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 20
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T. Cunningham of the same regiment, who was severely wounded, * * are entitled to credit, not only for good conduct in the field, but for their previous industry in per- fecting the discipline of their respective regiments. Capt. W. T. Clark, Assistant Adjutant General, serving on my staff, who has long served with fidelity and great intelligence, on this occasion displayed great bravery and energy. Lieutenant M. A. Higley, Quartermaster and Commissary 15th Iowa Volunteers, Acting Division Quartermaster, performed his arduous duties in a very intelligent manner, and has always shown himself reliable, and was fearless and indefatigable.
I respectfully refer to the reports already furnished for an ex- hibit of the killed, wounded, etc., of the division.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. J. McKEAN, Brigadier General, U. S. Volunteers.
GENERAL ORDERS NO. 151.
Headquarters Army of Mississippi, Third Division, District of West Tennessee, Corinth, Mississippi, Oct. 25, 1862.
To the Army of the Third Division of the District of West Ten- nessee :
The preliminary announcement of the results of the great battle of Corinth was given to you on the battle-field by myself in per- son . I then proclaimed to you that " they were badly beaten at all points, and had fled, leaving their dead and wounded on the field." When I told you to replenish your cartridge boxes and haversacks, snatch a sleep after your two days' fighting and two nights of watching and movements, and be ready by the morning's dawn to follow the retreating foe, my heart beat high with pride and pleasure to the round and joyful response from your toil-worn and battle-stained ranks. Such a response was worthy such sol- diers, and of the country and cause for which they fought.
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I have now received the reports of the various commanders. I have now to tell you that the magnitude of the stake, the battle and the results, become more than ever apparent. Upon the issue of this fight depended the possession of West Tennessee, and perhaps even the fate of operations in Kentucky. The entire available force of the rebels in Mississippi, save a few garrisons and a small reserve, attacked you. They were commanded by Van Dorn, Price, Villipigne, Rust, Armstrong, Maury and others, in person. They numbered, according to their own authorities, nearly 40,000 men-almost double your own numbers. You fought them into the position we desired on the 3d, punishing them terribly, and on the 4th, in three hours after the Infantry entered into action, they were completely beaten. You killed and buried 1,423 officers and men; some of their most distinguished officers falling, among whom was the gallant Colonel Rogers, of the 2d Texas, who bore their colors at the head of his storming columns, to the edge of the ditch of "Battery Robinett," where he fell. Their wounded, at the usual rate, must exceed 5,000. You took 2,263 prisoners, among whom are 137 field officers, captains, and subalterns, representing 53 regiments of Infantry, 16 regiments of Cavalry, 13 batteries of Artillery, 7 Battalions; making 69 Regiments, 13 Batteries, 7 Bat- talions, besides several companies. You captured 3,300 stands of small arms, 14 stands of colors, 2 pieces of artillery, and a large quantity of equipments. You pursued his retreating columns 40 miles in force with infantry, and 60 miles with cavalry, and were ready to follow him to Mobile, if necessary, had you received or- ders. I congratulate you on these decisive results; in the name of the Government and the people I thank you. I beg you to unite with me in giving humble thanks to the Great Master of all for our victory.
It would be to me a great pleasure to signalize in this General Order those whose gallant deeds are recorded in the various reports, but their number forbids. I will only say that to Generals Ham-
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ilton, Stanley, McArthur and Davies, to General Oglesby and Col- onel Mizener, and the brigade and regimental commanders under them, I offer my thanks for the gallant and able manner in which they have performed their several duties. To the regimental com- manders and chiefs of batteries and cavalry, and especially to Col- onels Lee and Hatch, I present my thanks for their gallantry on the battle-field and in the pursuit. I desire especially to offer my thanks to General Davies and his division, whose magnificent fight- ing on the 3d more than atones for all that was lacking on the 4th.
To all the officers and soldiers of this army who bravely fought, I offer my heartfelt thanks for their noble behavior, and pray that God and their country may add to the rewards which flow from the consciousness of duty performed, and that the time may speedily come when under the flag of a nation, one and indivisible, benign peace may again smile on us amid the endearments of home and family. But our victory has cost us the lives of 315 brave officers and soldiers, besides the wounded. Words of praise cannot reach those who died for their country in this battle, but they console and encourage the living. The memory of the brave Hackelman, the chivalrous Kirby Smith, the true and noble Colonels Thruah, Baker and Mills, and Captain Guy C. Ward, with many others, lives with us in the memory of a free people, while history will inscribe their names among its heroes.
