USA > Iowa > Iowa colonels and regiments: being a history of Iowa regiments in the war of the rebellion; and containing a description of the battles in which they have fought > Part 17
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
Late in November, 1862, the 10th lowa joined its division in the march of General Grant down the Mobile and Ohio Rail- road. Passing through Abbeville and Oxford, it had reached a point as far south as the Yockona River, when, the line of communications being eut, it was ordered to return. On the 26th of December, it marched with its division from near Lumpkin's Mills, Mississippi, to Memphis, having in charge a provision-train of six hundred and twenty-five wagons; and this was one of the most vexing and fatiguing marches the regiment ever made. It was the coldest part of the Southern Winter, and the trip was made without baggage, or only such
221
1
1
222
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
as the inen could carry on their persons. A cold, sleety rain was falling almost constantly, and the red, clayey mud, the dirtiest and daubiest in the world, was half-knee deep. Hang- ing on their flanks and rear was a band of guerrillas, ready to pick up the stragglers, and to fire into the train whenever occasion offered. Usually, men are merry on the march ; but, without rest by day or sleep at night, there was little merri- ment here. For so short a one, this is regarded the hardest march the old 7th Division ever made.
After this march was completed, the balance of the winter of 1862-3 the 10th Iowa passed on the Memphis and Charles- ton Railroad; but, in the opening Spring, moved down the Mississippi to Helena. Prior to the 22d of March following, the operations of the division are detailed elsewhere; and the history of the division is the same as that of this regiment. On the evening of the last named date, the 10th Iowa sailed into the mouth of the Yazoo Pass, which opens into the Mississippi on its east side, and eight miles below Helena. This was a most wonderful expedition, and, had it not been a military movement, would have been romantic. For the labor and skill employed in opening this pass, and in clearing it of obstructions, General Grant was chiefly indebted to Iowa troops under General Washburn. For more than a week, the 21th, 2-th, and 33d Towa regiments were kept half-leg deep in mud and water, hauling out the timber, which the enemy had felled for purposes of obstruction.
The object of the Yazoo Pass Expedition was a flank move- ment on Vieksburg, but it ended, as it begun, in strategy. This was one of the forty-three plans, which General Grant had pocketed for the reduction of Vicksburg. The story is as follows, but I do not vouch for its truth: A Federal soldier was captured on the Deer Creek raid, and taken before a rebel officer, when the following colloquy occurred: "What in the
223
WILLIAM E. SMALL.
devil is Grant in here for ? what does he expect to do?" "To take Vicksburg," was the soldier's reply. "Well, hasn't the old fool tried this ditching and flanking five times already ?" "Yes," said the soldier, " but he has got thirty-seven more plans in his pocket."
From the mouth of this pass to Moon Lake, (so named from its crescent shape) the distance is five miles, and was passed over without much trouble; but, for forty miles after leaving Moon Lake, it was literally a boat-ride in the forest; for the stream was so winding that its course could rarely be seen more than forty yards in advance. It seemed to have no outlet; and gigantic trees; on every hand, challenged an advance. Small stern-wheel boats could only be used, and even these were found to be unwieldy. The force of the current which put in from the swollen waters of the Missis- sippi was prodigious; and the danger was in going too fast. Until the boats reached the Cold Water, their engines had to be kept reversed; and so it happened that this was called by the soldiers " the back-water expedition." Even with all the care that was used, the boats were stripped of every thing that was fancy, and of much that was substantial. Not a smoke- stack in the whole fleet was able to weather the storm ; and whole state-rooms were raked off by projecting limbs, into whose ugly embrace the boats would rush, in spite of the pilots and engineers ; and, I may add, in spite of from twenty to fifty soldiers, aligned on the decks and armed with long poles.
But in spite of all these dangers, the expedition did not lack amusement ; for instance: a tall, awkward fellow, (he did not belong to the 10th) while standing on the hurricane deck of the Lady Pike, was watching a large sycamore limb, which a spar of the boat was pushing aside. He was wondering if it would not break; when just then it slipped by the spar, and, taking
224
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
him across the face, knocked him several feet, and came near dropping him into the stream. He carried a "stiff upper-lip," if not a brave heart, till the expedition returned. History may, if it will, omit to mention this expedition ; for it has furnished itself a record that will be read many years hence. On the trees, at nearly every bend in this stream, the name of some soldier is literally " recorded on high," and nearly every regiment in Quimby's and Ross' Divisions is thus represented. For nearly every boat of the fleet was caught at some one of these bends, and before it could be released the enterprising soldiers would carve their names on pieces of broken cracker- boxes, and nail these to the limbs. When the expedition returned, the water in the pass had fallen many feet, leaving these inscriptions high in the air; and there they still hang.
