Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-08-23
Official Report OF Col. Merritt
of the First HOyya Regiment.

]. NJ, ScHoFIELD, Acting Adjutant General
DEAR SIR:-zl haze the honor to submit
the following report Of the part taken by thu
Iowa troops in the late hotly contested battle
of "Wilson's Creek"
| At o'clock, P NJ, Of the 9th inst, The
First Regiment of Iowa volunteers, unde,
command Of Lieut., Col. VIM II. Merritt, Col
j. F. Bates being sick, united with the forces
at Springfield, under command of Gen. Lyon
and commenced the march to Wilson's creek
twelve miles distant Arriving within three
miles of the enemy's camp and in close prox
unity of their pickets, the order was given tc
halt The troops lay on their arms until 3
o'clock, A. NJ, of the 10th inst, when they
advanced on the enemy's lines About :
o'clock, A. NJ, our advanced skirnishers en-
gagged the enemy's pickets and drove them in
The First Missouri and First Kansas Volun-
teers, and battalion of regular infantry under
command of Capt. Plumber, with Totten's
| battery, very soon engaged a considerable
| number of the rebel forces.
| Dubois's battery took q position short
| distance east of where the enemy were being
engaged, and the owa troops were drawn ur
in line of battle on Its left A brisk fire was
commenced and kept up for thirty minutes.
Lily CllCLly lCSpOhuCu pI Will d DdlIc-
ry in the ravine, but their shot passed from
ten to one hundred feet over our heads. De
tailed Company D, First Lieutenant Heller
commanding, and Company E, First Luten-
ant Abercrombie cqwnsandins, to act as Skin
mishers in advance of my line. Ordered to
advance over the hill, engage the enemy and
relieve First Regiment of Kansas volunteers.
In advancing to engage the enemy, met the
FIRST Kansas retreating in confusion. They
broke through our line On the right, separating
Companies A and from the balance of the
command. While in this confused state re-
ceived murderous fire from the enemy's in
fantry. Gave the command to fall back and
reform the line. The din of fire arms and
the loud talking of the retreating troops
drowned my voice, so that the command could
not be heard on the left. Led the two COM
panies, A and F over the HILL halted them and
ordered to about face and fire on squad of
the eneny's cavalry, sdyancing to charge on
section of Totten's battery. The fire was
executed with promptness and effect, and af-
ter receiving the discharge from the battery,
the enemy retired in double quick time, leav-
ing number of dead and wounded on the
field. Ordered companies A and T to hold
their positions until further orders, and then
returned to companies !, G. II, K, and B,
who had been left facing the enemy's line
found our troops advancing under a CALLING
fire from the enemy's infantry. After repuls-
ing the enemy they fell back in good order.
Ordered Major A. B. Porter to proceed to the
rear and take command of four companies
GA" "F," "D'' and "E' there stationed.
Held our position in front for five hours, al
ternately advancing and retiring as the ap-
proach and repulse Of the enemy made it
necessary to do so. In every charge the enc
my made, we repulsed them and drove them
into the ravine below. About 10 o'clock NJ,
the order was given to retire from the field,
which was done in good order AS we retir-
ed over the bill, we passed a section of Tot
to the right, supported on the right by COM
panies A. F, D and E, of the Iowa troops,
under command of Captain Lathrop. This
sustained our retreat with great
GOODNESS and determination, under most ter !