USA > Iowa > Iowa County > The history of Iowa County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &c. > Part 57
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465
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
a part of the heroic force who stormed Mission Ridge, and earned a noble record. This, and the battle of Champion's Hill, are regarded as the hard- est battles fought by this regiment. December 4th the regiment moved to Larkinsville, Alabama, thence to Huntsville, arriving January 9, 1864. February 1, the regiment re-enlisted as veterans and remained at Hunts- ville, making sorties with Roddy's cavalry until June 15, when it started north on a veteran furlough. In July it returned to the front, arriving at Kingston, Georgia, August 1st. While here it was transferred to the sec- ond brigade. September 28th the non-veterans were mustered out, the regiment was filled up, and then joined Sherman's march to Savannah. January 19, the regiment was moved from Savannah into South Carolina, and joined the expedition on Columbia, thence to Goldsboro, entering the latter city August 22d, after severe fighting, having marched five hundred miles from Savannah in an inclement season of the year. Many of the soldiers were nearly naked and without shoes, but all were contented and joyous, satisfied in the consciousness of duty done. The regiment traveled eight thousand, one hundred and seventy-five miles, served in ten States of the Confederacy, and fought in eighteen pitched battles, besides numerous skirmishes. Up to the battle of Mission Ridge, not a man had been taken prisoner on a battle-field. The regiment was mustered out as veterans at Little Rock, Arkansas, August 15, 1865, having served months beyond their term of enlistment, and for which they received high commendation from the department.
For list of casualties see page 184.
Iowa county was represented in companies E and F.
COMPANY E .*
Berry, Oliver P., wounded at Champion's Hill; veteranized Jan- uary 11, 1864.
Gates, Cornelius, veteranized Jan- uary 11, 1864.
Fulton, Nathan, wounded at Vicks- burg; transferred to invalid corps February 15, 1864.
Hare, John, wounded at Corinth; discharged May 10, 1863.
Holderness, Samuel, veteranized January 11, 1864.
Klockenlagel, Fred., wounded at Champion's Hill.
Pool, Levi, discharged February 2, 1862.
Waters, James F. N.
COMPANY F.+
Dobbs, Thos., wounded at Champ- ion's Hill; killed by bushwhack-
ers October 21, 1864, near Kings- ton, Georgia.
Deadmore, Elias, wounded at Iuka; transferred to invalid corps Febru- ary 16, 1865.
Deadmore, Jacob, died December 17, 1861, at Bird's Point, Mis- souri.
Elliott, James B., veteranized Feb- ruary 1, 1864.
Hartel, John Q. A., veteranized February 1, 1864.
Hangham, Francis M., wounded at Champion's Hill; died of wounds on hospital boat June 27, 1863.
Kesler, Henry J., wounded at Champion's Hill; died May 26, 1863.
Pew, Daniel, veteranized February 1, 1864.
Tinkle, David, discharged October 22, 1862.
Widner, James.
*Enlisted August 24, 1861, unless otherwise stated.
+Enlisted August 22, 1861, unless otherwise stated.
466
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.
Hartle, George, enlisted June 23, 1865.
Laporte, William W., enlisted Sep- tember 18, 1861; discharged June 8, 1862.
ELEVENTH INFANTRY.
The Eleventh infantry regiment was organized in September and Octo- ber, 1861. It, with the Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa regiments, formed the third brigade of the sixth division, Seventeenth army corps. Shiloh, April 6, 1862, was its introduction to the art of war, where the Iowa brigade proved to be of good mettle on a terrible field of battle. The bri- gade had not yet learned to fire by battalion and company, and could only answer the fire of the enemy thus made with fire by file. The heaps of fal- len enemies in front of them showed they were good marksmen. Its second battle was at Corinth, October 4, 1862. The winter of 1862 was spent in the operations in front of Vicksburg, Milliken's Bend, Providence, Bayou Tensas and Macon, to the close of the Vicksburg campaign in July, 1863. It then, in August, went with the brigade on the expedition to Monroe, Louisiana; in October, to Jackson; in December, to Redbone; in February, 1864, on the Meridan expedition; at the close of which it, in March, came home on veteran furlough, having re-enlisted in January. It returned to the front and joined General Sherman's army at Neworth, Georgia, and first met the enemy at Kenesaw, June 15, and lost its first man, and in the skir- mishes which daily followed it met its heaviest losses, like the remainder of the Iowa brigade, on the 22d of July in the siege of Atlanta, where the Iowa brigade were under fire of the enemy nearly eighty-one days, sixteen of which were in battle. After driving Hood's army from the country, the army cut loose from its base; in October joined in the memorable " March to the Sea," the Seventeenth corps being assigned to the right wing, the Army of the Cumberland to the left. Starting on the 6th of November, thence to Richmond, Washington, the Grand Review, and Louisville, where it was mustered out July 15, 1865, having traveled over eight thousand miles, over half of which was on foot, and having a record of 386 men and 40 officers lost.
