USA > Iowa > History of the Nineteenth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry > Part 4
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
The scenery around Forsyth is wild and picturesque. Swan Creek empties into the river above town, and above the mouth of the creek rises a wall of dark gray stone near two hundred feet, from the side of which spring a few scrubby cedars, stunted and moss- wreathed.
Just under this lotty precipice, the building of two ferry boats were began, larger and better than the old one.
All the forces now at the post were the 19th Iowa and Companies "B" and "M" of the 1st Iowa Cav- alry, forming a small brigade under Lieut. Col. Kent.
. Our forage trains would cross the river and go from fifty to seventy-five miles down the country, attended by only a small escort, often not more than thirty men beside the teamsters. Once when returning from a point about sixty miles down the river, the train was
73
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.
attacked but the escort, consisting of about thirty in- fantry and as many cavalry, kept them at bay till a courier rode into Forsyth desiring reinforcements.
At once more men volunteered than could go. All the teams were taken, and our sutler-Charlie Lewis -contrary to the usual spirt and custom of sutlers, hitched up his team and drove a load out to the scene of action, but when the reinforcements got there, no enemy was visible.
The 1st day of March a large forage train with about one hundred men, cavalry and infantry, return- ed from a trip down near Yellville, Lieut. E. A. Dun- ham of the 1st Iowa Cavalry, Co. "B," was in com- mand, and upon their arrival on the opposite side of the river they found the new ferry-boat was in opera- tion. Two heavily laden six mule teams were put aboard and crossed sately, and the next trip, beside the two teams, 'Dunham against the wishes of the men insisted on both cavalry and infantry going over at the same load.
The river was very high. White river has at all times the swiftest current I ever saw in a stream of that size, and the water was very cold. When the boat was near the middle ot the stream the guy ropes became disordered in some manner, and one of them broke, letting the boat swing round and giving it such a jerk that it broke in the middle, the ends sinking several feet in the water. Men began jumping off, the teams struggled and got entangled in the harness, the force of the current sweeping over the partially submerged boat soon breaking the remaining rope, and they were at the mercy of the stream, with no boat or skiff to aid them. We, their friends, were forced to 10
+
74
- HISTORY OF THE
stand upon the shore and see oneafter another in their death struggle throw up their arms and go down. Long will we hear the bubbling cry of some strong swimmer in his agony, and the swollen river covered with the forms of many brave soldiers. Their bodies were neter recovered.
Life here was quiet and monotonous; mail coming in every week from Springfield, which was forty miles north. Deserters and refugees were coming in every day and taking the oath. A few-six or seven-join- ed our regiment.
About the 20th of March, quite an alarm was rais- ed by reports by scouts that Marmaduke was coming witk a strong force, and all our energies were bent to the task of fortyfying. All the old log buildings were sacrificed to the forts, and in a few hours three forts of imposing appearance at least, were erected in the most commanding positions, and would really have proved effective against anything but artillery. But Marmaduke did not come, and our forts, breastworks and rifle pits remained as monuments of the activity of a single day and night.
-
75
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.
CHAPTER VI.
April 23d, we left Forsyth, some of Company "C," of "cutting Narrative powers" returning, fired the buildings, and we (were again on the move. Taking the road to Springfield, we traveled till noon of the next day, when we stopped to rest a few hours at Ozark, when many of our boys supposing our desti- nation to be Springfield, walked on, and when a dis- patch was received ordering us to diverge to the north- east, we found that quite a number were ahead on the wrong road. Sergeant Major Burch was sent on to notify them ; but many continued to Springfield, not again coming to us for a month. That night we had a rain that raised the streams and softened our beds, we also had à mail, which is the event of the day al- ways. Mail days make the white days for us. Till the 29th, we waded through mud and rain, rain, rain- Missouri skies wept " barrels of tears over us." May the 2nd, found us at Salem, Dent County, Missouri, in a fine camp one half mile from town. No duty to perform, till a rigid camp guard is put on by way of variety.
Here we received pay, and drew better and more rations than ever before, and remained for a month. While here, our Major Surgeon, Dr. Philip Harvey, left us, being promoted, and Assistant Surgeon, L. M. Sloanaker was Surgeon.
