USA > Iowa > Tama County > History of Tama County, Iowa, together with sketches of their towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 61
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
rapidly thinning the Union ranks. The Twenty-fourth rushed to the charge with the greatest enthusiasm, trampled down the gunners, and by their own momentum the men pressed far beyond the battery, driving the infantry supports away in wild confusion. But they were in turn attack- ed by overwhelming numbers, and com- pelled to give way. It was in this daring charge that Major Wright was severely wounded. Here were slain Captain Silas D. Johnson and William Carbee, and Lieutenant Chauncey Lawrence-gallant officers as ever lived or died in the cause of American nationality and of man. The loss of the regiment was severe. Forty. three officers and men were slain, forty more were borne with mortal wounds from the field to the grave, nearly thirty were maimed for life, and the whole loss, killed, wounded and captured, out of the four hundred and seventeen who entered the fight, was one hundred and ninety-five. Such was the great sacrifice of the Tem- perance Regiment on the glorious field of Champion Hills.
The regiment, with the Division to which it belonged, did not join in the rapid pursuit of the enemy which followed this great victory, and did not take part, consequently, in the battle of Black River Bridge, the next day, where the Twenty- first and Twenty-third Iowa regiments won the first honors and suffered the sad- dest losses. It joined the beleaguering army soon, however, and bore its full share in the siege of the rebel stronghold. When Vicksburg surrendered, there were few regiments in all the army which had accomplished more, or suffered more, in
bringing about the great victory than the Twenty-fourth.
But it was not yet to have rest, for at once joining General Sherman's expedi- tionary army, it took part in the campaign of Jackson-a campaign of great labors and of great results, but without a general battle. Johnston having been driven far to the eastward, and central Mississippi laid waste, the army under Sherman re- turned to the vicinity of Vicksburg, and most of the troops which had been instru- mental in the reduction of that place were granted rest. But the Thirteenth Corps, now commanded by General Ord, was transferred to the Department of the Gulf, having had only about a fortnight's repose after the Jackson campaign.
The history of the Twenty-fourth in this department until it joined the army on the Red River Expedition is devoid of memorable events. It took part, in the fall and early winter of 1863, in one or two expeditions, but though the troops marched much, labored innch, and some- times met the enemy in small force, their marches, labors, and skirmishes, were barren of results.
The first of the year 1864 found the regiment encamped at Algiers, weather very wet, the mud and water rendering the camp almost impassible to man or beast. Recollections of Helena came back forcibly to the men's minds, but the 14th of January, quarters were obtained in warehouses. The 21st, the command moved, and the next day encamped near the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, by Madisonville. This was the most pleasant camp the regiment ever had,
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
after leaving Camp Strong, near Musca- tine. It was evacuated on the evening of February 26th. The regiment was reviewed by General McClernand at Algiers on the 3d of March, and received the special commendations of that officer.
From Algiers the Twenty-fourth moved by rail to Berwick Bay, and thenee on the 13th joined the Red River Expedition under General Banks. The 1st of April, the command reached Natchitoches, after a march of nearly three hundred miles from Berwick Bay. IIere it remained in camp till the morning of the 5th, when the army resumed the march for Shreve- port. Encamped near Pleasant ITill on the 7th. On the next day was fought the battle of Sabine Cross Roads. It was the intention of General Banks, when his forces moved from Grand Eeore on the morning of the 6th, that the advance should reach Sringfield landing on the 10th, and there effect a junction with Admiral Porter preparatory to the final combined movement against Shreveport. llis army moved in unique fashion. The cavalry had the advance. It was followed by prodigious trains, enough, one might suppose, to have formed the implements of the army of Xerxes. The Thirteenth Corps came next after this prodigious train, but marching in disjointed manner, one division far in advance of the other. The Nineteenth Corps was several miles in the rear. Now when it is considered that the roads in this part of Louisiana are narrow and bad, that the country is covered with a dense pine timber, render- ing military operations on a large scale impracticable, except in a few localities,
and cavalry absolutely useless, it might seem that common prudence should have dictated the most careful compression of the line of march, the utmost caution against surprise, the greatest care in the selection of a position on which to deliver battle, and constant vigilance in keeping the troops in hand. On the contrary, the enemy having hitherto offered the merest show of resistance to our advance, it is not too much to say that General Banks had his army all the while in air. Thus his troops were moving recklessly, blind- fold, as it were, when on the afternoon of the 8th, at Sabine Cross Roads, near Mansfield, the mounted advance came upon the enemy in force, and, fighting on foot, was soon defeated. The line over- lapped ours on both flanks. Embarrassed by their horses, astonished at the unex- pected fury of an enemy whose heelsonly they expected to see, the cavalry melted away, and speedily became a rout of shrieking men on frightened horses. The Thirteenth Corps was hurried into action, Division at a time, but though each fought gallantly to stem the tide of defeat, each was compelled to give way. The troops fell back in confusion. The enemy pur- sned, and, flushed with victory, fell upon the Nineteenth Corps, in the very aet of deploying into line of battle, but met with the first check of the day. But he was not repulsed, and the whole army was soon in retreat, having lost two thousand, killed, wounded, and prisoners, several batteries of artillery, and large quantities of property.
