The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-03-06
FoRT DoNELsoN, Tenn, Feb. II.

FoRT DoNELsoS, Tenn, Feb. II.
Mr.. Editor.
Sir: seat myself down to write a
few lines for your paper for the grati6-
cation Of the friends of the company re-
siding in Tama County.
The canonnading commenced Feb.
18th o'clock A. NJ. At 10 o'clock
our Brigade composed Of the Iowa End
7th, 18th and 14th, the Indiana 25th
and Sharp shooters; commanded by
Col. Lauman, Col. Of the 7th Iowa, made
charge on the breast works! We
marched up in line Of battle until we
came to the fallen timber which is sixty
rods wide; we then scattered, and took
the trees for it, for the rebels poured q
volley down on us thicker than hail
stones and played on us with their bat
terry the bomb shells bursting over our
heads and flying in all directions. AT
this point Of the fight Thomas Smelling
private Of our Company fell, musket
ball passing through his head & killing
him instantly; also Charles Ford Of our
Co. was wounded, but not bad, he is
now with the Co. There were three
killed in our regiment and several
wounded. We lay under their fire about
five hours; during this time the greater
portion Of the 25th Indiana advanced
within thirty rods Of the breast works |!
concealing themselves behind logs and
stumps, shooting at the rebels, even
when they stuck their heads over the
breast works. The l4th Iowa with the
the sharp shooters were popping away
at them the same time. We worked
away at them in this way until we
silenced their battery, with which they
were firing on us. The battery was
silenced by shooting their men when
they went to load; this saved us from,
being Gu, all to pieces by their shell. &
balls for they had their guns ranged
on us and were tiiin. very Irapidly
After this the Indiana 18th raised Il
stampede, and all re'rea,ea back down
the hill when the rebels shot them
down by the dozen. While they were
retreating the 14;h Iowa and Sharp
Shooters made them take their heads
down behind the breast works. They
shot about 20 Of their regiment while
they were retreating, after tlis the l4th
Iowa retreated man by man, aud did
not loose man III retrealing. We then
formed our regiment in line and retreat
cd back over the hill, broke ranks and
lay down on the ground for the night.
We had nothing but one blanket piece.
Zach man slept Oh his musket, SO that
he might be ready at moments warn.
ing. 1t rained on us in the fore part Of
the night, and topped off with snow
towards morning; we were nearly frozen.
We took a cracker and water for break
fast, dried our blankets and were ready
to fall in at moments warning. We
stood around our fires until nearly
evening, during which time the Sharp
Shooters were around the breast works,
behind trees shooting nearly every
secesh that stuck his head above the
breast works. We were then formed
in line Of battle, there beng a line form
ed all around the breast works. We
expected the secesh to break out, but
we stood in line until dark We then
put ont pickets, broke ranks and lay
down by our fires. It showed on us all
night and we nearly froze. The next
morning. being the 18th, the gun boats
commenced firing on them, eight in
number, but the Fort lay so high they
could not do much damage, SO they had
the river filled with trees. Their guns
disabled one Of our gun boats: the rest
played on them until about 4 o'clock
T. NJ, when our Generals, Grant and
Smith made charge or the breast
works on our side. The Iowa 2nd went
first, the Indiana 25th next, the Iowa
18th next, and the Iowa l4th next.
We gained the first breast work, and
the Iowa 2nd ran them back to their
first battery, when the order came to
retreat behind the breast work which
we did and formed behind them. had
to call Co. G and form them in the regi-
ment for our lst Lieutenant got struck
with spent ball and had to leave the
field and our 2nd Lieutenant being sick,
was left behind. They sent the shell
and grape shot around our heads. Two
horses fell within about two rods Of me
struck with shell. We ran one Of our