USA > Iowa > History of the Fifteenth Regiment, Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry, from October, 1861, to August, 1865, when disbanded at the end of the war > Part 18
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THE FIRST INSPECTION.
Corinth, Miss., July 1, 1862.
COLONEL :-- I have the honor to submit the following, as the result of my inspection of the 6th division of the Army of the Mississippi, commanded by Brig. Gen. J. B. S. Todd .* I in- spected the 3d brigade, commanded by Col. Reid, 15th Iowa. * * * 15th Iowa, armed with the Springfield rifle. The arms and accoutrements of this Regiment I found in excellent order. Co. E of this Regiment was on provost duty in town. The condition and appearance of the men will warrant the effi- ciency of this Regiment very good. The health is good and the hospital and accommodations very good. The four
* Appointed from Dakota Territory, Sept. 19, '61; commission expired July 17, '62.
.
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
Iowa Regiments composing this brigade are said to be well drilled and disciplined. The contrast is apparent.
Respectfully submitted,
A. J. SMITH, Brig. Gen . Acting Inspector Gen.
To J. C. KELTON, A. A. Genl. Dept. Miss. Official copy, J. B. SAMPLE, A. A. A. Gen.
G. O. No. 118.
Headquarters Corinth, Miss., July 27, 1862.
COLONEL :- Gen Tuttle is ordered with two brigades to Bolivar to reinforce Gen. Ross. Your Regiment included in Gen. Tuttle's brigade. We start as soon as possible this p. m., take five days rations and as little baggage as possible, leaving that to be sent by railroad. The 17th Wisconsin will be in this p. m. to relieve your Regiment, and in the meantime get everything ready for the march. Lieut. Hedrick will be relieved of the provost marshal's duty, bnt Lieut. Higley, having much money responsibility can- not be relieved till your return, which is supposed will be in ten days or thereabouts.
E. O. C. ORD, Maj. Gen. Comdg. H. T. REID, Col. 15th Iowa.
The Regiment, with brigade and other troops, under Gen. James M. Tuttle, was marched to reinforce Genl. L. F. Ross, at Bolivar, Tenn., on the Jackson and Grand Junction railroad, then threatened by the enemy from the direction of Ripley. Gen. Tuttle says :- "One Sunday morning Gen. Grant sent for me to come to his headquarters and said he desired me to take two brigades over to the relief of Gen. Ross at Bolivar. I told him I would of course willingly go, and asked him for instructions. He told me that Gen. Ross was threatened and that he needed reinforcements. I asked him about the probabilities as to the strength of the rebels. He said he thought their strength was over-estimated and that
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
with two brigades I could whip them. There are two roads to Bolivar, one direct, and the other bears down south. If you take that road you will be likely to meet the rebels and have a fight on your own account. I replied, that is the road I shall take. We went down there and met no rebels, and had no fight, but I was favorably impressed with the troops of the Iowa brigade." * Soon Gen. Tuttle being ordered to Cairo, the command of the division devolved upon Col. Crocker, and under him the Regiment took part in several movements, and reconnoitering around that post, it reinforced Col. Leggett's brigade and repulsed the enemy attacking that brigade. Col. Reid having taken command of the brigade (temporarily called the 5th brigade, 2d division, District of Jackson, )he retained that of the Regiment also on account of no other field officer being present with the Regiment ( Lieut. Col. Dewey having been promoted Colonel of the 23d Iowa, while on sick leave to Iowa, Major Belknap also being in Iowa on re- cruiting service.) Moreover, as, by the constant demonstrations of the enemy around Bolivar, an early attack could be expected, the several detached forts north of the place were to be connected, and those near the Big Hatchie river to be strengthened. Col. Reid, while in command of the brigade, in absence of any brigade staff, undertook and completed the work with only the help of Adjutant
PIE NEARLY KILLED HIM.
