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Chapter XXVII
The Gray-Beard Regiment
Pictures included in this chapter are: General John M. Corse and
Lieutenant-Colonel. Jas. Redfield
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There
were in Iowa large numbers of men past the age for military service
who were anxious to serve the country during the War of Rebellion.
They succeeded in obtaining authority through our State officials to
organize a regiment of men over the age fixed by military
regulations, for the performance of garrison and post service, which
would relieve younger soldiers and thus add to the active army in
the field. No purer patriotism was ever exhibited than that which
prompted these men exempt by law, to thus serve their country in
this great extremity. In the month of August, 1862, Secretary
Stanton at the head of the War Department authorized the
organization of such a regiment. The companies were soon raised,
made up of men from forty-five to sixty-four years of age. It was
officially known as the Thirty-seventh regiment but was universally
called the “Gray-Beard Regiment.”
Iowa
alone of all the States in the Union raised a regiment of “gray
beards.” Every Congressional District in the State was represented
in the regiment. Stephen B. Shellady, who was sixty-one years of
age, and had been Speaker of the House of Representatives, was a
volunteer in its ranks. The field and staff officers were: George W.
Kincaid, colonel; George R. West, lieutenant-colonel; Lyman Allen,
major; David H. Goodno, adjutant; Prentice Ransom, quartermaster;
John W. Finley, surgeon, and James H. White, chaplain. They went
into camp at Muscatine but the regiment was not mustered into
service until the middle of December. Early in January, 1863, it was
sent to St. Louis, and as it marched through the streets General
Curtis pronounced it one of the finest looking regiments he had seen
in the service. The regiment remained in the city until the latter
part of May guarding military prisons, when it moved out on the
Pacific Railroad. In January, 1864, it was sent to Rock Island to
guard prisoners at that place. In June the regiment was sent south
to Memphis, Tennessee, where it was employed in guard and picket
duty. On the 5th of July a detail of fifty men from the
regiment, sent out to guard a supply train on the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad, was attacked by guerillas and Corporal Charles
Young and Samuel Coburn were killed and two others wounded. From
Memphis the regiment was sent to Indianapolis, Indiana, whence five
companies were moved to Cincinnati under Colonel Kincaid, three
under Lieutenant-Colonel West being stationed at Columbus, and the
other two at Gallipolis, Ohio, where they remained until the middle
of May, 1865, when the regiment was united at Cincinnati. On the 20th
the regiment was united at Cincinnati. On the 20th the
regiment started for Davenport, where it was mustered out of the
service on the 24th. During the two and a half years of
service the regiment had lost from death by disease one hundred
thirty-four members; two were killed in battle and three wounded.
The patriotic services were appreciated by the commander, as will be
seen by the following letter from General Willich, the last officer
under whom they served:
Head-Quarters,
Cincinnati, Ohio, May 13, 1865
Brigadier-General L.
Thomas, Adjutant-General U. S. Army
General:--I have the honor to submit the following for your
consideration: The Thirty-seventh Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry,
called the Gray-Beards, now on duty at this post, consists
exclusively of old men—none under forty-five years of age and many
over sixty. After the men of this regiment had devoted their sons
and grandsons, numbering 1,300 men, to the service of their country
their patriotism induced them to enlist themselves for garrison
duty, thus enabling the Government to send the young men to the
front. Officers and men would cheerfully remain in the service as
long as they are wanted, though they are very badly needed at home
to save the next harvest, most of them being farmers. I most
respectfully submit to you whether there is any necessity now to
hold these old men under such heavy sacrifices. They have received
the commendation of their former post commanders. At this post they
have very heavy duties, which to perform would even have been
difficult for an equal number of young men. The high patriotism
displayed by these men in devoting a few years of their old age to
their country’s service is unparalleled in history, and commands the
respect of every true republican.
I
therefore most respectfully recommend that the Thirty-seventh Iowa
Volunteers may be mustered out of the service immediately, with the
honors and acknowledgments of their services due to the noble spirit
with which they gave so glorious an example to the youths of their
country.
Very respectfully,
etc.
J. Willich,
Brigadier-General, Commanding
General
Willich’s request was granted and the regiment was mustered out. The
command was disbanded; the patriotic survivors returned to their
homes. Many members of this noble regiment had broken down under the
hardships of the field and camp and survived but a short time. Their
superb patriotism can never be forgotten in the annals of Iowa. To
the latest generation the story of the services and sacrifices of
the “Gray-Beards” in the War of the Rebellion will be an inspiration
to the young.
