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Roster and Record of Iowa Troops In the Rebellion, Vol.
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By Guy E. Logan
HISTORICAL SKETCH
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT IOWA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
The Thirteenth Iowa Infantry was ordered into quarters by Governor Kirkwood, under the
proclamation of President Lincoln bearing date July 23, 1861, the organization of this regiment
having completed the quota of the State up to that date. The ten companies of which the regiment
was composed were ordered into quarters on dates ranging from Sept. 17 to Oct. 11, 1861. The
rendezvous designated in the order was Camp McClellan, near Davenport, Iowa, and there the
companies were mustered into the service of the United States on dates ranging from Oct. 15 to
Nov. 2, 1861, by Capt. Alexander Chambers, United States Army. The total enrollment at muster
in was 890, but this number was soon increased by additional enlistment to 898. The regiment
was exceedingly fortunate in the choice of its first commander. Col. M. M. Crocker was gifted
with rare military genius. He had the advantage of military training at West Point, and, while
some of the officers and most of the men of his regiment did not fully appreciate the necessity
for his rigid enforcement of discipline from the day he assumed command, it did not take them
long to discover that he was just the kind of man they needed to instruct them, and to fit them for
the performance of the stern duties of soldiers who were about to enter upon active service in one
of the greatest wars in the history of mankind.
The regiment remained only a short time in Camp McClellan. It was transported down the
Mississippi river to St. Louis, and went into quarters at Benton Barracks, where troops were
being concentrated and fitted as rapidly as possible for an active campaign against the enemy.
Here it was armed and equipped, and, on December 11th, was ordered to proceed by rail to
Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri, where it remained until early in March, 1862, when it was
ordered to return to St. Louis. While the regiment was at Jefferson City it was mainly engaged in
preparation for the great campaign which was being planned, and which was to begin in the early
spring. There was no considerable body of the enemy in the vicinity of its camp, and the official
records do not show that it met with any loss except from disease, but the death rate from this
cause was large on account of the men being unused to the hardships incident to camp life in
winter. In addition to the deaths from disease, many became incapacitated for further service and
were discharged. This was the common experience of all troops during their first year of service.
From St. Louis, the regiment was conveyed by steamer to Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., where it
arrived March 23, 1862. Here it went into camp and was assigned to the First Brigade of the First
Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand. The brigade consisted of the Eighth
and Eighteenth Illinois, the Eleventh and Thirteenth Iowa, and Battery D, Second Illinois Light
Artillery, and was under the command of Col. A. M. Hare of the Eleventh Iowa, who was the
senior officer present for duty. The concentration of the Union army under Maj. Gen. U. S.
Grant, at Pittsburg Landing, the presence of the rebel army under Maj. Gen. A. S. Johnston, at
Corinth, Miss., and the fact that a distance of only twenty miles intervened between the two
armies, indicated that a great battle was impending.
The compiler of this sketch, while fully realizing the importance of the service rendered by
the Thirteenth Iowa in subsequent battles, feels that, in describing the part it took in its first great
battle, he is justified in going into greater particularity of detail than the limitation of space under
which he is working will permit when he comes to deal with
its later achievements.
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On the morning of the 6th of April, 1862, the rebel army, which had been advancing during
the previous afternoon and night, with the purpose of making an attack before further
reinforcements could reach the Union army, was hurled against the advanced lines of General
Grant's forces, and one of the greatest battles of modern times was in progress. In his official
report, Colonel Crocker describes the part taken by his regiment, as follows:
HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH REGIMENT IOWA INFANTRY VOLUNTEERS, CAMP
NEAR PITTSBURG LANDING, TENN., April 8, 1862.
SIR,—I have the honor to report the part taken by the Thirteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer
Infantry in the engagement with the enemy on the 6th and 7th inst.
Early in the morning of the 6th, the alarm was given, and heavy firing in the distance
indicated that our camp was attacked. The regiment was formed in front of its color line, its full
force consisting of 717 men, rank and file. It was at once ordered to form on the left of the
Second Brigade, and proceeded to that position at a double quick, and was then formed in line of
battle in a skirt of woods bordering on an open field to the left of a battery. Here it remained for
some time inactive, while the enemy's guns were playing on our battery. In the meantime, a large
force of the enemy's infantry were filing around the open field in front of our line, protected by
the woods, and in the direction of our battery, opening a heavy fire of musketry on the infantry
stationed on our right, and charging upon the battery. The infantry and battery to the right having
given way, and the enemy advancing at double quick, we gave them one round of musketry and
also gave way. At this time, we—as, indeed, all our troops in the immediate vicinity of the
battery—were thrown into great confusion, and retired in disorder.