At Shiloh, Hiram G. Vincent of H Company, was wounded and his right leg amputated, and sent north. On arriving at Keoknk he was taken to the Estes house hospital, and was apparently gaining every day, when one of the kind ladies of that city, anxious to do all in her power to aid the Boys in Blue and maintain the acknowledged hospitality of Keokuk, named over a long list of toothsome articles at his service, among them was Lemon Pie. Hiram had not indulged in pie for, lo, these many days ; it had not been on the daily bill of fare at the Hotel de Barracks, Fifth street, where he was a guest the past winter, and down below Uncle Sam's menu was never known to mention pie Hi thought Lemon pie would fit him, and the lady's next visit brought one of her premium pies, and Hiram eat and then had a relapse. Capt. Danielson says, "I saw him when you could not discover that he breathed. " He was carried to the dead room, another lady learning what had happened followed and prying open his mouth administered a few drops of stimulant. She persevered and soon Hiram showing signs of life, was carried back and most carefully nursed. The Captain says, " Hi told me all about it afterwards, the Lemon pie came nearer killing him than the rebel bullet." Hi now lives at Arborville, Nebraska, has a 400 acre farm, a good stock of cattle, a wife and half a dozen children, more or less, and has thoroughly recovered from too much pie.
16
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
Pomutz, acting as Assistant Adjutaut General and also as engineer, the 15th was assigned to garrison Fort Engleman, September 2d to 12th. The attack did not come however; the enemy, after having threatened the place for three weeks from different direc- tions, and causing the troops to stand to arms every morning for the same time, suddenly disappeared, and was known to turn up east, southeast of Corinth in the direction of Iuka. While the Regi- ment and brigade marched to Corinth, (Sept. 13th) Iuka was taken by Price's rebel forces .* The regiment then, with brigade and division took part in the expedition under Gen. Ord to Iuka, where it co-operated with Rosencrans' Ohio army (Sept. 21st,) in retaking that place and driving Price's army south towards Topelo.
When Major Belknap was recruiting for the Regiment, in the summer of 1862, he enlisted a boy in Keokuk named Darby Graley, who entered Company F; afterwards became his orderly, and with Private Clements, of the 11th Iowa, as another orderly, followed his fortunes and clung to him faithfully to the end of the war. They were both daring boys, full of adventure, splendid foragers and thoroughly fearless. When "Darby," as he was always known, was marching in the street at Keokuk to the boat which was to carry him south, his mother, a respectable old Irish lady, rushed from the sidewalk, seized him, objected to his going, said that he was not eighteen years of age, and that he could not and should not go. Major Belknap remonstrated; told her that Darby had sworn that he was eighteen, and that the oath he had taken was, under the law, conclusive as to his age. But she was inexor- able, and demanded her boy.
Major Belknap, rather than take Darby by force, told her of the honorable character of a soldier's service, of the applause that would greet her son when he returned from the war, and of her
+Headquarters 3d Div. Army West Tenn., Corinth Miss., Sept. 17, 1862 .- S. O. 239: The troops of this army will move with five days rations, three cooked in haversacks * * and 100 rounds of ammunition per man, and without baggage. By order of Gen. W. S. Rosen- * crans. H. G. Kennett, Lt. Col. Chief of Staff.
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
patriotic duty in the matter, and said that he would personally see that her son was cared for. This last promise caused her to relent. Raising her hands and blessing both the major and the boy, she said: "God bless you Darby and good bye. Stay by the major Darby! Stay by the major, and you will never get hurted.'"
Darby did stay by the major. He braved countless dangers and lived through the war, but lost his life in Colorado-killed by the Indians.
While Lt. Col. Belknap, he having been promoted from major, was on the recruiting service in 1862 at Keokuk, he became weary of that duty and was anxious to return to the field, where an engagement was imminent. He telegraphed to the superintendent of the recruiting service at Davenport, to the adjutant general at Washington, to General Schofield at St. Louis, but they declined to act. In despair he telegraphed to General Rawlins, the adjutant general of General Grant at Corinth, and begged to be ordered to the field. In reply he received the following telegram from Gen. Grant himself.
Near Corinth, September 16, 1862 .
