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OFFICIAL ARMY RECORDS 1862-2

HDQRS. TWENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT MO. VOLS, FIRST BRIG.,

SIXTH DIVISION, ARMY OF WEST TENNESSEE,

Near Pittsburg Landing, April 9, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor herewith to submit a report of the part taken by the regiment

under my command in the battles of the 6th and 7th instant. The regiment occupied the right of

the First Brigade, commanded by Colonel Peabody, acting brigadier-general, and had the honor

of opening the fight on the 6th, the attack being made on its front at 3 o'clock in the morning. By

order of the acting brigadier-general three companies--Captains Schmitz, Company B; Eveans,

Company E, and Dill, Company H--under Major Powell, were dispatched to engage the enemy's

advance, which was successfully done until re-enforced by the Twenty-first Missouri, under

Colonel Moore. The fighting now became general and heavy, and I was ordered to support with

the whole regiment. The enemy had now reached within the distance of half a mile of the

encampment, where they were checked and held until near 7 o'clock, when our force fell back to

the line of encampment, where another stand was made. The fighting was very severe until 8

o'clock, when we were compelled to fall back still farther behind our encampments on the

division, which had by this time formed in line of battle on an elevation in our rear. My regiment

had by this time become badly cut up, but they rallied and took position on the right of the

Twelfth Michigan, with the loss of several of my most valuable officers. The fighting now

became most determined, and continued with little intermission for three hours. The enemy,

being thrice repulsed, finally moved to our left.

It was in this part of the engagement that Maj. James E. Powell, a most valuable officer and

brave soldier, fell mortally wounded, and Sergt. Matthew Euler, color-bearer, was killed,

clinging to the staff until it had to be disengaged from his grasp by Sergeant Simmons, who took

his place. My command was after this detached to Colonel Hildebrand, acting brigadier-general,

where it remained, without taking any decisive part in the engagement for the remainder of the

day.

On the 7th I was placed with the First Missouri Battery near the river, except one company,

under Capt. William Millar, who was attached to the Seventh Iowa (Colonel Crocker), where, I

am gratified to state, this brave officer rendered efficient service.

I beg particularly to mention Captains Wade, Millar, and Donnelly, and Lieutenants

Bradshaw, Newberry, John H. Millar, and Singleton, for bravery displayed in the most trying

periods of the fight; but where so many did well it is difficult to discriminate. I mention these as

coming particularly under my own observation. I must also be permitted to bear testimony to the

distinguished bravery of Maj. James E. Powell, who fell in the hottest of the battle, cheering on

his men. He was an officer in the Regular Army.

I have to report Surg. John T. Berghoff as missing, but whether a prisoner or not it is

impossible to say, as he has been in camp once since the battle. He was at the hospital in front on

yesterday, but supposed to be cut off by rebel pickets.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

R. T. VAN HORN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Twenty-Fifth Missouri Volunteers.

Capt. HENRY BINMORE,

A. A. G., Sixth Div., Army of West Tenn

HDQRS. SIXTEENTH IOWA VOLS., THIRD BRIGADE,

SIXTH DIVISION, ARMY OF WEST TENNESSEE,

Near Pittsburg Landing, April 24, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report that on Sunday morning, April 6, while my regiment was

preparing to join General Prentiss' division, as was previously ordered, an aide of General Grant

ordered my regiment in line on the right of the Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, to act as a reserve and

prevent stragglers from reaching the river. The line had been formed but a short time when I was

ordered to march it, following the Fifteenth Iowa, to General McClernand's division, whose right

was giving way. At this time large numbers of men in squads were returning. Cavalry, infantry,

and several batteries of artillery were met on the road without being disabled or having lost their

horses or expended their ammunition. From 9.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m., the time occupied in

reaching the battle-field, we met more men returning, of all arms, than belonged to the Fifteenth

and Sixteenth Regiments, but I must say, for the credit of the State of Iowa, not one of her quota

did I meet.

On crossing an open field, beyond which was the position of the rebels, two of my command

were wounded. My regiment was formed on the right of this field in rear of a fence. An aide

ordered the regiment to be formed across this open field, which was raked by heavy fire of

musketry and a part of a battery of artillery. I marched the men there and ordered them to lie

down, when the greater part of the enemy's fire passed harmlessly over us. I had, however,

several wounded here. From this position the regiment was ordered forward to the edge of

timber, within close range of the enemy, as many of my men were wounded at the same time by

both ball and buck-shot. The right of the regiment was of very little service, as they were not in a

position, from the lay of the ground, to fire with much effect; but the left of the regiment became

hotly engaged with the enemy, and did great execution.