Having retired to the distance of 100 or 200 yards, we succeeded in rallying and forming a
good line, the Eighth and Eighteenth Illinois Volunteers on our left, and, having fronted to the
enemy, held our position there under a continual fire of cannon and musketry until after 12 o
clock, when we were ordered to retire and take up a new position. This we did in good order and
without confusion. Here, having formed a new line, we maintained it under incessant fire until
4:30 o'clock P. M., the men conducting themselves with great gallantry and coolness, and doing
great execution on the enemy. repulsing charge after charge, and driving them back with great
loss.
At 4:30 P. M., we were again ordered to fall back. In obeying this order, we became mixed
up with a great number of regiments falling back in confusion, so that our line was broken up
and the regiment separated, rendering it very difficult to collect it, but finally, having succeeded
in forming, and being separated from the brigade, we attached ourselves to the division
commanded by Colonel Tuttle of the Second Iowa Volunteers, and formed with his division in
front of the encampment of the Fourteenth, Second and Seventh Iowa Volunteers, where it
sustained a heavy fire from the enemy's battery until dark, and there remained during the night
on our arms. During the day, we were under fire of the enemy for ten hours, and sustained a loss
of 23 killed and 130 wounded.
On the morning of the 7th, we were ordered to continue with Colonel Tuttle's division and to
follow up and support our forces that were attacking and driving back the enemy. We followed
them up closely, moving to support the batteries until the enemy was routed, after which we were
ordered to return to the encampment that we had left on Sunday morning, where we arrived at 8
o'clock P. M.
Our total loss in the action of the 6th and 7th is, killed 24, wounded 139, missing 9, total 172.
The men for the most part behaved with great gallantry, and the officers exhibited the greatest
bravery and coolness; and I call especial attention to the
gallant conduct of my field officers,
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Lieutenant Colonel Price and Major Shane, who were both wounded in the action of the 6th, and
acknowledge my great obligations to my Adjutant, Lieutenant Wilson, who during the entire
action exhibited the highest qualities of a soldier.
Respectfully, Etc.,
M. M. CROCKER,
Colonel Thirteenth Iowa Infantry.
•C. Cadle, Jr., A. A. A. G., First Brigade, First Division.
Col. A. M. Hare, in his official report as commanding officer of the brigade, makes special
mention of the gallant commander of the Thirteenth Iowa as follows: "To Col. M. M. Crocker of
the Thirteenth Iowa Volunteers I wish to call especial attention. The coolness and bravery
displayed by him on the field of battle during the entire action of the 6th, the skill with which he
maneuvered his men, and the example of daring and disregard to danger by which he inspired
them to do their duty and stand by their colors, show him to be possessed of the highest qualities
of a commander, and entitle him to speedy promotion."
The compiler of this sketch has a vivid personal recollection of the scenes of confusion
described by Colonel Crocker, at the time the Union lines fell back to the point of last resistance.
He was in command of his regiment (the Third Iowa Infantry) and joined the Thirteenth Iowa at
its last position in support of the batteries which checked the enemy's advance and decided the
result of the first day's battle. Every officer and man of those regiments, who was able for duty,
was there in line, determined to resist the assault of the enemy to the last extremity. If that line
had given way, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to have retrieved the disaster. By
its splendid service in this great battle the Thirteenth Iowa laid the foundation for its future great
achievements. By this bloody baptism it was consecrated, and, as will appear in its subsequent
history, the regiment repeated its glorious record at Shiloh in all the battles in which it was
afterwards engaged.
After the battle of Shiloh, the Thirteenth Iowa was assigned to the Third Brigade of the Sixth
Division. The Brigade was composed of the Eleventh, Thirteenth, Fifteenth and Sixteenth
regiments of Iowa Infantry, and was under command of Colonel Crocker. This organization
remained intact until the close of the war. Except when upon detached duty, the operations of
each of the regiments were identified very largely with those of the brigade, and, therefore, the
history of each of these four Iowa regiments is almost inseparably interwoven with that of the
brigade.++ The regiment, with its brigade and division, took part in the advance upon and siege
of Corinth, and performed its full part in those important operations which ended in the
evacuation of that rebel stronghold on the 30th of May, 1862. It then constituted a part of the
garrison left in charge of the works at Corinth, until about the middle of July; and then
participated in various expeditions, and was for a time stationed at Bolivar, Tenn., but the official
records do not show that it came into contact with any considerable body of the enemy during
the remainder of the summer.
War of Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 10, Page 131.
+War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 10, Page 124.
