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 Ordered by the Commission for ihe 
 
 IX KECOON1TION OF THE 
 
 THIRTY SECOND IOWA VOLUNTEERS* 
 
 CARL ROHL-SMITH, SCULPTOR. 
 
STORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 T U 1 1) T V 
 
 ind Iowa 
 
 INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 Compiled and Published by 
 
 joiin gcoTT. 
 
 Nevada, Ia. 
 1896. 
 
£ 
 
p>er^icATioH. 
 
 TO THE MEMORY 
 
 OF THOSE WHO FELL IN BATTLE 
 AND BY THE WAYSIDE 
 
 —IN THE— 
 WAR FOR THE UNION. 
 
On the National Flag- of the Thirty Second Iowa 
 Infantry now in the State Capitol, the folio wing- 
 battles are inscribed: — 
 
 CAPE GIRARDEAU, BAYOU METAIRE, 
 
 FORT De RUSSEY, PLEASANT HILL, 
 
 MARKSV1LLE, YELLOW BAYOU, 
 
 LAKE CHICOT, TUPELO, OLD TOWN CREEK, 
 
 NASHVILLE, BRENTWOOD HILLS, 
 
 FORT BLAKELY. 
 
ITINERARY OF THE REGIMENT. 
 
 The following record of the movements of the 
 Regiment from January 1864 to the time of reaching 
 Montgomery, Ala., at the close of the war, is made 
 from memoranda kept by Wellington Russell of 
 Company C. The aggregate distance is nearly seven 
 thousand miles. 
 
 Columbus, Ky. to Vicksburg, Miss, by boat, 665 
 miles; marched to Meridian, Miss.. 200; miles marched 
 to Vicksburg, 200 miles; by boat to Simmsport, La., 
 317 miles; marched to Fort De Russey, 33 miles; by 
 boat to Alexandria, 72 miles; marched to Cotile, 27 
 miles; by boat to Grand Ecore, 95 miles, marched to 
 Pleasant Hill and return, 70 miles; marched via Nat- 
 chitoches, Alexandria and Simmsport to Morganza 
 Bend, 188 miles; by boat to Vicksburg, 200 miles; by 
 boat to Sunny Side, Ark., 130 miles; marched to Col- 
 umbia, 20 miles; by boat to Memphis, 235 miles; by 
 railway to Moscow, 40 miles; marched via La Grange. 
 Pontotoc,Tupelo,and again by La Grange to Collierville, 
 200 miles; by railway to Memphis, 25 miles; by rail- 
 way to Holly Springs, 77 miles; marched to Memphis 
 via Oxford, 100 miles; by boat via Cairo to Jefferson 
 Barracks, Mo., 440 miles; by railway to Mineral Point, 
 95 miles; marched to Merrimac River, 8 miles; by rail- 
 way to Jefferson Barracks, 9 miles; marched to Frank- 
 
lin, 47 miles; to Jefferson City, 108 miles; to California, 
 25 miles; to Lexington, 144 miles; to Harrison ville, 92 
 miles; to Glasgow, 138 miles; to St. Louis via St, Charles, 
 173 miles; by boat to Cairo, 200 miles; to Nashville, 215 
 miles; marched to Pnlaski, 79 miles; Dec. 31, 1864, 
 31 miles; to Clifton, 30 miles; by boat to Eastport, 80 
 miles; to New Orleans, 1,410 miles; to Dauphin Island, 
 247 miles; to Danley's Mills, 40 miles; matched to Fort 
 Blakely, 24 miles; and to Montgomery, 130 miles. The 
 average distance by the route traveled from 
 Montgomery to the hom^s in Iowa is not much less 
 than 2,000 miles; and adding the moderate estimate of 
 something more than 1,000 miles for the average 
 itinerary prior to 1864, the total is more than 10,000 
 miles. 
 
LAST WORPS. 
 
 Additional facts have come to the knowledge of 
 the compiler too late for their proper place in the body 
 of the History; among which may be noted the death 
 of Cry us Wyatt, which occurred at Otisville, Iowa, 
 July 2, 1865; also the death of Peter Cium, which oc- 
 curred in Florence county, Tennessee in 1890. 
 
 Hon. H. O. Pratt, present address is Mount Ver- 
 non, Iowa. 
 
 Sergeant Ovid Hare lives in Los Angeles, Cal. 
 Mail directed to the comrades named below, and 
 sent to their last known address, has been returned as 
 unclaimed: 
 
 Geo. L. Allen, Alt. Andrews, Samuel Andrews, 
 H. S. Barr. G. W. Barnes, Eli Blickensderfer, G. M. 
 Bolton, Moses Blunt, P. Byam, John J. Bradehaw, John 
 H. Brooks, Isaac A. Bucher, W. F, Clark, A. P. Condit, 
 H. P. Carpenter, W. C. Closson, E. R. Coombs, Wm. 
 Courrier, J. S. Cross, I. B. Cummings, L. H. Chaffin, 
 John Delvey, Winthrop Dyer, James L. Eakins, Lloyd 
 Eberhart, Luther Ellis, Leander Farlow, James 
 Gamble, H. R. Gilliland, James C. Gordon, J. N. Gron- 
 dan, James Gibnxn, Calvin Hall, W. R. W. Hancock, 
 W. S. Hansberry, Wm. C. Hickman, E. L. Hurlbut, Asa 
 Joslyn. F. Johnson, J. L. Kerr, James T. Leech, James 
 C. Louck, J. W. Landers, A. O. Lesh, J. N. W. Mahaf- 
 fey, S. S. Martin, John C. Maupin, M. V. B. Maulsby, 
 
J. O. Moriarty, D. G. Miller, David J. Miller, Geo. G. 
 Miller, Levi Miller, Alfred Me Henry, Isaac McHenry, 
 Keuben McVey, Wm. Nelson, Nels L. Nelson, 
 Wra. T. Prescott, Goo. N. Palmer, J. T. Payne, 
 J. B. Patterson, John N. Richardson, B. G, Scott, Da- 
 vid Sellers, Enne Smith, Robert Smith, Andrew Smith, 
 W. M. Sefton. James Sonrinson, B. R Thomas, S. B. 
 Wells, W. Webster, S. S. Wieland, J. F. Ward, 
 Charles White, R. S. Williams, J. W. Yost, John 
 Young. 
 
 It may be of importance not only to those, and all 
 other comrades whose address is not given in the rosters 
 herein, but also to many others, that the present ad- 
 dress of every surviving member of the Regiment 
 should be known. If those who can supply unknown 
 addresses will send them to the compiler it will help in 
 the compilation of a more complete roster, which can 
 be printed and sent to all members when giving notice 
 of the date and place of each bi-enuial reunion. 
 
 In like manner each comrade should furnish a 
 statement of any change in his P. O. address, including 
 street and number in cities in which delivery is made 
 by carriers. 
 
 The compiler will take pleasure in the keeping 
 and making corrections from time to time of such a 
 list of the comrades, from which he may be able to 
 furnish information. Great care should be taken to 
 write legibly names of persons ami places. 
 
 Nevada, Iowa, July 12, 189G. 
 
PREFATORY. 
 
 Almost from the date of muster-out, but espe- 
 cially from and after the' first regimental re-union, 
 there has been a growing sentiment in favor of the 
 preparation of a truthful account of the service of 
 the Thirty Second Regiment Iowa Volunteers. This 
 has increased as time has passed, and the memories 
 of comradeship have drawn closer and closer those 
 with a common history. This thought has been 
 greatly strengthened by the contemplation of 
 wrongs done in the publication of untruthful state- 
 ments made by parties interested, and especially by 
 a certain flavor that has always made its presence 
 felt when the Red River campaign was under discus- 
 sion. It was in this mal-oclorous series of disastrous 
 blunders that the Regiment made its brightest and 
 most enduring fame. Yet such was the character of 
 the operations, and such the inadequate results of the 
 severe trials and heroic efforts of the rank and file of 
 that army that in public estimation even these trials 
 and efforts have never had due recognition. On the 
 contrary even those who most honorably participated 
 in desperate conflicts have been compelled to refer 
 to them in words of semi-apology and explanation. 
 During all this period the blood of gallant comrades 
 cruelly sacrificed has cried from the ground in pro- 
 test against the sCence of those who live to speak 
 
14 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 for them, and the living have murmured against the 
 cruel wrong that so-called history has done to the 
 dead and to themselves. 
 
 This thought culminated at the seventh biennial 
 reunion of the veterans who assembled at Fort 
 Dodge in 1893. It was then and there agreed that 
 further postponement of the story of the Regiment, 
 in proper form, would be little less than a crime, and 
 measures were taken authorizing such publication. 
 A committee was appointed, and given full authority 
 to proceed with the History, and to call for such re- 
 cords and assistance as might be required. 
 
 There had previously been spasmodic efforts in 
 this direction, which at least served to keep up inter- 
 est in the subject, but meantime many precious years 
 were lost, and with them many of the witnesses who 
 alone could testify to important and most interesting 
 facts. But there had been published in newspapers, 
 from time to time the contributions of Sergeant J. M. 
 Boyd, the adventures of I. A. Packard and Sergeant 
 Jewett in their escape from rebel prisons; and also 
 the report of a committee of Congress, as well as the 
 official documents of the War Department and re- 
 ports and papers found in the captured rebel ar- 
 chives, Many of these throw light on the subject, 
 and from them the story of the Regiment might fair- 
 ly well be gleaned by patient labor. Unfortunately 
 those having time and strength for such a work have 
 not been induced to undertake it, and the task has 
 seemed to fall to the lot of hands that carry also the 
 burden of years. To such hands the work is neces- 
 sarily a task; a burden from the undertaking of 
 which the compiler shrinks, and from which he dare 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 15 
 
 not hope for more than patchwork and unsatisfactory 
 results. Impelled by a sense of duty and cheered by 
 the unvarying and uniform kindness and charity of 
 his comrades, thus giving assurance that they will 
 accept at his hands the effort and the will for the 
 deed, the compiler enters very reluctantly and ner- 
 vously upon this labor that has been too long delay- 
 ed. 
 
 He has been glad to avail himself of information 
 from every reliable source, and has endeavored to 
 cull approximate truth from widely varying, or even 
 contradictory testimony. Of this character are 
 many of the official reports and despatches, furnish- 
 ed by officials of our own army and navy, as well as 
 by the rebels. Mendacity and veracity, courage and 
 cowardice, vain boasting and genuine modesty, were 
 none of them monopolized by the members of either 
 army, but each class had a share of them. To sift 
 the truth from all that has been said is a serious la- 
 bor, and may not have been in all cases successfully 
 performed, but the effort to do so has been honestly 
 made by the compiler, and he has had the valuable 
 aid of reliable comrades. In many instances the 
 statements herein made are fortified by well known 
 facts that are but incidental to the story of this Reg- 
 iment, and are omitted in detail for lack of time and 
 space in this compilation. 
 
 It is perhaps but justice to the historians as well 
 as actors in the Red River campaign to remark that 
 accuracy in military history has been oft times made 
 to yield to the necessity for covering the blunders of 
 commanders. It is much easier to deny mistakes and 
 bad conduct than it is to explain them or apologize 
 
16 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 for them. For that reason, perhaps, when even such 
 great generals as Grant and Sherman wrote the his- 
 tory of the battle of Shiloh in their despatches and 
 memoirs, the facts were not stated as they were 
 known by ten thousand other witnesses. What won- 
 der, then, that General Banks and Admiral Porter, 
 each of whom may not unreasonably be supposed to 
 have heard the political bee buzzing in his military 
 bonnet, should have been conspicuously inexact in 
 the statment of facts, and so correct and emphatic in 
 various charges, each against the other? In like 
 manner we are to accept the voluminous and boast- 
 ful reports of Major General Dick Taylor, who op- 
 posed them. Though a son of one of the most mod- 
 est Presidents of the Republic, the hero of Buona 
 Vista, his vain falsehoods as to what he alleged had 
 been accomplished were only ecpialled by the unful- 
 filled promises of what he would do when the oppor- 
 tunity presented! 
 
 It is in part from such material that the history 
 of the Red River campaign is to be sifted; — a cam- 
 paign for which no one was willing to avow the re- 
 sponsibility; — a compaign that violated every rule of 
 military strategy in its inception and conduct; — a 
 campaign with no purpose that corresponded to its 
 expenditure of life and property, and which in its 
 general conduct and results was as disgraceful as it 
 was disastrous to those who apparently expected to 
 reap from it both fame and fortune. 
 
 -X- -X- 
 
 The Regiment is the Military Unit, as the Fam- 
 ily is the Social Unit. 
 
 The experience of each member of the family 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 17 
 
 may be widely different from that of every other 
 member, yet the aims, efforts, successes and failures 
 of each one have much interest to all the other mem- 
 bers, and often seriously affect their lives and for 
 tunes. In like manner each member of a Regiment 
 may have his military fortune made or wrecked by 
 the conduct of his regimental comrades. Therefore 
 the history of the Regiment, like the history of the 
 family, is of much interest to each of its members; 
 and so, also, is the history of each member of inter- 
 est to those who are also members of the same fami- 
 ly or regiment. 
 
 Although the Thirty Second Regiment of Iowa 
 Volunteers for a time was broken into detachments, 
 and widely separated, its members never forgot their 
 fealty to their Regimental organization. For more 
 than a year the four companies. A. D, F, and G, un- 
 der Major Eberhart. were not with the regimental 
 colors. During a portion of that time the other com- 
 panies were also separated. At one time companies 
 B, E. and I. under command of Captain Miller, were 
 in Columbus, Ky. ; while companies H and K, under 
 Captain Benson, occupied the famous Number Ten, 
 in the Mississippi River; and at the same lime Cap- 
 tain Peebles, with Company C, mounted, was doing 
 duty as cavalry Scouts with head quarters at Uuion 
 City, Tennessee. During a part of this time Colonel 
 Scott was in command of the Post of Columbus, Ken- 
 tucky, and Lt. Colonel Mix was a member of a court- 
 martial at Cairo. 
 
 While these conditions existed, varied more or 
 less in detail, during the year 1863, the service of 
 each member of the Regiment was that of the de- 
 
18 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 tachment to which he belonged, unless, as some- 
 times happened, he was detailed individually for 
 some special service. Examples of such personal 
 duty may be noted in the service of Chaplain Cad- 
 wallader as superintendent of Contrabands; Lt. Childs 
 as Officer of the Post; and Adjutant Aldredge as Ad- 
 jutant of the Post; all these at Columbus, Kentucky. 
 
 These incidents serve to embarrass the writing 1 
 of the history of this Regiment as a military unit; for 
 as a matter of fact during many months it was but 
 an aggregate of several fractions, and in giving the 
 story of the service of the members of the various 
 detachments there can be, at this late date, but a 
 fragmentary story, and told more as the story of a 
 half- forgotten dream than as real history. During 
 this fragmentary period there are few records ex- 
 cept the morning reports of the companies. After 
 the companies were again brought together, the six 
 companies coming back to Vicksburg, from Sher- 
 man's raid to Meridian, and the four companies 
 reaching the same point from their long and arduous 
 campaign in Arkansas, in the early months of 1864, 
 the story of the Regiment as a Regiment is continu- 
 ous. 
 
INTRODUCTORY 
 
 Under the proclamation of the President of the 
 United States bearing date July 2, 1862, calling for 
 further enlistments for three years or during the 
 war for the suppression of the great Rebellion, the 
 Volunteers who constituted the Thirty Second Regi- 
 ment Iowa Infantry were enrolled. The call of the 
 President was for 300,000 men, and of these Iowa 
 was asked to furnish five regiments of Infantry. Un- 
 der date of July 9,1862, Governor Kirkwood announc- 
 ed this call by proclamation, in which he said: — ■ 
 
 "The preservation of the Union, the perpetuity 
 of our Government, the honor of our State, demand 
 that this requisition shall be promptly met. The 
 harvest is upon us and we have feared a lack of force 
 to secure it. But we must put our brave Iowa boys 
 in the field, and meet new emergencies with new ex- 
 ertions. Our old men and our boys unfit for war, 
 our women, if need be, must gather the harvests 
 while those able to bear arms go forth to aid their 
 brave brethren in the field. The necessity is urgent. 
 Our national existence is at stake. The more prompt- 
 ly the needed troops are furnished the more speedi- 
 ly will this unholy rebellion be crushed. Until then 
 we must endure the hardships and privations of 
 war. Men must now make as many have already 
 made sacrifices in the cause of our country. 
 
 The enemy by conscription have forced into the 
 field all who can bear arms. We have as yet relied 
 upon voluntary action, but if need be the same ener- 
 gies must be exerted to preserve our government 
 
20 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 that traitors are using- to destroy it. I have assign- 
 ed one regiment to each 1, 2, 3, and 4 Congressional 
 Districts, and one regiment to 5 and 6 together." 
 
 Under this vigorous call the Adjutant General of 
 Iowa was able on August 25th to designate Camp 
 Franklin, near Dubuque, as the rendezvous of the 
 Thirty Second Regiment, to be composed of com- 
 panies in the 6th Congressional District, east of the 
 Des Moines River. 
 
 Within the bounds of this territory eleven com- 
 panies were enrolled. As an inducement to enlistment 
 in the more sparsely settled localities it had been 
 promised that as far as practicable the Volunteers 
 should be assigned together. Under this proposi- 
 tion it was thought best to assign one of the two 
 companies from Blackhawk county to the Thirty 
 First Regiment. By this arrangement the other ten 
 companies formed the Thirty Second Regiment, and 
 were placed as follows: — 
 
 Company "A," Lewis H. Cutler, Captain, was 
 enrolled in the counties of Hardin, Hamilton, Wright 
 and Kossuth; was ordered into quarters by the Gov- 
 ernor in July 1862. Total rank and file 100 men. 
 
 Company "B," Amos B. Miller, Captain, was en- 
 rolled in Cerro Gordo, Worth, Hancock, Hamilton, 
 and Winnebago counties, and was ordered into quar- 
 ters August 25, 1862. Total rank and file 85 men. 
 
 Company "C," Herbert F. Peebles, Captain, was 
 enrolled in the county of Blackhawk. Date of being 
 ordered into quarters not given in Adjutant Gener- 
 al's report. Total rank and file 92 men. 
 
 Company "D," Theodore De Tar, Captain, was 
 enrolled in the county of Boone, and was ordered in- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 21 
 
 to quarters August 11, 1862, Total rank and file 99 
 men. 
 
 Company "E," John R. Jones, Captain, was en- 
 rolled in the county of Butler during July and Au- 
 gust 1862. Total rank and file, 96 men. 
 
 Company "F," Joseph Edgington, Captain, was 
 enrolled in Hardin county, the enlistments being 
 mostly from August 10 to 15, but reported as order- 
 ed into quarters July 3, 1S62, as in the case of Com- 
 "A," whose enlistments were also mostly about Au- 
 gust 10 to 16. Total rank and file 94 men. 
 
 Company "G," Charles A. L. Roszell. Captain, 
 was enrolled in the counties of Butler and Floyd, 
 going into quarters mostly from August 5 to 25, 1862. 
 Total rank and file 83 men. 
 
 Company "H," James B. Reeve, Captain, was 
 enrolled in Franklin county, but had members from 
 adjacent parts of Butler and Hardin, dates of going 
 into quarters ranging mostly about August 14, 1862. 
 Total rank and file 84 men. 
 
 Company "I." Jonathan Hutchinson, Captain, 
 was enrolled in Webster county, but several of the 
 members were from Humboldt county, the dates 
 ranging from August 12 to 22. 1862. Total rank and 
 file 83 men. 
 
 Company "K," Joseph Cadwalader, Captain, was 
 enrolled in Story and Marshall counties, most of the 
 dates ranging from August 10, to August 22, 1862. 
 Total rank and file, 96 men. 
 
 The line officers were chosen by members of the 
 several companies, and these as well as the warrant 
 officers were usually apportioned by agreement, more 
 or less equitably, among the men from different 
 
22 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 counties or neighborhoods. Some of these offices 
 were bestowed because of activity in securing enlist- 
 ments, and others because of personal qualifications, 
 including military experience. In the main the se- 
 lections were based upon absolute merit, and when 
 the final mustering took place, October 6, and 7,1862, 
 at Camp Franklin, by Capt. Geo. S. Pierce, U. S. A., 
 there was the customary hopefulness and enthusiasm 
 of the Iowa Volunteer, entering upon the discharge 
 of patriotic duty. 
 
 The Regiment was organized by the appoint- 
 ment of John Scott, of Story county as Colonel; Ed- 
 ward H. Mix, of Butler county, as Lieutenant Colon- 
 el; and Gustavus A. Eberhart, of Blackhawk county, 
 as Major; and the commission Staff were Charles Ald- 
 rich, of Hamilton county, Adjutant; Thomas C. Mc- 
 Call, of Story county, Quarter Master; Stephen B. 
 Olney, of Ft. Dodge, Surgeon; Jesse Wasson, of La 
 Porte City, and Win. B. Waters, of Marshalltown, 
 Assistant Surgeons; and Lorenzo S. Coffin, of Web- 
 ster county, Chaplain. Charles H. Huntley, of Com- 
 pany B. was made Sergeant Major; Allen T. Birchard, 
 of Company I, became Quarter Master Sergeant, and 
 Jason R. Millard, of Waterloo, Commissary Ser- 
 geant. ] 
 
 For a roster comprising the military history of 
 each of the 1000 men more or less composing the 
 Regiment, including recruits, the reader will consult 
 
 'Note: In the organization of a Regiment there is an 
 officer of much importance who bears neither Commission 
 nor Warrant, yet who does much towards the comfort of the 
 men and efficiency in the service, or by a selfish course gives 
 results in other and less beneficial directions. This officer 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 23 
 
 the Appendix, and personal notes herein. 
 
 The body of this work will be devoted to the 
 history of the Regiment as a military organization. 
 Every member of the Regiment has a deep interest 
 in the manner in which this shall be done, and es- 
 pecially in the success which should attend an honest 
 effort to truthfully give, without fear or favor, the 
 exact facts, in correction of the story so often 
 wrongly told for purposes that will not bear investi- 
 gation. 
 
 In the perusal of these pages the reader, wheth- 
 er an actor on the stage, a spectator of the drama, or 
 a patient student of history, is requested to bear in 
 mind the conflicting details in testimony which so 
 often arise from the different points of view of the 
 witnesses. Such differences do not indicate a disre- 
 gard for truth, but only show the fallibility of mem- 
 ory, or how the sight may be warped by interest or 
 prejudice. Time and patient investigation will fin- 
 ally reach the bottom of the mine, and truth will 
 stand revealed. This book it is hoped will serve a 
 purpose that will excuse, perhaps justify, its publi- 
 cation. 
 
 is the Sutler. Thomas B. Knapp, of Iowa Falls, filled this 
 position. He had been tendered and had accepted the posi- 
 tion of Major. Owing to the supposed claims of locality the 
 Governor felt himself not able to carry out the program 
 that had been arranged. This course greatly embarrassed 
 Mr. Knapp. He determined to accompany the Regiment as 
 an enlisted man if no more important duty could be assign- 
 ed him, and was finally prevailed upon to act as regimental 
 Sutler. It is due to him to say that he deserved and re- 
 ceived the confidence and respect of every member of the 
 regiment. 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 BY GOV. CARPENTER. 
 
 [These introductory remarks were furnished by 
 Hon. C. C. Carpenter at the special request of the 
 Historian .Their appearance in this volume needs no 
 apology or explanation. Himself a pioneer among 
 the men of this Regiment, a volunteer in the service. 
 no man better understands the facts of which he 
 writes.] 
 
 The fall of 1862 was the darkest period of the 
 Civil War. The campaign of McClellan on the Vir- 
 ginia Peninsula, in front of Richmond, had resulted 
 in several drawn battles, and in the final withdrawal 
 of the army of the Potomac to the vicinity of Wash- 
 ington, from an almost beseiged situation at Harri- 
 son's landing. The army under Grant, in the Missi- 
 ssippi Valley, whilst holding its own, had been em- 
 ployed in comparatively fruitless skirmishes, and had 
 fought two severe battles — at Cornith and Iuka — to 
 hold the territory which had been acquired by the 
 brilliant campaign against Fort Donelson, and on 
 the bloody field at Shiloh. The Army of the Cum- 
 berland, under Buell,had engaged in a foot race with 
 the rebel Army under Bragg — each marching on par- 
 ellel roads — the rebels intent on reaching the Ohio 
 River and assailing Buells' communications by cap- 
 turing Louisville and his Depots of supply; whilst 
 the Union Army was putting forth its best efforts 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 25 
 
 solely to foil this attempt of its adversary. The fall 
 elections in the north, as interpreted by those not in 
 sympathy with the war measures of the government, 
 had been a vote of want of confidence in the policy 
 of the Administration. In the face of all these dis- 
 couragements the President called for additional 
 forces. 
 
 The meager knowledge of what was meant when 
 the first regiments took the field was no longer an 
 element to be counted upon in securing enlistments. 
 The first flush of excitement after the fall of Sumter 
 had been succeeded by the sober second thought. 
 The long lists of killed and wounded; the pathetic 
 reports from the hospitals; the accounts of suffering 
 on the march and in the storms of the natural ele- 
 ments, and the fiercer storms of the battle, had chill- 
 ed the hot blood of the earlier months of the war. 
 The men who made up the new Regiments were not 
 ignorant of the reception which awaited them at the 
 front. Among these regiments was the Thirty Sec- 
 ond Iowa Infantry. 
 
 It is doubtless true that the men who composed 
 this Regiment had occasion to feel the seriousness of 
 the chances of war in equal measure to those of any 
 Regiment which entered the service from Iowa. 
 They were mostly men of mature years and ripe 
 judgment. Many of them were the heads of young 
 families. A large proportion of them were men who 
 had left the states farther east and sought a home on 
 the frontier in accordance with a cherished idea of 
 securing an independence. The war found them up- 
 on the threshold of their new enterprises; with anew- 
 ly purchased farm, or a newly established business, 
 
26 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 upon which perhaps were encumbrances involving 
 their interest and their honor. Their enlistment also 
 involved leaving families and friends in a new coun- 
 try with half completed homes and meager improve- 
 ments. And yet, rising above all these considera- 
 tions, which bound them to their homes, the young 
 husband left his young wife, sons left their parents, 
 brothers left sisters, and lovers left their loved ones, 
 to go out and take the chances and endure the hard- 
 ships of the soldier. There were localities within 
 the territory from which the Thirty Second Regi- 
 ment was raised where hardly an able bodied man re- 
 mained at home. The women and children toiled in 
 the field, husked the corn, cared for the stock and 
 plowed the soil, until the men who survived the vi- 
 cissitudes of the camp and battle-field returned to 
 the fireside which had been kept aglow by a devot- 
 ed wife, mother, or sister. The man who enlisted 
 under the circumstances existing when the Thirty 
 Second Infantry was called into the field carried a 
 thinking bayonet. They left homes of intelligence 
 stimulated solely by a moral purpose. The Bible lay 
 on the center-table, books, magazines, and newspapers, 
 well handled and well read, indicated the character and 
 principles of these households. It was not a spirit of 
 adventure that influenced the young men in these 
 homes to bear the realities of the camp and the bat- 
 tle. It was a sense of duty and patriotic attachment 
 to principle. It was with such men, and from such 
 homes the ranks of the Thirty Second Iowa Infantry 
 were filled. 
 
 The writer had a conversation with a young sol- 
 dier, late in October 1862, who in his boyhood had 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 27 
 
 been one of his pupils in a country school. Although 
 he was not a Thirty Second Iowa man, yet he was 
 typical of the soldiers, of that Regiment. It was a 
 few days after the battle of Cornith when we met 
 for the first time in many years. The meeting and 
 the greeting can better be imagined than told. Then 
 for some hours there was a running tire of conver- 
 sation. "Are yon married?" the writer inquired. 
 "Yes, have been married five years and have two 
 children." "It must have been a pretty severe trial 
 for you to leave home and become a soldier." "Trial," 
 said he, "is no name for it; it was the next thing to 
 death itself.*' Then he went on to say : "When the 
 war began I said to my wife. T believe I ought to en- 
 list. Some people say that we who voted for Lin- 
 coln are responsible for the war, and if that is true I 
 ought to accept my share of the responsibility.' But 
 she replied; 'You have a wife and two helpless child- 
 ren to care for, and very little to leave them if you 
 should not return. It is not necessary for you to go 
 when there are so many others, not encumbered as 
 you are, who are ready to go.' I argued with her 
 that if anything should befall me the government 
 would take of care her; but she was incorrigible, and 
 I dropped the subject. Months passed. The battle 
 of Bull Run had been fought; other battles had tak- 
 en place, and it was evident that the war was not to 
 be a holiday. The call for re-enforcements was not 
 responded to with the original alacrity. New Regi 
 ments were hard to raise. Finally I broached the 
 subject again. I found she had been thinking about 
 it. and she said, the tears filling her eyes and her ac- 
 cent thick with emotion: 'Well this is evidently going 
 
28 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 to be a long war; and I have made up my mind that 
 the women as well as the men must make great sac- 
 rifices; and as you are young and strong and healthy 
 I dont know but it is your duty to enlist.' That settled 
 the question and here I am." 
 
 I have told this story to illustrate the mental 
 evolution which antedated the enlistment of thou- 
 sands and thousands of soldiers when struggling 
 with the question of their personal duty. This was 
 an ideal soldier, from an ideal American home, 
 fighting for an ideal country. Who will question 
 that this story does not repeat the history, antece- 
 dent to entering the service, of a large majority of 
 the members of the Thirty Second Iowa Infantry? If 
 the conversation was nor. with wife, it was with f ath - 
 er and mother, or with sister or with loved one. In 
 how many of these frontier and half finished homes, 
 where there were two sons with old and helpless 
 parents, the question was settled that at least one of 
 them should go into the service; and then with patri- 
 otic unselfishness the subject was canvassed as to 
 which son was best equipped in health, endurance 
 and character to meet the vicissitudes of the camp. 
 the march and the battle. 
 
 The writer well remembers reading in a news- 
 paper which reached him in the south, at the time 
 the question of raising the Thirty Second Iowa Infan- 
 try, was being agitated, the synopsis of an address 
 by Col. Scott, urging enlistments. This newspaper 
 was the Hamilton Freeman, where Editor, Charles 
 Aldrich, subsequently, locked up his printing office 
 and went into the Regiment as its adjutant. Col. 
 Scott had seen service, not only in the Mexican war 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 29 
 
 but in the Third Iowa Infantry, and knew that war 
 was a serious business. But he in no manner at- 
 tempted to soften its terrors. He did not promise 
 the men who should enlist immunity from danger, 
 or from hardship, or from deprivation, He did not 
 hold out to them a prospect of fame. He did not 
 minify the sacrifices of leaving home. The only 
 promises w r hich he made them were, that they would 
 have long marches; that they would swelter beneath 
 southern suns; that they would sometimes have scant 
 food; that they would often thirst for a draught of cold 
 water ;that they would be called to stand on picket; and 
 to lie in trenches confronting the enemy; and that the 
 only thing of which they would never lack a full sup- 
 ply would be hard and dangerous service. But notwith- 
 standing all this the Regiment was filled because he 
 appealed to men who were ready to go where duty 
 called. 
 
 The writer knew many of the soldiers who con- 
 stituted the rank and file of this splendid Regiment; 
 and he will be excused for briefly recalling some of 
 the characteristics of a few, who are among the fall- 
 en, and whose names are an inspiring memory to 
 their comrades who still survive. 
 
 It is doubtful if there was in the service a more 
 lion hearted man than Major Johnathan Hutchison. 
 It is tradition at his old home, that when the patriot- 
 ic citizens assembled to consider the subject of rais- 
 ing a company for this Regiment in Fort Dodge and 
 vicinity, his speech when called out was the most ef- 
 fective that was made; briefly and simply he said: 
 "Uncle Sam has got a big job on hand and I am go- 
 ing to help him through with it." The men who en- 
 
30 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 listed at Port Dodge and vicinity were worthy fol- 
 lowers of their Captain. The story is told of Alex- 
 ander Doud, that when at New Madrid, whilst he 
 was executing 1 an order of the Brigade commander 
 (not one of the Thirty Second Iowa Infantry ) to 
 spike the cannon and throw them into the Mississ- 
 ippi river to prevent them from falling into the 
 hands of Marmaduke, who was approaching with a 
 superior force, he believing that the detachment at 
 New Madrid could defend their position, declared, as 
 he was driving home a spike: "That this thing would 
 be thrown up to the young Douds at Dayton a hund- 
 red years from that time.'' 
 
 One of the truest men the writer ever knew as a 
 citizen and a professional man, was Dr. Stephen B. 
 Olney, the surgeon of the Regiment. What he was 
 in the military service is sufficiently attested by the 
 tenderness with which his name is mentioned by 
 every surviving soldier of the Regiment. 
 
 One among the noble men who fell at Pleasant 
 Hill was Captain Amos B. Miller. He was a gentle- 
 man in every fiber of his nature; and a man of the 
 most generous and patriotic impulses. He became a 
 soldier because he believed it was a duty he ovvvd to 
 his country. The spirit of self-sacrifice which 
 prompted him to enter the service, notwithstanding 
 his contemplative habit of mind, his love of books 
 and of civil employment, led him to meet all the re- 
 quirements of the service with resolute will and un- 
 faltering fidelity, crowning all in death on the field 
 of battle. 
 
 Lieutenant and Adjutant-Huntley, a young man 
 with bright promise of Usefulness and distinction, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 31 
 
 who entered the service by the side of Captain Mil- 
 ler, died upon the same battle-field. These were types 
 of the entire Regiment and have been mentioned here 
 because they were known to the writer and illustrate 
 the character of the men who constituted the Thirty 
 Second Iowa Infantry. The publication of a history 
 of the Thirty Second Iowa Infantry is a most praise- 
 worthy enterprise of its surviving comrades. Those 
 who have a personal interest in this history will be 
 able to verify its accuracy and impartiality. It is 
 scarcely necessary to say, that the committee ap- 
 pointed to supervise this publication have a difficult 
 task to perform. Much of the matter aside from the 
 official records, which will make up this history, must 
 be secured from the memory of living witnesses 
 thirty vears after the events which they are expect- 
 ed to recall have transpired. At all the re-unions of 
 the surviving soldiers of the rebellion, since Appo- 
 mattox, Regiments, and other initial organizations, 
 have been encouraged to compile their histories and 
 live over again in the printed page the events of 
 their service. The future historian of the Great Re- 
 bellion, who goes outside of the cold, and often mea- 
 ger, official records, will find his richest veins of 
 truth in the hitherto un worked mines of Regimental 
 history. What member of the Thirty Second Iowa 
 Infantry is willing that the future history of their 
 struggle in the battle of Pleasant Hill shall rest 
 solely upon the meager reports of Brigade and Divi- 
 sion Commanders who were neither with them, nor 
 near them in that supremest hour of their heroic 
 courage and self-renunciation? The history of this 
 noble Regiment will not only be read with interest 
 
32 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 by its survivors; nor alone by the historian delving* 
 for facts with which to enrich his pages; nor by the 
 descendants of the men who constituted the Regi- 
 ment; but it will be read by all the citizens through- 
 out this section of the state which was honored in 
 making such a contribution as the Thirty Second 
 Iowa Infantry to the cause of Free Government. 
 
I 
 
 o 
 
 CHAPTER I, 
 
 Camp Franklin. 
 
 For convenience in organizing the Iowa Regi- 
 ments several camps had been established, the ac- 
 commodations consisting of temporary barracks, 
 built of common lumber, having tiers of bunks, or 
 boxes in which men could arrange their blankets and 
 straw for sleeping, but with few comforts and no 
 conveniences for a life in camp. They were at best 
 only possible habitations for pleasant weather. One 
 of these camps was situated on the west bank of the 
 Mississippi River, above Dubuque, on the open com- 
 mons and out-lots near the city, and was named 
 Camp Franklin. The Governor ordered the various 
 companies of the Thirty Second Regiment to this 
 camp, where, with those of the Twenty Seventh and 
 Thirty Eighth Regiments they remained for several 
 weeks awaiting regular muster into the service of 
 the United States. 
 
34 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 The camp was under the control of the State 
 authorities, and the supplies were furnished by the 
 State; to be charged up to the Government. The 
 business was conducted fairly well. Subsistence 
 supplier were of good quality and abundant in quan- 
 tity. The Field, Staff, and Line officers were charg- 
 ed with their several duties, and under the supervi- 
 sion of Major Broadtbeck as drill master the com- 
 panies and regiments soon assumed the military air, 
 and the men began to put off the civilian and settle 
 down to the school of the soldier. 
 
 During this period of waiting and preparation a 
 malignant type of measles appeared. The Pall rains 
 and early snows came on. These found their way 
 through the open barracks, and several deaths from 
 the epidemic occurred. Exposure also caused per- 
 mament injury to the health of some who survived 
 the attack of measles, but who in consequence were 
 discharged from the service. Thus even in the camp 
 for muster the casualties of army life were not un- 
 known. 
 
 One of the pleasant incidents at Camp Franklin 
 was the presentation of a flag by the patriotic Ladies 
 of Waterloo. This beautiful banner, the work of 
 their fair hands, became the flag of the Regiment, 
 and was borne aloft in storm of shot and shell, as the 
 brave boys promised, stained with their blood but 
 never with dishonor. 
 
 The tedium of this camp was relieved by not in- 
 frequent visits of friends and relatives, who "drop- 
 ped in to see how the boys were getting along." 
 The occasional presence of wives, mothers, daughters, 
 and sweethearts, brought joy to some, envy to 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 35 
 
 others, and pleasure to many. The daily duties were 
 but as play to the strong men and frisky boys who 
 there took their first and easy lessons in the life of 
 the soldier. But the short weeks thus spent served 
 a valuable purpose in enabling officers and men to 
 become acquainted, to estimate themselves and each 
 other by comparison, and to form attachments and 
 dislikes that can never be effaced or forgotten. Life 
 in camp, even in a Camp of Instruction, dispels 
 many illusions. Those who have been neighbors for 
 years, and who think themselves acquainted with 
 each other, may well go together on an outing for 
 the purpose of proving or disproving the value of all 
 former estimates. There is nothing so valuable for 
 such a purpose. The gold and the glitter, the pinch- 
 beck and the dross, here are so clearly discerned as 
 never before. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Off For Dixie. 
 
 Although the Regiment was formally mustered 
 into the service on the sixth day of October, 1862, it 
 was not till the middle of November that Camp 
 Franklin was vacated. Sunday, the 16th, cold, rain- 
 ing, a gloomy day, the transfer to the steamers Jim 
 Means and Bill Henderson was made. By reason of 
 the low stage of water in the Mississippi River it be- 
 came necessary to decrease the draught of the boats 
 by transferring a large number of men and much of 
 
36 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the stores to barges in tow. Officers and men ac- 
 cepted with cheerfulness a situation that could not 
 be declined, and among boxes bales and barrels, 
 with the sky for a covering, five days and chilly 
 nights passed before the camp at Benton Barracks, 
 near St. Louis, was reached, on the morning of Nov- 
 ember 22nd. 
 
 Maj. Gen. S. R. Curtis was in command of the 
 Department of Missouri, comprising a large territory 
 west of the Mississippi, with head-quarters at St. 
 Louis. It was a compliment that was hardly appre- 
 ciated, and certainly not relished by the rank and file, 
 when Gen. Curtis selected the Thirty Second Iowa to 
 occupy the south eastern portion of Missouri, six 
 companies to be stationed at New Madrid, and four at 
 Cape Girardeau. Major Eberhart, with A, D, F, and 
 G, took charge of the latter Post, while Colonel 
 Scott with the other six companies established regi- 
 mental Head Quarters at New Madrid. This arrange- 
 ment was understood at the time as being for only a 
 short period, but was destined to last until March, 
 1864 It was an experience that tested the loyalty of 
 its members to the regimental unit of organization; 
 and it is a matter of just pride that the men of both, 
 as well as all subsequent detachments, endured the 
 test, and came out with a fealty to their divided as 
 well as their united services for the country that is 
 well worthy of mention. All members of the Thirty 
 Second Iowa Volunteers regard the record made by 
 each individual member, as a part of one common 
 heritage in which each has a property right, and of 
 which each is disposed to claim a share. 
 
 This disposition of the Regiment was of impor- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 37 
 
 tance to the- service, in guarding a line across which 
 contraband traffic was liable to be carried on. On 
 the west and to the south-west of this line the people 
 were intensely disloyal and vindictive. The region 
 was populated in the main by a class of "poor whites," 
 emigrants from the states south of the Ohio River, 
 and their descendants, who had sought land and cli- 
 mate not for their intrinsic value, but for cheapness. 
 Among them was much ignorance and equally great 
 prejudice and criminality, It was the natural spawn- 
 ing ground of the guerilla, the bush-whackers, the as- 
 sassin, whose amusements (not crimes) were murder 
 and illicit traffic. 
 
 On the other side of this line were the rebel sym- 
 pathizers of that part of Illinois known as "Egypt," 
 where many a loyal soldier and citizen was ambush- 
 ed, among whose inhabitants a traitor found aid and 
 comfort for the asking. 
 
 Sagacity, vigilance, integrity, were the import- 
 ant qualiticasions for the duties in such a situation. 
 And while many of our restless and ambitious men 
 chafed under the restraint and comparative inactivi- 
 ty of this species of soldier life, and pined for the 
 arduous march, the laborious and dangerous scout, 
 the storming of breastworks, the bayonet charge on 
 belching batteries, the hand to hand conflict in deadly 
 battle, worried over the dread that they would never 
 see even one great meeting of the armies, it is safe 
 to say that of ten thereafter these men would have 
 gladly returned to these routine duties, and left the 
 chance to others to earn the fame that belongs to 
 more active forms of war. Later experiences were 
 
28 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 more exciting than these, but possibly, on the whole, 
 not more satisfactory. 
 
 Note. The reason for the division of the Regiment, 
 and the temper of General Curtis over the subsequent 
 evacuation of New Madrid, when ordered by Gener- 
 al Davies, may be best understood by referring to a 
 letter of General Curtis to General Halleck. From 
 that letter it appears that New Madrid had already 
 been a bone of contention between the Commanders 
 of the Departments on opposite sides of the River. 
 Therefore, when Gen. Davies assumed to ogam take 
 troops from New Madrid, without his permission, as 
 Gen. Curtis alleged, and with Curtis' permission, as 
 General Davies alleged, the indignant Curtis was 
 ready to vent his anger on the Thirty Second Iowa, 
 or Colonel Scott, or any other innocent party. These 
 facts should be borne in mind when the reader reach 
 es the story of the evacuation of New Madrid for the 
 purpose of reinforcing Ft. Pillow, in another De- 
 partment, which must be told in the story of the six 
 companies. 
 
 The following Official Orders explain themselves: 
 
 Head Quarters St. Louis District of Mo. 
 Saint Louis Nov. 23, 1862. 
 Special Order ) 
 No. 6. \ 
 
 Col. Scott, 32nd Iowa Vol. Infantry, will 
 send in charge of a field Officer of the regiment four 
 (4) companies of his command to Cape Girardeau. 
 Missouri, where they will take station and remain 
 until further orders. 
 
 Col. Seott with the other six (6) companies will 
 proceed to New Madrid, Missouri, where he will es- 
 tablish his Regimental Head Quarters and take sta- 
 tion, and remain until further orders - 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 39 
 
 The Quarter Masters department will furnish 
 the necessary transportation both for conveying' the 
 bag-gage and. equipage from Benton Barracks and the 
 Regiment to its destination. 
 
 By order of Brigadier General E. A, Carr. 
 James A. Greason, 
 
 Actg. Assistant Adjutant General. 
 
 Headquarters 32nd Iowa Infantry, 
 Benton Barracks, Mo. , Nov. 25, 1862. 
 Major G. A. Eberhart. 
 32nd Iowa Vol. 
 
 Sir: You will proceed immediately to 
 Cape Girardeau, Missouri, with companies A. D. F. 
 and G. of this regiment and take command of that 
 Post until further orders. 
 
 By command of Col. John Scott. 
 Chas. Aldrich Adjutant. 
 
 Letter of Curtis to Halleck, in review of circum- 
 stances that called for this disposition of the Thirty 
 Second Iowa. 
 
 Hd. Qrs. Dept. of Missouri, 
 
 St. Louis, Nov. 23, 1862. 
 Col. J. C. Kelton, A. A. G. etc. 
 
 On 25th of Oct.Gen.Grant telegraphed as follows: 
 
 li Maj. Hen. Curtis: New Madrid being out of my 
 department, I would like to withdraw the detach- 
 ments of troops I have there as soon as they can be 
 relieved. Will you send troops to relieve them/' 
 
 I replied same day. 
 
 '•Dispatch rec'd. — Can't spare troops from 
 New Madrid at present." 
 
 Gen. Grant same day says: 
 
 "The troops at New Madrid are detachments 
 from other troops of my command. If they cannot 
 remain subject to my orders I must remove them." 
 
 On the 21st Nov., before I had opportunity to re- 
 lieve the troops. Brig. Gen. Davies telegraphed: 
 
 '•In accordance with orders from Maj. Gen. 
 Grant the troops from New Madrid are being re- 
 
40 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 moved to Island No. 10. If you dntend sending 
 troops to New Madrid the guns will be left. If not, 
 they shall be removed." 
 
 On the 22nd. I answered as follows: 
 "Troops and forts in my department are under 
 my command; not Gen. Grant's." 
 
 On 22nd, in reply Gen. Davies telegraphs: 
 "The troops belonging to this command which 
 were at New Madrid have been ordered away. No- 
 tice was given you, that you might replace them if 
 you so thought necessary, and no answer was receiv- 
 ed until this morning. Gen. Grant did not think it 
 safe to leave the guns there without anybody to guard 
 them, so ordered a boat to take them to Island No. 10." 
 I have stopped the Thirty Second Iowa to go 
 and supply this vacuum, and briefly report the facts 
 to Head Quarters, with a request that at least Gen. 
 Grant should be ordered to return the guns. Please 
 report to Gen. Grant. 
 
 Sam'l. R. Curtis. 
 
 Major General. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 At Cape Girardeau. 
 
 The story of the four companies, A, D, F and G r 
 under Major Eberhart. may be best told in the lan- 
 guage of Sergeant J, M. Boyd, of F, from whose 
 diary and narrative the facts are gleaned. Members 
 of the Regiment will not complain of space devoted 
 to comparatively unimportant details, and personal 
 mention. These may not properly be styled "His- 
 tory," but the life of the soldier, in camp and field, is 
 always of interest to his comrades, and to the families 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 41 
 
 of those who were participants in the same cam- 
 paigns. 
 
 Sergeant Boyd says: 
 
 Sunday, the 23rd, the four Co's. got marching 
 orders, went back again Tuesday the 25th, got orders 
 again, went to the Levee, but only Co. A could be 
 crowded on the boat. The other three companies 
 tramped about and waited until night and then went 
 on board another boat; lay all night among the coal 
 piles on the boiler deck, and next morning were or- 
 dered back to Camp Benton. On the morning of the 
 27th marching orders came again; got into line, 
 marched part way to Levee, then halted, marched 
 part way back, then marched and countermarched 
 until finally we reached the levee after dark and were 
 stored away on the boiler deck. The steam was up, 
 the boat shot out into the river and we were soon en- 
 joying a good sleep among the coal piles, boxes and 
 other goods and chattels of Uncle Sam, notwithstand- 
 ing the stamping and kicking of the mules and horses 
 which were closely jammed into intervening 
 spaces. 
 
 Pour o'clock P. M. of the 28th found the four 
 companies at Cape Girardeau, inarching to Camp 
 Scott in a snow storm; scraped away the snow, pitch- 
 ed Fremont tents and soon turned in for the night. 
 Sleep had not closed our eyes ere the cry rang through 
 the camp. "Up! up! boys! here they come! here they 
 are!" Soon the boys were out and looking to the 
 west, the sky was ablaze with the lire of musketry. 
 Every man seized his musket but not a man had a 
 cartridge. Lieut. Campbell seized an old ax, broke 
 open a cartridge box and distributed the cartridges. 
 Guns we:'; 1 soon loaded and all in line for a light, but 
 no enemy appeared. All was again quiet on the pick- 
 et line, and we lay down in our tents; but just as 
 sleep was closing our eyes the cry came again, "Up! 
 boys! here they are! no mistake this timer Gut 
 sprang ('•■cry man, gun in hand, into linp. Surely 
 our first fight was upon us, tho't we as we looked at 
 the blaze of musketry along the picket line. After 
 standing and shivering in line and around the camp 
 
42 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 fires for several hours all again became quiet; and 
 some one slanderously reported that it was only a 
 little whiskey mixed with the powder on the picket 
 line that caused the trouble. Occasionally, at least, 
 too much whiskey got mixed with the powder during 
 the war. 
 
 The stay at the Cape, doing garrison duty in the 
 winters of 1862-3, was one of those irksome, monot- 
 onous times disliked by the soldier. About every 
 third morning, a man could expect to get ready for 
 guard mounting, be marched down to be reviewed 
 and inspected by the post adjutant, and after parley 
 and standing in line, march out as guard to Port C r 
 A, or B, or to picket the Benton, Bloomfield or Jack- 
 son road. The night might be dark, a misty rain and 
 a dense fog on the Mississippi river,which will make 
 the blackness of darkness, if anything in this world 
 can, or it may be in a drenching storm of rain, snow 
 and sleet, or the night may be piercing cold, but the 
 sentinel must stand at his post; or, if on a fort, must 
 quickly walk his beat on the breast work, keep his 
 ears well open to give the alarm at the first approach 
 of a wily foe; but the first alarm the cautious sentinel 
 may receive may be the crack of a gun of a stealthy 
 fire that brings to him death. This, together with 
 occasional batalion drills, inspections and dress pa- 
 rades made up the work for the winter of 1862 and '63. 
 
 Nothing broke the monotony except an occasion- 
 al false alarm, and some raids into the country. One 
 was under the command of Captain Rozelle in which 
 the noted Archie Price, a relative of old Pap Price, 
 was captured. One was a trip down the river, on a 
 boat, under Lieutenant Campbell, in which the boys 
 had some romantic experiences with the treachery 
 of the boat's crew. The boat was bound for Mem- 
 phis. Five paymasters were on board armed with 
 the necessary "greenbacks'^ pay the troops below. 
 Lieut. Campbell was ordered, with a squad from our 
 regiment, to report to the boat to protect and guard 
 the five P. M's. and their little iron safes, containing 
 millions of the precious paper. But he soon dis- 
 covered that the captain of the boat had an anxious 
 earo for some other goods marked "private," some 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 43 
 
 "dry goods,'" Kinne-Keenec tobacco, &c. The boat 
 reached Island No. 10 in safety, delivered the mail to 
 our troops there with dispatch, and then hastily 
 drew in her cables and was swinging out into the chan- 
 nel, when the commander of the post ordered her 
 again to "heave to and land." To this the captain 
 objected, but just then a solid shot from one of the 
 heavy guns of one of the forts, sweeping over her 
 bow, said, "you must!" and she did. 
 
 A search disclosed the facts that the boxes mark- 
 ed "Tobacco" contained quinine and other medicines, 
 and the others contained clothing and arms, and that 
 the boat's crew was in a conspiracy to run the boat 
 into a point on the Arkansas shore, then in the pos- 
 session of a Guerrilla Band, and deliver all over to 
 the enemy. A new captain and crew were placed in 
 charge of the boat, and she was again sent on the 
 way, while the old captain and crew were placed in 
 durance vile. Treachery on the part of steamboat 
 crews about this time was not infrequent. A few 
 days after, the steamer White Cloud was made to 
 haul to, and search discovered a large amount of reb- 
 el mail and over $18,000 in gold, ready to be turned 
 over to the enemy at the first convenient point. 
 
 During the holidays and the early part of Janu- 
 ary, scouts reported that the enemy was preparing 
 to take the Cape. Bill Jeffries, a noted Methodist 
 preacher in Southeast Missouri before the war, then 
 a noted Guerrilla leader, and said to be familiar with 
 every cow path in that part of the state, was patrol- 
 ing the country, marshaling forces. And that 
 "Swamp Fox." Jeff Thompson,— it was said had a 
 force of 7.000 men collecting in and around Bloom- 
 field and "Nigger Wool Swamp." (Nigger Wool 
 Swanqi is a vast slough of sunken lands extending 
 from the river about New Madrid, back some thirty 
 miles. In places it is at times navigable for large 
 class steamboats. The banks and places through 
 the swamps are covered with heavy timber. See 
 Gen Pope's report of his campaign against NewMad- 
 rid,) for the purpose of making a dash on the Cape. 
 It was then guarded by our detalchment, some home 
 militia and a company of artillery then in a state of 
 
44 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 mutiny which made some of our assistance an uncer- 
 tain quantity at best, and caused a doubling up of 
 our guard and picket duty; and from the fact that 
 we then had no cavalry with us for general scout or 
 picket work, the enemy could come within two miles 
 of town without being perceived. It required us to- 
 be always on the alert, and ever ready to resist 
 an attempted surprise. At times there were not 
 men enough for a camp guard — so much picket work 
 and the want of rest and sleep began to tell on the 
 health of the men. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The winter passed off quietly, and not unpleas- 
 antly, the duties of the camp being rather monoton- 
 ous. Daily drill, camp guard, rations and an appe- 
 tite, were the lot of the Four Companies until, as 
 told by Sergeant Boyd: — 
 
 The 14th of March brought marching orders for 
 Bloomfield, the county seat of Stoddard county. Mo. , 
 and the boys rejoiced at the prospect of release from 
 Garrison duty. Arriving at Bloomfield, on the 16th, 
 the detachment was camped east of town near Henry 
 Miller's big spring; Miller's big log house becoming 
 headquarters and boarding house for our officers. 
 Here for the soldier was another term of guard duty, 
 picketing the roads and guarding the old log jail, 
 generally well filled with rebel prisoners. These 
 prisoners presented a medley of humanity. One of 
 them was a Baptist minister, from Alabama, with the 
 rank of 1st. Lieutenant in the Rebel army; an edu- 
 cated and accomplished gentleman. Another was a 
 Methodist preacher from Kentucky. Another claim- 
 ed to be a native of French Guiana, South America. 
 He no doubt had been an adventurous fellow, had 
 s Q en much of the world, and could tell many thrilling 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 45 
 
 stories of his adventures and hairbreadth escapes, 
 by sea and by land. Many an hour was spent in so- 
 cial chat by the guards and some of the prisoners, 
 sitting on the ground along the guard line. 
 
 One day a cavalry officer brought in a squad of 
 prisoners, and, turning them over to the Sergeant 
 of the guard, said, ''There is a hard one. Look out 
 for him," pointing to a man that some of the other 
 prisoners called Judge Taylor. He was a stout, well 
 built man, all muscle and nerve, and no doubt a man 
 of great physical endurance. His countenance and 
 skin looked as though he had been thoroughly steep- 
 ed in filth and tobacco juice. His clothes, a butter- 
 nut suit, were dirty and filthy- His physiognomy 
 would indicate much low cunning and native shrewd- 
 ness, mixed with a disposition of cruelty. He was a 
 specimen leader among the swamp angel bushwhack- 
 ers who infested the swamps and sunken lands of 
 southeast Missouri. He bore the titles of Judge, 
 Provost Marshal and recruiting officer. Just after 
 he was passed into the guard lines, his wife ap- 
 proached the line with a change of clothing. The 
 Sergeant of the guard was required to carefully ex- 
 amine the clothing and pass his thumb and finger 
 over every seam to see that they contained nothing 
 contraband. This was easily done with the clothes 
 brought by the woman, for if they were not clean, if 
 the dirt was boiled in, the graybacks were boiled 
 dead. But when the Sergeant was compelled to 
 stand over the old Judge while he changed suits and 
 examine the cast off clothes before turning them 
 over to the woman, then came the tug of war. To 
 hold his nose as far away as possible from the stench 
 and to hold the clothes away so that the graybacks 
 might not fall on himself were the two main points; 
 but every seam was carefully examined despite the 
 falling graybacks, while officers and soldiers stand- 
 ing by enjoyed the sport at the Sergeant's expense. 
 
 One of the most notorious of these bushwhackers 
 was a desperado known as Jack Cato, who boasted 
 that he had made at least (80) eighty Union men bite 
 the dust. Some forty rods down the hill, east of the 
 old jail, was a piece of timber land, and at the point 
 
46 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 of the timber was a tree, a large limb or branch 
 spreading over the ploughed ground, on the upper 
 side of which the bark was worn off, and Jack boast- 
 ed that it was done by the rope, hanging Union men 
 thereon. Three Uuion men were caught and made 
 to dig three graves under that tree. The first was 
 hung and thrown into the first grave, the second one 
 hung and put into the second grave, the third was 
 hung up and then let down and ordered to go and re- 
 port to the Yanks, and his grave left open. Just as 
 the first ray of light could be seen in the east on a. 
 beautiful April morning Jack was taken from jail, 
 marched down to that grave where a rough coffin 
 was placed, required to about face and kneel upon 
 the coffin when the unerring bullet from the gun of 
 one of the guards, selected for the purpose, sped to 
 his heart. He fell upon his coffin with a terrible oath 
 on his lips and soon filled a felon's grave. On the 
 night before the execution of the wretched man, some 
 of the boys were on guard at the jail, and when they 
 informed him of his fate, he swore that he did not 
 care; he had had his satisfaction in killing Union 
 men; at least eighty "Yanks" had died from the shot 
 of his rifle, when they didn't know he had the drop 
 on them." Chaplain Wood called to see him, but was 
 only met by defiant sneers and curses. 
 
 On the 19th of April we moved camp to the north- 
 west part of town. We then supposed that we were 
 to remain at Bloomfield all summer; went to work, 
 carried old rails, timbers and boards and made com- 
 fortable summer quarters. The night of the 20th,. 
 worked late to get them nicely fixed. It was eleven 
 o'clock at night before we were ready to lie down on 
 our newly made bunks. But just then we heard the 
 picket, on the Greenville road, call out, "Halt! Who 
 comes there?" The rapidly approaching horseman 
 reined up his horse, and, after a parley with the 
 guards, was taken in charge and conducted to Major 
 Eberhart's quarters. As he passed through camp he 
 said, "Boys you have marching orders for Dallas at 
 four o'clock. " Soon the order rang through camp. 
 li Up,boys! every man! and draw three days rations; have 
 them cooked and in your haversacks; forty rounds of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 47 
 
 cartridges in your cartridge box and be ready to 
 march at four o'clock." 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 A Lively Footrace. Finding a soft spot in 
 the Life of the Soldier. 
 
 By the first peep of day the detachment was in 
 line moving by the Cape Girardeau road. We met 
 the train and mail some 20 miles from Bloomfield. 
 They halted, delivered us our mail and then turned 
 back for the Cape. The detachment continued the 
 march on the Cape Girardeau road, camping the first 
 night on the ground on which we camped when first 
 going to Bloomfield. On the second day we turned 
 for Dallas and were soon meandering among the 
 swamps and sunken lands. Striking the head of 
 Nigger Wool Swamp, at first the mud and slush 
 came over shoe top. but soon we were in to our knees 
 and even waist deep in the filthy water and slush. 
 Sometimes an old log would come in our line along 
 which you could see the boys crawl turtle like, but 
 at the end of the log down again the boys must go 
 wadino- and plunging as we would sing out, No bottom! 
 No bottom' These sunken lands and swamps are said 
 to be the result of the earthquake of 1812, when the 
 town of New Madrid was sunk and destroyed and 
 thev run through some four or five counties of bout ti 
 East Missouri, and the country being heavily timber- 
 ed the swamps made grand hiding places for Guerilla 
 Bands, hence the name "Swamp Angels. After get- 
 ting through the swamp we came to a nice farm be- 
 longing to an old rebel named Snider. But where 
 were our teams? Back in the swamps. Six mule 
 teams down in the mud and slush to their backs. The 
 boys declared that they could see Tom Payne s lead 
 mules wallowing through the mire and J^tseethe 
 t^s of their oars above the water. Oar delachment 
 
48 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 train came through but General McNeill's team and 
 troops were swamp bound. But the General riding 
 into Snider's yard, presented his revolver at old man 
 Snider's head and then turning to his wagon master 
 said, "take that man with you and if he don't bring 
 the train through by a better road, shoot him down 
 and leave him on his tracks." They came through 
 by a better road. In the mean time we were resting 
 at Snider's house and enjoying our dinner on divider's 
 honey and hard tack. But our officers appeared to 
 have no sweet tooth in their heads, or they were 
 afraid of old Snider's honey. 
 
 The evening of the 22nd we were at Dallas, hav- 
 ing made some 60 miles by our meandering rouie in 
 two days, The latter part of the last day's maich 
 was over a rough hilly country. Here we had march- 
 ing orders for the Cape at four o'clock next morning, 
 and by four we were in line, but as we were rear 
 guard the sun was ascending the Heavens before we 
 were fairly in motion. Then we had orders to move 
 with all possible speed and be ready for an attack at 
 any moment from the rear or either flank. Squads 
 of men could be seen hovering upon our rear and 
 flanks. The road was hilly and in places rough and 
 stony, yet the distance to Jackson, 22 miles, was 
 made in a little less than six hours. The afternoon 
 of the day we left Bloomfield, it was occupied by 
 rebel troops concentrating there from Pine Bluffs, 
 Des Arc, and other points in Arkansas. Marmaduke 
 and Shelby had gone west of us, striking through the 
 west part of Wayne county, taking the little town of 
 Patterson and making a dash thence into Fredrick- 
 town, while Carter had concentrated his force, a bri- 
 gade of Texas cavalry on the Mississippi river, be- 
 low Cape Girardeau. Marmaduke's scouts claimed 
 to have captured dispatches showing that General 
 McNeill was ordered to move to Pilot Knob, and 
 hence when we reached Dallas (then the county seat 
 of Bollinger county, and now Marble Hill) Marma- 
 duke and Shelby were between us and our destined 
 point if that was our intended move on the warring 
 chess board. And when we marched for the Cape, 
 the force of Marmaduke and Shelby were moving in 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 49 
 
 behind us, while Burbridge and Colton Green were 
 moving- for the Cape by the Bloomfield road, aiming" 
 to combine with Carter and unite all their forces to 
 take the Cape, which, before our reaching it was gar- 
 risoned only by the 1st Nebraska and some artillery. 
 Upon reaching Jackson, we rested until the afternoon 
 of the 24th and then marched leisurely into Cape 
 Girardeau. About ten o'clock, Saturday night, un- 
 der a tlag of truce, a demand for an unconditional 
 surrender of the place with all its forts, troops, arms 
 and army stores in thirty minutes, was sent to Gen. 
 McNeill. The demand purported to be signed by 
 Gen. Sterling Price. (Price was then at Pidgeon 
 Hill, Arkansas. ) Gen. McNeill replied, that he 
 would only ask one minute to refuse the demand, and 
 begged Gen. Price to give him credit for the other 
 twenty-nine minutes. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 A good story is none the worse for being told by 
 other witnesses, if they see the facts from different 
 stand-points. Sergeant Boyd gives the view as pre- 
 sented to him ; that of an enlisted man, with sub- 
 ordinate duties; and it must be agreed that he has 
 well told the tale as his notes and memory served 
 him. Major Eberhart being in command of the De- 
 tachment was better informed, from necessity, of 
 the reasons for the various movements. He was ac- 
 companied by Assistant Surgeon Wasson, the only 
 member of the Regimental Staff that could be spared, 
 and had almost sole authority in the Detachment. 
 
 In a letter of recent date Major Eberhart gives 
 some of the details of the movements of the Four 
 Companies, comprising the removal from Benton 
 
50 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Barracks to Cape Girardeau, and the occupation of 
 that Post. At the risk of some repetion the compiler 
 deems it proper to insert both versions, believing- 
 that those who were the actors will be equally inter- 
 ested in each of them. 
 
 Col. G. A. Eberhart. 
 
 Major Eberhart says: 
 
 At 12 M. of Nov. 25, 1862, I marched Companies- 
 A, D, P and G, from Benton Barracks expecting- to 
 embark on steamer ".4raryo"for Cape Girardeau. Ar- 
 riving at the landing we found the steamer could 
 carry but one company in addition to her cargo and 
 passengers. Company A, T Capt. Cutler in command. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 51 
 
 was placed on board, and the steamer ''Isabella'" was 
 assigned to transport the other companies to our 
 destination. The Companies D, F, and G, were 
 placed on board. Next morning learning that the 
 steamer would not leave St. Louis until the evening 
 of the 27th, the detachment marched back to Benton 
 Barracks to comfortable quarters. Afternoon of the 
 27th w T e again marched to the steamer, embarked, 
 and at 6 p. m. moved out from the landing and start- 
 ed for Cape Girardeau, where we arrived at 5 p, m. 
 next day. 
 
 Before arrival of detachment the garrison at 
 Cape Girardeau was Capt. Meisnser's Company D, 
 2d, Mo. Artillery, 150 men and officers. This com 
 pany had been very thoroughly drilled during near- 
 ly a year's service on garrison duty; and were quite 
 expert in the "manual" with their muskets. 
 
 The manner in which our "awkward squads" 
 handled our old Prussian Muskets amused the 
 "dutchmen" and they did not conceal the fact. The 
 men began to interest themselves in the manual of 
 arms and made the work of the officers comparative- 
 ly easy, so that in three months our men had a poor 
 opinion of the slow motions of the dutchmen. In six 
 months after landing at Cape Girardeau the four 
 companies were well drilled in "manual," "Keltons 
 Bayonet exercise," marching in line and all evolu- 
 tions of company and battalion in the skirmish drill 
 to bugle signals, and were not excelled by any Regi- 
 ment of Volunteers we met in the service. 
 
 As ordered I assumed command of the Post on 
 December 1st, and placed Lieut. Chas. A. Bannon of 
 Co. G. on duty as Provost Marshal, 
 
 After the weather became cold we took posses- 
 sion of some buildings on Main street, and obtaining 
 lumber from an old mill above town, fitted up com- 
 fortable bunks. 
 
 During the winter months, the rebels Col. M. 
 Jeff Thompson and Col,Jeffers, with several hundred 
 partly armed troops crossed the St. Francis River 
 into Missouri, occupied Bloomfield and the roads 
 leading to New Madrid and Cape Girardeau, threat- 
 ening both points, but in no condition to attack 
 
52 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 either. 
 
 On January 27, 1863. about 250 Missouri Militia 
 made a dash into Bloomfield and captured a large 
 number af these men. 
 
 Gen. Marmaduke after returning 1 to Batesville, 
 Arkansas, from his raid to Springfield, Mo., about 
 the last of January wrote to Lieut. Gen. Holmes in 
 command at Little Rock proposing a raid into South 
 East Missouri. Answering on February 16, Lieut. 
 Gen. Holmes says; 
 
 "Your plan is a bold one, but I think you are 
 mistaken about the Missouri people. They are thor- 
 oughly cowed, and require an overwhelming force to 
 assist if they raise their hands against their oppres- 
 sors. * * Advise me where Blount's, Schofield's, 
 and other Federal forces are." 
 
 Again on February 27th, Holmes writing 
 to Marmaduke; 
 
 "Thinks if you go without large force of infan- 
 try and must abandon Missouri, the friends will be 
 left to a merciless foe who would not hesitate to destroy 
 every man, woman or child that showed you sympathy." 
 * * "You over-estimate their zeal, under-estimate 
 the effect of the iron and diabolical rule of the enemy 
 over there.'" They will refuse to lift a hand unless 
 sure of protection, vide Maryland, Kentucky, and 
 Tennessee. 
 
 The official returns made March 1st 1863 by 
 confederate commanders, place Marmaduke's com- 
 mand present for duty, officers 203, men 2354, aggre- 
 gate present 3200, present and absent 5163. Whole 
 force in District of Arkansas for duty, officers 1509, 
 men 19178, aggregate present 25313, present and ab- 
 sent 41305. 
 
 On March 10th Col. Hughes at New Madrid 
 sends message to head quarters that scouts report 
 Marmaduke about to invade Missouri and strike 
 Bloomfield. Col. John McNeil with his Regiment of 
 Mo. S. M. occupied Bloomfield about the 1st of 
 March, his advance driving out a small force of the 
 enemy. His scouting parties meeting considerable 
 resistance in Arkansas and Missouri, South and West 
 from Bloomfield, he called for reinforcements to be 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 53 
 
 sent to Bloomfield. On March 13th orders were re- 
 ceived at Cape Girardeau directing 1st Wisconsin 
 Cavalry, Col. La Grange, Detachment Thirty Second 
 Iowa Infantry, Major Eberhart, and Welfly's Battery, 
 to march to Bloomfield and report to Col. McNeil. 
 On March 14th the command marched from Cape 
 Girardeau arriving at Bloomfield at 11:30 a, m. on 
 17th. On March 15th, while the reinforcements 
 were marching to Bloomfield, Gen. McNeil sent the 
 following dispatch to Head Quarters at Cape Girar- 
 deau : 
 
 "I have just returned from a scout against 
 Thompson. I have driven him from the state and 
 captured half of his ragamuffins. Marmaduke now 
 threatens me, and from the way I am reinforced, I 
 expect they intend he shall have me and my regi- 
 ment. , 
 
 "Major, for God's sake! hurry up the command 
 sent to me. Do get Welfiy to march night and day. 
 Until he gets here with his battery, I shall not feel 
 
 risrht. '' 
 
 On March 21st McNeil reports to Davidson that 
 Marmaduke's advance is seven miles from Poplar 
 Bluff Mo., and on the 23rd he says, "Marmaduke is 
 not this side of Pocahontas, if he has left Batesville. 
 Then again on the 24th he says, '-Marmaduke is still 
 at Batesville, and cannot move before the middle of 
 
 April:'' , L . , 
 
 While at Bloomfield the detachment had a com- 
 fortable place to camp. The time was passed in 
 guard duty and drill, more attention being given to 
 skirmish drill, using the bugle for signals. 1 he 
 guard duty was something more than at Cape Girar- 
 deau, and the men began to learn something of ser- 
 
 ^ April 2nd, to 8th, Col. Green was on the march 
 toward Doniphan, Mo., and reported to Gen Marma- 
 duke, who was at Powhattan, Ark. April 14th Jo. 
 Shelby crossed into Missouri, and says: "1 hear Mc- 
 Neil is at Poplar Bluffs; if he is I will find him. 
 
 April 16th, Greene at Pitman's Ferry, Current 
 River Mo. On same day Gen. Davdison telegraphs 
 McNeil: "Concentrate all your command at Bloom- 
 
54 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 field except one company at Chalk Bluff and one at 
 Poplar Bluff ;be prepared to fall back by way of Dallas 
 and Fredericktown so as to concentrate with the 
 troops from Patterson and Pilot Knob. " 
 
 McNeil had at Bloomfield, 2nd Missouri Cavalry, 
 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, 8 Companies 4th Missouri 
 Cavalry, 4 Companies 32nd Iowa Infantry, and 8 
 guns from Batteries, in all about 2700 men. He de- 
 cided to fortify, and told Gen. Davidson April 20th, 
 he would send him plans. The camp of detachment 
 was for this reason moved to the location where 
 works would be built. 
 
 But on April 20th Marmaduke was at Patterson, 
 Missouri. 50 miles from Arkansas, captured the 
 place, and on the 21st sent Carter's Texas brigade 
 with Pratt's battery against McNeil at Bloomfield, 
 and sent Jo. Shelby with his brigade to Frederick- 
 town. 
 
 (Marmaduke's report states he had 5000 men 
 and ten guns; 1200 men were unarmed and 900 dis- 
 mounted.) 
 
 On the night of April 20th orders were given to 
 march out on Cape Girardeau road at four a. m. next 
 day. The command moved about 5 a. m. and camp- 
 ed at night 28 miles from Bloomfield. The next day 
 the command marched to Dallas; part of the way 
 through swamps, and two miles of the distance 
 through running water. Dallas was reached in the 
 afternoon. Next forenoon marched to Jackson, be- 
 cause McNeil discovered that the rebels were be- 
 tween his troops and Pilot Knob. 
 
 On the 24th the command moved to Cape Girar- 
 deau. Carter reports that he pursued us to within 
 four miles of that place. 
 
 * * 
 
 # 
 
 These separate accounts bring us again to Cape 
 Girardeau, on the evening of April 24th, having been 
 absent since the morning of March 14th. Marmaduke 
 was close upon the heels of McNeil, and the follow- 
 ing morning disposed his forces for the capture of 
 the place. He seems to have been met by an effect- 
 
TOW A VOLUNTEERS. 55 
 
 ive disposition of McNeil's limited force, and was re- 
 pulsed, with some loss. McNeil received some re- 
 inforcement from St. Louis during the engagement, 
 and the incessant screaming of the whistles of the 
 boats appears to have caused the enemy to greatly 
 magnify the aid thus rendered. But for this and 
 some other blunders of Marmaduke it was thought 
 he might have captured Cape Girardeau, with impor- 
 tant stores and material. 
 
 The detachment of 32nd Iowa did good service. 
 Some of them who had been on the advanced picket 
 line fell back to a ravine between the contending 
 forces, where, with no opportunity of firing a gun 
 the shot and shell passed both ways over their heads. 
 It can certainly be said of these that they were "un- 
 der fire." The rebel gunners were quite careless, 
 and some missiles fell among our boys, but none 
 were struck. The body of the detachment held an 
 important position that was not assailed, and happily 
 no Iowa blood was shed in this affair. 
 
 Marmaduke retreated on the Jackson road. Gen. 
 Vandever was coming down from Pilot Knob, and at- 
 tacked Marmaduke next morning. There was an open 
 way by the Bloom field road by which McNeil could 
 have gained the Whitewater bridge in front of Mar- 
 maduke, and held him for Vandever. The men ex- 
 pected such a movement. It was not made, and 
 Marmaduke got away. Such is war under incompe- 
 tent commanders. Either force can be relied upon 
 with much probability for a blunder that will neutra- 
 lize the blunder of the opposing force. Afterwards, 
 on paper, any of us can fight the battle to bring 
 about another result. Had Marmaduke not blunder- 
 
56 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ed he would have captured Cape Girardeau. Had 
 McNeil and Vandever acted in concert they would 
 have captured Marmaduke! 
 
 At daylight next morning Vandever attacked 
 Marmaduke. At 5 p. m, in a steady rain, the De- 
 tachment started for Bloomfield, marched five miles, 
 and camped for the night. They were hardly set- 
 tled until an order came from Vandever for them to 
 return to the Cape. Before they could get started 
 Col. John C. Black, of the 37th Illinois, (later the 
 famous Pension Commissioner,) appeared, and or- 
 dered Eberhart to "move at once for Bloomfield!" A 
 short parley; Company A went to the Cape; the other 
 three companies started to Bloomfield. An all night 
 march, much of it in the swamps, the men often 
 sprawling in the black mud and water, and continu- 
 ing till four p. m. next day, brought the Detachment 
 into camp six miles from Bloomfield. 
 
 After a running fight for forty miles beyond 
 Bloomfield the enemy crossed the swollen St. Francis 
 River, and escaped from Vandever, who returned to 
 Bloomfield. On this chase some of the infantry 
 marched more than thirty miles without food. The 
 casualties were few, but the effect of such marches 
 is disastrous and lasting-. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 The Detachment having returned to Cape Girar- 
 deau remained until July, when the surrender of 
 Vicksburg, battle of Helena, and the capture of Port 
 Hudson, opening the Mississippi, suggested a cam- 
 paign for the possession of Arkansas. 
 
 On this third march to Bloomfield, some mem- 
 bers of the Detachment, acting without orders, re- 
 membering some of the outrages upon loyal citizens 
 and captured soldiers at certain points on the road, 
 burned some houses that had been a shelter for the 
 offenders. This indiscretion gave great offence to 
 Gen. Davidson, who was in command. It does not 
 appear reasonable that a man entrusted with the 
 command of patriotic Volunteers in such a war should 
 vent his personal spleen upon an entire body of men 
 because of the supposed faults of a few individuals. 
 It is a fact, however, that men of a certain caliber, 
 when in command of troops, .regard every infraction 
 of their orders, however foolish the order and unin- 
 tentional the offense, as a direct insult to themselves, 
 and to their shoulder-straps. They cannot pursuade 
 themselves to simply regard an act as an offense 
 against the rules for the government of armies, and 
 a proper subject for discipline under those rules. 
 Such men resort to personal punishments, and in the 
 case of individuals would order that the offender 
 carry a rail in front of the tent of the brutal officer giv- 
 ing the order. 
 
 Whether or not by this means the Detachment 
 incurred the hatred of the doughty officer in com- 
 mand, and became the victim of an unreasoning ven- 
 
58 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 geance, may never be known. But it would be hard 
 to pursuade many of the men who suffered, and 
 whose comrades died under the hardships of a long 
 campaign in which a small body of infantry was com- 
 pelled to follow a cavalry expedition, that the act 
 was not one of brutality rather than idiocy! Of this 
 campaign Sergeant Boyd says: 
 
 Sergt. J. M. Boyd, 
 
 At Bloomfield Gen. Davidson issued an order- 
 that we should bo attached to the 3d brigade of his 
 cavalry division. An extra pair of shoes war. issued 
 to each man, with an order that "he must carry them 
 in his knapsack.'' The men must also carry their 
 tents, 40 rounds of cartridges,, throe days rations, and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 59 
 
 march to keep up with cavalry. 
 
 We left Bloomfield by the West Prairie and Chalk 
 Blu If road, and although the day was hot, kept pace 
 with the Reserve brigade of cavalry, Col. Caldwell 
 commanding. By 2 o'clock p. m. next day had made 
 forty miles, crossing the Saint Francis river at Chalk 
 Bluff and continued the meandering march down that 
 stream among the miasmatic marshes, under the heat 
 of a scorching sun, where good water was unknown. 
 
 Reaching Wittsburg, the command halted, to 
 have the sick sent to Helena, and to procure supplies. 
 Here scouts reported that Price and Marmaduke were 
 between us and Jacksonport preparing to give us bat- 
 tle. Preparations were made to receive thorn, forti- 
 fying the approaches to Wittsburg and the junction 
 of the Jacksonport and Helena roads, and keeping 
 out a strong picket force, and the reserves well in 
 hand. No enemy appearing in forco, the command 
 started again and moved towards Helena, but when 
 some twenty-five miles west of that place it halted 
 and made a Hank movement to the west, reaching 
 Clarendon, on White river, on the 24th. The weath- 
 er was exceedingly hot, and especially so when com- 
 ing in contact with the trains and cavalry as they 
 would pass and repass. Men marched in dense clouds 
 of dust, and many, overcome with the heat and dust, 
 gave out and fell by the wayside, and were unable to 
 reach camp until far in the nigh*-. At Clarendon 
 more sick men were left. Camp dysentery and ma- 
 lari il fevers now commenced to tell fearfully among 
 the men. 
 
 August 10th Major Eberhart received orders to 
 hold battalion in readiness, with five days rations, 
 to go on gunboats up the river to capture boats of 
 the enemy. On the 12th Captain DeTar. with A and 
 D, boarded the gunboat Cricket, while F and G went 
 upon the Marmora, with Major Eberhart. At Des 
 Arc the Major went aboard the Lexington, with 
 Capt. Bache, who commanded the flotilla. They 
 proceeded carefully up the Little Red river, a tribu- 
 tary of the White river, a narrow, deep stream, and 
 then bank full from recent rains. The three boats 
 carried each six guns; two on the Lexington were 
 
60 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 long range Parrot guns, and the others were 24 
 pound howitzers. At Des Arc, a corporal's guard 
 was sent ashore, with a squad of men as pickets, and 
 to see where the Johnnies went. Going to a house 
 not far away, they found a man who knew nothing, 
 as a matter of course, but he was taken in all the 
 same, and put in charge of one of our scouts. An 
 old darkey said: "Two small boats went up the 
 river carrying supplies to Marmaduke's men. The 
 white folks said. 'No, hadn't seen any boats for 
 months,' but darkey says 'Dey up de ribber in de 
 bend." Darkies didn't often lie to Union soldiers. 
 Continuing up the river and turning a sharp bend 
 near Searcy landing, hove in sight of a pontoon 
 bridge, over which a portion of Marmaduke's troops 
 had just crossed, leaving their pickets at the bridge, 
 when lo! there lay two small transports, the Tom 
 Suggs and Kaskaskia, and our captured man. who 
 "knew nothing," was the pilot who ran them in there. 
 One shot from our bow gun caused them to surren- 
 der, and our own men boarded them, throwing out 
 skirmishers, driving away their pickels, capturing 
 their dinner of corn-bread and roasting ears, and throw- 
 ing a few shells as a salute into Shelby's camp just 
 to let the "dashing Joe" know that we were in friend- 
 ly nearness to him, (in fact, we were 'almost to the 
 camp of Shelby's brigade,') burned the pontoon, and 
 then turned down stream, Lieutenant Templin in 
 command on the Kaskaskia in the lead. Before re- 
 turning, cotton bales were taken on board and a line 
 of bullet-proof breast-works built around the boats 
 composing the little fleet. Shelby, taken by sur- 
 prise at the bold, defiant bearing of the little squad, 
 shelling the woods on either side, and throwing shot 
 and shell so interestingly near his own camp, order- 
 ed Thompson's brigade of infantry, a company of 
 light artillery, and a company of sharp shooters to 
 pursue and capture them by cutting across one of 
 the great bends of the very winding little stream. 
 When near West Point under cover of heavy timber 
 and thick underbrush, they opened a murderous fire, 
 the aim appearing to be to kill the pilots, and there- 
 by cripple the movement of the little fleet; but the 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 61 
 
 Cricket coming up gave them a volley of grape and 
 canister. Col. Gilky, commanding their advance 
 regiment and splendidly mounted, fell mortally 
 wounded within ten feet of the Cricket, and died 
 within a few hours. Major Sankey of the same regi- 
 ment was also wounded. At times the Kaskaskia, 
 the stream being very narrow, the limbs on both 
 sides would brush the boats and swing them against 
 the bank, and the enemy was only prevented from 
 boarding her at the point of the bayonet. Had it 
 not been for the protection of the cotton bales as 
 breast-works hardly a man could have escaped. The 
 utmost coolness and bravery was throughout exhib- 
 ited by both officers and men. George H. Pox. of 
 Co. D, was mortally wounded and died that night, 
 and live or six others were also w r ounded. The ene- 
 my's loss must have been very severe. One of their 
 own reports admits that "they paid dearly for their 
 temerity." 
 
 On the 30th we went down White river about ten 
 miles below Clarendon, and landed under the cover 
 of the gunboats about 9 o'clock at night, and drove 
 the enemy before us, they making a hasty retreat. 
 
 On the 1st day of August the march was again 
 resumed in the direction of Little Rock. On the 2d 
 day of August that place bearing the euphonious name 
 of Dead Man's Lake was reached. It was a sort of 
 lake or pond or old river bed. filled with filthy w T ater, 
 covered with a thick coating of green scum, and in- 
 numerable insects, large and small, floating on the 
 surface, and with plenty of dead fish in it. The day 
 was hot, the country through which we marched, 
 destitute of water, and men marched through clouds 
 of dust, especially when coining in contact with 
 trains and in passing and repassing the cavalry. The 
 men's eyes, mouths, and nostrils w T ere full of dust, 
 and w r hen we reached even the water of Dead Man's 
 Lake, it was pre-empted by the cavalry, but a guard 
 was placed over a portion of it. After it had been 
 mixed by the horses feet, men crazed by thirst. drank 
 what horses would not taste. The time spent in that 
 part of Arkansas was one of suffering from heat and 
 thirst, And the four Co's. of the Thirty Second 
 
62 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Iowa, not only marched to keep up with the cavalry, 
 but did picket guard duty every night. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Gen. Marmaduke, after the affair of the Little 
 Red, formed a junction with General Walker, and 
 they moved their united commands for Brownsville. 
 
 Gen. Davidson with his cavalry division and ar- 
 tillery (our four companies of infantry being the 
 support to the artillery ) also moved for Brownsville. 
 Striking the open prairie of Prairie county, Ark., the 
 entire command was thrown out in battle line, the 
 four companies of the 32nd keeping pace as support 
 to the artillery. Across the prairie, and at times in 
 full sight, could be seen the enemy's infantry, caval- 
 ry and artillery, retreating before us. The whole 
 presented a grand army scene. Just before reaching" 
 Brownsville, the enemy commenced a rather precipi- 
 tate retreat, and moved somewhat rapidly for the 
 skirt of pine timber to the left and beyond the vil- 
 lage. Gen. Davidson then checked his advancing 
 lines and ordered a halt. He suspected the decoy. 
 The timber was planted with masked batteries, and 
 men in ambush. Davidson preferred a flank move- 
 ment to being caught in such a trap. It was proba- 
 ble on this day that the difficulty between Gen. Walk- 
 er and Gen. Marmaduke commenced, that resulted in 
 a duel and the death of Walker, on the morning of 
 Sept. 6, 1863, seven miles below T Little Rock. No 
 doubt the envy and jealousy between Walker and 
 Marmaduke gave us an easier victory at Little Rock. 
 
 On the 23d, the Detachment again returned to 
 DuVall's Bluffs, as guard to the supply train. 
 
 On the 25th of August the command ag-ain march- 
 ed from Du Vall's Bluffs to Brownsville. It was an- 
 other hot day and it was 11 o'clock at night when 
 the detachment marched into the little court house 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 63 
 
 yard. As we marched in at the gate Gen. Davidson, 
 who was standing near by, said: "Boys, lie down 
 quickly and get some rest, for I will need you at an 
 early hour, ""and then to another officer at his side 
 said: "These brave boys have marched live hundred 
 miles and kept up with the cavalry." And I might 
 add that Gen. McPherson's medical director after- 
 wards remarked at Vicksburg, when one of our men 
 applied for a sick furlough: "The marching of four 
 companies of infantry through on that campaign, to 
 keep up with the cavalry was a burning shame, and 
 one of the grandest outrages of the war. It was no 
 wonder the men were all broken down." Gen. Dav- 
 idson was a fine cavalry officer, but what have we to 
 thank him lory Almost the entire way, from Du 
 V all's Bluffs to Brownsville, was a level prairie, des- 
 titute of water. Many of the men, overcome by heat, 
 fell by the wayside. The ambulances could not haul 
 all the sick. They would load up all that could pos- 
 sibly be crowded in, then drive ahead of the column 
 as far as it was thought safe; unload them by the 
 roadside in the broiling sun and then return for an- 
 other load. Thus the sick men were alternately 
 hauled in ambulances and left by the roadside, in the 
 scorching heat of the August sun, where not a drop 
 of water could be had. 
 
 At 2 a. m. of the 26th we were called out by re- 
 veille, giving very little rest to the tired soldier. A 
 march of nine miles, part of the time on double 
 quick, brought us to the enemy's out posts and other 
 rifle pits which were stormed and taken on the double 
 quick. The enemy then retreated to another rise or 
 ridge, where they attempted to plant their artillery, 
 but our artillery opening on them, the shells sweep- 
 ing through their lines, they again retreated. Our 
 command was then ordered forward in pursuit down 
 a long hill, through the timber and thick matted 
 brush almost impossible to get through, to the edge 
 of the bayou. 
 
 Bayou Metaire is a sluggish, miry stream, with 
 steep banks covered with a heavy growth of under- 
 brush, and at all points difficult to cross. The bridge 
 across the stream was prepared for destruction by a 
 
64 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 thorough coating of tar and turpentine. The artil- 
 lery was so posted as to rake the road across it and 
 sweep the bridge, and their infantry and dismount- 
 ed cavalry deployed in strong skirmish lines on the 
 opposite banks; the unevenness of the ground and 
 the heavy timber and matted growth of underbrush, 
 making for them a complete ambuscade. When the 
 last of their rear guard had crossed the bridge, the 
 torch was applied, and dense clouds of smoke rolled 
 up. The enemy then opened with their artillery and 
 a thousand muskets rang out from their ambuscade, 
 thus disclosing to us their line and position, for so 
 completely sheltered were they that we could only 
 discover their whereabouts by the flash of their guns. 
 Gen. Davidson brought his artillery quickly into 
 play, and for a time the ringing of the musketry 
 along the entire lines from both sides was incessant, 
 and the roaring of the artillery, as they sent shot 
 and shell on their errands of destruction lent its 
 voice to swell the diapason of harmonious discord. 
 After a time the musketry in a great measure ceased, 
 and the engagement took more the form of an artil- 
 lery duel. Gen. Davidson rode a splendid chestnut 
 horse, and his movements during the day was a mat- 
 ter of comment. Watching as he did with his field glass 
 every movement of the enemy, now directing the fir- 
 ing of our artillery, watching the execution of the 
 shot and shell, and then off to the right flank and 
 next to the left, in short, watching and directing 
 every movement of his entire line. Our detachment 
 lost one man; Robert Atkinson, of Co. D, shot 
 through the bowels. And John Kirby shot through 
 the thigh. 8. B. Williams was shot in the breast 
 just above the heart. The ball striking a rib passed 
 clear around the body, coming out through his clothes 
 on the opposite side. 
 
 The First Iowa Cavalry had twenty-one men 
 killed in attempting to pass the bridge, being fired 
 upon by the enemy in their ambush. In the evening 
 the Detachment was ordered to fall back on the hill 
 to support the artillery in an artillery duel with the 
 enemy, and a portion of it was sent out as skirmishers 
 and sharpshooters. Here the enemy got our range 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 65 
 
 so completely that their shot and shell would scale 
 the brow of the hill, making the dust and dirt fly, 
 but by lying- down a little back of the brow they 
 passed over us. Darkness found us here, and all 
 the other troops and the artillery had withdrawn 
 from the field, with the enemy closing around us. 
 But we returned that night to the rear of Browns- 
 ville, Horace Greeley and all other authority to the 
 contrary, notwithstanding. It was 1 o'clock that 
 night when we were halted in an old corn-field near 
 Brownsville. At the word "halt!" men laid down 
 between corn rows (no attempt being made at en- 
 campment or an alignment) and were soon asleep. 
 But dense, dark clouds over- hung the skies, and 
 soon the rain came down in torrents thoroughly soak- 
 ing ground and men alike. When daylight dawned 
 that old field was a vast slough of red mud, and the 
 boys drenched and muddy, without any rations. 
 They soon discovered a sweet-potato patch, and had 
 a sweet-potato breakfast, and then moved out of the 
 old mud field to a decent camping place in the tim- 
 ber. After a few days, moved camp to the north 
 side of town and camped at the edge of a little grove 
 of oaks, and an old double log house, and back of 
 the camp was a pond of stagnant water where the 
 men could go to wash their clothes. In a few days 
 nearly every man was on the sick list. (In there- 
 port of the battle of Bayou Metaire, as published 
 first in the Chicago papers, not an officer or troop, 
 engaged in the fight was mentioned. It was a great 
 victory, gained by Gen. Steele and his troops — Steele 
 was at Du Vall's Bluffs, thirty-nine miles away!) 
 
 On the last night of August, owing to the in- 
 tense heat, the supply train was ordered to go to Du 
 Vall's Bluffs in the night, and our Detachment to go 
 as train guard. Only forty men could be raised in 
 the four companies, and fifteen of them were too 
 weak to march, but the order was, "They must go; 
 they can be piled on the wagon, and can shoot in 
 case of attack." The train returned again in the 
 night. 
 
 By the 5th of September, there was scarcely a 
 well man in that camp; not a man subject to detail. 
 
66 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Every nook and corner of that old house, on the 
 porch, in the gangway, between the old houses, and 
 in the old lofts, wherever a sick man could be laid, 
 was taken up. Sick and dying were under trees, 
 wherever shelter could be made for them. The camp 
 had formerly been used by cavalry and could not be 
 properly policed. It was crawling with maggots, 
 and there were not well men enough to care for the 
 sick and bury the dead. There was not men enough 
 subject to detail to dig a grave. Dr. By am did all 
 that any doctor could, under the circumstances, but 
 he was crippled in his work for want of medicine. 
 Our four companies of infantry were in advance of 
 the main infantry army, and in advance of proper- 
 medical and sanitary supplies, and even of the ordin- 
 ary food of the soldier. Some of our hardtack was 
 full of the u wee things.'* I have seen the men break 
 up their hardtack into small bits and blow out the 
 "little things" alive. Eat that, or nothing. In fact, 
 in those days little was required or wanted to eat by 
 the boys. 
 
 On the 8th of September, camp was moved to 
 the other side of town. All that could be were moved 
 to a little grove south of the court house; an improve- 
 ment in camps, but disease was doing its work, and 
 the little graveyard in the brush back of the court- 
 house taking its full share. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 On the 13th an order came that all who could 
 ride on the wagons should go to Little Rock. As the 
 train moved away, the sick men from the little grove 
 who were too sick to go were brought in and piled 
 down in the broiling sun in the sand in front of the 
 old Arkansas log tavern, chat stood just across the 
 road from the court house. That sand, I know, was 
 crawling with "gray backs," but there they were laid 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 67 
 
 until those in the house could be laid more closely- 
 together, so as to make room for them in the inn. 
 Look out to the little grove. Under a little oak tree 
 on a cot is a young man — George Macy. He was 
 shot by bushwhackers, and his life is fast ebbing 
 away. Kneeling by his side is Calvin M. Sayre, sup- 
 plicating the throne of a merciful God on behalf of 
 the dying boy. Sayre himself, was unable to walk to 
 that cot, but was helped there by another soldier, 
 that he might pray for his young comrade. In a few 
 weeks he, too, was gone, and doubtless met his young 
 friend around that Throne of Mercy. Looking over 
 those lying in the sand into one of the rooms in the 
 old tavern, side by side are two young men. Wilson 
 Boyd, of Co. F, as he was raised up on his little pal- 
 let of raw cotton, attempts to raise his hands, as with 
 quivering lips he says, "Up! Up! Home! Home!" as 
 the spirit takes its upward flight. The other, John 
 H. Cain, of Co. G, is raging in the delirium of burn- 
 ing fever, and is muttering of home, of friends, of 
 loved ones, far away. Their spirits are soon in the 
 spirit land, and their little cotton beds left for others. 
 The worst were soon in their graves, the others tak- 
 en to Little Rock, and the old tavern possibly left 
 for a time without boarders. One morning, a squad 
 of the enemy's cavalry came dashing into the village, 
 shooting as they came. They shot two sick men, 
 who had been able to walk out into the cool of the 
 morning, both dying from the effects. 
 
 A squad of "Merrill's Horse" who had been out 
 on a scout had come and camped in the little grove. 
 The night being very hot, they had taken off all their 
 clothes, except their shirts, and laid down with their 
 horses tied around them. On hearing the firing of 
 the rebs they sprang to their feet, carbines and re- 
 volvers in hand, when one of the liveliest of lively 
 little shirt-tail fights took place, and the "Johnnies" 
 went galloping out of town. For a few days after 
 the command left Brownsville, the sick were treated 
 by an Arkansas doctor living there. He treated them 
 kindly, and possibly his knowledge of the malignant 
 types of malarial fevers and dysentery, terminating 
 at times in pleuro-pneumonia, and which were pecu- 
 
68 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 liar to that malarial climate, especially in a season, as 
 that was said to be more than usually hot and dry, 
 enabled him to treat them more successfully than 
 our own physicians. That Arkansas doctor showed 
 himself a gentleman. But camp dysentery in this 
 malarial climate was a fearful scourge to the Union 
 soldier. At Brownsville, it was mostly young men 
 who died, but on reaching Little Rock numbers of 
 our strong and most robust men of mature years ap- 
 peared unable to rally, but sank to soldiers' graves. 
 Here Gen. Davidson issued an order that the De- 
 tachment should be relieved from all duty, except 
 the care of its own sick in camp, adding that that 
 was as much as it could do. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Detachment at Little Rock Joins the Six 
 Companies at Vicksburg. 
 
 The sick men left behind on this campaign cer- 
 tainly received no extra care. They were shipped 
 back to Wittsburg, thence to Helena, that death-hole 
 to Union soldiers, and packed into the Hind man 
 House Hospital, out of which sixteen Union soldiers 
 per day were carried to the dead-house. Then all 
 who could be moved were again sent around by boat 
 to Clarendon on White river, where they were placed 
 in an old shell of a building that had loose boards 
 for a floor and neither doors nor windows. A camp 
 kettle full of hardtack and another full of coffee 
 twice a day was furnished these sick men. If a man 
 had a tin cup or could borrow one, he could get some 
 hardtack and coffee. The sick helped each other as 
 well as they could, but such was the only food fur- 
 nished men too sick and weak to walk. 
 
 On the 21st day of July, 1863, a small stern-wheel 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 69 
 
 boat sailed up White river, and all the sick at Claren- 
 don were ordered on board. It was & scorching hot 
 July (lei/ for Arkansas, and there was not a place on 
 that boat, from the boiler deck to the hurricane deck 
 where men could be laid, but was occupied by sick 
 men, except the ladies' cabin, which was occupied by 
 officers. Sick and dying men were laid on the hurri- 
 cane deck of that boat in the broiling sun. The offi- 
 cers in charge appeared to do and care nothing for 
 the sick men. On the run of about four hours from 
 Clarendon to DuVall's Bluffs, twenty-six men died. 
 One of them was Corporal Carter, of Co, G, Thirty 
 Second Iowa. 
 
 At Du Vall's Bluffs, a number of our Detachment 
 were sick, but a pompous puppet, on Gen. Steele's 
 staff, ordered that they should receive no rations, be- 
 cause they had no officer to draw them, and there- 
 fore issued about sixteen "red tape" orders before 
 the sick men could get rations, or sanitary stores. 
 The command was only a mile away. Those who 
 were ablest to walk helped the weaker, and thus 
 reached the command. Several men died on reach- 
 ing Brownsville. 
 
 To all who had sufficient vitality left, Little 
 Rock proved a healthy place. 
 
 In October we moved to Benton, a small town 
 twenty five miles southwest of Little Rock. Our 
 stay here was one of our best times. The timber was 
 all pine, and the water good and healthy. The De- 
 tachment made several excursions into the country, 
 one being down towards the Washita in which we 
 captured a young officer from Bragg' s army. He 
 was then sanguine of their success. , 
 
 A SCARE. 
 
