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Roster and Record of Iowa Troops In the Rebellion, Vol. 2

By Guy E. Logan

HISTORICAL SKETCH

FOURTEENTH REGIMENT IOWA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY

The Fourteenth Regiment of Iowa Volunteer Infantry was organized and mustered into the

service of the United States under the proclamation of President Lincoln, dated Oct. 3, 1861. The

circumstances attending the organization of this regiment were somewhat peculiar. Three of the

ten companies which had been assigned to it by Governor Kirkwood—companies A, B and C—

were ordered to go into quarters at Iowa City, on dates ranging from the 1st to the 7th of

October, 1861, and were there mustered into the service by Capt. Alexander Chambers, of the

Regular Army, on dates ranging from the 23d to the 25th of October, 1861. The seven

companies—D to K inclusive—were ordered into quarters at Davenport, on dates ranging from

September 23 to October 30, 1861, and were there mustered into the service by Captain

Chambers, on dates ranging from the 2d to the 6th of November, 1861. It will thus be seen that,

when the last company was mustered into the service, the regiment had its full complement of

ten companies, three of which were in rendezvous at Iowa City and seven at Davenport.

By an order of the War Department, companies A, B and C were transferred to the Forty-first

Regiment of Iowa Infantry and were sent to Fort Randall, Dakota Territory. To fill the vacancy

thus occasioned, the organization of three new companies was authorized. In his report for the

year 1861, Adjutant General N. B. Baker gives the complete roster of the ten companies

originally assigned to the regiment. In his report for 1863 he gives the roster of the regiment with

the new companies, A and B, and in his 1864 report, the separate roster of the new company, C,

is given.* The regiment, therefore, left the State with but seven companies, aggregating 621 men,

rank and file. The new companies, A and B, did not join the regiment until the end of its first

year of service, while the new company, C, did not become a part of the regiment until in June,

1863, when, for the first time after taking the field, the regiment had its full complement of ten

companies. Its service, as an entire organization, therefore begins at the date last mentioned. In

the subjoined roster will be found the names of the original Field and Staff and Line Officers of

the regiment and, in the alphabetical list which follows, the subsequent changes on account of

death, promotion, or from whatever cause, will be found noted. The compiler has adhered to the

official records in compiling this historical sketch of the regiment. He has not attempted to go

into details except where they are given in quotations from official reports. Under the prescribed

limitations, only an outline history of the most important events which occurred during the

period covered by its service could be given. At the date of muster into the service, the seven

companies (D to K) together with the Field and Staff had an aggregate strength of 621, rank and

file. The companies transferred (A, B and C) had an aggregate strength of 267.

* Adjutant General's report, 1861 Pages 327 to 351, inclusive. Adjutant General's report, Vol. 1,

1863, Pages 507 to 536, inclusive. Adjutant General's report, 1864, Pages 194 to 197, Inclusive.

On the 28th and 29th of November, 1861, the seven companies of the regiment left

Davenport under command of Col. Wm. T. Shaw, under orders to report to the commanding

officer at St. Louis, to which point they were conveyed by steamboats, and, upon landing there,

marched to Benton Barracks, where troops were being concentrated for instruction and

preparation for an active and aggressive campaign. Colonel Shaw had served as a volunteer in

the war with Mexico, and, with this previous experience as a soldier, added to his natural genius

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for military affairs, was well fitted to command his regiment and to instruct his officers and men

in matters of drill and discipline. The regiment attained a high state of efficiency during this

period of instruction, but suffered much from sickness, which was the common experience of all

the troops in the early stages of their service.

February 5, 1862, the regiment marched to St. Louis and, embarking on steamer, proceeded

to Cairo and thence to Fort Henry, where it landed and went into camp. On the morning of

February 12th it took up the line of march for Fort Donelson. On the next day it was in position

in front of the enemy's works, and formed a part of the Fourth Brigade, commanded by Col. J. C.

Lauman of the Seventh Iowa Infantry. The regiment performed important service in the short

siege which followed and which resulted in the surrender of the fort. Its operations are described

in detail in the official report of Colonel Shaw, as follows:

HEADQUARTERS FOURTEENTH IOWA INFANTRY, FORT DONELSON, TENN., Feb. 19,

1862.

SIR,—On February 13th, my command, consisting of seven companies, was formed In line

of battle by your order, and ordered to advance with the Twenty-fifth Indiana, upon the works in

front, and take a battery of two guns. I advanced under a heavy fire of musketry, until I passed

the point of a ridge on my right. I then received a heavy fire of grape from guns to the right,

which, however, did but little damage, as the range was too high. Perceiving no guns in front,

and the line being much broken owing to unevenness of the ground, and the thick fallen timber, I

halted my command to place men in the best position to advance, it being impossible to advance

in line of battle; also to protect them as much as possible from the cross fire from my right. I

perceived at this time that the forces on my left, under your immediate command, had halted. I

waited to see by their movements, whether we were to advance on the guns or the rifle pits, the

latter being the direction pointed out to me by you when I was ordered to advance on the guns.

