REGIMENT***


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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.




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, such as I thought they would like to read
in future days, has been my object in presenting it in this shape.
As it was written for my comrades, to them I dedicate it; and in
giving it to the public, I have only to say that if it suits them, it
suits me. With regard to facts which have since become history, to
which I have had occasion to refer, I may have committed some errors
and inaccuracies; my book was not written in the library of the
historian, but in the tent of the soldier, and with few exceptions
without other information than such as observation and report could
supply. In speaking of prominent officers under whom we served, I
have not forgotten that some of them are still my superior officers,
and that it in nowise comports with my duties as a soldier to assume
to be their historian or critic. But the time has come when the
conduct of those who have passed into civil life may be criticized
by those who were their inferiors in the military service. Of such
I have endeavored to speak honestly but _plainly_, remembering that
they dealt plainly with us.

I am under obligations to Col. Scott, 32d Iowa, Lieut. Chas. P.
Brown, A. A. Q. M., Fort Pickering, W. B. Lakin, Esq., College Hill,
Ohio, for valuable favors and assistance. I trust that time will
afford me opportunities of paying them in a better manner than by
this public acknowledgment.

And now I give these pages to the public, with the single regret that
the deeds of men who have so many titles to honor and gratitude could
not have been better recorded and by a more worthy hand.

            S. D. THOMPSON,
        FORT PICKERING, Memphis, Tenn., March, 1864.




CONTENTS.

                                                         Page.
  Preface                                                    3


  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
  camp experience--We chafe exceedingly under the yoke of
  discipline--Marching orders                               13


  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--Colonel Williams
  arrives and assumes command--Colonel Smith visits
  and consults with him--Another false alarm                29


  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 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 our communications
  and surrounds in large force--Cool conduct of Colonel
  Smith--We begin to fortify--A night of expectation--Details
  of our situation--The enemy opens with artillery--And
  begins to draw in his lines--We lie in our trenches and
  reserve our fire--Aid in the right time--The enemy quits the
  field in panic--An accident--Col. Williams arrives with a
  portion of the Third Iowa                                 43


  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 counsels--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 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 at last--We leave
  Chillicothe and go into camp at Brookfield                61


  CHAPTER V.

  Activity of the rebels--Colonel Martin Green--We are
  ordered against him--Details and incidents of the march
  from Mason 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 Gen. Hurlbut--Our complaints and
  expectations                                              73


  CHAPTER VI.

  Lieut. Call reconnoiters and reports the enemy's position--Colonel
  Scott desires to attack him with the Third Iowa, the Home Guarda
  and the artillery--Gen. 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 a 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 detachment goes to Lancaster
  after supplies--Escape and pursuit of Green--Details
  of the march--Suffering, straggling and plundering--Night
  at Wilsonsville--night at Bear Creek--Scouts from Moore--Junction
  with Moore at Bethel--Appearance of the place--Character
  and hospitality of the inhabitants--Change of plans--Moore
  and Smith pursue the enemy--Hurlbut and Scott move directly
  toward the railroad--Noon at Shelbyville--Another
  proclamation--A man straggles ahead of the column and is
  shot by the bushwhackers--Night at Shelbina--The
  situation--We proceed to Brookfield                       89


  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 speedily 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                          104


  CHAPTER VIII.

  We break up camp at Brookfield and proceed toward
  Shelbina--Junction with Smith and Moore--Gen. 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--Prospect of active movements              112


  CHAPTER IX.

  Col. Smith with his own regiment and five companies of
  the Thirty-ninth Ohio, proceed to Platte River bridge and
  commence 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 enemy's pickets
  and camp at Liberty--No tidings from Smith--Cannonading
  in the direction of Independence and probabilities of an
  engagement across the river--Col. Scott resolves to
  attack--BATTLE OF BLUE MILLS LANDING                     120


  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                                 135


  CHAPTER XI.