The casualties of the regiment are given on page 184.
Iowa county was represented in companies B and G.
COMPANY B.
Akers, Eli D., first sergeant; pro- moted to captain Nov. 26, 1862; discharged Aug. 29, 1863; wound- ed at Shiloh; enlisted Sept. 12, 1861.
Tilton, Benjamin N., fourth ser- geant.
Brown, William C., veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
PRIVATES.
Best, Campbell H., discharged June 27, 1865; enlisted September
23, 1861; veteranized Jan. 1, 1864. .
Butler, Alonzo, enlisted Sept. 23, 1861; promoted to musician; re- duced to ranks, Dec. 1, 1861; trans- ferred to gunboat Feb. 8, 1862.
Carder, Sanford, enlisted Sept. 23, 1861.
Cheney, Amos, enlisted Sept. 22, 1861.
Dickenson, Levi J., enlisted . Sept. 23, 1861; wounded at Atlanta, Georgia, July 20, 1864; veteran- ized Jan., 1864.
Farley, James, enlisted Sept. 23.
467
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
Housden, Edward C., enlisted Sept. 23.
Hickman, Thomas, enlisted Sept. 23; died at Jefferson City Dec. 30, 1861.
Longstreet, George, enlisted Sept. 23; died at Keokuk, Aug. 11, 1862.
Longstreet, Philip, enlisted Sept. 23; wounded at Vicksburg May 22, 1863; died at St. Louis July 24, 1863, of wounds.
Michael, William H. C., enlisted Sept. 23; discharged Sept. 29, 1862.
Miller, John A., enlisted Sept. 23; transferred to gunboat service Feb. 8, 1862.
McBride, M. L. W., enlisted Sept. 23; veteranized Jan., 1864.
McKinnie, Theophilus, enlisted Sept. 23.
Peters, George W., enlisted Sept. 23; veteranized Jan., 1864.
Page, Nathaniel, enlisted Sept. 23; veteranized Jan., 1864.
Printz, Newton, enlisted Sept. 24; died Feb. 11, 1864, at Vicksburg; veteranized Jan., 1864.
Shaw, George, enlisted Sept. 22.
Street, Edwin R., enlisted Sept. 24.
ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.
*Bevins, Jno. W., enlisted Sept. 20; died at Monterey, July 4, 1862.
*Street, Willam W., enlisted Sept. 23; wounded at Shiloh and at At- lanta; veteranized Jan., 1864.
Cheeney, Itham R., enlisted April 23, 1864.
Dennell, John C., captured at Atlan- ta July 22, 1864.
McBride, Thomas H., enlisted April 23,1864.
THIRTEENTH INFANTRY.
The Thirteenth infantry was organized in October, 1861. Its first colo- nel was the gallant hero, Marcellus M. Crocker, who was rapidly promoted to brigadier-general.
The Thirteenth received its baptism of blood at Shiloh, April 6, 1862, where for ten hours it was under the fire of the enemy, sustaining a loss of twenty-four killed, and one hundred and thirty-nine wounded; missing nine.
Immediately after the battle of Shiloh, the Iowa brigade was organized, composed of the Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa regi- ments, and became one of the oldest and most distinguished brigades in the Army of the Tennessee. It was accorded the honor of once saving the en- tire Army of the Tennessee from a terrible defeat. The history of the Thirteenth is that of the noble old iron-breasted brigade. In the winter of 1862-3, the regiment with its brigade, returned from General Grant's march into central Mississippi, to Lafayette, Tennessee; and on the 22d of January, left for Young's Point, Louisiana, where the regiment worked hard on the celebrated Vicksburg canal, and, until the following Septem- ber, its duties were fatiguing. On the 6th of May the enemy evacuated a point opposite Grand Gulf, and the Iowa brigade at once took possession, and until after the battle of Champion's Hill and Black River Bridge, Grand Gulf was held by the Iowa brigade, and was a base of supplies for Grant's army. At midnight on the 19th of May, the Iowa brigade was ordered back to Young's Point, by forced marches, and sent by boat to the assistance of Sherman up the Yazoo River, but it was not needed, and retraced its steps, arriving at the front on the 22d. On the 26th, the brigade was ordered out with McArthur's division, to disperse the en-
*Transferred from company G.
