USA > Iowa > History of the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry Volunteers : giving a complete record of the movements of the regiment from its organization until mustered out > Part 7
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superb soldier, our commander, General MePherson. His death connted so much more to us, than victory, that we spoke of our battle and great success with onr loss uppermost in our minds. When it was learned that General MePherson, the commander of the Army of the Tennessee, was killed, our beloved General John A.
Logan took connand by order of General Sherman. Logan was our corps commander in the campaign. The boys of the fifteenth corps know how highly we thought of him; we would have follow ed him to victory, or to death if need be. He had served in the civil war as part of the Army of the Tennessee, having enlisted in the 31st Illinois, going out as Colonel and filled all the grades until he became its commander. Under his command and direction it went through the grand review at Washington, D. C., May 21th, 1865, and we think that no greater general than he was there. The Army of the Tennessee was mustered out at the close of the war. Logan took part in its campaigns and battles and to us who knew him so well, and saw him so often, in camp, on the march and in battle, is given the knowledge necessary to appreciate more than others, his grand service to his country. To us he was the idealized soldier, who always led; he was at his best in battle, ev- er forward, ever onward. His motto was to conquer or to die. Ho inspired his spirit into the regiments, brigades, division and corps, and finally into the grand old Army of the Tennessee. As an army the Army of the Tennessee never sustained a single defeat during the whole four years of the war. Every fortification which it as- sailed, surrendered, and every force arrayed against it was either captured, defeated, or destroyed. No officer was over assigned to its command, who afterwards had to be relieved, or reduced to an- -other command. Such a history is not accidental. It is recorded that in eighteen month's service the army captured 80,000 men together with flags and arms ineinding 600 cannon. A greater force than was engaged on either side in the terrible battle of Chattanooga. From the field of triumph in the Mississippi valley. it turned its footsteps toward the eastern seaboard, bringing relief to the forces at Chattanooga and Nashville, pursuing the perilous campaign from Atlanta to the sea, under the leadership of the glorious Sherman, and planted the banners of final victory on the parapets of Fort Mc Allister.
On the 27th of July was the first time we had marched all night without interruption, while in the service.
At Jonesboro' on August 31st is where we were attacked in vain- and for the last time by the confederate army of the Tennessee. We
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held our position easily and with comparatively slight loss. It was Les's and Hardee's corps that opposed us. After two hours hard fighting we repulsed the enemy, who withdrew, leaving 100 dead on the field. Their total loss was over 2500, as their report was at the time.
The march thence to Lovejoy station and back again, to East Point, Ga., by the 8th of September, completed the campaign, which for hard and continuous fighting, for severe labor and ex- posures, for long marches in hot weather, for endurance and ob- stinate resistance, is unparalled in history. We had marched four hundred miles, principally in the night, built forty different lines of works, crossed three large rivers in the face of a powerful enemy and waded swamps, fought the battles of Resaca, Dallas, New Hope church, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain, Chattahoochie River, Atlanta, Jonesboro' and Lovejoy Station. During the siege of Atlanta our regiment was under constant fire 81 days. Most of this time the firing was heavy enough to equal an ordinary battle. The regiment also participated in sixteen battles or advances on the enemy or repulse of their attacks. We were under fire during the siege of Atlanta the following days: June 10th to 30th, north of Atlanta, 20 days; July 1st to 16th, inclusive, 16 days; July 20th to 27th, inclusive, 7 days; July 27th to 31st, inclusive, 5 days; Aug- ust 1st and 26th, inclusive, southwest of Atlanta, 26 days; Angust 28th to 30th, south of Atlanta, 2 days; September Ist to 5th, inclu- sive, 5 days. The days of battle of advances upon, or repulsed of the enemy, are as follows: June 15th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, July 4th, 5th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 28th, August 17th, 20th, 28th, 31st and Sep- tember Ist and 2nd.
