Iowa History Project
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The Battle of Prairie Grove
General J. G. Blunt, in command of the Army of the Frontier,
had recently defeated a Confederate army under Marmaduke at Cane Hill in
Arkansas and was camped near the battle-field. In the meantime Marmaduke had
effected a junction with a large army under General Hindman and the combined
forces turned back, making a rapid march to overwhelm the Union army. Blunt
called upon Herron to come to his aid. Herron started on the morning of
December 3 with his two divisions, and moving by forced marches reached Elkhorn
on the evening of the 5th. From there he sent a large part of his
cavalry, including the First Iowa, to General Blunt’s assistance, while the
infantry made a night march over the mountains to within fifteen miles of the
battle-field. In the meantime General Hindman, with his large army, had taken a
position between the two Union armies to prevent their junction. The battle
began on the 5th, when General Blunt’s pickets were attacked by a
large force of the enemy’s cavalry, which was repulsed. The next morning,
largely reinforced, the enemy renewed the attack and drove the pickets several
miles. General Herron was hastening forward to reach Cane Hill and had sent two
more regiments of cavalry to join Blunt. These regiments, the Seventh Missouri
and Fifth Arkansas, soon encountered a greatly superior force under Marmaduke
and were driven back in confusion. Upon a further advance General Herron found
the main body of the Confederate army drawn up on a high ridge, covered with
timber and underbrush, beyond Illinois River. The approach must be made over an
open prairie of meadows and corn fields. General Herron formed his line of
battle with the Second Division on the right and the Third on the left. The
Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry and a section of a Missouri battery crossed the
river and opened fire on the enemy, but were soon compelled to retire before a
heavy fire of artillery concentrated on them by the Confederates. Opening a
road through the woods half a mile away to divert attention of the enemy and
draw their fire of eighteen pieces of artillery, threw his infantry across the
ford and deployed into line on the south side of the river. The artillery
opened on both sides of the river. The artillery opened on both sides with
increased energy and for an hour the steady roar of cannon continued. Many of
the enemy’s batteries were disabled and General Herron firmly holding his
ground determined to assault the confederate lines on the protected ridge,
trusting that General Blunt, hearing the roar of artillery, would hasten to his
aid. He realized the danger that confronted his little army facing a foe whose
numbers exceeded his own more than three to one. With a river in his rear, on
an open plain, he kept the enemy in check by the skillful handling of his
artillery which poured a constant storm of missiles into the Confederate lines.
At length a strong force was seen moving from the ridge to charge on our left.
Colonel Orm’s Brigade was sent to was sent to meet the assault, while the First
Brigade, under Colonel Bertram, charge directly upon the enemy’s right center.
The batteries supported by the Nineteenth and Twentieth Wisconsin advanced over
the open ground, hurling shell and
canister into the woods in front. Their ranks were thinned by a battery on the
hill and a continuous fire of musketry as they moved steadily on to the
assault. When within a hundred yards of the hill the artillery halted, and with
fixed bayonets the two regiments captured the guns and moved steadily on to the
assault. When within a hundred yards of the hill the artillery halted, and with
fixed bayonets the two regiments charged up the hill, drove the support from
the battery, captured the guns and moved on. Colonel McFarland, who was leading
the Nineteenth Iowa in this desperate charge, was pierced through the heart
while cheering his men to deeds of valor, his manly form being a conspicuous
mark for the storm of bullets poured into the ranks. Overwhelmed by superior
numbers the gallant brigade was finally driven back with heavy loss. The enemy
followed, charging en masse on our artillery which met them with a terrific
fire, but on they came with reckless daring to within one hundred yards of the
guns when they received a fire so terrible that they were hurled back,
shattered, broken and dismayed. The batteries that did such heroic service and
saved the day were those of Backof, Foust and Boeries. Another gallant charge
was now made by the Twenty0sixth Indiana and the Thirty-seventh Illinois, led
by Colonel Houston, which captured a battery, but was finally driven back with
heavy loss. While the little Union army was still holding its ground by
magnificent charges against vastly superior numbers, and was anxiously
listening and watching for the coming of General Blunt, at three o’clock came
the joyful sound in the distance of the roar of cannon on the extreme right as
his advance batteries hastily unlimbered and opened on the enemy.