W. S. ROSENCRANS, Major-General Commanding.
GENERAL ORDERS, NO. 88.
Headquarters Department of West Tennessee, Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 7, 1862.
It is with heartfelt gratitude the general commanding congratu- lates the armies of the West for another great victory won by them on the 3d, 4th and 5th instant, over the combined armies of Van Dorn, Price and Lovell.
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The enemy chose his own time and place of attack, and knowing the troops of the West as he does, and with great facilities for knowing their numbers, never would have made the attempt except with a superior force numerically. But for the undaunted bravery of officers and soldiers, who have yet to learn defeat, the efforts of the enemy must have proven successful.
Whilst one division of the army, under Major-General Rosen- crans, was resisting and repelling the onslaught of the rebel hosts at Corinth, another from Bolivar, under Major-General Hurlbut, was marching upon the enemy's rear, driving in their pickets and cavalry, and attracting the attention of a large force of infantry and artillery. On the following day, under Major-General Ord, these forces advanced with unsurpassed gallantry, driving the enemy back across the Hatchie, over ground where it is almost incredible that a superior force should be driven by an inferior, capturing two of the batteries (eight guns), many hundred small arms, and several hundred prisoners.
To those two divisions of the army all praise is due, and will be awarded by a grateful country .
Between them there should be, and I trust are, the warmest bonds of brotherhood. Each was risking life in the same cause, and on this occasion, risking it also to save and assist the other. No troops could do more than these separate armies. Each did all pos- sible for it to do in the places assigned it.
As in all great battles, so in this, it becomes our fate to mourn the loss of many brave and faithful officers and soldiers, who have given up their lives as a sacrifice for a great principle. The nation mourns for them. By command of
MAJOR-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. JOHN A. RAWLINS, A. A. G.
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
A RECOLLECTION OF CORINTH.
Well do I remember when we stood in line of battle out in the woods beyond Corinth October 3d, 1862, waiting for the enemy to advance closer to us. Three or four times I raised my gun to fire, when a voice we were accustomed to obey said: " Hold on, Hip- pert; hold on." Turning my head and looking back I saw right by the colors that good old gray horse, with Colonel Belknap in the saddle, as cool as a cucumber, while the rebel bullets were fly- ing like hail. Many of the boys would say whizzing and zipping like h-Il all around us.
After a while we again heard that ever welcome and beloved voice command: Attention! Battallion! Fix Bayonets! and then say: " Now, boys, there's some work to be done here, and I don't want a man to leave if we are all wiped off from the face of God's earth." I believe they are the very words spoken by the gentle- man who rode that gray horse, and it always makes me feel like throwing my hat high in the air, and shouting: "Bully for Bel- knap." PHILLIP P. HIPPERT,
H Company.
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PART VI.
WINTER CAMPAIGN-NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1862-GRAND JUNCTION-HOLLY SPRINGS-OXFORD-ABBEVILLE-YOC- KENA STATION -- FORCED MARCHI TO HOLLY SPRINGS- LAFAYETTE-MEMPHIS-OPERATIONS IN FRONT OF. VICKS- BURG -- MILLIKEN'S BEND-PROVIDENCE --- DIGGING CANAL TO CONNECT THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WITH THE LAKE AND BAYOUS TENSAS AND MACON --- REPORT OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL WM. E. STRONG, INSPECTOR GENERAL 17TH ARMY CORPS --- JANUARY TO APRIL, 1863.
The 15th lowa with 3d brigade and 6th division, after its return from Ripley, remained encamped in front of Battery Phillips for two weeks, the troops being employed in constructing shorter in- terior lines, and strengthening the forts of the nearest circle around Corinth.
October 20th, Col. Reid took command of the brigade in place of Crocker, on leave of absence. October 22d and 31st, the division was reviewed by General McArthur, these being the first reviews the regiment participated in since entering the service.
October 25th, winter set in with piercing north wind and snow. On next and subsequent days it became as cold as November usually is in Iowa. The troops were providing themselves with brick from deserted houses in Corinth to put up their old fashioned fire-places, as if they intended to stay in winter quarters. Soon, however, the extensive preparations in every branch of the service -- the issuing of arms and accoutrements in place of those damaged, and of a full amount of cartridges-showed plainly that no winter quarters were thought of.
