History of the Fifteenth Regiment, Iowa Veteran Volunteer Infantry, from October, 1861, to August, 1865, when disbanded at the end of the war, Part 53

Author: Belknap, William W. (William Worth), 1829-1890, ed; Tyler, Loren S
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Keokuk, Iowa : R.B. Ogden & Son
Number of Pages: 776


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 53


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).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53


Roster of "D" Company, 136-141


Roster of " E " Company, 142-147


Roster of " F " Company, 147-152


Roster of "G" Company, 153-158


Roster of "H" Company, 158-163


Roster of " I " Company, 163-168


Roster of "K" Company,


168-173


PART IV .-


Letter from Lieut. Col. Geo. Pomutz to Adjt. Gen. N. B. Baker, 175


We Depart for St. Louis, 176


General Order No. 39. "Cook Rations!" 177


We Embark for the Front, 177


Gen. U. S. Grant Assigns the 15th to Gen. Prentiss' Division, . 177


Battle of Shiloh. Colonel H. T. Reid's Report, 177-182


List of the Killed, Wounded and Missing, 182-186


Adjutant George Pomutz's Account of the Battle, 186-189


History of " E " Company,


636


CONTENTS.


A Reminiscence of Shiloh, by Major W. H. Goodrell, 189-190


Telegram from Pittsburg. Keokuk, O. K. 190


" Fifty Rounds " to begin with, by Major W. P. L. Muir, 190-192


A Scene from the Deck of a Steamer, Colonel David Moore, 192-193


James Martin, of Keokuk, 193


An Incident of Shiloh, by "One of the Detail," 193


The Telegraph Reports that went Home, 193-194


Extract from " The Gate City ;" " Three Cheers for the Major," 193-194


General Orders No. 2. The Third Brigade Formed, 195


Special Order No. 9, Assigns Col. M. M. Crocker to Command the 3d Brigade, 195-196


A Letter from the Front; Our First Visitor from Iowa, 196-197


Letter No. 2, Presents the 15th Iowa a New Flag, 197


Letter No. 3, Colonel Reid to Governor Kirkwood, 198


PART V .--


The Advance upon Corinth, 198-199


Inspected by Brigadier-General A. J. Smith, 199-200


General Order No. 118: " We March as soon as Possible," 200


We Re-enforce General Ross at Bolivar, 200


General Grant says: " May have a fight on your own account," 201


Nearer Killed by Pie than by Rebel Bullets, 201


After Connecting Forts, we Garrison One, 201-202


" Stand to Arms" every Morning for Three Weeks, 202


The March to Corinth and to Iuka; 100 Rounds, 202


Grant's Order to Belknap, 203


Forced March back to`Corinth, 203


The Battle of Corinth, October 3d and 4th, 204-225


Lieutenant-Colonel Wm. W. Belknap's Report, 204-207


List of the Killed, Wounded and Missing, 207-209


Adjutant Geo. Pomutz's Account of the Battle, 209-214


McKean's Wagon Train " A Mile Long," Park it,"


Pursuit of Rebel Army to Ripley; Rear Guard, 213-214


Gen. John McArthur Relieves Gen. Mckean as Commander of 6th Division, 214


Reportof Col. M. M. Crocker, Commanding 3d Brigade, 214-218


Report of Gen. T. J. Mckean, Commanding 6th Division, 218-225 Gen. W. S. Rosencran's General Order No. 151, 225-227


Major-General U. S. Grant Congratulates the Army, 227-228 A Recollection of Corinth, 229


PART VI .-


Camp, in front of Battery Phillips and Build Works, 230


Winter Begins and It is Colder than Iowa. 230


The 6th Division Review, 231-232


March to Grand Junction and Below, 233


The Rebs Leave their Tobacco, 234


Rains in Torrents and We Think of the Flood, 234


637


CONTENTS.


