USA > Iowa > Roster and record of Iowa soldiers in the War of the Rebellion : together with historical sketches of volunteer organizations, 1861-1866 > Part 70
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"Report of Adjutant General of Iowa. 1\65. Vol. 2, page 971. History of the Regiment during 1864, by A. Hodge, Adjutant.
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10On the 30th of April the regiment, with its brigade and division, marched from Memphis to Bolivar, reaching the latter place on the 4th of May. Finding that the rebel General Forrest had retreated with his forces into Mississippi, General Sturgis, in command of the federal forces, marched in pursuit as far as Ripley, but, failing to overtake the enemy, the expedition was abandoned and the troops returned to Memphis, arriving there on the 12th of May, having marched 250 miles, and suffered great hardship, without accomplishing any important results, which, as will subsequently be shown, was to be the fate of this well-equipped army of 8,000 men while it remained under the command of General Sturgis. On the 29th of May, the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, forming part of a reconnoitering force of 1,500 men, under command of Colonel Wins- low, left Memphis at 9 P. M. and proceeded to Hernando, Miss., from whence it returned to Memphis, having been gone 22 hours, and covered a distance of 54 miles, without coming in contact with the enemy.
On June 1st, General Sturgis left Memphis, with his army of 8,000 men and 18 pieces of artillery, and marched south in the direction of Guntown, where the rebel General Forrest had concentrated a strong force, with the intention of moving against Memphis. The strength of this rebel force was variously estimated at between 10,000 to 12,000 effective fighting men, well supplied with artillery, and it was under the command of one of the most daring and skillful officers in the rebel army. Colonel Winslow's Brigade, con- sisting of the Third and Fourth Iowa and Tenth Missouri Cavalry regiments, and four pieces of artillery, led the advance and, on the evening of the 7th of June, encountered a scouting party of the enemy. In the skirmish which ensued Colonel Winslow lost four men and the rebels left six dead upon the field. The cavalry continued to advance without again encountering the enemy, until the morning of June 10th, when the rebel army, under General Forrest, was found in position at Brice's Cross Roads, six miles from Guntown, where the entire strength of both armies became engaged in a hotly contested battle, which resulted in the complete defeat of General Sturgis and the loss of 2,000 of his army, killed, wounded and captured, nearly all his artillery, and 250 wagons of his supply train. During the progress of the terrible conflict, and amid the horrors of the fearful disaster which followed, the Fourth Iowa be- haved with the most determined coolness and obstinate bravery. At the be- ginning of the fight, Colonel Winslow's Brigade repelled three successive charges of the enemy, and firmly held its ground until twice ordered to retire to make way for the infantry. During the retreat, this brigade maintained its organization fully, and covered the retreat of the army until the enemy aban- doned the pursuit, the Third and Fourth Iowa being the extreme rear guard for a great part of the way. The guns of Winslow's Brigade were the first to open upon the enemy, fired the last shot at his advancing columns, and were the only ones brought safely off from that disastrous field. The men were in the saddle 54 consecutive hours, engaged with the enemy the greater part of the time, without feed for their horses or provisions for themselves. When the regiment reached Memphis, on the 14th of June, the men and horses were in a condition of almost complete exhaustion. They had marched 350 miles and had suffered a loss of 2 men killed, 18 wounded, and 3 captured.
Major A. R. Pierce was in command of the regiment on this ill-fated ex- pedition, and describes in his official report, with particularity of detail, all its movements from the time it left Memphis to its return to that place.11 He shows how gallantly the regiment withstood the first attack of the enemy,
10Report of Adjutant General of Iowa. 1865, Vol. 2, pages 971 to 976 inclusive. History of the Regiment, by Adjutant Hodge.
11Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1866,. page 124. Official Report of Major Pierce, on "Guntown Expedition."
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where Lieutenant Dillon and many of his company were wounded; how the bridge was held until the infantry were given time to cross, and how com- panies D and G, commanded by Captain Abraham and Lieutenant Keck, held the enemy in check at one of the most critical points on the retreat; how the Third and Fourth Iowa Cavalry continued in the rear, covering the retreat until both men and horses had almost reached the limit of endurance. In conclud- ing his report Major Pierce says:
I should be happy to mention in this report the names of all the officers and men who are entitled to special notice, but, in so doing, I would have to name most of my command. The battalion commanders, Captains Wood, Dee and Abra- ham, deserve much credit for their personal bravery on the field before the retreat, and the prompt manner in which they handled their commands, in guarding the rear after the retreat began; also Lieutenant Woodruff, Acting Adjutant of the regiment, for his promptness in clearing the bridge over Tishomingo Creek, and removing our horses from immediate danger.
