USA > Iowa > Roster and record of Iowa soldiers in the War of the Rebellion : together with historical sketches of volunteer organizations, 1861-1866 > Part 69
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On the 29th of April, 1863, the Fourth Iowa Cavalry-Lieutenant Colonel Swan in command-embarked on steamboats at Helena and, on the next day, landed at Milliken's Bend. From the 30th day of April to the close of the Vicksburg campaign, on the 16th of July, the regiment performed very active and arduous service. Only a brief description can be given of its most im- portant operations during this remarkable period in the history of the war. During the investment of Vicksburg the movements of the regiment covered the country in the rear of that stronghold, embracing the territory between the Big Black, the Mississippi and the Yazoo Rivers. Its principal encounters with the enemy were as follows: On the morning of May 12th, the Second Battalion, under command of Major Winslow, while leading the advance of Sherman's column was engaged in a skirmish with the enemy, in which it lost one man killed, three men wounded, and had four horses killed. Major Wins- low's horse was killed, and he barely escaped being killed by being caught under the horse as it fell. It was here that Major Winslow first came under the observation of General Sherman, who had ridden to the front and was a personal witness of the gallant conduct of the Major and his battalion. The next engagements were on May 13th and 14th, when the Fourth Iowa Cavalry,
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under the personal direction of General Sherman, engaged in successful flank- ing movements, which caused the enemy to retreat into and through the city of Jackson and resulted in the capture of the city, with a loss to the enemy of 845 killed, wounded and captured, while the loss in General Sherman's army was 42 killed and 258 wounded.+
On the 16th of May the Fourth Iowa Cavalry marched from Jackson in the rear of General Sherman's army. It was held within sight of the battle of Champion's Hill, awaiting orders, but did not become engaged. It was sent upon a reconnaissance to Brownsville the next day and had a slight skirmish with the enemy's cavalry but suffered no casualties, the enemy retreating rapidly through the village. The regiment returned to the rear of the army.
On the 18th of May, Lieutenant Colonel Swan was ordered to move rap- idly in the direction of Haynes' Bluff and reconnoiter that fortified position for the purpose of ascertaining whether it was still occupied by the enemy. Early in the afternoon the advance guard of the regiment came within sight of the works, and continued to advance cautiously; but not encountering opposition, Captain Peters with his company was ordered to move forward for closer ob- servation, and, meeting with no enemy, he rode into the fort and found but twenty of the enemy, who surrendered without resistance. The strongly forti- fied position had been hastily evacuated. Captain Peters at once got into communication with Admiral Porter, whose fleet of gunboats was lying in the Yazoo River, below, out of range of the guns of the fort, and a detachment of marines was landed, under command of Lieutenant Walker, to whom Captain Peters turned over the fort and prisoners. Captain Peters moved on to the fortifications at Snyder's Bluff, which he found had also been abandoned by the enemy. That night the regiment bivouacked in the rear of McPherson's Corps and remained in that temporary camp for several days, sending out scouting and reconnoitering detachments to observe the movements of the enemy. The camp was afterwards moved to a fine location in the rear of General Sherman's position. The effective force of the regiment was constantly drawn upon for scouting duty, and most of the men and officers were in the saddle during the day and, many times, far into the night. This incessant service told severely upon both men and horses, and the effective strength of the regiment became fearfully reduced as the days wore on, both men and horses breaking down when the limit of physical endurance was reached. In the performance of these duties several conflicts with the enemy occurred.
On the 24th of May, near Mechanicsburg, a large detachment of the regi- ment, under Major Parkell, joined with detachments of other cavalry, all under command of Lieutenant Colonel Swan, met a similar force of the enemy and, in the skirmish, the Fourth Iowa had one man wounded and one horse killed. On May 29th, near the same place. Major Parkell, in command of all the effective force of the regiment, had quite a serious engagement with the enemy, in which he had one officer and six men wounded. Major Wins- low, whose battalion was supporting the artillery, was wounded in the leg by a piece of shell, and, though he continued on duty, suffered from the wound for many months. On the 22d of June, a detachment of the regiment, composed of 30 men each from companies A, F, I and K, 120 men and officers, under . command of Major Parkell, was sent to blockade the road near the Bear Creek ford, by felling trees, and thus delay the expected advance of the enemy. While engaged in this work the pickets which had been posted were attacked, and those who were not killed, wounded or captured, were rapidly driven in, and Major Parkell found himself and his small command confronted with an overpowering force of the enemy. He made a most gallant resistance, but
"Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1864, page 530.