Early
on the morning of the 7th General Blunt discovered that a large
portion of the Confederate army had disappeared from the field, and surmising
that it had gone to intercept Herron’s approach, he instantly put his army in
motion for the battle-field. Hurrying forward by forced march in a few hours he
heard the distant roar of cannon which told the story of Herron’s peril. On
double-quick his army made the last five miles in an hour, and with loud cheers
appeared on the enemy’s left. His artillery soon opened on the right to the
great relief of Herron’s sorely pressed regiments. The battle was now waged
with great fury all along the line. Colonel Dye of Iowa, commanding a brigade
of the Second Division, in which was the Twentieth Iowa, led by
Lieutenant-Colonel Leake, made a vigorous charge on the enemy’s lines.(1) Charges and counter-charges
were continued, while the destructive fire of artillery thinned the ranks on either
side until darkness put an end to the desperate conflict. Now despairing of
victory General Hindman, under cover of night, began his stealthy retreat.
Muffling the sound of his artillery and wagons by wrapping the tires with
blankets, he silently moved his defeated army in the direction of Van Buren,
and when morning dawned the main portion of his army was many miles from the
battle-field in rapid retreat. The Confederates’ loss in this bloody battle was
reported by General Blunt to be over, 2,000, while that of the Union army in
killed and wounded and missing was 1,143, more than nine hundred being in
General Herron’s command. When the greatly superior strength of the Confederate
army is considered, this victory must be regarded as one of the most remarkable
of the war.(2)
The
Nineteenth Iowa remained in the vicinity of the battle-field until the close of
the year. For several months the regiment was employed in southwestern
Missouri, marching to various places threatened by the enemy, guarding trains and
property. In May it was for a time at Salem, attached to the command of General
Thomas Ewing. Early in June it was sent to reinforce General Grant’s army
before Vicksburg. Here it remained, participating in the various duties
devolving upon the army of investment, until the surrender of that stronghold.
On the 4th of July the regiment was a part of the conquering army
that marched triumphantly into the captured city of Vicksburg. A week later it
was sent with General Herron on an expedition to Yazoo City, participating in
the hard marches of that midsummer campaign, returning to Vicksburg on the 21st
of July. The regiment was next sent with the army that moved by transports down
the river to Port Hudson, where it suffered greatly from sickness, of which many
died. In August the command continued down the river to Carrollton, near New
Orleans, and camped in a beautiful grove on dry and healthy ground, where for
three weeks the men regained spirits and vigor. Early in September General
Herron was sent with his command up the river to disperse parties of the enemy
who were attempting to blockade the Mississippi near the mouth of Red River.
The army first landed at Morganza and made a fortified camp, sending out
scouting parties in various directions. Constant skirmishes were taking place
between small forces of the two armies.
On
the 12th of September Lieutenant-Colonel Leake of the Twentieth, was
sent seven miles to Stirling Farm in command had frequent skirmishes with the
enemy. On the 29th a large force suddenly came upon his command,
making a fierce attack in front, flank and rear. This attack was met with a
sharp fire. But soon rallying in vastly superior numbers the enemy surrounded
the small Union force and opened a deadly fire at close quarters. Seeing no
hope of escape, to avoid the useless sacrifice of the lives of his brave
soldiers, Colonel Leake at last surrendered. Ten members of the Nineteenth were
killed and twenty-four wounded in the fight.(3) The prisoners were taken to
Texas, and it was nearly a year before they were exchanged. The remainder of
the regiment was now in command of Captain William Allen. About two-thirds of
the members had fortunately been absent owing to sickness, and the captured
numbered but two hundred thirty-one, two of whom were mortally wounded. The
enemy lost fifty killed and many wounded. The next service of the Nineteenth
was under General Banks in an expedition into Texas. At Brownsville it formed a
part of the garrison under command of Colonel Dye, where it remained until
July, 1864. Returning to New Orleans on the 7th of August one
hundred eighty of those captured at Stirling Farm, who had been exchanged,
joined the regiment. IT was a joyful meeting of comrades long separated. Many
had died during the imprisonment, and Captain William Adams died from its
effects soon after reaching New Orleans.
