Iowa in the Civil War

Back

B. F. McIntyre's Diary

Camp near Cassvillc Mo

Wednesday 15th

A general cleaning up day and our boys are availing themselves of it. Our camp has been regularly laid out and the streets or vacancies between our long row of tents have been cleaned of weeds and rubbish & now presents a neat and city like appearance.

I have visited Cassville today. It is a small place with nothing of any particular interest about it. It is the county seat of Barry Co, contains a very few fine dwellings, a very fine mill and half dozen business houses & contained perhapse a hundred & fifty inhabitance and is situated some fifteen miles from the state line. At present the place is al-most entirely deserted of its male population. The raid of Gen Rains into Mo a few weeks ago compelled the Union men to flee the place while our advent compelled those of rebel proclivities to skedaddle, both parties leaving their families who seem to have enjoyed the protection that they could wish.

Gen Blunt is camped some 6 miles west of us. He has a number of indian soldiers with his command. There are 7 Batteries at this place.

 

Camp near Cassville Mo 
Thursday

Nothing worthy of note transpiring today. We expect to leave in a very few days.

At 8 oclock this evening a large fire in the direction of Cassville attracted our attention and occasioned considerable surmising until it surmisings seemed to grow into certainties that there was something in that vicinity-perhapse the enemy had made a sudden dash for the place and fired it.

Every soldier had by thunder written upon his face in characters not to be mistaken and before the order was given to fall in, nearly every one was armed and fully equipped for any emergency and in less time than I  can be relate it every man was in line awaiting the issue and prepared  for it. The alarm proved a false one however and if we accomplished nothing we at least proved to our commanders that they had no cowards in their service. This was the first call of the Long Roll & if it should sound again for a thousand times the 19th will never show the number ready for fight it has produced tonight nor can they display a greater promptness than they have done tonight. Lt Col McFarland arrived this evening & will take command of our regiment-10pm. Orders  just received to take up the line of march in the morning.

Camp 3 Miles SE of Cassville Mo
October 1862 Friday 17^th

A short march today has brought us to a fine camping ground bordering on Flat Creek. Various conjectures are indulged in relative to our future but it seems certain we are bound for some point in Arkansas.

Our position now seems to be 3^d Division 2^d Brigade of the army of the Frontier as composed I believe of the 19^th  Iowa, 20^th Wis. Infty, 7^th Mo Mounted Militia, 1^st Iowa Cavalry, and Battery "L" 1^st Mo light Artillery.

We leave again on tomorrow morning. Distance came today 4 miles.

Camp on Sugar Creek^s Benton Co Ark
Saturday 18^th

Left camp on Flat Creek at 7 oclock this morning. At 9 am passed through Keitsville a little town of no great importance but at present used princaply as a kind of headquarters for troops and the buildings used mostly for barracks or are deserted and all look as if they had passed through a regular seige if bullet holes, broken doors and windows are any criterion for a judgement.

There is however some half a dozen fine residences now occupied which seems to have escaped the general ruin around there. At this place I saw for the first time indian soldiers. There were several hundred here and are of all ages. I noticed many squaws and young children amoung them-They fell in with us as we passed through the place but with no regularity, each one walking where he chose. They belong to Blunts Division and are on their way to join him.

The telegraph which had kept company with us from Springfield here came to a terminus but workman are already at work putting up posts and stretching wire which will be extended to Elk horn which will be a kind of officers headquarters.

Not far from Keitsville I noticed many places where large trees had been felled across the road which made a perfect barricade as far as travel was concerned- Of course thease obstructions had been re-moved soon after they had been made.

At 3 pm We passed from Missouri to Arkansas, our first advent into a Confederate state. After a march of two miles our Missouri Militia shew unmistakeable signs of something being wrong of which we were made aware by their comeing to a halt and declareing they could go no farther as the nature of their enlistment was such as did not compell them to go out of their state. But their Col was a man for emergences for mounting a stump he appealed to them in the name of God and patriotism and the state of Missouri. His appeal to them was effectual and they promised they would not disgrace themselves or their state and they  would go wherever duty called them.

The ring leader was tried by a drumhead court-martial on the spot-being a sergeant they sentenced him to twelve months hard work on the forts at Springfield, to forfeit his pay and be reduced to the ranks.  While being delayed at this place by our Missouri bretheren Gen Herron received a dispatch to retrace our march some two miles and take a road leading to the West. This road lead us over one of the highest ranges of thePea Ridge and for several miles, in fact almost the entire distance to Sugar Creek, every foot of ground had been a most complete barracade of rock, heavy trees and brush. Thease obstructions had been put there by Gen McCullough previous to the battle of Pea Ridge to  intercept the approach of Gen Curtis but having selected another route Gen Price was compelled to pass over the route obstructed by his brother rebel and of course was forced to remove them which was a work of time and labor. This incident caused hard feelings between generals and angry words ensued and was settled only after the battle at Pea Ridge where McCullough fell. From this elevation we had a faint view of the battleground several miles distant. We arrived at this camp at 8 oclock this evening.

There seems but little doubt but the rebels are in large force not many miles distant.

Our picket had scarce been posted when they were driven in by the enemy which in return were driven back and a force of our Cavalry drove the a gang of rebels into Bentonsport some 8 miles distant. We sleep on our arms tonight expecting an attack at any moment.

We waited in vain. No Enemy came & we hailed with joy the beams of early morn.

March today 26 miles.

Camp on Sugar Creek Ark-Sunday 
19^thOctober 1862

Sunday -- is there a soldiers Sunday?-how I long for one today. I wish for its repose, its quiet, its rest-Until noon we have rested upon

our arms-Atone time there was an alarm and considerable bustle and confusion was indulged in with a zest by our entire force.

There seems but little doubt but there is a force of rebels at no great distance from us and judgeing from appearances I should think we were rather acting on the defences or at least awaiting an advance or retreat of our foe.

This afternoon we were allowed the privilege of pitching our tents on a slope of Pea Ridge and over which part of our troops passed during the memorable battle. Bullets and ball were found in great numbers, graves are quite numerous, and here in this lonely valley repose many weary ones. From care and trouble their carreer is ended, the battle and life is o^'er.

We rest on sacred soil, made so by a patriots blood-holy soil-for beneath it sleep martyrs who sacraficed their lives for their country's good.

0 God, pity their desolate households, show them pity and kindness while their loved ones so far away enrich the soil of an enemies land.

Next section