++After the close of the war, a semi-military organization, composed of the survivors of this
brigade, was organized under the title of "Crocker's Iowa Brigade." This organization is still
maintained. It holds biennial re-unions. Gen. W. W. Belknap was its first commander: at his
death Col. H. H. Rood succeeded him and at this date (1908) remains in command of the famous
organization
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On the 12th of September, the regiment and brigade were again at Corinth and, a few days
later, marched to join the forces under Major General Rosecrans near Iuka. In the battle of Iuka,
which was fought on Sept. 19, 1862, the Sixteenth Iowa was detached from the brigade and took
an active part in that fierce engagement, while the other regiments—Eleventh, Thirteenth and
Fifteenth— were held in reserve, and did not participate in the battle. Soon after the battle the
brigade was ordered to return to Corinth. The rebel forces were being rapidly concentrated for an
attack, and it was evident that another battle was soon to occur at or near that place. It was also
evident that the enemy would make a desperate struggle to regain possession of Corinth, and all
the available Union forces were ordered to concentrate for its defense. The Thirteenth Iowa with
its brigade, was engaged in the battle which was fought there on the 3d and 4th of October, 1862.
While the Thirteenth Iowa performed its whole duty in these two days of battle, the positions
to which it was assigned did not bring the entire regiment into close contact with the enemy,
hence its loss was comparatively light. Lieutenant Colonel Shane in his official report says that
companies A and G were the only part of his regiment actually engaged. Company A, under the
command of Captain Kennedy and Company C. commanded by Captain Walker were on the
skirmish line on the first day of the battle, and sustained a loss of one man killed and fourteen
wounded. He further says that the officers and men of those companies behaved in a highly
creditable manner, and that the rest of the regiment was held constantly in readiness to engage
the enemy, had they received orders to advance. Colonel Crocker, who commanded the brigade
describes the positions occupied by the different regiments, gives full credit to all for having
complied with his orders, and explains the discrepancy in losses as resulting from the fact that
the Fifteenth Iowa sustained the brunt of the attack on account of its advanced position. The
entire loss of the brigade in killed and wounded was 149, and the loss by regiments was, in the
Eleventh 21; Thirteenth, 15; Sixteenth, 27, and Fifteenth, 86. In a later report, dated at camp near
Corinth, Miss., Oct. 15, 1862, he describes the part taken by his brigade in the pursuit of the
defeated enemy. That the conduct of every regiment—both in the battles and the subsequent
pursuit—met with his cordial approval, is indicated in the following extract from his report: *
* Reports in war of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 17,
The brigade, during the protracted movements of the battle and pursuit, encountering every
hardship and privation incident to such campaigning, behaved with great fortitude, meeting every
danger and hardship cheerfully; and I acknowledge my obligation to all the field officers for their
cheerful, hearty and intelligent cooperation.
The regiment with its brigade joined in the pursuit of the retreating rebel army but did not
succeed in overtaking it. After an arduous march, the pursuit was abandoned at Ripley, Miss.,
and the troops returned to Corinth, reaching their camp on the evening of October 11th. After a
rest of about three weeks they again took up the line of march with the forces under General
Grant and moved south along the line of the Mississippi Central Railroad, the objective point of
the expedition being Vicksburg. The object of the expedition was defeated, however, by the
capture and destruction of the depot of supplies at Holly Springs by the rebel General Van Dorn,
who, by a skillful movement of his cavalry, succeeded in getting in the rear of the Union army
and compelling the surrender of the troops which had been left to guard the supplies. Thus forced
to retreat to avoid starvation, the regiment, together with the entire Union army, marched toward
Memphis, suffering greatly for want of sufficient rations. They finally reached Memphis and an
abundant supply of food on the 131h day of January, 1863.
Here the regiment and brigade
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embarked on steamers and started down the river January 20th, reached Duckport, La., on the
25th, moved thence to Milliken's Bend, where they landed and went into camp. Here they
remained but a short time, and then moved to Lake Providence and engaged in the work of
cutting the canal which was to connect the lake with the Mississippi river. That work was not
completed until March 16th, when the great campaign for the reduction of the rebel stronghold at
Vicksburg may be said to have begun.
During the entire campaign, which ended with the surrender of Vicksburg, July 4, 1863, the
Thirteenth Iowa with its brigade performed most arduous and important service. It was moved
from point to point, was part of the time engaged with the army of observation, in the rear of the
lines of Union troops engaged in the siege, watching the rebel force under General Johnston who
was constantly threatening an attack for the purpose of raising the siege, and part of the time with
the investing forces in the intrenchments, assisting in the prosecution of the siege, but
everywhere doing its full duty and sustaining its well won reputation for bravery and efficiency.
During this campaign Colonel Hall of the Eleventh Iowa was in command of the brigade,
Colonel Crocker having been promoted to Brigadier General and placed in command of a
division in another part of the army. Colonel Shane was in command of the Thirteenth Iowa
throughout the campaign.
During the remainder of the summer the regiment engaged in various expeditions, the longest
and most arduous of which was that under General Stevenson, against Monroe, La. While the
troops suffered the greatest hardships upon this expedition, marching through a swampy and
malarious region, the results accomplished were not commensurate with the suffering endured.