 The night of Nov. 21st, was a beautiful night. 
 Surely, I never saw a more lovely night in southern 
 clime; and quite a number of the boys concluded that 
 they must have a general "wash up." Tubs and wa- 
 ter were brought into requisition, and clothes were 
 taken off. Just as the water was being fairly splash- 
 ed over the bare backs and naked limbs, the long 
 roll began to beat, and the cry rang al.org the line 
 
70 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 of cabins: "Thirty Second into line! Quick! Quick!" 
 The effort to put on linsey woolen shirts over our 
 wet shoulders, in the hurried attempt to dress, 
 caused us to present a scene decidedly ludicrous; 
 while our officers kept nervously calling out, "■Into 
 line! Quick! Quick!'' Wu could hear the crack of the 
 musketry on a portion of the picket line, and the 
 thought that the pickets might be driven in, pell mell 
 upon us, and we captured, while dressed in our nat- 
 ural state, was not especially comforting. Finally, 
 all were dressed and in line, moving to the left of 
 the village and through the open pine timber, to the 
 scene of action. The night was very light, and on 
 moved the battalion, at first in regular line of battle, 
 and then it was ordered to deploy as skirmishers, and 
 each man to keep a sharp lookout for the approach- 
 ing foe. On reaching the scene of expected fight, all 
 was quiet. But just then the musketry was blazing 
 away to the right, and again, off to the left. So- 
 after marching and counter-marching among the 
 stately pines, it was discovered that one of the Vi- 
 dettes saw a cow some distance outside the line and 
 tried his hand at milking, but the "Johnnie" seeing 
 him, shot at him with a revolver and wounded him in 
 the hand. The shot was returned by one of the pick- 
 ets, causing the alarm along the entire line. 
 
 Some of our boys who had been left sick at Lit- 
 tle Rock, and a number who had gone home on sick 
 furlough and returned, started from Little Rock to- 
 Benton with the supply train, but when the train got 
 out into the big pine woods, a body of cavalry came 
 dashing upon them. It was Jacob's guerilla bandi 
 They made quick work of the train, burning - and des- 
 troying what they could not take away. It was the 
 work of but a few minutes to cut loose the mules, 
 fire the wagons and scoop in the unarmed men as 
 prisoners, and then dash off into the thick pine for- 
 ests on the byways of Arkansas. Our boys having 
 mostly been sick, were not in very good trim for a 
 forced march. As the weaker ones gave out the- 
 stronger ones would take them by the arms and help 
 them along, and thus they were taken to the camp of 
 Gen. Price, near Camden. Before leaving Little 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 71 
 
 Kock the men had been furnished with new uniforms, 
 but of these they were soon relieved and got in ex- 
 change some butternut rags. When returned to 
 Benton for exchange the men showed strong sign 1 -, of 
 hard usage. Some had pieces of old hats on their 
 heads, and some had skull caps made of rags. 
 Among the number thus taken were: A. J. Ripley, of 
 Co. A, and James Barrett, W. O. Wickham and J. C. 
 Gordon of Co. F. By the time the Detachment 
 reached Benton we were about destitute of even a 
 soldier's kitchen furniture. There was scarcely a tin 
 plate, tin cup or frying pan in the Detachment. 
 Camp kettles were gone, and even our hardtack did 
 not come. Just then came the order, "No foraging!" 
 and did you ever know a hungry soldier to disobey 
 such an order'? Well, we got some corn and we 
 did "jay hawk" an old saw mill down on a branch of 
 the Saline river. It had a little pair of mill-stones. 
 We ground our corn, got Dutch ovens, and made 
 pone; got pumpkins and squashes and occasionally 
 had a pumpkin pie. We got axes and cut down the 
 nice pine trees, made houses, and from old deserted 
 buildings got lumber and brick, roofed our houses 
 and made fireplaces, and with the red mud and pine 
 sticks made chimneys, made bunks, seats and tables, 
 and out of the corn husks made beds. Each com- 
 pany had two houses 15x22, and a kitchen besides, 
 and altogether, as soldiers we were having a good 
 time. Our officers had their quarters in a large frame 
 house, occupied by a man named Moore. It was in a 
 grove, a little above and just overlooking our camp. 
 It was built up on blocks high enough for chickens 
 to roost and pigs to sleep under. After the boys had 
 their houses all completed, they went to work and 
 nicely policed the street in front of the row. The 
 sun was sinking in the west behind the tall and shad 
 ing" pines when the boys got nil completed, and they 
 had it all nicely smoothed and leveled, as with h rol- 
 ler. Just then Adjutant, Carpenter came walking 
 down the nicely cleaned street with the order. "Pack 
 up, boys! Pack up! and be ready to march tomorrow 
 morning at 4 o'clock." 
 
 It was the 23d of December. In the morning a 
 
.72 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 slight snow was on the ground. In a few hours the 
 snow was melted. The roads were muddy and slip- 
 pery, and the march to Little Rock was by no means 
 an easy one. We camped in the pine woods near 
 the city. A wedge tent was furnished to four men- 
 just enough for them to lie under, with head and feet 
 both unprotected. In a few days the weather be- 
 came intensely cold for that latitude. The Arkansas 
 river froze over solid enough for cavalrymen to cross 
 on the ice. On a pond near camp ice froze three and 
 one-half inches thick in one night. The last day of 
 1863 and New Years, 1864, were said by old settlers 
 to have been the coldest known there for thirty 
 years. The thermometer went down to 10 ° below 
 zero. The officers in their wall tents with sheet-iron 
 stoves, could make themselves comfortable. The 
 men, although they built up pens of pine poles and 
 hoisted their tents on top for covering, could not but 
 -suffer. They cut down large pitch pine trees and 
 made huge camp fires, yet to shiver around them, 
 while one side was freezing and the other burning 
 was not extra comfortable. 
 
 From January 30th until February 9th 1864 we 
 were on the route, by boat, to Vicksburg; and on the 
 11th camped near that city. On the /7th we remov- 
 ed to Black River, fourteen miles out; and ,on March 
 4th again removed to a camp near the city, where we 
 joined the Six Companies of the Regiment that had 
 just returned from the expidition to Meridian, under 
 Sherman. We returned to the Regiment; but not all: 
 for our pathway from Cape Girardeau, by way of 
 Bloomfield, Helena, Clarendon, Du ValVs Bluffs, 
 Brownsville, Little Rock and the pine forests , of 
 Arkansas, was lined with the graves of our dead. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 The Six Companies at New .Madrid. Mo. 
 
 The circumstances under which the Six Gompan 
 ies of the 32nd Iowa Volunteers took Post at New 
 Madrid, Mo., late in November, 1®62, are shown in 
 the orders published on pages 39 and 40; including 
 the letter of Major General Curtis, in command of 
 the Department of Missouri, to General HalLeck, then 
 in command of the Army, at Washington, D. C. 
 
 The closing paragraph of Gen. Curtis's letter 
 clearly indicates his petulance over the ordering 
 away from New Madrid of the troops recently at that 
 Post, without his consent. Had this temper been 
 known to Colonel Scott when he received orders to 
 reinforce Ft. Pillow, he might well have given the 
 matter of miltary etiquette more serious thought. As 
 time passed and brought an apparent crisis, that 
 seemed to demand prompt action in the best interests 
 of the service, he discovered that it was much safer; 
 for a ranking Major General, (Grant), to shock the 
 fastidiousness of Gen. Curtis, than it was for a subor 
 dinate Colonel to involuntarily commit a similar im- 
 aginary offence. But. more of this in its proper 
 place. 
 
 Though if has no bearing on the matters discuss- 
 ed in this History other than as it illustrates the 
 punctilious habits of Gen. Curtis, an anecdote that 
 has probably never been told in print may be excus- 
 ed. The General was a grand man and a good sol- 
 dier, and had long had the friendship and admiration 
 of his old neighbor in Ohio, that other grand man 
 and distinguished citizen. Governor Eirkwood. In 
 the matter of punctiliousness the two great men 
 
74 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 were antipodes. One would carefully solve a knotty 
 problem that related simply to etiquette; the other 
 would ignore it, or promtly cut the knot in twain. 
 Those who knew both the gentlemen can hardly fail 
 to appreciate the absurdity and embarrassment, of an 
 interview between them which was founded entirely 
 on military etiquette. 
 
 During the early months of the great war Gen. 
 Curtis was in command of Benton Barracks, the great 
 camp of instruction for the western soldier, near St. 
 Louis. Many of the Iowa Regiments were quartered 
 there awaiting assignment. Governor Kirk wood vis- 
 ited St. Louis at such a time, and was waited upon 
 informally at his hotel by hundreds of Iowa soldiers, 
 who paid their personal respects, or submitted to his 
 consideration matters of business. Not so with Gen- 
 e ral Curtis. 
 
 As the sultry day wore on, and the brassy noon- 
 tide passed, "Sam" Kirkwood, wearied with the con- 
 stant meeting of many friends, and no doubt missing 
 "Sam" Curtis, and wondering at his obsence, went to 
 his room for a period of rest. Divesting himself of 
 garments not necessary to his comfort in the privacy 
 of his own apartments — which included all his outer 
 clothing — he threw himself upon the bed. in 
 due time he responded to a knock on the door with a- 
 hearty, "Come in!" The waiter presented the card 
 of General S. E. Curtis, and Staff, etc., etc. The 
 Governor ordered his old chum to be sltown to his 
 room! 
 
 Major General Samuel Ryan Curtis, buttoned to 
 the throat, belted and sashed, "sword and pistols by 
 his side," with regulation gold lace and silken cords 
 and tassels, epauletts and plumes in place, with firm 
 and angry step followed the African guide; and his 
 brilliant and numerous Staff, similarly arrayed, in 
 amazement mingled with mirth followed him! The 
 guests were received by the War Governor, the Pa- 
 triot and Statesman, sitting on the side of ihe bed 
 from which he had thus far risen, sans coat. sans vest, 
 sans boots, with open collar, and one suspender dansr- 
 ing in most picturesque fashion by his side, vu ( m- 
 bodiment of comfort and repose, until he saw the ar- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 ray before him, and realized that there is such a thing 
 as etiquette! He could never forget that he was al- 
 ways "Sam 1 ' Kirkwood! But in that interview there 
 was but one "Sam." where he supposed there would 
 be two! 
 
 The reader may better imagine than I describe 
 the feelings of both the distinguished gentlemen in 
 this ludicrous situation. The presence of the gorge- 
 ously arrayed Staff rendered it impossible for the 
 General to dismount from his high-horse dignity at a 
 mere moments notice; and for once in his life the cool 
 and practical War Governor could but agree that he 
 was taken by surprise, and captured in bed! A hur- 
 ried introduction of the Staff Officers to the Govern- 
 or in deshabile followed, and the military visitors made 
 a hasty and undignified retreat, both parties to the 
 engagement acknowledged themselves vanquished! 
 
 It need not be said that in the misrepresentations 
 and annoyances growing out of the affair at New- 
 Madrid, his boys had the hearty sympathy of the 
 Governor, who always felt that the course taken by 
 General Carr, (under General Curtis,) was an unpar- 
 donable outrage. 
 
 The weeks passed by the Regiment at New Mad- 
 rid were uneventful. From the time of the capture 
 of the place by Gen. Pope it had been occupied by a 
 small garrison, some heavy guns being mounted on the 
 earthworks constructed by the rebels for command 
 ing the Mississippi River. The occupation of the 
 place appeared to be of importance in preventing the 
 enemy from obstructing the River by a temporary 
 raid from Arkansas, across the great swamp that 
 was only to be passed at a few points; and also to 
 prevent contraband trade. Some barracks had been 
 constructed by the troops formerly in possession, 
 consisting of rows of shanties lightly boarded up, and 
 covered with shingles split from logs obtained in the 
 adjacent forests. The people of the village and the 
 
76 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 neighboring 1 farms had a few swine in a semi-wild 
 condition, that the soldiers regarded as game, and 
 from which they occasionally secured a very welcome 
 change of diet: — in violation of orders, of course! 
 
 As illustrating the duties involved in this particu- 
 lar service, and showing the surrounding conditions, 
 attention is called to the following report: 
 Headquarters Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, 
 New Madrid, Mo., December 6, 18132. 
 Brig. Gen. E. A. Carr, 
 
 St. Louis, Mo., Commandhig Southeaster)! Mo. 
 
 General: Under your orders. I left Saint Louis 
 on the 25th ultimo with part of my regiment, and 
 stopped over at Cape Girardeau from the evening of 
 the 26th ultimo until the morning of the 1st instant, 
 arranging the companies left there. Maj. G. A. 
 Eberhart, of the Thirty-Second Iowa, comm»nds that 
 post. Lieutenant Bannon is provost- marshal. 
 
 I found a state of affairs there that in some re- 
 spects was unsatisfactory. The Germans as a class 
 and some few others are fully loyal. The loyal citi- 
 zens of that place and vicinity are much dissatisfied 
 with the appointment of General Stockton over the 
 Enrolled Missouri Militia of that district. I think 
 they will never acquiesce, nor do I believe he will 
 ever aid the Government or really sustain it. I had 
 no intercourse with him, and am reliably informed 
 that he has not usually called on parties commanding 
 loyal troops. I look upon his appoinment as very 
 injudicious. What bad results may follow remains 
 for the future to show. 
 
 I arrived at this point on the evening of the 3d 
 instant. I have endeavored to inform myself respect 
 ing the state of affairs in this section. I have al- 
 ready learned that, with the exception of Captain 
 Moore's company of Illinois Cavalry, the troops here 
 have been and still are quite popular with the rebels. 
 Matters ac this post have gone at loose ends to a de- 
 gree that rendered our troops quite a convenience to 
 the rebels. There has been quite a trade in contra- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. i I 
 
 band stores from this point to the country west of 
 "the swamps," and much of it to Arkansas. 
 
 On the 4th instant I stooped several teams bound 
 to Gainesville, Ark., and each carrying from two to 
 four barrels of salt. I am informed that certain 
 parties have made regular trips, This state of affairs 
 could only have occurred through the connivance of 
 the commander of the post, or at least through great 
 negligence, 
 
 I have appointed First Lieut. A. Converse, of 
 Thirty -second Iowa, provost-marshal for this place, 
 I have no fears that contraband trade will be carried 
 on under his eye. 
 
 I learn that the rebels are now preparing to car- 
 ry off large numbers of fat hogs from the counties of 
 Stoddard and Dunklin. If I had 100 mounted men, I 
 could send an infantry force as a nucleus, and could 
 gather in much of this stock, thus distressing our ene- 
 my and obtaining supplies for the Government. I 
 will perhaps do so, or attempt it, as it is, at the 
 earliest practicable moment. 
 
 It strikes me that an active force could occupy a 
 central position near Chalk Bluff, on the Saint Fran- 
 cis, and save the counties of Stoddard, Scott, Mississ- 
 ippi, New Madrid, C;ipe Girardeau, and nearly all of 
 Dunklin and Pemiscot from the ravages of the rebels. 
 An important advantage would be that they would 
 draw most of their subsistence from disloyal men. 
 
 It is said that Jeff. Thompson was at Four Mile, 
 Dunklin County, eight days since, and made a 
 speech to his followers. He is represented as being 
 now without a command, and on a stealing expedi- 
 tion. 
 
 As far as I can learn, the settlers out through 
 and beyond the swamp are more of them loyal than 
 in this section. 
 
 This statement embodies the material facts in 
 my possession. I might add that, only for the delay 
 in removing the troops from this place to No. 10, the 
 rebels would most likely have been in possession. I 
 
78 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 learn that they were counting- on such a state of facts. 
 Very respectfully, your most obedient servant, 
 
 JOHN SCOTT, 
 Colonel Thirty -second Ioiva Infantry, Commanding Post. 
 
 During- the occupation of New Madrid, Lieut. 
 Converse administered as Provost Marshal, with an 
 office in the village, and imposed and enforced due 
 and proper limitations upon traffic with the neigh- 
 boring country and the region beyond the .swamp. 
 This was the principal object of the occupation of 
 the Post, and for this duty the Thirty-second Iowa 
 was detailed. Part of the service consisted in mak- 
 ing trips to Cape Girardeau, and return, on a small 
 steamer that was attached to the command for that 
 purpose, and taking note of any suspicious circum- 
 stances indicating contraband trade. 
 
 On December 17th, Colonel Scott sent Captain 
 Peebles across the swamp, to the borders of Arkan- 
 sas, for the double purpose of intimidating the gueril- 
 la bands and obtaining information. The manner in 
 which this duty was performed by that most meritori- 
 ous officer is told in the subjoined Report: 
 
 Headquarters, 
 New Madrid, Mo., December 22, 1862. 
 
 I have the honor to submit the following report 
 of the operations of the forces under my command in 
 the late expedition to Clarkton, Mo. : 
 
 The command consisted of Captain [J.] Hutchin- 
 son, Second Lieutenant [A.] Dowd. and 40 men of 
 Company I; First Lieutenant [H. C] Raymond, and 
 57 men of Company C; Chaplain Coffin, and Surgeon 
 Waters. The command left New Madrid at about 8 
 a. m. December 17, and went as far as VVeaversville, 
 a distance of 22 miles, the first day. Little River, at 
 this place, is from two to five feet deep at the ford, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 79 
 
 the bridge having 1 been destroyed some time since. by 
 order of Major Jones, then in command at New Mad- 
 rid; the width of the ford is some 5 rods. We were 
 obliged to ferry the men across in a small skiff. The 
 roads, notwithstanding the recent heavy rains, were 
 in excellent condition to this point. The Plank road 
 begins at Weaversville and runs to Clarkton, a dis- 
 tance of 12 miles, through a swamp. 
 
 At daylight on the 18th, we continued our march, 
 and arrived at Clarkton the same evening. We found 
 the roads almost impassable; culverts, to the number 
 of some 20, had all been destroyed, and the teams 
 were obliged to pass around them, going down the 
 bank into the water and mud to the depth of from 3 
 to 5 feet. The bridge across New River, 4 miles 
 from Clarkton, we also found destroyed, and we were 
 compelled to cross in the small skiff which we had 
 brought from Weaversville. The horses and teams 
 were obliged to ford a distance of 200 yards. The 
 bridges and culverts could be repaired at small ex- 
 pense, as the foundation works are in very good con- 
 dition. We halted about 1 mile from Clarkton, and 
 rested until after dark, keeping close guard that no 
 one should carry intelligence of our approach. Soon 
 after dark, we marched into town, and immediately 
 surrounded every house, placed our pickets on all the 
 avenues of approach, and commenced our search for 
 prisoners. Captain McDonald was found at the house 
 
 of , and arrested. Learning that Captain Pan 
 
 key was at home on a furlough, Captain Hutchinson 
 was dispatched with a detachment of men, and soon 
 returned with him as prisoner. 
 
 On the following morning three expeditions were 
 organized— one of 15 men, under command of Chap_- 
 lain Coffin, who went south toward Kennett, some o 
 miles, and took prisoner Quartermaster-Sergeant Se- 
 becker; he also secured several valuable horses be- 
 longing to rebels. One detachment of 15 men, under 
 command of Captain Hutchinson, went north from 
 Clarkton, and returned with Captain Page and one 
 Montgomery and his son Lentz, as prisoners, all ol 
 whom" were* entra^cd in the guerrilla service; he also 
 took seveial valuable horses. Another detachment 
 
80 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 of 15 horsemen, under command of Captain Peebles, 
 went to Halkolm's Island and to the Saint Francis 
 River, to the Arkansas border. The last mentioned 
 detachment took Surgeon Bartlett and considerable 
 rebel property. We could hear of depredations com- 
 mitted by small bands of guerrillas, but we were un- 
 able to meet any of them. I learned that a band of 
 from 100 to 200 guerrillas were making their head- 
 quarters at Chalk Bluff, on the Saint Francis River. 
 
 Depredations are frequently committed by guer- 
 rillas in the vicinity of Clarkton, and the perpetra- 
 tors flee to Chalk Bluff, and thence across the river 
 into Arkansas. A force stationed at the bluff would 
 do much toward restoring quiet and safety to the law- 
 abiding citizens of Southeastern Missouri. Many of 
 the citizens claim to be loyal. 
 
 The result of our expedition was the taking pris- 
 oners of two captains, one surgeon, and one quarter- 
 master-sergeant, all of the Regular Confederate 
 Army; one captain and three privates in the guerril- 
 la service. Besides the prisoners, we took fifteen 
 horses, some valuable ones; one mule team, wagon, 
 harness, &c. ; forty head of cattle, and several stand 
 of small-arms. Could the expedition have been ab- 
 sent several days longer, much additional good 
 might have been accomplished. 
 
 On the 20th we returned from Clarkton to Wea 
 versville, and on the 21st arrived at New Madrid, all 
 the men in better health and spirits than when they 
 started. 
 
 I would make honorable mention of Captain 
 Hutchinson. Chaplain Coffin, Lieutenants Raymond 
 and Dowd for the prompt and faithful manner in 
 which they discharged the duties devolving upon 
 them. 
 
 I am glad to bear witness that every man in the 
 command acted throughout as becomes a patriot sol- 
 dier battling for a just cause. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submitted. 
 
 H. F. PEEBLES. 
 Captain Company C, Commanding. 
 Col. John Scott, 
 Comdg. Thirty -second Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 81 
 
 During one of the to and from Cape Girardeau 
 voyages, made by Col. Scott in person, at a time 
 when the air was full of rumors, and -'the grapevine 
 telegraph" was in active operation, the boat stopped 
 at Columbus, Kentucky, to report to the officer of 
 the Port, which was required of all passing vessels. 
 Without any expectation that his call upon Gen. 
 Davies would be other than one of courtesy, Col. 
 Scott presented himself at the General's Head 
 Quarters. He found General Fisk, from St. Louis, 
 and also General Tuttle, of Iowa, closeted with Gen- 
 eral Davies, and the latter in a state of excitement 
 that seemed hardly justified by any facts that could 
 be known to him. He claimed that he had reliable 
 advices that the enemy in large force was concentrat- 
 ing from several directions upon the Mississippi Riv- 
 er. He eagerly inquired as to the conditions in South- 
 east Missouri and the adjacant region in Arkansas. 
 Nothing alarming was reported in that direction. 
 This appeared to confirm General Davies in the be 
 lief that the Thirty-Second Iowa should be forthwith 
 thrown into Ft, Pillow as a reinforcement, to aid in 
 repelling the threatened attack on that important 
 
 point, 
 
 He thereupon handed Colonel Scott the follow- 
 ing written order: 
 
 Headquarters District of Columbus, 
 
 Columbus, Ky., December 27, 1862, 
 Col. Scott, 
 
 New Madrid, Mo., Commanding 82nd Intra. 
 
 You will immediately proceed to New Madrid, 
 burn the gun carriages aud wooden platforms, spike 
 the guns and destroy the ammunition totally; take 
 
82 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the same boat and proceed to Fort Pillow, under eon 
 voy of Gun Boat, and report to Colonel Wolfe, Com- 
 manding' that place. 
 
 [Signed] Thomas A. Davies, 
 
 Brigadier General. 
 
 On the receipt of this astounding order. Colonel 
 Scott questioned Gen. Davies' right to give it. He 
 was assured that he (Davies) had express authority 
 from Gen. Curtis to use in emergency forces in the 
 contiguous part of the Department of Missouri, and 
 directed his Adjutant General to produce the tele- 
 gram to that effect. Failing to find the document 
 Davies appealed to Gen. Fisk, who was temporarily 
 at Columbus because of the supposed emergency, in 
 command of troops that belonged to Gen. Curtis' 
 Department. Gen. Fisk assented to a knowledge of 
 the suggested facts. Colonel Scott further conferred 
 with General Tuttle on the subject, and was advised 
 that there was nothing to be done but to obey the 
 order, which was ample authority. 
 
 The following is an extract from the testimony 
 of General Tuttle, as taken before the Commission 
 of Inquiry afterwards appointed: 
 
 "During the time that Columbus was threatened, 
 Colonel Scott, of the 32nd Iowa,stopped at Columbus 
 on his way from Cape Girardeau to New Madrid. 
 During a consultation in which were present Gen. 
 Davies, Gen. Fisk, Col. Scott and myself, the Colonel 
 expressed great confidence that he could hold New 
 Madrid against whatever force might be supposed to 
 threaten it. He said Gen. Davies was about to order 
 him to evacuate, and wanted my opinion as to wheth- 
 er he must obey the order, which he did not wish to 
 do. I told him that Gen. Davies had a telegram 
 from Gen. Curtis conferring on Davies authority over 
 a portion of Gen. Curtis' troops, and before disobey- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. US 
 
 ing such an order be had better be certain about 
 Davies' authority over him. We called in Gen.Fisk, 
 and Col. Scott asked his opinion. Gen. Fisk went 
 to Gen. Davies, and, as I supposed, saw the telegram; 
 came back and told Col. Scott there was no doubt 
 about Gen. Davies having authority to give the or- 
 der. Col. Scott protested against the evacuation, 
 but on advice from Gen. Fisk and myself he thought 
 better of it and said he would obey it." 
 
 Arriving at New Madrid in the evening the Staff 
 officers and Captains of Companies were called to- 
 gether, the order was shown, and the extraordinary 
 circumstances explained. On the following morning 
 the order was carried out in detail, and the Regiment 
 proceeded to Fort Pillow. By a thoughtless and 
 careless act of one of the men the shanty barracks 
 were partly burned. The fire was said to have been 
 started by some one throwing some barrels and 
 cracker boxes in the fire place of one of the barracks. 
 This added materially to the feelings of disgust felt 
 by the Regiment, not so much over the removal to 
 Fort Pillow as the apparent wanton destruction of 
 property. And when Fort Pillow w T as reached and 
 the apprehended attack thereon was found to be a 
 false alarm, "a scare" of the one man who assumed 
 responsibility for the movement, disgust was follow- 
 ed very closely by something bordering on indigna- 
 tion. 
 
 One of the incidents of the evacuation was the 
 disposal of the terrified contrabands. Quite a num- 
 ber of negroes from the adjacent country had found 
 their way to the house of refuge, and had fully made 
 up their minds that they preferred freedom to the 
 comparatively mild administration of human slavery 
 
84 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 as it existed even in the border states. Among- these 
 were the numerous members of the family of Anthony, 
 lately of the House of Waller. Anthony was a relia- 
 ble servant, and no doubt the general manager of the 
 Waller interests on the plantation, during the ab- 
 sence of the male whites of that name, in search of 
 their rights, through secession. 
 
 Among the children was a boy of ten or twelve 
 years, named John. Probably very few of the com- 
 rades have any remembrance of the members of this 
 colored family, who, with others, were furnished 
 transportation to Central Iowa. It may interest them 
 to know that the boy, John, is the identical Hon. 
 JohnL. Waller, late Presidential Elector from Kan- 
 sas; later, United States Consul in Madagascar; and 
 at present, November 1895, enjoying the hospitality 
 of a French Prison, under a twenty-years sentence 
 of a Military Court, for a political offence. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Investigating The Evacuation. 
 
 On reaching Port Pillow and finding that there 
 remained nothing- to be done except to make the regi- 
 ment as comfortable as circumstances would permit, 
 the Colonel wrote the following letter to General 
 Curtis: 
 
 Fort Pillow, January 1, 1863. 
 
 General: On the 27th ultimo, I received oiders 
 to destroy public property and remove the detach- 
 ment to Fort Pillow. On the 28th this w T as accom- 
 plished. I was much disappointed, and feared you 
 would be also; but the order was peremptory from 
 General Davies, and General Fisk informed me that 
 General Davies had authority from you. 
 
 The detachment is now here. As far as I can 
 see, we are of no use here. There is no artillery 
 and the works are much extended. With a ftw 
 pieces the place might be held against a large force. 
 As it is, an attack from a largely superior force 
 would be fatal. I know, of course, nothing of the 
 policy that sent me here in such haste. I do know, 
 however, that my regiment is divided, aiid that I 
 would be pleased to have it united. 
 
 When at New Madrid and Cape Girardeau, I felt 
 that the detached parts were in the same neighbor- 
 hood; now we are certainly not neighbors, and are 
 embarrassed by being in two departments. It is not 
 my place to suggest either the when or the where, 
 but only my wish, that, if consistent with the public 
 service, it would be remembered as a kindness, could 
 we again be brought together. 
 
 JOHN SCOTT, 
 Co'onel Thirty -second Towa Infantry. 
 Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis, 
 
 Saint Lou is, Mc 
 
86 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 To this Curtis made no reply; asked no explana- 
 tions; but endorsed the letter as follows: 
 
 Saint Louis, Mo., 
 January 5, 1863. 
 
 The abandonment of Fort Pillow, must be pun- 
 ished. General Carr reports that he communicated 
 different orders to Colonel Scott. He should have 
 obeyed Carr, not Davies, and must be arrested. 
 
 SAML. R. CURTIS, 
 
 Major General. 
 
 It is seen by this that on Jan. 5, Curtis was not 
 able to distinguish between New Madrid and Port 
 Pillow. 
 
 From Gen. Curtis' letter of January 2nd to Col. 
 Chipman he seems by that time to have obtained a 
 fair idea of the situation, and the proper responsibili- 
 ty for it. He says: "The General's whole line 
 seems to have been left in a crazy kind of style, and 
 General Davies seems to have been quite possessed." 
 On the 3rd he wrote Gen. Halleck, General-in-Chief 
 of the Army: "General Grant has ordered all my 
 force now at Columbus to Memphis. This strips 
 the country about Cairo and New Madrid, leaving- no 
 reserve in this region. General Davies has stripped 
 everything, got all I could spare for temporary pur- 
 poses, taken my garrison from New Madrid, and 
 then stopped a regiment I sent to resume New Mad- 
 rid. Please check matters. At Columbus they need 
 something." 
 
 The reference to his "force now at Columbus" 
 means the command of General Fisk, Fisk had ad- 
 vised Curtis of Davies questionable acts, including 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 87 
 
 his order for the evacuation of New Madrid; all this 
 before January 3rd. 
 
 On January 5th General Carr wrote General 
 Curtis: 
 
 Headquarters Saint Louis District, 
 
 Saint Louis, January 5, 1863. 
 
 Maj. H. Z. Curtis, 
 
 A. A. G. Hdqrs. Dept. of the Missouri, St. Louis, Mo.: 
 
 Sir: From all I can learn, I believe that the 
 post of New Madrid, in my district, was abandoned 
 without any cause whatever, and to the great detri- 
 ment of the public interest, in the destruction of a 
 large amount of valuable property, and in giving the 
 rebels an opportunity to take possession of the works 
 and interrupt our river communication. 
 
 It appears that, upon the report of Colonel Scott, 
 General Davies ordered the evacuation, thus assum- 
 ing control of troops in my district and in the Depart- 
 ment of the Missouri, and not only assuming aut.hori 
 ty not his, but assuming and exercising the same to 
 the trreat detriment of the public service. 
 
 I had stripped my district of troops to re -enforce 
 General Davies at Columbus; and at the time New 
 Madrid was evacuated the pressing emergency at 
 Columbus had nearly passed, and he could have re- 
 turned the favor by re-enforcing my post, which 
 there would have been time enough to do even after 
 an attack had commenced, as Colonel Scott had six 
 companies and seven heavy guns. 
 
 Colonel Scott, in obeying the orders of General 
 Davies, acted contrary to all military rules and dis- 
 cipline, as be was under my command, in so doing 
 he acted as I believe, also contrary to the public in- 
 terest and in a shameful and cowardly manner. 
 
 I hud been lately in communication with him by 
 telegraph, and had ordered him "to make everything 
 secure" at New Madrid, and advised him that it was 
 an "important place to keep." 
 
 Colonel Scott has deserted the limits of my com- 
 
88 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 mand with his whole force. 
 
 I would, therefore, respectfully recommend to 
 the major-general commanding- that he recommend 
 to the General-in- Chief to cause the arrest of Gener- 
 al Davies and Colonel Scott and have them held for 
 trial. 
 
 I will make out the formal charges as soon as I 
 can obtain the exact dates, amount of property des- 
 troyed, &c. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 E. A. CARR, 
 Brigadier -General, Commanding. 
 
 On this letter — on same date — ; the Headquarters 
 of Carr and Curtis being at same place, Curtis made 
 this indorsement: 
 
 Saint Louis, January 5, 1863. 
 
 Respectfully referred to headquarters, Washing- 
 ton, 
 
 So far as General Davies is concerned, he made 
 the proper report to me, and I have expressed my 
 regrets to him. His apprehensions induced the or- 
 der, and his immediate commander will be the pro- 
 per officer to determine whether further action should 
 be taken. 
 
 Colonel Scott should be arrested for neglecting 
 orders which I directed General Carr to communi- 
 cate to him, and sent with his command back to my 
 department to answer in the premises. 
 
 SAML. R. CURTIS, 
 
 Major -General. 
 
 And on the same date, but at Columbus, Ky. T 
 General Fisk wrote General Curtis the following ex- 
 planation of the facts; but Curtis would not receive 
 the letter until the following day. This should have 
 so fully advised Curtis that instead of annoying 
 Colonel Scott with a further foolish pursuit he should 
 
TOW A VOLUNTEEKS 8 ( J 
 
 have turned his attention to the interests of the pub- 
 lic service. 
 
 Extract from letter of Pisk to Curtis, Jan. 5, 
 1863: 
 
 I forward to you by this mail a letter from Col. 
 Hughes, announcinj; his arrival at and occupation of 
 New Madrid. I don't regard him in any danger of 
 an attack. If a company of cavalry, with two how- 
 itzers, could be sent to New Madrid, and Colonel 
 Scott ordered back there from Fort Pillow, Colonel 
 HuH-hes' entire regiment might be relieved and pro- 
 ceed down stream. Colonel Scott was here in per- 
 son when General Davies ordered him to abandon 
 New Madrid and destroy the works. Colonel Scott 
 questioned the authority of General Davies to make 
 such an order, when General Davies informed him 
 that he had your order to command the force at New 
 Madrid, as also that of Colonel Chipman, chief of 
 .staff. Colonel Scott was opposed to the evacuation; 
 no one favored it but General Davies. Consultation 
 with me was simply a statement to me that the post 
 must be abandoned and the force ordered to Fort 
 Pillow. General Davies thought he had reliable in- 
 formation that Van Dorn. with an immense force, 
 was marching on Fort Pillow, and that Jeff Thomp- 
 son and Jeffers with their consolidated hordes of 
 rebels, wetv in close proximity to New Madrid and 
 Island No 10; that the plan was to seize the guns at 
 these several points and blockade the Mississippi 
 "River. General Tnttle and myself were both oppos- 
 ed to i he abandonment, blowing up, and spiking pro- 
 position. I had all I could do to convince General 
 Davies that it was madness to abandon Paducah even; 
 his dispatches to Colonel Dougherty ordering him to 
 inve up Paducah were written when General Tuttle 
 and mvself were advised of his intentions. General 
 HalleeVs dispatches to General Davies. three in num- 
 ber, were definite and imperative to hold this post at 
 all hazards, and allow no movement to be made that 
 would in the least endanger the Mississippi between 
 Cairo and Memphis. I have not believed that Co- 
 
[)0 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Iambus was in real danger at any time, although had 
 you not thus promptly re-enforced it, it would have 
 been given up. [t has been an unpleasant episode in 
 my military history, but I have obeyed orders. 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 CLINTON B. FISK, 
 
 Brigadier- Gene nil of Volunteers. 
 
 On January 7th, General Curtis wrote Fisk a let- 
 ter in which he says: 
 
 "Scott's forces ou^ht to go back. They have 
 learned something of the country. Carr reports 
 Scott as having disobeyed orders and behaved cow- 
 ardly, and demands his arrest. Scott says you wrote 
 him I would approve. The thing looks as though he 
 sought orders conflicting with those I directed Gen- 
 eral Carr to give him, and therefore went to Colum- 
 bus instead of going to New Madrid from Cape Girar- 
 deau." 
 
 On January 9th, Fisk wrote Curtis from his com 
 mand, on his boat, near Memphis, and says: 
 
 "I stopped at Island No. 10. Saw the destruc- 
 tion which had been worked, and had a conference 
 with Major Jones, commanding. Visited Colonel 
 Hughes at New Madrid, which post can be well cared 
 for by Colonel Scott's six companies, now at Fort 
 Pillow. Called at Fort Pillow this morning to see 
 Colonel Scott; found he was at Saint Louis. My plan 
 was to send a steamer from Memphis to remove his 
 command to New Madrid, and return with Colonel 
 Hughes' regiment to Helena; but. as you will doubt- 
 less see and order Colonel Scott, I advised Lieuten- 
 ant-Colonel Mix to make no move until Colonel Scott 
 should return." 
 
 Meantime Colonel Scott went to Cape Girardeau 
 to look after some matters in the four Companies 
 there under Major Eberhart; reported his presence 
 
 there to General Carr, at Saint Ljuis, and was met 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 91 
 
 by an order of arrest from General Carr. Supposing 
 that the circumstances were not understood, and that 
 when explained by General Davies the order of ar- 
 rest would be countermanded, Scott wrote Davies 
 requesting him to advise Gen. Carr in the premises. 
 This was done by General Davies, as follows: 
 
 Columbus, January 12, 1864, 
 
 Brigadier-General Carr, 
 
 Sainf Lun is. Mo. 
 
 Sir: I hear you have placed Colonel Scott un- 
 der arrest for evacuating New Madrid. 
 
 The circumstances of the case were these: Col. 
 Scott happened to be in Columbus during the excite- 
 ment along the river, and information, such as was 
 supposed reliable, reached here that New Madrid 
 was threatened by a very large (force) under Thomp- 
 son and Jeffers; that Port Pillow was in like manner 
 threatened, as was true, by Van Dorn. 
 
 I called General Tuttle and General Fisk to my 
 office, and we carefully looked over the ground, and 
 agreed that the force at New Madrid was insufficient 
 to stand a heavy attack, and the six pieces (sie^e 
 guns i then in position, if they fell into the hands of 
 the enemy, would, in the present position of the 
 army below, prove almost fatal to us, we having no 
 gunboats or forces to displace them immediately. 
 
 As a precaution, which we deemed bound to take 
 it was determined to evacuate New Madrid and 
 cripple the armament and re-enforce Port Pillow. I 
 had great hesitancy in giving the order, the troops 
 not beinir under my command; but on the assurance 
 of General Fisk that it would be all right, and that 
 General Curtis would approve of it (not knowing 
 that yon commanded the district, ) I gave the order 
 to Colonel Scott to evacuate New Madrid, spike the 
 aruns with soft iron, and destroy the ammunition, 
 which I understand, was done. 
 
 T took the ground we would beblamabie to allow 
 any chance, however remote, 10 be embraced by the 
 
92 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 enemy to capture any heavy ordinance on the river 
 at this particular juncture. 
 
 I think the position is a correct one, and I hope 
 this explanation will relieve Colonel Scott, at least, 
 from any blame. We acted according to our best 
 judgment in the premises. 
 
 lam, general, very respectfully, 
 
 THOS. A. DAVIES, 
 
 Brigadier -General, Commanding. 
 
 Columbus, Ky., January 15, 1863. 
 Brigadier-General Carr, 
 Saint Louis. Mo., 
 
 General: On the 12th of January I wrote you 
 a communication respecting the evacuation of New 
 Madrid, and, as dispatches sometimes miscarry, I 
 send you duplicate. 
 
 I have to add that the telegram to General Cur- 
 tis, in the following words, needs some explanation: 
 
 Colonel Scott pends me back word today that Jeff Thompson and Jeffers 
 were within 10 miles of him with aforce; that he could not have held the 
 place. 
 
 Colonel Scott has since told me that he did not 
 send me such a message, which is. no doubt, true. 
 It was brought to me by the captain of the steamer 
 O'Brien, a boat owned by Government, who was at 
 Island 10 the morning of the evacuation, who said 
 that it was a verbal message from Colonel Scott. The 
 boat is now at New Madrid delivering supplies, and. 
 when the captain returns, will investigate the source 
 of information and send you a statement. The only 
 point in the affair where Colonel Scott is in fault, it 
 seems to me, wa-i in not reporting to you the order; 
 but I am sure, from the little knowledge I have of 
 him, that such failure was owing to neglect of mili- 
 tary rule. I reported the order to Major-General 
 Curtis, not knowing that you was his immediate com- 
 manding officer. 
 
 The extent of property destroyed was six secesh 
 gun carriages and platforms and some secesh ammu- 
 nition, which, I was informed, had just been sent 
 
TOW A VOLUNTEERS 93 
 
 there from Island No. 10. The siege guns can be un- 
 spiked by a few hours' work. 
 
 There is any quantity of gun carriages lying 
 about Columbus and at Island 10, which I can send 
 you to New Madrid if you desire at any time to re- 
 move the siege guns at that place 
 
 I also inclose you a copy of my order to Colonel 
 Scott. 
 
 I am, general, very respectfully, 
 
 thos.'a. davies. 
 
 Brigadier- General, Commanding. 
 
 When the order of arrest had nearly expired by 
 limitation (ten days) it was renewed; and similarly it 
 was renewed a second time, without any charges be- 
 in^ preferred by Gen. Carr. Finally, after vigorous 
 and emphatic remonstrances from the accused 
 against this unjust persecution, Gen. Carr preferred 
 charges. Instead of ordering a military court to in- 
 vestigate these charges a Special Commission was 
 constituted to "investigate and report upon the facts 
 of the destruction of the ordnance and ordnance 
 stores at New Madrid, * * and as to the culpa- 
 bility of the officer or officers responsible, and wheth- 
 er or not he or they should be dismissed the service 
 of the United States." 
 
 It is due Gen. Davies to state that under oath, in 
 the presence of the Commission, he assumed all re- 
 sponsibility for the matters investigated, and showed 
 telegrams giving color to his claims of having 
 authority from Gen. Curtis to issue the order of evac- 
 uation. After a weary investigation the Commission 
 reported the findings, Feb 26, as follows: 
 
 The Commission, after mature deliberation, find 
 the following facts: 
 
 That on the 28th day of December. A. D. 1862, 
 six iron siege guns were spiked at New Madrid, Mo.; 
 
14 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 six gun carriages and platforms were burned, and a 
 quantity of ammunition destroyed. The loss to the 
 Government, aside from the loss of the ammunition, 
 the value of which is not ascertained, was about ^350 
 or |450. A set of barracks were on the same day 
 burned at New Madrid, but this was purely the re- 
 sult of an accident. No other Government property 
 was destroyed. 
 
 The ordnance and ordnance stores above men- 
 tioned were destroyed by men of the garrison of New 
 Madrid, under above command of Col. John Scott, 
 of the Thirty-second Regiment Iowa Volunteer In- 
 fantry, commanding post. This was done by virtue 
 of an order which Colonel Scott received from Brig. 
 Gen. Thomas A. Davies, commanding District of Co- 
 lumbus; and although Colonel Scott was not under 
 the direct command of Brigadier General Davies, he 
 did right under the circumstances in obeying Briga- 
 dier-General Davies' order, and not only did his duty, 
 but is honorably acquitted of all blame. 
 
 Brig, Geu. Thomas A. Davies. U. S. Volunteers, 
 commanding at that time the District of Columbus, 
 gave Colonel John Scott the order, and is responsi- 
 ble for it. The post at Columbus, he had good rea- 
 son to suppose, was in imminent danger of capture 
 by the forces, and he acted the part of a prudent and 
 faithful officer in crippling the armament at New 
 Madrid, Mo., and removing the Unite:! States troops 
 from that place to Fort Pillow. He is not only free 
 from culpability, but is honorably acquitted of ail 
 blame. 
 
 Neither Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Davies, U. S. 
 Volunteers, nor Col. John Scott. Thirty-seoond Regi- 
 ment of Iowa Volunteers, should be dismissed the 
 service of the United States. 
 
 There being no further business to transact, the 
 Special Commission adjourned sine die 
 
 \VM. K. STRONG, 
 Brigadier- General. U. S. Volunteers. President. 
 Albert G. Brackett, Col. Ninth III. Cavalry, Recorder. 
 Findings approved. 
 
 SAML. R. CURTIS. 
 
 Major- General. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 95 
 
 Following this action Colonel Scott was ordered 
 on duty with the Regiment; the action of the Com- 
 mission was not officially given out; and during all 
 this time the unfounded charges of Gen. Carr had 
 been widely published in the Associate Press de- 
 spatches, in the special correspondence of the Jour- 
 nals, and by correspondents of other papers, many 
 of them in Iowa, emanating from the Head Quarters 
 of Gen. Carr and General Curtis. These slanderous 
 charges and innuendoes went far and wide, and while 
 they can never be overtaken by plain facts in the 
 case, it is but a matter of justice that the truth be re- 
 corded here, and shown by testimony taken at the 
 time. 
 
 After repeated anil vain attempts to obtain an 
 authorized promulgation of the results of the inves- 
 tigation the following correspondence took place, 
 and a complete copy of the record of the Commission 
 was obtained in June, 1864, sixteen months after the 
 Commission was discharged: 
 
 Headquarters Post of Columbus, 
 
 Columbus, Ky., September 1, 1863. 
 
 Coloneu: A Military Commission, of which 
 Brig. Gen. W. K. Strong was president, was conven- 
 ed in Saint Louis in February last, by order of Major 
 G meral Halleck. to investigate as to the evacuation 
 of New Madrid and destruction of property there and 
 at Island No. 10. 
 
 Grave charges were preferred against me, as 
 commanding officer, for the evacuation of New Mad- 
 rid, under alleged "pretended orders," and I was in 
 arrest for two months. On the finding of that Com- 
 mission. I was ordered to duty by General Curtis, 
 but the finding was not made public, nor has been to 
 this time, to my knowledge. 
 
 Feeling that my arrest was an outrage, and that 
 
96 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the Commission fully justified my action, I deem my- 
 self entitled to a copy of the finding. I have applied 
 for it heretofore in vain. 
 
 I respectfully ask that the major-general com- 
 manding the department will secure me a copy of the 
 finding of said Commission. 
 
 Your most obedient servant, 
 
 JOHN SCOTT, 
 Colonel Thirty- second Iowa Infantry, Commanding Post. 
 Col. John A. Rawlins, Assistant Adjutant-General. 
 
 Indorsements. 
 
 Headquarters Department of Tennessee, 
 
 Vicksburg, Miss., September 14, 1863. 
 
 Respectfully forwarded to Headquarters of the 
 Army, Washington, D. C, with the request that, if 
 deemed proper, Colonel Scott be furnished with a 
 copy of such part of the proceedings as interest him, 
 
 U. S. GRANT, 
 Major- General. 
 
 October 3, 1863. 
 
 I see no objection to the Adjutant-General fur- 
 nishing Colonel Scott with the opinion of the court 
 of inquiry in his case 
 
 H. W. HALLECK, 
 
 General-in-i 'hief. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 At Fort Pillow. 
 
 On January 3d, 1863, General W. A. Gorman 
 wrote from Helena, when* he was in command, three 
 letters to General Curtis. The first two treat of 
 movements of troops, and discuss the military situa- 
 tion. The third is suggestive in several respects, 
 and bears upon the duties required of officers in 
 charge of Posts upon the Mississippi River, and the 
 manner in which these duties were discharged at this 
 particular time. The letter is marked "private." 
 Why should such a letter be regarded by the writer 
 as a personal one, and to be considered confidential? 
 If private, how came it to be published in the official 
 "Records? 
 
 T he-effects of "this rage for cotton speculation* 1 
 were felt everywhere. A loyal and incorruptible officer 
 was surrounded by spies and enemies, and was liable 
 to be underminded both in his own household and at 
 the office of his commander. The division of profits in 
 these illegitimate speculations was demoralizing in 
 the extreme, and did much, no doubt, to color the 
 stories of correspondents which went broadcast, and 
 had much influence on the conduct of the war, and 
 on the reputation of officers and soldiers. Perhaps 
 no Regiment in the service suffered more from these 
 cowardly attacks and jealousies than did the Thirty- 
 second Iowa. Among the disloyal and dishonest both 
 within and without our army this was known as the 
 "Abolition Regiment." The epithet is one, however 
 malignantly spoken at that time, and emphasized by 
 
98 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 profane expletives, in. which we may ?wiv feel an hon- 
 est pride. But at that time it had its inconveniences, 
 especially when, as was often the case, it was great- 
 ly in the minority. 
 
 Perhaps in all this we may see very good reason 
 for the precaution taken by General Gorman in mark- 
 ing this letter "private": 
 
 Private.] Hdqrs. District of Eastern Ark. 
 
 Helena, January 3, 1863. 
 Maj. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis: 
 
 General: Allow me to devote one letter to 
 cotton and commerce. This river from here to Mem- 
 phis is lined with cotton speculators. The people of 
 Mississippi and Arkansas are being supplied with 
 salt, flour, pork, bacon, coffee, quinine, shoes, hoots, 
 hats, caps, shirts, drawers, socks, whisky, mackerel, 
 cheese, and a thousand and one other such tilings. all 
 of which are cleared and permitted by Mr. Yeatman, 
 special agent of the Treasury Department, at Mem- 
 phis, six- tenths of which pass into the hands of the 
 public enemy. 
 
 These things don't come here by stint, but by 
 hundreds and thousands of barrels, boxes, casks, and 
 packages. One single boat landed here day before 
 yesterday with 100 barrels of whiskey and 35 bottles 
 of quinine. The blockade of the Atlantic coast has 
 no terrors for rebels. Prom here to Memphis, guer- 
 rillas line the shore, and are as familiar with traders 
 as if they had sent for their goods. Without a cor- 
 rective is soon applied to their shipments from Mem- 
 phis, the public enemy will be as well supplied with 
 all the necessaries of life as the citizens of the loyal 
 States. The guerrillas act as commissaries to the in 
 terior. This may be the policy of the Government, 
 but, if so, we are feeding them with one hand and 
 fighting them with the other. 
 
 I will copy and forward you a few of the mani- 
 fests permitted and cleared from the Board of Trade 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 99 
 
 and Mr. Yeatman, special agent of the Treasury De- 
 partment, and in some cases permitted and cleared 
 by the Treasury officers in Saint Louis. Tf these 
 contraband articles came here only in small quanti- 
 ties, and to special families, it might not be so obnox- 
 ious. But until this river is clear of the public ene- 
 my, I would not allow them a pound of meat or a 
 stitch of clothing, until the well disposed portion of 
 the population would guarantee protection to trade; 
 but if col ton and commerce are kings all subjects 
 must obey. 
 
 The rage for cotton speculation seriously embar- 
 rasses all military operations in this region. The 
 trading boats land men at all the ports, and send 
 them as runners through the enemy's country to hunt 
 up and drum up cotton. The loyalty of such runners 
 cannot be relied upon; every movement of the army 
 i.s known and spread by them over the enemy's coun- 
 try. While there, they tell all about our army, to 
 protect themselves from arrest. and avow themselves 
 •the best of Southern men; when thry return, they lell 
 all about the rebel army, and avow themselves the 
 best of Union men; and thus they are spies in adouble 
 sense. Every facility ought to be given by the Gov- 
 ernment to yet out the cotton in exchange for money, 
 except gold. Provisions and family supplies ought 
 to be given for wood only, as it is highly important 
 to our army transportation. 
 
 Write me privately on this subject. 
 
 I am, general, very respectfully, your obed 
 ient servant, 
 
 W. A. GORMAN. 
 
 Fort Pillow is a nice location for a camp. It is 
 situated on the East bank of the Mississippi, on a 
 series of bluffs that overlook the stream, all being 
 before it was arranged for the troops covered with 
 heavy timber. The earth- works in the rear were 
 not strong, but of considerable extent, and to fully 
 
100 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 occupy and defend them would require a force of sev- 
 eral thousand troops. The place had been for some 
 time occupied by Col. E. H, Wolfe, with the 52nd 
 Indiana Infantry. The duties were not arduous, and 
 though the Iowa Regiment materially increased his 
 command there was no very warm welcome extend- 
 ed them. In fact it was soon discovered that be- 
 tween the officers and men of the two regiments there 
 were radical differences of opinion as to the purposes 
 and conduct of the war, and especially as to slavery, 
 and the status of the negro. These differences were 
 more often manifested by the enlisted men than by 
 the officers. 
 
 Arrangements were hastily made for quarters, 
 for hospitals, for storing the supplies, etc., and a 
 pleasant camp was the result. Captain Amos B. 
 Miller, with Company B of the 32nd Iowa, was sent 
 into camp at Fulton landing, about three miles down 
 the river; but as there was daily communication this 
 was regarded as being but an out post of the com- 
 mand at Fort Pillow. 
 
 The tedium of the camp was relieved to some 
 extent by the hospitality of Judge Green, who lived 
 on his plantation some three miles distant, and who 
 occasionally invited members of the Field and Staff 
 to vary camp fare by eatiug baked buffalo-iish and 
 the accompaniments at his table. On a certain oc- 
 casion it is said thai seme officers of the 32nd Iowa 
 had their legs under the good Judge's mahogany 
 when quite a number of very unwelcome visitors 
 came unnoted to the place. The Judge requested 
 his guests to remain seated; interviewed the strang- 
 ers, who departed, "casting longing, lingering 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 101 
 
 looks" upon a number of valuable steeds near the 
 house! It was nicely clone. The Judge was a man 
 of character, respected by all parties, and his home 
 may be said to have been within the Union lines. 
 These officers were his guests. They came at his in- 
 vitation. His character as a host was at stake. If 
 they were molested it might be thought that it was 
 done by his consent. His remonstrance was effectual; 
 and some very nervous fellows rode into cam]) in- 
 stead of setting off on foot for rebel prisons, and at 
 the almost certain penalty of being dismissed the ser- 
 vice in disgrace! Due respect for the modesty of 
 the participants in this "hair-breadth escape" sug : 
 gests the withholding of the names, but some of 
 them do now talk freely about that romantic adven- 
 ture. 
 
 Colonel Scott returned to the Regiment, at Port 
 Pillow, March Kith and on that day certain negroes, 
 refugees, were delivered to persons claiming them, 
 and taken from the camp, bound. This caused such 
 indignation among the members of the 32nd Iowa 
 that measures were at once taken to have the parties 
 brought back, which was accomplished by the morn- 
 ing of the second day. 
 
 There being no immediate prospect of removal 
 from Port Pillow the Companies set about the re- 
 moval of some abandoned cabins that had been dis- 
 covered in the neighborhood, and removed them to 
 the regimental camping ground, rebuilding them 
 better than they had previously been, and occupying 
 them as quarters. 
 
 April, May, and the first half of June, passed un- 
 eventfully in the quiet camp at Port Pillow. Al- 
 
102 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 though the place had the appearance of being rea- 
 sonably exempt from malarious influences there was 
 considerable sickness among- members of the Regi- 
 ment, quite a number of cases proving fatal. The 
 streams that entered the river near this point were 
 sluggish, and those in the rear of the bluffs were of 
 the same character, and the seeds of future attacks 
 were here sown, which developed later, causing 
 other deaths. 
 
 Most of the duties were of the usual routine of 
 such a camp; daily drill, attention to the subsistence 
 and health of the men. and watching with anxiety 
 the movements of the forces that were engaged more 
 actively in the great Conflict. 
 
 A ripple of excitement was felt on May 23d. 
 when it was reported that a bright negro, a servant 
 of one of the officers of the 52nd Indiana, had been 
 waylaid and killed at the Hatchie Ferry, a few miles 
 from our camp. Colonel AVolfe took no measures 
 looking toward the punishment of the murderers; 
 which it might not have been practicable to do even 
 if he had wished. The soldiers from Iowa were al- 
 ways ready, however, to espouse the cause of the 
 loyal as against the disloyal, regardless of the color 
 line. 
 
 The following incidents are from the pen of Al- 
 bert Trask, of Company C, (now an Attorney in Sa- 
 ginaw, Mich.) and illustrate some of the lights an:l 
 shadows of a soldier's life: 
 
 Soon after our arrival at Fort Pillow Sergeant 
 Cutter and twelve corporals and privates were post- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 103 
 
 ed at the Pulton road picket-post. During the day 
 they were outside the works at a point where the 
 road from Fulton forked, one branch coining into the 
 fort, and the other going on to Ripley; in the even- 
 ing the men were drawn back to where the road to 
 Fulton passed through the works, at which point 
 they were very high, and the road passed 
 through a square opening. 
 
 During the night two men were kept at the open- 
 ing in the works, and the plank across the outer 
 ditch was taken up. One night, after it had been 
 raining all day and the men were wet to the skin, 
 and soon after they had established themselves at 
 the works, it began to snow and turn cold. Two 
 men were left on duty, and sergeant Cutter and the 
 rest went a short distance into the interior of the 
 fort, and made a log tire that contained at least a 
 cord of wood. There was no chance for sleep for 
 any one, because we were all so wet, and the muskets 
 of all had been left where the two guards were post- 
 ed to keep them dry. Soon after midnight, while all 
 hands about the fire engaged in singing songs, we 
 heard the. .sharp clear cry of both guards, "Halt! 
 Halt!*' followed by the quick bang, bang, of both 
 muskets. Immediately we were tumbling over one 
 another to get to our guns, and when we reached the 
 post w T e found both guards loading as fast as they 
 could, and they reported that a body of cavalry had 
 come up the road near to their post, and not stopping 
 at 1 he order to halt they had tired, when they had 
 wdieeled about and ran out of sight. 
 
 Forthwith sergeantCutter ordered all the guards 
 to bold themselves ready to resist the passage of the 
 walls, and we staid there,our feet so wet that it seem- 
 ed they must freeze. It was suggested that half re- 
 main and half return to the fire, and change off every 
 80 minutes, but the sergeant was inexorable. Final- 
 ly after nearly freezing to death, and no further sign 
 of the enemy appearing, a couple of the boys volun- 
 teered to follow 1 out the road and see what they could 
 find. 
 
 After walking out to the point where the tracks 
 showed the animals had turned and run, something 
 
104 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 induced one of the boys to feel in the tracks, and he 
 found that they all parted the hoof. So that the at- 
 tack had been made by cattle, and not horses, and as 
 none of us had ever heard that Forest mounted his 
 men that way we concluded it was a false alarm, and 
 all but the two whose duty it was to stay went back 
 to the fire and their songs. 
 
 In April, 1863, Captain Moore, of the 2nd Illinois 
 Cavalry, was ordered to take his Company, (which 
 constitued the mounted force at Port Pillow, )and 100 
 men from the 32nd Iowa and a like number from the 
 52nd Indiana, and break up a recruiting station about 
 20 miles East of Ft. Randolph, supposed to number 
 about 700 men, and commanded by the rebel Colonel 
 Faulkner. We all except the Cavalry went aboard a 
 small steamer named the "Davenport," soon after 
 dark, and at once dropped down the river about 17 
 miles to the remains of Ft. Randolph, where we land- 
 ed and began our twenty-mile march. 
 
 Before day light we had reached the vicinity of 
 the camp, which was located in a Methodist church, 
 and a lot of sheds and outbuildings connected with 
 the same, where, prior to the war, there used each 
 year to be held camp meetings of that church. 
 
 We halted about a mile from the buildings, to 
 give the mounted men a chance to pass around the 
 other side of the grounds, and just as the first gleam 
 of daylight began to show in the East we started for 
 the church. As soon as we came within about 60 
 rods of the church we halted, and the detail from the 
 52nd Indiana tired a volley from their Enfields into 
 the church, and at the sound of the volley, the Cav- 
 elry charged from one side and the detail from the 
 32nd charged from the other, (the 52nd Indiana beirg 
 held in reserve,) and we met around the buildings. 
 We soon found that our catch wa^; pretty near a waler- 
 haul, for owing to the facilities of the grape vine 
 telegraph news of our starting had been carried to 
 the camp early in the evening, and Faulkner and his 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 105 
 
 band had decamped. There had been a squad out 
 scouting, of <S men, and they and their horses were 
 the extent of the capture. They had come in late in 
 the night and finding all the rest gone went to bed, 
 and were waked by the volley through the church, 
 none of them, owing to the fact they were all sleep- 
 ing on the floor, were hit by the balls, although the 
 body of the church seemed pretty well riddled. 
 
 We fired the buildings, and started on our re- 
 turn to Ft. Pillow. All the boys had heard wonder- 
 ful stories about the free and easy way that Capt. 
 Frank Moore had of dealing with rebels and rebel 
 property, and we had all anticipated a joyous time 
 after the object of the expedition should be accom- 
 plished, on our way back to the river, jay -hawking 
 chickens and other dainties to eke out the rather 
 limited bill of fare that Uncle Sam is w r ont to furnish 
 his steady boarders. 
 
 Judge then of our feelings, when, soon after we 
 had started on our return, we were halted, and Capt. 
 Moore made a little speech, in which he said we were 
 not to fire a shot on our return, unless we were at- 
 tacked. He said that Faulkner, with his whole gang, 
 over two to our one, was hanging on our rear, watching 
 for a chance to attack us. He said he and hisCaval 
 ry would take the rear, and if he heard a single 
 shot, he wished to know that it meant business. 
 
 He evidently realized that this command was a 
 great disappointment to us, for a close observer 
 might have detected a merry twinkle in his eyes, as 
 he observed our disappointed looks; and after a short 
 pause, long enough to let the words strike home, he 
 added, "But. boys, remember that clubs will kill, and 
 if vou find anything that has'nt taken the oath, kill 
 it.' 1 It is unnecessary to say that we all "twigged,' 
 and by the time we reached the river it was very evi- 
 dent that poultry, at least,had'nt taken the oath worth 
 a cent in that region. We reached Ft. Pillow about 
 sunset, having ridden 34 miles by boat and marched 
 40 miles within 24 hours. 
 
 On the 17th of June the Regiment received or- 
 
106 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ders to remove to Columbus, Kentucky. On the 18th 
 Companies C and K took boat for that place. The 
 following day, at 6 a. m., the remaining Companies 
 went on board the Steamer Nebraska, and were duly 
 landed at the same destination. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 At Columbus, Ky. 
 
 The Six Companies went into camp at Columbus. 
 Ky., June 20th, 1863. This was a critical period in 
 the war. The recent desperate assault upon the 
 works at Vicksburg had been repulsed with heavy 
 loss, and the enemy was making ready to cross the 
 Potomac. Many thous«nds enrolled in our armies 
 were skulking in the rear. The copper-head was 
 hopeful. The rebel was defiant and aggressive. Un- 
 der the circumstances it was little suited to the taste 
 of the earnest soldiers of the 32nd Iowa to find them- 
 selves at a distance from the points of greatest dan- 
 ger. As yet they had hardly smelted powder, and 
 many of them had aspirations to be tried in the fur- 
 nace of hot conflict. They envied the comrades who 
 were daily called into line by the long roll, and some 
 of whose lives were almost hourly laid upon the 
 altar. 
 
 Although their duties were not at this point so 
 full of danger nor so suggestive of the honors to be 
 attained in deadly conflict, they were nevertheless 
 the duties of the soldier, and these were imposed by 
 orders that must be obeyed. The District of Colum- 
 bus was under the command of General Asboth, and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 107 
 
 the Post was commanded by Col. Geo. E. Waring, af- 
 terward noted as a progressive industrialist, author, 
 civil-engineer, and health commissioner of the city 
 of New York. 
 
 In the discharge of essential duties at and near 
 Columbus the Companies were still farther divided. 
 Companies H and K were sent to the famous Island 
 Number Ten. Companies B, E, and I, were quarter- 
 ed in the town, at first under command of Lt. Col. 
 Mix, and when he was detailed for duty on Court 
 Martial, then under Captain Amos B. Miller, and 
 had charge of the good order of the city, and the 
 safety of the Military Prison. Company C. under 
 Captain Peebles, became mounted infantry, and was 
 attached to the Fourth Mo. Cavalry, under Colonel 
 Waring, who was ordered on scouting duty in the 
 adjacent country in Tennessee. These movements 
 placed Colonel Scott of the 32nd Iowa, in command 
 of the Post of Columbus, July 11th 1863. 
 
 Prior to this date, and while Col. Waring com- 
 manded the Post, the adjutant of the Fourth Mo. 
 Cavalry acted as adjutant of the Post. He was a 
 dapper little fellow of the order of Bantams, with 
 plumage bright and gaudy, and known as being very 
 strict in the observance of the many details in the 
 'Army Regulations." Within a few days of the ar- 
 rival of the 32nd Iowa a call was made for a detail of 
 a Lieutenant and twenty-five sergeants, corporals 
 and privates for guard duty. Comrade Albert Trask, 
 of Company C, tells what follows: — 
 
 We had previously been informed that the Post 
 Adjutant was a great strickler for Regulations, and 
 
108 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 that everything" had to be just .so to pass muster -at 
 guard mounting. We had not yet sent our 
 dress coats home, and consequently they were brought 
 forth, and a vast amount of elbow grease was ex- 
 pended in burnishing our buttons, blacking our 
 shoes, and furbishing up our equipment, so that 
 when we were finally in line ready to march down to 
 guard mounting we really thought we were '"quite 
 swell." 
 
 There, was one drawback however in the person 
 of comrade James Speers whom all will remember as 
 "the infant" of our Regiment, He had been called 
 off as one of the detail of Company K, and he stood 
 there in the ranks as large as life. He was nearly 
 six-and-a half feet high. and of proportionate weight. 
 and had consequently never been able to find, up to 
 this point of our service, any covering such as is 
 known by ''The Regulation" that was large enough 
 for his head. Hence, while ail the- government pro- 
 party that was with him was as bright and clean as a 
 new pin, his head was covered by the same hat he 
 had worn when he enlisted, and at this time it was a 
 very shabb} 7 brown in color. 
 
 After we had taken our place in line, and had ar- 
 rived at that stage in the proceedings of guard mount- 
 ing when an inspection takes place, who should we 
 see swooping down upon oar part of the line, but 
 the celebrated Adjutant, in his own proper parson, 
 with a countenance at once so angry and vindictive 
 that I doubt if any one with less avordupois than 
 "our infant 1 * could have withstood the majesty of his 
 wrath. 
 
 It was in vain that the joint explanations of both 
 the "infant" and our Lieutenant that he was not 
 wearing a regulation hat for the simple reason that 
 he had never had one furnished him that he could 
 wear, were proffered; our whole detail was rejected 
 in disgrace, and ordered to report at once to the com- 
 mandant in the fort, near which we were encamped, 
 with the request from the irate Adjutant that a new 
 detail be at once sent down. 
 
 By this time the sun was shining quite hot, and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 109 
 
 we did not much enjoy our march back to the top of 
 the hill on which the fort was located. 
 
 We reported to Colonel Messmore, in command 
 of the fort, who was highly indignant at the rejec- 
 tion of the whole guard, because one man did not 
 have a regulation hat. He looked the guard over 
 closely, and complimented the Lieutenant on their 
 tine appearance; expressed himself more emphatic 
 than polite as to the Post Adjutant, and called up the 
 Captain of a Company of regulars that were located in 
 the fort and asked him if the guard was not good 
 enough for the regulars. Upon being told that the 
 guard was a credit to any regiment, the Colonel turn- 
 ed on his heel and confronting our Lieutenant said, 
 
 "Lieutenant, present my compliments to that d d 
 
 Poppinjay of a Post Adjutant, and tell him that if he 
 wants any better guards, by G — d he can make 
 them !" 
 
 Whether the Lieutenant made a verbatim report 
 of the message I do not know, but the writer has a 
 vivid remembrance that when he went to eat his din- 
 ner on picket that day, instead of some good homely 
 bread and milk that he had expected to have, he had 
 to get along with butter milk, his new milk having 
 been churned, by the evolutions he w 7 ent through to 
 get on <nuird that morniny! 
 
 The particular reason for ordering Colonel Wait- 
 ing's cavalry force to take the field appears to have 
 been a raid made by the enemy upon Union City, 
 only some twenty miles distant, and the capture of 
 that outpost, July 10th, in which were taken 90 pris- 
 oners, 116 horses, some stores and other property, 
 and in which two of our men were killed and eight 
 wounded. When the alarm was given Gen. Asboth 
 ordered the 32nd Iowa under Colonel Scott to pro- 
 
110 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ceed at once to Union City by train, but the enemy 
 bad departed in hot haste an hour before we arrived. 
 
 One of the incidents which occurred at Colum- 
 bus, and worthy of note for several reasons, was the 
 hanging of three negroes, on Friday October 9th. 
 1863. They had been tried by a Military Commis- 
 sion of which Col. W. T. Shaw of the 14th Iowa was 
 president, and found guilty of murdering a family 
 not very distant from Island Number Ten, from 
 which the lighting negroes had gone on their expe- 
 dition for revenge of alleged previous outrages. 
 There were said to be extenuating circumstances, 
 but the finding of the court was approved by Gener- 
 al Hurlbut, in command at Memphis, and an order 
 returned for the early execution of the con- 
 demned men. 
 
 This order was directed to Gen. A. J. Smith, 
 who had succeeded Gen. Asboth iu command of the 
 District of Columbus. Gen, Smith transmitted the 
 order for the execution to Colonel Scott, in com- 
 mand of the Post, with directions to have it carried 
 out. Colonel Scott repaired in person, with the or- 
 ders and the Army Regulations in hand, to General 
 Smith's Head Quarters, and called his attention to 
 the fact that no capital sentence could be carried out 
 until it had been approved by the President of the 
 United States. Gan. Smith declined to interpose 
 any objeciions to the order of his superior, or to 
 modify it by granting time, or otherwise, and very 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. Ill 
 
 emphatically advised Col. Scott not to take the re- 
 sponsibility of disobeying 1 such an order. Thus, in 
 return, Colonel Scott passed the order to the Pro 
 vost Marshal, and he hanged them by the neck un- 
 til they were dend. 
 
 Return was made through the regular channel 
 of the execution of the orders, and these returns 
 went through the War Department to President 
 Lincoln, who, nearly a year after the men had been 
 illegally executed, returned the same with his disap 
 proval, referring to the article in the Army Regula- 
 tions that had been violated! 
 
 Earty in July Company C of the 32nd Iowa, as be 
 fore noted, was transformed into mounted infantry, 
 and atl ached to the Fourth Missouri Cavalry. Of 
 this, and of their experiences for the ensuing six 
 months, Albert Trask, of that Company, says: — 
 
 The reason assigned for this was that the whole, 
 or some portion of the Company might attend each 
 scouting party of the Fourth Missouri, to protect 
 that regiment from being fired into at long range by 
 the rebels and bushwhackers that infested the region 
 that regiment was required to scout over. 
 
 The Fourth Missouri Cavalry at that time were 
 armed with sabers and revolvers, and the bush- 
 whackers would ambush them at points where the 
 cavalry could not reach them by a charge, tiring 
 from such a distance that pistol shots would not be 
 effective. The Enfield rifles with which Company C 
 was armed was a weapon of very long range. 
 
 Company C drew their horses and cavalry equip- 
 ments, and a sorry looking lot of horses they were. 
 Some were better than others, of course, and in or- 
 
112 THIRTY SECOND RE CUM EXT 
 
 der that no partiality should be shown, and that the 
 horses selected might go by lot, as it were, Capt. 
 Peebles directed they should be hitched in a row, as- 
 they came from the corral, and that the orderly 
 Sergeant should call the roll, the first man taking 
 the first horse, the second man the second horse, aud 
 so on until all the horses were drawn. The writer 
 of this sketch well remembers the prize he drew, and 
 the earnest remonstrance, verging on profanity, with 
 which he untied him, the Captain laughing, almost 
 to the point of convulsions, and promising him an 
 early chance to trade; — a promise that he faithfully 
 redeemed within the next ten days. 
 
 As soon as the company was mounted we began 
 to try hand and foot at drilling. Some few had had 
 no experience whatever in horseback riding, and 
 scarcely one had ever ridden with spurs; and the ef- 
 forts of those who tried to maintain an equilibrium 
 by clinging to their horses with their spurs was not 
 remarkably successful. However a little practice at 
 dismounting, without the formality of orders to that 
 effect, soon cured the men of that idiosyncrasy, and 
 on the 8th of July we accompanied the Fourth Mo., 
 Cavalry to Clinton, Ky , to resist the advance of 
 General Forest, as he had at that time approached to 
 the near vicinity of Union City, Tenn., and was 
 threatening an attack upon Columbus. On the 9th, 
 our tents and cooking utensils were sent out to us 
 from Columbus, but the next day we were ordered to 
 send them back with our horses. 
 
 On the llth we received orders to return to Col- 
 umbus, and got there about sunset. 
 
 We remained about Columbus until the 19th of 
 July, doing picket duty a few miles out. most of the 
 time, and on that date we returned to Clinton, where 
 we remained, picketing and patrolling the roads un- 
 til July 23rd, when we started, in company with the 
 Fourth Missouri Cavalry upon a scout that took us 
 through Farmington, Paris, Conyersville, Boysdville T 
 Fulton, Jacksonville, and finally we brought up at 
 Union City, Tenn., at which point we were informed 
 we were going to establish headquarters for an in- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEEEIS. 1 L3 
 
 definite time, and probably as long as we should re- 
 main mounted. 
 
 We first lived in Sibley tents, but as cold weather 
 approached we put up substantial wooden barracks. 
 Our duties were mainly to keep down the bushwhack- 
 ing element, disperse the guerrilla bands, prevent 
 the smuggling of salt, quinine, medical and military 
 stores, and keep thoroughly advised of any move- 
 ments of Gen. Forest. 
 
 Our duties required us to do a great deal of 
 night scouting, and on several occasions we captured 
 i'rom ten to fourteen two horse teams, principally 
 loaded with salt, that was being smuggled into the 
 interior for shipment to the rebel army. 
 
 Of course we sometimes brought in teams that 
 on further inquiry we found were all right, and had 
 to let them go again. Upon one occasion we had 
 captured a number of loads of goods, in which salt 
 cut a prominent figure, that we learned the next day 
 belonged to union people, and had to be returned. 
 Among other arrivals to claim goods at this time 
 was a young man in the uniform of a union Lieuten- 
 ant of Infantry, who belonged to a Tennessee Infan- 
 try command/ He came in laughing, and informed 
 the boys that he could appreciate the position they 
 were in, for he had been there himself; but the fact 
 was, he was home on a few days furlough and had 
 been out to town to get a supply for his family, and 
 that everything had been gobbled by our scout. He 
 was asked to give a schedule of his goods, which he 
 was able to quickly do from his bill of purchase, and 
 within 30 minutes the whole list was delivered to 
 him. except a pair of baby-shoes which it was sup- 
 posed had been lost from the wagon when the search 
 was being made. 
 
 Along near the middle of August one of the en- 
 rolling officers in the county in Kentucky nearest to 
 Union City, that had been appointed by the Govern- 
 or of the State to enroll the militia of the state for a 
 draft, applied for a guard to protect him from the 
 bushwhackers, in the discharge of his duties, and 
 Sergeant Cutter and twelve men, of whom the writ- 
 er of this sketch was one, were detailed for that 
 
114 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 duty. We rode as rapidly as possible from place to 
 place, and as a rule the enrolling officer did not dis- 
 mount. 
 
 He would ride up to the door of a house, and call 
 an inmate to the gate. Ordinarily the summons 
 would be answered by a woman or a very old man. 
 and as a rule we found few liable to military duty 
 that were at home, They were in the service on one 
 side or the other. 
 
 The frequent recurrence of a certain dialogue 
 fixed the same upon my mind, until the lapse of thir- 
 ty years has not dimned it in the least. It would 
 run something after the following form: 
 
 Enrolling Officer. "Who lives here?" 
 
 Ans. "John Jones." 
 
 Q. "How old is he?" 
 
 A. "Don't know." 
 
 Q. "Have you a family bible?" 
 
 A. "I reckon. " 
 
 Q. "Bring it tome." 
 
 An inspection would generally serve the pur- 
 pose, and a few cpaestions would develop the fact 
 that it had been filled in from tune to time by a 
 school teacher, or some other person that could 
 write. It would also develop whether any sons were 
 in the family and where they were, and if any were 
 liable for draft they would be enrolled. Then the 
 dialogue would be renewed; 
 
 Q. "Where is your post office address?" 
 
 A. "]\Jy what?" 
 
 Q. "Where do you get your letters?" 
 
 A. "Don't get any." 
 
 Q. "Well, where w T ould they come if you did 
 get any?" 
 
 A. (After due deliberation) "Philliseann, I 
 reckon." 
 
 The amount of ignorance displayed by the whites 
 was simply amazing. T have seen men that owned 
 from 25 to 30 slaves that would have to call up a 
 slave to make change for them. 
 
 Quite a number of times. during the Summer and 
 Autumn our scouting parties encountered small bodies 
 of the enemy's cavalry, mostly Falkner' s Tennessee 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 115 
 
 Regiment, but such encounters usually ended in 
 slight skirmishes, at long range, and it so happened 
 that none of Company C were injured in them. 
 
 On the 18th day of November L863, one of our 
 scouts informed us that Major Solstreet, of the 2nd 
 Mississippi Cavalry had crossed Sharp's Ferry, on 
 the Obion River, which was about 13 miles from 
 Union City, with 120 men, on his way to raid some 
 Jew clothing stores at Hickman. By the way these 
 Jew merchants that were so frequently robbed by 
 the rebels bad such a quick way of recuperating 
 from their losses, and starting right in again with a 
 new stock at the same old stand, that we had a strong 
 suspicion that they did not lose so much as might ap- 
 pear at first blush, and that in fact they stood in with 
 the rebels and selected their stock with a view to just 
 what the robbers wished for. 
 
 But be that as it may, on this occasion Capt. 
 Moore, of Company D 2nd Illinois cavalry, with 
 about sixty of his men was stalled direct for Hick- 
 man, and Capt. Peebles with Company C, and enough 
 of the 4th Missouri Cavalry to make up 125 men, was 
 sent to guard Sharp's and Circe's Ferries, they be- 
 ing the only ferries any where near having boats 
 large enough to carry horses. 
 
 Part of our command went to Sharp's and the 
 balance to Circe's ferry, and remained until near 
 noon the next day, when hearing nothing of the ene- 
 my we started for camp. On the way we encounter- 
 ed Capt. Moore escorting about 40 prisoners, and 
 leading twice as many captured horses. 
 
 It seems that the rebels, through their usual 
 means of communication, known as the grape vine 
 telepraph, had become apprised that both Ferries 
 were guarded, so they could not cross there, and had 
 gone further down the river to Merriweather's Ferry, 
 where they had to cross the men in a small boat, and* 
 swim the 1 horses; at this point Capt. Moore overtook 
 them soon after they started to cross, had killed and 
 wounded quite a number, and captured the prisoners 
 and horses as above stated. 
 
 During our various scouts we picked up and sent 
 
116 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 north quite a number of prisoners, a large propor- 
 tion of whom were commissioned officers, on short 
 visits home. We were* quite successful in gathering 
 prisoners around the very many small distilleries 
 scattered over the country, it seeming to be a favor- 
 its place for the Johnnies as well as some of our boys 
 to lay in a supply of the 'necessaries of life.' 
 
 Quite a tragic event occurred upon one occasion, 
 when Lieutenant Thomas and a part of the Company 
 were on a scout. While the command was halted to 
 feed their horses about eighty rods from one of these 
 distilleries, but with a small hill interveneing. Lieu- 
 tenant Thomas was informed that a union officer be- 
 longing to a Tennessee regiment was stopping at the 
 dwelling house attached to the distillery. The 
 Lieutenant wishing to see him asked one of the boys 
 who had just joined us from a long absence in a hos- 
 pital, to ride down to the distillery and bring back 
 the officer, naming his rank, if he found him there. 
 John had been out on a few scouts since he had re- 
 joined the command, and on each occasion we had 
 made descents on distilleries, and in most instances 
 captured prisoners; so at once supposed he was to 
 capture the officer. He rode away in full speed, and 
 in a very short time came back full as fast as he went* 
 but brin^inp: no man with him. The Lieutenant ask- 
 ed if he did not find him, and was told that he did. 
 but that he refused to come, drew his pistol, and 
 John had had to shoot him. The Lieutenant mount- 
 ed his horse in hot haste and visited the distillery 
 himself, where he found the officer shot through the 
 neck, but fortunately it had hit no bone or artery, 
 and the officer soon recovered. 
 
 The officer fully excused John from all blame, 
 saying that he mistook John for a bushwhacker and 
 drew his revolver, but John was too quick for him. 
 and got in his shot first. It is needless to say that 
 the recovery of the officer w T as a great relief to the 
 mind of John. 
 
 During the early part of Decern her 1863. we re- 
 ceived quite an addition ro our forces in the way of 
 Cavalry. Infantry and some artillery. 
 
 On the 12th, 'the 7th Indiana Cavalry, the 17th 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 117 
 
 New York Infantry, and the 35th New Jersey Infan- 
 try arrived, and about the same time the 19th Penn- 
 sylvania Cavalry came into camp. 
 
 There were quite a number of other Regiments- 
 arrived during the next week, and on December 23rd 
 we all started, under General A. J. Smith, for Jack- 
 son, Tennessee, at which point we were informed 
 Forest had gone into winter quarters. 
 
 A couple of mountain howitzers had been attach- 
 ed to the cavalry command, and Company was de- 
 tailed to act as a support to them, and as a result of 
 that duty we were exempt from picket or other 
 guard duty during the whole expedition, except to 
 guard the howitzers and our own horses. 
 
 Soon after we started the weather began to get 
 very cold, and the snow fell to quite a depth. I think 
 we suffered more from the cold on that trip than we 
 did at any other time in the service. 
 
 We reached Jackson on the evening of December 
 29th, but far in advance of the Infantry and train. In 
 fact they did not get as far as Jackson at all, and as 
 Forest had got out of there with his command before 
 we reached there we had no fighting whatever. We 
 remaiued there until January 2nd 1864, when we 
 started on our return. The frost had been so great 
 that we crossed some streams on the ice, and the new 
 men who had not yet learned to care for themselves 
 suffered greatly. 
 
 We finally reached Union City, on the 7th of 
 January, and were glad to get into our warm barracks 
 once more. 
 
 January 17th 1864 we received orders to march 
 to Columbus. Kentucky, and turn over our horses,and 
 rejoin the. six companies: and thus ended the services 
 of Company C as mounted Infantry. 
 
 Duty at Columbus for the seven months prior to 
 Januarv 22nd. 1864, was rather monotonous, being 
 
118 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 mainly the routine of camp-life. But the 32nd Iowa 
 made its impress upon the policy adopted toward the 
 freed man and his late owner, and that Post was soon 
 known as a safe refuge for those escaping from bon- 
 dage. Captain Cadwallader of the 32nd Iowa, being' 
 a Methodist preacher, was at his own request trans- 
 ferred from the command of his Company to the 
 Chaplaincy of the Regiment, a vacancy in that posi- 
 tion having occurred, and was made Superintendent 
 of Contrabands. In due course this position be 
 came one of responsibility. Kentucky not having 
 formally joined the Confederacy her slavholding citi- 
 zens were 'loyal' ;and were-not slow in asserting their 
 rights under the Constitution. They brought suits 
 in the State courts to recover wages from those 
 within our lines who employed their alleged slaves; 
 the plaintiffs coming from their homes to Clinton, 
 the county seat, for that purpose. The defendants 
 could not safely appear in Clinton, and judgments 
 went against them by default. Prior to the service 
 of the 32nd Iowa in Columbus the officers of the 
 State courts had freely come within our lines and 
 served their notices and warrants, 
 
 But affairs took a change in the Summer and 
 Fall of 1863. The State officers were forbidden to 
 serve such papers under penalty of confinement in 
 the Military Prison, and one of them was actually in- 
 carcerated to satisfy his court that its jurisdiction 
 did not then include Columbus. Even this did not 
 deter the court from going through the forms pre- 
 scribed by the State laws, and finally the Court and 
 the plaintiffs, all dignified "Kentucky gentlemen, 
 sah," were brought to Fort Halleck within the lines 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 119 
 
 of the Post of Columbus, and placed in the guard- 
 house of the Second Tennessee Heavy Artillery. 
 (This Regiment consisted of colored soldiers, most 
 of them having previously been held as slaves in that 
 region, and the place of confinement was familiarly 
 and pleasantly known as "the Nigger Guard- House!") 
 This summary course was taken by the Post 
 Commander, and carefully kept for a day or two 
 from the knowledge of the General commanding the 
 District, who was highly incensed over the indignity 
 visited upon the distinguished citizens; but who was 
 made to understand that some had come to the con- 
 clusion that what was good enough for a colored man 
 serving under the flag was good enough for a disloy- 
 al white man! The incident served a double purpose. 
 It intimidated those who had annoyed the Post au- 
 thorities, and it opened the eyes of at least one ex- 
 cellent General of our army to a phase of the ques- 
 tion to which he had apparently not previously given 
 a thought. He was not afterwards known to speak 
 of the colored troops as "niggers." 
 
 Duty at Columbus ceased on January 22nd, 1864, 
 when the 32nd Iowa — six Companies — went on board 
 the Steamer Lucy, and her bow was turned down the 
 great River. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 TO VlCKSBURG, AND MERIDIAN. 
 
 The first day of January 1864 will be long- re- 
 membered as most bitterly cold, both North and 
 South. The six Companies were fortunate in having 
 quarters that enabled them to make themselves if 
 not fairly comfortable, at least secure from being- 
 frozen. Preparations for a movement to the front 
 were being made, and the more or less pleasant as- 
 sociations and memories of the camp at Columbus 
 were finally left behind us on the 22nd of January, 
 when we went on board the '•Lucy," under orders for 
 the farther South. This movement was hailed«with 
 much satisfaction by members of the Regiment. 
 Alas! how many never came back! 
 
 On reaching Memphis, the Headquarters of the 
 16fh Army Corps, commanded by General Hurlbut. 
 we received General Order, No. 17 by which Gen. 
 A. J. Smith was assigned to the command of the 
 Third Division, the Second Brigade of which was 
 composed of the Fourteenth. Twenty -Seventh, and 
 Thirty-second Regiments of Iowa Infantry Volun- 
 teers, and the 178th New York. Later an exchange 
 was made of the last named regiment for the Twenty- 
 Fourth Missouri. This order was dated January 
 24th 1864. 
 
 Passed Helena on the 26th, reached Vicksburg 
 on the 27th, and went into camp below the city, near 
 the river, and three days later removed to a point 
 some three miles farther east, where we had a chance 
 to study some of the incidents of the famous siege of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 121 
 
 the captured strong-hold of the rebellion. 
 
 The first day of February was occupied in pre- 
 paration for light marching. Effective men were to 
 carry a light outfit. Transportation was furnished 
 for twenty days rations of salt, coffee, and bread, and 
 for light valises of Field and General Officers. All 
 else, including tents, to be left behind. 
 
 Reached Black River, February 2nd. 
 
 Crossed Black River on pontoons, February 4th. 
 Being the last regiment in the Division on this par- 
 ticular day it fell to us to guard the pontoons until 
 the next Division came up. Reached camp at 8 p.m. 
 
 Some mounted rebels hovered on our flanks, and 
 among the casualties of the day was the loss of our 
 pet drummer boy, little George A. Tod, who was 
 picked up by some adventurous fellows that swoop- 
 ed across our line of march. He was carried off to 
 rebel prison, 
 
 February 7th. Passed through Jackson, the 
 State Capital, and camped at Brandon. 
 
 Composed the rear-guard on the 8th, and had a 
 line experience in keeping straggles in the march. 
 Made but eight miles. 
 
 Next day started early, and went into camp at 
 midnight, having marched twenty-four miles; and 
 the following day got over but one-third that dis- 
 tance. These details indicate the nature of this 
 tramp. At times the road was through the rolling 
 pine lands; at others it w 7 as across river bottoms, in- 
 cluding morasses and quicksands, where 'corduroy' 
 must needs be laid for the passage of trains and ar- 
 tillery. Through the greater part of the entire 
 march the enemy made demonstrations that threat- 
 
122 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ened the trains, but were evidently not of much 
 strength. 
 
 By this time it became apparent that we were 
 on "Uncle Billy Sherman's" raid toward the heart of 
 the Confederacy. We were bound for Alabama or 
 Georgia; possibly Mobile; possibly Savannah; cer- 
 tainly for Selma; much being dependent upon the 
 movement of co-operating forces. 
 
 The weather was very fine. The temperature 
 was mild for February. There was no rain. More 
 than once the troops were called into line of march 
 at four o'clock in the morning and tramped till past 
 the following midnight. Had the weather been un- 
 favorable the expedition must of necessity have been 
 abandoned. Rations of salt, coffee, and bread, must 
 be supplemented by what the country could supply. 
 Beef on foot, bacon in concealment, poultry in the 
 yards, corn in the cribs, fodder in the stacks, honey 
 in the hives, all these were the fruits of legitimate 
 foraging under the code which then governed. It 
 was not the season of the year for potatoes and green 
 corn, but the camp-fire often threw off the savor of 
 bacon on the coals, and that of the broiling chicken; 
 and the smell of corn bread, rose from the ashes; all 
 of which were as incense to the nostrils of the thou- 
 sands of hungry soldiers. 
 
 Our valentine was found to be the important 
 railway station of Meridian, which was reached on 
 the 14th of February. The Brigade was moved a few 
 miles east of the town, and about the 16th and 17th 
 began the work of railway destruction. Other por- 
 tions of the force went in other directions, and a 
 large amount of dam aire was soon done to the rebel 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 123 
 
 lines of communication. 
 
 Much public and some private property was des- 
 troyed. Some abandoned dwellings were plundered. 
 It was said that under the trees some of the soldiers 
 slept soundly on feather beds in this brief camp near 
 Meridian. In extenuation it may be said that it took 
 a wearisome march to reach that distant point; tear- 
 ing up railways, burning the ties, and bending the 
 rails, greatly fatigued those so engaged; and the 
 poor fellows, far from home, no doubt greatly enjoy- 
 ed an addition to the customary soldier's blanket as 
 a couch After the lapse of more than a third of a 
 century, and the State of Mississippi has been re- 
 stored to a condition of 'loyalty' to the nag we then 
 carried, the writer of these chronicles has no regrets 
 over having very promptly and emphatically declin- 
 ed to put members of his command on guard, either 
 day or night, over the feather beds or other proper- 
 ty of Mississippians who would without compunc- 
 tion have shot the sentinels on their beats, when so 
 engaged. The then condition was w T ar. Those peo- 
 ple were responsible for the condition, and it was 
 their fortune to take the consequences. This is not 
 meant as an apology for wrongs perpetrated upon 
 non-combatants, yet such an apology might often 
 be found in the acts of those who were loudest in 
 claiming protection, and who then, and since, in safe 
 company, have boasted, of the assassination of sol- 
 diers. 
 
 As a general thing members of the 32nd Iowa 
 were innocent of acts of wanton destruction of pri 
 vate property. Among so many it were not to be 
 wondered if some were found who could not discrim- 
 
124 ' THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 inate between liberty and license. The sentiment 
 that it was more important that a rebel should have 
 dainties than that a loyal soldier should have food 
 was never encouraged; and it may have been a mem- 
 ber of that regiment who urged upon the remonstrat- 
 ing mistress of the poultry yard that "this accursed 
 rebellion must be put down, even if it should take 
 the last chicken in the Confederacy I" 
 
 On the 19th, the work of railway destruction 
 having been well done, "the boys" were ready to 
 look up some of those who were reported by the 'in- 
 telligent contraband' as worthy of attention. Among 
 these was a brutal slave-driver in the neighborhood 
 of the camp. He was said to have mutilated, and 
 even murdered, some of his slaves, for which he had 
 never even been held to answer by the authorities. 
 He was brought into camp by some of the officers' 
 servants, who, with Sergeant B— - of the 32nd 
 Iowa, took him before the Commander of the Bri- 
 gade, and narrated the story of the crimes laid to his 
 charge. That officer is said to have ordered them 
 to "take him out into the woods, and hang him!" 
 The Sergeant was one of those conscientious men 
 who would do and stand by the right tho' the Heav- 
 ens should fall, but with no more appreciation of the 
 grim humor of his superior than would have been 
 shown by an oyster, and forthwith he headed the 
 procession in search of a convenient sapling! 
 
 It was more the result of the Sergeant's religi- 
 ous convictions, and his disinclination to be the 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 125 
 
 means of hurrying such a sinner before the bar of 
 the final judgement without a moment for repentance, 
 than from any suspicion as to his duty, that delayed 
 the execution until the officer of the day got wind of 
 the matter, and took the * entire party before the 
 commander of the Division. The Sergeant unhesi- 
 tatingly referred to the orders received as his au- 
 thority. The commander of the Brigade explained 
 that the order to hang the man was merely a jest, 
 meant to terrify the victim, and the farce that might 
 have been a tragedy, came to an end much more to 
 the satisfaction of the cruel monster than to that 
 of the camp-followers! 
 
 Early in the morning of the 20th the return to 
 Vicksburg was begun, and twenty miles were com- 
 pleted before night came on. This movement settled 
 the character of the expedition. Whatever may have 
 been the original objective point, and whatever the 
 purpose in view, it culminated in the crippling of 
 the railways in the heart of the enemy's country, 
 and in the demonstration of the capacity of an army 
 to partially subsist itself without dependence on its 
 base of supplies. Perhaps Gen. Sherman gained 
 from this "Expedition to Meridian" much experience 
 that was valuable to him on his subsequent famous 
 "March to the Sea." 
 
 February 26th, arrived at Canton without inci- 
 dent of note. Many negroes and some whites join- 
 
126 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ed our line of march, fleeing from slavery, conscrip- 
 tion, and other evils. 
 
 February 28th. The regiment was- mainly en- 
 gaged in destroying railways; but Captain Peebles 
 was out with a foraging party, lost six teams, 
 and had one man killed, private Flood, of Com- 
 pany C. 
 
 March 1st, left Canton in a rainstorm, accom- 
 panied by a special train in charge of the Chaplain 
 of the 32nd Iowa, consisting of non-descript vehicles, 
 ranging from ox-carts to Conestoga wagons, and fill- 
 ed with negroes of all ages r colors, and sexes, and 
 many previous conditions of servitude. Hundreds 
 of woolly heads rose from the miscellaneous plunder 
 with w T hich the carts and wagons were filled, making 
 it a most memorable as well as a most motley pro- 
 cession. The Chaplain had a grave responsibility as- 
 well as a dangerous task. Had a few wellarmed reb- 
 els or guerillas pounced upon his charge the whole 
 party would have been sent to Kingdom Come with- 
 out benefit of clergy. He knew all this, was equal 
 to the occasion, and reached Vicksburg without other 
 disaster than the loss of his valuable horse. 
 
 On the evening of March 3d the command reach- 
 ed Black River, and the 32nd Iowa was cheered by 
 meeting some of the officers of the Four Companies 
 from the other Dapartment. Next day a march of 
 18 miles brought us to the camp in the rear of Vicks- 
 burg, and the Regiment was again an entirety, after 
 a separation that began at St. Louis in November. 
 1862. It was a time of great rejoicing. Each de- 
 tachment lustily cheered the other, and the whole 
 gave cheer after cheer for the occasion. Thirty 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 127 
 
 days mail, and the newspapers for February were 
 distributed. It was a memorable day in the history 
 of the regiment, and a happy conclusion of the Meri- 
 dian Expedition. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The United Regiment On The Red River Expe 
 
 dition; Port De Russy; Alexandria; To 
 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 The morning report of March 7th, 1864, shows 
 a total enrolment of 864 men. Recruits said to be 
 on the way are expected to swell this number to 950. 
 
 The air is full of rumors. Some great move- 
 ment is on foot. Transports crowd the Vicksburg 
 levee. Though foot-sore and leg-weary from the 
 tramp of 400 miles through alternate morass and 
 pine forest of Mississippi the 32nd Iowa had a keen 
 appetite for what was supposed to be somewhere at 
 the front, and wanted to taste it. There were sug- 
 gestions of the March to the Sea. Wherever Uncle 
 Billy would lead the Iowa boys were anxious to fol- 
 low. 
 
 It was to a certain extent known that the rich 
 Red River country was feeding large forces of the 
 enemy. Ninety per cent of the white males able to 
 bear arms were in the rebel army. Old men, child- 
 ren, the women, and hordes of negroes, recent slaves, 
 but now fully knowing that they had been emanci 
 
128 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 pated, constituted the population of that region. In 
 1863 the women and the negroes made the crops that 
 gave themselves subsistence, and furnished large 
 amounts to sustain the armies in the field. The loy- 
 alty of the negroes to the race that held them in 
 slavery, and was making every effort to perpetuate 
 that condition, as against those whose victory would 
 enfranchise them, must be regarded as one of the 
 most wonderful things in history. There is no re- 
 cord of a threat of resistance to the old authority, no 
 uprising, no rapine, no revenge for long continued 
 oppression of the race, or for personal outrages with- 
 out number! What a record as compared with the 
 history of the third of a century which followed their 
 coinplete emancipation! What a comparison be- 
 tween the order the negroes maintained when all 
 power was in their hands, and the brutalities inflict- 
 ed on them by the old oppressor when protection 
 was shamefully withdrawn! 
 
 Food crops were those most largely produced, 
 but each woman in the cotton belt knew that the pos- 
 session of the fleecy staple meant gold. So all tried 
 to grow a little cotton. With it they could buy 
 medicines for their sick children and a few of the 
 luxuries of the life that seemed so far away in the 
 dreadful w T ar time, Then, too, it must be remember- 
 ed, the Confederates did not lose the ^reat cotton 
 States until the war was nearly over. The States of 
 Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Texas in par- 
 ticular were in Confederate possession, and the Union 
 armies held only the strategic points. Could the 
 Confederacy have gotten the cotton out there would 
 have been no scarcity of military stores and supplies. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 129 
 
 But the blockade was too firmly maintained. It 
 could not be broken. 
 
 The enormous amount of cotton in that region 
 was known to our authorities, and it was known that 
 from there much of the subsistence of the rebel 
 armies was drawn. Cotton was then worth more 
 than one dollar per pound, Northern mills stood 
 idle for lack of the staple, and great efforts were 
 made to induce the President to get these supplies 
 for use, and to save them from destruction. The 
 Spragues received permits to buy cotton for their 
 mills in Rhode Island, and perhaps another house 
 or two got the same privilege. It is said that a 
 Jewish house in New York offered $1,000,000 in gold 
 for permission to send their agents into Arkansas 
 
 alone. 
 
