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RECOLLECTIONS WITH THE THIRD IOWA REGIMENT:
RECOLLECTIONS WITH THE THIRD IOWA REGIMENT:
BY LIEUT. S. D. THOMPSON. CINCINNATI: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR. 1864. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four, by LIEUT. S. D. THOMPSON In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the U. S. for the Southern District of Ohio....
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
At the solicitation of some of my comrades, the pages of this book were for the most part compiled from a diary which I kept during most of the two years I served with them, and which was written amid the scenes it attempts to describe. To furnish them a faithful account of the principal scenes through which they passed during this period, including sketches of the operations in which they were engaged, and of which our Regiment formed a part; a record of what they saw, and did, and suffered, su
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
The "uprising" in Iowa—Patriotism of the people—The Third Regiment, its character and composition—Spirit and ideas of its members—Our Colonel—Our visit to Camp Ellsworth, and the First Iowa—The Second and First Iowa advance into Missouri—Our quarters—Our ideas of our treatment—Poor fare, and what some of us "did about it"—Our duties—Complaints about pay—Our arms—We go into camp—Our first experience—We chafe exceedingly under the yoke of discipline—Marching orders. When at the commencement of the
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
We break up camp at Keokuk—The parting occasion—The last lingering look—A pleasant steamboat ride—Two nights and a day at Hannibal—We advance by rail into the interior of Missouri—Dangers attending the movement—We halt at Chillicothe, Grand River bridge, and Utica—Leaving the cars and camping for the night—Condition of the country—Our first night alarm—How we celebrated the Fourth of July—Our uniform—Our rations—Our discipline—Col. Williams arrives and assumes command—Col. Smith visits and consu
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
Operations of the rebel general Harris—Three companies of our regiment detailed to join an expedition against him—We are allowed ten minutes for preparation—We join a portion of the sixteenth Illinois at palmyra—And with them return to Monroe—The movement is delayed by a storm—Consultation of officers—The column moves—Skirmish of Hager's Woods—We delay and finally camp for the night—And in the morning begin to retreat—Our train burned and the enemy in our rear—A threatened skirmish—He cuts off o
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
We prepare to march from Monroe—Arrival of Governor Wood with cavalry and artillery; and of the Fourteenth Illinois—How Mr. Dugan speaks of this in his book—A change of councils—The Third Iowa moves west on a train—Circumstances of the ride—Failure of an attempt to burn the Chariton River bridge—A few details—How young soldiers sometimes originate false alarms—Our camp at Chillicothe—General Hurlbut assumes command of the troops on the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad—We draw our accoutrements a
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Activity of the rebels—Colonel Martin Green—We are ordered against him—Details and incidents of the march from Macon City to Kirksville—Character of the Home Guards—Condition of the country—Our situation at Kirksville—Details of our occupation of that place—Arrival of reinforcements under General Hurlbut—Our complaints and expectations. It could not be expected that an enemy as active as the one we were attempting to suppress would allow us nothing to do. While we were busily engaged disciplinin
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
Lieut. Call reconnoiters and reports the enemy's position—Col. Scott desires to attack him with the Third Iowa, the Home Guards, and the Artillery—General Hurlbut declines his consent—Dangers of such a movement—Disappointment of the men—The General reviews the troops—And issues a proclamation—He sends it by flag of truce to Green's camp—Green don't see the point, but takes the hint and gets ready to leave—The General issues an order against plundering—Further details of our condition—A detachmen
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
The expedition to Paris—The forces engaged in it—Details of the movement to that place—Conduct of Colonel Williams and Lieut. Col. Blair, while there—They return rapidly to Shelbina—Green pursues and confronts them with a large force—Details of the affair at Shelbina—Colonel Williams retreats to Hudson, where he meets General Hurlbut with reinforcements—The propriety of the retreat discussed—The account of the Rebellion Record. While we were marching from Kirksville to Shelbina, Colonel Williams
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
We break up camp at Brookfield and proceed toward Shelbina—Junction with Smith and Moore—General Pope assumes command—Hurlbut and Williams proceed to St. Louis in arrest—Pope leads a night march against Green at Florida—Feelings of the troops—Circumstances of that affair—Report of General Fremont concerning it—We return to the railroad and proceed to Macon—Arrival of Generals Pope and Sturgis at that point—Prospects of active movements. The men who had been with Scott at Kirksville were not allo
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Col. Smith with his own regiment and five companies of the Thirty-ninth Ohio proceeds west to Platte river bridge, and commences repairing it—Col. Scott is ordered to co-operate with him against the rebels in that vicinity—We proceed to Cameron by railroad, impress transportation and march toward Liberty—The first night—Second day's march—Second night at Centerville—Cannonading in the distance—Our feelings—Lieut. Call reconnoiters as far as Liberty—We move at 3 A. M.—At sunrise drive back the en
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CHAPTER X.