Phil Sheridan Makes the Rebs Git and We Git after Them, . 224 Eight Months Service the Total Loss is 463 Men, . 234


We are Engineers and Pioneers, and Build Bridges and Railroads, 234-5 . General Grant Reviews the 6th Division on the March, 235


We Make a Forced March to Rescue Holly Springs, . 235


The Old " 6th " has had Many Hard Knocks, 235-6


A Miracle : "One Day's Rations Last Seven,"


236


Guarding Railroad, 236


Rebel Cavalry Approach, the 15th Form "Line of Fight,"


236


Logan's Division Relieves Ours, March to Memphis, 236


Go to Bed with Our Hats and Boots on, . 236


Gen. U. S. Grant's Letters to Gen. McPherson and Gen. Halleck, 237


Gen. U. S. Grant's Special Order No. 15, 237-8


Arrive at Millikens Bend, Dockport, La., . 239


H Company's Ball, Throcky's Strategy, the Bastile, 240-1


The 15th, " Mole Cavalry," " On to Richmond," 241


Gen. J. B. McPherson to Command the 17th Corps, 6th Division Assigned to the Same, 241-2


Call on Miss Maria Denning and Escort her to Providence, 242


Camp on General Sparrow's Cotton Plantation, 242


Heavy Details, Dig the Canal, Rains for Weeks, 242


Prepare for Inspection, 243


Lieutenant Colonel Wm. W. Belknap, Provost Marshal of 17th Corps, 243


The Dam Cut, the Roar Reminds us of Niagara, . 943


The Flood is Coming, no Ark, this side of Ark-ansas, so We Git up and Git, 243


The Gallinippers have Pre-Empted that Camp, and we Flee Below Providence, 244


"Ish Brovo Marshal Pelknap in?" " He is." W. A. Gebhardt, 244-5


We Run a Steamboat on Dry Land and Thro' the Mud, 245-6 Thrilling Experience of the Generals, who are nearly Shipwrecked. J. Thatcher, 246-8


Report of Lieutenant Colonel Wm. E. Strong, Inspector General 17th Army Corps 248-53 PART VII .--


The Army Under Gen. U. S. Grant, moves on Vicksburg, 254


Colonel Hugh T. Reid Promoted Brigadier General U. S. Volunteers, 255


Floundering thro' the Mud, the Road is a Mile Widc, 255 Guarding 43 Miles of our Lines, Millikens Bend to Perkins, . 235


Hard Times Landing, " Keep Quiet on this Boat," 255


Arrive at Grand Gulf, Haines Bluff, Warrenton, 256


Bivouac in Rear of Vicksburg. Heavy Skirinishing, 256


General F. P. Blair's Expedition Towards Yazoo City, 256


Hot Day in a Mississippi Cornfield, - 257


Lieutenant Colonel Belknap Promoted Colonel, and other Promotions, 257


In the Trenches, " Lively Work with Spades," 257


The Rebels Concentrate their Fire. Fort Ransom, 258


638


CONTENTS.


Governor S. J. JKirkwood and ' Party Arrive, . 258-9


On Skirmish line and in the Trenches, 258-9


Terrific Cannonading, in Line of Battle for the Assault, 259 Be Ready to Move at a Moment's Notice: Johnston in the Rear, 250


Report of Colonel Wm. W. Belknap, of Scout to Messengers Ferry, 260-1


Picket's Established, Artillery Placed, 261


The Enemy Advance, Skirmish July 1st, 261


We are Electrified July 3d. Offer to surrender,


Interview between General U. S. Grant and General Pemberton,


262


General James B. McPherson's Congratulatory orders No. 20, 266-7


3d Brigade Guard Ammunition Train. 3,000 Reb. Cav. Don't Want It, 267 Sherman Says the Train was Well Guarded by Chamber's Brigade, 268


The " Re-Conquest of the Mississippi Made Perfect," . 268 March to Vicksburg, and Camp North of the City, 269 General U. S. Grant's Report, Extracts from, . 269 71


" Every Shout wasja Tribute to Him, who had Opened the Great River," 271


" Vicksburg was the Key of the War." 271


The Largest Capture of Men and Material Ever Made in War, 271


To the Soldiers of Iowa, in the Army of the Tennessee, . 271-2


Report of Colonel Wm. W. Belknap, during the Siege, 273 4


Report of Colonel Wm. Hall, Commanding 3d Brigade, . 275-8


PART VIII .-


Five per cent of men receive Furloughs, and Escape, 279


The " Ill Advised Monroe Expedition," .