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Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry.
BRIGADIER GENERAL J. McARTHUR'S REPORT OF DIVISION REVIEW.
Headquarters 6th Division, Army of the Tenn. Corinth, Miss., Oct. 23, 1862.
COLONEL H. T. REID, Commanding Third Brigade :
COLONEL :--- The General commanding the division congratu- lates the 3d brigade on the general appearance and soldierly bear- ing of the entire command, in the review of yesterday, and in connection therewith submits the following remarks:
11TH IOWA VOLUNTEERS .- This Regiment marched well, the fourth company from the right, especially. The marching salute was correctly given. One mistake was made in presenting arms a second time. The martial music, played correctly, ought to be increased in numbers. Staff officers mostly absent.
13TH IOWA VOLUNTEERS. --- This Regiment appeared to good advantage, very steady in line. No marching salute was given by the line officers. This is in accordance with regulations, but not in practice, generally; the salute will be given unless otherwise ordered. The music should have turned out and played until the regiment passed as did the first, and then fallen in rear of the column. This band ought also to be increased. Staff officers mostly absent. Distance in marching not well preserved.
15TH IOWA VOLUNTEERS. --- This Regiment shows care on the part of the officers. Marching good; distance well preserved throughout. Band also omitted to turn out; a few officers did not salute. On the whole, very creditable.
16TH IOWA VOLUNTEERS .--- This Regiment preserved the cadence of the step well; distance well kept in wheeling into line. The officers, with few exceptions, gave the marching salute well, and at the proper time. Band also omitted to turn out; it also requires attention.
NOTE .--- The colors of nearly all omitted the salute, as did the bands to beat the ruffle, The commanding officers of regiments
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also omitted to turn out, while their commands passed in review . These remarks are not made in the spirit of fault-finding, but for mutual benefit. The Commanding General will be invited to review the division as soon as practicable.
By order of BRIG. GENL. J. McARTHUR, Commanding Sixth Division.
October 28th, General Rosencrans, heretofore in command of the troops at Corinth, was succeeded by General Hamilton, the former being transferred to the command of the Ohio Army, vice Buell, relieved .
Jackson, Nov. 1, 1862.
General Hamilton, Corinth, Miss .:
There are indications that Bolivar will be attacked within forty- . eight hours. Have three divisions of your command ready to move to-morrow morning with three days rations in haversacks and three days in wagons. U. S. GRANT, Major General.
SPECIAL ORDERS, No. 7.
Headquarters Dist. of Corinth, 3d Div., Dept. of Tenn., Corinth, Nov. 1, 1862. 5
The divisions of Generals Stanley, Quinby and McArthur will be held in readiness for movement early to-morrow morning with three days rations in haversacks and three in wagons, and 100 rounds of ammunition per man. Not more than one tent per company will be taken; no other baggage.
By command of BRIG. GENL. C. S. HAMILTON,
R. M. SAWYER, A. A. General. Jackson, Tenn., Nov. 1, 1862 .
Major General McPherson, Bolivar, Tenn.,
The moment you hear from the front inform me. If the enemy are moving on you I want to put the troops in motion.
U. S. GRANT, Major General.
JOHN MC ARTHUR. BRIG GEN'L.U. S.VOLS.
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On November 2d, the troops of Hamilton's command were started for Grand Junction, on the Memphis and Charleston rail- road; the regiment with its brigade and division arriving at that place on the night of the 5th. Next day the enemy retreated towards Cold Water, eight miles south. On the 12th, Colonel Crocker having returned, assumed command of the brigade.
From the 20th to the 28th, division drill of the three brigades and battalion drill, alternately, were the order of the day, General McArthur commanding the drill of the division personally. This was the first instance of the division being practically instructed in the different movements incident to brigade in line of battle by di- vision, to-wit: 2d brigade deployed in line of battle. 1st brigade in rear in close columns by divisions, the posting of artillery on the flanks of the first line, and of the reserve artillery in the rear of the centre of the second line; the throwing out of skirmish line; the advancing forward of the whole division in line of battle; the changing of front of the line of division, forward and to the rear: the falling back of the skirmish line on the line of battle; the deploying into column of battalions and deploying into line; the charge and rallying, etc. This practical instruction of the troops in movements of every day occurrence, while engaged with the enemy, was heretofore greatly needed, and was of the greatest practical benefit to officers and men.