The 3d of June, we started for Rolla with many speculations as to our probable destination. Reaching Rolla at an early hour the following morning, the
76
HISTORY OF THE
same cool reception awaited us there, we entered town with a chilling rain falling, and after some hours spent by our officers in turning over camp and garrison equippage, and by the men in sitting, standing and lying around in the rain, we embarked on some tum- bledown old stock cars and made a safe journey to St. Louis, marching direct to the landing.
Here we found boats ready to take us to Vicksburg, and at a late hour in the day were placed on board the steamer " Chouteau " and started down the Great River.
At Cairo, while the boat was coaling, the mate abused a negro hand most shamefully ; but speedily found that he was "reckoning without his host " and at once made it convenient to go ashore, where he re- mained.
The crowded condition of the men was the same, it always of necessity is on board transports, and with- out accident or incident, we passed Island 10 and other places of interest, reaching the mouth of the Yazoo river the 11th of June, and steaming up a few miles, saw a monstrous fleet of boats, some loaded with stores or ammunition, others carrying troops. Eight miles from the mouth of the river was Chicka- saw landing, where we stopped a short time, then rounding out into the stream, came down the river and out into the Mississippi, landing at Young's Point, Louisiana, where were thousands of contra- bands camped. The next day crossing the Point through a swamp of dense trees and undergrowth, through which no breath of air could find its way, we sweat and fretted, and fell out to " heave over some of our ballast " lining the causeway with coats, pants,
-
77
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.
shirts and drawers, and finally emerging into open air, we took a cool breath with a better appreciation of it than we ever had before.
Here we went aboard boats for Warrenton, part of our Regiment on the "Silver Wave," and part on another boat. From Young's Point and Warrenton a splendid view of the city and our mortar boats could be had. The 14th moved three miles nearer the stronghold, and the 15th we took position on the ex- treme left of the investing forces, the 19th being on the right of Herron's Division, which extended to the river below the city. Our camp was in a deep hollow in which was growing cane so close that it was with great difficulty a path could be forced through, and in some places impossible. Our duty was doing picket in the rear, digging roads up to the front for siege guns, digging trenches, planting pieces and sharp- shooting. This was continued day and night, the lines were advanced cach night and strengthened, the In- quisitorial walls drew hourly nearer together, and fort after fort abandoned by the rebels. At night the videttes posted in the advance of both our own and the enemy's trenches refrained from firing, although each was visible to the other. Our loss during the siege amounted to but one man wounded, Thomas Pender, of Company "I," and that not dangerously, none killed.
On the morning of THE FOURTH of July, when the glad news come, " Vicksburg has surrendered" with prouder hearts than ever before beat in our bosoms we marched into the conquered city. No words of boast- ing, no insults were addressed to the vanquished ; but 'all conducted themselves as became soldiers of so
78
HISTORY OF THE
glorious a Republic. And I have never heard a rebel speak in other than terms of praise of their treatment there.
After entering the city, and before rations could be issued to so large a number (thirty-two thousand) strolling past a camp, I saw a steak frying, and find- ing it was mule meat, tasted it and to do the mules justice, I must say I have tasted beet more unpalata- ble, the name of the thing however ruins the flavor.
Our division did guard duty around the city until the morning of the 11th, when at an early hour we were up, and went aboard the steamer "Tecumseh " leaving our sick and convalescents in camp.
Here we lay looking momentarily for orders to go down to Port Hudson but nothing came, if I may ex- cept a pleasant visit from Major Stanton, once of our regiment, till 4 o'clock in the afternoon when the steamer «' Arizonia " arrived bringing news of the fall of Port Hudson. This we supposed would end our trip ; but orders were received to remain aboard dur- ing the night
The morning of the 12th, we steamed up the Yazo river, a fleet of six or eight steamers and several gun- boats. The river was so narrow in many places, that the guards of the larger boats touched either side, and seemed deeper than wide. The overhanging trees in- terlocked their smaller branches in places and most of the time, men standing on the opposite sides of the hurricane roof could catch the leaves as the boat glided past. The turbid bitter nauseous stream was well named Yazoo, or poison water. Along on either shore was an occasional plantation and scores of dusky faces were turned toward us, half fearfully as we passed.
1
79
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.
.
