ?- one of them a corporal of Company G (Carter).

On the 25th of August another mareh of twenty-six miles across those prairies of Prairie eounty, Arkansas. About 11 o'eloek that night we filed into the little court house yard at Brownsville. Just as we filed in, General Davidson stepped to the fenee and said, "Boys, lie down quickly and take some rest, for I will need you at an early hour." Then turning to another officer, he said, "These brave boys have marched 500 miles, and kept np with my cavalry." By 3 o'clock next morning we were astir, and at 4 were in line and on the move. A march of nine miles brought us to the rebel outposts, skirmishing three

and a half miles to the brow of the hill, and after manouvering, ete., half a mile to the bank of "Bayou Metaire." The whole movement during the day was only a bushwhaeking affair. In the evening we fell back to the top of the hill to support a battery. There dark found us. The battery and all other troops had left. One detachment alone was on the field, with the rebels closing around us, when we withdrew and fell baek that night to a corn-field near Brownsville; and about 1 o'elock at night, at the word "halt," the doys dropped on the ground, and lay down between corn rows. Noalignment eneamp- ment was made. The night was dark, as dense black clouds o'respread the sky, and soon the rain came down in torrents; but there the boys lay-what else eould they do? About 9 A. M. it broke away; but, oh! the mud, mud! We had no rations, but soon found a patch of sweet potatoes, and had a sweet potato breakfast.

The detachment remained two days in camp in the timber near, and then moved to the old eavalry camp north of town, where our siek boys had been kept in a double log house on the edge of the prairie, and at a little grove of a few seattering oaks, and near a pond of stagnant water.

On the 31st of August, 1863, the day was very hot, and henee the train was ordered to go through to Duvall's Bluffs in the night. All the detachment was ordered to go as guard. The whole detach- ment able to go was ordered on the trip. We eould raise only forty men, and some twelve or fifteen of them were unable to march, but were ordered to go, as they could be piled on the wagons, and could use their guns in ease of an attack. This -

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

was a serious camp-ground to the detach- ment. A few days and not a well man was in that camp, and not many men able to care for the sick. It had been used as a cavalry camp until the very ground was crawling with filth. Every nook and cor- ner of the old house, every spot on the floor, porch and hall, was covered by a sick man. Everything that could be done under the circumstances was done for the sick: But we were in advance of the main army and supplies. No sanitary or sutler supplies had reached us, and much of the ordinary soldiers' fare was unfit for use. Much of the "hard-tack" had too much life. I can now see some boys breaking their hard-tack into small bits, and blowing out the things of life.

On the 6th of October, occurred the first deatlı. William A. Spurlin, one of the brightest and best of young men, was laid in an humble soldier's grave. On the 8th he was followed by Henry Cantonwine. On that day we moved to another camp south of town, in a nice little grove. One day's rest there, and the command was ordered to Little Rock. The sick were brought, and laid down on the sand in the hot sun before the old log tavern hospital. That very sand was crawling with "gray backs." As the command moved away, George Macy lay on a cot, under a little tree, dying, and soon another of the young men of our company, Wilson Bond, was added to that group of humble graves. There we laid four of the young men of our company, side by side.

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History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, Part 49

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company Number of Pages: 1316

Author: Union publishing company, Springfield, Ill
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Springfield, Ill., Union publishing company
Number of Pages: 1316