468
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
emy who were concentrating in the direction of Yazoo City and the up- per Big Black, to move on Grant's rear. This march will be remem- bered by the Thirteenth as the hardest made by the regiment, unless that to Monroe, Louisiana, and one through the bottomless swamps of South Carolina, are excepted. It was in the heat of the southern summer sun, amid suffocating dust and at rapid pace, but it was not barren of results. The return march through Yazoo Valley resulted in the destruction of immense quantities of corn and cotton, and the addition of five thousand head of cattle, sheep and hogs to the commissariat of Grant's army. The autumn and most of the winter were spent by the Thirteenth at Vicksburg, and it was there the regiment re-enlisted as veterans, though it did not take its furlough until after the march to Meridan. The remainder of the history of the regiment is summed up in the noble record of the army in the three unparalleled marches of General Sherman-from Dalton to Atlanta; Atlanta to Savannah; Savannah to Goldsboro and Washington. The heroic act which give the regiment a national reputation was at the capture of Columbia, South Carolina, on the 17th of February, 1865; Lieu- tenant-colonel J. C. Kennedy placed the regimental colors on the capi- tol. The regiment was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, July 21, 1865. The total casualties of the regiment were 542 enlisted men, and 49 officers, or the largest of officers of any regiments except the Second, Sixth and Seventh.
Iowa county was represented in companies H and I.
COMPANY H .*
John S. Maule, sixth corporal; vet- eranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Sullenbarger, C. C., seventh corporal; promoted to first sergeant; to sec- ond lieutenant Aug. 21, 1864.
PRIVATES.
Adams, Noah M., wounded at Shi- loh; veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Norton, Chas. H., enlisted Nov. 11, 1861; appointed hospital steward Nov. 30, 1851; veteranized Jan. 1,1864.
COMPANY I.+
John Layport, promoted to second lieutenant July 1, 1862; mustered out Nov. 5, 1864; veteranized Jan. 1,1864.
Joseph G. Berstler, fourth sergeant; wounded at Atlanta.
Robert N. Brown, third corporal; veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Charles F. Shaw, sixth corporal; died at Jefferson City Dec. 23, 1861.
PRIVATES.
Betz, William H. H., veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Barton, C. K., wounded at Shiloh; discharged Oct. 23, 1862; re-en- listed.
Cooper, Chas. E. S., veteranized Jan. 1,1864.
Cheney, Amacy, veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Faulkner, Michael, died at Corinth Sept. 29, 1862.
Griffith, Abel P., discharged March 2, 1862.
Ginther, John A., veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
McCall, John M., wounded at Shiloh; died July 18, 1862, at Cincinnati, Ohio.
McCall, Thomas G., fourth corporal, veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Miller, Paul, discharged Feb. 28, 1862.
*Enlisted October 15, 1861, unless otherwise stated.
+Enlisted October 11, 1861, unless otherwise stated.
469
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
Pierson, Bartholomew, died at St. Louis Jan. 16, 1862.
Risdon, A. J. D., discharged Oct. 17, 1862.
Satchel, Joseph W., veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Wilkins, Henry, transferred to in- valid corps Nov. 20, 1863.
Walker, Henry, killed at Hillsboro Feb. 10, 1864; veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
William, Washington J., discharged Sept. 15, 1863.
Wilkins, Horatio.
ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.
Droz, Eugene H., Nov. 4; discharged June 6, 1863.
Ireland, James W., Nov. 4; dis- charged Feb. 6, 1862.
Lanning, John A., Nov. 4; captured at Atlanta; died Sept. 9, 1864 in rebel prison at Andersonville, Ga .; veteranized Jan. 1, 1864.
Easterly, Samuel A., Feb. 22, 1864; company unknown.
Wilkins, Frederick, March 30, 1864; died Nov. 2, 1864, at Chattanooga.
