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 8
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We moved to East Point on the 9th of September, and by the armistice of the 10th between Sherman and Hood, had an exchange of prisoners captured. Most of the sixteen captured men of Com- pany I returned half starved, sick, ragged and dirty, on the 22d, Henry Kirby dying October 1, and the same day we left on an ex- pedition to find out the whereabouts of Hood; returned to camp on the 3d, and on the 4th again were on the march along the Northern Railroad, and crossed the Chattahootchie at Vining's Station on pontoons, and on the 7th were on another expedition, and returned to Merrietta at the foot of Kenesaw Mountain, where we had camped in June. On the march and by railroad we passed Kingston and arrived at Resacca, and on the 15th fought the retreating enemy at Snake Creek Gap. On the 18th passed through Lafayette, and through Summerville, and Alpine, and arrived at Galesville, Ala., and went into camp on the 20th. On this march I was detailed as field officer; and Major Pomutz, after this being in command of the Brigade. I now commanded the Regiment, and on Grand Review by General Mower, and on the march back to Merrietta from the pursuit of Hood, where we again camped November 5, having marched 311 miles, Sergeant Williams commanding Com- pany 1; Lieutenant Schevers having resigned in October, Lieuten- ant Kirkpatrick captured at Canton, Miss., February 29, 1864, being still absent as prisoner of war,
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On the 15th of November, 1864, we commenced the memorable March to the Sea, I acting as Field Officer until we reached Savan- nah, Ga. At Atlanta we received an additional number of drafted men and substitutes. The March to the Sea was a picnic. On this march Sergeant Isaac " Marsh" Christy, whose fighting weight is now 360 pounds, marched barefoot until we could get him a pair of No. 13 brogans; twice wounded, once at Corinth and again before Atlanta, he distinguished himself for gallantry in every action.
We had sharp fighting before Savannah, and on the route to the Sea, as we lived on the country, the " bummers" of Company I had no end to their funny adventures, coming in every night loaded down to the guards with hams, chickens, corn meal, and everything eatable, mounted on horses and mules, some of them wearing cit- izens' plug hats.
Leaving Savannah on the 6th of January, 1865, for Beaufort, Port Royal Island, once the residence of John C. Calhoun, whose house was still standing, on the 10th we commenced the march through the Carolinas.
We had a good time getting fresh oysters in the marshy ground overflowed by the ocean tide water on Port Royal Island, and re- suming our march fought and defeated the enemy at Garden Cor- ners, Pocotaligo, and in February waded Salkehatchie Swamp, a mile and a quarter wide, and in some places the water rising up to our arm pits, and dislodged the enemy, holding Broxton's and Rivers' bridges, this battle being called Rivers Bridge.
We marched on and took Orangeburg, once the headquarters of Lord Rawdon in the Revolutionary War, crossed the Great Pedee River at Cheraw, the head of navigation, on a pontoon bridge near which place General Marion hid his two cannons in the swamp, entered North Carolina, fought the enemy, who fled, and fought the last battle of the war on Sherman's line of march at Benton- ville, N. C., on February 21, 1865, defeating the enemy, and
History of the Fifteenth Regiment
marched thence to Goldsboro, where, on the 9th of April, 1865, the day of the surrender of Lee's Army at Appomattox.
I went on sick leave of absence North, being in Baltimore, Md., the night of the 14th of April, when President Lincoln was assi- nated, and on the 16th saw the remains lying in state at Washing- ton, D. C., and was present at his funeral.
I called on President Andrew Johnson, to whom I was intro- duced by Colonel Kilbourne Knox, commanding his body guard at the Kirkwood House.
It is here proper to state Lieutenant William W. Williams, now Captain in the State Guards, and Sheriff of Clark county, who always deported himself as a gallant and efficient officer, commanded Company I part of the time through the Carolinas, while I was on the sick list, and continued in command, and was present at Raleigh, N. C., April 13, at the surrender of General Johnson's Army, and on the subsequent March to Washington at our Grand Review. I returned to Washington before the Grand Review and took com- mand of the company after it was over, and continued with it until our muster out at Louisville, Ky., July 24, 1865, and then left Lieu- tenant Williams in command, and was sent by special order in ad- vance of the Regiment via Chicago to Davenport, Iowa, where we were finally paid off and disbanded, I being the last officer of the Regiment paid, August 3, 1865.