By telegraph from Gen. Grant's Headquarters:
"You will immediately return to your Regiment at this place, bringing with you all recruits."
U. S. GRANT, Major General.
He gladly obeyed at once and reached the Regiment in time to command it in the battle of Corinth, on October 3, 1862.
The game of the enemy to reappear suddenly in the direction of west, north-west of Corinth, by rapid marches from Topelo by way of Ripley, to Chewalla, on the Memphis railroad, having been discovered by Gen. Grant, most of the troops stationed at and around Iuka were rapidly marched back to Corinth. The 15th Iowa with its brigade (now under Crocker) arrived late on the evening of the 2d of October, and took position two miles west of Corinth and south of the Chewalla road, when, October 3d, the combined attack under Van Dorn, Price and Villipigue was made.
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
Headquarters Army of the Mississippi, Corinth, Miss., Oct. 3, 1862. 5 Brigadier General Mckean :- The General commanding directs me to say in reply to your dispatch; * * should the enemy appear at the bridge (Smith's), the road ought to be obstructed. Nearly everything depends upon the movements on your front.
C. GODDARD, Acting Asst. Adjt. Gen. THE BATTLE OF CORINTH.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM W. BELKNAP'S REPORT. Headquarters 15th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Camp near Corinth, Miss., Oct. 13th, 1862. 1
Lieutenant James Wilson, A. A. General 3d Brigade, 6th Divi- sion :
SIR :- I have the honor to submit the following report as to the part taken by the 15th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the battle near Corinth, on Friday, October 3d, 1862. The Regiment, under the command of Col. H. T. Reid, arrived with the 3d Brig- ade from Iuka in the afternoon of the 2d, and went into camp near the fort, designated as Battery F.
At daylight, on the morning of the 3d, we were ordered to fall into line and the Regiment, under the command of the undersigned, Col. Reid being sick, and unable to assume command, marched to a position nearer the battery above named. On halting, the 11th and 13th Iowa were formed in line of battle fronting west, the 11th on the right, and the 15th and 16th Iowa, formed in close column by division, the first in rear of the 11th and the last in rear of the 13th Iowa.
Shortly after this disposition the firing in front, in which the 2d Brigade was engaged became general, and as they fell back, the front of the 3d Brigade (Crocker's) was changed, the 15th and 16th lowa forming into line of battle at right angles to the previ- ous line facing north, and the 11th and 13th formed in close column by division in their rear. While here two companies of the 13th
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
Iowa were sent as skirmishers to the front, and an order was given to change front with the left of the division resting on Battery E, and the right on the left of the 2d Division ( Davies'). This order was being executed by the 11th and 13th Iowa, and by the artillery posted near Battery F, and was about to be executed by the 15th and 16th when the skirmishers fell back before the enemy, and the two Regiments remained in line of battle to protect the formation of the new line above named. In a few moments, it being about 3 o'clock, the enemy came regularly on in line of battle, their left appearing through the thick underbrush to be nearly opposite the right of the 15th and the left of the 16th.
ยท The Regiment was ordered by me not to fire until the enemy came near enough to be easily distinguished. This order was obeyed. Both fired at the same instant, and both in full volleys -- ours being promptly given and that of the enemy with less regu- larity. Our men fell back a few steps for an instant, reloaded, and from the first fought like veterans. For three-quarters of an hour they contended with an immensely superior force, and when the order was given by Colonel M. M. Crocker, brigade commander, ( who was on the field, in the immediate vicinity of the 15th through- out the action ), to fall back to effect a union with the new line, it had to be frequently repeated before it was obeyed, and the tenacity and unflinching courage with which the men of my Regiment clung to their position to the last, deserves especial mention. The new line was formed promptly and in perfect order, and the first day's fight was over.