There was one feature of this expedition, which, though interesting, lacked amusement; though it was experienced only on the Tallahatchie River and the lower waters of the Cold Water. The banks of these streams are covered, mostly, with timber and thick under-brush, forming fine places of concealment for guerrillas. We were in the enemy's country and, acquainted with their chivalric mode of warfare, were looking for it to be put in practice; yet, when the first guerrilla gun was fired, it was all unexpected. Standing on the hurri- cane-deck, you would see in the brush near a fallen log, or the trunk of a standing tree, a blue circling puff of smoke, and then hear the pat or sharp whistle of a bullet. The report of the gun would follow, when all hands would dodge. In spite of the anticipation of seeing the thing repeated, the men would langh at their folly, and remark, "that shows what a little noise will do."
On the 6th of April, the last of the fleet arrived above Fort Pemberton, at the junction of the Tallahatchie and Yallabusha Rivers; and a fight was expected the day after; but either
225
WILLIAM E. SMALL.
General Grant had accomplished all he expected to in this direction, or had learned he could accomplish nothing, and the entire fleet was ordered to return. The last boat, in a damaged condition, arrived at the Sand Bar below Helena, at noon on the 12th of April; and, should one return from Hades, he could be little more surprised at his safe arrival on terra firma, than were many who sailed on the celebrated Yazoo Pass Expe- dition.
In this connection, I desire to speak of a good man, who rendered important services on this expedition, and who after- wards died at Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Captain Robert Lusby of the 10th Jowa, and, at the time of his death, adjutant-general to General Crocker, was a noble man and officer.
Next in the history of the 10th Iowa, is the final Vicksburg Campaign. During this celebrated march, the details of which are given elsewhere, the regiment met the enemy at the battles of Jackson, and Champion's Hill. In the last of these engage- ments, it greatly distinguished itself, and suffered severely, as also did the regiments of the 3d Brigade, commanded by the gallant little Boomer. The 5th and 10th Iowa, the 26th Mis- souri and 93d Illinois, deserve a proud place in the history of our civil war. On the 19th of May, the 10th lowa arrived before the rebel works, in rear of Vicksburg; and, from that day till the 4th of July following, the day of General Grant's triumphal entry into the city, did its full share of duty. With its brigade, it joined in the memorable charge of the 22d of May; and, under General MeClernand, to whom the brigade had been ordered to report, was preparing to assault the right of the enemy's works, when Colonel Boomer fell, shot through the head. He was killed at sun-down, and near the crest of a hill within two hundred yards of the enemy's line. Colonel Boomer was a native of Massachusetts, and a brave and gallant
15
226
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
officer. The confusion, incident to the loss of the brigade commander, created some delay, and, before an advance was made, orders were received to withdraw to a position behind the second line of hills. On the 24th of May, the 3d Brigade reported back to its division, whose position in the line was to the left of the centre, and about half a mile south of the rebel Fort Hill; and here the 10th Iowa remained till the surrender of Vicksburg.
Immediately after the fall of Vicksburg, the brigade of Gen- eral Matthies, to which the 10th Iowa was attached, (for after the death of Boomer he had been transferred to this command) joined the command of General Sherman, in the pursuit of the rebel forces under General Johnson. The brigade arrived before Jakson on the evening of the 14th of July, having marched from Clinton; but had hardly stacked arms, when orders were received to march back to Clinton, to anticipate the rebel General Jackson in his cavalry-raid upon Sherman's train. General Matthies arrived in Clinton late that night, and just in time to meet and repulse one brigade of Jackson's cavalry, the only rebel troops sent to that point. For this gal- lant affair, the 10th lowa, with the balance of the troops of the brigade, was handsomely complimented by General Sherman.
