The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-07-09

the engagement, and borne from the
field. The Adjt. Thomas Free con
Quoted himself most Trustworthy, and
as he is citizen OF Tama county,
may speak freely Of him. Tic was in
the thickcst of the fight executing or
ders and cheering OF the men to duty.
1t is marvel how he passed tlrcagh
the battle Of that day untouched, but
so it is save few buNc.. holes in his
clothes. He is Il brave, spirited,
efficient, young officer Of whom lama
county may feel proud. The line officers
without exception done their dnty, and
10 this fact I attribute our success.
Tauntingly it has been said that negroes
want fight. Who say it, ana who bet
bastard and brute will dare to say
it. when the battle Of Millikens Bend
finds it's place among the heroic deeds
ofth;s war This battle has significance
1t demonstrates the fact that the freed
slaves will fight. The enemy were at
least 5000 strong, mostly Texan troops,
infantry, while we were but 400, and
yet for long hours we contested the
field, and finally drove the enemy in
such hot haste that he had left Us Of
his dead for us to bury. Could We have
had small cavalry force We might
have added mary prisoners 10 the sue
cesses Of the day, AS it was, we only
took few Our many dead and wound
ed shall tell how bravcly they fought,
how dearly they won the battle field of
Millkens Bend on the It'll Of June, '63.
Allow me to say that the Esd Iowa
hcnored itself and the State it represent
ted on this bloody field. Iowa has
never been dishonored on the field Of
battle. May her proud fame remain
untarnished. The 23d Iowa had leo
men in battle, lost Is killed, &c wound
ed, missing. Now comes the colored
regiments, they orc yet nnorganizcd
only companies having been mustered
in and may be considered raw material.
The 9th Ia. went into action with about
500 men, killed GO, wounded rs.
18th La. went into action with about
600, killed 40, wounded Us, missing
49,
1st Miss. went into action with $50.
killed 2, wounded q, missing 3.
believe there were few mer Of the
18th La. in the engagement mixed with
the other regiments.
Total engaged colorcd l,25o
s !" white lcO
killed l27
wounded PSI
| missing 137
whole no. engaged l!l0
total loss 55l
Here is total loss Of near 40 per cent
and loss in killed and wounded Of 30
per cent nearly, and yet the battle i
wor. Now let the friend and the
enemy Of the cnlored man figure mp the
per cent loss Of the great battles Of this
war, and decide each for himself.
whether Millikens Bend shall find a
place, among the records OF heroic
deccs and battle fields.
Our figures are our arguments that
colored men will fight and they need no
comment. We leave them as the battle
field gave them, mourntully brave.
The enemies loss as asccrtaincl from
| prisoners was not less than 200 killed
and 400 to 500 wounded. In the charge
when the struggle was terrific they had
the open field while our forces occupied
the breastworks. 1t in but reasonable
10 suppose therefore that their loss
would exceed ours Then again when
they retreated the gnnboat shellcd them
for mile and half and number
were killed and wounded by shell. |
think their loss will exceed 700, and
base my estimate on statements Of pri.
soners and others.
A prisoner said the rebel commander
expected to capture the post with case
and was severely chagrined at being
defeated. lie said it was the severost
fight lie had ever been in.
It is rumored that Kirby Smith com
mands the rebel force and that he said
he would take the Id niggcr camp
or wade in blood to his knees. 1t was
first reported that the rebels shot all
the prisoners taken, when they got to
Richmond 10 miles from here. We
have since learned that the proposition
was made and the La. troops were for
executing it, but that the Texan troops
drew up in line of battle and declared it
could not he done while thnv hnrn arn,a