USA > Iowa > Benton County > The history of Benton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics > Part 45
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
Resolred, That we hold it to be the sacred duty of every citizen to defend his country from the aggressions of the foe, and assist our Government in the maintenance of her laws, and espe- cially to defend his home and his family from the assaults of invaders ;
Resolved, That we, citizens of Benton County, do form ourselves into a military company, for the purpose of assisting in the protection of the Government ; and do agree to devote a por- tion of our time to military discipline, and to hold ourselves prepared for any emergency that may arise.
Col. Sells, Mr. Vanatta. Rev. R. King and others addressed the meeting, and " enthusiasm was waked " indeed.
AT HICKORY GROVE,
May 5th, a national flag, prepared by the ladies, was raised, amid the enthusi- astic cheers of an assembled multitude. A poetic address to the flag, written by Isaiah Morris, was read, after which, the people gathered at the school house, where I. G. Burnett was called to the chair, George Black appointed Secretary, and Amos Dean, Caleb Carter and Isaiah Morris, Committee on Resolutions. The committee reported as follows :
Deeply regretting the necessity which now compels our Government to assume a defensive attitude, but fully convinced that such is the fact, be it
Resolved, That we will sustain the Government at all hazards.
Resolved, That as we have heretofore, in all our political contests, professed great devotion to our Constitution and Flag, now is the time to prove who were sincere at heart in their profes- sions and who were not.
Resolved, That we consider old party ties among the things that have been, and that there are but two parties now in our country, viz .: the Union and Order Party, and the Disunion and Anarchy Party.
Resolved, That we pledge to our country our best efforts to sustain the flag, and to each other mutual defense and protection.
Resolved, That whoever is the friend of the Stars and Stripes, is our friend ; and whoever insults our brave old flag, insults us.
The resolutions were unanimously adopted. Patriotic and thrilling speeches were made by A. G. Hanna, S. S. Parks. I. G. Burnett, William Evans, Caleb Carter, L. M. Holt and Amos Dean, and a military company of twenty-eight men was formed.
Other patriotic meetings were held in different parts of the county ; but those given above are sufficient to show the spirit that animated the people in that hour of the nation's peril.
May 16th, the cloth for the uniforms of the "Benton County Volunteers " having arrived, Mary H. Taggart and Margaret E. Shields called upon the patriotic ladies of Vinton to meet at Rev. N. C. Robinson's church, on Satur- day afternoon, 18th, to see how many would engage in the work of making the uniforms.
May 11th, the citizens of Harrison formed a military company of riffemen, called the "Harrison Rangers," for the purpose of acting as a reserve, ready at the call of the State authorities to assist in the enforcement of the laws, in repelling invasion and supporting the Federal Government; and on the 18th of May, James L. Geddes was elected Captain. A company was organized in Eden, also.
390
HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY.
At the June session the Board of Supervisors, took cognizance of the appropriation of $500; and on the 6th of June, John Slattery, Stoughton Lamoree and Jacob Austin were appointed a special committee to investigate the matter of the application of the $500 to the use of the volunteer company, and to report the same to the Board October 14, 1861.
John Slattery, W. F. Kirkpatrick and M. C. Smith were appointed a com- mittee to inquire into, and report to this Board at its then present session, " by whom, how and for what purposes the money was applied that was voted by this Board at its May session for the equipment of the 'Benton County Vol- unteers.'"
DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST COMPANY.
The time came at last when the Benton County Volunteers were called upon to join the armed hosts that were pouring down from the North to battle for the Union on the sunny plains of the South.
On Monday evening, July 8th, the people gathered at the Presbyterian Church for the purpose of bidding farewell to the company. John Shane was Chairman, and S. H. Watson, Secretary. Speeches were made by Messrs. Shane, Shutts, Robinson, Wright, Gaston and others, and a Testament was presented to each one of the volunteers.
On Tuesday morning, the 9th of July, the people of town and county again assembled to take a last look at and to give the parting grasp to somec herished husband, father, brother, son or lover. It was truly touching to witness the demonstrations of affection and of friendship; to behold the streaming eyes and quivering lips of some wife, mother, daughter or sister, who, clinging to the object of her love, seemed bent on improving with her affectionate counsels and other manifestations of love, each precious moment previous to the com- pany's departure.