As all know, this was a great strain on all who participated in the campaign, both officers and privates. It might be said that it was almost a continuons battle for 81 days, without rest and not very much sleep at night. Many a poor soldier went to his long home sleepy and hungry, as was especially the case on July 22nd and 28th at Atlanta, when we marched all night and went into the fight about 7 o'clock a. m. without anything to eat. If a soldier ever would fight it was when he was hungry, tired and sleepy
The night of August 31st Atlanta was evacuated. The campaign from May 2nd to September 6th cost the regiment 16 killed and 65 wounded. The most of September was spent in East Point and on October 4th the regiment joined in the pursuit of General Hood, marching via Marietta, Resaca and Gaylesville to Gadsdon. There was much sharp skirmishing during this pursuit, but no serious
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engagements. On November 4th the command again reached At- lanta, having marched 354 miles of as hard marching as we did during the service. On the 12th of November, after the last train had passed up from Atlanta. the regiment was sent to tear up and destroy the railroad and fill up the cuts through which the train had passed. On the 13th our brigade started with General Sherman's grand army on its march through Georgia to Savannah and to the sea. One week's march brought us to Graiswaldville, 12 miles from Macon, where we speut the day tearing up and burning rail- road ties and skirmishing with the enemy. Our regiment alone tore up and destroyed four miles in one day. Then the march was uninterrupted, except by such natural obstacles as rivers and swamps, which sometimes were difficult to cross, the bridges hav- ing been destroyed, till we reached Edon Station, Ga. The skirm- ishing continued during the day. Near Savannah, from the 10th to the 21st of December, 1864, the regiment was continuously at work, but had no general engagements. During the march of 400 miles, from Atlanta to Savannah, occupying 35 days, we marched through some of the finest pineries I ever saw before or since; for days we marched through them and at night camped in them. We would gather up the pine knots and sit by our camp fires, and get our supper and breakfast by them. The pitch in them would do for candles to see to cook by. This was one of the finest cam- paigns we ever had, marching straight through Georgia.
The regiment was on provost guard duty December 21st, 1861, to January 10th, 1865. The confederates said while we were march- ing through Georgia, and while in Savannah, that they would for- give us if we would go through South Carolina and tear them up as we had them. We assured them that we would, as the boys wanted to visit South Carolina. It might be here stated that in the entire trip from Atlanta to Savannah we only drew five day's ra- tions. We had as much when we got through as when we started, or perhaps more.
CHAPTER V.
THE CAROLINA CAMPAIGN.
On January 10th, 1865, we left Savannah and went on an ocean steamer to Beaufort, S. C. There were several of our boys sea sick on the trip, and they said they would rather wade swamps than take another ride on the ocean. And we did wade swamps and streams after that, and plenty of them. We drew out of camp on January 31st, and the real march began on February Ist. We were then at Pototaligo, from where we went by way of Hickory Hill, Lupers Cross Roads, Angalsey Postoffice, and Beaufort Bridge. On February 2nd we reached Cross Roads, and began the hard part of our march-crossing swamps from ankle deep to waist deep, and being from two to five miles in width. The 3rd we crossed Beaufort bridge and waded a swamp three miles wide. We went to the South Carolina railroad at Midway, Bamberg and Gra- ham Station. From the 7th to 10th of February, from Bamberg to Blakeville, and the 11th we were on the railroad from Midway to Johnson station. The 12th we crossed the south fork of the Edisto river, at Holmes' bridge, and moved to Poplar Springs. The 13th we crossed the North Edisto, from Poplar Springs, at Shellings bridge, above the month of the Caw-caw Swamp creek, and took the road that came into the state road at Zigles. On the 15th we met the confederate forces in a strong position at Little Congaree bridge across Congaree creek. They had a well construct ed fort on the north side, commanding the bridge with artillery The ground in front of us was level and clear with fresh deposits of mud from a recent overflow. Here General Wood sent our bri- gade through a cypress swamp to the left, following up the re- treating confederates promptly. We got possession of the bridge
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and forts. The bridge was partly damaged by fire and had to be repaired before we could cross. We lay on the hill on the Conga- ree river, in front of Columbia. The boys who were there will re- call how the confederates shelled us that afternoon and night. They threw shot and shell into us; often time the shells struck above ns, and rolled down the hill through the camp. Some of the boys got boards, and put them across in front of the rolling shells, and tried to stop them, but the force was such that they would instant- ly be mashed to pieces.
