USA > Iowa > Roster and record of Iowa soldiers in the War of the Rebellion : together with historical sketches of volunteer organizations, 1861-1866 > Part 3
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 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
The first engagement in which any portion of the regiment participated was fought on the 19th day of December, 1861, on Black River, near the town of Milford, Mo., by a detachment of the First Iowa Cavalry, under command of Major Torrence, a detachment of the Fourth United States Cavalry, and a sec- tion of artillery belonging to a Missouri battery. This force attacked a camp of recruits, who were on their way to join the rebel army under General Price. In his official report to General Halleck, General Pope gives a detailed account of this engagement,3 from which the following extracts are taken:
Colonel Davis marched promptly and vigorously with the forces under his command, and at a late hour in the afternoon came upon the enemy, encamped in the wooded bottom land on the west side of Blackwater opposite the mouth of Clear Creek. His pickets were immediately driven in across the stream, which was deep, miry, and impassable, except by a long narrow bridge which the enemy occupied in force. . Colonel Davis brought forward his force, and directed that the bridge be carried by assault. The two companies of the Fourth Regular Cavalry being in advance, under the command respectively of Lieutenant Gordon and Lieutenant Amory, were designated for that service, and were supported by the five companies of the First Iowa. Lieutenant Gordon of the Fourth Cavalry led the charge in person with the utmost gallantry and vigor, carried the bridge in fine style, and immediately formed his company on the opposite side. He was promptly followed by the other companies. The force of the enemy posted on the bridge retreated precipitately over a narrow open space in the woods, where his whole force was posted. Our forces still continuing to press forward, and the enemy finding his retreat south and west cut off, and that he was in presence of a large force, and at best could only prolong the con- test a short time, surrendered at discretion. His force, reported by the Colonel com- manding, consisted of parts of two regiments of Infantry and three companies of Cavalry, numbering in all 1,300 men. About 500 horses and mules, 73 wagons
3War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series I, Vol. 8, pages 39-40, inclusive.
6
HISTORICAL SKETCH
heavily loaded with powder, lead, tents, subsistence stores, and supplies of various kinds, fell into our hands, as also 1,000 stand of arms .. .
. The numbers as stated were reported to me by Colonel Robinson, Colonel J. C. Davis, and by Major Torrence, First Iowa Cavalry .. Within five days the infantry forces comprising this ex- pedition have marched 100 miles, the cavalry more than double that distance; have swept the whole country of the enemy west of Sedalia and as far as Rose Hill to a line within 15 miles of the Osage; have captured nearly 1,500 prisoners, 1,200 stand of arms, nearly 100 wagons, and a large quantity of supplies. The march alone would do credit to old soldiers, and it gives me pleasure to state that it has been performed with cheerfulness and alacrity. A list of our killed and wounded will be transmitted as soon as possible.
It will thus be seen that very important results were obtained from the expedition and engagement, in which the First Iowa Cavalry bore a very conspicuous part.
The next engagement-known as the "Battle of Silver Creek"-was parti- cipated in by four companies of the First Iowa Cavalry, associated with de- tachments from the First Missouri and "Merrill's Horse" and the Fourth In- dependent Company Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, (commanded by Captain John S. Foster,) all under command of Major Torrence, of the First Iowa. The follow- ing brief extracts from the official report of Major Torrence will serve to show the efficient service rendered by the detachment of the First Iowa:
FAYETTE, HOWARD COUNTY, Mo., Jan. 11, 1862.
By order of General Pope we proceeded from Otterville to this county, for the purpose of dispersing sundry rebel camps which were being formed in the vicinity, and arrived here Sunday, Jan. 5, 1862. On the morning of the 8th five companies of the Fifth Iowa Infantry arrived from Boonville, and, leaving them to guard our camp here, the command was on the march at 8 o'clock. We ar- rived near the location of their camp, which was situated on or near the head- waters of Silver Creek, . . about 4 P. M., and made the attack at half past four P. M. The enemy were protected by dense woods and underbrush and there was no approach to them save through a narrow road, only wide enough for two men to ride abreast. Our troops were ordered to dismount, every fifth man holding horses, and we prepared to fight on foot. The engagement commenced at once. The enemy faltered, gave back, retreated in disorder, and we soon had possession of their camp.