At about 11 o'clock, the volunteers were drawn up in front of the Shields House, and Mr. B. R. Sherman, who had been designated therefor by the lady donors of the flag, appeared, flag in hand, and addressed the company in the presence of the vast crowd in the most happy and felicitous manner, and was highly appreciated by all present. Lieut. Pickerell eloquently responded to the presentation speech in behalf of the company.
Revolvers were also presented to Capt. Hunt and Lieuts. Pickerell and Oberlander, accompanied by excellent speeches from Messrs. Douglass and Sells. Judge Douglass donated sixty-four pairs of shoes, following which the Captain called the roll, and several persons named thereon failing to respond, having squarely "backed out," were justly stigmatized as "traitors " and " cowards " by the company. The ceremonies concluded, the company, escorted by the Vinton Brass Band, took up their line of march amid the outbursts of tears and sobs of the welling hearts to be left behind, for the opposite side of the river, where wagons were in waiting to convey them to Independence, from whence they were to go by cars to Dubuque, and from thence to Burlington by boat. and become Company G, Fifth Iowa Volunteers.
It is but just to add that Mr. Connell, who had been elected First Lieuten- ant of the company, was prevented from going by the illness of his wife.
After the disastrous battle of Bull Run, recruiting was vigorously prose- cuted in Benton County. August 3d, the Harrison Rangers, Capt. Geddes, paraded in the streets of Vinton and were ordered to rendezvous at Davenport as soon as the ranks were full. This company became Company D, Eighth Iowa Volunteers.
391
HISTORY OF BENTON COUNTY.
Early in September, a cavalry company was organized by choice of John Shane, Captain ; James H. Shutts, First Lieutenant ; and William A. Walker, Second Lieutenant.
While as a rule the people of Benton County were generous in the contri- bution for the support of the families of the volunteers, there were a few, as is to be inferred from the following extract from an article headed " To Whom It May Concern," in the Vinton Eagle of October 3, 1861, who did not come to time. The Eagle said :
But of all the accursed meanness extant, that of advising the poor, sickly wife of one of the volunteers to take in washing for the support of herselt and children, while her husband, her only support in this life, is off like a true man, exposing his life for the general cause, caps the climax. The next meanest act is that of doling out a few pounds of flour to a half-starved woman with a large family, and at the same time, warning her to be as saving of it as possible. Bah ! it makes us fairly sick to have to write about such littleness of soul. Of what avail is it to observe a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer to the end that the Almighty will shower down plentiful blessings upon us as a community, unless a stop is put to the daily fasting that is going on in our midst ? It will not require a great deal of searching to find volunteers' families who are destitute of almost everything but flour, and who have but precious little of that. We do not purpose to specify families It is for such men as we have last designated to look them up and relieve their wants.
October 15, 1861, the Benton Guards, Captain Shane, left Vinton for camp McClellan, at Davenport, and was made Company G, Thirteenth Iowa.
In November, the Ladies' Aid Society was organized in Vinton.
August 6, 1862, a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors was called. and a bounty of $15 voted to be paid to each private and non-commissioned officer of two volunteer companies of 101 men each, but the raising of the money therefor was postponed until the next meeting.
January 5, 1863, on motion of J. Rice, it was voted to extend aid to all families who need the same, whether wives or mothers (who are dependent on their sons for support) of soldiers.
June 8, 1864, the Board appropriated $50 to aid the Soldiers' Home, at Clinton.
October 20, 1864, the Board adopted the following resolution :
Resolved, That a county order for $25 be presented to each man a resident of Benton County, Iowa, who volunteers in a Benton County Company before the 1st day of January, 1864, to serve three years or during the war ; said order to be presented to the volunteer, or their order, when they are accepted and mustered into the United States service. Provided, Not over 100 men enlist, and that the Clerk of the Board is hereby authorized and directed to issue said orders in accordance with this resolution.
January 1, 1864, a bounty of $100 was voted to each volunteer or drafted man in lieu of previous bounties offered by the Board.