The regiment was allowed but ten days' rest, when it was again upon the march. The army was now under the command of Major General A. J. Smith, a very able and competent officer. The Fourth Iowa was attached to the same brigade with which it had served on the previous expedition, commanded by Colonel Winslow. The army marched south for the purpose of attacking For- rest's command and retrieving the disaster which had been inflicted upon it in the expedition under Sturgis. After a number of skirmishes with the enemy, the regiment with its brigade arrived at Tupelo, in advance of the army, on the 13th of July, at noon, and immediately began to destroy the railroad and the buildings containing supplies for the rebel army. At 4 P. M. of the same day, the cavalry was ordered to proceed to the rear, to defend the train which was in danger of capture. The enemy was driven off and the train safely conducted to Tupelo, but upon reaching that place, near midnight, the regl- ment and brigade were again sent to the rear, to meet and check the advance of the enemy. After marching about two miles, the enemy was encountered and his further advance checked, the cavalry force holding its position under the fire of the rebel batteries until morning, when it was ordered to retire within the infantry lines, which was done slowly and all the way under fire. The enemy then attacked the infantry, which stood firm, repelled three succes- sive charges, and finally, in turn, charged the rebels along their whole line and drove them from the field. In this battle the rebel forces lost 2,000 men, killed. wounded and prisoners, while the loss to General Smith's army was about 800 in killed and wounded.
The next morning Colonel Winslow's Brigade was again sent to the front to reconnoiter. The enemy was found in strong force, and a movement was made to cut off the brigade from the main body, but, after a severe engage- ment, it succeeded in again retiring within the infantry lines. A severe general engagement ensued, in which the enemy was again defeated. Later in the day General Smith moved his army northward, the cavalry keeping in the rear, and the Fourth Iowa acting as the extreme rear guard. At Town Creek, five inlles from Tupelo, while the column was halted, the enemy in strong force attacked the rear. Colonel Winslow quickly got his brigade in line and successfully resisted the attack until reinforced by the infantry, when the rebel force was driven from the field with heavy loss. This ended the fighting. The enemy had been severely punished and the disasters of the previous expedition had been retrieved. The return march was fraught with much hardship. It was difficult to procure sufficient forage for the horses, and the men were compelled to live upon one-fourth rations; the weather was very warm, but, notwith- standing these unfavorable conditions, the regiment completed the march of
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
400 miles in very good condition. It reached Memphis on the 23d of July. Its loss on this expedition was three men killed, ten wounded and nine captured.12
After a brief rest, the regiment was called upon to engage in another expedition. All the cavalry at Memphis had now been consolidated into a cavalry corps, consisting of two divisions; the corps under the command of General Grierson; the First Division commanded by Colonel Hatch of the Second Iowa, and the Second Division commanded by Colonel Winslow of the Fourth Iowa. The strength of the two divisions was about 2,500 each. Eleven companies of the Fourth Iowa-about 650 men and officers-were assigned to Colonel Winslow's Division. The cavalry corps left Memphis on the 3d of August and marched direct to Holly Springs, Miss., from which place it marched south to Tallahatchie River, where it met General Chalmers' brigade of rebel cavalry, posted on the south side of that stream. They had burned the bridge. To reconstruct the bridge, under the fire of the enemy, seemed im- possible, but the artillery was brought forward and opened such a hot fire upon the enemy as to render their position untenable. They were soon driven out of range, and the work of rebuilding the bridge was begun and pushed to com- pletion. On the 9th of August the work was done, and the Fourth Iowa was the first regiment to cross the river, The enemy was at once attacked and, after a spirited resistance, retreated to Hurricane Creek, where he made another stand but was again forced to give way. The rebel General Chalmers, who was in command, now retreated to Oxford, followed closely by General Grier- son's forces, and was soon driven from that place. Further pursuit was pre- vented by an order to return to Memphis, for the purpose of engaging in an expedition against the rebel General Price, who was proceeding with his army to again invade the State of Missouri.