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his valor and that of his men and officers could not prevail against such tre- mendous odds, and he was compelled to retreat, with a loss of more than one- half of the detachment. The pursuit was not long continued. The command- ing officer of the rebel force, naturally expecting that reinforcements would be encountered, soon halted and retreated with his prisoners. The loss of Major Parkell's detachment was 8 killed, 17 wounded and 36 captured. The enemy left 15 men dead upon the field, and one officer, a Major, mortally wounded, who was evidently supposed to be killed, as they carried off the rest of their wounded. Their total loss could not, therefore, be ascertained, but it no doubt reached, if it did not exceed, that of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, except in prisoners. Upon learning of the attack, the remainder of the regiment was quickly mounted and hurried to the relief of their comrades, but was not able to overtake the rebels before they had reached the lines of their own army. The division commander was justly criticised for sending so small a force so far in advance of the Union lines, without adequate support being provided, in case of attack. Lieutenant Joshua Gardner and Sergeant William T. Biggs died from the effect of wounds received in this engagement. All of the captured were exchanged and returned to the regiment in October. except Lieutenant William J. McConnelle, who remained in prison a long time and was finally exchanged and discharged without returning to the regiment, and Private James A. Livingston, who was reported as having died of his wounds in prison.
On the 20th of June, 1863, Major Winslow was promoted to Colonel of the regiment, succeeding Colonel Porter, who had resigned on account of ill health. Upon assuming command of the regiment, Colonel Winslow proceeded with great energy to improve its condition in the matter of a more strict enforcement of discipline and in other respects. He had secured the confidence and respect of the men and officers, and his efforts to improve upon the methods of those who had preceded him in command of the regiment were appreciated by all. They were now thoroughly seasoned soldiers and comprehended the absolute necessity for a more strict and impartial enforcement of discipline. Had this feeling been shown at an earlier period, Lieutenant Colonel Drummond would most likely not have resigned on account of the difference of opinion between Colonel Porter and himself as to the proper discharge of the duties of the commander of the regiment. The experience of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry was not greatly unlike that of other volunteer organizations. It generally took a long time for the men to discover that implicit obedience to orders constitutes the first duty of a soldier, and also to discover those among their officers who were best fitted not only to command them in time of battle but to best care for them upon the march, in camp and under all conditions of the service. For this reason the early commanders of regiments met with greater difficulties than those who succeeded them, and they were often subjected to unjust criticism-at least this was true with reference to a majority of them.
Immediately after the surrender of Vicksburg, on the 4th of July, 1863. General Sherman's army moved against the rebel army. commanded by Gen- eral Johnston. On the morning of July 5th, Sherman's infantry were upon the march towards Jackson. A cavalry brigade, composed of the Third and Fourth Iowa, Second Wisconsin and Fifth Illinois, under command of Colonel Cyrus Bussey, of the Third Iowa, crossed the Big Black River at Messinger's Ferry, and at once took the advance of the army on the road to Jackson From the morning of the 6th to the 11th of July. Colonel Bussey's command was constantly at the front, had numerous skirmishes with the enemy and rendered valuable assistance to General Sherman in driving the rebel army into its intrenchments at Jackson, and in subsequent operations during the short sieg which followed, ending in the evacuation of the works, by Johnston. on July
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17th, and his retreat across Pearl River. While the siege was in progress, Bus- sey's cavalry had been active, and, in obedience to orders from General Sher- man, proceeded to destroy a portion of the railroad immediately to the north of Jackson, then marched towards Canton, twenty-five miles farther to the north, and, in conjunction with a force of infantry and artillery, engaged the enemy, driving him into Canton on the night of July 17th. That night the enemy evacuated Canton, and the next morning Colonel Bussey marched into the town with his command, and proceeded to destroy factories and machine shops which had been engaged in the manufacture of equipments for the rebel army, also cars and locomotives which had been used by the rebels in trans- porting supplies for their army. Immediately after entering Canton, Colonel Bussey had ordered the Fourth Iowa Cavalry to march rapidly to the Big Black River and destroy the long railroad bridge and a mile of trestle work, together with the railroad property at Way's Bluff. The regiment promptly executed this order, meeting with no resistance from the enemy, and rejoined the command that night. Colonel Bussey then marched from Canton to Mes- singer's Ferry and went into camp. The Fourth Iowa Cavalry's camp was located upon the Flower's plantation, a beautiful place, surrounded by a luxuriant growth of trees, shrubbery and flowers, where it remained about three months. Notwithstanding the beauty of the location, the semi-tropic climate was unhealthful for these men who had been reared in the north, and there was much sickness in the regiment.