But a single volume would not give sufficient space in which to detail all the events pertaining to this part of our work. Suffice it to say that, as long as the war continued, money was ready-men were ready. Men of wealth fur- nished the former, and the less affluent filled the ranks-furnished the brawn, the muscle, the bravery, the sinews of war. Oftentimes, the former furnished not only their share of money, but shouldered their muskets and followed the starry flag, as well.
Having noticed the financial sacrifices and the readiness of the wealthier part of the people to contribute liberally and continuously of their means, we come now to the volunteer soldiery. And of these, what can we say ? What vivid words can the pen employ that will do justice to their heroic valor, to their unequaled and unparalleled bravery and endurance ? Home and home comforts, wives and little ones, fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, were all given up for life and anger on the fields of battle-for exposure, fatigue, disease and death at the
F
-
392
WAR RECORD OF BENTON COUNTY.
point of the bayonet or at the cannon's mouth. But little they recked of all these, but boldly and bravely went out with their lives in their hands to meet and to conquer the foes of the Union, maintain its supremacy and vindicate its honor and integrity. No more fitting tribute to their patriotic valor can be offered than a full and complete record, so far as it is possible to make it, embracing the names, the terms of enlistment, the battles in which they were engaged, and all the minutiæ of their military lives. It will be a wreath of glory encircling every brow-a precious memento which each and every one of them earned in defense of their and our common country.
WAR RECORD OF BENTON COUNTY.
TAKEN PRINCIPALLY FROM ADJUTANT GENERAL'S REPORTS.
ABBREVIATIONS.
Adjt ....
Adjutant
I. V. I
Iowa Volunteer Infantry
Art.
.Artillery
kld ..
.killed
Battle or Battalion Bat.
Lient .. Lieutenant
Col.
Colonel
Maj Major
Capt
.Captain
nı. o .. mustered ont
Corp.
. Corporal
prmtd. .promoted
Comsy,.
Commissary
prisr .. prisoner
commissioned com.
Regt. .Regiment
.. cavalry cav
captured
res .. .resigned
desrtd.
.. deserted
Sergt.
.Sergeant
disab
.. disabled
trans transferred
disd
discharged vet.
... veteran
e ...
enlisted
V. R. C.
Veteran Reserve Corps
excd.
exchanged
wd.
wounded
inf.
infantry
hon. disd
.. honorably discharged inv
FIFTH INFANTRY.
The regiment was mustered in at Burlington, July 15, 1861, and ordered to Keokuk August 2, from which point they were sent into Missouri for a few days in pursuit of bush whackers, after which they were sent to St. Louis, and from thence ordered to Jefferson City, Mo., and from there to Boonville, Mo .; thence followed the rebel army under Price to Springfield, Mo., and on their return, en- camped at Syracuse until the following February, when they were moved across the country to St. Louis, and thence by transport to Cairo, where they remained a few weeks and were transferred to Cape Girardeau. They were then marched to New Madrid, where they had a skirmish with the enemy, and the first man from Cedar County, private Wm. Beaver, was killed. After the fall of New Madrid, they crossed the Mississippi and marched to Tiptonville to intercept and capture rebels, who were attempting to escape from Island No. 10. They were then ordered back to New Madrid, thence to a point above Fort Pillow, on the Mississippi, thence by way of Cairo and the Tennessee River to Pittsburg Landing, to take part in the operations before Corinth.
Upon the evacuation of Corinth, they followed the rebels to Rienzi, and afterward remained in camp at Clear Creek, Rienzi and Jacinto until Sept. 18, 1862, when they started for Iuka, where, on the 19th, they took part in the battle of Iuka, where Co. A went into a fight with 43 men, and had 27 killed and wounded. It was here that the regiment distinguished itself, so that it was com- plimented very highly by the Generals commanding. The position they held was in support of a battery, which, in consequence of a superiority of numbers of the enemy, was at one time captured; but rallying to the rescue, the
Fifth Regiment retook the battery with the terrible loss above mentioned. They r-turned to Jacinto on the 21st of September, thence moved to Corinth to take part in the battle at that place. Engaged in the pursuit of the rebels after that battle, they remained in camp at Corinth until November, when they joined the expedition against Vicksburg, going by way of Holly Springs to Oxford, thence to Memphis, where they remained in camp until Spring of 1863.