Upon returning from this expedition, Sept. 3, 1863, the regiment went into camp at Vicksburg
where it performed garrison duty for the next five months. The official records show that from
Nov. 30, 1863, to March 11, 1864 there were 404 men of the Thirteenth Iowa Infantry who Reenlisted
and were re-mustered into the service of the United States, for a period of three years or
during the war, from the date of the expiration of their original term of service, thus giving to the
regiment the title of a veteran organization. *
*See Adjutant General of Iowa Report for year 1865, Vol. 1, Pages 356 to 366 inclusive.
On Feb. 4, 1864, the regiment started on the famous Meridian expedition, which penetrated
into the heart of the State of Mississippi and resulted in the destruction of many miles of railroad
track, locomotives and rolling stock, besides great quantities of supplies which had been
accumulated at Meridian for the use of the rebel army. During the expedition there was much
fighting between the Union and rebel cavalry, but the infantry did not become engaged to any
considerable extent, and, aside from the hardships incident to a winter campaign without tents,
and living for the most part upon such food as could be procured from the country through which
they marched, the suffering and loss of the infantry was small, as compared with that of the
cavalry, which led the advance. The regiment returned to Vicksburg March 4th, and, on the 7th,
those who had re-enlisted received the welcome order to embark for their homes in Iowa, they
having been given a furlough for thirty days, to begin upon reaching the State. The nonveterans
—those who had not re-enlisted—were left at Vicksburg and subsequently rejoined the
veterans upon their return from furlough.
Upon the expiration of their thirty days in Iowa, the veteran portion of the regiment reassembled
at Davenport, the designated rendezvous, accompanied by a large number of recruits,
and proceeded to Cairo, Ill., thence to Clifton, Tenn., where they landed and took up the line of
march across the State of Tennessee and part of Alabama and on to the mountains of Georgia to
re-enforce Sherman. At Decatur, Ala., May 27, 1864, the
regiment, with the rest of the Crocker
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Brigade, was attached to the Fourth Division of the Seventeenth Army Corps. General Crocker,
who had commanded the division, was compelled on account of poor health to relinquish his
command, and was succeeded by Gen. W. Q. Gresham. The regiment now moved forward with
this command to Rome, Ga., arriving there June 5th, and thence by way of Kingston and
Allatoona to Ackworth, where on June 8th the Seventeenth Army Corps took its place in line
with the Army of the Tennessee, commanded by Gen. James B. McPherson, and became a part
of the great army commanded by Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman, consisting of the armies of the
Tennessee, the Ohio and the Cumberland. One of the greatest campaigns in the history of
warfare had now begun and, through it all, the Thirteenth Iowa was destined to bear a
conspicuous and honorable part.
From June 11th to July 20th, the regiment and brigade were in front of Kenesaw Mountain,
participated in the operations there and at Nickajack Creek, and on across the Chattahoochee
river to Sandtown, and then, passing to the extreme left of the line on the 20th of July, after a
heavy skirmish with the enemy, took position about three miles from Atlanta. In all these
movements the regiment had lost a number of men, killed and wounded, on the skirmish line, but
had not been engaged in close combat with the enemy. Now, however, it was again to participate
in a series of battles that would leave it decimated in numbers, and place it in the foremost rank
with the military organizations of the Union army engaged in that tremendous struggle for the
possession of the fortified city of Atlanta. In the first of these battles, the gallant Major Walker
was in command of the regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson being at that time on detached
duty, and Colonel Shane having succeeded Colonel Hall as brigade commander, that officer
having assumed temporary command of the division when General Gresham fell, severely
wounded. The conduct of the regiment in this battle is well described in the brief report which
follows:
HEADQUARTERS THIRTEENTH IOWA VETERAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, IN THE
FIELD BEFORE ATLANTA, GA., July 21, 1864. Lieut. O. D. Kinsman, A. A. A. General 3rd
Brigade 4th Division 17th Army Corps.
SIR,—I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Thirteenth
Iowa Volunteer Infantry in the engagement of July 21, 1864:
At 8 o'clock A. M., the regiment was in position in front of the brigade, with the Fifteenth
Iowa Infantry on its left, and supported by the Sixteenth Iowa Infantry; its front was protected by
temporary works thrown up on the night of the 20th.
About 8 o'clock A. M. I received orders from Col. John Shane, commanding brigade, to
advance at once on the double quick to the front, to assist Brigadier General Force, commanding
a brigade in the Third Division, Seventeenth Army Corps, who was fighting for the possession of
a high hill in his front and to the left of this regiment. The men seized their arms and sprang
promptly over the works, advancing in good order to the crest of a hill less than one hundred