Only half the Twenty-fourth regiment took part in this engagement, five of the companies being on guard duty with
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY ..
the train in the rear. To get into the fight, the command was marched several miles on the double-quick and then pushed into battle with the Division, after the other Division of the corps had been thoroughly defeated. The regiment fought for more than an hour, and then gave way with the Division. Major Wright commanding, says his officers and men behaved handsomely, standing firmly at their posts until ordered to retreat. The regiment lost thirty four, wounded and captured. Captain Wilbur C. Dimmitt, a brave officer and an accom- plished gentleman, was severely wounded. IIe fell into the hands of the enemy, and not long afterwards died.
General Ransom, an intrepid command- er, beloved by his troops as General MePherson was by his, was wounded at Sabine Cross Roads. The detachment of the Thirteenth Corps-Third and Fourth Divisions-which he commanded on this expedition took charge of the train after the battle, moving in guard thereof to Grand Ecore. In the retreat from Grand Ecore, the Twenty-fourth frequently met the enemy in skirmish, and lost several men wounded. After the army reached Morganza, on the 22d of May, the regiment joined in a reconnoissance to the Atcha- falaya, during which Capt. B. G. Paul was slain and a number of men wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Wilds had joined the regiment at Alexandria, after a considera- ble absence in Iowa on recruiting service.
About the middle of June, the command left Morganza, and having encamped at Greenville, near New Orleans, a few days, and at Kennerville a few days more, hastened to Thibodeaux in the latter part
of the month to repel an enemy who turned out to be imaginary. Having stayed here a few days, the regiment returned to Algiers, whenee on the 22d of July, it commenced the voyage by river, gulf and ocean, to Alexandria, in Virginia, arriving on the evening of the 30th. Passed through Washington the next day, and moved right on by cars to Monoeacy, Maryland. Soon afterwards, it moved to Harper's Ferry, and joined the forces under Gene- ral Sheridan, to take part in that officer's campaign of the Shenandoah Valley.
The first great engagement of the eam- paign was the battle of Winchester. In this long and severe contest, the Twenty- fourth fought with prominent gallantry, and lost many of its officers and men. Captain Joseph R. Gould and Lieutenant Sylvester S. Dillman were slain while leading their men in the hottest of the fight ; Adjutant Daniel W. Camp, Lieuten- ants W. W. Edgington - and Royal S. Williams were wounded. The entire loss of the regiment was seventy-four killed, wounded and captured, there being only three captured. Leaving the killed to be buried and the wounded cared for by the proper details of men, the regiment pushed on up the valley with the army.
Immediately after the battle of Win- chester, Early withdrew to Fisher's Hill, a strong position just beyond Strasburg, and commanding the town. Here he made a stand, his right resting on the base of Massanutten Mountain, his left on the Little North Mountain, his line thus extending across the Strasburg Valley. Notwithstanding the strength of the rebel position, General Sheridan determined to deliver battle. His army was in position
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
early on Thursday morning, the 22d, Crook's Eighth Corps, the Army of West- ern Virginia on the right, the Sixth Corps in the centre, the Nineteenth Corps on the left. There was considerable manœuvering until afternoon. Emory demonstrated on the left, Ricketts' Division of the Sixth Corps advanced directly in front, and Averill's Cavalry drove in the enemy's pickets. Under cover of these demonstra- tions, Crook moved out to the extreme right, and by an arduous march gained the enemy's left and rear, and, charging with splendid impetuosity, drove him from his intrenchments in utter confusion. Wright and Emory at the same time moved against the enemy, who fled in disorder and rout before the dashing attacks of the whole Union army. It was a short fight and a magnificent victory. Nearly 1200 prison- ers of war, sixteen cannon, and immense spoils besides fell into our hands. The loss of the rebels was also great in killed and wounded, whilst that of the Unionists did not probably exceed 500, all told. The enemy's fire was wild. He was thrown into panie by the suddenness with which Sheridan dashed against him with his v hole force. And hence the troops, look- ing at their small losses, not thinking that they won the battle by their legs and their enthusiasm, did not regard it as so great a victory as that of Winchester, which pre- ceded it, or that of Cedar Creek, which followed it. In sober truth, there were but few so great victories during the war, gained with such little cost of life and blood.
