Chapter XXX
Picture included in this chapter is of Colonel David B. Henderson,
The Sixth Iowa Cavalry
This regiment was recruited from the State at large in
the year 1862 and the early part of 1863. The Sioux Indians in the
northwest, taking advantage of the Civil War in progress had, in
1862, begun a war of extermination upon the settlers in western
Minnesota, in which many hundred men, women and children had been
massacred. The Government was organizing two armies on the frontier
to punish the Indians and protect the settlers. One of these armies
was to move up the east side of the Missouri River. The army at
Sioux City was under command of General John Cook.
The Sixth Cavalry was organized by the appointment of
the following officers: Colonel David S. Wilson of Dubuque;
Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel M. Pollock; Majors Thomas M. Shepherd, E.
P. Ten-Broek, A. E. House; Adjutant Rufus L. Miller. When starting
for Sioux City on the 16th of March, 1863, the regiment
numbered about 1,100 men. Soon after reaching Camp Cook, in Dakota
Territory, on the 26th of April, a report was brought to
the camp that a large band of Indians was threatening Fort Randall,
which was garrisoned by a small force under command of Major John
Pattee. One battalion of the Sixth Cavalry under Major Ten-Broek was
ordered to march at once to Fort Randall to reinforce the garrison.
On the 22d of May another battalion under Major Shepherd was ordered
to proceed to the fort accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Pollock,
who was directed to take command and drive all hostile Indians from
the vicinity. Upon the approach of the troops the Indians fled,
pursued by a detachment of cavalry. Near the end of the month the
battalion under Major Ten-Broek marched to Fort Pierre, about two
hundred miles up the river, where preparations were being made to
move the army on a campaign against the Indians. In the month of
June General Cook was relieved of command in the Department and his
place filled by General Alfred Sully, who made Fort Pierre his base
of operations. Preparations having been completed, the army began
its march northward on the 13h of August,1863. The command consisted
of the Sixth Iowa Cavalry, Second Nebraska Cavalry, the Seventh Iowa
Cavalry and the Prairie Battery of four guns, making in round
numbers 2,500 men aside from those necessary to care for the supply
train. The army moved rapidly up the east bank of the river about
one hundred miles to the mouth of the Little Cheyenne River and then
halted to await the arrival of a steamer with supplies. The sick and
the baggage were sent by steamer back to Fort Pierre.
Battle of White Stone
Hill
On the 21st the army resumed its march up the
river and on the 25th a scouting party sent out, saw the
first Indians bringing in a number of squaws and children. On the 3d
of September the army went into camp on the shores of a lake where
signs of Indians were discovered and scouts sent out to examine the
country in the vicinity. One battalion of the Sixth Iowa, three
hundred men under Major House, came upon an encampment of more than
four hundred lodges of warriors. Major House at once dispatched a
messenger to General Sully and endeavored to detain the Indians
without bringing on a battle. Upon the arrival of the messenger the
bugles were sounded and the men mounted, except four companies left
to guard the train. The command was formed in the following order:
the Second Nebraska on the right, the Sixth Iowa on the left, one
company of the Seventh, Sioux City Cavalry, and the battery in the
center. The command “Forward” was given and, starting at full
gallop, in less than an hour the Indian camp was reached. The
Indians had formed their line of battle so skillfully that they
could only be dislodged by a charge. Although this was the first
battle most of the men had ever seen there was no flinching; they
moved steadily forward and in less than half an hour the Indians
were in full retreat. They were armed with rifles, shot guns, bows
and arrows and fought for a time with great courage and desperation.
Most of the cavalry, by order of General Sully, dismounted and
fought with rifles until the Indians were dislodged when they
mounted their horses and joined in the pursuit. Night coming on most
of the Indians succeeded in making there escape. The following day
General Sully sent out strong parties in a vain effort to overtake
and capture the fleeing Indians but they had got beyond his reach.