From here they were ordered to Helena, thence in the Yazoo Pass expedition. After their return to Helena, they moved to Milliken's Bend, and through Louisiana to a point below Vicksburg, and thence by gunboat to a point below Grand Gulf, Miss. , From here they were ordered to Raymond and Jackson, and back to the battle of Champion Hill, where Co. A lost ten in killed and wounded.
After this they engaged in the pursuit of the rebels to Vicksburg, and took part in the charge on the 22d of May.
They then took their places in the siege of Vicksburg, where they remained until the last of June, when they were ordered to Black River, to confront the enemy com- ing to the relief of Vicksburg.
They returned to Vicksburg July I, and remained in camp until Sept. 1, when they were ordered to Helena for the purpose of joining the expedition against Little Rock, but were from there ordered to Chattanooga by way of Corinth, marching a considerable portion of the distance. They were then transferred to the Seventeenth Corps, and took part in the battle of Chickamauga, where the regiment lost 30 men in killed and wounded, and 8 officers and 76 men taken prisoners, leaving only 65 men in the regi- ment who answered at roll call that evening. They after- ward went down the river to Stevenson and Huntsville,
re-e
.re-enlisted
captd ..
invalid
3.93
WAR RECORD OF BENTON COUNTY.
Ala., where they remained all Winter. In April, 1864, the veterans of the regiment went home on furloughis, and on their return were placed on the railroads to do guard duty, being most of the Summer at Kingston, Ga. They pursued the rebel Gen. Wheeler in the last raid to the rear of Sherman, in June, 1864, traveling during the time nearly nine hundred miles, and being three weeks without blankets or change of clothing.
About the last of July, 1864, the non-veterans of the regiment were mustered out of service, leaving 180 men, who, ou application to the War Department, were trans- ferred to Fifth Iowa Cavalry, leaving eleven officers with- out a command, who were inustered out of service Sept. 28, 1864, at Gen. Kilpatrick's headquarters, fifteen miles south of Atlanta, Ga.
Company G.
Capt. Jacob S. Hunt, com. 1861, resd. Jan. 14, 1862.
Capt. Wm. F. Pickerill, com. Ist lient. 1861, prmitd. capt. Jan. 15, 1862, taken prisoner at Missionary Ridge Nov. 25, 1863, hon. disd. Dec. 19, 1864.
Second Lieut. Samuel Oberlender, com. 1861, resd. Jan. 29, 1862.
Second Lieut. Charles L. Summers, e. as sergt. June 24, 1861, prmtd. to 1st sergt., then 2d lieut. Feb. 1, 1862, resd. Sept. 3, 1862.
Second Lieut. John E. l'angburn, e. as sorgt. Jan. 24, 1861, prmtd. to 1st sergt .. then 2d lieut. Sept. 4, 1862, wd. at Iuka, disd. Nov. 18, 1863.
Sergt. Edwin Jenks, e June 24, 1861, disd. April 26, 1862, disab.
Sergt. Daniel W. Artist, e. June 24, 1861, kld. in batıle Champion Hills.
Sergt. Jacob Wetz, e. June 24, 1861, disd. Dec. 18, 1862, disab.
Sergt. Basil II. Martin, e. June 24, 1861, wd. at Iuka.
Sergt. Morgan Pratt, e. June 24, 1861, captd. at Chat- tanooga.
Sergt. A. S. Mossman, e. June 24, 1861, wd. at Champion Hills, captd. at Missionary Ridge.
Sergt. William Graham, e. June 15, 1861, captd. at Chat- tanooga.
Sergt. A. Campbell, e. June 24, 1861, wd. at Iuka, trans. to Inv. Corps.
Corp. W. S. Robbins, e. June 24, 1861.
Corp. Edw. Cadman, e. June 24, 1861, wd. at Champion Hills, disd. Oct. 29, 1862.
Corp. Lyman H. Starks, e. June 24, 1861.
Corp. Milton Cox, e. June 15, 1861, disd. Feb. 13, 1862.
Corp. H. A. Day, e. June 24, 1861, disd.
Corp. Patrick Downey, e. June 15, 1861, wd. at Champion Hills, died at Davenport Dec. 16, 1863.
Corp. Simeon Wood, e. June 24, 1861, died at Booneville, Mo., Nov. 9, 1861.