In conclusion, no company ever did better service in the field. The veterans of Company I from the first stood by their colors in action without faltering, and always met the enemy without flinch- ing, and fought and bled and died like brave men.
I am proud of them and their record, and while I commanded them looked after their health and comfort, and impressed it upon them to look out for themselves, and they always did it, and if there was anything good to eat they always got it; in short, they never went hungry. When hams were only to be had by officers at Black River, on the return from Meridian, "Old Throggy" went
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to the Commissary for ham. There was only one left, and he said Sergeant Verrips, of Company I, drew that. Luther B. Thomas, Verrips and Billy Williams, afterwards Lieutenant, stayed over until next day and brought in half a car load of hams for the com- pany to Vicksburg, which they drew from the United States Com- missary .
JAMES M. REID, CAPTAIN COMPANY I,
BREVET LIEUTENANT COLONEL VOLUNTEERS.
K COMPANY.
This was the last company of the Regiment to organize, and was formed by a nucleus of thirty or forty men, who were recruited in Marion and adjoining counties, and brought to Keokuk by Edwin Davis. The surplus men of the other companies were then trans- ferred and formed Company " K," with JOHN MARROW HEDRICK, at this time Regimental Quartermaster, as the first Captain. The companies mostly represented in this transfer were "D," "E," and " G," with a few from other companies.
It is not necessary for me to say anything about Captain John M. Hedrick, as every man in the Regiment knows of his gallant conduct on every battle-field upon which he served, as he became the Col- onel of the Regiment through the grades of Major and Lieutenant- Colonel. He was wounded at Shiloh, and captured while in com- mand of the company, and was kept for some months as a prisoner; and very shortly after joining the Regiment in the spring of 1863, was promoted to the Majority to succeed Major Cunningham, who had resigned. From this time his history became Regimental, and is so much better given in the history of the Field and Staff of this work that my poor efforts should, and will cease.
The second Captain of the company was THOS. H. HEDRICK, a brother of Colonel Hedrick. He enlisted as a private soldier in Company " D," in October, 1861, at Ottumwa, but was soon after- 7
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wards appointed a Sergeant of that company, and was transferred to Company K when the company was formed. He was promoted Second Lieutenant June 1, 1862, upon the resignation of Lieuten- ant Davis, First Lieutenant upon the death of Lieutenant Eldredge October 3, 1862, and Captain upon the promotion of his brother to the Majority in the spring of 1863. He held this position until February 8, 1865, when he was discharged on account of wounds received in the action of July 22, '64. He was one of the best offi- cers which the citizen soldiery of this country ever produced, and was brevetted as Major for gallant and distinguished services. He was brave and gallant, and one of the best disciplinarians and exec- utive officers in the Regiment. He was almost constantly in com- mand of the company from the date he took command until July 22, '64, when he was fearfully wounded in the right arm, and from that time until his discharge was never again with us.
He became a merchant in Kansas City, Mo., after the war; then moved to Iowa and engaged in the dry goods business until 1876, when he accepted a position as Special Agent of the War Depart- ment to adjust claims of the Quartermaster-General's office, which position he held until 1880, when he resigned and went to Bedford, Iowa, and commenced the practice of law, and was beginning to make his mark when stricken with disease, superinduced by his old wound, and died.
He was a gallant soldier, an honest Government official, a genial companion, a good husband and father, and died lamented by all.
W.M. B. McDOWELL was the third and last Captain of the com- pany. He enlisted as a private in Company " D" in October, 1861, and was transferred to Company "K" as a private. He went through the grades of Corporal and Sergeant, and was promoted to the First Lieutenancy of the company on July 22, 1864, for gal- lantry in that action, succeeding Frederick Christofel, who was discharged a short time previous to that date. He was promoted to the Captaincy of the company upon the discharge of Captain Hed-
JOHN F. ST. JOHN CO. K ISIM IOWA VOLS.
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rick February 8, 1865, and continued in command of the company until its muster out, July 24, 1865. He lived only a few months after the close of the war, dying in the winter of 1865 in Iowa. He was a brave man and a good officer, and was universally liked by his comrades.