Upon his return from Jackson, General Sherman had established his head- quarters about a mile north of the camp of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, and an acquaintance was formed between the General and Colonel Winslow, which grew into a warm personal friendship. From the day (May 12, 1863) that General Sherman had been a personal witness of the gallantry and coolness of Winslow under the fire of the enemy, and the skill with which he handled his men, he had kept him in mind as an officer who would deserve promotion. Closer observation had confirmed the General's first estimate, and he determined to organize an independent Cavalry Brigade and to place Colonel Winslow in command of it. General Sherman had planned an important and hazardous expedition, the successful execution of which would inflict heavy damage upon the enemy, but would require the exercise of great skill and good judgment on the part of the officer who should be selected to command it. General Grant approved the plan, leaving all the details for its execution to be arranged by Sherman. In his letter of instructions to Colonel Winslow, General Sherman states that there was a large amount of rolling stock-70 locomotives and 500 cars-on the Great Central Railroad, between and at Water Valley and Grenada, to be moved, if possible, to and above Grenada and thence to Memphis. He also states that General Grant had ordered a cavalry force to proceed from Memphis to Grenada and to co-operate with the force under Colonel Winslow in carrying out these instructions. In an expedition of this kind it was of course necessary to invest the commanding officer with authority to act upon his own judgment, but he was to carry out his instructions, in so far as it was possible to do so, and to use his own discretion as circumstances should re- quire. The official report of Colonel Winslow5 shows that his instructions were strictly complied with, except in the matter of getting the rolling stock into Memphis, which was found to be impossible. The operations of the regiment and brigade during the expedition are fully described, and with that particu- larity of detail characteristic of all Colonel Winslow's reports. The compiler regrets that limitation of space will not permit the insertion of the entire report in this sketch. The following extracts will, however, serve to show the
5Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1315 to 1317 inclusive.
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indomitable will of the commander, the bravery and good discipline of his officers and men, some of the difficulties encountered and overcome, and the important results achieved :
In accordance with instructions, the forces under my command, consisting of the Third Iowa, Fourth Iowa, and Fifth Illinois Cavalry regiments, eight hundred men, left camp on Big Black River, at 5 o'clock A. M. on the 10th inst. Reached Yazoo City at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 12th inst. The gunboats, transports and troops had left this place early on the 11th inst." After walting in bivouac until the morning of the 14th inst., I decided, in opposition to the voices of the officers commanding regiments, to push forward without further delay. . We bivouacked at 10 P. M. on Harlan's Creek, thirty miles from Yazoo City and eight miles from Lexington. - Entered Lexington at & A. M., where the Third Iowa, Major Noble, with Lieutenant Jones, A. A. C. S., was left to procure rations, while the main force pushed forward to Durant, and captured at noon a train of cars just from Grenada. Captain Peters was immediately placed in charge of the engine. and proceeded five miles below Durant, and burned a bridge on the track. I learned that there was one engine and about ten cars below Durant; also, that the railroad bridge over Big Black River had just been repaired, the captured traln being the first one ordered over it. Resting until 6 o'clock P. M., when the Third Iowa came up, the column moved to West Station, going into bivouac at 11 P. M .. twenty-four miles by way of Durant, and twenty miles direct, from Lexington. At this point some engines and cars were found, and, with the train from Durant, forwarded to Vaiden-twelve miles-arriving at 11 o'clock, 16th inst .. when the cavalry was delayed until 5 P. M. to make up trains. Reaching Winona-twelve miles- at day-break on the 17th, it was found that the enemy, who now appeared in front, had destroyed a small bridge above town. I therefore decided to leave the trains, now comprising thirteen engines and sixty cars, and pushed forward into Grenada, where I heard some force of the enemy was posted. I caused to be burned a bridge below West Station, one below Vaiden, and two below and near Winona, that the trains might not be carried off if we should be forced to abandon them temporarily. U'n ler my instructions, I intended to return to Winona, and run the trains to Grenada. Upon arriving at Grenada, I found Lieutenant Colonel Phillips, Ninth Illinois mounted infantry, with two brigades-fifteen hundred men.
