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 18
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But little of the history of the 11th Iowa Infantry was made under Colonel Hare. The regiment was recruited mainly from the counties of Muscatine, Iowa, Hardin, Marshall, Louisa, Cedar, Keokuk, Washington, Henry, Clinton and Linn: Mus- catine is the most largely represented. It was mustered into the United States service, by companies, in the months of Sep- tember and October, 1861, and the following Winter, served in Missouri. Shiloh was its first battle, and the only one it was engaged in-during the colonelcy of Colonel Hare: indeed, it was not under him in that engagement; for he was in com- mand of the brigade to which it was attached. Lieutenant- Colonel, afterward Colonel Hall commanded the regiment, and
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made the report of the engagement. The 11th and 13th Iowa were attached to the same brigade at Shiloh, and the part the regiment sustained in the engagement, may be seen in the sketch of Brigadier-General M. M. Crocker.
Among the killed at Shiloh, the 11th Iowa lost Lieutenant John F. Compton, Sergeants Henry Scibert, Ezra MeLoney and George E. Daniels; and Corporals William F. Hough, George J. Barns, and Martin A. MeLain. Captain Charles Foster was wounded, as also was Sergeant E. D. Akers, who was not long after promoted to the captaincy of his company. The regiment lost heavily in killed and wounded, but the exact number I have been unable to learn. The rebel General A. Sidney Johnson fell in front of the 11th Iowa, and was doubtless killed by this regiment.
Colonel Hare was quite severely wounded near the close of the first day's battle, and left the field. He was wounded where his brigade made its last stand; and in speaking of him General MeClernand says: - " Colonel A. M. Hare, command- ing the 1st Brigade, who had borne himself through the day with great constaney and courage, was here wounded, and the command of the brigade devolved on his able and gallant successor, Colonel Crocker."
Colonel Hare is a large, athletic man, of billions-sanguine temperament, and dark complexion. His hair once black, is now streaked with gray ; his eye though mild, is penetrating. He is determined in purpose, and kind-hearted, a fact univers- ally attested by the "boys" of his regiment. He is cool, deliberate and fearless in battle, and unostentatious in man- ners. It is doubtless owing to this peculiar trait of character that I am unable to get further details of his history. He seems satisfied with having done his duty.
COLONEL WILLIAM HALL.
SECOND COLONEL, ELEVENTH INFANTRY.
WILLIAM HALL was born in the city of Montreal, Canada East, on the 25th of January, 1832; but, though born in Canada, he is not a foreigner. His parents were, at the time of his birth, residents of the State of Vermont, and chanced to be on a visit at Montreal. William remained at home with his family till 1844, during which time his father resided in Ogdensburg, New York; Brookville, Canada West; and Roch- ester, New York. In 1844 he entered Oberlin College, where he remained a year and a half, and then entered the Western Military Institute of Kentucky. At that time, as also at the breaking out of the rebellion, the rebel Bushrod Johnson was superintendent of the institution. Commencing with the rank of private, Colonel Hall went through all the military grades of the school, and graduated as acting-adjutant, and with the rank of captain. Soon after leaving that institution, he entered the Harvard Law School, at Cambridge, Massachusetts; but, without graduating, left in 1854, and came West. Since that time he has made his residence in Davenport, Iowa. By pro- fession, Colonel Hall is a lawyer ; and I understand he ranked fairly at the Davenport bar. He had the reputation of being a hard worker, and of doing the best he could for his clients.
In the summer of 1861 he entered the volunteer service, and the 23d of September following was commissioned major of the 11th Jowa Infantry. He was promoted to the lieutenant- coloneley of his regiment, on the 11th of October, 1861, and, on the resignation of Colonel Hare, was commissioned colonel. He held this rank, and served in the field, till the summer of
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1864, when, Colonel W. W. Belknap being promoted over him to a general officer, he resigned in disgust. It is reported that, after his return home, he espoused conservatism, and villified, in public speeches, the policy of the Administration; but that can hardly be so.