The principal portion of the time covered by these opera- tions, Colonel Small was absent from his regiment: indeed, he was never with it mueh, and, if I am rightly informed, was never present in an engagement. His military record is not in keeping with that of his gallant regiment. He was a fine drill- master, which was his chief merit as a soldier.
In person, Colonel Small is below the medium. He has a nervous temperament, a pale, sickly countenance, and a feeble constitution. In his manners, I am told, he is dignified and sodate.
-
1
COLONEL PARIS PERRIN HENDERSON.
THIRD COLONEL, TENTH INFANTRY.
PARIS P. HENDERSON Was born at Liberty, Union county, Indiana, on the 3d day of January, 1825. He was educated at the Common Schools of his native town, where he resided till he reached his eighteenth year. At eighteen, he learned the tanner's and currier's trade in Vermillion county, Illinois. IIe settled in Warren county, Iowa, in the fall of 1847, and two years later was appointed organizing-sheriff of that county. In August, 1851, he was elected County Judge of his county, which office he held for three consecutive terms. In the fall of 1859, he was elected to the State Senate, and was the Senator of Warren county at the outbreak of the war.
In September, 1861, Mr. Henderson was commissioned cap- tain of Company G, 10th Iowa Infantry, which he had enlisted in Warren county. On the 27th of January, 1863, he was pro- moted to the lieutenant-coloneley, and, on the 18th of the following August, to the coloneley of the 10th lowa Infantry. On the arrival of General Sherman at Savannah, in his grand march from Atlanta to the sea, Colonel Henderson resigned his commission, having served three years and nearly three months. The military history of Colonel Henderson reflects on him much credit: it is the same as that of his regiment; for, from the time of his entering the service until the date of his leaving it, he was present with it. Even during the greater part of the time of his lieutenant-coloneley, he commanded it; for Colonel Small was sick and absent.
Early in September, 1863, the 10th Iowa Infantry, which was then in camp at Vicksburg, left with its division for the
2227
228
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
purpose of reinforcing General Steele, then marching on Little Rock; but, news coming of the fall of Little Rock on the arri- val of the division at Helena, it remained in camp at that place, awaiting transports in which to return to Vicksburg. In the meantime, General Sherman's old Corps had been ordered to report at Chattanooga. The march from Memphis commenced about the middle of October. Why, I do not know, but for some reason the 7th Division of the 17th Corps was separated from its command, and ordered to join General Sherman in this march. There were many other troops, who for a long time had done little, and who, in fairness, should have been selected for this arduous campaign. It was sup- posed by the division that the mettle of which it had shown itself possessed, on so many battle-fields, had determined the commanding general in this choice; for General Grant was once reported to have said :- "One knows just what he can do with that division." In justice to the veteran troops of this command, these facts should be stated; for they should receive the credit due to their gallant services. And here, although not in strict keeping with my plan, I yield to what I know would be the carnest wish of the regiment whose his- tory I am recording, and append the names of the regiments which constituted this noble command. In the First Brigade were the 4th Minnesota, the 48th and 59th Indiana, the 18th Wisconsin, and the 63d Illinois. In the Second Brigade were the 10th Missouri, the 17th Iowa, the 56th Illinois, and the 80th Ohio. In the 3d Brigade were the 5th and 10th Iowa, the 26th Missouri, and the 93d Illinois. In our great National struggle there has been no more worthy or potent representative from the great North West than the 7th Division, 17th Army Corps.
Moving up the river from Helena to Memphis, the 10th Iowa left that city early in October, and proceeded by rail as far as
229
PARIS PERRIN HENDERSON.
Glendale, Mississippi, nine miles east of Corinth. From that point the regiment marched to Chattanooga, by way of Dixon's Station; Chickasaw Landing, on the Tennessee River; Florence, Alabama, Rogersville, Prospect Station, on the Nashville and Decatur Railroad; Fayetteville, Winchester, Decherd and Bridgeport. The Tennessee River, at Chickasaw Landing, was crossed on the night of the 30th of October, and, in the evening of the 19th of November, the 10th Iowa, with its divi- sion, arrived under Lookout Mountain. The night of the 30th of October, 1863, was stormy and dismal, which not only ren- dered the crossing of the Tennessee disagreeable, but soured the tempers of all. General -, in command of the division, superintended the crossing of his troops, and, like every one else, was irritable. On one occasion, while his boat was approaching the south bank of the river, the detail on shore had left their post, and no one chanced to be at hand but a lieutenant, the son of a Congressman. The hawser being thrown ashore and no one there to receive it, General cried out, "Take hold of that rope, sir." "I am a lieutenant, and the son of Congressman ." "Don't care a d-n, take hold of that rope." But the lieutenant was relieved by the detail, who at that instant came up.