The De Gress battery came up and opened fire on Columbia; throwing shot and shell into the depot and state house; at this time negroes were carrying meal and flour from the depot, but lost no time in getting away when the firing began. At the time, be- ing on a high hill and on open ground, we could see plainly into the city which was not far off.
On the 15th we had a sharp fight and did handsomely the work assigned us, driving the enemy from a strong position. That night we built our campfires and lay down to sleep in the shadow of the dome of another proud confederate capitol. Columbia was upon the hill side beyond. Here some of Hampton's artillery shelled us all afternoon and night.
We effected a crossing of the Saluda river, near the factory, on the 16th, and had another little battle with the enemy's cavalry: On the same night we made a flying bridge across Broad river, about two and one-half miles above Columbia, and by day break the morning of the 17th the whole of the 30th was across and de- ployed as skirmishers. Then the 9th and 31st crossed, and by seven o'clock we advanced and encountered a full brigade of Hamp- ton's cavalry. We charged through a swamp and drove them from their position and kept them on the run until we came to the road north of Columbia leading into the city. There we were met by the Mayor of Columbia, Dr. Goodwin, coming out in a carriage, with a white flag to surrender the city. He asked for the com- manding officer. Wo directed him to Colonel Roberts and Major Creamer. The Colonel directed him to Colonel Stone, command- ' ing the brigade. I here say that in my judgment, that Colonel Roberts and Major Creamer were and now are entitled, with the 30th Iowa, to the full honor of the capture of Columbia.
We had the honor of following the carriage, in which were Col- onel Stone, Dr. Goodwin and Major Creamer, into the city, with the colors of the 30th Iowa over the carriage and the mayor. We went into Columbia about nine o'clock of the 12th, and placed the
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regimental colors of the 30th on the capitol of South Carolina. We were on provost guard in the city all day of the 17th.
I note in the Adjutant General's report of 1865-6, at page 420, that the 13th lowa, belonging to the 4th division of the 17th army corps, claims the honor of first putting their flag on the capitol, at eleven o'clock in the morning; but this was not the first flag on the building, for it was from an hour to an hon and a half after the flag of the 30th had been placed thereon. Further in point on this question, it is shown in Sherman's Memoirs, that the 17th corps did not at any - time cross the river. See pages 280 and 281. 1 know these facts as here stated, to be correct, for I was color ser- geant at that time, and placed the flag of the 30th on the building myself, between 9 and 10 o'clock in the morning of the 17th. Ma- jor Creamer and Charles Riffley accompanied me.
When we reached the city, the bales of cotton on Market street had been cut and set on fire, as had also been the commissary stores. The rest of our brigade worked an old fire engine to put out the fire, and had fairly well succeeded in the task, by about 5 o'clock, when the wind began to blow. Then the fire began to kindle in the cotton, and the burning cotton flew and set the buildings on fire, and spread from one to another till it took the whole division to help subdue the flames. The wind fell about four in the morning of the 18th and we then put out the fire and kept it from spreading any farther, but all the main part of the city had been burned. We were quartered in a brick business house on Front street. When the fire started up again in the eve- ning, Colonel Roberts ordered ns out where there was no fire, as the buildings we were in were then on fire. We went out and in going through the street we found it very hot. When we got out of reach of the fire we stacked arms. One member of Co. D was absent and it was found that he had been left lying in the building. Some of us found him and brought him out, but had not gone far when the building fell in. It was scorching hot when we went out with him. It is a wonder if some were not burned that time, as there were so many men druuk that day. The whiskey had been brought up from Charleston and the casks and barrels were stacked along the street. All the boys had to do was to up-end them, knock in the head and then there was a free pitch in for all who drank. I saw men drink that day whom I never saw drink before or since.
When we took possession of the city we found a large number of union soldiers from our regiment, and others, who were held as prisoners in Columbia. They had been hidden by colored people
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until Wheeler and Hampton's cavalry had left the city, and then they came out to find us.