279-80


Pronounced the most Severe March the Regiment Participated in, 281


Only a " Test of the Maximum Physical Endurance of Veterans,"


.


280


A Camp Scene, Wanted to Make a Second Class Funeral, 281


The Old 6th Division, Promoted to 4th Division, 17th Corps, 281


March to Big Black Bridge, and Garrison that Post, 282


11 P. M. Christmas Eve we March to Re-enforce Red Bone, . 282


Allowed a Period of Rest for the First Time, 282


The Deadly Camp Kettle, in the Culinary Department, 283 Surgeon W. H. Gibbon Reports on the Inspection of Camp, 283 Colonel Belknap's Circular and General Orders, 283-5


'A Co." Wash up and Take the Bakery, 285


" B Co." Follows Suit and take Next One, 285


Invited to Re-enlist as Veterans, We Accept, 285


I Co., the First Veteran Company in the 4th Division, 286


Colonel Belknap Reports the First Veterans, 286


The Veteran Roll, 354 Men, . 287-300


PART IX .---


With General Sherman on the Meridian Raid, 300


The 15th Guard the Pioneer Corps, , 300-1


On Provost Guard at Qanton, Miss., . 301


262


The Correspondence Between Them, 263-6


639


CONTENTS.


Attract General Sherman's Praise in Destroying Railroads, . 301


Start on Veteran Furlough, on board the Continental, 301


Colonel Belknap Telegraphs to Keokuk, . 301


St. Louis treats the Veterans Handsomely, 301


Keokuk City Rifles and Citizens Prepare to Receive the 15th, 302


The Gate City, extract. Arrival of the Fifteenth. 302


March Through the Streets and Dress Parade, 302-3


Program for the Reception of 15th Iowa Veteran Infantry. 303-4


The Gate City's Account of the Reception, 304-5


Address of Hon. R. P. Lowe. 305-6


Colonel Wm. W. Belknap Responds in a Happy Manner, 308-9


The Colonel Commands, "Fall In!"


309


The Gate City Article, Letter From Captain S. S. Matson, 310


Invited to Come in Out of the Draft, 310-11


The Last Dress Parade, Leave for the Front, 311


The Iowa Battallion, 17th Corps, 312


General J. B. McPherson Promoted to Command the Army of the Tennessee, 313


General U. S. Grant Promoted Lieutenant-General and Commander- in-Chiet of the Armies of the United States, . 313


Camp at Birds Point, Mo , and Paducah, Ky, . 313


On the March, Pulaski to Huntsville, Ala., 313


General M. M. Crocker Commands the 4th Division, 313


PART X .--


Maj. Gen. F. P. Blair Starts the 17th Corps to the Front, 314


A Desperate Fight Along Noonday Creek, 315


A General Advance in a Torient of Rain, 315-316


The Colonel has a Caller; He Knocks on the Inside, 316


Gen. Sherman says, He had to Reach the Chattahoochie, 317


On Picket at Kenesaw Mountain, 318-320


Lieut .- Col. Hedrick Returns from Nominating a President, 320


Lively Demonstrations; They Shell us until Midnight, 320


Advance on Nickajack ; Kenesa w Abandoned, 321


July 4th, the Enemy Steadily Forced from One Position to Another, 321


Across Nickajack, Build Bridges and Fortify, 322


A Tremendous Fort, but we finally take it, 323


From the Right to the Extreme Left Flank of the Army, 324


Advance of July 20th; Gen. Gresham Wounded,


325


The Charge of July 21st; Col. W. W. Belknap's Report,


Report of Cool. Shane, Commanding 3d Brigade, 325


328-330


The Giant of Battles July 22d; Atlanta,


330


Report of Col. Wm. W. Belknap,


330-333


The Casualties, 333-336


A Remarkable Capture by Private R. Meek, B Company, 340


Report of Col. Wm. Hall, Commanding 3d Brigade, 340-343


Report of Gen. Giles A. Smith, Commanding 4th Division, . 344-348


640


CONTENTS.