The loss to our army was twenty killed and thirty-eight wounded. The
loss of the Indians was estimated at one hundred and fifty killed
and wounded, while thirty-two warriors were captured as well as a
great amount of provisions and many ponies. The Sixth Cavalry which
was in the thickest of the fight, lost twelve men killed (among whom
was Lieutenant T. J. Leavitt) and ten wounded. The bodies of our
dead were buried upon a knoll near a small lake at the foot of White
Stone Hill, from which the battle take its name. On the 11th
of September the army was back at Fort Pierre. In obedience to
orders General Sully selected a site and erected a log fort. The
buildings had accommodations for five companies of soldiers. Before
they were completed General Sully returned to Sioux City with most
of this troops leaving Lieutenant-Colonel Pollock in command with
five companies of his regiment to complete the fort. It was named
Fort Sully and was situated about three hundred miles northwest of
Sioux City. In the spring General Sully returned with a brigade to
prosecute another campaign against the Indians. His army now
consisted of eleven companies of the Sixth Iowa Cavalry under
Lieutenant-Colonel Pollock (Colonel Wilson having resigned); three
companies of the Seventh Iowa Cavalry; a battalion of Minnesota
Cavalry; two companies of Dakota Cavalry; a battery of four guns and
howitzers and a company of scouts under Captain Nathaniel Pope. The
whole command numbered about 1,800 men. On the 26th of
June the army began a march of two hundred miles up the river, where
a military post was erected and named Fort Rice. While here a
brigade which had marched from Minnesota joined the expedition. On
the 19th the army resumed its march northward, leaving a
detachment of infantry to finish the fort. Following a divide
between the Big Cannon Ball and Heart rivers the expedition moved on
toward the Yellowstone. The passage through the “Bad Lands” was
attended with great difficulties owing to the natural obstructions
which sheltered and concealed the movements of the Indians.
Dismounting his cavalry General Sully moved cautiously forward,
driving the Indians. Dismounting his cavalry General Sully moved
cautiously forward, driving the Indians from their lurking places,
often meeting with determined resistance. The Yellowstone was
reached on the 12th of August where two small steamers
were waiting with supplies for the army.
With the assistance of the steamers the army with its
trains was able to cross the river on the 13th and moved
on toward Fort Union, a trading post on the Missouri River, on the
border of the Crow Indian country. The expedition then proceeded
westward to Fort Berthold, where one company of the Sixth Iowa
Cavalry was left to garrison the post. The march was continued to
“Dog Buttes” on the Mouse River, in search of hostile Indians but
none were found and the army turned back reaching Fort Rice on the 9th
of September. Here the active campaign for the summer ended. Bands
of Indians were often seen in the vicinity for several weeks and
while pursuing a party one day. Sergeant Murray of the Sixth Iowa
was killed. The main army started on its return march toward Sioux
City on the last of September, leaving a battalion of the Sixth Iowa
at Fort Rice to garrison the post. The remainder of the regiment was
quartered at Fort Randall, Sioux City, Yankton, the Sioux and
Winnebago Agency and at Fort Berthold for the winter. The Indians
had been so thoroughly overawed by the march of the army through
their country that they made no trouble the next year. No further
hostilities being anticipated, orders were issued to disband the
Sixth Cavalry and it was accordingly mustered out at Sioux City on
the 17th of October, 1865.
The Seventh Iowa Cavalry
Efforts had long been made by Samuel W. Summers and H.
H. Heath to organize a regiment of cavalry to be known as the
Seventh. Finally on the 27th of April, 1863, two
companies were mustered in, on the 28th two, on the 29th
two more, on the 3d of June and the 13th of July one.
Three companies raised for the Forty-first Infantry and a company of
Sioux City Cavalry were, by order of the War Department, now
transferred to the Seventh. These latter companies had for some time
been in service on the frontier. The regiment was now complete and
the following officers were assigned to it: Colonel Samuel W.
Summers, Lieutenant-Colonel John Pattee, Majors H. H. Heath, G. W.
O’Brien and John S. Wood. The adjutant was Eugene S. Sheffield. Six
companies were sent to Omaha under Major Heath, and stationed in
different parts of the Territory. In September Colonel Summers moved
from Davenport with the remainder of the regiment and made Omaha his
headquarters. During the entire term of service the various
companies of the regiment were scattered over a wide extent of
country where they were employed in active duties, protecting the
frontier from hostile Indians. They garrisoned posts, escorted
trains, protected emigrants, guarded lines of travel and telegraph
and had frequent engagements with hostile bands of Indians.
Portions of the regiment were engaged in many battles
including White Stone Hill, Little Blue, Julesburg, Rush Creek, Mud
Springs, Horse Creek, in some of which losses were sustained. They
did good service over a wide range of country in Nebraska, Kansas,
Dakota and Colorado under Generals McKean, Mitchell, Curtis and
Heath. Their greatest loss was at Julesburg on the 7th of
January, 1865, where Captain O’Brien with Company F was escorting a
train. The Indians in large numbers made an attack upon the train
which was kept up during the entire day. Colonel Summers was with
the company and directed the fight. At one time he was besieged on a
ranch while Captain O’Brien brought up artillery and opened upon the
Indians, who were finally driven off with heavy loss. Colonel
Summers shot one of the chiefs with his revolver and fifty-five
warriors were killed during the fight. Captain O’Brien brought up
artillery and opened upon the Indians, who were finally driven off
with heavy loss. Colonel Summers shot one of the chiefs with his
revolver and fifty-five warriors were killed during the fight.