As already stated, the 11th Iowa's first battle was Shiloh. Its second was Corinth; and the part it acted in the latter may be gained from the following extract from Colonel, now Gene- ral, Crocker's official report :
"About five o'clock in the morning of the 3d instant, the brigade formed -two regiments, the 11th and 13th Iowa vol- unteers in line of battle, facing to the west, and the 15th and 16th Jowa volunteers, in close column by division in rear of the line. The regiments remained in that position, with skirmish- ers deployed in front, receiving an occasional cannon-shot, until about three o'clock, when, the division on the right hav- ing fallen back, a change of front was ordered. The 15th and 16th wore then formed in line of battle perpendicular to the first line, and the 11th and 13th, in close column by division, in the rear. In this position, the brigade remained until about four o'clock P. M., when orders were again received to again change front, so as to connect the right of the brigade with the left of General Davis' Division, its left to rest in the direc- tion of Battery E. After the execution of this order had been commenced, notice was received from General MeKean that the division was to move back inside the inner fortifications; and an order was received that, the 11th and 13th regiments be formed in line of battle a quarter of a mile in the rear of the line formed by the 15th and 16th, in front of, and parallel to the road, over which the artillery of the division must pass, the brigade to protect the movements of the rest of the divi- sion, and the artillery."
This position, which the 11th Iowa, or the Iowa brigade was 7. thus ordered to abandon, was south of the Chewalla road, and a little north-of-west of Corinth. "On arriving inside the fortifications, we took position, the 15th Iowa in line of battle in rear of, and to the right of the battery commanded by
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Captain Phillips, 1st Infantry; the 16th in rear of, and sup- porting the 5th Ohio Battery, which was in position on the left of Captain Phillip's Battery; five companies of the 11th Reg- iment, in command of Major Abercrombie, in line of battle, supporting the 1st Minnesota Battery, in position still on the left of the 5th Ohio Battery; the 13th Iowa, and five compa- nies of the 11th, still in the rear of the 15th and 16th, in close column by division, as a reserve." This last position was held through all the fighting of the next day, the 11th Iowa being drawn up in line of battle in rear of the 15th. The only com- missioned officers of the regiment, wounded in both day's fighting, were Lieutenants William IT. Wetherby and Dennis P. Greeley : the latter was wounded by a falling tree.
From November 1861, till the spring of 1864, the history of the 11th Iowa will be found in the sketches of other officers and regiments. It re-enlisted in the winter of 1803-4, and came North, on veteran furlough, in March following.
In May, 1864, two divisions of the 17th Army Corps ren- dezvoused at Clifton, on the Tennessee, from which point, General Blair marched across the country to Sherman, via Huntsville, Decatur and Rome. The 11th lowa was attached to this command, and arrived at the front early in June, and, while Sherman was in the vicinity of Acworth, Georgia. The regiment first confronted the enemy before Kenesaw Mountain, and lost its first man on the 15th of June. Before Kenesaw, "General Hooker was on its right and front, General Howard on its left and front, and General Palmer between it and the railroad." The rebel General Polk was killed by a cannon- shot on the 14th of June, after which the enemy abandoned Pine Mountain away on the right, and took up a position "with Kenesaw as his salient point, his right wing thrown back to cover Marietta, and his left behind Nose's Creek,
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covering the railroad back to the Chattahoochie." While the enemy were in this position, General Sherman made his bloody and unsuccessful assault. The fiank movement to the right, led by the 17th Corps, commenced in the evening of the 2d of July, and an account of it will be found in the sketch of Gen- eral Hedrick.
Like the other regiments of the Iowa Brigade, the 11th Iowa suffered its severest loss on the afternoon of the 22d of July ; but an account of this engagement has been given elsewhere. The following is from Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie's offi- cial report :
" Many acts of bravery were performed by officers and men of the regiment, which might be mentioned, did time and opportunity permit.
"Major Foster was wounded early in the action, faithful in discharge of his duty. Captain Neal was killed instantly by a grape-shot at the fort late in the afternoon. Captain Barr is missing. Captain Rose, missing, is supposed to have been wounded and captured. 1st Lieutenant Cassell, missing; 1st Lieutenant Caldwell, killed; Ist Lieutenant Pfoutz, wounded ; 2d Lieutenant Wylic, wounded. I would make honorable mention of Sergeant-Major John G. Safley, who, with Ist Ser- geant John 1. Buek, Company K, (afterwards killed -brave fellow) and a party of picked up men, numbering thirty or forty, made a dash over the works held by the enemy, bring- ing over more than their own number as prisoners, amongst whom were a colonel and captain.