The 15th Iowa Capture over one-third of all Prisoners Taken by the Division, 348


Gen. Will. W. Belknap's Address at 1st Brigade Reunion; Ex- tracts from, 348-349


Gen. Hardee's Orders to Gen. Clebone to Move, 349


Statement from I. A. Buck, A. A. Gen. to Gen. Cleborne, 349-351


Letter from Gen. I. A. Buck to Gen. W. W. Belknap,- 351-352


Gen. D. C. Govan's Report of the Battle on July 22d, 352-357 Gen. M. P. Lowrey's Report of same Battle, . 357-359


Gen. A. Hickenlooper's Description of the Great Battle, 360-361


Captain Buck's Letter to General Belknap, 361


Gen. Vincent's Article on Gen. McPherson, 363-366


Gen. W. T. Sherman's Official Report; Extracts from, 366-370


Gen. F. P. Blair's General Order No. 8, 370-371


Colonel Belknap Captures an Alabama Colonel,


371-372


An Incident at Atlanta During the Battle on July 22d,


He Stole a Grave, but Didn't Carry it. Off,


374


Ordered to Re-enforce the 2d Division, 15th Corps,


376


Battle of Ezra Church; Col. Belknap's Report,


376-377


Thanked by Gen. M. L. Smith, Commanding 2d Div., 15th Corps, 378


A Recollection of that Sanguinary Battle, by Col. J. M. Reid, 378 381


A Remarkable Lot; a Car-load of Soldiers, none Hungry, . 381-382 Col. W. W. Belknap Promoted Brigadier-General of U. S. Vols., 382 His Farewell Order to the 15th, 382


Major Geo. Pomutz's Letter to Gen. F. P. Blair,


383


Major Pomutz Relieved from Staff Duty, Assumes Command of the 15th, 383


Brig .- Gen. Win. W. Belknap in Command of the 3d Brigade,


384


The Officers of the 15th Present Gen. Belknap a Magnificent Sword, etc., 385-386


The Rebel Officer of the Day Orders " Lights Out." 386


The Siege During August a Constant Draw Battle, 388


Only 263 Fighting Men in the Regiment, 389


" Going For " the Macon R. R. Meet, Fight and Whip Reb. Cav.,


392-393


Jonesboro; a Very Long Line of Battle, 394


Heavy Cannonading ; Hood Blows up 80 Car-loads of Ammunition, 395


Gen. Sherman Congratulates the Army on the Success of the Campaign, 396


Army of the Tennessee Assigned to Camps Around East Point, 396


Days of Battles, Advances and Repulsing the Enemy's Attacks, 397


Casualties of the Campaign in Skirmishers, on Picket, in Camp, 397-399


Major-General Howard Congratulates the Army of the Tennessee, PART XI .-.


400


Gen! W. W. Belknap, Commanding 4th Div., 17th Corps. 401-402


Appeal for Re-enforcements for Iowa Regiments in the Field, 402


Governor W. M. Stone's Reply, 402-404


372-373 373-374


His Talking Machine did not always go,


CONTENTS.


641


The Exchanged Prisoners Receive New Suits, .


404


Reconnoissance to Fairburn ; Drive Rebs for Three Hours, 404-405


The 4th Div. Com. Sub .; Price List of Munitions of War; Note, 405 Kilpatrick's Cavalry Get Tired and the 15th Take the Advance, 406


Escort 247 Wagons, being the Corps Supply Train, 406


"The Last Shall be First; A. M. 15th in Rear, P. M. in Advance, A Twenty-seven mile March; Excursion on the Cars,


407


Forty-three Miles to Re enforce Resacca,


407


Major George Pomutz in Command of 3d Brigade,


408


Captain J. Monroe Reid, Commanding the 15th,


408


G. O. No. 21, Announces the Death of Gen. Ransom, Late Com- mander 17th Corps, 409-410


A Third Wing to Join the 15th, Being 500 Drafted Men,


410


We Vote to Re-elect Abraham Lincoln, President, 410-411


We Leave " Two Streaks of Rust and the Right of Way," of Our Cracker Line, .