I cannot too highly commend the bravery and courage of the officers and men of the Reginient, and am convinced that had the whole Brigade been together in the fight the repulse of the enemy would have been complete on that part of the field. The loss of the Regiment was heavy. Out of about three hundred and fifty men engaged our loss was eleven killed, among them three officers,
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
sixty-five wounded, and eight missing. The friends of the gallant and lamented dead have the proud satisfaction of knowing that their lives were patriotically given to their country, and that their comrades, who loved them while living, will cherish their memory now that they are gone.
The three officers killed : First Lieutenant Eldridge, of Company K, and Second Lieutenants Kinsman, of Company C, and Cath- cart, of Company G, were among the best in the service. Though young, dauntless in fight, and devoted to duty, their loss can hardly be overcome. Personally witnessing their conduct on the field I can truly say they did their duty well -- none could have done it better. We mourn their loss as that of those who lived the lives and died the deaths of true soldiers.
The officers whose gallant conduct came under my especial ob- servation, were Major Cunningham, Adjutant Pomutz, Captain Kittle, and Lieutenant Whitenack, of Company A, Lieutenant Wil- kins, of Company B; Captain Seevers, of Company C; Captain Madison and Lieutenant Porter, of Company D; Lieutenant Rog- ers, of Company E; Lieutenant Throckmorton, of Company F; Captain Hanks, of Company G, and Lieutenants Miller and King, of Company I. Others doubtless did as well, but those referred to were noticed by myself. Major Cunningham throughout the con- test rallied the men aud cheered on the Regiment, and though quite severely wounded, remained with the Regiment to the close. Of the staff officers Assistant Surgeon Gibbon and Quartermaster Hig- ley, and of the non-commissioned staff Sergeant Major Brown, who was wounded, and Commissary Sergeant Elliott, have my thanks for services promptly rendered in their departments.
Color Corporal Black, of Company E, had charge of the colors and commanded applause by his great gallantry. Clinging to the standard he only gave it up when severely wounded, at which time Color Corporal Wells, of Company I, took the flag as it was fall- ing and bore it bravely through the remainder of the fight. During
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
the action of the 4th the Regiment, under the command of Colonel Reid, was placed in position to support the fort, from which the artillery of Captain Phillips was served with such terrible effect, and while there had two men wounded.
The 15th Regiment Iowa Volunteers has thus again given the blood of many of its best and bravest to the cause of the Union, and while for their gallant conduct on the field of Corinth the officers and men of the Regiment have my thanks; they have merited and will receive the grateful approbation of the people of Iowa and of the Nation.
A list of killed, wounded and missing is enclosed herewith.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM W. BELKNAP,
Lieutenant Colonel Commanding 15th Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry.
LIST OF THE KILLED, WOUNDED AND MISSING AT THE BATTLE OF CORINTH, OCTOBER 3D AND 4TH, 1862.
Killed: A company, Private John Trump; C company, 2d Lieu. tenant John D. Kinsman, Corporal Walter A. Tanner, Privates Samuel Lloyd, Oliver Smith, Greenbury N. Wymore; F company, Privates Wesley Irwin, Francis M. Tarpenning; G company, 2d Lieutenant William M. Cathcart, Corporal James B. Heatly; K company, 1st Lieutenant Rufus H. Eldridge, Privates Thomas H. Davenport, William C. Dixon.
Wounded: Field and Staff, Lieutenant Colonel W. W. Bel- knap, left arm severely. Major W. T. Cunningham, left arm severely.
Non-commissioned Staff, Sergeant Major Alex. Brown, left arm broken.
A Company : Corporals J. A. Kimbrough, head; J. F. Gun- ning, head and leg severely. Privates: S. Bailie, head; J. Ma- laney, leg; J. Mara, head; S. P. Reed, leg.
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B Company : Corporals J. L. Kelsey, severely ; A. D. Morgan, mortally ; Drummer R. Lyon, right arm severely. Privates: A. F. Burger, hand; J. P. Polser, mortally ; D. K. Winters, mortally.
C Company: Sergeants: D. Hoff, leg: I. S. Warner, mor- tally; Corporal N. H. Griffis, leg. Privates: J. A. Hiler, arm; J. R. Holley, hand; W. Jackson, arm ; J. C. Rea, head; J. B. Van- cleave, hand.