RUFUS H. ELDREDGE was the first Lieutenant on the organiza- tion of the company, being promoted to that position from that of Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant February 1, 1862, and he served faithfully with the company (which he commanded from April 6, 1862,) until he was killed at Corinth, Miss., October 3, 1862, while gallantly leading the company in that action. He was a splendid officer and a perfect gentleman, and his loss was a heavy one to the company and Regiment.
FREDERICK CHRISTOFEL was the next first Lieutenant, succeed- ing Thos. H. Hedrick January 17, 1863. He served with the company until sickness compelled him to leave for the hospital, from which he was discharged for disability July 16, 1864. He was a good officer, and won his way to the position through the grades of First Sergeant and Second Lieutenant.
JAMES G. SHIPLEY was the next First Lieutenant, succeeding Captain McDowell in December, 1864. He joined the company as a recruit August 31, '62; was promoted Regimental Commissary Sergeant, and from that position was promoted to the First Lieu- tenancy. He was a good soldier, but did not serve long with the company, being promoted to the Quartermaster Sergeancy shortly after joining the company. He made a good officer, however, and was liked by the men of the company .
EDWIN DAVIS was the Second Lieutenant at the organization of the company, he bringing with him the men who formed the com- pany before alluded to in this history. He was too old to endure the hardships of active campaigning, and was compelled to resign May 30, 1862, on account of ill health. He was a brave officer and a gentleman in every respect.
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DAVID MYERS was the next Second Lieutenant of the company, and was promoted to that position from that of First Sergeant. He was commissioned January 17, 1863, and resigned the position March 30, 1864. He was wounded at the battle of Corinth, Miss., October 3, 1862, and was a gallant soldier and a good officer.
CYRUS J. MOMYER was the next and last Second Lieutenant, reaching that rank through the grades of Corporal and Sergeant. He was wounded several times, and was captured by the enemy at the battle of Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864, was confined at Ander- sonville, Ga., for four months, and exchanged just before starting on Sherman's march through Georgia. He was a good soldier, and was liked by all the men of the company.
The roll of honor of Company "K" is a good-sized one, em- bracing John D. Holmes, John W. Winkler, Joseph Chrismore, Jacob Ketchum and Humphrey B. Wyatt, killed at Shiloh, Tenn., April 6, 1862, Rufus H. Eldredge, Wm. C. Dixon and Thomas H. Davenport, killed at Corinth, Miss., October 3, 1862; Wm. S. Clearwaters, who was struck by a 32-pound shell on the legs July 4, 1864, at Nickajack Creek, Georgia, severing both legs and dying within two hours; Stephen H. Gillespie, Joshua P. Davis, and Ben- jamin F. Momyer, killed at Atlanta, Georgia, in that terrible action, besides about twenty others who died from wounds received in action, or who died lingering deaths in hospitals of disease contracted while in the faithful performance of their duties. They died in the defense of their country, and should be honored by the whole world.
The history of Company " K" is identical with that of the Reg- iment from the date of its muster into the United States service until its muster out, July 24, 1865, at Louisville, Ky. We shared in all the battles, marches, sieges and hardships with the other com- panies of the Regiment, and always did our part. The company was always ready for duty, whether it was lifting wagons from the mud, digging and erecting breast-works, fighting, skirmishing or marching.
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The men of the company were above the average for intelli- gence, and whenever Company " K" was on picket or the skirmish line, the rest of the Regiment knew that the enemy would have a difficult task either to surprise us or drive them back upon the main line. There were few of the cowardly kind in our ranks, but when the order was given to move upon the enemy, it was executed at once and with a will. A better company was never recruited in Iowa than this same gallant old Company "K."
JOHN S. BOSWORTH,
LATE DRUMMER COMPANY "K," Company Historian .
OUR SURGEONS.
The 15th Regiment of Iowa Infantry began its formation in Keokuk in the early autumn of 1861. The state was shaken by a great convulsion of patriotism, and throughout its borders presented the appearance of a vast military uprising .
Military organizations for Iowa arm of the service were being formed in almost every town in the state. Imbued with the pre- vailing military spirit, and deeply impressed with a desire to serve my country in the best way I could, I determined to offer myself to the Governor for a position on the medical staff of some one of the Regiments then in process of organization.
I had graduated at the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in the spring of 1857, and during my whole course of study had paid especial attention to surgery, for me it had an attraction beyond all other studies and inspired me with an energy and devotion I never felt for any other pursuit.