On the 14th of August the
regiment embarked for Pensacola, Florida, where it remained scouting in the
adjacent country until the 6th of December, when it was sent to Fort Gaines in
Alabama, and from there into Mississippi, where it had frequent skirmishes with
the enemy. In January, 1865, the Nineteenth was back at Fort Gaines, and took a
conspicuous part in the brilliant campaign of marches, siege and engagements
which resulted in the capture of Mobile. The regiment was in the assault on the
Spanish Fort where the Eighth Iowa covered itself with glory. In this battle
the Nineteenth lost four killed and seventeen wounded. The fall of Mobile was
substantially the last battle of the war and in July the Nineteenth Iowa was
there mustered out of service. Returning to Davenport it was disbanded the last
of the month, being then under command of Colonel John Bruce.
This was
one of the first regiments raised in Iowa under the call for 300,000 volunteers
issued in July, 1862, and was formed of ten companies raised in Scott and Linn,
each of these counties furnishing five companies. They were rendezvoused at
Clinton, where the organization of the regiment numbering nine hundred two men,
was completed on the 20th of August. Captain William McE. Dye, who
had served in the regular army, was commissioned colonel; J. B. Leake,
lieutenant-colonel; William G. Thompson, major; C. S. Lake, adjutant. Leake and
Thompson had been prominent members of the Legislature. A week after
organization the regiment went to Camp Herron at Davenport, where it remained a
few days before embarking for the seat of war. On the 8th of
September arriving at St. Louis it remained in Benton Barracks about a week,
when it was sent to Springfield under a command of Lieutenant-Colonel Leake,
Colonel Dye being in command of a brigade consisting of the Twentieth Iowa,
Thirty-seventh Illinois, First Iowa Cavalry and a section of the First Missouri
Light Artillery. This brigade was assigned to the division under command of
General Totten and for two months was kept moving through the rough country of
southwest Missouri and western Arkansas.
During
the months of October and November the Twentieth marched more than five hundred
miles over bad roads, encountering cold rains, mud and swollen streams, which
had to be forded. The baggage trains and artillery were often mired in the
water-soaked roads, while the soldiers in drenching rains, shivering in their
wet clothing, waited for them for hours unsheltered. The sufferings were so
great that hundreds were prostrated by sickness until the hospitals were
overflowing and deaths were frequent. At no time during the entire term of
service did the Twentieth regiment endure more wretched discomfort than during
these first tow months of hard marching unrelieved by any of the exhilaration
of a conflict with the enemy. To the common soldiers it seemed like a useless,
fruitless and even a cruel campaign as they could see no results. But General
Curtis, who commanded the department and was more competent to judge of its
effects, held a different opinion. Hard marches sometimes accomplished more
far-reaching results in a comprehensive campaign than a brilliant battle.
Toward the last of November the Second Division, in which was the Twentieth
regiment, was back in Camp Lyon near Springfield, where it remained about two
weeks. On the evening of December 3d a courier arrived from General Blunt
calling for reinforcements as he was about to be attacked by a largely superior
army. Early the next morning the Second Division was on the road and made the
march of one hundred ten miles in three days, reaching the field just in time
to take a glorious part in the Battle of Prairie Grove. An account of the
gallant service of the Twentieth Regiment has already been given in the
description of this battle found in the history of the Nineteenth Regiment. The
loss in that conflict was eight killed and thirty-nine wounded out of two
hundred seventy who were in the engagement. After the battle the regiment went
into camp on the field, remaining until near the last of December resting from
its arduous services of the past three months.
The
defeat of the Confederate army at Prairie Grove was most beneficial to the
Union cause in Missouri, saving that State from pillage, waste and the horrors
which an invading army inflict upon the loyal people along its line of march.
The army of the Confederates, numbering more than 20,000 at the time of the
battle, was now defeated, demoralized and dispersed over the southwest in small
bands. It was two years before another large army of Confederates could be
mustered in that region north of the Arkansas line.