. We tied up for the night and at an early hour in the morning started on, the gunboats being in the advance. About 2 P. M., we heard cannonading ahead, and our fleet stopped, and after two hours tedious waiting, the troops received orders to take one day's rations and be ready to move.
Leaving our knapsacks on the boats, at 7 o'clock in the evening the 94th Illinois Infantry and our Regi- ment, under Col. McNulta, of the 94th, were started ont through the plantations, coming to a bridge about two miles back that had been partly destroyed. Here Company " A," of the 19th was thrown out as skir- mishers, and the rest of the regiment with the 94th, passed on into the city, hearing just as we entered the suburbs, an explosion that proved afterward to be the gunboat "De Kalb" blown up by a torpedo. Gen. Herron was on board at the time but was not injured, and no lives were lost.
In the morning we found ourselves in the streets of by far the most handsome city we had yet seen. The fine buildings both public and private, were elegantly fitted up inside, and outside were shaded by large trees ; indeed so thick were the trees that but for the spires, the city might be thought at a distance, to be a grove.
The few hundred soldiers stationed there had left at the first indications of the approach of the Yankees, and the stores that fell into our hands were very con- siderable. Ammunition was abundant and good. The citizens learned at the hands of Gen. Herron a lesson that caused them on the approach of a Federal fleet some months afterwards, to give notice of torpe- does being set in the river.
80
HISTORY OF THE
Fruit of all kinds was ripe, and no army having passed through this immediate vicinity everything else was plenty, chickens, honey and other of the good things of soldier's life, and were indulged in freely. Our bill of fare embraced besides meats of half a do- zen kinds and wheaten and corn bread, apples, peaches, pears, apricots, figs, melons, and plums; even the bot- tle of wine was forthcoming.
On Thursday the 16th, the whole division, except the 20th Wisconsin, were ordered to move ; our course was a little south of east, and though as good a coun- try as there is in the south. The succeeding day we reached Black River, about five miles from Canton, where Gen. Sherman's army or part of it, had engaged a force of rebels and drove it the day before.
From this point we returned to Yazoo City, taking back with us a long train of cotton and scores of jubi- lant contrabands, with which several boats were load- ed upon our arrival in the city.
Part of this trip Gen. Vandever was in command, and won for himself the merited hatred of every man in the division. To speak of his driving thirsty men from wells, and other similar acts, would do no good, and nothing I could say would make him more dislik- ed, therefore I say nothing.
On the 21st of July, going on board, we left Yazoo City, our fleet consisting of the Armenia, Tecumseh, Meteor, Dove, Desarc, Prima Donna, St. Mary's Ia- tan, Arago, and Anglo Saxon.
The trip down the river was a very pleasant one, and was accomplished by 8 o'clock the evening of the 21st. The 24th saw us on board the Sunny South, ' and steaming down the Mississippi. A cooling breeze
1
1.83
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY
be found. But three picket posts protected a large number of roads, and a spirit of carelessness pre- vailed.
An expedition was made out to the Atchafalaya River, where the enemy was found to be in force, with artillery planted on the west side of the river opposite the mouth of Flat Bayou, (V Map.)
This accomplished nothing but to learn the position of the enemy.
A few days after this Lieut. Col. J. B. Leake of the 20th Iowa, was sent out eight miles toward the Ope- lousas road with a small brigade of the 19th Iowa, un- der Major Bruce, and the 26th Indiana, under Lieut- Col. Rose, a section of the 1st Missouri Light Artil- lery, and a battallion of the 6th Missouri Cavalry, un- der Major Montgomery.
Col. Leake's orders were to stop at Norwood's plan. tation, making Norwood's house his headquarters, and attract the notice of Gen. Green, who was in com- mand of the rebel force.
A company of mounted infantry, composed of de- tails from every regiment in the division, was also with us; it was under Lieut. Walton of the 34th Iowa. The order was to remain at Norwood's so long as wa- ter could be had. The cavalry skirmished from the division pickets to the Norwood house, and a sufficient distance beyond to assure them that the force they were driving was only a scout.