  We start for the railroad--Arrival at Centerville--Arrival
  of a courier from Sturgis--March to Plattsburg--Orders from
  Sturgis--Turn toward Kansas City--Night at Smithville--March
  resumed toward 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 flatboat--A
  steamboat arrives and conveys us to Leavenworth--We
  return next day to Wyandotte--Our stay at Wyandotte--Move
  to Kansas City--Arrival of Lane's Brigade--Comparison
  between Lane and Sturgis--They quarrel about precedence
  in rank--Lane moves out of town--Hospitality of the
  citizens                                                 152


  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--Col. Williams,
  his release, conduct, and re-arrest--Changes--Our sanitary
  condition--We are ordered to the North Missouri
  Railroad--Disgraceful conduct of certain captains        165


  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
  of troops to the front--Anxiety to go with them--Fort
  Donelson--Discontent at being left in the rear--Trial
  and release of Col. Williams--He assumes command and
  begins reforms--Marching orders                          175


  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--Captain Albert Hobbs--Loyalty of the
  people on the Tennessee river--Move to Pittsburg Landing--The
  situation--Criticism, &c.                                189


  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                               206


  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         221


  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                       233


  CHAPTER XVIII.

  A survey of the field--Plundering the dead--Civilians and
  relic-seekers--Congratulatory orders--Camp on a field of
  graves                                                   243


  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 face of the enemy--THE EVACUATION
  AND OCCUPATION OF CORINTH                                257


  CHAPTER XX.

  Resume of the movements of our regiment--Sherman's
  movements towards Memphis--Camp on the Heights of
  Hatchie--Camp on Spring Creek and Wolf River--Colonel
  Williams again--Incidents of the march from LaGrange,
  Tenn., to Holly Springs, Mississippi--Return--Resignation
  of Lieut. Col. Scott--Arrival in Memphis--Gen. Sherman as
  a military man--Marching orders      278


  CHAPTER XXI.

  Lieut. Col. Trumbull--Leave Memphis--Night on Wolf
  River--House burning--Reach and bridge the Hatchie--Hardships
  and murmurs--March toward Bolivar--Arrival at Bolivar--A
  reconnoissance towards Grand Junction--Attempt of the enemy
  to get in our rear--Return to Bolivar--Reinforcements    291


  CHAPTER XXII.

  A day's march toward Corinth--Arrival of Gen. Ord--Situation
  and movements of the enemy--BATTLE OF MATAMORA--Carrying
  the bridge of the Hatchie--Disastrous situation--Reserves
  ordered into action--Hurlbut saves the day--Carrying
  the Heights--Retreat of the enemy--Bivouac on the
  field--Reconnoissance, details, etc.--Return to Bolivar--Fruits
  of the victory--Losses                                   303


  CHAPTER XXIII.

  Col. Trumbull's official report--General Hurlbut's parting
  review--His parting orders--How they were received--Congratulatory
  orders of Gen. Grant--Telegram from the President        317


  CHAPTER XXIV.

  Reorganization and changes--Reconnoissance by General
  Ross--Disposition of the Hatchie prisoners--The State election
  in our regiment--Effects of the news of the northern
  elections upon the troops--Wild reports of the enemy's
  advance--Fortifying--Preparations for a general advance--Arrival
  of Gen. Grant--Grand review--Arrival of new regiments--General
  marching orders--First day's march--Condition of the
  troops--Our camp at LaGrange--Position of the enemy--Arrival
  of Col. Williams--Resignation of Lieut. Col. Trumbull--The
  Somerville march--Reviews and marching orders            329


  CHAPTER XXV.

  The army in motion to the South--Character and scenes of
  the first days march--Bivouac at Holly Springs--An earthquake--The
  cavalry division and the enemy's rear guard--Cannonading--Camp
  Lumkin's Mills--A storm--Movement of Sherman, retreat of the
  enemy and advance of troops--Our division left behind--We
  advance--Rebel works on the Tallahatchie--Scenes and scenery
  of the march--Oxford--Join the army at Yockona Creek--The
  Thirty-third Wisconsin--The situation and movements--Raid
  of Van Dorn--Movements to open the communications        345


  CHAPTER XXVI.

  Retreat of the army--Commendable spirit of the troops--March
  to the Tallahatchie--Ridiculous rumors--Christmas--We
  We go into camp--Return of Dickey's raid--Our condition as
  to supplies--The New Year--March to Holly Springs--We go
  into camp--March of Denver's division--Our situation--Burning
  of Holly Springs--March again to the north--Bivouac
  at Cold