In this engagement, the Twenty-fourth took active part, but as it lost only five wounded, it was a matter of
doubt for some time whether its ope- rations should be reported! So apt are even the most skillful and gallant officers to associate great victories with great losses, instead of results. The regiment moved from its position in the line to the extreme left, passing with almost mirac- ulous safety, through a shower of shells. It went into position, in support of a Maine battery, and there remained under fire, but covered much by the nature of the ground, till Sheridan's signal ordered the charge along the whole line, when it dashed forward with yells that made the welkin ring.
The quick, decisive battle over, thie regi- ment at once took up the pursuit and marching the livelong night close to the enemy's rear, reached Woodstock early on the morning of the 23d. During this march Captain Mckinley was severely, and several men were slightly, wounded by the enemy's fire. Pursuing as far as Harrison- burg the regiment went into camp.
Countermarching with the army it took position on the line of the Cedar Creek, which was soon well fortified on the left and centre. Early, having been heavily re-enforced, turned this position on the morning of the 19th of October, and came near ruining our army by a similar plan to that of Sheridan against him on the field of Winchester. Sheridan was at the time at Winchester, on his return from Washington. His wild ride to the field of battle, and his saving the day, can never be forgotten, for they have been made immortal by the genius of T. Buchanan Read, whose thrilling poem on this subject is the most soul-stirring lyric
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
of the war. In this the last and crowning victory of the campaign, the Twenty- fourth bore a brilliant part, losing here its commanding officer, mortally wounded, and many others in death and wounds. Nearly a hundred of its officers and men were placed hors-de-combat on this bloody field, on which no regiment in all the Union army fought more heroically, or more steadfastly than the Iowa Twenty- fourth. The same may be safely said, too, of its conduet at Winchester and Fisher's Hill. During the campaign its losses were nearly two hundred, officers and inen.
With the battle of Cedar Creek, the campaign of the Shenandoah Valley was brought to an end. Our regiment did not afterwards meet the enemy. It performed heavy escort duty for a time, marching and countermarching between Cedar Creek and Martinsburg, and in the latter part of November went into cold, airy encamp- ment on the Opequan. The men con- structed huts, however, and got to be quite cozy, but near the close of the month the command was ordered to Winchester, where it remained on post duty till or- dered south in the early part of January, 1865. At this time the officers of the reg- iment were : Lieutenant-Colonel, com- manding, Ed. Wright; Major, Leander ('lark ; Adjutant, William Il. Smouse ; Surgeon, Doctor Henry M. Lyons, with S. S. Cook, J. M. Lanning, assistants ; Quar- termaster, A. B. Eshelman.
The 6th of January, 1865, the Twenty- fourth bade farewell to the Shenandoah Valley. Moving by cars to Baltimore, the regiment was there quartered in stables !
-an insult which could have been no- where else offered to troops who had proudly borne the colors of the Union at Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Vicksburg, Jackson, Sabine Cross Roads, Winchester, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. Thence the regiment moved by steamship to Sa- vannah, Georgia, where it had quiet for some two months. It then moved to More- head City, North Carolina, in which State it performed heavy duties for some time, helping on the transportation between Goldsboro and Raleigh. After the capit- ulation of Johnston it returned to Savan- nah, and thenee made the same movement to Augusta and back. It was mustered out of service at Savannah, and from there moved to Iowa, and was finally disbanded in the early part of August.
The Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, some- times called our "Temperance," some- times our " Methodist" regiment, was among the most distinguished of our com- mands. Colonel Byam, a elergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was com- pelled to leave the service by reason of ill health in the summer of 1863. Lieutenant- Colonel Wilds, who succeeded in the com- mand, took faithful, conscientious charge of his troops, till he gave up his life in the cause of his country. Wright, the last commanding officer, was one of our most successful soldiers as he had been one of our most noted men in the walks of civil life. All the officers, and the men gener- ally, were remarkable for their bravery, their powers of endurance, their moral rectitude. Not the stern soldiery which, under the inspiration of Hampden and the leadership of Cromwell, overturned the
HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY. 519
monarchy of England, ever fought more bravely, or suffered more patiently, than the Twenty-fourth Iowa Volunteers. It is impossible that men should have ever gone into war ont of a higher sense of duty than did those of this command ; and it is to the praise of morality, of temperance, of Christianity, that throughout a long career of as gallant service as was ever performed, they were as brave as they were virtuous. No troops left the service with a cleaner record thau did these Methodist volun- teers when, the war ended, they laid aside the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.