EIGHTEENTH INFANTRY.
The Eighteenth infantry regiment was organized under the call of July 4, 1862, for 300,000 men. It was mustered into the United States service August 6, 1862, with a rank and file of 860 men, John Edwards, colonel. On the 11th of August it started for the field. While it has not the prom- inent record of some Iowa regiments, it was none the less efficient in ser- vice, brave in action and prompt in duty. That it is not so notable is be- cause there is less known of it. From the time it whipped and cleaned out the braggart Marmaduke at Springfield, Missouri, January 8, 1862, who attacked with at least 1,870 men, while the Eighteenth had only 500 men, on to the fight with Price, April 30, 1864, its conduct was such as to elicit high commendation from division commanders. It had the reputation of getting out of difficulties through smaller chances than few would have dared attempted. At Poison Spring, April 14, 1864, was a notable in- stance, where the regiment got completely isolated and hemmed in on all sides by the enemy. It flocked together and wormed itself out, fighting rod by rod, scattering the enemy by charges, when it would re-form and occupy the vacuum, and thus cut its way out and returned to Camden. In May, 1864, it returned to Fort Smith, Arkansas, having marched 730 miles over mountains, through swamps, subsisting on raw corn, wading days and nights through mud and water. At Fort Smith it remained during the summer and fall of 1864, making in the meantime several long and brill- iant expeditions. February 26, 1865, four companies were sent to Van Buren, Arkansas, for garrison duty until July 6, when the regiment was ordered to Little Rock for muster out. July 21 it started for Davenport, where, August 5, the men were discharged, having served three years and two days. The regiment marched 4,160 miles. Of the original number of the regiment but four hundred returned for muster out. Of the original officers but eight returned.
Iowa county was represented in companies D, I and K.
COMPANY D.
Matthew Hall, Aug. 6; promoted to first corporal; discharged Feb. 23, 1863.
Joseph H. Dickson, seventh corpo-
ral, Aug. 6; promoted to sixth cor- poral.
John Dickson, musician, Aug 6; discharged Feb. 23, 1863.
470
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
Zachariah W. Cole, wagoner, Aug. 6; discharged Dec. 6, 1862.
PRIVATES.
Clinker, Josiah, July 27.
Dickson, Thomas B., June 22.
Dickson, James, July 20.
Dickson, Edwin H., July 20; pro- moted to third corporal; to second corporal Sept. 13, 1862.
Davis, Mitchell, July 27.
Farlow, Frank C., July 27.
Gordon, Lester, July 27; drowned at Forth Smith, Ark., July 5, 1865.
Goodrich, Levi, June 18; discharged Dec. 31, 1862.
Johnson, Alfred, July 9.
McMahon, James, July 27.
McBride, Joseph, July 27.
Magoun, William J., July. 27; dis- charged Jan. 19, 1863.
Maxon, Edwin H., July 12; died Nov. 12, 1862 at Ozark, Mo.
Richardson, Robert B., July 7.
- Schatz, John, July 7. Wilkinson, Franklin, July 7. Wilkinson, Henry S., July 10; cap- tured at Poison Spring. Wheeler, Henry, July 27.
Woods, Samuel, July. 27; discharged Feb. 23, 1863.
COMPANY I.
Hougham, Wilson T., July 7, 1862. Mclaughlin, Augustus, July 10.
Miller, Jacob, July 7.
Pooler, Oliver P., July 7; wounded at Poison Spring.
Patton, Morand D., July 7.
Rickabaugh, Francis, July 7.
Rickabaugh, John G., July 7; wounded at Poison Spring.
COMPANY K.
See, George, July 17. Smith, Henry D.
TWENTY-FOURTH INFANTRY.