 The high price of cotton made such a tempta- 
 tion both to the producers and to treasury agents 
 that enormous frauds were perpetrated, and like 
 risks were taken. Members of our Army and navy 
 became infected, and many a name otherwise without 
 a stain was smirched by being connected with these 
 transactions. It may be safely assumed that hund- 
 reds to whom the charge has never been openly 
 brought participated in these profits of shame. 
 
 So much by way of prelude to the story of the 
 Red River Expedition, on which it was now known 
 that we were to embark for thirty days. 
 
 The Historian has the benefit of data furnished 
 heretofore published by Sergeant Boyd, whose work 
 
130 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 has been formally endorsed by the Regimental As- 
 sociation. No apology is therefore necessary for any 
 quotations made from Sergeant Boyd's work, how- 
 ever extended. He wrote from copious notes record- 
 ed at the time the events occurred, and these he am- 
 plified from a well-stored memory, before they had 
 time to fade and from the evidence of contemporane- 
 ous witnesses that were about him. Of these events 
 Sergeant Boyd says: — 
 
 As a united regiment we were designed to form 
 a part of the grand army of General Sherman's that 
 was to disembowel the Southern Confederacy on his 
 march to the sea. But in conformity to special or- 
 der, No. 63, from Gen. McPherson, issued in obedi- 
 ence to instructions from Gen. Sherman, 7,500 men 
 from the Sixteenth Army Corps, under command of 
 General Joseph A. Mower, and 2,500 under General 
 T. Kilby Smith from the 17th Army Corps, and all 
 under command of General A. J. Smith, were loaned 
 to General Banks for thirty days, to date from the 
 time of our entering the Red river country, to aid 
 him to dissect the cotton and su^ar regions of West- 
 ern Louisiana, and capture Shreveport. 
 
 For this expedition the Thirty-second Iowa form- 
 ed a part of Shaw's brigade of Mower's command. 
 
 On the 10th day of March we boarded the steam- 
 er South Wester, and about 4 o'clock p. m.. the sig- 
 nal gun was fired, and 21 transports hauled in their 
 cables and swung out into the Mississippi on that 
 ill-fated expedition. At 2 p. m. of the 11th we were 
 at the lower or southern mouth of the Red river 
 (an old channel of the Mississippi) where lay Admir- 
 al Ellet's marine brigade. 
 
 As the fleet of gunboats and transports moved 
 up the channel of the old river.about noon of the 12th, 
 the scene as presented to the eye of the soldier from 
 the hurricane deck of the South Wester, was truly 
 grand. At times the fleet moved in groups or clus- 
 ters, and in some bends the whole could be seen at 
 one view; and as the transports were densely packed 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 131 
 
 from boiler to hurricane deck, with soldiers in blue, 
 together with the ^audy uniforms of the marines on 
 the gunboats, and all with the stars and stripes float- 
 ing in the breeze, was a scene not soon to be forgot- 
 ten. 
 
 We moved up to the head of the Atchafalaya 
 and then turned down that stream, and on the morn- 
 ing of the 13th disembarked at Simms' Landing, the 
 enemy's pickets falling back, and we taking posses- 
 sion of their camp. The lieet returned and went up 
 by way of Red river. 
 
 We at once started from Simms' port for a fort 
 some five miles out on Yellow bayou, said to be gar- 
 risoned by 2,500 men under Gen. Scurry. We found 
 an extensive uncomplete earthen fort from which 
 the enemy had retreated. We captured a few men 
 and teams and then returned to the Landing. Orders 
 then came to draw five days rations of hardtack, 
 coffee and salt, and an extra supply of amunition, 
 and be ready to start at any moment. Starting again 
 at 9 o'clock at night, we marched nine miles halting 
 about midnight. The boys made coffee, hastily ate 
 a soldier's meal and laid down for a sleep; but at 4 
 o'clock reveille sounded. At 5:30 we were on the 
 move harrassed by side or flank skirmishing, until 
 we reached a stream or bayou, where the enemy had 
 just destroyed the bridge, (the burning timbers were 
 still floating on the water) and were on the opposite 
 bank to dispute our passage. 
 
 The third Indiana battery moved quickly up, un- 
 limbered and sent her shells into the enemy's ranks 
 with great rapidity. Under the protection of the 
 battery we were ferried over in some rickety old flat 
 boats. The enemy retired. The bridge was rebuilt 
 in about two hours, and the march resumed. 
 
 About 4 o'clock we came to a lane turning to the 
 right at right angle, when we were startled by the 
 boom of artillery, and solid shot and shell coming 
 greetingly down the lane to meet us. Starting on 
 double quick, forward, and filing through a piece of 
 heavy timber, we were exposed to a full raking fire 
 from the heavy guns of the fort, when "forward^ 
 yelled Colonel Scott, and we sprung quickly into bat- 
 
132 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 tie line to a slight hollow, among some scrubby thorn 
 bushes, where Colonel Scott ordered: '-Down! down! 
 every man, down flat!" As down we dropped to moth- 
 er earth, torrents of shot, shell and rninnie balls 
 passed over us, some vines over our heads were cut 
 clean as if mown with a scythe. Again came the 
 voice of Colonel Scott: "Up, quick; by the right flank,. 
 double (/nick." Just as the regiment started forward 
 by the flank, a larue shell from the fort came whizz- 
 ing by, a little to our right and a little higher than 
 our heads, and sweeping parrallel with the regimen- 
 tal line; a little lower and a little farther to our left, 
 a little delay on the part of the commanding Colonel, 
 and the Thirty -second Iowa would doubtless have 
 been swept out of existence. But the clear ringing 
 voice of Colonel Scott was heard amidst the din and 
 roar of musketery and artillery. "Left halj "wheel , 
 double quick, forward: and shelter yourselves behind 
 the old logs and stumps, and pick the gunners " This 
 brought the regiment within close musket range un- 
 der the heavy guns of the fort. The old stumps and 
 logs on the field made a fair shelter. But here came 
 a new danger. Commodore Porter was just coming 
 up the river with his fleet of Gunboats, and his ad- 
 vance boats, the Eastport and Neosho began to throw 
 their shells with fearful rapidity, and we were in 
 more danger from the explosion of his shells than 
 from the guns of the enemy. Porter discovering the 
 condition of affairs caused his boats to cease firing. 
 And the fleet stood at bay, mute spectators of the 
 land force taking the works by storm. 
 
 Soon the guns were silenced for want of uunners 
 to man them, and again came the order, "Up! for- 
 ward, charger The ditch was leaped; the white flag 
 was up; the fort was ours, and the Stars and Stripes 
 w r ere waving in the breeze over defences that had 
 cost the enemy much labor, and taxed the ingenuity 
 of the noted engineer, Colonel De Kussy, to build. 
 Col. De Russy had spent over a year with 5,000 con- 
 trabands building the fort and strengthening the de- 
 fences on Red river about Marksville. Rebel prison- 
 ers afterwards taken at Henderson's hill, above 
 Alexandria, informed us that Dick Taylor had assur- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 133 
 
 ed them that no Yankee troops could ever pass Fort 
 De Russy. The first intimation they had that it was 
 taken, was the whistling of our fleet steaming up ro 
 Alexandria. The Regiment lost only three men. 
 James Rood of Company I was killed and James 
 Kent of Company A was shot through the lungs and 
 was unconscious for some ten days but finally recov- 
 ered. And one man was wounded by a piece of the 
 shell when it exploded, after sweeping parallel with, 
 and the entire length of the Regiment line. It cer- 
 tainly seems strange that the Regiment escaped as 
 it did. On the 15th the Regiment again boarded the 
 old South Wester, and the next day was at Alexan- 
 dria. 
 
 When we left Vicksburg for Red river, we were 
 shipped on the hurricane deck of a steamer direct 
 from the smoky city of Pittsburg. And as we lay 
 around her pilot house and smoke stacks, we cer- 
 tainly enjoyed a fair amount of her soot and coal- 
 dust. And after storming Fort De Russy, we took 
 our old place and were thankful to there rest and 
 ride even in the coal-smoke and soot. On reaching 
 Alexandria our already threadbare clothes did not 
 present a very fine appearance. After getting there, 
 some one complained to Colonel Shaw, then com- 
 manding the brigade, that we ought to have some- 
 thing better to eat, as our rations were not then first 
 class, even for a soldier. The Colonel ordered a 
 squad of men to go out into the country and get 
 something better and issue it regularly to the men. 
 "No Jayhawking about." So the Quarter Master 
 and Major Eberhart took a squad of thirteen men 
 and went out to the residence of Governor Moore, 
 the then Rebel Governor of Louisiana. On approach- 
 ing the place we found the premises very fine. A 
 beautiful lawn ran all around the residence, neatly 
 leveled and shaven as with a lawn mower. Just as 
 the squad approached the left of the premises they 
 discovered a nice lot of young porkers, the hams and 
 shoulders of which would fry nicely in a soldier's 
 frying pan, and near by was a large poultry yard 
 well filled with ducks, chickens, etc., and a little 
 farther off and to the right was an apiary. We could 
 
V64 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 taste the sweetness of the honey as a gentle breeze 
 blew in our faces. Ah! now, thought we, here is a 
 paradise for a hungry soldier. But just as we moved 
 up towards the porkers, Halt! Halt! rang out upon 
 our ears as a Union soldier stepped out on our front, 
 dressed in a handsome new uniform of blue, his shoes 
 well polished, a paper collar around his neck, and 
 with his gun and bayonet well polished and glisten- 
 ing in the sun, repeated with emphasis, Halt! Halt! 
 Just then stepped out a corporal of the guard, also 
 well dressed in splendid new uniform, paper collar, 
 and with white cotton gloves on his hands, and soon 
 appeared a Lieutenant and even Captain of the guard, 
 ail dressed in handsome new officers uniforms, their 
 swords dangling by their sides, their scarfs around 
 their shoulders with golden tassels trailing to the 
 ground. 
 
 And on looking up to the veranda of the house 
 we could see a well dressed Union Colonel sitting in 
 an easy chair, the eagle glistening on his shoulders. 
 as there he sat with golden glasses on his face, quiet- 
 ly reading a newspaper. In short we were informed 
 that an entire Massachusetts regiment was there on 
 guard, and "not a thing should be touched." We 
 halted, we looked at them, in their fine uniforms, we 
 looked at our own clothes, much worn and decidedly 
 shabby, not a paper collar in the squad, not a '-biled 
 shirt." Our shoes were not blacked, nor our guns 
 very well polished, (but they were in shooting trim) 
 and our stomachs possessed a decided vacuum. But 
 our officer thought the first duty of the soldier was 
 to obey orders. So we returned to camp and made 
 our supper on rusty bacon and decidedly musty "hard- 
 tack" while we soliloquized on the propriety of an 
 entire regiment of Union soldiers guarding the pre- 
 mises of the Rebel Governor of the state, while he 
 was devoting his every energy to destroy the lives 
 of Union soldiers and the Union itself. But some six 
 weeks passed away, and look at that same palatial 
 residence and the surroundings as they lay between 
 the contending armies. The Rebel commander nev- 
 er hesitated to send his shot and shell over and 
 through it if thereby he could reach the Unicn lines. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 135 
 
 The destruction of Gov. Moore's fine peach orchard, 
 and even his entire premises, was to the Rebel Gen. 
 eral a military necessity if they stood in his way of 
 destroying the Union army. Was it a military neces- 
 sity for us to protect them and save his porkers, and 
 provisions for the men who were aiming to destroy 
 the Union! 
 
 Gov. Moore's plantation contained some four 
 thousand acres of rich land, and had been well stock- 
 ed with negroes. Some forage trips afterwards made 
 to that vicinity proved more successful, especially 
 the one under Lieutenant Shannon, in which he pro- 
 cured "ten thousand chickens," and ducks not count- 
 ed, and loaded them in less than one hour. But then 
 Lieutenant Shannon was something extra on such 
 forage trips. 
 
 The regiment remained at Alexandria until the 
 26th, awaiting the arrival of Banks and Franklin 
 and the 19th army corps. A two days march 27th 
 and 28th, brought us to Bayon Cotile in the north- 
 west part of the Parish of Rapides, where the regi- 
 ment remained until April 2nd and had its first bat- 
 talion drill as a united regiment since leaving camp 
 at Dubuque, Iowa. 
 
 On the 2nd again boarded the "South Wester" 
 and on the afternoon of the next day were at Grand 
 E'Core. On the 4th went up on the north side of the 
 river, above the town of Campte, to aid in protect- 
 ing a gunboat and get it off a sand bar. skirmishing 
 with the enemy. Returned to Grand E'Core on the 
 evening of the fifth and crossed to the south side of 
 the river, and camped in line of battle on the ridge 
 or bluffs above Grand E'Core. The bluffs, in places, 
 were one hundred and twenty feet high, perpendicu- 
 lar above the river. Before daylight on the morn- 
 ing of the 6th, we received orders to leave all sur- 
 plus baggage on the boat, even to our portfolios and 
 writing material, carry nothing but a rubber blanket, 
 three days rations in our haversacks, forty rounds 
 of cartridges in our cartridge boxes, and be ready to 
 move at daylight on a rapid, forced march for Shreve- 
 port by way of Pleasant Hill. Pleasant Hill is 25 
 
136 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 miles west and three miles north of Grand E'Core, 
 by the section lines, but our road bore southeast of 
 Spanish Lake, carrying us six miles further south, 
 when we struck the divide between the streams flow- 
 ing southwest into the Sabine river, and those flow- 
 ing north into Ked river and Bayou La Pierre Lake. 
 Our road then bore to the northwest meandering 
 along the divide in the direction of Mansfield. We 
 did not move until after nine o'clock on the morning 
 of the 7th, At first the roads were very dusty, but a 
 heavy rain changed the sandy red clay and dust to 
 mud. After getting started Gen. Banks and Staff 
 passed us moving rapidly to the front, We marched 
 sixteen miles through a rouijh, poor country, mostly 
 covered with pine timber and a thick, matted growth 
 of underbrush. The improvements were very poor. 
 The buildings were mostly huts, built of pine poles 
 and daubed with red clay. The command was con- 
 siderably annoyed and the march impeded by the 
 narrow road being obstructed by a train, none of the 
 teams belonging to us, but said by the boys to be 
 loaded with paper collars and iron bedsteads for 
 Banks' command. 
 
 A heavy rain that night made the marching very 
 hard the next day in the red mud. Twenty miles 
 brought us to an old log church and graveyard, in 
 the rear of the little village of Pleasant Hill, where 
 the command halted for the night. But before we 
 laid down to rest in our beds of leaves among the 
 graves, rumors were rife in camp of disaster in our 
 front, it being reported that the Thirteenth Army 
 Corps had been all cut to pieces; General Ransom, 
 commanding, mortally wounded, and that the Nine- 
 teenth Corps was falling back on us badly demoraliz- 
 ed. About 11 o'clock at night an officer on Banks' 
 staff arrived in camp and confirmed the new of disas- 
 ter. About an hour later orders came to General 
 Smith's command to be ready to move at once; that 
 the entire force in our front was falling back on us, 
 and that we would be marched to the front. At 2 
 o'clock a. m., we were called into line. 
 
 After getting the true state of facts, as near as 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 137 
 
 possible, Colonel Scott called his men around him, 
 and told them the news from the front, and then add- 
 ed, "Now, my boys, I have told you the worst, and 
 if it comes to the worst, I ask of you to show yourselves 
 to be men." 
 
 In that trying- ordeal through which the regi- 
 ment passed on that eventful day, need I say 
 that Colonel Scott was not ashamed of his regiment, 
 and that his men were not ashamed of their Colonel? 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Battle of Pleasant Hill As Told By Ser- 
 geant Boyd. 
 
 It was near 9 o'clock before we actually moved 
 out of that graveyard camp. As we marched out to 
 the road, a scene of indescribable confusion present- 
 ed itself. It was impossible for infantry to get into 
 the road without being trampled under foot. The 
 road was a "jam" of six-mule teams, each striving to 
 make the most speed to the rear. The mules were 
 entangled each with their feet in the harness of the 
 other. The drivers were whipping and swearing; 
 and, as an accompaniment of the music of their whip- 
 lashes, was their fearful cursings of General Banks 
 and other officers. In fact nearly all the Generals 
 in command the day previous appeared to come in 
 for a share of their imprecations. One exception was 
 the youthful General Ransom, then supposed to be 
 mortally wounded. 
 
 But by tearing through the thick underbrush un- 
 til we reached the open ground near the village, we 
 passed the retreating rabble. We passed to the left 
 of the village, and then bearing to the right we cross- 
 ed a small stream to the edge of a large open field, 
 and then, filing left, moved down along the edge of 
 
lo'8 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the field, forming 1 a line at the edge of the timber, 
 facing westward over the open field. The left of the 
 regiment extended to within a few rods of the corner 
 of the field. A body of heavy timber, with thick 
 matted growth of underbrush, being to the south of 
 the field. The right of the regiment extended over 
 the small stream. 
 
 As we formed into line a body of troops then 
 holding that position fell back or changed their posi- 
 tions. One of these was the 47th Pennsylvania. 
 Our regiment composed the extreme left of the bri- 
 gade. The 27th and 14th Iowa and the 24th Missouri 
 were on our right. To the extreme right of the bri- 
 gade, on a ridge in an open field and a little in ad- 
 vance of its right wing, was a battery, so stationed 
 as to sweep with raking fire the Shreveport road and 
 any force that the enemy might attempt to mass 
 there. Colonel Shaw moved the right of his brigade 
 slightly forward in order to be in supporting distance 
 of the battery and defence of that road. His position 
 was inspected, and action approved by General Stone, 
 then Banks' Chief of Staff, and if properly supported 
 and protected on the right and left was the best tViat 
 could betaken. 
 
 It was Gen. Charles P. Stone, of melancholy 
 history — the same whom Wm. H. Seward afterwards 
 met in Egypt, as chief of staff to the Khedive. He ap- 
 peared to us a more genial and courteous officer than 
 Gen. Dwight who succeeded him as chief of Banks' 
 staff, but possibly did not carry as much "poor com- 
 missary." 
 
 But the volunteer soldier was not a good machine 
 soldier. He would think, and at times would criti- 
 cize even the actions of his officers, from the chever- 
 one dsergeant to the double-starred General. And 
 as the men lay there that day, with a light skirmish 
 line thrown out over the open field, they would cast 
 their eyes along the line to the extreme right of the 
 brigade, and ask, is that flank properly supported 
 and strengthened? And if the enemy masses his 
 forces and charges in on that road, may he not force 
 the right back or double it back on itself in spite of 
 the bravest troops and one of the best brigade com- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 139 
 
 manders who ever drew a sword? On going to the 
 left of our regiment, we could detect a road coming 
 through the timber to the corner of the field at an 
 acute angle with our line, and the thick undergrowth 
 of matted brush enabled them to mass their forces 
 there unseen, while the support of our left was to 
 our left and rear, and a brigade of colored troops 
 was said to be somewhere. But our orders were 
 positive and emphatic. "Hold this position at all haz- 
 ards.' 1 We must stem the tide of the exulting and victori- 
 ous foe. 
 
 But with the exception of some skirmishing all 
 was comparatively quiet until after 4 o'clock p. m. 
 
 Major Eberhart had just been down to the left 
 of our regiment, and w r as walking leisurely back in 
 front of the line, when he remarked: "Boys, there 
 will be no fight to-day." The remark was reiterated 
 by a number of the officers and men. But stop! there 
 is lively firing on the skirmish line. Our skirmish- 
 ers are hotly engaged, and are rapidly falling back 
 on the main line. And looking across the field to the 
 timber beyond, it was alive with troops; the woods 
 were full of cavalry preparing for a charge, and com- 
 ing into line on a gallop. Here they come on a gal- 
 lop and with a yell ! 
 
 Col. Scott and our officers passed quickly along 
 our line cautioning the men to keep cool. He said: 
 "Keep cool, boys! Down! Hold your fire! Let 
 them come within fifty yards and empty their car- 
 bines; and then take careful aim and not shoot too 
 hi<jh!" We were lying down. Their carbines were 
 emptied, and they overshot us. Their right hands 
 reached for their saber to make a saber charge, when 
 the rifles of Shaw's brigade answered back. The 
 range was close and deadly. If anything in the de- 
 struction of human life could be grand and fearfully 
 sublime, the repulsing of that charge surely was. 
 Horses reared and plunged, and horses and riders 
 fell. A number, I noticed, ran down our line drag- 
 ing their wounded and mangled riders by the stir- 
 rups, and a number ran. riderless, off into the woods 
 to our left. One man on the right of our regiment 
 rode clear into our lines, and was taken prisoner. 
 
140 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Another, riding a magnificent horse, clashed into the 
 14th Iowa, and fell from his horse, dead. On his re- 
 volver was engraved the name "Col. Buechel." 
 
 A rebel officer, who came home on the same boat 
 with us — from Vicksburg to St. Louis — and who 
 witnessed the charge, said that no more than five or 
 six men out of the 1.200 who made the charge but 
 were either killed, wounded or unhorsed ! 
 
 After the cavalry charge there was a lull for a 
 few moments. Then came the infantry. At first 
 they came at riaht shoulder shift. You could hear 
 the command of their officers: "Dress up on the 
 right ! Steady on the center ! Steady ! Steady, 
 boys ! Keep cool ! Keep cool !" as with measured 
 step they moved steadily forward. Colonel Scott 
 and other officers again passed along the line, cau- 
 tioning the men to keep cool and hold their fire. 
 "Let them come; let them empty their guns, and 
 then shoot low; never shoot above the belt!" he said. 
 Their fire was delivered. We had a little the lower 
 ground, and were overshot. "Fire! Fire!" was the 
 order, as. our Springfield rifles answered back. Their 
 line wavered and reeled back, as many fell to the 
 ground. That clxarge w r as broken. A rebel officer 
 taken prisoner that niyht, said that the volley of our 
 regiment killed two hundred men, Bui. still came 
 charge and volley after volley of musketry, although 
 
 "Still with murderous elar^htPr 
 Pelted back, they came again." 
 
 But we, occupying a little the lower ground and 
 lying clown, received but little injury. The twilight 
 of evening was thickening around us when the firing 
 in our front, and even the cannonading on our right. 
 had ceased. For a few moments there was again a 
 lull. But here from our right flank, from our left 
 flank, and even from our rear, comes a murderous 
 fire. In short, we are flanked both on the right and 
 left, and the enemy is hotly engaged with our reserve 
 line in our rear, and we are cut off, and our men fall- 
 ing fast around us. The enemy had passed our left 
 flank, and the other regiments of our brigade on the 
 right had been ordered to fall back, but no order was 
 sent the Thirty-second. Col. Shaw had himself, tried 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 141 
 
 to reach us to order us back, but found a line of the 
 enemy already between him and us. And here we 
 were, our amunition exhausted, and Zip! Zip! came 
 the minnie balls from right, left and rear Col. 
 Scott comprehending the situation, ordered a care- 
 ful movement to the left and rear, with open ranks, 
 to avoid if possible the fire of our own troops; and 
 in the dark we made our way out and formed a junc- 
 tion with the 12th and 35th Iowa brigade. 
 
 The regiment lost 210 men going into action with 
 415. In the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, 
 immortalized in story and in song, Lord Cardigan 
 took 673 officers and men into that action. They lost 
 113 killed and 184 wounded, or 36.7 percent. The 
 loss of the 32d at Pleasant Hill was 13.9 per cent 
 greater, ^See May number of the Century article — 
 "The chances of being hit in battle.") That article 
 gives our number in action at 420. My diary makes 
 it five men less. 
 
 In a very short time, six companies to-wit: A., B, 
 H, E, G, and D. lost over cwice as many men as the 
 entire state of Texas lost in killed and wounded in 
 the Mexican war, although she is credited with fur- 
 nishing 8.018 men for that war; and seven times as 
 many as the state of Louisiana had killed and wound- 
 ed in the Mexican war where her quota is given at 
 7.947; and more than 12 times as many as all the kill- 
 ed and wounded of the great state of Georgia, al- 
 though she was credited with 2.132 men. 
 
 As the fragments of the regiment w r ere gathered 
 together, our feelings could not be discribed. As 
 name after name was called, some comrade would 
 answ r er, "He was killed at my side; 1 ' another, "He 
 w T as killed just as we turned into the timber;" and of 
 others. Wounded and left on the field;" and there 
 were others whose fate was unknown, but doubtless 
 they fell in the woods as the regiment was cutting its 
 way back. 
 
 As the men who were left attempted to lie down 
 and get some sleep, they had reason to be thankful 
 that their lives were spared; but then so many of our 
 comrades were dead, and so many whose fate was as 
 yet unknown. We could hear the moaning of the 
 
142 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 wounded in the woods, through which we had made 
 our way, and hear the ambulance corps and see 
 their lights as they were gathering up the dead and 
 wounded. The woods were strewn with friend and 
 foe. 
 
 At midnight the order of Smith and Mower was, 
 "Go into line of battle at 4 o'clock!" but at 2 o'clock 
 the order was, "Fall in retreat!" Silently and sullen- 
 ly, but not without murmuring, did the men start on 
 the retreat, to leave their dead and wounded to fall 
 into the hands of the enemy. But the retreating ad- 
 vance of the 19th Corps and the trains and cavalry 
 were then at Grand E'Core. thirty -six miles away, 
 having been ordered back by Gen. Banks on the 
 morning before the battle. 
 
 The next day the enemy sent in a flag of truce, 
 asking permission to bury their dead, but were as- 
 tonished to find no one to receive it. It was two 
 armies running away from each other. We were not 
 retreating from a well organized army flushed with 
 victory, as the 13th and 19th Corps had done after 
 Sabine cross roads; but so far as the troops of Smith 
 and Mower were concerned, it was a well organized 
 army, officers and men having each full and complete 
 confidence in the other, retreating from a beaten and 
 retreating foe. 
 
 Owing to the marching' and want of rest, men 
 were becoming worn out. The morning passed slow- 
 ly. Our haversacks contained no breakfast. "We 
 and rations had not met.*' Banks had ordered them 
 all to Grand E'Core, but Smith swore that ours should 
 not go, and they didn't go quite. The sun was well 
 up in the heavens; the line was moving up a long 
 hill; the boys were feeling tired and feeling the 
 gnawings of hunger. On looking up they saw a man 
 on a sorrel pony, and another horseman behind him 
 coming back. It was Quartermaster McCall, and his 
 commissary, Clark Fuller, issuing rations of hard 
 tack. That hard tack tasted good. 
 
 We marched about twenty miles that day. and 
 many of our men became very tired and began to lag. 
 After getting started. Col. Scott got off his horse, 
 tucked his pants into his boots, walked back along- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 143 
 
 the line, and finding a man badly worn out, got him 
 in an ambulance, another on a wagon, and finally got 
 all the worst provided for but one, and taking him 
 by the shoulder stuck him on his own horse, and then 
 walking along with the boys, he said, "Come on, boys, 
 we will do the best we can." 
 
 The next day, being in the rear, the enemy's 
 cavalry made a clash upon us. They appeared to 
 have just found out that we were retreating. In the 
 afternoon we had considerable skirmishing and were 
 much harrassed by their cavalry, but reached Grand 
 E'Core in the evening. The regiment was then sent 
 out on picket. Poor rest for the tired soldier. The 
 next day we received a mail, it being the first news 
 from home since before leaving Vicksburg — thirty- 
 four days. Our previous mails had been captured 
 by the enemy. The rebels getting sixteen sacks when 
 they captured the steamer, "City Belle." 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Battle op Pleasant Hill; As Seen Prom Differ- 
 ent Stand points by Members of The 
 o!2nd Iowa Volunteers. 
 
 The preceding chapter gives the facts in rela- 
 tion to Pleasant Hill as seen and remembered by 
 Sergeant Boyd. He has embodied in his narrative 
 some of the recollections of other witnesses, and 
 some matters gleaned from published records. But 
 as there was much controversy, greatly conflicting 
 testimony, and some bitterness, unpleasant memories 
 of which still remain, the Historian believes it his 
 duty to supplement the .story of Sergeant Boyd with 
 
144 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 a portion of other testimony that has come into his 
 hands. The separate facts narrated by these wit- 
 nesses are consistent with independent testimony as 
 given by others, and it is hoped that taken together 
 they will throw a light upon the subject that will en- 
 able the unprejudiced to give due credit to the men 
 in the command of Gen. A. J. Smith, — to the Iowa 
 Regiments, — to Shaw's Brigade, — and especially to 
 the 32nd Iowa Volunteers. 
 
 Comrade £. V. Moore, of Company I, who kept 
 a diary, and in 1894 was Post Master at Benkelman, 
 Nebraska, says: 
 
 '•At the time of the advance of the enemy upon 
 our lines I was on the skirmish line with others, about 
 forty rods in advance of the Regiment. Some rebel 
 officers showed themselves in our front, on the op- 
 posite side of the open field. I fired at them, and 
 they immediately disappeared in the brush. In a 
 few minutes the enemy's cavalry came out of the 
 timber at the same spot, and formed for a charge. 
 Almost at the same moment their infantry opened 
 upon our Regiment, across the corner of the open 
 field, to our left front, which was sufficient hint for 
 the skirmishers to fall back. This was done in some 
 haste, after delivering their fire, — from which two of 
 the enemy fell. 
 
 The cavalry charge upon the right of our bri- 
 gade very soon followed. * * * 
 
 On reaching the Company I dropped into a shal- 
 low and dry depression, and while regaining my 
 wind I heard the sharp crack of a rifle,saw the smoke 
 rise from a tree-top, heard a thud in my rear, and 
 glancing back saw Mathias Hutchinson sink back, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 145 
 
 without a groan. His father went to him, raised his 
 head, but immediately laid it down, saying— "He is 
 dead!" I think he was shot through the heart. 
 
 After the first repulse of the enemy he 
 was carried back, I think by Geo, Williams and James 
 Baldridge. 
 
 In all the charges on our line after the death of 
 his son Captain Hutchinson encouraged us by his 
 voice and his example, taking no thought for him- 
 self. When the last charge had been repulsed, and 
 the enemy had passed us in strong force on both our 
 flanks, Colonel Scott came to Captain H. and told 
 him we were completely cut off from the main body 
 of our army, and asked if he had any suggestions. 
 Captain H. replied. 'Let us stay right here !' ' 
 
 Comrade Rollin P. Mead, of Company E, now a 
 farmer near Aplington, Iowa, says: — 
 
 •'I was wounded in my right arm at Pleasant 
 Hill, and managed to reach the hospital, about two 
 miles to the rear of our line, where my arm was tak- 
 en off at the shoulder during the evening. In the 
 latter part of the night I was told our army was go- 
 ing to retreat. I got up and tried to get a place in 
 an ambulance, and was told there was no chance for 
 me. Determined that I would not go to rebel prison 
 I walked till after sunrise, and with a few miles on 
 an amunition wagon the first day, and an ambulance 
 the second day, I got to Grand E'Core." 
 
 Comrade Edwin Nichols, of Company B, now a 
 
146 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 farmer near Clear Lake, Iowa, says: — 
 
 "On the 9th of April, 1864, was called up about 3 
 a.m., took our coffee and hard-tack, and while wait- 
 ing for something better to do a pack of cards was 
 brought out by some one, and we set dow T n to a game 
 of poker. The stakes were grains of corn, not repre 
 sentingany particular value. When the day was 
 ended I was the only one of the ten in that game that, 
 answered the roll-call. 
 
 As we went to the place assigned us in the ex- 
 treme front, on the road to Mansfield, we met many 
 of the troops who had been driven back the previous 
 afternoon. They encouraged ( ?) us by expressions 
 of sympathy, advice, and prophecy; telling us that 
 those who lived to return would travel faster on the 
 return trip, and that we had better send word to our 
 sweet-hearts now, while able to do so, and much 
 more of the same sort. * * * We took 
 our position, and soon saw many signs of an approach- 
 ing battle. The noise, smoke, and smell of powder 
 burning, made me wish that the General in command 
 would think it necessary to have a bottle of water 
 out of the Atlantic Ocean, and would detail me to 
 bring it. I am sure I could have got ready to start 
 within thirty-days! * * After the skirmish 
 line was called in I felt that it was the other fellow 
 who was in danger. * * 
 
 All through the day we expected an attack at 
 any moment, but about four o'clock the fire of the 
 skirmishers and sharp-shooters slacked up, and many 
 of us began to think the enemy was retiring. Just 
 then Colonel Scott passed along the line, and when 
 near our company said, — "Boys, if they come to-day 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 147 
 
 they will be here within half an hour." James Tur- 
 ner then said he would take our three-quart pail and 
 make some coffee at a fire in the rear of the line. 
 After the fight was over he found three balls had 
 gone through the pail. 
 
 The Colonel was right as to the time they would 
 pitch in. The skirmish line was called 
 
 in. Then came the cavalry charge. It 
 
 looked as though we would not furnish a mouthful 
 apiece for them. But they went down, falling in all 
 directions, there was no time for fool- 
 
 ing, the infantry followed up, 
 
 the other Regiments of our brigade fell back, and 
 the rebels followed them, passing about four rods to 
 our right, and on to the rear. 
 
 It was wonderful that any thing could live in such 
 a storm of iron and lead. A ball struck the ground 
 and filled my face with dirt; another took a bit of 
 skin from the knuckle of my right fore finger; an- 
 other pulled the hair over my left; and another lodg 
 ed in the rolled blanket on my shoulder. 
 
 Adjutant Huntley stood near me when Colonel 
 Scott directed him carry the word to Col. Gilbert 
 and Col. Shaw that the enemy was passing our left 
 in heavy force. Huntley delivered the message, and 
 fell as he was returning to his place. Lieutenant 
 Howard stood with his left hand against a small 
 tree, his sword in his right, the point resting on the 
 ground. He soon fell. Jacob G. Brown was at my 
 left; Wilbur Hoytwas behind him; and John P. Ford 
 was behind me. All of them were killed. Hoyt was 
 shot after we had fallen back to a log that seemed to 
 offer some shelter, but the balls soon struck the log 
 
148 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 fi'om the rear, showing that we had the enemy on all 
 sides of us. After the fighting- was 
 
 over, and it was quite dark, Quartermaster McCall 
 asked two of us to go with him to help our wounded 
 on the field. He carried a lantern, and when we 
 reached a guard under charge of a Major from Maine 
 the light was ordered to be blown out, and though 
 we could hear the moans of the dying in our front 
 nothing could be done for them. This was more 
 dreadful than the thickest of the battle ! As our re 
 treat began before daylight, next morning, we never 
 saw or heard our dying comrades again!" 
 
 Comrade W. H. Guy, now an influential citizen of 
 Granola. Kansas, and who was then acting orderly 
 Sergeant of Company E, says: - 
 
 Early in the morning of April 9th, I 
 learned that during the latter part of the night that 
 portion of Bank's army which had been engaged the 
 previous day were retreating about as promiscuously 
 as the soldiers had done at Bull Run. This was not 
 stimulating news; and the remark of General A. J. 
 Smith, as he sat on his horse, while we marched by 
 on the Mansfield road, was very welcome. He said 
 in his positive way, — "Boys, remember where you 
 belong!" About 4 p. m., that most des- 
 
 perate battle of Pleasant Hill began. 
 The Cavalry charge was repulsed. Out 
 
 of the woods beyond the open field came the rebel 
 Infantry, their guns at right shoulder. - A 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 149 
 
 volley from our line hurled them back. Forming 
 again they found an opening on our left, and passed 
 through. In the progress of the battle I was captur- 
 ed, and with some ten others was hurried from the 
 field, and met a rebel battery coming into the fight, 
 and cheering at their apparent success. When about 
 half way across the open field we heard the roar of 
 the guns of Gen. A. J. Smith, and before we reached 
 the woods we saw that the rebels were following the 
 example Banks' troops had set the day previous, and 
 were going to the rear. We were hurried back six 
 miles and camped in the dusty road. Next morning 
 we were pushed on to Mansfield, passing many of 
 our dead of the day previous, naked and unburied." - 
 
 Sergeant Guy and Lieutenant Fallis effected 
 their escape, at Mansfield, and made their wav to the 
 Regiment at Grand Ecore, eight days after the bat- 
 tle. 
 
 Captain Michael Ackerman, of Company A, now 
 Clerk of Courts at Howard, South Dakota, and who 
 was left on the field, terribly wounded, and without 
 other notice for more than twenty-eight hours than 
 that of the rebels who robbed the dead and wounded, 
 says: — 
 
 "Late in the evening of April 8, in the camp 
 among the old graves. -some of us were discussing- 
 the defeat of our troops in the advance, and their de- 
 
150 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 moralized condition as they came into our lines. In 
 this party were Lieutenant Col. Mix, Captains Miller 
 and Peebles, Lieutenant Howard, myself and others. 
 Colonel Mix, looking up, said: "There, 1 see the 
 moon over my right shoulder. It is a good omen for 
 me. I need not fret." Within twenty -four hours 
 Colonel Mix lay dead on the field of the hard-fought 
 battle; Miller, Peebles, and Howard, were mortally 
 wounded; and I was left for dead, with my left knee 
 and right hip crushed by the bullets that fell among 
 us like hail upon the house lop. My Company went 
 into line of battle with thirty-four men, only five of 
 whom answered the next roll-call; and half the Regi- 
 ment was wiped out! 
 
 I fell near the close of the engagement, and soon 
 after the Regiment left the field it had so gallantly 
 and despeiately held, I was stripped of my outer 
 clothing. One ef these vultures thrust his hand into 
 my pocket, but drew it out covered with my blood, 
 and with an oath left $85.00 there, which no doubt 
 subsequently saved my life. 
 
 I rolled into a ditch near me to escape the still 
 fast falling bullets, and about mid-night was helped 
 out by a rebel chaplain, who was trying to care for 
 the wounded. I crawled to a fire, was soon asleep, 
 and did not wake till the sun was high in the heav- 
 ens. Some one had thrown a dog-tent over me to 
 shield me from the sun. John Talbott, Company A. 
 came to me. Aminnieball had entered his mouth, 
 cut off his tongue, and passed through his neck. The 
 poor boy could not speak or eat, and at the end of 
 about nine days died of starvation. 
 
 Looking about, where the day previous we stood 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 151 
 
 in the strength of manhood, the ground was all stewn 
 with dead and wounded that it seemed that one could 
 step from one to another as far as I could see, with- 
 out touching the ground. Here and there a group 
 of wounded were gathered about little fires that had 
 been kindled by those able to partly help themsel- 
 ves. 
 
 About 9 o'clock that evening Captain Miller and 
 myself were taken in an ambulance to a log house, 
 and placed on the floor with a single blanket under 
 us. Robert Mack, of my company, and eight or ten 
 others were with us. We were in this house four 
 days before we were discovered by the Surgeons 
 who had been left to care for us, — they having two 
 hospitals that required their continuous attention, 
 and we were over-looked. We had had nothing to 
 eat after the battle, except four crackers that Cap- 
 tain Miller bad saved, of which he and I each ate 
 one. That night, April 11th, Captain Miller died, 
 He was shot through the bowels, knew his wound 
 was mortal, and was brave and cheerful to the last 
 minute. He left no message with me, for neither of 
 us had any thought that I would live to deliver it. 
 
 While we were thus unattended by the Surgeons, 
 and were left to dress our wounds with water and our 
 under clothing, torn up for bandages, George Mack, 
 who was wounded in the shoulder, the ball lodging 
 under the shoulder-blade, came to me with an old, 
 rusty knife, and asked me to cut out the ball. The 
 knife was so dull I could not operate with it. so he 
 went and whetted it on a stone, and came to me again. 
 Mjr nerves and strength were not equal to the butch- 
 ery, so begot other assistance, and am happy to say 
 
152 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 he prospered finely. 
 
 I was removed after four days to another hospit- 
 al, and placed on a blanket with Captain Peebles. He 
 was shot through the knee, and his leg had been al- 
 ready taken off. Lieutenant Howard died before I 
 was taken to the hospital. Captain Peebles appear- 
 ed to be doing well, but about eight days later I was 
 awaked by his singing and praying, and found him 
 quite wild, and tearing at his wound. I called the 
 surgeon, but he had lost so much blood that he died 
 before morning. 
 
 There were about three hundred men in there 
 hospitals, and they were supplied as food three ket- 
 tles of musty corn meal, mixed with water, with a 
 piece of bloody beef in it, and scarcely more than 
 warmed through. It was not wounds that killed our 
 men. The wonder is that any survived. 
 
 Prom time to time convalescents were sent on to 
 the prison at Tyler, Texas. Others died. After out- 
 numbers were thus reduced we had more attention, 
 and more and better prepared food, but the condi- 
 tions were still so deplorable that death was a wel- 
 come release to those to whom it came, 
 
 But I forbear to tell of the sufferings and death 
 of the poor fellows who went under, and turn to the 
 more pleasing theme of the ministrations of the wife 
 of a rebel officer who lived in the neighborhood, a 
 Mrs. Cole, who came every week with such supplies 
 as her home afforded, the tears running down her 
 cheeks as she looked upon the starving men she 
 could not feed! Of the two army 
 
 wagons loaded with sanitary stores, that came under 
 a flag of truce, and for which the women at home 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 153 
 
 have our blessings as long as we may live. 
 And of things which my bloody money bought at the 
 rate of one dollar for a chicken, one dollar per doz- 
 en for eggs, and four dollars per pound for tobacco. 
 And of our parole, about June 17th, and 
 a trip of seventeen miles in carts and jolting wagons 
 to the boat on Red River, - and of 
 
 the opium and Louisiana rum the doctor gave me on 
 the road, and how the entire fifty -two 
 
 who started from Pleasant Hill that June morning, 
 all reached New Orleans !" 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Battle of Pleasant Hill; Testimony of Hon 
 
 H. N. Brockway, Hon. W. V. Allen. 
 
 W. P, Hiserodt, Corporal Robbins, 
 
 and D. S. Jewett; of The 
 
 82nd Iowa Volunteers 
 
 Judge Brockway, at date of Battle of Pleasant 
 Hill, was a Sergeant in Company B. He became 
 Captain of the Company by promotion. He wrote 
 at request of Adjutant General Baker an account of 
 that battle, which was published in The Picket Guard 
 in 1867. The following extracts from that article 
 will interest the comrades: — 
 
 Late in the morning of the 8th the command ar- 
 
l. r )4 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 rived at Pleasant Hill, and early on the morning of 
 the 9th, was marched out to the relief of that part of 
 the army which had been so disastrously repulsed 
 the day before. In the battle of Pleasant Hill the 
 brigade to which the 32nd Iowa was attached occupi- 
 ed the-Union centre, and the 32nd was on the left of 
 the brigade. Company B, with Captain Miller as 
 ranking Captain holding the right of the regiment. 
 About four o'clock p. in. a tremendous cannonade 
 was opened opon our lines, followed soon after by a 
 cavalry charge. This was so fatally repulsed, that 
 scarce one of them returned to their lines. The 
 credit of this belongs chiefly to the 14th Iowa. Then 
 came on the infantry, in solid column, with reckless 
 darim, marching with their guns at right shoulder 
 shift, until they arrived at the crest of a hill about 
 twenty rods in front of our line. At the command to 
 fire they melted away. Again and again they rallied, 
 aided by fresh troops, and came on with fierce yells 
 to the charge, but each time were driven back from 
 our front. The troops on our left gave way. and 
 the enemy, getting into our rear, opened a galling tire 
 from that quarter. 
 
 At this time, Col. Scott came down the regiment 
 from the extreme left, and ordered Adjutant C. H. 
 Huntley (formerly a private in Company B, and at 
 that time fighting with a musket with the company.) 
 to report to Col. Gilbert (commanding the 27th Iowa, 
 next on our right) that he was flanked, and whatever 
 was done must be in concert with him. Adjutant 
 Huntley started on his errand, and was never after- 
 wards seen by any of the command. 
 
 Just about this time, the right of the brigade 
 was forced back, and orders were given to retire, but 
 no orderly could reach us, as the enemy were too 
 thick in our rear. .When the 27th Iowa commenced 
 falling back, Capt. Miller called to Lieut. Colonel 
 Mix, that the 27th Iowa were going away. The men 
 were becoming alarmed, for the enemy were entering 
 the woods on the right. Col. Mix noticed it, and re- 
 plied in a loud voice, "No, they are going back for 
 ammunition; they will be up again soon. Give it to 
 them boys!' These were almost the last words the 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 155 
 
 old hero ever uttered. A moment afterwards he 
 gave command for the right of the regiment to swing 
 round to the rear and present a front to the right, 
 and while the manoeuvre was being executed, he re- 
 ceived a ball through the body, killing him almost 
 instantly. 
 
 Hon. 11. N. Brockway. 
 
 About the same time Captain Miller was shot 
 from the right, through the body, and fell. Four 
 men of the company instantly went to carry him to a 
 little ditch just in the rear of the company. They 
 picked him up as he lay, face downward, when he 
 ordered them to lay him down and go to their duty. 
 After the battle he was taken to afield hospital. where 
 lie died. The company was now without an officer 
 higher than .Sergeant; Captain Miller and Lieutenant 
 
156 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Howard both mortally wounded. Lieutenant Griffin 
 captured, and Sergeants Barr, Brock way, Goodell 
 and Wood wounded — the two last mortally. The 
 command devolved upon Sergeant Henry Keerl. Still 
 the men fought on till completely surrounded and at 
 close quarters, when an order was given to move out 
 by the left flank. Just as this was done our reserves 
 under A. J. Smith charged the enemy and drove them 
 from the field. 
 
 It is an undeniable fact, that the stubborn fight- 
 ing of the brigade commanded by Colonel Shaw, 
 composed of the 24th Missouri and the 14th. 27th 
 and 32nd Iowa regiments, saved the day, and with it 
 Gen. Banks, entire army. Had the center given way 
 after both win^s had been driven in, and before the 
 troops could be rallied and new lines formed, the day 
 would have been irretrievably lost, and the entire 
 army captured. It was Shiloh fought over again, 
 though on a smaller scale, and here, as there. Iowa 
 turned defeat into victory. Company B went into 
 the fight w T ith three commissioned officers, five Ser- 
 geants, five corporals and thirty-six privates, and 
 came out with one Sergeant, three Corporals and 
 fourteen privates. The regiment lost in killed, 
 wounded and missing, 219. Captain Miller was 
 brave, but not rash, a strict disciplinarian, and a pol- 
 ished, courteous gentleman. In him, the regiment 
 lost an able officer, and Iowa one of her noblest sons. 
 
 Hon. W. V. Allen, now representing the State of 
 Nebraska in the Senate of the United States, was 
 then a private soldier in Company G. He was but a 
 boy, one of the youngest members of the Regiment. 
 He was at one time invited to write a history of the 
 Regiment, and probably made some progress in that 
 direction. The present Historian has met with and 
 
IOWA VO L U N'T E KKS 
 
 157 
 
 preserved a brief clipping from a newspaper, and as 
 it relates to this battle it is here given. Comrade 
 Allen says: — 
 
 Hon. W. V. Allen. 
 
 The cloud of smoke from our guns 
 hung for a moment in the breeze produced by the 
 concussion of our minnie balls, as if half in doubt to 
 arise or fall, but finally chinking better of the mat- 
 ter, arose, revealing to us the sickening sight of his 
 troops, riders and horses, lying in a promiscuous 
 heap of dead and dying, their warm life-blood form- 
 ing little pools which uniting ran away in streams, 
 while the pitiful neighing of the dying horses and 
 the sorrowful cries and appeals of the dying soldier 
 for help — '"water, water, water," — mingled in sorrow- 
 
158 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ful and unutterable confusion. It was a sight to 
 make the soul sick and the similitude of which one 
 wants to see but once in a lifetime and them shut out 
 all rememberance of the vision forever. While we 
 were contemplating- this sad picture there debouched 
 from the opposite wood three strong lines of infantry, 
 the splendid divisions of Churchill, Parsons and Ma- 
 jors, with wings spread out like a great fan. Their 
 bayonets were fixed ready for use and they carried 
 their guns at a right shoulder shift. It was our time 
 to turn pale. There were three of them to one of us 
 — three strong lines to our single line. They broke 
 forth in the ''rebel yell*' so much talked of these lat- 
 ter days. The rebel yell was simply a cheer from 
 fine-voiced men, a light, piercing noise, like the call 
 of a woman made at a long distance. It differed from 
 the cheer of our men in the fact that the latter was 
 heavier, heartier and more uniform. They brushed 
 aside our skirmishers and dropped their guns to the 
 position of a charue. They were to fall upon and 
 crush in our center by the fury of their assault and the 
 mere machine strength of their numbers, while other 
 portions of their army were to envelop, overlap and 
 crush our flanks, and thus rout if not capture our en- 
 tire army. Their success the day previous had made 
 this, to their mind:-, not an impossible feat, and they 
 had been stimulated for this trial by the liberal use 
 of a drink composed of Louisana rum and gun -pow- 
 der, giving them an abnormal courage, as the doc- 
 trine of the transmigration of the soul gave to the 
 Dacian soldiers an unnatural courage in their wars 
 with Rome. 
 
 Banks, always fruitful in blunders, and doubly 
 so on this occasion, had sent back to Grand Ecore a 
 large part of the Thirteenth corps and all our caval- 
 ry, except the brigade of Col. O. P. Gooding, which 
 being roughly handled early in the tight, was unfit 
 for offensive service when needed; so that when the 
 enemy struck us in full force and in earnest with his 
 assaulting columns we were weakened fully one 
 fourth by this reduction of our numbers. 
 
 Men in war as in peace endeavor to preserve 
 their lives when they can do so consistently with a 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 159 
 
 full discharge of their duties, and we were ordered to 
 shield ourselves as best we could from the enemy's 
 tire and reserve our own tire until he approached 
 within a few rods of us. The chivalrous Shaw was 
 at his best. His usually dull eye kindled with an 
 unnatural tire and his usually homely countenance 
 grew almost beautiful in contemplation of the death 
 struggle that was at hand. He rode along the line 
 giving his orders as cooly as if on dress parade. "Aim 
 low, boys, aim low; it is better to wound them than 
 to kill, for it will take two good men to carry a 
 wounded man from the field," he said. Above the 
 din of the gathering storm again rang out the voice 
 of Shaw as the rebels approached us. "Fix bayo- 
 nets!" he said, and in an instant every man's bayo- 
 net was fixed and ready for use. The rebels were 
 upon us. The noise of sixteen hundred Springfield 
 rifles rang out in unison as 1600 minne balls sped in- 
 to the enemy's ranks to do their work of death and 
 destruction. He was stung and stopped, but rallied 
 and again renewed the assault with additional fury. 
 Another stinging volley thrown full and fair into his 
 ranks caused the enemy to reel and stagger like a 
 drunken man, but he rallied to renew the attack. 
 Each assault brought him nearer to our line and each 
 assault reduced the number of assailants and assail- 
 ed, by death and wounds. The assault was repeated, 
 and another made, this time along parts of the line 
 the bayonet was brought into use, but each assault 
 was repulsed with great loss of life and limb on both 
 sides. So the fighting went on at other parts of the 
 field. Oar right wing was crushed in and driven 
 back to the reserves and this made it necessary to 
 retire Shaw's brigade a distance to keep a connected 
 line. The order was given and the Twenty -fourth 
 Missouri, Fourteenth and Twenty-seventh Iowa drew 
 back, but Adjutant Charlie Huntley, brave as a lion 
 and mild as a woman, while bringing the order to 
 the Thirty-second Iowa was killed, and the order 
 never reached the regiment. Having previous or- 
 ders to hold the position at all hazzards there was 
 but one thing for Col. Scott to do and that was to 
 hold his position unless rescued from him by the en- 
 
160 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 emy. A regiment at our left had been withdrawn 
 leaving both flanks of the regiment exposed. For 
 fully an hour, this regiment, single handed and alone, 
 was fighting ten times its number. Everywhere, in 
 front, on the flanks and in the rear, the contest raged 
 with great fury and was attended with great loss of 
 life. 
 
 Nowhere in ancient or modern warfare can be 
 found an instance of more heroism than was exhibit- 
 ed on this occasion. Up to this time the enemy had 
 been the assailant, but now that he was weakened 
 and reduced the time came for us to take the offensive. 
 Let the correspondent of the New York Herald, then 
 at Banks' headquarters, and never friendly to west- 
 ern troops, tell the remainder of the story: — 
 
 '•General Smith made all preparations to receive 
 the advancing foe; and as the human tide came roll- 
 ing up the hill, he looked quietly on until the enemy 
 were almost up to the muzzles of his guns, when a 
 sheet of flame flashed along his lines, and, with the 
 crash of ten thousand thunders, musket balls mingl- 
 ed with grape and canister, swept the plain like a- 
 besom of destruction. Hundreds fell dead and dying 
 before that awful fire. Scarcely had the seething 
 lead left the guns when the word "Charge!" was giv- 
 en, and 7,000 men precipitated themselves upon the 
 shattered ranks of the enemy. Emery's division, 
 which had only yielded to superior numbers, and re- 
 mained unbroken, was pushed forward and joined 
 the Sixteenth corps, driving the rebels rapidly down 
 the hill to the woods, where they broke and fled in 
 the greatest confusion and dismay. Col. Benedict, 
 while gallantly leading- his brigade in the charge. fell 
 dead, pierced by five balls. 
 
 The battle was fought, and the victory won. Our 
 troops followed the rebels until night put an end to 
 the pursuit. 
 
 In the last charge, we recaptured Taylor's bat- 
 tery, which had been lost in the earlier part of the 
 action, and retook two guns of Nim's battery, which 
 had been lost in the battle of the preceding day. The 
 10 pound Parrott gun which the rebels captured last 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 161 
 
 fall (1863) at Carrion Crow, was taken. 
 
 Five hundred prisoners, all the dead and wounded, 
 three battle standards, and a large number of small 
 arms, fell into our hands. 
 
 Our victorious army slept upon the battle-field, 
 which was one of the bloodiest of the war." And this 
 correspondent might have added with truth and pro- 
 priety, that the rebels retreated a distance of ten 
 miles that night before going into camp. 
 
 Thus closed one of the most sanguinary engage- 
 ments known in the history of warfare, and Banks' 
 army, which had been routed the day previous, was 
 saved from further disaster. The rebels were not 
 only defeated, but they were routed and completely 
 demoralized. 
 
 Comrade W. P. Hiserodt, Company A, in Febru- 
 ary 1894, about six months before his death, wrote 
 quite a full account of his experiences in army life 
 No one ever doubted the Corporal s courage, or cool- 
 ness in the moment of danger. He gives some de- 
 tails not stated by others. The following extracts 
 relate to Pleasant Hill: — 
 
 The Confederate cavalry charged our 
 battery - - but they nearly all went down. 
 Next came their infantry, flushed with their victories 
 of two days previous, and the contents of their can- 
 teens,! whiskey and gunpowder,) making a desperate 
 charge. The lines on our right and left were bro- 
 ken,' and Lieutenant Col. Mix ordered us back. As 
 we started in retreat Colonel Scott came down the 
 line, biting at a hard -tack, cool as a clam, and order- 
 ed us to hold our ground. I am proud to say that 
 Company A faced about and took the position before 
 occupied, and there stayed like "the boy that stood 
 on the burning deck," with the dead and wounded 
 
162 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 piled around them. - Capt. Acker- 
 
 man fell badly wounded: Lieutenant Hull was killed; 
 and finally I, a corporal, was in com- 
 mand of the Company. 
 
 Al out sunset a squad of rebels came on us from 
 
 
 WM. P. HlbERODT. 
 
 the rear, with Serjeant Doane and some others as- 
 prisoners. I ordered our men to fire, but Doane lold 
 us to surrender, which we did. The whole rebel 
 army was then retreating. 
 
 Corporal D. W. Robbins, Company D. now a re- 
 tired merchant of Colorado Springs, at one time 
 
TOW A VOLUNTEERS 163 
 
 Mayor of that pleasant city, has taken pains to re- 
 visit the battle-ground of April 9th 1864, and to col- 
 lect and preserve many relics, and to record many 
 incidents of the battle. He has kindly written of 
 these things from his winter home, at San Diego, 
 California. The comrades are also indebted to him 
 for the rough draft from which the map of the battle- 
 ground is drawn. He procured this to be made by a 
 person familiar with the scene at the time of the bat- 
 tle, and it may be relied upon as approximately cor- 
 rect. 
 
 Corporal Robbins found in 1891 the old field that 
 lay in front of the line of the 32nd Iowa had changed 
 to a forest of pines; many of the trees being from 
 twelve to eighteen inches in diameter. Other parts 
 of the battle ground were ecpjally changed. The vil- 
 lage of Pleasant Hill has been abandoned; the small- 
 er buildings having been removed, and the larger 
 ones having fallen into ruins. A railroad now runs 
 between Shreveport and New Orleans, passing about 
 two miles south of the battlefield, the nearest station 
 being named Sodus, but retaining Pleasant Hill as 
 the name of the post-office. 
 
 Corporal Robbins remained in that neighborhood 
 several days, picking up things that had for him 
 particular interest. He cut some bullets from a tree 
 that stood in the rear of the position occupied by his 
 company, cutting to a depth of six to eight inches for 
 them; and also cut some sticks for canes. He found 
 and secured possession of relics that had been picked 
 up by others, and has them among his ti'easures at 
 Colorado Springs. 
 
 In his reminiscences of the battle he speaks of 
 
164 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the demoralized troops of Banks passing to the rear, 
 "many of them hare-headed, and many having thrown 
 away their guns," which were met hy the 32nd Iowa 
 when taking position to check the pursuing foe. He 
 saw Lieut. Col. Mix fall, and heard him say "I am 
 killed!" It also appears that when the right of tt e 
 Regiment began to fall back, noting the withdrawal 
 
 D. W. Robbins. 
 of tl e 27th Iowa, that the movement 'extended to 
 Company D, and when checked by Colonel Scott, as 
 being without orders, only a part of the men of that 
 Company heard the order and resumed the former 
 position; -in which they remained till they were 
 captured, failing to receive the order to- move out 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 165 
 
 by the left flank, at the close of the battle. 
 
 Robbins says it was reported among the rebels, 
 and told to the prisoners, that of the bold riders who 
 rushed upon our brigade at the opening of the battle, 
 only twenty-six reported for duty the next morning. 
 
 After meeting the rebel battery that was rush- 
 ing to this dance of death the prisoners met Gen. 
 Kirby Smith, who inquired to what troops they be- 
 longed, and on being told he remarked that he knew 
 very well that they were not the sort they had met 
 the day before. As they passed to the rear they saw 
 many of those killed in the battle of the 8th, lying 
 where they fell, and so covered with the dust raised 
 by the troops that they could hardly be recognized 
 as human beings. 
 
 For personal memoranda and incidents of prison 
 life, see appendix. 
 
 But one more witness from the ranks of the 32nd 
 Iowa will be called. Sergeant D. S. Jewett, Com- 
 pany D, in February 1866, furnished by request to 
 the Boone County Index a narrative of his capture and 
 escape from rebel imprisonment. Often in private 
 conversation he described the demoralized condition 
 of the enemy during the first few miles of their re- 
 treat, in which by mere force of overpowering num- 
 bers they swept him and others of the 32nd Iowa in- 
 to captivity because those on the extreme right 
 failed to receive the order to move out by the left 
 flank. The men were directed to pass this order 
 
166 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 along to the right, and when sufficient time for this had 
 elapsed the movement began, Colonel Scott going in 
 advance of the brave remnant, to warn any friends 
 we might meet, and thus avoid any mistaken fire 
 from our own troops. It afterwards appeared that 
 for some cause, — perhaps a break in the line, — this 
 order never reached the brave fellows in D, A, and 
 B, who still fought on until carried away by the 
 routed rebels. Sergeant JeweU says: — 
 
 Our Regiment (32nd Iowa) was stationed near 
 the centre of the first line. The attack was commenc- 
 ed about 4 o'clock p. m. April 9th, by a charge on our 
 right by a regiment of Texas cavalry, which resulted 
 in their almost entire annihilation. However, heavy 
 • columns of rebel infantry were discovered advancing 
 toward us; on they came over the bodies of their fal- 
 len friends and formed their line in spite of the mur- 
 derous fire that was beinLC poured into them from our 
 death-dealing rifle muskets, and then the battle be- 
 gan to rage with inconceivable fury.- — By some means 
 or other, both our flanks were turned, and we, igno- 
 rant of the momentary retreat that was going on 
 throughout our whole front line remained on the 
 ground, and the fire, extending around both Hanks. 
 was soon poured with equal fury in the rear. Prompt- 
 ly my comrades stood their ground in this valley of 
 death, and with equal promptness did the enemy 
 continue to pour in his destructive tire upon us; one 
 by one the muskets of my companions erased to re- 
 spond, as the deadly projectiles of our foes placed 
 them beyond the reach of worldly cares. Corporal 
 Pettibone, one of the bravest men I ever saw was 
 near me; now and then I would hear his voice encour- 
 aging his friends to fight to the death, but it finally 
 ceased; some rebel marksman had sent a bullet crash- 
 ing through his brain. About sundown I heard loud 
 voices on my right commanding somebody to surren- 
 der. Thinking that 1 recognized the voice of our 
 Colonel. I paid no attention to it at the moment, but 
 fired one more shot at a rebel officer that I saw in 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 167 
 
 front. Soon afterwards, however, on looking around. 
 I discovered that the rebels and not our own men, were 
 the captors and all my friends on my right were 
 prisoners. I looked to the left for the regiment; it 
 was gone, and for the first time, I became aware that 
 I had been only keeping company with the dead. — 
 My foes were now upon me; two muskets were level- 
 ed at my breast and I was allowed to choose between 
 instant death and immediate surrender with plenty 
 of hard treatment and a good share of starvation in 
 prospective. I decided in favor of the latter; my En- 
 field was taken from me, and I was put along with 
 the other prisoners of whom Sergeant Miller and 
 seven others of Company D and fourteen of Company 
 A formed a part, and we were hurried to the rear un- 
 der a strong guard. The roar of musketry gradually 
 died away in the distance, and before midnight, we 
 found ourselves six miles on our way to Mansfield in 
 an open Held, still surrounded by a strong guard, in 
 which position, we were permitteded to lie down and 
 sleep till morning. As many of us had lost our 
 blankets during the tight, we were ill prepared to en- 
 joy this privilege to its full extent. At early dawn 
 we were aroused and pushed forward toward Mans- 
 field, which place we reached about noon. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Pleasant Hill; Official Documents. 
 
 A significant fact is seen when it is noted that 
 none of the Official Reports of commanders of troops 
 in this battle were made out before April 12th. The 
 10th and 11th were occupied in the retrograde move- 
 ment on Grand Ecore. These two days and nights 
 were full of sorrow and anger for those of Shaw's 
 Brigade who were compelled to abandon the victory 
 
168 THIUTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 they had won, leaving their dead and wounded un- 
 cared for. This was an especial grief to the 32nd 
 Iowa, whose loss was greater than that of all the rest of 
 the army aside from that in their own Brigade! But 
 on the 12th, when the official Reports of Colonel 
 Scott and Captain Jones (of the 14th Iowa) are dated, 
 their just anger was directed against those who were 
 supposed to have blundered rather than sinned. 
 Their Reports of the Battle were therefore only plain 
 statements of the part taken by their own commands, 
 made in the customary form, and not to supply the 
 omissions and controvert the falsehoods of others. 
 
 When the newspapers from New Orleans were 
 received a few days later, with the voluminous cor- 
 respondence from Banks' headquarters, comprising 
 whole pages of the large dailies of that city, and 
 boasting of the victory Banks and his Eastern troops 
 had won, in all of which the Western troops were ut- 
 terly ignored, the feeling of our men may better be 
 imagined than described! Such base jealousy, and 
 injustice among men of the same army is quite in- 
 credible; yet in those reports the name of Iowa was 
 not even mentioned! In the list of casualties the 
 sacrifice of Lieut. Colonel Mix of the 32nd Iowa was 
 credited to New York! Being the first published ac- 
 counts these statements would be read with avidity, 
 and accepted as true. The despatches to other cities 
 were based on these publications, and the Iowa sol- 
 diers had not even the poor consolation of finding 
 their names wrongly spelled in the list of casualties; 
 — they were not mentioned at all! 
 
 In Colonel Scott's Report nothing is said of the 
 repulse of the rebel cavalry, though that incident is 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 169 
 
 prominent in most of the accounts as given by others. 
 The cavalry charge was directed against the right 
 center of the Brigade, the brunt of it falling upon the 
 14th Iowa. It was within full view of the entire 
 Brigade, and was met in part by the fire of the right 
 of the 82nd Iowa, but at almost the same moment the 
 rebel infantry charged upon the left of the 32nd 
 Iowa, and in the next minute our whole line was hot- 
 ly engaged. Events followed each other more quick- 
 ly than the story can be told; and in such events, for 
 the moment, time is not noted. The supreme effort 
 is the attack, or its repulse, and while that is in 
 doubt all else is unimportant. 
 
 The report of Colonel Gilbert is dated on the 
 17th. By that time he should have known the 32nd 
 Iowa, on his left, had not retired, "leaving that flank 
 greatly exposed,'' when he received orders from Col. 
 Shaw to fall back, about half-past five o'clock. 
 
 It is not deemed necessary to load this volume 
 with official Reports that do not relate directly to the 
 part taken by the 32nd Iowa. There are voluminous 
 Reports in reference to the action of other troops, 
 and some of them relate to circumstances in which 
 this Regiment had a vital interest, some of which 
 Reports are true.while many are false or over-drawn, 
 and calculated to mislead. Some of these documents 
 are well calculated to excite the derision of many 
 brave and modest men who witnessed the real facts 
 to which these bombastic screeds purport to relate; 
 but to insert them here simply to refute them, or to 
 hold them up to ridicule, were an unprofitable task. 
 More or less reference may be made to them in a 
 
170 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 general review of the entire battle, in a future chap- 
 ter. 
 
 Report of Colonel John Scott, Commanding 32d 
 Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Grand Ecore. La , April 12, 1864. 
 
 Col. Wm, T. Shaw, Commanding Brigade: — 
 
 My position in line being on the extreme left of 
 the brigade, was supported on the right by the other 
 regiments of the brigade, and more immediately by 
 the 27th Iowa Infantry. My left, for some reason 
 still unknown to me, was without support, though 
 threatened, and might be considered a key to the 
 whole position. 
 
 [ rested in the edge of a wood, in the rear of an 
 old field which extended half a mile to my front, and 
 across which my skirmishers occasionally exchanged 
 shots with the enemy's pickets, throughout the day. 
 but without casualty to my command. Our line was 
 at right angles to the Mansfield road, and about one 
 mile from the village of Pleasant Hill. About four 
 o'clock p. m., the activity of the enemy's skirmishers 
 increased, and in a short time he advanced across 
 the open space in our front, in heavy force, moving 
 in column by battalion, deploying as he advanced. 
 My skirmishers w 7 ere recalled, and my left company, 
 which had been thrown forward, and to the left, to 
 cover my exposed flank, was forced back with some 
 loss, and took its proper position in the line. 
 
 The fire of my command was reserved until the 
 enemy was within easy range, and when opened was 
 so destructive that he faltered, passed to my left 
 through the open space, and to my rear, losing heavi- 
 ly by the fire of my left wing as he passed, but 
 threatening to cut off my command from our main 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 171 
 
 forces. I at once sent information to my suuperior, 
 and to the commander of the troops on my immediate 
 right, of this peril to the whole line; but, without or- 
 ders to abandon my position, though very critical, I 
 could do nothing but change the front of my extreme 
 left to face the new danger and protect my flank and 
 rear, if possible. This was done, and a well directed 
 fire kept up to the front and left, which kept the ene- 
 my at bay. 
 
 Meantime he was steadily pouring his columns 
 past my left, and working across the rear of my posi- 
 tion, so that in a short time the battle was in full 
 force far in my rear. In this state of affairs I dis- 
 covered that all the troops on my right had been 
 withdrawn, taking with them a portion of my right 
 wing. Lieutenant Colonel Mix, in charge of the 
 right wing, and Captain Miller, commanding Com- 
 pany B, on my extreme right, fell, fatally wounded. 
 My attention had been chiefly directed to the front 
 and left, as the exposed directions, and I only came 
 to a knowledge of the retrograde of the right, when 
 the first three companies were already gone. The 
 timber and undergrowth were such that I could not 
 observe my whole line from any one point. The 
 movement was promptly checked, but the ground 
 thus left vacant was almost immediately occupied by 
 the enemy, and a destructive fire opened upon us 
 from a new direction, rendering it necessary that it 
 should be met by a new line, which was done. 
 
 My lines now faced in three directions. I was 
 completely enveloped, without orders, and virtually 
 in the hands of the enemy had he dared to close in 
 and overwhelm us with his masses now around us. 
 
 This was my position until after sunset, by which 
 time the enemy had left my front, passing now by 
 my right to the rear, where the fight was still raging, 
 and observing by the fire and cheers of our men that 
 he had been forced back on the left, and that our 
 forces in that direction could not be far distant, I 
 moved by the left flank about two hundred yards to 
 the left and rear, where I met and joined our most 
 advanced troops, my brave men were nearly out of 
 ammunition, which for the past hour had been well 
 
172 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 husbanded, They were exhausted, but not dismayed, 
 and felt that the battle-field was ours. 
 
 I enclose a list of the killed, wounded, and miss- 
 ing-, a total of two-hundred and ten, which I desire 
 may be considered a part of this report. Owing to 
 all parties from my command being unable to pass 
 the picket lines during the night, to visit the wound- 
 ed still upon the field, and then compelled to abandon 
 them very unexpectedly in the morning, there is a 
 degi ee ot uncertainty in relation to the casualties, 
 that is extremely embarrassing and painful. I fear 
 the number of fatal casualties will exceed the num- 
 ber stated, and that of those marked" 'missing,'" many 
 are killed or wounded. Prom an early period of the 
 action our position was such that disabled men seek- 
 ing the hospital would necessarily fall into the hands 
 of the enemy in our rear. 
 
 Lieutenant Colonel Edward H, Mix fell at his 
 post, cheering and encouraging the command by his 
 example. 
 
 The same was the glorious fate of Captain Amos 
 B. Miller. In them, as aiso in Captain Hubert P. 
 Peebles, Captain Michael Ackerman, 1st Lieut. John 
 Devine, all dangerously wounded, 1st Lieutenant 
 Thomas O. Howard, fatally wounded, I mourn the loss 
 of good men, as well as gallant soldiers. The record 
 of others is found in casualty list, and in the body of 
 this report. 
 
 To Captain Jonathan Hutchinson, my special 
 thanks are due, not only for his gallantry, but also 
 for repressing reckless exposure among the men 
 of his command, and thus saving valuable live. His 
 son, a youth of much promise, was killed by his side, 
 early in the action. My total loss in the action was 
 210. 
 
iowa volunteers. 173 
 
 Report of Col. James Gilbert, Commanding 27th 
 Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Headquarters 27th Regmt. Iowa Vol. Inft., 
 Grand Ecore. La., April 17, 1864. 
 
 Our skirmishers fought well until they were 
 overpowered and driven in. Immediately they re- 
 sumed their place in the regiment when the enemy 
 steadily approached in strong columns. 
 
 At this point a bold cavalry charge was made by 
 the enemy along the Shreveport road. Our men re- 
 mained quiet until they had approached to within 
 short range, when a full volley was poured into the 
 rebel ranks. The effect was telling, riders reeled 
 and fell senseless; horses were struck as dead as if a 
 bolt of heaven had riven the very air. The scene 
 was an appalling one. Scarcely a man who made 
 the charge but met death on the spot. 
 
 The enemy had moved upon the left of the ad- 
 vanced line in strong force. The line had already 
 been broken away to the left, and news came that 
 the enemy were flanking us. Already the enemy 
 were firing in our rear; several shots had taken ef- 
 fect in the ranks of Com. B and G. The enemy ad- 
 vanced in front in solid columns. We met them with 
 a determined fire. Volley after volley was poured 
 into their ranks. For two hours the rattle of mus- 
 ketry was incessant and deafening. Several shells 
 and a number of solid shot struck immediately by us, 
 killing and wounding a number of men. About five 
 and a half p. m. the order was given to retreat, but 
 was not received by me until' other regiments had 
 retired, leaving both flanks of my regiment greatly 
 exposed. We fell back in good order and in line, un- 
 til the enemy was discovered to be flanking us, when 
 the line was broken, and we escaped through a nar- 
 row passage, the enemy pouring a sharp fire upon 
 both flanks and closing in rapidly on our rear. At 
 this point a large part of those reported in the fol- 
 lowing- list were killed or wounded. We immediate- 
 
174 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ly formed line in the rear of the supporting column 
 and awaited orders. 
 
 Report op Capt. Warren C. Jones, Commanding 
 14th Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Grand Ecore. La., 
 April 12, 1864. 
 
 Colonel: — In compliance with instructions from 
 your headquarters, I herewith submit the following 
 report of the part taken by the 14th Iowa in the bat- 
 tle of Pleasant Hill, La., April 9th 1864. The regi- 
 ment moved out to the front, with the brigade to 
 which it was attached, at a few minutes of 11 o'clock 
 a. m.. taking position upon a line parallel with an 
 open tield, the right resting upon a road immediate- 
 ly in the rear of the 25th New York Battery; Com- 
 pany I, under command of 2d Lieut. George H.Logan, 
 and Company K, under command of Capt. Wm. J. 
 Campbell, were deployed as skirmishers across the 
 center of the field, their left resting upon the skirm- 
 ish line of the 27th Iowa. Skirmishing occurred at 
 intervals until thirty minutes past 4 o'clock p. m. , 
 when the enemy advanced by a terrible cavalry 
 charge. The 25th New York Battery fell back in 
 rear of us. Our skirmishers rallying in their ap- 
 propriate places, we reserved our fire until the ene- 
 my was in easy pistol range, when we opened fire 
 upon them, which almost annihilated them, horses 
 and riders rolling almost within our lines. This 
 charge was followed by an advance of infantry in 
 two lines, when the conflict became general. The 
 enemy was repulsed in front with a heavy slaughter. 
 The second line advanced upon our front and a line 
 at right angles upon our right flank, opening a terri- 
 ble cross tire. Our right was changed in a new di- 
 rection to meet the new line. In this deadly cross 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 175 
 
 fire our lamented Lieutenant-Colonel, J. H. Newbold, 
 fell from his horse mortally wounded, the ball pass- 
 ing through his body from the right breast, disabling 
 his left arm. Here also fell Lt. Logan, Lt.McMillen, 
 Lt. Shanklin, and Lt. Hazlett, officers beloved by all, 
 nobly laying their bodies a bleeding sacrifice upon 
 their country's altar. The long list of casualties 
 clearly indicates the irresistible bravery and deter- 
 mined will of the regiment. Upon the fall of Lieut. 
 Colonel Newbold, I assumed command of the regi- 
 ment. I tender my most hearty thanks to the officers, 
 commissioned and non-commissioned, and to the 
 privates, for the gallant manner in which they sus- 
 tained their reputation gained upon the bloody fields 
 of Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, De Russy, and Pleas- 
 ant Hill. 
 
 I withdrew the regiment with the rest of the 
 brigade by your order at 6 o'clock p. m. 
 
 Colonel Shaw's Report. 
 
 Headquarters 2nd Brig., 3d Div., 16th A. C, 
 
 Grand Ecore, La., April 15, 1864. 
 
 Brigadier-General A. J. Smith:-- 
 
 1 have the honor to report that at 10 o'clock a.m. 
 April 9th, 1864. I was ordered to report with my 
 brigade, (consisting of the 14th Iowa Infantry. 27th 
 Iowa Infantry, 32d Iowa Infantry, and the 24th Mis- 
 souri Infantry, ) to General Banks. By him I was 
 ordered to proceed to the front, and report to Gen- 
 eral Emery, which I did about 10 and half o'clock 
 a. in. General Emery ordered me to relieve Gener- 
 al McMillan, who was posted on the left of the Mans- 
 field road, and at right angles to it, in a dense thick- 
 et, with an old field in front, which was dotted over 
 
170 THIKTY SECOND REGTMEKT 
 
 with small pines. About 100 yards to bis front, and 
 on bis right, were four guns of the 2f)th New York 
 Battery. General Dwight was posted on McMillan's 
 right, diagonally to the rear. On the right of the 
 25th New York Battery was a ridge which complete 
 ly commanded McMillan's whole line, also the town; 
 and which covered the approach of the enemy. I 
 therefore deemed it proper to occupy this ridge with 
 the 24th Missouri, and relieve General McMillan 
 with the balance of my brigade. This was accord 
 ingly done, and McMillan retired. This left a gap 
 on my left, and also threw my right beyond General 
 Dwiuht's support. But with this disadvantage I 
 considered the position better than the one occupied 
 by the troops I had relieved. 
 
 At this time General Smith came up. to whom I 
 pointed out the position of my forces, which was ap- 
 proved, except that he ordered me to move my main 
 line further to the right, which brought three com- 
 panies of the 14th Iowa in and on the light of the 
 Mansfield road. This consequently left a greater gap 
 on my left. General Emery was aware of the changes 
 by my brigade, but 1 cannot learn that he uave any 
 orders for a corresponding change of Dwight's bri- 
 gade. General Emery at this time left the front, 
 and I saw no more of him till after dark that night. 
 
 These dispositions brought Dwight's brigade in 
 the rear of my second regiment, and nearly perpen- 
 dicular to my line of battle. 
 
 As at this time my skirmishers were heavily en- 
 gaged, and an attack appeared imminent, I deemed it 
 prudent to consult with General Dwight, as General 
 Emery had left that part of the field, and I could 
 neither find him, or any of his staff. L accordingly 
 went along the line of his brigade to the place where 
 he had his brigade Hag, but could neither find him or 
 his staff, when I was informed by some officers that 
 they had seen a drunken officer near a house in the 
 rear, trying to get a tent pitched, whom they under- 
 stood to be General Dwight! I accordingly rode to 
 the place, and, after much difficulty I roused an of- 
 ficer who was pointed out tome as his A.A.G. Prom 
 him I learned that General Dwight was awa} T , but he 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 177 
 
 said he would send me word as soon as he returned. 
 After waiting some time I again went to his head- 
 quarters, but was unable to learn where he could be 
 found. 
 
 The enemy's skirmishers had now (3 o'clock 
 p. m.,) passed my right and pressed my skirmishers 
 so closely that it became necessary to support them 
 with another company. 
 
 I attain went in search of General Dwight, and 
 this time found him. After a great deal of difficul- 
 ty, he appeared. to understand my position, and 
 promised to send the necessary support. This he 
 not only failed to do, but withdrew farther to the 
 rear. 
 
 At about 4 o'clock p, m., General Stone rode to 
 the front. I rode with him along my line, showing 
 him the changes that had been made from Emery's 
 original line, and the necessity of a corresponding 
 change in Dwight's line. 
 
 After examining this part of the field his remark 
 was, "Your position is well chosen. It is admirable. 
 It could not be better. I will see that your flanks 
 are properly supported, for this position must be 
 held at all hazards." He immediately passed to my 
 rear, as I supposed, to give the necessary orders. 
 But no support came. A few moments before 5 
 o'clock, the enemy opened heavily on me with artil- 
 tery, which was replied to feebly for a few moments 
 by the 25th New York Battery, when they limbered 
 up and disgracefully left-the held, leaving one cais 
 son and one gun on the road, which were drawn off 
 by Lieutenant Buell of my staff. At the same time 
 General Dwight fell entirely out of my sight to the 
 rear. 
 
 While my battery was leaving, a dash was made 
 by tne enemy's cavalry to capture it, but they were 
 so well received by the 14th Iowa and 24th Missouri, 
 that not a single man escaped. Their leader, Col 
 Buchel fell dead in the ranks of the 14th Iowa. This 
 attack was followed by their infantry, which advanc- 
 ed in two lines, "extending beyond both my right and 
 left. They advanced steadily and in good order 
 
178 THIETY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 across the open field in mv front, till they got within 
 easy range, when my whole line opened upon them, 
 stopping their advance, but not preventing them from 
 replying vigorously to my fire, causing heavy loss. 
 My men held their ground, keeping up a steady and 
 well directed fire, which soon compelled their first 
 line to fall back in disorder. In the meantime fight- 
 ing had commenced on my left, and the line to my 
 left had fallen back so as to enable the enemy to pass 
 in rear of my left. They had also passed around my 
 right, and were firing on my flank, when their second 
 line advanced, and I was again engaged along my 
 whole front. 
 
 At this time I received an order from General 
 Smith to fall back, as the enemy was getting in my 
 rear. My staff officers having all been dispatched to 
 different officers for support, and being myself on 
 the right of my brigade, I had to ride to the left in 
 rear of my brigade to give the order to withdraw. 
 The brush and timber was so thick that I could 
 scarcely see ten paces As I passed down the line, I 
 sent the order to Colonel Gilbert, 27th Iowa, to fall 
 back as soon as the regiments on his right should 
 commence retreating. I then pushed on to give the 
 necessary orders to Colonel Scott. 3'2d Iowa, when I 
 met the enemy's forces entirely in his rear, prevent- 
 ing me from communicating with him. I was there- 
 fore compelled to leave him to act without orders. 
 Hurrying back to the ri^ht,! found the 24th Missouri 
 had been compelled to change its front to receive the 
 attack from the right, and that the enemy was press- 
 ing my front with overwhelming numbers. The am- 
 munition of the 14th Iowa and 24th Missouri was 
 nearly exhausted, Lieutenant-Colonel Newhold, com- 
 manding 14th Iowa, shot dead; his Adjutant mortally 
 wounded. I therefore considered it necessary to 
 give the order to fall back to the three regiments 
 with which I could communicate, leaving Colonel 
 Scott, 32nd Iowa, to extricate himself as best he 
 could. 
 
 Owing to the heavy firing and great -loss of offi- 
 cers in the 14th Iowa and 24th Missouri, I was com 
 pelled to give the order to the men in person to fall 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS, 179 
 
 back, which, together with the thick brush, caused a 
 temporary confusion in their ranks, but they rapidly 
 re formed, and were ready again to meet the enemy; 
 but night had set in and the fighting ceased. My 
 men fought well, holding their ground till ordered 
 to retire, and although my loss was three times that 
 of any other brigade on the field, they were still in 
 such condition that the Commanding General saw fit 
 to give them the responsible post of covering the re- 
 treat of the army, which commenced at one o'clock 
 the next morning, and was accomplished in safety. 
 
 1 have to regret the loss of many valuable offi- 
 cers and men, among them I will only mention Lieut. 
 Colonel Edward H. Mix, 32nd Iowa, in whom the 
 State lost a valuable citizen, and the army a good 
 soldier; and Lieutenant-Colonel Newbold, command 
 ing 14th Iowa, a Christian gentleman and a brave, 
 industrious, and conscientious officer, whose loss to 
 his regiment is irreparable. 
 
 I cannot speak too highly of my regimental com- 
 manders. Of Colonel John Scott, 32nd Iowa, it is 
 sufficient praise to saj' that he is worthy to command 
 the 32nd Iowa Infantry, a regiment, which after hav- 
 ing been entirely surrounded, and cut off from the 
 rest of the command, with nearly one half of its num- 
 bers either killed or wounded, among them many of 
 its best and most prominent officers, successfully 
 forced its way through the enemy's lines, and was 
 in line ready and anxious to meet the enemy in less 
 than thirty minutes. 
 
 Of Colonel Gilbert, 27th Iowa, and his regiment, 
 I can say that they did their whole duty; although 
 they had never been under fire before, they gave 
 their fire with the coolness and precision of veterans, 
 and fully sustained the reputation of Iowa soldiers. 
 Colonel Gilbert, although wounded early in the ac- 
 tion, remained in command of his men till the fight- 
 ing ceased. 
 
 Of Lieutenant-Colonel Newbold, commanding 
 14th Iowa, and his regiment, upon whose banners 
 w r ere inscribed, Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth, 
 and Corinth, they fully maintained the credit of a 
 
180 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 name already glorious in the annals of their country. 
 To Major P.yan, 24th Missouri, with his regiment 
 and a detachment of 21st Missouri. those heroes who 
 had learned to light under old Dave Moore, I cannot 
 give too great praise for the successful manner in 
 which they defended so long the important position 
 that was assigned them; a position the most import- 
 ant in our whole line, and which, had it heen defend- 
 ed less obstinately, might have endangered cur whole 
 army. 
 
 The long list of killed and wounded, amounting 
 to nearly 500, shows the desperate valor with which 
 my men fought. My men were the first in the fight. 
 the longest in the fight, and in the hardest of the 
 fight, and were the last to leave the battle-field, and 
 were ready and willing to remain, and reap the fruits 
 of a victory which they had so dearly purchased; but 
 they were soldiers, and must obey the orders of their 
 superiors. 
 
 In closing this report T have to state that al- 
 though under General Emery's orders, and farthest 
 advanced of any troops in the field, and skirmishing 
 with the enemy for six hours before the attack com- 
 menced, 1 neither saw General Emery, nor any of his 
 staff, till after the fighting had ceased; nor was I able 
 to find him, although I dispatched several messengers 
 to him to report the situation of affairs. 
 
 WM. T. SHAW, 
 Colonel Commanding Brigade. 
 
 In 1888, twenty-four years after date of this bat- 
 tle, Colonel Wm. T. Shaw inspected certain official 
 Reports at Washington, which are now found in Vol- 
 ume 34 of the Official Records of the War of the Re- 
 bellion, published by the U. S. Government in 1891. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 181 
 
 He published some of these Reports in a pamphlet, 
 with his comments thereon, and prefaced this publica- 
 tion with the remark that his original Report, made 
 a few days after the battle, gave an accurate account 
 of the operations of the Brigade and would need no 
 explanation but for the fact that other Reports seem 
 to contradict facts stated by him He reviews their 
 statements, also the map of the battle made by Gen- 
 eral Emory. These comments and explanations are 
 here inserted as a matter of personal justice to the 
 brave commander of our Brigade, and also in the in- 
 terest of honest history. Col. Shaw says:— 
 
 I have here given the official reports of those 
 officers, both union and confederate, which tend to 
 show the position and part taken by the 2d brigade, 
 3rd division, 16th A. C, in the battle of Pleasant 
 Hill. 
 
 The position of the brigade as shown by Emory's 
 map is reasonably correct excepting my right regi- 
 ment, which instead of being in front of my 2d regi- 
 ment, should be farther to the right, and about two 
 thirds of the 2d regiment should be on the left of 
 the Mansfield road. The long angle worm looking 
 line to my right marked: "Opening Fight 1st posi 
 tion of 1st Brigade," is incorrect. There were no 
 troops there. The 1st brigade(Dwight's) was in rear 
 of my brigade. Fessenden's report says: at 3:30 p. 
 m.. "The line of battle of the brigade was changed 
 from its position in the skirt of woods to a position 
 300 yards to the rear." It will be perceived that my 
 brigade was the extreme right of our line and one- 
 fourth of a mile in advance of Emory's division. In 
 this position they remained skirmishing with the en- 
 emy from 10:30 a. m , till the battle opened about 
 4:30 p. m. I should say, however, that the 25th New 
 York battery, which belonged to Emory's division, 
 remained on the Mansfield road a few rods in front 
 of my 2nd regiment. My position was examined and 
 
182 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 approved during the day by General Smith and Gen 
 eral Stone, General Banks, chief of staff. Herein this 
 position the battle opened by the < rebels opening 
 with three batteries on my battery (25th N. Y.,) and 
 center. 
 
 Here it is proper for me to state that my report 
 was too severe on the 25th N. Y. battery, but I had 
 been accustomed to command troops who never re- 
 tired till ordered, and as they left without orders 
 that must be my apology. My battery having left, 
 the rebel General Green, supposing my line was bro- 
 ken and falling back, ordered General Bee. in com- 
 mand of rebel cavalry, to charge my line. This part 
 of the action is so well described by General Taylor, 
 the rebel commander, that I take the liberty of repeat- 
 ing his exact words found in his report, pages 26 and 
 27: 
 
 '•At about 5 p. m. Churchill and Parsons opened 
 on the right and Walker commenced his advance in 
 Support; Just then our fire overpowered the enemy's 
 battery in front of the Mansfield road and disabled 
 his guns, which were removed to the rear. The con- 
 fusion and movement incident to this, coupled with 
 the sound of Churchill's and Parsons' attack, led 
 GeneralGreen naturally to suppose the time for Bee's 
 charge had arrived. Bee led forward Debray's and 
 Buchel's tine regiments in most gallant style across 
 the fields and up the opposite slope, where he was 
 stopped by a close and deadly fire of musketry from 
 the dense woods on either side of the road. Bee was 
 struck, Buchel mortally wounded, and Debray and 
 Major [M. ) Menard, of the same regiment, struck. 
 Many a gallant horseman went down. Bee drew 
 back, himself retiring last. The charge failed for 
 the time, but the gallantry displayed by Bee, Debray. 
 Buchel. Menard, and others produced its effect on 
 the enemy." 
 
 General Bee's attack was scarcely repulsed when 
 General Walker's division advanced on the left of the 
 Mansfield road diagonally across the open field strik- 
 ing my left wing with his left, his right passing to 
 my left and rear till it struck Benedict's brigade, 
 which broke almost immediately and were followed 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 183 
 
 up by the rebels till they struck Gen. Smith's troops 
 under Gen. Mower. 
 
 Walker's left win" 1 was checked and driven back 
 by my left two regiments (32nd and 27th Iowa,) many 
 of them, however, passing around the left of the 32d 
 Iowa into its rear. See Col. Scott's report. In the 
 meantime. Gen. Major, with his own brigade and 
 Bagley's dismounted cavalry, passed to the right of 
 the Mansfield road and attacked my right flank. Here 
 the contest was most fierce and sanguinary and al- 
 though my right was attacked by two brigades of 
 dismounted cavalry, still the resistance was so stub- 
 born that Gen. Taylor found it necessary to order up 
 Polignac's division of infantry to their support. At 
 this time Gen. Smith, perceiving that Walker's right 
 winsj: was getting to my rear, sent Capt. J. J. Lyon, 
 of his staff, to order me to fall back and connect with 
 Mower's right. I had just received the order when 
 Lieut. Buell, acting brigade quartermaster, brought 
 up the ammunition wagon with cartridges. My whole 
 line was so hotly engaged it was impossible to distri- 
 bute the ammunition and almost certain destruction 
 to withdraw. I directed Capt. Lyon to say to Gen. 
 Smith I would withdraw as soon as I had repulsed 
 the enemy so that I could retire in order. I also di- 
 rected Lieut. Buell to take his ammunition wagon and 
 draw off the gun left by the 25th N. Y.. and report to 
 me as soon as possible the position of Gen. Mower. I 
 then withdrew as stated in my report, the enemy 
 having somewhat slackened his fire. About one- 
 fourth of a mile from where my line was first formed 
 I struck Gen. Dwight's brigade just forming across 
 the Mansfield road shown by Emory's map as Dwight's 
 second position. I passed through his lines with 
 the 14th Iowa and 24th Mo., and formed in line of 
 battle within ten paces of Dwight's line. Before I 
 had gotten the 27th Iowa into line, Dwight moved 
 from his position to the rear. I saw no more of him 
 during that day. At this time Capt. Granger, my as- 
 sistant adjutant general, who had been sent to Smith 
 to notify him of the situation of my right, and Lieut. 
 Buell, both reported to me that Mower was driving 
 the enemy back and that he had already passed my 
 
184 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 left. It was now getting: dark. The three regiments 
 that were with me held the same relative position to 
 the Mansfield road as they had daring the day, ex- 
 cepting that they were about one-fourth of a mile to 
 the rear. The rebels did not follow us up nor did 
 they pass to my right. My communications were 
 never interrupted between my hospital, which was 
 on the right of the Mansfield road and about one- half 
 mile in rear of where I first formed my line, and I 
 should judge near the place marked on Emory's map 
 as -Emory's Headquarters." Neither were my com- 
 munications interrupted with our wagon train, which 
 must have been somewhere near where Emory, in 
 his map, has located five rebel regiments. 
 
 In the position marked on Emory's map as "Reb- 
 els Massing 1o Attack at Close of Action. "there could 
 not have bf en any rebels. See Bee's and Baylor's 
 report. These officers both report that after De- 
 bray's and Buchel's repulse on my center, that Gen. 
 Major's two brigades of cavalry were dismounted 
 and attacked my right and right center,and, although 
 they claim to have driven my first line back to our 
 breastworks, the first line was simply our skirmish 
 line, which was unusually strong. The breastworks 
 were only an old log' fence which I had slightly 
 strengthened lo give some protection to my men. 
 
 Of this attack on my right center and right flank 
 with two brigades of dismounted cavalry, Gen. Bay- 
 lor says: "We were not strong enough to dislodge 
 them or flank them." Gen. Polignac's division was 
 ordered to their support, but it was growing dusk 
 and friend and foe were not easily distinguished. 
 The different rebel commands fired into one another 
 and they withdrew from that part of the field. This 
 accounts for their not following me up on the right 
 when I fell back, and conclusively shows that there 
 could have been no enemy to the rear of my right 
 that night. The arrows showing attack along Mans- 
 field road and marked "Rebel Attack at Close of Ac- 
 tion," should read: at opening of action. And those 
 on the right marked "Rebel Attack at Opening of 
 Action on Shaw's Brigade," should read: at close in- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 185 
 
 stead of opening. The point on my left front mark- 
 ed "Rebel Artillery" is correct, also "Rebel Attack" 
 is correct. As to the rear of the battlefield where 
 the rebel troops seem to have been so lavishly dis- 
 tributed, I have no personal knowledge, nor have I 
 been able to get any information concerning them 
 from any reports of either rebel or union commanders, 
 I passed over the ground the next morning after 
 daylight, but saw no signs of any fighting there. 
 
 I shall here refer to two statements in General 
 Dwight's report that seem to contradict mine. 
 Dwight says that shortly after the battle commenced 
 "Col. Shaw, commanding a brigade of Gen. A. J. 
 Smith's troops, came to me saying that he was in 
 front of my position and that both his right and left 
 were being severely pressed, and desiring that I 
 should send out a regiment to his support. As I had 
 no authority to do more than hold my position I de- 
 clined to march out from it." T say in my report that 
 he 'promised to send the regiment and did not. On same 
 page, near the bottom, Dwight says: "These dis- 
 positions were hardly accomplished when Col. Shaw 
 of Gen. Smith's division, with some artillery and a 
 regiment of infantry came fleeing through my lines 
 and the enemy was upon me." 
 
 It is possible that Gen. Dwight might have mis- 
 taken Lieut. Buell for myself, but how he could have 
 taken a piece of artillery hitched to a wagon for "some 
 artillery and a regiment of infantry" passes my com- 
 prehension; and further, how the enemy could be 
 upon him seems equally difficult to understand, as 
 some thirty minutes afterwards I fell back with my 
 brigade and formed within ten paces of his line, and 
 saw no enemy, nor do the rebel reports say they fol- 
 lowed me up, but distinctly say they did not. 
 
 As Gen. Emory nowhere in his report speaks of 
 his first brigade (Dwight's) being engaged, and from 
 its position as laid down on his map, could not have 
 been, except he had fought over my line of battle 
 some fourth of a mile in front of him, I think I may 
 dismiss his report without further comment. 
 
 Having thus clearly established the fact that I 
 held the right of the union army during the action, at 
 
1&6 THIIITY SECOND EEGIMENT 
 
 the risk of being - accused of giving cumulative testi- 
 mony, I insert the following extract from Emory's 
 report: 
 
 "Seeing their right wing driven in and thrown 
 upon their left wing, they renewed their attack upon 
 my right, but were repulsed with great slaughter and 
 driven from the field. During the whole light my 
 right, which was in echelon in front of the rest of my 
 line, held its ground against several determined as- 
 saults." 
 
 I might refer to Gen. Banks' report, but it shows 
 such a total want of knowledge of the location of his 
 forces and the operations of the day, or such a total 
 disregard of truth as to place it benealh criticism. 
 
 Respectfully submitted to the survivors of the 
 2nd brigade, 3rd division, 16th A. ( '. 
 
 \VM, T. SHAW. 
 
 Note: — In this campaign there were three Generals 
 named Smith, each of whom is several times mentioned. 
 The General Smith with whom the 32ud Iowa Iufa try was 
 directly associated, was General A. J. Smith, under whom 
 the regiment had served in the fall of 1863 at Columbus, Kv., 
 and under whose command it had made the campaign to 
 Meridian. The Regiment continued under his command 
 during several future campaigns. Where mention is made 
 of "General Smith," without more particular designation, 
 the reference is to General A. J. Smith. 
 
 General T. Kilbv Smith commanded a detachment of 
 the l^th Army Corps; was under the command of General 
 A. J. Smith, and on this campaign accompanied, on trans- 
 ports, the fleet of Admiral Porter, in the attempt to reach 
 Shreveport by the Red River. 
 
 The other General Smith was Major General Kirby 
 Smith, of the Confederate army, in command of the Trans- 
 Mississippi Department, with headquarters at Shreveport. 
 General Dick Taylor commanded the rebel forces in the 
 field in the campaign against Banks; while General Price 
 commanded the rebel forces in Arkansas in the campaign 
 against Steele. General Kirby Smith drew forces from 
 Price, sent them to Taylor and he hurled them against Banks. 
 Immediately thereafter Smith depleted Taylor's forces in aid 
 of Price's operations against Steele. 
 
CHAPTER XXL 
 
 Pleasant Hill. The Rebel Account. 
 
 Intending to give a fair and truthful account of 
 the Battle of Pleasant Hill, and feeling that the view 
 taken of it by the enemy constitutes an important 
 part of the battle itself, extracts from his statements 
 are here given. Space cannot be spared for all the 
 bombast and false and boastful assertions in Major 
 General Richard Taylor's reports to his chief, and 
 in the interest of "Buncombe," but even these false- 
 hoods and boastful assertions constitute a part of the 
 history of this famous battle. There are grains of 
 truth in these bushels of chaff which may be winnow- 
 ed out by the plodding and careful historian of the 
 future. 
 