Nov. 15th, Start on the March from Atlanta to the Sea, 412-423


Skirmishing in Water Waist Deep in December, . 415


The 14th Corps Arrive at Last, and we give them our Works, 416


Ordered to King's Bridge; No Bread for Eight Days, No Butter for Eight Months, 416


" No Talking;" Run the Blockade at 2 O'clock in the Morning, The 15th Establish Themselves Within 300 Yards of an Eleven Gun Fort,


417


Showers of Grape, Canister, Shot, Shell and Minies,


417


December 21st, We March into Savannah,


418


The 15th Fought the Enemy with Gallant and Acknowledged Efficiency, 418-419


All Praise is Due the Officers, 419


Order of Thanks of the Command to Surgeon Wm. H. Gibbon, The 15th Iowa the Largest Regiment in the Army of the Tenn., 421


416 420


G. O. No. 3, the Thanks of Congress, 422-423


An Incident During the Advance,


433


A Recollection of Savannah,


424


Recollections of a Cold and Hungry Night March,


425


Roll of the One Year Men. .


PART XII .- 425-447


Forward. Thunderbolt, to Beaufort. Were you Sea-sick, 444


Garden's Corner. Co. "A" the First to Enter the Fort, 444-5


March 105 Miles and Camp and Wait for Left Wing, . 446


The 15th Re enforce General Mower's Extreme Left, 446


Sixty Rounds, for Ballast, and You Enter the Salkahatchie, . 446-7


Generals Smith, Belknap and Potts Lead their Columns and Get Soaked, . 447


Only 34 Streams of all Widths and Depths in this Swamp,


447


The Salkahatchie was Deemed Absolutely Impassable, . 447


The 15th Attacked, Without Orders Charge Front and Whip the Rebs 447-8


416-417


406-407


642


CONTENTS.


Rainy, Cold Night Follows While You 'Uns Dry Your Clothes, 448 Such Foraging, No Famine Yet. It was a Feast, . 448


General Grant said, "Sherman has as Good Soldiers as Ever Trod the Earth," 449


General Grant's Description of How You Destroyed Railroads, . 449


On Sunday the 4th Division Force the Bridge, 450


Orangeburg; Coldest Night of the Campaign. We Suffered, . 450


Quick March for Hours and Columbia is in Full View, 450


1st Minnesota Battery, Knocks the Wheel Off and Kills the Mill, 451


Lieutenants McArthur and Goodrell and Part of the 13th, the First in Columbia, 452


General Sherman writes, " It Settles the Question." 453


General Giles A. Smith Congratulates General Win. W. Belknap, 453-4


The 15th, and Brigade Camp in Columbia at Midnight, 459


15th and 13th Wade Big Lynch Creek, Breast High, Over a Mile Wide, 460


Never Elicited a Complaint, the Officers are Alive,


460-1


General Hickenlooper says, " You Built Four Bridges and Nearly Two Miles of Causeway," 461


The 17th Corps is Ahead of Everthing; We Camp, Wait and Fortify, 461


4th Division Supports the 1st and take Cheraw, 462


The 4th Division Bummers Capture Bennettsville, 462


Reviewed by Generals Smith, Sherman and Grant, 483


Official Intelligence Received of Johnston's Surrender, 484


Campaign Suddenly Ends, Vicksburg '63 to Raleigh '65 484


The 15th Iowa Lead the 17th Corps on Its Homeward March, 485


All Foraging Strictly Prohibited, 485


Petersburg, Va , over 23 Miles a Day in the Intense Heat, . 485


Richmond, Va. We Rest there for Two Days, 485


Hot and Dusty March of 169 Miles to Washington,


486


General Grant says, " Sherman's Army was Never Equaled," 486


Grand Review, General Grant's Description, 487-8


Linkensale's Letter, from Secretary Harlan, down, all Proud of Iowa and Her Troops, 489