On November 28th, the organization of all the troops destined for the winter campaign to the rear of Vicksburg being completed, the three corps were put in motion; General Hamilton in command of the left wing, now in front; General McPherson in command of the centre, moving on a parallel road next on the right; and General W . T. Sherman, moving from Memphis southeast toward Abbeville, being the extreme right.
The Sixth division of Hamilton's corps being in the lead of the column, the 3d brigade was in front. The enemy was met six miles out along the road and a spirited skirmishing commenced at 18 .
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once by the advance cavalry, when after an hour's engagement in front, part of the cavalry was sent to attack the enemy's line on their left flank, which threw them into a precipitate flight towards Holly Springs. Next day, 29th, the march was stopped by the enemy on the high plateau at Waterford about noon; the 6th di- vision deploying into line of battle on the north side of the valley between Waterford and Lumpkin's mill; when soon after the skirmishers were engaged on both sides, until part of the Federal cavalry emerged from the timber nearest to the left wing of the enemy's line; this at once compelled them to leave the ground. In their haste the enemy left over 300 boxes of tobacco in the place.
On the 30th, McPherson took the lead and drove the enemy to the Tallahatchie bridge, three miles north of Abbeville, where Pemberton had his headquarters the day before, arriving within two miles of the bridge at night. The rain poured down in tor- rents, while General Phil. Sheridan's cavalry, having crossed the Tallahatchie below and above the bridge, fell upon the flanks of the enemy. This caused them to evacuate the strong fort around the bridge; and after burning the same and their magazines at Abbe- ville, also the bridges and the long trestle works of the railroad, they retreated precipitately farther south toward Grenada.
The regimental return of alterations for November 30th shows that of the 760 men who arrived at Pittsburg Landing, April 6th, there has been a total loss of 463, or 61 per cent. in eight months' service.
The railroad south of Grand Junction being our only line of communication with our base at Columbus, Ky., it became an object of geatest importance to at once set to work to repair the several bridges and trestle works of the railroad between Talla- hatchie river and Abbeville, three miles distant. The 6th division being encamped near the latter place, was detailed to repair same,
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by selecting men from the different regiments of the division who were to act as pioneers and engineers. This practically demon- strated the urgent necessity of organizing a pioneer and engineer force, properly officered and instructed in that branch of service. Though after ten days, Captain G. S. Werth, of Colonel Bissell's Engineer Regiment, arrived with a company of his men, and a heavy detail from each regiment of the division was assigned to do duty under him, the necessary repairs were not finished before the 18th of December .* On that day, the division moved forward, the 3d brigade leading the column. On the 19th the division passed through Oxford, where it was reviewed while marching by General Grant, and arrived in the evening at Yockena Station near Grenada. Here news was received of a cavalry force of 5,000 from Pemberton's army, having made a circuit to the south- east from our front, and having turned to our rear and taken pos- session of Holly Springs, destroyed several magazines of supplies, clothing, etc .; also of an attack having been made on Jackson, Tenn., on the Columbus and Grand Junction railroad .
The corps of General Hamilton was ordered to fall back from interior of Mississippi, and the 6th division by forced march reached Holly Springs on the 22d of December, where whole blocks were found burned to ruins by the rebels setting fire to the govermental store-houses, after Colonel Murphy, commanding
*A letter from General Grant's Army says, General McArthur is a strict disciplinarian, and the regular calls of the day can be heard at the stated periods, running from one end of the line to the other, with a regularity that is almost wonderful. He is particularly strict in regard to men leaving their commands while in camp, or straggling on the march; and what makes the men so readily obey these orders is because all officers are under the same restric- tions. No officer or soldier is allowed to leave camp without a pass from his regimental commander, approved by the brigade commander, and re-approved at division headquarters Colonels, lieutenant colonels, majors, captains, lieutenants and soldiers all fare alike, and on the march no division has so few stragglers as his. The division is the old 6th of the Army of the Tennessee, which advanced on Corinth, and has at various times been commanded by Generals Prentiss, Sherman, Todd, Mckean, and last but not least, by McArthur. It is composed of three brigades, five batteries and three companies of cavalry as escort to the general. (The 1st Kansas Infantry bas been attached to the 1st brigade; the other regiments are named in General Mckean's report of Battle of Corinth, and the batteries.) The division has had many hard knocks, but is still a good fighting division, and if its regiments were filled with recruits would be one of the finest in the Field.