" In the sally, Safley was wounded, but it is not believed seriously. During the action a Confederate flag was cap- tured, and brought over the works by Private George B. Haworth, of Company B, and is now in his possession. A banner, belonging to the 45th Alabama, was also brought over by Private Edward Siberts, of Company G, which was placed by him in the hands of Lieutenant Safley, Provost-Marshal of the brigade."
Altogether, the lith Iowa captured, and sent to the rear, ninety-three persons. Both Captain J. W. Anderson and
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Adjutant B. W. Prescott are mentioned for gallantry. The loss of the regiment, in killed, wounded and missing, was severe-eight officers and one hundred and twenty-nine inen. It has already been stated that Major Foster was wounded. He died not long after, and the regiment mourned, in his loss, one of its finest and most popular officers. He was a native of New Hampshire.
From the 15th of June, 1864, to the 5th of September, the 11th Iowa lost, in killed, wounded and missing, ten commissioned officers, and two hundred and seven enlisted men. One of the officers, who has not already been mentioned, was Lieutenant Alfred Carey of Company E. He was wounded on the 15th of June, before Kenesaw, and afterwards died of his wounds.
A further history of the 11th lowa will be found in the sketches of the other regiments of the 17th Corps' Iowa Brigade.
For several months, Colonel HIall commanded the Iowa Brigade. He commanded it on General Blair's Mechanicsville march during the siege of Vicksburg, and until the return of Colonel Chambers of the 16th Iowa from leave of absence. He also commanded it through the entire Atlanta Campaign. He was not much liked by his brigade. He was nearly all the time sick and irritable; but, in justice, I should add, he never made his sickness an excuse to avoid duty. If danger was at hand, he was never the second man present.
The colonel is a small man, weighing about one hundred and twenty-five pounds. He has a slender, gaunt, ungainly per- son, rendered so, I suppose by disease. He wears long, black hair; has large, black eyes, and a dark, sallow complexion. Colonel Hall is not a comely man. When I saw him, in the spring of 1864, I wondered how he had for three years endured the hard-hips of the service.
When interested or excited, he moves about nervously, with
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his face turned downward, and his hands thrust in his panta- loons' pockets. He has large self-esteem, and prides himself in doing things in his own way. If he is as he seems, he is impervious to flattery; but that can hardly be, for he shows great indignity, if he thinks his services underrated. It was on this score that he tendered his resignation.
Considering his ill-health, Colonel Hall was successful as a soldier. He was a good tactician, and brave and resolute. His greatest fault seemed to be in questioning the justness and propriety of the orders of his superiors. He would obey them, but it was not uncommon for him to do so under protest. The following will illustrate how the enlisted men of his command appreciated his temper.
While the Iowa Brigade was encamped at Clifton, Tennessee, just before starting across the country to Huntsville, a squad of raw recruits, from its different regiments, were put on picket. They were in the enemy's country, and, of course, were ordered to load their pieces. Returning to camp in the morning, they inquired of the veterans how they should get the charges out of their guns, and received the following instructions: "Go out there, behind Colonel Hall's tent, and fire them off: that's the only place-and be sure and all fire at once." They did as directed. What followed, was better appreciated by the veterans, than by those who were learning their first lesson in soldiering. Colonel Hall, who was in bed, sprang out in a rage, and ordered the poor fellows tied from morning till night.
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COLONEL JOSEPH JACKSON WOODS.
TWELFTH INFANTRY.
J. J. Woons, of the 12th lowa Infantry, has a checkered history, which will be read with interest. He is a native of Ohio, and was born in Brown county, the 11th day of January, 1823. In 1833, he removed with his father's family to Rush county, Indiana, whence, after a residence of two years, he returned to his native county.