In the meantime, the rebel General Forrest had executed a brilliant move- ment, which most likely also had its influence in causing General Smith to change his plans. Forrest, with 2,000 picked men and horses, had made a detour around General Smith's command and, by a series of forced marches, had succeeded in reaching Memphis, and just before daybreak, on the morning of August 21, 1864, made an impetuous attack upon the troops stationed there, and had reached the heart of the city before the different detachments of Union troops could be rallied for defense. Among these detachments was Company C, of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, which had been left upon provost guard duty when the regiment left Memphis. This campany, under the com- mand of First Lieutenant L. P. Baker, rendered conspicuous service in repell- ing Forrest's attack and driving his force out of the city, after a severe con- flict, in which Lieutenant Baker and several of his men were wounded, the Lieutenant's wound being so severe as to permanently disable him. The regi- ment reached Memphis on the 30th of August, having marched 350 miles during the expedition.
On the 2d of September, 1864, the men and officers of the Fourth Cavalry who were the most able to endure the hardships of another active campaign, to the number of 525, with the other cavalry regiments composing the command of Colonel Winslow, crossed the river at Memphis, and entered upon the long and arduous march which terminated at Cape Girardeau on the 5th of October. From Cape Girardeau the troops were conveyed by boats to St. Louis, and stopping there only long enough to procure fresh horses and other equipments necessary for the continuation of the campaign, they resumed the march. General Price's rebel army of 20,000 men had now reached Lexington, Mo., and was preparing to move forward to Jefferson City and thence to St. Louis. Re cruits were constantly joining his army and the invasion of the State had indeed
12Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1268-70.
Oficial Report of Colonel E. F. Winslow.
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reached formidable proportions. To meet this invading army there was a force of about 11,000 infantry, under command of Generals A. J. Smith and Jo- seph A. Mower, and about 6,500 cavalry, under command of Major General Pleasanton, and another force composed of Kansas militia, and other troops under Generals Curtis and Blunt, making in all an army equal if not superior in numbers to that of the daring and reckless rebel invader. It was evident that much hard fighting must ensue before General Price and his army could again be driven out of the State of Missouri. The official reports give all the details of the movements and operations of the cavalry, from the time the march began at St. Louis to the last engagement, resulting in the overwhelm- ing defeat of the rebel army. Marching 360 miles in twelve days, the cavalry first encountered the enemy at Independence, on the 22d of October, and, after two hours of hard fighting, in which the Fourth Iowa bore a most conspicuous part, the enemy was driven from the field, the cavalry following in swift pur- suit.13
On the 23d of October the rebels made another determined stand and the fighting became desperate. The Fourth Brigade, being in advance, opened the fight, dislodged the first line of the enemy and forced him back upon his re- serve. The First Brigade was then ordered up to assist the Fourth, both being under command of Colonel Winslow, who at once ordered a charge along the whole line. After a desperate resistance, the rebel line was broken by the charge and retreated in disorder. The Fourth Iowa was at the front and per- formed its whole duty in this charge. Colonel Winslow was severely wounded in the leg, but continued in the saddle, directing the movements and encourag- ing his men until the enemy was in full retreat. To cover the retreat of his main army, General Price formed one brigade in line of battle four miles south of Westport, near which place the forces, under Generals Curtis and Blunt. had attacked the enemy at the same time Colonel Winslow's command had made its charge. The cavalry now charged the rebel brigade-which was endeavoring to cover the retreat-with such vigor that it broke and fled in great confusion. following the retreat of the main rebel army. The cavalry followed in pursuit for four miles, at a gallop, and captured many prisoners. In this charge the Fourth Iowa was so conspicuous that it received the highest commendation from Major Generals Curtis, Pleasanton and Blunt. Price's flying army was closely pursued to the Osage River, where his rear guard was overtaken on October 25th, and routed by a cavalry charge, in which the Fourth Iowa again bore a conspicuous part.