For nearly or quite an hour the regiment held its ground against a much larger force of the

enemy, supported by artillery, when they were compelled to give way to their destructive fire

and advance or be captured. Word came down the line that a retreat had been ordered, but no

such order came through me. At this our whole line gave way and became mixed up with other

regiments. My regiment was rallied by Lieut. Col. A. H. Sanders to the number of about 300 and

was posted in rear of a battery during the remainder of that day and night, during which time

those who had become mixed with other regiments returned and reformed with those under the

lieutenant-colonel, I having been wounded and struck by a spent ball in the hip-joint, which was

very painful, and rendered me quite lame.

The next day the regiment held the same position in rear of this battery during the fight. I am

thus particular in giving an exact account of the part taken in Sunday's and Monday's fight, as

some correspondents have been trying to throw the disgrace of their own regiments' actions on a

new regiment that had never gone through the motions of loading a gun even, but

notwithstanding this behaved with as much gallantry as any regiment on the field, as its list of

killed and wounded will show, for the time they were engaged.

With a few exceptions all the officers and men behaved with judgment and gallantry. The

field officers were particularly cool under a destructive fire and rendered great assistance. The

horses of all the field and staff officers were killed or wounded, evidently showing an intention

on the part of the enemy to pick off the most prominent officers. Captains Ruehl and Zettler,

both gallant men, were killed or mortally wounded, and First Lieut. F. N. Doyle, a brave and

efficient officer, was also killed.

The loss during Sunday's fight was 2 officers and 16 non-commissioned officers and privates

killed, and 9 officers and 94 non-commissioned officers and privates wounded, and 15 noncommissioned

officers and privates missing.

I inclose a list of the killed, wounded, and missing,

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ALEX. CHAMBERS,

Colonel Sixteenth Iowa Volunteers.

The ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

General McClernand's Division, Army of West Tennessee.

I have the honor to report that the Fifteenth Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry from

Benton Barracks arrived at Pittsburg on Sunday morning, with orders from General Grant's

headquarters to report to General Prentiss. Finding that his headquarters were some 4 miles from

the Landing, I proceeded at once to report to him in person, and found a heavy fire of artillery

and musketry already commenced along the lines. Orders were received from his aide to bring up

my command as soon as possible, and I returned to the river for that purpose. The regiment was

rapidly disembarked, ammunition distributed, and the men for the first time loaded their guns.

We then marched to the heights in rear of the Landing, and formed in line of battle preparatory to

an advance, our right resting on the road leading from the Landing to the field. At this time an

order was received from a member of General Grant's staff directing me to hold the position

upon which we had formed, and to post such other troops as could be found about the Landing

on the right of the road, extending to the bluff of the creek, emptying into the river below the

Landing, in order to prevent the enemy from flanking it through the valley of this creek, and also

to prevent all stragglers from returning from the battle-field to the Landing, and to hold ourselves

as a reserve. The regiment was then advanced across the road to the right, so as to stop the

progress of the multitudes returning from the battle-field, which could only be done by

threatening to shoot them down. Some of them were induced by threats and persuasions to fall

into line, but most of them had the Bull Run story, that their regiments were all cut to pieces, and

that they were the only survivors, and nothing could be done with them but to stop their progress.

Captain Benton [Bouton] placed his battery on our right, commanding the road leading from the

battlefield to the river and also commanding the ravines to our right and left. Colonel Chambers,

of the Sixteenth Iowa, formed his regiment on the right of Benton's [Bouton's] battery, resting the

right of his regiment on the bluff' of the creek above mentioned. In this position we remained for

about an hour, when an order was received from the engineer of General McClernand's staff, by

order, as he said, of General Grant, for the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Iowa to advance some 2 miles

to the support of General McClernand's division, on the extreme right of our lines. The advance

was made, the Fifteenth leading, supported by the Sixteenth. We were led by the staff' officer of

General McClernand first to the right, across a deep ravine and through thick underbrush, in a

direction directly from the firing; then one of General Grant's staff' came up and said a wrong

order must have been given us, in which opinion the undersigned fully concurred, and after

consultation of the two staff officers the head of our column was turned to the left, and we

marched in search of General McClernand's division, his staff officer showing us the way. The

road as we marched was filled with retreating artillery, flying cavalry, straggling infantry, and

the wounded returning from the field. We reached an open field in front of the enemy, who were

concealed in a dense wood and among tents, from which other regiments had been driven earlier

in the day. Through this field the two regiments marched under a heavy fire from the enemy's

artillery, and took position, by direction of General McClernand, near the tents. A regiment, said

to be from Ohio, was on the field when we arrived, or came on soon after, and took position on

the extreme right of the Sixteenth. The Fifteenth, which occupied the left, advanced upon the

enemy and drove a part of them from their concealments among the tents and planted our colors

in their midst, while the whole left wing of the regiment advanced under a murderous fire of shot

and shell from the enemy's artillery and an incessant fire from the musketry. Our flag-staff was

shot through and our colors riddled with bullets. For two hours from 10 to 12 o'clock, we

maintained our position, our men fighting like veterans. The undersigned was severely wounded

by a musket-ball through the neck, which knocked him from his horse, paralyzed for the time,

but, recovering in a short time, remounted and continued in command throughout the fight.