The report further states that the pursuit was soon abandoned and the troops returned to the rebel camp, which was destroyed, there being no trans- portation for the captured property. It was found impossible to overtake the rebels, they being well mounted and familiar with the roads and by-ways of the wooded country in which they made their camps. In this engagement the command lost 27 men, killed and wounded. The loss of the enemy could not be definitely learned, but was supposed to be about 60 in killed and wounded. James Convey, of the First Iowa, was mortally wounded and died the next day. The others belonging to the regiment, who were wounded, were James Scott, Thomas Fletcher, Stephen M. Sexton, Cornelius Thompson and Andrew Johnson.
During the remainder of the winter the companies of the First and Second Battalions of the regiment were almost constantly on the move. They dis- persed many rebel bands, and made it a difficult matter for recruits to get through to the rebel army, except those who went in small squads or singly, and kept off the main roads. Among the important captures was that of Briga- dier General Tom Price, son of Major General Price, the commander of the rebel army. Many horses, mules, wagons and other property useful and neces- sary to the enemy were captured or destroyed. But the men who supported the rebel cause were of such desperate and stubborn nature that no disaster
7
FIRST CAVALRY
seemed sufficient to discourage or conquer their resolute spirits, and they con- tinued their efforts to regain control of the State, even believing that they · might eventually reverse conditions and transfer the theater of war to the North. It became evident that the struggle was to be prolonged, and that all the resources at the command of the Government would be required to fully restore its authority in those border States. In fact, that result was not ac- complished in every portion of the State of Missouri until the close of the war.
With the opening of spring, and under more favorable weather conditions, the operations of both Union and rebel troops became more active and aggressive. On the 6th of March, 1862, Colonel Warren left Benton Barracks with the Third Battalion and arrived at Sedalia, Mo., March 9th. The whole regiment was now in the field. The headquarters of the regiment were, for a time, at Clinton and, later, at Sedalia, the different detachments reporting their operations to Colonel Warren, who made his reports to Brigadier General James Totten, com- manding the District of Central Missouri. There are many of these reports showing the constant activity of the different detachments, their skirmishes with the enemy, prisoners, horses and other property captured, casualties sus- tained, etc.,4 which demonstrate the importance of the service rendered by the regiment during this period of the war. The following account of one of these encounters will serve to show the general experience of the different detachments and may be considered as typical of all, differing from the others only in matters of detail, number engaged, etc.
On the 14th of April, 1862, a detachment of the regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel C. E. Moss, had a skirmish with a band of rebels on Sac River. On the evening of the same day, Lieutenant Colonel Moss, who had pro- ceeded with Lieutenant Barnes and a part of Company K to the town of Mon- tevallo, leaving Captain Bryan to bring forward the rest of the command, found himself with his small force suddenly surrounded by. a superior force of the enemy. In the fight which ensued the leader of the rebel band was killed and quite a number of his men were killed and wounded. The First Iowa Cav- alry had two men killed and seven wounded in this engagement." The follow- ing brief extract, from the official report of Lieutenant Colonel Moss, shows the conduct of his men in this engagement:
Never did men under similar circumstances display greater gallantry than those with me that night. Being exposed to a most murderous fire from double their number of men well armed, not a man flinched or showed any disposition to sur- render, or give up the contest. Lieutenant Barnes and Andrew J. Pugh (my guide) deserve my warmest thanks for their cool gallantry and determined courage. The rebel band was found to be composed mostly of persons living or staying in the immediate vicinity of the place.
During the month of May, 1862,6 headquarters of the regiment were at Butler, Mo. On May 2d. Colonel Warren, with 200 men and a section of the First Missouri Light Artillery, started on a scout to the Marias Des Cygnes River, and, on the 11th, returned with 30 prisoners and a quantity of arms, am- munition and a number of horses and mules captured from the enemy. On the- 15th, the forage train was fired upon, four miles from camp, by a band of bushwhackers, and three men were killed and one wounded. On the 26th and
+War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series I, Vol. 8, Colonel Fitz Henry Warren. See Index, pages 339, 341, 352, 637, 658, 673, 679. Operations of First Iowa Cavalry in Missouri.
5Killed, Oscar Crumb and James Whitford. Wounded, Lieutenant Barnes, Sergeant J. A. Lyons, T. J. Tupper, Joseph Stone, Samuel E. Shannon, Jacob Hursh and John Bauder.
6Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 2, pages 845, 846, 847.