In September, 1861, I went to Des Moines and offered my ser- vices to Governor Kirkwood for a position on the medical staff of some Iowa Regiment. He rather curtly informed me that if I got a position of that kind I would have to first convince him I was one of the best qualified young men in the state for such position.
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
There was a great pressure upon the Governor at the time for places on the medical staff, and he seemed to manifest some annoy- ance at the multitude of applications.
I told him I would be glad to go before any board he might appoint to be examined as to my fitness for the place I desired. He replied he had already appointed a medical board and it would be in session in Davenport in a few days. About the 20th of Oc- tober, 1861, I went to Davenport and reported myself to the med- ical board for examination. It was composed of Dr. Hughes, of Keokuk, then Surgeon-General of Iowa; Dr. Barrow, of Daven- port, and Dr. Harvey, of Dubuque. The examination occupied one afternoon and evening, and was, as I thought, pretty rigid; but in the evening I was complimented rather highly by one of the board, Dr. Barrow, who had himself been a surgeon in the regular army, and I felt as if my examination had at least not been a total failure. Having recently come into the state I was almost entirely without political acquaintance or influence, and had little hope of getting the position I so much desired. While in Davenport I met the Hon. J. B. Leake, at that time a member of the legislature, and afterwards Brigadier-General Leake, who so greatly distin- guished himself as one of the best military commanders from Iowa. Immediately after my examination I came home and soon convinced myself that, under the circumstances, I could not reasonably expect an appointment. In about two weeks, however, I got a big en- velope out of the postoffice addressed to "Assistant Surgeon W. II. Gibbon." On opening it I found I had been appointed Assistant Surgeon of the loth Iowa Infantry, and was ordered to report at once for duty to Colonel H. T. Reid at Keokuk. I learned that Dr. Barrow and Mr. Leake had been untiring in their efforts for my appointment, which was a very pleasant surprise to me, as I had not known or seen either of the gentlemen before I met them in Davenport on the day of my examination.
Of course I felt very big with my appointment, and seriously
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debated the question whether or not I had better be hooped to avoid bursting and doing tremendous damage to my surrounding fellow citizens.
About November 10 I reported to Colonel Reid, at Keokuk, and at once took charge of the college hospital, in which there were already some sick recruits of the 15th Regiment and also a few of the sick of the 3d Iowa Cavalry Regiment that had recently left for St. Louis.
Recruits for the Regiment were constantly arriving, and their examination, together with the organization of the hospital, kept me very busy. The medical and hospital supplies on hand were totally inadequate for a Regiment, and I was ordered to St. Louis by Colonel Reid to draw the medical stores necessary for the Reg- iment. An elaborate and extensive requisition was made out, ac- cording to the revised army regulations, and when I presented it to the medical purveyor at St. Louis, he remorselessly drew his pen through so many items that I thought it would be impossible to go into the field with so meagre an outfit. But the purveyor had seen service in the regular army, and his wisdom was manifest at a later day, when our limited transportation showed the necessity for the utmost economy of space and the highest wisdom in the selection of articles for service in the field. The hospital was soon placed on good footing. The sick were well supplied with beds and other accommodations, and a well-organized cooking department furnished them with abundance of healthy food. Early in January the measles broke out in the Regiment and soon the hospital was filled with those taken with this disease, and before its course was finished three hundred and thirty-five men were prostrated, and about twenty died from it.
The middle of February, 1862, arrived, and still the Regiment had no surgeon. Distrusting my ability as an operator, I was ex- tremely solicitous that a surgeon of practical experience should fill the place. As yet, no man whom I thought superior to myself had
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History of the Fifteenth Regiment
offered for the position, and knowing the high importance of an experience in practical surgery to the officers and men, I should have declined to enter the service with a surgeon not well up in this particular, and I so informed the Colonel. The position was offered to Dr. S. B. Davis, of Atchison, Kansas, who was mustered in as surgeon of the Regiment February 22, 1862.
Dr. Davis was much of a scholar, and a gentleman in the best sense of the word. He had an eye like Mars and seemed born to "threaten and command," and yet he had a nature as gentle as a woman's, and I have. more than once seen his eyes dimmed with tears for the sufferings of soldiers whose distress our art was pow- erless to palliate. He was born in Ohio, had graduated at the Louisville Medical College, and for a short time had practiced in his native state. He afterwards moved to Atchison, Kansas, where he soon rose to distinction as a physician, and achieved an enviable reputation as an operator in surgery.