Colonel Woods is a West Point graduate. Having completed his preparatory course at Augusta College, Kentucky, he entered the West Point Military Academy in 1843. He was a successful scholar, and graduated in 1847, the third in his class. Receiving a 2d lieutenant's commission in the 1st United States Artillery, he sailed, on the 10th of October, 1847, under orders for Vera Cruz; but, on the fourth day out, the vessel on which he had taken passage was wrecked near the Great Bahama. After several days of peril and hardship, he reached Nassau, New Providence, and sailed thence to Charleston, South Carolina, where he passed several weeks with a former class-mate, by the name of Blake. Re-embarking again for Vera Cruz, he reached that place on the 5th of January, 1848. In August of the same year, after having had yellow fever, he was recalled and ordered to report at Governor's Island, New York Harbor. He was promoted to a Ist lieutenancy the 29th of October, 1818, and soon after sailed with Companies L and M of his regiment for Oregon: these were the first troops sent by our Government to that Territory. He remained in Oregon till the winter of 1853; and, during his stay in the Territory, was stationed at Fort VanConver, Astoria, and Middle Oregon.
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At the last named place he had command of the Dalles. In the winter of 1853, he was ordered to New York City on recruiting service, where he remained till the following Octo- ber, when he resigned his commission. Soon after, he pur- chased a farm in Jackson county, Iowa, on which he has since resided.
In August, 1861, Colonel Woods was tendered the lieuten- ant-colonelcy of the 9th Iowa Infantry; but this position he declined, and was, on the 23d of the following October, commis- sioned colonel of the 12th. From that date till the expiration of his three year's term of service, he served in command, either of his regiment, or of the brigade to which it was attached. He left the army in the fall of 1864, with the respect and good-will of his regiment, and with the high personal con- sideration of his superior officers. His services merited recog- nition at Washington; but, with him as with some others, modesty blocked the wheels of promotion.
The 12th Iowa Infantry, like the other Iowa regiments which were captured with it in the first day's battle at Shiloh, has a bright record. Its first battle was Fort Donelson. It had been present at the capture of Fort Henry; but, like the other infantry troops, took no part. The late gallant Admiral Foote captured Fort Henry with his three wooden and four iron-clad gun-boats, and received the surrender of General Tilghman ; and no one will dispute with him that honor.
General Smith, in whose command was the 12th Iowa, operated on the bluffs on the west bank of the Tennessee, and General MeClernand, on the east. Had McClernand moved two hours sooner, he would have invested the fort, and cap- tured five thousand prisoners; but he floundered in miry swamps, and nearly the entire rebel garrison escaped to Fort Donelson before he came up. It was said the blunder was
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General Grant's; but, if it was, he retrieved it a few days after at Fort Donelson.
After the fall of Fort Henry, the 12th Iowa, with its divis- ion, marched across the country to the rear of Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland. The distance is twelve miles. One strong and important point in the long line of rebel defenses -that line extending from Bowling Green, Kentucky, down past Fort Donelson and Fort Henry, and across the country to Columbus-had been wrested from the enemy. Fort Donel- son captured, and the country south, to the vicinity of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, including the city of Nash- ville and the railroad connecting Bowling Green with Colum- bus, must be yielded by the Confederates. Columbus, too, must be evacuated, and the Mississippi abandoned as far south as Memphis. Then, with prompt and energetie movement on the part of the Federal forces, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad could be cut, the strategie point of Corinth occupied, and Kentucky and West Tennessee restored to Federal author- ity. The issue at Fort Donelson was therefore watched with impatience and anxiety.
General Grant, with the divisions of Smith and MeClernand, arrived in rear of Fort Donelson in the evening of the 12th of February, 1562. That night the troops slept on their arms, as they also did on every subsequent night, until the fort capitu- lated. The division of Smith, filing to the left from the Dover road, swung round against the enemy's right, and that of MeClernand, filing to the right, formed line in front of the enemy's left. The right and left of these divisions remained connected; for the division of General Wallace, which was to occupy the centre, had not yet arrived, but was on its way up the Cumberland River. The 12th Iowa was still under Smith, and was attached to the 3d Brigade, commanded by Colonel J.
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Cook. The 4th Brigade of the same division, in which were the 2d, 7th, and 14th Iowa regiments, was next on the left and constituted both the left of the division and the left of the Federal forees.