After waiting about an hour and seeing no movement on my left, except from two advanced

companies of skirmishers, who were retiring behind the main line, I withdrew my left wing,

which was most exposed, out of range of the enemy's guns, and remained there until night,

keeping a few of my best marksmen sufficiently advanced to keep the enemy from coming

outside their entrenchments to annoy my men by their marksmen.

About dark I received an order from you to fall back and take my old position for the night,

but, by a subsequent order from General Smith, I took a position one half mile nearer the enemy.

My loss during the day was light, being but two killed and fourteen wounded. On Friday, the

14th inst., we remained in front of the enemy without changing our position. Saturday the 15th, I

remained in the same position until afternoon, we being on the right of our brigade. Towards

night the attack on the enemy's works was made by a flank movement of the brigade,

commencing on the left. Arriving in front of the enemy's works, I deployed my left wing, and

marched them up the hill in line of battle. The right wing, owing to the nature of the ground,

moved up by the left flank, and formed inside the entrenchments. After remaining for some time

under a scattering fire of musketry, and rather sharp fire of grape and shell, I formed my men

behind the entrenchments on each side of two pieces of artillery, which had been placed in

position after our entrance into the entrenchments, where we remained until morning, when the

enemy surrendered. My men behaved themselves well during both engagements, holding their

fire till ordered, and then delivering it with regularity and precision. I have never seen men

behave themselves better, whether under fire or bearing with patience and fortitude the fatigue

and hardships necessarily incident to so long an engagement in such weather. My loss this day

was one killed and seven wounded. Where all behaved so well, it is difficult to mention

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individuals, without doing seeming injustice to others, but I may mention the valuable services

rendered by Sergt. Maj. S. H. Smith, who was shot dead by my side while encouraging the men

on to enter the breastworks of the enemy; also, First Lieut. Wm. W. Kirkwood, commanding

company K, rendered very valuable assistance In forming the line in front of the enemy's

breastworks. Capt. Warren C. Jones, of company I, also rendered valuable service in directing

the fire of my marksmen, especially in protecting the retiring of the skirmishers on the 13th inst.

WM. T. SHAW

Colonel Fourteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteers.

*Col. J. G. Lauman, Commanding Fourth Brigade, Second Division.

*War o the Rebellion Official Records, Series I, Vol. 7, Page 231.

As will be seen from the above report, the seven companies of the Fourteenth Iowa Infantry

conducted themselves with honor at Fort Donelson. Their loss was light, as compared with the

Second Iowa Infantry, which was assigned the post of honor in leading the assault upon the fort,

but they obeyed the orders given them, occupied the positions to which they were assigned and

in every way, acquitted themselves with credit.

The regiment remained at Fort Donelson until about the middle of March, 1862, when it

again embarked and, proceeding to Pittsburg Landing, on the Tennessee river, landed there, and

went into camp on the 18th. Here it became a part of the First Brigade of the Second Division.

The division was commanded by Brig. Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, and the brigade—consisting of

the Second, Seventh, Twelfth and Fourteenth regiments of Iowa Infantry—was under command

of its senior Colonel, James M. Tuttle, of the Second Iowa. On the morning of April 6, 1862, the

Second Division occupied the center of the line of battle of the Army of the Tennessee, and the

First Brigade was the last in line on the left, while the Fourteenth Iowa, being on the left of the

brigade, occupied the position to the extreme left of the division. Colonel Shaw's report of the

part taken by the seven companies of his regiment in the battle of Shiloh was made to Governor

Kirkwood, after he reached his home in Iowa. He was then on parole as a prisoner of war, and,

being precluded by the terms of his parole from making the official report to his brigade

commander, he submitted it direct to the Governor of Iowa. The report is dated Oct. 26, 1862.

On account of its length the compiler quotes only those portions which relate to the principal

movements of the regiment in the battle. After describing the first position of his regiment.

Colonel Shaw says:

+ Our line of battle was formed about half past 8 o'clock A. M., about 500 yards from the

enemy's artillery, which at once opened a severe fire upon us. In a short time the enemy's

infantry made their appearance, advancing in line of battle. I at once perceived that the line of

our brigade was not parallel with theirs, but inclined to it at an angle of about 45 degrees, the left

in advance, thus exposing my left flank to the enemy some distance in advance of General

Prentiss' line, upon which it should have rested, and about 200 yards from his extreme right.