Upon learning of the approach of Lieutenant Colonel Phillips' command, the rebel cavalry, stationed at Grenada, had burned two bridges north of that place, thus making it impossible to get the locomotives and cars beyond that point. Those at Grenada were, therefore, destroyed, while those left south of that place were abandoned. Colonel Winslow then assumed command of all the Union forces and proceeded on the march to Memphis, during which he en- countered some opposition from the enemy, which he easily overcame, and arrived at Memphis on the 23d of August, 1863, having marched 265 miles. The total casualties were 11 men, killed and wounded. The loss of the enemy. in killed and wounded, was not definitely ascertained. but 55 of their number were captured and paroled. During this expedition the Fourth Iowa Cavalry was commanded by Major Parkell. General Sherman highly commended Col- onel Winslow for his successful management of the expedition, in a personal letter, from which the following extracts are taken:
You did exactly as you were ordered, and acted perfe tly rgit 1 wish now I had ordered you to destroy all cars instead of attempting to save them but my instructions were based on General Grant's wishes, as conveyed to n in person. I now assure you of my great respect. I esteem you hisily
According to his instructions. Colonel Winslow was to have se ured sept is Yazoo City from the Commissary of the Union troops stationed thereHis f Wi do so compelled him to either return to Vicksburg for supplies, or th orti w fie march and take the chances of procuring provisions for his men, as well as for for his horses, from the country on the line of his march. He boldly dec ledin the latter course, in opposition to the judgment of his officers.
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a most promising cavalry officer, and only ask you, in whatever position you may find yourself, to obey orders; and when left to your discretion to do just what your judgment suggests. Only remember that boldness and dash are the characteristics of good cavalry. . I will watch your progress always, and wish you to con- sider me your friend and to call on me freely when you will.7
Among the notable incidents in the history of the regiment was the capture and escape of Private Charles H. Smith, of Company C, afterwards promoted to Sixth Sergeant and, later, to Second Lieutenant of his company. Smith was captured August 18, 1863, near Grenada, Miss. He escaped in the night by eluding the vigilance of his guards, and, after securing the horse of their captain, rode two hundred miles, mostly by night, and, after many thrilling adventures, in several of which he came very near being recaptured, succeeded in reaching the camp of the Second Iowa Cavalry at La Grange, Tenn., and, a few days later, rode the noble horse, which had carried him through so many perils, into the camp of his own regiment at Memphis.
On the 29th of August, 1863, the regiment with its brigade embarked for Vicksburg, where it arrived on the 31st and again went into camp. On the 26th of September, General Sherman issued a General Order, from which the following paragraphs are quoted:
"1. Colonel Winslow will organize a force of about one thousand men, to move via Brownsville, Vernon and Benton, and to return to Yazoo and Me- chanicsburg, to start tomorrow evening, special instructions to be given to the Commander, who will report in person to the Commanding General.
5. Colonel Winslow, Fourth Iowa Cavalry, is announced as Chief of Cavalry, and his orders will be obeyed by all the cavalry forces now attached to this command."