"Thursday morning, at half past eight o'clock, (I quote from Colonel Woods' report) we marched down to, and up the Dover road about half a mile, when we filed to the left, and formed line of battle: threw forward the flanking companies as skirmishers, and marched forward down a long slope that lay in front, the grape, shot and shell of the enemy flying thickly around us all the time. Our skirmishers advanced to the top of the hill that lay in front of us. The battalion halted at two- thirds of the distance to the top of the hill, where it was pro- - tected from the enemy's fire by the ridge in front." This position was held by the 12th Iowa the following night; and that night and the following one will never be forgotton by the regiment. A fierce north-east storm set in late in the afternoon, and raged with great fury, and the men, though drenched with the rain, and chilled with the cold, were allowed no fires, and suffered most bitterly. That morning the 12th lowa had lost its first man killed in battle-private Edward C. Buckner. Ile was shot through the head on the skirmish line, and killed instantly. In the wet and cold of the following night, the sad event was talked over by the men, and they wondered who would be the next to fall.
The entire day of the 14th, (Friday) and the forenoon of the following, were passed by the 12th Iowa in skirmishing with the enemy; and, during this time, the regiment was gal- lantly supported by the 50th Illinois, and by Birge's Sharp- shooters. No assaults were attempted on Friday, for the divi- sion of General Wallace, and the gun-boat fleet had not yet come up. The fighting on the south side of Fort Donelson closed about noon on Saturday, the 15th instant; when the
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enemy, having routed McClernand, returned to their works in triumph. It was at this hour that General Pillow sent his laconic report to Nashville: "On the honor of a soldier, the day is ours." "At about two o'clock in the afternoon of Sat- urday, the 12th Iowa, 50th Illinois, and Birge's Sharp-shooters were ordered to make a feint-attack, to draw the enemy's fire. The men went cheerfully to the work assigned them; and kept up a warm fire on the enemy, while Colonel Lauman's brig- ade, on our left, advanced on the enemy, and got possession of a part of the enemy's outer works, and hoisted thereon the American flag." From that hour until night-fall, the 12th Iowa was sharply engaged, and during that time, the regiment suffered nearly its entire loss. It moved to the support of Colonel Tuttle by the left flank, and, marching through the deep ravine in its front, and over the fallen timber, arrived at the top of the hill, just as the 25th Indiana commenced falling back. The regiment entered the rebel works to the right of Colonel Tuttle, and held its position till morning, when the Fort and its garrison were surrendered.
The casualties of the regiment in this engagement were thirty-all, with the exception of three, being sustained on Saturday afternoon. . Two only were killed. Among the wounded, was Lieutenant-Colonel Coulter, who "behaved with the utmost coolness and bravery, and performed his (Inties regardless of the danger to which he was exposed." Major Brodtbeck and Surgeon Parker received special men- tion for their good conduct. "Every commissioned officer performed his duty without flinching." Sergeant-Major Mor- risy, and Color-bearer Sergeant Grannis, and many others, deserve special mention for their coolness and gallantry. Privates Buckner and Stillman were the two men killed: the former was shot in the eye, and the latter in the right temple. With the exception of the 2d Iowa Infantry, no troops are
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entitled to more eredit, for the part they sustained in the capture of Fort Donelson, than this regiment.
The next engagement of the 12th Iowa was Shiloh, where, for holding its position too long, it was captured. It has been matter of wonder why General Grant and Admiral Foote, after the fall of Fort Donelson, did not push on directly to Nashville. The people of that city, and the rebel troops there stationed, would be in the utmost consternation; and it was believed that the place could be occupied with little or no opposition. Both Grant and Foote appreciated the situation, and were anxious to advance against the city ; but Halleck, the general command- ing the Department, would not give his consent. They called him the old wheel-horse. Some said he was good only on the hold-back, and, to succeed, he must have a down-hill enter- prise. As it was, the enemy, in their mad fright, destroyed some two million dollars' worth of property which might have been appropriated by the Government. General Johnson's army, too, on the march from Bowling Green, might probably have been captured. A week after the fall of Fort Donelson, General Buel occupied Nashville; after which, General Grant proceeded up the Tennessee River to Savannah and Pittsburg Landing.
At the battle of Shiloh, the 12th Iowa was attached to the 1st Brigade, 2d Division, commanded by General Wallace. Gen- eral Smith was absent at Paducah. Colonel, afterwards General Tuttle commanded the brigade. The part taken by the regi- ment in this engagement is elsewhere given. It formed a part of that line which, though at last broken, was held with such obstinaey as to save Grant's army from total rout.
After receiving orders to fall back, Colonel Woods says, in his official report:
"Seeing ourselves surrounded, we nevertheless opened a brisk fire on that portion of the enemy who blocked our pass-
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