# History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/2/30

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-Broeck 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, or 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 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 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 resumed the command of his regiment. On the 27th General McCook began his disastrous raid. 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 reënforced by Wheeler and a fierce battle ensued. Croxton’s Brigade, in which was the Eighth Iowa, at once made 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, recrossed 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 three 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 reënforce 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
COLONEL DAVID B. HENDERSON, Member of Congress Twenty Years
THE FORTY-FOURTH INFANTRY
consisting of eight hundred and sixty-seven men, assembled at Davenport on the 1st of June and was organized by the appointment of the following officers: Colonel Stephen H. Henderson, Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Egbert, Major Josiah Hopkins.
THE 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.
THE 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 reënforce 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:
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.