I have said that the 10th Iowa, with its division, arrived at the foot of Lookout Mountain in the evening of the 19th of November. The head of the division arrived in Lookout Val- ley just before night-fall, and no sooner was it seen by the enemy, than he commenced displaying his signal-lights. Bragg knew that General Grant was receiving reinforcements, but the number he could not tell, for darkness intervened soon after the head of the column came in view. Before day-light the next morning, the division was marched across the Ten- nessee River, and behind some hills, out of view of the enemy. It was said that this was one of the plans which General Grant
--- .
230
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
had adopted to puzzle and mislead the enemy ; and it may be correct history. It was even said that General Grant would, in the night-time, march troops from the north bank of the river under Lookout Mountain, and, after day-light the next morning, march them back to their former position. But, however this may be, it is certain that Bragg was, by some means, thrown from his reckoning; for he attributed to Gen- eral Grant, at Chattanooga, a much larger army than he had.
From the 20th of November until the 23d, the 10th Iowa, with its brigade and division, rested in camp behind the hills above mentioned, but at mid-night of the last named date marched down to the river to effect a crossing. The crossing was to be made in pontoons, and just below the mouth of South Chickamauga Creek. The pontoon-boats had already been launched in the North Chickamauga, so that all was in readiness. The brigade of General Giles A. Smyth, numbering about eighteen hundred men, led the advance. Embarking on the pontoon-boats, they floated quietly down into the Tennes- sce, and then made rapidly for the opposite shore; and so quiet and systematic were their movements that they surprised and captured the entire picket-guard of the enemy but one. By day-light in the morning, nearly three entire divisions of Sher- man's command had reached the south bank safely, and were behind intrenchments nearly a mile and a half in length. These successes insured victory to General Grant at Chatta- nooga; for he could now swing round on the enemy's right and rear, and force him to abandon his boasted impregnable position.
In the fighting which followed, the 5th, the 10th, and the 17th Iowa regiments took a conspicuous part, though neither of these regiments met the enemy till the 25th instant. Nor did the 6th Iowa, which was the only other Iowa regiment that crossed the Tennessee with Sherman, meet the enemy
231
PARIS PERRIN HENDERSON.
before that time. In a south-westerly direction from where the crossing was effected, and about four miles distant, was the long range of irregular and precipitous hills, known as Mission Ridge; and to wrest these from the possession of the enemy, was the object of General Sherman's crossing the river. At about three o'clock in the afternoon of the 24th instant, the 10th Iowa, with its brigade and division, (the whole command drawn up in column by division) marched down through the timber and wet bottom-lands that intervened between the place of crossing and Mission Ridge, to assault and capture a high hill in the northern portion of the ridge. The movement was made, and the hill gained without a casualty; for, not having been fortified, it was abandoned by the enemy. But on the next hill beyond, which was about half a mile distant, were the enemy in large force, and strongly fortified; and against this position were the attacks of the 7th Division directed the next day. Retiring from the hill just occupied by its division, the 10th Iowa bivouacked the night of the 24th in the woods near the Chattanooga and Knoxville Railroad; but there was little sleep for the regiment, for it was during that night that General Hooker was driving the enemy from Look- out Mountain; and such an incessant and appalling fire of musketry was hardly ever heard before in the night-time. It raged from sun-down until near day-light the next morning.
Thus far every thing had worked favorably, and "on the night of the 24th our forces maintained an unbroken line, with open communications, from the north end of Lookout Moun- tain, through Chattanooga Valley, to the north end of Mission Ridge." General Bragg was now defeated; and to save his army, his baggage, stores and artillery, was with hin the important question. The point against which the attacks of the 5th, 6th, 10th and 17th Iowa regiments, with their respec- tive commands, were directed on the 25th instant, covered
232
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
and protected Bragg's line of communications to the rear; and hence it was that the fighting at that point was of the most desperate character; for, that hill lost, and Bragg would have lost nearly every thing.