Captain William D. Fouts and twelve men were killed during the year
in other engagements. Colonel Summers was mustered out of the
service on the 31st of January, 1865. Health was, in the
following May, promoted to colonel and soon after was brevetted
Brigadier-General. He was placed in command of a sub-district with
headquarters at Fort Kearney and subdued the hostile Indians in that
region who had long harassed the settlers and emigrants. Major
O’Brien also became colonel of the regiment and was a brevet
Brigadier-General. The regiment was finally mustered out of service
at Leavenworth, Kansas, on the 17th of May, 1866.
The Eighth Iowa Cavalry
Early in the year 1863 Lieutenant Joseph Dorr of the
Twelfth Infantry received authority from the Secretary of War to
raise a regiment of cavalry in the State of Iowa. Enlistments were
at this time being made for the Seventh Cavalry but with the
energetic work of Colonel Dorr the Eighth was soon made up to the
number of 1,234 men from all parts of the State. It was mustered
into the service on the last day of September and went into camp at
Davenport. H. G. Barner was appointed lieutenant-colonel; J. J.
Brown, J. D. Thompson and A. J. Price, majors and J. H. Isett,
adjutant. On the 17th of October the regiment broke camp
for the seat of war, stopping at Louisville, Kentucky, remaining
there until November, then marched to Nashville, and from there to
Waverly which was headquarters during the winter. A long line of
communication was to be guarded and hostile bands suppressed over an
extensive region, all of which required constant vigilance on the
part of the commanding officers. During the winter nearly five
hundred Confederate prisoners were captured in small bands,
including Colonel Hawkins, a noted leader. In April, 1864, the
regiment was sent to Chattanooga to join the Cavalry Division of
General McCook in which Colonel Dorr was given command of the First
Brigade, after which Lieutenant-Colonel Barner took command of the
regiment. During the campaign now opening the regiment had frequent
skirmishes with the enemy in a daring charge. On the 24th
of May a detachment under Captain M. M. Walden routed a superior
force of the enemy in a daring charge. On the 22d of July Colonel
Dorr, with the remnant of his regiment, now reduced to about three
hundred and twenty men, was in the expedition. On the 29th
the command reached Lovejoy where the railroad was torn up and
obstructed, after which the retreat began. Soon after a fierce
attack was made on the Union army and a severe battle took place.
The Eighth Cavalry bore a conspicuous part, losing between twenty
and thirty men, killed or wounded. Among the killed were Lieutenants
James Horton and Joseph H. Cobb, both gallant young officers who
fell at the head of the column. Colonel Dorr and many others were
wounded. On the next day the Battle of Newman was fought with a
largely superior force of the enemy. As the head of our column
entered Newman it encountered Rhoddy’s dismounted cavalry, which was
soon after reinforced by Wheeler and a fierce battle ensued.
Croxton’s Brigade, in which was the Eight Iowa, at once mad a
gallant charge on the enemy’s lines, forcing them to give way but
the rest of the division failed to come up in time so that the
Confederates rallied and held their position. The fight was
continued for some time by the First Brigade alone, now commanded by
Dorr. This enabled most of the command to reach the main army in
safety while Colonel Dorr with his regiment was captured by the
enemy. They had made a most gallant fight against vastly superior
numbers and only surrendered when further resistance was hopeless.
Of the three hundred and sixteen officers and men who started on the
raid but twenty ever regained the Union lines. After some months’
imprisonment Colonel Dorr and a portion of his men were exchanged
and rejoined the army then resisting Hood’s invasion. The cavalry
fell back slowly before the enemy skirmishing continually and
harassing his advance. The Eighth took part in the Battle of
Nashville but was not heavily engaged, joining in the pursuit it
captured a number of prisoners. The winter was spent at Waterloo,
Alabama, where it remained until the Wilson raid.
In this expedition the Eighth Cavalry was in the First
Brigade commanded by General Croxton. After moving with the main
army to Elyton, on the 1st of March, it was detached and
moved toward Tuscaloosa for the purpose of drawing a portion of
Forrest’s force away from Wilson’s front. General Croxton captured
that city, destroyed the military school, iron works, factories and
other property, re-crossed the river, burned the bridge and moved
toward Columbus. Turning toward Taladega, he encountered General C.
