The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-11-17
II IS = q = =
or TEE
THIRD IOWA CAVALRY.
Conclsded.)


About the 10th of June our regiment
received orders to proceed to Vicksburg,
and great was the rejoicing thereat.-
Having spent eleven months At Helena,
and in that time seen comrade after CON-
rade die of lingering disease, the effects of
the baleful climate of that God-forsaken
country, and others one by one discharg-
ed for physical disability from the
same cause, and large portion of the
balance in the hospitals, together with
the defamation Of their ranks by the cas-
ualties Of scouts; it is not at all surprising
that the prospective change was welcomed
as God send. 1t is with pride ! assert
that the regiment left at Helena and else.
where reputation for morality and dar-
ing second to no other-receiying the
highest need Of praise from the several
Generals under whose command it had
the honor to serve; and, what is regard
ed by the soldier as the highest compli-
mens he can receive, the acknowledge
ment by soldiers of the same arm that his
regiment stands A, No. /.
know it i'll becomes me, member Of
the regiment, to sound its praises; but it
has deserved and fairly earned all l have
said, and.more. As aregiment it has stood
on Its own Notwithstanding all that
has been required of it. without ostenta-
tiously heralding through the press, its
services, highly colored and exaggerated,
as has too often been the case in many
other commands. "Printers ink" is a
powerful lever, and many are the Briga
diers who have been lifted by it to the
positions they hold. know of numer-
GUS instances where paid correspondents
are kept for the sole purpose Of putting
into notoriety those, who, but for their
exertions would remain in obscurity. I
have no "axe to grind" Ny only de-
sire is TO place before your readers, many
of whom are the relatives and friends Of
the rank and Gle of the Sd Iowa. brief
sketch of the doings. in part, of a regi
ment raised entirely in their vicinity. and
in the welfare of which they naturally
have an interest. But We resume:
As soon after the order was received
to proceed to Vicksburg as transportation
could be obtained, the regiment proceed
ed to Snyder's Bluff, on the Yazoo, in
the rear of Vieksburg. On arriving
there and reporting to Gen. Washburn for
duty, all the cavalry in the 9th, / 5th and
10Th army corps were consolidated into
one command under Col Bussey, as chief
of cavalry forces. From the time of the
arrival of the regiment on the Yazoo till
the fall of Vicksburg, scouting. reconnoi-
tering and picketing was the constant
employment Of the cavalry, who were
continually in the saddle, watching the
lords and bridges of Big Black to gain
early intelligence of the advance of
Johnston, which was expected, was con-
fded to the cavalry, and so we'll were
those points watched that Johnston never
learned of the surrender for two DAYS af.
Ter It's occurrence, though he was but fif-
teen miles distant. On the third day we
were after him, but his retreat had com
menced the night before.
The expedition agans. Johnston cross
ed the Big Black on the 7th of July, and
then commenced the race for Jackson
lnimediately on crossing we took the ad-
vance and marched on Bolton, which
point was reached a. O'Clock D. m
breckenridge division had left at 10 a.
IN. of the same day. and We occupied bis
camp. On our march to Bolton shots
We're frequently exchanged between our
advance and the rebel pickets, termiua-
ting IN horse race for mile or two. In
the rebel camp at Bolton letters we're
picked up, freshly written, by which we
learned the rebels we're under marching
orders to cross Big Black on the 7th, with
eight days ratious, to relieve Pemberton.
The programme was changed on the
evening of the 9th, on hearing of the sur
render, and it was the Union army that |
crossed instead. Ii is somewhat out of |
place to cite these things in a communi-
cation having in view aspeci6c object,
and | mention them simply as items of
news, but allow me, in this connection,
to hazard the opinion that had the defence
OF Vicksburg continued two days longer,
Gen. Sherman would have aunihilated
Johnston's entire army, or so much of it
IS ventured to cross the Big Black. His
disposition of forces and defences we're
such that no other result could ensue-
not 1.-THE could have re-crossed again.
On the Sth the cavalry were ordered
on the road to Clinton-the Sd
Iowa in the advance. About two miles
out the advance encountered the enemy.
The rear guard of Gen. Whit6elds brig
ade'ef Jackson's cavalry division, which
was covering the retreat of Johnston, and
charged them iu fne style, driving them
three or four miles. When within three
miles of Clinton the enemy we're found
In force, strongly posted in the road and
behind fence. A company of the Sd
was sent to the right to flank them. while
the balance of the regiment, under Major
Scott, pressed forward. When the flank.
ing party-who we're under Col. Ham.
mond, Gen. Sherman's Chief Of Staff
opened IRE, the advance charged, driving
the ea.my from the field. (Several Of
he enemy's dead were found here the
next day.
One mile further on the enemy we're
again found in line, and again driven by