Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1862-04-24
PittSburg.

Each OF the eleven Iowa regiments
in the battle Of Pittsburg suffered
severely. The sth, 18th and 14th
were taken prisoners.
The Sth is commanded by Col. j.
l.. Geddes, and is composed of one
company each from the following
counties Clinton, Scott, Washington,
Benton, Marion, Keokuk, Iowa, Ma
haska, Monroe and Louisa.
The 18th regiment is commanded
by Col. J. j. Woods of Jackson Co.,
and consists of companies from the
counties of Hardin, Allamakee, Fay
cite, Linn, Blackhawk, Delaware, Win
nesheik, Dubuque and jackson.
The l4th. Col. VIM. I. Shaw, of An
amosa, is made up of two companies
from Johnson county, three from Hen
ry, and one from each of the counties
of Jones, Jasper and Des Moines, with
a company composed of recruits from
Jones, Des Moines and Cerro Gordo
counties.
The greater portion Of eight regi-
ments were captured by the enemy,
including Gen. Prentiss', they being
overpowcred and surrounded by the
superior numbers of the rebels. A
correspondent of the Chicago Journal
says:
The blame Of the manner in which
the affair was mismanaged, in permit
ting our army to be surprised, rests
upon Gen. Grant as the officer in chief
command, and upon Gen. Sherman,
who was in command of the advanced
division and failed to take proper pre-
cautions. If it had not been for the
gunboats i'm the river and Gen. Buell's
opportune arrival, our whole army
would have been destroyed or cap
tured.
Gen. Buell. behaved most admirably
when he assumed command of the
forces on Monday. He Immediately
formed three solid columns, and NOV
ed vigorously against the enemy, soon
forcing them to retreat.
4 correspondent of the Dubuque
Times explains how our boys were
taken prisoners at Pittsburg as fol-
lows:
The enemy charged with both infant
ry and cavalry. In this hour of peril,
when every man ought to do or die,
the Ohio and Illinois troops fell back,
or rather took to their heels and fed, |
leaving the line something in the shape |
of - the middle Of the letter being |
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 advancing enemy chance
to surround our boys which they were
not slow to improve; and though they
fought bravely, they could not escape.
They fought till their officers saw that
to continue the struggle was to sacri- |
flee all the noble lives entrusted to
their keeping, so what could they do
but surrender?
But it was inevitable, and now
those three noble regiments are pris-
onerS.
Even then it was with difficulty |
that the boys could be induced to cease
fighting, many of them preferring
certain death TO surrender.
Where, in the meantime, were the |
troops who ought to have stood by the |
Iowa boys? Away down at the
steamboat landing, huddled together
like frightened sheep to the number Of
And there they staid,
even refused 10 return at the command
of distinguished officers, until the
General in command ordered our own |
gunboats to commence Smelling them,
if they remained disobedicnt.
Mr.. Editor, these are stubborn facts,
more SO because the organs of military |
renown, especially of Illinois, have
sought of late to claim all the bravery |
for their own men.