B. Hill with a force of cavalry which he put to flight and moved on
to the city. Here he destroyed the public property and passed on to
Oxford, Carrollton and Newman, and on the 1st of May
joined the main body of the army at Macon. His command had marched
more than six hundred and fifty miles over a mountainous country,
crossed four large rivers, destroyed five extensive iron mills,
numerous factories and captured five hundred prisoners and many
small arms. The loss had been about one hundred and seventy men,
most of whom had been captured while foraging. No regiment did more
fighting than the Eighth Cavalry, which lost six men killed, seven
wounded and a few captured.
On the 28th of May Colonel Dorr, who had been
suffering for some time with rheumatism, was attacked by a
congestive chill and lived but a few hours. His sudden death was a
shock to his regiment, with which he was a great favorite. The sad
news was received with sorrow throughout the State.
Lieutenant-Colonel Barner was promoted to command of the
regiment, serving as colonel during the remainder of the term of
enlistment. On the 13th of August, 1865, the regiment was
mustered out of the services at Macon, Georgia.
The Ninth Iowa Cavalry
This was the last of the tree years’ regiments raised in
Iowa for service in the Civil War. The various companies making up
the regiment were recruited in the State at large. Its organization
was completed at Davenport on the last of November, 1863, by the
appointment of the following officers: M. M. Trumbull, colonel; John
P. Knight, lieutenant-colonel; Edgar T. Ensign, Willis Drummond and
William Haddock, majors; and John Wayne, adjutant. The regiment
consisted of about 1,200 men, many of whom had served in other
regiments. Field operations were in the State of Arkansas where
services were largely confined to scouting, guard and garrison
duties. Although this was one of the best regiments sent from Iowa,
its officers and men having largely seen active service in the
filed, it so happened that during the entire term of enlistment the
fortune of war did not offer the opportunity to participate in any
of the great battles. Its services were no less valuable to the
Union cause, however, than of those engaged on historic fields.
Detachments of the regiment often encountered small parties of the
enemy in heavy skirmishes, in which their skill and courage were
tested, proving that they were in no respect inferior to any troops
in the field. Colonel Trumbull was brevetted a Brigadier-General,
John Wayne and John J. Young were promoted to majors in the places
of Drummond and Haddock, who resigned. The regiment was mustered out
of service in February and March, 1866.
“The Hundred Days’ Men”
During the summer of 1864 when the armies of Grant and
Sherman were slowly penetrating the Southern Confederacy and
engaging its veteran armies in great battles the Governors of the
Northwestern States proposed to raise a number of regiments for a
short term of service, for the purpose of relieving experienced
troops then on guard and garrison duty in order that they might
reinforce our armies in the fighting line. The offer was accepted
and Governor Stone issued a proclamation calling on the people of
Iowa to furnish volunteers to serve one hundred days. In response to
this call four regiments and a battalion were enlisted. The first to
organize under the call was the
Forty-Fifth Infantry
consisting of nine hundred men who assembled at Keokuk and were
mustered into the service on the 25th of May. The field
officers were Colonel A. H. Bereman, Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel A.
Moore, Major James B. Hope.
Forty-sixth Infantry
numbering eight hundred and ninety-two men and officers assembled at
Davenport and was mustered into the service on the 10th
of June. David B. Henderson was appointed colonel, L. D. Durbin
lieutenant-colonel and George L. Torbett major.
Forty-seventh Infantry
was
enlisted in May and went into camp at Davenport where it was
mustered into the service on the 4th of June, numbering
eight hundred and eighty-four officers and men. James P. Sanford was
appointed colonel, John Williams lieutenant-colonel and George J.
North major.
One Battalion of the Forty-eighth was enlisted to the
number of three hundred and forty-six men. It went into camp at
Davenport and on the 13th of June was mustered into the
service, with O. H. P. Scott lieutenant-colonel and W. T. Hayes
adjutant.
The Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth regiments
performed good service in Tennessee, relieving troops which had been
engaged in guarding lines of communication and garrison duty, so
that these were sent to reinforce the armies engaged in the great
campaigns.
In acknowledging the valuable assistance to the Union
cause rendered by these hundred day regiments the President said in
an Executive order:
“It was their good fortune to render efficient
service in the brilliant operations in the Southwest and to
contribute to the victories of the National arms over the Rebels in
Georgia, under the command of Johnston and Hood. On all occasions
and in every service to which they were assigned, their duty as
patriotic volunteers was performed with alacrity and courage, for
which they are entitled to and are hereby tendered the National
thanks.”
The Forty-seventh was sent to Helena, Arkansas, where
many were stricken with disease and died in hospitals or soon after
reaching their homes. The battalion of the Forty-eighth was sent to
Rock Island to guard the Confederate prisoners stationed at that
place. These regiments lost ninety-four men during their short term
of services, nearly all of whom died from disease.
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