CHAPTER X.
Arrival of Smith—His march from the Railroad—Why he arrived too late—Our feelings on his arrival—The situation the morning after the battle—What should have been done—Smith starts for St. Joseph—Burying the dead and caring for the wounded—Scott's official report—Comments on the same—Gallantry of Scott and Lakin—Official report of the enemy—Estimate of his force—Account in the Missouri Republican—Account in Pollard's First Year of the War—The necessity and merits of the battle. Col. Smith's comma
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
We start for the railroad—Arrive at Centerville—Arrival of a courier from Sturgis—March to Plattsburg—Orders from Sturgis—Turn towards Kansas City—Night at Smithville—March resumed towards Liberty—Sturgis retreats three days from an enemy who does not pursue—We think his pursuers turn against us, and turn to the west to elude them—Strike the Missouri at Parkville, and prepare to cross on a rickety flatboat—A steamboat arrives and conveys us to Leavenworth—We return next day to Wyandott—Our stay
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
The troops leave Kansas City—We are not in a condition to march south—Rumored removal of the regiment to Quincy—Proceed by steamboat and railroad to Quincy—Our arrival and situation there—We are paid and prepare to leave—The citizens give a ball in our honor—Incidents of that night—We proceed to Benton Barracks—Description of Benton Barracks—Colonel Williams, his release, conduct and re-arrest—Changes—Our sanitary condition—We are ordered to the North Missouri Railroad—Disgraceful conduct of cer
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Preparations—We move north by railroad—Details of the ride—March from the railroad—Night on the frozen ground—Feelings and conduct of the soldiers toward the citizens—Night at Martinsburg—March to Mexico—Character of the citizens—Bad conduct of certain of the men—What the Major "did about it"—His speech—Its effect—An excess of quinine and lack of bread—Return march to Martinsburg—The New Year—March to Wellsville—Sickness—Conduct and character of Surgeon Edwards—Foraging and plundering—Movement o
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Leave Mexico for St. Louis—Conduct of some of the men and officers—Journey from St. Louis to Savannah, Tenn.—Scenes on the passage described—Captain Albert Hobbs—Loyalty of the people on the Tennessee river—Move to Pittsburg Landing—The situation—Criticism, etc. The day of preparation for an important movement, is always among soldiers a busy and a jolly day. It is a day of work and play. Boxing up camp utensils, packing knapsacks, loading wagons and cooking rations constitutes the work. Drinkin
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
The enemy's reconnoissance, April 4th—The alarm 5th April—THE BATTLE OF SHILOH—The soldier's impression of a battle—Stragglers and their shameful conduct—The different movements and positions of our division and brigade in the battle—Appearance of General Grant—Gallant charge and repulse of a rebel brigade. On the evening of the 4th of April, while a heavy thunderstorm was raging, we heard dull sounds in advance like the firing of infantry. It was the 5th Ohio Cavalry encountering a reconnoiteri
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
The enemy massing against the left—Our successful stand—Retreat and our successive positions therein—We form the left of Prentiss—His gallant conduct and capture—Capture of Major Stone—He and Prentiss vindicated—Scene on the bluff—Night and Buell—The cannonade—The night. Our triumph was but the beginning of disaster. From our position we could see the enemy preparing a storm which was to sweep us from the field. Regiment after regiment of his infantry filed along our front beyond the field, and
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
The battle on Monday—Defeat of the enemy's right wing—Firmness of the left—Gallant conduct of Gen. Hurlbut—Col. Johnson in command of a part of our divided brigade—Victory—Flight of the enemy and failure to pursue. All night the troops of Buell continued to cross. Regiment after regiment filed up the bluff, took position in line of battle, and awaited the dawn of day. During the fore part of the night, a moist, warm breeze blew from the south. About 10 P. M. the sky was overcast, and there began
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
A survey of the field—Plundering the dead—Civilians and relic-seekers—Congratulatory orders—Camp on a field of graves. Drenched by the rain and without covering, the troops of Buell had lain all night on the advance portions of the field in line of battle. In the morning many of them began to discharge their pieces to get the wet loads out of them. These reports caused great consternation among the stragglers in their rear, who fled toward the river firing their pieces as if to repeat the alarm.
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
Preparations to advance on Corinth—Morale of army and sanitary condition—Advance to Shiloh Springs—Inspection by General J——Advance to Pea Ridge—Gov. Yates—Picket skirmishing—Battle of Russellville House—Arrival of Col. Scott—A night on picket in the face of the enemy—THE EVACUATION AND OCCUPATION OF CORINTH. Meanwhile the enemy entrenched at Corinth; Gen. Halleck arrived at Pittsburg Landing and assumed command of the army in person, and preparations were made for an advance. The troops of the
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CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER XX.