8
HISTORICAL SKETCH
27th the forage train was again attacked and four men were killed and one wounded. These attacks were made with a rush, the enemy quickly disap- pearing, and in neither case were the cavalry, sent in pursuit, able to overtake them. During the month of June, 1862, the twelve companies of the regiment were engaged in scouting over a wide range of territory covering six counties, and doing guard duty at the various posts in the military sub-district to which they were assigned.
The headquarters of the regiment remained at Butler during the month of July. On the 8th, a detachment of 100 men, under command of Lieutenant Reynolds, attacked a band of guerrillas, led by the notorious Quantrill, on the Lotspeach farm in Cass County; but, finding the enemy strongly posted and their number superior to his own, he gave up the effort to dislodge them, after having lost one man killed and two men wounded. He retreated to Clinton. On the 9th, all the men and officers of Companies A, G and H, stationed at Clin- ton, left camp under command of Major James O. Gower, and were joined near the Lotspeach farm, on the 10th, by detachments from the companies of the regiment stationed at Butler, under command of Captain W. H. Ankeny, of Company M, and also by a small body of troops from Warrensburg belonging to other regiments; the entire force being under command of Major Gower. In the meantime the rebel force, under Quantrill, had retreated to a strong position among the wooded hills of Big Creek timber, four miles west of Pleasant Hill, in Cass County. There Major Gower attacked them and, after a short but fierce engagement, succeeded in routing them, killing and wounding a large num- ber and capturing some property. In this engagement the troops under Major Gower exhibited great bravery and received his hearty commendation. The First Iowa Cavalry lost 3 killed and 10 wounded in the engagement, among the latter Lieutenants Reynolds and Foster and Adjutant D. A. Kerr. During the remainder of the month the companies of the regiment were engaged in scout- ing in the vicinity of the various posts occupied by them.
During the month of August, 1862, the headquarters of the regiment re- mained at Butler. On the 2d, detachments from Companies E, L and M, under command of Captain Caldwell, Company I, encountered in the timber on Clear Creek, St. Clair County, a band of guerrillas, said to number 300 or 400 men, well armed and mounted, under command of one Clowers, a notorious outlaw. After a brief but desperate struggle, in which the enemy lost 11 killed, our troops, being greatly outnumbered, retired and awaited reinforcements, having sent for them to Butler, Clinton and Osceola. The next day Colonel Warren arrived with the needed reinforcements, but, in the meantime, the enemy had fled and could not be overtaken. In the engagement on the 2d, Captain H. H. Heath, of Company L, led the charge with his detachment of 75 men. In his report7 Captain Heath says:
. In this engagement our loss was four killed and fourteen wounded, my- self among the latter number. The names of the gallant men who fell that morning ·are Albert C. Alford, Caleb C. Botwood and Michael J. Driscoll, of Company L, and Elisha A. Roland of Company M. We also lost several horses killed, among which was my own. In this engagement were many who had never been under fire before, but their courage was manifest amidst a most terrific fire of musketry within a few paces of them and from an enemy, for the most part, concealed within a thickly studded ambush of undergrowth, and who could only be discovered as they rose and poured forth their murderous fire upon us. Lieutenants Berryman and Edsell, and Sergeant Dunham, of Company M, particularly distinguished themselves as brave and
"Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1863, Vol. 2, page 849.
1
9
FIRST CAVALRY
worthy officers. Subsequent pursuit by Colonel Warren, with a considerable force, discovered the fact that the rebels had placed a wide tract of country between them- selves and the First Iowa Cavalry.s
About one week later the headquarters of the regiment were removed to Sedalia, and from there Colonel Warren, with a large detachment of his regi- ment, proceeded to join General Blunt's forces at Lone Jack, Mo., and took part in the pursuit of several thousand rebels, marching, while absent, over 300 miles. On the 26th, the regiment returned to Camp Warren, near Clinton,. and went into camp there for a brief rest. Previous to starting on this ex- pedition-on August 7, 1862-the posts at Butler and Osceola had been evacuated and all the companies of the regiment were, for the first time in many months, concentrated in one camp. The regiment remained in camp until September 20th, on which date it started on the march to Springfield, arriving there on the 28th, at which time it was assigned to the Second Brigade, First Division, Army of the Southwest, Colonel Dye, of the Twentieth Iowa Infantry, com- manding, and marched to Camp McClellan, twelve miles west of Springfield, where it remained until the close of the month.
