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source: Matter of the controversy between the Shiloh National Military Park Commission and the Iowa Shiloh Comm. relating to inscriptions upon the regimental monuments of the 15th & 16th Iowa Volunteer Infantry.  Albert cummins, 1903.

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McClernand's (1st) division. It was here engaged at 10:30 a. m., here suffered its loss and, under orders retired.

Late in the afternoon, under Lieutenant colonel Sanders is supported Schwartz's batter near the Landing.

On Monday the regiment was on the reserve line.

Present for duty 785

Its loss was: Two officers and 15 men killed; 11 officers and 91 men wounded; 13 men missing; total 132.

And this Commission further respectfully asks the Governor of the State of Iowa to investigate the facts involved in the reports of F. C. Ainsworth, Chief of the Record and Pension Bureau, heretofore referred to and if upon investigation he believes, as this Commission believes, that said reports are not just to said regiments that he present the matter to the Secretary of War and take such other and further steps and action as in his judgment may seem best to the end that the 15th and 16th Iowa regiments shall have inscriptions placed upon the monuments to these regiments which shall be in harmony with their official reports.

Certified as correct

John Hayes, Secretary.

In accordance with the habit of the profession accustomed to trials of fact, I beg to state the point at issue. The 15th Regiment Iowa volunteer Infantry, fresh from enlistment, arrived at Pittsburg Landing early Sunday morning, April 6, 1862. The 16th Iowa Regiment volunteer Infantry, also a new regiment, arrived at Pittsburg Landing sometime during the night of April 4, 1862, disembarking, in part, on April 5th. Some time during the morning of April 6th (the first day of the Battle of Shiloh) both these regiments were formed on the river bluff and were under orders from General Grant, assigning them to Prentiss' division. They were both at the Landing, the 15th under the command of colonel Hugh T. Reid, and the 16th under the command of Colonel Alexander Chambers, when the battle of Shiloh began. While in this position they both received for the first time ammunition, and loaded their guns. Before leaving the bluff they were ordered by General Grant to march to General McClernand's right, and an

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aide was detailed to guide them to the place. They were not brigaded, and are therefore not mentioned in the general reports of the battle. Under the order to which I have referred, they marched toward the front, and while crossing an open field, now known as the Jones field, about one and one-half miles from the river, they were fired upon by both artillery and musketry. They go into line of battle as quickly as possible in the field, or in the adjacent timber, and there fought for about two hours. In this engagement the 15th Iowa lost, according to the regimental records, as certified by the Adjutant General of the State of Iowa, either killed, wounded or captured, 196 men, and according to the records accepted by General Ainsworth 185 men. The 16th Iowa lost, either killed, wounded or captured, according to their regimental records, 132 men, and according to General Ainsworth, 131 men. Their dead were buried in this field, and although they have been reinterred in the cemetery, the traces of the trenches are still to be observed. Concerning so much of the history of the 15th and 16th Iowa upon the first day of the Battle of Shiloh, there is no dispute. There have been various differences of opinion upon unimportant details which can easily be composed, and with respect to which I shall have little to say. The controverted point is this: The survivors of these regiments claim, and in this they are supported by the Iowa Commission, that their fight in and around the Jones field occurred in the forenoon--from about ten until about twelve o'clock. The Shiloh National Military Park Commission claims, and General Ainsworth has so found, that their fight occurred in the afternoon. The survivors of the regiments want the time of the engagement inscribed upon the monuments. The inscription which you have approved is silent with reference to the time.