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the post, had surrendered the place to them .* General Hicken- looper, says : "Sad, indeed, was your Christmas week above the Tallahatchie, where you were forced to live upon the country, and demonstrated the feasibility of making one day's rations last seven- the key note of Grant's campaign in the rear of Vicksburg, and Sherman's March to the Sea.
The march was resumed on the 30th of December, the 6th division having been assigned to guarding that part of the Mem- phis and Charleston railroad which lay between Moscow and Colliersville, a line of fourteen miles.
The 3d brigade was stationed at LaFayette, Tenn., on said rail- road, from December 31st to January 12th, 1863, and was several times called into line of battle by rebel cavalry approaching the place from the north and also from the south. January 2d, the 15th and 16th Iowa were marched, under command of Colonel Reid, of the 15th, to a point near Isbell's farm, three miles north of LaFayette, at which rebel scouts had captured some of the men of the brigade the day before, while they were engaged in forag- ing. The rebel force, however, being informed, as was supposed, by Isbell himself, withdrew beyond the reach of our infantry ex- pedition, and the two regiments returned to their post.
January 6th, Captain J. M. Hedrick and Lieutenant Hezekiah Fisk, who were captured in the battle of Shiloh, April 6th, 1862, rejoined the regiment.
January 12th, General John A. Logan's division, having arrived to relieve our division, the latter resumed march to Memphis, where it arrived next day,-the troops of the division experienced while in camp near Memphis, a spell of the severest winter known for many years past even in Iowa; the men being absolutely com- pelled to fully dress up from head to foot before going to sleep at night.
*While in camp here, especially on Christmas, an old frontiersman. of H Company, who occasionally had a devotional turn, used to preface his meals of unsalted mush and burnt wheat coffee by repeating "What rations we have, though very small, are a-sight better than none at all."
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Memphis, Tenn., January 13, 1863.
Major-General J. B. McPherson, La Grange, Tenn .:
It is my present intention to command the expedition down the river in person . I will take two divisions with me, Logan's and Mc Arthur's, I think. It will not be necessary for Logan to move, . however, until further orders. I do not know where McClernand is, but have sent orders for him to proceed to Milliken's Bend, and remain there or co-operate with Banks, should he be coming up the river. Was Holly Springs destroyed? Report here says so.
U. S. GRANT, Major-General. Memphis, Tenn., January 15, 1863 .- 2:30 A. M.
Major-General H. W. Halleck, General-in-Chief :
I will send McArthur's division ( all I have transports for) im- mediately to join the expedition on Vicksburg; send Logan's in a few days, and hold Quinby ready to embark when called for. Abandon the railroad north from Jackson at once, and move the machine shop and public stores from that place here, and hold all the troops from Grand Junction around the railroad to Corinth in readiness to be placed on the line from here east. I will go down and take McPherson, leaving Hamilton to command and carry out instructions for those changes in the old District of West Tennes- see.
U. S. GRANT, Major-General.
SPECIAL ORDERS, NO. 15.
Headquarters Department of the Tennessee, Memphis, Tenn., January 15, 1863. 5
I. Lieutenant-Colonel C. A. Reynolds, chief quartermaster of the department, is hereby ordered to stop all steamboats at Mem- phis that may be required to transport troops and stores for the expedition down the Mississippi river, and re-charter the same.
II. Brigadier-General C. S. Hamilton is hereby assigned to the command of the Districts of Columbus, Jackson, Corinth, and Memphis, headquarters at Memphis for the present, but subject to
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be removed to any other part of the command required by the exi- gencies of the service. *
VI. The divisions of Brigadier-General McArthur, Brigadier- General Logan, and Brigadier-General Quinby, are detached from . the command of Brigadier-General Hamilton, and all dispositions made for the maintenance of his positions will be made without ref- erence to them.
IX. The chiefs of artillery and of ordnance will immediately procure and ship ordnance stores for 50,000 infantry, 26 batteries of artillery, and 2,000 cavalry, at the rate of 500 rounds per man for the infantry and cavalry, and refill caissons for the artillery twice. This supply is required in addition to the amount to be kept on hand by the troops at all times, but embracing all other stores for issue.
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