Fifteen of the 32 commissioned officers who went on the field had been killed, wounded, or

taken prisoners; 22 officers and men had been killed, and 156 wounded. The Ohio regiment had

left the field. The enemy were attempting to outflank us on the right and left. We were

unsupported by artillery or any other regiment except the gallant Sixteenth, which had also

suffered severely. It became necessary for the two regiments to retreat or run the risk of being

captured, and by order of General McClernand the retreat was made. Portions of the regiments

rallied, and fought with other divisions later in the day and on Monday.

Where nearly all fought with bravery it might seem invidious to particularize, but I hope to

do no one injustice by specially pointing out those whose personal valor during the action came

under my notice. Lieutenant-Colonel Dewey had his horse shot under him. Major Belknap was

always in the right place at the right time, directing and encouraging officers and men as coolly

as a veteran. He was wounded but not disabled and had his horse shot under him, but remained

on the field performing his duty on foot. Adjutant Pomutz distinguished himself during the

action for his coolness and courage. He, too, was wounded. Captains Kittle, of Company A;

Smith, of Company B; Seevers, of Company C; Madison, of Company D; Hutchcraft, of

Company E; Cunningham, of Company G; Day, of Company I; Hedrick, of Company K, who

was captured in a charge upon the enemy, all distinguished themselves for their gallantry and

courage in leading for ward and encouraging their men. Captain Blackmar, of Company F, was

wounded in the action and disabled. First Lieutenant Goode, of same company, also wounded.

Captain Clark, of Company H, was not in the engagement, having been left sick in the hospital at

Saint Louis. Captains Hutchcraft and Day were both severely wounded. Second Lieutenant

Penniman, of Company A, and Hamilton, of Company I, were killed whilst bravely performing

their duty. First Lieutenant King and Second Lieutenant Danielson, of Company H, were both

severely wounded while acting well their part, thus leaving the company without a

commissioned officer. First Lieutenants Studer, of Company B; Porter, of Company D; Craig, of

Company E; Hanks, of Company G; J. Monroe Reid, of Company I, who, though wounded

himself, continued in command of the company after the captain was disabled and the second

lieutenant killed, and Eldredge, of Company K, all deserve special praise for the manner in

which they conducted themselves on the field. Second Lieutenants Lanstrum, of Company B;

Brown, of Company E; Second Lieutenant Herbert, of Company C, and Sergeant-Major Brown,

who was severely wounded, conducted themselves well on the field. The non-commissioned

officers generally were at their posts and performed their duty. The color-sergeant, Newton J.

Rogers, who fought in the First Iowa at Springfield, gallantly bore our standard forward and

planted it among the enemy, where it was bravely maintained and defended by portions of

Company C, Company E, Company I, and Company K.

It must be remembered that this regiment had just received its arms, and that the men had

never had an opportunity of learning the use of them until they came on the battle-field; that they

had just landed and were attached to no brigade, and fought the enemy without the support of

artillery in a position from which more experienced troops had been compelled to retire. The

enemy, too, against whom we fought, the Twenty-second Tennessee and two Louisiana

regiments, are understood to be among their best troops.

We have no means of learning the loss of the enemy in this engagement except from what

they told some of our wounded men who were taken prisoners by them and left behind the next

day, when the enemy made their final retreat, but from this source we learned that they had 40

men killed in the immediate vicinity of our colors and a large number wounded.

While we mourn our comrades in arms the gallant dead whose lives were sacrificed on the

altar of their country, we are solaced with the belief that a grateful people will in after times pay

a proper tribute to their memory.

To Quartermaster Higley great credit is due for the masterly manner in which he performed

the arduous duties of his office on the field and elsewhere during the fight, and after it was over

in providing for the comforts of the wounded and protecting the property of the regiment. To our

surgeon, Dr. Davis, we are under great obligations for his energy and skill in the performance of

the numerous operations rendered necessary. Assistant Surgeon Gibbon also performed valuable

service in the midst of great danger on the battle-field in attending the wounded there and having

them carried to our temporary hospital on board of the steamer Minnehaha. The chaplain, the

Rev. W. W. Estabrook, too, for the time laid aside his sacred office and resumed the use of the

surgeon's scalpel with great success, and the wounded of numerous regiments besides our own

shared in the skill of our medical staff.

Attached hereto will be found a list of the killed, wounded, and missing, making a total loss

of 186.

H. T. REID,

Colonel, Commanding Fifteenth Iowa.

ASST. ADJT. GEN. FIRST DIV., ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE,

Commanded by General McClernand.