 Two days after the battle General Taylor issued 
 
 congratulatory orders to the "Soldiers of the Army 
 
 of West Louisiana," in which he says: — 
 
 On the 9th, you took up the pursuit and pressed 
 it with vigor. For 12 miles prisoners, scattered 
 arms, burning wagons, proved how well the previous 
 day's work had been done by the soldiers of Texas 
 and Louisiana. The gallant divisions from Missouri 
 and Arkansas(unfortunately absent on the 8th) march- 
 ed 45 miles in two days to share the glories of Pleas- 
 ant Hill. This was emphatically the soldier's victory. 
 In spite of the strength of the enemy's position, held 
 by fresh troops of the Sixteenth Corps, your valor 
 and devotion triumphed over all. Darkness closed 
 one of the hottest tights of the war. The morning 
 of the 10th dawned upon a fleeing foe, with our cav- 
 alry in pursuit, capturing prisoners at every step. 
 These glorious victories were most dearly won. A 
 list of the heroic dead would sadden the sternest 
 
188 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 heart. A visit to the hospitals would move the sym- 
 pathy of the most unfeeling. The memory of our 
 dead will live as long as noble deeds are cherished 
 on earth. The consciousness of duty well perform- 
 ed will alleviate the sufferings of the wounded, 
 
 Oa April 18th, nine days after the battle, Gener- 
 al Taylor made out his official report; at least it is so 
 dated, though not sent in until July 31st. The ex- 
 cuse for not having sent it forward earlier is, "the 
 impossibility of obtaining returns of the casualties in 
 the cavalry-" This report is voluminous, encloses 
 aid discusses reports of his subordinates, and com- 
 prises many matters relating to the campaign against 
 General Smith from Simsport and Ft. De Russy, till 
 the arrival of Banks; — and especially to the battle of 
 the 8th, and the defeat of our army near Mansfield. 
 Ha\ing disposed of that affair by the remark that — 
 "The vast captured property was quietly taken to 
 Mansfield and turned over untouched to the proper- 
 officers, " he says: — 
 
 After all was quiet at the creek, and the neces 
 sary orders for the morning had been given to Ma- 
 jor-Generals Walker and Green, I returned to Mans- 
 field lo hurry forward Churchill's and Parsons' divi- 
 sions, arrived that evening from Keachie, 22 miles 
 distant. Churchill and Parsons were put in motion 
 for the front at 2 a. ra. After sending dispatches to 
 department headquarters and giving necessary in- 
 structions to the heads of the several departments I 
 returned to the front at 3:30 a. m. Finding the ene- 
 my had relreated during the night, as I supposed he 
 must after the severe losses of the preceding day. I 
 sent forward all the cavalry under Green, the infan- 
 try following in column along the Pleasant Hill road, 
 Churchill leading, then Parsons, Walker, and Polig- 
 nac. now 7 commanding Mouton's division. I accom- 
 panied the cavalry. For 12 miles not a shot was 
 fired by the enemy. Many prisoners, 'burning wag- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 189 
 
 otis, scattered arms, save evidence of the rout. A 
 mile in advance of Pleasant Hill, Green found the 
 enemy drawn up in a strong position. As we had 
 left the infantry far in our rear by the rapid advance, 
 I ordered feints to be made to the right and left to 
 develop the position and strength of" the enemy. 
 The importance of pushing Banks beyond Pleasant Hill 
 could not lie overestimated. As shown by his orders 
 dated at Natchitoches and captured on the 8th, Banks 
 expected to reach Shreveport on the 11th with the 
 Thirteenth [and] Nineteenth Corps and the cavalry 
 via Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, and had on the 8th 
 made two- thirds of the distance between the two 
 points. - The troops of the Six- 
 
 teenth and Seventeenth Corps, which came from 
 Vicksburg and landed at Simsport. as they 
 came in transports and had not appeared 
 on the battle-field of the 8th, were certain- 
 ly on the transports, being without land transporta- 
 tion. Prom Pleasant Hill a good road leads to Blair's 
 Landing, on Red River, lti miles distant, and cross- 
 es Bayou Pierre 4 miles from the river, Blair's Land- 
 ing being 4."> miles above Grand Ecore by water. 
 From Pleasant Hill to Natchitoches the stage road 
 leads around Spanish Lake, distance 36 miles, through 
 a pine wood desert. The possession of Pleasant Hill 
 tints prevented Banks from re-enforcing by the short 
 line from his transports by the Blair's Landing road 
 and threw him back to Natchitoches before he could 
 unite his troops. I could not de- 
 
 cide what force we were confronted by on the 
 9th. It was late after midday before the infan- 
 try got up. and a glance at Churchill's troops 
 showed they were too much exhausted to attack. 
 The infantry was ordered to lie down and rest for two 
 hours. - - At 3 p. m., the infantry 
 
 bein^ somewhat restored by rest, the plan of 
 attack was formed and the troops put in mo- 
 tion. The Arkansas and Missouri divisions, 
 under Churchill and Parsons, with Etters and 
 Daniel's batteries, were sent to the right to out- 
 flank the enemy, reach the Jesup road, and attack 
 from the south and west. Churchill, the senior offi- 
 
190 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMEN' 
 
 cer, was to push Hardeman's, McNeill's, and Ter 
 rell's cavalry to his right, and communicate with 
 Walker on his left. When tin* onemy was driven, 
 the cavalry above mentioned was to push down the 
 Jesup road for H' miles, take a cross road leading in 
 to the Natchitoches road, and thus fall on t he enemy's 
 line of retreat. Walker filed to the right through 
 
 the woods to form line del ween the Pleasant Mill and 
 
 Jesup reads and communicate with Churchill's left. 
 As soon as he heard Churchill's and Parsons' guns 
 he was lo attack' by echelon of brigades from his 
 right, the men to throw forward their right shoulders 
 as they came into action. Orders were given to all 
 to rely on the bayonet, as we had neither ammunition 
 
 nor lime lo waste. These orders were well carried 
 
 out. as many ghastly wounds among the Federals 
 testily. On the left of Walker, Bee held Debray's 
 and Buchel's cavalry in the main road from Mans 
 field, with orders to charge through Pleasant Mill 
 whenever tin' right attack disordered the enemy. To 
 the left of the road Major, with his own and most of 
 Bagby's cavalry (dismounted,) was to move forward. 
 outflank the enemy's right, and gain and hold the 
 Blair's Landing road. These latter movements were 
 under t he i m mediate charge of General Green. Polig- 
 nac. whose division had suffered more than any in 
 the previous battle, was held in reserve in the Mans 
 field road behind Bee's cavalry. At 1:30 p. m..( about 
 the time I expecte I Churchill to be in position) I di 
 reeled General Green to open artillery on a battery 
 posted on an eminence fronting the Mansfield road 
 where it debouched from the woods to a low cleared 
 field. This was for the purpose of diverting the ene 
 my's attention from Churchill's attack. Nettles'. 
 
 Moseley's, and. I. A. A. West's batteries were posted 
 
 by Major Semines. chief of artillery to General 
 Green, and soon overpowered theenemy's tire on the 
 hill before mentioned. The Valverde Battery, under 
 Nellies, was first in action, and was roughly used by 
 the Opposing fire, bat the other batteries mentioned 
 soon opened and drove the enemy from his formida- 
 ble position. - At abonl o p. m. 
 Churchill and Parsons opened on the right and Walk- 
 
low \ VOLUNTEERS. 191 
 
 ercommenced bis advance in support. Jusl then our 
 tire overpowered the enemy's battery, in front of the 
 Mansfield road, and disabled bis guns, which were 
 removed to the rear. Tin* confusion and movement 
 incidenl to this, coupled with the sound of Churchill's 
 and Parsons' attack, led General Green naturally fco 
 suppose the time for Bee's charge had arrived. Bee 
 led forward Debray's and Buchel's fine regiments in 
 most gallant style across the fields and up the oppo- 
 site slope. where In' wasstopped by a close and dead- 
 ly fire of musketry from the dense woods on either 
 side of i he road. Bee was struck, Buchel mortally 
 wounded, and Debray and Major Menard, of the same 
 regiment, struck. Many a, gallant horseman went 
 down. Bee drew back, himself retiring last. The 
 charge failed Tor the time, but the gallantry display 
 ed by Bee, Debray, Buchel, Menard, and others pro- 
 duced its effect on the enemy. During this time 
 
 Walker had led his splendid division across the Held 
 
 and was fully engaged in the opposite wood, and 
 
 Major laid swept, around to the left wit h his dismount 
 
 ed cavalry of Bagby's and his own brigade, under 
 Colonel Terrell ^ severely wounded in the fight,)clear- 
 ed the wood to the left, and seized and held the posi- 
 tion occupied by the enemy's battery in the com 
 
 mence nt of the engagement. Thestubborn resist, 
 
 ance offered by the enemy along the whole line soon 
 convinced me thai he had received re-enforcements 
 of fresh /mops and I ordered forward Polignac. 
 
 Just then information reached me that Major 
 General Walker was wounded. Galloping to the 
 
 spot. I found he had received a, severe contusion in 
 the groin, and ordered him to quit the field, which 
 he did most, reluctantly. His wound was a great 
 misfortune. The continuity of our line was lost, as 
 I could not, for some time find either of our brigade 
 commanders, all of whom were hotly engaged with 
 in t he pine t hickel in the front. 
 
 Churchill in his attach- did not. gain ground 
 enough to his right nor use his cavalry efficiently. 
 The consequence was that, although his first attack 
 was vigorous, sweeping all before it, the enemy out, 
 flanked his rigrhl and threw him into much confusion. 
 
192 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 He did all in his power to restore order, and was ably- 
 seconded by Generals Pai sons, Tappan, and (Marie. 
 whose brigade of Missourians suffered heavily. 
 Brigadier-General Scurry, also commanding- the 
 right brigade of Walker's division, behaved most no- 
 bly, and speaks highly of Colonel Waterhouse, com- 
 manding one of the" regiments. General Scurry was 
 slightly wounded in the engagement. The efforts of 
 these leaders prevented the confusion on the right 
 from becoming disastrous. Mean time the fighting 
 on the left and center was close and tierce. The 
 fresh troops of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Corps 
 held their ground manfully. The dense woods pre- 
 vented a view of the field, and the continuity of our 
 line was lost. An idea prevailed that we were firing 
 on each oiher. Green, Poli^nac, Major, Randal, and 
 Gray, with their respective staffs, rallied the troops 
 and led them again and again into action, and the 
 men by their conduct showed themselves worthy of 
 such leaders. At nightfall I withdrew the iroopsto 
 prevent the additional confusion incident to darkness 
 and formed line in the open field. 
 
 I remained with General Bee some 300 yards 
 from the battle-field, two companies of Debray's 
 regiment picketing on the field. The noise of wag- 
 ons moving in the rear of the enemy's position con- 
 firmed my opinion that he would retreat in the night. ' 
 The cavalry which was sent to the first water to for- 
 age was ordered to come 1o the front at daylight to 
 taken]) the pursuit, and orders were issued to make 
 details to bury the dead and care for the wounded. 
 
 The morning of the 10th found us in possession 
 of Pleasant Hill, the enemy retreating secretly in the 
 niiiht, leaving his dead unburied and some 400 wound- 
 ed in our hands. Bee took up the pursuit and held it 
 for 20 miles without receiving a shot, capturing pris- 
 oners and finding at every step the same evidence of 
 rout as had marked the pursuit the previous day. 
 
 All the inferences that Taylor intended should 
 be drawn from the last paragraphs are totally false; 
 and it is reasonable to presume that so much as pur- 
 ports to state particular facts is of the same menda- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 193 
 
 cious character. It is a burning shame that the flee- 
 ing and totally demoralized enemy was not pursued 
 beyond the limits of the battlefield, and for this cause 
 we have no official evidence as to where Taylor spent 
 the night, oth«r than his own statement; nor where 
 the two companies of Debray's regiment were which 
 Taylor says ' "picketed on the field." But the men of 
 the 32nd Iowa who were captured testify to the de- 
 moralized flight of the enemy for some miles beyond 
 the battlefield. The wounded men and officers of 
 Shaw's brigade, lying on the very front of the con- 
 tested ground, know that neither Debray's cavalry 
 nor any others of the enemy "picketed on the field." 
 These, and our surgeons left in charge of hospitals, 
 all unite in saying that not until the forenoon of the 
 10th was well advanced was an enemy other than 
 those dead and wounded to be seen; and that those 
 who came at that hour carried a flag of truce, and came 
 to ask that they be allowed to bury their dead and care 
 for their ivounded! 
 
 Every man of the 32nd Iowa, (which brought up 
 the rear of our army, and stood on the 10th as on the 
 9th between Banks and his dreaded foe.) can testify 
 that the alleged pursuit by Bee, and the "evidence 
 of rout," are totally false. The statement that Bee 
 held the pursuit of the 32nd Iowa "for 20 miles with- 
 out receiving a shot" yields the whole question, and 
 stamps the statement as a falsehood. 
 
 Lieut, Edward Cunningham, Aid -de-camp and 
 
194 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Chief of Artillery on staff of General Kirby Smith, 
 from headquarters of the department at Shreveport, 
 wrote a confidential letter to his uncle in Virginia, 
 purporting to give a true statement of Taylor's entire 
 campaign against Banks. This letter is dated June 
 27th 1864. It was captured by General Canby, and 
 forwarded to the U. S. War Department. What he 
 says relative to the battle of Pleasant Hill is as fol- 
 lows: — 
 
 On the night of the 8th, Churchill and Parsons 
 came up. The pursuit was resumed at daylight on 
 the 9th. In the evening the enemy was found in line 
 of battle at Pleasant Hill, A. J. Smith, who had come 
 up from Naichitoches; on the left. Franklin ( Nine- 
 teenth Corps) on the right, the whole about 24.000. 
 The Thirteenth Corps had gone on to Natchitoches. 
 The enemy's right was in woods, his left in open 
 fields. W'alker and Polignac (commanding Mouton's 
 division) attacked on our left. Parsons and Churchill 
 on our right. The charge of the Arkansas and Mis- 
 souri troops was dashing. On their left the enemy 
 had five brigades and several batteries. Part of their 
 infantry was in advance of the artillery and part in 
 rear for a support. The Missouri division was to 
 have been supported on the left by Scurry's brigade 
 (Walker's extreme right), but instead of co-operating 
 the two went into action separately, and were whip- 
 ped in detail. The Missouri division drove back the 
 enemy's line in its front, and came up within 50 yards 
 of their batteries, hut having no support on their 
 left, were flanked by the enemy from that direction, 
 and meeting a heavy lire from the supporting force, 
 retreated in confusion. About the time they had 
 gotten away from the enemy, who showed no dispo- 
 sition to follow. Scurry's brigade came up and was 
 repulsed after having driven back the enemy's line 
 in his front a quarter of a mile. The enemy follow- 
 ed him some distance, capturing several hundred 
 prisoners. Night put a stop to the fight, Churchill's, 
 Parsons', and most of Walker's command being in 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 195 
 
 great confusion. On our left Walker and Polignac 
 had rather the advantage of the enemy without gain- 
 ing any material results. Our troops were withdrawn. 
 Polignac remained about 2 miles from the field. 
 Walker, Churchill, and Parsons, with all the cavalry 
 except one brigade, moved back 6 miles, the nearest 
 point at which there was sufficient water. Neither 
 our cavalry nor that of the enemy did anything in this 
 fight. 
 
 The next morning, after sunrise, very much to 
 our surprise, we learned that the enemy had retreat- 
 ed during the night. The cavalry w r as immediately 
 sent in pursuit, while the infantry was taken back to 
 Mansfield for organization, rest and supplies. The 
 enemy evidently considered himself whipped. He 
 ought to know. Independently of the condition of 
 the troops after the fight, the want of supplies below 
 Mansfield and of transportation to haul them render- 
 ed immediate pursuit w r ith our whole force impossi- 
 ble. 
 
 General Taylor and his friends assert with the 
 most confident assurance that had he been allowed to 
 "follow up his victory"the utter destruction of Banks 
 and Porter would have been the result. Perhaps the 
 exact force of this argument can be appreciated only 
 by perstms who saw General Taylor's victorious army 
 just after it had attempted to destroy a part of Gen. 
 Banks' force without the fleet to support it; but still 
 the idea of our annihilating in their intrenchments a 
 force three-fourths of which we had failed to whip in 
 open fight, and of transporting over a distance of 250 
 miles supplies we had been unable to haul 65 miles! 
 Such projects must appear in their true light to any 
 sensible person who looks calmly and impartially in- 
 to the matter. 
 
 That it was impossible for us to pur- 
 sue Banks immediately — under four or five days — 
 cannot be gainsaid. It was impossible because we 
 did not have transportation for supplies, and impos- 
 sible because we had been beaten, demoralized, par- 
 alyzed in the fight of the 9th. One week was the 
 shortest time in which we could put ourselves before 
 
196 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the enemy at Natchitoches. By that time he had con- 
 structed strong works in a naturally strong position. 
 Could we, weakened hy the loss of 2.500 men and de- 
 moralized by defeat, beat the enemy here in a forti- 
 fied position with a force superior to ours as seven to 
 four? 
 
 As far as these statements are adverse to the 
 enemy, or tend to contradict his boastful assertions, 
 they must be regarded as the admissions of reluctant 
 witnesses and therefore to be taken as wholly true, 
 and in no sense overdrawn. The statements do not 
 comprise all that might have been told. What they 
 omit to state, if testified by others, may also be tak- 
 en as true, for like reasons. It may be observed 
 that the statements of Lieut. Cunningham strongly 
 contradict the claim of Taylor that he rested on or 
 near the battle-field. 
 
 Gus Hall, a rebel soldier, who had passed the 
 winter with Price, near Camden, Arkansas, and came 
 to Louisiana with Churchill and Parsons, to help 
 Taylor beat Banks back from Shreveport, and came 
 up just after our troops had been beaten at Mans 
 field, April 8th, wrote to the St. Louis Republican in 
 October, 1885: — 
 
 ''*■ - T saw 225 loaded six mule wag- 
 
 ons parked in Mansfield, that were that day captured 
 from Banks, together with 1100 mules. 
 
 On the morning of the 9th, Churchill's division 
 was on the march for Pleasant Hill by 3 a. m., the 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 197 
 
 distance about 20 miles. This was followed by Walk- 
 er's Division of Texan Infantry. All day the road 
 was full of our cavalry men bringing in prisoners, 
 singly and in squads, many of whom could not under- 
 stand a word of English, nor ride a horse. 
 
 Ruin was on every side. Helpless women and 
 hungry children stood tearfully by desolated homes. 
 The naked chimnies showed where houses had been. 
 Not even a bird was to be seen, nor any living thing 
 that could get away. The wells were polluted; dead 
 horses and broken vehicles lined the road. The bat- 
 tle-scarred trees showed where Greene's cavalry had 
 resisted the Federal advance. 
 
 About 2 p. m., Churchill's Division halted some 
 three miles west of Pleasant Hill, Tappan's Brigade 
 being in front. The road forked here; one branch 
 leading more to the south, and the other directly to 
 Pleasant Hill. General Dick Taylor sat on a log, 
 near the road, whittling a stick. Churchill joined 
 him. They had an earnest conversation. Officers 
 occasionally came in from the front and reported. 
 We learned that the enemy was in line between us 
 and Pleasant Hill. In about an hour Churchill's Di- 
 vision moved on the right hand road for about two 
 miles, turned east around a large plantation, and 
 formed line of battle facing toward the north. Here 
 orders were sent along the line for each command to 
 be governed by the movement of the forces on its 
 right. It was soon shown that this was a most fatal 
 order. Skirmishers were deployed, and the command 
 moved forward. After a quarter of a mile the line 
 was halted, moved eastward by the right flank, came 
 
198 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 to a front, and advanced in action. 
 
 There was a small creek alony; which the Feder- 
 al line of battle was formed, on abandoned farm lands 
 that extended from the village southward, -across this 
 creek. The underbrush was dense on some parts of 
 the creek, extending- towards another abandoned 
 field farther west. The lower creek had sometime 
 been straitened by a ditcli, the banks of which were 
 covered with switch cane. The ditch w^as a quarter 
 of a mile long, occupied by Federal troops, among 
 them being a regiment of New York Zouaves. Gen. 
 Parsons' Missourians were on our extreme right; 
 next to them the Arkansas troops under Ganze and 
 Tappan. 
 
 Parsons' men came down the wooded hill into 
 the field, in front of the ditch, and without pausing 
 to rectify their alignment swept on. and over the 
 ditch, capturing eA'evy man in it. They assaulted 
 the second Federal line, and a most determined con- 
 test ensued. It was an open field, and there was no 
 cover. The Missourians pressed forward, and forced 
 the federal troops up the slope, and into the village, 
 where resistance measurably ceased, and Banks' 
 army was virtually cut in twain. 
 
 Meantime Ganze struck the enemy in the thick 
 woods farther up the creek. The enemy opposed to 
 him did not drive easily. One regiment in particu 
 lar, the 23d Iowa, disdained to fly, and were nearly 
 all killed or wounded. The Lieutenant Colonel in 
 command was killed at his post in the rear of his 
 regiment. 
 
 Captain Peebles and Captain Ackerman of this 
 regiment were wounded and captured. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 199 
 
 Probably no regiment in the world could show a bet- 
 ter fighting record. 
 
 Tappan's brigade struck the enemy above Ganze, 
 and after a hot reception gained ground. Everything 
 promised well. The enemy were giving way all 
 along the line. Just then Banks' extreme left, which 
 extended beyond Parsons' right, swung around as if 
 to take him in the flank. Seeing this the Missouri- 
 ans began to fall back. This move threw them into 
 disorder, and became a retreat. In a few moments 
 every command, seeing that upon its right falling 
 back, did the same. The Federals were getting off 
 the field in one direction and we in another! Our re- 
 treat was soon a panic and a rout! 
 
 In vain our officers attempted to restore order. 
 They commanded, threatened, and by turns emplor- 
 ed, but to no purpose. They were borne along upon 
 the rushing tide. Conspicuous in these efforts to 
 rally the demoralized troops were Churchill, Parsons, 
 Tappan. Grinstead, Tom Thompson, and Colonels 
 Mosser, Kelley, and Gains, of Tappan's brigades. 
 
 Mosser had lost his hat. and with a red handker- 
 chief tied about his head, his ferocious beard, and 
 with his naked sword in hand and belaboring with 
 the flat side his flying troops;— mounted on a fiery 
 horse he was the picture of a Saracen in the time of 
 the crusades! Parsons rode a magnificent horse, 
 covered with foam. He and Kelley left the field to- 
 gether. Deeming this respectable company in which 
 to leave a battle-field I rode along behind them for 
 several miles. Neither of them talked. They were 
 gloomy and depressed, but neither indulged in fault- 
 
200 THIRTY SECOND REGIMKNT 
 
 finding or vain regrets. 
 
 Thus ended the battle of Pleasant Hill. The fol- 
 lowing day we returned and occupied the field " 
 
 It is not strange that Hall, after a lapse of more 
 than twenty years, should have forgotten the num- 
 ber of the Iowa Regiment to which Peebles and Ac- 
 kerman belonged. The 23d Iowa was not in the bat- 
 tle. Names and numbers learned after the fight ap- 
 pears not to have been so impressed upon him as the 
 incidents which he so vividly describes. Unlike Tay- 
 lor and Banks, and having no responsibility for the 
 blunders of the day, he evidently meant to tell a 
 plain story, let the truth hurt whom it might. 
 
 Even the errors of fact stated by Hall, such de- 
 tails as that the Lieutenant Colonel was in command 
 of the regiment, may stand as evidence of his inten- 
 tion to tell the truth. As to the truth of what he 
 says of panic and rout, there can be but one opinion. 
 Dick Taylor's oath would not for a moment contro- 
 vert the simple yet graphic story of the manner in 
 which Mosser laid about him; nor his description of 
 the beaten and sullen Parsons and Kelley as they 
 rode, gloomy and depressed, for several miles. It is 
 not improbable that Hall could tell where Taylor 
 "formed line in the open field" after the fighting 
 ceased ! 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 Reviewing Pleasant Hill. 
 
 It is hoped that the engraved plan of the field 
 and the Battle of Pleasant Hill, facing with the fol- 
 lowing explanations, will enable the reader to obtain 
 a reasonably correct knowledge of what really oc- 
 curred. The village called Pleasant Hill was a mere 
 hamlet, intended in its inception as a place where 
 the families of those cultivating plantations on the 
 low lands might more safely reside during certain 
 seasons. It was to comprise a school, a church, some 
 shops and places for trade, and the necessary dwell- 
 ings for the population that might be attracted by its 
 supposed advantages. It was not the success its or? 
 iirinators contemplated, was apparently as unfeather- 
 ed in lS(i4 as when first hatched, whenever that may 
 have been. 
 
 It occupied a part of the upland ridge, or divid- 
 ing of the low streams that flow on the one hand to- 
 ward the Northeast into Red River or the adjacent 
 bayous, and on the other side toward the Southwest, 
 into the Sabine River. There is no hill, as the word 
 is understood in more elevated districts. It is simply 
 a broad ridge, gently undulating, and originally cov- 
 ered w-ith forest, in which farms had been opened, 
 in many of which the soil being exhausted they had 
 been abandoned, becoming what is known in the 
 South as "old fields." 
 
 By reason of the character of the bottom lands, 
 and the numerous bayous and lakes therein, the riv- 
 
202 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ers are rarely bridged, and are only to be approach- 
 ed by teams at distant intervals. To certain points 
 on the rivers roads are made, and at these places the 
 Boats land for freight and passengers. Thns while 
 Admiral Porter was advancing by Red River, greatly 
 impeded and incurring grave risk of disaster from 
 the exceptionally low stage of water, Banks was try- 
 ing to reach Shreveport by land. Though only a few 
 miles distant neither party could aid the other. The 
 transports, under convoy of the gunboats, carried 
 supplies for the army on land, but not available un- 
 til the army and navy should meet at Shreveport. 
 
 The map shows a space three miles by two, up- 
 on which our army entered by the road from Grand 
 Ecore, at the extreme Southeast corner, and which 
 the enemy reached from the Northwest by the Mans- 
 field road. The plan shows the disposition of our 
 available forces, as made in the morning of April 9th, 
 Shaw's Brigade being in the extreme front, on the 
 Mansfield road, on which the enemy was expected; 
 his right not reaching the swamp indicated; his left 
 in the air. His right should have been protected and 
 supported by available troops of the 19th Corps; and 
 so also should his left. He demanded this, but failed 
 to secure it. His line was already extended beyond 
 the capacity of his brigade, and made less strong by 
 the wide front he was asked to cover. 
 
 Col. Pessenden says that the first position of 
 Benedict's Brigade of the 19th Corps was in the thick 
 woods in front of his place as shown on the map; pro- 
 bably about equidistant from the position of the 32nd 
 Iowa and the ditch into which he made his way dur- 
 ing the afternoon. Had he moved his right forward. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 203 
 
 and faced more to the South, our position would have 
 been greatly improved. His removal toward the rear 
 made an opening for the enemy, through which he 
 rushed into the rear of Shaw's Brigade, with an im- 
 petus that carried Benedicts Brigade out of the shel- 
 tering ditch, and up the slope, toward the reserves 
 under Mower. In this movement the rebels say they 
 did not tire a shot, but relied upon the bayonet. 
 That is mere false bragadocio. The greater number 
 of the casualties were from gunshot wounds. In this 
 charge Benedict was killed, and three of his regi- 
 ments scattered. The fourth, the 30th Maine, under 
 Colonel Fessenden. on the left, held their ground un- 
 til the others were beyond their reach, when they 
 fell back alone and joined the lines of Mower's at- 
 tack.* 
 
 When Gen. Smith, from the right of Mowers 
 Division, saw the enemy in Shaw's rear, he ordered 
 him to fall back [See Shaw's report.] 
 
 The 58th Illinois, under Colonel Lynch, had been 
 placed as shown on the plan, to keep watch and 
 guard against a possible though not expected attack 
 from the South and Southwest, and was in line fac- 
 
 *It was Colonel Fesseuden's idea that Benedict was 
 wholly surprised to find himself attacked in his then posi- 
 tion. He probably regarded the thick woods in his front, 
 the ditch he occupied and his remoteness from other troops, 
 as giving him probable exemption from discovery. It is 
 also probable that at the hour he and his troops, like Gen- 
 eral Banks himself, were saving "there will be no fight to- 
 day !" 
 
 [General Banks uttered these words as he was dismount- 
 ing at his Head Quarters, and was answered by the batteries 
 of the enemy before any one could make other reply!] 
 
204 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ing the South. 
 
 As the enemy pursued Benedict's retreating and 
 scattered soldiers along the open ground, and up the 
 slope, toward the Northwest, he exposed his right 
 flank to Lynch who took prompt advantage of it, 
 faced about, and rolled him up like an old parchment! 
 This turned the tide of battle, and the heretofore ex- 
 ultant enemy became panic stricken; a condition that 
 soon communicated itself to his whole force. It was 
 Bull Run over again, but with the boot on the other 
 foot! * 
 
 At this juncture General Mower advanced with 
 the reserves of the 16th Corps, completely driving 
 the enemy from the field. The fighting was over. 
 The enemy in utter panic and rout, as described by 
 Gus Hall, page 196, was going towards Mansfield at 
 the best speed of which he was capable. The sun 
 had by this time set. The woods were thick with 
 the smoke of the battle. Gen. Mower felt his way 
 carefully through the darkened woods, toward the 
 Southwest, over a part of the track on which Church- 
 ill's Division came to the attack. Had he known 
 
 * Note: —It is interesting to consider that the expecta- 
 tion of our Generals was that Taylor would throw his full 
 strength down the Mansfield road. They had so little 
 thought of an attack in force on the left that Lynch's regi- 
 ment was thrown out along in that direction. It appears 
 that Churchill must have assumed that the position held by 
 Shaw's Brigade was supported by the entire Federal force, 
 and that the attack by Parsons and Tappau was upon the 
 flank and rear of our army, instead of being expended upon 
 the left of Shaw's Brigade, and in rushing over Benedict. 
 Had Churchill not made this mistake, but had struck Lynch 
 fairly, he must have driven him back upon Mower's flank, 
 instead of exposing his own flank in Mower's front. This 
 would have completely reversed the conditions, and might 
 have reversed the results. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 205 
 
 what the 32nd Iowa knew he might have pushed on 
 rapidly; or had there been cavalry to send after the 
 fleeing rebels there might have been hundreds of 
 prisoners and some batteries taken in. But the 
 cavalry had gone out in the morning on the road to 
 Grand Ecore, in charge of trains! Even the Hos- 
 pital Train had been sent oft'! * 
 
 Colonel Shaw distinctly says that when with his 
 three regiments he fell back, after repulsing Gen. 
 Major's attack on his right by dismounted cavalry, 
 that the enemy did not follow him, nor had his com- 
 munication with his hospital, still farther in the rear, 
 been interrupted. This clearly shows that all the fight- 
 in- north of the Mansfield road alleged to have been 
 done there by the 19th Corps is pure fiction. The 
 fighting was in front of Shaw's Brigade;— on his left, 
 and in the rear of his left, where Benedict was driv- 
 en ; _and by the 58th Illinois, followed up by Mow- 
 er's Division. All resistance had ceased before the 
 
 * Note -—General Lee's cavalry had been so severely 
 handled on the 8th that Banks appears to have been anxi- 
 ous to pet them, and the trains, which had been such a bur- 
 den to him at Mansfield, and mostly captured, out of the 
 wav Thus, with the badly beaten detachment oi the ,16th 
 Corps, all were sent on to Grand Ecore in advance of the 
 battle of the 9tb. Lee testified in this mattes that Banks 
 ordered him to push on to Grand Ecore with all possible 
 speed, and if wagons broke down he was not to stop to re- 
 pair them, but to burn them and their contents by the road- 
 side' It would seem that Banks, on the 9th, was hoping tor 
 nothm" better than to reach Ecore with his army, if possi- 
 ble, where he could have the protection of the gunboats. 
 After 4 p m ., in the lull that preceded the storm about to 
 burst, he said, with a sigh of relief: "There will be no fight 
 to-dav" Had that expectation been realized there is little 
 doubt that he would have put the entire armv in retreat 
 during the night: His generals of the 19th Corps would 
 have gladly acquiesced: 
 
206 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 32nd Iowa came upon the line of the 35th Iowa, in 
 the fast-darkening woods, probably two or three 
 hundred yards west of Benedict's position, as shown 
 on the battle-plan. When Churchill's and Walker's 
 Divisions were routed, driven off in panic, the battle 
 was ended. * 
 
 All this clearly shows that had Shaw's Brigade 
 given way in the early part of the action, and had the 
 32nd Iowa not made its stubborn resistance, "Walk- 
 er's splendid Division" would have pushed on un- 
 checked; — Tappan's and Parson's Brigades, con- 
 necting with Walker's right would have taken 
 Lynch and Mower on the flank; — and the story 
 might have had a very different ending! Taylor 
 says he lost the victory because Churchill failed 
 
 * Note: — C. S. Barcla}', of West Liberty, Iowa, more 
 than 25 years after the battle of Pleasant Hill, said to the 
 writer: — "I will never forget my first meeting with you. I was 
 First Sergeant in the 351 h Iowa Infantry, and as we were 
 following the retreating rebels at Pleasant Hill, April 9th 
 1864,and heard the noise of a party approaching us from the 
 front, we came to a halt, and I ordered the company to make 
 ready, and in a moment more would have fired. The smoke 
 of the battle and the darkness of the time, in the thick 
 woods, hid everything from sight. I presume you never 
 knew how narrowly you escaped, nor how imminent the 
 danger was." 
 
 In the conversation that followed the circumstances 
 were discussed as then and now remembered by boih of us. 
 That to approach our lines from that direction at that hour 
 was full of peril, is not to be doubted. That it was accom- 
 plished without disaster was rare good forture. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 207 
 
 to take sufficient ground to the right! "It might 
 have been!" 
 
 After the 32nd Iowa reached the open ground, in 
 rear of the position they held during the day, efforts 
 were made to have care given to those left on the 
 field. Quarter Master McCall, with some comrades, 
 and carrying a lantern, tried to reach them but was 
 stopped by an officer of the 19th Corps in charge 
 of a guard, ordered to put out his light 
 and not permitted to go farther Colonel Scott found 
 General Mower, explained to him the situation, as- 
 sured him that the enemy had retreated for beyond 
 the position of the dead and wounded of the 32nd 
 Iowa, and implored him to advance our lines so as to 
 enable our wounded to be cared for. The General 
 was just then intent on securing part of a battery 
 which the enemy had abandoned in the woods, and 
 promised to comply when that had been gathered in. 
 But it was not done. The weary and broken heart- 
 ed men of the 32ud Iowa compared notes as to the 
 casualties, as best they could, stood in deep gloom 
 about their camp fires, and finally dropped down and 
 slept the sleep of exhaustion until they were called 
 into line and told that our army had stolen away dur- 
 ing the night! 
 
 In the accounts of the Battle of Pleasant Hill it 
 has not been practicable to give in detail the several 
 positions, nor to intelligently describe the conduct 
 of the several bodies of troops of the 19th Army 
 
208 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Corps that were there engaged. Some of the official 
 reports made by their officers are obscure, some of 
 them are misleading, and some of them are viciously 
 untrue. No doubt but some of those troops fought 
 bravely on the 9th of April, That they should have 
 been in good heart to meet those who had so severe- 
 ly handled them on the 8th was hardly to be expect- 
 ed. Just how long they resisted the attacks made 
 upon them is not shown by the casualties they sus- 
 tained, as their losses of the 8th and 9th are report- 
 ed together. Their heaviest losses are known to 
 have occurred at Mansfield, and not at Pleasant 
 Hill. 
 
 The reports of Emory and Dwight were meant 
 for New England readers. The former refers to a 
 body of Smith's troops as giving way in connection 
 with a part of his (Emory's) command, while, as a 
 matter of fact there were none of Smith's troops in 
 the position named! Dwight goes out of his way to 
 lug in the absurd falsehood that Shaw's Brigade fled 
 through his (Dwighl's)lines! Our historian confess- 
 es that in the face of stories which are known to be 
 false and believed to be malignant he is not inclined 
 to accept other statements unless known to be true. 
 This includes maps and plans of the battle-field which 
 accompany the official Reports of their officers. It 
 has therefore been thought best as far as deemed im- 
 portant to do so to approximate the facts referred to 
 by other and more reliable witnesses. 
 
 The report made by Col. Pessenden, 30th Maine 
 Infantry, is not open tu this criticism, and bears on 
 its face many evidences of candor and frankness. 
 He was in command of his regiment until the death 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS, 
 
 209 
 
 of Colonel Benedict devolved upon him the command 
 of the Brigade. His position was to the left and 
 rear of the 32nd Iowa; and, unfortunately, so far to 
 the left and rear as to leave the left flank of the 32nd 
 Iowa exposed, and a gap through which the enemy 
 charged unobstructed upon oar troops in the rear. 
 Of this charge he says: — 
 
 "The enemy advanced rapidly in two lines upon 
 the left and across the front of the brigade, at a 
 charging pace, delivering a very heavy fire as they 
 advanced. - The enemy charged swiftly 
 
 from the slope and commenced crossing the ditch, 
 striking at our men in the ditch with their clubbed 
 muskets. So rapidly did they advance that Lt. Col. 
 Blanchard. who had gone to the ditch in front of his 
 regiment to observe the position of the enemy, had 
 not time to place himself behind his regiment before 
 the brigade commenced retiring in confusion. The 
 regiments fell back beginning with 165 New York on 
 the right, followed by the 162 New York, 
 the 173 New York next, delivering their fire as they 
 fell back in disorder to the rear. I commanded the 
 30th Maine, upon the left of the line, and had received 
 orders to retreat when the other regiments fell back 
 
 This is quoted to illustrate a notable difference 
 between the orders of the officers as well as the con- 
 duct of the men of these two Army Corps. Com- 
 manders of Brigades in the 16th Corps said— "You 
 will hold this position at all hazards!'' Those in the 
 19th Corps said— '-Retreat when the other regiments 
 fall back!" 
 
 It is proper to note that under these adverse 
 
210 THIKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 circumstances Col. Fessenden and many of his men 
 fought bravely to the end of the action; — at first re- 
 tiring in some confusion, and then reforming on Gen. 
 Smith's troops, charging the enemy, and following 
 him up his mad flight. 
 
 There is one thing in this battle in connection 
 with the participation therein of Col. Shaw's Brigade, 
 that has never in any of the official reports had the 
 consideration to which it is entitled; to-wit: — The 
 fact that this Brigade was selected to occupy lite -post of 
 honor, the extreme front in the line of defense against the 
 attack of an exultant foe, flushed with recent victory, and 
 following his fleeing and demoralized antagonist. 
 
 The circumstances justify the modesty which has 
 heretofore characterized the Reports made by mem- 
 bers of the Brigade, Some may raise a question of 
 taste as to any mention of this fact even after a lapse 
 of more than thirty years. The only question that 
 can be raised is the question of taste, and we have 
 venerable authority for not discussing that. There 
 is no reasonable question as to the facts. General 
 Banks says: — "The center was strengthened by a 
 brigade of Gen. Smith's forces, whose main force 
 was held in reserve." General Smith says: — "The 
 2nd Brigade, 3d Division, Col. Wra. T. Shaw, com- 
 manding, wcs ordered early in the morning to report 
 to Brig. General Emory, and was stationed in front 
 of the center of his command." General Emory 
 days: — ''After establishing my line General McMillan 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 211 
 
 was withdrawn and placed on the right and rear as a 
 reserve, and his place was supplied by a brigade of 
 General Smith's division." Colonel Shaw says: — "I 
 was ordered to report with my brigade to General 
 Banks. By him I was ordered to proceed to the 
 front and report to General Emory. He ordered me 
 to relieve General McMillan, who was posted on the 
 left of the Mansfield road." 
 
 These several statements sufficiently establish 
 the fact that General Banks, his chief of staff, Gen. 
 Franklin, Gen. Emory, and General Smith, in con- 
 sultation, agreed that the Mansfield road was the 
 point open to the first attack of the enemy; that it 
 could not safely be entrusted to any of the troops 
 that had been falling back under pressure of the de- 
 feat and pursuit of the previous day; that General 
 Smith was called on to furnish a Brigade and a Com- 
 mander that could and would withstand the demoral- 
 izing causes then existing; and that Shaw's Brigade, 
 the 14th Iowa Infantry, the 27th Iowa Infantry, the 
 :}'2nd Iowa Infantry, and the 24th Missouri Infantry, 
 was the Brigade which General Smith selected for this 
 ■post of honor. 
 
 That it w-as the post of honor and danger was 
 soon proven by the repeated and desperate assaults 
 made thereon by the enemy. His veiw of the situa- 
 tion is shown by the manner as well as the fact of 
 these assaults. The flower of the enemy's cavalry 
 was hurled upon our ranks, in the full expectation 
 that they would rush through to the open ground 
 about the village of Pleasant Hill and there put to 
 flight or the sword an army whose commander had 
 already sent his supplies and transportation to seek 
 
212 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 protection from the cover of his gunboats! While 
 this unsurpassed cavalry charge was being met by 
 the right of the Brigade, and the cavalry literally an- 
 nihilated, Walker advanced upon the left of the Bri- 
 gade with "his splendid Division of infantry," bayo- 
 nets fixed, bound for Pleasant Hill, expecting no hin- 
 drance. Of what followed General Dick Taylor, with 
 much significance, says: — "The stubborn" resistance 
 offered by the enemy along the whole line soon con- 
 vinced me that he had received reinforcements of 
 fresh troops, and T ordered forward Polignac. The 
 fresh troops held their ground manfully." This 
 tribute to the valor of the "fresh troops" is as sin- 
 cere as it is mournful, for he adds that these attacks 
 occasioned "great sacrifice of life, "and that the loss, 
 "both in numbers and in quality has been heavy to 
 the country, the loss being 2,500." 
 
 It does not follow, nor is it claimed or intimated, 
 that in this army there were not other brigades that 
 would have held this ground manfully. It is meant, 
 however, to state the undeniable fact that Shaw's 
 Brigade "was stationed in front of the center of 
 Emory's command," and that the brigade that had 
 been in that position "was withdrawn and placed on 
 the right and rear as a reserve," and it is now assert- 
 ed that this was done because of the supposed im- 
 portance of holding this position "at all hazard," and 
 in full anticipation of the desperate assaults soon to 
 be made upon it. This was fully realized by the men 
 of this Brigade at the time, and the full significance 
 of the language of General Smith was understood, 
 when he said, as the Brigade was moving into posi- 
 tion:— "Boys! Your State has never been disgraced; 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 213 
 
 — remember where you belong - !" 
 
 In response to this greeting of their brave Gen- 
 eral these men earned for their command the title of 
 the "Iron Brigade." and enabled their grim brigade 
 commander to truthfully say that they were "first in 
 the fight, longest in the fight, in the hardest of the 
 fight, last to leave the field, and suffered one-half of 
 the entire loss of the battle, losing three times as 
 many officers and men as any brigade engaged." 
 
 Perhaps it were best to say nothing more on this 
 painful and most humiliating affair; but as cumula- 
 tive and corroborating evidence it may be well to 
 contrast the testimony of General Banks and Sur- 
 geon Sanger, as taken by the joint committee of 
 Congress on the Conduct of the War, in December 
 1864. and January 1865. General Banks said: — 
 
 "At 4 o'clock the enemy assaulted our lines with 
 almost demoniac energy. The contest was desper- 
 ate. If the enemy defeated that army he had the 
 best part of the Mississippi fleet in his possession, 
 and would deprive New Orleans of its only effective 
 land defence. Both armies comprehending the stake 
 at issue, there was a most terrible contest. It lasted 
 three hours. The enemy succeeded in breaking our 
 line on the right, but our forces being strengthened 
 by ihe reserve the enemy was driven from the field. 
 It was as clear a rout as it was possible for any army 
 to suffer. 
 
 We were uncertain as to the fleet. 
 
 It was a question whether we should 
 
214 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 remain at Pleasant Hill, in the condition we were in, 
 the enemy although beaten being- much stronger 
 than we were, or fall back to Grand Ecore, where we 
 could re-establish our communications with the fleet, 
 unite and reorganize our forces, already much shat- 
 ered in these three battles. After con- 
 
 sulting with my officers, I concluded, against my own 
 judgment, to fall back to Grand Ecore and reorgan- 
 ize I had given orders after this battle, at 10 or 11 
 o'clock in the evening, to make preparations for an 
 advance at daybreak, and to turn the trains then on 
 the road to Grand Ecore to the front. 
 
 General Smith, who came to see me, said, 'What 
 are you going to do?' I said, 'We move forward in 
 the morning,' General Franklin, General Emory, 
 General Dwight. and the officers of my immediate 
 command, were very strongly of the opinion that 
 nothing could be effected by an advance; that it was 
 impracticable in the condition of the river to reach 
 Shreveport, and that it was dangerous to remain 
 where we were. They urged very strongly that we 
 should retire to Grand Ecore and reorganize, perhaps 
 find another route on the opposite side of the river, 
 where we might possibly join General Steele. 
 
 Between 11 and 12 o'clock at-night I consented to 
 that arrangement, and, all things considered, it was 
 probably the best course that could have been taken. 
 But that is an open question, as all such questions 
 are. We held the field of battle. Our dead were 
 buried. The wounded men were brought in and 
 placed in the best hospitals we could organize, and 
 surgeons were left with them with provisions, medi- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 215 
 
 cities and supplies, and at daybreak we fell back to 
 Grand Ecore." 
 
 Before the same Committee Surgeon Sanger 
 
 said: — 
 
 I am Surgeon of U. S. Volunteers. Accompani- 
 ed the Red River Expedition under General Banks. 
 Was present at the battles of Sabine Cross Roads and 
 Pleasant Hill. We brought off about half of our 
 wounded in the first battle, and at the second all that 
 could march. 
 
 Question. It has been said that at Pleasant Hill 
 we won a victory; how happened it that we left our 
 wounded in the hands of the enemy? 
 
 Answer. That is a great mystery to me. I was 
 at that time medical director of the 19th corps. I saw 
 General Franklin immediately after our victory, as 
 we assume it to be. I told him that in the hurry of 
 sending off the supply trains in the morning, they 
 had sent off my medical supply train. He said at 
 that time that it should be ordered to return at once. 
 To make sure of the matter, I went to see Major 
 Drake, General Bank's adjutant general. He told me 
 to give myself no uneasiness about the matter, as he 
 would send off a courier at once and order up the med- 
 ical supply train. 1 saw General Franklin and told 
 him that I should be busy all night, and in case the 
 army moved off in any direction he must apprise me. 
 I was told that I should be informed. That was the 
 last I knew of the matter until between six and seven 
 o'clock the next morning, when observing a little 
 squad of cavalry drawn up in front of my hospital, T 
 
216 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 went out and inquired, and found that the army had 
 retired during the night, and that this cavalry was 
 the rear guard about leaving the place, They said 
 they had seen the enemy approaching in the distance; 
 whereupon I left one or two assistant surgeons with 
 instructions, mounted my horse, and rode off. 
 
 Ques. Did you see any real necessity for leav- 
 ing our wounded in the hands of the enemy there? 
 
 Ans. Yes, sir; we had no transportation at that 
 time of any kind. There was not a wagon of any 
 kind there. 
 
 Ques. You say your medical train had been sent 
 off? 
 
 Ans. Yes, sir; but that was -done in the morn- 
 ing. From what little I learned of the matter, I un- 
 derstood that it was expected, if the enemy attacked 
 at all, they would attack early in the morning at 
 Pleasant Hill; and as one of the causes of the disas- 
 ter of the day before was the presence of the trains, 
 they determined that should not be the cause of a 
 disaster again, and moved them off. We waited un- 
 til four or live o'clock, when General Banks remark- 
 ed that the enemy would not probably attack us that 
 day. and that we were all right; but it was not half 
 an hour after that before the enemy commenced with 
 a yell and a charge. 
 
 Ques. As we drove the enemy at Pleasant Hill, 
 what prevented our forces from taking care of the 
 wounded? 
 
 Ans. I went back myself two days after within 
 the lines of the enemy, under a flag of truce. / do 
 not think that ice knew at that time the completeness of our 
 victory over the enemy. As near as I could learn, we 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 217 
 
 bad driven them back at dark into the woods, but how 
 completely they were routed we did not know at that 
 time. We had not quite gained the possession of the 
 water for which we were fighting, although we had 
 driven the enemy back. The provision and supply 
 train starting off in the morning to the rear, had goc 
 eighteen or nineteen miles from Pleasant Hill, and 
 the next morning they gave me as a reason why my 
 medical supply train was not sent back, that they 
 could not turn around their entire train; and if the 
 enemy had advanced in the morning we would have 
 been without supplies, and with the risk of not getting 
 any water. General A. J. Smith was strongly in fa- 
 vor of advancing, and insisted upon it that he would 
 not retire. I met him as I left Pleasant Hill, and he 
 insisted that we should have gone on; that our vic- 
 tory was complete. When I returned to Pleasant 
 Hill two clays afterwards, under a flag of truce, trav- 
 eling about forty miles in the enemy's country, I 
 there learned from the assistant surgeons whom I 
 left in charge that the enemy did not come in there 
 until about ten o'clock the next day, and that the few 
 skirmishing men that we had seen in the distance 
 were our own men, who had been left on picket and 
 not relieved, and stragglers who were working their 
 way back to what they supposed was our camp. 
 
 In regard to the battle of the day previous at Sa- 
 bine Crossroads, I learned that so far from the en- 
 gagement being so very serious a disaster to us, the 
 enemy, after having taken our cavalry trains and 
 making a second charge, felt themselves so thorough- 
 ly beaten and routed that they fled all the way back 
 to Mansfield, intending, if we pursued them the next 
 
218 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 morning 1 , to fall back to Shreveport; but finding that 
 we did not follow them, they followed us. The ene- 
 my acknowledged a complete rout of their army on 
 the second day. and also acknowledged that if we had 
 advanced a little further that night, or had advanced 
 the next morning, we could have captured all their 
 artillery, or, at least, could have retaken all which 
 they had taken from us. I had a talk with the medi- 
 cal director of the rebel army when I went into their 
 lines. He wanted to know the number of our wound- 
 ed. T admitted only nine hundred. He told me that 
 they had at least fifteen hundred wounded that they 
 knew of, and a great many more that they had not 
 ascertained. So that the number of their wounded 
 was equal to, if not greater than, that of ours. 
 
 Ques. Do you know whether our wounded had 
 suffered for want of supplies before you went back? 
 
 Ans. No, sir; not very much. At the time I left 
 1 knew of a place where there was some corn-meal, 
 and I directed my assistant surgeons, who had charge 
 of them, to get that meal and make them some por- 
 ridge. They also succeeded in getting some chick- 
 ens, and the like, so that they did not suffer very 
 much, except in a few instances where they had not 
 been operated upon, for the rebel surgeons took the 
 instruments which I had left with our assistant sur- 
 geons. I was back on the second day after the bat- 
 tle, and after operating myself all day. I left a case 
 of instruments, for which I got a protection, and from 
 that time I never heard any complaint. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 ,l As Others See Us." 
 
 This chapter is meant to be read only by mem- 
 bers of the 32nd Iowa Infantry, in their families, or 
 by their confidential friends. It contains nothing 
 that may properly be called history, and may be 
 passed without attention by the student or casual 
 reader. Other chapters contain more or less kindly 
 mention of the regiment, and of individual members, 
 made in connection with statements of fact, in official 
 reports, or otherwise. But a few pages are here giv- 
 en to expressions of individual opinion and sympathy 
 from partial friends, and they are addressed now to 
 the softer side of the grizzled veterans who still sur- 
 vive, and to the memory of those who fell at Pleas- 
 ant Hill thirty -two years ago. As reminders of the 
 biennial reunions of the veterans who were absent, 
 and those who were present when they were first 
 read, it is thought they may possess some interest. 
 
 Albert Swalm, a member of the 33d Iowa Infan- 
 try, and at that time with Gen. Steele advancing up- 
 on Shreveport through Arkansas, upon whom Kirby 
 Smith hurled all of his available forces after Banks 
 fled from Pleasant Hill, moved by comradeship on 
 the occasion to which he refers, wrote the following 
 letter. Col. Swalm is an able and diligent student 
 
220 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 of military history, and his utterances always com- 
 mand respectful attention. 
 
 Oskaloosa, Iowa, Sept. 9, 1889. 
 
 My Dear Col. Scott: — I note that your old regi- 
 ment, the 32nd Iowa, is to have one of those blessed 
 days, called a reunion, and through you, I want to 
 add my word of admiration for your command for 
 their gallant conduct at Pleasant Hill. It is many 
 years since they performed that valorous action, but 
 as the smoke and the mists of the war clear away 
 that occasion stands out one among the half dozen of 
 the whole war, wherein the loss entailed showed an 
 approved courage. I have made this matter a topic 
 of much consideration and study, and the records will 
 prove this to be so: That none of the English guards 
 at Waterloo suffered as you did at Pleasant Hill; that 
 but four regiments in the Franco- Prussian war rank 
 with you in percentage of loss, and that but very few 
 in our own army stand with you in this relation and 
 in this high honor. Some of your command I have 
 known for years and remember with pride brave old 
 Hutchinson, now sleeping in death. At Pleasant 
 Hill the 32nd Iowa added a crown of glory to Iowa 
 honor and bravery, and a little later the 33d added its 
 chaplet at Saline River, with same foe under Kirby 
 Smith, and disastrously repulsed them,- but yet with 
 jjreat loss — every other man being on the casualty 
 list. But I greet you and the boys of the 32nd as 
 men who occupied a place of extreme peril, and like 
 Spartan sons, held high the honor of soldiers. 
 
 Your friend. 
 
 Albert Swalm. 
 
 R. P. Clarkson, a member of the 12th Iowa In- 
 fantry, who passed through "Hell's Hollow" at 
 Shiloh. where the "Iowa Hornet's Nest" Brigade 
 alone held the advance line until 4 p. m., and saved 
 Grant's army by sacrificing their own brigade, should 
 be a competent witness. He saw all of the fighting 
 that took place on the open ground, the 35th Iowa 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 221 
 
 being with Gen. Mower, in reserve. The position of 
 Shaw's Brigade was beyond the timber, a mile in ad- 
 vance of Smith's troops in reserve. Tn a letter to 
 the Compiler of this History, Mr. Clarkson wrote as 
 follows: — 
 
 * - I know that Gen. A. J. Smith's 
 little Division, of which the 82nd Iowa Infantry was 
 an important part, was a chief factor in gaining the 
 victory at Pleasant Hill. It was the finest view of a 
 battle I ever had. nearly the whole of the movement 
 of the Union troops being visible from my stand- 
 point until we crossed the deeply ditched creek, and 
 entered the woods at the close of the fighting. At 
 that time I was on detached service with the 35th 
 Towa Infantry; and well remember the pleasure we 
 felt in knowing that the 32nd Iowa, which had a posi- 
 tion in a hotter and more desperate portion of the 
 line of battle than we had, made such a splendid 
 record in beating back and driving into confusion 
 and a never-halting retreat the army of Gen. Dick 
 Taylor, which had gained a great victory the day be- 
 fore at Sabine Cross Roads, and expected to capture 
 the remainder of General Bank's army at Pleasant 
 Hill. 
 
 But 'they counted without their host.' I talked 
 with you that night", and with other members of the 
 32nd Iowa, and I well remember that we were all 
 very proud of the splendid record the regiment made 
 that day, and have been proud of it ever since. It 
 was an Iowa and a Nation honoring day, for it was a 
 victory won by the desperate valor and patriotism of 
 a small army over a largely superior force that was 
 inspired by the crushing defeat it had administered 
 
222 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 to the advance of our army the previous day." 
 
 L. D. Ingersoll, in "Iowa and the Rebellion," 
 published in 1866, by Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 
 says: — "It is certain no regiment ever fought with a 
 sublimer courage than did the 32nd Iowa on the field 
 of Pleasant Hill. Its heroism and its sacrifices were 
 worthy of a better fate than a retreat from the scene 
 of its splendid daring and its glory. The fame of its 
 gallant conduct soon spread all over Iowa, as it would 
 have spread all over the country had the command- 
 ing general accepted the victory which the troops 
 had given him. - Iowa gloried in the fame 
 
 of her honored sons, and wept for their dead 
 comrades who fell on the stricken field," 
 
 S. H. M. Byers, in his '"Iowa in War Times," 
 published in 1888, says:--"The Thirty Second Iowa, 
 with half its officers and men killed or wounded, sur- 
 rounded, and alone, heroically cut its way through 
 the rebel lines. Scott and his men had 
 
 been rather isolated from the brigade all the time, 
 owing to the nature of the ground. In a sense the 
 Thirty Second fought a battle of its own, and alone — 
 and this with unparalleled skill and heroism. Pa- 
 cing in three directions, to meet the exigency, Gol. 
 Scott's little band fought fearlessly on. 
 Pierce fighting than occurred on front, flank and rear 
 of the Thirty-Second Iowa at Pleasant Hill is scarce- 
 ly recorded in history. It seems almost 
 incredible that the Thirty-Second, cut off from its 
 brigade and entirely surrounded, wich nearly one- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 223 
 
 half of its numbers killed or wounded, not only held 
 its own. but fought its way through to our most ad- 
 vanced troops, the 35th Iowa under Col. Hill." 
 
 At the biennial reunion at Ft. Dodge in Septem- 
 ber. 1893, an address was delivered on invitation by 
 Miss Mary Avis Scott. After discussing some of 
 the details of the battle of Pleasant Hill, Miss Scott 
 said: — 
 
 "There are elements of moral heroism illustrat 
 ed by the conduct of the 32nd Iowa Infantry in this 
 action that are entitled to special notice. The regi- 
 ment was placed in the very front of an attack by a 
 victorious enemy who advanced with little expecta- 
 tion of a stubborn resistance. His charge was im- 
 petuous and confident. His attack was met so stern- 
 ly that he faltered and changed his course, and this 
 too. by men who well knew that their army had been 
 retreating throughout the day. The ground was held 
 until there was no enemy in front; — until the amuni- 
 tion, which had been carefully saved for an hour was 
 nearly exhausted; — and until 210 men out of 440 had 
 been either killed, wounded or captured. Even then 
 to make their way in safety to the shelter of friendly 
 lines, from a direction supposed to be occupied sole- 
 ly by the enemy, and the niyht settling down over 
 darkening woods, was no mean achievement. 
 
 But there are victories which are not victories. 
 And this is one. Gen. Banks seemed not to know 
 that the army was saved and the battle won. The 
 retreat which had begun even before the battle and 
 which had been going on all day appears, at this date 
 and from the standpoint of an entirely unprejudiced 
 
224 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 student of history, very much as it must have ap- 
 peared to those most nearly interested — an immense 
 blunder, the result of the panic caused by the rebel 
 victory at Mansfield no doubt, but none the less a 
 blunder. It was an act of unnecessary cowardice 
 and most unexampled brutality to have thus yielded 
 the victory, the dead and the wounded to the defeat- 
 ed enemy. 
 
 And after all this — to be ordered away at mid- 
 night from afield they had won, and to leave their 
 dead and wounded to the care of an enemy who had 
 already fled many miles from the scene of his disas- 
 ter, was brutality almost incredible and certainly 
 without precedent. The abandonment of the wound- 
 ed and dead at this time was nothing less than an 
 heart breaking insult and offense to the living. 
 
 If these expressions seem harsh and bitter let it 
 be remembered we are talking now within the circle 
 of our own family, where it is expected the truth un- 
 varnished may be told. 
 
 Pleasant Hill, although without profit to r the 
 cause, was undoubtedly the best example of the'whole 
 war of the courage and patriotism of the volunteer 
 soldiers, and yet can we wonder that Iowa was dis- 
 heartened where the press of the day, in all accounts 
 failed to mention the soldiers who made the" army's 
 record for the day? More still, what thought comes 
 to us in reading Gen. Grant's memoirs, written after 
 the haste of battle was over and the- dawn of peace 
 had, or should have, brought cool reasoning powers, 
 to find the whole Red River Expedition dismissed 
 with barely one page. 
 
 "A prophet is not without honor save in his own 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 225 
 
 country." When generations hence the merry school 
 boy shall feel his pulse quicken and his eyes grow 
 mi.st> over the truthful records of that day's work 
 then will it be known that not only in Greece had men 
 kept the past, but that Iowans too, prefer honor and 
 death to life and disgrace. There is not a volunteer 
 soldier of the Republic anywhere who would ex 
 change his honorable record in the service of his 
 country, in behalf of freedom and mankind, in behalf 
 of the freest and best government on the face of the 
 earth for the untold wealth of the Indies. Much less 
 any soldier of the 32nd Iowa who would exchange 
 his honorable record at Pleasant Hill for any consid- 
 eration. He would like to blot out the feeling of des- 
 olation the memory entails. He would like to have 
 his bravery understood and see it properly recorded 
 in the annals of our land. But forget it— that will he 
 never. - 
 
 The men of the "Iron Brigade" were the heroes 
 of the tight, but this might not have been, no matter 
 what undividual courage the men held, had they not 
 been commanded by an officer whose skill and brav- 
 ery have never been questioned. The numerous ex- 
 amples of bravery which the war of the Rebellion, in 
 common with other wars give us, would never have 
 been, had they depended upon an ungeneraled mass 
 of human beings, even though their individual 
 strength and prowess were that of a Goliath. Nor 
 would these facts have been more possible to an un- 
 assisted commander, let his skill and knowledge of 
 military tactics be great as it might. And so al- 
 though the "Iron Brigade" gave Col. Shaw his op- 
 portunity, not less did he by his able generalship 
 
226 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 make the Iron Brigade. 
 
 'In a sense the 32nd Iowa fought here a battle of 
 its own, and alone, with unparalleled heroism. Fa- 
 cing in three directions, to meet the exigency, this 
 little band fought fearlessly on. Fiercer fighting is 
 not yet recorded in history.' The biography of brav- 
 er men will never be written. Balaklava. so long 
 immortalized in song and story, must stand second to 
 Pleasant Hill as a hill of sacrifice. Lord Cardigan's 
 six hundred must yield the palm of bravery, heroism 
 and patriotism to Iowa's little band of four hundred." 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Unwritten History; Mutiny In The Camp. Cap- 
 tain Burns' Story of Red River and 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Captain William S. Burns, of Bath. N. Y.. in 
 1879 wrote his recollections of this campaign, which 
 were published in the Philadelphia Times. He was 
 moved to do this by statements made by Major Hoff- 
 man in a work published by him about that time, en- 
 titled "Camp, Court and Siege.*' The Major was 
 Chief of Staff to General Franklin, and should have 
 known the facts about which he wrote, yet in his 
 book he stated that "General Banks wanted to con- 
 tinue his onward march to Shreveport" after our vic- 
 tory at Pleasant Hill, but that "General A, J. Smith 
 opposed it." 
 
 Hoffman's book also contains the statement that 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 227 
 
 at Grand Ecore ' 4 a curious incident occurred. An 
 officer in high position came to General Franklin 
 and proposed to put Banks on board of a 
 steamer and send him to New Orleans, and that Frank- 
 lin should take command. Of course 
 Franklin treated it as a joke, and laughed it off. 
 But there can be no doubt that the officer was in 
 earnest." 
 
 Captain Burns controverts very conclusively the 
 statements that Smith opposed the advance; but 
 agrees that the other statement is true, and that the 
 "officer in high position" who made the mutinous 
 proposition to General Franklin was none other than 
 General A.J. Smith; and that he proposed that course 
 immediately after the battle of Pleasant Hill, as a 
 means of saving the army, and extricating the fleet 
 of Admiral Porter, both of which he regarded as in 
 an extremely critical situation, and one that required 
 generalship not possessed by Banks! Extracts from 
 Captain Burns' paper will be given. They throw 
 much light on certain points that have heretofore 
 been studiously concealed or misrepresented. 
 
 Before quoting from Captain Burns a word of 
 explanation may be in order. It was currently re- 
 ported in the ranks that the Head Quarters train of 
 General Banks carried a supply of Champaigne, and 
 other wines. It was quite generally accepted that if 
 any supplies of that order were in charge of the 
 steward of General Smith's mess, they would com- 
 prise good whiskey, rather than the lighter drinks. 
 It was understood, and was a matter of surprise, that 
 Captain Burns declined with thanks, politely but 
 firmly, all invitations to indulge in any beverage 
 
228 THIRTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 stronger than such coffee as the army afforded. He 
 was a member of General Smith's military family 
 and mess, being Acting Assistant Inspector General 
 on the Staff; and his adherance to principles of total 
 abstinence in that atmosphere and climate caused 
 him to be greatly esteemed by the Iowa troops. He 
 was regarded as being always cool, capable and re- 
 liable, let the emergency be what it might; and this 
 view was by no means universal in respect to others 
 of that mess. Also being a gentleman as well as an 
 officer, no man could make a statement of fact that 
 would more readily be accepted as true by the 32nd 
 
 Iowa Infantry. 
 
 In the light of these statements the astounding 
 
 facts narrated by Captain Barns are not to be ques- 
 tioned. In contrast to the course taken by General 
 Smith in relation to hanging the negroes at Colum- 
 bus, his action here indicates how thoroughly he 
 must have been aroused. [See page 110.] 
 
 After discussing the entire Red River campaign 
 in the spirit in which the same is done in these 
 pages, and the Battle of Pleasant Hill until the reb- 
 els approached the reserves under Smith, as hereto- 
 fore and herein narrated, Captain Burns says: — 
 
 THE TIDE OF BATTLE TURNED. 
 
 * * "It will be seen by the foregoing that 
 
 General Emory attributes a defeat to Colonel Shaw, 
 
 which in reality did not occur, as the enemy, instead 
 
 of driving him. were passing to his rear, which Gen. 
 
 Emory, in all probability, did not see, but which 
 
 General Smith did, and who,under the circumstances, 
 
 took the responsibility of ordering Colonel Shaw to 
 
 retire. 
 
 Toward the close of the foregoing described 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 229 
 
 struggle a portion of both Colonels Lynch and 
 Moore's brigades, although reserve forces, were 
 brought into active service, and fought gallantly. 
 Our troops being hard pressed, slowly fell back upon 
 the reserves, part of whom were quietly awaiting the 
 order necessary to bring them into action. The de- 
 cisive moment had arrived, and the final struggle 
 commenced which resulted in so overwhelming a de- 
 feat to the enemy. When the order was given, our 
 troops rose to their feet and poured upon the advanc- 
 ing foe a most murderous volley, and then with Gen- 
 eral Mower at their head sprung forward in a grand 
 charge. Even at this late day, when so many war 
 experiences appear more like a dream than a reality, 
 my blood warms with excitement as I remember this 
 charge, having personally participated in it, riding 
 at the head of one of the charging regiments with its 
 commanding officer. It was the most exhilerating 
 period of my war life. This new and fresh line of 
 troops, added to those already lighting, thus hurled 
 upon the enemy, was undoubtedly a surprise to them, 
 and after the first effort to continue the struggle, 
 they became convinced that the advance was irresist- 
 ible,and in resigning themselves to the fate so inevita- 
 ble, they, as if actuated by one common consent, 
 turned and lied in the utmost panic, many of them 
 throwing away their arms. Our victorious troops 
 followed, capturing prisoners, small-arms, several 
 pieces of artillery, and drove them for two or three 
 miles, until darkness precluded any further advance. 
 We now missed our cavalry which, if within reach, 
 could have captured a large percentage of the rebel 
 army I would here record an incident I witnessed 
 when the battle was nearly over. General Smith 
 
230 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 and staff met General Banks on the held. General 
 Banks took off his liat, shook hands with General 
 Smith, and said: "You are dohii< your work nobly. 
 General; may God bless you for it.'' 
 
 THE UNION VICTORY COMPLETE. 
 
 In the above description of the battle of Pleas 
 ant Hill I have only given a protraiture of the part 
 taken in it by General Smith's troops. I have endeav- 
 ored to make it plain and at the same time concise, 
 and have copied from the official reports of Colonels 
 Shaw and Scott because I have never seen them in 
 print, except the copy T have, for which I sent to 
 Iowa. Although General Franklin had been wound- 
 ed at Sabine Cross roads he kept his saddle during 
 the whole of Pleasant Hill, overlooking the dispo- 
 sition of his men, etc. And I would here state that 
 my prejudice against General Stone, entertained ever 
 since the battle of Ball's Bluff, entirely disappeared 
 on the battle-field of Pleasant Hill, as I witnessed 
 his ceaseless, tireless activity in the performance of 
 his duties as General Banks' chief of staff, and when 
 almost immediately after this battle he was relieved 
 from his position and General Dwight appointed in 
 his place, we felt one more scape goat, and as he left 
 active service there and then he certainly took with 
 him the sympathy of all in the Sixteenth army corps 
 and also of many in the Nineteenth. 
 
 Our victory being so complete, General Banks 
 had ordered the retreating train to be halted, turned 
 about, and everything prepared for an early advance 
 next morning, and about midnight I fell asleep 
 amidst the groans of the wounded, but at 2 o'clock in 
 the morning was awakened to hear that we were or- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 231 
 
 dered to retreat. Imagine our feelings! General 
 Smith, upon receipt of the order, had gone to Gener- 
 al Banks and urged an advance; but when he found 
 the order to retreat was imperative, he begged 
 the privilege of remaining on the field to bury the 
 dead and take care of the wounded; but even this was 
 not allowed. Disgraceful! Criminal! Inhuman! At 
 this late day, when time has mitigated the intensity 
 of the keen feeling then experienced by us who tied, 
 my notes and letters seem overdrawn, and 1 hesitate 
 to quote literally, but they are a true history, not 
 only of my own personal sense of bitter humiliation 
 — then in my mind — but are a true index of the inner 
 consciousness of nine-tenths of the army; and, al- 
 though "military discipline" kept it under, yet so 
 the soldiers thought, talked, and some of them wrote; 
 and even now, when fifteen years have passed away, 
 it is difficult to review these events and write w r ith 
 any decree of calmness or patience of our retreat. 
 
 General Smith could not make up his mind- 
 even at the command of his superior officer — to aban- 
 don all the fruits of a dearly-bought victory; to leave 
 his dead and dying in the hands of the enemy and to 
 desert his fleet and 2,500 of his men to the risk of 
 capture (for he "felt in his bones" that the enemy, 
 when they found our army were retreating, would 
 naturally attempt the capture and destruction of the 
 fleet, etc.. and his surmise was correct, ) and he went 
 to General Franklin and proposed the arrest of Gen. 
 Banks; that Franklin should take command; that 
 they should bury their dead; care for their wounded; 
 push across to Springfield Landing, on the river, to 
 the assistance of Admiral Porter and General T. 
 
232 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Kilby Smith, and then, if practicable, march upon 
 Shreveport. But General Franklin would not con- 
 sent, and General Smith was obliged to submit to the 
 unavoidable and turn his back upon a retreating, de- 
 moralized enemy. General Banks did. however, give 
 us the post of honor — to covin- the retreat when no 
 enemy followed. Colonel Lucas, of the cavalry di- 
 vision, was with us in the rear, with about live hun- 
 dred men. Our rear guard did not leave Pleasant 
 Hill until just as day was breaking. During the 
 forenoon, while our surgeons (who were left on the 
 battle-field) were trying to make comfortable the 
 wounded, they were surprised at the appearance of a 
 party from the camp of the enemy- under a Hag of 
 truce — asking permission to bury their dead, etc. 
 Words can hardly express their astonishment when 
 they learned our army was retreating. After so 
 complete a victory, followed by so shameful an aban- 
 donment of everything, I am not surprised that Col. 
 
 Scott should write: — 
 
 "This was a defeat, but a defeat only to our foe. 
 
 The stake fougnt for by him was the Trans- Missis- 
 sippi Empire; by our commanding General the safe 
 retreat of his army. We won both Abandoned the 
 former to the enemy after he had retreated, and gave 
 to a brilliant victory all the moral results of a defeat. 
 Finally, the Thirty-second Iowa blushes to place up- 
 on its banner the name of a field where its dead and 
 wounded were cruelly abandoned to an enemy who, 
 many hours afterward, humbly asked leave to care 
 for his own." 
 
 It will be seen by the foregoing that my evidence 
 differs from Major Hoffman's, and I will now pro- 
 duce evidence from others. The correspondent of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 233 
 
 the Missouri Republican, in writing from Grand Ecore 
 April 13. says: — 
 
 '•General A. J. Smith protested against the re- 
 treat from Pleasant Hill. He wanted to pursue the 
 rebels on Sunday on his own hook, instead of falling 
 back, but General Banks was firm and ordered all the 
 forces to return." 
 
 Doctor Sanger. Medical Director of the Nine- 
 teenth army corps, says: — 
 
 "General A. J. Smith was strongly in favor of 
 advancing, and insisted upon it, that he would not 
 retire. I met him as I left Pleasant Hill, and he in- 
 sisted that we should have gone on; that our victory 
 was complete." 
 
 In reply to letters from me, I give the following 
 extracts. General Franklin writes:— 
 
 "Major Hoffman is certainly wrong in his state- 
 ment that General Smith opposed a forward move- 
 ment from Pleasant Hill. For my part the only 
 question that came to me was, shall we stay at 
 Pleasant Hill or go to Grand Ecore— not shall we ad- 
 vance. The idea of an advance after what I had just 
 experienced of Bank's generalship was odious to me, 
 and the scattered condition of the troops made the 
 junction a matter of several days." 
 
 Dr. Staples (at that time surgeon on staff of Col. 
 Shaw, but subsequently medical director on staff of 
 General Smith) writes:— 
 
 "At about 10 p. m. of the day of the battle an or- 
 derly came to the hospital and informed me that we 
 would resume our march for Shreveport next day 
 and it would be necessary for me to make arrange- 
 ments accordingly. At 1 o'clock in the morning the 
 
V34 THIKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 orderly returned and brought orders for me to make 
 the best disposition I could of my wounded, for per- 
 emptory orders had been received to commence fall- 
 ing back on Grand Ecore at 3 o'clock. Subsequent- 
 ly I learned from General Smith's own lips that 
 about midnight, when he was resting in the full ex- 
 pectation of resuming the advance in the morning as 
 General Banks had assured him-in the early evening, 
 an orderly came with orders to fall back at 3 o'clock. 
 Astounded at the order, he immediately visited Gen. 
 Banks to know what it meant. General Banks 
 pleaded its necessity on the ground of the general 
 discouragement of the officers of the Nineteenth corps, 
 the scarcity of commissary stores, the great losses 
 sustained, etc. He then requested permission to ad- 
 vance with his own command alone; then to be allow- 
 ed to remain a day upon the field to bury his dead, 
 etc.. and finally to stay until 9 o'clock a. m., all of 
 which was refused. It was then, as I understood 
 from him, that, with grief and indignation, he sought 
 General franklin's quarters and urged him to assume 
 command by the arrest of Banks and he (Smith) 
 would sustain him. But, meeting with no favor, he 
 was compelled to reluctantly turn away and submit to 
 the disgraceful retreat." 
 
 Captain John Hough. Assistant Adjutant Gener- 
 al on Staff of General Smith, writes: — 
 
 "As to General Smith's request to General Frank- 
 lin to put General Banks under arrest, ii was made 
 after we got the order "to withdraw our troops si- 
 lently from Pleasant Hill, and lake the rear of the 
 column back to Grand Ecore, "" and before we left- 
 Pleasant Hill. You will remember we got the order 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEEKH. 235 
 
 about 11:30 o'clock, the night of the battle, and did 
 not go until after daylight. During this interim the 
 incident you speak of occurred. After receiving the 
 order General Smith first went to Banks and begged 
 to be allowed to stay until noon the next day, in or- 
 der to bury his dead and take care of the wounded, as 
 Ihe battle continued until dark and many were scat- 
 tered where theycould not be found until daylight. 
 Banks refused. General Smith then asked to be al- 
 lowed to stay until daylight, so that the wounded 
 could be properly cared for, stating that the details 
 from his com mond were out gathering them up as 
 fast as possible and he did not want to leave any un- 
 cared for. but Banks' reply was that the order must 
 be obeyed. Then General Smith went to Franklin 
 and told him that the Thirteenth corps had formerly 
 been under his (Smith's) command, and the divisions 
 of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth corps, that were 
 now under his command, would sustain Franklin, 
 every officer and man of them, if he would jmt Banks 
 under arrest, assume the command and go on with 
 the expedition. Franklin did not care to assume the 
 responsibility and replied: "Smith, that is mutiny," 
 and there the matter dropped." 
 
 Lieutenant John B. Pannes, ordnauce officer on 
 General Smith's staff, writes: — 
 
 "We had our headquarters under a tree near the 
 battle-field. I had been sent by General Smith to 
 follow Banks' retreating army to get ammunition. 
 Having detained five wagons loaded with cartridges, 
 I brought them back, and having corraled them, join- 
 ed headquarters at about midnight. About two hours 
 afterward some one shook me and said: ''General, 
 
236 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 you must prepare to retreat." I told the shaker I 
 was not the General, but that he was asleep on the 
 other side of the tree. Well, the General was awak- 
 ened, and a conversation followed, which I but im 
 perfectly understood. It was General Franklin who 
 had awakened the General. Smith begged Franklin 
 not to retreat, saying: "We have beaten them like 
 
 h ." However, 1 at once received my orders to 
 
 have my train hitched up, and went ahead about my 
 business. 1 understood from Hough that General 
 Smith told hitn to go with him to Franklin's head- 
 quarters: that Smith asked Franklin to assume com- 
 mand and to go ahead. Franklin was taking a cup 
 of coffee. He stirred it slowly, and finally said: 
 '•Smith, don't you know this is mutiny?" 
 
 THE PROPOSITION SERIOUS. 
 
 * * There may have been two occasions 
 when General Smith made this request, and the sec- 
 ond one may have been after our return to Grand 
 Ecore, as [ know he was impatient there under re- 
 straint and inactivity. It may be immaterial where 
 it was in proving the fact that such a request actual- 
 ly occurred, for this incident is so curious in the an- 
 nals of war that the reading public was inclined to 
 doubt it. At a late dinner party in Philadelphia, a 
 gentleman said he had lately read Hoffman's "Camp, 
 Court and Siege," which contained a curious state- 
 ment, the truth of which he doubted. He then re- 
 lated the incident. Fortunately, there was present 
 a gentleman who was subsequently to the Red River 
 campaign an officer on General Smith's staff (Mr. 
 Hunn Hanson, a resident of Philadelphia,) who said 
 the statement was true. That he had heard it from 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 237 
 
 the General himself in his tent at Eastport after the 
 battle of Nashville, and never before nor since had 
 he heard the General mention it, nor had he ever 
 seen him so moved as he was then, while relating- it. 
 It is not strange that it should be doubted, even if 
 related by so good an authority as Major Hoffman 
 (who, I have forgotten to state, was* Adjutant Gener- 
 al on General Franklin's staff); as it was unusual, to 
 say the least, bnt the circumstances were unusual — a 
 victorious army running away from a defeated one. 
 If General Smith had been next in rank to General 
 Banks I have no doubt he would have arrested him. 
 but as General Franklin ranked him he was applied 
 to. It is not to be wondered at that General Frank- 
 lin declined to accede to his request, for it was a re- 
 sponsible move to make. Had it been done and the 
 onward movement been a success, in all probability 
 it would have been condoned at Washington. But 
 had the result been disastrous it is but reasonable to 
 presume that both Generals Franklin and Smith 
 would have been held to a strict accountability. Ma- 
 jor Hoffman says: "Of course, General Franklin 
 treated it as a joke and laughed it off. But there can 
 be no doubt that the officer was m earnest.'' No one 
 who belonged to the military family of General Smith 
 at that time, and saw him in the privacy of his head- 
 quarters that night and for days afterward, can ever 
 forget his quivering lip and tear-dimmed eye when 
 the subject was mentioned, nor could doubt his earn- 
 estness, and when he made that proposition there 
 
 could have been nothing in his demeanor to indicate 
 a joke. He felt too keenly the humiliation aud dis- 
 grace of the whole situation, and as General Frank- 
 
238 THIltTY SECOND ItEGIMENT 
 
 lin states in above letter, 'he was certainly serious 
 in the proposition." 
 
 WAS PLEASANT HILL A VICTORY? 
 
 That our troops gained a most decisive victory 
 at Pleasant Hill is, I believe, universally admitted, 
 although General Dick Taylor, in his address to his 
 army, says: — "In spite of-the strength of the enemy's 
 position, held by fresh troops of the Sixteenth corps, 
 your valor and devotion triumphed over all. Dark- 
 ness closed one of the hottest fights of the war. The 
 morning of the 10th instant dawned upon a liying foe 
 with our cavalry in pursuit, capturing prisoners at 
 every step."' It was too true, we were ,k a flying foe," 
 — more shame to General Banks than credit to our 
 enemy — but we were not a defeated foe. General 
 Taylor knew that the foregoing, "with our cavalry 
 in pursuit, capturing prisoners at every step," was 
 imaginary, unless he meant by prisoners our dead 
 and wounded left upon the battle-field. Not only my 
 own notes (already quoted) say "when no enemy fol 
 lowed," but the correspondent of the Missouri Repub- 
 lican writes: "In our retreat to Grand Ecore we 
 were not molested in the least " The correspondent 
 of the Chicago Tribune writes: "On Sunday and 
 Monday the entire Union army retreated in good 
 order to Grand Ecore without any molestation, the 
 rebels being evidently unable to follow us after their 
 defeat at Pleasant Hill." Here is also, evidence 
 drawn from the enemy; it is from a captured letter: 
 "That it was impossible for us to pursue Banks im- 
 mediately after Pleasant Hill (under four or five 
 days), can not be gainsaid. It was impossible, be- 
 cause we did not have transportation for supplies, and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 239 
 
 impossible because we had been beaten, demoralized, 
 paralyzed in the fight of the 9th/' Then, after de 
 scribing the battle, he continues: "Neither our cav- 
 alry nor that of the enemy did anything in this fight. 
 The next morning after sunrise, very much to our 
 surprise, we learned the enemy had retreated during 
 the night. Cavalry was immediately sent in pursuit 
 while the infantry was taken back to Mansfield for 
 organization, rest and supply." and he naively adds: 
 '•The enemy evidently considered himself whipped. 
 He ought to know." The only exception I take to 
 the above is that "neither our cavalry nor that of the 
 enemy did anything in this fight." For the almost 
 total annihilation of one of their cavalry regiments, 
 as already described by me, is a fact, witnessed by 
 too many to admit of contradiction. And as to their 
 "cavalry was immediately sent in pursuit," I can not 
 deny; but the fact remains, they did not overtake us, 
 ••capturing prisoners at every step." 
 
 IF A VICTORY, WHY DID THE VICTORS RETREAT? 
 
 Having whipped our enemy and driven him miles 
 from the battle-field, then to be ordered to run! We 
 could see no reason for it then and cannot yet, al- 
 though it may be true, as General Banks says in his 
 official report: "The occupation of Shreveport could 
 not have been maintained." But itis not the object of 
 this article to enter into the merits or otherwise of 
 General Banks' decision to retreat, for, of course, 
 there are two sides to every question, but do censure 
 him for leaving the dead unburied and the wounded 
 (i. e,, the greater part of them) to fall into the hands 
 of the enemy. If we had to retreat, why such haste? 
 Why not wait at least one day and care for the dead 
 
240 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 and dying? General Banks is hardly fair toward 
 General Smith in his official report. He says: "Gen- 
 eral Smith never declined co-operation with me. nor 
 did he receive orders from me." It may seem 'to 
 the prejudice of order and military discipline" for 
 me. a subordinate, to question the veracity of a com- 
 manding general, but when he says, "nor did he re- 
 ceive orders from me," I do call his veracity into 
 question. As I have shown. Colonel Shaw, of Gener- 
 al Smith's command, reported to General Emory for 
 duty at Pleasant Hill. As no one stood between 
 Generals Banks and Smith — that is, with any authori- 
 ty to command General Smith — who, but General 
 Banks could have ordered this? And in Colonel 
 Shaw's official report he says: "I was ordered to re- 
 port with my brigade to General Banks. By him I 
 was ordered to proceed to the front and report to 
 General Emory." etc. I could give many other in- 
 stances where General Smith did receive orders from 
 General Banks. From the moment he reported to 
 him at Alexandria he was under his orders and re- 
 ceived ihem and obeyed them every day while under 
 his command. To even imagine any other state of 
 affairs would be ridiculous and not tenable. When I 
 reach the cotton chapter of the expedition 1 will give 
 one instance where he questioned one of Banks' or- 
 ders; but that the circumstances fully justify him in 
 this, will be, I think, the verdict of all honest men. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Captain Burns* Story Of The Red River Cam- 
 paign Concluded. 
 
 Although the remainder of Captain Burns' ac- 
 count of the campaign of Red River does not partic- 
 ularly refer to the 32nd Iowa, yet many of the inci- 
 dents related by him. and his discussion of men and 
 movements serve to throw necessary light on the 
 subject. No apology is therefore needed for giving 
 it a place in this history. At first thought it might 
 be supposed that there was little relation in history 
 between the great fleet of Admiral Porter and the de- 
 tachment of the 16th Army Corps commanded by A. 
 J. Smith. But the facts are that these two forces, so 
 enti rely dissimilar, each of them independently co- 
 operating with Banks, had peculiar experiences. We 
 have already seen something of the embarrassments, 
 annoyances, and losses of the land forces under Gen- 
 eral Smith. Let one fancy, if his imagination be 
 equal to the occasion. Admiral Porter and his almost 
 incomparable array of war vessels, wallowing for 
 weeks in the miserable ditch that is properly called 
 Red River when it contains water, compelled to aban- 
 don and blow up his heaviest vessel, and enabled to 
 save the remainder through the aid and skill of land- 
 lubbers! No wonder the angry Admiral was incred- 
 ulous and disgusted when it was proposed that the 
 western * troops would bring him out of Red River 
 
 * Note. Some umv think that any comparison of troops 
 by reference to the different sections they represented is in 
 
242 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 as a lumberman would lift a raft over the shallows, 
 by damming. He is reported to have said, when this 
 was first proposed: "If damning Eed River would 
 float thelieet we would have no trouble ingoing eith- 
 er up or down !" 
 
 It may here be stated that the failure of Red 
 River to get up its customary Spring flood complete- 
 ly changed the expected conditions. The river had 
 not been so low at that season for many years. 
 Whether this might have been anticipated by a more 
 careful study of the conditions on the head waters of 
 the stream may not now be determined, but former 
 experiences gave the authorities confidence that a 
 fleet of heavy boats at this season would be an effec- 
 tive force. Instead, the necessity of extricating the 
 boats from the great, peril in which they were con- 
 trolled and delayed the movements of the troops for 
 a considerable time. 
 
 The story of Captain Burns continues: — 
 
 THE ARMY AT GRAND ECORE. 
 
 "I now resume from my journal. We arrived at 
 
 bad taste. It may be so. But consider the provocation. 
 The "Iron Brigade' 1 was placed at Pleasant Hill under com- 
 mand of General Emory. In his report he charges a West- 
 ern Brigade with bad conduct. His subordinate, Dwight, 
 by name, charges Colonel Shaw with fleeiug through his 
 (D wight's) lines in a demoralized condition. This charge 
 was made in the cool and calm formulation of an official re- 
 port, Dwight having already forgotten that when Shaw was 
 taking a new position by orders from his superiors, in 
 D wight's rear, that he (Dwight) immediately fell back to the 
 rear of Shaw, and said to the latter: "For God's sake don't 
 leave us here;— our men will not fight!" However unpleas- 
 ant all this may be the truth of History demands that these 
 things he recorded. Without such a record tlie story is in- 
 complete, is misleading, and therefore not true! 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 243 
 
 Grand Ecore on the llth and found that the gunboats 
 and transports had not returned from up the river. 
 Next day ( li'th) we heard the heavy guns of the for- 
 mer fighting their way back ( for. of course, when 
 the rebels sent in a flag of truce and found us gone, 
 they immediately went to the river to catch our boats,) 
 On the 13th the tiring was continued, and as we lis- 
 tened to the sounds of fighting between our forces 
 and the enemy, and wondered why we were not or- 
 dered to their assistance, our anxiety and impatience 
 at our inactivity was hard to endure. Colonel Shaw 
 came to our headquarters in the afternoon and asked 
 permission to go to the rescue. General Smith told 
 him he had no authority to send him and could get 
 no orders to go himself, and used strong, emphatic 
 language as to General Banks' lack of military abili- 
 ty. The Colonel then said he would like to go with- 
 out orders, and, as he received no positive orders to 
 the contrary, he took about 1,000 of his men and 
 started. As he was crossing the river he met Gen- 
 eral Banks, who asked him where he was going. He 
 replied: "To the rescue of our transports, troops, 
 supplies, etc., with General Kilby Smith." Gener- 
 al Banks then sent an order to General A. J. Smith 
 to follow with about 1,000 men. which he did. Up- 
 on our arrival at Campti (twelve or fifteen miles) we 
 found our boats, with the enemy on both banks; the 
 latter left at once. The boats had had a tough time 
 and presented a mixed appearance. Sacks of oats, 
 bales of hay, boxes of hard-tack, and every imagina- 
 ble or get at-able article piled up for breastworks. 
 We remained at Campti all night and returned to 
 Grand Ecore the next day. The fleet had a hazard- 
 
244 THIRTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 ous gauntlet to run in coming down the river, having 
 been attacked by Generals Liddell and Green with 
 several ihousand men. Green and about four- hund- 
 red and fifty men were left dead on the banks of the 
 river. The loss on the fleet was about fifty in killed 
 and wounded. For a graphic description of this 
 fight see General T. Kilby Smith's testimony on 
 pages 204 and 205 in Senate Documents, Second Ses- 
 sion, Thirty eighth Congress, volume 2. 
 
 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BANKS. 
 
 We remained at Grand Ecore eight days, being 
 detained by the navy. While there. Dr. N. R. Derby, 
 Medical Director on General Smith's staff, was sent 
 clown the river to Alexandria with our sick, and to 
 get medical supplies. The boat was fired upon and 
 the Doctor was struck by a bullet. For days his life 
 was despaired of, and he was never able to resume 
 his position. We were not much annoyed by the 
 enemy during our stay at Grand Ecore. That they 
 were about us and watching our movements we knew, 
 and one day rather a serious attempt to pry into our 
 camp having been made.and our cavalry being some- 
 what pressed — strange as it may appear — the caval- 
 ry were, by order of General Banks, ordered inside 
 our lines of defense, or stockade *. 
 
 General Banks says in his official report, of Gen- 
 eral Smith: "When his thirty days were up he 
 claimed the right at Grand Ecsore to return to Vick- 
 
 * Note:— There possibly was never anything more ab- 
 surd than the incident here mentioned . One can but smile, 
 after a third of a century has elapsed, over the memory of 
 seeing a body of cavalry massed, like so many cattle, inside 
 a stockade! for protection! ! 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 245 
 
 burg, irrespective of the condition of the army or the 
 tleet, and did not consider himself at all responsible 
 for the inevitable consequences of his withdrawal to 
 the army and navy, nor for that detention which 
 their preservation demanded. That responsibility I 
 was called upon to assume in written orders." It is 
 true, as above stated, that General Smith and his 
 command were loaned for thirty days, and that time 
 expired on April 10; and it is true that he was rest- 
 less' and anxious under "the then state of affairs," 
 but General Smith was too good a soldier to with- 
 draw his command and abandon the rest of the army 
 and navy to their destruction, when "their preserva- 
 tion demanded" his presence and support. Even if 
 Major Hoffman's statement as to the time and place 
 when General Smith asked for the arrest of General 
 Banks is true, it was not that the forces of General 
 Banks should be abandoned, but that they should be 
 "extricated." And when I reach Alexandria I will 
 show that it was General Banks who meditated the 
 abandonment of the fleet, and General Smith who as- 
 sured Admiral Porter that he would never abandon 
 him. 
 
 ARTILLERY AND FLAG SIGNALS. 
 
 On the 20th of April General Smith's command 
 marched out to Natchitoches (about four miles) and 
 encamped in line of battle. The object of this move- 
 ment was to hold the enemy back while General 
 Banks, with his army (or rather General Franklin, 
 who had now been placed in command by General 
 Banks) should move down the river toward Alexan- 
 dria, and as soon as the road should be clear General 
 Smith was to move and bring up the rear of the re- 
 
246 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 treating army. We remained in battle line nearly all 
 day of the 21st, while the Thirteenth and Nineteenth 
 corps were moving down the bank of the river. Dur- 
 ing this day (21st) an officer arrived at our head- 
 quarters and reported himself as a signal officer, with 
 orders to report to General Smith for duty. Gener- 
 al Smith's reply was a characteristic one: '"Well, 
 lieutenant, T am glad to see you; make yourself at 
 home; we have a pleasant family at headquarters and 
 I think you will enjoy yourself with us, but. really, I 
 don't think there will be any occasion for your sig- 
 nals. My signals will be my artillery, and that sound 
 can be heard easier than your flags can be seen.' T 
 The lieutenant looked at him as if he had found a 
 curiosity; but, of course, he remained with us in the 
 rear, and waved his flags as occasion demanded. 
 
 About dark (21st) we drew in our forces and fol- 
 lowed the army. We had with us a brigade of cav- 
 alry, under command of either Colonel Lucas, or 
 Colonel Dudley, I forget which; as, during our long 
 retreat, some days we had Colonel Lucas and other 
 days Colonel Dudley. After a six days' march, and 
 almost constant fighting, we re-arrived at Alexandria 
 on the 25th. On the 22nd, 23rd and 24th, the enemy 
 pressed us so closely that we had to form a regular- 
 line of battle and fight them. Each fight lasted an 
 hour or two and were quite brisk affairs, the enemy 
 being repulsed every time. The brunt of this fight- 
 ing fell to the lot of the Seventeenth corps, under 
 General T. Kilby Smith. On the 24th the rebels 
 opened upon us with artillery at 3 o'clock in the 
 morning, some of their shells bursting in our open- 
 air camp. About sunrise they made a furious attack, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 247 
 
 which was handsomely repelled, and was the last 
 real .stroke they made, as they were well punished 
 for disturbing- us at so early an hour. On the 23rd 
 General Franklin had a more serious affair in the ad- 
 vance than any one we had in the rear, as the rebels 
 contested his crossing- the Cane river. The enemy 
 followed us all the way to Alexandria and demonstrat- 
 ed just enough to keep our artillery and the cavalry 
 in "active service;" but we had no battle after the 
 24th. 
 
 AN OVATION TO GENEKAL SMITH. 
 
 Upon our arrival at Alexandria, as General Smith 
 rode to the front, after having kept in the rear for 
 six days and fighting one-half of them, he was greet- 
 ed with waving of hats, cheers and such shouts of 
 welcome and admiration as must have been most 
 gratifying. It was a perfect ovation, not only from 
 his own men, but from the men of the Thirteenth 
 and Nineteenth corps, right up to the tent of Gener- 
 al Banks. And his staff, although of minor import- 
 ance, as we galloped with him down that long line 
 of cheering men, were proud to belong to him, and 
 that we had endured the hardships and dangers of 
 the last few weeks with him. How refreshing it was 
 that night, when we retired to our tents and took off 
 our clothes, something we had not done for six 
 nights. 
 
 Owing to the low stage of the water in the river 
 it was very evident that the gunboats could not pass 
 over the falls at Alexandria, and between Admiral 
 Porter and General Banks it was decided that the 
 only way to save the fleet was to build a dam and 
 thereby raise the water on the falls, which skillful 
 
248 THIRTY SECOND liKGJMENT 
 
 feat of engineering was given to Lieutenant Colonel 
 Bailey (Fourth Wisconsin) to accomplish. Endeavor- 
 ing to limit this article to a narration of the part tak- 
 en by General Smith's troops in this campaign, it is 
 not for me to give a history of this grand achieve- 
 ment. It is well told in Admiral Porter's official re- 
 port. While referring to it. I would state that the 
 face of the immediate neighborhood underwent a 
 rapid transformation as the work progressed. As if 
 by mayic, brick sugar-mills and all available stone 
 and brick buildings and standing trees disappeared, 
 and regiments of soldiers and mules drew material of 
 every description to the river bank, where other regi- 
 ments of soldiers soon disposed of it, under the mas- 
 terly superintendency of Lieutenant Colonel Bailey. 
 
 During our encampment at Alexandria the divi- 
 sion of the Seventeenth corps crossed the river and 
 encamped for a few days on the grounds of the Uni- 
 versity of Louisiana, of which institution General 
 Sherman was president at the breaking out of the 
 rebellion. General Franklin left us at Alexandria 
 and General Banks again- took command of the army. 
 The enemy were now all about us and our troops 
 were camping and sleeping in line of battle; the riv- 
 er was blockaded below and the enemy were captur- 
 ing and destroying steamers. Admiral Porter also 
 lost three of his gunboats — one, the "Eastport," he 
 was obliged to blow up, as he could not get it down 
 to Alexandria. On the 4th of May, General Smith's 
 command advanced out to ex-Governor Moore's plan- 
 tation, where they had a skirmish with the enemy, 
 and driving him two or three miles we again made 
 our camp on the ex-Governor's plantation, where we 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 249 
 
 had daily skirmishing during our stay. General 
 Smith and staff were out there every day, sometimes 
 remaining over night and sometimes riding in to 
 Alexandria in the evening, sleeping on our head- 
 quarter steamer, and then rode out again early in the 
 morning. 
 
 AN ENEMY'S VIEW OF THE SITUATION. 
 
 What a sad picture was now to be seen, where 
 all was beauty and luxury when we first saw it in 
 March. Governor Moore was with his friends furth- 
 er South, and while fighting over his plantation one 
 day, his wife was advised to leave, and as she left 
 her house the tears came to her eyes as she said: 
 -•Good-bye, once happy home." Who made it an un- 
 happy home? We all concluded that it was her hus- 
 band, as the natural result of treason. Living far in 
 the interior of "Dixie," as he did, he undoubtedly 
 thought war's desolation would never reach his 
 •'happy home." Three years had passed away, and 
 he was an exile— his family leaving their home; the 
 flag he insulted and defied waving over the ruins of 
 his "once happy home." Was it not a just retribu- 
 tion? 
 
