The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-04-26
How the Three Iowa Regiments Hap.
psned to be Captured.
correspondent of the Dubuque Times gives
the following explanation of the manner of the
capture Of the 9Th, 10Th and l4th at the battle
nf pittahnroh

the following explanation of the manner of the
capture of the 9Th, 18th and l4th at the battle
of Pittsburgh:
PITTSBURGH LANDING, April 10.
DEAR TMEs.-Though the news of our fight
at Pittsburgh Landing will reach you long ere
this does, will venture line. The whistling
Of bullets is not as unpleasant "a l had antici
pated. But for their effect, the music would be
celebrating. The rebels attacked US on last
Sunday morning, with Beauregard in command.
Tie army on both sides was immense ard the
carnage commensurate. The battle field was six
miles long, and the range of the MINES and
Dahlgreens will indicate the width.
On Sunday about o'clock p. m. one POI ton
of the line of our troops composed of several
Iowa Regiments with Ohio troops on one flank,
and Illinois troops on the ether, seemed to be
point OF special attack. The enemy charged
with both infantry and cavalry. In this hour of
peril when every man ought to do or die, the
Ohio and Illinois troops tell back, or rather
took to their heels, and fed, leaving the line
something in tue shape of a r. the middle Of
the letter being represented by the Eighth,
Twelfth, and Fourteenth Iowa. This conduct
on the part of the right and left TANKS, while
the Iowa boys stood their ground, gave the ad
vancipg enemy a chance to surround our boys
which they were not slow 10 improve; and
though they fought bravely, they could not cs-
cape. And they fought, till their officers saw
that to continue the struggle was to sacrifice all
the noble lives entrusted to their keeping, SO
what could they do but surrender?
Even then it was with difficulty that the
boys could be induced to cease fighting. many
of them preferring certain death to surrender.
But it was inevitable, and now those three
noble Iowa regiments above named, are pris-
oners.
,pe Z. ,bo -
ought TO have stood by the Iowa boys? Away
down at the steamboat landing, huddled together
like frightened sheep to the number Of thou
sands!! And there they staid, and even refused
to return at the command Of distinguished Off
GERS, until the General in command ordered our
own gun boats to commence Smelling them, if
they remained dsobedient!
Mr.. Editor, these are rather stubborn facts
more so because the organs Of military renown,
especially Of Illinois, have sought of late to claim
all bravery for their own men.
On Sunday night, reinforcements under Gen.
Buell. began to arrive, and continued to pour in
all day Monday. Beauregard found he had
more than Lis match; and, after hard and
very frutless cope with the Western portion of
the far famed Anaconda" he fed in ignomi-
NOUS disgrace on the evening of Monday. OR
forces at once set out in hot pursuit-And further
this deponent saith not
We have had hard battle, aud the name
Of the dead and wounded, on both sides, 10 le-
gion.
1t is to be presumed that while We we're en-
gagged, all was quiet on the Potomac" but
assure you zoe had something to deal with besides
soooden cannon.
Doubtless many viii write, fully and truly,
about this ish.; but took up my pen to tell
You how il that three Iowa regiments were
successfully circumvented by armed rebellion in
front, and cowardy perfdy in the rear; and
having accomplished my truthful. task, l add no
more.