After consulting with Colonel Woods of the Twelfth, who was next to me on the right, I threw

back my regiment and the left wing of the Twelfth, so as to bring our part of the line to the

advancing enemy and in line with General Prentiss' division. but still failing to connect with it by

an interval of about 200 yards. This also improved our position, which had previously been

directly upon a ridge, exposed to the enemy's artillery, and gave us that ridge as a partial shelter.

The enemy advanced steadily in two lines, about 200 yards apart. I ordered my men to lie down

and hold their fire until the enemy were within thirty paces. The effect of this was, that when the

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order to fire was given, and the Twelfth and Fourteenth opened directly in their faces, the

enemy's first line was completely destroyed. * * *

+War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 10, Page 152.

After describing the attack upon and driving back of the enemy's second line, and then being

compelled to fall back for want of support and to avoid being flanked by the enemy, Colonel

Shaw continues his description of the subsequent desperate assaults by the enemy, of the heroic

resistance of the troops composing his brigade and division, and the holding of the center until

after the Union troops upon both flanks had fallen back, and proceeds to show the desperate and

hopeless situation of his regiment, as follows:

General Prentiss having already surrendered with a part of his command, the Fourteenth was

left in advance of all that remained, but, completely enclosed, receiving the enemy's fire from

three directions. The regiment still kept its ranks unbroken and held its position facing the

enemy, but the men were almost completely exhausted with a whole day of brave and steady

fighting and many of them had spent their whole stock of ammunition. It was, therefore, useless

to think of prolonging a resistance which could only have wasted their lives to no purpose, and at

about a quarter to six P. M. surrendered them and myself prisoners of war. I have only to add that

I feel under the deepest obligation to both officers and men of my regiment for their admirable

conduct through the day. This was so complete and free from exception, that it would be

impossible to mention individuals without doing injustice to the rest. Their steadiness and

courage, the accuracy of their fire, and precision of all their movements entitle them to the

highest credit, and their general demeanor, both upon the battle field and in the trying scenes

through which we passed as prisoners of war, will always be remembered by me with pride and

gratification .

The total loss of the seven companies of the regiment engaged in the battle of Shiloh was

273, killed, wounded and captured.* It can be justly claimed for the regiment and its heroic

commander that no more efficient or important service was performed by Union troops upon that

historic battlefield. Prior to the battle the regiment had a considerable number of men sick in

hospital. Those who recovered, together with those who had been absent on furlough and

detached duty at the time of the battle, and those who had escaped capture, were subsequently

assigned to a temporary organization called the "Union Brigade," in which they served with

credit until the regiment was exchanged. The most important service rendered by this detachment

of the regiment was at the battle of Corinth, October 3 and 4, 1862, in which it acquitted itself

with honor, as shown by the official reports. The officers and men who had surrendered were

held as prisoners of war until late in the autumn of 1862. They were at first released on parole

and sent through the rebel lines to Richmond, Va., thence to Annapolis, Md., and from there they

were conveyed to Benton Barracks, at St. Louis, where they were regularly exchanged, Nov. 19,

1862. They had suffered greatly while in confinement, and it required several months for them to

recuperate sufficiently to again become fitted for active service in the field. In the meantime, the

detachment which had been serving in the Union Brigade rejoined the regiment, and here two

new companies—A and B—also reported for duty.

* War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Part 1, Vol. 10, Page 101, tabulated return of

casualties at Battle of Shiloh.

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On the 10th of April, 1863, the nine companies, under command of Colonel Shaw, again

embarked on steamer at St. Louis and proceeded to Cairo, Ill., where they landed and went into

camp. Here they remained, doing garrison duty and sending out detachments upon various small

expeditions to quell threatened insurrection on the southern border of Illinois, which they

successfully accomplished. At Cairo, the last company (C) necessary to complete the regimental

organization reported for duty, and the regiment—for the first time since taking the field—had

the full number of companies to which it was entitled. In the latter part of June the regiment

moved to Columbus, Ky., and for the next seven months was engaged in performing garrison

duty. This was the most monotonous period in its history. The time was utilized, however, by

Colonel Shaw and his officers in perfecting the regiment in drill and discipline. The new

companies and recruits were thus brought up to a high degree of efficiency, and were prepared to

follow the example of their comrades of the seven companies who had already become

thoroughly seasoned soldiers, having twice met the enemy in battle, and having gone through

that most trying experience that the Union soldiers were subjected to—long months of

confinement and suffering in southern prisons. The regiment was thus well prepared to enter

upon the duties of an active campaign.

On the 24th of January, 1864, Colonel Shaw received orders to embark his command and

proceed to Vicksburg. Upon its arrival there, the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade of

the Third Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps, with Colonel Shaw as senior officer in

command of the brigade. and Lieutenant Colonel Newbold in command of the regiment. On the

4th of February the Sixteenth Army Corps started from Vicksburg on that most remarkable

expedition which penetrated to the heart of the State of Mississippi, and inflicted great damage

upon the enemy, by the capture and destruction of supplies, railroad track and rolling stock.