My own Sickness—Resume of the movements of my regiment—Movement of Sherman toward Memphis—The camp seven miles from Corinth—March resumed—Camp on the "Heights of the Hatchie"—Advance to the Big Muddy—A hard march—Camp at Spring Creek—Next day's march—Reach and camp on Wolf River—Col. Williams again—LaGrange, Tenn.—Railroad communications—Movement upon Holly Springs—Incidents of the march—Occupation of that place—Return to LaGrange—Resignation of Lieut. Col. Scott—A foraging expedition—Feat of Ge
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
Lt. Col. Trumbull—Preparations to march—Leaving Sherman and Memphis—Heat, dust and straggling—Night on Wolf River—Second day's march—House burning—Annoyances—Halt for the night at last—Next day's March—Reach the Hatchie—Bridging the stream—Guarding the working parties—Hardships and murmurs—March toward Bolivar—Our situation there—A reconnoissance toward Grand Junction—Attempt of the enemy to get in our rear—Masterly retreat—Make a stand and shell back his advance guard—Arrive at Bolivar—Reinforc
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
Sudden orders to march—A day's march toward Corinth—Bivouac on the Big Muddy—Fight of the cavalry—Arrival of General Ord—Reveille—Advance of the 2d Brigade—Situation and movements of the enemy—BATTLE OF MATAMORA—Our positions in reserve—Progress of the battle—Carrying the Bridge of the Hatchie—Disastrous situation—Reserves ordered into action—Scene beyond the bridge—Hurlbut saves the day—Carrying the Heights—Practice of the artillery—Retreat of the enemy—Bivouac on the field—On picket—Reconnoiss
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Battle of Matamora—Colonel Trumbull's Official Report—General Hurlbut's parting review—His parting orders—How they were received—Congratulatory orders of General Grant—Telegram from the President. The following is Colonel Trumbull's official report of the part taken by the 3d Iowa in the battle of Matamora. I give it as it was furnished me from regimental head quarters. With all due deference to the Colonel, who commanded us so bravely, and who had a better opportunity of knowing our situati
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CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Organization and changes—Reconnoissance by General Ross—Disposition of the Hatchie prisoners—The State election in our regiments—Effect of the news of the Northern elections upon our troops—Wild reports of the enemy's advance—Fortifying—Preparations for a general advance—Arrival of General Grant—Grand review—Arrival of new regiments—Reorganization of our division—General marching orders—First day's march—Second day's march—Vandalism of the troops—Junction with the left wing—Our camp at LaGrange—
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CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER XXV.
The army in motion to the south—Character and scenes of the first day's march—A picture of the old soldier in bivouac, and a glance at his domestic arrangements—The march of Nov. 29.—Bivouac at Holly Springs—Marching through the city—An earthquake—The cavalry division and the enemy's rear guard—Cannonading—Camp at Lumkin's Mills—A storm—Movement of Sherman, retreat of the enemy and advance of troops—Our division left behind—Things to the front—We advance—Rebel works on the Tallahatchie—Scenes an
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CHAPTER XXVI.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Retreat of the army—Commendable spirit of the troops—Hurricane Creek—Our division left here to cover the retreat—March to the Tallahatchie—Ridiculous rumors—Christmas—We go into camp—Return of Dickey's raid—Our condition as to supplies—The New Year—Good News—March to Holly Springs—Announcement of the capture of Vicksburg—It is contradicted—We go into camp—March of Denver's division—Our situation—Burning of Holly Springs—March again to the north—Bivouac at Cold Water—Brooding and speculating over
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CHAPTER XXVII.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Reorganization of Grant's army—How our division was posted—Descent of guerrillas upon our forage train—We march to Memphis and go into camp—A glance at the officers of our regiment—General Lauman's regimental drills—Review of the Fourth Division—Colonel Bryant's movement against Chalmers—Our division ordered to Vicksburg—Parting with my comrades—Their journey down the river and affair with the guerrillas near Greenville—Arrival at Young's Point—Their view of Porter and Steele engaging the enemy—
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
SURRENDER OF VICKSBURG—Our division moves with Sherman's army against Johnson—DISASTROUS CHARGE OF COLONEL PUGH'S BRIGADE—The blame imputed to General Lauman—His parting orders—Our losses—Conclusion. The first indication of the enemy's desire to capitulate, was a flag of truce which was seen to approach our lines from a point near Fort Hill. The firing immediately ceased at that point, and gradually died away to the right and left. The enemy's troops became more bold, and began to appear along t
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