The Twenty-fourth infantry was known in the army as the "Methodist Regiment." It was organized the first two weeks in August, 1862, ren- dezvoused at Camp Strong, Muscatine; was mustered on September 18 and on October 20th started by steamboat for Helena, Arkansas. In the winter of 1862-3 it took part in Gen. Grant's movements in Arkansas, and in April, 1863, moved to Vicksburg, and received its introdution to the hor- rors of war at Port Gibson, May 1. At Champion's Hill, May 16, it was in the thickest of the fight. It forced its way through the enemy's line, captured a six-gun battery in its rear and through the utter incapacity of its colonel it suffered a terrible loss. After the siege of Vicksburg it moved to New Orleans and joined Gen. Bank's masterly Teche expedition, notable for its aimless object and successful failure. It wintered at Madisonville, and on March 13, 1864, started on the Red River campaign. At Sabine Cross Roads, April 8, it fought gallantly and suffered severely. Returning to New Orleans, June 13, it sailed by ocean to Washington. This was the first appearance of Iowa troops in Virginia. It was the first Iowa regiment to enter the national capital, and attracted great attention, the reputation of the Hawkeye boys having gone before. It with the Twenty-second and Twenth-eighth, at once joined Sheridan's army in the Shenandoah Valley, and added new glory to their fame at Winchester, September 19, Fisher's Hill, September 12, Cedar Creek, October 19. January 14, 1865, it left Baltimore for Savannah, Georgia, thence to Moorehead City, and Golds- boro, N. C., to co-operate with Gen. Sherman. While there the Con- federacy collapsed, and the regiment went to Savannah, June 25, where it was mustered out July 25, thence to Davenport, where it was disbanded.
471
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
Its regimental colors bear as tokens of its heroism Port Gibson, Cham- pion's Hill, Vicksburg, Jackson, Sabine Cross Roads, Opequan (Winches- ter), Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, by authority of the war department. The casualties of the regiment will be found on page 184.
Iowa county was represented on the staff and in company E; to-wit.,
Baldwin, Luke, Jr., quartermaster; enlisted Aug. 12, 1862; died at Helena, Arkansas, March 1, 1863.
Eshleman, Albert B., quartermaster; enlisted Aug. 12, 1862; promoted from private company E, Sept. 12, 1862.
COMPANY E.
James W. Strong, first lieutenant, Aug. 12; promoted to chief of ambulance corps, district E, Ark- ansas Dec. 15, 1862; wounded at Champion's Hill; resigned April 4, 1864, for promotion.
Elum Clark Miles, first sergeant, Aug. 28; promoted to second lieutenant April 5, 1863; wounded at Champion's Hill; discharged as first sergeant to accept first lieu- tenant in fifteenth La., C. D. A.
William Thomas Holmes, third ser- geant, Aug. 12; promoted to first lieutenant Nov. 19, 1864.
Robert Conn, fifth sergeant, Aug. 15. Joseph Weldin, second corporal, Aug. 21; reduced to ranks Oct. 4, 1862; wounded at Champion's Hill; died of wounds May 17, 1863 at Cham- pion's Hill.
John T. Orin, fourth corporal, Aug. 21.
William P. Baldwin, sixth corporal, Aug. 12.
John R. Serrin, eighth corporal, Aug. 15; wounded at Champion's Hill; discharged Nov. 6, 1863.
Martin S. Shoul, musician, Aug. 21. John N. Rosenberger, musician, Aug.21.
Simpson Riddle, wagoner, Aug. 15.
PRIVATES.
Arbuckle, J. Wesley, Aug. 21; killed at Winchester, Va.
Atwell, Robert, Aug. 18; died Nov. 20, 1863, at Young's Point, La.
Bogear, Simon, Aug. 21; killed at Champion's Hill.
Burke, Thomas, Aug. 21; died July 7, 1863, at Vicksburg.
Craft, Stephen, Aug. 20; died at Helena, Ark., Jan. 2, 1863.
Colson, John, Aug. 21; died March 13, 1863, at Helena, Ark.
Colson, J. Harrison, Aug 22; dis- charged Feb. 20, 1863.
Childress, Thomas, Aug. 20, 1862.
Deboult, James Bell, Ang. 21; dis- charged April 10, 1863.
Eshleman, Albert B., Aug 12; pro- moted quartermaster sergeant, Sept. 12, 1862.
Howard, John B., Aug. 13; died. , June 18, 1863, at Vicksburg.
Mead, James Henry, Aug. 12; trans- ferred Dec. 28, 1863, to First Mis- sissippi volunteers, .A. D.
Miller, John, Aug. 14; wounded at Champion's Hill; discharged March 16, 1864.
Morse, Salem L., Aug. 15; wounded at Champion's Hill; discharged Dec. 16, 1863 for wounds.
Morse, Harvey S., Aug. 16; dis- charged May 25, 1864.
Myers, William, Aug. 21; wounded at Champion's Hill.