Corp. Edward D. Cox, e. June 15, 1861, captd. at Chat- tanooga.
Corp. Thomas Shields, e. June 24, 1861, wd. at Tunnel Hill, died at Chattanooga Dec. 14, 1863, wds.
Corp. Philo D. Wilson, e. June 24, 1861, wd. at Champion Hills, captd. at Chattanooga.
Musician Wm. Miskimmons, e. June 24, IS61.
Wagoner John Magill, e. Nov. 13, 1861, disd. Oct. 14, 1862, disab.
Brainard, James, e. July 15, 1861.
Blakely, Edw. C., e. July 15, 1861.
Baldwin, James, e. July 15, 1861.
Bain, John, c. March 11, 1861.
Binder, Benjamin, e. Sept. 6, 1862, kld. in action at Cham- pion Hills May 16, 1863.
Cox, Henry, c. Aug. 15, 1862, captd. at Chattanooga.
Campbell, Samuel, e. Nov 5, 1861, wd. at Vicksburg, disd. Jan. 14, 1864, wds.
Cox, William, e. Aug. 11, 1862, captd. at Chattanooga.
Cantonwine, David, e. Aug. 15, 1862, captd. at Chat- tanooga.
Cagley, Jacob, e. Aug. 11, 1862.
Clark, Win. F., e. Juty 15, 1861.
Cole, S. W., e. July 15, 1861, trans. to Inv. Corps.
Dermotte, L., e. July 15, 1861, captd. at Chattanooga. Day, Henry A., e. July 15, 1861.
Dempsey, John, e. July 15, 1861, trans. to 36 Co. 1st Bat. Inv. Corps.
Ditch, Henry, e. July 15, 1861, kld. in battle Juka Sept. 19, 1862.
Ditch, David, e. July 15, 1861.
Downs, Robert J., e. July 15, 1861, wd. at Vicksburg.
Eisenham, Nicholas, e. July 15, 1861, wd. at Champion Hills.
Frazer, Rufus, e. July 15, 1861, disd. Sept. 18,'1862, disab.
-
Gillespie, Stewart, e. July 15, 1861, kld. at Champion Hills May 16, 1863.
Ilatfield, Wm. W., c. July 15, 1861.
Hatfield, Lewis S., e. July 15, 1861, captd. at Helena, Ark.
Henderson, John, e. July 15, 1861.
Hloulehan, Robert, e. Ang. 27, 1862.
Holsey, N. Z., e. Ang. 27, 1862, disd. June 11, 1863.
King, George, e. Sept. 6, 1862, trans, to Inv. Corps.
Kabrick, Peter, e. July 15, 1861, died April 3, 1862, at St. Louis.
Lane, Isaac, e. July 15, 1861.
Lebsch, John, e. Aug. 11, 1862.
Martin, A. W., e. Aug. 7, 1862, wd. at Champion Ilills, ' died at Cairo Sept. 19, 1863.
Matthews. James, e. Aug. 11, 1862.
Mechan, Augustus, e. Aug. 27, 1862, wdl. at Champion Hills .
Mount, Wm. W., e. July 15, 1861.
McCoy, George B., e. July 15, '61, captd. at Chattanooga.
Mossman, Harrison, Nov. 5, 1861.
Meyers, Emanuel, e. July 24, 1861, captd. at Chattanooga.
Moody, James, e. June 24, 1861.
Miskimmons, Joseph, e. June 24, 1861, wdl. at Iuka.
Miskimmons, Lewis, e. June 24, 1861.
Miskimmons, James M., e. Sept. 23, 1862, wd. at Iuka.
Mclaughlin, Thomas, e. June 24, 1861.
Norton, Alexander, e. June 24, 1861.
Onstott, David, e. June 24, 1861.
Porter, Richard, e. June 24, 1861.
Pratt, Milo, e. Sept. 6, 1862.
Stewart, Isaac H., e. June 24, 1861, died at Mt. Vernon, Ind., July, 1862
Stewart, Wm., e. June 24, 1861.
Strawn, S. H., e. June 24, 1861.
Strawn, Elijah, e. June 24, 1861.
Scott, James C., e. June 24, 1861.
Sexton, Thomas, e. June 24, 1861.
Thompson, M. L., e. June 24, 1861, disd. Oct. 6, 1861.