D Company: Captain J. A. Madison, breast; Corporal S. P. Reid, mouth and shoulder severely. Privates: J. Angle, -; F. Bird, head severely; L. F. Bird, head severely; A. Clark, temple. S. Kuhns, hip severely ; S. Wilkins, hand.
E Company: First Sergeant W. P. L. Muir, head and arm severely; Sergeant W. C. Stidger, thigh and leg severely ; Color Corporal E. G. Black, mortally; Corporals J. W. Henry, head; J. J. Wilson, left arm. Privates: J. W. Pierce, right hand se- verely ; I. B. Thatcher, right hand; J. S. Vantreese, neck severely,
F Company: Sergeant W. Boyer, neck severely; Corporal J. W. Sipple, through both lungs, mortally. Privates: P. Benner. jaw severely; W. Clark, -; W. Fitzgerald, jaw severely ; L. Hessemer, jaw severely ; A. Moriat, mortally ; J. C. Reed, shoulder severely ; H. S. Woodmansy, shoulder severely.
G Company : Captain R. L. Hanks, knee; Corporal C. W. Kitchell, neck. Privates: W. C. Clark, hand and leg severely ; G. B. Cummings, hand; D. Elliott, right thigh severely; A. Essex, back severely; H. Essex, back severely; H. H. Horton, --; B. Middleworth, abdomen, mortally; E. M. Reed, both legs severely; H. M. Reid, -; T. Riddlen, left arm; C. B. Vinton, head severely.
H Company: Sergeant L. Crawford, head severely; Corporal J. E. Rice, left side severely. Private R. G. Boyd, left arm am- putated.
I Company: Private P. Bain, neck and shoulder, severely; W. Buss, neck severely; I. M. Christy, both legs severely; J. Daven-
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
port, head; W. J. Gracy, thigh; G. Haner, abdomen ; J. A. Magee, jaw and neck severely; A. Z. Parker, side.
K Company: Sergeant D. Myers, left arm; Corporal C. I. Momyer, right shoulder. Privates: J. Brady, side severely; B. F. Momyer, left thigh; L. Warren, arm; W. H. H. Williams, groin severely .
Missing, B Company : Corporal J. L. Kelsey; C Company, Privates H. Lewis, J. Martin, A. B. McMurray, J. D. Myers, C. Quaintance, U. A. Smith, S. Walker, A. Whitlock, E. B. Whit- lock.
D Company : 1st Sergeant B. F. Stevens.
E Company : Color Corporal E. G. Black; Private B. Cuth- birth.
F Company: Privates C. Dillon; G Company, H. H. Horton, S. L. Roberts; H Company, J. S. Gordon, A. L. Stone.
RECAPITULATION.
Killed.
Mortally. Wounded
Wounded.
Total
Wounded.
Misssing
Total
Casualties.
Field and staff
Non-Commissioned Staff
1
1
1
" A" Company .
1
.6
6
" B " Company
3
.3
6
1
.. 7
" C" Company
5
1
8
.9
.. 22
'. D" Company
8
8
.1
.9
" E" Company
1
8
2
10
"F" Company
2
7
9
1
.12
" G" Company
1
.12
.13
2
.17
" H" Company
.3
3
2
.5
" I " Company
.8
8
.8
" K" Company
.6
.6
.9
Total
13
8
.70
.. 78 .. 18
.109
2
. .
.
Adjutant Pomutz writes: In expectation of the attack from the west, the line of the division was formed early on the 3d of Octo- ber from a point north of the railroad to Battery F, south and facing west. The Iowa Brigade being on the extreme left, the 11th and 13th Iowa deployed, forming the first line, the 15th and 16th in rear
*
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
and in close column by division, the 15th being commanded on the 3d by Lieutenant Colonel Belknap.
