The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-06-01
The Post Of Honor.
SECOND IOWA yoLyNrEERs.

ura a The Post Of Honor. -.
SECOND IOWA VOLUNTEERS. -HT'
The capture of Fort Donelson, on the
Cumberland river, was the second granG
triumph of the campaign which opened 9
few weeks before, and terminated in the
victory ut Shiloa, and the occupation of al
those portions of Kentucy and Tennessee
lying west of the Tennessee river. .aa
At Fort Donelson the troops sfoughtagains,
n number of obstacles from which many
would have hopelessly withdrawn. 1t was
carly in the season. The heavy rains pc.
culiar to that region, had inundated large
sections of the country necessary to be op-
Grated over; the roads were knee deep with
mud, and the bridges were carried away
All this added greatly to the edefensible con-
dition of Donelson, and largely Increased
the difficulties Of its capture. During the
several days required i'm the dispositions
the investment and capitulation, all the
troops, though their first campaign, strug.
gled with a tenacity worthy of veterans
and soonforgot their hardshipsin nthe shouts
Of victory. s 0ojH-
On the 18th of February, 1862, the Second
Iowa Infantry disembarked three miles
below Fort Donelson, from steamer which
had transported them up the Cumberland
river. The regiment, Colonel J. NJ. Tuttle
commanding, Immediately formed and
marched upon the field, arriving at eleven
o.
1t was assigned by General Grant to the
Second Division, acting Major General C.
i. Smith commanding, by whom the regi-
ment WAS assigned to the Fourth Brigade.
Col. j. q. Lauman commanding. The
command was mt once ordered to deploy
and take position in the investing lines.-
Upon arriving at the top of a hill menacing
and nearly opposite the right of the ene-
my's works, in obedience to orders, two
companies, A and b, were deployed as
skirmishers. Moving across ravine in
front of our lines, they briskly engaged
the enemy's advanced line. Keeping up
this Interchange of civilities until dark
the two companies were withdrawn.
During this encounter of the skirmish-
ers, the regiment was shifted to position
OIL the extreme left of our forces, arriving
in the evening. The night was cold and
kets and tents, lay upon the field, awaiting
orders. At five o'clock on the afternoon
of the:l5t the regiment was ordered to
storm tho enemy's Notifications in front,
by advancing it's left wing. supported in
the rear by its right. Colonel Tuttle took
command of the storming party in person,
while tn" support moved up under Lieu
tenant Colonel Baker. The left wing pro-
ceet!cd steadily up the hill, subjected all
the time 10 a heavy raking fire of artillery,
and volleys of musl,etry from behind we'll
constructed breastworks. The brave To-
vans pushed bravely forward without fl
ring a gun. Color-Sergeant III. b. Doolit-
tie, Company G, while waving the flag and
urging on the men, fe!l with four distinct
and dangerous wounds. The colors were
immediately seized and carried forward
by CorporalS. $. q. Page, Company b. Lieu
tenant Colonel Baker, willie bringing up
the support. had ball penetrate his can.
passing out near his temple. Major n. p.
Chipman. while encouraging the men OF
the left wing, fell with dangerous wound
from musket ball i'm the thigh. He re-
fused, however tn be carried from the field,
but lying on the ground, raised himself on
one hand, and with the other waved his
sword. shouting forward, men, forward,
keep cool!' Captains J. S. Slaymaker,
Company C.. and G. G. Cloutman, Compa-
ny X, fell, instantly killed, while steady
ing their companies; and as the line APP
preached nearer the cncmy's works, Sec
ond Lieutenant w. G. Harper, Company
T., also fell dead. ..-.
As soon as the regiment was close up,
the men gave loud yell, jumped into the
bitches, and i'm an instant had scaled the
works. No sooner had the colors appear
ed, than tho enemy ccntcred Il volley upon
it. Corporal Page, who was holding the
pierced by several balls. The colors for an
instant disappeared. Corp. Henry Church
ill, Company I, sprang forward and again
restored them to sight. A kw minutes
after, his right arm WAS broken by frag-
ment of II shell. Corporal Twombly, Com
p:lny +, now succeeded to the dangerous
post of ilag-boarer. Scarcely had he raised
the colors which had fallen from the hands
of Churchill, before he was knocked down
by spent ball. Corporal Robinson, Com
pany +, instantly sprang for the flag, but
while in the very act of seizing il received
IA wound that la;dhim helpless on his back.
Twombly by this time had recovered him
self, and once moresprang to his standard.
Waving the battle-worn flag he shouted:
"They'rc oil right yet. boys!'
While this desperate contest was going
on over the flag, the other portions of the
line were tiercely engaged in desperate
conflict. At last, however, the enemy fed,
with the exception of a few who remained
and kept up a scattered, struggling fire.
These were soon put to the bayonet. The
Second Iowa weye now sent charging after
the defeated foe, and went Mt their work
like heroes. Through woods, into ravines,
and out again, onward went the gallant
men of the Northwest, bearing back eve-
rything before them, until at last they
reached the crest or hill-range, their am
munition all expended, and themselves too
much exhausted to continue the pursuit
At this juncture some Union regiments
i'm the rear, mistaking them for rebels,
poured a heavy fire into their ranks. The
enemy, too, prepared for fresh advance,
and were already moving in line of battle
upon our heroes, who, thereupon, cautious
ly back. That night the Second.Iowa was
posted in the captured camp of the rebels,
who kept up a fire on them all night.
A fierce conflict was expected next day;
but scarcely had day dawned when the