 We were now entirely cut off from the outside 
 world, the blockade of the river being most effectual. 
 A large mail for us was captured and destroyed on 
 one of the transports. General Banks would not let 
 us go out in force and give the enemy battle, having 
 issued positive orders not to bring on a general en- 
 gagement, which order caused a good deal of anima- 
 ted ( but private )discussion. It is appropriate at this 
 point to quote again from the letter of the Southern 
 
250 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 soldier already quoted from: "The enemy showed 
 less enterprise than I have ever known them to evince. 
 Banks is clearly no commander. Once or twice while 
 he was at Alexandria, the posture of our forces was 
 such that by a sure and comparatively safe move- 
 ment of ten thousand men he might have insured, be- 
 yond peradventure, the capture of Polignac's divi- 
 sion. He must have been in the main aware of the 
 position and strength of our forces. Along with the 
 hope of accomplishing his main purpose he seems to 
 have given up all desire to acquit himself with any 
 credit."' 
 
 THE CASE AGAINST BANKS. 
 
 We, too, thought General Banks had "given up 
 all desire to acquit himself with any credit," and 
 showed an unaccountable lack of enterprise. Of 
 course, we knew nothing as to the certain result 
 above predicted, of the "sure and comparatively safe 
 movement of ten thousand men." But having about 
 that number General Smith, having his hands tied 
 by the order not to bring on a general engagement, 
 and being obliged in conformity with it to sit down 
 quietly on Governor Moore's plantation, and simply 
 sweep away the enemy when too closely reconnoiter- 
 ing our position, might be excused for giving vent to 
 his feelings in unmistakable language, at such a new 
 phase of military life. 
 
 I have stated that when I reached Alexandria I 
 w T ould show that it was General Banks, not General 
 Smith, who meditated the abandonment of the fleet. 
 Dr. Staples (who, owing to the wound of Dr. Derby, 
 already spoken of, was now acting medical director 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 251 
 
 on General Smith's staff) writes me as follows: 
 
 '"One day, when the wing dams were about half 
 completed. General Smith asked me to accompany 
 him to General Emory's quarters. They were soon 
 engaged in earnest conversation, and I heard Emory 
 say there was a bad outlook; that General Banks had 
 just informed him that Colonel Bailey thought it 
 would take a week longer to get the fleet over the 
 falls, and Banks was very uneasy and seriously con- 
 templated abandoning the fleet to its fate and march- 
 ing away. General Smith replied, with some Anglo- 
 Saxon, more forcible than polite, that he wouldn't 
 leave Admiral Porter until that locality, from which 
 we all hope to escape, had frozen over. We went 
 from General Emory's to Admiral Porter's boat, and 
 General Smith told the Admiral what he had just 
 heard, and assured him that orders, or no orders, his 
 command should not leave the fleet until they saw it 
 safe through to the Mississippi river. Admiral Por- 
 ter replied that he was not surprised to hear such 
 news, as he had been anticipating as much. He ex- 
 pressed much gratitude for General Smith's proffers 
 of aid, and declared that if the expedition had been 
 under his commaud it would not have failed." 
 
 A SUCCESS AS A SPECULATION. 
 
 I have now come to a subject which requires 
 delicate handling, but even a historical sketch of the 
 Red river campaign cannot well be written without a 
 reference to it. As the expedition had been a decid- 
 ed failure in a military point of view, so it was a 
 
 great success as a cotton speculation. It was difficult 
 
 for us to believe that which our eyes saw, but it was 
 
252 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 the expressed and indignant belief of many in the 
 army that something was wrong in the manipulation 
 of cotton now being enacted before our eyes. We all 
 saw an immense amount of bagging and rope up- 
 on the steamer "Black Hawk" (General Banks' 
 headquarter boat) when it arrived at Alexandria, 
 and it was then said it was for cotton. And during 
 our occupancy of Alexandria on our retreat, I myself 
 saw steamers loaded with cotton and sent down the 
 river under the protection of the hospital flag, and 
 Lieutenant Pannes (ordnance officer on General 
 Smith's staff) sends me the following extract from 
 his diary: 
 
 April 29, 1864. — Cotton is being loaded on the 
 boats by General Banks' order. Even the hospital 
 boat Superior is used for that purpose; went out with 
 Capl. Burns to convince myself of that fact. 
 
 May 1. — The three cotton boats returned, having 
 been fired into. 
 
 In a letter written by Colonel Shaw, who was ac 
 this time with his brigade at Governor Moore's plan- 
 tation, he says: — 
 
 ' The ostensible purpose of occupying this posi- 
 tion w as the securing of forage, but as scarcely any 
 was procured and several thousand bushels of corn 
 were carelessly burned, it was thought a somewhat 
 suspicious circumstance that a large ginning estab- 
 lishment, which was covered by our lines, was turn- 
 ing out some fifteen or twenty bales of cotton per day. 
 But whether well founded or not, the impression 
 was well nigh universal that army movements were 
 controlled to a considerable extent by the cotton in- 
 terest. Such a state of affairs was most demoraliz- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 253 
 
 lug and disheartening-." 
 
 From our first entrance into the Red river coun- 
 try we had been daily hearing reports which seemed 
 too preposterous for belief; reports that an under- 
 standing existed between somebody and somebody 
 else that there was to be no fighting on this cam- 
 paign, but that the Southern army was to fall back 
 gradually as our army advanced and gathered up the 
 cotton, for which, in some way not explained, the 
 Southerners were to be paid. Also that Generals A. 
 J. Smith and Dick Taylor, not having been inform- 
 ed of this secret, and both being fighting men, had en- 
 tered the campaign to fight when it became neces- 
 sary, and General Smith's capture of Port DeRussey 
 and Dick Taylor's forcing the fight at Sabine Cross- 
 roads had upset the calculations of the different 
 somebodys. This report of a secret understanding 
 was reiterated day after day until it was believed by 
 many to be true, but many more of us were incredu- 
 lous until we witnessed this strange shipment of cot- 
 ton under the hospital flag, which was either a gross 
 deception under the sacredness of a hospital flag or 
 the carrying out of a bargain. 
 
 AN INCORRUPTIBLE GENERAL. 
 
 Tn all this, how General Smith's character stood 
 outclnar and incorruptible; he was the thorough sol- 
 dier and would have nothing to do with anything ex- 
 cept a soldier's duty, not even permitting cotton to 
 be placed on his transports when they descended the 
 river. It was in this connection that the feelings of 
 antagonism between Generals Banks and Smith had 
 about reached its culminating point, and an irrecon- 
 
2.54 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 cilable explosion would have taken place between 
 them if General Banks had insisted upon the enforce- 
 ment of his order, which order was, according to my 
 recollection, that General Smith should turn over to 
 him (Banks) his fleet of transports for the purpose of 
 transporting cotton down the river. This order Gen- 
 eral Smith would not obey. Lieutenant Pannes 
 agrees with me. He writes: — 
 
 4- My recollection of the order of General Banks 
 to General Smith, at Alexandria, on our retreat, to 
 turn over his transports to Banks for the purpose of 
 loading up with cotton, is that, the matter was talk- 
 ed over a irood deal; that Smith was very indignant 
 and emphatic in his expressions about it. General 
 T. Kilby Smith reports: General Smith gave orders 
 that no cotton should be placed upon his boats for 
 any purpose whatever; and, if my memory serves 
 me right he refused most positively to obey an order 
 in that behalf, with the remark that while he con 
 trolled transports they should not be used for the 
 transportation of cotton." 
 
 Colonel Shaw has a different version. He writes 
 me: — 
 
 '"My recollection of the order is that Banks sent 
 an order to Smith to receive on board of his boats 
 the supplies belonging to Banks' army (or that part 
 of it not including Smith's command); that General 
 Smith returned the order with the endorsement that 
 he was ready to reeeive any government supplies on 
 his boats as soon as the boats under Banks' orders 
 discharged their loads of cotton, held on privale ac- 
 count, and then, if he (Banks) could not take all his 
 supplies, he would do what he could to assist him." 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 255 
 
 The report of this "disobedience of orders" 
 reached our troops at Governor Moore's plantation, 
 with this addition, that General Banks had put Gen- 
 eral Smith under arrest, and next morning, as we 
 rode out there and came to the troops, exchanging 
 shots with the enemy, we noticed the men looked at 
 us with much scrutiny and spoke to each other in 
 angry and excited tones. It was so marked that we 
 were puzzled. Evidently something had happened 
 of which we were ignorant. It seemed to portend a 
 mutiny — more attention was paid to us than to the 
 enemy. We soon learned the cause; it was this ru- 
 mor of General Smith's arrest, and that morning 
 when he made his appearance he (as often happened 
 before, but with no such rumor to excite the men 
 and cause them to notice its absence) did not wear 
 his sabre, which, to the soldiers, was proof positive 
 that the report was true. They were soon informed 
 that there was no truth in it, and the cheers that 
 then went up were ample proof to the General of the 
 love his men had for him. 
 
 ROOM FOR COTTON, BUT NOT FOR TROOPS. 
 
 General T. Kilby Smith reports that when he 
 was ordered to proceed to Springfield Landing with 
 the transports lie applied to one of the quartermas- 
 ters of the Department of the Gulf for permission to 
 place some of his troops on one of his boats, but was 
 refused because the room was needed for cotton. To 
 show General A. J. Smith's utter detestation of this 
 cotton mania, I will relate an incident: I reported 
 to him one day that there was a cotton mill inside 
 our lines tilled with cotton belonging to a man who 
 was a cavalry olti^r in the Sjuthern army, and who, 
 
256 THIRTY SECOND LibXJlMENT 
 
 during General Banks' occupancy of the country a 
 year or two before, had claimed to he a Union man 
 and, as such, had received protection. He told me 
 to go to Captain Hough (his adjutant general) and 
 tell him to issue me an order to burn it. I did so, 
 and the Captain handed me a box of matches with- 
 out saying a word, but with a significant twinkle in 
 his eye. I returned to the General, and showing 
 hin? the matches, told him that was my order. He 
 looked at me and said: "Go and execute your or- 
 der," which I did. I do not mean to say that no cot- 
 ton was taken except by the army, for the navy took 
 possession of a large quantity. 
 
 The dam being finished, on the morning of May 
 13 a sight was witnessed in Alexandria which can 
 never be forgotton by those who stood on the banks 
 of Red river. A sight, novel and exciting — the pas- 
 sage of the gunboats over the falls. As they passed 
 one by one through the narrow gap between the two 
 wings of the dam, where the water was rushing and 
 seething, and plunged down over the falls, each one 
 as it reached a place of safety below, being cheered 
 by thousands of soldiers who lined the hanks, was a 
 grand sight, and was not only appreciated by us for 
 its novelty, etc., but also because it set us free, and 
 we could now shake off the feeling of depression, hu- 
 miliation and wasting of time under which we were 
 living. During this day (lHth) the advance of Gen- 
 eral Banks' army left Alexandria by the river road. 
 As they were leaving a fire broke out in the city 
 which destroyed a large part of it, although every 
 effort was made to extinguish it by the officers, sol- 
 diers and citizens. General Smith and staff remain- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 257 
 
 ed in Alexandria until late in the afternoon, then 
 rode out to Governor Moore's, where his troops were 
 still spread out like a fan. keeping the enemy at bay. 
 We remained there in camp that night and early next 
 morning took up our line of march so as to fall in 
 the rear of General Banks' column. As we marched 
 down the bank of ihe river — side by side with the 
 boats — we were fired at occasionally from the oppo- 
 site bank, but not much harm ensued. 
 
 BOARDING THE FLEET. 
 
 On the loth the whole column came to a halt — 
 the enemy had appeared in front in force, and the 
 propects of a fight was good — and orders came back 
 from General Banks to General Smith to bring his 
 command to the front. As the Thirteenth and Nine- 
 teenth corps drew off on the left of the road we pass- 
 ed to the front, and while doing so many jokes were 
 passed between the soldiers of the different corps at 
 this "change of base." When we reached the front 
 we found the cavalry skirmishing with and driving 
 the enemy. As it was now about dark, we went into 
 camp half way between Fort DeRussey and Marks- 
 ville. Captain Hough and I rode down to the ruins 
 of the fort and there found a gunboat from the Miss- 
 issippi river (our own fleet not having arrived.) We 
 were gladly welcomed on board and spent a very 
 pleasant hour with the officers, giving them the news 
 from the interior and receiving news from the out- 
 side world. 
 
 Next morning, as we entered upon the beautiful 
 open prairie ( Avoyelle.) the cavalry drove the ene- 
 my's pickets through Marksville, and we found the 
 
258 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 enemy posted in the edge of the woods bordering 
 this prairie, from which they opened upon us with 
 twelve or fifteen pieces of artillery. Our whole force 
 (from 20,000 to 25,000 men. having been increased 
 by the garrison of Alexandria and reinforcements) 
 were brought out in battle line on the prairie — Gen- 
 eral Emory on the left and General Smith on the 
 light. Our artillery replied, and for two or three 
 hours there was as lively an artillery duel as one 
 would wish to see. We were ahout one mile apart 
 and. although shot and shell flew unpleasantly near, 
 yet very few persons were killed or wounded. As 
 our forces slowly advanced and changed position 
 from time to time-all in plain view- — it was the 
 grandest battle scene, without its horrors, I ever saw. 
 As we neared the woods and sent out skirmishers, 
 among them were some Indians from a Minnesota or 
 Wisconsin regiment, who were unerring shots with 
 the rifle. Whether it was the result of their skill or 
 the artillery practice. I don't know; but the enemy 
 fled and swung around to our rear and our army re- 
 sumed its march, General Smith falling in his old 
 place — the rear. We had no further annoyance from 
 our foe that day. Next day (17th ) however, they 
 made their appearance, and once they pressed us so 
 hard that General Smith halted his men, formed a 
 battle line and received them with his artillery, but 
 after a few shots they passed out of sight. That af- 
 ternoon we arrived and encamped at the fort on Yel- 
 low bayou, within three miles of Simmsport. on the 
 Atchafalaya river, and as we were going into camp 
 we heard of the removal of General Banks from his 
 command, having been superseded by General Can- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 259 
 
 by since so treacherously murdered by the Modoc 
 Indians. 
 
 THE ''PRINCE GENERAL'S" MISTAKE. 
 
 The advance, under General Banks, having ar- 
 rived at Simmsport. and there being no bridge over 
 the Atchafalaya, Lieutenant Colonel Bailey (who 
 built the dam at Alexandria) at once proceeded to 
 improvise a bridge from the transports, which had 
 also arrived there. The river at that point is about 
 •one-third of a mile in width. Transports sufficient 
 in number to span the river were placed side by side 
 and fastened together by ropes, etc., -and across their 
 decks the army marched. This "bridge" was finish- 
 ed on the 19th and the advance passed over that af- 
 ternoon. In the meantime (on the 18th) General 
 Smith's command was in battle line at Yellow bayou, 
 and during that afternoon the enemy, under Prince 
 Polignac. made the most impetuous, spirited attack 
 upon us that had been made during the whole cam- 
 paign. It seemed to be, and was their last dying 
 effort; but for dash and spirit it equalled any attack 
 of General Forrest, who w r as well known for his im- 
 petuosity. 
 
 The "Prince General" undoubtedly thought we 
 were in a trap, and a bold fight on his part would 
 furnish them with prisoners and material of war 
 enough to well repay the Confederate army for their 
 long rear chase, but most wofully were they disap 
 pointed. General Smith was at Simmsport, and not 
 in the tight. General Mower was in command of 
 our troops and the battle of Yellow Bayou was his 
 fight, and well did he sustain his reputation as a 
 fighting general. I cannot speak of this battle from 
 
260 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 personal experience, as I was with General Smith at 
 Simmsport, witnessing the building of the "bridge 
 of boats." Word did not reach us that there was 
 fighting until nearly dark, the sound of artillery etc., 
 having been deadened by the noise of bridge building, 
 although once or twice we thought we heard artillery 
 tiring. We then rode out to the bayou, but the fight 
 was over, and the battlefield was lighted up by 
 about one-half acre of tall dead pine trees on fire from 
 the bursting of one of our caissons, which had been 
 exploded by one of the enemy's shells. We had lost 
 about two hundred and fifty men killed and wounded 
 and had taken two hundred and twenty prisoners. 
 Among our wounded was Colonel Lynch, Fifty-eighth 
 Illinois, commanding a brigade, whom we passed on 
 our way to the bayou, coming in in an ambulance 
 with one leg crushed by a ball. The number of our 
 killed and wounded (two hundred and fifty) in the 
 short space of an hour or two, is good evidence of 
 the fierceness of the attack and the desperate re- 
 ception they met.ending in the repulse of the enemy, 
 who were driven from the field with a loss of about 
 four hundred and fifty men killed and wounded, in 
 addition to the prisoners captured. 
 
 ACROSS THE ARKANSAS LINE. 
 
 General Smith's troops remained at Yellow bayou 
 during the 19th, while the Army of the Gulf crossed 
 the Atchafalaya, and on the UOth the Army of the 
 Tennessee crossed over, after which the bridge dis- 
 solved into boats again, and started for the Missis- 
 sippi river to meet us. As we reached the east bank 
 of the Atchafalaya I saw for the first time General 
 Canby, our new commander, and also heard the good 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 261 
 
 news that General Smith had been commissioned a 
 major general. 
 
 On the 2 1st we marched over the strip of land 
 between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers, 
 where we met our boats, and on the 22d were on our 
 way to Vicksburg, where we arrived on the 24th — 
 the Thirteenth and Nineteenth corps in the mean- 
 time going to New Orleans. As we were too late to 
 carry out the plans of General Sherman, as contem- 
 plated when we were loaned for thirty days, we re- 
 mained at Vicksburg resting after our rough and ar- 
 duous campaigning of ten weeks of incessant work, 
 until June 4. when General Marmaduke. having 
 planted batteries at Columbia, one hundred and fifty 
 miles above Vicksburg, and was interrupting the 
 navigation of the Mississippi, General Smith was or- 
 dered by General Slocum (who was in command at 
 Vicksburg) to dislodge him on our way to Memphis, 
 where we were now going. 
 
 As this was one of those outside battles, so in- 
 significant as compared with the many then being 
 fought throughout our country, that I have scarcely 
 seen a reference to it in print, and yet so important 
 to those enaa^ed in it, I refer to it simply as an ad- 
 denda to the Red River Expedition. We parted with 
 General T. Kilby Smith and his command of twenty- 
 tive hundred men at Vicksburg, as they remained 
 there. On June 4, we left Vicksburg and arrived at 
 or near Columbia on the evening of the 5th, disem- 
 barked and bivouacked for the night. Marmaduke, 
 in the meantime, withdrawing his batteries and 
 
 troops from the bank of the Mississippi and falling 
 
*62 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 back into the interior. This was in the southeastern 
 counly of Arkansas. 
 
 A HOT FIGHT WITH MARMADUKE. 
 
 On the morning of the 6th we started in pursuit 
 — it was then raining hard — and soon found our ene- 
 my in a good position for checking our advance, on 
 the bank of a beautiful little lake (Lake Chicot) along 
 which the road wound. Our troops were at once 
 spread out in line of battle and artillery and musket- 
 ry firing commenced, and for two hours the work of 
 death went on. We could see the Confederate am- 
 bulances passing to and fro over their field, carrying 
 off the wounded. Some of their shots striking the 
 lake, performed a series of ricochets, bounding away 
 over the surface until lost to view, throwing up a 
 line of water-spouts in their progress. There was 
 no particular manceuvering in,this battle — it was a 
 fair stand up fight, opened by artillery on both sides, 
 and so continuing with the musketry firing of our in- 
 fantry, who gradually worked up to the enemy and 
 drove them from their position, when they fled, not 
 again to stand. We had about thirty killed and sev- 
 enty wounded, and Marmaduke probably about the 
 same number. 
 
 Once during the progress of the fight General 
 Smith and staff got into an exceedingly dangerous 
 position, in the direct focus of a battery of three 
 guns. Simultaneously their balls came; a 12 pound 
 shot struck at our horses' heels, another passed with 
 a fearful ring under their necks, striking the ground 
 at their feet, splashing both horses and riders with 
 mud, and at the same second of time a shell burst di- 
 rectly above our heads. When the next discharge 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 265 
 
 from this battery came, we were about one hundred 
 yards out of range watching the contestants. 
 
 After driving the enemy from our path, burying 
 our dead and gathering up our wounded, we marched 
 t o Lake City, quite a pretty village, on the bank of 
 Lake Chicot, where we encamped for the night. 
 Next day we marched to our boats again and arrived 
 at Memphis on the evening of the 9th, from which 
 point we entered upon the Tupelo campaign. 
 
 Note: — On page 204, in the first paragragh, the 
 turning point in the battle of Pleasant Hill is not em- 
 phasized as it might properly have been. Inadver- 
 tently in the printing, also, there are two typograph- 
 ical errors, "Northwest" should read "Northeast;" 
 and in the 5th line of the note the w T ord "along" 
 should read ''alone." 
 
 The 58thIllinois was under the command of Lt. 
 Colonel Nowlan, — and Colonel Lynch commanded 
 the brigade. For that reason it must be understood 
 that reference to "Lynch" really means his regiment, 
 the 58th Illinois. The reader is respectfully referred 
 to the several reports of Colonel Lynch and Lieut. 
 Colonel Nowlan. in explanation of the important 
 part taken by that regiment, as briefly stated on page 
 204. These, and many other interesting documents 
 are to be found in Volume 34 of the Official Records 
 of the Union and Confederate Armies. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 Sergeant Boyd's Narrative; Marching Down 
 Red River, to Alexandria. 
 
 The diary of Sergeant Boyd is now resumed. 
 At the risk of some repetition his story, which was 
 biokenoff on page 143, is again brought into play. 
 The narrative of Captain Burns relates generally to 
 the movements of General Smith's command, while 
 that of Sergeant Boyd applies more particularly to 
 the Regiment. They supplement each other. Each 
 tells of what he saw from his separate point of ob- 
 servation. Boyd tells of the days at Grand Ecore^ 
 and afterwards, as follows: 
 
 "Lines of defense were established on the bluffs 
 of Grand Ecore and preparations made for battle. 
 The skirmishing indicated that the enemy either in- 
 tended to attack us in force, or was making a feint 
 while hurling his main force against the fleet, and 
 that part of our command under T. Kilby Smith. 
 
 The boom ! boom ! of distant cannonading up 
 the river indicated lively work in that direction. 
 
 The fight at "Blair's Landing" was in progress, 
 where the rebel general. Green, the idol of the Tex- 
 an troops, had his head blown off in the attack on 
 the gunboats. 
 
 That night a pontoon bridge" was -put down on 
 the river, and early on the morning of the 13th we 
 were again in motion. Two brigades and two bat- 
 teries of A. J. Smith's command crossed the river 
 and marched up on the north side, above Campte, 
 (20 miles), to reinforce Kilby Smith in c efence of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 265 
 
 the fleet. 
 
 The river here is very narrow and tortuous, and 
 
 the bluffs along the banks, the timber and matted 
 growth of underbrush, together with the little lakes 
 or lagoons back from the river made grand hiding 
 places for the enemy's masked batteries and sharp- 
 shooters, and a difficult place for anything like a 
 large body of troops to operate. 
 
 A number of our gunboats and transports were 
 aground, sticking fast, while the enemy's masked 
 batteries and sharpshooters were pouring into them 
 an incessant fire. At our approach their batteries 
 were withdrawn. During the afternoon there was 
 some lively skirmishing, and at night we bivouack- 
 ed near Campte; and next day skirmished with the 
 rebel sharpshooters until we saw the stripes and 
 stars floating in the breeze from the mast head of the 
 headquarters boat. Black Hawk, as she came floating 
 down stream; the fleet having escaped from the des- 
 perate attempt of the recklessly daring Green. 
 
 The steamer Black Hawk and some of the other 
 transports were thoroughly riddled. The soldiers 
 were mainly on the hurricane decks, protected by 
 cotton bales, bales of hay and sacks of oats covered 
 with soldier blankets, upon which they had turned 
 the hose of the steamboats, to keep the whole 
 thoroughly wet. thus making an effective breastwork; 
 but their decks looked like butcher pens. 
 
 On the night of the 14th returned, re-crossed the 
 river and camped again on the ridge of Grand Ecore. 
 
 On the 16th. the time for which Smith's com 
 
266 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 mand had been loaned by Sherman to Banks expired. 
 General Sherman sent a bearer of dispatches to re- 
 call Smith's divisions, but Commodore Porter raised 
 his voice against its departure on the ground that 
 Smith's men had full confidence in their officers, and 
 his recall would result in the remainder of the army 
 retreating with great loss; and officers of the navy 
 testified before Ben Wade's committee on the con- 
 duct of the war. that the officers of Smith's command 
 were the only ones on the expedition who had the 
 entire confidence of their men. General Banks in 
 his answering dispatch said. "The withdrawal of 
 Gen. A. J. Smith's command will place my force and 
 the navy at the mercy of the enemy." General 
 Banks countermanded the order of return. 
 
 On the morning of the 19th w r e were called out 
 into line of battle at 4 o'clock. It was very evident 
 that great efforts were bein<4 made to bring on a bat 
 tie, or not to bring on a battle, as apparent advan- 
 tages might indicate. 
 
 On the 20th we had orders to be ready to move 
 against the enemy at noon; moved out on the Natchi- 
 toches road near old "Camp Salubrity*' where Gen- 
 eral Grant was camped in May, 1*44, previous to 
 the Mexican war. Here came the repori that the en 
 emy was in strong force; that our cavalry was being 
 driven in. The order came, "Have the men stand to 
 their arms and be ready." But no enemy came and we 
 marched to Natchitoches and again formed line of 
 battle. General Smith was desirous to bring on a 
 general and decisive engagement. 
 
 It was evident even to the soldier of the line 
 that there were checking and counter-checking move- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 267 
 
 men is. During the night of the 20th and until mid- 
 night of the 21st was spent in line of battle, forming 
 and reforming and changing positions. At one time 
 we formed a hollow square to guard against cavalry, 
 and again prepared to receive charge of infantry. 
 About 1 o'clock at night we fell into line, marched 
 through the narrow, filthy streets of the city, and 
 crossed Cane river, wading and stepping on the large 
 stones to the island between Cane river and Red riv- 
 er. In fact, Cane river is only an old channel of Red 
 river. Some thirty years before our visit among the 
 beauties of Louisiana Red river became rampant, im- 
 pregnated with the idea of secession. She seceded 
 from some of her old land marks, and starting off at 
 Grand Ecore. left Natchitoches four miles off on 
 land, and continued to make a new route, until she 
 left an island forty five miles in length between the 
 old and new channels. Down this island was the 
 main, and I think the only good road, leading to 
 Alexandria, and hence it was now to be the scene of 
 contest. Where the road crosses the river out of the 
 island is known as "Cane River Hill." or "Monot's 
 Bluffs." The maneuvering of the enemy doubtless 
 was to hold us at Natchitoches while he threw a 
 force in advance to take possession of and fortify 
 Monot's Bluffs, a strong force under the rebel Gener- 
 al Bee having been sent forward for that purpose; 
 but Generals Emory and Birge, with portions of the 
 18th and 19th Corps, had also been sent in advance, 
 while A. J. Smith was left to take care of the rear. 
 The French Prince, Polignac, the friend and emis- 
 sary of Napoleon III, of France, was left to pounce 
 upon Smith. 
 
£68 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 21st, we were 
 on the island on the hill overlooking Natchitoches. 
 By 6 o'clock we were on the move. Bat here was 
 Polignac's cavalry and skirmishers, and hence we 
 had to fall back, form into line, and a day spent in 
 skirmishing, without any general engagement, and 
 then came an all night's inarch. The 22d was a day 
 of skirmishing and night marching. After repuls- 
 ing the enemy in several sharp skirmishes, we pull- 
 ed out for a night's march making 32 miles without 
 a halt by 3 o'clock a. m. The night of the 23d we 
 camped in line ef battle near a little village called 
 Cloutiei-ville. We laid down upon our arms, with 
 orders to be ready to spring to our guns at any mo- 
 ment. The men were soon sound asleep, with their 
 guns by their sides, or else with their feet to their 
 gun stacks: in fact, the men were completely worn 
 out for want of rest and sleep. 
 
 About 2 a. m. Polignac sent his compliments to 
 to our camp in the shape of a 32-pound shell, that fell 
 and bursted just in front of the 32d Iowa, the pieces, 
 flying over us, and hurting no one. The men were 
 quickly on their feet with guns in hand, and moving" 
 by the right flank to check a flank movement of the 
 enemy. The firing of six cannons in rapid succes- 
 sion was said to be a signal from Polignac to Bee 
 that he had attacked Smith, but Birge had already 
 forded Cane river three miles above MonotV Bluffs 
 and was taking Bee in the rear. Matters were now 
 decidedly warm in both our front and rear. Polig- 
 nac, after several hours of sharp fighting and sever- 
 al dashing attempts to turn our flanks, got worsted 
 and fell back, and we were ordered to stack arms, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 269 
 
 make coffee, and get some breakfast, but be ready to 
 take arms at any moment. The coffee was not swal- 
 lowed before the attack was renewed, and shot and 
 shell were flying neat 1 enough to make it interesting, 
 Amidst the zip of minnie balls and boom of artillery 
 was heard the command of our officers: ''Thirty- 
 second Iowa ! Into line ! Quick ! Quick ! By the 
 right flank ! Forward ! Quick ! Double Quick !" 
 as the regiment moved on double quick by the right 
 flank to check an attempt of the enemy to turn our 
 right flank. The enemy then made a charge to 
 break our center, and the 32nd was moved on double 
 quick to support the center, and after several more 
 hours of sharp fighting and attempts to turn our 
 flanks or break our center, the "Prince of France" 
 getting worsted, fell back. General Bee being dis- 
 lodged from Monot's Bluff, we resumed our retreat, 
 and as we crossed Cane river hill bridge we could 
 see strong evidence that the enemy had suffered se- 
 verely, and our own side was not without loss. It 
 was here that Gen. Fessenden, of Maine, was severe- 
 ly wounded. 
 
 Marching again until late in the night brought 
 us to Bayou Cotile, where the regiment I'ested until 
 noon, next day. 
 
 Just then a rebel line of battle presented itself 
 in full view in the timber on a slight eminence above 
 us. and opened fire with heavy artillery, when our 
 gunboats at the landing promptly replied, the first 
 shell exploding in their line. The march that day 
 was along near the river bank under the protection 
 of the gunboats, the shot and shell from their artil- 
 lery and our gunboats at times flying both ways over 
 
270 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 us. At limes we halted and formed into line to re- 
 sist an attack, and then marching again until in the 
 night. 
 
 On the 26th, the command was again called out 
 before daylight by cannonading and picket skirmish- 
 ing. Most of the day was a continual skirmish, 
 marching and countermarching, harassed by caval- 
 ry. At one time we turned off into the timber to let 
 the enemy's cavalry pass that we might close in be- 
 hind them, but failed. That night we reached Alex- 
 andria, a worn down set of men." 
 
 CHATTER XXVII 
 
 At Alexandria; Skirmishing; Damming Red 
 
 River, At The Palls; Retreat To Simms- 
 
 port; Battle op Yellow Bayou; Good 
 
 Bye To Red River. [As Told By 
 
 Sergeant Boyd.] 
 
 "About noon on the 28th came the report that the 
 pickets of the 18th Army Corps were driven in; and 
 that the enemy was advancing on Alexandria. About 
 3 o'clock p. m. our Brigade was ordered out in haste, 
 and marched out about four miles to a plantation 
 from which the 13th Army Corps had fallen back. 
 We found that forage and sutler goods had been act- 
 ually fired, and bread, blankets, and clothing thrown 
 into wells on the plantation. We rescued a large 
 amount of clothing and provisions. All signs would 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 271 
 
 indicate that the 13th Corps had actually stampeded. 
 Our Brigade lay all night in line of battle with 
 guns by our sides, and our friends at the north may 
 not believe that in the morning the ground was cov- 
 ered with frost. About sunrise we heard a toot ! 
 toot ! and looking up saw a train loaded with cot- 
 ton, coming not far from us, which shot into Alex- 
 andria. Then what was the scare? The next morn- 
 ing returned to camp at Alexandria. 
 
 On the 80th a part of our command was sent to 
 bivouac at the State Military Academy, of which 
 General Sherman was Principal when the war broke 
 out. 
 
 On the 2nd of May, moved out on the Bayou 
 Rapides road. The advance had some lively skirm- 
 ishing — lay all night in battle line with guns at hand. 
 
 On the 3d moved down some miles to Governor 
 Moore's plantation, threw out a skirmish line and 
 drove the enemy's pickets in, remained in line of 
 battle all day, and at night fell back to a stronger 
 position, lying m line all night with guns at hand, 
 to be ready at any moment. A little after daylight, 
 on the 4th the enemy opened fire; and shot and shell 
 flew lively. Our command was quickly moved for- 
 ward and the tire returned; the enemy driven from 
 his position, leaving a number of his dead on the 
 field. The 5th w T as spent in sharp skirmishing. most- 
 ly by the cavalry. 
 
 The loth, was another day of maneuvering and 
 skirmishing. At one time in moving in line of bat- 
 tle over an open field, the enemy sent their shot and 
 shell with great rapidity, but they were firing at 
 long range and kept falling back as our line advanc- 
 
272 THIRTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 ed. A portion of the time we moved in echelon and 
 ready to move into any position necessary to receive 
 or make a charge. Our officers seemed very desir- 
 ous to bring on a general engagement somewhere in 
 the vicinity of Alexandria. 
 
 On the 7th moved a short distance to Governor 
 Wells' plantation; and in the evening fell back to 
 Governor Moore's plantation. Still some skirmish- 
 ing. On the 8th all was quiet, in front but our forag- 
 ers were driven in. 
 
 The destruction of Gov. Moore's fine peach or- 
 chard was a military necessity. The old traitor 
 should not have had it between the two contending 
 armies. In fact his whole premises presented a 
 scene of desolation, in striking contrast with what, 
 they were less thau a month before. 
 
 On the 11th, the whole line was called out in bat- 
 tle array, at daylight, owing to musketry and artil- 
 lery firing on our left, and demonstrations as though 
 the enemy intended to attack in force. 
 
 On the morning of the lHth. reveille sounded 
 about 2:20. The command was in line at 5, possibly 
 on account of skirmishing on the picket lines. "In 
 fact, from the 1st day of May, until the 14th of 
 May," says T. Kilby Smith, "we were continually 
 engaged in skirmishing with the enemy, making di- 
 vers reconnoisances to the front to ascertain the ene- 
 my's strength, and endeavoring to force him into a 
 fight." 
 
 From the 26th of April until May 12th was a 
 time of intense interest in both the military and nav- 
 al portions of the expedition, from the fact that the 
 gunboats were above the Falls of Alexandria and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 273 
 
 could not get over. 
 
 The scheme of Colonel Bailey, of the 4th Wis- 
 consin, to build side cribs and wing dams to raise 
 the water of the river and float the gunboats over 
 the rocky rapids, commenced on the 1st day of May. 
 Nearly every part of the army furnished details to 
 aid in building the cribs and dams. They were com- 
 pleted on the 8th day of May, and at 4 o'clock in the 
 afternoon four gunboats glided over the rapids, but 
 before another boat could be shoved in the cribbing 
 gave way and the dams were gone. As the officers 
 and men who had worked so hard and had taxed 
 their every energy and strength to build the dam 
 stood and looked at their work swept away, as with 
 one dash, despair for a few minutes appeared depict- 
 ed on their faces. But in a very short time renew- 
 ed determination and energy took hold of those men, 
 another dam was constructed and completed in four 
 days, and by the morning of the 13th the remainder 
 of the fleet was over. An order was then given for 
 an immediate forward movement of the entire army. 
 In the meantime the enemy certainly had not been 
 idle, but was busy concentrating their forces to hem 
 us in. A portion of the troops — three divisions — who 
 fought us at Sabine Crossroads and Pleasant Hill- 
 Walker's Texans. Parson's Missourians and Church- 
 ill's A rkansans — had been sent north into Arkansas 
 to aid Price against Steele. They were then to re- 
 turn and act in conjunction with the forces on the 
 south side of the river, and crush the invading army 
 of Red river. The place of conjunction was to be 
 '•Snaggy, or Stony Point," a place already of tragic 
 interest on account of the destruction of the steamer 
 
274 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 City Belle, the slaughter of the troops on board, and 
 the capture of the mail; also, the destruction of the 
 ironclad gunboat "John Warner." But the fighting- 
 with Steele, neat- Camden, at "Mark's Mill" and 
 "Jenkins Ferry" were to them, after all, dearly 
 bought victories — as victories they pretended to call 
 them. 
 
 On the 14th the entire army was in motion. The 
 march was mainly along the river, the gunboats and 
 transports dropping down stream as the army march- 
 ed, each to protect the other. About 9 o'clock the 
 enemy was found in position on Bayou La Moore, 
 and after some sharp skirmishing and artillery firing- 
 and flanking by the cavalry, they gave way, and we 
 moved on. About the same time some masked bat- 
 teries and musketry opened fire on the fleet, one of 
 the gunboats receiving some damage and a number 
 of the transports getting well riddled. Next morn- 
 ing the fleet reached "Stony Point." A short dis- 
 tance below the river was spanned by a framework 
 of heavy timbers, and heavy piles driven into the 
 mud at the edges of the water and all braced in every 
 direction. They were also clamped together with 
 vast iron plates and chains. Then large trees were 
 cut down and hurled into the stream; a large amount 
 of rock was also tumbled in to make an obstruction 
 to the passage of the fleet, while at one of the sharp 
 bends of the river the ground was prepared and tim- 
 ber and brush cut to cover the masked batteries, but 
 the batteries were not there. A captured dispatch 
 informed us that the troops coming down from Cam- 
 den could not possibly reach "Stony Point" before 
 the 16th, on account of confusion in their command 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. ZlO 
 
 occasioned by the death of Generals Randall and 
 Scurry. One of the little mud turtle gunboats soon 
 cleared away the obstructions, framework and all, 
 and the fleet did not wait for the masked batteries. 
 
 On the loth the entire army came to a halt near 
 Mansura. The enemy appeared in force, and there 
 appeared to be a good show for warm work. The 
 13th and 19th Corps made a flank movement to the 
 right, while the forces of Smith and Mower moved 
 to the front under a brisk fire from a strong, well 
 deployed skirmish line, but our command was quick- 
 ly thrown into line, and returned the fire and after 
 several hours skirmishing with some heavy artillery 
 firing, the enemy fell back, and we moved on, march- 
 ing again until night. 
 
 The morning of the 16th the army entered the 
 beautiful prairie of the Parish of Avoyelles. Here 
 are some of the real beauties of the Louisianas. A 
 really handsome country. The enemy is again in 
 our front; their skirmish line well thrown out; but 
 driving them, they retreated through Marksville, and 
 formed a line of battle in the timber, from which 
 they opened a lively fire of shot and shell at long 
 range. Our whole army, possibly some 30.000 men, 
 were brought into line of battle on that beautiful 
 open prairie. The artillery moved quickly into po- 
 sition, and for a time that prairie was the scene of a 
 ^rand artillery duel at long range, but sometimes the 
 shells exploded sufficiently near to make it interest- 
 ing. The two armies were in full view of each other, 
 and as the battle lines of infantry and rows of artil- 
 lery stood with their guns and bayonets glistening 
 in the sun, the eye could glance to the right and also 
 
276 T UNITY SECOND KKC1MENT 
 
 to the left and see the cavalry spread out on either 
 flank, ready for a skirmish, a charge or a flank move- 
 ment, and looking across the prairie to the skirts of 
 timber beyond conld see the counterpart in the ene- 
 my's lines, and as a brisk breeze wafting over the 
 prairie lifted the smoke of the artillery upward, leav- 
 ing only the flash of their tire, it was a battle scene 
 that was grand; and truly grand because very few 
 were hurt. It was the movements for a great bat- 
 tle with the battle left out. It was very evident 
 that both parties were anxious to bring on a general 
 and decisive engagement, and yet neither felt that 
 he had sufficiently the advantage of position to open 
 the battle. After some hours standing and manceu- 
 vering, we moved by the left flank and were again in 
 motion for an all night's march. 
 
 On the nextdav, the 17th, the enemy was again 
 upon us. Lines of battle were again formed, the ar- 
 tillery being brought into play, but after flanking 
 and counterflanking. our line again moved on. We 
 arrived that evening at Yellow Bayou, some four 
 miles from Simm's Landing, on the Atchafalaya. 
 where the fleet had anchored. The army formed a 
 line of battle and men lay down on their arms to 
 sleep, ready to spring to their guns at any moment. 
 A strong picket line was thrown out, and as an evi- 
 dence of how completely men were worn out for 
 want of sleep and rest, it is said that the officers of 
 the "grand rounds,'" in making their tour of inspec- 
 tion that night, found the majority of the men of the 
 picket line asleep on their picket posts. There are 
 officers of the 32nd Iowa still living who can testify 
 fo this fact. And it was said that this same" state of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 affairs existed on the picket line of the enemy. What 
 a wear is such army life. During the forenoon of 
 the 18th slight skirmishing was kept up. About 
 noon the enemy showed themselves in force, opening 
 tire on our entire line with musketry and artillery. 
 Shaw's brigade moved back across the pontoon 
 bridge, near a cluster of large, old, dead oak trees, 
 and also near a group of old dead pines. The enemy's 
 grape and canister, together with occasional solid 
 shot, came tearing through the old tree-tops, scatter- 
 ing the branches in all directions. Their fire would 
 have told upon our entire line with fearful effect, 
 had not their guns been trained too high. As it was, 
 the greatest danger was from falling tree -tops. 
 
 The artillery moved up and took position a little 
 to the left of the Thirty-second Iowa, while other ar- 
 tillery took position to the right and opened a lively 
 fire, the roaring of the artillery becoming incessant. 
 This position was held for about an hour and a half 
 in a broiling hot sun, until a number of our men fell, 
 while in the line, from the excessive heat. To add 
 to the scene, the old trees were fired by the blaze of 
 the artillery, sending up great sheets of flame and 
 smoke. The fire ascending from the old pines was 
 especially grand. The enemy then withdrew their 
 artillery, and massing their forces to the left of the 
 Thirty -second, were moving forward in solid lines to 
 charge and capture the artillery. The Thirty-second 
 was then ordered to move forward by left oblique, 
 on double quick, under a raking fire of musketry and 
 artillery, and also exposed to the fire of rebel sharp- 
 shooters posted in the trees off to our left, taking 
 position behind an old levee and just behind the ar- 
 
2<8 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 tillery. But on came the enemy, with a piercing 
 treble yell as they charged across the open field. But 
 closing - up their depleted ranks, on and still on they 
 came, until almost up to the mouths of our cannon. 
 Our artillery men had mostly fallen, and every horse 
 on the battery had been shot down. 
 
 The artillery was then run back to the rear of 
 our regiment, '•Fire ! Fire /" was the order, as our 
 men poured into their ranks a deadly volley at close 
 range. The troops on our right also moved up 
 and poured into their ranks a murderous fire. The 
 artillery again opening with shell and shrapnel 
 caused their lines to recoil. 
 
 But falling back, the attack was renewed and 
 again renewed. Our men. lying behind the old levee, 
 which made a slight breastwork, delivered them vol- 
 ley after volley at close and deadly range, until their 
 commander, the "Wily Prince of France," Polignac, 
 certainly felt that he had spent life enough in the 
 vaiu attempt to turn or flank or break our line. 
 
 General Mower complimented the men and offi- 
 cers of the Thirty-second Iowa for their gallant 
 movement by the left flank, under such a galling, en- 
 filading fire of artillery, musketry and sharp shooters. 
 That movement saved to us the day. and turned what 
 Polignac supposed to be to him a grand victory with- 
 in his grasp to defeat. It was in this movement, 
 however, that our regiment received nearly its entire 
 loss of the day. The brave young Myers, of Co. F., 
 was killed, and Lieutenant Templin, of Co. D, one of 
 the bravest and best officers of the regiment was shot 
 through both thighs, losing one leg. 
 
 Polignac withdrew, leaving Mower master of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 279 
 
 the field. 
 
 On the forenoon of the 18th, the fleet of trans 
 ports, lying - in the Atchafalaya at Simmsport. were 
 shoved in side by side until they filled the stream 
 from bank to bank, and then they were tightly bound 
 together by ropes, and thus their bows made a com- 
 plete bridge. The stream here is about one hundred 
 rods wide, with almost perpendicular banks. On 
 this pontoon of boats the troops and trains marched 
 over. The Nineteenth Corps crossed while the 
 troops of Smith were engaged in the battle of "Yel- 
 low Bayou." The rear guard did not cross until the 
 20th, and at 4:30 p. m., the bridge of boats was torn 
 up, and the fleet moved up stream. The Red river 
 campaign was ended. 
 
 Commodore Porter says. "We had passed 
 Ihrough scenes that tried the metal of men." Gen- 
 eral T. Kilby Smith says, "We have marched over 
 four hundred and fifty miles and been under fire 
 twenty-nine days." 
 
 Some years ago the writer stopped at the resi- 
 dence of a gentleman now holding an important of- 
 ficial position in the state of Iowa. I noticed in his 
 library a history of the rebellion written by an east- 
 ern college professor. On taking it down and turn- 
 ing to the history of the Red river expedition and 
 the taking of Fort DuRussy I found this concise 
 piece of history: "Fort DuRussy was taken by the 
 stratagem of Gen. Banks without the firing of a gun." 
 Such a statement will certainly sound a little strange- 
 ly to some men now living who were in the charge 
 of March 14, 18H4, and Generals Smith and Mower. 
 Colonels Shaw and Scott, are doubtless great skeptics 
 
280 TM1KTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 in regard to the truth of the statement, and as equally 
 great disbelievers could be found in Commodore 
 Porter, and the officers and men of the two advance 
 gunboats of his fleet, the Eastport and Neosho, the 
 only two boats of the twenty-one in the fleet who 
 took any part in the fight, and they hauled off when 
 they found Shaw's brigade close up under the guns 
 of the fort picking the gunners. The Red river here 
 runs for several miles almost due south and then 
 makes a sharp turn to the north, forming a peninsu- 
 la about half a mile wide. It was at this sharp bend 
 that the fort was built, so as to command the river 
 up and down for miles. The gunboatmen found that 
 in throwing their shot and shell they were endanger- 
 ing the men of Shaw's brigade, who formed the 
 right of the charging line. So they withheld their 
 fire and stood off, mute spectators of the infantry 
 taking by storm what Dick Taylor declared l 'no Yan- 
 kee troops could ever take." 
 
 But again that grand word-painter, Carlton, in 
 his history for boys and girls as published in the 
 National Tribune entirely ignores the 32d and 14th 
 Iowa regiments as having any part in the battle of 
 Pleasant Hill or repulsing the cavalry charge of the 
 enemy. When, in fact, as the official report of the 
 brigade commander. Colonel Shaw, shows the 32d 
 Iowa suffered more than any other regiment in the 
 battle, and the 14th Iowa the next heaviest loss. 
 Such mis-statements can only be accounted for on 
 the ground of shameful carelessness, and no great de-~ 
 sire to get at the real facts. 
 
 Again Sir Carlton speaks of Grand Ecore as be- 
 ing the steamboat landing for Alexandria and five 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 281 
 
 miles distant therefrom. This may seem strange to 
 some of the boys who spent six days in marching 
 and countermarching, flanking and counterflauking 
 movements between those two places; and especially 
 when one of Bank's staff officers stated under oath, 
 before the committee of congress on the conduct of 
 the war, of which Senator Ben Wade was chairman 
 that we "marched in one night (the night of April 
 22, 18t)4) after repulsing the enemy in a sharp skirm- 
 ish, 82 miles without a halt." The sectional map of 
 Louisiana shows that Grand Ecore is forty miles by 
 the section lines west of Alexandria and thirty-seven 
 miles north. 
 
 Such statements are no doubt two fair samples 
 of how much truth there is in much of the written 
 history of the war. 
 
 "Much of the "inner history" of this campaign, 
 doubtless, never has been written; never will be, and 
 now, never can be. How much of its failure was due 
 to jealousy and envy among our own Generals? Who 
 can tell? 
 
 There is much unwritten history in this aud 
 some other campaigns which if truthfully written up, 
 would make more interesting reading than very much 
 that is written; and would place a goodly number of 
 prominent Generals and other officers in a very differ- 
 ent light before the world from that in which they 
 now stand. 
 
 The troops marched across the peninsula and 
 camped at Morganza's bend. On the 22d, while the 
 fleet was lying at Morganza's bend, I hunted over 
 the transports Oheautau, Sioux City and Des Moines, 
 in search of John Myers, who was killed in the bat- 
 
282 THIRTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 tie of the 18th. Some of the boys who were near 
 him thought he was not dead when the regiment 
 changed its position, and hence might have been 
 brought into the Des Moines, then our hospital boat, 
 by the ambulance corps. I was granted the privi- 
 lege of searching the boat to see if I could recognize 
 my man, but what a sight! There was scarcely a 
 spot from the boiler to the hurricane deck, where a 
 man could be laid, but was occupied by a wounded 
 man. Men lay there who were wounded in almost 
 every conceivable way. I noticed one with both 
 arms off. another with both legs gone — blown off, I 
 think, by a shell— and a few were fearfully rriangled. 
 These were only a small part — those of Mower's di- 
 vision. Afterwards on searching the records of the 
 ambulance corps on Mower's headquarters boat, I 
 found this:- -J. Myers. Co. F. 32d Iowa, killed. ,T 
 How brief, and what it tells: Killed on the field of 
 battle; and tills an unmarked gravel" 
 
 Report of Maj. Gustavus A. Eberhart, Thirty- 
 second Iowa Infantky, or Engagement 
 at Yellow Bayou. 
 
 Headquarters Thirty second Iowa Infantry. 
 Steamer Southwester, May 23, 1864. 
 
 Sir:- In relation to the part taken by my com- 
 mand in the action on Bayou De Glaize, on the 18th 
 instant, I have the honor to report that at 10 a. m. 
 my regiment was ordered forward with the brigade 
 to engage the enemy. In the brigade we occupied 
 the position of Third Battalion; on the right, Twenty- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 283 
 
 seventh Iowa and Twenty-fourth Missouri, on the 
 left. Fourteenth Iowa. 
 
 During the first part of the action, being in the 
 second line, we were under a heavy fire from artill- 
 ery. Some guns from Third and Ninth Indiana Bat- 
 teries being thrown forward on the left, the Four- 
 teenth Iowa was detached as support. A few minutes 
 after the cavalry on the left, being pressed very 
 heavily, gave way. permitting the euemy to bring a 
 heavy force against the left. At this time I receiv- 
 ed orders to move by the left flank into the woods; 
 but the enemy having advanced so rapidly as the 
 batteries came out. Brigadier- General Mower in per- 
 son gave me orders to change front by filing the 
 battalion to the left, which was done in time to meet 
 the attack. Being at the left of the battalion I found 
 the right to have been detached from the Twenty- 
 seventh Iowa and moved back to a ditch, forming an 
 oblique line toward the enemy. This, I have since 
 understood, was done by orders given by an officer 
 belonging to Brigadier General Mower's staff, but 
 without my knowledge. The enemy was repulsed 
 after a brisk action of ten or fifteen minutes. We 
 were afterward thrown forward into the woods, but 
 were not again under fire. Owing to the intense 
 heat and necessary rapidity of our movements, many 
 of the men were entirely exhausted and had to be 
 carried from the field. Officers and men conducted 
 themselves in a creditable manner during the engage- 
 ment. I send herewith a list of casualties. 
 
 G. A. EBERHART, 
 
 Major, Commanding Thirty -second Iowa Infantry. 
 
 [It is seen from the above official report that 
 Major Eberhart led the 32nd Iowa in the battle of 
 Yellow Bayou. As stated by Captain Burns in his 
 account of the battle, General Smith and Staff were 
 with the transports, where the bridge of boats was 
 
284 THIRTY SECOND KKGIJMENT 
 
 made over the Atcbafalaya. and did not know that a 
 severe engagement was in progress until Polignac 
 had been beaten off and driven back by Mower. In 
 the same manner Colonel Scott missed his share in 
 this battle, and for the same reason.] 
 
 Headquarters Second Brigade. Third Division, 
 16th Army Corps. 
 
 Vicksburg, Miss., May 26, 1864. 
 
 Captain: — I have the honor to report the part 
 taken by my brigade in the action of Bayou DeGlaize, 
 May 18. 1864. 
 
 My brigade was placed in reserve at the com- 
 mencement of the action. I was ordered to send for- 
 ward a regiment to support a battery on the right. I 
 sent forward Major Fyan, Twenty fourth Missouri. 
 I next sent to the left my two Napoleon guns, under 
 Lieutenant Burns, Third Indiana Battery, my two 
 James rifles having already been engaged under 
 Lieutenant Ginn. I was next ordered to send an- 
 other regiment up to support the batteries on the 
 left. I sent forward the Fourteenth Iowa, command- 
 ed by Capt. L. A. Crane. This left but two regi- 
 ments in reserve, viz.. Thirty-second Iowa. Major 
 Eberhart commanding, and Twenty -seventh Iowa. 
 Colonel Gilbert commanding. I soon perceived that 
 the enemy was pressing closely our left, and without 
 waiting orders I ordered the two regiments in re- 
 serve to move slowly to the left while I rode to the 
 front to see how the battle went. I soon saw that 
 the cavalry on the left had given way, and that the 
 enemy was turning our left flank. I immediately or- 
 dered the reserve into line at double quick, fronting 
 to the left, when the enemy made their appearance 
 through Lhe timber in their front, but a well directed 
 lire from the Twenty-seventh and Thirty second 
 Iowa, the Ninth Indiana Battery, and the two 12- 
 pounder Napoleons of the Thiid Indiana Battery. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 285 
 
 also the Fourteenth Iowa, which had changed its 
 front, soon sent them back with heavy loss. The 
 enemy, having- been heavily re-enforced, again ad- 
 vanced, when I was ordered to move forward and 
 meet him. I moved forward, meeting him in the 
 <clge of the timber, driving him out of the timber, 
 across an open field, under the protection of their ar- 
 tillery, inflicting upon him heavy loss. I then halted 
 and withdrew with the balance of the line out of 
 range of canister, and remained till dark, when we 
 fell back to the ground occupied the night before. 
 My list of casualties I have already forwarded. My 
 loss, though heavy, is comparatively light when it is 
 considered that I was twice engaged at short range 
 with nearly four times my number of infantry, and 
 that I was for two hours under a heavy fire of ar- 
 tillery. 
 
 WM. T. SHAW, 
 
 Colonel, Commanding Brigade. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 Return to Vicksburg — Battle of Lake Chicot — 
 Return to Memphis- -Tupelo Campaign- 
 Suffering From Heat- Battle of Tu- 
 pelo And Old Town Creek — Retukn 
 to Memphis — Oxford Campaign 
 —Forrest in Memphis. [Boyd.] 
 
 ••On the 22d the regiment again took its accus- 
 tomed position on the hurricane deck of the old 
 '"South Wester," and were soon out in the main chan- 
 nel of the Mississippi. The night of the 26th found 
 us at Vicksburg, and our connection with the old 
 
286 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 "South Wester" as headquarters severed forever. 
 
 On the 30th of May, Colonel Scott resigned, and 
 made a short parting address, giving his reasons 
 for so doing. The men of the regiment parted with 
 the Colonel with regret. 
 
 On the 3d day of June, we boarded the steamer 
 "White Cloud," and on the afternoon of the 5th were 
 landed at Sunny Side, below what is known as "Old 
 River Lake," or Lake Chicot, in Chicot county, the 
 southeast corner county of Arkansas, and said to be 
 the richest county, in proportion to the number of 
 its inhabitants, in the state, containing some of the 
 finest plantations in the South. The lake is of a 
 horseshoe shape, with the points of the shoe extend- 
 ing towards the main channel of the river. At the 
 upper part of ihe curve of the lake is the pretty lit- 
 tle town of Lake Village, the county seat. Here 
 Gen. Marmaduke had established his headquarters 
 and with his own division, and Colton Green's and 
 Burbridge's was making general war on all gunboats 
 and transports passing up and down the river. To 
 dislodge them was the object of our move. Start- 
 ing on the morning of the 6th we marched over a 
 road terrible for mud. At times it rained very hard, 
 and then the sun would come out hot and sultry. 
 About 10 o'clock we came up to the enemy, strongly 
 posted across "Ditch Bayou," an artificial channel 
 cut for the purpose of draining some marshy land 
 into Lake Chicot. The banks were very steep, mak- 
 ing it impossible at most points to cross. On the 
 south side was an open, level field- then deep with 
 mud— over which we must make the attack, while on 
 'he north side was a thick growth of heavy timber. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 287, 
 
 and in this timber, by their own statement, they had 
 fourteen pieces of artillery, so stationed as to rake 
 our advancing lines with an enfilading fire, and they 
 also had their infantry sheltered behind the large 
 trees. A portion of our brigade, now commanded by 
 Colonel Moore, of the Twenty-first Missouri, was 
 thrown forward in a strong skirmish line, but present- 
 ing au irregular front, so as to evade, as far as pos- 
 sible, the raking fire of the enemy's artillery; and 
 taking advantage of some shallow ditches made to 
 drain the ground, advanced cautiously, "picking off 
 their gunners and shooting the artillery horses," and 
 from the protection of the shallow ditches "galled 
 the enemy's artillery severely." (so says one of their 
 own reports) advancing to within one hundred yards 
 of the bayou. But every step advanced brought us 
 ihe raking fire of their artillery. After several hours 
 struggling, in the advancing of our lines under such 
 a galling fire, a charge was ordered across the open 
 field on double quick up to the very brink of the 
 bayou, when the order was, "Down ! Down !" as we 
 dropped flat down behind a slight embankment at 
 the edge of the bayou, while the rebels from behind 
 their shelter opened fire from their artillery thund- 
 ering forth a "deadly chorus" to the sharper ring of 
 their rifles. In the meantime our artillery had mov- 
 ed up on our right to near the mouth of the bayou, 
 and began to pour a raking fire of shot and shell into 
 the timber. The following extracts from the rebel 
 accounts of this engagement may not be uninterest- 
 ing reading to some of our own boys who were there: 
 "With an increased force they (the Union lines) ad- 
 vanced to the assault. Again the battle awoke from 
 
268 THIRTY SECOND UKGIMENT 
 
 its temporary lull; the forest trees quivered in the 
 fierce concussions, and the smoke that lay heavily 
 on the earih in the damp atmosphere, shrouded the 
 field and almost hid the combatants from each other. 
 But beneath this smoky canopy, the thunder of guns 
 rolled out slowly and heavily, giving evidence that 
 they were working under an oppressive fire, but 
 they (the Union forces) were working steadily and 
 with effect. Above the din and turmoil arose the 
 shouting of the adverse lines- the high passionate 
 commands of the officers, and the wild, fierce cheers 
 of the men. The enemy held on long and hard. A 
 growth of cane just behind the Confederate lines 
 Mas cut almost as with a scythe. Each time the 
 Federals advanced and retired, they extended their 
 lines still further up the bayou, thus compelling 
 Marmaduke to extend and weaken his line to prevent 
 being flanked. The Confederate position was no 
 longer tenable. Marmaduke gave the order to with- 
 draw." The staff officer, then on Marmaduke's staff, 
 who carried the order for withdrawal, was for years 
 since the war, a respected citizen of Hardin county, 
 Iowa. The same authority admits that their loss 
 was severe, both in officers and men. "Of the four 
 remaining staff officers on the field, not killed or 
 wounded, three had their horses shot under them." 
 Our loss was light considering the advantage in 
 position possessed by the enemy. Every man lost 
 by our regiment was shot dead, showing how com- 
 pletely the enemy's sharpshooters were sheltered 
 and took deliberate aim. We camped for the night 
 
 at Lake Village, enjoying a portion of the enemy's 
 camp. 
 
 On the 7th a march of twelve miles brought us 
 

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 'south, was drawn by Mary S. Scott, Nevada, 
 asant Hill, and revised by Col. W. T. Shaw. 
 
(jV.V.j 
 
 
 
 This Plan of the Battle of Pleasant Hill, comprising a space of three miles east and west by two miles north and south, was drawn by Mary S. Scott, Nevada, 
 Iowa, from plans furnished by Corporal D. W. Robbins, approved by S. E. Galloway and other citizens of Pleasant Hill, and revised by Col. W. T. Shaw. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 289 
 
 to the head of the lake. In the afternoon and even- 
 ing the Rebels attacked our rear, and there was some 
 lively skirmishing. The gunboats came into play 
 and did some lively shelling. The enemy claim that 
 they captured a portion of our rear guard. 
 
 The loth found us camped in the rear of Mem- 
 phis, endeavoring to rest and shelter ourselves from 
 the intense heat of the sun, little dreaming of the 
 tragic disaster that day taking place at Guntown, 
 Miss., that should bring us at once into another hard 
 campaign. 
 
 On the morning of the 12th all was excitement 
 in military circles in and around Memphis. Orderlies 
 were riding in all directions among the different com- 
 mands. News of the crushing defeat of General 
 St urges by Forrest at Guntown w T as fully confirmed. 
 Sturges left Memphis on the 2d with 10,000 veteran 
 troops. Be lost 3000, killed, wounded and prison- 
 ers. Of a train of 200 fine six mule teams and new 
 wagons only one wagon came back. Forrest got 199; 
 of his ambulance corps not one returned. Forrest 
 got all. Of his artillery Forrest got all but one dis- 
 abled gun. It was against such a foe, now exulting 
 in victory and boasting that victory had always 
 perched on his banners that we were now to make 
 our next campaign. 
 
 Sturges was said to be one of the handsomest of 
 men "his ambrosial curls being the admiration of 
 Southern ladies." Some Ohio boys, who escaped 
 the massacre of their regiment, charged that he was 
 in a house having a good time with some ladies when 
 Forrest surprised him. 
 
 Smith and Mower were ordered to get ready to 
 
"94 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 driving- away the enemies skirmishers. The beef 
 was killed, cut up, and put in the camp kettles and 
 bung on the tire; but just as it commenced to warm 
 1 he cry was, "pack up! pack up! camp kettles! camp 
 kettles! Fall in, fall in! quick! quickV The camp 
 kettles were jerked from the tires, meat flung on the 
 ground. The men marched up a long slope of a hill 
 about a mile, and then halted and remained in line 
 three or four hours where we could see that meat 
 lying on the ground becoming duly fly blown, while 
 our stomachs said "'Oh, for some of that meat!" 
 
 On the 16th we made a march of twelve miles, 
 having still some skirmishing. In the evening the 
 enemy made a dash on our camp. We were called 
 out in line; moved out into an old field. The night 
 was dark, except an occasional twinkling of a star. 
 We formed in line of battle. The enemy was in line. 
 at close range, and made the very heavens appear as 
 in a blaze, with the lire of their musketry. We 
 stood quietly in line. They overshot us, wounding- 
 several men, left sick in our camp nearly a mile be- 
 yond. One of them. Orcutt, of Co. A, I think died 
 of his wound thus received. The enemy retired. 
 
 The regiment returned to Memphis July 23, hav- 
 ing had much hard marching. At times very scant 
 rations, and suffered much from excessive heat. 
 The men were worn down, needing rest. Many of 
 them unfit for service. A short ten days rest, and 
 then another trip after Forrest. 
 
 August 3d brought marching orders. Moving- 
 partly by rail, the evening of the 4th found us at 
 HollySprings, Miss. The night was intensely warm, 
 with a suffocating atmosphere; the low, hung sky 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 295 
 
 was ominous with black clouds. Pitching our little 
 •'dog- tents,*' the boys crawled in and were soon 
 asleep. Soon the heavens wore the "blackness of 
 darkness." One gust, and our"wee tents" were gone 
 1othe winds, and the rain coming down in torrents. 
 It came sidewise, crosswise, and then in whirling 
 sheets, and the men first stood bewildered while the 
 lightning played around them in all the grandeur of 
 a southern thunder storm, but by the aid of the 
 lightning we discovered some old buildings used as 
 cow stables, where we took shelter until morning. 
 
 Remained at Holly Springs until the 17th. 
 Nearly every day we had orders "to be ready to move 
 at any time.'" In the meantime we found a line field 
 of Irish potatoes, and the country around abounded 
 with peaches. These, when cooked, and also an oc- 
 casional mess of roasting ears, added to our scant 
 supply of hard tack, made fair living for soldiers, 
 and together with the rest of thirteen days, some of 
 the boys suffering from dysentery recruited finely. 
 
 In the meantime Mower's scouts were scouring 
 the country, and he reported back to Memphis that 
 "there was no enemy in our front in force." The or- 
 der was returned from General Washburn, "Hunt 
 hurt up and whip him." 
 
 The 22nd of August was a hot day. We were 
 trudging along in the dust, and sweltering in the 
 scorching sun near Oxford. Suddenly the order rang 
 along the line. "Haiti Haiti Standing for a time 
 in the broiling sun the order rang along the line, 
 "About face] About face !" "What is up *?" rang out 
 from nearly every man. "What is up !" echoed a 
 horseman, as he came dashing along on a horse white 
 
296 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 with foam. " Up enough! Here we are hunting for 
 Forrest, and Forrest is in Memphis. And he got old 
 Washie's new military suit and his gold watch, and it 
 is a pity he hadn't got old Washie." 
 
 A story is told with too much truth, of another 
 General whose shoulders were adorned with a double 
 star. General Forrest knew just where his head- 
 quarters were, and gave him a dashing call, but Mr, 
 Union General was not at home; he was out on a 
 drunk. Forrest was in a hurry and his call was early 
 (8 o'clock) in the morning, and he could not wait for 
 the Yankee General to sober up and get home, else 
 he would have taken him along for a merry ride 
 through our picket lines. 
 
 When we turned back we had some sharp skirm- 
 ishing on the Hatchie river; took quite a number of 
 prisoners, one of whom was said to be a woman 
 dressed in man's clothing. Two days of heavy rains 
 had so swollen the streams as to carry away the 
 Hatchie bridge, and made the Hatchie bottom swamps 
 terrible to cross. Wagons sunk down to their beds 
 in mud. We were mud bound there for two days. 
 
 The regiment returned to Memphis on the 30th, 
 a tired set of men. worn down and foot sore. 
 
 Some years ago, Mrs. Wittenmeyer, one of that 
 noble band of army nurses, whose noble work has 
 never been fully appreciated, lectured at Eldora. 
 8he was describing her efforts to get the sick and 
 wounded, who had been sent from Vicksburg, after 
 the siege, to that death hole, Helena, shipped to 
 Memphis where they could be better cared for. and 
 the great difficulty of getting transportation because 
 the general commanding at Memphis was too shame- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS, 297 
 
 fully drunk The writer asked the privilege of guess- 
 ing the name of that general, hut she promptly re- 
 plied, "no I fear you are too good a guesser." 
 
 A Close Call. 
 
 It was at Old Town Creek that William Trow- 
 bridge, of Company C, was for a short time fatally 
 wounded in the haversack, as some of the comrades 
 will remember ! Trowbridge is now a prosperous 
 citizen of Carroll, Iowa. On request he furnishes 
 the following statement of the calamity which there 
 befell him: 
 
 ••When Forrest was making it warm for the 32d 
 Iowa, and A. J. Smith's •'Guerillas,'' we had been 
 inarching and fighting for two or three days on about 
 one third rations a day, and were all about played 
 out. Our quarter master had, as we marched along, 
 gathered up what cattle he could, and on the even- 
 ing of the charge at Old Town Creek we laid in line 
 of battle expecting the Reb's to come in on us every 
 minute. The cattle were butchered and issued out to 
 us in chunks, and as I had nothing to eat since 
 morning I was ready to eat almost anything. Some 
 of the boys were too near petered out to sit up and 
 roast their meat. But I for one had mine on a forked 
 stick and between nods and naps was trying to roast 
 my chunk. Just as I got it good and hot, about 8 
 o'clock p.m., here comes the rebs.pell mell. The first 
 shell that they sent bursted under the Major's horse, 
 and killed him. Away went the long roll to fall in. 
 
298 THIRTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 Thinks T, whether I am dead or alive,! will have this 
 chunk of meat; so I shoved it down in my haversack, 
 and away we went after the rebs, and. -drove them 
 back. We were then ordered to lay down on our 
 arms for further orders. We were halted on a sand 
 ridge, all fell to the ground, and in the charge my old 
 haversack had swung around in front of me, and 
 when I fell the haversack was between the hot sand 
 and my body. I fell into a cloze, and being so near 
 dead thought no more about my meat; but in a short 
 time I was awakened by something hot and wet. I 
 was sure I was wounded there, and dare not turn over 
 for fear my bowels would come out. Anson Black- 
 man of Co. E was near me, — as the regiment was 
 mixed up some, and urged me to turn over. My 
 tongue clove to the roof of my mouth; my jaws and 
 eyes were set; I was sure that my time on earth was 
 short. But I slowly turned over on my side, and the 
 old haversack and meat peeled off, and when 1 could 
 get my breath to speak I told the boys what was the 
 matter. I got the piece of meat out, and, looking up 
 at the stars. I was not long in getting away with it; 
 but would have finished it sooner if T had not let it 
 fall out of my hands two or three times, and had to 
 feel around on the ground for it. I then turned over 
 and knew nothing until about 4 o'clock a. m., when 
 the rebs were retreating. It was some time before I 
 heard the last of my 'wound !' " 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Move to Cairo — Where Next? — Movements of 
 the Enemy— Knights of the Golden Circle 
 —Move to St. Louis — Trip to Ironton — 
 Pursuit of Price — Fight at the Little 
 Blue, or West Point — A Scene, 
 Grand, Beautiful and Terri- 
 ble— Capture of Marmaduke, 
 Campbell, etc,- Return to 
 St. Louis. [Boyd.] 
 
 '•Six clays rest, and -then on the steamer Ed Wash 
 and going up the Mississippi river, landing at Cairo 
 September 7th. 
 
 Here the query was, where next shall we go? 
 Sherman, I believe, desired that Smith's command 
 should go to Mobile and aid Can by to capture that 
 city, and make it a base to connect with him at At- 
 lanta, and thus -'open a shorter line for his supplies 
 by way of Montgomery, or still better, by the lower 
 Chattahoochee to Columbus." But about this time 
 were the desperate struggles, the death throes of 
 the Confederacy. Lee was staggering about Peters- 
 burg. Grant was coiling around him, and Sheridan 
 was in the full flush of victory in the Shenandoah; 
 Sherman was holding Atlanta, and preparing to still 
 further dissect the South Atlantic states. Jeff Davis 
 
 was hurrying south from Richmond to consult with 
 
 Hood and other rebel leaders how to cripple and 
 
300 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 crush Sherman. Hood's campaign north to Nash- 
 ville was being planned. The diabolical scheme for 
 the burning of Chicago, under the leadership of Col. 
 G. St. Leger Grenfell (at one time an officer on 
 Bragg's staff and afterwards Gen. John Morgan's 
 Adjutant General) was being rapidly matured. 
 
 But down in southern Arkansas another scheme 
 was being planned. In the little town of Tulip, Dal- 
 las county, Arkansas. Generals Price, Magruder, 
 Marmaduke, Pagan and Shelby are in consultation, 
 and an invasion of Missouri is decided upon. "It 
 would employ," said they, "thousands of soldiers al- 
 ready ordered to Thomas." Much reliance was 
 placed, especially by Price and Marmaduke. upon 
 the secret orders of the Knights of the Golden Circle, 
 Golden Cross, or Copperheads. "They had frequent 
 visits from these sleek looking gentry, with mysteri- 
 ous books, signs, grips, signals, pass-words, and in- 
 cantations enough to get up a dozen Macbeth's witch 
 dances." With these encouraging helps, and the 
 success of the "burning Chicago scheme," and the 
 "Mines secret conspiracy scheme of St. Louis," they 
 could "seize St. Louis, and Jefferson City, march 
 through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, into Kentucky 
 and on to Richmond." (See "Shelby and His Men," 
 also an article in the Marshall (Tex.) Republican, by 
 the rebel Governor Reynolds, of Missouri.) "This 
 was the program marked out by General John B. 
 Magruder." The same writer compares the north- 
 ern allies to drones in the hive, they would buzz but 
 not sting. And again to the little "Prairie Dogs," 
 when no danger was near they would keep up an 
 eternal barking and cavorting, but at the first crack 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 301 
 
 of a gun they were buried deep in the earth with 
 owls, lizzards and snakes. 
 
 On the 14th of September General Price left 
 Batesville, Ark., on this Missouri campaign. On the 
 same day the steamer Ed Walsh left Cairo with a 
 portion of Smith's command on board, including our 
 regiment, for St. Louis. The boat sticking on a sand 
 bar- twenty five miles below Cape Girardeau, we were 
 taken off by the Golden Era, and at the Cape trans- 
 ferred to the Shamrock. On the 17th we were land- 
 ed below St. Louis, and went into camp near Caron- 
 delet. On the 25th the regiment boarded the train 
 for Pilot Knob, ( General Price was then marching 
 against Ironton, ) stopping at Desota, and from thence 
 to Mineral Point, landing there at 3 a. m. of the 27th 
 in a drenching rain and pitchy darkness, and throw- 
 ing out pickets. The divisions of Marmaduke and 
 Fagan were then assaulting the forts of Pilot Knob, 
 held by Gen. Evving. The assault was repulsed with 
 heavy loss to the enemy, but as Shelby and other re- 
 inforcements were moving against him, Ewing, on 
 the night of the 2eth, blew up his magazines and 
 withdrew. Our brigade fell back and took position 
 on North Big river, and returned to Jefferson Bar- 
 racks on the 29th. 
 
 General Price, then moving w r est of St. Louis, 
 concent rated his forces at Union, Franklin county, 
 
 Missouri. 
 
 To our own troops there was one day's rest to 
 draw rations, and then the ever to be remembered 
 chase after 'Old Pap' 7 Price. Sunday 7 , Oct. 1st, the 
 command was again in motion, moving to Gray's 
 
 Summit, where it remained until the 7th, awaiting 
 
302 TH1KTY SECOND liKGlMENT 
 
 supplies. Starting again it marched for Sedalia. 
 But the enemy, retreating in our front, had destroy- 
 ed the gigantic bridge across the Osage. (This 
 bridge was destroyed by Col. Shanks, who led the 
 charge against our left at Cape Girardeau, and who 
 was wounded in the charge on the gunboats, in the 
 affair of the Little Red.) Col. Shanks was fearfully 
 wounded in defending the passage of the Osage. He 
 shot a Union soldier who was in the advance of our 
 line endeavoring to force the crossing of the stream. 
 And the Union soldier in return shot him clear 
 through the body. Shanks bounded from his horse 
 and fell heavily to the ground. He was a daring and 
 expert leader, and a man of powerful physical endur- 
 ance; left in our hands as dead, taken to our hospital 
 at Jefferson City, he finally recovered. 
 
 When out- men came to the cold mountainstream, 
 w T arm from hard marching, it was "plunge in and 
 wade it,*'the water in places coming to their arm-pits. 
 Is it any wonder that some old soldiers suffer from 
 rheumatism? Leaving Sedalia on the 19th. we 
 marched until midnight, when a halt was called, to 
 draw three day's half rations. In two hours the com- 
 mand was, "Fall in! Fall in!" We marched all day 
 and all night until 8 o'clock on the morning of the 
 2lst. Then the order was. "halt; stack arms, and 
 make some coffee." But before the coffee was swal- 
 lowed, boom! boom! came the roar of artillery. 
 Marmaduke, Fagan, Shelby and Cable had made a 
 stand and were disputing the passage of the Little 
 Blue. 
 
 "Fall in! fall in! quick! quick!" again ran along 
 the line. A forced march all that day, as the enemy 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 303 
 
 was rapidly retreating. At dark the order was, halt; 
 one hour to make coffee. In one hour Shaw's brigade 
 was ordered to move out in front, with the 32d Iowa 
 in advance of the brigade. Another all night's march 
 until 4 o'clock in the morning, passing through Inde- 
 pendence, Mo. Again a halt was called near West- 
 port. Price had left the field, his last stand before 
 turning south. When this halt was called the regi- 
 ment could only make one "gun stack" (four men) to 
 the company. A rest of only a few hours, and the 
 regiment marched to the field of battle and to help 
 bury the 'dead and care for the wounded. 
 
 This is known in rebel reports as the battle of 
 Westport. Shelby admitted a loss of over 800 killed 
 and wounded in his own brigade, and many of the 
 wounded were struck three times. Westport was 
 a'place of more than ordinary interest in the Kansas 
 troubles, being the base of operations for the Missouri 
 border ruffians. It was the post office for the String- 
 fellow legislature when in session at the "Shawnee 
 Mission House," and the notorious Sheriff Jones, of 
 Douglas Co., Kansas, was at the same time post- 
 master-of this Missouri town. And Shelby's old bri- 
 gade, being largely made up of the old border ruffian 
 element, chose this as the place for a stubborn fight; 
 and they fought with the desperation of despair, but 
 they could not stem the tide of the fearful onslaught 
 made by Pleasanton's cavalry and the gathering 
 forces of our infantry. Their own historian of this 
 campaign, Townsend, says "Westport was the turn- 
 ing-point in the expedition. After it were the hor- 
 rors of defeat, hunger and pestilence." Our com- 
 mand then turned south in pursuit of the retreating 
 
304 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 foe, burning and destroying - as they retreated. At 
 times four or five houses could be seen burning at 
 once. It was said that two-hundred stacks of hay 
 could, at one time, be seen in flames. As our army 
 moved across those prairies in line of battle, the 
 whole presented a scene, grand, beautiful and terri- 
 ble. 
 
 Striking the rear of the enemy, commanded by 
 Shelby, drawn up in battle array to receive the as- 
 sault, our artillery opened lire, sweeping his lines, 
 and according to their own report, "rent horses and 
 riders into shreds of quivering, bleeding flesh. 
 Horses without riders galloped among the wounded, 
 who were crawling all over the plain; dismounted 
 dragoons dragged themselves to the rear; and men 
 came pulling themselves along in such numbers that 
 they seemed like a broad fringe to the edge of a bat- 
 tle." 
 
 But the enemy was again soon in rapid retreat, 
 and another all night's march of thirty -five miles and 
 the stream known as the Maries de Cygnes, in Bates 
 county, Missouri, a main branch of the Osage river, 
 was reached by the enemy. Here he made another 
 stand. Daylight disclosed him, in front, in force, for 
 a final and desperate struggle. This day was a day 
 of fighting, skirmishing, flanking and counter- flank- 
 ing, and by the time the hoar frosts of that chilly 
 night of October 24. 1864. had commenced to whiten 
 the earth, Marmaduke, Cabell, Slemmens and Jeff- 
 ries, with nearly their entire commands, were prison- 
 ers of war. 
 
 Our own men lay down to sleep on the cold 
 ground, tired! tired! a completely worn out set of men, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 305 
 
 while the enemy, certainly in no better plight continu- 
 ed their flight. Price halted not again, any more 
 than he could help, until he reached Clarksville, 
 Texas. "And the great expedition to Missouri, be- 
 gun in joy and high expectations to Missouri, ter- 
 minated in this little Texan village, in doubt, misery, 
 and despair."' 
 
 Our command returned to St. Louis by way of 
 Lone Jack. Independence, Lexington, and thence on 
 the north side of the river via St. Charles. 
 
 On Nov. 3d the snow was six inches deep, and 
 our men marched with no rations except parched 
 corn. On the 5th crossed the Missouri river at Glas- 
 gow, reaching Fayette, the county seat of Howard 
 county, on the 7th, wading through mud, in snow 
 and rain, and still living on parched corn. On the 
 *th was election; 318 voters were present with the 
 regiment, of which Lincoln received 290 and McClel- 
 lan 23. The boys might well remember the after- 
 noon and night of that election day, from the enjoy- 
 ment of a thorough drenching in a storm of rain, 
 sleet and snow. On the 9th it was again an all day's 
 rain and snow. In fact, from the 1st to the 15th of 
 November it was mingled and continuous rain, sleet 
 and snow, and then severe frosts. The roads at 
 times, were covered by a strong frozen crust, making 
 them rough in the extreme. And again they were 
 deep in mud, of that miry clay of which parts of Mis- 
 souri can abundantly boast. 
 
 On the 2d of November Rosecrans received an 
 order from the secretary of war to have A. J.Smith's 
 command march from Warrensburg to Boonville,Mo., 
 and be shipped thence to Paducah, Ky., but owing to 
 
306 TH1KTY SECOND K EG 1 ME NT 
 
 the low stage of water in the Missouri, they were 
 obliged to move by land to St. Louis. 
 
 Often on that return march, the men might well 
 exclaim: 
 
 "Oh! that a mosey bank our conch might be; 
 A spreading oak our canopy." 
 
 But they might recall that other couplet: 
 
 "That in this warring chase 
 
 The soldier had no choice of resting place.'" 
 
 By a glance at the map and the various places 
 through which the regiment marched, including the 
 countermarching and flank movements incident to 
 such campaigns, it may be fairly estimated that 
 the command marched 700 miles from the time it left 
 St. Louis. Oct. 1st. until its return, Nov. 18th. The 
 command returned to St. Louis on the evening of 
 Nov. 18th, and filed into the old camp, "Claib Jack- 
 son." after one of the very hardest campaigns of the 
 war. Many of the men were completely worn out, 
 ragged and barefoot. Some of them cut off portions 
 of their blankets with which to wrap up their feet, 
 and thus marched through snow, mud. slush and over 
 the hard, frozen ground. And why w T as this short- 
 age in rations and clothing? [ heard an officer of 
 Gen. Smith's staff say at the post office in St. Louis 
 that '"it was a burning shame. All that was necessary 
 was an order from the commanding general, and 
 clothing and provisions could have been shipped to 
 them." Then who was to blame? Had General 
 Rosecrans too much opium, or General Smith too 
 much whisky, or was there a wrong admixture of the 
 opium and the whisky? 
 
 Before leaving the Missouri campaign, it may be 
 of some interest to take a glance at the other side, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 307 
 
 conducted as it was, in part, at least, on the plan of 
 guerrilla warfare. Prom the capture and then mur- 
 der of Major Wilson, at Pilot Knob, and the retalia- 
 tion of General Rosecrans. it became on the part of 
 1 he guerril la portion of their army a "pitiless war- 
 fare." Edwards, in defending- the guerrilla depreda- 
 tions of such men as Quantrell, Anderson and "Bill 
 Pool," says: '"Its warfare was pitiless, its banner 
 the black flag and its battle cry the fearful monosyl- 
 lable, 'Death!' The guerrillas were unerring shots 
 with revolvers and excellent horsemen, and, accord- 
 ing to the same authority, "death was to them mon- 
 arch." But this pitiless warfare appears to have 
 been wreaked, in some instances, at least, upon both 
 friend and foe, they themselves being witnesses. 
 Some of their own officers and men. says Governor 
 Reynolds, were "pitiless as famished Bengal ti- 
 gers." 
 
 Thomas C. Reynolds, elected lieutenant govern- 
 or of Missouri on the ticket with Claiborne Jackson 
 as governor, and at this time claiming to be the con- 
 federate governor of Missouri, accompanied the ex- 
 pedition as a volunteer aid to Gen. Marmaduke; and 
 a few extracts from a communication published by 
 him in the Marshall, Texas. Republican, in Decem- 
 ber. 1864. may give an inkling of the campaign on 
 their side. He says. "Andersons butchery of 200 
 federal soldiers in North Missouri spread a black flag 
 panic among the citizen soldiery." Again he says, 
 •It would take a volume to describe the acts of out- 
 rage; neither station, age or sex was any protection. 
 Southern men and women were as little spared as 
 
 unionists: the elegant mansion of Robert E, Lee's 
 niece and the cabin of the ne^ro were alike ransack- 
 
308 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ed. John Deaue, the first civilian ever made a state 
 prisoner by Lincoln's government, had his watch rob- 
 bed from his person in the street of Potosi in broad 
 day, as unceremoniously as the German merchant at 
 Frederickston was forced, a pistol at his head, to 
 surrender his concealed wealth. The clothes of the 
 poor man's infant, the merchant's silks and calicos, 
 curtains from the rich man's parlor, and jeweled 
 rings forced from the tinkers of delicate maidens, 
 whose brothers were fighting in Georgia, in Cock- 
 rell's Confederate Missouri Brigade. At Boonville, 
 the hotel occupied as Gen. Price's own headquarters 
 was the scene of public revelry at night. Guerril- 
 las rode unchecked in open day before it, with hu- 
 man scalps hanging to their bridles; and enriching 
 themselves by plundering the families of our own sol- 
 diers in the confederate service. On still darker 
 deeds I shudderingly keep silent. God-fearing men 
 trembled lest, in heaven's anger at the excesses 
 which marked the campaign, some thunderbolt of 
 calamity should fall upon our arms. It did fall, and 
 like a thunderbolt. Any attempt of official reports 
 to veil it, of a court martial to bury it, will only re- 
 coil. 'The robbery of the wicked shall destroy 
 them.' " 
 
 The last sentence certainly contains a truism. 
 And then that this statement should come from the 
 last pretended rebel governor of Missouri!'' 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Start For Nashville— Down The Mississippi 
 And up The Cumberland — Arrival at Nash- 
 ville — Very Pleasant Weather — Rain And 
 Cold— Rumored Removal of General 
 Thomas — Loyal Men's Feelings Then 
 in Regard to Andrew Johnson — 
 
 Battle of Nashville- Pur- 
 suit of Hood — Arrival at 
 
 East Port, Miss. 
 
 [Boyd. J 
 
 But another campaign is before us. Thomas is 
 calling loudly for Smith; Hood is pressing Scholield 
 across the Tennessee, and pushing for Duck river. 
 Thomas is calling to Schofield to hold Hood in check, 
 hoping that Smith may be able to reach him by the 
 19th, but Smith has just filed his troops into camp at 
 St. Louis. Time is precious; Smith is to be the 
 Blucher of Nashville. In one short week men must 
 bn clothed and transportation had. But the 24th 
 brought marching orders to Nashville, and the 32nd 
 Iowa is on board the steamer Olive. As the steamer 
 Imperial, loaded with the quarter master's stores of 
 the 2nd division, was shoving out from the wharf at 
 St. Louis, General Dodge, standing on the shore, 
 called to its captain, Howard, "Make all haste to 
 Nashville, Thomas needs you!" The Mississippi was 
 low. and the boats were loaded down to their guards. 
 
310 THIRTY SECOND lU'XJIMENT 
 
 Wherever a man could be stowed away on a boat 
 there was a soldier. 
 
 The fleet found some trouble in going down the 
 Mississippi; the "Imperial," with our Division Quar- 
 ters stores, broke her rudder on the bar of Devil's 
 Island; while the "Erving" was snagged and totally- 
 wrecked on a sand bar opposite the Devil's Bake 
 Oven; her soldiers and stores taken off and packed on 
 the other already overloaded and overcrowded boats. 
 Further down the Omaha was snagged and sunk; her 
 stores and troops must also be packed on the other 
 boats. But the Ohio and Cumberland rivers were in 
 good boating stage. 
 
 Fifty seven transports move 1 up the Cumber- 
 land, with several gunboats back and forth as patrol 
 guard. Report said that our wily old foe. General 
 Forrest, was also on patrol, and that our own Iowa 
 Hatch was on his trail with his mounted troopers. 
 
 About 8 o'clock on the morning of Dec. 1st we 
 were in Nashville. The desperate battle of Frank- 
 lin had just been fought the day previous, and Scho- 
 tield was falling back on Nashville. 
 
 For the tirst time in ten days, after reaching 
 Nashville, the writer was camped in Court 8quare,at 
 the court house, being then in the division quarter- 
 master department, and while there had an opportun- 
 ity of hearing the leading loyal men of Nashville ex- 
 press an opinion of men and things, and was sur- 
 prised to hear some of them then freely express a 
 want of confidence in Andrew Johnson. The Regis- 
 ter of Davidson county, a man, who, I believe, had 
 been loyal and true under all circumstances, a native 
 of Massachusetts, but for many years a citizen of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 311 
 
 Nashville. — remarked that Andrew Johnson was, in- 
 tellectually, a strong - man, a man of a massive, pow- 
 erful brain; but it was too often stimulated by bad 
 whisky; that he was a man of extremes; a strong 
 hater; and his better judgment too often clouded by 
 prejudice. 
 
 These Union men said they would have much 
 preferred to have had the Union element of Tennes- 
 see under the leadership of men of the Emerson Eth- 
 ridge and Horace Maynard type. 
 
 The ground upon which the battle of Nashville 
 was fought was a mass of hills, knobs and ravines. 
 About ten miles south of this city are what is known 
 as the Brentwood Hills (and here is where General 
 Thomas at first designed to meet Hood and give him 
 battle, i In these hills two streams or creeks rise 
 not far apart, and flow almost parallel with each 
 other for several miles toward the city; then, bend- 
 ing off. one to the northwest enters the Cumberland 
 river several miles below the city, while the other 
 turns to the northeast and enters the river some miles 
 above the city. 
 
 Along the divide, or watershed, between these 
 streams runs the "Granny White" pike, leading south 
 from the city. Little streams running each way 
 from the divide into these creeks form a mass of hills 
 and little valleys. 
 
 Our command moved about half a mile south- 
 west of the city and camped in line of battle. The 
 next day we moved about one mile further on and 
 nearer the enemy's lines, and began field entrench- 
 ments with an abatis of timber cut down and sharp 
 pointed stakes firmly planted in the ground in front 
 
312 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 of the entire line. This line of defensive works was 
 completed by the morning of the fifth. 
 
 Every day there was more or less skirmishing 
 between the picket lines of the two armies; and also 
 some "artillery practice." 
 
 During the next three days the skirmishing was 
 brisk, and our artillery, and especially the heavy 
 guns of the forts, sent a free supply of shot and 
 shell into the enemy's lines, to which they briskly re- 
 plied. 
 
 By the afternoon of the 8th, our lines were com- 
 pletely and strongly entrenched, and all things ap- 
 parently ready for a forward movement; and an or- 
 der passed along the line, '"Be ready in two hours." 
 Up to this time the weather was all that could be de- 
 sired, but it began to get foggy, chilly and cold; and 
 rain began to fall and freeze as it fell. The ground 
 was soon a vast sheet of ice. The morning of Decem- 
 ber 9th dawned with a severe storm of sleet and 
 snow, making it rough in the extreme for men in the 
 trenches or on the picket line. The storm scarcely 
 abated until the morning of the 14th, when it began 
 to thaw, and as it thawed it became foggy, and then 
 it was mud. Oh! theciay mud! 
 
 On the 12th and 18th rumors were rife at divi- 
 sion headquarters that General Thomas was remov- 
 ed and that General Schofield, General Logan or 
 some one else would be appointed in his place, "who 
 would fight." Some papers received from home ap- 
 peared lo vie with each other in denouncing General 
 Thomas and painting the stupidity of "Old Slow 
 Trot," who, with his vast army was simply lying 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 3I3 
 
 around Nashville in idle stupidity while Hood had 
 him hemmed in. 
 
 How grandly some of our friends at home, seat- 
 ed in a nice, well furnished room or office by a warm 
 tire could tight our battles for us! They understood 
 the moves that should be on the warring chess board 
 to perfection, just when and how to make them. And 
 then they had a better place in which to make the 
 moves than the men in the trenches in that pitiless 
 storm of sleet and snow, or in that dense fog and 
 mud; but the men of the line, in their simplicity, had 
 all confidence in -Old Pap Thomas." 
 
 On the evening of the 14th the following order 
 was received: -Reveille will be sounded to-morrow 
 morning at 4 o'clock. The troops will immediately 
 eet breakfast, break up their camps, pack every- 
 thing, and be prepared to move at 6 o'clock. But at 
 o'clock the earth was shrouded in a dense fog, and 
 it was impossible for troops to move. By 8 o clock 
 the fog began to rise; when quickly and silently the 
 troops along the entire line began to move mtc .posi- 
 tion for an advancing line of battle. About noon the 
 fog cleared away and disclosed one of the grandest 
 armies set in battle array. The battle of Nashville 
 was opened in earnest. From the right flank tote 
 left over every hill top and through all the little 
 valleys and ravines, it was a constant blaze of mus^ 
 ketry. The artillery brigade of seven batteries and 
 Garrison's artillery of twelve batteries opened fire 
 These together with the heavy guns of the forts and 
 the artillery attached to the different brigades began 
 to hurl their shot and shell on their errand of death 
 The very heavens appeared to be rent and the earth 
 
3J 4 THJKTY SECOND UEGIMENT 
 
 to tremble. No one who has never been there can 
 have a complete realization of such a scene. The en- 
 emy was soon keenly alive to the contest. Their 
 shot and shell came hurling through the air over our 
 heads. 
 
 Our division, the Second, commanded by Gener- 
 al Kenner Gerrard, held the left of Smith's command; 
 McArthur's first division on the right and Moore's 
 third, the reserve. 
 
 Stanley's 4th corps, now commanded by General 
 Thomas J. Wood (Stanley was disabled at Frank- 
 lin), Schofield's '23d corps and Steadman's troops ex- 
 tended from our left to the river above the city; the 
 Hank protected by Wilson's cavalry and gunboats, as 
 the right flank below the city was by Hatch's cavalry 
 and gunboats. 
 
 The battle line was an irregular semi-circle 
 (owing to the hills, knolls and ravines.) and about 
 seven miles long. The battle of Nashville was not 
 fought by detail, but was a battle fought complete in 
 all its parts. Every part of the command was mov- 
 ing into position, or ready to be deployed, flanked or 
 moved, as occasion might require; for this reason it 
 is more difficult to write up the part taken by any one 
 regiment or division. 
 
 Steadily our lines moved forward among hills, 
 knolls and raviues. buildings, stone fences and stone 
 wails. (It was while making the attack on .one of 
 those stone walls that Colonel Hill, of the 35th [owa 
 brigade on our right, of McArthur's division, was 
 killed.) A little past noon we advanced to a steep 
 hill, quite high and of an irregular shape. It had 
 been covered with timber, and the timber cut and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 315 
 
 slashed, making the ascent difficult. The cone of 
 the hill was well fortified and held by the enemy. 
 Just below the summit was an intrenchment, and 
 just below the trenches an abatis, rows of sharp 
 stakes driven in the ground. It was the key to their 
 line. It must be taken! The troops on our left were 
 to attack on the left, while our regiment with others 
 were to make the right. There was a lull in battle. 
 The echoes of the musketry and artillery had died 
 away in the distance. But it was a mere breathing 
 spell. Soon the artillery was in position all along 
 the line, and hurling shot and shell around that hill 
 top with fearful rapidity. A strong skirmish line 
 was shoved out up the hill, while the main line fol- 
 lowed with the screeching and crashing of the shot 
 and shell from our own artillery passing overhead. 
 The enemy opened with his artillery- and musketry, 
 but his fire appeared to be distracted by the heavy 
 concentrated tire of our artillery; for up! up! went 
 our line: up the steep ascent, working through the 
 abatis and over the enemy's intrenchments. The 
 enemy retreating, several pieces of artillery, stands 
 of colors, and a large amount of small arms fell into 
 our hands, together with many prisoners. Their 
 tirst line was completely broken, and they were mak- 
 ing a precipitate retreat. Our loss was very light, 
 but in the rapid ascent of the hill, men were com- 
 pletely out of breath, and lines were thrown into 
 confusion. It took some time to let them take breath 
 and reform the regiments. Then came the order to 
 move to the left and in pursuit. A strong skirmish 
 line was thrown forward, which soon became engag- 
 ed with the rear guard of the retreating enemy. But 
 
316 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 soon it became so dark that it was impossible to move 
 without great confusion; and all not sent out on the 
 picket line were ordered to lie on their arms. It was 
 a bleak, chill. December night, and men whose blood 
 was well warmed by the exertions of the day, lay 
 down to sleep on the cold wet ground, with naught 
 but the sky for a covering, and with orders to "be 
 ready." 
 
 The morning of the 16th dawned chilly and 
 slightly foggy; but by 6 o'clock men were in motion. 
 Owing to the unevenness of the ground they moved 
 to almost every point of the compass, across the 
 ridge to the left of "Granny White" pike. After 
 some two hours or more advancing and manceuver- 
 ing. the skirmishers came up to the rear guard of the 
 retreating foe, when the lively work again commenc- 
 ed. 
 
 The enemy kept fighting and falling back. 
 About noon he had retreated to his main and strong- 
 ly fortified line on the Overton hills. Sky's hill, and 
 the north peaks of the Brentwood hills. A strong 
 skirmish line was sent out to crawl up and shelter 
 themselves behind every rock, log or point they 
 could find, get as near the enemy's works as possible, 
 and pick off and annoy their artillery men, by a sys- 
 tem of sharp shooting, and divert their fire. Artil- 
 lery, as well as musketry, shooting down hilt, nearly 
 always overshoots. 
 
 All our artillery on the field was then brought 
 into position and opened fire, bringing on another 
 grand artillery duel. The division on our left was 
 ordered to make a charge on the left peaks of the 
 Overton hills. It was gallantly made, but repulsed 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 317 
 
 with heavy loss. Its leader, Gen. Post, was killed. 
 Again there was a lull in the combat. For a few 
 minutes an apparent indecision on the part of our 
 officers as to what next. 
 