Going into camp here our commander at once set himself to work to acquaint himself with the country, of which he was ignorant, and of which he had no map. Major Montgomery gave him the impression that the road turning to the left from the bridge led in
1
S4
HISTORY OF THE
a south-west direction, and in placing the pickets, a post (cavalry) was posted beyond the bridge, and an- other also of cavalry was placed on the left hand road a short distance from the bridge. From camp an in- fantry picket was sent south to a house on the same road the cavalry pickets were on, (this was not known then,) and which was connected to Norwood's by an old road.
The following day Col. Leake with Major Montgom- ery, rode to see where that road led, and they found that by this road the rebels could reach our camp ea- sier than we could reach the river; in fact they could connect with the road in our rear by ways against which it was impossible to guard.
Running in a south-east course was the grade of a railroad, (marked railroad bed,) on which no ties had ever been placed, and which made an excellent road for either infantry or cavalry. From this railroad was a trail across to that point of the bend nearest camp and troops could travel through any part of the woods easily, the timber was so open.
Finding the advantageous position the rebels held as regarded roads. Col. Leake at once requested per- mission to remove within that point of the main road intersected by the by-roads, which was refused, the order being imperatively given to remain there, Gen. Vandever, however, being sent out to examine the state of things. IIe returned to Morganzia from his visit to our camp, deeply impressed with the insecurity of our situation, and had an interview at once with Gen. Herron, in which he showed him on the map in what manner the roads and open timbered country, , combined to render our position an easily assailable
1
--
85
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.
one, but failed to elicit a favorable reply, so, as Gen. Herron deemed our position secure, we were again or- dered to hold that place. In spite of these reiterated commands, Col. Leake having a note from a citizen outside the pickets, that told of movements indicative of an attack, moved in at night from Norwood's house to Sterling Farm, where that night our little force lay on our arms, and the next day were distributed in the negro quarters and other outbuildings, in such a way as to insure our speedy formation in case of attack.
The position at Sterling farm, though much better than the former, 'was still easily assailed for the road to Morganzia was intersected at the point where the abrupt bend is from the North to the East by a path or a cattle trail from the road above, known as Atcha- falaya and New Texas road.
On our arrival at Sterling farm, Col. Leake learn- ing from the negroes on the place, of a cattle driver, belonging to the farm, sent for him, and of him learned the number, course and termination, of these old un- " used roads, not sleeping till pickets were posted as ad- vantageously as our limited force would permit.
Daily some of our men, cavalry or infantry, some- times both, would skirmish with the enemy, always driving them and never being able to go farther than the mouth of Flat Bayou, by reason of their artillery, which was on the opposite side of the Atchafalaya.
Every night the pickets were visited, each post, by Col. Leake, and we all thought him much too strict, one cavalryman actually being arrested for sleeping on advance picket. An air of vigilance prevailed and there never was a camp in which each man more felt
1
86
HISTORY OF THE
the importance of care and watchfulness, such was the force of our commander's example.
The Nineteenth never before had kept in camp so closely as here, and not an hour passed but the whole command could have been in fighting trim, in line, in less than two minutes. Every day a squad of our mounted infantry went to the river and returned, never failing to see stragglers of the rebels, sometimes in considerable numbers; but they never exchanged shots, the rebels fired once at Adjutant Wood, who escaped unhurt.
At length this became so threatening that General Herron was addressed in a note, asking if he was aware of the daily presence of large numbers of re- bels in our rear, and between us and his division.
He replied that he did know of it, in fact had taken a prisoner from some Texas regiment, and yet with his three thousand men and several Batteries strongly entrenched, he lay, never making an effort to prevent the enemy from swarming around our rear. He not having out at any time one halfs the number of pick- ets we had out all the time with our scanty six hun- dred.
Learning of the old road entering the main road in our rear from the Texas landing road, and appre. lending an attack from that side, Col. Leake had a gap cut in a levee that was built along the road, so that the artillery might pass through at a point a few yards from the house and sweep the canefield.
The Lieutenant in command of the Section was taken to that gap, and instructed that in case of attack he was not to await orders but place his pieces inside
1
04 .89
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY.
Gen. Green himself, riding up to Leake asked "Why don't you stop this firing?"-the men, many of them from fence corners and odd places of concealment, continuing to fire till their guns were wrenched from their hands.