He had done about all of what are called "capital operations," such as amputations-operations for stone, &c. His appointment pleased me very much, and I never regretted it, although he re- mained with the Regiment less than three months, being detailed to division headquarters as Division Surgeon. With the exception of this period of less than three months, I was in medical charge of the Regiment during my whole term of service of over three years.
By the middle of March the Regiment was full, and complete in its organization. The winter had been spent most pleasantly by officers and men. Colonel Reid and Major Belknap resided in Keokuk, and had done their utmost to make our stay pleasant and had succeeded. The citizens of Keokuk seemed to vie with each other in their social attentions to the 15th Iowa, and the winter flew rapidly by, leaving its blessed memories of happy social gath- erings and cemented friendships which the 15th will never let die. Here several of the soldiers and officers formed still stronger at-
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tachments, which resulted in partnerships for life after the " cruel war was over."
On the 19th of March the Regiment embarked for St. Louis. The sick was left behind in hospital and the Regiment, nearly one thousand strong, marched gaily to the boat, with banners flying and a lively band and stirring martial music. It was a moment that forever impressed itself upon the minds of the soldiers. The streets were crowded with men, women and children, who had come down to say a last adieu. Handkerchiefs were waving, and yet some were pressed to eyes that knew a great agony of grief. The men were quickly embarked, and soon the boat rounded into the stream. The men tried to give a wild hurrah, but it seemed to be choked with sadness, and in a few moments we were out of sight of the city and the people we loved so well. The river was high and swift and the next morning we landed at St. Louis and went into quarters at Benton Barracks. About ten days were spent here in completing the arming of the Regiment, the time being also im- proved to replenish medical supplies and to select those soldiers unfit for active duty and place them in general hospital in St. Louis. On April 1, 1862, we left St. Louis on the steamer Minnehaha for Pittsburg Landing, and arrived there on the morning of April 6th. On our way up the Tennessee River we occasionally met boats coming down, and from some of them we heard that a great battle had been fought and that our troops had been victorious, and some of the officers and men were bitter in their denunciation of those who were responsible for the delay by which we had been deprived of our share of glory. They soon learned the battle had not been fought, and there was still ample time for them to fill themselves full of renown, an opportunity some of them failed to improve when the time arrived for its complete gratification.
At early dawn men and officers were stirring. Already could be heard distant musketry firing and an occasional boom of cannon, but it was supposed to be merely heavy skirmishing. In an hour
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the line of firing had greatly extended, and had become very heavy. The excitement grew about the landing. Men were hurrying to and fro; ammunition and supplies were rushed up the bluff; field officers, staff officers, orderlies, men dashing to and from the land- ing with an earnest and serious mien that betokened the imminence of a great occasion . The tide of the slightly wounded had already reached the landing. A great battle was on.
Dr. Davis showed great skill and energy in the organization of the hospital corps for field duty, and in a short time the medical and surgical supplies necessary for a primary depot in the field were packed and ready, and a sufficient hospital squad detailed as assist- ants. I requested permission from Dr. Davis to accompany this detail to the front. He told me to ask the Colonel, and said he would remain on the boat and attend to the men seriously wounded as they came in. The two Regiments, the 15th and 16th Iowa, were now drawn up on the bluff awaiting orders.
About 8 A. M. General Grant arrived from Savannah, a landing twelve miles below Pittsburg. In a few moments he and several of his staff came up the bluff and engaged Colonel Reid in conver- sation, General Grant asking many questions about the Regiment, where it was from, its officers, arms, &c. They had been talking, perhaps, ten minutes, when one of General Grant's staff officers, Colonel Pride, I think it was, came in from the front and said, as I understood him, that General McClernand was hard pressed and wanted re-enforcements. General Grant waved his hand in our direction and said, " take these two Regiments out to him." I stepped up to Colonel Reid and asked if I could go with our Reg- iment. He did not seem to have a clear idea of what my duty was and turning to General Grant, who was still near, said, " My As- sistant Surgeon Gibbon wants to know if he can go along?" Gen- eral Grant glanced at me and replied, " he can go if he wants to." I was very much elated with this kindness of General Grant, but
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