Soon after the partial attack was made by the enemy on our left it was evident that the far greater part of the same moved around the right of the line, making an impetuous assault on its front, at the same time gaining the rear of the line, by which a change of front became necessary so as to face north toward the line of rail- road. The 15th and 16th Iowa took position on a ridge running parallel with the railroad, being deployed in line of battle, the 11th and 13th retaining their former positions until 3 p. m., when the skirmish line along the railroad was gradually being driven in, and the sound of volleys of musketry further on the right evidenced the fact that the enemy had gained the ground north of the railroad, and was nearly reaching the town, two and a half miles on our right, and slightly to the rear.
The guns of the battery, heretofore doing excellent execution in Fort F., on our left, were at once removed to our right, and an oblique change of front to the rear on first battalion (16th Iowa) was ordered by Colonel Crocker, which would have formed the line of the 15th and 16th to face towards the said fort. In the ex- ecution of this movement, however, the 16th Iowa had to contend with an almost unmanageable thick underbrush in the rear of its former line, causing a delay in the full execution of the order just at a time when the slow but determined falling back of the whole skirmish line from the low ground, towards the ridge the 15th and 16th Iowa were occupying, indicated that the enemy had crossed the railroad and was advancing upon the line formed by those two regiments, and a charge could be expected as soon as they would emerge from the dense underbrush in front of the same. The order to change front was therefore countermanded, the line of the two regiments was reformed, as it was before.
Adjutant Pomutz, of the 15th Iowa, having been sent at the same time by Colonel Crocker to bring up the 11th and 13th Iowa
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
to their former position, (towit: at right angles with the left of the 15th Iowa and facing west), which it was found they had left to form in the rear of the first line by order of General Mckean. It was too late to execute this order then, General Mckean having already taken them away, and having established the same three hundred yards in the rear of the 15th and 16th Iowa, and the enemy having already engaged the first line, sending a perfect hail of balls into the front line. The 15th and 16th Iowa, being left alone on the ridge without protection on their left flank, fought the enemy, and by their vigorous fire checked his intended charge over half an hour, the men clinging to their ground with the stubborn and obstinate tenacity of veterans, and no doubt if the other regi- ments of the Brigade had been on the left of this line, the enemy had been entirely driven away from that part of the field.
The enemy, however, with thorough knowledge of the ground, brought his new forces gradually to the left of the line, under cover of the high ground on which the now evacuated Fort F. was afford- ing to them the advantage of breast-works, and from which direc- tion they commenced a murderous fire upon the unprotected left and rear of the 15th Iowa, which, in addition to the fire from the front, necessitated the yielding of the ground to the enemy's over- whelming numbers. Even then, however, the order to fall back (upon the line formed by the 11th and 13th Iowa) had to be re- peated several times before these two regiments would leave their ground.
The new line having been rapidly established on the right of the 11th Iowa, it became a matter of surprise that the enemy hesitated to follow. When by an order received from higher headquarters, the brigade was marched slowly and in good order toward Corinth, where it took position near Battery Phillips, the 15th and 16th on the right and left flanks of the battery, the 11th and 13th in rear, forming a reserve. During the entire night the movements of troops and of artillery within the inner line of fortifications, indi-
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cated the extent of preparations for the reception of the enemy's attack the next morning.
At 5 o'clock, October 4th, the enemy's artillery commenced shell- ing the town from the north. Shortly after the Federal batteries answered, and after a spirited artillery duel, lasting an hour, the enemy's pieces were silenced. Meanwhile the sun rose and the skirmishers of the enemy, in front of the 3d Brigade, showed prep- arations for their intended advance upon Battery Phillips. They were advancing to the edge of the abatis, filling the low ground in front three different times during the morning, but as often they were met with a murderous repulse by our skirmishers, who were most efficiently supported by the Regular Battery of Captain Phil- lips: also by the First Minnesota and the Fifth Ohio Batteries, taking position on the left of the fort. Shortly after the right wing of the Federal line was forced back from north of the town towards the Fishomingo Hotel, but the enemy, after an obstinate engagement of one hour's duration, was repulsed in disorder and panic.
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