A detachment of 300 men of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, under command of Captain William Pursel, constituted part of the force under Colonel Winslow which moved, as instructed, making a diversion to attract the attention of the enemy from the movement of Sherman's main army, then marching towards Memphis, its real destination being Chattanooga. The cavalry expedition was entirely successful, met with but slight loss and returned to camp with eight prisoners captured in a skirmish with the enemy.6 On October 15th, the regi- ment started on another expedition, under command of Major General Mc- Pherson, and, in the five days' march, encountered the enemy several times, losing two men killed and one captured. On the 4th of December, a detach- ment of 100 men of the regiment, under command of Major Spearman, accom- panied a force of cavalry which moved by transports to Natchez and there co-operated with the command of General Gresham on an important expedition. This detachment returned to Vicksburg December 17th. On the 19th of Decem- ber, a sufficient number of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry had re-enlisted to entitle the regiment to be designated as a Veteran organization. Recruits began to arrive from Iowa about the same time, and the strength of the regiment was increased to nearly three-fourths of the maximum number. New and improved carbines were supplied and, for the first time in its history, the Fourth Iowa Cavalry was completely armed and equipped.
From the 19th of December, 1863, to the 1st of February, 1864, the regi- ment remained in camp near Vicksburg. On the latter date it moved in ad- vance of General Sherman's army at the commencement of the most remarkable experiment that, up to that time, had been undertaken-the great Meridian
"The Story of a Cavalry Regiment. Scott; page 166.
$Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, page 1332. Official Report of Colonel Winslow.
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Expedition. Upon that expedition General Sherman demonstrated the pos- sibility of a large army cutting loose from its base of supplies and penetrating far into the interior of the enemy's country. Indeed, the success of the Me- ridian Expedition no doubt led General Sherman to undertake, at a later period, that great and brilliant achievement of his military genius-the march from Atlanta to the sea. As the vanguard of the army, the cavalry brigade, commanded by Colonel Winslow, was kept well to the front. Only the most effective men and horses were sent on this expedition, for the reason that it was expected that both would be subjected to the extreme limit of endurance. The Fourth Iowa Cavalry detachment consisted of 423 picked men and officers, under command of Major Parkell." The leading events in which the Fourth Iowa participated were, first, at Jackson where, on February 5th, the enemy was met in large force and the cavalry made an impetuous charge in which the Fourth Iowa was conspicuous, and in which one piece of artillery and fifty prisoners were captured. The rebels made a brave fight. under the leader- ship of General Stephen D. Lee, one of their best officers, but were compelled to retreat, the gallant General and several of his officers barely saving them- selves from capture by the fleetness of their horses. At Tunnel Hill, near Meridian, the regiment led the advance in another severe encounter with the enemy, the engagement beginning at sundown and lasting until 9 P. M., the rebels being driven for miles over the hills, and suffering much greater loss than they were able to inflict in a running fight. The regiment was engaged in many lesser conflicts during the expedition, in all of which it was victorious. While the infantry was destroying the railroads at Meridian, the cavalry was scouting the surrounding country and inflicting great damage upon the enemy, by burning bridges and destroying supplies which had been accumulated for the use of the rebel army. Returning by a long circuit to the north, the cavalry arrived at Canton in advance of the army; and, upon the arrival of General Sherman at that point, the Fourth Iowa was selected as his escort to Vicks- burg, arriving there on the 28th of February, having been absent 26 days. The distance marched was 450 miles. A large number of recruits had arrived during the absence of the detachment, and the aggregate strength of the regi- ment was increased to 1,300.
Those who had re-enlisted-about 500-with Colonel Winslow, and as many of the officers as could be spared from duty at the camp, marched to Vicksburg on the 4th of March, and there embarked on the good steamboat "Constitution" and proceeded to Keokuk, Iowa, where they arrived on the 14th, and on the next day each man received a furlough for 30 days, at the end of which time he was to report at Davenport, the place designated as the ren- dezvous, where the veterans were to reassemble. At the appointed time they all reported to Colonel Winslow and, within forty-eight hours, were again on their way to the South. At St. Louis Colonel Winslow received orders to dis- embark his men and proceed to Benton Barracks, where they were to be re- mounted and provided with the necessary equipments to enable them to at once enter upon another vigorous campaign. In three days they were again on their way down the river, with orders to disembark at Memphis. In the mean- time, the men who had not re-enlisted and the recruits, remaining in camp at Vicksburg, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Peters, had been ordered to proceed to Memphis, and there on the 29th of April, 1864, the regiment was again united and assigned to the Second Brigade of the Cavalry Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps. General Grierson was in command of the division and Colonel Winslow was assigned to the command of the Second Brigade.
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