The Thirty-Eighth Iowa Infantry
This
regiment was raised in the old Third Congressional District; four
companies in Fayette County, two in Winneshiek, two in Bremer, and
the remainder in Chickasaw and Howard. They went into camp at
Dubuque in August, 1862, numbering eight hundred thirty-two men. The
regiment was not fully organized until early in November. The field
officers were Colonel David H. Hughes; Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph O.
Hodnutt; Major Charles Chadwick, and Adjutant H. W. Pettit. Having
remained in camp some time for drill the regiment was first sent to
St. Louis, where its equipment was received. On the 2d of January
the regiment was sent to New Madrid with orders to rebuild the
barracks and put the town in condition for defense. Her it remained
undisturbed until June. On the 7th of that month it
departed for Vicksburg, joining General Herron’s Division. On the 15th
the command took a position on the left of the investing army and
from that time until the surrender was engaged in the duties of the
siege. The position of the regiment was on the borders of a cypress
swamp, which proved to be a very unhealthy place, producing a great
among of sickness, resulting in many deaths. On the12th of July the
regiment embarked with General Herron’s forces on the Yazoo city
expedition was later sent to Port Hudson, where it was in camp about
three weeks during which time almost the entire regiment was
prostrated by sickness. At one time only eight officers and twenty
men were fit for duty. The encampment was for a long time merely a
hospital filled with the sick and dying. Among those who died were
Colonel Hughes, Captain Henry A. Tinkham and Lieutenant George H.
Stephens, all gallant officers whose untimely deaths were a great
loss to the regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Hodnutt being absent on
sick leave the command was assumed by Major Chadwick. The remnant of
the regiment was moved from Port Huron about the middle of August
and went into convalescent camp at Carrollton, Louisiana, remaining
about two months, regaining health and strength. When General Banks
began his Texas expedition the Thirty-eighth joined Herron’s command
and one the 23d of October embarked for Brazos Santiago. From there
the army marched to Brownsville and there remained on garrison duty
until the latter part of July when the town was evacuated by the
Union Army. The regiment returned by transport to New Orleans and
was from there sent to the army operating against Mobile. Here the
command remained, taking part in the siege, until some time after
the surrender of Fort Morgan. The regiment then returned to New
Orleans and Lieutenant-Colonel Hodnutt was ordered to
Donaldsonville, Louisiana. On the 12th of December, 1864,
General Canby issued an order for the consolidation of the
Thirty-fourth and Thirty-eighth Iowa regiments into the
Thirty-fourth Iowa Volunteers and the Thirty-eighth Iowa is a sad
and pathetic one, beyond that of any other that went from our State.
Before it had been in existence two years more than three hundred
members had died of disease in the unhealthy camps where it had been
stationed or on the march, and more than one hundred had been
discharge on account of illness. There were many long dreary weeks
when disease and death brooded over the camp and there were not
enough well to care for the sick and to bury the dead. Finally, with
decimated ranks the regiment itself yielded to a hard fate, passed
out of existence and sadly saw its survivors transferred to another.
The Thirty-eighth was made up of as brave men as ever marched from
Iowa, but fate decreed that it should achieve no heroic deeds on the
field of battle, where amid shot and shell noble sacrifices are made
and undying glory won; but in dreary camps devoted men were stricken
with disease which carried them to a soldier’s lonely grave.
While
other more fortunate regiments have emblazoned upon their banners
the names of historic fields where fame was won in fierce, deadly
strife, the martyr regiment, deprived of these emblems, will not be
forgotten by a grateful posterity.
The Thirty-ninth Iowa Infantry
This
regiment was made up of two companies each from the counties of
Madison, Polk and Dallas, with one each from the counties of Clarke,
Greene, Des Moines and Decatur, although other counties were
represented in most of the companies. Nine of the companies went
into camp near Des Moines in September, 1862, and began drill, but
the regiment was not organized until November. H. J. B. Cummings was
commissioned colonel; James Redfield, lieutenant-colonel; Joseph M.