Sergeants :
G. G Edmond, J. Casey,
J. S. Ferguson, H. A. Weaver,
Louis Lopee.
Corporals :
J W. Hliatt
P. H. Mason,
J. W. Fielding, John Myers,
W. Nixon, B. F. Hubbart,
J. II. Davis,
D W. Emerson,
J. S. Bishop.
Musicians :
S. J M. Bear,
J Spindler.
Wagoner :
J. B. Daily .
Privates :
S. W. Arbuthnot.
J. Chess,
E. W. Bunce,
John Chess,
A. L. Babb,
J. Crawford,
W. Beal, C. C. Collins,
B. F. Brannan,
P. Cass,
John Blair,
S. G. Clark,
N. Bywaters,
O. G. Clark,
J. S. Brants,
L. D. Campbell,
J. Bchonneck,
F. M. Connor,
B. F. Davis,
W. Hanna,
D. W. Emerson,
J. Hart,
E. J. Eldridge,
John Hate,
J. Fouts,
II. Hate,
D. Frun,
A. Jack,
J. L. Fitzgerald,
L. A. Kirk,
Corporals :
G M. Brothers,
B. Wilkins.
G. C. Freeman,
S. W. Myers,
Wagoner :
J. W. Flathers,
R. Metz,
J. Freedle,
H. M. Miller,
T. S. Finch,
G. A. Moss,
D. E. Finch,
C. L. McNair,
A. S. Godfrey,
D. Nance,
William Grubb,
J. B. Nicodemus.
J. C. Hopkins,
P. P. Nungesser,
J. Hillman,
J. B. Reed,
S. Holacker,
C. M. Reed,
John A. Staley.
J. D. Hutchinson,
W. T. Richardson,
First Lieutenant :
S. W. Hammitt,
B. W. Russell,
T. Schaeffer.
J. E. Brockenfield, John Wilson,
Second Lieutenant :
C. W. Sipes,
J. Wood,
J. Myers.
I. Spindler,
J. Bain,
COMPANY D.
Privates :
N. Iluff,
J. B Vanauken,
TWENTY-EIGHTHI INFANTRY.
Colonel : John Connell.
COMPANY B.
Captain : B. W. Wilson.
J. Freeman,
. A. Kosta,
G. Crittendon.
Privates :
N. Devore,
E. D. Howard,
A. Felter,
G. T. James,
II M. Howard,
G. R. Walton.
COMPANY F.
Captain :
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TWENTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY.
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
F. Schaeffer,
E. M. Beilby.
D. Shelton,
E. S. Beckley,
F. Sheldon,
G. W. Black,
J. HI. Scott,
J. B. M. Bishop,
T. Southern,
S. Bruner,
J. A. Snap,
W. C. Crawford,
Wm. Taylor,
J. A. Davis,
W. W. Vandoru,
H. D. Fuller,
D. Way,
E. Granger,
G. Williams,
A. II. Hisey,
H J. Williams,
J. M. Hammitt,
W. Heyer,
A. J. Plumer,
N. Miller,
II. A. Read,
C. J. Moyer,
J. Reedy,
II. T. Miller,
J. Young,
S. B. Overmire, G. F. Crawford,
A. D. Olney.
COMPANY I.
Private :
C. P. N. Barker.
TWENTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY.
The Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry, com- posed of Company A, Captain W. G. Gas- ton, Benton county; Company B, of Iowa and Tama counties, Captain B. W. Wilson; Company C, Captain J. W. Carr, Powe- shiek county; Company D, Captain S. I'. Vannatta, Benton; Company E, Captain David Stewart, Johnson county; Company F, Captain John A. Staley, Tama; Com- pany G, Captain Thomas Dillin, lowa county; Company HI, Captain Aaron Wil- son, Poweshiek; Company I, Captain John B. Kerr, Iowa county; Company K, Cap- tain John Meyer, Jasper, was organized during the autumn of 1862. William E. Miller, of lowa City, was Colonel, but he did not remain long enough to see actual army life, resigning to be succeeded by Lientenant-Colonel John Connell, who was in command of the regiment from the time it went to the field of action. H. B. Lynch, of Millersburg, was Major. James
E. Pritchard, of Iowa City, was chosen Adjutant, Thomas Hughes, Quartermaster, and the irrepressible Doctor John W. II. Vest, of Montezuma, Surgeon. The Rev- erend J. T. Simmons, of Marengo, a good man and an abolitionist, was appointed Chaplain. The rendezvous of the regi- ment was at Iowa City, where it had some weeks of drill and discipline. On the 10th of October, then numbering, rank and file, nine hundred and fifty-six men, it passed from the control of the State to the control of the general government, being mustered into the service by Captain H. B. Hender- shott, of the regular army.