General W. W. Belknap Commanding the 4th Division, 492


General W. T. Sherman's Special Field Order No. 76, 492-4


4th Division Embark for Louisville, via Parkersburg, W. Va., 494


Lieutenant General U. S. Grant's General Order No. 108, 495


Brevet Brigadier General J. M. Hedrick, to be retained in the service, 496


Midnight Orders, the Iowa Brigade Escort General Sherman, 496


General Sherman Visits " His Boys" on July 4th, 497


Orders to Complete Records, Books, Returns and Reports, 498-9


General F. P. Blair's Farewell to the Troops of the 17th Corps, 499-502


Governor W. M. Stone's Address to the Soldiers of Iowa, . 502-3


General John A Logan's Farewell to the Army of the Tennessee, 503 7


Farewell Order of Lieutenant Colonel George Pomutz, 507-9


Mustered Out. Fun in Camp. Reveille at 3 A. M., . 509


643


CONTENTS.


General John A. Logan Speaks to the 15th,


510


Chicago, Davenport, Camp Kinsman, . 510-11


Paid off. Discharged, Disbanded, . 511


List of Stations, at which the Regiment has been, 511-13


Consolidation of Distances Marched and Traveled,


514


Wading Swamps and Streams Daily for Over a Week,


462


Whole Brigades Carry Rails and Corduroy the Whole Road, 463


The 15th is Highly Complimented,


46:


Gen. Grant says: " The Roads Were Impassable for Anything Except Sherman's Army," . 463


We Capture Fayetteville, and Give it to the 14th Corps, as They Want it," 465


Cannonading on the Left; the 17th Corps Ordered to March 15th on Rear Guard, Camp Near Midnight and March at 2 A. M. " Something Was Up," We Wade Six Creeks Before Breakfast, The Army of the Tennessee Ordered up at once, as Usual,


466


467


3d Brigade Drive Butler's Division of Rebel Cavalry, 468


The Artillery and Musketry Firing Remind us of Atlanta,


469


Battle of Bentonville; "Foremost in Advance." 470


Lieutenants Goodrell and McArthur the First Yankee in Rebel Works, 471


The 15th Iowa are the advance of the Corps Entering Goldsboro, Company Front " Guide Right;" The Review,


471


" Hams on Bayonets, Chickens, Anti-Regulation Hats, etc.,


471-472


The Ever Memorable Winter Campaign of 1865,


472


Gen. W. W. Belknap's Report of the Movements of the Brigade,


475


The Commander of the 3d Brigade Thanks the Officers and Men 476-477


S. O. No. 145, Musters in Colonel John M. Hedrick, 477


The Real Object of the March Through the Carolinas, 478


" Recover Arms; " The Provost Marshals of the Army of the Tennessee, 479


PART XIII .--


The Closing Campaign, Where the Chuck-a-Luck Money Went, .481-482


Gen. Grant's Famous Dispatch : Let Us Finish the Job Now," 482


Marching in a Heavy Rain; Johnston Parleying for Surrender, 483


Dispatches Announce President Lincoln Assassinated, 483


The Troops are Intensely Exasperated, . 483


483


A Handsome Camp; Illustrated in Frank Leslie's Paper, PART XIV . --


List of Engagements the 15th Participated in, 515-523


Our Regimental Commanders, 5:3


Our Brigade Commanders, 524-526


Our Division Commanders, 526-527


Commanders of the 17th Corps, . 527-528


The Army of the Tennessee,


528-529


List of Casualties During the War, 530-577


Table Showing the Number of Men who Served in the Regiment, 579


467


467


471


644


CONTENTS.


PART XV .-


Song of Crocker's Iowa Brigade, 580-586


Roll of the Survivors, and Present Address, 586-600 "Our Roster Thins, as Years Pass On," 601-608


Transferred to the Great Army Above, Since Muster-out, 601-608


Ro ter of all Officers of the 15th During the War, 609-622


" There is no Sweeter Music to Our Ears," 622


Reunion at Iowa City. Captain Hedley's Speech, 622-625


To the Regiment. Attention -- Circular, 625-631


-


1




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.