Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-04-26

f000OO0 CSOR ~
been ssoe hoos that the 10th Iowa
thess dosn their arms and fed 1t the
GRIT Rss Of the enemy in the battle Of
Sunday last The rumor caused . deep
feeling among the ofscsrs and men Of
orr regiment. Who the pe,6dious
wretch 10 Who fabricated this sentiment
it will bs difficult to determine, but he
is no doubt some foe to the good name
Of oar State. That ~ rstrsatsd, ~ 90
knowledge, but when the circumstances
are taken into consideration We think
you would have voted us fools If we had
remained. I'VE received our arms u
Camp Benton, and without drilling .
DAY, embarked Tor the seat Of wsr. We
arrived 1t Pitsburg Landing on the
evening Of the 5th, landed aud without
. morsel tor supper, slept on hillside,
without tents, and exposed to . violent
rain. We aross 10 the moroins, awak-
eosd BY the cannon Of Bcauresard, and
were formed 10 line without breakfast.
We received our cartridges, and were
ordered to prepare for the fight Every
man who was able fell into the line with
al.crity, aud oil seemed to b anxious
for the fight. At 10 o'clock Ne were
ordered to march 10 the right flank Of
our army, tho 18th Iowa marching with
% to the same place. On our way out
We met the fugitive remains Of other
regiments coming 10 BY hundreds, who
bad been driven of the fields BY the
rebels. We At length came in eight Of
our battle ground, and it certainly did
credit to our commanding general to
order any regiment upon it. It was .
level, grassy field, little over quartz,
Of mile .qusre, bounded on the est,
sooth and vest by . dense forest filled
with uoder. brush. o. the south side
was stationed = large body Of rebels,
with formidable battery, and 90 per-
fectly concealed, that not q man was
visible. We entered the meadow from
the east side, and had no sooner come
into full view than the rebel battery
opened upon rs, seconded by the con-
cealed musketeers of the enemy.
The cannon shot ploughed our ranks,
while the bullets moved down the men
in every direction. Not man paused,
however, but without returning . shot
our regiment marched steadily across
till we gained tie forest on The YES,
side Of the meadow, where we had q,
least chance aeainst our concealed fee.
We had no sooner formed line for %
advance through the woods upon the
rebels, than staff officer rode up and
said "Col. Chambers, we want your
men on this open space" We were
then marched out on the plain again,
exposed to the same murderous fire.
The regiment formed 10 two lines and
advanced to the very edge Of the timbe'
in which the enemy was concealed
Then the carnage began. All We could
do was to fire where we could discern
smoke, for not . rebel could We see
while We we're in full view. The mer
fell in every direction, but the regiment
kept mp the uneven fight for halt ar
hour, when the 18th Iowa gave way OF
our left. The rebels had also gained til,
woods on our right flank, where We tool
orr first position, and were fast gaming
our rear, at the same time pouring ,
destructive FIRE upon us from three sides
Our officers saw our perilous position
We must retreat in five minutes, or al
be taken prisoners. The order was giver
to retreat, and we did net do it moment
too soon, for scarcely had we passed
over the level space, than = regiment o
rebel cavalry came in view.
At the time the 18th Iowa gave way
We had our bayonets fixed for . charge
on the battery, but it would have been
madness to have done It at that time, a,
the rebels would have completely sur.
rounded US. Not q rifle was thrown
away 10 the retreat, a. the slanderer al
'eges, and as for running at the frst FIRE
many Of our men fired as high as thirty
rounds before the retreat was ordered
II we had had = battery with US the re-
suit might have been different, and in
deed, ut the very time We we're battling
tho masked battery, several powerful
batteries were lying idle at the landing
It seems strange also that We should b.
especially singled out, when more than
a dczen regiments fed in the course o.
the battle on Sunday. Our loss is a,
heavy rs that Of many other regiments
that fought for six hours. Colonel
Chambers vas wounded severely in the
arm, Capt. Palmer 10 the head, Capt
Ruhl was killed, also Lieut.. Doyle
Lieutenants Lucas aud Madden were
wounded, and also Capt. Sut,ler, while
out Of the Sc men who marched out il
our company CO.. two we're killed and
10 wounded. The other companic.
lost in about the same proportion. The
Adjutant's horse was shot from Jude,
him, and also the Majors. It IL indeed
hard to be q thoueand miles from hon
battling for the Union, and enduring al
most superhuman hardships and priva
tions, and then be branded % towards
The 10th Regiment will look to thu
press Of Iowa for . vindication Of il,
name, till it will have fairer field O.
battle to do 20 itself.
Yours truly, C.P.
Company G, 10th Iowa Regiment
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