Rosenberger, J. A. W., Aug. 15; died Aug. 8, 1863, on steamer City of Memphis.
Rosenberger, Geo. W., Aug. 13; pro- moted to second corporal, Oct. 4, 1862; discharged March 13, 1865.
Rosenberger, Rufus W., Aug. 15; wounded at Champion's Hill; cap- tured at Mansfield, Ala., April 8, 1864.
Sheldenhelm, John N., Aug. 13. Shelly, Richard T., Aug. 18.
472
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
Tyler, Jehiel, Aug. 21; died Feb. 15, 1863, at Helena.
Thornton, Wm. M. J, died at Maren- go, July 18, 1863. Wort, Erastus D., Aug. 21; dis- charged Feb. 19, 1863.
Younker, Frederick, Aug. 21.
Yike, Henry, Aug. 15; died at Mil- lilken's Bend, La., April 23, 1863.
ADDITIONAL ENLISTMENTS.
Bricker, Wooster B., Oct. 20, 1863; killed September 19, 1864, at Win- chester.
TWENTY-EIGHTH INFANTRY.
This regiment was enlisted in Benton, Tama, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa and Johnson counties; rendezvoused at Iowa City, and left for the field November 1, 1862, going to Helena, Arkansas, where it was brigaded with the Twenty-fourth. Its first march was made to Oakland, Mississippi; thence it joined the White River expedition under Gen. Gorman, the first week in January, 1863. No occasion presented itself on this expedition for the regiment to distinguish itself, but the hardships and exposures en- dured told with terrible effect on the men. While the regiment was in win- ter quarters at Helena, Arkansas, an incident occurred which is but one of the thousands which make up the record of the rebellion :
The contrabands came flocking into camp by hundreds, and the com- manding officers utilized their labor in camp duty, and in many ways to relieve the " boys " from their fatigue. Two years before, a Methodist preacher was hung to a large beech tree because he had publicly denounced slavery. In forming the camp of the contrabands, that beech tree was un- knowingly included in the boundaries, and under its branches the first colored troops of Arkansas were enlisted, and made free citizens of the United States.
The regiment met the enemy for the first time on the final Vicksburg campaign. It was a part of Gen. McClernand's corps, which led the van of Grant's army. On the 29th of March, 1863, the corps began the march across the country from Milliken's Bend to New Carthage, which formed the neck of the great bend in the Mississippi. It was thirty-five miles across, and the march was made with great hardships. On the 30th of April McClernand, having moved with a part of his command around by Port Gibson, reached Thompson's Hill about eleven o'clock in the evening, where he encountered the enemy's pickets, and after some sharp firing on both sides the fighting ceased for the night. The Twenty-eighth crossed the Mississippi early the next morning and arrived at the foot of Thomp- son's Hill at sunrise, and after a hasty breakfast prepared for battle, taking a position on the crest of the hill, where at different points it engaged the enemy until he left the field, at dusk. The regiment, which was all day seperated from its brigade, was ordered to rejoin it, and that night camped on the bloody field of Port Gibson; only one man was killed and sixteen wounded.
On the march from Port Gibson toward Vicksburg, the enemy was met near Bolton, on the 16th of May, when a sharp engagement was had, but the enemy was routed. The loss to the Twenty-eighth was slight, but that of the Twenty-fourth, which was supporting it, was fearful.
On the 25th it arrived in the rear of Vicksburg, and took position in the line in front, in the center of the left wing of the army, and so close to the enemy's guns that several men were killed in their beds. Duty in the
473
HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY.
trenches told with terrible effect. The men wilted, sickened and died in great numbers, as they had been exhausted from the previous fatigue and exposure. From Port Gibson to Vicksburg they had but five days rations and not a tent or cooking utensil. Food was cooked as best it could be if cooked at all.
After the fall of Vicksburg, the regiment was ordered to Jackson, to. shake off the rebel General Johnston who was hanging on the rear of the army, which accomplished, the regiment returned to Vicksburg, reaching there the 27th. During this march, from the result of heat and fatigue the regiment was reduced to a skeleton.
At Champion's Hill the regiment distinguished itself, and met with great loss. It held the left of the division, and in endeavoring to resist the flank movement of the enemy, was subjected to a terrible enfilading- fire of musketry. Four companies lost every commissioned officer, the killed and wounded being one hundred.
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