The conditions which now confronted the rebel General Price and his arny were desperate. He was a brave man, but he must have realized the hopeless- ness of further resistance. Nevertheless he resolved to make one more determ ined stand. He selected a position twenty miles south of the river on the open prairie. and there formed the remnant of his army-about 10,000 men-in full view of the army which was advancing to attack him. The First and Fourth Cavalry Brigades of the Union army were quickly formed for a charge, and moved over the open prairie in full view of the enemy, who stood grimly awaiting the attack. The bugle call for the charge rang out, and the line swept forward. The enemy's cavalry alone met the charge, but fought with great bravery. His infantry had already taken up the line of retreat. The assault of the strong force of Union cavalry could not long be resisted, and the entire rebel line was soon again in retreat, the victorious troopers following rapidly. crushing the rebel lines, capturing artillery and prisoners, and hastening the retreat of the now completely demoralized rebel army across the Marmiton River, and thence on to the shelter of the Ozark Mountains. In this last charge
13Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2. page 974. History of Pour Jowa Cavalry, by Adjutant Hodge.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
the Fourth Iowa had the honor of leading and, by its impetuosity, contributed largely to the glorious results. Lieutenant H. W. Curtiss, of Company F, was killed, and Major A. R. Pierce was severely wounded while gallantly charging at the head of the regiment. The result of this victory was a loss to the enemy of 1,000 killed and wounded, 1,000 prisoners (among whom were Generals Marmaduke and Cabel), S pieces of artillery, 100 wagons, loaded with provisions and ammunition, and an immense number of small arms. General Price es- caped, with a small remnant of his once powerful army. The pursuit was kept up by the cavalry until the enemy had disappeared among the Ozark Moun- tains. It was impossible to go further in pursuit, as there was no food or forage to be obtained in that desolate country, and the cavalry started on the return march with men and horses nearly worn out. It was now the 8th of November. Snow had fallen, the weather was cold and the men were insuffi- ciently clothed. Intense suffering was endured until November 14th, on which date the column was met by a supply train, which had been sent to its relief, and the men were no longer hungry, although they still suffered much from fatigue and cold weather. At length, after a march of 400 miles, the regiment reached Rolla on the 27th of November. From that point they were conveyed by rail to St. Louis, and, on the 30th of November, were once more in their old quarters at Benton Barracks.14
In his congratulatory order to the cavalry division, Major General Rose- crans states that its loss during the campaign against Price was 346 in killed, wounded and missing. The loss of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry was 4 killed and 26 wounded; but its loss was far greater than this in the number of men rendered unfit for further service on account of the exposure and hardships to which they were subjected during the campaign. In writing to the Adjutant General of Iowa, under date of December 1, 1864, Colonel Winslow says:
Lieutenant Hodge, Adjutant, is about to send you an account of the operations of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry for this year. While his history will be, without doubt, a truthful statement of the career of the regiment during this the most memorable year of the war, it cannot do justice to the sacrifices, patience, courage, fidelity and patriotism of those soldiers whom I have had the honor to command. No language can describe their sufferings. Four expeditions against Forrest and one against Price bear testimony to the fatigues endured, the dangers encountered, the defeats shared and the victories won. Unlike infantry commands, whose losses are sustained on certain days or in particular battles, far apart, cavalry regi- ments seldom meet with heavy losses at any one time, but almost every day records the death, wounding or capture of the trooper, in some of the innumerable skirmishes or scouts in which, as the "eyes of the army," cavalry are engaged. While the infantry soldier has his seasons of inactivity and rest, the trooper has no day nor hour which he can call his own, but is aroused at all times and at any moment by the sound of the bugle, calling him to mount and move to the front. Very few appreciate what the cavalry soldier endures or accomplishes for his country, hence I have written the above few words in his behalf.15
In General Orders No. 6, dated at Fort Scott, Kas., October 26, 1864, Gen- eral Pleasanton recounts the achievements of his cavalry division, and says this of Winslow's Brigade:
The gallant action of Phillips' Brigade of Missouri cavalry, and Winslow's Brigade, in capturing eight of the enemy's guns, on the Osage, was so distinguished as to draw praise from the enemy. . The night fighting of Colonel Winslow
14Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 1310 to 1313 inclusive. Colonel Winslow's Official Report of the operations of his division in the campaign against Price. Same volume, pages 966 to 969 inclusive. Official Report of Major A. R. Pierce, Commanding Fourth Iowa Cavalry.