The 10th Iowa, with its brigade, was ordered up to reinforce General Ewing's command at eleven o'clock in the morning. Moving west across the railroad already alluded to, it marched out across an open field, and down into low ground, which was covered with under-brush. Next, it was faced to the south, which brought it fronting the hill in question, and for the possession of which, General Sherman was now struggling. Thus far, the entire brigade had lost but two men; but now orders came for an advance - first to the White House, (which was already in flames) and then to the top of the hill. In the advance to the White House, the artillery-firing of the enemy was most frightful. Their position on the hill, or succession of hills, was semi-eireular, and, at different points along their line, were some forty pieces of artillery in battery, the range of which was short and accurate. They used solid shot, shell, canister and grape; and, altogether, it was the most terrifie artillery-fire the 10th Iowa ever passed under in the open field. It was also the most terrific artillery-fire the 5th and 17th Iowa ever passed under. To this day, I can not recall that hour, without feeling in sympathy with the old Latin poet : "Steterunique comce et ror faucibus hasit."
On the hill-top, the 10th held the left of the brigade, and fought with its accustomed gallantry; but the numbers of the enemy, with their strong position, could not be overcome, and a retreat had to be ordered soon after General Matthies, its brigade commander, was wounded. The engagements of Champion's Hill and Mission Ridge are regarded by the 10th Iowa, as among their hardest battles.
-
233
PARIS PERRIN HENDERSON.
From the 25th of November, 1863, until the following May, the histories of the 10th and 17th Iowa regiments are similar. The 10th marched to Graysville, Georgia, in pursuit of Bragg's forces, and then, returning, was ordered to Huntsville, Ala- bama, where it remained until the following May. It was then sent to Decatur, Alabama, the junction of the Nashville and Decatur, with the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. While at Huntsville, the regiment had re-enlisted as veterans; but it did not receive its veteran furlough until the following June.
While stationed at Decatur, the 10th Iowa, under Lieuten- ant-Colonel McCalla, with some one hundred and thirty men of the 9th Ohio Cavalry, had a little affair with the rebel forces of General Forest, on the south side of the Tennessee River; but I omit details, for their recital could give no additional lustre to the already brilliant record of the regiment.
The 10th Iowa Infantry returned to the front late in July, 1864, and arrived at Kingston, Georgia, on the 1st of August. ITere it remained on guard-duty along the railroad, until the time of Wheeler's celebrated cavalry raid on General Sher- man's rear line of communications, when it joined the command which was organized to make pursuit. The expedition was out about twenty days, and marched, during that time, more than five hundred miles. But their fleet-footed adversary could not be brought to a stand, and, after pursuing him through East and Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama, they finally came up with him just as his rear-guard was cross- ing the Tennessee River at Florence. Soon after, followed the flank movement of General Hood, after which, the 10th Iowa moved with General Sherman on his memorable march to Savannah. Its last campaign was from Savannah to Raleigh, and that will probably be its last in the war; for the veteran army of Northern Virginia has now surrendered.
234
IOWA COLONELS AND REGIMENTS.
Colonel IIenderson is about six feet in hight, and well formed. He has a pleasant face, and an easy, winning address. No one can know him but to like him. The Colonel was a brave and efficient officer, and popular with his regiment ; but he was too kind and conceding, I am told, for an excellent disciplinarian.
Henderson was one of the Iowa colonels who would do justice to a subordinate, without an express or implied consideration. He never bartered his honor to enhance his chances for pro- motion.
COLONEL ABRAHAM M. HARE.
FIRST COLONEL, ELEVENTH INFANTRY.
ABRAHAM M. HARE, the original colonel of the 11th Iowa Infantry, is a native of Ohio, where he was born about the year 1812. He was one of the earliest settlers of Muscatine, Iowa, having established himself in that place before the year 1839. For several years after settling in Muscatine, he carried on the latter's business; and later, opened a hat and cap store. He was successful in business, and, in the course of a few years, acquired a respectable fortune. I am told he stands among the wealthy and most exemplary men of Muscatine. He had some knowledge of military matters before entering the service, having been a major of militia in Ohio.
IIe was mustered colonel of the 11th Iowa on the 1st day of November, 1861, and served with his regiment until the battle of Shiloh, when he resigned his commission, on account of a wound received in that engagement.
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.