Griffiths, major and George C. Tichenor, adjutant. On the 13th
of December the regiment started for the south, stopping for a few
days at Cairo, Columbus and at Jackson, Tennessee, marching from
there to Trenton. Here two brigades were organized to move against
General Forrest. Colonel C. L. Dunham of the Fiftieth Indiana
commanded the Union army holding its position with great bravery
until General Sullivan came up with heavy reinforcements, when the
Confederates were routed the Thirty-ninth was under heavy fire for
several hours and fought bravely. Misapprehending an order at one
stage of the battle, the regiment was four killed, thirty-three
wounded and eleven missing. Among the wounded were
Lieutenant-Colonel Redfield, Major Griffiths, Captain Brown and
Lieutenant Rawles. On the 29th about one hundred men of
the regiment, worn out on the march in attempting to return to
Trenton, were captured at Shady Grove and suffered an imprisonment
of nearly ten months. In January, 1863, the regiment moved to
Corinth and was there assigned to the Third Brigade in the division
commanded by General G. M. Dodge of Iowa. Headquarters were in
Corinth for nearly a year, with an occasional march into the
adjacent country. The regiment was with Colonel Streight in his raid
into Alabama, returning to Corinth. Company H in April being sent a
few miles from Corinth to guard a corral, was surrounded by several
hundred of the enemy’s cavalry, the captain and most of his men
captured. During the remainder of the year the regiment was employed
in Tennessee guarding lines of railroad and similar duties. In the
spring of 1864, the Thirty-ninth joined Sherman’s army at Gordon’s
Mills, and from this time until it reached Kingston our regiment
marched and fought on the right wing. It led the army in the
flanking movement by Calhoun, which caused the evacuation of Resaca
by the Confederates. Here it was engaged with superior numbers and
was extricated form a position of great peril by the arrival of
reinforcements. The regiment remained at Rome doing garrison duty
until October when, joining the forces under General John M. Corse,
it participated in the
Brilliant Defense of Allatoona
General Hood in command
of the Confederate army was now moving northward and sent a force of
cavalry to cut Sherman’s communication near Marietta, while with the
main army he crossed the Chattahoochee and marched on Dallas. A
large force of the enemy, after destroying the railroad at Big
Shanty, moved against Allatoona Pass, where there were immense
stores of rations for Sherman’s army guarded by the Ninety-third
Illinois under Lieutenant-Colonel Tourtelotte. General John M Corse
was at Rome with his division. General Sherman signaled him to
re-enforce Allatoona Pass and hold it at all hazards. Early on the
morning of October 5th Corse was there with 2,000 men,
including the Thirty-ninth Iowa under Lieutenant-Colonel Redfield.
Soon after daylight General French had the works completely invested
and sent Corse a summons to surrender, which was promptly declined.
An assault was then ordered and the Confederate army rushed upon the
outer works with the utmost fury. A deadly fire was opened upon them
by the garrison making great gaps in their lines which were promptly
filled, and one of the most deadly combats of the war ensued. The
enemy charge by regiments and brigades and the struggle over the
rifle pits and outer works was of the most desperate character.
After three hours of hard fighting Sherman became anxious as to the
result and signaled from mountain top to mountain top “Hold the
fort, I will help you.” Corse signaled back his grim reply and the
battle increased in fury. Having failed to break our lines by
repeated charges of brigades the Confederates now came on in mass.
Wrought up to the highest pitch of desperation on both sides the
combat became of the most deadly nature. Men bayoneted each other
over the rifle pits and officers thrust their swords into the bodies
of their foes. Corse received a severe wound in his face and became
insensible, when Colonel Rowell of the Seventh Illinois assumed
command and directed the battle with skill and courage until he,
too, fell severely wounded. Corse having revived, now resumed
command and the garrison was driven into two forts. At two o’clock
the crisis of the hard-fought battle came. The garrison was weakened
by long hours of the most desperate fighting and the loss of many
brave men, but there was no thought of surrender. The Confederates
now formed in compact masses for another assault. Our gunners
double-shotted their field pieces and waited until the enemy was
within a few paces, then opened upon the crowded ranks with grape
and canister. Nothing could stand against the deadly missiles;
staggered and confused they halted, then broke and finally turned
and fled. The great victory was won but at a fearful cost. More than
seven hundred of the brave defenders fell in the heroic struggle.
No
regiment at Allatoona Pass fought with greater gallantry than the
Thirty-ninth Iowa. In the early part of the battle it was posted
some three hundred yards from the principal forts which had been
constructed for the defense of the place. Here the enemy made the
most determined attacks which were several times repulsed. At length
the regiment fell slowly back to cover of the forts, where it fought
with courage and obstinacy never surpassed. The losses in killed,
wounded and captured were one hundred and sixty-five and among the
slain was the heroic commander, Lieutenant-Colonel James Redfield.
He was first wounded in the foot but retained his command; a second
shot shattered his leg but he still refused to leave his post, and
directed the fight encouraging his men by example and words to hold
their ground. A third ball pierced his heart and Iowa lost one of
its noblest and bravest officers. Lieutenants O. C. Ayers, A. T.
Blodgett, N. P. Wright and J. P Jones were also killed and O. D>
Russell was severely wounded. The Thirty-ninth was in the division
with Corse in Sherman’s march to Savannah and participated in that
wonderful campaign to the end.
It was in
the grand review at Washington at the close of the war and was
mustered out of the service in that city on the 5th of
June, 1865.
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