(submitted without page 7)

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Colonel Hugh T. Reid, of the 15th, reported shortly after the battle to the Assistant Adjutant General, 1st Division, Army of the Tennessee, commanded by General McClernand. His report is found in volume 10, Series I, Part I, War of the Rebellion Official Records of the Union and confederate Armies, pages 288-290. He says that the regiment arrived at Pittsburg Landing on Sunday morning with orders from General Grant's Headquarters to report to General Prentiss. That he did so report in person, and found a heavy fire of artillery and musketry had already commenced along his lines. He returned to the river to bring up his command. The regiment was disembarked, ammunition distributed, and the men for the first time loaded their guns. That the regiment formed in line of battle on the heights in rear of the landing preparatory to advance. At this time an order was received from a member of General Grant's staff directing him to hold the position so formed, to check any stragglers returning from the battlefield. That Colonel Chambers of the 16th Iowa formed his regiment on the right of Bouton's battery. That in this position the regiment remained for about an hour when an order was received from the engineer of General McClernand's staff, by order of General Grant, for the 15th and 16th Iowa to advance some two miles to the support of General McClernand's division. That the advance was made, the 15th leading, supported by the 16th. I now quote from the report:

"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 16th. The

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15th, 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 form the enemy's artillery and an incessant fire from the musketry. Our flag staff was shot through and our colors riddled with bullets. For town 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 a 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 16th, 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 regiment rallied, and fought with other divisions later in the day and on Monday."

Colonel Alex. Chambers, commanding the 16th Iowa, reported on April 24, 1862, to the Assistant Adjutant General of General McClernand's division. Army of West Tennessee, which report is found in the same volume to which I have referred, pages 286-287. From this report I quote the following:

"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 15th 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 15th 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 battlefield, we met more men returning, of all arms, than belonged to the 15th and 16th regiments, but I must say, for the credit of the State of Iowa, not one of her quota did I meet.

(pages 10 - 12 not submitted)

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(MELVILLE C. DAVIS.)

I, Melville C. Davis, first being duly sworn, depose and say, my age is 58 years and my residence and post office address is No. 16 Third Street, S. E. Washington, D. C.

Having been requested to state my recollection of the time the 15th Iowa Infantry became engaged at the battle of Shiloh, I will state briefly:

On the morning of April 6, 1862, we left the landing between 8 and 9 o'clock, and about 10 o'clock, surely not later than 10:30, while moving in columns of fours across an abandoned field, we were unexpectedly fired upon. Some officer who was unknown to me was guiding us to the front, we were not in line of battle, but by columns of fours, band in front, and there was heavy firing to our right front and to our left front, showing beyond question that we were surprised by a body of the enemy that had evidently passed through a gap in the line of our army.

At that time I was a drummer (Co. E) with the band in front. We were playing "The girl I left Behind Me." My memory is good and all of our movements that morning from the time we marched off the boat until we entered the fight are clear and distinct in my mind. We became engaged between 9:45 and 10:30 a. m., and held the position we at once doubled-quicked to, at the end of "Jones field," for at least two hours.

I remained constantly with the regiment until July, '64, and know there was never any question raised about the time we held the field at Shiloh, but it was spoken of as from 10 to 12 o'clock, and that is my recollection now.

MELVILLE C. DAVIS.

(Verified.)

(C. E. LANSTRUM.)

Whereas, a controversy has arisen between the national Shiloh Commission and 15th and 16th Regiments, Iowa Infantry, as to what time the said regiments engaged the enemy on April 6th, 1862, the first day of the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., I therefore make the following statement under oath:

I was 2d Lieut. of Co. B, 15th Iowa Infantry, and present with my company. I know that our regiment marched to the front about 9 o'clock a. m., and about 10 o'clock a. m. we were fired upon by the enemy and we remained in action for near two hours and a half. Private Conrad Wentzle of my company was killed during that time, 1st Sergeant Henry Moreland was wounded in head. Private Henry Edmundson was wounded and Private Martin V. B. Barnes. All this occurred between the hours of 10 o'clock a. m., and 12 o'clock m.

C. E. LANSTRUM.

Lieut. and Capt. Co. B, 15th Iowa Infantry.

(Verified.)

(remaining pages not submitted)

Civil War Links

• Shiloh National Military Park, National Park Service

• The Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing)

• Battle of Shiloh, From Wikipedia

• map of Shiloh area