It seems to be the impression that we were surpris- ed! far from it; for to be surprised is to be taken off your guard, when unprepared and unexpected. It means a want of vigilance and fore-sight; it means that duty has been neglected in some particular, and in none of these things were we surprised.
Our pickets first saw the advancing skirmish line of the enemy; our pickets fired the first shots, and the rebels had only replied by a few shots, when the 19th was in line; and our regiment delivered the first. volley of the fight. $
Then we were not surprised in the attack, but there was that to surprise in the defense, that four hundred and fifty men should hold at bay over five thousand for two hours and ten minutes by the watch, was sur- prising. To learn afterward that the killed and woun- ded of the rebels were equal to our whole number en- gaged, was surprising, and one thing I cannot forbear mentioning, is, that Col. Leake being shot from his horse when as near the rebel line as his own, although he had seen the overwhelmingly superior force of the enemy, yet retained his command, his wound bleed- ing profusely, his Adjutant General inefficient, and his positive orders disobeyed by the artillery.
Our officers have all that were engaged, declared repeatedly, that the more they thought of it the more ' they were satisfied that everything was done that 12
90
HISTORY OF THE
could have been done with our force and position, and nothing done that should not have been done.
Major Bruce had been ordered to New Orleans, and Capt. Wm. Adams of Co. "E" was in command of our regiment.
The night previous to the engagement, Gen. Her- ron had left for the north, having turned over the com- mand to Major Gen. Dana.
Gen. Vandever, had gone to New Orleans.
Gen. Herron, in giving over his command to Gen. Dana, said of us, that we were " strongly and secure- ly posted," and Gen. Dana therefore should not bear the blame of our capture, if any blame attaches to it. The rebels knew our exact force, and would they have crossed the Atchafalaya with eight thousand men, cav- alry and batteries, on a small steam ferry, only to cap- ture five hundred infantry. If there was no positive knowledge on the subject we would yet infer that they had some other object, and it was to attack the divis- ion, but our stubborn resistance delayed them till they knew the division was prepared for them, and Gen. Green was heard to order his Adjutant General to or- dor the troops back at once, for they must recross the Atchafalaya that night, for it was too late to go fur- ther.
Our cavalry had escaped, and rode down the rear of the rebel lines, in plain view of the enemy, who supposed them a part of their own cavalry. By a charge no more daring than that of Major Boone, the rebel line would have been broken and our rescue et- fected.
Col. Harrison of the rebels, said he had directed the attention of five sharp-shooters successively to Col.
·
91
NINETEENTH IOWA INFANTRY
Leake, and after seeing their fire ineffectnal, had him- self drawn his never failing weapon, but at the last moment refrained from firing, he knew not why.
The universal feeling of the rebs was that of chagrin at so hard a fight and so few prisoners.
I append the following, copied from the "Galveston , News," Oct. 20th, 1863, which of course gives the ad- vantage of position to us.
" BATTLE OF FORDOCHE."-" We have been furnish- ed, through a private letter with the following account of the battle on the Fordoche : According to the plans, Lieut. Col. Jas. E. Harrison, commanding Speight's Brigade, was to bring on the engagement with the enemy's main position, four miles in the rear of their cavalry. Col. Grey was to hold Col. Monton's Bri- gade two miles above in the direction of Morganzia to . meet any reinforcement sent to the enemy from that direction .. While one batallion was to follow Harrison, in supporting distance. Harrison was conducted by a guide who gave but little idea of the country.
"Ile attacked their rear about half past 11 o'clock, on the 29th of September. His position was almost as strong as though it had been made for the purpose. He was covered on every side by ditches, embank- . ments, fences and levees with a large sugar mill on his rear, in addition to a large ditch and fence, inside of all this there was large negro quarters in regular streets. ITis force consisted of two regiments and a battalion, in force much stronger than Speight's Bri- gade, the latter in advancing on him had to pass through a canefield covered with vines, which while it afforded no shelter, embarrassed our troops very , much. This advance was made under a galling fire
92
HISTORY OF THE
from his entire force covered. He was driven from the sugar mill and first ditches to the first row of ne- gro houses where he contested every inch of ground. Harrison made him change front by flanking him, forcing him from street to street till he was forced over the levee when he had to change his front, face by the rear ; here he fought desperately using two pieces of artillery with great effect.
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.