As was before stated, to the 30th Iowa belongs the honor of first entering the capital city of South Carolina, which might be prop- etly styled the hot bed of secession. As we had promised the citizens of Savannah, we had now fulfilled our purpose of carrying retribution, and a just punishment into the heart of the enemy. It was severe and it was necessarily and purpously made so. Of all the Sonthern states, South Carolina was most justly entitled to the punishment she received. It was South Carolina that had bantered the north into war, and led the other states into secession, and had done its utmost to break up the best government on the face of the globe. This war, which she was most instrumental in instigating, had already cost thousands of lives, millions of money, the de- struction of numberless homes, the devastation of the richest coun- try on earth, had made thousands of widows and fatherless child- ren, had cost nutold suffering, had crippled and permanently injured the larger percentage of the best citizens in the land-sure- ly so severe a punishment as was inflicted at this time was no more than just.
I hope I have not over drawn the picture. I was very young when I entered the service, and it may be the things which I saw and the experience I had, noduly impressed themselves upon my mind. yet looking back from the standpoint of a judgement made riper by years of experience, and over a period of more than forty years, I feel that they did not.
During the 18th and 19th, the army destroyed the arsenels, rail road depot, machine shops, foundries and other public buildings, by regular detail parties. Then the railroad track was torn up as far as Kingsville and the Waleree bridge, and also up in the direc- tion of Wainsborough. Here is what General Sherman says in his Memoirs, of his march to the sea, with reference to the fif- teenth corps.
"I will bear in mind your hint as to Charleston, and do not think salt water will be necessary. When I move, the 15th corps will be on the right of the right wing, and their position will nat. urally bring them into Charleston first, and if you have watched the history of that corps you will have remarked they generally do their work pretty well. The truth is the whole army is buru- ing with an insatiable desire to wreak vengeance on South Caro- lina. Ialmost tremble at hor fate but feel she deserves all that seems in store for her. Many and many a person in Georgia asked
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me why we did not go through South Carolina, and when I an- swered that we were en route for that state. the universal reply was, 'Well. if you will make them people feel the utmost severity of war, we will pardon you for your desolation of Georgia.'"
I think that Sherman gave the right version, as the army surely did do more in South Carolina than in Georgia. They surely made them howl, and they would never want such an army from the north down there again, and later events have fully demonstrated that it, in all human probability, never will be necessary, and that they fully and faithfully learned their lesson of patriotism.
On the 20th we left Columbia by early march for the city of Cheraw; thence to Fayetteville, N. C., foraging our entire living off of the country, from the time we left Columbia until we arriv- ed at Fayetteville. In this march of twenty days we only drew one-half pound of bread per man.
On March 8th the command crossed the North Carolina line, and on that and subsequent days for over a week, waded several swantps and streams almost daily. The roads through the poor pine timber, and the spongy ground was now one sinking mire, and was ahost impassible on account of the heavy rains which had poured down in torrents for several days past. However it be- came important for us to move along as rapidly as possible, as the union forces, under General Schofield were known to be advancing from the sea in the direction of Newborn and Goldsboro', N. C. where all the confederate forces, after evacuating Charleston and Willmington. S. C., were concentrating under General Bragg. Still the ammunition train and supply train, carrying the remainder of the more necessary articles of subsistence. and the hospital train, could not well be abandoned by the army. Therefore evident ne- cessity arose to employ the infantry during the march to perform the duties of pioneers, for the regular pioneer corps of the division was not sufficient for the task. Fally two-thirds of the whole road was corduroyed every day. By this means the trains conld be brought into camp. The whole brigade would carry rails from the neighboring farias, and lay the same, one by one, close to each other, so as to prevent the wagons, horses and mules from sink ing into the bottomless mire. The officers and men of our regi ment were, on several occasions, highly complimented for having done their part well and good humoredly, even jokingly, not with standing the fact that the additional load was very heavy when added to their arms, accoutroments, knapsacks, canteens and haversacks, in such weather, over such ground. In no single in
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stance did the regiment arrive in camp, when it was on detail as train guard, without bringing up the whole division train at the same time.