The command remained at Iowa City till November 2, when it received orders to move to the theatre of war. Reaching Davenport, it there remained a week, awaiting transportation. The stay was neither long nor agreeable. Mumps and measles had their usnal effect upon the faees and temper of the men. However, transportation soon came, and on the 20th, the regiment found itself at Helena, Ar- kansas, and immediately went into its first encampment of tents. In just a week, a detachment numbering three hundred men, under Major Lynch, joined the command of General Ilovey, and marched toward Oakland, Mississippi, to aid General Grant, then attempting to take Vicksburg in rear by Holly Springs, Grenada and Jackson. The detachment was out some twelve days, marching rapidly all the time, through tempestnons weather, and being heavily laden with ammunition, rations, etc. William M. Hall, a private of Com- pany C, was killed by guerrillas-the only casualty which occurred during this toil- some, most disagreeable march. The
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
weather at Helena, meantime, was no bet- ter. The eamp was little better than a swamp, more suited to alligators than to men. A less watery locality was chosen about the middle of December, but not until disease in complicated forms had taken hold of the men, making the en- campment a hospital. It was intended that the regiment should take part in the movement against Vieksburg under Gen- eral Sherman, ordered with the practical wisdom which has always characterized that theoretical warrior, by Major-General Ilalleek, but in addition to the ailments by which the command had hitherto been afflicted, smallpox now broke out in camp, and kept it in the mud of Ilelena. Shortly after the commencement of the year 1863, however, this fearful disease abated, and the physical condition of the command rapidly improved. On the 11th of January, it embarked on steamer, and formed a part of General Gorman's expedition, which proceeded up White River as far as Du- vall's Bluff. Whilst the fleet was going from the mouth of this river to Clarenden, the weather was excessively and painfully stormy. First, it rained for many hours in suecession ; then there eame a blinding, driving storm of snow, which covered the ground to the depth of a foot ; then the wind chopped round to the northwest, and blew great guns. The cold was piercing. The decks of the boats were covered with ice, and crowded with troops. The cold came so suddenly after the rain and snow that the clothing of the men was covered with ice, the nor'wester, with an edge as sharp as a razor, cutting away bodily heat as fast as it was generated. The army was benumbed, nearly frozen. It suffered like
the French army in Russia. General Gor- man appeared to know very little of what he was about Part of the troops were ordered to disembark at St. Charles. The boats had hardly been unloaded when they were ordered to re-embark. In this labor they spent many weary hours, over shoe- top in water, and in a storm from which wild beasts would have sought shelter. The fruits of this horrible expedition were two abandoned siege guns, the capture of a squad of prisoners, and the burning of an unfinished depot. Even the cotton got away. Many men died of sheer exposure during the expedition, many more after- wards died from the effects of it. Our regiment returned to Helena on the 22d, reaching the former eamp long after dark, and instead of tents, finding nothing but black night, cold, and mud. The canvass had somehow been spirited away, but the men sank into bivonae with more sang froid than they could have mustered be- fore their experience on White River-an experience to which they cannot recur, to this day, without shivering.
Rude winter quarters were now built by the men, in which they endured a gloomy, sickly existence, rather than lived. All imaginable forms of fever prevailed, the ravages of which the medical staff, though doing all that was within the power of man, were unable to stay. Daily, from the quarters of every regiment at Helena, muffled drums were beating funeral marches to the grave. The winds seem to moan solemn requiems through the huts, in almost all which lay the sick, attended by comrades sick at heart. There were many seenes which, if drawn by the pencil of Mayer, would call forth the grief of man
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HISTORY OF TAMA COUNTY.
and the tears of woman. Misfortune at- tended our arms ; the troops were unpaid ; their bodies were covered with rags, and their feet not covered at all ; they wrote complaining letters home, and received in- dignant responses. What with poor tents at first, what with the White River expe- dition, what with disease and death after- wards, what with the general want of comforts, it is not surprising that the troops who passed this winter at HIelena never yet speak of that town without angry curses.
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