15 Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 969, 970.
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on the Big Blue deserves the highest commendation. The regiments of the Fourth Brigade are authorized to place upon their colors "Big Blue" and "Osage."
A few weeks later, when the brigade was about to leave his command, General Pleasanton issued the following order16:
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION. WARRENSBURG, Mo., November 3, 1864.
GENERAL ORDERS NO. 11.
Winslow's Brigade of cavalry being about to leave for another department, the Major General commanding takes this occasion not only to express his regrets in separating from such glorious troops, but also to recall more especially than was done in General Orders No. 6, from these headquarters, the splendid manner in which the brigade fought at the Osage, capturing five pieces of artillery from the enemy, with a large number of prisoners, and carrying by a daring charge the most important and conspicuous position on that brilliant field.
By command of Major General Pleasanton.
CLIFFORD THOMPSON, A. A. A. G.
From the time it started on the expedition last described to its return to St. Louis, embracing a period of a little less than three months, the regiment had traveled 1,952 miles, had worn out two sets of horses, had suffered the extremes of intense heat and severe cold, had fought in several engagements, in all of which it was successful, had been an important factor in the almost complete destruction of one of the rebel armies, and the virtual crushing out of the rebellion in that part of the enemy's territory which, thus far, had been the scene of its operations. The original term of service of the regiment had now expired, and those who had not re-enlisted, including also the officers who chose to retire at the close of their three years' service, were sent to Iowa and given the honorable discharge to which they were entitled. They had served their country well and faithfully for three long years, and no just criticism could be made upon their leaving the service at the end of the term for which they had enlisted. The number of men and officers who were mustered out was about 250, part of whom were sent from St. Louis and part from that por- tion of the regiment that was still at Memphis.
The number of men and officers of the regiment who had remained at Memphis, when their comrades started upon the campaign in Missouri, had been somewhat increased by men who had been sick in hospitals and had recovered and returned to duty, also by those who had returned from furlough, so there were now about the same number in Memphis as there were in St. Louis. They had not been idle. Nearly every day, from early in September to January, those able for duty were either on the picket line, scouting, or engaged in more extended expeditions. On the 14th of December, 1864, a detail of 46 men from Companies A and B of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry, under the command of Captain Eldred Huff, of Company A, was sent upon a scouting expedition, and, when near White's Station, about six miles east of Memphis. was suddenly attacked by a greatly superior force of the enemy's cavalry. After a severe conflict, in which three of his men were killed and eight wounded, the Captain ordered a retreat, during which twenty of his men and himself were overtaken by the enemy and captured. The remainder of the de- tachment escaped and rode back to Memphis. A larger detachment was im- mediately sent to the scene of the conflict and endeavored to overtake the enemy, but did not succeed in doing so. The killed and wounded who had been left upon the field were removed to Memphis, the wounded cared for in hospital and the dead buried with the honors of war. Some of the unfortunate captives died in prison, and those who survived the inhuman treatment they received in Andersonville remained prisoners until the end of the war.
16Report of Adjutant General of Iowa, 1865, Vol. 2, pages 975, 6.
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Another expedition, in which 100 men of the Fourth Iowa-under com- mand of Captain Beckwith-participated, left Memphis early in December and was conveyed by transports to a point on the river near which, it was reported, a large quantity of arms and medical stores, belonging to the rebel army, were stored, awaiting transportation, and guarded by but a small force of rebels, who were waiting the arrival of a larger force with wagons to remove the . arms and stores to the interior. The camp of the guards was surrounded just at daybreak and, after a brief resistance, they surrendered. One thousand rifles, ammunition for same, besides a large quantity of revolvers, quinine and other medical stores, were captured and, with the prisoners, taken to Memphis. Such captures were of great importance, as the rebels were sorely in need of such supplies, which, on account of the destruction of so many of their fac- - tories and the maintenance of a strict blockade along the coasts, they found it very difficult to procure. It is one of the marvels of history that the soldiers of the rebel army, lacking as they did, in the latter days of the war, so many of the supplies necessary for their maintenance, should have been able and willing to prolong the hopeless struggle. They were brave American soldiers, fighting for a cause they thought was just, and the brave men who finally con- quered them can well afford to pay tribute to their valor and endurance.
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