Cn the 1st of October, 1862, the regiment, with its brigade and division, started on the march in pursuit of the enemy,-a march made memorable to all the troops of the brigade and division on account of its length, its circuitous course, the elusive and baffling movements of the enemy and the hardships endured. On the 2d the command passed through Mt. Vernon and camped on Center Creek. On the 3d continued march to Newtonia. On the 4th came up with the rear of the enemy and had a slight skirmish. On the 9th continued march to Cassville. On the 16th the regiment was transferred to Second Brigade, Third Division, Army of the Frontier. On the 17th continued march, and on the 18th marched all day and went into camp near Bentonville, Ar- kansas. On the 20th marched all night and the next day and bivouacked on White River. Marched night of 21st and 22d to Glade Creek, near Huntsville, and, halting there for supper, marched all night to camp on White River. On the 23d marched back to Cross Hollow, Arkansas, going into camp at Valley Springs. On the 27th ten companies of the regiment made a night march to a point eight miles southeast of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and had a skirmish with the enemy on the morning of the 28th, in which Samuel C. Dickerson, Quartermaster of the regiment, was killed. On the 29th the ten companies re- turned to camp at Valley Springs.
On the 1st day of November, 1862, the regiment was in camp at Valley Springs, Ark. On the 4th it marched to Elkhorn Tavern, on the old Pea Ridge battlefield, arriving there late at night. During the remainder of the month the regiment marched from point to point in pursuit of the enemy, and offi- cers and men were in the saddle almost constantly during the day and. many times, far into the night. The record shows a distance of 154 miles marched prior to the 25th of the month, on which date all the available officers and men of the regiment started from Camp Curtis on a scout to Yellville, Ark .. from which they returned on the 30th, having marched while on the scout 250 miles, and making over 400 miles for the month.
On the 3d day of December. 1862, the regiment, with its brigade and divi- sion, left Camp Curtis, marching southward, and, at midnight on the 6th, reached the headquarters of General James G. Blunt, at Cane Hill, Ark., having
8It will be noted that the names of the wounded men are not given in this report, and that often the names of neither killed nor wounded are given in other reports of engagements in which the regiment took part. The reader is therefore referred to the subjoined Roster, in which the names of all the killed and wounded appear.
10
HISTORICAL SKETCH
marched 98 miles, and having been in the saddle 18 consecutive hours. The Second Battalion of the regiment was detailed as rear guard for the wagon train of the division, and consequently did not arrive in time to participate in the battle which ensued. Owing to the fact that General Herron's division had been fighting for several hours before General Blunt's division arrived upon the battlefield and attacked the enemy in the rear, the heavy part of the fighting was over at that time, and darkness soon put an end to the conflict. Moreover, the conditions were unfavorable for bringing the cavalry into close contact with the enemy, and therefore the part taken by the two battalions of the First Iowa was mainly that of skirmishers and flankers, which subjected them to smaller loss than they had sustained in many previous engagements. Nevertheless, the First and Third Battalions of the regiment performed their whole duty at the battle of Prairie Grove. They obeyed the orders they re- ceived implicitly and accepted the minor but important positions assigned them after their arrival upon the field, and received the full share of credit to which they were justly entitled. The Second Battalion was also doing its full share of duty where it had been placed, guarding the supply train, the protection of which was so important to all the troops composing the division. Every true soldier knows that to be assigned to such duty, when a great battle is in progress; to hear the roar of battle and know that, when the official reports are written, his name and that of his company or regiment will not be in- cluded among those who were active participants, always occasions a feeling of regret. The battle of Prairie Grove was the one of greatest magnitude in which the First Regiment of Iowa Cavalry participated during its long and arduous term of service. That it did not have a conspicuous part in that hard- fought battle was not the fault of its officers and men or of its Brigade Com- mander. The regiment did all that it was ordered to do, and earned the full measure of credit that was accorded to it in the official reports. While it was not theirs to share in the glory of having been in the midst of the battle, it was theirs to have stood ready and willing to lead the charge into the thickest of the fight, had they been called upon to do so.
On December 27th the regiment started with the expedition, under com- mand of Generals Blunt and Herron, to Van Buren, Ark., and took part in the capture of that place on the 28th, together with five Arkansas River steam- boats loaded with large quantities of army supplies, and many prisoners. Re- turning from that expedition on the last day of the month and year 1862, the regiment went into camp at Prairie Grove, but only remained there during the first day of the new year.