Thompson, Martin, e. June 24, 1861, captd. at Chat- tanooga. Taylor, L. D., e. June 24, 1861.
Vanhorn, Arthur, e. June 24, 1861, disd. July, 1862, disab. Vanhorn, Joseph, e. June 24, 1861, disd. Feb. 19, 62, disab. Williams, James G., e. June 24, 1861, died Nov. 16, 1861, at Otterville, Mo.
Waitman, John, e. June 24, 1861, died Sept. 27, 1862, of wils. received at Iuka.
Webb, John C., e. June 24, 1861.
White, John, e. June 24, 1861.
COMPANY UNKNOWN.
Garton, James A., e. Ang. 21, 1862.
EIGHTH INFANTRY.
This regiment was recruited late in the Summer of 1861, immediately after the battle of Bull Run. The regiment was composed of troops enlisted in Clinton, Scott, Washington, Benton, Linn, Marion, Keokuk, Iowa, Mahaska, Monroe and Louisa Counties, and was organized at Davenport, in September. Frederick Steele of the reg- ular army, was appointed Colonel ; James L. Geddes, a brave Scotchman of Benton County, was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel, and John C. Ferguson, Major.
Very soon after its organization and equipment, the regiment went to St. Louis; and in about two weeks, it moved to Syracuse, where it was attached to the forces under Gen. Fremont, about to move against Price, in Southwestern Missouri. This march was peculiarly severe upon raw troops, and the command suffered severely from forced marches over bad roads. Almost every camping ground became the burial place of soldiers who died from exhaustion. The Eighth Iowa lost heavily. It returned to Sedalia near the middle of November. From this time the regiment went into quarters, where it remained with- out particular incident until it was ordered to join Gen. Grant's forces in Tennessee.
Early in February, 1862, Col. Stecle was promoted to be Brigadier General of Volunteers, and Licut. Col. Geddes became Colonel of the Regiment; Maj Ferguson was promoted to the Lieutenant Colonelcy, and Capt. Joseph Andrews, of Company F, became Major.
On the 12th of March, 1862, the regiment embarked at St. Louis for Pittsburg Landing. Arrived five days after- ward, having had three men killed and five wounded while steaming up the Tennessee. At Shiloh, April 6th,
the regiment fought heroically. Late in the evening,
394
WAR RECORD OF BENTON COUNTY.
Col. Geddes surrendered his command to the enemy. He had fought ten consecutive hours, presenting an unbroken front to the enemy, and at last the regiment passed in an organized body into captivity. That part not captured went into the "Union Brigade," and especially distin- guished itself at Corinth.
Early in 1863, the regiment was reorganized at St. Lonis, and left the first week in April to join the grand army under Grant in the magnificent campaign against Vicksburg. A part of Tuttle's Division, the regiment took part in the battle of Jackson, and then marched to Vicksburg, where it took part in the assault of the 22d, in the siege for thirty days, when it moved to the Big Black with the army of observation. Was with Sherman in his movements against Jackson, and took a prominent part in the pursuit of the rebels to Brandon, in which movement Col. Geddes commanded a brigade. Returning to Vicksburg, the regiment had a period of rest. Here, Lieut. Col. Ferguson died of disease. In October, Col. Geddes and the regiment moved to Brownsville, under McPherson.
Early in November, moved to Memphis; thence to La Grange and Pocahontas, where he remained until or- dered to Vicksburg, to join in the Meridian raid. Very shortly after its return to Vicksburg, a large portion of the command having re-enlisted, the regiment went home on veteran furlough, at the expiration of which, it went to Memphis, where it remained as provost guard during the rest of 1864 and the first two months of 1865. On the 21st of August, 1864, Forrest attacked Memphis and was repulsed, Gens. Washburn and Hurlbut saved from capture and the city from sack by Col. Geddes and his brave command. The regiment lost 40 men in this affair. The regiment was very popular in Memphis.
Early in March, 1865, the regiment was ordered to New Orleans; thence to Dauphin Island, whence it soon joined in the last general campaign of the war, that against Mobile. The Eighth distinguished itself in the assault on Spanishı Fort, where it captured several hundred prisoners. This was one of the most brilliant movements of the war.
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.