 It was said that Gen. Thomas then rode to Gen. 
 Smith, on the field, and said. "General, can your men 
 storm and take those works?" pointing to the peaks 
 of the Overton hills and to Shy's hill. "I don't know, 
 1 don't know," said Smith, "but they can try, sir." 
 "Then," replied Thomas, "order the charge." The 
 artillery then opened fire again along the entire line. 
 The artillery amunition on the field was becoming 
 well nigh exhausted. The six-mule amunition wag 
 ons stuck fast in the still deepening mud, and details 
 of men were made to carry the amunition from the 
 wagons to the batteries. The artillery firing again 
 became terrific. They thundered forth a deadly 
 chorus, as up and still up moved that line of infan- 
 try; the 82nd Iowa ascending around the right peak, 
 while our artillery was sending shot and shell over- 
 head crashing around the summit of that hill, and 
 the enemy's artillery came screeching and crashing 
 down overhead. And the fip! fip! of the musketry 
 also came whizzing by. In fact, it was a storm of 
 artillery and musketry hailing down, but nearly all 
 passing overhead. The salient points of the enemy's 
 works were struck. They were strongly intrenched, 
 and just below their intrenched line, a complete net- 
 work of Chevaux de frieze. It was through this net- 
 work and over the intrenchments our line must go. 
 But the fire of the enemy appeared to be somewhat 
 confused. In fact the enthusiasm with which the ad- 
 vance was made along our entire line appeared to 
 
3J8 THIRTY SECOND liKCIMENT 
 
 make them realize that they could not successfully 
 resist the impetuosity of the charge. It had been 
 said that the rebs did not fight with the same degree 
 of courage at Nashville that they did at Franklin. 
 Be that as it may, their works were carried by 
 storm. The key to their second and strongest line 
 was gone. To them it was a complete rout. 
 
 The loss of our regiment w T as three killed and 
 fifteen wounded. 
 
 But night was coming on. The sky was over- 
 cast with dark and somber clouds. A drizzling rain 
 had already set in, and soon it became so dark that 
 troops could not be moved. Men were ordered to 
 lie down as best they could, but to be ready for the 
 pursuit at morning's dawn. It soon settled down to 
 an all night's drenching rain. 
 
 Among notes taken at the time, I find the follow- 
 ing item, obtained at division head charters: 
 
 "When General Thomas ordered the move in 
 pursuit of Hood, he ordered the pontoon train to be 
 moved out on the Franklin Pike, but the clerk, in 
 writing the order, wrote, 'Murfreesboro Pike,' " and 
 the train was ten miles out before the mistake was 
 discovered; and hence the delay in bridging Duck 
 river, giving Hood that much time to get away. 
 
 The next morning we were on the move at dawn, 
 and after the usual standing and waiting in the rain 
 for several hours, started along the '"Granny White" 
 pike, and theu turned off to the Franklin pike. The 
 march that day was merely a wade through mud and 
 slush, in an all day's rain. The camping that night 
 was merely lying down by the road side, every man 
 as best he could, thoroughly soaked and covered 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 319 
 
 with mud. On the 18th it was the same, with still 
 deepening and thickening slush. 
 
 On the 18th we crossed the Harpeth river and 
 went into camp on the battlefield of Franklin, not far 
 from the Carter house, a place of more than tragic in- 
 terest in that fearful combat. 
 
 The march to Spring Hill and Columbia was 
 monotonous for mud and rain. On coming to Duck 
 river, w'e had to stand in the mud and wait until a 
 hridge was built. All the streams were full to over- 
 flowing. Small streams, mere rivulets, would swim 
 our six-mule teams. The army of Hood, although 
 badly beaten, scattered and demoralized, still was en- 
 abled to keep a well handled cavalry rear guard, 
 commanded by General Forrest, that destroyed all 
 the bridges in their rear and our front, making the 
 pursuit, considering the weather and roads, a toil- 
 some march. 
 
 From the 19th to the 25th it was rainy. From 
 the 25ih to the 28th, for variety's sake, we had rain 
 and sleet, while on the last two days of 1864 rain, 
 sleet and snow w r ere beautifully combined, and that 
 on the sunny line of Tennessee. Turning to the 
 northwest, with half rations for a New Year's treat, 
 we reached Clifton on the night of January 2, 1865, 
 and on the 4th we boarded the steamer Clara Poe, 
 landing at Eastport, Miss., on the morning of Janu- 
 ary 9th, when we received orders to put up winter 
 quarters. 
 
 The train moved by land from Clifton to Savan- 
 nah, and did four days' hard work in moving twenty- 
 two miles, owing to mud and swollen streams. 
 
 Sometimes six mule teams would be wading in 
 
320 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 water over their backs in little streams, which, in 
 ordinary times, were mere rivulets. On reaching - 
 Savannah, the teams were all worn out, and were 
 shipped thence on steamboats. 
 
 In further illustration of the events in this Chap- 
 ter — the Battle of Nashville — the following extracts 
 from letters written by Captain Brockway to the 
 girl he left behind him. and which were penciled on 
 the field, are here inserted. Liberty has been taken 
 to omit the sweet confidences that lovers will some* 
 times commit to paper, as the experiences and mem- 
 ories of many will enable the reader to supply these 
 without special effort. 
 
 Battle Feld near Nashville, 
 
 Dec. 16, 1864. p. m. 
 
 * * * * 
 
 I don't know how to write to you to-night. I 
 am too full of joy to write. Long before this reach- 
 es you you will have heard of the glorious work of 
 yesterday and to-day. I cannot tell it. We have 
 had two days of tremenduous fighting. Oh! it was 
 sublimely beautiful to-day. We have driven Hood 
 from all his works; captured many thousand prison- 
 ers, and about 50 cannon. I suppose we will pursue 
 to-morrow and there will be more fighting. Langu- 
 age cannot begin to tell you how good I feel. Glory? 
 Glory! Our loss has been heavy, but nothing in 
 comparison to that of the rebels. Thank God, I am 
 yet spared. I'll write you more when I have time. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS, 321 
 
 though I can never adequately tell the story. We 
 charged (our regiment) a battery, and their works, 
 and took them; and thus charged for over two miles. 
 You ought to have seen the rebels run, and surren- 
 der! It was glorious! To-night I received your let- 
 ter of the 8th inst.. the first one since yours of 21st 
 hist., and it did me good. Don't you think I ought 
 to be too full to write? A glorious victory and a 
 glorious loving letter, both the same day! And I am 
 thankful too. My own safety after going through 
 such terrible scenes, the glorious victory of our 
 arms, and having such a true noble woman as you 
 are, are three things either of which ought to make 
 me overwhelmingly thankful. And I know you, 
 too, are thankful to Him "from whom all blessings 
 flow." Every man in our company is a hero; I am 
 as larg-e as a mountain, myself, to-night! 
 * The mail is just going and I must close." 
 
 "Franklin, Tenn., Dec. 18, 1864. 
 It is better and better! Hood is fleeing, and we 
 are pursuing, capturing men, cannon and small arms. 
 We have got nearly every one of his cannon,— some 
 where about 75 pieces, and our prisoners now must 
 number 10,000, and they are still coming in. We 
 have captured Major Generals, and Brig. Generals, 
 and all of Hood's papers. It is a crushing defeat, a 
 perfect rout, an overwhelming and glorious victory 
 - more complete than any our arms have ever won. 
 * * It was grand work. In five minutes we 
 carried their works in front of us. It seems to me 
 
'622 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 it was nothing' less than providential that we lost no 
 more, for we charged for a quarter of a mile through 
 a perfect storm of bullets, and right up to the mouths 
 of their guns. They tired their last discharge right 
 into our faces when we were within a few 3'ards of 
 their batteries. - They are running 
 
 now like sheep, and our cavalry are right after them, 
 and we are following as fast as we can. I dont 
 think Hood will bring his army to a stand this side 
 of the Tennessee River. He may then he reinforced 
 by Breckenridge and Dick Taylor, but his main army 
 is hopelessly demoralized. It seems to me that in its 
 effect it is the greatest victory we have ever won, 
 but perhaps you must allow something for my en- 
 thusiasm. Such victories will end this war soon and 
 then I can come home. 
 
 To day we have heard that Sherman has taken 
 Savannah. I have had no blankets since we march- 
 ed out of the Nashville works to fight, but I could 
 have slept upon an iceberg the last three nights and 
 been above fever heat all the time. I write this on 
 my knee while we are halted a short time; and I shall 
 try and send it back some way." 
 
 "Camp 32nd Iowa, 10 miles South of Franklin, Tenn., 
 
 Dec. 20, 1864. 
 
 We are resting to-day. - I 
 
 have written you twice, hurriedly, and perhaps in- 
 coherently, since the great battle. Both of those 
 letters were written under the most unfavorable cir- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. o2o 
 
 cumstances for calm deliberate thought. I have 
 written you a great deal about the events of the last 
 tew days, but at the risk of wearying you I shall 
 write vou some more - - I cannot de- 
 
 scribe the battle to you in full. No pen, no tongue 
 earn do that. For two days the roar of battle was in- 
 cessant. The first day we carried Hood's first line of 
 works, capturing 15 to 20 cannon, and about 1000 
 prisoners. At night he contracted his lines and fell 
 b; ck to his second line of works. To drive him from 
 these was the work of the next day. Early in the 
 morning our whole line advanced. Our Brigade 
 passed over several open fields, exposed to a severe 
 artillery tire, and about 10 o'clock took position in a 
 little ravine about five hundred yards from the rebel 
 works. Our batteries took position on our right, 
 left, and rear, and then commenced a furious artil- 
 lery duel. It was awfully grand, — that artillery 
 fight; but it was not pleasant. The air seemed alive 
 with shrieking demons. Shells were bursting in 
 every direction. We lay close to the ground, and 
 hugged old mother earth closer than any of us had 
 ever hugged our mothers or sweethearts. It was 
 our only chance for safety. About 
 
 12 m. a charge was made by the 4th Corps which 
 lay on our left, but was repulsed. Also about 2 p.m. 
 the cavalry on our right charged with only indiffer- 
 ent success. It was reserved for General A. J. 
 Smith's command to organize victory. About '6 p. m. 
 the order came for '"Smith's Guerrillas" to charge 
 the works in our front. We did charge; General 
 Mower's Division immediately on our right taking 
 the initiative, and carrying the key to the enemy's 
 
324 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 position, —a hill in their immediate front. For ten 
 minutes it seemed as though all hell had broken 
 loose! About two hundred pieces of artillery opened 
 simultaneously, and thousands of small arms, and 
 with a cheer we went in. As we came to the top of 
 the hill in our front our artillery had to cease firing 
 or they would have been killing us. But the rebel 
 cannon raked us in every direction and there was an 
 incessant whiz of musket-balls. But 'into the jaws 
 of death, into the mouth of hell" we went with a yell. 
 We climbed over their works; we rolled over them; 
 we jumped over them; and then the rebels ran. 
 
 Orders have just came to be ready to move at a 
 moments notice. I can hear cannonading at the 
 front, and suppose we are wanted there, and I must 
 close." 
 
 The Official Records do not indicate that there 
 have ever been any serious differences of opinion in 
 relation to the merit and bravery of the officers and 
 soldiers who participated in the battles of this cam- 
 paign. It will therefore not be necessary to give 
 space to other reports than that of Lt. Colonel Eber- 
 hart, who commanded the 32nd Iowa. It is as fol- 
 lows: — 
 
 Headquarters Thirty-second Iowa Infantry, 
 In the Field, December 21, 1864. 
 
 Lieutenant:— Of the part taken by the Thirty- 
 second Iowa Infantry in the battle of the 15th and 
 16th instant, I have the honor to report as follows: 
 
 At 6 a. in. on the 15th, in obedience to orders 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 325 
 
 from brigade headquarters, 1 formed the regiment 
 on the right of the brigade, with my left resting on 
 the Fifty-eight Illinois Infantry. The regiment ad- 
 vanced in line of battle for more than a mile, slowly 
 wheeling to the left, conforming to the movement ot 
 the line on our right, From 11 a. m. until 4 p. m. 
 we lay under artillery tire from a battery 1,000 yards 
 in our front. When the works were carried by the 
 forces in front we moved forward about one mile 
 and a half, when we were ordered to go into camp for 
 ihe nii<ht. The regiment was not brought into close 
 action? and suffered no loss. 
 
 On the morning of the 16th we were again on 
 the right of the brigade, our right resting on the left 
 of the First Division. The advance was ordered 
 about 7 a. in , the line wheeling to the right to con- 
 front the enemy's works. When within about 1,^00 
 vards we came in full view of the enemy, drawing 
 upon us a brisk tire from their battery, under which 
 the men moved forward with commendable coolness. 
 The First Division contracting in order to form two 
 lines we were thrown by the flank to the right about 
 half a mile. At this point we Jay under fire of the 
 enemy's artillery for about five hours. At 6:60 p.m. 
 the ri'fht of the First Division carried the left ot the 
 enemy's works; we then moved forward at a double- 
 quick over an open field, under a severe fire from ar- 
 tillery and musketry, and in a few minutes gained 
 the intrenchments, capturing about 50 prisoners and 
 5 pieces of artillery. Some of the artillerists were 
 killed as they were leaving the guns. Private Wil- 
 liam May. of Company H, dashed forward and cap - 
 ,ured the battery guidon. The regiment moved for- 
 ward in pursuit, gatheriug a few prisoners, untu we 
 reaehed the base of the mountain, when we received 
 orders to halt, At dark, the battle being over, we 
 were ordered into camp near the mountain. 
 
 Too much cannot be said in praise of the con- 
 duct of the officers and men under the heavy fire dur- 
 ing the charge; every one moved forward with a de- 
 termination to carry the works. 
 
 Where all behaved so creditably it is a delicate 
 matter to make particular mention of persons, but 1 
 
326 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 presume no exceptions will be taken when I speak of 
 Lieut. W. L. Carpenter, acting regimental adjutant, 
 who was. as usual, conspicuous for his brave and 
 gallant conduct in the action, and was among the 
 first over the rebel works. Also, Capt. Theodore De 
 Tar, commanding Company D, who, after pursuing 
 the enemy to the mountain, was wounded in the 
 right ankle, making an amputation necessary. This 
 will cause the loss to the regiment of an officer who 
 has always been esteemed for his excellent qualities 
 as an officer and a gentleman. First Sergt. Daniel W. 
 Albaugh. Company C, who was killed almost instant- 
 ly by a minie ball, was one of our best non-commis- 
 sioned officers, and was much loved by his company 
 as an officer and comrade. They mourn his loss 
 deeply. My thanks are due Maj. Jonathan Hutchi- 
 son for his assistance during the action. 
 
 1 cannot refrain from mentioning Color-Sergt. 
 A. J. Ellis, of Company G, who carried the standard. 
 Although once thrown to the ground by a glancing 
 shot he refused to give the standard to any one else, 
 but made his way forward and was one of the first 
 over the works. Corporal Bell, of Company G, who 
 bore the regimental colors, was noticed for his bra- 
 very in action. 
 
 I send herewith a list of casualties in the regi- 
 ment, which is light, only because the artillery was 
 aimed too high, and the infantry intimidated by our 
 rapid firing as we advanced. 
 
 Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 G. A. EBERHAliT, 
 Lieutenant- Colonel, Commanding Regiment. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 March to Iuka— Stay at Eastport— Rumors op 
 Peace - Short op Rations— Rumors Where we 
 Shall go— Weather— Board The Steam- 
 er Groesbkck— Down River to New Or- 
 leans Battle Ground— Thence to 
 Dauphin Island— Storm on The Gulp 
 -Farewell to Dauphin Island 
 and Oysters— Up Fish River— 
 Among the Stately Pines, 
 Cypress Swamps and 
 Torpedoes. [Boyd.] 
 
 On the same day the command landed at East- 
 port it marched to Iuka, After some hours spent 
 among the scenes of Rosecrans , movements of Sep- 
 tember 19th, 1862, and along the line of the Mem- 
 phis & Charleston railroad, toward Corinth, and the 
 scenes of the more desperate battle of October 4th, 
 the command returned the same night to Eastport. 
 Our stay at Eastport was characterized by nothing 
 special except that we had a rest for a month, and 
 the fact that for a time the mules were required to 
 divide with us their rations of corn (two ears to the 
 man per day); but with mulish stubbornness they 
 refused us any share of their hay and straw. 
 
 Papers received from home were filled with ru- 
 mors of peace. Stephens, Greely, Blair, Campbell, 
 
328 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Hunter & Co., were attempting a peace that never 
 could be peace. 
 
 Robert M. T. Hunter exclaimed that "when the 
 Lincoln government refused to recognize the con- 
 federacy long enough to treat with it for peace, 
 nothing beyond this is needed to stir the blood of 
 southern men." 
 
 Much blood was yet to be spilled, and destruc- 
 tion o'er the land came pouring like a flood. Again 
 there were rumors of an active campaign. 
 
 Gen. Grant had ordered the '23d corps. Schofield's, 
 sent to the Atlantic coast by way of Cincinnati, Par- 
 kersburg. W. Va., and Annapolis, to New Bern,N.C; 
 and Sherman desired Thomas to take an expedition 
 through Alabama, and to connect with him in 
 Georgia or North Carolina, and our rations and mails 
 had been sent in advance. At least, on reaching 
 Cairo, a mail was received, and some of the letters 
 had been remailed from Sherman's command in 
 Georgia. But it appears that Thomas was too slow 
 in getting started to suit Grant and Sherman, and on 
 the 26th of January Grant issued an order directing 
 Smith to report to Canby, at Mobile. 
 
 A few of the last days of January and the first 
 of February, the weather was very pleasant, like the 
 soft breezes of a June morning at home. But then 
 in a few days came, 
 
 "The lowering scowl of heaven, 
 And an inkling hne of livid blue 
 To the dark sky was given," 
 
 It was cloudy and cold, with a chillness that was 
 bitter; and mud in superabundance. By the 7th and 
 Sth the wind came sweeping down from the north in 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 329 
 
 regular blizzard style, freezing the mud solid. 
 
 On the . ( Jth of February we boarded the steamer 
 '•J. H. Groesbeck." As the weather had turned 
 cold, with very chilly winds, our berths on the hurri- 
 cane deck were no more than comfortable as we pass- 
 ed down the Tennessee and Ohio. The chilly winds 
 found every button hole, and pierced to the very mar- 
 row. 
 
 At Cairo we received orders to dispose of all sur- 
 plus baggage and take nothing but what we could 
 carry in the field. This indicated active work again. 
 While passing down the Mississippi, frequent shots 
 were fired from the Arkansas shore. Below Mem- 
 phis one man of Co. B was shot through the heart, 
 and four men of the 58th Illinois wounded. Febru- 
 ary loih found us once more at Vicksburg. where we 
 stopped four days. 
 
 On the 21st we landed on the old New Orleans 
 battleground. 
 
 An order was received to make a complete re- 
 port of all the men who had ever belonged to each 
 company of the regiment. Those who had been kill- 
 ed, died, or been discharged, to show where and 
 when; and those who were absent, to show who they 
 were and why they were absent. If sick in hospitals 
 or on detached service, to show where, and date of 
 absence. And the names of all present, and especial- 
 ly of all present and fit for active duty. General 
 Canby doubtless desired to know just how many men 
 he could command for the Mobile campaign. 
 
 The stay here among the historic associations 
 of January 8, 1815, near the place where General 
 Packenham had his headquarters, the monuments, 
 
330 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 cannon-carriages, etc. , of that notable day, maybe 
 characterized as emphatically a day in the mud, rain 
 and cold. 
 
 Midnight's silent hour of March 5th brought the 
 order, "Up, and be ready to move," but as soldiers 
 we had then learned to stand and wait. It was six 
 o'clock the next, evening when the regiment marched 
 to the hurricane deck of the coast steamer, "Crom- 
 well,'' which was closely packed with a human car- 
 go. Not a spot on that hurricane deck where a hu- 
 man being could be stowed but was occupied by a 
 soldier. Room to comfortably lie down in was out of 
 the question, but a hungry soldier can eat and a 
 tired one sleep under almost any circumstances. 
 
 We sailed down the Mississippi that night to the 
 bar, and then waited for day. After passing the bar 
 we were soon on the deep sea, and as the waters of 
 the river were rolling out, the line of the demarca- 
 tion between that and the blue sea water could be 
 plainly seen. At first there was something bracing 
 about the sea breeze; we enjoyed "a sniff of the sea 
 air." In the afternoon a heavy gale springing up, 
 made the vessel rock and heave. She would rock 
 from side to side and then plunge forward into the 
 hollows of the ocean, and the next moment be riding 
 en the rolling billows. 
 
 Soon the boys began to heave Jonah, and the 
 railing around the deck was soon crowded with them, 
 sending their breakfast and dinner over into the 
 watery deep. But very soon the railing around the 
 deck was more than full, and the men were in gieat 
 danger of going over among Jonah's fish. And many 
 were too sea-sick to care where they did their heav- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 331 
 
 ing. Marshall says that "'Mere propriety and beauty 
 are at a discount with a soldier when he is at dinner, 
 asleep, or in a fight," and I might add w^hen he is 
 aboard a crowded ship and sea- sick on a stormy 
 sea. 
 
 The "Cromwell" stood out to sea with a high 
 pressure of steam, to prevent her from being driven 
 on the rocks. That night and until noon of the 8th, 
 the rain came down in torrents, and the wind blew 
 heavily towards the shore, while we were being 
 thoroughly drenched on that hurricane deck. About 
 noon the rain ceased and it became calm, when the 
 steamer Iberville came and took us off, landing us on 
 Dauphin island. All our clothing was thoroughly 
 soaked. 
 
 The stay of eleven days at Dauphin island was 
 a pleasant time. We were camped on a ridge of sand 
 hills by a little grove of small pines, near a branch 
 of Mobile Bay. When the tide was down the boys 
 would take an old grain sack, wade out and fill it full 
 of oysters. During our stay here we had a feast of 
 fat things. 
 
 But on the 19th it was farewell to rest and 
 oysters. Boarding the irouclad 44 we moved out to 
 Navy Cove bay, about 30 miles from Mobile, and 
 thence to Weeks' bay and Pish river bar, when the 
 gunboat was discovered to be on fire in the hold. 
 Suspicion was aroused of treachery in the boat's 
 crew. The regiment was transferred to the trans- 
 port Starlight, and we sailed up Pish river. 
 
 On the 21st of March the regiment camped at 
 Donaldson's mills; in a beautiful forest of tall, 
 straight pines. The trees would average about 1.50 
 
g§2 THJKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 feet high, with no limbs except a small cluster at 
 the top. There was no underbrush, and the trees 
 were far enough apart, in many instances, for a six- 
 mnle team to drive between them. The soil on the 
 ridges was nothing but sand; along the ravines it 
 was sand and sediment, or washings, and there they 
 appeared to raise a few T vegetables, sweet potatoes, 
 etc., but on the ridges nothing grew except the trees, 
 producing tar and turpentine. Old settlers said 
 those trees would produce about $5 worth of turpen- 
 tine to the tree per year, and the tree would bear the 
 turpentine bleeding for about five years, and then 
 die. I might add that old settlers were a little scarce 
 then. Baldwin county had only about 200 inhabi- 
 tants, all told. 
 
 The roads along the ridges were all that could 
 be desired for marching, and trains could move on 
 them with all ease; but when we struck the low 
 grounds among the cypress swamps they were horri- 
 ble; even where corduroyed, six- mule teams were at 
 a discount. 
 
 A good story is told of Gen. Tom Benton. Find- 
 ing one of his wagons down in the swamp, where the 
 road was corduroyed, but badly demoralized, and the 
 men tugging away without being able to move the 
 wagon, he dismounted from his horse, took hold of 
 the rope and called out, "Here boys, here is another 
 mule!" But just as he gave a sur^e upon the rope 
 his feet flew from under him, and away went Gener- 
 al Benton, heels over stomach, down in the filthy 
 mud and water. Gathering himself up and wiping 
 the filthy water from his face, he joined with the 
 boys in a hearty laugh and exclaimed, "Here boys, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 333 
 
 here are your mules for another pull; altogether 
 now!" But just then happening to look up, he saw 
 a second lieutenant (acting as quarter master) sitting 
 on a horse clear out on dry land, and calling to the 
 men in a tone of supreme authority, "Get that wagon 
 outH This was too much for the Hawkeye relative 
 of "Old Bullion. '' His laughing mood was gone; his 
 blood was up; and straightening himself up as he 
 stood in the mud and water he denounced the young 
 lieutenant as a "whiffet of an upstart." and ordered 
 him to get down off his horse, as "shoulder-straps 
 had taken a fall." 
 
 Some lieutenants w T ho were fortunate enough to 
 get a detail on some general's staff, became vastly 
 more important in their own eyes than ever General 
 Can by thought of being, and could assume more dig- 
 nity of style than ever that noble old "Princely Ger- 
 man." General Austerhaus, thought of attempting to 
 put on. 
 
 Prom Donaldson's mills commenced the continu- 
 ous move that culminated in the capture of the last 
 defense of Mobile. The entire movement was one of 
 caution on the part of commanding officers. Every 
 time the command halted for the night a complete 
 line of battle was formed, and before we laid down to 
 rest the tall pine timber was cut and thrown in line, 
 and with the sandy clay breastworks were soon made, 
 so that surprise was impossible, except from sharp 
 shooters and torpedoes, with both of which the pine 
 woods appeared to be filled. 
 
 On the afternoon of the 25th we were moving 
 left in front into line of battle. The 3d brigade of 
 the 1st division, commanded by Colonel Marshall, of 
 
234 THIRTY SECOND liKGJMKNT 
 
 the 7th Minnesota, in advance of us, bad just formed 
 tlieir line. The colonel had ridden back, apparently 
 surveying the formation of his line, and suddenly 
 fell to the ground. The ball passed through the 
 neck, barely missing the jugular vein. Dr. Under- 
 wood, of Eldora, the brigade surgeon, was soon at 
 his side, and in two weeks he was again in command 
 of the brigade. 
 
 From t he 22nd of March until the 3d of April 
 was continued skirmishing, with more than occasion- 
 al torpedo bursting to break the monotony of the 
 skirmish line. The roadsides were tilled with torpe- 
 does, buried in the ground so that if man, horse or 
 wagon should step on or pass over one so as to strike 
 the plug, it would explode and scatter the missiles of 
 death in every direction. 
 
 On the 27th we made 14 miles, with the skirmish 
 line well thrown forward, and at times the entire 
 command thrown out in line under a lively fire of 
 musketry, which, with the bursting of torpedoes and 
 the roaring of artillery on our left, made a day of 
 military music. Camping at Sibley's mills, on Sib- 
 ley creek, six miles from the head of Briminette bay, 
 the command fortified and prepared for an attack. 
 The 27th was a day of lively skirmishing and fortify- 
 ing. Prom the 2Mb to April 1st we were skirmish- 
 ing and making gabions, and also ready at any mo- 
 ment for an attack. On the 2d our brigade moved 
 out of camp and made a cautious march among tor- 
 pedoes, our regiment being in advance. Hearing a 
 suddeu crash like the bursting of a shell in our front, 
 upon looking up we saw Gen. Gilbert's staff and our 
 regimental staff enveloped in a cloud of dust and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 335 
 
 smoke, and after it cleared away it was discovered 
 that a torpedo had been planted by the root of a 
 stump in the track, and one of the horses had stepped 
 on the plug, causing - the instant explosion of the 
 missile, and the death of two horses. One of them 
 was the horse of Lieut. Child, of Co. K, acting bri- 
 gade quarter master. 
 
 Capturing a rebel officer who was posted in the 
 torpedo planting, he was placed in charge of a force 
 of rebel prisoners and, with a guard over them, given 
 the contract of taking out the explosives and stack- 
 ing them in pyramidal form. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Siege of Fort Blakely — Surrender of Spanish 
 Fort— Final Charge Over Chevaux de frieze 
 and Torpedoes -Greek Fire — Charge of 
 the Colored Troops— March to Mont- 
 gomery and News of the fall of 
 Richmond and Surrender of 
 Lee— Rumors of Assassin- 
 ation of Lincoln. 
 | Boyd, j 
 
 On the 3d the brigade moved out of the Sibley 
 creek camp, going towards Fort Blakely, marching 
 again cautiously among torpedoes and at times pass- 
 ing the torpedo shells neatly stacked up (the shells 
 were 13 inches in diameter), and formed line of battle 
 
336 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 in a pine forest a mile and a half from the Fort. 
 One half of each regiment was at once set out on 
 picket, and daring the entire niyht the sky was 
 ablaze with the firing of musketry and artillery. A 
 deep hollow or ravine, starting from where our regi- 
 ment had its camp, cut down between two hills, mak- 
 ing a steep descent in front of our camp. From the 
 foot of the hill, stretching out to the guns of the 
 fort, was a level space of ground which had been 
 thickly covered with pine timber. The timber had 
 been cut down and the ground planted with torpe- 
 does. The ground was also thickly studded with 
 sticks about six or eight inches in diameier and from 
 six to eight inches in length, driven obliquely into 
 the ground with the sharpened end out, about the 
 height of a man's breast. This chevaux de frieze of 
 timber was all woven together by wires, and wires 
 were attached to the plugs of the torpedoes and wov- 
 en into the wires of the chevaux de frieze. It was over 
 and through this net- work that the guns of Fort 
 Blakely were to be silenced. 
 
 By going down the hollow our men were shelter- 
 ed from the rebel shells. Each man had his gun in 
 one hand and spade in the other. By going in the 
 night with his spade they could soon dig a hole in 
 the sandy soil large enough to bury themselves in, 
 and they got into it too. Soon a trench was thus 
 dug along the foot of the hill in full view of the reb- 
 el works, and protected in front by a complete row 
 of gabions filled with sand. Then, by branching the 
 trenches in different directions toward the enemy's 
 
 works, we were getting into neighborly closeness 
 with the Johnnies. 
 
 On the night of the 4th Co., B of our regiment, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 337 
 
 had one man wounded, and the 27th Iowa had three. 
 The artillery firing- on our left all night indicated 
 that the gunboats and mortars were doing some live- 
 ly work. On the morning of the 5th the reserve was 
 sent out at 3:30, relieving those in the trenches. Dur- 
 ing that night the camp on the hill was shelled all 
 night, but being a little over the top, the shells 
 either struck the brow or passed over. But the camp 
 was illuminated the entire night. 
 
 Ai '2 o'clock on the morning of the 6th the entire 
 reserve to a man was called out, anticipating a charge 
 by the enemy upon our line, but it did not come. 
 During the (ith and 7th the picket lines and trenches 
 were still advancing, and at one o'clock on the morn- 
 ing of the 8th the enemy sallied out and made a gen- 
 et -a I charge along our entire line, and for a few hours 
 the work was warm. Their shells were sent clear 
 over into the reserve camp, wounding one man in the 
 27th Iowa. 
 
 The terrible cannonading in the direction of the 
 old Spanish fort indicated that the crisis might have 
 come there. But about 4 o'clock on the afternoon of 
 April 9th the time, according to General Sheridan, 
 when Generals Grant and Lee were seated in the 
 house of Mr. McLean at Appomattox, completing 
 the terms of Lee's surrender, a different scene was 
 transpiring in the pine forest on the hill back from 
 the Tensas. The long roll is beating. "Pall in! 
 Fall in! every man who is able to shoulder a gun, 
 fall in!" It was for the final charge on the last de- 
 fense of Mobile. Spanish fort having already surren- 
 dered. Forming into line and marching down the 
 ravine, then filing to the right, we passed the 18th 
 
338 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 New York, "Mack's black horse battery,' sending 
 shot and shell on their errands of destruction, and a 
 little farther on the 15th Ohio and the 22d Illinois. 
 Here our brigade was halted. Rebel siege guns were 
 sending shot and shrapnel a little too rapidly for in- 
 fantry to charge over that chevaux de frieze and net- 
 work of torpedoes. Generals Smith and Garrard, 
 after viewing the conditions,did not order the charge. 
 But the 3d Indiana battery, corning down the ravine 
 with their horses on a keen run (they had been en- 
 gaged at Spanish fort), asked to take position to the 
 right at the side of the 32nd Iowa. To our right was 
 a bare knoll up in the edge of the pine timber, and 
 exposed to full view of the rebel guns. Running 
 their horses upon that, the lieutenant, commanding, 
 raised his glass and ordered the elevation, when 
 solid shot was hurled at one of the principal rebel 
 guns, and it was soon silenced. The artillery along 
 our entire line then opened with renewed vigor, and 
 the very earth for a time appeared to shake with the 
 booming of the heavy guns. 
 
 Soon the order rang out along the entire line, 
 "■Forward! Forwar&l" And the troops did make their 
 way over and through that net-work of chevaux de 
 frieze and torpedoes. "Charge! charge!" was the 
 order, as the last ditch was reached. Soon the white 
 fla^ was waving over their last defenses, and in a 
 few minutes the stars and stripes were floating there- 
 on. The last defense of Mobile was ours; the last 
 great battle of the war was fought and the victory 
 won, just as the sun was sinking in the west. 
 
 "When shriek of shot and scream of shell 
 And bellowing of the mortars"' 
 
 were mingled with the groans of the dying, and the 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 339 
 
 peans of victory of the last great battle of the war. 
 Notwithstanding' all the precautions taken, a 
 number of lives were lost by the exploding of torpe- 
 does, and yet very few to what might naturally have 
 been expected. But, no doubt, it caused General 
 Canby to move with greater caution. It was said he 
 notified the rebel general Maury that, in retaliation 
 of the torpedo business, he would on the morning of 
 the 9th commence to shell his works with "Greek 
 fire." On the 8th it was reported, and I think it was 
 a fact, that 5.000 '-Greek fire" shot were landed from 
 a vessel in the bay for that purpose. But General 
 Maury did not wait to take a sniff at the natural ef- 
 fects of naphtha, nitre and brimstone, when thrown 
 at him as a dynamite in the shape of ''Greek fire" 
 shot, but during the terrific cannonading on the 
 night of the 8th, it was said, he retired up the Ala- 
 bama river, so as to be out of reach of even the sul- 
 phurous smell. 
 
 I have sometimes thought that our good English 
 friends deserve a little taste of dynamite, to pay 
 them for the aid they gave the rebels in this very 
 torpedo business. 
 
 Their brave Major Green, who was lauded and 
 titled for inventing the projectile torpedo for the 
 rehels. had better now be engaged in inventing anti- 
 dotes for their dynamite troubles at home. 
 
 CHARGE OP THE COLORED TROOPS. 
 
 While we were moving forward, making our way 
 among the net work of chevaux de frieze and torpe- 
 does, away to our extreme right might be seen a line 
 of colored troops, moving forward in battle array 
 
340 THIKTY SECOND ItKGlMENT 
 
 with military precision, and as they moved they 
 could be heard singing in complete chorus, "Remem- 
 ber Fort Pillow!" On they moved, in spite of the 
 zip! zip! of the minie ball, the solid cannon shot, or 
 the bursting of the shells and torpedoes. It was 
 Hawkins' brigade of colored troops. It was said they 
 were facing Mississippi troops, and possibly some of 
 them were with Forrest in the Fort Pillow massacre. 
 The darkies faltered not; the Mississippi regiments 
 gave way; the boys of color scaled the works, raised 
 thereon the stars and stripes, and the Mississippians 
 found themselves prisoners. 
 
 Some of them it was said, were taken and guard- 
 ed by their former - slaves! 
 
 After carrying the works the regiment moved 
 over into Blakely, a mere hamlet of a few houses, 
 then the county seat of Baldwin county, Alabama. 
 
 The men soon became restive, and began to get 
 up sensational stories; the one who could get up the 
 best story was the best fellow. A chap of Co. F 
 went rambling off among the other troops, and came 
 back exclaiming, 'Now, boys, we have good news; 
 oh, yes boys, we have glorious news!" "What is it? 
 What is it?" exclaimed the boys, "Let us hear it." 
 "Why," said McHenry, "Richmond is taken, Lee has 
 surrendered, peace is declared, and we are going 
 home!" This was possibly the second day after 
 Lee's surrender but the story was all a make-up of 
 Mac's. On the 13th the command started for Mont- 
 gomery. The night of the 14th camped in a pine 
 forest. As we stood around the camp fire made of 
 old pine logs and pitch pine knots, warming and 
 drying our clothes aud blankets, after marching in a 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 341 
 
 soaking all day's rain and wading streams, we little 
 thought that the rebel hate of Wilkes Booth would 
 that night send the pistol shot crashing through the 
 brain of Abraham Lincoln; and thus infill the sad 
 prophetic declaration made at Independence Hall, 
 Philadelphia, when on his was to Washington to be 
 first inaugurated, he said, "Sooner than surrender 
 these principles, 1 would be assassinated on the 
 spot/'' 
 
 The 15th was an all day's rain and wading 
 streams, and up to the 19th we passed very few farms, 
 and they were merely little openings or clearings in 
 the pine forests, and deserted. 
 
 The 19th was a day of fasting, humiliation and 
 prayer throughout all of the northern states, on ac- 
 count of the death of Abraham Lincoln. Wherever 
 the sentiments of loyalty prevailed, the church bells 
 were tolling, and amid the solemn tolling of church 
 bells, and the thundering of minute guns from all 
 the defenses in and around Washington and all parts 
 of the Union, his mortal remains were being convey- 
 ed to the rotunda of the capitol for funeral services, 
 while we. as yet, had received no news of his assas- 
 sination. 
 
 About 1 o'clock p. m., while trudging along the 
 road in a thick forest of heavy pine timber, so dense 
 that we could scarcely see the noon-day sun, we sud- 
 denly heard firing in our front, accompanied by yell- 
 ing and cheering. The men began to hurry forward, 
 exclaiming "a fight in front." Then came the order 
 to halt. The line halted, but still the cheering, yell- 
 ing and firing of guns kept coming nearer. On look- 
 ing up we saw a man on horseback, and he appeared 
 
M2 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 to be the one who was causing all the excitement. 
 Wherever he went the boys would yell, cheer, throw 
 up their hats, and some shoot oft' their guns. That 
 man was Win. G. Donnan. of Buchanan county, then 
 our brigade adjutant, with a dispatch announcing; 
 ten days after it occurred, the fall of Richmond and 
 the surrender of Lee. 
 
 The 21st was another day of soaking rain, and 
 the marching was a wading in the sandy clay mud. 
 On the 22d, having passed through the town of 
 Greenville, the county seat of Butler county, and 
 having passed the residence of Governor Watts, the 
 rebel governor of Alabama, at one time a member of 
 Jeff Davis' cabinet, and who figured conspicuously in 
 1 he old traitor's late grand tournament through the 
 south, and his grand ovation at Montgomery, we went 
 into camp at 3 p. m., and fired a salute of 200 guns 
 in honor of the capture of Lee and fall of Rich- 
 mond. 
 
 I have a note in my diary that on 
 the mornings of both the 23rd and 24th of April, 
 although some distance below Montgomery, Alabama, 
 we had heavy white frosts. 
 
 On the 25th the command halted five miles below 
 Montgomery, when we heard the first rumors in re- 
 gard to the assassination of Lincoln and Seward. 
 None could really believe it, and yet the rumor creat- 
 ed apeticuliar feeling of distrust as to what might 
 yet be the outcome of the rebellion. 
 
 On the 27th we marched through Montgomery 
 the boys singing "John Brown's body lies moulder- 
 ing in the grave,"' and camped about two miles north 
 of the town in a pine forest, near a cypress swamp. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. ^43 
 
 where we could go, brush away the green scum, and 
 get water for boiling coffee. For drinking water we 
 hung the canteens full on a high tree, with the corks 
 out. and by morning we had a fail' drink. 
 
 Soon every man in camp was on the sick-list, 
 with fever, ague and malarial diseases of a malig- 
 nant nature. 
 
 On the first day of May official uotice was re- 
 ceived of the assassination of Lincoln. I need not 
 say that it occasioned profound sorrow, not only 
 with the Union soldiers, but even among the rebels. 
 On the street corners in Montgomery clusters of citi- 
 zens could be seen in earnest conversation, discuss- 
 ing the effect it might have on their destiny. I 
 heard a venerable old man, dressed in the Confeder- 
 ate gray, remark that he knew both Lincoln and 
 Johnson well. Lincoln was a Northerner and an 
 abolitionist, but he was a man of a kind heart and 
 personally a noble man. Johnson was a Southern 
 man and had been a Democrat, but he was a harsh 
 man, a strong hater, and one liable to go to extremes 
 one way or the other. All things considered, he 
 would much prefer that the destiny of the South be 
 left in the hands of Abraham Lincoln than of An- 
 drew Johnson. 
 
 On the 4th of May the Montgomery papers pub- 
 lished extras containing reports that Kirby Smith 
 had surrendered the trans- Mississippi department, 
 also telegrams from Sherman that terms of perma- 
 nent peace were arranged. "And now," thought the 
 boys, "surely we are going home." 
 
 But on the bth or 9th many conflicting rumors 
 were Hnoat in camp as to where we should go, when 
 
344 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 we should move, or what should be done with us. 
 The fact that Kirby Smith had refused the demand 
 for surrender as sent by General Pope under the in- 
 structions of Gen. Grant, and the intimation that the 
 seat of the Confederacy might be transferred to the 
 west side of the Mississippi, the fact that a consulta- 
 tion of the rebel governors of Louisiana. Texas. Ar- 
 kansas and Missouri was being held; the prince Polig- 
 nac, who had fought us so persistently on our Red 
 river retreat, was then in consultation with Napoleon 
 III of France, looking to the attaching of a portion 
 of the Confederacy to Mexico, and establishing an 
 empire or a republican aristocracy, and having the 
 whole a dependency to Franco; and that General 
 Preston was sent to Mexico to learn how matters 
 stood between the Liberals and Imperialists — the 
 concentration of their army on the Brazos, to move 
 thence to the Rio Grande, join with one or the other 
 of the contending parties in Mexico and establish 
 either an empire or a republic— Gen. Buckner to 
 take command — their resolve was that "no surrender 
 should be resorted co, and no steps taken whatever, 
 looking towark an abandonment of the contest," 
 
 These things no doubt caused the holding of a 
 large portion of our troops, and 1 doubt not some of 
 our commanding officers were entirely willing to re- 
 main in the field and still be brigadier and major- 
 generals; and that an effort was made to have our 
 command sent to Texas, while a counter move was 
 on foot to have us mustered out as soon as possi- 
 ble. 
 
 Some of the officers of the 32nd attempted to 
 open telegraphic communication with the Secretary 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 545 
 
 of War, the main credit of which, I think belongs to 
 Adjutant W. L. Carpenter, he spending $35 before 
 meeting with success. 
 
 On' the 10th of May we heard rumors of the 
 capture of Jeff Davis, Clement C. Clay and other 
 rebel leaders somewhere in North Carolina, but 
 could learn no particulars. On the 17th we received 
 positive information that Jeff Davis was captured, 
 and then there was rejoicing. Although we never 
 did hang old Jeff on a ''sour-apple tree." we rejoiced 
 that he was a prisoner — petticoats and all — and that 
 night every tree in that pine camp was illuminated 
 by burning candles and lighted tapers making a sight 
 at once beautiful and grand. 
 
 The '25th was observed as a day of humiliation, 
 and memorial services were held in respect to the 
 memory of Abraham Lincoln. What loyal heart did 
 not honor t he memory of the martyred Lincoln? 
 
 The latter part of May and the first of June, the 
 talk was that we should be mustered out and sent 
 home. But on the 5th of June the whole going home 
 business appeared to have -'soured on us." The 
 weather had now become very hot and dry and the 
 ground parched; in places great fissures were opened 
 in the baked earth. Men sickened at the thought 
 that they must lie there under the intense heat of 
 that Southern sun and simply do nothing. 
 
 On the 24th of June the regiment took a final 
 leave of the cypress swamp, with its green-covered 
 waters, and moved into camp about two miles away, 
 on a plantation near that of Wm. L. Yancey, the 
 once noted "Alabama fire-eater." Although camp- 
 ing in the broiling hot sun, it was really an improve- 
 
346 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 merit, on lying beside the filthy, stagnant water of the 
 cypress swamp. 
 
 The Yancey plantation had a 20-acre peach or- 
 chard, then loaded with a large crop of peaches. 
 Home of the boys made overtures to pay an equiva- 
 lent for the peaches we needed — $1 per bushel was 
 the price in the Montgomery market — but they de- 
 manded #4 per bushel. One of the boys replied, 
 "We can steal them cheaper than that." That plan- 
 ration and orchard was jointly and alternately guard- 
 ed, and well guarded, by the 27th and 32nd Iowa; 
 and now don't insinuate, kind reader, that we stole 
 those peaches; but we g-ot all we wanted! 
 
 The man who at the Democratic National Conven- 
 tion of !So2 expressed himself (in one of their com- 
 mittees) as anxious to have a civil war, and said. '"A 
 war the South must have, and the sooner the better!" 
 did not live to see the Yankee soldiers guarding his 
 home plantation and peach orchard, while they 
 feasted on the peaches. 
 
 The late Governor Eastman several times told 
 the writer that nt the time they were agreeing upon 
 a platform at that convention— the Governor being a 
 delegate from Iowa — Yancey demanded that the com- 
 mittee on platform should insert a plank embracing 
 the "Bob Toombs doctrine," that "they should have 
 the right to call the roll of their slaves in the shadow 
 of the Bunker Hill monument," Some one asked, 
 "Yancey, do you want a war?" "Yes," he replied, 
 "I do want a war; a war we must have, and the 
 sooner the better for the South." 
 
 The stay at Montgomery until July 31st was one 
 of nervous restlessness, the men being nearly all 
 -uck; the war was over, and they felt that they ought 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 347 
 
 to go home. On the 28th of July the recruits were 
 transferred to the 8th Iowa veterans. We parted 
 with these recruits with regret. They came to the 
 regiment at Vicksburg, and without any drill or pre- 
 paration, had their first experience in Sherman's 
 Meridian raid, from which they returned just in time 
 for the Red river campaign — a hard initiation, truly. 
 From Red river some of them never returned, but 
 there tilled unmarked graves on the field of battle. 
 
 Some of ihe recruits were mere boys, and some 
 of tViose boys made soldiers true and tried. Some of 
 them were men of mature years. From those re- 
 cruits we had some of our best soldiers, and we left 
 
 them behind with regret. 
 
 On July 31st we boarded the steamer Joe Law- 
 rence and sailed down the Alabama river. As the 
 capital of the State, with the State-house where se- 
 cession was first duly organized, and the arch fiend 
 of the rebellion, Jeff Davis, inaugurated President of 
 the Confederacy, was receding from our view, the 
 boys gave it a farewell look without any feelings of 
 regret. Thoughts of home were uppermost in our 
 minds. We were homeward bound. 
 
 Arriving at Selma, we camped in the streets of 
 the greatest manufacturing arsenal of the Confedera- 
 cy, among the ruin and devastation made by General 
 Wilson's raid. Immense piles of arms of all sizes, 
 grades and conditions of finish, were now huge heaps 
 of rubbish, twisted and distorted by the intense heat 
 into all conceivable shapes. Wilson burned all the 
 
 arsenal buildings. 
 
 August 1st we came down the Tombigbee river 
 
 to McDowell's landing on a steamer, and thence by 
 
 temporary cars to Meridian, Jackson and Vicksburg. 
 
348 THIRTY SECOND UEGfMENT 
 
 marching where the temporary trains failed to con- 
 nect. We arrived at Vicksburg on the 6th. a num- 
 ber of the boys being completely worn out. The 
 doctors believed it best to leave some of them at the 
 hospital, but they thought it very hard to be thus 
 left on the way home, and their comrades determined 
 that it should not be. Samuel M. Woodward, of Co. 
 F, was ordered to the hospital, but some of his com- 
 rades said. "No, he shan't be left; he shan't be left, 
 He stood by us, and now we will stand by him." 
 They hired an old darkey with a carriage, took him 
 to the river and carried him on board the steamer 
 Von Phul. At 2 o'clock on the morning of the 12th 
 the Von Phul landed us at St. Louis, also some of 
 Missouri's rebel leaders. 
 
 On the evening- of the same day the steamer 
 Canada sailed up the river with the 32nd Iowa on 
 board, and landed the remnant of the regiment at 
 Clinton, Iowa, on the 16th. where it remained until 
 the 24th to complete the mustering out. 
 
 On that day each man who was left received his 
 discharge, and we were soldiers no more — "melted 
 back" to be citizens of a reunited country. 
 
 A quiet shaking of hands, a brief farewell, and 
 
 men who had stood shoulder to shoulder in the hard 
 
 fought battles, and trudged side by side on many a 
 
 long and toilsome march were separated. Their 
 
 minds were tilled with visions of home and loved ones. 
 
 left behind three long years before. 
 
 But how many who went out with us never came 
 back again? "Some sleep where near at hand the 
 white stones dot the «reen expanse, and a nation 
 guards their sleep, peaceful, quiet, glorious." while 
 *ome of our brave comrades sleep uncomned and un- 
 known, even where they fell " 
 
CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 General Halleck's Letter to General Grant— 
 "Little Rock" on the Colors— Order of the 
 Transports — Major Hutchinson's Re- 
 ports OF TUPALO AND OLD TOWN 
 
 Creek — Colonel Eberhart's Re- 
 port of Battle of Nashville- 
 Story of a Teamster — How 
 General Sherman Han- 
 dled a Rebel Mule. 
 
 It seemed hardly practicable to insert various 
 orders relating 1 to the Regiment in connectiou with 
 the dates of their occurrence without in some mea- 
 sure breaking the continuity of the story as told by 
 Sergeant Boyd in the six preceding chapters. Some 
 of these may now find a place. 
 
 Many of the comrades have wondered, no doubt, 
 why the Regiment should have been so long divided, 
 and the Detachments kept in different Departments. 
 It may be stated that during the entire year 1863 no 
 supposed opportunity of bringing the Detachments 
 together was permitted to pass without an effort to- 
 ward that end. Appeal after appeal was made to the 
 Generals in command of the Departments. Major 
 Eberhart fully sympathized with the members of the 
 four companies in the desire to reach the regimental 
 head quarters, have an opportunity to do service and 
 make a record together. Colonel Scott spared no 
 
350 THIltTY SKUUND liNGIMENT 
 
 pains to bring this about, at the risk of being regard 
 ed as wearisome and discontented. At last the union 
 was accomplished under the following order from 
 the General-in-Chief to General Grant. Perhaps the 
 final effort of our Senators and Members of Congress 
 had in this matter more influence than any considera- 
 tion of the rights of the soldiers or the best interests 
 of the service! The following is General Halleck's 
 letter: — 
 
 January I'd, 18(>4, 
 Major General Grant, Chattanooga. 
 
 General: — Complaints have been received from 
 the Thirty second Iowa and other regiments that 
 they have been divided and that parts of the same 
 regiment are now serving in different departments. 
 It is presumed that this resulted from the exigencies 
 of the service during the past year and was probably 
 at the time unavoidable. It should, however, be 
 remedied as promptly as possible by uniting in the 
 same military department the regiments so divided. 
 For example, six companies of the Thirty-second 
 Iowa was reported at Columbus, Union City, and Is- 
 land No. lo, and four companies at Little Rock, Ark., 
 The entire regiment should either be sent to Arkan- 
 sas or the four companies there sent to the Depart- 
 ment of the Tennessee. As members of Congress 
 from the districts and States in which the regiments 
 are raised are urgent in their protest against such 
 division, it is hoped that you will give the matter 
 your early attention. 
 
 Very respecttfully,your obedient servant, 
 
 H. W. HALLECK, 
 
 Genera I- in Gh ief. 
 
 The following extract from orders issued by 
 General Steele needs no explanation or comment: - 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 351 
 
 General Orders, I Hdqrs. Army of Ark., 
 
 No. 7. \ Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 26.1864. 
 
 I. At a board of commissioned officers which 
 convened at Little Rock, Ark., pursuant to Special 
 Orders, No. 14. current series, from these headquar- 
 ters, to name the number and names of regiments, 
 battalions, and detachments belonging to the Army 
 of Arkansas entitled to have "Little Rock" inscrib- 
 ed on their banners. 
 
 The following are the numbers and names: — 
 
 Thirty -second Iowa Infantry 
 (four companies.) * * 
 
 For the purpose of refreshing the memory after 
 the lapse of more than a third of a century, the fol- 
 lowing order for the control of the Transports con- 
 veying General Smith's 10.000 troops from Vicks- 
 burg to the mouth of Red River is inserted. Few 
 who witnessed that procession can have forgotten its 
 inspiring influences: — 
 
 General Orders, [ Hdqrs.Red River Expedition. 
 No. 3. \ Vicksburg, Miss., March 10,1864. 
 
 The Red River expedition will leave Vicksburg 
 to-day at about 3 p. m. The signal for getting up 
 steam will be one gun from these headquarters one 
 hour before starting. The signal for starting will be 
 five whistles from these headquarters on steamer 
 Clara Bell, to be repeated by the boats carrying divi- 
 sion and brigade commanders. Upon the signal for 
 starting being given, the boats will swing out into 
 the stream, each general commanding leading his 
 command, in the following order: First Division, 
 Sixteenth Army Corps: Third Division, Sixteenth 
 Army Corps; General Kilby Smith's division, Seven- 
 teenth Army Corps; the boats moving in the order 
 laid down in the inclosed list. 
 
 The following signals are established for the 
 
352 THJKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 running of the boats during the expedition: For 
 starting or hailing - , five whistles; for closing up, four 
 whistles; for landing. three whistles. In landing, the 
 divisions must be kept together. 
 
 By order of Brig. General A. J.Smith. 
 
 J. HOUGH, 
 Assistant Adjutant- General. 
 
 Tiiclosure 
 
 First, Clara Bell: second. Des Moines; third, 
 Mars, Forty-seventh Illinois; fourth. Hamilton. Thir- 
 ty-third Missouri; fifth, Baltic, Fifth Minnesota and 
 Thirty- fifth Iowa; sixth, Chouteau, Eighty-ninth In- 
 diana. Ninth | Indiana] Battery; seventh. Adriatic, 
 Fifty-eighth and One hundred and nineteenth Illinois; 
 eighth, J. H. Lacy; ninth, Southwester, Thirty - 
 second Towa; tenth. W. L. Ewing, Fourteenth Iowa, 
 Third [Indiana] Battery: eleventh, Sioux City. Twen- 
 ty-fourth Missouri; twelfth. Diadem. Twenty seventh 
 Iowa; thirteenth. Tutt. One hundred and seventeenth 
 Illinois; fourteenth. Liberty, Forty-ninth Illinois; 
 fifteenth, Emerald, One hundred and seventy-eighth 
 New York; sixteenth. Hastings; seventeenth, Auto- 
 crat; eighteenth, Diana; nineteenth, Raine. 
 
 In relation to the battles at Tupelo and Old 
 Town Creek, Major Hutchinson made the following 
 reports: — 
 
 Reports of Maj. Jonathan Hutchinson, Thirty- 
 second Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Hdqrs.. Thirty second Iowa Infantky, 
 
 La Grange, Tenn., July 21, 18H4. 
 
 Sir: — In relation to the part taken by my com- 
 mand in the action of the 14th instant, at Tupelo. 
 Miss., I have the honor to report that at 6 a. m. I 
 formed my command in line of battle, on the left of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 353 
 
 the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. Shortly after I re- 
 reived orders to change front, faced to the rear, 
 throwing a line of skirmishers about 100 yards in ad- 
 vance, covering the right and front of my line. The 
 enemy having pressed our line in front (the Twenty- 
 seventh Iowa and Twenty fourth Missouri Infantry,) 
 we moved forward to its support, leaving the Four- 
 teenth and Thirty-second Iowa Infantry on the line 
 where first stationed, the enemy shelling us very se- 
 verely. At 7:30 a. m., the enemy threatening our 
 left, I received orders to move by the left flank 
 across the Tupelo road, and form on the right of the 
 Eleventh Missouri Infantry, the Fourteenth Iowa 
 Infantry forming on my right. This order was exe- 
 cuted under a heavy tire of artillery. At 8:30 a. m. I 
 was ordered to rejoin my brigade, which was station- 
 ed on the extreme right of the original line occupied 
 by my command. At 5 p. m. I was ordered to the 
 front, taking position on the extreme left of our line, 
 and on the left of the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry. 
 Skirmishers were thrown out, covering the front of 
 my regiment. Considerable skirmishing was kept 
 up along our line until dusk, when our main line was 
 withdrawn to the rear. At 8 p. m. the skirmishers 
 were partially driven from their position by an ad- 
 vancing line of the enemy, when my regiment was 
 ordered to form on its original positioti, occupied pre- 
 viously at 5 p. m.. on the left of the Fourteenth Iowa 
 Infantry, which it did under a galling tire of musket- 
 ry, driving the enemy from his position in front of 
 our line. We continued to hold the position until 
 the morning of the 15th instant, when we were with- 
 drawn, preparatory to marching. 
 
 The officers and men conducted themselves in a 
 creditable manner. I herewith inclose a list of cas- 
 ualties. 
 
 JONATHAN HUTCHINSON. 
 Major, Commanding Thirty-second Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Lieut, Wat. G. Donnan, 
 
 Acting Assistant Adjutant- General, Second Brigade. 
 
354 thirty second regiment 
 
 Headquarters Thirty-second Iowa Infantry. 
 La Grange, Tenn., July 21, 18(54. 
 
 Sir:- In relation to the part sustained by my 
 command in the engagement at Old Town Creek on 
 the 1 5th instant, I have the honor to report, that 
 during the march between Tupelo and Old Town 
 Creek my command was put in charge of part of the 
 train, moving with them and going into camp at 4 p. 
 m. on Old Town Creek. At 5 p. m.. the First Divi- 
 sion having passed in advance, the enemy obtained 
 possession of a position that commanded our camp. 
 They planted a battery and immediately commenced 
 shelling us. the shells striking with accuracy and 
 precision. T was ordered to move out by the right 
 flank, crossing Old Town Creek, formed in line of 
 battle and moved forward, taking position on the 
 right of the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry, who. in con- 
 nection with the Twenty-seventh Iowa Infantry, had 
 charged the battel y and had taken position on the 
 ridge, which position was held till the morning of 
 the 16th instant, when we moved forward with the 
 command. 
 
 The officers and men conducted themselves with 
 characteristic courage. 
 
 JONATHAN HUTCHINSON, 
 
 Major, < 'ommanding Thirty -second Regiment Iowa. Infantry 
 
 Lieut. W. Ct.Donnan, 
 
 Acting Assistant Adjutant- General, Second Brigade. 
 
 Report of Lieut. Col. Gustavus A. Eberhart, 
 
 Thirty-second Iowa Infanrty, of Operations 
 
 December 15-16, 1864. 
 
 Hdors. Thirty-second Iowa Infantry. 
 
 In the Field, December 21, lSBJf. 
 
 Lieutenant:— Of the part taken by the Thirty- 
 second Iowa Infantry in the battle of the 15th and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 355 
 
 Kith instant, I have the honor to report as follows: 
 
 At H a. m. on ihe 15th, in obedience to orders 
 from brigade headquarters, I formed the regiment 
 on the right of the brigade, with my left resting on 
 the Fifty eighth Illinois Infantry. The regiment ad- 
 vanced in line of battle for more than a mile, slowly 
 wheeling to the left, conforming to the movement of 
 the line on our right. From 11 a. m. until 1 p. m. we 
 lay under artillery tire from a battery 1,000 yards in 
 our front. When the works were carried by the 
 forces in front we moved forward about one mile 
 and a half, when we were ordered to go into camp 
 for the night. The regiment was not brought into 
 close action, and suffered no loss. 
 
 On the morning of the 16th we were again on 
 the right of the brigade, our right resting on the left 
 of the First Division. The advance was ordered 
 about 7 a. m.. the line wheeling to the right to con- 
 front the enemy's works. When within about 1,200 
 yards we came in full view of the enemy, drawing 
 upon us a brisk tire from their battery, under which 
 the men moved forward with commendable coolness. 
 The First Division contracting in order to form two 
 lines we were thrown by the flank to the right about 
 half a mile. At this point we lay under tire of the 
 enemy's artillery for about five hours. At 3:30 p. m. 
 tie right of the First Division carried the left of the 
 enemy's works; we then moved forward at a double- 
 quick over an open field, under a severe fire from ar- 
 tillery and musketry, and in a few minutes gained 
 the intrenchments, capturing about 50 prisoners and 
 5 pieces of artillery. Some of the artillerists were 
 killed as they were leaving the guns. Private Wm. 
 May. of Company H. dashed forward and captured 
 -the battery guidon. The regiment moved forward in 
 pursuit, gathering a few prisoners, until we reached 
 the base of the mountain, when we received orders 
 to halt. At dark, the battle being over, we were or- 
 dered into camp near the mountain. 
 
 Too much cannot be said in praise of the conduct 
 of the officers and men under the heavy fire during 
 the charge; every one moved forward with a deter- 
 mination to carry the works. 
 
356 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Where all behaved so creditably it is a delicate 
 matter to make particular mention of persons, but I 
 presume no exceptions will be taken when I speak of 
 Lieut. W. L. Carpenter acting regimental adjutant, 
 who was, as usual, conspicuous for his brave and 
 gallant conduct in the action, and was among the 
 first over the rebel works. Also, Capt. Theodore De 
 Tar. commanding Company D, who, after pursuing 
 the enemy to the mountain, was wounded in the right 
 ankle, making an amputation necessary This will 
 cause the loss to the regiment of an officer who has 
 always been esteemed tor his excellent qualities as an 
 officer and a gentleman. First Sergeant W. Albauy;h, 
 Company C. who was killed almost instantly by a 
 minie ball, was one of our best non-commissioned 
 officers, and w 7 as much loved by his company as an 
 officer and comrade. They mourn his loss deeply. 
 My thanks are due Maj. Jonathan Hutchinson for his 
 assistance during the action. 
 
 I cannot refrain from mentioning Color Sergeant 
 A. J. Elli.-, of Company G. who carried the standard. 
 Although once thrown to the ground by a glancing 
 shot he refused logive the standard to any one else, 
 but made his way forward and was one of the first 
 over the works. Corporal Bell, of Company G, who 
 bore the regimental colors, was noticed for his brav- 
 ery in action. 
 
 I send herewith a list of casualties in the regi- 
 ment, which is light, only because the artillery was 
 aimed too high, and the infantry intimidated by our 
 rapid firing as we advanced. 
 
 Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant. 
 
 G. A. EBERHART. 
 Lieutenant- < 'olonel, Commanding Regiment. 
 
 Lieut. W. G. Donnan, 
 
 Acting Assistant Adjutant -General. 
 
 The following War Reminiscences serve to illus- 
 trate other events than those to which they immedi- 
 ately refer, and are worthy the space they occupy. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 357 
 
 A Teamster's Story. 
 
 Charles A. Clark, Company C, now of Fairbury, 
 Nebraska, served with the Company until February, 
 18H4. when he was detailed as teamster. His first 
 service in that line was handling six mules and a 
 wagon, hauling shells for a Battery. He went 
 through the expedition to Meridian in that duty. 
 
 He missed the Red River campaign, as most of 
 our train was then left in the rear, but came into 
 active service again on the raid to Tupelo. Of that 
 he says: — 
 
 "That was a hot time. While going out our 
 driving was mostly done in the night. The day be- 
 fore we reached Tupelo our train was attacked. 
 There was quite a skirmish. There was not much 
 fun in holding a team, and being shot at, with no 
 chance to shoot back, or to get out. But when the 
 way was cleared we got away without having orders 
 to move given more than once. 
 
 The day of the fight I was sent on the field with 
 a load of shells. When I reached the reserve line 
 my guide led me to the left, where 1 was soon the 
 target for a rebel's gun, then another, and to the 
 lively tune they played 1 drove six mules on the run 
 through places where I do not believe I could now 
 drive two horses on a walk. We went over fences, 
 through tree tops, timber and fields of corn, and 
 reached the Battery, when the Captain called out — 
 •'Ho, there! Where in h — 1 are you going?" I an- 
 swered that I was told by the ordnance officer to fol- 
 low my guide, and that I had done so. He said — "1 
 
 suppose you would follow him to h 1." I told him 
 
 expected I would, if he had gone on through. He 
 
358 THIRTY SKCOND KKGIMKNT 
 
 then ordered me to turn back and drive to the lee 
 side of a cabin and be unloaded, and you can bet I 
 was not long in obeying that order. 
 
 The battle was then nearly over, and I was or- 
 dered to haul wounded men off the field. I never 
 want to do that job again. I would be shelled by six 
 guns rather than haul wounded men. 
 
 The next day a rebel in the dress of a Federal Col- 
 onel gave the wagon master orders to park the train 
 in a field about a mile before we got to Old Town 
 Creek, which would soon have been done had not our 
 quarter master come along and showed us three big 
 rebel guns looking at us from a high hill, and making 
 ready to play Dixie. We did not wait for the music 
 to start, but waltzed out before it began. That was 
 the nearest our train ever came to a regular stam- 
 pede. 
 
 I only saw the 32nd Iowa once during that cam- 
 paign. 
 
 I was sick on the Oxford campaign, hardly able 
 to stand long enough to string out my team, but I 
 dreaded the hospital, and worried through. On the 
 return, near the Hatchie, a drunken Lieutenant came 
 along and scared my mules, when J was hitching up. 
 I respectfully asked him to go away. He became 
 angry, and threatened to do me up. but as became 
 for me he staggered against my off-wheel mule, and 
 she laid him out. I got started and soon overtook 
 the train. I again saw the Lieutenant, stagger up to 
 an ambulance and order Corporal John La Bane 
 out, and take the vacant place. At the risk" of pun- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 359 
 
 ishment for myself I induced the corporal to ride in 
 my wagon. 
 
 One evening- Col. Shaw had a nice bonfire of cot- 
 ton, bed quilts, and other things picked up on the ex- 
 pedition. Cyrus Shaffer's wagon box was full of cot- 
 ton, on which some sick men were riding. One of 
 them, Sergeant Alexander, said the men were too 
 sick to move. The Colonel ordered Cyrus to drive 
 on, and at Memphis he sold his cotton for sixty dol- 
 lar's. *' 
 
 Clark's story includes the campaign in Missouri, 
 the Nashville campaign, the removal to Eastport, to 
 the plains and mud of Chalmette, across the Gulf, 
 the Mobile campaign, and the trip to Montgomery, 
 where he was reduced to the grade of Wagon master, 
 with better pay and less hard work, until his train 
 was turned over, leaving him nothing to do but eat 
 blackberries till he was mustered out. 
 
 General Sherman and the Mule. 
 
 Comrade Charles N. Thomas, Company G, now a 
 citizen of Albion, Iowa, relates that when the four 
 companies were camped at Big Black river, awaiting 
 the return of the six companies from the expedition 
 to Meridiau. about March 1st. 1864, he was detailed 
 to assist in loading a train with captured mules. He 
 tells this incident:-- 
 
 v, The business went smoothly enough until we 
 reached a frisky young mule that concluded he would 
 
360 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 not enter the car. While we were discussing: the 
 case with him a man in citizen's dress was passing, 
 and paused to hear the arguments. Seeing that the 
 mule was getting rather the better of us the citizen 
 said: — "That mule is a Reb. Let me show you how 
 to load him." Under his instructions we got a rope 
 about fifteen feet long; three men took hold of each 
 end. and Mr. Citizen took the middle. Another man 
 held Ihe mule's head toward the door of the car. 
 Thus equipped we moved on the enemy's works, the 
 citizen holding the rope so it would not touch the 
 mule till the proper moment; and when that time 
 came he ordered an advance, toe k the tail of the 
 mule in one hand, adjusted the rope with the other, 
 and the procession entered the car. 
 
 Without further remark Mr. Citizen walked away, 
 leaving with us the impression that he was not so 
 much of a fool as we had taken him to be. About 
 this time an officer came along and inquired what had 
 interested General Sherman. The fact was that the 
 successful campaign against that mule was concluded 
 under the personal direction of the distinguished sol- 
 dier '"' 
 
CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 The Rebel Prison. 
 
 The story of the Great War is not complete if 
 the sufferings and hardships of those who were so 
 unfortunate as to fall alive into the hands of the 
 enemy should be entirely omitted. There were not 
 many of the comrades of the 32nd Iowa who had this 
 experience. Some of those who were captured were 
 among our bravest and best men, and have given 
 truthful and interesting accounts of what they suf- 
 fered, and somewhat in detail incidents connected 
 with their escape from bondage by traversing many 
 miles of dangerous territory. Among those who en- 
 dured and braved these hardships and dangers, and 
 who have heretofore told the story of their imprison- 
 ment, may be named Sergeant Jewett of Company 
 D; Corporal D. W. Robbins, of, the same Company; 
 Sergeant W. H. Guy. of Company E; Lt. W. A. Fal- 
 las, of Company K; and I. A. Packard, of Company 
 A. 
 
 Fallas and Guy escaped from their guards at 
 Mansfield, and joined the Regiment again at Grand 
 Ecore. Robbins was confined at Tyler, Texas, un- 
 til April 17th. 18H5, (more than a year,) when with 
 many others he was exchanged. 
 
 The story of Packard, as told by himself, is giv- 
 en herein. It was published in May, L886. in the 
 Grand Army Advocate, and is as follows: — 
 
 "In the spring of 1864.1 was unfortunate in form- 
 ing one of the command of General Banks, of Red 
 River notoriety. I was captured in the battle at 
 
802 THIRTY SKCOND KKGIMK'NT 
 
 Pleasant Hill, with many other comrades, and imme- 
 diately hustled through the rebel lines to the rear. I 
 had thought we had pretty hard fare in our army, 
 but now I was to know something of what hard fare 
 really was. We were taken to Mansfield, and incar- 
 cerated in the court house with orders that if a man 
 showed himself at the window he would get shot. 
 One of the boys inadvertantly exposed himself and 
 immediately got a severe wound. This was the sig- 
 nal for the boys to begin to impost- on the guards, by 
 putting hats on sticks to draw their tire and then yell 
 at them in derision. This sport was indulged in un- 
 til the rebel officers came in and said if it were not 
 stopped, someone would be punished. The battle of 
 Pleasant Hill was fought on Saturday, and on the 
 next Tuesday morning we got our first bite of grub. 
 It consisted of small pieces of corn bread, about the 
 size of an ordinary piece of cake, and about two bites 
 of salt beef, so salty as to almost blister the skin 
 from the moui h. 
 
 On the next Thursday, we were marched from 
 our quarters and informed that we were to go to 
 Tyler, Texas. I will give a few incidents of the 
 march, showing the ignorance, brutaliiy and hate of 
 the yanks indulged in by the rebels. We passed but 
 one school house, and the school marm must let out 
 the scholars to see the yanks pass. There they 
 stood all in a row, mouth agape. One little chap 
 says "Why, I don't see any horns." Another "Why 
 they look just like we-uns does." Some of our boys 
 were sick and unable to travel; they put ropes about 
 their necks, tied them to the pommel of their saddles. 
 and then when they were not able to stand any long- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 
 
 563 
 
 er, they were dragged by the neck. An old planter 
 was passing us one day and one of the boys called 
 Out. ••Uncle, how far is it to Tyler?" "Go on, go 
 
 on you yankee son of-a , don't speak to me." At 
 
 last foot sore and weary, we came in sight of our 
 prison pen; what a prospect! No shelter of any de- 
 scription. The pea was a spot of land enclosed by 
 standing on end logs set in a trench, and then tilled 
 with earth. The thought struck me as I passed 
 through the gate, shall I ever go out alive? Soon 
 after entering the prison, I was taken sick with fever 
 and ague, and to make it worse it began to rain and 
 rained every day for two weeks. The only covering 
 possessed by myself and comrades, (or bunkmates 
 nil her) was an old cotton blanket; and we did not lie 
 down without lying in mud and water. When we 
 got fairly settled and divided up into squads and regi- 
 ments, our rations one and one half pints of corn meal 
 per day and three fourths of a pound of beef. 
 
 By the first of July we began to resemble a set 
 of scarecrows, rags fluttering in the wind, bones al- 
 most projecting from the skin. Our death list began 
 to assume fearful proportions; comrades lying about 
 and dying, without as much attention as our hogs 
 got at home, for they generally have straw for a bed 
 
 and plenty to eat. 
 
 Soon ">ifter we entered the prison, a small dump 
 
 cart came in to remove the filth from the camp; it 
 
 was driven by a negro, and a reb sent to guard it. 
 
 Some of the boys would entice the guard off to one 
 
 side to trade, a couple of the boys would be all ready, 
 
 jump into the cart and be covered with the debris by 
 
 their comrades, when loaded the negro wouldcall to 
 
 the guard to accompany him to the gate, where guard 
 
364 THIKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 would stop and the negro would proceed with his 
 load about a quarter of a mile into a hollow, where 
 he would dump it and return for some more yanks. 
 
 About one hundred and fifty got out in this way 
 before the rebels discovered it. Nearly all were 
 brought back by the rebs, caught by the hounds, 
 when they would punish them by tying them by the 
 thumbs and various other ways cruel in the extreme. 
 When it began to get cooler weather, in the fall, I be- 
 gan to think of escape. 
 
 A number of tunnels had been dug under the 
 stockade, and just as they were completed some of 
 our men would turn traitor and disclose their locality 
 to the rebels. The first one that turned traitor, the 
 rebs did not take him from the stockade immediately, 
 and when they came to look for him, he was not to 
 be found. Only one tunnel was made a success of, 
 and from that one twenty -seven men made their es- 
 cape. The first of October I was appointed by the 
 commander of the prison to issue meat to my fellow 
 prisoners; for this service I was to get six extra ra- 
 tions. I then weighed 145 pounds. About this time 
 a lieutenant of our- regiment who was a surgeon was 
 appointed chief surgeon at our hospital; through his 
 influence six of our regiment per day were to go out- 
 side on parole of honor, the forfeiture of the parole 
 was death. 
 
 We were allowed to go anywhere within one 
 mile of* the stockade. We now began to see better 
 times; carried logs from this timber and built us log 
 huts, and had plenty of fuel to burn, also went into 
 the fields and pulled grass foe our beds. 1 now be 
 gan to save up food for my extra rations, in anticipa- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 365 
 
 tion of my escape. No opportunity offering, we form- 
 ed a party and began a tunnel in a little cave or dug- 
 out, occupied by a couple of New Yorkers. We work- 
 ed at this tunnel until we had proceeded 100 feet and 
 were directly under the stockade. 
 
 T. A. Packard. 
 
 The work on this cost us one month's hard labor. 
 The New Yorkers whose dugout we had started in, 
 gave information to the rebs that lead to its discov- 
 ery. 
 
 It was now winter and the prison presented a de- 
 cidedly better appearance than in the summer, but a 
 
•! r C) THIRTY SECOND REGIMEN T 
 
 little too airy for winter. Our prison now presented 
 quite a busy spectacle; there were seven turning' 
 lathes, with these they made combs, rings, chessmen 
 and various other articles, these they bartered with 
 the rebels, principally for something to eat. 
 
 The location of our regiment was in the extreme 
 corner of the stockade during the summer. One 
 night after I had lain down to rest three of my com- 
 rades came and sat down close by and began to talk 
 of a sermon they had just listened to, when suddenly 
 a gun cracked and I heard the whistle of the bullet 
 over my head, one of these men jumped to his feet 
 with the exclamation, "My God! I am shot!" 
 
 He died before morning, and the murderer got a 
 furlough home and a promotion to corporal, for kill- 
 ing him. At another time I saw one of the guard 
 draw up his gun and shoot a man who was walking 
 thirty feet inside the dead line. L\\ the latter part of 
 the summer and the fore part of the fall, our prison 
 became extremely filthy ; the ground was full of gray- 
 backs and maggots. After lying on our blankets 
 overnight, take them up and you could scrape up a 
 double handful of maggots under them. 
 
 After the escape of the prisoners by the dump 
 
 cart, they allowed us no means of cleaning up. In 
 
 the winter James Howard, of company E, and D. S. 
 
 Jewett of company D, (both of my regiment) made 
 
 an agreement that if possible we would make our es 
 
 cape together. To make our arrangements fores 
 
 cape plain to the reader, I will have to make some 
 
 explanations here, for you will not see the drift of it 
 
 later. 
 
 Our hospital was on the out side of the stockade. 
 on a hillside commanding: a view of the whole interi- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 307 
 
 or of the prison. 
 
 The nurses attending the sick in the hospital 
 were on parole of honor; and only three guards were 
 detailed per day to see that everything went straight 
 at the hospital. The nurses carried their own wood 
 from the timber, about one-fourth of a mile distant. 
 They had roll call at. sunrise in the morning, and 
 they were not molested after that for the day unless 
 something out of the ordinary routine occurred. We 
 decided in the event of our escape to strike for Little 
 Rock. Arkansas; also that w 7 e would travel after at- 
 taining a goodly distance from prison as rebel sol- 
 diers on furlough. 
 
 We got acquainted with what we called a "moun- 
 tain Fed." or in other words an Arkansas Union 
 man. that lived when at home in the Ozark mountains; 
 from him we got directions to three Union men di- 
 rectly on our route. The first of these being his 
 brother inlaw. 
 
 We also agreed that if one by any accident 
 should get separated from the other two, they were 
 to stop right there and give him a reasonable time to 
 return to his comrades. 
 
 After the failure of our tunnel scheme we were al- 
 most disheartened. But after a time engaged in other 
 projects for escape only to be disappointed; until the 
 night of April 20th, 18b5. D. S. Jewett, then came 
 running into the shanty exclaiming "Get your things 
 boys we have a chance for escape." I will here ex- 
 plain that some of the guards were conscripts, and 
 some of these were Uuion men. The rebel officers 
 knew who nearly all of these men were, and would 
 only put one of them in a place with men that they 
 
368 TH I RIY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 knew to be genuine rebels between. But this night 
 they got two on adjoining posts, and they had prom- 
 ised D. S. Jewett to let us over the stockade. After- 
 snatching up our provisions that I might have saved 
 from extra rations, ready at all times, we bade our 
 comrades a hearty good-bye and smarted for liberty 
 and God's country. 
 
 With the help of our comrades we scrambled 
 over the stockade and were free. I neglected to 
 state when speaking of our arrangements for escape 
 that we were to go to the hospital and stop until the 
 next night, in order to get an early start in the even- 
 ing and baffle the hounds which would be put on our 
 trail ihe morning after learning of our flight. 
 
 In accordance with programme we went direct 
 to the hospital and were told that we had better go 
 to the woods for the ni^ht. as they had just had roll- 
 call, and might have it auaiu. 
 
 So we went to the edge of the timber and camp- 
 ed for the remainder of the night. 
 
 Immediately after roll-call at the hospital, and 
 before roll-call in the stockade, we shouldered a stick 
 of wood and started for the hospital, as though we 
 were some of the nurses after fuel. 
 
 We were eager to watch the roll-call in the stock- 
 ade, as there were thirty -two besides ourselves who 
 made their escape at the same time we did. 
 
 There were some missing at the first roll-call. and 
 
 the ward masters were sent back for a second, and 
 
 still not right, they were sent back for a third. They 
 
 were not satisfied that some of the - - Yankees were 
 gone. 
 
 "Now for some sport! Hurrah boys, tret out the 
 
 hounds, and we will soon catch those infernal Yan- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 369 
 
 kees." 
 
 We stood and watched them as they started to 
 catch us, and were talking to the rebels at the time. 
 We lounged around the hospital all day, and along 
 in the afternoon they began to bring back our com- 
 rades who had made their escape at the same time 
 we did, until they had caught fifteen. 
 
 As soon as it was fairly dark we bade our com- 
 rades at the hospital good-bye, and, with a God speed 
 and a ••hope you'll have good luck boys" from them, 
 we started for Yankee land. 
 
 We guided our course by the north star, travel- 
 ing very fast so as to get as far as possible from the 
 stockade the first night. At the first peep of day we 
 crawled into some thick brush for concealment. We 
 laid our weary limbs down to rest and had only got 
 fairly settled when we heard a rooster crow so start 
 lingly near, as to make us jump to our* feet in a hurry 
 and seek more distant quarters. 
 
 We remained there through the day without be- 
 ing disturbed, and resumed our march at early dusk. 
 About midnight we came to the Sabine river, which 
 was very high. 
 
 Howard was a very poor swimmer; and before we 
 started from the prison made us agree to help him 
 over the streams. We hunted about for something 
 to make a raft, and not finding anything suitable we 
 concluded to wait for daylight. 
 
 The next morning we resumed our search for 
 materials to make a raft, and after hunting along the 
 bank for about a mile down stream, found some old 
 plank, apparently from some bridge. 
 
 We constructed our raft and were about to cross, 
 
370 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 when the baying of the hounds (so familiar of late) 
 was wafted to our ears from the rear. We listened 
 until satisfied they were on our trail, when Howard 
 leaped into the water and struck for the opposite 
 shore as though a legion of devils were after him. 
 
 Jevvett said: 
 
 '•Packard, you follow him and help him if he 
 needs it, and I will bring the raft with our clothes.'' 
 
 Need help? I guess not! I am a pretty good 
 swimmer, and I had all I could do to keep up with 
 him. I tell you the loud mouthing of those hounds 
 in the rear was a pretty good spur. 
 
 We got across all right, turned our raft adrift, 
 and laid in the brush to wait and see if the hounds 
 crossed the river, intending if they did to take to the 
 water. Fortunately for us they did not cross and we 
 were safe from them for the time being. We stopped 
 in the vicinity until night when we again took up 
 our line of march. We traveled nights, resting days, 
 without anything more worthy of note occurring un- 
 til the fifth day oat, and it behooved us to look for 
 some grub,. 
 
 We camped that night in the brush by the side 
 of a large plantation; Jewett said: "When the ne- 
 groes go to work, I will see if we cannot get some 
 food of them." 
 
 After the negroes went to work Jewett crawled 
 up to the fence and accosting a boy plowing corn 
 asked him if he could get some food of him, telling 
 him we were escaped prisoners. 
 
 The boy after thinking a moment said that he 
 would like to give us "sutFin to eat awful well, massa, 
 but I don't see how I uit it. Dar am bout 150 black 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 371 
 
 folks oa dis place, and dey gits ter grub ebery day; 
 some of detn liab a little ahead, put de most ob dem 
 eats it as fast as dey gits it." 
 
 To cut the conversation short, he said there was 
 danger of our being captured if he tried to get us any 
 food; so we gave it up for that time. 
 
 We had now one little cracker, or a hardtack per 
 man; that we ate for supper. That night we traveled 
 as usual, and stopped for the day by the side of a 
 wheal field with a cotton gin in the center. 
 
 At sunrise the negroes came out to work at plow T - 
 ing corn in the field adjoining. It was now Howard's 
 turn to try for some grub. So in pursuance of this 
 object, he stealthily crawled along the division fence, 
 to where the negro was plowing. When they came 
 up and turned their mules about Howard spoke to 
 1 hem. 
 
 The negroes, with the exclamation of "Good 
 Lord, what's dat," jumped as though shot. Quieting 
 their fears, he told them what he was after. 
 
 They said we havn't time to talk, but "You come 
 to dat old cotton gin at moonrise to night, and we 
 fetch you suffin to cat, suah. If we stay here long 
 the old overseer will be here mighty quick." 
 
 We waited patiently as we could without any- 
 thing to eat until nightfall, and then we went to the 
 old cotton-gin, to wait the appearance of our sable 
 friends. 
 
 The moon rose and ascended upward and our 
 friends failed to make their appearance. We were 
 beginning to despair of getting anything to eat that 
 night, when the welcome sound of a whistle greeted 
 our ears. They soon cam* 1 to view bearing a jug of 
 
872 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 butter milk, corn bread, boiled bacon and some bacon 
 uncooked. 
 
 We fell upon the viands with a relish begotten 
 by extreme hunger. After eating and chatting 
 awhile, they informed us that we had a large swamp 
 to cross, and if we wished they would go with us and 
 show us a road. 
 
 We thankfully accepted their offer and accom- 
 panied them to their cabins. They gave us some 
 oatmeal and a little more bacon, and with spirits re- 
 vived and with stomachs replenished we started forth. 
 Our sable friends kept us company two and a half 
 miles, with good' wishes for on r ultimate escape, by 
 them, and thanks for their assistance, we parted 
 company. We traveled on as usual until the ninth 
 day out, when our provisions again failed us and we 
 must again look for grub. We traveled for two 
 nights more without finding any chance to get any 
 food, except berries we could gather. 
 
 The eleventh day out it rained all day; footsore, 
 hungry, wet and cold we made up our mind we were 
 going to have something to eat, or make a big effort 
 at any rate. 
 
 So just before sundown we started to find a road 
 and had not far to go until we came to one; following 
 it about a mile we came to one of those big double 
 houses, with a portico between, so common in the 
 south. 
 
 As we came up to the house there was a young 
 white woman with a milk pail on her arm. putting 
 the cow in the yard for the night. 
 
 Jewett said. "Madam, what is the nearest town 
 on this road?"' She answered, "Mt. Pleasant."' 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 373 
 
 "How far is it?"' "Five miles." 
 
 She never turned her head to look at us. With 
 thanks for her information we passed on. 
 
 Af'ier getting out of ear shot Howard said, "Did 
 you see any niggers about?" "No" said Howard, I be- 
 lieve they are a Union family." 
 
 "I believe they are myself," said Jewett. 
 
 "Well." said I "If you think they are let us pick 
 out a good place to camp, and Jewett go to the house 
 and stop as a rebel soldier on furlough.'' 
 
 Find out their sentiments, and if they are Union, 
 get some food. 
 
 "Oh, no," said Jewett. "This is too risky. Let 
 us stop here and try to steal some." 
 
 I then asked Howard if he would attempt it. And 
 after some little study he thought it too hazardous. 
 
 "Well," said I. "if you wait forme I will attempt 
 it." They both agreed. 
 
 So we turned from the road into the timber, and 
 picked out a camping place so that I could find them 
 again and changing hat and coat, I made a detour 
 and came up to the house from the opposite direc- 
 tion. It was raining hard all this time. 
 
 As I came up to the house there was on old lady 
 standing in the door. "Madam," said I; "can you 
 keep a poor soldier over night?" 
 
 Old lady — "Well, we are not in the habit of 
 keeping folks, [slight hesitation] I would not turn a 
 dog off such a night as this. Come in." 
 
 Accepting this invitation, I stepped into the 
 cheerful warmth of an open fireplace. The old lady 
 began to quiz me immediately, asking for all sorts of 
 information; where I had come from, where I was go- 
 
374 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ing to, when I thought the war would end, which side 
 I thought would whip, and many others loo numerous 
 to mention. 
 
 While we were talking (and no appearance of 
 supper, and that was what interested me the most at 
 that time.) the old gent came in; he civilly bade me 
 good evening, and after some little conversation, in 
 which his wife informed him that 1 was a soldier 
 stopping for the night, and the old gent began to 
 question me, following nearly the same line of ques- 
 tions as the old lady. In conversation with the old 
 gent I was so eager to learn his sentiments as to be- 
 come incautious, and in speaking of the Union forces 
 used the pronoun us, or we. [ noticed the oversight 
 immediately and watched to note its effects on the 
 old folks. 
 
 They did not seem to notice it but I could not 
 say as much for the other members of the family, as 
 they sat behind me. I noticed the old gent sat sus- 
 piciously near a loaded rifle. 
 
 I was more cautious after the slip of the tongue. 
 About eight o'clock in the evening we had supper, 
 and never did minutes seem so long to any poor mor- 
 tal as to me while it was in preparation. 
 
 '•Packard," says Howard, on leaving them, "If 
 you get anything to eat, slip something into your 
 pocket, and bring it to us tonight if possible."' So at 
 the supper table I watched my opportunity to slip 
 some food unseen, into my pocket, but failed to do so. 
 as only the old folks and I ate at the first table, and 
 his daughter and daughter in law waited upon the 
 table, and one or the other of them was watching the 
 
IOVVa VOLUNTEERS 37J 
 
 table all the time. 
 
 I ate as long as the other folks and for some time 
 a tier, and then did not have near enough, but forced 
 myself to stop as they began to regard me with won- 
 der on account of my extraordinary voracity. 
 
 About nine o'clock they began to speak of going 
 to bed. I put on my shoes (which I had taken off' to 
 dry my stockings) and 1 scud for the boys as fast as 
 th(-> darkness and density of the timber would permit 
 of. 1 went as near as I could where I had left them 
 and softly called them by name; no answer. I called 
 again, and still the same result. I then went far- 
 ther and called but got no answer." 
 
 I then began to think I was deserted I called 
 again as loud as I dared, and got a faint answer from 
 a distance. I followed the sound and found my com- 
 panions ensconced under a fallen tree that partially 
 protected them from the storm. 
 
 The first question that came was, have you any- 
 thing for us to eat? I was forced to answer in the 
 negative. The next question was, are they Union 
 people? I replied, "I can't say for certain, but think 
 they are. and in the morning will get the old man 
 out of doors and away from that rifle and I will find 
 out whether he is a Union man or not. 
 
 Jewett says: "For pity's sake come to us as soon 
 as you can, as we are nearly starved." I promised 
 compliance, and went to the house and went to bed, 
 pulling off my shirt as well as other clothing, as by 
 this time our clothing had become pretty well seeded 
 with gray backs. I took a sweet night's rest and arose 
 as early in the morning as any of the family. 
 
 I again tried to "pump" the old man and learn 
 
876 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 his sentiments, but could get him to say nothing for 
 or against either side. I gave up the job until after 
 breakfast, which we did not get until about eight 
 o'clock. 
 
 In conversation the night before I had learned 
 the names of the different ferries on the Red river, 
 and to cross on the one I said I wished to. The old 
 man said I would have to take a different route and 
 he would go and show me a path leading to it, that 
 would shorten the distance. 
 
 As this was just what I wanted I assented and 
 we started forth. After getting a little distance 
 from the house the old gent's little grandchild came 
 running after us with a couple of biscuits in her 
 hand, saying. "Ma says put them in your pocket for 
 lunch." 
 
 T accepted them and we passed on into the tim- 
 ber out of sight of the house. Turning square about, 
 I said: "-old man I suppose you think 1 am a rebel 
 soldier do you not?'' '"Why yes you said you was."' 
 'Well.' said I, "I am not; I am a Union soldier trying 
 to make my escape from the rebels, and I believe 
 you to be a Union man. and if you are. now is the 
 time to show it." 
 
 l, Ah, ha!" said he, ''you can't fool me that way." 
 I replied, "I was fooling you last night, but I am tell- 
 ing you the truth now." After some further conver- 
 sation, in which I failed to convince him that I was 
 what I claimed to be, I said, "Old man do I talk like 
 a southern many" 
 
 He answered. "No. but you said last night that 
 your former home was in Missouri, and 1 thought 
 that was the reason you talked different from us." 
 
rOW A VOLUNTEERS. 6( t 
 
 I answered, "My real home is in Iowa, and I have a 
 couple of comrades out here in the brush that are 
 nearly starved, having been without food for nearly 
 three days, and if you are a Union man, and wish to 
 help us. now is your time to say so." 
 
 He looked me fully in the eye for nearly a minute, 
 and finally said, "You look as if you were telling the 
 truth and I will have to trust you, if I do get bit. I 
 will now tell you why I was so suspicious of you. 
 The rebs doubt my loyalty to their cause and sent a 
 soldier to entrap me in precisely the same manner in 
 which you have" come. I was nothing loth to express 
 my sentiments and the result was the rebels had me 
 arrested and I laid in jail at Mt. Pleasant for over 
 three months, and I did not care for such an experi- 
 ence again. Go and get your comrades, and if you 
 are all right you will find me the same." 
 
 I went to the hoys, and the first question was, 
 "What luck r"' "Bully, they are Union to the back- 
 bone." I then gave them the two biscuits and they 
 said they were the sweetest morsels they had ever 
 tasted. 
 
 Alter washing at the brook we repaired to the 
 house, and I tell you they got a good breakfast, and 
 a great deal better one than I had. The old man 
 asked me if I did not want some more breakfast, and 
 I replied that I had had enough for that morning 
 but had risen hungry from the table the night be- 
 fore. 
 
 His daughter said she had noticed my slip of the 
 tongue last evening, but had thought it another plan 
 to entrap her pa, and so let it pass as though not 
 noticed We stopped there that day and the girls 
 
378 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 killed and cooked three chickens, made eight dried 
 apple turnovers, cooked a lot of biscuits, and on our 
 preparing for departure in the evening-, took us into 
 the smoke house and told us to lake all the meat we 
 could carry. 
 
 The old gent accompanied us eight miles on our 
 journey; he bade us adieu with many well-wishes for 
 our ultimate escape. Let me say right here that as 
 long as I shall live I shall never think of that family 
 without heartfelt gratitude for their timely assist- 
 ance. 
 
 We had no more adventures worthy of note, un- 
 til our arrival at Red river, which we reached about 
 midnight. We decided, if possible, to try and find a 
 skiff or canoe to cross in, as the river was very wide 
 and full of alligators. 
 
 After rambling up and down the river, waking 
 up all the dogs along the stream, and meeting with 
 no success we made a raft of dry logs, tied them to- 
 gether with linn bark, and using the same for ropes. 
 Howard mounted the raft with Jewett and myself as 
 his aquatic steeds, we made a break tor the opposite 
 shore just as daylight began to appear. 
 
 We effected our crossing all right, Jewett so 
 nearly exhausted as not to be able to climb the bank 
 until rested. We laid by for the day and started as 
 usual at night fall, soon after starting we heard a 
 drum-beat immediately in front of us, and so near as 
 to make us wonder if we had passed the pickets. 
 
 We made a wide detour to avoid the camp. Af- 
 ter traveling some time Jewett said. "What is the 
 reason we don't find any roads?" We traveled all 
 night without crossing anything in the shape of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 379 
 
 roads, except foot paths, and one of my comrades 
 says, "Let us follow this path and see where it will 
 lead to?" We agreed upon that, and soon came in 
 sight of some Indian wigwams, A new light broke up- 
 on us; we were in the Indian Territory, and we made 
 up our minds that the best thing for us to do would 
 be to get out of the Territory quickly as possible. 
 
 In pursuance of this object we turned directly 
 East, and decided to travel all day. We shortly 
 came to an Indian hunting lodge, and in it was a rifle, 
 a skillet for cooking and a bed of boughs. We 
 hunted for amunition, intending if we found any to 
 take the rifle; but did not succeed in finding any. 
 About dark we came to a sluggish stream called the 
 Ultima Thule; it looked decidedly porkerish, and hav- 
 ing traveled for twenty -four hours steady, we agreed 
 to camp for the night. 
 
 I awoke with a feeling of oppression on my 
 chest, as though a heavy weight was lying thereon 
 and a suffocating perfume invaded my nostrils, that 
 nearly stiffled me. I sprang to my feet casting the 
 blanket, weight and all, from me with all the force at 
 my command. 1 never shall know for certain, but 
 suppose it was a snake lying on my breast; there was 
 no more sleep for me that night. We crossed the 
 stream all right in the morning, and continued our 
 journey, crossing another very beautiful and rapid 
 stream in the afternoon. 
 
 After crossing this last stream we soon came to 
 a couple of small log huts. We made inquiries here 
 and learned that we were now in Arkansas, having 
 just crossed the line. Our last meal had been raw ba- 
 :-on. W^ found at these huts no one but females and 
 
880 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 children, one family living in each. 
 
 After some conversation with them we conclud- 
 ed that one of them was a Union woman, and so in- 
 formed her who we were, and asked for something to 
 eat. The woman replied. "It is a good thing you 
 did not tell that other woman who you are as she 
 would inform on you if she had a chance. My hus- 
 band has gone into Texas after" corn, and I expect 
 him home every hour; 1 have the last meal I have in 
 the house baking, but I will divide with you, and give 
 you half." We bade adieu to this friendly woman 
 and going a short distance laid down to rest for a 
 couple of hours, intending to travel again ihat night. 
 We awoke about nine o'clock and again took up our 
 line of march. After going two or three miles we 
 came to a swamp, attempted to cross it, the moon 
 and stars were obseured by clouds and left us with- 
 out a guide; after splashing about in the mud and 
 water, starting out the snakes by the score, and cross- 
 ing a bayon on the same log twice, we concluded 
 that we did not know which way to go, and so we got 
 on Lop of a log and waited for daylight. As the first 
 streaks of dawn tinged the east, we struck for dry 
 land, and just at sunrise we were again on solid 
 ground. 
 
 We climbed a hill and stopped at a cabin, to beg 
 some vituals. We found no one at home, and hunting 
 about for some grub, found half a corn cake which 
 weappropriated for our own use. The one solitary 
 bed was tumbled and yet warm as though it had just 
 been vacated. After getting our corn bread, we hid 
 in the brush to eat. and consider what to do. as we 
 were now in the vicinity of the first Union man that 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 38L 
 
 we were directed to before leaving prison. 
 
 After consultation we concluded to take the road, 
 travel on our furloughs, and inquire for Mr. Whistle, 
 (I use a fictitious name. ) We then boldly took to 
 the road, find at the tirst house I went in and made 
 inquiry. They did not know such a man, but it was 
 a good long spell toParaclifta; she did not know how 
 far. We then traveled some seven or eight miles, 
 keeping in the timber most of the time. At last we 
 came out upon a road that led through a lane between 
 two fields. 
 
 It now being Jewett's turn to make inquiry, he 
 said that we had better pass around the field, through 
 the timber and he would join us on the other side. 
 
 We did as directed and had barely seated our- 
 selves at the road, when Jewett came in sight with a 
 rebel soldier. 
 
 We hastily decided it would not do to talk any to 
 Jewett unless he first spoke to us, as the rebel soldier 
 might have him under arrest. As Jewett came along, 
 he gave us a wink and said, "Good morning boys. 
 Are you traveling?" We replied, "Yes sir,*' and 
 he passed on as though he had never seen us before. 
 In accordance with our agreement we selected a spot 
 close by to await his appearance if not captured. 
 
 We laid down and slept until about three o'clock, 
 when we decided that he had had plenty of time to 
 return to us. After some consultation Howard and 
 I resolved to take to the road and travel as rebel sol- 
 diers on a furlough. . Howard being a very quick- 
 tempered, passionate man. said that I would have to 
 do all of the talking, as he could not control his tem- 
 per, and might betray us. I agreed, and with that 
 
382 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 understanding we took the road as rebels. At ihe 
 iirst house we inquired for Mr. Whistle and were 
 told that they did not know such a man; but it was 
 about seven miles to Paraclifta. 
 
 Jogging on again we caught up with a boy 
 twelve years old; he said he knew where Mr. Whistle 
 lived, and was going in sight of the house, which 
 was just one-half mile north of Paraclifta. On ques- 
 tioning the boy farther, we learned there was a body 
 of rebel troops at Paraclifta, and they had a pack of 
 blood hounds for catching negroes and deserters. 
 