On the 2d day of January. 1863, the Third Division of the Army of the Frontier, of which the regiment was now a part, left its encampment at Prairie Grove and marched by way of Fayetteville, Huntsville and Carrollton to Forsyth, on White River, Mo. Major Daniel Anderson, with about 400 of the regiment, left the division at Fayetteville on January 4th and proceeded to scour the country in advance and along the flanks of the line of march, captured a num- ber of prisoners, gained much valuable information, and arrived at Huntsville two days in advance of the division. On January 10th. Major J. W. Caldwell, with 400 men, marched from Huntsville to a point on Buffalo River, a distance of 60 miles, and, early on the morning of the 11th, surprised and captured 75 guards in charge of extensive saltpeter works, which had been constructed by the rebels for the manufacture of powder. These works were situated near the summit of a mountain. The troopers of the First Iowa Cavalry clambered up the mountain side, taking the guards by surprise, and causing them to beat a hasty retreat. The machinery and buildings, together with several tons of saltpeter, were destroyed by fire. Captain McQueen, with 200 men, was sent to
-
11
FIRST CAVALRY
destroy works of a similar kind about ten miles distant, which was accomplished in like manner, the guards offering but feeble resistance. While returning, Captain McQueen succeeded in capturing a drove of horses and mules destined for the rebel army, together with the guards in charge; in this affair Lieuten- ant Dustin, Sergeant Morrill and Corporals Newell and Wisener displayed great efficiency and gallantry. On the same day Captain Jenks, who was on picket duty with the detachment, was attacked by a band of rebels, and, in the fight which ensued, the rebel leader was killed by Captain Jenks. The detachment rejoined the main command at Carrollton on the 14th.
On the 15th, all the available cavalry force of the division, under com- mand of Colonel Gower, made a rapid march to Yellville, to intercept the rebel General Marmaduke on his retreat, after his unsuccessful attack on Springfield. A few prisoners captured, with a considerable amount of property, was the re- sult of the expedition, the rebel General succeeding in making good his retreat into the mountains of Arkansas. Colonel Gower then proceeded to Forsyth with his command. While the regiment was in camp there, Colonel Gower went to St. Louis to receive a supply of carbines which had been received there for the use of the First Iowa Cavalry. During his absence the main part of the command marched to Lake Springs, near Rolla, Mo., where they arrived March 31st, going into camp and establishing regimental headquarters at that place. To this camp Colonel Gower returned, bringing with him 250 Colt's revolvers, 600 Sharp's breech-loading carbines, and 400 cavalry sabers, thus giving the regiment a complete set of arms, for the first time in its history. The regi- ment was also supplied at this time with a remount of fresh horses, and was thus splendidly equipped for the active work of the next campaign, which was about to begin.
On the 20th of April, 1863, about 600 men and officers of the regiment, under command of Major Caldwell, joined the expedition under General Van- dever, against the rebel forces under Marmaduke, then advancing against Cape Girardeau, Mo. General Vandever did not succeed in intercepting Marmaduke's force, which attacked the troops under General McNiel at Cape Girardeau and, having been repulsed, fell back towards Jackson. General Vandever, moving rapidly, came in close proximity to a portion of the rebel forces on their re- treat, and the First Iowa Cavalry, which led the advance, came up with them. In the skirmish which ensued the regiment had five men wounded. The pur- suit was continued to Chalk Bluff, where the enemy succeeded in crossing the St. Francis River and rejoining the main body of Marmaduke's command. The regiment returned to Lake Springs May 15th, having been gone 26 days, march- ing over 500 miles and suffering greatly on account of insufficient rations.
The regiment now proceeded to Pilot Knob, with orders to report to General J. W. Davidson, and was assigned to the Second Brigade of the cavalry divi- sion commanded by that officer, then encamped at Arcadia. Here everything that could possibly be dispensed with, in the way of camp equipage, was stored, and the troops, unincumbered with anything that would impede rapid move- ment, were put in readiness for the prosecution of an active and vigorous cam- paign. On July 1st the division marched from Arcadia to Fredericktown, thence to Bloomfield, where it arrived on the 12th and remained eight days. The town was fortified, a garrison left to defend it, and a hospital established, in which all the sick and disabled men of the division were left in charge of As- sistant Surgeon C. H. Lothrop, of the First Iowa Cavalry. On the 20th, the division resumed its march over difficult roads, crossed the St. Francis River at Chalk Bluff and continued its march southward. Captain J. D. Jenks and Lieutenant Hursh, with 50 men of the First Iowa Cavalry, were sent in ad- vance with dispatches to General Steele, at Helena, Ark., which difficult and
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.