The
Twentieth Regiment participated in General Blunt’s capture of Van Buren, where
General Hindman’s army was further dispersed and several steamers and a large
amount of army supplies destroyed. Upon the return of the Union army to Prairie
Grove, General Schofield assumed command and soon after began a series of hard
marches and counter-marches in pursuit of General Marmaduke’s army among the
passes of the Boston Mountains. Rain, snow and mud brought great discomfort to
the troops in this exhausting campaign. Late in April the Twentieth Regiment
was sent to St. Louis and there divided, performing various duties in and about
the city until the middle of May, when it was sent to Pilot Knob. In June the
Twentieth rejoined the command of General Herron. Captain Barney, in speaking
of the services of the regiment in Missouri says:
“We
had marched on foot since leaving Rolla on the 10th of September one
thousand one hundred and twenty-seven miles, most of the marches being made
during the winter season, exposed to rains and at times over roads almost
impassable on account of the mud. Much of the time we had been on half rations
and with inadequate supplies of clothing. The hardships endured on these
marches had thinned our ranks more than would as many hard fought battles. And
now, even after the lapse of time, and more stirring scenes of sieges and
battles in which we took part, our memories still retain vivid recollections of
the lonely wayside graves where we deposited the bodies of our comrades along
the route of those unparalleled marches. They fell not in battle, but by
disease contracted while in the performance of duties beyond their strength,
and under circumstances of peculiar hardship. We shall never cease to honor
their memories for the heroism which enabled many of them at times while even
suffering under disease to still continue in the discharge of their duties.”
The command was soon ordered to join Grant’s army, then
pushing the siege of Vicksburg from the rear, reaching its position on the left
on the 14th of June. Here it remained taking an active part in the
various duties required until the surrender of the Confederate army and the
strongly fortified city. On the morning of the 4th of July our
regiment marching at the head of the division entered the Confederates’ works
and was the first on the left to plant the Stars and Stripes on the battlements
of Vicksburg. Soon after the surrender General Herron’s Division was sent to reinforce
the army of the Gulf, then under the command of General N. P. Banks. The change
from the command of the great General who never lost a battle to that of one
who brought only disasters to armies he led, was most unwelcome to the
Twentieth, taking it from the stirring scene of brilliant victories to a region
of monotonous marches and weary garrison duty. At Post Hudson the regiment suffered
greatly from sickness and many brave soldiers died during the three weeks’
stay. Early in September the Twentieth was sent with the expedition to Morganza,
during which Lieutenant-Colonel Leake was sent out with a small command,
including part of the Nineteenth Iowa, to hold an untenable position. Attacked on
all sides by overwhelming numbers his small force made a heroic attempt to cut
its way out, but the odds were too great and after fifty men had fallen in the
struggle Colonel Leake was compelled to surrender. Colonel Dye being in command
of a brigade, that of the regiment now devolved upon Major Thompson. Early in
November the regiment was stationed on the island of Brazos Santiago in Texas,
and remained among the islands of this vicinity and on the mainland for a long
time, afterward doing garrison duty on Mustang Island seven months, making
trips along the bay and coast of the mainland in the spirit of adventure. A
detachment of the regiment under Captain Barney captured the “Lizzie Bacon,” a
blockade running vessel, and took her to Mustang Island in May. Major Thompson
resigned on the 18th of May, leaving Captain M. L. Thompson, of
Company C, in command of the regiment. On the 24th of June, 1864,
the regiment was relieved from there marched to Brownsville, where it remained
until the 29th of July. In August it was sent to Fort Gaines,
Alabama, and later participated in the siege and bombardment of Fort Morgan
without loss. Early in September it was carried by transport to New Orleans and
up the river to Morganza, the old camp near which its commander was captured by
the enemy nearly a year before. Her Lieutenant-Colonel Leake again joined his
regiment, having been exchanged after a long imprisonment in Texas. The
regiment was employed at various points along the river and in Arkansas until
the 8th of January, 1865, when it was moved to Pensacola, Florida.
IT was actively engaged in the Mobile campaign, doing excellent service in the
brilliant achievements of the Union army. The Twentieth took part in the
investment and assault of Blakely and was in the column that stormed and
captured the works in the face of a terrific fire of artillery and musketry on
the 9th of April. On the 14th the regiment was moved into
Mobile, where it remained until the 8th of July, 1865, when it was
mustered out. It was disbanded at Clinton, Iowa, on the 27th in the
presence of a large gathering of citizens, friends and relatives who welcomed
the return of the gallant and war-worn soldiers who had survived the ravages of
three years of hard service.
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Footnotes
2. The Nineteenth Regiment lost forty-five killed and one hundred and fifty-five wounded in this battle. Among the killed were Lieutenants L. M. Smith and Thomas Johnston.