Starting with but ten days' rations, the Union troops cut loose from their base of supplies and, for

the ensuing month, supplemented their scanty rations with such food as could be procured in the

country through which they marched. The Fourteenth Iowa sustained its full share of the

hardships of the expedition. The regiment was in light marching order. No tents were taken, and

the officers and men bivouacked in the open air, all faring alike. It was the inclement season of

midwinter and storms were frequent; the suffering from such exposure was, at times, intense.

On the 4th of March, the regiment returned to Vicksburg, having marched over 300 miles.

After a brief rest, the brigade and division embarked—March 10, 1864—at Vicksburg and, three

days later, Landed at Atchafalaya Bayou, ten miles below the mouth of Red River.* On the

evening of March 13th, the command started on the march towards Fort De Russey, thirty-five

miles distant. Seven miles of the distance were covered in the night, and the next morning, at 6

o'clock, the march was resumed, the Fourteenth Iowa and the other regiments of the brigade

commanded by Colonel Shaw being ordered to take the advance. A considerable force of the

enemy made a stand at Bayou de Glaize and delayed the advance for a couple of hours, but they

were forced to retire, the passage of the stream was successfully accomplished, and the brigade

pushed rapidly forward until, at about 4 P. M., it came within range of the guns of the fort. The

artillery was ordered forward, and at once opened a brisk fire which was promptly responded to

by the guns of the fort. An attack was determined on, and the brigade was put into line and

ordered forward. The assault was stubbornly and bravely resisted, but, two hours after the first

artillery shots were exchanged, the Union troops held possession of the fort, and its gallant

defenders had surrendered. It was a brilliant and remarkable military exploit. In his official report

Colonel Shaw makes special mention of the gallant conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Newbold and

the Fourteenth Iowa. He also mentions the commanding officers of each of the regiments, and

the batteries, and extends his thanks to their officers and men for the promptness and enthusiasm

with which they executed all orders, and the good order with which they came into action after

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so long and fatiguing a march. He also makes special mention of all his staff officers—including

Lieutenant Buell of the Fourteenth Iowa—for the prompt and excellent discharge of their duties,

and, near the close of his report, says: "I am proud to say that not a single instance came under

my observation of any officer or soldier attempting to shun danger or duty during the

engagement; and my opportunity was good for observing each regiment as it came under fire."

* War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, vol. 34 Page 343. "Itinerary of operations on

Red River Expedition, March 10th to May 20, 1864."

From Fort De Russey the brigade proceeded to Alexandria, arriving there on the 16th of

March, and remaining there until the 26th, when it marched to Cotile Landing on Red River,

where it embarked on transports and was conveyed to Grand Ecore, La. Landing there it

disembarked and marched to Pleasant Hill, La., where Colonel Shaw received orders to report to

Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks, who ordered him to at once march his brigade to the extreme front of the

army and relieve General McMillan's brigade, then actively engaged in skirmishing with the

enemy. The order was promptly obeyed and, upon relieving the brigade indicated, Colonel

Shaw's command at once became engaged on the skirmish line. This skirmish fighting was

maintained at intervals for about five hours before the enemy advanced to the attack in force—

about 4:30 P. M.—and, from that time until darkness put an end to the battle, the brigade held its

ground, retiring only when the order was given by the division commander—Gen. A. J. Smith—

just as darkness was closing in and the enemy had succeeded in passing both flanks and was

getting in the rear of the brigade. One of its regiments—the Thirty-second Iowa—failing to

receive the order to retire was surrounded, but fought its way through the enemy's lines and

rejoined the brigade after dark. Out of a total loss of 753, sustained by the five brigades which

composed the two divisions commanded by Brig. Gen. A. J. Smith at the battle of Pleasant Hill,

the brigade commanded by Colonel Shaw lost 484.*

*War of the Rebellion Official Records, Series 1, Vol. 34, Pages 313, 356, 358 and 360.

The gallant Lieut. Col. J. H. Newbold commanded the Fourteenth Iowa in this battle and,

when the contest was raging most fiercely, fell from his horse mortally wounded. Of him

Colonel Shaw says, "He was a brave, industrious and conscientious officer, whose loss to his

regiment is irreparable." Upon the fall of Lieutenant Colonel Newbold, Capt. Warren C. Jones

assumed command of the regiment and wrote the official report of its conduct in the battle. He

makes special mention of the fall of Lieutenant Colonel Newbold while gallantly performing his

duty; of Lieutenants Shanklin and Logan, who were killed, and Lieutenant McMillan, mortally

wounded; also of Lieutenant Hazlett who, at the time, was thought to be among the killed, and

was so reported, but who recovered and served until the close of the war. He described the

splendid manner in which the regiment fought throughout the engagement and concludes his