The regiment, after wading through four streams on the 9th and four more streams on the 10th, arrived at the river where the bridge had been half burned by the retreating enemy. After two hours work by all hands, the bridge was repaired sufficiently to al- low the infantry to cross the river thereon. The whole division crossed the bridge, wading through the overflowing timbers, the water being from two to two and one half feet deep for about a half a mile. We went into camp on elevated ground 13 miles from Fayetteville to wait the fall repair of the bridge and crossing of our train. The enemy was known to be at Fayetteville. On the 11th, the first division being in the lead of the fifteenth corps, start- ed at 5 a. m., the Iowa brigade in the lead. Abont 10 o'clock ovi- dent signs of an engagement were heard in the direction of Fayette- ville. This brought the infantry to a rapid movement for the front. We soon encountered the enemy and after a sharp fight of about an hour drove them from the town and across the bridge on Cape Fear river, east of Fayetteville. Soon the union flag was raised over the court house of that place, the band playing its best martial strain. The detail for provost marshal and provost guard was made and the latter stacked their arms in front of the court house.
On Sunday, March 12th, while in camp at Fayetteville, a dispatch boat, accompanied by a steamer, arrived from Wilmington on the Cape Fear river. Here we got our first mail since leaving Pocotaligo in February, and we were glad to hear from home and friends once more.
. We lay there until the 15th and on the 16th crossed a big swamp, the whole country being a vast sheet of water for miles around. On the 17th, the regiment still being in the kad of the brigade and division, marched all day, according to orders published the night before, on the road to Clinton, a point 15 miles south of Goldsboro' on the Wilmington railroad. In the afternoon a heavy cannon- ading was plainly heard to the left, some 6 or 7 miles distant. This was the first clear, warm day in several weeks. The 15th corps was marching on a parallel road to the left of the 17th corps. On the 18th, though the weather was clear and bright, the march was still slow and laborious; the same sinking, miry ground caused all hands to be put at corduroying, over two thirds of the fifteen miles being made during the day. The big swamp was waded and the rame hard work was continued on the 19th. Our regiment had
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been detailed as rear guard and was now in the rear of the whole division train. We arrived in camp that night about 11 o'clock, with the train forming line for its camp, facing the rear and send- ing our own pickets back on the road. It was reported by the for- agers that Goldsboro' had been evacuated by Bragg early in the morning of that day and was moving towards Raleigh. On the 20th at 1:30 a. m. orders were receive l to be ready to move at 2:30 a. m. to join the brigade and division, to move at 3:15 a. m. with three days rations to be issued to the men at once, with a full sup- ply of ammunition About 12 o'clock the sound of many bugles near by plainly evidenced to the tired men who had scarcely gone to sleep an hour before, that something was up, as we used to term it, and near at hand. At three o'clock the columns of the whole division, followed by the second division were moving in a north- westerly direction. We crossed five creeks, wading them over knee deep, and arrived at 6 o'clock a. m. at Paul creek. "We cross- ed this waist deep and a quarter of a mile wide; went into camp and stopped to dry our clothes and get a bite to eat. We lay there until 3 p. m., when the regular and well sustained firing of musket- ry and artillery bespeaking an obstinate resistance of the enemy, indicated that the fortified position of Cheatham, on their extreme left, had been reached, their position being near Bentonville, N. C.
The whole fifteenth corps took position along the road, the gen- . eral line facing north. The 21st wo were in the general engage- ment at Bentonville, the last of all our battles. The enemy was forced back from one position and fort to another until finally they abandoned it altogether. The regiment constructed five lines of works in less than twenty-four hours, each time leaving the pre- vious one in the rear. This was a pretty hard fight, the regiment loosing one killed and fourteen wounded. The engagement being ended by the retreat of Johnston's army, we were ordered to Golds- boro', N. C., where we arrived on the 27th of March.
We had a most extraordinary march of ISS miles, from Bufort, S. C., occupying 60 days. The march had been slow from the be- ginning, owing to the bad roads. It was in mid-winter aud during the rainy season. A great portion of the country was low and swampy, and even when dry had a quicksand subsoil which was treacherons to our army wagons. A great deal of work had to be done on the roads to make them passable for our large trains. Whole days were spent in corduroying the roads and whole nights in lift- ing wagons out of the mud. The constant wet weather and the wading of streams and swamps had caused our shoes and pants to
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