 W'e went to Mr. Whistle's house and seeing no 
 men folks about, we inquired of the lady if Mr. 
 Whistle was at home. She said, "No, that he had 
 gone to mill," and invited us in. On entering the 
 house we observed another lady. Bidding her good 
 evening, we seated ourselves and believing every- 
 thing to be all right, I told her who we were and that 
 we had been directed to them by her brother, as be- 
 ing good Union people and that they would help us 
 on our way. What was my surprise when she ans- 
 wered that we had been misinformed; that there was 
 no better confederate woman in the south, and the 
 only thing she ever had against her brother was that 
 he was a Union man. 
 
 Imagine our situation! We were now at the 
 mercy of these two women and they had it in their 
 power to send us back into bondage. After thinking 
 a minute, I said: "Well madam, what are you going 
 to do about it? You have us in your power." "I do 
 not know what to do." she said; "You never harmed 
 me that I know of, and T do not know that it would 
 do me any good to report you to the confederates; on 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 383 
 
 the other hand, if I do not, and the confederates find 
 it out they would confiscate our property and proba- 
 bly imprison us." "Have no fears as to that," said I, 
 "if you will give us your promise not to report us I 
 will give you our word of honor, as soldiers, that we 
 will say nothing that can bring harm to you," 
 
 After a moment's thought she replied; ''that as 
 far as she was concerned [and she glanced at the 
 other woman] she would give us the promise." I 
 then turned to the other woman and asked if she 
 would give us the same assurance; after some time 
 spent in meditation, she gave us the coveted answer; 
 and thanking them for their kindness, we bade them 
 good evening, and took our departure. "By George, 
 Packard."said Jim, "That was a close shave." "Yes," 
 I replied, "and we may not be out of it yet." As it 
 was now near dark, we decided to stop at the first 
 house we came to. We had gone about a half mile 
 when we came to a log house; on asking to stay over 
 night, we were answered in the affirmative. 
 
 The occupants consisted of a man and three girls, 
 the latter from fifteen to eighteen years of age. The 
 woman of the house immediately began a conversa- 
 tion with us, and in the conversation professed some 
 decidedly Union proclivities. The daughter instant- 
 ly said we must not mind what mother said, as she is 
 a little cracked on the war question. After this the 
 man joined in the conversation and told us that he 
 was a guerrilla, and then followed some stories of 
 his of how many Union soldiers he had killed, shoot- 
 ing them down from the bush; also of some they had 
 
 captured and hung; of how they would beg for mercy, 
 until our blood fairly boiled. 
 
 Howard got so angry that he could keep still no 
 
)-584 THIRTY SECOND REOIMENT 
 
 longer, (forgetting his agreement that I was to do 
 the talking) tried to speak and in the attempt broke 
 down; he was so mad his lips fairly quivered; the 
 guerrilla regarded him with astonishment.and watch- 
 ing him until I caught his eye I made a sign for him 
 to keep still; he immediately subsided. I was so 
 angry myself that I would have given every dollar I 
 possessed if I could have killed him, with any hope 
 of escape. Soon after expressing a wish to retire, 
 he said we would have to sleep in an out-house, as 
 they had no very good accommodations. After he 
 had left us. Howard said: "Packard, let us get out of 
 this I can't stand it." "No." I replied, "That would 
 be just the way to get them after us; if we stay here 
 quietly, and go about our business in the morning as 
 though we were all right, we will have no 1 rouble; 
 but if we should leave to-night ten chances to one if 
 we don't have the hounds after us in the morning." 
 The result was, we decided to stay; had a breakfast, 
 and departed in the morning, feeling much refresh- 
 ed. 
 
 We journeyed on that day without any incident 
 worthy of note, and in the evening were in the vicin- 
 ity of the second man we were directed to, Mi-. Wal- 
 ton. On making inquiry of a woman standing by the 
 side of the road, she informed us that he was very 
 sick, and not expected to live. I then asked her if 
 she could keep us over night. She said that we 
 could stop, and we passed on to her house, some dis- 
 tance from the road. 
 
 She did not appear to be very communicative, 
 but we learned that her husband was in the rebel 
 army and a captain of a company of Indians. We de- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 385 
 
 parted in the morning - , having fared sumptuously on 
 biscuit, sweet potatoes, and bacon. We jogged 
 along until nearly noon, when on nearing a house to 
 get a drink' of water, a woman standiug in the door 
 watching us very attentively as we came up, made a 
 sudden rush as though to clasp me in her arms. I 
 backed off. and said, "Madam I guess you have made 
 a mistake." She looked at me for a moment, and 
 burst into tears. As soon as she could control her 
 emotion she made an explanation. She thought I 
 was her son. We jogged along that day and the 
 next, when in the afternoon of the second day we got 
 on the wrong road. Going to a house to make in- 
 quiries, we found quite a party assembled there, as 
 we came up to the house, quite a natty, spruce-look- 
 ing sort. of a chap was trying to kiss a girl, and she 
 was resisting [or pretending to] with all her strength. 
 There were two girls and about half a dozen men. I 
 speak of the skirls particularly, as we shall have more 
 to do with them hereafter. 
 
 We talked with the men for some little time; 
 they directed us to the right road and we departed 
 without learning whether they were soldiers or not. 
 The next day we came in the vicinity of a camp of 
 rebels. On stopping at a house to get a drink of 
 water, we got into a conversation with one of the reb- 
 els and he said they were Quantrell's men and that 
 he belonged to them. The next day, being in the 
 vicinity of the third man we made inquiries and 
 easily found the place. On going to the house we saw 
 a boy plowing with a mule; on asking where Mr. Ap- 
 pleton was, he replied that he was not at home. Af- 
 ter talking with him a little I asked him if he knew 
 
386 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Tom Whistle. 
 
 He opened his eyes wide with surprise and said, 
 "Yes! Where did you know him?" I grave an eva- 
 sive answer as I was not yet, entirely satisfied wheth- 
 er they were rebel or union. We had been caught 
 once and did not propose to get caught in the same 
 fix again. After talking a while longer I became 
 satisfied that the boy was all right at any rate. I 
 then told him who we were and that Whistle was in 
 prison. He appeared to doubt, at first, but I finally 
 convinced him that we were what we represented our- 
 selves. He then told me tliHt they were suspected by 
 the rebels of disloyalty to their cause and had to be 
 very careful of what they did. 
 
 "Mother." he said, "here are two union prison-, 
 ers that were acquainted with Tom Whistle in the 
 rebel prison." She i>ot as white as a sheet in an in- 
 stant and gave him a look as much as to say, "Well, 
 now, you have done it." "Oh, mother," he said, 
 ••you need not be frightened they are all right," 1 
 now thought it time for me to say something. "Mad- 
 am you can set your fears entirely at rest; we are 
 just what we represent ourselves to be. escaped union 
 prisoners, from the rebel prison in Texas, and were 
 acquainted with Tom Whistle there, and were direct- 
 ed by him to you as being union people, and that you 
 would help us on our way." 
 
 She was now entirely satisfied and said that they 
 were Uuion and thought that our coming was some 
 trick of the rebels to deceive them. Mi". Appleton 
 would not be at home till late some time in the even- 
 ing. 
 
 We were eating supper when the old gentleman 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 387 
 
 came in. He looked very much surprised to see a 
 couple of strangers at the table. -'Father," the old 
 lady said "these are a couple of union men from the 
 rebel prison, they were acquainted with Tom down 
 there, and he directed them to us. The old man 
 looked in blank amazement first at her then at us. 
 
 I saw that he was afraid that they were taken in 
 by us and I proceeded to disarm his fears as soon as 
 possible. After becoming convinced that we were 
 really Union soldiers he became very cordial and said 
 we were welcome and wanted to know what he could 
 do for us. I told him we wanted a chance to rest a 
 day or two, wash our clothes, and give the graybacks 
 a hot bath. 
 
 He agreed to this; made us welcome, and told us 
 of two women who were going our road for sixty 
 miles, with whom we could travel without being sus- 
 pected. The women came along next day with three 
 yoke of oxen. We joined them and went to their 
 home, they being the two women mentioned before. 
 Their families were loyal, the men hiding from con- 
 scription. When we arrived the men came in from 
 the brush and their caves in the rocks, brought their 
 arms with them, and surplus guns for us. Desperate 
 as the chances were we felt once more that we were 
 men, and would stand or fall together. 
 
 The night passed in quiet, and the next morning 
 the captain of the band said that he would pilot us to 
 a man who lived in the mountain about six miles dis- 
 tant, and who would go with us to Little Rock, as he 
 had been over the route many times. 
 
 On arriving at the house, we were informed by 
 his wife that we would find her husband in the brush 
 
38,8 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 by a small mountain stream in sight of the bouse, 
 pointing - it out to us at the same time. 
 
 We went to ihe place designated and found him 
 at work cobbling his shoes; on talking the matter 
 over with him, he said he could go with us and would 
 start the next morning. During the day he ventured 
 to go to the house m our company, saying that it was 
 the first time he had been to the house in daylight 
 for a long time; that the guerrillas had made several 
 raids on his establishment and cleaned him out of al- 
 most everything, not leaving then] scarcely a dish to 
 eat from. 
 
 At nearly night-fall we started for his cave, 
 higher up in the mountains. On arriving there we 
 found it to be a small natural cave, almost as impreg- 
 nable as a fortress! A person could approach it but 
 in one direction and only in single file. Can my 
 readers appreciate the loyalty and devotion of these 
 hardy mountaineers to the Union? Watched for by 
 their enemies, who were greatly their superior in 
 numbers; shot at from the bush, when least expect- 
 ing it; scarcely daring to visit their families in the 
 light of the clay; compelled to crawl to their own fire- 
 sides in the dead of night, like a sheep-stealing dog! 
 
 After a comfortable and quiet night of rest, we 
 started for the highest part of the mountain intend- 
 ing to take the dividing ridge, keeping as much as 
 possible away from all roads of travel. 
 
 Several times we saw bodies of men in the val- 
 leys but could not tell who they were. The second 
 day after leaving our guide's cave my shoes gave out 
 completely and I was compelled to take it barefooted 
 over the rocks and briars. The next day my feet 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 389 
 
 were so full of cuts, bruises and briars that it was al- 
 most impossible for me to travel. In this extremity 
 I bethought me of my rebel hat. I cut it in two parts 
 through the middle, and tied the pieces on my feet 
 with strings. It was still very difficult for me to trav- 
 el, but the hat was a great improvement. 
 
 About twenty-five miles from Little Rock we left 
 the mountain, and then came the tug of war. We 
 were now to pass over the most dangerous part of 
 our route; for the nearer we got to our lines the more 
 danger there was. The last night out we camped 
 about fifteen miles from our lines. No one who has 
 never been in our position can realize with what anxi- 
 ety we watched the passage of time, every mile 
 bringing us nearer and increasing the danger; every 
 nerve was on the strain, every sense alert to catch 
 the slightest sound. 
 
 At last we came in sight of the glorious old Stars 
 and Stripes. Happy moment! We had often specula- 
 ted on what our feelings would be when we should 
 see the flag of our country again. We thought we 
 should feel like shouting for joy! How different the 
 reality. Neither one of us could speak; our emotions 
 were too deep for words, we grasped each others 
 hands in silence and thanked God in our hearts that 
 our long imprisonment was ended. After passing 
 the videttes, between them and the inside pickets we 
 came to the Missouri regiment and learned on inquiry 
 that major — — , one of our old prison comrades be- 
 longed to that regiment. 
 
 We here received the grateful news on first en- 
 tering our lines that the war was over; Lee had sur- 
 
::«..u. 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 rendered. No more fighting for us, we were going 
 
 home. 
 
 That evening we learned that one of our com- 
 pany was at the hospital. The next morning we 
 called upon him and learned that Jewett [oar miss- 
 ing comradej had passed through town two days pre- 
 vious. I did not hear any more from him until I saw 
 him at his house in Iowa, some years later, he then 
 
 related the circumstances of 
 our- separal ion. 
 
 On goin^f to the house of 
 Mr. Whistle, a rebel soldier 
 that chanced to he at the 
 house, made answer and said: 
 "I know where he lives, am 
 goin^f in sight of his house, 
 and will show it to you." I 
 thought if I recognized you he 
 might suspect something, so I 
 thought it best to pass right 
 on and then return to you as 
 we had agreed. 
 
 So I went to Mr. Whistle*s 
 found him at home and a union 
 man. But Mr. Whistle says. 'I cannot help you any 
 only to give you your dinner and directions on your 
 way, as there is a woman visiting here to day and 
 she is a rank rebel.'' Jewett, got his dinner and start- 
 ed to return to us and got astray on another road. 
 When discovering his mistake he returned to the 
 forks of the road, and took the right road. We had 
 passed on our way to Mr. Whistle's. 
 
 He returned to where he had left us and ran 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 391 
 
 around in the brush calling us by name. When as- 
 sured that we had gone he said that if it would have 
 done any good he would have sat down and cried like 
 a baby. Going to the house where he had found the 
 rebel soldier, he stopped over night, and the next 
 morning struck out for Little Rock alone. 
 
 In his wanderings he got on the road to Ft.Smith, 
 was captured by the guerrillas, and condemned to be 
 hung without judge or jury. In this extremity the 
 lieutenant of the band took him to one side and asked 
 him what our government would do with them if they 
 should go in, give themselves up and take the oath 
 of allegiance Jewett replied, "They won't do any- 
 thing, you could go to your home and be all right." 
 The other said, -'If I could believe that I should be 
 tempted to go in with you." 
 
 Jewett who was pleading for dear life, used all 
 the arts of persuasion of which he was capable, and 
 finally convinced him to the extent that he conserved 
 to go in with him and take the oath of allegiance. 
 On making the proposal to his men they would not 
 consent, and insisted on hanging Jewett at once. 
 
 The lieutenant expostulated with them, but find- 
 ing they were determined to hang him, and all argu- 
 ment useless, he drew his revolver and said the first 
 man that laid hands on him would get a ball through 
 him. 
 
 The men then gave it up, and giving Jewett a 
 horse to ride, they started for Ft. Smith. On arriv- 
 ing almost within sight of our pickets, the guerrilla's 
 heart failed him and he said that he did not dare go 
 in. Jewett found all argument with him to be use- 
 less. Said the Lieutenant, "My mother lives at Ft. 
 
392 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Smith, inside the lines; you go to her, give her the 
 horse and tell her I am all right; that is all that I 
 ask of you." 
 
 So they separated, the rebel going back to his 
 companions, and Jewett toward the Port. On arriv- 
 ing in sight of our pickets he was challenged, and 
 not being able to give the countersign he was taken 
 to the guard house for the night. Not a very agreea- 
 ble reception after such an experience as his! 
 
 The next morning he asked to be taken to a com- 
 manding officer, and convincing him of his identity 
 he was released from custody, and he went on his 
 way rejoicing. 
 
 Sergeants Wm. H. Guy. Company E. and Wm. A. 
 Fallas. Company K, who were captured at Pleasant 
 Hill, having agreed to escape at the first opportuni- 
 ty, volunteered on the evening of April Uth, at Mans- 
 field, to cook rations for the journey to Tyler, which 
 was to begin next day. They baked the corn bread 
 and boiled the beef for that march, closely guarded, 
 until after midnight, when they "each took a small 
 piece of the bread and beef, and walked off." 
 
 Having put in a week among the bayous, forests, 
 and tangled thickets of the Red River country, they 
 joined the Regiment at Grand Ecore on the morning 
 of the 17th of April. They brought the first reliable 
 information obtained by our officers as to the com- 
 pleteness of our victory at Pleasant Hill, and the ut- 
 ter defeat and demoralization of the rebels. 
 
CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 Personal Memoranda, 
 
 It has been from the first the plan of the Compil- 
 er to note, as far as practicable, something of the 
 personal history of each comrade. Each one has 
 borne a part in making this honorable record possi- 
 ble. Each one by reason of association in the Regi- 
 ment is entitled to a share in the record. Many, 
 through special capacity, gifts, or opportunity, illus- 
 trated in their own persons the traits that have given 
 the volunteer soldier who offered himself on the al- 
 tar of his country his present place in the hearts of 
 all worthy and patriotic citizens. It was thought to 
 be practicable to make in this History large mention 
 of such traits, and incidents which brought them in- 
 to notice. But it has been found that the modesty of 
 these brave men presented a barrier to such accom- 
 plishment that could not be surmounted. Most of 
 them have silently but firmly refused to mention 
 their own achievements; and have not been persuad- 
 ed to any considerable extent to give the achieve- 
 ments of others as individuals, but only collectively. 
 
 In the presentation of Portraits the same ob- 
 structions have been encountered. With some these 
 have been overcome by the desire to please the com- 
 rades of other days by showing in some degree how 
 the passing years have been carried, and to recipro- 
 cate the like favor expected from others. Many 
 will be disappointed in not finding the Portraits of 
 some with whom they had association that specially 
 
894 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 endeared them to each other. This is not from the 
 fault of any one, but is simply a misfortune that is to 
 be borne with patience by all. 
 
 It must be apparent that the Compiler, nor any 
 one individual, could have such acquaintance with the 
 personal history of a very large percentage of the 
 Comrades as to be able to give sketches that would 
 be satisfactory. It requires also no great skill in 
 figures to show that the limits of one volume would 
 not admit of extended notice of each one of so large 
 a number as are entitled to mention. Even half a 
 page to each comrade would double the size of the 
 book. Therefore the brief notices herein must be ac- 
 cepted as all that is possible under the limits of the 
 space at command, and the time and strength of the 
 Com pi lei-. 
 
 The surviving Comrades are now widely separat- 
 ed. They are to be found in every Western State; 
 and in many of the States of the Central and South- 
 ern portions of the Republic. Many of them occupy 
 positions of responsibility. Some of them are widely 
 known and respected because of useful and honorable 
 labors in the public interest. Others have been high- 
 ly successful in narrower fields, and most of them 
 happy within the limits of their own comfortable 
 homes and business relations. May this volume 
 come to each of them as a kindly greeting from every 
 living Comrade whose name is found herein. 
 
 In this spirit the volume goes forth with kindly 
 and hopeful greetings, from Comrade to Comrade, 
 though the message be no more than a mere an- 
 nouncement of the present Post Office address of 
 many whose names are found herein. Even these 
 
low. a VOLUNTEERS. 395 
 
 will have a present interest and a possible value, and 
 may serve to open correspondence that may have 
 been long desired. For such omissions of facts as 
 may be noted none can have more regret than has 
 the Compiler, and for these he has only to say that 
 his not being able to do everything has not been tak- 
 en as a reason for not doing all that he could. 
 
 Each individual of the Regimental Field and 
 Staff being personally known to nearly every Com- 
 rade is here, as far as practicable, presented indivi- 
 dually. It is to be regretted that during the third of 
 a century that has elapsed since we stood side by 
 side in the great struggle, death has been busy in 
 this as in every other department, and in some cases 
 seems to have left no representative to whom appeal 
 eould be successfully made for personal memoirs. 
 
 In the original muster-in of the Regiment, at 
 Dubuque. October 6th, 1862, the following names were 
 borne on the roll as of the 
 
 Fjeld and Staff. 
 John Scott, age 38, residence Nevada, Story 
 County, native of Ohio, rank of Colonel, commission 
 as such dated August 10th, 1862, being a promotion 
 from the Lieutenant, Colonelcy of the Third Iowa In- 
 fantry. 
 
 Edward H. Mix. age 45, residence Shell Rock, 
 Butler County, rank of Lieutenant Colonel,— former- 
 ly Q. M. S. 3d Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Gustavus A. Eberhart. age 26, residence Water- 
 loo, Black Hawk County, native of Pennsylvania, 
 rank of Major, formerly Lieutenant in Company I, 
 3d Iowa Infantry. 
 
 Charles Aldrich, age 84, Webster City, native of 
 
896 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 N. Y., rank of Adjutant. 
 
 Thomas C McCall, a^e 35, residence Nevada, 
 born in Ohio, rank of Quarter Master. 
 
 Stephen B. Olney. age 41, residence Ft. Dodge, 
 born in New York, rank of Surgeon. 
 
 Jesse Wasson, age 40, residence La Porte City, 
 native of Indiana, rank of Assistant Surgeon. 
 
 Wm. B. Waters, age 43, residence Marshalltown, 
 born in Connecticut, Assistant Surgeon. 
 
 The commissions of these were of September 
 
 19th. 1862. 
 
 Lorenzo S. Coffin, age 38, residence Ft. Dodge, 
 
 born in New Hampshire. Chaplain. Was mustered 
 
 from Q. M. Sergeant October 30th 1862. 
 
 Charles H. Huntley, age 29, Mason City, born in 
 New York, was appointed Sergeant Major from Pri- 
 vate in Company B. 
 
 Allen T. Birchard, age 27. Boonsboro, native of 
 Pennsylvania, was appointed Quarter Master Ser- 
 geant November H, from Private in Company I, vice 
 Coffin, promoted Chaplain. 
 
 Jason R. Millard, a^e 27, Waterloo, native of 
 Pennsylvania, appointed Commissary Sergeant from 
 Private in Company C. 
 
 Newcomb S. Smith, age 23. Albion, born in New 
 York, appointed Hospital Steward from Private in 
 Company K. 
 
 Lucian M. Stoddard, age 33. Iowa Falls, born in 
 Connecticut, promoted Drum Major from Musician in 
 Company H. 
 
 Benjamin G. Scott, as:e 2(5, Webster City, native 
 
 of Ohio, promoted Fife Major from Private in Com- 
 pany A. 
 
 The non-commissioned Staff took rank from mus- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS. 397 
 
 ter into service Oct. 6, 1862. 
 
 The death of Col. Mix at Pleasant Hill, in April 
 1*64; the resignatiun of Colonel Scott on May follow- 
 ing; the discharge of Surgeon Olney, for disability, 
 in October 1864; the resignations of Assistant Sur- 
 geons Wasson and Waters, and of Adjutant Aldrich 
 and Chaplain Coffin, in 1863; and the promotion of 
 Quarter Master McCall to the rank of Captain and A. 
 Q. M. of U. S. Volunteers in March 1864, brought 
 numerous promotions. Captain Jonathan Hutchin- 
 son. Ft. Dodge, came to the rank of Major, and Lt. 
 Col. by brevet, and Captain J. R. Jones, Clarksville, 
 to Major by brevet, aud Major Eberhart was commis- 
 sioned and mustered as Lt. Colonel, and commission- 
 ed as Colonel, though not mustered as such. Philan- 
 der Byam, of Hopkinton, became Assistant Surgeon 
 April 3d, 1863. and was assigned to the four com- 
 panies; and in January 1865 was promoted to the 
 rank of Major, and made regimental Surgeon. Wm. 
 L. Huston, Iowa City, became Assistant Surgeon in 
 August 1863, and Hospital Steward. Wm. B. Church, 
 was commissioned as Assistant Surgeon in 1865, but 
 was not mustered as such. 
 
 Charles H. Huntley was commissioned Adjutant 
 in August, 1H63, and was killed in battle at Pleasant 
 Hill. Owing to some uncertainty for a time as to 
 his death the commission to his successor did not is- 
 sue until October 15th, 1864, when W. L. Carpenter, 
 Second Lt. of Company G became Adjutant. Mean- 
 time Quarter Master Sergeant Birchard had been 
 recommended for promotion as Adjutant, by Colonel 
 Scott, and Lt. Colonel Eberhart afterwards substitut- 
 ed the reccmmendation of Lt. Carpenter. 
 
398 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Morrison Bailey was promoted from Sergeant 
 Major to regimental Quarter Master, to fill the place 
 left vacant by the promotion of Captain McCall. 
 
 Colonel John Scott 
 
IOW. a VOLUNTEERS. 399 
 
 Captain Joseph Calwallaler, of Company K, be- 
 came CliHplain in October 1863. 
 
 Col. John Scott was a member of the Iowa State 
 Senate in 1861, and left his seat to accept the cap- 
 taincy of Company E. Third Iowa Infantry. He 
 served with that Regiment as Lt. Colonel, until Au- 
 gust, 1862, when he was promoted to the Colonelcy 
 of the Thirty second Iowa [n fan try. He resigned 
 May 27th. 1864. He has continuously lived in the 
 home to which he returned; has been engaged in live- 
 stock farming, varied by occasional duties in official 
 positions, and assisting in efforts for the public wel- 
 fare in various organizations for the improvement of 
 Agriculture, and other industrial interests. Was 
 elected Lt. Governor in 1867; State Senator in 1885; 
 and served as President of State Associations for ad- 
 vancing Improved Stock breeding, improving high- 
 ways. &c. He served with the mounted Volunteers 
 from Kentucky in the war with Mexico, and was tak- 
 en prisoner with Cassius M. Clay and others in Janu- 
 ary, 1847. Present residence is Nevada, Iowa. 
 
 Lt. Colonel Edward H. Mix was a farmer and 
 business man in Butler county, Iowa, in 1861. He 
 enlisted in Company I. of the Third Iowa Infantry, 
 and was appointed Quarter Master Sergeant. His 
 son Thomas, in the same Regiment, was killed at his 
 side in the battle at Blue Mills Landing, Missouri, in 
 October 1861. His father was an officer in the 
 American Navy. Colonel Mix was a brave cultured, 
 and courteous gentleman, and fell at Pleasant Hill, 
 firmly standing at his perilous post. His two sons, 
 Edward and William, were enlisted men in the Thirty- 
 second Iowa. 
 
400 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Colonel Gustavus A. Eberhart returned to bis 
 home in Waterloo when the war closed, and served 
 for a number of years as Clerk of the Courts. Since 
 that time he has been mostly engaged in contract- 
 ing for and erecting iron bridges, in the employ of 
 companies extensively engaged in that work. The 
 business has called him to other States, even to Cali- 
 fornia, where he was thus engaged for some years. 
 His present residence is Des Moines, Iowa. [See 
 Portrait, page 50.] 
 
 Major Jonathan Hutchinson was a carpenter and 
 contractor in Ft. Dodge in 1862. His counsel and 
 example in the enlistment of Company I — pointed to 
 him as a leader, and insured a con tide nee and respect 
 from his comrades that were never disappointed. One 
 of the most touching episodes in the history of the 
 Regiment was the death of his son, near his side, at 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 After his return he was elected Treasurer of 
 Webster county, an office which he held for several 
 terms. In the settlement of the affairs of the office 
 there were found discrepancies that greatly embar- 
 rassed and humiliated the gallant soldier, embittered 
 his days, and shortened his life. They were caused 
 by his generosity to those who abused his confidence. 
 No one ever doubted his integrity. He died at Port 
 Dodge in ]886. 
 
 John R. Jones was commissioned major as a pro- 
 motion from the Captaincy of Company E. August 
 23d, 1865, but was not mustered as such. After his 
 return to his home in Butler county he engaged in 
 farming, and was for a time Sheriff of the county. 
 He afterwards removed to Washington, D. C, and 
 
I C ) \V A V O L U N T K E RS. 
 
 401 
 
 finally to Florida, where he died about 1892, mourn- 
 ed and respected by all who knew him. 
 
 Surgeon Stephen B. Olney had been for many 
 years the leading and trusted physician and surgeon 
 at Ft. Dodge. After his discharge, in October. 1864, 
 he returned to his former practice, to which as 
 
 Major Philander Byam. 
 
 health and strength permitted he devoted himself for 
 a number of years. Later he sought relief from 
 labor, and what he hoped would be a more congenial 
 climate, by removing to Vineland. New Jersey, where 
 he died. 
 
 Surgeon Philander Byam entered service in 
 
402 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 April, 1863, as Assistant Surgeon, and was with the 
 Four Companies in the campaign in Arkansas, join- 
 ing the united Regiment at Vicksburg. He was com- 
 mission Surgeon, with the rank of Major, January 
 15th, 1865. His genial, unassuming, and cordial 
 manner, made him a pleasant companion, and his 
 kindness and sympathy endeared him to the com- 
 rades. He died at Hopkinton, Iowa. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon William B. Waters was a phy- 
 sician of experience at Marshalltown. where he had 
 long resided. Failing health and climatic effects im- 
 pelled him to resign in the summer of 189:1 lie re- 
 turned to his former home, resumed his practice, and 
 when the Soldier's Home was established at Marshall- 
 town he was appointed Surgeon thereto, which posi- 
 tion he held at the time of his death. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon Jesse Wasson had for a num- 
 ber of years a leading practice as physician and sur- 
 geon in Black Hawk and Benton counties. When he 
 came to Iowa in 1853 he settled at Vinton, but in 1855 
 he purchased the site of La Porie City, and a tract 
 of land adjoining, and making that place his home he 
 became the active leader of affairs, and promoter of 
 the growth and advancement of the community 
 Much of the resultant prosperity and character of that 
 region is due to the wisdom, energy, and well direct- 
 ed industry of Dr. Wasson. Resigned March 7. 6:5. 
 
 He was Surgeon of the Ninth Iowa Cavalry un- 
 til March, 1895, when his failing health and the cli- 
 mate of Arkansas demanded his resignation. 
 
 He was for a number of years a member of the 
 County Board of Supervisors, and in 1869 was elect- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 403 
 
 ed a member of the Legislature of the state. He 
 died May Loth, 1889. 
 
 Adjutant Charles Aldrich was the publisher of 
 the Hamilton Freeman, at Webster City, in 1862, and 
 was also Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives. 
 
 Hon. Jesse WasSON. 
 When Captain L. H. Cutler, Company A, was made 
 Assistant Surgeon of the Ninth Iowa Infantry, Adju- 
 tant Aldrich was commissioned Captain of Company 
 A, but was never mustered nor served as such, and 
 resigned December 28th, 186:5. 
 
 On his return to Iowa he again engaged in jour- 
 nalistic work, and took an active interest in political 
 
404 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 affairs, representing' Hamilton county for a time in 
 the General Assembly. 
 
 He donated to the State the large and quite fa- 
 mous Aldrich Collection of Autographs. He is now 
 Curator of the State Historical Department, for which 
 an appropriation has been recently made, (1896.) in- 
 
 Hon. Thomas C. McCall. 
 
 suring the erection of a Memorial Hall in which are 
 to be preserved such things as relate to the history 
 of Iowa. His address is Des Moines. Iowa. 
 
 Adjutant William L. Carpenter, who succeeded 
 the lamented Adjutant Huntley, [killed at Pleasant 
 Hill, 1 after his return to Iowa settled in Des Moines, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 405 
 
 and engaged in the manufacture of barbed wire, in 
 opposition to the monopoly which had control of that 
 industry. He was subsequently elected Mayor of 
 the city; and afterward was Custodian of the Capitol. 
 He is understood to have live stock or other inter- 
 ests in Montana. His address is Des Moiues. 
 
 Captain Thomas C. McCall was a member of the 
 House of Representatives from Story county in 1862, 
 and was a model regimental Quarter Master until he 
 was promoted in that, service, and assigned to impor- 
 tant posts of duty elsewhere. After the war he en- 
 gaged in real estate business in Nevada, his former 
 home. He was active and influential in public affairs 
 and successful in business. He was elected to the 
 State Senate, and was a prominent member of that 
 body at the time of his death, which occurred in 
 August 18i):>. 
 
 Quarter Master Morrison Bailey, who succeeded 
 Captain McCall, when the latter was promoted, en- 
 lered the service as second sergeant of Company C, 
 but at his own request was detailed in the Quarter 
 Master's department. He was promoted Sergeant 
 Major, and commissioned regimental Quarter Master- 
 August 2, 1864. and served as such till muster out. 
 
 He settled at Waterloo in 1853, and in 1856 was 
 elected Representative in the General Assembly from 
 the counties of Black Hawk and Buchanan. The 
 strife and trickery of politics were distasteful to him, 
 and he declined further service. 
 
 In 1866 he removed to Michigan, where he en- 
 s a^ed in business, from which failing health compell- 
 ed him to retire in 1***. Meantime he was twice 
 
-ion 
 
 THfKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 chosen President of the Village of Plainwell, and 
 held responsible positions on the school hoard. His 
 honesty and conscientious discharge of every duty 
 commanded the confidence and esteem of all who 
 knew him. He died at Plainwell, Michigan. March 
 13th, 1890. 
 
 His son, O. J. Bailey, is a prominent lawyer at 
 Peoria, Illinois. 
 
 : ,-g ..-*si— issy^ 
 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 - 
 
 ' «0*r^~ ' 
 
 
 ' 'i • i - •«& 
 
 Morrison Bailky. 
 
 Assistant Surgeon Wm. L. Huston wns. commis- 
 sioned and mustered in August. 18tvJ, and-served till 
 muster-out of the Regiment. He was left in charge 
 of the wounded at Pleasant Hill, where he remained 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 407 
 
 until they could be removed. His address is believed 
 to be Marengo. Iowa. Dr. Huston had served as a 
 private in the Second Iowa Cavalry. 
 
 Chaplain Lorengo S. Coffin was an early settler 
 near Port Dodge, where he as a hardy pioneer open- 
 ed h farm on which he still lives. His ability, indus- 
 try, and versatility, pointed him out as a suitable per- 
 son to sustain the duties of almost any place to which 
 he might be called. Captain Hutchinson had ap 
 pointed him First Sergeant of Company I. When 
 mustered in he was promoted to 
 the position of Quarter Master 
 Sergeant. By the end of October 
 he was promoted to the position of 
 regimental Chaplain. 
 
 While occupying this place he 
 was efficient in procuring reading 
 matter for the camp as well as dainties for the hos- 
 pital, and was ever ready to take hold of that which 
 would ameliorate the conditions of the service. In 
 his efforts in this behalf he was absent for a time, 
 constituting a technical breach of array regulations, 
 and because of representations made by Col. Wolfe, 
 in command at Ft. Pillow, he left the service in the 
 summer of 186;-$. 
 
 His subsequent career has made him a noted 
 man of his time. He became active in fostering in- 
 dustrial progress, notably in stock-breeding and 
 dairying. He was appointed on the State Board of 
 Railway Commissioners, and through his interest in 
 bettering the condition of Railway men has or- 
 ganized various associations for their benefit. His 
 order of the White Button, in the interest of total ab- 
 
408 
 
 THIRTY SECOND KEGIMENT 
 
 stinence among Railway employees, contains a mem- 
 bership of many thousands, and is no douht of im- 
 mense benefit 1o the members thereof.and also tends 
 
 Sergeant Bjkchaud. 
 greatly to (he safety and comfort of the traveling 
 public. 
 
 His address, as for the past forty years, is Port 
 Dodge, Iowa. 
 
 Chaplain Joseph Cadwallnder entered the ser- 
 vice as Captain of Company K. Being a Methodist 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 409 
 
 minster, a religious enthusiast, of an emotional na- 
 ture, when a vacancy occurred he requested that he 
 be appointed Regimental Chaplain, which was done 
 in October. 1863. He served acceptably, and was es- 
 pecially valuable and efficient in looking after contra- 
 bands, both in camp and in the various campaigns. 
 His address is Jacksonville, Florida; and for some 
 years he has traveled and labored as an Evangelist. 
 
 Quarter Master Sergeant Birchard was a* most 
 faithful, efficient, and competent officer. He settled 
 in Marshalltown some years after the war. where he 
 now resides, one of the foremost citizens in character 
 and influence. His ability and integrity are fully 
 recognized by his fellow citzens, as well as by his 
 comrades of the 32nd Iowa, for whose veteran asso- 
 ciation he has continuously been secretary-treasurer 
 up to 1895. He is also an influential member of the 
 Board of Control of the Iowa Soldier's Home. 
 
 Clark Fuller, of 
 Company I, became 
 Commissary Ser- 
 geant February 4th 
 1863. He was an 
 efficient and valuable 
 officer. After his 
 return home he set- 
 tled on his fine 
 stock-farm near 
 
 Kalo, Webster coun- 
 ty, where he died, 
 October 27th, 1895. 
 He was President of 
 the Regimental Vet- 
 
 Clark Fuller 
 
410 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 eran Association in 1892 and 1893. 
 
 Sergeant W. L». Defore, of Company D, was de- 
 tailed in December 1862 to act as Regimental Wagon 
 Master. After his return home he was elected by the 
 people of Boone county to represent them in the 
 General Assembly. He died in 1887. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI 
 
 Approximate Roster by Companies. 
 
 The Com pi lei", as he approaches the labor of search- 
 ing through all the volumns of the reports of the 
 Adjutant General of Iowa, and the proceedings of 
 Regimental re-unions, personal correspondence and 
 his own memory, already overtaxed by the amount 
 of data that has been examined, stands aghast at 
 the task presented He cannot hope to do justice to 
 the military and later records of very many of the 
 comrades. He trusts that the intent to do what is 
 right, and not to do what is wrong, may in some 
 measure be accepted by the comrades in lieu of such 
 memoranda as he would wish to present. 
 
 The casualties reported are taken from the rolls 
 in the office of the Adjutant General of Iowa. There 
 are doubt less errors and omissions. In cases in which 
 soldiers served through the war* without casualty, 
 perhaps being in every battle in which the regiment 
 was engaged, they may have but meager mention 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 411 
 
 herein. Many of these were of the most soldierly 
 bearing and high character, 
 
 Effort has been made to give the present P. O. 
 address of Comrades. This has been done to the ex- 
 tent of giving a former address where the present 
 one is not known. In cases where no State is men- 
 tioned Iowa may be assumed as the residence. 
 
 It will be observed that some of the Comrades 
 are only mentioned by name. It is not to be under- 
 stood from that fact that they have no militarv rec- 
 ord. On the contrary it was possible for such a 
 Comrade to have served with honor through the 
 entire period, from muster-in at Dubuque, October 6, 
 1862. to muster-out at Clinton, Agusut 24, 1865; to 
 have borne the severe marches; to hav*e,, faced;, the 
 enemy in the most deadly battles; to hay^s^ftd face 
 to face with Death in all the ghastly phases hl^hich 
 he was wont to present himself; and yet have no cas- 
 ualty to be recorded as a small part of his history^of 
 faithful service. Some such soldiers of the 32nd Iowa 
 Volunteers have not even a "hospital record'' .on 
 which to base a claim for a pension, yet they did 
 their duty from day to day while they followed the 
 Old Flag. 
 
 Approximate Rostior of Company A, 
 
 Dr. L. A. Cutler was the first Captain. He was 
 41 years old, a native of New York and lived at Bel- 
 mond, was a praticing physician and had been a 
 member of the General Assembly. He was appoint- 
 ed Assistant Surgeon of the 9th Iowa Infantry in 
 Mav 1863. He removed to California and died 
 
412 THIRTY SECOND UEGTMENT 
 
 there. 
 
 Michael Ackerman enlisted as a private and was 
 promoted Second Lieutenant in June 1863, promoted 
 Captain in October 186^, was very severly wounded 
 and left on the field at Pleasant Hill, (see page 149) 
 was paroled about June 19th, was sent to New Orleans, 
 thence to Memphis, and thence home. He was dis- 
 charged in January 1865, and. is now Clerk of the 
 Courts of Miner county, South Dakota, and lives at 
 Roswell. 
 
 John H. Ford enlisted in Company I, of which 
 he was Sergeant,and Company A being left with only 
 live men in the ranks after the battle of Pleasant 
 Hill, all others being disabled or captured, he was 
 promoted First Lieutenant of Company A, and was 
 commissioned Captain in August 1865. but was not 
 mustered. He lived until recently near Livermore, 
 and was Postmaster there, At present he lives in 
 Kansas. 
 
 Allen Greer, of Berlin, Hardin county, was 
 First Lieutenant; resigned in February 1861; died in 
 Hardin county. 
 
 Joseph P. Airy was Second Lieutenant, and re- 
 signed in April ]863. His address is Durango, 
 Colorado, 
 
 Abiathar Hull, Algona, commissioned Second 
 Lieutenant in October 1893, was not mustered, and 
 was killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 John N. Maxwell was First Sergeant, and was 
 discharged for disability, March 19, 1863, He lives 
 at Webster City. 
 
 Andrew J. Ripley, Third Sergeant, was promot- 
 
Adjutant 32d Iowa Infantry, Oct. 6. 1862— Jan. 13, 1864. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 413 
 
 ed First Sergeant, was wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill, was discharged for disability in 1865. 
 Lives at Williams. 
 
 Lewis S. Hazen was Second Sergeant, and was 
 discharged for disability March 19, 1804. He lives 
 at Huron, South Dakota. 
 
 Amos Doan, Fourth Sergeant, was captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. Address, Vermillion, South Dakota. 
 
 Jasper Scurlock. Sergeant, discharged June 7, 
 1865. at Davenport. 
 
 John S. Qingsrle, Sergeant, wounded at Pleasant 
 Hill. Lives at Robertson. 
 
 Cyrenus H. Packard, Sergeant, died at Little 
 Rock. Arkansas. Sept. 26. 1803. 
 
 Win. P. Hiserodt, promoted Sergeant, thrice 
 wounded and captured at Pleasant Hill, escaped and 
 reached our army at Vicksburg; furloughed himself, 
 and came to Iowa with Captain Ackerman; returned 
 and served through the entire Missouri. Nashville 
 and Gulf campaigns; was discharged for disability at 
 Montgomery. July 17. 1805. 
 
 Comrade Hiserodt was a man of rare bravery 
 and resources; of great endurance; and would put 
 down the rebellion if it took the last ham. chicken, 
 or horse in the Confederacy. Illustrative of this it 
 is told of him that iti Montgomery after Bragg's 
 force was disbanded there, •"Bill" was in a saloon, and 
 heard a rebel Major raving about the results of the 
 surrender and his embarrassment at being compelled 
 to go home without ever being whipped, etc., etc. 
 "Bill" finally told him to square himself and he should 
 have something that he could talk about to his folks 
 
414 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 at home; and proceeded at once to administer to the 
 boastful and hitherto unwhipped rebel a most thor- 
 ough and severe beating in the most approved knock- 
 down style. After he returned to his home near 
 Robertson he engaged in farming and raising live 
 stock; was elected Justice of the Peace; was a mem- 
 ber of the Board of Supervisors; took an active part 
 in the prosecution of outlaws in chat region: and died 
 there in 1894. (See portrait, page 162. ) 
 
 Eligah Rogers, corporal, discharged for disabil- 
 ity at Dubuque, October 30, 1862. 
 
 Win. K. Laughlin was mustered in as corporal 
 at Dubuque; discharged at Louisville as private, Feb. 
 17, 1865. Lives at Fort Dodge. 
 
 John S. Kersey, coporal, dis. at Little Rock 
 for disability, Oct. 5. '63. Lives at New Providence. 
 
 Thomas S. Hoskins, corporal, discharged at 
 Cape Girardeau for disability, March. 4. 1863. 
 
 Robert T. Rowan, corporal, died at Little Rock, 
 Nov. 30, 1863. 
 
 Joseph A. Kent, promoted corporal, captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. Lives at Rowan. 
 
 Mortimer Hiams, promoted corporal, wounded 
 at Pleasant Hill. Died June 6, 1865 at Montgomery. 
 
 Robert P. Mack, musician severely wounded and 
 captured at Pleasant Hill. Lives in Kansas. 
 
 Leonard Henkle. musican. 
 
 John Courtney, teamster, died since his return 
 home. 
 
 Thomas C. Allen, died Nov. 27, 1862, at St. 
 Louis. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 415 
 
 Joseph Adams, discharged at Cape Giradeau, 
 
 Nov. 26, 1862. Lives at Webster City. 
 
 J. N. Airy lives at Smyrna. 
 
 Patrick Burns, captured at Cape Giradeau, April 
 26, 1868, also at Pleasant Hill. Lives at Owasso. 
 
 Augustus Brown, alias Pietzke. Lives at Rice- 
 ville. 
 
 Menue D. Bootsman, died at Dubuque, Novem- 
 ber 2. 1862. 
 
 John Basham, died at Little Rock, September 
 19. 1863. 
 
 Thomas B. Bolton, died at Memphis, Sept, 19, 
 1864. 
 
 James Brock, discharged at Cape Girardeau, 
 March 7. 1863, Lives at Tunnel. 
 
 Archibald Bellville, died at Little Rock, Sept. 
 14. 1863. 
 
 Linas Betts, captured at Pleasant Hill, Lives 
 
 at Verndale. Minn. 
 
 George Benchoter, died at Little Rock, Oct. 7, 
 
 1868. 
 
 George W. Barnes, lives at Portland, Oregon. 
 
 Hiram N. Chancy, promoted Sergeant. Lives at 
 
 Arkansas City, Kansas. 
 
 Win. H. Coutant. died at Memphis, June 18, '64. 
 
 Thomas M. Canon, died-atMemphis^Sept. 2, '63. 
 
 Cephas Church, died at Upper Grove after the 
 
 war. 
 
 James S. Cross, was discharged at Jefferson Bar- 
 racks, August II, 1864. 
 
416 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Wm. T. Crockett, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Wm. Courrier, Oakland, Cal. 
 
 Winthrop Dyer, San Diego, Cal. 
 
 Louis Danger, died at Cape Girardeau, Mar. 5, '63 
 
 John Downs is reported simply as "wounded at 
 Pleasant Hill." But in 1893 Charles Packard writes: 
 "John Downs and I started back together when we 
 left our position at Pleasant Hill. He was shot in 
 the back when we had only gone a short distance; 
 I carried him until we met Gen. Mower's men, and 
 laid him down. He crawled off into the brush and 
 I could not find him. Just one year after that he 
 came to us at Blakely, but never did any duty, and 
 died at Steamboat Rock." 
 
 Wm. O. Dean, discharged at Cape Girardeau, 
 Nov. 10, 1863, Lives at Goldfield. 
 
 Thomas Downs, transferred to Company B. 
 
 James Duckett. 
 
 James B. Dixon, discharged at Mound City. 
 March 10, 1864. Lives at Eagle Grove. 
 
 James Duffy, died in hospital for insane at Inde- 
 pendence, Iowa. 
 
 Roderick D. Faugh t, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Yates Center, Kansas. 
 
 Henry Frank, captured at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 at Renwick. 
 
 James J. Gamble. 
 
 Charles Gray, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Wm. H. Griffith, died at Memphis, May 29, '64 
 
 Charles H. Griffith, a prominent farmer, and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 417 
 
 lives near Eagle Grove. Was transferred to Com- 
 pany O. 
 
 Win. Hamlin. 
 
 John I. Hartman, died at Dubuque, Nov. 12, '62. 
 
 Win. T. Hensley, died at Benton, Nov. 21, '63. 
 
 John C. Heckart, 
 a prosperous citi- 
 zen of Eagle Grove. 
 President of Regi- 
 mental Association 
 in 1895. 
 
 John Hos k i n s, 
 captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. Lives at 
 Iowa Palls. 
 
 L. Henkle. 
 
 George Houtz. 
 
 tfe 
 
 Oliver M. Hess, 
 
 John C. Heckart. 
 severely wounded at Port DeRussy, discharged 
 March 7. 1865. Dead. 
 
 J. L. Kerr, New Providence. 
 
 James P. Kent, discharged Sept. 5, 1864, at 
 Davenport, Lives at Dows. 
 
 H. B King, lives at Carroll. 
 
 Warren D. Lathrop, discharged March 7, 1863. 
 Lives at Cherokee. 
 
 David W. Lay ton, died since the war. 
 
 Ezra H. Little, discharged March 4, 1862. 
 
418 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Wm. Moore, died December 30, 1865. 
 Thomas Miller, discharged July 21, 1865, 
 
 Joshua McFarland, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Vilas, Dakota. 
 
 Samuel McFarland, lives at Stratford. 
 John A. McFarland, lives at Stanhope. 
 
 Wm. H. Griffith. 
 
 Wm. W. Mattox, lives at Earling, 
 
 John McMiller, wounded i3nd captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. An officer at the State Penitentiary, 
 Anamosa. Has been sheriff of Hamilton county. 
 
 Nelson G. Olmstead, a prosperous resident of 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 419 
 
 Tama City. 
 
 Levi Olmstead, discharged Feb. 23, 1863. Lives 
 at Weston, Neb. 
 
 Simeon Overacker, transferred to Invalid Corps. 
 Dead. 
 
 Cassius M. Overacker, died Nov. 29, 1862. 
 
 Charles H. Griffith. 
 
 Charles E. Oreutt, wounded and captured at 
 Tupelo, July 14, 1864. Died of wounds. 
 
 Joseph T. Payne, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Died in 1892. 
 
 Inrank A Packard, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
420 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 (See pages 161-162) Lives at Delphas, Kan. 
 
 Charles Packard, lives at Renwick, 
 
 Artemus C. Packard, promoted Sergeant, lives 
 at Wadena, Minn. 
 
 Thomas J. Persons. 
 
 Theodore Phillips, dead. 
 
 Augustus Pitze. lives at Kicevillo. 
 
 John Reed, has been recorder of Kossuth coun- 
 ty. A merchant in Algona. 
 
 William H. Renner, died Oct, 21, 1863. 
 Stephen P. Ross, discharged Feb. 9, 1865. A 
 minister at Fairbury, Neb. 
 
 George Raines. 
 
 Mathew J. Sample, lives at Humboldt. 
 
 Rufus Sanderson, a farmer near Livermoro. 
 
 Levi Scurlock, discharged Jan. 27, 1863, at St, 
 Louis. 
 
 Benjaman G. Scott, promoted Fife Major. 
 Wm. F. Shafer, discharged October 14, 1863. 
 Lives at Shubert, Neb. 
 
 Andrew Smith, transferred to Second Lieuten- 
 ant in 3d Arkansas; last address, Portland, Ore. 
 
 Henry Smith, captured at Pleasant Hill, and 
 died at Tyler, Texes. Oct, 12. 1864. 
 
 Enna Smith, lives in Lyon county, Iowa. 
 
 David H. Smith. 
 
 Derk H. Stienblock, lives near Abbott, 
 
 James D. Striker, died Feb. 18. 1863, at ('ape 
 Girardeau. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 421 
 
 Jerome B. Shipman. died June 11, 1864, at 
 Memphis. 
 
 Wm. R. Southard, lives at Cotesville, Neb. 
 
 Geo. M. Sweeden, wounded and died at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. April 20, 1864. 
 
 Stephen Tjaden, captured at Pleasant Hill. A 
 fanner near Alcona. 
 
 John Talbot, died of wounds at Pleasant Hill, 
 April 30. 1864. 
 
 Luther N. Taylor; died June 28,'64, at Memphis 
 
 Cyrus M. Townsend. captured at Pleasant Hill, 
 died at Iowa Palls in 1895. 
 
 Adam Wasem. 
 
 Michael Walters, died November 8, 1863 at 
 Cape Girardeau. 
 
 John W. Ward, died in 1895 at Xenia, Ohio. 
 
 James L. Wilcox, died Dec. 5, 1862 at St. Louis. 
 
 Wm. Whited, died Arril 8. 1864 at Vicksbur^. 
 
 Andrew Williams, captured at Pleasant Hill, and 
 died at Tyler, Texas. May 2. 1864. 
 
422 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Appoximate Roster of Company B. 
 
 Amos B. Miller was a man of fine character and 
 ability. Was Register of the State Land Office: a 
 member of a Quaker family in Pennsylvania; and 
 having been active in recruiting the company, was 
 
 Lt. Thomas O. Howard. 
 
 chosen Captain. '"He was brave, but not rash, as 
 strict disiplinarian. and a polished, courteous gentle- 
 man. When he died at Pleasant Hill, the regiment 
 lost an able officer, and Iowa lost one of her noblest 
 sons. He was respected and beloved by all his corn- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 423 
 
 rades." 
 
 He fell, shot through the body, in the heat of 
 the battle, and his comrades carried him to the shel 
 ter of the dry bed of a small stream near at hand, 
 from which after nearly thirty hours he was removed 
 with others to a cabin, and died the night of 
 
 A. L. Townk. 
 
 April 11th. [See page 151.] 
 
 He did efficient service in command of a post at 
 Fulton, near Fort Pillow, and also in command of 
 the regiment at Columbus, when Col. Scott was in 
 command of that Post. 
 
 Harvey N. Brockway entered the service as 
 
424 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Fourth Sergeant, by promotion became First Ser- 
 geant, and on the death of Captain Miller and First 
 Lieutenant Howard, was commissioned Captain, 
 and served through the war; was wounded at Pleas 
 ant Hill. After his return home he engaged in Law 
 and Real Estate in Hancock county; served as Judge 
 of the Circuit Court; aad lives at Garner, in the en 
 joyment of an independence fairly earned by attend- 
 ing to business. 
 
 Captain Brockway has taken an active and gen- 
 erous interest in the preparation of this History, and 
 in efforts to do justice to the reasonable fame of the 
 living and the memory of his dead Comrades. [See 
 portrait page 155.] 
 
 William C. Stanberry was mustered with the 
 company' as First Lieutenant, and resigned July 13, 
 1863. Died at Mason City. 
 
 Thomas O. Howard entered the service as First 
 Sergeant, was promoted Second Lieutenant. Dec. 17, 
 1862; promoted First Lieutenant, July ] 4, 1863; and 
 died at Pleasant Hill, April 11, 1864. As a Soldier, 
 he was brave and generous; as a Man. a Comrade, a 
 Friend, he was trusted implicitly by his associates. 
 When the battle opened he was in command of the 
 skirmish line, and brought his men back in gallant 
 stvle under the advance of the enemy in heavy force. 
 He fell early in the action -while there was yet oppor- 
 tunity to remove the wounded to the hospital. 
 When Captain Miller and manyi others went down 
 somewhat larer, no hospital force could reach them 
 through the deadly storm. [See portrait page 422.] 
 
 Mrs. Kosa Howard, his widow, lives at Clear 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 425 
 
 Lake, and is always kindly greeted by the Comrades 
 at the meetings of the Veterans of the Regiment. 
 
 Henry Keerl was mustered as Fifth Sergeant: 
 promoted, and from Third Sergeant was commission- 
 ed First Lieutenant April 14, 1864. He served 
 through the war and after he returned home, engaged 
 in business, and was afterwards Postmaster at Mason 
 City, where he now lives, a respected and influen- 
 tial citizen. 
 
 At the battle of Pleasant Hill, Company B was 
 the extreme right of the regiment. The order to 
 form to the left and make way toward our advancing 
 troops was sent from the left down Lhe line but did 
 not reach those of Company B who still remained in 
 line The men, finding themselves abandoned, and 
 the retreating enemy rapidly approaching, w r orked 
 their way to the left and rear as best they could. 
 dodging and covering their movements with trees 
 and logs, and of these Sergeant Keerl was the first 
 to join the remnant of lhe shattered Regiment which 
 was led out-by Colonel Scott. He fell into line and 
 having no comrades to join him in stacking arms, he 
 desperately stuck his bayonet into the ground and 
 thus "stacked arms" for Company B. He believed 
 that all his comrades were slain on the field and 
 reported his belief. He brought off his canteen, 
 which contained a rebel bullet, but the water went 
 out where the bullet cama in. 
 
 Chauncey S. Lane entered the service as Second 
 Lieutenant, and died of' pneumonia at New Madrid. 
 Dec. 15, 1862. 
 
 Samuel W. Griffin was- promoted from Second 
 
426 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Sergeant to First, and was commissioned Second 
 Lieutenant July 13. 1863. He was captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill, and discharged June 24, 1865. 
 
 Harvey D. Barr, Third Sergeant, was promoted 
 to Second, and to First Sergeant; was wounded at 
 Pleasant Hill. He is said to be a farmer in Wood- 
 bury county. 
 
 
 
 
 
 lpP| 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 *j\ %( 
 
 
 -■m 
 
 Wr ■■'.. 
 
 flSB 
 
 fffih '.- 
 
 
 
 
 't- wffiHsF «5§l 
 
 ' 1 
 
 ' 
 
 
 Ed. Nichols. 
 
 Peter It. Wood, promoted from Coporal to Ser- 
 geant, fatally wounded at Preasant Hill, and died 
 April, 20, 1864. 
 
 Albert L. Towne was a Corporal at date of mus- 
 ter-in, and by promotion became Second Sergeant. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 42: 
 
 There were many brave, intelligent, faithful soldiers 
 in each company. Company B was no exception to 
 this rule; and one who knew the men of that com- 
 pany long and well, says that by a close shave be- 
 tween many of them, he regarded Towne as the ideal 
 soldier of the company. Always modest, always 
 
 F. M. Rogers. 
 
 ready, never officious, never meddling, never 
 grumbling; demanding the treatment due to a faith- 
 ful soldier, and never complaining over a neccessary 
 hardship; asking-for the last bean and hardtack that 
 was his due. but content on half-rations if that were 
 necessary. 
 
428 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 In the battle of Nashville, charging the flying 
 enemy; Towne, fifteen rods or more iu advance of 
 his line, took a prisoner, disarmed him, trotted him 
 into our lines, and joined the command as though 
 that had always been his business. 
 
 He is a farmer; has been Sheriff of Worth 
 county, and his home is at North wood. 
 
 Edwin Nichols was mustered in as Corporal, and 
 by promotion became Sergeant. He was often en- 
 trusted with special duties, requiring sagacity and 
 courage, and discharged them with zeal and ability. 
 [He has furnished copious notes as to the service of 
 the company r and of many interesting details relating 
 to other comrades and himself, which are so inter- 
 woven with matters already incorporated in the text 
 that it is not practicable to insert them here.] He is 
 a prominent farmer near Clear Lake. His portrait 
 indicates that he like others has aged a trifle in the 
 past thirty years. 
 
 Milton P. Goodell, mustered as Corporal T promot- 
 ed Sergeant, wounded at Pleasant Hill and died there 
 in the hospital May 9, 1864. 
 
 Alonzo Frink, mustered as Corporal. 
 
 Abiel Pierce, mustered as private, promoted ta 
 Sergeant. At one time lived near Sheridan, 111. 
 
 John Christie Jr. was mustered as private, aud 
 promoted Sergeant. He has served as Auditor of 
 Hancock county; and lives at Concord. 
 
 Peter Crum was mustered as Corporal, and dis- 
 charged at Keoku'ck, Jan. 11, 186")., His address is 
 Henryville, Florence Co., Tenu. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 429 
 
 Chandler W. Scott, Corporal, discharged at Col- 
 umbus, July 22. 1864. 
 
 Bruce A. Bryant, discharged May 10. 1864. Was 
 a farmer and died at Mason City September 29, 1895. 
 
 Leonard R. Warner, promoted Corporal, died at 
 Mason City. Oct, 4, 1864. 
 
 .Tamos Turner, promoted Corporal, died August 
 1, 1865. at Demopolis, Ala. 
 
 James Jenkinson, promoted Corporal, captured 
 at Pleasant Hill, and died at Mason City in 1893. 
 
 Peter Cope, promoted Corporal, died Dec. 12, 
 1864. at Bristol. Iowa, 
 
 George H. Welsh, promoted Corporal, lives in 
 Boone, a prominent druggist, influential citizen and 
 successful business man. 
 
 Joseph Morris, promoted Musician. 
 
 Francis M. Rogers. Musician, discharged July 
 10. 1865. at Montgomery. Ala. Is a banker at Clear 
 Lake. 
 
 James Clark, promoted Corporal, is a farmer and 
 lives near Mason City, 
 
 Edward Thorpe, promoted Corporal. 
 
 Joseph Woodland, promoted Corporal, and died 
 in Dakota since the war. 
 
 Otis Greeley, promoted Corporal; was a farmer, 
 and died at Bristol in 1885. 
 
 Chas. M. Adams, is District Court Reporter, and 
 lives at Mason City. 
 
 Eugene B. Aulman, enlisted Feb. 29, 1864 
 
 David H. Butt, died at Fort Pillow, April 12, '63. 
 
430 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Edward E. Billings, enlisted January 1864. 
 
 Benjaman Bloker, was a farmer, and died at 
 Kensett, Iowa in 1893. 
 
 Doctor C. Bigelow, enlisted December 1863. 
 
 Chailes R. Belanskie was wounded and captured 
 at Pleasant Hill, Lives at Nora Springs. 
 
 Lewis B. Boom bower was captured at Pleasant 
 Hill. 
 
 Ole T. Bergo, died at Bristol. la., Sept. 15. 1895. 
 
 Geo. O. Brown was discharged May 25, 1861 at 
 Davenport. A farmer near Mason City, 
 
 Jacob G. Brown, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Leander L. Brenton; a farmer near Mason City. 
 
 Benjamin F. Crum, a farmer near Elk Point, S. D. 
 
 James B. Cravath, a ranchman at Powa.v. San 
 Diego county. Cal. 
 
 Anthony Carr, died Jan. 5. 1H65, on Steamer 
 "D. A. January.'' 
 
 Cyrus A. Church, fanner and capitalist, Bel- 
 mond, Iowa. 
 
 John A. Curran, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Died 
 in Kansas. 
 
 Wm. B. Church, lives at Marshall. Mich. 
 
 Allen T. Cole, a farmer, and lives near Forest 
 City. Was wounded and captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 John Connell. wounded and captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. Lives at Boyden. 
 
 Wm Cole, died June 26. 1864. 
 
 Albert Clark, died March 26, '64. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 431 
 
 John Crosier, wounded at Pleasant Hill; died 
 July 18, 1864, at Cairo. 
 
 Charles Church, enlisted in February '6o; transfer- 
 red to 8th Iowa. 
 
 Wra. Dack. transferred to Invalid Corps. Died 
 in Dakota. 
 
 John Ecksteine, transferred for promotion in 
 68th U. S. (Colored) Infantry. Died in Kansas. 
 
 Samuel El wood, transferred to V. R. C. May 29, 
 1864. Lives at Floyd. 
 
 Jacob G. Folsom, enlisted Jan. 2, '64. 
 
 James H. Felt, discharged May 5, 1863. Lives 
 at Britt. 
 
 John P. Ford, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 James L. Fry. died Jan. 17. '63, at Fort Pillow. 
 
 Wm.E Fisher, discharged Feb. 23, '64. 
 
 Chancey H. Frost, enlisted December 1863. 
 
 F. B. Florence, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 at Mason City. 
 
 Win. Florence. 
 
 Geo. A. Fuller, died June 27, 1864. 
 
 Zebediah S. Graves, died June 8, '64. 
 
 Wm. N. Gallup. 
 
 Thomas S. Gardner, discharged July 16, 1865. 
 Lives at Clear Lake. 
 
 Solomon Greeley, enlisted Feb. 26, '64. Lives 
 at Lake Mills. 
 
 John Henry, died June 14. '64 at Vicksburg. 
 
 Ignatius Heiney, lives at Fertile. 
 
432 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Edward Hughes, farmer, lives near Forest City. 
 
 Wm. C. Hawks, enlisted Dec. 23, '63. 
 
 Win. Harris, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 near Robertson. 
 
 Wilbur F. Hoyt, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Amos Ingalls, died of wounds at Pleasant Hill , 
 April 20, 1864. 
 
 Halvor Inglebrhzen, lives near Bristol. 
 
 Marion Jones, enlisted Feb. 4. 1864. 
 
 Franklin Judd. lives at Manly. 
 
 William A. Kerns. 
 
 James Sornson Lahd. 
 
 Bije Long - , lives in Montana. 
 
 Sylvester Lebanway, died March 9, 1864 at 
 Vicksburg. 
 
 Hiram K. Landrue. discharged July 28. 1865. 
 Lives in Minnesota. 
 
 Geo. B. W. Lannint/, Musician; a printer, pub- 
 lishes a paper and lives at Egan, S. Dak. 
 
 Douglass Magill. farmer. Deer Creek. Minn. 
 
 Thomas Magill, farmer. Deer Creek, Minn. 
 
 H. A. Marsh, wounded at Yellow Bayou, and 
 discharged at Davenport. April 20, 1865. He has 
 been Sheriff of Cerro Gordo county. Lives at Mason 
 City. 
 
 Cyrus Morris, wounded at Pleasant Hill also at 
 Blakely. 
 
 Joseph Morris, supposed to be in Dakota. 
 Orrin F. Morris, wounded at Yellow Bayou. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 433 
 
 Columbus Mason, died Jan. 20, '63 at Port Pillow. 
 
 David J. Martin, discharged Oct. 29. 1862. 
 
 Arthur McConville, wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. Was drowned January 1894 at Wood- 
 villo, Oregon. 
 
 Martin B. Parker. 
 
 Archibald McDonald, enlisted Jan. 2, '64. 
 Edward E Needham. enlisted Jan. 2, '64. 
 Austin Oleson, lives at Northwood. 
 Herbrand Oleson, discharged May 5, '63. 
 Martin B. Parker, captured at Pleasant Hill, 
 
434 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 taken to Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas; where he man- 
 aged to deceive the rebel officers to the extent of his 
 liberty, by personating an absent man of another 
 regiment, and being noted as exchanged. He joined 
 the Kegiment at Cairo and followed its fortunes 
 through the later campaigns, and was discharged at 
 Montgomery July 27, 1865, as having been in Rebel 
 prison more than six months. He was then so 
 emaciated that his mother refused to believe in his 
 identity. His home is in Blue Earth City, Minn., and 
 he is State Agent of Insurance Companies. 
 
 He has evidently made nice gains in several ways 
 since he left the Rebel prison. See portrait in evi- 
 dence of this. 
 
 Henry O. Pratt, discharged at Fort Pillow, 
 March 18, '63. Has been a Member of Congress, and 
 is a minister in the Methodist church. 
 
 Lester Place was captured at Lake Chicot. June 
 6, 1864, and died at Tyler, Texas, Oct. 23, '64. 
 
 John W. Plummer. 
 
 John Randall, wounded and captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. Is a farmer at Manly. 
 
 James Randall, died July 23, '64. 
 
 John Rossell. captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Samuel C. Rbbbins. died Jan. 22, '65 at Eastport, 
 Miss. 
 
 Win. Rhodes was for many years a farmer and 
 miller at Fertile, Iowa; he became a resident of 
 Mason City, hut has returned to Fertile. He assist- 
 ed Captain Miller when wounded, and brought off 
 his watch and sword. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 435 
 
 Charles T. Rosencrans, died Aug. 1, '04 at Mem- 
 phis. 
 
 Jabez Sumner, killed on boat by guerrillas firing 
 irom the levee, Feb. 13, 1865, 
 
 Wm. H. Spaulding, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 George W. Swanger. died June 22,1864 at Mound 
 City. 
 
 Charles Strong, transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corps. 
 
 Philander A. Sawyer, discharged March 10, 1803 
 at Port Pillow. 
 
 Henry M. Tewney, transferred for promotion as 
 Lieutenant to 107 U. S. (Colored > -Infantry. Lives 
 at Plymouth. 
 
 Samuel Tenuis, died on boat June 9, 1804. 
 P. J. Turnure, captured at Pleasant Hill. Died 
 of heart disease at Mason City, Oct. 14, 1895. 
 
 Cornelius W. Tobin, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Flandreau, S. D. 
 
 John West, a railway contractor, and lives at 
 Mason City. 
 
 Oliver J. Winters, discharged May 5, '63. Lives 
 at Cascade. 
 
 Hiram A. Wiltfong, died March 8, 1803 at Fort 
 Pillow. 
 
 Joseph Woodland, 
 
 Oscar A. Wilson, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill, April 29. 1804. 
 Lemuel Williams. 
 
436 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Appoximate Roster of Company C. 
 
 Herbert F. Peebles was commissioned and mus- 
 tered as Captain Oct. 1, 1863. He was a very bright 
 young man of fine manners and accomplishments, a 
 favorite in society and the Regiment. He is re- 
 membered as an ideal soldier and gentleman, and his 
 early sacrifice was sincirely mourned. He died April 
 26, 1864 in hospital, of wounds received at Pleasant 
 Hill. See the account of his death as given by Cap- 
 tain Ackerman, page 152. 
 
 Henry C. Raymond's rank as Captain dates from 
 April 26, 1864, and was a promotion from First 
 Lieutenant at the death of Captain Peebles. 
 
 Captain Raymond is understood to have retired 
 from active business. He has been active and ear- 
 nest in encouragement of the publication of this 
 History, and standing bravely for the permanent 
 record of its loyalty, as in time of need he helped to 
 make that record. His home is in Charles City, la. 
 
 Benjamin F. Thomas, mustered in as Second 
 Lieutenant and promoted to First, April 26, 1864. 
 
 Patrick Mclsaacs, promoted Second Lieutenant 
 from First Sergeant, April 26, 1864. Resigned Jan. 
 19, 1865. Was for some years a prominent farmer 
 and citizen of Waterloo; was a Director of the State 
 Agricultural Society; removed to Lathrop. Mich., 
 where he died March 12, 1884. 
 
 Wellington Russell was commissioned Second 
 Lieutenant, August 1, 1865, but was mustered out as 
 Sergeant. He Is an active and influential citizen and 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 433 a 
 
 HOTS. 
 
 After the Roster of Company B had passed 
 through the printers hands, a letter was re- 
 ceived from Geo. H. Welsh, urging the Compiler to 
 give extended notes of "the boys of 1862, and the 
 same 'boys' 30 years later, many of them now in po- 
 sitions of honor and trust, and blest with homes, 
 families and the means of enjoying life." He sug 
 gested the reproduction of their photos and those of 
 their wives and families for this volume. He men- 
 tioned as some of those who had not only held high 
 the honor of soldiers on bloody fields, but had also 
 achieved success in civil life, such members of Com- 
 pany B as Brockway, Rogers and Keerl, also Bark- 
 ley of D, all of whom in honoring themselves had 
 done honor to our Regiment. 
 
 And while the time has passed in which it was 
 practicable to work out his suggestions for others, 
 the Compiler took advantage of Comrade Welsh's 
 enthusiasm to extort from him the suggested photos, 
 and some memoranda as to his history after being 
 mustered out, all of which no doubt will please many 
 Comrades by their reproduction in pages added for 
 the purpose. 
 
 The portraits explain themselves. In August 
 1862. Comrade Welsh, at the age of 17 years and 
 weighing 96 pounds, took the oath of a soldier. He 
 was the orphan son of a soldier of the 46th Illinois, 
 who fell at Shiloh, April 7, 1862. After a third of a 
 century, with the aid of this copy of a faded and 
 rusty photo, we again see this sturdy boy as he stood 
 
434 a 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 in government clothing", all too large for him, the 
 unnecessary length of bis trousers helping to round 
 out the legs of his too ample boots. 
 
 After serving three years and sixteen days, and 
 fighting from Fort de Russy to Fort Blakely, he had 
 reached a hieght of five feet and four inches, and a 
 
 Geo. H. Welsh. (1896) 
 
 weight of 135 pounds. Being somewhat ambitious 
 as to avordupois he has gained an average of a pound 
 a year; thongh presumably some of this weight was 
 acquired simply for fashion's sake when he became 
 an alderman, in which capacity he served his city 
 most acceptably, and advanced her interests by 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 435 a 
 
 urging and aiding in the construction of her water- 
 works and street fail ways. 
 
 He was a printer. After a year in the high 
 school he purchased a half interest in The Times at 
 Marshal Mown. A year later he established himself 
 in the dru<* business in Boone, which has continued 
 to the present. 
 
 Mrs. Helen F. Welsh. 
 
 Mrs. Helen Prances Welsh was born in Rockford, 
 111; married our Comrade in 1867; is the mother of 
 three sons and two daughters; is president of the 
 Hawthorne Club, and takes an active interest in all 
 that pertains to the advancement of women and the 
 
436 a THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 betterment of their condition. 
 
 Geo. H. Welsh. (1862) 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 437 
 
 adealer in grains at Liscomb, Iowa. 
 
 Morrison Bailey, Second Sergeant at muster-in. 
 [See portrait and sketch, page 406.] 
 
 Charles K. White, promoted First Sergeant; dis- 
 charged April 20, 1865, at Davenport, Lives in Kan- 
 sas. 
 
 Capt. H. C. Raymond. 
 
 J. Henry Cutter, promoted Third Sergeant; dis- 
 charged Dec. 18, '63, at Columbus. 
 
 Daniel W. Albaugh, promoted Fourth Sergeant. 
 Killed in battle at Nashville. 
 
 John M. Wood, promoted Sergeant; discharged 
 
438 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 July 6. 1665. Died Jan. 22, 1892 at Wales Center, 
 Erie county, N. Y. 
 
 Cornelius Bennett, promoted Sergeant, died of 
 wounds at Pleasant Hill. April 10, '64. 
 
 Nathan R. Ordway, promoted Sergeant, died at 
 Waterloo. 
 
 Humphrey T. Roberts, promoted Corporal, lives 
 at Arkansas City, Kansas. 
 
 Chase P, Hunt, promoted Corporal, wounded at 
 Pleasant Hill, discharged June 25. 1865, at Jefferson 
 Barracks. 
 
 Orra Alexander, promoted Corporal; died at 
 Mendon, Mich, in 1894. 
 
 Win. Nichols, promoted Corporal, died April 9, 
 1864 at Waterloo. 
 
 Edward B. Williams, promoted Corporal, is a 
 prominent druggist and citizen of Strawberry Point. 
 
 John LaBarre, promoted Corporal, was dis- 
 charged at Keokuk, May 19, '65. Lives at Waterloo. 
 
 Prank Williams, promoted Corporal, wounded at 
 Nashville, discharged July 26. 1865. 
 
 Wm. Prouty. Corporal, killed at Lake Chicot, 
 June 6. 1864. 
 
 Elias S Lichty, Musician, died at Waterloo, Oct. 
 18, 1863. 
 
 . Elijah M. Balcom, Musician, transferred to 24th 
 Missouri, Aug. 12, 1863. Died at Waterloo. 
 
 Joseph P. McParland. teamster, died at Pleas- 
 ant Hill, April 18, '64, of wounds received in battle. 
 
 Thomas Aikiuson, transferred to Invalid Corps, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 439 
 
 Nov. 20, 1863, Lives at Norway. 
 
 Isaac V. G. W. Brown, died May 15, '63 at Fort 
 Pillow. 
 
 Elnathan Brooks, discharged Feb. 3. '65. Died 
 in hospital. 
 
 John W. Backus, discharged May 29, '63 at Fort 
 Pillow. 
 
 Ransom S. Bowers, lives at Saratoga, Kan. 
 
 Allen T. Baldwin, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Hudson. 
 
 Wm. H. Bowen, discharged May 26, '65 at Daven- 
 port, Lives at Bull City. Kan. 
 
 Chas. W. Benight was mustered Jan. 5, '64. 
 Lives at Brooks. 
 
 James Baldwin. 
 
 Americus Bond, died in 1890. 
 
 E. C. Brainard, lives at Prairie du Chien, Wis. 
 
 John H. Brooks, lives at Central City, Neb. 
 
 Isaac A. Baker, 1369 N. Broadway, Oakland, Cal. 
 
 N. M. Carson, died in South America. 
 
 Hiram Couch Jr., died June 29, '63, at Columbus. 
 
 Chas. A. Clark, lives at Fairbury, Neb. [See 
 page 357.] 
 
 James L. Cooley. transferred to Veteran Keserve 
 Corps, Jan. 11, '65. Lives at Waterloo. 
 
 George D. Clark, lives at 286 West High St. 
 Dubuque. 
 
 Wm. Colvin. lives at Ida Grove. 
 
 Robert Clark, discharged May 29, '63, at Fort 
 
440 
 
 THIRTY SECOND KEG I MEN T 
 
 Pillow. Lives at May View, Kan. 
 
 James A. Carter, Vinton. 
 
 Joseph Craypo, mustered in April, and died at 
 Memphis, July 20, 1864. 
 
 Charles Cleveland, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Henry Chapman, died at Memphis. July 14, "64. 
 
 Wellington Russell. 
 
 W. W. Campbell, lives at Jesup. 
 
 Thomas B. Doxie, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Is 
 a farmer and lives near Washburn. 
 
 Zen as J. Duke, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 at Waterloo. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 441 
 
 Lovi Donley. 
 
 Johm Eminett, lives at Traer. 
 
 Lather Ellis, lives at Waterloo. 
 
 Lloyd Eberhart, lives at Joliet, 111. 
 
 John Felton, died Juno 18, 1864. 
 
 Augustus Fiske, discharged Oct. 3, '63. 
 
 0. R. Pilkins, died June 30, '64, at Memphis. 
 
 Edward Flood, killed in battle, Feb. 28, '64. at 
 Canton, Miss. 
 
 Horace J. Goodwin, died at Memphis, April 22, 
 1865. 
 
 Miles B. Gilbert, 
 
 Solomon Haney, lives at Cedar Falls. 
 
 Jesse Heifer, captured at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 at Republic City, Kansas. 
 
 Johnson B. Hewitt, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Amos B. Highsmith, lives at 1728 Second Ave., 
 Council Bluffs. 
 
 John L. Jackson, lives at Waterloo. 
 Levi L. Jolls, lives at Waterloo. 
 Jacob B. Kellogg, died at Soldiers' Home. 
 Joel M. Lichty, died from wounds received in 
 battle at Nashville, Dec. 21, '64. 
 
 Cyrus W. Lichty, lives at Waterloo, 
 
 Alonzo Lomon. 
 
 David M. Longaker, died prior to 1891. 
 
 August Meyer, 113 Seventh St., Ashland, Wis. 
 
 Lafayette Martindale, died July 4, 1864, at Mem- 
 
442 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 phis, of small-pox. 
 
 T. P. Marquard, Florence, Arizona. 
 
 Jason R. Millard, promoted to the Staff; Port- 
 land, Oregon. 
 
 Barnard McCormick. severely wounded at Pleas - 
 Hill. Lives at Waterloo. 
 
 Jacob L. Myers, died Sept. 8. '64. at Jefferson 
 Barracks. 
 
 Samuel S. Martin, Canton, S, D. 
 
 Elias A. Moore, discharged March, 5, '64. Lives 
 at Lohrville. 
 
 J. Morris, lives at Rock Palls. 
 
 Levi Miller, lives at Emporia. Kan. 
 
 Albert W. Miller. 
 
 George F. Mathews, lives at Frederica. 
 
 David J. Miller, Emporia, Kan. 
 
 Wm. H. Mills, died at Cairo, Junp 27, '64. 
 
 Alexander McCall, Soldiers" Home, Milwaukee. 
 
 James F. McFarland, died of wounds at Pleas- 
 ant Hill, April 18, '64. 
 
 Adam N. Ohler, died at Lincoln, Neb, Feb. 22, 
 1894. 
 
 Alva Page, lives at Waterloo, 
 
 John S. Phillis. 
 
 George N. Palmer, Grundy Center. 
 
 Almon W. Parmenter, lives at Perry. 
 
 David F. Phillips, died at Fort Pillow, May 28, '63. 
 
 Sidney W. Palmer, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 443 
 
 Hill, May 13, '64. 
 
 Ziba Rice, discharged March 20, '63, at Fort 
 Pillow. Lives at Vedette, Ark. 
 
 Andrew J. Rose, Berlamont, Mich. 
 
 Warren Rath burn. 
 
 Leonard L. Redfield, lives near Canton, S* D. 
 
 James A. Redfield. died at New Orleans, June 9, 
 1864. 
 
 John N. Richardson, discharged at Fort Pillow, 
 May 30, 1863. Lives at South West City, McDonald 
 county. Mo. 
 
 Charles Risden writes kindly from Ainsworth, 
 Neb., and mentions among the men of Company C, 
 "who were seldom from duty — Trask, Eugene Brain- 
 ard, Fred Switzer, E. B. Williams, McCormick, Jack- 
 son, Tom Doxey, Alexander and Mclsaac. 
 
 H. T. Roberts, 419 S. C. Street, Arkansas City, 
 Kansas. 
 
 Harrison Rich, enlisted in '64. Lives in Lowell, 
 Arkansas. 
 
 Frederick Shaffer, died at Waverly. 
 
 William Davis Switzer, one of the boys of 1862, 
 writes from Cheney- in far-off Washington, where he 
 is a prominent citizen and druggist of that growing 
 city, and sends kind regards to the old comrades. 
 He was discharged at Montgomery, Jan. 24, 1865. 
 
 Frederick Switzer, lives at Cheney, Wash. 
 
 Cyrus Shaffer, died at Nashviile, Dec. 7, '64. 
 
 Frank Shaffer, lives at Alma, Neb. 
 
 C. B. Shaw, wounded and captured at Pleasant 
 
444 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Hill. Lives at Oskaloosa. 
 
 Robert Smith, lives at Milford. 
 
 Uriah Scott, died at Waterloo. 
 
 A. J. W. Thompson. Hastings, Minn. 
 
 Albert Trask, a leading attorney at Saginaw, 
 Mich. [See pages 107 to 117.] 
 
 Wm. Trobridge. 
 
 William Trobridge. hardware merchant and 
 business man in Carroll, Iowa. [See page 297.] He 
 was rejected in 1862, being under age; and enlisted in 
 1864. 
 
 Henry Vogle, died at Waterloo, 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS -44 "> 
 
 Eugene M. Vorhees, lives at Waterloo. 
 
 Isaac Virden, enlisted Jan. 1K64. 
 
 ('has. White, lives at Keno, Christian county, Mo. 
 
 Ainasa Worthington. Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 
 Freeman T. Whipple, died at Memphis, July. 5, 
 1864. 
 
 John N. Ward, died at Vermillion, S. D. 
 
 Oscar W. Webster, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at San Pedro, Los Angeles county, Cal. 
 
 Charles Wiltse. 
 
 John H. Young, Station B, St. Louis, Mo. 
 
 Api'oxtmate Roster of Company D. 
 
 Theodore DeTar was a practicing physician in 
 Boonsboro in 1862, and was selected to lead the Com- 
 pany raised there for the 32nd Iowa Infantry. He 
 was commissioned and mustered as Captain Oct. 6, 
 1862, and commanded the Company until he was 
 severely wounded in the battle of Nashville. Dec. 16, 
 1861. He was discharged for disability caused by 
 his wounds, (suffering the amputation of a leg) May 
 15, 1865. He died in Florida in 1891. He was a mod- 
 est, brave and meritorious man and officer. 
 
 Robert J. Shannon had seen service in the war 
 with Mexico. He was mustered as Second Lieuten- 
 ant of Company D, promoted First Lieutenant on the 
 
446 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 discharge of Templin, and commissioned Captain 
 August 23, 1865, but not mustered. He enjoys his 
 ease, houors and years, at Boone, Iowa. 
 
 William D. Templin was mnstered as First Lieu- 
 tenant at organization, and so continued until 
 discharged for disability from wounds at Yellow 
 Bayou. He suffered the loss of a leg in that battle, 
 May 18. 1864. and was discharged March 30. 1865. 
 
 He became a successful pension attorney in 
 Boonsboro, where he now lives, in the respect and 
 confidence of bis fellow citizens and old comrades. 
 
 Joseph H. Harvey was commissioned First Lieu- 
 tenant August 23, 1865, being a promotion from 
 First Sergeant, but was not mustered under ihe com- 
 mission. He died in 1890. 
 
 Joseph G. Miller, First Sergeant, captured at 
 Pleasant Hill, and died while in prison at Tyler, 
 Texas, July 28, '64. 
 
 W. L. Defore, Sergeant, detailed Wagon Master, 
 Dec. 26, '62. Died in 1887. 
 
 David S. Jewett. promoted Sergeant, captured at 
 Pleasant Hill; escaped from Tyler. Died in 1885. 
 
 Francis M. Spurrier, Sergeant, wounded at 
 Pleasant Hill, discharged for wounds, Nov. 24, 1864. 
 Lives at Cgden. 
 
 lsaas C. Nutt. Sergeant, died Nov. 8, '63, at 
 Benton, Ark. 
 
 Jasper W. Holmes, promoted Sergeant, lives at 
 816 Cooley street, St. Joe. Mo. 
 
 Austin C. Warrick. Corporal, discharged Jan. 20, 
 1865. Lives at Lampoe, Cal. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 447 
 
 Martin Summers, Corporal, relieved at his own 
 
 request. 
 
 James P, Williams, promoted Corporal, lives at 
 422 W street, Emporia. Kan. 
 
 Malbern Pettibone, Corporal, killed at Pleasant 
 Hill. 
 
 Daniel W. Robbins, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Retired merchant; home at Colorado Springs; ad- 
 dress in winter months, San Diego, Cal. [See portrait 
 page 164. J 
 
 Wm. M. Petty, Corporal, lives near Pilot Mound. 
 
 John Weston, Corporal, wounded at Pleasant 
 Hill, and died of wounds at Memphis, May 18, 1864. 
 
 Wm. Stover, Corporal, reduced at his own re- 
 quest. Lives at Miller, S. D. 
 
 Penelon W. Hull, promoted Corporal, wounded 
 at Tupelo. Died at Boone in 1885. 
 
 Isaac Williams, promoted Corporal, died at 
 Mound City, Jan. 24, '64. 
 
 Joseph Bone, Musician, 
 
 Samuel Bone, Musician, lives at Silverdale, Kan. 
 
 Norman P, Rogers, teamster, discharged March 
 4, '63. Lives at Boone, 
 
 Robert Atkinson, killed in battle at Bayou Metoe, 
 Aug. 27, '63. 
 
 James Atkinson, lives at Pana, 111. 
 
 John A. Atkinson, killed at Tupelo, Jaly 14, '64. 
 
 H. Abercrombic, wounded at Little Red River, 
 August 18, '63; discharged Dec. 16. '64. 
 
44s THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Abner Arasmith. died at Cape Girardeau, June 
 16, 1863. 
 
 W. C. Ainsworth, Fort Dodge. 
 
 Francis Annis, died at Vicksburg, May 30, '64. 
 
 Samuel Andrews, lives at Boone. 
 
 Edward M. Boone, lives at Boone. 
 
 J. P. Boone, Boone. 
 
 Win. S. Berry, lives at Turner, Neb. 
 
 Peter Battin. killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Saumel C. Blunk, wounded at Pleasant Hill, dis- 
 charged Sept. 4, '64. Lives at Boone. 
 
 Amos I Blunk, wounded at Pleasant Hill, dis- 
 charged Nov. 1. '64. Lives at Galena, Kan. 
 
 Jacob M. Buffington, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Oxford, Kan. 
 
 Alonzo J. Barkley. wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. A banker in Boone. 
 
 James A. Baker, died at Alexandria, April 11,'64. 
 
 John W. Benson. 
 
 Edward E. Billings. 
 
 Wm. D. Carpenter. 
 
 Joseph I. W. Cline, discharged March 13. '63. 
 Lives at Boone. 
 
 Edward M. Cline. discharged March 13, '63. 
 Lives at Pilot Mound. 
 
 Stephen W. Cree, lives at Luther. 
 
 Isaac B. Cummings, Boone. 
 
 Moses S. Capps, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 449 
 
 Hezekiah Carpenter, Pilot Mound. 
 A. J. Delander. 
 
 James A. Davis, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill, May 4, 1864. 
 
 Cyrus M. Davis, Luther. 
 
 John B. Dooley, 1523 N. 20th St., Omaha, Neb. 
 Thomas E. Dooley, Boone. While Company D 
 was at Benton, Ark. in January 1864, Dooley was 
 captured by a scouting party of Marmaduke's men, 
 who took in ten six-mule teams that were loaded 
 with supplies for the troops at Benton, hauling the 
 same from Little Rock. Dooley had been in hos- 
 pital and was sent by this tram to Benton. The 
 captors abandoned the wagons, taking what 
 clothing they could carry on the mules. The capture 
 was about 5 o'cloek p. m., and the party traveled all 
 night, reaching the rebel camp next day. Dooley 
 became too ill and weak to ride and was dumped in 
 the road, reaching a cabin early in the morning, he 
 exchanged his new boots and some clothing for a 
 ride to Benton. 
 
 W. R. Dyer, Boone. 
 Aaron Doty, Kimball, S. D. 
 
 Cyrus A. Ebersole. wounded at Little Red River 
 and transferred to Invalid Corps. Lives at Ana- 
 mosa. 
 
 Edward Eckley, dischargsd Nov. 16, 1863. 
 George H. Fox, killed at the battle of Little Red 
 River. 
 
 John W. Gilliland, Superior, Neb. 
 
 Hugh R. Gilliland, Sisseton, S. D. 
 
450 THIRTY SECOXD ItEGIMENT 
 
 Win. G. Grayson, Boone. 
 
 Robert N. Gwinn, transferred to Company I. 
 
 W. W. Goodrich, wounded at Little Red River, 
 and discharged Jan. 16, "64. Lives at Luther. 
 
 James Gaskil, Hubbell. Neb. 
 
 J. B. Hurlbnrt, Indianola. 
 
 Benjamin N. Hickman, wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. Lives at Pinos Altos, New Mexico. 
 
 Lewis S. Hinman, died in 1892. 
 
 Win. C. Hickman, Boone. 
 
 Nicholas Harter. killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 George D. Hunter, discharged March 7. '63. 
 
 Tyler Higbee. 
 
 John Herron, discharged March 24. *64. Boone. 
 
 Isaac W. Hughes, died in 18^6. 
 
 Win. H. Irwin, Woodward. 
 
 John F. Joice. died July 23, '63. 
 
 Garrett L. Joice, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Levi Jones, discharged Nov. 16, '63. Ogden. 
 
 Thomas Kelly, died April 26, '63 at Bloomtield, 
 Missouri. 
 
 Henry C, Kirkendall, died at Duvall's Bluff. 
 Sept. 1, 1863. 
 
 John W. Kirkendall. Lohrville. 
 
 John W. Kearby, severely wounded at Bayou 
 Metoe, August 27, '63, and discharged because of 
 wounds, August, 13, '64. Lives at Woodward. 
 
 Joseph H. Kinkead. 
 
 Charles Lefferts. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 451 
 
 Wm. 13. Lantoo, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 Abbott Lee, Cloverdale, Kan. 
 John W. Landers, Missouri Valley. 
 
 Gustus Linn, captured at Pleasant Hill. Is a 
 farmer and lives near Dayton. 
 
 Wm. P. Leonard. 
 
 Wm. B. Lawton, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Zachariah S. McOall, died at Little Rock, Oct. 
 15, 1863. 
 
 Isaac N. W. Mahaffey, Burr Oak, Kan. 
 
 John H. Merrick, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Wm. V. Manchester, Burnside. 
 Arch. McDonald. 
 John W. McFarling, Boone. 
 J. J. Moriarty, Souix Rapids. 
 Thomas Meyers, Boone. 
 
 Edward O. Nutt, discharged March 15, '63. 
 
 William Nelson. 
 
 Jones W. Nelson, died at Woodward in 1892. 
 
 John W. Overman, died June 10, '63, 
 
 Wm. M. Peoples, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Peter Peterson, Madrid. 
 
 Yons Peterson, discharged Oct. 4, '63. 
 
 Thomas Payne, Boone. 
 
 Josiah B. Patterson, Boone. 
 
 Sharon A. Paxton, died at Brownsville, Sept. 
 14, 1863. 
 
 D. U. Parker, Jefferson. 
 
 O. B. Pettit, Panora. 
 
 Robert C. Petty. 
 
 James Shuffling, died at Little Rock, Sept. 25, '63. 
 
452 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Jedediah L. Starr, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 John Segrin, Madrid. 
 
 Thomas H. Spickelmire, wounded at Pleasant 
 Hill and died at Memphis July 1, '64, 
 
 Elias D. Strunk, transferred for promotion to 
 colored troops. 
 
 William Stover, wounded at Little Red River. 
 Lives at Miller, S. D. 
 
 Henry Sussong. La Porte City. 
 
 Rufus L. St. Johns, Eldora. 
 
 Harvey M. St. Johns, Eldora. 
 
 L. D. Smith, Newbern. 
 
 Thomas B. Thomson, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Martin Tappin, died at Mound City, July 16, '64. 
 
 Spencer R. Williams, died at Brownsville, Sept. 
 5, 1868. 
 
 Samuel B. Williams, severely wounded at Bayou 
 Metoe. He was detailed in some of the convalescent 
 hospitals; was assigned to the Veteran Reserve 
 Corps, and had an interesting army experience. He 
 is an enthusiastic Republician and a loyal citizen. 
 Lives in Aiba, Jasper county, Mo. 
 
 Richard S. Williams, wounded at Little Rock. 
 Lives at Centerville, Ore. 
 
 John E. R. Wright, on his retnrn from absence 
 on furlough, as told by Dooley his brother-in-law, 
 was captured between Little Rock and Benton. In a 
 short time his captors sent him in for exchange. He 
 was killed at Pleasant Hill 
 
 Calvin M. J. Walker. 
 
 James W. Webster, died at Memphis, July 10, '64. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 45; 
 
 Appoximate Roster or Company E. 
 
 John R. Jones was mustered as Captain Oct. G. 
 1862. Though commissioned Major in August, 
 1865, he was the only Captain de facto of the 
 Company. [See page 400.] 
 
 Capt. John R, Jones. 
 
 Alor.zo Converse was First Lieutenant from 
 muster-in to muster out. He was at times detailed 
 on responsible duties, and made a good record in 
 each position. In civil life he represented his dis- 
 
454 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 trict in the Iowa State Senate. He removed to Da- 
 kota, and his last known residence was in or near 
 Letcher, S. D. He was commissioned Captain Aug- 
 ust 23, 1865. 
 
 John F. Wright was Second Lieutenant during 
 his entire term of service, and was mustered out as 
 such, though he had a commission of promotion of 
 date August 23, 1865. He was severely wounded and 
 left in hospital at Pleasant Hill. He died at his 
 home at Shell Rock in 1893. 
 
 This Company had the unique experience of 
 carrying its line officers without change during the 
 entire term of service. 
 
 Wm. H. Guy was mustered in as Fourth Ser- 
 geant, by promotion became First Sergeant, and was 
 commissioned Second Lieutenant, but was not mus- 
 tered as such. 
 
 He removed to Kansas, where he has been a 
 highly useful and and respected citizen; sustaining a 
 character worthy of the 32nd Iowa in various official 
 positions, notably that of Superintendent of Schools. 
 His home is at Grenola, Kan. His capture at Pleas- 
 ant Hill and escape a few days thereafter are noted 
 elsewhere. 
 
 Samuel German was First Sergeant when the 
 Company was mustered in. He was discharged for 
 disability August 15, 1864. 
 
 Marshall Kelly, Second Sergeant, died at New 
 Madrid, Dec. 21, 1862. 
 
 Ovid Hare, Sergeant, lived at Storm Lake but 
 has removed. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 455 
 
 Edward A. Glenn, Sergeant, lives at Souix City. 
 
 Samuel E. Hay den, promoted Sergeant, died at 
 Columbus, July 13, 1863. 
 
 Wm. M. Martin, Corporal. 
 
 Alexander March, Corporal. Died in ]890. 
 
 Wesley H. Long, Coporal, died at New Orleans, 
 April 27, 'G4. 
 
 Clark Speedy, Corporal, discharged for disabil- 
 ity June 16, '63. Died. 
 
 Robert Stanly, Corporal, lives at Shell Rock. 
 
 Albert O. Royce, Corporal. 
 
 Robert In man, Corporal. 
 
 Jacob H. Hickle, promoted Corporal, Clarksville. 
 
 Wm. H. Burham, Musician, Soldiers' Home. 
 
 John Burham, Musician. Grand River. 
 
 Nathan Olmstead, teamster, discharged May 5, 
 1863. Died at New Hartford, 1888. 
 
 James Acherson, died at Memphis. June 6, '64. 
 
 L. J. Ackerman, New Hartford. 
 
 Elias D. Allbright, Shell Rock. 
 
 Elias B. Allensworth, killed at Lake Chicot, 
 June 6. 1864. 
 
 Joseph Aspey. wounded and captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. 
 
 Mordecai B. Broque, Shell Rock. 
 
 John W. Blass, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 E. W. Blackman, wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. A merchant at Panora. 
 
 Anson Blackman, died at Nashville, March 3, '65. 
 
456 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Ebbert L. Blackman, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill, June 12, 64. 
 
 George Bolton, New Hartford. 
 
 Albert H. Bookman, discharched March 20, 1865 
 at New Orleans. 
 
 Eli S. Burgess, died at Fort Pillow, March 7, '63. 
 
 Francis Brannick, discharged Oct. 11, 1863, 
 
 Henry Billhimer, Clarksville. 
 
 John N. Conner, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives in Wisconsin. 
 
 Oliver Codner, captured at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 at Parkersburg. 
 
 George G. Codner, 
 James N. Churchill. 
 Henry C. Collins. 
 
 L. Dow Clayton, wounded and captured at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. Died at New Hartford, 1892. 
 
 Frederick J. Carter, killed at Pleasaut Hill. 
 
 Geo. R. Copland. 
 
 Levi H. Chaffin, South Dakota. 
 
 Abram H. Dunning, transferred to Invalid Corps, 
 Sept..l, 1863. New Hartford. 
 
 Mordecai Dodge, died at Columbus of small-pox, 
 March 5, 1864. 
 
 John Dickisson. 
 
 N. W. Davis, Hamburg. 
 
 Wm. H. Dunning, discharged July 29, 1865 at 
 Montgomery. 
 
 Richard F. Ede, discharged Jan. 27, '63. Edge- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 457 
 
 wood or Greely. 
 
 Theodore H. Ferris, died at Fort Pillow, April 
 26, 1863. 
 
 Francis G. Foster, Waverly. 
 
 Wm. Flood, Shell Rock. 
 
 Jacob G. Fulsom. 
 
 Wm. E. Fugue, discharged July 24, '64. 
 
 John W. Griffith, Canton, S. D. 
 
 Mathew Hartman, wounded at Nashville, Dec. 16, 
 '63. Discharged July 19, '65. 
 
 David M. Henderson, died March 12, 1865 at 
 Davenport. 
 
 Moses Hedrick. 
 
 Robert W. Hannont, Shell Rock. 
 
 James N. Howard, capturad at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Crab Orchard. 
 
 Calvin Hall, Parkersburg. 
 
 Elijah Hites, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Thomas Houck, Marshalltown. 
 
 Isaac High, Janesville. 
 
 N. R. Hough, died at Vicksburg, June 4, 1864. 
 
 Judd D. Hoinback. 
 
 Nathan Jones. 
 
 Henry O. Jones, captured at Pleasant Hill 
 
 Lyman D. Jones, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Albert W. Joslen, died at Memphis, Mar. 19, '64. 
 
 Hinkley G. Knight. 
 
 Geo. W. Kimmel, died at Ft. Pillow, Mar. 8, '63. 
 
 Z. F. Kimmel, died at Ft. Pillow, April 5, '63. 
 
 Henry B. King. 
 
 Isaac N. Kitterman, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Wm. H. Ketcham. 
 
458 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT • 
 
 James P. Leverich, wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 John B. Langdon. 569 Banning St, Los Angeles. 
 California. 
 
 Charles Lewis, captured at Pleasant Hill, and 
 died at Tyler, Texas, Sept. 16, 1864. 
 
 Wilbert L. Lewis, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 William Martch, Fredericksburg. 
 
 Rollin P. Mead, wounded at Pleasant Hill; arm 
 taken off at the shouldier. Discharged Sept. 4, '64. 
 Lives on his farm one mile North of Aplington. 
 
 Charles E. Mix, discharged March 15, '65. Died 
 in California. 
 
 Wm. N. Mix, lives at Vacaville, Cal. 
 
 Edward A. Morse, died at Memphis. July 9, '64, 
 
 O. S. Newcomb, captured at Pleasant Hill. Is a 
 long time merchant at Shell Rock. 
 
 P. O. Needham, Acampa, Cal. 
 
 Edward S. Needham, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Lake Preston, S. D. 
 
 Robert L. Olmstead, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill, April 20, 1864. 
 
 Wallace W. Olmstead, captured at Pleasant 
 Hill. 
 
 Theodore Olmstead, discharged Mar. 5, 1863.. 
 Lives at Aekley. 
 
 Orrin P. Olmstead, wounded at Pleasant HilL 
 Lives at New Hartford. 
 
 Franklin E. Orvis, Shell Rock. 
 . W. A. Orvis, New Hartford. 
 
 Delos Patten, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 459 
 
 Jasper Parriot, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Josiah Peck, McGregor. 
 
 Daniel G. Plummer, Wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Died at Now Hartford in 1888. 
 
 J. W. PI u miner, Hartford. 
 
 Fletcher C. Putman, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 John Qui m by. 
 
 James W. Quinn, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Aplington, Iowa, or Pratt, Kansas. 
 
 Alfred Robbins, Castana. 
 
 Benjamin Roberts, discharged May 5, '63. 
 
 Myron Rockwell, New Hartford. 
 
 Amos O. Royce. 
 
 James M. Rosebrough, died at Vicksburg, May 
 24, 1864. 
 
 John C. Sumner. Grand Junction. Col. 
 
 George Sowash, died in 1892 at Nevada. 
 
 Wm. Stockdale, died at Mound City, Mar. 4, '64. 
 
 John Sperry, Richardson, San Juan Co., Wash. 
 
 James N. Sperry, died at Vicksburg, Feb. 8, '64. 
 
 James Smith, died at Columbus, July 24, "63. 
 
 Henry Thomas, died at Fort Pillow, Mar. 4. 63. 
 
 Jesse Turner. 
 
 Samuel B. Whitney, 
 
 Ezra S. Wilson, died at Fort Pillow, May, 19, '53. 
 
 Austin Wilcox, discharged at Mound City, April 
 3, '64. Lives at Clarksville. 
 
 Solomon Wheeler, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Clarion. 
 
 Julius A. Waters, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 George H. Williams, wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. Lives at Algona. 
 
 George E. Zelmer. 
 
460 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Appoximate Eoster of Company F. 
 
 Joseph Edgington was commissioned and mus- 
 tered as Captain, Oct. 7, 1862. He served as such 
 until he was honorably discharged, Oct. 15, 1861. 
 His home is and has been for forty years, Eklora. 
 Iowa. 
 
 Lucius E. Campbell entered service as Second 
 Lieutenant; was promoted Captain, Nov. 18, 1864; and 
 was discharged at Montgomery, July 2, 1865. His 
 address is Union Stock Yards, Chicago, where he is 
 engaged as a commission merchant. 
 
 Ezekicl Kilgore was promoted First Lieutenant 
 from First Sergeant, Dec. 2, 1864. He was commis- 
 sioned Captain, August 23, 1865, but was mustered 
 out as Lieutenant. He is said to live at Lake City, 
 Iowa. 
 
 John Devine entered service as First Lieutenant. 
 He was seyerely wounded (leg amputated) and left 
 in the hands of the enemy at Pleasant Hill. 
 Through an indomitable will, dressing his fly blown 
 wounds, he recovered and was honorably discharged 
 August 30, 1864. He died at Albion, Oct. 30, 1887. 
 
 J. M. Boyd, to whom the Comrades are so much 
 indebted for his labors in the preparation of matter 
 for this History, entered the service as Fourth Ser- 
 geant. He became First Sergeant by promotion,' and 
 was commissioned as First Lieutenant August 23, 
 1865, but was not mustered as such. After his re 
 turn from the army he was an influential citizen, dis- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 461 
 
 charging the duties of public offices to which lie was 
 called, and died at Eldora in 1893. [See portrait, 
 page 58.] 
 
 Alanson F. Wood was mustered in as Corporal, 
 and by promotion had the grade of Second Sergeant 
 when he was discharged for disability at Montgom- 
 ery, July 13, '65. His commission for promotion to 
 Second Lieutenant was sent, but did not reach him 
 until after his discharge. He is a prominent citizen 
 and business man of Union, Hardin county, which has 
 long been his home. 
 
 James Underwood was mustered in as Second 
 Sergeant, and was transferred July 11, 1863 for pro- 
 motion to "First Lieutenant in Company H, 56th 
 Regiment U. S. (Colored) Troops." It is understood 
 that his services in that command were valuable, and 
 that he was noted for his kindly sympathies with 
 those under his charge. He lives at Grand Junction, 
 Iowa. 
 
 Oscar D. Royer, Sergeant. * * * * 
 
 Charles Lane, Sergeant, transferred to Invalid 
 Corps. Afterwards discharged for disability. Lives 
 at Deer Creek, Minn. 
 
 Solon F. Benson, promoted Sergeant, wounded 
 at Pleasant Hill, arm amputated; discharged Oct.. 8, 
 1864. Lives in Kansas. 
 
 Andrew J. Hadden, Corporal, discharged for 
 disability, and died at Steamboat Rock soon after 
 his return home. 
 
 Austin W. Caldwell, promoted Sergeant, severe- 
 ly wounded and left on the field at Pleasant Hill. 
 He was captured and taken to Tyler, and as he was 
 
462 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT, 
 
 known to be shot in the head was reported as • 'prob- 
 ably killed." He lives at Iowa Falls. Had his leg- 
 amputated above the knee after his discharge. Has 
 been County Recorder. 
 
 Loyal Griffin, promoted Corporal, was severely 
 wounded in the Oxford raid, August 24. 1864, near 
 
 Alanson R Wood. 
 
 Waterford, and discharged May 16, 1865, at Daven- 
 port. He is now 70 years of age, enjoying the cli- 
 mate and surroundings of Ogden. Utah, where his 
 sons are in business. He still remembers most 
 kindly Maulsbv's dry jokes and Hartinger's sweet 
 songs, as well as many incidents of camp and field,. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 463 
 
 including "Billy Bovvers and the owl on picket." [See 
 portrait.] 
 
 Augustus Mitterer, Corporal, was discharged at 
 Little Rock, Feb. 18, '64. He was a farmer and died 
 at Hubbard in 1893. 
 
 Lt. James Underwood. 
 
 Calvin M. Say re, Corporal, died at Little Rock, 
 Oct. 21, "6:-i. 
 
 Ira G. Wing-, Corporal, Silverton, Gol. 
 
 John W. Holmes, Corporal. Returned after 
 
 muster out, and died at Iowa Palls in 1877. 
 
 Francis M. Foster, promoted Corporal, discharg- 
 
464 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 ed Feb. 10, '63. Died at Steamboat Rock. 
 
 Newton Jones, Musician, discharged June 1. '65. 
 Lives at Iowa Falls. 
 
 Chauncy D. Todd, promoted Musician, Boulder 
 City. Col. 
 
 Loyal Griffin. 
 
 George Macy, Muiscian, wounded in line 
 of duty while foraging, and died of wounds, 
 Sept. 10. '63, at Brownsville, Ark. 
 
 Ira G. Christian, teamster, died Oct. 18, '63. 
 
 Nathan R. Austin, died Sept. 26, '63. 
 
 Enoch C. Austin, transferred to Invalid Corps. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 465 
 
 Sept. 25, '63. . Hubbard, Iowa, 
 
 DeWitt Aiken, deserted Oct. 8, '02. 
 
 J. P. Ash, died at Minneapolis, Kan., July 1869, 
 
 James Barrett, Yocum, Carroll Co., Ark. 
 
 Loren Button, Dows, Iowa. 
 
 Win. J. Bowers, promoted Corporal, Eldora. 
 
 Wilson Boyd, died at Brownsville, Sept. 14, '63. 
 
 Thomas C. Bond, a farmer near Central City, 
 Linn county. 
 
 Nathan Bum, Gardner. 
 
 Thos. A. Christy, d i sch arged Nov. 16, '63. Lives 
 at Vermillion, S. D. 
 
 T. B. Currier. 
 
 Win. I!, Champlin. severely wounded, died at 
 Pleas-ant Bill, May 21, '64. 
 
 11. D. Cantonwine, died at Brownsville, Sept. 8, 
 1863. 
 
 Win. H. Cowan, died at Memphis, May 21. 1864. 
 
 Abraham Cundert, transferred to Invalid Corps. 
 Lives at Wichita, Kan. 
 
 John M. Cox, transferred to Invalid Corps. 
 Lives at Gilford. 
 
 Edwin p. Coombs, transferred to Company C, 
 lived at one time at Peterson. 
 
 Luther Couch, wounded at Pleasant Hill, died at 
 Shell Rock. 
 
 George A. Demander was transferred to Com 
 pany H. [See roster of H.] 
 
 A. J. Estabrook, died at Memphis, May 22, '64. 
 
466 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 H. J. Edgerton. died at New Orleans, May 5, '65. 
 
 James Fleming-. 
 
 Charles Fleming, Humboldt, Iowa. 
 
 Francis M. Foster, discharged Feb. 10, 1863, and 
 died at Steamboat Rock. 
 
 Robert Griffin, on Canadian Pacific Railway. 
 
 James C. Gordon, Kansas. 
 
 Edgar A. Giles, transferred to Company C. Lives 
 at Garfield, Wash. 
 
 James C. Gordon, Independence, Kan. 
 
 Joseph W. Hiday, Alfonte, Madison Co., Ind. 
 
 Marvin W. How- 
 land, discharged 
 Feb. 12, 1864. Lives 
 at Eagle Groove. 
 
 John Leary. died 
 near Point Pleasant. 
 
 Thomas Lacock, 
 discharged Feb. 12, 
 1864. 
 
 Zephaniah Lane, 
 Blount, 111. 
 
 Wm. H. Latham, 
 died at Memphis, 
 July 3, 1864. 
 
 M. W. HOWLAND. 
 
 James Hartinger, Alden. 
 
 Jason House, died at Davenport, Aug. 24, 1865. 
 
 Elijah Hayden, discharged Nov. 16. '63. Lives 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 467 
 
 at Eldora. 
 
 Hanson H. Harlan, died near Eldora, July 29,'67. 
 
 James T. Leech, Preewater, Harlan Co., Neb. 
 
 George Lepley, Union. 
 
 William Lepley, Union. 
 
 Aley Moon, derserted, Oct. 8, '62. 
 
 Samuel Mossman, Hubbard. 
 
 Thomas Millslagle, died at Eldora, from injuries 
 received in the Nashville campaign. 
 
 Robert Millslagle, died at Nashville, Dec. 17, '64. 
 
 Martin V. B. Maulsby, last known residence, 
 Howland, Putman Co., Mo. 
 
 Isaac H. Macy was left sick at Dubuque, and 
 died Dec. 5, 1862; and thought to be the first death 
 in the Company. He was buried at Iowa Palls, 
 
 Alfred McHenry, Cleburn. Texas. 
 
 John R. Myers, killed in battle at Bayou de 
 Glaize. 
 
 Win. W. Mcintosh, discharged Oct. 6, '64. Lives 
 at Albany, Mo. 
 
 Nathan R. Modlin, captured, at Pleasant 
 Hill, died at Tyler, Sept. 5, 1864, from exposure 
 and hardship in rebel prison. 
 
 Samuel S. Martin, transferred to Company C. 
 Lives at White Lake. 
 
 Robert H. Murphy, discharged at Montgomery. 
 Died at Ackley. 
 
 Wm. Nutt, died at Memphis, June 24. '64. 
 
 George B. Nelson. 
 
468 THIRTY SECONTD REGIMENT 
 
 Thomas Perdue. Beaver Crossing, Seward 
 county, Neb. 
 
 Asher W. Park, died at Steamboat Rock, of 
 wounds received at Holly Springs. 
 
 Moses Pierce, died July 14, T>4, at Cairo. 
 
 Adam L. Rickard, Rickard P. O . Hardin Co. 
 
 James Reed, Union. 
 
 John Rinehart, Iowa Falls. 
 
 James Rock, deserted Nov. 10, '02. 
 
 Ezra D. Rogers, discharged Oct. 4, "63. Lives 
 at Nemaha, Neb. 
 
 James Royal, killed at Pleasant I fill. 
 
 John L. Sayre. died at Little Rock, Dec. 23, '63. 
 
 John Snider, a carpenter, at the age of 3.'! was 
 mustered in; and at. the end of the march will) 
 Davidson's calvary, was one of the six men in the 
 Four Companies who reported for duty. But the 
 unnecessary hardships of such a march were too 
 much for him, and he is completely broken in health, 
 living at Goldfield. 
 
 Jared W. Sumner, Stella, Neb. 
 John Spurlin, discharged *Jan. 13, '64. Died at 
 Liscomb. 
 
 Levi Spurlin, died at Keokuk, Nov. 10, 1^64. 
 
 Wm. H. Spurlin, died at Brownsville, Sept. 6, '63'. 
 
 George Spurlin, died at St. Louis, Feb. 19, 1863. 
 
 Chandler W. Scott, Nevada, Mo. 
 
 Davis Sellers, Beloit, Kansas. 
 
 Jesse Shultz, died at Little Rock, Oct. 14, '63. 
 
 Wm. H. Sawyer, wounded in the hip at Yellow 
 
TOWA VOLUNTEERS 469 
 
 Bayou. Guide Rock, Nebraska. 
 
 Jonas R. Underwood, dis. Aug. 30, 1864. Died in 
 Illinois. 
 
 David S. Valentine, Union. 
 
 Jas. H.Valentine, 2003. S. 10 St., Lincoln, Neb. 
 Theodore S. Walter, Bentonville, Ark. 
 Sebastian L. Weiland. La Grange, Ky. 
 
 Samuel M. Woodard, died at Dell Rapids, S. D., ! 
 prior to 3887. 
 
 Joseph A. Wilson, died at Gifford, in 1888. 
 Timothy Wickham, Cedar Rapids. 
 
 William O. Wickham, captured between Little 
 Rock and Benton. Iowa Falls. 
 
 J. Henry Williams, Steamboat Rock. 
 Alfred D. Walker, Kansas. 
 
 George Winans, discharged April 11, 1864. Lives 
 at Goldfield. 
 
 R. S. Wardwell, Steamboat Rock. 
 
 S. B. Wells, Fort Madison. 
 
 Wm. H. Wright, San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 Marcel lus Yaw, Kansas. 
 
 Ossello Yaw r , Kansas. 
 
470 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Approximate Roster of Company G. 
 
 This Company with A, D and F, constituted the 
 detachment of four Companies that saw severe ser- 
 vice in Arkansas and south east Missouri. In a brief 
 review of these experiences, twenty years after they 
 closed. Comrade Boyd wrote:- "Oar dead lie in seven 
 different states. The living are now widely scattered, 
 and have homes in fifteen states and territories, of 
 which I have knowledge. We traversed nine states 
 besides Iowa. We traveled on more than twenty 
 steamers, on eleven different rivers, and on war ves- 
 sels and coast and ocean steamers on the bays and 
 Gulf of Mexico." 
 
 The ''casualties'' so briefly noted in these Rosters 
 give but little<idea of the hardships, sufferings and 
 dangers of these campaigns, and of the deaths that 
 have occurred because of them. The word "dis- 
 charged" written on a muster roll may mean that the 
 soldier came to his home for restored health. It may 
 also mean that even the sad hope that he might die 
 under the roof that sheltered his family was doomed 
 to disappointment. Many never reached their 
 homes but died in hospitals, or by the way. Such 
 are the fortunes of war! Some lived for years, dying 
 by inches; others still live, broken in health, every 
 hope shattered, with hourly reminders oT the experi- 
 ences of thirty years ago. 
 
 Charles A. L. Roszell entered the service as 
 Captain; was commissioned and mustered October 6 r 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 471 
 
 1862, and was mustered out in the same rank at the 
 end of the three-years term. He was a lawyer in 
 Clarksville. and returned to his profession, which he 
 still sustains, and lives in his former home. 
 
 Charles A. Ban nan, was mustered as First Lieu- 
 tenant, and held the same rank until muster-out. He 
 subsequently removed to Kansas City, where he died. 
 He w 7 as wounded at Pleasant Hill; was a meritorious 
 and capable officer, an esteemed comrade and gentle- 
 man. 
 
 Daniel Haine was Second Lieutenant, and resign 
 ed May 8, 1863. 
 
 William L. Carpenter was promoted Second Lieu- 
 tenant from Third Sergeant, May 8, 1863; and Ad- 
 jutant from October 15, 1864. [See page 404.] 
 
 William A. Keister, First Sergeant, lives at 
 Greene. Butler Connty. 
 
 William Poisall, Sergeant, was discharged at 
 Cape Girardeau, October 4. 1863. 
 
 Tyler Blake, Sergeant, discharged Jan. 9, 1864, 
 at Little Rock. 
 
 Azael Straun, Sergeant. 
 
 Isaiah Carter, Corporal, died at Duvall's Bluffs, 
 August 24, 1863. 
 
 Roselle W. Kane, promoted Sergeant, killed at 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 George McClellan, promoted Sergeant, drowned 
 at St. Louis, November 26, 1864 
 
 James Butler, promoted Sergeant, wounded at 
 Pleasant Hill, discharged at Davenport, October 5, 
 1864. 
 
472 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 John McCain. Corporal, died at Brownsville, Sep- 
 tember 12. 1863. 
 
 Ansel D. Weeks. Corporal, died at Dubuque, 
 November 13. 1862. 
 
 Timothy W. Folgar, Corporal, died of wounds 
 at Pleasant Hill, May 4, 1864. 
 
 Daniel W. Kinsley, Corporal, discharged Nov. 
 16, 1863. 
 
 Uriah Farlow, Corporal, died July 1. 1854, 
 
 Emanuel Surf us, Corporal, died Nov. 5, 1862. 
 
 Geo. H. Burton, Corporal, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 DeWitt C. Harrison, Corporal, wounded at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. Lives at Clarksville. 
 
 Geo. L. Allen, Corporal, wounded at Pleasant 
 Hill Lives at Iowa Falls. 
 
 Albert Boggs. Corporal, wounded at Pleasant 
 Hill. Lives at Greene. 
 
 Horace G. Hawks, Musician, wounded and cap- 
 tured at Pleasant Hill. Lives nt Marble Rock. 
 
 Wilson Achison, Musician. 
 
 John Kush Brown, teamster, wounded at Pleas- 
 ant Hill. 
 
 Benjamin Anderson died at Bristow. 
 
 Sylvester E. Allen, died at Brownsville, Sep- 
 tember 26, 1863. 
 
 William V. Allen, lives at Madison, Nebraska. 
 Was Judge of the District Court; is now (1896) in the 
 U. S. Senate. [See page 152.] 
 
 Sylvester W. Bragg, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Nora Springs. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 473 
 
 Sylvester M. Boon, died at Cape Girardeau, Jan- 
 uary 3, 1863. 
 
 Warren Boon, Marble Rock. 
 
 Sidney W. Boon, lives at Marble Rock. 
 
 James H. Boon, died at Little Rock, September 
 26, 1863. 
 
 Stephen G. Bell. 
 
 William C. Bishop, wounded at Pleasant Hill, 
 Discharged May 11, 1865. 
 
 Joseph Bnbcock, died of wounds at Pleasant Hill, 
 June 5, 1864. 
 
 Henry Brooks, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Discharged February 24, 1865. Lives at Armstrong. 
 David BeeLle, Clarksville. 
 James L. Belcher, discharged Aug. 3, 1864. 
 Harvey A. Bishop, died prior to 1891. 
 Phineas Clawson, died at Memphis, June 5, 1864. 
 
 William R. Cave, discharged May 4, 1865. Lives 
 at Clarksville. 
 
 Michael Cline, captured at Bloomfield; wounded 
 at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 William Comstock, wounded and left at Pleasant 
 Hill. Lives at Marble Rock. 
 
 James H. Carter, lives at Vinton. 
 
 Wilbur C. Closson. Manson. 
 
 Mortimer O. Clark, Nebraska. 
 
 Daniel N. Clark, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 in Nebraska. 
 
 Aaron Doty, discharged at Cape Girardeau. Oct- 
 ober 9. 1863. Minnesota. 
 
 Nathaniel W. Davis, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
474 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Josiah Doekstader, discharged Nov. 16, 1863. 
 
 Andrew J. Ellis, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 John C. Forney, Olarksville. 
 
 George Farlow. 
 
 Leander Farlow. Forest City. 
 
 James M. Goodhue, discharged March 8, 1863. 
 
 Samuel N. Goodhue, discharged Dec. 29, 1863. 
 Marion. 
 
 Nathaniel B. Gleason, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill. April 21, 1864. 
 
 James Gillman. Harlan. 
 Seth H. Graves. 
 
 Aaron M. Harter, transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corps. Waterloo. 
 
 William T. Hall, died at Helena, September 17, '63.. 
 
 James L. Hardman, died about 1887. 
 Bayliss Hough, discharged June 26, 1865. 
 G. H. Hawks, Marble Rock. 
 
 Richard Keller, transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corbs. Lives at Clarksville. 
 
 John Lenhart, discharged March 8, 1863. Lives at 
 Clarksville. 
 
 Jacob Leyditf, died July 20, 1864. 
 Washington Lenhart, Edgley, North Dakota. 
 Thomas Martin. 
 
 A. W. Maffit, in the grain trade. Belle Plaine. 
 Believes he was the youngest boy in the regiment. 
 
 Francis M. Miller, died Jan. 20. 1863. 
 
 Elias G. Miller, died Dec. 12. 1863. 
 
 George G. Miller, Briscoe. 
 
 Isaac N. Modlin, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Dis- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 47") 
 
 charged June 14, 1865. Lives at Burr Oak, Kansas. 
 
 James M. Miller. 
 William Muffler. 
 
 Jehu Phillippi, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 Hiram Poisall, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Dis- 
 charged Feb. 11. 1865. Lives at Clarksville. 
 
 Geo. C. Poisall, wounded at Pleasant Hill. Lives 
 at Mason City. 
 
 James M. Phillippi, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 Discharged May 28, 1865. Teaching Indians to make 
 harness. 
 
 Joel Phillips. 
 
 Benjamin Raines, Clarksville. 
 
 Henry Smith. 
 
 Jabez Straun. 
 
 Solomon Sturtz, died at Vicksburg, June 6, 1864. 
 
 Michael Sturtz, died at Little Rock Nov. 3, 1863. 
 
 . Adam Sturtz, died of wounds at Pleasant Hill, 
 May 22, 1864. 
 
 John D. Swim, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Nicholas Straun. 
 
 John Spoar, died Aug. 4, 1864. 
 
 James M. Sheffer, died at Memphis, July 10, '64. 
 
 Chas. N. Thomas, Albion. 
 
 John P. Upps, Kansas. 
 
 Daniel D. Warner, wounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Martin V. Wamsley, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill, June 26, 1864. 
 
 O. P. Whitted, discharged July 20, 1865. 
 
 Baltzer Witter, captured at Pleasant Hill, died 
 at Tyler Texas, Sep. 3, 1864. 
 
 Lewis J. Whitted, transferred to Company B. 
 
476 
 
 rilli; r\ SECONT) RE05IMEN l" 
 
 \riT.o\tv \ it R.0STEB OF COM PAN1 II 
 
 James B, Reeve, formerlv County Judge, of 
 Maysville, Franklin county; was mustered as Cap 
 tain October t ; . 1862. He died of congestive fever at 
 Port Pillow. June 24, 1864. 
 
 Capt, K. S. Benson, 
 Rufus s. Benson was promoted Captain from 
 Second Lieutenant, and served as such until the 
 Regiment was mustered out He was afterwards 
 County Treasurer of Franklin county, a banker; and 
 row lives at 1232 Michisrau Aw.. Kansas City, Mo. 
 
iovva vi > 1. 1 :,"i i . i ,i- 
 
 177 
 
 ||c has ranch interests in Texas which require his 
 residence and attention n portion of the year 
 
 Orlando A, Leah was mustered with the Com 
 pany ;»s First Lieutenant, and resigned April 20, '64, 
 He lives al Aspinwall, Nebraska. 
 
 James II. Hall was promoted from Pirsl Sergeant 
 to Second Lieutenant, .June '^."i, 1868, and to Pirsl 
 Lieutenant April 21, IHM. He is now (1S96) County 
 Auditor, and livesal Bants Ana, California, 
 
 | No 1 1 : The compiler has not been furnished any 
 data in reference to the individual members of tin 
 Company other than thai round in the several re 
 ports of the Adjutiml General to winch he has 
 access, The mere list of names and easualities fur 
 insh hui meager material for such a history and per 
 sonal mention as was contemplated.] 
 
 John B. Nelson, Sergeant. 
 
 Bartley Meehan Sergeant, ''reduced to rani 
 Killed at Pleasanl Hill. 
 
 Benjamin II. Pound, promoted Sergeant, wound 
 ed severely al Pleasanl Hill. Died of dropsy of the 
 heart al Pish River, Ala., March 23, L865. 
 
 W'm. Wood, promoted Sergeant, died ;>' Mem 
 phis, Jujy 27, 1 86 1. 
 
 John s. I iove, Sergea nl . 
 
 GardnerS. Merriss, promoted Sergeant, died al 
 Memphis, April I 1, l 365 
 
 John C. Avery, promoted Sergeant, discharged 
 al Montgomery, June 26; 1865 Lived lome pears 
 since al ECansn ( lity, Mo 
 
 .John Nichols, ( lorporal. 
 
 Elihu B. Criley, promoted Corporal, (rounded al 
 
478 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Pleasant Hill, right arm amputated, discharged Nov. 
 24, 1864, at Pittsburg, Penn. 
 
 Corporal Criley was wounded in both arms in the 
 battle of April 9, 1864, was taken prisoner, "got away 
 with two rebels" and still lives as a man of active 
 business in Real Estate, Loans and Insurance in the 
 city of Ottumwa, having associated a son with himself. 
 
 Cyrus Wyatt, Corporal, "'reduced to ranks" Jan. 
 22, 1863. 
 
 Alpheus Jones, promoted Corporal, discharged 
 at Island Ten, Oct. 29, 1863. In list of casualties, 
 name given as "Adolpheus" 
 
 Wm. S. Hansberry, Corporal, "reduced to ranks" 
 Is a farmer near Aspinwall, Neb. 
 
 John B. Woodward, promoted Corporal, died of 
 wounds at Pleasant Hill, April 12, 1864. 
 
 Louis P. Berry, Corporal, severely wounded at 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Henry A. Clock, Corporal, is a merchant at 
 Hampton. 
 
 Joseph Ward, Corporal, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Washington Ballou, promoted Corporal, killed 
 at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 George W. Ross, promoted Corporal, killed at 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Lucian M. Stoddard, Musician, promoted to Drum 
 Major. Discharged June 26, 1865. Iowa Falls. 
 
 Elijah Jones, Musician. 
 
 Miles Birkett, promoted Mnsician. Ellsworth, 
 Minnesota. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 479 
 
 Daniel E. Greeley, teamster. 
 
 David C. Allen, discharged at Fort Pillow, 
 March. 19. 1863. Lives at Blair, Neb. 
 
 Charles J. Anderson. 
 
 Curtis M. Armstrong, discharged at Fort Pillow, 
 March 19, 1863. 
 
 James Antry, died at Memphis, July 8, 1864. 
 
 George Antry. 
 
 John D. Baker, killed by Guerillas at Island No. 
 Ten. Oct, 22. 1863. 
 
 Samuel E. Baker, Neligh, Neb. 
 
 William Ball, died at Columbus. Feb. 2, 1864. 
 
 Cyrus Boyles, died at Fort Pillow, April 1, 186:'- 
 
 John J. Bradshaw, Correctionville. 
 
 Albert H. Bridgeman. 
 
 Albert R. Beecher. 
 
 Jacob Brooks, Sibley. 
 
 H. A. Brotherton. died at Dubuque. Nov. 4, 1862. 
 
 Charles Bullis, died at Kingsley, 1894. 
 
 German Bullis, discharged December 6, 1864. 
 
 Lives at Dows. 
 
 Tirk Bihuken. 
 
 Joseph G. Bushyhager, Sheffield. 
 
 Ebenezer Caldwell, discharged, July 22, 1863. 
 Lives at Hampton. 
 
 Daniel W. Cole, killed at Pleasant Hill, 
 Seth K. Capron, died at Memphis. March 4, 1865. 
 Peter Considine, died at Keokuk, Dec. 5, 1862. 
 Oliver Clenismith, died at Ft, Pillow, Apr. 29, '63. 
 Loren Collins, died at Mound City, May 4. 1864. 
 Henry Creighton, died at Memphis, May 17, '64. 
 
480 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 E. W. Crosby, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Levi Culver, is a retired farmer. Lives at Sheffield. 
 
 Marion Creed. 
 
 Solomon Creighton, Hampton. 
 
 William G. Chambers, died at Vicksburg, Feb. 
 22, 1864. 
 
 Nelson S. Demander, died at Iowa Palls since 
 the war. 
 
 George A. Demander was shot in the eye at 
 Pleasant Hill, left on the field for dead and was re- 
 ported as having been killed in that battle. He sur- 
 vived but never regained either his normal physical 
 or menial conditions. At times he was unable to care 
 for himself and needed restraint as well as care, but 
 was permitted to wander from place to place. He 
 is said finaily to have died in the National Soldiers' 
 Home at Washington, D. C. 
 
 Geo. W. Frey, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Joseph Ferguson, died at Vicksbug, May 28,'r64. 
 
 Isaac Grandon, discharged Sep. 5, 1863. 
 
 Andrew J. Gray, cook. 
 
 David L. Hartgrave, died July 29, 1864. 
 
 Samuel W. Hartwell, discharged May 30, 1863. 
 Lives at New Hampton. 
 
 Thomas J. Herman, died May 28, 1864. 
 
 Stephen Hesse, died at Fort Pillow, Feb. 9, '63; 
 
 And. J. Hoisington, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Benj. F. Horner, discharged August 28, 1863. 
 
 Wm. C. Horner, Geneva. 
 
 Jesse Horner, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Harvey Hubbert. 
 
 Dr. John S. Hurd. has resumed his profession 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 481 
 
 and is a leading physician at Chapin. 
 
 German L. Hunt. 
 
 Samuel B. Hunt, died at Vicksburg, Feb. 2, "64. 
 
 Wm. N. Ingraham. Central City, Neb. 
 
 Alexander Jones. 
 
 J. C. Jones, Geneva. 
 
 Isaac Justus, discharged April 25, 1864. Lives 
 at Hampton. 
 
 Warren Kittell, died at Memphis, July 17. 1864. 
 
 Asa R. Lee. 
 
 Ralph A. Lord, died at Memphis, Feb. 15. 1865. 
 
 Joseph M. Loveland. 
 
 William May. 
 
 Reuben McVey, is a prosperous miller in Aspin- 
 wall. Neb. 
 
 Harrison McCord, discharged March 19, 1863. 
 
 Ira McCord, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Arba A. Merriss, killed in battle at Lake Chicot, 
 June 6, 1864. 
 
 Andrew Mitchell. 
 
 Wm. R. C. Mitchell, died of wounds at Fort 
 Gaines, April 30, 1865. 
 
 Thomas Morris, 
 
 John Murphy, transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corps. 
 
 John Meehan, discharged March 15, 1864. Lives 
 at Hampton. 
 
 T. J.McCurley. 
 
 Samuel McCurley, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 William C. Manifold, died at Memphis, Mch. 13, '64. 
 
 Willard Mulkins, died at Memphis, July 24, '64. 
 
 Isaac C. Mulkins, died at Fort Do Russy, April 
 9, 1864. 
 
482 THIKTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 John G, Neff, discharged March 22, '63. Lives; 
 at Monroe. 
 
 Daniel M. North. Latimer. 
 
 John W. North, Latimer. 
 
 Benjamin Nichols. 
 
 Newton Penny, Ackley. 
 
 Richard Penney, died at Memphis, March 10, '64. 
 
 A. K. Phinney, severely wounded at Pleasant- 
 Hill. 
 
 David Perry, died at Memphis, July 2G, 1864. 
 
 Solomon Robinson, transferred to Veteran Re- 
 serve Corps. 
 
 Andrew Reed. 
 
 Leonard O. Smith. 
 
 Clark Shobe, discharged at Fort Pillow, March 
 10, 1863. 
 
 Morgan Shobe. 
 
 Martin Shobe, discharged at Fort Pillow. March 
 10, 1863. Lincoln, Neb. 
 
 Edmund Silence, Geneva. 
 
 Henry W. Smith, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill April 23, 1864. 
 
 Charles Schmidt. Hampton. 
 
 Paul Stehlin. 
 
 Nathaniel Swaney. 
 
 Oliver H. Tilghman, Geneva. 
 
 John P. Underwood, w 7 ounded at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 James Walker. 
 
 Joseph M. Wells, transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corps. 
 
 Josiah W. Yost, discharged at Fort Pillow, May 
 4, 1863. Lives at Dayton. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 483 
 
 Approximate Roster of Company I. 
 
 [[n the preparation of the Roster of Company I, 
 the compiler had thought to avail himself bodily of 
 the valuable labors of Sergeant J. B. Williams, as 
 prepared for the re union at Fort Dodge; but on 
 reaching it in its place he thinks it best to follow 
 the form adopted for the other Companies. The 
 principal advantage in the form used is found in 
 bringing the leading personal facts in the history of 
 each Comrade under his own name, and mainly in 
 alphabetical order, for more ready reference.] 
 
 Jonathan Hutchinson was the first Captain, and 
 continued as such until April 10, 1864, when he was 
 promoted Major of the Regiment. [See page 400.] 
 
 Alexander Dowd, was promoted Captain, from 
 Second Lieutenant, April 10, 1864. He returned to 
 his home near Dayton, when mustered out, and died 
 some years afterward. 
 
 Amos S. Collins, was First Lieutenant until 
 transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps in October, 
 
 1864. He was promoted Captain in V. R. C. Feb. 21, 
 
 1865. Dead. 
 
 Ambrose Booth from Fifth Sergeant was pro- 
 moted First Sergeanr, and promoted Second Lieu- 
 tenant, April 11, 1864; First Lieutenant, October 14, 
 1864. He died at Ft. Dodge, prior to 1887. 
 
 James Lynn, from Corporal was promoted Ser 
 geant, and promoted Second Lieutenant, October 14, 
 1864. 
 
484 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Lorenzo S. Coffin, was First Sergeant at muster- 
 in. [See page 407.] 
 
 John H. Ford was sergeant at muster-in and was 
 transferred for promotion. He lives at Garnett. Kas. 
 [See Roster of Company A.] 
 
 James B. Williams was Sergeant at muster-in. 
 Because of his exceptional value in office work he 
 was detailed as clerk much of the time, and served in 
 various Headquarters in places cf trust and impor- 
 tance. He is an expert abstracter of titles, and 
 dealer in real estate at Fort Dodge. 
 
 Benjamin B. Goodrich was promoted to First 
 Sergeant. He is connected with the Pharmacy 
 Hospital at Kansas City, Mo. 
 
 Philander R. Baldwin was promoted Sergeant. 
 He lives at Hammond, La. 
 
 George T. Cass, Corporal, was discharged at. 
 Columbus, Dec. 19, 1863. Lives at Humboldt. 
 
 Edmond V. Moore, promoted Sergeant. Lives 
 at Arapahoe or Benkelman, Neb. Was postmaster at. 
 Benkelman in 1894. 
 
 Levi G. C. Young, Corporal, died at Fort Dodge, 
 June 29, 1864. 
 
 George W, Hanchett, Corporal. 
 
 Win. D. Powers, promoted Corporal. Lives at 
 West Bend. 
 
 Edward A. Flaherty, Corporal. Fort Dodge. 
 
 James A. Rowiey, died of wounds at Pleasant- 
 Hill, April 20, 1864. 
 
 Hiram Hulsizer, promoted Corporal, discharged 
 for wounds at Pleasant Hill. Died in 1890. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS l s ~> 
 
 Geo. A. Tod, Musician, captured near Black 
 River, Miss., Feb. 4, 1864. Lives at 1944 Second 
 Ave, Pittsburg, Pa. 
 
 R. M. Gwynn, Musician, dead. 
 
 Win. McCauley. teamster, Fort Dodge. 
 
 Celestius B. Andrews, died at Kalo, Aug. 24, '90. 
 His constitution was greatly impaired by an attack 
 of measles at camp Franklin. 
 
 Cyrus D. Auyur, deserted Nov. 17, L862. Minne- 
 apolis, Minn. 
 
 Alexander D. Allison. 
 
 W. C. Ainsworth, Ft. Dodge. 
 
 AbnerT. Birchard, discharged for promotion as 
 Quarter Master Sergeant. [See page 408.] 
 
 James Baldridge, wounded at Tupelo, July 14, 
 L864. Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps. Lehigh. 
 
 Samuel Baldridge, died at Ft. Pillow, June 12, '63. 
 
 Charles R. Brown, Hull. 
 
 James Byrne. Barnum. 
 
 John Byrne, Barnum. 
 
 Geo. W. Blain, died at Memphis, July 1 ( .>, 1864. 
 
 A. J. Bond, is a resident of Denison, Iowa, and 
 bis business card stales that he is a jeweler and deal- 
 er in tine watches, diamonds, pianos and organs. 
 
 Henry Booth, a son of Lt. Ambrose Booth, en- 
 listed at the age of sixteen, and came to the regimens 
 in January 18(54. He was on the Red River Cam- 
 paign, getting his first taste of real war in the as- 
 sault on FortDe Russey. 
 
 He was transferred to the 8th Iowa; removed to 
 Montgomery, Alabama, married there, has a family, 
 
486 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 is a republican, and his add rees is 137 Say re street. 
 
 John F. Barnes, (John F. Byers.) 
 
 Alexander Beach, Ft. Dodge. 
 
 Isaac N, Baldridge, transferred to 8th la. Inf. 
 
 Thomas J. Baldridge. transferred to 8th la. Inf 
 
 Perry Binkley, transferred to 8th la. Inf. 
 
 Oliver Brewer, transferred to 8th la. Inf. Died 
 at Demopolis, Ala., Jan. 21, 1866. 
 
 Win. Baldridge. Duncombe. 
 
 James Carey, dead. 
 
 Cornelius Claflin transferred for promotion to 50th 
 U. S. (Colored) Infantry. Died in Dakota. 
 
 Henry C. Casey, Paoli Kas. 
 
 Charles T. Crosby, transferred to V. R. C. Fort 
 Dodge. 
 
 Ira, S. Crosby, 604 E. Division St., Chicago. 
 
 Robert Chandler, deserted. 
 
 Horace D. Conlee, transferred to 8th la. Dead. 
 
 Smith T. Conlee, transferred to 8th la. Walton- 
 ville. 111. 
 
 John H. Clarke. 
 
 George H. Crosby, transferred to 8th la. Dead. 
 
 Francis M. De Witt, transferred to V. K. C. Dead. 
 
 Geo. W. De Witt, discharged Jan. 13, '65. Dead. 
 
 Michael Dwyer. discharged May 29. 1863. Dead. 
 
 Simon J. De Witt, died at Memphis', March 14. '64. 
 
 Albert Davie transferred to 8th Iowa. Sioux 
 Falls, S. D. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 487 
 
 William Edson, died at Liverraore, Feb. 22, 1895. 
 He was a representative citizen and commander of 
 Major Hutchinson Post at organization. 
 
 James R. Ewiag, Pawnee Rock, Kas. 
 
 Jeremiah Foster, Cherokee or Sioux Falls, S. D. 
 
 Joachim Frahm, Fort Dodge. 
 
 Clark Fuller, promoted Commissary Sergeant. 
 Was president of Regimental Association. Died at 
 his home near Kalo, October 27, 1895. [Seepage 4< >'.).] 
 
 Edward Fogarty, wounded at Yellow Bayou. 
 Lives at Fort Dodge. 
 
 Michael Fagan, died at Cairo, Feb. 25, 1864. 
 
 Henry H. Franks, discharged Sep. 13, 1864. 
 
 Edward Flagherty, Fort Dodge. 
 
 Wallace P. Gardner, died at Ft. Pillow, June 5, '63. 
 
 Peyton R. Gardner, dead. 
 
 Chas. W. Gardner, transferred to 8th la. Lives 
 at Fort Dodge. 
 
 Uriah D. Gatchell, died at Keokuk, Dec. 18, '64. 
 
 Ezekiel L. Goodrich, Sedalia, Mo. 
 
 Francis H. Gilday, transferred to 8th la. Sol- 
 diers' Home. 
 
 Benj. Hulsizer, Estherville. 
 
 Daniel T. Howell, dead. 
 
 Morton V. Huxford, Danreath. 
 
 John M. Hefley. transferred to 8th la. Died at 
 Emmettsburg. 
 
 Elmore Hurlbut, transferred to 8th la. Schuy- 
 ler Neb. 
 
488 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Geo. D. Hart, transferred to Veteran Reserve 
 Corps. A practicing physician at Otho. 
 
 Alfred T. Haskins, transferred to 8th la. 
 
 ^rfjjjjgsfe, Mathias Hutchin- 
 
 son, son of Captain 
 Hutchinson, a come- 
 ly youth, a mere lad 
 of eighteen years, 
 who had but recent- 
 ly been nominated a 
 Cadet at West Point, 
 was killed in the bat- 
 tle of Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Walt. R. W. Han- 
 cock, Riparia Wash. 
 
 John Hightree,. 
 died Sep. 10, 1863. 
 
 Sherman Hart, 
 -J^xxf&P* died at Island Ten, 
 
 Mathias Hutchinson. Sep. 19,1863. 
 
 John S. Jenkins, is an architect, and his office 
 and residence are in Cairo, 111. 
 
 James Scott Jenkins served as Company Clerk 
 for Captains Hutchinson and Dowd. He is a Civil 
 Engineer and his office is No. 9, Mission Street, San 
 Francisco, Cal. 
 
 Andrew R. Jenkins, a meritorious soldier, per- 
 ished in a snow-storm in north western Iowa, in 1872 
 George W. Jones. 
 Phillip Karcher, Port Dodge. 
 John Keats, transferred to 8th la. Rigney,. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 489 
 
 Pierce Co. Wash. 
 
 Augustus Kramer, Burnside. 
 
 Elias D. Kellogg, wounded. Texas Perry, Whit- 
 man county, Wash. 
 
 Henry H. Kinning, died Sept. 13, 1864. 
 
 George D. Hart, M. D. 
 
 Patrick Lyons, dead. 
 
 Robert McCawley, Cincinnati, Ohio. 
 
 David Molloy, Clare. 
 
 Michael Maher, dead. 
 
 John Means, died at Humboldt in 1888. 
 
 Isaac McHonry, Livermore. 
 
490 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 John N. McHenry, Loup- Pino, Nob. 
 
 Isaac Metcalf. died at Fort Pillow. Mar. 28, '6'". 
 
 John R. Mayborry. wonndpd and enpturod at 
 Pleasant Hill; discharged for wounds. 
 
 Henry H. Mnnroo. 
 
 John McKiHricIc, discharged Juno 21. 'fi5. Dead. 
 
 .lohn Marsh, transferred to 8th Iowa. B'irnsidp. 
 
 John C Maupon. transferred to 8th Iowa. En- 
 senoda. Cal. 
 
 Alexandor McLain. transferred to 8th Ta. Dead. 
 
 Christian Mullor. transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 8. S. Mooro, Wessington Springs. S. D. 
 
 Bartlott M. Morso, discharged at Baton Rouge, 
 June 8, 1865. 
 
 Wm. H. Naglo, Licking, Mo. 
 
 Michael O'Neil. transferred to V. R. C. Died 
 March 17. 1865. 
 
 Patrick O'Hara, died at Fort Dodge about 1890. 
 
 Wm. T. Prescott, Wilson, Kas. 
 
 Wm. Pollock, wounded at Nashville Ft. Dodge. 
 
 W. D. Powers, West Bend. 
 
 James Rood, killed at Fort de Russy. 
 
 Jonathan D. Roberts, Little Rock, Iowa. 
 
 Wm. Reilley, transferred to 12th U. S. Infantry. 
 Bartlett. Neb. 
 
 Francis W. Russell, discharged at Fort Pillow. 
 May 29, 18fi:-?. Dead. 
 
 John W. Russell, Soldiers' Home. 
 
IOWA VOLUNT KICKS 4V*I 
 
 James Russell, transferred to 8th [ovva. 
 
 Matliew Rowley, died at Montgomery, July 19,'65. 
 
 George Roscoe, transferred to 8th la. Pi. Dodge. 
 
 Isaac P. Rood. 
 
 Andrew W. S nod grass, Roife. 
 
 Win. J. Salisburry, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Peter Scherff, transferred to 8th Ta. Ft. Dod-e. 
 
 James II. Thomas, died at Fort Dodge in 1888. 
 
 J. S. M. Trusty. Fort Dodge. 
 
 Anderson Timmons and Wm. T. Timmons enlist- 
 ed in this Company as deserters from the Rebel 
 Army, and again deserted near Eastport, Miss. 
 
 John 8. Vancleave. died at Fort Pillow, March 
 28, 1803. 
 
 Silas Vancleave, Clarinda. 
 
 John Vandevender, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Lives at Brushy. 
 
 Beth Vincent, Fort Dodge. 
 
 Jacob Welchle. died at Independence in hospital 
 for insane. 
 
 Thomas J. Williams, discharged March 13, 18G4. 
 Dead. 
 
 George P. Williams, Lehigh. 
 
 Joel B. Wilson, Dayton, Oregon, 
 
 Lemuel L. Young died al Tekamah, Neb. in 1892. 
 
 Ezra C. Young, transferred to 8th Iowa. Fort 
 Dodge. 
 
492 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Approximate Roster of Company K. 
 
 Joseph Cad wall ad er, Captain from muster-in to 
 Oct. 3, 1863. [See page 409.] 
 
 Capt. Gideon Wheeler. 
 
 Gideon Wheeler, promoted Captain Got. 4, 1863, 
 from First Lieutenant. Has been for some years a 
 merchant in Pullerton, Neb. 
 
 George Child, promoted First Lieutenant from 
 Second Lieutenant, Oct. 4, 1863. Is now deputy 
 sheriff and lives in Nevada. Iowa. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 493 
 
 Vincent Tomlinson, promoted Second Lieutenant 
 from First Sergeant, Dec. 25, 1803. Resigned Feb. 
 1, 1865. Died at Boone. 
 
 Wm. A. Fallas, promoted Second Lieutenant 
 from First Sergeant, Feb. 4, 1865. Lives at Stock- 
 ton. Kas. 
 
 Thomas J. Spindler, Sergeant, reduced at his 
 own request, Jan. 9, 1863: discharged at Columbus 
 for disability, July 22. 1863. Lives at Albion. 
 
 Jacob Burger, Sergeant, transferred for promo- 
 tion to 63rd U. S. (Colored) Infantry, Dec. 30, 1864. 
 
 Calvin Randolph. Sergeant, discharged for dis- 
 ability Oct. 6, 1862. 
 
 Nathaniel A. Mount, promoted Sergeant, died at 
 Memphis, July 9, 1864, 
 
 Isaac S. French, promoted Sergeant, detailed as 
 Wagon Master. Lives at Colo. 
 
 Lewis F. Brown, promoted Sergeant. Lives at 
 Bassett, Neb. 
 
 Jonas Duea, Corporal, promoted First Sergeant, 
 Is a retired farmer near Roland. 
 
 Wm. L. Beeman. promoted Corporal, promoted 
 Sergeant. Lives at Conrad. 
 
 Jesse Roltson, Corporal, reduced at his request. 
 
 John McCoy, promoted Corporal. 
 
 Francis M. Anderson, Corporal, reduced at his 
 request; killed ai Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Elias Modlin, Corporal, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Chilson C. Sanford, promoted Corporal, died at 
 Memphis, Sept, 11, 1864. 
 
494 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Corporal Sanford is said to have graduated from 
 the Iowa State University with the highest honors, 
 and to have been a model soldier as well as a most 
 scholarly man. 
 
 Amos Zabriski, Corporal, reduced at his request. 
 A minister and lives at Stanley, Buchanan county. 
 
 Thomas C. Purcell, promoted Gorporal, dis- 
 charged at Fort Pillow, May 29, 1863. Lives at 
 Springfield, Linn county, Ore. 
 
 Win. M. Edwards, promoted Corporal. 
 
 Clement O. Sefton. Corporal, reduced at his re- 
 quest. 
 
 Geo. H. Dunlap, promoted Corporal, died at 
 Memphis, May 24. 1864. 
 
 Cyrus Davis, Corporal, reduced at his request; 
 discharged at Fort Pillow, March 18, 1863. Died at 
 Iowa Center. 
 
 Osmund Egeland, Corporal, died of small-pox at 
 Memphis. June 26, 1864. 
 
 Isaac N. Alderman, promoted Corporal, wounded 
 at Pleasant Hill; discharged at Davenport June 21, 
 1865. Ainsworth, Neb, 
 
 Riley French, promoted Corporal, wounded at 
 Columbus June 27, 1863. Farmer's Branch, Texas. 
 
 Wm McCullough. promoted Corporal. 
 
 James S. Stark, promoted Corporal. 
 
 Eric R. Larson, promoted Corporal. Ihlen, 
 Pipestone county, Minn. 
 
 John W. Dickerson, promoted Corporal. Ackley. 
 
 Geo. E Keyes, promoted Corporal, mustered out 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 195 
 
 with Regiment. 
 
 Eric L. Sheldall, promoted Corporal. Is a farm- 
 er near Roland. 
 
 Henry S. Hallock, promoted Corporal, wounded 
 at Lake Chicot, is a carpenter and lumberman; active 
 in G. A. R. and church, and lives at Havensville, 
 Kas. 
 
 Alba 0. Hall. 
 
 Alba 0. Hall, Musician, promoted Chief Musician 
 of Regiment, April 10, 1853. Is a retired farmer and 
 lives at Ames. 
 
 Adolphus Prouty, Musician, discharged at Mont- 
 
496 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 gomery, June 25, 1865. Died near Iowa Center. 
 
 B. H. Cunningham, teamster, died at Albion, 
 Sept, 23, 1864. 
 
 Win. Martin, teamster, discharged at Montgom- 
 ery, July 7, 1865. Lives at Albion. 
 
 Hezikiah Appellate, discharged Oct. 27, 1862. 
 Died near Iowa Center. 
 
 James M. Applegate, died at Mound City. June 
 22, 1864. 
 
 Francis Blair, deserted Nov. 21, '62. 
 
 Joseph J. Bryant. 
 
 Daniel J. Bloys, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Wm. C. Ballard, killed at Pleasant, Hill. 
 
 George Boyd, discharged at Montgomery, July 
 
 15, 1865. Died Dec. 30, 1893 at Randall. 
 
 Eli Blickensderfer, transferred to V. R. C, Janv 
 10, 1865. Britt, 
 
 Thomas A. Ball, transferred to Sth Towa. 
 
 Chesley W. Baker, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 Joseph Bates, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 Smith M. Childs has been deputy sheriff of Har- 
 rison county, Postmaster at Dunlap, dealer in live 
 stock; and lives at Dunlap. 
 
 Alexander Church, dischagred at Port Pillow r 
 May 29, '63. Lives at Washta. 
 
 Harvey Church, discharged at Fort Pillow, Mar. 
 18, '63. Lives at Washta. 
 
 Nathaniel A. Cole, wounded at Nashville, Dec. 
 
 16, '64. Is a farmer near Nevada. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 497 
 
 Lyman Clark, transferred to V. R. C, June 10, 
 1865. Was a successful business man at Webster 
 City, where he died March 8, 1896. 
 
 Chalres L. Cadwallader, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 Lives at Raymond, Neb. 
 
 Amos Cripps. transferred to 8th Iowa. Albion. 
 
 Samuel B. Dawson, mustered out with Regiment- 
 Samuel B. Dinnel, deserted from Fort Pillow. 
 
 John Denbow, mustered out with Regiment. 
 Died at Albion prior to 1887. 
 
 Prank L. Daniels, died at Iowa Center, Feb. 5, 
 1865, of wounds received at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Israel M. Dill, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 John W. Dill, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 James N. Deniston, mustered out at Mound 
 City. June 16, '65. Collins. 
 
 Peter Egeland, died at Vicksburg, May 31, 1864, 
 
 HenryEliasson, died at Columbus, August 20, '63. 
 
 Geo. L. Everstitie, derserted at Cairo. 
 
 Henry C. French, transferred to 8th Iowa. Lives 
 at Cloquet, Polk county, Mo. 
 
 Ira French, mustered out at New Orleans, May 
 31, 1865. Lives at Arapahoe. Neb. 
 
 Andrew J. Frakes, wounded and captured at 
 Pleasant Hill. 
 
 David Funk, died al White City, Kas, 
 
 Elihu tf. Grubb, lives in Keokuk county. 
 
 Joseph L. Harkness, captured at Pleasant Hill; 
 
 mustered out at Davenport. Lives at Bellville, Kas. 
 
 Henry B. Henryson, killed in battle at Lake 
 
498 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Chicot, June 6, 1804. 
 
 Edward Hefley, died at Fort Pillow, Jan. 6, 1863. 
 
 Geo. F, Hilton, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 James A. Howard, discharged at Columbus. Aug- 
 ust 19, 1863. 
 
 Joel R. Hand, died at Port Pillow, April 18, 63. 
 
 Davis Hall, died at Albion, May 12, 1864. 
 
 John Henderson, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill, April 10, 1864. . 
 
 Bayliss Hough, transferred to Company G. 
 
 Wm. L. Hal lock, died at Cairo, March 20, 1864. 
 
 Chas. L. Hurlbert, killed at Pleasant Hill. 
 
 Geo. W. Hackethorn, transferred to 8th Iowa 
 Lives at Stuart. 
 
 Robert Hefley, transferred to 8th Iowa. Lives 
 at Norton Kas. 
 
 Jacob B. Jacobson, a farmer, near Roland. 
 
 Asa Joysleyn, discharged at Port Pillow, May 
 29, 1863. Lives at Hull. 
 
 Oliver Johnson, died July 7. 1864, on the road 
 home, on furlough. 
 
 Cornelius Joor, transferred to 8th Iowa. Died 
 near Nevada. 
 
 David Jones, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 Henry C. Kelley, transferred to 8th Iowa. Is a 
 wagon maker at Nevada. 
 
 Thomas Lein, is a farmer, near Roland. 
 
 Francis Luellen, died of wounds at Pleasant 
 Hill. April 22, 1864. 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS ^99 
 
 Benjamin Long-, died at Albion, Dec. 22, 1863. 
 Win. S. Lemon, diad of wounds at Nashville, 
 Jan. 4, 1865. 
 
 James P. Meccum, mustered out at Davenport, 
 May 16. 1865. 
 
 Wm. McGuire. discharged June 25, 1865. Lives 
 at Carthage, Mo. 
 
 David A. Moore, discharged Oct. 12, 1863. Died 
 in Kansas in 1894. 
 
 Josiah Middleton, mustered out with Regiment. 
 Quineams, Mo. 
 
 James M. Melton, deserted at Fort Pillow. 
 Noah C. Miner, discharged July 23. 1865. 
 Josiah Milbourne, discharged July 15, '65, at 
 Montgomery. Santiago, Polk Co. 
 
 Isaac W. Morrow, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 John Nelson, discharged at Island No. Ten. Jan. 
 10, '64. Is a farmer, near Roland. 
 
 Nels L. Nelson, mustered out with Regiment. 
 Kearby, Minn. 
 
 Oliver Opstweet. transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 Nathan H. Pearson, mustered out with Regiment. 
 Lives at Maxwell. 
 
 Samuel Pearson, captured at Pleasant Hill. 
 Mustered out at Davenport. May 23, '65. 
 
 Henry R. Payne, mustered out with Regiment. 
 Geo. Pieison, died at Brownsville, Miss., March 
 1, 1864, 
 
 Win. D. Pierce, died at Memphis. March 14, 1864. 
 
500 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Wm. S. Ramsey, transferred to Invalid Corps, 
 Nov. 20, 1863. 
 
 John Ritland, mustered out with Regiment. A 
 farmer near Roland. 
 
 John C. Russell, mustered out with Regiment 
 Nurseryman and real estate dealer at McCook, Neb. 
 
 Thomas J. Spillers, mustered out withRogiment. 
 Lives at Iowa Center. 
 
 Silas M. See, mustered out with Regiment. Lives 
 at Nevada. 
 
 Chas. M. Sellers, died at Ft. Pillow. April 18, '63. 
 
 Louis A. Schamp. wounded at Nashville. Lives 
 at Colorado Springs, Col. 
 
 Joseph F. Smith, mustered out with Regiment. 
 
 James Spear, mustered out at Davenport, May 
 16 1865. Died at Albion prior to 1887. 
 
 Clark Spindler, died at Fort Pillow, Mar. 16, '63, 
 Newcomb S. Smith, promoted Hospital Steward, 
 Oct. 6, '62. Reduced to ranks at request of the Sur- 
 geon. Discharged at Eastport. Miss. 
 
 Jerome B. Sweet, discharged for disability at 
 Montgomery, June 25. '65. Lives at Liscomb. 
 
 James Sortor, died on hospital boat at Cairo, 
 June 16, 1864. 
 
 Wm. I. Stevens, mustered out at Louisville, May 
 19, '65. Livermore. 
 
 James A. Shaw, transferred to 8th Iowa. Lives 
 at Independenc, Oklahoma. 
 
 Wm. L. Smith, transferred to 8th Iowa. 
 
 Wm. M. Sefton, transferred to 8th Iowa. Hub- 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 50J. 
 
 bard. 
 
 Harden L. Tucker, died at Paducah. Jan. 28, '63, 
 
 Wm. Thomas, discharged Oct. 28, '62. 
 
 Nathaniel A. Tichnor, died of wounds at Nash- 
 ville, Dec. 18/64. 
 
 Adelbert Terwilla.ger, transferred to 8th Iowa, 
 
 John S. Wood, wounded at Pleasant Hill, died at 
 Mansfield, May 1, '64. 
 
 Tryon Wickersham, mustered out with Regiment. 
 Lives at Marinetta. 
 
 The Compiler does not deem it necessary to re- 
 cord as members of this Company the names of ten 
 men who pretended to enlist at Island No. Ten, and 
 subsequently deserted. He has had a copy of the 
 muster-out Rolls, furnished by Capt. Wheeler, 
 which has been useful in identifying names of 
 Comrades. Those not otherwise noted were muster- 
 ed out with the Regiment, 
 
 In cases where no P. O. address is given, it may 
 be assumed that search for same has been fruitless. 
 
505 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 WPGX. 
 
 One may recollect generally that certain thoughts 
 or facts are to be found in a certain book, but with- 
 out a good Index such a recollection may hardly be 
 made available. 
 
 In truth a very large part of every man's reading 
 falls overboard, and unless he has good Indexes he 
 will never recover it again. — Horace Binney's Letter, 
 Feb. 20, 1866 to Samuel Austin AUibone. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 A Company 17, 20, 40, 41, 51, 59, 71, 133. 141, 149, 150, 
 161, 164, 166, 167, 294, 361, 403 
 
 A Company approximate roster .... 411 
 
 Ackerman, Capt. Michael 149, 162, 172, 198, 200, 413 
 
 Albaugh, Sergt, Daniel W 326, 356 
 
 Aldrich, Charles A., Adjutant, 18, 22, 28. 39, 395, 397 
 " " " " portrait . . 403 
 
 Alexander, Sergt 
 
 359 
 
 Alexandria 135, 240, 245, 247, 248, 249, 250, 252, 254, 
 256, 258, 263, 267, 270, 271, 272, 280, 281 
 
 Allen, Hon. W. V 153, ]56 
 
 " " " portrait 157 
 
 All night in line of battle 271 
 
 An Arkansas doctor 67 
 
 Anderson ......... 307 
 
 Answered at roll call after battle .... 141 
 
 An enemy's view of the situation .... 249 
 
 Appalling scene . 3 73 
 
 Appleton 385, 386 
 
 Arrangement for comfort ..... 71 
 
 Armies in view of each other at Mausnra . . 275 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 506 
 
 Artillery, 2nd Mo. 
 2nd Teini. 
 
 PAGE 
 . 51 
 
 . 119 
 . 245 
 100, 109 110 
 
 . 270 
 . 04 
 . 333 
 
 Artillery and flag signals 
 
 Ashboth, Gen. 
 
 Asleep at their picket post 
 
 Atkinson, Robert 
 
 Austerhaus, Gen. 
 
 B Company 17, 20, 100, 107, 141, 145, 140, 153 154, 150, 
 100, 171, 173, 329, 330 
 
 B Company approximate roster 
 
 Bagley .... 
 
 Bailey, Lieut, Col. 
 
 *' " " bridge of transports 
 
 " " " damming Red River 
 
 portrait 
 
 . 422 
 
 183, 190, 191 
 
 . 248, 251 
 . 259 
 , 273 
 
 . 398, 405 
 . 400 
 
 . 400 
 
 . 153 
 
 . 145 
 
 Bailey, Morrison, 
 
 it a 
 
 Bailey, O. J. . 
 
 Baker, Adj. Gen. 
 
 Baldridge, James 
 
 Banks, Gen. 10, 130, 137, 142, 158, 100, 104, 108, 175, 
 
 182, 180, 188, 189, 193, 194. 195, 190, 198, 199, 200, 
 
 202, 203, (note) 210, 211 213, 215, 2L0, 219, 221, 
 
 223, 220, 227, 230. 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 237, 238, 
 
 239, 240, 241, 243, 244. 245. 247, 248. 249, 250, 253, 
 
 254, 255, 250. 257, 258, 259, 266, 279, 281, 301 
 
 Banks, Gen. and Franklin .... 135 
 
 " " and staff .... 130 
 
 " u contemplated abandonment of the fleet 251 
 
 " " extreme left swung round . , 199 
 
 " " ordered cavalry inside the stockake . 244 
 
 " " ordered Smiths command to the front 257 
 
 " report shows total disregard for the 
 
 180 
 
 truth 
 
 Bannon, Lieut. Charles A. . 
 Bai-clay, Sergeant C. S. (note) 
 Bare, Sergeant 
 Barrett, James 
 
 51, 70 
 . 200 
 . 150 
 . 71 
 
507 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 131, 283, 284, 
 
 283, 
 
 174, 176, 181, 
 
 Bartlett, Surgeon 
 
 Bath interrupted 
 
 Batteries 
 3rd Indiana 
 9th 
 
 25th New York 
 Weflys 
 
 Mack's Black Horse 
 Pratts 
 Daniels 
 Etters 
 Valverde 
 
 Battle of Lake Chicot 
 
 " Old Town Creek 
 
 " Pleasant, Hill 
 " " Bayou Metaire 
 
 " Tupelo 
 
 " Yellow Bayou 
 " in full force in rear 
 " of Nashville . 
 " " West port . 
 Last great battle fought 
 
 Bayou, Cotile . 
 
 " La Moore 
 
 Bee, Gen. 182, 184, ]90, 191, 192, 193, 267, 
 
 Bell, Corporal .... 
 
 Benedict, Col. 160, 182, 202, 203, 
 
 Benson, Capt. R. S. 
 
 portrait 
 
 Benton Barracks 
 Benton, Gen. Tom 
 Bircbard, Serg. Allen T. 
 
 a u .. ii 
 
 Birge, Gen. 
 Black, Col. John C. . 
 Blackhavvk Co. 
 Blaekman, Anson 
 
 portrait 
 
 22, 396, 
 
 PAGE 
 
 . 80 
 
 . 69 
 
 338, 352 
 284, 352 
 182, 183 
 . 53 
 . 338 
 . 54 
 . 189 
 . 189 
 , 190 
 
 . 286 
 . 293 
 . 137 
 63, 65 
 . 292 
 . 276 
 . 171 
 . 313 
 . 303 
 . 338 
 
 135, 269 
 . 274 
 
 268, 269 
 . 356 
 
 204, 209 
 
 . 17 
 
 . 476 
 
 . 36 
 . 332 
 
 397, 409 
 
 . 408 
 
 267, 268 
 
 . 56 
 
 20, 22 
 
 . 298 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 508 
 
 
 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Blair .... 
 
 
 327 
 
 Blanchard, Lieut. Col. 
 
 
 , 
 
 
 209 
 
 Blount 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 52 
 
 Blucher 
 
 
 
 
 309 
 
 Boarding the fleet 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 257 
 
 Bonnon, Lieut. Chas. A. 
 
 
 , 
 
 
 51 
 
 Boone county 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 20 
 
 Booth, J. Wilkes 
 
 
 
 
 341 
 
 Boyd, Senr. J. M. 14, 40, 41, 
 
 44, 49 
 
 58, 129, 
 
 130, 
 
 143, 
 
 264, 270. 285, 299, 309, 
 
 327, 33 
 
 5, 349 
 
 
 
 Boyd, Serg. J. M., portrait , 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 58 
 
 Boyd, Wilson 
 
 
 
 
 07 
 
 Braekett, Col. Albert G. 
 
 
 
 
 94 
 
 Bragg .... 
 
 
 24, 69 
 
 300 
 
 Breckenridge . 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 322 
 
 Broadtbeek, Major 
 
 
 
 
 34 
 
 Brockway, Judge 
 
 " " portrait 
 
 
 153, 156, 
 
 320, 
 
 433a 
 155 
 
 Brown, Jacob G., killed 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 147 
 
 Brown, John . 
 
 . 
 
 
 342 
 
 Brutal slave driver nearly hung 
 
 . 
 
 
 124 
 
 Buckner, Gen. 
 
 , 
 
 
 344 
 
 Buechel, Col. . 140, 177, 
 
 182, 184, 
 
 190 
 
 191 
 
 Buell, Lieut. . 
 
 177, 
 
 183 
 
 185 
 
 Buell .... 
 
 . 
 
 
 24 
 
 Burbridge .... 
 
 
 49, 
 
 286 
 
 Burns, Lieut. 
 
 
 
 
 284 
 
 Burns, Capt, Wm. S. 226, 227, 228, 241, 242, 252, 264, 
 
 283 
 
 Butler county .... 21, 22 
 
 Byam, Maj. Philander . . 66, 397, 401 
 
 " " " portrait . . « 401 
 
 Byers, Capt. S. H. M. .... 222 
 
509 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 rAOB 
 
 C Company 17, 20, 78, 80, 102, 106, 107, 111, 115, 117 
 
 126, 297, 326, 357, 405 
 C Company approximate roster , . . 436 
 
 Cable 302, 304 
 
 Cadwallader, Chaplain or Captain . 18, 21, 399, 408 
 " Superintendent of connterbrands . 118 
 
 Cain, John H. ..... 67 
 
 Caldwell, Col. 59 
 
 Camp Benton . . . . .41 
 
 " Franklin . . . 20. 33 
 
 4< Scott 41 
 
 " Salubrity 266 
 
 Campbell, Capt. Wm. J 174 
 
 Lieut, . . . . 41, 44 
 
 Campbell 299, 327 
 
 Canby, Gen. . . 260, 299, 328, 329, 333, 339 
 
 "• " in command .... 258 
 
 " " captured a letter . . . 194 
 
 Cane river crossed ..... 267 
 
 Cape Girardeau -36, 40, 41, 47, 48, 50, 21, 53, 54, 55, 
 
 56, 57, 72, 76, 77, 78, 85, 90 
 
 Capture of an officer . . . . .69 
 
 Cardigan, Lord .... 141, 226 
 
 Carleton 280 
 
 Carpenter, Hon. C. C. . . . . 24 
 
 Carpenter, W. L., Adjutant and Lieutenant 71, 293 r 
 326, 345, 397, 404 
 
 Carr, Brig. Gen. E. A. 39, 75, 76, 86, 87, 88, 90, 91, 
 
 92, 93, 95 
 
 Carr, Brig. Gen., letter to Gen. Curtis . . 87 
 
 " " from Thos. A. Davis . 91 
 
 a (( a « it it u « (>.>■ 
 
 Carter . . . . . . 48, 49, 54 
 
 " Corporal Isaiah . . . .69 
 
 Cato Jack, a desperado . . , 45, 46 
 
 Cavalry charge, time of . . 174 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 510 
 
 54, 
 
 PAGE 
 
 . 64 
 
 . 104, 115 
 
 . 110 
 
 . 54 
 
 107, 111, 112, 115 
 
 . 115 
 
 . 117 
 
 53, 54 
 
 . 20 
 
 . 339 
 
 18, 335 
 
 86, 89 
 
 190, 191, 194. 195, 
 
 Cavalry 
 
 ]st Iowa 
 2nd Illinois 
 7th Indiana 
 2nd Missouri 
 4th 
 
 2nd Mississippi 
 19th Pennsylvania 
 1st Wisconsin 
 
 Cerro Gordo couuty 
 Charge of the colored troops 
 Childs, Lieut. Geo. 
 Chipman, Col. 
 
 Churchill. Gen. 158, 182, 188, 189 
 196, 197, 199, 204, 206, 273 
 
 Church, W. B. 
 Clark. Ohas. A. 
 Clark Gen. 
 Clarkson, R. P. 
 
 " •' " letter to Col. Scott 
 
 Clay, Cassius M. 
 
 Clay, C. Clement 
 
 Cockrell 
 
 Coffin, Chaplain Lorenzo S 
 
 " " " " portrait 
 
 Cole, Mrs. . 
 
 Communication with Hospital never interrupted 
 
 Converse, Lieut. A. . 
 
 Conditions at home . 
 
 Condition of our detachment Aug. 31 to Sept. 5 
 
 Conduct of the 32nd Iowa . 
 
 Cotton bales as breastworks 
 
 " meant gold . • • 
 
 " a success as a speculation 
 " shipped under hospital flag . 
 
 . 397 
 357, 359 
 . 192 
 . 220 
 . 221 
 , 399 
 . 345 
 . 308 
 22, 78, 79, 80, 396, 397 
 . 407 
 . 152 
 . 184 
 77, 78 
 . 26 
 . 65 
 . 223 
 
 . 60 
 
 . 129 
 
 . 251 
 
 . 253 
 
511 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Cotton ginning establishment covered by our lines 252 
 " orders to burn .... 256 
 
 room for, but not troops 
 letter from Gen. Gorman on 
 
 . 255 
 
 . 98 
 
 . 284 
 193, 196 
 
 Crane, Capt. L. A. . 
 
 Cunningham, Lieut. Edward 
 
 Curtis, Maj. Gen. S. R, 36, 38, 39, 40, 73, 74. 75, 82, 85, 
 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 
 
 Curtis, Maj. H. Z 87 
 
 Cutler, Capt. L. H. . . . 20, 50, 403 
 
 Cutler, Serg. . . . 102, 103, 113 
 
 D Company 17, 20, 39, 40, 50, 51, 59, 61, 64, 141, 
 162 164, 165, 166, 167, 278, 326. 356, 361, 410 
 
 D Company approximate roster , . . 445 
 
 Daniels 189 
 
 Darkest period in the civil war . . .24 
 
 Days of sorrow and anger .... 167 
 
 Davidson, Gen. . . 53, 54, 58, 62, 63, 64, 68 
 
 Davies, Bri^. Gen. Thomas A. 38, 39, 40, 81. 82, 83, 
 
 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 91, 92, 93, 94 
 
 Davies, Brig. Gen. orders handed to Col. Scott . 81 
 
 " letter to Gen. Carr. Jan. 12 . 91 
 
 a a a a a a a a I - ()■> 
 
 Davis, Gen. Jeff . . 299. 342, 345. 347 
 
 Deaue, John ..... 308 
 
 Debray . . 182, 184, 190, 191, 192, 193 
 
 Demoralized condition of the enemy . . 165 
 
 Demand for unconditional surrender . . 49 
 
 Detachment at Little Rock joins the six companies 
 
 at Vicksburg . . . . .72 
 
 Derby, Surgeon N. R. . . . 244, 250 
 
 Defore, Serg. W. L. .... 410 
 
 De Tar, Capt, Theodore . . 20, 59, 326 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 513 
 
 PAGE 
 
 De Russy, Col. 132 
 
 Devine, Lieut. John .... 172 
 
 Died of starvation . . . . . 150 
 
 Discription of prisoners . . . .44 
 
 Disposal of counterbands . . . .83 
 
 Doane, Serg. ..... 162 
 
 Dodge, Gen 309 
 
 Dond, Lieut. Alexander . . . 30, 78, 80 
 
 Don nan, Win. G. . . 342, 353, 354, 356 
 
 Dougherty, Col 89 
 
 Draft from which the map is diawn . . 163 
 
 Drake, Major . . . . .215 
 
 Dudley, Col 246 
 
 Duty to enlist . . . . .28 
 
 Dwight, Gen. 138, 176, 177, 181, 183, 185, 208, 214, 
 230 
 
 E Company 17, 21, 107, 141, 145, 148, 298, 36 L, 366, 
 
 392 
 E Company approximate roster . . . 453 
 
 Eastman. Gov. ..... 346 
 
 Eberhart. Maj. Gnstavu* 17, 22, 36, 39, 40, 46, 49, 
 50, 53, 56, 59, 76, 90, 133, 139, 282, 283, 284. 324, 
 326, 349, 395, 397, 400 
 
 Eberhart, Maj., letter of . . .50 
 
 " " received orders . . .59 
 
 Col. G. A., portrait . . .50 
 
 Edgington, Capt. Joseph . . . .12 
 
 Edwards 307 
 
 Effect of cotton speculation . . . .97 
 
 Efforts to bring the Regiment together . . 349 
 
 El let, Admiral 130 
 
 Ellis, Color- Serg. A. J . . . • 326 
 
514 
 
 THIRTY SECOND RKOJMKNT 
 
 PAGE' 
 
 Emory, Brit?, Gen. 175, 176, 177, 180, 181, 183, 184 
 185, 186, 208, 210, 211, 212, 214, 228, 240. 245 (note) 
 251, 258, 267 
 
 Emory, Brig. Gen. extract from report of . . 186 
 
 Enemy again in our front .... 275 
 
 " ' charged swiftly .... 209 
 
 " fled ...... 258 
 
 " got our range . - ► .64 
 
 " in our rear ..... 154 
 
 "■ loss at Yellow Bayou . . . 260 
 
 " magnified the aid .... 55- 
 
 " not pursued ..... 193 
 
 " on all sides . . .... 148 
 
 Enrolling officer, how he performed the work . 114 
 
 Entirely surrounded .... 179 
 
 Ethridge, Emerson ..... 311 
 
 Etter . 189 
 
 Ewing, Gen. . 301 
 
 Explanatory note of the "Smiths" . . . 186. 
 
 F Company 17, 21, 40; 50, 51, 59, 67, 71, 278, 282, 340, 
 348 
 
 F Company approximate roster 
 
 Fagan, 
 
 Fallas, Lieut. W. A. 
 
 Falls of Alexandria . 
 
 Family of Anthony . 
 
 Faulkner, Col. 
 
 Favorite place for the Johnnies 
 
 Feseenden, Col. . . 181, 
 
 202. 
 
 Gen. 
 
 Field and Staff 
 
 First news from home 
 
 Fisk, Gen. . 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 
 
 " letter to Gen. Curtis 
 
 . 400 
 
 300, 301, 302' 
 
 149, 361, 392 
 
 . 272" 
 
 . 84 
 
 104, 105 
 
 . 116 
 
 203, 208, 211 
 
 . 269 
 
 . 395 
 
 . 143 
 
 , 89, 90, 91 
 
 . 89 
 
 88 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 515 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Flag presentation ..... 34 
 
 Flood, private, killed .... 12(5 
 
 Floyd county . . . . .21 
 
 Ford, John P. (killed) . . . .147 
 
 Forest, Gen. 104, 112, 113, 117. 259, 289, 290, 291, 
 292, 293, 294, 290, 297, 310, 319, 340 
 
 Fort De Hussy taken .... 279 
 
 Fox, Geo. H. ..... 61 
 
 Franklin county . . . . .21 
 
 Franklin. Gen. 135, 194, 211, 214, 215, 220, 227. 
 
 230, 23], 232, 233, 234, 235, 230, 237, 245, 247, 2 IS 
 310, 314 
 
 Fuller, (Mark . . . . .142 
 
 " portrait .... 409 
 
 Fyan, Maj. .... 180, 284 
 
 G. Company 17, 21, 30,39, 40, 50, 51 
 
 150, 173, 320 
 G Company approximate roster 
 
 Gains, Col. .... 
 
 Ganze .... 
 
 Garrard, Gen. Kenner 
 
 Gilbert, Col. James I. 147, 154, 109, 
 
 292 
 Gilbert, Gen. James I. 
 
 Gilky, Col. 
 
 Ginn, Lieut. 
 
 Goodell, Sery;. 
 
 Gooding, Col. O. P. 
 
 Gordon, J. C. 
 
 Gorman, Gen. W. A. 
 
 Granger, Capt. 
 
 Grant, Maj. Gen. U. S. 10, 24, 39, 40 
 224, 226, 299, 328, 337, 344, 349, 
 
 , 59, 67, 69, 141, 
 
 
 
 
 470 
 
 
 
 
 199 
 
 
 
 198, 
 
 199 
 
 
 
 314, 
 
 338 
 
 173 
 
 178, 
 
 179, 
 
 284 
 
 334 
 61 
 
 284 
 156 
 
 158 
 71 
 
 
 . 97, 9£ 
 
 \, 99 
 
 
 
 
 183 
 
 , 73, 
 
 86, 
 
 96, 
 
 220, 
 
 350 
 
 
 
 
516 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 Grand battle scene without horrors 
 
 Gray, Gen. 
 
 Greason, James A., Assist. Adj. 
 
 Greeley, Horace 
 
 Green, Col. . 
 
 Green, Judge 
 
 Green, Ma j. . 
 
 Green, Gen. Colton 49, 182, 188, 189, 190, 
 
 197, 244, 264, 286 
 Grenfelt, Col, G. St. Leger 
 Griffin, Lient. 
 Griffin, Loyal, portrait 
 Griffith, Wm. H., portrait, 
 Griffith, Chas. H. 
 Grin stead 
 
 Gunboats 
 
 Cricket 
 
 Eastport . 132, 
 
 Neosho 
 
 John Warner 
 Gunboats glide over the falls of Alexandria 
 
 Guy, Serg. W. H. 
 
 148, 149, 
 
 
 PAOE 
 
 
 258 
 
 
 192 
 
 
 39 
 
 65, 
 
 327 
 
 . 
 
 53 
 
 . 
 
 100 
 
 
 339 
 
 191, 
 
 192, 
 
 
 300 
 
 
 159 
 
 
 464 
 
 
 418 
 
 . 
 
 119 
 
 
 199 
 
 59, 61 
 
 248, 
 
 282 
 
 32, 
 
 280 
 
 
 274 
 
 
 273 
 
 361. 
 
 392 
 
 H Tompany . 17, 21, ]07 r 141, 325 
 
 H Company approximate roster . . . 476 
 
 Heckart, John C. portrait .... 417 
 
 Hall, (ins 196, 200, 204 
 
 Hal leek, General . 38, 39, 73, 86, 89, 95, 96, 350 
 
 Hansrinu of three negroes , 110 
 
 Hanson, Hnnn 
 Hatch. Gen. 
 Hazlett, Lieut. 
 Hill, Col. 
 
 . 236. 
 310, 314 
 
 . 175 
 223, 314 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 517 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Hinderman House Hospital . . . . (58 
 
 Hiserodt, Corporal W. P 161 
 
 •• " portrait . . . 102 
 
 History committee appointed . . .14 
 
 Hoffman, Maj. . 226, 232, 233, 236, 239, 245 
 
 Hough, Capt, John . . 234, 236, 256, 257, 352 
 
 Howard, Mrs. Rosa . . . . .424 
 
 Howard, Lieut. Thomas O. . 147, 150,, 152, 156, 172 
 
 " " " •' portrait . . 422 
 
 Hoyt, Wilber . . . . . -147 
 
 Howland, M. W., portrait .... 466 
 Hughes, Col. .... 52, 89, 90 
 
 Hull, Lieut 162 
 
 Huntley, Adj. Chas. H. 22, 30, 147, 154, 159, 396, 397, 
 
 404 
 Hurlbut, Gen. .... 110, 120 
 
 Houston, Surgeon Wm. L. . . . 397, 406 
 
 Hutchinson, Capt. Jonathan, 21, 29, 78, 79, 80, 145, 
 
 172, 220, 293, 326, 352, 353, 354, 397, 400, 407 
 
 Hutchinson, Mathias .... 144 
 
 portrait . . .488 
 
 I Company 17, 21, 22, 78, 107, 133, 144, 407, 412 
 
 I Company approximate roster • • • 483 
 
 Ingersoll, L. D 222 
 
 Iron Brigade . . . 213, 225, 226, 242 
 
 Jeffries, Col. Bill . . 43, 51, 89, 91, 92, 304 
 
 Jewett, Serg. D, S. . . 14, 165, 166, 361, 366 
 
 Jones, Maj 79, 90 
 
 Jones, Capt. John R. . . 21, 303, 397, 400 
 
 " " " " portrait . . • 453 
 
518 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 PACK 
 
 Jones, Capt. Warren C. 168, 172 
 Jones, Sheriff 303 
 
 K Company 17. 21, 100, 107, 108, 174, 335, 361, 392 
 
 408 
 K Company approximate roster . . . 492 
 
 Keerl, Serg. Henry .... 156. 433a 
 
 Kent, James ...... 133 
 
 Kentucky gentlemen in the guard house . . 118 
 
 Kindness of Mrs. Cole . . . .152 
 
 Kirby, John, . . . . .64 
 
 Kirkwood, Gov. Samuel . . 19, 73, 74, 75 
 
 Knapp, Thomas B. . . . . .23 
 
 Ladies of Waterloo . . . . .34 
 
 Lake Chicot, battle of . . . .286 
 
 Le Barre, Corporal John .... 358 
 Lee, General Robert E. 205, (note) 299, 307, 337, 340, 
 
 342 
 Lincoln, Abraham 111, 305, 308, 328, 335, 342, 343, 
 
 345 
 Logan, Lieut. Geo. H. 174, 175 
 
 Loyalty of the negroes to their old masters . 128 
 
 Lucas, Col 232, 246 
 
 Lynch, Col. . . 203, 204, 206, 229, 560, 263 
 
 Lyon, Capt. J. J. . . . . 183 
 
 Mack, George ..... 151 
 
 Mack, Eobt. . . . . . .151 
 
 Macy, George . . . . .67 
 
 Map of the battle of Pleasant Hill . . .240 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 519 
 
 Marmaduke, Gen. 48, 52, 53, 261, 280, 
 
 299, 
 
 PAGE 
 
 300, 301 
 
 May, Wm. .... 
 
 
 . 325 
 
 Maynard, Horace 
 
 
 . 311 
 
 Maury, Gen. .... 
 
 
 . 339 
 
 McCall, Quarter-Master T. C. 22, 142, 
 
 397, 398, 405 
 
 148, 
 
 207, 396, 
 
 McCall, Hon. Thomas C, portrait 
 
 . 
 
 . 404 
 
 McMillan, Gen, . . 175, 
 
 176, 
 
 210, 211 
 
 McMillen, Lieut. 
 
 
 . 175 
 
 McNeil, Gen. 
 
 
 
 48, 53 
 
 McNeil, Col. John. 
 
 
 
 52, 53 
 
 McPherson, Geo. - , , 
 
 
 
 63, 130 
 
 Mead, Rollin P. 
 
 
 
 . 145 
 
 Messmore, Col. 
 
 
 
 . 109 
 
 Millard. Serg. Jason K. 
 
 
 
 22, 396 
 
 Miller, Capt. Amos B. 17, 20, 30, 31, 
 151, 154, 155, 156, 171, 172 
 
 100, 
 
 107, 150 
 
 Miller, Serg. . 
 
 . 
 
 . 167 
 
 Mix, Lieut. Col. Edward H. 17, 22, 90, 107, 
 161, 164, 168, 171, 172, 179, 395, 399 
 
 150, 154, 
 
 Mix, Thomas 
 
 
 . 399 
 
 Mix, Edward 
 
 
 . 399 
 
 Mix. William 
 
 . 
 
 . 399 
 
 Moore, Gov. 
 
 133, 
 
 248, 271 
 
 Moore, Capt. Frank . 
 
 76. 
 
 104, 115 
 
 Moore, Col. .... 
 
 229. 
 
 287, 314 
 
 Moore, E. V. ... 
 
 
 . 144 
 
 Moore, Dave, 
 
 
 . 180 
 
 Mower, Gen. Joseph A. 130, 142, 183, 
 259, 279, 282, 295, 323 
 
 203, 
 
 221, 229, 
 
 Myers, John, 
 
 - 
 
 
 278, 281 
 
520 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 PAGK 
 
 Newbold. Col. J. H. . . . 175, 178 
 
 New Madrid . 36, 75, 82, 83, 85, 89, 94, 95 
 
 Nichols, Edwin ..... 145 
 
 " '• portrait . . . .426 
 
 Nowlan, Lieut. Col. . . . .263 
 
 Olney, Dr. Stephen B. 
 
 22, 30, 
 
 396 
 
 401 
 
 Organization of the Regiment 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 Orcutt, C E. 
 
 • 
 
 
 294 
 
 Packard, I. A , an escaped prisoner 
 
 
 
 390 
 
 " " " portrait 
 
 . 
 
 
 365 
 
 Parker, Martin B., portrait . 
 
 
 
 433 
 
 Pannes, Lient. Jonn B. 
 
 235, 
 
 252, 
 
 254 
 
 Payne, Tom .... 
 
 
 
 47 
 
 Peebles, Capt. Herbert F. 17, 20. 
 
 78, 80, 
 
 107. 
 
 112 y 
 
 115, 126, 150. 152, 172, 198, 200 
 
 
 
 
 Pettibone, Corporal 
 
 
 
 166 
 
 Pleasant Hill, battle-plan 
 
 
 
 288 
 
 Portrait of 
 
 
 
 
 W, V. Allen 
 
 
 
 157 
 
 Adj. Aid rich 
 
 
 
 413 
 
 Morrison Bailey . 
 
 
 
 406 
 
 Capt. R. S. Benson 
 
 
 
 476 
 
 Sergeant Birchard 
 
 
 
 408 
 
 Sergeant J. M. Bovd 
 
 
 
 58 
 
 Capt, H. N. Brockway 
 
 
 . 
 
 1 55 
 
 Major Philander Byan 
 
 
 , 
 
 401 
 
 Chaplain Lorenzo Coffin 
 
 
 . 
 
 407 
 
 Col. G. A. Eberhart 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 Clark Fuller 
 
 
 
 409 
 
 Loyal Griffin 
 
 
 
 464 
 
 Charts H. Griffith 
 
 
 
 419 
 
 Win. H. Griffith 
 
 
 
 4 IS 
 
 John C. Heck art 
 
 
 
 417 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 521 
 
 Portrait of 
 AlbaO. Hall 
 George D. Hart, M. D. 
 Wm. P. Hiserodt . 
 Lieut. Thomas 0. Howard 
 Marvin W. How laud 
 Mathias Hutchinson 
 Capt. John R. Jones 
 Hon. Thomas C. McCall 
 Edwin Nichols 
 1. A. Packard 
 
 k< u CI 
 
 Martin B. Parker . 
 Capt. H. C. Raymond 
 Wellington Russell 
 D. W. Bobbins 
 F. M. Rogers 
 Col. John Scott 
 A. L. Towne 
 Wm. T rob ridge 
 Jamos Underwood 
 Hon. Jesse Wasson 
 George H. Welsh 
 
 Helen F. Welsh 
 Capt, Gideon Wheeler 
 Alanson F. Wood . 
 Porter, Admiral David D. 16, 132, 186, 202, 227, 231, 
 241, 245, 247, 248, 251, 266, 279, 280 
 
 PAGE 
 
 . 495 
 
 . 4S9 
 
 . 162 
 
 422 
 
 . 466 
 
 453 
 . 404 
 . 425 
 
 . 365 
 . 390 
 . 433 
 . 437 
 . 440 
 . 164 
 . 427 
 . 398 
 . 423 
 . 444 
 . 463 
 . 403 
 
 434 a 
 436 a 
 
 435 a 
 . 492 
 . 462 
 
 Ransom, Gen. 
 
 . 136, 137 
 
 Raymond, Lieut. H. C. 
 
 Capt. " " portrait 
 
 78, 80 
 . 437 
 
 Reeve, Capt. James B. 
 
 . 21 
 
 Ripley. A. J. 
 
 Robbins, Corporal H. W. . • 
 " " " " portrait 
 
 . 71 
 
 . 162, 165 
 . 164 
 
 Rogers, F. M., portrait 
 
 . 427 
 
522 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Root, James ...... 133 
 
 Eoszell, Capt. Chas. A. L. . . . 21, 42 
 
 Russell, Wellington, portrait . . . 440 
 
 Sankey, Maj. . . . . .61 
 
 Sanger. Surgeon . . . 213, 215, 233 
 
 Say re, Calvin M . . . . .67 
 
 Schofield, Maj. Gen. . 190, 309, 310, 312, 314, 328 
 
 Scott, Col. John 17, 22, 28, 36, 38, 39, 73, 78, 81, 82, 
 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90. 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 101, 
 107, 109, 110, 111, 131, 132, 137, 139, 140, 141, 142, 
 145, 146, 147, 154, 159, 161, 164, 166, 168, 170, 178, 
 179, 183, 207, 222, 230, 232, 279, 284, 286, 349, 
 395, 399, 423, 425 
 
 Scott, Col. John 
 
 , in advance 
 
 . 166 
 
 U (< (( 
 
 report to Shaw 
 
 . 170 
 
 .; ti (1 
 
 order of 
 
 . 39 
 
 t< 14 U 
 
 official letter to 
 
 Brig. Gen. Carr . 76 
 
 (I (( 11 
 
 letter to Gen. Ci 
 
 irtis . . 85 
 
 I. i. u 
 
 Davies' order to 
 
 . 81 
 
 t. a << 
 
 implored Mowei 
 
 • to advance our 
 
 lines 
 
 
 . 207 
 
 Scott, Col. John, 
 
 resigned 
 
 . 286 
 
 a ■ < ii 
 
 portrait 
 
 . 398 
 
 (( « (< 
 
 Medallion . 
 
 Frontispiece 
 
 Scott, Benjamin 
 
 G. . 
 
 . 396 
 
 Scott, Mary Avis 
 
 
 . 223 
 
 Scurry, Brig. Gen. 
 
 131, 192, 194, 275 
 
 Shaffer, Cyrus 
 
 
 . 359 
 
 Shanklin, Lieut. 
 
 
 175 
 
 Shanks, Col. 
 
 
 . 302 
 
 Shannon, Lieut. 
 
 
 . 135 
 
 Shaw, Col. Win. T. 110, 130, 138, 140, 147, 156, 159, 
 
 169, 3 70, 180, 181, 184, 185, 186 193, 296, 228, 
 
 230, 233, 240, 242, (note) 243, 252, 254, 279, 280, 
 285, 359 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 523 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Shaw, v Col. Win. T., asked permission to go . 243 
 
 " " " " orders better rations . . 133 
 
 " " " " report . . . 175 
 
 " " " version of Banks' orders in 
 
 relation to cotton .... 254 
 
 Shaw's Brigade 144, 167, 202, 303, 205, 206, 210, 221, 
 
 277. 303 
 
 Shaw's Brigade answers back . . . 139 
 
 " " saved the day and army . . 156 
 
 " selected for the post of honor . 211 
 
 " " stationed in front . . . 212 
 
 Shaw's Iron Brigade . . . 213, 225 
 
 Shelby, Joseph . 48, 54, 60, 301, 302, 303, 304 
 
 Sheridan, Gen. . . . .299, 337 
 
 Sherman, Gen. Wm. T. 16, 122, 125, 130, 248, 261, 266, 
 
 299, 300, 322, 328, 343, 347, 349, 359, 360 
 Sherman, Gen., recalling Smiths command . 266 
 
 S locum, Gen. ..... 261 
 
 Smith, Maj. Gen. A. J. 110, 117, 120, 130, 136, 141, 
 142, 144, 148, 149, 156, 160, 175, 176, 178, 182, 
 183. 185, 186, 188, 194, 203, 208, 210. 211, 212, 
 214, 217, 221, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 
 234, 235, 237, 240, 241, 243, 244, 245, 246, 248, 249, 
 250, 251, 253, 254, 256, 258, 259, 260, 262, 264, 265, 
 266, 267, 268, 275, 279. 283, 289, 290, 292, 297, 299, 
 
 300, 305, 306, 309, 317, 323, 328, 338, 351, 352 
 Smith, Gen. A. J., begged Franklin not to retreat . 236 
 
 •' " '' " begged the privilege to bury 
 
 the dead . . . . . .231 
 
 Smith, Gen. A, J., was called upon to furnish a 
 
 brigade and commander . . . 211 
 
 Smith, Gen- A. J., an ovation . . . 247 
 
 " " " " commissioned Major General . 261 
 
 " " '■' " proof of the love his men had 
 
 for him ...... 255 
 
 Smith, Maj. Gen. Kilby 130, 186, 232, 243, 244, 246, 
 254, 255, 261, 264, 272. 279 
 
 Smith, Maj. Gen. Kirby 165. 186, 194, 219, 220, 343, 
 344 
 
524 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Smith, Neweomb S. ... 
 
 . 396 
 
 Snider ..... 
 
 47. 48 
 
 Spanish fort surrendered 
 
 . 337 
 
 Speers, James .... 
 
 . 108 
 
 Stanley ..... 
 
 . 314 
 
 Staples, Dr. ..... 
 
 233, 250 
 
 Steele, Gen. 65, 69, 186, 214, 219, 273, 
 
 274, 350 
 
 Stockton, Gen. .... 
 
 . 76 
 
 Stoddard, Lucian M. ... 
 
 . 396 
 
 Stone, Gen. Ohas. P. . . 138, 177, 
 
 182, 230 
 
 Stone, Brig. Gen. Win. K. . 
 
 94, 93 
 
 Sturges, Gen. .... 
 
 289, 291 
 
 Suffering from heat and thirst 
 
 . 61 
 
 Swalm, Albert .... 
 
 . 219 
 
 letter to Col. Scott . 
 
 . 220 
 
 Talbot, John 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 
 150 
 
 Tappan, Gen. 
 
 . 
 
 . 192, 197, 198, 
 
 199, 
 
 206 
 
 Taylor, Judge 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 Templin, Lieut. 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 (50, 
 
 278 
 
 Thomas, Gen. 
 
 
 309, 311, 312, 317, 
 
 318, 
 
 328 
 
 Thomas, Lieut. 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 11(5 
 
 Thomas, Charles 
 
 M. 
 
 
 
 359 
 
 Toombs, Bob 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 346 
 
 Tod, George A. 
 
 . 
 
 . 
 
 
 121 
 
 Torpedoes ! where ? 
 
 
 
 334 
 
 how 
 
 removed 
 
 . 
 
 
 335 
 
 Towne, A. L., po 
 
 rtrait 
 
 
 
 423 
 
 Trask, Albert 
 
 . 
 
 102, 
 
 107, 
 
 HI 
 
 Trials of War 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 Trobridge, Wrn. 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 297 
 
 a a 
 
 portrait 
 
 
 
 444 
 
IOWA VOLUNTEERS 
 
 525 
 
 Tupelo campaign 
 " battle 
 
 Turner, James 
 
 Tuttle, Gen. . 
 
 , 290 
 
 . 292 
 
 . 147 
 
 81, 82, 89, 91 
 
 Underwood, Dr. 
 Underwood, James, portrait 
 
 334 
 
 463 
 
 Vandever, Gen. 
 
 Van Dorn 
 
 Victory complete 
 
 "Victories which are not victories" 
 
 55, 56 
 
 . 89 
 
 217, 230 
 
 . 223 
 
 Wade, Senator Ben . 
 
 Waller, Anthony 
 
 Waller, John L. 
 
 Waring, Col. Geo. E. 
 
 Wasson, Surgeon Jesse 
 
 " " " portrait 
 
 Washburn, Gen. 
 
 Waters, Assist. Surgeon Wm. 13. 
 
 Watts, Gov. . 
 
 Welsh, Geo. H. 
 
 " '' " portraits 
 
 Welsh, Helen F., portrait 
 Wickham, W. O. 
 Wilson, Gen. 
 Williams, S. B. 
 Williams, George 
 Wittenmyer, Mrs. Annie 
 Wolfe, Col. E. H. 
 
 22, 
 
 266, 281 
 
 . *4 
 
 . 84 
 
 107, 109 
 
 Hi, 396, 402 
 . 403 
 
 2H5. 296 
 
 22, 396 
 
 . 342 
 
 433 a 
 434 a, 43*> a 
 
 435 a 
 
 71 
 
 347 
 
 04 
 
 145 
 
 21"', 
 
 100, 102, 407 
 
526 
 
 THIRTY SECOND REGIMENT 
 
 
 TAGE 
 
 Wood, Gen. Thomas J. 
 
 . 314 
 
 Wood, Chaplain 
 
 . 40 
 
 Wood, Alan son F., portrait 
 
 . 462 
 
 AVood, Sergeant 
 
 . 150 
 
 Woodward, Samuel M. 
 
 . 348 
 
 Yellow Bayou 
 
 131, 270 
 
 " Mower's tight 
 
 . 259 
 
 " " fire in the pines 
 
 . 277 
 
 H104 80 
 
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